Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Trombonist Craig Brenan .. We caught up with him to talk about his 2024 CD Valley of Silence with his brother known as The Brenan Brothers. So, the ten-year-old twin brothers Jim and Craig, were standing nervously in the doorway of the Palms Cafe in Edmonton on a warm summer night in 1979. Their dad has taken them to their first concert featuring the instruments that they’re hoping to play when they enter junior high in the fall. The band was trumpet legend Woody Shaw’s quintet and they have gone on to perform with the likes of Maynard Ferguson, Randy Brecker, Slide Hampton and many more. They have established an iron-clad reputation as a pair of dynamic and accomplished musicians, always seeking new musical challenges that push them to their creative limits. We get into it all. Dig in..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with J Veteran Jazz Pianist & Composer Andy Milne on the 2024 CD with Unison Called Time Will Tell .. This new album was recorded with his trio Unison out on Sunnyside Records. He gets into the construction of his latest collaboration with bassist John Hébert and drummer Clarence Penn is a sparkling exploration of identity and destiny, showcasing his ever-evolving craft. We get into surviving COVID, this career and the future ahead. Dig in.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Jazz Vocalist John Dokes .. We caught up with him to discuss his new 2024 CD New Day. With inspiration from his stylistic ancestors Nat King Cole and Joe Williams, he brings new life to the deep-souled world of baritone jazz vocals. He is backed by New York-based George Gee Swing Orchestra where here launched his career as a vocalist. Key to the album’s success is the arranging of Gee’s musical director trombonist David Gibson. In delivering a distinctive post-pandemic outing of classic songs embodied with hopeful passion, he again puts out material that will make you move. We also get into his career and the future ahead. Dig this interview. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City-based Jazz Saxophonist, Teacher & Visionary Christopher Burnett on the 2024 Album Originals .. Mr. Burnett is a great friend of Neon Jazz, the Kansas City jazz world and the global community of musicians. We caught up with him to discuss his latest and impressive 2024 release called Originals. It’s a homage to family and he’s joined by stellar Kansas City talents like vibraphonist Greg Carroll, bassist Gerald Spaits, guitarist Will Matthews and pianist Roger Wilder. We also discuss his involvement in the 1st Annual Lee’s Summit Jazz Festival on June 22. Always a joy to catch up in real time. Dig this interview.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Duo of Pianist & Composer Guilhem Forey & Producer & Lyricist Edy Szewy Known as Edy Forey .. We caught up with this tandem to talk about their new & debut 2024 CD Culture Today, their meeting, the music and the future. Based in Edinburgh, UK, their eclectic sound lives on the groovier side of jazz - a fusion with soul, retro rhythm & blues, house music & hiphop - simply known as urban jazz. We cover quite a bit. Enjoy. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Venezuelan-born, NYC-based Latin Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Drummer & Percussionist  Daniel Prim .. We get into his new 2024 CD Home, his roots, surviving COVID and the future. This is first album under his own name. Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, his friends and family gathered at each other’s homes to eat and play music into the night. Music became the rhythm and language of his childhood. Home invites listeners to join Daniel in the parties, or parampampans, where he first learned the folklore songs that weave through the album, breathing new love and life into the heart, soul, and sounds of his homeland. Dig this story. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Mandolin Player Joe Brent and Bassist Andrew Ryan of the Jazz Group 9 Horses .. We caught up about their history as a band, their new 2024 CD Strum and so much more. They stand as one of the most influential and admired ensembles in progressive jazz and improvised music. This new project is 67-minute instrumental epic serves as the antithesis to today’s augmentation of A.I.-generated music. The band also features 2018 GRAMMY nominee Sara Caswell and was originally formed in 2012 as a duo between Brent and Caswell, yet they expanded to a trio the following year and in 2015 released its debut album. Dig this whole story. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz series .. On this episode, we talk with Bandmates of the Chicago Jazz Collective IRIS .. We get into the history of this band, their new album and much more with members of this band that includes: Arman Sangalang on tenor saxophone, Kirby Fellis on trombone, Austyn Menk on piano, Morgan Turner on bass and Paul Barrilles on drums & cymbals. The group was born out of five peers’ mutual desire to fuse jazz’s historic subgenres, such as hard bop and post bop, with a modern aesthetic. Described in the album’s liner notes by guitar virtuoso Bobby Broom as “a beautiful representation of jazz music in its current attire,” the album allows each member of the collective to shine individually through carefully crafted compositions and solos. We get into all of this and much more. Dig in.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Entrepreneur, Community Leader, Jazz Fest Organizer & President of Bridge Space in Lee’s Summit, MO .. He is a lifelong entrepreneur who loves helping others succeed and move their businesses forward. He has many years of experience working in marketing technology, senior living industry, real estate investment and membership or community-based businesses. He is a lover of design, beautification and rehabbing properties. We caught up with him about the 1st Annual Lee’s Summit Jazz Fest on June 22, 2024 at his Bridge Space, the Lee’s Summit Jazz Orchestra, the jazz scene and well beyond. Dig this interview.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Vocalist & Composer Sarah Jerrom on the 2024 Album The Magpie Suite .. We caught up with her about this new album, surviving COVID and the future ahead. This project is an evocative and transformative musical journey for expanded jazz orchestra and 4 voices - was born from a moment of awe. During a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in January 2018, she observed a gathering of magpies and crows performing a dance in the middle of a winter storm. At the time, Jerrom was working on a deeply personal composition defying the stigma and taboo surrounding pregnancy loss. We cover some solid ground. Enjoy. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist, Composer, Bandleader & Educator Stephen Philip Harvey .. We caught up with him to talk about his new 2024 CD Elemental Live, along with his life in music and what is in store. He leads various ensembles with a drive to explore a vast array of avenues in improvisation and composition. We cover all the angels. Dig in.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Critically Acclaimed Pianist, Composer & Producer Natalie Tenenbaum .. We cover her new 2024 CD The Piano – Re-Imagined and her life in music. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School and has appeared as a soloist and with orchestras in Israel, Europe, Asia, and the US, performing in venues such as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Shanghai's Majestic Theater, Jerusalem Music Center and beyond. It’s a fascinating story. Enjoy. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Composer & Violinist Meg Okura .. We talk to this Queen of Chamber Jazz about her new collaboration with the great pianist Kevin Hays on the 2024 CD Lingering. Based out of New York, she is known for her music praised by the New York Times as "grandiloquent beauty that transitions easily from grooves to big cascades to buoyant swing.” She is the founder of the Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble. As a Tokyo native, her journey in the U.S. began with a solo concerto debut at the Kennedy Center in 1992. From there, she has never looked back. Dig this story.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Vocalist, Composer & Arranger Andrea Wolper .. She opened up about her new 2024 CD Wanderlust. It is her fourth album as a leader and first one in over a decade. - Wanderlust (Moonflower Music) is Wolper’s fourth album as a leader. She started her professional career singing jazz standards, her eclectic tastes and multidisciplinary talents have led her to forge her own path. From her base in Brooklyn, we get into now, the past and the future ahead. Dig this story.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Composer, Saxophonist & Clarinetist Aaron Irwin .. We got into his new 2024 CD After, his life in music and the future ahead. This ninth album as a leader is a collection of works inspired by poetry as interactions between sound and verse weave together melancholy, effervescence, and at times, anxiety sparked by chaos. Creating a collective musical voice that is direct, honest, and unique, composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist Aaron Irwin is joined by Mike Baggetta on guitar & Jeff Hirshfield on drums. Dig this story.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Organist, Composer & Educator on the 2024 Album PurView  Kendall Carter .. On this new sophomore recording, listeners get six original compositions and four covers from the likes of Freddie Hubbard, Larry Young, & Hank Marr. The album features features Dan Wilson, James Gaiters, Marlin McKay, and Chad O'Brien. Hailing from Louisville, KY, he began playing the piano at age 4 and was drawn to the organ by age 13. This new album keeps the trajectory of his career on the rise. Dig this interview.  

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Composer Florian Hoefner on Iris Trio Project .. His work as a composer has always played a big role in his releases. Now, he is excited to introduce a new project for which for the first time I have served as a "pure" composer with a classical ensemble.  On April 5th, 2024, the US-Canadian chamber ensemble Iris Trio (clarinet / viola / piano) is going to release its 2nd album entitled "Project Earth: Blue Chapter.”  It features his original compositions with original poetry written and recited by Griffin Prize-winning Canadian poet Don McKay. The works celebrate our natural world and illuminate the triple planetary crisis. It’s a great story. Enjoy.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitarist Randy Napoleon & Composer Gregg Hill on the 2024 Album The Door is Open .. The veteran Guitarist in Randy and Michigan's former truck driver, tech entrepreneur Gregg Hill is quite a pairing of minds. Randy is the ringleader of this new set of tunes from Gregg, and has pushed himself and his band to new horizons with a variety of musical styles and moods on this new album. Together, they talk about their history, the new material and what is on the horizon. Dig this story.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Jazz Guitarist Nicholas Mycio .. We talked about his new 2024 CD Nonstandard. It is his 2nd album, which answers the unlikely question: “What if Jazz was also Breakbeat?” Blaring synths, amen breaks, hard bass, piercing guitars merged with classic jazz standards. A perfect blend of the virtuosity found in jazz improvisation, and the hard hitting grime of electronic production. His unique sonic palette combines the foundational language of Jazz with modern harmonic innovations brought about in the 21st century. We get into his full story. Dig in…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series .. On this episode, we talk with Canada-based Musician and Songwriter Michael Falk .. We get into his new 2024 album I Can Be Two People At Once from what he is known as Touching. He has turned a new musical corner by taking inspiration from a broad range of new sources and completely transforming his artistic direction with his bold new album. We cover his new arrival into jazz, his roots and the future ahead. Dig…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter Riley Mulherkar .. We talked at length about his debut album .. the new 2024 CD Riley .. He was born and raised in Seattle and has been recognized as a “smart young trumpet player” by The New York Times, praised by The Wall Street Journal as a “youngster to keep an eye on,” and is a 2020 recipient of Lincoln Center’s Emerging Artist Award for his work as “an original bandleader, composer, arranger, educator, community activist and advocate for jazz and the arts.” His path is heading upwards and we step inside this trajectory to figure it all out. Enjoy.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Educator Charles Chen .. We cover his new 2024 CD Charles, Play!, living through the pandemic and his life in music so far .. He is from Cupertino, California and over the years he has performed or recorded with Billy Drummond, Bob Sheppard, Roy McCurdy, Ralph Moore, Peter Washington, and Kenny Washington. We get into his journey now and now it’s going on into the future. Dig this interview.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran New York City Jazz Drummer  Matt Kane on the 2023 CD Song Poems & The Future .. We get into this 5th album as a bandleader featuring bass legend Steve LaSpina and brilliant pianist Yayoi Ikawa.  The album has six Matt Kane originals, as well as two originals the band. It was recorded at Trading 8's in Paramus, NJ and mixed by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios in NYC. He's an old friend of the show and we get into this release, future material, live shows, touring and much more. He's always a pro and welcome here at the show. Dig it .. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Drummer Mike Clark on the 2024 CD Letter to Bill Evans .. On 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. Michael spent some quality time with Bill Evans and as a trio they do their best to go through a set of perennial Bill tunes. We get into this album, touring and much more. Enjoy.. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Jazz Pianist, Composer & Vocalist Kelly Green .. We get into her new 2024 CD Seems .. She has a defined presence on the NYC Jazz scene headlining iconic venues like The Kennedy Center, Dizzy’s Jazz Club, and the DC Jazz Festival and having shared stages with jazz giants such as Steve Wilson, George Coleman, and Scott Robinson. She grew up around music and has nurtured her talents over the years. We get into live shows, her history and so much more. Dig in…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Toronto-based Jazz Saxophonist, Composer, Producer & Band Leader Scott Marshall .. We caught up with him about his new 2024 CD The Solitude Suite and his life in music. This is his sixth album of original music that was written for a unique chord-less configuration of Canadian jazz icons .. Along with the