Setting By

The final part of this week’s proGram waited for the sun to go down to strike.

Mother- Sarah Elizabeth Charles Ft. Linda May Han Oh
Savant Clark- Mike Clark Ft. Eddie Henderson, Patrice Rushen, Henry “the Skipper” Franklin & Craig Handy
I Shot The Sheriff- Mike Clark Ft. Eddie Henderson, Patrice Rushen, Henry “the Skipper” Franklin & Craig Handy


Dinosaur Song- Paul Cornish
Blond Crush- Donny McCaslin
Moondance- Markus Rutz
Kashmir- Jorge Garcia
Hephaestus- Nadav Remez


Buggin’ The Bug- Jon Irabagon
As You Know- Kevin Brunkhorst
Winney’s Garden- David Kikoski Ft. Joe Martin, Billy Hart & Randy Brecker (live)
Coordenadas- Miguel Zenón Quartet (Live at The Village Vanguard)

Calm Befort

The mid part of the proGram was as still as it could be while the flow flowed.

Geefata- Meklit
Dale Shura- Meklit
Omeyocan- Cochemea
Pyramid of the Sun- Cochemea


Circus Going Backwards- Joe Alterman & Mocean Worker
Gimme Some Skin- Joe Alterman & Mocean Worker
Present- Revolutionary Snake Ensemble
Xonk- Revolutionary Snake Ensemble


Trust the Process- Hamish Smith Ft. Roy Ben Bashat & Nicola Caminiti
This Is My Country- Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble
Midnight Marauders- Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble


Oh Gee- James Carter Organ Trio
**pre-recorded conversation with Mr. James Carter**
Lettuce Toss Yo’ Salad- James Carter Organ Trio

Lake It Til You Make It

The first part of this week’s proGram had a view from all sides.

Fool No More- Mike Hollow
Age Of Information- Don Arbor
Big On A Bender- Randy Lee Riviere
Moonlight- Randy Lee Riviere
Did U See Judy?- Manu Lanvin
greenarrowradio promo- Garry Burnside


Always On The Run- Lenny Kravitz (live at Rotterdam)

The One- Gabriel Jacoby
Take It All- Say She She
She Who Dares- Say She She


Gator Bait- Fat Produce
Stand Up- Fat Produce
Action- CARRTOONS & DJ Jazzy Jeff
Green Eyed- CARRTOONS & Pale Jay
No Regular No Chance- Real Bad Man x Genevieve Artadi

James Carter Organ Trio Bringing It

James Carter was born in Detroit, Michigan, and learned to play under the tutelage of Donald Washington, becoming a member of his youth jazz ensemble Bird-Trane-Sco-NOW!! As a young man, he attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, becoming the youngest faculty member at the camp. He first toured Scandinavia with the International Jazz Band in 1985 at the age of 16. On May 31, 1988, at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), Carter was a last-minute addition for guest artist Lester Bowie, which turned into an invitation to play with his new quintet (forerunner of his New York Organ Ensemble) in New York City that following November at the now defunct Carlos 1 jazz club. This was pivotal in his career, putting him in musical contact with the world, and he moved to New York 2 years later. He has been prominent as a performer & recording artist on the jazz scene since the late 1980s, focusing on saxophones, flute & clarinets. In 1996, he took part in Robert Altman’s film Kansas City, where he played Ben Webster alongside several other contemporary jazz musicians playing the roles of players from the 1930s, including Joshua Redman as Lester Young, Craig Handy as Coleman Hawkins & Geri Allen as Mary Lou Williams. “Seldom Seen” ‘s fictional “Hey Hey Club” set the stage for several jam sessions caught on film in real time and included on a soundtrack produced by Hal Willner & trumpeter Steven Bernstein. Mr. Carter embraces all elements of jazz history, from Dixieland to fusion to free jazz, and was one of the few prominent players of his generation to do so, participating in a number of projects in all these styles, and incorporating these different influences in the compositions and soloing on his own albums. On his album Chasin’ the Gypsy (2000), he recorded with his cousin Regina Carter. He has won DownBeat magazine’s Critics & Readers Choice award for baritone saxophone several years in a row. He has performed, toured & played on albums with Lester Bowie, Julius Hemphill, Frank Lowe & the Saxemble, Kathleen Battle, the World Saxophone Quartet, Cyrus Chestnut, Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Mingus Big Band. His sound blends the soul of Billie Holiday, the swing of Count Basie, and the edge of Hendrix, all delivered with jaw-dropping technical command. Whether tearing through Coltrane tempos or whispering ballads, Carter’s mastery of saxophones, flute, and clarinet is unparallel.

