Jazziz Not What You Think

Joining JAZZIZ Publisher Michael Fagien on the podcast today is pianist, singer, actor and talk show host Harry Connick Jr. Connick’s new album, True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter, pays tribute to one of the most iconic Great American Songbook composers of all time. In October, Connick was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk…

Joining JAZZIZ Publisher Michael Fagien on the podcast today is Steve Tyrell, a record producer and vocalist whose soulful interpretations of jazz standards, Disney tunes, holiday classics and R&B anthems have gained him a wide and passionate fan base the world over. Born in Texas in 1944, Tyrell got his start in the music early…

This week on JAZZIZ Not What You Think, publisher Michael Fagien sits down with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Paula Cole, best known for her enduring hits “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and “I Don’t Want To Wait.” Cole has just released Revolution, her 10th studio album, which has quickly gained attention across genre borders for its…

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,…

In this episode of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass, JAZZIZ Publisher Michael Fagien sits down with English rock icon Peter Frampton to discuss the guitarist's latest album, All Blues.

Few careers have been as rich and variegated as that of 76-year-old guitarist extraordinaire George Benson. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he cut his first record at age 10, singing sweetly on a catchy R&B single titled “She Makes Me Mad.” In 1964, at 21, he recorded The New Boss Guitar, his debut album as…

During the 1990s and early 2000s, India.Arie was one of the most prominent voices among the handful of young, talented artists giving shape to a new musical movement called neo-soul, a genre that mixed contemporary R&B and hip-hop with strains of soul and jazz. As the popularity of neo-soul grew, so too did Arie’s artistic…

Our Spring 2019 issue celebrated our 35th anniversary by taking a look back at some of the iconic photos that have appeared in the pages of our magazine. In today's episode of JAZZIZ Not What You Think, publisher Michael Fagien sits down with two of the photographers behind those shots — Jeff Sedlik and Tom Legoff — to talk about the fascinating back stories that went into capturing those moments on film.

Best known as a drummer in the renowned “expedition into the soul and spirit of rock and roll that is the Grateful Dead,” multi-Grammy winner Mickey Hart is also an accomplished writer, musicologist, painter and world traveler. He’s also an acclaimed expert on the history and mythology of the drums. A true original, armed with…

Jazz innovators don’t operate in a void. Louis Armstrong had his Hot Fives and Sevens. Miles Davis had his Great Quintets. Duke had his orchestra. Art Blakey had his Messengers. The point: great innovators are networked. They’re connected by tight clusters of other people who impart knowledge and skills, allowing for a faster, more efficient…

When Polish-born vocalist Basia broke away from the 1980s jazz-pop band Matt Bianco (joined in the departure by her musical partner, Danny White), she entered the U.S. music scene and made a smashing first impression. Her 1987 debut album, Time and Tide, sold over a million copies. A big fan of Brazilian music, Basia incorporates lots of…

  Best-known as the drummer in three successful progressive-rock bands—Yes, King Crimson and Genesis—Bill Bruford is also a bandleader, songwriter, producer, record label owner and a doctor with a PhD in music. Here, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer talks about his early days in prog-rock, his lifelong jazz jones and why good drummers…

Enjoy a one-on-one conversation with Michael McDonald and Michael Fagien- editor of JAZZIZ Magazine. They discuss his career, his concerns about the world and his new album "Wide Open".

Enjoy a one-on-one conversation with Keyon Harrold and Michael Fagien. Together, they cover everything from jazz, family, race and politics that’s both positive, upbeat and reflective of this trumpeter’s future.

Christopher James Roberts is an American composer, pianist and producer, best known by music industry insider's as Chris Roberts, one of the bright stars in music business.

