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Songs in the Key of Life stands apart, even next to the other four albums in Stevie Wonder's classic period. It resulted in the most hit singles: "I Wish", "Sir Duke", "As" and "Another Star".
Chris Molanphy of the Hit Parade podcast leads us through this album's incredible charts story. Not only did it produce FOUR singles, but it inspired two other chart-topping hits: Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" and Will Smith's "Wild Wild West".
Plus — Peter and Adam nerd out on the keys, dissecting every track to highlight the musical complexity that makes Songs in the Key of Life a favorite among jazz musicians. You may have heard Songs in the Key of Life ... possibly many times. But you've never heard it quite like this!
00:00 - Intro Jam: "As"
02:13 - The Chart Story Behind SITKOL
05:40 - The Long Wait for Songs in the Key of Life
12:45 - "Love's In Need of Love Today"
19:40 - Comparing Stevie to Prince
20:30 - "I Wish"
24:00 - The Ultimate Crossover Hitmaker
27:25 - "Sir Duke"
32:30 - Making Jazz Fun
37:25 - "Passtime Paradise"
40:00 - Stevie the Synth Innovator
43:50 - How Stevie Commanded the Charts
46:40 - How Was This Track Not a Hit Single?
52:00 - This Hit Was NOT On an Album
56:00 - The SITKOL Jazz Standard
1:00:30 - "Another Star"
1:04:05 - "As"
1:15:00 - How SITKOL Singles Broke Ground
1:22:20 - Our Favorite SITKOL Tracks
1:25:35 - The Best Moments on SITKOL
1:29:50 - Bespoke Spotify Playlists
1:32:45 - What to Listen to Next
1:35:20 - Quibble Bits
1:37:50 - How "Snobby" is This Record?
1:40:50 - Is it Better than Kind of Blue?
1:42:40 - Packaging Gets a 10/10
1:45:00 - Outro: "As"
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
1959 gave us Kind of Blue, Time Out ... and Mingus Ah Um. Adam and Peter dig into Charles Mingus’s most adventurous, soulful record: gospel, bebop, and pure Mingus genius. You’ve never heard it quite like this.
Charles Mingus was one of jazz's greatest bass players AND composers. Listen with us as we break down the genius in every track of his best-selling record, and share stories of the brilliant, chaotic, occasionally volatile man behind Mingus Ah Um.
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00:00 — Opening Jam: "Better Git It In Your Soul"
01:40 — What's happening at Open Studio
3:15 — 1959: What a Great Year!
5:40 — Early Mingus
10:40 — "All the Things You Can C#" from Mingus at the Bohemia
11:40 — "A Foggy Day" from Pithecanthropus Erectus
16:15 — "Better Get Hit In Your Soul"
23:35 — This One is For the Nerds
27:50 — "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"
34:36 — "Boogie Stop Shuffle"
38:30 — "Self-Portrait in Three Colors"
40:30 — The Duke Ellington Influence
45:10 — "Open Letter to Duke"
48:05 — "Bird Calls"
49:00 — "Fables of Faubus"
56:40 - "Pussy Cat Dues"
58:15 — "Jelly Roll"
1:00:15 — Categories
1:10:50 — GALA
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
At Town Hall captures a pivotal moment in Nina Simone's story, when she left behind her dream of being a concert pianist and embraced her identity as an indefinable and remarkable talent.
At Town Hall shows off Nina’s classical chops, infused with the jazz influences from working in nightclubs and mixed with the folk and gospel sounds of her youth. Adam and Peter pull apart the tracks to highlight each element of her unique musical blend.
This may not be one of her most recognizable albums, but it is one of her most interesting. It's made even more fascinating by the fact that Nina met bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Ben Riley only as they walked on stage! Listen to hear her arranging and composing on the spot.
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Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://osjazz.link/yhi
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
In 1981, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones set out on one of the most ambitious projects in pop music history: an album where every song was a hit. The result was Thriller. The record-breaking, chart-topping masterpiece produced six top-ten hits, became the best-selling album of all time, and propelled Black American music into global pop dominance.
Watch as jazz musicians Peter Martin and Adam Maness react to this iconic '80s pop album. They break it down track-by-track: MJ's timeless ad-libbed melodies, Ndugu Chancler's drum intros (the greatest in pop history?!), Greg Phillinganes's synths, and Rod Temperton's songwriting.
Thriller is so much more than "Thriller". Listen with us, and you'll never hear this record the same way again.
Michael Jackson unveils the moonwalk at NBC's Motown 25 special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB7TqzPVt_M&t=538s
Greg Phillinganes breaks down the bass line on "Thriller": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UqxOg3M-OM
Adam and Peter analyze Off the Wall: https://youtu.be/jR9zxGueeq4
Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
In light of D'Angelo's passing, we're replaying our episode on Voodoo from June 2025. This Grammy-winning, genre-defying album changed the sound of R&B, soul, and hip-hop forever. And it has seriously influenced the playing of so many musicians, including our own Adam Maness.
From Questlove’s behind-the-beat drumming to Roy Hargrove’s horn arrangements, Voodoo is packed with the kind of deep musicality that jazz musicians truly connect with.
Twenty-five years later, Voodoo still hits harder than many albums of its generation. We've heard from so many of you in the comments on Spotify and YouTube about what this album, and D'Angelo's music, means to you.
Tell us how D'Angelo has influenced you in the comments on Spotify or YouTube: https://youtu.be/AYqmFNF2s0U
Watch Open Studio perform D'Angelo's "Spanish Joint":
https://youtu.be/CG5yqmkj0G4
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
Hip hop wouldn’t sound the same without jazz. From A Tribe Called Quest to PinkPantheress, jazz provides the groove behind of some of the most iconic tracks of the genre.
Diallo Riddle and Luxxury of One Song join Adam and Peter to geek out on deep cuts and the genius behind hip hop’s greatest jazz samples. We explore how sampling has shaped both genres, why the art of “borrowing” has always been part of the jazz tradition, and why some jazz musicians don't get paid for their contributions to hip hop.
If you loved our episode with Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding from Switched On Pop, you’ll love this one. We cover a lot of ground, so dive into our full playlist of every track we discuss. Find that here.
YHI x Switched On Pop episode on jazz influences in hip hop.
One Song episode on Patrice Rushen's "Remind Me".
One Song episode on A Tribe Called Quest's "Electric Relaxation".
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The RH Factor’s Hard Groove might sound uncontroversial to modern ears, but in the early 2000s it was revolutionary. With this record, Roy Hargrove broke away from the straight-ahead jazz revival of the Young Lions era and created something entirely new. Hard Groove blended Roy’s trumpet with the voices of R&B and soul heavyweights like D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Common, artists whose platinum-selling albums (Voodoo, Mama’s Gun, Like Water for Chocolate) already featured Roy’s melodic horn playing and orchestral arrangements.
With Hard Groove, Roy flipped the script: instead of lending his sound to the hip hop and neo-soul world, he invited those artists into a jazz record. The result was a landmark project that blurred genres and redefined what jazz could be in the 21st century.
Less than 24 hours left to vote for You'll Hear It in the Signal Awards! Help us win a People's Choice Award for Best Music Podcast: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/music
Want more neo-soul? Check out our Voodoo episode: https://youtu.be/AYqmFNF2s0U
Watch the documentary "Hargrove": https://youtu.be/liK1u6DQQ4M?si=SZ83SNHazZX2JMIm
Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://osjazz.link/yhi
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
Joni Mitchell’s Blue, a folk masterpiece, has inspired jazz musicians since its release in 1971. Is it because she sings like a horn player? Her improvisational melodies? Her unconventional chord structures? Her confessional songwriting?
We dive into every song on Blue, breaking down her favorite chords and her vocal phrasing to understand what makes this album great. You’ll never hear this record the same way again.
Watch to the end to see the Open Studio band’s extended interpretation of our favorite song off this record: “River.”
You'll Hear It has been nominated for a Listener's Choice award for Best Music Podcast at the Signal Awards. Vote for us here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/music
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It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
John Coltrane's A Love Supreme: Some call it the greatest album of the 20th century. Others say it isn't even Coltrane's best album ... of 1965.
No matter where you think it sits in the jazz music canon, Coltrane's love letter to God is a masterpiece. We break it down track-by-track, chord-by-chord to uncover what makes this album such a rewarding listen from front to back.
This week marks 99 years since Coltrane's birth. In his honor, we look back at this episode from 2024, where we listen deeply to what just may be Coltrane's magnum opus.
Looking for more Coltrane? Here are 6 Songs To Turn Coltrane Curious Into Coltrane Converted:
https://youtu.be/aSdNNTmL7Yk
Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://osjazz.link/yhi
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
We're talking jazz influences in hip hop today with Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding from Switched On Pop. We dig into tracks from Kendrick Lamar (there's that TPAB acronym!), Common, Cautious Clay and David Bowie to surface the musical qualities that explain why jazz musicians love these artists.
Plus - we explore the striking similarities between jazz and hip hop, especially in the recording booth, and why we don't hear more jazz in the popular music canon.
