In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

The show title has nothing to do with the music, but this broadcast preceded the UCONN Huskies basketball team drive to the NCAA championship. OK, now that we have that out of the way, we hear from jazz's greatest artists. Trane, Miles, Holland, Chick. Throw in a recent release from Miles' alter ego Wallace Roney, Hartford's own Steve Davis covering Trane, and this is one hour plus of high quality jazz music. If you are a jazz fan, you HAVE to dig this set.

Featured Album

Pathways on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Equinox ~ John Coltrane ~ Coltrane's Sound
26-2 ~ Steve Davis ~ The Jaunt
So What ~ Miles Davis ~ Live At The 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival
I Love What We Make Together ~ Wallace Roney ~ If Only For One Night
Shadow Dance ~ Dave Holland Octet ~ Pathways
Litha ~ Chick Corea ~ Inner Space

This is a listener inspired podcast. From a Facebook wall post, I was turned on to a Roy Haynes album, Out of the Afternoon, featuring an early Rahsaan Roland Kirk appearance. This led to a RRK set as well. All that is sandwiched in between an intense opener with Trombone Shorty, Matt Wilson and Noah Preminger, and ends with a gorgeous mellow set of Larry Willis and Vijay Iyer.

Featured Album

The Return Of The 5,000 Lb Man on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Where Y' At ~ Trombone Shorty ~ Backatown
Shooshabuster ~ Matt Wilson ~ That"s Gonna Leave A Mark
Two Bass Hit ~ Matt Wilson ~ That"s Gonna Leave A Mark
Abreaction ~ Noah Preminger ~ Before the Rain
Snap Crackle ~ Roy Haynes Quartet ~ Out of the Afternoon
If I Should Lose You ~ Roy Haynes Quartet ~ Out of the Afternoon
Theme for the Eulipians ~ Rahsaan Roland Kirk ~ The Return of the 5,000 lb Man
Giant Steps ~ Rahsaan Roland Kirk ~ The Return of the 5,000 lb Man
My One and Only Love ~ Rahsaan Roland Kirk ~ Compliments of the Mysterious Phantom
Ethiopia ~ Larry Willis ~ The Offering
Entropy and Time ~ Vijay Iyer ~ Tirtha

A great big THANKS to all my podcast listeners who contributed to the WHUS Radiothon 2011. Once again, this radio show was among the top 5 fundraisers from the station. We had contributors from all over the country and all over the world. It was a tough year for fundraising and goals were not necessarily met, but nonetheless this show's podcast fans came through. Many of you have donated for several years in the past as well. I am truly grateful for your support of Jazz radio and this show. Noah Preminger is appearing in New Haven, Saturday, April 9.

Thanks to (name-ST or Country): Susan-WI, Chris-United Kingdom, Aaron-HI, George-Austria, Bruno-Belgium, David-MA, Carson-NY, Ruth-NH, Robert-MD, Jason-MA, Robert-CT, Abraham-WA, Sharon-CT, Richard-CT, David-Austrailia, Simon-NY, Jeffrey-WI, Lauren-NY, Erik-NY, Martin-Germany, Greg-OH, William-WA, Steven-Netherlands, Remi-France, (name unknown)-Japan, Todd-OH, Bruce-GA, Dr. Robert-Austria, Ike-CA, Henry-NV, Norbert-Germany, Donald-CT.

Featured Album

Village Rhythm on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Marco Polo ~ JD Allen ~ Shine!
Us Them ~ Jeremy Pelt ~ Men of Honor
Beyond My Wildest Dreams ~ Ralph Peterson's Unity Project ~ Outer Reaches
More Physical ~ Mike DiRubbo ~ Chronos
Yuba Citrico ~ Curtis Brothers Quartet ~ Live at Kuumbwa
Sleepy Giant ~ Joe Lovano Quintet ~ Village Rhythm
Duke Ellington's Sound of Love ~ Joe Lovano Quintet ~ Village Rhythm
Donna Lee ~ Joe Lovano Us Five ~ Bird Songs
Before the Rain ~ Noah Preminger ~ Before the Rain
Alter Ego ~ Larry Willis ~ The Offering

There were a lot of people hanging around from Radiothon at WHUS this week while I was doing this show. One person was listening and was intrigued by the music. He hadn't heard anything like it before and asked me, "What do you call this music?” I hesitated while thinking about how to answer; post-bop, post-modern jazz, fusion? None of these really would have made sense to this person. Finally I said modern jazz. But as I think of it more, and I listen to some of the music, especially the Donny McCaslin set, it doesn't even have that much resemblance to jazz, or rock, or anything else. Just a reference to jazz can give someone the wrong (and possibly a negative) impression. From now on, when I am asked that question I am just going to call it Modern Music.

