PODCAST · music
In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond
by Ken Laster
From Jazz masters of past and present to emerging new artists performing modern jazz and fusion.No smooth jazz here!
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25
Chick Three Ways
This week's episode features a Chick Corea set with three tunes in very different settings. First we feature two young jazz artists with debut albums and a pair of Miles & Trane tunes in honor of their centennial birthdays. We complete this show honoring David Clayton Thomas from BS&T who passed on last week. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Caelan Cardello ~ Music for the People ~ Chapter One Matt Hall ~ Charlie's Harley ~ I Hope to My Never John Coltrane ~ Like Sonny ~ Coltrane Jazz Miles Davis ~ Black Comedy ~ Miles In the Sky Chick Corea ~ Matrix ~ Now He Sings, Now He Sobs Chick Corea ~ Armando's Rhumba ~ My Spanish Heart Chick Corea And Gary Burton ~ No Mystery ~ Native Sense - The New Duets Blood, Sweat & Tears ~ Spinning Wheel ~ Blood, Sweat & Tears
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24
Episode June 28 2026
Another eclectic set featuring fusion, hard-bop, and protest. Beginning with piano master Hancock and up-and-coming phenom Cardello, and ending with fusion guitarists supreme McLaughlin and Stern. Then a little protest music in between. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Herbie Hancock ~ Actual Proof ~ Thrust Caelan Cardello ~ Steppin' Up ~ Chapter One Les McCann & Eddie Harris ~ Compared to What ~ Swiss Movement Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein & Bill Stewart ~ FU Donald ~ Perpetual Pendulum Pat Metheny Group ~ When We Were Free ~ Quartet Bill Cunliffe & Holly Hofmann ~ Chucho ~ Just Duet, Vol. 2 John McLaughlin ~ Elijah in DC ~ Music for Abandoned Heights Łukasz Pawlik & Mike Stern ~ Eastern Winds ~ Single
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23
Trane, Brecker, Potter
This episode begins with a Coltrane inspired track from Emmet Cohen's latest album. We follow that with saxophone giants Potter and Brecker. The set concludes with a great arrangement of a Coltrane classic from Hancock and then an extended piece from Trane himself. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Emmet Cohen ~ Blue Train ~ Universal Truth Chris Potter ~ Sister Annie ~ Alive With Ghosts Today Michael Brecker ~ Nothing Personal ~ Michael Brecker Michael Brecker ~ African Skies ~ Tales from the Hudson Hancock, Brecker & Hargrove ~ So What / Impressions ~ Directions In Music: Live At Massey Hall John Coltrane Quartet ~ Transition ~ Transition
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22
Episode June 14 2026
This episode begins with a Joe Henderson tribute after attending a show by flautist Lori Bell of Henderson arrangements. Other tracks of note are Emmet Cohen's latest release, a Miles' classic, and the fusion feature from RTF. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Lori Bell Quartet ~ Black Narcissus ~ Recorda Me - Remembering Joe Henderson Joe Henderson ~ Isotope ~ Inner Urge Larry Young ~ Zoltan ~ Unity Emmet Cohen ~ I. Eternal Glimpse ~ Universal Truth Miles Davis ~ Sid's Ahead ~ Milestones Return to Forever ~ The Romantic Warrior ~ Romantic Warrior
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21
More Sonny and Miles
The last two episodes have been dedicated to Miles and Sonny, but there were a few more tracks I wanted to get into, so we review those at the top of the show. That is followed by some new music including a recent release by Emmet C and Joe F. Finally, we review some early Weather Report and late Joe Zawinul. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Sonny Rollins ~ Way Out West ~ Way Out West Thelonious Monk ~ Bemsha Swing ~ Brilliant Corners Miles Davis ~ Honky Tonk ~ Get Up With It Joe Farnsworth ~ You Already Know ~ The Big Room Emmet Cohen ~ Gingerbread Boy ~ Universal Truth Emmet Cohen ~ III. Universal Truth ~ Universal Truth Weather Report ~ Orange Lady ~ Weather Report Joe Zawinul ~ Black Market ~ Brown Street
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20
Sonny RIP
