Celebrating Baseballs Opening Day 2026 with this week's episode. Really the only track that relates to baseball is the first one by B3 organist Joey D. The balance of the show is music I have been listening to this week. We wrap up the show with the archival release of a 1964 Duke Ellington concert.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joey DeFrancesco ~ Take Me out to the Ballgame ~ Joey D!
Weather Report ~ A Remark You Made ~ Heavy Weather
ARTEMIS ~ Sights Unseen ~ ARBORESQUE
Noah Preminger & Max Light ~ Everything Means Nothing To Me ~  Single
Shai Maestro ~ GG's Metamorphosis ~ The Guesthouse
Matt Dwonszyk ~ Mode For Rene ~ Matt Dwonszyk Live at the Side Door
Duke Ellington ~ Isfahan ~ Copenhagen 1964
Duke Ellington ~ Medley: Black and Tan Fantasy, The Mooche & Creole Love Call ~ Copenhagen 1964

Classic jazz albums bookend new artists from both coasts. Plus there are some interesting covers of Metheny tunes from guitarist Peter Sprague and vocalist Leonard Patton.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Lee Morgan ~ Mr. Kenyatta ~ Search for the New Land
Matt Dwonszyk ~ Stage Dive ~ Matt Dwonszyk Live at the Side Door
Ian Harland ~ Four-Flat Blues ~ Behind Bars
Shai Maestro ~ Moon of Knives ~ The Guesthouse
Shai Maestro ~ Gloria ~ The Guesthouse
Peter Sprague ~ Life Loves Lone Jack ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 1
Peter Sprague ~ Going with Me ~ Peter Sprague Plays Pat Metheny, Vol. 2
Alice Coltrane ~ Journey in Satchidananda ~ Journey in Satchidananda

More new music in this week's show. The first half are established artists with national/international touring bands. The second have are young jazz cats, some with a local following that are making a name for themselves with creative new sounds and music.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joshua Redman ~ Icarus ~ Words Fall Short
Chris Potter ~ Osawatomie Brown ~ Alive With Ghosts Today
Noah Preminger ~ Hummus ~ Dark Days 
Pat Metheny ~ Make a New World ~ Side-Eye III+
Dolphin Hyperspace ~ The Life of a Bee ~ ECHOLOCATION
Shai Maestro ~ Nature Boy ~ The Guesthouse
Justin Joyce ~ Dos Hermanos ~ Almost Familiar
Carsten Dahl Experience ~ You Stepped Out of a Dream ~ Into the Storm

Perhaps the heart and soul of this episode is the collaboration of Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane from the album The Elements. The other recording that deserves attention is the release of guitarist Pat Metheny' Side-Eye III+. Not only did Pat's album drop this week, but he has begun a tour of the US and Europe. I'm looking forward to seeing Metheny in May as I already have my tickets.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Clarke, Rushen & Chancler ~ Take Five ~ Standards
Joe Henderson & Alice Coltrane ~ Fire ~ The Elements
Joe Henderson ~ Black Narcissus ~ Power To The People
Pat Metheny ~ SE-O ~ Side-Eye III+
Nicole McCabe ~ Twister ~ Color Theory
Dave Holland, Norma Winstone ~ Not Waving But Drowning ~ Vital Spark
McCoy Tyner ~ Fly With The Wind ~ Fly With The Wind

Another eclectic mix. From a 1957 recording from alto sax player Art Pepper to brand new releases from tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger, and other iconic jazz artists in between. Enjoy this musically diverse set list.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Art Pepper ~ You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To ~ Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
Ian Harland ~ Blues For Bobbie ~ Behind Bars
Lyle Mays ~ Slink ~ Lyle Mays
Pat Metheny Group ~ James ~ Offramp
Pat Metheny Group ~ Last Train Home ~ Still Life (Talking)
Noah Preminger & Max Light ~ Blooming Coldblood ~ Blooming Coldblood - Single
Noah Preminger ~ Mopti ~ Dark Days
Kurt Elling & WDR Big Band ~ Steppin' Out ~ In The Brass Palace

An eclectic mix of music this week with no real theme. We have new releases, bebop from the 60's and jazz rock fusion. Open your mind and enjoy the full breadth of what jazz music can be.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Kurt Elling & WDR Big Band ~ They Speak No Evil ~ In The Brass Palace
Vi Redd ~ If I Should Lose You ~ Bird Call
Vi Redd ~ Now's the Time ~ Bird Call
Phil Woods ~ The Last Page ~ Musique du bois
Brandon Sanders ~ 8/4 Beat ~ Lasting Impression
Andrew Renfroe ~ BIG COUNTRY ~ POP LOGIC
Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin & Paco de Lucía ~ Meeting of the Spirits ~ Saturday Night in San Francisco

This episode kicks off with the iconic Valentine's day tune My Funny Valentine with a unique interpretation by vocalist extraordinaire Dianne Reeves. The rest of the playlist is vibraphone heavy with contributions from San Diego's Ian Harland as well as several tracks that include Joel Ross as both a leader and sideman. Also featured is Hartford's hard working bassist Matt Dwonszyk. 

