This week’s theme: Vocal duets. Featured artists include Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Sammy Davis Jr., Louis Jordan, Rosemary Clooney, Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan
Podcast: Sonny Rollins on Impulse
This week’s theme: Sonny Rollins on the Impulse label. Featured artists include Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Bob Cranshaw, Billy Higgins, Mickey Roker, Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Garrison, Oliver Nelson, Kenny Burrell, Roger Kellaway, Ray Bryant, Walter Booker, Mickey Roker
Podcast: West Side Story in Jazz
This week’s theme: Jazz versions of songs from West Side Story. Featured artists include Buddy Rich, Andre Previn, Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, Eugene Wright, Rosemary Clooney, Sarah Vaughan, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Annie Ross, Cannonball Adderley, Richie Cole, Vic Juris, Lou Forestieri, Ed Howard, Tommy Campbell, Ray Mantilla
Podcast: Rodgers and Hart Jazz Songbook
This week’s theme: Jazz versions of Rodgers and Hart compositions. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Paul Desmond, Jim Hall, Art Tatum, Ben Webster, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Sheila Jordan, Chet Baker, Sonny Stitt, Anita O’Day, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, John Coltrane, Johnny Hartman, Lee Wiley.
Checking Out Some More From Sonny Rollins
As you might expect I’ve been in a bit of a Sonny Rollins head lately, lots of great memories of seeing him live. When he would do a week-long gig at the Vanguard or Half Note, I would see him just about every night, every set, usually going with my friend Dan Axelrod. One of the great things, out of many great things, about Sonny was that he never seemed to play the same way each night, even though he would have a set song list for the entire week’s gig. He was always pushing himself to find new ways of expression. Anyway, being in this head, I’ve spent some time perusing YouTube in the past few weeks, looking at vintage Rollins performances, interviews and tributes. Here are some of my favorites. Please feel free to share yours in the comments section.
The Jazz Video Guy has some great interviews, including
Art Tatum and the Great American Songbook
Finally, Dan sent me this amazing article from The Nation
Sonny Rollins Lived To See Justice for His Wrongly Convicted Father
Podcast: Sonny Rollins, the RCA Years
This week’s theme: Sonny Rollins on RCA. Artists include Sonny Rollins, Jim Hall, Bob Cranshaw, Ben Riley, Billy Higgins, Don Cherry, Coleman Hawkins, Paul Bley, Roy McCurdy, Henry Grimes, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Thad Jones
Podcast: Miles With Bird, Part Two
This week’s theme: Miles Davis centennial celebration continues with Miles and Bird, 1947 and 1948. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, JJ Johnson, Duke Jordan, Tommy Potter, Max Roach, John Lewis, Curly Russell.
Podcast: Celebrating Sonny Rollins
This week’s theme: Sonny Rollins. Featured artists include Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Richie Powell, George Morrow, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Percy Heath, Kenny Clarke, George Cables, Bob Cranshaw, David Lee, Ray Brown, Shelley Manne, Barney Kessel, Hampton Hawes, Leroy Vinnegar, Ben Riley, Jim Hall, Ray Bryant, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Wade Legge, Kenny Dorham, Tommy Flanagan.
In addition to this podcast featuring Sonny Rollins, I’ve also done several Sonny-themed podcasts in the past. Here’s a list:
April 21, 2025, Sonny and Trane, Trane and Sonny
Nov. 11, 2024, Rollins Plays Rollins
May 27, 2024, Sonny Rollins, European Tour, 1959
June 26, 2023, Sonny Rollins, Prestige
The one from June 26, 2023, was the third show I ever did and the first themed show after two introductory shows.
Podcast: Miles Davis Centennial, The Bird Years
This week’s theme. Miles Davis Centennial. Miles with Bird, 1945-1947, Dial and Savoy. Featured artists include Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Sadie Hakim, Curly Russell, Max Roach, Lucky Thompson, Dodo Marmarosa, Arvin Garrison, Vic McMillian, Roy Porter, Bud Powell, Tommy Potter, John Lewis, Nelson Boyd, Duke Jordan.
Podcast: Alto Madness
This week’s theme: A cornucopia of alto sax recordings. Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Art Pepper, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, Phil Woods, Gene Quill, Marshall Royal, Johnny Hodges, Charles McPherson, Jackie McLean, Herb Geller, Eric Dolphy, Lou Donaldson, John Handy, Hal McKusick, Paul Desmond and many more.
April is Jazz Month
