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JAZZIZ Conversations

JAZZIZ Conversations

By Brian Zimmerman

Each week, join the JAZZIZ Editors and special musical guests as we listen to and discuss a handful of albums on a given theme. It’s social media in the truest sense of the term: no algorithms, no computer-generated playlists. Just jazz fans sharing records with other jazz fans.
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Gwilym Simcock of the Pat Metheny Quartet

JAZZIZ ConversationsJul 13, 2019

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44:34
THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #5: JD Allen

THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #5: JD Allen

Saxophonist/composer JD Allen is known for his enigmatic, elegant and hard-driving style, as well as for his passionate storytelling through music. On his recently-released new album, Americana, Vol. 2, he continues to explore the underestimated but crucial role the blues has played in the history of jazz and how in continues to evolve and influence the art form today. He continues this investigation alongside his long-time colleagues Gregg August and Rudy Royston. This time around, he is also joined by guitarist Charlie Hunter, who shares not only Allen's interest in the blues and its legacy but they also share similar life experiences.

Oct 06, 202223:00
THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #4: Dave King and Reid Anderson (The Bad Plus)

THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #4: Dave King and Reid Anderson (The Bad Plus)

This week, we welcome bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King to The JAZZIZ Podcast. Anderson and King are two of the founding members of The Bad Plus, one of the defining bands of 21st-century jazz. After over a decade as an acclaimed piano trio, with Ethan Iverson first and Orrin Evans later, Anderson and King have reinvented The Bad Plus as a dynamic quartet with guitarist Ben Monder and saxophonist Chris Speed. This is the lineup featured on their new, self-titled album, which is due out on September 30 via Edition Records. Despite the major change in the lineup, the band's objective of challenging conventions and pushing their unique approach to jazz in boundary-breaking new directions remains unaltered. Their music, as well as this podcast conversation, testifies to their passion, drive and intent.

Sep 29, 202253:30
THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #3: Quinn Johnson
Sep 22, 202225:40
THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #2 | Espen Eriksen

THE JAZZIZ PODCAST #2 | Espen Eriksen

Our guest for this week’s JAZZIZ Podcast is Norwegian pianist/composer Espen Eriksen, known for his work with his acclaimed Espen Eriksen Trio with Lars Tormod Jenset on double bass and Andreas Bye on drums. The group has been going strong since 2007, having released a number of praiseworthy albums on Rune Grammofon, one of which was a collaboration with Andy Sheppard. The group renews its collaboration with both the label and the British saxophonist on its recently released first ever live album, In the Mountains, released earlier this year. The new album is just one of the topics covered in this latest JAZZIZ Podcast conversation.

Sep 15, 202228:48
THE JAZZIZ PODCAST#1 | Connie Han
Sep 08, 202246:20
JAZZIZ Travel: Plínio Fernandes

JAZZIZ Travel: Plínio Fernandes

Plínio Fernandes, hailed as the future of Brazilian guitar, joins us on the latest episode of JAZZIZ Travel. The 27-year-old musician recently released his major label solo album debut, Saudade, on Decca Gold. The record is a collection of interpretations of timeless songs testifying to the rich musical heritage of his native land, from Heitor Villa-Lobos to Antônio Carlos Jobim and beyond. For the most part, these compositions are performed by Fernandes solo on acoustic guitar, showcasing a profound personal connection to them, though special guests join him along the way, including cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason and vocalist Maria Rita.

Sep 01, 202226:23
JAZZIZ Travel: Paloma Dineli Chesky and David Chesky

JAZZIZ Travel: Paloma Dineli Chesky and David Chesky

Pianist David Chesky and his daughter, vocalist Paloma Dineli Chesky pop into our virtual studio to talk about some of their recent projects. Paloma released Soul on Soul earlier this year, an album of reinterpretations of soulful classics that, at 14 years of age, showcases a voice that is well beyond her years. David will soon be releasing The Great European Songbook, an album of transforming classical European standards into a modern jazz trio with Billy Drummond and Peter Washington. Both albums were recorded The Audiophile Society way. The Audiophile Society way is a new record label and music technology by audiophiles for audiophiles who want to listen better and have fun doing it.

Aug 25, 202227:03
JAZZIZ Travel: Joey Alexander

JAZZIZ Travel: Joey Alexander

Origin is a landmark album in the still-young and remarkable career of Joey Alexander. Recently released on Mack Avenue, this is the pianist's first album to feature a program entirely consisting of original material. He joins us to talk about it and some of the driving concepts behind these compositions in the latest podcast episode of JAZZIZ Travel. We also chat with him about his beginnings, including his memories of performing in front of illustrious guests and collaborating with some of the world's greatest artists at such a young age, and more.

