Piano Jazz Shorts

Bassist Steve Swallow and pianist Carla Bley are both acclaimed jazz composers and performers with international reputations. On this 1996 Piano Jazz, they team up to talk with McPartland about their combined repertoire of innovative music. Bley and Swallow kick off the program with a duet of Bley's composition "Major," McPartland joins Bley for a unique duet of "Chopsticks," and they close the show as a trio with Bley's "Ad Infinitum."

A true prodigy, pianist Aaron Parks was still in his teens when he was McPartland's guest in this 2001 session. That year he placed first in the fifth American Jazz Piano Competition, landing the Cole Porter Fellowship. He went on to place third in the 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition and has built a prolific career as a performer and recording artist. On this Piano Jazz, Parks performs Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets."

Valerie Capers is a fabulous pianist, composer, and educator. The first blind graduate from the Juilliard School of Music, she is blessed with a diverse piano style that combines elements of Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and Bill Evans, with some Chopin thrown in. On this 1998 Piano Jazz, Capers shows off her classical chops when she solos on "It Could Happen to You." Then she and McPartland swing out on "Scrapple from the Apple."

Saxophonist and composer Benny Golson began studying piano as a child but was soon seduced by the tenor saxophone sounds he heard on jazz records. He gained recognition as a composer when he joined Dizzy Gillespie's big band, and he went on to form The Jazztet, a hard-bop group, with trumpeter Art Farmer. Golson has devoted much of his time to jazz education and he continues to record and tour regularly. On this Piano Jazz from 2006, McPartland and bassist Rufus Reid join Golson to perform "Along Came Betty" and "I Remember Clifford."

Guitarist Monty Alexander grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. His earliest musical experiences came from the folk and popular songs of his country as well as the Calypso rhythms that originated from Trinidad. Alexander moved to Miami in 1961 and worked in clubs before moving to New York City in 1962, where he played at Minton's Playhouse. He was McPartland's guest in 1991. Known for his rhythmic approach and melodic and harmonic inventiveness, Alexander solos on his original "Look Up" and teams up with McPartland for an unusual duet.

Sarah Vaughan (1924 – 1990) was one of the greatest vocalists of the twentieth century. With rich vibrato and an incredible range, "Sassy" recorded critically-acclaimed interpretations of standards including "Misty" and "I've Got a Crush On You." On this 1986 Piano Jazz, Vaughan talks about her start as a jazz singer and explains how she uses the piano to learn her songs. She sings "Tenderly" and "Poor Butterfly" while McPartland plays, then the two join forces for "My Funny Valentine."

British pianist Alan Clare (1921 – 1993) was McPartland's guest at the BBC's Delaware Road studios in London. Clare began his professional career at age eleven and went on to work with George Shearing, Stephen Grappelli, and Spike Milligan. He also fulfilled regular engagements at the London residence of the American Ambassador for parties honoring such guests as Queen Elizabeth and former President Reagan. On this Piano Jazz from 1990, Clare plays his composition "John O Groats" and joins McPartland for a go-around on "In a Mellow Tone."

Singer and pianist Dena DeRose has performed at some of the most renowned venues in the world, from The Blue Note in New York to Swing Hall in Japan. She has shared the stage with artists including Clark Terry, Ray Brown, and Ingrid Jensen. She teaches at the Jazz Institute of the University for Music and Performing Arts in Austria, and continues to perform worldwide. She was McPartland's guest in this 2001 session. DeRose opens the show with "If I Should Lose You" and McPartland joins for "I'm Old Fashioned."

Cornetist and jazz historian Richard Sudhalter (1938 – 2008) joined Marian McPartland on several occasions to provide historical perspective on great performers and songs from the golden era of jazz. In 2002, He sat down with McPartland to talk about Artie Shaw (1910 – 2004). Shaw was known for his unparalleled virtuosity and as a successful bandleader with a limitless imagination. Piano Jazz honors Shaw with selections including "Love of My Life" and "Any Old Time."

Born in Brazil to a musical family, pianist and vocalist Tania Maria was leading her own group of professional musicians by the time she was thirteen. In the 1970s she moved to Paris, and she first came into the international spotlight through her work in jazz festivals. In the 1980s Tania Maria moved to New York, where she recorded a number of hit albums and worked with some of the most renowned jazz artists in the world. On this 1994 Piano Jazz, Maria performs her own composition "Carona" then solos on "Ta' Tudo Certo."

Bassist and vocalist Jim Ferguson got his start in South Carolina, where his father was a church music director. He picked up the bass late in high school and learned to play on the job before taking formal lessons. He went on to play with greats such as Teddy Wilson, Kenny Burrell, Mose Allison, and Stephen Grappelli. On this Piano Jazz from 2001, Ferguson joins host McPartland to perform "While We're Young" and McPartland's "There'll Be Other Times."

Rose Murphy (1913 - 1989) was a legendary singer and pianist who starred at Café Society in the heyday of New York's jazz scene. She made history with her version of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." Critics and audiences alike were delighted by her breathless, giggly voice, her spirited playing, and her signature "chee-chee." In this Piano Jazz session from 1988, Murphy showcases her trademark vocal style on "Cecilia." Then she teams up with McPartland for "St. Louis Blues."

Mike Longo performed his first gig at fifteen with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, who was at that time an unknown. Since then, Longo has played with, taught, and composed for many other jazz greats, including Jimmy McPartland. He was Dizzy Gillespie's pianist and musical director, and his repertoire includes everything from traditional jazz to bebop. For this 1999 Piano Jazz, he solos on Gillespie's "Con Alma" and McPartland continues the tribute with her own "Dizzy."

Originally from Japan, pianist Ayako Shirasaki showed an early talent for jazz and classical styles. As an adult, she moved to New York and entered the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Kenny Barron and Ted Rosenthal. She has gone on to establish herself as one of New York's finest jazz pianists. On this 2006 Piano Jazz, Shirasaki performs her compositions "Far Away" and "Falling Leaves."

A supreme soprano sax player, Jane Ira Bloom is known for her innovative use of movement and her high-energy compositions. Her debut album, Modern Drama, caught the attention of NASA, who commissioned her to write three pieces in 1989. She went on to release several studio albums, including her highly praised Sixteen Sunsets. On this 1993 Piano Jazz, Bloom and McPartland combine forces to freely improvise and to play "My Romance."