Melva's Musings on Jazz - Featuring the Jazz Music and Musicians of North Carolina

2008-11-30T14:58:00.000-08:00

October 26, 2008 Southern Routes Jamming in the WCOM Studio
It's hard to imagine that the six members of the Southern Routes band were able to squeeze into the WCOM studio but they did and for two hours we had a swingin', dancin' good time. The members consist of Richard Tazewell, on piano and vocals, Callie Warner on guitar and vocals, Christen Campbell on vocals and cabasa, Rick Keena on electric guitar, David Shore on drums, and Jeff Brown on sax.
I know all of the members from different scenes and different music groups, and Richard's jazz CD, Stairway to the Stars, was one of the first I played on my show starting four years ago. They are all great performers and come together to form an exciting, fun, and upbeat sound. They are all from the Carrboro/Chapel Hill, Triangle area. Their music makes you want to jump up and dance. It pulls on many different music genres - and comes out very original. They can be heard in different combinations - most regularly at the Sienna Hotel in CH. Mostly they played their music live in the studio but we played a few songs from CDs. Richard can be reached for bookings at rwtaz711@yahoo.com.
Playlist-

Christian Life
Empty Bottle, Broken Heart, and You're Still on My Mind
Dance Me to the End of Love
Midnight Rider
Do Right Woman
Return of the Grevious Angel
You Don't Miss Your Water Til Your Well Runs Dry
Harvest Moon
Preacher Man
Killing the Blues
Seven Bridges Road

2008-11-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

September 28, 2008 NYC Cool Cats c/ NC Roots - Trachy Lacy Collective
I was pleased to help with the release of the new CD, Lanky, by the Trachy Lacy Collective. They live in NYC but were touring the East Coast, including a stop at Carrboro's ArtsCenter. It is a beautiful CD, which I recommend, and combines some classical motifs with jazzy beats. They sent me their CD and we arranged for them to call in during my show to talk about their music and to play music from their CD. Russell Lacy is their drummer and hails from the Wake Forest, NC. He studied jazz at NC Central University and is continuing his studies at Queens College in NY. Seth Trachy is from the mountains of NC and is the group's sax player. David Caldwell Mason plays piano for the group and Edward Perez in on bass. I caught their performance at the ArtsCenter the following Friday and greatly enjoyed it. Be sure to check them out if they perform near you and also their new CD.

2008-11-29T17:44:00.000-08:00

July 27, 2008 The Big Sound of the Big Band
Robert Trowers, trombone player, composer and teacher came back to join me for a Big Band Show. Robert traveled with many big bands and performed around the world including with the Lionel Hampton and Count Basie bands. He came carrying many albums and CDs for the show.

Amazingly enough, Charles Tolliver called Robert in the middle of the show, and so I asked him to call back on the WCOM line and had him join the discussion. He had recently been at and performed at Duke University as part of the Following Monk Jazz Festival.

Playlist -

Count Basie's Orchestra; This Time by Basie; I Can't Stop Loving You
Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington's Orchestra; Pure Ella; Take the A Train
Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin Big Band; European Memoirs CD; Remembering Bud
Count Basie's Orchestra; This Time by Basie; One Mint Julep
Pete Fountain; The Best of Pete Fountain; Columbus Stockade Blues
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington; Cotton Tail
Harry James Orchestra: Best of Harry James; Two O'Clock Jump
Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan; You Go to My Head
Jimmy Smith; Jazz Legends; Walk on the Wildside
Dizzy Gillespie; Dizzy Gillespie Story; A Night in Tunisia
Duke Ellington/Count Basie; The Count Meets the Duke; Wildman
Woody Herman; Blues on Parade; Woodchopper's Ball
Tommy Dorsey; Best of TD; I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Frank Capp Juggernaut; In a Hefti Bag; Midnite Blue

Tom and Marilyn stopped by the WCOM studio to listen in to the show and to meet Robert. WCOM is located in downtown Carrboro, NC.

2008-11-29T16:18:00.000-08:00

July 13, 2008 Josh Socolar Plays Beautiful Music and It's My Birthday
Lots of friends stopped by the WCOM studio to both hear Josh Socolar play beautiful jazz music and to wish me a happy birthday - it was quite the party. I love having people stop by the studio and so this was a very special evening. Josh took classical and jazz piano lessons with Toby Tate; and he is particularly inspired by the playing of Thelonius Monk and Oscar Peterson.

Playlist of Songs Played in the Studio -

Thelonius Monk's, Blue Monk
African Market Place
Charlie Parker's, Yardbird Suite,
Jimmy McHugh's, Exactly Like You
Duke Ellington's, Prelude to a Kiss
Billy Strayhorn's, Take the A Train
Oscar Peterson's, Hymn to Freedom
Horace Silver's, Sister Sadie
George Bassman's, I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
Thelonius Monk's, Well You Needn't
Thelonius Monk's, Round Midnight
Sonny Rollins', Don't Stop the Carnaval
Dizzy Gillespie's, Night in Tunisia
Gillespie's, Jumpin' at the Woodshed
Billy Taylor's, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free

I thank Josh for all the wonderful music he shared and I look forward to his return. And I thank my friends for stopping by the studio to join the party and especially Joann for making such a pretty, jazzy birthday cake.

2008-11-29T15:16:00.000-08:00

June 29, 2008 Robert Trowers, Mr. Trombone Man
Robert Trowers, jazz trombone player, composer and teacher at NC Central's Jazz Studies Program, brought boxes of trombone-featured albums and CDs, and we had a great time. Robert played with many big bands, including Lionel Hampton and Count Basie, and performed around the world with them. He always has lots of good stories to share. You can often hear me playing his music on my show.

Playlist -

Nina Simone; Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
JJ Johnson, Kai Winding, Bennie Green, Willis Dennis; Four Trombones; More
Slide Hampton; World of Trombones; Chorale & Lester Leaps In
Jimmy Cleveland; The Trombone Album; Lo-Fi
Dinah Washington; The Jazz Sides: This Can't Be Love
Frank Rosolino; The Trombone Album; Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Urbie Green; Persuasive Trombone; Skylark
Duke Ellington & Tyree Glenn; The World of Duke Ellington; Sultry Seran
Robert Trowers: Synopsis CD; Good Bait
JJ Johnson & Kai Winding; The Great Kai & JJ; Blue Monk
Tadd Dameron & Jimmy Cleveland; The Magic Touch of Tadd Dameron; Just Plain Talk
Julian Priester; Keep Swingin'; Julian's Tune
Bill Watrous: Manhattan Wildlife Refuge; Spain
Robert Trowers; Point of View CD; End of a Love Affair

2008-11-29T10:35:00.000-08:00

June 22 - All Italian, All the Time!
Roco of WCOM's Music Hall joined me in the studio to feature the jazz musicians with Italian roots. And we had a good time. We had several guests - repeat appearance of the Knaack family - Julie, Will, Gabe, and Zoe, and Julie's parents in from WI, Mary and Steve. We had a wonderful poetry reading by Zoe, who wrote the poem herself; and an unusual poem by Gabe. The show turned into a dancing studio. It may be a small studio but there is always room for dancing.

Playlist -

Nina Simone; Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Art Pepper; Meets the Rhythm Section CD; You'd be so Nice to Come Home To
Frank Sinatra; Songs for Swinging Lovers CD; I've Got You Under My Skin
Vince Guaraldi Trio; Jazz Impressions CD; Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Rosemary Clooney; Songs From the Girl Singer CD; Come Rain or Come Shine
Henry Mancini; Moon River CD; Big Band Montage
Tony Bennett; All Time Greatest Hits CD; I Left My Heart in San Francisco
Don Costa; Never on Sunday
Frankie Valley; Grease CD; Grease
Al Cailo; Instrumental Gems of the 60's CD; Magnificent Seven
Dean Martin: Dean Martin on Reprise CD: Last Round Up
Perry Como; All Time Greatest Hits CD; Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes
Chick Corea; My Spanish Heart CD; Day Danse
Al Martino; Volare CD; Spanish Eyes
Keely Smith; Ladies of Song CD; Sweet & Lovely
Ray Anthony Band; Instrumentally Yours #6; Peter Gunn
Jimmy Durante; As Time Goes By CD; As Time Goes By
Carmen McRae; Nice Work If You Can Get It
Frankie Lane; Jezebel
Tony Orlando; Tie a Yellow Ribbon
Dave Brubeck & Joe Morello; Take Five

Here is Zoe's poem, which she wrote and read on the air. She is a great poet and I look forward to hearing more of her work - both poetry and lyrics.

The Fish Dish, by Zoe, Age 7
There's a hole in the fish bowl,
And the tank isn't full.
So, I want a dish,
For my fish.
My fish isn't comfortable,
And he doesnt look lovable.
So, that's why I'm getting a dish for my fish.
And he looks quite happy in there.
The End

And here's Gabe's poem, inspired by his sister.
My Sister, by Gabe, Age 9
My sister is like a brat.
Sometimes she acts like a rat.

I really do love my sister.
If she went away I'd really miss her.

If it's dancing she's a pro.
But if it's soccer she says no.

Althought sometimes she's like a bear,
I'd rather have her here than there.

THE END

2008-11-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

June 8 Tapping Out the Jazz Beat
What a wonderful treat to have local youth tap dancers back on my show again this year. Alex Vigotov, Elizabeth Burke and Lilly Steponaitis are some of the star tappers with Gene Medler, teacher extra- ordinaire. We lowered the mics to the floor and the tappers went to town dancing away. This has become an annual treat to help promote the annual recital held to honor the talents of the NC Youth Tap Ensemble. I thank Gene, Alex, Elizabeth and Lilly for joining me in the studio.

Playlist -

Nina Simone; Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Oscar Peterson; A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra CD; You Make Me Feel So Young
Squirrel Nut Zippers; Sold Out CD: Twilight
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; I Want a Little Sugar
Coleman Hawkins; Best of CH CD; Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Gene Harris; On Green Dolphin Street
Getz/Gilberto; Bim Bon
Lou Donaldson; Alligator/Boogaloo CD; Boogaloo
Joao Gilberto; Amoroso; S'Wonderful
Robert Griffin; NC: State of Music; Rhythm-a-ning
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong; Ella & Louie Again CD; Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
Gene Harris; GH & the 3 Sounds, Live at the IT; Funky Pullett
Frankie Alexander; Mad About the Words CD; Teach Me Tonight
Stanley Baird; Traffic Jam CD; Footprints
Charlie Haden/Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Nobody Knows the trouble I've Seen

Please join me each Sunday night from 7-9:00 on WCOM to hear the special sounds of NC inspired jazz.

2008-11-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

June 2008 Tribute to Brother Yusuf Salim
Brother Yusuf Salim was born in Baltimore, MD, and came to the Triangle Area in the mid-70s. He was soon followed by his good friend, Bus Brown, a consummate jazz singer, song writer, and teacher to all. Brother Yusef played all the clubs in the area for over 30 years. He always had a kind word and smile for all. I called him, the "Godfather of NC Jazz."

Freeman Ledbetter, Durham-based bass player, organized a tribute to and for Brother Yusuf. Jazz musicians from around the Triangle area showed up at the nursing home where Brother Yusuf stayed the last few weeks of his life. Although his hands were cripled over, and his body, too, after listening to others play for a while, Brother Yusuf asked to play. And then the magic began as he played with just a few fingers on each hand the most beautiful music. It was a wonderful memorable moment.
I am forever thankful to both Brother Yusuf Salim and Bus Brown for their music, their talents, their friendship, their teaching and encouragement to all. You will be missed always.

2008-11-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

June 1, 2008 Slavic & Latin Jazz
I was glad to have Mietek Glinkowski and friends back on my show. Mietek played his vitar, which is like, yet different, from an electric violin. Mietek hails from Poland and now lives in Raleigh, NC. He was joined by his good friend, Alex Gorodezky, who is from the Ukraine and lives in Raleigh. Nic Slaton played the upright bass. Nic went to NC Central University and studied jazz.

Playlist

Nina Simone; Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Charlie Haden, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ignacio Berron; & David Sanchez; Nocturne CD; Tres Palabras
Ibrahim Ferrer; Herido De Sombras
Joao Gilberto; Amoroso/Brazil CD; S'Wonderful
Dizzy Gillespie; Ool Y Koo; Cubana Be
Getz, Gilberto, Astrud; #2 CD; Only Trust Your Heart
David Grisman Quartet; Dawg's Groove CD; La Grande Guiznote
Dizzie Gillespie; Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods CD; Oro, Incanso y Mira
Greg Brink & Tony Galiani; You and the Night and the Music
Robert Griffin; NC: A State of Music CD; Rhythm-a-Ning
Stephen Anderson; Forgt Not CD; Mobiles
Elmer Gibson; The Reach of Memory CD
Frankie Alexander; Mad About the Words CD; Mad About the Boy
Robert Trowers; Point of View CD; Have You Met Miss Jones
Billy Taylor; Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free
Charlie Haden; Nocturne CD; Noche de Ronda

My jazz radio show features the sounds of NC jazz musicians both of the past and the present. I always enjoy when the musicians bring their instruments with them and play live during my show. WCOM can be heard in the Carrboro, NC area at 103.5 fm. The door is always open and I enjoy people stopping by to hear the music and to say 'hi'. You can listen in from any where in the world by going to our web-link on the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop.

2008-08-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2008 In a Coltrane Kind of Mood
I was in a John Coltrane mood. Coltrane is a native of Hamlet, NC. He is certainly one of North Carolina's, the nation's and the world's finest jazz player. It was a great evening focusing on his music tonight. You can hear my show on WCOM every Sunday evening from 7:00 - 9:00 at 103.5 FM in the Carrboro/CH area or any where in the world by going to the web.

Here's a YouTube posting of a young Coltrane playing with a young Miles Davis - enjoy.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); My Favorite Things CD: But Not For Me
John Coltrane Quartet; Ballads CD; All or Nothing at All
John Coltrane; My Favorite Things CD; Everytime We Say Goodbye
John Coltrane; Lush Life CD; Lush Life
John Coltrane; Ballads; You Don't Know What Love Is
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme CD; Acknowlegment
Eva Cassidy & Chuck Brown; The Other Side CD: Over the Rainbow
Jamuna (lives Chatham County, NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Ray Charles; You Don't Know Me
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; I Loves You Porgy
Buena Vista Social Club CD; Chan Chan
Cesaria Evora; Sao Vicente CD; Sao Vicente Di Longe
Joao Gilberto with Grady Tate on drums (Durham, NC); Amoroso/Brasil CD; Besame Mucho
Robert Griffin (lives Carrboro, NC); NC: A State of Music; Killing Me Softly
Elmer Gibson (lives Raleigh, NC); The Reach of Memory CD; Changes
Greg Brink & Tony Galiani (lives Carrboro, NC); You & the Night & the Music

2008-08-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

May 11, 2008 Young, Cool, Jazzy Cats
Clif Wallace and jazz friends, Ron Baxter and Jack Hill, played live on my show in the studios of WCOM. Clif is a talented jazz drummer, and a recent graduate of the Jazz Program at NC Central University. After being away from the area for a while, he can now be heard in local clubs. Joining him were Ron and Jack. Ron Baxter is also a recent graduate of NCCU and now teaches jazz at Shaw University in Raleigh. Ron plays sax. Jack Hill is a current jazz student at UNC-CH. Ron and Jack were guests on my show previously, and it was great to have them back. Clif and Ron are players and composers and have great promise.

Playlist -

Straight No Chaser
Fe Fi Fo Fum
Very Early
Heaven
Mr. PC
Rhythm-A-Ning
Stella By Starlight
Invitation
Pinochio

2008-08-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

April 20, 2008 Stephen Anderson & Trio
I was pleased to have the Stephen Anderson and Trio join me in the studio to play their music live and to share music from Steve Anderson's new CD, Forget Not. He is on the faculty in the UNC-CH Music Department. Steve grew up in a musically talented family, and during the show his parents and brother called in from Utah. Steve was raised on classical music and hymns and then moved into jazz, where he incorporates components of his earlier training and love of music. Joining Steve in the studio was Dan Davis on drums and Peter Innocenti on bass. Steve lives in Chapel Hill, Peter in Durham, and Dan in Cary. They have dates at clubs in the area. I was thrilled to have Steve with me on the show and am a great fan of his CD, which is available in local stores.

Playlist -

Bye Bye Blackbird
Rhythm-A-Thing
T'so Political
But Not For Me
I Love You for Sentimental Reasons
In Walked Bud

Melva's Musings on Jazz is broadcast every Sunday evening from 7:00-9:00 from the studios of WCOM in downtown Carrboro, NC. Please join me in the immediate area on the dial at 103.5 fm or from anywhere in the world on the internet by going to WCOM's website at www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the web-streaming button. You can call me during the show at 919 929-9601.

2008-06-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

April 13, 2008 NC Jazz Hall of Fame
On my show this week, I decided to focus my music on many of the musicians that had recently been inducted into the NC Jazz Hall of Fame, which was conducted at NCCU.

Playlist:

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
Cedar Walton; Animation CD; Jacob's Ladder
Robert Trowers (lives Durham, NC); Point of View CD; Statement
Cedar Walton; Animation CD; Ala Eduardo
Lou Donaldson (b. Badin, NC); The Natural Soul CD; Funky Mama
Larry Ridley; Other Voices CD; Boplicity
Thelonious Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Thelonious Himself CD; Monk's Mood
Max Roach (b. Richland, NC); In 3/4 Time CD: I'll Take Romance
Robert Trowers; Point of View CD; End of a Love Affair
Nina Simone; Very Best of CD; I Shall Be Released
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Ballads CD; You Don't Know What Love Is
Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Plays Yusuf CD; A Hymn For Us All
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; I Loves You Porgy
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free

2008-04-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

April 6, 2008 Jazz Fest Coming to NCCU!
I was thrilled to have three jazz giants in the WCOM studio all at the same time to join me for my show. Larry Ridley is here in the Durham area from New York City. He is a jazz bass player who has played with all the giants of the past and present. Those he has played with reads like a Who's Who of Jazz - including Thelonius Monk. Dr. Ridley is here as a primary organizer of the upcoming NAJRI HBCU Jazz Conference, which will be held at NC Central University, April 16th - 19th. This is the 18th year of the NCCU Jazz Festival. Dr. Ridley is an educator, as can be easily seen in this presentation about the playing style and contribution of Sonny Rollins. As Dr. Ridley expresses - to be a jazz player is to be an instantaneous composer.

At the upcoming Jazz Festival/Conference, there will be featured performances by saxophonist/flutist David 'Fathead' Newman and the Cedar Walton (shown in the photo to the right) Trio with bassist David Williams and drummer George Fludas.

Joining us in the WCOM studio, was Ira Wiggins, the Director of NCCU Jazz Studies, and a highly respected saxophone/flutist, with 15 albums to his credit as a sideman and soloist. He has performed with Jimmy Heath, Grady Tate, Frank Foster, James Moody, Fred Wesley and others. Dr. Wiggins hails from Kinston, NC, along with Jimmy Heath and Grady Tate who also have NC roots.

To top things off, composer TJ Anderson came by to meet Larry Ridley, and share an evening with Ira. TJ and Larry had traveled in similar jazz worlds for many years and yet had never met. So I was pleased that they had that chance as a part of my show. For more info about Dr. Anderson, check out his comments about the work of DJ Spooky at a recent presentation by DJ Spooky at UNC-CH as organized by Paul Jones of ibiblio. And to learn about one of the original compositions of Dr. Anderson, listen to the YouTube recording of Donal Fox on piano and with orchestra, playing the Second Movement of Fragments. A Concerto by TJ is posted on ibiblio.

Larry, TJ, and Ira had a great time talking about jazz, its roots, education, and the demise of the jazz clubs. Larry and Ira are the co-directors of NAJRI.

In between conversation, I shared some of the music of Dr. Larry Ridley. Dr. Ridley's CD, Sum of the Parts, includes Grady Tate on drums. Grady is from Durham and attended NC Central University.

Playlist -

Larry Ridley and the Jazz Legacy Ensemble; Other Voices CD; Evidence
Larry Ridley; Sum of the Parts CD; It Was a Very Good Year
Larry Ridley; Sum of the Parts CD; Changa Chikuyo
African American Jazz Caucus Presents AAJC/HBCU Student All-Star Big Band; Boogie Stomp Shuffle
Larry Ridley; Other Voices CD; Wes Coast Blues

I want to thank Larry Thomas for helping to arrange for Larry Ridley to be on my show. It was a night to remember for sure. Larry hosts WCOM's Sunday Night Jazz show that follows mine from 9:00 - midnight, the bewitching hour.

My son, Will, continues to blog in the NY Times about issues of teaching on the westside of Chicago in an alternative school. Today's posting is about the challenges of passing or failing students who are trying and yet are performing below grade level.

Please join me every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00, as I feature the sounds of NC jazz musicians of the past and present. You can hear my show, and all shows on WCOM, thanks to Paul Jones and ibiblio, which makes our web-streaming possible. If you live in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill you can hear us at 103 FM. You can call the station at 919 929-9601.

2008-04-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

March 23, 2008 The Classical Side of Jazz
Tonight I selected songs that were on the classical side of jazz. I enjoyed a mellow evening on WCOM out of Carrboro, NC, where each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00, I feature the sounds of NC jazz musicians and sometimes much, much more. You can join me from any where in the world by going to the ibiblio-provided webstreaming connection, thanks to Paul Jones.