Aug 18, 202223:31
JAZZIZ Travel: Rohan Krishnamurthy

JAZZIZ Travel: Rohan Krishnamurthy

Drummer/percussionist/composer Rohan Krishnamurthy is quickly becoming one of the leading interpreters of Indian classical and cross-genre music on the scene today. On August 14, he will release the self-titled debut of his exciting group, The Alaya Project, featuring longtime friends and collaborators Prasant Radhakrishnan and Colin Hogan. Though Krishnamurthy founded the group and serves as its artistic director, composing many of its songs and determining its setlists, the music they create is also the result of a collaboration between friends. Together, they blend the Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music with contemporary styles, such as electric jazz, bebop and funk. In addition, the record features many surprising gems, including a take on The Beatles' "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" (as a nod to the trio's genesis) and a tango-flavoured track.

Aug 11, 202228:00
JAZZIZ Travel: Joel A. Martin

JAZZIZ Travel: Joel A. Martin

In 1995, pianist/composer Joel A. Martin created Jazzical, a trademarked style of playing that is a celebration of creative fusion going well beyond the marriage of classical and jazz music. Over the years, Martin has showcased Jazzical concepts via his own compositions and has applied them to the music of various artists, countries and cultures. His latest album, Jazzical Komitas - Passion of Fire, finds him applying them to Armenian folk songs, the legendary music of Komitas Vardapet and other Armenian composers. Through Martin's sensitive interpretations, Jazzical Komitas channels the sublime beauty of the music of Komitas and other Armenian ethnic folk songs, fostering a new love, respect and appreciation for Armenian art and culture.

Aug 04, 202233:10
JAZZIZ Travel: Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf

JAZZIZ Travel: Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf

International music superstars, Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf, have teamed up for their very first album together and both join us in our latest episode of JAZZIZ Travel to tell us all about it. Queen of Sheba is a spectacular record that is inspired by and reimagines the myth of Queen Sheba, the African Queen who challenged King Solomon’s wisdom via a series of wisdom. An icon of female empowerment, her story has appeared in several sacred texts, literary traditions, films and other artworks. Queen of Sheba was composed and scored entirely by Maalouf with all lyrics by Kidjo, who sings in the Yoruba language, and prior to it being recorded, the album has been performed live by Maalouf and Kidjo on some of the world’s most prestigious stages.

Jul 28, 202229:17
JAZZIZ Travel: Elsa Nilsson

JAZZIZ Travel: Elsa Nilsson

Flutist/composer Elsa Nilsson joins us in our latest episode of JAZZIZ Travel to talk about Coast Redwoods - 41°32'09.8"N 124°04'35.5"W, her latest trio album with Jon Cowherd on piano and Chris Morrissey on bass. This is also the first release in her Atlas of Sound series, inspired by human connection to locations of the natural world, and its music originated from her visit to the north end of Redwood National Park. Nilsson also talks with us about the Esthesis Quartet, the new group where she plays alongside pianist Dawn Clement, bassist Ema Dayhuff and drummer Tina Raymond and that recently released its debut album.

Jul 21, 202225:30
JAZZIZ Travel: Kibrom Birhane

JAZZIZ Travel: Kibrom Birhane

Multi-instrumentalist and keyboard extraordinaire Kibrom Birhane has been called the future of Ethiopian jazz. His third and most adventurous album to date, HERE AND THERE, showcases his unique style, which not only delivers the ancient traditional and deep jazz roots of his native Ethiopia but is also influenced by many other styles and genres, including East African funk, spiritual jazz, psychedelia and beyond. The result is described as a conscious exploration and deep dive into the waters of life and features a cast of great instrumentalists, including members of the acclaimed Los Angeles-based Ethio Cali ensemble, led by Todd Simon, that he is a part of and that includes none other than Kamasi Washington in its extended family.

Jul 14, 202225:05
JAZZIZ Travel: Ken Druker on "Ella at the Hollywood Bowl"

JAZZIZ Travel: Ken Druker on "Ella at the Hollywood Bowl"

In this episode of JAZZIZ Travel, we travel back in time to discover a previously unheard Ella Fitzgerald concert recording, capturing a very special performance at the Hollywood Bowl from August 16, 1958. On this day, the First Lady of Song performed selections from an album she recorded a few months earlier, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook, which would become one of the most beloved of her celebrated oeuvre. Conducted and arranged by Paul Weston, who also arranged and conducted the studio sessions, this concert marked the only time that the legendary jazz vocalist would perform these iconic arrangements with a full orchestra. We spoke about this amazing new release with Ken Druker, VP of Jazz Development at Verve Music Group.

