Another really fascinating episode from 5 years ago. This time I explore some of the controversies around two jazz solos. The first one is Tommy Flanagan’s solo on Coltrane’s Giant Steps. One jazz writer stated ““With Giant Steps Coltrane supplanted Cherokee as the litmus test for aspiring improvisers, packing so many harmonic substitutions into one…Continue reading Archives, Episode 53: The Jazz Solo, Part 2

You just finished listening to Parts 4, 5, and 6 of The Jazz Solo. Now, as I take a bit of a break, lets go back five years and hear Parts 1, 2, and 3. The first episode was probably the best of the bunch. Why don’t we all say ‘so what’ to Miles Davis’s…Continue reading Archives: Episode 52, The Jazz Solo Part 1

This is the last of my series designed to help me (and you) distinguish the difference between a ‘great’ jazz solo and a good one. 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…Continue reading Episode 271: Great Solos Part 6

What are some of the jazz solos that other musicians and jazz writers consider to be so great? And what makes them great? 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 it’s either “all…Continue reading Episode 270 -Great Jazz Solos, Part 5

Part 4, you ask? But where are Parts 1, 2, and 3. Answer: Way 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…Continue reading Episode 269, Great Jazz Solos, Part 4.

The last of this fascinating three part series. I start by talking about and playing a great track by Wes Montgomery and Wynton Kelly–from newly discovered recordings released last year. And I finish with the great Rashaan Roland Kirk—focusing on his amazing resilience as he kept playing despite a debilitating stroke. Another amazingly resilient musician…Continue reading Episode 268: Jazz Musicians (How They Live and) How They Died, Part 3

He ended up being murdered on the bandstand by a jealous husband. At the time the band had just started playing the tune ‘I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead You Rascal You’

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 talks about some of them. But rather than just focusing on how they lived and how they inspired us! And most importantly, I play their music. This first episodes starts off…Continue reading Episode 266: Jazz Musicians: (How They Lived) How They Died. Part 1

This last episode of my ‘best of 2023’ series takes you back in time to re-releases, remastered recordings, or newly discovered vintage recordings. There are a lot of them…and many of them made the critics’ ‘best of’ lists. I start with a never before released recording of Bill Evans Trio playing My Foolish Heart. And…Continue reading Episode 265: Some Recent Historical Releases

This week a few more 2023 albums noted by reviewers and critics. You’ll hear a track from: John Zorn: Homenaje A Remedios Var.o. This is just one of 14 releases that Zorn put out in 2023. Talk about prolific! Noah Haidu: Standards. And I’m anticipating him putting out another ‘standards’ album in 2024. Benny Benack…Continue reading Episode 264, Best of 2023 Part 7

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…Continue reading Episode 263: My Favourite Albums of 2023.

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…Continue reading Episode 262:Best of 2023 Part 5

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…Continue reading Episode 261: Ten 2023 Albums Critics Rave About!

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…Continue reading Episode 260: Best of 2023 (Part 3) According to Jazz Lovers.

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…Continue reading Episode 259: Expert’s Choice of Best Jazz Albums of 2023 Part 2

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…Continue reading Episode 258: Best of 2023 According to The Experts—Part 1

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…Continue reading archives: Episode 128, Jazz For the Winter Holidays.

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…Continue reading Archives: Ep.172, Jazz Greats Celebrate Christmas

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…Continue reading Episode 257: Beginnings and Endings Part 2

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…Continue reading Episode 256: Beginnings And Endings, Part 1

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…Continue reading Episode 255: Favourites from LP Collection, Part 3

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…Continue reading Episode 254: More From my LP Collection

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…Continue reading Episode 253: From My LP Collection, Part 1

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…Continue reading Episode 252:Yardbird Suite, CKUA, and Jazz as a Thriving Art Form

It’s located at the gateway to Northern Alberta, Canada—the city of Edmonton. And it’s been billed as Canada’s longest running volunteer-run jazz club, having first started in 1957. This episode explores its history, and features recordings by some of the great artists who have played there. Along with interviews with Marc Vasey, Todd Crawshaw, and…Continue reading Episode 251: The Yardbird Suite Jazz Club, Part 1

I really love listening to this podcast—even if I did put it together myself. I went through a few of the albums currently (as of Oct 12, 2023) on the Jazz Week Charts. Those charts reflect albums on the playlists of various jazz radio stations in North America. And I played a track from some…Continue reading Episode 250: Albums Rated High on Today’s Jazz Charts

Having just heard the news of the passing of one of my favourite jazz musicians, pianist and composer Carla Bley, I thought I’d re-visit a past podcast from 2021.

Last week I talked about modes used in jazz. Modes are really nothing more than a scale. This week I’ll talk about some other scales, and play tunes that illustrate that scale. I talk about the bebop scale, diminished scale, various minor scales, the blues scale, and the whole tone scale. And play tunes by…Continue reading Episode 249: Great recordings With Frequently Used Scales

I usually try to avoid talking about jazz theory in this podcast. That’s partly because of it’s complexity, as well as my own limited knowledge. I do believe its possible to love a piece of jazz without understanding the theory behind it. At the same time, if we have a sense of some of the…Continue reading Episode 248: I Don’t Particularly Like Modes A Lot

“Tis Autumn! There have been some wonderful jazz, big band, broadway, and even ‘folk’ oriented tunes written about the Fall season. In this episode I play a version of ten of my favourites. They range from Paul Bley to Frank Sinatra—and I even throw in something by early Joni Mitchell. You’ll also hear Woody Herman,…Continue reading Episode 247: Favourite Autumn Songs

Still lots of cd’s I need to listen to and file, discard, or listen to again. I played a few last week….and this week I have a few more. Some are old some are new. Some of the compact discs I’m playing and from which I’ll include a track on this podcast are: Charles Lloyd:…Continue reading Episode 246: Still Surrounded by CD’s.

Time to listen to and sort out some of the cd’s that are surrounding me right now. And I’ll play some tracks from the most enjoyable—or at least the most interesting–ones.

How did North America’s first International Jazz festival get established in Edmonton, Alberta? Why Edmonton? And who is the Kansas City Bluesman, Big Miller, after whom a park in this city has been named? And lastly…what famous jazz musician left town in the middle of his concert, absconding with his band’s pay? More from an…Continue reading Episode 244:How a Small City in Canada became known as “Jazz City”.

This is the last of my 4 part series on folk songs ‘jazzified’. I also introduce you to some Western Swing—which combines so many different genres. I play jazz recordings by The Stanley Clarke Trio with Hiromi, John Coltrane, Vince Guaraldi, Big Miller with Jon Hendricks, Seattle’s Floyd Standifer, and the wonderful Icelandic pianist Sunna…Continue reading Episode 242: More Folk ‘n Jazz.

