This week in “Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired”: Maria Muldaur, Kyle Eastwood, Jim Shearer, Jon Batiste and Joe LaBarbera

This week’s program:

7/8 Maria Muldaur
7/9 Kyle Eastwood
7/10 Jim Shearer
7/11 Jon Batiste
7/12 Joe LaBarbera

Singer Maria Muldaur Maria is perhaps best known for her 1974 hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” but it is her long career and forty-three recordings that have continued to delight her fans with Maria’s unique approach to blues, roots and jug band music.

Maria’s mother pushed her towards classical music, but when her grandmother played her Western Swing at the age of five, there was no turning back. Maria’s latest CD, Let’s be happy togetheris a collection of lesser-known musical gems recorded with New Orleans group, Tuba Skinny.

Bassist/composer Kyle Eastwood Kyle has a wide range of creative influences, including a passion for cinema and great film scores, a love nurtured by his father, Clint Eastwood, who in addition to directing and acting, wrote the music for many of his films. Clint introduced Kyle to jazz at an early age and encouraged his activities as a composer by asking him to contribute themes to several of his films, including Gran Torino, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima And Invictus.

Kyle’s latest tour celebrates his CD, Eastwood Symphonya collection of arrangements for quintet and symphony of some of the best-known themes from his father’s films.

Tuba player Jim ShearerJim’s new CD, Cloud Bowling with Claude Bolling, is the version of the famous Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio that Claude Bolling wrote for classical flautist Jean Pierre Rampal and recorded with him in 1973. This recording spent almost two years at the top of the Billboard classical charts and remained in the top 100 for over 10 years. Jim replaced the flute with the tuba and this CD was born.

We revisit my 2019 conversation with pianist and composer, Jon Batiste. Jon is an exuberant presence, whether he’s playing music or talking about the importance of putting good energy and meaningful work into the world. His band, Stay humanis named to honor the belief that human interaction during a live musical performance can elevate humanity amidst the “plug/unplug” nature of modern society.

Stephen Colbert, like Jon Batiste, is committed to social engagement, which makes Batiste a natural choice to lead the group. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Jon and I talked about his work with Colbert, his commitment to positivity, and his CD, Anatomy of Angels.

Jon is gone The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2022 to pursue personal and professional interests, which this tireless talent has done in spades.

Drummer Joe LaBarbera has worked with Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Bob Brookmeyer, Tony Bennett and many other jazz greats, but it is his work with pianist Bill Evans that he documents in his new book. Times Remembered: The Final Years of the Bill Evans Trio, which he co-wrote with Charles Levin. This sensitive portrait highlights the joys and challenges of the jazz world and the unique place that Bill Evans’ music and philosophy have occupied within it.

Listen every morning on WBGO from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. ET.

For an archive of episodes on WBGO, visit the show’s page here.