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Dianne Reeves ~ My Funny Valentine ~ The Palo Alto Sessions 1981-1985
Ian Harland ~ Hitchcock ~ Behind Bars
Ian Harland ~ Four-Flat Blues ~ Behind Bars
Joe Farnsworth ~ You Already Know ~ The Big Room
Matt Dwonszyk ~ Peaceful World ~ A Year and a Day
Matt Dwonszyk ~ Morning Dreams ~ Morning Dreams - Single
Anthony Fung ~ Duid Deed ~ Duid Deed - Single
Julian Lage ~ Havens ~ Scenes From Above
Joel Ross ~ The Shadowlands ~ Gospel Music

All selections in this episode are from recent releases. Some of these you may never had heard of, like Brandon Sanders or Justin Joyce. Some like Joel Ross, Julian Lage or artists in Out Of/Into are young players with active touring bands. Then we have the jazz masters like Metheny, Scofield and Holland. Jazz is here to stay as a creative force in music.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Brandon Sanders ~ Tales of Mississippi ~ Lasting Impression
Joel Ross ~ Hostile ~ Gospel Music
Out Of/Into ~ Brothers In Arms ~ Motion II
Justin Joyce ~ That Was Never ~ Almost Familiar
Pat Metheny ~ Don't Look Down ~ Don't Look Down - EP
Julian Lage ~ Talking Drum ~ Scenes From Above
John Scofield & Dave Holland ~ Mine Are Blues ~ Memories of Home
Sam Yahel ~ Strum It ~ Quiet Flow

In this episode, we pay tribute to the spirit of Minneapolis as the city resists a heavy-handed federal ICE presence. We honor the memories of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, whose lives were taken during protests against these federal actions. This playlist features jazz artists with roots in the Twin Cities, ranging from local talents to national acts.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
The Bad Plus ~ Long Distance Runaround ~ For All I Care
The Bad Plus ~ Smells Like Teen Spirit ~ These Are The Vistas
José James ~ Lovely Day ~ Lean On Me
Bobby McFerrin ~ Joshua ~ SpiritYouAll
Craig Taborn ~ When Kabuya Dances ~ Dream Archives
Society of Chemists ~ transactional kindness by candlelight - Single
Zacc Harris ~ This Land Is Your Land ~ American Reverie
Atlantis Quartet ~ You Are Here ~ Live at Berlin
Connie Evingson ~ Lullaby of the Leaves ~ Gypsy In My Soul
Russ Kaplan ~ Leopard Frog ~ Lake Songs
Jennifer Grimm ~ Minneapolis & St. Paul ~ After Noon

Jazz artists have a history of making political statements. Mingus, Max, Rollins and Nina are among those. Recently there have been several jazz artists that have made a statement to this administration for the taking over the respected Kennedy Center for the Arts. We honor them here. Chuck Redd, The Cookers and Bela Fleck have cancelled their scheduled appearances at the Center in protest.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Chuck Redd ~ A Groove for Gail ~ Groove City
Chuck Redd ~ Lonely Woman ~ Groove City
The Cookers ~ Capra Black ~ Warriors
Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda & Antonio Sánchez ~ Touch and Go ~ BEATrio
Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein & Bill Stewart ~ FU Donald ~ Perpetual Pendulum
Charlie Haden ~ This Is Not America ~ Not In Our Name
Les McCann & Eddie Harris ~ Compared to What ~ Swiss Movement
John Coltrane ~ Alabama ~ Live At Birdland

At the center of this episode is music from alumni of the Jackie McLean Institute for Jazz, University of Hartford where this show is broadcast. Also music from jazz greats Rollins, Pepper and Miles.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension ~ Lock Down Blues ~ Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2022
Tony Davis ~ Trinkets From Mars ~ Jessamine
Brandee Younger ~ End Means ~ Gadabout Season
Sarah Hanahan ~ NATO ~ Among Giants
Al Foster ~ Pent-Up House ~ Live at Smoke
Sonny Rollins ~ How High the Moon ~ Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Art Pepper ~ You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To ~ Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section
Miles Davis ~ Joshua ~ Seven Steps To Heaven