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Episode 36 - Thriving on a Riff  

In this episode, our co-hosts explore some of the themes from Thriving on a Riff: Jazz and the Spiritual Life, Bill Carter's new book. They chat about creativity, the power of suffering, and the hard work of spiritual formation in jazz and faith. Along the way, they share a bit of music.

Be sure to check out Thriving on a Riff. You can find out more online at https://presbybop.com/thriving-on-a-riff. Read a sample chapter or two, Watch a video. Find the project blog (with links to more videos). And you can order your own copy when it is released on April 23, 2024.

Music in this episode:

  •  "Bill's New Song," recorded on Psalms Without Words, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet. © Presbybop Music (BMI). Used by permission.
  • "Let Them Go, Set Them Free," recorded on Interior Window, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet.  © Presbybop Music (BMI). Used by permission.

 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet. © Presbybop Music.
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

Episode 35 - Cultivating the Artistic Life  

This episode continues our lively conversation with pianist Bill Mays. We explore his writing (and sometimes, his lack of “writing”) for the jazz trio. Bill shares some of the ways that he cultivates creativity in his life and tells us about his book of musical stories. Then the conversation moves from the podcast studio to the performing stage, as co-host Bill Carter asks the Mays Trio to tell us what it’s like to make music together. Between all the talking, we share excerpts of a live trio performance of the Mays tune, “Sun of the East.”  

Music in this episode:

  • “Sun of the East,” composed by Bill Mays © No Blooze Music, recorded live in performance and used by permission. All rights reserved. Bill’s music is available at www.billmays.net.
  • We recommend Bill’s book, Stories of the Road, the Studios, Sidemen, and the Singers, also available on www.billmays.net.
  • Interested in hearing Bill’s two-hour show on “A Brief History of Jazz”? You can enjoy it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZCWXXNYzgg

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

© Presbybop Music.

Episode 34 - The Harmonic Imagination of Bill Mays  

We welcome pianist Bill Mays in the first of two episodes. He moves easily between the jazz and classical spheres as a composer, arranger, performer, and recording artist. Bill tells us about his artistic development, his experience performing with jazz stars, and the inspiration behind his music. He also shares two of his winsome tunes. Bill will return in Episode 35.

 Music in this episode:

  • “Whistling Pastor” composed by Bill Mays © No Blooze Music, used by permission. All rights reserved.
  • “Snow Job” composed by Bill Mays © No Blooze Music, used by permission. All rights reserved.

Both tunes recorded on “Mays Plays Mays.” Available at www.billmays.net.

 Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

© Presbybop Music.

Episode 33 - Not the Same Old Thing  

Jazz performances are different every single time! Even if forty percent of the music (or more) is written down, each fresh performance varies. Bill and Jeff explore this curious aspect of jazz as they listen to studio and live recordings of two tunes recorded by the Presbybop Quartet: “Welcome Home” and “Streams of Mercy.” 

“Welcome Home” has been recorded on the “Fragile Incarnation” and “Welcome Home” CDs. “Streams of Mercy” appears on the “Interior Window” CD. Both recordings © Presbybop Music (BMI). Used by permission. Archival copies of live performances © Presbybop Music (BMI). Used by permission.

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

© Presbybop Music.

Episode 32 - Our Feet Began to Pray  

We welcome bassist David Chevan and pianist Warren Byrd. As co-founders of the Afro-Semitic Experience, they have created a dynamic ensemble rooted in the holy work of liberation. Whether they are updating African American spirituals, rearranging Jewish songs, or creating new music of their own, they will model what it means for jazz to address the work of justice. This show coincides with the long-awaited release of their album, “Our Feet Began to Pray.” Be sure to check it out at https://afrosemiticexperience.net/

Warren and David have given us permission to include two cuts from the album on our podcast:

  • “Unity in the Community” 
  • “My Feet Began to Pray” 

© The Afro-Semitic Experience. Music used by permission. Order the album at the link above!

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

© Presbybop Music.

Episode 31 - New Wine for New Bottles  

At the beginning of a new year, Jeff and Bill discuss their big projects. CLASSIC VINYL JAZZ is Jeff’s new radio show on the internet. He loves going through the LPs in his attic and sharing them with a new generation. The show broadcasts on Friday nights from 9 to 10 p.m. eastern on WBDY-LP and repeated on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11 a.m. eastern (link below).

