jazzandbluesnews

I mentioned Mr. Mulgrew Miller earlier this week.  I always like to find a performance from the musicians that I mention here.  Thankfully YouTube is always there to help out.  They have videos for everything there.

Mulgrew spent a lot of time playing for other greats before he went out on his own.  He has been part of some legendary bands.  At the same time, he also fronted some great bands.  Like many talented jazz musicians, he had a knack for finding the right people to back him up and young talent.

This is from one of his trios.  It features Mulgrew Miller of piano, Ira Coleman on bass, and Mark Johnson on drums.  You can do a lot with just three musicians in jazz.  This is the tune “I Hear a Rhapsody.”

I am starting to enjoy looking at the various jazz shows and concerts and performances that take place during the week.  For so long it was just easier to look at the weekends, but so much gets done during the week.  I guess not everyone is like me and practically a shut-in during the week days.

WDCB is a radio station in DuPage County Illinois and it is the only classic jazz radio station in Chicago.  They are publicly funded which actually gives them more freedom to keep bringing great programming and great music to fans like myself.  Check out their website, and sign up as a donor if you want. 

This is from their website about their Jazz at the Bistro Series this week:

New Jazz Series!! WDCB Jazz in the Bistro
at The Marion Street Cheese Market
Todd Boyce and Sam Macy 

The end of April is here, can you believe it?  I cannot believe that it is that deep into Spring and suddenly Summer doesn’t look so very far away.  How does it happen so fast?  There are thunderstorms in the forecast and it seems like only yesterday we were still dealing with snow.

Here are the new release and reissues from the website AllAboutJazz.com.  It is a great website and you could check them out.

