WBGO Blog

  • Juan-Carlos Formell and Johnny's Dream Club on JazzSet

    April 6, 2012. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: JazzSet, Johnny's Dream Club, Juan-Carlos Formell

    Sunday, April 8, at 6pm and Wednesday, April 11, at 6:30 ..

    (c) Monterey Jazz Festival, by Cole Thompson

    Juan-Carlos's magical, poetic music connects Havana, New Orleans, New York and on this occasion, the Monterey Jazz Festival.  Ricky Rodriguez from the Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra plays the bass. Lewis Kahn of many Fania All Stars recordings plays violin and trombone. Harvey Wainapel from the Bay Area guests on clarinet. With Manuel Valera on piano and  Jorge Leyva on percussion.

    "Las islas son malvadas y nadie lo suspecha" means "Islands are evil and no one knows." Listen:

    12 04 05 LEWISjuan-carlos formell_MJF54_2011 (c) Monterey Jazz Festival-Cole Thompson-2-2_med

    © 2012 WBGO

  • Benny Green and Gary Smulyan both born on April 4.. and they're on JazzSet together, tonight!

    April 4, 2012. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Benny Green, gary smulyan, JazzSet

    JazzSetAnniversaryNoTag_200x200_FinalHow cool is this? Gary Smulyan is the special guest on bari sax with the Benny Green Trio tonight at 6:30 on JazzSet. Both Benny and Gary are celebrating their birthdays today!

    Happy coincidence!

    © 2012 WBGO

  • Monk's Dream: Fifty Years Fresh on JazzSet

    March 30, 2012. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Benny Green, JazzSet, Monk's Dream

    12 03 29 JazzSet-Benny Green by Mark Schramm-CROPbyMATTHEWJazzSet's Mark Schramm got the story: Not long after Thelonious Monk was on the cover of TIME magazine in 1964, a saxophonist and sculptor named Bert Green played “Monk’s Dream" for his son Benny in the garage of their family home in Berkeley, CA. It was the first music Benny ever heard, his primary influence.

    Now Benny -- Oscar Peterson's choice for the Glenn Gould  Protege Prize in 1994 -- is coming back to his source.

    Peter Washington is on bass, Kenny Washington on drums, with special guest baritone sax man Gary Smulyan. Maybe you're wondering if the bari can thrive outside a big band. Well, tune right in because Smulyan's stamina and musicality make for serious fun, right in line with the one-of-a-kind, quirky, syncopated, logical, every-note-counts tunes by Thelonious, and the spot-on delivery from Benny, Peter and Kenny.

    Sunday, April 1, at 6pm and Wednesday, April 4, at 6:30 .. or any time this week online at wbgo.org/jazzset.

    © 2012 WBGO