There were over five weeks where my podcast was out of commission due to the host having disappeared. Now I have a new host and I've been posting some new Discovering Jazz programs. During that no-activity period I was still buying cd's and records---waiting the time I could play some of them on my show. Well folks! That time has come! Most of these vinyl albums and cd's were found in thrift and second hand stores. A few were purchased online or from the artist's themselves at concerts I attende...
Jul 02, 2024•Ep. 276
I like to 'prepare' to go to Jazz Festival concerts (even if I don't actually go to many of them) as an excuse to 'discover' new jazz artists. And there are some great ones playing at this year's Edmonton Jazz Fest going on this week (June 25-30). And many of them are also on tour playing elsewhere in Western and Eastern Canada and the U.S., as well as Europe. I don't know how many concerts my time and budget will allow me to see and hear. Probably Norbert Kael and his Jazzical Trio and Moneka A...
Jun 25, 2024•Ep. 275
More great recent recordings utilizing bebop, hardbop, and swing as selected by soul/jazz singer and pianist, Cliff Beach. We start again with a great Duke Ellington composition from Cliff's latest album, You Showed Me The Way. And follow it with Ella Fitzgerald singing that same Duke Ellington song with what Cliff describes as a "James Brown sound". You'll also hear Monty Alexander, John Scofield doing some Bob Dylan, vibraphonist Joel Ross, Monty Alexander, Kurt Elling, Jose James, and Stacy K...
Jun 18, 2024•Ep. 274
Ella Fitzgerald representing jazz fusion? You have to be kidding! Well, just give a listen to the opening track of this episode where Los Angeles jazz/soul singer Cliff Beach introduces to a later 'funky' Ella! Somone said that if Ella Fitzgerald and Stevie Wonder had a love child, it would be Cliff! You can hear this influence on his latest album called "You Show Me The Way". Cliff has found a lot of great fusion recordings---old and new. Some of them are from the 'magical year of fusion. We pl...
Jun 11, 2024•Ep. 273
Cliff Beach's latest album is called You Showed Me The Way. He credits Ella Fitzgerald with showing him the way through traditional sgin and bebop and through the path of modern jazz. On this episode we play some Ella, as well as an outstanding track from Cliff's latest album. Then Cliff talks about how the more traditional swing, bebop, and blues forms of jazz have never died....but had been 'paved over'. And if you listen closely to most modern jazz you'll find that those elements are still th...
Jun 04, 2024•Ep. 272
The podcasts are back! Thanks to the assistance of Maxime at FeedPress. After posting three new episodes on what makes a great jazz solo (Episodes 269-271), I thought I'd go into the archives and also include the original ones I put together a few year ago. These were inspired by a Jazz Times article where a number of famous jazz musicians and writers were asked to talk about their favourite solos. This episode features amazing solos by Bill Evans, Charlie Parker, Jaco Pastorius, Freddie Hubbard...
May 31, 2024
I explore the controversies related to Tommy Flanagan's solo on Coltrane's Giant steps, plus Cannonball Adderley's solo in Milestones. One jazz writer stated "With Giant steps Coltrane supplanted Cherokee as the litmus test for aspiring improvisers, packing so many harmonic substitutions into one progression that at first blush, consummate pianist Tommy Flanagan could barely eke his way through the changes". So how bad was Flanagans's solo? And was Coltrane's solo so powerful that it could cause...
Apr 16, 2024
You just finished listening to Part 4, 5, and 6 of The Jazz Solo. Now as I take a bit of a break, let's go back five years and hear Parts 1, 2, and 3. In part 1 you'll learn why we don't all say 'so what' to Miles Davis's most highly renowned jazz solo. Or to the other great solos in that piece of work as well. Then there's Louis Armstrong's and Johnny Dodd's solos in Potato Head Blues. I also play rave about solos by Paul Bley, Oliver Nelson, John Coltrane, and Israel Crosby....
Apr 09, 2024
Lots of great music once again from Miles Davis McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock (with Freddie Hubbard), Dave Brubeck, Ellas Kapell (w. manne Skafvenstedt), Jeff Johnston Trio, Coleman Hawkins, and Hank Mobley.
Apr 02, 2024•Ep. 271
This week I start with a solo by Charlie Parker---talking about what has been termed "the famous alto break". Then I move onto John Coltrane--and playing that sounds like its either "all composed or all improvised". The episode ends with Jaco Pastorius and his bass and percussion recording of Donna Lee, followed by a Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins 'cutting contest' with Dizzy Gillespie also getting into the fray. Then there's Chick Corea with a solo described as "a perfect example of motivic deve...
