Jazz for the Asking Blog

Time was when a radio station license was “Granted in the public interest” which means the radio station owners needed to provide the local community with services such as local news, public service announcements, important information and so on. Those rules have not changed, but they are interpreted differently. It seems these days, the public is interested in squeezing every last nickel of advertising revenue out of the community and sending it to San Antonio, Texas.

What am I talking about? The huge mega corporations that own 90 percent of the radio stations in this country are not concerned with the local communities those station used to serve. What they are concerned with is the bottom line. Radio is still a hugely profitable business, with most of those profits being shipped off to Atlanta or San Antonio or some other corporate headquarters thousands of miles away from the community they came from. That in and of itself is fine, however, those corporations then fail to return anything to the local communities. They simply milk the station for all it is worth then move on to the next target.

Here is a good example of what happens to your local radio station when the mega corporation takes over:

This used to be the 94.3 WBPM studio. When the station was sold, the new owner’s engineers came in and removed anything of value, then they moved the studio to another city, twenty miles away. Gone is the local news staff, the news now comes over the satellite from Newark, NJ, gone is the local promotions staff, the community interface, and so on. Sure, the radio station is still on the air, but it is run by a computer. Try calling the studio on a Saturday afternoon and see if anyone answers the phone. The announcers may be located in Dallis, Cincinnati, or Chicago. Ask one of them to pick out Kingston, NY on a map and they may be able to find it after a while. Ask them who is the mayor, what are the local issues, or even what is the weather like, they probably won’t be able to tell you.

This is the news studio, back when there was a local news department, they worked out of this room. As you can see, it has become the office garbage dump:

Radio is becoming irrelevant. Radio station owner’s complain about the competition from Satellite Radio, the Internet, and iPods. Competition is supposed to make you better, not worse. Instead, owners seem unable to come to grips with the facts that radio’s strength is its ability to be local. They continue to implement computer generated generic formats that are boring, unoriginal and anything but entertaining.

These blended formats are a result of the highly sought after money demo, 25-54 year old women. The rationale is the advertisers want the 25-54 year old women (AKA Soccer mom’s) listeners because they spend the most money. The programming is adjusted to the potential advertising client. Once again, the bottom line drives the on air content. Radio used to be the innovator, the place were new music styles and artists were heard.

It can be turned around, but it will take a mighty effort by those who care and support from those who write the checks. With out those two, radio will go the way of the passenger rail road, the steam ship, or the horse and buggy. Left behind, obsolete, a novelty.

I am going to try to make this a regular thing called “Monday Morning Video.” Thanks to youtube, there are many excellent Jazz videos floating around out there on the Internet, so I will feature one of the songs I played on last Saturday’s show here on the blog.

This week is “So What” with Miles Davis and John Coltrane, it is 8:22 long, and you will need a high speed internet connection to watch it.

Miles Davis and John Coltrane play one of the best renditions of SO WHAT ever captured on film-
Live in 1958. This clip is available on two different DVDs. “Miles Davis: The Cool Jazz Sound” and also- “Jazz Masters: Vintage Collection”

Hope you enjoyed it!

(Tonight’s show was fraught with technical difficulties, from the buzzing computer sound card interface, to the song which stopped in the middle, and the garbled top of the hour news cast. All I can say is we are working on it! Hopefully some time soon we will have a new computer in the studio so I will not have to bring my lap top in every Saturday, that would be a start)

You are listening to Jazz for the Asking, Today is March 24, 2007. On the show today I will be playing my favorite Jazz songs from the regulars and taking your requests. We do this show every Saturday on WGHQ here in Kingston. This is independently programmed radio, programmed by people in the Hudson Valley for people in the Hudson Valley. To get your request in, call the studio at area code 845 331-9255, or send an e-mail to studio@jazzfortheasking.com. In the mean time, sit back and enjoy the music!

