The Jazz Real Book

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John Lee and Paquito D’Rivera on Dizzy Gillespie May 21, 2026

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John Lee and Paquito D’Rivera On Dizzy Gillespie

WBGO presents the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars with John Lee and special guest Paquito D’Rivera as part of the All That Jazz concert series at UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage in New Jersey on Saturday, June 6, with performances at 5 PM and 8 PM. Guests can also enjoy cocktails and live piano by Leonieke Scheuble in the WBGO Piano Lounge before each show, with the lobby opening at 4 PM and 7 PM respectively. The concert celebrates the music and legacy of Dizzy Gillespie through performances of classics including “A Night in Tunisia,” “Salt Peanuts,” “Con Alma,” “Groovin’ High,” and “Blue ‘N’ Boogie.”

Bassist and producer John Lee performed with Gillespie from 1984 through 1993 in the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Big Band, and the GRAMMY-winning United Nation Orchestra. Following Gillespie’s passing, Lee was asked by the Gillespie family to continue presenting the trumpeter’s music through the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars. Beyond his work with Gillespie, Lee has collaborated with major artists including Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Roy Hargrove, and Aretha Franklin while also producing more than 100 recordings as co-founder of Jazz Legacy Productions.

Special guest Paquito D’Rivera is internationally recognized as one of the most important figures in Latin jazz and contemporary classical music. Born in Havana, Cuba, D’Rivera has earned 16 GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Awards while building a career that seamlessly blends jazz, Afro-Cuban music, Brazilian traditions, tango, and classical composition. A recipient of both the NEA Jazz Masters Award and the National Medal of the Arts, he has become known for his virtuosic clarinet and saxophone work as well as his role as a global ambassador for Latin jazz. His appearance with the Gillespie All Stars connects directly to Gillespie’s own pioneering fusion of bebop and Afro-Cuban music traditions.

https://ucpac.org/event/dizzy-gillespie-all-stars/

Four and Miles Davis’ First Great Quintet May 17, 2026

Show notes

“Four” and Miles Davis’ First Great Quintet

“Four” became one of the signature performances associated with Miles Davis’ First Great Quintet, one of the most influential small groups in jazz history. Formed in 1955, the ensemble featured John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones. Their version of “Four,” particularly the recording on the album Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, helped establish the tune as a modern jazz standard.

The group balanced bebop sophistication with blues feeling, swing, and melodic clarity. Miles Davis approached the tune with restraint and space, allowing his phrases to breathe rather than relying on technical excess. John Coltrane, still developing the “sheets of sound” approach that would later define his style, brought urgency and harmonic depth to the performance. Red Garland’s elegant block chords, Paul Chambers’ flowing bass lines, and Philly Joe Jones’ explosive yet conversational drumming created one of the greatest rhythm sections in jazz history. Together, the quintet transformed “Four” into a model of hard bop interplay, sophistication, and rhythmic drive.

Miles Davis (1954)

Miles Davis with the First Great Quintet

The Jazz Real Book Podcast Vol. 2

Chick Corea- Now He Sings, Now He Sobs May 14, 2026

Show notes

Chick Corea- Now He Sings, Now He Sobs(Solid State Records)

Released December 1968

Now He Sings, Now He Sobs captures Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitouš, and Roy Haynes in a rare moment of complete musical connection and creative freedom. Although somewhat ignored upon release, the album has since become one of the defining piano trio recordings in modern jazz history. Corea’s compositions balance angular post-bop lines, open improvisation, rhythmic experimentation, and abstract textures, while Vitouš brings the fearless intensity of a young bass virtuoso and Haynes supplies his legendary snap-crackle rhythmic imagination. Tracks such as “Steps – What Was,” “Matrix,” and the title tune reveal a trio functioning as a single organism rather than a pianist backed by rhythm section players. The music channels the adventurous spirit of Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet and the Bill Evans Trio while pushing the piano trio format into more exploratory territory. This is not casual background jazz or music aimed at mass appeal. It demands attention, openness, and patience. For listeners willing to engage with its intensity and complexity, the album remains one of the true masterpieces of late-1960s modern jazz. (S5-EP 19)

Oteil Burbridge and Lamar Williams Jr. Interview-The Offering Album May 12, 2026

Show notes

Oteil Burbridge and Lamar Williams Jr. represent two generations of Southern-rooted improvisational music coming together through groove, soul, and message-driven songwriting. Burbridge is widely known for his work with the Dead & Company, the Allman Brothers Band, Aquarium Rescue Unit, and Tedeschi Trucks Band, where his fluid bass playing and deep jazz-funk vocabulary made him one of the most respected improvisers in modern jam and fusion music. Williams Jr., son of former Allman Brothers bassist Lamar Williams, has emerged as a powerful vocalist carrying forward the emotional intensity and Southern soul tradition connected to the Allman legacy.

Their 2026 collaborative album, The Offering, blends gospel harmonies, roots music, improvisational rock, and reflective songwriting into a warm and spiritually minded recording. Recorded in Iceland’s Flóki Studios, the album favors feel and atmosphere over flashy virtuosity, though the musicianship throughout is excellent. Songs like “The Way We Rise” and “Love & War” balance uplifting lyrical themes with earthy grooves and melodic depth. The project feels less like a commercial crossover effort and more like two musicians searching for sincerity, community, and healing through music.

