The Jazz Session

Pianist Lee Shaw is living a fascinating life. From her childhood in Oklahoma in the 1920s to her early exposure to jazz in Chicago to her decades-long career as a jazz pianist, Shaw has been everywhere and played with just about everyone. In this interview, recorded at the Rotary Club of Albany, NY , Shaw talks about her early years; why she decided to become a jazz pianist rather than a classica...

Violinist Ben Powell made his festival debut this summer at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, where this interview was recorded. Powell was raised in Cheltenham, England, the son of a cellist and a violin teacher. He released the album Light in 2008. In this interview, Powell talks about his musical upbringing; how a chance meeting with an American conductor led to a Berklee scholarship; and why...

Bassist Linda Oh was born in Malaysia to Chinese parents, grew up in Perth, Australia, and now plays the bass in New York City. Her debut recording, Entry (self-produced, 2009), is a strong trio statement featuring trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and drummer Obed Calvaire. In this interview, Oh discusses her decision to challenge herself on her first recording; her upbringing and how it influenced he...

Drummer Mike Reed is a mainstay on the Chicago music scene, both as a performer and a presenter. Reed and his band People, Places & Things have a new album called About Us (482 Music, 2009). It’s part of a trilogy showcasing the past, present and future of the Chicago scene. In this interview, Reed talks about the sometimes overlooked cultural contributions of the “third coast;” why...

“To me, music is an occult alphabet of frequencies and vibrations that are transmitted on an instrument.” So says pianist Matthew Shipp, whose new solo piano recording, 4D (Thirsty Ear, 2010) comes out on January 26. In this interview, Shipp talks about the joy of solo piano; the lessons he learned from David S. Ware and Roscoe Mitchell; and the origins of music itself. Learn more at w...

Pianist James Weidman is well known as an accompanist to some of the most heralded singers of our time, from Abbey Lincoln to Cassandra Wilson. In recent years he’s travelled the world as a member of Joe Lovano’s band. On his new CD, Three Worlds (Inner Circle, 2009), Weidman leads an eclectic ensemble of improvisers through his own creative compositions. In this interview, Weidman tal...

Vocalist Amy Cervini is one of a handful of jazz singers who are successfully taking their repertoire from outside the Great American Songbook. On Cervini’s new album, Lovefool (Anzic Records, 2009), she tackles everything from the Cardigans to Depeche Mode to Nellie McKay and makes it all work. In this interview, Cervini talks about how she chooses her repertoire; the response of jazz and p...

Marty Ehrlich is everywhere. Since moving from St. Louis to New York in 1978, Ehrlich has established himself as both an in-demand sideman and a leader with a distinct and multi-faceted musical vision. His CD Things Have Got To Change (Clean Feed, 2009), finds Ehrlich leading his Rites Quartet through a program of music written by, or inspired by, saxophonist Julius Hemphill, with whom Ehrlich pla...

Pianist and vocalist Michael Kaeshammer has spent more than a decade making music that’s both fun and smart. He draws on everything from James P. Johnson and Fats Waller to contemporary pop music on his new album, Lovelight (Alert Music, 2009). In this interview, recorded at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Kaeshammer talks about the nature of showmanship; how he came to love the early str...

Drummer Kobie Watkins got his start in the world of gospel music in Chicago. He branched out into playing with guitarist (and Sonny Rollins sideman) Bobby Broom. That relationship led to Watkins himself joining Rollins’ band. Watkins has just released his debut album as a leader, Involved (Origin, 2009). In this interview, Watkins talks about the album as a snapshot of one point in his music...

Saxophonist Chris Potter’s new album, Ultrahang (ArtistShare, 2009), is an exploration of groove and melody. In this interview, recorded before Potter’s performance with Dave Holland at the 2009 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Potter talks about how a middle-class kid in Columbia, SC, ended up liking Chicago blues; why he looks first to please himself with the music he makes; and how rhythm...

Before he began writing about basketball at freedarko.com and in FreeDarko presents The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today’s Game , Nathaniel Friedman wrote about jazz. In this interview, he discusses the “basketball=jazz” meme; a popular jazz album that many people lost their virginity to; and the need to turn sports into art. Learn more at...

Saxophonist Eric Alexander has forged a multi-decade career out of one simple concept: “To thine own self be true.” In this interview, recorded before his September 2009 performance in Schenectady, NY, Alexander talks about his musical vision; his experience as a teacher at SUNY Purchase; and why he thinks it’s possible to point to one particular period of jazz as the greatest in...

Saxophonist Sonny Simmons is the subject of a new documentary now in production called Just A Guy Who Knows . The filmmakers, Dan Scofield and Mike Ercolini, have so far produced a 20-minute trailer and are raising funds to finish a 45-minute short film on Simmons. The saxophonist has lived a remarkable life, moving from his days as a colleague of John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins to near anonymity...

Drummer and percussionist James Shipp is making music without borders. With his band Nos Novo, Shipp has just released Strange Sweethearts In America (Shippwrite Music, 2009), a fascinating and fun mix of traditional Irish melodies and rhythms with Brazilian music and collective improvisation. In this interview, Shipp talks about the genesis of the band; provides a guide to the varying ingredients...

Cooper-Moore is a musical renaissance man. He’s a pianist who also invents and builds his own instruments. He’s steeped in history and tradition, and refreshingly free from convention. In this interview, Cooper-Moore talks about his childhood days as the town musician; why he feels that playing music is far more than a profession; and how and why he began creating his own instruments....

You’d think that helping to invent a new genre of music and being the first person to play your instrument in a jazz setting would be enough to get you some headlines in the jazz history books. You’d be wrong. Meet Harry Babasin, the bassist who played on the very first recordings of what became bossa nova, and then became the first person to play pizzicato cello in a jazz group. He&#8...

Drummer Ted Sirota is using his powers for good. On his most recent album, Seize The Time (Naim, 2009), Sirota once again chooses to make a political statement with his song titles and choices. In this interview, Sirota talks about making political jazz; why he’s not going to use liner notes again; and the fine balance between delivering a message and having that message overshadow the music...

Willard Jenkins is a jazz broadcaster and blogger, and a consultant to jazz artists and festivals. Jenkins’ blog, The Independent Ear , is a constant source of news and views about the jazz world. In this interview, Jenkins talks about the diminishing influence of jazz in people’s home record collections and thus in the lives of their children; why jazz is no longer an integral part of...

Guitarist Rez Abbasi continues his rhythmic and harmonic explorations on Things To Come (Sunnyside, 2009). He’s joined on this album by pianist Vijay Iyer, saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, bassist Johannes Weidenmeuller, drummer Dan Weiss, cellist Mike Block and vocalist Kiran Ahluwalia. In this interview, Abbasi discusses the Indian-Pakistani jazz scene in New York; how he incorporates Indi...

Infernal Machines (New Amsterdam Records, 2009), the debut CD from composer Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, is one of the most talked-about records of the year. In this interview, Argue reveals why he chose to write modern music using a big band as his musical vehicle; how he turned a simple blog into a social media juggernaut; and why the last thing he wants to be is nostalgic about mus...

Sam Rivers is a musical renaissance man. He’s performed in big bands, bop bands, R&B groups, blues bands and free-jazz ensembles. Rivers is currently composing adventurous large-ensemble music (such as is found on his 2006 CD Aurora ) in an unlikely location: Orlando, Florida. In this interview, Rivers talks about his early days in Boston; how he was recruited by Jimi Hendrix while play...

Guitarist Dom Minasi’s most recent recording, Dissonance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder (Konnex, 2009), features his string quartet in a program of adventurous composition and improvisation. In this interview, Minasi talks about how he spent the 20 years between his last Blue Note recording and his re-emergence as a leader; why Johnny Smith was a big influence on him, and why he let that influe...

Luis Bonilla blends humor, adventurousness and a passion for his family on his new CD, I Talking Now (Planet Arts, 2009). In this interview, the in-demand trombonist talks about the use of humor in music; the effect of his time with Lester Bowie; and how thinking “beginning brass” was a shop class led to his life with the trombone. Learn more at trombonilla.com . If you’d like to...

Pianist Eldar came onto the jazz scene as a child prodigy. Now in his early 20s, Eldar is expanding his repertoire as a composer and improviser. His new album is Virtue (Sony Masterworks Jazz, 2009). In this wide-ranging interview, Eldar talks about making music relevant to the present day; the nature of the jazz audience; and why many people respond to the “color” of music before anyt...