JazzTimes Spins & Riffs

Saxophonist Eric Alexander joins Lee on location at the Monterey Jazz Festival to sample cuts from his solo album “Second Impression,” from the One For All album “The Third Decade” and from Mike LeDonne & the Groover Quartet’s “That Feelin’.”  Eric describes his long musical and personal relationship with Harold Mabern, talks about how he stays sane on the road, and explains the genesis for his own tenor saxophone model with Ishimori. This episode sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

On location at the Monterey Jazz Festival, vocalist extraordinaire Kurt Elling sits in with Lee to sing the praises of Branford Marsalis and his quartet, with whom Kurt has recorded the album "Upward Spiral" and has performed a lot. Kurt also talks about and previews his forthcoming holiday music album "The Beautiful Day" which features some unusual choices and which includes a duet with his daughter. Finally, Kurt and Lee talk about Jon Hendricks and the upcoming tribute to the influential vocalist at the Iridium in NYC.  This episode is sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Marty Ashby, executive producer of MCG Jazz in Pittsburgh, sits in with Lee to talk about the legacy of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild as a catalyst for jazz in Pittsburgh and on the national scene. They spin cuts from Grammy-nominated albums from MCG Jazz by Bob Mintzer and New York Voices and they talk about the association of the performing arts center with artists like Dr. Billy Taylor, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, Monty Alexander and many others.  This episode sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal sits in with JT publisher Lee Mergner to spin cuts from albums by saxophonist JD Allen (“Americana” on Savant) and drummer Jaimeo Brown (“Work Songs” on Motema).  They talk about the real African-American roots of jazz music and the lost art of conceptual albums.  The two then riff on the legacy of Miles Davis. This episode sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal joins Lee to spin cuts from albums by two stellar pianists—Renee Rosnes and Kenny Barron.  Inspired by the JazzTimes cover story on Seventh Avenue South, a notorious NYC jazz club owned by the Brecker Brothers in the late 70s and early 80s, Bob and Lee riff on important nightclubs from the history of jazz. This episode is sponsored by Inner Sanctum Audio.

Drummer and bandleader Matt Wilson sits in with JT publisher Lee Mergner to spin cuts from his new album looking back on his life with his wife Felicia who died of cancer two years ago.  The album, Beginning of a Memory, features a band he calls Big Happy Family, comprised by the musicians from all his groups over the last 20 years.  Matt talked about the importance of family and how jazz musicians have become his extended family throughout his struggle to deal with his wife’s death.  This episode sponsored by Berks Jazz Festival.

Drummer and bandleader Matt Wilson sits in to spin cuts from two recent albums by drummers as leaders – Francisco Mela & the Crash Trio and Jack DeJohnette/Ravi Coltrane/Matthew Garrison.  Matt talks about the power of a band that collides into each other.  And he riffs on why he loves Jack DeJohnette as both a musician and person.

Drummer and percussionist Daniel Freedman sits in with Lee to spin cuts from his new album Imagine That on Anzic. Daniel talks about his early years in a very musical NYC household where legends such as Max Roach and Charles Mingus were regular visitors.  He also talks about working with Angelique Kidjo and Anat Cohen.  And he explains his affinity for Latin music and African music.  And what he’s learned in playing for people who want to dance! This episode sponsored Exit Zero Jazz Festival.

Harpist Brandee Younger joins JT's Lee Mergner in a conversation recorded on-site at the PDX Jazz Festival in Portland. They talk about how she  picked up that instrument and about the influence and legacy of both Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. This episode is sponsored by the 2016 Newport Jazz Festival.

Pianist Orrin Evans sits down for a free-wheeling conversation with Lee about performing in Portland at the PDX Jazz Festival, his series at the nightclub South and the challenges of keeping a band together. Orrin and Lee spin a cut from John Coltrane's Africa Brass and Orrin's own album, The Evolution of Oneself. This episode sponsored by Exit Zero Jazz Festival.

Terry Currier, owner of the famous record store Music Millennium in Portland, sits in as guest c0-host to spin cuts from Brandee Younger (from her Wax & Wane CD) and Rene Marie (from her upcoming The Sound of Red CD).  Terry and Lee then riff on the state of the record store and on the vinyl revival,including Record Store Day, which Terry founded many years ago to promote record-buying. This episode sponsored by ECM Records.

