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May 25: (#A4) Memorial Day - "The Return of the V-Disc" Vol. 1
We honor Memorial Day with the famous V-Discs that brought welcome music from home to Americans fighting WWII in Europe and the Pacific. Forgotten for 60 years, they are historic documents of the great big bands, singers, and soloists of the 40's: Nat King Cole, Glenn Miller, Django Reinhardt, Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Art Tatum, Jack Teagarden, and more.

June 1: (#35) Shorty Rogers & Dave Pell “Little Big Bands”
Two composers from the East became West Coast champions of 7-10 piece groups combining swing, bebop, the harmonic range of big bands, and the flexibility of combos. Trumpeter Shorty Rogers, and tenor saxist Dave Pell became known for their unique 1950's ensemble sounds.

June 8: (#36) “Hipsters, Flipsters & Finger Poppin’ Daddies”
Humor has always been a part of jazz. Bebop created a bizarre esoteric humor that battled the squareness of the 50's. Songs and routines by Babs Gonzales, Harry Gibson, Lord Buckley, Jazzbo Collins, Lenny Bruce and others will split your sides and test your hipness level.

June 15: (#37) Sonny Criss & Harold Land
Unfairly forgotten because most people remember the West Coast for "cool jazz", altoist Sonny Criss and tenorist Harold Land played hard blowing bop for over 50 years. Since the late 40's, Criss's slashing, unique sound was featured on JATP style concert recordings and dates for Prestige, Muse, and Impulse. Land was featured with Clifford Brown & Max Roach in the 50's, Bobby Hutcherson in the 60's, Blue Mitchell in the 70's, and was still recording in the 90's.

June 22: (#38) Joe Newman & Bobby Hackett
A study in trumpet contrasts: Joe Newman, influenced by Louis Armstrong, played with Lionel Hampton and Count Basie; Bobby Hacket, influenced by Bix Beiderbecke, played with Glen Gray and Benny Goodman. And yet, because of their smooth swing styles, both did hundreds of "mood" records, Broadway shows, and orchestra gigs.

June 29: (#A5) Independence Day - "The Return of the V-Disc" Vol. 2 
Celebrate America's popular July 4th holiday with the second in our series of re-discovered swing-era V-Disc recordings, made to boost the morale and fighting spirit of the troops in WWII. Records you've never heard by Benny Goodman, Nat King Cole, Red Norvo, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, Gene Krupa, and more.

July 6: (#39) “Basses Loaded”
From Chubby Jackson's innovative work with Woody Herman, to Milt Hinton's 70 years with everybody, bass players have primarily stayed in the background. Listen to Joe Benjamin's work with Sarah Vaughan, and rare albums led by Hinton, Jackson, Red Mitchell, Leroy Vinegar, and Doug Watkins and appreciate the many facets of these great musicians.

July 13: (#40) "Russ Freeman's California Sessions"
One of the most unsung musicians in jazz, pianist Freeman was a pioneer of West Coast jazz with Charlie Parker in the 40's, Chet Baker and Shelly Manne in the 50's, Art Pepper in the 70's and so many more. His unique style was copied by many pianists.

July 20: (#41) "Violinsanity" Smith, Venuti, Grappelli, etc.
The list of great jazz violin players is small but distinguished. Stuff Smith and Joe Venuti set the style in the 1920's, Ray Nance and Stephane Grappelli took it to another level in the 30's and 40's, and Jean Luc Ponty and Michael Dudziak took it electronic in the 70's.

July 27: (#42) Jam Sessions, Vol. 1: "The Buck Clayton Sessions"
The most famous recorded jam sessions of the 50's were those led by Count Basie trumpet man, Buck Clayton. On both domestic and very rare European sessions, you'll hear swing stars like Coleman Hawkins, Ruby Braff, J. C. Higginbotham, the great Jimmy Rushing, and more.

Aug. 3: (#43) Jam Sessions, Vol. 2: "Miles Davis, Chet Baker & the Lighthouse All-Stars"
On the West Coast, no sessions were cooler than the Sunday all-day jams at the Lighthouse in the early 50's. You'll be sitting on the front row when "Cool" trumpet legends Davis and Baker drop by to battle it out with Shelly Manne, Max Roach, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, and others.

Aug 10: (#44) Jam Sessions, Vol. 3: "The Prestige Detroit Sessions"
Many great late 50's hard bop recordings were essentially jam sessions, but the Prestige studios hosted so many All-Star jams that their vaults are still yielding surprises. Heaviest hitters were the guys from Detroit, Donald Byrd, Pepper Adams, Kenny Burrell, Elvin Jones, etc.

Aug. 17: (#45) Jam Sessions, Vol. 4: "The Gene Ammons Sessions"
Of all the great jam session recordings on Prestige, the most popular were led by Gene Ammons in the 1950's. His huge tenor sax sound and relaxed style was the perfect match for frequent guests like John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Pepper Adams, Jackie McLean, Kenny Burrell, Paul Quinichette, Paul Chambers, and Art Taylor.

Aug. 24: (#46) Legendary Concerts, Vol. 1: "Spirituals to Swing, 1938-39"
Another great date organized by John Hammond to present jazz history in Carnegie Hall. It's an unforgettable meeting of gospel, ragtime, New Orleans, blues, boogie and swing with Ida Cox, Big Bill Broonzy, James P. Johnson, New Orleans Feetwarmers, Meade Lux Lewis, Benny Goodman with Charlie Christian, and Count Basie with Lester Young, Helen Humes, and more.

Aug. 31: (#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. 7: (#47) Legendary Concerts, Vol. 2: "Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940"
Imagine taking your date to a dance in a small North Dakota town, and hearing the Duke Ellington Orchestra that just happens to contain legendary bassist Jimmy Blanton, tenor giant Ben Webster, alto great Johnny Hodges, clarinetist Barney Bigard, Cootie Williams on trumpet, songs by Duke's new arranger, Billy Strayhorn, and the first appearance of trumpet/violinist Ray Nance. 

Sept. 14: (#48) Legendary Concerts, Vol. 3: "First Esquire Jazz Concert, 1944"
Esquire sponsored the first "critics poll" and brought the winners together for an amazing one time concert. You'll hear Louis Armstrong and Roy Eldridge together, Louis and Coleman Hawkins backed by Art Tatum, plus Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Pettiford, and even Mildred Bailey and Billie Holiday. 

Sept. 21: (#49) Legendary Concerts, Vol. 4: "Birdland All-Stars at Carnegie Hall"
This is the performance that kicked off a cross-country tour of stars who regularly played New York's famed Birdland. Imagine sitting in stately Carnegie Hall to hear the Count Basie Band with vocal legends Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan, plus Lester Young and Charlie Parker!!!

Sept. 28: (#50) "Ladies of Jazz – Got Rhythm"
Unfairly ignored during their careers in the 1950's and 60's, we remember 3 great ladies from the rhythm section: Terry Pollard, pianist with Quincy Jones and Terry Gibbs, Mary Osborne, guitarist with Mary Lou Williams and Coleman Hawkins; and Margie Hyams, vibraphonist with Woody Herman and George Shearing.

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