JAZZIZ Conversations

Latest Episodes:

Benny Benack III Has A Lot of Livin' To Do Jan 10, 2020

Show notes

Joining the show for our first podcast of 2020 is trumpeter and vocalist Benny Benack III. At just 28 years old, Benny has an old soul, a quick mind and a big heart, and his music reflects both his love for the jazz tradition and his ear for the modern sound. His new album, A Lot of Livin' To Do, is due out January 24.

Confidentially L.A. with Aubrey Logan Dec 26, 2019

Show notes

Our guest on the podcast today is trombonist and vocalist Aubrey Logan. Aubrey is a frequent guest of Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox and is currently on the road with saxophonist Dave Koz as part of his Summer Horns tour. She has just released a new album on Resonance Records, Where The Sunshine Is Expensive, a musical chronicling of her relocation from Seattle to Los Angeles.

JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Track by Track with Bria Skonberg Dec 20, 2019

Show notes

Trumpeter, vocalist and composer Bria Skonberg joins the podcast to walk us through her latest album, Nothing Never Happens, track by track. We'll hear some backstory about each song, then listen to an excerpt in a whole new context. Peek inside the mind of one of the most forward-thinking trumpeters on the scene courtesy of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass.

Special Holiday Edition: Christmas with Jonathan Butler Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

On this special holiday edition of JAZZIZ Backstage Pass, guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Butler joins the podcast to discuss his new album, Christmas Together, which was released on October 4 on Mack Avenue Records. The album is a festive affair, featuring contributions from Dave Koz, Keiko Matsui, Kirk Whalum and other musicians he counts as friends. Butler also tells about his holiday traditions as a kid -- he grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, which meant he celebrated Christmas in the summer! -- and shares some of his favorite Christmas recipes and gift ideas.

JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Tucson Jazz Fest Headliner Grace Kelly Nov 22, 2019

Show notes

Joining the JAZZIZ Backstage Pass podcast today is the incredibly talented and eminently fashionable saxophonist Grace Kelly. Now, even if you don’t Grace Kelly by name, you’ve probably heard her before. She's performed with keyboardist Jon Batiste on The Late Show with Steven Colbert and was also among the performers at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration. She was also something of a protege of the late saxophone master Phil Woods. The two even released a joint album together, The Man with the Hat, in 2011, when she was just 20 years old.

More recently, Kelly was awarded the top prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition for her original song "Feels Like Home" featuring Elliott Skinner. (Her win, it should be mentioned, came in the Country Music category, a testament to her amazing versatility.) Kelly also happens to crush it in the social media game. She’s posting music videos all the time, including, most recently, a mash-up of Billie Elish’s “Bad Guy” with Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough,” featuring bassist Nik West. Her most recent album is Go Time: Live in LA.

Our conversation was sponsored by the Tucson Jazz Festival, which runs from January 10 through 20 in various locations around Tucson. Kelly will appear at the festival on January 12, sharing a double bill with Aubrey Logan of Postmodern Jukebox and Dave Koz’s Summer Horns. For tickets and more info visit tucsonjazzfestival.org

10 Albums You Need To Know for November 2019 Nov 19, 2019

Show notes

In this week's episode, JAZZIZ online editor Matt Micucci joins Backstage Pass host Brian Zimmerman to review the 10 Albums You Need To Know for November 2019! Also discussed in this podcast: gnarly beards, college film majors, jazz bagpipes and more!

