Podcast Archives - The Jazz Session

Seth Abramson is a musician and longtime music promoter who books Jazz Standard, one of the premier jazz clubs in New York. In this interview, Abramsom talks about the musical philosophy of the Starndard; how he decides who to book when; and how the Standard got its start. Learn more at www.jazzstandard.net.

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Sam Newsome made a decision nearly 15 years ago to switch exclusively to the soprano saxophone. His most recent album, Blue Soliloquy (self-produced, 2009) is a solo exploration of that instrument. In this interview, Newsome talks about his pattern of intensive periods of study; the musical goals he had for the new record; and also about other projects with which he’s involved, including a dance performance and a collaboration with a Romanian pianist. Learn more at www.samnewsome.com.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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Drummer Peter Erskine has done it all: Stan Kenton, Weather Report, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band and many, many others. Most recently, he’s appeared on two albums, The Trio Live At Charlie O’s (Fuzzy Music, 2010) and The Avatar Sessions (Fuzzy Music, 2010). In this interview, Erskine talks about the differences between playing drums in a big band and trio; the unexpected success of the recording at Charlie O’s; and some of the upcoming projects with which he’s involved. Learn more at www.petererskine.com and www.fuzzymusic.com.

If you’d like to buy these albums, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing them via the links below:

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Drummer Dana Hall has made a name for himself in the bands of Terell Stafford, Malachi Thompson, Bobby Broom and many others. Now he’s taking the lead with his debut recording, Into The Light (Origin, 2009). In this interview, Hall talks about the recording of the new album; the idea of “pacing” a recording session; and how he chose a career as a drummer after he’d already established himself as a aerospace engineer. Learn more at danahallmusic.com.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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Paul Pines is a poet with roots deep in the jazz world. In the 1970s, he opened and ran the Tin Palace, a bar in the Bowery where he booked many of the great jazz names of the day and others who would get some of their earliest gigs at the Palace. Pines has published several books of poetry and fiction, including the recent Last Call At The Tin Palace (Marsh Hawk Press, 2009). In this interview, recorded after a reading by Pines in Albany, NY, Pines talks about the early days of the Tin Palace; his working-class approach to running a jazz club; and some of the artists who graced the Palace’s stage. Pines also reads from his new book and gives a preview of the year’s Lake George Jazz Weekend, which he’s run for nearly three decades. Learn more at paulpines.com.

If you’d like to buy Pines’ book, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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Guitarist Nels Cline may be best known these days for his work with Wilco, but he’d already established himself as an inventive guitarist and composer long before teaming up with the band. On his new CD, Initiate (Cryptogramophone, 2010), the Nels Cline Singers trio explores a variety of rhythmic and harmonic concepts from their very original viewpoint. In this interview, Cline talks about the all-inclusive concept behind his current trio; his concerns years ago about playing in the trio format; and the previous jazz masters whose styles of leadership in the studio and on the bandstand he most tries to emulate. Learn more at www.nelscline.com.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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Guitarist Torben Waldorff’s new CD is called American Rock Beauty (ArtistShare, 2010). On it, Waldorff explores improvisation that is deeply rooted in the American and British rock music he grew up with as a kid. In this interview, Waldorff talks about how he chose the title of the new record; the band and how they all met; and the way in which music served as a sanctuary for him during a turbulent childhood. Learn more at www.waldorff.com.

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Multi-instrumentalist and composer Henry Threadgill has always followed his own particular muse, and his new album, And This Brings Us To, Vol. 1 (Pi Recordings, 2009), is no different. In this interview, Threadgill discusses the musical language he’s developed, and the demands it places on the musicians who play with him; why he constantly searches for new ways of writing and playing; how cell phones and other digital technology are changing the way we interact with music and with each other; and the changes in the New York scene since the days when he arrived in the city. Learn more at www.pirecordings.com/artist/Henry_Threadgill.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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“Jazz is as relevant today as the yearning of people to be free.” That’s how Sonny Rollins describes the state of the music in this interview, recorded in late 2009 during his European tour. He also talks about his early decision to choose music over painting; his choice from his earliest days to record controversial songs such as “The House I Live In;” and his theory about why the world is full of strife. Learn more at www.sonnyrollins.com.

The music in this interview comes from the Sonny Rollins album Roadshows, Vol. 1. If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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Baritone saxophonist Charles Evans and his longtime friend, pianist Neil Shah, recently released Live At Saint Stephens (Hotcup, 2009), a duet recording that showcases Evans’ amazing tone and inventive compositions. In this interview, Evans discusses his focus on the bari sax; his relationship with Neil Shah and how it impacts their music; and his plans for … bass fishing. Learn more at charlesevansmusic.com.

If you’d like to buy this album, you can support The Jazz Session by purchasing it via the link below:

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