Jazz With Marty Friedman

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Rachael & Vilray Air Date: 2/12/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET Watch the video below and tell me that isn't the most gentle, heartwarming, and sweet performance of an original song that you've heard in a long time. One listener wrote "So good this brings tears to your eyes!" Yes, their sound recalls an earlier time. You might feel like you just came in on a cold day and everyone is gathered around the big solid-walnut radio shaped like part of a church. The news is about to come on, and everybody's anxious to hear how our boys are doing. Rachael & Vilray play softly in the background while folks settle down. Listen to the perfectly simple guitar accompaniment, the restrained and respectful reed/horn arrangement, the sweet lyrics and melody, the vocal work and nice harmony. Delicious! We'll hear a song from the new CD I Love a Love Song as well as from their prior release. Mafalda Minnozzi & Paul Ricci in Worcester I...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Darmon Meader Air Date: 2/5/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET Darmon Meader's new project is called Losing My Mind. Hmm. What could that possibly be all about? "It seemed like the right title for a project that was recorded during a global pandemic," says the vocalist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. "Finding creative energy during such an unclear time was a challenge, but it allowed me to dive into 'back burner' ideas which lead to this collection of music." OK, that makes sense. Now I can relate - the pandemic messed things up for just about everybody. Perhaps Losing Our Minds would have been a more accurate title! The CD features songs with big band, quartet, and even includes one track with the New York Voices. You'll hear from the CD in each of the first three hours of the show.  Replay After the 2/12 show there will be a few weeks where we'll have a some replays, as I take a winter break. Included will be t...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents John Lee Air Date: 1/29/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET The rest of the world might be going to the dogs, but in the realm of jazz, there are new artists appearing all the time who have stunning amounts of talent. Such is the case with Korean-born Canadian artist John Lee.     A multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Lee performs at a professional level on double bass, drums, piano, organ and guitar, In fact, for his debut release, The Artist , he decided to play only one instrument, but the choice of instrument was a big decision.  “I’ve never considered any instrument to be my main instrument, so it was very difficult to choose what I would play on my first record,” he commented. Joining Mr. Lee on this album is Carl Allen on drums, Miles Black on piano, and saxophonist Cory Weeds on two tracks. Did I mention that the 28-year-old Mr. Lee also composes and arranges? Two tracks on the release are original compositions: Life is a Beautiful Thing and the...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Clara Moreno - She's a Carioca Air Date: 1/22/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET A Carioca is someone native to Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Like vocalist Clara Moreno! She is the daughter of the famous Brazilian artists Joyce and Nelson Angelo. Our Clara Moreno CD at WICN is titled Meu Samba Torto, and I have played the CD often over the years since it was released in 2007. The CD includes the superb guitarist/vocalist Celso Fonseca a well as Ms. Moreno's mother, Joyce. Also featured on the CD: guitarist Diego Figueiredo. About the release, Ms. Moreno says "João Gilberto is the greatest influence on this album – he is the main root of the cd. I have been listening to him all my life, but during the process of creating this album, I dived deeply into his mood and I recorded many of the songs using João Gilberto’s light – his inspiration was a gift to me.” We'll hear a track from this CD during Brazil/World hour.  Marty HOUR ONE: Contemplati...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Tierney Sutton Air Date: 1/15/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET I knew something was different when I first listened to Tierney Sutton's new CD Paris Sessions 2. I didn't hear Christian Jacob on the keyboard, which would be as-per-usual. Instead, it is mostly duets, with Hubert Laws subtly in the mix.  And what duets they are! So very intimate. So very gentle. Ms. Sutton has a clear, open sound, airy and delicate but strong. She pairs perfectly with her husband, Serge Merlaud. Wait, did you say her husband? Yes, Serge Merlaud on guitar, her husband. That just might explain a few things, such as love songs like I Knew I Loved You and Beautiful Love, which take on a new meaning with this knowledge.  I have been playing this album for several months now, and there are no indifferent tracks; they are all beautiful and sublime. A bonus is the number of Brazilian tracks, like Zingaro , Triste , and Doralice . You'll hear a track from the new CD in ho...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Amina Figarova Air Date: 1/8/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET She was born in the town of Baku in the country of Azerbaijan, studied in Denmark and at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has toured the world with her sextet that has been together for 24 years. Her musical training began with classical music, progressed to folk and then jazz.  Joy , Ms. Figarova's new CD, is a “post-pandemic release and a celebration of life, hope, and new beginnings” says the pianist, composer, arranger, and producer. This is an artist that I first heard maybe ten or fifteen years ago, and I was impressed with the CD we had at the time. Fast forward to today, many CDs later, and she is better than ever. The new release features 10 original compositions, all excellent. The second hour opens with a track from Joy . ************************* Now that the holiday hoopla has hopefully died down, we can relax and listen to great jazz. I'm here for you. Best, Marty Ph...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Best of 2022 Air Date: 1/1/2023 on 90.5 WICN 8am-12pm ET When you tune in to the Best of 2022 show, it might take your breath away. The artistry you will hear is compelling jazz. The best kind. You will not be disappointed. Let's get right to it. Here is the list, grouped by instrument, with distilled summary. The List Debut: Yvonne Flores Voice Aimee Allen - Love and the Catalyst: Refreshing originals and many contemplative numbers. Courtney Freed - Crazy Love: A unique sound with huge emotion. Daniela Soledade- Pretty World : Every song epitomizes the best in Brazilian jazz. Jo Harrop - The Heart Wants: One of the richest set of pipes on a female vocalist. Lindsey Webster - Reasons: Jazz and soul in one package. Marilyn Scott- The Landscape:  Fabulous production quality and great songs. Paul Marinaro - Not Quite Yet: The most original male vocalist to come along in some time. Samara Joy - Linger Awhile: Don't mind if I do. Tierney Sutton- P...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Shiny New Jazz to Close Out the Year Air Date: 12/18/2022 Say goodbye to 2022.  I remember when the movie 2001: A Space Oddysey came out, I thought, "wow, imagine the year 2001 - the future!" What a disappointment. We never did go to Jupiter. Oh well, we still have not landed on Jupiter, or even back on the moon. Nonetheless, I think I will finally accept that we are really in the future now. 😎 I have reviewed and programmed the best of 2022 final releases for you, and here they are. Highlights below. Brian Lynch The trumpeter won a Grammy in 2006 for Best Latin Jazz Album. Back in the day, he was a member of the Horace Silver Quintet as well as the final version of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. His latest release Songbook Vol. 2: Dance the Way U Want To takes some of his older original compositions recorded on various labels, and updates them for his own label, Hollistic MusicWorks. Cyrus Chestnut In tribute to his father McDonald ...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents The Danny Green Trio Plus Strings Air Date: 12/11/2022 Whenever I find an album with string arrangements, particularly if it features a piano trio, I get kind of excited. For certain types of sounds, nothing beats strings. It can add so much in a jazz setting, if done right. Which explains why during the next few shows I am featuring the 2018 release of One Day It Will by the Danny Green Trio Plus Strings.   Now, unlike Alan Broadbent's work with full string orchestra, this release features a quartet, with  two violinists, a violist, and a cellist, all members of the San Diego Symphony. Don't miss the opening of the next show. His song October Ballad is haunting and luscious. It almost sounds like a movie soundtrack, maybe a spy mystery or a bittersweet love story.  Mr. Green and his Trio Plus Strings have been touring around the country, and I am hoping he will read this and bring his music to Boston! If I may borrow a song title fro...