Beatie Wolfe is a London-based singer-songwriter with her heart set on letting fans "see music differently". Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Jay Graydon is a paradox of sorts. His album Bebop was released in 2001 but don’t let the title fool you. Graydon loves jazz, though he’s not what most would consider a jazz guitarist and though revered by fellow musicians and players alike as a great guitarist (an in-demand LA studio musician featured on albums including Gino Vannelli and Christopher Cross), the instrument is less about his profession (he also plays keyboards) than it is one of the tools he uses to perfect his brand of music. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Had the latest book by Joshua Ramo: The Seventh Sense: Power, Fortune, and Survival in the Age of Networks, been published before the launch of Napster, the recording industry might have been prepared for the seismic shift in power that was about to take place. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

From Weather Report to Steely Dan to classic recordings on ECM, enjoy a conversation with one of the most prolific drummers in history: Peter Erskine Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

From his legendary status and strong voice in the Pat Metheny Group to his sparsity of solo recordings and trepidations about the music business (“The music business left us.”), enjoy a conversation with the self-proclaimed non-jazz keyboardist, Lyle Mays. A man of many talents, Mays also talks about his avocation as an architect and current day-gig as a software manager, his first love being classical music and his abhorrence of fundamentalism. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

From his earliest days as a music promoter in the ‘60s to his tenure at Warner Bros in the ‘70s, hit first jazz smash hit (George Benson’s Breezin’), Natalie Cole’s multiplatinum Unforgettable, legendary concerts in Montreux, his role in the rise to fame of Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets and so many others to his days at Verve, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole and Paul McCartney, commentary on topics from President Obama to his only movie soundtrack (a work he’s most proud of) to a train ride home with the precocious Joey Alexander to his commentary on how jazz took a dive when everyone started to sound like everyone else … enjoy a conversation with legendary producer Tommy LiPuma. Intro: Kickin' it - Jeff Lorber

Esperanza Spalding has won four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, making her the first jazz artist to win the award. At that time, she turned some heads beating out Justin Bieber and affecting the Grammys to change their voting rules. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Though he’s played with everyone from The Fowler Brothers to Freddie Hubbard to Frank Zappa, Chester Thompson is best-known as the touring drummer for the progressive rock super group Genesis. A jazz drummer from the start, Thompson talks about how his playing large arenas actually makes it harder to get jazz gigs and why his trio albums are his labor of love. Intro: Kickin' it - Jeff Lorber

Kenny G is the biggest-selling instrumental musician and one of the best-selling artists of all time (a reported 75 million records). He’s a good sport, and we’ve had a lot of fun with Kenny over the years. A cover of JAZZIZ (shown here) and this conversation with Kenny helps explain why… Music: Kickin' It - Jeff Lorber

Our guest for this episode of JAZZIZ Not What You Think is Jethro Tull’s intriguing leader, Mr. Ian Anderson. When Jethro Tull entered the music scene, they opened the eyes and ears of a generation of music fans with their new kind of fusion; mixing rock with folk, blues, jazz and classical music with unusual visual references through Anderson’s coloful lyrics and “stories”. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

You’ll enjoy this edition of JAZZIZ Not What You Think; a conversation with UK’s most successful jazz artist of all time, Jamie Cullum. Though he’s modest about his success and critically acclaimed piano, vocal and songwriting talents, you’ll discover that Jamie is equally meticulous in presenting the art of the past and his peers. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Two-time Grammy Award-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman is better known as a captivating recitalist. A chamber musician and jazz performer with a large discography, Stolzman gave the first clarinet recitals at both the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

For this episode of JAZZIZ Not What You Think our guest is my old friend and business partner, Grammy-Winning guitarist, composer, producer (with 17 Grammy nominations and over 40 albums), Lee Ritenour. Music intro: Kickin' It by Jeff Lorber

Oscar-nominated, Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester celebrates 40 years of making music. From pop to musicals, soundtracks to dance, Melissa’s latest album hits the smooth jazz charts. Music Intro by: Jeff Lorber

For this episode of JAZZIZ Not What You Think our guest is composer, pianist, hit maker, three time Grammy-winner, festival artistic director, radio and TV personality and now head of a new record label. Mr. Ramsey Lewis. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Our guest for this episode of JAZZIZ Not What You Think is one of the most fascinating people in the world, Mr. Bill Clinton. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber

Journey founder and guitarist Neal Schon talks about Santana, Eric Clapton, Return to Forever and his love for Blues and Jazz. Intro music: “Kickin’ It” by Jeff Lorber