Music Lounge - 2023
December

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
December 4th, 2023
Gregory Porter - Christmas Wish (Blue Note)
I figured that it was only a matter of time before Gregory Porter would ge...
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November

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
November 27th, 2023
Mike DiRubbo – Inner Light (TRR Collective)
I love being pleasantly surprised when I pop a disc into the CD player. ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
November 20th, 2023
Scott Hesse Trio – Intention (Calligram)
Chicago based guitarist, composer and educator Scott Hesse doesn’t record...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
November 13th, 2023
Stacey Kent – Summer Me, Winter Me (Token)
Vocalist Stacey Kent’s latest album, Summer Me, Winter Me, might be one...
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What's New on WDCB... with Dan Bindert
November 6th, 2023
Steve Million – Perfectly Spaced (Calligram)
The latest entry from Chicago’s new Calligram record label is an outg...
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October

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
October 30th, 2023
Clark Sommers – Feast Ephemera (Irabbagast Records)
Clark Sommers certainly assembled an all-star crew for the ages ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
October 23rd, 2023
Constatine Alexander – Firetet (self-produced)
Trumpeter, composer and bandleader Constantine Alexander has just rel...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
October 16th, 2023
Richard Johnson, Geof Bradfield, John Tate & Samuel Jewell – Our Heroes (AFAR Music)
Pianist Richard Johnson, saxoph...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
October 9th, 2023
Hey everyone! So, this week, I wanted to take a moment to check out three of the albums that are available during our Fall Pl...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
October 2nd, 2023
Joshua Redman – Where Are We (Blue Note)
Saxophonist Joshua Redman has a new album out, and it’s his first for Blu...
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September

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
September 25th, 2023
Joel Haynes – The Return (Cellar Music)
Educator and Drummer Joel Haynes found himself back in a studio earlier in 2...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
September 18th, 2023
Ted Piltzecker – Vibes on a Breath (OA2 Records)
I’ll admit it, I didn’t have a Birth of the Cool styled group l...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
September 11th, 2023
Pete Zimmer – Dust Settles (Tippin’ Records)
Drummer Pete Zimmer recently released his latest album, Dust Settles,...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
September 5th, 2023
Andy Brown – Good Atmosphere (String Damper)
If you happen to make your way to Andy’s Jazz Club on nearly any Sund...
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August

WDCB Jazz Lounge Line-Up Announced for Jazz Fest!
August 29th, 2023
WDCB will again be presenting the WDCB Jazz Lounge - Friday, September 1 through Sunday, September 3 at Chicago Jazz Fest! Th...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
August 28th, 2023
Patrick Cornelius – Book of Secrets (Posi-Tone)
New York native and saxophonist Patrick Cornelius recently released ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
August 21st, 2023
John Wojciechowski – The Swing of the Pendulum (AFAR Music)
Chicago saxophonist John Wojciechowski has just released...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
August 14th, 2023
Bill O’Connell – Live in Montauk (Savant)
Pianist Bill O’Connell is largely known for leading some pretty excell...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
August 7th, 2023
Michael O’Neill – Conversations with Birds (Jazzmo)
Saxophonist Michael O’Neill has been putting out excellent a...
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WDCB Remembers Victor Parra
August 1st, 2023
The legendary Chicago radio host, musician, bandleader and music historian Victor Parra has died. Parra passed away on We...
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July

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
July 31st, 2023
Joe Alterman – Joe Alterman Plays Les McCann: Big Mo & Little Joe (self-released)
Joe Alterman’s latest is a tribu...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
July 24th, 2023
Fareed Haque – Casseus! (self-released)
Chicagoan, guitarist and educator Fareed Haque has released a new and absolu...
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Ron Carter, Brandee Younger, and Makaya McCraven highlight 2023 Chicago Jazz Fest lineup!
July 20th, 2023
The lineup for this year's Chicago Jazz Festival has been announced. It includes a mix of NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter, r...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
July 17th, 2023
Altin Sencalar – In Good Standing (Posi-Tone)
Altin Sencalar is a trombonist originally out of Austin, Texas, and a ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
July 10th, 2023
The Harry Allen Orchestra – With Roses (Triangle 7)
Harry Allen, a swinging tenor saxophonist, dons another hat on h...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
July 3rd, 2023
Orrin Evans – The Red Door (Smoke Sessions)
Pianist Orrin Evans has been recording a ton for the Smoke Sessions labe...
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June

