Father’s Day (SPECIAL ENCORE). We’re celebrating the dads in the jazz world—from musicians raising musical kids to fathers who inspired a love of music at home. Hear touching stories and great performances from Chick Corea, Bobby and Madison McFerrin, Cory Wong, Catherine Russell, Benny Green, and more in this special Father’s Day episode.

Ella Fitzgerald: Twelve Nights In Hollywood, Part 2 presents her historic 1961 stand at the Crescendo club on Sunset Strip, with some of the greatest live singing she ever did. With a special focus on songs by George & Ira Gershwin, and Harold Arlen with Johnny Mercer.

Ricky Alexander. Imagine my delight when a CD called Just Found Joy came in the mail with a vaguely amused-looking horn player on the cover with a goat standing behind him digging the sounds. Obviously, this musician was a fellow goat-lover and as my luck would have it, a wonderful, swinging player as well. Clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, Ricky Alexander. I immediately reached out to Ricky and arranged the following conversation.

Stephen Phillip Harvey Octet. Stephen Phillip Harvey’s works sit squarely at the intersection of popular culture and jazz. In his latest Octet project, Stephen explores the elements on a composition he calls Elemental. The Stephen Phillip Harvey Octet performs this suite of six original compositions to bring his original interpretation of these elements and the balance they create. Fusing modern harmonies, driving vamps, and a myriad of textures, Harvey brings these forces of nature to aural landscape. Daniel Peck is your host for this June 16th, 2023 performance of the Stephen Phillip Harvey Octet - Live at the Bop Stop.

The Larks, Part 1 - 1950-52. The Larks are one of the most influential and best sounding vocal groups of the early 1950s and yet, they are never remembered quite as well as many of their contemporaries. That might be because they only had 2 charting singles and neither record sold well after its initial release. But don't let the numbers fool you, the Larks were a top-notch group with outstanding leads provided by Eugene Mumford, Allen Bunn and David McNeil, who occasionally sang a solid bass lead. Part one of a two-parter focuses on the group's gospel roots, their charting records and the very start of the original group falling apart. Along the way, they recorded "Eyesight To The Blind," "Little Side Car," "When I Leave These Prison Walls," "My Reverie" and many other standouts. You won't want to miss the tremendous music and eye-opening stories of one of R&B's greatest vocal groups.

Jazz House Kids (NEW!). Jazz House Kids is a powerhouse for jazz education, based in Montclair, New Jersey. Founded by vocalist Melissa Walker, the program has launched rising stars like Matthew Whitaker, Isaiah J. Thompson, and Julian Lee. It’s a place where music builds community, confidence, and opportunity. Guest host Michel Martin tells the story.

Jim Self. Tuba virtuoso, Jim Self wants more respect for his instrument. “I want someone to write something romantic for the tuba,” Jim lamented to me. I’m called when a there’s someone fat on screen or an elephant. Fat people make love too.” Yes, it was a fun conversation with this man who DOES get respect from every corner of the music business. Jim has worked with everyone from Placido Domingo and Mel Torme to Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand, not to mention, his playing on over 1500 movie soundtracks and hundreds of TV shows and records. Among tuba-enthusiasts, Jim Self is especially celebrated as the voice from the Mother Ship in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Spoiler alert: that was Jim Self playing those tuba tones, not an alien.

Canadian Jazz Collective. Driven by the cause of the development and showcasing of uniquely Canadian Jazz compositions, the Canadian Jazz Collective features a dozen JUNO Awards across the group – and another nomination for their 2023 album SEPTOLOGY. This performance is the first US appearance from the full collective and it features Kirk MacDonald on Saxophone, Derrick Gardner on Trumpet, Virgina MacDonald on Clarinet, Lorne Lofsky on Guitar, Brian Dickinson on Piano, Neil Swainson on Bass and Bernd Reiter on Drums. Daniel Peck is your host for this March 22nd, 2024 performance, which is the American debut of the Canadian Jazz Collective – Live at the Bop Stop.

The Larks, Part 2 - 1952-55. The Larks are one of the most influential and best sounding vocal groups of the early 1950s and yet, they are never remembered quite as well as many of their contemporaries. In part 1 of our 2 part series, we showcased The Larks' early recordings from 1950-52, including their only 2 charting singles, "Eyesight To The Blind" and "Little Side Car." In part 2 we pick it back up in 1952, the original Larks group disintegrates and members go off on their own. Allen Bunn leaves to pursue a solo career and will soon be known as Tarheel Slim. Bass singer David McNeil joins The Dominoes and Eugene Mumford joins the Golden Gate Quartet. In less than a year, Gene Mumford would return to secular music and form a few groups out of members of the Golden Gate Quartet and beyond, calling it The Larks. This new Larks group bears little resemblance to the original, but they are loaded with talent. However, Bess Berman at Apollo Records was looking for more of a pop group, so the material the new Larks were presented with wasn't very strong and they failed to score any hits, but the music is captivating and worth hearing.