Hot Box 148 is going to be both sad and joyful since we now remember the extraordinary drummer Jack DeJohnette who died at the end of October aged 83. He was a native of Chicago and certainly could lay a claim to being the greatest of all jazz drummers. Immensely influential in the overall direction of drumming in jazz and, by any standards, extraordinarily versatile.

You only have to rattle off the names of the musicians he worked with to emphasise that point, take Miles Davis for example, then Bill Evans, John Surman, Keith Jarrett and Pat Matheney, really ticking most of the boxes in the post-bop era. So, let’s listen to some of that music while we pay tribute to an extraordinary musician.

Track list for The Hot Box #148 – Jack DeJohnette

1. Sleeping Bee – Bill Evans Trio
2. Forest Flower: Sunrise / Sunset – Charles Lloyd Quartet at Monterey Jazz Festival
3. The Wrong Blues – Keith Jarrett Trio
4. Hilltop Dancer – John Surman
5. Entranced Androids – Jack DeJohnette
6. Spanish Key – Miles Davis

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An eclectic selection of music that may reflect the desire of the “music business” to generate some income for musicians over the festive period! Or it may represent a genuine love for all things Christmas – or both! An hour of jazz selected to sit back and enjoy.

Track list for The Hot Box #147 – Christmas Box

1. Barbara Dennerlein: Let It Snow
2. The Capital Bones Big Band: Big Bad Drummin’ Dude
3. Eddie Higgins: Sleigh Ride
4. Nigel Mooney: Good Morning Blues
5. Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass Band: White Christmas/Let it Snow/Winter Wonderland
6. Rob McConnell’s Christmas Waltz
7. NYJO Twelve Bars of Christmas
8. NYJO While Shepherds Waved
9. Nigel Mooney 21st Century Santa Claus Blues

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The Hot Box 146 is packed with brand new releases, and as ever there is more to play than time to play it. Donald Helme opens the show with music from pianist John Donegan and his new album Interfuse, featuring Richie Buckley.

The programme then moves through a wide range of contemporary jazz, including trumpet-led material from Alex Sipiagin, the spacious and lyrical trio work of Fred Hersch, and the driving ensemble sound of Visions Jazz Ensemble. Larger-scale writing also features orchestral pieces from the Jihye Lee Orchestra and their album Infinite Connections.

Track list for The Hot Box #146 – New Releases

1. Five to One. John DoneganTrio + Richie Buckley: from the album Interfuse: JayDee Records
2. Sufa Tham. Alex Sipiagin from the album Reverberations
3. Fred Hersch Trio from the album The Surrounding Green
4. The Surrounding Green: Fred Hersch Trio
5. Rocky Top: Visions Jazz Ensemble. Fight Songs album
6. Surrender: Jihye Lee Orchestra album “Infinite Connections”: Motema
7. Born in 1935. Jihye Lee Orchestra
8. Interfuse: John Donegan Trio plus Richie Buckley.

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The new edition of the Hot Box consists of all new material from Ireland and the USA. An hour of the very best in jazz. The international talent is represented by tracks from a youthful band the Visions Jazz Ensemble, with music based on US college “fight songs”.  Also music from Joe Lovano with the Martin Wasilewski Trio.

Closer to home is the stunning new album from Carole Nelson and her trio “Through the Storm” and a remastered re-release of the Louis Stewart/Brian Dunning album “Alone Together”, both on the Livia Records label. Plus a glimpse of the new single from Emilie Conway!

All that and more in the Hot Box!

Track list for The Hot Box #145 – New Material from Ireland and USA

1. Anchors Aweigh – Visions Jazz Ensemble
2. Busy Work – Organ Freeman
3. We Begin Here – Carole Nelson Trio
4. Lift Off – Carole Nelson Trio
5. West Coast Blues – Louis Stewart, Brian Dunning
6. Glory Glory – Visions Jazz Ensemble
7. Homage – Homage (Joe Lovano)
8. In Walked Piet – Emilie Conway
9. If I had You – Charlie Moon Sings & Plays
10. Hot Time in The Old Town Tonight – Visions Jazz Ensemble
11. Victory March – Visions Jazz Ensemble

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This episode of The Hot Box has a distinctly retro feel, as we celebrate the lives and talents of two remarkable female jazz singers who recently passed away.

We’re remembering the incomparable British singer Dame Cleo Laine, and the lesser-known but deeply respected American vocalist Sheila Jordan. While Sheila was widely admired among jazz musicians and insiders, she remained under the radar for many casual listeners — though she did, in fact, perform in Ireland once.

