Monday, April 4
Night Train kicks off the April Centennials feature with music from one of four artists born 100 years ago this month – harmonica player, guitarist, and master whistler Toots Thielemans. We’ll hear music from his Brasil Project in hour one and his performance as part of Savannah Music Festival Brazilian Duets concert special in hour two of the show. We’ll also mark the birthdays of pianists Benny Green and Michel Camilo, baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan, and hear the latest releases from pianist Art Hirahara, guitarist Bruce Forman, and pianist Jeremy Monteiro with organist Alberto Marsico.
Tuesday, April 5
Night Train celebrates the birthday of soul-jazz sax great Stanley Turrentine tonight with an early classic, the music he did with organist Shirley Scott, a CTI opus and a Jazz Profiles special in hour two of the show. We’ll also remember singer Barbara Morrison and check out new music from the Scott Silbert Big Band, David Finck, and Blue Moods (with a tribute to April featured artist Charles Mingus).
Wednesday, April 6
It’s the birthday today of pianist André Previn. We’ll hear him in hour one with one of our four centennial birthday featured artists, Mundell Lowe, and in a special in hour two of the show. We also mark birthdays of baritone sax great Gerry Mulligan, piano giant Randy Weston, and veteran drummer Arthur Taylor. Tonight’s new music comes from pianist Michael Weiss, singer Lady Blackbird, and trumpeter Farnell Newton.
Thursday, April 7
Night Train continues the April feature celebrating several jazz centennial birthdays this month – tonight with music from pianist and composer Duke Jordan. We’ll also hear new music from Latin jazz saxophonist Diego Rivera, fusion guitarist Lee Heerspink, and drummer Louis Hayes. And there are birthday salutes tonight to trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, percussionist Mongo Santamaría (featured this month in the Global Village), pianist and composer Victor Feldman, and legendary singer Billie Holiday (featured in a special in hour two of the show).
