Podcasts about downbeat critics poll

What does it take to sustain both a marriage and a creative partnership—without one overshadowing the other? In this long-awaited conversation, we sit down with returning guests Kiran Ahluwalia & Rez Abbasi, a powerhouse couple who have built extraordinary solo careers while seamlessly collaborating as partners in both life and music. From navigating creative differences to maintaining individuality within a shared artistic vision, Kiran and Rez open up about the complexities of working side by side in an industry that often blurs the line between personal and professional. We explore how they challenge traditions, support each other's artistic evolution, and continue to create a sound that is both deeply personal and globally resonant. We also dive into the challenges of navigating social media as artists—how they balance authenticity with the pressures of visibility, and the impact it has on their creative process and well-being. Additionally, we discuss the risks artists take in pursuit of their craft. Kiran shares her experience of suffering a major accident while filming a music video, highlighting the dedication and sacrifices that often go unseen in an artist's journey. About Our Guests: Kiran Ahluwalia is a two-time Juno Award-winning vocalist known for her contemporary take on the great vocal traditions of India and Pakistan. With roots in Sufi, Qawwali, Ghazal, and Punjabi folk, she masterfully weaves influences from Mali, rock, R&B, and jazz into a sound that defies boundaries. Leading a dynamic 6-piece ensemble, she crafts music that is at once reflective, groovy, and deeply human—what the Seattle Times calls “a transnational sound as fresh as tomorrow.” Rez Abbasi is a Guggenheim Fellowship-winning guitarist and composer, widely regarded as one of the most original voices in modern jazz. Voted #1 Rising-Star Guitarist in the DownBeat Critics Poll, he has been ranked alongside greats like Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny. Born in Karachi, Pakistan, raised in Southern California, and deeply influenced by jazz, classical, and Indian music, Rez creates a sonic landscape that is as intellectually profound as it is emotionally stirring. Together, Kiran and Rez embody the beauty and challenge of being hyphenated global artists—shaping their own artistic identities while constantly inspiring each other. Tune in for a heartfelt, insightful discussion on love, music, and the delicate dance of sustaining both. (Want more? The full, unedited version of this conversation—including behind-the-scenes moments—is available exclusively to our members. Membership is free! Sign up here to get access).   Connect with Rez Abbasi:  Website: www.reztone.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rez-Abbasi-71229228740 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reztone/    Connect with Kiran :  www.KiranMusic.com Facebook YouTube Instagram Spotify    

All Music Used With Permission from Orrin Evans For more than two decades pianist Orrin Evans has made an art form of the unexpected. With more than 25 albums to his credit, Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who's made a habit of rattling the jazz world's confining cages. That determination has paid off in accolades like topping the “Rising Star Pianist” category in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll and two Grammy nominations. As a daring pianist, Evans combines raw-edged vigor and left-field nuance into a sound wholly his own. This week, on the program, Orrin joined us recently with his trio to celebrate the Bop Stop's ninth anniversary, and we'll present both highlights from that show, along with selections from his prior appearances on the program. Featuring Luques Curtis on Bass, Mark Whitfield Junior on drums, and Orrin Evans on Piano, here's the best of the Orrin Evans Trio - Live at the Bop Stop.

Adam Schroeder And Mark Masters Pay Tribute To Clark Terry On CT!Big Band Takes On Fresh Arrangements Of 13 Terry Originals Available January 19, 2024 via Capri Records Host/Producer of The Jazz, Blues and R and B Podcast and Radio Show PERIOD: Tom Gouker PERIOD is found on: Youtube, Itunes, Anchor, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcast, Overcast, Breaker, Castbox, Radio Public, Podbay, Stitcher....and more! Tom Gouker is also featured on a limited-run podcast about the Beatles called, "The Beatles Come To America", Join Tom and the "Beatle Guru" Brooke Halpin as we chat about the US Album Releases of the Beatles ("65", "Yesterday & Today" and "Hey Jude"...they are all there.) How To Get a Hold of The Jazz Blues and R and B Podcast and Radio Show PERIOD! Contacts Information: Email: somethingcamefrombaltimore@gmail.com Twitter: something came from baltimore (@tom_gouker) / Twitter Instagram: Something Came From Baltimore (@something.came.from.baltimore) Did You know that The Jazz Blues and R and B Podcast and Radio Show Period is on "TheBocX.com". TheBocX.com - It is a Podcast and a 30-minute radio show and can be heard weekly (Thursday's at 7pm and 10pm EST). TIPS! (Thank You!) Tom Gouker's Cash App Account: $ThomasGouker Tom Gouker's Venmo Account: Thomas-Gouker ABOUT ADAM SCHROEDER Baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder has established his influence as a major voice and force within the global jazz community, becoming the first call for a multitude of musical situations in addition to his dedication and devotion towards extensive educational outreach. Holding a BM in Jazz Studies from Texas State University, San Marcos and a MM in Jazz Studies from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach, Schroeder presently serves as an Associate Professor of Jazz & Commercial Music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and was just awarded the University's “Charles Vanda Award for Excellence in the Arts” (2022). He's a prolific studio musician with many album, television, and film credits.ABOUT MARK MASTERSMark Masters is an inventive and prolific composer and arranger from southern California. He organized his first ensemble in 1982. His work has appeared on more than a dozen albums, under his own name and for other bandleaders. Masters has written and arranged music for recordings featuring Billy Harper, Jimmy Knepper, Andrew Cyrille, Oliver Lake, Mark Turner, Tim Hagans, Grachan Moncur III, Peter Erskine, and many others. From 1999 through 2006, Masters was a guest lecturer at Claremont McKenna College. He's been named a Rising Star: Arranger in the DownBeat Critics Poll. PERSONNELSal Lozano, alto saxophone / Bob Sheppard, tenor and soprano saxophones / Kirsten Edkins, tenor saxophone / Adam Schroeder, baritone saxophone / Francisco Torres, lead trombone / Ido Meshulam, trombone / Lemar Guillary, trombone / Dan Fornero, lead trumpet / James Ford, trumpet / Aaron Janik, trumpet / Edwin Livingston, bass / Peter Erskine, drums --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/somethingcame-from-baltim/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/somethingcame-from-baltim/support

