Results for "Dave McKenna"

Dave McKenna

Dave McKenna is simply one of the legends of the jazz piano. He, of course, would probably disagree. "I don't know if I qualify as a bona-fide jazz guy," he says. "I play saloon piano. I like to stay close to the melody." His humility and laid-back personal style seem a contrast to the vibrant vitality of his masterful piano style. His range is truly extraordinary. One minute he is caressing a lovely ballad, the next he is thundering and rumbling through a high-powered rendition of I Found a New Baby. Dave was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, into a musical family. His father William McKenna, a postman, played the drums part-time, and two sisters are singers

Mike Jones: All By Myself

By DAN BILAWSKY

While jazz is a social music through and through, solitude has always spurred creation too. And in the age of COVID-19, when safety often stands in the way of musical gatherings, solo efforts seem to be the way to go. For pianist Mike Jones, the idea of playing solo piano is far from ...

Meet Marc Cohn

By MARC COHN

Meet Marc A. Cohn Dr. Cohn is a New Yorker-in-exile and has been doing jazz radio as an avocation since 1967. He is Professor Emeritus in Seed Biology at Louisiana State University, where he has won numerous teaching awards. He is a widely recognized authority on seed dormancy, is Editor Emeritus of Seed Science Research (the ...

Another Set of Recent Listeners’ Favorites

By MARC COHN

The number of the week is five (as in Show 435)! So, it's time for listener favorites from recent shows (421-430). WHYR, Mixcloud, Pacifica and All About Jazz messages, emails, and one-on-one (masked!) feedback in the grocery store are all considered. That would generate some five to six hours of material. So, we have to exercise ...

John Lewis @ 100 and More May Birthdays

By MARC COHN

May birthdays this week on G&M! Some big ones (of course): the John Lewis centennial, Dave McKenna @ 90, Arthur Blythe and Carlos Ward @ 80. It's also Stevie Wonder's 70th this month, and May celebrant salutes are in the house (Theo Hill, Ronnie Foster, Mel Lewis, and Groove Holmes) doing 'Wonderful' tunes. We also celebrate ...

Bastards under the Mistletoe

By PATRICK BURNETTE

The holidays and jazz go together like milk and cookies left out for Santa. You're not sure if they're going to be taken or will still be there getting warm in the morning, but it's the spirit of the thing that matters. In this very special episode, the boys look at various holiday jazz offerings (three ...

Alan Pasqua: Keys That Unlock Many Doors

By JIM WORSLEY

Recently, and just a few days before Thanksgiving (2019), I was thankful for the opportunity to have two separate conversations with renown pianist Alan Pasqua. As generous with his time and candid commentary as he is talented as a musician and composer, both conversations crashed the one-hour mark. For you non mathematicians, that is over two ...

Listeners' Favorites

By MARC COHN

The number of the day is 5 (as in Show 385), which means it's time for listeners' favorites—the tunes that moved you from Gifts & Messages (Shows 371-380). Some old, some more recent. Enjoy the ride (it's granulated), and thanks for your comments and your ears.Thanks to our most active listeners of the week ...

May Jazz Birthdays

By MARC COHN

Miles, Gil, Papa Joe, Sidney & Paul! May birthdays on Gifts & Messages! We also celebrate pianists Stanley Cowell, John Lewis, Sun Ra & Dave McKenna; vocalists Shirley Horn & Betty Carter; saxophonists Arthur Blythe & Sonny Fortune; guitarist Jimmy Ponder, bassist Ron Carter, B-3 master Richard Holmes & flautist James Newton. Do enjoy the show! ...