I volunteer as a DJ for Charlottesville’s local independent radio station, WTJU Charlottesville, 91.1 FM, and am currently the every-other-week co-host of All That Jazz, which airs from 9:00–11:00am ET on Thursdays.
WTJU broadcasts locally and streams worldwide on the web, so you can tune in live no matter where you are, or you can catch the archived stream anytime!
All volunteers can sub for others, too. While I’ll mostly sub for Jazz shows, I may get to do the occasional Rock, Folk, or Classical one. This week, I subbed in for The Jazz Messenger.
Whenever I host a show, I’ll drop its stream and a corresponding playlist on the blog, and I’ll write a little about what I’m spinning and why.
Hope you enjoy and hear something that inspires!
The Jazz Messenger | Friday, June 7, 2024
Public Spotify playlist:
The Opener
In honor of the Phillies killing it this year so far, I decided to spin Kenny Garrett’s “Brother B Harper” to celebrate everyone’s either most beloved or most hated baseball superstar, Bryce Harper. Now, Happy People was released when Bryce was only 10, so it wasn’t written for him by any means… unless, that is, Kenny had visions of baseball dominance and foresaw his ascendence to one of the greatest players in modern times…
Listening, one can just imagine Bryce stepping up to the plate in slow motion… smashing a pitch… and the scream of the crowd—or is it the scream of the baseball??—emulating through Kenny’s saxophone at the climate of his solo…! And then, at the end, Kenny quoting the Japanese folk tune “Sakura”… was a homer against the cherry-blossom-uniformed Nats??
Yeah, baby! Bryce Harper, yessir!!
Set 1: After the Rain
Next is three versions of “After the Rain” back to back. First, Kenny Garrett’s version, then two by Eric Alexander.
Listen for not only the artists’ differing approaches to it, but Eric’s own differing interpretation after a two-decade gap.
Set 2: Bird Not Bird
This set features Charlie Parker tunes recorded by other people. I picked 3 that I don’t necessarily see or hear much (that may just be me and a result of my scene, of course!).
Cedar Walton’s cut of “Relaxing at the Camarillo” is a standout. I legit was hooting aloud in the booth. THAT is swing. THAT is a band!!
Set 3: Bjork
Gotta play some Bjork covers from time to time! I’m always running into ones I hadn’t heard before—this time, “Cocoon”—and love revisiting the originality of the ones that I know. As always with covers, the best experience is to listen to the original then to the cover to better understand what’s happening in the music!
The Closer(s)
I technically have two closers this time. Originally planned to have a Jason Moran set but ran out of time because I talked too much about that Cedar Walton track, haha.
So, enjoy two very different tracks—the first a modern electronic recording by Moran, and then the virtuosity of Brazilian bandolin master Hamilton de Holanda.
We saw Hamilton play with Chris Potter at the Kennedy Center recently for free in celebration of 100 years of diplomacy between U.S. and Brazil. Unreal experience. There’s nothing like experiencing the music of masters at the top of their craft.
I hope you find something new you love in these sets. Let me know in the comments!
Peace,
Greg