NPR Jazz: BADBADNOTGOOD On World Cafe

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BADBADNOTGOOD On World Cafe Posted: 23 Aug 2016 03:04 PM PDT The Toronto improvisational band BADBADNOTGOOD recently released its fourth album, IV. The instrumental group includes Matthew Tavares on keys, Chester Hansen on bass, Leland Whitty on saxophone and Alexander Sowinski on drums. The four, most of whom met at Humber College, have become known for their jazz-inflected covers of hip-hop songs and, notably, for their collaborations with Tyler, the Creator. Recently, the band also worked with Ghostface Killah on the albumSour Stones; they subsequently toured together. Hear the full World Cafe session with BADBADNOTGOOD at the audio link above, and watch the band perform "Speaking Gently" below. Read more from the original source: http://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2016/08/23/491070083/badbadnotgood-on-world-cafe

NPR Jazz: Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz Vibraphone Modernist, Has Died

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Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz Vibraphone Modernist, Has Died Posted: 16 Aug 2016 01:43 PM PDT Bobby Hutcherson performs at the Monterey Jazz Festival, in Monterey, Calif. in 2013.Craig Lovell/Corbis via Getty Images Bobby Hutcherson, a vibraphonist whose improvising and composition helped to define modernity for jazz as a whole, has died. He had long struggled with emphysema. He was 75. MUSIC INTERVIEWS Interview: Bobby Hutcherson's Good Vibes For Fiery Times As a mallet percussionist, he expanded the scope of what was possible on his instrument. And the sound he created was widely influential. It was a far cry from his first public performance. Inspired by pioneering jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson, a teenaged Hutcherson formed a band with his friend from school, bassist Herbie Lewis. Hutcherson hadn't taken any lessons, but Lewis marked up the vibraphone with which notes to play and when. It was a system that worked great in practice — but then they entered a contest ... in front of people. Here's how Bobby Hutcherson told the story to NPR in 2001.

NPR Jazz: 5 Musicians Pick Their Favorite Herbie Hancock Recordings

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5 Musicians Pick Their Favorite Herbie Hancock Recordings Posted: 09 Aug 2016 01:19 PM PDT He's never been afraid to tap the current musical zeitgeist — and has reached new listeners each time. Ron Carter, Lionel Loueke, Flying Lotus and others share tracks by their friend.

NPR Jazz: Herbie Hancock On His Next Album, Flying Lotus And Jupiter's Satellite

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Herbie Hancock On His Next Album, Flying Lotus And Jupiter's Satellite Posted: 04 Aug 2016 11:32 AM PDT

Herbie Hancock premieres a new band lineup in concert Aug. 11 in Brooklyn.Douglas Kirkland/Courtesy of the artist

The pianist, composer and music ambassador Herbie Hancock is working on new music with a new band, and he's about to present the first taste of it in live performance.



JAZZ
Herbie Hancock: 'On A Path To Find My Own Answer'

Next Thursday, Aug. 11, Hancock brings a new lineup to Prospect Park in Brooklyn, N.Y., for an outdoor concert. (He's to be joined by Terrace Martin on saxophone and keyboards, Lionel Loueke on guitar, James Genus on bass and Trevor Lawrence Jr. on drums.) Hancock says he expects to play some ideas that he's been working on for a new record, which he's hoping to release next year. NPR Music and WBGO will record and film the show for a later broadcast on Jazz Night In America.

In advance of that concert, Simon Rentner, who hosts a program called The Checkouton WBGO, sat down to interview Hancock. Their conversation touched upon the connection between Flying Lotus and Miles Davis, some special guests on the forthcoming album and what he's doing with NASA. Here's an excerpted transcript of their conversation, which you can hear in full via WBGO. Rentner started by playing an excerpt of an interview with Flying Lotus.


That brought me back to the opening passage of your memoir,Possibilities, Herbie, where you were in concert with the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid-'60s, where you played the wrong notes. But Miles Davis gave you a nod of confidence nevertheless.

That was an amazing event. I'll never forget that. Because that was the hottest night of the whole European tour. The band was smokin' and we had the audience in the palm of our hands. And at the peak of the evening, I played this chord that was really completely wrong, right? And Miles just took a breath and then he played some notes, and it made my chord right — it made it fit into the flow of things. And it took me many years to find that, what had actually happened.

And the truth of the matter is I realized, finally, that Miles didn't judge my chord. Like, no judgment whatsoever. He just heard it as something that happened, and dealt with it, and found these notes that worked. And that's a very important lesson that I've learned and applied — not only to music, but I apply it to life.

...read more from the original source

NPR Jazz: Eric Reed On Piano Jazz

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Eric Reed On Piano Jazz Posted: 29 Jul 2016 11:56 AM PDT Hear the young pianist and composer give a solo performance of "Cedar's Blues" in a 1995 session. Pianist and composer Eric Reed began playing piano as a small child. He was only 18 when he played his first string of gigs with Wynton Marsalis — work that catapulted him to the forefront of jazz. He's performed with Joe Henderson, Betty Carter and Joshua Redman, among others, and has established himself as a notable bandleader, producer and educator. In this 1995 episode of Piano Jazz, a 24-year-old Reed displays his distinctive style in a solo performance of "Cedar's Blues." Originally broadcast in the fall of 1995. SET LIST "Cedar's Blues" (Walton) "Goodbye" (Jenkins) "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart" (Ellington) "I'm A Fool To Want You" (Sinatra, Wolf, Herron) "Sweet Lorraine" (Burwell, Parish) "Evergreen" (Reed) Free Piece (McPartland, Reed) "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" (Arlen, Mercer)

NPR Jazz: Kamasi Washington's 3-Hour Jazz 'Epic,' Complete With Creation Myth

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Kamasi Washington's 3-Hour Jazz 'Epic,' Complete With Creation Myth Posted: 10 May 2015 02:16 PM PDT When Kamasi Washington called his new album The Epic, he meant it. His band has two drummers, two bass players, both piano and keyboards. There are three horns and two lead vocals. There's a 20-piece choir and a 32-piece string section.

JAZZ NIGHT IN AMERICA: WEDNESDAY NIGHT WEBCASTS
May 27: Watch Kamasi Washington's 'The Epic' In Concert

Washington is a very plugged-in Los-Angeles-based saxophonist. He's played on two of the most important albums of the last year: rapper Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly and electronic musician Flying Lotus' You're Dead. As a matter of fact, Lotus owns Brainfeeder, the label that released this new three-CD, nearly three-hour collection.

Kamasi Washington's core band is made up of friends who date back to (or sometimes before) high school. Together, they comprise the collective called The West Coast Get Down.

Washington recently spoke with NPR's Arun Rath about the marathon recording sessions that led to The Epic, his interconnected dreams, and the lessons he's learned from hip-hop.

NPR Jazz: Mimi Fox On Piano Jazz

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Mimi Fox On Piano Jazz Posted: 02 Jan 2015 07:42 AM PST The guitarist plays an original and then tears it up on a Cole Porter tune with Marian McPartland and bassist Gary Mazzaroppi. Guitarist Mimi Fox is in the vanguard of invigorating the jazz guitar tradition. She possesses a pure tone and an amazing set of chops and cooks whether playing bebop or ballads. Her compositional abilities are evident on this 2006 Piano Jazz as she plays her own tune "Perpetually Hip." With host Marian McPartland on piano and Gary Mazzaroppi on bass, Fox tears up the fret board on "What is This Thing Called Love." More info: http://www.npr.org/2012/09/14/97302719/guitarist-mimi-fox-on-piano-jazz

NPR Jazz: Very Very Henry Threadgill

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Very Very Henry Threadgill Posted: 12 Nov 2014 10:42 PM PST The saxophonist and composer, now 70, has always pushed boundaries. Harlem Stage celebrates his career with a two-day concert retrospective of his various groundbreaking ensembles.

November 13, 2014 • Henry Threadgill's music has always pushed boundaries. Two tubas with two guitars, a "sextett" with seven members, a free-improvising trio with an instrument made of hubcaps, a dance orchestra: Nothing is off the table.

The saxophonist, flutist and composer turned 70 this year. To celebrate, Harlem Stage presented a special two-day concert through the lens of his various groundbreaking ensembles, curated by pianist Jason Moran. Threadgill watched from the audience as dozens of musicians from all throughout his trajectory gathered in Harlem Stage's unique uptown venue to present a rare retrospective of his work.

CREDITS

Special thanks to Harlem Stage. Funding for the production of Very Very Threadgill was made possible by the generous support provided by the Mitzi and Warren Eisenberg Family Foundation, Roland Augustine and Lawrence Luhring, Lonti Ebers and Bruce Flatt, Deborah and Ronald Eisenberg Family Foundation, Susan and Leonard Feinstein Foundation, Connie and Jack Tilton, and Monica and David Zwirner.

Read more from the original source: http://www.npr.org/event/music/363674856/very-very-henry-threadgill

NPR Jazz: Reconnecting The Circuit Of Puerto Rican Identity Through Music

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Reconnecting The Circuit Of Puerto Rican Identity Through Music Posted: 02 Nov 2014 02:08 PM PST To understand what it means to be Puerto Rican in the U.S., saxophonist Miguel Zenón spoke with friends and fellow musicians who share his split identity — and put their stories into his music. More info: http://www.npr.org/2014/11/02/360078925/reconnecting-the-circuit-of-puerto-rican-identity-through-music

NPR Jazz: Jessica Williams On Piano Jazz

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Jessica Williams On Piano Jazz Posted: 28 Jul 2014 11:41 AM PDT Dave Brubeck called her "one of the greatest jazz pianists I have ever heard." She digs up an old tune and calls two Monk numbers on this 1992 episode of the program. Pianist and composer Jessica Williams has gained critical acclaim and multiple Grammy nominations for her writing and remarkable skill at the keyboard. Dave Brubeck called her "one of the greatest jazz pianists I have ever heard." On this episode of Piano Jazz from 1992, Williams solos on "Why Do I Love You" and joins host McPartland for "Straight, No Chaser" — one of two Thelonious Monk tunes during the session. Originally broadcast in the spring of 1992.

Read more from the original source: http://www.npr.org/2014/07/28/336110036/jessica-williams-on-piano-jazz

NPR Jazz: Fred Hersch Floats On, With A Dynamic Trio In Tow

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1. Fred Hersch Floats On, With A Dynamic Trio In Tow
2. Carmen Lundy On Piano Jazz
3. 'Live In The Present': Charlie Haden Remembered

Fred Hersch Floats On, With A Dynamic Trio In Tow Posted: 18 Jul 2014 11:03 PM PDT The jazz pianist recovered from a coma in 2008 and was back on stage the next year. He hasn't slowed down since, and this month brings his latest album, a trio recording called Floating. The last time Fred Hersch was featured on Weekend Edition Saturday, the headline read, "Back On Stage By No Small Miracle." It was 2009, and scarcely a year earlier, the jazz pianist had suffered AIDS-related dementia and fallen into a coma for several months. Since recovering, Hersch has come roaring back to music, releasing a string of live albums to critical success. A new studio recording by Hersch's trio came out earlier this month; it's called Floating. This week, a review in The New York Times said that while Hersch has been putting out great trio albums for 30 years, "He hasn't made one better than this." Hersch recently spoke about the new album with NPR's Scott Simon; hear their conversation at the audio link.

NPR Jazz: The New Thing In Jazz, Revisited

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The New Thing In Jazz, Revisited Posted: 13 Jul 2014 02:23 AM PDT The long-defunct Impulse Records is staking its future on pianist Henry Butler. The label relaunches this month, for a second time, with a collaboration between Butler and trumpeter Steven Bernstein. Impulse Records is the legendary label that proudly delivered the "new thing" in jazz in the 1960s: avant-garde records from the likes of John Coltrane and Pharaoh Sanders. It also helped jazz cross over to a larger audience; quite a few flower children bought Impulse albums. But over time, the new thing got old. Impulse went dormant for nearly a decade. When it was time for the label to come out of hibernation in 1986, New Orleans pianist Henry Butler sounded the wake-up call. In the 1990's Impulse went on hiatus a second time, and now, once again, Henry Butler has been called upon to help reboot the label. Viper's Drag, out this month, is Butler's collaboration with arranger and trumpeter Steven Bernstein. The two joined NPR's Arun Rath to talk about the new record, and the importance of the Impulse name to jazz history. Hear the radio version at the audio link, and read their edited conversation below. More at: http://www.npr.org/2014/07/13/329849052/the-new-thing-in-jazz-revisited

NPR Jazz: Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Centennial Project On JazzSet

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Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Centennial Project On JazzSet Posted: 10 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT   Hear a live performance at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival. Gretchen Parlato sings a song that Bill Evans arranged for Astrud Gilberto, while Truesdell chooses additional pieces with special meaning. Set List "Dancing On A Great Big Rainbow" (Evans) "How About You?" (Ralph Freed and Burton Lane) "Punjab" (Evans) "Look To The Rainbow" (E. Y. Harburg and Burton Lane) "Concorde" (John Lewis) "Ballad Of The Sad Young Men" (Fran Landesman and Tommy Wolfe) "Sister Sadie" (Horace Silver) All arrangements by Gil Evans    Read more from the original source

NPR Jazz: Mulgrew Miller On Piano Jazz

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Mulgrew Miller On Piano Jazz Posted: 04 Apr 2014 09:44 AM PDT On this episode of Piano Jazz, 's unique harmonic and rhythmic style comes through in his composition, "Carousel." He also joins host Marian McPartland in performing Duke Ellington's "What Am I Here For?" Mulgrew Miller on May 29, 2013, following complications from a stroke. In a 2002 session, Miller's unique harmonic and rhythmic style comes through in his composition, "Carousel." He also joins host Marian McPartland for Duke Ellington's "What Am I Here For?"

NPR Jazz: Dianne Reeves On Piano Jazz

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Dianne Reeves On Piano Jazz Posted: 28 Mar 2014 11:27 AM PDT On this episode of Piano Jazz, host Marian McPartland accompanies Reeves in "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" and "Million Dollar Secret." This Piano Jazz episode from 1999 features one of today's preeminent jazz singers. brings her rhythmic virtuosity to a sparkling set of standards, including duets with host on "Close Enough for Love" and "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise."

NPR Jazz: Jane Bunnett And Chihiro Yamanaka On JazzSet

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Jane Bunnett And Chihiro Yamanaka On JazzSet Posted: 27 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PDT   Jane Bunnett and Chihiro Yamanaka come to the Kennedy Center from Canada and Japan, respectively, and each has a compelling story. Chihiro Yamanaka and Jane Bunnett come to the Kennedy Center from Japan and Canada, respectively, and each has a compelling story. Jane Bunnett is from Toronto, yet for more than 30 years, she's championed Cuban music and musicians. She's made dozens of trips to the island, studying and working, bringing instruments to schoolchildren, and inviting players to return to Canada with her and her husband, trumpeter Larry Cramer. Read more...