Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series featuring veteran Los Angeles-based jazz singer and pianist Mark Christian Miller. In this in-depth conversation, we explore his fourth album as a leader,  Strange Meadowlark , a richly textured and emotionally resonant release that builds on the momentum of his critically acclaimed 2022 album  Music in the Air . On  Strange Meadowlark , M...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview series. We caught up with Austin-based award-nominated multi-instrumentalist, vibraphonist, percussionist, and composer Carolyn Trowbridge to talk about her debut 2026 album  Found Memories  and her dynamic life in music and education. A vital force in the Austin, Texas music scene, Carolyn’s new release features her regular quartet, expanded wit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. We talk with Toronto jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger Alex Samaras about his 2025 Juno-nominated album  Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland  and his remarkable journey in the music world. As a child, Alex spent hours in the basement of his family home singing along to Judy Garland recordings. The intensity and emotional power of  Judy Ga...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. We talk with jazz trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas during a historic blizzard in New York about his powerful 2026 album  Transcend , out April 24, 2026 via Greenleaf Music. This new release continues Douglas’ deep exploration of legacy, spirituality, and ensemble innovation. The album features his all-star GIFTS Quintet, including Down...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring UK pianist  Paul Edis  and San Francisco-based vocalist  Noa Levy . We dive into their 2026 album  Portrait in Evans , out March 20, 2026 via  Dot Time Records —a lyrical reimagining of the music of  Bill Evans . Rather than simply interpreting Evans’ compositions as standards repertoire, the duo transforms some of his most harmo...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series with NYC-based jazz trumpeter and composer  Glenn Makos . We caught up with this seasoned New York player to talk about his new 2025 CD  Arrowsic , released on  Stop Time Records , and his lifelong journey through the world of jazz. Inspired by Glenn’s passion for coffee roasting,  Arrowsic  reflects the distinctive flavors of beans source...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring cultural historian, educator, and author  John Gennari . We dive into his 2025 book  The Jazz Barn: Music Inn, the Berkshires, and the Place of Jazz in American Life . Dr. Gennari is a Professor of English and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of Vermont and an American Studies–trained U.S. cultural historian spe...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring Indiana-based, award-winning jazz pianist, composer, arranger and educator  Scott Routenberg . We dive into his 2025 release  Scott Routenberg Trio Live at Merriman’s Playhouse: Oscar Peterson Tribute , a powerful live recording honoring the legendary  Oscar Peterson  and celebrating the timeless swing and virtuosity that defined...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring British jazz guitarist  Joe Steels . We dive into his 2026 CD  A Blue Patch  and his evolving career in music. Rooted in the northern landscapes of Cumbria and Northumberland, this project draws deep inspiration from countryside heritage, tradition, and a strong sense of place. Joe continues to establish himself as one of the mos...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring saxophonist, clarinetist and composer  Aaron Irwin  discussing the 2026 album  Spark . The Aaron Irwin Trio brings together guitarist  Mike Baggetta  and drummer  Bill Campbell  in a unique bass-less trio format that prioritizes melody, space and texture. The group blends chamber-like intimacy with Americana-rooted language and m...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with vocalist, guitarist, porch philosopher and bandleader  Danny Garrison  of Kansas City-based  Bluebird Ramblers . We caught up with Danny during his day job as an assistant principal to talk all things music, Kansas City culture, and the band’s mission to keep the golden age of American music alive. The Bluebird Ramblers broadcast stra...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  🎷 On this episode, we talk with Seattle-based jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator  Kate Olson  about her new 2026 CD  So It Goes . Since moving to Seattle in 2010, Kate has immersed herself in the local, regional, and international improvised music scenes. With a BA in Music (Jazz Emphasis) from the  University of Wyoming  and an M...