Lazaro Vega

Cool: did not know that.

Chick Webb, Jo Jones, Big Sid Catlett, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich are recognized jazz drummers from the hey day of swing. Yesterday Blue Lake Public Radio celebrated the music of another percussionist, a colorist with an elaborate set up allowing him to create sounds perfect for The Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1921 to 1951. Greer and Jimmy Blanton made a fearsome rhythm section, too. In addition to music by Sonny Greer, last night’s radio program brought you the newly issued 1956 Ella Fitzgerald recording taped at Zardi’s Jazzland in Hollywood, and we went “Out On Blue Lake” in the third hour, remembering Sunny Murray and featuring Mars Williams new Albert Ayler Xmas recording. www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Jazz From Blue Lake remembered the south side Chicago tenor saxophonist Eddie Johnson during last evening’s Jazz Retrospective segment of Jazz From Blue Lake. Johnson’s uncle, Doc Poston, played alto in Jimmy Noone’s Apex Club Orchestra (1920’s era band), and Johnson himself appeared with Louis Jordan’s Tympani Five (turning down an offer from Duke Ellington to work with Jordan, but later subbing for Ben Webster in Ellington’s band at a concert in Detroit, and appearing on Ellington’s 1960’s era Mary Poppins recording). Johnson rose to prominence as Chicago’s chief computer systems engineer, but returned to music in the late 1970’s, appearing in the 1980’s at the Grand Haven (MI) Winterfest with special edition of The Hubbard Street Swingers, and in Grand Rapids with Greg Sergo’s Ellington Dynasty at Lincoln Country Club. You’ll hear his music under “Jazz From Blue Lake” at our on demand page. www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Yesterday jazz pianist Eddie Heywood was remembered on Jazz From Blue Lake, including his earliest recordings with the 1939 Benny Carter Orchestra, an unforgettable session with Coleman Hawkins, and his commercially successful New York Sextet of the mid-1940’s that served as house band at Jimmy Ryan’s Sunday Jam Session, appeared regularly at Café Society, accompanied Billie Holiday on record and made several sessions for Milt Gabler’s Commodore Record label. “Begin the Beguine” and other hit records by pianist Eddie Heywood found under “Jazz From Blue Lake” at our on-demand page, www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Bassist Christian McBride appears with Tip City this Thursday at St. Cecilia Music Center. On Friday, Blue Lake Public Radio featured the music of McBride on Jazz From Blue Lake, including an interview with the 4 time Grammy-award winning bassist/bandleader, as well as music by pianist Emmett Cohen and guitarist Dan Wilson who complete Tip City. The program, Jazz From Blue Lake, is available to hear from www.bluelake.org/ondemand

It’s a tradition at Blue Lake Public Radio, featuring trumpeter Clifford Brown and saxophonist Illinois Jacquet on the radio at the end of October (honoring their birthdays, memories and, especially, music). So much happening in the performance arts in west Michigan this time of year, too, which Blue Lake hips you to. Clifford Brown is under “Jazz From Blue Lake” at www.bluelake.org/ondemand For Jacquet please join www.bluelake.org/listen tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. edt.

Dizzy time. Saturday is the 100th anniversary of jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie’s birth and last night Jazz From Blue Lake featured “the theoretician” (as Budd Johnson called Gillespie) in the first 20 minutes of each hour found here: www.bluelake.org/ondemand . Saturday morning Jazz a la Carte will include plenty of Gillespie, too, from 7 – 10 a.m. and Sunday night at 10 Gillespie is featured on “Night Lights.” Please join Blue Lake Public Radio in our celebration of this entertaining virtuoso and ambassador of American music.

THIS Sunday, 3 p.m., Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures in the Underground Music Series at LaFontsee Galleries! The new season of The Underground Concert Series opens October 22nd at 3 p.m. The band "Moving Pictures" includes Adam Rudolph: handrumset; Alexis Marcelo: Fender Rhodes, electric keyboards; Damon Banks: electric bass; Hamid Drake: drumset, percussion; Kenny Wessel: electric guitar, electronics; and Ralph M. Jones: c flute, alto flute, bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones, husli, bamboo flutes. Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures just released its first new album in over five years, “Glare of the Tiger,” a perfect example of creative music looking to the future while expressing the sound of now. Says Adam Rudolph, “It is my feeling that to honor tradition, one should look forward and not backward. The tradition is to sound like yourself and create a NEW music that reflects the NOW. To put it another way, Yusef Lateef often said to me, "Brother Adam, we are evolutionists." This concert is presented by Adventure Music, www.adventuremusic.org. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door; $10 for students.

Thanks David. He was loquacious! Benny Goodman is free jazz. All right then. Thanks Chuck for putting up the photos. This broadcast is available to hear under "Studio Performances" at www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Photos to large to share, I guess. Blue Lake Public Radio features a special in studio performance by the Frode Gjerstad Trio with Steve Swell this Thursday morning from midnight to 1 a.m. eastern time “Out on Blue Lake.” The saxophonist/clarinetist who considers all jazz “free” since a boyhood encounter hearing Benny Goodman jam on record, Gjerstad’s trio features bassist Jon Rune Strom (who in 2016 performed with Gjerstad’s trio at Mexicains Sans Frontiers in Grand Rapids, and with Universal Indians at the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival in East Lansing), and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, the 49 year old who’s played with Gjerstad for 34 years. Trombonist Steve Swell is on his third tour with the Norwegian free jazz ensemble, finding an exciting rapport in the band’s spontaneous orchestrations. This program is heard over WBLV FM 90.3 / WBLU FM 88.9 and streaming over the web from www.bluelake.org/listen.