NEW RELEASES

Jam Session (Storyville )
Playing For Change: Songs Around The World.. (Hear Music )
Jam Session (Storyville )
Playing For Change: Songs Around The World.. (Hear Music )
Smooth Jazz Number One’s (Concord )
Jam Session (Storyville )
Playing For Change: Songs Around The World.. (Hear Music )
Smooth Jazz Number Ones (Concord )
Miami Sound: Rare Funk & Soul From Miami, Florida (1967 - 1974) (Soul Jazz )
Jam Session (Storyville )
Playing For Change: Songs Around The World.. (Hear Music )
Smooth Jazz Number Ones (Concord )
Miami Sound: Rare Funk & Soul From Miami, Florida (1967 - 1974) (Soul Jazz )
Jam Session (Storyville )
Playing For Change: Songs Around The World.. (Hear Music )
Smooth Jazz Number Ones (Concord )
12S Of Pleasure - 12S Of Pleasure (Phantom )
Archie Shepp - Ballads For Trane (Phantom )
Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers - Moanin (Disconforme )
Art Pepper - Inglewood Jam 1952 (Phantom )
Bebo Valdes - Dinastia Valdes (Sony BMG US Latin )
Bebo Valdes / Chuchito Valdes / Chucho Valdes - Dinastia Valdes (Sony International )
Benny Golson - And The Philadelphians/Take A Number From 1 To 10 (Disconforme )
Billie Holiday - 16 Most Requested Songs (Sony BMG Special Markets )
Billie Holiday / Lester Young - Musical Romance (Sony BMG Special Markets )
Billy Hart Trio - Live At The Cafe Damberd (Enja/Weber )
Bossa Rio - Bossa Rio (Phantom )
Bruce Cockburn - Salt, Sun And Time (True North )
Bruce Cockburn - Bruce Cockburn (True North )
Bugge Wesseltoft - Playing (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Carl Riseley - Stillest Hour (Phantom )
Carlos Redman - Remix (Brown Eyes Records)
Carlos Redman - Love Letters (Brown Eyes Records)
Cecilia Dale - Dale,Cecilia Vol. 4-Standards In Bossa (Phantom )
Cedar Walton - Plays Billy Strayhorn (Disconforme )
Charles Mingus - With Orchestra (Columbia Japan/Zoom )
Charlie Mingus - With Orchestra (Phantom )
Charlie Parker - Bird At St. Nick’s (Original Jazz Classics )
Charlie Parker - Bird On 52ND Street (Original Jazz Classics )
Charlie Rouse - Bossa Nova Bacchanal (Pid )
Chet Baker - October Session 1952 (Phantom )
Chet Baker - Live At The Subway Club (Jazz Row )
Chick Corea & John M - Five Peace Band (CONCORD )
Chick Corea / John Mclaughlin - Five Peace Band Live (Concord )
Corey Wilkes - Cries From Tha Ghetto (PI )
Count Orchest Basie - Long Live The Chief (Columbia Japan/Zoom )
Count Orchestra Basie - Long Live The Chief (Phantom )
Elvin Jones - Heart To Heart (Phantom )
Emilie Claire Barlow - Haven’t We Met? (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Erica Pomerance - You Used To Think (ESP-Disk )
Esquivel - Infinity In Sound 1 & 2 (Wounded Bird )
Gary Burton - Turn Of The Century (Wounded Bird )
Hamleto Stamato Trio - Speed Samba Jazz (Phantom )
Hampton Hawes / Barney Kessel - Quartet (Essential Jazz Album )
Hanjin - Raw Jazz (BBS Records)
Herbie Hancock - Ken Burns Jazz (Sony BMG Special Markets )
Jam Session - Jam Session (Storyville Records -Red- )
Jay Soto - Mesmerized (NuGroove )
Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter (Cisco )
Jimmy Bosch - Million (JRGR/MRI )
Jimmy Smith - Complete Sermon Sessions (Groove Hut Spain )
Joao Donato - Donatural (Phantom )
John Mclaughlin - Five Peace Band Live (Concord )
Johnny Adams - Essential Recordings: The Great Johnny Adams Jazz Album (Rounder )
Kermit Ruffins - Livin’ a Treme’ Life (Basin Street )
Kermit Ruffins - Livin’ A Treme Life (Basin Street )
Kristjan Randalu - Desde Manhattan (Phantom )
Louis Armstrong - Best Of The Hot 5 & Hot 7 Recordings (Sony BMG Special Markets )
Marion Meadows - Secret (Telarc )
Maysa - Canta Sucessos (Phantom )
Maysa - Maysa E Maysa E Maysa E Maysa (Phantom )
Maysa - Maysa Amor E Maysa (Phantom )
Maysa - Voltei (Phantom )
Melissa Morgan - Until I Met You (Pid )
Melody Gardot - My One And Only Thrill (Verve )
Melody Gardot - My One & Only Thrill (Phantom )
Mike Sammes Singers - Hymns A Swinging (Trunk )
Modern Jazz Quartet - Art Of The Modern Jazz Quartet (Wounded Bird )
Naked Future - Gigantomachia (Esp Disk LTD. )
Oscar Peterson - Live In Vienna 1968 (Gambit Spain )
Piero Piccioni - Anna Karenina (Yoshimoto Jap/Zoom )
Playing For Change - Playing For Change (Hear Music )
Playing For Change - Playing For Change: Songs Around The World.. (Hear Music )
Pretty Things ‘n Mates - Rockin The Garage (United States Of Distribution LTD. )
Quincy Jones - Gula Matari (Phantom )
Rebekka Bakken - Art Of How To Fall (Emarcy )
Rebekka Bakken - Is That You? (Universal )
Rebekka Bakken - I Keep My Cool (Universal )
Ronnie Boykins - Will Come Is Now, The (Esp Disk LTD. )
Ronnie Boykins - Will Come, Is Now (ESP-Disk )
Ruby Braff - Ruby Braff Goes Girl Crazy (Wounded Bird )
Santana - Evil Ways (Weton )
Silvana Stievano - Bacharach Jobim (Phantom )
Spyro Gyra - Upcoming Release (Heads Up )
Spyro Gyra - Down The Wire (Heads Up )
Stephane Grappelli - In Tokyo (Phantom )
Steve Gibson & The Red Caps - It’s So Good! 1943-1951 (Acrobat Double )
Sun Ra - Featuring Pharoah Sanders & (Esp Disk LTD. )
Sun Ra - Featuring Pharoah Sanders & Black Harold (Esp Disk LTD. )
Sun Ra - Featuring Pharaoh Sanders & Black (ESP-Disk )
Sun Ra - Featuring Pharaoh Sanders & Black Harold (ESP-Disk )
Ted Taylor - Hymns A Swinging (Trunk )
Thad Jones - Magnificent Thad Jones 3 (Classic )
Tom Jobim - An All-Star Tribute (Phantom )
Tommy Flanagan - Complete Overseas (Phantom )
Toots Thielemans - Apple Dimple (Phantom )
U-Nam - Unamity (Trippin ‘N’ Rhythm )

REISSUES

Bill Evans - New Jazz Conceptions (Pid )
Billie Holiday - Remixed & Reimagined (Columbia/L)
Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters (Columbia/L )
Weather Report - Weather Report (Sbme Special MKTS. )

The name Mulgrew Miller may be a new one for you if you are new to the jazz scene.  He spent a large part of his career as a sideman for some of the greatest jazz names you are likely to have heard of.  He played for a long time with Art Blakey, for example.   He has become, however, over the years, one of the finest living jazz legends, particularly when it comes to the jazz piano.

