WBGO Blog

  • Today is the 100th anniv of Milt Hinton's birth .. we celebrated his 80th

    June 23, 2010. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Anniversaries, Birthdays, concerts, Great Live Moments, Jazz Alive, Jazz Community, jvc jazz festival, Live Music, Milt Hinton

    Clark Terry was an MC. Ray Brown was the lead-off bass player, with youngster John Clayton. Sylvia Sims sang. Joe Williams sang. Doc Cheatham played duets with newcomer Wynton Marsalis. NY Mayor Dinkins sent a proclamation that June 23, 1990, was "Milt Hinton Day." A choir of first-call bassists canceled whatever to come together and celebrate.

    Bassists, from left: Lynn Seaton, Lonnie Plaxico, Charnett Moffit, Jack Lesberg, Bob Haggart, Milt Hinton, John Clayton, Eddie Gomez, Dick Hyman, Richard David, Bill Crow, Major Holley, Ron Carter and Rufus Reid perform "The Judge Meets the Section" at MH 80th Birthday Concert at Town Hall on June 23, 1990. Photo by Tad Hershorn
    Bassists, from left: Lynn Seaton, Lonnie Plaxico, Charnett Moffett, Jack Lesberg, Bob Haggart, Milt Hinton, John Clayton, Eddie Gomez, Richard Davis, Bill Crow, Major Holley, Ron Carter and Rufus Reid perform at the MH 80th Birthday Concert at Town Hall on June 23, 1990. Photo by Tad Hershorn

    As host Michael Bourne noted on the two-hour broadcast, the young-at-heart elder statesman had played on more than 600 albums. He and wife Mona Hinton were loved. Milt closed the concert with some solo slap bass, then honored a request to sing "Old Man Time." Dick Hyman on piano, Bob Rosengarden on drums. Please listen.

    © 2010 WBGO

  • Piano notes

    June 10, 2010. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Great Live Moments, Jazz Alive, Jazz Community, JazzSet, Masters

    10 06 10 Queen to MarianNote #1: On June 8, the Queen's official birthday, at a reception at Her Majesty's Consul General's Residence (near the UN), the Queen (not present) bestowed the honour of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire upon Margaret Marian McPartland, who was present and seated under a good-sized Andy Warhol portrait of the Queen. Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz was noted in the presentation.

    Note #2: Sunday June13 at 6pm and Wednesday June 16 at 6:30 in a broadcast premiere on JazzSet, pianist Edward Simon - now a Guggenheim Fellow and member of the SF JAZZ Collective - presents his piece Sorrows and Triumphs . The performance by the septet Afinidad comes from the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, AR. David Binney is co-leader. The entire concert is really neat! Mystical and musical.

    David Binney at Afinidad rehearsal in Fayetteville
    David Binney at Afinidad rehearsal in Fayetteville

    The web extra piece at jazzset.npr.org is Simon's "Impossible Dream." Here's an excerpt with Gretchen Parlato vocals, Adam Rogers guitar, Scott Colley bass, Antonio Sanchez drums, Rogerio Boccato pc.

    Scott Colley
    Scott Colley

    Sorrows and Triumphs was created with support from Chamber Music America’s New Works: Creation & Presentation Program, funded generously through the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

    © 2010 WBGO

  • NEA Jazz Masters live broadcast on WBGO

    January 7, 2010. Posted by Brandy Wood.

    Add new comment | Filed under: concerts, Great Live Moments, Jazz Alive, Jazz Community, Live Music

    NEA artwork 2010

    WBGO Jazz 88.3FM will broadcast the 2010 NEA Jazz Masters Awards Ceremony & Concert taking place on Tuesday, January 12 at 7:30PM in the Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center at Broadway at 60th Street.  The performance will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in a program dedicated to the 2010 honorees’ works.

    Joining the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will be many of the honorees themselves including Muhal Richard Abrams, Bill Holman (as guest conductor), Annie Ross, and Cedar Walton. Also featured will be 2010 Jazz Master Kenny Barron on solo piano and 2010 Jazz Master Yusef Lateef with percussionist Adam Pudolph. George Avakian will receive the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy.

    Twenty-six fellow NEA Jazz Masters will be in the audience, including Toshiko Akiyoshi, Ornette Coleman, Paquito d’Rivera, Ramsey Lewis, and Dr. Billy Taylor.  The broadcast will be co-hosted by WBGO’s Gary Walker and Sirius/XM’s Mark Ruffin, and carried on both WBGO and Sirius/XM’s Real Jazz channel.

    © 2010 WBGO