In jazz, two legendary harp musicians come to mind. Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. Now, there is a third musician whose image immediately erupts into focus. For harp artist, educator, and Grammy nominated musician Brandee Younger, both Ashby and Coltrane made a tremendous impact on her. And with her latest recording, Brand New Life, on Impulse Records, Brandee Younger embraces Ashby and her impact on the harp. I caught up with Grammy nominated harpist Brandee Younger at the Spoleto Jazz Festival in Charleston, North Carolina. This was a major opportunity for me to learn how the harp, this extraordinarily large instrument, can be used in improvisational jazz. I am unfamiliar with how to play the harp so talking with Brandee Younger was a good time to learn how she does it. And learning about her major influence, Dorothy Ashby was an extra for me. Brandee's latest recording, Brand New Life, finds her embracing Ashby's compositions and styles as she crosses genres on this album. Chicago producer, drummer and bandleader Mikaya McCraven produced this album, infusing hip-hop and R&B influences in this recording. Some of the artists include Mumu Fresh (Maimouna Yousef), rapper, bassist and singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello and Blue Note recording artist and vibraphonist and bandleader Joel Ross. She was nominated for a Grammy in 2022 for Best Instrumental Composition for “Beautiful is Black” from her 2021 Recording Somewhere Different becoming the first black woman to do so. That same year she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and named winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll in the category of "Rising Star" Miscellaneous Instrument. In 2023 Brandee Younger won in Jazz Journalists Association annual recognition awards in the category Rare Instrument. Brandee's discography includes Somewhere Different (Impulse, 2021)-composition Grammy nominated; Force Majeure (International Anthem Recording Co.) 2021; Soul Awakening (Self-Released) 2019; Wax & Wane (Disk Union) 2016; Prelude (Self-released) 2011. Brandee Younger is currently on the teaching artist faculty at New York University and The New School College of Performing Arts. She also serves as Symphonic and Jazz Harp Artist in Residence at the Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts. The photo of Brandee Younger is by Erin O'Brien.

One of the most well-received musicians of her generation, composer and arranger Chie Imaizumi, has won many awards as an ambitious and active voice in the jazz community. She received the Herb Pomeroy Award, The Rocky Mountain Jazz Artist of the Year, and was recognized by DownBeat Critics Poll as a "Rising Star Composer & Arranger." Tenia Nelson performs regularly at jazz venues in the Denver metro area, including Dazzle and Nocturne. Nelson is a freelance music artist and plays all types of music. She co-led a well-known Denver-based jazz group, Spherio, which focuses on arranging and playing the music of Thelonious Sphere Monk (Tenia Nelson, keys; Brendan O' Donoghue, bass; and Andreas Schmid, drums). I also lead a group called Tenia Nelson Trio (Tenia Nelson, keys; Brendan O' Donoghue, bass; Alex Tripp, drums).  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/backstagejazz/message

The sonically innovative harpist, Brandee Younger, is revolutionizing the harp for the digital era. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists.  In 2022, she made history by becoming the first black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Ever-expanding as an artist, she has worked with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, and Moses Sumney.   Her current album, Brand New Life, builds on her already rich oeuvre and cements the harp's place in pop culture.  As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths–artistic, personal, political, and spiritual. On this album, Younger salutes her musical foremother, the trailblazing harpist Dorothy Ashby, while also speaking to the sentiments of more recent generations. “We're bringing new life to Dorothy Ashby's popular and previously unreleased compositions. We're creating new life…for the instrument,” Younger said. Brand New Life is an album about living fully, in neon bright color. In March of 2022, Younger flew to Chicago and began recording Brand New Life in the home studio of her long-time collaborator and friend, Makaya McCraven, who produced and played drums on the album. In the Windy City, Younger hoped to harness some of Ashby's funky energy from a recording she did there nearly five decades before. Younger gathered artists who have had a sense of kinship with Ashby; from the internationally-lauded neo-soul bassist/vocalist/rapper Meshell Ndegeocello to her long-time bassist Rashaan Carter, plus the legendary rapper and producer Pete Rock and the talented contemporary producer 9th Wonder. The latter producers introduced hip-hop and R&B listeners to Ashby in the 1990s and early 2000s via slick samples. Pete Rock and CL Smooth's 1992 release, “For Pete's Sake,” samples Ashby's 1968 hit “Come Live With Me.” 9th Wonder's remix of singer Amerie's 2003 R&B classic “Why Don't We Fall in Love,” also includes a Dorothy Ashby sample from “Come Live With Me.” With Younger's solo rendition of this heavily sampled song on Brand New Life, she builds a sonic bridge between generations. “I wanted everyone on the record to have a special connection to Dorothy [Ashby]," she said.  For the project, Younger also recorded a number of Ashby's compositions that were never recorded before, alongside Ashby fan favorites and Younger originals.  The emotional complexity of the album is stunningly captured in the title track, “Brand New Life,” an original co-written by Younger and singer, Mumu Fresh. “This love is so deep, time and space couldn't keep you away from me,” Mumu Fresh sings. Younger's playing paints lush details over Mumu Fresh's smooth vocals leaving nothing to be sonically desired. Against the backdrop of current social issues–climate change, racism, health disparities, and women's rights–the song speaks to a desire that many people have for change, for something new in the world. “Brand New Life'' reaches listeners at the level of the human. Love is a subtle but insistent thread throughout the album. The opening track, “You're a Girl For One Man Only,” is a previously unrecorded Dorothy Ashby composition. Sonically, it is tender and evocative of a first kiss or the early seasons of a new romance. Younger recalls the original song's lyrics' more traditional message of romantic longing that we still hear in popular music today. Boy chases girl. Girl succumbs. In Younger's version, there is a sense of agency and exploration. Younger creates a mesmerizing atmosphere. In the second half of the track, we are met with a delicate dance between Joel Ross on vibraphone and Younger on harp, the two instruments pining through the melody.  Brand New Life is part of her steadfast efforts to amplify the contributions of black women harpists and to keep their legacies alive.  Her care for and attention to Dorothy Ashby as a musical ancestor has been consistent throughout her career. Akin to the popular hashtag, #CiteBlackWomen, which demands consumers credit and recognizes black women for their intellectual labor, Younger urges us to recognize Ashby's contribution to the American songbook. The album is part of a larger project of recognizing not only the history of innovators of the distinguished harp – a history that places Ashby and Younger together on a continuum – but also the presence of everyday black women.  “Running Game” was an obscure seven-inch single release originally entitled “Double Talkin'” and featured Ashby on piano. In the song's intro, we hear what sounds like a casual conversation at a black women's beauty salon or at a social gathering of sorts where women freely share advice and observations on life with one another. The voices in the intro are of Younger's mother and aunt. Younger set up listeners by reading the lyrics from Ashby's original. “Every man I meet is double talkin'. "Where did the good men go?” The women candidly respond to the song lyrics. One says, “As far as the game, men have been running game since day one.” The track leads into, “Running Game,” a ballad with inflections of Negro spirituals and the blues.  Here, Younger's expressivity on her instrument is incomparable. As the strings (arranged by DeSean Jones) hum behind her, the “double-talking” gold-digging man comes into full view. “Running Game” ends on a note of optimism, of marching forward despite life's struggles.  Younger was born and raised in Hempstead, New York. As a teen in the early 1990s, she bopped to the beats of artists like LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, and Busta Rhymes. Among these hip-hop greats, she discovered Ashby's music by way of hip-hop legend Pete Rock. She began playing harp at the age of eleven and eventually enrolled at the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford in Connecticut where she studied classical music. It was through the encouragement of legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean that she made her first foray into jazz with the harp.  Hearing Ashby for the first time made her envision new possibilities for herself as a harpist. “She was covering all of these popular tunes and soundtracks [of the time] and I wanted to do that. She's playing pop, jazz, and everyone's sampling her–DJ Premier, Pete Rock, J. Dilla. Hearing, then seeing her as a Black Woman, while I'm this random little isolated black girl playing the harp by myself was everything to me.” Younger forged her way with a small but mighty group of black women harpists as examples—Sarah Lawrence from her hometown, Ann Hobson-Pilot, Dorothy Ashby, and Alice Coltrane—who were consistent sources of inspiration. In 2006, after graduating from Hartt School, Younger went on to develop a name for herself on the jazz and commercial recording scene in New York City. To date, her performance roster is fierce. As a side-woman, she has played alongside jazz icons such as Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Jack DeJohnette, and Reggie Workman. Younger's commitment to carrying the torch can also be seen through her work as a performer and educator. In 2008, she earned a Master of Music from New York University's Steinhardt School. During this time, she began to work seriously as an educator. She has been a guest faculty and lecturer at numerous universities including but not limited to Berklee College of Music, Princeton University, Howard University, and Tulane University. Currently, she serves as a teaching artist faculty at New York University and The New School.    In 2020, Younger was named winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll in the category of "Rising Star" harpist. Her work as a side woman is evidence of Younger's undeniable presence in the sound of contemporary jazz today. In recent years, she has appeared on albums by Lakecia Benjamin, Robert Glasper, Jeremy Pelt, The Baylor Project, and Makaya McCraven, just to name a few. In addition to her contributions as a side-woman, Younger's commitment to honoring the legacy of black women harpists can be seen through her curatorial work. She has curated a number of performances dedicated to honoring the work of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. This work speaks to her dedication as a purveyor of black music and history. In this episode, Brandee shares her background, education, and musical journey. If you enjoyed this episode please make sure to subscribe, follow, rate, and/or review this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, ect. Connect with us on all social media platforms and at www.improvexchange.com

