In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

Without a Shorter Net

The gem of this podcast is at the end; Pegasus, a 23 minute composition with wind ensemble from Wayne Shorter's newly released Without A Net. The Podcast starts with the 3 Cohens doing their version of the classic Tiger Rag. For something completely different, we go to Rudresh Mahanthappa's Gamak including a way out raga. U Mass educator Jeff Holmes has a great new CD with a track included here. Next up is a taste of a wonderful project from Russ Kaplan telling the tale of The Odyssey. More Indo/Jazz fusion from Rez Abassi before we finish with the Shorter masterpiece.

Featured Album

Without a Net - Wayne Shorter on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Tiger Rag ~ 3 Cohens ~ Family
Stay I ~ Rudresh Mahanthappa ~ Gamak
Abohgi ~ Rudresh Mahanthappa ~ Gamak
Of One's Own ~ Jeff Holmes ~ Of One's Own
Pigz in Space ~ Russ Kaplan +7 ~ The Ulysees Cycle (pre-release)
Prognostication ~ Russ Kaplan +7 ~ The Ulysees Cycle (pre-release)
The Cure ~ Rez Abbasi Trio ~ Coninuous Beat
Pegasus ~ Wayne Shorter Quartet ~ Without a Net

Family

Perhaps the greatest source of inspiration in art and life is FAMILY, and so it is for the three Cohens from Tel Aviv. This podcast begins with the 3 Cohens and their recent album Family. In fact, the entire podcast is recent albums from Terri Lyne Carrington's interpretations of Duke Ellington, Wayne Shorter's anticipated new release, Branford Marsalis' virtuosic quartet and Rudresh Mahanthappa with his return to high energy fusion sound. Keep listening to this podcast to hear more of these great new jazz albums.

Featured Album

Family - 3 Cohens

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Blues for Dandi's Orange Bull Chasing an Orange Sack ~ 3 Cohens ~ Family
The Mooch ~ 3 Cohens ~ Family
Money Jungle ~ Terri Lyne Carrington ~ Money Jungle
Wig Wise ~ Terri Lyne Carrington ~ Money Jungle
Orbits ~ Wayne Shorter ~ Without a Net
Theo ~ Branford Marsalis ~ 4 MFs Playin' Tunes
Lots of Interest ~ Rudresh Mahanthappa ~ Gamak
Ballad For Troubled Times ~ Rudresh Mahanthappa ~ Gamak

Shorter

At the heart of this podcast is a Wayne Shorter set that shows different sides of this jazz genius' writing and soloing skills. We start the podcast with Donald Byrd, who passed away this week. We play some vintage Chick Corea and brand new Terri Lynn Carrington. Dana Lauren serenades us from her latest album. After the Shorter set, we hear from another great saxophone player, also playing the bass clarinet, Chris Potter from a new release, The Sirens.

Featured Album

Off to the Races - Donald Byrd on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Lover Come Back To Me ~ Donald Byrd ~ Off to the Races
Litha ~ Chick Corea ~ Inner Space
It's You or No One ~ Dana Lauren ~ It's You or No One
Backward Country Boy Blues ~ Terri Lynn Carrington ~ Money Jungle
Lost ~ Wayne Shorter ~ The Soothsayer
Infant Eyes ~ Wayne Shorter ~ Speak No Evil
Water Babies ~ Wayne Shorter ~ Super Nova
The Sirens ~ Chris Potter ~ The Sirens

Tough Tenors

These cats all play a tough tenor sax in my book. Starting with Chris Potter, and a couple of tracks from a new CD, The Sirens. Joe Lovano is next up with his latest effort from the Us Five band. We also hear from Jerry Bergonzi letting loose on his latest album. Jared Sims may not be as well know as the previous players, but he can be just as tough playing tenor with this piano-less quartet The New Stablemates. Last but not least we settle things down with Noah Preminger, playing his deep, strong tone on this beautiful ballad.