The first 12 minutes of this podcast takes you to Sweden. Three tracks with Swedish jazz musicians playing folk music from Russia, U,S,A,, and Hungary. That’s followed by Django Reinhardt playing a traditional Russian tune. Then we have more jazz interpretations of Spirituals by Nina Simone, Bevely-Glenn Copeland, Ramsay Lewis, Don Shirley, and Albert Ayler.…Continue reading Episode 241: Folk Music and Jazz, Part 3

Did you know that Sonny Rollins didn’t actually write “St. Thomas”. And that Randy Weston recorded this traditional folk song before Rollins, but under the name of “Fire Down There”? And another piece of information: Thelonious Monk’s “Japanese Folk Song” wasn’t really a folk song—as the writer was known. But it has entered an oral…Continue reading Episode 240:Jazz Interpretations of Folk Songs Part 2

A lot of folk songs—and I’m talking mostly about traditional tunes—have been adapted into jazz. And in a lot of cases the results have been spectacular! Right from the earliest years of jazz when Louis Armstrong with Earl Hines had the 1929 hit of St. James Infirmary. And today, 94 years later, we have the…Continue reading Episode 239: Folk Music and Jazz, Part 1

I’m back with new episodes after a three week break. There have been many well-deserved tributes to Tony Bennett, who we lost July 21st of this year. Here is another one, focusing mostly on his ‘jazz’ side. A number of great jazz musicians played with and respected Tony Bennett, and I feature a few of…Continue reading Episode 238: Tribute to Tony Bennett

This program, originally posted January of 2019, features tracks from 2018 albums that Downbeat Magazine reviewers–and a few others–raved about. You’ll hear: -singer Stacey Kent -Polish bassist Wojtek Masolewski and his Quintet – Canadian trumpet player Ingrid Jensen -More trumpet from Ambrose Akinmusire -Downbeat Hall of Fame pianist Kenny Barron -Guitarist Steve Tibbets -London’s Sons…Continue reading Archives: Episode 50, Top Rated Albums of 2018

More from my archives of old programs while I take a bit of a summer break. IMPORTANT NOTE: Because this program had been recorded directly off a feed from Trent Radio, the sound quality isn’t up to my usual Discovering Jazz podcast standards. But the music’s great…and I hope you’ll find some of the information…Continue reading Archives: Episode 10: New Acquisitions from Fall of 2017.

This is the Trent Radio program that spawned the Discovering Jazz podcast. In February 2016 my partner and I had recently moved to Peterborough, Ontario and I decided I wanted to do a program on Trent Radio, Call letters CFFF-the community and university radio station. Since they didn’t have a jazz program and I was…Continue reading From the Archives: NCRA Award Winning Episode from 2017

Some more New Discoveries from The Real Book. Some are songs written by jazz musicians, others are Broadway ‘standards. I play music by artists as diverse as Bing Crosby and Roland Kirk. I also try to look at what exactly is a “Charlie Parker Blues”. And for many of those tunes, I play an original…Continue reading Episode 237:Quiet Now, Minority,Blue Room, Broadway,Blues for Alice, Gloria’s Step, Could It Be You

As I go through this ‘jazz bible’ for students and jammers, I keep discovering new tunes. This leads me to listen to some versions of them. And this week and next I’m sharing some of my ‘discoveries’. I start the podcast with two different versions of Wayne Shorter’s Beauty and The Beast (including a great…Continue reading Episode 236: Discoveries from The Real Book, Part 1

The last of my series on the upcoming Edmonton Jazz Festival. This week I explore some history—touching on the fore-runner of this festival, Jazz City. That festival became Canada’s first Internationally renowned Jazz Festival….beginning in 1980. I also explore the attempt being made to attract youth to this festival. Many of the artists are young,…Continue reading Episode 235: Youth, Gender Parity, and history: Edmonton Jazz Fest Part 3.

Today’s podcast starts with an amazing ‘jam’ led by pianist Emmet Cohen. Other jazz artists featured this week are The Leon Phal Quartet from France, flautist Naissam Jalal, The Ostara Project of Canadian women ‘superstars’, Edmonton trombonist Audrey Ochoa, and Polish bassist Piotr Lemanczyk. And more on the ‘fringes’ of jazz, you’ll hear Nik West…Continue reading Episode 234: More Great Artists Playing Summer Jazz Festivals. Part 2

There are some great artists coming to the Edmonton Jazz Festival, June 28 to July 02nd. And many of them are touring and going to other festivals as well….so hopefully many of you will get a chance to hear and see them. This three part series features some of the players. I start out with…Continue reading Episode 233: Coming To The Edmonton Jazz Fest, Part 1

I’m one of these people that like to touch and see whatever music I’m playing. So I prefer cd’s and lp’s to downloads. I especially like them when I order them by mail or browse through one of those rapidly dwindling cd and record stores. Others I like to be surprised when I find them…Continue reading Episode 232: Recently Acquired CD’s.

I’ve started listening to some of the new music that artists and publicists have been sending me, and have made some great discoveries. In this episode I share with you a few of them. The episode starts with a trumpet player from Vancouver (Daniel Hersog) and his 17 piece jazz orchestra. And it ends with…Continue reading Episode 231: New Releases from 2023

This is the final program of this four=part series where I play records that have been rated as being good ones to turn a jazz ‘newbie’ into a fan. This week you’ll hear a track from 8 albums. They are: Mingus Ah Um, where I also talk about why that’s such a clever title. Hank…Continue reading Episode 230: Albums to Seduce a Jazz Newbie, Part 4

The highlight of this week’s episode is the great pianist Bill Evans and his trio from the late 50’s. What is it about that trio and his playing that makes it stand out? I give a few hints….and you can hear it in the two tracks I play from that first trio album, Portrait in…Continue reading Episode 229:Recordings to Help Us Love Jazz–Part 3

Part 2 of essential jazz albums for those of us still in the beginner ‘discovery’ process. Which, I suspect, most of us are—considering the wealth of amazing jazz recordings out there! This week, I start off with a track from Dave Brubeck’s ‘Time Out’ album. And query whether The Beatles might have been listening to…Continue reading Episode 228: More Albums To Seduce a Jazz ‘Newbie’

What you’ll be hearing is tracks from great jazz albums. I’m continually being introduced to jazz, even though I’ve been doing this podcast for over five years. So, here I am again being a ‘newbie’ and listening to (or re-listening in some cases) to albums that jazz bloggers say are essential listening for beginners. This…Continue reading Episode 227: Albums That Can Introduce You to Jazz Part 1