We’ll start if off with :

1. “A Night in Tunisia” by the Bud Powell Trio.
Purchase this song from iTunes:

That was

2.“So What” by Miles Davis and
Purchase this song from iTunes:

3. “Klact-Oveedes-Tene” by the Charlie Parker Quintet.
Purchase song from iTunes:

Somebody in the office the other day asked me “What is Jazz?” That is a good question, Jazz can encompass many different musical genres including “Blues” “Big Band” “Swing” as well as Bebop, Model, avant garde, acid jazz, smooth jazz, and so on. My favorite Jazz is what you hear here on the air, centered around Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Charlie Parker. Not that the smooth jazz artist like Kenny G, Grover Washington, Bob James, Earl Klung are any less than those, it just seems to me that the smooth jazz is less interesting. Remember back in the early 70’s when there was a very popular radio format called “easy listening?” It was mostly instrumentals and you would hear it a the Doctor’s Office or in the Elevator, hence the name “Elevator music.” To me, the smooth Jazz radio stations have taken the place of the easy listening radio stations in providing background music.

Jazz is much more than background music, it is alive, evolving, and most of all interesting. If you have ever had the opportunity to see a Jazz quartet in a nightclub, you will know what I mean. The talent displayed by the musicians when they improvise during a song is amazing, it is thinking in a totally different dimension. I am not taking anything away from other musicians such as rock, country or rap, they are all very talented, however, my preference is for a good jazz group.
That was:

4. Mr. P.C. by John Coltrane off of the Giant Steps Album, and
Purchase this song from iTunes:

5. Without your love by Billie Holiday.
Purchase this song from iTunes:

As we get on our feet here with this show and the studio, I hope to be able to go out and do some live remote broadcasts at some of the jazz clubs in the area, I know there are a few in the Kingston, Poughkeepsie area, perhaps have a band in the studio, I know that there are several really good jazz bands in the area, and it would be nice to do some live performances here on WGHQ. I don’t know, we will have to see if the show is still on the air in the next few months. We’ll hear from

6. Thelonious Monk next with “I should Care.”
Purchase this song from iTunes:

You are listening to Jazz for the Asking, on WGHQ.

That was

8. Duke Ellington, and East St. Louis Tootle OO
Purchase song from iTunes:

before that we heard

7. Harlem Nocturn. By David Sanborn off the Time Again album,
Purchase this song from iTunes:

That ends this hour of Jazz for the asking, coming up we have some news, weather and other information at the top of the hour, here is a little piece of Bob James’ Rosalie from the Ivory Coast CD to take us there.

(news)

Welcome back to the second hour of Jazz for the asking, we are here in the studio at 82 John Street in Kingston playing our favorite jazz tunes, ir you have something you would like to hear, you can call us at area code 845 331-9255, or send an e-mail to studio@jazzfortheasking.com, as always if you have any questions about the show you can visit jazzfortheasking.com, where you can look at previous shows playlists, down load the music or buy the CD. In the coming weeks I hope to have some news from the local jazz scene, so check back often, that is jazzfortheasking.com. We will start this hour out with a little

9. John Coltrane and Blue train from the Blue Train album.
Purchase this song from iTunes:

The was:

11. Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane with Epistrophy from the complete riverside recordings CD. Before that was
Purchase this song from iTunes:

10. Soon all will know by Wynton Marsalis with Marcus Roberts on paino, Rebert Leslie Hurst III on bass and Jeff Watts on drums.
Purchase this song from iTunes:

If you like what you are hearing today, remember it is independent radio for the Hudson Valley, Jazz for the asking receives no support from the radio station owners, we are doing this all on our own. Next up is

12. Boogie stomp shuffle. from Charlie Mingus off the the Mingus Ah Um album.
Purchase this song from iTunes:

13. Green Chimney CD, Green Chimeny

14. Wahoo, Charlie Parker, best of Charlie parker, boy that sounded really bad, sounded like that came over a telephone, that was off of the best of Charlie Parker CD (audio quality is so bad I am not going to put a link up to it)

We heard:

15. Ella Fitzgerald I’m glad there is you from the Pure Ella CD and
Purchase this song from iTunes:

16. Take five, The Dave Brubeck Quartet from the Time Out Album, with Dave Brubeck on Piano, Paul Desmond on Alto Saxophone, Eugene Wright on Bass and Joe Morello on drums.
Purchase this song from iTunes:

That will do it for this weeks show, you have been listening to Jazz for the Asking on 920 WGHQ, Kingston.

