Full Moon Hacksaw
January 16, 2020
We borrow influence from the classical and pop sides for our jazz and blues this episode, as one album title aptly states “variety is the spice.” From Angel Romero’s guitar and George Shearing’s piano playing music by Claude Bolling, to Oscar Peterson teaming up with who has to be the grand-daddy of ‘em all, Louie Armstrong, the tone is set. From there we must hear vocal calisthenics from the late Leon Thomas, then a new release from trumpeter Gabriel Mark Hasselbach. All-stars you would call Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Clifford Brown and Horace Silver, all within the span of a half hour. They call it Madness, we call it Baritonic sax pressure, Baritone Madness contains three players. For hour number two, hear Cal Tjader with his ultra cool Latin rhythms, Roy Gaines’ and Sonny Boy Williamson’s brands of blues, followed by a piano/sax duo from Champian Fulton with Corey Weeds. Dance rhythms flow next from Les Brown’s band of renown, then it’s our Latin section with pianist Harold Lopez-Nussa and Conjunto Colores. Heavy sounds emanate from the pen and bass of the great Charles Mingus, and finally it’s bedtime from trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. Do what you love and the food and records will follow, it’s a marvelous night for a Hacksaw.