Although most of my episodes of this podcast seem to have themes, sometimes I like the flexibility of not having any theme whatsoever. This week I’m playing a few recordings that have come into my consciousness recently. Most are new discoveries and a few aren’t. Some are cd’s, one came originally from an lp, and…Continue reading Episode 226: A Potpourri of Jazz

It’s often really difficult for a podcaster, interviewer, or mc to know how to pronounce a particular jazz artist’s name. Sometimes the artist themselves might even ‘change’ the pronunciation to accommodate the more ‘common’ pronunciations. I’ve done a lot of research on a few names. I’ve listened to interviews, concert videos (where they introduce themselves),…Continue reading Episode 225: Say it Right! Name Pronunciations, Pt. 2

This week’s and next week’s episode focuses on right and wrong ways to pronounce the names of certain jazz artists. I demonstrate lots of mis-pronunciations, then try to correct them. And it gives me an excuse to play some great music, by the likes of Paul Motian,Delfaeo Marsalis, Jackie McLean, Gerry Beaudoin (w. Duke Robillard…Continue reading Episode 224: Say it Right!

This is the last of my three part series on great new historical releases. I start off with a previously unreleased Miles Davis performance from the Montreal Jazz Festival, 1983. Then follow it with some Miles Davis alumni—Bill Evans and John Coltrane. The Coltrane track is a previously unissued take of Moments Notice: but, strangely…Continue reading Episode 223, Miles, Coltrane, Bill Evans, etc. More Historical Releases.

The recording quality of some of the live performances that have been recently unearthed, restored, and enhanced is incredible! Two of the best are from The Charles Mingus Lost Album from Ronnie Scott’s, and Dave Brubeck Trio (sans Paul Desmond) Live from Vienna 1967. Other new discoveries I feature in this episode are Chick Corea…Continue reading Episode 222: Great New Historical Albums Part 2

New Discoveries and re-releases are represented in this three part series. Some have been recently ‘unearthed’…and new technology used to make the tapes sound so good! Others have been reissued and remastered. For Part 1, you’ll hear -a recording by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messsengers (with an excerpt from an interview by Wayne Shorter…Continue reading Episode 221: Great New Historical Albums

We lost a true jazz great March 2nd: composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter. In this episode I play music from his earliest to his latest years, with a few clips from fans, other musicians, and one from Mr. Shorter himself.

For this episode I play some music from some modern big bands: You’ll hear The Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with John Pizzarelli, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Kansas Smitty’s. One somewhat older big band too–Maynard Ferguson Orchestra from 1964. Closing off with something really weird from Martin Kuchen’s Angles. I also talk about how, when…Continue reading Episode 219: More Bopless Jazz and Big Band/Swing Evolution. (Part 2)

What if Bebop never happened? And ‘swing’ evolved into something very different from the swing of the 30’s, 40’s, and even 50’s? That’s the question I asked of jazz musicians and aficionados who frequent the JazzWorld site on facebook. And I received some great responses! My favourite was a questioning of the question: “bit like…Continue reading Episode 218:Evolution of Swing, or Bopless Jazz.

Bebop, Part 2, tells you more about what it is, why it happened, and why it ‘took over’ jazz—despite it never really catching on with the public. I play older bebop recordings by Charlie Parker, Bob Dorough, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Theonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and The Paul Bley Trio. Also a newer recording from…Continue reading Episode 217: More Bebop!

Bebop was the ‘modern jazz’ of the early to mid 1940’s. And it’s still considered ‘modern jazz’. It is a genre that has lasted! And developed….with most new recordings being described as ‘post bop’ or ‘hard bop’. When many people claim to dislike jazz, they are often referring to the complex harmonies and rhythms of…Continue reading Episode 216: Bebop–What Is It, Who Created it, and Why Did It Happen?

I’ve discovered a lot of great music over the past two months—thanks to those top 10 lists compiled by 97 reviewers and critics. A handful of those albums would probably go on my own Top 10 list, were I to make one. In this episode I play tracks from 9 great albums from the past…Continue reading Episode 215: My Own Favourites from 2022.

I’ve tabulated the results of 97 reviewers and their top 10 albums lists for 2022. Here are the albums followed by the number of votes each one received. Mary Halvorson: Amaryllis (also Belladonna…not quite so often) 31 Cecille McLorin Salvant: Ghost Songs 28 Immanuel Wilkins: Seventh Hand 26 Makaya McCraven: In these Times 23 Tyshawn…Continue reading Episode 214, Countdown: Top 10 Albums of 2022 (According to ‘experts’).

There have been a total of 480 albums that 97 reviewers placed on their top 10 lists. That’s a lot! Wish I could listen to them all. But here’s a few I did listen to—at least in part—and want to play for you. This way you and I are making these ‘discoveries’ together. Although I…Continue reading Episode 213, Critics Choice for Best of 2022 Part 3

Part two of a five part series focusing on albums from 2022 that jazz reviewers and critics have put on their ‘top 10’ lists. This week you’ll hear two Canadian ensembles–one from Vancouver called the Cookers Quintet led by Bernie Senensky, and another led by Calgary trombonist Carsten Rubeling. I also play two different artists…Continue reading Episode 212: Critics Choice Lists for 2022, Part 2

Beginning a five part series talking about and playing some of last year’s recordings about which jazz aficionados are *raving*. I’m jotting down every record placed in any of the ‘top 10’ (or so) jazz albums of 2022 lists. Then putting a check mark everytime somebody chooses it. Mary Halvorson’s Amaryllis albums seems to be…Continue reading Episode 211: Critics Choices for 2022, Part 1

No particular theme for this last podcast of 2022. But here are a few new and a couple older recordings that I’ve discovered recently—and am enjoying. In terms of newer recordings, You’ll hear Emmet Cohen, Billy Drummond and Freedom of Ideas, JD Allen, The Comet is Coming, Samara Joy w Pasquale Grosso, and the Alvin…Continue reading Episode 210: Exploring Some Interesting Sounding Recordings

A lot of focus on how *playing* jazz (as well as listening to it) helps us. It starts with a short clip from Victoria musician Brian Tate about improvising as ‘saying yes’….sort of like a going with the flow. Lots of ‘flow’ in this episode. You’ll hear Wayne Shorter with some of the other greatest…Continue reading Episode 209: More Jazz Therapy.

