PFT Media

In this episode, we start with Kamasi Washington and the stellar trajectory his work has taken with his new album Heaven and Earth, a celestial collection of voices and cinematic instrumentation. I had the chance to talk with him about how the album came to be, his Coachella performance, the state of music, and more.

Next up is Grace Kelly, a name as great as her work. We dive into this sax prodigy’s virtuosity, her sublime composing, and her sense of the absurd. In addition to her own releases, she’s scored for both film and TV, and she’s a member of Stay Human on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She’s gained a large social media following for her musical parodies of Billie Jean King to Jedi Knights, serenades to llamas, and impromptu jams in crowded city streets.

SONG CREDITS FOR THIS EPISODE:

THEME: Jazz Phantom by Chomsk’ (from the album “Different Beats” on Magentic Records).

First Half: Street Fighter Mas, Space Traveller’s Lullaby, Connections, Fist Of Fury, Vi Lua Vi Sol, and Hubtones, by Kamasi Washington (from the album “Heaven And Earth” on Young Turk).

Second Half: Fish And Chips, Sax Wars, and Sound Of Redemption by Grace Kelly (from Grace Kelly Music).

Blues For Harry Bosch by Grace Kelly (from the album “Trying To Figure It Out” on Pazz Records).

He Shot A Man, By A Grave, and Lemon’s Make Lemonade w/ Jon Batiste by Grace Kelly.

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 sauces.