Gary G. Vercelli
Jazz Music Director
Speak No Evil Jazz blog
Capital Public Radio's discussion of an art form born in America and celebrated worldwide.
Joey DeFrancesco, driving force on the Hammond organ, dies at 51
August 26, 2022
DeFrancesco played in Miles Davis's band as a teenager, brought the sound of the Hammond B-3 organ roaring back to the jazz mainstream in the 1990s and remained the instrument's most visible champion.
Joe Gilman: A Sacramento Jazz Master Explores A Classic Live Recording
August 5, 2022 | Gary G. Vercelli
Joe Gilman will perform two shows at Twin Lotus Thai restaurant on Sunday, August 7.
Pianist Lynne Arriale strikes a chord with everyday Americans
July 28, 2022 | Avery Jeffry
Lynne Arriale has been described as a “poet-laureate of the piano”. Her newest album, The Lights Are Always On, is a poignant yet inspiring expression of events that have touched so many of our lives over the past two years.
The Hammond Organ and Jazz: A Soulful Combination
July 8, 2022 | Gary G. Vercelli
Since the 1960s, the Hammond organ has been essential in some of the most popular and soulful jazz recordings. Let’s examine the history and appeal of this iconic instrument.
Celebrating the many faces of Miles Davis
May 26, 2022 | Andrew Mills
Synonymous with cool and a signature muted trumpet sound, Miles Davis is one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time — but, he was so much more than that. On the 96th anniversary of his birth, we’ll explore his genre-defying musical legacy.
Michael Wolff: Jazz Innovator, Life Optimist
May 16, 2022 | Gary G. Vercelli
Remember jazz pianist Michael Wolff? He's best known as Arsenio Hall's sidekick and music director. Wolff has overcome many physical challenges and details it all in his recently published memoir, "On That Note."
Classic jazz revitalized in new release by Catherine Russell
May 12, 2022 | Avery Jeffry
The celebrated singer hearkens back to the roots of an American art form and gives them new life in her newest album, "Send For Me."
Who says big band jazz is for old people? Not this teenage composer
May 11, 2022
California musician Skylar Tang, 16, is the winner of a Jazz at Lincoln Center contest.
85-year-old bassist Ron Carter has no plans on slowing down
May 4, 2022
The roster of musicians Carter has worked with ranges from Ornette Coleman to Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and A Tribe Called Quest.
Spencer Day does Broadway his way on 'Broadway by Day'
March 30, 2022 | Gary G. Vercelli
Spencer Day's new album celebrates the alliance of musical theater and jazz. CapRadio's Gary Vercelli spoke with him about the new album, his recent collaborators and how he came to love jazz.
Blog Contributors
Andrew Mills
Jazz Announcer
Avery Jeffry
Jazz Announcer
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Blog Archive
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- December
- November
- October
- September
- August
- July
- June
- May
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April
- Celebrate Public Radio Music Day With Some of CapRadio Music’s Favorite Projects
- Ear To Ear: Jazz To Bring Us Connection & Hope During The COVID-19 Pandemic
- Bucky Pizzarelli, Jazz Guitarist And Prolific Session Musician, Dead At 94
- Ellis Marsalis, Patriarch Of New Orleans' Most Famous Musical Family, Has Died
- March
- February
- January
- 2019
- December
-
November
- 'Hittin' The Ramp' Traces Nat King Cole's Early Artistic Development
- Nicholas Payton Reimagines Musical Tradition With 'Black American Symphony'
- Harry Connick Jr. Celebrates The Music Of Cole Porter On 'True Love'
- Brazilian Musicians Sergio Mendes And Bebel Gilberto Celebrate Anniversary Of Bossa Nova At Mondavi Center
- Ear To Ear: Here’s What CapRadio’s Jazz Hosts Are Loving This November
- October
- September
- August
- July
- June
- May
- April
- 2018
-
December
- Remembering Nancy Wilson And Her Benefit Concert For CapRadio
- Nancy Wilson, Legendary Vocalist And NPR 'Jazz Profiles' Host, Dies At 81
- Jazz, Love and Letting Loose: Brooklyn's Surprising Senior Jazz Scene
- A Century Later, An Illuminated Eulogy For A Jazz Pioneer
- Here Are CapRadio’s Picks For The Best Music Of 2018
- November
- September
- August
- June
- May
- April
- March
-
January
- Benny Goodman Week In Review
- Celebrating Benny Goodman - Special Concert Presentation for Students
- More Than The Swing King: Benny Goodman Broke Through Hollywood's Color Barrier
- More That The Swing King: Benny Goodman Expanded The Classical Clarinet Repertoire
- More Than The Swing King: Benny Goodman Championed Charlie Christian And His Electric Guitar