The therapy might be in the lyrics, the music, or the inspiration from the player’s journey. I play recordings by Ben Webster, Nina Simone, Tony Kofi, Ruth Brown, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Parker. From France, you’ll hear trumpeter and singer Jerome Etcheberry and his delightful rendition of Sometimes I’m Happy (Sometimes I’m Blue). And from…Continue reading Episode 208: Jazz Therapy, Tunes that Can Help Us Heal.

Here I play recordings I like that have been made very recently Lots of great Christmas and Winter tunes (both known and unknown). Played and sung by some of the best modern recording artists. My favourite? Ever hear Julie Christie’s “Hang Them On The Tree”. It’s something you can do with all the negativity and…Continue reading Episode 207: Jazz Holiday Season and Christmas 2022.

This episode features jazz tunes where there is some contention about who actually wrote it. For example, I put the writer of Nature Boy, Eden Ahbez on trial. Did he plagiarize the melody of Nature Boy from Herman Yablonskoff? He did end up paying Yablonskoff 25,000 dollars. Did he have to? Or did he just…Continue reading Episode 206: Who Really Wrote It?

Since I just moved from Victoria B.C. to Edmonton Alberta—-in the midst of the wind and snow—I thought it would be a good idea to explore the Alberta jazz scene. I guarantee you’ll hear some great music in this episode! Some of them are jazz legends who came from Alberta, and others are local heroes.…Continue reading Episode 205: Jazz Musicians from Alberta

Still in the midst of moving to Edmonton—one or two more ‘archives’, then some more new episodes. But the good news is that the archived programs I’m posting are really good! This one includes six jazz tunes—or tunes often played by jazz artists. They are: -East of the Sun (West of the Moon) -Desifinado -Airegin…Continue reading Archives, Episode 105: 6 Great Songs and their Stories

Birds and bird calls have been quite the inspiration for a lot of jazz as well as classical compositions. You’ll hear a few of those inspired recordings plus the calls of some of the birds who inspired them. Also a bit of Bird—the nickname for Charlie Parker, who also wrote a lot of tunes inspired…Continue reading Archives, Episode 102: About Birds and a Bit of ‘Bird’.

As I relocate my residence from Victoria to Edmonton, I need to take a few weeks off. So I have a few more episodes from the ‘archives’ before I start with some very interesting and entertaining new episodes. This is Part 2 of Jazz Drumming, with Victoria drummer, composer, and educator Kelby McNayr. You’ll hear…Continue reading Archives, Episode 101: Jazz Drumming, History, Development, and a Few Masters.

I’ve lived many places, but never came across a city with as many amazing musicians–especially jazz musicians—as I have here in Victoria, B.C. Much of it is thanks to Hermann’s Jazz Club, which began 40 years ago. It started because Hermann Nieweler was convinced to book a jazz trio led by clarinetist/saxophonist Al Pease at…Continue reading Episode 204: Tribute to Hermann’s Jazz Club and Victoria.

Hello! In this episode I’m playing a few favourite recordings—lp’s and cd’s mostly. They are mostly ones I purchased at used record stores and thrift stores, as well as online, this past summer. Here’s the ‘lineup’. P.J. Perry Quintet with Bob Tildsley. They Kept Bach’s Head Alive. A really fascinating way to start the podcast.…Continue reading Episode 203: Discoveries I Made This Past Summer

Playing a few selected recordings of artists who were highly rated on the latest Downbeat Critics poll. It starts with three tracks from the latest entry into the Jazz Hall of Fame. It finishes with the ‘best historical album’. Between you’ll hear someone who is both #1 jazz and #1 non-jazz artist (Quantum physics or…Continue reading Episode 202: 70th Annual Downbeat Critics Poll

More music from jazz musicians who I enoyed seeing and hearing live this past summer. I play four selections where pianist Sullivan Fortner is featured. The first one’s by Cecile McLorin-Salvant, the second from trumpeter Giveton Gelin, and the third is from an album under his own name. The fourth is a surprise—not an artist…Continue reading Episode 201: More Summer Concerts That Inspired Me

I’ve had a great summer for music, mostly thanks to the Victoria Jazz Festival. For this first episode of the new season, I’m playing recordings by some of those artists I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing and who most inspired me. Eight great selections are featured this week.

In this episode, Victoria B.C. jazz drummer, composer, and educator, Kelby McNayr talks about the role of percussion in jazz. His thesis that while drumming has changed, it hasn’t necessarily ‘evolved’ is an interesting one. He demonstrates it through recordings over many eras of jazz. We talk about Baby Dodds, Zutty Singleton, Art Blakey, Philly…Continue reading Archives, Episode 98, Jazz Drumming (w. Kelby McNayr). Part 1

I love hearing interesting stories about the history of certain songs, including how they became popular. In this episode I explore five different songs that have been performed frequently by jazz artists. The first one, Scotch and Soda, nobody knows who really wrote it. The last one, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat came from an improvisation…Continue reading Archives:Episode 96, Scotch and Soda, Cherokee, All The Things You Are, Autumn Leaves, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.

For this episode one of the highlights is a John Coltrane tune that has been described as a sort of ‘training wheels’ for Giant Steps. I also play recordings by Freddie Hubbard, Ornette Coleman, a Wes Montgomery tune by Christian McBride’s Big Band, and a J.J. Johnson tune recorded by Miles Davis. I play two…Continue reading Archives, Episode 94, Real Book Obscurities Part 4

This is part 3 of a 4 part series on some lesser played or heard tunes from the Real Book 6th Edition—a ‘bible’ for jazz students. This episode includes some obscure and some maybe not-so-obscure tunes from the point of view of the jazz player. You’ll hear some of the greatest jazz players and singers…Continue reading Archives, Episode 93: Real Book Obscurities

I had subscribed, from 1978 to 1983 to a series of 3-disk albums by Time Life Records called The Giants of Jazz”. A new one would be delivered to my door every month. They each contained a very detailed booklet including descriptions each recording on the six sides. I featured these albums on a series…Continue reading Archives, Episode 87: Time-Life Giants of Jazz, Part 5

A jazz bassist from Peterborough, Ontario, Craig Paterson talks about the music that ‘formed’ him, turning him into a jazz fan. He selected 10 albums, and in this episode he talks about five of them. And we play parts of them for you. At the same time Craig does a great job dissecting what it…Continue reading Archives, Episode 48: A Jazz Fan’s Formative Recordings

From the Archives, some 78rpm records from my collection. 78’s were popular from the turn of the century up into the late 1950’s. One unique thing about 78’s is that you could eat them.   Technically at least!  As well as some great music, you’ll hear Alex Campagnolo, a researcher in Sustainability Studies–a man who focuses…Continue reading Archives, Episode 43: Edible Records–78rpm’s.

