December 2011
10 posts
2 tags
IN THE GROOVE Is On The Move
The IN THE GROOVE blog has moved »
Denzil Best”s “Move” played by the George Shearing Quintet in 1950 - George Shearing (p) Joe Roland (vib) Chuck Wayne (g) John Levy (b) Denzil Best (ds)
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Season's Greetings!
Here’s a video of the great Charles Brown singing “Merry Christmas, Baby” [h/t Tom Reney/Jazz à la Mode” at WFCR, Amherst].
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Bob Brookmeyer, R.I.P.
This week Alan Mertens on KUSP’s Things Ain’t What They Used To Be features a tribute to Bob Brookmeyer, valve trombonist, bandleader, arranger, and educator, who passed away recently at age 81. It is (as usual) a wonderful show; you can listen to the entire show online (one of KUSP’s one week music show archives).
Also, here is the first of a five part interview with...
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"Their Last Time Out"
This week we listen to another track by the original Dave Brubeck Quartet on their previously unreleased last concert recorded Dec. 26, 1967.
“La Paloma Azul (The Blue Dove)” is about 79 minutes into the show and can be found for one week at KUSP’s archive of the show [listen to the show here] [the show playlist is here]. Doug Ramsey, discussing the Quartet’s...
Phineas Newborn Jr. Videos
On the Oscar Brown, Jr. TV show Jazz Scene USA, Newborn is playing with Al McKibbon (bass) and Kenny Dennis (drums) —
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In The Groove: Focus on Phineas
The show highlights pianist PHINEAS NEWBORN, JR., whose 80th birthday anniversary is this Wednesday.
Also we hear a selection by the original Dave Brubeck Quartet from their previously unreleased last concert, vocalist Karrin Allyson, tenor saxophonist Chu Berry, as well as the Chocolate Dandies, Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, and the Larry Goldings Trio, a soul-jazz organ group who will play at...
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At The Crossroads
Saxophonist James Carter’s “JC Off The Set” is featured on this week’s IN THE GROOVE [listen to the show here »]. The ballad can be found about two hours in [here’s the show complete playlist »].
From Thom Jurek’s review of this new release on the All About Jazz site: At The Crossroads “showcases Carter’s development from...
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Roy Is Roy-Alty
Roy Haynes’ new CD Roy-Alty is featured on this week’s show [listen to the show here »]. A selection, “Pinky,” plays about 30 minutes into the show. [Here’s the show playlist »]. Tim Niland on All About Jazz says the album “shows why Roy Haynes has been at the forefront of jazz for as long as he has. From bop to free playing to...
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Wynton Kelly Featured
This week we listen to selections by pianist WYNTON KELLY, whose 80th birthday anniversary was this last Friday, plus Emily Remler, Jimmy Noone, and pieces from two groups that will be coming to Kuumbwa Jazz — the Hot Club of San Francisco, and the Charlie Hunter Duo with Scott Amendola. (Wynton Kelly photo by Lee Tanner)
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Personnel: John Coltrane,...
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New from Keith Jarrett
A track from Jarrett’s concert in Rio earlier this year is featured on this week’s IN THE GROOVE [listen here »]. The selection is toward the end of the show [here’s this week’s playlist »].
Orlando Bird says about the performance in All About Jazz: “After forty years of spontaneous composition, Jarrett remains a great original, and on Rio,...
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Ellington Live At Tivoli Gardens
Including Paul Gonsalves (ts), John Lamb (b), Rufus “Speedy” Jones (d). Copenhagen, January 23, 1967 —
Complete DVD available from Netflix.
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In The Groove | Nov. 30th
KENNY WERNER
On
the show this week recordings by Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton,
Clifford Brown, and Art Farmer, as well as recent selections by the
Ernie Watts Quartet, Keith Jarrett, and the Pizzarelli Boys. The show
will also include pieces by artists who are performing at Kuumbwa Jazz
this coming week: the
...
November 2011
10 posts
1 tag
Paul Motian R.I.P.
© Bernhard Ley
“Paul Motian, a drummer, bandleader, composer and one of the most influential jazz musicians of the last 50 years, died on Tuesday in Manhattan.” — more from NYT obit here. Discussions of Motian’s career here, here, here, and here.
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In The Groove | Nov. 23rd
NAT ADDERLEY
This week we listen to Edmond Hall, Benny Carter, Eddie Henderson, and to Nat Adderley, whose 80th birthday anniversary is this Friday. There will be recordings by Paul Motian, who died yesterday at age 80, and by arranger and conductor Russ Garcia, who passed away recently at age 95. We also hear new selections by tenor saxophonist Houston Person and by the bassist Christian...
