Discovering Jazz
Discovering Jazz is a podcast hosted by Larry Saidman that explores the variety and richness of jazz music. Each episode guides listeners through different styles, artists, and recordings from the jazz world. The show is designed for both longtime fans and newcomers who want to deepen their appreciation of the genre. It offers an accessible, curated listening experience focused on the music itself.
Episodes
Episode 384: Jazz Recordings Inspired By Love, Part 2
Experiences of love that led to the creation of some amazing jazz recordings
Episode 383:Jazz Albums Created Out of Love
Not just love songs, but recordings actually inspired by love.
Episode 382: Jazzy Nursery Rhymes and Children's Songs, Pt. 2
Child Friendly Jazz- Mr. Rogers to Salt Peanuts
Episode 381: Jazzy Nursery Rhymes and Children's Songs
Coltrane, Marsalis,Cory Weeds, etc Play Children's Songs
Episode 380: 10 Years of Discovering Jazz, Part 2
I Talk about some notable episodes and play some tracks.
Episode 379: Celebrating 10 Years of Discovering Jazz
Some Favourite Recordings From 10 Years of Discovering Jazz
Episode 378: New Jazz Albums, Part 4
Some of the best albums released this year.
Episode 377: Selected New Jazz Albums, Part 3
More fascinating new releases from 2026
Episode 376: Selected New Jazz Releases Part 2
Old meets new on these 2026 releases.
Episode 375: 2026 Albums That Stir Up Interest or Curiosity
I discover and play some interesting albums from 2026
Episode 374: Random Selection of Albums From 2026
Has jazz changed much over the years? This random selection of 2026 albums might help answer that question.
Episode 373: Richard Rodgers and Jazz, Part 3
Richard Rodgers songs and Ted Gioia's Jazz Standards book
Episode 372: Richard Rodgers and Jazz, Part 2
Blossom Dearie,Joshua Redman, & even Eugene Chadbourne play Richard Rodgers
Episode 371: Richard Rodgers and Jazz, Part 1
Jazz musicians, old and new, love to improvise on Richard Rodgers tunes.
Episode 370: More Notable New Acquisitions
From 1958 to 2026--Albums I recently Acquired, Part 2
Episode 369: Notable New Acquisitions
Billy Childs,Greenhouse Ensemble,Alexis Martin,JabFung, etc.
Episode 368: More New Jazz Albums with Weird Titles
I try to figure out the reason these 2026 album titles.
Episode 367: New Albums With Weird Titles
2026 Jazz albums that have interesting titles. What do the titles mean?
Archives, Episode 319: Appreciating Sonny Rollins, Pt. 2
More Sonny Rollins, his life, music, and interesting recordings
Archives, Episode 318: Why Sonny Rollins is So Legendary
Inspired by reading the book Saxophone Colossus.
Episode 366: Records,Poetry & Insights from Sean Murphy, Part 2
Dolphy,Mingus Billie,Jaki, Rahsaan,Matt Shipp & Bellbird
Episode 365: Jazz Poetry and Insights from Sean Murphy
American poet, essayist, and jazz fanatic, Sean Murphy talks about great jazz artists.
Episode 364: Classic Jazz Albums with Weird Titles
Well-known jazz albums that have been heralded despite weird titles.
Episode 363: Great Singers and Downbeat's Blindfold Test
Janis Siegel is given a Blindfold Test in April's Downbest Magazine.
Archives: Episode 107: Six More Great Songs
12+ Recordings,6 Songs. Billie Holiday to Jason Moran
Episode 362:From Swing to Bebop to Hardbop, Ken Burns Jazz
From Benny Goodman to Charlie Parker and Art Blakey.
Episode 361: Inspired by Ken Burns Jazz Documentary
Just finished watching the 10 Ken Burns Jazz series. Inspired this episode.
Episode 360: More Random New Releases of 2026
Can 'Barbie Girl' be jazz? Listen to the end to find out!
Episode 359: New Releases from 2026, Random Selection
Such a variety! And they call it all jazz.
Episode 358: Jazz and the 2026 Junos, Part 2
Great music and voice clips from artists nominated for this year's Juno awards
Episode 357: Jazz and The Junos, Canada
Music by Jazz and Jazz-oriented nominees for Canada's Juno awards.
Episode 356: More New Releases From This Year
More newly released albums I want to explore.
Episode 355: Releases from This Year, 2026
Albums I'm Wanting to Hear Released This Year
Episode 354: Jazz to Celebrate Black History Month, Part 2
From 1929 to 2025, an amazing variety of jazz recordings.
Episode 353: February is Black History Month
Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Max Roach,Joe Bowden, and others
Episode 352: Fun With Jazz Albums and Random Numbers
I randomly select and play albums from the best of lists of 109 Jazz Reviewers
Episode 351: Old Stuff, Just Discovered or Reissued
From Omer Simeon to Cecil Taylor, and Everything Inbetween
Episode 350: My Own Favourite Albums From 2025
Nine albums from last year that are favourites of mine.
