Category: Band leader

After Hours featuring Riley Mulherkar, air date Nov. 20, 2024

On By Charles BinghamIn Arranger, Band leader, composer, educator, Featured guest, TrumpetLeave a comment

Join me at 9 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2024, for the next edition of After Hours on KRBD Rainbird Radio as I’m joined in conversation with jazz trumpet player Riley Mulherkar.

Riley has been recognized as a “smart young trumpet player” by The New York Times, praised by The Wall Street Journal as a “youngster to keep an eye on,” and is a 2020 recipient of Lincoln Center’s Emerging Artist Award for his work as “an original bandleader, composer, arranger, educator, community activist and advocate for jazz and the arts.”

Riley is best known as a founding member of The Westerlies, a New York-based brass quartet of (as the name implies) West Coast expats who play a mix of jazz, modern classical and folk compositions, high on tunefulness. This deep admiration for the American songbook can also be heard all over Riley, the solo debut by the 32 year-old Mulherkar.

But love of song is only half of the album’s primary pull. The other is the sonically modern setting for Mulherkar’s vulnerable, melodious interpretation of this rich tradition, a sound design shaped by producers Rafiq Bhatia and Chris Pattishall. Enveloping Mulherkar within a series of textured, intricately-crafted spaces, Bhatia and Pattishall train a cinematographer’s lens on the continuum of great old songs, as well as new Mulherkar pieces which fit right in. It’s a radically bold audio framework for the emotional pronouncements of Riley’s horn.

Click this link to go to Riley’s personal website.

After Hours featuring Marc Johnson, air date March 15, 2023

On By Charles BinghamIn Band leader, Bassist, composer, Double bass, Featured guestLeave a comment

Join me at 9 p.m. on March 15, 2023, for the next edition of After Hours on KRBD Rainbird Radio as I’m joined in conversation with jazz bass player, composer, and band leader Marc Johnson.

Marc was born in Nebraska in 1953, and he grew up in Texas. By age 19, he was working professionally with the Fort Worth Symphony, and while at North Texas State University, he played and recorded with fellow student Lyle Mays.

After graduating he toured and recorded with Woody Herman, before becoming, at the age of 25, the bassist with the Bill Evans Trio, following in the footsteps of masterful players including Scott La Faro, Gary Peacock and Eddie Gomez.

Marc’s many recording credits since then include discs with Michael Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, Gary Burton, Jack DeJohnette, Eliane Elias, Peter Erskine, Bill Frisell, Stan Getz, Joe Lovano, Lyle Mays, Pat Metheny, Ben Monder, Paul Motian, Enrico Pieranunzi, and Wolfgang Muthspiel, among others.

Click this link to go to Marc’s personal website.

After Hours featuring Eugene Maslov, air date Feb. 1, 2023

On By Charles BinghamIn Arranger, Band leader, composer, PianoLeave a comment

Join me for the Feb. 1, 2023, edition of After Hours on KRBD Rainbird Radio as I’m joined in conversation with jazz pianist Eugene Maslov.

A piano prodigy from St. Petersburg, Russia, now residing in the USA, Eugene is a critically acclaimed pianist, composer and arranger deeply rooted in contemporary post-bop jazz. Whether performing as leader or sideman, Eugene is a first-rate artist and his passion for music continues to inspire legions of jazz fans from around the globe. He has recorded and performed with Shirley Horn; Toots Thielemans; Gary Burton; Hubert Laws; Omar Hakim; Eddie Gomez; Vinnie Colaiuta and Bob Sheppard to name a few.

Eugene’s continued development of classical and jazz techniques have resulted in a series of ground-breaking CD releases as leader. Where the Light Comes From“, brings his prolific experience and encyclopedic knowledge of jazz form and improvisation to a format with a balanced concept, astutely and poetically rendered within the tight chemistry of his backup musicians, which include Laws and Colaiuta.

His latest CD titled, “Holiday Classics” is a masterpiece in solo jazz and classical crossover piano. Eugene’s latest album is beautiful collection of timeless classic Holiday and Christmas songs.

Click this link to go to Eugene’s personal website.

After Hours featuring Roy McPherson, air date April 6, 2022

On By Charles BinghamIn Band leader, educator, Featured guest, TromboneLeave a comment
Photo by Hall Anderson

Join me for After Hours Alaska at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6, on KRBD public radio in Ketchikan, Alaska, as I’m joined in conversation with Ketchikan’s own music teacher Roy McPherson.

Roy has been a force of music education in Ketchikan since 1972. He taught high school band and choir and was the school district’s music coordinator for 10 years (1972-82). After retiring from teaching in 1982, Roy left Ketchikan for a time but couldn’t stay away for long. With his wife, trombone player Tina McPherson, he opened a treasured music store in 1987, McPherson Music, which has been a musical haven for much of the community.

McPherson Music, which closed in 2017, was a place for private lessons, classes (such as Discovering Music Fundamentals), and was the home of the Soundwaves youth jazz band and later the Windjammers youth-adult jazz band (now all adults). When the store closed, they moved some of the store to their home, including its large mural by David Rubin.

Roy was inducted into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame in 2010. He also was inducted into the Alaska Music Educators Hall of Fame in 1986. Be sure to tune in and be inspired.

Click this link to go to an article about McPherson Music. Click this link to read an article about his induction into the Alaska High School Hall of Fame. Click this link to go to a Facebook page about Roy McPherson. Click this link to listen to a recording of the April 6 interview.

After Hours featuring Ron Wilkins, air date Nov. 24, 2021

On By Charles BinghamIn Band leader, educator, Euphonium, Featured guest, Low brass, Songwriter, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, VocalsLeave a comment

Join me for After Hours Alaska at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24, on KRBD public radio in Ketchikan, Alaska, as I’m joined in conversation with New York-based musician Ron Wilkins.

Ron has been performing on tenor and bass trombones, euphonium, tuba, bass trumpet, and vocals for over forty years. He has performed at the highest levels touring around the world with his own groups, as well as with other premiere artists. Ron also has an extensive background in music education.

Ron is a member of the Birdland Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, and runs his own New York City big band, alongside trombonist Rebecca Patterson, which features their writing and includes some of New York City’s premiere musicians.

Click this link to go to Ron’s personal website.

After Hours featuring John Beasley, air date March 1, 2021

On By Charles BinghamIn Arranger, Band leader, composer, Featured guest, Keyboards, Music director, Piano, ProducerLeave a comment

Join me for the March 1, 2021, edition of After Hours on KCAW Raven Radio (and later broadcast on KRBD Rainbird Radio and KSTK) as I’m joined with multi-Grammy-nominated and Emmy-nominated pianist, composer, arranger, music director and producer John Beasley.

John was born in Shreveport, La., and grew up in Texas. His parents and grandfather taught music, and in his teens he played guitar, saxophone, drums, oboe, and piano.

John played keyboard for Freddy Hubbard and Miles Davis and has performed with a wide variety of artists like Dianne Reeves, Sergio Mendes, Ivan Lins, Christian McBride and so many more. He was the lead arranger for 10 years on American Idol. When not involved in his projects or others, John conducts master classes and clinics around the globe.

Click this link to listen to the After Hours show featuring John Beasley, originally broadcast on March 1, 2021. Click here to visit John’s personal website.