Episodes – The Real Deal Jazz: Recent Episodes
Orbark Productions
Before rising to prominence in North America, Mark Anthony Ruffin was a presence in Chicago jazz radio for over 25 years, where he was also Jazz Editor at Chicago Magazine from 1982 to 2007. He has had a varied multi-tasked career in radio, television, journalism, recorded music, and film – with a focus on Jazz and American […]
Described as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal) she recently sang the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, played with U2 at the Apollo, sat in with the Dave Matthews band, was a featured guest with Jon Batiste and performed the Star Spangled Banner at Madison […]
2019 Grammy Nominee, Carmen Bradford, was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Altadena, California. Carmen Bradford grew up with music in her home and in her heart. It was only natural that Carmen would follow in the footsteps of her great family legacy being the daughter of legendary cornetist/composer Bobby Bradford and world-renown jazz vocalist/composer/author […]
A multi-instrumentalist and composer who performs on trumpet, bass and drums, Brad Goode is recognized as a unique stylist with a highly creative approach to improvisation. He has recorded on many jazz albums, including 18 as a leader for the Delmark, Sunlight, SteepleChase and Origin labels. Brad Goode earned a BM degree in classical trumpet […]
Known for her avid support and leadership in arts education, Mary Jo Papich is a co-founder and first president of the Jazz Education Network (June 1, 2008) which has membership in all U.S. states and 22 countries. Through her efforts in JEN Outreach over 50,000 people have experienced America’s art form. She is the founder/artistic […]
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Kobie began as a small child listening and watching his father (Alious C. Watkins) playing drums in the church. Kobie started with pots and pans as a toddler. Yet over time he has developed a personal system of timely discipline and structure for music and life skill. He has progressed […]
Regarded as one of the world’s biggest advocates of jazz education, DownBeat magazine publisher Frank Alkyer has dedicated his professional life to keeping this uniquely American musical genre alive and thriving. A native of northeast Ohio with a lifelong passion for music, Alkyer joined DownBeat in 1989 as editorial director. As publisher, a role he has held since 2003, […]
New Orleans born saxophonist Donald Harrison is a musician/composer who master musicians consider a master of every era of jazz, soul, funk, and a composer of orchestral classical music. He is also a genius, according to geniuses like Eddie Palmieri and Mike Clark. In the HBO drama Treme, Emmy winning director David Simon created two characters to […]
Ricky Riccardi’s devotion to Louis Armstrong began when he was a high school freshman in Toms River, New Jersey. Then 15, the future director of research collections at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in New York caught Armstrong’s cameo in The Glenn Miller Story. Already a fan of the Preservation […]
Ross grew up in a harmonious home with three older sisters and police officers for parents in a quiet South Side neighborhood. By 3, he and his twin had spent enough time beating on things around the house that it was deemed wisest to buy them separate toddler-sized drum sets. Before long they were taking […]