CURRENT SCHEDULE on WBLU is 88.9 FM - Blue Lake Public Radio, Grand Rapids, MI - http://www.bluelake.org/radio.html

Sundays, 9:00pm, Central Standard Time

Sept. 4 - #A6: Labor Day - "The Blindfold Test" 
Remember the popular DownBeat Magazine Blindfold Tests where musicians listened to records commenting on the music without being told what or who it was? With everyone relaxing for the Labor Day weekend, we thought it would be fun to play some interesting tracks from swing to bop to vocals to see if you can guess what they are. Watch out, we may have a few tricks in our bag!

Sept 11 - #9: Louis Smith & Tina Brooks
Potential Blue Note stars in 1958, trumpeter Smith and tenor man Brooks made legendary records (Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Smith, Freddie Hubbard) and even worked together, but within 3 years both were gone from jazz, 1 never to return. 
Sept 18 - #10: Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, Annie Ross
In the early 1950's, they created the style of jazz singing called "vocalese", but never achieved popular success as individuals in America. Jefferson kept singing, Pleasure disappeared, Ross was part of the legendary Lambert Hendricks & Ross, but soon moved to England. 

Sept 25 - #11: Curtis Counce & Bob Cooper
Two California leaders and sidemen (one black, one white) whose music was much hotter than "West Coast Jazz" was supposed to be. Tenor sax man Cooper was a mainstay of the Lighthouse All-Stars, bassist Counce led the Curtis Counce Quintet. 

Oct 2 - #12: "Gary McFarland, Appreciated"
Composer McFarland burst on the scene with a critically acclaimed jazz score to "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". He played vibes with Stan Getz and others, made beautiful and unique records with Bill Evans, Bob Brookmeyer, Gabor Szabo, and became a record producer before dying suddenly at the age of 38.

Oct 9 - #13: Charles Mingus & Neal Hefti 
Even legendary jazz musicians have surprising and overlooked talents. Dig the 1940's & 50's swing trumpet playing of composer Neal Hefti, and the 1950's & 60's unique piano playing of composer, bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus. 

Oct 16 – #14: Lennie Tristano & Billy Bauer
Their "cool" school was so advanced it still sounds modern. Pianist Tristano influenced many musicians but never became popular with the public. Guitarist Bauer is forever identified as his main sideman but in fact played mostly with other cats, from Lee Konitz to Benny Goodman. 

Oct. 23 - #A9: "The Make-Believe Ballroom" An Incomplete History of Jazz Radio, Vol. 1
To help public radio with its pledge drives, we've created a colorful 4-show trip back through the history of jazz on radio. From the first live broadcast in 1906, to swing music played on World War II military stations, part 1 of our story gets illustrated with rare broadcast recordings including New Orleans clarinetist Jimmie Noone live with King Oliver's Creole jazz band in 1923, Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club, Count Basie at the Savoy, Louis Armstrong sitting in with Benny Goodman's Sextet, Frank Sinatra at Roseland, Art Tatum, Roy Eldridge, Cab Calloway, and a 19-year old Bud Powell playing blues with Cootie Williams.

Oct. 30 - #A7: Halloween - "…Feets Don't Fail Me Now"
Our Annual Halloween Show proves that the hipster set includes ghosts, ghouls, witches and weirdos of all kinds that like to sleep all day and stay out all night in wild, dark places. This spooky collection of jazz tracks from bop to vocals, including Artie Shaw's "Nightmare" and drummer Philly Joe Jones' famous "Blues For Dracula", is guaranteed to rattle your funny bones.

Nov 6 - #15: Art Taylor & Charli Persip
Without achieving individual fame, these "hard-bop" drummers swung everyone from John Coltrane to Dizzy Gillespie on hundreds of classic recordings on Prestige, Blue Note, etc. 

Nov 13 - #16: Buddy DeFranco & Tommy Gumina
Buddy DeFranco was the best of the few modern jazz clarinetists. Gumina, his frequent partner was another rare virtuoso, a modern jazz accordionist! They had a tough time because of the unpopularity of their instruments, but their Quartet and work as sidemen were amazing. 

Nov 20 - #17: Dorothy Donegan & Jutta Hipp
Two female piano players who deserved more recognition: Dorothy was a virtuoso and colorful personality from the 30's to the 90's, German-born Jutta survived Hitler in the 40's to become a cool bop player in America in the 50's. 

Nov 27 - #18: Tubby Hayes & Dizzy Reece
These two modern players, tubby on tenor and Dizzy on trumpet, made some great records in the US during the hard bop era, but worked much more in England & Europe. Their rare recordings also feature Vic Feldman, Clark Terry, Donald Byrd, Hank Jones, and more. 

Dec 4 - #19: Doc Cheatham & Ruby Braff
Almost a generation apart, these 2 Dixieland/Mainstream brass men had to wait until the 70’s to be recognized for their wonderful melodic gifts. Fortunately, Doc’s career on trumpet lasted almost 70 years, and coronetist Ruby is still going. 

Dec 11 - #20: "Heroes of the Hammond"
In the 50’s Jimmy Smith combined blues, bebop and the B-3 organ to create a new type of earthy jazz. The show highlights equally great music made by less famous organists like Shirley Scott, Big John Patton, Baby-Face Willett, Don Patterson, Larry Young, and Charles Earland. 

Dec 18 - #21: Julius Watkins & Charlie Rouse
If a musician plays an instrument not easily accepted by the public, he’ll have a tough time no mater how good he is. French horn virtuoso Watkins played modern jazz like no one else. Tenor saxist Rouse gained acceptance as Thelonious Monk’s main sideman for 12 years. 

Dec 25 - #A1: "A Jazz Christmas Show"
For Christmas, we take an imaginary time-trip around the world to hear holiday tunes like "White Christmas" done by Charlie Parker in the 40's, plus Jimmy Smith, Bob Dorough & Miles Davis in the 60's, Joe Pass in the 70's, and big bands and Latin groups from today.

Jan 1 - #22: Slide Hampton
Still going strong, Slide Hampton has been a virtuoso trombonist and gifted composer/arranger for 50 years. His work for Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie, and his World of Trombones is so distinctive, we need the entire hour just to sample his talents. 

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