Jul 07, 202220:06
JAZZIZ Travel: Jake Savona

JAZZIZ Travel: Jake Savona

Melbourne producer/musician Jake Savona, a.k.a. Mista Savona, unites the deep roots groove of Jamaican reggae, dancehall and rocksteady with the scorching soul of Cuban son, timba and salsa on the second part of his Havana Meets Kingston project, released on June 3 via Cumbancha. These star-studded sessions brought together a multi-generational cast of amazing musicians from the musically rich cultures of Cuba and Jamaica. Mista Savona Presents Havana Meets Kingston Part 2 follows the first volume, released to great acclaim in 2017, and a live version of the project that performed three world tours and culminated in an incendiary show at The Royal Albert Hall in the summer of 2018.

Jun 30, 202224:38
JAZZIZ Travel: Nate Najar

JAZZIZ Travel: Nate Najar

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the release of Jazz Samba, the landmark 1962 collaborative album by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz that helped launch bossa nova to international stardom. Acclaimed guitarist Nate Najar pays homage to the spirit and iconic repertoire of Jazz Samba on his very own LP, Jazz Samba Pra Sempre, a loving reimagining of this seminal record, navigating the tracklist with equal parts reverence and invention. In this latest episode of JAZZIZ Travel, Najar talks with us about this new album, his love of Jazz Samba and bossa nova, the influence of Charlie Byrd and more.

Jun 23, 202232:33
JAZZIZ Travel: Gabriel Mark Hasselbach

JAZZIZ Travel: Gabriel Mark Hasselbach

Trumpeter extraordinaire Gabriel Mark Hasselbach is a U.S.-Canadian artist who has the rare distinction of regularly topping simultaneously the Mainstream and Contemporary Jazz charts everywhere. Indeed, there are two sides to his personality explored in two of his latest albums. The first is the latest installment of his acclaimed MidCentury Modern series, which finds him engaging with jazz tradition in a modern and unique way. The second is his latest smooth jazz record, Tongue & Groove, which reasserts him as one of the elite trumpeters in smooth jazz today. We talk about both of these sides of Hasseblach's creativity and more in our latest JAZZIZ Travel conversation.

Jun 16, 202227:39
JAZZIZ Travel: Vik Sohonie, founder of Ostinato Records

JAZZIZ Travel: Vik Sohonie, founder of Ostinato Records

Vik Sohonie is the founder of Ostinato Records. Based in New York City and founded in 2016, Ostinato's mission is to celebrate the music of countries and societies underrepresented in the music industry in an authentic way. During its lifespan, the label has released albums celebrating the cultural legacies of such countries as Haiti, Senegal, Somalia and more. Their upcoming new release, Beja Power!, captures the music of Noori & His Dorpa Band from Sudan's Red Sea Coast and will be released on June 24. This is the first-ever international release of the Beja sound, a six-track portal to another time and place, of melodies long forgotten and never before interpreted by an electric and brass-driven ensemble.

Jun 08, 202231:59
JAZZIZ Travel: Bill Charlap

JAZZIZ Travel: Bill Charlap

Bill Charlap, one of the premiere pianists of his generation, joins us today for a very special episode of JAZZIZ Travel. Late last year, Charlap released his new record with his acclaimed trio, featuring Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums. Street of Dreams is a reflection of the literal and metaphorical road traveled together, during the nearly 25 years since the trio’s formation. It’s also a loving tribute to Charlap’s very own New York City and marks the pianist’s return to Blue Note Records. We talk about this album and more, including the great composer Leonard Bernstein, whose musical theatre legacy Charlap will be celebrating at a special event at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on June 17, and the upcoming edition of Jazz in July, which is under his artistic director, and that will run over the course of four nights during the last two weeks of July at New York’s 92Y.

May 31, 202247:30
JAZZIZ Travel: Sonny Singh

JAZZIZ Travel: Sonny Singh

For over a decade, Sonny Singh has brought his fiery trumpet and lead vocals to audiences around the world with his acclaimed group, Red Baraat. Now, he has released his solo record, Chardi Kala, named after the Sikh concept of revolutionary, eternal optimism. Offering a response to the violence and tumultuousness of these times, Chardi Kala, released and recorded independently, pushes the boundaries of Sikh Kirtan and South Asian spiritual music. It also represents Singh's return to his early Punjabi and Sikh roots, as seen now through the lens of his experiences as a touring musician, educator and activist.

May 25, 202225:30
JAZZIZ Travel: Vincent Peirani

JAZZIZ Travel: Vincent Peirani

Vincent Peirani is one of the world's foremost accordionists, especially prominent in today's jazz scene. He is also the latest guest of our JAZZIZ Travel conversation, where we discuss two of his latest projects, each of which showcases a different side of the French composer/musician's creative personality. The first is Abrazo, a collaborative project with saxophonist Emile Parisien released last year, which offers the two artists' unique vision of the tango tradition, as well as playing with other South American idioms and rhythms. The second, Jokers, was released earlier this year and is a trio album where Peirani makes prominent use of electronics and effects, perhaps more than ever before in his internationally acclaimed career. The result is exciting, experimental, expressionistic and, often, cinematic.

