Monday 1.14.19
Night Train begins the week with birthday celebrations for Mark Egan (with guitarists Pat Metheny and Larry Coryell), trumpeter Kenny Wheeler (as a leader and as part of the Dave Holland Quintet), master drummer Grady Tate (with Milt Jackson and Jimmy Smith), and also legendary Crescent City pianist, composer and producer Allen Toussaint. Plus more for the January Best of 2018 feature, including a tribute to baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett, a previously unreleased early live album from guitarist Grant Green, 2018 releases from pianists Lewis Porter and Brad Mehldau, and the long-awaited return of drummer Leon Parker.
Tuesday 1.15.19
Night Train highlights contemporary guitarists – including the ‘big three’ – Bill Frisell, John Scofield and Pat Metheny – along with Gilad Hekselman, Bireli Lagrene and more. Plus singers Joyce Moreno and Kim Nalley, saxophonists John Ellis and Kirsten Edkins, pianist Joey Calderazzo, and singer, actress and comedian Lea DeLaria’s jazz tribute to David Bowie.
Wednesday 1.16.19
We’ve got trumpets tonight on the Night Train, including 2018 releases (for the January Best of 2018 feature) from Jeremy Pelt with Jim Snidero, Wynton Marsalis with 2018 NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves, the 2018 Final Tour set from Miles Davis with John Coltrane, Brad Goode, Thomas Marriott, Randy Brecker, Al Muirhead (on bass trumpet), and music from two trumpeters who passed away last year – Roy Hargrove and Tomasz Stanko. We’ll also hear Clark Terry on Varitone trumpet, Oscar Peterson with ‘Trumpet King’ Roy Eldridge, the legendary Louis Armstrong, Buck Clayton and Donald Byrd.
Thursday 1.17.19
Night Train celebrates birthdays of singers Cheryl Bentyne (of Manhattan Transfer fame) and Eartha Kitt (of Catwoman fame), saxophonist Billy Harper, and pianists Cedar Walton and Cyrus Chestnut. We’ll hear Walton on a classic with Eddie Harris and Chestnut on one of the show’s picks for favorites of 2018. Chestnut is also featured in hour two in a ‘Late Night Jazz Jam’ from the Savannah Music Festival with an all-star lineup that also included Christian McBride, Wycliffe Gordon, Jason Marsalis and more. We’ll also get to a couple of Grammy nominees as part of the January Best of 2018 feature – this time from Steve Gadd and Raul Midon, and remember Kellye Gray who passed away at the end of the year.