S I had a chance to catch up with Mr. James Carter before he heads to Madison to play two sets at Cafe Coda on October 25. This saxophone powerhouse will be bringing the fire, finesse, and fearless improvisation we have grown to love here. We talk about what this event will feel like and who else is with him making this groove come alive. We listen in as he discusses how much of this music will be made up on the spot and how much is the natural flow of songs they know. We get into how he found his groove, from growing up in a musical family that got him itching from the sting o the music bug to growing that feeling with the array of artists he has worked with. For someone who dancing often in that moment of the music, we chat about how that translates when trying to lay something down on a record which dovetailed nicely into a mention of a new project or two that are in the works.

If I Were A River

I’d run riGht thru the final part of this week’s proGram.

Inside Zone- Mike Clark Ft. Eddie Henderson, Patrice Rushen, Henry “the Skipper” Franklin & Craig Handy
Feels so Good- Dave Damiani & the No Vacancy Orchestra Ft. Benny Benack III & Grant Geissman
You and the Night and the Music- Keith Jarrett, Paul Motian & Gary Peacock (live)


2People [Dubwise Mix]- Jean Jacques Smoothie Ft. Tara Busch & Rochenko)
Family Affair- Soul Sugar meets Dub Shepherds Ft. Shiec McMenamin


Mi Casa (Oxidix Remix)- Rahel Giger, Moussa Cissokho Ft. Melingo
Mambo Hop- Villalba & Pacho Buscadoro
Descendente- Danzón Brothers
Soudani Manayou- Saha Gnawa Ft. Nels Cline


***pre-recorded conversation w/Victoria Moreria of KAIA***
Deus Xango- Kaia String Quartet

Lotus Dance- Gao Hong & Baluji Shrivastav
Honey Bees- Gao Hong & Baluji Shrivastav

If I Were A Cloud

The middle part of the proGram had a cover of beauty above.

No Use (Eric Hilton – Trust a Thief Remix)- Jazzanova & Clara Hill
My Love- Al Sunny
Asshole- Atmosphere
Daley- Atmosphere


Billie and Trane- Tony Adamo
Burnin’ Coal- Joe Alterman & Mocean Worker
I Love It! I Love It! I Love It!- Joe Alterman & Mocean Worker
Son of Mr. Green Genes- Revolutionary Snake Ensemble


Journey To The Ancient- Yusuf Mumin
frank dean and andrew- Ebi Soda
How The Season Begins- Bright Dog Red


Town Down- Ches Smith
***pre-recorded conversation with Ches Smith***
Clone Row- Ches Smith

If I Was A Tree

The first part of this week’s proGram made me think of what type I’d might be, a tree.

Sweet Things- Megan Bee
Let The good Times Roll- Johnnie Johnson
Iron Horse- Levi Platero
Piece Of My Mind- The Earls of Babylon
Another Life- Lenny Kravitz


Return of the Mack- Larry Douglas Ft. Amen Kush, Fiyahman & Jorge Pineda
Ain’t That Funk For You- Jimmy Burns & Soul Message
Speak To Me- Michelle David & The True-Tones
Don’t Wanna Be Happy- Kendra Morris
Hung Up On My Baby- Fat Produce


Allure- Nu Vintage
Off the Backboard- Nu Vintage
Nude per l’assassino- Elsio Mancuso & Berto Pisano

