"Jazzin' Around"
Weekly 2-hour highly informative & unique jazz magazine program. Covers weekly jazz scene news, music milestones, new album samples/reviews, jazz history-of-the-week, a look at upcoming jazz festivals nationwide/globally, the only show to feature weekly review of latest JazzWeek (album) Chart. Bonus -- a relaxed & fun program to enjoy & better appreciate the music! Hosted by veteran jazz radio host David-J.
"Jazzin' Around"
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This hour -- The jazz scene news of the week/ Birthday features on: Brasilian percussion masters Nana Vasconcelos & Dom Um Romao, trumpeter Charlie Shavers, band-leader Les Elgart & New Orleans "favorite son" -- Louis Armstrong (hjis 125th birthday!)...+ upcoming regional 'live' jazz.
Oh my look, it's the second half of the year already. We're into August, and we're Jazzin' Around one more time together. You and I, so come on in. Welcome aboard, Jazz It Around here. David J, your host for the next couple of hours of America's most informative, distinctive, and absolutely unique jazz radio program. And maybe the most fun jazz radio program you can find anywhere, too, for that matter. Jazz It Around is your weekly jazz magazine on the radio. Each and every week sharing with you the latest albums from the jazz scene. Occasional sneak previews of upcoming albums as well as we can get them. You'll hear artist interviews, features, jazz history, the latest in jazz news each week. A look at the regional club and concert scene for the Tri-State area in our first hour. In the second hour, a look at jazz festivals from all across the country and including beyond. And also keeping you up with the Jazz Week chart. It's the only program, the only station, I think, anywhere, that's covering the entire Jazz Week Top 50 each and every week for you. Jazz It Around comes to you from our understated yet uh tastefully decorated Subterranean Jazz Den here in Pittsburgh. Program been podcast since 2005 and been on the air since 2003, I think. Yeah, something like that. 2001, 2, 3. Bringing you seven decades of jazz and jazz radio experience together. Thanks to our longtime partner radio stations as well, WNJR, WSPR, KWLC Boston Free Radio, and WWFM Jazz On 2. Oh man, so much going on, a lot of action on the Jazz Week chart coming up in our next hour. But also, a lot of good summertime releases and birthdays to celebrate, too. So let's just jump in right now, huh? And find out what is going on this week in the world of jazz, shall we? Last week saw the conclusion of the Golden Anniversary, the 50th edition of one of Europe's finest jazz festivals, the North Sea Jazz Fest, in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Pat Metheny celebrated and reimagined his Bright Size Life album, which also was released 50 years ago in 1976. So am I. Other artists who performed there, Marcus Miller, Terrence Blanchard, and Robbie Coltrane all saluted the centennials of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Cecile McLaurin Salvant debuted her brand new album material. Guitarist Mary Halverson, Fred Hirsch, Gonzalo Rubalkaba, Patricia Brennan, Dutch saxophonist Teneca Postma, hosting everybody at home there, of course. And the still vital Sun Ra Orchestra, all of it and so much more. At the 50th anniversary of the Wow, the North Sea Jazz Festival 50 years ago. Yeah, I do gotta remember when that was a new festival, too. Actually. Anyway, the North Sea Jazz Fest might have turned 50, but it still showed itself to be young, vital, vibrant, and as exciting as ever. Maybe that's something to do next time for us or for you, huh? I think I've heard so much good about it over the years, really. It is not too early. Not too early to start planning for the uh 2027 Jazz Ed Met Conference. January 6th through 9 in Louisville, Kentucky. Home of Little Hampton and uh Helen Hume's, I think, too, right? Anyway, January 6th through 9 in Louisville, Kentucky. It'll be their 18th annual gathering. Actually, the Early Bird Registration is actually now open through August 31st. Early bird registration for JEN members and for non-members as well. Uh the admission for JEN members for all four days of the conference, just $225. More details go to jazzednet.org. Another first of the year event geared toward the jazz radio, TV, touring, media, and promotion, the 2027 Jazz Congress. Gathering in Lincoln Center once again. That'll be the next week on January 13 and 14. Early bird registration there is not open yet, but will open soon. Additional details, when available, at jazzcongress.org. Here's another big one, this one in uh the other side of the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean, that is. Details of the 2026 European Jazz Conference have been announced. It'll be the 24th through 27th of September in Cologne, Germany. Conference is co-sponsored by Stratkarten Klone, Volksbun, and the Europe Jazz Network. This conference brings together some 200 organizations from 38 countries. Focusing on artistic freedom, democratic values, and supporting creative music. The theme of this year's conference is Who We Are and What We Stand For. Participants include D. D.D. Bridgewater, UK pianist Alex Hawkins, Eric Byrath of the Stockholm Jazz Festival, and others. Registration is now open for that one for Europe Jazz Net members and non-members as well. A note here the Doris Duke Foundation conducting a research study into how generative AI is affecting performing artists working in theater, dance, as well as in live music. And to encourage the artists of Jazz to include take two. You can take the survey, which is put together by Annie Doreen of SMU, SMU Data Arts. For additional details, go to Survey. Yeah, you want to write this down. You do want to write this down. Survey.alcamer. That's A-L-C-H-E-M-E-R. Alcamer.com. They do say it'll take about 15 minutes or so. And probably the best news of all, I have no last calls to issue today. None that I'm aware of. None, none, none that I'm aware of so far. So I'm really thankful for that. We do have a ton, if there's a can be a ton. We have a bushel basket full of really significant and exciting jazz birthdays to commemorate and celebrate. And a lot of exciting new music to share with you, too, all coming up when Jazz and Around returns in a moment. In the meantime, got the buffet table all set up for you here, so by all means, take a walk past, get some nice refreshing iced tea this time around, and some fresh root for that matter, too. Be back in a moment.
