Episodes

Trombonist Conrad Herwig and the Latin Side All-Stars are playing every Tuesday night at Django in the Roxy Hotel in New York now through March 28, 2023. In this interview, we talk about Conrad’s history from his formative years in Hawaii to his early professional career in NYC; his The Latin Side Of… project and its most recent album of Mingus tunes; navigating the path between jazz classics and their Afro-Caribbean reinterpretation; and more. PATREON Become a Patreon supporter for $5 a month ...

Guitarist and vocalist Doug Wamble‘s latest album is called Blues In The Present Tense. It’s an overtly political album that speaks to a range of important issues. It’s also a great album musically, featuring performances by Eric Revis, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Branford Marsalis. In this interview, Doug talks about using his music as a vehicle for political expression; the old school session at which the album was recorded; the inspiration of Kenny Kirkland; and a lot more. PATREON Become a Patreo...

NOTE: Members received this a week ago, but I’m making it public so that perhaps you’ll consider becoming a member if you’re not already. You can join today for $5 a month at https://thejazzsession.com/join. You get bonus shows like this, plus early access to every episode, plus a bonus episode called This I Dig Of You that accompanies each main episode. And more! / / / Jason Crane is joined by Aaron Staebell and Patrick McCurry to talk about albums that helped shaped them as music listeners. T...

There’s a new anthology of the work of guitarist Steve Tibbetts called Hellbound Train. In this interview, Steve talks about putting together that anthology; how world travel has shaped his life and music; the importance of percussion to the music he writes and plays; and more. PATREON Become a Patreon supporter for $5 a month to get a monthly bonus show called This I Dig Of You, on which the guest from the main episode talks about something non-musical that’s bringing them joy. Steve talks abo...

Ernesto Cervini’s new album, Joy, was inspired by Louise Penny’s detective series about Chief Inspector Gamache. That series has now been made into the show Three Pines. In this interview, Ernesto talks about how the books inspired the music; why he decided to work with vocalists for the first time; composing music based on novels given that some listeners won’t have read them; and much more. CREDITS Theme Music: The Respect Sextet (respectsextet.com) Logo: Sarah Walter Intro Voice: Chuck In...

Vocalist Claudia Acuña returns to talk about her album Duo (Ropeadope Records, 2022). In this interview, Claudia discusses the long road to an album of duets; singing music in Spanish for English-speaking audiences; collaborating as a vocalist with instruments that don’t play chords; the influence of Chick Corea; and more. CREDITS Theme Music: The Respect Sextet (respectsextet.com) Logo: Sarah Walter Intro Voice: Chuck Ingersoll (hearchucknow.com) PATREON Become a Patreon supporter for $5 ...

Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington recently released two albums, two books, and she’s curating an exhibit at Detroit’s Carr Center. In this interview, we talk about her Jazz Without Patriarchy project; New Standards, a book and album featuring jazz tunes by women; her live album with Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding; and the many-layered exhibit she’s overseeing. New Standards Vol. 1 (album) Live At The Detroit Jazz Festival (album) New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers (book) Thr...

This episode is sponsored by the TD James Moody Jazz Festival at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The festival runs from November 8 through 20 and features a who’s who of talent from the jazz world and beyond. Performers include Fantasia with Jazzmeia Horn; Dee Dee Bridgewater singing with tap dancer Savion Glover; the Jon Faddis Quartet; Yellowjackets; Terence Blanchard with E-Collective and the Turtle Island Quartet; a recreation by Trouble No More and Dumpstaphunk of the Allman Brothers...

Trumpeter Michael Sarian‘s new album is called Living At The End Of The World. In this interview, Sarian talks about the stories behind many of the tracks; how he figures out which tunes to put on an album; working with Camila Meza; discovering Meshell Ndegeocello; and much more. Patreon supporters also get the premiere episode of This I Dig Of You, on which this month’s guest talks about something non-musical that is bringing them joy. Michael talks about working out and about Argentine-style ...

This episode is a tribute to trumpeter jaimie branch via a collection of voice messages left by friends, collaborators and fans, plus selections of jaimie’s music. This episode also marks the return of Jason Crane as the host of The Jazz Session in its new monthly format. Please support The Jazz Session by becoming a member at https://thejazzsession.com/join.

Aaron Staebell and Patrick McCurry join Jason Crane to talk about how they measure artistic success. How many people need to listen to or attend something for it to be worth doing? Hear the entire episode by becoming a Patreon supporter at https://patreon.com/thejazzsession.