Continuing with my summer re-runs of some of the best from past podcasts. Today, Part 4 of a series on Jazz and Politics. It’s mostly music—featuring a few long tracks, such as the whole Freedom Suite by Sonny Rollins. A lot of this music is about freedom and the struggle for equality: for blacks and…Continue reading Archives, Episode 41: Political Jazz

A few years ago I put together a series of four Discovering Jazz Podcasts on jazz musicians who played on pop recordings. For these archives, I’m posting Part 3, Episode 26. (You may want to also listen to Episodes 24, 25 and 27 if you like this one). You’ll hear guitarist Louis Shelton and his…Continue reading Archives: Episode 26, Jazzies Who Play Outside the Genre (Pt. 2).

This week, as part of my ‘summer re-runs’, I feature Beatles tunes that have been adapted to jazz. Most are exquisitely done; some maybe not so much. And not only that I interview John Lennon. Okay—not really! What it is is interesting clips from an interview I did with Michael Gagliano, who starred as John…Continue reading Archives: Episode 19, Jazz Beatles

A program from January of 2018. A lot of real jazz lovers express a rather loud indifference—bordering on contempt—for the role of ‘vocals’ in jazz. Comments like ‘cheesy lounge singers’, ‘they keep the instrumental soloists from truly stretching out’, they make jazz musicians into accompanists, etc. come up. Yet for many of us—-myself included—the vocalist…Continue reading Archives: Episode 17, Jazz Singers I Like

For my final podcast of the season (but don’t worry—I’ll be posting ones from the archives weekly), I play more artists performing at this year’s Victoria Jazz Fest, 2022. Lots of music this episode, and not much talk. You’ll hear (in order): Ghost Song–Cecile McLorin Salvant The Preacher–Taurey Butler Ranky Tanky–Ranky Tanky Chrome Beauty–Joy Lapps…Continue reading Episode 199, Even More Great Jazz Festival Performers!

Putting together these three episodes allows me to find the time to listen to a bit of every performer coming to the upcoming Victoria Jazz Fest, Jun 24th to July 3rd (2022). And what a stellar line-up! In terms of straight jazz—this episode includes The Brubeck Brothers (two of Dave Brubeck’s sons), Ashley Wey from…Continue reading Episode 198, Victoria Jazz Festival Performers Part 2

Jazz is best enjoyed live! Watching musicians interacting with each other on stage, as well as with their instrument can be quite exciting. Coming up is The Victoria Jazz Festival June 24th to July 3rd. My plan is to listen to recordings of all the performers….so I can decide which concerts to see (and hear).…Continue reading Episode 197: Jazz Festival Performers, Part 1

Jazz has continuously evolved as a result of freeing itself from constraints. According to Steve Haines, jazz bassist and director of the Miles Davis Jazz studies program at the university of North Carolina, jazz as taught in music institutions today is being ‘whitewashed and creativity is being strangled. He says “we need to be singing…Continue reading Episode 196: Freedom–An Essential Element of Jazz

Steve Haines, professor and interim director of the Miles Davis Jazz Studies program at University of North Carolina talks about what he sees as the most essential elements of jazz. And we play music to illustrate some of those elements. What are the essential elements? They include the expected ones—blues and swing. But just as…Continue reading Episode 195: Deep Roots, the Essential Elements of Jazz (with Steve Haines)

If somebody asks you if you like jazz, how can you answer? There are so many sub-genres of jazz around today: hard-bop, be-bop, swing, fusion, Bossa Nova or Latin, funk, free jazz, Cool jazz, Afro-Cuban, world jazz, smooth jazz, astral jazz, etc. etc. etc. Today’s episode explores a few of those. You’ll even hear a…Continue reading Episode 194, Sub-Genres of Jazz

Some of the music in this week’s episode is new, a lot of it’s old; they are from lp records, cd’s, and downloads that I’ve recently acquired. Or, in some cases, about to acquire. The lp tracks are by Marian McPartland, H.B. Barnum, and Woody Hermann & Four Others. The cd’s include Angela Verbrurgge, Joey…Continue reading Episode 193, More New Acquisitions and Discoveries for 2022

I’m always on the look out for music that inspires me. I may find it through going into thrift stores, perusing emails and facebook mesages from friends and Discovering Jazz listeners, and even by looking at current jazz releases. It might be vinyl record, a cd, a youtube video, or whatever. For this episode and…Continue reading Episode 192: Discoveries and Acquisitions So Far in 2022

Part 1 was about its invention and the 9 different types of saxophones. Part 2 was it’s evolution in jazz as well as its use in classical, r’n’b, and rock ‘n roll. This episodes features more great jazz saxophonists, plus the instrument in modern classical and ‘art’ music. You’ll first hear how a tenor sax…Continue reading Episode 189: The Saxophone Part 3

This is Part 2 of my three part series on the saxophone. I take you through the early days of jazz, then talk about how Coleman Hawkins transformed the tenor sax from “mooing and rubbery belches” into a purveyor of musical art. I also touch on the use of the saxophone in classical music, and…Continue reading Episode 188, The Saxophone and it’s Evolution.

Beginning a 3 part series on the saxophone…it’s development and use in jazz and other forms of music. In this first episode I play recordings featuring each of the 9 saxophones–from the highest pitched sopranino to the lowest pitched sub contrabass. In-between you’ll hear lots of tenor, alto, baritone, and soprano sax played by the…Continue reading Episode 187, Nine Different Saxophones.

It’s mostly from my jazz section…but not all. Some you might call ‘world music’, some ‘gospel’, a bit of funk, and one ‘pop; vocalist. But it’s all pretty good, I think (except for maybe the last one). And lots of real jazz!

As I say in my introduction to the podcast, I do play lots of ‘jazz’ that is on the fringes of the genre. A lot of those can be found in my record collection. This week and next I’ve dipped into that collection and I’m spinning a few tunes. You’ll hear -DAWG music (some call…Continue reading Episode 185:More from my LP Collection.

I played some records by some great female instrumental jazz artists last week….and this week I have some more (plus a vocalist or two). I remember only a few years ago when people so often spoke about the dearth of women in the jazz world. And just within five years there numbers have blossomed. Just…Continue reading Episode 184: Amazing Women in Jazz

March 8 is International Women’s Day. It falls on a Tuesday–the same day I upload these podcasts. It turned out to be so easy to find great female jazz instrumentalists; much easier than when I did a similar podcast four years ago. And the instruments? There’s piano, guitar, Pedal Harp, Trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax, bass,…Continue reading Episode 183: Women in Jazz (for International Women’s Day).

