A recap of a three night stay in New York City that had us hitting the jazz clubs each night. This show features some of the great artists we saw during our stay. The Mingus Big Band was just a rollicking good time with smoking arrangements and soloists. Next up was Mike Stern rocking out in a trio setting at 55Bar, one of my favorite venues. The final night in NYC we caught Johnathan Blake's CD release party at the Jazz Gallery. We finish the podcast with a beautiful composition and arrangement by Maria Schnieder.

Featured Album

Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard from iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Moanin' ~ Mingus Big Band ~ Live at Jazz Standard
Cryin' Blues ~ Mingus Big Band ~ Live at Jazz Standard
KT ~ Mike Stern ~ Who Let the Cats Out
Wing and a Prayer ~ Mike Stern ~ Between the Lines
Clues ~ Johnathan Blake ~ The Eleventh Hour
Time to Kill ~ Johnathan Blake ~ The Eleventh Hour
The Pretty Road ~ Maria Schneider Orchestra ~ Sky Blue

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Fat Tuesday is this week down in N'orleans, and that begins the Mardi Gras celebration. This podcast features great New Orleans music from jazz artists young and old. Tunes from the Rebirth Brass Band, Louis Armstrong, the Marsalis Family, Terrance Blanchard, Skerik and a new sax player Khris Royal will get you in the groove for this year's Mardi Gras.

Featured Album

Rebirth of New Orleans - Rebirth Brass Band on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
You Know You Know ~ Rebirth Brass Band ~ Rebirth of New Orleans
Norleans ~ Doctor Lonnie Smith ~ Too Damn Hot!
Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans ~ Louis Armstrong ~ Chicago Concert 1956 Remastered
In the Court of King Oliver ~ Wynton Marsalis ~ Standard Time Volume 3
Cain and Abel ~ The Marsalis Family ~ A Jazz Celebration
Brer Rabbit ~ Delfayo Marsalis ~ Minions Dominions
Over There ~ Terence Blanchard ~ Flow
Love Song #4 ~ Khris Royal ~ Dark Matter
Summer Pudding ~ Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet ~ Husky

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This pre-Valentines Day special features jazz tunes inspired by LOVE. Not a lot of typical sappy love songs in this set, but some hard-driving emotional compositions. We start with some a great tunes from the 50's performed by Jackie McLean and Lester Young, eventually breaking out into newer ground, with some soulful music by Mulgrew Miller, Aretha Franklin and Kevin Mahogany. We switch over to some fusion guitar with Mike Stern and Joe Beck. We finish this lovely show with one of my favorite romantic jazz ballads by Jimmy Greene entitled Love In Action.

Featured Album

McLean's Scene - Jackie McLean on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Our Love Is Here To Stay ~ Jackie McLean ~ McLean's Scene
Taking a Chance on Love ~ Lester Young ~ Ted and Prez
Almost Like Being in Love ~ Lester Young and Oscar Peterson~ Tea for Two
Comes Love ~ Mulgrew Miller ~ Live at Yoshi's Volume 2
I Never Loved a Man (The way I loved you) ~ Aretha Franklin ~ The Very Best of
Crazy Love ~ Van Morrison ~ Moondance
I Love You More than You'll Ever Know ~ Kevin Mahogany ~ Kevin Mahogany
How Deep Is your Love ~ Bad Plus ~ For All I Care
All Heart ~ Mike Stern ~ Play
I Love You ~ Joe Beck ~ Just Friends
Love's Fury ~ Sean Jones ~ No Need For Words
Love In Action ~ Jimmy Greene ~ Mission Statement

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After kicking off this podcast with a straight ahead jazz romp from Steve Davis, we get into a solid groove from a new release by baritone sax master Gary Smulyan. Art Pepper follows with some cool jazz grooves. We then move to a different kind of swing with some African rhythms from Omar Sosa. Ahmad Jamal serenades us on three tracks with his piano trios. We finish up with Josh Evans cooking on trumpet from his debut album Profile.

Featured Album

Smul's Paradise on Amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Con Alma ~ Steve Davis ~ Crossfire
Up in Betty's Room ~ Gary Smulyan ~ Smul's Paradise
Heavenly Hours ~ Gary Smulyan ~ Smul's Paradise
September Song ~ Art Peper ~ Straight Life
Afreecanos West ~ Omar Sosa ~ Promise
Stolen Moments ~ Ahmad Jamal ~ The Awakening
Autumn In New York ~ Ahmad Jamal ~ Poinciana - One Night Only
Moonlight in Vermont ~ Ahmad Jamal ~ Poinciana - One Night Only
Beatnik ~ Josh Evans ~ Portrait

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