Jazz Bastard Podcast

Two artists with French connections and a big band leader who sounds like a refugee from a Jane Austen novel - whatever happened to jazz as an American art form? Thank heavens for Red (White & Blue) Rodney! Red Rodney – QUINTETS; Jacky Terrasson – JACKY TERRASSON; Anour Brahem – KHOMSA; Darcy James Argue – BROOKLYN BABYLON

New standards of filth are contemplated when Mike and Pat ponder the inventor of jazz - and possibly bling - Jelly Roll Morton. It's uphill from there, morally speaking at least. Cab Calloway – CRUSIN' WITH CAB; Lionel Hampton -HOT MALLETS, DISC 2; Jelly Roll Morton – ANAMULE DANCE; Bud Freeman – THE COMPLEAT BUD FREEMAN

Mike and Pat discuss four of Jazz Times' top ten albums of 2012 and like what they hear. Also, Mike has a man-crush on Brad Mehldau you wouldn't believe. Ravi Coltrane - SPIRIT FICTION; Tim Berne - SNAKE OIL; Vijay Iyer - ACCELERANDO; Brad Mehldau - ODE.

The boys take it easy this time out with an all jazz police episode. Pat is revealed to be a beet-hating blasphemer, while Mike explains that Gordon Sumner isn't as bad as all that. King Crimson – RED; Sting – THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES; The Sea and Cake – EVERYBODY; Norah Jones – LITTLE BROKEN HEARTS; Gregory Porter – BE GOOD (Mike's bad). Oh yeah - it is ON, Norah Jones.

Brace yourselves - the boys take on the biggest jazz release of 2012, along with two crucial precursors, and bastardy abounds. Duke Ellington – BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE; Max Roach – WE INSIST!; Wadada Leo Smith – TEN FREEDOM SUMMERS.

Tonight the bastard is in the hands of fate, handing itself over on a . . . well you get the idea. The ladies are in charge, and the boys are all over the road. Nicholas Vines – TORRID NATURE SCENES; Gil Scott Heron – SPIRITS; Charlie Parker – SOUTH OF THE BORDER; Anat Cohen – NOTES FROM THE VILLAGE.

Mike and Pat dip their toes into the career of boy wizard and honorary Canadian Chris Potter. Marian McPartland – IN MY LIFE; Joanne Brackeen – PINK ELEPHANT MAGIC; Steely Dan – TWO AGAINST NATURE; Chris Potter – FOLLOW THE RED LINE, THE SIRENS.

The other white Evans in Miles Davis' life, Gil's solo career apart from the prince of darkness is a mixed bag, which Mike and Pat stick their hands into with the usual sticky results. Does the Bastard like Gil better than Stanley Crouch does? Tune in to find out. Gil Evans – GREAT JAZZ STANDARDS; NEW BOTTLES, OLD WINE; WHERE FLAMINGOS FLY; PLAYS THE MUSIC OF JIMI HENDRIX; Ryan Truesdell – CENTENNIAL- NEWLY DISCOVERED WORKS OF GIL EVANS

The Bastard welcomes Indianapolis native, tenor sax player and raconteur Sophie Faught as its first guest. Sophie share her formative influences, favorite albums, and thoughts about the Tenor Players of Today. Mike demonstrates his skills as "Pat Whisperer." Hank Mobley – SOUL STATION; John Coltrane – CRESCENT; Joe Henderson – DOUBLE RAINBOW. Oh yeah- it is ON, Mark Turner!

The boys discuss one classic and three contemporary artists in an all vocal, all male, all scattin' installment of the 'cast. Mel Torme – LULU'S BACK IN TOWN; Kurt Elling – THE MESSENGER; Kevin Mahogany – ANOTHER TIME ANOTHER PLACE; Gregory Porter – BE GOOD. Mike says disparaging things about Sinatra's sex appeal but Pat is too afraid of the mob to go on record . . .

Covers are the order of the day as the bastard looks at three albums that hew closely to earlier inspirations, with a special focus on Coltrane. John Coltrane – INTERSTELLAR SPACE; Greg Bendian – INTERSTELLAR SPACE REVISITED; Don Cherry – COMPLETE COMMUNION; Tom Varner – SECOND COMMUNION; John Coltrane – A LOVE SUPREME; Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra – A LOVE SUPREME.

It's a mixed bag as the bastard discusses Bryan Ferry Orchestra – THE JAZZ AGE; Gerald Clayton – PARIS: THE BOND SESSIONS; Henry Threadgill – TOMORROW SUNNY/THE REVELRY, SPP; Betty Carter – LOOK WHAT I GOT. Which one to buy? Mike gets vaguely pornographic telling you.

The Incredible Jimmy Smith? The Amazing Bud Powell? How about Bobby "No-Brainer" Hutcherson? Pat and Mike discuss one of the all-time great leaders/side-men/utility players in jazz, whose career stretches over five decades and whose discography is a stairway to the stars. Bobby Hutcherson – DIALOGUE, THE VIEW FROM THE INSIDE, FAREWELL TO KEYSTONE, MIRAGE, SF JAZZ COLLECTIVE (SEASON ONE).

Three alto players rose to prominence in the nineties - but which one was baby bear? Greg Osby - ART FORUM, ST. LOUIS SHOES; Steve Coleman - THE TAO OF MAD PHAT, RESISTANCE IS FUTILE; Kenny Garrett - PURSUANCE, SONGBOOK.

Pat and Mike tangle over seventies super-group Weather Report in this very special episode. WEATHER REPORT, I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC, SWEETNIGHTER, MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER, TALE SPINNIN', BLACK MARKET, HEAVY WEATHER, MR. GONE, NIGHT PASSAGE, WEATHER REPORT 82.

Mike and Pat discuss 8 Bold Souls – LAST OPTION, Enrico Rava – ON THE DANCE FLOOR, Donald Fagen – SUNKEN CONDOS, and Joanne Brackeen – KEYED IN. Bastardy ensues.

After Pat resists Mike's attempt to turn the podcast organic, the boys settle in to discuss a couple of recently released three-LP sets: Sun Ra - THE MYSTERY OF BEING, and Bill Evans - LIVE AT ART D'LUGOFF'S TOP OF THE GATE.

Mike explores the wonderful world of Andrew Durkin's left coast ensemble The Industrial Jazz Group. Meanwhile, Pat grumbles in the corner. What a bastard. Industrial Jazz Group - HARDCORE, CITY OF ANGLES, STAR CHAMBER, INDUSTRIAL JAZZ A GO-GO, LEEF.

What's sexier than a picture of Herbie Mann naked? 90 minutes of the Bastard discussing some favorite albums by jazz flautists! Sam Most and Joe Farrell - FLUTE TALK; Lew Tabackin - RITES OF PAN; James Newton - AXUM, THE AFRICAN FLOWER.

To celebrate Dave Brubeck's prolific and influential career, Mike and Pat get all Benjamin Buttony. Dave Brubeck – PARK AVENUE SOUTH, CLASSICAL BRUBECK, BROTHER, THE GREAT SPIRIT MADE US ALL, TIME OUT, COUNTDOWN – TIME IN OUTER SPACE, TIME IN . . .