Coming to You Live (Sort of): Jazz Collector Radio and Podcasts
I just got back from taping my seventh Jazz Collector Live radio show in the studio of WTBR-FM in Pittsfield. I’ve really enjoyed doing the show, but I have to admit that it has taken away time that might otherwise have been devoted to posting here at the Jazz Collector web site. Hopefully, I will soon be able to strike a better balance, especially because doing the radio show is getting me more involved with my collection and listening much more attentively. For example, today’s show was devoted to John Coltrane, as a leader, playing standards, on the Prestige label. Soultrane, Settin’ the Pace, Lush Life, et al. Great stuff. Last week, I did Bill Evans as a sideman, and the week before the show was devoted to Thelonious Monk. Sound interesting? Well, the shows are now available to be downloaded as podcasts. Go to this site: WTBRFM.COM. There’s a tab for shows, and under the tab for podcasts you will find the familiar Jazz Collector logo at the very bottom.
As of now, there are five podcasts available:
June 11 is a general introduction, some Cannonball, Horace Silver, Miles, Brubeck and more, with a bunch of personal stories mixed in.
June 18 continues the introduction, Rollins, Trane, Miles and a taste of Shades of Redd (of course).
June 25 is devoted to Sonny Rollins on Prestige
July 2 is devoted to some interesting Prestige recordings from the mid and late 1960s, perhaps into 1970 or even 1971.
July 9 is Monk.
The Bill-Evans-as-sideman show will air live this Sunday at 8 pm Eastern. If you want to listen live, you can stream it at the same link I listed earlier. Or, you can wait for the podcast.
As I mentioned, I’ve never done radio before, so if you do listen, please be understanding. I’m definitely looking for feedback. I know it’s not perfect, or even close, and I tend to cringe when I make a mistake or forget to say something obvious. But I’m seeing improvement from show to show to show.
My biggest bugaboo, believe it or not, has been dealing with surface noise on the records. The main conceit of the show is that I’m playing vinyl from my own collection. Some of the records are not in as great a shape as I’d hoped, and I’m not playing them on my Linn Sondek turntable when I’m in the studio. Also, there have been times where I haven’t taken the care to clean the records first, which came back to bite me today during the Coltrane show, which will air July 23. The other major conceit of the show is the idea that I am playing the records for you as if you were sitting with me in my living room and we were talking about the records and the music, although, being alone in the studio, it’s a monologue and not a conversation.
From my standpoint, the main thing is that I’m really having fun doing the show and the people at the radio station have been very supportive and have let me do whatever I want to do as long as I don’t violate any FCC rules and follow the station’s guidelines. I have ideas for zillions of shows and, fortunately, even after scaling back the collection by about 4,000 records, I still have more than enough music to do as many shows as I want. And if I choose to play Coltrane for two hours every week, would that be such a bad thing?
Well,Al, you now have me hooked. Imagine, real Vinyl on the radio! I literally had tears in my 87 year old eyes, listening to the Jazz that got me started in the mid 1950’s. Living both in Indianapolis and Detroit at the time, both hotbeds of 50’s jazz,
I got to hear Wes Montgomery in a small art gallery, where I sat within 5 feet of him, and later in Detroit, got to go to the Minor Key, a “coffee house” where for $5 you could sit all night and listen to the Duke Ellington orchestra, Chico Hamilton, etc.
So congratulations on your podcast, and thank you for the memories.
First broadcast sounds great. Looking forward to hearing the rest. You’re a natural, with a nice relaxed style. The opposite of the all night, all frantic!
Anthony
Thank you both — for the encouraging comments and for taking the time to listen. 🙂
Aloha Al! Glad the radio gig is going well! What a concept, spinning vinyl live on the airwaves! In the 80’s as a kid I was blessed to have some mentors teach me the art of mixing…maybe your station could furnish you with a pair of Technics 1200’s tables with a Rane 57 mixer thus allowing you to mix the night away! Give us that hard driving bop, then when when we need a rest,
bring in a great ballad like “Lush life” or “Round Midnight” since you mentioned Coltrane and Monk! Keep up the great work, it helps to come this great genre of music alive! Mahalo!
Very nice Al. Started listening to the first show yesterday and I really dig it and to hear your voice talking about the music is really nice after following you here on Jazzcollector for a long time. Looking forward to listening to the rest of the shows! // Fredrik
I listened to the Rollins on Prestige show today in my car, while driving down to Atlanta. A nice mix of great Rollins music and commentary by Al. I was familiar with everything but the Charlie Parker medley. That Plays for Bird lp is going on my Albums to Hunt list. Kenny Dorham sounded especially good by my tastes, and kind of interesting to think how the band had experience playing with Parker. Can’t wait to play the Evans sideman show, probably lots of stuff there I’m not familiar with.
Awesome! I do kinda miss doing radio, which I did in college, grad school, and on community radio afterwards. And yes, I did play a lot of vinyl!
I’m a big fan of radio and did some disk jockeying in college, too. I’ve truly enjoyed whey I’ve heard of your shows so far and plan to listen to all, ASAP. Good work!
Really enjoyed what I’ve been able to listen to so far – looking forward to having a few on my next long drive!
Thanks JVK. I’m really enjoying doing the shows, which, hopefully, comes through to listeners.