Jazz on the Beach 224: Art Pepper, Jazz Crusaders, Ezra Collective, Corcoran Holt, Miles Davis, Hannah Horton, Herbie Hancock, Venna, Fred Jackson, Ben Webster
Jazz radio from the South East Kent coast
On this week’s Jazz on the Beach radio playlist are two tracks from the late ‘50s by two of my favourite alto players. Art Pepper is in terrific form on Everything Happens to Me from the just released 4 CD Everything Happens to Me: 1959, Live at the Cellar (Omnivore Recordings, 20th February).
On this Vancouver club date Pepper was playing with a trio of excellent local musicians, pianist Chris Gage, double bassist Tony Clitheroe and drummer George Ursan. It was recorded by the Club’s manager, saxophonist Dave Quarin, and while the sound quality is nothing to write home about, the atmosphere and performances certainly are.
The second is from Jackie McLean with a majestic I Cover the Waterfront from A Long Drink of the Blues (New Jazz, 1961), recorded in 1957 with pianist Mal Waldron, double bassist Arthur Phipps and drummer Art Taylor. Early McLean at his best.
New releases this week include a second track from double bassist Corcoran Holt’s Freedom of Art (Hothouse Music, 20th February). Transition Blues features tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard, trumpeter Josh Evans, pianist Benito Gonzalez and drummer Kweku Sumbry.
There’s a welcome blast of energy from producer Rob Gallagher’s reborn ‘90s London acid jazzers Galliano with Acid Jazz Revenge from the wonderfully named Unreliable Memories of Contested Conversations (WoozyWu, 30th January). Gallagher shares vocals with Valerie Etienne, Ernie McKone plays bass and guitar, plus keyboard player Ski Oakenfull, drummer Crispin Taylor, percussionist David Gallagher and guest tenor saxophonist Finn Peters.
New from the British baritone saxophonist Hannah Horton is a moving thank you to her partner on Whisper from Stories on the Wind (Swinging Cat Records, 22nd May), with bassist Rob Statham, organist Sam Leak and drummer Steve Taylor.
South London alto saxophonist and producer Venna’s album MALIK (Cashmere Thoughts, 2025), has just been released in limited edition aubergine vinyl (Vinyl Factory, 20th February). My pick of the tracks is Eternal Reflections featuring drummer Yussef Dayes, pianist Brian Hargrove, guitarist Hamish and bassist Ben Williams with synths from Benny Lock.
The mighty Ezra Collective perform Enter the Jungle from their debut EP Chapter 7 released in 2016 for the ColorsxStudios platform in a new promotion with Diptyque for their Orphéon fragrance. The band are drummer and bassist Femi and TJ Koleoso, trumpeter Ife Ogunjobi, tenor saxophonist James Mollison and keyboard player Joe Armon-Jones. Here’s the video:
After hearing Ben Webster on Slim Gaillard’s Potato Chips recently, here’s the tenor giant in his own right with Jive at Six from King of the Tenors (Verve, 1954), with alto saxophonist Benny Carter, trumpeter Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, double bassist Ray Brown and drummer Alvin Stoller.
I never tire of early tracks (or even later ones) from the Crusaders, here they are as the Jazz Crusaders with Joe Sample’s Never Had It So Good from Lighthouse ‘68 (Pacific Jazz, 1968). Recorded at the legendary Southern California venue the previous November, the lineup features the original Houston quartet of trombonist Wayne Henderson, tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder, pianist Joe Sample and drummer Stix Hooper plus double bassist Buster Williams.
I can’t wait to hear new music from the exciting young Finnish tenor saxophonist Jimi Ahlroos, so in the meantime, here’s the tremendous Kouvo’s Dance from the 3 track vinyl EP Jimi Ahlroos Trio 10” (Jazzaggression, 2025), recorded in November 2023 with double bassist Tuomo Purhonen and drummer Mooses Kuloniemi.
There’s ‘80s era Miles Davis with What It Is from That’s What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series Vol. 7 (Columbia, 2022), recorded during the Montreal Jazz Festival on 7th July 1983. Miles plays trumpet and keyboards, with guitarist John Scofield and soprano saxophonist Bill Evans over a fierce groove from bassist Darryl Jones, drummer Al Foster and percussionist Mino Cinelu. And from a few years before, Herbie Hancock’s plays Fender Rhodes and an battery of analogue synths on Spiralling Prism from Mr Hands (Columbia, 1980), with bassist Byron Miller, drummer Leon ‘Ndugu’ Chancler and percussionist Bill Summers.
Two ‘70s tracks from producer Creed Taylor’s CTI Records and offshoot Kudu which focused on the soul jazz repertoire. First comes flautist and saxophonist Hubert Laws with his beautiful version of Theme From Love Story from Afro Classic (CTI, 1970), featuring electric pianist Bob James, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Fred Waits and percussionists Richie “Pablo” Landrum and Airto Moreira. Second is drummer Idris Muhammad’s take on Jimi Hendrix’s title track from Power of Soul (Kudu, 1974) with electric pianist Bob James (again), trumpeter Randy Brecker, tenor saxophonist Grover Washington Jr, guitarist Joe Beck, bassist Gary King and percussionist Ralph MacDonald.
A pair of magnificent mid ‘60s Blue Notes… tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum from Speak No Evil (Blue Note, 1964), featuring the top tier lineup of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Herbie Hancock, double bassist Ron Carter and drummer Elvin Jones. I’d put this top of the list of jazz albums you must own.
And guitarist Grant Green’s Nomad from Idle Moments (Blue Note, 1965), recorded in ‘63 with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist (and song’s composer) Duke Pearson, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, double bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Al Harewood.
And finally… we are hard boppin’ to tenor saxophonist Fred Jackson with the title track from Hootin’ N Tootin’ (Blue Note, 1962), with organist Earl Van Dyke, guitarist Willie Jones and drummer Wilbert Hogan. Richard Williams wrote about this album recently on his essential music blog thebluemoment.com and remembered a critic calling this meat and potatoes jazz. All I can say to that is pass the gravy!
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz on the Beach #224 25th February 2026
The Jazz Crusaders - Never Had It So Good
Ben Webster - Jive at Six
Jimi Ahlroos Trio - Kouvo’s Dance
Ezra Collective - Enter the Jungle (Diptyque X Colors Encore)
Miles Davis - What It Is
Herbie Hancock - Spiralling Prism
Corcoran Holt - Transition Blues
Hubert Laws - Theme From Love Story
Fred Jackson - Hootin’ N Tootin’
Galliano - Acid Jazz Revenge
Jackie McLean - I Cover the Waterfront
Venna - Eternal Reflections (feat. Yussef Dayes)
Hannah Horton - Whisper
Art Pepper - Everything Happens to Me
Idris Muhammad - Power of Soul
Wayne Shorter - Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
Grant Green - Nomad
Listen live to Deal Radio - click here
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).