Author Archive
Thursday, April 2nd, 2015
 Jazz Appreciation Month was created right here at the museum in 2002 to herald and celebrate the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz.Through local and national jazz fans everywhere, JAM is intended to stimulate the current jazz scene and encourage people of all ages to participate in jazz – to study the music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on radio and recordings, read books about jazz, and support institutional jazz programs.
Join us in celebrating JAM this April – feel free to browse around to find your best way of celebration and participating in Jazz:
Check out this year’s Smithsonian JAM calendar to find events around Washington, DC.
Take a peek at the 2015 JAM Poster featuring Billy Strayhorn – did you know that this year is his centennial?
Not in DC and looking for ideas and other ways to “JAM”? Read 112 Ways to Celebrate Jazz.
Submit your request by April 30, 2015 to receive your free copy of the 2015 JAM Poster – limited quantities available.
Don’t miss another note: Sign up for the Smithsonian Jazz email list to receive news about upcoming events, concerts, and more!
Posted in Music News | Comments Off on Jazz Appreciation Month
Wednesday, April 1st, 2015
 Carmen McRae always had a nice voice (if not on the impossible level of an Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan) but it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretations of lyrics that made her most memorable. She studied piano early on and had her first important job singing with Benny Carter’s big band (1944), but it would be another decade before her career had really gained much momentum. McRae married and divorced Kenny Clarke in the ’40s, worked with Count Basie (briefly) and Mercer Ellington (1946-1947), and became the intermission singer and pianist at several New York clubs. In 1954 she began to record as a leader’ and by then she had absorbed the influences of Billie Holiday and bebop into her own style. McRae would record pretty steadily up to 1989 and, although her voice was higher in the ’50s and her phrasing would be even more laid-back in later years, her general style and approach did not change much through the decades. Championed in the ’50s by Ralph Gleason, McRae was fairly popular throughout her career. Among her most interesting recording projects were participating in Dave Brubeck’s the Real Ambassadors with Louis Armstrong, cutting an album of live duets with Betty Carter, being accompanied by Dave Brubeck and George Shearing, and closing her career with brilliant tributes to Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan. Carmen McRae, who refused to quit smoking, was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema. She recorded for many labels including Bethlehem, Decca (1954-1958), Kapp, Columbia, Mainstream, Focus, Atlantic (1967-1970), Black Lion, Groove Merchant, Catalyst, Blue Note, Buddah, Concord, and Novus.
Originally published at www.allmusic.com
Photo credit:
Posted in Artist of the Month | Comments Off on Carmen McRae
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
 WNCU and many other stations across the country remember our longtime overnight jazz host, Bob Parlocha, who passed a little over a week ago. At WNCU, his program will continue to air in his memory. We hope to hear of his replacement in the near future. Meanwhile, continue to enjoy Bob in the wee smalls.
We wish to share with you the very sad news that Bob Parlocha, host of the WFMT Radio Network’s Jazz Network since its inception in 1995, passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon. Bob died of a heart attack and had been rehabilitating from an illness over the past year.
Bob, who was based in the Bay Area and was a full-time employee of WWCI, was the first and only host of the Jazz Network. He was with us for 20 years. Bob will be missed by all of us at WFMT and, of course, by his many, many fans who listened to his daily program on stations throughout the United States.
In addition to hosting the Jazz Network, which was broadcast on scores of stations throughout the United States, Bob was a tenor and soprano saxophone player, host of the Dinner Jazz Show on KJAZ and later the station’s music director. Bob was also a passionate gourmet cook.
We will miss Bob’s presence immensely. Our condolences go to his wife, Pam, and their children.
Sincerely,
Don Mueller
WFMT Director of Operations
Originally published at blogs.wfmt.com
Posted in Music News | Comments Off on Longtime Overnight Jazz Program Host Bob Parlocha Passed
Friday, March 6th, 2015
Beginning Sunday, March 8th, from 11 p.m. – 12 a.m., WNCU will air a new program, Jazz Night in America. It is a collaboration between NPR Music, WBGO and Jazz at Lincoln Center. This one hour show is hosted by bassist, Christian McBride and will include performances, live social media connections for listeners, interviews with the artists and more.
Tavis Smiley is now a one-hour program and will air from 10 -11 p.m.
Posted in Music News | Comments Off on New Sunday evening line up at WNCU
Sunday, March 1st, 2015
 Steve Nelson (born August 11, 1954 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American vibraphonist, and has been a member of Dave Holland’s Quintet and Big Band for over a decade. He graduated from Rutgers University with both Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in music, and his teaching activities have included a position at Princeton University.[1] He has appeared at concerts and festivals worldwide and has made recordings as the leader of his own group. As a resident of the New York area he has performed and recorded with many musicians, including Kenny Barron, Bobby Watson, Mulgrew Miller, David “Fathead” Newman, Johnny Griffin and Jackie McLean.
His most recent recording as leader is Sound-Effect (2007), featuring pianist Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums.
