Jazz Legends

Latest Episodes:

Bird & Diz Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Saxophonist Charlie Parker (nicknamed Yardbird or Bird) (born Aug 29, 1920) and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (nicknamed Diz) (born Oct 21, 1917) are two of the most innovative musical minds of the twentieth century. Dizzy was often quoted that he and Parker were two halves of the same heart. Together they were architects of the bebop style that swept jazz in the 1940s and they influenced literally every jazz musician since.

Help sponsor St. Michael's Jazz Fest

Donate to the Jazz Legends podcast

Wayne Shorter (Round 3) Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter (born Aug 25, 1933) is one of the most influential and prolific performers and composer in jazz. His time with the bands of Art Blakey and Mikes Davis firmly established him as one of the most original voices on his instrument, and provided a platform for his incredible original compositions. He is also featured on his myriad recordings as a leader in his own right. He was one of the cofounders of the supergroup Weather Report in the 70s.

Help sponsor St. Michael's Jazz Fest

Donate to the Jazz Legends podcast

Kenny Werner Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

Pianist/composer Kenny Werner (born Nov 19, 1951) has been leading his own trios since 1981. He played with the Mel Lewis Orchestra in the early 1980s and was encouraged by Lewis and Bob Brookmeyer to compose for the band, which led to him composing for many European radio bands. He played duo with Toots Thielmans for 14 years and was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in composition. His book Effortless Mastery, about the psychological aspects of music performance is widely read and he teaches a course based on it at the Berklee School in Boston.

Help keep the music and this show alive! Donate here.

Oregon Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Oregon was a jazz and world music group started in 1970, featuring multiple woodwind artist Paul McCandless, guitarist/pianist Ralph Towner, bassist Glenn Moore, and percussionist Collin Walcott. The personnel remained stable for decades, with the percussion chair changing once or twice, but their musical output remained unique throughout. Esoteric sounds of oboe, English horn, and bass clarinet gave the band a unique sound, and the compositions of McCandless and Towner bridge jazz and world music styles creating a unique and original melange unique to the group.

Writing Original Tunes Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Everyone in the group writes original music, some of which has been played publicly in the past and some which will be premiered this week. In this episode, the guys discuss what it's like to write their own original tunes.

Michael Brecker Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Saxophonist/composer Michael Brecker (born March 29, 1949) was one of the most recorded saxophonists of all time. Over his four-decade career he appeared on over 900 recordings as a leader and sideman and received fifteen Grammys. His virtuoso saxophone technique and soulful expressiveness made him a clear favorite of a whole generation of players who fell under his influence, setting the bar extremely high for anyone trying to emulate his prodigious abilities.

Carla Bley Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

Pianist, organist, composer, and bandleader Carla Bley (born May 11, 1936) considered herself primarily a composer, saying she was 99% composer and 1% pianist. She associated herself with the avant guard movement, allying herself with musicians like Charlie Haden, Michael Mantler, and others in her cutting edge ensembles, she organized the Jazz Composers Guild in the 1960s featuring many of the most innovative musicians in NYC at the time, and her record label released recordings of Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd and Clifford Thornton.

Burton Lane Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Composer and lyricist Burton Lane (born Feb 2, 1912) is perhaps best remembered as the composer of the hit Broadway shows "Finian’s Rainbow" and "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever", but he had a long and distinguished career writing for films and the stage, and his tunes are much loved vehicles for jazz musicians.

Richie Bierach May 27, 2026

Show notes

Pianist and composer Richie Beirach (born May 23, 1947) made hundreds of recordings, both as a leader of his own groups, and as part of a long-standing duo with saxophonist Dave Liebman. He taught jazz piano in Leipzig, Germany at the University of Music and Theater and lived in Germany up to his death earlier this year.

Keith Jarrett May 20, 2026

Show notes

Pianist /composer Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) has had a long and distinguished career performing with his own groups, making a succession of solo piano recordings, and playing with the bands of Miles Davis, Art Blakey and Charles Lloyd. In recent years he has been sidelined by the effects of a stroke which tragically left him without the use of his right hand.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected