Big Band Theory
The Big Band Theory plays the classics from the golden era of swing, and then connects it to large ensemble jazz from the past 100 years. There's some tunes you might know, and some tunes to surprise you, from right here in Maryland and around the world!
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A special Mother's Day episode. Featuring Carla Bley's suite of compositions about mothers: Grand Mother, Step Mother, Your Mother and God Mother. Also some great tracks from Maria Schneider, Gerry Mulligan, Toshiko Akiyoshi and Thad Jones.
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Celebrating the music of Keith Jarrett with a few big band performances of his compositions. Also the latest from the 3 Cohens and a surprise appearance from one of the hottest drummers of the 1980's.
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An episode devoted to Duke Ellington. From his earliest hits to his last known recording, and a bunch in between, including some of Ellington's film scores. We end with the excellent tribute to Duke from Chucho Valdés' Irakere, entitled "El Duke".
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A special episode for Easter and Passover. Includes Duke Ellington's classic Cottontail, some pastoral vibes with "The Thompson Fields" by Maria Schneider and John Zorn's Gehegial.
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A Big Band salute to Baltimore, Maryland. Featuring such Baltimore-born artists as Chick Webb, Billie Holiday, Jimmy Smith and Ethel Ennis, and songs celebrating Pimlico, the Chesapeake Bay, the Orioles and the Ravens.
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We start with some big band arrangements of classic Disney tunes, then dig through the decades of Count Basie. Then end with some big band Bill Evans, and the cool Zoot Suite from drummer Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition.
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We start with some big band video game music — including the Theme from Super Mario Bros. Also some of Vince Guaraldi's music for the Peanuts and a posthumous tribute to Chuck Schultz. And a new track from Maryland's Allison Miller, and a birthday tribute to the late Michael Brecker.
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From Wallop's Island to the Dark Sky nights at Blackwater, the shore has plenty of space. We start with the first recorded music ever played in space, and then get some big band takes on space travel from Duke Ellington, Sun Ra, Gene Krupa and others. A special appearance from Mars and Maria Schneider's "Sputnik".
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Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with two different renditions of "Danny Boy" from Glenn Miller and Maynard Ferguson. Includes classics from the Duke and the Count, and also a new release from Ryan Middaugh's Tenor Madness.
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We start with some big band renditions of classical music: Benny Goodman meets Bach; Ellington meets Grieg; and some Beethoven, Elgar and Mussorgsky. Then a tribute to wood from Chick Webb, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Buddy Rich and Lester Young. Then some new stuff from Ben Markley and Jeff Benedict.