Jazz on the Beach 204 & Blues Beach 83: Aaron Parks, Mussinghi Brian Edwards, Charles McPherson, Michel Petrucciani Steve Gadd & Anthony Jackson, Jason Miles, Bennett & Knight
Snatch it back and hold it...
Among an exciting batch of new releases on this week’s Jazz on the Beach radio playlist is the inspirational London tenor saxophonist Mussinghi Brian Edwards’ Wayward’s Return from the upcoming Mussinghi (Banger Factory, 24th October). Also known as ‘Papa B’ and ‘The Songbird’, Edwards is an integral part of trumpeter Mark Kavuma’s Banger Factory operation, and he’s joined here by Kavuma, guitarist Artie Zaitz on Hammond organ and drummer Jason Brown, while other tracks on the album also feature trombonist Trevor Edwards and vocalist Marcina Arnold. If this song sounds familiar, a more uptempo version appeared on Kavuma’s glorious Magnum Opus a year ago. But this is the one.
I’m enjoying tenor saxophonist Charles Lloyd’s Figure in Blue, Memories of Duke from Figure in Blue (Blue Note, 10th October), with pianist Jason Moran and guitarist Marvin Sewell. Lloyd formed this trio especially for his 87th birthday concert in March, then took them into the studio to record a double album’s worth of music. I can’t wait to hear it all.
The pianist and synthesist Jason Miles plays Fender Rhodes (with a dash of strings) for a beautiful solo tribute to the late Chuck Mangione on Doin’ Everything With You from Mangione’s Main Squeeze. A reminder that less is often more, it was released on 12th September, as was Another Day in the Mind by the Brazilian born New York vocalist Jamile with pianist Miki Yamanaka from Pursuit of a Pulse (Cellar Live/La Reserve). Their rhythm section of double bassist Pablo Menares and drummer Jimmy Macbride are joined by alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, who plays a phenomenal solo.
More vocal magic, but this time closer to home in East Kent, with Whitstable’s deeply soulful Ginger Bennett and Margate pianist Frances Knight, whose cleverly written samba S'awkward (Imbarazzismi) comes from their self released album Chouette (1st September). There’s a fine flute solo and some growling tenor saxophone from Matthew Miles, with double bassist Alex Keen and drummer Jonathan Ward. They’re playing PizzaExpress Live in Holborn on 1st October, tickets here.
There’s a third track from double bassist Russell Hall’s tremendous Dragon of the South (La Reserve, 12th September), with the fierce uptempo Ace in the Hole (Type Shit) featuring tenor saxophonist Mike Troy, guitarist Leo Larratt, pianist Esteban Castro and drummer Matt Lee. This may just be the best thing on the album.
Pianist Aaron Parks returns to a more traditional acoustic approach with the Brooklynesque Parks Lope from By All Means!! (Blue Note, 7th November), expanding his trio with double bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart into a quartet with the addition of tenor saxophonist Ben Solomon. The beautiful Reid Miles inspired artwork by Maria Nimenion fits the music perfectly.
Back to the ‘60s….with another track from trumpeter Chet Baker’s week long studio stint that produced the five albums now released together as 5 from ’65 (New Land, 5th September). This week it’s Comin’ On from Comin' On with the Chet Baker Quintet (Prestige, 1967), with Baker playing flugelhorn alongside tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Kirk Lightsey, double bassist Herman Wright and drummer Roy Brooks.
Two tracks with the same lineup under different leaders: vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson’s title cut from The Kicker (Blue Note, 1999), recorded in 1963 with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Duke Pearson, guitarist Grant Green, double bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Al Harewood. And recorded a few weeks earlier, an alternate version of guitarist Grant Green’s Jean De Fleur from Idle Moments (Blue Note, 1965), just released on Alts n’ Outs (Blue Note, 12th September).
From a few years earlier there’s saxophonist Steve Lacy and trumpeter Don Cherry with Thelonious Monk’s San Francisco Holiday from Evidence (New Jazz, 1962), with double bassist Carl Brown and drummer Billy Higgins. And a real contender for favourite late night ballad is alto saxophonist Charles McPherson’s But Beautiful from Beautiful! (Xanadu, 1975), with pianist Duke Jordan, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Leroy Williams.
And finally, pianist Michel Petrucciani, drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Anthony Jackson with the exquisite Cantabile from Trio in Tokyo (Dreyfus Jazz, 1999), recorded at the Blue Note in November 1997. I was lucky enough to see them at the Brecon Jazz Festival the following August, and they were absolutely sensational.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz On The Beach #204 - 17th September 2025
Chet Baker Quintet - Comin’ On
Bobby Hutcherson - The Kicker
Jamile with Miki Yamanaka - Another Day in the Mind
Aaron Parks - Parks Lope
Jason Miles - Doin’ Everything With You
Russell Hall - Ace in the Hole (Type Shit)
Mussinghi Brian Edwards - Wayward’s Return
Ginger Bennett & Frances Knight - S’awkward (Imbarazzismi)
Azymuth - Estrello de Taruma
Steve Lacy with Don Cherry - San Francisco Holiday
Mulatu Astatke - Yefikir Tizita
Pharoah Sanders - Love is Everywhere
Charles McPherson - But Beautiful
Michel Petrucciani, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson - Cantabile
Charles Lloyd - Figure in Blue, Memories of Duke
Joe Farnsworth - Continuance
Grant Green - Jean De Fleur (Alternative Version)
Ramon Morris - Sweet Sister Funk
Blues Beach
Last week a regular listener to Blues Beach in Paris asked me to put together a blues playlist for a friend who had just discovered the music and wanted a definitive introduction. I had to point out that was an impossible task for a one hour show. So instead, I’ve chosen some of the most important artists and a few of my favourite tracks by them. There are gaping holes, no Robert Nighthawk, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Earl Hooker or J.B. Lenoir for starters, but I hope both they, and all of you, enjoy it.
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Blues Beach #83 - 18th September 2025
Elmore James - Done Somebody Wrong
Albert Collins - Frosty
Buddy Guy - First Time I Met the Blues
B.B. King - Rock Me Baby
Robert Johnson - I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom
Freddie King - Hide Away
Guitar Slim - The Things That I Used to Do
Slim Harpo - Baby, Scratch My Back
Jimmy Reed - Bright Lights, Big City
Junior Wells - Snatch it Back and Hold it
Taj Mahal - Statesboro’ Blues
Muddy Waters - I Want to Be Loved #2
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Born in Chicago
Otis Rush - I Can’t Quit You Baby
Sonny Boy Williamson II - Don’t Start Me to Talkin’
Albert King - Crosscut Saw
Lightnin’ Hopkins - Mojo Hand
John Lee Hooker - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
Henry Thomas - Fishing Blues
Howlin’ Wolf - Evil (Is Going On)
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Jazz On The Beach broadcasts every Wednesday evening from 10:00 PM to midnight (UK time), repeating on Monday morning from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM (UK time).
Blues Beach broadcasts every other Thursday from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (UK time).