As you may not know, this show is a work in progress. I have been changing some of the formatics trying to give the best presentation. I also had some liners and legal ID’s cut by our top notch production guy, Dan. Dan works the night shift on K-104 (WSPK, Poughkeepsie) under the monicer “Dee Knight.”

I have also ripped all of the music into my lap top computer, so I can set up play lists ahead of time, and avoid the unfortunate “opps, I played the wrong cut” episodes that seem to frequent the show.

I am also trying to figure out a way to stream, but that may be something that gets put off until I have made some money off of this, after all, I don’t want to go in the hole for a Jazz show on an AM radio station, at least if I can help it.

In the mean time, here is a rather blurry picture of the WGHQ studio. Notice the almost complete lack of technology. There is one really old Dell computer in the corner, which I think is a Pentium II. It is in completely the wrong location to do anything with on the air. To the left of the console are three cart machines. That’s right, CART MACHINES! Hopefully, all that will change soon, as we are aiming to take over the station on April 1st. I don’t know if that is a good omen or a bad one.

I am looking forward to tomorrow’s show!

You are listening to Jazz for the Asking on AM 920, WGHQ, Kingston, Poughkeepsie. It is March 17, 2007,
Happy Saint Patrick’s day. For the next two hours I will be playing Jazz selections from Miles Davis, Thelonoius Monk, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Grover Washington, Wynton Marsalis, and many more plus your requests. You can call the studio at any time, that number is area code 845 331-9255 or you can send an e-mail to studio@jazzfortheasking.com.This is Miles Davis with All Blues.

1. All Blues. Composed and performed by Miles Davis from the Kind of Blue album, Recorded April 22, 1959. Kind of Blue is regarded as one of the most influential albums in the history of jazz. It is, as one reviewer called it, “a record generally considered
as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence.” Several of the songs from the album have become jazz standards.

Purchase song from iTunes:

2. Green Chimney’s Composed by Thelonious Monk, performed by the Charlie Caranicas/Bob Parsons Quartet, from the Green Chimney’s album, recorded January 30,1994 at Sear Sound in New York City. Bob Parsons was the assistant program director of the Jazz program in the department of music and performing arts professions at NYU.

3. Caricature. Composed and performed by Charlie Caranicas, from the Green Chimney’s album, recorded January 30, 1994 as Sear Sound in NYC. (I played this song because I hit the wrong button on the CD player, I was supposed to play Syeeda’s Song Flute, which I played next.)

This is Jazz for the Asking, make your requests now by calling the studio line at area code 845-331-9255, send an e-mail to studio@jazzfortheasking.com or drop us a letter or post card to Jazz for the Asking, C/O WGHQ, 82 John street, Kingston, NY 12401. This half hour of Jazz for the asking is sponsored by cupajava.us, cupajava.us is a discount gourmet coffee store that stocks all of your coffee and tea supplies. Check them out on line at www.cupajava.us.

4. Syeeda’s Song Flute. Composed and performed by John Coltrane from the Giant Steps album, Recorded on May 4th and 5th, 1959 at Atlantic Studios in NYC. It was his first album for the Atlantic label, and marked the first time that all of the pieces on a recording had been composed by him. The album is also considered to be Coltrane’s farewell to the style of music called bebop. He ventured into the territory known as “modal jazz” shortly afterwards. Several pieces on this album went on to become jazz standards, such as “Naima”, “Giant Steps”, “Cousin Mary”, “Countdown”, and “Mr. P.C.”

Purchase song from iTunes:

(commercial break)

5. Taps Miller. Composed by William ”Count” Basie, performed by the Jazz Knights, recorded at West Point (USMA).

6. Nice work if you can get it. Composed by G&I Gershwin, performed by Ella Fitzgerald from the Pure Ella album, recorded March 30, 1954 in NYC. Ella Fitzgerald made her singing debut at age 17 on November 21, 1934 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Her name was pulled in a weekly drawing at the Apollo and she won the opportunity to compete in one its famous “Amateur Nights.” She had originally intended to dance, but intimidated by the Edwards Sisters, a local dance duo, she opted to sing instead, in the style of Connie Boswell. She sang Hoagy Carmichael’s “Judy” and “The Object of My Affection”, a song recorded by the Boswell Sisters, and won the first prize of $25.

