Episodes

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Kenny Garrett about his new CD, Sketches of MD (Mack Ave Records, 2008). This album features the paired saxophones of Garrett and Pharoah Sanders, who’ve performed together many times but never recorded live. Garrett wrote all the tunes on the album, each of which draws inspiration from a sideman or groove concept associated with the Miles Davis band (the “MD” of the album title). Find out more at kennygarrett.com. CONTEST: Win Sketches of MD! I’ve got three c...

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Javon Jackson. On his new recording for Palmetto Records, Once Upon A Melody, Jackson pays tribute to the people and songs that have influenced him, from Wayne Shorter to Sonny Rollins to Ramsey Lewis to Corinne Bailey Rae. During this interview, Javon leads a track-by-track tour of the record, and you’ll hear excerpts from every composition. He’s joined on the album by pianist Eric Reed, bassist Corcoran Holt and longtime musical partner Billy Drummond on drum...

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Adam Niewood about his new 2-CD set, Epic Journey: Volumes I & II (Innova, 2008). Niewood is the son of famed woodwind player Gerry Niewood, but he has stepped firmly out of his father’s shadow with this new release, which features both composed and free-improvised music. Niewood’s writing skills are as strong as his playing, and the albums surprise and delight with repeated listening. In this interview, Niewood talks about the making of Epic Journey, the 90s s...

In going through my audio recorder, I discovered that I had recorded a complete song by Kate McGarry and the Less Is More Trio at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Here are Kate on vocals, Keith Ganz on guitar and Clarence Penn on percussion with Joni Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning.”

Jason Crane interviews singer-songwriter Spencer Day in the last of three interviews recorded at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival. Day and his band had just finished their set at the festival, one day after Day joined Marian McPartland on stage for a live taping to celebrate her 90th birthday. That’s quite a distance from growing up Mormon in small southwestern towns. Day is nearly finished with his next CD, which includes the Turtle Island String Quartet and a gospel choir performing Day’s com...

Jason Crane interviews vocalist Jo Lawry in the second of three shows recorded live at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox, MA. Lawry hails from Australia, and she’s pursuing her doctorate in jazz performance at the New England Conservatory. With flawless intonation and inventive arranging, Lawry impresses on her debut recording, I Want To Be Happy (Fleurieu Music, 2008). And be sure to check out her own compositions, including the new classic, “Small House.” Find out more at jolawry.com....

Jason Crane interviews clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Eddie Daniels in the first of three Jazz Session shows recorded live at the 2008 Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox, MA. Daniels played the fest with many of the same musicians who appear on his 2-CD live album Homecoming (IPO Recordings, 2007). Daniels got his start as a saxophonist with the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis big band, and then launched a successful solo career that took the clarinet to new heights. He started performing on saxophone ...

Jason Crane interviews composer and guitarist Joel Harrison. With The Wheel (innova, 2008), Harrison straddles the line between written and improvised music, composing for an ensemble made up of a string quartet and jazz quintet. The results are surprising and powerful. The majority of the album is composed of the five-movement suite “The Wheel,” and the record ends with the moving tribute, “In Memoriam: Dana Brayton.” CONTEST: Listen to the show to hear how you can win a copy of the The Wheel!

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist and composer Donny McCaslin about his new record, Recommended Tools (Greenleaf Music, 2008). The new album is McCaslin’s statement in the saxophone trio format, and he’s joined by two of New York’s finest — bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Johnathan Blake. McCaslin shines on this album of original compositions, plus Billy Strayhorn’s Isfahan. (NOTE: McCaslin was on The Jazz Session #29 last year in an interview that featured an in-depth look at his life and...

Jason Crane interviews pianist and composer Aaron Parks. Parks is 24 years old—and he started college 11 years ago. A child prodigy who entered the University of Washington at age 13 as a triple major in math, computer science and music, Parks quickly found that music was his true calling. Now, after a five-year stint with trumpeter Terence Blanchard, Parks has released his Blue Note debut, Invisible Cinema. The album is a tour de force of composition, imagination and performance.

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist John Ellis. After making a name for himself during his five years with guitarist Charlie Hunter, Ellis has emerged as a leader and composer in his own right. His new album, Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow (Hyena Records, 2008) is a celebration of the sousaphone (yes, the sousaphone!) in a funky stew of creative and fun tunes, all penned by Ellis.

Jason Crane interviews drummer, composer, arranger, educator and NEA Jazz Master Chico Hamilton. The 86-year-old Hamilton released four albums (!) in 2006, and then collected tracks from the four albums on 2007’s Hamiltonia (Joyous Shout, 2007). This year will see the release of two more recordings — a remix album featuring new takes on classic Hamilton tracks, and an EP that pays tribute to his first recording with a guitar-drum-bass trio. The show features two tracks from the upcoming trio rec...