KAIA String Quartet Plays Melharmony 2025

Celebrating 25 years of Melharmony featuring Maestro Chitravina N Ravikiran, the creator of Melharmony with Artists from the Midwest including the KAIA Quartet. From the tango of the Rio de la Plata to the string quartets of Silvestre Revueltas, the KAIA String Quartet is an ensemble devoted to promoting the rich & colorful music of Latin America. Active performers in both the US & abroad, highlights of the most recent season include a collaboration with Jazz singer Paul Marinaro and performances at Chicago area venues including the Studebaker Theatre, the Epiphany Center for the Arts, the Morton Arboretum, the Mozart Immersive Experience, and the Kenilworth Assembly Hall. The quartet’s most recent tour of Uruguay & Argentina included a performance at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. The Quartet plays an active role in Chicago’s music scene and has performed at the Chicago Latino Music Festival, the Ear Taxi Festival, & Chamber Music on the Fox. Celebrated by Downbeat magazine for its ability to “beautifully blur the lines between jazz, classical, Latin & world music” KAIA’s album collaboration with friend of the proGram Fareed Haque was chosen by Chicago Tribune’s Howard Reich as one of the top 10 classical recordings of 2018. Their album, Sureño, explores the music and relationship of Argentinian composers Astor Piazzolla & José Bragato. The latest recording project released in 2020 includes a collaboration with jazz pianist Ryan Cohan in his work Originations. KAIA together with Cohan and his chamber ensemble were featured performing this piece at 2019 Chicago’s Jazz Fest main stage. KAIA is deeply devoted to music education. They are teaching artists for Ravinia’s Reach*Teach*Play program and for Classical Music Chicago’s Young Peoples’ Concerts program. KAIA founded DePaul University’s Community Music Division chamber program where they inspire the next generation of performers. During the 2023-24 season, the KAIA String Quartet was invited to teach and perform at Michigan State University & Carthage College as artists-in-residence. In the summer of 2023, KAIA was on the New England Music Camp’s Chamber Music Intensive faculty as the resident quartet and returned in the summer of 2024.

I had the chance to catch up with Victoria Moreira, founding member & 1st violin of KAIA ahead of next week’s festivities. We got into just what will be going down as they support Maestro Ravikiran’s vision and direction (check out my conversation with Maestro Ravikiran ahead of last year’s Melharmony Festival), including working as a quartet with a local Madison bassist for this collaboration. They will be doing a set as themselves (including one substitute we learn about from the normal quartet) they will feature some recognizable artists to many ears that may feel not as trained in the classical scene. I could easily hear the excitement in Victoria’s voice when we spoke about this concert. We get a little into the fact that KAIA is (usually) an all women group and how today this idea is more celebrated as we still do wish this was not something that always has to be brought up. I also was curious about music or artists she’d listen to if we were just hanging out toGether and without surprise, we easily found a common ground and that we agreed on the fact that ‘A good song, is a good song’.

Clone Row With Ches Smith

Arts & Literature Laboratory‘s Auricle New Music Series welcomes percussionist & composer Ches Smith in support of his new album Clone Rowon Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 7:00pm. Smith leads an adventurous new quartet featuring guitarists Mary Halvorson & Liberty Ellman & bassist Nick Dunston. Mr. Smith finds endless possibilities in this seemingly limited instrumentation, weaving together varied threads from his divergent earlier projects in ways that sound not quite like any of them. “This definitely ain’t your father’s guitar band,” writes no less an expert on six-string subversion than recent guest at ALL, Marc Ribot, who penned the album’s liner notes. 4 renowned composer-improvisers tangle with Ches’ newest compositions. 2 highly individualistic guitarists swirl, echo & double-take, squaring off with a bass & drums team that anchors and unhinges through doubling sounds — drum machines & acoustic drums, low-end analog synth & acoustic bass, digital samples and repeated fragments performed in real time. In a dance of coherence and chaos, the four musicians plunge headlong into the feedback loop of composition and improvisation armed with chemistry created by their mutual appreciation and enduring friendships.

I had a chance to catch up with Ches Smith ahead of this event in Madison. We got into how this group of improvisors will create the skin and organs onto the skeleton of the compositions. When they will now that the landmarks they know will be reached and how they go back to where they feel they need to be. I am a big admirer of the work of Mary Halvorson so it was fun to understand just how important she is in Ches’ world. They seem to find each other at the right times and anytime they create or find their spots toGether live, that will be the right time for all involved. We talk about how this latest release they are touring on went from an idea and conversation wo a place where they will be one week in on playing it out live when they get here. We dissect the title track a bit as both he & I seem to be on the same page that this is one of the centerpieces of the album. How working with the sounds will continue to grow as each night’s show will be a new take-off and landing spot. By the end, I ask Ches to choose one off the new record and a few other artists/songs to build a set with. Dive on in.