There is a great website I recently discovered called simply Jazz.com and they do a lot of fascinating interviews, reviews and articles for jazz lovers.  In their most recent issue they have an interview with Mulgrew Miller that any fan of jazz and jazz history should read.

Miller himself was singled out at a young age by the legendry Woody Shaw at a jazz camp.  According to Miller, Shaw pointed to him and said, “Yeah, I’m going to be seeing you in New York in a couple of years.  This turned out to be exactly right and Miller’s career has never looked back.

Miller started playing the piano when his father bought one for the family when he was six years old.  He claims that the instrument chose him rather than the other way around.  It was a love at first sight and he began picking out tunes by ear before the age of 10. 

Like a lot of talented people, his abilities were recognized fairly young.  He started his formal training at the age of 8.  It was another jazz legend, Oscar Peterson, who gave Miller his first taste of piano as an instrument for jazz.

The rest of the interview discusses how he learned to play jazz, how he got started, when he went on the road and how he found himself playing for Art Blakey.  It’s a fascinating look at a modern legend, still out there, playing, with ties to some of the icons of the genre.

For some reason radio station WDCB is not showing all of the various jazz and blues shows on their calendar for the weekend.  Well, it is showing some of them, but not nearly as much as I know there must be around town.  Maybe they  lost their normal calendar guy or gal. 

So, I have taken what they have and gone past this weekend.  Yes, there are shows tonight, but there are some going into next week as well.  We are heading into the last week of April already, can you believe it?  The weather is finally starting to cooperate around here as well.

So, from the radio station, still the best (only) jazz radio station in Chicago, here are the jazz shows around town for the next few days:

JAZZ

CheckerJazz
April 26, 2009
Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago
 
Jazz Guitar Night
Paulinho Garcia, Tony do Rosario, Alfonso Ponticelli and Mike Allemana
April 26, 2009
Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago
 
Second City Jazz Quartet
April 28, 2009
C.J. Arthur’s, Wilmette

David Polk Project
April 29, 2009
FitzGerald’s, Berwyn
 
Scott Burns Trio
April 29, 2009
M Lounge , Chicago
 
New Jazz Series!! WDCB Jazz in the Bistro
at The Marion Street Cheese Market
Todd Boyce and Sam Macy
April 30, 2009
Marion Street Cheese Market, Oak Park

OK, I only want to mention this once.  I want to spend my time looking at Jazz stuff and not some place where I beg people for money or whatever.  However, there are some pretty cool opportunities for you if you have a product or service you would like to advertise.  You can actually sponsor this particular blog and advertise your wares right on the blog I hope you have come to know and love.

Click on that link or the tab at the top of the page.  You will then find links to the sponsorship page.  Yes, I do get a cut of the money you spend, but this is a way to make sure this blog keeps going.  I wish I could keep doing it for free, but the fact is, I cannot.  I love writing this blog.  I love jazz and blues music.  I love reading your comments and learning new things, but the fact is, I cannot keep doing it for free.

I am not going to do some kind of pledge drive here.  I would love it if you were a band or musician and had a new CD and wanted to advertise.  I would love it if you owned a record company or something or maybe a jazz or blues club and wanted to advertise.  

So, click on the link and check out the rates.  If it is something you can afford, I encourage you to support the site.  I, in turn, will do what I can to support your product.

So, that’s the deal.  Click on the link and support the site and advertise.  Keep this blog going.  I will do what I can to make sure you can keep going too.

Thanks!  Back to regularly scheduled programming.

The John G. Shedd Aquarium is one of the coolest places you visit here in Chicago.  It is right on the lake.  It has great exhibits.  There is this cool oceanarium thing where you can see beluga whales and then a dolphin show.  They have great people working there and one of the coolest gift shops in the city.  Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to go to the Shedd.  I loved looking at the fish and, in particular, the sharks.

Well, here in Chicago you can merge anything with jazz music and this includes the very cool Shedd Aquarium.  They have a program that runs all summer long called “Jazzin’ at the Shedd” and they bring in some great jazz musicians to entertain you amidst the fish and the water and the dolphins.

Here are the details, from the website, which is linked above.  If you go, tell them you heard about it from this blog.  Support the Shedd, have a great day enjoying some cool music and enjoying some cool exhibits.

