Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series!  In this episode, we catch up with  violinist Kip Jones  of the acclaimed string quartet  ETHEL  to discuss their  highly anticipated collaboration  with legendary bassist  Ron Carter . On  Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. ,  ETHEL and Ron Carter  will take the stage at  Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall  for an  unforgettable classical...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Veteran Kansas City-based Jazz Singer & Bandleader  David Watson .. He grew up Philadelphia PA and his musical career started in elementary school singing in talent shows and school concerts. When  he was eight year old, he heard Ella Fitzgerald and that changed his life forever. Around ten years old, he started developing the art of...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series , featuring renowned  French jazz pianist Jacky Terrasson . We caught up with this jazz force while on tour in  Cuba  to discuss his latest  2024 album "Moving,"  upcoming  2025 shows at SMOKE Jazz Club in NYC (February 5-9, 2025) , and his incredible journey over the past few years. With a career spanning over  30 years , Jacky Terrasson...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  London-based Jazz Guitarist & Bandleader  Greg Sanders  .. We caught up with this busy musician about his new 2025 CD Perfect Stranger/ The album features drummer Ben Brown, bass player Tom Herbert and saxophonist Sam Rapley. We get into his history of playing music, what is going on these days, the philosophy and much more. Dig this...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series , featuring  legendary jazz guitarist Jimmy Vivino . Known for his long tenure with the  Conan O’Brien Band , Vivino has spent decades shaping the worlds of  jazz, blues, and rock . In this interview, we catch up with Jimmy to discuss his latest project,  Delta Blue —a powerful musical that blends  blues, faith, and redemption . Set in  1...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series , featuring  David Caffey , a  renowned jazz composer, arranger, conductor, and educator . We caught up with him to discuss his  highly anticipated 2025 CD,  At the Edge of Spring , and his lifelong contributions to jazz. David Caffey’s compositions and arrangements have been  performed worldwide , including in  Australia, Belgium, Canada...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series  featuring Indiana-based jazz musicians  Sam Butler and Garrett Fasig  of the  Visions Jazz Ensemble . We explore their innovative 2025 album,  Across the Field , a groundbreaking project that transforms classic  college fight songs into jazz masterpieces . In the summer of 2023,  Garrett and Sam  were approached by the  Timeless Music Pro...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series , featuring  Detroit-based veteran jazz drummer and bandleader Joe Syrian . In this exclusive conversation, we discuss his highly anticipated  2025 album,  Secret Message , recorded with the renowned  Motor City Jazz Octet . The  Motor City Jazz Octet  is a celebrated jazz ensemble performing in Detroit’s top clubs, theaters, and concert...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series , featuring  veteran Kansas City jazz drummer Brian Steever  as he discusses  Wire Town  and their upcoming 2025 album,  Riffin’ on Grand . Wire Town is a powerhouse jazz group comprised of  Kansas City jazz legends , including  guitarists Danny Embrey and Rod Fleeman , bassist  Gerald Spaits , and drummer  Brian Steever . Their latest al...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Award Winning Jazz Pianist & Composer  Marius Van Den Brink  on Live at Dizzy’s ..  This new 2024 CD “Live at Dizzy’s Club” is full of music from his latest 2024 album New York Knock. It features a supergroup of jazz musicians consisting of Sean Jones, Stacy Dillard, Matt Penman, Willie Jones III, and Keita Ogawa. The CD release show...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Guitarist David Yamasaki and Woodwinds/Pianist Aaron Aranita  Of the Jazz Group Groovology  .. We caught up with members of this Honolulu-based band to talk about their new 2024 album Almost Home and all things about their approach. Groovology was formed during the pandemic. It also includes Ernie Provencher on bass and Scott Shafer o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  NYC-based Jazz Singer & Songwriter  Allegra Levy .. We caught up with this up and coming singer about her 2024 CD Out of the Question, surviving COVID and a life lived in the music. This new project was the brainchild of Levy’s longtime collaborator, pianist Carmen Staaf and includes stellar musicians like Allison Miller and Mimi Jon...