Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Musician and Kansas Poet Laureate Kevin Rabas .. He talked with us about his latest volume of Poetry .. All that Jazz .. and spoke about a great many things .. like how he became the current Poet Laureate of Kansas, his career in jazz, the KC jazz scene, being a writer and a creative spirit .. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz com...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago Jazz Double Bassist, Composer and Arranger Joe Palicastro   – He  grew up in the fertile jazz, classical, and popular music scene of Cincinnati, OH and studied Classical Double Bass Performance on full scholarship at Miami University. These days he leads the Joe Policastro Trio and the group has two albums featuring his writin...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Claire Daly  –  She spent her childhood in Yonkers, NY and saw so many live shows .. legendary ones .. with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Benny Goodman and more  - the the first time she played a baritone sax her life changed .. and she began a very long an...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Institution Gerald Dunn  .. He is a veritable institution in Kansas City and his roots began in Texas listening to gospel albums .. He would go on to gig very much in the church and move on to see the world and some very bright lights with the Illinois Jacquet outfit .. He is now the head of the Blue Room .. he is als...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter Franco Ambrosetti  .. He was born in Lugano, Switzerland and is the son of Flavio Ambrosetti, alto-saxophonist, bandleader and BeBop pioneer in the European jazz scene in the 1940’s – He went to the University of Zurich, then moved to Basel where he eventually earned a master degree in Economics – In 1967 he had his Ame...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Composer Randy Ingram  .. He just released 2017s The Wandering – and this cat was born in Anchorage, Alaska and grew up in Southern California –He parlayed his high school trio experience into scholarships at the University of Southern California, where he received his Bachelor’s degree for Jazz Performance, and The...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Canadian Jazz Bassist Dave Young.. He was born and raised in Winnepeg and has resied in Toronto since the 1960s .. Over the years he has been all over gigging with the best .. like Oscar Peterson (with whom Dave had a thirty-five year musical relationship), Clark Terry, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Zoot Simms and so many others .. H...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Cat Tom Moon of the Group Ensemble Novo  .. They just release 2016s Look to the Sky and are a vibrant part of the Philly jazz scene .. They have a distinct Brazilian vibe and aim for the Bossa Nova lovers out there .. He discusses the bands beginnings, their activity and future .. along with much more .. Hosted by Simplecast, an...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Tim Warfield..  His last album was 2015’s Spherical  - and there is more on the 2017 horizon .. He was born in York, Pennsylvania and went on to Howard University in Washington, D.C. for two years  - from there, he led and co-lead groups in the Central Pennsylvania and the Baltimore/Washington areas  before playing wi...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist and Composer Gerald Clayton  ..  He spoke with Neon Jazz on tour in Kansas City after a good plate of Gates BBQ to talk about his May 13, 2017 show at the Blue Room on 18 and Vine showcasing his new album Tributary Tales .. He talked about his life that began in the Netherlands .. then growing up in LA and seeing the worl...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist Emmet Cohen  .. He just released 2017s Masters Legacy with Jimmy Cobb and has great stories about working with the drum master .. He started on the keys at 3 and would go on to become the alumnus of the YoungArts Foundation, he now produces and directs multidisciplinary high school YoungArts programs nationally that emplo...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Violinist Mads Tolling  .. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and came to the Berklee College of Music ..  These days he is internationally renowned as a two-time Grammy Award-Winner and the 2016 DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star winning violinist – He just released 2017s Playing the 60s and for nine years was in Turtle Island Qu...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Dayna Stephens .. He was born in Brooklyn and raised in the San Francisco Bay area – and just released 2017’s  Gratitude and he’s got plenty to be grateful about .. with a rare Kidney disease, he is a survivor and a journeyman jazz cat with plenty of stories .. inspire by his grandfather Elbert Bullock – he would take...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series New York City Jazz Pianist Larry Fuller. He swung through Kansas City to play at the Blue Room off 18th and Vine to play with a trio featuring the great George DeLancey. In between sets, he took a minute to talk with Neon Jazz about his visit, the health of jazz in America and much more. so, dig this new interview. Hosted by Simplecast, an...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist, Producer, Vocalist, Composer and Radio Host Ben Sidran  – He was born in Racine, Wisconsin and still resides in that fine state .. He is on the heels of so much work .. as usual .. including 2016’s Picture Him Happy – which is an apt description for him .. He was turned on at 13 by the music of Horace Silver and Blue Mit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter Bijon Watson  .. This cat grew up in the Boston area and has lately been getting some recognition from his time in the award winning film La La Land – He’s been at this jazz gig for some time and got his formal training at the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Southern California .. he was a part o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trombonist Joe Fiedler  .. He was born and Raised in Pittsburg, PA and has just released a great new album - 2017’s Like, Strange – along with the solo work .. he is the Music Director for Sesame Street and over 7 seasons he has written more than 250 arrangements and crafted more than 5000 underscoring cues – He spent some time a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter, Composer and Educator Jason Palmer  ..  Originally from High Point, North Carolina, he studied jazz at the New England Conservatory and in 2016 he released his new album Beauty N Numbers  - Over years, he’s gigged with  Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Smith (the organist), Wynton arsalis Lee Konitz and  Phil Woods –...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the Hammond B-3 Master & LegendTony Monaco – He began working in Jazz clubs as a teenager in his native Columbus, Ohio inspired by local organ gurus Hank Marr and Don Patterson – He even got instruction and advice from the great Jimmy Smith .. and in addition to the music, he’s been a businessman over the years .. In fact, after g...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Modern Jazz Pianist, Vocalist and Composer Peter Eldgridge  .. He grew up in New Jersey and is on the heels of promoting his latest - 2016’s Dissapearing Day – Peter is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed jazz vocal group, New York Voices and in more than 20 years of doing his jazz thing, he has released four solo album...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Composer Marc Copland  ..  He spent his childhood in Philadelphia – he took piano lessons at age seven, stopped at ten when his public school offered the option of saxophone – In the  early 1960s as a saxophonist learning from earning and playing with Michael Brecker – in 1966 he moved to New York City – then went o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Multi-Instrumentalist Joe McPhee  .. He was born in Miami, Florida and grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York – His 1st  recording came in 1967, when he appeared on the Clifford Thornton – at the age of 32 he taught himself the saxophone after experiencing the music of John Coltrane – Since the late 1960’s he’s well known for his free...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Organist Pat Bianchi .. He took some time from his busy jazz life to talk about his latest 2018 CD In the Moment .. and reflect on a December 8, 2018 Kansas City Show with Vibes cat Joe Locke and Drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith at the Blue Room .. This Two-time grammy nominated cat comes from a musically gifted fa...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with San Francisco Based Jazz Pianist & Radio Host at KCSM 91.1 Dick Conte .. He opened up about his latest 2018 CD Blue in Green – A tribute to Bill Evans .. He talked about how he arrived in San Francisco in 1961 from his native Connecticut and has since become an integral part of the Bay Area jazz scene with his encyclopedic knowled...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Trumpeter Jay Sollenberger  .. This local jazz stalwart is always busy with Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, The Vine Street Rumble and other outfits .. He grew up in McPherson, Kansas and attended Wichita State University and North Texas State University - While at North Texas in 1970, he played in the internationally famous...