Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Japanese-born, NYC Jazz Organist Akiko Tsurgura  .. We caught up with her in late April 2020 during the Coronavirus lockdown to talk about a great many things in this new world of our .. like her 2019 CD Equal Time .. She started on the organ at the age of three and learned quite a bit at the famed Yamaha Music School .. That led her...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Trumpeter Eddie Henderson  .. We caught up with him on August 21, 2020 to talk about his latest 2020 CD Shuffle & Deal with his All-Star Quintet featuring
Kenny Barron, Donald Harrison, Gerald Cannon and Mike Clark
Released on the Eve of his 80th Birthday on July 31, 2020 via Smoke Sessions Records .. He opened up a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Sudanese Jazz Musician Sharhabil Ahmed during Mid July 2020 to talk about a host of things .. Like his latest 2020 CD The King of Sudanese Jazz .. it is a wonderful listen… He was born in 1935 and he is the founding father of the Sudanese Jazz scene. His aim was to modernize Sudanese music by bringing it together with western influenc...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitarist & Educator Ron Jackson .. We caught up with him in New Jersey in late April 2020 during the Coronvirus lockdown to talk about this strange new world and his latest 2019 CD Standards and Other Songs .. He was born in the Philippines, moved around all over America and began playing the guitar at the age of 11 .. He ha...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Grammy Award Winning Jazz Composer & Orchestra Leader Maria Schneider on August 13, 2020 during the surreal COVID-19 world to talk about this new world of no live jazz, what she has bee doing lately, her latest 2020 CD Data Lords  - A new double-album inspired by conflicting relationships between the digital and natural worlds fea...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with German Jazz Pianist & Singer Jacky Terrasson .. We caught up with him in late April 2020 during the Coronvirus lockdown to talk about his latest 2019 CD 53 .. He has been hailed as one of the bright young lions on the traditional jazz scene since he captured everyone’s attention when he won the Thelonious Monk Competition in 1993....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Pianist & Composer Roger Kellaway .. We caught up with him in early May 2020 during the heat of the Coronvirus Lockdown to talk with this Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominated performed about his latest 2019 CD The Many Opens Minds of Roger Kellaway and his long, fruitful career in music .. He has recorded m...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Teodross Avery…..Talk about your latest 2019 CD After the Rain – Coltrane … He’s a very powerful live performer .. He grew up in Oakland and his parents exposed him to a wide range of music including traditional Eastern and Western African music, Soul, Rock, and Jazz. He started out on the guitar, but was jolted the s...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Oakland-based Jazz Singer Kenny Washington .. We talked to him on during the Coronvarius Quarantine of no live jazz about his brand new CD What’s The Hurry .. That’s the soundtrack for how things are going here in the world of jazz lately .. He was born and raised in New Orleans and grew up singing gospel in the church where his paren...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Composer Ben Rosenblum .. This New York City native talked about his latest 2020 CD with his Trio presenting the music of Gregg Hill .. His is an award winning musician & a graduate of the Columbia-Juilliard program today giving the world his original music combines his extensive knowledge of the history of jazz...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-based Jazz Percussionist, Vibraphonist & Bandleader Mike Dillon .. He is back living in Kansas City and talked about his latest 2020 CD Rosewood…This release signifies transition and transformation in his life written and recorded during a period of profound change. Dillon found himself relocating from his fourteen yea...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Blues Hall of Fame Singer Bettye LaVette  .. She opened up about her new 2020 CD Blackbirds that will be out on August 28, 2020 .. The album coming out during the COVID-19 pandemic is a tribute to iconic black women in music .. This Blues Hall of Famer is a native of Detroit and at 16 she released her first recording in 1962...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Singer & Songwriter Raul Midón .. We caught up with him in his home studio in Maryland on May 1, 2020 to talk about this new COVID-19 world no live jazz and it was a frank, revealing, raw and honest look at the frustration and uncertainty the music world faces .. I debated on whether to release this or not, but it’s a necessa...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Philadelphia-based Jazz Pianist Orrin Evans of the Jazz Super Group The Bad Plus .. We caught up with him on May 1, 2020 about this new COVID-19 lockdown world of of no live music.. How is started, what has been happening and the future .. The Bad Plus is an American jazz trio from Minneapolis, Minnesota and they play to huge crowds a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Mult-Instrumentalist Karl Denson .. We caught up with him in Mid-May 2020 during the Coronvirus music shutdown to talk about how all of it began for him and what the hope is as we go forward .. This talented musician from Santa Ana, California was a member of Lenny Kravitz's band & co-founded and led The Greyboy Allstars. He’...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with British-Nigerian Jazz Singer Ola Onabulé  .. We caught up with him in late April 2020 to talk about this new Coronvirus world without live jazz and the obstacles it has given all of us .. He talked about his latest studio album and how he has built an enviably solid music career through a relentless schedule both in the recording stud...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Guitarist John Scofield .. We caught up with him on June 17, 2020 to talk abut his newest 2020 CD Swallow Tales that celebrates the music of his friend and mentor Steve Swallow made in an afternoon in New York City in March 2019 .. John was a 20-year-old student at Berklee when he first met and played with bassist Swall...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Pianist & Smalls Club Owner Spike Wilner .. We caught up with him in Mid-June 2020 to talk about the Coronavirus world of no live jazz .. he spoke about his life as a musician and club owner .. it was frank and open .. and he put out a new line of re-issues of live music, including his own, to grace upon the world thirsty...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Composer, Arranger & Educator Jim McNeely  .. He was born in Chicago, and moved to New York City in 1975. In 1978 he joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and spent six years as a featured soloist with that band .. That was followed by a 4-year tenure as pianist/composer with the Stan Getz Quartet. Then, on to Phil W...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist Composer & Educator Arturo O’Farrill .. We talked to him in early June 2020 during the Coronvirus Quarantine from his base in Los Angelese about his latest recording, Four Questions featuring special guest Dr. Cornel West on the title composition “Four Questions” – It was released as the lockdown intensified on April...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Musician Paul Jost .. We caught up with him in early April 2020 During the heavy of the Coronvirus lockdown to talk about the 2020 CD Simple Life and this strange new world of no live jazz .. He has performed worldwide with recent tours in Asia and Europe. After a long career as an instrumentalist and sideman having recor...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist & Composer John Patitucci .. On May 21, 2020 during the Coronvirus lockdown, we talked about his latest 2020 CD  Excursions and Adventures and this surreal world we live in .. He was born in Brooklyn, and began playing the electric bass at age ten. He went on to study classical bass at San Francisco State University a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Dick Oatts .. He was born and raised in the state of Iowa and brought up in a musical family. He was introduced to the saxophone by his father Jack Oatts who was a very well respected jazz educator and saxophonist. He would eventually make it to NYC in 1977 and joined the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra .. Si...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with with Legendary Jazz Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Writer & Educator Hal Galper .. He found jazz at the Berklee College of Music in 1955 and went on to work with the best .. with cats like Chet Baker and Stan Getz, along with being a member of Phil Woods's quintet for 10 years .. He is on the faculty of Purchase College and the New...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Kansas City Jazz Pianist Tim Whitmer  .. He is the prodigal son of Kansas City Jazz and was fortunate to learn from the likes of Jay McShann, Mary Lou Williams and Count Basie. We caught up with him in early May 2020 during the Coronvirus Quarantine to discuss the silence of jazz and the future .. He is very busy at top jazz...