The Hot Box

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 Rat Race: Count Basie Orchestra M...

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. Li...

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 esteem...

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”)...

(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...

Hot Box #128 – Piano and more piano……

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 Ev...

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….

The Hot Box #121

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!

The Hot Box #118

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 diffi...

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!

Big Bands! A selection of recordings of big bands modern and not-so modern.

Stimulated by the upcoming release of John Donegan’s album Light Streams featuring his Irish Sextet, Hot Box 107 checks out some new releases, and a couple of returns to recent albums for a second look.