Bill unveils his book project, THRIVING ON A RIFF: JAZZ AND THE SPIRITUAL LIFE. It will be published on Broadleaf Books on April 23, 2024. We will be hearing more about the book.

To tune in to Jeff’s radio show, go to https://www.bundymuseum.org/wbdy.

To learn more about Bill’s book, go to https://presbybop.com/thriving-on-a-riff

Music in this episode: “Haunted Landscape,” Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quintet, from “Psalms Without Words.” 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

© Presbybop Music.

 

Episode 30 - Ho Ho Ho 2023  

In this special Christmas episode, Jeff Kellam tracks down Bill Carter on the Presbybop Quintet International Tour of New England. You will get a behind-the-scenes introduction to the music and good humor of a working jazz group. The band was performing holiday music to enthusiastic audiences, and clips of rehearsal and performance music fill the podcast. We are grateful to the following venues: 

  • Family Promise of Greater Concord, NH
  • Wolfeboro Friends of Music, Wolfeboro, NH
  • The First Baptist Church in America, Providence, RI
  • Schorr Family Firehouse Stage, Johnson City, NY

All music in the public domain, arranged and performed live by the Presbybop Quintet. 
Music clips include:

  • “Angels We Have Heard on High”
  • “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
  • “I Wonder as I Wander”
  • “What Child Is This”
  • “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton

© Presbybop Music.

 

Episode 29 - Coming to You on the Airwaves  

On this episode, Jeff and Bill have a conversation with Chris Norton, senior vice president of WVIA-FM and a longtime friend of Presbybop Music. They discuss the current scene in jazz radio and the unique resource that radio has always been for creative music. Chris introduces us to Chiaroscuro jazz label, now owned by WVIA, and available online as a media stream. All three of them pay homage to George Graham, the legendary radio host and engineer at WVIA.

 

Featured links:

To listen to WVIA-FM: https://www.wvia.org/ 

To connect with Chiaroscuro or listen online: https://chiaroscurojazz.org/

To learn more about George Graham: https://georgegraham.com/

 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

 

Bonus Episode - Jazz at Dawn  

Here are three more tunes to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Faith in a New Key, the first recording by the Presbybop Quartet.

Music: “Dawn Shall Break Again,” “A Canticle of Love,” and Amazing Grace,” all composed or arranged by Bill Carter and released on Faith in a New KeyBill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet. Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New KeyBill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 24 - Behind the Music: Faith in a New Key  

On the 25th anniversary of its release, Bill and Jeff have a conversation about Faith in a New Key, the first recording of the Presbybop Quartet. Bill dishes on the background of the album. Where did it originate? Who were the players? How was the project financed? What was it like to record the music?  Along the way, they serve up a generous helping of jazz.

Music: "Presbybop," "Route 206," "Walking in Somebody Else's Footsteps," and "A Bridge Between", all composed by Bill Carter and released on Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet. Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 23 - Jazz Wakes Up for Worship  

As we begin Season 2, Jeff Kellam asks Bill Carter to speak about his work in syncopating Christian worship services. Bill has been at it for forty years, ever since he was a student pastor in New Jersey. Along the way, the co-hosts offer some musical samples as they explore a long and ongoing journey of welcoming jazz in the sanctuary.

Discover the "Swing a New Song to the Lord" jazz hymnal at www.presbybop.com.

You can find the film "Jazz Belongs in Church" at https://presbybop.com/jazz-belongs-in-church-dvd

Music: "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah," and "Down By the Riverside,"  (c) Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet. Unreleased material.

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New KeyBill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

 

Episode 22 - Improvising Is My Lifeline  

We conclude Season 1 of the Spirit of Jazz with a conversation with Donny McCaslin. Twice nominated for a Grammy for "Best Improvised Solo," Donny speaks about three musicians with whom he has performed and recorded: trumpeter Dave Douglas, composer Maria Schneider, and music icon David Bowie. Along the way he talks about the healing power of jazz in his own life. "Improvising has been my lifeline," he says.

Find out more about Donny at his website: https://www.donnymccaslin.com/

Check out his new album, "I Want More," available here on Edition Records.

