Jazz With Marty Friedman

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Georgia Mancio Air Date: 6/15/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . Photo by Tatiana Gorilovsky If you are a longtime listener of the Sunday Jazz Brunch, you know how much I like Alan Broadbent - his piano playing, his composing, and his arranging. A few years back he began releasing a series of CDs with vocalist Georgia Mancio. They seem to have a real connection in terms of their music. You can hear it. I recall reading somewhere that Mr. Broadbent was surprised and quite pleased that he found someone to put perfect lyrics to his melodies. I have two prior releases from this duo and this one looks to be the third. They are all keepers.  We open the show with a stunning orchestral arrangement to accompany Ms. Mancio's delicate voice. This is a beautiful piece, perfect to start your Sunday morning. What an interesting collaboration this is. More than twenty years ago, Ms. Mancio had...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Sunday's Playlist Air Date: 6/8/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks .   HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning Charles Chen\Play 2024These Foolish Things Jackson Potter\small things 2025\Everything I Love Marilyn Kleinberg-Let Your Heart Lead the Way 2025-07 Visions Charles Chen\Building Characters 2025\Stardust Champian Fulton\Jazz at the Ballroom Flying High 2024\Lullaby of the Leaves Aaron Seeber\First Move 2022\Duke Ellington's Sound of Love Amber Weekes\A Lady With A Song 2024\Midnight Sun Benny Golson-New Time, New 'Tet-04 Whisper Not featuring Al Jarreau 2008 Cathy Segal-Garcia-Dreamsville-08 You are There 2019 Claire Martin-Every Now And Then - The Very Best Of Claire Martin-11 Riverman 2001 Courtney Freed\Big Crazy Love 2022\What a Difference a Day Makes Diana Krall-The Look of Love-03 I Remember You 2001 HOUR TWO: New For You Royce Campbell\Royce Campbell & Vosbein Ma...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Piano Trios, Lee Morgan, Wes Air Date: 6/1/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . Ellis Marsalis I know that many listeners of the Sunday Jazz Brunch really like piano trios, just like I do! Well, you're going to enjoy the second set during your Contemplative Hour, as I have put a few of my favorites together for you. Opening the set is the superb Ellis Marsalis, patriarch of the famed Marsalis family. Mr. Marsalis passed away in 2020 during the pandemic, at age 85. We'll also hear from the great Eugene Maslov, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia. His full name is Yevgeny Valentinovich Maslov, and in Russian it looks like this: Евгений Валентинович Маслов. He passed away in 2011 at age 66.  Finally, we have a representative from Sweden - Esbjörn Svensson. He formed the trio E.S.T. and produced a number of successful and rather eclectic releases. Just look at the CD and song ti...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents The Geoffrey Dean Quartet Air Date: 5/25/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . This is an impressive modern jazz quartet. When I listen to their treatment of compositions by old masters, or of their original numbers, I can hear their deep love of the music in the playing. It really stands out. As I write this, I'm listening to Sonny Clark's My Conception from their 2024 release, Foundations . The trumpet work of Justin Copeland is delicious. The new CD is titled Conceptions , perhaps taking a cue from that song of last year. Whereas the prior release focused on lesser-known works of bebop composers like Sam Rivers, Duke Pearson, and Elmo Hope, in the new release we have all original tunes. The quartet is comprised of Geoffrey Dean on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass, Eric Binder on drums, and Justin Copeland on trumpet. Promotional material for this release states that the music ...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Reginald Cyntje Air Date: 5/18/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . Growing up in the US Virgin Islands, trombonist Reginald Cyntje was influenced by the the official music of the territory, known as Quelbe . This musical form, like jazz, features improvisation. Forward to today, and you will hear calypso, reggae, and other African influences in his eight CDs released as a leader. His latest release, titled Mosaic , is an album about "creating a mosaic out of life’s ups and downs." Featured along with Mr. Cyntje are Imani-Grace Cooper (voice), Brian Settles (tenor saxophone), Allyn Johnson (piano), Herman Burney (bass), and Lenny Robinson (drums). All songs on the new release are originals. We'll hear Renewal of Love during the 10am hour of the show. This track is a vocal and features Ms. Cooper. Tune in at our new start time 9am ET, and don't miss all the great new ...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Openers Air Date: 5/11/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . So I was watching one of the Rick Beato videos where he talks extensively about Pat Metheny. Well, that got me excited to review our Pat Metheny collection, and when I came upon a couple of really beautiful tunes - perfect for your contemplative morning - I knew I had to use them to open the show. Today's show will open with the complete version of one of those tunes - The Road to You , the title number from Mr. Metheny's 1993 release. After receiving an email asking about this and some other tunes that I use as openers, I decided. Why not do an hour of just openers? These are some of the best songs I know, so it is fitting for us to listen to the entirety of each, rather than sampling the bits that you hear when the show opens.  