Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series New York City Jazz Pianist Larry Fuller. He swung through Kansas City to play at the Blue Room off 18th and Vine to play with a trio featuring the great George DeLancey. In between sets, he took a minute to talk with Neon Jazz about his visit, the health of jazz in America and much more. so, dig this new interview. Hosted by Simplecast, an...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist, Producer, Vocalist, Composer and Radio Host Ben Sidran  – He was born in Racine, Wisconsin and still resides in that fine state .. He is on the heels of so much work .. as usual .. including 2016’s Picture Him Happy – which is an apt description for him .. He was turned on at 13 by the music of Horace Silver and Blue Mit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter Bijon Watson  .. This cat grew up in the Boston area and has lately been getting some recognition from his time in the award winning film La La Land – He’s been at this jazz gig for some time and got his formal training at the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Southern California .. he was a part o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trombonist Joe Fiedler  .. He was born and Raised in Pittsburg, PA and has just released a great new album - 2017’s Like, Strange – along with the solo work .. he is the Music Director for Sesame Street and over 7 seasons he has written more than 250 arrangements and crafted more than 5000 underscoring cues – He spent some time a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter, Composer and Educator Jason Palmer  ..  Originally from High Point, North Carolina, he studied jazz at the New England Conservatory and in 2016 he released his new album Beauty N Numbers  - Over years, he’s gigged with  Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Smith (the organist), Wynton arsalis Lee Konitz and  Phil Woods –...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the Hammond B-3 Master & LegendTony Monaco – He began working in Jazz clubs as a teenager in his native Columbus, Ohio inspired by local organ gurus Hank Marr and Don Patterson – He even got instruction and advice from the great Jimmy Smith .. and in addition to the music, he’s been a businessman over the years .. In fact, after g...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Modern Jazz Pianist, Vocalist and Composer Peter Eldgridge  .. He grew up in New Jersey and is on the heels of promoting his latest - 2016’s Dissapearing Day – Peter is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed jazz vocal group, New York Voices and in more than 20 years of doing his jazz thing, he has released four solo album...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Composer Marc Copland  ..  He spent his childhood in Philadelphia – he took piano lessons at age seven, stopped at ten when his public school offered the option of saxophone – In the  early 1960s as a saxophonist learning from earning and playing with Michael Brecker – in 1966 he moved to New York City – then went o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Multi-Instrumentalist Joe McPhee  .. He was born in Miami, Florida and grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York – His 1st  recording came in 1967, when he appeared on the Clifford Thornton – at the age of 32 he taught himself the saxophone after experiencing the music of John Coltrane – Since the late 1960’s he’s well known for his free...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Organist Pat Bianchi .. He took some time from his busy jazz life to talk about his latest 2018 CD In the Moment .. and reflect on a December 8, 2018 Kansas City Show with Vibes cat Joe Locke and Drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith at the Blue Room .. This Two-time grammy nominated cat comes from a musically gifted fa...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with San Francisco Based Jazz Pianist & Radio Host at KCSM 91.1 Dick Conte .. He opened up about his latest 2018 CD Blue in Green – A tribute to Bill Evans .. He talked about how he arrived in San Francisco in 1961 from his native Connecticut and has since become an integral part of the Bay Area jazz scene with his encyclopedic knowled...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Trumpeter Jay Sollenberger  .. This local jazz stalwart is always busy with Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, The Vine Street Rumble and other outfits .. He grew up in McPherson, Kansas and attended Wichita State University and North Texas State University - While at North Texas in 1970, he played in the internationally famous...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Portland-based Jazz pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, teacher, and bandleader George Colligan is one of the most original and compelling jazz artists of his generation and he spent some time with Neon Jazz talking about his latest  2018 CD Nation Divided .. He’s also highly in demand as a sideman, having worked with players like...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Author Brian Gruber .. We caught up with him in Bankok about his book Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s – Billy Cobham – on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation  .. We got to know author/journalist/media man Brian and what led him to pen this book about the exceptional Panama-born, New York-raised drummer .. From Billy’s early days with Horac...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Jerry Vivino.. His latest 2018 CD Coast to Coast with Bucky Pizarelli and others is a wonderful album .. He was born in Paterson, New Jersey where music and art was an everyday thing in the Vivino household during his childhood .. By the age of 16, he started playing the saxophone. As life picked up steam, jer...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Hannibal, MO-born, New York City Jazz Drummer, Artist, Composer, Bandleader & Educator Matt Kane..  This 47-year-old journey jazz cat is at a point in his career where he takes charge from behind the drums, as a jazz artist, composer, and bandleader. The Other Side of the Story is his 4th Album and the first with entirely original...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Guitarist Bobby Broom .. He took some time out to speak with us about his excellent new 2018 CD Soul Fingers produced by Steve Jordan .. He was born and raised in New York City, but he moved on to Chicago .. where he has called home for some time .. He got some great experience early on with Al Haig and Sonny Rollins .. a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Renee and Lang of the Jazz Group BlissBliss – This married duo joined their different but compatible musical backgrounds of rock, pop, R & B and jazz to create the unique sound that appears on their new EP "3" - their third project was primarily recorded live in the studio with three other musicians and originated as sni...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trombonist of the New Orleans Outfit fulla Jazz & Rock – Bonerama .. I caught these cats live on September 22, 2018 at the Topeka Jazz Festival and they were smoking .. We caught up with them about their band’s history, time well spent on tour with Harry Connick Jr., the culture of New Orleans, their latest album and so much...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Javon Jackson – This veteran with legendary status talked about his newest 2018 CD For You that is full of originals and covers by Wayne Shorter and Cedar Walton .. Initially he got his start In 1992 with his recording debut with Me and Mr. Jones, featuring James Williams, Christian McBride and master drummer and NEA...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Pianist Lenore Raphael – She talked with Neon Jazz about quite a bit ..Like her latest 2018 CD Reunion .. The Critics, jazz hosts and jazz lovers all agree that she is one of the most SWINGING mainstream pianists today. Influenced by Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and Bill Evans, she has taken these influences and created her own...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Jay Lawrence.. He spoke with us about his latest 2018 CD Sonic Paragon and his very diverse career as a performing and recording artist. He’s a drummer, ethnic and orchestral percussionist, composer and arranger, educator, clinician, adjudicator, band leader, contractor and author. All of this began at the age of 15 when...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Veteran Jazz Vocalist Millie Edwards .. She is introduced to audiences as "the little woman with a big voice," and over her years in Kansas City she as proved skilled at performing cabaret, pop, blues and jazz tunes .. She performs regularly as a solo act at The Phoenix downtown and is always glad to be a part of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Saxophonist & Composer Patrick Ziimmerli – He talked about his newest 2018 CD Clockworks and so much more .. This New York- and Paris-based musician writes a sophisticated and approachable hybrid of contemporary classical and jazz music. He has written numerous orchestral, chamber and choral works and in 2015 was awarded the Chamb...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Trombonist & Sea Shellist Steve Turre .. He talked with us about his newest 2018 CD – The Very Thought of You – And he elaborates on harmony .. Steve was born to Mexican-American parents and grew up in the San Francisco Bay and in 1972 he got the break of a lifetime when Ray Charles hired him to go on tour. A year l...