Immanuel Wilkins is considered one of the most compelling instrumentalists in improvised music today. His primary instrument is the alto saxophone but that's not all he can play. There's a video you can find on YouTube of an interview he did when he was 11 years old. You see an acoustic bass in the background. He can play not only the bass but also piano and other instruments. I consider Immanuel Wilkins one of today's young geniuses roaming the urban landscape. In episode 5 of Strictly Jazz Sounds Philadelphia-raised, Brooklyn-based alto sax player, composer, bandleader, and Blue Note recording artist Immanuel Wilkins joins me. Immanuel surrounds himself with today's young jazz heavy weights. I made a rough list of some of those young geniuses, and they numbered close to 20. And those were only the musicians living in the New York area. What a time Immanuel is living in, a time where he becomes a Blue Note recording artist at 22 years old. His first album, Omega, was named the number 1 jazz album of 2020 by The New York Times. That's heady stuff. Two years later, Immanuel releases his second recording on the Blue Note label to critical acclaim, The 7th Hand. The thing is all members of his quartet were under 25 years old. So, is there a sort of renaissance, a rebirth of young, brilliant talent occurring in jazz today? Immanuel Wilkins thinks that's possible. In the 1950s a resurgence of young talent occurred. One of them, recently deceased maestro Wayne Shorter, others include trumpeter Lee Morgan, bassist Paul Chambers, and pianist McCoy Tyner. John Coltrane barely made the list because he hit 30 years old in 1958. Then in the 60s there was Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, and maestro Ron Carter. And there's Bobbi Humphrey, Blue Note's first female instrumentalist, signed when she was only 21 years old in the 70s. And, in the early 80s, there were the Young Lions that reinvigorated jazz performance. Those cats included Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, and Terence Blanchard, four of the group of neo-bop jazz musicians in the 80s that defied avant-garde. What does it take to wade into the fast-moving waters of New York jazz? Immanuel knows the type of work ethic required to be signed to the number one jazz label, according to the current DownBeat Critics Poll. Blue Note's Don Was has his ear to the ground, says Immanuel. He knows the current landscape and how to pick the hot players. Immanuel was fortunate to work with his close friend vibist Joel Ross as well as pianist James Francies, who signed with Blue Note at 24 and 23 years old respectively. Something must be in the water or perhaps the air. Immanuel's faith is also at full display on his sophomore release, The 7th Hand. Is this a rare thing among jazz artists? Is this something new or has it existed all along? Immanuel's intent for this recording, for the artistry, is to serve as a vessel for the “Creator.” His purpose is to channel the Holy Spirit, Immanuel remarks. Brian Blade, who is a preacher's kid (PK as noted in the episode) and Immanuel both see their music as a sort of ministry. With The 7th Hand, Immanuel delivers his message in a major way. Listen to these two tracks from Immanuel Wilkins' recording, The 7th Hand: "Emanation" and "Witness" (featuring Elena Penderhughes, flute). Immanuel Wilkins goes on tour in Michigan on March 24, Madison, Wisconsin March 25, up state in Wisconsin, and Chicago then to Arizona, Washington, DC and back out to the west coast, returning to the east coast and Minnesota. You can find his itinerary on. Immanuel's website, www.immanuelwilkins.com. A lot of travel. Remember to subscribe if you want to be notified of future episodes. I'm looking for sponsors and if you want to help with expenses, please email me at strictlyjazzsounds@gmail.com. You can find this podcast of Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music/Audible, Player FM, and iHeartRadio. Make comments on my Facebook page, Strictly Jazz Sounds. You can also join my Facebook group: Jazz Enthusiasts.            

Playing a few selected recordings of artists who were highly rated on the latest Downbeat Critics poll. It starts with three tracks from the latest entry into the Jazz Hall of Fame. It finishes with the ‘best historical album’. Between you’ll hear someone who is both #1 jazz and #1 non-jazz artist (Quantum physics or…Continue reading Episode 202: 70th Annual Downbeat Critics Poll

durée : 00:55:11 - Jacob Garchik - par : Alex Dutilh - Jacob Garchik (tromboniste Rising Star #1, 2018 Downbeat Critics Poll) sort son album le plus jazz à ce jour, toujours imprégné de son sens de l'expérimentation et de la surprise. “Assembly” paraît le 13 mai chez Yestereve. - réalisé par : Fabien Fleurat

durée : 00:55:11 - Jacob Garchik - par : Alex Dutilh - Jacob Garchik (tromboniste Rising Star #1, 2018 Downbeat Critics Poll) sort son album le plus jazz à ce jour, toujours imprégné de son sens de l'expérimentation et de la surprise. “Assembly” paraît le 13 mai chez Yestereve. - réalisé par : Fabien Fleurat