One of the greatest players in the jazz legacy, Sonny Rollins passed away last week on May 25 at 95 years of age. On this episode, we look back on his career which spanned 7 decades. Here are some of my favorite "Newk" recordings from his most creative years. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Sonny Rollins ~ Strode Rode ~ Saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins ~ Wonderful! Wonderful! ~ Newk's Time Sonny Rollins ~ Alone Together ~ Sonny Rollins and the Contempory Leaders Sonny Rollins ~ God Bless the Child ~ The Bridge Sonny Rollins ~ Alfie's Theme ~ Alfie (Original Music From The Score) Sonny Rollins ~ The Freedom Suite ~ Freedom Suite
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19
Miles Centennial Celebration
For this week's episode, we celebrate Miles Davis on the Centennial of his birth, May 26 1926. Miles is one of the most influential of jazz artist, having set new directions for jazz time and time again. Here we represent music from his first and second great quintets along with his explorations in electronics and rock rhythms that led to the jazz-rock fusion of the 70's and beyond. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Miles Davis ~ Milestones ~ Milestones Miles Davis ~ So What ~ Kind of Blue Miles Davis ~ Joshua ~ Seven Steps To Heaven Miles Davis ~ Footprints ~ Miles Smiles Miles Davis ~ Spanish Key (alternate take) ~ Bitches Brew (Legacy Edition) Gregory Hutchinson ~ Water Babies ~ Kind of Now - The Pulse of Miles Davis Peter Sprague ~ Flamenco Sketches ~ Blue Kind of Miles
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18
Latest from the Greatest
This episode features brand new music from some of the best jazz artists of today. From Potter to Metheny to Marsalis and more we have new album releases for your listening pleasure. They don't dissapoint. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Chris Potter ~ Sister Annie ~ Alive With Ghosts Today Steve Wilson ~ Quiet Girl ~ Enduring Sonance Billy Childs ~ Lazy Afternoon ~ Triumvirate Gregory Hutchinson ~ Bitches Brew ~ Kind of Now - The Pulse of Miles Davis Pat Metheny ~ Make a New World ~ Side-Eye III+ Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis ~ Let Freedom Swing (Eleanor Roosevelt) ~ Let Freedom Swing Brian Lynch ~ Blue n' boogie ~ Torch Bearers
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17
A New York City Groove
In this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on my recent trip to New York City, focusing on the jazz clubs and concerts I explored. We visited some of the iconic spots that have been standing the test of time, like Smalls, Mezzrow, and Smoke, and also discovered some fresh new places, such as Jazz Cultural and Close Up. Plus, we went to the Essentially Ellington competition at Jazz @ Lincoln Center to see the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory perform and snag an Honorable Mention Award. You can listen to the audio from the stream in this podcast. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Caelan Cardello ~ Gone Fishin’ ~ Chapter One Sarah Hanahan ~ We Bop! ~ Among Giants Jacobs Jazz Orchestra (YLJC) ~ Star Crossed Lovers ~ Essentially Ellington Competition Steve Wilson ~ Helen's Song ~ Enduring Sonance Sean Jones ~ How High the Moon ~ Im·pro·vise Never Before Seen John Di Martino ~ Isfahan ~ Passion Flower Scott Robinson ~ Tenor Eleven ~ Scott Robinson: Tenormore Sullivan Fortner ~ In a Sentimental Mood ~ Moments Preserved Steve Davis ~ Club 880 ~ Images
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16
Episode May 3 2026
Lots of new music in this week's episode. But first we begin with some funky 80's fusion from Steps Ahead with great tenor work from Michael Brecker. Perhaps two of the greatest jazz artists currently touring and making new music are on the playlist from Potter and Metheny. Also new music from today's modern creative forces Wilkins, Preminger and Turner. Playlist Artist ~ Name ~ Album Steps Ahead ~ Radio-Active ~ Modern Times Chris Potter ~ Into Africa ~ Alive With Ghosts Today Pat Metheny ~ Urban and Western ~ Side-Eye III+ Immanuel Wilkins ~ THE BIG COUNTRY ~ Immanuel Wilkins Quartet: Live at the Village Vanguard Vol. 2 Noah Preminger & Max Light ~ Smoke Gets In Your Eyes ~ Stitching Life Mark Turner ~ It Very Well May Be ~ Patternmaster
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
From Jazz masters of past and present to emerging new artists performing modern jazz and fusion.No smooth jazz here!
HOSTED BY
Ken Laster
CATEGORIES
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