Discovering Jazz

Latest Episodes:

Episode 174, Best of 2021, Part 1 Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

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 each other—very few repetitions.

I also looked at the ‘running 52 week jazz chart’ from Jazz Week, which ranked them according to number of plays on various jazz radio stations—mostly in the U.S., I believe.

I then listened to at least a track (or part of a track) from each of them, and decided which ones I wanted to play in this 4-part series. Some great stuff, I must say!

For Part 1, you’ll hear a couple tracks by Sons of Kemet and the Black to the Future album–which was the one that the most sites placed on their best of list. I also play music by Emmet Cohen, Cory Weeds, Damon Locks and Black Monument Ensemble, Eric Reed, Charles Lloyd and the Marvels, Vijay Iyer, and Veronica Swift. And one of my biggest surprises (for me) was the delightful track from Pat Metheny’s latest album.

Lots of great music to choose from…..much of it very different from what we used to call ‘jazz’ when I was a youth.

Episode 173: Some more favourite Downloads Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

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 Patrick Boyle. Then there’s New Orleans r’n’b singer and pianist, the late Dr. John. You’ll also hear a bit of fusion jazz to start off the episode with violinist Zbignew Seifert. And lastly, there’s the melding of hip-hop, jazz, and polka thanks to Kormac.

Some great listening to take you into the new year.

Episode 172: Jazz Greats Celebrate Christmas Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

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 Bill Evans singing.

Vancouver’s Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst top off this Christmas special with two tunes recorded live in their home.

Episode 171, More Selections By a Fan From Ulster Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

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 with a ‘local joy’—an obscure but now defunct jazz-fusion group from the Canadian Okanagan called “The Mammals”. You probably won’t find any of their recordings online.

Thanks to Peter, I also play Fergus McCreadie (from Scotland), Polar Bear, The Partisans, The Brad Mehldau Trio, Trifecta, Esbjorn Svensson. And speaking of ‘global giants’, John Coltrane and The Buena Vista Social Club.

Episode 170: A Fan from Ulster Selects Some Favourites. Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

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 in Ulster in Northern Ireland, and I invited him to share some of his favourite discoveries and to talk about them. Some wonderful recordings, and I thank you, Peter Waddell, for sharing these.

This episode and the next one shares Peter’s favourites and some delightful insights about these recordings.

It also gives some great tips as to how even a ‘non-musician’ can truly appreciate jazz.

And in the course of this, you get to hear some wonderful music.

Episode 169: Modal Jazz Nov 30, 2021

Show notes

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 of modal jazz, including some of the music that influenced Miles Davis in putting together this amazing recording.

Some say it goes back to 1936—with Juan Tizol’s Caravan. And drummer Max Roach claimed that Benny Goodman was an earlier contributor to modal jazz. On this program I play one of his solos that illustrates that.

Then there is the connection between rock music and modal jazz, and how they influenced each other.

You’ll hear lots of great music and get some of what I hope you’ll find to be interesting information.

Episode 168: Jazz vocals, with and without words. Nov 23, 2021

Show notes

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 Luciana herself,.

Then another article involved The New York Voices being given a blindfold test of recordings by various singers. There was Bill Henderson with Oscar Peterson, Double Six of Paris (with Night in Tunisia showing it’s possible to sing in French and Vocalese at the same time), Theo Bleckmann and Kate McGarry, Ian Shaw singing Joni Mitchell, Rosemary Clooney with The Hi-Lo’s (unbelievable!), and The New York Voices themselves.

To top it all off, this podcast starts with a lovely performance by Susannah Adams, and ends up with Nina Simone followed by her daughter, Lisa, and a song about their relationship.

A podcast I’ve listened to twice, and I really enjoyed it both times.

Episode 167:Round Midnight and 4 other Songs. Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

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.

Episode 166: Favourite Downloads, Part 2 Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

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 with another pianist–Russian born Eldar Djangirov…who is described as “blisteringly electric one moment, tender and thoughtful the next”. Between those two you’ll hear Jeff Parker and The New Breed, Joe Pass & accordionist Tommy Gumina,

Then there is the amazing bassist Sam Jones playing with Joe Zawinul and a touch of Cannonball Adderley. And we can’t forget the powerful and emotion-packed voice of Brazil’s Elza Soares. Also some of one of the latest hot pianists playing a tune written in 1919—Emmet Cohen. And Jeff Goldblum.

Two more Canadians too, One is Nancy Ruth who now lives in Spain, and the other is Peterborough’s #1 piano player, Rob Phillips with some great clarinet from Kevin Goss.

Episode 165: Some Favourite Downloads Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

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, Ori Dagan, the surf-jazz of Ben Rogers, and grammy nominated Pancho Sanchez.

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