- How Benny Goodman Orchestrated 'The Most Important Concert In Jazz History'
- More Than The Swing King: Benny Goodman Claimed A Home For Jazz In The Concert Hall
- Recollections From The Kingdom Of Swing
- Benny Goodman's 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert, From The Guy Who Wrote The Book On That
- How Benny Goodman Made The American Concert Stage Safe For American Music
-
December
- 2017
- December
- September
- August
-
July
- Lafayette Gilchrist Plays The 'Blues For Freddie Gray'
- Fascinating Algorithm: Dan Tepfer's Player Piano Is His Composing Partner
- CapRadio's Really Large Guide To Live Jazz Events
- 'Here Come The Girls'... Again
- Jon Batiste Fashions A Soulful New 'Battle Hymn' For The Atlantic
- In New Orleans, There's A Piece Of Music History Around Every Corner
- Dee Dee Bridgewater Explores Her Memphis Roots With 'Hound Dog'
-
June
- On Steve Coleman's 'Morphogenesis,' Art Becomes Sport
- Geri Allen, Pianist, Composer And Educator, Dies At 60
- Still Dreaming: Joshua Redman's Tribute To A Tribute
- Newly Uncovered Recordings Find Thelonious Monk In His Prime
- Hear Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah Live At World Cafe
- 2018 NEA Jazz Masters Class Honorees Include Dianne Reeves, Pat Metheny
- After 7 Decades, Sonny Rollins Can't Get Music Off His Mind
- Nat Hentoff On Piano Jazz
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2016
- December
- November
- October
- September
-
August
- Rudy Van Gelder, Definitive Jazz Recording Engineer, Has Died
- Toots Thielemans, Jazz Harmonica Baron, Dies At 94
- Eddie Palmieri: Tiny Desk Concert
- Jazz Great Bobby Hutcherson In His Own Words
- Bobby Hutcherson, Jazz Vibraphone Modernist, Has Died
- Herbie Hancock On His Next Album, Flying Lotus And Jupiter's Satellite
- Ann Hampton Callaway: A Singer's Singer
- Eric Reed On Piano Jazz
- July
- June
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- 2015
-
December
- For John Scofield, Everything Old Is New Again — Even The Hard Parts
- Close Enough For Jazz: How The 2015 NPR Jazz Critics Poll Was Fit To Be Tied
- A Prog-Jazz Suite About Architecture? Jacob Garchik Does It All
- The Guy Who Makes The Best Cowbells
- At 60, Wayne Horvitz Is Protecting — And Expanding — His Musical Language
- Wayne Horvitz: The Pianist And The Poet
- November
-
October
- A Conversation With Photographer Veryl Oakland - Jazz In Available Light
- Herbie Mann: An Appreciation
- From Coltrane To The Club, A Few Fresh Sounds In Jazz
- From Coltrane To The Club, A Few Fresh Sounds In Jazz
- Gettin’ Moody With Devin: Feeling The Need To Clean
- 'The Songs Never Die': Tony Bennett And Bill Charlap On Staying Power
- SFJAZZ Collective Interprets Michael Jackson At Brubeck Festival
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September
- Getting’ Moody With Devin: Feel Like Going Back To School
- Eclectic, 'Epic' Saxophonist Kamasi Washington Comes To Sacramento
- Monterey Jazz Fest Stays Fresh And Focused On Future
- Jon Batiste And The Legacy Of Jazz On Late-Night TV
- Bassist Gary Peacock Is At The Soloist's Service
- 'Slow Down And Be There': Lizz Wright On Singing To The Present
- Traditional Jazz Experiencing An Upswing In Sacramento
- August
- July
-
June
- Gettin' Moody With Devin: Feel Like Cuddling With The Animals
- My Father's Lifelong Love Supreme
- Charlie Hunter: One Less String Attached
- Ornette Coleman, Jazz Iconoclast, Dies At 85
- Our Picks For The Best Northern California Jazz Fests Of The Summer
- Falling In Love Supreme: Ken Martin's Story
- A Band Of Their Own : Female Jazz Musicians Of WWII
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May
- Falling In Love Supreme: For Vernettia Syphax, Monk Bridged A Musical Generation Gap
- Ornette Coleman Sues Over 'New Vocabulary'
- Kamasi Washington's 'The Epic' In Concert
- Gettin’ Moody: Feel Like Wallowing
- Victor Forman: My Mom Loved Music
- Book Review: Bebop, Swing, And Bella Musica: Jazz And The Italian American Experience
- Jazz Night In America: The Bad Plus Joshua Redman At Detroit Jazz Festival
- Bruce Lundvall, Jazz Record Executive, Dies At Age 79
- Celebrating Joe Temperley In Concert
- Falling In Love Supreme: Stockton Educator Roy Childs Recalls Hearing Dave Brubeck The First Time
- Akua Dixon At Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival
-
April
- Gettin’ Moody: Feel Like Communing With Nature
- Falling In Love Supreme: Greg Rodriguez's Story
- Listen To Excellence In Jazz This Monday Thru Wednesday Nights For Your Chance To Win Eliane Elias: Made In Brazil!
