Jazz by George

by | Feb 27, 2026 | Quartet/Quintet

George Benson has been described as one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history. He started out as a singer, and quickly added the strings of guitarist and songwriter to his musical bow, making an indelible mark in soul, pop, and R&B genres as well as jazz. George first came to prominence during the 1960s, playing with organist Brother Jack McDuff and other prominent musicians before beginning his solo career. Here, at the age of only 21, he joins McDuff at the Antibes Jazz Festival in 1964 … along with Red Holloway on tenor sax and Joe Dukes on drums in their rendition of It Ain’t Necessarily So. Quite a departure from the later, more familiar Benson sound (like “This Masquerade” and “Give Me the Night”). Altogether, He collected no fewer that 10 Grammy Awards during his illustrious career!

Three’s a Charm!

by | Feb 21, 2026 | Big Band, Orchestral

Ella, Ray, and Pete have the blues! Pete Kelly’s Blues may just be the greatest jazz motion picture of all time … featuring appearances by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee (who received an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress), with much of the music played by Matty Matlock. Pete Kelly’s Blues‘ main title is performed here by Ray Anthony, who accompanies Ella’s vocal with a trumpet that captures the essence of the film. Fitzgerald follows with her rendition of Hard Hearted Hannah –– hear and see her original clip from the movie in our June 9, 2017 post.

Maiden Voyage – Herbie Hancock

by | Feb 13, 2026 | Sextet

The history of jazz is often told through the exploits of its firestarters, outsized personalities like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and pianist/composer Herbie Hancock … one of the most adept and creative of the sound-sculpting facilitators.  Maiden Voyage is the product of both his genius and his willingness to experiment with fresh, new sound ideas.  It is, arguably, his peak solo statement from the 1960s, some would say along with his compositions of Dolphin Dance and Watermelon Man, (our June 1, 2018 post) two tunes which have also become jazz classics. Herbie is joined here by Brian Blade on drums, Randy Brecker playing trumpet, Ravi Coltrane on tenor saxophone, James Genus on bass and Zakir Hussain playing tabla, as part of the “International Jazz Day 2022” All-Star Global Concert.

It’s June in February

by | Feb 6, 2026 | Big Band, Vocal

Although she was the epitome of the vocal cool movement of the 1950s, June Christy was a hypnotically warm vocalist, whose audiences either loved her or were confused by her unusual, sometimes off-key phrasing. She was able to stretch out her impressive voice on uptempo swing tunes, as well as on laid back ballads, and set herself apart from other vocalists with her deceptively simple enunciation. Midnight Sun originally an instrumental composed by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke in 1947 –– now considered a jazz standard –– receives a very gentle yet powerful interpretation by June when she was with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. For more June Christy and further examples of the versatility that made her one of the top jazz vocalists of the 50’s era, see our post of September 19, 2019, “June Christy and Friends.”

String Along with Lowe

by | Jan 30, 2026 | Solo/Duo

Mundell Lowe is, arguably, the most successful jazz guitarist of his era. He routinely performed with such luminaries as Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Sarah Vaughn, and many others. For more than seven decades, he was a major name on the jazz circuit, not only as a much in demand side man, but with his own group as well … in addition to composing scores and soundtracks for a myriad of films and television shows!

Mundy was a quietly elegant guitarist, easy to listen to, with a cool but surging swing. That quality is particularly evident on Nancy with the Laughing Face, a tune popularized by the great Frank Sinatra, where he is joined by his good friend Irish guitarist Louis Stewart.

The Art of Van Damme

by | Jan 23, 2026 | Quartet/Quintet

Usually, the accordion takes about as much heat as a Christmas fruitcake … and, as a jazz instrument, may be reminiscent of the first guy who looked at a lobster and thought, “Food!” But Art Van Damme changed all that. He dared go where no man had gone before, and became known as “the hippest cat ever to swing an accordion.” Evidence his treatment of Durham and Battle’s Topsy, with his quintet in 2004 during the annual TIM Festival. With Art playing accordion, Steve Homan on guitar, Jon Ericksen on vibes, Rich DeLabio playing drums, and John Witalla on bass, they dazzled the Brazilian audience with their gentle, yet swinging sound.

