Bite-Size Jazz

What do Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy Cline have in common? They were both considered the epitome of their respective styles of music. They have both influenced hundreds of other musical artists. And Staci Griesbach can knock your socks off singing either woman’s music.

Some people wouldn’t put country and jazz in the same boat. But after years of listening to both genres, Staci realized they weren’t so different after all. Not only are both styles “born in America” — they have similar emotional undercurrents. A good lyric, paired with a good melody, that moves the listener every time.

If you’re not convinced yet - just give Staci Griesbach’s latest album, My George Jones Songbook, a listen. You might become a country fan just yet. Tune in for 10 minutes to hear Staci’s take on her latest album!

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During the pandemic lockdown, when doors were shuttered and people were cut off from one another, Rowan Flack was dreaming about wide open spaces. And writing about them in her new single, “The Calling.”

“The Calling” is a dreamy tune featuring an intimate setting of voice and piano. Rowan’s poetry-inspired lyrics are a perfect pairing for the playing of Deschanel Gordon (BBC Young Jazz Musician 2020). Together they help us break free from the constraints of everyday life and find solace in the calling of the mountains.

Tune in to get to know Rowan Flack and learn more about her follow-up EP, coming soon in 2023!

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This summer, Simeon Davis released the album, Of Narratives & Nocturnes. And it’s truly all about the narrative.

If you like a good story, you’ll love Simeon’s music. His music doesn’t just tell a story — the band members are acting out the narrative, role-playing their individual themes. They’re more like thespians than musicians. In his hands, a band becomes a boat rocking across the ocean, a keyboard takes on the voice of God, and a guitar whispers the beguilings of the devil.

In this episode, we dive into two tracks from the album, “Eden” and “Pleiades” whose respective inspirations come from religion and Greek mythology. Tune in to hear how Simeon paints the canvas of these ancient worlds through instruments and voice — it just takes 10 minutes.

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The goddess of love, beauty, and femininity. But also the goddess of war and ambition. A multi-faceted personality — simultaneously passionate and poised. Are we talking about Inanna, Aphrodite, Venus… Or pianist Connie Han?

Most audiences are familiar with more modern iterations of love goddesses, like Venus and Aphrodite. But Inanna’s history in Sumerian mythology surpasses her look-alikes. Her inexorable lust for power and conquest are juxtaposed with her extreme femininity (she is the goddess of fertility after all). Who says you can’t be both powerful and feminine?

This is exactly what drew Connie Han to Inanna’s story — and maybe because she saw a little of Inanna in herself. Dive into the world of Inanna through the lens of Connie’s latest album, “Secrets of Inanna.” Connie takes you on a breathtaking ride through ancient kingdoms, the underworld, and back again. Tune in for 10 minutes to find out more.

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Les McCann and Joe Alterman started as mentor and protege, but have become close friends over the last decade. When Joe first met Les, all he wanted to do was play like him. But Les taught Joe to do just the opposite: to embrace his own experiences and create a unique sound. Instead of trying to be a #2 Les McCann – be a #1 Joe Alterman.

You may recognize Les McCann from his album with Eddie Harris, Swiss Movement, which features tunes like “Cold Duck Time” and “Compared to What.” It’s a great recording, but he’s also got some hidden gems, like the album Invitation to Openness. It’s a completely different aesthetic. 15 band members improvising on an idea, with no “shoulds” or “have-tos.” It’s incredible - and Les McCann dives into his early experiences that shaped the music.

Meet Joe Alterman, the boy who wanted to play Bluegrass guitar and instead became a jazz pianist. And one hell of a jazz pianist at that.

Not only will you love Joe’s playing and original compositions - he’s got some great stories about jazz masters we all know and love. From his college days at NYU, working at the Blue Note, to his continued relationship with the great Les McCann — he passes on the lessons they shared with him. Plus, you’ll get a kick out of the story behind the title of the track “Don’t Forget to Love Yourself,” co-written with Les McCann.

Tune in to hear Joe’s story and fall in love with his music. It only takes 10 minutes!

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As the “world’s leading dramatic interpreter of Frank Sinatra,” Richard Shelton certainly holds a unique relationship to the legend. He’s portrayed Sinatra in the critically acclaimed shows Rat Pack Confidential and Sinatra: Raw. But it doesn’t stop there: he’s got a crooning voice of his own that swings superbly through original music.

An Englishman in Love in LA holds a little something for everyone. Old favorites from Frank Sinatra are mixed with masterful new tunes by LA bassist and composer Alex Frank, and former BBC ‘Young Composer of the Year’ Alex Rudd. Whether it’s a sorrowful melody about the double-edged sword of love or a song about the courage to chase your dreams: Richard Shelton’s voice is a perfect fit.

Listen to the full episode to check out the new music from Richard Shelton. You’ll learn more about his early connection to Frank Sinatra, the stories behind the original music, and also hear about his acting career (hint: he’s been on some TV shows you might recognize). Hit play to find out!

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Meet Bryan Carter, a drummer, singer, composer, and arranger extraordinaire. His latest album, I Believe, isn’t your typical straight-ahead jazz album. It’s a mixtape of his many musical influences, or in other words, “Black American Music through the lens of a jazz musician.”

Not only does I Believe groove the heck out of each song — it’s also a deeply personal coming of age and coming out story. But the story is subtly told through the lyrics of well-known songs. Listen closely to the words, and you’ll catch Bryan’s meaning.

Get to know Bryan Carter and the experiences that made him the musician he is today. Bryan dives into the composition process of each tune and what they mean to him. Most importantly, he opens up about his personal journey of learning to accept and love himself.

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Roxy Coss is a saxophonist, Composer, Bandleader, Recording Artist, Educator and Activist (Founder and President of WIJO). Sounds busy, huh? We didn’t even mention that she recently became a new mother! Anyone with even half as busy a life could testify that it’s easy to get caught up in so many different roles. Without hardly noticing, you start to compartmentalize.

Pre-pandemic and pre-baby, Roxy Coss was feeling a separation between various parts of her life. She was working on new music, and the more it emerged, the more she realized it was a manifestation of these “Disparate Parts.” Ultimately, it became a four movement suite: “The Body,” “The Mind,” “The Heart,” and “The Spirit.”

Tune in to hear Roxy’s take on each movement and how she’s learned to accept herself and the many facets of her life. Plus, Roxy shares the personal impact of the late pianist Harold Mabern and how he inspired the song “Mabes.”

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Meet Liam Forde: a connoisseur of all things music, elegance, and food. He’s a hopeless romantic with one foot in 2022 and one foot in the world of the 1930s nightclubs. One listen to his latest album Great To Be Here and you’ll be floating back in time to old New York where grand hotels and chique elegance reign supreme.

