WIESTWORLD is an exciting, entertaining, hilarious, and educational look at the world of the arts and beyond. Hosted by multi-Grammy-nominated trombonist/composer/author and cartoonist Steve Wiest. Each show has a character all its own with unique topics that quite often include a major guest from the arts. Check it out today and join the party!
WiestWorld
WIESTWORLD is an exciting, entertaining, hilarious, and educational look at the world of the arts and beyond. Hosted by multi-Grammy-nominated trombonist/composer/author and cartoonist Steve Wiest. Each show has a character all its own with unique topics that quite often include a major guest from the arts. Check it out today and join the party!
Video Version Can Be Found Here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv8yhsfJuFzth_3JaGx6sc561I_kFZMAY
In this episode, I bring back my dear friend Paul McKee to go deep into his composition and arranging persona which has generated some of the most enjoyable and iconic works in the modern large jazz ensemble cannon of today.
We go into SO much, in fact , that I’ve generated a helpful time stamp outline below so that you can surf around and snack on all the goodness at your leisure. Below the time stamp list you’ll also find some links for a few of the things we discussed.
So dive on in and have fun!
Some links from the show: Paul’s Impact: https://www.colorado.edu/music/2025/03/13/impact-influence-jazz-polymath-paul-mckee
“Here’s to Life” Shirley Horn (a McKee Go-To Recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ8tozU5JII
Thad Jones Mel Lewis “Consummation” (Another McKee Go-To Album) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHFVQLjwXPE&list=PLm4I8tP6UbWawkiCStUlMGEmUGoqGpQJ1
The Individualism of Gil Evans (Another Got-to McKee Recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAdT7NAFiSw
00:00 Intro
00:54 Introducing Paul McKee!
02:16 Enjoying Retirement
03:48 The Composition Discussion Begins
04:06 How and When Did Paul Begin Writing?
06:45 Paul’s First Big Band Chart (Studying with Hank Levy at the Stan Kenton Jazz Camp)
09:18 Paul’s Earliest Writing Years — Learning by Asking
10:28 In the Days of Pencil and Paper
14:38 Writing in College
16:46 Paul’s Early Influences in Writing 22:05 Playing and Writing: Two Sides of the Same Coin
27:57 Norman Returns!
29:07 Paul Talks About the Writing Process
6:37 The Tsunami vs the Narrative
39:44 Paul Takes the WIESTWORLD Inquisition!
56:25 INTERMISSION
57:12 Discussion: “Bitter Jug”
01:04:27 Performance: “Bitter Jug”
01:10:20 Discussion: “The Messenger”
01:17:25 Performance: “The Messenger”
01:28:12 Discussion: “Higher Ground” (Stevie Wonder)
01:35:04 Performance: “Higher Ground”
01:42:15 Discussion: “Naima” (John Coltrane)
01:50:35 Performance: “Naima”
01:57:51 The Powerhouse Wrap-Up!
