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Articles by JAZZIZ Conversations
Bill Charlap by JAZZIZ Conversations
Bill Charlap, one of the premiere pianists of his generation, joins us today for a very special episode of JAZZIZ Travel. Late last year, Charlap released his new record with his acclaimed trio, featuring Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums. Street of Dreams is a reflection of the literal and metaphorical road traveled together, during the nearly 25 years since the trio's formation.
Sonny Singh by JAZZIZ Conversations
For over a decade, Sonny Singh has brought his fiery trumpet and lead vocals to audiences around the world with his acclaimed group, Red Baraat. Now, he has released his solo record, Chardi Kala, named after the Sikh concept of revolutionary, eternal optimism. Offering a response to the violence and tumultuousness of these times, Chardi Kala, released and recorded independently, pushes the boundaries of Sikh Kartan and South Asian spiritual music.
Vincent Peirani by JAZZIZ Conversations
Vincent Peirani is one of the world's foremost accordionists, especially prominent in today's jazz scene. He is also the latest guest of our JAZZIZ Travel conversation, where we discuss two of his latest projects, each of which showcases a different side of the French composer/musician's creative personality.
Tigran Hamasyan by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Tigran Hamasyan Having mesmerized listeners everywhere with his own compositions and traditional Armenian music, pianist Tigran Hamasyan is set to release his first album of American standards on April 29 via Nonesuch Records. StandArt finds him applying different techniques and ideas that he has developed over the years to a revered repertoire, breathing new life into well-worn songs and lesser-known gems.
Zev Feldman by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Zev Feldman Zev Feldman is an internationally recognized, independent producer and the co-president of Resonance Records. He is also known for traveling the world in search of lost or forgotten records. Today, he joins us to talk about two stunning recordings documenting piano legend Bill Evans in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Morning Glory is a 1973 concert with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell, and Inner Spirit is a 1979 date with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera.
Julieta Eugenio by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Julieta Eugenio From a small Argentinian port town to the vibrant club scene of New York City, saxophonist/composer Julieta Eugenio's journey has been fascinating and it has led her to finally release her debut album as a leader, Jump. The album musically explores and promotes the idea of taking leaps forward to explore new situations and accept new ideas.
Sigurd Hole by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Sigurd Hole Sigurd Hole is one of the most in-demand bassists of today's Norwegian jazz and creative music scene. His new album, Roraima, documents a live performance that took place between lockdown in Oslo in October 2020. The work, commissioned by Oslo World, reflects on themes of solidarity and ecological vulnerability.
Miriam Elhajli by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Miriam Elhajli Miriam Elhajli is a New York-based composer/improviser/folklorist whose work is influenced by the rich musical tradition of her Venezuelan, Moroccan and North American heritage. Her anticipated second album, The Uncertainty of Signs, features a wide cast of players performing on instruments of various cultures and traditions.
Miguel Espinoza by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Miguel Espinoza Award-winning virtuoso flamenco guitarist/composer Miguel Espinoza gracefully balances tradition and innovation, blending flamenco with jazz, classical and subtle world music on his latest album with his Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion, Veneta. Available now, Veneta is mostly made up of new original material, capitalizing on sophisticated rhythmic elements that are emotional, natural and organic.
Stacey Kent and Jim Tomlinson by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Stacey Kent and Jim Tomlinson Last year, Stacey Kent released Songs from Other Places, a varied and eclectic collection of voice and piano duets with Art Hirahara. Recorded during the lockdown, these songs explore the concept of travel and give musical expression to our collective desire to roam the world again in a post-pandemic world.
Christiane Karam by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Christiane Karam Vocalist/composer Christiane Karam will release Nar, her first album in nine years, on January 28. A tribute to the lives tragically lost in the 2020 explosion at the Port of Beirut, her birthplace, the record is intended to be a joyous and uplifting tribute to the resilience, connection and triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Malcolm Jiyane by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Malcolm Jiyane Malcolm Jiyane is a revered figure of the contemporary South African jazz scene. He's a successful painter as well as a musician. A generous sideman and bandleader, Jiyane plays multiple instruments. He was an integral part of SPAZA's most recent release, UPRIZE!, where he played piano. On his new debut album as a leader, he showcases his chops on the trombone. UMDALI is out now on the Mushroom Hour Half Hour. Its music meditates on the concept of creation.
Hedvig Mollestad by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Hedvig Mollestad Norwegian guitarist/composer Hedvig Mollestad has fronted her own acclaimed power-trio with bassist Ellen Brekken and drummer Ivar Loe Bjørnstad for the best part of this decade. Her new album, however, finds her performing her sweeping brand of progressive jazz-rock with a loosely-configured sextet.