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  🎼 On this episode, we talk with Shanghai, China-born, New York-based arranger and composer  Zhengtao Pan  about his third studio album  Air With Layers , released on  Pinch Records . At just 22 years old, Zhengtao dives into his first fully orchestrated Symphony and Piano Concerto — marking his bold entry into contemporary classical mus...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  featuring Harlem-based Ghanaian/American vocalist  BLCK Madonna . We take a deep dive into her debut album,  Between the Lines , releasing March 27, 2026 on all major streaming platforms via  The Noir Collective / Downtown Music . This powerful and deeply personal project reimagines seven jazz standards through the lens of identity, memo...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  featuring  LA-based jazz singer and songwriter Becca Hannah . We sit down with Becca to talk about her debut 2026 album,  Tonight in My Dreams , and her lifelong journey in the arts. With a voice that feels pulled from another era and a deeply personal writing style, Becca blends  jazz, R&B, soul, and blues  into a sound that is both tim...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  featuring  Paris-based keyboardist, organist, composer, and producer Clément Simon , the creative force behind  Baby Vortex . We catch up with Clément to talk about Baby Vortex’s striking 2025 release  Not What You Think , his evolving career in music, and his deep commitment to  improvised and forward-thinking jazz . As an esteemed prod...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  featuring  Jazz Guitarist & Composer Homero Alvarez , joining us to talk about his 2025 album  Flowing . With his  Sep7ett , Homero delivers a vibrant and modern blend of  Latin American rhythms and Scandinavian jazz , featuring seven original compositions that travel across musical landscapes—from  Colombian cumbia and Uruguayan candomb...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with celebrated jazz husband-and-wife duo  Bill Sample and Darlene Cooper , known together as  Wild Blue Herons . We get into their soulful return with the  2026 album  It’s All About Love  and explore their powerful union, shared history, and lifelong artistic partnership. This groove-driven third release blends  jazz, funk, gospel, and...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series . On this episode, we talk with  Southern California–based jazz vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator Alex Robinson . We get into her  debut and new 2026 CD,  I Really Outta Tell You , along with her life and journey in the jazz world. Alex captivates audiences with her  warm, velvety tone , sharp lyricism, and  playful improvisation...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series . On this episode, we talk with  Kansas City–based jazz guitarist and singer Mike Bourne  of  KC Boogie . We get into his  chart-topping 2025 CD  Kansas City O’Clock  and his life in music. The album’s songs are shaped from a blues that comes from another kind of clay. Instead of Muddy Waters, it’s fried in  Louis Jordan batter ; instead...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with acclaimed jazz vocalist  Paul Marinaro . On this episode, we dive deep into his stunning 2025 album  Mood Ellington , a lavish and ambitious collection of  25 Duke Ellington vocal masterpieces  reimagined for the 21st century. This remarkable project features arrangements by  13 of the world’s most celebrated jazz arrangers , includ...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Tony Award® nominated actress, singer, and writer Melissa Errico . In this spirited conversation, Melissa joins us to discuss her  2026 album  I Can Dream, Can’t I?  — a deeply personal and revealing project created with pianist  Tedd Firth , one of New York’s most intuitive accompanists. Together, they explore a quieter linea...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Zurich-based jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher Mareille Merck . In this conversation, Mareille joins us to talk about her  new 2026 album  Kaleidoskop , her fast-rising career on the European jazz scene, and how she’s beginning to make waves across the Atlantic. We dive into her work as an educator, her compositional appro...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring acclaimed jazz singer  Martin Bonventre  and arranger/music director  Jackie Presti . We caught up with this dynamic New York City duo to talk about their 2025 release  Swinging in a New Dimension , their creative partnership, the current state of jazz, and where the music is headed next. Martin Bonventre is a true old-school s...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  NYC Big Band Leader George Gee  and  Producer/Bassist Clyde Bullard . We caught up with them to talk about a rare, one-time-only jazz event bringing together two major forces in contemporary jazz. Multi-Grammy Award winner  Arturo O’Farrill  and the  George Gee Swing Orchestra  unite for a special performance at  Flushing Town...