Host Maggie LePique & Stanley Clarke discuss the new release "Last Train to Sanity," a major project featuring new music, classic jazz-fusion remakes, and a significant autobiographical book, arriving as a 2-LP/CD set with a deluxe edition containing extra goodies, including a book called Notes From The Journey, "which is a book that goes from eight years old up until today,” Clarke says. “It has as much stuff as we could fit in there." Its available to pre-order January 26 2026, with the "4EVER" band supporting. Maggie & Stanley also discuss musicians who have had a life long and meaningful influence on the Four-time Grammy Award winner. “The 4EVER band includes drummer Jeremiah Collier, Colin Cook on guitar, Emilio Modeste on tenor sax and clarinet and Jahari Stampley on piano and keyboard. Special guest appearances throughout include a thrilling bass duet with Cameroonian bassist, Armand Sabal-Lecco, a beautiful reimagining of Clarke’s piece “Tradition” with Ruslan Sirota on piano and a duet between Stanley and Salar Nader, one of the most sought-after young tabla players.”

Stanley Clarke is one of the most celebrated acoustic and electric bass players in the world. He is equally gifted as a recording artist, performer, composer, conductor, arranger, producer, and film score composer. A true pioneer in jazz and jazz-fusion, Clarke is particularly known for his ferocious bass dexterity and consummate musicality. An accomplished film and TV composer of more than 70 projects, Clarke's credits include the Academy Award®-nominated Boyz N The Hood, the Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got To Do With It, and Barbershop: The Next Cut.

Stanley remains as driven today as the teen prodigy from Philly with big dreams, and now, a lifetime of legendary accomplishments and contributions.

Stanley Clarke and the 4EVER band will be performing Thurs. January 22-Sunday January 25, 2026 at the Blue Note Los Angeles in Hollywood. 2 shows nightly at 7pm and 9:30pm

Source: https://www.bluenotejazz.com/la/shows/?calendar_view

Source: https://stanleyclarke.com/

Host Maggie LePique, a radio veteran since the 1980's at NPR in Kansas City Mo. She began her radio career in Los Angeles in the early 1990's and has worked for Pacifica station KPFK Radio in Los Angeles since 1994.

Send us a text

Support the show

@profileswithmaggielepique
@maggielepique

Maggie & John C. Reilly discuss “What’s Not to Love?” Mister Romantic’s debut album out now on Eternal Magic Recordings is a collection of beloved songs from the American Songbook reimagined by Reilly and his Grammy-winning band.

“What’s Not To Love?” was recorded in 2024 in Los Angeles at Nest Recorders and was co-produced by Reilly and Davíd Garza. In addition to Garza on piano and guitar, the band also includes Gabe Witcher on violin, Sebastian Steinberg on bass, and Charles De Castro on accordion and cornet.
CREATED BY JOHN C. REILLY

“I looked at our weary world a few years ago and tried to think of a way I could spread love and empathy. I decided the most fun way to do that was through performing and singing and telling people I love them…so the emotional vaudeville show Mister Romantic was born, out of both hope and despair.”

From studying theater as a kid growing up in Chicago, to amateur clowning as a teen and studying acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University, to his Oscar-nominated role starring in the film adaptation of Chicago and beloved performance starring in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, to his TONY-nominated performance in Sam Shepard’s True West, and more, theater and music have been pillars of John’s career.

What’s Not To Love? is a collection of gorgeous renditions of songs from the Great American Songbook backed by a band of multiple GRAMMY®-winners.

On lead single “Dream” Reilly delivers a gentle, dreamy sea-side cover of the 1944 Johnny Mercer song, which has previously been recorded by Frank Sinatra and Roy Orbison.

The album was recorded in 2024 in Los Angeles at Nest Recorders and was co-produced by Reilly and Davíd Garza (Fiona Apple, Sharon Van Etten). In addition to Garza on piano and guitar, the band also includes Gabe Witcher on violin (Punch Brothers, Rosanne Cash), Sebastian Steinberg on bass (Fiona Apple, Phoebe Bridgers), and Charles De Castro on accordion and cornet (Keb’ Mo’).

The 13 tracks include a pair of Irving Berlin songs, a trio of Tom Waits songs and many songs made famous by Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford and more. Reilly and this special band reimagine and re-embrace these beloved tunes and bring them again to another generation.

About the Live Show:
Prepare to be captivated by the incomparable John C. Reilly in Mister Romantic, a vaudeville show that has already garnered critical acclaim and captured the public’s imagination. The New York Times calls the show "wryly funny, sometimes tender and sad, but always sincere" and Vanity Fair describes it as “fiercely funny” and says "John C. Reilly is one hell of a singer." Mister Romantic asks you to open your heart to the love all around you and marks a new chapter in Reilly’s acclaimed career.

Source: https://www.misterromantic.com/

Source: https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets--events/seasons-/2025-26/mister-romantic/

Source: https://www.misterromantic.com/music

Host Maggie LePique, a radio veteran since the 1980's at NPR in Kansas City Mo. She began her radio career in Los Angeles in the early 1990's and has worked for Pacifica station KPFK Radio in Los Angeles since 1994.

Send us a text

Support the show

@profileswithmaggielepique
@maggielepique

In late September 2025, UMe, in conjunction with Frank Sinatra Enterprises, announced a new exclusive double-vinyl collection from Frank Sinatra, featuring his historic collaborations with Count Basie and Duke Ellington, entitled The Giants Of Jazz. This special release includes a pair of timeless albums—It Might As Well Be Swing with Count Basie and His Orchestra and Francis A. & Edward K. with Duke Ellington—newly remastered from the archival recordings. The package includes a new gatefold jacket design that incorporates rare photographs as well as the original artwork. Comprising seminal performances from Sinatra, Basie, and Ellington, the title The Giants Of Jazz couldn’t be more apropos. Maggie & Charlie discuss each of these legendary recordings starting with 1964's It Might As Well Be Swing with Sinatra accompanied by Basie in tandem with his orchestra on ten tracks for the second time following 1962’s Sinatra-Basie, and it was Sinatra’s first studio album arranged by Quincy Jones. We discuss the magic created by Quincy Jones and the beautiful lifelong friendship which began during this musically fruitful period in Sinatra's recording career. Then secondly, we discuss the genius of Duke Ellington and how the 2 came together. Sinatra was instrumental in bringing Ellington's orchestra to his Reprise Records label, creating the opportunity for them to work together on the album Francis A. & Edward K., which was recorded on Sinatra's 52nd birthday, December 12, 1967.

CHARLES PIGNONE is a producer and writer. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Sinatra Treasures and also The Copa, The Sinatra Family Photo Album and Sinatra 100. He has produced over 50 albums including “Sinatra: Nothing But The Best” and “Ultimate Sinatra.” Charles also co-produced Seth MacFarlene's most recent album Lush Life: The Lost Sinatra Arrangements. He also co-produced the television specials “Sinatra Sings,’ HBO documentary 'Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All’ and CBS’s ‘Sinatra 100’ Grammy special. Mr. Pignone began his association with Frank Sinatra in 1984 and is the president of Frank Sinatra Enterprises.

Source: https://www.sinatra.com/ume-release-new-frank-sinatra-double-vinyl-set-the-giants-of-jazz/

Source: https://www.sinatra.com/

Host Maggie LePique, a radio veteran since the 1980's at NPR in Kansas City Mo. She began her radio career in Los Angeles in the early 1990's and has worked for Pacifica station KPFK Radio in Los Angeles since 1994.

Send us a text

Support the show

@profileswithmaggielepique
@maggielepique