I’ve truly learned a lot since I started putting together these podcasts four years ago. That’s why the program is “Discovering Jazz”. I keep discovering new things about jazz and about jazz compositions. That being said, a lot of my earlier programs are still pretty good. While Episodes 1 and 2 seem to have a lot of listeners, for some reason Episode 3 hasn’t. I don’t know why. There’s some great music! The last two tracks are by a well-known trumpet player from the 1930’s who saxophonist Flip ...
Jul 20, 2021•Season 1Ep. 3
Some great music here! I’ve listened to a track or two from each of the albums nominated in the jazz and world music categories for this year’s Junos. I’m playing something from the winner in four categories, plus a handful of jazz nominees. This is the last podcast of the season as I take a short summer break. But don’t despair! You’ll get some summer ‘reruns’—some of my favourite podcasts from the archives. So still lots of great music to be heard.
Jul 13, 2021•Season 1Ep. 158
Last week I spoke about how Miles Davis could be considered to be the most predominant jazz ‘bellwether’. This was related to his role in contributing to particular tunes becoming ‘standards’, even influencing how other musicians played them. This week I advance that ‘thesis’ even further. I show how changes he made to a Dave Brubeck composition then became the way future musicians played the tune. I also talk about his contribution to what has been called ‘third stream music’, as well as the ro...
Jul 06, 2021•Season 1Ep. 157
This was inspired by a book by my favourite science fiction writer: Connie Willis, called “Bellwether”. In a flock of sheep, there is one sheep that, for some unexplained reason, influences all the others in terms of when and where they move. That sheep is referred to as a bellwether. The bellwether isn’t necessarily the first to take action….and it can be a challenge trying to discover what sheep is actually the ‘bellwether. My interest here is why certain tunes get selected by jazz musicians t...
Jun 29, 2021•Season 1Ep. 156
This episode was inspired by somebody, when I played and sang “How Deep Is The Ocean?” asking me if I was playing ‘jazz chords’. So this episode tries to discover, using the same Socratic method as in the lyrics to that tune, what exactly is a ‘jazz chord’. I play some great music, as usual. You’ll hear recordings ranging from Les Paul and Mary Ford all the way to the amazing piano intricacies of Adam Makowicz. And between that….Frank Sinatra, Bill Evans, Jennifer Scott & Miles Black, Peggy ...
Jun 22, 2021•Season 1Ep. 155
This week I dig into my record collection again and pull out a few favourites. You’ll hear tracks from: -Toronto’s Archie Alleyne with the Frank Wright Quartet, -Lalo Schifrin, -Zoot Sims w. Jimmy Rowles, -Shelly Manne, -Lenny Breau, -Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd, -Milt Bernhart Brass Ensemble, Julie London, Eddie Jefferson, Serge Chaloff, and Skywalk (from Vancouver), featuring Tom Keenlyside.
Jun 15, 2021•Season 1Ep. 154
This week I went through my jazz lp’s and selected a few familiar favourites. Well, at least familiar to me. I play some Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Bobby Hutcherson w. Eugene McDaniels, Shorty Rogers, Mose Allison, Buddy Emmons w. Lenny Breau, Big Miller, Nina Simone, David Amram, Charles Lloyd, and Tete Montoliu.
Jun 08, 2021•Season 1Ep. 153
This week I play blues, gospel, jazz, and world music employing instruments you don’t usually hear that often in that context. You’ll hear two bagpipes, and six tubas (but all on the same tune). I also play some recordings featuring a kora, accordion, tar, chromatic harmonica, bassoon, a sarrusophone, and ukulele. Then I end off with a Charles Mingus tune played on a didgeridoo plus some instruments invented by Harry Partch.
Jun 01, 2021•Season 1Ep. 152
This is the first of a couple programs where I play jazz recordings that feature instruments not commonly associated with jazz. This time round you’ll hear some harp, steel guitar, five string banjo, pipa, Euphonium, Steel Pan, and French Horn. And did you know that there was an album released in 2017 of Thelonious Monk tunes played on a pipa….solo? It’s called Monk, Mao, and Me, by Min Xiao-Fen. I play one track from that album.
May 25, 2021•Season 1Ep. 151
Five more great songs with interesting stories behind them. And I play different versions of each one, ranging from Nat King Cole to Sam Gendal. And in-between, you’ll hear Wayne Shorter, Xavier Thollard, Teresa Doyle & Doug Riley, Antonio Adolfo, Sonny Rollins, Randy Weston, Jack Teagarden, Victoria’s own Maureen Washington, Duke Ellington, and Gene McDaniels. \Two of the tunes, by the way are ‘traditional’….meaning author unknown. And if you want to remember the pentatonic scale? This epis...