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Etta Jones
Two wonderful performances. More Etta on this week’s show. Houston Person - tenor sax Stan Hope - piano Peter Martin Weiss - bass Cecil Brooks III - drums
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In The Groove | Nov. 16th
On the show this week — recordings by Etta Jones, Teddy Charles, John Coltrane with Red Garland, George Benson, and the last live performance of the original 1960’s Dave Brubeck Quartet. The tapes of this set were recently discovered in Brubeck’s archives and released as a 2 CD package titled “Their Last Time Out.” We also listen to a recent selection from Ray Brown’s Great Big Band....
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Buck Clayton's Centennial
Here’s trumpeter BUCK CLAYTON with Ben Webster playing “C Jam Blues” —
Vic Dickenson (tbn), Hank Jones (p), George Duvivier (b), and Jo Jones (d) The Buck Clayton All Stars —
Recorded in Belgium in a relaxed studio setting. The musicians with Buck are Emmett Berry (also trumpet), Earle Warren (alto), Buddy Tate (tenor), Sir Charles Thompson (p), Gene Ramey (b),...
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In The Groove | Nov. 6th
On the show this week recordings by Jackie McLean, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell, Carmen Lundy, and Jelly Roll Morton. We also celebrate the centennial of the trumpeter Buck Clayton. This Thursday, Nov. 10th, The Blues Broads featuring Tracy Nelson, Angela Strehli, Dorothy Morrison and Annie Sampsom will perform at Kuumbwa Jazz; we hear a preview of that show toward the midnight hour tonight. THE...
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A Great Read
Clark: The Autobiography of Clark Terry “Compelling from cover to cover, this is the story of one of the most recorded and beloved jazz trumpeters of all time. With unsparing honesty and a superb eye for detail, Clark Terry, born in 1920, takes us from his impoverished childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, where jazz could be heard everywhere, to the smoke-filled small clubs and carnivals...
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In The Groove | Nov. 2nd
PHIL WOODS (Photo by David W. Coulter) Recordings this week by the pianist Gene Harris, the organist Jimmy Smith, the Benny Goodman Sextet, and a new CD from Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard. Trumpeter Clark Terry has written (with his wife Gwen) a lively autobiography titled “Clark.” It’s just out; a great read! Lou Donaldson turned 85 on Nov. 1st, and Phil Woods, who also plays...
October 2011
5 posts
1 tag
Chick Webb: The Savoy King
There’s a documentary about bandleader and drummer Chick Webb coming out soon. Bill Reed has had an advanced look and says on his blog: “The Webb music on the soundtrack is plentiful, and the character voiceovers constitute a veritable who’s who of current show biz, i.e. Bill Cosby, Janet Jackson, John Legend, Andy Garcia, Billy Crystal, Danny Glover, et al.” Here...
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In The Groove | Oct. 26th
On the show this week recordings by Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Nat King Cole Trio, Paula West, Eddie Daniels, Roy Hargrove and, in our nod to Halloween, Philly Joe Jones’ “Blues For Dracula.”
This Thursday, Oct. 27th, the group “We Four” celebrates the music of John Coltrane at Kuumbwa Jazz in downtown Santa Cruz; we hear selections from members of the group...
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In The Groove | Oct. 19th
FRANKIE TRUMBAUER
On the show this week — new recordings by Ernie Watts, Steve Wilson, Stanley Jordan, and Reuben Wilson.
The show includes a piece by vocalist Claudia Villela, who performs at Kuumbwa Jazz this Thursday evening with guitarist Romero Lubambo. We also listen to selections by Frankie Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke, Sidney Bechet, Buck Clayton, Trummy Young — and by...
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Papa Jo Videos
Drummerworld’s website offers a treasury of videos showing PAPA JO JONES in action—all worth seeing. You might start with this one: “Papa Jo - 1964”. Other exciting videos with Papa Jo playing with many outstanding jazz artists are here, here, here, here, and here.
There’s also a wonderful video discussing Papa Jo Jones and his book RIFFTIDE: The Life and...
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In The Groove | Oct. 5th
PAPA JO JONES [photo: Gjon Mili]
On the show this week selections highlighting the career of the drummer Papa Jo Jones », whose centennial is this week. We’ll hear recordings he made with Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Illinois Jacquet, and Sonny Stitt. There are also cuts by Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Bill Frisell, and by the groups Tiempo Libre, who will be at Kuumbwa Jazz...