A middle-class child from a modest home, Liam found himself drawn to the grandiose world of music by a next-door neighbor who taught him how to make tomato sauce and pie dough — love classical music. Later, he found himself entirely captivated by his sister’s CD of Ella Fitzgerald’s “The Best of the Songbook.” The sweeping melodies, chromatic harmonies, and grandiose performances captured his imagination as a young boy - and hasn’t stopped since.

In Great To Be Here, Liam sings about grandeur monuments, like the “Plaza Hotel” and “Paris When It’s Grey.” He also opens up about artists’ insecurities — and learning to love your music whether or not the audience does — in the song “I Don’t Know.” Additionally, Liam comments on finding happiness in little things during a worldwide pandemic in “When My Word’s in Tune” and “Gratitude Song.”

Get to know Liam Forde in this episode of Bite-Size Jazz! He talks about his favorite dishes, his love for France, and finding confidence in your music. He also talks about getting started in New York, his acting career, and what makes a great teacher. Take 10 minutes to check out Liam Forde’s new music!

If you love Brazilian music, you’ll love Natalie Cressman and Ian Faquini's most recent album, Auburn Whisper.

Auburn Whisper showcases their myriad of talents. Not only are they exceptional on their individual instruments (trombone and guitar), but they are also tasteful lyricists and songwriters. Together they weave the story of disappointment, acceptance, and resilience in the face of a worldwide pandemic — all with the wonderful flavor of Brazil. Their original songs carry the longing for loved ones in another country, hope in the midst of darkness, and tales of Brazilian goddesses.

Tune in to learn more! They talk about how they met, the lyricist they teamed up with, their unique recording process, and of course, the inspiration behind their original music. Get to know Natalie Cressman, Ian Faquini, and their latest album, Auburn Whisper in less than 10 minutes in this episode of Bite-Size Jazz.

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At 19 years old, Grace Fox is already a force to be reckoned with.

She’s already formed her own big band, recorded her first album, and performed as a trumpeter and bandleader at one of the most respected jazz clubs in NYC, Birdland.

We don’t want to give too many details away, but in this episode of Bite-Size Jazz, Grace dives into the mishaps of recording — like when singers back out of recordings at the last minute — and the inspiration behind her original songs, including procrastinated homework assignments that later became killer big band charts. She also opens up about the struggles of starting a music degree and trying to launch a career during a worldwide pandemic. Tune in to get to know Grace Fox and her debut album, Eleven O’ Seven.

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You’ve heard of piano-vocal duos and guitar-vocal duos. But what about trombone-vocal duos?

Vanessa Perea and husband Robert Edwards are trendsetting this unique instrumentation. They first showcased it on their album Home Life in 2021, which was a purely vocal and trombone album. Now their latest album, It Had To Be You, brings that same playful interaction — and adds guitarist Tony Davis and bassist Dylan Shamat.

Vanessa and Robert first met during their undergrad years at New Jersey City University. A move across the river into New York City proved fruitful to both of their careers. Calls were coming in and their schedules stayed busy. That is, until the pandemic hit. With nothing but time to kill, Vanessa and Robert started exploring the idea of playing with what they had — a voice and a trombone — and spent hours working out arrangements (much to the chagrin of their downstairs neighbors). When social distancing restrictions were lifted, they were happy to add a few more band members to their project. It Had To Be You is a delightful offering of musicians pushing the boundaries of traditional instrumentation.

Listen to this Bite-Size Jazz episode featuring Vanessa Perea to get to know a vocalist with a style all her own. She talks about learning to coordinate vocal-trombone performing, the process of recording the album, and her musical background.

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Loneliness. Heartache. Emptiness. Isolation. Everything that describes film noir also describes the pandemic. 

When Melissa Errico first fell down the YouTube rabbit hole of film noir, she didn't expect to find a new passion. After watching hours of tragic femme fatale actresses fall trap to their fate and lonely heroes become disillusioned with society — she realized that the themes of the 1940s weren't so far away after all. A collaboration with the French Institue Alliance Francaise for a film festival further cemented this love for film noir, and most especially for the music these movies featured. 

If you’re looking for a fresh take on a familiar tune, Anna Laura Quinn has the song for you. Each recording on her debut album Open the Door is a delightful surprise. “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” is reinvented as a bluesy, groove track. “Open the Door,” is cloaked in beautiful, ethereal sound. And “Love for Sale” gets the dark, mysterious makeover its lyrics have been waiting for. Anna Laura is a stunning vocalist, but she’s also a genius arranger.

When her visual art career didn’t provide the fulfillment she’d imagined, Anna Laura took a leap of faith — all the way to New Orleans. Step by step she’s grown into the confident band leader she is today. From a master's program at UNO, to jam sessions, to her debut album, Anna Laura has been on a journey to discover her sound — and invites you to listen on Open the Door.

Listen to this Bite-Size Jazz episode featuring Anna Laura Quinn to get to know an incredible young vocalist. She talks about her musical journey, the creativity behind each arrangement, and why she loves New Orleans.

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Leonor Falcón is no stranger to the violin or viola — she’s been studying them since her childhood placement in a Venezuelan music charter school. Every morning, she attended traditional academic classes, while her afternoons were filled with orchestra and small ensemble rehearsals. The central focus was mastering the instrument to reach the top orchestra. And though her school days were filled with classical music — her home was filled with the sounds of rock, jazz, and pop. Eventually, these genres called her to New York to study jazz and improvisation.

While in New York, Leonor discovered a love for all types of improvisation — not just jazz. She found the Avant-Garde scene and other unique sounds that defy typical genre placement. Leonor also realized that learning to improvise was almost like learning a different instrument. Rather than focusing on correct notes and rhythms, she learned to let expression lead her technique. Leonor learned to accept herself and the sounds she produced in each moment.

Listen to this Bite-Size Jazz episode to learn more about Leonor Falcón and the stories behind each song on her new album, Imaga Mondo Vol. II. She talks about the fables that influenced her preceding album, Imaga Mondo Vol. I, the images that inspired songs like “Nita” and “The Monks,” and how to improvise freely within a group.

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“If it was on VHS I got to see it”

Spencer Day credits his mother and the local video store for igniting his love of musicals. He grew up in a small, conservative town that didn’t have much in the way of live musical theater performances. But there was a video store that carried G-rated movies — and classic films. The music from shows like Oklahoma, Singin’ in the Rain, and South Pacific planted big dreams of traveling the world inside his young heart. However, it took some time before he realized that singing would be his ticket around the globe.

