Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Veteran Hannibal, MO-born Jazz Drummer & Educator Marty Morrison .. Currently he is on the Jazz Studies faculty at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, but is a regular on the Kansas City scene. He knows a thing or two about big cities and spent a while in Washington DC .. and he laudes Kansas City for the strength of it’s scene that keeps on getting better .. He was surrounded by jazz from an early age and his journey in the craft has been full of collaborations countless jazz luminaries that continues to this day … Enjoy his story ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Vocalist & Educator Shawnn Monteiro .. She just released a new 2021 CD called you You Are There - You Are There .. It is her sixth release overall and third for Whaling City Sound .. Overall , her artistry is crafted in the mold of Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McCrae, and Nancy Wilson. Her father was the late renowned bassist Jimmy Woode, veteran of the Duke Ellington band. She also go a lot of musical inspiration and guidance from her Godfather, Clark Terry. Finally, Latin Percussion legend Mongo Santamaria discovered her working in a club in San Jose, California and signed her on the spot to tour with his band. Her story is a grand one .. Enjoy ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Celebrated NYC Jazz Pianist Anthony Wonsey .. We caught up with him during a frank and open talk about the music .. He opened up about his new 2021 CD Lorainne’s Lullaby as it originated and celebrates the phrases "it takes a village to raise a child," One of those great people is Lorraine Tiezzi, who is a real lover of this Black American art form. Anthony is an adventurous yet flexible pianist that started playing music when he was six. He continues to make evolved and wonderful music .. Dig the interview ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Grammy-Winning Multi-Instrumentalist & Composer Nicholas Payton .. We talked to him the day his new 2021 CD Smoke Sessions came out .. On October 29, 2021 .. This veteran New Orleans-raised musician got to see his long-cherished dream of leading a session with Ron Carter on bass and to reignite the chemistry of the album he’d fallen in love with decades before, he also invited George Coleman to contribute to a pair of tunes .. We also talked about a prolific career he has spent in music and as an artist who is open on a multitude of subjects like music, race, politics, and life in America... Dig this ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Kansas City Jazz Spoons Player & Utensilist Peter Shilliday ..  I have caught him live a few times with Bram accompanying him on either piano or according and his performance is very impressive .. He picked up the inspiration for spoons from his grandfather who played spoons as a pastime while deployed in Japan during WWII .. He would end up taking the deep dive into spoons playing in 2012 on a folk tune in a choir concert as a student at Missori S&T. From there, he began doing it for his passion of swing music .. He is also a swing dancer and goes by the stage name DJ Shillzapoppin .. He’s a very unique part of a great Kansas City jazz scene .. Dig the story ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom & Percussionist Alison Miller on the new 2021 Project Tues Day .. In March and April of 2021, they came together on five Tuesdays to record some improvised sax and drum duets to see what might happen. They didn’t set out to make an album - they just wanted to play because they needed to improvise any way that they could. They played with complete abandon, performing remotely from their home studios in New York City in the reality of the world of 2021. Tues Days is the result .. Together

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New York Jazz Lyricist & Singer Lorraine Feather .. We had a good conversation about her storied life in music and art, along with her new 2021 CD My Own Particular Life done with her longtime co-producer/co-writer Eddie Arkin .. The album began in early 2019 and includes celebrated composers like Russell Ferrante, Shelly Berg, and Dave Grusin. She was born in Manhattan and her parents Jane - formerly a big band singer – and the famed late jazz writer Leonard Feather, always had music around her. She originally pursued an acting career after moving to LA when she was 12, but at 18 she came back to NYC and starting her jazz career in her 30s. It’s a great story .. Enjoy ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Pianist & Composer Chad Lefkowitz-Brown .. We talked at length about his career and new 2021 CD Open World .. He’s been busy up to this point in his career .. He’s toured the world with pop superstar Taylor Swift, played with jazz greats from Dave Brubeck to Clarence Penn and been a member of Arturo O'Farrill's multi-Grammy winning Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra .. Originally from Elmira, New York, he established himself as a jazz prodigy at age 11 performing throughout New York State under the mentorship of local jazz hero, George Reed .. He’s got quite a tale .. Enjoy ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Celebrated NYC Jazz Trombonist & Vocalist Ron Wilkins .. We caught up with him to talk music and his latest 2021 CD Trombocalist .. He was in a coma with COVID and had to relearn how to live .. and now, he is more grateful than ever .. For over 40 years he has been performing on tenor and bass trombones, euphonium, tuba, bass trumpet and vocals at the highest levels touring around the world with his own groups as well as premiere artists.  He is currently a  member of the Birdland Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and has shared the stage with the likes of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Lena Horne, Bob Hope, Dizzy Gilespie and so many others .. His story is incredible and you should hear it .. Enjoy ..

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series Italian-born, Baltimore-based Jazz Vocalist & Composer Irene Jalenti .. She talked with the program about her life in music and her debut 2021 CD Dawn .. On this long-awaited debut album she claims a place in the jazz world for her musical talents featuring guest appearances by two international stars: trumpeter Sean Jones and vibraphonist Warren Wolf. She was the town of Terni, in the central Italian region of Umbria and came from a musical family .. Her father was a record-store owner and immersed her in all sorts of music and encouraged her to take piano lessons from a young age. Enjoy her story ..