Playlist for Tom Ossana – The Thin Edge – December 13, 2017 MST 7:00 to 9:00p.m.

http://www.kzmu.org/listen.m3u ~ Use this link to access the show online.

The adjective “quicksilver” refers to someone or something that’s unpredictable, erratic or fickle; mercurial. Each of the versions of Horace Silver’s “Quicksilver” is unpredictable. Horace performs the first recorded version of his tune with Curly Russell’s bass and Art Blakey’s drums. This comes from in “Horace Silver Trio” (Blue Note 1952). While snooping for Silver’s version, I ran across the unlikely trumpet combination of West Coaster Conte Condoli with East Coaster Lee Morgan. They had a meeting in 1957 that resulted in their cover on “Double or Nothing” (Fresh Sound 1957/remastered 2003). This cut features Conte and Lee together with Bob Cooper (ts), Frank Rosolino (tb), Red Mitchell (b) and Wynton Kelly (p). Newcomer baritone saxophonist Glenn Kostur concludes our exploration of Silver’s tune with his “The Way of It” (Artist Alliance 2017) featuring Steve Kovalcheck’s guitar. Also new to the show comes Finland’s premiere reedman Eero Koivistoinen in a performance of “Big Five” - named after 5 African game animals and with a time signature of 5/4 – from his “Illusion” (Svart Records 2017). During this cut we’ll get reacquainted with the piano wizardry of Finland’s Alexi Tuomarila. Toronto based drummer Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop ~ “Rev” (Anzic Records 2017) brings this half to a close with his “The Libertine” featuring Joel Frahm and Tra Davidson’s reeds and Adrean Farrugia’s piano.

Sherman Irby’s “Momentum” kicks off the second half with a Jazz Messengers’ like cover of Irby’s “Racine” with solos by a Cannonball sounding Irby on alto, Vincent Gardner on trombone and Eric Reed’s piano. In a Cannonball Adderley recording that rivals Miles’ 1959 “Kind of Blue” – the bestselling jazz album of all time – “Somethin’ Else” (Blue Note 1958) gives us a taste of Nat Adderley’s “One for Daddy-O”. Cannonball’s alto improvises first followed by Miles, the incredible Hank Jones’ piano with a wrap-up from Cannonball and Miles. I had doubts seeing the album cover of Jimmy Chamberlin Complex’s “The Parable”, not to mention the first cut title “Horus and the Pharaoh”. “Don’t judge a book by . . .” works here. With Jimmy’s drums pushing the group forward we’ll hear from guitarist Sean Woolstenhulme, saxophonist Chris Speed and pianist Billy Mohler. Woody Herman’s First Herd concludes this half with a cover of Neal Hefti’s “The Good Earth” with Woody’s clarinet and a tenor solo from the wildly popular Flip Phillips who bridged the gap between swing and bop.

Ken Fowser returns to get the third half underway with the title track from his “Now Hear This!” (Posi-Tone Records 2017) with solos from Ken’s tenor, Josh Bruneau’s trumpet and Rich Germanson’s piano. Concord resurrected a Bill Evans Trio 1976 Madison, Wisconsin recording, naming it “On a Monday Evening (Live)”. With bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund, we’ll hear a cover of Frank Churchill’s “Someday My Prince Will Come”. My favorite living pianist, Marcin Wasilewski follows with Pawel Krawczyk Katarzyna Nosowska Marcin Zabrocki’s “Do Rycerzy, Do Szlachty, Do Mieszczan” (Knights, Nobles, Townspeople) featuring the usual trio - Slawomir Kurkiewicz, double bass - Michal Miskiewicz, drums – with Joakim Milder’s tenor from Marcin’s “Spark of Life (ECM 2014). Pianist Stanley Cowell gets us ready for romance with his trio cover of McCoy Tyner’s “You Taught My Heart to Sing” featuring Jay Anderson (b) and Billy Drummond (dr).

The Romantic Half-Hour begins with Sweden’s songbird, Jeanette Lindström’s eighth release, “Whistling Away the Dark” (2006). We get her cover of Alan & Marilyn Bergman and Michel Legrand’s “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life” backed up by Sweden’s premiere pianist, Bobo Stenson. Miles Davis follows with a cover of Harry Warren’s “You’re My Everything” from his “Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet” (Prestige 1958), his second of four releases resulting from Davis’ famous May and October 1956 marathon sessions. We call the group – Miles, Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones – his first great quintet. “Love Like Ours”, a tune penned by Dave Grusin with lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman, follows as imagined by Alan’s magical vocal with a large ensemble from “Lyrically, Alan Bergman” (Verve 2007). Grammy winner Cécile McLorin Salvant’s “Dreams and Daggers” (MACK AVENUE RECORDS 2017) returns with her treatment of Jay Gorney and Sidney Clare’s “You’re My Thrill”. Gregory Porter pays his respects to Nat King Cole with a cover of Gladys Shelley’s “I Wonder Who My Daddy Is” from his “Nat King Cole & Me [Deluxe Edition]” (Blue Note 2017). I asked Karen Egert to return to the show with a cover of Bonnie Rait’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” from her “What Is This Thing Called Love” (2007 Karen Egert). My pleas to the gods of love come to an end. The rest is up to you.

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. — Charles Schulz

Let's have some fun!

Thanks to Music Director Serah and friends around the world for the program's content.