The Night Beat—Carmen McRae & The Phil Woods Six

Record Store Day 2021 takes place this Saturday, June 12. With that in mind, host Doug Crane will present large doses of a never-released on CD live recording by vocalist Carmen McRae and a live recording by saxophonist Phil Woods that, when released on CD, failed to include much of the music heard on its initial release on vinyl.

Nominated for a Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy in 1977 (Al Jarreau’s “Look to the Rainbow” received the award), “Carmen McRae at the Great American Music Hall” was recorded for Blue Note Records at the famed San Francisco venue during June of 1976. It features Carmen in the company of her trio and special guest Dizzy Gillespie with a repertoire including songs by Bill Withers, Cole Porter, Leon Russell, Jerome Kern, and many others. Doug will feature much of it during the 8 pm hour.

Awarded a Best Jazz Instrumental Jazz Album Grammy in 1977, The Phil Woods Six was recorded for Norman Schwartz’ Gryphon Records live at the Showboat Lounge in Silver Spring, Maryland during November 1976.  It was reissued on compact discs around 1990 but included only nine of the thirteen songs found on the original double LP.  One of the missing selections is a four-movement composition entitled “Brazilian Affair” written by Mike Melillo, the pianist in Phil’s group from 1973 to 1980.  Now living in Italy, Mike was born on June 9, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey.  Doug plans to feature it during the 9 pm hour.

Join Doug Crane, the host of the Wednesday Night Beat on June 9, at 8 pm to hear selections from two vinyl LPs from 1977 that have never reissued on CD in their entirety: Carmen McRae’s Grammy-nominated “Live at the Great American Music Hall” and Phil Woods’ Grammy winner “Live at the Showboat.”

Music this good deserves to be heard and you can this Wednesday evening. Jazz beyond category…only on KUVO JAZZ.

Stay connected to KUVO’s programs and our community’s activities: Sign up for the station’s Oasis Online E-newsletter today!