Now Spencer Day is a #1 Billboard jazz/pop singer and songwriter that has played in venues like the Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl and London’s West End. He’s been praised by Time Out New York, Washington Post, New York Public Radio, and SF Chronicle. But it certainly wasn’t a straight trajectory getting to this point. Between a joke audition for Star Search that actually landed him on the show, playing in piano bars, signing and getting dropped by labels, there’s been many twists and turns on his path to success. He laughs about performing in the Hollywood Bowl in the same week he played for six people in a blizzard in Ohio. The artist’s life is never easy — but it’s worth it.

Listen to the full interview to get to know Spencer Day and his music! He talks about the ups and downs of building a music career, why sacrifices of an artist’s lifestyle is worth it, and the creative process behind his latest album Broadway by Day.

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Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch’s friendship began almost 40 years ago, way before they ever set foot in New York City. Jim was living and performing in Dallas, Texas, when his manager asked if a young vocal trio from Houston could sing a few songs before one of his shows. That trio was Sharon Montgomery, Rebecca Plant, and Billy Stritch. Jim thought “Oh sure, give these kids a break.” Their performance blew everyone away, including Jim, who said “They were one of the best vocal groups I’d ever heard, I wanted to kill myself. In lieu of that, we became best friends.”

Now, Jim and Billy spend every Monday night together at the Birdland Theater in New York hosting “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party” — one of the best open mics in the city. Every week for 18 years they’ve brought people on stage to share their talents with the audience. The best part? You never know who might walk in the door

But you can’t make it to New York to hang out with Jim and Billy, you can bring them into your home every day with their album The Sunday Set. It opens up with a sunny medley of “Whistle While You Work” and “Give a Little Whistle,” and is followed by a 60s swingin’ arrangement of “You Are My Sunshine.” You’ll be laughing while they sing “What Did You Do To Your Face?” and grabbing for a beer during their “Sinatra Saloon Medley”

Listen to the full interview with Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch to hear all the details of their newest album, The Sunday Set. They laugh about the crazy adventures of hosting an open mic night, explain how their album came together, and describe the process of arranging tunes for The Sunday Set.

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“Never compare your season to someone else’s.”

Jean and Marcus Baylor have experienced many different seasons during their lives. Jean found success in the 90s as half of the duo Zhane. Marcus rose to prominence in the early 2000s as the drummer for the Yellowjackets. And now they’re in a new season of musical creation — together this time — as The Baylor Project.

Since 2017, they’ve started their own label, Be a Light, released two albums, been nominated four times for a Grammy (the latest for their album, Generations), and recently partnered with the legendary Motown Gospel label. Marcus notes that it’s a good thing you take the journey one step at a time. If you knew at the beginning what kind of work it would take to get where you are now — would you have had the bandwidth to say yes?

Whatever you’re trying to achieve, it’s all about persistence and staying consistent. It’s as true for a musical vision as it is for a marriage. Jean and Marcus Baylor have been together for 20 years now, and they say it’s important to both love and like each other (there is a difference). They’ve built their marriage on a foundation of friendship that carries them through the inevitable ups and downs of any relationship. But how did it all start? Jean and Marcus lightheartedly banter over the story of how they met — but you’ll have to tune in to hear all the details.

Listen to the full interview to get to know Jean and Marcus Baylor. They talk about how The Baylor Project began, how they are bringing together Generations of musicians through their album, and the creative process behind their original songs.

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Vocalist and composer Christiane Karam fuses a world of influences in her latest album, Nar. We hear western harmony, eastern melodies, Balkan rhythms, Hungarian folk tunes, and a few surprising influences like Pink Floyd and David Bowie. Christiane’s music melds these sounds together to unfold the shared experiences of humanity.

Some of those experiences are quite universal, like the heartache from a breakup. Others are shared by many around the globe, like the immigrant journey. And there are other experiences that no one would wish upon another, but still too many undergo — the tragedies brought by war and violence.

Born and raised in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon, Christiane is all too familiar with the calamities of conflict. But nothing could have prepared her for the pain inflicted by the August 2020 explosion in Beirut. It wasn’t just another newscast about a place a world away — those were Christiane’s family and friends. When the shock subsided and the tears finally flowed, it was her music that brought healing and peace.

Listen to the full episode to learn more about Christiane Karam and her latest album, Nar. Christiane opens up about her emotional journey while writing the song “Beirut,” describes the influences that shaped her music, and explains why the artist’s role is essential during a crisis.

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Deanna Witkowski was first drawn to the pianist Mary Lou Williams in 2000 when she was invited to perform at the Kennedy Center for the Mary Lou Williams Festival. Of course she said yes, but she also realized that she was unfamiliar with Mary Lou’s music. That initial listening dive sparked a 20-year exploration of Mary Lou Williams' life and music, now showcased in a book, Mary Lou Williams: Music for the Soul, and an album, Force of Nature.

Force of Nature is the perfect phrase to describe Mary Lou Williams. She was not only an amazing composer and pianist in her own right — musicians like Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie learned harmony and composition from her caring mentorship. The names of her students get thrown around in history classes more often than we hear of Mary Lou. But perhaps she deserves a bit more credit than what’s given — especially when we hear startlingly similar harmonies in the compositions of her pupils. The bridge of Monk's "Well You Needn't" is practically interchangeable with the bridge of Mary Lou’s tune “Gjon Mili Jam,” written years earlier. 

Additionally, Mary Lou described herself as an experimentalist, someone who was always doing something new. While critics sometimes decried her exploratory styles, Mary Lou took it as a badge of honor. When critics said, “The problem with Mary Lou is that we can’t pin her down into one category,” she just said, “That’s the point.”

Deanna Witkowski shares more about Mary Lou’s life and music in this interview with Bite-Size Jazz. Deanna talks about her connection with Mary Lou as a fellow adult convert to Catholicism, their jazz masses, and digs into Mary Lou’s “Zodiac Suite.”

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Everybody has heard solo piano concerts and solo guitar gigs. But how often do you listen to solo trombone music?

After listening to Nick Finzer’s latest album Out of Focus, you'll think about listening to solo trombone more often. Whether it’s a solo arrangement of Duke Ellington’s “A Single Petal of a Rose” or a 15 trombone arrangement of “Mood Indigo” (with all parts except bass trombone played by Finzer), Out of Focus gives the trombone a whole new dimension.

But how do you write for 15 trombones anyways? Or how do you add texture to an arrangement for a single-note instrument? As jazz musicians, it’s easy to fall into a trap of cramming as much as you can into any given song. But the truth is, you probably don’t need to play 17 choruses on that ballad. Nick reminds us that sometimes stripping a song back to the original melody IS unique — and maybe it’s all you really need.