Mar 26, 2024•Ep. 270
Part 4, you ask? But where are Parts 1, 2, and 3? Answer: Way back five years to Episodes 52 to 54. The goal? To get a greater sense of the difference between a jazz solo that is considered 'great' versus solos that are just 'good'...and sometimes not even that. I reach out to 'experts to get some opinions. And I play some of tha tmusic with those recommended solos. You'll hear raved about solos by Paul Gonsalves, Frank Rosolino, Mike Murley, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Kevin Turcotte, and of c...
Mar 19, 2024•Ep. 269
I start by talking about and playing a great track by Wes Montgomery and Wynton Kelly--fraom newly discovered recordings released last year. And I finish with the great Rashaan Roland Kirk--focusing on hs amazing resilience as he kept playing despite a debilitating stroke. Another amazingly resilient musicians who arried on despited physical difficulties was Michel Petrucciani. Other musicians and singers I play this week are Chet Baker with Paul Bley, Fats waller, Bessie Smith, Eric Dolphy w. a...
Mar 12, 2024
One ended up being murdered on the bandstand. Others simply disappeared. But most important is the great music they made.
Mar 05, 2024
I've heard and read many stories of jazz artists who have left us due to drugs, violence, and sudden accidents. The next 3 episodes talk about some of them. But rather than just focusing on their deaths, I talk about how they lived and how they inspired us. And most importantly, I play their music! The first episodes starts off with later-life John Coltrane. You'll also hear and hear about Eddie Jefferson, Nat King Cole, Chano Pozo, Jaco Pastorius, Wardell Gray, Lenny Breau, Emily Remler, Esbjor...
Feb 27, 2024
Re-releases, remastered recordings, or newly discovered vintage recordings released in 2023. From Bill Evans Trio to Nina Simone. Also features a live Dave Brubeck Quartet track recorded four months before the legendary Time Out album. You'll also hear Ahmad Jamal, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Geri Allen & Kurt Rosenwinkel, Don Thompson and Rob Piltch, and Charles Mingus.
Feb 20, 2024•Ep. 265
You'll hear a track from John Zorn: Homenaje A Remedios Varo, just one of 14 releases Zorn put out in 2023. And something from pianist Noah Haidu's Standards album. He has another Standards album coming out in 2024. Benny Benack II, trumpeter and singer's 3rd album called Third Time's The Charm. Audrey Ochoa, Edmonton trombonist, and Head of a Mouse. Then there's Darcy James Argue's Secret Society with Dynamic Maximum Tension. The track is a tribute to Alan Turning and hs role as 'codebreaker'. ...
Feb 13, 2024•Ep. 264
This is Part 6 of my 8 part series of the Best of 2023 according to jazz aficionados. And I take the liberty for this episode of playing tracks from 9 of my own personal favourites. And it turns out that one of the albums is even a 2024 grammy winner. Who’d have thought? I’m interested in hearing how any of them resonate with you, the listener. I also invite those of you who enjoy this podcast to post a review on itunes, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Thank you! -Larry...
Feb 06, 2024•Season 1Ep. 263
Last week I played tracks from the albums that were chosen for the ‘best of 2023’ lists by the most reviewers. This week I’ve picked few albums chosen by only one or two reviewers. But they are ones that were definitely worth my time and energy!I talk about and play a track from the following great jazz albums: -Thunder by Stephan Micus =The Senator: A Tribute to Tommy Banks by the Hutchinson/Andrew Trio (featuring Mallory Chipman) -Bossa 65 by Antonio Adolfo -Apertures by Rajna Swaminathan -Cry...
Jan 30, 2024•Season 1Ep. 262
For this 4th episode of the Best of 2023 According to Experts, I’m posting the titles of 27 albums that were selected by the most reviewers as part of their top albums of last year. And I’ll do a countdown of sorts—finishing with the album that was selected by the greatest number of reviewers. If you want to be surprised, don’t read the rest of this right now until you’ve heard the podcast. The most selected album by far was the latest (and the last) recording by trumpeter Jaimie Branch. Here th...
Jan 23, 2024•Season 1Ep. 261
This is Part 3 of some of the jazz albums that critics and reviewers believe are worth our attention. And I do too—for the ones I’m choosing to spotlight on this series of podcasts. You’ll hear a track from the latest recordings of the following great artists: Shakti (w. John McLaughlin) Billy Valentine Joshua Redman with Gabrielle CavassaAline Homzy Joey Alexander Espen Eriksen with Andy Sheppard Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society Arturo O’Farrill Florian Arbenz w. Nils Wogram Arbenz, Krijger, ...
Jan 16, 2024•Season 1Ep. 260
One skill we can develop when putting together radio shows, podcasts, or ‘mix-tapes’ is a way of allowing the energy to build. I think that, just like a great jazz solo, this episode seems to have a nice ‘arc’. It starts fairly low key and builds up in speed and intensity….ending with a sort of sweet sadness. Here are ten albums that have been on the ‘best of 2023″ lists of a number of reviewers. I play a track from the following albums (here stated in random order): Fred Hersch & Esperenza ...
