Hailed by Stereophile Magazine for “sound[ing] like 21st-century grandchildren of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding” (with his co-bandleader Chris Glassman) and praised by the International Trombone Associations Journal for his “virtuosity [and] melodic and harmonic mastery,” Altin Sencalar is in high demand across the country as a performer, educator, and composer.

We caught Altin on tour in support of his 2023 release ‘In Good Standing’. Featuring Altin on Trombone, Bijan Taghavi on Piano, Aidan Plan on Bass and Jeremy McCabe on Drums, and from an October 19th, 2023 performance, it’s Altin Senclair – Live at the Bop Stop.

It’s Jazz, it just doesn’t sound like it.

Or, at least, that’s what Oz Noy will tell you. I’m not so sure I agree with that, but we’re delighted to have the chance to let you be the judge.

Since 1996, Oz Noy has regularly toured in trio and quartets with more musicians than we have time to list here. Although some of us will remember Will Lee and Anton Fig. This sold out show was the first of two shows in support of his tenth release Triple Play.

Featuring Oz Noy on Guitar, Dennis Chambers on Drums and Jimmy Haslip on Bass, and from a September 30th, 2023 performance it’s the Oz Noy Trio – Live at the Bop Stop.

All music used with permission from the artists.

Artist Title OHM Trio Eh Ari Hoenig Fatti Mi Me Amsterdam After Dark Dan Wilson Theron Brown Trio Who Shot John? Big Sky Grant Heineman Not in My Hollow Sam Blakeslee Alex Hamburger Ladybug Concurrence I-40 Was a Razor Hilario Duran Segundo Encuentro Orrin Evans Phoebe's Stroll Kiego Hirakawa Far Above Ricardo Morales Introspectivo Jamey Haddad River Man Tommy Lehman Soul Serach, Part 1 Stephen Phillip Harvey Octet JT

 

2024 was definitely a year. And yet, we’re still here at the end of it. Whether your year was difficult or easy, frustrating or rewarding, one thing was certain; there was plenty of great live jazz to enjoy along the way.

Our two-hour retrospective relives some of the best moments from the year’s lineup of programs along with some of the year’s best performances on our stage that haven’t been previously aired.

Featuring Ari Hoenig, Hilario Duran, Jamey Haddad and Ricardo Morales among others it’s the Live at the Bop Stop – Best of 2024.

Live at the Bop Stop is made possible by The Music Settlement – serving Northeast Ohio by offering music instruction, music therapy, and early childhood education since 1912. The Music Settlement's mission is to welcome all to our music and arts community to learn, create, inspire, and heal.

 This program is recorded at the Robert Conrad Studios at the Bop Stop in Cleveland, Ohio, and the studios of WBWC FM on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. Additional production at the Bop Stop is provided by Graham Rosen. Technical editing for the program is provided by Dr. Pete Naegele, Shawn Gilbert, and Darren Thompson through Gilazar Media.

The executive producer and writer is Daniel Peck, with additional consulting production on behalf of The Music Settlement by Bryan Kennard.

 For extended versions of all of our shows, our Live at the Bop Stop podcast can be found on your favorite podcast app or visit our website at www.themusicsettlement.org and click the Bop Stop link.

 To reach out directly, email [email protected]

One of Northeast Ohio’s most promising guitarists – Jonah Ferguson splits his time as a session performer among numerous projects when he’s not busy serving as the guitar instructor at the Tri-C Jazzfest Academy.

This trio performance features up and coming drummer Gabe Jones and veteran bassist Jordan McBride – and together they kicked off the Bop Stop’s 2024 season with a special performance – the first set of which we have for you here today.

From January 6th, 2024 – it’s the Jonah Ferguson Trio – Live at the Bop Stop.

All Music Used by Permission from Russ Nolan

New York City based saxophonist Russ Nolan makes his first Bop Stop appearance in five years in this appearance from May 26th, 2023. Russ operates in the worlds of Modern Jazz and Salsa with ease and aplomb and it’s evident in both sets of this performance, the second of which we feature on this program.

Featuring Joey Skoch on piano, Ahmed McLemore on Bass, Aaron Yanda on Drums and Russ Nolan on sax, it’s the Russ Nolan Quartet – Live at the Bop Stop.

All Music Used by Permission From Theron Brown

You could argue at this point that Theron Brown is the glue that holds the Akron, Ohio jazz scene together. Between his work as the founder and director of the annual Rubber City Jazz and Blues Festival, the artistic director of the I Promise School, the artist coordinator for the Curated Storefront and his heavy involvement with the Jazz Education program at the University of Akron, he’s arguably the hardest working man in show business.

So we were lucky to manage to snag his trio for this performance, which features a guest appearance from Cleveland Jazz Orchestra saxophonist Johnny Chochran. Featuring Johnny, in his first Bop Stop appearance in two years, Zaire Darden on Drums, Jordan McBride on Bass and Theron Brown on Piano – and from a December 8th, 2023 performance – it’s the Theron Brown Trio – Featuring Johnny Cochran – Live at the Bop Stop.

