As we all know jazz is a very very broad category but The Real Enjoyment Of Jazz focuses on what I'd describe as 'mainstream jazz'......having just said that 'mainstream' sounds quite dull and boring doesn't it?.....and The Real Enjoyment Of Jazz is anything but that.
Maybe the easiest way of describing the show's content (apart from listening and enjoying the show first hand which is by FAR the best way!!) is to tell what its NOT ....... I exclude early boogie woogie.....in fact I exclude the 20's and 30's (almost) completely and there's precious little from the 40's...........I exclude atonal avant garde jazz......I exclude 'elevator' music/muzak...............so what does that leave? .....simply the very best melodic jazz by the greatest artists who've ever graced a recording studio or stage.
Contact Mike for more info.
The Content
Mainly its from the early fifties to the current day but within those vague parameters we're trying to get as much variety as possible into each show......piano solos, big bands, vocals, sax/trumpet quintets, guitar solos, jazz interpretations of classics and pop tunes, piano/bass/drums trios, groups featuring every instrument that's ever been used, to good effect, in jazz........but all with the one essential ingredient in common .....QUALITY!!!
The Artists
Yes many (in fact ...most) of the biggest names in jazz.....Ellington, Getz, Bill Evan, Miles, Dizzy, Basie, Mulligan, Blakey, Lee Morgan, Chet, Hawkins, Al Cohn, Desmond, Sims, Cannonball.................. but we'll also be featuring those wonderful jazz artists whose names never went beyond the jazz world despite having served us so well over the jazz spectrum..... despite their enormous talents .......just to give you some idea of who they are here's just an extract of the pianists we'll be featuring on future shows.......Abdullah Ibrahim, Ray Bryant, Hampton Hawes, Al Haig, Sal Mosca, Sonny Clark, Kenny Drew, Red Garland, Barry Harris, Russ Freeman, Eddie Costa, Wynton Kelly, Michel Petrucciani, Tete Montoliu, Don Shirley, Horace Silver....and so on ...and on ....but hopefully that'll give you an idea of the huge pool of talent that we'll be working with given that that was only a sample of the pianists!
Plus we'll be featuring some of the current crop of talented musicians who're helping to keep the jazz flame alive......Bill Charlap, Steve Davis, Scott Hamilton, Eldar Djanirov, Mike DiRubbo.....and a good smattering of British musos.