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
June 26th, 2023
George Freeman – The Good Life (High Note)
If a new George Freeman album is always a blessing, then what is a new Ge...
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Hyde Park Jazz Fest Announces 2023 Line-Up!
June 20th, 2023
This year’s Hyde Park Jazz festival will be highlighted by a solo set from piano master Kenny Barron, the hard bop quin...
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Cantigny Jazz & Wine Fest Preview!
June 12th, 2023
The first-ever Cantigny Jazz & Wine Fest – presented by WDCB and Cantigny Park – is launching in a big way with an in...
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"Last Call with WDCB" at the Chicago Blues Festival!
June 8th, 2023
WDCB is partnering with DCASE and Rosa’s Lounge to add three extra sets of music to this year’s Chicago Blues Festival li...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
June 5th, 2023
Dan Wilson – Things Eternal (Brother Mister)
Guitarist Dan Wilson isn’t a household name yet, but if he keeps putt...
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May

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
May 29th, 2023
Jim Alfredson – Family Business (Posi-Tone)
Usually, when we hear Jim Alfredson’s name, it’s attached to Organis...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
May 22nd, 2023
George Coleman – Live at Smalls Jazz Club (Cellar Music)
At 88, and a career that saw him playing with Ray Charles, ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
May 15th, 2023
Joanie Pallatto – Accidental Melody (featuring Fareed Haque) (Southport)
Vocalist Joanie Pallatto has recently relea...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
May 8th, 2023
Artemis – In Real Time (Blue Note)
The all-star group Artemis has reconvened their second album, In Real Time. The b...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
May 1st, 2023
Lauren Henderson – Conjuring (Brontosaurus Records)
I love the fact that Lauren Henderson just does not sound like a...
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April

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
April 24th, 2023
Benny Green – Solo (Sunnyside)
Pianist Benny Green eschews the sidemen on his latest for Sunnyside Records, simply t...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
April 17th, 2023
Juan Pastor’s Chinchano – Cachito (Bace Records)
Juan Pastor is a triple threat as a drummer, percussionist and co...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
April 10th, 2023
Walter Smith III – Return to Casual (Blue Note)
It’s about time that tenor saxophonist Water Smith III gets a shot...
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Sugaray Rayford, Mud Morganfield and Los Lobos to headline 2023 Chicago Blues Festival!
April 3rd, 2023
The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, DCASE, has announced the artist lineup for this ye...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
April 3rd, 2023
Being a percussionist myself, it's not every week I get to preview three drummer or percussionist led bands in the Music Loun...
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March

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
March 27th, 2023
Cecile McLorin Salvant – Mélusine (Nonesuch)
Vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant looks back at her French and Haitian r...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
March 20th, 2023
Eric Reed – Black, Brown and Blue (Smoke Sessions)
Pianist Eric Reed recorded some songs late last year, and they’...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
March 13th, 2023
Tammy McCann – Do I Move You? (Io Canto Records)
Chicago vocalist Tammy McCann doesn’t record enough. There, I sai...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
March 6th, 2023
Hey everyone! So, this week, I wanted to take a moment to check out some of the albums that are available during our Spring P...
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February

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
February 27th, 2023
Buster Williams – Unalome (Smoke Sessions)
Buster Williams has put together an all-star group for his 2023 release, ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
February 20th, 2023
Markus Rutz – Storybook (JMARQ Records)
Chicago trumpeter Markus Rutz has a new album that he’s just released on J...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
February 13th, 2023
Roy McGrath – Menjunje (JL Music)
Saxophonist Roy McGrath has put together a monster of a group and a recording for ...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
February 6th, 2023
Libby York – DreamLand (OA2 Records)
Vocalist Libby York is back with a new album called DreamLand. This is a unique...
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January

What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
January 30th, 2023
Ahmad Jamal – Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1963-1964 (Jazz Detective)
The fact that Jim Wilkie did rad...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
January 23rd, 2023
Rachael & Vilray – I Love a Love Song! (Nonesuch)
Rachael Price, of Lake Street Dive fame, is back with her second d...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
January 16th, 2023
Mike LeDonne – The Heavy Hitters (Cellar Live)
It’s been a minute since I’ve heard a record that tried to captur...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
January 9th, 2023
Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets – Pan Africa (Impact Jazz)
Trumpeter Derrick Gardner has put out a new concept a...
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What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
January 3rd, 2023
Art Hirahara – Verdant Valley (Posi-Tone)
Pianist Art Hirahara has been recording with the same fantastic core of mu...
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