Jazz Bastard Podcast

Back to the future - or extremely recent past - as the boys look at three releases that go live in June and one that's only a few months old.  Two trios with very different vibes mix originals with covers that are not - for a change - from the Great American Songbook, a drummer-led fusion date bewilders Mike, and a vocalist charms both of our hosts but awakens repressed memories in one of them . . ...

Mike suggested that we devote a whole episode to the divine Sarah Vaughan (aka "Sassy") and both the boys are glad he did.  We discuss some peaks of her prolific recording career, while acknowledging that not every song (and setting) in her discography was worthy of her incredible gifts.  Sarah Vaughan:  GUILD SINGLES: WITH CLIFFORD BROWN; LIVE AT MISTER KELLYS, SARAH +2; AFTER HOURS; COPACABANA; A BRAZILIAN ROMANCE.

It's a rare occasion when the boys get to podcast in the same room together.  While the sound quality takes a hit, the precious moments are . . . priceless.  This episode is devoted to some new releases confronting the pop/art divide in different manners, some older albums doing much the same thing, and comments (mercifully brief) about how cute Pat's cats are...

Two major reissues and one highly publicized discovery from the 1960s provide the core of this round's podcast, as the boys discuss the latest album from the John Coltrane Quartet (despite the insistence of one internet denizen that "Coltrane's creativity really dropped off in the seventies") and then look at lavishly repacked work from Sonny Clark and Eric Dolphy...

After discussing their rare "pop" episodes during their allaboutjazz interview, the boys decided, what the heck, let's devote another episode to music with vocals and a relatively expansive user base.  All four are jazz adjacent, but none of them are straight jazz - not that there's anything wrong with that.  Rickie Lee Jones – PIRATES; Erykah Badu – BADUISM; Yellow House Orchestra – POP; Vivian Sessoms – LIFE II.

Once again our slate is full of 2019 releases and once again our reaction is mixed, if not to say bastardly.  Mike's favorite pianist appears on one, Pat's written up another for allaboutjazz, and one veers between Hollywood Sax Quartet territory and Steve Lacy with the grumps, so the boys are kept on their toes.  Oingo Boingo and Frank Zappa appear on pop matters, so there's contemporary relevance for ya...

We all know there are rock "concept" albums - otherwise, Roger Dean would be out of work.  But is there such a thing as a jazz concept album?  Mike's skeptical, but Pat argues all you need is a unified mood and, maybe in the case of Herbie Mann, a tab of acid or two.  The Session – COLLUSION; Herbie Mann – STONE FLUTE; Gerald Wilson – ETERNAL EQUINOX; Wynton Marsalis – CITI MOVEMENT; Henry Threadgill – RAG, BUSH AND ALL.

It's all about the strings this ep, as the boys look at four very different guitar players - three virtuosos and one reliable, well-loved Blue Note stalwart.  Mike's all over the road in the pop matters (he didn't talk about Maria Carey people, so don't complain) and he offers a new sign off for your listening . . . pleasure?  Mahavishnu Orchestra – BIRDS OF FIRE; Lenny Breau – THE HALLMARK SESSIONS; Charlie Hunter – READY, SET, SHANGO!; Grant Green – IDLE MOMENTS.

Steve Martin asked everyone to "get small," but in this episode, the bastards investigate what happens when jazz musicians get profound - and just a wee bit third-streamy.  The results are mixed, and one high-profile release in particular gets a thorough dose of bastardy.  The pop matters segment ranges from Oingo Boingo to a review of Joey DeFrancesco live.  Wayne Shorter – EMANON; George Russell – OTELLO BALLET SUITE; Ingrid Laubrock – CONTEMPORARY CHAOS PRACTICES.

Many moon-units ago a listener requested we look at the music of Frank Zappa in a little more depth.  Bastards being bastards, we brought our best shallow game and called it a day.  Burt Bacharach and Hal Willner get smoldering glances in the pop matters segment.  Frank Zappa:  ROXY AND ELSEWHERE; JAZZ FROM HELL;  Jean Luc Ponty – PLAYS THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA; Ed Palermo Big Band – PLAYS THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA.