All That's Jazz: Recent Episodes
Allen Scott
This is where you'll hear conversations and the backstory about everything that's Jazz. Topics we'll explore include it all…artist profiles, the next generation, educators, festivals, venues, producers, photographers, painters, broadcasters, writers, even food and recipes from some of your favorite musicians.
Cuban-born “Master of the Ivories,” piano sensation Kemuel Roig, has just released a masterfully-crafted album titled ‘3Discovery: Volume 1, featuring eight original compositions. The music is delivered in the piano trio format that presents a wide range of Cuban rhythmic styles - from conga to mambo, cha-cha-cha, and danzón - with several tracks incorporating piano tumbao patterns.
The impressive ensemble for this recording includes Cuban-trained musicians, bassist Samuel Burgos, and drummer Juan Armando Diaz, both of whom live in the Miami area.
Kemuel’s extensive touring and performing resume is a star-studded roster of legendary artists that includes icons Aymée Nuviola and Arturo Sandoval. In our conversation, Kemuel credits Sandoval as one of a trio of individuals who have been extraordinarily influential in his successful career development. The other two are renowned pianist and educator, Shelly Berg, and Kemuel’s longtime associate and friend, guitarist and producer Gary Galimidi.
Join me for an in-depth conversation with Kemuel Roig, one of the most versatile and captivating musicians of his generation.
"Sound Within: A Celebration of Bill Evans" is the latest album by pianist Randy Ingram. This release is Ingram's deeply personal tribute and homage to the legendary jazz pianist.
From the beginning of his career, Evans was an indelible influence on Ingram, and he knew that he would one day honor Evans with a project celebrating the sound of this jazz piano icon.Randy was determined to wait until the right moment to musically offer his praise and gratitude.
That time is now.
The new release features songs connected with Evans that resonate in meaningful ways. It also includes original compositions penned by Ingram that reflect the profound impact Evans had on him. All of the album’s music is delivered in Ingram's own distinctive musical voice, and is supported by two former collaborators of Bill Evans, drummer Joe La Barbera and bassist Rufus Reid.
My conversation with Randy Ingram about the album’s backstory delves into its creation.
Much of the music that we know and love is enjoyed by listening to it over the air waves, on a turntable, a CD player and of course over the internet on our devices but there is nothing like the experience of a live performance of music. Case in point, is saxophonist/composer Brent Birckhead’s live performance recorded at Baltimore’s Keystone Korner featuring Brent along with an all-star lineup of musicians and special guest stars.
The recording is titled “Exchange, Live at the Keystone Korner”. Brent says the live musical experience is not only special, but like no other; in fact he describes it as an exchange between the musicians and the audience that invests both in the experience.
My conversation with Brent dives into the development, the music, and the story behind “Exchange, Live at the Keystone Korner”.
In this episode, we are privileged to have a conversation with Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and cherished educator John Clayton, plus vocalist and contemporary storyteller René Marie.
John just recently released his 8th album as a leader and it’s called “the two-o duo project”. This work is a project which allowed him to play a series of duos with René, his longtime collaborator, plus his son and frequent musical partner, 7-time Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Gerald Clayton. The recording spotlights a range of material through different cultural eras, plus lyrical and compositional contributions from both Rene and Gerald.
My conversation with John and Rene is all about how the magic happened in the studio to create this richly textured 11 track album.
The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) – led by celebrated vocalist and band leader Julia Keefe of the Nez Perce tribe, is one of the only jazz big bands in the world comprised exclusively of Native and Indigenous people. Julia brings together a 16-piece ensemble to celebrate a largely unrecognized lineage of Indigenous artists in jazz, while presenting new compositions rooted in tribal histories and storytelling. This project is their premiere album titled “Incarnadine.”
The album features music made famous by Indigenous jazz musicians from the Twentieth Century such as jazz singer Mildred Bailey, whose mother was a Coeur d'Alene tribal member, and Jim Pepper a saxophonist, singer and composer of Kaw and Muscogee Heritage. Also playing significantly in the development of Incarnadine is the collaboration between Julia and trumpeter Delbert Anderson of the Dine tribe who is a featured artist on this album.
In my in-depth conversation with Julia Keefe, we learn not only about the music, but about the centuries of struggle, deep beliefs, and unwavering respect of the earth that brought Julia to gift us with this truly remarkable work.
My guest for this episode is pianist, accordionist and composer Ben Rosenblum whose latest project is a musical kaleidoscopic blend of Dominican merengue, West African and Caribbean rhythms, Irish folk music, neo-soul, J-pop and hard bop and other traditions. The beautiful musical form Ben and his group of top rate, globally influenced ensemble of musicians called the Nebula Project, has created is called “The Longest Way Round”, out now on One Trick Dog Records.
Another significant influence of note for this album is the extensive globetrotting for Rosenblum, who spends about half of his time on the road touring both with his own ensembles, and with Rickie Lee Jones, Catherine Russell and Indian singer Kiran Ahluwalia.
Here is my conversation with Ben Rosenblum about his wild and exhilarating ride across musical boundaries to create “The Longest Way Round.”
Jazz Forum Arts in Westchester County, New York is a premier, highly successful nonprofit jazz organization with a rich history. Now, after 40 years of artistic excellence, a new era will be ushered in when Founder and Executive Director Mark Morganelli and Chief Operating Officer Ellen Prior retire on July 1st of this year. This dynamic duo leaves behind an amazing legacy that includes hosting 300-plus music performances annually at its Jazz Forum Club in Tarrytown, New York, multiple free outdoor concert series, and award-winning jazz educational programs.
Mark Morganelli, a jazz trumpeter and producer, has been a major presence in the New York City and regional jazz scene since 1979, when he opened his first Jazz Forum loft club in Greenwich Village. Ellen Prior, Mark’s wife, has been a presence at JFA events since its earliest days, and formally joined the leadership team in 2015.
With their retirement in the offing, the mantle of leadership is being passed on to Darrian Douglas and Clara Winder.
Douglas, an accomplished jazz drummer for the past 20 years, is an educator, and arts leader, who has served as Director of Programs for Jazz Forum Arts since July 2025. Previously, he served as Executive Director and Co-Founder of Second Line Arts Collective in New Orleans. Winder, currently Marketing Director and a core member of the JFA team for nearly a decade, will become Chief Operating Officer in July 2026, overseeing the Jazz Forum club operations, marketing, audience development, and internal systems that support the organization’s continued growth.
My conversation with the affable Mark Morganelli and the engaging Ellen Prior unfolds the fascinating story behind the Jazz Forum Arts.
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” ― Miles Kington
The topic of this episode is “Talk To Your Tomatoes.” No, my guest is not a person who specializes in the art of cultivating plants, fruits and vegetables. Instead, “Talk to Your Tomatoes”is actually the title of the latest album from acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter, Stevie Holland, that features fresh interpretations of swinging standards, as well as sophisticated original songs written by Stevie and her longtime collaborator and arranger, award-winning composer Gary William Friedman.
So why the title of “Talk to Your Tomatoes”? Well, Stevie is a self-proclaimed Viking who is the youngest of seven children and grew up in a music-filled, Norwegian-Italian household in Westchester County, New York. From that background, a great story grew which yielded the whimsical name. And you’ll learn how when you listen to our fruitful conversation.
World-renowned guitarist, vocalist and Grammy Award winner, John Pizzarelli - the son of guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli - has a fond and deep connection to one of the most revered vocalists of all-time, Mr. Tony Bennett. John’s father was a frequent sideman for the legendary singer, and even John had his own opportunity to accompany Mr. Bennett for a radio broadcast featuring pianist Ralph Sharon and bassist Jay Leonhart. It should then come as no surprise that during Bennett’s centennial celebration year, John has released a heartfelt tribute album to the late singer called, “Dear Mr. Bennett.”
As preparation for this new release, John assembled a collection of some of Tony Bennett’s most memorable and beloved songs, and will subsequently produce even more tunes for a 5-song EP to be released in conjunction with Bennett’s 100th birthday in August. All of this delightful music is delivered by John, along with bassist Mike Karn and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson.
In this episode, John shares with me his memories and stories about one of the greatest singers of the last century, and how he developed this remarkable album “Dear Mr. Bennett.” Making the conversation even more fun, John breaks out his acoustic guitar to help unfold the stories behind the music.
Vinyl jazz album covers are highly collectible, especially if they are from the iconic label of Prestige Records. These classic and cherished covers, especially from 1949 to 1960 are often even framed and displayed as stunning wall art. It was Prestige that ushered in a golden age of jazz through the music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Billy Taylor and dozens of jazz legends. Their recordings were encased in extraordinary album jackets as part of a whole graphic universe of illustrations and photos.
Prestige was founded by Bob Weinstock who gave designers and photographers a carte blanche freedom to create art that reflected the unbridled spirit of the music. Those designers and photographers included Don Schlitten, David Young, Don Martin, Bob Parent, Reid Miles, Tom Hannan, Esmond Evan’s and others. The amazing story behind the groundbreaking music and art of Prestige has now been chronicled in a new tabletop book published by RIT Press called “Wail: The Visual Language of Prestige Records.”
This remarkable book is authored by Mark Havens and Chris Entwistle. Havens is an artist, photographer and educator whose work has been exhibited internationally and is held in both public and private collections. Entwistle is an artist and illustrator who has used his passion for both jazz and postwar graphic design in his illustration work.
In my conversation with Mark and Chris, we explore the development of the book which took more than a decade of research to uncover hundreds of rare and meticulously photographed covers and never-before-seen sketches and outtakes from album shoots.
Releasing EPs for musicians and artists often serve as a primary release strategy for both emerging and established artists. Usually featuring three to six tracks, EPs allow musicians to maintain consistent content, experiment with new sounds, and keep fans engaged.
Jazz singer, songwriter and arranger Alyssa Allgood feels that EPs allow her to release more content between costly major projects and stay relevant through her own social media efforts.
Alyssa has recently released a six track EP titled “Leap” that she self-composed and arranged, which captures the spirit of taking risks in life and love. She says it’s both a reflection of the struggle, and a celebration of the triumph, to make a leap.
This episode, take the plunge with me as I engage in a conversation with this fascinating and accomplished artist.
‘Euphonic Gumbo’ is not exactly a “Nawlin’s” menu item but instead a tasty musical delight that’s the title of of a new album on Club 44 Records from vocalist and Broadway star Julie Benko, featuring a dazzling seven-piece band directed by her pianist-arranger husband, Jason Yeager.
This recording is the result of the collaborating couple’s numerous trips to New Orleans where they developed a love for the Crescent City and its rich musical and cultural histories. The album’s title comes from Benko’s original play ‘Down the Line’ that is set in Storyville, New Orlean’s former red-light district, and features the legendary pianist Tony Jackson, a mentor to Jelly Roll Morton, as the central character. Eventually, Benko and Yeager were invited by Birdland mainstay Jim Caruso to bring their musical ensemble to the club where their Big Easy-inspired celebrations have become a beloved winter tradition.
All of this led to the development of the recording ‘Euphonic Gumbo’, and the story unfolds in my conversation with Julie Benko and Jason Yeager.
Since 1934, DOWNBEAT magazine has been considered by many to be the Oracle when it comes to coverage of what’s going on in the world of music, especially jazz. Every January, DOWNBEAT publishes their list of the best albums from the previous year. On that coveted list for 2025 is an album from the Wild Iris Brass Band called, “Way Up,” which is the subject of this podcast episode.
The Wild Iris Brass Band was co-founded by saxophonist Jeff Coffin and trombonist Ray Mason. Coffin has worked with Bela Fleck and currently with the Dave Matthews Band and is also the founder of Ear Up Records label. Mason is known for his work with Lauren Daigle and Elvis Costello and is a musician in high demand in the jazz world, as well as other music genres. “Way Up” is the debut album for the Wild Iris Brass Band and features a star-studded roster and guest appearances from Béla Fleck, Steven Bernstein, and Bob Lanzetti and others.
The story behind this recording is a fascinating one as you will learn from my conversation with Jeff Coffin and Ray Mason.
What do you get when you combine re-imagined classic rock and roll with jazz music delivered by a Grammy award winning Big Band orchestra and Grammy nominated vocalist? In this case, you get a newly-minted Grammy nomination for ‘Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album’ from The Count Basie Orchestra, featuring Billboard’s #1 jazz artist - and our podcast guest - Deborah Silver, for “Basie Rocks!”
This 11 track project is packed with iconic hits from the likes of Elton John, Peter Frampton The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, the Steve Miller Band and more, delivered by The Count Basie Orchestra and Silver, in collaboration with Arturo Sandoval, Kurt Elling, Wycliffe Gordon, Trombone Shorty, Bill Frisell and others.
Join me as our conversation with Deborah Silver discusses her fascinating story, and how her collaboration with The Count Basie Orchestra ultimately led to this extraordinary GRAMMY nominated album.
April Varner is a rising jazz vocalist and the 2023 winner of the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition. Her full-length Christmas album, featuring unique and reimagined holiday standards, is called ‘Winter Songs Vol. 2’ just released on the Cellar Music Group label.
We have chosen to showcase the project as one of the standouts from a long list of holiday recordings produced every year at this time. The album features an impressive gathering of Varner collaborators, including GRAMMY- winning producer Ulysses Owens Jr. on drums, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, pianist Luther Allison, guitarist Leandro Pellegrino, and an outstanding vocal trio The Sunhouse Singers, featuring June Cavlan, Kate Kortum, and Joie Bianco.
My holiday gift to you is a conversation with this amazing and talented artist about the development of her holiday recording, as well as a little bit about the backstory of a vocalist and a name you’re going to want to remember.
The Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra also known as CCJO is one of the Midwest’s most prominent jazz bands. Founded in 2013, CCJO is currently a 17-piece not-for-profit ensemble dedicated to performing, preserving and teaching jazz as a living art form. More than a decade ago, Rob Parton – the former artistic director of the CCJO – floated the idea of creating a new jazz version of “Nutcracker.”
One might ask why, when in 1960 a couple of jazz giants named Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn created their own jazz version of the work called “The Nutcracker Suite,”which became an iconic and beloved holiday jazz standard.
Moving to the present day, along comes the dynamic duo of CCJO’s current artistic director Eric Lechliter and Doug Lillibridge the CCJO board president who were not at all intimidated, and have now created their own jazzy take on the Nutcracker called the “Nutcracker Remix”. This recording is a 12-track album featuring nine reimagined tracks from the Tchaikovsky ballet and three bonus Christmas-themed tracks sung by powerhouse jazz singer Mandy Gaines.
Eric and Doug have “thrown down the gauntlet” to establish CCJO’s place as a standard-bearer for holiday recordings. Here is our conversation, along with snippets of what we are sure will become a holiday classic.
There is a new jazz record of note on the scene created by Rin Seo, a Korea- born composer/conductor, titled ‘City Suite,’ released on the Cellar Music Group record label.
Rin was raised in a rich musical environment encompassing Western classical, Theater, and Korean folk music, but her work and life is now fully committed to jazz. This debut album is a remarkable musical journey for Rin. As an immigrant, her compositions reflect her decade-long life as a New Yorker, while also honoring her Korean heritage.
My fascinating conversation with Rin picks up with her moving to New York City and the development of her debut album.
Brandon Sanders, has always cut his own unique path. Born in Kansas City but spending his formative years in Compton, Brandon grew up in a musical household. He also honed his love of Jazz at the Kansas City jazz club, Casablanca, run by his grandmother.
But first, college called. After playing basketball for a junior college near Los Angeles, he enrolled at the behest of his grandmother—actually, she did the enrolling for him—at the University of Kansas. While studying communications there, Brandon became a walk-on practice player for the top-seeded team in the country where quickly gained a reputation as a dogged defender.
After receiving his undergraduate degree in communications, and Master’s in social work at Kansas, Brandon dedicated himself to that field. But eventually his passion for music caught up with him. So, at age 25, he taught himself how to play drums, until a Kansas City drummer named Todd Strait, who used to play with Marian McPartland, took Brandon under his wing. And with years of intense practice, Brandon attained such a high level of proficiency that he was accepted at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he formed friendships and musical associations with future jazz greats including Warren Wolf, trumpeter Darren Barrett, and drummer Kendrick Scott. He started playing in various bands at Boston clubs including Wally’s Jazz Cafe and the Wonder Bar, gaining experience that eventually led him New York.
Now living in Brooklyn, Brandon has a third album titled “Lasting Impression,” on the heels of two critically acclaimed releases “Brandon Sanders: The Tables Will Turn,” and his first titled, “Compton’s Finest.”
In this episode, I talk with Brandon about his remarkable career trajectory, and the forming of collaborations with a stellar list of jazz all-stars to create a path to his musical success.
Roger Glenn is truly one of the most interesting people in the world of music. He is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed, recorded and toured with a Who’s Who list of Jazz and Latin Jazz luminaries.
As our conversation came to a close, it became clear that we simply could not tell Roger’s story without making it in two parts. So, Part 1 was about Roger’s backstory. To call him multi-faceted and unique is an understatement.
Interestingly, before I started production of Part 2, we had the serendipitous privilege of spending time with Roger at Keys Jazz Bistro during a quick trip to San Francisco, and it brought our Part 1 episode full circle. Meeting Roger in person proved to be everything I thought it would be. He was gracious, funny, a marvelous storyteller and thoroughly engaging - all the attributes I was delighted to experience when we recorded our interview via Zoom.
Now, in Part 2, we shift gears to talk about his latest release as a leader. The album, called ‘My Latin Heart,’ is out now on the Patois Records label. The most remarkable thing about it, besides the incredible music, is the fact that for this 80-year-old musician it is only his second album as the front man in 49 + years.
My guest is Roger Glenn, who would have been the perfect spokesperson for a series of commercials titled the “Most Interesting Man in the World” - in the world of music. Roger is a multi-instrumentalist who plays flute, vibes, marimba, saxophone, clarinet, percussion and more. He’s been described as being overshadowed but in plain sight for decades. In fact, the bio on his website says it best: “He is ingredient X. The secret sauce. The cat behind the cat. Now, after decades of elevating the music of bona fide legends in jazz, Latin jazz, blues, and funk, this versatile, singular multi-instrumental master is stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his first new album in four decades.”
Roger is the son of the legendary jazz trombonist and vibes man Tyree Glenn. Roger is also a pilot, and sailing aficionado, who studied math and physics. And this interesting man, who has just turned 80-years old, can still do it all. To celebrate his 80th birthday, Roger has released his second album as a leader in 49 years, on the Patois Records label, titled, “My Latin Heart.” It’s a panoramic journey through his lifelong passion for Afro-Caribbean rhythms.
Because his amazing story is so all-encompassing, we feel compelled to tell it in two episodes. Here is Episode One. It’s where we take a deep dive into the backstory of his life and times, and how it led him to his breakout moment on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
My conversation with vocalist and composer, Mandy Harvey, may be one of the most memorable we’ve done. Why? Because this incredibly talented woman with an exquisite voice has been profoundly deaf since the age of 18. We conducted the interview over Zoom with Mandy using a voice-to-text captioning program in order for her to see and reply to my questions. Her voice? Well, you’ll find out that it speaks for itself. And her story is one you’ll never forget.
Our episode begins with a discussion about her musical life, followed by a journey through how she was able to transcend the hardships and challenges she faced to become a successful artist and motivational inspiration for others.
Sheila Jordan has been one of the most revered and utterly unique voices in jazz for decades. Beginning with her debut album, 1963’s ‘Portrait of Sheila,’ she pioneered a bebop-inflected approach to singing. We talked about this, and much more, in our 2021 All That’s Jazz episode. With her recent passing, we decided to resurrect our conversation one more time so that you could hear the extraordinary stories she shared in her own words.
If Jim Caruso’s name sounds familiar, that’s not surprising. Jim is also host of the wildly popular “Cast Party” which has been a Manhattan mainstay for more than two decades at the iconic Birdland Jazz Club.
In 2011, this irrepressible, affable, and talented singer recorded and released an album titled, “The Swing Set,” which he calls a true labor of love. It’s a smart and sophisticated romp through the Great American Songbook. In it, Jim was joined by special musical guests including the late guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, jazz violin sensation Aaron Weinstein, pianist and singer Billy Stritch, music phenom Michael Feinstein and Tony Award-winning Broadway leading lady Stephanie J. Block.
Fast forward to 2025 and this album has now been given a new life and has a new label behind it called Club 44 Records. The album has been remastered and re-released as the Swing Set-Deluxe Edition. As Caruso says about the recording..“But wait – there’s more, this Deluxe Edition comes with two surprise additions: a hilariously fun new track featuring my musical partner-in-crime Billy Stritch at the piano, and a fresh take on an old recording with the divine Jane Monheit.
While the album released in streaming and digital formats last spring, it took us until now to nail him down for a conversation. So on that note, enjoy my conversation with the delightful man of the hour himself...Jim Caruso.
Jazz Vocalist Andy James has just released her eighth studio album. It’s on Le Coq Records which is an independent label started by James and her husband Piero Pata, not only as a vehicle for releasing her music but also to work with acclaimed veteran jazz musicians including John Patitucci, Nate Smith, Terell Stafford, Alex Acuna, Rick Margitza, Chico Pinheiro, and many more.
This latest recording is a fusion of jazz and flamenco music called, “Happy People.” You might ask why the blend of jazz and flamenco? Here’s where the story gets really interesting.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Andy heard both jazz and flamenco music at home. Her mother was a jazz vocalist and her father an aficionado of Flamenco music. At a young age, she fell in love with dancing, and particularly flamenco, but instructors were scarce in Australia. In order to pursue her passion, Andy moved to Spain to study flamenco and went on to become a world acclaimed flamenco dancer.
So, what influenced her to take a 180° career turn move to United States to become a jazz vocalist? That’s where we pick up the rest of this story in our conversation.
When vocalist ANAÏS RENO burst onto the scene in 2021 with her debut album, ‘Lovesome Thing: Anaïs Reno Sings Ellington & Strayhorn,’ I had the distinct pleasure of featuring this young and talented vocalist in Season 2-Episode 11. At the time, listeners were delighted - and surprised - to learn that she had recorded it a year earlier when she was just 16 years old. There have been a number of significant changes in the life of this noteworthy singer four years after releasing her debut recording. No doubt, people will be making even more comments about Anaïs’ ability to interpret song lyrics with emotional depth, enhanced musical maturity, and style after discovering more about her latest release. She has, once again, tackled the Great American Songbook with her newest album, LADY OF THE LAVENDER MIST, the inspiration which began while taking a train ride and listening to the music of Duke Ellington.
Our mission at All That’s Jazz is to elevate the voices of the people who create, produce, present and write about all Jazz idioms by helping them tell their backstories about why they do what they do, and what got them to this moment.
One such person is a man named Eric Oberstein. A young, highly educated, New York born and raised saxophonist and drummer of Cuban American heritage, Eric has always been on a fast track to success. He has followed a path that’s taken him from being a musician to becoming a brilliant, internationally respected and trusted arts leader, and a two-time Grammy and two-time Latin Grammy winning producer, curator and educator.
Eric collaborated for multiple years with GRAMMY-winning bandleader, pianist, composer Arturo O'Farrill, as well as forming a collaboration since 2016, with Cuban-born, GRAMMY-winning bandleader and drummer, Dafnis Prieto, who he currently manages.
My conversation with this highly accomplished and interesting man begins with a discussion about the often misunderstood role of a music producer. We also explore his career that was serendipitously launched by a questionnaire in a performance program, and all the experiences leading up his new business, Eric Oberstein Productions.
This is the first definitive biography of the pioneering drummer and bandleader , Gene Krupa, who brought percussion from back to center stage, influencing generations of musicians from jazz to rock - and beyond.In this episode, I go behind the pages with author/historian Elizabeth J. Rosenthal, to discover what led her to write ‘The Master Of The Drums’ and unravel the complicated and tumultuous story of the man who was indisputably the most controversial, influential, and famous drummer of his time.
In this episode, I sit down with pianist/vocalist Champian Fulton and saxophonist/clarinetist/composer Klas Lindquist to discuss their latest release, “At Home,” the concept for which began with an event held in a home owned by Turtle Bay Records founder Scott Asen, who suggested they actually record in in his living room.
Oklahoma native and New York based Champian Fulton is the daughter of trumpeter and flugel hornist Stephen Fulton. She began her career at the age of 10, performing for Jazz legend and family friend Clark Terry’s 75th Birthday Party. A Jazz pianist and vocalist for more than 20 years, Champian has now released 19 albums as a leader and has performed in more than 25 countries, both in concert and on TV. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Album of the Year in the NYC Jazz Record (2018, 2020, 2023) and Pianist and Vocalist of the Year (2019) by Hot House Magazine, among other prestigious accolades.
A world-renowned ambassador of Jazz excellence, alto saxophonist, clarinetist and composer, Klas Lindquist, was born in Göteborg, Sweden.
Klas is considered one of Sweden’s most exciting Jazz musicians. He is the recipient of the “The Golden Sax” award, “The Alice Babs Award,” “The Stockholm Stads Kulturstipendium”, and the “Gavatin Foundation Prize for Jazz Music.” Recognized for his technical brilliance, imagination and style, Klas is in demand as a recording artist, and has appeared on over 40 albums as a featured soloist and five albums as a leader.
These two seasoned artists with impressive resumes are very fond of the duo format, which is what led them to develop their latest release. And this is where we start our conversation.
This episode is about a story that needs to be heard. It’s the tale of an amazing individual and jazz artist named René Marie. Her story has been portrayed in an award - winning short documentary by Rachel Kessler, a Brooklyn-based director, screenwriter, and producer with over a decade of experience deeply rooted in her artistic and creative beliefs.
The beauty and soul of René Marie has been captured in this film called, ‘Tuning René Marie’, that weaves you through the early life of this GRAMMY-nominated jazz vocalist. It premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Woodstock Film Festival in 2022 where it was nominated for Best Short Documentary; it’s now available for all to see on the prestigious short film channel, Omeleto.
It’s an extraordinary story that we’re honored to share as we speak to both women about how it came to be, and the impact it’s had on them, and on everyone who’s seen it.
Fado is a powerful and poignant musical expression of the Portuguese soul, often associated with the hardships of everyday life and characterized by melancholy, expressive vocal performances with a strong emphasis on emotional, poetic storytelling.
The unique sound of Fado is highlighted by the guitarra portuguesa, or Portuguese guitar - a pear-shaped cittern with 12 wire strings - and is usually accompanied by a wire-strung acoustic guitar. In many ways, its’ free-form style is reminiscent of early Blues and Jazz.
Intrigued by what we learned from our research, we sought out a specific Fado performance while visiting the city of Porto. This turned out to be a serendipitous experience. We were the only two audience members in what ended up being a private concert. This allowed us to dig deeper into the history and soul of this music deeply rooted in Portuguese tradition. The session featured the outstanding talents of noted Fado vocalist, Ana Margarida, and her two musicians, Artur on Portuguese guitar, and Antonio on classical acoustic guitar.
With apologies in advance for the less-than-perfect audio, we couldn’t pass up the chance to record this unexpected, once-in-a- lifetime session with a cell phone since we were without our professional audio equipment.
By sharing our experience, we hope to give you an insight into this extraordinary musical genre through our conversation recorded in the majestic Grand Salon of Porto City Hall.
This is a is the story of how New York-based pianist, composer, arranger and educator, Caili O'Doherty, developed and recently released an album called ‘Bluer Than Blue’ which honors the overlooked genius of Lillian “Lil” Hardin Armstrong. If that name is somewhat familiar to you, it’s because this highly talented artist and composer in her own right was married to none other than Louis Satchmo Armstrong. Lil was Armstrong’s second wife, and they collaborated on many recordings in the 1920s. But it was actually Lil who wrote many famous, classic tunes of that early jazz era.
Caili discovered Lil’s prolific background while taking a course from Ricky Riccardi, the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong Museum titled, “The Music of Louis Armstrong.” Not only did it whet Caili’s appetite to learn more about this unsung Jazz heroine, but also led to assembling her core trio of Tamir Schmerling on bass, drummer Cory Cox ,and saxophonist Nicole Glover, along with special guest vocalists Tahria Clayton and Michael Mayo, to record Lil Hardin Armstrong’s music.
My conversation begins with Caili diving into even more about Lil’s early career as she unravels for us details of this little-known magical, musical history.
Israeli born jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, Dan Pugach, grew up not far from Tel Aviv. His Jazz education and service as a drummer in the IDF Air Force Band and attending Israel's Rimon School of Music led him to The US to attend the Berklee College of Music. Dan moved to New York City where he began building an impressive musical resume with his original music and arrangements. Along the way, he formed the Dan Pugach Nonet, and the Dan Pugach Big Band; both leading to award-winning recognition for his talents and musical collaborations.
The most notable collaboration in Dan’s life, however, came in 2009 when he met stunning singer/songwriter Nicole Zuraitis. Nicole and Dan flourished individually - and together - collecting numerous awards, including several Grammy nominations.
Along the way, their partnership in the studio and on stage, became more permanent when they married in 2018. Nicole went on to win her first Grammy award for her 2023 vocal album “How Love Begins,” which was co-produced by jazz giant Christian McBride and featured her drummer-husband.
Not to be outdone, Dan took to the stage for his first Grammy win this year with his Big Band as winner of the 2024 award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble album titled “Bianca Reimagined.” And, you guessed it, the album also features the love of his life, his wife Nicole. The album was inspired by their pit bull rescue dog named Bianca, and 15 years of dedicated efforts by this couple to rescue and rehabilitate pit bulls from shelters in New York City.
It’s a fascinating and unique backstory, highlighted by cuts from the Grammy-winning album, we know you’ll enjoy.
Ryan Middagh is not only a composer, arranger, baritone saxophonist and educator, as Chair of the Department of Jazz and Global Music at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, he has delivered all that, and more, in his latest release called “Tenor Madness.” This album is a love letter to both the saxophone itself, and the abundance of saxophonists found in the vibrant and growing Nashville music scene.
To bring the music to this release, Ryan gathered together an amazing group of his talented friends and saxophone colleagues like Jeff Coffin, Joel Frahm, Don Aliquo, Jovan Quallo, Alex Graham, vocalist Jenna McLean, trombonists Jeremy Wilson, and special guest Roy Agee, as well as members the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra.
Join me for a conversation about the development of this stunning album, “Tenor Madness,” and the man behind the music. If you’re like me, a fan of big band music and have a keen interest in the sound of the saxophone as a stand-out instrument to deliver that dynamic genre of music, then you are in for a treat with this episode.
Pittsburgh has a strong connection to the world of jazz; in fact, you might say it is sacred ground for this music genre. Many of the legends of jazz - like Billy Eckstine, Billy Taylor, Ray Brown, George Benson, Stanley Turrentine, Mary Lou Williams, Ahmad Jamal, Art Blakey and dozens more - are from this Pennsylvania “burg.”
In this episode, we talk with co-founder and executive producer of MCG Jazz, Marty Ashby, about how MCG Jazz grew out of the organization founded in the 1960’s by Bill Strickland as Manchester Craftsman Guild. What started as Strickland’s dream to serve and give back to the community, has since grown into a powerhouse program.
As a Craftsman Guild, MCG initially provided a space to develop ceramics, photography and digital design education for urban youth. In the late 80’s, Strickland joined forces with jazz guitarist Ashby. Together as co-founders, they started MCG Jazz, where Ashby also continues to grow this legacy program as its executive producer.
Our conversation begins with Marty Ashby telling me about the backstory to this incredible organization, its history, present projects and their vision for the future of keeping Jazz alive for generations to come
Jazz Manouche is a style of music that mixes jazz with traditional French dance music and Romani, also known as Gypsy music. Django Reinhardt is considered to be the pioneer of jazz manouche in the 1930s. Django is, in fact, one of the most influential guitarists of all time. His music and recordings are classics and they have touched the hearts and minds of others for decades. One such artist moved by this legendary figure is vocalist Tatiana Eva Marie. Tatiana’s latest project, a celebration of the music of Django Reinhardt called “Djangology,” sprang from a desire to reconnect with her Romani (Gypsy) origins.
Born into a family of musicians, painters, and poets, Tatiana was immersed in a world of show business, arts, and culture. Moved by the music she grew up with, her Gypsy soul carried her on a musical journey that took Tatiana from her birthplace of Switzerland to a bohemian lifestyle at the young age of 15 when she entered college in Paris. From there, Tatiana continued to travel across the globe, eventually winding up in New York City where she continues to develop new projects when she’s not traveling.
Join me in exploring the colorful and fascinating story of this artist who the New York Times calls, “The Gypsy jazz warbler.”
Band of Other Brothers is a stellar, multi genre supergroup whose members boast incredible associations with a Who’s Who of A-listers. There's pianist Jeff Babko (Jimmy Kimmel Live, Sheryl Crow), saxophonist and woodwind wizard Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones), drummer Keith Carlock (Steely Dan, John Mayer), guitarist Nir Felder (Esperanza Spalding, Jack DeJohnette), and bassist, vocalist Will Lee (Late Show with David Letterman, The Brecker Brothers).
While they’ve joined forces before, this is their first holiday release. It’s called “This Year At Christmas” on Ear Up records, and offers Christmas standards delivered in a unique, and even unconventional manner, by this all-star group of multi Grammy®️ winning musicians. The album also features two very special guest vocalists, as well as Keith Carlock’s own Carlock Family Choir, all highlighted by an amazing string ensemble that offers the perfect complement the joubilant selection of tunes.
My guests for this fun and more than occasionally frenetic conversation are Jeff Babko, Jeff Coffin, Nir Felder and Will Lee. Drummer Keith Carlock was tending to the reindeer and sadly couldn’t join in the Christmas chaos. Join me for a whimsical journey through the backstory behind this one-of-a-kind holiday release.
Now that Thanksgiving has passed, we turn our attention to that holiday time of the year which is filled with the music that we all know and love. And I can’t think of a better way to kick off the season than with a reprise of an episode we did in 2023 featuring the members of the Grammy®️ nominated a cappella group called Kings Return.
When you listen to their first holiday album release, “We Four Kings”, it’s easy to see why this is the most wonderful time of the year.
Join me again for this conversation with tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor J.E. McKissic, and baritone Jamall Williams.
Trombone-playing singer-songwriter Aubrey Logan hails from the Seattle area. Raised by her two music-educator parents, she began her artistic endeavors as a child singing in theatre and in church. She credits her singing mother and trumpet-playing father for early influences like singers/songwriters Billy Joel and Carole King, as well as the soulful musicianship of American horn bands such as Chicago, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Steely Dan, and more. And, at the age of 12, things took an intriguing turn when she picked up the trombone, igniting her passion for the jazz tradition.
Aubrey possesses a distinct yet truly unique voice, able to take a song from practically any era or genre and really making it her own. Her accolades are as impressive as they are extensive, from clinching victory in the prestigious Shure Montreux Voice competition in 2009 to securing a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she stands as an alumna.
The media refer to Aubrey Logan as “The Queen of Sass,” and it’s easy to see why. Her concerts are a mix of excellent musicality, jaw-dropping vocals, expert trombone-playing, a breathtaking array of originals and original takes on cover songs and, well…fun! Her heart wrenching musical stories has audiences in tears just before her comedic relief has them in stitches. Both of these elements can be found in her latest album “Aubrey Logan & Her Bigger Than Average Band” dropped November 1 via MWO Records.
Our delightful and enlightening conversation, coupled with samples from her new release, will surely make you want to know and hear more from this self-described, genre bending artist who calls herself “a pop singer who uses a contemporary voice and sings jazz.”
Jim Morgan is a dynamic music industry professional with over two decades of experience spanning performance, event management, and competition oversight. He began as a drummer in Australia at age 16, later transitioning to the U.S. music scene in 2000. Jim played a pivotal role in the Boston Music Awards and NEMO Music Conference, and co-founded the International Songwriting Competition and Unsigned Only Music Competition. Currently, he oversees operations for both competitions, including the recruitment and management of high-profile celebrity judges. He is passionate about fostering new talent and promoting musical excellence.
The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is an annual contest whose mission is to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters - covering all genres of music - to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena. ISC is designed to nurture the musical talent of songwriters on all levels and promote excellence in the art of songwriting. Amateur and professional songwriters and musicians from anywhere in the world are invited to participate, and 74 winners share in awards that include cash and prizes. Categories include: AAA (Adult Album Alternative), AC (Adult Contemporary), Americana, Blues, Children's Music, Christian, Comedy/Novelty, Country, EDM (Electronic Dance Music), Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Hip-Hop/Rap, Instrumental, and Jazz - both instrumental and vocal. Importantly, entrants retain all ownership rights to all submitted songs. ISC will not have any ownership rights to any songs or lyrics submitted.
Highlighted by a truly stellar panel of celebrity artist judges from all music genres, and also a wide array of music industry professionals including representatives of major recording labels and publishing companies, ISC offers a great opportunity for songwriters, musicians, and performers to further their music careers. For complete details, including how to enter, the specific categories in all genres, who past winners have been, and the impressive list of world-renowned judges, go to https://www.songwritingcompetition.com/
While ISC covers the breadth and depth of all music genres, the role it plays in finding new talent is a story we couldn’t resist amplifying, and one that’s truly inspiring.
More than 25 years ago, I met tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson who was raised in Denver Colorado and that meeting made a wonderful memory and a deep impact that still resonates with me today. It impressed me that he took the time out of his very busy and impressive career to offer his time in a very giving manner to help a small-town, non-profit radio station. But that is just the kind of person he is, one who gives back and makes a difference. He is still doing that today as the Chair of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford since 2013.
Besides being a dedicated educator, Javon has also been a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers; he has recorded over two dozen albums as a leader and has also recorded with such jazz legends including Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Louis Hayes and of course, Art Blakey and others.
It was serendipity that led to Javon forming a friendship and collaboration with the influential poet and activist Nikki Giovanni. Giovanni was invited by Javon to lecture at the University. Discovering they had a shared love of jazz music which resulted in this duo recording an album together called ‘The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni.’ The relationship between the two has only deepened through the years, and from that, other shared passions have emerged. One of them, American cinema, is referenced in the title of their recent and much-anticipated follow-up album called ‘Javon and Nikki Go to the Movies.”
This is the subject of my conversation with Javon Jackson which begins with a reference to another one of Jackson’s musical influences...Sonny Rollins.
New Orleans is a place where virtuosity is always deployed with a celebratory spirit, and Crescent City Jewels is like a Gratitude Journal in song, a rollicking collection that expresses NEA Jazz Master, Grammy-winning producer, trombonist and bandleader, Delfeayo Marsalis, appreciation for the good things in life at a time when so much attention seems to focus on doom and gloom.
In this latest album, Delfeayo set out to celebrate the undersung heroes in his own hometown. To accomplish that, he’s brought together a host of veteran and rising New Orleans musicians, as well as a number of guest stars, including big brother Branford Marsalis for a pair of jaw-dropping sax showcases, Rebirth Brass Band co-founder and Big Easy ambassador Kermit Ruffins, “Piano Prince of New Orleans” Davell Crawford, drummer extraordinaire Herlin Riley, and trombonist Maurice “Miracle Meaux” Trosclair.
“One of our goals is to show the breadth and the dynamic possibilities of New Orleans music. Our philosophy is to take the important ingredients from past generations and use them in the gumbo that we're creating today.”
That’s where our conversation begins.
There are times when you get a sense that you’re talking with an old friend that you’ve actually never met. There are shared times and memories that travelled on parallel lines but somehow never managed to intersect. That’s the best way that I can describe the conversation I had with Shelly Berg. From places lived and mutual friends, to times spent working with Jazz Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, our off-mic discussion created “allegría,” the Spanish word for joy, which is not only the name of his new album, but the foundation of his perspective on life.
Shelly feels that the more an audience feels included in the music, the better time everybody has, the more opportunity there is for the music to reach - and move - them. That’s the foundation of ‘Allegría,’ a collaborative album of Berg originals, plus fresh takes on classics from Leonard Bernstein and The Beatles, performed with longtime friends, bassist Carlitos Del Puerto, drummer Dafnis Prieto and special guest, Melvin Butler.
Shelly draws inspiration not only from his experiences as a leader in higher education as dean of the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music since 2007 - and before that as a professor at USC’s Thornton School for 16 years - but also as a collaborator with jazz legendary international artists, including Gloria Estefan, Arturo Sandoval, Steve Miller, and Pharrell Williams, among others.
All of that rich backstory is brought into ‘Allegría,’ creating an understanding of joy, and all its co-existing chambers — sorrow, longing, faith, peace, reflection. Shelly describes it as, “A big narrative made up of smaller ones,” that allows listeners to feel “connected to the music and the arc of the album.”
That’s where our joyful conversation begins.
From an early age, acclaimed and accomplished vocalist, Alexis Cole, not only knew what she wanted to do in life, but also how she was going to do it - her way.
Both Alexis’ father and maternal grandmother were pianists and singers, and her business-minded mother helped Alexis learn how to carve her way through the financial side of show business. Thanks to their guidance, Alexis not only succeeded in honing her professional career, she also followed a serious educational path, gaining a Bachelor of Music degree that led her to global life experiences including a year as an Americorp volunteer and studying music in Mumbai, India. Alexis also worked the cruise ship circuit as an entertainer, and that was followed by years of travelling extensively through Europe.
Deciding to continue her education, Alexis earned a Masters of Music degree which resulted in her moving in and out of the higher education world as a jazz voice professor.
But then things really began to change for Alexis. First, she took a year's long music gig in Tokyo, Japan. Then, in 2009, she enlisted in the U.S. Army to become the lead singer for the West Point Jazz Knights Big Band.
Our conversation covers all this and much more, including how - and why - she came to make her new album, ‘Jazz Republic: Taiwan, the United States, and The Freedom of Swing’ with the Taipei Jazz Orchestra.
The style of the undeniably talented bassist and composer, Ben Wolfe, is truly unique.
His approach to music and performance has led to a path of development and success that can be attributed to collaborations with the likes of Harry Connick JR, Diana Krall and Wynton Marsalis. Ben also distinguished himself through a significant catalogue of original music, including well over a hundred songs across ten albums as a leader.
With his 11th release titled “The Understated”, Ben presents a collection of new original compositions paired with the re-imaginings of some of his classic material. This album, with a particular emphasis on the ballad song-form, is a reflection of his philosophy that music is all about the sound of the band as ensemble players.
In this episode, our conversation explores Ben’s musical journey, from a serendipitous experience of becoming a member of his school band playing tuba and trombone, to being a current faculty member at The Juilliard School of Music, an award-winning composer and critically acclaimed musician.
The music of professional harmonica jazz musician, bandleader, composer, and educator, Yvonnick Prené , is both unique and innovative.
A transplant from France, Yvonnick is now based in the greater New York City area. He made his professional debut in France in 2007. But it wasn’t until moving to the Big Apple that Yvonnick had that “wake-up call” to really learn the art of jazz by furthering his educational pursuits, immersing himself in the New York jazz scene, and eventually honing his chops to become the widely recognized and skilled band leader he is today.
This fascinating musician has now released seven albums as leader, including his latest project , a duo recording with piano virtuoso Geoffrey Keezer, called “Jobim's World.”
In this episode, we take a look at the compelling backstory behind Yvonnick’s musical journey, and hear samples of his most recent and exquisite new release on Sunnyside Records.
As a part of our “Catching Up With” series, I recently re-connected with Azerbaijani-born, New York-based pianist/composer Amina Figarova, and her musical collaborator partner and husband, the exceptional flutist Bart Platteau. This dynamic duo has recorded more than more than a dozen albums, and have travelled the world performing at jazz festivals and engagements, all of which has led to a diverse body of work filled with rich influences from their global experiences.
Even though Amina and Bart are deeply rooted in the U.S., it’s been their travels - and most notably their visits to South Africa - that brought them to their latest album release. Amina was inspired to compose and create “Suite for Africa” through her experiences working with students during her travels. However, it was a chance encounter on a rescheduled flight with the Matsiko World Orphan Choir, an ensemble of orphaned and at risk children from war-ravaged Liberia, that brought the stirring piece fully to life.
In this episode we talk with Amina and Bart about the fascinating backstory of this album’s development and how a chance meeting on a flight from Brussels to New York became the icing on the cake for this musical project.
Jacqui Naylor is not an easy artist to categorize. Naylor is known for a technique she coined, “acoustic smashing,” There are times when she performs straight-ahead vocal jazz, but at other times she favors more of an alternative and diverse approach. Her groove-based vocals and smoky sound have a subtle, intimate quality that conveys the emotional depth of a song without resorting to vocal pyrotechnics.
Very jazz-friendly but far from a rigid jazz purist, Jacqui brings a long list of influences to her work — influences ranging from Billie Holiday, June Christy, and Nina Simone to Tracy Chapman, Natalie Merchant, Carole King, and Sheryl Crow. That is an unlikely combination of influences, certainly, but it is one that works well for Jacqui, who has used all of them to fashion a personal, recognizable style of her own.
Our conversation is as far-reaching as her smoky, alto vocal style. We discuss everything from studying Jazz as a side gig while obtaining her marketing degree, to a stint in New York’s fashion industry; starting a fan-based virtual project during pandemic called Home2Home where she and her husband wrote more than 200 compositions, to having her subscribers decide which songs should be recorded - a practice that Jacqui feels is critical to how she presents music today.
All of this is intertwined with sample songs, including those from her latest release, ‘Treasures of the Heart,’ the title of which is a story all its own.
The best description of Ben Sidran comes from his son, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and fellow podcaster, Leo Sidran: “In a career spanning over fifty years and thirty five records, Ben Sidran has established himself as a philosopher poet. Equally celebrated for his precise, probing writing style as he is for his improvised spoken word jazz raps, he has carved out a truly unique space for himself. The Times of London aptly described Ben as ‘the world’s first existential jazz rapper,’ and The Chicago Sun Times once referred to him as ‘a renaissance man cast adrift in the modern world.’ He is one of a kind.”
This is my third episode with Ben, who graciously allows us to use his piece “Mr. P’s Shuffle” as our theme song, and my second with Leo. To have them together discussing Ben’s latest album titled ‘Rainmaker’ is not only a thrill, but an honor.
Ben describes how ‘Rainmaker’ started this way: “The original idea for Rainmaker was to throw a party in a Paris recording studio in honor of my 80th birthday. I saw it as a way to celebrate the survival of so many things, including myself, a life without borders, and my friendship with so many musicians abroad.”
Of course, it’s only the beginning, because that’s how conversations with Ben and Leo go. So, sit back and immerse yourself in this freewheeling conversation with samples from ‘Rainmaker.’ By the end, you’ll be jumping on your favorite platform to hear more.
Being Guided By The Light is the fifth album by pianist/ composer Mamiko Watanabe, featuring heralded bassist Santi Debriano and legendary drummer Billy Hart.
Born in Fukuoka, Japan, Watanabe began playing the piano at the age of four under instruction at the Yamaha School of Music. Her inspiration was Tashiko Akiyoshi, the boundary-smashing Japanese-American pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader noted for wide-ranging powerful, complex compositions.
Mamiko received a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music where she received several awards for Jazz piano and Composition. She was also a semi-finalist at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition both in 2002 and 2003. She has toured Germany, Italy and Japan and has performed with jazz greats such as Joe Lovano, Kevin Mahogany and Bobby McFerrin while in college. After moving to New York, Mamiko performed at notable venues including Blue Note, Dizzy's Club at the Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Jazz at the Kitano and more.
The story of Mamiko unfolds in this episode as we discuss and sample music from her latest release. This album is her premiere with JoJo Records - created by jazz musician Simon Belelty - with an emphasis on high quality audio and vinyl.
Chris DiGirolamo could be called “The Accidental Publicist.”
A lifelong drummer from age 5, Chris was hooked. His mother took him to Jazz from a young age, but he truly fell in love with the genre at 14, when a friend’s uncle introduced him to Jean Luc Ponty’s “Rhythms of Hope.”
Chris attended Berklee College of Music and New York Institute of Technology. From there, he went on to work as assistant engineer at the legendary Systems Two Recording Studio, followed by a turn in Sausalito, California at Record Plant Studios (“The Plant”).
Moving back to the East Coast and looking for something new, Chris became a freelance writer for several small music publications. But post 9/11, work in that field was nearly nonexistent. However, one unexpected phone call from a guy who said “Are you Chris? You were recommended to me as a publicist,” changed his life. And that’s where the story of Two For The Show Media begins.
For their seventh outing together as a close-knit, collaborative rhythm tandem, bassist Leon Lee Dorsey and drummer Mike Clark tapped pianist Michael Wolff as third man in their ongoing trio adventures. Wolff, who had previously appeared with Dorsey and Clark on 2020’s Play Sgt. Pepper, completes the triumvirate on this heartfelt tribute to the late, great pianist-composer in the new album titled “A Letter to Bill Evans.”
These renderings of Bill Evans classics contain the kind of sparkling energy and improvisational freshness that always animates these trio sessions between Dorsey, Clark and their third partner. And this time around they hit on the perfect choice with pianist Michael Wolff, who first heard Evans live at Davies Hall in San Francisco when he was 18, and got the only available tickets which were actually on the stage, where he got to experience the concert close up.
“A few years later, when I was 20,” Wolff explained, “I went on the road with Cal Tjader . I ran into Bill Evans a lot in various cities where we all were playing; I befriended him and, of course, hounded him for information about his music. He was very open and understanding with me. And whenever he was performing in the Bay Area, I would go hear him every night.”
Wolff’s connection with Mike Clark, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary as a member of The Headhunters, goes back to the late ‘60s on the Bay Area jazz scene when Wolff was house pianist with Bishop Norman Williams’ Sunday afternoon jam at a great SF club called the Both/And. “I was 17 years old and still in high school, I wasn’t old enough to get into most clubs then. But I had this gig and Mike came by one Sunday to sit in. And that was the beginning of a long working relationship.”
While the music of “A Letter to Bill Evans” captures the spirit of the great pianist, Wolff/Clark/Dorsey take some liberties with this classic Evans material, interpreting it through their collective musical lens. In my conversation with all three musicians, we talk about how the album came together, their concept for each track, and how it’s truly their “love letter” to the music and the man who is one of the giants of jazz.
Jay Bordeleau, the owner, creator, and mastermind behind one of the top Jazz venues in San Francisco, Mr. Tipple’s, has always loved the arts and is constantly driven by his “it’s-so-crazy-it-just-might-work” ambition. He was able to combine this deeply rich cooperative leadership style with a profound passion for hospitality while designing, building, and operating his first restaurant: Maven.
Jay’s collaborative work style was formalized while playing drums behind the orchestra as a music performance major at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. And his life-long passion for wine also led him to earning his Certified Sommelier and Advanced Wine Specialist title from Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
Mr. Tipple’s is a cozy yet elegant jazz club, cocktail bar and restaurant with three distinct - but also overlapping- types of clientele. Some come in for the music, others for the expertly crafted and carefully poured drinks and a third group for the dumplings, bao and clay pot rice. Adding to that is its alcohol-free CBD cocktails, and gratuity-free pre-calculated tipping policy, all of which make the club feel honest and welcoming.
Join us for a deep dive into Mr. Tipple’s with Jay and hear why it’s been rated the best jazz club by San Francisco Magazine; one we personally enjoy each time we visit “The City by the Bay.”
A singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer and band leader, this American-born unequivocal musical prodigy of Korean descent, with the memorable name Grace Kelly, has rocked the jazz world. With sold-out concerts, 14 acclaimed albums and a resume that includes performing at the Hollywood Bowl as well as being part of the house band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – all before reaching her mid-twenties, Grace is touted for her scorching saxophone stylings and purring vocals. She’s performed and recorded with renowned artists including Lin Manuel- Miranda, Dave Brubeck, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Huey Lewis, Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan, Questlove, and Wynton Marsalis.
Grace’s newest project, “ Grace Kelly with Strings: At the Movies” with her fifteen piece large ensemble is inspired by “Charlie Parker with Strings” - one of Kelly’s all time favorite albums - as well as her love of classic and contemporary movies. With this album, Grace reimagines her favorite movie music, as well as songs by legendary film composers John Williams, Ennio Morricone, and contemporary artist Billie Eilish ‘s ‘No Time To Die’ from the latest James Bond film, with fresh arrangements fully merged into her signature sound.
