Monday, May 27:
Vocalist Maria Muldaur may be best known for her 1974 hit “Midnight at the Oasis” but it’s her long career and forty-three recordings that have continued to delight her fans with Maria’s unique approach to blues, roots and jug band music.
Maria’s mother pushed her toward classical music but when her grandmother played her some Western Swing, at the tender age of five, there was no looking back. Maria’s latest CD, Let’s Get Happy Together, is a collection of lesser-known musical gems recorded with the New Orleans band, Tuba Skinny.
Tuesday, May 28:
Bassist/composer Kyle Eastwood has a wide range of creative influences, including a passion for cinema and great film scores, a love nurtured by his father, Clint Eastwood, who in addition to directing and acting, has written the music for several of his movies. Clint introduced Kyle to jazz early on and encouraged his composing pursuits by asking Kyle to contribute themes for many of his films, including Gran Torino, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima and Invictus.
Kyle’s latest tour celebrates his CD, Eastwood Symphonic, a collection of quintet and symphony arrangements of some of the best-known themes from his father’s movies.
Wednesday, May 29:
We revisit my 2019 conversation with pianist and composer, Jon Batiste. Jon is an exuberant presence, whether playing music or talking about the importance of putting good energy and meaningful work into the world. His band, Stay Human, is named to honor the belief that human interaction during a live musical performance can uplift humanity in the midst of the "plug in/tune out" nature of modern society.
Stephen Colbert, like Jon Batiste, has a commitment to social engagement, making Batiste a natural choice to lead the band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Jon and I talked about his work with Colbert, his commitment to positivity and his CD, Anatomy of Angels.
Jon left The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2022 to pursue personal and professional interests, which this tireless talent has done in spades.
Thursday, May 30:
Director, producer and occasional actor, Roger Corman, has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is celebrated as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. He is known for his cycle of low-budget cult films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe and many other horror classics, including Little Shop of Horrors and The Man With the X Ray Eyes. In Hollywood, Corman is equally celebrated for mentoring and giving a start to many young film directors and actors, from Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese to William Shatner, Bruce Dern, Jack Nicholson and many more.
We revisit my March 2020 conversation with Roger, recorded in his L.A. office in right before lockdown. At the time, Roger was 94 and just as motivated as ever and just as busy. We didn’t know everything was going to stop a few days later so he had trips and a new film planned. He was an inspiration on every level.
Roger passed away May 9, 2024.
Friday, May 31:
Drummer Joe LaBarbera has worked with Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Bob Brookmeyer, Tony Bennett and many other celebrated jazz greats, but it’s his work with pianist Bill Evans that he documents in his new book Times Remembered: The Final Years of the Bill Evans Trio, which he co-wrote with Charles Levin. This sensitive portrayal sheds light on the joys and challenges of the jazz world and the unique place that Bill Evans’ music and philosophy played within it.
Listen each morning on WBGO from 6 to 8 am ET.
For an archive of episodes on WBGO, visit the show’s page here.
