$31.88
$45.27
This Album explores different genres of Jazz from New Orleans to Free Jazz. Each song from Arkadia Jazz All-Stars represents a historical Jazz era and musical style. This musical journey culminates with the Album’s release on July 4th, 2025. Jazz Through the Eras is part of a comprehensive educational initiative Jazz Secrets. a multi-media project that shows listeners how to listen to Jazz. Through interactive guides, videos, articles, albums, and playlists, Jazz Secrets reveals the secrets of Jazz and presents the genre in a new light. ABOUT JAZZ SECRETS Song Selection: 1. King Porter Stomp New Orleans BOB STEWART, tuba; Steve Turre, trombone; Buddy Williams, drums; John Clark, french horn, Stanton Davis, trumpet; James Zollar, trumpet Jelly Roll Morton 3:09 2. Another Blue Jazz Blues T.K. BLUE, alto sax; James Weidman, piano; Santi Debriano, bass; Cecil Brooks III, drums T.K. Blue 5:18 3. Mood Indigo Great American Songbook BENNY GOLSON, tenor sax; Mulgrew Miller, piano; Buster Williams, bass; Carl Allen, drums Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn 6:43 4. You Go to My Head Vocal – with scat JD WALTER, vocals; Jim Ridl, piano Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots 5:26 5. Mack the Knife Swing BENNY GOLSON, tenor sax; Nat Adderley, trumpet; Monty Alexander, piano; Ray Drummond, bass; Marvin “Smitty” Smith, drums Kurt Weill 6:01 6. Donna Lee Bebop GEORGE SHEARING, piano; Neil Swainson, bass Charlie Parker 4:15 7. The Golden Striker Cool Jazz THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET John Lewis, piano; Milt Jackson, vibes; Percy Heath, bass; Mickey Roker, drums John Lewis 3:43 & 7:59 8. Dance of the Nile World/Funk T.K. BLUE, alto sax, alto flute; Stefon Harris, vibes; James Weidman, piano; Gavin Fallow, Lenny Robinson, drums T.K. Blue 5:43 9. My Favorite Things Sax Solo DAVE LIEBMAN, soprano sax; Vic Juris, guitar; Tony Marino, bass Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein 5:13 10. Good Morning Heartache Guitar Solo BILL FRISELL, guitar; Gary Peacock, bass Irene Higgenbottom, Erving Drake 5:25 11. Cram ‘n Exam Hard Bop JOANNE BRACKEEN, piano; Nicholas Payton, trumpet; Chris Potter, tenor sax; John Patitucci, bass; Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, drums Joanne Brackeen 6:23 12. One Day, Forever Vocal Ballad BENNY GOLSON, tenor sax; Shirley Horn, vocals; Mulgrew Miller, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Carl Allen, drums; String Orchestra Benny Golson 5:08 13. Quando m’en vo Third-Stream DAVE LIEBMAN, soprano sax; Vic Juris, guitar; Tony Marino, bass; Jamey Haddad, percussion, Café, shaker Giocomo Puccini (La Boheme) 5:59 14. Wee Latin Jazz T.K. BLUE, alto sax; Randy Brecker, trumpet; Jeff “Tain” Watts, drums; Eric Reed, piano; Steve Kroon, percussion; Lonnie Plaxico, bass Denzel Best 5:04 15. Heaven’s Gift Fusion PAT METHENY, electric guitar; Dave Liebman, soprano sax; Billy Hart, drum; Cecil McBee, bass Dave Liebman 4:27 16. Half of My Soul (Tristan’s Love Theme) Free Jazz REGGIE WORKMAN, bass; Sam Rivers, flute; Julian Priester, trombone; Geri Allen, piano; Elizabeth Panzer, harp; Al Foster, drums; Tapan Modak, tablas Reggie Workman 7:01 17. My Heart Stood Still Solo Piano BILLY TAYLOR, solo piano Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart 4:10 A Journey Through The Eras Take a trip through the Jazz Eras to discover the distinct character and historical context of each period. See how the artists on these tracks interpret the historical eras of Jazz with their own unique personalities and musical styles. King Porter Stomp – New Orleans style “King Porter Stomp” is a jazz standard composed by Jelly Roll Morton, characterized by energetic rhythms, a lively melody, and a complex structure. It was written around 1905 during Jelly Roll’s tenure as a teen-age piano professor in the clubs and brothels of Storyville, the legal red-light district in his native New Orleans. The city’s wide range of cultural influences are all there in this composition–African, and American, blues, ragtime, classical, and marching band music. Highlighted by the brilliant soloing of trombonist, Steve Turre, Bob Stewart’s skillful arrangement of the standard has a joyful character and an upbeat energy. Another Blue – Jazz Blues style Another Blue is a mid-tempo bluesy, sexy jazz blues. It’s one of T.K. Blue’s original compositions written in the tradition of classic jazz, infused with Blues rhythms and feeling. The soulful and catchy melody is carried throughout the song by T.K. on sax, accompanied by an ensemble of skillful jazz musicians – James Weidman on piano, Cecil Brooks III on drums, and Santi DeBriano on bass. According to critics: T.K. “has a delightful rhythmic agility that enables his solos to dance.” Mood Indigo – Great American Songbook style Mood Indigo, one of Duke Ellington’s most famous compositions, was covered by many artists, including Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. Ellington created a unique arrangement for the song. He inverted the standard roles of the instruments: the trombone played high notes, the trumpet played in the middle register, and the clarinet took the low notes. This arrangement resulted in a distinctive, haunting sound. NEA Jazz Master, Benny Golson’s gentle breathy tenor saxophone performance, along