B3B4 is a long-awaited musical conversation between four Bay Area jazz veterans, combining the soulful growl of the Hammond B3 organ, the resonant bite of the tenor saxophone, the bluesy fluidity of the electric guitar and the propulsive groove of the drums. Their performances range from mid-tempo blues to warm, intricate ballads to driving up-tempo barnburners, and they reveal the fluency and experience of the group’s members in a wide range of genres. The quartet is heavily steeped in blues and bop, drawing upon the classic organ combos led by legends such as Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Larry Young, and Jimmy McGriff. The group is also building an extensive repertoire of original compositions.

Racketeer Radio KFQX presents Live Remotes, which broadcast live Bands & Artists on air only on Racketeer Radio KFQX. Listen live at www.RacketeerRadio.com or the Racketeer Radio KFQX App, available on both Apple and Android Marketplace.

Alejandro Del Valle is a self-taught master pianist, arranger and composer for bands, orchestras, dance music and music for film. Born in Cuba, he recently moved to the Bay Area after spending 25 years working inFrance. He has toured over 20 countries, including Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Russia, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Brazil, Canada and Cuba. Alejandro is also an educator and conducted master classes at the Salon de Provence and the Poitiers Conservatory. In 2004, he was the Music Director of “Les Orientales”, arranging and directing a 2-hour performance of Arabo-Andalusian Music by an orchestra at the National Theater of Algiers, the Francofolies de la Rochelle, at the Theatre Mogador in Paris and the “Fiesta du Sud” in Marcelle.

His latest project “Picking Up the Pieces” is a retrospective on his work, a musical conversation between his past and present as he navigates the uncertainty of a new life in the US. “Throughout my life as an artist, I have had numerous sources of inspiration. I usually start from the rhythms of Cuban and Afro-Cuban music but use them in a fusion environment rather than traditional music. Living in South of France, I had musical contact with the gypsy music that reigns in Spain, from which I have borrowed many traditional chords to compose pieces like“Vicente’s Song”. There, I also had contact with North African music from Algeria, which inspired me to start working with the 6/8 rhythm as captured in my piece “On the roof.” In particular, I mix all my past and present work to make up the different compositions. A series of compositions called “Elements” were inspired by the way percussionists feel music. In recent years I have incorporated elements of Rag Time to interpret the contemporary Cuban music, written at the beginning of the 20th century. This work in turn inspired me to compose “Contradanzas” with a perfume from the past. In general, I weave cinematic images and scenes throughout my music. I have always felt that my music pieces are like films without images, something like Mendelssohn’s “Songs Without Words”.

Originally aired: June 5 2024

Alejandro Del Valle Trio

Mr. Tipples

Racketeer Radio KFQX

Racketeer Radio KFQX presents Live Remotes, which broadcast live Bands & Artists on air only on Racketeer Radio KFQX. Listen live at www.RacketeerRadio.com or the Racketeer Radio KFQX App, available on both Apple and Android Marketplace.

About the Artist:

Hey Y’all!! My name is Tenia Nelson, and I live, eat, and breathe music! As a LifeForce Jazz Records artist, pianist, percussionist, composer and arranger, and educator, I have 20 years (plus) teaching experience in ALL levels of education (Early Childhood through University). At the present time, I teach privately in my music studio, teach classes at Neighborhood Music at Stanley Marketplace and I also mentor future musicians through GRAMMY U. I received my Bachelors of Music Education Degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2004, and My Masters of Music Degree (Jazz Studies) from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2010. I am a board member of The Gift of Jazz organization, a non-profit based in Denver, which actively supports jazz performance in the Rocky Mountain region, in particular, to ensure that jazz remains a creative force in Colorado. I am also a very proud and active member of the Recording Academy. In addition to teaching, I perform regularly at jazz venues in the Denver metro area, including Dazzle at Baur’s and Nocturne. I am a freelance music artist and play all types of music! I co-lead a well-known Denver-based jazz group, Spherio, which focuses on arranging and playing the music of Thelonious Sphere Monk (Tenia Nelson, keys; Brendan O’ Donoghue, bass; and Andreas Schmid, drums). I also lead a group called Tenia Nelson Trio (Tenia Nelson, keys; Brendan O’ Donoghue, bass; Alex Tripp, drums). In addition, as a freelance music artist, I play all types of music. One example would be playing with Jon Romero and the Taco Cats(Latin Jazz/Funk/Rock). I have played with Dianne Reeves, Ron Miles, Tia Fuller, Hugh Ragin, Kenny Walker, Brad Goode, Rico Jones, Gabe Mervine, Greg Harris, Greg Gisbert and Adam Deitch to name a few. Most recently, Denver’s premiere jazz radio station KUVO (declared one of the best jazz radio stations in the world) featured my music and Spherio! Denver, Colorado, is a city with long-standing, well-supported jazz traditions, from visits by jazz greats in the 30s and 40s in the historic Five Points area, to the current day. As such, this provides me with unique opportunities to perform with an array of awesome local and international musicians, which serves to further my growth as a jazz musician.

Originally aired: May 15 2024

Tenia Nelson

Mr. Tipples

Racketeer Radio KFQX