Jan 09, 2024•Season 1Ep. 259
It was a busy December! I searched for all the ‘best jazz of 2023’ articles online and tried to listen to at least part of many of the albums. And there were lots! In fact, so far, I’ve found 85 different lists. And a total of 573 albums. And that doesn’t even include the historical albums and re-releases. I picked and chose which ones to listen to….and of those, picked a few that resonated with me. This series of 8 episodes will feature them….including one that ranks them in order of the number...
Jan 02, 2024•Season 1Ep. 258
This is a podcast I put together in 2020 when living in Victoria. It’s NOT Christmas music (although it starts with one of my favourite Christmas songs). It celebrates a few winter holidays: Kwanzaa, Diwali, Channukah, Winter Solstice, New Years, Lohri, Mardi-Gras, and Posada. Lots of very interesting music—different from what you’d normally hear in this podcast, but maintains a jazz ‘consciousness’ throughout. Enjoy!
Dec 26, 2023•Season 1Ep. 128
And I really do mean the greats! There are the ones you all know like Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan Artie Shaw, Phil Woods, Earl Hines, and Tony Bennett. But I also include Toronto pianist Robi Botos, and the wonderful jazz couple of singer Jennifer Scott and bassist Rene Worst. Christmas music at it’s best. Next week since there are so many holidays to be celebrated as well as Christmas (and Christmas will be over) …I’ll be ...
Dec 19, 2023
This week the recordings I play with awesome intros are: -Nardis, by the 1980 version of the Bill Evans Trio, recorded shortly before Evans died. -Jeanine by the Dave Young Terry Promane Octet out of Toronto. -All The Things You Are, where I play a version that uses BOTH the Rachmaninoff inspired Charlie Parker intro and the original ‘verse’ introduction. -East St. Louis Toodle-o by Duke Ellington with what was described as “the perfect mysterious sounding set-up, complete with cymbal crash, for...
Dec 12, 2023•Season 1Ep. 257
We are approaching the end of one year and the beginning of a next. That’s a good time to talk about beginnings and endings of jazz recordings. I asked for ideas from a few jazz sites, and received great response from jazz fans and musicians from JAzzWorld and Canadian Jazz Recordings. In this episode I play some of their suggestions. Some have remarkable intros. Others have interesting extros. Some have both! It starts with Louis Armstrong and ends with Phil Woods and Ritchie Cole. Inbetween ar...
Dec 05, 2023•Season 1Ep. 256
This week I play tracks from: =Bill Evans classic Sunday At the Village Vanguard. Two compositions by Scott Lafaro. -Jane Bunnett’s first album, In Dew Time—the title referring to the presence of the great tenor saxophonist, Dewey Redman. -Paul Winter Consort. The Icarus album. Ralph Towner’s Sunwheel. -The amazing accordionist, Art Van Damme. -a Wayne Shorter composition from Weather Reports “Heavy Weather”‘ album. -Teresa Brewer with Shelly Manne. -George Hall and his Taft Hotel Orchestra, and...
Nov 28, 2023•Season 1Ep. 255
Modern Jazz Quartet, Julie London, Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Nina Simone, Nellie Lutcher, Lalo Schifrin, Paul Horn, Gene Bertoncini w. Michael Moore, Jim McHarg w. Lonnie Johnson. Those are records I dug from my storage locker: great albums I played for myself this week.. And I found at least one track from each I wanted to play for you! I also share a personal story or two about each album, and the occasional tidbit about the artist(s) behind the record. Will you like everything? Probably no...
Nov 21, 2023•Season 1Ep. 254
I haven’t had much chance over the past few years to play many of the lp records I have stored in my storage locker. This series of episodes remedies some of that. I’m listening to a few of them and digitalizing some favoured cuts so I can play them on this podcast. This week’s episodes starts and ends with Sarah Vaughan and some amazing vocals with the backing of Count Basie’s Orchestra (minus the Count). Between those tracks you’ll hear Phil Woods, Lennie Tristano, Buddy DeFranco (playing a ra...
Nov 14, 2023•Season 1Ep. 253
More on the Edmonton Jazz scene, including a call out to CKUA radio. Also more on the thriving Yardbird Suite jazz club, including Marc Vasey’s story of how he discovered and secured their current venue. Great music too! You’ll hear Rubim de Toledo, J.J. Johnson, Pepper Adams Quartet, Bill Frisell, Doug Organ, Audrey Ochoa, Sheila Jordan, and John Handy. These are all musicians who have played at The Yardbird Suite. And a touch of The Guess Who (who have, as far as I know, never played the Yardb...
Nov 07, 2023•Season 1Ep. 252
