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

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.

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

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.

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

Jan. 29, 2024, Random Rollins

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.

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.

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.

This week’s theme: Jazz recordings of songs from the pop/rock, television and even maybe a little Yiddish. Artists include George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, Ray Barretto, Richie Cole, Bobby Enriquez, Jimmy Rushing, Zoot Sims, Stephane Grappelli, Martin Taylor, Sonny Rollins, George Duke, Roland Kirk, Rosemary Clooney, John Oddo, Seve Lukather, Jackie McLean, Tony Williams, Hank Jones, Charles McPherson, Sonny Criss, Tal Farlow, Cedar Walton.

This week’s theme: The Gershwin Songbook, as played by jazz pianists and their groups. Featured artists include: Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Red Garland, Billy Taylor, Bud Powell, Oscar Pettiford, Art Blakey, Paul Motian, Scott LaFaro, Hampton Hawes, Red Mitchell, Chuck Thompson, John Lewis, Percy Heath, Connie Kay, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen, John Ore, J.C. Moses, Ray Barreto, Arthur Taylor, Paul Chambers, Randy Weston

This week’s theme is pretty much what it says: Tracks from 10 random Blue Note records, Artists include Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor, Philly Joe Jones, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Louis Smith, Dizzy Reece, Jackie McLean, Pete LaRoca, Cliff Jordan, Jon Gilmore, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Sonny Clark, Dexter Gordon.