Interview
From emerging talents to today's brightest stars, we interview musicians from around the globe.
Greg Byers: Take A Bow
by Ian Patterson
Greg Byers does not like hearing that something is not possible. Or perhaps he does, for the cellist seems to thrive on challenges that others deem impossible or unrealistic. Taking a jazz major in cello? It just isn't done, he was told. Well, ticked that box. Learning Charlie Parker's solos on upright bass? Impossible they said. Oh really? At every step of his career, Byers has confounded others' expectations and lived up to his own.
read moreRyan Oliver: Zigging With A Jazz Maestro, His Secrets and Wisdom
by Kerilie McDowall
Tenor saxophonist Ryan Oliver of Canada's The Cookers Quintet, is no stranger to the art of touring the globe. For years he was an integral part of The Shuffle Demons, an adored Toronto jazz saxophone group known for their mid-'80s hit single, “Spadina Bus," written in humorous reference to the Toronto Transit Commission's Spadina Avenue bus that served a vibrant and unique neighbourhood in downtown jny: Toronto, and other treasures such as “Out of My House, Roach," ...
read moreBobby Zankel: The Inside Story of 'A Change of Destiny'
by Victor L. Schermer
Saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger Bobby Zankel has been making jazz in many ways with diverse cohorts for over a half-century. He has found his own way to create music that is both advanced and very listenable at the same time. He is loved and revered by the many musicians who have performed with him and by his audiences and fan base, especially as a result of the recordings and performances of his Warriors of the Wonderful Sound Big Band, ...
read moreFrançois Houle: Insider Listening that Makes You Clever
by Kerilie McDowall
Canadians and local Vancouverites have been in awe at BC, Canada's prestigious regular rising star clarinetist François Houle's international ranking status. Houle creates brilliantly fascinating compositions and such clever, innovative work. He has released seven albums as a leader from 2022-2023 and has four more plus on the way. Incredibly he will have released 11 albums as a leader within two years soon, with four additional albums as a sideplayer. Yes, a total of 15 albums or more.
read moreLeo Sidran: Conversation Artist
by Ludovico Granvassu
For music lovers, listening to music is often not only about the music. An album is much more than a vessel of beautiful chords, notes and lyrics. It offers mission statements, “how to" manuals, and blueprints for life strategies. Each song a trap-door it is impossible not to sneak into, in search for insights on how to handle our everyday existence. Each musician's career a collection of case studies in the art of perseverance. Your boss has been bombarding you ...
read moreBlindfold Test: Dena DeRose
by Mathew Bahl
With Dena DeRose you get the best of both worlds--a first rate jazz pianist who understands how to explore the rhythmic and harmonic potential of a song, and a superior singer capable of expressing every nuance in a lyric with intelligence and subtlety. Throw in her formidable skills as a composer, and you have a jazz artist to be reckoned with. DeRose's multiple talents are all on display on her fourth album, the superb Love's Holiday. Dena recently ...
read moreCindy Blackman Santana: Rhythmic And Musical Force
by R.J. DeLuke
It's the 1980s in New York City. It's the place to be for musicians looking to make a name for themselves with hopes of finding steady gigs and recording dates. Drummer Cindy Blackman (long before her marriage to Carlos Santana) is there, fresh out of Berklee College of Music. She's there to meet people, get experience and learn as much as she can. But things are tough for most young musicians hoping to follow a dream. She's willing ...
read moreCarlton-Macpherson-Pass-Valenti Quartet Interview Series: Kate Pass
by Jane Kozhevnikova
This is the second article in the series of interviews (read the Alana Macpherson) featuring four Australian jazz musicians: Jessica Carlton (trumpet), Alana Macpherson (saxophone), Kate Pass (double bass) and Talya Valenti (drums). They formed a quartet in 2021 and released the album Undeniable (Self Produced, 2022). All About Jazz had the honor of meeting the musicians via Zoom and talking about their careers, projects and plans. This article is dedicated to Kate Pass, a bassist and ...
read moreCarol Sloane on Singers and Songs: A Blindfold Test
by Mathew Bahl
Tell Carol Sloane you like one of her records and you will probably get the same reaction every time. She will smile graciously, thank you sincerely and then proceed politely to explain how she could have done the song better. Given her own exacting standards, not to mention her experience as a disc jockey and as a reviewer for Downbeat, it seemed natural to put Carol in the hot seat for a blindfold test. I Could Have Told ...
read moreA Conversation with Don Braden
by AAJ Staff
This interview was first published in two parts at All About Jazz on May 1999. In this interview, we chat with Don Braden about his views on MP3 files, his relationship with Bill Cosby, the impact Kenny Kirkland had on his latest album for RCA Victor, Fire Within, and a host of other related and unrelated things. It's Braden, at home, from the heart, unedited, and in his own words. All About Jazz: Let's start from ...
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