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal sits in to spin cuts from two noted guitarists - Julian Lage and Russell Malone. Then Bob and Lee riff on Cuba and how recent event may affect the music coming from (and to) that country. This episode sponsored by the Newport Jazz Festival.

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal sits in to spin cuts from two recent very special archival releases from Resonance Records - The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra's All My Yesterdays and Stan Getz's Moments in Time.  Bob and Lee then riff on what it means to release an album today and how technology has change not only how we listen, but also how the music is presented.  This episode is sponsored by Berks Jazz Festival.

Long-time jazz industry exec Don Lucoff sits it to spin some contemporary jazz cuts from guitarist John Scofield’s “Past Present” album and the “Love and Soul” album from drummer Terri Lyne Carrington & the Mosaic Project.  Don, who produces the Biamp PDX Jazz Festival in Portland, riffs with Lee about the Portland jazz scene and how it’s developed over the years into one of the more important regional scenes outside of NYC.  This episode sponsored by the Berks Jazz Fest.

Russ Davis of MOJA Radio joins Lee on-site at the Detroit Jazz Festival to spin albums from trumpeter Randy Brecker and the band Snarky Puppy.  Russ and Lee riff on the rising stars on the jazz scene.  Who among the younger jazz artists will reach large audiences while moving the music forward. Episode sponsored by Scullers Jazz.

Co-host Rene Marie returns to listen and discuss two new great vocal jazz albums from Kurt Elling ("Passion World") and Dee Dee Bridgewater ("Dee Dee's Feathers").  The two very happily married hosts then riff on the institution of marriage.  This episode sponsored by The Jazz Cruise.

Jazz writer and author Bob Blumenthal sits in as guest co-host and reacts to spins of new releases from pianists Benny Green and Kenny Werner.  Bob and Lee then riff on Bob's involvement with the Discover Jazz Festival in Burlington, Vermont. And they talk about whether having non-jazz acts makes a jazz festival better or worse. This episode sponsored by the Newport Jazz Festival.

Co-host Rene Marie returns to check out Cassandra Wilson's latest album "Coming Forth By Day" and listen to her version of "Strange Fruit" on that recording as well as on her earlier "New Moon Daughter" album for Blue Note. Rene and Lee riff on the recent events in Charleston, how the President is viewed by different people, the public display of the Confederate flag, the ubiquity of guns and violence and the many facets of racism.  This episode is sponsored by the Newport Jazz Festival.

Guest co-host Bob Blumenthal joins Lee at the JazzTimes office in Braintree, Mass for a saxophone-heavy session.  They spin cuts from new albums by JD Allen and Jon Irabagon and then riff on the legacy of Ornette Coleman.  This episode is sponsored by ECM Records.

JazzTimes publisher Lee Mergner and guest co-host bassist Gerald Veasley preview new releases from Chris Washburne and Jason Miles/Ingrid Jensen and talk about the perils of redoing songs from iconic artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. The two riff on the challenges and rewards of teaching adults how to play an instrument, with Gerald talking about his experiences with his Bass Boot Camp. This episode sponsored by the Syracuse Jazz Festival.

Lee and guest co-host Gerald Veasley preview some funky jazz cuts from new albums by Marcus Miller and Steve Gadd.  They riff on jazz and music in South Africa. Episode sponsored by the Newport Jazz Festival.

In this live edition of JazzTimes Spins & Riffs taped at the Exit 0 International Jazz Festival in Cape May, New Jersey, Lee and Rene spin cuts from three recent albums featuring very different vocalists: Allison Krauss (on Billy Childs' Laura Nyro project), Jamie Cullum and Freddy Cole.  Rene and Lee riff on Rene's SLAM workshop for singers and what she has learned from her students.  They also talk about the difference between singers and instrumentalists. Sponsored by ECM Reords.

With guest co-host Russ Davis of MOJA radio, Lee spins two new albums with a New Orleans focus, including Henry Butler & Steven Bernstein's "Viper's Drag" and Dr. John's "Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch."  Russ & Lee then riff on the art of interviewing. This episode is sponsored by the Tucson Jazz Festival.