Rez Abbasi is an accomplished jazz guitarist and composer known for his ability to fuse traditional Pakistani and Indian classical music with modern jazz. In this episode, he discusses his eclectic guitar style, the diverse musical projects he’s contributed to, and the inspiration for his 2020 release, Django-shift, a collection of songs inspired by the music of Django Reinhardt. Rez tells Alex about some of the music he rediscovered during the pandemic (like the band Foreigner) and the projects he’s thinking of working on next. Rez Abbasi has explored nearly every style of music imaginable over the course of his career, having released 15 solo albums and contributing to a number of others. He’s been voted #1 Rising-Star Guitarist in the 2013 DownBeat Critics Poll and subsequently placed in the “Top-Ten Guitarists” alongside luminaries Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny, guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi is one of the most original voices on the current scene.Moods & Modes is presented by Osiris Media. Hosted and Produced by Alex Skolnick. Osiris Production by Kirsten Cluthe and Brad Stratton. Editing and mixing by Brad Stratton. Music by Alex Skolnick. Artwork by Mark Dowd. To discover more podcasts that help you connect more deeply to the music you love, check out osirispod.com. If you like what you hear, please give us a rate and review on Apple Podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebestmusicpodcast Blog: https://bestmusiccoach.blogspot.com Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thebestmusicpod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebestmusicpodcast The Best Music Podcast #2 | Rez Abbasi - Guitar | Creating New Music and Maintaining a Calm Mind Voted #1 Rising-Star Guitarist in the 2013 DownBeat Critics Poll and subsequently placed in the “Top-Ten Guitarists” alongside luminaries Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny, guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi is one of the most original voices on the current scene. Making New York home for the past 25 years, Abbasi is considered by many to be one of the foremost modern jazz guitar players the world over. He has performed and recorded with many jazz greats including, Grammy winner Ruth Brown, Peter Erskine, Kenny Werner, Barre Phillips, Tim Berne, Michael Formanek, Billy Hart, Gary Thomas, Dave Douglas, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Mike Clark, Tim Hagans, John Beasly, Ronu Majumdar, Kadri Gopalnath, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Vijay Iyer, Marilyn Crispell, Greg Osby, Howard Levy and a host of others. The renowned jazz critic, Bill Milkowski says “Abbasi's unpredictable phrasing and accomplished writing are what sets him apart from hordes of other technically adept guitarists”. www.reztone.com Check out his CD store on reztone.com facebook: facebook.com/rezabbasi Twitter: @RezAbbasi Instagram: reztone   0:00 Intro 3:03 Creating New Music, Projects, and Ideas 10:12 Drop Tunings 11:45 Sitar Guitar 12:30 Bazaar (2007) 14:17 Soloing with Rhythm, Polyrhythms, and Syncopation 18:57 Metric Modulations in Compositions 22:03 How Rez Uses Power Chords in Jazz 25:04 Django Shift (2020) 33:48 How to Record a Jazz Record in the Modern Age 38:05 Oasis (2020) 43:56 How to Play Music over a Silent Film 48:52 What is Next for Rez? 52:00 Guitar Sound Shaping Play 53:55 Lifestyle, Practice, Performance, and Creativity 54:06 Lifestyle: Sleep 56:06 Lifestyle: Mindfulness and Meditation 1:00:04 Letting Go vs. Ego 1:02:11 Lifestyle: Finding the Right Partner for Musicians 1:06:51 Practice: What Comes Easy for You? 1:09:44 Practice: What was Hard for You? 1:14:13 Practice: What Time of Day is Best? 1:18:48 Practice: How Many Hours a Day? 1:23:06 Practice: How to Deal with and Mitigate Burn Out: Forced Rest Days 1:28:04 "I Don't Want to Think of Myself as a Professional Musician" 1:31:18 How Rez Deals with Performance Anxiety Logo, Intro Video, and Branding: Arron Leishman Audio and Video: Zach Ramey zacherylramey@gmail.com Video Thumbnail: Jean Tomasulo https://www.behance.net/jeantomasulo

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Vibraphonist Matt Moran ..We spoke with him back on April 20, 2020 as the COVID-19 world was starting to close in on us all .. He opened up about his life, past and the future .. He was named "Rising Star" on vibraphone by the 2014 Downbeat Critics Poll, but he is just as often known for his work as the drummer and bandleader for brass band Slavic Soul Party! His career exists in diverse musical environments, from chamber music to jazz to Balkan folk music, and evinces a dedication to music education for incarcerated people. He has released 10 albums as a leader, and performed on nearly 100 albums by other artists, including Sufjan Stevens, Theo Bleckmann, William Parker, Ellery Eskelin, and Luciana Souza. Get to know him and dig this interview.Click to listen.Neon Jazz is a radio program airing since 2011. Hosted by Joe Dimino and Engineered by John Christopher in Kansas City, Missouri giving listeners a journey into one of America's finest inventions. Take a listen on KCXL (102.9 FM / 1140 AM) out of Liberty, MO. Listen to KCXL on Tunein Radio at http://tunein.com/radio/Neon-Jazz-With-Joe-Dimino-p381685/. You can now catch Neon Jazz on KOJH 104.7 FM out of the Mutual Musicians Foundation from Noon - 1 p.m. CST Monday-Friday at https://www.kojhfm.org/. Check us out at All About Jazz @ https://kansascity.jazznearyou.com/neon-jazz.php. For all things Neon Jazz, visit http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/

Grammy award winning baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian is one of the most in demand musicians on the scene today.  She is the Winner of the “Rising Star” Baritone Saxophonist in the 67th Downbeat Critics Poll and  Winner of the Hothouse Jazz Awards Baritone Saxophone 2019. Ms. Sevian came to NYC in 1997 to attend the...

