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On this special jazz episode we look at the legendary music career of Mr. George Benson! an american guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for blending jazz with pop, R&B and soul. He gained widespread recognition with his album Breezin' in 1976, which featured the Grammy-winning hit "This Masquerade". With a smooth voice and virtuosic guitar style. Benson remains a celebrated figure in contemporary jazz and crossover music. This episode is dedicated to Ray The Jazzman's mother Mrs. Betty Jean Weaver, who recently passed away in June 26th 2025. One of her favorite musical artists that she enjoyed listening to and seeing in concert for years.

1. Breezin'

2. Turn Your Love Around

3. This Masquerade

4. The World Is A Ghetto

5. On Broadway

6. Moody's Mood

7. Mt. Airey Road

8. Summer Breeze

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Clare Fischer (1928–2012) was a versatile American composer, arranger, and pianist whose career spanned jazz, classical, and pop music. He began his professional journey as a pianist and conductor for The Hi-Lo's, a vocal group, and gained early acclaim for his arrangements for Dizzy Gillespie's A Portrait of Duke Ellington. Over the decades, Fischer became a sought-after arranger for artists such as Prince, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, and Chaka Khan.

Nigerian Walk

Blues Bossa

Machaca

Pensativa

Free Fall Vinus De Milo

Here's That Rainy Day

Endlessly

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Carlos Santana is a legendary Mexican-American guitarist known for blending rock, Latin music, blues, and jazz into a unique and influential sound. He founded the Santana band in the late 1960s, gaining fame with their electrifying performance at Woodstock and hits like “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va.” The band has seen various lineups over the decades, but Santana’s signature guitar style remains at its heart, earning numerous Grammy Awards and a lasting legacy in modern music.

Songs Include :

1. Milagro

2. Eternal Caravan Of Reincarnation

3. Waves Within

4. Look Up To See What’s Coming Down

5. Just In Time To See The Sun

6. Song Of The Wind

7. Jingo

8. Samba Pa Ti

9. Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile)

10. Black Magic Woman/ Gypsy Queen

11. Oye Como Va

12. Blues For Salvador

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Jimmy Smith was a pioneering American jazz organist, widely regarded for his mastery of the Hammond B-3 organ. He played a crucial role in popularizing the instrument in jazz, blending elements of blues, bebop, and gospel into a unique and soulful sound. With an innovative approach to rhythm and improvisation, Smith's influential recordings from the late 1950s and 1960s, such as Back at the Chicken Shack, left a lasting legacy on both jazz and soul music. He also recorded on Verve Records throughout the 60's and 70's making him the most recognized organist of his generation.

Songs Include:

1. Midnight Special

2. All Night Long

3. Back At The Chicken Shack

4. Wives And Lovers

5. The Theme From "Any Number Can Win"

6. Confirmation

7. The Sermon

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Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were pioneers of bebop, a jazz movement that revolutionized the genre in the 1940s. Parker's virtuosic saxophone playing, combined with Gillespie's innovative trumpet techniques, pushed the boundaries of harmony, rhythm, and improvisation, creating complex, fast-paced compositions that required a deep level of skill and understanding. Their collaborations, marked by intricate melodies and advanced chord progressions, left a lasting impact on jazz, shaping its evolution and influencing generations of musicians.

Songs Include

1. Just Friends - Charlie Parker
2. April In Paris - Charlie Parker
3. Bloomdido - Charlie Parker- Dizzy Gillespie
4. Mohawk - Charlie Parker - Dizzy Gillespie
5. Salt Peanuts - Charlie Parker - Dizzy Gillespie
6. Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac - Dizzy Gillespie
7. Kush - Dizzy Gillespie

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Rudy Van Gelder was a renowned American recording engineer, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz music. Born on November 2, 1924, in Jersey City, New Jersey, he developed a passion for sound engineering at a young age, eventually leading him to set up his own recording studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, in 1952. Van Gelder's innovative techniques in recording and mixing, often utilizing his home studio's unique acoustics, helped shape the sound of countless classic jazz albums from the 1950s and 1960s, earning him the respect of artists and critics alike. Van Gelder's work with major jazz labels like Blue Note, Prestige, and Impulse! revolutionized the genre, capturing the essence of legendary musicians such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Art Blakey. His meticulous attention to detail and ability to capture the warmth and dynamics of live performances led to recordings that have since become timeless. His distinct sound, characterized by a rich, clear, and spatial quality, has been a defining feature of jazz records and continues to influence sound engineers to this day. Throughout his career, Rudy Van Gelder's influence extended far beyond the recording booth. He was a pioneer in advancing the role of the recording engineer as an integral part of the creative process, elevating the technical aspect of music production to an art form. Van Gelder's legacy lives on in the millions of albums he helped create, as well as in the ongoing admiration of his craftsmanship, which has ensured that his contributions to jazz and music, in general, are remembered for generations to come. Songs Include:

1. Bud Powell "Bouncin' With Bud"

2. Art Blakey "So Tired"

3. Herbie Hancock "King Cobra"

4. Horace Silver "Calcutta Cutie"

5. George Benson "So What "

6. Larry Young "The Moontrane"

7. Freddie Hubbard "Suite Sioux"

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In this episode your 8:30 Crew Herman Hollywood Dawkins and Ray The Jazzman explore the R&B side of Jazz with songs that are typically known as associated with R&B groups or acts. You will be able to hear how the music genres of Gospel, the Blues, and Rhythm and Blues all share something in common.

Songs include :

1. The Sound Table - Cameo
2. Valdez In The Country - Donny Hathaway
3. Fight Me, Chase Me - Ohio Players
4. Everybody Loves The Sunshine - Roy Ayers Ubiquity
5. Summer Madness - Kool& The Gang
6. New World Symphony - East Wind & Fire
7. City, Country, City - War
8. A Pauper In Paradise 3rd Movement - Gino Vanelli
9. Contusion - Stevie Wonder

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In this Exciting Super Special 2 hour 50th Episode from your 8:30 crew Herman Hollywood Dawkins and Ray The Jazzman, we are honoring our Dads. They are the ones who got us into Jazz, and in this Amazing Episode you will hear stories of Hollywood and The Jazzman growing up and listening to Jazz music!

Songs include:

1. Compared To What - Les McCann & Eddie Harris
2. My Favorite Things - John Coltrane
3. Walk on The Wild Side - Jimmy Smith
4. The Emperor - The Jazz Crusaders
5. What’d I Say Pt. 1 - Ray Charles
6. Fever - Ronnie Laws
7. Bag’s Groove - Herbie Mann
8. Maiden Voyage - Blood, Sweat & Tears
9. Stolen Moments - Oliver Nelson
10. Humpty Dumpty - Chick Corea
11. Never Will I Marry - Cannonball Adderley & Nancy Wilson
12. Festival - George Duke
13. The “In” Crowd - Ramsey Lewis

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