Taped on location at the 2014 Detroit Intl. Jazz Festival, Lee and guest co-host Russ Davis of MOJA Radio spin cuts from two recent Chick Corea albums. Later they riff on what is special about jazz festivals and on some of their favorites.  This episode is sponsored by the Tucson Jazz Festival.

In this episode taped on-location on The Jazz Cruise somewhere in the Caribbean, Lee spins a cut from singer Catherine Russell's "Bring It Back" album and he and co-host Ken Peplowski riff on the unique aspects of The Jazz Cruise, including the sometimes nutty fanaticism of the audience and the special camaraderie amongst the musicians. Ken recommends a very long book about the Beatles and Lee talks about a biography of Nat Hentoff. This episode sponsored by Scullers Jazz in Boston. 

In this episode taped on The Jazz Cruise, clarinetist and saxophonist Ken Peplowski riffs with Lee on how a band, even one with Thelonious Monk, can speed up against its collective will and on why Duke Ellington is not the procastinating sponge as portrayed in a recent biography and on why donkeys should be fed very carefully.  This episode sponsored by Scullers Jazz in Boston.

Lee spins two recent holiday music albums - Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas and Nnenna Freelon's Christmas.  Lee explains his annual ritual of compiling a holiday music sampler for friends and family in lieu of a humbly boasting holiday letter.  Lee and Rene talk about their favorite holiday songs and they discuss the virtues of caroling.  During the Riff, Rene turns the tables and grills Lee on the upcoming Jazz Connect Conference at APAP|NYC in January.  And Lee in turn interviews Rene about her one woman play - Slut Energy Theory - which premiered earlier this year in NYC.  This episode sponsored by Berks Jazz Festival.

Previews of new albums from pianists Marc Cary and Helen Sung.  Rene and Lee riff on taking an unpopular stand, whether political or social. Rene talks about Esperanza Spalding who recently did a protest song about the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. This episode sponsored by PDXJazz. 

New albums from great jazz (and beyond) singers Gregory Porter and Dianne Reeves get spun by Lee and Rene.  Rene riffs on celebrities who annoy her, including even Kevin Hart (!), at least for his ubiquity.  This episode is sponsored by Motema Music. 

The marvelous Eartha Kitt is the subject of this podcast in which Rene and Lee go long on Rene's new album - I Wanna Be Evil - dedicated to the life and music of Ms. Kitt. They listen to Eartha's version of "Oh, John" and compare it to Rene's version.  They also talk about Eartha's very unique persona.  This episode is sponsored by Scullers Jazz Club in Boston.

New CDs by pianists Marc Cary and John Medeski are previewed by Lee and Rene. Then Rene & Lee riff on the power and the pain of social media.  Rene is particularly feeling the pain part and is looking for help in that department.  This episode sponsored by Scullers Jazz in Boston.

Spinning Joshua Redman and Keith Jarrett new releases, Lee & Rene talk about lyricism, phrasing and the power of a beautiful melody, including a certain one that was the soundtrack for a marriage.  Rene & Lee riff on jazz on cartoons from the Flintstones to the Simpsons. This episode sponsored by Insight Cuba.

Lee spins new albums from George Benson and Bob James & David Sanborn, contemporary jazz artists who step away from the "smooth" to deliver homages to more traditional jazz greats of the past. Benson salutes Nat King Cole and James & Sanborn pay tribute to the legacy of Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond. Rene and Lee riff on what makes an interview, whether for print or radio, good or bad.  This episode sponsored by Scullers Jazz in Boston

Lee & Rene spin new albums from vocal jazz innovators Bobby McFerrin and Cecile McLorin Salvant, two singers at very different stages of their career.  Lee admits to not liking the McFerrin at first because it didn't conform to his expecations of what gospel music should sound like. Which leads to Rene's riff on how expectations or pre-conceived notions can wreak havoc with an artist's creativity.  This episode sponsored by the Newport Jazz Festival.

