Videos Recommended by Scott Lichtman

Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter & Huntertones Horns

Kurt Elling
Duration: 19:09
383 views

Kurt Elling has been called the definitive male jazz singer of the modern era. His abundant technique, including an elastic, four octave range, ample sustain and vibrato, and blurry-fast scatting, is matched by his magnetic relationship with the music and his audience. Elling makes a special impression when he reinterprets pop music classics, including Eddie Money’s "Baby Hold On" in this video. Backed by guitarist Charlie Hunter’s soul band, Elling keeps the funk going non-stop in this four-song set, generating impressive energy for someone born November 2, 1967.

Wichita Lineman

hr-Bigband
Duration: 07:19
340 views

There have been so many beautiful jazzy renditions of "Wichita Lineman," composed by Jimmy Webb originally for country artist Glen Campbell. Bob Dylan called the piece "the greatest song ever written." Among the noteworthy covers are recordings pianist Fred Hersch, vocalist Cassandra Wilson, and a trio of Gregoire Maret (harmonica) / Romain Collin (piano) / Bill Frisell (guitar). This reviewer proposes that the most haunting of the jazzy renditions is actually from a large ensemble, the hr-Bigband (a.k.a. the Frankfurt Radio Big Band), featuring the renowned Kate McGarry and Theo Bleckmann on vocals. It opens with a thoughtful guitar solo over the most distinctive feeling in the song--a steady pulse of overlapping long notes, bouncing back and forth between the brass and winds. Kudos to arranger John Hollenbeck, whose commissioned work here shines a spotlight on the talents of the Frankfurt big band.

Caravan

Nandi Bushell
Duration: 06:31
335 views

Watch young drummer Nandi Bushnell execute a stunning rendition of the classic "Caravan." Fast, clean, joyful, inspired. Born in 2010, she was roughly 14 when recording this piece. Impressed yet? Next, look for the YouTube video of Nandi playing all four horns in a saxophone quartet covering the TV theme from "The Simpsons." She also sings and plays keyboards, guitar and bass. Here’s to youth…

Béla Fleck & Edmar Castañeda: Live at Big Ears Festival 2019

Bela Fleck
Duration: 44:04
462 views

Strike a victory for #alt-instrument-jazz ! This video features two absolute masters of their instruments, Béla Fleck on banjo and Edmar Castañeda on harp. Among the elements that might blow you away are: the opening groove established without percussion instruments; how the duo is locked in together across up-tempo lead lines and arpeggios (never having played together before); their ability to generate musical and emotional dynamics from instruments with limited volume range; and "watch me fly!" solos; Enjoy just the first song, "No Fear", through 08:15, or more pieces from “Live at Big Ears Festival 2019.”

Live at Notsolatin

Julius Rodriguez
Duration: 44:04
403 views

Julius Rodriguez emerged as a prodigy (on piano as well as drums and bass) with his critically acclaimed first album, Sound Tell All (Verve Records, 2022). Certainly, his arpeggiated piano runs, distinctive turns of linear phrases, and waves of sound are ear-catching. Moreso, audiences cherish his performances because of the infectious energy he and his band bring to a combination of straight-ahead, New Orleans/gospel, and R&B styles. To experience this phenomenon, start with the video above: “Julius Rodriguez | Live at Notsolatin” for straight-ahead. Next, search for the generally more accessible “Julius Rodriguez | Tiny Desk Concert,” also on YouTube. With both videos, you can enjoy just the first song or kick back with the complete mini-concerts.

Poetry: How Does It Feel Now???

Akua Naru
Duration: 07:55
10,959 views

The blending of jazz and poetry has been a deep, yet off-and-on affair. Peak periods of co-mingling include the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, the Beat Generation in the 1950s, the Black Arts Movement in the '60s and '70s, and hip hop starting in the '90s. Singer, composer, educator and activist {{m: Akua Naru = 141738}} takes this jazz/poetry blend intensely into the present. She has been compared to famous author Toni Morrison and has addressed topics including gender-based violence, the African diaspora and loving relationships. One of her defining pieces is the slow-burn "Poetry: How Does it Feel Now???" The lyrics declare "My, I wanna drink the sweat of your intellect; Reflect, and watch your light passion mark my neck… This right here is poetry." While enjoying the lyrics that start at 00:36, spend time appreciating the sax-fronted ambient groove.

If It Was

Gretchen Parlato
Duration: 04:44
1,209 views

Award-winning singer {{m: Gretchen Parlato = 16961}} and song writer/multi-instrumentalist {{m: Alan Hampton = 30678}} share an uncommonly beautiful chemistry. Perfectly-crafted recordings such as the ballad “If It Was” (first released in 2011 to commemorate Japan’s tsunami victims) incorporate tender ensembles and blended vocals and leave a sense of catharsis and completeness. Thus, it was noteworthy to learn they decided to revisit “If It Was” as of August 2025. There was good reason for this -- to show support for their fellow residents of the Altadena community in Los Angeles after the Eaton fires. All proceeds from the recording go to www.altagether.org, working for a collective recovery from that disaster. The new version features a wistful upright bass introduction by {{m: John Clayton = 5751}} and increasingly rich piano solo by his son, {{m: Gerald Clayton = 17739}}. Meanwhile, the in-studio video illustrates the musical power of a simple arrangement. Within the YouTube video description box, click on “Show transcript” to see a rendition of the poetic lyrics.