Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage

Today’s guest has one of the most beautifully distinctive voices in contemporary jazz. Her first US project Wanting catapulted her onto the jazz charts, and she has continued to make some of the most special music in contemporary jazz to this day. Ms. Gabriela Anders was born in Argentina and moved to New York when she was 18.  She grew up listening to Miles Davies, Dexter Gordon, Cuban music, Duke Ellington, Brazilian rhythm, and she liked that kind of music. She is a musician. She likes writing, composing, arranging. She is more of an intimate singer, and her passion comes from all the stuff she lived.  She talks about her life, music, collaboration with other musicians, and new projects. In the ‘Bout it or Doubt it segment, Gabriela answers two questions from the Science and Technology category and gives her opinion on UFOs and Artificial Intelligence. Listen to this episode and enjoy some of her music - Fire of Love (Wanting), Shattered Love (The Ring), and I Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues (Los Dukes). You can see Los Dukes live on their tour starting in November.  

Episode Highlights

18:52 – I’m always trying to look for different rhythms to make it more exciting. And if I like it a lot, then I say – OK, this song will be on the next project. It’s more of a feeling thing. 

20:46 – I have never imagined that not performing would be so difficult. I had recorded some songs with three great pianists just before the pandemic. What saved me through the pandemic was working on that project (The Ring). 

28:27 – With big labels, you reach a lot of people because big labels have the power to connect with the world. Wanting was a good CD. Without a big label, it would have been a nice local CD, but it would not have reached Spain, Russia, and others the way it did. The problem with big labels is that they decided on the songs. 

32:36 – ‘Bout it or Doubt it segment.

36:02 – Los Dukes project. Three years ago, I was asked to do the Latin jazz night at a jazz club in New York.  I started off doing typical songs, Latin jazz standards. Then I started to write some arrangements. And I got interested in writing for a bigger ensemble.  

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Gabriela Anders

BANDCAMP

Instagram

In this very first episode of Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage podcast, your host Carl Brown welcomes one of the most successful artists in all of contemporary jazz, Najee, a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated saxophonist and flautist with six No. 1 albums, and five No. 1 singles. Najee shares about his career, songs and albums, plans, playing with some great musicians, like Shaka Khan, Prince, and others. He is universally respected and loved by other artists. In the 'Bout It or Doubt It segment of the show, Najee answers the questions under the Rides category – and he explains why he does not like motorcycles and helicopters. Enjoy this interesting conversation and take a quick listen to Betcha Don't Know from Najee’s Theme album, Tokyo Blue, and Face to Face from Center of the Heart. 

Episode Highlights

01:45 - It is the spirit of being a jazz musician by nature, you get bored with what you do, and you are always looking for new avenues to express that through. Fortunately for me, I had the pleasure to work with so many great artists and being able to collaborate with so many artists over the years.

15:33 – Fortunately, I did get to play in a lot of the big bands. When I was a youngster, I attended Jazzmobile in Harlem. And that was where I got formal jazz training, studying under Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster and Ernie Wilkins. My training has served me well. 

20:20 – There are so many stories, I do not know if I can name one.  One of the hallmark experiences was the opportunity to play for president Nelson Mandela when he was president, and to have personal time with him. 

22:40 – My principle is - I do not work with people I do not like. 

42:18 – The recording process has its own mental space, but there is nothing like playing for people. I cannot say one is better than the other. I love them both. 

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Najee Official

If you love contemporary jazz or just love good music, then the Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage Podcast is worth a listen!  Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage will give listeners a peek behind the scenes at the lives and music of their favorite contemporary jazz artists.  Think of it as a light-hearted “Inside the Actor’s Studio” meets “Tales from the Tour Bus.”  Each episode will explore the who and what that have made your favorite artists your favorite artists. The podcast will also showcase fun features like: “Bout It or Doubt It”, where the artists will share things they like and things they just aren’t feeling! Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage is hosted by Carl Brown, a long-time contemporary jazz fan and the promoter of the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival.