It took seven years for Impulse to release Coltrane's "Saturn" from 1974's Interstellar Space, recorded four months before his death. Largely inaccessible to mainstream ears, the outing is a favorite among Coltrane devotees and young gun artists. We'll hear 1:30 minutes from this duet featuring Rashied Ali's drums by way of introducing us to the cover from Brandon Lee Lewis' Lux Hermetica (KemArtS 2016). Next is the most accessible of Coltrane's compositions, "Equinox", from his 1960 Atlantic Coltrane's Sound featuring an unusually subdued solo from pianist McCoy Tyner. Brand new from INTAKT RECORDS In Motion, Richard Poole/Marilyn Crispell/Gary Peacock conclude this half-hour with an easy-to-follow free-jazz rendition of the mutually improvised "Ahzân".
Murray, Allen & Carrington Power Trio - Perfection (Motema 2016) kicks off the second half with "For Fr. Peter O'brien" featuring the leaders' tenor/piano/drums. Brit favorite, Dan Whieldon Trio, follows with a cover of Miles' Nardis (Sidran spelled backwards) from his ASC Records release, Positive Changes. French bassist, Florent Nisse, is next with "H Code" from his 2014 Moose Aux Mages featuring the tenor sax of Chris Cheek and the guitar of Jakob Bro. Miles Davis brings this half to a close with an uptempo take on Raye and DePaul's "I'll Remember April" featuring Davis' muted trumpet, Moffatt favorite Davey Schildkraut's alto and Horace Silver's piano from a 1954 Prestige pressing, Blue Haze.
Aaron Parks, Thomas Fonnesbaek, Karsten Bagge - Groovements (Stunt Records 2016), a piano trio, gets the third half started with a cover of Cedar Walton's "Bolivia". Paolo Fresu & Omar Sosa tackle Peter Gabriel's "What Lies Ahead" from their new Tûk Music release Eros. Paolo's trumpet and Omar's piano are backed by the members of Quartetto Alborada. French percussionist Manu Katché performs the title track from his Anteprima Productions 2016 release, Unstatic, featuring Tore Brunborg's tenor and Jim Watson's piano. Dublin's The Kevin Brady Trio concludes this half with a romantic take on Arnheim and Tobias' "Sweet and Lovely" from the Irish drummer's 2016 LRP Music release, Common Ground. Bill Carrothers' piano is impressive.
The Songbook Sessions - Ella Fitzgerald (Emerald City Records 2016) gets romance started with Jane Monheit's cover of Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When" featuring the retro-sounding trumpet of Nicholas Payton. Thanks to Juan Duran Uña, we'll hear Bill Evans' take on Wright and Lewis' "Baubles, Bangles & Beads" from Bill's 1968 Some Other Time featuring DeJohnette on the drums and Eddie Gomez on the bass. For some unfathomable reason the next number made me think of the British Bulldog, Winston Churchill and his relationship with his wife, Clementine, his "Pussy cat". Giovanni Francesca's Rame from Auand Records last year is that number, and the tune is "Tuba" featuring, along with the guitarist, Fabrizio Bosso on trumpet.
Also from Juan, we'll hear Jobim's Aguas de Março from Getz & Gilberto's '76. Getz plays the tenor and João Gilberto sings and plays the guitar. One of my all-time favorite vocalists was Mary Ann McCall, Downbeat magazine vocalist of the year back in the late forties. She will cover Ellis/Carter/Friego's "Detour Ahead" with Woody Herman's Third Herd. Award-winning vocalist in her own right, Nnenna Freelon brings this half-hour seduction to a close covering Shapiro/Campbell/Connelly's 1929 hit, "If I Had You" from her 2003 Concord Live.
Let's have some fun!
A special thanks to KZMU's Music Director, Serah Mead and the troops @ RoJ for their help putting the show together: Agenor (BRA), Chris do Brasil (BRA), Domi & Victor (SPA), GAB (BEL), JR (SPA), Javi (SPA), Jazzzz61 (SPA), Lira (BRA), Luisa, Menos Que un Perro (ARG), Marcos (BRA), Melokan (VEN), Raz (ISR) and Sonia (SPA). Also friend, Raul Boeira, the Brazilian based in Passo Fundo and Spain's Javier Carrete.
