June 14 - Playlist

Chris Botti - The Way You Look Tonight (Italia)
Weather Report - Corner Pocket (Sportin' Life)
John Kirby Sextet - Blue Fantasy (John Kirby)

Chick Corea - Antarctica (The Continents)*

Gary Burton Quintet - Intermission Music (Dreams So Real)
Esperanza Spalding - Endangered Species (Radio Music Society)*

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Georgia On My Mind (Gone With The Wind)
Dexter Gordon - Second Balcony Jump (Go!)

Duke Ellington/Coleman Hawkins - Wanderlust (Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins)
Donald Byrd - Alter Ego (Jazz For A Lazy Day)

Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane - Ruby My Dear (Riverside Jazz)
Joel Vanderheyden - Pees And Deeto (Complete Life)

Stan Getz - Dane's Chant (The Song Is You)
Tito Puente & His Latin Ensemble - Take Five (Jazz At The 19th Hole)

The Beach Boys - Think About The Days (That's Why God Made The Radio)*
Ella Fitzgerald - Black Coffee (The Intimate Ella)
Shirley Horn - My Funny Valentine (I Remember Miles)
Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight (The Complete Reprise)

* indicates Recent Release

June 7 - Playlist

Ben Webster Quintet - Makin' Whoopee (Soulville)
Chuck Corea & Friends - I'll Keep Loving You (Remembering Bud Powell)

Monty Alexander - Little Darlin' (Live At The Iridium)
Monty Alexander Trio - Creole Love Call (Impressions In Blue)

Jazz Crusaders - Native Dancer (Lighthouse '68)
Jimmy Heath - Studio Style (The Time And The Place)

Herbie Hancock - Hidden Shadows (The Essential Herbie Hancock)
Tommy Dorsey - The Blue Room (An Anthology Of Big Band Swing)

Kenny Barron - The Question Is (Spirit Song)
Stan Getz/Kenny Barron - Allison's Waltz (People Time - The Complete Recordings)

Jack McDuff - Another Real Good 'Un (SoulJazz)
Roy Hargrove Presents The RH Factor - Pastor "T" (Hard Groove)

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Hometown Blues (Back Home)
Brecker Brothers - Above & Below (The Return Of The Brecker Brothers)

Paul McCartney - Only Our Hearts (Kisses On The Bottom)*
Harry Nilsson - As Time Goes By (A Little Touch Of Schmilsson in The Night)
Tony Bennett - I Wish I Were In Love Again (Perfectly Frank)
Frank Sinatra - Makin' Whoopee (Songs For Swingin' Lovers!)

 * indicates Recent Release

May 17 - Playlist

Miles Davis - There's No You (Collector's Items)
Esperanza Spalding - Radio Song (Radio Music Society)*

Cedar Walton/Hank Mobley Quintet - House On Maple Street (Breakthrough!)
Eastern Rebellion - Roni's Decision (Simple Pleasure)

Pat Martino - Draw Me Down (Night Wings)

John Lewis - The Stranger (The Wonderful World Of Jazz)
John Coltrane - The Promise (Live At Birdland)

Dave Brubeck Quartet - New Wine (New Wine)
Stan Getz & Arthur Fiedler - Love Is For The Very Young (At Tanglewood)

Stevie Wonder - Bird Of Beauty (Fulfillingness' First Finale)
War - The World Is A Ghetto (The World Is A Ghetto)

Bobby Hutcherson - Whisper Not (SoulJazz)
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Chance Encounters (Act Your Age)

Rosemary Clooney - Everything Happens to Me (Jazz At The 19th Hole)
Milton Nascimento/Jobim Trio - Chega De Saudade (Novas Bossas)
Frank Sinatra - There's No You (Where Are You?)

* indicates Recent Release

May 10 - Playlist

Gene Harris Quartet - Nice 'N' Easy (Jazz At The 19th Hole)
Stan Getz - Major General (The Song Is You)

Benny Golson - Voyage (Up, Jumped, Spring)
Benny Golson - Killer Joe (Best Of Benny Golson)

Horace Silver - The African Queen (The Cape Verdean Blues)
Sidney Bechet - Wild Man Blues (Blues In Thirds)

Dave Liebman Quartet - G.I.G. (Negative Space)
Charles Mingus - GG Train (Mingus Ah Um)

Ahmad Jamal - M*A*S*H Theme (M*A*S*H Soundtrack)
Phil Woods - Prelude To A Kiss (Live At The Village Vanguard)

Chick Corea - America (The Continents)

Bill Evans Trio - Very Early (Moon Beams)
Benny Golson - Up, Jumped, Spring (Up, Jumped, Spring)

Paul McCartney - More I Cannot Wish You (Kisses On The Bottom)*
Nnenna Freelon - Until You Come Back to Me (Tales Of Wonder)
Frank Sinatra - Nice 'N' Easy (Nice 'N' Easy)

* indicates recent release

Coming Soon!

JAZZ...OR SOMETHING LIKE IT returns to 91.7 FM WMUH Allentown on May 10.

Be there, or be   !

Jazz Ramblings...and other Idle Thoughts

Greetings:

I take pen in hand (so to speak)(and being fully aware of the dearth of readership of this blog)(not to mention my annoying proclivity toward parenthetical comments)...where was I?

Oh yes, I just picked up a copy of Sir Paul's new CD "Kisses On The Bottom" and I can't praise it enough.  Having heard only a few preview tracks, but liking the looks of the song list, I took a flyer, and was not just pleasantly surprised, but nearly blown away.  This rare juxtaposition of outstanding jazz musicians (the instantly recognizable Diana Krall and John Pizzarelli to name just two) in support of McCartney's almost delicate voicing of some vintage songs is elegant and sublime.  In particular, his reading of the Frank Loesser's gem More I Cannot Wish You brings a tear to my eye.

 

I realize that aging Pop singers recording the Great American Songbook is no longer a novelty (notwithstanding Rod Stewart's efforts, which I loathe, there have been some nice discs in this area of late by a wide range of singers the likes of Boz Scaggs, Willie Nelson and Gladys Knight), but it's Paul McCartney, folks.  I was tickled by his liner-note comments of being nervous in Capitol Studios singing into Nat "King" Cole's microphone and in the face of all the accomplished "jazz players" (imagine how they felt).  Interestingly enough, his voice sounded most in command while performing his two originals.  "Kisses On The Bottom" evokes for me nothing so much as Harry Nilsson's classic recording "A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night," songs in the same vein recorded with the great Gordon Jenkins and a full orchestra back in the 70's.  I still have the vinyl of that one.  (Both recordings have Always and Paper Moon in common).

When I do get back on the air, we will hear this fine recording.  I hope it won't be long.

Peace.

GREETINGS!

It is with equal parts of wistfulness and relief that I announce a brief Sabbatical for "Jazz...Or Something Like It."  I'm taking a few months off to rest, recharge and tend to other aspects of my life.  Thank you for your support; I shall return.  See you soon!