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Veteran Kansas City-based Jazz Drummer & Educator  Carl Allen .. We caught up with the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City to talk about his stellar new 2025 CD Tippin’. He brought together his dream team of Christian McBride playing bass, and the phenomenal Chris Potter on horns. This is his first albu...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  London-based Cellist & Composer  Naomi Gee Wright .. We spent some time talking about her new 2024 CD Meteor Trail and a great life in the music. This very unique artist was trained at the Royal Academy of Music and the Eastman School in Rochester, NY. Since then, she has been enjoying a career as soloist, collaborator, improviser an...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Jazz Guitarist  Jackson Potter  on the 2024 Album Small Things  .. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, he has proven to be a versatile guitarist and composer based these days in New York City.  His new album is coming out on January 24th, 2025 via Shifting Paradigm Records and is a follow up to his 2021 debut album Restless. We get...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Jazz Pianist & Composer  Donald Vega  on the 2024 CD Merry and Bright & Grammy Nominated Album As I Travel  .. We originally interviewed Donald in December of 2020 during the music shutdown and uncertainty of the times. In this interview, we get into a new holiday album inspired by those hear heard done by Oscar Peterson and Nat King...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Composer, Guitarist, Author & Educator Neff Irizarry  .. We caught up with him from Helsinki about his new 2024 CD Cambio (Change) and a great life in the music. He specializing in Latin and Contemporary Jazz and on this new project is is produced by three-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Jimmy Haslip, featuring the guitar in a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Jazz Trumpeter  Paul Dietrich  on the 2024 Album Small Patch of Earth  .. This is his fifth album on Shifting Paradigm Records as a leader featuring his smallest ensemble to date. Following two quintet albums in 2014 and 2017, a full-size 18-piece jazz ensemble and a nine-piece quintet-plus-string-quartet,  sought to return to basics...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City Jazz Musician & Educator Bryan Hicks .. We originally caught up with him back in 2023 and check in here in late 2024 to see what has been going on. There have been some significant developments and we get into all of it. Enjoy. All Things Bryan -  https://www.facebook.com/bryanhicksmusic/   For More Neon Jazz Inter...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Jazz Saxophonist  Shawn Maxwell  on the 2024 Album C8H10N402 with Keri Johnsrud  .. We get into the artistic chemistry between these two musicians that teamed up for this impressive release. We talk about their creative approach to the project, live shows and so much more. Great to catch up with Shawn. Enjoy this interview. Get the a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Violinist  Jason Anick & Pianist Jason Yeager  on the 2024 Album Sanctuary ..  They met for the first time at a local jam session as teens in the Boston area. Since then, both have continued to collaborate while establishing flourishing careers as composers, performers and educators, with both serving on the faculty at Berklee Colleg...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  London-based Author & Journalist  Mike Gerber  on the 2024 Book Kosher Jammers  .. We caught up with this veteran and esteemed jazz journalist to talk about his new book, how it came about, his life in journalist and much more. Besides drawing on a plethora of second-hand sources, Kosher Jammers is packed with first-hand material, fr...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Acclaimed Fiddler/Multi-Instrumentalist & Composer  John Mailander .. We caught up with him from Nashville to talk about his new 2024 CD Let the World In, along with his life in music. His band, Forecast, is a Nashville-based collective of visionary musicians and the album showcases the wide sound-design palette of their musical expl...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with LA-based  Jazz Vocalist  Maria Puga Lareo .. We get into her new 2024 CD My Universe, a life in jazz, the move to America and so much more. She was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina and began her professional career in her early twenties by singing in the culturally rich city’s clubs, theaters, and at jazz festivals. In 2000,...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Paris-based  Jazz Saxophonist and Educator  Yannick Benoit .. We caught up with him about his 2024 CD Le Repère and a great life in jazz. He’s quite talented as a saxophonist, didgeridoo player, singer, composer and teacher. Since he first fell into music early on, he has been building and honing his craft on a wide array of stages wi...