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The Hot Box #77……What’s Inside?
Taking a leaf out of the book of jazz station WBGO Newark New Jersey, this edition of The Hot Box presents “Singers Unlimited”.
So if vocal jazz sets your pulse racing, this one’s for you. And there’s a little nod in the direction Christmas as well. Every one of these great singers has appeared in Ireland over the years. (And of course, some of them are Irish!)
The Celtic Hotclub are a band who play celtic fused Jazz Monouche (gypsy jazz). Traditional Irish melodies and devices are drawn upon liberally, to inform and inspire our gypsy jazz themes, interplay and improvisation.
Virtuoso Violinist Anne Phelan (RTE Concert Orchestra) joins seasoned guitarist Eamonn Moran (Cotton Club Quartet), Rhythm guitarist extraordinaire Vincent “Teck” Jézequel (Brittany France) and rising star of the double bass Derek Whyte, to produce an album that creatively blends Traditional Irish music and Jazz Manouche.
Read more: New album from The Celtic Hotclub - A Meeting Of Strangers
Programmed by Irish Times jazz critic and Sofa Sessions curator Cormac Larkin, the evening concerts at 7pm on Monday 20th, Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd will present some of the biggest stars in Irish jazz in suitably festive form: internationally renowned bassist Ronan Guilfoyle’s Brazilian project, Tudo Bem! (20th); Dublin blues eminence Nigel Mooney’s special Christmas show (21st); and legendary rock guitarist Jimmy Smyth with his Xmas Organised band (22nd).
On this edition I pay tribute to the late great George Mraz one of the great Jazz bassist and composers, whose steady and tasteful playing enriched countless of recordings as a sideman and leader of his own groups.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 02.12.2021 George Mraz Remembered
On this edition you can hear a selection of music created with the support of the leading Irish Rhythm Section of Kevin Brady and Dave Redmond spurring on some of the best Jazz Musicians of our time including Bill Carrothers, Seamus Blake, Larry Coryell and Phil Ware.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 25.11.21 An Irish Rhythm Section-Kevin Brady+Dave Redmond
In The Hot Box number 76 we delve into the Guitar Files labelled “G”.
The towering figure of Grant Green seems to dominate this file, maybe the most productive guitarist of the 1960’s, who sounded then, and still sounds, like nobody else. Then we have the young bloods, Alex Goodman from Canada and Riccardo Grilli from Brazil, both fully paid members of the New York jazz scene today. So the 76th Hot Box is rich in contrasting styles.
ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT LONG the magic of jazz at our fingertips with some extraordinary music by Bill Evans, Joe Pass, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Henderson, Abdullah Ibrahim, Horace Silver, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins and others.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 18.11.21 Jazz Night and Day and all Night long