In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

Ken Laster

From Jazz masters of past and present to emerging new artists performing modern jazz and fusion. No smooth jazz here!

  • 59 minutes 58 seconds
    Episode Nov 10 2024

    This week's show is an eclectic mix. It was recorded in the week following the elections and perhaps reflective of my emotions during this time. There is no real theme to the selections, and is music I have been listening to recently.

    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Joe Henderson ~ Short Story ~ In 'n Out 
    McCoy Tyner ~ When Sunny Gets Blue ~ Today and Tomorrow
    Lori Bell Quartet ~ Inner Urge ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson
    Nduduzo Makhathini ~ Water Spirits: Iyana ~ uNomkhubulwane
    Miroslav Vitous ~ I Will Tell Him On You ~ Infinite Search
    Weather Report ~ 125th Street Congress ~ Sweetnighter
    Charlie Haden ~ This Is Not America ~ Not In Our Name

    10 November 2024, 11:03 am
  • 59 minutes 2 seconds
    Election Day 2024

    Today's show begins with a reminder to vote on or before Election Day, Nov 5, 2024. Let's start with a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie's run for President in 1964. That's followed by Ella's Vote for Mr. Rhythm. A new posthumous release from trumpeter Roy Hargrove has a track, Kamala's Dance (written for Roy's daughter). After that is just some music I have been listening to this past week.

    Playlist 
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Dizzy Gillespie ~ Salt Peanuts ~ Groovin' High
    Ella Fitzgerald ~ Vote For Mister Rhythm ~ The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1: 1935-1939
    Roy Hargrove ~ Kamala's Dance ~ Grande-Terre
    Roy Hargrove ~ Ethiopia ~ Grande-Terre
    Jackie McLean ~ Star Eyes ~ Nature Boy
    The Dave Brubeck Quartet ~ The City Is Crying ~ Jazz Impressions of Japan
    David Borgo ~ Relational View ~ Persistence
    Steve Davis ~ Milestones ~ We See
    Wayne Shorter ~ Orbits ~ Celebration, Volume 1

    3 November 2024, 11:03 am
  • 58 minutes 53 seconds
    More Cross-Coastal

    Following my recent themes of music from SoCal and New England, I will feature music that exemplifies some of the fine jazz artists from these two areas of the country. Also, we close out the show with classic guitar work from Kenny Burrell and brand new music from Imannuel Wilkins.

     

    Playlist
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Rob Thorsen ~ Dexterity ~ Lasting Impression
    Gilbert Castellanos ~ Bilad as Sudan ~ Espérame En El Cielo
    Mackenzie Leighton ~ November ~ I Remember
    Steve Davis ~ To Wisdom, the Prize ~ We See
    Abena Koomson-Davis ~ Everyday I Have the Blues ~ Where Is Love
    Matt Dwonszyk ~ It's Donny Time ~ Donny Time
    Kenny Burrell ~ Kenny's Sound ~ Midnight Blue
    Immanuel Wilkins ~ DARK EYES SMILE ~ Blues Blood

    27 October 2024, 10:03 am
  • 58 minutes 35 seconds
    Episode Oct 20 2024

    Kind of a random playlist of music I have been listening to this week. Of particular interest are the tunes that feature McCoy Tyner, including a Michael Brecker piece (composed by Metheny). Also a track from Immanuel Wilkins' new release Blue Blood has some interesting vocals.

    Playlist 
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Andrew Renfroe ~ SPRINGS ~ Big Country EP
    Michael Brecker ~ Song for Bilbao ~ Tales from the Hudson
    McCoy Tyner ~ When Sunny Gets Blue ~ Today and Tomorrow
    McCoy Tyner ~ Sama Layuca ~ Sama Layuca
    Dan Pugach ~ My Favorite Things (feat. Nicole Zuraitis) - Single
    Immanuel Wilkins ~ MOTION (feat. June McDoom) ~ Blues Blood
    Billy Childs ~ Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp ~ Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro
    Bill Bruford's Earthworks & Tim Garland ~ Tramontana ~ Random Acts of Happiness
    Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein & Bill Stewart ~ FU Donald ~ Perpetual Pendulum

    20 October 2024, 10:00 am
  • 58 minutes 51 seconds
    From Monterey to Hartford

    This episode continues from last week in bringing new music that I heard from Monterey Jazz Fest recently. Following that is more music from the Hartford jazz scene with Abena Koomson-Davis, Andrew Wilcox and Matt Dwonczyk.

    Playlist 
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Marquis Hill ~ A Star Is Born ~ Composers Collective: Beyond The Jukebox
    Brandee Younger ~ Brand New Life ~ Brand New Life
    Robert Glasper ~ Prototype ~ Keys To The City Volume One
    Anat Cohen ~ Paco ~ Quartetinho: Bloom
    Abena Koomson-Davis ~ Just the Two of Us ~ Where Is Love
    Matt Dwonszyk ~ Groovin' on Wine ~ Donny Time
    Matt Dwonszyk ~ What a Difference a Day Makes ~ Donny Time
    Andrew Wilcox ~ Old Devil Moon ~ Dear Mr. Hill
    Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis ~ Freedom Day ~ The Music of Max Roach

    13 October 2024, 10:03 am
  • 1 hour 28 seconds
    Monterey Jazz Fest 2024

    This year's Monterey Jazz Festival is reviewed in this week's podcast episode. Some of the best shows took place on the smaller stages featuring young artists. That is reflected in the playlist below.