Lee and Rene preview new albums from singer Barbara Morrison and drummer Ray Appleton, two underappreciated artists who have not received a lot of media or public attention in recent years.  Rene and Lee riff on "shit I'm scared to do."  NOTE: Rene is afraid of snakes, her basement and truly speaking her mind, while Lee is afraid of writing a bad book.  However, Lee is not afraid of sharks.  Rene explains the creative power of fear.

New albums by Aaron Diehl and Gerald Clayton are previewed.  Rene and Lee also riff on pianist Mulgrew Miller, who died recently. This episode is sponsored by DC Jazz Festival.

With Rene touring on the West Coast, bassist Gerald Veasley sits in as guest co-host for a show about bass and the Sound of Philadelphia. In this episode taped on location at the Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, Pa., Lee & Gerald preview new albums from bassists Charnett Moffett and Christian McBride. The two Philly natives then riff on the music of Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell, Grover Washington, Jr and many of their jazz heroes from that city. This episode sponsored by Insight Cuba.

JT editor Evan Haga sits in for Rene Marie, who is in NYC recording her new album. Evan previews new albums from Marc Ribot & Ceramic Dog and Colin Stetson, both of which owe as much to rock as jazz.  Lee riffs on how the alt-rock community seems indifferent to jazz and improvisational music.  This episode sponsored by DC Jazz Festival.

New York Voices album previewed. Rene and Lee talk about longevity and the challenges of keeping a group together for a long time. They talk about the vocalese tradition and the popularity of vocal groups in college music programs. Rene riffs on the stories behind the songs, including "Nature Boy," "Blue in Green," and "Strange Fruit."

Kevin Eubanks' new album "The Messenger" gets previewed. Lee & Rene talk about the conundrum of a musician being famous on TV for one thing when he may be something different entirely. They talk about the tradition of the sidekick on TV talk shows and Rene confesses that she would take the gig and do her best to laugh at the host's jokes. Just for the money. She says she could do it for a year. Lee thinks a week or two, tops. Rene riffs on fame vs. artistic authenticity.

Albums by Charles Lloyd/Jason Moran and Ben Wendel/Dan Tepfer are spun. Rene and Lee talk about duets and what makes them challenging. Rene gets on her soapbox to riff and rail about music in schools or the lack thereof.

Hollenbeck and Schneider albums are spun. Rene and Lee talk large ensembles, voices and why Queen is cool. Rene riffs on competition among musicians, though Lee believes that Rene may just be a little lonely.

Actress Molly Ringwald’s debut album on Concord Jazz gets spun. Rene and Lee discuss the merits of actors and pop stars doing jazz recordings.  Eventually Rene confesses to enjoying Diana Ross doing Billie Holiday back in the day.  Episode sponsored by Insight Cuba.

Lee previews Kendrick Scott Oracle’s new album “Conviction.” Rene and Lee talk about jazz and spoken word, and about drummers as leaders. Rene and Lee riff on stereotypes associated with various jazz instrumentalists.  And they listen to a cut from “Money Jungle” from  Terri Lyne Carrington, Christian McBride and Gerald Clayton.  Episode sponsored by Motema Music.

Miles Davis! JT publisher Lee Mergner and singer Rene Marie preview new music from the box set Miles Davis Quintet Live in Europe 1969 on Sony/Legacy, featuring the "lost quintet" of Miles, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette.  Rene and Lee talk about how the Bitches Brew album changed their lives and they also riff on Miles' legacy - from music to fashion and beyond.

Lee spins Marian McPartland for Rene and they talk about her biography and legacy. Rene and Lee riff on playing with or meeting your idols. Rene confesses her unrequited love for Bonnie Raitt.

Lee spins Hiromi album “Move” for Rene, who also talks about the late Dave Brubeck. Rene riffs on Treme, the HBO series.

Lee spins 2 cuts from Wayne Shorter Quartet’s Without a Net album.  Rene and Lee riff on the Grammies, as Rene wonders how projects are nominated.  Episode sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival.

In debut episode, Lee spins cuts from Eliane Elias/Marc Johnson album Swept Away on ECM and makes Rene cry. Rene riffs on “guilty pleasures” and confesses to a secret love for bluegrass and klezmer music. Rene convinces Lee that he has a thing for New Age music.  Episode sponsored by Insight Cuba.