Purchase song from iTunes:

7. Just the Two of us. Composed by Bill Withers, William Slater, Ralph MacDonald, performed by Grover Washington, Jr, from the Wine Light album, recorded July 1980 at the Rosebud Recording Studio. For Grover Washington, Winelight was the album that defined everything he was about. The album was smooth, fused with R&B and easy listening feel. The highlight of the album, and a main staple of radio airplay everywhere, was “Just The Two of Us”. It was also the final step away from Motown, landing him on Elektra Records and into a new era of jazz excellence. The song won a Grammy Award in 1982 for best R&B song.

Purchase song from iTunes:

If your radio sounds really good today, it is because you are listening to Jazz for the Asking. We are playing your Jazz requests now so call us if you would like to hear anything, the studio number is area code 845 331-9255 or send an e-mail to studio@jazzfortheasking.com. As always, you can visit our website at www.jazzfortheasking.com.

8. Soon All Will Know. Composed and performed by Wynton Marsalis, From the album Marsalis Standard Time, Recorded on May 30, 1986 at RCA studio A in NYC. Wynton Marsalis is considered by many to be a classical Jazz Musician. He said
“I wanted to make somebody feel like Coltrane made me feel listening to it.”

Purchase song from iTunes:

9. Foggy Day. Composed and performed by Wynton Marsalis, From the album Marsalis Standard Time, Recorded on May 30, 1986 at RCA studio A in NYC

Purchase song from iTunes:

(top of the hour news, weather, etc)

Welcome back to the second hour of Jazz for the Asking. This hour is commercial free. We are taking requests so call the studio at 854 331-9255 or e-mail studio@jazzfortheasking.com.; In the mean time, sit back, relax and enjoy the music.

10. Body and Soul. Composed by J. Green, E. Heyman, R. Sour, F. Eyton, performed by Coleman Hawkins, From the Body and Soul Album, Recorded October 11, 1939.

Purchase song from iTunes:

11. Begin the Beguine. Composed by Cole Porter performed by Artie Shaw released as a single, recorded on July 24, 1938. A “beguine” is a spirited ballroom dance. Since “begin” and “beguine” are often pronounced the same by some people, it is common to see the song’s title misspelled as “Begin the Begin” which makes little or no sense at all when you think about it.

Purchase song from iTunes:

12. Caravan. Composed by Jaun Tizol, performed by Wynton Marsalis, from the album Marsalis Standard Time, Recorded on May 30, 1986 at RCA studio A in NYC.

Purchase song from iTunes:

You are listening to Jazz for the Asking on WGHQ.

13. Blues for Tomorrow. Composed by G. G. Grace, performed by T. Monk and J. Coltrane, from The Complete Riverside Recordings, recorded April 12, 1957 at the Reeves Sound Studios in NYC. There was a little bit of everything thrown in at the end, wasn’t there.

Purchase song from iTunes:

14. Comin Home Baby. Composed by Ben Turner, performed by David Sandborn, from the Timeagain Album, recorded 2003 at the Right Track Studio in NYC.

If your radio sounds really good today, it is because you are listening to Jazz for the Asking. We are playing your Jazz requests now so call us if you would like to hear anything, the studio number is area code 845 331-9255 or send an e-mail to studio@jazzfortheasking.com. If you have any questions, need any information about the show or how to get in contact with us, you can always visit our website at www.jazzfortheasking.com.

15. Blue Rondo a la Turk. Composed and performed by Dave Brubeck, from the Time Out album, recorded July 1, 1959 at Columbia records 30th street studio, in NYC. Dave Brubeck is known for using different timing that one would ordinarily use for Jazz Music. Last week we played Take Five, which became a huge hit for him, but had an unusual time. This week “Blue Rondo à la Turk” starts in 9/8 (the rhythm of the Turkish zeybek, equivalent of the Greek zeibekiko, but alternates with 4/4 time.

Purchase song from iTunes:

16. Original Faubus Fables. Composed and performed by Charlie Mingus, from the album Charles Mingus presents Charles Minus, recorded October 20, 1960.

Purchase song from iTunes:

That will end today’s show, thank you all for listening and don’t forget to tune in next week at the same time. You can visit our web site at anytime to find out information on the show, down load any of the songs we played today, or buy any of the CD’s that were featured on this show. That address is www.jazzfortheasking.com. I would also like to thank the sponsors because without them this show would not exist. This show is owned and produced by Uniform Circular Motion, LLC who is solely responsible for its content. Until next week, please take care of yourself, this is WGHQ, Kingston.

