In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

This week's episode begins with flautist Lori Bell and her ensembles from Southern California. Then we have a chugga-chugga train theme from Metheny and Moody. Finally some of my favorite new releases that may show up on my best of album list for 2026.  Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Lori Bell ~ Lower Manhattan ~ Brooklyn Dreaming Lori Bell Quartet ~ Shade of Jade ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson Pat Metheny Group ~ Last Train Home ~ Still Life (Talking) James Moody ~ Last Train From Overbrook ~ Don't Look Away Now! George Garzone ~ Ripty Boom ~ Themes for Good Friends Anthony Fung, Andrew Renfroe & Luca Alemanno ~ This is for Albert ~ Common Language Sullivan Fortner ~ Aria II ~ Leave That In There Gregory Hutchinson ~ Water Babies ~ Kind of Now - The Pulse of Miles Davis Dave Holland ~ Quintet: Veil of Tears ~ Freedom Call: Quintet - Synergism

Today's episode is mostly new music with a modern, adventurous twist. The first half of the show in particular feature artists like Akinmusire, Fortner, Hutchinson and O'Farrill that have been exploring a more free form, expressive aspect to the jazz idiom.  Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Ambrose Akinmusire ~ Bloomed ~ honey from a winter stone Sullivan Fortner ~ Sugarcane ~ Leave That In There Gregory Hutchinson ~ Fall ~ Kind of Now - The Pulse of Miles Davis Adam O'Farrill ~ Curves and Convolutions ~ ELEPHANT Doug Webb ~ Watch Your Step ~ Watch Your Step Dave Holland ~ Sextet: Modern Times ~ Freedom Call: Sextet - Unity Danilo Perez & Bohuslän Big Band ~ Suite for the Americas ~ Lumen

This episode is inspired by the San Diego Tijuana International Jazz Festival (SDTJ).  This festival, now in its third year, is the creation of jazz impresario Dan Atkinson and is has performances that cross the US/Mexico border. Much of the festival is free to attend, with the main event held in Escondido. We begin this program with an alto sax player Sarah Hanahan who performed at the festival with the Mingus Big Band. That is followed by new music from Emmet Cohen and David Borgo. The SDTJ festival is then highlighted by headliners Danilo Perez, Mingus Dynasty and Brian Bade Fellowship. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Sarah Hanahan ~ Welcome ~ Among Giants Sarah Hanahan ~ NATO ~ Among Giants Emmet Cohen ~ Budo ~ Universal Truth Emmet Cohen ~ Gingerbread Boy ~ Universal Truth David Borgo ~ Flow ~ Panta Rhei Danilo Perez & Bohuslän Big Band ~ Across the Crystal Sea ~ Lumen Mingus Dynasty ~ Goodbye Pork Pie Hat ~ Live At Village Vanguard Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band ~ Kings Highway ~ Kings Highway

This week takes a different spin on the Miles and Trane Centennial. Instead of playing music from the masters themselves, this show features covers of tunes composed or made famous by these iconic artists that defined the jazz genre for years to come. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Roy Hargrove Quintet & Antonio Hart ~ Milestones ~ The Vibe Kenny Garrett ~ Lonnie's Lament ~ Pursuance: The Music Of John Coltrane Wes Montgomery & Wynton Kelly Trio ~ Impressions ~ Smokin' At The Half Note (expanded) Christian McBride ~ Bitches Brew ~ Live At Tonic Cassandra Wilson ~ Run the VooDoo Down ~ Traveling Miles Chick Corea ~ Nefertitti ~ The Song of Singing Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Mike Stern & George Coleman ~ All Blues ~ 4 Generations of Miles Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove ~ So What / Impressions ~ Directions In Music: Live At Massey Hall

Lots of new releases in this week's show. Lovano and Elling are among the more well known artists. Hollenbeck, Clark and Sprague may not be as familiar. And of course, we continue with a Coltrane interpretation of a Gershwin classic for Trane's centennial celebration. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Joe Lovano ~ Amsterdam ~ Paramount Quartet John Hollenbeck & Hot Club Jazz Orchestra ~ Feed the Fire ~ Peace and Justice Kurt Elling ~ Pallas’ Palace (Palladium) ~ Play Weather Report: Alive in Europe Peter Sprague ~ Guinnevere ~ Guinnevere Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein & Bill Stewart ~ Dissipation Blues ~ Rhombus Mike Clark ~ Lungs ~ Kuon Ganjo Linda May Han Oh ~ Living Proof ~ Strange Heavens John Coltrane ~ But Not for Me ~ My Favorite Things