In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

Great Albums 2023 Part 2

Continuing from last week's episode, we review some of my favorite releases from 2023. Besides long time favorites like Chris Potter and Billy Childs, there are newcomers on the scene producing great music. Tina Raymond, Miki Yamanaka, Lakecia Benjamin and Isaiah Thompson are represented here.

Playlist 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Chris Potter ~ Got the Keys to the Kingdom ~ Got the Keys to the Kingdom: Live at the Village Vanguard
Tina Raymond ~ The Emperor ~ Divinations
Billy Childs ~ Master of the Game ~ The Winds of Change
Miki Yamanaka & Mark Turner ~ Shades Of Rainbow ~ Shades of Rainbow
Lakecia Benjamin ~ Trane ~ Phoenix
Isaiah J. Thompson ~ The Soul Messenger (feat. Julian Lee, Philip Norris & Tj Reddick) ~ The Power of the Spirit

Great Albums from 2023

With so much music being released, it is nearly impossible to come up with a "Best Of" list for 2023. So here are some of my favorite recordings and other picks from Jazztodon.com. 

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
ARTEMIS ~ Lights Away from Home ~ In Real Time
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band ~ Look to the Hills ~ Kings Highway
Eddie Henderson ~ Freedom Jazz Dance ~ Witness to History
Todd Sickafoose ~ Boom Bust Startup Ruin ~ Bear Proof
Jaimie Branch ~ Aurora Rising ~ Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
Jaimie Branch ~ Borealis Dancing ~ Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
Shakti ~ Mohanam ~ This Moment
Wayne Escoffery ~ Shuffle ~ Like Minds
SFJAZZ Collective ~ The Plains (Live) ~ New Works & Classics Reimagined 

As Seen on Jazztodon

The bulk of this podcast episode is picks from Jazztodon.com. A jazz centric social media service that I post to exclusively. You can learn more about that through this episode while listening to some great tunes.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Michel Pérez ~ Falling In Love With Love ~ Toujours
John Coltrane Quartet ~ Wise One ~ Crescent
John Zorn ~ Piopio ~ O'o
Soft Machine ~ Other Doors ~ Other Doors
The Dave Brubeck Quartet ~ These Foolish Things  ~ Live from the Northwest, 1959
Joe Farrell ~ The Jazz Crunch ~ Sonic Text
Weather Report ~ Boogie Woogie Waltz ~ Sweetnighter

Hard Bop to Prog Rock

We've got hard bop from the 60's to Prog Rock of the '70s represented in this episode.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Sonny Rollins ~ Alone Together ~ Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Toots Thielemans ~ Speak No Evil ~ Only Trust Your Heart
Hank Mobley ~ If I Should Lose You ~ Soul Station
Freddie Hubbard ~ Arietis ~ Ready For Freddie
McCoy Tyner ~ Sama Layuca ~ Quartet
John McLaughlin ~ Friendship ~ Electric Guitarist (Remastered)
Santana ~ Flor de Canela ~ Borboletta
Santana ~ Promise of a Fisherman ~ Borboletta

SD-LA New

New music from San Diego and LA to begin this episode of In The Groove. Castellanos, Whitman and Kornhouser from SD, then travel north to LA for Tina Raymond and Andrew Renfroe. Much more to follow with Urbaniak, Escoffery and Mingus to close out this week's show.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Gilbert Castellanos ~ Totem Pole ~ Espérame En El Cielo
David Whitman ~ With Love ~ Ode To Joe
Ed Kornhauser ~ Modren ~ The Short Years
Tina Raymond ~ Eight of Wands ~ Divinations
Andrew Renfroe ~ FLUFFY ~ Single
Michał Urbaniak ~ Prehistoric Bird ~ Fusion III
Wayne Escoffery ~ Nostalgia in Times Square ~ Like Minds
Charles Mingus ~ Open Letter To Duke ~ Mingus Ah Um
Charles Mingus ~ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat ~ Mingus Ah Um

Kaddish

This episode is in honor of those innocent civilians that have lost their lives in the recent Middle East conflict. It is our hope that peace can be achieved in the region. We pay our respects through Emmet Cohen's Hatzi Kaddish. That is followed by other great piano trios from Kenny Barron, McCoy Tyner and more.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Emmet Cohen ~ Hatzi Kaddish ~ Masters Legacy Series Volume 2: Ron Carter
Kenny Barron & Dave Holland Trio ~ Pass It On ~ Without Deception
McCoy Tyner ~ Moment's Notice ~ McCoy Tyner Plays John Coltrane
John Coltrane ~ Wise One ~ Crescent
ARTEMIS ~ Slink ~ In Real Time
David Whitman ~ Bop This ~ Ode To Joe
Joe Farrell ~ Time's Lie ~ Moon Germs

Episode October 8 2023

This episode begins with some Metheny inspired guitar tracks. Also new music from young jazz artists Tina Raymond and Miki Yamanaka. Also a couple of tracks from Joshua Redman's new release before concluding this week's podcast with classic Max Roach.

Playlsit 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Pat Metheny Group ~ James ~ Offramp
John Pizzarelli ~ Last Train Home ~ Better Days Ahead (Solo Guitar Takes on Pat Metheny)
Grégoire Maret, Romain Collin & Bill Frisell ~ Wichita Lineman ~ Americana
Tina Raymond ~ The Emperor ~ Divinations
Miki Yamanaka ~ Song For Mary Lou ~ Shades of Rainbow
Joshua Redman ~ Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? (feat. Gabrielle Cavassa) ~ where are we
Joshua Redman ~ Alabama ~ where are we
Max Roach ~ Tears For Johannesburg (Remastered) ~ We Insist! Max Roach's Freedom Now Suite (Remastered)

Monterey 2023

This special episode is a review of this year's Monterey Jazz Festival. This was my first year attending, and it was a great experience. The selections played are all from artists that I had the pleasure of seeing at the festival, and most of the tracks were those played by these artists during the three day event.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Lakecia Benjamin ~ Jubilation ~ Phoenix
Terence Blanchard ~ The Elders ~ Absence
Herbie Hancock ~ Actual Proof ~ Thrust
Peter Sprague ~ Minuano (featuring Diana Reeves ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 1
Samara Joy ~ Can't Get Out Of This Mood (feat. Gerald Clayton) ~ Linger Awhile (Deluxe Edition)
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio ~ Move On Up ~ Live In Loveland! 
Billy Childs ~ Master of the Game ~ The Winds of Change
Charles Lloyd ~ Forest Flower: Sunrise ~ Forest Flower: Charles Lloyd At Monterey