Now at www.bluelake.org/ondemand “Jazz From Blue Lake” featuring the music of tenor saxophonist Chu Berry, one of the great soloists of the 1930’s. Catch the program now, as it will be replaced tomorrow. Under programs click on “Jazz From Blue Lake.”

Well, David Baerwald's lyrics nailed a mood, for sure -- McCaslin and Craig Taborn do, too. Can't play the vocal version of K.C. Blues, which is called "So Long," sung by Jeffrey Wright. But the writer finds a voice inside Bird. Might not be Bird's voice, but it's a convincing character. You know the last bit of theme on KC Blues...he gives it the line, "....you ain't gonna hurt me no more." There's this, too, "such a dynamite little city.....to be from." Goodness. I can't play it on the radio because it builds up to "fuck yoooouuuu Kansas City." "Moose the Mooche" is so right on. This guy dives into drug addiction from a hipster point of view, but it's not one of like "being hip," but just jaded, lost, above it yet consumed by it, and the singers, mostly, get it. Kurt Elling sure does. And so does this Jeffrey Wright. No, it's really something. Eerie. Uncomfortable. Welcoming. It may be a one off, but it's not a tourist point of view. Parts of this record crawl under your skin.

Have any of you heard "The Passion of Charlie Parker" on Impulse?

Heard him wipe everyone out at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1988, taking chorus after chorus on "Red Top" with a raring to go Marvin "Smitty" Smith taking no prisoners behind him. Today at www.bluelake.org/ondemand “Jazz From Blue Lake” features the music of Sonny Rollins in honor of his 87th birthday.

I just requested that one. Going to play it on the radio!

Who breaks singles of instrumental music on Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone? Donny McCaslin. Since saxophonist Donny McCaslin's band became "David Bowie's last band" for the album "Blackstar," McCaslin recorded and released "Beyond Now" in 2016 and played 80 concerts all over the world since. Jazz From Blue Lake features McCaslin's music in the first part of each hour found here: www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Happy 75th birthday to drummer/pianist/bandleader Jack DeJohnette featured on Jazz From Blue Lake here (click to listen): www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Tony Bennett's 91st finds the musician and painter keeping a promising performance schedule, including a concert at Ravinia in Chicago tonight and a celebration in New York on the 8th. Blue Lake Public Radio brings you jazz related recordings by Bennett during all five hours of Jazz From Blue Lake found under "Programs" here: www.bluelake.org/ondemand (In concert photograph by William Ellis.)

In August 1961 drummer/bandleader Max Roach represented the civil rights movement in sound with a band moving into a unique rhythmic soundscape – Eric Dolphy and Clifford Jordan on woodwinds; Booker Little, trumpet; Julian Priester, trombone; Mal Waldron, piano; Art Davis, bass; Roach on drums plus two percussionists and the voice of Abbey Lincoln. “Tender Warriors” is a lyrical, haunting, consonant theme featuring Dolphy’s flute. After an innocent sounding trumpet solo, Dolphy’s bass clarinet interrupts in distressing dissonance – youth and experience represented symbolically in sound. This classic recording is featured in the first part of each hour of Jazz From Blue Lake Lake found under “Programs” here: www.bluelake.org/ondemand

I'd check out their touring -- they're coming across the big water this fall, I believe.

BassDrumBone is actually a trio of bassist Mark Helias, drummer Gerry Hemingway and trombonist Ray Anderson. Right now they're celebrating the 40th anniversary of creating music with a continent jumping tour. Starting in New Haven just after the nation’s bi-centennial, each member had early playing and touring experience with composer/multi-instrumentalist Anthony Braxon. A review at www.bassdrumbone.com says of BassDrumBone’s music, “Variety is a predominant factor here.” Jazz From Blue Lake focuses on the 40th anniversary of BassDrumBone and their new double CD “The Long Road” under “Programs” found here today: www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Bobby Bradford switched permanently from trumpet to cornet in 1973, using the horn for great timbre flexibility and expressiveness in deftly organized spontaneous composition, something he’s excelled at since first coming out of Texas as a boyhood friend of the great Ornette Coleman. Blue Lake Public Radio’s celebration of Bobby Bradford’s 83 birthday is available to hear today under “Programs” and “Jazz From Blue Lake” here: www.bluelake.org/ondemand

Bob Blumenthal typified Milt Jackson’s July 2, 1948 quartet recording session with Thelonious Monk as easily his most important outside of the Modern Jazz Quartet, and one which produced music of the highest level, some of the most celebrated in Monk’s career. Combine those recordings with the July 23, 1951 session led by Monk featuring Jackson on “Four in One” and “Criss Cross” and you’ll be listening to last night’s Jazz From Blue Lake, here: www.bluelake.org/ondemand .

57 years ago Charles Mingus was invited to perform at the Antibes Jazz Festival in Juan Les Pins, France, a concert recorded and finally issued in the 1970's. Last night, in the first part of each hour, Blue Lake Public Radio featured that recording, and later in the evening the sessions Mingus did for Candid recordings in the fall of 1960. This 5 hour episode of Jazz From Blue Lake is available today under "Programs" https://www.bluelake.org/ondemand . You may want to read this while listening: https://www.thenation.com/article/argument-instruments-charles-mingus/

With this coming up -- http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/ornette-coleman-jazz-visionary-ready-prime-time-n779871 -- I was prompted to revisit a 1992 radio program on the soundtrack to this film including interviews with Ornette Coleman and film composer Howard Shore. You'll find the half hour long broadcast under "Interviews" at www.bluelake.org/ondemand