Featured Album

Perpetual Motion on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Milo Hayward ~ Jeremy Pelt ~ Men of Honor
Perpetual Motion ~ Donny McCaslin ~ Perpetual Motion
Firefly ~ Donny McCaslin ~ Perpetual Motion
Feed the Birds ~ Kurt Rosenwinkel ~ Disney Jazz Vol 1
Hard Stuff ~ Michael Feinberg ~ With Many Hands
Julia ~ Craig Hartley ~ Craig Hartley remixes The Beatles
Night Song ~ Arthur Blyth ~ Focus

Radiothon

This year's radiothon is now over. Thanks to all of you who contributed. Your support is sincerely appreciated. This program was one of the top fundraisers at WHUS. While WHUS radiothon is complete, any further donations are welcome and will help defray the growing costs involved with publishing this podcast each and every week as I have done for the past five years. Thank you all.

This is a reprise of a show, recorded back in February 2009. The majority of the playlist comes from talented young musicians/composers that are having an impact on the future of jazz music. Hope you enjoy the tunes.
Featured Artist

Men Of Honor on amazon.com

Playlist
Track * Artist * Album
Back Road * Jeremy Pelt * Men of Honor
Fugue * John Funkhauser Trio * Time
When Seaguls Fly * Noah Preminger * Dry Bridge Road
All Matter * Robert Glasper * Double Booked
Think of One * Robert Glasper * Double Booked
The Hutch * Ken Fowser/Ben Gilece * Full View
Maimi Jazz Scene * Jean Caze * Miami Jazz Scene

We finish out last week's Trio program with Boston based John Funkhouser and then classics from Bud Powell and McCoy Tyner. Some guitar works ends the show with Hartford's own Rich Goldstein and Jake Langley.

Featured Album

Blue Note Cafe Paris 1961 on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Emancipation ~ John Funkhouser Trio ~ Time
Night In Tunesia ~ Bud Powell ~ Blue Note Cafe Paris 1961
Impressions ~ McCoy Tyner ~ Trident
Minor's Trajedy ~ Rich Goldstien ~ Comin' from Montgomery
Minor League ~ Jake Langley ~ Movin' and Groovin'

This podcast showcases modern jazz trios. This small ensemble format takes many forms. Although one usually thinks of piano based trios in jazz, we also have trios led by drums, guitar, sax and bass represented here. We start with a Monk standard which Larry Coryell rocks out on. We then continue with some very thoughtful trio playing from drummer George Schuller and pianist Dan Tepfer. We sneak in a Tepfer/Preminger duet before hearing more great trio music by Noah Baerman, Vijay Iyer, Joshua Redman, Mike DiRubbo, John Pattitucci and the late Thomas Chapin.

Featured Album

Five Pedals Deep on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Well You Needn't ~ Larry Coryell ~ Tricycles
House of Blue Lime ~ George Schuller Trio ~ Life's Little Dramas
Peal, Repeal ~ Dan Tepfer ~ Five Pedals Deep
Back ATTYA ~ Noah Preminger and Dan Tepfer ~ Private recording
Tastes Like Chedda ~ Noah Baerman ~ Bliss
Big Brother ~ Vijay Iyer Trio ~ Historicity
Insomniac ~ Joshua Redman ~ Compass
More Physical ~ Mike DiRubbo ~ Chronos
Safari ~ John Pattitucci ~ Rememberence
Alphaville ~ Thomas Chapin ~ Night Bird Song

While this podcast does not have a central theme, there is a lot of great music here. The set starts off with some great women jazz artists. Regina Carter's rhythmic African beats and soaring violin begins the program. That is followed by Esperanza Spalding's unique arrangement fusing jazz and classical music in a unique and beautiful way. Christine Jensen finishes the set with a swinging hard bop quartet and a smokin' sax solo. The gem of the program is up next with an early Chick Corea album Inner Space. Dig solos by Joe Farrell, Woody Shaw and Chick in this fine ensemble. I also feature some great sax players currently active in the New York City scene, Mike DiRubbo, JD Allen, Albert Rivera and Stacy Dillard. Other horn players like Brad and Elliot Mason (Trumpet, Trombone) have a new CD that deserve your attention.

Featured Album

Inner Space on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Mandingo Street ~ Regina Carter ~ Rhythms of the Heart
Knowledge of Good and Evil ~ Esperanza Spalding ~ Chamber Music Society
For Tom Harrell ~ Christine Jensen ~ Look Left
Straight Up and Down ~ Chick Corea ~ Inner Space
Lucky 13 ~ Mike Dirubbo ~ Chronos
Se'Lah ~ JD Allen ~ Shine!
24-7 ~ Mason Brothers ~ Two Sides, One Story
Inner Peace ~ Albert Rivera ~ Inner Peace