Piano Jazz Shorts

Well-known for his compositions, film scores, and appearances as a guest conductor, David Amram started his professional life in music as a French hornist in the National Symphony Orchestra in the early 1950s. He went on to play horn in the legendary jazz bands of Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, and Lionel Hampton. He is a prolific composer whose music is based on Latin American, Middle Eastern Ancient Jewish, and Modern idioms. In this 1991 session, Amram performs on piano, horn, and a variety

Internationally hailed as the greatest vocalist to come along in decades, Nnenna Freelon exudes both class and sophistication. Her soulful style consists of fresh interpretations of classic standards. A six-time Grammy Award nominee, in 2014 she starred in the critically acclaimed show Georgia on My Mind: Celebrating the Music of Ray Charles in Las Vegas. On this 2002 Piano Jazz, Freelon surprises McPartland with a lyric to her original tune "Threnody." News Stations: Sat, Apr 15, 8 pm |

This week Piano Jazz remembers NEA Jazz Master Dorothy Donegan (1922 – 1998) with an early session from 1983. Donegan's technical command of the piano was nothing short of breathtaking, and she was known for her onstage antics and flamboyance. In the house with McPartland, she attacks the piano—hammering away with her elbows and knuckles on "Darn That Dream" and "Stormy Weather." McPartland and Donegan play two pianos on "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Rosetta." News Stations: Sat, Apr 08, 8 pm |

One of the most original and provocative musicians in jazz, pianist Mose Allison (1927 – 2016) was heavily influenced by the blues. The Mississippi native drew inspiration from Sonny Boy Williamson, Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, and Thelonious Monk to create jazz flavored by the blues, along with tastes of his own sardonic wit. On this 1988 Piano Jazz , Allison opens with one of his typically witty tunes, “Someone’s Going to Have to Move.” He and McPartland join forces on an old classic, “Your

Pianist Carli Muñoz’s musical journey has taken him from Puerto Rico to the studios and clubs of LA, and back to the island of his birth, where he owns his own jazz club. His musical career has taken a similar circular trajectory. Having started out as a jazz musician, he played with pop musicians such as the Beach Boys and Rickie Lee Jones before returning full time to his first love, jazz. On this 2007 Piano Jazz , he plays his own tune “Mia” and joins McPartland for Cole Porter’s “So In Love.

Pianist and vocalist Judy Roberts is one of Chicago’s best-loved musicians. She’s an imaginative and insightful pianist with an articulate touch, and her voice readily conveys many different moods. Since beginning her professional career at age 15, Roberts has traveled the world, gaining fans and garnering critical acclaim. She always keeps her audiences enthralled, as she did on this 2005 Piano Jazz , recorded in front of a live audience at WAMC in Albany, New York. She performs McPartland’s

Joey DeFrancesco was only 20 years old when he was McPartland’s guest on Piano Jazz . Hailed as the new hero of the organ, his stint with Miles Davis brought the classically trained keyboardist national attention. He has since gone on to release more than 30 albums and has earned multiple Grammy nominations. For this 1991 session, DeFrancesco switches to piano to play his own compositions and joins McPartland for “Cherokee.” News Stations: Sat, Mar 11, 8 pm | Classical Station: Sun, Mar 12, 7 pm

One of the most popular stylists in contemporary jazz, pianist Ahmad Jamal has been a major force on the jazz recording scene ever since his 1958 live album made at Chicago’s Pershing Lounge. On this 1985 Piano Jazz , Jamal reprises two classics from that session—“Poinciana” and “But Not for Me”—in duet with McPartland. Jamal solos on Duke Ellington’s “Come Sunday,” and he and McPartland close the program with a final duet on “Silent Night, Holy Night.” News Stations: Sat, Mar 04, 8 pm |

Organist, arranger, composer, teacher, and singer Trudy Pitts (1932 – 2010) earned a reputation not only for her technical prowess, but also for her ability to convey a wide range of emotions. Her formal training was classical: she studied piano at Juilliard and Temple University, but came to jazz by way of the organ. On this 1992 Piano Jazz , Pitts’ sensitive touch is apparent when she solos on “A Child is Born.” Then she and McPartland create a memorable “Mood Indigo.” News Stations: Sat, Feb

Guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Doug Wamble grew up listening to the Southern gospel, country, and blues traditions of his Tennessee home. Once he developed his love for jazz, Wamble began to soak up the sounds of jazz masters like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ornette Coleman. Along the way he discovered his off-the-cuff singing was a hit with fans and critics alike. In this 2005 Piano Jazz session, Wamble and McPartland span the jazz genre, from “St. Louis Blues” to Charlie Parker’s