All Music Used With Permission From Concurrence (Horton/Bryant)

What Could Have Been Still Can Be

Now is Still the Time

I-40 Was a Razor

Grooving at the Del Morroco

Pianist Paul Horton and Bassist Greg Bryant work together as the driving forces behind beat driven improvisational Nashville based collective Concurrence.

 This performance celebrates the release of their 2024 album Indivisible - which examines the impact and after effects of the harm caused by the development of the interstate system within communities in the United States but with a particular focus on Nashville's Northside neighborhood.

 The duo collaborates with some of contemporary jazz's best drummers on tour and on Indivisible including Tommy Crane, Derrek Phillips and Aaaron Smith, whom you'll hear on this performance.

 Featuring Paul Horton on piano and keys, Greg Bryant on Bass and Aaron Smith on Drums, and From October 27th, 2024 it's Concurrence....Live at the Bop Stop

All music used with permission from Fuoco/Folger/Castaldi

IO (Folger) Contemplation (Castaldi) Light Gaps (Fuoco) Lavendula Angustifolia (Folger) All in All (Castaldi) First Voice (Fuoco) There is Another Sky (Fuoco) Lattice (Folger) Piroutte (Fuoco) Mais l'Aube Approche (Folger) Soleil (Folger

Anthony Fuoco’s compositions feature prominently in multiple groups including the Pulse Quartet, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the Wedmedyk/Fuoco Duo. He’s also a classically trained pianist who performs frequently with his spouse Christine. 

For this performance, Anthony teams up with trumpeter Garret Folger, and Cleveland drumming legend Carmen Castaldi for an evening performing compositions from all three group members. Garret Folger is a frequent sideman in groups throughout Northeast Ohio and tours globally as a member of Bassel and the Supernaturals, while Carmen Castaldi has five decades of experience working with the likes of Joe Lovano, Bill Perkins, Don Rickles and Sonny Stitt.

From a September 3rd, 2023 performance, it’s the Fuoco/Folger/Castaldi Trio – Live at the Bop Stop.

All Music Used With Permission from Orrin Evans

For more than two decades pianist Orrin Evans has made an art form of the unexpected. With more than 25 albums to his credit, Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who’s made a habit of rattling the jazz world’s confining cages. That determination has paid off in accolades like topping the “Rising Star Pianist” category in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll and two Grammy nominations. As a daring pianist, Evans combines raw-edged vigor and left-field nuance into a sound wholly his own.

This week, on the program, Orrin joined us recently with his trio to celebrate the Bop Stop's ninth anniversary, and we'll present both highlights from that show, along with selections from his prior appearances on the program.

Featuring Luques Curtis on Bass, Mark Whitfield Junior on drums, and Orrin Evans on Piano, here's the best of the Orrin Evans Trio - Live at the Bop Stop.

All Music used with permission from OHM! Trio. 

• A Single Thread (Bruce)
• Peachy (Douds)
• Reprieve Reprise (Bruce)
• Eh? (Bruce)
• Some Towns (Bruce)
• Blackbird (Lennon-McCartney)
• Wayne -Ish (Douds)

Ohm! is the latest project from Cleveland based guitarist Dan Bruce. Featuring original compositions from all three of the group’s members, the trio brings high energy original compositions set to forceful and distinctive grooves. Everyone comes out of a performance with a different favorite song, and I’m always hesitant to put a thumb on the scale, but I’d encourage you to pay attention to a piece in this performance called Eh.

You’ve heard Dan Bruce on the program before, for his work in Alla Boara, with his Beta Collective project, his guitar duo sessions with Dan Wilson and as part of the larger Third Law Collective. Dan’s collaborators within Ohm are just as noteworthy. Denzel Chismar-Oliver is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based bassist who shares the stage with some of the area’s most prominent musicians. Nathan Douds is the quintessential drummer’s drummer who workS both in orchestras and as the leader of his own seven piece ensemble. To see Nathan Douds play drums is probably a little bit better than just hearing it but there are few who understand how to do more with the subtilties of the kit than Nathan.

So we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. From an October 1st, 2023 performance, it’s Ohm! – Live at the Bop Stop.

This program is recorded at the Robert Conrad Studios at the Bop Stop in Cleveland, Ohio, and the studios of WBWC FM on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. Additional production at the Bop Stop is provided by Graham Rosen. Technical editing for the program is provided by Dr. Pete Naegele, Shawn Gilbert, and Darren Thompson through Gilazar Media.

 

The executive producer and writer is Daniel Peck, with additional consulting production on behalf of The Music Settlement by Bryan Kennard.

 

For extended versions of all of our shows, our Live at the Bop Stop podcast can be found on your favorite podcast app or visit our website at www.themusicsettlement.org and click the Bop Stop link.

 

To reach out directly, email [email protected].