JazzTimes Spins & Riffs

Saxophonist Eric Alexander joins Lee on location at the Monterey Jazz Festival to sample cuts from his solo album “Second Impression,” from the One For All album “The Third Decade” and from Mike LeDonne & the Groover Quartet’s “That Feelin’.”  Eric describes his long musical and personal relationship with Harold Mabern, talks about how he stays sane on the road, and explains the genesis for his own tenor saxophone model with Ishimori. This episode sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

On location at the Monterey Jazz Festival, vocalist extraordinaire Kurt Elling sits in with Lee to sing the praises of Branford Marsalis and his quartet, with whom Kurt has recorded the album "Upward Spiral" and has performed a lot. Kurt also talks about and previews his forthcoming holiday music album "The Beautiful Day" which features some unusual choices and which includes a duet with his daughter. Finally, Kurt and Lee talk about Jon Hendricks and the upcoming tribute to the influential vocalist at the Iridium in NYC.  This episode is sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Marty Ashby, executive producer of MCG Jazz in Pittsburgh, sits in with Lee to talk about the legacy of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild as a catalyst for jazz in Pittsburgh and on the national scene. They spin cuts from Grammy-nominated albums from MCG Jazz by Bob Mintzer and New York Voices and they talk about the association of the performing arts center with artists like Dr. Billy Taylor, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, Monty Alexander and many others.  This episode sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal sits in with JT publisher Lee Mergner to spin cuts from albums by saxophonist JD Allen (“Americana” on Savant) and drummer Jaimeo Brown (“Work Songs” on Motema).  They talk about the real African-American roots of jazz music and the lost art of conceptual albums.  The two then riff on the legacy of Miles Davis. This episode sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal joins Lee to spin cuts from albums by two stellar pianists—Renee Rosnes and Kenny Barron.  Inspired by the JazzTimes cover story on Seventh Avenue South, a notorious NYC jazz club owned by the Brecker Brothers in the late 70s and early 80s, Bob and Lee riff on important nightclubs from the history of jazz. This episode is sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Drummer and bandleader Matt Wilson sits in with JT publisher Lee Mergner to spin cuts from his new album looking back on his life with his wife Felicia who died of cancer two years ago.  The album, Beginning of a Memory, features a band he calls Big Happy Family, comprised by the musicians from all his groups over the last 20 years.  Matt talked about the importance of family and how jazz musicians have become his extended family throughout his struggle to deal with his wife’s death.  This episode sponsored by Berks Jazz Festival.

Drummer and bandleader Matt Wilson sits in to spin cuts from two recent albums by drummers as leaders – Francisco Mela & the Crash Trio and Jack DeJohnette/Ravi Coltrane/Matthew Garrison.  Matt talks about the power of a band that collides into each other.  And he riffs on why he loves Jack DeJohnette as both a musician and person.

Drummer and percussionist Daniel Freedman sits in with Lee to spin cuts from his new album Imagine That on Anzic. Daniel talks about his early years in a very musical NYC household where legends such as Max Roach and Charles Mingus were regular visitors.  He also talks about working with Angelique Kidjo and Anat Cohen.  And he explains his affinity for Latin music and African music.  And what he’s learned in playing for people who want to dance! This episode sponsored Exit Zero Jazz Festival.

Harpist Brandee Younger joins JT's Lee Mergner in a conversation recorded on-site at the PDX Jazz Festival in Portland. They talk about how she  picked up that instrument and about the influence and legacy of both Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. This episode is sponsored by the 2016 Newport Jazz Festival.

Pianist Orrin Evans sits down for a free-wheeling conversation with Lee about performing in Portland at the PDX Jazz Festival, his series at the nightclub South and the challenges of keeping a band together. Orrin and Lee spin a cut from John Coltrane's Africa Brass and Orrin's own album, The Evolution of Oneself. This episode sponsored by Exit Zero Jazz Festival.