Aneesa Strings At Lincoln Center

Multi-hyphenate west coast artist Aneesa Strings is a thought leader, singer-songwriter, influencer, music director, professor, and composer. After studying improvisational music and music theory and acquiring degrees from USC and Michigan State University, Aneesa has scored and performed continuously across the fields of jazz, R&B, pop, and blues; her storytelling is enlivened through sounds, rhythm, and motion. She has recently toured at major jazz festivals such as Newport Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival; and this past holiday season, Aneesa was one of the faces of The Gap Holiday Campaign with Janet Jackson’s song, Together Again. On September 26, Aneesa celebrates her Lincoln Center debut in the David Rubenstein Atrium with a set featuring songs from her latest EP, 2025’s The Calm.

Forms Formed

The final part of this week’s proGram was guided by the flows of the colors.

Bogotà- Umut Adan & Zebânis
Rolexxx- Da Cruz
Blue Rain- Clap! Clap! & Oscar Rocchi


West Coast Blues- Jonathan Karrant w/the Joe Alterman Trio (live)
Boo- Heather McKay
Close To You- Lucas Moinet Trio


Life As You Envision- Jen Shyu
***pre-recorded conversation with Jen Shyu on M3 Festival***


BACK THAT AZZ UP- Kassa Overall
Joe Type Tune- Zack Lober Ft. Sun-Mi Hong, Suzan Veneman & Jasper Blom
Vignette- Zack Lober Ft. Sun-Mi Hong, Suzan Veneman & Jasper Blom


Heart-Shaped Box (Drain You)- Chris Smith
Would- Chris Smith Ft. Valerie Costa
Stains- Jonhatan Tenerini
Summer In The Wasteland- Grass

Earth Connector

The Middle part of this week’s proGram grew because of our help.

Express Yourself- Jimmy Burns & Soul Message Band
greenarrowradio theme song- mister rourke
Funk Don’t Beg- Mani Fredo

Sexecution- Moondog Wily
Music Speaks For Me- Larry Douglas Ft. Greg Cone
Lovin’ (Eric Hilton Trust A Thief Remix)- BALTHVS


Him- Denzel Curry
DOOM on the Beatbox- Lower Life Forms Ft. MF DOOM


Veggie Berber Boy- La Chooma
Cookie Crumble Cumbia- La Chooma
La Ceiba- Antibalas
Declaration Of Rights- Al Campbell & Sly & Robbie
Time Is Tight (Dub Edit)- Dub Stax
Slaver- Dr. Isreal & DJ Olive

Following Or

The first part of this week’s proGram was ready to advise.

Stagolee- Erin Harpe Ft. Jim Countryman
Take the Air- Larry Keel & Jon Stickley
Comin’ Home Baby- Holly Cole
The IPA Song- The Brothers Comatose Ft. Ronnie McCoury


Do I Have Your Attention?- Laura Cox
Love, You Have Done Me Wrong- Jeff Shew & The Late-Night Crew
Do It Right- Rashad the Blues Kid (Live)
Buzz Bomb- Wailin’ Walker


World On Its Head- Dom Mariani
Apple Tree- Gyasi


Fibers Displaced- Don Philippe
Locally Grown- Nu Vintage
Daylight- Nu Vintage & Pat Van Dyke


Get This to the People- Joe Alterman & Mocean Worker
**pre-recorded conversation w/Mocean Worker & Joe Alterman**
Lemme Tell You Somethin’- Joe Alterman & Mocean Worker

