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Saxophone Day, Remembering Muhal Richard Abrahms, Howard Rumsey Centennial & Chris Conno

Monday 11.6.17

The saxophone has seldom found a better musical home than in jazz. Tonight Night Train features great jazz saxophonists in honor of the birthday of Adolphe Sax, the man who invented the instrument in 1840. The show features music from and in tribute to some of jazz saxophone legends, including Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Benny Carter and Charlie Parker, including a special with Bird biographer Phil Schapp in hour two of the show.

Throughout the week Night Train also pays tribute to Muhal Richard Abrahms, who passed away last week, and highlights new releases from saxophonists Vincent Herring, Walt Weiskopf, and Dave Liebman with Joe Lovano.

(Global Village and Strange Currency also celebrate Saxophone Day tonight.)

Tuesday 11.7.17

Night Train joins Strange Currency in celebrating the birthday of Joni Mitchell with some jazz versions on her songs and a special in hour two of the show featuring Tierney Sutton around the time of her Mitchell tribute album, After Blue. Also a centennial birthday salute to Howard Rumsey, who steered the influential West Coast cool jazz Lighthouse All-Stars, and more in this week’s remembrance of Muhal Richard Abrams with music from one of his last recordings, a live set with legendary drummer Jack De Johnette.

Wednesday 11.8.17

It’s the birthday of Chris Connor, one of leading ‘cool jazz’ singers and part of the Night Train November feature. Tonight it’s music from across Chris Connor’s career, from a signature tune she recorded early in her career with Stan Kenton, through classic recordings, and music from one of a trilogy of final recordings she did in the early 2000s. It’s also the birthday of guitarist Russell Malone, clarinetist Don Byron, and drummer Eric Harland. Night Train also continues its weeklong tribute to Muhal Richard Abrahms with a rare track he recorded with Woody Shaw, and features new music from Pat Martino, the Christian McBride Big Band, Cecile McLorin Salvant and more.

Thursday 11.9.17

Night Train highlights classic and contemporary male jazz vocalists tonight – including legendary singers Joe Williams, Chet Baker, Charles Brown, Nat Cole and Mark Murphy – along with the latest releases from Gregory Porter, Johnny O’Neal, Till Bronner, and Mark Winkler. Also tonight – the Godfathers of Groove, Cory Weeds’ salute to Earth Wind & Fire, the Latin jazz families of Chucho Valdes and Arturo O’Farrill, and bassist, singer, composer and band leader Katie Thiroux.

Chris Heim produces and hosts Global Village, a nationally and internationally distributed world music show; the nightly jazz show Night Train, and Crossroads, KMUW’s twice-weekly blues and R&B show. Chris is also a critic and freelance writer whose work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Utne, Global Rhythm, Dirty Linen, and Option, among others.