In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

McLaughlin and British Jazz

A birthday tribute to guitarist John McLauglin and a set of British jazz musicians comprise this weeks show. Mahavishnu Orchestra was my first introduction to jazz, so John McLaughlin's birthday has a special meaning for me. We hear his Mahavishnu and Shakti projects before going back to his English roots. Then we hear from some great jazz artists from across the big pond in Simon Spillett and Gary Reader. We finish the podcast with Greg Abate who frequently tours England as well.

Featured Album

Limited Edition vinyl from Gearbox

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Peace One ~ Mahavishnu John McLaughlin ~ My Goals Beyond
Meeting of the Spirits ~ Mahavishnu Orchestra ~ Inner Mounting Flame
Get Down and Sruti ~ Shakti ~ Natural Elements
Lotus Feet ~ Remember Shakti ~ The Believer
Guitar Love ~ John McLaughlin ~ Now Here This
Extrapolation ~ John McLaughlin ~ Extrapolation
Zub Zub 38 ~ Gary Reader ~ Moja
Delta ~ Gary Reader ~ Moja
Shepherd's Serenade ~ Simon Spillett ~ Square One 
A Night in Tunisia ~ Simon Spillett ~ Square One 
Wong's Way ~ Greg Abate Allen Barnes ~ Birds of a Feather
Rocco's Place ~ Greg Abate Quintet ~ Greg Abate Quintet with Phil Woods

Great Jazz of 2013 part 2

This is Part 2 of the jazz album releases for 2013. I don't want to call this a Best Of list because even though I listen to a lot of music, there were so many albums that I have not yet heard from last year. That being said, we will hear from bassist and band leader Dezron Douglas, hailing from Hartford, to start this show. Gregory Porter put out his second album, and its a good one. Gary Smulyan is heard playing some Italian classics. Rudresh continues with his fusion sounds. Russ Kaplan weaves the story of Homer's Odyssey, and Lovano put out another with his Us Five group. Wayne Shorter's much anticipated album was released with rave reviews. We play the highlight of that album, an extended piece with a wind ensemble accompanying Shorter's great quartet.

Featured Album

Without a Net - Wayne Shorter on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Bish Bash Bop ~ Dezron Douglas ~ Live at Smalls
No Love Dying ~ Gregory Porter ~ Liquid Spirit
Liquid Spirit ~ Gregory Porter ~ Liquid Spirit
Fenestra Che Lucive ~ Gary Smulyan & Dominic Chianese ~ Bella Napoli
We'll Make More ~ Rudresh Mahanthappa ~ Gamak
It's Not Too Late ~ Russ Kaplan + 7 ~ The Ulysses Cycle
Myths And Legends ~ Joe Lovano ~ Cross Culture
Pegasus ~ Wayne Shorter ~ Without A Net

Great jazz from 2013

There were many great albums released in 2013, and here are but a few of them. I'll continue to feature more in the next few weeks. Tom Harrell, Kenny Garrett, Noah Preminger, Gary Burton, Dave Holland and Chick Corea are but some of those represented here. I'll continue this theme in the weeks ahead as I didn't get to all the great 2013 albums in this show.

Featured Album

Prism - Dave Holland on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Goin' Out ~ Tom Harrell ~ Colors of a Dream
Rotation ~ Kenny Garrett ~ Pushing the World Away
I Say A Little Prayer ~ Kenny Garrett ~ Pushing the World Away
Morgantown ~ Noah Preminger ~ Haymaker
Precipice ~ Brian Mccarthy ~ This Just In
This Just In ~ Brian Mccarthy ~ This Just In
Fathers ~ Anoushka Shankar ~ Traces of You
River Pulse ~ Anoushka Shankar ~ Traces of You
Jane Fonda Called Again ~ Gary Burton ~ Guided Tour
Medusa ~ Antonio Sanchez ~ New Life
Planet Chia ~ Chick Corea ~ The Vigil
Wayfinder ~ Chris Potter ~ The Sirens
Garden State ~ Dave Douglas Quintet ~ Time Travel
The Color of Iris ~ Dave Holland ~ Prism
Dances With Ancestors ~ Derrick Hodge ~ Live Today
A Thousand Memories ~ Earl MacDonald ~ Mirror of the Mind
Point of View ~ Eldar Drangirov Trio ~ Breakthrough

Christmas Again

A Christmas jazz show to get you in the spirit for the holiday season. Lots of Christmas standards and some you probably haven't heard. Midway through the podcast we hear from Curtis Fuller and George Cable, than back to more Christmas songs. Wynton Marsalis, Marian McPartland, Curtis Brothers, Dane Scozzari and more, will warm you by the fire. Gregory Porter and Sonny Rollins finish the set with the real meaning of this season.

