Jazz Bastard Podcast

After an all-female vocalist episode, let's shift gears at look at some big band albums, shall we?   We look at a brand new release with material from the thirties, fresh from somebody's closet, a retro-style outfit having the most fun they can while the pandemic closes in, an Indiana ensemble celebrating an influential Indiana record label, and an arranger for hire let out in the green fields of inspiration.  Then in pop matters, quick detours to prison and cover bands...

Time for an all-singing, no-dancing, some joke-telling show featuring four female vocalists.  We've got three brand newish releases and one catalogue item which, given it debuted after we were out of college, is making us feel old.  Like everything else.   Tune in to find out which Grammy Winner (TM) we annoy.  Esperanza Spalding / Fred Hersch – LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD;  Holly Cole – BLAME IT ON MY YOUTH; Lizzie Thomas – DUO ENCOUNTERS; Nadia Washington – HOPE RESURGENCE.

After months of emails, technical difficulties and scheduling snafus the bastards are proud to present their interview with Swedish trombonist Karin Hammar.  You may not have heard of Karin, or caught her sister act the Sliding Hammars back in the day (when she duetted with a sister who also played trombone ) but if you like albums with strong thematic unity, a mellow vibe, and great engineering, we think you'll like "Opening."  

Mike ran across a soundtrack or two in his library excursions and hence and episode that's just what it says on the tin - a look at four soundtracks by jazz musicians.  We explore which efforts work as "albums" and which are more a series of useful cues and snippets that don't necessarily create a coherent listening experience with no pictures on offer...

Welcome to "What's in the Bag?", where Pat pulls out a few vinyl discoveries - some reissues, some crate finds - for Mike and him to dissect.  It's kind of a continuing feature on the show when we run out of other things to discuss, and is not to be confused with "What's in the Box?" where the contents are always Gwyneth Paltrow's head and a scratched copy of Duke Ellington's Greatest Hits...

Some of our podcasts have themes.  This podcast has a wide-ranging mix of three 2023 releases and one moderately historical entry from an ECM guitarist whose name Pat dare not pronounce.   Can the jazz violin be a force for good?  We think so.  Can Pat find a Pyroclastic release that tickles his fancy.  You betcha -  but no more spoilers...

We spend a lot of time on this show exploring what you might call, if you were a lapsed academic with pomposity issues, the accessibility spectrum.  Some jazz is pretty easy to get - and some just ain't pretty.  In this show, we travel quite a way across the spectrum listening to coffee-house ready (but good) jazz and stuff that would just plain shut that java hut down.  Nadje Noordhusi – FULL CIRCLE; Esbjorn Svensson – HOME.S; Dan Weiss – DEDICATION; Gebhard Ullmann – FOR NEW ZEALAND...

With Wayne Shorter's death at age 89, jazz lost an innovative composer, saxophonist and bandleader.  Mike knew a tribute was needed but didn't want to explore the usual suspects, so the boys take a trawl through lesser-known aspects of Shorter's career (while throwing in an overview as well to orient the less familiar)...

Jazz's symbiotic relationship with Brazil's bossa nova is well-known.  Lesser known are the many non-Brazilian jazz artists who took elements from North American models and modified them as they saw fit.  This episode explores albums recorded by artists from Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, and . . . well, Brazil, because too few people know what four Tamba's add up to these days...

The boys take another walk down the "out" side of the street this episode, with looks at a little known outing from one of Charles Mingus' trumpet players to a twin-guitar / alto sax ensemble, to two rather challenging works on the Pyroclastic label.  Mike's more patient with those efforts than Pat.   Who's ready for some asbestos earmuffs?  Pop matters delves into what Iggy Pop got up to with his buddy David Bowie during that infamous Berlin hang...