The Hot Box 49 is an advanced peak behind the curtain of an upcoming concert from the RTE Concert Orchestra featuring a feast of George Gershwin music cantering on the first ever live performance of the Concert Version of the Armstrong / Ella orchestration “Porgy & Bess”.

The recreation of Russel Garcia’s entire score has been achieved by Derry born, award-winning jazz trumpeter and arranger Ryan Quigley. The world premiere of this concert will be performed by RTÉ Concert Orchestra on the 11th of September in The National Concert Hall in Dublin. The Ella & Louis parts will be delivered by Nicola Emmanuelle (‘the real deal’ – Time Out) and five-time British Jazz Awards winner Enrico Tomasso – who as a child actually knew Louis Armstrong.

The night is packed with more Gershwin greats: Rhapsody in Blue, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Adam Johnson, The Man I Love, Embraceable You, Fascinating Rhythmand Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of I Got Rhythm.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:18 — 50.7MB)

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A Special Edition celebrating the centennial of pianist George Shearing 1919 – 2011

The Pianist George Shearing was born in Battersea, London in August 1919, blind from birth. He emigrated to the USA in 1947, soon establishing the so-called “Shearing Sound” with his quintet. The band scored popular hits in the late 40’s and early 50’s, unwittingly inventing a sound formula that would endear itself to commercial arrangers across the world. Of particular interest for Irish listeners is the fact that Shearing’s preferred guitarist for much of the late 20th century was Louis Stewart. Shearing was knighted for his services to music. “Not bad for a blind boy from Battersea”.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:06:59 — 61.3MB)

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The Hot Box number 47 in which we have wall-to-wall female vocalists………………….

This is the first time Hot Box has gone all-female-vocal, but a really exciting programme results, with several current singers featured both from Ireland and beyond. It seems that there is an explosion of female vocalising today, and it recalls the days when all the big bands had to front with at least one female vocalist – a “canary” as they were pejoratively nicknamed. Most of them fell into obscurity. Nowadays the singer is more likely to have to make a solo career from scratch.Its still a struggle but a different kind of struggle.

The surge in vocal jazz also makes for song selection that encompasses material from the popular to the classic, reaching as it always has, to the world beyond jazz.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:33 — 65.4MB)

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There are few sounds in jazz more appealing than that of a big fat unit comprising around 17 musicians, well drilled, swinging, and with star solo improvisations on top. The 46th Hot Box celebrates some of those sounds with a mix of familiar and unfamiliar, including The New Irish Jazz Orchestra, whose formerly unpublished pieces from live concert performance are featured here. Also sit back and enjoy two wonderful tracks from Fred Hersch’s brand new album – a significant departure for him – with the WDR Big Band under the direction of the multi-award winning arranger Vince Mendoza.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:48 — 87.7MB)

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Another hour of superb jazz piano from Donald Helme in The Hot Box #045 A to Z of Jazz Piano Part 17 – The Letter R. In this episode you can hear from artists such as Ted Rosenthal, Gene Rodgers, Eric Reed, Renee Rosnes, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Michele Rosewoman and many more. There is some really amazing music in this one.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:54 — 94.5MB)

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There are so many new and exciting releases that have come up recently that we have decided to postpone the piano files for a spell otherwise this incredible list of tracks in Hot Box 44 wouldn’t be new releases anymore.

You can hear tracks from artists such as Polly Gibbons, Herlin Riley, Randy Brecker, Cyrille Aimée, Carol Sudhalter, John Donegan, Tommy Halferty & Norma Winstone and more.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:11 — 92.3MB)

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The Hot Box 43 aims to set the scene for a major presentation of the pieces from Miles Davis’ extraordinary recording “Kind of Blue” in an orchestral setting at The National Concert Hallat the end of May. This concert will feature the RTE Concert Orchestra, as well as featured soloists all under the direction of Guy Barker one of the leading trumpet players in the world. Whet your appetite over the next hour in the run up to this much anticipated concert.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:08 — 88.1MB)

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The Hot Box 42 is overflowing with amazing music. This time around in the A – Z of Jazz Piano we cover the letter P which is one of those files full of historical importance. You can hear from artists such as Bud Powel, one of the founders of modern jazz as well as Oscar Peterson who was a huge presence in jazz for 50 years or so. Then you can hear from the remarkable Michelle Petruciianni and some exciting contemporary players like Aaron Parks and Tommaso Perazzo.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:27 — 94.0MB)

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The Hot Box 41 is very much so a vocal affair with truly exceptional quality singing over the hour with artists from America, Paris and Ireland. This Hot Box contains all new releases form the last few months. You can hear from artists such as Liv Monaghan, Carmel McCreagh, Cecile Mclorin Salvant, Connie Han, Tony Bennet and Aleka to name a few.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:31 — 87.3MB)

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The Hot Box 40 is full of fun and great quality jazz pianists under the letter O in our journey of the A – Z of Jazz Piano. Some lesser known pianists in this episode with some honky-tonk and big band jazz from artists such as Makoto Ozone, Professor Peter O’Brien, Arturo O’Farrill, Colm O’Brien, Fintan O’Neill and Bill O’Connell.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:09 — 88.1MB)

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