Part 2 of my interview with poet, essayist, podcaster, and jazz fanatic Sean Murphy. And I also play tracks from albums he recommended---plus one from an ensemble from Montreal called Bellbird, where you can hear some 'circular breathing' on the saxophone.

Sean also talks about a master of circular breathing---David S. Ware, as well as Rahsaan Roland Kirk. And I play music by both.

But the beginning of this episode is all about the great reed player Eric Dolphy who was taken from us all too early, all because it was assumed that his diabetic collapse was drug induced---even though Dolphy was a tee-tolar who never touched drugs.

Sean also talks about how Roland Kirk and Jaki Byard incorporate the whole history of jazz within their playing.

We also play music (and talk about) Matthew Shipp, Billie Holiday, and The JB's (James Brown's backup band). The episode ends with Bud Powell, and a powerful poem that wonders about the possibility that those artists who the ones 'paid to adjudicte' classify as insane might be "unassuming gods...meant to guide us through this oblivion where serenity is scarce as water". This is narrated under the backdrop of Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco".

This is Part 1 of a great session with poet, essayist, podcaster, and jazz fanatic, Sean Murphy. Sean talks about some jazz artists and recordings that most inspired him---and continue to inspire him. And he reads some of his poems that reflect that inspiration---from two of his 8 books, Blackened Blues and Kinds of Blue.

The music this week is by Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Butch Warren, and Duke Ellington. And I attempt to introduce him to an obscure Canadian pianist named Chris Gage.

You'll also hear some fascinating insights about art in general--and why the jazz of the late 50's to late 60's was so brilliant yet 'passed by' at the time.

Gnu High, Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MIngus, Now He Sings Now He Sobs, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, In Case You Forget How Bad He Really Was, Deer Wan, Mingus Ah Um!, Nude Ants. I play a track from each of these albums--many of which, despite (or because?) of their titles ended up on a lot of "classic jazz albums you must hear" lists.

In many of these instances I try to figure out the relevance of the title. With limited success, I admit. Except for Chick Corea's Now He Sings, Now He Sobs. Corea himself explained that one.

But it's all great music!

This week I play recordings by some excellent jazz singers, and singer Janis Siegel's reaction to hearing those recordings.

In this episode you will hear:

Kurt Elling with the WDR Big Band

Includes two versions of The Best Is Yet To Come.

This is a 6 year old podcast from May, 2020, when I was living in Victoria, B.C. It was one of a number of podcasts where I celebrated songs that had interesting stories behind them, playing some different versions of them.

The six songs are:

Don't Blame Me

Lover Man

Have You Seen Miss Jones

Honeysuckle Rose

Good Morning Heartache

A Night in Tunisia

And one of those songs one might make a case that its the only song that makes a link between The Everly Brothers, Charlie Parker, and The Three Stooges. Guess which one?

This is part 2 of music inspired by Ken Burns PBS jazz series from 2001. A fast paced episode where I squeeze in 15 pieces of great music. the Swing artists include Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, Lester Young, Mary Lou Williams, and Chick Webb with Ella Fitzgerald. And its virtually all DANCEABLE!

Then I give you a voice clip from Howard Levy talking about the transition from swing to bebop.

The beboppers presented are Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. And I conclude the episode with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Ray Charles, and Regina Carter. Not quite so danceable.

Watching the Ken Burns series called 'Jazz', where he details some history, interviews some amazing people, and plays great music inspired by this podcast as well as next week's.

This week, lots of Louis Armstrong, one track by Sidney Bechet and Jelly Roll Morton, as well as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd, and a touch of Ellington.

From over 400 new jazz releases just in the first quarter of 2026, I use a table of random numbers to select 9 of them!

The result is a surprisingly coherent episode of great jazz. And its quite the variety. You'll hear:

-The new one from Shabaka, playing all by himself. #Shabaka

Of the 8 albums I selected from over 400 new jazz releases so far, I had only heard of six of the artists.

I tabulated a list of new releases....including some that haven't yet been officialloy released. Then used a table of random numbers to select 8 of those albums.

Two of them are archival records. All the others were totally new to me. And there's one I'm definitely going to follow up on. An album clled Vinterstemmer by Danish pianist and interpretor of popular Danish songs, Jacob Anderskov.

If you are into taking risks, this is a great episode to listen to.

The Junos are the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys in the U.S. This is Part 2 of Jazz and the 2026 Junos. I play music by some of the nominees for the three jazz categories, plus a couple from other categories that could have been placed under 'jazz'.

You'll hear Steve Holt talk about his experience as a student of Kenny Barron. Anthony D'Allesandro and his attempt to run a 4 minute mile. And Edmonton bassist Aretha Tillotson tells us musically and verbally about her experience of turning 35.

I also play music by Nancy Walker, Ale Nuñez, The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Caity Gyorgy, Alexis Baro Y La Big Band, Andy Rubal, and Kazdoura.

There truly is some marvelous music coming out of Canada. Whether or not you are from Canada, you owe it to yourself to give a listen to this episode plus last weeks (Episode 357)