From solo bass to bass in a big band. From free jazz to Gypsy Jazz. And lots more. You’ll hear more bassists in this episode. They include Christian McBride, Victoria’s Joey Smith, Eberhard Weber, Stanley Clarke, Charlie Haden, Ron Carter, Brandi Disterheft, Dave Holland, Tiny Grimes, and two by George Duvivier.

For all you Jaco fans…two tracks from his Weather Report days. I play a track from another electric bassist you’ve probably never heard of…Bill Takas. Another lesser known bassist is Victoria B.C. born Neil Swainson….and here I play a track from the only album under his name, featuring Joe Henderson and Woody Shaw. As well,…Continue reading Episode 181, Jazz Bass Part 2

This episode is part 1 of a three part series on bass players in the world of jazz. I begin with the tuba—which, along with the bass saxophone, was the primary bass instrument in turn of the century New Orleans Jazz. They couldn’t use a string bass because you couldn’t hear it….as there were no…Continue reading Episode 180: Jazz Bass, Part 1

Twelve more recordings voted by jazz critics and radio stations as being the best of 2021. I start with Los Angeles pianist Cameron Graves and end with Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga. And between those selections are a variety of straight-ahead and ‘out there’ jazz. From New York, there’s drummer/percussionist Ches Smith and The We…Continue reading Episode 179: Best of 2021, Part 4 (last one).

From perusing a number of ‘best of’ lists, filled with choices of top albums of 2021 by jazz fans and critics, I present tracks from 9 more albums. Some of it is more ‘modern’ sounding–such as Wadada Leo Smith, Floating Points, Kurt Elling’s new album, BadBadNotGood, Patricia Brennan, and Kenny Garrett. Then there’s a few…Continue reading Episode 178: Best of 2021, Part 3

This week I play two versions of the tune that students and professional jazz players say is a ‘must learn’ if you’re going to any kind of a jazz jam. I also list other tunes that people from the Jazz World site mentioned when I asked them what tunes one *must* know. And you’ll hear…Continue reading Episode 177: Tunes for a Jazz Jam Session, Part 2

You’ve been invited to an informal jam session and you want to make sure you are familiar with the tunes likely to be played or ‘called out’. Which ones do you need to know? I asked this question on a facebook site (The Jazz World) populated by jazz musicians and students. The #1 thing they…Continue reading Episode 176: Tunes You Need to Know for a Jazz Jam Session, Part 1

Various websites and magazines put out their ‘best of’ lists for 2021. I chose the first six that came up on Google, and also looked at the summary of the albums most played by jazz radio stations (mostly American) for the year. I listened to a bit of everything, then chose a few that interested…Continue reading Episode 175: ‘Best of’ Lists for 2021, Part 2

When I searched for ‘the best jazz albums of 2021’ in mid December, I found six sites that listed or ranked their favourites. Some of them were compilations of different critics or fans responses; others I don’t know how they compiled them. But what I noticed is that all the lists were dramatically different from…Continue reading Episode 174, Best of 2021, Part 1

A great variety of interesting and excellent music that I’ve downloaded sometime between 2017 and now. Some of it is what we all know as ‘jazz’, including Karryn Allison, Bill Evans Trio, Kenny Washington, Kelly Eisenhour, Billy Childs, Cunliffe Patitucci & Colaiuta. There are also two great Victoria jazz artists, singer Angela Verbrugge and trumpeter…Continue reading Episode 173: Some more favourite Downloads

This week I play Christmas and winter holiday music by some of the greatest jazz players and singers of all time. You’ll hear Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Arti Shaw, Toronto’s Robi Botos, Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Phil Woods, Tony Bennett, and Earl Hines. One very unusual highlight is the legendary pianist…Continue reading Episode 172: Jazz Greats Celebrate Christmas

A jazz fan, Peter Waddell, who says he is not a musician. He once again selects some amazing records and talks about why these particular tracks give him joy. Lots of modern recordings and two historical gems. Since he has commended me for playing on these podcasts “global giants and local joys”, I present him…Continue reading Episode 171, More Selections By a Fan From Ulster

A reviewer wrote about my podcast: “Larry shares the findings of his ongoing journey with enthusiasm: …..innovators and perfectors from a century of creative expression; global giants and local joys’ the old and the new’ influences on and influences by; the easy and the challenging” Wow! I love that description. This Discovering Jazz fan lives…Continue reading Episode 170: A Fan from Ulster Selects Some Favourites.

After Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue took the jazz world by storm, jazz musicians and fans expressed much excitement about what has been termed ‘modal jazz’. This is a sub-genre that uses long passages of unchanging harmony based on different scales rather than a series of chords. In this podcast I talk about the history…Continue reading Episode 169: Modal Jazz

This episode was inspired by finding three jazz magazines in a Little Library outside of jazz singer Susannah Adam’s home in Victoria, B.C. There were a bunch of articles on jazz vocalists, including one where Luciana Souza chose some recordings with ‘wordless vocals’. Some amazing stuff by the likes of Milton Nascimento, Toninho Horta, and…Continue reading Episode 168: Jazz vocals, with and without words.

Five songs and the stories behind them. I talk about and play different versions of Round Midnight (aka Round About Midnight), In a Mellow Tone (aka In a Mellotone), Night Train, My One and Only Love, and You Don’t Know What Love Is. And all five of these have interesting stories behind them.

Hey! This week’s episode of selected downloads are even better than last week’s. At least it felt that way as I was listening to this latest episode. I start it off with a gorgeous version of Autumn Leaves with Laila Biali and a host of some of Toronto’s best players. And I finish it off…Continue reading Episode 166: Favourite Downloads, Part 2

I’ ve already presented episodes playing some favourite lp’s, cd’s, and even some 78’s. Now its time for some downloads. Some are old recordings, some fairly new. I play Marlena Shaw, Chet Baker, Duke Ellington with Mingus and Roach, Roberto Fonseca and Faroumata Diawara, Melissa Aldana, Sting with Jo Lawry, The Brooks, Rowan Farintosh Quartet,…Continue reading Episode 165: Some Favourite Downloads

I’m picking out a few tunes from a few favourite cd’s. Lots of music, not too much talk for this episode. You’ll hear a few familiar favourites such as Tony Bennett and Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Dave McKenna and Buddy DeFranco, Stanley Clarke and Friends (with Billy Cobham and Najee), Bob Dorough. I also play…Continue reading Episode 164, More from my CD Collection

Part two features some more of the musicians rated in the 69th Annual Jazz Poll from Downbeat Magazine. This week I start out with Kris Davis (with Nels Cline), and follow it with the vocal-less Nels Cline Singers. You’ll also hear Freddy Cole, Laila Biali, Sinne Eeg, Aaron Diehl, and Charles Lloyd and The Marvels.…Continue reading Episode 163:More of the Musicians Jazz Critics Love.

