Episodes

Terry Teachout is the author of Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington (Penguin, 2013). In this interview, Teachout talks about Ellington’s complex character; his genius as a composer; Ellington’s sometimes fraught collaborations with his fellow musicians; and a lot more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it for my living. If you agree that The Jazz Session is worth supporting...

New York Voices are celebrating more than three decades together with their new album Reminiscing In Tempo. In this interview, group member Kim Nazarian talks about their origins; the way new music makes it into their repertoire; how the group has stayed together for so long; their upcoming tour of Asia; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it for my living. If ...

Vibraphonist Chris Dingman‘s new album, Embrace, comes out on March 6, 2020. In this interview, which includes previews of some of the music from the album, Dingman talks about his decision to record in a trio format with Linda May Han Oh and Tim Keiper; how he uses meditation to help navigate his musical and personal paths; confronting the loss of his father during the making of the album; and his future projects. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think...

On Solidarity, drummer Jerome Jennings pays tribute to the courage of African-American women activists. In this wide-ranging conversation, Jennings talks about the work he did to educate himself on the history of African-American women in struggle; trans activist Marsha P. Johnson; his fascinating approach to the drums on “Bebop,” the album’s opening track; and a whole lot more. Members will get bonus audio. Also, despite what I say at the top of the show, this is indeed episode #508. / / / I’...

Saxophonist Dayna Stephens has three new records coming out in the first half of 2020, the first of which is a trio session with Ben Street and Eric Harland called Liberty (Contagious Music, 2020). In this interview, Stephens talks about why he likes playing in a trio setting; recording at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio and the Village Vanguard; his newfound health and how it’s affected his playing; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s import...

Tranceportation Vol. 1 (RareNoiseRecords, 2019) is the first of two new albums from guitarist David Torn and Swiss quartet Sonar. In this interview, Torn talks about how he went unexpectedly from producer to band member; his recording partnership with D. James Goodwin; the nature of playing with tritone tunings; and a lot more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it for ...

Brian Charette‘s new solo organ album is called Beyond Borderline (SteepleChase, 2019). In this interview we talk about the interesting circumstances behind the recording; Brian’s work with George Coleman, Henry Hey, Anton Fig and others; his European travels and how they led to his happy marriage; his many recent albums; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it ...

Gordon Grdina is a guitarist and oud player with many different irons in the fire. In this interview the focus is initially on his new album Nomad (Skirl Records, 2020) with Matt Mitchell and Jim Black. Then the topics move to his many other ensembles; his study with Gary Peacock and Tim Berne; Vancouver as a jazz town; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it fo...

Trumpeter Jason Palmer is a busy man. He’s about to release a new quartet record, followed by an album funded by a grant from Chamber Music America. He’s also an educator, touring musician, and composer. In this interview, Palmer talks about his early days at Wally’s in Boston; what it meant to his career to have a working band with a regular gig for 15 years; why he loves to teach; and how a true crime podcast inspired his most recent music. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz m...

(Photo by Peter Ganushkin) In this archive interview from December 2009 (updated with a new intro), Cooper-Moore talks about his childhood days as the town musician; why he feels that playing music is far more than a profession; how and why he began creating his own instruments; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it for my living. If you agree that The Jazz Se...

Pianist Roberta Piket recorded an entire album of her husband Billy Mintz’s compositions as a surprise birthday gift for him. Now we’re all receiving a present, because Piket decided to release the record, which is called Domestic Harmony – Piket Plays Mintz (Thirteenth Note Records, 2019). In this interview, Piket talks about the recording process; Mintz’s reaction on hearing the record; her approach to solo piano; and, interestingly, the actor Brent Spiner. / / / I’ve been recording conversa...

The Jazz Session celebrates its 500th episode with NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan. In this interview, Jordan talks about how a nickel changed her life; her early years on 52nd Street with Charlie Parker; her work with Steve Swallow and the poetry of Robert Creeley; her approach to ballads and teaching; and more. A Special Note: Five hundred episodes. Twelve years. The Jazz Session is, if I do say so myself, a one-of-a-kind archive of the past decade and more of this music. Hundreds of hours of s...

