Alfred Lion standing behind Hank Mobley during rehearsals at the Rudy Van Gelder studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (Photo by Michael Cuscuna/Corbis via Getty Images)
Hiya, Jazz Fans!!! Jazz birthdays we’ll be celebrating this week include those of guitarists Amanda Monaco and Philip Catherine, vocalists Carmen Lundy, Cleo Laine and Julie Kelly, bassist/vocalist Richard Bona, tenor men Illinois Jacquet, Zoot Sims and Jimmy Woods, pianist David Hazeltine, composer Chico O’Farrill, trombonist Conrad Herwig, audio engineer Rudy Van Gelder and more! We’ll also salute the recording anniversaries of Roy Eldridge & Dizzy Gillespie’s “Roy and Diz” (1954), Cannonball Adderley & Strings (1955), Chet Baker & Art Pepper’s “Playboys” (1956), Art Blakey’s “Moanin’” (1958), Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father” (1964), Bill Evans’ “Affinity” (1978), Hilton Ruiz’ “Crosscurrents” (1984) and many more. Listen for us to feature these artists and other recordings throughout the week, and on Jazz Masters with Hollis Monroe weekdays at noon on Jazz 88.3 KCCK!