The results of Downbeat’s 69th Annual Critics Poll inspired me to discover and listen to a few artists. And to re-listen to a few others. You’ll hear some of what I discovered on this episode. I start with some new members placed into the ‘hall of fame. This year it was Kenny Barron. And the…Continue reading Episode 162: Critics Poll from 2021, Part 1

Carla Bley, at the age of 85, was just voted onto Downbeat Magazine’s Hall of Fame. There is an article in the August 2021 issue where she talks about having found her ‘voice’—a voice that has endured through all the twists and turns. In this episode we explore that voice, playing recordings from 1957 to…Continue reading Episode 161, Discovering Carla Bley

This week I go to my cd collection and pick out a few with which I was familiar at one time, and give them another spin. The recordings span the years 1955 all the way to 2021. Included are three Canadian cd’s. One is by Dave McMurdo out of Toronto. The second is vibraphonist Peter…Continue reading EPISODE 160: From My CD Collection

To start off the 2021-2022 season of Discovering Jazz, I thought I’d play some familiar (and a few not so familiar) tunes from my lp collection. I play a few ‘regulars’ whose music has appeared on this program over the years: Don Shirley, Vince Guaraldi, Sounds Orchestral (Johnny Pearson), Fraser MacPherson, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett…Continue reading Episode 159: From my LP Collection

This is an episode that is near and dear to my heart. Absolute Pitch (sometimes inaccurately called ‘perfect’ pitch) is something I had, then lost. And its something that people who don’t have it can never understand. When you have it, it seems as ‘normal’ as being able to identify the colour of your socks….and…Continue reading Archives, Episode 88: Absolute or Perfect Pitch

You go to a jazz jam session with students or amateurs. One of the most common musical guides that almost every player uses is The Real Book, 6th Edition, Volume 1. The original Real Book was put together in the mid 1970’s by some Berklee College of Music music students in Boston, partly as a…Continue reading Archives (2020), Episode 91: Real Book Obscurities

This is an episode I posted November, 2019…..before my guest, Angela Verbrugge, won the listener’s poll in Jazz Times magazine for favourite female vocalist. Angela sent me (upon my request) some recordings from jazz singers I probably never heard of.   These recordings are the subject of this week’s and next week’s podcast. I make it…Continue reading From the archives: Episode 84, Discovering New Jazz Vocalists (w. Angela Verbrugge).

One of my favourite Discovering Jazz podcasts. I used to play French Horn and tried to play blues on it. Even used it in a rock-blues group, with questionable success. But there is quite the tradition of truly great jazz french hornists, and I’ve discovered a few of them. I play some of them on…Continue reading Archives, Episode 77: Jazz French Horn

According to Wikipedia, Jan Randall, a Canadian composer, pianist, and arranger, has made a career of composing soundtracks for films, theatre, radio, and television.  He combines playing by ear with his formal classical and jazz training.  And he teaches jazz appreciation courses through UVic and is a faculty member of the Victoria Conservatory of Music.…Continue reading Archives, Episode 76, Introduction to Jazz with Jan Randall.

Shortly before I moved from Peterborough, Ontario to Victoria, B.C., I spoke with Peterborough jazz guitarist, Mike Graham. I asked him for his thoughts on the future of jazz. He had lots of interesting things to say….and on this episode I play part of that interview. What is the future of jazz?   Will everything change…Continue reading Archives from 2019:Episode 63,Future of Jazz Part 1

While many of those jazz tunes jazz artists like to play are from films or Broadway, many are written by jazz musicians. For this episode, from 2019, I feature seven tunes that have become ‘standards’. Two of them were written for films, and the other five specifically to be played by jazz ensembles. I play…Continue reading Archives,Episode 59 from 2019:Lesser Known Jazz Standards.

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…Continue reading Episode 158: Contemporary Canadian Jazz–the 2021 Juno’s.

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…Continue reading Episode 157: Bellwethers in Jazz, Part 2

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…Continue reading Episode 156, Miles Davis as Bellwether

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.…Continue reading Episode 155: Jazz Chords–what are they?

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…Continue reading Episode 154:More Familiar Favourites From My LP Collection.

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.

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…Continue reading Episode 152: Unusual Instruments in Jazz Part 2

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…Continue reading Episode 151: Unusual Instruments in Jazz

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.…Continue reading Episode 150:LushLife,AnaMaria, St.Thomas,St.James Infirmary,Sentimental Mood.

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…Continue reading Episode 149:Skylark,Someday My Prince Will Come, Liza, Central Park West

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…Continue reading Discovering Jazz -148- What’s New in 2021 Part 3

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…Continue reading Episode 146: What’s New in 2021

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…Continue reading Episode 145: A Tune Within A Tune (Jazz Quotes), Part 3,

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…Continue reading Episode 144, A Tune Within a Tune, Part 2 (Jazz Quotes)

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…Continue reading Episode 142: More Jazz Piano, How To Tell One Pianist From Another.

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…Continue reading Episode 141: Jazz Piano: A History

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…Continue reading Episode 140: Jazz Piano:How to Tell One Pianist from Another.

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…Continue reading Episode 139: Five (maybe six) More Songs With Interesting Stories.

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,…Continue reading Episode 138:I Wanna Be Around,I’ll Remember April,Solitude,Billie’s Bounce,I’m All Smiles

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…Continue reading Discovering Jazz -137- Tribute to Chick Corea and his Compositions

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…Continue reading Episode 136: Best of 2020, Part 6

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…Continue reading Episode 135: Best Canadian Jazz Albums of 2020

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…Continue reading Discovering Jazz -134- Jazz at The Grammy’s.

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…Continue reading Episode 133, Best of 2020 Part 3

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…Continue reading Episode 132: Best of 2020 Part 2

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…Continue reading Episode 131: Best of 2020 (According to Experts) Part 1

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.

I’m taking a break for a week…..and posting a program of jazz oriented Christmas and other winter holiday tunes from three years ago. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Ramadan, Diwali, Epiphany (or Three Kings Day), New Year, Las Posadas, Mardi Gras, Lori, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Chalica, or whatever holiday you want…Continue reading Archives: Christmas podcast from 2017.

