In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

I am away at Newport Jazz Festival this week, but I've prepared this short podcast of unpublished material from recent radio show. We begin with a very interesting track from an early Mirislav Vitous album. Chick Corea, revives a couple of his classic compositions on a newish CD, Forever. Multi-instrumentalist and composer Joshua Kwassman concludes this podcast with an epic composition from his freshman album Songs of the Brother Spirit.

Featured Album

Joshua Kwassman on CD Baby

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
I Will Tell Him On You ~ Mirislav Vitous ~ Infinite Search
No Mystery ~ Corea, Clarke & White ~ Forever
Armando's Revenge ~ Corea, Clarke & White ~ Forever
Our Land ~ Joshua Kwassman ~ Songs of the Brother Spirit (CDbaby)

This podcast features the solo piano works of Matt DeChamplain on his new album Stride-Bop. Besides listening to some great tracks from the album, we talk about the history of jazz piano, hear from greats such as Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. We also put Matt through the Blindfold Test and get his take on some of the modern pianists in jazz music. The podcast kicks off with a swining tune from Hank Mobley.

Featured Album

Matt DeChamplain on CD Baby

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Up Over and Out ~ Hank Mobley ~ Reach Out!
Sunny Side of the Street ~ Matt DeChamplain ~ Stride-Bop (CDBaby)
The Surrey With the Fringe on Top ~ Oscar Peterson-Ella Fitzgerald ~ JATP Lausanne 1953
Back Home Again in Indiana ~ Matt DeChamplain ~ Stride-Bop (CDBaby)
I Would Do Anything for You ~ Art Tatum
Blindfold Test ~ Various artists
Caravan ~ Matt DeChamplain ~ Stride-Bop (CDBaby)

The Newport Jazz Festival 2013 is previewed in today's podcast. Please excuse the poor audio in this week's show due to technical issues beyond my control. That said, we feature some of the great music you can expect to hear in this years jazz festival. For complete details and the lineup of great shows (30 in all) please visit the Newport Jazz Festival website.

Newport Jazz Festival

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Orbits ~ Wayne Shorter ~ Without a Net
Nardis ~ Michel Camilo ~ Spirit of the Moment
Smells Like Team Spirit ~ Robert Glasper ~ Black Radio
Time to Spare ~ Terence Blanchard ~ Magnetic
Radio Song ~ Esperanza Spalding Radio Music ~ Society
Nikki's Groove ~ Marcus Miller ~ M2
Bend ~ Donny McCaslin ~ Casting for Gravity
St. Thomas ~ Joshua Redman ~ Spirit of the Moment Live at VV
Folk Song ~ Chick Corea ~ Three Quartets
Eight: Manifestation ~ David Gilmore ~ Numerology

I am publishing this podcast in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin verdict. My comments after Brandee Younger's opening selection, a composition dedicated to Trayvon, were prior to that reprehensible decision. This podcast is dedicated to Trayvon Martin and his family. Also featured in this podcast are two tracks from a fine album by Delfeayo Marsalis based on a Duke Ellington suite written for William Shakespeare.

Featured Albums

Brandee Younger on Bandcamp and Delfeayo Marsalis on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
He Has a Name (Awareness) ~ Brandee Younger (Bandcamp)
For Turya ~ Ravi Coltrane ~ Blending Times
Ray Mac Left Town ~ Josh Evans ~ Portrait Portrait - Josh Evans
Get on the Bus ~ New Jazz Workshop ~ Underground
Get Tough ~ Winard Harper ~ Coexist
Night Bird Song ~ Thomas Chapin ~ Sky Piece
GT ~ Tom Harrell ~ Number Five
Red Clay ~ Freddie Hubbard ~ Red Clay
Such Sweet Thunder ~ Delfeayo Marsalis ~ Sweet Thunder
Sonnet in Search of A Moor ~ Delfeayo Marsalis ~ Sweet Thunder

The playlist for this show is based on a Ken Burns Jazz DVD covering the late 50's to early 60's. This very creative period in Jazz history takes us through Trane, Miles, Rollins and Ornette. You will hear some interesting commentary from Branford Marsalis and Charlie Haden as well.

