Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with UK-based Jazz Flutist, Multi-Instrumentalist & Composer Eddie Parker. We dive into his new 2026 album, Airborn, created with acclaimed guitarist Rob Luft, while exploring Eddie's remarkable life and career across the world of music.

Eddie Parker has built a career around curiosity, collaboration, experimentation, and an openness to musical possibilities. Along the way, he has worked with future musical luminaries including Django Bates and became widely recognized for his work in the 1990s with South African piano genius Bheki Mseleku.

He is also a regular member of the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, while his Debussy Mirrored Ensemble has more recently gained attention for its distinctive compositions and performances.

Eddie describes himself as a qualified “eclectician” — a perfect description for a musician whose influences stretch across genres and generations. From Schoenberg to Santana and far beyond, Eddie explores a vast musical landscape while treating each influence with respect and transforming it through his own unmistakable voice.

In this conversation, we get into Airborn, working with Rob Luft, his collaborations with some of the most adventurous musicians of his generation, the evolution of his sound, the Debussy Mirrored Ensemble, the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, and a lifetime spent exploring the endless possibilities of music.

Jazz, classical, fusion, electronic music, improvisation, composition, collaboration — Eddie Parker has traveled through it all.

Dig this interview.

Listen to the album:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3PMe9jBKXMLsV3gyaEAuOs

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Ukraine-born, NYC-based Jazz Guitarist George Grydkovets. We take a deep dive into his powerful new 2026 album, Spirit In You, and the remarkable journey that has brought him into the heart of the New York jazz scene.

Featuring an all-star band of NYC musicians including John Raymond on trumpet, Ari Hoenig on drums, Ben Tiberio on bass, and Eden Ladin on keyboards, Spirit In You was produced by acclaimed guitarist Gilad Hekselman. The music reflects George's New York experience — the sounds he has heard, the people he has met, and his longing for home — while exploring the profound contrast of building a life in safety as his hometown in Ukraine remains under attack.

Set for release on September 18, 2026, Spirit In You is deeply connected to George's experiences, dreams, identity, and search for a life-affirming spirit through uncertain times.

In this conversation, we talk about his move from Ukraine to America, studying at The New School, the impact of COVID, finding his voice as a jazz guitarist, his dreams for the future, performing live, the making of Spirit In You, and so much more.

From Ukraine to New York City, George Grydkovets' story is one of music, movement, resilience, discovery, and the search for home.

Enjoy this interview with George Grydkovets.

More George:
https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeGrydkovets/ 

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with acclaimed Toronto-based Jazz Guitarist Jeremy Green. We dive into his new 2026 album, In Motion, a career that started, stopped, and started again, and the many twists and turns that shaped his life in music.

Known for his distinctive blend of jazz, funk, and fusion, Jeremy Green has performed and recorded with acclaimed artists including Mike Stern, Will Lee, and Victor Wooten.

His debut album, Standing Eight, reached #1 on The Roots Music Report Fusion chart, while his original music has earned notable chart success and critical recognition across leading music publications and online platforms.

In this conversation, Jeremy opens up about In Motion, his evolution as a guitarist and composer, the musicians and experiences that shaped his sound, performing with legendary artists, and what it means to return to music after a career that didn't follow a straight line.

From Toronto to stages around the world, we cover the whole ride — jazz guitar, funk, fusion, improvisation, recording, collaboration, career reinvention, and the making of In Motion.

Enjoy this interview with Jeremy Green.

Get the album:
https://jeremygreenguitar.bandcamp.com/album/in-motion

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Indianapolis-based Jazz Saxophonist, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Educator & Creative Director Rob Dixon.

We get into his new 2026 album, Naptown Soul, and a life spent in the world of jazz.

Naptown's influence on soul jazz spans generations of musicians and recordings, creating a continuous musical lineage from the legendary Indiana Avenue scene to its wider national reach. With Naptown Soul, Rob Dixon carries that lineage into the present, pushing Indianapolis' rich musical tradition into the 21st century.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and having spent time in New York City, Rob eventually made his way back to Indianapolis, where his musical journey continues to evolve.