Mutual Mentorship for Musicians Festival

Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M³), the groundbreaking initiative dedicated to advancing professional and artistic growth for women and gender-expansive musicians, presents the 4th annual M³ Festival 2025 on Saturday, October 4 at Roulette Intermedium, 509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. The event begins at 7 pm and diGital tixx are available. The marathon-style event features Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Becca Stevens, NEA Jazz Master & pianist Kenny Barron, acclaimed saxophonist/ composer Immanuel Wilkins, and pioneering M³ musicians and their projects including Siren Xypher (Melanie Dyer, Mara Rosenbloom, Kyoto Kitamura), Shoko Nagai and Satoshi Takeishi’s Vortex, Vertical Sounds (Kess Southpaw, Mnisibass, Melanie Dyer), Maia & Zamonda, and Devon Gates’ Ghost Stories (Gates, Victoria Awkward, Matt Greenwood), and Gili Lopes. Audience members at prior M³ festivals described the event as “innovative, nourishing, forward-thinking… shocking, heart-opening, magical… dynamic, creative and vibrant… collaborative… a beautiful collective of people really supporting each other through their creative process and learning from each other…you can see that give and take through the music that they’ve created.” The Festival will also launch the inaugural issue of M³ Magazine featuring writing from most of the artists performing at the Festival. It also includes an interview with 2025 M³ Luminary Awardee Maia who has earned renown as a longtime active member of the AACM and is giving a rare NYC performance at the Festival. The magazine springs from M³’s Anthologies of Writings which were formerly published in book format. Now celebrating its 5th anniversary, M³ was founded during the COVID pandemic in 2020 by Jen Shyu & Sara Serpa as a platform for creative risk-taking, exchange through musical commissions, peer-led mentorship, publication of anthologies, performances, festivals, and awards. In just 5 years, M3 has commissioned & supported 92 artists creating 46 new co-compositions and transforming the creative music industry around the world. Serpa & Shyu conceived of M³ through conversations about elevating women and non-binary musicians, particularly those of color, in their global music community. Having both experienced inequities in professional opportunities and financial remuneration, limited recognition and media visibility, and isolation in their own careers, they recognized firsthand the need for greater opportunity, community and support, as well as the need for women & non-binary mentors in the music industry.

I had the pleasure of catching up with the amazingly cool, Jen Shyu to get a peek behind the curtain when it comes to all that Mutual Mentorship for Musicians is about. We start by getting into each of the artists that will be making the maGic happen this year as part of the 2025 festival. We get a little flip the baseball card over and get a taste of each and this line-up is so sweet. We spend a bunch of time discussion the who & what of the why Mutual Mentorship for Musicians was born and nurtured. How many artist have been involved and just how the bridge to each other keeps on making global connections. We go through the process and rewards, the ins and outs and mostly the community that is constantly growing. Equality is something that has a definition but seems to be constantly overlooked in many scenes and environments and I am proud to be spreading the love of this festival and the important work that Jen & Sara are constantly finding time to keep the momentum moving forward. This conversation is detailed from start to finish and hopefully it wakens a bit of the ‘how can I help’ energy within others. I am so excited to get that streaming link and watch the soul changing event work its way through me. You can find out more about tixx here.

Keep The Line Open

Bassist/producer Mocean Worker (aka Adam Dorn) & pianist/composer Joe Alterman have released Keep The Line Open, a funky, feel-good tribute to the late soul jazz legend Les McCann. The 9-track collection taps into the genre-blurring spirit that defined McCann’s music, as well as his influence on Adam & Joe, who knew him as a mentor, collaborator & close friend. With credits ranging from Eddie Harris & Ramsey Lewis to Hal Willner, Marcus Miller & Brian Eno, Dorn & Alterman fuse their distinct artistry into an electrifying set that celebrates McCann’s essence while standing on its own as a joyous, party-starter. They created the album by melding live instrumentation with sampling to pay homage to an era when the groove reigned supreme and the vibe was decidedly danceable. Sonically designed to evoke a live album, it invites the listener to imagine themselves at a late-night jazz club in the ’60s. They also draw on years of conversations recorded for posterity, saved voicemails and other aural documents of McCann, weaving his voice, laughter, and ever-present sense of humor throughout the album, which threads in and out of the tracks. Adam’s relationship with Les McCann began through his father, the legendary Atlantic Records’ staff producer Joel Dorn, who worked closely with McCann on several albums, including rare-groove classics like Layers, Invitation to Openness, and the multi-platinum Swiss Movement, which also featured electric saxophone pioneer Eddie Harris. As a kid, the younger Dorn would often overhear long conversations between his father and McCann who shared a deep friendship. As he grew older, he himself began a relationship with McCann via extended phone conversations. It led McCann to hire Dorn, an accomplished bassist in his own right, to be part of his rhythm section on live dates. Meanwhile, Joe started out as a devoted fan of McCann who received the rare opportunity to open for one of his heroes at The Blue Note. The 2 connected instantly, forging a friendship that lasted for years, primarily through near daily, hour-plus phone conversations. Although plans to record & tour together never materialized due to McCann’s health issues, they did co-write the song “Don’t Forget To Love Yourself.” Alterman would later release Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann: Big Mo & Little Joe, a heartfelt tribute to his mentor and friend. It was ultimately McCann’s passing that brought Dorn and Alterman together. They had both become aware of each other through their independent friendships with McCann who would mention each of the artists in his conversations with the other. Following his death, they’d finally meet and organically the idea of making a record of original material inspired by McCann was hatched. Adam began writing sections of music, creating beats & rhythmic ideas that he’d send to Joe over which he’d improvise. Adam would then take those parts and shape them into songs. The result is an album that is immensely funky with nods to Latin grooves, and always heavy on the backbeat. There are times on Keep The Line Open where the listener will feel as though they are being taken to church and at other times being taken on a trip to Haight-Asbury in the ’60s, and yet simultaneously the music to feel modern and of the moment. There is a Les McCann cover tune (“Burnin’ Coal”), there is a moment for Joe to thrill with his considerable stride piano skills, and throughout there is Les, commenting on the proceedings with his inimitable wit, humor, & loving nature, making it all seem like it is being played just as he’d imagined. And while Les McCann is the driving force, the entire spirit of his era, from Ramsey Lewis to Horace Silver, Eddie Harris to Cannonball Adderley, lives in the music. It’s this inspiration that guides Mocean Worker & Joe Alterman through each of the nine tracks. Keep The Line Open is a musical celebration that, like Les McCann himself, makes you feel alive and happy and ready to have fun.