Listen to the full interview with trombonist Nick Finzer to hear his input on great arranging. He also discusses how his company, Outside in Music, is helping artists release music without breaking the bank, and why setting aside time to be creative matters.

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Drummer Charles Goold has been playing gigs for a long time — since he was 11, in fact. It started with sitting on his father's gigs at Small's Jazz Club. His dad, Ned Goold, is an acclaimed saxophonist, best known for playing in Harry Connick Jr.'s band. When they couldn't find a babysitter, Ned would bring Charles and his brother to the smoke-filled club to watch his gigs with the great jazz musicians of the 90s. Ned let Charles sit in on a tune here and there at first, but by the time he was 13, Charles held the drum chair for those weekly gigs.

Now he's getting ready to release his second album, Rhythm in Contrast. The general concept of the album is exactly how it sounds: music with contrasting rhythms and styles. As you listen through the full album, you’ll notice that no two tracks sound the same, with styles switching between every song — sometimes even switching during the song, like in the tune "Resisting Arrest."

"Resisting Arrest" pulls together multiple styles for a pan-African groove. Charles explains that people within the African diaspora and community tend to draw lines to separate themselves from one another. People from Africa separate themselves from African Americans. Caribbeans separate themselves from Africans and African Americans. Even within the Caribbean, Latinos separate from those with darker skin.

“But at the end of the day when you’re pulled over or you’re going through something with the police, they don’t see all those differences. They just see African, dark skin, Latino — and they’re gonna say, ‘He or she was resisting arrest’”

Charles blends styles like a 6/8 bembe and West African groove, a bluesy, swing groove, and a Caribbean/Latin groove. The song brings a unification of sound and style that he hopes society can find among themselves.

"Lo's Lament" is dedicated to a dear friend and mentor, the late Lawrence "Lo" Leathers. Lawrence was known as the first-call drummer for Cecile McLorin Salvant, a friend to all on the New York jazz scene, and a big brother to Charles. "Some people say, 'What would Jesus do?' I ask myself when I'm on a gig, 'What would Lawrence do?'" "Lo's Lament" captures the cool, smooth vibe that Lawrence brought wherever he went.

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THANK YOU listeners for supporting Bite-Size Jazz and these amazing artists! Thanks for joining the Bite-Size Jazz community and watching the podcast grow over these last 12 months. And THANK YOU to the wonderful artists who opened up about your lives, careers, and compositions and willingly shared your wisdom with listeners around the globe. 

This week's episode shares just a few highlights from the interviews during 2021. It's not even close to capturing all the incredible interviews — but we would love for you to peruse the episodes available and see if there's anyone you missed. Find someone you're not familiar with, check out their music on Spotify or Apple Music. Or better yet, support their music by buying their album! 

The highlights featured are from:

Jazz vocalist Olivia Van Goor says one of the best pieces of advice she’s ever received is, “In the beginning, no one will be asking you to do things, so you just have to do them yourself.” Previously, she was under the impression that she needed to be asked to do things like record, or maybe she would just get a lucky break. This piece of advice gave Olivia the motivation to save up money for studio time, form her own jazz group, experiment with arrangements, line up a recording engineer and a mixing and mastering engineer — and this was just the start. Working as an independent artist isn’t easy, but Olivia knows she’s earned every ounce of praise the album has received.

You hear Olivia’s original imprint most on her arrangement of “Hershey Bar.” She was inspired by Anita O’Day’s recording on the album Cool Heat — and her own sweet tooth. Musicians have a rap for vices like drugs and alcohol. But the only substance Olivia can’t get enough of is chocolate. She says the obsession has toned down a bit over the years, but she still carries some with her at all times. It’s become a running joke at jam sessions. Someone will ask, “Hey, you got some chocolate?” and she immediately starts passing it around. Olivia is the first musician to put lyrics to the tune of “Hershey Bar,” and she says they came pretty easily. The lyrics compare the sweetness of chocolate to the sweetness of love.

Todd Mosby’s love for Indian music was born in a small shop near his home. After school he would hang out in the store, smelling the sweet incense and listening to records from great Indian artists. The chance of a lifetime came when the legendary sitarist Imrat Khan moved to Todd’s hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. What Bach’s family did to western classical music — Imrat’s family did to Indian music. They totally changed its course. Todd jumped at the opportunity to take lessons with Imrat, which led to a 13-year intense study of Classical North Indian Music. Todd describes it as a student-disciple model, learning the philosophy, history, spirituality of the music. It may have cost more than any post-graduate education — but Todd wouldn’t trade it for anything.

A few years into these lessons, Todd recognized he needed a new instrument to blend the eastern styles he was learning with the western music he’s always known. Together with Imrat Khan and luthier Kim Schwartz, the trio came up with a new type of instrument to combine the best features of a sitar and a guitar. The new Imrat Guitar has contemporary harp guitar strings pitched above the 1st string, rather than below the 6th string, 11 sympathetic strings, 2 necks, 3 chikara strings, 4 playing strings, and Javari. The result is a beautiful, inspiring sound.

You can hear Todd play the Imrat Guitar on his latest album, Aerial Views. The music was inspired by many hours spent flying with his father, who was a pilot. Songs like “Gliding” and “Into Starlight” lift you into the clouds, soaring effortlessly through the sky without being tied down to earth. Todd reminisces on the breathtaking views from a small plane 10,000 feet up — views we usually miss on the commercial planes, which fly much higher. Aerial Views invites you to let go and freely soar on the wings of Todd's music.

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Alex Hamburger’s latest album And She Spoke is inspired by many powerhouse women in history. But first and foremost, And She Spoke is inspired by Alex’s grandmother, a stalwart educator, and activist during the military dictatorship in Paraguay. Her grandmother built a school all by herself at the age of 20 to teach children in a poor, rural community with no other chance for education. She outright refused to teach what the dictator told her to, and when soldiers came to take away teachers, she refused again. Her grandmother started a nationwide movement for academic integrity, which became part of the general movement for social justice in the country. Talk about an incredible woman.

When Alex came across a book of poetry her grandmother had written, she knew she had to do something with it. “La Desesperación es la Pasión Verdaderamente Humana” captures the essence of her grandmother’s poetry: deep and on the edge of being dark. The poem that inspired “La Desesperación” says that desperation is true human passion. Only human beings feel such deep emotion that is so tragic and beautiful at the same time.