Almost all of the songs in the first hour are openers and have been used several times. I...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Kandace Springs Air Date: 5/4/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks .   Every time we get a new album from Kandace Springs, I know it will be a good one. Her latest CD, Lady in Satin , is no exception. It features something new for Ms. Springs - strings!   In 1958 Billie Holiday released what many consider to be her last best recording, the original Lady in Satin . Ms. Holiday's release features Ray Ellis and his Orchestra, and it covers 12 songs from the Great American Songbook.       Now, Kandace Springs has re-created this recording, with the Orquestra Clássica de Espinho conducted by Diogo Costa.    As you will hear on this show, the sound is lush, inviting, delicious. Ms. Springs is known for her thoughtful and gentle way with lyrics and piano, so it is fitting to have her sing and play with orchestral backing.    The show opens with a ball...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Cliff Korman Air Date: 4/27/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . Photo by Aloizio Jordão Pianist Cliff Korman has released Urban Tracks with his trio. This album has a delightful mix of classic and modern jazz, Brazilian and straight-ahead jazz. In the first hour you'll hear a beautiful melody written by Brazilian artist Tonino Horta.  In the second hour you'll hear Benny Golson's Whisper Not . In the third and final hour, you'll hear another fine Brazilian number by unsung Brazilian composer Radamés Gnattali. The CD was recorded in Brooklyn New York at Bunker Studio, and Mr. Korman used their 1896 Steinway C Grand Piano.  Harvie S accompanies on bass and Rafael Barata on drums. New Music There's so much new music on my show, it's ridiculous. You've just got to listen to this great jazz, so much of it brand new! Be sure to send me feedback, at marty@wicn.or...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Gustavo Cysne and Ithamara Koorax Air Date: 4/20/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . Gustavo Cysne is a Brazilian singer and composer of bossa nova, and we have his debut solo album, Deep Blue . Mr. Cysne was noticed by producer  Arnaldo DeSouteiro, who has produced material by João Gilberto, Luiz Bonfá, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eumir Deodato, João Donato, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and many others.     You'll hear Mr. Cysne's soothing voice, together with another up-and-coming vocalist, Ithamara Koorax, during the final hour. He reminds me a bit of João Gilberto. His favorites include Antonio Carlos Jobim and Chet Baker. By the way, the CD also features strings. Danae Vlasse This is an interesting artist. When you first hear the music, you might think it is simply a classical piece. Listen closely, however, and you'll hear the jazz in there. But you have to list...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Mark Grandfield Air Date: 4/13/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . New Jersey native Mark Grandfield grew up in the '60s, moved to NYC in the '80s, and began singing blues and soul. He also did voice overs and sang jingles on numerous television commercials.  About his early years growing up in New Jersey, Mr. Grandfield says " My mother loved music and always encouraged me, and my older sister listened to the British Invasion, Stax and Motown. We also had a bin full of Sinatra, Harry Belafonte, Nat Cole, and Bing Crosby records.” In the first hour of the show, we'll hear Mr. Grandfield's cover of Cole Porter's Every Time We Say Goodbye.  We'll hear it again by John Coltrane, playing the soprano sax - the first version I recall hearing of this beautiful song.  The second hour will feature a song made popular by the great Tony Bennett - I Wanna Be Around . ...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Eugenie Jones Air Date: 4/6/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET If you miss the air date: click here for the archi ves for up to two weeks . This week on the Sunday Jazz Brunch we'll hear two songs from vocalist Eugenie Jones' new self-titled CD. Ms. Jones kicked off her recording career in 2013 with the release of Black Lace, Blue Tears . This is her fifth album release, and it includes covers of songs written or made famous by Carole King, Nina Simone, and Marvin Gaye. In addition, the CD features several original numbers.   About her music career and making the CD, Ms. Jones has this to say:    "I didn't study music in school; I graduated with an MBA and initially worked in corporate marketing. It wasn't until later that I realized my natural musical abilities, which I believe I inherited from my mother. Even without a formal music education, I feel fortunate to create songs that resonate with listeners, entertain them, and uplift their...