I played a number of songs from my three new CDs featuring the playing of Billy Strayhorn. Billy spent many a summer of his life in Hillsborough, NC with his grandparents. I am still seeking a recording of his solo concert at the end of his life - surely someone recorded such an historical moment. I did find him playing duets with Duke Ellington on one CD; with Johnny Hodges on another; and a solo of Billy's from earlier in his career.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio CD; Prelude in E Minor
Johnny Hodges & Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra CD; Don't Get Around Much Any More
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; At Long Last Love
Stephen Anderson Trio (lives Chapel Hill, NC); Forget Not CD; Mobiles
Johnny Hodges/Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra CD; Star Dust
Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio CD; Etude in A Minor
Harry Pickens; Passionate Ballads CD; Someone to Watch Over Me
Stephen Anderson Trio; Forget Not CD; T'so Political
Al Neese Quintet (lives Greensboro, NC); The Omen Seeker CD; Wood Heat
Billy Strayhorn (lived Hillsborough, NC); Piano Passions CD; Lush Life
Robert Trowers (lives Durham, NC); Point of View CD; Minority
Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn; Piano Duets CD; Cotton Tail
Billy Strayhorn; Piano Passion CD; Take the A Train
Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn; Piano Duets CD; Perdido
Johnny Hodges/Billy Strayhorn & The Orchestra CD; Cotton Tail
Mary Lou Williams (lived Durham, NC); May Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues
Stanley Turrentine; On a Misty Night CD; That's the Way of the World
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

I'm wishing a Happy Birthday to Zoe, who is a young song writer and singer, and regular guest on my show. You can see she had a sweet celebration.

2008-04-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

March 16, 2008 NC Jazz Giants
As always, on my show tonight, I featured the sounds of NC jazz musicians. Each week, I begin and end my show with Billy Taylor's beautiful jazz spiritual, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free. Dr. Taylor was born in Greenville, NC. I start my show with Nina Simone, raised in Tryon, NC, singing Dr. Taylor's song and end my show with his playing his song on the piano. I love both versions and the bookends that they give to my show.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Stanley Turrentine; On a Misty Night CD; That's the Way of the World
Robert Trowers (living Durham, NC); Point of View CD; Have you Met Miss Jones
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Where've you Been CD; Night Comes Tenderly
Paul Tardif (lives Greenville, NC); Points of Departure CD; One for Nick
Stanley Turrentine; On a Misty Night CD; Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Grady Tate (b. and raised and schooled Durham, NC and attended NC Central Univ.); Windmills of Your Mind CD; And I Love Her
Joao Gilberto with Grady Tate on drums; Amoroso/Brazil CD; Besame Mucho
Roy Hargrove; With Strings CD; You Go to My Head
Coleman Hawkins; The Best of Coleman Hawkins CD; Make Someone Happy
Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD; All the Things You Are
Robert Griffin (lives Carrboro, NC); NC: A State of Music; Killing Me Softly
Harry Pickens; Passionate Ballads CD; Over the Rainbow
Freddie Hubbard; Freddie Hubbard '07; Sky Dive
Cesaria Evora; Sao Vicente CD; Sao Vicente Di Longo
Gene Harris; Trio Plus One CD; Misty
Harry Pickens; Passionate Ballads CD; The Nearness of You
Charlie Haden & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; It's me, O Lord
Billy Taylor; Music Keeps You Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

Please join me on the internet by webstreaming every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. I thank Paul Jones for making our webstreaming capability possible through ibiblio. Here's a picture of Paul, attending yet NOT paying attention, at the recent Microsoft Tech Summit.

If you live in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area of NC, you can catch us on 103 fm on your dial. Or give me a call to chat or make a request at 919 929-9601. We are a community-powered low power radio station, run by over 50 volunteer DJs, who bring a lot of love to their program.

I thank Molly and Eli for dropping by the studio to keep me company and say, 'hi'.

2008-03-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

March 9, 2008 A Few of My Favorite Things
Every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 on WCOM radio, out of Carrboro, NC, I feature the sounds of NC jazz musicians. I love playing their music but even more, I love having the current players in the studio with me playing live on my show. You can call into the show to talk about jazz or make a request at 919 929-9601. WCOM is webstreamed thanks to Paul Jones and ibiblio. Thanks, Paul, for helping to give WCOM's 100 watts of wonder a worldwide voice.

We had a tremendous sadness in Chapel Hill over the violent death of the UNC Student Body President, Eve Carson. On my show, I talked about her short but promising and giving life and the tragedy of her murder. I am feeling so sad, along with the whole community, over her senseless murder, and now the added tragedy of the two young men who were arrested and if convicted can expect to spend the rest of their lives behind bars, at best. Eve's father delivered an inspiring and amazingly hopeful message at Eve's burial. Surely we can all hope that the young minds and hearts of youth leaders, like Eve, will find solutions to the probing challenges of our country and world. The message is a beautiful love message in honor and memory from father to child/daughter. May she not be forgotten and may people find joy and inspiration in remembering her life.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Jamuna (lived Chatham Co., NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Harry Pickens (Hillsborough, NC Artist in Residency); I'll be Seeing You CD; We'll be Together Again
Andrzy Jagodzinski's Trio from Poland; Prelude in E Minor
Harry Pickens; Passionate Ballads CD; The Nearness of You
Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD; Two of a Mind
Robert Trowers (lives and works in Durham, NC), Al Grey, Slide Hampton, & Fred Wesley; Point of View CD; The End of a Love Affair, featuring the four trombone players!
Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD; All The Things You Are
Baron Tymas (works in Durham, NC); Blues for the Tribe CD; Stone Flower
Nina Simone; Love Songs CD; Suzanne by Leonard Cohen
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; Once I Loved
UNC Jazz Band; From One to Another CD; Softly as a Morning Sunrise
Spyro Gyra; Modern Jazz & Songs of the Beatles CD: In My Life
Eva Cassidy; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Why? The King of Love is Dead
Gabriel Pelli (lives Chapel Hill, NC area); Europa Jazz CD; Black Orpheus
Madeleine Peyroux; Careless Love CD; Dance Me to the End of Love
John Brown (works in Durham, NC); Terms of Art CD: Children of the Night
Brother Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Plays Yusuf CD; A Hymn for Us All
Charlie Haden/Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Wade in the Water
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC) Trio; Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

My son, Will, continues to blog for the NY Times about teaching on the Westside of Chicago and the conditions in the lives of his students, their school, and in the community. He posted a recent blog about how hard it is to teach and yet what keeps him, and other teachers, going is the piece of joy found in his students - each day. The blog consists of a beautiful series of collages of pictures taken by Will of his students. Will is blogging at the invitation of Nicholas Kristof, columnist for the NY Times.

Please share my blog and the blog of my son with people you believe would be interested in the topics we are writing about.

2008-03-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

March 2, 2008 From Funk to Classical
Having recently gone to the Maceo Parker concert at Duke, I was inspired to share his music on my show. I ended up dividing my two-hour show into two parts - Funky on the front side and toward the classical side of jazz in the second half. Maceo Parker is from Kinston, NC and is one of NC's finest. See the YouTube video of Maceo and his band performing - What's Going On.

Playlist -
Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Maceo Parker (b. Kinston, NC); Roots & Grooves CD; Georgia on My Mind
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Everyday I Have the Blues
Maceo Parker; Roots & Grooves; To Be Or Not to Be & Hit the Road Jack
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Waiting at the Station & Cha Dooky-Do
Ray Charles; You Don't Know Me
Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis; Genius Loves Company CD; Over the Rainbow
Maceo Parker; Southern Exposure CD; Keep on Marching
Lou Donaldson (b. Badin, NC); Alligator Bogaloo CD & song
Robert Trowers (lives Durham, NC) & Al Grey; Point of View CD; Spleep Bop
Andrezij Jagodzinski Trio; Prelude in E Minor
Sarah Bolen (from Chapel Hill, NC); Naked on the Inside CD; Tangarines
Charles Lloyd; Lift Every Voice CD; Lift Every Voice & What's Going On
Keith Jarrett; The Melody At Night CD; Blame it on my Youth
Paulo Lopez (lives Chapel Hill, NC); Brazilian Soul CD; So Queroum Xodo

I was joined in the studio this evening by my good friends Ann and Carl Evans, in town from Bethel, Alaska, and their daughter Deanna. Ann and Carl shared stories on the air of some of their health work in the smallest villages in N Alaska and the flights in and out of such remote sites.

At dinner at my home, earlier in the evening, the Chapel Hill-raised peformer, Sarah Bolin joined us and shared some of her music played live in my home. Sarah is a talented singer, song-writer, and guitar player. I played a song from her CD on my show.

2008-03-11T18:32:00.001-07:00

February 24, 2008 3rd Anniversary Show
I was thrilled to celebrate my 3rd Anniversary Show of being a WCOM dj by having friends join me in the studio for a great fun party - where we danced and enjoyed the music provided by the Latin dance group, Saludos Compay. The band is made up of the following members - Pablo Valencia on vocals and guitar; Erich Lieth on keyboard and vocals; Chuck Nolan on percussion; and Jay Miller on sax. They are working on a CD and played music live in the studio and then I played some of their songs already recorded for the CD. They are a great Chapel Hill-based group, who play in clubs and at parties across the Triangle Area. Stay tuned for their new CD.

Playlist for show -
El Manicero
Moliendo Café
Pintate Los Labios
Bello Amor*
Chan Chan
Cielito Lindo
Saludos Compay
La Herida*
Entumido*
Lagrimas Negras
Donde Pongo El Sombrero*
Que Bueno Baila Usted
*original songs

I thank Saludos Compay for making my party such a fun time. I'm looking forward to another great year. I thank Erin for helping to take pictures; Heather for making the cake; Julie for the pink piggie cupcakes; Molly for the cookies; and Meg for helping to host the party.

2008-03-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

February 10, 2008 When Cousins Marry
I took a stretch from my normal focus on jazz, to include friends in the studio to promote their newly released CD, Shotgun Wedding. The group, When Cousins Marry, are talented musicians with a wacky sense of humor - and their songs, all written by members of the band, reflect their humor and unusual viewpoint. So if you're looking for a fun, funny, and entertaining evening of music, be sure to check them out. They played their music live in the studio while I also played songs from their new CD.

The group is based out of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area and have played together for over 25 years. They all reminded me of the really funny guys from middle school - and that is definitely a compliment, not an insult. The group consists of Tom Cole on trombone, percussion, harmonica and vocals; Charles Blackburn on guitar and vocals; Jimmy Dickerson on bass, guitar, and vocals; Steve Esthimer on guitar, cornet and vocals; and Spence Foscue on drums, vocals, and congas.

Playlist -

Shotgun Wedding
Just Like NY City
SOS - Same Ole Stuff
One More Night
Quiero Mas Dinero
Another LEvel
Night to Remember

After the band left, I played -

Maceo Parker (b. Kinston, NC); Roots & Goove CD; You Don't Know Me
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; That's All
Maceo Parker; Roots and Groove CD; Georgia On My Mind
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong; Ella & Louie CD; Moonlight in Vermont
Coleman Hawkins; The Best of Coleman Hawkins CD; Since I Fell For You
Billie Holiday: Greatest Hits CD; Them There Eyes
Maceo Parker: Roots & Groove CD; Uptown Up
Bill Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Fell to be Free

My son, Will, continues to post in the New York Times about teaching on the Westside of Chicago in the Austin Community. His latest blog posting, "They School", pulls on the themes raised in the song, They School, by Dead Prez.

2008-02-20T19:19:00.001-08:00

February 3, 2008 Maceo's Coming to Town
On my radio show on WCOM, I feature the music of NC jazz musicians. One of those giants is Maceo Parker, from Kinston, NC, where he still lives today. He was a main man with James Brown, and is known as the King of Funk - the funky music man. He also worked with the Mothership with George Clinton, and then Bootsy's Rubber Band. He's toured with Prince. Maceo has had a highly successful solo career. I love his double CD, Roots & Groove. On the Roots CD, he works with a big band and pays tribute to the music and sound of Ray Charles.

He will be coming to Duke as part of the Duke Performances series, Soul Power - from Gospel to the Godfather. He will be in Durham on Feb. 29th in Page Auditorium on the Duke Campus. He will be sharing the bill with Booker T. Jones who will bring together the sounds of R&B and pop, as inspired by the music coming out of Memphis. This double header is a must hear.

Having just come from the Solomon Burke concert the night before where I, and over a 100 other appreciative female fans, went home with a spectacular red rose. It was a fabulous concert and definitely sat on the funky side. Between Solomon and the upcoming appearance of Maceo Parker, I decided to play jazz music on the funky side.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; title song
Lou Donaldson; Blue's Walk CD; title song
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Cha Dooky-Do
Gene Harris; Gene & the Three Sounds, Live at the IT Club CD; On Green Dolphin Street
Solomon Burke; Don't GIve Up on Me CD; None of Us is Free
Jimmy Smith; The Incredible/Hoochie Cooche Man CD; Got My Mojo Workin'
Ray Charles & Natalie Cole; Genius Loves Company CD; Fever
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Gone So Long
Sam Moore & Conway Twitty; Blues & Rhythm CD; Rainy Night in Georgia
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Every Day I Have the Blues
James Taylor (b. Chapel Hill, NC); For Our Children CD; Getting to Know You
Anita O'Day; Swings Cole Porter CD; D'Lovely
Nnenna Freelon (lives Durham, NC); Heritage CD; Girl Blue
Mary Lou WIlliams (finished life in Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; the Blues
Anita O'Day; Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter CD; Get Out of Town
Nina Simone; Love Songs CD; I Get Along Without You Very Well
Eva Cassidy; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow
Carmen McRae; Lover Man CD; I Cried For You
Nina Simone; Love Songs CD; Just Like a Woman
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; At Long Last Love
Frank Sinatra; Classic Sinatra CD; I've Got You Under My Skin
Billie Holiday; The Essential CD; Body & Soul
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; Only a Dream

Please join me every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST by either tuning in at 103 FM if you live in the Carrboro area. We have webstreaming thanks to ibiblio and so you can hear my show from the comfort of your home anywhere in the world. Go to www.communityradio.coop and click on the button in the upper right hand corner for web access.

My son, Will, continues to write about his teaching experiences on the westside of Chicago, where he works at Westside Alternative. His latest posting was Guidance, on how challenging it is for young people from families of little education to find their way through the maze of getting into college. See Will's photographs.

2008-01-30T18:17:00.000-08:00

January 27, 2008 Trowers & Tymas Together
"Robert Trowers is the MAN - by far the prettiest trombone sound a human can produce ....and his improve skills are sick. He plays so well it sounds as if he's playing a pre-written solo....its amazing as hell. And as for Baron Tymas, he's the coolest kat...really nice guy with a big heart...and man can he play....any style." These were the words of jazz sax player Ron Baxter, in describing the musical abilities of Durham-based trombone player, composer, performer, and teacher, Robert Trowers, and jazz guitar player, composer, and teacher, Baron Tymas. Ron knows well the talents of Robert Trowers and Baron Tymas - they were his teachers in the Jazz Studies Program at NC Central University in Durham, North Carolina. Robert was a fulltime jazz performer, based out of NYC for many years, before deciding to head South to teach at Central. He continues to compose and perform in the area and on occasion travels up North to perform with other jazz giants.

Trowers was influenced by a diversity of trombonists - from Jimmy Cleveland to J.J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Claude Jones and Jimmy Harrison. Trowers played with the Basie Orchestra for six years. He also played with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Illinois Jacquet's big band, and the Sam Wooding Orchestra. He's played with pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and alto saxist Jesse Davis. On Trowers' CD, Synopsis, he is joined by Basie piano player, Carl 'Ace' Carter; bassist Marcus McLaurine; and drummer Lewis Nash. Many of the songs on this CD are Trowers' compositions.

On Trowers' CD, Point of View, he is joined by other trombonist - Slide Hampton, Al Grey, and Fred Wesley. They all had great praise for the talents of Trowers, as both a trombonist and a composer. Slide Hampton said, "I've known Robert for a long time, but when we finally got together for this, I was shocked that he played so well....Being there with him was a real pleasure and a real opportunity." Other musicians include Richard Wyands on piano, Marcus McLaurine on bass, and drummer Gene Jackson.

Joining Robert Trowers in the WCOM radio studio was Baron Tymas. Also on the jazz faculty at NC Central University, Baron has his own CD, Blues for the Tribe. Several of the songs on the CD are Baron's compositions.

Robert and Baron played music live in the studio for most of my show. It was a wonderful evening.

Playlist of Songs Played Live in the WCOM Studio -

Silver Fox, a Robert Trowers' composition
Loves Own, a Trowers' composition
Groove - a Trowers' composition
Synopsis - a Trowers' composition

Playlist of Recorded Songs

Baron Tymas; Blues for the Tribe CD; Saxsmo Goes to Woodstock
Duke Ellington's Orchestra; The World of Duke Ellington (with Tyree Glenn on trombone); Sultry Serenade
Robert Trowers; Synopsis CD; Good Bait
Wilbur Sweatman; Original Jazz Band LP; Slide Kelly Slide
Robert Trowers & Slide Hampton; Point of View CD; Minority
Jimmy Cleveland; Jimmy Cleveland Introducing Jimmy Cleveland LP; Bone Brother

Every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST on WCOM radio out of Carrboro, NC, I feature the sounds and compositions of NC jazz musicians of our present and past. Please join me in the Carrboro area at 103.5 fm and on the internet at www.communityradio.coop and click on the button in the upper righthand corner for web-broadcast. You can call in comments or requests at 919 929-9601.

2008-01-13T18:17:00.001-08:00

January 6, 2008 Lou is Coming
Lou Donaldson, the great alto sax player, hails from Badin, North Carolina. He's coming to play at Duke University on Jan. 19th as part of the Duke Performance Series. He'll be playing with Dr. Lonnie Smith's Trio. Besides Lou Donaldson, they will be joined by David 'Fathead' Newman, and Houston Person. It promises to be quite an evening - don't miss!

The Saturday, Jan. 19th performance kicks off a series, called Soul Power - From Gospel to the Godfather with lots of stars coming to town.

Since I only recently came to realize that Lou Donaldson was from Badin, NC, I decided to feature him this evening. I interspersed his music with some of the great musicians he played with over his lifetime. He played with the best.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Felt to be Free
Jimmy Smith & Lou Donaldson (Badin, NC); Jimmy Smith - The Very Best CD; All Day Long
Lou Donaldson (b. Badin, NC); The Natural Soul CD; Funky Mama
Thelonious Monk & Lou Donaldson & Max Roach (b. New Land, NC); The Best of Thelonius Monk CD; Skippy
Lou Donaldson; Blues Walk CD; What Will I Tell My Heart
Lou Donaldson; Natural Soul CD; Nice and Greasy
Lou Donaldson; Lush Life CD; Star Dust
Lou Donaldson; The Natural Soul CD; People Will Say We're in Love
Lou Donaldson; Lush Life CD; It Might As Well Be Spring
Lou Donaldson; Blues Walk CD; Move
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; Teach Me Tonight
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong: Ella & Louis Again CD; Willow Weep for Me
Jimmy Scott & Grady Tate on drums (b. Durham, NC); All the Way CD; Someone to Watch Over Me
Ernestine Anderson; Hello Like Before CD; Send in the Clowns
Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Jazz Masters 17 CD; Wild is the Wind
Nina Simone; Sugar in My Bowl CD; I Shall Be Released
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt To Be Free

My son, Will Okun, who teaches on the westside of Chicago is continuing to post blogs for the NY Times for Nicholas Kristof, while he is on a book leave. Will's latest posts were on his students making personal and global New Year's resolutions and another post on how his students are very limited in what they can and will read. To see Will's photography of his students and life on the westside of Chicago, go to http://wjzo.com. On his website, you can see his best photographs from the last ten years.

2008-01-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2007 Good-bye Oscar the Great
On December 22nd, Oscar Peterson died at his home in Ontario, Canada, just outside of Toronto. He was 82 years old. He remained musically active late in his life, despite a stroke he suffered in 1993, which effected his playing abilities. In the eyes of many, he was one of the greatest jazz piano players ever; he was certainly loved by many. He was a successful and prolific performer and recorder. For several years he produced four to five albums a year. He toured throughout Canada, the USA, Europe and Japan. He performed with other jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge, Nat King Cole, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald. He played for fourteen years with one of the finest jazz bass players, Ray Brown, joined by Herb Ellis on guitar. Oscar toured during the 4os and 50s with Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series.

Duke Ellington called Oscar Peterson the 'maharajah of the keyboard' and Basie said, "Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard." He was known for his incredible sense of swing and technical proficiency and was honored with eight Grammy awards. He built on the legacy of Art Tatum, Nat King Cole and Teddy Wilson. There are some wonderful videos of Oscar performing posted on YouTube.

Oscar Peterson was born in St. Antoine district of Montreal. His parents were of West Indian and Caribbean descent. Although his family was poor, he was encouraged to study music and began on the trumpet and then switched to piano, when his lungs were weakened by tuberculosis.

Oscar Peterson is best described as a summational artist - a genius at pulling on and synthesizing the sounds of the jazz giants before him. Others would take those sounds and build something totally new and innovative. (most of this information was taken from the NY Times 12.25.07 article by Richard Severo)

I dedicated my show to Oscar Peterson and to the artists he performed with over his prolific jazz lifetime. I was joined in the studio by Roco, who is the DJ of WCOM's popular Saturday morning show, The Music Hall. Renee also came by to enjoy the music and to help. Both are great music enthusiasts. Each Sunday night, I feature North Carolina jazz musicians on my radio show from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. The station can be heard in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area at 103.5 fm on the dial and anywhere in the world by going to our webstreaming broadcast off of our website at www.communityradio.coop. You can call in to chat or make a request at 919 929-9601.

Playlist
Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Oscar Peterson; Oscar Peterson & Friends CD; Tea for Two
Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. Laurenburg, NC); Diz n Bird at Carnegie Hall CD; A Night in Tunisia
Oscar Peterson; OP & Friends CD; A Wonderful Guy
Count Basie; This Time for Basie CD; One Mint Julip
Oscar Peterson & Anita O'Day; OP & Friends CD; You Turned the Tables on Me
Dizzy Gillespie; Bird Songs CD; Orni Thology with Bobby McFarron
Oscar Peterson; OP & Friends CD; Scrapple From the Apple
Stan Getz & Gilberto; Getz/Gilberto CD; The Girl from Ipanema
Oscar Peterson; OP & Friends CD; A Foggy Day
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington CD; Mood Indigo
Oscar Peterson; OP & Friends CD; A Foggy Day
Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson; Pure Ella CD; Oh Lady, Be Good
Nat King Cole Trio; Best of the Nat King Cole Trio; It's Only a Paper Moon
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

I thank Roco and Rene for helping me with the show tonight. I'm always glad to have the company.

