Jazz 91 Blog

Sonny Simmons – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 26 Feb

Ron Lee — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:01:12 +0000

Sonny Simmons has been playing saxaphone since the 60s. Back then he was a leading musician in the free jazz movement. Since then he has reinvented himself as expressed in his current album Last Man Standing. He will be speaking with Greg Bridges about his current project and music.

Find out more about Sonny at his web site

http://www.sonnysimmons.org/index.html

Dr. Pascal Bokar Thiam – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 19 Feb

Ron Lee — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:30:26 +0000

Dr. Pascal Bokar Thiam teaches world music and jazz at University of San Francisco and the French American school by day. He is also a jazz vocalizt, guitarist and composer. Somewhere in between he runs the award winning Savannah Jazz Club in SF and Savannah Jazz records. He will be chatting with Kathleen Lawton about his music and numerous projects.

For a broader account of Pascal’s activities check out this article in the San Jose Mercury News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_19675458

David Murray – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 12 Feb

Ron Lee — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:11:06 +0000

Saxaphonist David Murray will be chatting with Alisa Clancy about his music and new CD, Nat King Cole en Espanol. David a native of Oakland currently resides in Portugal. During his career he was a founding member of World Saxaphone Quartet and has played with many world class musicians.

A quote from his web site on his new album:

This is a heartfelt love letter to one of the great figures in popular music who was nonetheless a phenomenally gifted jazz musician. Nat ‘King’ Cole had a piano technique that belied the gilt edged romanticism of his voice, yet it was as a singer that he achieved worldwide fame. One of Cole’s most charming recordings were the 1958 and 1962 albums, Cole Español and More Cole en Español, recorded in Havana and featuring Spanish lyrics. Now, more than 50 years after its release, saxophonist David Murray, a contemporary jazz great, reprises Cole Español as Cole ‘En Español’, in the company of a Cuban string band, giving the original repertoire a lush sonic canvas full of shimmering, sensual hues.

You listen to tracks from the album at his My Space page at

http://www.myspace.com/davidmurraymusic

Roger Glenn – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 5 Feb

Ron Lee — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:39:26 +0000

Roger plays the sax, flute, vibraphone and percussion in his group the Roger Glenn Latin Jazz Ensemble.Born in NY he is the son of Tyree Glenn, who was photographed in A Great Day in Harlem by Art Kane. Roger currently play around the Bay Area and often tours in Europe. You can hear his current music on his MySpace page at:

http://www.myspace.com/rogerglenn

Robin D.G. Kelley – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 29 Jan

Ron Lee — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:29:08 +0000

Robin is the author of “Thelonius Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original” that was published in 2009 and recently released in paperback. This biography of Thelonius Monk explored his life and career as one of the most prominent jazz musicians. It is a great read especially if you couple it with his recordings. Robin is currrently a professor at Univerisity of Southern California and University of California at Los Angeles. Robin will be visiting with Chris Cortez.

Joyce Randolph – Im’ Talkin’ Jazz 22 Jan

Ron Lee — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:41:45 +0000

Come hear Joyce Randolph talk about her music and tell her stories. Joyce currently sings with several local gospel church groups and teaches piano to sixty students in San Jose. Recently she did a concert in San Jose and the SJ Mercury News told her story( http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_19064475 ). Be sure to check out her music on her web site at http://www.joycerandolph.com/audio.htm . The audio clips from June 5, 2010 are not to be missed.

Michel Zilber – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 15 Jan

Ron Lee — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:07:18 +0000

Michel just completed his new CD “Shot Through with Beauty” with the John Stowall Michel Zilber Quartet. In addition he was just at Piedmont Piano in Oakland with his trio. Come here what he has to say about all his projects and fun stuff that is going on.

From his bio:

Michael Zilber, whom jazz legend Dave Liebman calls “one of the best composers and players around anywhere, period!” was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. He moved to Boston in his late teens and to New York City in his early twenties. He has performed and/or recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Smith, Sonny Stitt, Liebman, Miroslav Vitous, Bob Berg, Eddie Henderson, Fareed Haque, Geoff Keezer, Donald Harrison, John Handy, Dave Douglas, Rachel Z, James Genus, Rodney Holmes, John Stowell and Barry Finnerty, among many others.

His current recordings and working groups include the Origin Records releases “Shot Through With Beauty” a co-led quartet with guitar great John Stowell and “The Billy Collins Project. Eleven on Turning Ten, settings of eleven poems by the American Poet Laureate, both of which have received much critical acclaim and radio airplay. As well, there is a CD nearing release with the all-star Bay Area Jazz Collective known as Happy Hour. Zilber is also a member of the Jazzschool Institute quartet, the first faculty group to represent the Jazzschool Institute. He also heads up Weather Wayne, a group of leading Bay Area musicians dedicated to honoring the music of Waye Shorter’s electric period from 1969-1999. Last but not least, Zilber has just begun a project called Mikey Z and the Midlife Crisis, a band playing heartfelt and quirky singer-songwriter originals he has written in the spirit of Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello. John Lennon, Randy Newman and other skeptical idealists.

Celia Ihne – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 8 Jan

Ron Lee — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:51:41 +0000

Celia Ihne is the host of open mike night at the Berkeley City Club on Durant Ave in Berkeley. The Berkeley City Club is a wonderful building designed by the architect of Hearst Castle, Julia Morgan. Open Mike night happens on Monday’s. Tune in and see what Celia is working on and what projects are in the works.

Ed Reed – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 1 Jan

Ron Lee — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 01:13:16 +0000

Ed Reed has had a long hard life. He grew up in Watts in LA during the 30s and 40s. A heroin addiction cost him several stints in San Quentin and Folsom prisons. Ed’s first recording were released in 2007. Today Ed sings and teaches at the Jazz School in Berkeley. He performs mostly in the Bay Area but will be at Sculler’s in Boston in Jan. Come here his stories on I’m Talkin’ Jazz.

Curtis Fuller – I’m Talkin’ Jazz 25 Dec

Ron Lee — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:44:45 +0000

A friend of mine shared this track with me on Facebook. It is real nice.

Five Spot After Dark – Curtis Fuller

Curtis Fuller has had a long and rich jazz career playing trombone. He has been a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Dizzy Gillespie’s band, Count Basie’s band and more. Now in his 70′s he leads his own group and is releasing his new CD “I Will Tell Her”, a tribute to his late wife.

A traditional hard bop player Curtis has been named a NEA Jazz Master in 2007. Read his interview at

Curtis Fuller NEA Jazz Master interview