Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz musician, arranger and leader of the New York-based Nighthawks Orchestra – Vince Giordano ..  Along with the music, he is a big-band historian and collector with more than 60,000 scores in his collection .. He’s a champion of the 20’s and 30’s bringing a whole new trove of audiences into his music that celebrates those decades of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with jazz journeyman pianist Bob Ringwald .. . There have been rumors of his virgin birth, being abandoned by wolves and being raised by parents, living in a log cabin, chopping down a cherry tree, throwing a half dollar across the Potomac River and walking 10 miles to and from school (uphill both ways) in the snow – but after our intervie...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-Based Jazz Saxophonist and Composer Roxy Coss  .. Born in Seattle, she now calls New York City her home .. She is gearing up to release her second full album in 2016 called Restless Idealism and she had plenty of insight into a career that has treated her well .. She went to William Paterson University and studied saxophone with R...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview Kansas City Hammond B3 Man, Ken Lovern ..  He spoke with Neon Jazz about a life well lived in the Kansas City jazz scene  .. From Kansas City, MO, he talked about seeing how he settled on the Hammond B-3, his years gigging around KC and what some of his future plans are, along with much more .. Dig it, kids .. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswi...

In a new interview with Neon Jazz, San Francisco-based jazz singer Lisa Engelken covered a wide array of topics. From growing up in Kansas to living in Italy and all the adventures in between, she talks about her latest album 'Little Warrior' and what jazz musician she would love to meet. Dig .. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...

Welcome to a the Neon Jazz interview Kansas City’s Ambassador of Sound – Author and host of KCUR’s Fish Fry every weekend  .. Chuck Haddix – In his role as the Director of Sound Archives at the Marr Sound Archives, we discussed an audio and cultural gem in Kansas City. Housed in the Miller Nichols Library at UMKC, this shrine of vinyl is hugely impressive and is at over 350,000 pieces and growing...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with very talented New York City drummer Shirazette Tinnin ..  On the heels of her new album called ‘Humility: Purity of my Soul’ .. she talks about her roots in her home state of North Carolina, her jazz adventures in Chicago and how she ended up in New York City. She is a very active, smart and driven musician that is making waves in the jazz world .. we discuss...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with a Renaissance man and saxophonist from New York City, Russ Nolan  ..  He recently spoke with Neon Jazz  about his latest album called Relentless .. and that’s how he lives life ..along with music, he’s active in sports, martial arts, business, after school program volunteering, educating and has some serious Salsa moves .. From the suburbs of Chicago to the ja...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview KC Jazz guitarist and the brain trust behind the Organization known as Jazz For Good .. He is in charge of this inventive Kansas City not for profit organization that brings quality jazz music to a host of events around the city – From first Friday art events to cocktail parties and celebrations of all kinds .. with a mission to keep the spirit of quality Kansas Ci...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with the very wise and talented David White .. He’s the New York City based trombonist and leader of the David White Jazz Orchestra ..  He recently spoke with Neon Jazz about growing up in Buffalo, NY, running his own record label, his jazz education, recent Kickstarter campaign to finance in April 8, 2014 release of ‘the chase’, along with much more. Hosted by Sim...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with hard bop jazz multi-instrumentalist Dr. Nathan Davis – Born in Kansas City, Kansas, this towering talent plays the tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet and flute, and very notably  has been has been a professor of music and the director of jazz studies at the University of Pittsburgh since 1969 – Over a storied career, he has playing with cats lik...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with the very talented trumpeter and member of the Zen jazz rich River Cow Orchestra .. E.E. Pointer .. On a recent Interview with Neon Jazz, E.E. was candid about a life well lived in teaching, playing jazz, and as a family man .. He discussed an early encounter with Chuck Berry, the many gigs that led to his present status with The River Cow Orchestra today, who...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with the ambassador of the KC trumpet and the current scene, Hermon Mehari .. During a May 2014 Interview with Neon Jazz with Joe Dimino, we catch up with a musician that has been very busy since our first interview back in 2012 .. He talks about his recent album recorded in Paris following a Kickstarter online campign, winning the Charlotte Street Performance Awar...