SPEAKER_05Our national parks didn't just happen. They were imagined by those who saw beyond their time. The trailblazers, the bold. They stood on the edges of canyons, walked through history, and understood that these places need us just as much as we need them. Now it's up to us. Join the National Park Foundation to ensure what's all of ours is here forever. Donate at nationalparks.org slash trailblazers.
SPEAKER_03The Lewis Armstrong Foundation. This July 4th weekend, as America celebrates 250 years of independence, listeners can also honor a man whose music helped tell America's story. Lewis Pops Armstrong, celebrating his 125th birthday. From the streets of New Orleans to stages around the world, Armstrong's trumpet and his unmistakable voice transformed music, made him an American icon. The Lewis Armstrong Foundation invites listeners to celebrate the life, legacy, and music of Lewis Armstrong at Lewis ArmstrongFoundation.org.
SPEAKER_00Education through Music Los Angeles partners with inner city schools to put music into the classroom.
SPEAKER_06Where music belongs. Music is my favorite subject. My mom says it wakes up my brain. Math is kind of easier now. Next year I get to learn guitar. Support our music programs. Please visit etmla.org. Music is everywhere.
SPEAKER_11Starting off with a little bit of the exotic here today. From the Amazon Rainforest. None of us can sell. Would have been eighty-two today. Well he oh he worked with Milton Nashimento, uh Gato Barrieri, Egberto Gisamonti, many albums with Egberto Gisamonti, Padmethane, uh, and and just scads of legends from both South America and from North America. None of us can say less. Uh again would have been 82. Passed away back in 2016. Didn't seem like it was so far so long ago, but uh yeah, 2016. Happy birthday to his memory today. Also, saying happy birthday tomorrow to the memory of the late Charlie Shavers from 1939 recording from the album Echoes of Harlem, with Cootie Williams helping him out here on the Sellington Echoes of Harlem. Charlie Shavers from the mid-19 well late 1930s, doing Ellington's Echoes of Harlem. Shavers, born and raised in New York City, for that matter. Uh no stranger to Harlem for sure. Charlie Shavers, uh member of uh a number of the bands in the nineteen thirties and forties for that matter, and prominent on his own as well, too. Many, many recordings, successful recordings on his own. He became quite good friends with Louis Armstrong, uh, interestingly enough, even though two slightly different generations, and even more interesting, the two of them passed away within literally passed away within days of each other as well. Uh Charlie Shavers, uh, again, his birthday uh would have been tomorrow. New York City, Porn and Bready would have been 106 tomorrow. Here's another birthday that's uh a player that's not all that well known these days, almost forgotten, kind of in the big band era, but sort of late in the big band era, starting in the late 40s and through most of the 50s and 60s, co-leading a very successful band with his brother, Les and Larry Elgart. We're talking about the trumpeter Les Elgart with his brother Larry. Known mostly as a as a pop, kind of a pop jazz instrumental, adult contemporary band, but really some pretty fancy snazzy arrangements like this of Mood Indigo. And Les and Larry Elgart among them, but there was something about that band. Yes, they were not terribly challenging or you know forward or edgy, but boy, they were tasty and they were musical, as you could hear there, on that mood indigo from 1957. Les and his brother Larry, Les and Larry Elgart. Celebrating the birthdays here of uh the late Tony Bennett. We just talked about him passing away just uh on his anniversary, what, a week ago? Passed away like a week before what would have been his birthday.