- Jazz Night In America: Simón Bolívar Big Band Jazz In Concert
- Jazz's 'Sound Seeker' Finds Ancient Strings From Hungary And Greece
- Jazz Night In America: Home Cooking: The Philadelphia Jazz Organ Tradition In Concert
- Tune In to Excellence In Jazz For Chance To Win Cassandra Wilson CD
- Remembering Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett's Pianist
- Three Jazz Pianists, A Generation After Apartheid
- Jazz Night In America: Cassandra Wilson Sings Billie Holiday
- Lady Day Remembered
- Jazz Night In America: Ingrid Jensen And Steve Treseler Play Kenny Wheeler
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March
- Falling In Love Supreme: The Genius Of Monk
- The Best Of Jazz Night In America, Season One (So Far)
- Gettin’ Moody: Feel Like Telling Someone Off
- Jazz Night In America: SFJAZZ Collective Plays Joe Henderson And More
- Falling In Love Supreme: Blame It On Bird!
- Falling In Love Supreme: Uncle Sam’s Jukebox
- Jazz Night In America: Anat Cohen & Choro Aventuroso At Jazz At Lincoln Center
- Legendary Jazz Producer Orrin Keepnews Dies At 91
-
February
- Jazz Night In America: Marcus Roberts And The Modern Jazz Generation At Jazz At Lincoln Center
- Gettin’ Moody With Devin: Getting Pumped Up
- Falling In Love Supreme: John Kuster Squeezes In A Late Entry
- Falling In Love Supreme Essay Contest Winners Announced
- Falling In Love Supreme: Flutist Ali Ryerson
- Falling In Love Supreme Finalist: George Erdosh
- Falling In Love Supreme Finalist: Angelo Williams
- Falling In Love Supreme Finalist: Bob Stanley
- Falling In Love Supreme Finalist: Scott Mortimore
- Falling In Love Supreme Finalist: Christopher Cassels
- Falling In Love Supreme: Dave Bass Had A Coltrane 'Epiphany'
- Falling In Love Supreme: Artist And Jazz Lover, Rudy Browne
- Falling In Love Supreme: A Village Vanguard Visit Sealed The Deal For Rob Tocalino
- Jazz Night In America: Reginald Cyntje Group At Bohemian Caverns
- Falling In Love Supreme: Bird and Diz Hooked Mark Elf
- Falling In Love Supreme: Jim Martinez Connected With Oscar Peterson
- Falling In Love Supreme: Movie Scores And TV Themes Hooked Mike McMullen
- Falling In Love Supreme: Joe Gilman Swayed By Scott Joplin And "The Sting"
- Falling In Love Supreme: Marcus Crowder Gives Credit To Mom
- Falling In Love Supreme: Dick Conte's Dreams Come True
- Jazz Night In America: A David Murray Double Bill
- Falling In Love Supreme: Lisa Cooper In Underwriting Recounts Her First Jazz Experience
- Falling In Love Supreme: Luke Reinhart Explains How He Went From Not Liking Jazz To Loving It
- Falling In Love Supreme: For Matt Pacini It Was Inevitable
- Jazz Night In America: Jason Moran And The Bandwagon
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January
- Falling In Love Supreme: Victor Forman Discovers Just The Right Jazz
- Falling In Love Supreme: Cody Drabble Explains Why Saxophone Players Get All The Girls
- Falling In Love Supreme: Blame It On Cuba
- Falling In Love Supreme: Cale Wiggins Explains The Origins Of His Love For Jazz
- Jazz Night In America: Our Point Of View At Le Poisson Rouge
- Falling In Love Supreme: Dennis Newhall Recalls The Moment He Fell For Jazz
- Falling In Love Supreme: Kent Teeters Explains His Affection For Jazz
- Falling In Love Supreme: Carl Watanabe Recounts Buying His First Jazz Album
- Falling In Love Supreme: Mick Martin Shares The Moment He Fell For Jazz
- Falling In Love Supreme: Donna Discovers An Appreciation For Jazz
- Falling In Love Supreme: How Jazz Found Paul Conley
- Jazz Night In America: Butler, Bernstein And The Hot 9 At Jazz Standard
- Falling In Love Supreme: Devin Discovers An Affinity For Jazz
- Falling In Love Supreme: Steve Milne's Journey To Jazz Appreciation
- Falling In Love Supreme: When Gary Vercelli Formed An Affinity For Jazz
- Jazz Night In America: Remembering Marian McPartland: A Celebration
- Concert Review: The Magic of Pharoah Sanders
- Ahmad Jamal, 'A Musical Architect Of The Highest Order,' Keeps On Building
- Jazz Night In America: Highlights From Winter Jazzfest 2014