In this first episode of Season 5, we talk with Grace not only about her background, name (and, yes, that actually is it), and her dizzyingly impressive accomplishments, but also explore the backstory of her album and how she’s taken classics and made them her own.
Singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger, New York-based bandleader and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal, Nicole Zuraitis, had been there once before. But when the presenters at the 2024 Grammy®️ Awards announced her name as winner of the Best Jazz Vocal Album for her release, “How Love Begins,” her immediate reaction was “Holy Cow!”
To many of her friends and supporters, however, it was an affirmation of what they’ve known for more than a decade of working with, for and beside her. Nicole is an undeniable force- in music and in life.
Besides leading her quartet, Nicole is the premier vocalist for the Birdland Big Band and frequently headlines iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle, 54 Below and the late, great 55 Bar. She’s collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries, including Christian McBride - who co-produced her Grammy-winning album - and worked with David Cook, Gilad Hekselman, Veronica Swift, Benny Benack, Stephen Feifke, Cyrille Aimee, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Omar Hakim, Rachel Z, Helen Sung, and Bernard Purdie. And Nicole is also a proud educator, currently serving on the vocal faculty at NYU, SUNY Purchase and the Litchfield Jazz Camp.
In this last episode of Season 4, we focus specifically Nicole’s Grammy-winning album because its story is a microcosm of who and what she is as an artist, composer, vocalist - and person. As Jazz Police aptly put it, Nicole has a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” and Broadway World added, she’s one of the top "prolific songwriters" to watch in the genre of jazz and beyond.
To learn more about Nicole, visit her website https://www.nicolezmusic.com
Trumpeter, flugelhorn player, composer, educator, and recording artist Jun Iida (Joon Ee-da) has quickly established himself as a highly sought after musician. A recording and performing artist, Iida has appeared extensively throughout the U.S. at notable jazz clubs, theaters, and festivals with his sextet and as a sideman.
This gifted musician born in St Louis of Japanese parents, has lived literally coast-to-coast - from his hometown, to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Seattle, and most recently relocating to New York City. All these moves afforded him the opportunity to experience and internalize the different styles of music from each region, making his approach to composing and arranging appealing and unexpected with his subtle amalgamation of contemporary jazz, blues, pop, hip-hop, soul, and classical music.
Jun’s debut CD, EVERGREEN, is a showcase for his modern, edgy originals, along with imaginative re-workings of other compositions. In our conversation, we talk with Jun about his life, influences, incredibly diverse background, as well as about the backstory of EVERGREEN, which released January 19, 2024 on Origin Records.
Whatever Gordon Goodwin touches, whether it’s in his role as pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor - or any combination of these gifts - it’s all about his love of music. That love, and prodigious talent has brought him 25 Grammy® nominations, including three this year: Best Jazz Vocal Album: Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band - For Ella 2. Best Instrumental Composition: Quartet San Francisco Featuring Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Cutey and The Dragon, Composed by Raymond Scott and Gordon Goodwin. Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals: Patti Austin ft. Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - April in Paris, Arranged by Gordon Goodwin.
Gordon’s collection already includes a Grammy® for ‘Best Instrumental Arrangement’ for “Incredits” in the film The Incredibles and has been honored with 3 Emmy awards for his work on the Steven Spielberg-produced shows Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. His work has been featured/utilized in more than 80 film & TV productions spanning the gamut of pop culture, amplifying the likes of National Treasure, Star Trek: Nemesis, Snakes on a Plane, Get Smart, Remember the Titans, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Majestic (starring Jim Carrey), The Lion King, The Incredibles and Ratatouille.
“I look at that number and it shocks me every time. I still find it difficult to believe that the members of the Recording Academy have given me 25 Grammy® nominations for my work. I don’t think you ever get used to it and the three most recent nominations seem somehow more precious than ever. I had the good fortune to be involved in two projects that were close to my heart in the past year, and happily, both were acknowledged by the Recording Academy.”
While this episode focuses primarily on the nominations for the current Grammy® season, we cover a lot of ground with Gordon in our conversation.
Swedish musical sensation Gunhild Carling is an internationally acclaimed superstar whose show is a can’t-miss event! Whether she’s singing favorite swinging jazz standards, playing one of many 11 instruments (trumpet, trombone, harmonica, oboe, harp, flute, recorder, or jazz bagpipe!) or juggling and tap dancing, Gunhild is not only the consummate show-woman, in Jazz terms she’s definitely “The real deal.”
She performed with her 'Carling Big Band' at the Royal Palace in Stockholm in the celebration for King Carl XVI Gustaf's Ruby Jubilee, and has performed at the iconic Birdland in New York multiple times, the most recent being January of 2024.
Noted Jazz journalist Scott Yanow said, “Gunhild Carling has always been quite a character. Her musical abilities are simply brilliant (whether playing trombone, trumpet, flute or even bagpipes); she is a joyous singer who can put across a heartbreaking ballad or a joyous romp. She seems to have limitless energy, and her performances are always quite great fun with her foundation being New Orleans jazz and swing.”
We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off 2024 than with “The Party” that is Gunhild Carling!
‘The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Live From The Northwest, 1959’ is a collection of never-before-released recordings from the archives of Brubeck Editions of two electrifying concerts recorded on April 4, 1959 at the historic Multnomah Hotel in Portland and on April 5th in the auditorium at nearby Clark College. The legendary quartet of Dave Brubeck on piano, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright, and drummer Joe Morello are further testament to their unprecedented skills. What master sound engineer, Wally Heider, was able to capture from these diverse and challenging venues are two performances that embody the very sound of the Dave Brubeck Quartet that audiences first fell in love with - described as “lightning in a bottle.”
We talk with multi-instrumentalist and Grammy-nominated composer, Chris Brubeck, about discovering this stellar collection in the archives, the backstory of how it happened, and why Brubeck Editions chose it as the label’s third release in continuing the legacy of Dave Brubeck.
Over the years, Tony-nominated, multiplatinum-selling pop/jazz singer-songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway’s compositions have been recorded and performed by some of the biggest names in the business – among them, Carole King, Patti Lupone, Liza Minnelli, Karrin Allyson, and Michael Feinstein, to name a few.
Her newly released album, Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 1, released on Sept. 29 via Shanachie Entertainment, is a milestone for this incredibly and diversely talented artist who was recently inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. It features 16 tracks of original songs - all produced and arranged by Trey Henry and Paul Viapiano - and is highlighted by select tracks of Ann singing alongside a number of notable guests that include Melissa Manchester, Tierney Sutton, jazz legend Kurt Elling, pop and R&B singer Niki Haris, singer Jarrett Johnson, and her frequent musical partner (and real-life sister), the Tony-nominated and Emmy-winning Liz Callaway.
Not only do we talk about this intricate and beautifully constructed album that Ann describes as “my most personal record,” but about the three year path that got her there.,adding “ I realized that I wanted to tell my story and share the deepest part of me. What better way than by sharing and singing songs I’ve written?”
We think you’ll wholeheartedly agree.
British singer-songwriter and composer Rebecca Poole’s story is one of a musical journey that began as a child on a farm in Oxfordshire, England. The family lived in a house on an estate owned by Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. Their simple farm home was always filled with music, two of her brothers became professional musicians, her mother sang a bit and she also had an aunt and uncle who played gypsy jazz professionally.
Choosing initially to take a different tack, Rebecca became an avid writer of poetry and loved the creative arts and painting which she studied in college. Though she never formally studied music, she eventually became interested in singing after hearing a recording of Nina Simone and also listening to other great jazz vocalists. Friends encouraged her to sing with a contemporary/pop band that playing gigs during après ski in Zermatt, Switzerland, where in the evenings she also sang at a jazz club she discovered in the town.
But despite all that jazz influence, Rebecca’s path led her to the commercial realm. Changing her name professionally to Purdy, she recorded two widely acclaimed albums and garnered a large following. Her instincts, however, were telling her to return to her jazz roots. So for now, she’s set the Purdy moniker aside, and returned to using her birth name, Rebecca Poole. Her new album called “Dreamers Ball” is the main focus of my conversation about Rebecca’s fascinating musical journey.
With their newly-released first album of a cappella Christmas music, GRAMMY nominated, Dallas TX based Kings Return continue to defy expectations.Tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor JE McKissic, and baritone Jamall Williams , whose bare-bones a capella stairwell singing went viral on social media, have been compared to some of the iconic groups like Take 6 and Boyz ll Men. Their brand of R&B is entwined with free moments of jazz, soulful bursts of gospel, and bright touches of pop—all built on a solid, classical foundation.
Our music-filled conversation introduces their new release titled “We Four Kings,” allowing you to meet these talented, dedicated and engaging men and learn the backstory to what is sure to become a new holiday tradition.
In September, as part of their 75th anniversary celebration, Smithsonian Folkways Records re-released two albums by the poet and activist Sarah Webster Fabio, often referred to as “the mother of Black studies.”
The albums, “Jujus: Alchemy of the Blues,” and “Together: To the Tune of Coltrane’s ‘Equinox’” contain poems authored and read by Sarah Webster Fabio, who, in her just 51 years, wrote more than 500 poems and recorded four albums for Folkways, in a style that reflects “a funky blend of Black poetry, spoken word, and jazz/blues” that were not only forward thinking, but in many ways a precursor to Hip-Hop’s distinctively African-American form of poetic expression.
We talk with her daughter, Cheryl Fabio, a documentary filmmaker, educator, and former Program Director at Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in Oakland, California, about her mother and her impact, the albums, and the far-reaching importance of these works.
This All That’s Jazz episode is a conversation with three diverse and virtuosic musical masters - renowned saxophonist Jeff Coffin, venerated drummer Jordan Perlson and bass legend Viktor Krauss - have joined together for a nine-track debut of all original music that’s been described as “a thrilling sonic odyssey that showcases undeniable musicianship and boundless artistic expression.”
Coffin, Perlson and Krauss first started playing together in 2020. The connection between them was evident instantly. During the pandemic, the three Nashville based musicians formed a social pod, and made playing together a regularity as long as they were safe to do so. Using this unexpected time, the trio decided to record at Krauss’ home studio to officially document this special collaboration, eventually settling on seven compositions and two solo works. The result is their first album as a trio, self- titled ‘Coffin /Perlson/Krauss.
‘Searching For a Memory’ is a truly remarkable album. Released in July, legendary GRAMMY-nominated percussionist Sammy Figueroa brings together a stellar group of GRAMMY winning and nominated friends to musically tell the story of his late father, Charlie Figueroa, a singer of romantic boleros back in the 1950's, one of the best, whose records still sell to this day. Charlie passed away as a young man, when Sammy was just a small boy, as he describes it “a victim of his bohemian lifestyle. “
We talk with Sammy about his remarkable musical journey in ‘Searching For a Memory,’ and how the song choices and arrangements allowed him to make his peace. This is an album of cathartic strength, and a backstory takes you on a journey that isn’t soon forgotten.
All That’s Jazz catches up with drummer Richard Baratta to talk about his newest release, “Off The Charts,” a departure from his previous two albums that focused on music from the movies. It’s a subject he knows well having spent upwards of 35 years as a film producer.
We pick up with Richard where we left off in 2020, Season 1-Episode 30, that focused on his incredibly rich background and how it led him to his album “Music in Film: The Reel Deal”.
This time, we drill deep into the backstory of album number 3, “Off The Charts” and why he chose to change course to present music mined from the catalog of his youth, focusing on the 1960’s and 1970’s, a period he describes as “full of intense musical creativity and experimentation.”
Pianist, composer, and educator EUNMI LEE brings a distinct compositional flair with her debut album, INTROSPECTION. Originally from South Korea, Eunmi has been living in New York City since 2020. In this episode, we talk about how Eunmi crafted INTROSPECTION from the disparate musical traditions of big band jazz, post-bop, chamber music and even Brazilian music. Though her compositions are very contemporary, they are also subtly shaded with Eunmi’s Korean culture, creating a unique and musically diverse palate.
In this episode of All That’s Jazz, we talk with Shana L. Redmond, professor of English and Comparative Literature at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity & Race at Columbia University. She is past president of the American Studies Association and a recipient of a 2023 Guggenheim Fellowship. Dr. Redmond is the album notes author for the critically acclaimed Verve Record’s new release titled ‘Nina Simone: You’ve Got To Learn.’
Here’s the backstory: On July 2, 1966, the Newport Jazz Festival witnessed a legendary six-song set by Nina Simone that has remained etched in the memory of music aficionados for over half a century. Now, this previously unknown and unreleased recording of the unforgettable concert is available for the world to hear.
Our conversation is centered on the backstory of Nina Simone’s Newport set, but it is also wide-ranging discussion of the woman, songstress, and ardent activist who spoke truth to power for her generation.
We learned a lot. We know you will, too.
One of the most intriguing albums we’ve recently encountered is also the subject of our conversation with one of our most intriguing guests.
Javier Nero has many titles: trombonist, composer, arranger, educator; Doctor of Musical Arts with a cognate (minor) in classical trombone performance at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, and. along the way, he’s also a Staff Sergeant in the US Army with the Army Band’s premier musical unit: “The Pershing’s Own” and as part of the pop element with the US Army Blues, a big band comprised of some of the nations most talented musicians. His musical career has been shaped by such jazz luminaries as Carl Allen, Steve Turre, John Daversa, Shelly Berg and Brian Lynch.
Javier has two album releases as a leader to his credit, the 2020 recording “Freedom”, and his recently released second album on the Outside In Music label called “Kemet:the Black Land” which is a tribute to this ancient Egyptian, highly-advanced Black civilization. It’s a backstory as fascinating and diverse as the man himself.
Ricky Riccardi is the director of research collections at the Louis Armstrong House Museum, located in the Corona section of the Queens in New York. In 2022, Ricky won a Grammy Award for “Best Album Notes” The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966 on Mosaic Records.
In this “Catching Up With” episode, we find out what he’s been up to and also learn about the newly opened Louis Armstrong Center, located directly across the street from Armstrong’s fabled home-turned-museum.
We had the great fortune of meeting saxophonist Keith Loftis when he was playing with The Baylor Project this spring at Earl Klugh’s 20th Weekend of Jazz at The Broadmoor. We knew then that we wanted to continue our backstage conversation in a formal ATJ episode.
Over the course of his musically wide-ranging career, Keith’s performed with the likes of Benny Carter, Cedar Walton, Nancy Wilson, Frank Foster, Alvin Batiste, Clark Terry, Bobby Shew, Joe Williams and Ray Charles; he’s traveled extensively around the globe performing regularly throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and parts of the Middle East with legendary South African Jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim; master drummer Michael Carvin; the Roy Hargrove Big Band and the Frank Foster Loud Minority Big Band. As we found out when we met him, he’s also a main fixture in the 6x Grammy nominated The Baylor Project featuring other great friends of ours, Jean & Marcus Baylor. And if that weren’t enough, Keith’s also a touring member of 4x Grammy award winning bassist Christian McBride’s A Christian McBride Situation and The Christian McBride Big Band.
We talk with Keith not only about his eclectic and fascinating background, but about one of our personal favorite albums, his 2021 release ‘Original State’.
Anthony Hervey is a trumpeter, composer, and teacher who Wynton Marsalis described as a “beautiful trumpet player of the first magnitude.” Recently chosen as one of Grammy.com’s 10 Emerging Jazz Artists to Watch in 2023, Anthony holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from and the Juilliard School; he has performed all over the world with some of the best in jazz, including Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Jon Batiste and Michael Bublé.
Anthony has opened for the Branford Marsalis Quartet, is also on Christian McBride’s Grammy Award winning Big Band Album, “For Jimmy, Wes, and Oliver,” and he is prominently featured acting and playing trumpet in the anthology series, Monsterland, airing on Hulu. What makes this body of work even more impressive is that Anthony is just 26 years old.
The June 9, 2023 release of Words From My Horn on Outside in Music is Anthony’s debut album. The 12-tracks highlight not only 10 of his original compositions, but also Anthony’s personal, musical, and spiritual voice.
The individual threads of these experiences are fascinating by themselves, but together they form the fabric of the backstory to Anthony’s prodigious talent and remarkable new release.
Born on the Massachusetts North Shore, critically-acclaimed singer-composer and lyricist Lauren Henderson has been a key part of the New York scene for the past decade. Among Jazz Charts Top 5, and the Year End Jazz Week Top 50 (2020), Lauren accesses elements from a range of influences, delivering a distinct, versatile sound that uncovers layers of her cultural heritages and her diverse background in English and Spanish.
Across her ten albums as a leader, Lauren’s own compositions share stories that reflect journeys of the movement, migration, and scattering of people away from their ancestral homes and how that interplays with Lauren’s Panamanian, Montserratian and vast Caribbean roots and her North American upbringing.
In addition to discussing her latest release, CONJURING, we talk about her Jazz, Latin American styles, Flamenco, R&B and Soul roots, as well as her love of, and respect for the sound and lyrics of Jazz standards. “I don’t feel like I can give a strong interpretation and representation of the song, “ Lauren told Downbeat Magazine, “if I can’t find some way of connecting to it.”
There are so many highlights in our conversation that it’s difficult to just pick one. But what our biggest takeaway, besides her prodigious talent, is what a warm, diverse and interesting person she is. We’re sure you’ll feel that way, too.