SPEAKER_07What I couldn't do with plenty of money and you in spite of the worry that money brings, just a little bit of a lot of things here to places that you would like to go. Outside of that noise would go. It's the root of all evil, outside of evil, uncertain, life would be summoned.
SPEAKER_11I'm surmising that's Frank Foster that was the bassy band back in the month, 1959. Oh, Tony Bennett loves singing with that band, as you can well hear. This would have been his 100th birthday this year. As you noted earlier, he passed away, you know, within a week or so, a week and a half or something of what would have been his 96th, 97th birthday, something like that, you know. The great Tony Bennett, the legendary Tony Bennett, would have been 100, though. Would have been 100 this uh tomorrow, this this week here. And uh one last birthday before we take a quick step into our new recordings, and we heard a little bit of uh about the Lewis Armstrong anniversary this year. Louis Armstrong, the great Satchmo, the great single, most towering instrumental figure in all the music, would have been 125 this week, and I'm gonna go to the city. We've rarely played that. In fact, you probably have rarely heard that. Not very often played. I'm I'm standing I'm shooting high from uh The Rhythm Saved the World from 1935 with Lewis Russell at the piano and his uh backing ensemble. Louis Russell, the father of Catherine Russell, known as Kat Russell. Louis Armstrong. Of course, he's best known for his vocals and his personality and his entertainment value. And he was certainly that larger than life. But when you hear him there on trumpet, for the time, he was an absolute virtuoso and just such a stunning, stunning revolutionary player. Uh unparalleled. And and even today, when you hear him, he's still pretty much an unparalleled player. His sound, his strength, his musicality just brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. This week marking what would have been the 125th anniversary of his birth. Quite a celebration. David J. Jazz and Rama of the year. Oh yes, if you're in New York, hey, why not visit the Lewis Armstrong House, the Lewis Armstrong Museum, or the Lewis Armstrong Center, which is apparently just across the street. I know, I know, I have still not done that yet. I've not been out to Queensport, but one of these days, I will get there. I promise. And I'll let you know about it, too. Coming into some new things, we got a lot of exciting new music. Uh I don't know why, but all of a sudden it's seems like there's a lot of really, really good music outcoming coming out these days here. This one from Lisa Rich. Her new album is just simply it's just really, really broken down. This is her doing a Kitty Margolis lyric on Wayne Shorter's footprints, with Mark Copeland on piano, and Dave Ballou on trumpet.
SPEAKER_10Thousands of years before we jungle women. Future reminds you of ages of good sounding so good these days.
SPEAKER_11Lisa Rich. Dave Belou adding some expressive trumpet there. With Mark Copeland on piano, it's footprints. Wayne Shorter's footprints from Lisa Rich in her new album, I Shall Rise. Here's another exciting new one. This one's kind of on the Latin side. It is Alejandro Falcone from his Falcone in Blue album with his quartet. Timboris, a coloris. Alejandro Falcone, an American, from the Falcone in Blue album, a little Timborus and Coloris there with him from the new album there. We'll hear more from that in the weeks to come. That is really a fine, fine album. Really fine album. Played a little bit of this for you last week. Ulysses Owens, one of the most, one of the strongest, most dynamic drummers on the young drummers on the scene these days. Scoring pretty high with his latest album from the Gen Y band on the Jazz Week chart. While it's still up there, and still, I think, in the top 15 or top 20. Anyway, he's got a brand new album yet to come out very, very soon. Got a sneak preview for you here. Kind of led this in for you a little bit last week. Ulysses Owens and his Gen Y Band on the new album. Upcoming album, kind of grunge. Ulysses Owens and his Gen Y band, they are just cooking there. Benny Bonack the Third on Trumpet, and if I read this correctly, Langston Hughes the Second on Alto Sachs. Interesting, interesting, interesting. That's called Even Flow from the just about to be released or just released a new album from Elizabeth Owens and his Gen Y band Kind of Grunge. Interesting title, too. Anyway, moving on to the Pat Martino honoring, saluting, tribute album. A collection of top guitarists honoring Pat Martino. Cheryl Bailey and Ed Cherry getting together on Pat Martino's blues for Mickey One. Together. Oh Martino tunes adjudicated by a whole host, like a dozen. Really top-name guitarists. Uh moving along to let's go someplace. Oh, let's do this one, shall we? Um, this is new from Claire Martin on her newest album, I watch you sleep. Saluting the music of Richard Rodney Bennett, this one of his co-compositions. Don't play games with love.
SPEAKER_10Don't tell him no when you really mean yes. Give him the low down and don't make him guess. Don't stand in take note that you don't intend. Never begin what you don't need to end.