Originally published on en.wikipedia.org
Photo credit:
- Homepage: www.allaboutjazz.com
- Above: www.allaboutjazz.com
Posted in Artist of the Month | Comments Off on Steve Nelson
Monday, December 22nd, 2014
HOW TO ENTER THE ABOVE GIVEAWAY: No contribution is necessary. Call (919) 560-9628 between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST Friday December 12, 2014 through Sunday, December 14, 2014 or contact us through the web at www.wncu.org. Donate online between 8:00am December 12, 2014 until December 31, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Limit one (1) entry per person. Multiple entries, if discovered, will be disqualified.
ELIGIBILITY: Anyone 21 or over can enter the giveaway except persons who on or after January 1, 2012, were or are current employees of WNCU 90.7 FM, their immediate family, or persons living in the same household. The drawing is open to any United States resident 21 or older. Void where prohibited by law.
PRIZE: Two (2) prize winners will receive one (1) $250 Visa Gift Card. The Visa Gift Card becomes the sole responsibility of the winner when it is collected. WNCU is not responsible for any fees, expiration and/or guarantee issues and the like.
PRIZE REDEMPTION: To redeem the prize, simply come to the WNCU Office between business hours 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday on or after January 6, 2015. Present official identification such as a driver’s license or a passport to verify your information. WNCU will release the prizes on January 6, 2015.
Winners responsible for any and all costs associated with using the prize, including but not limited to associated fees and the like. Prize is nontransferable, is not good for cash, and cannot be exchanged for other merchandise. Winners will receive delivery of the prize as arranged by WNCU.
SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION OF WINNER: Every eligible entry will be included in the drawing. On Monday, January 5, 2015 two (2) winners and four (4) alternate names will be randomly drawn from all eligible entries at 12 noon. The winner will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.
If WNCU 90. 7 FM is unable to reach a winner or a winner is unable to accept the prize by 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, February 6, 2015, then that unawarded prize will go to the first available back up thereof until the prize is awarded. The rules detailing giveaway eligibility and method of selecting winners are on file at WNCU 90.7 FM. The chances of winning are dependent upon the number of eligible entries.
GENERAL: By participating in this Giveaway, participants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and that WNCU 90.7 FM and related organizations, their agents and employees have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind which result from use of the prize, or by participation in the giveaway.
WNCU 90.7 FM or its related organizations may use winner’s name and likeness for advertising, fundraising, promotional or publicity purposes without further compensation. WNCU would like to photograph winner and prize for online marketing purposes only. Winner will be asked to sign a release form agreeing to be photographed and put on WNCU’s website. This is not required, but most appreciated. Expenses as a result of winning this prize are the responsibility of the winner.
RESTRICTIONS: By participating in this Visa Gift Card Giveaway, a participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules, and by all decisions of the giveaway sponsor.
SPONSOR: WNCU 90.7 FM, 1801 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707, 919-530-7445.
Posted in WNCU Fundraisers | Comments Off on Visa Gift Card Giveaway Official Rules
Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
 “The Measure of Everyday Life” is a weekly interview program hosted by Dr. Brian Southwell featuring social science researchers who endeavor to improve the human condition. It airs each Sunday night from 6:30 – 7 p.m. in the Durham listening area and a podcast of each show is available online the Tuesday following the original airing. The show is made possible by RTI International. Follow @MeasureRadio on Twitter for details and updates.
Posted in Music News | Comments Off on WNCU Launches a New Show, “The Measure of Everyday Life”
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014
 Gerald Wilson was a leader of big bands since the early 40s. His complex voicings, hard swinging and bop style arrangements made his big band the ultimate experience for some of the top names in jazz. You will often see noted artists as part of his sections on many recordings.
Wilson started off playing trumpet in the Jimmy Lunceford band and also was a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s band and the Count Basie Orchestra.
In 1961, Wilson, as bandleader, partnered up with the Pacific Jazz recording label and had a string of hits. These bands had some of the most important players living on the west coast, like Harold Land, Teddy Edwards and Joe Pass.
In 2003, Wilson signed with Mack Avenue records and continued to record until his passing. His remarkable arrangements continue to amaze even the most educated musician. Who were always clamoring to be part of the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. At 95 years old, Wilson was still the top bandleader of our time.
WNCU is paying tribute to one of the legends of jazz. Gerald Wilson, bandleader, composer, arranger and trumpeter, our featured artist for December.
Posted in Music News | Comments Off on WNCU Pays Tribute to Gerald Wilson
Monday, December 1st, 2014
Gerald Wilson is an unusually skillful, imaginative, and charismatic bandleader. His arrangements have distinctive, often complex voicings and harmonies, rooted in swing and bop, yet always forward-looking and energetic in tone. He likes to play around with structures, which contributes to the restless quality in much of his music, and he was one of the first arrangers to make use of Spanish influences.
He has been consistently able to attract top-rank musicians to his bands, who play with immaculate precision.
