From the 70s and 80s music of the Weather Report to new sounds from 14-year-old pianist and composer Emily Baer, Capital Public Radio’s Jazz host Gary Vercelli has a wide range of music to explore.

Vercelli joins Insight with his favorite tracks and incredible stories surrounding the musicians.   

Below are notes and commentary from music Vercelli sampled on Insight.

Marilyn Scott       "Willow Weep For Me"       Standard Blue

A hauntingly beautiful arrangement of this standard written in 1932 by Ann Ronell. Russell Ferrante’s keyboard work and Jimmy Haslip on bass bathe Scott’s voice like a warm Jacuzzi.

Scott covers other classics in a highly original manner, including Billy Strayhorn’s “Day Dream” and Fats Waller’s “The Joint Is Jumpin’”.

Carol Robbins      "The Chill"       Taylor Street

Jazz harpist Carol Robbins is blossoming both as a soloist and composer. She is joined by L.A. studio musicians Billy Childs on keyboards and Bob Sheppard on tenor sax.

Some very nice ensemble playing here with Robbins writing all nine fresh and invigorating originals.

Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People   "Palladium"   Weather Or Not 

The music of Weather Report, one of the seminal fusion bands of the ‘70s and ‘80s, is reimagined by drummer Gerry Gibbs with Alex Collins on keyboards and Hans Glawischnig on bass.

Wayne Shorter has been a prolific composer and Gibbs' arrangement of Shorter’s “Palladium” breathes new life into a classic.

Emily Bear         "Indigo"       Into the Blue 

Only 14 years old, pianist and composer Emily Bear plays with a sense of maturity well beyond her age. This collection of five originals and one standard is dedicated to her mentor Quincy Jones (who produced her previous highly rated release on Concord). She is joined by New-York-based bassist Peter Slavov and drummer Mark McLean.

At age 6, Bear was the youngest ever to receive the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award. She is the 2016 recipient of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Jazz Composer of the Year Award.