For Bud

by | Jan 16, 2026 | Quartet/Quintet

“Bud” Powell was a pioneer in the development of bebop and its associated contributions to jazz theory, as well as a major influence on pianist Chick Corea. Chick salutes that influence with his composition simply called Bud Powell. It features Kenny Garrett (as), Christian McBride (b), and Roy Haynes (d), as well as Corea, who made his own contributions to the jazz idiom with his considerable participation in the birth of fusion, particularly during the 1970s with the formation of his group Return to Forever.

E-e-e-gadd!

by | Jan 9, 2026 | Big Band

Music not only cuts across lines of language and transcends boundaries of nations, but timelessly conquers barriers of age as well. Here, in the twilight of their careers, are some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and they haven’t lost a step … or a lip, or a note! Steve Gadd (d), Eddie Gomez (b), and Ronnie Cuber (bs) join Michael Abene conducting the WDR Big Band for Che Ore So, a tune written by Pino Daniele. The song is from their “Center Stage” album, which was nominated for the 2023 Grammy in the category “Best Large Jazz Ensemble”.

For Times Gone By

by | Dec 31, 2025 | Big Band, Holiday, Vocal

More than once I have said that it’s okay to look back, just be careful not to stare. Remember we are celebrating “out with the old” and “in with the new.” To set the mood for The Holiday, I’ve brought Days of Auld Lang Syne forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page. It features everything from an ear toward the great dance bands of the 30s and 40s, to my 1989 interview with Fay Wray –– the lady who did all that screaming in the classic horror film “King Kong” –– and, at last, I have a reasonable explanation of just what the heck Auld Lang Syne actually means. All this is to offer my sincerest wishes for a most Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year!

Days Of Auld Lang Syne

by Fred Masey | Jazz Scene Podcast

For Times Square New Years Eve ball drop watchers I’ve assembled a montage of ‘drops’ from years gone by, right through the new millennium. Next, Kenny G returns with Auld Lang Syne as the background for an historical retrospective, to which I’ve added an opening door to infinity, reminding us that somewhere out in space, all the material ever broadcast is still hanging around!

It’s Christmas!

by | Dec 23, 2025 | Audio, Soundtrack, Video

Arguably, the greatest Christmas movie ever made is Irving Berlin’s star-studded White Christmas.  The video (above) is the grand finale from that motion picture, guaranteed to catapult you into the Christmas spirit … in case you’re not already there.  Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney appeared in full-throated splendor, while Vera Ellen––whose real strength was in her dancing––had her singing dubbed by a young lady named Trudy Stevens; the only exception was the “Sisters” duet, where Rosie Clooney sang both parts! Below (left) is Snow, another Irving Berlin tune specially written for the picture. Below (right) is the classic restaurant scene from A Christmas Story, where Ralphie and his family discover ‘Chinese turkey.’

Just (below), I have brought The Christmas Show forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page … featuring songs for the season by Maynard Ferguson, Tony Bennett, The Swingle Singers, Mel Torme, Count Basie, The Gene Harris Quartet, Lou Rawls, The Manhattan Transfer, Kenny G, Billy Taylor, Carol Sloan, plus a few of my own thoughts about the magic of Christmas. Finally, at the (bottom) Kenny G takes a stroll down memory lane with clips from five of the best traditional holiday movies ever. There’s good reason they are viewed continually by millions every year … nothing compares, period! With Hollywood icons like Burgess Meredith and Jimmy Stewart in the background of Kenny’s gently nostalgic performance of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, the experience is nothing less than pure emotional magic.

The Christmas Show

by Fred Masey | Jazz Scene Podcast

Admittedly, except for “The Christmas Show,” much of what you hear here may not be jazz … but IT’S CHRISTMAS! May you enjoy every minute of this uniquely wonnnderful time of year, and have the Merriest of all Christmases with the ones you love!