May 12, 202238:35
JAZZIZ Travel: Tigran Hamasyan

JAZZIZ Travel: Tigran Hamasyan

Having mesmerized listeners everywhere with his own compositions and traditional Armenian music, pianist Tigran Hamasyan is set to release his first album of American standards on April 29 via Nonesuch Records. StandArt finds him applying different techniques and ideas that he has developed over the years to a revered repertoire, breathing new life into well-worn songs and lesser-known gems. The music on StandArt is performed in a piano trio with bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Justin Brown, augmented with special guests Mark Turner and Ambrose Akinmusire on selected tracks. The latest project offers us an opportunity to chat with him about his love and admiration for American standards, as well as the influence of his Armenian background and the folk traditions of his native country, and the freedom that his music expresses and has helped establish him as one of today's top names in creative music.

Apr 21, 202231:10
JAZZIZ Travel: Zev Feldman

JAZZIZ Travel: Zev Feldman

Zev Feldman is an internationally recognized, independent producer and the co-president of Resonance Records. He is also known for traveling the world in search of lost or forgotten records. Today, he joins us to talk about two stunning recordings documenting piano legend Bill Evans in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Morning Glory is a 1973 concert with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell, and Inner Spirit is a 1979 date with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera. Both will be issued as limited edition 2-LP Record Store Day on April 23 via Resonance, along with a new long-lost Charles Mingus recording that Feldman shares some info about in our podcast conversation.

Apr 13, 202227:30
JAZZIZ Travel: Julieta Eugenio

JAZZIZ Travel: Julieta Eugenio

From a small Argentinian port town to the vibrant club scene of New York City, saxophonist/composer Julieta Eugenio's journey has been fascinating and it has led her to finally release her debut album as a leader, Jump. The album musically explores and promotes the idea of taking leaps forward to explore new situations and accept new ideas. Recorded and completed in the midst of the pandemic, it finds her leading a chordless trio with bassist Matt Dwonszyk and drummer Jonathan Barber and in addition to her crystalline and confident phrasing, it showcases her compositional prowess. Its program is, in fact, made up almost entirely of original compositions, plus two well-chosen standards: Ted Grouya and Edmund Aderson's "Flamingo," and Carl Sigman and Sidney Keith Russell's "Crazy He Calls Me."

Mar 23, 202228:01
JAZZIZ Travel: Sigurd Hole

JAZZIZ Travel: Sigurd Hole

Sigurd Hole is one of the most in-demand bassists of today's Norwegian jazz and creative music scene. His new album, Roraima, documents a live performance that took place between lockdown in Oslo in October 2020. The work, commissioned by Oslo World, reflects on themes of solidarity and ecological vulnerability. By referring to the northernmost region of Brazil, Hole draws attention to one of the work's primary sources of inspiration: the creation myth of the Yanomami people. And aside from featuring a lineup of fine Norwegian musicians, Roraima also makes prominent use of field recordings of Amazon biophony by U.S. soundscape ecologist Bernie Krause.

Feb 23, 202224:55
JAZZIZ Travel: Júlio Resende

JAZZIZ Travel: Júlio Resende

Júlio Resende is an internationally acclaimed pianist/composer and a downright music ambassador of his native Portugal. Among his most ambitious and visionary projects is the development of an idiosyncratic blend of the sounds and emotions of fado, arguably the most characteristic music of Portugal, with the invention and vocabulary of jazz. Fado Jazz is the appropriate title of his forthcoming quartet outing as a leader, where he showcases said vision. The project also points new directions for European jazz at large and marks Resende's debut full-length for top European jazz label ACT Music.

Feb 16, 202227:25
JAZZIZ Travel: Alex "Apolo" Ayala

JAZZIZ Travel: Alex "Apolo" Ayala

Alex "Apolo" Ayala is one of the most in-demand bassists in the contemporary Latin music and jazz scene of New York City. His latest album, Bámbula, is available now on Truth Revolution Records. On it, he marries modern jazz ideas with Afro-Puerto Rican styles via a set of seven original compositions and one reimagination. He particularly offers his own vision of the bomba, Puerto Rico's oldest and purest music, with an over 400-year history. Through it, he celebrates his ancestors and Afro-Puerto Rican culture, ruminates on identity and race, and pays tribute to his late mother and grandmother.