Enjoy 50 years of history in images and music in three minutes time.

2007-12-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

December 23, 2007 Jazzy Santa Performs in the WCOM Studio
A good time was had by all - especially when Santa starting crooning and swiveling his hips to Jingle Bell Rock. Family and friends stopped by to add to the fun; and cookies and drink were served.

I thank the following for coming by the studio to say 'hi' - Joedan and Will, Eli, Chris, Molly and Sadie, Laura, Sima, Renee, and Solomon. Solomon was sweet to have stayed for a full hour after his show, Backbone, which comes on immediately before my show and runs from 5:00 - 7:00. And Renee has now become a regular - and joins me almost every Sunday evening to enjoy the music, and to meet the musicians and others who stop by.

I shared some holiday music but mostly played a fair amount of winter-themed tunes. I enjoyed myself and especially having people stop by to join in and to have my sons come on the air with me to talk about life in NYC and Chicago. Both Will and Joedan were college djs at Wesleyan University. I played music by Nina Simone, Ray Charles & Betty Carter, James Taylor, Ella Fitzgerald, Blind Boys of Alabama with Tom Waits and Mavis Staples, Aaron Neville, Billie Holiday, a Charlie Brown Christmas, music from Beautiful Star, Dean Martin, and Kathy Mattea.

Chris Frank, along with Eli, Molly, and Sadie, all joined me in the studio. Chris is a member of the Red Clay Ramblers and is busily rehearsing for a special New Year's Eve concert they will do with the NC Symphony Orchestra.

Laura, the creator of the Power Up The Peace wreath, came by and took a turn on the exercise bike that powered the lights that lit up the wreath. The wreath is tied with wishes for peace. The wreath hangs on a wall right near the door to the WCOM studio in downtown Carrboro, NC.

As always, I was thankful to have my sons Will and Joedan home for the holidays and joined by first Jenny and then Naomi.

Will Okun's latest blog post in the NY Times is on Gender Disparity.

2007-12-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

December 16, 2007 Mietek Plays a Slavic Jazzy Medley
Mietek Glinkowski joined me in the WCOM radio studio to tell stories of his joy of the holidays, and Slavic jazz interpretations of classical music. Mietek shared his brilliant playing of the vitar, which is a blend between a violin and a guitar. Mietek is of Polish descent and travels the world for work and pleasure. He loves to pull together an impromptu jazz jam at any time and any place. You can hear him at different clubs in the Triangle area of North Carolina.

Of special interest this evening, Mietek first played the song on his vitar, How Insensitive, by Jobim. Thematically, the song pulls on the sounds of Chopin's Prelude in E minor. Mietek followed his playing the song, How Insensitive, with a beautiful jazz interpretation of Chopin's Prelude in E minor, played by the great Polish piano player, Andrzej Jagodzinski. Then we played a third version of Chopin's Prelude in E minor as performed by the Novi Singers.

From the CDs Mietek brought with him we played the following:
Novi Singers; “NOVI Sing Chopin” CD, Prelude in E minor Op. 28 No.4
Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio; ”Chopin” CD, Prelude in E minor
Zbigniew Seifert; “Solo Violin” CD, (1976), Evening Psalm
Zbigniew Seifert; “Man of the Light” CD, (1978), Stillness
Zbigniew Seifert; “Zbigniew Seifert” CD (1977), Way To Oasis

Mietek played:
A Child Was Born
How Insensitive
R. Schumann’s Kinderscenen, No. 6 “Traumerie”
Krzysztof Komeda; "Szara Koleda“ (Gray Carol)

I am always delighted to have Mietek on my show and look forward to having him back again. Unfortunately our Italian jazz friends, Fabio and Paulo, will not be able to join us this year since their travels will not take them through North Carolina. But Mietek promises to gather other musicians of an international flavor and bring them on my show - may it be so!

Please join me via the internet from anywhere in the world each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST to hear the unique sounds of NC Jazz musicians. You can hear us by going to the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop or if you're in the Carrboro - Chapel Hill area, you can listen to us at 103.5 FM. We're low power but we're still the 100 Watts of Wonder and are definitely community powered.

Will Okun's latest blog post in the NY Times is about the Chicago photographer, Worsom, and his work with Will's students from Westside Alternative School.

2007-12-15T09:49:00.001-08:00

December 9, 2007 The Jazz Loft Project
I was finally able to arrange for Sam Stephenson of the Jazz Loft Project to appear on my show to share the incredible stories of a pinnacle period in jazz history ('54-'65), where over 500 jazz musicians gathered day and night over a 10 year period in a building in NYC to create new music and sounds together. The sights and sounds were recorded by the premiere photographer, W. Eugene Smith. Smith took over 45,000 photographs and recorded over 4,000 hours of music, conversation, building and street sounds. Sam Stephenson, with help from a team from the Duke Center for Documentary Studies, has made his way through almost half the recorded sounds and documented thousands of the photographs. Sam directs the Jazz Loft Project from Duke University, and in conjunction with the University of Arizona.

Sam Stephenson is a resident of Chatham County and is an expert in the work of W. Eugene Smith and Thelonius Monk, and how the lives of Smith and Monk were intertwined through the music and genius of what became known as the Loft Project. The photographs and tapes from the Project were donated to the University of Arizona just before Smith's death. While working on a W. Eugene Smith project, Sam found himself in a warehouse and saw a wall of boxes and asked - "What's that?" The answer was that the boxes were full of the recorded tapes that Smith had made - up to that point no one had the time or the money to go through the tapes and catalog them for the riches they contained. Sam stepped forward and decided to dedicate his life to the mining of this unthinkable jazz treasure chest. He has raised over a half-million dollars and will need to raise that amount again. As part of his work, Sam and others have interviewed over 250 musician survivors of the Project. One of the themes Sam and I discussed was the fact that although Monk left NC as a young child, his Southern roots can be heard in much of his music (article on such).

For the show we focused on the music of Thelonius Monk, who was the hub of the Loft Project. Other pivotal musicians included Ron Free on drums - he served as the resident drummer as others like Roy Haynes would sit in now and again. Over 500 musicians passed through that jazz space and were the best and the brightest. They were helped by the invaluable oversight provided by composer and teacher, Hal Overton (hear some of his arrangements). Composers like Steve Reich stopped by the Loft and were inspired by what they heard and incorporated it into their music.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC) Quartet; Misterioso CD; Nutty
Norfolk Jazz Quartet: Goodbye Babylon Judgment CD: My Lord's Gonna Move This Wicked Race
Mose Allison & Ronnie Free on drums; Autumn Song CD; Groovin' High
Thelonius Monk Quartet & Johnny Griffin; Thelonius in Action CD; Blue Monk
Roy Haynes; Fountain of Youth CD; Twinkle Trinkle
Charlie Haden; The Montreal Tapes CD; Turnaround
Steve Reich; Works CD Set; Four Organs - Bang on a Can
Thelonius Monk; Brilliant Corners CD; Pannonica (named and written for the Baroness Pannonica "Nica" de Koenigswarter, friend, companion and supporter of Monk)
Sonny Clark, Paul Chambers, & Philly Joe Jones; Softly As in a Morning Sunrise
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

I thank Sam Stephenson for his dedication and commitment to the life works of W. Eugene Smith and Thelonius Monk and the over 500 jazz musicians who left their mark on the Loft Project. Thank goodness Sam breathed life into those hundreds of boxes of unlistened to tapes sitting in that warehouse so many years ago.

2007-12-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

December 2, 2007 Featuring North Carolina Jazz Musicians
My radio show features the music of North Carolina jazz musicians. I broadcast from the studios of WCOM, coming to you from downtown Carrboro, in the Piedmont of the state. Each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST, I play the music of NC jazz musicians and when possible have them in the studio with me playing their music live on the air.

John Brown, a Durham jazz base player, recently had a CD Release Party at the Hayti Center in Durham for his new CD, Terms of Art - A Tribute to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. The new CD honors the work of jazz drummer Art Blakey. Playing with John on this wonderful CD is Gabe Evens on piano, Ray Codrington on trumpet, Brian Miller on saxophones, and Adonis Rose on drums. The CD is very exciting and is performing well on the national charts. I look forward to having John on my show - we're working on a date. John directs the Duke University Jazz Studies Program within the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture.

Tonight's Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC) & Scott Warner on piano (lived Chapel Hill, NC); Feeling Like Someone in Love
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington; I'm Just a Lucky So & So
Count Basie and his Orchestra; This Time By Basie CD; One Mint Julip
Jimmy Smith & Grady Tate (b. Durham, NC); The Incredible Jimmy Smith/Hoochie Cooche Man CD; Got My Mojo Working (with Jimmy Smith singing & playing
Stanley Baird (lives Durham, NC) & Orchestra; Traffic Jam CD; Caribbean Queen
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; None of Us are Free
Roy Hargrove; Havana CD; Una Mas
Oscar Peterson & Clark Terry; Live at Town Hall CD; Mumbles
Ella Fitzgerald; Love Songs CD; It Was Just One of Those Things
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me; Don't Give Up on Me
John Brown Quintet (lives in Chapel Hill); Terms of Art CD; Buttercorn Lady
Ron Baxter 4Tet (lives in Raleigh, NC); Live @ Java 101 CD; Rhythm-A-Ning
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); My Favorite Things CD; Everytime We Say Goodbye
Ray Charles & Diana Krall; Genius Loves Company CD; You Don't Know Me
Bill Evans; Sunday at the Village Vanguard CD; Gloria's Step
Gabriel Pelli (lives Carrboro area); Europa Jazz CD; Black Orpheus
Martin Eagle Trio (lives Durham, NC); The Hipster CD; Autumn Waltz
Joao Gilberto & Grady Tate on drums; Amoroso/Brasil CD; S'Wonderful
Billy Taylor Trio (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free (song written by and performed by Billy Taylor)

I hope you all had a good jazzy Thanksgiving holiday! This was my traditional contribution to the meal - sweet potatoes with orange and ginger, and a mass of marshmellows on top, which you broil at the last second. Don't let them catch on fire like I did one year - that made for some unexpected excitement!

2007-12-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

November 25, 2007 Gene Harris -- Always Rocking, & The Beatles, tooI had a few musical themes going this evening that interestingly enough wove together the music of Gene Harris, the jazz piano player, and The Beatles. And still I was able to fit in lots of music by North Carolina jazz musicians, too.

Please join me every Sunday evening from 7:00 - 9:00 EST, coming to you from the community-powered WCOM radio station. This 100 watts of wonder station is the first of its kind in North Carolina. We can be heard at 103.5 fm in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill vicinity, and from anywhere in the world by going to the internet at www.communityradio.coop. All you have to do is click on the button in the righthand corner and you're set to go. Please call to chat or make a request at 919 929-9601.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Gene Harris; Live at the IT Club CD; On Green Dolphin Street
Gene Harris Trio; Gene Harris Trio Plus One CD; Misty
Jimmy Smith & Gene Harris; The JAM Years '82-'84 CD; You Don't Know Me
Bobby McFerrin; Simple Pleasures CD; Drive My Car
Spyro Gyro; Modern Jazz - Songs of The Beatles CD; In My Life
Chick Corea; Modern Jazz - Songs of The Beatles CD; Eleanor Rigsby
The Beatles; Beatles Disc 1 CD; Blackbird
Carmen McRae; Lover Man CD; Them There Eyes & Yesterdays
Billie Holiday; Greatest Hits CD; I Loves You, Porgy
Roy Hargrove; With Strings CD; You Go to My Head
Charlie Hadin & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Wade in the Water
Hampton Hawes; Hampton Hawes Trio CD; Blues the Most
Coleman Hawkins; The Best of Coleman Hawkins CD; I'm Beginning to See the Light
John Brown (works in Durham); Terms of Art CD; Caravan
Brian Horton (works in Durham); The Best of Brian Horton CD; Devil's Disguise
Eva Cassidy; The Other SIde CD; Over the Rainbow
The Beatles; Abbey Road CD; Something
Frankie Alexander (lives in Durham); Mad About the Words CD; Cheek to Cheek
The Beatles; Hard Days Night CD; If I Fell
Betty Carter; Feed the Fire CD; All or Nothing at All
George Benson & Al Jarreau & Paul McCartney; Givin' It Up CD; Bring It on Home to Me
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

Please join me for a fun evening of song!

2007-12-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

November 11, 2007 Molly's Musings on Jazz
While I was away, Molly and Hayley, seasoned 12 yr. old jazz djs, kept the show going for me. They did a great job of playing many jazz greats. I thank them for their fine job and look forward to them subbing for me again soon.

My show features the sounds of North Carolina jazz musicians and their music. I have current jazz players come to the WCOM studio to play their music live on the air. I also play the music of the great NC jazz musicians of the past. Please join me on the air at 103.5 fm if you live in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area or through webstreaming at www.communityradio.coop and by clinking on the button in the upper righthand corner. I'm on each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington CD; Mood Indigo
Nat King Cole; The Best of the Nat King Cole Trio CD; Route 66
Robert Griffin (Carrboro, NC); North Carolina: A State of Music CD; Carolina on my Mind
Nat Adderly; Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderly CD; Teaneck
Charlie Haden; Quartet West CD; Every Time We Say Goodbye
Thelonious Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane CD; Nutty
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); My Favorite Things CD and song
Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. Laurinburg, NC); The Dizzie Gillespie Story CD; 'Round About Midnight
Chris Frank (Carrboro, NC); Shoefly CD; One Fishball
Bill Evans Trio; Sunday at the Village Vanguard CD; Alice in Wonderland
Billie Holiday; The Classic Decade CD; Sugar
Ray Charles; Ray Charles Vol. 5; How Long has This Been Going On
Frankie Alexander (Durham, NC) Mad About the Words CD; Cheek to Cheek
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong; Ella and Louis Again CD; Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
Nat King Cole; The Best of Nat King Cole Trio: Little Joe from Chicago
Charlie Mingus; Blues and Roots CD; Moanin'
Charlie Parker; Charlie Parker CD; Chi-Chi
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free

2007-11-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

November 4, 2007 TJ Anderson on Composing
I was thrilled to have the renowed composer, TJ Anderson, back in the WCOM studio with me. A year ago he helped me celebrate the life and works of Dizzy Gillespie. This time we celebrated the compositions of TJ himself. I already knew he was an incredibly talented and acclaimed composer but I quickly came to realize what a diverse musician he is. In his lifetime, starting at a young, tender age, TJ gained a proficiency on the trumpet, violin, piano, double bass, baritone sax, bassoon, and French horn. He first started composing intros and transitions with bands he was playing with in college. His multi-talents were invaluable in his later ability to compose for a full orchestra. His first jazz experience was as a fourteen-year-old, out of Cincinnati, he played one summer for Tate Wilburn. His life and works have covered a passion for many genres of music - but he always maintained an enthusiasm for jazz. He has played with many jazz greats, including in a trio with Jackie McLean.

TJ Anderson has composed for many different types of music. He said when he composes he first has to hear and feel the piece before he can start writing anything down. As Thelonius Monk would say about playing in general, you first have to be able to hear it before you can play it. TJ said that his work ethic involves working around the clock - "You can't sit around and wait for inspiration." When composing, he works out the music on the piano. During the show, we sampled from some of TJ Anderson's compositions, in addition to some pieces by Thelonius Monk.

Playlist

Cantata Singers & Ensemble - we listened to two compositions of TJ's that included Runaway, Runaways and Education Denied/Spiritual Sustain.
Symphony Orchestra/Symphony Bank - we played the full Fragments composition, which is a Bach and Thelonius Monk Fantasy. This piece was commissioned by the University of Iowa to celebrate their 100-year anniversary. Here's a link to a YouTube posting of Donal Fox, the pianist, playing a TJ Anderson Concerto.
Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall - Evidence
Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane - Ruby, My Dear

TJ is actively working on several new pieces that he will premiere on his upcoming 80th birthday in Boston. I will provide more details as they become forthcoming.

Renee Price was able to join us in the studio for the show. She was a student at Tufts University in the early 70s when students demanded that African-American educators be hired and added to the faculty. Like many schools during that period, they had done a better job of bringing in a more diverse student body than faculty to teach them. TJ Anderson was hired and became head of the Music Department. Renee and TJ have both now settled into the Chapel Hill community and have reconnected. Renee shares TJ's love for Jazz.

Interestingly enough, TJ and I both have roots back to the same town in Pennsylvania - Coatesville. I've never met anyone else from Coatesville, where my father grew up, in the industrial town, called the Pittsburgh of the East.

I was glad once again to have the time to get to know TJ Anderson better and to share his incredible talents with the WCOM listening audience. He is one of the most acclaimed composers of our time. TJ humbly reflects on what it means to be successful in music - "I'm not sure that success for a musician always means performing with the Boston Symphony … It can also mean passing the torch by teaching in a high school, or conducting a community chorus, or just pursuing the love of music as a hobby. It always comes back to the same thing—making the music."

My radio show can be heard from the WCOM studio in downtown Carrboro, NC. This 100 Watts of Wonder station, found at 103.5 fm in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill vicinity, can also be heard on the internet - thanks to Paul Jones of Ibiblio, which provides us webstreaming. My show is on Sunday nights from 7:00 - 9:00 EST and uniquely features the music of NC jazz musicians. Like tonight - I love most having the musicians in the studio with me sharing their music.

My son, Will Okun, the photographer and teacher on the Westside of Chicago, recently spoke at the UNC-CH Global Studies and Health program about his trip this summer with Nicholas Kristof to Burundi, Rwanda, and E. Congo. During his trip, he blogged and vlogged about his experiences and these were posted on the NY Times website. Kristof is currently on leave from the Times and has asked Will and four others to continue his weekly blog that's posted on the NY Times website. I was glad to have Will and Naomi in town for a visit.

Will's most recent posting, 'Two Words ", was on teen pregnancy.

2007-10-29T17:37:00.000-07:00

October 28, 2007 With a Song in Your Heart
After many weeks of a special focus on the music of Thelonius Monk, I decided to focus on a show of some of my favorite vocalists. As always, with a special focus on the music of NC jazz musicians and their music, I played from a wide range of CDs. I was so surprised to have Chris, Eli, Molly and Sadie come by with a baby pumpkin for me. It was great seeing them. And later in the show, Rene stopped by with the flyer from the Jason Moran concert.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; Taking a Chance on Love
Jamuna (lives Pittsboro, NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Ray Charles & Diane Krall; Genius Love Company CD; You Don't Know Me
Betty Carter; Feed the Fire CD; All or Nothing at All
Cesaria Evora; Sao Vicente CD; Homem Na Meio Di Homen
Eva Cassidy; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow
Billie Holiday; Greatest Hits CD; I Loves You, Porgy
Joao Gilberto & Grady Tate on drums (b. Durham, NC); Amoroso/Brasil CD; Besame Mucho
Paulo Lopez & Friends (lives Chapel Hill, NC); Brazilian Soul CD; So Quero Um Xodo
Adia Ledbettter (lives Durham, NC); First Take CD; You Don't Know What Love Is
Norah Jones; Come Away With Me CD; The Nearness of You
Carmen McRae; Lover Man CD; God Bless the Child
Nat King Cole; The Best of the Nat King Cole Trio CD; It's Only a Paper Moon
Marian McPartland & Dizzy Gillespie (high school in Laurinburg, NC); Piano Jazz CD; Round Midnight (song by Thelonius Monk, b. Rocky Mount, NC)
Billie Holiday; The Classic Decade CD; Am I Blue
Count Basie & Joe Williams; Every Day I Have the Blues
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; Everybody's Boppin CD; Summertime
John Brown (lives in Chatham Co, NC); Terms of Art CD; Caravan
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; None of Us Are Free 7 Don't Give Up on Me
Bradshaw Quartet (NC-based); How High the Moon
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free

I begin and end my show with Billy Taylor's song, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free.

My son, Will Okun, is blogging for the NY Times about issues related to the students he works with on the westside of Chicago. This week he told a poignant story about one of his students, Nicholas, who is a star student and lives in a homeless shelter for teens. Here is the link to this powerful story. Will is looking to find a way to help Nicholas out.

2007-10-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

October 21, 2007 Ron Baxter is Back
Joining me in the WCOM studio were Ron Baxter, a Raleigh-based saxophone player, and Jack Hill, a Chapel Hill bass player. They brought their instruments with them and came ready to play. They have only played together a few times so it was exciting to see them work out and through the early part of a musical relationship. Ron heads up the Monday night jazz jam at Yancey's in Raleigh. The music starts with the house band at 8:00 and then others work into the mix starting at 9:00. They have attracted players from all over the eastern part of the state.

Ron grew up in the Raleigh area and recently returned. His father, Edward Baxter, is a oil painter, and will have an exhibition at the NC Museum of History as part of their Afro-American Cultural Celebration. This will take place on January 26th. Ron will join his father to play the saxophone as part of the day's celebration. Ron will play at 2:00 and will teach a Master Class at 3:30.

Ron is a great player and composer. He enthusiastically and critically listens to his work - both enjoying the moment but knowing how he would like to improve his sound. He will soon be going into the studio for the first time - so stay tuned.