Influential jazz vocalist Kurt Elling joins Tim to talk about his life in jazz music and the unique role the vocalist plays, along with his multifaceted career in theatre and as one of jazz music’s poets. https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/shapingopinion/Kurt_Elling_auphonic.mp3 Kurt Elling is a Grammy award winning jazz vocalist. He’s been described by numerous jazz critics as one of the most influential male jazz vocalists over the past 25 years. The New York Times even described Kurt as “the standout male vocalist of our time.” His music oftentimes provides a blend of jazz swing with a poetic touch. The Jazz Journalists Association has named Kurt its “Male Singer of the Year” eight times. He sings everything from classic jazz standards to fresh originals. When you watch or listen to Kurt, you’re not witnessing a performance…you’re having a musical experience. The Wall Street Journal put it this way, “Elling combines authenticity with stunning originality.” Kurt’s most recent release is called Secrets Are the Best Stories. The project explores some of life’s most challenging philosophical questions. He’s joined in the project by an influential musician in his own right …pianist Danilo Pérez. Together the two draw inspiration from the musical and lyrical insights of jazz masters (Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius), brilliant poets (Franz Wright, Robert Bly) and respected authors (Toni Morrison) to craft a set of stunning new compositions. Kurt Elling has performed in jazz clubs, symphony halls and festival stages around the world.  And he got is start in his native Chicago. Special Thanks to: Kurt Elling for allowing us to use his music tracks as part of the production of this episode. Links KurtElling.com Kurt Elling: Living the Questions, Jazz Times Kurt Elling, Grammy-winning Vocal Great. Eager to Swing and Lift Spirits, San Diego Tribune About this Episode’s Guest Kurt Elling Renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling has secured his place among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. Declared “the standout male vocalist of our time” by The New York Times, Elling has garnered unprecedented accolades, including a fourteen-year run atop the DownBeat Critics Poll, a dozen GRAMMY nominations, and eight Jazz Journalists Association awards for “Male Singer of the Year.” Elling’s voice is instantly recognizable, embracing listeners with his warm, rich baritone and navigating the full span of his four-octave range as a virtuoso instrumentalist and a compelling storyteller. Whether transforming timeless standards or crafting his own enthralling originals, Elling balances elegant lyricism and technical mastery with wry humor, emotional depth, and keen observations into the human condition. “Elling combines authenticity with stunning originality,” is how The Wall Street Journal describes his talents, while The Guardian has called him “a kind of Sinatra with superpowers.” The Toronto Star has gone so far as to say that “Kurt Elling is the closest jazz will ever get to having its own saint,” while The Guardian makes up one voice in a chorus calling him “one of jazz’s all-time great vocalists.” Elling’s most recent release, The Questions, vividly exemplifies his ability to respond to the world around him with both urgent immediacy and a unique perspective. Co-produced by NEA Jazz Master and acclaimed saxophonist Branford Marsalis, the album searches for answers to the culture’s most divisive social, political and spiritual issues in the songs of Bob Dylan, Carla Bley and Leonard Bernstein, and the poetry of Rumi and Wallace Stevens. Elling had previously joined Marsalis and his long-running Quartet for 2016’s GRAMMY-nominated Upward Spiral, which All About Jazz hailed as “suffused with graciousness, beauty, and, on occasion, heartbreak.” Taking the long view of Elling’s audacious and richly varied career,

Influential jazz vocalist Kurt Elling joins Tim to talk about his life in jazz music and the unique role the vocalist plays, along with his multifaceted career in theatre and as one of jazz music's poets. https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/shapingopinion/Kurt_Elling_auphonic.mp3 Kurt Elling is a Grammy award winning jazz vocalist. He's been described by numerous jazz critics as one of the most influential male jazz vocalists over the past 25 years. The New York Times even described Kurt as “the standout male vocalist of our time.” His music oftentimes provides a blend of jazz swing with a poetic touch. The Jazz Journalists Association has named Kurt its “Male Singer of the Year” eight times. He sings everything from classic jazz standards to fresh originals. When you watch or listen to Kurt, you're not witnessing a performance…you're having a musical experience. The Wall Street Journal put it this way, “Elling combines authenticity with stunning originality.” Kurt's most recent release is called Secrets Are the Best Stories. The project explores some of life's most challenging philosophical questions. He's joined in the project by an influential musician in his own right …pianist Danilo Pérez. Together the two draw inspiration from the musical and lyrical insights of jazz masters (Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius), brilliant poets (Franz Wright, Robert Bly) and respected authors (Toni Morrison) to craft a set of stunning new compositions. Kurt Elling has performed in jazz clubs, symphony halls and festival stages around the world.  And he got is start in his native Chicago. Special Thanks to: Kurt Elling for allowing us to use his music tracks as part of the production of this episode. Links KurtElling.com Kurt Elling: Living the Questions, Jazz Times Kurt Elling, Grammy-winning Vocal Great. Eager to Swing and Lift Spirits, San Diego Tribune About this Episode's Guest Kurt Elling Renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling has secured his place among the world's foremost jazz vocalists. Declared “the standout male vocalist of our time” by The New York Times, Elling has garnered unprecedented accolades, including a fourteen-year run atop the DownBeat Critics Poll, a dozen GRAMMY nominations, and eight Jazz Journalists Association awards for “Male Singer of the Year.” Elling's voice is instantly recognizable, embracing listeners with his warm, rich baritone and navigating the full span of his four-octave range as a virtuoso instrumentalist and a compelling storyteller. Whether transforming timeless standards or crafting his own enthralling originals, Elling balances elegant lyricism and technical mastery with wry humor, emotional depth, and keen observations into the human condition. “Elling combines authenticity with stunning originality,” is how The Wall Street Journal describes his talents, while The Guardian has called him “a kind of Sinatra with superpowers.” The Toronto Star has gone so far as to say that “Kurt Elling is the closest jazz will ever get to having its own saint,” while The Guardian makes up one voice in a chorus calling him “one of jazz's all-time great vocalists.” Elling's most recent release, The Questions, vividly exemplifies his ability to respond to the world around him with both urgent immediacy and a unique perspective. Co-produced by NEA Jazz Master and acclaimed saxophonist Branford Marsalis, the album searches for answers to the culture's most divisive social, political and spiritual issues in the songs of Bob Dylan, Carla Bley and Leonard Bernstein, and the poetry of Rumi and Wallace Stevens. Elling had previously joined Marsalis and his long-running Quartet for 2016's GRAMMY-nominated Upward Spiral, which All About Jazz hailed as “suffused with graciousness, beauty, and, on occasion, heartbreak.” Taking the long view of Elling's audacious and richly varied career,

Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Educator and Activist Roxy Coss has performed around the world, headlining at the Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, NYC Winter JazzFest, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, Jazz Standard, and Jazz Showcase. A recipient of an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, the Downbeat Critics’ Poll listed her as a "Rising Star" on Soprano Saxophone the past six years, called her "An exceptional young talent”, and Jazziz Magazine listed her an “Artist to Watch in 2019”. She has performed as a side musician with Clark Terry, Billy Kaye, Maurice Hines, Rufus Reid, Louis Hayes, Claudio Roditi, Willie Jones III, Jeremy Pelt, Darcy James Argue, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Her fourth album as a leader, The Future Is Female (Posi-Tone Records), received 4.5-Star reviews from Downbeat and All About Jazz. The Roxy Coss Quintet, featuring some of the world’s finest young musicians, is the first ever recipient of the Emerging Artist Project, a four-year grant from the Local 802 Musicians Union. Roxy is on the Board of Directors for the Jazz Education Network, is on Jazz Faculty at The Juilliard School, The New School, BMCC (A CUNY College), and is the Founder of Women In Jazz Organization (WIJO). Roxy is an endorsing Artist for P. Mauriat, Vandoren, and Key Leaves.

(Rec. 5th June 2020) Voted #1 “Rising-Star Guitarist” in 2013's DownBeat Critics Poll and successively in the top-ten guitarists alongside luminaries Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny, guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi is among a rare breed of artists that continue to push boundaries while preserving the traditions he has embraced. “Abbasi is living, breathing proof that jazz music can be as vital and boundary-pushing as ever.” AllAboutJazz.com. 
 Born in Karachi, Pakistan, migrating at the age of four to the vastness of Southern California, schooled at the University of Southern California and the Manhattan School of Music in jazz and classical music, along with a pilgrimage in India under the guidance of master percussionist, Ustad Alla Rakha, Abbasi is a vivid synthesis of all the above stated influences and genres. Making New York home for the past 25 years, he has developed a unique sound both as a composer and an instrumentalist and is considered by many to be one of the foremost modern jazz guitar players the world over. With fifteen albums of mostly original compositions, Abbasi continues to forge new ground with his many multi-dimensional projects. From his 2005 organ trio recording Snake Charmer that features Indian vocal sensation Kiran Ahluwalia, to his recent Behind the Vibration (2015), he captures provocative sounds rarely heard in jazz. Abbasi's sixth album, Things To Come (2009) features a star-studded group of Vijay Iyer, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Dan Weiss, Johannes Weidenmueller and Ahluwalia and was included in DownBeat's “top CD's of the decade” along with a 4.5 star review. The same year he was awarded the prestigious Chamber Music America (CMA) commission to compose new works for the same ensemble, Invocation. 
 In 2010, Abbasi reconvened his group Invocation to record the follow-up to Things To Come, Suno Suno which features his CMA commissioned compositions that are informed by Qawwali - spiritual music from Pakistan. The power, joy and depth that Qawwali encompasses can be heard throughout Suno Suno. In 2017, Unfiltered Universe was released. It is Abbasi's third of a trilogy of albums with his group Invocation and his twelfth album release. The compositions are based on his experiences performing with Carnatic musicians and dancers and were once again commissioned by CMA. Among Abbasi's most recent projects is a commission by the New York Guitar Festival to create and perform a live score for the 1929 silent film A Throw of Dice, based on an episode from the Indian Sanskrit epic The Mahabharata. His “Silent Ensemble” recorded the score and the album was released in 2019. In 2020 Rez is set to release his 15th album, Django-shift which features his imaginative recasting of the music of Django Reinhardt, one of history's most influential guitarists.   This Episode is brought to you by www.everynowheremusic.com  Connect with Rez Abbasi:  Website: www.reztone.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rez-Abbasi-71229228740 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reztone/    Connect with T.L. Mazumdar // EveryNowHere :    Website: www.findtl.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everynowheremusic/ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39S0dP5  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tlmusician Twitter: https://twitter.com/tlmazumdar  

 Wayne Escoffery is a 2014 Downbeat Critics Poll winner and Grammy Award winning tenor saxophonist who has recorded and performed internationally with the Who's Who in jazz including Ron Carter, Ben Riley, Abdulah Ibrahim, Eddie Henderson, Rufus Reid, Wallace Roney, Herbie Hancock and more. Wayne's new critically acclaimed album “Humble Warrior” features the return of Escoffery's stellar quartet featuring pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo, and drummer Ralph Peterson. 