SPEAKER_09You want a lover, or only a friend.
SPEAKER_10Don't play games with love.
SPEAKER_11Oh, she sounded great on this one. Her latest album, Claire Martin from the UK, along with Scott Dunn on piano. The album I watch you sleep, interestingly titled The Music and the Lyrics of Richard Rodney Bennett. Let's go here to the Ile Wilner big band. Played a little bit of this for you last week. Man, they are jumping for the album called Big Apple Stall. You know, a lot of those revival, those swing revival bands, you know, they're they're okay. They're a little on the polite side, but these guys, they're playing for keeps. Oh man. That's called Battle Royal from the Isle E Y A L. Isle Vilner, big band, the Big Apple Stomp. They are, yeah, they're pretty serious on there, too. Here's the newest one from organist Sam Yahel from his album Quiet Flow. And Brian Blade. He's called Coco Kokuro. Sam Yahel from his album Quiet Flow. That's Coco Kokuru. The original music there. Let's move on to April Varner. She had a recent uh album tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. It's simply entitled Ella. And boy, she and much like we were talking about revival bands, you know, taking back some of the uh some of the early swing and tragaz stuff. April Varner detected having this tribute album to Ella. She was in no way trying to emulate Ella, but honor Ella by taking Ella's influence on her and transforming it. Just like this one on her version of Undecided.
SPEAKER_09I've been sitting on the fence, and it doesn't make much sense. How you keep me in suspense, and you know it, and you promise to return. When you don't have a really bad I guess I'll never learn on a show and Oh, but if you gotta heart and live your time, then don't keep us apart. Make up your mind. You are deciding now. So what are you gonna do?
SPEAKER_11Oh yes. And that was Ulysses Owens Jr. once again on drums, just kicking it. Underneath April Varner from her Ella tribute album, uh recent released, and it is just well, as you heard there, it is smoking. And speaking of smoking, how about some no smoking with drummer Roger Humphrey? Howering the Horace Silver Quintet from 1965 with Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson. You know, just listening to those two recordings back to back, I almost wonder if Ulysses Owens hadn't listened to a whole lot of Roger Humphreys at some point in his fledgling career. You know, if I ever run into him, I'm gonna have to ask him that. If if he's all that familiar with Roger's work, as man. I hear a lot of Rogerism in Ulysses Owens earlier. That is Roger, that's the real Roger Humphreys there. With the Horace Silver quintet of 1965 with Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson on the piece Horace Silver piece called No Smokin'. That's a recently released album, never before released, Silver in Seattle. David J. Jazz around weather here having so much fun. I almost kind of forgot. We gotta check in with some jazz and a live side. Kind of give you uh something to you know look for in some gigs around the tri-state over these next coming weeks. Yeah, this is the hot August month here coming up here. The Reservoir of Jazz series in Highland Park getting underway each Sunday in October. In in August, rather. Later this afternoon, the Steel City Calypso Band, 5 till 7 p.m. Under the trees and in the breeze, up at the reservoir. Coming up next Sunday, Lee Robinson and Iska. The following Sunday, it'll be the Kenny Powell and Vi Dorsey ensemble from 507. On the 23rd of August, the Mode Indigo Band. And wrapping up the series, Tim Stevens with his Tim Stevens project on the last Sunday afternoon in August 30th. All, all, all concerts on the grass, under the trees, in the breeze. Bring your baskets, your blankets, your chairs, and picnic goodies. And just groove, right? Also coming up this Saturday, Roger Humphreys himself and his special guests for a jazz brunch tribute and celebration of Bill Strickland, founder of the MCG Manchester Craftsman's Guild, Jazz Program, and more. That's at the City Winery in the Strip District starting at 12 noon Saturday. Coming up on Sunday the 9th, it's the Reservoir of Jazz series once again in the Big Bad Doo-Doo Daddy Band at Heartwood Sunday night at 7.30. On the following Friday, the 14th, the Women in Jazz Festival coming to town, Camille Thurman with Daryl Green's Quartet, Sue Terry in the Jazz Dilbarrow band, Bustiana Witkowski's trio at the South Park Fairgrounds, 7.30. Got a correction on that time. 7.30, free and open to the public in South Park. Coming up in September, celebrating the anniversary, the 90th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water. About that. And there to celebrate the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra directed by Mike Tomorrow, including a premiere of Mike Tomorrow's composition called Falling Water. Saturday, September 25th, and that is September 26th, and that is at the MCG Hall on the north side. And we do have some advance notice for you here, pushing it ahead a little bit further down the road. November 2nd through 7th, we have word, it'll be the 56th Pit Jazz Seminar Week on campus and concert at Belfield Hall on that Saturday night, the 7th. A few of the artists they say will be showing up this year. How about Bobby Broom, Peter Bernstein, Ben Patterson, Kobe Watkins, and more to be announced? Stay tuned. But no matter where you are, no matter where you are going to be, if you are anywhere, not even in the tri state, but anywhere, in any state, and you find out there's some jazz going on live, by all means spread the word around. Let everybody you know know about it. Get them to come and maybe even attend yourself if you can. Or support it if you're able as well. Supporting living live jazz musicians and gigs and venues is just so important. We gotta do our part each and every week, each and every moment we can.