ON THE NORTH TERRACE
July 3, 31 and Aug. 28
Detour JazFunk
Detour JazFunk’s music is built on a foundation of old-school R&B’s soulful and funky grooves. Featuring Phil Seed on guitar/vocals, Ben “Jammin’ ” Johnson on drums/vocals, Kenery Kent Smith on electric bass and Tim Gant on keyboard.

July 10
Guitarra Azul
Guitarra Azul is an exciting mix of rumba flamenca, Latin jazz and world sounds, with intoxicating Latin percussion and fiery Spanish guitars. Inspired flamenco-influenced versions of classic pop favorites and high-octane renditions of songs by rumba flamenca masters Jesse Cook, Ottmar Lierbert and Luis Villegas will have audiences clapping and dancing.

July 17
Soulio
Soulio is a funky, Chicago-based acoustic quintet that serves up fun, groovy, accessible jazz. Whether you call it jazz-soul, hard bop, or instrumental funk, the jazz they play has a nearly universal appeal. People of all ages and backgrounds immediately respond to Soulio’s warm blues and soulful vibe.

July 24
Mike Frost Project
The Mike Frost Project has been one of the most exciting jazz groups to be based in Chicago during the last few years. They play straight-ahead jazz using great songs from the past plus new originals in a complementary style. The heated and colorful solos of the band’s musicians give the group their own joyful and highly accessible personality.

Aug. 7
Tim Fitzgerald Quartet
The Tim Fitzgerald Soul/Jazz Quartet features an entertaining mix of straight-ahead jazz, funk, pop and soul music. Tim is one of Chicago’s most versatile and sought-after guitarists. George Fludas is one of the nation’s leading drummers, having toured with Ray Brown, Diana Krall and many others. The soulful organist Tom Vaitsas and a special guest musician round out the quartet.

Aug. 14
NO JAZZIN’.

Aug 21
Dee Alexander Quartet
Dee Alexander is one of Chicago’s most gifted and respected female vocalists. From a contemporary jazz-funk groove, to high-flying swing, to a scat-filled romp, Dee Alexander delivers each with a style and grace that is truly her own.

AROUND THE CARIBBEAN REEF
July 3, 17, 31 and Aug. 28
The Tim Fitzgerald Trio
The Tim Fitzgerald Trio features an entertaining mix of straight-ahead jazz, funk, pop and soul music. Tim is one of Chicago’s most versatile and sought-after guitarists. George Fludas is one of the nation’s leading drummers, having toured with Ray Brown, Diana Krall and many others. The soulful organist Tom Vaitsas rounds out this fun trio.

July 10, 24, Aug. 7 and 21
Alejandro Urzagaste
Alejandro Urzagaste is working on a new recording due out in November. It features some of the best musicians: Dennis Carroll, George Fludas and Jodie Christian. Alejandro currently teaches at Geoff Benges’ Guitar Shop and through the Thelonious Monk Institute. Alejandro plays a Hofner Jazzica guitar.

Aug. 14
NO JAZZIN’.

I brought up the piano player Keith Jarrett earlier this week.  For some reason, he is still on my mind and I am suddenly pulling out the Keith Jarrett records and listening to him.  Too bad he doesn’t get enough play even on the jazz radio stations still in existence these days.

I think this is because of the incredible length of his tunes.  He is notorious for recording these very long tracks.  This is why I became such a fan, as you may recall.  The man can fill up one entire side of a record with a single track,.

One of his most famous recordings was from back in 1975.  It is known as the Koln Concert.  I did a little poking around on YouTube, and of course, I managed to find someone who has posted some of that recording.  Of course, this is just a fraction of the full concert right here.  This is only ten minutes of it.

This is one of the concerts he did where he felt that he should just start playing depending on his mood.  He had no set.  There are no real songs here.  There was just Part One and then Part Two and so on.  This is listed by the poster as “Part One” but it may me even less than that.

So, one of the greatest jazz recordings of the 70s for you today.  Here is Keith Jarreet from the Koln Concert from 1975.

The end of April is approaching rapidly.  Can you believe that?  As I write this, it is raining and there is snow in the Chicago forecast.  You just have to love spring in the Midwest or you go insane.

From AllAboutJazz.com, here is the list of this week’s new releases and reissues for jazz albums.