September 2011
6 posts
1 tag
Le Boeuf Brothers @ Kuumbwa
PASCAL AND REMY LE BOEUF
These Santa Cruz natives return to Kuumbwa Jazz on Thursday, September 29th, at 7pm to celebrate their new CD “In Praise of Shadows.” Remy Le Boeuf - Alto Sax Pascal Le Boeuf - Piano Martin Nevin - Bass Peter Kronreif – Drums This week’s IN THE GROOVE features selections from the new CD.
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In The Groove | Sept. 28th
ROY HAYNES
On this week’s show the Bill Carrothers Trio in concert at this year’s Monterey Jazz Festival courtesy of NPR.
Also on the show — Ethel Ennis, Roy Eldridge, Grant Green, Hank Crawford plus new recordings by Ernie Watts, Roy Haynes, Cedar Walton, Tom Harrell, and Sonny Rollins.
There will also be some selections from the new Le Beouf Brothers’ CD. ...
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In The Groove | Sept. 21st
JON HENDRICKS
On this week’s show—selections by Paul Desmond, Yusef Lateef, Sarah Vaughan, the Teddy Edwards Octet, and by Michael Brecker. Jon Hendricks’ 90th birthday was this last week and there are some classic tracks from the vocal group “Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.” Also, the show marks the 85th anniversary of the birth of the jazz organist...
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In The Groove | Sept. 14th
EDDIE MARSHALL
This evening a rebroadcast of an historic first collaboration between the Carmel Bach Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival. Tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano and MJF’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra add Big Band arrangements of Bach to their jazz repertoire. Drummer Eddie Marshall passed away this last week at age 73. Information on his long career here, here, and here....
2 tags
Fats & 'Bojangles' Robinson
‘Bojangles’ and Jeni Le Gon do a great tap dance and then Bill Robinson and Fats Waller sing “I’m Living In A Great Big Way” in this fragment from the 1935 film “Hooray For Love.” We listen to more Fats Waller on this week’s show.
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In The Groove | Sept. 7th
DONNY McCASLIN
On the show this week—Recordings by some of the performers who will be at the Monterey Jazz Festival: Herbie Hancock, Poncho Sanchez, Kermit Ruffins, Richard Bona, and Joshua Redman. We also listen to Elio Villafranca, Robert Glaser, Eldar, John Pizzarelli, Mitch Woods, John Santos, Donny McCaslin, and Bill Carrothers who will all be there as well.
The Festival is Sept....
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Clifford Jordan At Ease
A rare collection of footage collected by an Oslo friend and fan of many jazz musicians including Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Griffin, and Clifford Jordan. The clip shows the musicians relaxing and in performance, including the Charles Mingus Sextet with Eric Dolphy:
IN THE GROOVE marks the 80th anniversary of the birth of the tenor saxophone player Clifford Jordan on this week’s show.
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In The Groove | Aug. 31th
CLIFFORD JORDAN (photo by JoAnn Krivin)
On this week’s show recordings by Sir Roland Hanna, Milt Jackson, Art Pepper, Carol Sloane, Jack Teagarden, King Oliver, Art Pepper, and by drummers Philly Joe Jones and Elvin Jones playing together. - This Saturday is the 80th anniversary of the birth of the saxophonist Clifford Jordan
- The Dominick Farinacci Group will perform at Kuumbwa...
August 2011
12 posts
3 tags
"No Room For Squares"
LEE MORGAN (photo: FRANCIS WOLFF) In this video Michael Cuscuna talks about Francis Wolff and “No Room For Squares,” a new exhibition of Wolff’s iconic black and white photographs.
Francis Wolff made it to New York on the last boat out of Berlin in 1939. He got a job in a photographic studio by day and reunited with his boyhood friend Alfred Lion to work on Blue Note Records...
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Hadda Brooks Video Clip
Here’s Hadda Brooks singing “I Hadn’t Anyone Till You” from “In A Lonely Place,” a 1950 film noir starring Humphrey Bogart which I enjoyed watching this week. There are a couple of more selections by Brooks on this week’s show.
In The Groove | Aug. 24th
JAY McSHANN (photo: James Fraher)
IN THE GROOVE goes to Kansas City this week with Ben Webster, Mary Lou Williams, Lester Young, Jay McShann, Charlie Parker, and Harland Leonard And His Rockets. There are also selections by Lew Soloff, Paul Bley, Kenny Dorham, Charlie Rouse, James Spaulding, and by Oliver Lake, who will be at Kuumbwa Jazz this Monday.
THE SHOW PLAYLIST » LISTEN TO...
