Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Talented NYC Jazz Singer Cyrille Aimée .. Her latest album “Let’s Get Lost” was released in January of 2016 and is charting very well and getting rave reviews .. Over the course of our conversation, we discussed her childhood in France where they would host the annual Django Reinhardt Festival .. from there, she fell in love with the...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview Kansas City jazz saxophonist Matt Otto .. These days he stays busy in a thriving Kansas City jazz scene playing at the Blue Room and around town with cats like Bob Bowman and Roger Wilder .. He is also busy as an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Kansas .. Over the course of our interview, he talked about his roots in Los Angeles, spending ti...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist, Recording Artist, Performer, Teacher and a man that Harvey Pekar called one of the best tenor sax men in the world - Ernie Krivda  .. Over the course of our conversation, he talked about an upcoming gig in Kansas City at the Blue Room off 18th and Vine on April Fool’s Day 2016 .. He also talked about his latest album...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist, Flautist, Composer, and Arranger Greg Abate .. Over the course of our conversation,  we talked about a great number of things .. This Woonsocket, Rhode Island native was a part of the 2016 class inducted into the Rhode Island Hall of Fame .. This cat has had a very long and storied jazz existence .. He got educated a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Talented NYC  Jazz Singer Barbara Rosene .. Over the course of our interview,  she talked about spending some quality time in Kansas City playing at joints like the Green Lady Lounge and Jardines .. She grew up in a small town outside of Cleveland, Ohio and has gone on to become a star in the real of the 20s, 30s and 40s jazz world in...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Saxophonist and Educator Brett Jackson  ..  He grew up in North Newton, Kansas and made his way to Kansas City to make it his home in a very busy jazz scene .. These days is a part of Project H, the Boogaloo 7, the KC Jazz Orchestra, Vine Street Rumble and Clint Ashlock’s New Jazz Order .. He is also teaching the futu...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City jazz pianist Roger Wilder  - Over the course of our interview, we discussed his music roots with his family in Rochester, New York .. Getting a degree at the University of Miami and spending some time down there before coming back to New York .. From there, he made his way to Kansas City in 2000 and has been very active in...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz guitar Virtuoso Stanley Jordan .. His life in music began as a child with the piano and would eventually migrate to the guitar .. His unique approach to playing the instrunment was inspired by the work he put in on the keys .. Stanley is a very intelligent and gifted musician that has brought the world an incredible amount of goo...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-Jazz Sax Journeyman Donny McCaslin .. Over the course of our interview he touched on the whirlwind he has been going through in the wake of being on David Bowie’s final album – Blackstar .. but our focus was a long road that has been dedicated to the jazz craft .. It started in Santa Cruz, California and being inspired by his dad...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with prolific legendary jazz Double Bassist Ron Carter  –  His long career has been full of originality and been quite prolific he hold a jazz record with more than 2,000 albums to his credit and he’s played with the finest to ever grace music .. cats like Tommy Flanagan, Gil Evans, Lena Horne, Bill Evans, B.B. King and was very influenced...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with pianist, jazz cat and music visionary Brian Haas  .. He is the leader of the jazz force known as the Jacob Fred Jazz Oddysey .. right outta Tulsa, Oklahoma .. These days, he is in a super group known as Nolatet and they are gearing up for a Febraury 2016 album release and a subsequent tour around the United States .. Brian has spent h...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with legendary jazz saxophonist and flutist Lew Tabackin – Over the course of our conversation, he talked about his start in Philadelphia and his move into playing with some of the best in the business .. like  Tal Farlow, Don Friedman the bands of Cab Calloway, Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson, Chuck Israels, Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Clar...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with talented modern day saxophonist Miguel Zenon – He just received a Grammy Nomination for his latest 2014 album called Identities are Changeable .. He began his journey in San Juan, Puerto Rico .. and then moved on to America to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston .. Since then, he’s gigged with the best like The SFJAZZ Collec...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the sultry NYC Jazz Vocalist Molly Ryan .. On the heels of her newest 2015 album called Let’s Fly Away, she discussed a great many things during our interview .. From growing up in Rosevile, California and learning jazz tricks from a family friend .. Bob Ringwald .. the father of actress and jazz singer Molly Ringwald .. These days, s...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz pianist Harold Mabern .. Over the course of our conversation, this brilliant jazz legend discussed his roots in a town celebrated for bringing the world quality musicians .. Memphis, Tennessee .. He talked about moving on to Chicago the New York City and all the cats that influenced him and those he played with along th...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with modern day jazz drummer Matt Wilson .. Over the course of our conversation,  he discussed a very long, adventurous jazz journey that he has penned, thus far .. On the heels of a new Christmas album, he talked about at gig at the White House, interviewing Dave Brubeck, playing with many legends over the years, what projects are on the...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City jazz vocalist Molly Hammer  - Over the course of our interview, she discussed her career in the thriving Kansas City jazz scene and plans to release some recordings in 2016 .. These days she is active at jazz houses like the Green Lady Lounge and loves what she does .. She’s a cancer survivor, part comedian and has some se...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Jazz Superstar Bassist Christian McBride  ..  He’s always on the verge of something new .. and now it happens to be 2017’s  CD Bringin’ It .. He was raised in a city steeped in soul – Philadelphia and in 1989 he moved to New York to pursue classical studies at the Juilliard School – Since then, he has produced a massive body of work...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary New Orleans Jazz Trumpeter, Singer and Composer Kermi Ruffins .. Along with gigs and constant activity, he’s promoting 2017’s A Beautiful World with Irvin Mayfield – He spent his childhood in New Orleans influenced by Louis Armstrong and Louis Jordan and would go on to be the co-founder of the Rebirth Brass Band in 1983 and...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Musician, Composer & Painter Gerald Cannon .. Born in Racine, Wisconsin his father Benjamin was a guitarist and bought him his first electric bass at10 – from there, he went to the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse where he met jazz great Milt Hinton and it changed his life .. He’s on the heels of releasing 2017’s CD Combi...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with  Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Vincent Herring .. On the heels of a new 2017 CD Hard Times .. life is good .. He grew up in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and started playing saxophone at the age of 11 in school bands – He went on to play in the Military Academy Band at West Point and would work with Cedar Walton for more than 20 years – that led...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series NYC Jazz Saxophonist, Flutist and Composer Steve Slagle.. He was born in Los Angeles, raised in Philadelphia and has called New York City his home for quite some time .. He just released 2017’s Dedication and it’s another gem in his discography .. After going to the Berklee College of Music and getting a master's degree in Music From Manha...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Barry Altschul .. He is now promoting his latest 2017 CD - The 3Dom Factor Live in Krakow and it’s a great album .. He is a self taught musician who has learned a lot from stellar mentors over the years .. Like Charlie Persip during the 1960s – Then performing with the likes of Paul Bley, Chick Corea amd Dave Holland .. H...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Trumpeter & Flugelhornist Alex Abramovitz of His Swing'n Kansas City Jazz Band – This is a band whose primary focus and mission is to preserve the heritage of Kansas City Jazz through performance, education, and entertainment....  Alex grew up in Kansas City and is proud to be a part of a long KC jazz tradition .....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Violinist and Composer Nora Germain  .. She talked about her latest album Go For It .. And how she spent a lot of time growing up in Madison, Wisconsin – She was introduced to music by her violinist parents and cellist grandmother and went on to become the first ever violinist to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jazz St...