Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Portland-based Jazz pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, teacher, and bandleader George Colligan is one of the most original and compelling jazz artists of his generation and he spent some time with Neon Jazz talking about his latest  2018 CD Nation Divided .. He’s also highly in demand as a sideman, having worked with players like Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Buster Williams .. We talked about quite a bit ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Author Brian Gruber .. We caught up with him in Bankok about his book Six Days at Ronnie Scott’s – Billy Cobham – on Jazz Fusion and the Act of Creation  .. We got to know author/journalist/media man Brian and what led him to pen this book about the exceptional Panama-born, New York-raised drummer .. From Billy’s early days with Horace Silver and Dreams to the Bitches Brew sessions with Miles Davis to the breakthrough Mahavishnu Orchestra and beyond .. Brian covers the six days at iconic London jazz club Ronnie Scott's giving a needed insight into the history of a jazz shrine and a musician that has made a huge impact on the world of music ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Jerry Vivino.. His latest 2018 CD Coast to Coast with Bucky Pizarelli and others is a wonderful album .. He was born in Paterson, New Jersey where music and art was an everyday thing in the Vivino household during his childhood .. By the age of 16, he started playing the saxophone. As life picked up steam, jerry toured the country with Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons in 1978 and 1979 .. All roads led to 1993, when his friend and Bruce Springsteen drummer Max Weinberg asked him if he would put together a band for a late night talk show .. an audition for Late Night With Conan O'Brien .. That led to 25 years of action .. and now that the Basic Cable Band is no longer in the Conan world, he is moving on into new ventures .. we spoke about this, that and much of the other ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Hannibal, MO-born, New York City Jazz Drummer, Artist, Composer, Bandleader & Educator Matt Kane..  This 47-year-old journey jazz cat is at a point in his career where he takes charge from behind the drums, as a jazz artist, composer, and bandleader. The Other Side of the Story is his 4th Album and the first with entirely original compositions from a guy who grew up surrounded by corn fields in Hannibal, Missouri, idolized Tom Sawyer, and played his first gig as a teen aboard a riverboat on the Mississippi. The new project is produced by legendary drummer Michael Carvin and features three fellow Midwesterners: Peter Schlamb on vibraphone, Vic Jerus on guitar, and Mark Peterson on bass, as well as Klaus Mueller on piano. The new album contains a wide swath of rhythm, not just the traditional jazz rhythm folks are used to. He talked to Neon Jazz at length about this project ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Jazz Guitarist Bobby Broom .. He took some time out to speak with us about his excellent new 2018 CD Soul Fingers produced by Steve Jordan .. He was born and raised in New York City, but he moved on to Chicago .. where he has called home for some time .. He got some great experience early on with Al Haig and Sonny Rollins .. and he’s always been an innovator and a cat that knows how to always evolve .. His career is about quality and longevity .. and he talked to us about a great many things ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Renee and Lang of the Jazz Group BlissBliss – This married duo joined their different but compatible musical backgrounds of rock, pop, R & B and jazz to create the unique sound that appears on their new EP "3" - their third project was primarily recorded live in the studio with three other musicians and originated as snippets from ideas that both Lang and Renee had been working on for a few years .. It comes out in November of 2018 and they talked about that and so much more from two very rich roads in music that go separately, yet conjoin ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Trombonist of the New Orleans Outfit fulla Jazz & Rock – Bonerama .. I caught these cats live on September 22, 2018 at the Topeka Jazz Festival and they were smoking .. We caught up with them about their band’s history, time well spent on tour with Harry Connick Jr., the culture of New Orleans, their latest album and so much more .. So, get to know Bonerama and dig this interview my friends ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Saxophonist Javon Jackson – This veteran with legendary status talked about his newest 2018 CD For You that is full of originals and covers by Wayne Shorter and Cedar Walton .. Initially he got his start In 1992 with his recording debut with Me and Mr. Jones, featuring James Williams, Christian McBride and master drummer and NEA Jazz Master Elvin Jones, but he came into international prominence touring and recording with the legendary drummer Art Blakey as a member of his band, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Symbolizing a new generation of musicians that blended tradition with neo-jazz, Jackson went on to release 14 recordings as a band leader and tour and record over 135 CDs with jazz legends .. like Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden, Betty Carter, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Donald Byrd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and many others ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with NYC Jazz Pianist Lenore Raphael – She talked with Neon Jazz about quite a bit ..Like her latest 2018 CD Reunion .. The Critics, jazz hosts and jazz lovers all agree that she is one of the most SWINGING mainstream pianists today. Influenced by Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and Bill Evans, she has taken these influences and created her own sound. She’s an internationally renowned jazz Pianist, Steinway artist, radio host and jazz teacher and has been critically acclaimed as one of the best pianists in the jazz mainstream today.

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Drummer Jay Lawrence.. He spoke with us about his latest 2018 CD Sonic Paragon and his very diverse career as a performing and recording artist. He’s a drummer, ethnic and orchestral percussionist, composer and arranger, educator, clinician, adjudicator, band leader, contractor and author. All of this began at the age of 15 when he was immediately in demand working as a drummer and percussionist for myriad celebrity shows in Reno, Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas. Since then, he’s gone on to have a very rich music life..