Jack Hill is a jazz student at UNC-CH. The UNC Jazz Orchestra will play in Hill Hall on the UNC-CH campus on Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st. It's a great time to enjoy the talents of the jazz students on campus. I expect that Jack and Ron will be playing more together and I welcome them both back to the WCOM studio. My show features the sounds and music and stories of NC jazz musicians and the music they create. You can hear my show each Sunday night in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area at 103.5 fm or from anywhere in the world on the internet by going to www.communityradio.coop. Please join me for some wonderful music and to meet the musicians behind the music.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Jason Moran; Same Mother CD; Jump Up

Played Live in the Studio or Recorded Music by Ron Baxter

Straight No Chaser
Ron Baxter; Ron Baxter 4TeT- Live @ Java 101 CD; Niala (included in the group is Shinizette Tinnin, a promising young drummer from Burlington, NC)
Footprints
Stella
Ron Baxter song - Kilo's Route - recorded live at a jazz festival in Lima Peru
Softly As a Morning Sunrise
4Tet - Live CD; Gradually
Nardis
Rhythm-A-Ning

2007-10-15T18:11:00.001-07:00

October 14, 2007 Andy Bey is Coming to DukeJohn Coltrane described Andy Bey as one of his favorite jazz singers. And Andy Bey is coming to Duke on Thursday, October 18th as part of the Following Monk music festival to honor what would have been the 90th birthday of Monk. It not only promises to be a great concert but right now there is a sizzling bargain on the price of the tickets - all are available at a 50% discount. And equally exciting, all students get in for $5, regardless of what kind of student you are. So we're hoping for a full house and I hope to see you there. Andy Bey will be doing his interpretation of the stellar album of Carmen McRae singing Thelonius Monk. So this will be Andy singing Carmen singing Thelonius's music.

For my show tonight I featured the music of Andy Bey and Thelonius Monk. It sure warmed up my interest and enthusiasm for the upcoming concert. I hope to see you there. Sam Stephenson with the Jazz Loft Project called into my show to talk about the upcoming Andy Bey concert and details on how the Following Monk extravaganza was pulled together - thank you Aaron Greenwald, and thank you Sam.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free
Andy Bey; Andy Bey American Song CD; Never Let Me Go
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; Sophisticated Lady
Andy Bey; American Song CD; Prelude to a Kiss
Thelonius Monk; Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; Mood Indigo
Andy Bey; American Song CD; Angel Eyes
Thelonius Monk; Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; Caravan
Andy Bey; American Song CD; Caravan
Gene Harris; Gene Harris and the Three Sounds Live at the IT Club CD; On green Dolphin Street
Jelly Roll Morton; Complete Library of Congress Recordings; King Porter Stomp
Thelonius Monk & John Coltrane; the Riverside Recordings; Trinkle Tinkle
Hampton Hawes; Hampton Hawes Trio CD; I Got Rhythm
Coleman Hawkins; The Best of Coleman Hawkins CD; Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Andy Bey; American Song CD; It's Only a Paper Moon

I had a great visit to NYC to visit with my son, Joe, and Jenny. We heard the Kurt Rosenwinkel Quintet at the Village Vanguard. We saw the arts and ate diverse foods from vegan Korean to glutton-free pizza - NYC has it all. I stayed in the Village and had a great time strolling the streets and taking in the sounds and the sights of the City.

2007-10-15T17:27:00.001-07:00

October 7th Celebrating the 90th Birthday of Thelonius Monk with Following MonkOct. 10th (10/10) marks what would have been the 90th birthday of music genius and son of North Carolina, Thelonius Monk. Aaron Greenwald, Producer of the Duke Performances, and in collaboration with Sam Stephenson of the Jazz Loft Project, (above photo from the Jazz Loft Project Collection) audaciously dreamed up a six-week extravaganza of 18 events to honor the creative giant, Monk. The series is called Following Monk and has brought incredible jazz talent to the Triangle area of NC.

Thelonius was born in Rocky Mount, NC. He is probably the greatest creative soul this state ever bore. His influence and music continue in a profound way many years after his death. For my show tonight, I played many of the songs of Thelonius Monk and music that was influenced by him.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mt., NC); Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; It Don't Mean a Thing
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Gone So Long
Thelonius Monk; Thelonius Monk Himself CD; April In Paris
Brother Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Plays Yusuf; A Hymn for Us All
Thelonius Monk & John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane; Trinkle Tinkle
Al Neese (lives Greensboro, NC); The Omen Seeker CD; The Tale of Two Lovers
Thelonius Monk & John Coltrane; The Complete Riverside Recordings; Well You Needn't
Elmer Gibson (lives Raleigh, NC); The Reach of Memory CD; In a Monkish Mood
Thelonius Monk; Thelonius Monk Himself CD; 'Round Midnight
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; I Loves you Porgy
Thelonius Monk; Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall CD; Blue Monk
Charlie Haden & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Gene Harris; Gene Harris and the Three Sounds Live at the IT Club CD; On Green Dolphin Street
Elmer GIbson; The Reach of Memory CD; Changes
Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane; Riverside Recordings CD; Nutty
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

My radio show can be heard in the Carrboro and Chapel Hill community area every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. From the studio of WCOM in downtown Carrboro, you can hear us on the dial at 103.5 fm. You can listen to my show off of the internet, by going to the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop and click on the button in the upper right-hand corner for webstreaming. You can listen in while you work on your computer or while hanging around your home. WCOM is 100 Watts of Wonder and serves the community with volunteer power. You can call in during my show to talk or make a request by dialing 919 929-9601. I hope you'll join me.

2007-10-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

September 9, 2007 Monk's 90th
This evening I join the celebration of what would have been the 90th birthday of Thelonius Monk. Duke Performences, through the fine work of Aaron Greenwald, is presenting a six-week festival of the genius of Monk. The Following Monk music festival brings to the Duke University campus many of the premiere jazz performers from around the world, with a special invitation to those who had direct ties to Monk. Thelonius Monk, who was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on October 10, 1917, is arguably the state's greatest creative talent. His dominant influence continues to preside today.

I was pleased to have Aaron Greenwald in the studio with me to discuss both the Following Monk festival and the 18 perform- ances that will be spread over the six-week period from September 15th - October 28th. I brought several Monk CDs with me and Aaron did, too. So in between talking about the importance of the life and works of Thelonius Monk, I played his music. (Monk photo credit: Library and Archives Canada)

Monk Playlist

Thelonius Monk Himself CD; April in Paris
Thelonius Monk Quartet Misterioso CD; Nutty
Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; It Don't Mean a Thing
Thelonius Monk & John Coltrane - the Riverside Recordings CD; Crepuscula with Nellie
Thelonius Monk Quartet Misterioso CD; 'Round Midnight
Thelonius Monk Himself CD; Monk's Mood

I thank Aaron for coming in to the WCOM studio and sharing the stories of Monk and his clear love, appreciation, and respect for the genius that Monk was. My radio show can be heard each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. You can listen on the radio in the local area to this 100 Watts of Wonder station at 103.5 fm or from anywhere in the world by going to the worldwide web and from your computer go to www.communityradio.coop and you can hear the show off of your computer. You can call in comments or requests by dialing 919 929-9601.

For those of you interested in learning more about Thelonius Monk and the incredible music scene that surrounded him in NYC, be sure to check out the Loft Project by going to www.jazzloftproject.org.

****************************
I was also joined this evening by the Knaack & Kramer family. The stars of the evening were Gabe Knaack (aged 8) and Zoe Knaack (aged 6). Their parents, Julie and William, brought along Julie's parents, Steve (Papa) and Mary (Nana). Unbelievably enough, Zoe not only wrote a song for the show but with great poise and confidence, sang it on the air. She gave it a great jazzy title of Give Me Five. Following the song, Gabe offered a poetry challenge to the audience - of what has five lines of which the first, second and fifth line rhythm and the second and third rhythm and are shorter. Heather Binnie from Carrboro called in the correct answer of - Limerick.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Fell to be Free
Charlie Parker; Charlie Parker CD; Now's the Time
Charlie Haden/Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Steal Away
Mary Lou Williams (died Durham, NC); Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Rose

Please join me again next week!

2007-09-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-09-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-09-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-08-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2007 We'll be Missing Max Roach
I was saddened to hear of the death of Max Roach on Thursday, August 16th. When I brag on the contribution NC has made to the national and international jazz scene, Max Roach is easily one of the top names on my list. He was from a small town New Land, NC in the Great Dismal Swamp area, up near the Virginia border. He was the best and he played with the best. He was one of the initiators of the beat to go with bebop. To learn more about Max Roach, go to YouTube and search on his name, and you will see a great collection of documentary film clips of him playing.

For my radio show tonight, I pulled on CDs that included Max Roach on drums. I had such a great time. Some new friends stopped by the WCOM radio station to help me select the songs for my show and announce them. I thank Bill, Lyle, and Hart for helping out. We all got together to talk about LP (low power) stations and how WCOM got started and future plans we have to grow. In order to grow, we need people skilled in development. Right now we are getting by on a shoe string and have basic needs for improved equipment. Tonight - of the three CD players we have, two of them were not working. So please help out if you can.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Max Roach (b. New Land, NC); 3/4 Time CD; I'll Take Romance & Blues Waltz & Lover
Miles Davis & Max Roach; Blue Note CD; Budo
Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. Laurinberg, NC) & Max Roach; Groovin' High CD; Little John Special
Charlie Parker & Max Roach; Charlie Parker CD; Song is You & Cardboard
Sonny Rollins &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Max Roach; Saxophone Collosus CD; You Don't Know What Love Is & Blue 7
Charlie Parker &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Max Roach; Original Recordings of Charlie Parker CD; Casey Blues
Miles Davis & Max Roach; The Best of Miles Davis CD; Godchild
Charlie Parker & Max Roach; Charlie Parker - Ken Burns Jazz CD; Ko-Ko
Elvis Presley; Elvis Gospel CD; I Believe in the Man in the Sky - August 16th marked the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis.
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free

Tonight we are saying good-bye to Donald, of D.J. Smooth Jazz, who has hosted the Welcome to the Smooth jazz show on WCOM for the summer. He was holding the place for Will Vizuete who has been gone but has returned and will start back next Sunday. Will will be in the 3:00 - 5:00 slot of the Sunday jazz programming on WCOM with his Jazz Incognito show. Donald did a great job of filling right in and giving a lot of heart and soul to the station and adding to the diversity of the Sunday jazz line-up. We hope Donald will be back soon as both a sub and hopefully in a new spot for him to return to WCOM into a regular spot. Thanks, Don, and hope to see you again soon.

I had a surprise drop in visit late in my show of Avram and Eli Stein Eichner, brought to the WCOM studio by their dad, Eric Stein. Avram surely will end up being a WCOM dj, following in the footsteps of his dad. Avram helped me announce several songs and told about his vacation time in Maine with all his counsins and aunts and uncles and grandmother and granddad. He was lucky to miss the terrible hot temps we've been having in the high 90s and low 100s - oh my.

I end my blog with a story that Larry Thomas shared with me about an incredible encounter he had with Max Roach. "On a cold February night in 2000, I attended a play at St. Marks Playhouse on the Lower Eastside of Manhattan. During intermission, I ran into Max Roach in the theatre. He was moving a little slowly and his sight was somewhat failing him at the time. Yet, his serious look and strong presence let me know that I was among royalty. "Hey, Max, how you doing?" I asked. "Great!" he answered. He didn't know who I was, but he stopped and we had a conversation about jazz and I told him how I loved his music, especially his Freedom Now Suite. "You know," he said, "the main thing I remember about those sessions was that Mr. Coleman Hawkins was there before anybody else. (Max insisted on calling on other jazz musicians by including 'Mister' in their names.) He was always there early, dressed to the nines, ready to play. That made us all feel good because he really thought that recording was important." Near the end of our conversation, I told Max that I was a North Carolina native and would be going back home soon. For the first time, he smiled a big smile and said he was a 'Carolina boy', too! And that he loved Carolina. "I'm from the Dismal Swamp - New Land - Nat Turner country! Tell everybody hello and that I love them!"

We love you, too, Max, and we'll miss you most dearly.

2007-08-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2007 Celebrating the Best of NC Jazz Musicians
It was another hot summer night. Luckily I was joined in the studio by Solomon Gibson III to talk jazz stories and help me pick out my selections. Solomon hosts the earlier jazz show on WCOM, Backbone, from 5:00 - 7:00 each Sunday evening. I don't know anyone who loves jazz music more than Solomon - he lives and breaths it.

As usual, I began the evening with over 30 CDs spread out on the table - with a special focus on NC jazz musicians. I always begin and end my show with Billy Taylor's most popular song, I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free. Billy Taylor was born and raised in Greenville, NC. I start my show with Nina Simone singing Billy's song - Nina was born and raised in Tryon, NC. I end with Billy Taylor at the piano playing his song.

I hope all of you will join me at the upcoming jazz music festival, Following Monk at Duke University. The festival honors the 90th birthday of arguably one of NC's finest contributor to the world of jazz music - Thelonius Monk, who was born in Rocky Mount, NC. There will be six weeks of great music. What a great way to celebrate the genius of Monk!

Playlist for the evening -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Gene Harris; Live at the IT Club CD; On Green Dolphin Street
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mounty, NC); Thelonius Himself CD; April in Paris
Bill Evans; Sunday at the Village Vanguard CD; Gloria's Step
Thelonius Monk; Plays Duke Ellington CD; Caravan
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Gone So Long
Marcia Ball; Presumed Innocent CD; Scene of the Crime
Scott Warner (lived Chapel Hill, NC); Wild Man Blues CD; Pine Apple Rag
Modern Jazz Quartet, including Percy Heath (b. Wilmington, NC); Django CD; Django
Stanley Turrentine; On a Misty Night CD; That's the Way of the World
Gregg Gelb Swing Band (Sanford, NC); Too Darn Hot CD; Too Darn Hot
Mary Lou Williams (lived in Durham, taught at Duke U.); Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues (with Cynthia Tyson singing, from Durham, NC)
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; I Loves You, Porgy
Frank Kimbrough (b. Roxboro, NC); Kimbrough Play CD; Beginning
Jackie MeLean (went to school, Greensboro, NC A&T); Destination Out CD; Riff Raff
Jim Beckwith (lives Chapel Hill, NC) with Native Vibe; Step Right Shake Left CD; Arizona Skies
Mahlon Hoard, Tyson Rogers, & Rick Lassiter (all lived in Chapel Hill area); The Land Outside CD; Turnaround
Charlie Haden & Hampton Hawes; As Long as There is Music CD; Turnaround
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

Please join me on WCOM each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 for the best NC jazz sounds and its musicians. In the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area you can catch me on the dial at 103.5 fm. You can listen in from anywhere in the world by going to the internet and hitting on the WCOM website, and clicking on the upper right-hand corner button to access web-streaming. On the web, you can catch me from anywhere in the world!

2007-08-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2007 Hot Summer Jazzy Night
I rode my bike to the WCOM radio studio to do my weekly show, featuring NC jazz musicians. It was a hot, steamy one out there, reminiscent of the movie Body Heat. No one appeared to be out. But the show will go on and I was happy to share music from some of my favorite CDs. Jen and Able from Durham stopped by to say 'hi' and check out the WCOM studio, cozy spot that it is. They helped me pick out some good songs.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad about the Words CD; Moonlight in Vermont
Mary Lou WIlliams (lived in Durham, NC); Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues
Charles Lloyd: Lift Every Voice CD; Amazing Grace
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; It Don't Mean a Thing
Charlie Haden & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD: Wade in the Water
Dave Youngman Quartet (lives Raleigh, NC); Ususal Suspects CD; Summertime
Robert Trowers (lives & teaches, Durham, NC); Synopsis CD; Synopsis
Martin Eagle (lives Durham, NC); The Hipster CD; Always You
Baron Tymas (lives & teaches, Durham, NC); Blues for the Tribe CD; Broken Bottles
Scott Warner (lived Chapel Hil, NC); Mindfield CD; Mindfield
Madeleine Peyroux; Careless Love CD; Dance Me to the End of Love
Gabriel Pelli (lives Carrboro area); Europa Jazz CD; I Cover the Waterfront with Katharine Whalen on vocals (Durham, NC)
Cesaria Evora; Sao Vicente CD; Tiempo Y Silencio
Paulo Lopes (lives Chapel Hill, NC); Brazilian Soul CD; So Quero Um Xodo
Adia Ledbetter (lives Durham, NC); First Take; You Don't Know What Love Is
Baby Laurence; Dancemaster CD; Baby at Birdland
Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Plays Yusuf CD; My Inlaws are Outlaws
Brian Horton (lives and teaches, Durham, NC); Walking Tall CD; There There Now
Al Neese (lives Greensboro, NC); The Omen Seeker CD; Wood Heat
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free (song by Billy Taylor and played by him)

Rocco stopped by to say hello. Rocco is a WCOM dj, and hosts the Saturday morning show, 9:00 - 12:00, Music Hall. Rocco has over 40 years of radio dj work and experience assisting jazz, rock, and blues singers as they passed through eastern North Carolina. Rocco plays the best music of the 50s, 60s, 70s, and on up. One can find plenty of music to enjoy when Rocco is on the air. He claims to be the owner of over 1000 CDs.

I'm sorry to say farewell, even if just for a while, to my good friend and a great friend of WCOM's, Chris Frank. Chris gave tirelessly to this 100 Watts of Wonder community-powered radio station. I don't know how we could have made it this far without him, and I don't know how we will continue to grow and prosper without him. But we wish him well. He is now in NYC working on a play, Lone Star Love, with other members of the Red Clay Ramblers, which will open in Seattle in September; then in NYC in November, with the official opening in December. This is a great opportunity for Chris to share his talents with a large audience - but we'll miss him on the ole home front. We look forward to his return - even if just for a visit..... always keep the show going.

2007-08-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

July 29, 2007 Glenn & Much Much More
When I invited Glenn Mehrbach to be a guest on my show, I knew it was going to be a terrific show - it was that and much, much more. Glenn is a great talent as a piano player, composer, teacher and singer. Just his playing would have been enough - but instead Glenn chose to share the spotlight with four singers - Kristin Grillo, Ellen Ciompi, Sharon Szymanski and Deborah Klinger. His son, Lennon, came along for the fun and hopefully will join in the singing next time.
Hailing from NY, Glenn found his way to LA, where he performed and wrote for many years and would annually make the return trek to NYC to perform at the Olgonquin Hotel. He eventually made his way to the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area where he continues to perform and also raise, with his wife Deborah Klinger, his son Lennon. Glenn continues to perform all types of music in his capacity as Musical Director at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Chapel Hill and Director of the Chorale Society of Duke University; and as a pianist playing all types of music in the greater Triangle area of North Carolina. We are all enhanced by his gifts and talents.
One of the singers Glenn invited to join him in the WCOM radio studio was Kristin Grillo. Kristin is a recent graduate of Duke University and is now headed up to the Boston area, where she will attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where she will continue her study of voice. She has a beautiful voice and Glenn assigned her some great jazz standards to perform. These included - What's It Like Inside Your Head?, It Might As Well Be Spring, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Time after Time, and Spring is Here. I wish Kristin well and fully expect she is someone we will be hearing more from. Hopefully she will always be able to find her way back home to NC, even if just for visits - but I wish her the best as she starts her journey up North.

Glenn also invited Ellen Ciompi to join us. Ellen lives in Durham and performs as a singer with Leon Jordan & His Continentals - a Raleigh-based 14-member "big band". Ellen can be reached at emcrn@hotmail.com. She performed a diverse set of songs, including Something's Coming, You Can't Say No to a Soldier, One More Minute, and Fun to be Perfect. Her version of One More Minute, a "weird" Al Yankovic song, was performed with great emotion, gusto and humor. I also enjoyed her interpretation of Fun to be Perfect, sung with great sarcasm, and was originally recorded by The Four Bitchin' Babes. I look forward to catching Ellen with Leon Jordan's Big Band.
Sharon Szymanski is a highly successful singer and voice teacher and runs a voice school in the Chapel Hill area. Sharon has a powerful voice that is most comfortable performing opera. However, she loves all music and enjoys performing songs of many genres. On my show, Sharon performed A Route to the Sky, Amor, Early in the Morning, and Summertime. Sharon can be reached at Szymanski Studios in Chapel Hill, NC at 919-960-6898, www.szymanskistudios.com.
Also joining us was Deborah Klinger, who is a singer and improv theatre performer. She performs with the improv troup, called inDecision Theater - If You're Looking For Improv, We're iT! They perform in the Triangle Area. Deborah performed the following songs - Ya Don't Like Baseball, in duet with Glenn; A Married Man, with Glenn singing his thoughts on the ups and downs of married life and joined by all the singers, and LJKM, a song written for and performed for Deborah and Glenn's son, Lennon.

Interspersed in the evenings wonderfully diverse music, I played from two CDs. One featured the singing of Andrea Marcovicci, who Glenn performed with for many years. I also played Jen Zias, performing Glenn's song, Wild Nights!, from her CD Take Me with You.

As always, I had a wonderful evening and was glad to share such great music. Please join me every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST in the WCOM radio studio, or catch me on the dial in the Carrboro, NC area at 103.5 FM (low power) or anywhere in the world by going to the web at www.communityradio.coop. My show always features the music of NC jazz musicians and much, much more.

Emma and Emily dropped by the WCOM studio during my show to enjoy the music.

2007-07-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

July 22, 2007 The Hipster is Very Hip
The Martin Eagle Trio celebrates the release of a new CD, The Hipster. I was pleased to have them share their wonderful music. Over the course of my two-hour radio show, they played live in the studio half the time and for the rest, I played songs from their CD. The Martin Eagle Trio consists of Martin Eagle on keyboard, always humming and sometimes singing. Martin lives in Bahama - just outside of Durham. He is joined by Peter Innocenti from Knightsville, NC on bass and Joe Izzo from Durham on drums. Joe, unfortunately, was out of town and unable to join us for the show.

