Adam Schatz is the founder of Search & Restore, which opened its doors in late 2007 and has since become a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to bringing the artists and audiences of new jazz and improvised music together in new ways. In this interview, Schatz talks about the musical components of the organization’s mission and his own pursuits as a performing musician. Learn more about Search & Restore at searchandrestore.com and about their current fundraising efforts at jazz2012.com . The f...
Dec 15, 2011
Michael Bates’s new album is called Acrobat: Music For, And By, Dmitri Shostakovich (Sunnyside, 2011). In this interview, Bates talks about the appeal of Shostakovich the man and the composer; how he used Shostakovich’s music as a starting point for his own compositions and improvisations; and the new trio music he’s been working on. Learn more at outsidesources.org .
Dec 12, 2011
Trumpeter Amir ElSaffar’s new CD is Inana (Pi Recordings, 2011). In this interview, ElSaffar explains maqam music and his decision to spend five years studying it in depth; how he plays microtonal music on a standard Bb trumpet; and his particular combination of traditional Arabic music with jazz. Learn more at amirelsaffar.com and follow him on Twitter at @amirelsaffar .
Nov 24, 2011
Guitarist Mike Baggetta’s new CD is Source Materials . In this interview, Baggetta talks about his compositional process and how he writes for specific ensembles; his experiments with prepared guitar in both solo and duet formats; and how he approaches playing standards. Learn more at mikebaggetta.com and follow him on Twitter at @mabnotes .
Nov 21, 2011
Pianist Joan Stiles’ new CD is Three Musicians , featuring Joel Frahm and Matt Wilson. In this interview, Stiles talks about playing without a bassist; how visual art and music come together in her life; and her collage-based approach to playing standards. Learn more at joanstilesmusic.com .
Nov 18, 2011
Trumpeter Tim Hagans’ new CD is The Moon Is Waiting (Palmetto Records, 2011). In this interview, Hagans talks about his special relationship with his drummer of choice; how he worked with a choreographer to write some of the music on the new album; and how he’s evolved over the years as a composer for large and small ensembles. Learn more at timhagans.com .
Nov 16, 2011
Vocalist Andrea Wolper’s new CD is Parallel Lives (Jazzed Media, 2011). In this interview, Wolper talks about her unfettered and very personal approach to song choice and performance; how poetry influences her work; and her parallel life as an activist for social justice. Learn more at andreawolper.com and follow her on Twitter at @AndreaWolper .
Nov 14, 2011
Pianist Matt Mitchell has been making a name for himself in the bands of Tim Berne, John Hollenbeck and Darius Jones, among others. In this interview, Mitchell talks about finding his place in the bands of composers with strong visions; how a set of self-penned practice pieces became duet performance vehicles; and why he may finally be ready to record his first album. Learn more at mattmitchell.us and follow him on Twitter at @mattmitchellus ....
Nov 07, 2011
Trumpeter Nicholas Payton’s new CD is Bitches (In+Out Records, 2011). In this interview, Payton talks about his outspoken presence on social media; why he thinks it’s important to bring groove and sensuality back to jazz; and how his New Orleans roots have shaped the way he approaches music and performance. Learn more at nicholaspayton.com and follow him on Twitter at @paynic ....
Nov 05, 2011
Vocalist and guitarist Camila Meza’s most recent CD is Retrato (Vertice Records, 2009). In this interview, Meza talks about her early days learning guitar in her native Chile; how a teacher discovered she could sing and the effect it had on her life; and how she sometimes feels like two people at once when she plays and sings at the same time. Learn more at camilameza.com . CONCERT NOTE: Camila Meza performs on 11/1/11 at 8:30 p.m. at Cornelia Street Cafe in New York....
Oct 31, 2011
Composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson’s new CD is Legacy (Mack Avenue Records, 2011). This is part two of a two-part conversation. (Listen to Part 1 .) In this part, Wilson talks about his time in the Navy during World War II; his subsequent work as an arranger for record labels and Hollywood studios; the development of his own band; and his new CD.
Oct 28, 2011
Composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson’s new CD is Legacy (Mack Avenue Records, 2011). This is part one of a two-part conversation. In this episode, Gerald Wilson talks about growing up in the South and listening to music with his brother; his move to Detroit to attend an arts high school; his early days as a professional musician; his time with Jimmie Lunceford and his first arrangements; and the beginning of his time in the Navy. Learn more at mackavenue.com/artists/detail/gerald_wilson/ ....
Oct 24, 2011
Larry Goldings has two new CDs out: In My Room (BFM Jazz, 2011), a solo piano CD, and Live At Smalls (SmallsLive, 2011) with his organ trio featuring Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart. In this interview, Goldings talks about approaching each piano on its own terms; how he first met Bernstein and Stewart; and his unplanned entry into the bands of Maceo Parker and James Taylor. Learn more at larrygoldings.com and follow him on Twitter at @LarryGoldings ....
Oct 13, 2011
Andrea Wolper hosts the show and interviews me. Trust me, it was her idea. In this interview, I talk about how I make each episode; why I interview musicians and what about them interests me; and how poetry has become a major part of my life. Learn more at thejazzsession.com and jasoncrane.org .
Oct 10, 2011
Pianist Dalton Ridenhour is making his mark on the New York scene by playing ragtime, stride and New-Orleans-style piano. In this interview, Ridenhour talks about his childhood introduction to ragtime; how going to school for jazz changed his approach to the piano; and why, after a three-year hiatus, he’s returned to the styles he loves. Learn more at daltonridenhour.com .