Today I’m speaking with saxophonist and composer David Binney. Originally from Los Angeles, David lived in New York City for nearly 40 years until recently returning to the LA area. He has over 20 albums out as a leader, and has worked with an unbelievable cast of musicians in a wide array of circumstances. We discuss how he balanced having a day job with being a musician when he first moved to New York, how the advent of the internet has changed the music scene and recording industry, the things he thinks are key to making a living in music today, his composition process, and much more.Connect with David:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidbinney/Website: http://davidbinney.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Ven2ra1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidbinneyfan/Connect with Bernie's Bootlegs:Website: http://podcast.berniesbootlegs.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berniesbootlegsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/berniesbootlegsTwitter: https://twitter.com/berniesbootlegsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/berniesbootlegs1About David, courtesy of davidbinney.com:"Acclaimed as a considerable and highly individual compositional talent, saxophonist David Binney is one of the most prolific jazz musicians on the scene today. Winning praise from critics and colleagues alike, David was singled out by JazzTimes as one of a handful of “players who have created an alternative jazz scene… all of whom are playing adventurous, original music.”David’s distinctive saxophone sound and innovative compositions have been heard from basement clubs in New York to jazz festivals in Europe and the world. In addition to his extensive work as a leader, he has been sought after as a sideman, appearing on record with Medeski, Martin & Wood, Uri Caine’s Mahler Project, and hundreds of others. David has also appeared on stage with Aretha Franklin, at Carnegie Hall, and with Maceo Parker, to name a few. He has produced all of his own 22 albums, and many others including two of the Lost Tribe releases, Scott Colley’s The Architect of the Silent Moment, and 8 Donny McCaslin releases, including the highly acclaimed Casting For Gravity, Fast Future, and Beyond Now.He also put together and produces the band that became the band on David Bowie’s Blackstar.David started his record label, Mythology Records, in 1998.He has won the DownBeat Critics Poll 3 different times in the Alto Saxophone category. And placed in Producer, Album etc.. As well as in the JazzTimes polls and polls worldwide.He has had front cover features in DownBeat, JazzTimes, and many other publications."Support the show (http://berniesbootlegs.com/support)

In this episode of TrueFire Live, we sit down with bebop guitarist extraordinaire, Sheryl Bailey, to discuss her latest jazz guitar courses. To learn more and watch the video from this live session, please visit truefire.com/live.The Downbeat Critics Poll voted Sheryl a Rising Star (2013-2016) and One of the new greats of her chosen instrument Phillip Booth, Downbeat MagazineAs a leader, she has toured the US, Canada, Finland, Austria, Italy, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Japan, and the UK with her many projects: The Sheryl Bailey 3, The Sheryl Bailey 4, The Electric Ladyland Project, Acoustic Muse, and Plucky Strum. She has 10 critically acclaimed releases as a leader. Her latest is Plucky Strum with bass master Harvie S via Whaling City Sound.She has toured and recorded with Richard Bona, Anat Cohen, David Krakauers Ancestral Groove, Abraham Inc., John Zorn, Irene Cara, Lea Delaria, George Garzone, Jack Wilkins, Shingo Okudaira, Steve Slagle, Harvie S, Ken Peplowski, Kim Plainfield, and Gary Thomas. As an educator, she has been Professor of Guitar at Berklee College of Music since 2000, is faculty at The Collective School of Music in NYC, and has hosted master classes and workshops worldwide. Her Mel Bay publication, Moveable Shapes, is a top seller in their Jazz Curriculum Series. Her latest adventure is The Bebop Dojo, an interactive, online jazz academy developed for the Guitar Sherpa program at Truefire.com. Her Bebop Dojo Essentials course and her 50 Bebop Licks Everyone Should Know are also top TrueFire titles.Sheryl plays her Signature McCurdy Mercury Model, Acoustic Image Amplifiers, Stone Bridge Acoustic Guitars and Earthquaker Devices

Mary Halvorson, Orquesta Akokan, Danfis Prieto, Lina Allemano’s Titanium Riot, Greg Spero (with an illustrarion of 17/16 metre), Elio Villafranca, Renee Rosnes, Francois Moutin & Kavita Shaw, and Fred Hersch.  All talked about in either the May and June, 2018 issues of Downbeat.  I also talk a bit about the Downbeat Critics Poll and play…Continue reading Episode 33: All About Downbeat Magazine, Part 2

December 8 - Grammy Nominated Jazz Organist/Pianist - Brian Charette Brian Charette has established himself as a leading voice in modern jazz. Charette is a Grammy-nominated, Hammond-endorsed artist who was just named the winner of the 2014 Downbeat Critics’ Poll in the "Rising Star: Organ" category.  Besides being a critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, Brian has worked with notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, and many more.  

December 8 - Grammy Nominated Jazz Organist/Pianist - Brian Charette Brian Charette has established himself as a leading voice in modern jazz. Charette is a Grammy-nominated, Hammond-endorsed artist who was just named the winner of the 2014 Downbeat Critics’ Poll in the "Rising Star: Organ" category.  Besides being a critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, Brian has worked with notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, and many more.