Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with London-based Jazz Saxophonist Alex Hitchcock .. We get into his 2023 CD Dream Band – Live in London that is the culmination of a 3 night residency at London's legendary Vortex Club .. He stands as a distinctive improviser and a leading voice on his instrument in the UK. We cover this latest project, surviving COVID, the future and so...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Award-Winning Jazz Vocalist, Composer & Educator Kavita Shah .. She opened up about her new 2023 CD Cape Verdean Blues that acts as a tribute to the legendary singer Cesária Évora & a love letter to her experience in Cape Verde. She is a lifelong New Yorker of Indian origin hailed that incorporates her ethnographic research on Brazili...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with The Leader of the Chicago-based Jazz Group Bowmansville Swing Ethan Adelsman on the 2023 Album Bowmanville .. We caught up with him for a follow up from our prior 2017 interview to talk about their new self-titled album. Featuring a unique frontline of guitar, harmonica, and violin that straddles the gypsy jazz music of Django Reinhar...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Rob Garcia on the 2023 Album Natural Bounce  .. The Rob Garcia 4 is a working group and Rob has led them through performances at major venues and festivals around the world .. The group has previously released 5 critically acclaimed albums, 4 albums on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records and 1 on Fresh Sound Records. Rob co...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Leader, Composer & Bassist Jesse Dietschi .. He opened up about his new new 2023 CD Gradient and his life in music .. This  international touring and recording jazz artist is a top-call extra musician with both the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Canadian Opera Company. On this project, he is joined by pianist Ewen Farnco...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Acclaimed Jazz Composer and Arranger Drew Zaremba .. We got into his new 2023 CD Reunion and his life in music .. Drawing eclectic influence from icons of big band, heroes of classical music, and the luminaries of British Rock, he combines, concocts, and creates with a refreshing originality in the wildest of never-before-imagined man...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Saxophonist T.K. Blue on the 2023 Album Tide of Love  .. The decorated and steamed veteran alto saxophonist and flautist releases a new album of melodic romantic music that always creates a hypnotic and memorable music experience. Joining him on this album is vibraphonist Stefon Harris and pianist James Weidman on a proje...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Guirarist Danny Embrey .. We caught up with this Kansas City legend about his latest 2023 album live in the Orion Room at the Green Lady Lounge .. He has been a staple at this rousing KC Jazz Institution .. He opened up about the album, his legacy and so much more .. Dig this interview. The Home of Famous Interviews : htt...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trombonist/Composer JC Sanford & Veteran Pianist Michael Cain on the 2023 Album New Past .. JC follows up his two previous trio albums (Imminent Standards Vol. 1 & 2) with a decidedly different approach to the trio format. Featuring pianist Michael Cain and bassist Anthony Cox, New Past delves into his diverse compositional style...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Bay Area Jazz Keyboardist & Composer Michael Echaniz .. He opened up about his debut 2023 album Seven Shades of Violet full of wonderful musicians and a title harkening to his fascination with both mathematics and color .. He is one of the brightest musicians, composers, and artists emerging from the West Coast jazz scene. Dig this st...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Iowa-based Modern Jazz Group Wave Cage .. We caught up with all bandmates about their debut and new 2023 CD Even You Can See In The Dark out on Shifting Paradigm Records .. The band brings its blend of electrified, synth-driven jazz to the national scene .. The bandmates are Ryan Garmoe on trumpet & flugelhorn), Nolan Schroeder on ten...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with LA-based Grammy Winning Jazz Guitarist Andrew Synowiec .. He opened up about being a part of the album Vanguards of Groove by the mighty SRT on their debut album three seasoned and accomplished pros who are still hungry featuring the legendary likes of drummer John “J.R.” Robinson and organist Mitch Towne .. Andrew is a multi-faceted...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Brazilian Jazz Singer Claudia Villela .. We get into her new 2023 CD Cartas ao Vento .. Her voice gets all the attention that is a five-octave instrument acting as one of the wonders of jazz .. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, she sings mostly in Portuguese, interpreting lyrics with keen emotional insight and supple rhythmic command...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian-born, NYC-based Pianist, Composer & Arranger Noah Franche-Nolan .. We talk at length about his new 2023 CD Within The Stream marking the Cellar Live Debut taking the listener on a journey with his lyrical compositions and intricately arranged renditions of carefully picked songs from the jazz/Black American Music canon. We co...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Swiss Jazz Drummer Elmar Frey .. From his base in Switzerland, he talked about his new 2023 CD Seven Colors and his life in music .. With 13 records as a bandleader, over 30 as a sideman, and performances alongside the likes of Benny Golson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Barry Harris, Greg Osby under his belt, ‘Seven Colors’ expands on hi...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with St. Louis-based Jazz Bassist & Composer Andrew Binder .. He reached out to the program with a new album and we were quite impressed… It’s the new 2023 CD Conspiracy Deliracy .. Featuring original compositions crossed between modern jazz, pop music icons, the music, and conspiracy theories. Recipient of a 2023 Urbana Arts Grant, the mu...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Tap Dancer/Percussionist Max Pollock & Guitarist Pete Smith of the Jazz Group Grupo Los Santos .. We caught up with them about their new 2023 CD Santos 4. By their own reckoning, they are an admittedly a strange band. They’ve spent the last 20 years building a dedicated fanbase around their unmistakably unique sound, with an eclectic...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Dallas-based Jazz Drummer & Composer Bobby Falk .. We caught up with him about his new 2023 CD Coming to Fruition. This Louisville, KY native grew up in a musical family. Father Gary Falk is a saxophonist and owns local recording studio “Falk Audio”, Mother Dorissa is pianist/organist who taught music for over 30 years in public schoo...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Wisconsin-based Jazz Trumpeter, Composer & Educator Paul Dietrich .. We talked about his fourth album as a leader called 5+4 out on October 13, 2023 on Shifting Paradigm Records. This project combines the instrumentation of a “traditional” jazz quintet paired with a string quartet. Along with this album, we cover his life in music, su...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Uruguayan-born/Toronto-based Singer-Songwriter Valeria Matzner .. We dug into her latest 2023 album called Tamborilero that pays homage to the people who started this music, the Uraguayans of African descent and to the musical gift from the people of the African diaspora to Uruguayan culture. Along with this new project, we cover her...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Brooklyn-based Jazz Trombonist & Composer Andrew Danforth .. He opened up about his new 2023 CD Homegrown. An album that is a dedication to the past, present and future of creative music in Indianapolis and a musical representation of the natural landscape, humanity and social geography of Indianapolis that he has  grown to care so deeply...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist & Composer Steven Husted .. We got into his new 2023 CD Standards & Then Some. It is his third release as a band leader and is a return to his acoustic, straight ahead jazz roots. After years of electric, jazz fusion playing and composing, he is once again playing his upright bass and showing his breadth of understanding...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Boston-based Jazz Guitarist & Educator Eric Hofbauer .. We had a wide ranging talk about his new 2023 CD Wake Up! It is a reboot of the “Five Agents” ensemble from Book of Water .. He is the chair of Jazz and Contemporary Music at Longy School of Music of Bard College, where he teaches jazz theory, chamber ensembles, solo repe...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Acclaimed Pop Artist Ellen Woloshin .. She opened up about her new 2023 CD Pop Torch. This former jingle writer is excited about her 3rd solo album with a blend of classics and originals ..  Her connection with music goes back to childhood. She grew up studying classical piano and started singing at the age of 16. When deciding to for...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Toronto-based Pianist Teri Parker on the 2023 Album Shaping the Invisible .. On this sophomore album as a bandleader it stands as the culmination of years of playing, composing, and artistic growth. It's a fusion of musical heritage and innovation that places Parker squarely in the lineage of ground-breaking musicians... We cover this rele...