Sometimes podcast hosts just want to watch the world - or at least their co-host - burn.  Hence the explanation for the inclusion of a pretty inexplicable pander-fest in this otherwise august and serious podcast.   The other selections (all recent releases) incorporate humor in a couple of cases, and, well, don't in the most serious selection.  Pat reports on a live concert by the more furrowed-browed of the alto saxophonists while Mike catches a few much needed zzzz's.  Grace Kelly with Strings – AT THE MOVIES; Moppa Elliot – JONESVILLE; DISASTERS VOL 2; Jennifer Wharton’s ..read more

After a couple episodes away, we return to the New York Times list of best jazz albums of 2023 and finish it off.  It's happier days for the most part.  The boys acknowledge that these selections are all, more or less, actually jazz, and some are even pretty enjoyable.  Jonathan Suazo – RICANO; Mendoza Hoff Revels – ECHOLOCATION; Micah Thomas – REVEAL;  Matana Roberts - COIN COIN CHAPTER FIVE: IN THE GARDEN ..read more

For some fans, the story of jazz saxophone begins with John Coltrane.   This episode, the boys interview Owen Broder, who gives propers to Coltrane's old boss, Johnny Hodges.  Mainstay of the Duke Ellington band and lover of lettuce and tomato sandwiches, the Rabbit (as he was known) possessed the most sumptuous sound ever heard from an alto saxophone and knew every microtone of the territory between each note of the scale.  Owen talks about his Hodges Front and Center duology, other projects in the pipeline and his influences on alto and baritone sax among other topics in ..read more

Many years ago, bastard Mike suggested that our anniversary shows feature groups comprised of as many members as the anniversary was of years.  How's that for a mouthful (mindful?)  Anyway, good idea until right about now.  Eleven is an awkward number unless you're fielding a footie team, and the boys have some issues finding albums that fit the bill or even glance in the direction of this anniversary. Next year, all bets are off.  Nat Adderly – THAT’S RIGHT;  Bobby Selvaggio – STORIES, DREAMS, INSPIRATIONS; Gil Evans – PLUS TEN;  Jeff Lorber and Mike Stern – ELEV ..read more

Join our intrepid but grumpy explorers Mike and Pat and they continue their journey through the New York Times Top Ten list of Best Jazz Albums from 2023.  The boys look at three more albums off the list and once again have questions about the selections.  Then they discuss an album from 2023 not on the list, and, naturally, emit rainbows.  We don't recommend you make a game of drinking whenever one of them calls "category error" unless you have a high tolerance for alcohol - and bastardy.  Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah - BARK OUT THUNDER;  Enji – ULAAN; Ambrose Akinmusire ..read more

Humans love making lists, and it's likely this activity will continue until the cockroaches take over.  (Cockroaches mostly love hiding under cabinets).  Some humans on the New York Times made a list of the top 10 jazz albums of 2023.  Pat and Mike take about three selections from that list and one other interesting release from that recently past year. Do they take issue with some of the NYT's choices?  They wouldn't be bastards if they didn't.  Jaimie Branch – FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE (WORLD WAR); Kassa Overall – ANIMALS; Zoh Amba – THE FLOWER SCHOOL; Lafayet ..read more

This episode's title is a wee bit misleading.  The boys don't meet Mr. Mahavishnu (John McLaughlin, of course) but rather Matt Phillips, long-time listener to the podcast who just happened to write a very good book on the famous fusion guitarist called "John McLaughlin - From Miles and Mahavishnu to the 4th Dimension."  The book covers the whole of McLaughlin's recorded career - not just his best known years with the Mahavishnu Orchestra - and our conversation is also wide-ranging.  And, no, Mike hasn't turned into a robot. He just sounds like one because recording zoom is trick ..read more

Few players have made the splash in the archival jazz game as Zev Feldman, who has discovered many lost jazz gems (and a little Fool's Gold) and shown how these issues can be events when packaged properly with good artwork and notes.  This fortnight's show looks at two of his recent productions and two historical albums in the Latin Idiom.  Did the jazz detective uncover more classics, or did his deductions go awry?  Tune in to find out.  Cal Tjader – CATCH THE GROVE; Wes Montgomery – MAXIMUM SWING; Ramsey Lewis – GOING LATIN; Grant Green -THE LATIN BIT ..read more

At Mike's suggestion, we devote an episode to the recently departed European avant-garde powerhouse Peter Brotzmann.  The sound quality is a bit off.  Pat says he forgot to press "record."  Listeners know he was probably just cowering behind the couch.  Mike  shows us the breadth of the fire-breather's career, touching on a mid-size ensemble session, an electric gig with rock elements, a more introspective duet, and Brotzmann's uncompromising debut.  Pat whimpers.  Peter Brotzmann:  FOR ADOLPHE SAX; GOING ALL FANCY; Last Exit - THE NOISE OF TROUBLE - LIV ..read more

Jazz - mysterious, challenging, expressive . . . funny?  Rarely, one might think, but some artists display a sense of humor, even if it's subtle.  In this episode, the boys listen to five albums with at least some humorous aspects.  Things rarely get "funny ha ha" but hey, this isn't a Zappa podcast, now is it?  Karen Mantler – BUSINESS IS BAD; George Benson – WHITE RABBIT; Mostly Other People Do the Killing – THIS IS OUR MOOSIC; Horace Silver – JAZZ HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR; Ray Anderson – BLUES BRED IN THE BONE ..read more