Monday, October 7
Throughout this week, Night Train pays tribute to Richard Wyands and Larry Willis, two master pianists with long and celebrated careers that found them working on scores of recordings as sidemen. Tonight we’ll hear Wyands as part of legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb’s Mobb and Willis working the keyboardist, composer and band leader Carla Bley. Night Train also continues the October Centennial Birthday feature with music from Art Blakey’s percussion extravaganza from the late ‘50s, Orgy in Rhythm, and marks birthdays of drummer Jo Jones, Cuban pianist and composer Alfredo Rodriguez, and jazz organ modernist Larry Young (who is also the subject of a special in hour two of the show).
Tuesday, October 8
Jazz has become an international language and Night Train offers some proof tonight with jazz pianists from around the world – including Italy’s Stefano Bollani, Brazil’s Antonio Adolfo, the Dominican Republic’s Michel Camilo, Germany’s Florian Hoefner, Turkey’s Fahir Atakoglu, and Japan’s Hiromi.
We’ll also hear American pianists Chick Corea and Randy Weston, who both incorporated influences from around the world in their work, and a tribute to legendary pianist Bill Evans from Paul Motian on an album with no piano.
Wednesday, October 9
A busy night on the Night Train with birthday salutes to Amy Cervini (doing a song written about John Lennon who was also born on this date), vibes player Dave Samuels, multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef, Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes (doing a song in tribute to his father, another master Cuban pianist, who shared a birth date with his son) and South African pianist and 2019 NEA Jazz Master Abdullah Ibriahim (who will be featured in a special on South African jazz in hour two of the show).
Thursday, October 10
Night Train marks birthdays of Thelonious Monk (including music he did with October featured artist Art Blakey and a special about his early years with the Blue Note label in hour two of the show), Monk Montgomery (Wes Montgomery’s brother), pianist Junior Mance, and trumpeter Brad Goode. Plus new releases and some final selections in our week-long tribute to pianists Richard Wyands and Larry Willis