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SPEAKER_04Hello, I'm Suzanne Healy, Chair of the National Review Board. Two decades ago, bishops of the United States drafted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, also established the National Review Board to help implement the Charter. Prevention of abuse also needs to come with outreach to victim survivors and a commitment by the church to walk with them in their path towards healing. I'm grateful for the insight that survivors have shared with us, which allows us to better understand how we can accompany them in their path towards healing. Are you ready to take the pledge for the oceans? Are you prepared to do your part? 71% of the planet needs you. It's time to give back.
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SPEAKER_11One of the respected elders of the Japanese jazz scene, Shinzo Ono, his latest album live at Joe's Pub in New York City. This is called Leah's Run. Shinzo Ono from Live at Joe's Pub, his most recent album. Original music of his too, by the way, that's called Leah's Run. Let's keep it in the trumpet sound here as listening to David Schneider from his new album Introducing doing a piece. Marvelous Lee, Trumpeter David Schneider. It's Marvelous Lee from his album Introducing David Schneider. Boy, it's very nice, very snappy. I like that. Moving on to the Stephen Philip Harvey multiversal band here. It's a piece of his called the Inner Beast. At the inner beasts. Oh yeah, real strong, real strong. Speaking of strong, how about pianist Gonzalo Rubel Kaba? From his latest album with tribute to Benny More. And to Nat Cole. A little keys us, keys us, keys us. From the tribute to Benny Morey and Matt Cole. Gonzalo. Rubul Cava. Here is American Aaron Parks and his trio. From his latest album, by all means. Ben Solomon on the Tenor Sacks and Ben Street on bass. From the album entitled By All Means Ben Solomon, featured on Tender Socks there. Here's the latest album of vibist Ted Hiltinger. His album is entitled Peace Vibes. Doing the Toots Dillman standard. The old favorite Blue Zet. All jazzed up and modernized here. And one more before we take a jump back to a few more birthdays to celebrate, wrapping up our number one. This is the Peter Furland Project, recorded live at Maureen's. The jazz seller. This is called Bop Tango. Recorded live at Maureen's Jazz Cellar. That is the Bop Tango, original music of his. And a couple more birthdays wrapping up our number one here, NEA Jazz Master. Wow. Remember when she was brought out to a jazz conference by her dad? Oh, you know how many years ago that was, right? I think it was New York City. Anyway, here she is now, an NEA Jazz Master, respected educator, recording artist, Grammy nominee, producer, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Terry Lynn Carrington. Happy birthday to her this week. From her remake of the Money Jungle album of Duke Ellington, Max Roach, and Charlie Mingus, this is her rendition of Wigwise. Her birthday. She shares it with Lewis Armstrong. How about that? This coming Tuesday, the 4th of August. Believe it or not, Terry Lynn turning 61. Can that be? Wow. Yeah, she was just a teenager at that time when she was debuting. Real literally, I think she was 14 when she was uh kind of coming out as an artist, sir. Anyway, Terry Lynn Carrington. Not a bad trio there, Gerald Clayton. And uh wow, and her on drums, of course, and Christian McBride on a strong bass line there. Let's do uh one more salute before we wrap up our number one here, but this one to Dome Romal. Talk about a Barimbau master. He's one of the others that's quite the Barimbao Master. Heard here overdubbing a number of percussive touches on the weather report Boogie Woogie Waltz. Dome Romale, at the time of Weather Report. But also with Sergio Mendez, Cannonball Latterly, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, and a number of others, including his own successful solo career. This one we played so much of when it came out, really bug it. With Jerry Dodgin on the Woodwinds, Civuca, Stanley Clark, and Joe Donato. The great Dome Romal. Wrapping up our number one fours from his self-titled 1974 album. He would have been 101 tomorrow. The great Brazilian. Stay tuned though, hour number two, just around the corner. The Jazz Week Top 50 charts. Stay with us, my friend. Stay around here.