Episode 349: Top Jazz Albums of 2025 According to the Reviewers
I put together a top 10 of albums most listed on posted Best of 2025 Lists.
Episode 348: Best of 2025, part 3
From Kenny Barron to Ledisi; Kurt Elling to Gregory Porter
Episode 347: The Best Of 2025 According to Experts, Part 2
A few 2025 albums that I (and some reviewers) like
Episode 346: Best Jazz Albums of 2025 According to Experts, Part 1
A few favourites that are on some reviewers 'best of' lists.
Episode 345: Jazz for the Holidays (mostly Christmas)
An episode of holiday songs mostly released this year and mostly about Christmas
Archives Episode 207, Jazz Holiday Music, 2022
Interesting Christmas and Winter holiday recordings
Episode 344: Recent Discoveries and Rediscoveries, Part 2
Some obscure (and not so obscure) gems
Episode 343: Recent Discoveries and Rediscoveries
Music I've been most recently enjoying.
Episode 342, Finding the Finnish Line, Part 2
From a Toivo Karki tango to The Kannaste 4
Episode 341: Finding the Finnish Line!
Jazz from Finland. And some discussion on what makes Finnish jazz unique.
Episode 340- Great Musical Compositions, Part 3
More great recorded jazz, mostly tunes from the Standards Real Book.
Episode 339: More Great Musical Compositions From The Standards Real Book
More Great old standards performed by the best jazz artists
Episode 338: Great Compositions from The Standards Real Book, Part 1
Nine great standards, played by some of the best jazz artistss.
Episode 337: More Favourites from Summer of 2025
Lots of Canadian cd's, one from Cuba, and more.
Episode 336: Favourites from the Past Summer
A few tracks from the listening I did this summer
Episode 335: Play it Again Sam Part 2
More tunes re-recorded by the same artist
Episode 334: Play It Again Sam (part 1)
Tunes that were recorded and re-recorded by the same artist.
Episode 333: Drumless Jazz, Part 2
Lots of great and rhythmic jazz where no drummer is required
Episode 332: Drumless Jazz, Part 1
Everyone in a jazz combo has the job of keeping time and reinforcing the 'groove'.
Episode 331: East Meets West, Part 2
Eastern style music fused with a western influence, and vice versa.
Episode 330: East Meets West, Part 1
Asia and Middle East Meets Western Jazz.
Archives, Episode 124: What is Jazz and When Does It Stop Being Jazz
Playing music that is definitely jazz and some that might or might not be.
Archives, Episode 109: Late Bloomers
Jazz musicians who started playing their primary instrument later in life.
Archives, Episode 108: Recent Discoveries Thanks to Online Friends
A podcast from 2020 playing great jazz recordings suggested to me by facebook and gmail friends.
Episode 329: Albums on the Current JazzWeek Chart
Albums that stood out for me as I perused this week's JazzWeek Chart.
Episode 328: Canadian Albums on the Jazzweek Charts
Recordings by Canadian Jazz Artists Currently on the Jazzweek Charts
Episode 327: Music I'm Exploring This Week
A potpourri of recorded jazz I've been exploring over the past couple weeks.
Episode 326: Songs That Remind Us Of Other Songs, Part 3
The final episode of songs that remind us of other songs.
Episode 325: A continuation of Songs That Sound Like Other Songs
Four different tunes and five 'sound a likes'.
Episode 324: Songs That Sound Like Other Songs
Ever listen to a tune and say to yourself, 'hey I known that one', then discover its something else entirely?
Episode 323: Resilient Jazz Musicians, Part 4
Recordings by jazz musicians who struggled with major physical and mental challenges.
Episode 322, Pat Martino and David K. Israel, Resilience Part 3
Includes the world premiere of a newly found duet between Pat Martino & David Israel.
Episode 321:Resilient Jazz Musicians Challenged by Illness or Disability, Part 2
More artists who made great music despite mental and physical health issues
Episode 320: Resilient Jazz Musicians Challenged by Illness or Disability
The music of jazz musicians battling mental and physical health challenges.
Episode 319: Fully Appreciating Sonny Rollins, Part 2
Sonny Rollins Meets Rolling Stones, Monk,Leonard Cohen, MJQ, and Lucille
Episode 318: Why Sonny Rollins Is So Legendary
How reading Saxophone Colossus has helped me appreciate Sonny Rollins.
Episode 317: CD's I Recently Acquired
A boring title but amazing music!
Episode 316: Why'd They Call It That, Jazz Tune Titles, Part 3
The last of this three part series exploring the meaning of jazz tune titles.
Episode 315, Why'd They Call It That, Part 2
Some titles seem random, others very much related to the music. I explore that here.
Episode 314: Why'd They Call It That? Part 1
The logic (or lack of logic) behind titles of selected jazz tunes.
Archives: Episode 108, Discoveries Thanks to Online Friends
Some music posted by online friends, from May, 2020
Archives: Episode 106, Caravan,Smile,Days of Wine & Roses,Solar,Speak Low,Stella by Starlight
From May, 2020, I feature five well-known tunes with some stories and two recordings of each one.
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