After living in New York City for a decade, JUNO nominated Lebanese-Canadian drummer, composer, educator and producer, Sanah Kadoura, has quickly risen to prominence as a first-call drummer and an inventive composer. She has a special approach to her playing, one that exhibits a rare musicality that infuses melody and nuance into all of her work.
Sanah received her Masters of Music in Jazz Drum Set Performance from S.U.N.Y. Purchase in New York. She has produced, recorded or shared the stage with a number of legendary artists including Jon Baptiste, Joe Locke, Frank Lacy, Kirk Lighstey, Philip Harper, Ed Cherry, Mark Whitfield, Roy Hargrove, Jeremy Pelt, Johnny O'Neal, Jazzmeia Horn, Ronnie Foster, among many others. As a member of the Canadian All-Star group Ostara, Sanah recorded drums on their debut album, releasing in 2022.
Her new release, ‘Duality’, by her description is a blend of modern jazz, neo-soul, and Lebanese influences that weave a balance between dark and light to tell the story of hope and resilience. We discuss the theme, how they intertwine, and the inspiring message of “the flow of life” conveyed through the story.
What if a magical place existed in an undisclosed location; a place of great beauty, serene and quiet enough to capture a whisper in the breeze. Imagine this place as one that serves as a light to the future, but existing in the present. Carbon neutral, energy producing, and state-of-the-art, a musical sanctuary that combines old-school acoustics with modern technologies and a recording process that honors both artistic performance and authentic audience experience.
That place exists.
Manifold Recording is, in fact, located in an undisclosed location near Pittsboro, North Carolina. It is the brainchild of Michael Tiemann, a professional singer as a child who - as an adult - turned “open source” software creator and in 1989 revolutionized the software industry paving the way for the popularization and commercialization of the Internet.
So, how did this eclectic background lead to a a recording Nirvana in the woodlands of North Carolina that’s hosted artists from across the musical spectrum, from Béla Fleck and Brooklyn Rider, to Sirintip, to Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo, Nnenna Frelon, to the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, the Indigo Girls, Carole King, and James Taylor? We find the answer to this, and more, in our conversation.
GRAMMY award winning Leo Sidran is a multi instrumentalist on drums, percussion, bass, guitars, keyboards, piano and vibraphone. He’s a lead and backing vocalist, producer, arranger, composer, recording artist, and podcast host of ‘The Third Story’ who - in his spare time - just released his 8th solo album titled ‘What’s Trending.’
There is so much to this mind bogglingly diverse man that one episode simply isn’t enough, so look for a “to be continued” in the future. But for now, Leo and I chose to focus on the rich backstory of ‘What’s Trending.’ It’s a fast-paced, fun and fascinating conversation, with highlights from the tracks we know you’ll enjoy.
How does a JUNO-nominated trumpeter from Canada who lives and works in New York form a band called Latin Jazz Project and record an album called MI HOGAR, which translated means “my home”? Fair question.
Mi Hogar represents a special release for Rachel Therrien, who has honed her skills playing in Latin Jazz ensembles for years, and whose love for the genre compelled her to travel to Cuba to research and study the music more than a decade ago.
The accomplished trumpeter is a regular fixture on the New York jazz and Latin jazz scene. A bonafide virtuoso on the horn and an expert in numerous musical styles, she’s shared the stage with many luminaries including Tony Allen, Pedrito Martinez, Claudio Roditi, Billy Drummond, Anat Cohen and works regularly as a core member of Arturo O’Farrill’s GRAMMY® Winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra among many others. A prolific bandleader, her five previous releases (including the JUNO-nominated 2020 release Vena) have garnered critical acclaim, solidifying Rachel’s status as an ingenious composer and inspired improviser.
In our conversation we explore just how influential living in Cuba has been for Rachel’s latest album and her current musical direction..and she also reveals a secret about what comes next from this incredible artist.
Bass player DEWAYNE PATE is so busy working as a sideman that it has taken him 14 years and a pandemic lockdown to find the time to record his second album as a leader. ON THE UPSIDE comprises funk, blues, and jazz tunes performed with a variety of instrumentations. Besides being an in-demand bass player, Pate is also an accomplished composer and included five of his original compositions.
A master of many styles, Dewayne has performed around the world with a variety of top acts, like Arturo Sandoval, Huey Lewis, Boz Scaggs, Tower Of Power, Maria Muldaur, and Robben Ford, to name a few. In talking about his experience he told us, “I love the variety. It keeps me fresh and it keeps my playing fresh. It’s a challenge.”
From jazz to fusion to Latin to funk to the blues, Dewayne’s superb musicianship has been an essential component of so many different recordings and live performances that audiences may not have realized just how accomplished and versatile he is.
In our kickoff to Season 4, you’ll not only hear Dewayne’s take on being a sideman to some of the greats in the industry in a number of genres, but you’ll also get to sample some of the music from ON THE UPSIDE - a musically rich, formidable introduction to his talents as a composer and performer.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2016, South Korea born John Lee established himself as a prominent multi-instrumentalist in Vancouver, becoming a first-call player on the Vancouver jazz scene who performs on a high level on double bass, drums, piano, organ and guitar. The 28 year old bass player conveys a wisdom and musicality that’s far beyond his years. John’s album The Artist stands as testament to his facility on the bass, as well as being an accomplished composer and arranger. Along with John on bass, the album captures his intricate interplay with three other masterful musicians: drummer Carl Allen, pianist Miles Black and tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds. Our conversation takes us through John’s family’s move from South Korea to Nanaimo, Canada when he was 5 and his discovery of Jazz that came as the result of a box of CDs sent by a friend of his mother that included classics from artists like Miles Davis and Ron Carter. We discuss how his musical journey, and the influence of a high school teacher, led John to Berklee then back to Canada. The result is the creation of his debut album of reimagined straight ahead Jazz, swing and two original compositions dedicated to the memory of his artist father who passed away in 2014.
Born in Santiago, Chile and raised in Concepcion, singer, composer and bandleader, Claudia Acuña, established herself on the Chilean jazz scene in her 20s. When she arrived in New York City in 1995, Claudia quickly gained recognition as a leading voice in a scene that was rapidly being transformed by brilliant Latin American jazz, plunging into collaborations with masters such as Jason Lindner, Harry Whitaker, Arturo O’Farrill, Guillermo Klein, Avishai Cohen, Branford Marsalis, George Benson, Louie Vega, Danilo Perez, and Tom Harrell. Claudia released five albums as a leader before slowing down to adjust to motherhood and restore her power. Returning after a decade-long hiatus in 2019, Claudia returned with her sixth album, the highly praised Latin Grammy nominated album Turning Pages.Then 2020 rocked the world. As the life slowed to a crawl, Claudia took time to reflect on the past and to find the core of her dedication in the power of music. She returned to fulfilling a long time desire to record an album with songs from her homeland. Titled DUO, the release features nine songs recorded as intimate duets with some of the finest musicians in the world - Fred Hersch, Christian Mcbride, Regina Carter, Russell Malone, Carolina Calvache, Arturo O’Farrell, and Kenny Barron. Claudia says that the simplicity of just two artists feeling the music and letting it flow through them, brought her to a new place as a singer. She told us, “I think all my albums are dreams and this was really one I didn’t know I was ever going to do…It was the perfect time…to give me the honor not only to do this duet, but allow me…to take them [her friends and musical collaborators] with me to, what I call humbly and respectfully, the Latin American standards.”
Jazz-funk bassist Richie Goods and vibraphonist, percussionist, and composer Chien Chien Lu are a powerful musical duo. On their newest self-produced release titled ‘Connected’, the two come together on a collaborative effort to produce an album which reflects on an imagery of love, hope and unity within a world where unwarranted violence against African American and Asian communities exists. ‘Connected’ is a landmark for Richie and Chien Chien’s collaborative musical relationship. This multi-dimensional, riveting album- highlighted by several powerful tracks that include both music and conversation - offers a message of love and hope while placing it squarely in the context of unwarranted violence against African American and Asian communities, a deeply personal reality for both bandleaders.With Chien Chien on vibes and marimba throughout and Richie splitting his time between electric and upright bass, ‘Connected’ also includes the all-star contributions of drummer Allan Mednard and guitarist Quintin Zoto. Special guests include vocalists Sy Smith, Jamison Ross and Pastor Dr. Adolfus Lacey, drummers Lil John Roberts and David Frazier Jr, percussionist Danny Sadownick, keyboardist BIGYUKI, Shedrick Mitchell on organ and piano, Brett Williams on keys and rhodes and Mike King on rhodes and organ.
Join us for a conversation with pianist / composer Skip Wilkins, and his son, saxophonist Dan Wilkins, about the story behind the album ‘In the Stars’ by the Skip and Dan Wilkins Quartet. This is the second of three recordings the Quartet is doing on Dear Head Records and is the follow-up to the first release called ‘Someday’ that came out in 2019. The development of this latest album was delayed by the Covid Pandemic but then the Quartet got together again in June of 2021 and recorded ‘In the Stars’ in July of that year. This episode also explores the special relationship and collaboration of the father-son team. Besides once again recording with his son Dan, ‘In The Stars’ marks Skip’s sixth outing with longtime friends, bassist Tony Marino, and drummer Bill Goodwin.
Bassist-composer Santi Debriano, who emigrated to the United States from Panama at the age of four, has one of the most fascinating backstories around his new release, ASHANTI, that we’ve covered on All That’s Jazz.During the pandemic lockdown, Santi created a sanctuary and communal practice space for New York area jazz musicians in the basement of his Staten Island home. He would organize weekly bembés based on a West African ritual of the Yoruba tribe involving a celebration of food, drink, music and dance. Santi created his own, pandemic-inspired intimate jam session tradition that offered a musical lifeline for artists until it was safe to go back to the recording the studio again.Out of this came increasingly more complex compositions for his group of musicians now known as Arkestra Bembé, including Santi as leader and anchor on bass, with Robby Ameen on drums, TK Blue on alto saxophone, Andrea Brachfeld on flute, Tommy Morimoto on tenor saxophone, Ray Scro on baritone saxophone, Emile Turner on trumpet, Adrian Alvárado on guitar and Mamiko Watanabe on piano.In our conversation with Santi - as well as with the selected sample tracks - we give you an inside look at how love, ingenuity, and determination to continue to create during the pandemic produced a remarkable album that may not have otherwise happened.
A master of her craft, Jane Monheit's stunning interpretations of the American Songbook, classic pop songs, and traditional Latin / bossa nova tunes have mesmerized fans the world over. Her ability to honor timeless material with her well-honed vocal performances has resulted in several of her albums going to #1 on the Billboard Jazz Charts.Coming from a family of professional singers and musicians, Jane says she realized at the age of 4 that jazz was the thing she wanted to do and told us her main influences were Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland.With the start of the holiday season, we talk to Jane about her new release ‘The Merriest’ [out on Club 44 Records and now streaming ]. It’s her second holiday album, following 2005's ‘The Season’. On ‘The Merriest’, Jane continues her tradition of imbuing timeless music with her unique vocal and jazz stylings through a personally handpicked collection of festive favorites. We also talk about her album ‘Come What May’. Released in 2021, it was her first in five years, and as Broadway World noted in their review “highlights her fresh takes on first-rate standards, with deft interpretations honed after years on the road.”
Bangkok-born Thai-Swedish singer, producer and multi-modal artist Sirintip recently released her second album, ‘carbon,’ featuring all original music that invites a new and fascinating conversation around climate change.
Borrowing from the tradition of hip hop, Sirintip utilizes a number of found instruments, including plastic water jugs transformed into percussion, processed recordings from backyard wildlife, even sand. ‘carbon’ presents a suite of music through which science elevates Sirintip’s lyrical musicianship. Her compositions breathe with purpose.
It is one of the most fascinating, and in many ways one of the most topically important conversations we’ve had on All That’s Jazz.
This episode we catch up with Multi-GRAMMY® winning jazz pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and both GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® winning vocalist Aymée Nuviola to focus on their latest collaboration, Live in Marciac, out on 5Passion Records and which is nominated to a Latin GRAMMY in the category of Best Traditional Tropical Album.
Live in Marciac was recorded during the duo’s 2021 tour performance at the Jazz in Marciac festival in France at the Chapiteau Concert Hall. The album has been described as “a breathtaking display of music’s power to unite, heal, dream, merge and elevate our spiritual capacities.” After listening, we wholeheartedly agree.
The Latin GRAMMY® Awards are November 17 and will be broadcast live on Univision TV.
If you missed our first conversation with Gonzalo and Aymée from Season 1, here is the link.
https://www.allthatsjazz.net/podcast-1/episode/4d2051d9/episode-50-gonzalo-rubalcabaaymee-nuviola
Celebrated vocalist Kate Baker and her late husband, guitar giant Vic Juris, chronicle a moving love story on Return to Shore, their evocative, newly released album featuring a stunning recorded document of tender connection and supreme musical synergy.
The album’s origin began several years prior to Juris’ untimely passing in December of 2019 at the age of 66 from neuroendocrine cancer. His untimely death created a crater-like hole in the music community. Known as a true “musicians' musician,” his career spanned 40 years with several important musical partnerships, including a 20-year tenure in saxophonist Dave Liebman’s band.
However, the most meaningful partnership was with Kate. They performed together often and their uncommon collaboration left audiences floored. Despite their frequent live appearances, the duo never released an album together. Perhaps even more surprisingly, Baker had never issued a formal recorded debut. When Vic passed, the recordings they had done in studio from earlier that year took on new significance, and with producer and guitar great Dave Stryker’s help, Jill wanted to deliver one last document of her late husband’s work to the world. The results are revelatory and cathartic.
Our conversation chronicles Kate’s personal and professional journey of releasing Return to Shore. The music speaks for itself, and we share clips with you in this episode. This story can’t be adequately told without hearing the immense love and respect behind it.
In this episode, we catch up David Chesky, an American pianist, composer, producer, arranger, and co-founder of the independent, audiophile label Chesky Records. He is also co-founder and CEO of HDtracks, an online music store that sells high-resolution digital music.
David is considered a technological and musical innovator with eclectic interests that come shining through with his new release, The Great European Songbook. Here, David transforms classical European standards by Bach, Beethoven, Strauss and Chopin into a modern jazz genre, with David on piano, and accompanied by jazz greats Peter Washington on bass and Billy Drummond on drums.
“It is amazing to me how well Bach’s music sounds as jazz. Bach was the ultimate jazz player of his time, a master improviser, and his music swings.”
It’s a fun conversation that highlights clips of music sure to surprise and delight those who love both classical and jazz.
Jason Goldman, known professionally as “Spicy G”, is a multi-platinum selling hit record producer, songwriter, composer/arranger, and engineer. Jason’s produced, written, and arranged for some true heavy weights in the music industry including Michael Buble, mega-producer David Foster, Rod Stewart, Herbie Hancock and many more. As a performer, he’s played with legendary artists Michael Bublé, Queen Latifah, Wayne Newton, Chris Isaak, Michael Feinstein, Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Wayne Shorter.
Vocalist, Lia Booth, is quickly establishing herself as one of Southern California’s most talked about young jazz vocalists. Her daring yet effortless musical style is rooted deeply in the past but with a contemporary sensibility that breathes new life into classic jazz standards night after night. Lia Booth has shared the stage with Jeff Goldblum’s Mildred Snitzer Orchestra as well as with trumpet great Arturo Sandoval.
In this episode of “Catching Up” with Jason (we first spoke with him in Season 1), he introduces us to Lia and we talk about their collaboration on Jason’s latest project, There’s Only One, released on September 16, 2022 that he produced, engineered, mixed, mastered and also was a contributing composer and musician. Recorded at G Street Studios, the album is infused with many different styles of music, from classic jazz swing, to Latin grooves to modern pop sounds, all while honoring the traditions of The Great American Songbook genre.
Making beautiful music together is what actress, singer and writer Julie Benko, and husband, pianist and composer, Jason Yeager, do - both separately as well as hand in hand, which is also the name of their debut duo album that they produced and arranged.
JULIE is currently on Broadway as the standby for Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. She has performed on stages on and off-Broadway and across the country, including Broadway turns in Fiddler on the Roof and Les Misérables. She holds a BFA and MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
JASON has performed across five continents at such noteworthy venues as Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, Panama Jazz Festival, Qintai Concert Hall, and more. He’s released five albums as a bandleader and will soon release Unstuck in Time: The Kurt Vonnegut Suite (Sunnyside Records), with his septet and special guest Miguel Zenón. He also currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano at Berklee College of Music, and where he’s taught since 2012.
Our conversation not only highlights their musical careers, but also tells the fun almost theater script-like backstory of their chance meeting and how it brought the two of them to this collaborative album called ‘Hand In Hand,’ the concept which developed during their weekly virtual performances performed for friends, family and fans during the height of the pandemic.
An internationally recognized saxophonist-composer-bandleader, Eli Degibri possesses a treasure trove of gifts as a musician, boasting a seemingly bottomless fountain of artistry. His prodigious talents have resulted in Eli being honored with the Israeli “Prime Minister Award for Jazz Composition”, and the “Landau Award for Jazz Performance” for his achievements.
On his self-released ninth album, “Henri and Rachel,” titled for his parents and recorded on March 19, 2020, just days before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Eli continues to reveal his ability to convey profound emotions through his intricate language of notes and tones. Joined by his immensely talented Israeli rhythm section, the 44-year-old maestro spins an intimate love story, portraying the personalities and idiosyncrasies of his tight-knit family.
