Jazz

Singer Keely Smith. She has been called “The Queen of Swing” and “the First Lady of Las Vegas”. Smith is perhaps best known as the duet partner and wife of Louis Prima. Smith and Prima drew crowds to the lounges of Las Vegas in the 1950s. Their hits include “Jump, Jive, an’ Wail,” “Just a Gigolo,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “That Old Black Magic.” Smith talks about her marriage to Prima, the music they made together, and her career. Smith has just released a new CD called Swing Swing Swing

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews “Tenor & Fallen Angels” (hatology) the new reissue by Joe McPhee.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "Life Overflowing" (Nada) featuring John Tchicai (Chick-EYE) and Charlie Kohlhase (COAL-hass) and "The Eternal Hang" (Accurate) featuring Dave Bryant.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews “The Complete Django Reinhardt and Quintet of the Hot Club of France Swing/HMV Sessions 1936-1948 (Mosaic Records of Stamford Connecticut, mail-order)

Jazz mandolinist Don Stiernberg (STEERN-berg). Stiernberg is a 20 year veteran of music and studied under the jazz mandolinist Jethro Berns. His new jazz mandolin album is called “About Time” and is the debut album on a new label. (Blue Night Records, P.O. Box 4951, Skokie, IL 60076-4951, e-mail: HYPERLINK "http://www.bluenightrecords.com" www.bluenightrecords.com. Also available thru Amazon.com)

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new solo piano CD by Keith Jarrett. It’s called “The Melody at Night, with You.”

World Music critic Milo Miles shares the story of Savoy Records, an independent label that specialized in jazz, R&B, and gospel from the 1940s to the 60s.

Fresh Air Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the Marcus Roberts Trio CD "In Honor of Duke."

We feature an interview with singer/Hollywood legend Rosemary Clooney. She will talk about her life as a singer and performer. We will also listen to songs from throughout her career. Her new autobiography, called Girl Singer, reads like a who's who from the golden age of Hollywood. She has also released a CD companion to the book. Its called Songs from the Girl Singer.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews "The Sweetest Punch" (Decca) guitarist Bill Frisell's new CD featuring the music of Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, and featuring Elvis Costello himself.

1999 also marks the centennial of Duke Ellington's birth. Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews four notable reissued recordings of Ellington's featured sidemen; all on the RCA label: "Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi," "Wild Bill Davis and Johnny Hodges in Atlantic City," "Paul Gonsalves: Ellingtonia Moods and Blues," and "C-Jam All-Stars: Diminuendo, Crescendo and Blues".

We remember jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie. He died Monday at the age of 58 from liver cancer. Bowie was a founding member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, founded in 1969. Bowie was known for his flamboyant performing, his sense of humor and theatrics, and his off kilter interpretations of R&B classics. (REBROADCAST from 11/3/89) (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES AFTER THE FLOATER).

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the 4 CD box set "Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles (1921-1956)" (Rhino).

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson died from liver cancer. He played with Earl Hine's big band, and Dizzy Gillespie's. He took his style not from another vibraphonist but from Charlie Parker, and was the first bona fide bebop musician on the vibraphone. Jackson also recorded music with Thelonious Monk. And in 1952 he co-founded the Modern Jazz Quartet, pulled from Gillespie's rhythm section, which stayed together for over 20 years. (REBROADCAST from 1983)

Jazz bassist Charlie Haden. His newest release with his Quartet West is "The Art of The Song" (Verve). Haden formed the quartet to play the music of the 1940s and early 50s. He's worked with jazz musicians Art Pepper, Paul Bley, Ornette Coleman. And he's recorded with many artists including Abbey Lincoln, Bill Frisell, Joshua Redman, Rick Lee Jones, and others.

Jazz bassist Charlie Haden. His newest release with his Quartet West is "The Art of The Song" (Verve). Haden formed the quartet to play the music of the 1940s and early 50s. He's worked with jazz musicians Art Pepper, Paul Bley, Ornette Coleman. And he's recorded with many artists including Abbey Lincoln, Bill Frisell, Joshua Redman, Rick Lee Jones, and others.

We remember jazz musician Art Farmer. He died on Monday at the age of 71 from heart failure. Farmer was an important second-generation be-bop musician, and also known for his warm tone and lovely ballads on the trumpet and fluegelhorn. He worked with bands led by Wardell Gray, Horace Silver, and Gerry Mulligan. In the 1950s he formed the Jazztet, a sextet with saxophonist Benny Golson, and they wrote many compositions together. (REBROADCAST from 7/21/87)

Bassist and singer Josh Haden is Charlie's son. After years of playing punk, he founded the trio "Spain" and their 1995 debut album "Blue Moods of Spain" was critically acclaimed. Their new album is "She Haunts My Dreams" (Restless Records). The music on their new CD has been described as "languid," "melancholy" and "cabaret-ready country music."

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new album by singer/pianist Diana Krall, "When I Look in Your Eyes" (Verve), and the reissue by Nat King Cole, "After Midnight: The Complete Session" (Capitol Jazz).

Trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas doesn't like to categorize music. He's currently fronting seven ensembles, of varying compositional, improvisational and instrumental styles, including the Dave Douglas String Group, the Tiny Bell Trio, and the Sextet. He's been a sideman with Don Byron, Myra Melford and Uri Caine. Douglas has many compositions and recordings to his credit. His latest recordings are "Songs for Wandering Souls" (Winter & Winter) by the Tiny Bell Trio, and "Convergence" (Soul Note) by the Dave Douglas String Group.