Music: "Christmas Carol in G Minor," Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet with guest soloist Donny McCaslin, recorded at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, NYC

"Body Blow," Donny McCaslin, from "I Want More". Available  above and used by permission.

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

 

 

Episode 21 - Jazz as Good Humor  

Bagpipes, a bullfrog, an untuned diva, a fumbling virtuoso, an unfortunate drummer, bad road food, and a bebopper in a turban: jazz has the capacity to see life's idiocyncrasies and laugh about them. There is a lightness of spirit at the heart of improvised music. And the practicioners love to joke and laugh. In this episode, we explore the comedy of good jazz.

Want to hear more jazz comedy? We recommend Jazz Anecdotes by the bassist Bill Crow.

Featured music:
“Rumpelstiltskin" from Interior Window
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

 

Episode 20 - Deanna Witkowski  

Meet our friend Deanna Witkowski. Known for her adventurous, engaging music that heals the soul, Witkowski moves with remarkable ease between Brazilian, jazz, classical, and sacred music. Witkowski’s performances combine virtuosity and heart, telling stories that reveal her innate curiosity of the human condition.

Her first book, Mary Lou Williams: Music For The Soul (Liturgical Press), published in September 2021, is the winner of the 2022 ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award and the 2022 Jazz Journalists Association Award for Biography of the Year.

Her seventh recording, Force of Nature (MCG Jazz), released in January 2022, reached number five on the JazzWeek nationwide radio chart and remained in the top 10 most played albums on jazz radio for more than 10 weeks. A frequent winner of composition competitions for her concert and sacred choral pieces, Witkowski has received funding for new work from the New York State Council on the Arts (for her Afro-Brazilian project, the Nossa Senhora Suite) and the Choral Arts Initiative PREMIERE Project Festival.

We thank Deanna for permission to include clips of two of her original tunes:
“Wide Open Window” from Wide Open Window. © Tilapia Tunes, used by permission. “Force of Nature” from Force of Nature. © Tilapia Tunes, used by permission.

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 19 - You Call This a Living?   

Episode 19 - You Call This a Living?                                                                     (May 5, 2023)

What does it take to make a living as a jazz musician? Where do you work – and how do you line it up? Jeff Stockham, the extraordinary trumpeter and French horn player, tells it straight. With honesty and good humor, he tells our co-hosts about the joys and strugglers of jazz employment. And all of us catch a glimpse of his perseverance as he offers his art to improve the lives of others. 

Featured music:
“I've Heard the News" from Stand on Your Head
"Kit and Kaboodle" from Stand on Your Head

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 18 - The Road Show  

Here is our report from the First International Tour of Southeastern Virginia, a brief tour by the Presbybop Quintet. The band was accompanied by its entourage, namely Jeff Kellam. We chat it up with band members and old acquaintances. Stories are told, passions are revealed, and road food is endured. The emerging theme is friendship – what musicians refer to as “The Hang” (as in “hanging out”). The music was great, because The Hang was happening. 

 

Featured music: “Rumpelstiltskin” from Interior Window

Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 17 - Jazz for Holy Week  

What does jazz have to do with Jerusalem? Especially the Jerusalem that Jesus entered for the last week of his life? That's the topic explored in this episode. Our co-hosts discuss the moods and senstitivities for a week of struggle and pain. They share live clips from the Presbybop Quartet as the band interpreted the passion of Jesus in a Good Friday jazz vespers at a large church near Philadelphia. They also offer a musical depiction of a Bible story in collaboration with Dennis Dewey, renowned biblical storyteller.

Featured music: "The Last Word" (live version) from Psalms without Words, "Who's on Trial?" from John According to Jazz, "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" (unreleased), and "Arimathea" (unreleased).  Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 16 - Jazz is a Many Splendored Thing  

This bonus episode is a conversation about the different kinds of jazz. Bill and Jeff discuss how a tradition continues to live: evolving through creative imagination, influenced by its historical and cultural circumstances. 

Featured music: “This or That” and “Everybody Dance” from Psalms without Words

Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 15 - That's a Terrible Idea. What Time?  

Here’s part two of our conversation with Matt Wilson, the creative drummer. He believes jazz should challenge the audience, not merely playing what’s “nice.” Whether it’s leading the audience on a spontaneous march out of the concert hall or nudging the listeners to go deeper into the music, he always leads the way. And he’s a lot of fun to talk with. 