Aaron Staebell, Patrick McCurry and Jason Crane take you through a nine-track playlist you can put on if you’re in the car with folks who might not think they’re into jazz. You can also listen to the playlists directly on Apple Music and Spotify.

Jason Crane (various locations), Patrick McCurry (Auburn, AL) and Aaron Staebell (Rochester, NY) talk about how they stay connected to jazz despite not living in New York City. You can hear the full episode by supporting The Jazz Session for just $5 a month at https://patreon.com/thejazzsession.

Mackenzie Horne recommends surprising albums by Bill Evans, Abdullah Ibrahim and Kenny Wheeler, plus we talk about how she got into jazz and found it unexpectedly becoming both her work and her passion. This is a teaser version. The full episode is available, along with many other bonus shows, at patreon.com/thejazzsession.

There was one last Track Of The Week left in the hopper from Nicky’s tenure with the show, so I thought I’d send it out to everyone as a little appetizer before the show returns in full in September with new bonus features. The artist is George Cotsirilos and the track is “Igualmente” from George’s album Refuge (OA2 Records). Enjoy! Remember: You can get exclusive bonus episodes during the summer by becoming a member for just $5 a month at https://thejazzsession.com/join.

The first summer bonus episode of The Jazz Session is here! Returning host Jason Crane is joined by Patrick McCurry and Aaron Staebell to recommend one mix and two albums to add to your summer listening pile. To hear this episode (and past and future bonus episodes) become a member today for $5 a month at https://thejazzsession.com/join. Thanks!

A brief farewell and a special announcement from The Jazz Session’s host and producer, Nicky Schrire, as the podcast’s 14th Season comes to an end.

Sebastian Scotney is the editor and founder of London Jazz News, an online site that publishes a daily ?ow of news, previews, reviews and interviews. The archive of published articles now stands at over 8,000 pieces, and the publication involves a substantial team of contributors. Seb is also a freelance writer who has penned reviews for the Artsdesk, liner notes for artists like Lars Danielson, biographies for musicians like Michael Wollny, and was a feature contributor to Jazz Line-Up on BBC R...

New York Voices are a jazz vocal quartet comprising four of my favourite musicians and people-Darmon Meader, Lauren Kinhan, Kim Nazarian, and Peter Eldridge. They’ve been described as “the gold standard for jazz vocals”, “timeless”, and “masters of their art.” They recently celebrated their 34th birthday and seem to go from strength to strength. Collaborations with Bob Mintzer, and the WDR Big Band are peppered throughout a touring career that has seen them perform on stages all over Europe, the...

I get slightly dizzy thinking about trumpeter Dave Douglas’ creative output. He is a performer, a recording artist whose release record is prolific, an educator (including a ten-year stint as artistic director of the Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music at The Banff Centre in Canada), and a pioneer of artist-run labels with Greenleaf Music which is nearly 20 years old. His musical collaborations are many and varied, including revered artists like Joe Lovano, Linda May Han Oh, Bill Frisell, and vo...

In honour of Mother’s Day, which occurred on 8 May, I am delighted to have gathered eight jazz musicians who also all happen to be mothers. These mums are of varying nationalities and at the top of their creative games. Laila Biali (Canada), Sarah Elizabeth Charles (USA), Christine Jensen (Canada), Lina Nyberg (Sweden), Linda May Han Oh (Australia), Tomoko Omura (Japan), Zoe Rahman (UK), and Sara Serpa (Portugal) joined me for a conversation about their music, their experiences as mothers in the...

Oded Lev-Ari is the co-owner and director of Anzic Records, a label he has run for the past decade alongside clarinetist Anat Cohen. The label describes itself as “a New York City based recording label specialising in good music” and has released albums by artists including Anat, the vocal trio Duchess, the trumpeter Avishai Cohen, Joel Frahm and Ernesto Cervini. As well as helming Anzic Records, Oded is also a pianist, and a Grammy-nominated composer and arranger, known for his work as the musi...

Saxophonist and songwriter Matthew Herd hails from Scotland but lives in London where he leads the band Seafarers. Featuring some of the finest UK-based jazz musicians, like vocalist Lauren Kinsella and drummer Dave Hamblett, the group just released their second album, aptly titled “II”. Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, it builds on the groups first album that combined contemporary folk and chamber pop with an emphasis on the song at hand. The second album also sees Matthew move m...

Nikki Iles is a pianist, a professor of jazz at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, and a composer. In some ways, I think of her as a British jazz gem, but that would do a disservice to the fact that she’s very much loved in other jazz communities around the globe. Her musical work in the UK has seen her become a leading figure in the British jazz tradition. She is known for her collaborations with vocalists Norma Winstone and Tina May, and has expande...