San Diego's Jazz 88.3

On The Air
Loading
Now Playing
Loading
- RSS feed of the latest articles by the selected author.

Pioneer Women of Jazz Instrumentalists- Melba Liston

Blog Name:Women's History Month 2019

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:March 6, 2019

March 6, 2019- Today's Pioneer Women Jazz Instrumentalist: Melba Liston

Junior Mance once said that Melba Liston is be one of the best jazz musicians, not just one of the best women in jazz.

She was a great section trombonist but made her real mark as an arranger. Most of her work was written for the pianist, Randy Weston.

Melba played in Gerald Wilson's band in the 1940's and also recorded with Dexter Gordon. 

In the 1950's she worked with Dizzy Gillespie and later in the decade formed an all-women quintet. In the 60's she worked extensively with Quincy Jones.

Be sure to tune in all day on Wednesday, March 6th to hear music from Melba Liston on KSDS-FM/Jazz 88.3.

Pioneer Women of Jazz Instrumentalists- International Sweethearts of Rhythm

Blog Name:Women's History Month 2019

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:March 5, 2019

March 5, 2019- Today's Pioneer Women Jazz Instrumentalist: International Sweethearts of Rhythm

The International Sweethearts of Rhythm was the first integrated all women's band in the United States.

During the 1940's the band featured some of the best female musicians of the day led by Anna Mae Winburn.

They played swing and jazz on a national circuit that included the Apollo Theater in New York City, the Regal Theater in Chicago, and the Howard Theater in Washington, DC.

Source: Discogs

Be sure to tune in all day on Tuesday, March 5th to hear music from the International Sweethearts of Rhythm on KSDS-FM/Jazz 88.3.

Pioneer Women of Jazz Instrumentalists- Mary Lou Williams

Blog Name:Women's History Month 2019

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:March 4, 2019

March 4, 2019- Today's Pioneer Women Jazz Instrumentalist: Mary Lou Williams

Mary Lou Williams was a composer and was one of the first great woman arranger and pianists. She was respected by her male peers at a time when that wasn’t common. Mary Lou achieved and maintained that level of respect.

Williams was the architect of the sound of Andy Kirk’s Clouds of Joy during the Kansas City era and went on to write for Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Jimmie Lunceford, to name a few.

In the 1940' she s wrote The Zodiac Suite.

In the 1960' she began a spiritual approach with the recording "Black Christ of the Andes."

Be sure to tune in all day on Monday, March 4th to hear music from Mary Lou Williams on KSDS-FM/Jazz 88.3.

Pioneer Women of Jazz Instrumentalists- Lil Harden Armstrong

Blog Name:Women's History Month 2019

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:March 1, 2019

March 1, 2019- Today's Pioneer Women Jazz Instrumentalist: Lil Harden Armstrong

Lil Harden Armstrong was one of the first important female jazz musicians. She was a pianist, composer, arranger and vocalist. She was Louis Armstrong’s second wife and she helped shape his career early on.

Lil collaborated with Louis in the 1920's including the classic Hot Five recordings. She wrote "Struttin’ with Some BBQ" among other notable tunes.

After she separated from Louis in 1931 she led her own bands and recorded throughout the 1930's. By the time the 1940's came around she left the music business for a while but continued to appear on occasion.

Be sure to tune in all day on Friday, March 1st to hear music from Lil Harden Armstrong on KSDS-FM/Jazz 88.3.

San Diego Latino Film Festival

Blog Name:Home Page News

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:February 28, 2019

Jazz 88.3 is incredibly proud to support the 26th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival--the largest celebration of Latino Cinema & Culture in San Diego! The San Diego Latino Film Festival will present over 160 films from Latin America, USA and Spain! This is your chance to experience award winning films, filmmakers and movie stars, live concerts, parties, Sabor Latino Food, Beer and Wine festival and much more! Featuring films with Luis Gerardo Méndez, Gael García Bernal and Ana de la Reguera! The festival is taking place NOW(!) through the 24th at AMC Fashion Valley. Get your festival passes today by clicking here

