Liner Notes with David Bixler

Today marks a massive milestone for LINER NOTES as this episode officially kicks off Year 9 of the podcast. For the past 8 years, this show has been about pulling back the curtain on the creative process, and I couldn't think of a better artist to help us launch this anniversary season than keyboard wizard Larry Goldings . Larry has been a definitive voice on the Hammond B3 for over three decades,...

In this episode of LINER NOTES we are diving into a monumental new release from saxophonist and composer Jeff Lederer called There's A Yearnin' , out on Little "i" Music . This record is a boundary-blurring project for winds and voice that features the Wildebeest Wind Quintet and vocalist Mary LaRose . Together, they tackle unissued and rare archival scores by Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman , alo...

Since the mid-2000s, pianist Adam Birnbaum has been one of the most in-demand sidemen in jazz—anchoring ensembles for Cécile McLorin Salvant , Wynton Marsalis , and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra . But as a leader, he's charting a different course. His latest project,  Preludes , takes on the monumental task of re-imagining J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier alongside bassist Matt Clohesy and percussi...

Drummer Greg Hutchinson has been the heartbeat of the New York City jazz scene for over three decades, bringing a signature fire to the bands of legends like Betty Carter , Roy Hargrove , and Joshua Redman . Known as one of the most soulful and technically gifted drummers of his generation, 'Hutch' is now stepping further into the spotlight as a leader. Today, we're discussing his evolution from t...

What happens when you go off the grid to find your sound? For saxophonist Caroline Davis , the answer is Fallows , her first solo release which was conceived during a month-long residency at Ucross, Wyoming .  During this time Davis stripped away the 'self' to make room for pure creation: the album is the result of a deliberate 'un-becoming'—a period where Davis set aside the expectations of daily...

In a world that is increasingly anchored by AI and social media , pianist and composer Emilio Solla champions the human connection on his new recording Handmade , with his nonet, La Inestable de Brooklyn . Swimming in his imagination are jazz, tango, classical, and other Argentinian folkloric music which all cohesively co-exist in this exciting musical offering.  

What does it mean to embrace a new beginning? For Chicago alto saxophonist Lenard Simpson , it means answering the call of faith. Inspired by the prophet Isaiah's famous directive to "forget the former things; do not dwell on the past," Simpson's 2024 release, New Beginnings , is a stirring, soulful journey. With pianist Julius Tucker , bassist Runere Brooks , and drummer Samuel Jewell, this quart...

In the early 1900s, James Weldon Johnson explored the complex life of a bi-racial man who chose to disappear into white society in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man . Now, saxophonist Mark Turner uses this powerful novel as the foundation for his latest project. Join us as we listen to and discuss Turner's powerful compositions—a musical meditation on race, anonymity, and heritage—performed b...

What if the patterns you see in the night sky weren't just constellations, but a musical score? Vibraphonist Patricia Brennan , an avid astronomer, has looked to the stars as the blueprint for her ambitious new record, Of The Near And Far , out October 24th on Pyroclastic Records . To bring this cosmic vision down to earth, Brennan enlisted a ten-piece ensemble featuring pianist Sylvie Courvoisier...

Créole Renaissance is the latest offering from pianist Aruán Ortiz on Intakt Records . This solo piano record draws its inspiration from the Négritude movement that originated in Paris in the early part of the 20th century that was established to counteract the anti-colonialism attitudes that many black artists in Paris faced as they worked in their various disciplines. In this episode of LINER NO...

For nearly forty years, trumpeter Joe Magnarelli has been a fixture on the New York City jazz scene, gracing the bandstands of icons like Brother Jack McDuff , Lionel Hampton , Toshiko Akiyoshi , and Harry Connick Jr . While playing with these legends, he continued to hone his skills in a variety of small groups, both as a sideman and a leader. His latest work, Concord , is a testament to that uny...

Ten years after his release Flip-Flop , John Yao returns with Points of Time , a new recording that showcases his significant growth as both a composer and improviser. The album draws inspiration from deeply personal experiences, specifically his wife's battle with cancer and the subsequent birth of their son after her recovery. Yao has brought together an exceptional group of some of New York Cit...