Oteil Burbridge and Lamar Williams Jr.- The Offering

Forest Flower and Charles Lloyd May 10, 2026

Show notes

“Forest Flower” and Charles Lloyd (133)

“Forest Flower” stands as one of the defining jazz compositions of the 1960s and remains closely associated with Charles Lloyd and his groundbreaking quartet. Built around shifting modal harmony, alternating Latin and swing feels, and a floating melodic structure, the composition captures both sophistication and openness. Rather than relying on traditional bebop harmonic movement, the tune unfolds through colorful major seventh sonorities and spacious melodic phrasing, creating an atmospheric and almost spiritual quality. The famous live recording from the album Forest Flower: Charles Lloyd at Monterey became a rare jazz crossover success, reaching rock audiences and helping expand jazz visibility during the late 1960s.

Lloyd’s performance balances lyricism with freedom, while the quartet featuring Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee, and Jack DeJohnette demonstrates extraordinary collective interplay. Jarrett’s piano work is especially dynamic, and DeJohnette’s explosive rhythmic energy adds dramatic momentum. More than simply a jazz standard, “Forest Flower” represents a bridge between modern jazz, world influences, and the countercultural spirit of its era, helping establish Lloyd as one of jazz’s most spiritually expressive and enduring voices.

Chico Hamilton

Charles Lloyd

The Jazz Real Book Podcast Playlist Vol.2

Interview with Mitch Glickman -A Symphonic Jazz Salute to Maurice White May 05, 2026

Show notes

The Symphonic Jazz Orchestra’s “Salute to Maurice White” concerts take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026 (7:30 PM) and Sunday, May 10, 2026 (7:00 PM) at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, California. Tickets and additional information are available through the orchestra’s official site: SJOMusic.org.

Under the direction of Mitch Glickman, the program features orchestral arrangements of Earth, Wind & Fire material by a strong lineup of jazz composers and arrangers, including John Clayton, Derrick Hodge, Vince Mendoza, Marshall Gilkes, and Glickman himself. These contributors reshape White’s catalog into a symphonic jazz setting while maintaining its rhythmic vitality and melodic identity. The program also includes the world premiere of White’s rediscovered orchestral work Passages, co-composed with Bill Meyers and reconstructed for this performance

(I Love You) For Sentimental Reason and Dean Martin May 03, 2026

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“I Love You For Sentimental Reason” and Dean Martin (122)

“I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)” is a classic American ballad written in 1945 by William “Pat” Best and Deek Watson, emerging at the close of World War II when audiences gravitated toward direct, emotionally sincere songs. First popularized by the Nat King Cole Trio in 1946, the version became definitive, reaching No. 1 on the R&B charts and crossing into the pop mainstream. The song’s strength lies in its simplicity—both lyrically and musically. Rather than relying on narrative complexity, it presents love as an honest, almost conversational confession, which gives it lasting appeal.

Structurally, it follows a 32-bar AABA form typical of the Great American Songbook, with clear harmonic movement that invites interpretation. Its ballad tempo allows singers to explore phrasing, tone, and timing, making it a favorite for jazz vocalists. Later versions, including the legendary Dean Martin’s more relaxed, orchestral take, highlight how style and delivery can reshape the song’s emotional character while preserving its intimate core.

The Real Book Vol. 2

Nat King Cole Trio

Dean Martin

Eric Darius Interview May 01, 2026

Show notes

Eric Darius is a contemporary jazz saxophone master whose career bridges strong musical roots with a clear connection to modern audiences. Born in 1982 he grew up in a deeply musical household, with a bassist father and a mother who sang and played piano. Early exposure to Caribbean influences tied to his Haitian and Jamaican heritage, along with artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, and George Benson, helped shape his stylistic versatility. He discovered the saxophone at age nine after a powerful church performance, quickly committing himself to the instrument. By eleven, he was touring internationally with Sonny LaRosa’s America’s Youngest Jazz Band, including an appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. His debut album Night on the Town (2004) marked his arrival on the national scene. Since then, Darius has built a career defined by energetic performances, chart-topping hits, crossover appeal, and ongoing work as both a recording artist and educator.

Marc Turner Interview Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Mark Turner is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonists of his generation, known for his intricate harmonic language, strong rhythmic sense, and deeply introspective improvisational style. Emerging in the 1990s, Turner quickly established himself through collaborations with artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Brad Mehldau, Billy Hart, and others, helping define a modern post-bop aesthetic rooted in tradition while still pushing forward. Turner has also been closely associated with ECM Records, where his work as both a leader and sideman reflects a refined and spacious sonic approach. His trio Fly, featuring drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier, released three records between 2004 and 2012, showcasing a collective, chordless trio concept built on texture, interaction, and dialogue. His new quartet record, Patternmaster, with trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Jonathan Pinson, continues the modern vision heard on 2022’s Return from the Stars.

For Heaven's Sake and Kenny Barron Apr 26, 2026

Show notes

“For Heaven’s Sake” and Kenny Barron (121)

“For Heaven’s Sake” is a 32-bar standard that reflects the postwar Great American Songbook tradition, balancing lyrical intimacy with subtle harmonic sophistication. Its melodic design is tightly organized, with recurring rhythmic figures and a descending contour that creates a strong sense of forward motion and resolution. The harmony moves fluidly through ii–V progressions and chromatic passing chords, offering a rich but logical framework for improvisation. These elements make the tune especially adaptable, allowing performers to shape it as either a ballad or a medium swing vehicle while preserving its emotional core.

Kenny Barron is one of the most lyrical pianists in modern jazz, known for his refined touch, harmonic depth, and effortless swing. His playing combines bebop fluency with impressionistic color, resulting in a style that feels both sophisticated and accessible. Whether accompanying or soloing, Barron maintains a clear melodic focus and dynamic sense of shape. His long career, including work with Stan Getz, highlights his consistency and musical sensitivity, while his compositions and teaching have further solidified his influence.

The Real Book Vol. 2

Billie Holiday

Kenny Barron

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