Featured Album

The Sirens - Chris Potter on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Wine Dark Sea ~ Chris Potter ~ The Sirens
Wayfinder ~ Chris Potter ~ The Sirens
Golden Horn ~ Joe Lovano ~ Cross Culture
Wibble Wobble ~ Jerry Bergonzi ~ Shifting Gears
Delcan's Tune ~ Sims, Bloom, Zinno, Langone ~ The New Stablemates
Irene ~ Sims, Bloom, Zinno, Langone ~ The New Stablemates
Until the Real Thing Comes Along ~ Noah Preminger ~ Before the Rain

Inauguration Suite

This week's featured artist is guitarist Dan Arcamone. His latest CD shows off some fine guitar chops and an etherial sound. The podcast starts with Branford Marsalis channeling the spirit of John Coltrane with his version of A Love Supreme. At the end of the podcast, I pay tribute to Barack Obama's 2nd term as President of the United States with a mashup of excerpts of his inaugural address and Thelonious Monk's Straight No Chaser.Also heard here is Monk, Jimmy Greene and Craig Hartley

Featured Album

Dan Arcamone on CD Baby

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
A Love Supreme I. Acknowledgement ~ Branford Marsalis Quartet ~ Footsteps of Our Fathers
Green Chimneys ~ Thelonious Monk ~ Straight No Chaser
Re-Affirmation ~ Jimmy Greene ~ True Life Stories
Like Bright Lights ~ Dan Arcamone ~ In Colors
Yellow and Grey ~ Dan Arcamone ~ In Colors
K2? ~ Craig Hartley ~ Books on Tape: Vol 1
Rooftops Speak Dreams ~ Jane Ira Bloom ~ Wingwalker
Obama-Monk Inauguration Suite ~ Thelonious Monk/Barack Obama Mix

Good Afternoon

This afternoon broadcast features a new album by Joe Lovano and his Us Five Quintet. First we open up with a fusion guitar set with new music from John McLaughlin and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Also notable in this podcast is Jerry Bergonzi's new CD as well and others.

Featured Album

Cross Culture - Joe Lovano Us Five on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Not Here Not There ~ John McLaughlin ~ Now Here This
Mr. Hope ~ Kurt Rosenwinkel ~ Star of Jupiter
Dragon Gate ~ Larry Coryell ~ Tricycles
Royal Roost ~ Joe Lovano ~ Cross Culture
Journey Within ~ Joe Lovano ~ Cross Culture
Check Out Time ~ Ravi Coltrane ~ Spirit Fiction
Blue Nile ~ Alice Coltrane ~ Translinear Light
Flying Red ~ Jerry Bergonzi ~ Shifting Gears
Zoning ~ Jerry Bergonzi ~ Shifting Gears
The Mighty Sword ~ Branford Marsalis Quartet ~ Four MF's Playin' Tunes

2012 Retrospective pt 3

2012 was a prolific year for jazz releases, and it has taken me three shows to review some of my favorite albums from this year. This show shows off new releases by drummer Winard Harper, singer Kurt Elling, bassist Linda Oh and Esperanza Spaulding, pianists Vijay Iyer and Cyrus Chestnut, sax player Ravi Coltrane and more.

Featured Album

Spirit Fiction - Ravi Coltrane on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Helen's Song ~ Winard Harper ~ Coexist
You Send Me ~ Kurt Elling ~ 1619 Broadway
Deeper Than Happy ~ Linda Oh ~ Initial Here
Marilyn & Tammy ~ Ravi Coltrane ~ Spirit Fiction
MmmHmm ~ Vijay Iyer ~ Accelerando
Indigo Blue ~ Cyrus Chestnut ~ The Cyrus Chestnut Quartet
Rio's Dream ~ Jonathan Blake ~ The Eleventh Hour
Future Child ~ Donald Vega ~ Spiritual Nature
Endagered Spiecies ~ Esperanza Spaulding ~ Radio Music Society

2012 Retrospective pt.2 Hartford

Part two of our 2012 retrospective has a local connection. All of the music featured on this podcast is from jazz cats with roots in the Hartford area. Don't be fooled by the "local" moniker, this is some of the hottest jazz being produced today. Many of these albums deserve to be on anyone's top 20 releases of 2012. If you haven't heard of these players, listen up. Most of these cats will be burning it up in jazz clubs around the globe for years to come. Some already are.

Featured Album

Nicole Zuraitis on CD Baby

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Upstream ~ Frank Varela ~ Grandma's Revenge
Circles ~ Sinan Bakir ~ Tales and Stories
Pariah Anthem ~ Nicole Zuraitis ~ Pariah Anthem
Just For Me ~ Craig Hartley ~ Books on Tape, Vol 1
Nightview ~ New Jazz Workshop ~ Underground
Let's Ride ~ Dezron Douglas ~ Live at Smalls
Laverne Walk ~ Nat Reeves ~ State of Emergency
Hopewell ~ Kris Allen ~ Circle House
Fred Ferrarra ~ Simms, Bloom, Zinno, Langone ~ The New Stabelmates