Tenor saxophonist Rico Jones's debut recording, Bloodlines , is a thoughtful exploration of his Latino and indigenous heritage. Recorded live at Ornithology in Brooklyn, the album features Jones alongside guitarist Max Light , and veteran musicians Joe Martin on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums.    In this episode of LINER NOTES , Jones reflects on his quest for the Divine in his music as well as t...

Tenor saxophonist Rich Perry might be most recognized from his long term associations with both the Maria Schneider and Vanguard Jazz Orchestras , but where he truly shines is fronting his quartet with pianist Gary Versace , bassist Jay Anderson , and Vanguard band mate John Riley on drums and cymbals. In this episode of LINER NOTES we discuss the music and musicians on Progression , his fourth re...

Known for his many exploratory projects, percussionist Adam Rudolph's latest  recording, Beingness , features saxophonist Dave Liebman and drummer Billy Hart . The music was recorded over two nights from a residency at New York City's Stone and captures three venerated musicians in selfless conversation. In this episode of LINER NOTES Adam shares insight into his creative process taking a deep div...

Pianist Eric Reed calls on tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander , trumpeter Nicholas Payton , bassist Peter Washington , and drummer Joe Farnsworth to join him on his new recording Out Late on Smoke Sessions Records . The record, which will be available on May 16, features seven originals that were intended to get this group of well-known musicians out of their comfort zones. In addition to our conver...

AI -labor saving tool or existential threat? On his new recording Server Farm , saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon contemplates the potential threat and promise of this omni-present technology. For this recording Irabagon augments his regular quartet consisting of keyboardist Matt Mitchell , bassist Chris Lightcap , and percussionist Dan Weiss with violinist and vocalist Mazz Smith , trumpeter...

Drummer and composer Allison Miller begins 2025 with several diverse and exciting projects. Big and Lovely , a recording of her original music with the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band was released on January 10. On February 2 at 3pm at the 92nd Street Y in NYC Allison will present Rivers In Our Veins , an ambitious multi-media work featuring the award-winning dancer Michelle Dorranc...

2024 has been a productive year for LA based pianist and composer John Beasley . He released three new recordings, two of which are up for GRAMMY awards. Nominated in the category of "Best Latin Jazz Album" is El Trio on Challenge Records which features bassist Jose Gola and drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez . The second nomination in the category of  "Best Large Ensemble Album" is for the reco...

Love Is is guitarist John Hart's sixth trio recording for SteepleChase records. For this recording producer Nils Winther wanted to mix things up for John and suggested keeping the trio format, but with a different instrumentation. This recording finds John playing with bassist Carlo DeRosa and cornetist Kirk Knufke . Carlo is a long-time collaborator, but the short rehearsal prior to the recording...

In the summer of 2023 saxophonist Wayne Escoffery found himself in Europe processing changes in his personal life while at the same time nursing a broken finger that prohibited him  from playing his horn. He used this time of reflection to compose the music presented on his new record Alone on Smoke Sessions Records , which features pianist Gerald Clayton , bassist Ron Carter , and Carl Allen on d...

On his new recording, Something About Believing tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost is joined by trumpeter Tom Harrell and baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan as well as the outstanding rhythm section of  bassist John Patitucci and drummer Al Foster . Listening to the music one is struck by the comfortability of master improvisers doing what they do best, however in this episode of LINER NOTES Tim explai...

The shoes that grace the cover of Orrin Evans' new record are special shoes from his childhood that were necessitated by being born with neurofibromatosis. The record is called Walk a Mile in My Shoe , and the shoes are a reminder of his condition and the impact that this neurological disorder has had on him. However, Evans yearns to move past the initial metaphor of the title in order to convey t...

After several decades of creating music in a manner that was beginning to feel routine, guitarist Miles Okazaki was searching for a fresh way to make music. He examined the processes of artists Ed Ruscha , Sol Lewitt , and Ken Price as templates for creating. In possession of these new ideas gleaned from these artists, he went into the studio with a group of musicians that were given prompts which...

The colors black, white, brown, beige, and blue have all had a prominent place in music, but in the eyes and ears of saxophonist Troy Roberts the color green piqued his interest due to its ambiguity. Not only can the color green convey greed and envy or rot and decay, it can also represent nature and tranquility. Troy embraces green as an impetus to move and has named his new release Green Lights...