You'll Hear It

The Impossible follow-up: Michael Jackson's 1987 album Bad. Five years after Thriller changed everything, Michael returned with a record that would become one of the best-selling of all time, win two Grammys, feature some of the greatest musicians in the world (hey, Stevie Wonder!) ... and somehow still gets called a letdown. We've covered two of Michael's albums produced by Quincy Jones: Off the Wall and Thriller. What about Bad? Could it actually be better than its predecessor? Jazz pianists Peter Martin and Adam Maness deliver their final verdict on this 80s pop sensation.Along the way, you'll hear behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the album. Plus - we break down the tracks (with keyboards) to highlight the music theory behind this album's most compelling moments. “Annie, are you OK?” Sometimes the best hooks come from the strangest places - find out where in the YHI newsletter: https://youllhearit.com/newsletter00:00 - Intro: "Smooth Criminal" - Michael Jackson01:30 - Michael Jackson's Bad (1987)6:40 - Quincy's Smaller Role on Bad7:50 - The Quincey Jones Brain Trust11:00 - "Bad" - Tough Guy Michael15:00 - Too Much Programming?18:40 - That Organ Solo? Jimmy Smith!22:40 - The Tragedy Behind Bad23:45 - "The Way You Make Me Feel" - Sweet Michael29:15 - How WE Really Feel (About Bad vs Thriller)30:30 - "Speed Demon" - A Nostalgic Track31:55 - Can We Be Honest?32:50 - "Liberian Girl" - The Mid-Album Dip35:30 - "Just Good Friends" - Stevie Can't Save It41:00 - "Another Part of Me" - Pure Joy45:00 - How "Man in the Mirror" Got Its Name45:55 - "Man in the Mirror" - The Apex53:00 - Why We Don't See Songs Like This Today57:30 - "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" - Rejected By Babs1:01:00 - "Dirty Diana" - Phil Collins Vibes1:02:50 - "Smooth Criminal" - That's MJ's Heartbeat!1:06:25 - "Leave Me Alone" - The Shuffle1:09:15 - Apex Moments: Phillinganes and That "Woo!" 1:10:55 - Final Verdict: Bad vs Thriller1:14:05 - Open Studio Plays "Smooth Criminal" 

Carole King’s Tapestry is so cozy, you'll want to hug it; sit with it. It sounds simple, warm, and totally unassuming. But it’s way more impressive than it seems at first.Adam and Peter break down what’s actually going on beneath the surface of Tapestry ... and what most people miss. Carole King was already an elite songwriter long before this album. You know Aretha Franklin's “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”? Carole wrote that. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by The Shirelles? She wrote that, too. When she was just 17! Listen closely and you hear it everywhere: in the chord choices, in the way the she actually PLAYS the piano instead of just accompanying her vocals, and in the way her melodies and lyrics lock together so naturally you barely notice how intentional it all is. Add in that soulful, sweet voice, and you start to understand how this unassuming record became a chart-topping, Grammy-dominating classic when it came out in 1971.Tapestry sounds easy, but it's not. Check out this episode, and you'll never hear this album the same way again. Get our newsletter for bonus stories that didn’t make the pod:https://youllhearit.com/newsletter00:00 - Opening Tune: It's Too Late01:25 - Introducing Carole King's Tapestry05:00 - That Time Young Paul Simon and Carole Played Together07:10 - Carole's Early Doo-wop Sound10:20 - "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" - Aretha Franklin13:30 - When Songwriter Became Performer16:30 - B.B. and Carole 18:00 - "I Feel the Earth Move"22:00 - "So Far Away"30:45 - "It's Too Late"40:50 - "Home Again"44:00 - "Beautiful"45:35 - "Way Over Yonder" 50:00 - "You've Got a Friend"58:20 - "Where You Lead"1:02:30 - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"1:04:40 - "Tapestry"1:08:45 - "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"1:13:10 - Apex Moments of Tapestry1:21:20 - Coming Up On on You'll Hear It1:22:00 - Outro: "It's Too Late"

We're looking at the best jazz releases of January 2026! Listen with pianist Adam Maness as he breaks down and reacts to these great tracks.Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - Intro00:50 - Why Don't You - Sam Fribush, Corey Fonville, Charlie Hunter03:09 - Talking Drum - Julian Lage04:58 - Flim - Winderman, Colman, Kimock06:53 - Nacho Supreme - Motion II08:51 - Wisdom Is Eternal (For Barry Harris)10:49 - Unpersuadable Extern - N∆BOU12:11 - Free Walk - Vladko14:17 - Fireball - John Ellis & Double Wide15:52 - Giant Steps - Billy Hart18:50 - Parks Lope - Aaron Parks

New episode drops February 2, 2026! Keep your eyes on the feed for episodes on artists like Carole King, Michael Jackson, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Radiohead, Tears for Fears, D'Angelo and so much more!

