Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Pianist Bill O’Connell is a genuine triple-threat in jazz, equally well-known as a composer, arranger and instrumentalist. He honed his craft carefully from his days with Mongo Santamaria in the ‘70s, his gigs with Chet Baker, Gato Barbieri, Sonny Rollins and others, and his long-time associations with Jerry …
Jazz Corner of the World Encore Mondays at 6:00 PM West Coast Jazz #3 Week Three of Four in his exploration of West Coast Jazz finds host Craig Kessler taking a closer look at a number of very important jazz artists and arrangers. We’ll hear more from Jimmy Giuffre, Howard Rumsey, Lennie Niehaus, Duane …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Pianist and composer Deanna Witkowski honors the First Lady of Jazz, Mary Lou Williams, on her lovingly conceived and radiantly realized seventh album, “Force of Nature.” Released along with Witkowski’s first book—a detailed and engaging biography of Williams—the disc caps off 20 years of immersive research into …
Jazz Corner of the World Encore Mondays at 6:00 PM West Coast Jazz #2 In this second of four “West Coast Jazz” presentations, host Craig Kessler takes a closer look at some relatively obscure artists, as well as major players Clifford Brown, Jack Montrose, Howard Rumsey, Bob Cooper, and others. Along the way, …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Le Coq Records offers up a second volume from its ever-growing family of brilliant musicians with “The Jazz All Stars Vol. 2.” It showcases not only the virtuoso musicianship of many of contemporary jazz’s most in demand players, but also shines a brighter spotlight on their compositional gifts. …
Jazz Corner of the World Encore Mondays at 6:00 PM West Coast Jazz #1 Join host Craig Kessler as he begins a four-week series on the phenomenon of “West Coast Jazz.” We’ll take a closer look at music from Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, and other artists involved in the beginnings of the Pacific Jazz record …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Bernie Dresel has been one of the busiest studio musicians in the world since moving to Los Angeles in 1983. He’s traveled the world, occupying the coveted drum chair for Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band since its inception in 1999, and an overlapping 15 years as drummer for …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Iconic pianist/composer Fred Hersch was an early adopter of new technologies and new ways forward when the pandemic hit in early 2020. But he’s also been among the most eager to return to live performance and collaboration now that life has begun to resume some semblance of normality. …
