Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Vibraphonist, Composer,  Bandleader &  Educator Steve Hobbs  - He’s always busy with the music and his latest CD is 2018’s Tribute to Bobby – in honor of his friend and mentor Bobby Hutcherson – He’s originally from Raleigh, North Carolina and started hand drums at age 7, and trumpet and drumset at 11 –then  switched from...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Stride Pianist Bram Wijnands .. He grew up in the Netherlands and came to Kansas City after striking up friendships with Richard Ross and Deborah Brown .. Since the early 90’s, he has made Kansas City home and has been all over the scene giving folks his jazz from the Majestic and beyond .. He talked about his educati...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer and Percussionist Leslie Mandoki .. He grew up in Budapest, Hungary and studied drums and percussion at the musical conservatory of Budapest in the early 1970s. He fled from Hungary to Munich, Germany to avoid prosecution by the communist government for being a member of the student opposition. Since then, he has lived th...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist Andrew Lion and Pianist Ruthie Dineen  .. They talked candidly about their latest 2017 CD 'ETERNAL LIFE | JEFF BUCKLEY SONGS AND SOUNDS .. paying homage to a titan in the world of popular music .. Over our discussion, they go into the beginnings of their band, why Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City Jazz Pianist Charles Williams .. He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and as a kid was a trombonist studying under Mr. Leon Brady at Sumner High School – that would lead to the piano and the Turner House Jazz series in the 70’s – and playing with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Clark Terry, and so many more ....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitarist, Composer & Arranger Randy Napoleon .. He talked to us about his 2019 CD Common Tones .. This Ann Arbor, Michigan native is known as a forward-thinking musician with a passion for the jazz tradition and spent some quality years touring with the legendary singer/pianist Freddy Cole .. He is a composer and an arranger...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-Based Saxophonist Brad Gregory .. He was born and raised Edmonton, Alberta Canada and was taught by G Gordon Nicholson and was heavily influenced by many of the great Edmonton musicians such as PJ Perry and Tommy Banks. He went on to the University of North Texas and was a member of the One O’Clock Lab Band – then it was o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kent Rausch .. the Director of the Kansas City Vine Street Rumble Orchestra .. Kent is a retired teacher and formed this band in 2013 to honor the legacy of the "golden era" of KC’s world renowned jazz history. The band exclusively performs the same outrageously exciting music that made Kansas City THE place to be in the 30'...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer William Hooker .. During an interview that focused on the present and the future, we spoke with him about his newest and very well reviewed 2019 CD Symphonie of Flowers .. We also delved into his life as an artist, who he thinks he is, upcoming projects and a projected Spring swing through Kansas City .. So get to know hi...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview Brooklyn-based Jazz Drummer Colin Stranahan .. Hi latest 2019 CD Stranahan/Zaleski/Rosato’s Live at Jazz Standard is a great album featuring Pianist Glenn Zaleski, and bassist Rick Rosato -  their long-awaited third album Live at The Jazz Standard .. Colin is from Denver, Colorado and has always been surrounded by music. He could have played foot...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview with Cuban pianist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and bandleader Roberto Fonseca .. He is Cuban-born and based and  has released nine solo albums, collaborated across genres, been nominated for a Grammy Award and toured the world several times over .. We caught up with him about his latest album – the  2019 CD Yesun .. So, h...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Visionary Composer, Improviser  & Percussionist Adam Rudolph .. We reached out about his 2019 CD Ragmala .. Go: Organic Orchestra and Brooklyn Raga Massive - an album that bridges generations, cultures and traditions in a deep-rooted, forward-looking sound born of 21st-century innovation and hybrid voices. Over the past four decad...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Trombonist, Arranger & Composer Jason Goudeau – This Houston, Texas native attended the highly acclaimed High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and studied jazz under the direction of Dr. Robert Morgan – He has performed with many artists throughout the past two decades. He was awarded the first “George Salisbu...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter & Composer Jaimie Banch .. Her new 2019 CD Fly Or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise Solo and it’s a follow up to her first album 2017’s Fly Or Die .. She was started playing trumpet at age nine and Miles Davis has always been a huge musical influence .. From Brooklyn, she went to Chicago, then the New England Conservato...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophone Virtuoso James Carter ..  He opened up about his latest 2019 CD - James Carter Organ Trio: Live From Newport Jazz  .. He’s now at 50 and making his debut as a bandleader for Blue Note Records .. Born in 1969 in Detroit, he began playing at age 11 and studied early on with trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. As a prodigy, he prog...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-Based Saxophonist, Composer, Educator and Author Adam Larson  ... His latest 2019 CD Listen With Your Eyes is his fifth record and was released on Ropeadope Records – and it’s getting solid reviews .. Adam is originally from Normal, Illinois .. a few hours from Chicago .. he started playing saxophone at the age of 11 – Aft...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with UK Jazz Bassist Nick Blacka of the Modern Band GoGo Penguin .. They just released a new EP .. 2019’s Ocean in a Drop (Music for Film) .. The band came together in 2012 and they all had rich music backgrounds .. thus, GoGo Penguin began .. Their first labum – 2014’s v2.0 was the Mercury Prize album of the year .. In 2015 they were sign...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Latin Jazz Pianist and Arranger Oscar Hernández  ... He opened up about his latest 2019 CD Love the Moment with Alma Libre .. It’s doing very well on the charts and this four-time Grammy Award Winner opens up about it .. He has long been considered one of the most gifted and prominent pianist/ arrangers on the contemporary Lat...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Vibraphonist Dan McCarthy ... He talked about his 2019 CD City Abstract .. His second release for the Seattle based label Origin Records. In March of 2019, after 15 years in New York City, he returned to his home of Toronto to pursue a Masters degree in Jazz Composition at York University .. He has been studying music si...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Jazz Artist & Singer Veronica Swift ..  She talked about her latest 2019 CD Confessions on Mack Avenue Records featuring the great pianist Benny Green– along with Emmet Cohen – She is the daughter of a renowned jazz pianist & celebrated jazz singer and educator/author –  so jazz is in her bloodstream .. She recorded t...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran San Francisco-based Jazz Guitarist Ray Obiedo .. He opened up about is great 2019 CD Carousel .. His 9th release as yet another collection of original compositions fused with Contemporary Jazz, Latin and Brasilian-styled rhythms. He grew up in the East Bay and very early on recognized his own profoundly soulful musical connect...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist Joe Fonda.. He talked about his new 2019 Project .. The CD BAMKO with the OGJB Quartet … Capturing the extraordinary improvisatory collaboration of four legendary leaders & composers: saxophonist Oliver Lake, cornetist Graham Hayes, bassist Joe Fonda and drummer Barry Altschul. Joe is originally from upstate New York...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City-based Jazz Saxophonist David Valdez .. He opened up about his latest CD Shades of Happiness and relocating to KC .. He was born in San Francisco in 1967 and grew up in Santa Cruz, California. He  picked up the saxophone at the age of 8 years old and never looked back .. Over the years, he has zig zagged around the...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Canadian Jazz Singer & Songwriter Jill Barber .. She opened up about her latest 2018 CD Metaphora .. and how her voice has a timeless quality to it .. She also talked about her Fall Intimate Shows Tour .. the Dedications… Letting the fans decide what songs will be sang .. She  was born and raised in Port Credit, - a small...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Bandleader & Tenor Saxophonist Eric Wyatt.. We reached out to him about his latest, impressive 2019 CD The Golden Rule – For Sonny .. So, through his six recordings as a bandleader, he has been performing unspoken tributes to Sonny Rollins .. Eric has said that he will never forget the impact Rollins—who often played with...