Discovering Jazz

Latest Episodes:

Episode 114 : What I Did On My Vacation, Part 1 Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

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 is by Toronto’s Ron Davis with Drew Birston. And the 78’s from Bop City Records in Courtenay feature Pete Johnson & Albert Ammons, Duke Ellington, The Hometowners (a Victoria group from 1952), The Kansas City Gospel Singers, ,and Thurston Harris. And at the end I throw in tracks from a couple recent cd’s that I’ve been playing a lot this summer….by Bob Dorough & Friends, and Victoria’s Kelby McNayr.

A great way to start the new season.

One more thing: The Billy Taylor Album includes 17 minutes of his Suite for Jazz Piano and Orchestra, which he plays with his trio. This work is not available anywhere online.

It would also be great to get a couple more reviews and ratings for the program. (Thank you so much Matt Diamond for your delightful comments; so appreciated!). You can put the review on itunes (apple podcasts) or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thank you Peterborough Independent Podcasters for hosting this program.

-Larry

Archives, Episode 33, More About Downbeat Magazine Aug 25, 2020

Show notes

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 and June 2018 issue. I just listened to it and I thought it was a pretty good program with some very interesting music.

Some of it might be a bit too ‘modern’ sounding for some people…..maybe a bit ‘free jazz’ like. But they are all great artists….critically acclaimed.

So I thought I’d re-post it and see what happens. I’ve no doubt it will get over 100 hits this time.

It features guitarist Mary Halvorson with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and singer Amirtha Kidambi, Orquesta Akokan (from Havana), Danfis Prieto, Lina Allemano, Renee Rosnes, a touch of Greg Spero, Elio Villafranca,Francois Moutin & Kavita Shaw Duo, Fred Hersch, and more from John Coltrane (from A Love Supreme).

Next week I’ll start recording some new programs. So stay tuned.

Archives: Episode 62, Blue Train and Coltrane Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

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’ albums. Oh! And it’s great! (that’s another reason).

I start by talking about Coltrane’s amazing solo on the first track, comparing it with a less inspiring solo he did on an alternate take of that same track.

You’ll also hear some great playing by trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Kenny Drew, as well as Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.

This is a great episode if you want to ‘discover’ John Coltrane, or even if you’ve already discovered him and just want to re-experience what you’ve discovered.

Archives: Episode 36, What Makes it Jazz Singing, w. Micah Barnes Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

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.

I also posted part of a conversation between my favourite singer, Gene (Eugene) McDaniels and pianist Tom Snow where Gene demonstrates jazz singing and talks about his own jazz roots.

You’ll hear selections by Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Eileen Farrell (demonstrating what jazz singing is NOT), Sarah Vaughan, Ellen Doty, Nat King Cole, Amy Winehouse, and, of course, Micah Barnes himself.

Archives: Episode 12, Learning Jazz Aug 04, 2020

Show notes

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 Report, Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, Glenn Miller, and Sean Hully himself.

As well, Sean explains where those strange notes in be-bop and modern jazz come from. They’re not random, you now. (Except sometimes).

P.S. I need to apologize to those of you who tried my last podcast (57)—hoping to hear about Fidel Castro and how banning imperialist American jazz ended up helping to create a totally new form of music—that later spread all around the world. Those of you who tried to listen to it the first few days ended up with a repeat of my previous program. My mistake. It is now corrected. So feel free to go back to my previous program (from the archives) and give it another listen.

Archives: Episode 57, Cuban Jazz Part 3 Jul 28, 2020

Show notes

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 for anything American led him to ‘ban’ jazz, and how this led to a new and revolutionary form of music: timba. Chucho Valdes and Iraquere played quite a role in that development.

I also play excerpts of a conversation I had with Arturo O’Farrill in Havana, and two tracks from an album he did with Chucho Valdes.

You’ll also hear The Cuban Funk Machine, Okan, Bobby Carcassess, Sexto Sentido, and a young pianist who will blow you away: Jorge Luis Pacheco.

Archives: Episode 56, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Part 2 Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

Another summer re-run of some of my best Discovering Jazz Programs. I think the whole 4 part series on Cuban Jazz is well worth listening to, with lots of information and great music.

Part 2 includes Geraldo Rubalcaba with Ron Carter, Ray Barretto, early diva Rita Montaner, David Amram, and many others.

You’ll learn more about claves and clave rhythms.

I play a fusion of jazz ‘Lucumi’ music—aka Yoruba or Santeria—thanks to Jane Bunnett with El Gato Gatel and Pancho Quinto. Then, staying with tributes to Yoruba Gods, you’ll hear the great Harold Lopez-Nussa and his tribute to the deity, Elegua.

Most people are aware of the whole Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon—a rebirth of traditional Cuban son music—that was believed to be instigated by Ry Cooder. In fact, the brainchild behind the whole project was Juan de Marcos, and it was he who decided to involve Ry Cooder. You’ll hear De Marcos and his Afro-Cuban All Stars, then a track by Buena Vista Club veteran, Ibrahim Ferrer.

And lastly…..I play a jazz-fusion group who will blow you away. You’ve never heard anything like them. They are called Interactivo.

Archives: Episode 55, Cuban Jazz–a History. Jul 14, 2020

Show notes

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, Don Azpiazu, Antonio Machin, Rita Montaner, Xavier Cugat, and Machito’s Afro-Cubans.

You’ll also see some evidence that Rock ‘n Roll was invented by Cubans.

As well, I play a few more ‘modern’ recordings starting out with Harold Lopez-Nussa.

Episode 113, Canada’s Best: 2020 Juno Award Winners and Nominees. Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

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 ‘jazz’ category—but I thought they were at least pretty close to jazz.

You’ll hear selections by Dominique Fils-Aime, Bill McBirnie with Bernie Senensky, Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop, Dave Young Trio, Monkey House, Al Muirhead, Jane Bunnett & Maqueque, OKAN, Joel Miller, John Stetch, Jacque Kuba Seguin, and Djely Tapa.

Sorry I didn’t have room in a one hour podcast to play all the nominees.

Other musicians you’ll hear—those who were part of the ensembles featured—are Don Breithaupt, Mark Kelso, Pat Kilbride, Justin Abedin, Kelly Jefferson, Reg Schwager, Neil Swainson, Ted Warren, Steve Kortyka, Ben Tiberio, Philippe Lemm, Elizabeth Rodrigues, Madelys Savigne, Danae Olano, Tailin Marrero, Yissy Garcia, Mary Paz, Joanna Majoke, Larry Cramer, Kevin Turcotte, Tara Davidson, Joel Frahm, William Carn, Adrean Farrugia, and Dan Loomis. Whew! That’s a lot.

Archives, episode 69, Victoria Jazz Fest 2019 Jun 30, 2020

Show notes

I moved from Peterborough, Ontario to Victoria B.C. on May 1st, 2019, and was able to become a volunteer for the TD Victoria International Jazz Festival. If COVID19 hadn’t stopped it in its tracks, I would have been involved in this year’s festival as well. And the festival would have just ended this past weekend.

Since I’ll be doing a lot of program re-runs this summer—shows from the archives—I thought I’d start with re-broadcasting the third program I put together last year on the Victoria Jazz Fest, which included some talks with the festival founder and artistic director, Daryl Mar.

I play some recordings by some of the international and local artists who were involved in last year’s festival.

You’ll hear Makaya Craven, Trio LSD (from Sweden), Eric Alexander, Jacob Collier, Davina & The Vagabonds, Melissa Aldana, Steve Smith and the Groove, plus Victoria locals Rowan Farintosh and the Attila Fias Quartet.

The program starts with a celebration of the festivals director’s roots.

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