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: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
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Read more: The Hot Box #146 – New Releases
The Hot Box 146 is packed with brand new releases, and as ever there is more to play than time to play it. Donald Helme opens the show with music from pianist John Donegan and his new album Interfuse, featuring Richie Buckley.
The programme then moves through a wide range of contemporary jazz, including trumpet-led material from Alex Sipiagin, the spacious and lyrical trio work of Fred Hersch, and the driving ensemble sound of Visions Jazz Ensemble. Larger-scale writing also features orchestral pieces from the Jihye Lee Orchestra and their album Infinite Connections.
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #145 - New Material from Ireland and USA
The new edition of the Hot Box consists of all new material from Ireland and the USA. An hour of the very best in jazz. The international talent is represented by tracks from a youthful band the Visions Jazz Ensemble, with music based on US college “fight songs”. Also music from Joe Lovano with the Martin Wasilewski Trio.
Read more: The Hot Box #145 - New Material from Ireland and USA
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #144 - Celebrating Two Jazz Greats
This episode of The Hot Box has a distinctly retro feel, as we celebrate the lives and talents of two remarkable female jazz singers who recently passed away.
We’re remembering the incomparable British singer Dame Cleo Laine, and the lesser-known but deeply respected American vocalist Sheila Jordan. While Sheila was widely admired among jazz musicians and insiders, she remained under the radar for many casual listeners — though she did, in fact, perform in Ireland once.
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Read more: The Hot Box #143 - Jazz in Ireland
Donald Helme takes the lid off the Hot Box once again, and this time he’s digging deep into a special file marked “Jazz in Ireland”. Reaching back across the decades, Donald unearths vintage recordings that showcase both the big names who have defined the Irish jazz landscape and the lesser-known voices who, for one reason or another, seemed to fade into history.
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Read more: The Hot Box #142 - Ryan Truesdell and Gil Evans
Welcome to the 142nd edition of The Hot Box with Donald Helme. This episode is a real treat, dedicated entirely to the music of the legendary Gil Evans. We’re marking the release of what may be the final volume of unearthed Evans material, lovingly brought to light by arranger and bandleader Ryan Truesdell.
Truesdell has spent years digging into the Evans archive, bringing this extraordinary music to life through his acclaimed ensemble, The Gil Evans Project. Alongside selections from the latest release, we’ll also revisit highlights from the earlier albums. And we’ll hear about the live sessions that once brought this music to the stage at New York’s much-missed Jazz Standard, where it was performed annually in all its glory.
The first track of the show is introduced with a snippet from the liner notes written by Ryan Truesdell.
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Read more: The Hot Box #141 – A Gershwin Celebration
In this slightly different edition of The Hot Box, Donald Helme takes a detour through the timeless melodies of one of jazz's most enduring composers: George Gershwin. Inspired by the brand new release The Man I Love from British pianist Gabriel Latchin,
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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.