NEW RELEASES

Paramount Jazz (JSP )
Paramount Jazz (JSP )
aste Of Palo Alto Jazz (Quicksilver )
Kiss To Build A Dream On: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 2 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Just One Of Those Things: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 3 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Funky Jazz Organs (LRC )
Paramount Jazz (JSP )
Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz (Quicksilver )
Kiss To Build A Dream On: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 2 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Just One Of Those Things: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 3 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Funky Jazz Organs (LRC )
Paramount Jazz (JSP )
Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz (Quicksilver )
 Kiss To Build A Dream On: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 2 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Just One Of Those Things: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 3 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Funky Jazz Organs (LRC )
Ultimate 30′S & 40′S Reefer Songs (Viper )
Paramount Jazz (JSP )
Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz (Quicksilver )
Kiss To Build A Dream On: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 2 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Just One Of Those Things: LRC Jazz Legacy Anthology Vol. 3 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Funky Jazz Organs (LRC )
Ultimate 30′S & 40′S Reefer Songs (Viper )
Paramount Jazz (JSP )
Abbe Lane - Lady In Red & Be Mine Tonight (Flare Records )
Annette Hanshaw - My Inspiration Is You (Sounds Of Yesteryear )
Art Blakey - Moanin’ (Laserlight) (Lester Recording Catalog )
Aruan Ortiz Quartet - Alameda (Phantom )
Beegie Adair - Moments To Remember (Emm/Chordant )
Benny Golson - Up, Jumped, Spring (Lester Recording Catalog )
Big Broadcast: Jazz & Popular 1920S & 1930 4 - Big Broadcast: Jazz & Popular 1920S & 1930 4 (Rivermont )
Big Broadcast: Jazz & Popular 1920S & 1930 4 - The Big Broadcast-Jazz & Popular Music Of The 1920’s & 1930’s Vol.4 (Rivermont )
Billy Butterfield / His Orchestra - Lovely Way To Spend An Evening (Montpellier )
Billy Butterfield / His Orchestra - A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening (Montpellier )
Blossom Dearie - Four Classics Lps:Blossom Dearie/Blos (Avid Records/Tradition Alive )
Blue Note Trip - Blue Note Trip Vol. 8-Swing Low/Fly High (Phantom )
Bob Brookmeyer / Bill Evans - Ivory Hunters (Lonehill Jazz Spain )
Bob Rodriguez - Portraits (Art Of Life )
Bobby Hackett - Live From The London House (Mr. Music )
Brian Blade - Mama Rosa (Verve Forecast )
Brother Jack Mcduff - Change Is Gonna Come (Hi Horse )
Brother Jack Mcduff - Tobacco Road (Hi Horse )
Brother Jack Mcduff - Double Barrelled Soul (Hi Horse )
Bucky Pizzarelli - Passionate Guitars (Lester Recording Catalog )
Bucky Pizzarelli - Nirvana (Lester Recording Catalog )
Bucky Pizzarelli / John Pizzarelli - Best Of Bucky & John Pizzarelli (LRC )
Buddy Rich - All-Star Small Groups (Lester Recording Catalog )
Buddy Rich - West Side Story Selections & Other Delights (Lester Recording Catalog )
Buddy Rich - Roar Of ‘74 (Lester Recording Catalog )
Buddy Rich - Big Band Machine (LRC )
Candid Jazz Orchestr - Norwegian Wood Beatles Go Jazz (Candid )
Candy Dulfer - Funked Up & Chilled Out (Phantom )
Carlos Bonnell - The Private Collection (United States Of Dist. (Uk) )
Carlos Bonnell - Private Collection (United States Of Distribution LTD. )
Carmen McRae - Velvet Soul (Lester Recording Catalog )
Carmen McRae - Live At Sugar Hill: San Francisco (Stereo Tim )
Charlie Rouse - Bossa Nova Bacchanal (Pid )
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings (Jazz Track )
Chet Baker - Live At The Subway Club (Jazz Row )
Clifford Brown - Complete Quebec Jam Session July 28 1955 (Rare Live Recordings )
Coleman Hawkins / Ben Webster - Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster (Jazz Track )
Collective 4Tet - In Transition (Leo )
Count Basie - In Europe (Lester Recording Catalog )
Dakota Staton - Congratulations To Someone (Lester Recording Catalog )
David Binney / Alan Ferber - In The Paint (Positone Records )
Down To The Bone - Future Boogie (Shanachie )
Duke Ellington - Take The ‘A’ Train (Lester Recording Catalog )
Duke Ellington - Retrospection: The Piano Sessions (Lonehill Jazz Spain )
