New Music Monday for August 26, 2013

“Live Today” signals a new journey for bassist and composer Derrick Hodge as he embarks on a solo recording career. Even though Hodge has played with such jazz titans as Mulgrew Miller and Terence Blanchard, as well as R&B stars Jill Scott and Maxwell, he’s probably best known for anchoring the Grammy-winning Robert Glasper Experiment. Similar to how Glasper concocts a distinctive mélange of modern jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, the new CD too integrates those genres and more into something potent and personal.  “This whole album was putting on my composer’s hat, but letting go and making sure that I’m giving people raw examples of how I feel on any given day,” Hodge explains.

Pianist Joe Davidian has taken the jazz world by storm. Audiences revere his technical proficiency, inventive arrangements, and outstanding improvisational skills. His new release, “Live at the Jazz Cave: Volume One,” confirms his reputation as a leading voice in the jazz piano world.  Throughout college, he performed with jazz legends Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Bob Mintzer and Kevin Mahogany. While earning his Master’s Degree at the University of Miami, he met two musicians for whom he discerned an immediate affinity: bassist Jamie Ousley and drummer Austin McMahon. In 2008 the trio recorded its debut CD and has since been performing internationally at jazz clubs, universities and festivals.

Also this week, the San Francisco Bay-area octet Resonance, featuring an interesting fusion of instruments including a string trio, offers up “Introductions”; guitarist and composer PJ Rasmussen combines the contemporary with the old school hard bop vibe on his debut disc, “Adventures in Flight”; and veteran keyboardist Mike Wofford’s latest is a solo piano effort, “It’s Personal.”

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL PROGRAMS

THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Short List with Bob Naujoks                                           
Mon. – Thurs. at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM    
The Short List: Vocal Short List 11 (Al Bowlly)         
Al Bowlly was a little known British singer.  His career was short, but his sincere style makes him a favorite to many even to this day. The society orchestra background does not lessen his artistic impact because his unerring rhythm and pitch makes him most listenable. Bowlly was charming and handsome, and his tour with the British bandleader Ray Noble introduced him to American audiences. Bowlly could not gain a foothold against the stateside crooners like Bing Crosby, so he returned to England, but was killed in a London air raid.
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson  
Monday at 6:00 PM 
Tito Puente
The late Afro-Cuban jazz giant Tito Puente, “El Rey,” was the king of the timbales and the mambo, and a recipient of the Presidential Arts Medal. This tribute takes us inside the man, probing the source of that energy and uncovering the secrets to Puente’s prolific and creative life.           
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (follows Jazz Profiles) 
“Jazz Goes to the Movies”    
Craig “restarts” his annual look at a wide variety of jazz performances from motion pictures, Broadway shows, and TV soundtracks.  This week, we’ll hear from Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (“Les Liaisons Dangereuses”), Duke Ellington (“Anatomy Of A Murder”), Martial Solal (“A Bout De Souffle”), Shorty Rogers/Elmer Bernstein (“The Man With The Golden Arm”), and a number of other captivating performances. Bring the popcorn and come on in — it’s air-conditioned!!                 
              
Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wendell Pierce  
Tuesday at 6:00 PM 
Artistry in Rhythm: Stan Kenton Centennial
The bandstand wasn’t big enough for Stan Kenton’s musical ideas. His big brassy sound brought dozens of musicians to the stage including a “mellophonium” section and great West Coast innovators including  Bill Holman, Anita O’Day and Jazz Master Lee Konitz. Konitz  joins the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for this Kenton celebration. 
JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater
Wednesday at 6:00 PM 
Branford Marsalis Quartet at Napa Valley Opera House, Napa, CA
Personnel changes have been few over 20 years in the Branford Marsalis Quartet. The players are consistent, Marsalis says, but the music should evolve and be challenging, center on the melody and convey emotions. Branford’s tenor and soprano lead. Pianist Joey Calderazzo and bassist Eric Revis compose three of the four tunes. Justin Faulkner plays drums.
Wednesday Night Special  
7:00 PM (Follows JazzSet) 
Preservation Hall Jazz Band: That’s It! (One Hour Radio Special)
For over 50 years, Preservation Hall Jazz Band has brought life to the sounds of New Orleans. Some of the original members hailed from the beginning of Jazz itself.  The music that PHJB plays has been passed down through the generations.  Now they have written their first-ever album of entirely new songs that both respects their traditions and takes them into the future. 
In this one-hour radio special, you’ll hear about the band, life in New Orleans and the new music from members Ben Jaffe, Charlie Gabriel, and Rickie Monie, plus their co-producer Jim James of My Morning Jacket.
Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland  
Thursday at 6:00 PM 
Dave Douglas
Composer, trumpeter, and improviser Dave Douglas has a style that transcends the boundaries of traditional jazz. This approach has led to albums of experimental music both on his own and as a member of John Zorn’s band. On this Piano Jazz, Douglas and McPartland, joined by bassist James Genus, show their mutual love for Mary Lou Williams’ music on “Scratchin’ In The Gravel” and “Cloudy.”              
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM 
“The Herbie Hancock Story — Part Two”    
Craig continues his chronological look at the music of Herbert Jeffrey Hancock.  In show #2, we’ll hear from Herbie’s recordings made in 1963 to 1965, featuring his own records as well as a number of dates where Mr. Hancock appears as a sideman with the likes of Miles Davis, Blue Mitchell, Bob Brookmeyer, Lee Morgan, and a host of others.  Herbie continues to be one of the foremost jazz pianists from the past 55 years.   
Riverwalk Jazz
Sunday at 5:00 PM 
Swinging at the Pearl: Catherine Russell, Dick Hyman
San Antonio’s historic Pearl Stable, once a 19th-century lodging for Pearl Brewery’s draft horses, is now a landmark venue and a perfect spot for a late-night jam session. Vocalist Catherine Russell and pianist Dick Hyman take the stage with The Jim Cullum Jazz Band and join in the fun.          
KCCK’s Midnight CD
The Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at: 

http://www.kcck.org/onair/midnight_cd.php

This Week’s Special Programs

Short List with Bob Naujoks
Mon. – Thurs. at 8:35 AM and Saturday at 7 AM

The Short List: Vocal Short List 11 (Lola Albright)

If the name Lola Albright doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps “Peter Gunn” will. “Peter Gunn” was a landmark television show from the late 1950s. Although it was done as a “film noir” detective series, it was Henry Mancini’s inventive jazz sounds that gave it class. Albright was cast as the singer in the jazz club and Gunn’s girlfriend. Her sultry, low-key voice and physical beauty made her a favorite with the viewers. Her singing career lasted just about as long as the show, 1958 to 1960.
Jazz Profiles with Nancy Wilson  
Monday at 6:00 PM    
Rosemary Clooney:  An American Treasure
For more than 40 years, Rosemary Clooney’s simple and exquisite singing style defined her career. Her dynamic career also included movie roles and a star turn in her own television show. Rosemary will always be remembered as one of America’s finest jazz-based vocalists.           
Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Monday, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (follows Jazz Profiles)
“Birthday Celebration for “Duke” Pearson”     
Craig celebrates the birth date anniversary of pianist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator Columbus Calvin “Duke” Pearson, Jr., who was born in Atlanta, August 17th, 1932.  We’ll hear some of his famous compositions, fine examples of his tasteful keyboard work, and some fascinating displays of Duke’s arranging skills.               
              