Featured Album

Dane Scazzari and the Human Race (on Bandcamp)

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
It's Christmas Time Again ~ Dane Scozzari and the Human Race ~ It's Christmas Time Again 
Winter Wonderland ~ Wynton Marsalis ~ A Jazzy Wonderland
A La Mode ~ Curtis Fuller ~ Keep It Simple
Helen's Song ~ George Cables ~ My Muse
You're My Everything ~ George Cables ~ My Muse
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman ~ Marian McPartland ~ A Concord Jazz Christmas
O Come O Come Emmanuel ~ Kris Allen ~ Together 
My Favorite Things ~ Giovanni Almonte/Renaldo De Jesus ~ Together 
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman ~ The Curtis Brothers ~ Together 
The Christmas Song ~ Dane Scozzari and the Human Race ~ It's Christmas Time Again 
This Chistmas ~ Dane Scozzari and the Human Race ~ It's Christmas Time Again 
God Bless the Child ~ Gregory Porter ~ Be Good
God Bless The Child ~ Sonny Rollins ~ The Bridge

A Podcast of Hope

This podcast is about hope. On the anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy, we dedicate this show to those that lost their lives and to their families. We hope to change America's obsession for guns and gun violence that has led to these tragedies. We begin with Jimmy Greene's Anthem of Hope followed by Wayne Escofery's Hopes and Dreams. Branford Marsalis' Hope, is one of the most moving and intense ballads I have ever heard. Remembrance from Vijay Iyer completes this tribute set.  This podcast also pays tribute to jazz master and guitarist, Jim Hall who passed away this week, and is heard here with Sonny Rollins and Bill Evans. Other's included in this podcast are John Coltrane, Nicole Zuraitis, Noah Baerman and Jen Allen.

Sandy Hook Promise

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Anthem of Hope ~ Overcomers Suite ~ Jimmy Greene
Hopes and Dreams ~ Wayne Escofery ~ Hopes and Dreams
Hope ~ Branford Marsalis ~ Braggtown
Rememberance ~ Vijay Iyer ~ Tirtha
To the Hive ~ Nicole Zuraitis ~ Pariah Anthem
My Favorite Things ~ John Coltrane ~ My Favorite Things
Without a Song ~ Sonny Rollins ~ The Bridge
I've Got You Under My Skin ~ Bill Evans ~ Intermodulation
Wade in the Water ~ Noah Baerman ~ What It Is 
Pieces of Myself ~ Jen Allen ~ Pieces of Myself 

Mandela

This show is dedicated to the legacy of Nelson Mandela, who ended apartheid and fought against oppression in South Africa and around the world. The show opens with "Mandela" a musical tribute by guitarist Russell Mallone. Next we here from Ralph Peterson Jr., who was mentored by Art Blakey and who's music reflects the rhythmic influence of the master jazz drummer. Helen Sung swings with her version of the standard In Walked Bud. Joshua Redman and Noah Preminger bring it on with their tenor saxophones blowing a modern jazz sound. The show concludes with Dan Tepfer playing his unique concept and form with his jazz trio.

Featured Album

Going Express - Helen Sung on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Mandela ~ Russell Malone ~ Playground
Turn It Over ~ Ralph Peterson's Fo'tet ~ Reclamation Project
The Moontrane ~ Ralph Peterson Unity Project ~ Outer Reaches
In Walked Bud ~ Helen Sung ~ Going Express
Little Ditty ~ Joshua Redman ~ Compass
Don't Drink The Water ~ Noah Preminger ~ Haymaker
Abreaction ~ Noah Preminger ~ Before the Rain
Peal, Repeal ~ Dan Tepfer ~ Five Pedals Deep

Give Thanks

This show was broadcast on the weekend following Thanksgiving. As such, we start with a set for Giving Thanks. Jimmy Greene's composition Give Thanks is a musical statement to start things off, followed by a Thanksgiving prayer from Miguel Zenon. And what would thanksgiving be without plates filled with Soul Food from Cyrus Chestnut. Tom Harrell has a new album out from which we will hear a couple of tracks. See the playlist below for more great tunes on In The Groove.

Featured Album

Colors of a Dream - Tom Harrell on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Give Thanks ~ Jimmy Greene ~ Mission Statement
Prayer #2 Thanksgiving ~ Miguel Zenon ~ Looking Forward
Soul Food ~ Cyrus Chestnut ~ Soul Food
Phantasie in Latin ~ Tom Harrell ~ Colors of a Dream
Blues 2013 ~ Tom Harrell ~ Colors of a Dream
Before the Snow ~ Teneke Postma ~ The Dawn of Light
The In Crowd ~ Gregory Porter ~ Liquid Spirit
Breakthrough ~ Eldar Djangerov feat. Chris Potter ~ Breakthrough
Peace ~ Horace Silver ~ Blowin' the Blues Away
Limitless ~ Stranahan Zaleski Rosato ~ Limitless

Some Hartford cats

Much of this program features some very talented Hartford cats. We begin with Professor Nat Reeves (bass) and his premier album State of Emergency. Alto player Lummie Span and Bassist Dezron Douglas team up to lead the New Jazz Workshop. Great Hartford jazz cats Josh Evans (tr), Josh Bruneau (tr) and Jonathan Barber (dr) are featured on these tracks. Dezron Douglas also anchors the Cyrus Chestnut Quartet here. After new music from Eldar, Jose James and singer Cecile McLorin Salvant, we close out the show with another Hartford native, singer Dana Lauren.

Featured Album

Dezron Douglas on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
I'll Close My Eyes ~ Nat Reeves ~ State of Emergency
Get on the Bus ~ New Jazz Workshop ~ Underground
Power of One ~ Dezron Douglas ~ Live at Smalls
Annibelle Cousins ~ Cyrus Chestnut ~ Cyrus Chestnut Quartet
Tokyo Plus ~ Eldar Djangarov Trio ~ Breakthrough
Trouble ~ Jose James ~ No Begining No End
I Didn't Know What Time it Was ~ Cecile McLorin Salvant ~ WomanChild
There's A Small Hotel ~ Dana Lauren ~ It's You or No One