Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Bobby Watson  on the 2022 CD Back Home In Kansas City & Upcoming Live Shows .. His retirement in 2020 coincided with the pandemic where he found himself with plenty of time to reflect on Kansas City’s importance to his distinctive sound .. This new project comes from the rich jazz heritage of his Kansas City...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Toronto-based Jazz Vibraphonist Dan McCarthy  on the 2022 CD Songs of the Doomed:  Some Jaded, Atavistic Freakout .. This new album of music is ultimately inspired by the writing of political journalist and general dingbat Hunter S. Thompson. A lot of the jangled madness that makes up this band’s repertoire comes from a new compositional s...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Philadelphia-based Jazz Guitarist & Composer Joshua Stamper .. We had a good talk about this latest project .. The 2022 album Soma Schema. This album features him straddling the jazz, classical, and experimental worlds .. He gets into the construction of his 12th release as a leader, along with exploring how he survived COVID, the fut...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Former KC, Current NYC Jazz Saxophonist, Bandleader, Composer & Arranger Morgan Faw .. In late August 2022, he completed a week long marathon of gigs in honor of the Charlie Parker week in KC .. Over our conversation, we specifically hone in on his brand new album joined by his band The Flame called It Takes a Village .. He has spent...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran LA-based Guitarist and Composer Grant Geissman .. He opened up about his latest 2022 CD Blooz .. It’s a collection of 12 original blues and jazz songs, performed by a stellar supporting cast of musicians. He was born in Berkeley, California and grew up in San Jose and at 11-years-old he began his first guitar lesson .. After h...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Singer Beverly Church Hogan .. She opened up about a fairy tale life .. in music and otherwise .. She opened up about her new 2022 CD Sweet Invitation .. This 86-year-old singer was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. Whenever she sang on stage live or on radio, she became exhilarated with the audiences’ response by sing...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter, Singer & Songwriter Jennifer Hartswick .. She opened up about her sophomore release in the new 2022 CD Something in the Water. An album made that has songs about life, love and music that inspiring the listener to feel deeply. She spent her formative years on 300 acres of family farmland in her hometown of Sheffield, V...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Acclaimed Jazz Vocalist Kate Baker .. She spoke at length about the new 2022 CD Return To Shore done with her late husband and celebrated Guitarist Vic Juris  .. First single, “God Only Knows” is out September 23, in connection with Vic’s September 26th Birthday .. This album chronicles a moving love story produced by guitar great Dav...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City-based Jazz Trombonist Stan Bock .. He came to Kansas City from Portland, Oregon about 5 months ago and things are taking off .. On September 21, 2022 he will be a part of the Boulevard Big Band at The Warwick playing with a jazz heavyweight in Eric Marienthal .. Stan was born into a musical family and hs father was...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Cuban Pianist, Composer & Educator Rafael Zaldivar … He talked about his new 2022 CD Rumba that combines the holistic vibe and rhythmic circularity of Afro-Cuban music with a jazz sound .. His spirituality shines on this album opening new doors to an endlessly expressive musical universe. Rumba refers to the social gatherings of the b...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Jazz Tenor Saxophonist Tim Lin .. He has an impressive debut out now that is getting some good ink .. It’s the new 2022 CD Romance In Formosa .. It’s his first public offering fulla hallmarks of an emerging artist stepping onto the scene for the long haul. Born and raised in a small suburban town called Fremont, California,...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran LA-based Jazz Singer Marilyn Scott .. We caught up with her to talk about her career in jazz, COVID life and her new 2022 CD The Landscape .. This is her thirteenth album as a leader born out of the determination to create during a global pandemic ..She is best known for her GRAMMY-nominated work as a contemporary jazz vocalis...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with St. Louis-based Jazz Trombonist & Bandleader John Covelli of The Hard Bop Messengers .. He opened up about their 2022 “Live At The Last Hotel” on a jazz album that literally tells a story. It was born from a residency at the REAL Last Hotel in downtown St. Louis. Each song paints a picture with bounce and bustle that takes the listene...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-based Veteran Jazz Drummer Arnold Young .. He specializes in avante jazz and his new album with his Roughtet is the 2022 CD Fear is the Mind Killer .. He’s been around for the last 50 years in KC and plays drum set and miscellaneous instruments.  He studied music at UMKC Conservatory of Music and West African Percussion at...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with London-based Producer and Band Brainchild of US3 Geoff Wilkinson .. The band was formed in 1992 alongside production partner Mel Simpson .. Ultimately US3 rose from the ashes of 2 previous incarnations. Their name was inspired by the  Horace Parlan album Us Three produced by Alfred Lion who is the founder of Blue Note Records .. Two y...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with GRAMMY Award Winning South Carolina-based Jazz Musician and Producer Quentin Baxter .. He opened up about his new 2022 CD Art Moves Jazz .. He comes from a family of drummers with his mother leading the troupe. He is a much celebrated jazz cat with many roads behind him and many ahead of him .. He covers his history, COVID and the fut...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Veteran NYC Studio Vibraphonist, Composer & Mallet Keyboardist Steve Shapiro .. He opened up about his new 2022 CD Plan to Be Spontaneous on Solidtone Records) .. It’s an album fueled by events of the pandemic and it’s great for this to be coming out .. Over the years, he has recorded or performed with artists like Steely Dan, Ornette Cole...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Atlanta-based Jazz Hammond Organist, Pianist & Educator Matthew Kaminski .. He is the main organist for the Atlanta Braves and just wrapped up quite a weekend with the LA Dodgers .. He opened up about his new 2022 CD Matthew Kaminski with Jeff Hamilton and Bruce Forman called L.A. Connection .. At his core, he is a musician who perfor...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Los Angeles-based Jazz Vocalist, Songwriter, Arranger & Producer Sidney Jacobs .. He talks about COVID life, his path in music and new 2022 CD If I Were Your Woman .. He is an exciting performer who likes to experiment and is not afraid to take chances .. He’s got great stories and wonderful insights .. Enjoy this interview .. Hosted...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Montreal-based Jazz Pianist & Composer Kate Wyatt .. We caught up with her to talk about the new debut 2022 CD Artifact .. These days, she stands as one of Montreal’s  finest jazz musicians and this album is an excellent glimpse into the many layers of her musicianship. Originally from Victoria BC, she has a lot to say .. We cover her life...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with World Champion Chromatic Harmonica Player Mathias Heise .. He just released his third album with the band Quadrilion .. It’s an original blend of funk, rock and jazz delivered with guitar solos, synthesizers, and hard-hitting beats to create an immersive experience of grooves. His music can be heard on busy touring schedules on Denmar...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Italian Jazz Pianist, Composer and Arranger Enrico Pieranunzi .. We caught up with him about his life in music, COVID and being included in the new Chuck Sher songbook series .. He still calls his birthplace of Rome home and has been one of the best known names on the international jazz scene playing with the likes of Chet Baker, Lee...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Austin-based Jazz Musician & Artist Margaret Slovak .. We had a good talk about COVID life, music and her new 2022 CD Ballad For Brad for her husband Brad .. She is originally from Denver, Colorado and began playing the guitar at age 11, composing at age 14 and performing professionally at age 16. She spent some quality time a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC-based Tony Award-nominated Broadway star, Actor, Jazz Singer & Author Melissa Errico .. We had a good conversation about her new 2022 CD Out Of The Dark – The Film Noir Project, COVID life and much more .. Along with her performance life, she contributes regularly to The New York Times in an essay series called “Scenes From An Act...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Brooklyn-born, France-based Jazz & Blues Singer Natalia M. King .. She is of Dominican origin and was born in the musically-rich, revolutionary time of 1969 in Brooklyn’s Latino-American district.  When she was an adolescent she left the “barrio” to settle with her family in Rochester, New York State. She went on to study sociology an...