95bFM: The 95bFM Jazz Show

Dr. Mark gets his Latin-on, & brings the feel-good vibes - Then digs-out a quirky version of Thriller. Miss Dom goes Record Store Day, Jazz-vinyl-nerding - playing selections from RSD2024, Jazz, releases, & reissues. DJ Sassy, hosts the Jazz Gig Guide, & shakes-up - the arvo - with tasty beverages - compliments of Elta Ego. Later, the crew, are joined by studio guest -  Auckland Saxophinst Thabani Gapara -  ahead of Thabanis album release show at the Tunning Fork on May 2nd. Podcast Only Feature - Additional RSD2024 Jazz Selections by: Gil Scott Heron & Brian Jackson - Winter In America Sun Ra - Forest Of No Return Dave Pike - The Doors Of Perception Sonny Rollins - I want to be happy.  

For today's Show Def Jim features one track each from three musicians primarily thought of as rock guitarists but who were also known to have serious jazz chops, plus new/recent releases from drummer Ches Smith and bassist Michael Formanek, plus sundry other choice cuts from various contemporary improvisers of note.

Blind Mango Chutney eases us in with some laidback Paul Desmond and finishes with the innovative pianist Joanne Brackeen. In between he has guitarist Alex Pipes in the studio to introduce us to his album "Square One", plus a bunch of other cool jazz, of course.

Frances Chan highlights her favourite acts from a busy month of live gigs, including Jeff Mills, Love Square and Son Rompe Pera, plus new releases from Yussef Dayes, Monty Alexander and Allysha Joy, and a smooooth jazz falsetto interlude. Setlist: Jeff Mills & Tony Allen – The Seed (Edit) Doctor L, Tony Allen, Jean-Phi Dary – Afropusherman Prahbu Edouard – Rangoli Son Rompe Pera – Cumbia pa Tu Madre Baaba Maal ft General Paco Lenol – Mbeda Wella Arooj Aftab – Suroor Nitin Sawhney ft Natacha Atlas – Be Who You Are Love Square – Sweet Tooth (instrumental) Carnivorous Plant Society – Sex Guru Yussef Dayes ft Elijah Fox – Istanbul Monty Alexander – Regulator (Reggae-Later) (Live) Monty Alexander – V.E. Swing Dred Scott Trio – Gateway Medeski, Martin & Wood – Chinoiserie Thundercat ft Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins  – Show You the Way Donald Fagen – Planet D’Rhonda Afonk, Varra,  Lorenzo Ceci – Around the Galaxy Varra – Gatito Viajero Nate Smith – Get Down, Get Down Arnauld Dolmen & Leonardo Montana – Zouky Monky Bokante – History Everwave, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Allysha Joy – Freedom Praise  

Blind Mango Chutney has guest Taylor Griffin in the studio, a new drummer on the scene, to talk about his debut EP and the creative process, plus Mango's pick of sublime grooves to jazz your day away.

Dr. Mark Baynes & Miss Dom join for another Jazz Hang-out - & the pair have the Jazz stew simmering pretty nicely - playing a mixture of Latin jazz, classic cuts, & new releases, spanning from local, to faraway global corners -  also, the show focuses on the late great, local legend, Phil Broadhurst, ahead of the weekend's tribute show, Inverted, at the Town Hall -  Hosted by The Auckland Jazz Orchestra. DJ Sassy drops by, to host a very busy Jazz Gig Guide.  In our podcast only feature: Ebony Steel Band - Tour De France, Nicole Willis, & UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra - Still Got a long way to fall, Memphis Minnie - Me & my Chauffeur.   

Def Jim unexpectedly hosts another 95bFM Jazz Show a week after the last and delights in serving up a good old Stew And Brew of treasures ranging from a brand new release from Ambrose Akinmusire way back to a little-known Grachan Moncur III item recorded in 1969.

The first Jazz Show of Autumn sees Def Jim sampling new releases from Geri Allen with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Angelica Sanchez Nonet and Mary Halvorson, re-visiting Electric Masada from 2004 and otherwise illuminating gems from early albums by artists such as Quest and Old & New Dreams and much more recent standout sets by the likes of James Brandon Lewis and Harriet Tubman.

Blind Mango Chutney gets his groove on once again with Brazilian feels, 70s jazz funk and the debut of Auckland drummer Taylor Griffin (Thu 29, Ponsonby Social Club). And live in the studio Tim Stewart (Love Square) performs with his new band Codes (Karen Hu, Loxmyn Ness, Sean Martin-Buss) ahead of their Pride Festival gig also on Thursday 29th at the Wine Cellar, K Rd. It’s a history lesson in queer jazz plus post-punk funk all in one!

Frances Chan remembers Marlena Shaw and Astrud Gilberto, brings out the bossa and has a fling with swing. Plus homegrown jazz to groove to. Setlist: Marlena Shaw – Wipe Away the Evil Greg Spero – Ruslan Kamaal Williams – City of God Mark Baynes – Dance of Whatipu Cave Daniel Hayles – Herbaceous Baptiste Trotignon, Gregory Hutchinson & Matt Penman – Misty Mountain Hop/Four Sticks/Whole Lotta Love Artchipel Orchestra – I Would if I Could (But I Can’t) Bryan Ferry Orchestra – Love Is the Drug Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman – Moonglow Space Case – Brothers Laufey – Falling Behind Tamba 4 – Samba Blim Baden Powell – Blues a Volonte Luiz Bonfa – Bossa Nova Cha Cha Flora Purim – 500 Miles High Astrud Gilberto – Let Go (Canta de Ossanha) Jahari Massamba Unit – Massamba Afundance Killer Shrimp – Walking On Jerzy Milian – Eindruck 28 Major Force Productions – Essential Dub Marlena Shaw – Stormy Monday  

Blind Mango Chutney plays some classics, and a preview of Calexico ahead of their gig in Auckland on 11 Feb, plus an interview with Kiwi entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Watt who co-owns Ronnie Scott’s in London. Michael (83) name drops galore with local music promoter and friend of the Jazz Show Nathan Graves to highlight some of his colourful past that led to using a “lazy couple of million” to “clean up a shit hole” 20 years ago and turn Ronnie Scott’s around to preserve the famed jazz venue.

