Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
What’s behind “The Red Door?” For pianist Orrin Evans, that question has come to symbolize the daring path his life and music have taken over the course of his three-decade career for taking musical and personal chances. On this his first album since leaving the trio Bad Plus, he once again flings open the door, delighting in the collaborators, friends, inspiration, and history that he finds inside. Evans convenes a truly all-star affair featuring Nicholas Payton, Robert Hurst, and Marvin “Smitty” Smith, with special appearances from Buster Williams, Jazzmeia Horn, Larry McKenna, Gene Jackson, and the late great Wallace Roney.
With their fiery 2010 quintet release “East-West Trumpet Summit,” trumpeters Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott’s inspired partnership resonated with jazz audiences and quickly hit #1 on the charts. Now with “Coast to Coast,” their third installment celebrating the fabled tradition of Fats Navarro/Howard McGhee and Freddie Hubbard/Woody Shaw recordings, the duo bring along Philadelphia’s own Orrin Evans on piano and legendary Roy McCurdy from Los Angeles on drums, and Seattle bassist Michael Glynn for a set that ranges from George Cables, Don Cherry, and Mingus penned tunes, to originals by Marriott and a couple of Great American Songbook ballads.
Also this week, “Sonic Realities” is a piano trio album exploring the musical lives of keyboardist James Weidman, bassist Harvie S and drummer Alvester Garnett; dedicated to his late father Carlos, drummer/percussionist Juan Pastor’s fourth and latest release, “Cachito,” is an exploration of grief and loss, of acceptance, and of steadfast courage; and vocalist Roderick Harper unveils his sixth release as a leader, “2702.”
Jazz Corner of the World with host Craig Kessler
Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of saxmen Joe Thomas, Jerry Jerome and Sahib Shihab, singers Helen Humes and Dave Lambert, bassists Milt Hinton and Jamil Nasser, pianist/composers Lalao Schifrin and Arturo O’Farrill and more! We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of “The Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis Cookbook, Vol. 1″ (1958), Stanley Turrentine’s “Look Out!” (1960), Bill Evans’ “Montreux II” (1970), David Matthews Trio “Manhattan Sunset” (1987), Teri Thornton’s “I’ll Be Easy to Find” (1997), “Ron Carter’s Great Big Band” (2010) and many others 10am to 2pm, Monday thru Friday, with Jazz Masters at noon.