In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

Cinco de Mayo 2023

Latin Jazz is the spotlight in this week's Cinco de Mayo episode. Latin jazz from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico and other Latin influenced artists represented here. 

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band ~ Up Jumped Spring ~ Rumba Buhaina
Chucho Valdés ~ Solar ~ New Conceptions
Poncho Sanchez ~ Tin Tin Deo ~ Do It!
Gilbert Castellanos ~ La Puerta ~ Espérame En El Cielo
Irving Flores & Danzon Jazz Trio ~ Bolero in San Diego ~ American Influence
Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Ray Brown & Mickey Roker ~ Be Bop (Dizzy's Fingers) ~ Dizzy's Big 4
Tito Puente ~ Oye Como Va ~ 20th Century Masters - The Best of Tito Fuente
Cal Tjader, Willie Bobo & Mongo Santamaria ~ A Night In Tunisia ~ Latino!

Outertime

The gem in this podcast is the final track from the late great Ahmad Jamal. Before that we hear from newcomer Lakecia Benjamin in her sophomore release. That is followed by a couple of covers from Billy Childs and San Diego guitarist Peter Sprague. Noah Preminger plays filmaker Otto Preminger and an exciting new single from Indian fusion band Shakti.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Lakecia Benjamin ~ Phoenix (feat. Georgia Ann Muldrow) ~ Phoenix
Lisa Fischer & Billy Childs ~ Map to the Treasure ~ Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro
Peter Sprague ~ Going with Me ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 2
Noah Preminger ~ For Advise and Consent ~ Preminger Plays Preminger
Shakti ~ Mohanam (single) ~ This Moment 
Ahmad Jamal ~ Bogota ~ Outertimeinnerspace

Episode April 23 2023

A different kind of start for this episode of In The Groove. First up is a R&B Classic from Curtis Mayfield followed by progressive Rock from Santana. That is followed by a vocal set before we close out the show playing tribute to Ahmad Jamal who passed away last week at 92 years old.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Curtis Mayfield ~ Move on Up ~ Keep On Keeping On: Curtis Mayfield Studio Albums 1970-1974
Santana ~ Song of the Wind ~ Caravanserai
Steps Ahead ~ Pools ~ Steps Ahead
Cannonball Adderley & Nancy Wilson ~ Never Will I Marry ~ Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley
Herbie Hancock Feat. Corinne Bailey Rae ~ River ~ River: The Joni Letters
Cécile McLorin Salvant ~ Mélusine ~ Mélusine
Samara Joy ~ Sweet Pumpkin ~ Linger Awhile
Ahmad Jamal Trio ~ Patterns ~ The Awakening
Ahmad Jamal Trio ~ Poinciana ~ Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing: But Not for Me

Herbie at 83

It's Herbie Hancock's birthday celebration podcast episode. We've got him on the first four tracks of this podcast, in different settings. Certainly he is a living legend on the jazz scene today at 83 years of age.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Herbie Hancock ~ Actual Proof ~ Thrust
Herbie Hancock ~ One Finger Snap ~ Empyrean Islands
Freddie Hubbard ~ The Intrepid Fox ~ Red Clay
Lee Morgan ~ Mr. Kenyatta ~ Search for the New Land
Gilbert Castellanos ~ Big P ~ Espérame En El Cielo
Bill Evans ~ Soiree ~ From Left To Right (Expanded Edition)
Isaiah J. Thompson ~ The Soul Messenger ~ The Power of the Spirit

Spring 2023

This is the spring edition of In The Groove. It is also the birth date of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. We celebrate both of these with this week's podcast. Also of note is the release of harpist Brandee Younger with a featured track from her album Brand New Life. Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin's latest release Phoenix wraps up this episode.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Kneebody ~ The Trip ~ Chapters
Emmet Cohen ~ Venus de Milo ~ Uptown in Orbit
Brandee Younger ~ Running Game ~ Brand New Life
Freddie Hubbard ~ UK Forty One  ~ UK Forty One EP 
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers ~ Up Jumped Spring ~ 3 Blind Mice, Vol. 1
Milt Jackson ~ Sunflower ~ Sunflower
Joel Frahm ~ Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most ~ We Used To Dance
Lakecia Benjamin ~ Jubilation ~ Phoenix

NYC Visit

Returning from my New York City trip, I wanted to review some of the shows we saw at some iconic clubs. You will hear Joe Farnsworth (heard at Smalls), Mark Giuliana (Village Vanguard), SF Jazz Collective (Birdland) and Sarah Hanahan (Smalls). In addition, Grammy award winner Samara Joy and more.

Playlist 
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joe Farnsworth ~ New York Attitude ~ City of Sounds
Mark Guiliana ~ under the influence ~ the sound of listening
SFJAZZ Collective ~ God Bless The Child / That's The Way Of The World ~ New Works & Classics Reimagined
Sarah Hanahan ~ Here For Jackie ~ Straight From The Hart
Samara Joy ~ I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) ~ Linger Awhile
Gilbert Castellanos ~ Bilad as Sudan ~ Espérame En El Cielo
Noah Preminger ~ Way Early Subtone ~ Preminger Plays Preminger
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis ~ That Dance We Do (That You Love Too) ~ The Democracy! Suite

Women In Jazz Redux

Note: This is a repost of last year's episode. Being Women's History Month, we will begin with a set of women jazz artists. Represented are Miki Yamanaka, Helen Sung and Melissa Aldana and the female "supergroup" Artemis. Next up new music from young musicians Mike Casey (sax) and Justin Joyce (drums). Something new from guitarist Peter Sprague covering Metheny compositions, and finally a beautiful ballad from George Cables.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Miki Yamanaka ~ Monk's Dream ~ Miki
Helen Sung ~ Long Yellow Road ~ Quartet + (with Harlem Quartet)
Melissa Aldana ~ Los Ojos de Chile ~ 12 Stars
ARTEMIS ~ Nocturno ~ Artemis
Mike Casey ~ Click Bait ~ Single
Justin Joyce ~ Placid Pandemonium ~ Story Tales
Peter Sprague ~ Questions ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 2
George Cables ~ Helen's Song ~ My Muse

New Releases Old Classics

A playlist of new releases, classic jazz with the coming of Spring in mind and other new music from McBride, Childs and Lage. The episode ends with a harp and harp (harmonica) duet.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Lakecia Benjamin ~ Trane ~ Phoenix
Gilbert Castellanos ~ Home is Africa ~ Espérame En El Cielo
Charles Lloyd ~ Forest Flower: Sunrise ~ Forest Flower: Charles Lloyd At Monterey
Freddie Hubbard ~ Up Jumped Spring ~ Backlash
Christian McBride & New Jawn ~ The Good Life ~ Prime
Ornette Coleman ~ Lonely Woman ~ The Shape of Jazz to Come
Julian Lage ~ The Layers ~ The Layers
Billy Childs ~ Crystal Silence ~ The Winds of Change
Grégoire Maret & Edmar Castaneda ~ Manha de Carnaval ~ Harp vs. Harp