Jazz on the Beach 218: Nathan Davis, Pharaoh Sanders, Ron Affif, Melissa Aldana, Knats, James Davison & Misha Mullov-Abbado, Oscar Läven, Lawrence Marable, Dave Stryker
New releases and live treasures
On this week’s Jazz on the Beach radio show playlist are two tracks by American saxophonists that were recorded by the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF), the state run broadcaster that provided all public radio and television in France between 1964-75. The first is from Nathan Davis with The Hip Walk from Live in Paris: The ORTF Recordings 1966-67 (Sam Records, 2018), recorded at Studio 105 Charles Trenet, Maison de la Radio on 19th November 1966, with pianist Georges Arvanitas, double bassist Jacky Samson and drummer Charles Saudrais.
This live version may not be as polished as Davis’ classic original recorded with trumpeter Carmell Jones, Francy Boland, Jimmy Wood and Kenny Clarke for SABA in 1965, but the playing is terrific and atmosphere is electric.
The second track is from Pharaoh Sanders with the joyous Farrell Tune from Love is Here - The Complete Paris 1975 ORTF Recordings (Elemental, September 2025), also recorded at Maison de la Radio (at Studio 104, Grand Auditorium) on 17th November 1975, with pianist Danny Mixon, double bassist Calvin Hill and drummer Greg Bandy.
Both performances were produced by André Francis, the Monsieur Jazz of French broadcasting and a distinguished festival organiser and jazz writer. Mastering engineers Francois Le Xaun at Studio 101 (Davis) and Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab (Sanders) brought out the best of Francis’ excellent source tapes.
Quite a number of new releases this week, starting with the Geordie Jazz Noir of Knats and Wor Jackie, the first single from A Great Day in Newcastle (Gearbox Records, 6th March). Bassist Stanley Elvis Woodward, drummer King David Ike-Elechi and trumpeter Ferg Kilsby, keyboardist Sandro Shargarodsky, saxophonists George Johnson and Otto Kampa and guitarist Tom Ford are joined by new vocalist Cooper Robson for this tale of North East coal miners, exemplified by The Toon’s legendary postwar hero, footballer Jackie Milburn, who is reputed to have worked half shifts in the pit on match days.
From one great striker to a Stryker… I’m really enjoying the latest from guitarist Dave Stryker, although I probably say that about everything he does. Here’s the nicely grooving Van Gelder’s Place from Blue Fire - The Van Gelder Session (Strikezone Records, 9th January), recorded at the former optometrist’s Englewood Cliffs studio, with organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter.
There are two fine duets this week, trumpeter James Davison & double bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado’s mood lifting swinger Subsonic Glow from Moon Beans (self released, 9th January), a song that also appeared on Mullov-Abbado’s recent album Effra with a full band line up. Could this have been the demo? Whatever, it’s great, as is guitarist Omar Rios Melendez & pianist Alex Wilson’s beautiful Yo no sé mañana from The Art of Deep Connection (Alex Wilson Records, 20th February).
From the South Pacific Ocean comes the marvellous Dizzy Campaign by the Kiwi tenor saxophonist and composer Oscar Lavën from his aptly titled Elegant Calamity (Thick Records, 16th January), recorded live with a 15 piece band at the funky Bedlam and Squalor bar in Wellington. Must have been an amazing night.
A pair of shiny new Blue Notes… vibraphonist Joel Ross with Be Patient from Gospel Music (Blue Note, 30th January), featuring his expanded Good Vibes band lineup of saxophonists John Johnson and Mariia Grand, pianist Jeremy Coren, double bassist Kanoa Mendenhall and drummer Jeremy Dutton.
There’s Chilean tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana’s gorgeous La Sentencia from her new ballads album Filin (Blue Note, 13th February), on which she examines the romantic Cuban filin music popular from the late ‘40s to the early ‘60s, with the sensational line up of pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, double bassist Peter Washingtonian drummer Kush Abadey. Here’s the video:
We’re West Coastin’ with the Lawrence Marable Quartet’s The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea from Tenorman (Jazz West, 1956). Drummer Marable leads the 20 year old tenor saxophonist James Clay with pianist Sonny Clarke and double bassist Jimmy Bond on this ocean breezer, which is deservedly being given the Tone Poet treatment for release in March.
And back East to wind things down at the end of the show with Oliver Nelson’s Trane Whistle from Taking Care of Business (New Jazz, 1960), his second album as a leader. He’s playing alto with vibraphonist Lem Winchester, organist Johnny ‘Hammond’ Smith, double bassist George Tucker and drummer Roy Haynes.
More Blue Notes, but older ones this time, with Johnny Griffin’s The Way You Look Tonight from Johnny Griffin, Vol. 2, better known as A Blowin’ Session (Blue Note, 1957). As I mentioned last week, the three tenors of Griffin, Hank Mobley and John Coltrane are going hell for leather with trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Wynton Kelly, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey. Seat belts recommended.
Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is fired up on the magnificent Jodo (Japanese: Pure Land) from Blue Spirits (Blue Note, 1967), recorded in 1965 with saxophonists Hank Mobley and James Spaulding, euphonist Kiane Zawadi, pianist McCoy Tyner, double bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Pete LaRoca. I was planning to play the live version with Lee Morgan from Night of the Cookers: Live at Club la Marchal Vol. 2 (Blue Note, 1966) but at over 23 minutes long (including 8 minutes of drum and conga solos) I thought better of it.
And finally… following on from that unbelievable Pat Martino version of John Coltrane’s Impressions last week, there’s guitarist Ron Affif’s astonishing version of If I Were a Bell from Ringside (Pablo, 1997), that was recorded before a live audience at Fantasy Studios with double bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Colin Bailey. If you don’t know it, you’ll love it. And for the nth time, here’s the piece I wrote about my night with Martin Taylor, George Benson and Ron Affif at the Zinc Club.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz on the Beach #218 14th January 2026
Nathan Davis & Georges Arvanitas Trio - The Hip Walk
Ron Affif Trio - If I Were a Bell
Melissa Aldana - La Sentencia
Oscar Lavën - Dizzy Campaign
James Davison & Misha Mullov-Abbado - Subsonic Glow
Johnny Griffin - The Way You Look Tonight
Dave Stryker - Van Gelder’s Place
Russ Macklem Detroit Quintet - O.K. Valley
Omar Rios Melendez & Alex Wilson - Yo no sé mañana
Knats - Wor Jackie
Pat Metheny - In on It
Pharaoh Sanders - Ferrell’s Tune
Lawrence Marable Quartet - The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Joel Ross - Be Patient
Freddie Hubbard - Jodo
Oliver Nelson - Trane Whistle
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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).
Excited to find you guys. Looking forward to your radio show.