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I am away at Newport Jazz Festival this week, but I've prepared this short podcast of unpublished material from recent radio show.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.

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.

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 at www.newportjazzfest.net

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.

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.

We were pleased to have Raynel Frasier 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.

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.

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!

After a rousing start from McCoy Tyner, we settle in to mostly new releases. Artists like Kris Allen, Noah Preminger, Petr Cancura are fresh from recent performances in the Hartford area (not new, but Ed Fast and Conga Bop represented here). JD Allen's new release stretches into new teritorry for this great tenor sax player. Terrance Blanchard, Joshua Redman and Dave Douglas also have great new albums featured here.

It's not yet Father's day, but I needed a show to post this week, and I like this one from June 2010. This show featured a release by fusion guitarist John McLaughlin titled "To the One" and is inspired by the work of John Coltrane. Although you can't really point to any of the compostions as having a feeling similar to Coltrane's classics, McLaughlins soloing always had that "Sheets of Sound" feeling that Trane was noted for. Other notable recordings in this podcast are a Fathers day set with Jimmy Greene and Victor Wooten (doing Horace Silvers "Song for My Father), and a Mingus set. Happy Fathers day to all you jazz lovin' Pops.

It's a family affair on In The Groove featuring the Allen's, Jen and Kris. We talk about their latest CD albums, and Kris's upcoming concert in Hartford CT. Then I put them through the Blindfold Test, for which they score a grade A.

This podcast features some of the progressive jazz coming from some great New York City based artists. We kick things off with an explosive hit from Orrin Evan's Captain Black Big Band. From there, we settle into the adventurous sounds of Noah Preminger complete with an interview about his new Palmetto release, Haymaker. Noah is also a contributor to the Rob Garcia 4 and Rob Duguay's Songevity bands featured here. JD Allen and Gerald Clayton are represented with their latest releases furthering the progressive NYC jazz scene.

This podcast concludes with a tribute to Mother's Day with a moving composition by Sean Jones for Momma. Before we hear that one, Mirislav Vitous plays a meditative piece from a great album of the '70s. Speaking of that great decade in jazz, Chick Corea, Lenny White and Stanley Clark reunite for the album Forever. Joshua Kwassman's premier album takes me back to that era with his progressive sound. This podcast is in honor of all the Moms, those with us on this Mother's Day, and in memory of those that have passed.

This podcast celebrates Spring. Spring represents renewal and re-emergence, and so it is with Jimmy Greene's return to the jazz scene leading his quartet at Smalls jazz club this week. The Spring set also brings to you Freddie Hubbard and Joshua Redman with tunes inspired by this change of season. Also featured on this show is Greg Abate's new album featuring altoist Phil Woods. All that is sandwiched in between John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders beginning and ending this podcast.

This podcast was inspired from a recent concert in Hartford with the Earl MacDonald's New Directions ensemble. Featured are some of the compositions and musicians from that show. From that concert, we hear from Earl MacDonald, Lauren Sevian, Kris Allen. Those musicians were inspired from some of the masters of jazz heard hear such as Jackie McLean and Charles Mingus. Also represented here are The Curtis Brothers, Sasha Masakowski and Larry Willis.