-
December
- 2014
-
December
- Gettin’ Moody With Devin: Feeling Like Expanding Your Vocabulary
- In Memoriam 2014
- George Shearing's Holiday Set On Piano Jazz
- Top Five Jazz Albums Of 2015
- Jazz Night In America: A Jazz Piano Christmas 2014
- Iyengar And Coltrane: Reflections on The Masters
- Concert Review – 50th Anniversary, A Love Supreme (Dec. 13, 2014)
- Jazz Night In America: Johnny O'Neal - Listen, Closely
- Jazz Nominations For The 2015 Grammies
- After Sandy Hook, A Saxophonist Remembers A 'Beautiful Life'
- Jazz Night In America: Revive Big Band At Berklee
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November
- Gettin’ Moody With Devin: Feeling Hungry (Jazz For Nom-Noms)
- A Jazz Institution Moves Back Home To Los Angeles
- Jazz Night In America: Replay Johnny O'Neal Live At Mezzrow
- Michael Cuscuna: The Master of Mosaic
- Jazz Night In America: Johnny O'Neal, Live at Mezzrow
- Jazz Night In America: Very Very Threadgill At Harlem Stage
- Jazz Night In America: Miguel Zenón's 'Identities Are Changeable'
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October
- Jazz Night In America: Blue Note At 75: The Concert
- Gettin’ Moody With Devin: Feeling Adventurous
- Herbie Hancock: 'On A Path To Find My Own Answer'
- The Fastest Fingers At The Festival, For Django Reinhardt
- Jazz Night In America: Highlights From The Detroit Jazz Festival
- What Is Jazz Night In America?
- Tiny Desk Concert: Ryan Keberle & Catharsis
- Studio 7055 - Ross Hammond
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September
- Gettin’ Moody With Devin: Feeling Benevolent (AKA The Car-Radio Compromise)
- The Cookers: Forever Young, Forever Modern
- Gyani Indo Jazz Fusion Concert Ticket Giveaway
- Modern Misbehavin': Jason Moran Gets Into The Mind Of Fats Waller
- A Talent That Bridged Genres: Jazz Pianist Joe Sample Dies
- John Santos: Bringing History Alive Through Music
- An Old-School Entertainer, Making Jazz In The Present Tense
- Taking The Tuba Above And Beyond The Low End
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August
- Gettin' Moody With Devin: Tunes To Work To
- The Private Eye Who Made Cool Jazz His Calling Card
- Remembering Jimmy Smith
- Naked Lounge A Cozy Venue For Weekly Jazz Jam Sessions
- Field Recordings : Chorale For Horns And iPad App, In The Pouring Rain
- Gypsy Jazz And Indie Rock Collide In The Red Skunk Band
- Trombone Shorty Giveaway
- Catherine Russell: Soulful, Hip & Historically-Minded
- 'As Long As They Want To Play': Newport Jazz At 60
-
July
- Gettin' Moody With Devin: Feeling Awesome
- Crocker's Jazz In The Courtyard: Marcus Shelby - Ticket Giveaway
- From The Vault: An Interview With Monty Alexander
- Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp Instills Youth With A Passion For The Artform
- Fred Hersch Floats On, With A Dynamic Trio In Tow
- A Sax Trio Taps Tradition While Thriving In The Present
- Remembering Jazz Legend Charlie Haden, Who Crafted His Voice In Bass
- San Jose Jazz Summer Fest Shines with Expanded Line-Up
- Mellowing The Big Band: Alan Broadbent's America The Beautiful
- Gypsy Jazz Scene Robust After 80 Years
-
June
- Gettin' Moody With Devin: Waking Up
- Bobby Hutcherson's Good Vibes For Fiery Times
- Crocker's Jazz In The Courtyard Ticket Giveaway : MJ's Brass Boppers
- Legendary Pianist Horace Silver Dies At 85
- Catching Up With Renown Jazz Percussionist Harvey Mason
- Dave Brubeck: A Famous Jazz Dad Who Never Lost His Family Focus
- Ethereal Jazz Singer Jimmy Scott Dies
- Studio 7055: The Harley White Jr. Orchestra
- Book Review: Bruce Lundvall - Playing By Ear By Dan Oulette
- Giveaway: Crocker's Jazz In The Courtyard Featuring Vivian Lee
- Regina Carter's Jazz Success Didn't Come Easy
- Speak No Evil: Naming A Jazz Blog
- Hot City: Slapping Their Way Off The Starting Block
- Jazz Review: Dianne Reeves, Beautiful Life
- Insight Studio Sessions: Brubeck Institute's Joel M. Ross and Simon Rowe
- Pianist Palmieri Rebounds With Film Score
- May
- March
-
December
- 2013