Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran NYC Jazz Saxophonist, Composer, Historian, Radio Producer & Educator Bill Kirchner .. He reached out to the show and we were happy to talk with him about a long, fruitful journey in the jazz world .. He was born in Youngstown, Ohio & graduated in 1975 from Manhattan College in New York City.  From then until 1980, he l...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Irish Jazz Musician, Educator & Broadcaster Linley Hamilton ..  For a long time been one of the most influential figures involved with Jazz in Ireland & The UK. As a musician he is at the top of the list when it comes to collaborating with a horn player for a recording or live performance. He has appeared on albums from Van Mo...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Drummer & Composer Ulysses Owens Jr. .. We had a long conversation about his unique path in jazz and his latest 2021 CD Soul Conversations .. His Eagerly-Awaited Big Band Debut on Outside in Music with his new 19-piece outfit known as the UOJ Big Band .. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, he has always had a passion f...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Singapore-based Pianist, Vocalist, Composer & Educator Jeremy Monteiro .. He opened up about his latest 2021 CD Live At No Black Tie Kuala Lumpur with his trio of Jay Anderson & Lewis Nash .. This is his 45th release and again proves how he is drawn to the spontaneity of jazz .. He has been a professional since he was 16 and h...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Pianist, Composer & Educator Ray Gallon .. We had a lively discussion about his debut album .. His 2021 CD  Make Your Move with Bassist David Wong and Drummer Kenny Washington on Cellar Live .. This New York native is a longtime professor that has finally leaped into the fray as a bandleader .. He has worked with the like...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran NYC Jazz Pianist Art Hirahara .. It’s been some time, but we finally caught up with this busy and talented musician about quite a bit .. Like his latest 2021 CD Balance Point that is his fifth release for Posi-Tone. The CD features collaborators tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Rudy Royston. He...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Trombonist Doug Beavers .. We had a wide ranging talk about his latest 2020 CD Sol and a long, fruitful life in jazz .. He is a musician who fearlessly pushes the boundaries of the genre and it all started with Eddie Palmieri's legendary "La Perfecta" band and moved on to the Spanish Harlem Orchestr...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago-based Jazz Trumpeter, Composer, Arranger & Educator Emily Kuhn ..We talked about quite a few things during our interview .. We covered her latest 2021 CD Sky Stories, her move from Virginia to Chicago and her life in music .. This new album is a celebration of Chicago’s natural beauty and its diverse musical communities. S...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Lebanon-based Jazz Bassist, Composer & Educator Makram Aboul Hosn .. We talked about his latest 2021 CD Transmigration, live in his homeland, his life in jazz and much more .. Until COVID, he was a frequent performer in the Beirut music scene playing Jazz, Rock, Classical, and Arabic music with different groups all within the same...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Drummer, Composer & Educator Reggie Quinerly .. We caught up with him to talk about this latest and very impressive 2021 CD New York Nowhere…His approach is a blending of traditional classic 60’s sound, with the vibrant eclecticism of most progressive music of the 2000’s. He grew up in a rich musical environment and atten...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with French Jazz Pianist Tony Tixier .. We caught up with him in mid February 2021 to talk about quite a bit in his world .. Like his latest 2020 CD I Am Human featuring cats with Kansas City roots like Trumpeter Hermon Mehari, Bassist Ben Leifer & Alto Saxophonist Logan Richardson .. Tony made his first stage appearance at age seven a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Jazz Bassist & Composer Derrick Hodge .. We caught up with him about the new 2021 CD -  R+R=NOW LIVE - Dream Team Collective Featuring a stellar cast including Robert Glasper and Christian Scott recorded live at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City .. This two-time Grammy Award-winning artist grew up right outside of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Jazz Pianist Billy Lester .. He is a late-bloomer on that reticent branch of the jazz tree, the school of Lennie Tristano. He is an instinctively lyrical & unfettered improviser who creates original compositions from variations on classic American songs' chord changes .. His mentor Sal Mosca and his recorded music venture...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Platinum Award Winning Singer & Lyricist Mark Winkler & Grammy-Nominated Pianist & Composer David Benoit on their newest 2021 CD called Old Friends .. We caught up with them during the COVID-19 pandemic to discuss music, their lives lately, the return to live music and so much more abut their essence and long friendship .....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran NYC Jazz Singer Roseanna Vitro .. We spoke to her in the afterglow .. 1 day after the 2021 Presidential Inauguration full of hope and vigor for the future .. She talked about her 2020 project that brought her 1984 vinyl recording, "Listen Here" for the first time to streaming and CD formats featuring an all star line...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran New York City Jazz Trombonist Clifton Anderson .. We talked on January 15, 2021 about quite a bit .. Like is latest 2021 CD Been Down this Road Before, this COVID-19 world and his life in music .. He was born in Harlem and surrounded by music .. at 7 he got his first trombone that was a gift from his uncle Sonny Rollins. He we...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Soprano Saxophonist & Composer Jane Ira Bloom .. We caught up on January 15, 2021 to talk about a new virtual project full of magic she did with bassist Mark Helias and the project is called Some Kind of Tomorrow .. They are long time bandmates separated by space and time and found a way to play in real time with one ano...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer, Composer & Author Artt Frank.. We caught up with him on January 14, 20201- One month to the day he will release his newest memoir Chet Baker: The Later Years – Looking for the Light ..Artt was a dear friend to Chet.. He told me that Chet said Artt was the brother he never had ..Artt is part of a dying breed as one of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Award-Winning Jazz Radio Host, Producer & Writer Mark Ruffin .. We had the honor of speaking at length with him about writing and jazz in early January 2021 .. Namely, he opened up about his latest 2020 Book - Bebop Fairy Tales: An Historical Fiction Trilogy on Jazz, Intolerance, and Baseball – A book full of engrossing tales and...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago-based Jazz & Blues Vocalist Audrey Foxx .. She talked to us in late December 2020 about her newest EP Stone Cold Woman ..This artist is unconventional, inspired and uniquely delightful .. Her story is one you should hear .. Enjoy… Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our colle...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Celebrated Jazz Saxophonist Eric Person .. We talked to him from his home base during another variant COVID rage in America on January 12, 2022 about this new world, his upcoming 2022 CD Blue Vision and much more .. In 1982, he moved to New York City from St. Louis Missouri and quickly hooked up with legendary drummer Chico Hamilton.....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Pianist & Composer Michael Weiss .. We talked on January 12, 2022 about his upcoming CD release called Persistence .. He elaborated on that, his life in music and COVID .. Born in Dallas, he started piano studies at age six and at 15 he discovered the world of jazz at the Interlochen academy in Michigan .. Over the pa...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Grammy Winning Violinist & Composer Mark O'Connor .. We talked to him on January 10, 2022 about this newly re-emerging COVID world, his life as a prodigy in music, his latest 2021 CD Meanings Of and so much in between .. He’s set to re-release a host of new albums and has had time lately to start on his biography in earnest .. Ove...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Grammy Winning Jazz Drummer, Producer, Educator & NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington .. We talked to her on January 11, 2022 about how she has been doing in COVID world, her prosperous life in jazz and what went into her latest and much celebrated CD Waiting Game .. She has over 40 illustrious years in music, she is an NEA Jazz...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York City Jazz Vocalist Samara Joy .. We caught up with her on January 2022 from her home in New York to talk about a recent trip to Russia to perform, her debut 2021 Self Titled CD, COVID life and her career in music .. Growing up in New York, music was a pervasive presence, due to the inspiration of her paternal grandparents .....