Episode 71:: Power of Observation

September 2010 brought free, live, public, high-caliber Jazz to Washington, DC, and as promised in an earlier episode, I am bringing it to you in all the low-fidelity glory you would expect from an a personal recorder hidden amongst the crowd. The main stage acts were Jason Moran and The Bad Plus, two very different approaches to the venerable piano trio alternately hailed as the future (or death) of modern Jazz. Both were celebrating 10 year band anniversaries, and each recently released a new album, from which they drew heavily for their playlists. Other than a willingness to ignore convention, that's about where the similarities end. You can find my full report here. We'll start our show with a similarly-minded artist of an earlier age. Enjoy!

Audio

Playlist

1. Thelonious Monk - Crepuscule with Nellie - Monk's Music
2. Jason Moran - Crepuscule with Nellie - Rosslyn Jazz Festival (RJF)
3. Jason Moran - Life Every Voice - Artist in Residence
4. Jason Moran - Nobody - RJF 2010
5. The Bad Plus - Big Eater - RJF 2010
6. The Bad Plus - And Here We Test Our Powers of Observation - RJF 2010
7. The Bad Plus - The Radio Tower Has a Beating Heart - RJF 2010
8. The Bad Plus - You Are - RJF 2010

::WSRP:: this webradioblog actually has a beeping server.

Episode 70:: Celebrate September!

Mid-September is an important time in the recording industry - Jazz or otherwise - for album releases. In our national memory, it has become a focus of intense, at times even blinding, patriotism. It is also the time of the Rosslyn Jazz Festival, a free Jazz event in DC with major national talent (stay tuned for live recordings). On a personal note, 4 people who are special to me celebrate their birthday on September 9, 10, 11 and 12. Somewhere in the rough mixture of all these influences emerges Episode 70: Birthdays, new releases, festival bands, and somber remembrance. Free, Fun, and Fair Trade approved.

Audio

Playlist

1. The Bad Plus - Super America - Never Stop
2. Roy Ayers - Wave - Stoned Soul Picnic
3. The Bad Plus - Never Stop - Never Stop
4. The Bad Plus - You Are - Never Stop
5. The Bad Plus - Beryl Loves to Dance - Never Stop
6. Vijay Iyer - One for Blount - Solo
7. Vijay Iyer - Human Nature - Solo
8. Sonny Rollins - Why Was I Born - Without a Song: the 9/11 Concert

::WSRP:: looks forward to meeting the band ballsy enough to call itself The Minus Good.

Episode 69:: Various Artists

The conversion from CD to digital music seems to be shifting, for the first time in 50+ years, the marketing maneuver of the Compilation release. While the idea of a one-artist album has been the norm in the music industry since the 10" LP emerged, the earliest recordings were done as single sides, and only later combined - sometimes with recordings by the same artist, and sometimes not - into "albums" of 78 rpm discs.

Over this half-century, the Compilation was a device specifically designed to broaden the audience. They assume a consumer who likes one or two artists on the album may end up liking more artists if exposed to them, and so the Compilation introduces them to "like" artists. Because the point is to sell records, Compilations often present the cream-of-the-crop from each band, and preserve in cheap, mass-produced format some of the exceedingly fine recordings which might otherwise be available only on more rare, more valuable, discs.

So this week we'll listen to a selection of songs from Various Artists as preserved on 6 different vinyl Compilation albums, most of which is not accessible in a digital format.

Audio

Playlist

1. Art Tatum - Plaid - Masterpieces
2. Cannonball Adderley - Soon - Songs of George Gershwin
3. Junior Mance - Summertime - Songs of George Gershwin
4. Don Byas/ Slam Stewart - Indiana - Town Hall 1945
5. Stuff Smith - Perdido - Town Hall 1945
6. Al Grey - Rompin' - Best of Argo
7. Roland Kirk - The Call - Best of Argo
8. Sonny Rollins - Lust for Life - Bop Lives
9. Eric Dolphy - Jitterbug Waltz - Bop Lives
10. Billie Holliday - Strange Fruit - Verve Essential Vocalists
11. Anita O'Day - Sweet Georgia Brown - Verve Essential Vocalists
12. Billy Eckstein - Caravan - Verve Essential Vocalists

::WSRP:: Put this on your Mix Tape and Smoke it. If successful, call a doctor in the morning.

