The King TOM OSSANA
www.kzmu.org/listen.m3u ~ Use this link to access the show online.
Italian saxophonist Max Ionata is among the leading players in the contemporary jazz scene. His new 2016 Via Veneto Jazz release, Rewind, gets this week's Thin Edge off the ground with his "Bob's Mood" featuring Max's sax with bandmates Frits Landesbergen - drums and vibraphone, Alberto Gurrisi - Hammond organ. Newcomer Kansan, Allison Burk, and her Quartet gives us a take on "Antlers" with a primarily feminine ensemble from her self-produced Mythos. Seattle's pianist Aaron Parks gets together with Dane's Thomas Fonnesbæk (bass), Karsten Bagge (drums) in Stunt Records' 2016 release, Groovements in a cover of Cedar Walton's "Bolivia." Vibist Warren Wolf joins forces with Christian McBride (b), Jeff "Tain" Watts (d) and famed guitarist John Scofield in a performance of Wolf's "Soul Sister" from Warren's new Mack Avenue Convergence. Woody Herman brings this half to a close with the still relevant Shorty Roger's composition, "More Moon" - based on the chord changes of Nancy Hamilton's "How High the Moon" - recorded by Capitol Records in 1949 (later reimagined by Columbia years later).
The tune features a remarkable solo by saxophonist Gene Ammons as well as solos from vibist Terry Gibbs and Bill Harris' trombone - amazing what early artists compressed into the mandatory three minutes available in 78rpm shellac recordings.
Brand new from one of our favorite reed men comes a cover of Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge" from Wheels of Time, a Flying Dolphin Records release featuring Christof Saenger: piano; Rudi Engel: bass; Heinrich Koebberling: drums. Next we'll hear from Polish pianist newcomer, Wójciński Szmańda and his Quartet's Delusions (SLUCHAJ FUNDACJA 2016). Wójciński's "Flood" is eerily similar, but free-jazzier, to Tomasz Stańko's approach in his 2004 ECM Suspended Night featuring our favorite pianist, Marcin Wasilewski.
Beloved Italian trumpeter, Enrico Rava, follows with a new Casa Del Jazz release, My Songbook, featuring the alto of Daniele Tittarelli in a performance of "Choctaw." Closing this segment, we'll hear from famed Argentine pianist, Eduardo Elia, in a solo cover of Coltrane's "Giant Steps" from Eduardo's 2016 Blue Art Records release Solo.
German bassist, Henning Sieverts, gets the third half rolling with his 2016 PIROUET Double Quartet playing his "Hexa Countdown" featuring Loren Stillman on reeds. Brit Matthew Hasall gives a dynamic 6 count waltz, "Music for a Dancing Mind," from his new Gondwana Records' On the Go featuring the leader's trumpet and pianist Adam Fairhall and saxophonist Nat Birchall. Burke and Webster's "Black Coffee" gets an instrumental treatment from Cleveland's trumpeter Dominick Farnacci from his 2016 Mack Avenue Short Stories with help from all-stars Christian McBride, Steve Gadd, Larry Goldings, Jacob Collier, Jamey Haddad and Gil Goldstein.
Elton John - with mysteriously troubling lyrics from Bernie Taupin - gets romance started with one of his finest, "Come Down in Time" from his 1970 release, Tumbleweed Connection. Pianist Victor Gould gives an unusual romantic twist to Miles' "Nefertiti" from his Fresh Sound New Talent release Clockwork with help from E. J. Strickland (d) and Ben Williams (b). Dukes of Hazard alumni, Tom Wopat, becomes one the foremost jazz vocalists, beginning with his cover of Coleman and Leigh's "You Fascinate Me So" from his 2011 LML Music Consider It Swung. Alain Jean Marie, a jazz pianist born in 1945 in Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, joins forces with Danish bassist Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen performing Marie's "No Tears" from France's IDA Records 1998 Latin Alley.
From Stan Kenton's circa 1948 Stan Kenton and His Orchestra with June Christy we get June's admonition, "I Told Ya I Love Ya (Now Get Out!)" penned by Benny Carter, Herb Ellis and Johnny Frigo. Award winning Charlie Ventura and his 1946 Bop for the People is next with Jackie and Roy Kral's scat vocal, "Euphoria" featuring Ventura's sax and Bennie Green's trombone: wordless romance from the 40s! Roy Ayers slams the door on romance, at least as far as this show is concerned, with "Nasté" from his 1995 RCA recording of the same name. Roy plays the vibes and sings and is supported by James Moody ("Moody's Mood for Love") on soprano sax.
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.
