This week’s Jazz On The Beach playlist features a track from the great pianist Ahmad Jamal whose performances at the Penthouse Club in Seattle 60 years ago were recorded for radio broadcast but never commercially released. His wonderful version of Johnny Hodges’ Squatty Roo with double bassist Richard Evans and drummer Chuck Lampkin is from the album Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1963-1964 just released by Jazz Detective (along with a second volume covering the years 1965-1966).
There’s also exciting new music from Swedish band Hexabit with their wild Moon Trip (harp and lap steel anyone?), Snarky Puppy’s Bill Laurance and Michael League’s beautiful piano and oud duet on Sant Esteve, and veteran drummer Joe Chambers returns with the sensational Dance Kobina.



This week’s Blues Beach is the second part of our feature on blues guitar players and their distinctive tone, including B.B. King (Gibson ES 355), Peter Green (Gibson Les Paul), Earl Hooker (Gibson EDS-1275 or a ‘Lester’), Elmore James (Kay K-6000) and Roy Buchanan (Fender Telecaster). If you enjoyed the first part two weeks ago but wondered where the missing players were, here’s hoping we’ve covered your favourites. If not, I’m sure you’ll let us know…