For Our Fund Drive, We Are Bringing You The Best Jazz, Plus Air Date: 12/4/2022 The great jazz will continue this Sunday, with a little fundraising mixed in, but the music plays on. We know that for your Sunday Morning, you prefer maximum music with minimum talk, and that's what you'll get on every edition of the Sunday Jazz Brunch.   Needless to say, we are public radio, and the public is you !  This being your station, perhaps you would consider becoming a sustaining member. We'll break up your donation into small monthly payments and automatically charge your credit card. You might stack that up against any of your other monthly subscriptions: streaming video, the newspaper/magazine, the gym, the food service,  or anything else that goes under the description things worth paying something for . You can subscribe and/or donate here: WICN DONATION PAGE. For best results do it Sunday morning during the show! The phone number is 508-752-0700 if you prefer to call....

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents New Artists, New Music Air Date: 11/27/2022 Tito Carrillo He plays trumpet and writes his own music. When his original Bliss Point comes on during the second hour, listen to the easy melody, how comfortable the sound. It recalls some of Lee Morgan's work with Wayne Shorter - I am thinking of the song Rio from Morgan's 1967 recording The Procrastinator .  This is Mr. Carrillo's second album as a leader. The Chicago-based artist is part of a trend of excellent  releases coming from the Windy City. Must be something in the water.  Keith O'Rourke What do you call a trio with no chordal instrument like piano or guitar? With this release I have learned something new: It is called a chordless trio . Mr. O'Rourke plays saxophone, with rhythm section of Kodi Hutchinson on bass and Sanah Kadoura on drums. We'll hear his version of Dizzy Gillespie's bebop standard Groovin' High . P J Perry During Covid lockdown, Canadian saxophonist ...

The Sunday Jazz Brunch Presents Only The Bassist of Motives Air Date: 11/20/2022 Whenever I get a chance I like to play some of my favorite tracks featuring bass. Awhile back I put together one hour of great bass playing. For the next show, I have a set for you of three top-notch bass players who sound great. But the reason they sound great is not only because they are quite talented artists, but also because, well, the sound is great. That is, the recording techniques meet the level of playing. You will not need to turn up the subwoofer to appreciate the hugely fat bottom produced by Buster Williams, David Finck, and Barry Smith. Tune in during the first hour. Melody Diachun/Sting Most jazz people I know say they like Sting, and I do as well. Songs like Fragile have been covered by many artists, and it is included on Melody Diachun's new CD Sumner's Tales: The Music of Sting . Now we have a new artist with her own interpretations of his music.   Did you know that Sting's g...