Show Notes

Pianist Aaron Diehl joins Backstage Bay Area to discuss the early musical influences that shaped his voice, his deep connection to Mary Lou Williams, and his work bringing her Zodiac Suite back into focus. He also reflects on trio interplay, the role of patience in improvisation, and what makes a room like SFJAZZ Center such a compelling space to perform.

This episode features two tracks: “Scorpio” from Diehl’s recording of Zodiac Suite, and “Polaris” from The Vagabond. Both songs were provided by the artist and are used with permission.

In this episode:

• Early influences and musical beginnings in Columbus, Ohio 
• Discovering the music of Mary Lou Williams 
• Reconstructing and recording Zodiac Suite with The Knights 
• The art of listening and empathy in a trio setting 
• Writing and performing original compositions 
• What audiences can expect at SFJAZZ 

Featured Music:

• “Scorpio” — from Zodiac Suite
• “Polaris” — from The Vagabond

Live at SFJAZZ
Aaron Diehl performs with bassist David Wong and drummer Aaron Kimmel on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 7:00 PMat the SFJAZZ Center’s Miner Auditorium in San Francisco.

🎟 Tickets and full details: https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/

Show Notes:
On this episode of Backstage Bay Area, Steve Roby speaks with pianist and composer Lynne Arriale about her latest album, Being Human, and the ideas behind music shaped by hope, resilience, and shared human feeling.

Arriale reflects on her early musical path, from playing songs by ear on a toy piano to discovering jazz through the freedom of improvisation. She also discusses the inspiration behind Being Human, a suite of original compositions written in response to division and turmoil, with pieces centered on qualities such as passion, courage, love, faith, and joy.

In the conversation, Arriale discusses two of the album’s featured pieces, “Passion” and “Joy,” and explains how she tries to translate emotional and human qualities into music. She also speaks about what music can express when words fall short and what she hopes listeners take away from a live performance.

The songs featured in this podcast, “Passion” and “Joy,” were provided by the artist and used with the artist’s permission.

Lynne also previews her upcoming Bay Area appearance with the Lynne Arriale Trio at Piedmont Piano Company in Oakland, where she’ll perform music from Being Human alongside new compositions.

Upcoming Show:
Lynne Arriale Trio
Saturday, April 25, 2026
5:30 p.m.
Piedmont Piano Company
1728 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

Tickets and details: Piedmont Piano Company

Show Notes:
On this episode of Backstage Bay Area, host Steve Roby speaks with vocalist, composer, poet, and multidisciplinary artist Natasha Agrama of Instant Alter ahead of the band’s Sunday, April 19, appearance at SFJAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab.

Agrama discusses the origins of Instant Alter, the meaning behind the band’s “future fusion” sound, and the stripped-down core concept that defines the group’s distinctive voice: saxophone, bass, drums, and vocals, with no traditional harmonic instrument. She also reflects on the values behind the music, the visual and conceptual side of Instant Alter’s live presentation, and the energy that led the band to document its evolving sound in a new live release.

The conversation also explores the meaning of the songs “Sun Polaris” and “Oração Ao Tempo,” as well as the deeper themes of truth, change, and human connection that run through the band’s work. In the final part of the interview, Agrama previews the upcoming SFJAZZ shows and discusses what audiences can expect from Instant Alter live at the Joe Henderson Lab.

Songs featured in this episode:
“Sun Polaris”
“Oração Ao Tempo”

The music featured in this episode was supplied by the artist and used with their permission.

Links:
Instant Alter: instantalter.com
Tickets: SFJAZZ
Backstage Bay Area: backstagebayarea.com

Show Notes

In this episode, host Steve Roby sits down with saxophonist, composer, and producer Ben Wendell — one of modern jazz's most distinctive voices. Born in Vancouver, raised in Los Angeles, and now based in Brooklyn, Ben has built a wide-ranging career as a bandleader, collaborator, and composer. A founding member of Knee Body, he has also worked alongside Bill Frisell, Terrence Blanchard, Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti, and many others.

Ben shares the story of how he fell in love with the saxophone in high school, how jazz became his musical "meta language," and why composition — which he describes as "improvising in slow motion" — has become central to his artistic identity. He also talks about his electroacoustic approach, the deep musical telepathy that comes from decades of collaboration, and what Bay Area audiences can expect when his quartet takes the stage at Yoshi's in Oakland.

Songs Featured:

• "On the Trail" – from Understory: Live at the Village Vanguard
• "Wanderers" (feat. Terrence Blanchard) – from All One

All music supplied by the artist and used with permission.