May 18, 2021•Season 1Ep. 150
Once again I’m talking about some timeless great melodies and lyrics and some of the ways they get reinterpreted by jazz artists. I start with some great (and one not-so-great) recordings of Skylark, written by Hoagy Carmichae and Johnny Mercer, for a musical that never happened. And the melody was based on a Bix Beiderbecke improvisation. Someday My Prince Will Come was written by the same person who wrote Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf. I play two great versions fully and just a snatch of th...
May 11, 2021•Season 1Ep. 149
As I go down the JazzWeek chart, I find I’m enjoying what I’m listening to more and more. But I’ve always tended to love the ‘hits’ at the bottom end of the charts more than the top end. Even as a kid listening to the pop Top 93 on a local radio station. This week I start out with a track from the new Charles Lloyd album which, surprisingly hasn’t yet hit the play lists of most jazz radio stations. Same with the Sue Maskeleris record—although the ‘roots’ music stations seem to like it. I also pl...
May 04, 2021
More music from recordings released this year, as I pick and choose from a few records that interest me. One of my favourites is through a new label called Le Coq records, and it features Bill Cunlifee, John Patitucci, and Vinnie Colaiuta. That same label also has one simply called “Presents the Jazz All Stars”, and I play an interesting ‘funky’ version of Caravan, sung by Andy James. Two Canadian recordings are also included, one by Vancouver’s Cory Weeds and the other by Juno award winning sin...
Apr 27, 2021•Season 1Ep. 147
For this episode and the next two, I’m exploring current jazz. Using the JazzWeek Charts, I’m picking out a few newer releases that appeal to me, and playing a track from each of them. This week, you’ll hear Santi Diabro, Greg Murphy, Dr. Lonnie Smith (with Iggy Pop),Lorne Lofsky, Brandi Disterheft with George Coleman, Joe Chambers, Emmet Cohen, Veronica Swift, Dave Stryker, Nelson Riveros, and Greg Murphy.
Apr 20, 2021•Season 1Ep. 146
This is the last episode of a tune within a tune. And I thank jazz fans from the JazzWord site for many of these ideas for bits of songs that jazz musicians put into their solos. The quotes you’ll hear include Donna Lee, Pavane (Morton Gould), Slow Boat to China, Laura, Them There Eyes, How Long Has This Been Going On, Tea For Two, Work Song, Come Sunday, Giant Steps—-and a whole bunch more, A lot that ‘whole bunch more’ comes from Ella Fitzgerald. And yes, you’ll hear some Ella, as well as Coun...
Apr 13, 2021•Season 1Ep. 145
This podcast, as well as playing some great jazz recordings with ‘quotes’ of other tunes coming from various soloists, explores the purpose of these quotes. It’s not just jazz musicians who put quotes into their songs. There is a bird (yes…a real bird…one that flies) who does a variety of quotes, and you’ll hear that bird singing other bird’s songs. And an ornithologist very briefly explains how its function might be to impress potential mates by showing that they’ve ‘been around’. You’ll hear m...
Apr 06, 2021•Season 1Ep. 144
I found one well-known tune played in the midst of five different jazz recordings. And I’m sure it’s present in a lot more. Guess what the tune is? In this episode I play all five of them. Then there is Mary Had A Little Lamb, which I found in two different jazz solos. You’ll also hear Nature Boy, Mack The Knife, and in just one two minute tune, a number of different classical compositions. This is Part 1 of Quotes in Jazz solos. A quote is simply a situation where a musician throws in a touch o...
Mar 30, 2021•Season 1Ep. 143
The first 20 minutes of this week’s podcast is dedicated to the piano styles of Nat King Cole and Oscar Peterson. I explore similarities and differences, plus a ‘story’ that is told about why one stopped singing and the other stopped playing piano. The podcast ends with McCoy Tyner and something called ‘quartal voicings’. In the middle you’ll hear three other pianists who have some commonalities. They are Nina Simone, Don Shirley, and Aaron Diehl.
Mar 23, 2021•Season 1Ep. 142
One way of understanding what any modern (or ancient) jazz pianist is doing is to know the ‘roots’ of what they are playing. Even the wildest jazz is influenced by what came before. So this episode, to get more clarity about different piano styles, I’m exploring some history. From ragtime up to free-jazz. I’ll take you from Scott Joplin to Paul Bley, and between I’ll cover a bit of Jellly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Earl Hines, Count Basie, Art Tatum, Meade Lux Lewis, Nat King Cole, Bud Powel...
