Jazz on the Beach 225 & Blues Beach 94: George Coleman, Martin Taylor, John Coltrane, Matthew Stevens, Bill Evans, A. Spencer Barefield, Joe Henderson, Kazemde George
Jazz and blues radio for spring (meteorologically speaking)
On this week’s Jazz on the Beach playlist there’s a sensational performance of the Irving Berlin standard They Say It’s Wonderful by tenor saxophonist George Coleman, with pianist Harold Mabern, double bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Alvin Queen. It's taken from At Yoshi’s (Theresa, 1989), recorded live two years earlier at the Oakland club, and it’s one of those records that really makes you wish you had been in the audience to witness the magic.
I’ve never heard an original vinyl copy. The CD I knew sounded fine, but the 2022 cut by Cicely Balston for Pure Pleasure Records is superb. And many congratulations, Cicely, on the announcement of your own mastering shop, New Ground Audio.
Another astounding tenor performance, which may even be an understatement, is the John Coltrane Quartet’s version of Johnny Mercer’s Out of This World from Coltrane (Impulse! 1962), with pianist McCoy Tyner, double bassist Jimmy Garrison and drummer Elvin Jones. It more than lives up to the title.
It’s a big week for new releases, and I’m thoroughly enjoying guitarist Matthew Stevens’ beautiful interpretation of fellow guitarist Sonny Sharrock’s Who Does She Hope to Be? It comes from Matthew Stevens (Candid Records, 8th May), and features drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, guitarist Jeff Parker, saxophonist and multi instrumentalist Josh Johnson, bassist Kyle Miles and keyboard player Chris Fishman.
While we’re in guitar mode there’s an outstanding version of Hoagy Carmichael’s Georgia on My Mind by the British virtuoso Martin Taylor from Standards Vol. 1 (The Guitar Label, 25th February), recorded solo at his home studio in Scotland. I’ve known Martin for many years and made two records with him at Sony Jazz. I know of few guitar players who can get close to Martin’s technique, imagination and deep feeling, and he makes this 96 year old song sound timeless. That’s a fine self portrait caricature on the cover too.
‘I’m making coffee. I’m having a cup of coffee…’ Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. & Generation Y give Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso a suitably hip groove on Around the World with You (Cellar Music, 27th March). The millennials under Owens’ wing are alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo, trumpeter Anthony Hervey, pianist Tyler Bullock and double bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and they can all really play.
Two fine New York based tenor saxophonists… the Floridian Simon Mogul is a powerful force on the title track from Simon Says (self released, 20th February), produced by double bassist Curtis Lundy with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, pianist Tyler Bullock and drummer Rodney Green. While Berkeley’s Kazemde George brings fire to Kazemde’s Waltz from the upcoming Ocean Passage (La Reserve, 17th April), with double bassist Tyrone Allen II and drummer Kayvon Gordon.
Something new from the UK’s Five-Way Split with the single X.O. Buzz from their second album Modus Operandi (5WS, 16th March). They are trumpeter and the song’s composer Quentin Collins, tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos, pianist Rob Barron, double bassist Matyas Hofecker and drummer Matt Home.
I clearly remember the first time I heard Don Was’ Detroit Jazz City (Blue Note, 2015), a compilation of tracks by Motor City jazz musicians. I was on the train travelling home from London and was so involved in the music that I missed my station and went down the line to Sandwich.
The track that particularly blew me away was guitarist A. Spencer Barefield’s transcendent Ghost Dancers, with double bassist Marion Hayden and drummer Sean Dobbins. It had been recorded in 2012 for the Don Was Detroit All Star Revue at the 21st Concert of Colors at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall. I recently discovered the video of that performance, and here it is.
Also present on Detroit Jazz City was tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson’s magnificent title track from Mode For Joe (Blue Note, 1966), with the stellar lineup of trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Curtis Fuller, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Cedar Walton, double bassist Ron Carter and drummer Joe Chambers.
Coming back for a second track is alto saxophonist Jesse Davis with Blue Autumn, the opening track from the excellent Reflections (Cellar Music, 3rd April), with pianist Spike Wilner, double bassist John Webber and drummer Lewis Nash. And tenor saxophonist Ruben Fox covers Bacharach and David’s A House Is Not a Home from In Two Minds (Banger Factory, 13th March), a beautiful duet with pianist Micah Thomas that recalls the atmosphere of Pharaoh Sanders’ Theresa recordings with William Henderson. Caspar Sutton-Jones at Gearbox Mastering did the cut and this will sound great on vinyl.
We’re hard boppin’ as always, this week with pianist Horace Silver’s Sister Sadie from Blowin’ the Blues Away (Blue Note, 1959), featuring trumpeter Blue Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, double bassist Eugene Taylor and drummer Louis Hayes. Love the Filthy McNasty quote at the end.
And finally… two peerless piano trios, starting with Thelonious Monk’s first recorded version of Blue Monk from Thelonious Monk Trio (Prestige, 1954), featuring double bassist Percy Heath and drummer Art Blakey.
The second is Bill Evans’ Dancing in the Dark from Trio 64 (Verve, 1964), with double bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Paul Motian. Arthur Schwartz, who composed this song from The Bandwagon with lyricist Howard Dietz, was a friend of my parents, and once told me that this was his favourite instrumental version.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Jazz on the Beach #225 4th March 2026
Horace Silver Quintet - Sister Sadie
Joe Henderson - Mode for Joe
Kazemde George - Kazemde’s Waltz
Jesse Davis - Blue Autumn
Mammal Hands - Four Flowers
Matthew Stevens - Who Does She Hope to Be?
Ulysses Owens Jr. & Generation Y - Espresso
John Coltrane Quartet - Out of This World
Martin Taylor - Georgia on My Mind
Five-Way Split - X.O. Buzz
A. Spencer Barefield - Ghost Dancers
Ruben Fox - A House Is Not a Home
George Coleman - They Say It’s Wonderful
Simon Mogul - Simon Says
Bill Evans - Dancing in the Dark
Thelonious Monk - Blue Monk
Blues Beach
The first Blues Beach of March features classics including Robert Nighthawk’s Anna Lee, Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown’s Okie Dokie Stomp, Ray Charles’ Hallelujah, I Love Her So and B.B. King’s Country Girl.
Add to that Dr John’s Careless Love, Taj Mahal’s Checkin’ up on My Baby, Roy Buchanan’s Further on up the Road and Hop Wilson’s Chicken Stuff, plus new music like Dida Pelled’s Dimples and Maria Muldaur & Elvin Bishop’s What Makes You Act Like That, and you’ve got a hell of a show.
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach on Mixcloud, just click below:
Blues Beach #94 5th March 2026
Albert Collins - Travellin’ South
Taj Mahal - Checkin’ up on My Baby
Sonny Landreth - Walkin’ Blues
B.B. King - Country Girl
Dr John - Careless Love
Ray Charles - Hallelujah, I Love Her So
Robert Nighthawk - Anna Lee
Roy Buchanan - Further on up the Road
Hop Wilson - Chicken Stuff
Dida Pelled - Dimples
Howlin’ Wolf - I Ain’t Superstitious
Maria Muldaur & Elvin Bishop - What Makes You Act Like That
Son Seals - Look Now, Baby
Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown - Okie Dokie Stomp
Albert King - Why You So Mean to Me
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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).