“My name is Jaco Pastorius and I’m the greatest bass player in the world.” This was the way Jaco introduced himself to Joe Zawinul, Weather Report founder and übermensch. Zawinul…
Private Playlist: Thundercat on the importance of albums as a journey
Stephen Bruner spoke with KCRW about the night Jaco Pastorius changed his life, the importance of listening to albums from the beginning, and the record that helps him through strange…
Musician Robert Trujillo joins Elvis Mitchell to discuss the journey from found footage to family input of the visionary bass player Jaco Pastorius while producing the documentary…
Adam Dorn, aka Mocean Worker, is not only a producer, but a bad-ass bass player as well, and he sprinkles his riffs liberally throughout his new self-titled album.
Show #212: 5 Legendary New York Jazz Concert Albums (1960s–1980s)
When I set out to record this week’s show, my original intent was to showcase several great live concerts that had been captured on wax. But as I was going through…
Private Playlist: A playlist featuring seven of our favorite segments
A special one-hour edition of KCRW’s Private Playlist, featuring seven of our favorite listening sessions with Southern California’s most notable musical figures.
Peter Erskine's Dr. Um Record Release Concert: Total Fun
Last Sunday afternoon, I had the most fun I’ve had at a concert in some time: Peter Erskine’s Dr.Um record release party at the Ann and Jerry Moss Theater at…
This week, we take an audio tour of live concerts at New York City nightspots of the 1960s and 1980s, featuring music by Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Mongo Santamaria, and others.
I love basslines and good bass players, whether upright, Ampeg “baby basses” as used in tropical latin music, or electric basses used in most pop, blues, and rock music. In…
I haven’t had a chance to feature new releases in a while and want to sing the praises of three new albums before the year ends. The first is guitarist Yotam Silberstein‘s…
The second half of March brings an eclectic array of terrific shows to L.A. and New York—from fiery flamenco and Afro-Cuban music, to a two-week fado festival, plus British singer…
The upright bass is the Rodney Dangerfield of jazz: it can’t get no respect. The old joke goes this way: A couple trying to save their marriage goes to a…
Saturday, December 1 | Luciana Souza: The Book of Longing | Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA (Westwood) Brazilian singer Luciana Souza grew up in a musical family…
Mark Schatzker, Good Food’s "slow traveler" and omnivore, checks in from his journey around the world. The last few weeks, Mark has primarily been in Western Europe and Italy. He…
Show #141: Weather Report: The Legendary Live Tapes 1978-1981
Peter Erskine is one of the best drummers on the planet. Just ask any drummer. He is a powerhouse drummer who can power a big band (that’s where he started…
Weather Report: The Legendary Live Tapes 1978-1981
For Weather Report drummer Peter Erskine, this new 4-CD set was a labor of love and a treasure trove of great music. Peter joins Tom on Rhythm Planet to talk about the new album.
Tom’s Music Salon: Joe Zawinul Wins a Posthumous Grammy
It was heartening for me to see Joe Zawinul get a Grammy for Jazz/Best Instrumental album. I remember the great first album by the band he co-founded with Wayne Shorter:…
There are plenty of nice goodies out there this holiday season for your music-loving friends. Here are some of my recommendations for the bigger-ticket items: Blue Note: Photos…
