New Music Monday — Christian McBride, Harold Mabern, & Melanie Charles

The new music highlights for Monday, November 29, at noon will include:

Christian McBride & Inside Straight: “Live At the Village Vanguard”
The amazing bassist and jazz ambassador Christian McBride from Philadelphia records at jazz’s hallowed ground-the legendary Village Vanguard. Peter Martin is at the piano, Carl Allen is playing the drums, Warren Wolf is at the vibes and Steve Wilson blows alto and soprano saxophones. Although recorded back in 2014, this sizzling concert is just seeing the light of day to close out 2021, well worth the wait. This is the place and night that McBride’s Inside Straight group was birthed!

Harold Mabern” “Mabern Plays Coltrane”
The late pianist and educator Harold Mabern made a huge impact on jazz during his brilliant career. He mentored many a pianist and his Memphis roots continue to influence musicians who play all instruments, not just piano. About a year before passing away, Harold led his sextet through a night of music associated with John Coltrane with whom Mabern had shared stages with at Upper Manhattan’s Smoke club–his hangout as he lived walking distance away. he took the stage with john Webber-bass, Joe Farnsworth-drums, Vincent herring-alto sax, Eric Alexander-tenor sax, and Steve Davis-trombone.

Melanie Charles: “Y’all Really Don’t Care About Black Women”
Brooklyn-born Melanie Charles is a singer-songwriter, actress, and flutist of Haitian descent with creative fluidity spanning jazz, soul, and Haitian roots music. Charles grew up singing in church, trained as an opera singer and attended the prestigious LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts as a flute major. For her debut recording, Charles pays tribute to those that preceded her as she reimagines the work of luminaries such as Carter, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Abbey Lincoln, and Sarah Vaughan.

Every Monday starting at noon, I debut the latest arrivals to the KUVO Jazz library, many of them are played ahead of their official release date. In addition to the music, I’ll provide a few tidbits about the artist in particular if it’s a new or up-and-coming artist.

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