We're looking back at the best jazz releases of 2025. Listen with pianist Adam Maness as he breaks down and reacts to these great tracks.This is a new segment from the team behind You'll Hear It, and we're looking to continue this music discovery pod as a weekly series in 2026. Help us shape this series and leave us a comment with your feedback.Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - The Best New Jazz of 202500:55 - "Spiral Dance" - Branford Marsalis Quartet02:30 - "Minor Blues Redux" - Kenny Barron4:54 - "Icarus" - Joshua Redman6:55 - "Thou Swell" - Gillian Margot, Geoffrey Keezer9:30 - "Southern Nights" - Sullivan Fortner12:30 - "Anything but now" - Cécile McLorin Salvant16:30 - "Everything Means Nothing to Me" - Brad Mehldau22:00 - "Over (feat. Yebba)" - Robert Glasper24:40 - "Carved From" - Mary Halvorson26:45 - "Old Folks" - Christian McBride29:00 - "Windows" - Chick Corea, Christian McBride, Brian Blade33:00 - "Mood Indigo" - Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Charlap

What does it really mean to live a musical life?As we look ahead to 2026, Adam and Peter talk about music as a way of being. Not a checklist, or a finish line, or something reserved for “professionals.” They share why they believe everyone is a musician, and why taste and curiosity matter more than optimization.Whether you're a musician, or a lover of music, anyone can lead a musical life.Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - How to Live a Musical Life in 202607:00 - There is No Finish Line08:45 - All Humans Are Musicians19:10 - Find Your Own Taste28:00 - How We Choose Topics for You'll Hear It

Prince's Sign O' the Times is one of our most requested albums at You'll Hear It. But, there is a certain window of millennial that doesn't really "get" Prince. If that’s you, this episode is your on ramp into his music. We start with Prince's earliest albums, tracing his incredible run from 1978 through to 1986. By the time we hit 1987 (around the time our dear mid-millennials were born), you can hear exactly why Sign O’ the Times has become so beloved by critics and music-lovers alike.If you’re already a Prince fan (like us!), get comfy. Put on your purple rain coat. We talk through the influences we hear all over this music: James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire. We share our apex moments from Sign O’ the Times. And yes… we’ve got a few quibble bits too.We'll be taking a short break in January, and returning with more great episodes in February 2026. We'll be dropping a few special episodes in the meantime, so keep an eye on the feed. 00:00 - Intro Jam: "U Got the Look"02:10 - Welcome + New at Open Studio03:50 - Coming Up Next Season05:10 - How We Make Decisions for the Show08:35 - Why "Sign O' the Times"?11:35 - "Soft and Wet" from For You (1978)14:50 - "I Wanna Be Your Lover" from Prince (1979)17:50 - "Head" from Dirty Mind (1980)19:15 - "Controversy" from Controversy (1981)22:35 - "1999" from 1999 (1982)25:15 - "Purple Rain" from Purple Rain (1984)28:40 - "Raspberry Beret" from Around the World in a Day (1985)29:45 - "Kiss" from Parade (1986)40:20 - "Sign O' the Times"45:40 - "Housequake" 47:20 - "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker"51:50 - "Starfish and Coffee"53:05 - "Slow Love"55:20 - "Hot Thing"57:10 - "U Got the Look"59:25 - Miles on Prince1:02:25 - "If I Was Your Girlfriend"1:04:00 - "Strange Relationship"1:05:20 - "The Cross"1:08:00 - "Adore" 1:09:50 - Apex Moments1:14:55 - Categories1:19:35 - Snobometer1:23:55 - Coming Up on YHI1:24:20 - Outro Jam: "U Got the Look"

