NEW YORK, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz" performance and interview show on National Public Radio begins a new season Sept. 30 in this, her 85th birthday year.
McPartland has taped new segments with Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, director Sue Mingus and bassist Boris Kozlov from the Mingus Big Band, Bruce Hornsby, Kenny Barron, John Medeski, Jon Faddis, Jeanie Peterson, and Jack Reilly. She will also record programs for the award-winning series with Alicia Keyes, Orrin Evans, Boz Scaggs and actor/composer/jazz pianist Clint Eastwood.
The Costello performance will open the new season. Other shows will feature Chicago singer-pianist Judy Roberts, Pete Malinverni, Deanna Witkowski, festival impresario George Wein, Kenny Barron, Eric Clapton collaborator Chuck Leavell, singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kevin Eubanks and Bill Mays.
The program is produced by South Carolina Educational Radio, which also will broadcast this fall a two-hour McPartland birthday celebration at New York's Birdland jazz club.
The all-star party featured McPartland, multi-Grammy winner Norah Jones, Jason Moran, Ravi Coltrane, Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Billy Taylor, Tony Bennett, Nnenna Freelon, Barbara Carroll and Karrin Allyson.