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter and composer Avishai Cohen. (Not to be confused with bassist and composer Avishai Cohen.) Cohen is at the center of a vibrant musical scene in New York City — full of experimentation, melding musical styles, and an appetite for adventure. More than that, Cohen is a philosopher-musician, using his compositions to explore larger societal questions. His 2007 album After The Big Rain (Anzic Records, 2007) looks at the planet after a worldwide flood. The album is the ...

Jason Crane interviews Laurie Pepper, wife of the late alto saxophonist Art Pepper (1925-1982). Laurie has recently put out two sets of previously unreleased live recordings by Art Pepper — Unreleased Art, Vol. 1: The Complete Abashiri Concert — November 22, 1981 (Widow’s Taste, 2006) and Unreleased Art, Vol. 2: The Last Concert (Widow’s Taste, 2007). Both concerts show Pepper at the height of his emotional expression, and still very much in command of his instrument. In this interview, Laurie P...

Jason Crane interviews vocalist Kate McGarry about her new album, The Target (Palmetto, 2007). It’s yet another stellar album in a career that has seen her working with everyone from Fred Hersch to Maria Schneider. On The Target, McGarry is joined by her husband Keith Ganz on guitar, Gary Versace on organ and piano, Reuben Rogers on bass and Greg Hutchinson on drums, along with guest appearances from saxophonist Donny McCaslin and Theo Bleckman on voice loops. On both American songbook classics ...

Jason Crane interviews pianist and composer Tord Gustavsen. His most recent recording, Being There (ECM, 2007), is part of a trilogy of records exploring the intimate territory traversed by the pianist and his trio. With bassist Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad, Gustavsen delves deeply into the rich musics of the world, filtering the results through a contemplative lens. Being There is an album that rewards repeated listening, and the interview makes it clear that a lot of thought and ...

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter and vocalist Matt Shulman about his new album, So It Goes (Jaggo Records, 2007). Shulman sings and plays trumpet, but that’s where the Chet Baker comparison ends, although like Baker, Shulman incorporates the hip music of the day into his own work. Skilled at multiphonics — playing one note while simultaneously singing another — Shulman is able to expand the range of the trumpet beyond its normal capacity. On So It Goes, Shulman tackles everything from Led Zeppel...

Jason Crane interviews trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer Brian Groder. Groder’s new album, Torque (Latham Records, 2006), features jazz master Sam Rivers on saxophone and flute, along with bassist Doug Mathews and drummer Anthony Cole. Groder has played with everyone from Cecil Taylor and Joanne Brackeen to Joe Cocker, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. In addition to his various projects with other musicians, Groder also writes music for multimedia pieces and dance ensembles.

Jason Crane interviews Eric Nemeyer, vibraphonist and founder of Jazz Improv magazine. Nemeyer is also the creator of the Jazz Improv Live! Convention, a four-day gathering of jazz musicians, writers, historians, broadcasters and fans. The convention runs from October 25-28 in New York City. It features panel discussions, presentations, and workshops, along with nightly concerts in multiple venues.

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Donny McCaslin. One of the busiest saxophonists in the business, McCaslin plays with Maria Schneider, Dave Douglas and many others. He also fronts his own groups, including the band on his new CD, In Pursuit (Sunnyside, 2007). A follow-up to his critically acclaimed record Soar (Sunnyside, 2006), In Pursuit features compositions commissioned for a Chamber Music America grant. McCaslin talks about his father’s influence, playing with Gary Burton, and the life of...

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist and composer Brian Patneaude. His new quartet album is called As We Know It (WEPA Records, 2007). Patneaude was born and raised near Albany, NY. He’s chosen to make his musical stand in Albany, and the choice is paying off. Patneaude is a busy musician, whether it’s his weekly residency at famed Albany jazz club Justin’s or his continuing gig with Grammy-nominated Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra. As We Know It features seven strong compositions by Patneaude...

Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Joel Frahm. Frahm is one of the busiest saxophonists on the scene today. You’ll find him on recordings with pianist Brad Mehldau, vocalist Jane Monheit, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, drummers Matt Wilson and Pete Zimmer, and the Waverly 7. His fourth record as a leader, We Used To Dance (Anzic Records, 2007), brings together a classic rhythm section that played with Stan Getz on some of his final recordings: pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victo...

Jason Crane interviews bassist Eberhard Weber. Weber’s name is synonymous with the “ECM sound,” because he’s been the bassist of choice on classic ECM recordings dating back to the label’s founding three decades ago. Since the early 1980s, Weber has played in saxophonist Jan Garbarek’s band. To celebrate his 65th birthday, the city of Stuttgart, Germany, threw Weber a two-night concert party. He was joined on stage by an orchestra, Garbarek, vibraphonist Gary Burton, and others from his musical ...

Jason Crane interviews drummer and composer Kendrick Scott. Scott’s new album with his band Oracle is The Source (World Culture Music, 2007). Scott grew up in Houston, surrounded by a musical family and the Baptist church. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a musician, and he followed this path from Houston’s arts high school to Berklee and then into gigs with The Crusaders and Terence Blanchard. The Source weaves together these musical threads into a unified tapestry of lyricism and...