As Henri and Rachel’s only child, Eli found himself splitting his attention and energy between his musical production and caring for his aging and ailing parents, both of whom had emigrated to Israel following World War 2. Henri, a native of Bulgaria, passed away in the fall of 2020 after developing cancer; his mother, Rachel, born in Iran, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease and dementia. Although Eli says he was not thinking consciously of them during the development of his newest album - or of his other dedicatees, including his fiancé and best friend - their essence is deeply entwined throughout his compositions.
Our wide-ranging conversation gives you a look inside the mind, dedication, heart and music - of this extremely talented, versatile man who Herbie Hancock noted as “the caliber of which is a rare find in jazz today.”
Toronto native, steelpan artist and composer, Joy Lapps, is an award-winning instrumentalist of Antiguan and Barbudan descent who treats the steelpan as a tool for engagement, and anchors her artistry in a profound, community-centered musical tradition. She is a 2022 Grammy nominee, and a Juno award winner.
In her new release, Girl In The Yard (2022)-her fifth, Joy’s repertoire is colorfully painted with Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Brazilian inspired rhythms and harmonic patterns, garlands of melody and plenty of space for spontaneity, pays tribute to the community, especially the many women who have helped facilitate her mastery of the steelpan and supported her success in the steel band movement.
We had a lot of questions about steelpan, and Joy answered them all while providing an in-depth backstory to Girl In The Yard. It’s a conversation chock full of fascinating facts about panning that are “pure gold.”
Born and raised in Albany, New York, John Minnock is a classically trained musician who has a degree in music from Boston University. John first gained popularity in Boston.
Now a fixture in the New York jazz and cabaret scene he often branches out into jazz improvisation and scat singing and brings a rich history of the music to every performance. He’s played at the finest cabaret clubs in New York, including the Metropolitan Room, the Triad Theater, iconic Don’t Tell Mama, and most recently at the stellar Feinstein’s/54 Below. John recently made his debut at the iconic Jazz club Birdland with NEA Jazz Master, Dave Liebman, who was executive producer and featured artist for his acclaimed 2020 album “Herring Cove,” as well as on John’s new release for Dot Time Records titled “Simplicity,” which is the subject of our conversation.
“Simplicity “ signals an evolution of John’s artistry. The repertoire includes original compositions as well as nuanced treatments of familiar songs, each reflecting harmonic sophistication, heartbreaking subtlety and homage to his beloved LGBTQ community.
For John, the story’s everything, and he weaves it for us creating a colorful and fascinating tapestry.
Flugelhornist/ composer/educator, Dmitri Matheny, has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” by the International Review of Music, and “one of the Jazz world’s most talented horn players” by the San Francisco Chronicle.
With a discography that lists over 120 albums on which he appears as a composer, arranger, producer, annotator or flugelhorn soloist, and 11 critically-acclaimed albums as a leader, Dmitri’s new album, CASCADIA - released on Origin Records- shows yet another side, showcasing timeless classics and original jazz from the Pacific Northwest.
Dmitri’s backstory is woven from the threads that led him from his father’s collection of jazz and classical LP records to piano lessons at age 5, the trumpet at 9, then the flugelhorn at 18. It took Dmitri from his birthplace of Nashville to Georgia, Arizona, Interlochen in Michigan, Berklee in Boston, then to New York, to touring worldwide, and on to his current home in Washington state. His experiences have created an expansive tapestry in his music that shine brightly throughout our conversation.
In this episode, we talk with accomplished 29 year old drummer, Aaron Seeberg, about not only his background but his new album, First Move, recorded live in Brooklyn at Ornithology Jazz Club on October 19, 2021, and released in May, 2022, on Cellar Live Records.
On this extraordinary album, he’s joined by vibraphonist Warren Wolf, alto saxophonist Tim Green, pianist Sullivan Fortner, and bassist Ugonna Okegwo. The recording highlights selections by timeless luminaries including Charlie Parker and Charles Mingus, as well as modern legends such as Geri Allen and Mulgrew Miller.
While in high school, Aaron attended Paul Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music (JAM) Camp, where Aaron is now on as faculty drum instructor and combo teacher. He later attended SUNY Purchase, where he studied Jazz Drums under the tutelage of renowned instructors Kenny Washington and John Riley.
Aaron’s shared the stage with numerous greats including Eric Reed, Pete Malinverni, Warren Wolf, Grant Stewart, Cyrille Aimée, Jeremy Pelt, Paul Bollenback, Tim Green, Ugonna Okegwo, Bruce Harris, Gary Smulyan, Mike Ledonne, Freddie Redd, Butch Warren, Chuck Redd, and many others.
First Move is Aaron’s first release as both drummer and bandleader.
Drummer, composer, arranger, teacher and a truly inspiring “force of nature”, Sherrie Maricle, leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her quintet FIVE PLAY and co-leads the 3D Jazz Trio.
With her bands, Sherrie has performed at many of the world’s most acclaimed music venues and festivals; from Lincoln Center to the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl, to Jazz Festivals around the world.
In this episode, we talk with Sherrie about a wide range of topics including the route that led her to the drums, her love of Big Band music; the changing role of women in Jazz, and the constant challenge of recognition and acceptance.
Lynne's latest album, The Lights Are Always On is a suite of compositions that reflect the world-wide, life-changing events of the past two years. Several of the pieces are named in honor of heroes around the world, including those who served as caregivers on the front lines of the COVID pandemic and as defenders of democracy.
The album also expresses Lynne’s special admiration for the character of Representative John Lewis, Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the patriots of the Capitol Police who stepped into the breach risking their lives to defend our elected representatives and democracy during the January 6, 2021 Insurrection.
This is an episode of appreciation and inspiration, not only in Lynne’s own words but in the music she’s created to express her feelings and, in her words, honor “our better angels; those who embrace truth, compassion, and inclusivity, and reject selfishness, lies, and hatred. It also acknowledges the marchers, my beautiful sisters worldwide, and the heroes of science and medicine who have sacrificed so much.”
9-time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton has received a “Best Jazz Vocal Album” Grammy nod for every project she has released in the last decade. Known for her impeccable voice and imaginative treatments of The Great American Songbook, Tierney is heralded for her abilities as both a jazz storyteller and her ability to use her voice as an instrument.
In our conversation, we talk about her newest album, Paris Sessions II, released on May 6. It’s a rich collaboration with her husband, classically-trained guitarist Serge Merlaud, and the two take their musical connection to even deeper levels through songs dedicated to the late songwriter Marilyn Bergman.
Paris Sessions 2 was recorded during lockdown at L. A. 's Tritone Studios. Acoustic bass guitarist Kevin Axt, a member of the Tierney Sutton Band since 2005 and a key component of the first Paris Sessions, came back on board for Paris Sessions 2, providing resounding bass lines and all-important chordal work behind Merlaud's lyrical guitar solos. Legendary flutist Hubert Laws, who recorded remotely from his home studio, blends beautifully with Sutton's crystalline voice on five songs.
Michael Major of “Broadway World” said it best. “Sutton has continued to weave her spell with a combination of pure, pristine vocals, emotional honesty and striking reinventions of familiar tunes. That spell is very much intact on Paris Sessions 2.”
We agree
Award winning jazz musician Michael Wolff’s book, ON THAT NOTE, is more than a memoir. It is like a Jazz score with words, taking the reader on the wild journey of his singular life, one driven by a passion for music and a passion for being alive. Sometimes hilarious and sometimes harrowing, Michael’s story is a true “page turner” that actually delivers. His book, life and the incredible backstory is what drew us to asking him to kick off Season 3 of All That’s Jazz.
Michael survived a painful childhood overshadowed by Tourette’s Syndrome, where his brilliance as a jazz pianist and passion for music are what saw him through. Michael’s body of work includes 21 critically acclaimed albums, written award-winning scores to movies and television series, and now a book about his life and beating an untreatable cancer. We know you’ll be drawn in to this remarkable episode.
Alexa Tarantino is an award-winning, vibrant, young jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer, and educator. She was recently named one of the “Top 5 Alto Saxophonists of 2019” by the JazzTimes Critics’ Poll and nominated as a “Rising Star - Alto Saxophone” by Downbeat Magazine’s 2020 and 2021 Critics’ Poll. Alexa is currently on faculty for Jazz at Lincoln Center. Alexa holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from The Juilliard School and Bachelor’s degrees in Jazz Saxophone Performance and Music Education from the Eastman School of Music.
Alexa has performed regularly as a leader and sidewoman in a wide variety of ensembles and genres including the Wynton Marsalis Septet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Cecile McLorin Salvant Quintet and OGRESSE ensembles, Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Generation Y and Big Band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. In this episode we speak with Alexa in depth about her background and her latest release "Firefly."
Michael Leonhart is a New York-based trumpeter, composer, producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who has carved a niche for himself, leading his multi-piece Michael Leonhart Orchestra.
On Sunnyside Records, Michael’s new release, titled “The Normyn Suites” is a requiem and celebration, inspired by the life and death of the bandleader’s 15-year-old dog, a female mini dachshund named Normyn. In keeping with the MLO’s eclectic musical palette, the album features several collaborations with Elvis Costello, with contributions by Bill Frisell, Joshua Redman, Nels Cline, and JSWISS as well as two bonus offerings with Donny McCaslin.
It’s a beautiful backstory of love and loss that in these times speaks personally - and universally.
In this episode, we speak with the President of Blue Note Entertainment Group, Steven Bensusan, about the past, present and future plans for one of the most iconic names in jazz worldwide. Since 1981, Blue Note has been a cultural institution in New York City and one of the world’s premiere jazz clubs. We speak with Steven Bensusan who is the son of Blue Note’s founder Danny Bensusan and his dad’s vision to create a jazz club in Greenwich Village that would treat deserving artists with respect, and how it has become a worldwide presence on the jazz scene with clubs in Hawaii, Napa, Tokyo, Nagoya, Rio, Milan and Beijing. Blue Entertainment Group has also expanded its business portfolio to include festivals and other enterprises and investments within the music industry.
In this episode we are introducing the world to the formidable Grace Fox Big Band, Grace Fox is a 19-year-old trumpeter, composer, arranger and now a bandleader who has debuted an album release called Eleven O'Seven. It features an amazing, ground-breaking all female ensemble.
Finding inspiration and empowerment from listening to the powerful all-female ensembles ‘The International Sweethearts of Rhythm’, and ‘The Diva Jazz Orchestra’, Grace was moved to create a big band of her own, one that could feature some of the most formidable young female artists within the jazz idiom.
On Eleven O’ Seven, Fox presents decidedly modern arrangements of innovative, insightful and hopeful compositions for a brighter future – and that future is female.
Iconic pianist, composer, arranger, producer, film and TV scorer, David Benoit, IS music. He is an extension of what he creates. A Founding Father of Contemporary Jazz, rooted in the tradition of Dave Brubeck and Bill Evans, David - who started playing piano as a young child - is a true trailblazer unbound by categories and rules.
Now, with his new release ‘A Midnight Rendezvous’, David records for the first time with a big band under his own direction and joined by numerous special guests including pianist Jeff Lorber and saxophonist Eric Marienthal. Our conversation covers not only his career, his connection to the music of ‘Peanuts’, and how excited he is to finally have his big band dream become a reality.
Oz Noy, Ray Marchica and Ugonna Okegwo’s new album, Riverside, was released on January 21, 2022 via Outside in Music. Their first release as a trio, this is a fresh, life-affirming collection of standards that stems from the group’s spontaneous outdoor jams held in New York City’s Riverside Park during the Covid-19 lockdown. It’s a conversation with all three about what brought them together and how their collaboration saved them mentally and musically.
Pianist, composer and educator Pete Malinverni has been a fixture on the New York City Jazz scene since moving there in the early 1980s from his hometown of Niagara Falls, NY. Pete has recorded fourteen times as a leader in solo piano, trio, quartet, quintet, big band and choral contexts. He’s performed and recorded with a host of masters including Joe Lovano, Vernel Fournier, Charles Davis, Mel Lewis, Dennis Irwin, Jon Faddis, Karrin Allyson, Steve Wilson and many, many others.
Having taught at William Paterson University and New York University, Pete now serves as Head of Jazz Studies at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, State University of New York.
Dropping on January 14, 2022, Pete’s newest release, “On the Town – Pete Malinverni plays Leonard Bernstein” is an intimate trio album that features bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Jeff Hamilton. The album was penned in tribute to the composer who he met in a serendipitous moment while playing in an upscale Manhattan restaurant 25 years ago. This episode is more than a conversation, it’s an education, as Pete sits down at his piano to walk us through some of his creative process as he weaves us through his unbelievably diverse background and the process that led to his new album.
You can listen to “On the Town – Pete Malinverni plays Leonard Bernstein” via Planet Arts Recordings (planetarts.org) by streaming “New York New York.” Learn more about Pete on his site petemalinverni.com
Join us for another in-depth conversation, this time with
Carlos Henriquez, one of the preeminent bassists of his generation, as we learn the backstory to his new GRAMMY nominated album “The South Bronx Story.”
A member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for over two decades, Carlos has been called one of the first truly “bilingual” musicians - a master of both jazz and Afro-Latin traditions. His upbringing in the South Bronx, a rich musical hub that boasts local legends such as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Celia Cruz, played a major role in his musical and personal development.
On The South Bronx Story, a project that first premiered in 2018 at Jazz at Lincoln Center to wide acclaim, the multi-talented bassist and composer takes listeners on a wide-ranging musical journey through his stomping grounds.
ANDREW JOHNSTON is an accomplished trombonist who has performed with jazz greats such as Terrell Stafford, Jeff Hamilton, and Phil Woods. He is also EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER of an organization called JAZZ EMPOWERS, a non-profit organization that’s mission is to transform the lives of youth in underserved schools through jazz education.
Jazz Empowers fulfills this mission by partnering with underserved schools across the country, helping them to start and develop jazz programs. They are driven by a belief that every child in America has the right to a high-quality music education. They teach jazz because it is rooted in improvisation which maximizes students’ creativity and self-expression, and has the power to transform students’ lives intellectually, emotionally, and socially. Their vision is that one day all students in America will have the opportunity to learn, love and play jazz.
Andrew taught music and math at an underserved high school in Nashville. He founded Jazz Empowers in 2014 after seeing the major need for jazz programs in underserved schools, and in 2015 launched a pilot program in two schools in Nashville. Since the launch of the pilot program, he’s led the organization to significant growth. Jazz Empowers currently serves 1400 students in 26 states and Andrew has raised over $650,000 for jazz education and amassed an impressive volunteer Advisory Board including Miguel Zenon, Terell Stafford, Dave Douglas,Michael Dease, Jon Irabagon, Ted Nash, Allison Miller, Lakecia Benjamin, Jeff Coffin, and Bob Mintzer.
Cory Weeds, the saxophonist and creative and entrepreneurial force behind Cellar Music Group and its imprints—Cellar Live, Cellar Music, and Reel to Real Recordings—released his 18th album as a leader, “What Is There To Say?”, in November. It’s his first backed by a 13-piece string orchestra. Though Weeds headlines and co-produces, he tapped saxophonist, pianist, composer, arranger, and bona fide Canadian jazz hero, Phil Dwyer, as the project’s other co-producer and de-facto music director. In addition to playing piano, Dwyer wrote all the arrangements.
In order to ensure this would be a project Dwyer would really believe in, Weeds gave his pianist and arranger carte blanche over all eight tunes here, even Weeds’ own.
Weeds has compiled some real musical gems on this latest release while also contributing an eclectic trio of original compositions to round out an extremely enjoyable musical program. We talk about the vision of this remarkable album, his partnership with Dwyer, what Cellar Music is doing to find and preserve lost jazz recordings – and about an exciting new project he is working on with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt to record Black jazz artists.
At the age of 9, jazz guitarist, Graham Dechter, first caught the attention of drummer Jeff Hamilton. He was later hired at age 19 by Hamilton and John Clayton to join the Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. He was the youngest member in the history of the band. He was only 22 when Right On Time, his first recording as a leader, was released. His second release, Takin’ It There, spent 22 weeks on the Jazz Week chart, including 12 weeks in the top five and two weeks at #1.
Now years later for his third release titled Major Influence, Graham reunites with his dream team rhythm section from his earlier recordings: Tamir Hendelman on piano, John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums. The album was recorded prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the release was delayed until the group could return to touring and live performances.
About the cuts on Major Influence, Graham says, “After completing seven originals and co-arranging the classic ‘Pure Imagination’ with Mr. Hamilton, I came to the realization that every song on this recording, whether consciously or subconsciously, was dedicated to and/or directly influenced by one or more of my musical heroes.”
Those musical heroes include jazz guitar luminaries Herb Ellis and Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, George Shearing, Hank Mobley, Louis Cole, Art Blakey, Larry Goldings - and Genevieve Artadi of the synth-heavy avant-pop duo KNOWER.
This is a delightful conversation we know you’ll enjoy, and it will make you want to know more about this talented guitarist. It’s quite a journey.
In September of 2020, we had the distinct pleasure of speaking with pianist, arranger, producer and educator Antonio Adolfo (Season 1, Episode 22) At that time, Antonio had just released his album titled “BruMa.” Now, a little over a year later, we catch up with him about his newest release, “Jobim Forever,” a tribute to the music of Brazil’s greatest maestro, composer Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Another ATJ guest, acclaimed music critic Scott Yanow, said in L.A. Jazz Times, “Jobim Forever is an easy album to enjoy and it does full justice to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Thus far, every recording of Antonio Adolfo that I have heard is recommended - and this one is certainly no exception.”
We could not agree more.
