Big Band Holidays. Celebrate the season with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, recorded live at Rose Theater in New York. Enjoy fresh arrangements of holiday classics featuring guest vocalists Catherine Russell, Vuyo Sotashe, Veronica Swift, and Cécile McLorin Salvant.

On Part 2 of Ornette Coleman: Congeniality / The Early Years, 1958-1960, we present the revolutionary and historic recordings that Ornette made in that period in the company of Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, Billy Higgins and Ed Blackwell. On Contemporary and then Atlantic. Including tracks from Ornette’s desert island disc: The Shape Of Jazz To Come.

Islandic musician Steini Teague has spent most of his musical life touring with folk and rock bands, including an appearance on The Tonight Show with Of Monsters and Men. Now he’s turned his sights on jazz with his duo CDs with Icelandic vocalist Silva—with a last name I won’t even attempt to pronounce. I talked with Steini about their CD, More Than You Know a dreamy, romantic take on some of their favorite standards.

New York City based composer and pianist Daniel Meron brought his trio to Clevland to perform pieces from his 2024 Pinch Records based release Pendulum. Over the past decade Meron has established himself as a prominent figure in the modern jazz scene releasing four critically acclaimed albums, along with featured performances at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Costa Rica Jazz Festival, and tours of the US, Canada, Europe and Israel. From a May 5th, 2024 performance that features Pablo Menares on Bass, Jimmy Macbride on Drums and Daniel Meron on piano, it’s the Daniel Meron Trio – Live at the Bop Stop.

Jimmy Witherspoon: 1950-56, Part 2. Jimmy Witherspoon is one of most influential blues shouters to emerge after WWII and yet he remains just a footnote in the evolution of Rhythm & Blues and Rock n' Roll. In part 1 of our 2-part feature on Spoon, we focused on his early recordings with Jay McShann's band from 1945-50. During that time, Spoon recorded his signature tune, "Ain't Nobody's Business," which topped the R&B charts during the summer of 1949. This week in part 2, we pick it up in 1950, while he's still recording for LA's Modern Records. Spoon would score his last hit, "The Wind Is Blowin'" for that label in 1952. Then he jumps over to Federal Records, where A&R man Ralph Bass tries a few new things, like pairing Spoon with the R&B vocal group, The Lamplighters. Having no charting hits on Federal, Spoon signs with Checker Records in Chicago, where only 3 singles are issued. It becomes clear that blues shouters like Witherspoon are out of fashion with the new Rock n' Roll record buyers, so he takes a stab at a Rock n' Roll song, "My Girl Ivy" for Atco in '56, before reinventing himself as a jazz singer. All of these records must be heard in order to appreciate the depth of styles and influence on Rock n' Roll Music that Spoon had.

Blue Note Holiday Special. A holiday hour from Blue Note Records, curated by Don Was, a musician and producer known for his wide-ranging ear and love of great songs. This program drifts through snowy soundscapes with classics and deep cuts from Norah Jones, Horace Silver, Dianne Reeves, and more.

Coming Soon

Tony Award-nominated actress, singer, writer Melissa Errico is loaded with energy, ideas and inspiration. Melissa started singing at eleven and with her pianist father, trumpet-playing brother and Melissa on vocals, they would, in her words, make guerilla assaults on her neighbor’s pianos, going from door to door as a kind of Italian Partridge family, inviting themselves in to entertain anyone who’d have them. These adventures and others made clear where Melissa’s life was heading.

If you’re a fan of Gypsy Jazz, or are in tune with the extensive legacy of Django Reinhart, then Stephane Wrembel likely needs no introduction. But if you’re new to the genre you’ll be impressed with Stephane Wrembel’s extensive list of accomplishments and his gifts. His original compositions for movies, including Midnight in Paris, Vicky Christina Barcelona and Rifkin’s Festival have earned him global accolades. He’s performed among luminaries from John Schofield to Elvis Costello to Shelia E. There’s inspiration to be had and groundbreaking performances to be found across all 17 of his releases, including 2023’s Django New Orleans – selections from which are featured in this performance. Featuring Josh Kaye on Guitar, Ari Folman-Cohen on Bass, Nick Anderson on Drums, and from a May 16th, 2024 sold out performance, it’s Stephane Wrembel – Live at the Bop Stop.

The Swallows were one of the most underrated R&B vocal groups of the early 1950s. Hailing from Baltimore, they only scored 2 top 10 R&B hits during their 3-year stint with King Records, but collectors and aficionados know their catalog inside and out. The Swallows' original lead tenor, Eddie Rich, joins us with his first-hand account of scoring a hit record, life on the road, segregation and playing with the top artists of the day. So, dim the lights, turn up the juke and get ready for a full hour of some of the greatest vocal group harmonies you're ever going to hear.