I had the pleasure of hanGing out with friend of the program, Adam Dorn (Mocean Worker) & Joe Alterman shortly before the new album dropped. We got way deep into the ins and outs of the creation of the album. How the relationships with Les McCann and the love of the feeling of the 60’s soul acid jazz groove combined with a step into the now and future make this collection of form and rhythm so damn exciting. You can feel the love Joe had for Les and how his energy was woven into his daily life and Adam has the memories of longer ago and both speak so highly of the desire to find the fun within the music. There are personal stories shared that are both cool AND special, we dissect a track or two and we all feel the versatility of this new music. Joe & Adam both kinda let us in on how they believe Les would feel about this tribute to, the honoring of the music that he helped de and (re)define. While I can tell you how this music, these tunes, make me feel…it seems like the best way to really under and over-stand is to get some for yourself. This is sound that should find it’s way out to ears from under the needle, vinyl is not only available but most likely highly desired. I don’t often say things like this, but I feel like this could be an album of the year type release oif any one in the scene really is paying attention.


Berry Goodly

The final part of the proGram was fresh and juicy.

We’re the Wild Iris- Wild Iris Brass Band Ft. Steven Bernstein, Jeff Coffin, Ray Mason, Emmanuel Echem, Jovan Quallo, Neil Konouchi, Justin Amaral & Ryoko Suzuki
Let It Slide- Wild Iris Brass Band Ft. Jeff Coffin, Ray Mason, Emmanuel Echem, Jovan Quallo, Neil Konouchi, Justin Amaral & Ryoko Suzuki
Take Off Your Cool- Chief Adjuah Ft. Robert Glasper


Balloon Pop- Hiromi’s Sonicwonder
***pre-recorded conversation with HIROMI***
Pendulum- Hiromi’s Sonicwonder Ft. Michelle Willis


Aquarius- Patricia Brennan
Neuköln- Evan Ziporyn & ContaQt


Indy Blues- Kristen R. Bromley
In A Funky Way- Charlie Rouse
Spoonman- Chris Smith

Covered in Cloud

The middle part of the proGram knew to look up is to find the opening.

Do Me A Favour- Sons of Sevilla
Street Light Moon- Sons of Sevilla
Mesa Mesa- Yuuf
Sound Life of the Party- Jr. Thomas & Eraserhood
Horses and Spurs- CLAP! CLAP!
Right Track- CLAP! CLAP!


greenarrowradio Theme- Mister Rourke
Bang Bien- Nightmares On Wax Ft. Yasiin Bey & Mos Def
Forrowest (Quantic Remix)- Forro In The Dark
Birds (Kaan Duzarat Remix)- Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul Sessions
Chance Upon A Chance (Bopperson Remix)- Rosa Brunello


CHECK THE RHIME- Kassa Overall
SPOTTIEOTTIEDOPALISCIOUS- Kassa Overall
For Lu- Funkwrench Blues Ft. Nicole McCabe, Peter Varnado & Frank Swart
Funk-ish- Funkwrench Blues Ft. Jason Marsalis, Roland Barber, David DR Robbins & Frank Swart

Slide Leave

The first part of the proGram this week had a way to go around without being spotted.