Feb 09, 202234:30
JAZZIZ Travel: Miriam Elhajli

JAZZIZ Travel: Miriam Elhajli

Miriam Elhajli is a New York-based composer/improviser/folklorist whose work is influenced by the rich musical tradition of her Venezuelan, Moroccan and North American heritage. Her anticipated second album, The Uncertainty of Signs, features a wide cast of players performing on instruments of various cultures and traditions. The record will be released on February 22 via Numina and finds her searching for the metaphysics of song, exploring the surreal and the symbolic. "This record is my llanto," explains Elhajli via a press release, "my call out to the heavens. The music emerges from a deep longing for a promised return home, to a distant memory that is only communed with when in the flight of song - must those who live in exile belong solely to the spheres?"

Feb 02, 202225:30
JAZZIZ Travel: Miguel Espinoza

JAZZIZ Travel: Miguel Espinoza

Award-winning virtuoso flamenco guitarist/composer Miguel Espinoza gracefully balances tradition and innovation, blending flamenco with jazz, classical and subtle world music on his latest album with his Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Fusion, Veneta. Available now, Veneta is mostly made up of new original material, capitalizing on sophisticated rhythmic elements that are emotional, natural and organic. The group's unusual instrumentation, held together with soulful "duende," is a multitude of international and traditional influences, featuring Espinoza's guitar alongside Dianne Betkowski on cello, Lynn Baker on sax, Randy Hoepker on bass, Andy Skellenger on Indian tabla and Spanish Cajon, with Mario Moreno on timbales, congas, and bongo.

Jan 26, 202220:49
JAZZIZ Travel: Stacey Kent and Jim Tomlinson

JAZZIZ Travel: Stacey Kent and Jim Tomlinson

Last year, Stacey Kent released Songs from Other Places, a varied and eclectic collection of voice and piano duets with Art Hirahara. Recorded during the lockdown, these songs explore the concept of travel and give musical expression to our collective desire to roam the world again in a post-pandemic world. Songs from Other Places, released on Candid Record, also feature three new originals written by the songwriting team of Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro and Kent's longtime collaborator/saxophonist Jim Tomlinson.

Jan 19, 202242:38
JAZZIZ Travel: Christiane Karam

JAZZIZ Travel: Christiane Karam

Vocalist/composer Christiane Karam will release Nar, her first album in nine years, on January 28. A tribute to the lives tragically lost in the 2020 explosion at the Port of Beirut, her birthplace, the record is intended to be a joyous and uplifting tribute to the resilience, connection and triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Nar is also a meeting of cultures, including folk music from different regions of the Middle East and the Balkans with contemporary jazz. Its 13 tracks, originals or reimagined traditional material, span different languages and take on common themes shared amongst humanity, such as love, grief, belonging, overcoming and starting anew.

Jan 12, 202229:39
JAZZIZ Travel: Malcolm Jiyane

JAZZIZ Travel: Malcolm Jiyane

Malcolm Jiyane is a revered figure of the contemporary South African jazz scene. He's a successful painter as well as a musician. A generous sideman and bandleader, Jiyane plays multiple instruments. He was an integral part of SPAZA's most recent release, UPRIZE!, where he played piano. On his new debut album as a leader, he showcases his chops on the trombone.

UMDALI is out now on the Mushroom Hour Half Hour. Its music meditates on the concept of creation. It draws on spirituality. It also pays tribute to a history of mentors, including Johnny Mekoa, founder of the Music Academy of Gauteng, which Jiyane attended from a young age. And with UMDALI, Jiyane continues to stretch our idea of what it means to improvise within the context of jazz.

Dec 15, 202130:06
JAZZIZ Travel: Hedvig Mollestad

JAZZIZ Travel: Hedvig Mollestad

Norwegian guitarist/composer Hedvig Mollestad has fronted her own acclaimed power-trio with bassist Ellen Brekken and drummer Ivar Loe Bjørnstad for the best part of this decade. Her new album, however, finds her performing her sweeping brand of progressive jazz-rock with a loosely-configured sextet. Documenting a performance from 2018, Tempest Revisited was conceived as a hymn to her birthplace of Alesund, Norway, and takes cues from the weather and the natural world at large. It was unveiled for the anniversary of the opening of Parken, a cultural house in Alesund. (A new album by her trio, Ding Dong. You're Dead was also released earlier this year.)

Dec 08, 202133:01
JAZZIZ Travel: Elena Maque

JAZZIZ Travel: Elena Maque

Vocalist/composer/saxophonist Elena Maque was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is a university-trained musician, who spent years honing her craft and wowing audiences throughout Russia, Europe and the United States, where she currently resides. She is highly regarded for her ability to cross-pollinate with funk and pop. Her new album, Feel Again, reveals an even wider range of influences with its Latin tinges and bossa nova vibes, via a program of three invigorating covers and six original compositions. Feel Again is also the result of a collaboration with Los Angeles-based acclaimed keyboardist Scott Kinsey.