Could this be peak Frank? Sinatra at the Sands captures the energy, the cool, and the incredible voice that made this crooner so iconic. Backed by the Count Basie Orchestra with arrangements by a young Quincy Jones, this live album still swings 60 years later!Sinatra at the Sands was recorded at a moment when Sinatra was emerging from a slump. Rock and roll dominated the airwaves, the Beatles were redefining popular music and crooning just wasn't cool anymore. But this album, recorded live in Vegas, shows a 50-year-old Frank sounding loose, confident, and completely at home in front of a band that swings like nothing else. Listen with us as we break down and react to the best of this swingin' album.Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - Intro Jam: Fly Me To the Moon01:35 - The Sinatra-Basie Episode!03:45 - Is This Peak Frank?05:45 - The Mid-60s Culture Shift07:45 - "Come Fly With Me" 12:00 - The Quincy Influence14:45 - "I've Got You Under My Skin"17:30 - What To Listen For22:30 - "The Shadow of Your Smile"26:20 - Freddie Green's "Chunking" Technique28:15 - Sinatra's Vocal Gift33:30 - "Street of Dreams"35:50 - "One For My Baby (And One More for the Road)"38:40 - "Fly Me To the Moon"45:00 - "One O'Clock Jump"49:50 - Desert Island Tracks54:05 - Apex Moments59:05 - Categories1:03:20 - Coming Up Next Week

How much do you know about Peter Martin? In this conversation with Kirk Hamilton of the Strong Songs podcast, Peter shares his musical influences and trajectory as a young jazz pianist. He brings us right back to the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s with stories of meeting Wynton Marsalis, and playing with jazz legends like Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove and Joshua Redman.Plus, he shares his take on jazz education, the marathon runner's mindset and why anyone and everyone can play music.Check out the Strong Songs podcast: https://strongsongspodcast.com/Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi 00:00 - Introducing Today's Episode02:50 - Peter's Strong Songs Interview06:00 - Peter's Musical Background08:00 - The Suzuki Method14:30 - Nurturing Talent 16:30 - How Peter Discovered Jazz20:30 - Meeting Wynton Marsalis27:00 - The Midwestern Jazz Scene33:20 - Juilliard, Roy Hargrove and the Young Lions35:40 - Moving to New Orleans38:30 - The Economics of Jazz in the 90s40:00 - Playing with the Legendary Betty Carter44:30 - Jazz Musicianship Then and Now47:15 - Roy Hargrove and the Summer of '9452:15 - Joining Joshua Redman57:45 - Rethinking Jazz Education1:02:15 - The Marathon Runner's Mindset1:07:20 - Kenny Kirkland: Awe & Inspiration1:15:00 - Roy Hargrove, The RH Factor and Hard Groove1:20:00 - My Funny Valentine - Miles Davis1:25:00 - How to Find the Recommendations in this Episode

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was one of the BIGGEST records of the 90s. When you sell 20 million records, like Lauryn Hill did, you're into mass market territory; you're selling records all over the world and reaching across genres. With Miseducation, Lauryn Hill struck a nerve with humanity.  How did she do it?As you'll hear in this episode, the album sounded unlike other chart-topping hits at the time. It features tons of acoustic instruments, beautiful chord progressions, Stevie Wonder vibes, palatable melodies, a D'Angelo cameo and deeply personal storytelling. And Lauryn Hill herself has the presence of an actor with the soul of an underground musician.Listen with us as we parse through Lauryn Hill's only album track-by-track to answer the question: What makes this album great? Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - Intro Jam: "Doo Wop (That Thing)"02:05 - A Concept Album About Love04:55 – The Fugees, Sister Act II & Stardom07:40 - "Intro" + "Lost Ones"10:50 - “Ex-Factor”13:15 - "To Zion (Feat. Carlos Santana)"20:05 - "Doo Wop (That Thing)"21:45 - "Superstar"23:30 - “When It Hurts So Bad”25:50 - "I Used to Love Him (feat. Mary J. Blige)"33:00 - Hitting a Nerve with Humanity37:20 - "Every Ghetto, Every City"40:20 - "Nothing Even Matters"42:50 - "Everything Is Everything"45:10 - "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill"47:30 - "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You - (I Love You Baby)"52:35 - Desert Island Tracks + Apex Moments1:01:50 - Up Next

Keith Jarrett's "The Köln Concert" is the best selling solo piano album of all time. But why this album? Possibly because it sounded like nothing else in popular music at the time of its release in 1975. It is cinematic, genre-fluid and masterful – in many ways ahead of its time.Jazz musicians Adam Maness and Peter Martin listen to one of the most popular albums in the history of jazz, pulling apart all the elements that make it great: the melodies, the vamps, even the "soul" of Jarrett's notoriously flawed piano. If you know "The Köln Concert" well, watch for the analysis and hot takes. If you haven't heard this album before, it may just become the soundtrack to your life!Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - Is it Köln or Cologne?06:30 - Part I09:20 - How Jarrett Made Music for the Moment17:00 - Jumping Back Into Part I23:00 - Joyful and Fearless 29:00 - All the Genres33:20 - Legit Amazing AND Popular36:05 - The Harp42:00 - Part II a48:25 - 80s Cinema Vibes54:20 - Part II b1:00:55 - Part II c1:04:00 - Apex Moments & Categories1:11:45 - GALA + Black Friday at Open Studio!

