Discovering Jazz

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