Discovering Jazz

Apr 16 2024 328 ep. 60 mins 245

Discovering Jazz Podcast artwork

Larry The Radio Guy and the listener discover jazz together.

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Archives, Episode 53: The Jazz Solo, Part 2

Apr 16 2024 61 mins

Another really fascinating episode from 5 years ago. This time I explore some of the controversies around two jazz solos. The first one is Tommy Flanagan’s solo on Coltrane’s Giant Steps. One jazz writer stated ““With Giant Steps Coltrane supplanted Cherokee as the litmus test for aspiring improvisers, packing so many harmonic substitutions into one progress

Archives: Episode 52, The Jazz Solo Part 1

Apr 09 2024 60 mins

You just finished listening to Parts 4, 5, and 6 of The Jazz Solo. Now, as I take a bit of a break, lets go back five years and hear Parts 1, 2, and 3. The first episode was probably the best of the bunch. Why don’t we all say ‘so what’ to Miles Davis’s most highly renowned jazz solo? And the other great solos in that piece of work as well. Then ther

Episode 271: Great Solos Part 6

Apr 02 2024 60 mins

This is the last of my series designed to help me (and you) distinguish the difference between a ‘great’ jazz solo and a good one. Lots of great music once again from Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock (with Freddie Hubbard), Dave Brubeck, Ellas Kapell (w. Manne Skafvenstedt), Jeff Johnston Trio, Coleman Hawkins, and Hank Mobley.

Episode 270 -Great Jazz Solos, Part 5

Mar 26 2024 60 mins

What are some of the jazz solos that other musicians and jazz writers consider to be so great? And what makes them great? This week I start with a solo by Charlie Parker—talking about what has been termed “the famous alto break”. Then I move onto John Coltrane—and playing that sounds like it’s either “all composed or all improvised”.

Episode 269, Great Jazz Solos, Part 4.

Mar 19 2024 60 mins

Part 4, you ask? But where are Parts 1, 2, and 3. Answer: Way way back five years to Episodes 52 to 54. The goal? To get a greater sense of the difference between a jazz solo that is considered *great* versus solos that are just ‘good’ (and sometimes not even that). I reach out to ‘experts’ to get some opinions—and I play some of that music wit

Episode 268: Jazz Musicians (How They Live and) How They Died, Part 3

Mar 12 2024 59 mins

The last of this fascinating three part series. I start by talking about and playing a great track by Wes Montgomery and Wynton Kelly–from newly discovered recordings released last year. And I finish with the great Rashaan Roland Kirk—focusing on his amazing resilience as he kept playing despite a debilitating stroke. Another amazingly resilient musician who carried

Episode 267: How They Lived and How They Died, Part 2

Mar 05 2024 61 mins

Lots of old recordings today. From 1927 to 2023. But they’re all by great jazz artists who we wish had been around a lot longer than they were. Some of them, like Lee Morgan, King Curtis, and James Reese Europe, and Evan Thomas (who never recorded) died violent deaths at the hands of others. Others, like Albert Ayler and Claude Ranger were very mysterious deaths or disapp

Episode 266: Jazz Musicians: (How They Lived) How They Died. Part 1

Feb 27 2024 62 mins

I’ve heard and read many stories of jazz artists who have left us due to drugs, violence, and sudden accidents. The next 3 episodes talks about some of them. But rather than just focusing on how they lived and how they inspired us! And most importantly, I play their music. This first episodes starts off with later-life John Coltrane. You’ll also hear and hear about

Episode 265: Some Recent Historical Releases

Feb 20 2024 60 mins

This last episode of my ‘best of 2023’ series takes you back in time to re-releases, remastered recordings, or newly discovered vintage recordings. There are a lot of them…and many of them made the critics’ ‘best of’ lists. I start with a never before released recording of Bill Evans Trio playing My Foolish Heart. And finish with a Nina Simon

Episode 264, Best of 2023 Part 7

Feb 13 2024 60 mins

This week a few more 2023 albums noted by reviewers and critics. You’ll hear a track from: John Zorn: Homenaje A Remedios Var.o. This is just one of 14 releases that Zorn put out in 2023. Talk about prolific!Noah Haidu: Standards. And I’m anticipating him putting out another ‘standards’ album in 2024.Benny Benack IIi: trumpeter and singer’s 3rd