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis - Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis & Sonny Stitt (Lester Recording Catalog )
Ella Fitzgerald - Cabaret (Lester Recording Catalog )
Franco Gotti - Verdi Hazz (Candid )
Franco Gotti Octet - Verdi Jazz (Candid )
Fred Hersch Pocket Orchestra - Live At Jazz Standard (Sunny Side )
Fred Pocket Orchestra Hersch - Live At Jazz Standard (Sunny Side )
Freddie Hubbard - Soul Experiment (Atlantic )
Full Monty Sunshine - Full Monty Sunshine (United States Of Dist. (Uk) )
Full Monty Sunshine - World Travel: Italy (United States Of Distribution LTD. )
Full Monty Sunshine - The Full Monty Sunshine (United States Of Distribution LTD. )
Gabriela Anders - Bossa Beleza (Phantom )
Gary Burton - Play The Music Of Duke Ellington (Lester Recording Catalog )
Gene DiNovi - Renaissance Of A Jazz Master (Candid )
George Benson / Ron Carter / Joe Lovano / Lonnie L. Smith - Afrodesia (Lester Recording Catalog )
Gerry Mulligan - Mulligan (Lester Recording Catalog )
Gilman Trio, Joe - View So Tender:Wonder Revisited (Vivid Japan/Zoom )
Grant Geissman - Cool Man Cool (Futurism Records)
Hampton Hawes / Barney Kessel - Quartet / Quintet (Essential Jazz Album )
Hampton Hawes / Barney Kessel - Quartet (Essential Jazz Album )
Hank Jones - With The Meridian String Quartet (Lester Recording Catalog )
Harry James - Live On The Coast (Mr. Music )
Hilary Kole - Haunted Heart (Justin Time (Can) )
His Orchestra / Charlie Spivak - Moonglow (Montpellier )
His Orchestra / Glenn Miller - Race To Beat The Recording Ban (Sounds Of Yesteryear )
His Orchestra / Glenn Miller - The Race To Beat The Recording Ban (Sounds Of Yesteryear )
His Tennessee Thumpers / King Mutt - Good Time Mamma (Frog Uk )
Humphrey Lyttelton - Humphrey Lyttleton Big Band With Jimmy Rushing: BBC Jazz Club, Autumn 1958 (United States Of Distribution LTD. )
I Mandolini Italiani - The Full Monty Sunshine (Arc Music )
I Mandolini Italiani - World Travel: Italy (ARC Music )
Immanuel Brockhaus - Floodlight (Brambus Eur/Zoom )
Jackiem Joyner - Lil’ Man Soul (Ryko )
Jake Langley - Diggin’ In (Alma )
Jan Garber / His Orchestra - Remember Me (Montpellier )
Jay Leonhart - Sensitive To The Touch: The Music Of Harold Arlen (Lester Recording Catalog )
Jeff Steinberg - Velvet Martini (Emm/Spring Hill )
Jeremy Udden - Plainville (Phantom )
Jim Rotondi - Blues For Brother Ray (Positone Records )
Jimmy Dorsey / Tommy Dorsey - Legends Live On In Hi-Fi (Montpellier )
Jimmy Dorsey / Tommy Dorsey - The Legends Live On In Hi-Fi (Montpellier )
Jimmy McGriff - 100% Pure Funk (Lester Recording Catalog )
Jimmy McGriff - Giants Of The B3 Come (Lester Recording Catalog )
Jimmy Smith - Complete Sermon Sessions (Groove Hut Spain )
Joe Barbieri - Tba (Omagatoki Japan/Zoom )
Joe Locascio - Seasons Ago:Music Of Alec Wilder (Heart/City Hall Records )
Joe Locascio - Seasons Ago: The Music of Alec Wilder (Heart/City Hall Records )
Joe Locascio - Seasons Ago - The Music Of Alec Wilder (Heart Music )
Joe Thomas - Make Your Move (Lester Recording Catalog )
John Bunch - World War II Love Songs (Lester Recording Catalog )
John Coltrane - Coltrane Jazz (Phantom )
John Coltrane - Avant-Garde (Hi Horse )
Kalman Olah - Images:Budapest Jazz Orchestra Meets (Hungaroton/Hungary CD’S )
Ken Fowser / Behn Gillece - Full View (Positone Records )
Kid Ory - Portrait Of The Greatest Slidesman Ever Born (United States Of Distribution LTD. )
Kid Ory - Portrait Of The Greatest Slidesman Ev (United States Of Dist./Ka )
Kid Ory - Live Beverly Cavern 1949 Rad (Avid Records/Tradition Alive )
King Mutt & His Ten - Good Time Mamma (Frog U.K. )
Lionel Hampton - Flying Home (LRC) (Lester Recording Catalog )
Lisa Ono - Jazz Standards From Rio Cheek To Cheek (Phantom )
Lisa Ono - Jazz Standards From La Look To The Rainbow (Phantom )
Liz Story - My Foolish Heart (Valley Entertainment )
Louis Armstrong - When The Saints Go Marching In (Lester Recording Catalog )
Louis Armstrong - Singin’ N’ Playin’ (Lester Recording Catalog )
Louis Prima - On Stage (Jasmine )
Louis Prima - Versatile Mr. Prima: Trumpet, Vocal & Hits (Jasmine )
Lucky Thompson - Home Comin’ (Lester Recording Catalog )
M Nahadr - Eclecticism (Livewired Music )
M. Nahadr - EclecticIsM (LiveWired Music)
Marilyn Crispell - Collaborations (Leo Records Uk )
Marilyn Qu Crispell - Collaborations (Leo )
Mark Taylor - Spectre (Origin )
Marlene - Sings Nettai Jazz (BMG Japan/Zoom )