Last week I had jazz for all the winter holidays. This week I focus on Christmas. You’ll hear traditional carols, songs written by jazz artisits that people like to play during this season, a couple old standards, and one brand new tune. I play some Oscar Peterson Trio, Joe Pass, Vince Guaraldi, Vince Guaraldi’s drummer…Continue reading Episode 129: Christmas Jazz

I explore some of the life and music of a few so-called ‘self-taught’ jazz musicians. None of them learned music in a ‘void’, any more than the formally trained musician is solely a product of the training. As well as hearing music by these well-known artists, you’ll hear pianist Ron Drotos (keyboardimprov.com) talk about a…Continue reading Episode 127, The Self-Taught Musician—myths and realities.

Lots of music today and not too much talk. From my online downloads you’ll hear Joe Henderson, Leslie Odom Jr., Wolff Clark Dorsey, and Gilson Perenzetta & Mauro Senise. Canadian groups are Victoria’s Naden Band featuring Roy Styffe, Chelsea McBride & Her Socialist Night School, and Jane Bunnett & Maqueque. Lastly, some random selections from…Continue reading Episode 126, More Random Selections from my Jazz Library

Louis Armstrong once said that if you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know. But I wonder what he thought about some of the music that was categorized as ‘jazz’ today, or some of the artists headlining recent jazz festivals. For any category to be meaningful we have to have some idea as…Continue reading Episode 124:When Does it Stop Being Jazz?

I play selections from 9 of the top 10 albums on the October 26 JazzWeek chart, and talk a bit about them. Some great stuff!

This is the third episode where I play some top album’s on the current jazz charts as compiled by JazzWeek. I start out with Chick Corea playing Chopin, and describe how Chopin may have been a ‘forerunner’ of modern jazz. Other great artist’s from whose albums I play a track are The Jeff Hamilton Trio,…Continue reading Episode 122: Today’s Jazz, Just Below the ‘Top 10’

I’ve always loved charts. As a kid I’d wake up every Saturday morning and listen and write out CJCA Edmonton’s Top 93. So I’m delighted to be exploring the current Jazz Charts—-even if it is for albums rather than singles. This is through Jazz Week….and they are, I believe, charts from U.S. radio stations. But…Continue reading Episode 121: Jazz Today, More From Jazz Radio

Most of the jazz I play on this podcast tends to be the tried and true over the years. I’m changing that for the next four episodes and exploring the current jazz charts. These are albums on the playlists of U.S. jazz radio stations as listed through JazzWeek on their weekly top 100. For this…Continue reading Episode 120: Jazz Today–As Played on Jazz radio.

I found a list of the most recorded tunes, thanks to a website called Second Hand Songs. They’re almost all songs that jazz musicians like to play. In this podcast I examine the top 15 (not counting Christmas songs) and play you a version of 10 of them. You’ll hear recordings by: Sergio Mendes &…Continue reading Episode 119: The World’s Most Popular Jazz Tunes

At a record store in Nanaimo B.C. called Fascinating Rhythm I bought about 19 78rpm records. I’ll play 13 of them for you that are jazz, r’nb’ or gospel. The jazz records I play are by Coleman Hawkins, Woody Herman, Nellie Lutcher, Hazel Scott, Johnny Hodges, and Slam Stewart. And a jazz blues by Louis…Continue reading Episode 118: Thirteen 78rpm records I just bought!

For much of the summer there have been no live in-person music due to Covid. A lot of artists started posting concerts online, and this week I play some recordings of these concerts. While the performers have generously made these recordings available to anyone, it’s important to help musicians sustain their art. So I encourage…Continue reading Episode 117, Free Online Concerts During the Pandemic

Jelly Roll Morton claimed he invented jazz. Most other people claim he didn’t. But unlike some public figures who brag a lot, so many of the things he claimed he could do he actually did! And there’s no doubt that he did create a style of jazz, and was the first to combine so many…Continue reading Episode 116: Jelly Roll Morton and his Compositions

I stayed home mostly. But I did travel a bit up island and bought some records (including some 78rpm jazz records) and cd’s. On this episode, to introduce you to September and the new season, I’ll play some of the best ones for you. The Lp’s are by Billy Taylor and Steve Khan. The cd…Continue reading Episode 114 : What I Did On My Vacation, Part 1

Most of the time my the new episodes of my podcasts generate 300-400 hits. Not viral……but I’m happy with that. But there was one that never made it over 100 hits for some reason. It’s episode 33, part 2 of my programs talking about Downbeat jazz magazine and featuring music talked about in the May…Continue reading Archives, Episode 33, More About Downbeat Magazine

On this program I play most of the entire Blue Train album of 1957 by John Coltrane. Why? well, most of those tunes are so often called out in jazz jams, and John Coltrane is certainly a jazz ‘legend’. As well as the fact that this is considered to be one of Coltrane’s most ‘accessible’…Continue reading Archives: Episode 62, Blue Train and Coltrane

Since Toronto singer Micah Barnes has been doing a ‘virtual tour’ of his new album, I thought this would be a good time to re-post a podcast of an interview I did with him in 2017—-where he talked about some of his favourite jazz singers. The topic was ‘what makes a vocal a *jazz* vocal.…Continue reading Archives: Episode 36, What Makes it Jazz Singing, w. Micah Barnes

Dipping really early into the archives—an episode from three years ago, where jazz saxophonist, guitarist, and singer, Sean Hully, from Peterborough, Ontario talked about how he learned to play and appreciate jazz. We’ll also take you through a bit of jazz history. You’ll hear music by King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Susie Arioli, Weather…Continue reading Archives: Episode 12, Learning Jazz

Hi folks! I accidentally posted the wrong episode….and I repeated Episode 56 rather than 57. Sorry about that. But I’ve corrected it. So give a listen to Episode 57—from the archives. A great show! One more from the archives on Cuban jazz—-and this might be the best of the lot! You’ll hear how Castro’s disdain…Continue reading Archives: Episode 57, Cuban Jazz Part 3

This is a ‘re-run’ of one of my favourite and in terms of the information presented, probably one of my most ‘dense’ episodes. Afro-Cuban Jazz, while the musicians were exported from Havana, actually began in New York. I’ll introduce you to some of the ‘founders’—-Mario Bauza, Chano Pozo, Dizzy Gillespie, flautist Alberto Soccoras, Nilo Menendez,…Continue reading Archives: Episode 55, Cuban Jazz–a History.

I just saw the list of jazz artists involved in this year’s Juno Awards for the best Canadian jazz albums of 2019, including the list of winners. I listened to some of each nominated record—and decided to play a track from some of them that resonated with me. Some of them weren’t even in the…Continue reading Episode 113, Canada’s Best: 2020 Juno Award Winners and Nominees.