Monday 1.8.24
SPECIAL: A special edition of Night Train as we pay tribute to Les McCann, who passed away at the end of December. We’ll hear music from the pianist, composer, singer, bandleader, soul jazz pioneer and early jazz electronic keyboardist with music from across his career – from his debut album to a solid set of previously unreleased live performances that just came out in December. Along the way we’ll hear selections from his classic albums, guest appearances he made with Groove Holmes, Lou Rawls, Stanley Turrentine, and Herbie Mann, work he did with Eddie Harris, Joe Alterman’s tribute to Les (a 2023 Night Train favorite), and a sneak preview of the 50th anniversary album from the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble with a cover of McCann’s big hit, “Compared to What.”
Tuesday 1.9.24
Tuesday on the Night Train, we mark birthdays of singer Betty Roche and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli (featured in a concert special in hour two of the show); continue our January Feature celebrating centennial birthdays of J.J. Johnson and Max Roach with some music they did together; hear recently and previously unreleased concert performances from both Les McCann and Cal Tjader; and check out music recorded on this date from Dizzy Gillespie and Brad Mehldau.
Wednesday 1.10.24
SPECIAL: A special edition of Night Train as we mark the centennial birthday of January Featured Artist, bebop pioneer, master drummer, record label owner, and activist Max Roach. We’ll hear some of the earliest recordings he did with Coleman Hawkins; pioneering bebop with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, and Miles Davis; a performance from the legendary Jazz at Massey Hall concert that was released on Debut, a label Roach started with Mingus; later music with his revolutionary all-percussion M’Boom ensemble; work he did with the Uptown String Quartet, which featured his daughter Maxine; and in a special in hour two exploring his life and work.
Thursday 1.11.24
Tonight on the Night Train, it’s “Tenors of Our Time” as we highlight contemporary tenor saxophone players and contemporary releases from veteran tenor players. We’ll hear music from Roy Hargrove’s Tenor of Our Times album with special guest Stanley Turrentine, Bob Mintzer with the WDR Big Band, alto player Eric Person with tenor veteran Houston Person (no relation), the Joey DeFrancesco album that featured his first time on record playing tenor, Charles Lloyd with his modern Marvels lineup, a tribute to John Coltrane from tenor man Dave Wilson, and tenor player Javon Jackson with music from the Lucky 13 album he did with the late, great Les McCann.
