Happy Birthday, Duke Ellington!

WKCR is hosting their annual 24hr Duke Ellington birthday broadcast. It’s on until midnight so check it out. I just heard an amazing live version of “The Mooche” from the 1940 Fargo, ND concert that rocked my evening complete.

Frankly Jazz: The Jazz Crusader’s Freedom Sound

Jazz Crusaders performing  ‘Freedom Sound’ on Frankly Jazz (1962):

Frankly Jazz was a short-lived West Coast television program that aired on KTLA in Los Angeles hosted by local jazz DJ Frank Evans.  The show was bankrolled by Dick Bock and Pacific Jazz as a promotional showcase for their talent. The footage has recently resurfaced on YouTube and is a treasure trove of goodness. Besides The Jazz Crusaders, there is music from Curtis Amy, Joe Pass, Gerald Wilson, Shelly Manne, Dupree Bolton, and more.  The Bolton footage is particularly valuable given he only recorded thrice before disappearing off the jazz scene forever.

The Jazz Crusaders were one of jazz’s most popular units in the early 60’s, a sort of West Coast Messengers–  a band whose music was a playful as it was powerful. The line-up for Freedom Sound:

Wayne Henderson – trombone, Wilton Felder – tenor sax, Joe Sample – piano, Jimmy Bond – bass, Stix Hooper – drums

For a review of the album, please visit the Jazz Reviews section!

Brief Hiatus in May…

Bop and Beyond is taking a short hiatus, but will be back on the air in June. In the meantime, I will still be updating the site frequently with interviews, albums reviews, videos, etc.

Turrentine/Rouse B-Day Bash Download:

Celebrate the music of Stanley Turrentine and Charlie Rouse with Bop and Beyond’s 3rd Annual Back-to-Back Birthday Bash– now available for download:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TIW10LQM

Bop and Beyond’s 3rd Annual Back-To-Back Birthday Bash!

Certain shows have become an annual tradition here at Bop and Beyond. This Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 6pm, Bop and Beyond celebrates it’s 3rd Annual Back-To-Back Birthday Bash in honor of two of my all-time favorite tenor sax players:

We’ll be hearing from both men’s work as leaders and sidemen for various labels.

Bop and Beyond, Fridays at 6pm on WSVA Radio.

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(A download of this program will be made available within a week of initial broadcast)