Mccoy Tyner - Blue Bossa (LRC) (Lester Recording Catalog )
Mike Pardew - Azul (Afan Music/Burnside )
Miles Davis - Workin’ With The Miles Davis Quintet (Original Jazz Classics )
Modern Jazz Quartet - Longing For The Continent (Lester Recording Catalog )
Nat “King” Cole - Forgotten Years Revisited (Mr. Music )
Nat “King” Cole - The Forgotten Years Revisited (Mr. Music )
Nu Band - Lower East Side Blues (Porter Records/City Hall )
O’Donel Levy - Simba (LRC LTD )
On Ka’A Davis - Seeds Of Djuke (Livewired Music/City Hall )
On Ka’a Davis & Famous Original Djuke Music Players - Seeds of Djuke (LiveWired Music)
One For All - Return Of The Lineup (Sharp Nine )
Original Silence - Second Original Silence (Smalltown Superjazz )
Oscar Peterson - Live In Vienna 1968 (Gambit Spain )
Paramount Jazz With King Louis Oliver - Paramount Jazz (JSP )
Phil Woods - Jazz Masters (Lester Recording Catalog )
Randy Crawford - No Regrets (PRA )
Renbourn - John Renbourn & Stefan Grossman (Stephan Grossmans Guitar Works )
Richard “Groove” Holmes - Organ Giants Live At Paul’s Mall (Lester Recording Catalog )
Richard “Groove” Holmes - Groovin’ With Groove (Lester Recording Catalog )
Richard “Groove” Holmes / Jimmy McGriff - Giants Of The Organ Come Together (LRC LTD )
Roland Hanna - Plays Gershwin (Lester Recording Catalog )
Romain Collin Trio - Rise & Fall Of Pipokuhn (Phantom )
Ron Carter / Joe Farrell / Mike Longo - 900 Shares Of The Blues (LRC LTD )
Rondi Charleston - In My Life (Emmamuse Productions )
Roscoe Mitchell - Solo Concert (Aeco Records/City Hall )
Roscoe Mitchell - The Solo Concert (Aeco )
Roscoe Mitchell - Sound (Delmark )
Roy Ayers - Stoned Soul Picnic (Phantom Sound & Vision )
Roy Ayers - Virgo Vibes (Pid )
Ryan Meagher - Atroefy (Phantom )
Sam Levine - Sax For The Soul (Emm/Chordant )
Sergey Kuryokhin - Absolutely Great! (LEO )
Sergey Kuryokhin - Absolutely Great (Leo )
Sex Mob - Sex Mob Meets Medeski: Live In Willisau (Thirsty Ear )
Sex Mob - Sex Mob Meets Medeski: Live In Willisau 2006 (Thirsty Ear Recordings )
Shirley Scott - A Walkin Thing (Candid )
Shirley Scott - Walkin Thing (Candid )
Shirley Scott - A Walkin’ Thing (Candid )
Sirius Respect / Stockhausen / Sun Ra - Respect Sextet Plays Music Of Sun Ra & Stockhausen (Mode )
Sirius Respect / Stockhausen / Sun Ra - The Respect Sextet Plays The Music Of Sun Ra And Karlheinz Stockhausen (Mode )
Sirius Respect / Stockhausen / Sun Ra - Sirius Respect: The Music Of Sun Ra & Stockhausen (Mode )
Slide Hampton - Mellow-Dy (Lester Recording Catalog )
Sonny Rollins - Rollins,Sonny Vol. 2-Sonny Rollins (Analogue Prod. )
Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins V.2 (Analogue Prod. )
Stan Getz - Song Is You (Lester Recording Catalog )
Stan Kenton - Man Of Music (Sounds Of Yesteryear )
Stanley Clarke - Jazz In The Garden (Phantom )
Stefan Grossman / John Renbourn - Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn (Stefan Grossman’s )
Steven Pasquale - Somethin’ Like Love (PS Classics/Image Entertainment )
Sun Ra - Nidhamu/Dark Myth Equation (Pid )
Sun Ra - Live In Cleveland (Golden Years Of New Jazz )
Szilard Mezei - We Were Watching The Rain (Leo Records Uk )
Szilard Wind Mezei - We Were Watching The Rain (Leo )
Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz - Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz (Quicksilver )
Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz - A Taste Of Palo Alto Jazz (Quicksilver )
Teddy Wilson - Teddy Wilson: The Sonny Lester Collection (Lester Recording Catalog )
Thad Jones - Live On Tour: Switzerland (Lester Recording Catalog )
Thad Jones - Magnificent Thad Jones 3 (Classic )
Thelonious Monk - Live (Hi Horse )
Thelonious Monk - Live At The It Club (Hi Horse )
Thomas Marriott - Flexicon (Origin )
Todd Bishop - 69 Annee Erotique:Music Of Serge Gain (Origin )
Todd Bishop / Pop Art 4 - 69 Annee Erotique: Music Of Serge Gainsbourg (Origin )
Todd Bishop / Pop Art 4 - 69 Annee Erotique (Origin )
Tommy Flanagan - Super Jazz Trio (Jazz Row )
Venissa Santi - Bienvenida (Sunny Side )
Venissa Santi - Bienvenida (Sunnyside Records)
Very Best Of Prestige Records - Very Best Of Prestige Records (Prestige )
Victor Little - Inner Portrait (Life’s A Groove )
Vittorio F Sicbaldi - Way (Vivid Japan/Zoom )
Wigald Boning - Jet-Set-Jazz (Pid )
Wigald Boning - Jet Set Jazz (COMPOST )
Woody Herman - Blue Flame (Lester Recording Catalog )
Ximo Tebar - Steps (Sunny Side )
Zoot Sims - Somebody Loves Me (Lester Recording Catalog )