Check out Matt’s website at https://www.mattwilsonjazz.com/ 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 14 - Jazz as Good Danger  

Matt Wilson is an extraordinary musician. We talk about his sense of humor, his willingness to take risks, and the importance of vulnerability. The conversation hummed along quickly – and we’ve split it into two episodes. 

Check out Matt’s website at https://www.mattwilsonjazz.com/

Featured music: “Ice Cold” from Jazz for the Earth. Bill Carter and the Presbybop Sextet. David Liebman, guest soloist

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI)
Announcer: Chris Norton
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 13 - Falling in Love to Jazz   

Our cohosts talk about how they developed a taste in jazz. Bill Carter tells how he met and befriended Dave Brubeck. (Imagine the legendary musician in a white bathrobe!) Jeff Kellam recounts his love of big band music and how it opened the jazz world to him. 

How did you discover jazz? Have a story to share? Send it to us at podcast@presbybop.com.   

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 
Announcer: Chris Norton 
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 12 - Got the Blues  

In this episode we explore the blues. How does the blues get into the bloodstream of jazz? What does this suggest about human life and the spiritual life? How might the blues express our suffering? Or pray our hope? 

 

Featured music: 

“Down Goes Babylon” from Dancing Day, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 

“Out of the Depths” from Psalms Without Words, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 

“Coventry Carol” from Fragile Incarnation, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 
Announcer: Chris Norton 
(c) Presbybop Music

Episode 11 - Jazz Goes to the Cathedral  

We explore a little-known jazz story: Vince Guaraldi composed and performed a mass! We talk with Derrick Bang, his biographer, about the creation of this music. It was presented at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, in May 1965. It’s an extraordinary story and we’re glad to tell it. 

Want to hear the mass? The highlights were recorded by Fantasy Records, and you can obtain that recording by clicking here. (The MP3 files are more readily available than the CD or LP.) 

To learn more about Derrick’s connection to Vince Guaraldi, visit his page at  http://fivecentsplease.org/dpb/guaraldi.html 

Want to learn more about our 50th anniversary celebration at Grace Cathedral in 2015? Derrick has a lengthy series of accounts listed below: 

And we suggest subscribing to his blog of All Things Guaraldi at http://impressionsofvince.blogspot.com/ 

You can get your own copy of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano by clicking here on Amazon or clicking here for the publisher’s page. We have additional material of our conversation with Derrick which we will release as a bonus podcast in the future. 

Featured music: 

“Blues in F,” performed by Bill Carter with the Jim Martinez Trio at the 50th anniversary of the Guaraldi Mass, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, accompanied by the Jim Martinez trio. Music is unreleased. © Presbybop Music. 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 
Announcer: Chris Norton 
(c) Presbybop Music 

Episode 10 - Jazz and Charlie Brown  

 “The only time we heard jazz on television when I was a kid,” says trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, “was when A Charlie Brown Christmas came to town” Our guest for the next two episodes is Derrick Bang, music critic and author of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano. As Guaraldi’s biographer, he has a unique perspective on how the pianist’s music became an integral part of the animated Charlie Brown specials. 

You can get your own copy of Vince Guaraldi at the Piano by clicking here on Amazon or clicking here for the publisher’s page. 

Featured music: 

  • “Jamming on Three Chords,” an unreleased live recording, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Christmas Eve Band. Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 
  • “O Tannenbaum,” public domain, arranged by Bill Carter and the Presbybop Christmas Eve Band. Unreleased live recording. Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 
Announcer: Chris Norton 
(c) Presbybop Music

Bonus Episode - Jazz as Joy  

In this special episode, we offer musical highlights from the annual Jazz Christmas Eve event at First Presbyterian Church, Clarks Summit, PA. Our Presbybop Elves include Mike Carbone on saxophone, Tony Marino on bass, Marko Marcinko on drums, and Bill Carter on piano. 

Want to enjoy the video of the event? Go to https://youtu.be/xLqiV51k5t4

Featured music: 

  • Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming, from Jazz Noel, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Christmas Eve Band 
  • Angels We Have Heard on High, recorded live on Christmas Eve 
  • We Wish You a Merry Christmas, recorded live on Christmas Eve 

 

Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet 
Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) 
Announcer: Chris Norton 
(c) Presbybop Music