Check out our Robert Glasper episode:
https://youtu.be/hsJpuqtNH9o
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We’re diving back into Stevie Wonder with Innervisions, right in the heart of his classic period from 1972 to 1976. There’s something magical about this stretch of music history, and Innervisions stands as one of the greatest albums to emerge from it.
Stevie wrote every song on this album, and played every instrument on many tracks. From "Too High" to "Living For The City" to "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", we pull apart these incredible songs to spend time with the many sides of Stevie Wonder: bass player, drummer, lyricist, and vocalist. Plus -- we're bringing back the keys for this one so Peter and Adam can pull apart all the musical nuances that make jazz musicians love Stevie Wonder so much.
Adam breaks down why jazz musicians love Stevie in our You'll Read It newsletter. Sign up for personal reflections and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of You'll Hear It.
Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs.
This episode references our episode on Talking Book, "Is This Stevie's Greatest Album?" Check it out here.
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
There is no more important relationship in this era of music than that of Miles Davis and John Coltrane; two masters ever-present in the musical and cultural landscape. Someday My Prince Will Come marks the last time Coltrane and Davis played together, and it couldn't be more perfect.
We dive into how their partnership played out on stage and in the recording studio over the years, and how their dynamic on Someday My Prince Will Come marks a handoff from ’50s jazz to the rock and roll sound of the ’60s, with Coltrane leading the way.
And Miles Davis, even more so than a masterful trumpet player or composer, was a tastemaker. From the musicians he picked, to the chord changes, to his choice of album art, we explore how this record brings it all together in one phenomenal package.
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🔵 Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs.
🎹 Welcome to You’ll Hear It!
Your destination for laid‑back jazz chats, nerdy chords, and genuine conversations with Adam Maness and Peter Martin.
If you love spontaneous piano sessions, deep dives into jazz theory, or discovering community around two laid‑back hosts, you’re in the right place.
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
When does Afro Blue and Smells Like Teen Spirit belong on the same record? When it's a Robert Glasper album! In 2012, Glasper's Black Radio brought together artists like Erykah Badu to bring a jazz standard, Afro Blue, back into the popular music canon. Black Radio hit #1 on the jazz charts, while simultaneously reaching #4 on the hip-hop R&B charts and #15 on the Top 200.
The Blue Note pianist has been bending genres since the 90s, bringing together the best of traditional jazz and weaving it seamlessly with R&B, hip-hop, soul and rock & roll. And it all fits, because Glasper is equally at home in all of these categories. He grew up listening to all kinds of music, like Nirvana, Billy Joel, Busta Rhymes -- everything. Black Radio, he says, was a way to put his "life on wax".
Rob Harvilla from 60 Songs to Explain the 90s: The 2000s joins Adam and Peter to dive into what makes this album great, and how it refutes from any attempt to categorize it. From the J. Dilla Influence, to Casey Benjamin's album-defining flute, to the Erykah Badu of it all, you'll never hear this album the same way again.
And this album inspired what is possibly our best YHI outro yet. Let us know if you agree!
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It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is undoubtedly one of the best pop rock albums ever. But the story behind its creation reads like a soap opera. Everyone -- Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mic Fleetwood -- were enduring heartbreak during its recording. Stevie and Lindsey were breaking up. The McVies had already split, but John wasn't ready to let go. Even Mic Fleetwood was separating from his wife back home. For three months, they were stuck in a recording booth together nearly round the clock, singing each other's breakup songs and harmonizing with their exes.
Heartbreak is encoded in every song, from Lindsey Buckingham's "Never Going Back Again" to Christine McVie's "You Make Loving Fun" to Stevie Nick's "Dreams". But in spite of ... or maybe because of? ... this termoil, Rumours has become one the best selling albums of all time.
Peter and Adam listen to this pop rock masterpiece front-to-back, deconstructing each song (and the stories behind them) to understand what makes this album great.
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Keyboards? Albums we haven't covered. "Boomer" talk. We know you have opinions about this show. Help us make You'll Hear It better by sharing your feedback with us and answering a short survey. You could win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards! Visit youllhearitsurvey.com to learn more and fill out the survey.
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
Today we're going on an aquatic journey with Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage. Herbie calls the title track the best tune he's ever written. We dive deep into the music to explore what makes this tune, and this album, great.
The roots of Maiden Voyage date back in 1963, when Herbie began hearing rumors that Miles Davis wanted to hear him play. He didn't believe it at first -- Miles was at the height of his celebrity by this point. But soon he got a call. He went over to Miles's house and played with him, George Coleman, Tony Williams and Ron Carter for three days. On the third day, Miles asks the group to come to studio to record Seven Steps to Heaven. Herbie says, "Does that mean I'm in the band?" Miles says, "You're making the record, mother f**cker!"
