The Hot Box

Welcome to Hot Box 149. We begin with a sparkling new release on Blue Note from the young American pianist Paul Cornish. Hailing from Texas, Cornish was a finalist in the prestigious Herbie Hancock International Piano Competition three years ago, and has already shared the stage with many of the leading figures in jazz today.

From there, we move into the distinctive voice of Cécile McLorin Salvant, with two selections from her Oh Snap album, before turning to the richly textured harp work of Brandee Younger on Gadabout Season. We close out the programme with two beautifully c...

Hot Box 148 is going to be both sad and joyful since we now remember the extraordinary drummer Jack DeJohnette who died at the end of October aged 83. He was a native of Chicago and certainly could lay a claim to being the greatest of all jazz drummers. Immensely influential in the overall direction of drumming in jazz and, by any standards, extraordinarily versatile.

You only have to rattle off the names of the musicians he worked with to emphasise that point, take Miles Davis for example, then Bill Evans, John Surman, Keith Jarrett and Pat Matheney, really...

An eclectic selection of music that may reflect the desire of the “music business” to generate some income for musicians over the festive period! Or it may represent a genuine love for all things Christmas – or both! An hour of jazz selected to sit back and enjoy.

Track list for The Hot Box #147 – Christmas Box

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.

Track list for...

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.

Closer to home is the stunning new album from Carole Nelson and her trio “Through the Storm” and a remastered re-release of the Louis Stewart/Brian Dunning album “Alone Together”, both on the Livia Records label. Plus a glimpse of the new si...

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #144 – Celebrating Two Jazz Greats

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #143 – Jazz in Ireland

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 li...

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,

Track list for The Hot Box #141 – A Gershwin Celebration

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #140 – I Thought About You

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #139 – New Material

Tune In:

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.

Track list for The Hot Box  #138 – Roy Ayres

Tune In:

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #137 – New Releases

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #136 – In Memory of Lou Donaldson

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #134 – Roy Haynes

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.

Track list for The Hot Box #135 – Some New Stuff

(The Ghost of Christmas Past)

Celebrating Christmas and also celebrating the 90th anniversary of the campaign to ban jazz in Ireland, which seems to have failed.

Track list for The Christmas Box 2024

The celebrated composer, orchestrator and arranger, and sometime trumpet player, Quincy Jones, died November 3rd aged 91. The Hot Box looks at the jazz contribution he made in the latter part of the 20th century, with tracks from Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole and the man himself.

Track list for The Hot Box #133 – Remembering Quincy Jones

The Hot Box #132, an hour-long exploration of fresh and exciting sounds in jazz. This episode dives into new material from remarkable artists, blending the vibrancy of contemporary jazz with the timeless artistry of legends. Featuring tracks from John Donegan’s Irish Sextet, Shuteen Erdenebaatar, and the Jihye Lee Orchestra, the episode showcases dynamic compositions and inventive storytelling.

Listeners will also revisit the brilliance of guitar virtuosos Louis Stewart and Martin Taylor, alongside a stirring collaboration from Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel. It’s a rich, varied playlist that promises to engage jazz enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Tune in a...

This special episode pays tribute to the remarkable life and music of the late Benny Golson — a saxophonist, composer, and arranger whose profound influence on jazz endures through both his compositions and recordings. Golson’s legacy is woven into jazz history, known for iconic pieces that have become standards in the jazz repertoire.

In today’s episode, we’ll hear selections from Golson’s esteemed career, including his own performances and interpretations of his work by legends like Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Quincy Jones. We’ll journey through classics like “Along Came Betty,” “Whisper Not,” and “I Remember Cliffo...

In this episode of The Hot Box, we revisit a theme from episode #128 where we took a deep dive into the piano files, looking for the slightly less obviously famous musicians but still among the very best in the world.

The Hot Box #129 Track Listing

1. Blues in Baxters Pad: Gene Harris Quartet (from the album “At Ste.Chapelle Winery”)
2. Japanese Brunch: David Budway (from the album “A New Kiss”)
3. Ask Me Now: Russell Malone & Benny Green (from the album “Jazz at the Bistro”)
4. Tale of the Fingers: Russell Malone& Benny Green (from the album “J...

(Note HB 129 is in production but has not been posted yet so will follow 130)

In this special episode of The Hot Box, we pay tribute to the remarkable Russell Malone, a virtuoso guitarist known for his versatility, impeccable swing, and soulful sound. Throughout his distinguished career, Malone collaborated with legends like Diana Krall and Ron Carter, while also shining as a solo artist.

Join us as we journey through a selection of tracks that highlight his incredible artistry. From his unforgettable performances on classics like “Sweet Georgia Peach” to his original compositions like “Malone Blues,” this epi...

Welcome to the 127th edition of The Hot Box! In the last two episodes, we celebrated Irish albums from start to finish. If you missed them, I highly recommend catching up—those shows were packed with fantastic music.

This time, we’re diving into longer, more immersive tracks designed to help you unwind and savor the beauty of the music. Expect to hear works from the likes of Andy Sheppard, Bill Evans, and selections from the upcoming release of The Dublin Concert, featuring Louis Stewart and Jim Hall, brought to you by Livia Records.

Firstly, we would like to welcome back Jazz Ireland to the jazz scene and without further ado here’s #126!
www.jazzireland.ie

The all Irish edition of the Hot Box!

A long jump in just one hour, from a live concert by Duke Ellington’s Orchestra in Paris to settings of the poetry of Emily Dickinson by the Italian guitarist Daniele Cervigni, with a few new releases in between!

Another root in the big band files yields some great performances from bands you may never had heard before….

It happens to be Ella’s anniversary of her first concert in Ireland and also her birthday. Join Donald for 100% Ella!

As the title suggests, here are some big bands you’ve never heard of!

The Lloyd Ryan Big Band?

The Jazz Pacific Orchestra?

Ring a bell?
All on the 119th Hot Box!

Your latest edition of The Hot Box with Donald Helme. Put the kettle on, sit back and relax with #117!

Keeping you all in suspense as to what happened Hot Box #115, heres episode #116!

John Pizzarelli, Bobby Short and Mose Allison. All will be revealed on The Hot Box #114!

Our delve into new releases for our first edition of 2024.
Happy New Year!

Donald Helme brings you a festive Hot Box.

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year.

The latest edition of the ever popular “Hot Box”.

The clarinet has been an endangered species for most of the last 50 years, and despite much admiration for modern-day exponents such as Anat Cohen, it remains on the outer fringes of jazz. Hot Box takes a look at clarinet from the heyday of Benny Goodman, Sidney Bechet and Jimmie Noone through to today’s most admired exponent, Anat Cohen. Some critics have suggested its decline is due to the difficulty of playing it: “It was invented by three people who never met each other” was the comment of Basie band sax player Frank Wess!

After the great reaction to Hot Box 108’s focus on big bands, we felt that a second dip into this big reservoir of music was advisable, if not inevitable. Some of the best ever herein!