JAZZIZ Travel is a new podcast series hosted by JAZZIZ online editor Matt Micucci that explores jazz and creative music in all four corners of the globe. In this series, you will hear conversations with artists and people talking about the significance of jazz as an art form, the influence of folk music traditions of different cultures and backgrounds, or simply sharing their thoughts, ideas and insight on their multicultural projects.

Dec 01, 202128:42
JAZZIZ Travel: Sara Serpa

JAZZIZ Travel: Sara Serpa

Sara Serpa is a singer/composer/improviser who, through her practice and performance, explores the use of the voice as an instrument. She was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to New York in 2008, where she resides to this day, and where she creates ethereal music drawing from a broad variety of inspirations, including literature, film and visual arts, as well as history and nature. Her new album, Intimate Strangers, documents her collaborative and multi-media performance with Nigerian author Emmanuel Iduma, commissioned by John Zorn.

Much of it revolves around Iduma's stories and stories of others that he collected in his book, A Stranger's Pose, and deals with such themes as migration and displacement. It also continues a narrative that Serpa began in 2020 with Recognition: Music For a Silent Film. While that album grappled with the legacy of Portuguese colonialism in Africa via her own family's history, Intimate Strangers gazes back at colonial powers from the vantage point of Africa itself.

Nov 24, 202135:55
JAZZIZ Travel: Henry Cole

JAZZIZ Travel: Henry Cole

Puerto Rican master drummer/composer/arranger Henry Cole is known for his versatility and groove. Over the years, he has performed with many of the greats, from Miguel Zenón to Gary Burton and beyond. During this time of intense activity, he also developed his own idiosyncratic "mestizo sound," which synthesizes African, Indigeound and European influences in a contemporary jazz setting.

This sound, also developed via a mixture of personal experiences within a wide range of styles and genres, reflects the eclectic of his Puerto Rican heritage. It is showcased on his upcoming bold and life-affirming work, Buscando la Vida, the music of which came from a profoundly personal place and was inspired by dramatic events in his recent history. The record features his dynamic ensemble, Villa Locura, augmented by the renowned Metropole Orkest and special guests.

Nov 17, 202133:20
JAZZIZ Travel: Amir ElSaffar

JAZZIZ Travel: Amir ElSaffar

Trumpeter/vocalist/composer Amir ElSaffar is a Chicago native of Iraqi-American heritage. A visionary musician with a prominent background in classical music and jazz, ElSaffar is also a purveyor of old, endangered Arabic music. He is particularly fond of the Iraqi maqam, which he performs actively as a vocalist and santur player, and has integrated in his eclectic and idiosyncratic artistic vision.

His new album, The Other Shore, was released earlier this year via Outhere and marks a further evolution for his Rivers of Sound ensemble, which has grown to become a 17-piece all-star lineup featuring instruments of various cultures and backgrounds. Yet, As ElSaffar explains via an official statement: "I'm less interested in the surface intermingling of cultures and more fascinated by the sonic possibilities in this unique combination of instruments from around the world."

Nov 10, 202132:18
JAZZIZ Travel: Adam Bałdych

JAZZIZ Travel: Adam Bałdych

Adam Bałdych is a Polish violin master who works within a wide range of settings and genres, and who is particularly known for leading a jazz violin renaissance in European jazz in later years. Yet, no matter the project, he is driven by one fundamental goal: to make music that communicates, able to enter people's lives and stay with them.

His new album Poetry is a landmark project featuring his quintet and the great trumpeter/flugelhornist Paolo Fresu. It marks a further step in Bałdych's journey, away from mere virtuosity and towards a kind of authentic individual expression that feels more natural. Much of its music was written during the pandemic and is dedicated to his wife and his young son, who was born in 2020.

Nov 03, 202131:33
JAZZIZ Travel: Anna Gréta

JAZZIZ Travel: Anna Gréta

Icelandic-born, Sweden-based singer/songwriter/pianist Anna Gréta was born in music (her father is acclaimed jazz saxophonist Sigurður Flosason) and has performed with some of the great Nordic jazz musicians of today. On October 29, she will release her debut album, Nightjar in the Northern Sky, via ACT Music.


The record emerged from a period of two years and was partly influenced by the isolation of the global pandemic. It includes twelve original compositions, shaped by tinges of the familiar sonic Nordic surrealism, nature and Anna Gréta's own process of self-discovery. As an official press release puts it, "with each of the tracks on this album, she creates self-contained worlds that are part of a bigger picture, light-footed, relaxed, reduced, concentrated. And a remarkably multilayered, immersive and beautiful experience."