Track list for The Hot Box #144 – Celebrating Two Jazz Greats

1. Hum Drum Blues – Sheila Jordan
2. Let’s Face the Music and Dance – Sheila Jordan
3. Baltimore Oriole – Sheila Jordan
4. I Got it Bad – Dame Cleo Laine
5. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone – Dame Cleo Laine
6. St. Louis Blues – Dame Cleo Laine
7. Fascinatin’ Rhythm – Dame Cleo Laine
8. If You Could See Me Now – Sheila Jordan
9. Dat Dere – Sheila Jordan
10. Where or When – Sonny Rollins
11. Moritat (Mack the Knife) – Sonny Rollins

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Donald Helme takes the lid off the Hot Box once again, and this time he’s digging deep into a special file marked “Jazz in Ireland”. Reaching back across the decades, Donald unearths vintage recordings that showcase both the big names who have defined the Irish jazz landscape and the lesser-known voices who, for one reason or another, seemed to fade into history.

Track list for The Hot Box #143 – Jazz in Ireland

1. Feels So Good – Chuck Mangione
2. Taylor Made – Linley Hamilton
3. Coded Remorse – Justin Caroll
4. Sea Legs – Michael Buckley
5. Little Niles – The Kevin Brady Trio
6. Uzac – Greg Lloyd
7. Don’t Stop The Train – Eddie Palmieri

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Welcome to the 142nd edition of The Hot Box with Donald Helme. This episode is a real treat, dedicated entirely to the music of the legendary Gil Evans. We’re marking the release of what may be the final volume of unearthed Evans material, lovingly brought to light by arranger and bandleader Ryan Truesdell.

Truesdell has spent years digging into the Evans archive, bringing this extraordinary music to life through his acclaimed ensemble, The Gil Evans Project. Alongside selections from the latest release, we’ll also revisit highlights from the earlier albums. And we’ll hear about the live sessions that once brought this music to the stage at New York’s much-missed Jazz Standard, where it was performed annually in all its glory.

The first track of the show is introduced with a snippet from the liner notes written by Ryan Truesdell.

Track list for The Hot Box #142 – Ryan Truesdell and Gil Evans

1. Spoonful: The Gil Evans Project from the album Shades of Sound
2. How About You: the Gil Evans Project from the album Centennial
3. Dancing on a Great Big Rainbow from the album Centennial
4. Ballad of the Sad Young Men from the album Shades of Sound
5. Concorde from the album Lines of Colour
6. Gypsy Jump from the album Lines of Colour
7. Laughing at Life from the album Shades of Colour
8. Nettie’s Blues from the album Shades of Colour
9. Orgone from the album Live at Umbria Jazz Vol 1

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In this slightly different edition of The Hot Box, Donald Helme takes a detour through the timeless melodies of one of jazz’s most enduring composers: George Gershwin. Inspired by the brand new release The Man I Love from British pianist Gabriel Latchin,

Track list for The Hot Box #141 – A Gershwin Celebration

1. They All Laughed. Gabriel Latchin Trio from the new album “The Man I Love”
2. Oh Lady Be Good. Fabrizio Bosso and Renato Solani.
3. Embraceable You. Cleo Laine
4. Oh Lady Be Good. Benny Goodman & Lionel Hampton
5. How Long Has This Been going On? Coleman Hawkins
6. S’Wonderful. Gabriel Latchin Trio
7. Love Walked In. Gabriel Latchin Trio
8. I Was Doing Alright. Louis Armstrong & Oscar Peterson
9. The Can’t Take That Away From Me. Susannah McCorkle
10. Jazzbo Brown Blues: Sir Andrew Davis
11. Someone To Watch Over Me: Roland Kirk
12. Summertime: Charlie Parker
13. Strike Up The Band: Errol Garner

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This edition of The Hot Box features a major re-issue, a remixed and remastered release of Louis Stewart’s quartet album with John Taylor, Sam Jones and Billy Higgins from Livia Records.

Originally recorded in 1977, and released in 1980 with some edits and overdubs, this impeccable version restores the original London recording and adds two extra tracks.

The results are possibly the best Louis Stewart studio recording, with top level accompaniment from the brilliant supporting trio.

Track list for The Hot Box #140 – I Thought About You

1. Litha – Louis Stewart
2. The Sidewinder – Lee Morgan
3. Spontaneous Combustion – Cannonball Adderley
4. Straight No Chaser – Louis Stewart
5. Wagon Wheels – Grant Green
6. All Blues – Louis Stewart

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This edition has both a tilt towards new material and a tilt towards jazz guitar, with material from the French guitarist Romain Pilon’s new album Open Roads, and from the archive, tracks from Tommy Halferty’s extensive back catalogue.

Track list for The Hot Box #139 – New Material

1. Giant Steps: Oz Noy
2. Blackbird: Tommy Halferty with Mike Nielsen
3. Ralph’s New Blues: Tommy Halferty Trio
4. Long Story Short: Romain Pilon
5. Golden Rod: Michael Buckley
6. At Swing Two Birds: Ronan Guilfoyle
7. Ready for Cooky: Romain Pilon
8. Divergent Journeys: Christian Sands

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