Elena Maque by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Elena Maque Vocalist/composer/saxophonist Elena Maque was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is a university-trained musician, who spent years honing her craft and wowing audiences throughout Russia, Europe and the United States, where she currently resides. She is highly regarded for her ability to cross-pollinate with funk and pop.
Sara Serpa by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Sara Serpa Sara Serpa is a singer/composer/improviser who, through her practice and performance, explores the use of the voice as an instrument. She was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to New York in 2008, where she resides to this day, and where she creates ethereal music drawing from a broad variety of inspirations, including literature, film and visual arts, as well as history and nature.
Henry Cole by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Henry Cole Puerto Rican master drummer/composer/arranger Henry Cole is known for his versatility and groove. Over the years, he has performed with many of the greats, from Miguel Zenón to Gary Burton and beyond. During this time of intense activity, he also developed his own idiosyncratic "mestizo sound," which synthesizes African, Indigeound and European influences in a contemporary jazz setting.
Amir ElSaffar by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Amir ElSaffar Trumpeter/vocalist/composer Amir ElSaffar is a Chicago native of Iraqi-American heritage. A visionary musician with a prominent background in classical music and jazz, ElSaffar is also a purveyor of old, endangered Arabic music. He is particularly fond of the Iraqi maqam, which he performs actively as a vocalist and santur player, and has integrated in his eclectic and idiosyncratic artistic vision.
Adam Bałdych by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Adam Bałdych Adam Bałdych is a Polish violin master who works within a wide range of settings and genres, and who is particularly known for leading a jazz violin renaissance in European jazz in later years. Yet, no matter the project, he is driven by one fundamental goal: to make music that communicates, able to enter people's lives and stay with them. His new album Poetry is a landmark project featuring his quintet and the great trumpeter/flugelhornist Paolo Fresu.
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: 10 Albums You Need to Know for August 2019
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: 10 Albums You Need to Know for August 2019 In this episode of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass, host Brian Zimmerman is joined by JAZZIZ online editor Matt Micucci to discuss the 10 Albums You Need to Know for August 2019,featuring new releases by drum legend Jimmy Cobb, rising star vocalist Veronica Swift, Brazilian jazz icon Eliane Elias and straightahead jazz sensation James Carter.
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Around the World with Chick Corea
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Around the World with Chick Corea Today's guest is internationally acclaimed, 22-time Grammy-winning pianist Chick Corea, one of the most recognizable artists in modern jazz. JAZZIZ spoke with Chick backstage before his performance at the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California, where he and the members of his newly assembled Spanish Heart Band performed selections from their most recent album, Antidote.
Confidentially L.A. with Aubrey Logan
Our guest on the podcast today is trombonist and vocalist Aubrey Logan. Aubrey is a frequent guest of Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox and is currently on the road with saxophonist Dave Koz as part of his Summer Horns tour. She has just released a new album on Resonance Records, Where The Sunshine Is Expensive, a musical chronicling of her relocation from Seattle to Los Angeles.
Daniel Garcia by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Daniel Garcia Via de la Plata is an ancient commercial and pilgrimage path that crosses the West of Spain from North to South. It represents the country's main artery and allowed Spain to come together for the first time, bringing together people of different cultures, from Celtic and Nordic to Mediterranean and African, and from the Americas also.
Hiromi by JAZZIZ Conversations
Virtuoso pianist/composer Hiromi's new album, Silver Lining Suite, is a blend of classical composition and jazz invention. It is also her collaboration with violinist Tatsuo Nishie, concertmaster of the New Japan Philharmonic. The origins of this collaboration can be traced back to the pianist's Save Live Music series of concerts and livestreams, which took place at Blue Note Tokyo during the pandemic. It was Nishie who assembled the string quartet for this project.
Anna Gréta by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Anna Gréta Icelandic-born, Sweden-based singer/songwriter/pianist Anna Gréta was born in music (her father is acclaimed jazz saxophonist Sigurður Flosason) and has performed with some of the great Nordic jazz musicians of today. On October 29, she will release her debut album, Nightjar in the Northern Sky, via ACT Music. The record emerged from a period of two years and was partly influenced by the isolation of the global pandemic.
Al Di Meola by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Daily Brunch: Al Di Meola In today's episode of JAZZIZ Daily Brunch, we are joined by Al Di Meola, who, for the past four decades, has been recognized internationally as a virtuoso of the highest order. The guitarist/composer is known for his work in jazz fusion and world music, bean his career as a guitarist in the group Return to Forever in 1974 and, between the '70s and '80s, released such critically and commercially successful albums as Elegant Gypsy and Friday Night in San Francisco.
