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The Major Scale – Jamie Saft & Ron Carter

January 29, 2020 By Chris

Keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist, Jamie Saft is exactly the type of musician we love to talk about here on the Major Scale. He’s prolific, and leaves no musical territory unexplored–from rock to punk, and the experimental to all that Jazz. His work with Bernard Purdie, John Zorn, Bad Brains, the Beastie Boys, and Bill Laswell, to name a few, have put Saft into the Musician’s Musician club–a very good place to be. His latest efforts have found him in good company with fellow heavyweights Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte, not to mention the incomparable punk icon Iggy Pop on the mic, all of which you’ll hear.

Ron Carter you’ve heard countless times and if you haven’t we don’t know where you’ve been. He’s a legend–his bass playing provides the pulse and groove of countless classics and infinite samples for hip hop and electronica. He’s been name checked and enlisted by everyone from A Tribe Called Quest to Gil Scott-Heron and Miles Davis. He’s a leader and an artist with over 2000 sessions under his belt and he continues to this day. He joined us to talk abut one of his recent recordings, The Brown Beatnik Tomes with Def Poetry’s Danny Simmons. Curious eardrums will be delighted.

The Major Scale – Snarky Puppy and Doc Severinsen

January 15, 2020 By Chris

Snarky Puppy have been delivering the goods for some time. From picking up Grammys to creating the Ground Up Festival, kudos to their futuristic fusion that takes all things soulful, funky and jazzy and turns it on its ear. Like the bands from Miles Davis’ electric-era, this group has a hundred flowers blooming in their talent pool. The band boasts members who have taken part in the music of Prince, Erykah Badu, Justin Timberlake, David Crosby, and Ghost-Note. Known as “The Fam” to friends and fans alike, guitarist Bob Lanzetti gets anything but snarky with us as we discuss the music and more.

Speaking of flowers blooming, our next guest needs no introduction as he made his name in the late night talk show game. The Major Scale has been covering the cream of this crop since we started, and we’re proud and humbled to present an icon. Easily the godfather to today’s Jon Batiste and The Roots, without further delay: HEEEEEEEEEEEERE’s DOC!!!!!!Continue Reading …

The Major Scale – Jack Wilson Calling

January 8, 2020 By Chris

Some artists, despite their immense talent and originality, never catch on with the public at large. Pianist Jack Wilson was one such individual – a favorite among The Major Scale team for his finesse on the keys, paired with his knack for compelling composition. In this episode we evangelize his work and mark the occasion of a posthumous release, Call Me: Live At the Penthouse, newly released from Light In The Attic Records.

We’re not alone in our praise of the man. Ahmad Jamal and Barry Harris speak very highly of him, along with Wilson’s bandmates Roy Ayers and Von Barlow, producer Michael Cuscuna, and Vanity Fair editor and author David Friend – all of whom join us to share their accolades for Jack Wilson. Rounding it out is Kristian St. Clair, a filmmaker and the producer of Wilson’s posthumous Call Me.

ABOUT THE MAJOR SCALE:

Your attention please to a new program that celebrates and takes a fresh and bold look at the great American art form- JAZZ!!!

The Major Scale is the title, the motto and the mission are, Jazz- past, present, future, and everything in between. A lot of focus will be on new and fresh sounds, deep cuts, closer looks at underrated artists, taking a different look at some of the titans of the genre, and getting the two cents worth from a number of surprise guests and sources.

The Major Scale can boast amongst it’s guests- legends like Herbie Hancock, Tom Scott, and Ahmad Jamal. The up and coming and the underrated-Kamasi Washington, Mia Doi Todd, Michael Blake. Fresh perspectives and commentary from the likes of Rock legend Al Kooper, who weighed in on the gospel. From The New Yorker, Amanda Petrusich expounds on her article about the movement to rename the Williamsburg Bridge in honor of Sonny Rollins. We explore the Soul-Jazz experiments of the Rascals. Grace Kelly from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert talks about her pop-up/flash mob concerts. Plus Thundercat, Henry Mancini, Ghostface Killah, Jaimie Branch, Nels Cline, Badbadnotgood, Cecil Taylor, and more get pick up on the Major Scale radar.

Produced in Central Florida, this program seeks to become one of the defining voices of this Native American art form, and everything else that finds itself under it’s umbrella. Think about programming and content found on the likes of World Cafe, Philadelphia, PA. Tiny Desk from Washington D.C., and KEXP Live from Seattle, WA. and that’s what the Major Scale strives to do.

For the curious, and lovers of music who like the details in between.

ABOUT KYLE EAGLE (Host):

Kyle Eagle has been a contributing writer and producer for the NPR-WBGO, WUCF, WPRK, Wax Poetics, The Orlando Weekly, Artbourne, and The Fiscal Times, as well as several music and film releases- Light in the Attic’s documentary “This Is Gary McFarland”, and an upcoming film on composer Jack Nietzsche. Recordings- Call Me-Jack Wilson, Live at the Penthouse, Grachan Moncur III, Chico Hamilton, and Andy Bey.

ABOUT CHRIS BARANYI (Producer):

Chris Baranyi is a sound engineer and music producer. He splits his time between designing AV systems for theme parks and recording music. Chris has worked with many Orlando area musicians with backgrounds in jazz, fusion, hip-hop, funk, new age, and classical. Some of which have been featured on NPR’s Echoes. His passion includes jazz, vintage microphones, and hot sauce.

The Major Scale – Craig Harris and Elizabeth Shepherd

January 1, 2020 By Chris

The concept is the composition in this episode. We start with Craig Harris paying tribute the greatest of all time, Muhammed Ali. His album Brown Butterfly is a brilliant and dizzying song cycle inspired by the champ. Harris joins The Major Scale to give us some play-by-play commentary behind his modern masterpiece.

Canadian musician Elizabeth Shepherd creates another gem in already sparkling career. With her latest album, Montreal, she takes inspiration from the people, places, and events that have shaped the city. The results are a musical ode with a journalistic tone. Definitely for curious eardrums.