recording, Scott has had the opportunity to perform in Dubai UAE, Germany, Sweden, England, the United States, as well as coast to coast across Canada. Scott has band led several of his own ensembles and has performed with a lengthy and diverse list of accomplished musicians like Norah Jones, Johnny Mathus, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Rascals, Marie Osmond and so many others .. The light clicked on at 17 after he saw Miles Davis live and he’s been after it every since. Dig this story… 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Co-Owner of Smoke Jazz in NYC Paul Stache .. We caught up Paul to get into the history and upcoming celebration of 25 Years of one of New York’s best jazz clubs. Paul and his wife Molly are married and live a few blocks from the club. They met when they were both working at the club’s predecessor: Augie’s. SMOKE led the vanguard of live streaming during the pandemic with SMOKE Screens series. It’s top-notch, high quality streaming is still available for most concerts. It was closed for two years during the pandemic. It reopened bigger and better than ever. April 10-14 marks the official 25th anniversary and both George Coleman and Joe Farnsworth opened the club 25 years ago. They both return 25 years later. We get into all of this and much more. Enjoy. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Lee’s Summit, MO-based Jazz Musician and Educator Shawn Harrel .. He is a multi-talented digital media technology educator with a wide range of experiences in education, audio/video production, instrumental music, composition & arranging and public radio. We caught up with him to talk about the history of the Lee’s Summit Jazz Orchestra, gigs at Club 1909, the upcoming 1st Annual Jazz Fest in downtown Lee’s Summit. We cover some solid ground. Enjoy…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Guitarist & Composer Roddy Ellias .. We caught up with him about his new 2024 CD Moon Over Lake .. This Canadian artist is multi award-winning musician has consistently garnered 4 and 5 star reviews for his recordings, from publications such as DownBeat and All About Jazz, reflecting his unique, personal approach to both the guitar and the music itself. On this latest project, it  is an exploration of solo acoustic guitar, featuring compositions and improvisations inspired by the inner life of the natural world and its intrinsic connections. We get into his life in music and much more .. Dig in..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Israeli Guitarist Itamar Erez & Iranian Percussionist Hamin Honari .. These Israeli and Iranian Musicians Come Together and Show the World How To Get Along with "Migrant Voices," that is a unique project that blends diverse cultural influences, highlighting the spontaneous interplay between guitar and percussion and illustrating that everyone really can get along if we find our common ground. Recipient of the 2014 ACUM Prize for Special Achievement in Jazz and the prestigious2014 Landau Prize, Itamar is an internationally renowned composer, guitarist, and pianist, while Hamin is an eminent Iranian hand drummer that has skillfully merged his talents with a myriad of musical styles, influenced by his upbringing in a musically vibrant family. Dig this story.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist & Composer Gui Duvignau .. We get into his new 2024 CD Live in Red Hook .. He advantage of an ideal performance space in Brooklyn and the brilliance of two outstanding musicians that he knew would provide a performance worthy of posterity. This musician was born in France and lived in Morocco as an infant. He grew up in São Paulo, Brazil and his studies led him from Paris to Portugal and, finally, to New York City, where he has been based the past six years. He’s got quite a story. Enjoy.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Puerto Rican-born Jazz Trombonist Ruben Caban ..We get into his new 2024 CD Kangana. It brings a fiery blend of Afro- Caribbeanrhythms, Taino melodies and Neo Soul together with pure spontaneity. He incorporates some well-known standards such as Wayne Shorter’s Yes or No and Pat Metheny’s Song For Bilbao. Over the years, he has toured and/or recorded as a sideman and soloist with an array of internationally renowned artists in a variety of genres .. Dig his story. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Miami-born, New York-based Saxophonist & Composer David Leon .. We caught up with him about his new 2024 CD Bird’s Eye that stands as a unique confluence of inspirations and experiences came together to form a great ablum. Curious about his Cuban heritage, Leon began studying with master percussionist Manley “Piri” López, the youngest member of a legendary family of rumberos .. that was the beginning of an adventure. And we cover all of this and more. Dig in..