Podcasts about tanglewood jazz festival

Tony Award winning actress Blythe Danner joins Judy on stage at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival and connects with her early jazz roots. Blythe was a jazz singer in college and discusses with Judy how jazz has continued to influence her acting career.

Dianne Reeves is joining jazz vocalist Lizz Wright and African pop singer Angelique Kidjo to perform an unusual show at the Detroit Jazz Festival on September 2 and Tanglewood Jazz Festival on September 4. They pay tribute to the blues, jazz and pop singers of years past - but put their own special stamp on the music. Reese Erlich interviewed Reeves for this special JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspective. For more info, please visit www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org and www.detroitjazzfest.com

Drummer Jimmy Cobb turned 82 this year but still keeps up a regular schedule of performing and teaching master classes. Perhaps most famous when he was part of Miles Davis band (1957-63), NEA Jazz Master Cobb has a distinguished career as both sideman and group leader. Producer Reese Erlich interviewed Cobb for this special JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspective prior to his appearance at this year's Tanglewood Jazz Festival. For more info visit: www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

Vocalist Lizz Wright has long impressed audiences with her blues and gospel inflected jazz. Now she's joined with Dianne Reeves and Angelique Kidjo to perform "Sing the Truth," a vibrant homage to the female musicians of the past. JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspectives producer Reese Erlich talked with Wright about her career and the Sing the Truth Project, which will be featured at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. For more info visit: www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

John Santos has been playing innovative jazz and Latin music for over 30 years. In his new CD, "Filosofia Caribena," he explores the music created at the intersection of African American and Latin cultures. JazzCorner's com's Jazz Perspectives producer Reese Erlich interviewed Santos at his home in Oakland, California. Santos makes a rare East Coast appearance with his sextet at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival in a tribute to the great Cuban bassist Cachao. For more info, visit www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

A collection of short interviews recorded at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox, MA. Featuring Regina Carter, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Nnenna Freelon and more. Learn more at www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org.

A collection of short interviews recorded at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox, MA....

Jane Monheit burst onto the jazz scene 10 years ago as a young voice belting out jazz classics. She's matured over the years into a confident and talented jazz singer. She performs at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival this year with John Pizzarelli. Reese Erlich offers this special 30 minute JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspective in which Monheit discusses her new CD "Home." For more information, visit www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

Pianist and composer Donal Fox crosses the classical music and jazz music boundaries and continuously receives critical acclaim for his compositions and integration of the two musical genres. In this special JazzCorner.com InnerView with producer Lois Gilbert, Donal discusses the connection of classical and jazz music as exemplied in his project: "Piazzola to Bach" which he will perform with his group and special guest cellist Maya Beiser on September 5th at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. For more information, visit www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

Count Basie started his famous band in 1935. After his passing in 1984, the Count Basie Orchestra continued to perform. Several generations of players have passed their knowledge and love of jazz to newer players. JazzCorner.com's Perspectives producer Reese Erlich talked with the band's lead tenor saxophonist, Doug Lawrence, who explains that while the band respects its legacy, it also has a very modern big band sound. This special long-length JazzCorner.com Jazz Perspective is sponsored in part by the Tanglewood Jazz Festival where the Count Basie Orchestra will be appearing on September 5, 2010. For more information, visit www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

Violinist Ben Powell made his festival debut this summer at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, where this interview was recorded. Powell was raised in Cheltenham, England, the son of a cellist and a violin teacher. He released the album Light in 2008. In this interview, Powell talks about his musical upbringing; how a chance meeting with an American conductor led to a Berklee scholarship; and why he's chosen to focus on music from the early days of jazz. Learn more at www.ben-powell.com. If you'd like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Violinist Ben Powell made his festival debut this summer at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival,...

Pianist and vocalist Michael Kaeshammer has spent more than a decade making music that's both fun and smart. He draws on everything from James P. Johnson and Fats Waller to contemporary pop music on his new album, Lovelight (Alert Music, 2009). In this interview, recorded at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Kaeshammer talks about the nature of showmanship; how he came to love the early stride piano masters; and why New Orleans has become an important source of inspiration for his music. Learn more at kaeshammer.com. If you'd like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below.