Featured Album

The Adventure - Ken Burns: Jazz on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Branford on Elvin Jones ~ Branford Marsalis ~ Ken Burns Jazz Disk 9
Equinox ~ John Coltrane ~ Cotrane's Sound
My Favorite Things ~ John Coltrane ~ My Favorite Things
John S ~ Sonny Rollins ~ The Bridge
Valse Hot ~ Sonny Rollins ~ Plus 4
By Bye Blackbird ~ Miles Davis ~ The Essential Miles Davis
Summertime ~ Miles Davis ~ The Essential Miles Davis
Haden On Ornette Coleman ~ Charlie Haden ~ Ken Burn's Jazz Disk 9
Lonely Woman ~ Ornette Coleman ~ Shape of Jazz to Come
Law Years ~ Ornette Coleman ~ Science Fiction

We are pleased to have as our guest Raynel Frazier co-producer of the Umoja Jazz series currently underway in Hartford. We feature many of the artist that are part of the concert series on this show including Jimmy Greene, Nat Reeves, Josh Evans and New Jazz Workshop. The show begins with Doctor Lonnie Smith, Karrin Allyson and we conclude this podcast with new music from Kurt Rosenwinkel.

Featured Album

Portrait - Josh Evans on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Too Damn Hot ~ Doctor Lonnie Smith ~ Too Damn Hot!
Moanin ~ Karrin Allyson ~ In Blue
Mission Statement ~ Jimmy Greene ~ Mission Statement
I'll Close My Eyes ~ Nat Reeves ~ State of Emergency
Chronic Mistakes ~ Josh Evans ~ Portrait
Underground ~ New Jazz Workshop ~ Underground
Kurt1 ~ Kurt Rosenwinkel ~ Star of Jupiter

Summer is here and we heat things up with a fine rendition of Summertime featuring Herbie Hancock with Joni Mitchell. Dig the sax and harmonica solo's from Wayne and Stevie. More vocals to follow with Gretchen Parlatto. We ratchet up the heat with tribute to the late Mulgrew Miller, then more fine piano with Michel Camillo. Then we cool it down with something new from Michael Dease. Dave Douglas and Chris Potter also have new albums represented here.

Featured Album

Coming Home - Michael Dease on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album

Summertime ~ Herbie Hancock ~ Gershwin's World

Still ~ Gretchen Parlatto ~ The Lost and Found

Joshua ~ Mulgrew Miller ~ Live at Yoshi's Vol 2

In a Sentimental Mood ~ Michael Dease ~ Coming Home

Good & Terrible ~ Michael Dease ~ Coming Home

Take 5 ~ Michel Camilo ~ What's Up?

Bridge To Nowhere ~ Dave Douglas Quintet ~ Time Travel

Penelope ~ Chris Potter ~ The Sirens

We'll start this Father's day celebration with a funky groove from Dr. Lonnie Smith's Hammond organ, before getting into an all Dad inspired jazz tunes. The funk continues with Victor Wooten doing his version of the Silver classic Song for My Father, and then we here from Jimmy Greene, George Coleman, Cannonball Adderly, Roy Haynes, Branford Marsalis and drum wizard Antonio Sanchez. Happy Father's Day!

Featured Album

Footsteps of Our Fathers - Branford Marsalis Quartet on iTunes

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Freedom Jazz Dance ~ Dr. Lonnie Smith ~ Freedom Jazz Dance
Songs for My Father ~ Victor Wooten ~ Palmystery
Father and Sons ~ Jimmy Greene ~ Mission Statement
Father ~ George Coleman ~ At Yoshi's
One for Daddy-O ~ Cannonball Adderly ~ Somethin' Else
My Heart Belongs to Daddy ~ Roy Haynes ~ Birds of a Feather
Resolution ~ Branford Marsalis ~ Footsteps of our Fathers
The Real McDaddy ~ Antonio Sanchez ~ New Life