Mar 16, 2021•Season 1Ep. 141
I was always amazed by those Blindfold Tests in Downbeat Magazine where Leonard Feather would challenge various jazz musicians by playing certain pieces of music—and have them guess who was playing. Musicians would rate the selection and talk about why. What amazed me was how they so often knew who was playing—even if they had never heard the piece before. So this week, I’m trying to figure it out how somebody really attuned to jazz can be so good at distinguishing one player from another. Speci...
Mar 09, 2021•Season 1Ep. 140
Why the waffling between five or six songs? Well, it has to do with a new song that was created out of a saxophone solo used in I’m In The Mood for Love. Is Moody Mood For Love a new tune or a variation of an old one? And those interpretations of I’m In The Mood For Love led to a whole new jazz vocal style called jazz vocalese. It also takes a detour into the old Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals) short films from the 30’s that I saw many years later on television. On this week’s program you’ll a...
Mar 02, 2021•Season 1Ep. 139
This episode focuses on five great songs. I’ll play two or three different versions of each one. You’ll hear some stories about either the song or the performance of it, You’ll hear Tony Bennett (twice—once with Buddy Rich), Renee Rosnes w Dave Young, Bobby Wellins, Sergio Armaroli & Billy Lester, Duke Ellington (twice), Wynona Carr, Erroll Garner, Oliver Jones w. Neil Swainson, Charlie Parker w. an unusual pianist, and Barbra Streisand,
Feb 23, 2021•Season 1Ep. 138
This past week we lost a musical giant: one of the most eclectic pianists ever. Chick Corea. There have been many well deserved tributes online. This one will focus more on some of his great compositions. Most of them are played by Chick Corea himself, but I also include a great Canadian vocalist and another one of his well-known tunes played on bassoon and accordion, The other recordings include one from his latest album—which is up for a Grammy this year, and something from his first album und...
Feb 16, 2021
Have you ever noticed that sometimes meals taste even better the next day when they become ‘leftovers’? Here on what is actually Part 6 of my Best of 2020 Series According To Experts, I’m mostly playing selections that have been ‘left over’ because I couldn’t fit them in during the first 5 podcasts. Three of the selections are from albums nominated for Grammy’s (and you’ll find out who wins March 14). Two of them were selected because they are on at least somebody’s ‘best of’ list. And two of th...
Feb 09, 2021•Season 1Ep. 136
In this episode I play a few tracks from some of the Canadian albums selected by some ‘best of’ lists. You’ll hear some great music from artists whose origins span the length of the country—from Victoria to Nova Scotia! Artists featured include John Stetch, Mike Rud, Patrick Boyle, Emie R. Roussel Trio, Laila Biali, The Doxas Brothers, The Joe Bowden Project, Brandi Disterheft, and Kevin Goss.
Feb 02, 2021•Season 1Ep. 135
Added Note: The grammy’s were slated for Jan 31st but I was just advised that they have been put back to March 14 due to an added spike in COVID cases in Los Angeles. I’ve never been much for award shows—and rarely watch them. I probably won’t watch the Grammy’s either. But I did look at some of the great jazz artists and recordings that have been nominated, and played a few selections. Some of the ones that ‘stood out’ for me I’m playing on this podcast. You’ll hear Christian Scott A Tunde Adju...
Jan 26, 2021
This week’s podcast starts off with a 1 1/2 minute ditty meant to describe 2020. And he recorded it in January of that year. How did Dan Rosenboom know what was coming? I play a few tracks from albums that various critics think are the best of 2020, plus one that might be in somebody’s list for next year (maybe mine). That one is by Sue Maskaleris and her intriguing album called Love is The Key. I also play a track from an historical album….a previously unreleased recording session from Art Blak...
Jan 19, 2021•Season 1Ep. 133
Today I play a few tracks from records that Scott Yanow, Downbeat Magazine, CBC, Stereogum, and Bandcamp say are among 2020’s best. The range of styles is pretty extreme! From the most basic New orleans style jazz to what youtube classifies as dance/electonic. The highlights for me are 12 minutes of a recently discovered Thelonious Monk concert and the title track from 81 year old Carla Bley’s latest: Life Goes On. And so it does!
Jan 12, 2021•Season 1Ep. 132
Yes….you thought you’d escaped 2020. But despite it’s difficulties, you have to agree that some great recordings were made……maybe because musicians had time to stay home and create rather than do what they had to do to make a living. Because I don’t usually listen to that much new jazz, I decided to leave it to the experts and I went through a few ‘best of’ lists. It was overwhelming. Then I had to select albums and tracks that I felt like playing. I’m not sure what the criteria was….but I do li...
Jan 05, 2021•Season 1Ep. 131
As we emerge into the dawn of 2021 we tearfully bid goodbye to 2020. (Just kidding). But I am presenting a summary of some of the past year’s podcasts, and playing a few favourite selections from them.
Dec 29, 2020•Season 1Ep. 130
