Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Portland-based Jazz pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, teacher, and bandleader George Colligan is one of the most original and compelling jazz artists of his generation and he spent some time with Neon Jazz talking about his latest  2018 CD Nation Divided .. He’s also highly in demand as a sideman, having worked with players like...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Author Brian Gruber .. We caught up with him in Bankok about his book Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s – Billy Cobham – on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation  .. We got to know author/journalist/media man Brian and what led him to pen this book about the exceptional Panama-born, New York-raised drummer .. From Billy’s early days with Horac...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Jerry Vivino.. His latest 2018 CD Coast to Coast with Bucky Pizarelli and others is a wonderful album .. He was born in Paterson, New Jersey where music and art was an everyday thing in the Vivino household during his childhood .. By the age of 16, he started playing the saxophone. As life picked up steam, jer...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Hannibal, MO-born, New York City Jazz Drummer, Artist, Composer, Bandleader & Educator Matt Kane..  This 47-year-old journey jazz cat is at a point in his career where he takes charge from behind the drums, as a jazz artist, composer, and bandleader. The Other Side of the Story is his 4th Album and the first with entirely original...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Guitarist Bobby Broom .. He took some time out to speak with us about his excellent new 2018 CD Soul Fingers produced by Steve Jordan .. He was born and raised in New York City, but he moved on to Chicago .. where he has called home for some time .. He got some great experience early on with Al Haig and Sonny Rollins .. a...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Renee and Lang of the Jazz Group BlissBliss – This married duo joined their different but compatible musical backgrounds of rock, pop, R & B and jazz to create the unique sound that appears on their new EP "3" - their third project was primarily recorded live in the studio with three other musicians and originated as sni...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trombonist of the New Orleans Outfit fulla Jazz & Rock – Bonerama .. I caught these cats live on September 22, 2018 at the Topeka Jazz Festival and they were smoking .. We caught up with them about their band’s history, time well spent on tour with Harry Connick Jr., the culture of New Orleans, their latest album and so much...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Javon Jackson – This veteran with legendary status talked about his newest 2018 CD For You that is full of originals and covers by Wayne Shorter and Cedar Walton .. Initially he got his start In 1992 with his recording debut with Me and Mr. Jones, featuring James Williams, Christian McBride and master drummer and NEA...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Pianist Lenore Raphael – She talked with Neon Jazz about quite a bit ..Like her latest 2018 CD Reunion .. The Critics, jazz hosts and jazz lovers all agree that she is one of the most SWINGING mainstream pianists today. Influenced by Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and Bill Evans, she has taken these influences and created her own...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Jay Lawrence.. He spoke with us about his latest 2018 CD Sonic Paragon and his very diverse career as a performing and recording artist. He’s a drummer, ethnic and orchestral percussionist, composer and arranger, educator, clinician, adjudicator, band leader, contractor and author. All of this began at the age of 15 when...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Veteran Jazz Vocalist Millie Edwards .. She is introduced to audiences as "the little woman with a big voice," and over her years in Kansas City she as proved skilled at performing cabaret, pop, blues and jazz tunes .. She performs regularly as a solo act at The Phoenix downtown and is always glad to be a part of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Saxophonist & Composer Patrick Ziimmerli – He talked about his newest 2018 CD Clockworks and so much more .. This New York- and Paris-based musician writes a sophisticated and approachable hybrid of contemporary classical and jazz music. He has written numerous orchestral, chamber and choral works and in 2015 was awarded the Chamb...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Trombonist & Sea Shellist Steve Turre .. He talked with us about his newest 2018 CD – The Very Thought of You – And he elaborates on harmony .. Steve was born to Mexican-American parents and grew up in the San Francisco Bay and in 1972 he got the break of a lifetime when Ray Charles hired him to go on tour. A year l...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer McClenty Hunter Jr... He spoke about his latest 2018 CD The Groove Hunter .. This cat is a Grammy-nominated drummer who began his musical journey as a young artist in the church and went on to get his Bachelor’s Degree in music education from Howard University and completed his Master’s Degree at The Juilliard School of M...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Modern Day Star Jazz Pianist Monika Herzig – She talked about her newest project “SHEroes” that features the world’s leading female jazz instrumentalists like Leni Stern, Jamie Baum and Ingrid Jensen .. She also talked about her life .. Together with her husband - she arrived in the States on a one-way ticket, with one suitcase of bel...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Saxophonist, Composer and Bandleader Steve Coleman .. This prolific music force talked about the release of his 2018 CD Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 1 (The Embedded Sets) – It’s a series of recordings and it’s yet another part of a creative period in Steve’s existence .. He grew up in the South Side of Chicago and knew cats like...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Composer, Arranger and Conductor David Berger – This prolific jazz ambassador is recognized internationally as a leading authority on the music of Duke Ellington and the Swing Era. Along with being an author, involved with dance companies, TV, Film, Commercials and so much more .. He was the conductor and arranger for the Jazz at...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter, Tap Dancer & All-Around Entertainer Lonnie McFadden  .. He was born and raised in Kansas City and has spent decades traveling the world performing and representing Kansas City Jazz at major jazz festivals and shows .. These days, he’s just as busy as he always has been .. He’s promoting his newest CD Live at the Gr...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Azar Lawrence – So, his first professional gigs abroad were at 17 with Clarke Terry and Muddy Waters. From there, he would become a sideman to McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, and Woody Shaw .. and ultimately grew up in a prolific era of transcendence in Jazz that to this day has stood the test of...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Based Jazz Saxophonist Stephen Martin .. On July 27, 2018 he is set to release his debut 2018 CD called Vision his independent artist label SubtleStreet Records – He was born in Champaign, IL and raised in St. Louis, MO, Martin & started playing saxophone at age 10 – He would come to KC via the University of Missouri –...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Percussionist Steve Kroon – He opened up with Neon Jazz about his latest 2018 CD – In Your Dreams – and so much more .. He’s been a professional musician for the last 50 years - Born in Harlem, and lived there until the age of nine. In 1957, we moved to St. Albans Queens. He has appeared on seven platinum albums, fiftee...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Multi Instrumentalist, Producer, Arranger and Podcaster Leo Sidran – In a very open conversation, he spoke about his latest 2018 CD – Cool School featuring the Music of Michael Franks and growing up as the son of the legendary music man and jazz interviewer Ben Sidran in Madison, Wisconsin .. He delved into quite a bit about his...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with the Master Bassist & Educator Anthony Wellington .. He came through Kansas City on July 9, 2018 to play at the Black Dolphin and talked to Neon Jazz about his life as a musician and educator that has taken him around the world in a variety of capacities .. including being the 2nd bassist in the Victor Wooten Band – His very s uniq...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with saxophonist, flautist, percussionist, singer, and teacher Jim Mair  ..  Born and raised in Canada, these days he is a Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Music and Jazz Studies at Kansas City Kansas Community College, along with so much more .. He graduated from the University of Mary (Bismarck, North Dakota) with bachelor...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Legendary Jazz Trumpeter and Flugelhornist Eddie Henderson .. He opened up with Jazz about his latest 2018 CD Be Cool .. it’s #2 on the charts and pays respects to his roots in jazz .. and they run deep from parents that were very musical .. So, at 9 he was given an informal lesson by Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis was a family frien...