10 Albums You Need To Know: September 2019
10 Albums You Need To Know: September 2019 In this episode of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass, host Brian Zimmerman is joined by JAZZIZ online editor Matt Micucci to discuss the 10 Albums You Need to Know for September 2019 And this one's a real treat, featuring previously unreleased material from Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and John Coltrane! That, plus new albums from Herb Alpert, George Coleman and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. Joining us on this very special episode is Matt Micucci's dog, Chloe.
10 Albums You Need to Know for July 2019
10 Albums You Need to Know for July 2019 In this episode, JAZZIZ Backstage Pass host Brian Zimmerman is joined by JAZZIZ online editor Matt Micucci to present the 10 Albums You Need To Know for July 2019, featuring new records by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, saxophone icon Houston Person, former Béla Fleck and Flecktones member Jeff Coffin and trumpeter Kenyatta Beasley. We've also got the debut jazz album from Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band.
Gwilym Simcock of the Pat Metheny Quartet
Gwilym Simcock of the Pat Metheny Quartet We're switching things up this week. Sitting in the host chair for this episode of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass is Michael Fagien, the founder and publisher of JAZZIZ Magazine. And he's brought with him a very special guest. Gwilym Simcock is one of the best jazz players to come out of the U.K. in recent years, a winner of the prestigious Mercury Prize and the first musician of a jazz background to be named a BBC First Generation Artist.
Joe Lovano Is at Home on ECM by JAZZIZ Conversations
Joe Lovano Is at Home on ECM Tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano may be best known for his long-running tenure at Blue Note Records, the label he's called home since 1991. But within the same span, he's also been a vital presence on the German label ECM, founded by renowned producer Manfred Eicher. It's a relationship that stems back to 1981, when Lovano first appeared on drummer Paul Motian's album Psalm.
JAZZIZ Not What You Think: Becca Stevens
JAZZIZ Not What You Think: Becca Stevens Becca Stevens is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has made a career of testing the limits of her musical identity. Her unique artistic vision, cultivated across four albums as a leader, draws from a variety of genres, from jazz to Irish folk to indie-rock. Stevens' latest leader project is the five-track EP WONDERBLOOM, which is due out in November. A full-length album of the same name is set to follow in March.
10 Albums You Need to Know: March 2019
In this podcast, JAZZIZ Backstage Pass host Brian Zimmerman is joined by online editor Matt Micucci to discuss the 10 Albums You Need to Know for March 2019. The full list of albums is below. To read the text version of this feature, click here.
Special Holiday Edition: Christmas with Jonathan Butler
Special Holiday Edition: Christmas with Jonathan Butler On this special holiday edition of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass, guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Butler joins the podcast to discuss his new album, Christmas Together, which was released on October 4 on Mack Avenue Records. The album is a festive affair, featuring contributions from Dave Koz, Keiko Matsui, Kirk Whalum and other musicians he counts as friends.
Wynton Marsalis by JAZZIZ Conversations
Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed trumpeter, composer and bandleader, an educator and a leading advocate of American culture. He currently serves as Managing and Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center. His new album 'The Ever Fonky Lowdown,' was released exclusively on digital platforms on August 21; stream or buy here: https://amzn.to/3gt4zOD.
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Track by Track with Bria Skonberg
Trumpeter, vocalist and composer Bria Skonberg joins the podcast to walk us through her latest album, Nothing Never Happens, track by track. We'll hear some backstory about each song, then listen to an excerpt in a whole new context. Peek inside the mind of one of the most forward-thinking trumpeters on the scene courtesy of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass.
Patrick Shiroishi by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Patrick Shiroishi Los Angeles-based saxophonist/composer Patrick Shirioshi's previous LP, 2020's Descension, heavily focused on the experience of being inside a Japanese-American concentration camp. By doing so, he revisited one of the darkest pages in American history that is not talked about as often as it should. His new album, Hidemi, is a solo multilayered woodwind journey that is more on the personal experience of his grandfather, who appears on its cover, after getting out.
Gisele Ben-Dor and Juanjo Mosalini by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Gisele Ben-Dor and Juanjo Mosalini Argentinian Astor Piazzolla, born in 1921, leaned heavily on the jazz vocabulary to create the nuevo tango, a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into the traditional Argentinian tango. To celebrate the centennial of this groundbreaking music artist, conductor Gisele Ben-Dor and bandoneon virtuoso Juanjo Mosalini have released an exquisitely expressive tribute album titled Piazzolla: Cien Anos.
Benny Benack III Has A Lot of Livin' To Do
Joining the show for our first podcast of 2020 is trumpeter and vocalist Benny Benack III. At just 28 years old, Benny has an old soul, a quick mind and a big heart, and his music reflects both his love for the jazz tradition and his ear for the modern sound. His new album, A Lot of Livin' To Do, is due out January 24.
