Throughout July, Night Train hosts a summer jazz fest with the best in live jazz recordings done at famous festivals like Newport and Montreux, acclaimed jazz tours like Jazz at the Philharmonic, and legendary jazz clubs and concert halls.
Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of jazz is its use of improvisation - and there is no place it is better on display than in live performance. Not surprisingly as well, some of the finest recordings by jazz artists past and present are those that captured live performances. Summers are especially great times for live jazz as festivals large and small as well as a variety of smaller events are always on tap.
"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" - swingin' it live here are Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Jo Jones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaGmKpMOjFU
Duke Ellington live in Berlin with his signature tune, "Take the A Train"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7xCnhEYk9U
We'll highlight legendary live recordings from jazz masters like Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dave Brubeck, along with recent and new live sets, and a number of concert specials, including music from the Detroit Jazz Festival, Savannah Music Festival and more.
Eddie Harris and Les McCann with their classic, "Compared to What"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzvlivbptXk
See the weekly Night Train show listings for details and join us Monday through Thursday nights at 10 p.m. for the best live jazz on record throughout July here on KMUW.
