You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians
Peter Martin & Adam Maness
The best hang in music. Jazz pianists Adam Maness and Peter Martin break down the greatest albums of all time, track-by-track. Like Thriller, Kid A, Songs In the Key of Life, Aja, and Voodoo. They use their deep knowledge of music theory to uncover the hidden qualities that make music work - harmony, groove, composition and production - while demonstrating at the keys and playing isolated stems. Then, watch them perform their favorite track with our in-house band: One shot, one take. You'll never hear music the same way again.
A video podcast from Open Studio, the #1 online jazz education platform.
A video podcast from Open Studio, the #1 online jazz education platform.
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
May 11, 2026 • 53min
Mothership Connection – Parliament
Two jazz pianists break down Mothership Connection track by track. They spotlight Bootsy Collins bass lines, isolated bass and drum stems, and the album's New Orleans roots. They trace sampling and cultural impact on hip-hop and pop. They unpack weird textures, syncopation, and Afrofuturist mythology in the album's standout grooves.
20 snips
May 7, 2026 • 19min
WOAH: Angine de Poitrine Might Be It
A dive into microtonal breakthroughs and the striking visuals behind Angine Des Poitrines. A spotlight on jazz moods from Jeremy Pelt and Tigran Hamasian. Explorations of intimate trio textures, collaborative improvisation, and prepared piano experiments. A look at MIDI orchestration paired with live drums and lush new singles.
21 snips
May 4, 2026 • 1h 1min
Genius + Soul = Jazz – Ray Charles
Christian McBride, Grammy-winning bassist and bandleader, shares his pick: a daring Ray Charles album. They dig into Ray on Hammond B3, big-band Quincy Jones arrangements, the organ’s bebop language, and how the record hints at early funk. Short listening breaks and lively breakdowns spotlight standout tracks and the players who make this record unexpectedly revolutionary.
41 snips
Apr 27, 2026 • 1h 28min
Kid A – Radiohead
Two jazz pianists break down the sounds and production choices that make Kid A unforgettable. They trace Thom Yorke’s creative crisis and the band’s shift after OK Computer. Detailed takes cover rhythm, synth textures, vocal processing, and the album’s ambient interludes. They highlight jazz connections, standout tracks, and the back-half’s emotional arc.
19 snips
Apr 20, 2026 • 1h 12min
Cookin', Relaxin', Workin', and Steamin' – Miles Davis Quintet
A deep dive into Miles Davis’s 1956 comeback and the four quick Prestige records that followed. Conversations about the first great quintet lineup and the chemistry between trumpet, sax, piano, bass, and drums. Examinations of Red Garland’s signature voicings, Paul Chambers’ prominent bass lines, studio chatter moments, and why this rhythm section might be legendary.
12 snips
Apr 13, 2026 • 1h 7min
I Want You – Marvin Gaye
They unpack how Marvin Gaye discovered Leon Ware's demo and claimed the whole project. They break down the title track’s long intro, harmonies, and vocal layering. They debate whether the rest of the sensual, jazz-inflected album matches that opener. They trace production touches, Moog and percussion textures, and the album’s place after What’s Going On.
13 snips
Apr 6, 2026 • 59min
Buena Vista Social Club
A serendipitous Cuban recording session that revived decades-old musicians and became a global sensation. Track-by-track listening dissects son, bolero, descarga and tumbao grooves. Stories of rediscovery, unique instruments, and a pianist who hadn’t owned a piano in years. Musical textures, cultural impact, and a few desert-island favorites get spotlighted.
11 snips
Mar 30, 2026 • 1h 12min
"Money Jungle" – Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Max Roach
Three towering jazz personalities collide in a tense studio session that still provokes debate. They unpack the recording day drama, production and piano sound complaints, and Mingus’s menacing bass moments. The hosts trace each musician’s 1962 context and replay standout tracks that mix brilliance with visible friction.
24 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 25min
Best New Jazz Of March 2026
A lively roundup of March 2026 jazz releases, spotlighting Flea's trumpet-rooted project and its eclectic covers. Deep dives into new recordings from Walter Smith III, Mark Turner and Ben Wendel. Live sets and debut albums from rising artists including Ella Grace and Emmanuel Wilkins are highlighted. The show closes with a nod to Bill Frisell's latest atmospheric work.
21 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 1h 6min
"Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington" – Thelonious Monk
A lively dive into Monk interpreting Duke Ellington's repertoire. They spotlight Monk’s trio rearrangements, Oscar Pettiford’s melodic bass work, and Kenny Clarke’s innovative drumming. The conversation traces Monk’s early career, Riverside’s strategy to broaden his audience, and standout track comparisons that reveal how familiar tunes were reinvented.