Ben Wendell Quartet at Yoshi's – Oakland Monday, April 20th | Doors 7:00 PM | Show 7:30 PM Featuring: Nate Wood (drums), Harish Raghavan (bass), Taylor Eigsti (piano)

Important Links:

• Ben Wendell: https://www.benwendel.com
• Tickets: https://yoshis.com
• Backstage Bay Area: https://www.backstagebayarea.com

Show Notes

Saxophonist, composer, and educator TK Blue joins host Steve Roby to celebrate one of jazz's great live traditions — the music and legacy of NEA Jazz Master Dr. Randy Weston, recorded on what would have been Weston's 100th birthday: April 6th, 2025.

TK Blue was Weston's longtime musical director and arranger, performing with him for nearly 40 years alongside legends like Don Cherry, Miriam Makeba, Archie Shepp, and Pharaoh Sanders. In this conversation, TK shares his musical roots growing up in Long Island with Caribbean parents, studying jazz in New York City with Jimmy Heath, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and others through programs like Jazzmobile. He also talks about how a chance encounter at an anti-apartheid fundraiser in Brooklyn — with only a piccolo in his pocket — launched his decades-long journey with Randy Weston.

We explore the deep philosophy behind Weston's music: the African rhythmic diaspora, the African civilizations that predate slavery, and the concept of music as a sacred art that unites people of all backgrounds. TK also shares an unforgettable story about opening a hotel door for a mystery photographer in Paris — who turned out to be Henri Cartier-Bresson — and the peaceful, dignified way Randy Weston made his transition in September 2018. 

Songs Featured in This Episode:

“The Wise One Speaks” — TK Blue, from the album The Rhythms Continue

“Kasbah 330A” — TK Blue, from the album The Rhythms Continue

Music provided by TK Blue and used with his permission.

🎷 See TK Blue & The African Rhythms Alumni Ensemble Live:

SFJAZZ – Joe Henderson Lab, San Francisco

Centennial Tribute to Randy Weston

April 10–12, 2025

Friday & Saturday: 7:00 PM & 8:30 PM

Sunday: 6:00 PM & 7:30 PM

🎟️ Tickets: https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/african-rhythms-alumni-ensemble/

Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD) – FREE Event

Saturday, April 11 at 1:00 PM

🔗 https://www.moadsf.org/event/moad-sfjazz-present-african-rhythms-alumni-quintet

Show Notes:
On this episode of Backstage Bay Area, host Steve Roby talks with Bay Area singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist August Lee Stevens ahead of her Joe Henderson Lab run at SFJAZZ. The conversation traces her musical roots, the blend of folk, soul, and jazz in her work, and the writing process behind two featured songs, “Tell Me” and “Citrus.”

Steve and August talk about growing up in the Bay Area, how family and place shaped her sound, and how songs begin for her—sometimes as a phrase, sometimes as a melody, and sometimes as a feeling that keeps returning until it becomes a finished piece. The episode also looks at the emotional charge behind “Tell Me” and the family-centered inspiration behind “Citrus,” which appears on Live at the Troubadour. 

Songs featured in this episode:
“Tell Me”
“Citrus”

Episode highlights:
August Lee Stevens on her Bay Area musical background
How folk, soul, and jazz come together in her songwriting
The story and emotional spark behind “Tell Me”
The family inspiration behind “Citrus”
What audiences can expect from her Joe Henderson Lab shows

The songs featured in this episode were provided by August Lee Stevens and are used with the artist’s permission.

August Lee Stevens’ official website is ⁠augustleestevens.com⁠.

Joe Henderson Lab show information:
August Lee Stevens performs at SFJAZZ’s Joe Henderson Lab on Saturday, April 4, at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 5, at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available here: SFJAZZ ticket link

Photo credit: Ariel Nava

Podcast Show Notes

Episode Title:
Vince Wilburn Jr. on Miles Davis, SFJAZZ, and the Miles Electric Band

In this episode of Backstage Bay Area, Steve Roby speaks with drummer, producer, and Miles Davis estate co-manager Vince Wilburn Jr. about the final night of SFJAZZ’s Miles Davis centennial celebration and the larger vision behind the four-part series.

Wilburn, who performed and recorded with his uncle during Miles Davis’s later years, reflects on how the SFJAZZ tribute came together, why the programming moved from Doo-Bop to the Gil Evans collaborations, through Kind of Blue and the acoustic years, and finally into the electric music of the Miles Electric Band.

The conversation also explores what Miles demanded from musicians, how he stayed alert to new sounds and new directions, and why his music continues to speak across generations.

In this episode:

• How the four-night SFJAZZ Miles Davis centennial tribute was conceived
• Why Vince wanted the series to reflect multiple eras of Miles’s career
• What made the Miles Electric Band the right way to close the week
• Vince’s memories of Miles as a listener, bandleader, and creative force
• Why Miles’s music still feels alive, current, and unfinished in the best sense

Wilburn offers both a family perspective and a musician’s perspective, making this a valuable conversation for anyone interested in Miles Davis not only as a trumpet player, but as one of the great engines of modern music.

