Monday, July 29
Night Train marks birthdays of jazz guitarists Charlie Christian (with Benny Goodman and the Metronome All Star Nine) and Joe Beck (with John Abercrombie and Miles Davis). Speaking of Miles, as Night Train continues to explore music from artists involved in the original Birth of the Cool sessions for the July feature, a special in hour two focusing on the first great quintet Miles put together after Birth of the Cool. We’ll also hear Gerry Mulligan from the piano-less quartet he put together with Chet Baker after the Cool sessions – plus new music from Wynton Marsalis and a previously unreleased live date from Stan Getz just out almost six decades after it was first recorded.
Tuesday, July 30
In conjunction with the July Birth of the Cool feature, Night Train features music of Gil Evans this evening. We’ll hear one of the tracks he co-wrote and arranged on Birth of Cool, along with music from the Gil Evans Orchestra Plays Jimi Hendrix, another album he did with Miles Davis (Miles Ahead), a duets project he recorded with another Birth of the Cool alum, Lee Konitz, and a Jazz Profiles special about Gil Evans in hour two of the show. Plus we remember Kevin Mahogany on his birthday and hear new music from Pete Coco, Jim Snidero, and Yoko Miwa.
Wednesday, July 31
Night Train joins in with Global Village to celebrate Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day with music featuring some instruments uncommon to jazz , including pipa (from Dongfeng Lui’s China Caribe), tabla (with Michael Wolff, whose birthday it is today), violin (Regina Carter with another birthday artist, guitarist Stanley Jordan), harp (Carol Robbins) , and bottles, balloons and more (courtesy of Yusef Lateef). We’ll also hear the uncommon jazz instruments of banjo and harmonica from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, with Howard Levy on harmonica and also on his birthday, including a performance featuring the group at the Savannah Music Festival in hour two of the show. Plus new music from the Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Tierney Sutton, and Charlie Apicella & Iron City.
Thursday, August 1
Night Train wraps up the week with some jazz guitarists – including Al DiMeola, Pat Metheny, Paco de Lucia, Steve Masakowski, Will Bernard, Julian Lage, Melvin Sparks, Joe Pass, and George Benson.