Oct 06, 2011
Saxophonist Marcus Strickland’s latest recording is Triumph of the Heavy (Strick Muzik, 2011), a 2-CD set that features a live trio performance and a studio session by his new quartet. In this interview, Strickland talks about why he added piano to his band; his awareness that he’s playing for other people; and the difference between the tunes he writes in the fall and the tunes he writes in the spring. Learn more at marcusstrickland.com and follow him on Twitter at @marcustrickland ....
Oct 03, 2011
Trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith’s newest album is Heart’s Reflections (Cuneiform Records, 2011). In this interview, he talks about his Ten Freedom Summers project, inspired by the Civil Rights Movement; how each ensemble is a model for a universe; and how meaning is communicated even without words. Learn more at wadadaleosmith.com .
Sep 29, 2011
Drummer Ernesto Cervini’s new CD is There (Anzic Records, 2011), recorded on tour in 2010. In this interview, Cervini talks about the benefits of recording music on tour; his band and why it functions so well as a unit; and why he chose Toronto over New York City several years ago. Learn more at www.ernestocervini.com .
Sep 26, 2011
Saxophonist Avram Fefer’s new album is Eliyahu (Not Two, 2011). In this interview, Fefer talks about why this is his happiest sounding album yet; how the loss of his father changed the way he views the music on the album; and the influences of the music of a variety of cultures on his compositions. Learn more at www.avramfefer.com .
Sep 22, 2011
Bassist Chris Tarry has just released Rest of the Story , an ambitious project that combines an album of new music with a collection of his short fiction. In this interview, Tarry talks about creating in two very different worlds; how we was able to move from concept to creation of this large work; and why he feels that his writing informs his music more than the other way around. Learn more at www.christarry.com .
Sep 19, 2011
The Respect Sextet is celebrating 10 years together. In this interview, the band looks back on a decade of performing and recording since they formed at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. They take us on a tour through their recordings and give us a glimpse of what’s to come. Learn more at respectsextet.com . Concert note: The Respect Sextet is playing two New York shows in the coming weeks. Tomorrow (9/16/11) at The Stone and then their 10th anniversary show at Le Poisson Rouge on Oc...
Sep 15, 2011
After putting his trumpet in the closet for several years, guitarist and trumpeter Rhys Chatham returns to the instrument in a new way on Outdoor Spell (Northern Spy Records, 2011). In this interview, Chatham talks about going back to the trumpet but playing it with fewer effects; how his attendance at a 1976 Ramones show altered the course of his musical life; and how his music has evolved over time while retaining a distinctive compositional identity. Learn more at www.rhyschatham.net . NOTE: ...
Sep 13, 2011
Italian guitarist Marco Cappelli’s new DVD is In The Shadow Of No Towers , a multimedia project exploring September 11 and its aftermath. The project features an animated graphic novel by artist Art Spiegelman ( Maus ) and narration by actor John Turturro. In this interview, Cappelli talks about how this remarkable project came to exist; the interesting history of the band that made the music for the DVD; and how he came to play his current modified guitar. Also featured in this interview is mus...
Sep 08, 2011
Guitarist Gilad Hekselman’s new album is Hearts Wide Open (Le Chant du Monde, 2011). In this interview, Hekselman talks about expressing his emotions through music; his musical upbringing in Israel; and how he uses interesting rhythmic devices in his compositions. Learn more at www.giladhekselman.com and follow him on Twitter at @GiladHekselman .
Sep 01, 2011
Trumpeter Ben Syversen’s most recent record is Cracked Vessel (2010). In this interview, Syversen talks about the wealth of inspiration available in New York; how authors such as Roberto Bolagno have influenced his music; and why it’s important for him to write for specific musicians. Learn more at bensyversen.com and follow him on Twitter at @bensyversen .
Aug 29, 2011
Pianist Carmen Staaf’s most recent CD is a trio recording called Eye To Eye (2011). In this interview, Staaf talks about duo and trio playing; her travels to India; and how her music has been affected by everything from anthropology to meditation. Learn more at www.carmenstaaf.com and follow her on Twitter at @carmenstaaf .
Aug 25, 2011
Bassist Ron Carter’s 1973 CTI recording All Blues has just been reissued. In this interview, Carter talks about the making of the album and how he chose the band; why he thinks jazz schools need a broader vision; and why he supports labor unions. Learn more at roncarter.net .
Aug 22, 2011
Renée Yoxon is a vocalist from Ottawa, Ontario. Her debut recording, Let’s Call It A Day , is a duet album with guitarist René Gely. In this interview, Yoxon talks about the jazz scene in Ottawa; how she started singing standards and why she still does; and how her science background has influenced the way she approaches the physicality of singing. Learn more at www.reneeyoxon.com and follow her on Twitter at @reneeyoxon ....
Aug 18, 2011
Pianist and keyboardist Jamie Saft explores his love for reggae, dub and improvisation on New Zion Trio (Veal Records, 2011). In this interview, Saft talks about the merger of those disparate musical elements; why he doesn’t write music on paper; and why he’d rather hear Slayer than “Stella By Starlight.” Learn more at www.jamiesaft.com .
Aug 15, 2011
For The Jazz Session’s 300th episode, a rare chance to sit down with four musical veterans: David S. Ware, William Parker, Cooper-Moore and Muhammad Ali. The four have just released Planetary Unknown (Aum Fidelity, 2011). This interview was recorded in the dressing room just after their performance at the 2011 Vision Festival. In this interview, they talk about the spiritual side of music; give advice to young musicians; and tell stories from their 100+ years as performers. Learn more at Aum Fid...
Aug 11, 2011
