After the local news at noon, an exploration of the often overlooked world of jazz cellists, including Abdul Wadud who died at age 75 on August 10. As a memorial, this broadcast will feature improvising cellists as composers, bandleaders, and collaborators, spanning from one of the earliest proponents of cello, Oscar Pettiford, to contemporary cellists such as Tomeka Reid and Erik Friedlander. Wadud will be heard in a variety of settings: solo, duos, and ensembles. Featuring music by Abdul Wadud (‘Happiness'); Oscar Pettiford ('In a Cello Way’); Chico Hamilton (“Gong’s East’); Fred Katz (‘Katz Up’); Ron Carter with Eric Dolphy (‘Rally’); Arthur Blythe (‘Illusions’); Julius Hemphill and Abdul Wadud (‘Dream’); Julius Hemphill (‘Dogon A.D.’); Deirdre Murray (‘Calypso’); Marty Ehrlich and the Dark Woods Ensemble (‘Charlie in the Parker‘); Hank Roberts (‘Cola People’); Bill Frisell (’Struggle Pt. 2’); Artifacts Trio (‘Light on the Path’); Tomeka Reid (’Niki’s Bop’); Tomeka Reid and Filippo Monico (‘Imitations of Things to Come’); Fred Lomberg-Holm, Michael Bisio, Kirk Knuffke (’Things Hum’); Masada String Trio (’Turel’); Sara Serpa (‘Close Up’); and Abdul Wadud (‘In a Breeze’).

“Overlooked” is a show focusing on overlooked and under-heard jazz, improvisational, and other fringe music, from early roots to contemporary experiments, a mix of familiar to rare, classic to weird. Live from the shadow of Overlook Mountain in Ulster County.

Host Rob Saffer is the former Executive Director and Producer of the Creative Music Foundation. While living in Brooklyn for 25 years, he served on advisory boards for Celebrate Brooklyn and Symphony Space. He also curated the Brooklyn Museum’s summer jazz series and helped found The Mingus Big Band.

Overlooked Playlist Archive