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Bay Area Jazz Saxophonist Raffi Garabedian .. We get into his new 2024 CD The Crazy Dog. The first single, "A Mother's Letter,"  .. in his own words: It was the first song I composed for this project. Adapted from a poem my grandmother wrote, the melodic and harmonic structure emotes a somber mood, embodying her painful life growing up as an orphan, fleeing Turkey during the Genocide, and carrying this trauma into a foreign land where she struggled to raise her family. To me, the words reflect her love and distress for my father. For this Berkeley-reared musician, music is both a calling and a vehicle for exploring his family’s star-crossed past. Dig his story…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Beijing-born, New York-based Vocalist & Composer Annie Chen .. We caught up with her about her new 2024 CD Guardians and her life in music. It was the dead of winter when Annie visited Acadia National Park in Maine for the first time, but the landscape was nonetheless alive with flora and fauna. The experience sparked a profound awakening to the intricate relationships connecting humanity, the animal kingdom, and the natural world. That inspiration resulted in the this new album. She has been based in New York since 2013. Her distinctive style draws on a rich continuum of musical traditions from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Dig this story.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series .. On this episode, we talk with Jazz Singer Jane Scheckter on 2024 CD I’ll Take Romance .. We cover this new album that is a CD that encourages replaying. Vocals surround listeners with warmth, and the arrangements by pianist Tedd Firth are graceful, rich, and collaborative. The selections carry us along without breaking auditory sway, and the musicianship is grand. We also get into surviving COVID, live shows and the future ahead .. Enjoy .. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Recording Artist, Performer & Educator Robbie Madison .. We caught up with him to talk about his new 2024 CD Live At Sambuca and a great life in music .. These days he is based in Houston, Texas and leads worship for the Houston Texans NFL team, oversees their chapel and family ministry, and can be seen performing around the country with various artists. He’s got quite a history in the music .. Dig this interview .. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Pianist & Composer Lynne Arriale on the 2024 CD Being Human .. This is her 17th album as a leader and her fourth for Challenge Records International. This new venture is a suite of original compositions that explores life-affirming facets of humankind. Being Human is dedicated to the things that define our better nature, and to those individuals, whether celebrated or unsung, who personify them. She comes back to the program with her passion, insights and wit .. Enjoy this interview.

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series .. On this episode, we talk with Veteran NYC-based Songwriter, Guitarist, Vocalist & Bandleader KJ Denhert .. We caught up with this legend to discuss her new 2024 CD The Evening News and a wonderful career in music .. Her new album evokes the sonic ambience of a live set you’d hear in a West Village jazz club .. This consummate creator and local legend maintained a residency at The 55 Bar in New York City’s West Village performing with her all-star band from 1997 until 55 Bar's closing in 2022. Her career spans 40 years, 10 albums, with legions of devoted fans worldwide. She grew up in a time of fiery cultural upheaval and has experienced profound social growth in the world as she sees it. Her albums are personal and this, her 11th album, is her first in five years. She has a fascinating story .. Dig it .. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Contemporary Folk Artist Leslie Evers .. She is celebrating the release of her second album, Bound for Land, which contains a unique blend of acoustic folk, Americana, and American Songbook influences. Bound for Land consists of 11 original songs, meticulously recorded, mixed, and mastered at the illustrious 2nd Story Sound in New York City. She is a poet, dramatic writer and cinema veteran, but most of all a musician whose diverse talents include songwriting, singing, swing guitar and clawhammer banjo. Leslie Evers has been strongly influenced by American roots & old-time music, as well as the melodies and themes explored in the great American songbook. We cover quite a bit .. Enjoy.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with UK-based Jazz Singer James Hudson .. We get into his new 2024 CD Moonray, surviving COVID, his life in jazz and beyond .. This lusch collection of tunes features horns, strings and vibraphone, resulting in a showcase of a unique thirteen-piece band, projecting a high impact sound .. It is a celebration of him as an artist with both creativity and passion, that will enable the young jazz star to continue to flourish as one of the very best singers on the scene today. We get into quite a bit .. Dig in…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Jazz Saxophonist & Leader Daniel Bennett on the 2024 CD Mr. Bennett’s Mind .. He has been hailed as one of the most original and unpredictable musical voices of his generation. The Daniel Bennett Group is celebrating the release of their 10th studio album described as a mix of Jazz, Folk and Minimalism. The album was recorded at the iconic Big Orange Sheep Studio in Brooklyn, New