Oct 27, 202122:01
JAZZIZ Travel: Moor Mother

JAZZIZ Travel: Moor Mother

Camae Ayewa, a.k.a Moor Mother, is not only a musician but a poet, visual artist and prominent thinker. Having established her reputation as a force to be reckoned with in creative music everywhere, particularly with her debut album Fetish Bones from 2016, she has continued to share her thoughts in a variety of music and multimedia projects.

Her latest album, Black Encyclopedia of the Air, is a collaboration with soundscape artist/producer Olof Melander and despite tackling such difficult themes as injustice, the erasure of African identity and a future without the stains of colonialism, she has described it as her most accessible album yet. As with all other Moor Mother releases, Black Encyclopedia of the Air also features a multitude of guest artists, instruments and voices, which together with a wide-ranging palette of influences and energy evoking the free jazz tradition is aptly described via an official press release as "a time traveler's guide to the modern world."

Oct 20, 202117:53
JAZZIZ Travel: Hiromi

JAZZIZ Travel: Hiromi

Virtuoso pianist/composer Hiromi's new album, Silver Lining Suite, is a blend of classical composition and jazz invention. It is also her collaboration with violinist Tatsuo Nishie, concertmaster of the New Japan Philharmonic. The origins of this collaboration can be traced back to the pianist's Save Live Music series of concerts and livestreams, which took place at Blue Note Tokyo during the pandemic. It was Nishie who assembled the string quartet for this project.

Silver Lining Suite, out now on Telarc, is a soundtrack representing the emotional toll of the pandemic. It takes listeners on an emotional journey, from the isolation and uncertainty of its early days to the fortitude and optimism that carried Hiromi and so many others through these trying times. "[The pandemic] was weird, worrying and uncertain in the beginning, full of negative emotions," she says via a press release. "I tried to find something positive I could do under this situation."

Oct 13, 202126:40
JAZZIZ Travel: Ches Smith and Daniel Brevil

JAZZIZ Travel: Ches Smith and Daniel Brevil

Drummer Ches Smith and percussionist Daniel Brevil join us on this new episode of JAZZIZ Travel to talk about their collaboration on the new album, Path of Seven Colors, out now on Pyroclastic Records. This eight-track collection melds Haitian Voudou and contemporary jazz, and is performed by the We All Break ensemble, the brainchild of Ches Smith.

The origins of We All Break can be traced back to 2013 and since then, the group has expanded into a stellar and multicultural quartet, with Smith and Brevil alongside pianist Matt Mitchell, saxophonist Miguel Zenón, rising-star bassist Nick Dunston, vocalist Sirene Dantor Rene, and Markus Schwartz and Fanfan Jean-Guy Rene.

Oct 06, 202134:00
JAZZIZ Travel: Daniel Garcia

JAZZIZ Travel: Daniel Garcia

Via de la Plata is an ancient commercial and pilgrimage path that crosses the West of Spain from North to South. It represents the country's main artery and allowed Spain to come together for the first time, bringing together people of different cultures, from Celtic and Nordic to Mediterranean and African, and from the Americas also. An awareness and passion for this melting pot of cultures inform the latest project by Daniel Garcia, Via de la Plata, released on September 24 via Act Music.

This new record finds the pianist/composer/arranger digging deep into his heritage and the music of his country. It is also a culmination of his investigation of the link between jazz and flamenco, which was partly inspired by his Berklee School of Music teacher and mentor, Danilo Pérez. Via de la Plata is performed with a core trio and special guests, including Ibrahim Maalouf, Gerardo Núñez and Anat Cohen.

Sep 29, 202131:39
JAZZIZ Travel: Patrick Shiroishi

JAZZIZ Travel: Patrick Shiroishi

Los Angeles-based saxophonist/composer Patrick Shirioshi's previous LP, 2020's Descension, heavily focused on the experience of being inside a Japanese-American concentration camp. By doing so, he revisited one of the darkest pages in American history that is not talked about as often as it should. His new album, Hidemi, is a solo multilayered woodwind journey that is more on the personal experience of his grandfather, who appears on its cover, after getting out.

Due out on October 29 via American Dream, Shirioshi's forthcoming full-length is not only a fascinating work of expressive, creative avant-garde music and improvisation. Through it, the multi-instrumentalist consciously aims to represent the Japanese-American experience past and present, acknowledging music as a means for communication and activism.

Sep 22, 202128:33
JAZZIZ Travel: Gisele Ben-Dor and Juanjo Mosalini

JAZZIZ Travel: Gisele Ben-Dor and Juanjo Mosalini

Argentinian Astor Piazzolla, born in 1921, leaned heavily on the jazz vocabulary to create the nuevo tango, a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into the traditional Argentinian tango. To celebrate the centennial of this groundbreaking music artist, conductor Gisele Ben-Dor and bandoneon virtuoso Juanjo Mosalini have released an exquisitely expressive tribute album titled Piazzolla: Cien Anos.