with Mulgrew Miller’s delicate piano, create a hauntingly beautiful interpretation with a tender, warm and lush sound. You Go To My Head – Vocal Scat style “You Go to My Head” is a jazz standard from the 1930s, loved for its beautiful melody and touching lyrics. Many artists, including Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra, have recorded their own renditions of the song. JD Walter reinvents it into a fast-tempo version of the classic song with smooth, smokey vocals, and his signature scatting. Allaboutjazz wrote “Pianist Jim Ridl accompanies Walter on the standard “You Go To My Head” in a way that captures the frenzied mind of an intoxicated lover. Ridl’s comping and solo here is one for the books. It is nothing less than stunning in its Art Tatum rapidity and virtuosity, subtle shifts of melody and harmony, and picking up on the lyrics to give them meaning in sound.” Mack the Knife – Swing style Benny Golson pays tribute to Louis Armstrong through this version of his popular favorite “Mack the Knife.” The song is a Swing-era gem, with its upbeat tempo, and danceable, catchy rhythm. The opening of the track starts off with funky drum beats by Marvin “Smitty” Smith and moves to some pinched trumpet soloing by Nat Adderley. Monty Alexander’s firm comps make it swing and Golson’s smooth lines give it a swinging and groovy feel. Dance of The Nile – World/Funk style Dance of The Nile is a funky mid-tempo track composed by T.K. Blue. The heartbeat is the funk jazz beat provided by superstar drummer, Jeff ‘Tain” Watts. True to the title of the song, Dance of The Nile is a rhythmic finger-snapper with influences of Arabic stylings and African beats. T.K.’s saxophone creates a warm, inviting sound. My Favorite Things – Solo Sax style This performance received a Grammy Award Nomination. NEA Jazz Master, Dave Liebman’s biggest inspiration has always been John Coltrane. Whereas Coltrane’s hit version was in a 3/4 tempo, Liebman gave it a twist by adapting it in 4/4 tempo, played on soprano sax. guitarist Vic Juris provides a thrilling uptempo underpinning. This energetic and in-your-face arrangement of My Favorite Things adapted into jazz musician’s songbooks from the classic show, The Sound of Music is an audience favorite that showcases what a quartet can accomplish. Good Morning Heartache – Guitar Solo style Made famous by Billy Holiday, Good Morning Heartache is a slow, soft, and beautiful haunting atmospheric tune. In this track, by superstar guitarist Bill Frisell and renowned bassist Gary Peacock, the duo plays a poignant version of Good Morning Heartache, surprising us with a fresh interpretation of the Jazz Standard. Cram ‘N Exam – Hard Bop style NEA Jazz Master Joanne Brackeen on piano performs Cram ‘N Exam, one of her hit original compositions, with the support of renowned trumpeter Nicholas Payton and saxophonist Chris Potter. The tune is skillfully played by Brackeen in a super-fast tempo, characteristic of Hard Bop, with a strong, energetic drum performance by Cuban drummer Horacio ‘El Negro” Hernandez. Also featured – bassist John Patitucci, and Nicholas Payton on trumpet. The ensemble creates a vibrant, swinging sound. Quando M’en Vo (Musetta’s Waltz from the opera La Boheme) – Third Stream Style Grammy-nominated Jazz Saxophone virtuoso Dave Liebman reinterprets one of the most iconic Puccini’s arias as a hypnotic lovely Jazz ballad. The fusion of Puccini’s composition and Liebman’s uninhibited Jazz artistry creates a soulful and atmospheric sound with a beautiful tone and feel. The song is a perfect blend of classical and jazz, a crossover version suitable for every taste. Heaven’s Gift – Fusion style Highlighted by the performance of guitar prodigy Pat Metheny, the Grammy-nominated NEA Jazz Master saxophonist Dave Liebman performs his original composition Heaven’s Gift on soprano saxophone. The song has a gentle, atmospheric vibe, propelled by a delicate melody, sparse rhythm, and Metheny’s masterful guitar solo, resulting in a dreamy musical landscape. My Heart Stood Still – Solo Piano style “My Heart Stood Still” is a 1927 composition by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical “A Connecticut Yankee,” which was inspired by Mark Twain’s novel. Its heartfelt lyrics and memorable melody quickly made it a popular standard, covered by many artists over the years. Billy Taylor’s performance of the song showcases his exceptional piano skills, blending elegant phrasing with a rich, emotive sound. His interpretation starts with a lyrical rubato statement of the melody evolving into a lilting swing that makes your heart pick up a beat or two. About The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars: The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars is a group established in 1996 as the brainchild of Bob Karcy, Producer, musician, Founder and CEO of Arkadia Records. Karcy’s original goal was to harness the creative brilliance of the Artists who recorded on its Arkadia Records labels, along with select guest musicians representing some of Jazz’s biggest stars, to create an unparalleled series of newly recorded, thematically unified studio albums. So far, ten albums have been recorded and three more are in production. These Arkadia Jazz All-Stars releases have been honored with three Grammy Award Nominations
Al Foster