REISSUES

Buddy Rich - Very Live at Buddy’s Place (LRC)
Buddy Rich - Best of Buddy Rich (LRC)
Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball Adderley Quintet In San Francisco (Universal Japan )
Jimmy McGriff - Groove Grease (JDC Records)
Jimmy McGriff - Main Squeeze (Allegro)
John Coltrane - Soultrane (Fantasy)
John Coltrane - John Coltrane (Fantasy Records (USA) )
John Patton - Along Came John (Blue Note)
Mike Longo - 900 Shares of the Blues (LRC)
Miles Davis - Cookin’ (Universal)
Paul Chambers - Whims Of Chambers (EMI )
Stan Kenton - Horns of Plenty Vol. 2 (Tantara/Burnside)
Stan Kenton - Time for Love (Tantara Records)

When it comes to jazz piano, and if you enjoy jazz piano, you should really know the name of Keith Jarrett.  The man is a true visionary and pioneer of the use of piano for expanding the ideas of jazz and what jazz should mean.  He is a unique man who has released some amazing albums over his career.

The webste Jazz.com is a new favorite of mine.  They have this amazing collection of articles and information.  One of my favorites is an ongoing series called “The 12 Essentials.”  In each of these articles they look at a certain style of music or a certain musician and pick 12 of their recordings as “essentials.”  They have now done that with an article about Keith Jarrett. 

Jarrett believed that jazz could be played completely improvisationally.  This is a pretty radical concept.  Even Miles Davis never quite took it that far.  But Jarrett believed that entire concerts could be performed simply by sitting at his piano and letting the mood strike him and then playing for a full concert, whatever popped into his head.  You would think this would lead to a loud noise and chaos, but it’s truly some of the most amazing music

It can also be long music.  Back when I was at the jazz radio station in college, me and the mid-day guy had a little contest going.  We wanted to see who could ultimately find the longest single jazz track and then get away with playing it.  You could always go right with Keith Jarrett. 

The culmination came when my friend managed to find a Keith Jarrett album that had, essentially, only two songs on it.  Each side was one full track.  When my friend played one side that lasted nearly half an hour, the program director of the radio station finally stepped in and said that our little contest was at an end.  So, technically, my friend won.

Still, the music is truly visionary.  The article lists some great albums that any fan should have including his “Standards Trio” which played some of the best classic jazz music and is one of the classic trios around.  So, check it out.

If I have one complaint about Jarrett it would be that he vocalizes.  What do I mean?  It means that not only does he play, but he makes noises as he plays which sometimes get picked up when recorded.  He is not a great singer, let’s say, so the strange noises he makes as he sings the notes he plays can be a little strange.  So, be prepared.