The Hot Box
Since the demise of RTE Lyric’s Jazz Alley, which broadcast every week from the first weekend of the station’s existence until it was axed at the end of 2015, there has been no regular national programme devoted to jazz. The Hot Box aims to fill that gap with former Jazz Alley presenter Donald Helme.
The Hot Box sets the best of Irish recorded jazz in the wider context of the universal language that is jazz worldwide. It tries to emphasise accessability and sheer enjoyment, and is building an audience well beyond the shores of its home country.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #140 – I Thought About You
This edition of The Hot Box features a major re-issue, a remixed and remastered release of Louis Stewart’s quartet album with John Taylor, Sam Jones and Billy Higgins from Livia Records.
Originally recorded in 1977, and released in 1980 with some edits and overdubs, this impeccable version restores the original London recording and adds two extra tracks.
The results are possibly the best Louis Stewart studio recording, with top level accompaniment from the brilliant supporting trio.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #139 - New Material
This edition has both a tilt towards new material and a tilt towards jazz guitar, with material from the French guitarist Romain Pilon’s new album Open Roads, and from the archive, tracks from Tommy Halferty’s extensive back catalogue.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #138 - Roy Ayres
The Hot Box #138 celebrates the music of another recently departed musician, “Roy Ayres.” Originally known as a jazz vibraphone player, he rapidly expanded his status and became, some would say, one of the major creators of jazz funk.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #137 - New Releases
A selection of some wonderful music from albums released in recent weeks, from concert performances in the 1990s to brand new compositions and recordings both Irish and American.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #136 - In Memory of Lou Donaldson
He was born in 1926 and lived to be just 98 years old, having played in public well into his 80s. Donaldson was an alto saxophonist who began his career as a disciple of Charlie Parker, with whom he played, but, as part of the group of young players recruited to Blue Note Records in the 1950s he developed a more soulful sound. In the hour-long tribute to his music, we sample that great era of jazz, “Hard Bop” in which Donaldson was so important.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #134 - Roy Haynes
The Hot Box 134 is devoted to the memory of the great drummer Roy Haynes. Haynes died, at the age of 99 in November last year, secure in his place as one of the greatest drummers of all time. His career spanned the whole of the era of modern jazz, his first big job being with Charlie Parker in then1940s.
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- Written by: Donald Helme
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #135 - Some New Stuff
Welcome to the first Hot Box of 2025. Regular listeners will know that we had a rush of obituary-type shows at the back end of last year, but we start 2025 with some new material as well as a quick nod in the obituary section again, I’m sorry to say, to remember the great saxophone player Lou Donaldson.