Martin Eagle is a veteran jazz performer and composer. He hails from Brooklyn, and then spent many years in Los Angeles as a performer and composer. He eventually landed in Durham and has formed several groups over the years. He has played with some of the greatest jazz musicians and is full of wonderful performing stories. He's worked with Don Ellis and Rahsoon Roland Kirk, and shared the rhythm section with the likes of Ornette Coleman. He's performed at the original Birdland, the Lighthouse, and Carnegie Recital Hall. We are blessed to have Martin settled into the rich NC jazz scene.

Peter Innocenti also comes from the NY area and came to the NC area just a few years ago. He studied bass at the William Paterson College of New Jersey where he moved from electric to the upright bass. He played in the NYC jazz music scene for over 25 years and worked with performers such as Eddie Allen, Sarah Jane Cion and Bobby Watson. Peter and Martin met at a jazz jam shortly after he arrived in NC. They hit it off immediately and have played together since then.

Joe Izzo on drums also played in the NYC jazz world for several years and has been playing in NC for over ten. He has a degree from the NC Central University's Jazz Studies Program. I look forward to having Joe with Martin and Peter next time they join me for my show.

Playlist from the Hipster CD by the Martin Eagle Trio

If Not for You
Autumn Waltz
Always You
If I Were the One
Can You Imagine
Hipster
Everything that rises

I started the show with my theme song, I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free, performed by Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC) and ended with the same song as performed by the composer, Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC).

Melva's Musings on Jazz can be heard each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. Broadcast from the studios of WCOM in the musically-gifted town of Carrboro, you can hear us locally on your radio dial at 103.5 fm. The station is community-powered and a 100 Watts of Wonder. You can listen in anywhere in the world by going to your computer and typing in the URL of www.communityradio.coop and once on the WCOM homepage, clicking the button in the upper righthand corner for web broadcast. You can call into the show at 919 929-9601. Please join me to enjoy and celebrate the music and musicians of the NC jazz scene.

2007-07-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

July 8, 2007 Celebrating NC Jazz Musicians
It's been a long time since I've been without guests on my show. I missed the fun of meeting new musicians and hearing their music, but enjoyed having the evening to share some of my favorite jazz music with a special focus on that produced by NC jazz musicians. This painting is by jazz musician and artist, John Fayson.

I marked what would have been the 100th birthday this July 14th of legendary jazz singer and song writer, Bus Brown. Bus hailed from Baltimore but following the trail of Brother Yusuf Salim, he came to Durham and provided great inspiration for many a new jazz musician rising up in the area. Bus passed away this February. There was a great jazz jam in his honor on July 14th in Durham, and to mark his birthday and to celebrate the life and works of Brother Yusuf.

Play list

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; None of Us are Free
Leonard Cohen; More of the Best of Leonard Cohen CD; Waltz & Democracy
Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Sings Yusuf CD; A Hymm for Us All
Charlie Haden & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Wade in the Water & We Shall Overcome
Frankie Alexander (lives Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; Porgy & Bess
Dave Youngman (lives Raleigh, NC); Usual Suspects CD; Song for My Father & My Funny Valentine
Bus Brown (lived Durham, NC); The Story Teller album; Freedom & Money
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Mississippi Goddamm
Bus Brown; Story Teller album; The Switch is On
Martin Eagle (lives Durham, NC) Trio; The Hipster CD; If Not for You
Adia Ledbetter (lives Durham, NC); First Take CD; Route 66
Nnenna Freelon; Heritage CD; Bewitched
Cesario Evora; Sao Vicente CD; Tiempo Y Silencio
Mary Lou Williams (died in Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues
Alan Neese (lives Greensboro, NC); Omen Seeker; Blue & Silver
Billy Taylor (born Greenville, NC) Trio; Music Keeps Us Young CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free

2007-06-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2006 Slide Trombone & Jazz Guitar
On Melva's Musings on Jazz this week, I was honored to have Robert Trowers, jazz trombonist and faculty member at NC Central University's Jazz Studies Program, and Baron Tymas, jazz guitar player and also on the faculty at NCCU, on my show. Robert and Baron had both participated in and helped organize the inaugural Jazz Summit at NCCU this weekend. Even though Robert and Baron had played late into the night last night as part of the jazz jam following the Jazz Summit, they still were up for playing the full two hours of my show. On my show I feature the sounds and music of NC jazz musicians of both the past and the present. And my favorite show is always having musicians come into the WCOM studio, and play live on the air.

Robert Trowers has played jazz trombone for over 23 years. Previously based in NYC, he is described as a player who is a 'Virtuoso beboper with a strong sense of swing". He has played with all the best, including Lionel Hampton, the Count Basie Orchestra, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Chico-O'Farrill fro-Cuban Orchestra. He currently lives in Durham and plays locally and nationally and teaches at NC Central University in the Jazz Studies Program. Besides playing and teaching, Robert is also a composer.

Joining Robert in the studio was Baron Tymas. Originally hailing from Washington, D.C., Baron has cut several CD's and is the Assistant Director of the NCCU Jazz Studies Program. To hear some of his fine guitar playing, check out his MySpace profile.

Besides being a player, Baron is also a composer and a teacher. During the show, Robert and Baron played several of their own original compositions.

On Baron's website, he has an interesting quote from Sonny Rollins - "be what you is and not what you ain't, 'cause if you ain't what you is, then you is what you ain't."--sonny

Playlist -

Henry Mancini's composition, Mr. Lucky, from Robert Trowers' CD Synopsis
Robert Trowers' composition Synopsis, from his CD Synopsis
Robert Trowers' composition Salutation
Robert Trowers' composition Line Over Rhythm, the big band melody line came to Robert in a dream
Baron Tymas' composition Broken Bottles, from his CD Blues for the Tribe
Robert Trower's composition Metropolis
Robert Trower's composition Chuh, with a Latin beat coming straight from his family's blood line, including his parents Frankie & Dorothy, of moving from Jamaica to Panama and then on to the USA. Robert is first generation American.
Robert Trowers' composition End of a Love Affair, from his CD Point of View
Robert Trowers' composition Frolic
Baron Tymas' composition Stone Flower, from his CD Blues for the Tribe
Robert Trowers started a metronome in the studio and created on the spot, Metronome Blues, with just Robert on the trombone and the metronome keeping the beat.

Friends Sima and Leila stopped by the WCOM studio in downtown Carrboro to listen to the show. We all had a great time tonight and look forward to hearing more from Robert Trowers and Baron Tymas.

2007-06-29T03:44:00.000-07:00

June 17th Jazz Mix Night
Focusing on NC's jazz music and it's musicians, I pull from quite a mix of music. My weekly jazz radio show, coming to you from WCOM in downtown Carrboro, NC, is certainly a 100 Watts of Wonder and community radio at its best. So if you're nearby, please stop by. I'm on every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00. You can hear me on the radio at 103.5 fm or on the internet by going to www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the webstreaming button in the upper right-hand button. In honor of Father's Day, I played one of my favorite jazz songs, Horace Silver's Song for My Father. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.

My son, Will Okun (photo website wjzo.com) is traveling with Nicholas Kristof , and Leana Wen, in Rwanda, Burundi, and E. Congo. Will and Leana won the national competition, Win-A-Trip, sponsored by the New York Times. Their travel adventures are being recorded by video, photographs (including above photo of mother and child by Will Okun), and blogging and all posted on the NY Times website, in the editorial section under the title, Two for the Road. In honor of his journey, I played some from Angelique Kidjo's CD, Orami; she is a Benim-based singer; and Cesaria Evora from St. Vincent.

Playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Frankie Alexander (Durham-based singer); Mad About the Words CD; Taking a Chance on Love
Erich Leith & Gabriel Pelli (Carrboro area musicians); Song for My Father
Paulo Lopez (Chapel Hill based singer and musicians); Brazilian Soul CD; So Quero um xodo
Angelique Kidjo; Orami CD; Never Know
Brother Yusuf Salim (Durham piano player); Yusuf Sings Yusuf CD; A Hymn for Us All
Cesario Evora; Sao Vicente CD; Dor Di Amor
Stanley Turrentine; On a Misty Night CD; Georgia on My Mind
Baby Laurence; DanceMaster CD; Baby at Birdland
Mary Lou Williams (lived Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; Blues for Peter
Madison Smartt Bell & Wyn Cooper: Forty Words for Fear CD; on 8 miles with Chris Frank from Carrboro playing different instruments on all the songs
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; None of Us are Free
Greyboy Allstars; What Happened to TV? CD; Deck Shoes
Frank Kimbrough (b. Roxboro, NC); Frank Kimbrough Play CD; Beginning
Charlie Haden & Hampton Hawes; As Long as There's Music CD; Hello/Goodby
Bus Brown (lived 10 years in Durham); The Story Teller album; Freedom
Frankie Alexander; Mad About the Words; Once I Loved
Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette; Whisper Not CD; Groovin' High

2007-06-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

June 10, 2007 Folk by Four and More

I was joined in the WCOM studio by the singers with the group, Folk by Four, from Carrboro & Chapel Hill, NC. The group includes Jim Magaw, Catherine Grodensky, and Jane and Scott Provan. They did a beautiful job of performing a wide range of songs - all in four part harmony. To learn more about the group, go to their website.

They sang the following songs -
1. Straighten Up and Fly Right (Nat King Cole and Irving Mills)
2. Shenandoah (Traditional, arr. by Darmon Meader)
3. Stand By Me (Ben E. King, Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller)
4. Little David Play on Your Harp (Traditional, arr. by Morgan Ames)
5. Come Home (Susan Smith Cohen and Peter Eldridge)
6. Bouree (J.S. Bach, arr. by Ward Swingle)
7. The Druid Song (The Bobs)
8. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin)
9. Cielito Lindo (Traditional, arr. by Morgan Ames)
10. I'll Be Seeing You (Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal)
11. American Tune (Paul Simon)
12. Happy Trails (Dale Evans)

After they finished singing, I played the following songs -
1. Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Know How It Would Feel to be Free
2. Mary Lou Williams (d. Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues with Cynthia Tyson singing, a Durham singer
3. Frankie Alexander (Durham singer) & Steve Wing (Pittsboro, NC piano player); Jammin'ese CD; Like Someone in Love
4. Mark Wells (Chapel Hill piano player and singer), Kevin Van Sant (Durham jazz guitar player) and Dan Davis (drummer); Orgaphonics CD; Let's Stay Together
5. Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Thelonius Monk Plays Duke CD; It Don't Mean a Thing
6. Baby Laurence (jazz tap dancer from Baltimore); Dancemaster CD; Baby at Birdland
7. Jamuna (Chatham-based singer); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Nights
8. Stanley Baird (Durham-based big band leader and sax player); Traffic Jam CD; Footprints
9. Ray Charles and Diana Krall; Genius Loves Company CD; You Don't Know Me

2007-06-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

June 3, 2007 Tap Dancing on the Radio

On my radio show on WCOM, 103.5 fm low-power, out of Carrboro, NC, I was joined in the studio by Gene Medler, the artistic director of the NC Youth Tap Ensemble. Gene brought with him three of his star students - Elizabeth Burke, Alex Vigotov, and Lily Steponaitis. Earlier in the day, they were in a recital and yet they danced hard and fast for two hours on my show. It was a thrill - they were wonderful to watch and great to listen to.

I picked out some of my favorite jazz songs and Gene brought some CDs with him. Gene brought some dancing boards which we put on the floor of the studio, and I placed mics down on the floor near the dancing feet of Elizabeth, Alex and Lily. I was amazed by their talent, enthusiasm, and energy. Their feet quickly picked up the rhythm of the jazz songs, and then they pounded out interesting rhythms of their own to add to the sound a new, exciting element.

I invited Gene and his students on my show to emphasize the percussion side of tap dance. Everyone knows it to be an interesting dance to watch, but some do not realize that the sound of the taps is a form of instrument.

The playlist for my show was -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Ella Fitzgerald; A Night in Tunisia (song by Dizzy Gillespie, h.s. Laurinburg, NC)
Lionel Hampton & Oscar Peterson; Just One of Those Things CD; Just One of Those Things
Charlie Parker; Charlie Parker Story CD; Billie's Bounce
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); The Very Best of John Coltrane CD; Favorite Things
Buena Vista Social Club; Veinte Anos
Scott Warner (lived Chapel Hill for 10 years); Wild Man Blues CD; Naked Dance
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Cha Dooky-Do and Waiting for the Train
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Gone So Long
Hazmat Modine; Bahamut CD; Yesterday Morning
Miles Davis; Kind of Blue CD; All Blues

I wish Gene Medler, Elizabeth Burke, Alex Vigotov, and Lily Steponaitis the best of luck with their tap dance careers and thank them for being guests on my show.

On June 16th - 17th at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, you can check out some fabulous tap dancing as Gene brings in tap dancers and instructors from all over the world to perform and teach as part of the NC Rhythm Tap Festival.

My son, Will, leaves for Rwanda, Burundi, and E. Congo this Monday. He is an extraordinary photographer and teacher and having won the NY Times Win-A-Trip contest, he will soon travel for almost three weeks with Nicholas Kristof. I will include links to his photographs of his trip.

I wish Will an interesting, challenging, and safe journey.

2007-06-01T18:56:00.000-07:00

May 27, 2007 Slavic Passion for Tango
Melva's Musings on Jazz featured the music of Mietek Glinkowski (Raleigh, NC) and Alex Gorodezky (Raleigh, NC), playing their songs live in the studio. This is their second appearance on my show, coming out of Carrboro, NC, every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST. You can listen in from any where in the world by going to www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the button in the upper righthand corner. My radio show features the jazz music of NC jazz musicians of the present and the past.

Mietek played the vitar, an electronic combination of the violin and the guitar, and Alex was on guitar. They have played together many years and believe their common slavic heritage helps them get in the pocket together so seamlessly.
They played music from Argentina, Italy, Hungary and USA. It was a thrill to have them back in the WCOM studio, sharing the music that they love. Several friends stopped by the WCOM radio studio to enjoy the live concert, including Lyle, Sima, and Jill Morrison, in town visiting from Seattle.
Mietek and Alex played the following songs - Cafe 1930 by Astor Piazzolla, Fulana Del Tal by Dino Saluzzi, Milango del Ausente by Dino Saluzzi, Waltz Trieste by Ferenc Vecsey, A map of the World by Pat Metheny, and Estate by Bruno Martino. I finished out the show with Joao Gilberto, from the CD Amoroso/Brazil the song Besame Mucho and then Frankie Alexander, from her CD Mad About the Words, I Loves You, Porgy.

Mietek and Alex can be heard every Sunday from 12:30 - 2:30 at Spice Street in Chapel Hill, in addition to other clubs in the Triangle Area.

See a powerful artist's depiction of waste in America - it's amazing!

2007-05-29T18:11:00.001-07:00

May 20, 2007 NC Jazz Collection and Thelonius

On my radio show tonight, Melva's Musings on Jazz, I featured the music of NC jazz musicians, both of the past and the present, with a special focus on Thelonius Monk, from Rocky Mount, NC. I was recently in Chicago and attended the Looptopia Festival, a dusk to dawn cultural festival spread across the Loop. I caught a gypsy jazz group at the Art Institute. Across the street at the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I picked up a new CD - Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington.

My show can be heard every Sunday night on WCOM from 7:00 - 9:00 EST at 103.5 fm on the 100 Watts of Wonder station out of Carrboro, NC. You can hear my show anywhere in the world by jumping on the worldwideweb and going to www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner. I promise it's easy and won't cause your computer to blow up.

This week's playlist -

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew What It Would Feel Like to be Free
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC); Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; It Don't Mean a Thing, if it Don't Have that Swing
Kevin Van Sant & Ben Palmer (both out of Durham, NC); Jazz Duo CD; Meditation
Thelonius Monk & John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Thelonius Monk & John Coltrane CD; Off Minor
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Why? (The King of Love is Dead)
Paulo Lopez (Chapel Hill, NC from Sao Paulo); Brazilian Soul CD; Tive Razao by Seu Jorge
Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane; Riverside Recordings CD; Crepuscule with Nellie
Frankie Alexander (Durham, NC); Made About the Words; Once I Loved
Thelonius Monk; Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington; Caravan
Scott Warner (lived 10+ yrs. Chapel Hill, NC - jazz piano player and composer); Wild Man Blues CD; Pine Apple Rag
Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane; At Carnegie Hall CD; Monk's Mood
Thelonius Monk; Thelonius Himself CD; I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You
Brian Horton (Durham, NC); Best of Brian Horton CD; Freddie D
Jamuna (Pittsboro, NC singer); Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Thelonius Monk; Thelonius Monk Plays Duke Ellington CD; Black and Tan Fantasy
Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham-based, NC jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus

I want to thank Nicholas Sullivan for joining me for the show and helping me to pick out songs. His mom, Linda, called in from Concord, NC; and a friend Fran called in from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to say 'hi' and share that she was enjoying the show. Congratulations to Nicholas for graduating from UNC-CH and I wish him well on his up-coming journey to Brazil! More to come.

2007-05-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

May 6, 2007 Equinox Rocks the House
It was a wild night in the WCOM studio. In the tiny space, I had four musicians, a singer, and all the equipment of the Chapel Hill-Durham based jazz group, Equinox. Most of the band has been together for many years, but Terri Houston, their vocalist, only joined the group a few years ago. Other Equinox members are Steve Allred on bass, Scott Emmerman on guitar, Spence Foscue on drums, Lou Sawyer on saxophones, and Holden Thorp on keyboard. They have just released a new CD, The Peace of Wild Things.

During my show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, we switched back and forth between the band playing music live in the studio, our talking about jazz and musical roots, and then playing songs from their new CD. They performed - Lost Without You, God Bless the Child, How Tender the Moment, and Guilty. All the songs on the CD are written by Equinox members except for God Bless the Child, which Terri did a beautiful job on and definitely pulled on her Chicago Gospel roots to add a tender tone to this beautiful song. From the new CD, we heard the songs The Peace of Wild Things, Gonna Burn a Hole, True to the Blues, Top of Mind, When Love Unfolds, Saladelia Swing and Mastergame. It was a swinging, rocking time as their music shows lots of eclectic influences.

On the liner notes, Equinox included a favorite Wendell Berry poem, The Peace of Wild Things.

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water,
and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief,
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Friends dropped by during the show to catch the band live in the studio - Marion and Franklin Hirsch, Melissa and Tristan Caminiti, and Susan and Richard Neulist. Please join me every Sunday night, from 7:00 - 9:00, on WCOM, the 100 Watts of Wonder community-powered radio at 103.5 fm on your dial and at www.communityradio.coop on the web. My radio show features the sounds and music of NC jazz musicians - both the currently performing musicians and those greats of the past.

2007-05-04T02:59:00.000-07:00

Will Okun Wins Trip to Africa with Nicholas Kristof
Will Okun, my son, recently won a national NY Times essay contest, Win-a-Trip. He was one of two finalists, along with Leana Wen, among over a thousand entrants. Will and Leana will travel with Nicholas Kristof this June to Rwanda, Burundi, and East Congo. During his trip, Will will take photographs and create a blog to record his impressions, which will be posted on the the NY Times website.

Will teaches at the Westside Alternative High School in Chicago. He has a comprehensive website of photographs (wjzo.com), where he has recorded images and events of the lives of his students, in addition to many other topics.

In his essay, Will describes his views, hopes, experiences and dreams of being a teacher. A video tells in more details his philosophy as a teacher and how he utilizes photography to help his students see their own beauty and value, that of others, and of areas of Chicago which are free to the public and easily accessible to them.

I am very proud of my son and wish him a wonderful trip - more info to come. Will is a fine young man and I'm so glad to see him so honored and given this opportunity to travel to Africa.

2007-05-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

April 29, 2007 Scott Warner from SF Comes to Play a Gig

Scott Warner is a San Francisco/Oakland based jazz piano player, composer, and teacher extraordinaire. He was in NC to play piano with the jazz trio, with Robbie Link on bass and Matt McCaughan on drums, that accompanies the NC Youth Tap Ensemble. The youth tap dancers are lead by Gene Medler, with Yvette Glover (mother of Savion) singing and Michelle Dorrance tapping and inspiring the youth. It was a wonderful weekend of performances, that culminated with Scott playing during my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, brought to you each Sunday evening from 7:00 - 9:00 on WCOM in downtown Carrboro, NC.

During my show, we alternated between Scott playing keyboard (thank you, Chris Frank with the Red Clay Ramblers, for loaning the keyboard and helping with the setup) and playing songs off of Scott's CDs.

We began by sharing, Feeling Like Someone in Love, which was sung by Frankie Alexander (Durham-based singer) and Scott on piano. From Scott's CD, wild man blues, I played Pine Apple Rag, Jungle Blues, and Naked Dance. With a grant from the Durham Arts Council, Scott synthesized and reworked classic rag time songs and made them his own. Entire musical strains are missing, melodies have been reharmonized, and in a few cases the tunes have been juxtaposed rhythmically in a way that the composers might hardly recognize their songs.

Scott played in the studio - Song for My Father, Stella by Starlight, They Can't Take That Away From Me, and a variation of Beethovan's Pathetique (2nd Movement). Friends called into the show to say how much they were enjoying the music. Scott is an unbelievably talented piano player and composer.

The phone rang and it was Scott's parents calling from Ohio. They were having difficulties connecting to the web, and so I had them stay on the line as Scott continued to play - You Don't Know What Love Is. He played a beautiful rendition of What a Wonderful World for his mom, Lucy, in honor of Mother's Day. She was both touched and speechless.

We then played songs from Scott's CD, Mindfield, that was put together with support from the University of NC at Chapel Hill's Jazz Program, where Scott taught for over ten years. Playing with Scott on this CD, which all of the songs but one are his compositions, are Jimmy Greene on soprano and tenor saxophones; Rodney Whitaker on acoustic bass; and Gerald Cleaver on drums. We played Mindfield, After the Deluge, and Won't Someone Listen.

