Tune in to the Jazz Show with Gavin Walker every Monday night,
9pm-Midnight.
April 3
Tonight’s Jazz Feature is an extremely rare album by legendary drummer Roy Haynes, who is 92 years old and still touring and playing. Roy leads his 1964 working quartet with the underrated master of the alto saxophone, Frank Strozier. Frank also is heard on flute too. Pianist and ex-Jazz messenger Sam Dockery is on piano and bassist Larry Ridley provides the bottom groove on 10 selections all familiar standard tunes. None of the tunes are over 5 minutes but much is packed into this fine date done for Pacific Jazz Records. “People” with the Roy Haynes Quartet.
April 10
Here is a hard driving and swingin’ date with alto and tenor saxophone master Oliver Nelson along with Count Basie’s powerhouse trumpeter Joe Newman. The date is a blowfest with minimum arrangements and fuss. Both horns are driven by Hank Jones on piano, the great George Duvivier on bass, Charlie Persip on drums and Ray Barretto on conga drum. Nelson and Newman kick up a storm on “Main Stem”.
April 17
Two great pioneers of Modern Jazz piano were Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk but also Elmo Hope who kind of came up in the middle. Elmo was every bit the genius of Powell and Monk and was a very close friend of both but recognition of his talents as a pianist/composer have been slow. Tonight’s Jazz Feature has Elmo Hope in a trio setting with bassist Paul Chambers and drum master “Philly Joe” Jones playing a playing a program of 9 unique Hope original compositions. Hope’s genius is well represented on “Here’s Hope”.
April 24
April 22 (Earth Day) is also bassist/composer Charles Mingus’ Birthday and his 95th Birthday anniversary. We belatedly celebrate this event tonight by featuring one of his iconic recordings. This one was called “Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus!” It is derived from two recording sessions with large ensembles. One from January 1963 and the other from September 1963 representing a productive year in the volatile career of Mr. Mingus. Here is a program of 7 Mingus originals plus a nod to his idol Duke Ellington on “Mood Indigo” . Powerful and moving music by one of the great masters of 20th century music.