Multi-instrumentalist Jane Bunnett and her band Maqueque have a new album called On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme (2019, Linus Entertainment). In this interview, Bunnett talks about the long and often difficult process of assembling a band of women from Cuba; the collaborative spirit that emerged from their shared struggle; the music on the new record; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also...

This week we’re stepping into the wayback machine for a 2009 interview with pianist Steve Kuhn about his album Mostly Coltrane (ECM, 2009). Kuhn worked with Coltrane for several weeks in the early 60s. In this interview, Kuhn talks about Coltrane, the Lenox School of Jazz, his composing methods, and the support he received early on from Bill Evans. He also discusses the sacrifices he made in pursuit of his musical vision. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. ...

John Medeski has many irons in the fire, one of which is his new project Mad Skillet, featuring guitarist Will Bernard, sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and drummer Terence Higgins (the latter two from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band). In this interview, Medeski talks about the new album Mad Skillet; how honesty fuels his music and his sound; and the many projects he’s working on at the moment. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves...

Gang of Three is the new album from Montreal-based pianist Andrés Vial. In this interview, Vial talks about the relationship between Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell and Elmo Hope that inspired the album; how he ended up in the studio with Dezron Douglas and Eric McPherson; creating an instrumental piece from the words of a poem; and more. / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do ...

Taylor Ho Bynum just released The Ambiguity Manifesto (2019, Firehouse 12 Records), an album featuring his “9-tet.” In this interview, Taylor talks about his outstanding band; the evolution of his compositions in recent years; the many exciting projects he has coming up; and a lot more. (Here’s Taylor’s previous interview on The Jazz Session.) / / / I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be ab...

Italian cellist Francesco Guerri has a new solo cello album on RareNoise Records called Su Mimmi non si spara! (“Don’t shoot Mimmi!”) In this interview, Guerri talks about the path from improvisation to composition; how a chance meeting brought him back to the cello in a new way; why he wants his music to reflect the truths of life; and more. I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do...

Drummer Dor Herskovits is on two new albums: Flying Elephants (with his own quintet) and Easy Listening (with the collective band Earprint). In this interview, Herskovits talks about the genesis of both bands; the use of humor in music; how his son’s impending birth inspired a song and a story; and more. I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it for my living. If you agree that Th...

Trombonist Ryan Keberle and his band Catharsis released a new album this summer called The Hope I Hold (Greenleaf Music). The band features Camila Meza (interview 1, 2, 3), Jorge Roeder, Eric Doob, and Scott Robinson. In this interview, Keberle talks about the sociopolitical inspirations for the new record; the challenges of listening and ways to get better at it; and how he’s kept this band working steadily since its inception in 2011. I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians sinc...

Guitarist Perry Smith releases his new album, Live In Brooklyn, on October 11, 2019. The album features Melissa Aldana (interview) on saxophone, Matt Aronoff on bass, and Jay Sawyer on drums. In this interview, Perry talks about the jam session as a form of community building; using his musical success for good causes; how his jam session became grant-funded; and his upcoming tour, which begins October 10 with a CD release party at Smalls in Manhattan. I’ve been recording conversations with jaz...

In May, saxophonist and vocalist Caroline Davis released an album called Alula on New Amsterdam Records. Later this week, she and Rob Clearfield will drop a new record called Anthems on Sunnyside. In this interview, Davis traces the path from The Sibley Guide To Birds to Alula; talks about music cognition; and explains how being a global citizen has changed her approach to music. Big thanks to the most recent members of The Jazz Session: David Beckman, Euan Preston and Nick Spencer, and to Rich...

It’s been 20 years since the release of Jane Monheit‘s first album, Never Never Land. This week (September 19-21, 2019) Jane is at the Iridium in New York City to celebrate that anniversary. In this interview, we talk about the early days of her career; touring as a homeschooling mom; maintaining good vocal technique; and more. I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians since 2007. I think it’s important work that deserves public support. I’d also like to be able to do it for my livi...