A special two-hour celebration of our 250th episode featuring highlights from Erik’s discography plus selections from the most influential collaborators spanning his 25-year career including Charlie Hunter, Art Lande, Ron Miles, Fat Mama, Sonya Vallet, Theo Bleckmann, Todd Sickafoose, Scott Amendola, Norah Jones, Jim Campilongo, Shooter Jennings, Leftover Salmon, Spencer Zahn, Citizen Cope, and Victoria Reed.
Episode #249
Featuring a baddass super deep crew and their fresh new releases beginning with NOLA’s indie duo Say Sway; Brooklyn songstress Sasha Dobson’s new EP produced by Don Was; family matters are worked out on brothers Damon and Brendan Smith’s 1st release together; axeman Luca Benedetti backed by one of the finest rhythm sections in the biz: Tony Mason and Tony Scherr; Alwyn Robinson’s slick new drum/vocal solo record; Mike McGinnis’ latest clarinet trio release on his new label Open Stream Music; Aussie songbird Frally Hines’ beautiful NYC-made record; and soul jazz legends Ahmad Jamal and Ike Turner.
Episode #248
Featuring a hot stack of new releases including jazz guitar giant John Scofield w/Steve Swallow, latin piano maestro Arturo O’Farrill, the late-great saxophone ninja Jimmy Heath, and soul diva Betty LaVette; fresh new beats from Copenhagen’s School of X; East Village groovers Avi Bortnick, Jesse Murphy, Aaron Johnson, and co. recorded live at NuBlu 151 in NYC; a brand new ‘lost’ recording from the Thelonious Monk Quartet in Palo Alto in 1968; and one of the grooviest East Bay cats out there, Mr. Raphael Saadiq.
Episode #247
Featuring another collection of seminal Black artists as we at BK&B stand committed to the Black Lives Matter movement and fundamental change and reform in the USA (and worldwide). Kicking things off with the Motown sound of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas; NYC meets Liverpool on The Grey Album from Jay-Z and Danger Mouse; a musical force of nature known as Freddie King; the most underrated American composer, Thelonious Monk (with John Coltrane at his side); other-worldly musical genius Me’Shell Ndegeocello; a different side of a golden-voiced civil rights activist, Sam Cooke; blues songwriting icon Jimmy Reed; a shining light of clarity from Stevie Wonder; and the pride of Strong Island, telling it like it is…. De La Soul.
Episode #246: Black Lives Matter!!
A special 2-hour episode dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement featuring a variety of amazing, influential, and essential black artists: Lonnie Liston Smith, Gang Starr, John Coltrane, BB King, Bobby Womack, Alwyn Robinson, Charles Mingus, Parliament, Alice Smith, Curtis Mayfield, D’Angelo, Rakim, Jimmy Smith, James Booker, Jill Scott, Betty Carter, Ron Miles, Madlib, Ella Fitzgerald, Stew and The Negro Problem, Sharon Jones and the Dap-kings, McCoy Tyner, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Prince, and Black Uhuru. The Sounds of Brooklyn and Beyond supports all black lives and stands for reform and change in the USA!
Episode #245
Featuring brand a new jam by electro-pop diva L1zy in collaboration with Tracktribe and Songaide (to fight world hunger during Covid 19); a fresh EP from wizards Borham Lee and Eric Benny Bloom (commissioned by a Sonoma winery); a magical track from Todd Sickafoose’s seminal release Tiny Resistors; a cut off of cornetist Kirk Knuffke’s high-end blowing session Chorale; saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa’s mind-bending rhythms and melodies on Agrima; the sound of DC’s legendary 18th St. Lounge courtesy of Federico Aubele; and finally an uplifting song for this moment from an important voice in the American history of civil rights, Nina Simone.
Episode #244
Featuring a brand new banger from NYC pop duo Gracie and Rachel; modern jazz power trio explorations from Harrington, Gustin, and Zahn; brand new music from Italian double bassist Luca Dalpozzo; Brooklyn songstress extraordinaire Raia Was; CDMX crooner Nunca Rodrigo; Mike McGinnis’ new trio of clarinet-led cool jazz; the cutting edge of Korean modern saxophone courtesy of Sungjae Son; prolific pop diva Monika Heidemann; and classic cuts out of Memphis via Stax Records from Mable John and Booker T and the MGs.
Episode #243
Featuring fresh new NYC jams from the Phenomenal Handclap Band; a California-based free jazz supergroup called The Good Life; Brooklyn pianista songstress extraordinaire Stephanie Sanders from her 2019 release Oceana; fantasias Mexicanas de cuarentena from Todd Clouser and Emmanuel Chopis Cisneros, the ethereal soundscapes of Spencer Zahn’s People of the Dawn; pop music healer Victoria Reed from her new LP Aqua Madre; the pride of France, AIR; and awe-inspiring legends Art Pepper and Al Green.
Episode #242
Featuring a blazing hot new single from KAYE produced by guitar wizard Kirk Schoenherr; another stunning track from Leslie Mendelson’s 2020 release; fiddling pop sensation Katie Jacoby from her self-titled debut EP; Allison Miller’s brilliant ensemble Boom Tic Boom from 2019’s “Glitter Wolf”; sounds of Bedstuy from Erik Deutsch’s new release “Live at LunÁtico’’; the pride of the Raleigh triangle “The Hot at Nights”; vibey European jazz from Beyond the Seasons; Colorado icons of magical gypsy rock Devotchka; and finally rounding things out with legends Ike Turner, Vince Guaraldi and Bola Sete, and throwback brit pop sensations Belle and Sebastien.
Episode #241
Featuring brand new music from Bay Area turned NYC guitar legend Will Bernard; NYC baddass freaksters Breastfist; a beautiful fresh track from the one-man electronic show Cloudchord; a hot new release and direction from vocalist/keyboardist extraordinaire Jonah Smith; a killer cut from clarinetist Mike McGinnis’s latest project (and the debut of his label); the latest installment from Berkeley clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s Plague Diary; up-and-coming indie darling Brassie; Bill Frisell and Lee Townsend’s legendary Floratone; and from the King of Catalunya: David Soler’s Denga project.