Episodes

The 17th iteration of The Hot Box finds us back in pursuit of jazz piano genius by delving into the files, and this time around we have reached the letter F. F finds us in rich territory with Cuban maestro Roberto Fonseca, Italian Antonio Farao with top-drawer US bandmates, and the Flanagans, the late Tommy spelled with an “A”, and the young Irish master Scott, spelled with an “I”. The programme concludes with two tracks from 84 year-old Dave Frishberg, swinging pianist, songwriter and vocalist.

In The Hot Box #16 we take a listen to many of the just-released new albums, and also pay tribute to one of jazz’s most luminous pianists, who died in June from cancer at the age of 60, Geri Allen. Geri featured in Hot Box No.7 when we checked out pianists filed under the letter A! The new material includes a wide range of singers from the latest wonder voice in America, Jazzmeia Horn, to our own Aoife Doyle from her new, self-penned quartet album “Clouds”. Also included are tracks from Diana Kr...

Continuing the epic series on piano players in jazz, Donald has reached the letter E, where he finds one of the most important and influential pianists of all time, Bill Evans. It is probably true that almost all piano players in the modern era have been, to some extent, influenced by Evans. He was something of a prodigy and began earning money from his music whilst still a teenager, but it wasn’t until he was 30, in 1959, and recorded with Miles Davis on the biggest selling jazz album of all ti...

This is a BIG Hot Box, responding to the demands of listeners for a Big Band Special. However, it doesn’t contain the standard historic fare of Basie, Ellington and Herman. Instead you’ll find the one-off bands of bassists Ron Carter (celebrating his 80th birthday this year) and Christian McBride, the modern sounds of both Bob Mintzer’s Big Band and The Big Phat Band from Hollywood, California, and from above the 49th Parallel, the Grammy winning band of trombonist Rob McConnell, The Boss Brass....

In the 13th edition of The Hot Box, Donald looks for pianists filed under the letter D, and plays pieces from Aaron Diehl, Kenny Drew Jr, and Jim Doherty. Some omissions of course but as a generality, surnames beginning with D seem not to provoke adoption of the piano as an instrument of choice! As widely celebrated, the year 1917 saw the beginning of recorded jazz, but was also the birth year of Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonius Monk. Ella at 100, a 4-CD box has just been released ...

In the 12th edition of The Hot Box we establish a flashback to jazz events in Ireland in the distant past. In Hot Box 11 we heard how a hotel in Ballsbridge had not one, but two resident jazz groups, and how members of the famous Ray Charles big band used to sit in. "Free jazz for the price of half a pint" said our correspondent, who was an impecunious student in 1964. Now dubbed Unreliable Memories, in the next historic tale, Donald Helme recalls Ireland’s Number 1 location for the presentation...

The 11th edition of The Hot Box takes a new turn on the A-Z of pianists, and digresses to pay tribute to the recently deceased guitar hero Larry Coryell, who died on February 19th, not long after declaring that he wished to come and settle in Ireland! His dislike of the recent political events in the USA were well publicised. He is a sad loss to the jazz world, and The Hot Box has mined the archives for 2 pieces recorded with a quartet (including Fintan O’Neill) in Dublin back in 2004. On the ke...

This time around we have a very special Hot Box for you with Al Ryan as guest presenter. Al Ryan is a well-known Irish trumpeter and broadcaster who now lives in the UK. He was a producer and presenter of jazz programmes for RTE and Lyric FM in Eire, covering of all Ireland’s major festivals, notably Cork Jazz, for nine years. He now broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio Oxford, as well as leading his own 17-piece big band in the UK and Ireland. The Hot Box #010 features new releases from pianist J...

The A-Z of Jazz Piano: this time - Pianists in the key of B The task of hunting down jazz piano from A to Z is really only just beginning, but B proved to be a most rich seam of artists, and the The Hot Box #9 show may be remarkable for who we had to leave out as much as for those we included. Hear The Bad Plus (yes, yes a bit of a B cheat) and Count Basie, Kenny Barron, Ray Bryant, Jaki Byard and Dave Brubeck amongst an hour long feast of pianists filed under the letter B. And of course, a cele...

All singing and all-female version of THE HOT BOX this time around, a rich seam of talent in Ireland and set amongst the best in the world. In this hour expect to find award-winning Charanee Wade and Cecile McLorin Salvant, plus Honor Heffernan, Maria Tecce, Mary Coughlan and Liane Carroll. Vocal performance within jazz can sometimes be “hotly” debated (geddit?) - are you a jazz singer if you don’t scat? Our answer is emphatically yes, it all depends on interpretation, phrasing, harmonisation……....

To greet 2017 The Hot Box embarks on a series that features jazz pianists across all styles, countries of origin and eras, spanning most of the hundred years of recorded jazz, and starting with the letter "A", working over time - a long time! - to “Z". The Piano Series will run for once each month. “A" takes us back to the boogie-woogie of Albert Ammons, to the unique style of the recently departed Mose Allison, up to the present day Lynne Arriale, Monty Alexander and more. Enjoy the letter "A",...

Two extracts from Jim Doherty’s infamous “Spondance” form the centrepiece of the sixth Hot Box. And then its big orchestras all the way. Lincoln Centre Orchestra’s Vitoria Suite, an extract from Maria Schneider’s Grammy winning The Thompson Fields, and the some lively contributions from the Spanners Big Band in London.

The fifth Hot Box includes the charming album MIQ plays MJQ, highlighting an Irish quartet that included Tony Micelo on vibes. Also check out the debut album by progressive group CEO Experiment, underlining the lively international jazz scene in Ireland. Also featured are tracks by recent visitors to Ireland, Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd and the Hot Club of Cowtown. You can talk to The Hot Box by emailing .donald@jazzireland.ie

Jazz Ireland releases the fourth edition of The Hot Box, hosted by veteran jazz presenter Donald Helme. The show includes new releases from Resonance Records, previously unreleased gems by Bill Evans, Stan Getz and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. All pristine and excellent recordings. The Bill Evans double album was recorded in Germany just days after the trio recorded their “Live at Montreux” album. The show also includes vocal jazz from Emilie Conway, Carmel McCreagh and Renée Marie. ...

The Hot Box 003 is a guitar parade, put together in honour of JJ Smyth’s jazz venue, and their legendary “Guitar Nights” which are now looking like things of the past following the sale of the pub this autumn. The Hot Box honours some of the finest Irish guitarists, including Tommy Halferty, Mike Nielsen and Hugh Buckley. You’ll also hear tracks from Jon Scofield’s new album “Country for Old Men”, from Frank Vignola and Bill Frisell among others. You can talk to The Hot Box by emailing .donald@j...

In the second issue we wanted to pay personal tribute to the great Irish musician Louis Stewart who died recently. I feel that whilst musicians around the world recognised Louis’ brilliance, the listening public in Ireland never really appreciated the talent in their midst, excepting a few dedicated guitar fans. The 90 minute show gives us a musical insight and included rare material with the Tubby Hayes band as well as an extraordinary recording with the late drummer John Wadham.

Welcome to the very first issue of The Hot box. In this issue you will hear the young Cleveland-based trumpeter Dominick Farrinacci, tracks from Irish drummer Kevin Brady and his trio, Irish singer Stella Bass, and the new American piano virtuoso Sullivan Fortner amongst many others. Show lasts one hour. Comments and questions welcomed - donald@jazzireland.ie