Here's the full list of albums discussed in this episode:

Bria Skonberg, Nothing Never Happens (self-released)
Release date: November 1

Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This (Decca)
Release date: November 1

Jon Batiste, Chronology of a Dream: Live at the Village Vanguard (Verve)
Release date: November 1

Keith Jarrett, Munich 2016 (ECM)
Release date: November 1

Dave Douglas, Engage (Greenleaf)
Release date: November 8

Kyle Eastwood, Cinematic (Jazz Village)
Release date: November 8

David S. Ware, Théâtre Garonne, 2008 (AUM Fidelity)
Release date: November 15

Marius Neset and London Sinfonietta, Viaduct (ACT)
Release date: November 22

Bobby Watson, Vincent Herring, Gary Bartz, Bird at 100 (Smoke Sessions)
Release date: November 29

Various Artists, If You’re Going to the City: A Tribute to Mose Allison (Fat Possum)
Release date: November 29

Feature photo of Bria Skonberg by Dario Acosta

JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: Marcus Hubbard of The Soul Rebels Nov 08, 2019

Show notes

Trumpeter Marcus Hubbard, a New Orleans native now based in Houston, is a veteran member of The Soul Rebels, a brass band fusing sounds from trad-jazz to N’awlins funk to contemporary trap music. The Soul Rebel’s new album, Poetry In Motion, is available now on Mack Avenue Records. In this episode, we talk about the making of the new album, the history and current role of brass bands in New Orleans culture, the musicality of Metallica and the best place for catfish in The Big Easy.

JAZZIZ Not What You Think: Harry Connick Jr. Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

Joining JAZZIZ Publisher Michael Fagien on the podcast today is pianist, singer, actor and talk show host Harry Connick Jr. Connick's new album, True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter, pays tribute to one of the most iconic Great American Songbook composers of all time. In October, Connick was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of 30 million albums sold, 13 No. 1 jazz albums, three Grammys and two Emmys. Hear about all that in more in today's episode.

JAZZIZ Backstage Pass: 10 Albums You Need To Know for October 2019 Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

JAZZIZ editors Brian Zimmerman and Matt Micucci are back again with another episode of 10 Albums You Need To Know, this time for the month of October. This month's list is scary good, featuring new music from guitarist Bill Frisell, saxophonist Kirk Whalum, pianist Hiromi and vocalist Harry Connick Jr. Plus, Matt coins a new catchphrase and shares his creepy Halloween plans. We also remember our favorite Jack Black and discuss whether calling someone a good dancer counts as libel. (We get crazy, folks. What else can we say?)

Here's the complete list of albums discussed in this podcast:

Bill Frisell, Harmony (Blue Note)
Release date: October 4

Chick Corea, Trilogy 2 (Concord Jazz)
Release date: October 4

Hiromi, Spectrum (Concord Jazz)
Release date: October 4

Kirk Whalum, Humanité (Artistry)
Release date: October 11

Spyro Gyra, Vinyl Tap (Amherst)
Release date: October 11

Jan Garbarek and The Hillard Ensemble, Remember me, my dear (ECM)
Release date: October 18

Kenny Barron and Mulgrew Miller, The Art of Piano Duo – Live (Groovin High)
Release date: October 18

Roberto Fonseca, Yesun (Mack Avenue)
Release date: October 18

Carmen Lundy, Modern Ancestors (Afrasia)
Release date: October 25

Harry Connick Jr., True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter (Verve)
Release date: October 25

JAZZIZ Not What You Think: Becca Stevens Oct 18, 2019

Show notes

Becca Stevens is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has made a career of testing the limits of her musical identity. Her unique artistic vision, cultivated across four albums as a leader, draws from a variety of genres, from jazz to Irish folk to indie-rock. Stevens' latest leader project is the five-track EP WONDERBLOOM, which is due out in November. A full-length album of the same name is set to follow in March. On it, the North Carolina-bred, Brooklyn-based artist promises that she will once again "[defy] all expectations, this time dreaming up a groove-heavy, dance-ready sound infused with elements of pop and funk and R&B." If it is anything like her previous albums, WONDERBLOOM will also serve as a showcase for Stevens' precise and penetrating lyricism. As she has proven across her own albums and through collaborations with Snarky Puppy, David Crosby, Esperanza Spalding and Jacob Collier, Stevens is the kind of songwriter who creates deep connections with her listeners through clear, honest language and profoundly simple melodies. In this episode, she discusses the making of her new album with JAZZIZ Publisher Michael Fagien.

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