Saturday Night Fish Fry Live- Louis Jordan Celebration

Blog Name:Home Page News

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:February 28, 2019

Jazz 88.3 is excited about the 3rd annual Live Saturday Night Fish Fry. It all happens at Proud Marys in Kearny Mesa (in the Madeira Ballroom, located at the Ramada San Diego North Hotel) on Saturday, March 30th! Your $60 ticket for this KSDS fundraiser gets you a delicious all-you-can-eat dinner, soft drinks and plenty of room for dancing. Dave Stuckey and his Synchrony 4 will be entertaining and will be celebrating the music legend Louis Jordan. There will also be a no-host bar available. Ticket reservations are strongly encouraged as this will sell out! Please call and make your reservation at 619-388-3037 or e-mail Ken Borgers at kenb@jazz88.org. Doors are at 5:30pm for this family-friendly event. Also--if you really want to make a night of it, The Ramada Inn is offering Jazz 88.3 Fish Fry Goers an $88.30 room rate (good for that night only!). Click here to book now!

Jazz @ the Point

Blog Name:Home Page News

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:February 28, 2019

Jazz 88.3 is proud to support Jazz @ the Point! This year, the concert will be held on Saturday, March 23rd (7:30PM) at Crill Performance Hall, and will feature the Point Loma Nazarene Jazz Band with special guest to be announced. The festival is designed to provide groups with a fabulous performance venue, professional recording, and educational on-stage clinics with great jazz educators. Tickets are only $5! For more information, click here!

Kansas City Jazz- Julia Lee

February 28, 2019- Today's Kansas City Jazz Topic: Julia Lee

Julia Lee’s musical career coincides with the very beginning of Kansas City Jazz in the 1920s.  She was featured with her brother George E. Lee’s band and made her first recordings in 1927. In 1935 she began a solo career at Milton Morris’ new club known as The Tap Room.

Milton was a long-time fixture of the Kansas City nightlife scene beginning with the Hey Hay Club in the 1920s and continuing through the 1980s with Milton’s Tap Room. Julia Lee was his regular attraction for many years. Julia didn’t like to travel so she elected to stay in Kansas City long after the Pendergast-controlled nightlife scene was over.

She was married to Frank Duncan who was the star catcher and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team. 

She performed all kinds of material but was most well known for her double-entendre songs such as “King Size Papa,” “Snatch and Grab It” and “My Man Stands Out.” Julia was one of the last Kansas City musicians who enjoyed national success after the fall of the Pendergast Machine. The fall happened at the end of 1938 when the clean-up began in earnest. Pendergast was indicted for income tax evasion and just like that the glory years of Kansas City Jazz were all but over. 

Many of the clubs were padlocked including Milton’s who was shut down because of Julia Lee’s risqué songs. Milton fought the decision and eventually won. He was allowed to re-open and continue to feature the piano and vocals of Julia Lee. 

In the early days one of Julia’s biggest supporters was journalist Dave Dexter. In 1944, while Dave was a producer for Capitol Records in Hollywood, he began recording her for the label. Between 1944 and 1952 she recorded fairly prolifically for Capitol usually as Julia Lee and Her Boyfriends. The Boyfriends were always an all-star aggregation including the likes of Benny Carter, Vic Dickenson, Red Norvo, Red Nichols and Red Callender. The mainstay was her long-time Kansas City drummer Sam “Baby” Lovett who made all the sessions.

For Capitol she recorded standards and blues and plenty of the risqué songs she was known for. Some, like “King Size Papa,” became jukebox hits.
In his book, The Jazz Story, Dave Dexter wrote: “As Julia’s producer for seven years, it was a labor of love for me to select songs, assemble musicians and try to capture her good-natured piano and vocal talents on record.” At times she was Waller-ish, at times Morton-ish, but her delightful rhythm piano and husky vocals could always be quickly identified as Julia Lee.

Pioneer Women Jazz Instrumentalists

Blog Name:Home Page News

Blog Author:San Diego's Jazz 88.3

Posted on:February 27, 2019

To celebrate Women's History Month in March KSDS will be featuring some of the most important women in Jazz each weekday up until our Spring Membership Drive begins on March 19th. Tune in each weekday to learn about some of the pioneer women jazz instrumentalists. Check out our Women's History Blog or scroll down here on the home page to view the daily artist.