Saxophonist Chris Potter's new album, Ultrahang (ArtistShare, 2009), is an exploration of groove and melody. In this interview, recorded before Potter's performance with Dave Holland at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Potter talks about how a middle-class kid in Columbia, SC, ended up liking Chicago blues; why he looks first to please himself with the music he makes; and how rhythm breaks down barriers with an audience. Learn more at www.chrispottermusic.com. EVENT: Chris Potter's Underground (Adam Rogers - guitar, Craig Taborn - Fender Rhodes and Nate Smith - drums) will be at the Village Vanguard this week from Jan. 5-10. More information is available at villagevanguard.com. If you'd like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Paquito D'Rivera is equally at home in the jazz and classical worlds, a fact he showcased during his performance at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival. In this interview, D'Rivera talks about several of the pieces he performed that night: "Conversations With Cachao" and "The Panamericana Suite." He also discusses "Fiddle Dreams," a rare commission from the Library of Congress; and why he thinks the jazz and classical worlds can learn from one another. The music in this program is taken from his album Jazz Clazz (Termidor Music, 2009). Learn more at paquitodrivera.com. If you'd like to buy the album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

On his second album, Escaping Shadows (Concord, 2009), saxophonist Benny Reid continues to explore the musical path first laid down by Pat Metheny. In this interview, recorded just after Reid's performance at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Reid talks about the influence of Metheny; why he chooses to compose everything from the melodies to the bass lines of his tunes; and how he navigates both the artistic and business sides of music. Learn more at bennyreid.com. If you'd like to buy the album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

Before he was 21, Jon Faddis had played and/or recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Sarah Vaughan, Thad Jones, Lionel Hampton, and Oscar Peterson to name a few. In this special one hour JazzCorner.com InnerView, producer Lois Gilbert accompanies Jon as he takes us on his musical journey through words and music. The Jon Faddis Quartet with special guests Sean Jones and Wallace Roney will be appearing at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival on September 6, 2009. For more info visit: www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

Guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli wanted to be a rock and roll star when he was a teenager. Luckily for the world of jazz, his father, Bucky Pizzarelli, introduced his son to the music of the 40s and 50s. Today John is one of the great upholders of that tradition, whether performing the songs of Richard Rogers on his latest CD or composing his own tunes. John will be doing his Radio Deluxe program live at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival on Sept. 5 and will be performing with Bucky at the Detroit Jazz Festival September 7. See www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org

Jason Crane interviews vocalist Kate McGarry. Her new album, If Less Is More ... Nothing Is Everything (Palmetto, 2008), explores everything from spirituality to The Cars in McGarry's typically atypical style. McGarry is joined on the record by guitarist Keith Ganz, organist Gary Versace, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Clarence Penn, saxophonist Donny McCaslin, percussionist James Shipp, and vocalists Peter Eldrige and Jo Lawry. CONTEST: Win Kate McGarry's new CD! To enter, send an e-mail to contest@thejazzsession.com with "KATE" in the subject line. And remember -- if you've won in the past 30 days, sit this one out, OK? Good luck! BONUS TRACK: Listen to Kate sing Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Morning" at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival.

Jason Crane interviews singer-songwriter Spencer Day in the last of three interviews recorded at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Day and his band had just finished their set at the festival, one day after Day joined Marian McPartland on stage for a live taping to celebrate her 90th birthday. That's quite a distance from growing up Mormon in small southwestern towns. Day is nearly finished with his next CD, which includes the Turtle Island String Quartet and a gospel choir performing Day's compositions. This interview features tracks from Day's 2005 recording Movie of Your Life. Find out more at spencerday.com.

Jason Crane interviews clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Eddie Daniels in the first of three Jazz Session shows recorded live at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox, MA. Daniels played the fest with many of the same musicians who appear on his 2-CD live album Homecoming (IPO Recordings, 2007). Daniels got his start as a saxophonist with the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis big band, and then launched a successful solo career that took the clarinet to new heights. He started performing on saxophone again in 2005 and now uses both instruments in his sets. During the interview, you'll hear Daniels receive a fateful phone call that changes the nature of his performance at the festival. CONTEST: Win a copy of Eddie Daniels' Homecoming: Live At The Iridium! To win, be one of the first three people to send an e-mail to contest@thejazzsession.com. Please put "Eddie" in the subject line! (Note: Listeners who've won in the last 30 days need to sit this one out. Thanks!)

jazzcorner.com is very honored and proud to present to you our InnerView with the first lady of jazz , Marian McPartland. Producer Lois Gilbert spoke with Marian at her home in Long Island. 2008 marks Marian's McPartland 90th birthday and her 30th anniversary of hosting "Piano Jazz." Marian will present Piano Jazz live on NPR affiliates on August 30th from the Tanglewood Jazz Festival with specials guests, Nneena Freelon, Mulgrew Miller and Spencer Day. For more information please visit www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.org