In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

This is the time of year where we review some of my favorite releases from 2024. Many of these are from  Hartford CT where I lived for 40+years, and my current home in San Diego.  Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Sarah Hanahan ~ We Bop! ~ Among Giants Chris Potter ~ Indigo Ildikó ~ Eagle's Point David Borgo ~ Peace of Mind ~ Persistence Lori Bell Quartet ~ Shade of Jade ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson Charles Lloyd ~ Booker’s Garden ~ The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow Andrew Renfroe ~ BIG COUNTRY ~ BIG COUNTRY EP Zaccai Curtis ~ Jazzin' ~ Cubop Lives! Mackenzie Leighton ~ The Obfuscator ~ I Remember Steve Davis ~ To Wisdom, the Prize ~ We See

This episode begins by paying tribute to tabla master Zakir Hussain who passed away last week. He is one of the greatest musicians of my generation, and brought Indian Classical Music awareness to many in the jazz scene. That is followed by a set of music from some of the most influential Hartford jazz mentors. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Shakti & Shakti ~ Mind Ecology ~ Natural Elements Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain & Chris Potter ~ Island Feeling ~ Good Hope Zakir Hussain ~ Zakir ~ Making Music Zaccai Curtis ~ 52nd Street Theme ~ Cubop Lives! Steve Davis ~ What Is This Thing Called Love ~ Say When Rich Goldstein ~ What a Difference a Day Makes ~ Into the Blue George Benson ~ Take Five ~ Bad Benson Terell Stafford ~ Hey, It's Me You're Talking To ~ Fields of Gold The Ed Palermo Big Band ~ Peaches En Regalia ~ Plays the Music of Frank Zappa Miroslav Vitous ~ Bamboo Forest ~ Universal Syncopations

This week's show starts with 3 guitarists; Goldstein, Bernstein and McLaughlin. The show ends with a couple great trumpet players in Hubbard and McGhee. Lots of great jazz in between. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Rich Goldstein ~ Hard Days Night ~ Into the Blue Peter Bernstein ~ You Go to My Head ~ Better Angels John McLaughlin ~ Binky's Dream ~ Extrapolation David Borgo ~ Segmented ~ Persistence Joe Zawinul ~ In a Silent Way ~ Zawinul Gretchen Parlato ~ Holding Back The Years ~ The Lost And Found Freddie Hubbard ~ Weaver of Dreams ~ Ready For Freddie Howard McGhee ~ Maggie's Back In Town ~ Maggie's Back In Town!

After kicking off this episode with classic Miles, we delve into some of jazz's best and most creative pianists. The show ends with Indian/Jazz fusion from McLaughlin's Shakti. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Miles Davis ~ Seven Steps to Heaven ~ Seven Steps to Heaven Renee Rosnes ~ Frevo ~ Crossing Paths Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner & Peter Bernstein ~ Ditty for Dewey ~ Solid Jackson  Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette ~ All the Things You Are ~ Standards, Vol. 1 Billy Childs ~ Master of the Game ~ The Winds of Change George Cables ~ Helen's Song ~ My Muse John McLaughlin & Shakti ~ India ~ A Handful of Beauty