Articles by David Bixler

Radio & Podcasts

Classical Roots, Open Horizons

by David Bixler
October 25, 2026

A Sun That Never Sets is Ralph Alessi's new recording on ECM and features Matt Mitchell on piano, bassist John Hébert double bass and Ches Smith on drums and vibes. This quartet is augmented by the appearance of Ralph's brother Joseph Alessi, who is the principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic. In this episode on LINER NOTES Ralph talks about his path from classical trumpet to jazz and additionally offers profound insight into his compositional process. This ...

Radio & Podcasts

Locked In: Kris Davis, Robert Hurst & Johnathan Blake

by David Bixler
October 18, 2026

When you put musicians like bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Johnathan Blake behind a true visionary, you're guaranteed something extraordinary. I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Grammy-winning pianist Kris Davis to the podcast. September 25th marks the release of her incredible upcoming album, Lost in Geneva. This is the second release from this powerhouse trio, and the way they have locked in together is something special.This episode features music from Kris Davis' Lost in Geneva (4166 Records). ...

Radio & Podcasts

Turning Sound Inside Out: Steven Bernstein on ResoNation and Ultra Resonance

by David Bixler
August 16, 2026

My guest today is the singular trumpeter, composer, and master of musical alchemy, Steven Bernstein. On June 5th, Steven dropped a massive double release on Royal Potato Family that looks both forward and backward, capturing a brilliant moment in time and then completely turning it inside out. The first half of this equation is the Steven Bernstein ResoNation Trio, featuring the incredible rhythm section of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Nasheet Waits. Recorded in 2023, it captures the raw acoustic ...

Radio & Podcasts

LINER NOTES Year 9 Kickoff: Organ Trio Mastery with Larry Goldings

by David Bixler
July 12, 2026

This episode marks a massive milestone for LINER NOTES as this episode officially kicks off Year 9 of the podcast. For the past eight years, this show has been about pulling back the curtain on the creative process, and I couldn't think of a better artist to help us launch this anniversary season than keyboard wizard Larry Goldings. Larry has been a definitive voice on the Hammond B3 for over three decades, shaping the sound of modern jazz organ. He ...

Radio & Podcasts

Unearthing Dolphy & Ornette: Inside Jeff Lederer’s There’s A Yearnin’

by David Bixler
June 19, 2026

In this episode of LINER NOTES we are diving into a monumental new release from saxophonist and composer Jeff Lederer called There's A Yearnin,' out on Little “i" Music. This record is a boundary-blurring project for winds and voice that features the Wildebeest Wind Quintet and vocalist Mary LaRose. Together, they tackle unissued and rare archival scores by Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman, alongside several of Jeff's brilliant arrangements of the music of Oliver Nelson. In our conversation today, Jeff ...

Radio & Podcasts

Tempering Tradition: Adam Birnbaum Reimagines the Well-Tempered Clavier

by David Bixler
May 11, 2026

Since the mid-2000s, pianist Adam Birnbaum has been one of the most in-demand sidemen in jazz--anchoring ensembles for Cécile McLorin Salvant, Wynton Marsalis, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. But as a leader, he's charting a different course. His latest project, Preludes, takes on the monumental task of re-imagining J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier alongside bassist Matt Clohesy and percussionist Keita Ogawa. Today, join us as Adam breaks down the careful choices made in handling this historic body of work. This episode ...

Radio & Podcasts

Greg Hutchinson, Finger on the Pulse

by David Bixler
May 3, 2026

Drummer Greg Hutchinson has been the heartbeat of the New York City jazz scene for over three decades, bringing a signature fire to the bands of legends like Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove, and Joshua Redman. Known as one of the most soulful and technically gifted drummers of his generation, 'Hutch' is now stepping further into the spotlight as a leader. Today, we're discussing his evolution from the ultimate sideman to a visionary leader with his second recording for Warner Music, ...

Radio & Podcasts

Caroline Davis: The Un-Becoming

by David Bixler
March 30, 2026

What happens when you go off the grid to find your sound? For saxophonist Caroline Davis, the answer is Fallows (Ropeadope, 2026), her first solo release which was conceived during a month-long residency at Ucross, Wyoming. During this time, Davis stripped away the “self" to make room for pure creation: the album is the result of a deliberate “un-becoming"--a period where Davis set aside the expectations of daily life to let the landscape speak through her horn. This ...

Radio & Podcasts

Patricia Brennan: Star Light, Star Bright

by David Bixler
March 23, 2026

What if the patterns you see in the night sky weren't just constellations, but a musical score? Vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, an avid astronomer, has looked to the stars as the blueprint for her ambitious 2025 recording, Of the Near and Far (Pyroclastic Records, 2025). To bring this cosmic vision down to earth, Brennan enlisted a ten-piece ensemble featuring pianist Sylvie Courvoisier, guitarist Miles Okazaki, and a full string quartet. In this episode of LINER NOTES, we explore how ...

Radio & Podcasts

Emilio Solla: Keeping the Human Connection

by David Bixler
March 16, 2026

In a world that is increasingly anchored by AI and social media, pianist and composer Emilio Solla champions the human connection on his new recording Handmade, with his nonet, La Inestable de Brooklyn. Swimming in his imagination are jazz, tango, classical, and other Argentinian folkloric music, which all cohesively co-exist in this exciting musical offering. This episode features music from Handmade by Emilio Solla. ...