WBGO Blog

  • JazzSet in October

    October 3, 2011. Posted by Becca Pulliam.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Alternate Routes, Ben Williams, danilo perez, Green Mill, Jazz Alive, JazzSet, Kennedy Center Jazz, kenny werner, Masters, njpac, Poncho Sanchez, Randy Weston, roy hargrove, Toots Thielemans, village vanguard, Von Freeman, Yotam Silberstein

    JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater is celebrating ten years with Dee Dee as host, and nearing our 20th anniversary on the air with live music every week. You have two chances to catch this week's show on WBGO Jazz 88 - Sundays at 6pm, Wednesdays at 6:30. Miss a show? Listen on demand. We're in Surround Sound. Here's our early fall line-up:

    THIS WED, OCT 5, HEAR 2012 NEA Jazz Master Von Freeman, born October 3, 1923

    We knew Freeman was born and stayed in Chicago, but until earlier this year, everyone including the man himself thought his birth year was 1922. Howard Reich of The Chicago Tribune suspected it was 1923, and writes here about how he corrected Von Freeman history. On this JazzSet from New Year's Eve, 2010, at the Green Mill, he dukes it out in a mock battle with fellow tenor Ed Petersen .

    Freeman by Jimmy Katz
    Freeman by Jimmy Katz

    Yotam, courtesy of the artist
    Yotam courtesy of the artist

    SUN, OCT 9, AND WED, OCT 12, DISCOVER Ben Williams & Sound Effect and the Yotam Silberstein Quartet .. two new talents from the KC Jazz Club

    Williams from the DC area won the Thelonious Monk International Bass Competition; now he leads a fresh-sounding quintet with Marcus Strickland on sax and Christian Sands on piano, to name just two. Guitarist Yotam from Tel Aviv made a great first impression on Kennedy Center audiences in the sold-out Ella! concert (as broadcast on JazzSet), and in Yotam's quartet you'll hear his boyhood friend from Israel, Roy Assaf on piano.

    NEXT, WE REPRISE TWO ALTERNATE ROUTES CONCERTS FROM NJPAC:

    SUN, OCT 16, AND WED, OCT 19, NEA Jazz Master Randy Weston & African Rhythms
    For pianist Weston, jazz is not a genre. It's home, celebrated in music from the opening "African Rhythms" to his long-time theme, "Love, the Mystery Of."

    SUN, OCT 23, AND WED, OCT 26, Danilo Perez AND Poncho Sanchez, Back to Back
    Danilo from Panama plays emotional, colorful, storytelling music from his album Providencia. Poncho from southern California and his long-running Latin jazz band (two dozen albums, one a year) party with the Newark audience, including some of his own family.

    SUN, OCT 30, AND WED, NOV 2, NEA Jazz Master Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner at the Kennedy Center - broadcast premiere of a concert from March, 2010
    Toots holds the harmonica to his lips, the mic to his harmonica, and the music seems to come straight from his heart, with Guggenheim Fellow Kenny Werner on piano. The music comes from Belgium, the US and Brazil.

    Toots Thielemans by Jos Knaepen
    Thielemans by Jos Knaepen

    Hargrove by John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com
    Hargrove by John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com

    SUN, NOV 4, AND WED, NOV 7, The Second Set: Trumpeter Roy Hargrove Quintet at the Village Vanguard

    The first set aired Live from the Village Vanguard on WBGO and NPR Music. Here's the second set - all music, not a word from the stage. At the end, the audience claps for three minutes straight for Justin Robinson, alto; Sullivan Fortner, piano; Ameen Saleem, bass; Montez Coleman, drums; and Roy Hargrove. The sweetest tone in town.

    © 2011 WBGO

  • Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz turns 30

    March 27, 2009. Posted by Brandy Wood.

    Add new comment | Filed under: Anniversaries, Arturo O'Farrill, Bill Charlap, concerts, cyrus chestnut, Daryl Sherman, dena derose, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Grace Kelly, Grady Tate, Jackie Cain, jazz at lincoln center, Joanne Brackeen, John Bunch, karrin allyson, kenny barron, kenny werner, kurt elling, Laurence Hobgood, Marian McPartland, Masters, Mulgrew Miller, Piano Jazz, Randy Weston, Renee Rosnes, Taylor Eigsti, wbgo

    Marian McPartland
    Since April 1979, legendary pianist Marian McPartland has welcomed a stellar line-up of jazz artists for one hour of conversation and improvisation on her Peabody Award-winning program. Each week, McPartland, with her engaging personality and improvisational savvy, hosts a variety of performers in her radio living room. You can hear Piano Jazz on WBGO Thursdays at 6:30pm.

    Like WBGO, Piano Jazz is turning 30 this April. To celebrate the anniversary, Ms. McPartland returns to Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola on April 14th. "The Grande Dame of Jazz" will be joined by some of the music world's most radiant performers. Musical guests will include Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Bill Charlap, Cyrus Chestnut, Kurt Elling, Mulgrew Miller, Arturo O'Farrill, and Randy Weston.  That's the short list.

    Additionally, Marian McPartland will be honored with a lifetime achievement award from the "Worshipful Company of Musicians" of England during the evening's festivities. The award will be presented by fellow "WM of M" honoree, pianist John Escreet. For more information, check out www.wcom.org.uk.
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    For event information, visit Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

    Marian McPartland's PIANO JAZZ website

    © 2009 WBGO

  • Kenny Werner and Roseanna Vitro live

    June 10, 2008. Posted by .

    Add new comment | Filed under: best time, Jazz Alive, kenny werner, roseanna vitro

    Kenny Werner and Roseanna VitroSummer is the best time to go see shows, in my opinion. Here's one that you can check out... It's Kenny Werner and Roseanna Vitro live at J&R Music World on Saturday, June 21 at 4PM.

    Get more information.

    © 2008 WBGO