The album was released on August 5 via Centaur and documents a live performance recorded in January 2020 with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra at the Sanders Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This was neither the first time the pair have collaborated together nor is it the time they find themselves celebrating the legacy of Piazzolla. However, every time they do, they expose the heart of tango as Piazzolla imagined it: a cosmopolitan and emotional roller coaster, technically virtuosic, savage and tender.

Sep 07, 202129:41
JAZZIZ Travel: Bram Weijters

JAZZIZ Travel: Bram Weijters

Pianist/composer Bram Weijters is based in Antwerp, Belgium, and is certainly one of the most exciting voices on the contemporary Belgian jazz scene. He has led and participated in a wide range of projects, including his Crazy Men ensemble, which recently released their second full-length record, The Return, out now on Sdban Ultra.

The band consists of musicians from a wide array of contemporary jazz bands and offers thrilling reinterpretations of music from the Belgian jazz-rock and fusion scene from the 1970s, which was populated by both local and international talent. If you don't know much about this historic scene, then The Return and this podcast conversation are two good places to start. The album, recorded live and remixed in the studio, is the band's sophomore full-length and includes 14 reworkings of compositions from artists including Philip Catherine, Placebo, the Palle Mikelborg ensemble, Bob Porter, Bill Frisell and more.

Sep 01, 202131:46
Miles Monday: Merci Miles! with Kenny Garrett, Deron Johnson, Florence Joelle Halfon & Ashley Kahn

Miles Monday: Merci Miles! with Kenny Garrett, Deron Johnson, Florence Joelle Halfon & Ashley Kahn

In this special "Miles Monday" episode of JAZZIZ Conversations, we discuss the recording, remastering and release of Merci Miles! (Live at Vienne), a previously unpublished live concert album made available by Rhino Records on June 25. The album captures an electrifying set by The Miles Davis Group at the Vienne Jazz Festival in the summer of 1991, marking one of Miles' final live performances before his death on September 28.

We're joined in the conversation by Vince Wilburn Jr. (drummer, record producer and nephew of Miles Davis), saxophonist Kenny Garrett, keyboardist Deron Johnson, Merci Miles! co-producer Florence Joelle Halfon and jazz critic Ashley Kahn. 

Purchase your copy of Merci Miles! at the Miles Davis shop: https://www.milesdavis.com/albums/merci-miles-live-at-vienne/


Aug 25, 202135:44
JAZZIZ Travel: Sebastián de Urquiza

JAZZIZ Travel: Sebastián de Urquiza

Double-bassist/composer/vocalist Sebastián de Urquiza, born in Boston but naturalized Argentinian, is a musician in constant growth. He recently released his large ensemble debut as a leader, Unity Vol. 1, with a second volume on the way. Recorded in Switzerland, the session features a multinational and multicultural lineup united by jazz and improvisation. Each of the compositions refers to a specific setting or climate, showcases that sensation of unity and comes with a great dose of feeling and sensation.

Aug 25, 202126:16
JAZZIZ Travel: Satoko Fujii

JAZZIZ Travel: Satoko Fujii

Japanese artist Satoko Fujii is one of the most exciting voices to have emerged from the avant-jazz scene of the '90s. A prolific bandleader of several ensembles large and small in different parts of the world, the pianist/accordionist/composer is fast approaching her 100th album. This year alone, she has released a number of noteworthy records, with more to follow before the year's end.

Her latest LP is titled Moon on the Lake and was released on May 7 via Libra Records. It features Fujii alongside bassist Takashi Sugawa and drummer Ittetsu, two of the most in-demand younger musicians on the Japanese jazz scene, and marks her return to the standard piano trio for the first time since 2013. It is also a good starting point for an overview of Japan's jazz and creative music scene, and Fujii's own personal artistic journey.

Aug 18, 202133:54
JAZZIZ Travel: Peter K. Siegel on Joseph Spence

JAZZIZ Travel: Peter K. Siegel on Joseph Spence

Richard Thompson, The Grateful Dead, Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal. They are just some of the artists who have been influenced by Bahamian guitar legend Joseph Spence (1910-1984). By combining individual inspiration and talent with regional musical traditions, Spence created a seminal guitar style. Yet, it is also thanks to the work of such music preservationists as Peter K. Siegel that his legacy lives on to this day.

The founder of the fabled Explorer Series for Nonesuch Records met and recorded Spence in New York City and the Bahamas in 1965 when he was only a teenager. He shares memories of spending time with Spence in his hometown and abroad in our latest episode of JAZZIZ Travel. During this time, he also recorded the guitar master in a variety of locations. A selection of these recordings is featured in a new LP titled Encore: Unheard Recordings of Bahamian Guitar and Singing, released on July 16 via Smithsonian Folkways.

Aug 11, 202124:17