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JazzTimes Spins & Riffs

JazzTimes publisher Lee Mergner and jazz singer Rene Marie preview new music and talk about issues and trends in the jazz world.

Ranked #1

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Episode #26: Monk, Ellington & Legends in Play

Episode #26: Monk, Ellington & Legends in Play

In this episode taped on The Jazz Cruise, clarinetist and saxophonist Ken Peplowski riffs with Lee on how a band, even o... Read more

11 Feb 2014

28mins

Ranked #2

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Episode #24: Pianists Marc Cary & Helen Sung and a Riff on taking an unpopular stand

Episode #24: Pianists Marc Cary & Helen Sung and a Riff on taking an unpopular stand

Previews of new albums from pianists Marc Cary and Helen Sung.  Rene and Lee riff on taking an unpopular stand, whether ... Read more

17 Dec 2013

34mins

Ranked #3

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#49: Matt Wilson on Jack DeJohnette and Francisco Mela

#49: Matt Wilson on Jack DeJohnette and Francisco Mela

Drummer and bandleader Matt Wilson sits in to spin cuts from two recent albums by drummers as leaders – Francisco Mela &... Read more

Ranked #4

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#50: Matt Wilson on family, loss and memory

#50: Matt Wilson on family, loss and memory

Drummer and bandleader Matt Wilson sits in with JT publisher Lee Mergner to spin cuts from his new album looking back on... Read more

26 Aug 2016

48mins

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Ranked #5

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Episode #27: Catherine Russell, Back-up Singers & Jazz Cruising

Episode #27: Catherine Russell, Back-up Singers & Jazz Cruising

In this episode taped on-location on The Jazz Cruise somewhere in the Caribbean, Lee spins a cut from singer Catherine R... Read more

18 Feb 2014

44mins

Ranked #6

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Episode #25: Holiday music is here, there and everywhere, plus riffing on the Jazz Connect Conference and Slut Energy Theory

Episode #25: Holiday music is here, there and everywhere, plus riffing on the Jazz Connect Conference and Slut Energy Theory

Lee spins two recent holiday music albums - Tim Warfield's Jazzy Christmas and Nnenna Freelon's Christmas.  Lee explains... Read more

24 Dec 2013

41mins

Ranked #7

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Episode #23: Gregory Porter, Dianne Reeves, plus Annoying Celebrities

Episode #23: Gregory Porter, Dianne Reeves, plus Annoying Celebrities

New albums from great jazz (and beyond) singers Gregory Porter and Dianne Reeves get spun by Lee and Rene.  Rene riffs o... Read more

10 Dec 2013

35mins

Ranked #8

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#48: Daniel Freedman on Imagine That and playing for dancers

#48: Daniel Freedman on Imagine That and playing for dancers

Drummer and percussionist Daniel Freedman sits in with Lee to spin cuts from his new album Imagine That on Anzic. Daniel... Read more

20 Aug 2016

1hr 6mins

Ranked #9

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#47: Brandee Younger at the PDX Jazz Festival

#47: Brandee Younger at the PDX Jazz Festival

Harpist Brandee Younger joins JT's Lee Mergner in a conversation recorded on-site at the PDX Jazz Festival in Portland. ... Read more

22 Apr 2016

25mins

Ranked #10

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#46: Orrin Evans, Philly Jazz, Africa Brass and more

#46: Orrin Evans, Philly Jazz, Africa Brass and more

Pianist Orrin Evans sits down for a free-wheeling conversation with Lee about performing in Portland at the PDX Jazz Fes... Read more

2 Apr 2016

47mins

Ranked #11

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#45: Brandee Younger, Rene Marie and the Great Vinyl Revival

#45: Brandee Younger, Rene Marie and the Great Vinyl Revival

Terry Currier, owner of the famous record store Music Millennium in Portland, sits in as guest c0-host to spin cuts from... Read more

18 Mar 2016

42mins

Ranked #12

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#44: Julian Lage, Russell Malone and Cuba

#44: Julian Lage, Russell Malone and Cuba

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal sits in to spin cuts from two noted guitarists - Julian Lage and Russell Malone. Then Bob and... Read more

13 Mar 2016

43mins

Ranked #13

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#43: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Stan Getz and the state of the album

#43: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Stan Getz and the state of the album

Jazz writer Bob Blumenthal sits in to spin cuts from two recent very special archival releases from Resonance Records - ... Read more

8 Mar 2016

33mins

Ranked #14

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#38: John Scofield, Terri Lyne Carrington & the Portland Jazz scene

#38: John Scofield, Terri Lyne Carrington & the Portland Jazz scene

Long-time jazz industry exec Don Lucoff sits it to spin some contemporary jazz cuts from guitarist John Scofield’s “Past... Read more

20 Oct 2015

40mins

Ranked #15

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#37: Snarky Puppy, Randy Brecker & predicting the stars of tomorrow

#37: Snarky Puppy, Randy Brecker & predicting the stars of tomorrow

Russ Davis of MOJA Radio joins Lee on-site at the Detroit Jazz Festival to spin albums from trumpeter Randy Brecker and ... Read more

6 Oct 2015

39mins

Ranked #16

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#36: Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater & Marriage

#36: Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater & Marriage

Co-host Rene Marie returns to listen and discuss two new great vocal jazz albums from Kurt Elling ("Passion World") and ... Read more

13 Jul 2015

36mins

Ranked #17

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Episode #35: Benny Green, Kenny Werner and the Jazz in Jazz Festivals

Episode #35: Benny Green, Kenny Werner and the Jazz in Jazz Festivals

Jazz writer and author Bob Blumenthal sits in as guest co-host and reacts to spins of new releases from pianists Benny G... Read more

5 Jul 2015

36mins

Ranked #18

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Episode #34: Cassandra Wilson, Strange Fruit, Obama, Charleston, Guns, Confederate Flag and Racism

Episode #34: Cassandra Wilson, Strange Fruit, Obama, Charleston, Guns, Confederate Flag and Racism

Co-host Rene Marie returns to check out Cassandra Wilson's latest album "Coming Forth By Day" and listen to her version ... Read more

1 Jul 2015

35mins

Ranked #19

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Episode #33: JD Allen, Jon Irabagon & Ornette

Episode #33: JD Allen, Jon Irabagon & Ornette

Guest co-host Bob Blumenthal joins Lee at the JazzTimes office in Braintree, Mass for a saxophone-heavy session.  They s... Read more

28 Jun 2015

27mins

Ranked #20

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Episode #32: Redoing Iconic Material & Teaching Adults to Play an Instrument

Episode #32: Redoing Iconic Material & Teaching Adults to Play an Instrument

JazzTimes publisher Lee Mergner and guest co-host bassist Gerald Veasley preview new releases from Chris Washburne and J... Read more

21 Jun 2015

52mins

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