All That's Jazz

It is rare that a journalist or podcaster gets an opportunity to have an extended conversation with a legendary, iconic figure in the music business.  Recently for me, the stars were aligned when I was offered a chance to have an engaging dialogue with the "Maestro" - NEA Jazz Master and bass virtuoso, Ron Carter.  As you know, Carter is one of the most original, prolific and influential bassists...

When you think of Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is probably not jazz. But there is a man named Doc Watkins who could change all of that.  Watkins is a jazz musician, club owner, entrepreneur, tech founder, pianist, singer, and bandleader who is on a mission to build community through live jazz and hospitality. Ironically, Doc Watkins earned his bachelor's degree in classical piano from...

This episode is Part Two of our continued conversation with the gifted and engaging jazz pianist Benny Green. In Part One, we explored the stories and insights behind the decades-long performing and recording career of this renowned artist.  Our focus of this episode centers around his latest solo piano release called "Renovation" on Sunnyside Records, which was recorded live at Dizzy's Club in Ne...

Benny Green has been described as "a consummate jazz pianist," "a prototypical modern jazzman," and "one of the most gifted jazz pianists around."  His performing and recording career covers a period of 40-plus noteworthy years primarily centered around piano-bass-drums trios.   Benny’s musical path, however, is now moving in a different direction that has taken on an emphasis as a solo artist. Hi...

Juno Award-winning artist, vocalist and trumpeter Bria Skonberg, shares the breadth of her vocal expression on her latest release ‘Indigo’, the anticipated partner to ‘Brass’, her earlier 2026 trumpet-centered album. Co-produced by Skonberg and her longtime collaborator, Matt Pierson,  ‘Indigo’ is a celebration of song, singing, and orchestrating for all the colors of her vocal artistry. Asked fre...

Cuban-born “Master of the Ivories,” piano sensation Kemuel Roig, has just released a masterfully-crafted album titled ‘3Discovery: Volume 1, featuring eight original compositions. The music is delivered in the piano trio format that presents a wide range of Cuban rhythmic styles - from conga to mambo, cha-cha-cha, and danzón - with several tracks incorporating piano tumbao patterns.  The impressiv...

"Sound Within: A Celebration of Bill Evans"  is the latest album by pianist Randy Ingram. This release is Ingram's deeply personal tribute and homage to the legendary jazz pianist.  From the beginning of his career, Evans was an indelible influence on Ingram, and he knew that he would one day honor Evans with a project celebrating the sound of this jazz piano icon. Randy was determined to wait unt...

Much of the music that we know and love is enjoyed by listening to it over the air waves, on a turntable, a CD player and of course over the internet on our devices but there is nothing like the experience of a live performance of music. Case in point, is saxophonist/composer Brent Birckhead’s  live performance recorded at Baltimore’s Keystone Korner featuring Brent along with an all-star lineup o...

In this episode, we are privileged to have a conversation with Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer and cherished educator John Clayton, plus vocalist and contemporary storyteller René Marie.  John just recently released his 8th album as a leader and it’s called “the two-o duo project”. This work is a project which allowed him to play a series of duos with René, his longtime collaborator, plus h...

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) – led by celebrated vocalist and band leader Julia Keefe of the Nez Perce tribe, is one of the only jazz big bands in the world comprised exclusively of Native and Indigenous people. Julia brings together a 16-piece ensemble to celebrate a largely unrecognized lineage of Indigenous artists in jazz, while presenting new compositions rooted in tribal histo...

My guest for this episode is pianist, accordionist and composer Ben Rosenblum whose latest project is a musical kaleidoscopic blend of Dominican merengue, West African and Caribbean rhythms, Irish folk music, neo-soul, J-pop and hard bop and other traditions. The beautiful musical form Ben and his group of top rate, globally influenced ensemble of musicians called the Nebula Project,  has created...

Jazz Forum Arts in Westchester County, New York is a premier, highly successful nonprofit jazz organization with a rich history. Now, after 40 years of artistic excellence, a new era will be ushered in when Founder and Executive Director Mark Morganelli and Chief Operating Officer Ellen Prior retire on July 1st of this year.  This dynamic duo leaves behind an amazing legacy that includes hosting 3...