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Mal Waldron Video
Filmed in Cologne, Germany.
Mal Waldron (p) Nicolas Simion (ts) Ed Schuller (b) Victor Jones (dr)
The 85th anniversary of Waldron’s birth was yesterday. We listen to more selections by Mal Waldron on this week’s IN THE GROOVE ».
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In The Groove | Aug. 17th
MAL WALDRON
We hear selections by trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Don Byas, Ruby Braff on cornet, pianist Geri Allen, and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. The 85th anniversary of pianist Mal Waldron’s birth is this week; and guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden and Howard Paul are coming to Kuumbwa Jazz this Friday. We listen to some of their recordings as well.
THE SHOW...
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Rahsaan Plays "Billie Joe"
Rahsaan Roland Kirk makes Bobbie Gentry’s pop hit describing how “Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge” into an exciting musical experience (despite this video being a bit rough around the edges):
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In The Groove | Aug. 10th
RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK
On this week’s show we listen to selections by Paul Desmond, Joe Williams, Frank Newton, Earl Hines, Benny Golson, Elmo Hope, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and (as the saying goes) much, much more. If you don’t hear it Wed. evening on KUSP radio, you can click on the link below to listen later.
THE SHOW PLAYLIST » LISTEN TO THE MOST RECENT SHOW »
3 tags
Jazz Photographer
AHMAD JAMAL AND HERLIN RILEY
Jazz photographer Juan Carlos Hernandez has taken some superb b&w photographs which are well worth checking out. (These photos are entered in a contest that you can vote for here by clicking on “vote for me” at top of page).
A video of more of his work and a list of all the artists pictured in the video:
H/T Roberto Barahona at PuroJazz.
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Burrell & Flanagan
Kenny Burrell and Tommy Flanagan’s beautiful take on “Body And Soul” in 1991:
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In The Groove | Aug. 3rd
GERALD CLAYTON
On this week’s show we hear selections by jazz guitarists Kenny Burrell and Herb Ellis, whose birthdays are this week — as well as by guitarist Gonzalo Bergara, who will perform with his quartet at Kuumbwa Jazz this Thurs. evening, August 8th. There are also recordings by Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Charlap, Shirley Horn, Mezz Mezzrow, Jabbo Smith, Buddy...
July 2011
10 posts
1 tag
In The Groove | July 27th
MONTY ALEXANDER
On IN THE GROOVE this week: recordings by Monty Alexander, Eric Alexander, Edmond Hall, Count Basie And His Orchestra, and by Lambert, Hendricks And Ross. We spotlight the tenor saxophonist, composer, and leader Frank Foster who passed away this week at age 82. And we listen to a number of songs that include lyrics by the late Fran Landesman ».
THE SHOW...
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Frank Foster (1928-2011)
[David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images]
We listen to a variety of Foster’s performances and compositions on this week’s show which streams for one week ».
Worthwhile Frank Foster links: Mike Myers’ Jazz Wax » NPR’s A Blog Supreme » Doug Ramsey’s Rifftide » Shiny Stockings: The...
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Dinah Washington-Newport '58
Watch on YouTube:
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In The Groove | July 20th
DUKE PEARSON
On the show this week—selections by Lionel Hampton, Lester Young, Dinah Washington, Butch Thompson, Bobby Timmons, and by Sonny Rollins. Later we listen to recent releases from Jane Bunnett & Hilario Duran, from the group James Farm, and from Santa Cruz native Donny McCaslin.
THE SHOW PLAYLIST » LISTEN TO THE MOST RECENT SHOW »
3 tags
Betty Swings The 'A' Train
BETTY ROCHE
“…Watch this rare movie clip of Roche with the Ellington band–-a spirited performance of “Take the A Train” from the film Reveille With Beverly, set on a passenger car, with backing vocals from members of the Ellington orchestra. This is one of the earliest versions of the song with lyrics, filmed in the late autumn of 1942 and pre-dating the singer’s much more famous...
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Jimmy Scott at Kuumbwa
Kuumbwa Jazz in downtown Santa Cruz on Wed., July 20th, 7 pm. Tickets & Information »
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In The Groove | July 13th
Vijay Iyer
On the show this week new recordings from Sean Jones, Monty Alexander, Larry Coryell & Kenny Drew Jr, by Vijay Iyer, and a cut from a new release by Stefon Harris, David Sanchez and Christian Scott. We also hear selections by guitarists Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang. And there is a preview of upcoming Kuumbwa Jazz concerts by Jimmy Scott and by the Pete Escovedo Latin Jazz...