Episodes

Jason Crane interviews bassist Miroslav Vitous. Vitous came to the U.S. in 1966, and quickly became part of the New York jazz scene. He was a founding member of Weather Report along with Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul. Vitous played on the landmark trio session Now He Sings, Now He Sobs (Blue Note, 1968) with Chick Corea and Roy Haynes. Vitous’s new album is Universal Syncopations II (ECM, 2007), the sequel to his critically acclaimed Universal Syncopations (ECM, 2003). The album features trumpet...

Jason Crane interviews composer and trombonist Rick Parker. Parker’s most recent album with the Rick Parker Collective is Finding Space (WJF Records, 2006). It was named one of the top CDs of 2006 by Michael Ricci, publisher of All About Jazz. Parker sees himself as a composer first, trombonist second. His passion for writing shows on Finding Space, an album of original music by Parker (plus one number by drummer Kyle Struve). Parker won an ASCAP Young Composer Award for the album’s second track...

Jason Crane interviews keyboardist and composer David Witham. Witham is George Benson’s musical director, a gig he’s held down for more than 20 years. His resume includes everyone from Michael Brecker and Eddie Harris to k.d. lang, Jose Feliciano and Paul Anka. On his new album, Spinning The Circle (Cryptogramophone, 2007), Witham assembles an all-star cast from across the musical spectrum to play primarily his own compositions.

Jason Crane interviews guitarist Gene Bertoncini. Raised in the Bronx, Bertoncini began his musical education at an early age, encouraged by his parents. He studied architecture at Notre Dame before deciding on a life of music. That decision was a smart one — Bertoncini has since performed with the Metropolitan Opera orchestra, the Benny Goodman Sextet, Tony Bennett, Buddy Rich, Wayne Shorter, Burt Bacharach, Michel LeGrand and many others. He’s also on the faculty at the Tritone Jazz Camp (trit...

Show #9 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: Live sound samples from The Jens Winther European Quartet, Cowboy Mouth, The Soul Rebels and Avishai Cohen. Then, the grand finale: Greg, Seth, Ken and Jason get together for one massive roundtable discussion about the festival. Enjoy — and see you next year! Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Y...

Jason Crane interviews Andy Milne and John Moon of Dapp Theory at the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Andy Milne formed Dapp Theory several years ago to fuse many musical worlds, including hip hop, spoken word, and jazz improvisation. The original group recorded Y’all Just Don’t Know (Concord, 2003). Since then, the personnel roster has changed, but the visionary outlook and exciting music haven’t. Find out more at DappTheory.com.

Jason Crane interviews clarinetist Don Byron at the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Byron performed two sets with his Ivey Divey trio featuring pianist Jason Moran and drummer Billy Hart. Byron has covered a lot of ground in his musical career, from the Ivey Divey project (honoring Lester Young) to the music of Junior Walker, Raymond Scott and Mickey Katz. Byron talks about Lester Young, his next project, and the influence of African-American religion on African-American speech. Find...

Jason Crane interviews pianist Jason Moran at the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Moran came to play with two bands — his own Bandwagon and Don Byron’s Ivey Divey trio. Moran’s most recent CD is Artist In Residence (Blue Note, 2006), an album composed mostly of Moran’s commissioned works. Moran talks about philosopher Adrian Piper, pianist Jaki Byard, and his new commission to create a multimedia piece inspired by Thelonious Monk’s 1959 Town Hall concert. Find out more at JasonMoran....

Show #8 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: Live sound samples from James Moody, an interview with guitarist Mel Henderson of Paradigm Shift, and a sneak preview of a soon-to-be-released album from a major name in jazz. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows Refrigerator Ron Netsky & Frank DeBlase at City Newspa...

Jason Crane interviews drummer Matt Wilson between his sets at the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Wilson played two shows with his Arts & Crafts band featuring Dennis Irwin on bass, Gary Versace on organ and piano, and Michael Rodriquez on trumpet (sitting in for Terrell Stafford). The band’s new album is Scenic Route (Palmetto, 2007). Wilson is one of the most in-demand drummers in jazz, having appeared on more than 160 recordings. Find out more at MattWilsonJazz.com.

Show #7 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: Live sound samples from the Webster Schroeder High School Jazz Band, a wonderful story about vibraphonist Joe Locke, and some wacky behind-the-scenes antics from the members of Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows Refrigerator Ron Netsky ...

Show #6 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: Live sound samples from Trio Beyond with John Scofield, Jack DeJohnette and Larry Goldings, interviews with festival attendees, and conversations with pianist Dino Losito and drummer Mike Melito. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows Refrigerator Ron Netsky & Frank De...