Kansas City Jazz- Charlie Parker

February 27, 2019- Today's Kansas City Jazz Topic: Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City Kansas in 1920.  His mother moved the family to the Missouri side when Charlie was a young boy.  The house was located within walking distance of the 18th and Vine district and it wasn’t long before young Charlie was immersing himself in the sights and sounds of the wide-open nightlife scene.

By the time he enrolled at Lincoln High School he played baritone horn in the marching band and started playing a beat up alto saxophone that his mother bought at a second hand store.   He joined a band called The Hottentots but was soon fired for lack of musical ability.   It didn’t deter him as he continued to take part in after-hours jam sessions.  In 1935 he attempted to sit in at a higher level session under the supervision of saxophonist Jimmy Keith.  Things started out okay until he tried a double-time passage on Body and Soul that quickly fell apart.   He was humiliated and laughed off the stage.

The experience made him work harder and he was able to do a few jobs with a band called the Ten Chords of Rhythm.  He also hung out regularly behind the Reno Club to listen to his idols Lester Young and Buster Smith.  Sometimes he was able to sneak inside and hide in the rafters to get a closer look. A few months later he tried once again to sit in at one of the high powered sessions.  This time it was with Basie musicians from the Reno Club.  Once again, Charlie wasn’t able to take the ideas in his head and execute them on his alto.  Jo Jones took his cymbal off the stand and threw it at Parker’s feet, symbolically gonging him off the stand. He left in tears vowing to come back someday and “show them all.” 

In the fall of 1936 he got a job at Musser’s Ozark Tavern in Eldon, Missouri. Musser’s was a Pendergast-controlled resort. Charlie never made it because the car he was in crashed. One person was killed and Charlie was severely injured. So much so that they feared he might never walk again.
He did recover but paid a heavy price by becoming addicted to the heroin that was used to alleviate his pain. The addiction remained with him throughout his entire life.

By the spring of 1937 he was fully recovered and took another job with George E. Lee at Musser’s Ozark Tavern. This time he took the first Basie recordings with him and practiced intensely. It was at Musser’s that his amazing transformation happened. When he returned to Kansas City he was a different musician. The ideas that he couldn’t execute before were now handled with ease.

He started working with Buster Smith at Lucille’s Paradise on 18th street Buster became like a father to him and was his primary musical mentor. Buster taught him everything and Charlie soaked it all in. In the summer of 1938 Buster decided to go to New York and left Charlie in charge at Lucille’s.  By September that job fell by the wayside and Charlie joined Jay McShann. He stayed with Jay a couple of months then joined Harlan Leonard’s Rockets.  In early 1939 he headed to New York by way of Chicago to find Buster Smith.  He got a job as a dishwasher at Jimmy’s Chicken Shack which was run by ex-Andy Kirk reedman John Williams.  Art Tatum was the piano player at Jimmy’s and Charlie heard him every night.  The speed and agility that Tatum possessed had a big influence on Charlie. He started sitting in after hours at Monroe’s Uptown House, one of the incubators of modern jazz.

One night, while sitting in at Dan Wall’s Chili House he had an epiphany.  In an interview a decade later with Down Beat magazine, Parker recalled that he had tired of the stereotypical chord voicings then in use. “I kept thinking there’s bound to be something else,” he said. “I could hear it sometimes, but I couldn’t play it.” One night in 1939, improvising over the Ray Noble tune “Cherokee” it all fell into place. It was the big bang of modern jazz.

Soon after, he got word that his father had passed away and returned to Kansas City for the funeral. In January of 1940 he re-joined Jay McShann. The McShann band was starting to get a lot of attention and soon signed a recording contract with Decca Records. Charlie, now known as Yardbird or Bird, was the band’s star soloist next to McShann. On a trip to Nebraska the car Charlie was in hit a chicken in the road and Parker insisted they stop and pick it up.  He took it to where they were staying in Nebraska and had someone cook it for him.  From then on he was known as Bird.
When the McShann records hit the market the jazz world heard Bird for the first time.

Everything about him was different. He possessed a unique sound, his harmonic concept was advanced, his creativity was never ending and his dexterity on the alto was unprecedented. Bird was the great genius to emerge from the glory days of Kansas City.   He absorbed the best of all that had come before him and added his own originality. Once he hit the national scene nothing would ever be the same.