    Playlist 
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Jahari Stampley ~ Power ~ Still Listening
    Ulysses Owens Jr. ~ Chicken An' Dumplins ~ A New Beat
    Sean Mason ~ Final Voyage ~ The Southern Suite
    Endea Owens ~ For the People ~ Feel Good Music
    Joshua Redman ~ Chicago Blues (feat. Gabrielle Cavassa) ~ where are we
    Hiromi ~ Up ~ Sonicwonderland 
    Marquis Hill ~ Libra (South Node) ~ Composers Collective: Beyond The Jukebox
    Stephane Wrembel ~ Le Mythe de Sisyphe ~ Triptych
    Stanley Clarke ~ Song to John, Pt. II ~ Journey to Love

    6 October 2024, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 23 seconds
    Podcast Redux

    While I am at the Monterey Jazz Festival, I've queued up another episode originally published in March of this year. The episode begins with new music from guitarist Andrew Renfroe and vibraphonist Joel Ross. We then work our way back to the 1950's with classic Brubeck, Wes and Trane.

     

    Playlist
    Artist ~ Track ~ Album
    Andrew Renfroe ~ BIG COUNTRY ~ Big Country EP
    Joel Ross ~ nublues ~ nublues
    Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger ~ This Woman's Work ~ Force Majeure
    Samara Joy ~ Misty ~ Linger Awhile
    Shelly Manne and His Men ~ Our Delight ~ Shelly Manne & His Men At the Blackhawk, Vol. 1
    The Dave Brubeck Quartet ~ The Duke ~ Jazz: Red, Hot and Cool
    Wes Montgomery ~ Four On Six ~ The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
    John Coltrane ~ Moment's Notice ~ Blue Train

    29 September 2024, 7:03 am
  • 59 minutes 35 seconds
    Episode Sep 22 2024

    A wide variety of jazz music represented here, from jazz classics, to new jazz releases to jazz/rock fusion, progressive rock and even jazz harp with a reggae beat.

    Playlist 
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Miles Davis ~ Milestones ~ Milestones
    McCoy Tyner ~ Impressions ~ Trident
    Bobby Broom ~ Hallucinations (Budo) ~ Keyed Up
    Joel Frahm ~ Yesterdays ~ I'm Old Fashioned 
    Charles McPherson ~ Blues for Lonnie in Three ~ Reverence
    Jonathan Barber ~ Radar ~ In Motion (feat. Vision Ahead)
    Steely Dan ~ Aja ~ Aja
    Brandee Younger ~ Dust (feat. Meshell Ndegeocello) ~ Brand New Life
    Brandee Younger ~ Soulris (feat. Ravi Coltrane) ~ Soul Awakening

    22 September 2024, 10:03 am
  • 59 minutes 19 seconds
    Episode Sep 15 2024

    This week's edition has new releases and classic hard bop. From the new, we have Hanahan, Barber, Escoffery, Castellanos. As we know, modern jazz always draws from the legacy of the art form with masters like Hubbard, Roach, Hancock, and Shorter. All are represented here.

    Playlist
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Sarah Hanahan ~ We Bop! ~ Among Giants
    Jonathan Barber ~ Can't Call It ~ In Motion
    Freddie Hubbard ~ Luana ~ Hub Cap 
    Gilbert Castellanos ~ La Tinsa ~ Underground
    Herbie Hancock ~ The Peacocks ~ Round Midnight (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
    Max Roach ~ Libra ~ Members Don't Get Weary
    Wayne Escoffery ~ Rapture ~ Alone
    Wayne Shorter ~ Edge Of The World ~ Celebration, Volume 1 

    15 September 2024, 5:01 pm
  • 59 minutes 12 seconds
    Sonny's 94 Birthday

    This episode celebrates Sonny Rollins on his 94th birthday with three tracks from some of his best albums. We also feature new music including the debut recording from altoist, Sarah Hanahan and flautist Lori Bell. The podcast ends with Kurt Elling covering a fold classic from P. Simon.

    Playlist 
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Sonny Rollins ~ Wonderful! Wonderful! ~ Newk's Time
    Miles Davis & Sonny Rollins ~ Oleo ~ On Prestige
    Sonny Rollins ~ Way Out West ~ Way Out West
    Gerry Mulligan Quartet ~ Bernie's Tune ~ Gerry Mulligan Quartet
    Hampton Hawes ~ I Love You  ~ For Real! 
    Hank Mobley ~ Up a Step ~ No Room for Squares
    Sarah Hanahan ~ Resonance ~ Among Giants
    Lori Bell Quartet ~ Black Narcissus ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson
    Kurt Elling ~ American Tune ~ The Questions

    8 September 2024, 10:00 am
  • 59 minutes 42 seconds
    Back To Bop

    For this week's episode, we go back 60's hard bop format for most of the show. From Rollins to Trane, we groove to this era's hard hitting jazz. I did throw in a couple of modern pieces from Eddie Henderson and Billy Childs, that reflect on the hard-bop period.

    Playlist
    Artist ~ Name ~ Album
    Sonny Rollins ~ Alone Together ~ Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
    Hank Mobley ~ Up Over And Out ~ Reach Out!
    Eddie Henderson ~ Totem Pole ~ Witness to History
    Billy Childs ~ The Starry Night ~ Rebirth
    Jackie McLean ~ Climax ~ Jacknife
    John Coltrane ~ Bahia ~ Bahia
    John Coltrane ~ Something I Dreamed Last Night ~ Bahia

    1 September 2024, 10:00 am
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