Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series . In this episode, we sit down with  award-winning New York–based jazz vocalist Celia Berk  for a deep dive into her ambitious 2025 recording project  Four Seasons of Song —a series of EPs inspired by  each of the four seasons , blending emotional nuance, storytelling, and timeless jazz elegance. Celia Berk is widely celebrated for her  d...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with  Paris-based jazz bassist, composer, and bandleader Thomas Julienne , leader of  Theorem of Joy . In this episode, we catch up with Thomas about the band’s  third album and 2025 release,  Feux , along with his life in music, the evolution of the group, and reflections on modern living. A musician driven by collaboration and curiosit...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series . In this episode, we talk with  renowned jazz singer Jonathan Karrant  about his 2025 holiday release  Christmas Wish , a beautifully crafted jazz album that blends seasonal warmth with world-class musicianship. Christmas Wish  features  Grammy-winning jazz legend Diane Schuur , alongside an outstanding lineup including  Kenny Rampton, J...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series . In this episode, we sit down with  producer Suzanne Waldowski  and  singer/pianist Champian Fulton  to discuss the 2025 holiday jazz release  Swinging in the Holidays —a vibrant album that brings fresh energy to seasonal music through original arrangements and today’s finest jazz voices. Suzanne Waldowski’s journey into jazz is a unique...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with  Brooklyn-based composer, multi-instrumentalist, and visionary Abraham Gomez-Delgado . In this episode, we dive into his new  2025 album  ¡Ya Tú Sabes! U All Reddy Noe , recorded with NYC’s powerhouse  Latin X-Perimental band Zemog El Gallo Bueno . The group returns with their  long-awaited seventh album , capturing a tight-knit ban...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with  bassist Wolf Robert Stratmann  and  pianist/composer Sujae Jung , discussing their 2025 quartet album  Confluence . In this episode, we take a close look at this new recording featuring  Steve Cardenas on guitar  and  Marko on drums .  Confluence  was released on  December 3, 2025 , alongside a same-day release concert at  Ki Smith...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with  Pennsylvania-based jazz singer Corinne , discussing her 2025 concept album  Stories in Pink . In this episode, we take a deep dive into an album that slips listeners into a time machine set for  1962 Manhattan, Paris, and Rio , blending  deconstructed bossa nova ,  re-imagined jazz-pop , and  lyrical storytelling  into a sound that...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with celebrated  Montréal-based jazz pianist and composer Kate Wyatt . In this episode, we dive into  Kate Wyatt’s 2025 album  Murmurations  — a deeply interactive trio recording that highlights group empathy, musical dialogue, and spontaneous interplay. Joined by  Adrian Vedady (bass)  and  Louis-Vincent Hamel (drums) , the Kate Wyatt T...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz Interview Series  featuring  NYC-based Russian-Canadian jazz pianist Maria Kaushansky . In this episode, we dive into her  debut 2025 album,  Northbound to Finch , an instrumental jazz release made up entirely of original compositions and inspired by her life in  Toronto, Canada . The album takes its name from “Finch,” her former home subway station, and...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz  interview series featuring  internationally known master saxophonist and composer John O’Gallagher . On this episode, we take a deep dive into his powerful new  2025 CD  Ancestral  and an action-packed life in jazz defined by constant evolution and fearless exploration. The album features an extraordinary lineup with master drummers  Andrew Cyrille  and ...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz  interview series featuring  jazz vocalist, writer, and lyricist Stevie Holland . On this episode, we take a close look at her new  2025 CD  Talk to Your Tomatoes  and an extraordinary journey through the worlds of jazz, pop, theater, and the  American Songbook . The album is a beautifully curated collection of gems and classics, showcasing Stevie’s signa...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz  interview series featuring  internationally acclaimed guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer Tony Davis . On this episode, we dive into his new  2025 CD  Jessamine  and a life richly lived in the world of jazz. The album takes its name from the street where Tony grew up and stands as a symbolic musical homecoming—not simply a return to the past, but...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz  interview series featuring  jazz bassist and composer Mighty Joe Belson . From his base in  Berkeley, California , we dive into his new  2025 CD  Reinventing the Wheel , his musical beginnings in  New York City , and his late start in jazz. Along with his band  The Doodle Cats , Mighty Joe Belson taps into our collective sense of nostalgia, creating musi...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz  interview series featuring  acclaimed jazz pianist and vocalist Eric Byrd . On this episode, we dive into his new  2025 CD  Echoes of Arrival , his life in jazz, and the enduring legacy of  The Eric Byrd Trio (EBT) . For more than  25 years , the trio has brought the spirit of  swing, bebop, gospel, and the blues  to audiences around the world, earning w...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with host Joe Dimino. On this episode, we speak with  Italy-based multi-disciplinary storyteller and creative force Lisa Marie Simmons  about her brand-new 2025 album  NoteSpeak (In a Word)  with longtime collaborator  Marco Cremaschini , released on  Ropeadope . This dynamic project marks the  final installment  in their widely acclaime...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  with host Joe Dimino. On this episode, we talk with  NYC Big Band Leader Glenn Crytzer  about his 2025 Christmas album,  Underneath the Mistletoe . The esteemed leader of the  Glenn Crytzer Orchestra  stops by Neon Jazz to discuss the November 20 release of this swinging new holiday project. The album features  20 tracks —including  9 ne...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Guitarist, Vocalist, Singer & Songwriter Valeria Stewart . We caught up with this incredibly talented artist to talk about her new 2025 album  Raices  and her rich life in the world of music. Valeria consistently delivers  captivating multilingual performances  that blend  Latin, folk, jazz, and Americana  into a warm, persona...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Drummer Steven Crammer, Bassist Walter Stinson, and Pianist Evan Main  of the dynamic NYC-based trio  Prawntail . We dive into the release of their debut 2025 album  Prawntail , explore how the trio came together, unpack their creative vision, and talk about what's ahead for this exciting collective project. All three members...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Acclaimed NYC-based Jazz Trumpeter Dave Scott  as we preview his  December 2025 performances in Kansas City . We connected with Dave for our annual conversation about his holiday trip through KC and the exciting string of gigs he’ll be playing this season. His December lineup includes: 🎺  Friday, December 26  – Westport Theat...

Welcome to a new edition of the  Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Toronto-based Juno-Nominated Jazz Pianist & Composer Noam Lemish . We catch up with him to discuss his new 2025 CD  There’s beauty enough in being here  and explore his extensive career arc in the jazz world. The album offers a  gently ravishing program  inspired by a  Fernando Pessoa poem  that meditates on the numinous magic...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series  featuring  Creative, Artist & Jazz Producer Michael Simard . We take a deep dive into his new 2025 CD  Take It to the Sky  and explore his vibrant, evolving career in the creative world. This new album is a  full-throttle celebration of the music that has inspired him for a lifetime . Backed by a powerhouse  21-piece ensemble , the projec...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Co-Founder & Bassist  Randy Wong  of  The WAITIKI 7 . Speaking from his base in beautiful Honolulu, we dig into the band’s brand-new 2025 album  Exotica Reborn: In Studio and Live at House Without a Key , their vibrant history, and the evolution of Exotica music. The WAITIKI 7 is a modern Exotica supergroup blending jazz with global i...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with KC-based Jazz Saxophonist & Composer  Drew Williams  discussing his 2025 album  Demons Hate Fresh Air  out December 5, 2025. This new project chronicles a period of deep personal transformation since his debut album  Hazel —from becoming a parent to getting sober, moving back to Kansas City, and earning a doctorate. It’s also rooted i...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Royalty & Acclaimed Singer Carmen Bradford.  We talk with her about her new 2025 CD  Carmen Sings Carmen , her charmed life in the jazz world, and an extraordinary career that has taken her from Count Basie to global acclaim. A five-time Grammy nominee and recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Jazz Vocalist Award, Carmen Br...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Composer, Arranger, Producer, Bandleader, Guitarist & Educator  Socrates Garcia . We discuss his new 2025 CD  Shadows of Tomorrow  and explore a full, rich life spent in the music world. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Socrates is now a Full Professor of Music and Director of Music Technology at the University of Northern...