The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents

Musician's Corner: Mike Melito's Swinging Bop

Air Date: 5/14/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET

LISTEN TO THE SEGMENT HERE

The new CD from drummer Mike Melito caught my attention right away. You could tell instantly that this is a group that has no trouble with any straight ahead or hard bop material. I had to get Mike on the show to talk about this project. Tune in Sunday May 14 and celebrate Mother's Day by listening to a master percussionist talk about a song on his new CD.

The CD features a top-shelf lineup, including Jeb Patton on piano, Neal Miner on bass, Grant Stewart on tenor sax, Joe Magnarelli on trumpet. 

I love to hear such really talented musicians keep the hard bop flame alive. I felt the same way when I presented you Greg Abate and Phil Woods a few weeks ago.  I never lost my love affair with bebop, although I don't listen to it as much as I used to. But when I hear a group like this, I perk up. It revives my love of the form.

You'll hear some of the same sentiment from Mike Melito when you tune in around 9am ET. He talks about his love for hard bop, and how the song we'll feature hit him 'right in the chest' the first time he heard it, and finally now he has the opportunity to play it on a CD.

I always thought about an instrumentalist on a non-typical lead instrument, like drums or bass,  and how interesting it is when they are the lead on a performance. Their perspective is interesting and valuable exactly because they are not typically the lead instrument, yet they are the group and project lead. I think we get a flavor of the drummer's perspective in this edition of Musician's Corner.

I hope you can join me for this great segment.

More Great New Jazz

The superb new jazz keeps coming in. We have a new CD in from Joanie Pallato, who will talk about it with us on the next edition of Musician's Corner. 

Besides Mike Melito's new CD I am enjoying Nick Green (another hard bop artist), Eric Reed, Buster Williams, Samara Joy, and many others. 

Best,

Marty

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

Eric Reed\Black Brown and Blue 2023\Cheryl Ann
Nicholas Payton\Couch Sessions 2023 - Christina
Lucy Wijnands & John Di Martino-Call Me Irresponsible 2022-09 Only The Lonely
Gregory Porter-All Rise-09 Modern Day Apprentice-2020

Ben Wolfe-Unjust 2022-09 Sparkling Red
Ed Cherry\Are We There Yet 2023\Lawns
Steve Million\What I Meant to Say 2021\What I Meant to Say

John Lee\The Artist 2023\004 - Life Is A Beautiful Thing
Tim Ray-Excursions And Adventures-06 Unconditional Love-2020
Pierre Chambers\Shining Moments 2023\The Nearness of You

HOUR TWO: New For You

Nick Green\Green on the Scene 2023\008  A Tear And A Smile
Mike Melito\To Swing is The Thing 2023\Blue Key
Samara Joy-Linger Awhile 2022-01 Can't Get Out Of This Mood

Tim Fitzgerald\Full House 2022\Far Wes
MUSICIAN'S CORNER: Mike Melito\To Swing is The Thing 2023\You Said It
Alan Pasqua\Day Dream 2020\10 When I Grow Too Old To Dream

Ken Fowser\Resolution 2023\All Avenues
Samara Joy-Linger Awhile 2022-01 Can't Get Out Of This Mood
Mike Melito\To Swing is The Thing 2023\Straight Stree

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World

Eliane Elias-Quietude 2022-11 Saveiros
Eddie Daniels-Night Kisses-10 Lembra-2020
Elena Maque\Feel Again 2021\The Girl from Ipanema
Eliana Cuevas-Golpes y Flores-09 Mi 2017

Emil Haddad,Dick Odgren Quintet-We All Need A Warm Breeze-10 Bossamba-2000
Ella Fitzgerald-Compact Jazz- Ella Fitzgerald 1987-02 Desafinada
Ermelina Cuellar\What a Difference a Day Made 2022\Duerme Nino
Fahir Atakoğlu-For Love 2020-13 Love's Crescendo feat Aimee Allen

Alexa Tarantino-Winds Of Change-05 Zingaro 2019
Alex Sipiagin-Upstream 2021-08 Miyako
Alex Collins\Together 2021\On Green Dolphin Street

HOUR FOUR: Groove, Baby

Maysa-Sweet Classic Soul-04 Love Won't Let Me Wait 2006
Mike Ricchiuti-05 Still Standing (2003)Me Wait 2006 feat Chuck Loeb
Mitchel Forman-Perspectives-05 You're Everything (Chick Corea) 2006
Natalie Cole-06 Say You Love Me (1999)

Najee-Poetry In Motion-05 We'll Be Missing You
Natalie Cressman-Alma Matters-08 You'll Never Follow 2017
Norman Brown-Let It Go-03 Let It Go 2017

Jeff Lorber\SpaceTime 2021\Day
Ken Navarro-Slow Dance-04 Lady's Choice 2002
Kurt Elling-The Gate-02 Stepping Out 2011
Jimmy Haslip\Nightfall\On Sunday

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