Scott finished up the show by playing in the studio - Things Aren't What They Used to Be. It was great to have Scott Warner here in town. He was my jazz piano teacher for two years and I still miss him. I, and many others, look forward to his return.

2007-04-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

April 15, 2007 Singing Madame Heartache

On my radio show, Susan Reeves joined me in the studio at WCOM in Carrboro, to share her music and her stories as a jazz singer. Susan lives in Hillsborough, and works out of Durham and Raleigh. She is the vocalist with the Raleigh Jazz Orchestra, in addition to many small ensemble groups that she performs with. She is working on a new CD. She shared some previously recorded music. Given what an incredibly stormy night it was, it seemed only fitting to begin with Stormy Weather. She then shared Joy Spring.

A favorite song of mine was Madame Heartache, by Bobby Sharp. Joining Susan on the recording of Madame Heartache was Jules van Binsbergen on piano, Peter Innocenti on double bass and John Hanks on drums. From Susan's CD, I played the songs Tulip or Turnip (Ellington) and What's Your Story Morning Glory (Mary Lou Williams). When Ms. Williams was heading up the Duke's Jazz Studies program , Susan had a chance to work some with her and was greatly encouraged by Ms. Williams.

Susan sang, with great flair, in the WCOM studio a wonderful version of Little Did I Dream. We finished with Susan's version of It Could Happen to you.

Susan performs extensively (calendar) in the Triangle Area of NC. She will be sharing her music on several occasions this summer in the Carrboro area. Be sure to catch her.
I dedicated the later part of my show to jazz diva, Dakota Staton, who died this week in NYC. She left behind a full lifetime of music. Randee Haven O'Donnell suggested I play some of the music from the early and later part of Dakota's singing career. I played several songs from the CD Great Ladies of Song - Spotlight on Dakota Staton, which was music mostly recorded in the 50's. Forty years later, with a now deeper, richer voice, she recorded the music on the CD, A Packet of Love Letters. Both CD's are delightful, and yet very different. Songs included - Anything Goes, The Late, Late Show, You Don't Know What Love Is, More Than You Know, and The Way You Look Tonight.

I finished out the show with Mary Lou Williams playing What's Your Story Morning Glory, from the CD of the same title; Stanley Baird on his CD You Will Know, playing My Favorite Things; Frankie Alexander, from her new CD Mad About the Words, and the song I Loves You, Porgy; and I ended my show with Frank Kimbrough, on his CD Frank Kimbrough Play, and the song, Lucent.

Please join me each Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST to hear the best jazz music from North Carolina jazz musicians - both those of the past and those currently performing. WCOM, the 100 watts of wonder station, can be heard via websteaming from any where in the world. Go to the WCOM website, and click on the button in the upper right-hand corner to hear the show.

2007-04-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

April 8, 2007 NC Central University's Jazz Festival

Ira Wiggins, head of the Jazz Studies program at NC Central University, joined me for the second half of my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, heard out of the studio of WCOM in downtown Carrboro, NC. He came to promote the upcoming Jazz Festival, which will be April 20-21. You will not want to miss this great event.
Friday, April 20
NCCU Jazz Festival with Stefon Harris and Blackout &
NCCU Jazz Ensemble
B. N. Duke Auditorium
NCCU
8pm
530-5170

Saturday, April 21
NCCU Jazz Festival with Geri Allen Trio with Jimmy Cobb & Carmen Lundy
NCCU Vocal Jazz Ensemble
B. N. Duke Auditorium
NCCU
8pm
530-5170

Ira brought with him to the studio the NC Central University's Jazz Ensemble CD, Blues - and the Verdent Green. I played the following songs from the CD - Cottontail, Beautiful Love, Waste Not Want Not, Teach Me Tonight, and Baby Workout. There is a tremendous amount of jazz talent at NCCU in Durham, NC and many have gone on to great careers in music.

NC Central University is pleased to launch the Jazz Research Institute in June of 2007. We will hear more about that once they open their doors.

2007-04-12T17:17:00.000-07:00

April 8, 2007 With a Song In Her Heart
I was pleased to have Toni Denise and her band join me for my show on WCOM, Melva's Musings on Jazz. Toni is an acclaimed jazz singer who has charmed audiences from Los Angeles to London. She once performed at the home of the late Mayor of Los Angeles, Tom Bradley.
Toni was joined in the studio by Bryant Carthan on keyboard, David Binanay on violin, and Nicaho-o and Tony Yarborough on vocals. They all performed with a clear passion for their music.

They performed the following pieces during my show - Don't Get Around Much Anymore; My Favorite Things; My Funny Valentine; More; a Movie Theme Medley, which was dedicated to Toni's sister, Beverly Thomas; Boy from Ipanema; and Route 66. They sounded so good during my show that several friends commented to me that they assumed that I had been playing a CD.
They totally surprised me by sharing a song that Toni and Bryant wrote together, which was a theme song for my show. It was a beautiful song and I plan to use it on my show and on my blog.

A good friend and supporter of Toni's, Robin Robinson, called in from Sacramento, California. Toni was able to sing a song in Robin's honor.

We were joined in the studio by several friends, including Ellington Carthan (named after Duke Ellington), Joan Gantz, Bob Brower (bass player), Stan Levy (sax player) and Jay and Kathy Putnam.

We all had such a good time. Toni shared with me - "I really appreciate you allowing me to grace your show. It is allowing me to live my dream!" And the feeling was mutual.

2007-04-03T17:16:00.000-07:00

April 1, 2007 Leaving Many Footprints

Stanley Baird resides in Durham, NC and maintains a big band that performs throughout the United States. Stanley plays tenor and alto sax and recently produced a new CD, Traffic Jam. He has played with such performers as Otis Redding, Gladys Knight, Kirk Whalum, Patti LaBelle, Najee, Richard Elliot and Donald Byrd.

Longtime collaborator and co-producer of the Traffic Jam CD, Marvin Mumford, joined Stanley for the evening on my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, featuring North Carolina jazz musicians and their music.

Stanley hails from the mountains of North Carolina in the Asheville area - not far from the birth places of Roberta Flack (Black Mountain) and Nina Simone (Tryon). Stanley assembled his first band at the age of 14. He credits many big footsteps that went before him that made his way possible - Lou Donaldson, Gene Ammons, Stanley Turrentine, and later in his life, Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane.

Stanley co-founded, along with Donald Byrd, the Jazz Studies program at NC Central University in Durham, NC. He has inspired many young musicians along the way making sure he left lots of footprints behind him for others to follow and help them along their way. Each summer he hosts youth from all over the country to come to the NCCU campus to intensely study jazz - with support from the Stanley Baird Youth Jazz Foundation.

Friends and band members called during the show from around the country to send their greetings. Jay Mumford, drummer, checked in and jazz piano player, and co-producer of the Traffic Jam CD, Kenneth Leonard called from the road. Lenard Rutledge, a wonderful singer, called from Miami, Florida. Walter Johnson called from Dallas, Texas. Stanley and Marvin are clearly both loved by many.

From the Traffic Jam CD, I played: Footprints, Golden, Caribbean Queen, I Want 2 Love U (vocals by Yolanda Rabun); Flaming Hot; Enjoy the Ride; and No Greater Love. From Stanley's You Will Know CD, I played So in Love with You (with vocals, oh so sweet, by Lenard Rutledge) and finally My Favorite Things. Stanley and Marvin put together what I consider to be one of the most beautiful versions of My Favorite Things.

It was a joy to have Stanley Baird and Marvin Mumford on my show. I look forward to staying in touch with them and following their wonderful and inspiring music.

My show is on every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST and features NC jazz music and musicians who hail from the different parts of NC. You can call in to my show by dialing 919 929-9601 and listen in the local area to the 100 Watts of Wonder Community-Powered WCOM radio station by tuning in to 103.5 FM. Or you can listen in from anywhere in the world by going to the WCOM website and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner for webstreaming.

Please join me Sunday evening!

2007-03-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

March 25, 2007 Cool Jazzy Partnership

Melva's Musings on Jazz features the Jazz Music of North Carolina jazz musicians of the past and the present. I was thrilled to be joined in the studio by Brian Horton, on sax, who hails from Kinston, NC and now teaches jazz at NC Central University in Durham. Joining him in the studio was Kelvin Sholar from a multi-generational talented musical family out of Detroit. Kelvin is currently living in Berlin. Brian and Kelvin have been performing and composing music together for over ten years. They are going into the studio together soon to record. They are both incredibly talented jazz musicians. I look forward to following their jazz careers.

During my show, Brian and Kelvin performed the following songs -

Dream Child (by Brian Horton)
Pao Bene (by Kelvin Sholar)
Not Enough Sky (by Brian Horton)
solo piano with Kelvin pulling on tunes from over the years
Mamanita (Jelly Roll Morton)
Jitter Bug Waltz (Fats Waller)
Blue Monk

A friend of theirs, JoJo, called in from Hawaii, to say she was listening in and enjoying the show. Later, on the air, Rashida Bumbray, a jazz tap dancer, performer, art curator, and friend from NYC, called to join in the conversation about music and performing and the relationship between musicians and dancers.

Melva's Musings on Jazz can be heard every Sunday evening from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. In the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, WCOM radio can be heard at 103.5 fm. But this community powered 100 Watts of Wonder station can be heard any where in the world by going to the WCOM website and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner. You can call in comments and requests by dialing 919 929-2690 during the show. I hope you will join me on Sunday evenings.

WCOM offers a cool diverse offering of jazz shows - especially on Sunday.
3:00 - 5:00 Jazz Incognito with Will Vizuete
5:00 - 7:00 Backbone with Solomon Gibson III
7:00 - 9:00 Melva's Musings on Jazz with Melva Fager Okun
9:00 - midnight Mainstream Jazz with Larry R. Thomas

2007-03-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

March 18, 2007 Carrboro's Street Corner Singers
Melva's Musings on Jazz features the best of NC's jazz musicians of the past and present. Tonight I was visited by the Mighty Do WASPs, a singing group from the Carrboro-Chapel Hill area. I was treated to the sounds of five part harmony live in the radio studio. They performed-

Love Me Do
How Long Has This Been Going On
Foggy Day &
I Want to Hold You Hand

My show is on every Sunday night from 7:00 9:00 EST and can be heard locally on 103.5 fm and globally by going to the WCOM website and clicking on the button in the upper righthand corner for web-streaming. This 100 Watts of Wonder station is volunteer-run and always needs your help - your time and your dime to keep us on the air.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free & Revolution & Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Nat King Cole; After Midnight CD; It's Only a Paper Moon
Bill Charlap; Lush Life CD; Fantastic Rhythm
Diana Krall; Love Scenes CD; All or Nothing at All
Chick Corea; The Gold Collection CD; Come Rain or Come Shine
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers; Blue Note 4003; Moanin
Grady Tate (b. Durham, NC); Windmills of Your Mind CD; A Little at a Time
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Where've You Been CD: Where've You Been
Frank Kimbrough (b. Roxboro, NC); Love Spook CD; On a Clear Day
Mahlon Hoard on sax (lived Carrboro area, now in NYC) & Pat Lawrence on bass; Spiral & Marianne CD; The Puppets
Scott Warner on piano (lived Carrboro/Chapel Hill for 10 yrs.); Mindfield CD; Mindfield
Frankie Alexander (Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; No Moon at All
Brian Horton (Durham, NC); The Best of Brian Horton CD; Devil's Disguise
Al Neese (Greensboro, NC) Quintet; Omen Seeker CD; Blue and Silver
Sawyer - Goldberg (Durham-based jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Softly As in a Morning Sunrise
Jacuna (Pittsboro, NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Greg Brink on piano & Tony Galiani on bass (Carrboro NC); Duo CD; You & the Night & the Music

2007-03-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

March 4, 2007 Jazzy Kids Say the Darndest Things

Melva's Musings on Jazz features the jazz music of North Carolina musicians - the greats of the past and those playing today. This week I was delighted to be visited by a jazzy family - Zoe (6 yrs. old), Gabriel (8 yrs. old and plays a mean virtual sax), Julie (mom) and William Knaack (dad). They notified their family across the country and so I reached my all time high for webstreaming of 13 connections. To help with a bird identification, Knaack family members called into the show from Wisconsin, South Carolina, Florida and Texas. It was a fun show full of family and music connections.

My radio show is on every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST. WCOM, the 100 Watts of Wonder station, can be heard locally on 103.5 fm and globally by going to the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner marked for web-streaming. Please join me for a fun evening.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Frankie Alexander (Durham, NC); Mad About the Words CD; No Moon at All
Mary Lou Williams (died Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues
Nneena Freelon (Durham, NC); Heritage CD; All or Nothing at All
Sarah Vaughn & Dizzy Gillespie (school Laurinberg, NC); Embraceable You CD; Embraceable You
Nat King Cole (singing and on piano); After Midnight CD; Just You, Just Me
Diana Krall; Love Scenes CD; Peel Me a Grape
David Grisman Quintet; Dawg's Groove CD; Zambola
Matt Enkle; Flute Jazz CD; Like Someone in Love
Van Morrison; Moondance CD; Moondance
Bus Brown (lived in Durham, NC for 20 yrs.); Storyteller album; Freedom
Frank Kimbrough (b. Roxboro, NC); Frank Kimbrough Play CD; Lucent
Thelonious Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC) & John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane CD; Off Minor
Brian Horton (Durham, NC); The Best of Brian Horton CD; Freddy
Joao Gilberto & Grady Tate (b. Durham, NC); Amoroso/Brazil CD; S'Wonderful
Jamuna (Pittsboro, NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Gabriel Pelli (Carrboro, NC); Europa Jazz CD; I Cover the Waterfront
Kevin Van Sant (Durham, NC) & Dan Davis & Mark Wells; Orgaphonics CD; Let's Stay Together with Mark Wells playing the Hammond B3 Organ and singing

2007-03-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

February 25, 2007 Brazilian Soul Comes to WCOM

Featuring NC Jazz Music and NC Jazz Musicians - Paulo Lopes (Brazilian Soul), from Sao Paulo, is now living in Chapel Hill, NC and plays guitar and violin; and sings in restaurants and clubs in the area; and teaches guitar, violin and piano. He was joined in the WCOM radio studio by his son, Victor, who is a percussionist and soon to turn fourteen. Victor played a hot Pandeiro drum and Paulo played the guitar and the Surdo, a large Brazilian Drum. They were a wonderful combination and clearly were having great fun playing music together. Most of the songs were Brazilian but one was Italian and Paulo dedicated it to our Milano jazz musician friends, Fabio and Paulo, who were guests on my show a few weeks ago as they passed from LA back to Milano, Italy. Paulo can be reached to perform or to teach (guitar, piano, violin) at www.brazilian-soul.com and info@brazilian-soul.com.
My radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, is broadcast from the studio of WCOM in Carrboro, NC. You can hear my show every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST at 103.5 fm on the dial. Better yet, you can hear this 100 Watts of Wonder station on the internet anywhere in the world by going to the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner for web-streaming (web-broadcast). Our webstream is hosted by ibiblio. Call in a request during the show, and say 'hi', by calling 919 929-2601. I always like hearing from friends and jazz fans.

Playlist - while Paulo and Victor got set up
- Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free
- Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham NC based jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus
- Jacuna (Pittsboro, NC based singer); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Nights
- Joao Gilberto & Grady Tate on drums (b. Durham, NC); Amoroso/Brazil CD; Besame Mucho

Playlist performed by Paulo & Victor Lopes
- Upa Nequiwho
- Bachianinha
- Partido Alto
- Andar com Fe
- Tive Razao
- O Ultimo Pau-de-Arara
- Lesoes Corporais
- Sampa
- So Quero Um XODO
- Besa Me
- Madalena
- Pret-A-Porter De Tafeta

Please join me Sunday evenings - while driving around town or from a computer anywhere in the world!
Ciao!
Melva

2007-02-28T16:00:00.000-08:00

February 18, 2007 A Fond Farewell to Bus Brown

Featuring the jazz music and musicians of North Carolina - This Valentine's Day a wonderful friend, jazz singer, song writer, performer, teacher, and kind-souled person, Bus Brown, died at age 99 1/2 plus. He died in Baltimore after a short illness. He was well-cared for by Von right up to the end. And Frankie Alexander kept a loving eye, ear, and heart out for him. She called him regularly to help maintain his connection to the outside world and sent care packages to help sustain him.

On my show this week I honored the jazz work of Bus Brown, who lived in Durham, NC and actively engaged and inspired the jazz community here, along with his good friend Brother Yusuf Salim. They came down from Baltimore together in the 70's. He mentored jazz singers such as Eve Cornelius, Nneena Freelon, and Frankie. He was in the Durham area for almost 20 years.

This week I also celebrated the birthdays of Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC) and Frankie Alexander (b. Concord, NC and living in Durham, NC). I wove together the music of Bus Brown, Nina Simone and Frankie Alexander.

My radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, features the jazz music of NC Jazz musicians. My show can be heard on WCOM, 103.5 FM in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill, NC area. The 100 Watts of Wonder station can be enjoyed any where in the world by going to the WCOM website, www.communityradio.coop, and clicking on the button for web-streaming. My show is every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST.

Playlist
- Nina SImone; Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
- Frankie Alexander; Mad About the Words CD: Mad About the Boy
- Nina Simone; Sugar in My Bowl CD; I Get ALong WIthout You (Except Sometimes)
- Bus Brown; Story Teller album; It Never Was Always
- Nina Simone; Sugar in My Bowl CD; To Be Young Gifted & Black
- Frankie Alexander & Scott Warner on piano (lived Chapel Hill for 10 years); Feeling Like Someone in Love & Alone Together
- Nina Simone; Jazz Masters 17 - Verve CD; My Baby Just Cares For Me
- Bus Brown; Story Teller album; A Hymn for Allah
- Yusuf Salim (Durham, NC-based piano player: Yusuf Sings Yusuf CD; A Hymn for Us All
- Bus Brown; Story Teller album; Freedom
- Nina Simone: Sugar in My Bowl CD; I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl
- Frankie Alexander; Mad About the Words; The Man I Love
- Nina Simone; Jazz Masters 17 CD; I Loves You Porgy
- Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Why? The King of Love is Dead
- Bus Brown: Story Teller album: America
- Frankie Alexander; Mad About The Words CD; That's All
- Nina Simone; The Tomatoe Collection CD; But Beautiful
- Frankie Alexander; Jaminin'Ese CD: Gone With THe Wind & Lover Man
- Nina Simone; Sugar in My Bowl CD; I Shall Be Released
- Frankie Alexander; Mad About the Words CD; Once I Loved

Good-bye, Bus Brown. I will miss you forever. I used to call Bus on the phone after I had worked up a song on the piano. I would play it for him and he would immediately go into how I could improve it. We had some wonderful conversations about life and current affairs and politics. Bus stayed politically interested right up until the end. He was an awesome man.

2007-02-23T17:29:00.000-08:00

February 11, 2007 2nd Anniversary Party Show

Featuring the Music of NC Jazz Musicians - Tonight marks my 2nd Anniversary of my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz. Friends from all over the Triangle Area joined me in the studio to celebrate. Cake was provided by Erin and Heather and Erin was the event's photographer. Chris Frank, a wonderful jazz piano player and musician extraordinaire, played guitar and sang during my show. With Chris was his wife, Eli, daughter Molly (my regular assistant and inspiration) and Sadie (future anchorwoman for CNN). I thank the whole Frank family for their incredible support of me and my show over the past two years. They live in Carrboro, right around the corner from the WCOM studio. Chris is often found riding his bike around town - even in the coldest temperatures. WCOM may be community powered but it is also Chris-powered. Thank you, Chris, for all that you have done to launch and keep afloat this wonderful new 100 Watts of Wonder radio station in Carrboro, NC.

While Chris got settled in, I played:
- Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel To Be Free
- Frankie Alexander (b. Concord, NC) & Scott Warner on piano (lived Chapel Hill for many years); Feeling Like Someone in Love
- Adia Ledbetter (Durham-based singer); First Take CD; Route 66
- Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham-based jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus

Chris Frank played guitar and sang
- Out of Nowhere
- I'm Old Fashioned
- You Turned the Tables on Me
- I Remember Iowa
- Oxen & the Plow
- Lullaby for Christine

Additional Playlist
- Percy Heath (b. Wilmington, NC) with the Modern Jazz Quartet; Django CD; Autumn in NY
- Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Sugar in My Bowl CD; I Get Along Without You (Except Sometimes)
- Miles Davis: Best of Miles Davis CD; Autumn Leaves
- Robert Griffin (lives in Carrboro); NC: A State of Music CD; It Ain't You & Killing Me Softly
- Madison Smartt Bell &amp; Wyn Cooper; Forty Words for Fear CD; On 8 Mile
- Joao Gilberto; Amoroso/Brazil CD; Corderro De Nana & Besame Mucho (with Grady Tate on drums, b. Durham)
- Bus Brown; Storyteller Album; America

The day was a blessed jazz music day for me. Earlier I hosted a CD Release Party-Concert for Frankie Alexander at Carrboro's ArtsCenter. She performed with all the musicians on her CD - Ed Paolantonio and Steve Wing on piano, Rick Jones on bass, Lou Sawyer on tenor sax, Al Neese on trumpet; and George Hindenach on Drums. All are local jazz musicians. Marley, Jetze, and I greeted the 150 attendees and treated them to wonderful music, food and wine. All commented on what a fabulous party it was and close to 50 CDs were sold. Congratulations Frankie on a wonderful new CD! Your star is rising.

Frankie dedicated the concert to her mentor and lifetime companion, Bus Brown, whose health is struggling at age 99 1/2. For the first time he is in the hospital. With Bus and joy in her heart, Frankie sang "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

2007-02-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

February 4, 2007 Frankie Alexander and
Mad About the Words
Featuring the Music of NC's Jazz Musicians - This week on my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, I featured the music of Durham based jazz singer, Frankie Alexander. Frankie dedicated the show to her mentor, Bus Brown, out of Baltimore. Bus followed Brother Yusef Salim from Baltimore to the Durham area, where Brother Yusef remains. I highlighted Frankie's new CD - Mad About the Words.