The Rooster’s Dead- Hannah Delynn
This Old Guitar- Wesley Hanna


Fruits Of My Labor- Margaret Glaspy Ft. Julian Lage
Do It! To It!- Handsome Jack


Heebie Jeebies- Johnnie Johnson
Stagger Lee- Johnnie Johnson
Lover Man- Mud Morganfield
She’s Getting Her Groove On- Mud Morganfield
greenarrowradio promo- The Bluesmasters Ft. Cassie Taylor
Ol’ Victrola- Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia (Blood Brothers)
Can’t Be A Prophet- Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia (Blood Brothers)
Begging For Change- Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues Ft. Shemekia Copeland & Ronnie Baker Brooks
Cowboy Gucci- Piper and The Hard Times


Weekends Are For Making Love- G. Love & Special Sauce Ft. R.L. Boyce & Luther Dickinson
6_6_06- GRASS
Killing Time- GRASS

HIROMI’s SONICWONDER

HIROMI has been began playing the piano since age six and studied composition at the Yamaha Music School. At age 17, she performed with Chick Corea. In 1999, she enrolled at Berklee College of Music in Boston. While a student, she signed with the prestigious jazz label Telarc and made her international debut in 2003 with the album “Another Mind.” In 2008, she released the album “Duet” with Chick Corea. In 2011, she won the “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” award at the 53rd Grammy Awards for her collaboration with Stanley Clarke, “The Stanley Clarke Band Featuring Hiromi Uehara.” In 2013, to coincide with the US release of her album “MOVE,” she appeared on the cover of the April issue of Downbeat, America’s most prestigious jazz magazine. In April 2016, Hiromi released her 4th album, “SPARK,” as the Trio Project FT. Anthony Jackson & Simon Phillips, which reached number 1 on the US Billboard Jazz Chart. In 2017, she performed at the BBC Proms, released the album “Live in Montreal” with Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda, and became the only Japanese artist to perform at New York’s Blue Note for 13 consecutive years. In 2019, she released her 1st solo piano album in 10 years, “SPECTRUM.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, she has launched the “SAVE LIVE MUSIC” series at Blue Note Tokyo to support the struggling live music industry. Despite various restrictions, she has performed over 100 times. In July 2021, she performed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Opening Ceremony. In September, Hiromi Uehara The Piano Quintet, a new project born from SAVE LIVE MUSIC, released the album SILVER LINING SUITE worldwide. She served as music director for the film BLUE GIANT, which was released in theaters in February 2023, and won the Best Original Score Award at the 47th Japan Academy Awards. In September, she released the album Sonicwonderland as part of her new project, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder. She also made a splash by appearing on the popular program Tiny Desk Concerts, organized by the American broadcasting station NPR. Hiromi’s Sonicwonder‘s latest album, OUT THERE, was released in April 2025. In Japan, he has received the 57th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize in the Popular Entertainment category in 2007, the Japan Record Award for Best Album in 2008 and 2017, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs Commissioner’s Award in 2023.

I had the honor of spending a little time chatting with HIROMI ahead of the October 2nd show with SONICWONDER in Madison at the Union Theater’s Shannon Hall. We got into the pieces of the group that will be creating all this wonder when they hit Madison. Each artist brings that something she was looking for. I had caught their set t the Detroit Jazz Festival this year and we chatted about that experience and the specialness of an audience that is ready for everything. We dive into the creation of the latest release OUT THERE from SONICWONDER and the power of improvised music. When discussing her participation in the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, it was refreshing to hear that this show in Madison will be just as important to her as that one. No surprise that when I asked her to chose a song off OUT THERE to build a setlist around, she went with Balloon Pop – we take a walk through that track together, and she would pair it with something(s) from Mr. Chick Corea. This show is going to be one that people who are there will pull up from the memory banks when a good time reminder is needed.