Interview with the Artist

Part 2 of my conversation with Judy Carmichael, who is known as one of the world’s leading interpreters of stride piano and swing. A protege of Count Basie and Sarah Vaughn, the New York Times has described her as “astounding, flawless and captivating”. She’s toured the world— playing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice— and has performed private recitals for Rod Stewart, Robert Redford and President Clinton. Judy is also the host and producer of Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired, which airs on National Public Radio as well as Sirius XM. In this second conversation, Judy Carmichael talks about how she decided to start singing, what inspired her to create her show Jazz Inspired, how she approaches her interviews as a jazz musician and why she thinks of her show as her rebellion.

Grammy nominated jazz artist Judy Carmichael is known as one of the world’s leading interpreters of stride piano and swing. A protege of Count Basie and Sarah Vaughn, the New York Times has described her as “astounding, flawless and captivating”. She’s toured the world— playing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice— and has performed private recitals for Rod Stewart, Robert Redford and President Clinton. Judy is also the host and producer of Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired, which airs on National Public Radio as well as Sirius XM. Tune in to hear Judy Carmichael talk about the moment she feel in love with jazz, her fight to be taken seriously in a male dominated jazz world, how Count Basie and Sarah Vaughn influenced her as a musician, and why she thinks she does look like she plays.

Linda Fairstein is the bestselling author of the Alexandra Cooper crime novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. A former prosecutor and a pioneer in the field of crimes against women and children, she ran the Sex Crimes Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's office for over 25 years. Her office supervised the prosecution in the much publicized Central Park Jogger case which is still unsettled to this day, 25 years later.Tune in to hear Linda talk about the similarities and differences between her and her fictional heroine, what it was like being one of the first female prosecutors in a male dominated department, the dangers she faced as an Assistant District Attorney and how advances in forensic technology changed the nature of her work. Plus- how she responded to my question about the Central Park Jogger case, and more...

It's FUN to get the scoop, and Joan Jedell has it. The founder and creator of Hampton Sheet Magazine and hamptonsheet.com, Joan Jedell has been chronicling the lives of the rich and famous in Manhattan and the Hamptons for over 20 years. Tune in for a full celebrity-recap of Summer 2014 in the Hamptons, including: the Kardashian-invasion, the "Housewives", the Clintons, Alec Baldwin, Bruce Willis, Jerry Seinfeld, the hottest party of the summer, and what NOT to do if you get pulled over this Labor Day weekend.

Sheldon and Margery Harnick aren't just an ordinary couple, they're a legendary Broadway couple. She: a former Broadway actress and now, an accomplished painter and photographer; and he: the Tony Award winning lyricist of the hit musicals Fiddler on the Roof and Fiorello, among others. I sat down with them a few years ago after the publication of their book of photography and verse, An Outdoor Museum: Not Your Usual Images of New York. Tune in to hear them talk about art, New York City, collaboration and the secret to a long and happy marriage.

Jane Krakowski is a star of stage and screen. She first became known to TV audiences as office assistant Elaine Vassal on Alley McBeal, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. More recently she starred as Jenna Maroney for 7 seasons on NBC's 30 Rock, for which she was nominated for 4 Emmy Awards. Tune in to hear Jane talk about her start in the theater, why 30 Rock was a match made in heaven and how playing the character of Jenna helped her not take herself too seriously as an actress.

Steven Gaines is the author of 12 books, including Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons; The Sky’s the Limit: Passion and Property in Manhattan; The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of the Beatles; and "Fool's Paradise: Players, Poseurs and the Culture of Excess in South Beach". His work has appeared in Vanity Fair, the New York Observer, New York Magazine and the New York Times.

In this conversation, Steven looks back on his life as an author and investigative journalist. He talks about why he stopped writing unauthorized biographies, and how his thinly veiled roman a clef about Studio 54 caused so much drama that he was forced to leave New York. Also, tune in to hear how he thinks the Hamptons has changed since 'Philistines' was published in 1998, and what we need to do to keep it from turning into Miami Beach.

How did Gloria Feldt go from being a teen mother and high school drop out, to president and CEO of Planned Parenthood? Tune in to find out. Gloria Feldt is an activist, keynote speaker and president of Take The Lead, the new women’s leadership movement to prepare, develop, inspire and propel women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025. Vanity Fair has called her one of “America’s Top 200 Women Leaders, Legends, and Trailblazers”. I spoke with Gloria in 2010 after the publication of her book No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power. Considering the historic Hobby Lobby ruling that took place a couple weeks ago, I thought it would be a perfect time to listen back to our conversation.

Amy Sohn's new novel The Actress, published by Simon & Schuster, is being touted as the beach-read of the summer, and "an addictive saga of love, lust, fame, and friendship..." (Elisa Albert). It follows ambitious, young actress Maddy Freed as she gets her big break in the movie business, falls in love with Hollywood's most eligible bachelor and learns the hard truth about fame, ambition, self-worth, and the fairy-tale illusions of a celebrity marriage. Amy Sohn is also the author of Prospect Park West, Motherland, Run Catch Kiss, My Old Man and has written for the New York Times, New York Magazine, the New York Post, Slate, Details, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Men’s Journal and Playboy. Tune in to hear why Amy feels like an outsider, what happened when she took on the "mom establishment" and how talent can be the biggest aphrodisiac.

Conviction, a new play by Carey Crim is making its world premiere at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. It tell story of Tom Hodges, a beloved teacher and husband and father. But when he's convicted of sexual misconduct with a student, his image of perfection shatters and his whole family's world is changed forever. Conviction is directed by Scott Schwartz and stars Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story, 12 Years a Slave), Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope, No Country for Old Men), Elizabeth Reaser (Grey's Anatomy, the Twilight movies), Brian Huchison and Daniel Burns. Tune in to hear my conversations with Scott Schwartz, Garret Dillahunt and Daniel Burns.

"Hands down, the best thing you will have seen at Bay Street in years. Conviction, by Carey Crim is smart and accessible, and every cast member shines brightly under Scott Schwartz's simply orchestrated, masterful direction.Completely absorbing and thought-provoking, the play pulls you into one family's living room as they struggle to move past (and live with) conviction. Your heart will break for all of these people, even the one whose innocence is in question."

-Walker Vreeland, 102.5 WBAZ-FM