Just Jazz

Smooth jazz saxophonist Cali Jones is back, after more than a year away, and he’s sounding sharper, more focused, and more soulful than ever. In this episode of the Just Jazz podcast, Cali sits down to talk about the journey so far; from his 2022 debut album Soul Assassin to the evolution behind his latest track Midnight Strut, and what […] The post Cali Jones Returns with a New Sound appeared fir...

In the latest episode of Just Jazz, we sit down with vocalist Rebecca Rafla, an artist whose sound thoughtfully bridges the gap between classic jazz tradition and contemporary expression. Drawing inspiration from legendary performers such as Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett, Rafla has developed a style that is both elegant and accessible. Her voice carries a warm, expressive quality, […] The post Re...

AI-generated music tracks are now landing in my inbox, just as Sony takes action against Spotify to get 135,000 deep-fake songs removed from its system. Given this, I couldn’t help myself from commenting on the risks of playing AI music on my weekly radio show. The challenge to support bona fide musicians is real as […] The post The rising tide of AI ‘music’ appeared first on Steve Hart .

Australian jazz musician Gene Shelby is no stranger to the international jazz scene. He spent the 1990s and early 2000s signed with Warner Chappel, performing across LA, promoting his original music and working with world-renowned producer Mark S. Berry. He plays piano, guitar, bass, and sings. In this interview Gene talks about his career, studying […] The post Gene Shelby talks about his album M...

Evan and I have chatted on the phone once before – to talk about his then new EP Groove House – and we got on like a house on fire. This second chat, about his latest single – Movin’ On – was no different. Well it was, because Carydakis sounds even more confident and self-assured. […] The post Evan Carydakis is Movin’ On in style appeared first on Steve Hart .

When a smooth jazz version of Purple Rain arrived in my inbox I knew it would be either a brilliant cover of Prince’s iconic track or a cheesy damp squib. Instrumental covers of classic tracks are either one or the other – there is no middle ground. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. At the opening strum […] The post Luis Alas talks about his career and his new single Purple Rain appeared first on...

Evan Carydakis is an acclaimed Jazz saxophonist, residing in Tasmania. Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Evan first picked up the saxophone at the age of 15. Initially inspired by Branford Marsalis’s ‘Royal Garden Blues’, it was his family’s influence and love of all music that set Evan on his stylistic journey. And along the way, Evan […] The post Sax player Evan Carydakis talks about his new album Gr...

I grew up listening to Earth, Wind & Fire’s dance music and played plenty of it as a club DJ in the 1980s. Lots of the group’s music is still doing the rounds thanks to remixed versions bringing them up to date with added drums, percussion and synth embellishments – there really are some excellent […] The post Ralph Johnson of Earth, Wind & Fire talks smooth jazz appeared first on Steve Hart .

I got to interview Chicago-based jazz musician Markus Rutz (pronounced roots) for my jazz radio show in April 2020. Broadcasters are welcome to use the interview free of charge – the intro and outro have been written for you… Chicago jazz musician Markus Rutz [pronounced ‘roots’] has just released his third album called “Blueprints Figure […] The post Jazz trumpet player Markus Rutz appeared first...

Rick Habana is a producer, songwriter, engineer and composer. In this interview Rick tells Steve Hart about his passion for blending music genres to create his unique smooth jazz sound. Born and raised in California, Rick has succeeded in creating a sound that has landed him numerous music placements with many of the top television […] The post Smooth jazz producer Rick Habana talks about blending...

Lars Taylor began his musical career in the 1990s; moving from his native Switzerland to work as a popular and versatile session guitarist and keyboard player in Berlin. Back then he was known as Lars Rüetschi (his real name) and was kept busy in the studio – playing on many hits with popular artists of […] The post Lars Taylor talks about his career and new single Sweet Onion appeared first on St...