Here is what I played on Jazz for the Asking, the week of March 10, 2007. If you are interested in buying any of these CD’s click on the link to go the the Jazz for the Asking store, or you can down load the individual song from iTunes.

1. Straight, No Chaser. Composed by T. Monk, Performed by M. Davis and T. Monk, Recorded July 3, 1958 at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, RI. I like starting the show with a good toe tapping up tempo tune. Music performed live before an audience is always more interesting than studio recordings.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

2. Manteca. Composed and performed by John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie. Recorded December 30, 1947. In an effort to play many different genre’s of Jazz, I though I would add this one as an example of “Latin Jazz,” even though it was performed by DizzyGillespie.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

3. Blue Train. Composed and performed by John Coltrane, Recorded September 15, 1957 at Van Gelder Recording Studio in Hackensack, NJ. John Coltrane died much too young, and left a lot of good music un-composed.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

4. After you are Gone. Composed by H. Creamer and T. Layton, Performed by Harry Connick Jr., Recorded at BMG Studio A, New York, NY October 1992. I like this song, some people think it is too slow and drags a bit. I think it shows off Harry Connick Jr vocal range nicely.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

5. Take Five. Composed by Paul Desmond, Performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Recorded July 1, 1959. Ths is one of those songs that most people have heard, but few people know the title to. It has been used many many times over the years in commercials etc.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

6. Someone to watch over me. Composed by G. and I. Gershwin, Performed by Ella Fitzgerald, Recorded July 1959 at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, CA. When I looked out of the studio window, the sun was setting and for some reason made me think of this song, so I played it.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

7. Soon one morning. Composed and performed by Fred McDowell, Recorded July 1959. Tennessee Fred Mcdowell is a blues master. Once made a slide for his guitar out of a cow bone. Again, showing the different types of music that is labled “Jazz”

8. Star Dust. Composed by H. Carmichael, Performed by Louis Armstrong, Recorded November 4, 1931. Played because of a non-specific request of Ward from Kingston to hear some Louie Armstrong.

Buy this song from iTunes:

9. The way you look Tonight. Composed by Jerome Kern, Performed by The Charlie Caranicas Bob Parsons Quintet, Recorded at Sear Sound, New York, NY on Jan 30, 1994Green Chimney’s CD, Not sold in stores. These are people that my wife knows.

10. French Connections. Composed by I. Butman, Performed by Grover Washington, Jr. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, PA in 1988. From the Smooth Jazz genre.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

11. Ashanti. Composed and performed by Bob James. Recorded at Remidi studio, Ardsley on Hudson, NY in 1988. More smooth Jazz or possibly Fusion.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

12. Django. Composed by J. Lewis, Performed by the Modern Jazz Quartet, Recorded December 23, 1954.

Buy the song now from iTunes:

13. Jumping at the Woodside. Composed by William Basie, Performed by Count Basie and his Orchestra, Recorded August 22, 1938.

Buy this song now from iTunes:

14. Solitude. Composed by Duke Ellington, Performed by Billie Holiday, Recorded at Radio Recorders Studio, Los Angels, CA in Spring of 1951

Buy this song now from iTunes:

15. Is you is or is you ain’t (my baby). Composed by Billy Austin/Louis Jordan Performed by The Jazz Knights, US Military Academy Band, Recorded in 1997 at West Point sound studios, West Point, NY

This CD is not available is stores

16. ESP. Composed and performed by Miles Davis, Recorded on January 20, 1965

Buy this song now from iTunes:

17. Take the A Train. Composed by Duke Ellington, performed by the Lincoln Center Orchestra, October 17, 1994. This song has a great piano intro. I thought it best to finish on a high note for my first show, too bad the back timing thing didn’t work out because as we were aproaching the top of the hour, I noticed the studio clock was runing 34 seconds slow. Decision time came at the top of the hour and I had to choose between cutting the song off and taking the news, or letting the song play out and joining the news late. I chose to stay with the song, you can hear news at the top of the next hour.

Buy this song now from iTunes: