Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago based Jazz Vocalist Keri Johnsrud .. Along with Grammy nominated pianist Kevin Bales .. they combined their jazz powers to create a new album called Beyond the Neighborhood: The Music of Fred Rogers. She succeeded in reimagining and rearranging the music that has been heard by numerous generations on the beloved children’s tel...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist Corcoran Holt .. He is promoting his latest 2018 CD The Mecca .. He is from Washington, DC and began West African percussion at 4 and begin studying upright bass at the age of 10 with the renowned DC Youth Orchestra and over a very rich and storied career he is in the midst of making .. he has played with jazz legends and...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Drummer Jerry Pollock .. He is a key piece of the Waldo Jazz Collective that performs each Monday night at the Piano Room off 84th and Wonall .. He started his professional career at 14 and over the years he has played all styles of music with symphonic orchestras, jazz bands and ensembles, and theater pit bands. He w...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Guitarist Jeff Shirley  .. He grew up in Liberty, Missouri and is a solid part of the KC jazz scene .. on his latest album called Point of the Story he  performs 14 original compositions that mix guitar jazz and European jazz. Joined by Roger Wilder on piano/Rhodes, Bob Bowman on upright bass, Matt Leifer on drums and...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Aaron Comess.. He’s a well versed musician who just released his 2018 CD Sculptures fulla sonic textures .. He talked to us about his childhood in Dallas, Texas and being influenced by the likes of miles davis, john coltrane, rolling stones, the beatles, led zeppelin, and so many others .. He’s a founding member of the Gr...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York City Jazz Guitarist Charlie Apicella .. He grew up in New York and these days he is promoting his newest 2018 CD – One Night Only – A tribute to Jack McDuff .. His love of guitars came in 1977 with a Starfire IV that was signed by his idol BB King – From there, he studied improvisation and composition with Pat Martino, Yusef...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drum Legend Peter Erskine .. He took some time to speak about a wide range of projects he is involved with these days .. from new albums to apps to books and teaching .. Peter is always a force in music .. On April 6, 2018 he is set to release 'On Call' – his 3rd album with The Dr. Um Band, a double-CD package with six studio and...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Pianist Max Groove .. He is a Kansas City institution and of the pioneers of the smooth jazz style that has thrilled listeners for years - He has twelve internationally released CDs, three in the top twenty Billboard Jazz and over the years he has been on national tour appearances with the likes of Joe Sample & th...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Vocalist Michelle Coltrane .. There just released her 2nd CD - 2017's Awakening … So, she was born in Paris, France, and is the only daughter of Alice and John Coltrane – As that backdrop to her life, she was always surrounded by music and encouraged to get involved .. She would go on to live in Japan and work as a DJ – along wit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitarist Abe Ovadia .. In 2017 he released his hit single, "Afro Blue" and there is more to come .. He spoke with Neon Jazz about his childhood in New Jersey .. He has a  bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music and a master's from New York University – To date, he has 3 albums under his belt and has gained the...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trumpeter Dave Scott .. He talked about a recent recording session .. about about growing up in Kansas City .. Living in Los Angelse for 11 years and going to school at USC .. He currently lives in New York and has been composing for and performing with his own jazz quintet and also has a new project featuring violin, piano, guit...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist, Composer -& Educator Dafnis Prieto .. He has a new album – 2018’s Back to the Sunset and it’s a great new album .. he’s originally Cuba where his revolutionary drumming techniques and compositions had a powerful impact on the Latin and Jazz music scene – He came to New York in 1999 and has played wit the best sin...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitar Legend Pat Martino .. We caught up with him to discuss his 2017 CD  Formidable and so many other things .. He discussed his in Philadelphia and how he was first exposed to jazz through his father, Carmen "Mickey" Azzara, who sang in local clubs and briefly studied guitar with Eddie Lang. He began playing guitar w...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City Jazz Guitarist Rod Fleeman .. He is always a busy cat on the KC scene .. whether with Deborah Brown, Bram at the Majestic or as a part of the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra .. He developed a love for jazz while a freshman at Southwest High School growing up in KC and would go on to attend  the University of Utah and th...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Lead Guitarist and Vocalist James ‘Jimbo’ Mathus of the Swing Revial Jazz Band The Squirrel Nut Zippers .. They are gearing up to release a brand new album .. their first new studio album in 18 years - slated for March 23, 2018 via their own label Southern Broadcasting called Beasts of Burgundy .. And will kick off a huge tour .. and...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery .. He’s back at it with another gem .. 2018’s CD  Vortex .. So, he was born in London - at 6 his mother emigrated to the United States and settled in New Haven, Connecticut – When he was young he attending the Jazzmobile in New York City and during his senior year in high School, he attended the Artist...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Vibraphonist, Composer,  Bandleader &  Educator Steve Hobbs  - He’s always busy with the music and his latest CD is 2018’s Tribute to Bobby – in honor of his friend and mentor Bobby Hutcherson – He’s originally from Raleigh, North Carolina and started hand drums at age 7, and trumpet and drumset at 11 –then  switched from...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Stride Pianist Bram Wijnands .. He grew up in the Netherlands and came to Kansas City after striking up friendships with Richard Ross and Deborah Brown .. Since the early 90’s, he has made Kansas City home and has been all over the scene giving folks his jazz from the Majestic and beyond .. He talked about his educati...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer and Percussionist Leslie Mandoki .. He grew up in Budapest, Hungary and studied drums and percussion at the musical conservatory of Budapest in the early 1970s. He fled from Hungary to Munich, Germany to avoid prosecution by the communist government for being a member of the student opposition. Since then, he has lived th...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Bassist Andrew Lion and Pianist Ruthie Dineen  .. They talked candidly about their latest 2017 CD 'ETERNAL LIFE | JEFF BUCKLEY SONGS AND SOUNDS .. paying homage to a titan in the world of popular music .. Over our discussion, they go into the beginnings of their band, why Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Kansas City Jazz Pianist Charles Williams .. He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and as a kid was a trombonist studying under Mr. Leon Brady at Sumner High School – that would lead to the piano and the Turner House Jazz series in the 70’s – and playing with legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Clark Terry, and so many more ....

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Guitarist, Composer & Arranger Randy Napoleon .. He talked to us about his 2019 CD Common Tones .. This Ann Arbor, Michigan native is known as a forward-thinking musician with a passion for the jazz tradition and spent some quality years touring with the legendary singer/pianist Freddy Cole .. He is a composer and an arranger...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City-Based Saxophonist Brad Gregory .. He was born and raised Edmonton, Alberta Canada and was taught by G Gordon Nicholson and was heavily influenced by many of the great Edmonton musicians such as PJ Perry and Tommy Banks. He went on to the University of North Texas and was a member of the One O’Clock Lab Band – then it was o...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kent Rausch .. the Director of the Kansas City Vine Street Rumble Orchestra .. Kent is a retired teacher and formed this band in 2013 to honor the legacy of the "golden era" of KC’s world renowned jazz history. The band exclusively performs the same outrageously exciting music that made Kansas City THE place to be in the 30'...

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer William Hooker .. During an interview that focused on the present and the future, we spoke with him about his newest and very well reviewed 2019 CD Symphonie of Flowers .. We also delved into his life as an artist, who he thinks he is, upcoming projects and a projected Spring swing through Kansas City .. So get to know hi...