After two years playing in what many call the one of the greatest jazz ensembles of all time, Herbie would release Maiden Voyage in 1965. Along with George, Tony and Ron, plus saxophonist Freddie Hubbard. Although it is one of his simplest tunes -- with a rhythm inspired by a cologne commercial -- Maiden Voyage would become a favorite and a standard among jazz musicians.
In this episode, you'll hear:
- Adam and Peter pick apart the greatest moments from the album, including some perfect solos
- The story of the commercial roots of this jazz standard
- Where the record got its aquatic theme
- Why a great song starts with a great bassline (just ask Ron Carter)
- How this record could have been even better ... if it weren't for that piano sound
- Where we land on Van Gelder Sound controversy
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Keyboards? Albums we haven't covered. "Boomer" talk. We know you have opinions about this show. Help us make You'll Hear It better by sharing your feedback with us and answering a short survey. You could win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards! Visit youllhearitsurvey.com to learn more and fill out the survey.
Want more Herbie Hancock content? Learn why Herbie's greatest era is not even jazz on last season's episode on Headhunters.
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
Broken Record's Justin Richmond joins us to talk Still Crazy After All These Years. Paul Simon's Grammy-winning album was born out of divorce, and produced some of his greatest songs of all time, like 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, My Little Town and I Do It For Your Love.
We dive into the story behind this remarkable album, including Steve Gadd's famous drum beat and how Stevie Wonder's Innervisions may have been the catalyst for Paul Simon's divorce?! Plus - Adam shares why this has been such a transformative album for him, and how it influenced his playing.
And, we ask: Is this the ultimate sad boy album? Is this the apex moment of boomerism? We kick off our new season with these questions and so much more!
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It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
We turn our own categories back on ourselves! We're looking back on the past 20 epiosdes, which we're calling You'll Hear It Season 12, and ask:
- What are our apex moments?
- What are our desert island tracks?
- Is season 12 better than Kind of Blue?!
And - we hear from you, dear listeners. You sent in your questions on Speakpipe, and we answer them. Plus - look ahead at what's coming up next season.
☎️ Leave us a Speakpipe
New to You'll Hear It? Start with these apex moments:
🔴 What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
🔴 Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
🔴 (Honorable mention) Voodoo - D'Angelo
Larry Goldings' Jazz Organ Essentials:
🟠 Listen to Larry's favorite organ tracks
🔵 Start your FREE TRIAL to Larry's new course
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
The ultimate musical showdown: jazz vs classical. We bring in conductor Josh Weilerstein from the Sticky Notes podcast to compare, contrast and find the common ground among these two very different schools of music.
From Duke Ellington's swinin' take on Peer Gynt to George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, we explore the tunes and the musicians blurring the line between jazz and classical. Josh, Adam and Peter each bring their own picks to the conversation, and have the best time breaking it all down.
Nerdy? Extremely. Snobby? A little. Fun? Heck yeah!
In this episode you'll hear:
- Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major: Herbie Hancock vs the Cleveland Orchestra
- How Duke Ellington made classical standards swingin'
- Why Bartók matters to modern music
- Two very different interpretations of Rhapsody In Blue
- Brubeck’s Blue Rondo à la Turk: no improv, still loose
- Miles Davis and Gil Evans doing Adagio
Check out Josh’s insightful dives into the classical canon on Sticky Notes podcast
It’s Black Friday at Open Studio! Grab our biggest savings of the year and take your playing to the next level: https://www.openstudiojazz.com/yhi/
John Coltrane’s Giant Steps isn’t just a jazz classic — it’s a rite of passage. Peter Martin and Adam Maness dig into what makes the album so technically punishing and emotionally electrifying. From the iconic solo on the title track to the symmetrical harmonies, the lightning-fast chord changes, the fiery swing of Cousin Mary, and the full-throttle chaos of Countdown, they unpack the brilliance, the feel, and the mythology. Whether you’ve studied this album or are hearing it with fresh ears, you’ll come away understanding Coltrane — and Giant Steps — like never before.
You’ll hear:
- Adam’s deep dive into Coltrane’s use of symmetrical harmony and lightning fast chord changes — and why it still stumps players today
- A glimpse into Coltrane’s early years with Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie
- The truth about Tommy Flanagan’s controversial solo — was he lost or just playing it cool?
- How Giant Steps became the tune every jazz musician has to face
- Apex moments, desert island tracks, and a spirited debate: is Giant Steps better than Kind of Blue?