Songs in the Key of Life stands apart, even next to the other four albums in Stevie Wonder's classic period. It resulted in the most hit singles: "I Wish", "Sir Duke", "As" and "Another Star". Chris Molanphy of the Hit Parade podcast leads us through this album's incredible charts story. Not only did it produce FOUR singles, but it inspired two other chart-topping hits: Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" and Will Smith's "Wild Wild West".Plus — Peter and Adam nerd out on the keys, dissecting every track to highlight the musical complexity that makes Songs in the Key of Life a favorite among jazz musicians. You may have heard Songs in the Key of Life ... possibly many times. But you've never heard it quite like this!Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   00:00 - Intro Jam: "As"02:13 - The Chart Story Behind SITKOL05:40 - The Long Wait for Songs in the Key of Life12:45 - "Love's In Need of Love Today"19:40 - Comparing Stevie to Prince20:30 - "I Wish"24:00 - The Ultimate Crossover Hitmaker27:25 - "Sir Duke"32:30 - Making Jazz Fun37:25 - "Passtime Paradise"40:00 - Stevie the Synth Innovator43:50 - How Stevie Commanded the Charts46:40 - How Was This Track Not a Hit Single?52:00 - This Hit Was NOT On an Album56:00 - The SITKOL Jazz Standard1:00:30 - "Another Star"1:04:05 - "As"1:15:00 - How SITKOL Singles Broke Ground1:22:20 - Our Favorite SITKOL Tracks1:25:35 - The Best Moments on SITKOL1:29:50 - Bespoke Spotify Playlists1:32:45 - What to Listen to Next1:35:20 - Quibble Bits1:37:50 - How "Snobby" is This Record?1:40:50 - Is it Better than Kind of Blue?1:42:40 - Packaging Gets a 10/101:45:00 - Outro: "As"

1959 gave us Kind of Blue, Time Out ... and Mingus Ah Um. Adam and Peter dig into Charles Mingus’s most adventurous, soulful record: gospel, bebop, and pure Mingus genius. You’ve never heard it quite like this.Charles Mingus was one of jazz's greatest bass players AND composers. Listen with us as we break down the genius in every track of his best-selling record, and share stories of the brilliant, chaotic, occasionally volatile man behind Mingus Ah Um. Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi    00:00 — Opening Jam: "Better Git It In Your Soul"01:40 — What's happening at Open Studio3:15 — 1959: What a Great Year!5:40 — Early Mingus10:40 — "All the Things You Can C#" from Mingus at the Bohemia11:40 — "A Foggy Day" from Pithecanthropus Erectus16:15 — "Better Get Hit In Your Soul"23:35 — This One is For the Nerds27:50 — "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" 34:36 — "Boogie Stop Shuffle"38:30 — "Self-Portrait in Three Colors"40:30 — The Duke Ellington Influence45:10 — "Open Letter to Duke" 48:05 — "Bird Calls"49:00 — "Fables of Faubus"56:40 - "Pussy Cat Dues"58:15 — "Jelly Roll"1:00:15 — Categories1:10:50 — GALA

At Town Hall captures a pivotal moment in Nina Simone's story, when she left behind her dream of being a concert pianist and embraced her identity as an indefinable and remarkable talent.At Town Hall shows off Nina’s classical chops, infused with the jazz influences from working in nightclubs and mixed with the folk and gospel sounds of her youth. Adam and Peter pull apart the tracks to highlight each element of her unique musical blend. This may not be one of her most recognizable albums, but it is one of her most interesting. It's made even more fascinating by the fact that Nina met bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Ben Riley only as they walked on stage! Listen to hear her arranging and composing on the spot.Subscribe to the You'll Read It newsletter for stories that didn't make the pod: https://youllhearit.com/newsletter Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi   

In 1981, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones set out on one of the most ambitious projects in pop music history: an album where every song was a hit. The result was Thriller. The record-breaking, chart-topping masterpiece produced six top-ten hits, became the best-selling album of all time, and propelled Black American music into global pop dominance.Watch as jazz musicians Peter Martin and Adam Maness react to this iconic '80s pop album. They break it down track-by-track: MJ's timeless ad-libbed melodies, Ndugu Chancler's drum intros (the greatest in pop history?!), Greg Phillinganes's synths, and Rod Temperton's songwriting.Thriller is so much more than "Thriller". Listen with us, and you'll never hear this record the same way again.Michael Jackson unveils the moonwalk at NBC's Motown 25 special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB7TqzPVt_M&t=538sGreg Phillinganes breaks down the bass line on "Thriller": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UqxOg3M-OM Adam and Peter analyze Off the Wall: https://youtu.be/jR9zxGueeq4 Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi  

