This week’s theme: It’s Springtime! Featured artists include Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Dexter Gordon, Karin Krog, Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Orsted Pederson, Carmen McRae, Stan Getz, Shelly Manne, LeRoy Vinnegar, Lou Levy, Conte Candoli, Johnny Griffin, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Arthur Taylor, Kenny Dorham, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Cedar Walton, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, Richie Powell, George Morrow, Harold Land, Sarah Vaughan, John Coltrane, Wilbur Hardin, Astrud Gilberto.

This week’s theme: Songs that reference cities and countries around the world, i.e., St. Thomas, Barbados, Spain, Tokyo Blues. You get the hint. Featured artists include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Horace Silver, Junior Cook, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Harold Land, Richie Powell, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’Day, Chick Correa, Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell, Airto, Flora Purim, and many more.

This week’s theme: Clifford Brown, alternate takes and other discoveries. Artists include Clifford Brown, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Harold Land, George Morrow, Richie Powell, Dizzy Gillespie, Manhattan Transfer, Herb Geller, Joe Maini, Walter Benton, Kenny Drew, Curtis Counce.

This week’s theme: Sonny Rollins plays the compositions of Sonny Rollins. Musicians include Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, George Morrow, Richie Powell, Art Blakey, JJ Johnson, Horace Silver, Paul Chambers, Red Garland, Philly Joe Jones, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Bob Cranshaw, George Cables, Tommy Flanagan, Arthur Taylor, Miles Davis, Percy Heath, Kenny Clarke, and many more.

This week’s theme: Sarah Vaughan Centennial. Featured artists include Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderly, Paul Quinichette, Clark Terry, Jimmy Jones, John Malachi, Joe Benjamin, Roy Haynes, Richie Powell, Herbie Manne, Bill Eckstine, Ernie Wilkins, Wendell Cullen, Frank Wess, and more.

This week’s theme: Random Sonny Rollins, circa 1956, 1957, 1958. Other featured artists include Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Ray Brown, Shelley Manne, Richie Powell, George Morrow, Kenny Dorham, Abbey Lincoln, Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Wade Legge, and more.

In the Van Gelder studio was there a single piano that Richie Powell played on Sonny Rollins Plus Four and Wynton Kelly played on Newk’s Time, and Horace Silver, Bud Powell, Freddie Redd, Sonny Clark, Red Garland, etc. etc., all played on when they did all of the recordings? If so, that would probably be the most recorded piano in all of jazz and would probably be quite a valuable collector’s item. I imagine the answer to that question may just involve a Google search, but I am going to pose it here instead and see what kind of insights we may discover and what else  we may learn with our collective wisdom (not to mention obsessions). Piano is one thing – what about the drums, which are more personal? Did Max Roach bring his own set for Sonny Rollins Plus Four and Philly Joe bring his set for Newk’s time, or was there a common set that all or most of the drummers used in the Van Gelder studio?

This is what I get when I have too much time on my hands.