Hey, punk, you listening to me? Uh, maybe, say Mike and Pat, as they discuss four records that are perfectly fine but can go all recessive on your ass if you're not careful. JJ Johnson and Kai Winding – THE GREAT KAI AND JJ; Michel Petrucciani – PROMENADE WITH DUKE; Barry Guy – ODYSSEY; Ahmad Jamal – CHICAGO REVISITED.
Mike and Pat keep it fresh with this episode on recently released albums. Jazz by young people - who would have thought? David Bowie – BLACKSTAR; Cecile McLorin Salvant – FOR ONE TO LOVE; Go Go Penguin – V 2.0; Snarky Puppy – SYLVA.
Newly discovered live sessions keep escaping from the vaults. Mike and Pat take on plums from Davis and Jarrett, then linger over what may be Jimmy Smith's most . . . memorable two hours on tape. Miles Davis – AT NEWPORT DISCS 1 & 2; Jimmy Smith – GROOVIN' AT SMALLS' PARADISE (2D); Keith Jarrett – SLEEPER (2D): John Hicks – LIVE AT MAYBECK RECITAL HALL.
Manfred Eicher has a recurring nightmare where the Jazz Bastard does an episode devoted to his hugely influential label, ECM - or is the dream REAL?? Also, Pat really hates microtonality. Steve Tibbetts – SAFE JOURNEY; Mette Henriette – TRIO, ENSEMBLE; Mike and Joe Maineri – BLESSED; Edward Vesala - ODE TO THE DEATH OF JAZZ.
One is the loneliest number, but two is awesome. It's time for another show about duets, something Mike will never have with Joanna Newsom, because - well, stay tuned to find out. Charlie Haden – THE GOLDEN NUMBER; Jaki Byard/Tommy Flanagan – THE MAGIC OF TWO; Don Cherry / Ed Blackwell – EL CORAZON; Irene Schweizer / Han Bennink - IRENE SCHWEIZER & HAN BENNINK
In the mystic land of the seventies, Don Schlitten did a stately pleasure dome decree - well, at least a label for recording be-bop artists lost in the fusion haze. Pat and Mike explore four of these treasures from Xanadu and report back. Albert Heath – KWANZA; Al Cohn/Jimmy Rowles – HEAVY LOVE; Barry Harris – PLAYS TADD DAMERON; Joe Farrell – SKATEBOARD PARK.
The boys explore four albums which all feature Fred Hersch in one capacity of another (always piano, sometimes leader or producer). Oh, then Mike starts a beef with Adele you won't believe. Fred Hersch Trio – FLOATING; Toots Thielemans – ONLY TRUST YOUR HEART; Luciana Souza – NORTH AND SOUTH; Billy Harper – QUINTET IN EUROPE
Time for some shameless pandering - at least towards generation X'ers and continuing residents of the Midwest. Pop songs - some of them have sax solos. Mike and Pat discuss - and discuss. Walk on the Wild Side; Shine On You Crazy Diamond; Aja; Waiting on a Friend; Baker Street; Just the Way You Are; Logical Song; Old and Wise; Still Crazy After All These Years; Maneater; Modern Love;Your Latest Trick; Brass Monkey; Edge of Glory; Get It Right; Talk Dirty to Me; Problem.
Mike and Pat take the remaining winners of the Village Voice's best of 2014 to that special place only they have the pass-keys to, ponder the purpose of french horns in jazz, and generally whoop it up in 2015's final blast. Walter Smith III – STILL CASUAL; Yosvany Terry – NEW THRONED KING; Wadada Leo Smith – GREAT LAKES SUITE; Mark Taylor – QUIETLAND.
Mike and Pat pick up the cudgels and readdress themselves to the Village Voice list of the ten best jazz albums from 2014 (see episode 72 for the first part of this hatchet job). Leave it to those bastards to like the non-winning selection on this week's show the best. Myra Melford – SNOWY EGRET; Anne Mette Iversen's Double Life - SO MANY ROADS; Rufus Reid – QUIET PRIDE; Diego Barber/Craig Taborn – TALES.
Three IS a magic number, people, so Mike and Pat discuss jazz trios for their third anniversary special. Plus, brief discussions of each 'caster's favorite 3 albums from this year of shows AND Mike confuses Steely with Pink. E.S.T. - TUESDAY WONDERLAND; Joshua Redman – YAYA3; Clusone Trio – I AM AN INDIAN; Kora Jazz Trio PART II
Can you say "Ibrahim"? If so, you're smarter than Pat. But you knew that already. Lester Young – JUMPIN' AT THE SAVOY; Martin Speake – CHANGE OF HEART; Charlie Byrd – MOMENTS LIKE THIS; Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim) – SOUTH AFRICA
Uber-journeyman Phil Woods passed recently, so the boys devote a podcast to his seventies prime. Musings about set-list construction, strange string interludes, jokes about anorexia - this ep's got it all. Phil Woods – AND HIS EUROPEAN RHYTHM MACHINE, I REMEMBER, LIVE AT THE SHOWBOAT, MUSIQUE DU BOIS.
Pat and Mike get lost in meditation as they consider a significant sliver of Edward Kennedy Ellington's career as bandleader, arranger, composer, pianist and womanizer. Duke Ellington: JUNGLE NIGHTS IN HARLEM, BRAGGIN' IN BRASS, NEVER NO LAMENT, FARGO.
How do we love thee? Let Mike and Pat count the ways they love David Murray (not all 130+ albums, but many) in this very special "things were better back in my day now get off my lawn" episode about the beauties of eighties jazz. Plus, Pat makes new friends discussing Saturday and Sunday shows from the Chicago Jazz Fest. David Murray: HOME, BLACK & BLACK, SOUTH OF THE BORDER; CREOLE.
