There is a new jazz record of note on the scene created by  Rin Seo, a Korea- born composer/conductor, titled ‘City Suite,’ released on the Cellar Music Group record label. 

Rin was raised in a rich musical environment encompassing Western classical, Theater, and Korean folk music, but her work and life is now fully committed to jazz. This debut album is a remarkable musical journey for Rin. As an immigrant, her compositions reflect her decade-long life as a New Yorker, while also honoring her Korean heritage.  

My fascinating conversation with Rin picks up with her moving to New York City and the development of her debut album. 

Brandon Sanders, has always cut his own unique path. Born in Kansas City but spending his formative years in Compton, Brandon grew up in a musical household. He also honed his love of Jazz at the Kansas City jazz club, Casablanca, run by his grandmother. 

But first, college called. After playing basketball for a junior college near Los Angeles, he enrolled at the behest of his grandmother—actually, she did the enrolling for him—at the University of Kansas. While studying communications there, Brandon became a walk-on practice player for the top-seeded team in the country where quickly gained a reputation as a dogged defender. 

After receiving his undergraduate degree in communications, and Master’s in social work at Kansas, Brandon dedicated himself to that field. But eventually his passion for music caught up with him. So, at age 25, he taught himself how to play drums, until a Kansas City drummer named Todd Strait, who used to play with Marian McPartland, took Brandon under his wing. And with  years of intense practice, Brandon attained such a high level of proficiency that he was accepted at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he formed friendships and musical associations with future jazz greats including Warren Wolf, trumpeter Darren Barrett, and drummer Kendrick Scott. He started playing in various bands at Boston clubs including Wally’s Jazz Cafe and the Wonder Bar, gaining experience that eventually led him New York.

Now  living in Brooklyn, Brandon has a third album titled “Lasting Impression,” on the heels of two critically acclaimed releases “Brandon Sanders: The Tables Will Turn,” and his first titled, “Compton’s Finest.” 

In this episode,  I talk with Brandon  about his remarkable career trajectory, and the forming of collaborations with a stellar list of jazz all-stars to create a path to his musical success.

Roger Glenn is truly one of the most interesting people in the world of music.  He is a multi-instrumentalist who has performed, recorded and toured with a Who’s  Who list of Jazz and Latin Jazz luminaries.  

As our conversation came to a close, it became clear that we simply could not tell Roger’s story without making it in two parts. So, Part 1 was about Roger’s backstory. To call him multi-faceted and unique is an understatement. 

Interestingly, before I started production of Part 2, we had the serendipitous privilege of spending time with Roger at Keys Jazz Bistro during a quick trip to San Francisco, and it brought our Part 1 episode full circle. Meeting  Roger in person proved to be everything I thought it would be. He was gracious, funny, a marvelous storyteller and thoroughly engaging - all the attributes I was delighted to experience when we recorded our interview via Zoom.

Now, in  Part 2, we shift gears to talk about his latest release as a leader. The album, called ‘My Latin Heart,’ is out now on the Patois Records label.  The most remarkable thing about it, besides the incredible music, is the fact that for this 80-year-old musician it is only his second album as the front man in 49 + years.  

My guest  is Roger Glenn, who would have been the perfect spokesperson for a series of commercials titled the “Most Interesting Man in the World” -  in the world of music. Roger is a multi-instrumentalist who plays flute, vibes, marimba, saxophone, clarinet, percussion and more. He’s been described as being overshadowed but in plain sight for decades. In fact, the bio on his website says it best: “He is ingredient X. The secret sauce. The cat behind the cat. Now, after decades of elevating the music of bona fide legends in jazz, Latin jazz, blues, and funk, this versatile, singular multi-instrumental master is stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his first new album in four decades.” 

Roger is the son of the legendary jazz trombonist and vibes man Tyree Glenn. Roger is also a pilot, and sailing aficionado, who studied math and physics. And this interesting man, who has  just turned 80-years old, can still do it all. To celebrate his 80th birthday, Roger has released his second album as a leader in 49 years, on the Patois Records label, titled,  “My Latin Heart.” It’s a panoramic journey through his lifelong passion for Afro-Caribbean rhythms. 

Because his amazing story is so all-encompassing, we feel compelled to tell it in two episodes. Here is Episode One. It’s where we take a deep dive into the backstory of his life and times, and how it led him to his breakout moment on the occasion of his 80th birthday. 