Alex’s grandmother’s poetry is joined by words from Maya Angelou, Sylvia Plath, and more. Alex also includes compositions from trailblazing women in jazz such as Mary Lou Williams and Geri Allen. Alex contemplates the parallels between the two: strong, black women from different generations who were THERE, backbones of a scene, and passing on the music through education — and yet so few people know their names. Women like Mary Lou Williams and Geri Allen created a space for jazz musicians to continue creating to this day. Alex pays homage to them through recordings of “What’s Your Story Morning Glory” and “Unconditional Love.”

Listen to the full interview with flutist, composer, and vocalist Alex Hamburger to learn more about the stories and poetry behind her music. She also discusses her year-long artist residency in Switzerland just before recording this album, the incredible musicians in her band, and what it means to her to be a strong woman.

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Bassist Michael Feinberg's latest album takes you through the wild ride of the pandemic. Waking up “Every. Damn. Day” to the horrible news cycle of police brutality and out-of-control politicians, feeling a little “Janky in the Middle” of it all, and mostly just hoping you can see the light at the end of these “Hard Times.”

But Michael’s music finds order in the chaos. Take the aforementioned tune “Every. Damn. Day. (Burn it Down Blues)” as an example. It’s forged from two seemingly unrelated themes, which build into a musical mayhem. However, the most chaotic section is also the part that feels the most constant. In between each repetition of the theme, there’s a wide range of emotions: sweet, harsh, or aggressive. But in the end, the music always returns to the same theme. There's a consistency in the disarray — just the same as we must start the day over, and over, and over again amidst the turmoil of life.

Michael explains that there is a constant duality in life. In order for balance to exist, you must have an equal amount of all ingredients. If you have sections of loud dynamics, you need sections of quiet sensitivity. When you have long moments of tonal music, you crave the sound of dissonance. In life, you must taste bitter to know the sweet. And while the album takes us through the ups and downs of life, it ends on a positive note with the title track. This soulful recording celebrates coming to the end of “Hard Times” — making it through the trauma to experience achievement and success. The harder you work for it, the sweeter the reward.

Listen to the full interview with Michael Feinberg to learn more about his album Hard Times. He talks in-depth about his phenomenal band, his compositional process, and why he’s dressed as a cowboy on the album cover.

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Fame can be a pleasant surprise

When Freda Payne recorded “Band of Gold” for Invictus Records in 1969, she didn’t think much of it — until it catapulted her to the top of the charts in 1970. Even today, it’s still considered one of the top 100 songs of the 70s. But Freda Payne’s roots are in jazz — she recorded her very first album for Impulse! Records (known for recording jazz legends such as John Coltrane and Duke Ellington) and ever since 2014, she’s returned to those roots with her recordings. Her latest album Let There Be Love features jazz masters of today like Kurt Elling and Dee Dee Bridgewater, along with long-time legend Johnny Mathis and R&B, soul, and jazz star Kenny Lattimore.

Arrangements for Let There Be Love were crafted by Grammy Award-winning composer and bandleader Gordon Goodwin, with some suggestions from Freda Payne. When Gordon presented his original arrangement of the title track, Freda said, “This one’s going to be a duet with Kenny Lattimore, a real R&B star. I want it to be FUNKY, put some spice in it.” Gordon re-arranged the tune once more — the way you hear it on the album now. Freda also contributed the idea of piecing together “Moanin” by Bobby Timmons and John Hendricks with “Doodlin” by Horace Silver. The clever interplay comes to life in a duet with jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater. Freda doesn’t shy away from scatting either — “It’s All Right With Me” features Freda trading melodies with the big band, and “Our Love is Here to Stay” showcases a stunning scat battle between Kurt Elling and Freda.

Listen to the full Bite-Size Jazz interview to hear Freda’s stories about coming up on the jazz scene in New York in her early 20s, traveling the world, and the healthy habits that have kept her voice powerful even into her late 70s.

“It was an intense record — you can hear that in the music. The musicians really had something to say that day”

The reissuing of Strings celebrates 20 years since the original recording — and memorializes 20 years since the attack on the Twin Towers, an attack that affected the recording in unprecedented ways. Saxophonist Jim Snidero was headed to the recording studio for this album on September 11, 2001. When he descended into the subway tunnels at 8:30 that morning, the twin towers were still standing. When he arrived in Brooklyn, the air was filled with smoke and floating work documents from the decimated offices. It was obvious they would have to reschedule. When they regrouped two months later, it was a somber meeting and the emotion everyone held in their hearts seeped into the music. Song titles like “Forever Gone,” “On the Banks of the Hudson,” and “The Talk of the Town,” suddenly held much different meanings than they previously anticipated.

You would never guess from listening, but saxophonist Jim Snidero had never written for strings before this album. He originally planned to record the project for a label that would connect him with an arranger, but when the label dropped the project, he decided to dig into string arranging himself. Jim delved into recordings from musicians like Clare Fischer and Nelson Riddle, listening closely to the way they created different textures through voicings. Through it all, he learned to paint musical pictures for songs like “River Suite, Pt. 1: Dawn,” “River Suite, Pt.2: On the Banks,” and “River Suite, Pt.3: Torrent.”

For example, “River Suite, Pt.1: Dawn” is written in the key of Db, which he refers to as the calmest key in music. Above sustaining chords, he plays a curious melody that characterizes the mysterious calm in the world as the sun rises each morning on the Hudson River. In “River Suite, Pt. 3: Torrent,” drummer Billy Drummond kicks up a whirlwind that portrays the chaos of storms blowing in from the ocean to Manhattan. Jim wrote “Forever Gone,” in the key of Eb minor, which he says is the saddest key in music, and cites Mozart's Requiem as another heartbreakingly beautiful piece in Eb minor.

There’s much more to learn from Jim about his composition techniques. Listen to the full Bite-Size Jazz interview with jazz saxophonist Jim Snidero to hear more about the inspiration behind the songs of his newly reissued album Strings, how he used texture, voicings, and chord changes to represent emotions, and the album’s connection to 9/11.

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The sound of big bands brewed a love for jazz that carried Miki Yamanaka from her home in Japan all the way to New York City.

Miki Yamanaka was no stranger to jazz during her formative years — apparently, you can’t even go into a noodle shop in Japan without hearing John Coltrane. Her own parents were avid jazz fans, enrolling Miki in an after-school music program with a jazz band. That musical passion was further cemented during a five-day visit to New York where Miki Yamanaka watched Cedar Walton play at Dizzy’s Club. When the night was over, there was only one thought left in Miki’s mind: I have to live here. The level of jazz that she had only imagined was possible was played everywhere in New York. Miki packed up her bags again, saying she would stay in New York for just a year — now it’s been nine years and she has no intention of leaving anytime soon.