JAZZIZ Not What You Think: Kirk Whalum
JAZZIZ Not What You Think: Kirk Whalum A gem from the vault, this episode of JAZZIZ Not What You Think features JAZZIZ Publisher Michael Fagien in conversation with world-class saxophonist Kirk Whalum. The interview took place in 2019 in advance of the release of Whalum's album Humanite, which would go on to become a "Critics' Pick" for Album of the Year in the Winter 2019-2020 issue of JAZZIZ. Faith, family and, of course, music are the topics of discussion. Enjoy this blast from the past.
Moor Mother by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Moor Mother Camae Ayewa, a.k.a Moor Mother, is not only a musician but a poet, visual artist and prominent thinker. Having established her reputation as a force to be reckoned with in creative music everywhere, particularly with her debut album Fetish Bones from 2016, she has continued to share her thoughts in a variety of music and multimedia projects.
10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Keeping a Record Collection by JAZZIZ Conversations
Today we are joined by Jeff Coates, in-house analog expert for Pro-Ject Audio, to discuss some tips and tricks for keeping a record collection.
Our Favorite Jazz Album Covers by JAZZIZ Conversations
As a preview of our upcoming "Art of the Album" issue, we'll be sharing some of our favorite album covers. We invite you to do the same in the comments!
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Actor Michael Imperioli on Jazz, Creativity and Co-Hosting the JFA Loft Party
JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Actor Michael Imperioli on Jazz, Creativity and Co-Hosting the JFA Loft Party Joining the podcast today is actor, writer, director and longtime jazz fan Michael Imperioli, best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti on the HBO hit series The Sopranos, for which he won an Emmy in 2004.
JAZZIZ Travel: Ches Smith and Daniel Brevil
JAZZIZ Travel: Ches Smith and Daniel Brevil Drummer Ches Smith and percussionist Daniel Brevil join us on this new episode of JAZZIZ Travel to talk about their collaboration on the new album, Path of Seven Colors, out now on Pyroclastic Records. This eight-track collection melds Haitian Voudou and contemporary jazz, and is performed by the We All Break ensemble, the brainchild of Ches Smith.
Pianist Monty Alexander Plays Monk with a Reggae Twist
Pianist Monty Alexander Plays Monk with a Reggae Twist Monty Alexander is a Grammy-nominated artist whose virtuosic skill at the keyboard and vibrant personality have been packing concert halls around the world for decades. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1944, Alexander moved to the States as a teenager and has since become an American jazz hero, having played alongside luminaries of the genre like Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra and others.
Keyboardist David Garfield on Smokey Robinson, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder & More by JAZZIZ Conversations
David Garfield is an in-demand keyboardist from Los Angeles. He has recorded with Smokey Robinson, Cher, Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Spinal Tap, George Benson and The Manhattan Transfer. His new album, 'Stretchin' Outside the Box' is due out soon.
Miles Monday with Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah is a trumpeter and composer from New Orleans. His unique brand of music fuses African- and African-American-rooted genres like West African percussion, Afro-Caribbean styles, hip-hop and brass band music. His latest album, Axiom, was recorded live at the Blue Note jazz club in New York in New York. Axiom is available here: https://amzn.to/2YUIH8M
Guitar Legend John McLaughlin by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Conversations: Guitar Legend John McLaughlin A living legend of improvised music, with a career now spanning more than five decades, John McLaughlin is no stranger to translating tumultuous moments into compelling, thoughtful audio art.
Merci Miles! with Kenny Garrett, Deron Johnson, Florence Joelle Halfon & Ashley Kahn by JAZZIZ Conversations
Miles Monday: Merci Miles! with Kenny Garrett, Deron Johnson, Florence Joelle Halfon & Ashley Kahn In this special "Miles Monday" episode of JAZZIZ Conversations, we discuss the recording, remastering and release of Merci Miles! (Live at Vienne), a previously unpublished live concert album made available by Rhino Records on June 25.
Bram Weijters by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Bram Weijters Pianist/composer Bram Weijters is based in Antwerp, Belgium, and is certainly one of the most exciting voices on the contemporary Belgian jazz scene. He has led and participated in a wide range of projects, including his Crazy Men ensemble, which recently released their second full-length record, The Return, out now on Sdban Ultra.
Sebastián de Urquiza by JAZZIZ Conversations
JAZZIZ Travel: Sebastián de Urquiza Double-bassist/composer/vocalist Sebastián de Urquiza, born in Boston but naturalized Argentinian, is a musician in constant growth. He recently released his large ensemble debut as a leader, Unity Vol. 1, with a second volume on the way. Recorded in Switzerland, the session features a multinational and multicultural lineup united by jazz and improvisation.
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