Mainstream and Modern

Paul Shaw is a Jazz educator, session drummer and bandleader who has left his musical mark with projects over multiple decades including The Atlanta Swing Association, the Inside Out Quintet, and United States Air Force Falconnaires Big Band. He studied as a Jazz Studies Major at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Michael Wolff is one of those guys. A keyboardist and songwriter who's name might not jump out at you but over the decades he has worked live and on record with a list including Cannonball Adderly, Cal Tjader, Nancy Wilson and Warren Zevon. He recently overcame major health challenges, and this record, Bounce (Sunnyside Records) comes out of those trials.

Jazz Polymath Christian McBride is back with another new release from his Grammy Award-winning Big Band. The new record on Mack Avenue is called For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver and is his tribute to late greats Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, and Oliver Nelson.

Pianist, Composer and Arranger John Beasley has released his third record with his MONK'estra, a big band augmented by some big Jazz names that takes on the canon of Thelonius Monk and others, as well as playing original compositions. On his latest release on Mack Avenue, MONK'estra Plays John Beasley, the MONK'estra is joined by players including Joey DeFrancesco, John Patitucci, Vinny Colaiuta and Hubert Laws as they play music from Monk, Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington.

Pre-eminent Jazz Vocalist(and friend of WCLK) Gregory Porter has a new record out, his sixth studio release, called All Rise(Blue Note). As you might guess, Porter heads down the gospel road a number of songs. Also, after his Nat King Cole & Me album in 2017 he decided he would continue to use an orchestra. Porter writes all the songs, which touch on themes large and personal. If you listen to Jazz 91.9 WCLK I don't really have to let you know anything more than he's got a new record out. If you don't know him you're in for a great surprise.