October 2021 saw the release of Miki’s third album as a leader, Stairway to the Stars, recorded in the midst of a pandemic from her own apartment. When it became obvious that her original plan of a live recording would be impossible, she had the recording equipment brought to her home for a DIY studio. It was the first time playing with guests for months and the excitement is palpable. She includes stellar arrangements of tunes like “Cheryl” and “My Melancholy Baby,” and originals, “Wonder” and “Oatmeal” (inspired by her oatmeal-loving husband and sister-in-law).

Listen to the full interview to learn more about Miki Yamanaka’s music and experience as a musician in New York. She opens about moving to New York, becoming fluent in both English and music, the tough love she received at jam sessions and now dishes out as the host, which aspects of Japanese culture she misses and which ones she truly does not — and, of course — the music from her new album Stairway to the Stars.

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“In this setting, it can feel like you have to fill in the space — like filling in an awkward pause in a conversation. But actually, if you leave the space it makes the notes much more meaningful” - Clovis Nicolas

Playing without a drummer leaves a lot of extra room in your soundscape. It can seem natural to fill it up with comping, melodic fills, or rhythmic hits — but Michael Valeanu, Clovis Nicolas, and Jon Boutellier do the opposite. Rather than constantly churning out notes, the guitar-bass-saxophone trio leaves ample room for a three-way conversation on their latest album, Three of a Kind.

Inspired by the Jimmy Guiffre and Jim Hall trio, Michael opted for a drumless trio where he could better control his dynamics and textures within a group. It’s easier to hear yourself without a drummer, and Michael felt there was more he could convey to the audience in that setting. Clovis and Jon loved the unique instrumentation and jumped on board for the one-day recording session.

Clovis, Jon, and Michael are certainly “three of a kind” — they share a love for jazz, composition, a childhood in France, and a current home in New York City. They compare the two jazz scenes, and amidst the discussion we come to the conclusion: while jazz is more common-place in New York, you certainly don’t have to live there to become a great jazz musician. Thanks to modern technology and the widespread availability of recordings, students across the world are discovering musical giants like Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

Join the conversation with Michael Valeanu, Jon Boutellier, and Clovis Nicolas to learn more about the original compositions and arrangements from their new album, Three of a Kind. Michael Valeanu describes the five-year process of composing “Miroirs,” Jon Boutellier shares his process of unraveling Duke Ellington’s “Reminiscing in Tempo,” and Clovis Nicolas discloses the connection between his song “Minor Thing” and Ellington's classic “It Don’t Mean a Thing.”

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“Philly’s got its own way of swing — it’s a deep-rooted, down-home feeling”

Drummer Tom Cohen must have had flames coming off his sticks when he finished recording his latest record. Short but mighty, My Take features five burning tracks with Philadelphia greats like Hammond B3 organist Dave Posmontier and guitarist Steve Warfield, tenor saxophonists Tim Warfield and Ralph Bowen, and Joey DeFrancesco, also on the Hammond B3 of course. Musicians rotate through Tom’s interpretations of five classic jazz tunes.

Tom Cohen reminisces about his early days on the Philly jazz scene, hanging out at Gert’s Lounge with jazz organ masters like Herbie Nicks and Shirley Scott.  Though there was barely enough room between the stage and the bar to squeeze in two people, the music was so toe-tapping that people couldn’t help but get up and dance. Philadelphia has rightly earned its reputation as a B3 town, especially considering the players that have come out of that city: the aforementioned Herbie Nicks and Shirley Scott, Don Patterson, Trudy Pitts, and Joey DeFrancesco.

Listen to the full Bite-Size Jazz interview to learn more about Tom Cohen’s love for the Philly jazz scene, his experience as a versatile studio musician, and his collaboration with Joey DeFrancesco for his latest album My Take.

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“No matter how good you get — if you don't listen, then it’s nothing because listening is 99% of what we do”

Jazz pianist Marc Cary shares the wisdom he’s gained from years as a professional musician in his latest album Life Lessons. The first lesson he shares is that in order to truly understand jazz, you have to dig deep — real deep. The roots of this music go back farther than American history — across the ocean, and across continents even. All great musicians were influenced by the places they traveled and the sounds they heard, especially from indigenous groups. Marc opens up about his own Native American ancestry and how his music was influenced by their sound and turbulent history.

In addition to his fascination with and influence from indigenous music, Marc’s compositions are also quite lyrical, no doubt impacted by his time spent with vocalists like Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln. Marc laughs about the time Abbey Lincoln told him it was alright if he couldn’t make her gigs once in a while so he could pursue his own interests — and then fired him the first time he said he was unavailable. While that year-long hiatus from her band may have disgruntled him at first, it propelled him to record his first album as a bandleader, for which he was grateful. His latest album Life Lessons includes two Abbey Lincoln songs, “It Was Supposed to Be Love” and “Learning to Listen,” where Marc opens up about the issue of domestic abuse and why listening is essential to making music.

Listen to the full Bite-Size Jazz interview with pianist Marc Cary about his new album Life Lessons to learn more about his passion for indigenous music, the inspiration behind songs like “Not a Good Day to Die,” and his collaboration with artists like Roy Hargrove and Abby Lincoln.

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“We need to get back to love, the love that was lost”

Jazz vocalist Jazzmeia Horn’s latest album Dear Love is a love letter to her community, family, friends, and future lover. Her music spreads warmth and positivity, encouraging us to be the eye of the hurricane by finding balance and peace amidst the chaos of society.

“Can’t Buy Me Love” reminds us that all the money in the world can’t fill the gap of genuine love. The original verses she added are a perfect pairing with the Beatles’ classic tune. “Let Us Take Our Time” teaches that love can be beautiful, romantic, even sexy, without “letting all of you hang out.” Love is most liberating when it’s dedicated. Jazzmeia openly shares the story behind “Where We Are,” a mantra she sang to keep afloat during her darkest days. It’s also a dedication to the women who brought her to this point and women all around the world working to bring the next generation forward.

Her original songs paired with stunning poetry offer a unique album — according to her research, Jazzmeia is the first female vocalist to write, arrange, and lead an entire big band album. Rather than give up when multiple labels turned down her idea, Jazzmeia started her own label: Empress Legacy Records. Armed with complete artistic freedom, she learned to write for a big band for the first time and recorded previously unreleased tracks that were turned down by other labels —and which are now receiving record airplay.

