The blog is dedicated to Irish Jazz and to the fans, musicians and venues that support it. if you have any content you would like to add to the blog please get in touch.
On this edition I pay tribute to the late great tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker on what would have been his 68th Birthday but who sadly lost his fight against cancer 10 years ago, the life and music of one of the leading saxophonists of our time remembered with a selection of his work.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 30.03.2017 The Best in Jazz Remember Michael Brecker
In this episode of The Hot Box we celebrate the music of four amazing musicians who have sadly left the stage in the past few weeks, Bucky Pizzarelli, Lee Konitz, Wallace Roney and Ellis Marsalis.
On this edition I’d like to take you onto an imaginative journey into the magic of Jazz with a hand-picked selection of travel-themed music by Terri Lyne Carrington, Benny Golson with Mulgrew Miller, Stacey Kent, Bobby Hutcherson with McCoy Tyner, Joachim Kuehn, Tom Harrell, Herbie Hancock and others.
Getting rid off the "Travelin' Blues".
Read more: Tales from the far Side 23.04.20 - An imaginative journey into the magic of Jazz
On this edition I'd like to say a last Goodbye to music teacher, pianist and composer Ger McNally, paying tribute to his music with tracks from his album “Hiatus” added by snippets of an interview he gave when he visited my show last summer and there is some Jazz Ger chose that night plus a couple of tracks picked by me, which I think Ger might have liked.
Your lovely music stays in our hearts, Ger. RIP
It was a pleasure to know you.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 16.04.20 A Tribute to Ger McNally
Selected for the times we are living in, Xtra tracks from The Hot Box that should immediately improve your blood circulation and set the mood firmly to positive.
On this edition I try to capture the magic, development and evolution of George Gershwin's "I got Rhythm" on its journey through the history of Jazz up to today as a true Jazz standard and an inspiration for many Jazz artists to write, perform and record their own music. You can hear versions of the original tune by Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Gordon Brisker and Art Tatum as well as new songs based on the Gershwin classic by Sidney Bechet, Jimmie Lunceford, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan with Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 09.04.20 I got Rhythm - journey and evolution of a tune
On this edition you can hear a selection of Jazz tunes inspired by birds as a herald of spring, love, hope and better days. Music by Jan Garbarek, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Hoagy Carmichael, Lionel Loueke, Henry Threadgill's Zooid, the Brad Mehldau Trio and others.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 02.04.20 The Best in Jazz - A Serenade for the Birds