On this latest episode I play more records (78rpm’s and lp’s) and cd’s that I bought (or in one case picked up off the street) as I travelled around Vancouver Island.

The jazz you’ll hear is by Benny Goodman, Lee Ritenour, Manhattan Transfer, Hazel Scott, Skywalk (a B.C. fusion band), Duke Ellington, Ron Davis & Drew Birston (Eric Satie meets Henry Mancini), Thelonious Monk and (I guess) Chuck Mangione. Also a bit of non-jazz with some jazz sensibility: The Nice (w. Keith Emerson) and a smidgeon of Emilio Aragon trying to Cubanize Bach.

I stayed home mostly. But I did travel a bit up island and bought some records (including some 78rpm jazz records) and cd’s. On this episode, to introduce you to September and the new season, I’ll play some of the best ones for you.

The Lp’s are by Billy Taylor and Steve Khan. The cd is by Toronto’s Ron Davis with Drew Birston. And the 78’s from Bop City Records in Courtenay feature Pete Johnson & Albert Ammons, Duke Ellington, The Hometowners (a Victoria group from 1952), The Kansas City Gospel Singers, ,and Thurston Harris. And at the end I throw in tracks from a couple recent cd’s that I’ve been playing a lot this summer….by Bob Dorough & Friends, and Victoria’s Kelby McNayr.

A great way to start the new season.

One more thing: The Billy Taylor Album includes 17 minutes of his Suite for Jazz Piano and Orchestra, which he plays with his trio. This work is not available anywhere online.

It would also be great to get a couple more reviews and ratings for the program. (Thank you so much Matt Diamond for your delightful comments; so appreciated!). You can put the review on itunes (apple podcasts) or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thank you Peterborough Independent Podcasters for hosting this program.

-Larry

Most of the time my the new episodes of my podcasts generate 300-400 hits. Not viral……but I’m happy with that. But there was one that never made it over 100 hits for some reason. It’s episode 33, part 2 of my programs talking about Downbeat jazz magazine and featuring music talked about in the May and June 2018 issue. I just listened to it and I thought it was a pretty good program with some very interesting music.

Some of it might be a bit too ‘modern’ sounding for some people…..maybe a bit ‘free jazz’ like. But they are all great artists….critically acclaimed.

So I thought I’d re-post it and see what happens. I’ve no doubt it will get over 100 hits this time.

It features guitarist Mary Halvorson with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and singer Amirtha Kidambi, Orquesta Akokan (from Havana), Danfis Prieto, Lina Allemano, Renee Rosnes, a touch of Greg Spero, Elio Villafranca,Francois Moutin & Kavita Shaw Duo, Fred Hersch, and more from John Coltrane (from A Love Supreme).

Next week I’ll start recording some new programs. So stay tuned.

On this program I play most of the entire Blue Train album of 1957 by John Coltrane. Why? well, most of those tunes are so often called out in jazz jams, and John Coltrane is certainly a jazz ‘legend’. As well as the fact that this is considered to be one of Coltrane’s most ‘accessible’ albums. Oh! And it’s great! (that’s another reason).

I start by talking about Coltrane’s amazing solo on the first track, comparing it with a less inspiring solo he did on an alternate take of that same track.

You’ll also hear some great playing by trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Kenny Drew, as well as Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.

This is a great episode if you want to ‘discover’ John Coltrane, or even if you’ve already discovered him and just want to re-experience what you’ve discovered.

Since Toronto singer Micah Barnes has been doing a ‘virtual tour’ of his new album, I thought this would be a good time to re-post a podcast of an interview I did with him in 2017—-where he talked about some of his favourite jazz singers. The topic was ‘what makes a vocal a jazz vocal.

I also posted part of a conversation between my favourite singer, Gene (Eugene) McDaniels and pianist Tom Snow where Gene demonstrates jazz singing and talks about his own jazz roots.

You’ll hear selections by Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Eileen Farrell (demonstrating what jazz singing is NOT), Sarah Vaughan, Ellen Doty, Nat King Cole, Amy Winehouse, and, of course, Micah Barnes himself.

Dipping really early into the archives—an episode from three years ago, where jazz saxophonist, guitarist, and singer, Sean Hully, from Peterborough, Ontario talked about how he learned to play and appreciate jazz.

We’ll also take you through a bit of jazz history. You’ll hear music by King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Susie Arioli, Weather Report, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, Glenn Miller, and Sean Hully himself.

As well, Sean explains where those strange notes in be-bop and modern jazz come from. They’re not random, you now. (Except sometimes).

P.S. I need to apologize to those of you who tried my last podcast (57)—hoping to hear about Fidel Castro and how banning imperialist American jazz ended up helping to create a totally new form of music—that later spread all around the world. Those of you who tried to listen to it the first few days ended up with a repeat of my previous program. My mistake. It is now corrected. So feel free to go back to my previous program (from the archives) and give it another listen.

Hi folks! I accidentally posted the wrong episode….and I repeated Episode 56 rather than 57. Sorry about that. But I’ve corrected it. So give a listen to Episode 57—from the archives. A great show!

One more from the archives on Cuban jazz—-and this might be the best of the lot! You’ll hear how Castro’s disdain for anything American led him to ‘ban’ jazz, and how this led to a new and revolutionary form of music: timba. Chucho Valdes and Iraquere played quite a role in that development.

I also play excerpts of a conversation I had with Arturo O’Farrill in Havana, and two tracks from an album he did with Chucho Valdes.

You’ll also hear The Cuban Funk Machine, Okan, Bobby Carcassess, Sexto Sentido, and a young pianist who will blow you away: Jorge Luis Pacheco.

Another summer re-run of some of my best Discovering Jazz Programs. I think the whole 4 part series on Cuban Jazz is well worth listening to, with lots of information and great music.

Part 2 includes Geraldo Rubalcaba with Ron Carter, Ray Barretto, early diva Rita Montaner, David Amram, and many others.

You’ll learn more about claves and clave rhythms.

I play a fusion of jazz ‘Lucumi’ music—aka Yoruba or Santeria—thanks to Jane Bunnett with El Gato Gatel and Pancho Quinto. Then, staying with tributes to Yoruba Gods, you’ll hear the great Harold Lopez-Nussa and his tribute to the deity, Elegua.

Most people are aware of the whole Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon—a rebirth of traditional Cuban son music—that was believed to be instigated by Ry Cooder. In fact, the brainchild behind the whole project was Juan de Marcos, and it was he who decided to involve Ry Cooder. You’ll hear De Marcos and his Afro-Cuban All Stars, then a track by Buena Vista Club veteran, Ibrahim Ferrer.

And lastly…..I play a jazz-fusion group who will blow you away. You’ve never heard anything like them. They are called Interactivo.