Jazz on the Beach 227 & Blues Beach 95: Sharon Minemoto, Sonny Fortune, Raffy Bushman, Harold Mabern, Wes Montgomery, Sam Barsh, Frank Morgan, Mike Vernon, John Hammond Jr
It's the vernal equinox, so let's all listen to more jazz music and play the blues!
Among the new releases on this week’s playlist is the Vancouver pianist Sharon Minemoto’s rather wonderful Rosebud (for Keiko Robson) from her new album Goodbye, Strawberry Hill (Cellar Music/La Reserve, 8th May), featuring tenor saxophonist Jon Bentley, double bassist Darren Radtke and drummer Bernie Arai.
The song celebrates Minemoto’s aunt Keiko (still going strong at 97), while the Rosebud of the title refers to the chocolates Keiko sent to her younger siblings who were repatriated to Japan during the Second World War. The music is uplifting and positive, just like Keiko.
Also new is a somewhat brash take on Freddie Hubbard’s glorious Little Sunflower by producer and keyboard player Sam Barsh from Straight08 (La Reserve, 19th June). It’s just Barsh with trumpeter Keyon Harrold, drummer Mark Guiliana and the ubiquitous 808 bass from a Roland TR-808 drum machine, and it works.
I really like the second single from New Jazz Underground’s long awaited Hoodies (Artwork Records, 29th May). Ghosts features their regular guest pianist Eric ELEW Lewis alongside tenor saxophonist Abdias Armenteros, double bassist Sebastian Rios (the song’s composer) and drummer TJ Reddick.
Also new is London pianist Raffy Bushman’s recent single The Leopard from the upcoming New Life (Bridge the Gap, 6th May), with bassist Alec Hewes and drummer Matt Davies. Here’s the video.
There’s the young Amsterdam-based Kazakh trumpeter D!ma Loginov’s Dam’ Town from First Impression (Challenge Records, 3rd April), recorded at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam’s studio with the band Five/Seven Elements: tenor saxophonist Oleg Tkachenko, guitarist Alexandros Adam, pianist Saba Okujava, double bassist Philip Lewin and drummer Kasparas Petkus. I’m assuming they are, or were, students at the Conservartorium, and the apostrophe in Loginov’s first name isn’t a typo.
Pianist Harold Mabern’s celebratory 2016 album Afro Blue is being reissued as a remixed 10th anniversary edition (Smoke Sessions Records, 20th March). Here’s Mongo Santamaria’s title track featuring a sensational vocal from Gregory Porter with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Turre, double bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth. This is a nice album promo video too.
I’ve yet to meet anyone who appreciates good music that doesn’t love guitarist Wes Montgomery’s Full House (Riverside, 1962), recorded live at Tsubo in Berkeley during June 1962, with tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, pianist Wynton Kelly, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. I’m always on the lookout for a mono version in good shape, although the Kevin Gray cut The Complete Full House Recordings triple vinyl is excellent. But I’ve been told to beware the European edition which was apparently sourced from different lacquers. Never underestimate the importance of high quality mastering, but I’m sure you know that already.
I played Joe Henderson’s Mode for Joe recently, and here’s another take on this classic tune from Eastern Rebellion’s eponymous album (Timeless Records, 1976). The line up is sensational, featuring pianist Cedar Walton, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins. This album was the Dutch label’s debut release, and we heard another last week with Tom Grant’s Mystified from 1978.
A few Harry Bosch-related tracks… starting with pianist George Cables and Helen’s Song from Cables Fables (Steeplechase, 1991), featuring double bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, who aren’t brothers but play like they’re family.
Next comes baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan with Phil Woods’ House of Chan from Hidden Treasures (Reservoir Records, 2006), with double bassist Christian McBride and drummer Billy Drummond.
And there’s alto saxophonist Frank Morgan’s beautiful title track from Listen to the Dawn (Antilles, 1994), with guitarist Kenny Burrell, double bassist Ron Carter and drummer Grady Tate.
We’re hard boppin’ like crazy with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley’s title track from A Caddy for Daddy (Blue Note, 1967), with trombonist Curtis Fuller, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist McCoy Tyner, double bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins. And we’re playing the blues with pianist Sonny Clark’s Ain’t No Use from The Art of the Trio (Blue Note, 1980, recorded 1958), with double bassist Jymie Merritt and drummer Wes Landers.
And finally… saxophonist Sonny Fortune plays alto on Come In Out of the Rain from the album From Now On (Blue Note, 1996), with pianist John Hicks, double bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts. I remember catching him on an amazing night with the Elvin Jones Jazz Machine at Ronnie Scott’s only a couple of years before Jones’ death in 2004. The sheer power generated on the bandstand was astonishing, and from our table right in front it felt as though we might be blown clear across the room.
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach, just click below:
Jazz on the Beach #227 18th March 2026
Hank Mobley - A Caddy for Daddy
Sharon Minemoto - Rosebud (for Keiko Robson)
Raffy Bushman - The Leopard
Eastern Rebellion - Mode for Joe
Wes Montgomery - Full House
New Jazz Underground - Ghosts
D!ma Loginov - Dam’ Town
Ruben Fox - Borderick
Harold Mabern feat. Gregory Porter - Afro Blue
Kohsuke Mine - Morning Tide
Sam Barsh - Little Sunflower
Sonny Fortune - Come In Out of the Rain
George Cables - Helen’s Song
Gary Smulyan - House of Chan
Sonny Clark - Ain’t No Use
Frank Morgan - Listen to the Dawn
Blues Beach
This week’s Blues Beach playlist features a tribute to the late producer and British blues supremo Mike Vernon, with three of his early British blues classics. There’s Savoy Brown and Ain’t Superstitious from Shake Down (Decca, 1967), Fleetwood Mac’s single Black Magic Woman (Blue Horizon, 1968), and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers’ All Your Love from Bluesbreakers feat. Eric Clapton (Decca, 1966), better known as The Beano Album. That only scratches the surface, this could have been a whole show full of records he produced.
We also lost the great John Hammond Jr, so there’s Cryin’ for My Baby from the Muscle Shoals recorded Southern Fried (Atlantic, 1969) with Duane Allman sitting in. And as bad news tends to come in threes, the guitarist Travis Wammack has also died, so there’s his Hideaway recorded while a teenager in the mid ‘60s and eventually released on That Scratchy Guitar from Memphis (Bear Family, 1987).
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach, just click below:
Blues Beach #95 19th March 2026
Mike Morgan & the Crawl - Taylor’s Rock
Little Walter & his Jukes - Juke
Travis Wammack - Hideaway
Savoy Brown - Ain’t Superstitious
Fleetwood Mac - Black Magic Woman
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - All Your Love
Billy Boy Arnold - I Wish You Would
Earl Hooker - Is You Ever Seen a One-Eyed Woman Cry
John Hammond Jr - Cryin’ for My Baby
Snooks Eaglin - Soul Train
Robert Cray - Smoking Gun
Homesick James & his Dusters - Homesick’s Shuffle
J.B. Hutto & the Hawks - Too Much Alcohol
Joe Carter & his Chicago Broomdusters - Treat Me the Way You Do
Big Maceo - Worried Life Blues
Joey Long (as Curly Long) - Four O’Clock A.M.
Al Kooper - Honky Tonk
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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).