Explore with us the backstory of how Antonio Adolfo came to create this exquisite tribute to the icon of Brazilian music known as Bossa Nova.
“I think there are only two genres: the genre which moves my heart and the genre that doesn’t. I’m just playing the music which moves my heart.” - Hiromi
Ever since the 2003 release of her debut, Another Mind, pianist and composer Hiromi has electrified audiences with a creative energy that encompasses and eclipses the boundaries of jazz, classical and pop, taking improvisation and composition to new heights of complexity and sophistication.
On her new album, Silver Lining Suite, Hiromi pairs her virtuosic and emotive piano with a string quartet assembled by violinist Tatsuo Nishie, concertmaster of the New Japan Philharmonic. The results blur the lines between classical music and jazz, crafting a vibrant hybrid of rock-inspired energy and cinematic beauty that Hiromi has always instilled in her music. Silver Lining Suite epitomizes Hiromi’s emotional range by finding strength and hope amidst the turmoil of the pandemic.
Generations, the second offering of The Baylor Project, is a soulful, sonic story quilt. Like many quality quilts, it didn’t come together overnight. It took over three years to design, create and assemble and involved the contribution of the intricate handiwork of many artists from all over the world, across several generations and so-called genres. The finished product is a patchwork of 11 songs (9 originals and 2 covers) carefully and lovingly stitched together by the powerhouse couple Jean and Marcus Baylor to tell an overall story about the universality of the human condition. It's a story that we all need to hear and be reminded of about the things that matter the most like faith, love, community, culture and family.
Jimmy Greenfield is not or only a noted artist but the owner and director of a unique and special venue in Brooklyn, New York called the Soapbox Gallery.
Dedicated to presenting music with an emphasis on jazz, performance and works of art that engage the issues of our time, Soapbox was inspired by the idea that a simple, humble box–that one stands on and delivers a speech from–can start a movement and perhaps even help to change the world. During these unprecedented times, Soapbox Gallery has been committed to keeping music alive by providing artists of all types a safe and professional environment to perform. Musical performances are both live with an audience in-house as well as live-streamed. Since May, Soapbox Gallery has been presenting live-streams six days a week from Greenfield’s former sculpture studio. Its state-of-the-art, three-camera system provides a great view of the action, and video overlays are increasingly a part of the performance equation, providing a unique multimedia experience.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM) is a National Historic Landmark and a New York City landmark and sustains and promotes the cultural, historical, and humanitarian legacy of Louis Armstrong. Its mission is to preserve and interpret Armstrong’s house and grounds through collecting and sharing archival materials that document Armstrong’s life and legacy. LAHM develops programs for the public that educate and inspire as well as engaging with contemporary artists to create performances and new works.
Armstrong was widely recognized as a founding father of the uniquely American art form of Jazz. His influence as an artist and cultural icon is universal, unmatched, and very much alive today. We talk with Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections, about the Louis Armstrong House Museum, the extensive archives, and Ricky’s personal journey and dedication to preserving and telling the story of the man known around the world as Satchmo.
To learn more, visit their website www.louisarmstronghouse.org
GRAMMY nominated vocalist Roseanna Vitro is celebrating the release of her 15th album called Sing a Song of Bird.
Sing a Song of Bird is but another daring flight from Roseanna Vitro, a study of Charlie Parker, one of the greatest figures in jazz and popular music. Roseanna joins forces with Bob Dorough, Sheila Jordan, and Marion Cowings bringing a lifetime of inspiration to her through their legendary virtuosity. As Her devotees know well, she always weaves a tale through music and lyrics that resonate to the soul. We talk in depth about this journey, it’s development and what it means to her to finally accomplish a mission that began back in 2017.
At the age of 92 and still going strong, singer-songwriter Sheila Jordan has been one of the most revered and utterly unique voices in jazz for decades. Beginning with her debut album, 1963’s Portrait of Sheila on Blue Note Records, she pioneered a bebop-inflected approach to singing accompanied only by solo bass (in that case, a duet with Steve Swallow on one of her signature tunes, Bobby Timmons’ “Dat Dere”). Following the release of that album, however, Sheila retreated from the scene to concentrate on raising her daughter, working as a typist for the next two decades and not recording as a leader again for more than a dozen years. The never-before-released Comes Love: Lost Session 1960 thus adds a crucial new chapter to Jordan’s remarkable story. Recorded on June 10, 1960 at New York’s Olmsted Sound Studios for the little-known Chatam Records, the recently discovered studio date presents the singer in nascent but instantly recognizable form on a set of standards.Release by Colorado-based Capri Records on September 17, 2021, the album is otherwise shrouded in mystery: Jordan has no recollection of the date or the names of her accompanists, a nonetheless deftly attuned trio. We are honored to have her share her rich history and incredible stories.
In August 1958, a budding photographer by the name of Arthur Kanofsky (Art Kane) conceptualized the notion of assembling the musicians of New York’s jazz community for a photo in front of an East Harlem brownstone. He came up with the idea of getting as many musicians together in one place as he could. As a result of Kane’s efforts, 57 jazz musicians, including Mary Lou Williams, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie duly assembled at the unlikely hour of 10:00 am at 7 East 126th street, between Fifth and Madison Avenues. The photograph was published in Esquire Magazine in the January 1959 issue.
In 2018, Wall of Sound published Art Kane: Harlem 1958 – a visual history of the iconic shoot, edited by Art’s son, Jonathan Kane, and Guido Harari. Jonathan Kane is our guest this week to tell us the backstory and share anecdotes of “Harlem 1958” more widely known today as “A Great Day In Harlem.”
Dave Liebman has always declared that if he had to name one primary influence and inspiration it would be John Coltrane. Liebman's latest release is titled ‘Selflessness’ and is a tribute to Coltrane. It’s an album featuring his working band, Expansions, that features alto saxophonist Matt Vashlishan, pianist Bobby Avey, drummer Alex Ritz and bassist Tony Marino. All the pieces are newly arranged and rethought – mostly by Liebman, but also by members of the band. It also marks Dave’s return to an album entirely on soprano saxophone, the instrument with which he is most associated.
Dave Liebman is a NEA Jazz Master for good reason. His fluency, clarity and originality on soprano sax is mind-boggling. We’re honored to have him join us for an in-depth conversation on this new release.
Anaïs Reno is a 17-year old jazz vocalist who was born on November 29, 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland and now resides in New York. Despite her very young age, Anaïs has been artistically very active, involved in the performing arts since age 8. Anaïs has had a rapidly growing career as a singer with a love for jazz and the Great American Songbook. Since age 10, she has had the opportunity to sing with highly acclaimed professionals in the field and perform in prominent venues: the NY Philharmonic in David Geffen Hall with her own compositions, Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, Feinstein’s 54 Below and has performed with the Birdland Big Band, as well as several times at Carnegie Hall.
She has released her debut album celebrating the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn called “Lovesome Thing Anais Reno sings Ellington & Strayhorn” accompanied by the Emmet Cohen Trio. Join us for a wonderful conversation about this amazing young artist and her music.
John Daversa is a multi-Grammy winning artist, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, educator. Justin Morell is a composer, guitarist and educator whose work crosses genres between classical and jazz styles. The two have collaborated before, but the release of “All Without Words…variations inspired by Loren” is a project of deep personal meaning.
The theme is built around the spontaneous vocalizations of Morell’s autistic, nonverbal son, Loren. Our conversation takes us through the inspiration and development of the project.
A conversation with Falkner Evans pianist/composer about his stunningly beautiful solo album, Invisible Words, the pianist/composer refers to this solo outing as “a record I never planned to make.” Those plans were tragically upended, however, on May 19th, 2020, when his wife Linda took her own life.
Falkner moved to New York City and into the jazz scene in 1985 after touring for four years with the Grammy-winning western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. Always an artist who preferred the collaborative process of playing with a group of like-minded fellow musicians, Evans had never even considered recording a solo album prior to Linda’s death. This is a difficult subject, but the music on this album is beautiful, thoughtful, and in his words, a “snapshot” of Linda’s life through his own lens. We are grateful to Falkner for talking to us and taking us through his journey and process.
Founded in 1954, the Newport Jazz Festival® has been host to legendary performances by iconic figures and contemporary geniuses. We talk to 7-time Grammy winner Christian McBride about being Artistic Director to “The Granddaddy of American Music Festivals.”
Sunny Sumter is President & CEO of the DC Jazz Festival (DCJF), an organization that provides enriching and entertaining jazz performances and programs that introduce students and adults from all walks of life to jazz; our nation’s singular original art form. Prior to her tenure at the DC Jazz Festival, Sumter held management/director positions with the Aspen Institute, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Sumter earned her bachelor’s degree in music business from Howard University where she minored in jazz voice. As a professional vocalist, Sumter has performed at festivals, and clubs internationally. In this episode we explore her impressive, successful career and the upcoming DC Jazz Festival September 1-5 in Washington D.C.
Tim Mayer is an accomplished saxophonist, flute player, composer, bandleader and educator with a fascinating story and rich musical experiences. All throughout his career, Tim has traveled the world bringing jazz to new places including to Hawaii, Cape Verde, Colombia, and the Canary Islands. He currently resides in Xalapa, Mexico where he recently completed his Master’s degree at Universidad Veracruzana, and is currently building up their jazz program while making a huge difference in jazz education. Tim attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied privately with Andy McGhee, George Garzone, and Bill Pierce. In June of 2021, Tim released “Keeper of the Flame” on D-Clef Records featuring bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Ulysses Owens, and Emmet Cohen as a guest pianist. “Keeper of the Flame” is his first album as a leader since 2011’s star-studded and critically acclaimed “Resilience.”
Our guest in this episode was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and is based in Durham, NC. He is a 14-year-old multi-instrumental prodigy and musical wonder-kid named Justin Lee Schultz. This multi-instrumental wizard has dazzled audiences on TV shows like “Harry”, “Little Big Shots”, and “America’s Most Musical Family” and his idols are Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock. His talent is exceptional, not merely because he is young but also due to his melodic, harmonic and technical maturation.
In November 2020 he released “Gruv Kid” which was the #1 pre-order on iTunes jazz. The album also hit Top 10 on Billboard and united Justin with an all-star lineup including: Bob James, Harvey Mason, Jonathan Butler, Gerald Albright, Pieces Of A Dream, Jeff Lorber and others.
Accolades have poured in for Justin from all corners of the music industry. This conversation – and his music – will amaze you. It certainly caught us off guard. What an absolute treat.
Saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Dan Blake has developed a wide-ranging career as a contemporary composer, performer and educator. In addition to his work as a leader, he has toured and recorded with three-time Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding, NEA Jazz Master and Anthony Braxton. Our Conversation covers his musical career as well as his latest release "Da Fé" which is on the Sunnyside Records label and encourages activism in the fight against climate catastrophe, poverty and hunger.
Our very special guest James Horowitz is the founder, president and CEO of Jazz Aspen Snowmass which is celebrating its’ 30th anniversary this year. This premiere organization began in 1991 which was built on a dream, a vision, a business savvy and a determination that allowed it to develop into a premiere jazz and music organization with a global recognition. This is their story.
Award winning vocalist, pianist, composer, producer and journalist Fiona Ross has become known for creating her own contemporary Jazz sound using fast paced Latin Jazz, vintage jazz club and a little neo soul along with heart wrenching ballads that demonstrate that "Her style is poetic and the messages ooze with Millennial angst" (Jazz weekly). Established as an artist in her own right, she has received incredible reviews across the globe for all of her four albums. She has performed live at prestigious venues including 606 Club, Pizza Express, Bulls Head, Nells Jazz and Blues and Toulouse Lautrec and her music is played on radio stations all over the world including 40 stations in the USA as well as in Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Australia, Netherlands and Spain. Fiona is very passionate about raising awareness and supporting Mental Health and Equality issues around the world.
Maria Schneider’s music has been hailed by critics as “evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, imaginative, revelatory, riveting, daring, and beyond categorization.” Blurring the lines between genres, her varied commissioners stretch from Jazz at Lincoln Center, to The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, to the American Dance Festival, and include collaboration with David Bowie. She is among a small few to receive GRAMMYS in multiple genres, having received the award in jazz and classical, as well as for her work with David Bowie.
At the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, held March 14, Maria was honored with twice: Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for “Data Lords,” and Best Instrumental Composition for “Sputnik.”
Hannah Baiardi was our guest on Episode 15. March 22 marks the release of her new album “Straight From The Soul,” a collection of original compositions and fresh arrangements of timeless classics. It is a tribute to her favorite composers and lyricists whose unique sounds set them apart. Their music has inspired Hannah to challenge expectations about what it means to be a woman in jazz today.It’s a fitting conversation for Women’s History Month, and one of the new generation of women in jazz who are writing their own chapters for future generations.
NMAAM - National Museum of African American Music.Our guest is Dr. Steven Lewis, a curator at the Museum located in Nashville, Tennessee. This facility is dedicated to preserving, educating, and celebrating the genres created and inspired by African Americans. Through interactive technology and curated exhibitions, visitors can explore and experience an unprecedented musical and, more importantly, cultural perspective.
Fulfilling a longtime dream of working together, award-winning artists Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Aymée Nuviola released Viento y Tiempo – Live at Blue Note Tokyo. Childhood friends from Havana, Cuba, who have both received widespread acclaim for their work, they joined forces for this live recording that took place during the pair’s six-night sold out stint at Tokyo’s prestigious Blue Note in August 2019. This album has been nominated for "Best Latin Jazz Album" for 63rd Grammy Awards.
The Baylor Project featuring Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor highly anticipated collaboration is steeped in the heart and soul of Jazz. As the children of Pastors, Marcus and Jean's musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of gospel, blues, soul, and jazz to make its mark. In this episode we talk about their new release "Sit On Down" which has earned them a Grammy Nomination in the category of BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE. The Baylor Project is an undeniable force and now have (3) Grammy Nominations to their credit.
Andromeda Turre who, with two jazz musicians for parents, quite literally spent her life growing up jazz. Learning about the music and also its rich history first hand from prodigious jazz artists such as Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach, Andromeda understood from an early age a side of American history that often remains untold.
In our conversation, we explore her educational program "Growing Up Jazz" which offers an innovation in American history. Looking at it through a particular lens, jazz, she focuses on the effects of racism and how it has influenced jazz from its inception.
With the release of Allan Harris' new album, Kate's Soulfood, we continue our conversation. In this Part Two episode we discuss more about the album, as well as the stellar list of musicians who joined him on the groundbreaking recording.
The Brooklyn-born, Harlem-based vocalist/guitarist/bandleader/composer Allan Harris is one the most accomplished and exceptional singers of his generation. A self-described “storyteller through the genre of jazz” he brings it all together with his new album, ‘Kate’s Soulfood’, a beautiful collection of songs crafted with love and a depth of life experience. In this week’s conversation, we talk with the remarkable Allan Harris about all this and more.
On Sunday, January 24, an astounding virtual, fundraising event occurred where entertainers from around the globe rose as one to give new wings to the iconic Birdland Jazz Club in New York City. Faced with the possibility of having to close permanently due to the pandemic, voices were raised, and money flowed in, helping to raise Birdland - like the mythical Phoenix - from the ashes to fly again. We catch up with club owner, Gianni Valenti, and booking agent, Jim Caruso, about how the event came to be, and what it means for the future.
Jason Burt is a historian and teacher from West Sacramento, California. His grandfather, Richard Burt, was the lead trumpet player of the 746th Far East Air Force Band that was stationed in the Philippines, during World War II. From Leyte to Luzon, they played music for service members, civilians, generals, and dignitaries - at times, right on the front line with fighting going on directly behind them.
But one of the most unique things they did was to record the only known full-length album by a Front Line band unit during World War II and it was created in their performance tent with limited equipment.Jason worked with sound engineers at Lurssen Mastering, who have 5 GRAMMY awards between them and the original album was digitalized, cleaned up and mastered. It's a fascinating story with an inside glimpse of a time long past.
Bassist Gregg August spans the classical, avant-garde, jazz and Latin jazz worlds making him one of the most versatile musicians on the scene today. As a jazz bassist Gregg is a member of the JD Allen Trio, having recorded 9 albums with the group, as well as Arturo O’farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, with whom he’s won 5 Grammy awards. His newest album , Dialogues On Race, released on his own record label Iacuessa Records, recently received a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. His hope is that Dialogues on Race can in some small way serve as an integrated musical bridge to awareness, and maybe even stand as an affirmation against racism and injustice.
Ben Sidran is a jazz pianist and vocalist, lyricist, award-winning national broadcaster, record and video producer, scholar, journalist, father and an author. He was our first guest on All That's Jazz and his original episode is our most downloaded. This week, we catch up with Ben Sidran, on his critically acclaimed book The Ballad of Tommy LiPuma. We also talk about a new final chapter of a book, There Was A Fire, Ben wrote in 2011 that is being reissued in March 2021. Finally, we have fun with his latest album, done with his multi-talented son, Leo, called Who's The Old Guy Now.
Surprising is a word that perhaps best describes Grammy® nominated artist, Thana Alexa, an extraordinarily creative force in music. An awe-inspiring vocalist, composer, arranger and producer – for whom the voice is both a lyrical and experimental instrument – her music pushes the boundaries of the genre into new and unexplored territory with deep seeded roots in jazz and overtones of contemporary soul and world music.