You can listen to my show on your computer by streaming off of the WCOM website. If you live in the Carrboro and Chapel Hill area and are very lucky, you can catch this 100 Watts of Wonder station (low-power that it is) on your radio dial at 103.5 FM. My show is every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST.

I began the show with my theme song - I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free. This is a Billy Taylor song and he is from Greenville, NC and is sung by Nina Simone, from Tryon, NC. The song is on the Anthology CD.

Playlist from Mad about the Words - with vocals by Frankie Alexander, piano by Ed Paolantonio from Durham and Steve Wing from Chatham County, sax by Lou Sawyer from Durham, trumpet by Al Neese from Greensboro, NC, bass by Rick Jones of Raleigh, and drums by George Hindenach.

- No Moon at All
- Moonlight in Vermont
- Teach Me Tonight
- Mad About the Boy
- Once I Loved

I played the song, Running Wild, by Bus Brown on vocals from his album, The Storyteller.

Remaining Playlist
- Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); The Tomato Collection CD; I Got it Bad
- Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham, NC based jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus
- Jennifer Hudson; Dreamgirls CD; One Night Only and Beyonce singing Listen
- Percy Heath (b. Wilmington, NC), the Modern Jazz Quartet; Django CD; Django
- Jackie McLean (college at A&T in Greensboro); Destination Out CD; Love & Hate
- Nnenna Freelon (Durham-based singer); Heritage CD; Prelude to a Kiss
- Adia Ledbetter (Durham-based singer); First Take; You Don't Know What Love Is
- Frankie Alexander (Durham-based singer) with Scott Warner (formerly of Chapel Hill); Alone Together

2007-02-04T06:51:00.000-08:00

January 27, 2007 Sawyer - Goldberg Swings

Joining me in the WCOM radio studio this week were the members of the Durham-based jazz group, Sawyer-Goldberg. Band members include: Susan Cohen, vocals; Roger Cook, electric & acoustic bass; Pete Goldberg, guitar; Lou Sawyer, alto, tenor & soprano sax; and David Shore on drums. I played songs from their new CD, Jazzadelia. After sharing their music, I played the music of musicians that inspire them; including Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Lenny Breau; Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; and The Ed Bickert Trio & Dave McKenna.

My radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, features the music of NC jazz musicians. Please join me every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST on the web, by going to www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner for web-broadcast. If you live in the Carrboro, NC area you can catch us on your radio dial at 103.5 FM. We are 100 Watts of Wonder so you need to be within 5 miles of our tower to pick us up.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham-based group); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus, Softly As in a Morning Sunrise; But Beautiful, My Romance Lover, Invitation
Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan; Two of a Mind CD; All the Things You Are & Star Dust
Lenny Breau; Five O'Clock Bills/Mo Breau CD; Days of Wine and Roses
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; Sing Ellington CD; Cottontail
The Ed Bickert Trio & Dave McKenna; Third Floor Richard CD; Circus

Upcoming

Feb. 11th - I will be hosting a CD Release Party/Concert for Frankie Alexander, Durham-based jazz singer. Please join us at Carrboro's ArtsCenter from 1:30-3:30. Frankie will be performing songs from her new CD, Mad About the Words, and will be joined by the musicians who play on her CD, including Ed Paolantonio & Steve Wing on piano; Rick Jones on bass; George Hindenach on drums; Al Neese on trumpet; and Lou Sawyer on tenor sax. Wine and food will be served. Also hosting the party are Marley and Jetse.
Feb. 11th - Later in the day, from 7:00 - 9:00, I will celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz. Please come by the WCOM studio to send your greetings and join with other jazz-lovers. WCOM is located in downtown Carrboro on the corner of N. Greensboro St. and Weaver Street, just across from the side of Weaver Street Market. Chris Frank, jazz piano player and member of the Red Clay Ramblers, will play live in the studio during my show. Cake and drink will be served. I hope you can join me for this fun celebration.

2007-01-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

January 21, 2007 Italian Jazz Comes to Carrboro North Carolina
This week I had a special treat on my radio show (Melva's Musings on Jazz) with a visit by a studio full of Italian jazz musicians, sharing their wonderful music, live in the studio with a full crowd there to enjoy it. My radio show is on WCOM 103.5 fm; the Hundred Watts of Wonder station. We are low power but high octane. You can hear my show any where in the world by going to the WCOM website and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner and that will get you to my show - in live time on Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST.

Joining me in the studio this week, and for a full weekend of great jazz, was Fabio Rigamonti on bass and from Milano, Italy; Tony Galiani on bass and from Carrboro, NC; Paolo Frigerio on drums (more on that) and also from Milano; and Marco Nardelli on alto and soprano sax and flute, from Rome, and now residing in Raleigh, NC. The weekend of Italian, plus much much more, jazz jaming was organized by Mietek Glinkowski, who earlier in the weekend joined the musicians on electric violin and Vitar. Unfortunately, at the last minute Mietek had to dash off to Florida so missed being on the show.

Normally my show features the musicians and music of North Carolina. But after hearing about Fabio for several years, it was a thrill to finally meet him and get to hear a weekend of his music.
I thank Paolo for rising to the occasion and playing the multiple drums I was able to borrow from different friends, including the metal strainer from my kitchen. Thanks Catharine and Mariana for lending the drums.
Many people came by the studio to hear the music and Eli brought a plate full of home-baked chocolate goodies - yummy and thanks, Eli. And once again Chris Frank (jazz piano player and multi-talented musicians with the Red Clay Ramblers) and his daughter, Molly, gave me great assistance in the studio - getting everything set up and functioning for the musicians, helping with techno problems, recording the show, and assuring good quality.

I look forward to the return of my newfound Italian friends. They visited ole Carrboro via Los Angeles.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Playlist of Music Played by the Band in the Studio

Blue Bossu
Equinox by John Coltrane
Improv as inspired by Jean Pierre
Blue Monk
Foot Prints by Wayne Shorter
Afro Blue

Playlist of Music Played After the Band Left

John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Like Someone in Love
Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson & Anika Nona Rose; Dreamgirls CD; Dreamgirls as requested by Molly and sung and danced by Molly, Eli, and Melva
Miles Davis; The Best of Miles Davis CD; Well You Needn't
John Coltrane; My Favorite Things
John Coltrane: Lushlife CD; I Hear a Rhapsody
Marcia Ball (playing in Carrboro last week); Presumed Innocent CD; You Make Me Happy
Natalie Cole; Unforgetable CD; Unforgetable and singing with her dad
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong; Ella and Louis Again CD; Don't Be That Way
Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham-based jazz group who will be guests on my show next week); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus
Frankie Alexander (Durham-based jazz singer) & Scott Warner (lived 10 years in Chapel Hill, jazz piano player, performer and teacher); Like Someone in Love

I want to thank the following for coming by the studio to hear the great live music: Laura and Nell, Eli, Chris, Molly, Noah, Mariana, Cameron, Meg, Erin, Heather, Myra, and Paolo Lopes (a Brazilian guitar player)

Feb. 11th will be a big jazzy day in Carrboro. I hope you can join me. From 1:30-3:30, I will be hosting a jazz CD Release Party, and also a concert, for Frankie Alexander at the Carrboro ArtsCenter. We will serve wine and food. Frankie will sing songs from her new CD, Mad About the Words, and she will be joined by all the musicians who played on the CD. Please join us. Then later that evening from 7:00-9:00, at the WCOM studio (on the corner of N Greensboro St. and Weaver St. in downtown Carrboro), I will celebrate with friends the 2nd anniversary of my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz. Please come by to say hi (on the air), and have some cake and bubbly stuff and enjoy the music of Chris Frank, playing jazz favorite live in the studio. It will be great fun. If you can't be there in person, please call in your greetings at 919 929-2690.

Ciao.

2007-01-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

January 14, 2007 A Drum Major for Justice

In honor of the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., I dedicated my radio show to his speeches, and songs that I felt were complementary to the mood of the speeches. My radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, is broadcast from the studios of WCOM in Carrboro, NC; every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST. You can hear us on the web any where in the world by going to the WCOM website and clicking on the button in the upper right-hand corner. We are a 100 watts of wonder local power radio station that can be heard, albeit low power, at 103 fm in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area. Our phone number is 919 929-9601 and I accept calls during my show - asking for requests, questions, or just to say 'hi'. I like to push the 'community' side of community radio and often have a good crowd in the studio with me - people who stop by to say hello, drop off a brownie, or to listen to the music provided by my jazz guests. For this I am thankful.

My show features the music of NC jazz musicians and their music - those of our past and those of our present. Please join me in person, on the radio, or on the internet.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free, Billy Taylor song (b. Greenville, NC) and theme song for my show
Martin Luther King, Jr.; In Search of Freedom CD; I Have a Dream
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Why? The King of Love is Dead
Martin Luther King, Jr.; In Search of Freedom CD; A Preacher Leading His Flock
Alvin Alley; Retrospective of 10 Years of Dance CD; Wade in the Water
Solomon Burke; Don't Give Up on Me CD; None of Us are Free
Charles Haden & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; We Shall Overcome
Mary Lou Williams & Cynthia Tyson; My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues
Martin Luther King, Jr.; In Search of Freedom CD; Dr. King's Entrance into Civil Rights
James Brown; 20 All Time Greatest Hits CD; Say it Loud, I'm Black & I'm Proud
Charles Lloyd; Lift Every Voice CD; Lift Every Voice
Elvis Presley; Elvis Gospel CD; Take My Hand Precious Lord & Run
Charles Haden & Hank Jones: Steal Away CD; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Mississippi God Damm
Brother Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC); Yusuf Sings Yusuf CD; A Hymm for Us All
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; Strange Fruit
Charles Haden & Hank Jones; Steal Away CD; Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Martin Luther King, Jr.; In Search of Freedom CD; I Have a Dream
Chuck Brown & Eva Cassidy; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow
Nina Simone; Anthology CD; To Be Young Gifted and Black

I wish you all a good weekend and hope that you spent time reflecting on the life and works of Martin Luther King, Jr. I want to thank Roco (Sat. morning DJ on WCOM of the Music Hall show) for coming by and being on the air with me and to Liza, who stopped by the studio with brownies for me and Roco to thank us for the wonderful show. I thank her and small moments like this help keep me on the air and loving what I am doing.

2007-01-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

January 7, 2007 From Ragtime to Kimbrough Time to Honoring the Two Kings Time (JB & Elvis that is)

On my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, this week I had two guests in the studio with me - Nancy Lowther and Stan Lowe. Even though we were on the radio, Nancy came in a beautiful performing outfit with lots of glittery jewels. And Stan had a deep Elvis-like voice that was great when he sang - Can't Help Falling in Love. My show is live every Sunday from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST and features the music and musicians with NC roots. In the area of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, NC, you can hear me on the dial at 103.5 fm. And on the internet, you can catch my show any where in the world by going to the WCOM website and clicking on the upper righthand button for web-broadcast. You can also call in a request at 919 929-9601. Please join me for a fun and entertaining time.

Playlist

Nancy Lowther from Cary, NC on piano; Special Passions CD; Leola, Ragtime Dance, Maple Leaf Rag & Solace
Nancy Lowther on piano and Stan Lowe from Anger, NC on synthesizer; Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy & Fly Me to the Moon
Nancy Lowther on piano and Stan Lowe singing and playing guitar; Can't Help Falling in Love
Nancy Lowther singing and on piano with Stan singing and on guitar; Under the Boardwalk
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; Jambalaya
Scott Warner, lived in Chapel Hill, jazz pianist, performer, teacher; Wild Man Blues CD
Jelly Roll Morton; Promotional Sampler CD; Mister Jelly Lord
Elvis; 30 #1 Hits CD; All Shook Up
James Brown; 20 All Time Greatest Hits CD; I Feel Good & I'm Black and I'm Proud
Madison Smartt Bell & Wyn Cooper; Forty Words for Fear CD; On 8 Mile
UNC Jazz Band, Chapel Hill, NC; From One to Another CD; Softly As in a Morning Sunrise
Brad Mahldau Trio; Day is Done CD; Martha My Dear
Wilson, Kimbrough (b. Roxboro, NC), Wind and Katie Bull on vocals; Love Spook CD; Favorite Things
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC) and John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Complete Riverside Recordings CD; Monk's Mood & Epistrophy
Sarah Vaughn, playing with Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. in Laurenburg, NC); Embracable You CD; Scat Blues

Happy Birthday Elvis - Jan. 8th
Good night and good bye to James Brown. I will miss you and your wonderful music!

2006-12-29T14:07:00.000-08:00

December 17, 2006 From The Blindboys of Alabama to John Coltrane

I wish all a good holiday and have enjoyed sharing some unusual music for this show. I pray for some peace in 2007. My radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, can be heard locally in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area on 103.5 fm on Sundays from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (EST). I feature North Carolina's jazz music and musicians with roots here. You can hear my show anywhere in the world by going to www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the web-broadcast button in the upper righthand corner. You can contact me during the show to make a request by calling 1.919.929.9601. Please join me Sunday evenings.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Blind Boys of Alabama; Go Tell It On the Mountain CD; I Pray on Christmas & Go Tell It on the Mountain
Kathy Mathea; Good News CD; Good News
Goldberg- Sawyer (Durham-based jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus
Susan Reeves (Raleigh-based jazz singer); Alive CD; All of Me
Al Neese (Greensboro-based bebop trumpet player); Omen Seeker CD; Wood Heat
Frankie Alexander (Durham-based jazz singer) & Scott Warner (former Chapel Hill-based piano player, composer, and teacher); Demo CD; Feeling Like Someone in Love
Ray Charles; The Spirit of Christmas CD; What Child is This & Little Drummer Boy
Aaron Neville; Christmas Collection CD; Such a Night
James Taylor (b. Chapel Hill singer); James Taylor at Christmas CD; In the Bleak Midwinter
Ella Fitzgerald; Ella's Christmas CD; O Holy Night
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Lush Life CD; Lush Life
Nat King Cole; A Jazzed-up Holiday CD; Christmas Song
Crystal Gayle; Christmas CD; I'll Be Home for Christmas
The Irish Tenors; Home for Christmas CD; Good King Wenceslas
Kevin Van Sant (Durham-based guitar player); Yule-Time CD; Sleighride
The Roches; The Spirit of Christmas CD; For Unto Us a Child is Born

2006-12-11T14:54:00.000-08:00

December 10, 2006 A Different Take on Winter and Holiday Songs

I loathe the traditional holiday songs but enjoy the winter and holiday songs not often heard on the radio. The weather is getting cold in NC - with temperatures at night dipping down into the 20s and 30s but still delightful during the day and climbing into the 60s and sunny. I shared with people that this weekend is the convergence (only the appearance, of course) of the planets Mars, Mercury and Venice and will not be seen again for fifty years. I got up at 6:15 a.m. to view the line-up of the planets and was out the door by 6:30 only to find a bank of clouds in the E/SE horizon area where the planets were awaiting. I'm afraid I won't be able to wait 50 years but instead got to see a lovely sunrise. I thank my friends Susan & Richard for joining me in this yet again failed attempt on my part to see a dramatic sky event. I have no luck in such matters - but try galliantly.

My show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, features the unique sounds of NC jazz musicians current and of the past. Ideally, I like to have the musicians with me on Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST to share their music as played live in the studio. If you live in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill (North Carolina) area you can hear my show on WCOM at 103.5 fm. Or you can catch my show in realtime from anywhere in the world by going to the web and typing in www.communityradio.coop and click on the button in the upper righthand corner and you can hear the show. I have several musicians scheduled to be with me in January and Feb. of 2007. Please join me for a fun time.

Playlist for Melva's Musings on Jazz, December 10, 2006

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free
Mary Lou Williams (lived and died in Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; Turtle Speed Blues. I have a special commitment to playing the music of Mary Lou Williams. She is one of the all time great jazz piano players and yet you seldom hear her music with her playing the piano on jazz radio shows. That is a terrible pity and a diminishment of the genius she was and of the giant talent that she shared for decades.
Frankie Alexander (b. Concord, NC & lives Durham, NC) jazz vocalist & Scott Warner on piano (lived Chapel Hill, NC; a jazz professor at UNC-CH, performed throughout the area and is also a composer); Demo CD; Alone Together. Frankie has a new CD that will be released on Feb. 11th and she will be on my radio show on Feb. 4th to share her music.
Kathy Mattea; Good News CD; Good News
Eva Cassidy; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow
Ray Charles & Diana Krall; Genius Loves Company CD; You Don't Know Me
Aaron Neville; The Christmas Collection CD; Let It Snow & Such a Night
James Taylor (b. Durham, NC & grew up in Chapel Hill) & Natalie Cole; James Taylor at Christmas CD; Baby It's Cold Outside
Jamuna (lives Chatham County, NC); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Ray Charles; The Spirit of Christmas CD; Little Drummer Boy (as phone requested by Molly)
Spyro Gyro; Modern Jazz - Celebration of the Songs of theBeatles CD; In My Life
Yusef Salim (lives Durham, NC; singer, piano player, composer, teacher); Yusef Sings Yusef CD; A Hymn for Us All
Mahlon Hoard (sax player - lived many years in Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Pittsboro and now in NYC - good luck Mahlon), Tyson Rogers & Rick Lassiter; The Land Outside CD; Falling Arch
Billie Holiday; Songs of Lost Love CD; Body & Soul
Kevin Van Sant (Durham guitar player and composer) & Ben Palmer (Durham bass player); Sessions CD; All the Things You Are
Toshiko Akiyoshi; European Memoirs CD; Feast in Milano
Rhiannon Giddens (NC folk/old time music singer with Chocolate Drop); Beautiful Star (play by Preston Lane, a Greensboro-based playwrite with Triad Stage) CD; O Holy Night
Scott Warner (lived Chapel Hill for years, jazz piano player and composer); Mindfield CD; After the Deluge
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC) & John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); At Carnegie Hall CD; Crepuscule with Nellie. This is a song written for Thelonius Monk's wife, Nellie; and is a memory of Nellie at twilight.
Brian Horton (lives Durham, NC and teaches saxophone at NC Central University); The Best of Brian Horton CD; Freddy D
Billie Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free. I begin and end my show with this Taylor song - it remains a favorite of mine.

2006-12-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

December 3, 2006 Special Night of Nina Simone and Ray Charles

Melva's Musings on Jazz features the best of NC's jazz musicians of the present and the past, and much, much more. The radio show is broadcast from Carrboro, NC on WCOM, a community radio station (LP), and can be heard in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area at 103.5 fm every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST. Listen to the show live by web-broadcast by going to www.communityradio.coop and clicking on the button in the upper right hand corner. You can phone-in a request by calling during the show at 919 929-9601.

Playlist for Melva's Musings on Jazz

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free & I Love You Porgy
Ray Charles; Complete Set of Ray Charles (CD #3); Making Whoppy & Brightest Smile in Town & Can't Stop Loving You & Ole Man River & Your Cheating Heart
Sarah Vaughn with Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. Laurinburg, NC); Embraceable You CD; Sassy's Blues
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; Everyboy's Boppin' CD; Summertime & Moanin'
Billie Holiday; Greatest Hits CD; God Bless the Child & Crazy He Calls Me
Susana Baca; El Alma del Peru Negro CD; Maria Lando
Robert Griffin (Carrboro, NC on p); Check Leonard (NC drummer); Don Gladstone (Raleigh, NC-based bass player) Carter Minor (NC singer); Blue Spot in C Minor CD; Every Time We Say Goodbye
Eva Cassidy & Chuck Brown; The Other Side CD; Over the Rainbow & You Don't Know Me & Fever
Chet Baker; The Very Best of Chet Baker CD; My Funny Valentine
Ella Fitzgerald; Pure Ella CD; All the Things You Are
Nina Simone; Jazz Masters 17 CD; Don't Let me be Misunderstood & I Put a Spell on You & Mississippi God Damn
Frank Sinatra; Where Are You? CD; Don't Worry About Me

2006-11-30T14:52:00.000-08:00

November 26, 2006 Jazzy Joe Visits the Show
My son, Joe, was in town for the holidays from the Big Apple and came to my radio show to help me pick out some new songs. Melva's Musings on Jazz comes to you from Carrboro, NC on WCOM, 103.5 fm on the dial. We are low power, which means to get a good reception anywhere in the world, your best option is to go to the internet broadcast at www.communityradio.coop. My show features the best of NC's jazz musicians of the present and our past. Often I have jazz musicians on my show playing live music. I like to brag on North Carolina and say we have born and bred more great jazz musicians than any other state.