Wilson moved from Memphis to Detroit with his family in 1932, and studied music in high school and played with the Plantation Music Orchestra before undergoing the formative experience of his life, working with the Jimmie Lunceford band from 1939 to 1942.
Wilson learned his craft in the Lunceford band, after which he took off for Los Angeles to play with the bands of Les Hite, Benny Carter, and Willie Smith. Wilson organized his first big band in 1944, which sported an intriguing blend of swing and bop and featured musicians like Melba Liston and Snooky Young. But it only lasted three years, and after playing for Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie in 1947 and 1948, Wilson quit the music business for a while to try his hand in the grocery trade.
 In 1961, Wilson formed a new orchestra which made a string of successful albums for the Pacific Jazz label throughout the ’60s, featuring soloists like Harold Land, Teddy Edwards, Bud Shank, Jack Wilson, and Joe Pass. One tune that he wrote for the Moment of Truth album, “Viva Tirado” (later reprised on Live and Swinging) became a surprise hit single for the Latin rock group El Chicano in 1970.
Wilson continued to lead big bands off and on through the ’80s and ’90s, as well as running the orchestra for Redd Foxx’s NBC shows and serving as one of the Los Angeles jazz scene’s more revered elder statesmen. In 1995, he commemorated more than half-a-century as a leader by releasing State Street Sweet, a vigorous tribute to the durability of his work, and scoring a solid hit at the Playboy Jazz Festival.
In 1996, Wilson’s life’s work was archived by the Library of Congress, and in 1997 he completed Theme for Monterey, a piece commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival. In 2003 he recorded New York, New Sound, his debut for Mack Avenue Records, which went on receive a Grammy nomination in the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble” category. Several albums for Mack Avenue followed with In My Time in 2005, Monterey Moods in 2007, and Detroit in 2009. In 2011, Wilson released his fifth Mack Avenue album, the classical-themed Legacy.
NPR page: www.npr.org/artists/15156346/gerald-wilson
12 Essential Wilson recordings: www.jazz.com/dozens/the-dozens-essential-gerald-wilson
Complete Pacific Jazz recordings: www.mosaicrecords.com/discography.asp?number=198-MD-CD
Bio originally published at AllMusic.com
Posted in Artist of the Month | 6 Comments »
Saturday, November 1st, 2014
One of the most valued of all hard bop accompanists, Cedar Walton was a versatile pianist whose funky touch and cogent melodic sense graced the recordings of many of jazz’s greatest players. He was also one of the music’s more underrated composers; although he was always a first-rate interpreter of standards, Walton wrote a number of excellent tunes (“Mosaic,” “Ugetsu,” and “Bolivia,” to name a few) that found their way into Art Blakey’s book during the pianist’s early-’60s stint with the Jazz Messengers. In addition to his many quantifiable accomplishments, Walton is less well known as the first pianist to record, in April 1959 with John Coltrane, the tenorist’s daunting “Giant Steps” — unlike the unfortunate Tommy Flanagan a month later, Walton wasn’t required to solo, though he does comp magnificently.
Walton was first taught piano by his mother. After attending the University of Denver, he moved to New York in 1955, ostensibly to play music. Instead, he was drafted into the Army. Stationed in Germany, Walton played with American musicians Leo Wright, Don Ellis, and Eddie Harris. After his discharge, Walton moved back to New York, where he began his career in earnest. From 1958-1961, Walton played with Kenny Dorham, J.J. Johnson, and Art Farmer’s Jazztet, among others. Walton joined Blakey in 1961, with whom he remained until 1964. This was perhaps Blakey’s most influential group, with Freddie Hubbard and Wayne Shorter. Walton served time as Abbey Lincoln’s accompanist from 1965-1966 and made records with Lee Morgan from 1966-1968; from 1967-1969, Walton served as a sideman on many Prestige albums as well. Walton played in a band with Hank Mobley in the early ’70s and returned to Blakey for a 1973 tour of Japan.
Walton’s own band of the period was called Eastern Rebellion, and was comprised of a rotating cast that included saxophonists Clifford Jordan, George Coleman, and Bob Berg; bassist Sam Jones; and drummer Billy Higgins. From the ’80s onward, Walton continued to lead his own fine bands, releasing numerous albums including The Maestro in 1980, Cedar Walton Plays in 1986, and Composer in 1996, followed a year later by Roots, featuring trumpeter Terence Blanchard and saxophonist Joshua Redman. In 2001 Walton released The Promise Land, his debut for Highnote, which was followed by Latin Tinge in 2002, Underground Memoirs in 2005, and Seasoned Wood with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt in 2008. Walton was joined by saxophonist Vincent Herring on Voices Deep Within in 2009. Herring was also featured along with trombonist Steve Turre on The Bouncer in 2011. Cedar Walton died at his home in Brooklyn on August 19, 2013; he was 79 years old.
by Chris Kelsey
Originally published on allmusic.com
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
|