Her latest album, ONA (self-release, March 2020), which earned her two Grammy® nominations (Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Jazz Solo for Regina Carter’s performance), is Alexa’s focus, her mission statement. Translated to "SHE" from her family's native Croatian, ONA was inspired by the cross generational and cross-cultural stories of the immigrant women in her family and evolved into an exploration of the experiences of contemporary women everywhere. The album speaks to us musically about every facet of womanhood, conveying a message of strength and empowerment. For more information about Thana Alexa please visit her website www.thanalexa.com
A conversation with Emily Olcott, an aspiring actor, singer and writer who worked as a server at the iconic New York City venue, the Jazz Standard which is now closed. Learn about her recent written memoir that went viral recalling her life changing experiences at this venue which she described as “for six years, the Jazz Standard was my home. It was my life. It gave me a life. And now it’s gone.”
Enjoy our conversation with Candice Reyes and Abel Mireles the co-founders of The Jazz Exchange. The Jazz Exchange is an organization committed to connecting communities through music while creating a platform for established and upcoming musicians. This wonderful organization also conducts educational programs for young, aspiring musicians and has also established a Relief Fund Program to benefit jazz artists impacted by the Covid 19-pandemic.
Chris Brubeck is a Performer, Grammy Nominated Composer, Educator and the son of the legendary Dave Brubeck. In this episode we discuss the newly released, remarkable album called Time Outtakes which features alternate takes from the original 1959 iconic Dave Brubeck album called Time Out. You'll hear the stories behind the discovery of these, until now, unpublished tracks of Brubeck's signature pieces and more. This new album celebrates and is a tribute to Dave Brubeck's centennial milestone.
Jerome Jennings is a multi-talented drummer, activist, bandleader, composer, sideman and educator.
His debut recording ‘The Beast’ is a reflection of the everyday joys and traumas of black life in the U.S. Jerome’s, ‘Solidarity’, released November 2019 was recognized by NPR as best music that spoke truth to power of 2019. To date Jerome has performed, toured and recorded with legendary musicians like Sonny Rollins, Hank Jones, Gerald Wilson, Christian McBride, Ron Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Wynton Marsalis (J@LC), The Count Basie Orchestra, Philip Bailey, Henry Butler, and countless others. He has also made recordings and shared the stage with contemporary musicians Sean Jones, Camille Thurman, Jazzmeia Horn, Christian Sands, Charenee Wade, and Bokani Dyer to name a few. The summer of 2007 Jerome earned a MM from the prestigious Juilliard School in Manhattan NY. Jerome has been the Resident Director of The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra since fall 2017.
David Chesky is an American pianist, composer, producer, arranger, and co-founder of the independent, audiophile label Chesky Records. He is also co-founder and CEO of HDtracks, an online music store that sells high-resolution digital music. Chesky is considered a technological and musical innovator with eclectic interests.
Three time Grammy nominee David Chesky has earned indisputable respect for his unique, eclectic musical compositions spanning both the jazz and classical idioms in addition to his prominence in the audiophile community for the development of new recording technologies and his role as co-owner of Chesky Records. He is the composer of over fifty works including concertos, chamber music, vocal and choral music, symphonic music, ballet, operas, and works for solo piano.
Trying to fit Regina Carter into a neatly defined musical category is pointless. She enjoys performing many styles of music—jazz, R&B, Latin, classical, blues, country, pop, African, and on and on. In each she explores the power of music through the voice of the violin.
A winner of multiple readers’ and critics’ poll awards from DownBeat, JazzTimes, and other publications, Regina tours with her own group and has appeared frequently as a guest soloist, including with such performers as Kenny Barron, the late bassist Ray Brown, Akua Dixon, Steve Turre, Stefon Harris, George Wein, Mary J. Blige, Joe Jackson, Billy Joel, Dolly Parton, Omara Portuondo, Cassandra Wilson, and Chieli Minucci and Special EFX.
With her newest album, released in July, “Swing States,” Regina has taken her social justice message to the election booth, stressing not only the extreme importance of the recent 2020 election - what some have termed the most important election in our lifetime.
Chien Chien Lu is a jazz vibraphonist, contemporary percussionist, and composer originally from Taiwan and now living in New York City. Chien Chien has recently stepped forth as a composer and leader on her new album “The Path”. She previously recorded with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt on his latest record “Jeremy Pelt The Artist” and toured with his band to France, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and UK.
The tables are turned on All That’s Jazz with our previous guests asking our team some fun - and thoughtful - questions. You’re going to be surprised. We were!
Master saxophonist, composer and Bebop luminary Charles McPherson recently collaborated with the San Diego Ballet to create the newly released "Jazz Dance Suites", a decidedly fresh and exciting relationship between jazz and dance that speaks directly to Charles McPherson’s range and incredible depth as an artist. A family affair, the album was inspired by his daughter Camille, a soloist in her 9th season with the prestigious dance company. In this episode, we talk with both Charles, Camille, and Lynn – Charles’ wife and Camille’s mother who is not only a concert pianist and educator, but also manager, promoter and agent for her husband.
Noa Levy is a jazz-rock vocalist originally from Israel and now based in San Francisco, California. I talk to her about her new album, You, Me & Cole. With her new album, Noa joins forces with award-winning Japanese bassist Shimpei Ogawa to find a common language in Porter’s creations and bring their own traditions and musical influences to reimagine Porter’s works of art.
Film Producer and Drummer Richard Baratta talks about his sophomore release as a bandleader, and first release in a studio setting, Music in Film: The Reel Deal on Savant records. Music in Film: The Reel Deal is the drummer’s triumphant return to the jazz artform after a 30+ year diversion during which time Baratta became a celebrated film producer of Hollywood hits like The Irishman, Joker, and Wolf of Wall Street. This album sees the coalescence of Baratta’s two seemingly disparate worlds, a celebration of cinema through the lens of jazz.
Trumpeter and composer, Alonzo Demetrius, received his Bachelors in 2018 and Masters in 2019 from the prestigious Berklee School of Music. October 16, Alonzo will release his premiere album, Live from the Prison Nation, a socially conscious recording inspired by the teachings of political activists such as Mumia Abu-Jamal and Angela Davis. The album as a reflection of his ideas based on personal experience and the experiences of other Black people in his life.
This episode is Part Two of our first-ever two-part interview. Named "One of the Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the World" by Downbeat magazine, and "Best Jazz Club" in Denver by Westword, Dazzle is a positive and unique part of the Denver community.
Originally opened in 1997, a new era started for Dazzle when Donald Rossa was brought in as a partner. In its new 18,000 sq ft location - which more than doubles capacity from the original 85 to 200 - the venue, with acclaimed dining, and space for future venues, has been adapting to the current world of COVID by offering online and recently limited live performances.
Named "One of the Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the World" by Downbeat magazine, and "Best Jazz Club" in Denver by Westword, Dazzle is a positive and unique part of the Denver community.
Originally opened in 1997, a new era started for Dazzle when Donald Rossa was brought in as a partner. In its new 18,000 sq ft location - which more than doubles capacity from the original 85 to 200 - the venue, with acclaimed dining, and space for future venues, has been adapting to the current world of COVID by offering on line and recently limited live performances.
This episode is Part I of our first-ever two-part interview. Part 2 will be posted Friday, October 2.
Pianist, arranger, producer and educator Antonio Adolfo grew up in a musical family in Rio de Janeiro (his mother was a violinist in the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra), and began his studies at the age of seven. At seventeen he was already a professional musician. Adolfo wrote tunes such as Pretty World (original Brazilian title: Sa Marina) that gained great success, being recorded by such artists as Sergio Mendes, Stevie Wonder, Herb Alpert, Earl Klugh, Dionne Warwick, and others. As a musician, arranger and record producer, Antonio has worked with some of the most representative Brazilian names, besides having released more than 25 albums under his name. Antonio has been honored with numerous Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY nominations. His new album, BruMa, was released in 2020 to rave reviews.
For the first time ever, the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival in California is going digital...this year would have been the 63rd annual festival but it, like so many others, has been sidelined due to the worldwide pandemic. Our guest is the MJF Artistic Director Tim Jackson who tells us about their virtual approach to this year's festival September 25, 26 and 27.
Founded in 1968 by American luthier Robert Benedetto, Benedetto Guitars, Inc. of Savannah, Georgia is celebrating over 50 years of jazz guitar excellence. The internationally renowned company builds some of the world’s most collectable and expensive instruments while still focusing their production on the needs of professional and aspiring jazz guitarists.
Jason Goldman, known professionally as “Spicy G”, is a multi-platinum selling music producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer/arranger. Jason co-produced Michael Bublé's Grammy nominated/Juno winning 2016 album Nobody But Me. He co-wrote two of the originals including the lead single Nobody But Me featuring Bublé and Black Thought from The Roots.
Goldman has produced, written, and arranged for some true heavy weights in the music industry including mega-producer David Foster, Herbie Hancock, Meghan Trainor, and Michael Bublé among others. His arrangements have been featured on several of Bublé's multi-platinum selling records, including his most recent 2018 album LOVE.
Jason's newly released EP Hypnotized is now available everywhere. The album features Jason's arrangements, orchestrations, and production on American songbook classics. Featuring vocalists Addie Hamilton, Erin Bentlage, and Olivia Morreale.
Fifty years ago, the New England Conservatory of Music started the first fully accredited jazz studies program at the conservatory level. Since then, NEC has been a pioneer in the education of jazz artists. NEC trains the some of the most talented young musicians in a broad range of styles, while continually seeking ways to expand jazz traditions through the development of students’ individual voices.
In our conversation with the Chair of Jazz Studies, Ken Schaphorst, we talk not only about the NEC’s wide-ranging programs, but also their extensive plans to safely start their school year through in-person and on line learning during this challenging time of COVID-19.
As Jazz Times writes: “NEC’s jazz studies department is among the most acclaimed and successful in the world; so says the roster of visionary artists that have comprised both its faculty and students.”
Carol Welsman is an internationally acclaimed singer and pianist whose expressive vocal styling and dynamic stage presence have captivated audiences around the world. She has sold over 60,000 CDs in Canada alone, something few jazz/pop artists in Canada have experienced.
Don Heckman at the Los Angeles Times says: “Welsman is that rarest of discoveries: a fully formed artist with the musicality, imagination and looks to cruise to the top of the jazz vocal genre.”
Birdland. The Mecca of Jazz in New York City. There are only be a few names in jazz history that equal the importance of this iconic club. This week’s VERY SPECIAL All That’s Jazz Podcast conversation is with Birdland Jazz Club owner, Gianni Valenti, manager Ryan Paternite, and booking agent Jim Caruso to talk about the club’s rich past, how they are changing course in today’s world and what they envision for the future.
For over thirty years, Eric Person has been committed to composing, recording and performing dynamic and innovative music. His personal sound on alto, soprano, tenor saxophones and flute have been featured on more than 50 recordings. He studied at the St. Louis Conservatory of Music and has taught and performed internationally. He has a broad range of experience performing with the masters of modern creative music, such as Dave Holland, McCoy Tyner, Chico Hamilton, Wallace Roney, Ronald Shannon Jackson, World Saxophone Quartet, John Hicks and more.
Guitarist Simone Gubbiotti is a musician with a strong presence in both the USA and Europe. Based in Umbria (Italy) Simone frequents the US regularly where he performs with musicians including Peter Erskine, Sid Jacobs, Joe La Barbera, Arthur Blythe, Lewis Nash, Adam Nussbaum and Jay Anderson. Music was not Simone’s first passion, he began his career in the world of sports where he played professionally for a number of top Italian soccer clubs including AC Milan. After sustaining a serious knee injury Simone took the decision to refocus and pursue a career in music.
Considered one of the most influential trumpeters of our time, Shunzo Ohno has played, recorded and toured with such renowned leaders as Gil Evans, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey, and many others. Mr. Ohno has 16 recordings under his name as a leader and has appeared on over thirty more as a sideman. The compelling Latin energy in Shunzo's playing can be traced back to his tenure with the celebrated Machito and his Afro-Cuban Orchestra. He recorded the Grammy Award-winning album with Machito and His Salsa Big Band (1983), which feature his solos. In 1988, he was involved in a serious automobile accident in which his teeth and lips were permanently damaged. He remained undeterred by the long recovery process, and strengthened his resolve to find a new approach to his music. In 1996 when he was diagnosed with life-threatening throat cancer. For three years, he underwent radical treatments to control the disease and embarked on the difficult road to recovery. His refusal to allow personal struggles and seemingly insurmountable circumstances led Shunzo to create new developments in his art and unique voice.
Your love for the trumpet and the exquisite music it creates is unsurpassed, its' message of hope and triumph radiating from the world of jazz in New York out towards the entire world, instilling listeners everywhere the strength to live.”
4X Grammy Award Winner Oscar Hernández has long been considered one of the most gifted and prominent pianist/ arrangers on the contemporary Latin, Latin-jazz and salsa music scene. He has achieved legendary status for his prolific career spanning now over 40 years. Besides a solo career, plus composing and arranging, Hernandez is leader of the world-renowned Spanish Harlem Orchestra that’s garnered numerous awards and world acclaim as one of the finest exponents of Salsa and Latin/Jazz music. Spanish Harlem Orchestra is generally considered one of the best Salsa & Latin-Jazz Orchestras today and one of the finest music ensembles in the world. He just finished releasing SHO’s 7th CD titled, “The Latin Jazz Project”, which is receiving rave reviews.
Lenora Zenzalai is a jazz vocalist, vocal musicianship coach, composer, lyricist and educator with seven solo recordings, her own recording and publishing company, Zenzalai Music and an extensive discography with some of the biggest names in Jazz.
Composer Hannah Baiardi started playing piano and writing her first songs when she was three. Hannah has become an adept composer, arranger, lyricist and bandleader. She has made it her mission to break barriers between genres and debunk musical stereotypes. Trying to find a happy medium between pop, R&B and Contemporary Jazz.
Daniel Hersog of Canada is a noted young jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger who has toured North America leading large ensembles with such notable musicians Noah Preminger and Frank Carlberg. His debut release as a composer is "Night Devoid of Stars" featuring a 16-piece orchestra.
Melissa Walker is not only an acclaimed jazz vocalist/recording artist, she is the President & Founder of Jazz House Kids, a nationally-renowned arts education and performance organization. Jazz House Kids uses jazz as an effective teaching tool to help young people gain an “artistic edge” through programs at the Jazz House in Montclair, NJ, in schools and in the community.
Delfeayo Marsalis is one of the top trombonists, composers and producers in jazz today. Known for his “technical excellence, inventive mind and frequent touches of humor…” (Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times), he is “…one of the best, most imaginative and musical of the trombonists of his generation.” (Philip Elwood, San Francisco Examiner.) In January 2011, Delfeayo and the Marsalis family (father Ellis and brothers Branford, Wynton and Jason) earned the nation’s highest jazz honor – a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award.
Elaine Hayes has had a passion for music since her first piano lesson at age seven and has, by her description, "spent a dozen years studying big band 'girl singers' and women in jazz." She has a doctorate in musicology from the University of Pennsylvania; taught multi-media courses in jazz, classical, and world music; spoken at national and international conferences; and discussed Sarah Vaughan on local and national radio, including NPR. Her most recent project: a biography of the vocalist Sarah Vaughan, titled Queen of Bebop: The Musical Lives of Sarah Vaughan, was published by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins, in 2017.
Deborah Benner and Michael Bard are two members of Trio Caliente, who’s wide ranging sound incorporates salsa, reggaeton, Gypsy rumba and Bossa nova with a spicy addition of powerful R&B vocal groove. They’ve played around the world as goodwill ambassadors but their backgrounds will surprise you.
Lydia Liebman is an accomplished media and music industry professional with experience deeply rooted in jazz as a publicist, concert promoter, radio host, musician, producer and journalist. She currently runs Lydia Liebman Promotions, a boutique public relations agency and consulting firm based in NYC.
Wayne Escoffery is a 2014 Downbeat Critics Poll winner and Grammy Award winning tenor saxophonist who has recorded and performed internationally with the Who’s Who in jazz including Ron Carter, Ben Riley, Abdulah Ibrahim, Eddie Henderson, Rufus Reid, Wallace Roney, Herbie Hancock and more. Wayne’s new critically acclaimed album “Humble Warrior” features the return of Escoffery’s stellar quartet featuring pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo, and drummer Ralph Peterson.
Her Twitter handle is “globaljazzqueen.” Her name is Monifa Brown. She is one of the most respected on air jazz personalities, and her “Saturday Afternoon Jazz” show on WBGO NY has a worldwide following.
Scott Yanow is one of the most respected jazz journalists, reviewers and historians in the world of jazz. He has written more than 20,000 reviews, has 11 books currently in print and writes for six jazz publications including Downbeat, Jazziz and Syncopated Times.
Wayne Wilkinson is a headliner guitarist that performs and tours across the country and internationally. Wilkinson is known for his high-octane melodic playing which jazz trombone legend, the late Bill Watrous, said “is the greatest guitar playing I’ve ever heard.”
Downbeat Magazine said of Amina Figarova‘s new release, “Persistence stands as a worthy template for a wholly open approach to jazz that's generous enough for the inclusion of myriad influences.” Learn more about the woman and the music in this week’s conversation.
Learn about what it takes to be a national multi award-winning music director at one of America’s TOP jazz radio stations as we share a conversation with KUVO’s Arturo Gomez.
Join us in this episode for a delightful conversation with Grammy Award winning Vocalist and Musician Catherine Russell.
This episode features a conversation with world-renowned keyboardist, musician and creative talent Ben Sidran. bensidran.com
This episode is a preview of what you can expect to hear in our weekly episodes and just who we are at All That's Jazz.