Please join me every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Ray Charles/Gladys Knight; Genius Loves Company CD; Heaven Help Us All
Billie Holiday; The Essential CD; One for My Baby
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Waiting at the Station
Frankie Alexander (b. Concord, NC; lives Durham, NC) jazz singer and Scott Warner (taught at UNC-Chapel Hill for ten years) jazz piano player, composer, teacher; Feeling LIke Someone in Love
Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. in Laurinburg, NC); Dizzier & Dizzier CD; You Stole My Wife, You Horsethief
Arturo Sandoval; Modern Jazz (Beatles music) CD; Blackbird
Bus Brown (lived Durham, NC for 10 yrs.) jazz singer, song writer, teacher; Story Teller album; Did You Thank Allah
Brother Yusuf Salim (lives Durham, NC) jazz piano player, singer, composer; Yusuf Sings Yusuf CD; Hymn to Us All
Max Roach (b. New Land, NC); 3/4 Time CD; Little Folks
Susan Reeves (Raleigh-based singer); Susan Reeves CD; You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
Mary Lou Williams (lived and died in Durham, NC); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues (with Cynthia Tyson vocalist; Durham blues singer)
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Hercules
Robert Griffin (Carrboro, NC) piano player, composer, teacher; NC: A State of Music CD; Killing Me Softly
Lola Youngman and the Dave Youngman Quartet (Greensboro, NC); This Can't Be Love CD; Peel Me a Grape
Al Green & Lyle Lovett; Rhythm/Country & Blues CD; Funny How Time Slips Away
Mahlon Hoard (Pittsboro, NC) saxaphonist & Tyson Rogers on piano; The Land Outside CD; Falling Arch
Sawyer-Goldberg (Durham-based jazz group) Jazzadelia CD; But Beautiful
Gabriel Pelli (violinist Carrboro-area) & Katharine Whalen (Durham-based singer); Europa Jazz CD; I Cover the Waterfront
Jamuna (Pittsboro-based singer); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Thelonius Monk (b. Rocky Mount, NC) & John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Thelonius Monk with John Coltrane CD; Epistrophy
Richard Tazewell (NC); Stairway to the Stars CD; You Go to My Head
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free

I start and end my show with the same song with a special emphasis on a great NC composer and two terrific NC performers. I begin my show with Nina Simone (Tryon, NC) singing the Billy Taylor song, I Wish I Knew How It Felt To Be Free, and end with Billy Taylor (Greenville, NC) playing his own song.

2006-11-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

November 19 - Susan X2 Birthday Show and Remembrances of Dizzy

Melva's Musings on Jazz radio show is heard each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST on WCOM (103.5 FM) out of Carrboro, NC. The show features the unique sounds of NC jazz musicians of the present and the past. Often the shows feature NC jazz musicians playing live in the WCOM studio. You can call into the show by dialing 919 929-9601. You can listen to the show by going to our web-broadcast at the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop. Click on the button in the upper righthand corner and you will be connected.

This weekend we celebrated the 50th birthday of Susan McDaniel and the 60th of Susan Neulist. Joining me in the studio for a follow-up birthday cheer, singing and dancing, were Richard and Susan Neulist, Susan's brother Allen and wife Maryland from Ithaca, NY and Bob and Patty (Richard's cousin) from Bath, Maine.

Playlist

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How It Felt To Be Free
Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. in Laurinburg, NC) & Marian McParland; Piano Jazz CD; Con Alma & On the Alamo
Dizzy Gillespie; Dizzy Gillespie Story CD; Boppin' The Blues & A Night in Tunisia
Scott Warner (was Chapel Hill based jazz piano performer, teacher, composer; WildMan Blues CD; Pine Apple Rag
Susan Reeves (Raleigh-based singer) with John Brown on bass & Dennis Brown on piano & Thomas Taylor on drums; Susan Reeves CD; The Nearness of You
Frankie Alexander (Durham-based jazz singer) & Scott Warner on piano; Vocals CD; Feeling Like Someone in Love
Jamuna (Chatham-based singer); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Adia Ledbetter (Durham-based singer) & Freeman Ledbetter on bass & Yusuf Salim on piano; Will Terrell on drums; and Raymond Codrington on trumpet; First Take CD; You Don't Know What Love Is
Mary Lou Williams (Durham/Duke University); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me; Blues for Peter
Al Neese (Greensboro-base bebop trumpet player); The Omen Seeker CD; Blue & Silver
Yusuf Salim (Durham-based piano player, singer, composer; Yusuf Sings Yusuf; A Hymn for Us All
The Beatles; The Beatles CD 2; Birthday

Elvis Presley; Platinum - A Life of Music CD; Blue Moon

The Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Cha Dooky-Do & Waiting at the Station

Professor Longhair; Rum and Coke CD; Gone So Long

Miles Davis; Porgy & Bess CD; Summertime & Bess, Oh Where's My Bess

Max Roach (b. New Land, NC); 3/4 Time CD; I'll Take Romance

Gabe Evens (Durham-based piano player & composer) Quartet; Mobius CD; Elle

Charlie Parker & Max Roach; Charlie Parker CD; I Remember You

Joao Gilberto & Grady Tate (b. Durham, drummer, singer); Amoroso/Brasil CD; Besame Mucho

Billy Taylor (b. Greenville) piano player, composer, teacher; Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to be Free

2006-11-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

November 12th Show - Melva's Musings on Jazz
Join me each Sunday night at www.communityradio.com from 7:00 - 9:00 EST or in the local Chapel Hil/Carrboro area at 103.5 fm; or give me a call at 919 929-9601. My show features the unique sounds of NC jazz from those of the past to those of the present.

Play List

Nina Simone (b. Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I knew How it Would Feel to be Free
Neville Brothers; Treacherous CD; Cha Dooky-Do
Mary Lou Williams/Cynthia Tyson (Durham-singer); My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues
Al Neese (Greensboro, NC); The Omen Seeker CD; Wood Heat
Adia Ledbetter (Durham-singer); First Take CD; You Don't Know What Love Is
Mietek Glinkowski/Alex Gorodezky (Raleigh-based musicians); Tango Cafe CD; Inverno Porteno
Tony Galiani/Greg Brink (Carrboro-based); Jazz CD; You and the Night & the Music
Gabriel Pelli (Carrboro-based); Europa Jazz; Black Orpheus
Joao Gilberto/Grady Tate (b. Durham, drummer); Amoroso/Brasil CD; S'Wonderful
Frankie Alexander (Durham-based singer)/Scott Warner (was Chapel Hill-based piano player, composer, educator, now in Bay Area); Jazz Vocals CD; Feeling Like Someone in Love
Brian Horton (Durham-based sax player, teacher at NC Central Univ.); The Best of Brian Horton CD; Freddy 'D
Jamuna (Chatham-based singer); The Innocence to Cry CD; Moscow Night
Max Roach (b. New Land, NC); 3/4 Time CD; Blues Waltz
Michael D. Jones (Chapel Hill-based piano player); It Makes You Wonder CD; Stella by Starlight
John Coltrane (b. Hamlet, NC); Lush Life CD; I Hear a Rhapsody
Kevin Van Sant (Durham-based guitar player) Mahlon Hoard (Chatham-based Sax player); on a whim CD; Stars Fell on Alabama
Dizzy Gillespie (Laurinburg, NC h.s. educated); Things to Come CD; Things to Come
Sawyer - Goldberg (Durham-based jazz group); Jazzadelia CD; Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
Brother Yusuf Salim (Durham-based piano player, singer, composer); Yusuf Sings Yusuf; A Hymn For Us All
Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis; Genius Loves Company CD; Over the Rainbow
Robert Griffin (Carrboro-based piano player); North Carolina - A State of Music CD; Killing Me Softly
Charlie Parker (with Dizzy Gillespie & Max Roach); Ken Burns Jazz CD; Ko-Ko
Dave Youngman Quartet (NC Jazz Group); Usual Suspects CD; Song for My Father
Billy Taylor (b. Greenville, NC); Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center CD; I Wish I Knew How It Felt to Be Free

2006-11-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

November 5, 2006 Melva's Musings and Much, Much More
As always, I invited friends to come join me in the studio - so thanks Susan, Richard, Joanne, and Bruce for coming by. And they came equipped with CD's and requested songs. So we moved a bit from my usual NC jazz music format and included the Beatles, Jimmy Cliff, Elvis and music from the CD - The Black Soul of Peru. My brother, John Fager, who is quite the NYC jazz fan, called me on the phone ( at WCOM 919 929-9601) to let me know he was listening and enjoying the show. And then Rocco called from Bath, NC to say 'hi'. I invite friends and jazz fans to stop by the studio in downtown Carrboro, or call in to send greetings and requests, or join me for my show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, on the web at www.communityradio.coop. And if you stop by, bring a jazz CD in hand with a special song you would like me to play - after all this is community radio.

I've been reading a lot of books about Dizzy Gillespie and much is written about his relationship with Charlie Parker. So I started my show off with Charlie Parker playing with other musicians who have NC roots.

There was a beautiful full moon tonight - which inspired the playing of Blue Moon!

November 5, 2006 Playlist

Nina Simone (from Tryon, NC); I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free; Anthology CD
Charlie Parker with Max Roach on drums (from New Land, NC); I Remember You; Charlie Parker CD
Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie (lived in Laurinburg, NC); KoKo; Charlie and Dizzy at Carnegie Hall CD
Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie & Max Roach; Anthropology; Ken Burns Jazz CD
Frankie Alexander (from Concord, NC & now Durham, NC) and Scott Warner on piano (lived in Chapel Hill for over 10 years); Like Someone in Love. Frankie has a new CD coming out soon!
Gabe Evens (Durham-based piano player, performer, teacher, and composer); Teach Me Tonight; Connection CD
Beatles; I Am the Walrus; Magical Mystery Tour CD
Jimmy Cliff; You Can Get It If You Really Want It; In Concert - the Best of Jimmy Cliff
Black Soul of Peru CD (last song)
Elvis Presley; Blue Moon; A Touch of Platinum CD
Professor Longhair; Gone So Long; Rum and Coke CD
Joao Gilberto with Grady Tate on drums (Grady is from Durham, NC); Besame Mucho; Amoroso/Brasil CD
Kevin Van Sant (Durham, NC guitarist) & Mahlon Hoard (Pittsboro NC sax player); Blue Monk; On a Whim
Ray Charles with Van Morrison; Crazy Love; Genius Loves Company CD
Al Neese (Greensboro, NC trumpet player) Quintet; Wood Heat; Omen Seeker CD
Bus Brown (jazz singer, teacher and composer; lived in Durham, NC for over 20 years); Did You Thank Allah?; Story Teller vinyl
Yusuf Salim (jazz piano player, singer and song writer; lives in Durham, NC); A Hymm For Us All; Yusuf Sings Yusuf CD
Sawyer - Goldberg (Durham-based jazz group); Black Orpheus; Jazzadelia CD
Mietek Glinkowski (Raleigh-based violinist) & Alexander Gorodezky (Raleigh-based guitarist); Libertango; Tango Cafe
Dizzy Gillespie (h.s. in Laurinberg, NC); Things to Come; Things to Come CD
Mary Lou Williams on piano (lived and died in Durham, NC) and singer Cynthia Tyson (a Durham-based singer); The Blues; My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD
Adia Ledbetter (Durham jazz singer); Route 66; First Take CD
Max Roach (drummer from New Land, NC); I'll Take Romance; 3/4 Time CD
Billy Taylor (Greenville, NC piano player, composer, performer, teacher); I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free; Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center CD

Please join me at www.communityradio.coop on WCOM for Melva's Musings on Jazz, every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00; community-powered lp radio but hp on the web!

2006-11-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

October 29, 2006 Groovin' High with Dizzy Gillespie and Friends
Tonight I celebrated the music and life of Dizzy Gillespie, who went to high school in Laurinburg, NC. I had two special guests in the studio with me - Suzie Wilde, a children's book reviewer; and T.J. Anderson, a leading 'classical' composer who pulls on jazz and other music genres. I was celebrating, albeit a little late, the birthday of Dizzy (October 21st). You can listen to my show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, on the internet by linking to me Sunday nights from 7:00-9:00 on www.communityradio.coop, and then click on the button in the upper righthand corner.

Suzie read a wonderful new children's book, Dizzy; while I interspersed the story with pieces of Dizzy's music (see play list below). This is a wonderful way for children to learn about both the lives of musicians and their music at the same time, creating a powerful and memorable synergy. Afterwards I interviewed T.J. Anderson about Dizzy. T.J. was head of the Music Department at Tufts and spent time in the clubs of NYC when the greats where exploring the new world and sounds of Bebop - such as Dizzy, Charlie Parker and Thelonius Monk. T.J. told wonderful stories retelling memories and fun times with Dizzy, while also describing the new Bebop sounds that Dizzy, and others, was birthing. T.J. is a walking, talking jazz history book told from personal experiences. I will have him come back to share his music.

October 29, 2006 Playlist

A Night in Tunisia; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
Salt Peanuts; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
Blue Rhythm Fantasy; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
Dizzy Atmosphere; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
Ko Ko; Charlie Parker & Dizzy; Ken Burns Jazz Series CD
You Stole My Wife You Horse Thief You; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
I'm Be Boppin' Too; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
Round Midnight; Dizzy and Marian McPartland; Piano Jazz with Dizzy CD
Opp-Bop-Sh'bam; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
BeBop; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1039-1950 CD
A Night in Tunisia; Dizzy & Marian McPartland; Piano Jazz with Dizzy CD
Manteca (Funky Lowlives Remix); Verve Remixed 2
More to Come; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
When I Grow Too Old to Dream; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD
Cherokee; Dizzy; The Dizzy Gillespie Story 1939-1950 CD

Happy Birthday, Dizzy - and thanks to Suzie Wilde and T.J. Anderson for making it such a special evening!

2006-11-06T14:43:00.001-08:00

October 15, 2006 NC Jazz via Poland, the Ukraine, and Mississippi
On my radio show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, on WCOM (103.5 fm - every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00) and available on the internet, I had guests on my show playing their music live in the studio - what a thrill. They played the most beautiful music from all over the world. My guests were Mietek Glinkowski (m_glinkowski@hotmail.com), originally from Poland and now living in Raleigh; Alexander Gorodezky, originally from the Ukraine and now also from Raleigh; and Julian from MS and PA and now living in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Mietek played both the 5-string vitar (an electric instrument which combines features of a violin and a guitar) and an electric violin. Alexander played the guitar and Julian played the flute and the alto saxophone.

Playlist for the October 15, 2006 Show

Free playing of different sounds of the Vitar - Mietek solo
Giant Steps by John Coltrane (Hamlet, NC) - Mietek solo
Oblivion by Astor Piazzola - Mietek on electric violin and Alex on electric guitar
Invierno Portegno (Winter) by Astor Piazzola - Mietek and Alex
Billie's Bounce by Charlie Parker - Mietek on the Vitar and Julian on flute
Autumn Leaves byJoseph Cosma/Johnny Mercer - Mietek on Vitar and Julian on flute
In a Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington - Mietek on violin, Alex on guitar, & Julian on alto sax
Fulano de Tal byDino Saluzzi - Mietek on electric violin, Alex on guitar, and Julian on flute
Verano Portegno (Summer) byAstor Piazzola - Mietek on violin and Alex on guitar

I look forward to having Mietek, Alex, and Julian back on my show!

2006-10-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2006 It's a Blustery Fall Day
My show, Melva's Musings on Jazz, is dedicated to playing the best of NC's jazz music - pulling both from our past and our current musicians. Join me on WCOM out of Carrboro, North Carolina.
Playlist

Nina Simone (born in Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; I Wish I Knew How it Felt to Be Free (theme song for my show)
Brother Yusef Salim (living in Durham, NC for last 25 years); Songs of Brother Yusef CD; songs A Hymm for Us All & Venus de Milo With Arms
Adia Ledbetter; First Take CD; Beautiful Love with Brother Yusef on piano, Freeman Ledbetter on bass, Raymond Codrington on trumpet, and Will Terrell on drums (Durham-based musicians)
Professor Longhair; Rum & Coke CD; 501 Boggie
Gabriel Pelli & Katharine Whalen (Triangle-based musicians); Europa Jazz CD; I cover the Waterfront
Chick Corea; My Spanish Heart CD; Armando's Rhumba
Alan Neese Quintet (musicians live in the Greensboro, NC area; Omen Seeker CD; Wood Heat
Frankie Alexander (Durham-based singer) & Scott Warner (lived and performed in greater Chapel Hill area for over ten; Jazz Vocalist CD; Feeling Like Someone in Love
Greg Brink (Triangle-based& Tony Galiani (Carrboro-based bass player); Jazz Duo CD; There is No Greater Love
Sawyer - Goldberg (all Durham-based musicians); Jazzadelia CD; Softly As In a Morning Sunrise
Gabe Evens Trio (Triangle-based musicians Gabe Evens on piano, John Brown on bass, and Bobby Cohen on Drums; Connection CD; Beep Bop
Kevin Van Sant (Durham-based guitar player) & Mahlon Hoard (Pittsboro-based sax player); On a Whim CD; Moonlight in Vermont
Michael D. Jones; It Makes You Wonder CD; Stella By Starlight
Bus Brown (lived in Durham for over 20 years, now in Baltimore and celebrating his 99th year); The Story Teller album; Did You Thank Allah
Joao Gilberto and Grady Tate on drums (he is from Durham); Amorosa/Brasil CD; Tin Tin Por Tin Tin
Max Roach (from New Land, NC); 3/4 Time CD; I'll Take Romance
Ray Charles & Van Morrison; Genius Loves Company CD; Crazy Love
Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie on piano (went to high school in Laurinburg, NC), Max Roach on drums (New Land, NC), Miles Davis on trumpet; Curly Russell on bass; Ken Burns Jazz CD- Charlie Parker; Anthropology
Robert Griffin (Carrboro-based piano player); NC: A State of Music CD; Killing Me Softly
Dizzy Gillespie; Ool-Ya-Koo CD; Ko Ko & Leap Here
Billy Taylor; Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center CD; I Wish I Knew How It Felt to be Free

Please join me again next week at communityradio.coop on Sunday from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST on WCOM and 103.5 on the dial

2006-10-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2006 Show of Melva's Musings on Jazz
I seemed to have the 'blues' going tonight with my choice of songs and mood. I played Blue Moon, Blues Waltz, The Blues, Blue Monk and Blue Salsa. My show features the sounds of NC jazz musicians.

Tonights playlist is:

Nina Simone (born in Tryon, NC); Anthology CD; theme song which I open and close my show with - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free by Billy Taylor from Greenville, NC.
Elvis Presley; A Touch of Platinum CD; Blue Moon. Elvis does not hail from NC but he certainly knows how to sing gospel and the blues - two vital tap roots of jazz; and I love his interpretation of this great song.
Aaron Neville; Nature Boy CD; Cry Me A River. I rarely miss the opportunity to throw into the mix a song by Aaron.
Max Roach (born in New Land, NC); 3/4 Time CD; Blues Waltz.
Lola Youngman; This Can't Be Love CD; I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You. Lola was accompanied by the Dave Youngman Quartet from Greensboro, NC.
Bus Brown; Story Teller record; It Never Was Always. Bus Brown is a 99-year young jazz singer, performer, teacher, composer and a fine generous-hearted man. He lived for over 10 years in Durham, NC and has returned to his hometown of Baltimore.
Mahlon Hoard (from NC and living in Chapel Hill) with Tyson Rogers and Rick Lassiter; The Land Outside CD; Falling Arch.
Brother Yusef Salim; The Songs of Yusef CD; A Humn For Us All. This plaintiff anti-war song is unfortunately a song for all seasons. The song is written and performed by Brother Yusef, who was originally from Baltimore but has lived and performed in the Durham area for the last 25 years.
Kevin Van Sant/Mahlon Hoard; On a Whim CD; Blue Monk. Kevin lives in Durham, NC.
Gabe Evens Trio with John Brown on bass and Bobby Cohen on drums; Connection CD; Blue Salsa. Gabe lives in Durham and is currently back in school to further his musical studies at the University of Miami.
Al Green & Lyle Lovett; Rhythm, Country & Blues CD; Funny How Time Slips Away. This is a wonderful CD that mixes artists from differing genres - check it out!
Sawyer-Goldberg; Jazzadelia CD; Black Orpheus. The group is from Durham, NC.
Mary Lou Williams; My Mama Pinned a Rose on Me CD; The Blues. Mary Lou Williams finished her life as a teacher, mentor and inspiration at Duke University in Durham, NC. On this song, she is accompanied by Cynthia Tyson, a Durham-based singer. I was saddened to hear that Ms. Tyson has passed away.
Frankie Alexander & Scott Warner; Jazz favorites demo: Feeling Like Someone in Love and Alone Together. Frankie is a jazz singer and resides and performs in the Triangle area of NC. She will have a new CD coming out in December, 2006. Scott Warner lived, taught, wrote and performed in the Triangle Area. He currently resides in Oakland, CA.
Joao Gilberto with Grady Tate on drums; Amoroso/Brazil CD; Besame Mucho. Grady Tate grew up in Durham, NC and attended there the North Carolina Central University.
Dizzy Gillespie; Ool-Ya-Koo CD; Cubana Be. Dizzy went to high school in Laurinberg, NC.
Al Neese; The Omen Seeker CD; Wood Heat. Al lives in Greensboro, NC.
Ray Charles; Genius Loves Company CD; You Don't Know Me with Diana Krall joining him on this song.
Robert Griffin; NC: A State of Music CD; Killing Me Softly. Robert lives in Carrboro, NC and performs in the greater Triangle area.
Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie/Max Roach; Charlie Parker; Ken Burns Series CD; Koko.
Chick Corea; My Spanish Heart CD; Day Danse. He will perform on Oct. 14th at Memorial Hall on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Tony Galiani on bass and Greg Brink on piano; jazz CD demo; There is No Greater Love. Tony lives in Carrboro, NC and was a primary volunteer who helped organize the jazz sector of the Carrboro Music Festival. Thanks, Tony!
Billy Taylor; Taylor Made CD; I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free. Billy Taylor is from Greenville, NC. I begin and end my show with his song.

Please join me on the web for a webstreaming version of my show which comes to you live from the WCOM studio in downtown Carrboro at www.communityradio.coop. Just click on the button in the upper-righthand corner and you'll be connected. My show is every Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST.

2006-10-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

September 24, 2006 "Happy Birthday, John Coltrane!"
I celebrated the music and birthday (September 23th) of jazz legend John Coltrane. John was born in Hamlet, North Carolina. Half of my playlist consisted of his recordings and the other half were songs of the NC jazz artists who performed at the Carrboro Music Festival on Septeber 24th. Please join us next year for the Music Festival and a wonderful day in Carrboro.

I want to thank my young d.j. assistants of Erin, Heather, Nell, and Molly who helped me in the studio. Please join me by web-broadcast by going to www.communityradio.coop. My show is on every Sunday night from 7:00-9:00 EST and features the music of NC jazz musicians - past and present.