My conversation with vocalist and composer, Mandy Harvey, may be one of the most memorable we’ve done. Why? Because this incredibly talented woman with an exquisite voice has been profoundly deaf since the age of 18. We conducted the interview over Zoom with Mandy using a voice-to-text captioning program in order for her to see and reply to my questions. Her voice? Well, you’ll find out that it speaks for itself. And her story is one you’ll never forget.  

Our episode begins  with a discussion about her musical life, followed by a journey through how she was able to transcend the hardships and challenges she faced to become a successful artist and motivational inspiration for others.

If Jim Caruso’s name sounds familiar, that’s not surprising. Jim is also host of the wildly popular “Cast Party” which has been a Manhattan mainstay for more than two decades at the iconic Birdland Jazz Club.

In 2011, this irrepressible, affable, and talented singer recorded and released an album titled, “The Swing Set,” which he calls a true labor of love. It’s  a smart and sophisticated romp through the Great American Songbook. In it, Jim was joined by special musical guests including the late guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, jazz violin sensation Aaron Weinstein, pianist and singer Billy Stritch, music phenom Michael Feinstein and Tony Award-winning Broadway leading lady Stephanie J. Block.  

Fast forward to 2025 and this album has now been given a new life and has a new label behind it called Club 44 Records. The album has been remastered and re-released as the Swing Set-Deluxe Edition. As Caruso says about the recording..“But wait – there’s more, this Deluxe Edition comes with two surprise additions: a hilariously fun new track featuring my musical partner-in-crime Billy Stritch at the piano, and a fresh take on an old recording with the divine Jane Monheit. 

While the album released in streaming and digital formats last spring,  it took us until now to nail him down for a conversation. So on that note, enjoy my conversation with the delightful man of the hour himself...Jim Caruso. 

Jazz Vocalist Andy James has just released her eighth studio album. It’s on Le Coq Records which is an independent label started by James and her husband Piero Pata, not only as a vehicle for releasing her music but also to work with acclaimed veteran jazz musicians including John Patitucci, Nate Smith, Terell Stafford, Alex Acuna, Rick Margitza, Chico Pinheiro, and many more.  

This latest recording is a fusion of jazz and flamenco music called, “Happy People.” You might ask why the blend of jazz and flamenco?  Here’s where the story gets really interesting. 

Born in  Melbourne, Australia, Andy heard both jazz and flamenco music at home. Her mother was a jazz vocalist and her father an aficionado of Flamenco music. At a young age, she fell in love with dancing, and particularly flamenco, but instructors were scarce in Australia. In order to pursue her passion, Andy moved to Spain to study flamenco and went on to become a world acclaimed flamenco dancer. 

So, what influenced her to take a 180° career turn move to United States to become a jazz vocalist? That’s where we pick up the rest of this story in our conversation. 

There have been a number of significant changes in the life of this noteworthy singer four years after releasing her debut recording. No doubt, people will be making even more comments about Anaïs’ ability to interpret song lyrics with emotional depth, enhanced musical maturity, and style after discovering more about her latest release. She has, once again, tackled the Great American Songbook with her newest album, LADY OF THE LAVENDER MIST, the inspiration which began while taking a train ride and listening to the music of Duke Ellington.

Our mission at All That’s Jazz is to elevate the voices of the people who create, produce, present and write about all Jazz idioms by helping them tell their backstories about  why they do what they do, and what got them to this moment.  

One such person is a man named Eric Oberstein.  A young, highly educated,  New York born and raised saxophonist and drummer of Cuban American heritage, Eric has always been on a fast track to success. He has followed a path that’s taken him from being a musician to becoming a brilliant, internationally respected and trusted arts leader, and a two-time Grammy and two-time Latin Grammy winning producer, curator and educator.  

Eric collaborated for multiple years with GRAMMY-winning bandleader, pianist, composer Arturo O'Farrill, as well as forming a collaboration since 2016, with Cuban-born, GRAMMY-winning bandleader and drummer, Dafnis Prieto, who he currently manages. 

My conversation with this highly accomplished and interesting man begins with a discussion about the often misunderstood role of a music producer. We also explore his career that was serendipitously launched by a questionnaire in a performance program, and all the experiences leading up his new business,  Eric Oberstein Productions.