New Releases Played 4-12-2008

(Artist / Song Title / Album / Label)

1) Jof Lee, Mel Brown, Tim Gilson / Basin Street Blues / Live At Salty’s / Saphu
2) David “Fathead” Newman / Star Eyes / Diamondhead / High Note
3) Richard Cole / A Shade Of Joy / Shade / Origin
4) David Brandom / No Way Out / No Way Out / Bluejazz
5) Michel Petrucciani / So What / Trio Live In Stutgart / Dreyfus (Recorded in 1998, if I remember correctly.)
6) Marcus Miller / Jean Pierre / Marcus / Concord
7) Armand Boatman / Friends Again / Bebop Revolution / Armand Boatman
8) Eric Alexander Quartet / Blues Like / Prime Time / High Note
9) Chuck & Robert Redd / Blues For Night People / When Redd Is Blue / Noteworthy
10) Jim Snidero / Let’s Be Frank (For Frank Wess) / Tippin’ / Savant
11) David Bennett Cohen / The Cool Fool / Cookin’ With Cohen / Core Records

These are listed, as always, in the order played. For the exact time played, or to see the rest of my playlist for the evening, go to kmhd.fm and look for the Playlist link on the left side of the front page.

KMHD asks us to play two new releases per hour. I try to play four. Why? Because new releases (and new artists) are the future of jazz. Sure, it’s important to remember the classics from the past. It’s also important to remember past songs that didn’t become classics but are still just plain good, enjoyable music. And I try to see to it that Saturday Night Jazz is full of that kind of jazz, newer or older tunes that maybe not everyone knows but which makes your feet tap and your fingers snap, or which simply brings a smile to your face.

However, the sad truth is that jazz as a musical genre is in danger of becoming irrelevant! Jazz makes up a very small percentage of the music sold today, and every year there are fewer and fewer radio stations who devote almost their entire broadcast schedule to playing jazz and blues. Without new music by new artists, or new artists reinterpreting the music from the past, there will be no future for jazz. Obvious? Of course. But sometimes even the obvious needs to be stated and re-stated, otherwise people forget.

When to hear the new stuff on Saturday Night Jazz? You will always hear a couple of new releases immediately after the breaks at approximately 22 and 36 minutes past the hour. Every once in a while (but not often) I also end the hour with a new release right after the 54 minute break.

Since the basic theme of Saturday Night Jazz is “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” I’m sure you can guess what the rest of the show is about. 🙂

New or old, music is the show. I think it’s good music, and I hope you agree.

Please use the “comments” link below this post if you would like to comment. Thanks for your interest in and for listening to YOUR jazz and blues station, 89.1 FM KMHD!