Episode 68:: Needlework

While the irony of an anti-technology, retro-philic webradioblog is not lost on this independent content producer, large segments of our Jazz heritage simply do not exist - and probably will never exist - in a digital format. For the last 1-2 decades, we could talk convincingly about how not all of Miles Davis's recordings were on CD... "yet," but as we enter the second decade of the 21st century, it's about time we faced the facts. Not all Jazz will be with us in the digital age. Sure, we'll save the high profile stuff, and essentially anything with a commercially-viable name affixed to it is likely to get at least one CD issue before CDs go the way of the cassette. But this will still leave the majority of Jazz recordings, by many of the greats and all of the lesser lights, completely inaccessible to a digital audience, and in the worse case scenario, lost to Jazz fans for all time.

It's something to think about, and it brings us to this week's episode, playing music exclusively from vinyl. Ok, it's not as strong a message as it could be - several of these songs are available in digital format - but not all, and that's the point I'm trying to make. Enjoy.

Audio

Playlist

1. Count Basie/ Billy Eckstein - Little Mama - Basie/Eckstein, Inc.
2. Max Roach - Memo to Maurice - On the Chicago Scene
3. Stan Getz/ Charlie Byrd - Samba de Una Nota So - Jazz Samba
4. Dick Sutton Sextet w/ Steve Lacy - Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise - Jazz Idiom
5. Hank Mobley - Chain Reaction - Straight, No Filter
6. Lionel Hampton - High Society - Jivin' the Vibes
7. Lionel Hampton - It Don't Mean a Thing, if it Ain't Got that Swing - Jivin' the Vibes
8. Dave Brubeck - Nomad - Jazz Impressions of Eurasia

::WSRP:: the Washington State Republican Party and Wisan Smith Racker & Prescott, LLP have each contributed to this project's stubborn refusal to take itself seriously. Thank You.

Episode 67:: Newport Jazz Festival 2010

Like any TV series, sports franchise or wise old elephant that's been around for more than half a century, the Newport Jazz Festival has had its good, and not-so-good, years. The sheer brilliance of its founding in 1954 was quickly eclipsed by the legendary moments and luminous artists that graced its stages by the droves. It has spawned controversy, even driven some to found 'rebel' festivals in protest, and since the 1980s has been often criticized for drowning Jazz content in crass capitalist commercialism. In 2009, the festival took an abrupt turn - in the right direction - with the return of its founder, George Wein, and the 2010 festival bore all the rewards.

For this week's episode of WSRP, we will listen to songs from some of the best acts recorded live, just 1 week ago! This tremendous access and turnaround is only possible due to the good folks at NPR, the generosity of the participating musicians, and the cooperation of the CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival itself. To all of them, I say "thank you," and to you the listener, I say "enjoy."

Audio

Playlist

1. Matt Wilson - If I Were a Boy
2. Amina Figarova - Ernie's Song
3. Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstacy - United Front
4. Ben Allison & Man-Sized Safe - Kramer vs. Kramer vs. Godzilla
5. Rez Abassi Acoustic Quartet - Personal Mountain
6. Fly trio - Lady B
7. David Binney 3rd Occasion Quartet - Aliso

::WSRP:: We don't just bring you Jazz history; We Are Jazz History.

Episode 66:: Monday Morning Blues

The title is allusion to more than just my slightly tardy "weekly" deadline, but rather to the true theme of this show: the blues. Or at least, some vestiges of the blues in a variety of Jazz and semi/non-Jazz environments. Think of this not as a Blues episode, but a Jazz episode that has a case of the (little-b) blues. You'll find no Sonny Liston Smith, Keb 'Mo or BB King in these playlists, but rather a selection of guitar-inflected AABA tales of remorse for the wrongs of one's past and the rights (rites?) of music present.

Audio

Playlist

1. Tiny Grimes - Durn Tootin' - Tiny Grimes In Swingville
2. Milt Jackson - Five O'Clock in the Morning - The Prophet Speaks
3. Lionel Hampton - Hamp's Salty Blues - Midnight Sun
4. Grant Green - Iron City - Iron City
5. Stanley Turrentine with the 3 Sounds - Blue Riff - Blue Hour: The Complete Sessions
6. Louis Armstrong - St. James Infirmary - The Complete RCA Recordings
7. Lou Rawls - St. James Inrfirmary (live)
8. Cassandra Wilson - St. James Infirmary - Loverly
9. The White Stripes - St. James Infirmary - Elephant
10. Charles Mingus - Hog Callin' Blues - The Complete Atlantic Recordings

::WSRP:: ::WSRP:: ::WSR-got-it-in-my-soul-P:: ::WSRP::