Dr Mark, & Miss Dom, dig-on their first Jazz Hang-out for the New Year 2024. Mark buzzes-out on Afro-Cuban, percussion vibes - The pair talk Pianos, & discuss the vintage Stride piano technique - Saloon Styles. They catch up on some new releases - & Dom pays tribute to some recently passed-on musicians.  In our Podcast-Only Feature - two Jazz Show exclusives - Firstly, Tamaki Makaurau Jazz heavy-hitter -  Nathan Haines, remembers, & reflects on fellow musician, Collaborator,  & dear friend, American Vocalist Marlena Shaw. (Tracks: Nathan Haines Feat Marlena Shaw - Squire For Hire, & Right Now)   Also, in our Podcast-only feature - We debut the  ew single titled Phobos & Deimos -  from Award-winning Wellington Guitarist Callum Allardice - from his forthcoming album Cinematic Light Orchestra. 

Blind Mango Chutney presents ‘Random Acts of Jazz’ this week from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 2020s. There’s Les McCann and Les Nubians, Arooj Aftab, El Truento and Ndegeocello - more genres than you can stab a jazz chord at.

Frances Chan starts her 2024 with jazz reggae, a nod to Blue Note’s 85th anniversary and the funky sounds of 1974, plus new releases too. Setlist: Cedric Im Brooks & the Light of Saba – Song For My Father Milt Jackson – Tahiti Milt Jackson ft Freddie Hubbard & Herbie Hancock – SKJ Ibibio Sound Machine – The Talking Fish The Outer Worlds Jazz Ensemble ft Chip Wickham – Beg, Borrow, Play Naked City – Latin Quarter Tenderlonious – John Coltrane John Coltrane – Locomotion Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Two Generations of Excess Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Necessary Evil (Live on NPR, June 2023)Greg Spero ft Jimetta Rose – In the Moonlight Adrian Sherwood – Starship Bahia Hatfield & The North – Son of ‘There’s No Place Like Homerton’ Bob James – Night on Bald Mountain Frank Zappa – Cosmik Debris Christoph El Truento – Pocket Copy Nautilus – Virtual Insanity Jimmy Smith – Joy Taggy Matcher – Watermelon Man  

Sperber Dan highlights new and recent releases and a few classics, does some jazzplaining about ‘In A Silent Way’ with Laura Biding-Citizen, then takes us op shopping in West Auckland and spins the week's vinyl finds. (New releases and classics) Sunlight - The Golden Eternity Wild Horses - Javier Malosetti Routes To Knowledge - The Golden Eternity Drum VS Tide - Salin Sugarcane Funk - Salin  Moewe - Löwenzahnhonig Wildfire - Kresten Osgood Sibomandi (feat. Fallo Nioke) - Alabaster De Plume One For Mganga - Mike Clarke  Nakuru - Niclas Knudsen Existe Uma Voz - Rogê Eu Só Quero um Xodó - Gilberto Gil In A Silent Way - Joe Zawinul In A Silent Way - Miles Davis (Op shop LPs) Am I Blue - George Barnes (From Velvet Guitar) 123 - Alan Haven (From Organ Magic) Cadenza - Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra (From Presents) Mambo Garner - Errol Garner (From Mambo Moves Garner) The Good The Bad And The Ugly - Basil Henriques and the Waikiki Islanders (From Hawaiian Honeymoon) Roda - Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66 (From Look Around) Ebony Jam - Tower Of Power (From In The Slot) Besame Mucho - Herb Alpert (from Magic Man) Sugar - Ernie Wilkins and the Almost Big Band (From S/T LP) Texture - Dizzy Gillespie (From Closer To The Source) Norwegian Wood - Alan Haven (From Organ Magic) Easy Listening - Shieldstone (From S/T LP)  

Def Jim gets the 95bFM Jazz Show off to a cracking start for 2024 with selections from brand new releases featuring emerging guitarist Ava Mendoza and Myra Melford's Fire And Water Quintet (with guitarist Mary Halvorson) amongst a trove of other lovingly curated material from across the modern jazz firmament. 

Sperber Dan digs around in recent releases, finding local gems by Mel Stevenson and Christoph El Truento, UK jazz scene highlights and more. Later it’s off to the op shop for Dollar Disco, Jazz Show style. Then, after some very contemporary vocal numbers, we pause to reflect with Bill Evans and Jimmy Scott, finishing with some groove classics.

It’s a Jazzmas Eve party with Blind Mango Chutney, Miss Dom and Frances Chan playing their faves from 2023 and some vintage classics, including picks from absent hosts Def Jim and Dr Mark Baynes who are there in spirit. Plus Christmas Elf Sassy provides the Jazz Gig Guide and a her special Jingle Janglemosa mocktail for the festive season. Uncle Mark from Logg Cabin joins in the Chrimbo cheer.

From Mongo to Mingus to Melanie Charles, Blind Mango Chutney gives you a taste of classic, modern and soulful jazz and a hearty cup of Xmas cheer.

Def Jim presents his 15 Sleeps Jazz Show, with brand new releases from the likes of James Brandon Lewis and John Zorn, and a newly re-released classic from The Jazz Doctors, amongst a typically varied selection of other album tracks both close and more distant in the Jazz Highway rear-view mirror.