In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

Episode October 5 2025

This episode begins as a continuation of last week's tribute to the late pianist Mike Wofford with a solo rendition of a Jackie McLean composition Little Melonae. Also featured is another San Diego pianist Irving Flores with his latest album release. Herbie, McLaughlin and Maupin round out the show.

Playlist 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Mike Wofford ~ Little Melonae ~ It's Personal
Irving Flores ~ Tramonto a Massa Lubrense ~ Armando Mi Conga
Herbie Hancock ~ Oliloqui Valley ~ Empyrean Isles
Herbie Hancock ~ Ostinato (Suite for Angela) ~ Mwandishi
John McLaughlin ~ Peace One ~ My Goals Beyond
Bennie Maupin ~ The Jewel In the Lotus ~ The Jewel In the Lotus

Jazz in the Motor City

Returning from the Detroit Jazz Fest, I wanted to highlight some of the remarkable artists who graced the stage, both local jazz talents and national acts. The episode concludes with the release of new music from pianist Christian Sands (New Haven) and saxophonist David Borgo (San Diego).

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Louis Jones III ~ Alternative Facts ~ Motions
Marion Hayden ~ Buhaina ~ Visions
Herlin Riley ~ Wang Dang Doodle ~ Perpetual Optimism
Branford Marsalis Quartet ~ Spiral Dance ~ Belonging
Walter Smith III ~ Cézanne ~ three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not
Jackie McLean ~ Appointment In Ghana ~ Jackie's Bag
Christian Sands ~ Divergent Journeys ~ Embracing Dawn
David Borgo ~ Fluctuating Friends ~ Uplift

Back to Hardbop

Recent episodes have centered around jazz/rock fusion and new releases. This week we go back to Hard-Bop. Blakey, Miles, Trane, Freddie, Mobley to name a few.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers ~ One By One  ~ Ugetsu
Miles Davis ~ Milestones ~ Milestones
John Coltrane ~ Moment's Notice ~ Blue Train
Freddie Hubbard ~ Arietis ~ Ready For Freddie
Donald Byrd ~ Off To The Races ~ Off To The Races
Joe Henderson ~ Black ~ Mode For Joe 
Hank Mobley ~ Up Over and Out ~ Reach Out! 
Jackie McLean ~ Appointment In Ghana ~ Jackie's Bag

Election Day 2024

Today's show begins with a reminder to vote on or before Election Day, Nov 5, 2024. Let's start with a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie's run for President in 1964. That's followed by Ella's Vote for Mr. Rhythm. A new posthumous release from trumpeter Roy Hargrove has a track, Kamala's Dance (written for Roy's daughter). After that is just some music I have been listening to this past week.

Playlist 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Dizzy Gillespie ~ Salt Peanuts ~ Groovin' High
Ella Fitzgerald ~ Vote For Mister Rhythm ~ The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1: 1935-1939
Roy Hargrove ~ Kamala's Dance ~ Grande-Terre
Roy Hargrove ~ Ethiopia ~ Grande-Terre
Jackie McLean ~ Star Eyes ~ Nature Boy
The Dave Brubeck Quartet ~ The City Is Crying ~ Jazz Impressions of Japan
David Borgo ~ Relational View ~ Persistence
Steve Davis ~ Milestones ~ We See
Wayne Shorter ~ Orbits ~ Celebration, Volume 1

Back To Bop

For this week's episode, we go back 60's hard bop format for most of the show. From Rollins to Trane, we groove to this era's hard hitting jazz. I did throw in a couple of modern pieces from Eddie Henderson and Billy Childs, that reflect on the hard-bop period.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Sonny Rollins ~ Alone Together ~ Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Hank Mobley ~ Up Over And Out ~ Reach Out!
Eddie Henderson ~ Totem Pole ~ Witness to History
Billy Childs ~ The Starry Night ~ Rebirth
Jackie McLean ~ Climax ~ Jacknife
John Coltrane ~ Bahia ~ Bahia
John Coltrane ~ Something I Dreamed Last Night ~ Bahia

Episode May 19 2024

Featured new music from Kenny Barron, Lori Bell, Dan Pugach. Classic jazz from Joe Henderson, Jackie McLean and James Moody. Lastly, we say farewell to David Sanborn.

Playlist
Artist ~ Track ~ Album
Christopher Hollyday ~ Dialogue ~ Dialogue
Jackie McLean ~ What Is This Thing Called Love? ~ Nature Boy
Kenny Barron ~ Innocence ~ Beyond This Place
Lori Bell Quartet ~ Black Narcissus ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson ~ In 'n Out ~ In 'n Out 
James Moody ~ I'm in the Mood for Love ~ Moody's Mood for Love
Dan Pugach ~ Travel  ~ Bianca
David Sanborn ~ Full House ~ Upfront

Episode 21 Jan 2024

This week's playlist is mostly based on albums that were posted on Jazztodon.com . We begin with artists that you likely have never heard of, then transition into some of the jazz greats like Getz, McLean and Cannonball. 

Playlist 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Muriel Grossmann ~ Knowledge and Wisdom ~ Devotion
Mitchum Yacoub ~ OB Joint ~ Living High in the Brass Empire
Joe Gordon ~ A Song for Richard ~ Lookin' Good!
Stan Getz ~ Times Lie ~ Captain Marvel
Lyle Mays ~ Ascent ~ Lyle Mays
Jackie McLean ~ You Don't Know What Love Is ~ Nature Boy
Cannonball Adderley ~ One For Daddy-O ~ Somethin' Else

MLK Day and more

This episode starts with a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as this show will air on MLK Day weekend. Following are some great tracks, most notably from Tommy Flanagan and Jackie McLean. The show ends with two versions of Mercy Street from the original Gabriel recording followed by Hancocks great cover.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Herbie Hancock ~ I Have a Dream ~ The Prisoner
Tommy Flanagan ~ Raincheck ~ Jazz Poet
Joe Gordon ~ Terra Firma Irma ~ Lookin' Good!
Christopher Hollyday ~ Everything Happens ~ Telepathy
Jackie McLean ~ Nature Boy ~ Nature Boy
Peter Gabriel ~ Mercy Street ~ So
Herbie Hancock ~ Mercy Street ~ The New Standard