Listen to the full interview with jazz vocalist Jazzmeia Horn on Bite-Size Jazz to learn about her compositional process — including singing all the parts for the big band and then transcribing — finding a balance amid career and family responsibilities, and more stories behind the music of her new jazz album, Dear Love.

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“Modern feminism encourages harder, more masculine elements in women and makes you feel sort of funny about being soft and gentle. I think that’s the opposite of what we need to do — I think we should embrace the fact that women are softer, more gentle, and caring, and love is at the center of all of that. To me, being a woman means embracing that, not trying to act more masculine so I can fit into society” - Lucy Yeghiazaryan

In Her Words tells the story of what it means to be a woman through original songs and jazz standards. While most of the world is telling women they have to be tough, masculine, and hard, Lucy Yeghiazaryan and Vanisha Gould have another idea. They believe the key to being a woman is embracing what makes them unique: the softer, gentler, and loving side. It also means embracing the fact that as women, we talk about love, romance, and men — a lot

Songs on their new album range from 'Gypsy Feet", a Vanisha Gould original about a non-committal woman leaving a string of broken hearts in her wake and in turn breaking her own, to Lucy Yeghiazaryan’s arrangement of Billie Holiday’s "My Man", where Lucy opens up about the domestic abuse she witnessed in the community of Armenia where she grew up. They also talk about the whims of women checking out cute men on the sly through "Cute Boy" and the flirtations of men on city streets through "Hey Baby." Vanisha and Lucy also discuss the spoken and unspoken challenges of navigating the tough landscape of competitive musicians as a woman in New York City. They talk about why being kind makes a huge difference to musicians, even though tough love is still necessary for musical and personal development.

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“If you do something that matters to yourself, then all the extra stuff — whether people like it or not — has less importance. If it’s self-fulfilling, you can’t lose.”

Growing up with parents like singer Gail Dobson and the late pianist Smith Dobson, Sasha Dobson nurtured a love for jazz from a young age. However, she wasn’t afraid to embrace other genres on her musical journey. When her father suddenly passed away in a tragic car accident, the personal history and weight attached to jazz felt too heavy for Sasha to sing. Looking for a new avenue, Sasha started flirting with the idea of playing the guitar. It blossomed into a love for songwriting and Americana music — even starting the band Puss n Boots along with Norah Jones and Catherine Popper. But all those years of curating a love for jazz stirred up a renewed interest in Sasha, and she’s returned to her jazz roots with her latest album, Girl Talk.

Listen to the full interview with jazz vocalist Sasha Dobson to learn more about her diverse musical journey, why it’s never too late to try something new, and the inspiration behind her original tunes “You’re the Death of Me” and “Better Days.”

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“It IS a good morning. No matter what it is or what’s going on in life — there’s always someone else in a different situation.”

Terence Thompson brings his positivity and joy for life into his album If I Only Had A Band. Whether it’s embracing the day through his track “Good Morning,” or feeling welcomed into a warm, inviting restaurant like in “Yassie’s Cafe,” If I Only Had A Band will have you feeling good for all 20 tracks.

It’s not just the message that feels good — each tune really grooves. Terence combines his rap and R&B influence into this pseudo-jazz offering. While rap might seem like a far cry from jazz, Terence says they’re really not so different — he even calls them intertwined. Each genre carries similar themes, both are continually trying to push the envelope creatively, and they’re both truly American art forms. And, as he says, great music is great music.

Terence Thompson is also a notable and versatile producer for hundreds of independent artists and has collaborated with some major artists — he worked with producer Teddy Riley on the song “Heaven Can Wait” on Michael Jackson’s Invincible album, and can also be heard on Monifah’s “Too Late” and “How Ya Gonna Luv Me.” He brings that expertise to his own songwriting, along with a team of wonderful musicians.

Listen to the full interview with Terence Thompson to learn more about how he transitioned from DJing as a teenager to a versatile producer, what his role as producer entails, and the stories behind his album If I Only Had A Band.

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“I wasn’t sure how far I would actually go, I was just happy to be somewhere singing”

Samara says she only started listening to jazz four years ago, but since then she’s won the Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocalist Competition (2019), played all over NYC, and performed in Europe. I wish I could say that much about myself by the time I was 23!

But getting started as a late bloomer wasn’t easy, and Samara often felt discouraged — it seemed like everyone on the New York City jazz scene already had their clique. Plus, watching everyone at school have it all together when she felt so new to the music made her want to quit. So what kept her going? Encouraging words from audience members, fellow musicians, friends, and professors. Someone else believing in you can give you the power to believe in yourself.

Now Samara has released her first album, backed by the Pasquale Grasso Trio. The playful interaction between guitar and vocals, joined by bass and drums, brings new life to a timeless set of standards. This debut album is just the first of many, I’m sure.

Listen to the full interview with jazz vocalist Samara to learn more about her experience coming up on the jazz scene in NYC, what kept her going when it was hard, and the inspiration behind the song choices of her self-titled debut album.

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“If you know anything about being on a boat, it’s that you can't be still — if you get sideways then you capsize. You literally have to make sure you’re pointed into the waves so you won’t sink. In life, you also have to keep trucking, keeping moving forward, and keep a forward vision”

The title of guitarist Andrew Renfroe’s latest album was inspired by a family history legend. When he was a kid, his family was caught in a terrible thunderstorm off the coast of Florida — so bad that the whole family almost drowned. But, they survived due to one key principle — when the waves are rocky, you can’t be still. You have to “run” headfirst into the waves. Only by staying in constant motion were they able to live to share their story.

When Andrew found himself in the stormy waters of his life — including ending a long-term relationship, among other big life changes — he knew had to do the same thing. Keep trucking, keep moving ahead, always maintaining that forward motion.

In this episode of Bite-Size Jazz, guitarist Andrew Renfroe opens up about the inspiration behind his album Run in the Storm and his compositional process. From harmonies inspired by Olivier Messiaen, to learning how to incorporate electric sounds in an acoustic band, Andrew’s music carries a unique sound. Listen to the full interview to learn more!

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“There’s so much outside of our control, but there’s a lot we can control to move forward and not let circumstances control our destiny”

Love, Life, Music. Jazz vocalist Rebecca Angel’s latest album reflects her journey through the last year. Love — Rebecca was one of the brave brides to get married during the pandemic. Life — is about rolling with the punches and learning how to cope with the tragedies of the last year. Choices — choosing to move forward in these trying times and focusing on how we can change instead of lamenting what is beyond our control.

Each song, whether it’s reggae, bossa nova, pop, or jazz, drives the theme of the album. And Rebecca Angel isn’t afraid to open up about the stories behind her music. In this episode of Bite-Size Jazz, Rebecca talks about how the song “Just the Two of Us” brought her and her now-husband together, the dream that sparked the lyrics for Erik Satie’s “Gymnopdie,” and how the lyrics to “Summer Song” came to her while she was brushing her teeth. Listen to the full interview to learn more about Rebecca Angel and her album Love, Life, Choices.

“You can’t act like what came before you didn’t exist, or try to lessen the impact of those influences so that you seem more hip”

The term “griot” originates from a West African tradition of a traveling storyteller, poet, or musician. They journeyed abroad sharing tales of those who came before in order to pass on their ancestor's traditions. Trumpeter, educator, producer, and now author Jeremy Pelt has become a griot for the tradition of jazz in America.

Jeremy Pelt composed his latest album Griot: This is Important! as a companion to his book Griot: Examining the Lives of Jazz’s Greatest Storytellers Vol.1. The 15 interviews contained in the book candidly discuss the history of jazz, of black musicians in America, and the importance of passing on the tradition.

Listen to the full Bite-Size Jazz interview to learn more about Jeremy Pelt’s compositional process, the people he interviewed for the book, and why understanding the history of jazz is essential to understanding the music.

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“It’s like creating the soundtrack to a movie. Except there’s no movie.”

James Brandon Lewis found the inspiration for his latest album in the scientist and inventor George Carver Washington. Jesup Wagon depicts the journey of Carver and his mobile classroom among the poor farmers of the south on his mission to help them build better lives.

People say you have to experience something in order to play it. While James Brandon Lewis couldn’t literally step in the shoes of Mr. Carver — he did immerse himself in Carver’s published writings and personal letters in order to carry the essence of Carver’s life and mission into his music. In songs like “Experiment Station,” you can hear the innate curiosity of one of America’s most prominent black scientists. “Lowlands of Sorrow” carries the weight of this country’s dark racial history.

Listen to the full interview to learn more about what James Brandon Lewis discovered as he researched George Washington Carver, James’s process of composing and improvising, and the musicians that join James on his musical journey.

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“It's always a great lyric, but the more you perform, the more you live, and the more experience you have — the more meaning it takes on.”

Singer-Pianist Billy Stritch has been performing professionally for over 40 years. His talent as an accompanist has taken him all over the world — especially during his 25 years playing with Liza Minnelli, ducking from paparazzi, staying with celebrities like Frank Sinatra, and learning how to cope when the power goes off right before your show at the Hollywood Bowl.

But Billy is also a talented entertainer in his own right, and his latest venture of weekly live streams has been documented in his album Billy’s Place. Every Thursday night at 8 pm he invites the public into his “virtual speakeasy” for an hour of music and cocktails — as long as you make it yourself. The album Billy’s Place brings us 12 of his most beloved tunes, recorded in Nashville for Club44 Records.

Listen to the full interview to hear more from Billy Stritch about what makes a great accompanist, how to memorize hundreds of tunes, and his adventures playing around the world. Billy is also celebrating the album release with a run of concerts at Birdland August 5-7, so you can see him live instead of just through a webcam! Link to tickets below.

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“I’m not someone who’s like ‘I just play this genre.’ I play music. I play the guitar.”

Guitarist Molly Miller released St. George, which is hailed by some as a jazz album. But she’s also played with the Black-Eyed Peas and is the go-to guitarist for Jason Miraz. So where does that put her musically? Molly would say distinctions don't matter; for her, it’s all just music.

Molly also says her trio is trying to bring the instrumental back. While there is no singing on the album, you can hear the story in the emotion in her songs, whether it’s inspired by a breakup, touring, or the street she runs on every day.

Listen to the latest episode of Bite-Size Jazz to hear Molly talk about how bassist Jennifer Condos and drummer Jay Bellerose brought clarity to her music, how she deals with performance nerves, and why she chose the name St. George (hint: It’s not because of Utah)

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“What’s special is that we don’t play it the same way twice. If we do it means we’re not really connected, we’re not really present.”

Cyrille Aimée and Michael Valeanu say their work as a duo started when their band couldn’t make it to a gig in Ohio because of a snowstorm - but after the response from the audience, they realized they could keep it going. One time in Milan, they had four encores as a duo! Their album I’ll Be Seeing You reflects their collaboration and relationship over the last decade.

In this interview, Cyrille Aimée and Michael Valeanu open up about their creative process. They talk about how they came up with arrangements for tunes like “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Softly As In a Morning Sunrise” and “How Deep is the Ocean.” They also discuss the importance of listening and communicating through the music, what it means to be vulnerable and present, and how they keep the music fresh every time.

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“My writing is a reflection of what I’m listening to and what I’m experiencing in my day-to-day life”

At 23-years-old, Caity Gyorgy is already an adept lyricist, songwriter, arranger, and bandleader. Her latest EP Now Pronouncing showcases her talents along with her hand-picked 10 piece band. Inspired by the music and cinema of the 50s and 60s, her original tunes fit right within the vein of the Great American Songbook.

Caity’s music varies from sweet love songs, to nostalgic remembrances, to witty sarcasm. In this episode of Bite-Size Jazz, Caity Gyorgy digs into who and what inspired each song - including how she and her long-time boyfriend met as teenagers, the house she left behind after her parent’s divorce, and the person who inspired the “diss track” on the album. Listen to the full interview to hear more!

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“Don’t have a fallback plan, because then you’ll fall back on it.”

Jonathan Karrant didn’t grow up in the heart of Manhattan or Los Angeles, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dream career. Though he may be from a small town in Arkansas, he didn’t hesitate to move to New York City straight out of high school, where he found himself on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera and American Ballet Theater, before striking out for California and finally settling into the show business of Las Vegas.

Jonathan Karrant has received numerous awards, including the New York City Jazz Honors, “Best Singer” for the Bravo California Awards, and was named one of Downbeat’s top 12 rising jazz vocalists. His latest release, Shadows Fall, features duo arrangements with his longtime friend and musical collaborator, pianist Joshua White.

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“We’re trying to transcend our instruments. I think all musicians in general are trying to get to that point. When you get to a great way of expression you don’t really think about the medium, the instrument, anymore. You’re just in full expression and connection with the music.”

Vibraphonist Simon Moullier brings full expression to his latest album, Countdown. It's his second album, featuring drummer JK Kim and bassist Luca Allemanno. While his first album Spirit Song is mostly originals, Countdown explores jazz standards arranged so creatively, they almost sound like originals. 

In this episode, we break down the amount of work it takes to bring a great arrangement to your band, how Simon Moullier finds new ideas for songs, and how Berklee's community outreach program changed the way he sees music. 

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