Interview News

Violinist Mark Feldman Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
June 17, 2010

Violinist Mark Feldman started out in Chicago playing classical music and bar gigs before moving on to the Nashville scene. He emerged in New York's “downtown" circle with the likes of Arcado String Trio, trumpeter Dave Douglas, and composer-saxophonist John Zorn. His expressive, classically tinged technique was also sought for studio work with pop acts and film scores. For the last 10 years, he's been integral to guitarist John Abercrombie's quartet and has recorded several discs as a leader. Feldman ...

Continue Reading

Jason Moran Shows off His Older, Wiser Side On 'Ten'

Source: All About Jazz @ Spinner
June 17, 2010

Pianist Jason Morans star has been on a long steady rise since making his debut on Blue Note in 1999 with 'Soundtrack to Human Emotion.' Barely into his 20s at the time, Moran was playing with saxophonist Greg Osby and had studied under Jaki Byard and others. The debut won a lot of strong notices and he followed it up in 2000 with 'Facing Left,' which featured the debut of his trio Bandwagon, and 2001's 'Black Stars,' which added elder ...

Continue Reading

Pianist Howard Riley Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
June 16, 2010

Howard Riley gave his performance in Vilnius, Lithuania in September, 2009. It was his first visit to the country in a five-decade career, and one of just a few eastern Europe destinations made at the time, by the British free jazz pianist. The concert was recorded and released in 2010 as the double-disc set, Solo in Vilnius, by No Business Records.

AAJ Contributor Maxim Micheliov was on-hand to talk with Riley about his lengthy career as a performer and educator, ...

Continue Reading

Drummer Manu Katche Interviewed at AAJ...And More!

Source: All About Jazz
June 15, 2010

Manu Katche is one of the most original drummers anywhere, defying categorization and straddling musical genres with ease and flair. A French national of Ivorian background, he has turned his hand to pop, rock, fusion and jazz, and his exposure to all these elements, plus his classical training, is indelibly stamped in a playing style all his own.

For over 20 years, Katche has toured and recorded with such iconic figures as Sting and Peter Gabriel, bringing his highly distinctive ...

Continue Reading

Saxophonist Sarah Manning Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
June 14, 2010

Listening to Sarah Manning speak at length is nearly as absorbing as her music. She's intelligent, direct, witty, and serious-minded. As Manning waxes eloquent on topics ranging from the impact of three special mentors, to the benefits of being a well-rounded person, to issues surrounding woman's empowerment, you realize that she relishes every aspect of her life. The alto saxophonist and composer is the leader of the New York City-based band Shatter the Glass. Both on and off the bandstand, ...

Continue Reading

Under Your Skin Interviews: Eric Bobo & Dave Abbruzzese

Source: All About Jazz
June 4, 2010

Eric Bobo

Dave Abbruzzese 2-3/3 - A conversation

These conversations are part of the book/dvd project “Under your skin" which includes discussions with Ahmad Jamal, Anglique Kidjo, Chuck D - Public Enemy, Delinquent Habits, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Marc Ribot, Ron Carter, Liu Fang, Malika Zarra, Zap Mama, Les Nubians, Tinariwen, Lydia Lunch, Eek A Mouse, Rhonda Smith, Antipop ...

Continue Reading

Bill Frisell's Music Education: From Mickey Mouse to Miles Davis

Source: Michael Ricci
June 11, 2010

When Bill Frisell was young, he says remembers watching the “Mickey Mouse Club“ on his family's new television. “The leader of the Mouseketeers was this guy named Jimmy and he'd play a guitar and I just thought that was really cool. At that time I made myself a pretend guitar out of a piece of cardboard and rubber bands and somehow I just stuck with that my whole life." In his Big Think interview, Frisell says ...

Continue Reading

David Amram on Bobby Jaspar (2)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
June 11, 2010

What makes Bobby Jaspar so appealing to the ear is his ability to swing softly. Jaspar on sax or flute had a West Coast sound before the sound existed. In some respects, he was simply delivering a European interpretation of Lester Young's phrasing. Then again, this wasn't so far afield from what the European-trained West Coast musicians wound up doing in the early 1950s--combining formal training with Young's sound and swing. It's just that Jaspar may have arrived in that ...

Continue Reading