September 9, 2007 NC's Jazz Tones
I had a big crowd in the studio as the Jazz Tones are comprised of six players. Somehow they all squeezed into the small space - including a full drum set and a double bass. This is a group that is long overdue for going into the studio to birth their first CD. They promise that their time is soon and that they'll return when the CD is finished.

The Jazz Tones are made up of Luciano Suarez on guitar, Lori Oshrain on drums, Stan Levy on tenor sax, Eric Hallman on trumpet, Alice Brower on vocals and keyboard, and Bob Brower on acoustic bass. They meet every Sunday morning to share music and work on old and new songs.



They played live in the studio and during a few breaks, I played some CDs they brought to share. I enjoyed the stories of the drummer, Lori Oshrain, who grew up in a jazz family and had musicians regularly dropping by and playing music in her home. Some of the regulars were Marianne and Jimmy McPartland.

Playlist of songs performed by the Jazz Tones

• Autumn Leaves
• Freddy the Free Loader
• Broadway
• Black Orpheus
• Take a Chance on Love
• East of the Sun and West of the Moon
• Out of Nowhere
• Satin Doll
  

Playlist of songs they brought with them

• Sonny Rollins; Complete Prestige CD; Time on My Hands
• Zoot Sims; Warm Tenor CD; Old Devil Moon
• Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD;
• Peter Prisco & Peter Scattaretico; Yesterday's Failure CD; You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To

Several of the Jazz Tones play with the Triangle Jazz Orchestra, which is a 18 piece group, and they practice on Wed. nights at Carrboro's ArtsCenter at 7:30. People are welcomed and encouraged to come by and listen or sit in.

My radio show can be heard on 103.5 fm from the WCOM studio in downtown Carrboro, NC or by going to the internet, it can be heard anywhere in the world. Please join me as I feature the sounds of NC jazz musicians.

For opera fans and those who still dream of living their dream - be sure to check out this video of the phone salesman who believes he is meant to sing. It is truly beautiful.

September 10, 2007 Subbing for Breathing Room
I sat in for Fred Wasser this week, who normally runs the Breathing Room jazz show on WCOM. Fred can be heard every Saturday from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. I enjoyed playing CDs I don't normally play on my own show, since I normally feature jazz musicians with a tie to North Carolina. Fred is particularly fond of Frank Sinatra, so I started and ended my show with songs by Sinatra.

Playlist -

• Frank Sinatra; His Great Performances CD; I've Got You Under My Skin
• Lee Konitz; Subconscious Lee CD; All the Things You Are
• Paul Desmond: Skylark CD; Music For a While
• Dakota Staton; Great Ladies of Song CD; Anything Goes
• Maxine Sullivan; Moments Like This CD; It's WOnderful
• Ernestine Anderson; Hello Like Before CD; Soft Shoe
• Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong; Ella & Louis CD; Moonlight in Vermont
• Maxine Sullivan with the Scott Hamilton Quintet - Swingin' Sweet CD; Sweet Georgia Brown
• Jimmy Scott; All the Way CD; All the Way
• Anita O'Day; Swings Cole Porter; Just one of Those Things
• Ibrahim Ferrer; Ibrahim Ferrer CD; Bruca Manigua
• Frank Sinatra; Classic Sinatra; Someone to Watch Over Me

Be sure to catch the Following Monk music festival, honoring the 90th birthday of Thelonius Monk, who was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The festival runs for six weeks and brings top jazz musicians from all over the world into Durham, NC. I'll see you there!

September 2, 2007 Jazzy Girls from Carrboro
Molly, Heather and Hayley kept the show going in my absence. Molly has helped me with my show off and on for the last two years, and Heather, too. As Heather would say, "Molly taught Melva everything she knows." Well that is close to being true. They are twelve year-olds with a lot of poise, confidence and humor. When I asked Molly to sub for me, she immediately said 'yes'. Then I told her she could play anything she wanted, at which point she responded that she wanted to play jazz. I leant her my CDs and she was off and running - plus some other music thrown in there.










Playlist

• Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it WOuld Feel to be Free
• Dizzy Gillespie (schooled in Laurinburg, NC); The Dizzy Gillespie Story CD; Stardust
• Max Roach (b. New Land, NC); Jazz in 3/4 CD; Blues Waltz
  
• Duke Ellington; Alvin Ailey CD; Night Creatures 1st Movement
• Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong; Ella & Louis Again CD; They All Laughed
• Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Rum & Coca-cola
• Bud Powell (time in Hillsborough, NC); The Very Best Of CD; Oh Poco Loco
• Thelonious Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Monk Plays Duke Ellington; Sophisticated Lady
• Frankie Alexander (lives in Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; Cheek to Cheek
• Keith Jarrett; At the Blue Note CD; When I Fall in Love
• Miles Davis; The Best of the Capital CD; Autumn Leaves
• Ray Charles; The Ray Charles Anthology CDs; Hit the Road Jack
• Movie Soundtrack; Hairspray CD; Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now
• Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington CD; Mood Indigo
• Miles Davis; The Best of the Capital CD; Yesterdays
• Journey; Journey CD; Don't Stop Believing
• Dizzy Gillespie; The Dizzy Gillespie Story CD; Salt Peanuts
• Frankie Alexander: Mad About the Words CD; Feeling Like Someone in Love
  

August 26, 2007 Lola Swings - For Sure!
I was pleased to have Lola Youngman in the WCOM studio with me, performing with the Dave Youngman Quartet (minus their drummer). Lola and Dave hail from Raleigh and can be heard at clubs around the Triangle Area. Lola is inspired by the talents of Diana Krall and interestingly enough sounds quite a bit like her. Dave plays keyboard and tenor sax, in addition to many other instruments. They were joined by Alan Heckle from Sanford, NC; he was on guitar. The group was finished out by Steve Boletchek on bass; Steve is from Apex, NC.

Lola Youngman has a new CD, This Can't be Love. For the show, she and the band mostly played live in the studio, but we also pulled music off of her CD.

Show's Playlist -

• Lola Youngman; This Can't Be Love CD; They Can't Take That Away from Me & This Can't be Love & Love Me Like a Man & Peel Me a Grape & I Love Being Here with You & Moondance/Summertime
  
• Songs played live in the studio included: All or Nothing at All & Route 66 & Beautiful Love & Temptation & Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby & Lover Man & I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You & My Love & Let's Fall in Love

It's a joy to have such talent in North Carolina. We are blessed.