The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents

It's (Still) Summer

Air Date: 8/24/2025 on 90.5 WICN 9am-12pm ET

Let's hold on to that delicious summer feeling, even though, for some of us, the air lately has a distinct chill to it. To help you along with this effort, I have programmed a set during hour two, containing several songs that represent different aspects of  (almost) everybody's favorite season.

Firstly, we have Michael Franks. If you are familiar with his work, you'll know that summer is a frequent topic of his songs. So, we have titles like Dragonfly Summer,  Barefoot on the Beach, Summer in New York, and the one we'll hear to open the set, Now That Summer's Here. Mr. Franks always draws compelling aural images of the season.

Bill Mays also channels his feeling about summer through his music. His CD Going Home has on its cover a picture of him hitchhiking, during the summer of course, and headed for home. Likewise, his CD Summer Sketches is entirely focused around the season, and we'll hear Summer Samba from that release.

Summer Wind is a song most associated with Frank Sinatra, but I wanted to focus on the orchestral sound backing him, so what better track to include than a pops orchestra recreating the distinctive feel of the Nelson Riddle orchestra, with that wonderful Telarc quality.

Finally, we end the set with a movie theme, from the Summer of '42, a coming of age movie steeped in pathos, desire, and growth. Vocalist Linda Eder provides a fine interpretation with help from bassist David Finck and his band.   

Well, summer is not over yet! I hope that listening to these beautiful songs will help you extend the season, at least in your heart, even if the temperature is uncooperative.

Best,

Marty 

Photo: "first day of summer" by paul bica is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

Mike Freeman - Zonavibe\Circles In A Yellow Room 2025\River Watch
Something Blue\In The Beginning 2025\This One's For You 
Steve Kuhn with Strings-Promises Kept-05-Promises Kept
Kristina Koller\Walk On By 2025\A House Is Not A Home

Tania Grubbs\The Sound of Love 2024\Two for the Road
Tal Babitsky\Moments\Diagonal Stride
Shirley Horn-Here's To Life-07 Return To Paradise 1992
Melody Gardot-The Absence-04 So We Meet Again My Heartache 2012

Michael Kaeshammer-No Strings Attached-01 Snow At Lake Simcoe 2000
Michael Franks-Dragonfly Summer-03 Dragonfly Summer 1993
Meurkens,Cunliffe-Cabin in the Sky-02 Afternoon 2018
Aaron Neville-Nature Boy- The Standards Album-12 Danny Boy 2003

HOUR TWO: New For You

Mark Winkler\Hold On! 2025\If I Were a Bell
Lonnie Plaxico\Radiance 2025\Sideshow
Kieran Brown\Loving You 2025\Loving You
Marina Pacowski\New Jazz Standards, Vol. 7- The Music of Carl Saunders 2025\Feels Like Home

SUMMER TRIBUTE
Michael Franks\Time Together\Now That the Summer's Here (2011)
Bill Mays Trio-Summer Sketches-09 Summer Serenade 2001
Erich Kunzel - Cincinnati Pops Orchestra-That Nelson Riddle Sound [Telarc]-07 Summer Wind 2001
David Finck-BASSically Jazz-03 The Summer Knows (Featuring Linda Eder) 2019

Randy Napoleon\Waking-Dream 2025\Waking Dream
Kenny Burrell-Blue Muse-03 On Wings of the Spirit 2003
Benny Benack III\Third Time's The Charm 2023\Jade
Kristina Koller\Walk On By 2025\Walk on By

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World/Groove

Gino Amato\Latin Crossroads 2 2025\Tangerine
T. K. Blue-Planet Bluu 2024-05 Sky Bluu Part 1
Randy Napoleon\Waking-Dream 2025\Cafe Brasilia
Antonio Adolfo-Carnaval- The Songs Were So Beautiful 2025-08 A Lua E Dos Namorados
Cassandre McKinley-Til Tomorrow- Remembering Marvin Gaye-10 After the Dance 2006

Jennifer Madsen\Reimagine 2025\Body and Soul
Kathy Sanborn\Romance Language 2025\Cambios
Lauren Henderson\Sonidos 2025\La Llegata
Joshua Redman\where are we 2023\Where are You
Brian Simpson\All That Matters 2021\Bonita

Pieces of a Dream-We Got This 2025-08 Cloud 9
Joanna Tatham-The Rings of Saturn-10 Jazz 'N Samba 2018
Jazz Funk Soul\Forecast 2022\When The Time Comes
Joanna Tatham-The Rings of Saturn-02 Summer in New York 2018

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