Jazz on the Beach 238 & Blues Beach 100: Zaccai Curtis, Bobby Timmons, Kelly Green, Phil Ranelin, Joe Lovano, Cory Weeds & Chris Hazelton, Lakecia Benjamin, Ahmad Jamal
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There are some exciting new releases on this week’s playlist, starting with pianist Zaccai Curtis’ Joust, an early taster from his upcoming album Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 (Truth Revolution Recording Collective, 7th August). He’s playing Fender Rhodes with his brother, double bassist Luques Curtis, tenor saxophonist Craig Handy, drummer Joe Dyson and percussionist Brevan Hampden. There’s less focus on the Afro-Cuban direction of last year’s outstanding Cubop Lives!, it’s a more varied stylistic approach with strong repertoire, some distinctively funky grooves and great playing.
The sensational pianist and vocalist Kelly Green’s swinging instrumental signature tune By The Way was inspired by her mentor Harold Mabern and Bobby Timmons. Here’s the version from Eat Your Greens (Green Soul Studios/La Reserve, 28th August), where she and her rhythm section of double bassist Luca Soul Rosenfeld and drummer Evan Hyde are joined by flautist Elijah J. Thomas and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon to great effect.
There’s another track from alto saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin’s We Dream (Artwork Records, 5th June), with the jaw-dropping Dream Breaker, featuring tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, trumpeter Sean Jones, pianist Oscar Pérez, double bassist Elias Bailey and drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts.
From the ‘who would have thunk it’ section comes tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds & Hammond organist Chris Hazelton’s hard bop take on I Want A New Drug from the album Hip to be Square - plays Huey Lewis & the News (Cellar Music/La Reserve, 21st June). With the lineup completed by guitarist David Rourke and drummer Rudy Albin Petschauer, this really cooks. A hint of Ray Parker Jr’s Ghostbusters might have been apt (where there’s a hit there’s a writ), but there’s a clear nod to Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise during Hazelton’s solo.
Which is just as well, as we have alto saxophonist Art Pepper’s fine version of Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise from Gettin’ Together (Contemporary, 1960), featuring trumpeter Conte Candoli, and the Miles rhythm section of pianist Wynton Kelly, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb.
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We’re certainly hard boppin’ this week (it’s mandatory at JOTB), with the aforementioned pianist Bobby Timmons and So Tired from Soul Time (Riverside, 1960), featuring trumpeter Blue Mitchell, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Art Blakey. Likewise with tenor saxophonist Curtis Amy on the title track from Tippin’ On Through (Pacific Jazz, 1962), just reissued as a Blue Note Tone Poet on 6th June. It was recorded at The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California, and features valve trombonist Roy Brewster, vibraphonist Roy Ayers, pianist John Houston, double bassist Bob Whitlock and drummer Lawrence Marable.
There are two tracks from Detroit’s Tribe Records, one of the great 70s Black musician-owned labels along with Black Jazz and Strata-East. First comes trombonist Phil Ranelin’s Vibes From the Tribe (Prelude) from Vibes From the Tribe (Tribe, 1976), with trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, tenor saxophonist Wendell Harrison, electric pianist Kenny Cox, electric bassists Lopez Leon and Ron English and drummer George Davidson.
The second is pianist Harold McKinney’s Out of the Blues from Voices and Rhythms of the Creative Profile (Tribe, 1974). McKinney plays Fender Rhodes with Belgrave and Harrison, plus double bassist Ed Pickens, conguero Charles Miles, drummer Ron Jackson and percussionist Billy Turner.
Speaking of Strata-East, here’s tenor saxophonist Harold Vick with the title track from Don’t Look Back (Strata-East, 1974), featuring trumpeter Virgil Jones, alto flautist George Davis, euphonium player Kiane Zawadi, pianist and tuba player Joe Bonner, double bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Hart. I must play something from Vick’s album The Power of Feeling, recorded under the alias Sir Edward again soon.
Of all the great music recorded in 1970 (the list is immense and includes Bitches Brew, Band of Gypsys and Red Clay), one of the finest was surely the Ahmad Jamal Trio’s The Awakening (Impulse!, 1970), with pianist Jamal and his working rhythm section of double bassist Jamil Nassir and drummer Frank Gant. Here’s the majestic suite-like title track from the sessions that were recorded over two days in February of that year.
And finally, I’m looking forward to seeing one of my heroes, the pianist, singer and philosopher Ben Sidran at his annual Ronnie Scott’s gig next Monday. So here’s the evocative title track from Don’t Cry for No Hipster (Nardis Records, 2012), with son Leo Sidran on drums, guitarist Will Bernard and bassist Tim Luntzel. And another chance to share this atmospheric video of Ben in Paris. I’ll book the Eurostar toute de suite!
To listen to this week’s Jazz on the Beach, click below:
Or listen back on Mixcloud:
Jazz on the Beach #238 10th June 2026
Curtis Amy - Tippin’ On Through
Bobby Timmons - So Tired
Kelly Green - By The Way
Zaccai Curtis - Joust
Harold McKinney - Out of the Blues
Lakecia Benjamin - Dream Breaker
Ben Sidran - Don’t Cry for No Hipster
Cory Weeds & Chris Hazelton - I Want A New Drug
Joe Lovano Nonet - After the Rain
Ahmad Jamal Trio - The Awakening
Phil Ranelin - Vibes From the Tribe (Prelude)
Harold Vick - Don’t Look Back
Bobby Hutcherson - Components
George Benson - Billie’s Bounce
Kamasi Washington - Hub-Tones
Joe Gordon - Toll Bridge
Art Pepper - Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
Blues Beach
It’s the 100th edition of Blues Beach, the first show was broadcast on 16th June 2022. Originally conceived as ‘Jazz on the Beach’s badass little brother’ to fill a vacant one hour slot on Deal Radio’s schedule, it quickly developed a character of its own and built an ever-growing number of regular listeners.
We’re not celebrating this auspicious occasion with anything special, just another choice playlist of blues, gospel, rhythm and blues and southern soul, but with a few more new releases than usual. There’s Boston’s GA-20’s collaboration with harmonica veteran Charlie Musselwhite on Elmore James’ I Can’t Hold Out, and we’re looking ahead to the future with two young pups, 19 year old Harrell ‘Young Rell’ Davenport and Giving Me the Blues and 20 year old Amani Burnham with Fastlane.
If you’ve been enjoying Blues Beach, thanks (as always) for listening, if you haven’t tried it yet, just click below.
To listen to this week’s Blues Beach, click below:
Or listen back on Mixcloud:
Blues Beach #100 11th June 2026
Jesse Ed Davis - Natural Anthem
The Allman Brothers Band - Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’
Elmore James - Fine Little Mama
GA-20 & Charlie Musselwhite - I Can’t Hold Out
Harrell ‘Young Rell’ Davenport - Giving Me the Blues
Amani Burnham - Fastlane
J.B. Lenoir & his African Hunch Rhythm - I Sing Um the Way I Feel
The Falcons ft. Wilson Pickett - I Found a Love
Little Milton - We’re Gonna Make It
Mighty Mo Rodgers - The Chitlin Circuit
Buddy Guy - My Time After Awhile
Ry Cooder - Jesus On the Mainline
T-Bone Walker - T-Bone Blues Special
Freddie King - See See Baby
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Lenny
Hound Dog Taylor & the HouseRockers - Take Five
B.B. King - Sweet Little Angel
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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).