In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

This week's episode begins with flautist Lori Bell and her ensembles from Southern California. Then we have a chugga-chugga train theme from Metheny and Moody. Finally some of my favorite new releases that may show up on my best of album list for 2026. 

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Lori Bell ~ Lower Manhattan ~ Brooklyn Dreaming
Lori Bell Quartet ~ Shade of Jade ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson
Pat Metheny Group ~ Last Train Home ~ Still Life (Talking)
James Moody ~ Last Train From Overbrook ~ Don't Look Away Now!
George Garzone ~ Ripty Boom ~ Themes for Good Friends
Anthony Fung, Andrew Renfroe & Luca Alemanno ~ This is for Albert ~ Common Language
Sullivan Fortner ~ Aria II ~ Leave That In There
Gregory Hutchinson ~ Water Babies ~ Kind of Now - The Pulse of Miles Davis
Dave Holland ~ Quintet: Veil of Tears ~ Freedom Call: Quintet - Synergism

Today's episode is mostly new music with a modern, adventurous twist. The first half of the show in particular feature artists like Akinmusire, Fortner, Hutchinson and O'Farrill that have been exploring a more free form, expressive aspect to the jazz idiom. 

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Ambrose Akinmusire ~ Bloomed ~ honey from a winter stone
Sullivan Fortner ~ Sugarcane ~ Leave That In There
Gregory Hutchinson ~ Fall ~ Kind of Now - The Pulse of Miles Davis
Adam O'Farrill ~ Curves and Convolutions ~ ELEPHANT
Doug Webb ~ Watch Your Step ~ Watch Your Step
Dave Holland ~ Sextet: Modern Times ~ Freedom Call: Sextet - Unity
Danilo Perez & Bohuslän Big Band ~ Suite for the Americas ~ Lumen

This episode is inspired by the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival (SDTJ).  This festival, now in its third year, is the creation of jazz impresario Dan Atkinson and is has performances that cross the US/Mexico border. Much of the festival is free to attend, with the main event held in Escondido. We begin this program with an alto sax player Sarah Hanahan who performed at the festival with the Mingus Big Band. That is followed by new music from Emmet Cohen and David Borgo. The SDTJ festival is then highlighted by headliners Danilo Perez, Mingus Dynasty and Brian Bade Fellowship.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Sarah Hanahan ~ Welcome ~ Among Giants
Sarah Hanahan ~ NATO ~ Among Giants
Emmet Cohen ~ Budo ~ Universal Truth
Emmet Cohen ~ Gingerbread Boy ~ Universal Truth
David Borgo ~ Flow ~ Panta Rhei
Danilo Perez & Bohuslän Big Band ~ Across the Crystal Sea ~ Lumen
Mingus Dynasty ~ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat ~ Live At Village Vanguard
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band ~ Kings Highway ~ Kings Highway

This week takes a different spin on the Miles and Trane Centennial. Instead of playing music from the masters themselves, this show features covers of tunes composed or made famous by these iconic artists that defined the jazz genre for years to come.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Roy Hargrove Quintet & Antonio Hart ~ Milestones ~ The Vibe
Kenny Garrett ~ Lonnie's Lament ~ Pursuance: The Music Of John Coltrane
Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio ~ Impressions ~ Smokin' At The Half Note (expanded)
Christian McBride ~ Bitches Brew ~ Live At Tonic
Cassandra Wilson ~ Run the VooDoo Down ~ Traveling Miles
Chick Corea ~ Nefertitti ~ The Song of Singing
Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Mike Stern & George Coleman ~ All Blues ~ 4 Generations of Miles
Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove ~ So What / Impressions ~ Directions In Music: Live At Massey Hall

Lots of new releases in this week's show. Lovano and Elling are among the more well known artists. Hollenbeck, Clark and Sprague may not be as familiar. And of course, we continue with a Coltrane interpretation of a Gershwin classic for Trane's centennial celebration.

Playlist
Artist ~ Name ~ Album
Joe Lovano ~ Amsterdam ~ Paramount Quartet
John Hollenbeck & Hot Club Jazz Orchestra ~ Feed the Fire ~ Peace and Justice
Kurt Elling ~ Pallas’ Palace (Palladium) ~ Play Weather Report: Alive in Europe
Peter Sprague ~ Guinnevere ~ Guinnevere
Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein & Bill Stewart ~ Dissipation Blues ~ Rhombus
Mike Clark ~ Lungs ~ Kuon Ganjo
Linda May Han Oh ~ Living Proof ~ Strange Heavens
John Coltrane ~ But Not for Me ~ My Favorite Things