In this conversation, we get into the educators who shaped him, the cities that influenced his sound, the gigs and experiences that helped build his career, legendary musicians, Indianapolis jazz history, Indiana Avenue, soul jazz, and the making of Naptown Soul.

It's a deep dive into the past, present, and future of Naptown jazz and the artists carrying its tradition forward.

Dig this interview.

More Rob Dixon:
https://www.instagram.com/robdixonsax/

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with acclaimed jazz vocalist Denise Donatelli, talking about her powerful new 2026 album Take My Breath Away.

On this deeply personal return to Neon Jazz, Denise reunites with Grammy-winning pianist, arranger, and producer Geoffrey Keezer for a project shaped not only by music, but by an extraordinary journey through life, health, resilience, and a renewed perspective on what matters most.

The tracks on Take My Breath Away were originally recorded in May 2024 at Bunker Studios in Brooklyn, New York. But shortly after returning home to Los Angeles, Denise received difficult news: the results of a mammogram and biopsy confirmed breast cancer.

The album was put on hold as Denise underwent medical treatment throughout the following year. Thankfully, those treatments were successful, and she eventually returned to the studio with an “all clear!”

Now, Take My Breath Away is finally being shared with the world.

In this conversation, Denise opens up about the making of the album, her collaboration with Geoffrey Keezer, the unexpected pause in the creative process, her experience navigating cancer treatment, and the new perspective on life that emerged from it all.

This is a story about music, resilience, survival, gratitude, creativity, and finding your way back to the studio — and back to yourself.

We get into it all in this emotional and inspiring return of Denise Donatelli to the Neon Jazz interview series.

Dig into the story behind Take My Breath Away.

Listen to the album:
Denise Donatelli — Take My Breath Away on Apple Music

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Chicago-based jazz bassist and composer Christopher Dammann. On this episode, we dig into his compelling new 2026 project, Dead Words, and the evolving musical life of an artist deeply connected to the world of jazz and improvised music.

Dead Words is a collection of spiritual contrafacts that traces a fascinating path from bebop through free jazz and into today's landscape of improvised music. Following his 2025 sextet debut, the new release further establishes Christopher Dammann's distinctive compositional voice — historically grounded, deeply swinging, adventurous, and committed to exploration without nostalgia.

Released by Shifting Paradigm Records, Dead Words features an extraordinary ensemble including Jim Baker, Jon Irabagon, James Davis, and Mike Reed, alongside Dammann's bass and compositions.

We also get into Christopher's life as a performer and composer, his approach to writing and improvisation, the evolution of his sound, and his work as a teaching artist with The People's Music School of Chicago, the city's largest tuition-free music school.

This is a conversation about Chicago jazz, modern jazz composition, free jazz, bebop, improvisation, jazz history, musical exploration, education, and the artists continuing to push the music forward.

Dig this interview with Christopher Dammann and discover Dead Words.

Get the album — Dead Words:
Christopher Dammann — Dead Words on Bandcamp

More about The People's Music School:
The People's Music School of Chicago

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with acclaimed Nashville-based jazz trombonist Bob McChesney. On this episode, we dig into Bob's brilliant new 2026 album, Wingwalkers, and explore a remarkable jazz career that began in Baltimore, spent decades in Los Angeles, and eventually brought him to Nashville.

Bob McChesney began playing trombone in the fourth grade through his public school music program. Decades later, he has become a world-renowned trombone soloist, educator, and authority on trombone pedagogy, developing one of the most distinctive approaches to the instrument.

His signature sound is built around beauty, speed, precision, and a deep emotional connection to the music. A central part of his approach is his advanced application of the doodle-tongue technique, giving him extraordinary fluency, clarity, articulation, and harmonic freedom on the trombone.

Wingwalkers reflects decades of artistic development and McChesney's highly refined approach to jazz trombone. In this conversation, we get into the making of the album, his musical evolution, his technique, his teaching, the cities and experiences that shaped him, and what continues to drive him as an artist.

From Baltimore to Los Angeles to Nashville, this is the story of a trombonist who has pushed the possibilities of his instrument while maintaining a deep connection to the heart and soul of jazz.

