Monday, May 4
Night Train kicks off the May feature celebrating centennial birthdays of pianist, composer and Modern Jazz Quartet co-founder John Lewis, and singer and songwriter Peggy Lee. The show also marks birthdays of jazz bass great Ron Carter (heard with Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, and as a leader) and drummer Dan Brubeck (Dave’s son and a co-leader of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet). We’ll also hear new music from pianist Aaron Diehl (with a classic John Lewis composition), tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander (with strings), the Calle Loisa Jazz Project (with new Latin jazz arrangements of jazz standards), Kansas City contemporary soul jazz band Guitar Elation, and the neo-Hot Club stylings of Pearl Django.
Tuesday, May 5
Tonight’s Night Train features male jazz singers, including hitmaker Joe Williams, vocalese masters Jon Hendricks (with Kurt Elling) and Eddie Jefferson, soundscape painter Bobby McFerrin, the wry Bob Dorough, Ben Sidran and Mose Allison, and rising stars Gregory Porter and Allan Harris.
Wednesday, May 6
Night Train joins Global Village and Strange Currency tonight in a celebration of World Accordion Day. We’ll hear some inventive players in hour one, including Gil Goldstein and Richard Galliano, accordion bands like the Bester Quartet and Martin Taylor’s Spirit of Django, and new music from accordion-inclusive acts Pearl Django and Bismut & Minardi.
Thursday, May 7
Because we could all use some right now, Night Train features ‘good vibes’ tonight. We’ll hear legendary and up-and-coming vibes players including Milt Jackson (as part of the Modern Jazz Quartet with May featured artist John Lewis), Bobby Hutcherson, Khan Jamal, Lolly Allen, Gary Burton, and Dave Samuels. Plus music from singers Peggy Lee (also featured this month for her centennial birthday), Ray Charles, Alexis Cole, and Shirley Horn, and the latest from Michael Wolff, Joey Alexander, Oded Tzur, and Kandace Springs.