Welcome to a the Neon Jazz interview Tampa based Jazz singer Lisa Casalino – Originally from Long Island, she has established a glowing reputation from her new base in Tampa, Florida as a the Songbird of Tampa .. She discusses her teaching career, decision to go with music full time, her latest album ‘I’m Old Fashioned’, what is next and how she will be described 20 years from now .. along with mu...

Welcome to a the Neon Jazz interview the great jazz pianist Lenny Marcus – he’s also solid with the flute and vocals with his trio .. and he’s talking about the release of his latest album Second Set and it’s just flat out good listening .. During our interview, Lenny opened up about growing up in a very music and art oriented household . .this included regular visits by the great Ray Bryant that...

Welcome to a the Neon Jazz interview Alto Saxophonist Doc Stewart .. Along with the music, Doc is a prominent ER doc with the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix .. Raised on a farm outside of Chicago, he won a talent competition at Disneyland in high school and went on to fall in love with jazz .. But, it has been both medicine and jazz that has kept him going for all these years .. He recently released his n...

Welcome to a the Neon Jazz interview with talented Jazz Drummer Stockton Helbing .. During a candid interview, he spoke about being born in St. Louis – Living in a music rich Dallas, Texas these days .. how his dream of learning and gigging with the musician that turned him onto jazz  -  Maynard Ferguson – ended up coming true .. He’s also active with the great Doc Severinson, he also talks his ne...

Welcome to a very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series  - On this edition, we had the honor of interviewing the legendary alto saxophonist  Lou Donaldson – During an open, raw and refreshing conversation, Lou spoke to Neon Jazz about anything and everything that he felt worthy  .. Initially, we spoke about the influence Charlie Parker’s playing had on him, time playing in Kansas City,...

Welcome to a very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series  - On this edition, we had the honor of interviewing legendary Kansas City post box saxophonist  Bobby Watson – During a candid conversation, Bobby spoke to Neon Jazz about a life well lived in the jazz world and all the tributaries that have led to his legendary status .. especially in Kansas City  .. He spoke about his time with...

Welcome to a the Neon Jazz interview with Florida jazz singer Erica DiCeglie  ..  During a recent interview, she talked about her life and jazz career .. Raised in Maine, she moved to New York City and got involved with the urban shuffle, then made her way down to her current home of Florida .. She has been dubbed the singer with an angelic voice .. She’s working on new material and there’s plenty...

Welcome to another very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series  - During this episode, we had the honor of interviewing legendary jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb – Over the course of an open conversation about his life, the last surviving member of the famed ‘Kind of Blue’ session – One of the best jazz records ever recorded with Miles Davis, Jimmy talked about that particular recording day and...

Welcome to a very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series  - During this segment, we travelled down to 18 & Vine to interview the Executive Director of the Mutual Musicians Foundation - Anita Dixon – This staple and legendary institution in the heart of America’s jazz hug is the reason why Kansas City Jazz was put on the map and Anita has big plans for the upcoming 100th Year Celebration...

Welcome to a Neon Jazz interview with an innovator leading the music march in modern jazz these days and one of the finest pianists today .. Matthew Shipp .. From Deleware, but based these days in New York City ..  He recently spoke with Neon Jazz about all those early experiences in life that made him fall in love with jazz, his early gigs, the profound influence of David S. Ware, what’s going on...

Welcome to a very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the legendary alto saxophonist, arranger and composer Jimmy Heath .. During the course of our interview, Jimmy was very open about his friendships with John Coltrane & Dizzy Gillespie, along with travels in Paris, some of his favorite photographs, how the world is better off with Jazz and the key to his gifted longevity in th...

Welcome to a very special edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the legendary Hammond B-3 Jazz Organist Dr. Lonnie Smith .. Over the course of a lengthy, open conversation, Dr. Smith went through the full lineage of his career dispensing the wisdom and love he has garnered from the world of music .. Full of stories, anectdotes, wisdom and an original Dr. Smith story through and through, I...