Marty Ashby is joined by drummer and jazz historian Thomas Wendt for his monthly visit. This time, we’re taking a deep dive into Cannonball Adderley: The EmArcy Years.
Before the landmark Riverside recordings and the soul-jazz classics that would define his legacy, Cannonball was already on fire. These EmArcy sessions from 1956 to 1958 capture a young Julian “Cannonball” Adderley bursting onto the national scene with authority, warmth, and unstoppable swing.
Drawing from To The Ivy League, Sophisticated Swing, Enroute, and Cannonball’s Sharpshooters, this program highlights the early chemistry between Cannonball and his brother Nat Adderley, along with standout performances from Junior Mance, Sam Jones, Jimmy Cobb, Charles “Spec” Wright, and Al McKibbon. The result is hard-bop energy, blues-soaked lyricism, and razor-sharp ensemble work.
From the earthy drive of “Another Kind of Soul” to the aching beauty of “Lover Man,” the tribute-filled “Tribute to Brownie,” and the high-octane closer “Stay On It,” this episode traces the sound of a master in the making.
If you know Cannonball for Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, this is where you hear the foundation being poured — bold, swinging, and unmistakably his.
Join us for a session that swings hard and reminds us why those EmArcy years still hit just right.
Hear it on the MCG Jazz Spotlight - Friday and Sunday night at 6, Saturday afternoon at 1 on WZUM
Thomas Wendt
