Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Jerome Jennings  ... He spent his childhood in Cleveland .. From there, he moved on to Columbus then Indianapolis and finally his current home of NYC  - He’s in the midst of promoting his new 2016 release called The Beast ..  and he’s had quite a journey since he graduated from Rutgers in 2004 .. He’s played in every majo...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with KC Jazz Saxophonist & Educator Nick Rowland – His is a native of Olathe, Kansas and has been in the Kansas City area since 2005 .. These days he’s a fixture in a swinging KC jazz scene and has recorded with Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo 7, Kerry Strayer, Tim Whitmer, Gerald Spaits, Bob Bowman, Clint Ashlock, Hermon Mehari and at many of t...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with KC Jazz Percussionist, Woodwind Player and Composer Patrick Alonzo Conway Smith – He has been a fixture on the Kansas City jazz and music scene for quite some time .. These days, one of his main gigs is playing with Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 at the Green Lady Lounge, along with many other gigs around the Kansas City metro. This cat...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with KC Jazz Duo A La Mode or bettern known as  Clayton DeLong and Jesica “Baby J” Poell .. They are busy promoting their newest and very tasty new album 2016’s Cest Si Bon .. The duo met at the once hoppin’ KC jazz house Jardine’s and discovered their shared chemistry .. Clayton is on the guitar and over the years studied under Kansas Cit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with talented New York City jazz vocalist Deborah Latz .. She was originally trained to be an actress and pursued her dreams on Broadway in New York City .. but, life wove it’s path to the jazz and she has had a great run .. On the heels of her new 2015 album Sur L'Instant, she is doing a good amount of publicity and live gigs to get the s...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with trumpeter, cornetist and composer Ron Miles .. Right outta Denver, Colorado, he talked about his musical journey that includes a huge host of collaborations with the finest in jazz .. With cats like Bill Frisell and Brian Blade ..  We discussed yet another new venture of his as a part of the band Whirlpool, what the Denver scene is li...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the leader of New York City’s Traditional Jazz Vocal Group The Ladybugs – Martina DaSilva ..  On the heels of their first and new self-titled album, this outfit has a unique repertoire of sound .. blending  favorites from the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, infused with old-school swing, country, and blues – Martina discusses the beginnings of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with talented jazz pianist and educator Jeremy Siskind ..  These days he splits his time between being a musician and a professor and he’s a very busy cat .. He spoke with Neon Jazz about his upcoming gig at the Take 5 Coffee/Bar on July 25, 2015, along with doing some guest teaching at the University of Kansas  .. He has also just release...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the avante-garde jazz pianist Satako Fuji .. She grew up in Japan, then moved to the USA to study at the Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory .. she is now back in Japan and has plenty to say with her music and about her life. During an interview with Neon Jazz, she talked about a great deal of topics .. Hosted by...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Guitarist Mike Rud .. Over the course of our interview, he discussed his love of Montreal, jazz and being a musician .. He just won a Juno Award for his latest album Notes on Montreal .. and the back story on this album is quite cool .. He went on to discuss a solo project in the works, teachers over the years, who some...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the very talented jazz vocalist Dessy Di Lauro and journeyman pianist/husband/collaborator Rickey Pageot .. These days, the husband/wife duo are collaborating on some quality mus ic incorporating elements from the ''Speak Easy Era'' with an added contemporary urban edge. The pair stay very busy, she is set to release her new EP in the...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Ernie Watts .. Over the years, he has toured with the Rolling Stones, recorded with Marvin Gaye, logged quality time with Buddy Rich and has played with countless jazz cats over the years .. For 20 years, he was a part of the Tonight Show Band with Johnny Carson under the direction of the great Doc Severinso...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Trumpeter, Composer, Arranger and Educator Wadada Leo Smith .. This journeyed jazz veteran has been all over the world creating cutting edge, avante garde music for decades. These days, he stays as busy as ever .. Over the course of our conversation, he spoke about his unique approach to teaching students, who has taugh...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Journeyman Trumpeter and Arranger David Weiss .. These days, he is consumed with performing in the Jazz supergroup The Cookers .. with legendary cats like Billy Harper, Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and Billy Hart .. Over the course of our conversation, he delved into his life in New York City, how he started out a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary composer, arranger, and bassist Chuck Israels .. He’s well know for doing work with Bill Evans, along with John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz and many more .. He recounts tales of being in the middle of that jazz flux, having dinner at 12 with Louis Armstrong, growing up in a music rich...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary composer, arranger, and trumpeter Charles Tolliver .. Over the course of our conversation, he was very candid about his beginnings in 1963 with the great Jackie McClean .. and how that break led to bigger gigs with cats like Sonny Rollins  .. He told me who his jazz heroes are, why he loves jazz and much more .. Hosted by Si...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with acclaimed bassist, bandleader, performer, music educator, and composer – along with being an actor .. Ben Williams .. Over the course of our conversation, he delved into a very busy schedule that is establishing him as one of the finest young artists in the world of jazz these days .. .. He discussed a role he had in his film film deb...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with talented jazz trumpeter and educator Clay Jenkins .. From Lubbock, Texas, Clay has gone on to see the world and jam with some of the biggest names in jazz every .. He got his first real break with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, then moved onto LA and got involved with the big bands of Harry James, Buddy Rich, and finally, the Count Basie...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with pianist and educator Dr. Michael Pagan .. These days, he is a very busy musician playing the piano nightly around KC, along with being at professor at Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS directing Bravo, the Ottawa University Jazz Singers and teaching jazz piano. He just released a new CD in August of 2015 called the Ottawa Sessions .. Fr...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian tenor saxophonist and jazz veteran Cory Weeds .. Over the course of our conversation, he spoke passionately about a life he has dedicated to jazz .. For 14 years he ran the very successful Cellar jazz club in Vancouver and that filled the world with many tasty memories and gigs .. These days, he is busy as ever as a recording...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago jazz saxophonist John “Wojo” Wojciechowski .. From the streets of Detroit and in Chicago these days he is busy promoting his new album Focus .. a direct inspiration from his greatest teacher .. his father. Over the course of our conversation, he talked about a great variety of things from his jazz heroes, to his plans, teachin...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City based Jazz Broadcaster Dr. Mike Pettengell .. For the the last 25 years, Dr. Mike has been a professor of English, Humanities and Fine Arts at Kansas City, KS Community College and for the last 19 years he has been on the radio spinning the ‘pure’ music in all its forms, - jazz, old-timey, world, country, or classical. The...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the talented composer and clarinetist Ben Goldberg  .. He was born and raised in Denver, and has been in Brooklyn lately .. And in between both of those geographies, he has woven a very cool biography.. Over the course of our conversation,  he discussed his dreams, early gigs, awards he has received and many more surprises .. Hosted b...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with modern day jazz Saxophonist Jon Irabagon..  This is one busy jazz cat with a unique sound and story .. He’s got plenty of projects that are being released and just got a 4 star review his September 2015 release of Behind the Sky .. Over the course of our conversation, he talked about projects with Dave Douglas & Tom Harrell, along wit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with very talented Canadian jazz trumpeter,  pianist and drummer Brad Turner.. Over the course of our conversation, this versatile and very in-demand cat talks about his unique jazz story from humble beginnings to a host of awards .. along with gigging with luminaries like Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield, Kenny Werner and Ernie Wa...