Jazz at Lincoln Centerwith Wendell Pierce  
Tuesday at 6:00 PM
Basie and the Blues
Churning rhythms and unforgettable riffs – in the hands of William ‘Count’ Basie, caught the essence of Kansas City swing. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with guitarist James Chirillo, pianist Cyrus Chestnut and vocalist Gregory Porter join the Jazz at Lincoln Center to make the Basie classics burn.
JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater
Wednesday at 6:00 PM
Sean Jones / Jeff Tain Watts at the Detroit Jazz Festival
Of 2011 Artist-in-Residence Watts’ group with Marcus Strickland, Lawrence Fields and Christian McBride, our photographer noted his opinion: “They put down a set that was both relentlessly swinging and beautiful… [It was] the highlight of the acts I caught . . . .” The day before Tain, everybody was saying that trumpeter Sean Jones had played the set to beat.
Wednesday Night Special  
7:00 PM (Follows JazzSet)
The Best of the 2012 Detroit Jazz Festival – Part Two
The Detroit International Jazz Festival, billed as the “world’s largest free jazz festival,” is held over Labor Day weekend along the downtown riverfront and features top international jazz stars performing on four stages. The artists at last year’s Jazz Fest have won a combined 100 Grammy Awards. Part Two features the Mack Avenue Super Band, Wayne Shorter, Poncho Sanchez, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more!
Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland  
Thursday at 6:00 PM
Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron is one of the most highly regarded players of his generation. Playing professionally since the age of 15, Barron has worked with some of the jazz world’s best, including Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Henderson, and Roy Haynes. On this Piano Jazz he performs his original tune, “Clouds,” and pairs with McPartland for “How Deep is The Ocean?”              
The Jazz Corner of the World with Craig Kessler
Saturday, Noon – 4:00 PM
“Jazz Goes to the Movies”    
Craig “restarts” his annual look at a wide variety of jazz performances from motion pictures, Broadway shows, and TV soundtracks.  This week, we’ll hear from Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (“Les Liaisons Dangereuses”), Duke Ellington (“Anatomy Of A Murder”), Martial Solal (“A Bout De Souffle”), Shorty Rogers/Elmer Bernstein (“The Man With The Golden Arm”), and a number of other captivating performances. Bring the popcorn and come on in — it’s air-conditioned!!    
Riverwalk Jazz
Sunday at 5:00 PM
I Wish I Were Twins: The Fats Waller Bluebird Sessions
The Jim Cullum Jazz Band — with special guests Dick Hyman and Rebecca Kilgore — celebrates the Fats Waller “Bluebird Sessions.” Tunes include “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter” and “It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie.” 

KCCK’s Midnight CD

Monday – Sunday Midnight CD for this week can be found at:

http://www.kcck.org/onair/midnight_cd.php

New Music Monday


By Bob Stewart

New Music Monday – 8/12/2013

Paquito’s Brazilian Affair; Gadd’s Gadditude.

There are many artists who have developed a love affair with Brazil and its culture. The music of Brazil has been particularly intoxicating for musicians who appreciate well-written melodies and a strong rhythmic drive. The heralded Cuban-born clarinetist/saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera has never been shy to trumpet his Brazilian infatuation. Since his arrival in the United States, he’s made a point to collaborate with Brazilian musicians of all stripes, including figures in Brazilian jazz, folkloric and popular music. On his latest disc, “Song for Maura”, he’s accompanied by a fabulous contemporary jazz trio from Sao Paulo, Trio Corrente.

For “Gadditude”, his tenth outing as a leader, world class drummer Steve Gadd got a little help from his distinguished friends-guitarist Michael Landau, keyboardist Larry Goldings, trumpeter Walt Fowler and bassist Jimmy Johnson. Together they had already established a high degree of bandstand chemistry as the touring ensemble for singer-songwriter James Taylor. That goes a long way in explaining the sense of comfort and ease from track to track on this relaxed session. Together they put their own unique stamp on a pair of Keith Jarrett pieces, compositions by Radiohead and Abdullah Ibrahim, along with evocative originals by Landau and Goldings.

Burton at 70; Thompson Heads a Trio – Bob Stewart


Vibraphonist Gary Burton began his career at age 17 in an unlikely place for a jazz musician, recording in Nashville with luminaries Chet Atkins and Hank Garland. He cut his teeth touring with George Shearing and Stan Getz, went on to form his first quartet in 1967 and is celebrating 40-year long creative partnerships with both Chick Corea and Pat Metheny. He’s also been active for years in music education as a teacher and administrator at the famed Berklee College of Music. In a career rich with variety, collaboration and innovation, the vibraphone master now celebrates his 70th birthday with a brand new release — “Guided Tour.” The line-up of the New Gary Burton Quartet remains the same with Julian Lage on guitar, Scott Colley on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums.

Drummer Chester Thompson has done it all. From embarking on world tours with Weather Report and Frank Zappa to performing in sports arenas with Phil Collins and Genesis, he is a seasoned veteran on the world’s music scene. And now, for the first time, he’s doing what he’s always dreamed of doing: leading a jazz trio with two of the country’s finest young lions on the new CD — “Approved.” Pianist Joe Davidian and bassist Michael Rinne join Thompson in blending influences from Brazil to Cuba to Tin Pan Alley and American mainstream, featuring pieces from Thompson’s past groups, originals by his trio mates, and inventive arrangements of pop and jazz standards by all three.

