Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Saxophonist & Flautist Kenny Garrett .. We covered his latest 2021 CD Sounds from the Ancestors as he recalls the sounds of West African Music and its role in Jazz, Gospel, Motown, Hip-Hop and More .. We cover quite a bit more in a revealing talk .. Like his stellar career with stints around the likes of Miles Davis...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-Based Author Carolyn Glenn Brewer on the new 2021 Book Beneath Missouri Skies: Pat Metheny in KC - 64-72 .. This book reveals important details about jazz in Kansas City during the sixties and early seventies overlooked in histories of Kansas City jazz. This book spans news accounts, archival material, interviews, and reme...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Legend, Composer & Educator Rufus Reid .. We had a solid conversation about his new 2021 CD Always in the Moment, COVID and so much more .. He stands as one of today’s premiere bassists on the international jazz scene with a reputation firmly established in the education arena ..  He opens up about the state of jazz today, th...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Trumpeter Trent Austin .. This elaborated trumpet artist, educator/clinician and entrepreneur is a trumpeting Renaissance Man. For decades he has been at it with brilliant performances and recordings in both the jazz and classical music worlds .. This prodigy has been at it for decades and was hugely swayed by the jaz...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York City-based Jazz Singer Hilary Kole .. She opened up about her newest 2021 CD Sophisticated Lady and he life in music .. She is a beloved staple on the NYC jazz scene and world-renowned as a multi-faceted concert hall and symphony performer. She emerged triumphantly from a difficult three-year legal struggle to put out a recor...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with World-Renowned Jazz Vocalist, Songwriter & Pianist Patricia Barber .. We talked to her about her new CD called Clique out on Impex Records dur out on August 6th, 2021 done with Multi GRAMMY-Winner & Longtime Creative Partner Jim Anderson .. Her insistence on writing her own makes her difficult to categorize and her unwillingne...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist, Composer, Arranger & Educator Keith Brown .. He talked about his new 2021 CD with your Trio called African Ripples .. He was born in Memphis and raised in Knoxville, TN and began playing piano and bass at an early age. His father Donald Brown is a world-renowned jazz pianist/composer having performed with many greats...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Saxophonist Joel Frahm .. 2021 CD The Bright Side… We caught up with him to talk about his new trio album called The Bright Side featuring Joel on tenor and soprano saxophones, Dan Loomis on bass, and Ernesto Cervini on drums. It is their debut recording for Anzic Records, and is the culmination of a musical partnership...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Veteran Composer and Arranger Mark Masters .. He opened up about his 2021 CD Masters & Baron Meet Blanton & Webster  .. He hired Duke Ellington Orchestra veteran Art Baron to reimagine the music of the iconic bandleader’s most revered era transforming Ellington classics through a contemporary lens with special guest trumpeter Tim H...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Double Bassist David Arend of Alchemy Sound Project .. He opened up about their new 2021 CD Afrika Love, this COVID world we are all surviving, his history in music and the band’s lineage .. Sessions for Afrika Love took place in January 2018 and the album’s title was borrowed from the composition that reflects the band’s keen aw...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Bassist, Composer & Bandleader Charnett Moffett .. We talked to him about his momentus 17th CD of his career called New Love .. His career began as a prodigy, appearing in his father Charles Moffett’s band at age 8. Over the years, he has collaborated as a “bassist to the stars” with starts like Wynton Marsalis, Art B...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with World Renowned Jazz Percussionist Bill Summers .. We caught up with him on June 21, 2021 to talk about Make Music Day in Dunbar Park Part of International Voyage of the Drum World Jazz Fest as a part of the UNESCO Creative City of Music here in Kansas City .. This veteran musician has spent more than 30 years tracing the rhythmic link...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Blues Legend and Hall of Famer Bobby Rush .. We caught up with him on June 22, 2021 – the day his new book I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya is out and available for the public ..  He traces the evolution of blues throughout his life and illustrious career that took him over 50 years to become an overnight sensation. He spent decades establishing h...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Muti-Instrumentalist, Composer & Producer Kurt Rosenwinkel .. We caught up with him in mid-June 2021 as the world starts to wake up about a new project that is a a remixed, remastered and re-released double vinyl edition of his groundbreaking album “Heartcore” that was originally released on Verve Records in 2003 .. T...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Program Director & Host Alisa Clancy of A Morning Cup of Jazz on KCSM Radio in San Francisco .. After 35 years at the station, she is going to be retiring from the station on July 2, 2021 .. I personally have been a big fan of her show, wit, depth and programming .. I had to catch up with her to talk about her life in jazz .. She...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with South African Jazz Musician Nduduzo Makhathini .. We had a spirited talk from his base in South Africa about his latest 2020 CD Modes Of Communication: Letters From The Underworlds and so much more .. He grew up in the lush and rugged hillscapes of South Africa and the church played a big role in his musical understanding. He was also...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Los Angeles-based Jazz & Classical Composer, Conductor & Recording Artist Vince Mendoza .. We primarily caught up with him to discuss his latest 2021 CD – Freedom Over Everything with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra .. But, we also discussed his life in music at the forefront of the jazz and contemporary music scene for...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Emmy Award Winning Percussionist Emedin Rivera .. We caught up with him from his base in the Bronx to talk about his impressive new 2021 CD Tropical Turbulence dedicated to his late, great friend Dave Valentin .. This cat is a highly respected and accomplished artist in a vast array of con-temporary music genres using his unique rhyth...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Visual Artist & Jazz Lover Jim Watt .. His new project called 1000 Watts aims to raise $100K through sale of 1000 artworks going on sale beginning on May 14th at Jim Kempner Fine Arts in Chelsea Art created as musicians improvise, captured on film by legendary photographer/filmmaker Danny Clinch - https://www.jimkempnerfi...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Piano Legend Terry Waldo .. We talked to him about his new 2021 CD I Double Dare You with Jazz Vocalist Tatiana Eva-Marie .. They join forces to release their debut collaboration album of upbeat jazz/pop songs from the ‘20s and ‘30s .. We also talked to this Ohio native about his long career in music .. He is best known for his c...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Vocalist Tatiana Eva-Marie on the new 2021 CD I Double Dare You with Jazz Piano Legend Terry Waldo .. She opened up about the new 2021 Single “Button Up Your Overcoat” From debut album I Double Dare You out August 6, 2021 on Turtle Bay Records  .. Internationally renowned jazz vocalist Tatiana Eva-Marie join forces with Terry to...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Kenney Polson .. We caught up with him about his life in music, COVID, his latest 2021 CD Colors of Brazil exploring his love of Brazilian music .. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri to a musical family and his grandfather, “Chubby Wayne” Harshaw was a major musical influence .. These days he is based in the...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Veteran Jazz Bassist, Composer & Arranger Leon Lee Dorsey .. We caught up with him to discuss his latest 2021 CD Thank You Mr. Mabern, a long life in music and the future .. He made his solo recital debut at Lincoln Center in September 1999 and moved on in a big way to play with jazz luminaries like Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Fr...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Pianist, Keyboardist & Composer Russell Ferrante .. He opened up about his latest 2021 CD Inflextion with his trio and a wonderful existence in the world of jazz .. He was born in San Jose, California and started playin the piano at the age of 9 years old. His early musical experiences revolved around the church where...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Jazz Trombonist, Composer, Arranger, Grammy Nominee and NEA Master Artist Papo Vázquez .. He opened up about his latest 2021 CD Chapter 10: Breaking Cover with the Mighty Pirates Troubadours and his 45+ year career spanning Jazz, Latin and Afro Caribbean music. Originally from Philadelphia, his young formative years were in P...