York and was produced by Grammy-nominated producer MP Kuo. He is joined by prolific pianist Jason Yeager, acclaimed electric bassist Kevin Hailey, and master percussionist Koko Bermejo on drums. He's a great friend of the show and always imparts a huge dose of wisdom and insights that are indepsensable. Dig it ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York-based Jazz Pianist Jill McCarron .. We caught up with her about her new 2024 CD The Gin Suite, surviving COVID and her life in music that is quickly taking off. Born in Minneapolis, MN, she spent her childhood and teen years in Canada .. After she was awarded a Canada Council Grant, she made the move to New York City where she attended the New School .. Over the years, she has worked with the likes of Randy Brecker, Vincent Herring, Don Braden, Russel Malone and at premier joints all over NYC. Dig this interview…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Musician, Composer & Writer Bill Anschell .. We got into his new 2024 CD Improbable Solutions, surviving COVID, his life in music and the future .. This Seattle native returned to the Emerald City in 2002 after spending 25 years studying, composing, and performing across the country and around the world. He’s got quite a story to tell .. Dig in .. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Jazz Virtuoso & Bassist Abe Pollack .. We get into his new 2024 CD Unprecedented Time that is a set of primarily original swing-era and traditional jazz songs as a response to the sense of urgency and change in the air .. The project serves as a way for Abe to address the familiar refrain heard in coffee shop conversations and turn it on its head. Hailing originally from Seattle and calling New York City home since 2001, he has performed on the city's most prestigious stages. His music has also pierced popular culture, finding a  place on Apple TV and gracing the Super Bowl in an eye-opening accomplishment. We cover all of this and much more .. Dig in .. 

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Veteran Jazz Pianist Walter Kemp .. We get into his new 2024 CD – Walter Kemp 3 Black Whole Live .. It is the highly-anticipated project offering an immersive sound experience in a sonic dose of musical brilliance. He credits his musical legacy to his father, a classical and gospel composer, who sparked his early interest in piano. Seeing and hearing his father's compositions performed at Carnegie Hall, opened his eyes to a world of music. He soon began studying classical piano. After a brief interest in drums, he gravitated toward jazz, continuing to play gospel organ. We cover this life of music and much more .. Enjoy…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Jazz Singer Hilary Gardner on the 2024 CD Lonesome Pines with On the Trail .. It comes out on March 8, 2024 on Anzic Records. In the early weeks and months of the pandemic, confined to her Brooklyn apartment in the silenced city, she dreamed of wide- open spaces and the freedom to roam. As such, she started researching “trail songs” from the singing cowboy era of the 1930s-40s, drawn to the images in the lyrics: silver stars, purple hills, slumbering shadows, and the lights of Old Santa Fe glinting in the distance. We cover the adventure this project was, surviving COVID and shows coming up. Dig in…

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitarist Arthur Smith & Keyboardist James Hummo of the Vancouver/Montréal based Band Last Ark Out .. We got into their new 2024 CD Lift .. The album is a feat of remote creative collaboration. With 6 unique guest artists from around North America, the album delivers a potent mix of jazz, groove, rock, and funk featuring the likes of Larnell Lewis (Snarky Puppy, Laila Biali), Sasha Berliner (Tyshawn Sorey, Nicholas Payton), and Hailey Niswanger (Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington), as well as JUNO-award winning saxophonist Allison Au, along with others .. We talk band chemistry, surviving COVID, touring and much more .. Dig in…  

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Vocalist & Songwriter Lois Deloatch .. We caught up with her to discuss an new album that was fueled by living through COVID in the new 2024 CD Love Always .. She marks thirty years in music with her new recording and is consistently recognized internationally for her rich contralto voice, thought-provoking lyrics, and distinctive blend of jazz, folk, blues, and spirituals .. Over the years, she has shared the stage with Ellis Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, and Dr. Billy Taylor, among other luminaries. We cover some grand ground here .. Dig in ..  

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-based Trombonist & Composer Brian Scarborough on the 2024 Album We Need the Wind out on Outside in Music. He continues his trend of blending tradition with innovation on his sophomore release. Autobiographical in concept, this is an honest album that wears its composer’s heart on its sleeve. It includes a stellar Kansas City band of Matt Otto on tenor, Roger Wilder on Fender Rhodes, Jeff Harshbarger on bass & Brian Steever on the drums .. We cover great ground .. Dig this story ..