Mixed bag, tossed salad - call it what you will, this episode ranges far and wide, and Pat's out of his depth for much o' the ranging. Plus, references to ancient TV shows! Candido – THE MASTER; Tony Malaby – APPARITIONS; Bill Russo – SEVEN DEADLY SINS; Laurenzi/Ernst/Green (aka Twin Talk)– SIGHTLINE
This year, the boys check out the Village Voices top ten list of jazz albums and as usual, find hits 'n' misses. Plus, Mike and Pat rant about ECM. Billy Childs – MAP TO THE TREASURE; Steve Lehman – MISE EN ABIME; Tom Harrell – TRIP; David Virelles – MBOTO.
In honor of Billie Holiday's centennial, the boys split the 'cast between examining the master's recordings and two 2015 tributes. Gender trouble ensues. Billie Holiday – VOLUME THREE OF THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA RECORDINGS, LADY SINGS THE BLUES; Cassandra Wilson – COMING FORTH BY DAY; Jose James – YESTERDAY I HAD THE BLUES.
Keep your voices down - Mike's mom is sleeping. Or something like that. The boys record this one while visiting their respective parental units, which wreaks havoc on the audio (but tugs on the heartstrings). Also, in the bonus segment about Jazz Times' top ten combos, Pat has some bad news for Mike about Weather Report. John Butcher – THIRTEEN FRIENDLY NUMBERS: Paul Motian – AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD; Kirk Knuffke – ARMS & HANDS; Stan Getz/Kenny Barron – PEOPLE TIME.
Mike and Pat mourn the passing of avante garde jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman by discussing some of his lesser known recordings. Ornette Coleman – SOMETHING ELSE!!!, LIVE AT THE GOLDEN CIRCLE, VOL 1; NAKED LUNCH; COLORS.
The bastard's first, best and only guest - inimitable tenor saxophonist Sophie Faught - is back after a two year hiatus, and this time the boys are choosing the albums (along with discussing Sophie's latest release - Three Muses). Sophie Faught, Nick Tucker, Ben Lumsdaine - THREE MUSES; Rabbinical School Dropouts - COSMIC TREE; Todd Sickafoose - TINY RESISTORS. Oh yeah- it is ON, Zooey Deschanel.
The boys run the gamut from the straight ahead bop of Hank Mobley to the far-out trip of Richard Davis, then wonder just what a "gamut" is. Plus, the Mike/Austin Powers mashup none of you have been waiting for! Richard Davis - SONG FOR WOUNDED KNEE; Phil Woods – FLORESTA CANTO; Hank Mobley – AND HIS ALL STARS; Max Roach - M'BOOM
The candles blew and then disappeared, the curtains flew and then he appeared, saying "baby, don't be afraid" . . . to discuss the first four releases on powerhouse jazz label Black Saint: Billy Harper – BLACK SAINT; Archie Shepp – SEA OF FACES; Muhal Richard Abrams – SIGHTSONG; Don Pullen – CAPRICORN RISING.
Two vocalists and two big bands make up the bulk of today's show, but stay tuned for record store day confessions, part 1, and marvel as the boys reminisce about disco demolition day. Carmen McRea – SARAH: DEDICATED TO YOU (1990); Count Basie – AT NEWPORT (1957); Natalie Cole – TAKE A LOOK (1993); Toshiko Akiyoshi – ROAD TIME
Pat pulls out some recently picked up vinyl and one chestnut from his high school years and behold - all four are from the bell-bottom decade! What's it all about? Tune in to find out. Dexter Gordon – HOMECOMING; Lee Konitz – SATORI; Chico Freeman – THE OUTSIDE WITHIN; Oscar Peterson – PLAYS TRISTEZA.
What is this thing called Smooth Jazz? This funny thing called Smooth Jazz? Who can solve its mystery? Why does it sound so crappy to me? Brace yourselves, people, as Mike and Pat search for the G spot. Bob James/Earl Klugh – ONE ON ONE; Kenny G – DUOTONES; Chris Botti – WHEN I FALL IN LOVE; Spyro Gyro – A NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
What's that sound in the sky? Is it a screaming pterodactyl? An air-raid siren? Joan Crawford's ghost? No, it's a big Mac Attack. Enjoy this all-Jackie McLean episode. Mike sure didn't. Jackie McLean – JACKIE'S BAG, LET FREEDOM RING, OLD AND NEW GOSPEL; Grachan Moncur III - EVOLUTION
This podcast explores four albums from three different labels run by producer Orrin Keepnews. Mike hates 70's bass; Ernie Henry gives Pat the willies; other revelations follow. Randy Weston GET HAPPY; Thelonious Monk – BRILLIANT CORNERS; Joe Henderson – THE ELEMENTS; Bobby Hutcherson – GOOD BAIT
Various artists get bastardized tonight, but, really, it's all about the Bradford. Tomasz Stanko – SELECTED RECORDINGS; Brad Mehldau – ART OF THE TRIO, VOL 1; Ernie Watts- REACHING UP; Don Pullan – NEW BEGINNINGS. Stay tuned for an Elling-visceration.
Mike and Pat discuss four new vocal albums at the intersection of jazz, pop, and S&M. Diana Krall – WALLFLOWER; Dr. John - SKE-DAT-DE-DAT - THE SPIRIT OF SATCH; Bob Dylan – SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT; Tony Bennett/Lady Gaga – CHEEK TO CHEEK. Let's see how long it takes Diana Krall to get a restraining order.
