Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify
Over the past decade, bassist Ben Allison, guitarist Steve Cardenas and saxophonist Ted Nash have developed a unique group sound and approach—one based on improvisation, mutual trust, and an almost uncanny ability to predict each other’s musical moves. Following their previous four albums that focused on music by iconic composers, their new release, “Triological,” is the first to feature original music written by the trio specifically for the album and is the group’s most personal album to date.
“Forever Yours: The Farewell Performances” captures highlights from two transcendent solo-piano concerts given just four months before jazz icon Chick Corea’s passing. Performed in Clearwater, Florida, in October of 2020, they would be the last public concerts Mr. Corea would ever give. Not long afterward, his health suddenly declined and the world lost one of its greatest musicians in February of 2021.
Also this week, pianist Bill Mays revels in surprise, harmonic wizardry and melodic invention on his new trio recording, “Soundscape”; Southern California-based singer and songwriter Alex Robinson unveils her debut release, “I Really Oughta Tell You”; and saxophonist Walter Smith III reprises his acclaimed Twio concept with the long-awaited release of “Twio, Vol. 2,” featuring Joe Sanders and Kendrick Scott, plus special guests Ron Carter and Branford Marsalis.
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Jazz Corner of the World (Encore)
Hey, Jazz fans! Be sure to tune in this week as we celebrate the birthdays of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion, percussionist Candido Camero, bassists Charles Mingus, Paul Chambers and Avishai Cohen, trombonist Slide Hampton, guitarist Mundell Lowe, keyboardist Dave Grusin and more. We’ll also mark the recording anniversaries of Miles Davis’ “Birth of the Cool” (1949), Ella Fitzgerald’s “Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert” (1958), Freddie Hubbard’s “Fastball: Live at the Left Bank” (1967), Jim Hall’s “Concierto” (1975), Milt Jackson’s “A London Bridge” (1982), Gene Harris & the Philip Morris All-Stars “Live” (1995), Charles McPherson’s “The Journey” (2014) and many others, Mondays through Fridays and at noon on JAZZ MASTERS on Jazz 88.3 KCCK.