In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

Take Me Out to the Ballgame 2026

Celebrating Baseballs Opening Day 2026 with this week's episode. Really the only track that relates to baseball is the first one by B3 organist Joey D. The balance of the show is music I have been listening to this week. We wrap up the show with the archival release of a 1964 Duke Ellington concert.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joey DeFrancesco ~ Take Me out to the Ballgame ~ Joey D!
Weather Report ~ A Remark You Made ~ Heavy Weather
ARTEMIS ~ Sights Unseen ~ ARBORESQUE
Noah Preminger & Max Light ~ Everything Means Nothing To Me ~  Single
Shai Maestro ~ GG's Metamorphosis ~ The Guesthouse
Matt Dwonszyk ~ Mode For Rene ~ Matt Dwonszyk Live at the Side Door
Duke Ellington ~ Isfahan ~ Copenhagen 1964
Duke Ellington ~ Medley: Black and Tan Fantasy, The Mooche & Creole Love Call ~ Copenhagen 1964

Episode March 22 2026

Classic jazz albums bookend new artists from both coasts. Plus there are some interesting covers of Metheny tunes from guitarist Peter Sprague and vocalist Leonard Patton.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Lee Morgan ~ Mr. Kenyatta ~ Search for the New Land
Matt Dwonszyk ~ Stage Dive ~ Matt Dwonszyk Live at the Side Door
Ian Harland ~ Four-Flat Blues ~ Behind Bars
Shai Maestro ~ Moon of Knives ~ The Guesthouse
Shai Maestro ~ Gloria ~ The Guesthouse
Peter Sprague ~ Life Loves Lone Jack ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 1
Peter Sprague ~ Going with Me ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 2
Alice Coltrane ~ Journey in Satchidananda ~ Journey in Satchidananda

More New Jazz 2026

More new music in this week's show. The first half are established artists with national/international touring bands. The second have are young jazz cats, some with a local following that are making a name for themselves with creative new sounds and music.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joshua Redman ~ Icarus ~ Words Fall Short
Chris Potter ~ Osawatomie Brown ~ Alive With Ghosts Today
Noah Preminger ~ Hummus ~ Dark Days 
Pat Metheny ~ Make a New World ~ Side-Eye III+
Dolphin Hyperspace ~ The Life of a Bee ~ ECHOLOCATION
Shai Maestro ~ Nature Boy ~ The Guesthouse
Justin Joyce ~ Dos Hermanos ~ Almost Familiar
Carsten Dahl Experience ~ You Stepped Out of a Dream ~ Into the Storm

Episode March 8 2026

Perhaps the heart and soul of this episode is the collaboration of Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane from the album The Elements. The other recording that deserves attention is the release of guitarist Pat Metheny' Side-Eye III+. Not only did Pat's album drop this week, but he has begun a tour of the US and Europe. I'm looking forward to seeing Metheny in May as I already have my tickets.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Clarke, Rushen & Chancler ~ Take Five ~ Standards
Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane ~ Fire ~ The Elements
Joe Henderson ~ Black Narcissus ~ Power To The People
Pat Metheny ~ SE-O ~ Side-Eye III+
Nicole McCabe ~ Twister ~ Color Theory
Dave Holland, Norma Winstone ~ Not Waving But Drowning ~ Vital Spark
McCoy Tyner ~ Fly With The Wind ~ Fly With The Wind

Episode Feb 22 2026

An eclectic mix of music this week with no real theme. We have new releases, bebop from the 60's and jazz rock fusion. Open your mind and enjoy the full breadth of what jazz music can be.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Kurt Elling & WDR Big Band ~ They Speak No Evil ~ In The Brass Palace
Vi Redd ~ If I Should Lose You ~ Bird Call
Vi Redd ~ Now's the Time ~ Bird Call
Phil Woods ~ The Last Page ~ Musique du bois
Brandon Sanders ~ 8/4 Beat ~ Lasting Impression
Andrew Renfroe ~ BIG COUNTRY ~ POP LOGIC
Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin & Paco de Lucía ~ Meeting of the Spirits ~ Saturday Night in San Francisco

Episode January 18 2026

At the center of this episode is music from alumni of the Jackie McLean Institute for Jazz, University of Hartford where this show is broadcast. Also music from jazz greats Rollins, Pepper and Miles.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension ~ Lock Down Blues ~ Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2022
Tony Davis ~ Trinkets From Mars ~ Jessamine
Brandee Younger ~ End Means ~ Gadabout Season
Sarah Hanahan ~ NATO ~ Among Giants
Al Foster ~ Pent-Up House ~ Live at Smoke
Sonny Rollins ~ How High the Moon ~ Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Art Pepper ~ You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To ~ Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section
Miles Davis ~ Joshua ~ Seven Steps To Heaven

2025 Review Part 2

We continue with a 2025 album release review. This week we are concentrating on recordings from local jazz scenes that I have a connection with, Hartford and San Diego. I also include Detroit after attending their great jazz festival.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Irving Flores ~ With Amanda in Favignana ~ Armando Mi Conga
Victor Baker Quartet ~ As the Crow Flies ~ As the Crow Flies
David Borgo ~ The Lick ~ Uplift
Tony Davis ~ Unrequited ~ Jessamine
Alex Tremblay & Vanisha Gould ~ Scenic Route ~ People and Places
Louis Jones III ~ Stuck ~ Motions
Chuck Mangione ~ Children of Sanchez ~ Children of Sanchez

2025 In Review

This show features some of my favorite releases in 2025. We also pay tribute to the jazz artists that passed during last year.

Playlist 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joe Farnsworth ~ All Said and Done ~ The Big Room
ARTEMIS ~ What The World Needs Now Is Love ~ ARBORESQUE
Branford Marsalis Quartet ~ ‘Long As You Know You’re Living Yours ~ Belonging
Brandee Younger ~ BBL ~ Gadabout Season
Roberta Flack ~ Compared to What ~ First Take
Mike Wofford ~ Cole Porter ~ Synergy
Al Foster ~ E.S.P. ~ Live at Smoke
Jack DeJohnette, Ravi Coltrane & Matt Garrison ~ Two Jimmys ~ In Movement