Wynton Marsalis, Dwayne Clemons, John Coltrane & Phil Merriman

From across the pond, we proudly kick off the 877th episode of Neon Jazz with a masterful touch from veteran pianist Phil Merriman and his trio, showcasing fresh sounds from his 2024 release The Roots Beneath. Following that, we dive into the brilliance of Merriman's mentor, the legendary British pianist John Taylor, whose sextet delivers tasty grooves from an album that originally lived on cassette but now shines in vibrant digital form. Next, we spotlight a stellar group of seasoned jazz titans with their latest 2024 offerings, including Dwayne Clemons, Jon Gold, and The Bad Plus. We balance these heavyweights with rising stars like the UNLV Jazz Ensemble and the new energy of drummer Zach Adleman. Then, we move west to celebrate the artistry of Los Angeles composer Woody Jackson, featuring the title track from his captivating 2024 album Cowboy Yoga. To wrap it all up, we close with one of Jackson's all-time inspirations—John Coltrane—delivering the iconic "Giant Steps." Sit back, relax, and dig into the jazz, my friends.

Playlist

• Phil Merriman Trio "First One Back" The Roots Beneath (JazzRecords) 0:00
• Host talks 5:26
• John Taylor Sextet "Fragment" Fragment (Rings) 6:55
• Dwayne Clemons "Smoke Rings" Center of Gravity—Live at Smalls (Cellar Live) 13:13
• Host talks 17:12
• UNLV Jazz Ensemble 1 "The Collective" Let the Good Times Roll (Vegas Records) 17:46
• Jon Gold "Guanabara Eyes" Guanabara Eyes (Azurea) 22:45
• Host talks 27:11
• The Bad Plus "Deep Water Sharks" Complex Emotions (Mack Avenue Records) 28:18
• Zach Adleman "In Between Places" We Make Stories for a New Day (Cellar Live) 32:21
• Host talks 35:58
• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis "Conversation" The Music of Max Roach (Blue Engine Records) 36:43
• Woody Jackson "Cowboy Yoga" Cowboy Yoga (Electro-Vox Records) 42:05
• Host talks 49:59
• John Coltrane "Giant Steps" Giant Steps (Atlantic Records) 51:25