Show #5 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: Live sound samples from Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks and Mamadou Diabate, interviews with festival attendees, and a feature on the Swedish electronica group Midaircondo. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows Refrigerator

Jason Crane interviews trombonist Robin Eubanks before his set at the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Eubanks is in Rochester with his band EB3, which features Eubanks on acoustic and electric trombone, loops and percussion pads, and keyboard bass; Michelle Rosewoman (subbing for Orrin Evans) on keyboards and keyboard bass; and Kenwood Dennard on drums and keyboard bass. Eubanks is also a member of the Dave Holland Quintet and Big Band and the new Dave Holland Sextet. Find out more a...

Show #4 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: Interviews with Dutch trumpeter Saskia Laroo, Swedish trumpeter Peter Asplund, and Canadian Afro-beat band Mr. Something Something. Plus music samples from all three artists. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows Refrigerator

Show #3 from the Rochester International Jazz Festival. This show focuses on Nordic Jazz Now — bands from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark who are performing all this week at the festival. RIJF Artistic Director John Nugent also produces the Stockholm Jazz Festival. In this episode: Vidar Brathen from the Norwegian Jazz Forum, Bengt Strokirk from Concerts Sweden, an interview with the members of the Norwegian band Zanussi Five, and excerpts from various Nordic albums. Look for more from Nordi...

Show #2 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: “Sounds of the Street.” Includes performance excerpts from Scott Goudie and The Shuffle Demons, plus interviews with trumpeter Mike Catone, Jazz90.1 DJ Gary O, and RIJF staffer Bob Madeira. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows

Show #1 from the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Featuring reviews, news, interviews and more! On this edition: reviews of Raul Midon, Geri Allen with Jimmy Cobb, Peter Asplund, Steps Ahead, and Jon Ballantyne. Be sure to visit the following sites for more RIJF coverage: Fretful Porpentine Jazz@Rochester Cup O’ Books Will Yurman’s multimedia slideshows Please excuse this extra data, but I’m testing My Odeo Channel (odeo/5698c72e2f326cfc) with this post.

WXXI, one of Rochester’s public radio stations, mentioned The Jazz Session in a recent broadcast. The male voice you hear is that of Scott Fybush, who runs the indispensable NorthEast Radio Watch. Listen to the story: .

Jason Crane interviews vibraphonist and composer Cecilia Smith. Smith’s new project, Dark Triumph(CEA Music, 2005) chronicles the life of her aunt, Victoria Lancaster Smith, through spoken word, improvisation, orchestral arrangements, members of the Boys Choir of Harlem, and a jazz rhythm section. This ambitious album originated when Victoria Smith showed Cecilia Smith an 8-bar melody she’d been carrying around in her head for six decades. Learn more at Cecilia Smith’s MySpace page and at Cecili...

TJS Extra looks at jazz from other angles. Think of it as a companion piece to The Jazz Session. On this edition, Jason Crane interviews jazz writer Doug Ramsey. Ramsey is a broadcast and print journalist with an extensive background in jazz writing. He is the author of several books, including Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond, for which he won an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. He has contributed to JazzTimes since 1975 and, before that, wrote regularly for Down Beat. He now ru...

Jason Crane interviews vibraphonist Terry Gibbs. This week, ASCAP, one of the organizations that safeguards performers’ and composers’ rights, announced that it will add Gibbs to its Jazz Wall of Fame in a ceremony on June 1 at Lincoln Center. Gibbs is already recognized as an ASCAP Jazz Living Legend for a career that spans the bebop era to the present day. In honor of Gibbs’ award, The Jazz Session presents a 2004 interview with Terry Gibbs recorded after the release of his album 52nd & Broa...

TJS Extra looks at jazz from other angles. Think of it as a companion piece to The Jazz Session. This edition takes you behind the scenes of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. Jason Crane interviews festival producers John Nugent and Marc Iacona. With more than 600 artists, 200+ concerts and 18 venues, the RIJF has quickly become one of the leading jazz festivals in North America. Find out more at RochesterJazz.com.

Jason Crane interviews percussionist, bandleader, composer and educator Bobby Sanabria. Sanabria is a living link to the great Afro-Cuban jazz tradition. He’s played with just about everyone, including Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Charles McPherson, Mongo Santamaria, Chico O’Farrill and Mario Bauza. He’s also a Grammy-nominated solo artist and a powerful force in bringing the Afro-Cuban tradition into the 21st century. This interview features a sneak peek at his new album, Big...