New Discoveries and re-releases are represented in this three part series. Some have been recently ‘unearthed’…and new technology used to make the tapes sound so good! Others have been reissued and remastered. For Part 1, you’ll hear -a recording by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messsengers (with an excerpt from an interview by Wayne Shorter talking about how blown away he was by the way the group were received in Japan!). -Sheila Jordan’s first album that was never released before; and Sheila Jordan couldn’t even remember recording it. -Ahmad Jamal from the two volumes of newfound recordings from a ..read more

We lost a true jazz great March 2nd: composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter. In this episode I play music from his earliest to his latest years, with a few clips from fans, other musicians, and one from Mr. Shorter himself ..read more

For this episode I play some music from some modern big bands: You’ll hear The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with John Pizzarelli, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Kansas Smitty’s. One somewhat older big band too–Maynard Ferguson Orchestra from 1964. Closing off with something really weird from Martin Kuchen’s Angles. I also talk about how, when jazz musicians play Brazilian music, they have to be vigilant to ensure the ‘bebop virus’ doesn’t get in there. Oscar Peterson’s Trio has some success in doing that in their two version’s of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s ‘Triste’. Both recorded live the same ..read more

What if Bebop never happened? And ‘swing’ evolved into something very different from the swing of the 30’s, 40’s, and even 50’s? That’s the question I asked of jazz musicians and aficionados who frequent the JazzWorld site on facebook. And I received some great responses! My favourite was a questioning of the question: “bit like if ancient ape-like creatures did not evolve into humans what might they have become that was more ape-like” But I received some great ideas for this week’s and next week’s episodes. I play recordings that demonstrate how big band music evolved from Benny Goodman to Du ..read more

Bebop, Part 2, tells you more about what it is, why it happened, and why it ‘took over’ jazz—despite it never really catching on with the public. I play older bebop recordings by Charlie Parker, Bob Dorough, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Theonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and The Paul Bley Trio. Also a newer recording from guitarist Pasquale Grasso with grammy award winning singer, Samara Joy. Many original bebop tunes came from improvisations made up when playing some old ‘standards’. To illustrate this I play the famous “Donna Lee” as well as the tune from which it took it’s chord sequence ..read more

Bebop was the ‘modern jazz’ of the early to mid 1940’s. And it’s still considered ‘modern jazz’. It is a genre that has lasted! And developed….with most new recordings being described as ‘post bop’ or ‘hard bop’. When many people claim to dislike jazz, they are often referring to the complex harmonies and rhythms of bebop. But listening to this episode will help you understand and appreciate this art form. I talk about Bebop and play some classic and later recordings. I also throw in a couple earlier ones that may have influenced that music, as well as a rap album that was influenced by bebop ..read more

I’ve discovered a lot of great music over the past two months—thanks to those top 10 lists compiled by 97 reviewers and critics. A handful of those albums would probably go on my own Top 10 list, were I to make one. In this episode I play tracks from 9 great albums from the past year. Some are pretty obscure, and some aren’t. This is the last episode of five programs on the best jazz albums of 2022, according to jazz reviewers and critics. Over the next few weeks you’ll hear some bebop and learn some of it’s history, as well as some great historical albums. And who knows what else in terms of ..read more

I’ve tabulated the results of 97 reviewers and their top 10 albums lists for 2022. Here are the albums followed by the number of votes each one received. Mary Halvorson: Amaryllis (also Belladonna…not quite so often) 31 Cecille McLorin Salvant: Ghost Songs 28 Immanuel Wilkins: Seventh Hand 26 Makaya McCraven: In these Times 23 Tyshawn Sorey Trio: Mesmerism 15 Charles Lloyd: trio of Trios–Chapel 15 Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade: Long Gone 14 Samara Joy: Linger While 14 Nduduzo Makhatini: In the Spirit of Ntu Terri Lyne Carrington: New Standards Vol. 1 13 Melissa Aldana: 12 Stars 10 Binker &a ..read more

There have been a total of 480 albums that 97 reviewers placed on their top 10 lists. That’s a lot! Wish I could listen to them all. But here’s a few I did listen to—at least in part—and want to play for you. This way you and I are making these ‘discoveries’ together. Although I suspect some of you are more familiar with many of them than I am. Near the beginning you’ll hear two versions of the same tune–Eddie Harris’s Freedom Jazz Dance. They’re both played by the same drummer/leader (Florian Arbenz) recorded a few months apart, but with different instrument combinations. And very different a ..read more

Part two of a five part series focusing on albums from 2022 that jazz reviewers and critics have put on their ‘top 10’ lists. This week you’ll hear two Canadian ensembles–one from Vancouver called the Cookers Quintet led by Bernie Senensky, and another led by Calgary trombonist Carsten Rubeling. I also play two different artists who put out albums with the same title: British saxophonist Trish Clowes and American guitarist, Julian Lage. Then there’s Ron Carter with Jon Batiste, Marta Sanchez, Str4ta, and the great reunion of Cuba’s Chuchu Valdez and Paquito D’Rivera. I also include one classic ..read more