CiTR

Tonight's Jazz Feature is again a double header. First off is a regular feature for this time of year that is both educational and very entertaining and brings us into the "back to school" idea that is celebrated in the month of September. It is Maestro Leonard Bernstein's "What is Jazz". Bernstein through a whole variety of musical examples explains what Jazz is and what it isn't in a clear non technical way. Later on he analyses a standard pop song interpreted by a variety of Jazz players from various eras and breaks it down into simple parts that the lay person can understand. The recording was made in the mid-50's but is still valid and fun to listen to. Enjoy.
Our second Jazz Feature is a lesser known album by tenor and soprano saxophone master John Coltrane who today, September 23 celebrates a Birthday Anniversary. The Jazz feature album is called "Ole Coltrane" and it was his final recording for Atlantic records before he switched to Impulse Records. Coltrane had already recorded his first session for Impulse and he was reminded that he owed Atlantic one more album. He assembled a group of musicians some who would become regular members of his working band. Coltrane assembled young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and alto saxophonist/flutist Eric Dolphy who did become a regular for several months in Coltrane's band. Pianist McCoy Tyner is heard of course and two fine bassists, Art Davis and Reginald Workman who both were part of Coltrane's regular band and of course the dynamic Elvin Jones on drums. The longest and most iconic tune on this set recorded on May 25, 1961 is "Ole" a Spanish flavoured excursion. "Dahomey Dance is the second Coltrane original and is an altered blues. McCoy Tyner's tribute to his wife is the set's ballad and titled "Aisha". A final tune added to the CD issue was Billy Frasier's "To Her Ladyship", a tribute to Billie Holiday. All in all a very fine and sometimes overlooked album by the great master John Coltrane.