Show Notes:
On this episode of Backstage Bay Area, Steve Roby talks with pianist Monty Alexander ahead of his upcoming SFJAZZ performance.

In the conversation, Alexander reflects on his musical roots in Kingston, Jamaica, where he grew up hearing popular songs, blues, semi-classical music, radio hits, and Caribbean rhythms as part of one shared musical world. He talks about learning by ear, discovering the piano as a child, and seeing Louis Armstrong live at a young age — a moment that helped set his life in motion.

Alexander also discusses the spirit that runs through his music: camaraderie, spontaneity, groove, and joy. He shares thoughts on playing in the moment, working with his trio, and why he has never believed in hard borders between styles. For him, it all comes back to one word: music.

In the final part of the interview, he previews his upcoming SFJAZZ show and talks about what audiences can expect from an evening built on improvisation, warmth, and deep musical connection.

In this episode:
Monty Alexander’s early years in Kingston
Learning music by ear
Seeing Louis Armstrong as a boy
Why he hears all styles as one musical language
Spontaneity, groove, and joy in performance
What to expect at SFJAZZ

SFJAZZ show details:
Monty Alexander Trio
Sunday, March 29, 2026
7:00 PM
Miner Auditorium, SFJAZZ Center, San Francisco

Show Notes:
On this episode of Backstage Bay Area, Steve Roby talks with acclaimed alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Lakecia Benjamin about her upcoming album We Dream and the energy behind her new single “Flamekeeper.”

Lakecia discusses the meaning behind We Dream, why she wanted the album to feel communal, and how hope, purpose, and positivity shaped the project. She also talks about “Flamekeeper,” the new single featuring Hiromi and Chris Potter, and explains how those artists elevated the music in the studio.

In the final part of the conversation, Lakecia previews her upcoming SFJAZZ appearance as part of Terence Blanchard’s UpSwing series, talks about the musicians joining her on stage, and shares what audiences can expect from the live set.

We Dream is due June 5, and “Flamekeeper” is out now. Lakecia’s SFJAZZ performance is set for Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in Miner Auditorium, on a double bill with Pasquale Grasso Trio. 

In this episode:
Lakecia Benjamin on the idea behind We Dream
The spirit and sound of “Flamekeeper”
Working with Hiromi and Chris Potter
Why collaboration matters in her music
Who’s joining her on stage at SFJAZZ
What audiences can look forward to at the UpSwing show

SFJAZZ show details:
Lakecia Benjamin / Pasquale Grasso Trio
Saturday, March 28, 2026
7:30 PM
Miner Auditorium, SFJAZZ Center, San Francisco 

Links:
Tickets and info: https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/25-26/upswing-lakecia-benjamin-pasquale-grasso-trio/

Photo: Elizabeth Leitzell

Music in this episode was provided by and used with the permission of the artist.

Show Notes

Drummer Lenny White experienced the Miles Davis story firsthand. As a teenager, Miles selected him to record Bitches Brew — not because Davis had heard him play, but based solely on word of mouth. That decision reveals a lot about how Miles worked.

In this conversation, Lenny explains the philosophy behind Miles's legendary leadership style: how he used metaphor instead of instructions, space instead of clutter, and intuition instead of explanation. From the famous "be the salt in a big pot of stew" directive to the idea that Miles only told you when you got it wrong — Lenny describes what it actually felt like to be shaped by one of music's greatest minds.

Lenny also shares what he's learned teaching the Miles Davis aesthetic at NYU Steinhardt and The New School, why Kind of Blue is just one entry point into a much larger story, and how the context of 20th-century music-making is something today's students have to consciously work to understand.

The episode ends with a preview of SFJAZZ's tribute to Miles Davis's acoustic years, featuring Lenny alongside Javon Jackson, Dr. Eddie Henderson, and others — a celebration of music that, as Lenny says, still raises questions worth asking 50 and 60 years later.

In this episode:

How Miles selected musicians — and what that reveals about his genius

The "pot of stew" lesson and the art of teaching through metaphor

What Miles taught by silence, withholding, and redirection

Why Kind of Blue isn't the whole picture

The difference between how music was made then vs. now — and why it matters for students

Teaching the Miles Davis aesthetic at NYU and The New School

What Lenny hopes audiences feel at the SF Jazz tribute

Links & Resources:

SF Jazz Miles Davis Tribute — March 21st, 4:00 PM & 7:30 PM → sfjazz.org

Lenny White at NYU Steinhardt

Backstage Bay Area is hosted by Steve Roby. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen to podcasts.