New Music Monday – Bob Stewart



New Music Monday – August 12, 2013

The term “misfit toys” has become shorthand for any group of ill-fitting or otherwise wrongheaded castoffs from the straight-ahead world. It’s also the perfect name for Iowa percussionist Dan Moore’s latest ensemble on a project which has been in the works for the last decade. It’s been a labor of love, born of a desire to visit the halcyon days of Moore’s youth with the help of his musical partners, banjoist Paul Elwood and drummer Matt Wilson, and very special guest, clarinetist Robert Paredes, who passed away shortly after his work on the project. “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” offers up gleefully demented deconstructed arrangements of ’70s radio hits and B-sides from artists as diverse as Talking Heads, Stevie Wonder, Gilbert O’Sullivan and others.

Two short snippets recorded live with trumpeter Don Cherry bookend percussionist Trilok Gurtu’s new CD — “Spellbound.” Even though the other pieces on the disc do not feature the jazz legend, they all are expressions of Gurtu’s great admiration for his one-time mentor and friend who died in 1995. For Gurtu jazz has become an attitude, which has made it possible for him to overcome the boundaries between styles and genres. Jazz still forms the basis for his musical ouvre, though, and the trumpet has practically become a symbol for Gurtu’s own musical vision. For the new disc, he builds a bridge between continents and cultures, using trumpet masters from Norway, Italy, Germany, Lebanon and Turkey, along with the young American Ambrose Akinmusire.

Also this week, pianist Mike LeDonne and his trio are captured live at Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver on “Speak”; the Commons Collective out of the University of Northern Iowa unveils its debut disc, “Beginnings”; and saxophonist Jeremy Udden and trumpeter John McNeil debut their new quartet, “Hush Point.”

Etienne’s Gumbo; BWB’s Return – Bob Stewart



Etienne Charles has been hailed as “a daring improviser” by JazzTimes magazine while Ben Ratlilff of the New York Times called him “one of the more ambitious soloists and composers” and “an auteur.” The Trinidad-born trumpet phenom serves up a delicious bowl of musical gumbo with “Creole Soul”, an exciting exploration of his music roots featuring sounds from the French, Spanish and English speaking Caribbean as well as North America. The disc highlights the myriad inspirations from Haitian Creole chants and blues to bebop and R&B while drawing on an array of rhythms including rocksteady, reggae, bel air, kongo and calypso.

Individually, they are three titans of contemporary jazz: Rick Braun, the gifted trumpeter/flugelhornist; Grammy Award-winning tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum, the Memphis-born wunderkind who mixes Beale Street, gospel, the blues and bop; and Norman Brown, the Grammy-winning guitarist who brings a Louisiana lilt to his Wes Montgomery/George Benson-influenced six-string soulful strut. They came together eleven years ago as the supergroup known as BWB, recording a disc that made them one of the most sought-after groups at that time. This terrific triad has reassembled for a new CD– “Human Nature” — which puts their own spin on eleven selections made famous by Michael Jackson.

Walter’s 20th Congress; Heckman’s 3rd – Bob Stewart


For 20 years, Robert Walter has been pulling drawbars and pushing the limits of the Hammond B-3 organ. As a founding member of the Greyboy All Stars, he helped usher in the funk-jazz renaissance of the early ’90s. For his new CD — “Get Thy Bearings” — Walter reconvenes his long-standing band the 20th Congress. It was a recent move from New Orleans to Los Angeles that jump-started the band, which hadn’t recorded a studio disc in ten years. The outlet for the keyboardist’s funkiest material since its inception in 1999, the group is rounded out by guitarist/bassist Elgin Park, reedmen Karl Denson and Cochemea Gastelum, and percussionists Chuck Prada and Aaron Redfield.

“Born to Be Blue is the much-anticipated 3rd release from acclaimed multi-saxophonist Steve Heckman. Praised by saxophonists as diverse as Stan Getz, Charles Lloyd and Pharoah Sanders, Heckman has assembled an all-star band that includes the renowned and highly versatile guitarist Howard Alden, pianist Matt Clark, multi-award winner Marcus Shelby on bass, and internationally know drummer Akira Tana. The result is a collection of profound beauty, subtlety and swing featuring gems from the Great American Songbook plus two inspiring originals by Heckman.