If you're a fan of jazz trombone, jazz improvisation, jazz education, brass instruments, music technique, Nashville jazz, or great jazz musicians, this conversation is one to dig into.

Dig this interview with Bob McChesney — and discover the sound and story behind Wingwalkers.

Get the album — Wingwalkers:
Bob McChesney — Wingwalkers Autographed CD

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with author Michael Pronko, talking about his 2026 book A Guide to Jazz in Japan.

Michael was back in his old stomping grounds of Kansas City to sit down with Neon Jazz for a wide-ranging conversation about his early memories of KC, his journey to Japan, and how he became deeply woven into the country's extraordinary jazz culture.

In A Guide to Jazz in Japan, Pronko brings together jazz history, cultural insight, travel knowledge, and personal experience to explore one of the most vibrant jazz scenes in the world. More than a travel guide, the book is a love letter to Japanese jazz and an invaluable cultural resource for anyone curious about the music, people, clubs, neighborhoods, and traditions that make Japan's jazz scene so unique.

Whether you're planning a trip to Japan, living there, an armchair traveler, or simply a lifelong jazz fan, Michael Pronko points you toward some of the best Japanese jazz experiences — including places far beyond the usual tourist destinations.

From Kansas City to Japan, this conversation explores jazz, travel, culture, history, discovery, and the many unexpected connections between two great jazz worlds.

Dig into this wide-ranging Neon Jazz conversation with Michael Pronko and discover why Japan has become such an important destination for jazz lovers around the world.

Get Michael Pronko's book — A Guide to Jazz in Japan:
Michael Pronko — A Guide to Jazz in Japan

Subscribe to Neon Jazz for more conversations with jazz musicians, authors, artists, educators, and cultural voices from around the world.

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Canadian Jazz Guitarist Mike Murray on his powerful new 2026 album, Convergence.

We originally caught up with Mike in 2022, and a great many things have changed for his group since that last project. Now, he has finally created the album he always dreamed of—with a stellar cast of musicians and a deeply personal story behind the music.

Convergence is a musical portrait of the web of connections formed through long-lasting friendships, chance meetings, musical relationships and the butterfly effects of a near-fatal car crash. The album represents the culmination of years of development as a band, bringing together artists from disparate backgrounds into an explosive, joyful and purpose-filled sonic experience.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s an album that refuses to be boxed into a single genre.

In this conversation, we get into Mike Murray’s evolution as a guitarist and bandleader, the journey from our 2022 interview to Convergence, the musicians who helped bring his vision to life, the life-changing experiences behind the music, and how unexpected connections can shape an artist's entire creative path.

This is a story about jazz, friendship, resilience, creativity, musical connection and finding meaning in the unexpected.

We get into the whole story.

Enjoy this interview with Mike Murray.

Get the album: Mike Murray — Convergence on Bandcamp 

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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist & Founder/Owner of Wide Hive Records Gregory Howe.

We cover the whole range of this fascinating music man who has made a major impact on the world of jazz from both sides of the equation—as a musician and an entrepreneur.

Gregory Howe founded Wide Hive Records in 1996 and has made it his mission to record and showcase veteran jazz masters while creating adventurous, alluring and forward-thinking music. In this conversation, we dig into the new 2026 Daggerboard project, Daggerboard: The Skipper and Mike Clark, and the larger musical vision behind one of Wide Hive's signature projects.

Primarily active as a producer, mixer and composer, Gregory is also a multi-instrumentalist who performs guitar, synthesizer, turntable, voice and percussion across numerous recordings. His work reflects a deep appreciation for jazz history while continually pushing into new territory.

We talk about Wide Hive Records, Daggerboard, Mike Clark, veteran jazz musicians, independent record labels, producing, composing, improvisation, entrepreneurship and Gregory's own evolution as a musician.

It's a conversation about what it takes to preserve the legacy of jazz while continuing to move the music forward—and the story of a man who has spent decades building his own place in that world.

Dig into the whole story with Gregory Howe. Dig this interview.

Get Wide Hive Action: Wide Hive Records 

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