August 6, 2026 #1473
Lots of people have a favourite number. San Francisco clarinetist Ben Goldberg loves “8″: there are eight letters in his last name, eight in his first name (Benjamin) and his birthday is August 8, 8/8. So it makes perfect sense to release a new project on his birthday, but EIGHT albums? Indeed that’s what Ben is doing, the “8 X 8 Collection” – eight different recordings by trios, quartets & quintets with different personnel. We’ll check out three of those in this episode. Not to be outdone, though perhaps outnumbered, master bassist Dave Holland will also be releasing new music the day after his birthday in October: “Freedom Call”, Holland’s first box set containing three albums of unreleased material by his quartet, sextet and Prism. The show closes with a blistering track from a 2014 Prism concert. The fertile Chicago scene offers new albums from bassist Christopher Damman and drummer Lily Finnegan, while from Europe come new recordings by the Co Streiff-Russ Johnson Quartet, Punkt VRT Plastik featuring pianist Kaja Draksler, and Weave 4 with musicians from France, Germany and Italy. Also imminent is the release “Peace And Justice” from drummer John Hollenbeck, recorded with the Hot Club Jazz Orchestra of Portugal, and inspired by a project he was supposed to do in Ukraine, but was unable to because of the Russian invasion. Much more great music for you. Enjoy!
00:00 Alan Skidmore’s Tenor Tonic * That’s Our Life – Jazz Now * Here And Now * England
08:37 Host speaks
11:28 Ben Goldberg Trio * Just What You Thought You Wanted – B.A.G. Productions * Harmonic * USA
20:51 Ben Goldberg Quartet * Trouble Trouble – B.A.G. Productions * For Bobby Part V * USA
29:17 Ben Goldberg Quintet * Rock Band – B.A.G. Productions * Door Jamb Foot * USA
38:32 Host speaks
40:08 Co Streiff – Russ Johnson Quartet * Oracle – Intakt * Smithy Street * Switzerland/USA
47:05 Mick Goodrick * In Pas(s)ing – ECM * Summer Band Camp * USA
53:06 Stirrup Plus 6 * The Avondale Addition – Cuneiform * Insen For Yonsei * USA
1:00:37 Host speaks
1:02:04 Punkt VRT Plastik * Kompress – Intakt * Granular Navigation * Slovenia
1:06:30 Ocean Fanfare * Third Nature – Barefoot * Circular One * Demark
1:12:05 Punkt VRT Plastik * Kompress – Intakt * For A Kompress * Slovenia
1:17:58 Host speaks
1:20:12 John Hollenbeck & Hot Club Jazz Orchestra * Peace And Justice – Flexatonic * In The Middle Of The Yard * USA
1:28:10 John Hollenbeck & Hot Club Jazz Orchestra * Peace And Justice – Flexatonic * Feed The Fire * USA
1:38:16 Christopher Damman Quartet * Dead Words – Shifting Paradigm * Two Themes for Improvisation * USA
1:44:30 Host speaks
1:46:36 Charles Tolliver * Right Now And Then – Mack Avenue /Strata East * Household Of Saud * USA
1:52:39 Tres Hongos * More Chips – Relative Pitch * Brakes Up * USA
2:00:57 Barry Guy & Roberto Ottaviano * Synantisi – Fundacja Sluchaz * The Busy Squirrel * England/Italy
2:10:30 Host speaks
2:11:49 Weave 4 * La Gomma De Dante – Parco Della Musica * Two Cross Spoke * Italy/France
2:17:05 Lynn Cassiers * Yun – Clean Feed * Call It Off * Belgium
2:24:59 Joe Morris Quartet * Counter Spectacle – Fundacja Sluchaz * Morning Group * USA
2:37:05 Host speaks
2:39:13 Lily Finnegan Double Drum Quintet * Live At Elastic Arts – Amalgam * Part 2 * USA
2:51:07 Ralph Alessi Quintet * A Sun That Never Sets – ECM * Relaxed Misery * USA
2:57:37 Host speaks
3:00:27 Dave Holland’s Prism * Freedoms – Edition * Evolution * England