In light of D'Angelo's passing, we're replaying our episode on Voodoo from June 2025. This Grammy-winning, genre-defying album changed the sound of R&B, soul, and hip-hop forever. And it has seriously influenced the playing of so many musicians, including our own Adam Maness. From Questlove’s behind-the-beat drumming to Roy Hargrove’s horn arrangements, Voodoo is packed with the kind of deep musicality that jazz musicians truly connect with.Twenty-five years later, Voodoo still hits harder than many albums of its generation. We've heard from so many of you in the comments on Spotify and YouTube about what this album, and D'Angelo's music, means to you. Tell us how D'Angelo has influenced you in the comments on Spotify or YouTube: https://youtu.be/AYqmFNF2s0U   Watch Open Studio perform D'Angelo's "Spanish Joint": https://youtu.be/CG5yqmkj0G4

Hip hop wouldn’t sound the same without jazz. From A Tribe Called Quest to PinkPantheress, jazz provides the groove behind of some of the most iconic tracks of the genre.Diallo Riddle and Luxxury of One Song join Adam and Peter to geek out on deep cuts and the genius behind hip hop’s greatest jazz samples. We explore how sampling has shaped both genres, why the art of “borrowing” has always been part of the jazz tradition, and why some jazz musicians don't get paid for their contributions to hip hop.If you loved our episode with Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding from Switched On Pop, you’ll love this one. We cover a lot of ground, so dive into our full playlist of every track we discuss. Find that here. YHI x Switched On Pop episode on jazz influences in hip hop. One Song episode on Patrice Rushen's "Remind Me".One Song episode on A Tribe Called Quest's "Electric Relaxation".Get our newsletter for bonus stories that didn't make the pod:https://youllhearit.com/newsletterStart your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi 

The RH Factor’s Hard Groove might sound uncontroversial to modern ears, but in the early 2000s it was revolutionary. With this record, Roy Hargrove broke away from the straight-ahead jazz revival of the Young Lions era and created something entirely new. Hard Groove blended Roy’s trumpet with the voices of R&B and soul heavyweights like D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Common, artists whose platinum-selling albums (Voodoo, Mama’s Gun, Like Water for Chocolate) already featured Roy’s melodic horn playing and orchestral arrangements.With Hard Groove, Roy flipped the script: instead of lending his sound to the hip hop and neo-soul world, he invited those artists into a jazz record. The result was a landmark project that blurred genres and redefined what jazz could be in the 21st century.Less than 24 hours left to vote for You'll Hear It in the Signal Awards! Help us win a People's Choice Award for Best Music Podcast: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/musicWant more neo-soul? Check out our Voodoo episode: https://youtu.be/AYqmFNF2s0U Watch the documentary "Hargrove": https://youtu.be/liK1u6DQQ4M?si=SZ83SNHazZX2JMImStart your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi 

Joni Mitchell’s Blue, a folk masterpiece, has inspired jazz musicians since its release in 1971. Is it because she sings like a horn player? Her improvisational melodies? Her unconventional chord structures? Her confessional songwriting?We dive into every song on Blue, breaking down her favorite chords and her vocal phrasing to understand what makes this album great. You’ll never hear this record the same way again.Watch to the end to see the Open Studio band’s extended interpretation of our favorite song off this record: “River.”You'll Hear It has been nominated for a Listener's Choice award for Best Music Podcast at the Signal Awards. Vote for us here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/musicGet our newsletter for bonus stories that didn't make the pod:https://youllhearit.com/newsletterStart your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi 

John Coltrane's A Love Supreme: Some call it the greatest album of the 20th century. Others say it isn't even Coltrane's best album ... of 1965. No matter where you think it sits in the jazz music canon, Coltrane's love letter to God is a masterpiece. We break it down track-by-track, chord-by-chord to uncover what makes this album such a rewarding listen from front to back.This week marks 99 years since Coltrane's birth. In his honor, we look back at this episode from 2024, where we listen deeply to what just may be Coltrane's magnum opus.Looking for more Coltrane? Here are 6 Songs To Turn Coltrane Curious Into Coltrane Converted: https://youtu.be/aSdNNTmL7YkStart your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi