Jazz Bastard Podcast

Join our intrepid but grumpy explorers Mike and Pat and they continue their journey through the New York Times Top Ten list of Best Jazz Albums from 2023. The boys look at three more albums off the list and once again have questions about the selections. Then they discuss an album from 2023 not on the list, and, naturally, emit rainbows. We don't recommend you make a game of drinking whenever one of them calls "category error" unless you have a high tolerance for alcohol - and bastardy. Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah - BARK OUT THUNDER; Enji – ULAAN; Ambrose Akinmusire - OWL SONG; Myra Melford – HEAR THE LIGHT SINGING.

Cue the "Odd Couple" theme. This episode, the bastards take a listener's request to heart and discuss two musicians of wildly differing tempers - Art Blakey and Warne Marsh. Art was never into cool jazz, Warne was never a messenger, but you just know, if they had to share an apartment for some unlikely reason or other, wackiness would ensue. Towards the end the podcast degenerates into discussing favorite James Bond themes, so be warned. Art Blakey - LIVE AT CAFÉ BOHEMIA, VOL 1; LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE; Warne Marsh – WARNE MARSH, APOGEE.

Mike drags Pat out of his blanket fort for close encounters with a couple heavy hitters of the avant-garde, a Chicago legend who doesn't believe in intonation, and a tribute to that legend that gets celestial from time to time. In pop matters Mikes talks about a little known jazz short film from the fifties and Pat gets totally tubular. Cecil Taylor – COMPLETE LEGENDARY LIVE RETURN CONCERT; Albert Ayler – HOLY GHOST: RARE AND UNRELEASED RECORDINGS; Michael Allemana – VONOLOGY; Von Freeman – THE IMPROVISER.

Every now and then when the holidays roll around, the boys celebrate by surveying some jazz-related Christmas releases. This is one of those now and thens, and they've picked an eclectic bunch indeed. After the tinsel talk winds down, Mike muses about Nick Cave (little known fact - Nick is Santa's favorite artist), tries to guess Pat's glam rock favorites, and gets an update on "world's angriest sunbeam" Nellie McKay. Various Artists on Columbia Records – JINGLE BELL JAZZ; Stan Kenton – A MERRY CHRISTMAS!; Geri Allen – A CHILD IS BORN; Paul Horn – JAZZ SUITE ON THE MASS TEXTS; Dave McKenna – CHRISTMAS IVORY.

You know it's going to be a good episode when Pat and Mike get to discuss Paul Anka taking on Nirvana in depth. It only gets better as we explore contemporary work by an avant garde reedman and more approachable performances by a bass clarinet specialist. Stay tuned for Mike's musings on supposed "Dad-rock" favorite R.E.M. - and why they were secretly a punk band. Steve Kuhn - WATCH WHAT HAPPENS ; Andrew Lamb Trio – CASBAH OF LOVE; Paul Austerlitz WATER PRAYERS FOR BASS CLARINET; Paul Anka – ROCK SWINGS.