“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” ― Miles Kington The topic of this episode is “Talk To Your Tomatoes.” No, my guest is not a person who specializes in the art of cultivating plants, fruits and vegetables. Instead, “Talk to Your Tomatoes”is actually the title of the latest album from acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter, Stevie Holland, t...

World-renowned guitarist, vocalist and Grammy Award winner, John Pizzarelli - the son of guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli - has a fond and deep connection to one of the most revered vocalists of all-time, Mr. Tony Bennett.  John’s father was a frequent sideman for the legendary singer, and even John had his own opportunity to accompany Mr. Bennett for a radio broadcast featuring pianist Ralph Sharon...

Vinyl jazz album covers are highly collectible, especially if they are from the iconic label of Prestige Records. These classic and cherished covers, especially from 1949 to 1960 are often even framed and displayed as stunning wall art. It was Prestige that ushered in a golden age of jazz through the music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Billy Taylor and dozens of jazz legends. Their...

Releasing EPs for musicians and artists often serve as a primary release strategy for both emerging and established artists. Usually featuring three to six tracks, EPs allow musicians to maintain consistent content, experiment with new sounds, and keep fans engaged.  Jazz singer, songwriter and arranger Alyssa Allgood feels that EPs allow her to release more content between costly major projects a...

‘Euphonic Gumbo’ is not exactly a “Nawlin’s” menu item but instead a tasty musical delight that’s the title of of a new album on Club 44 Records from vocalist and Broadway star Julie Benko, featuring a dazzling seven-piece band directed by her pianist-arranger husband, Jason Yeager.   This recording is the result of the collaborating couple’s numerous trips to New Orleans where they developed a lo...

Since 1934, DOWNBEAT magazine has been considered by many to be the Oracle when it comes to coverage of what’s going on in the world of music, especially jazz. Every January, DOWNBEAT publishes their list of the best albums from the previous year. On that coveted list for 2025 is an album from the Wild Iris Brass Band called, “Way Up,” which is the subject of this podcast episode.   The Wild Iris...

What do you get when you combine re-imagined classic rock and roll with jazz music delivered by a Grammy award winning Big Band orchestra and Grammy nominated vocalist? In this case, you get a newly-minted  Grammy nomination for ‘Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album’ from The Count Basie Orchestra, featuring Billboard’s #1 jazz artist - and our podcast guest - Deborah Silver, for “Basie Rocks!” This 11...

April Varner is a rising jazz vocalist and the 2023 winner of the International Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition. Her full-length Christmas album, featuring unique and reimagined holiday standards, is called ‘Winter Songs Vol. 2’ just released on the Cellar Music Group label.  We have chosen to showcase the project as one of the standouts from a long list of holiday recordings produced every...

The Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra also known as CCJO is one of the Midwest’s most prominent jazz bands. Founded in 2013, CCJO is currently a 17-piece not-for-profit ensemble dedicated to performing, preserving and teaching jazz as a living art form. More than a decade ago, Rob Parton – the former artistic director of the CCJO – floated the idea of creating a new jazz version of “Nutcracke...

There is a new jazz record of note on the scene created by  Rin Seo, a Korea- born composer/conductor, titled ‘City Suite,’ released on the Cellar Music Group record label.  Rin was raised in a rich musical environment encompassing Western classical, Theater, and Korean folk music, but her work and life is now fully committed to jazz. This debut album is a remarkable musical journey for Rin. As an...

Brandon Sanders, has always cut his own unique path. Born in Kansas City but spending his formative years in Compton, Brandon grew up in a musical household. He also honed his love of Jazz at the Kansas City jazz club, Casablanca, run by his grandmother.  But first, college called. After playing basketball for a junior college near Los Angeles, he enrolled at the behest of his grandmother—actually...

Roger Glenn is truly one of the most interesting people in the world of music.  He is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed, recorded and toured with a Who’s  Who list of Jazz and Latin Jazz luminaries.   As our conversation came to a close, it became clear that we simply could not tell Roger’s story without making it in two parts. So, Part 1 was about Roger’s backstory. To call him multi-face...

My guest  is Roger Glenn, who would have been the perfect spokesperson for a series of commercials titled the “Most Interesting Man in the World” -  in the world of music. Roger is a multi-instrumentalist who plays flute, vibes, marimba, saxophone, clarinet, percussion and more. He’s been described as being overshadowed but in plain sight for decades. In fact, the bio on his website says it best:...