All That's Jazz

Jacqui Naylor is not an easy artist to categorize. Naylor is known for a technique she coined, “acoustic smashing,” There are times when she performs straight-ahead vocal jazz, but at other times she favors more of an alternative and diverse approach. Her  groove-based vocals and smoky sound have a subtle, intimate quality that conveys the emotional depth of a song without resorting to vocal pyrotechnics.  Very  jazz-friendly but far from a rigid jazz purist, Jacqui brings a long list of influences to her work — influences ranging from Billie Holiday, June Christy, and Nina Simone to Tracy Chapman, Natalie Merchant, Carole King, and Sheryl Crow. That is an unlikely combination of influences, certainly, but it is one that works well for Jacqui, who has used all of them to fashion a personal, recognizable style of her own. Our conversation is as far-reaching as her smoky, alto vocal style. We discuss everything from studying Jazz as a side gig while obtaining her marketing degree, to a stint in New York’s fashion industry; starting a fan-based virtual project during pandemic called Home2Home where she and her husband wrote more than 200 compositions, to having her subscribers decide which songs should be recorded - a practice that Jacqui feels is critical to how she presents music today.  All of this is intertwined with sample songs, including those from her latest release, ‘Treasures of the Heart,’ the title of which is a story all its own. 

The best description of Ben Sidran comes from his son, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and fellow podcaster, Leo Sidran: “In a career spanning over fifty years and thirty five records, Ben Sidran has established himself as a philosopher poet. Equally celebrated for his precise, probing writing style as he is for his improvised spoken word jazz raps, he has carved out a truly unique space for himself. The Times of London aptly described Ben as ‘the world’s first existential jazz rapper,’ and The Chicago Sun Times once referred to him as ‘a renaissance man cast adrift in the modern world.’ He is one of a kind.” This is my third episode with Ben, who graciously allows us to use his piece “Mr. P’s Shuffle” as our theme song, and my second with Leo. To have them together discussing Ben’s latest album titled ‘Rainmaker’ is not only a thrill, but an honor.  Ben describes how ‘Rainmaker’ started this way: “The original idea for Rainmaker was to throw a party in a Paris recording studio in honor of my 80th birthday. I saw it as a way to celebrate the survival of so many things, including myself, a life without borders, and my friendship with so many musicians abroad.” Of course, it’s only the beginning, because that’s how conversations with Ben and Leo go. So, sit back and immerse yourself in this freewheeling conversation with samples from  ‘Rainmaker.’ By the end, you’ll be jumping on your favorite platform to hear more. 

Being Guided By The Light  is the fifth album by pianist/ composer  Mamiko Watanabe, featuring heralded bassist Santi Debriano and legendary drummer Billy Hart.  Born in Fukuoka, Japan, Watanabe began playing the piano at the age of four under instruction at the Yamaha School of Music. Her inspiration was Tashiko Akiyoshi, the boundary-smashing Japanese-American pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader noted for wide-ranging powerful, complex compositions. Mamiko received a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music where she received several awards for Jazz piano and Composition. She was also a semi-finalist at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition both in 2002 and 2003. She has toured Germany, Italy and Japan and has performed with jazz greats such as Joe Lovano, Kevin Mahogany and Bobby McFerrin while in college. After moving to New York, Mamiko performed at notable venues including Blue Note, Dizzy's Club at the Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Jazz at the Kitano and more. The story of Mamiko unfolds in this episode as we discuss and sample music from her latest release. This album is her premiere with JoJo Records - created by jazz musician Simon Belelty - with an emphasis on high quality audio and vinyl.

Chris DiGirolamo could be called “The Accidental Publicist.”  A lifelong drummer from age 5, Chris was hooked. His mother took him to Jazz from a young age, but he truly fell in love with the genre at 14, when a friend’s uncle introduced him to Jean Luc Ponty’s “Rhythms of Hope.”  Chris attended Berklee College of Music and New York Institute of Technology. From there, he went on to work as assistant engineer at the legendary Systems Two Recording Studio, followed by a turn in Sausalito, California at Record Plant Studios (“The Plant”).  Moving back to the East Coast and looking for something new, Chris became a freelance writer for several small music publications. But post 9/11, work in that field was nearly nonexistent. However, one unexpected phone call from a guy who said “Are you Chris? You were recommended to me as a publicist,” changed his life. And that’s where the story of Two For The Show Media begins. 

For their seventh outing together as a close-knit, collaborative rhythm tandem, bassist Leon Lee Dorsey and drummer Mike Clark tapped pianist Michael Wolff as third man in their ongoing trio adventures. Wolff, who had previously appeared with Dorsey and Clark on 2020’s Play Sgt. Pepper, completes the triumvirate on this heartfelt tribute to the late, great pianist-composer in the new album titled “A Letter to Bill Evans.”  These renderings of Bill Evans classics contain the kind of sparkling energy and improvisational freshness that always animates these trio sessions between Dorsey, Clark and their third partner. And this time around they hit on the perfect choice with pianist Michael Wolff, who first heard Evans live at Davies Hall in San Francisco when he was 18, and got the only available tickets which were actually on the stage, where he got to experience the concert close up.  “A few years later, when I was 20,” Wolff explained, “I went on the road with Cal Tjader . I ran into Bill Evans a lot in various cities where we all were playing; I befriended him and, of course, hounded him for information about his music. He was very open and understanding with me. And whenever he was performing in the Bay Area, I would go hear him every night.”  Wolff’s connection with Mike Clark, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary as a member of The Headhunters, goes back to the late ‘60s on the Bay Area jazz scene  when Wolff was house pianist with Bishop Norman Williams’ Sunday afternoon jam at a great SF club called the Both/And. “I was 17 years old and still in high school, I wasn’t old enough to get into most clubs then. But I had this gig and Mike came by one Sunday to sit in. And that was the beginning of a long working relationship.”  While the music of “A Letter to Bill Evans” captures the spirit of the great pianist, Wolff/Clark/Dorsey take some liberties with this classic Evans material, interpreting it through their collective musical lens. In my conversation with all three musicians, we talk about how the album came together, their concept for each track, and how it’s truly their “love letter” to the music and the man who is one of the giants of jazz.

Jay Bordeleau, the owner, creator, and mastermind behind one of the top Jazz venues in San Francisco, Mr. Tipple’s, has always loved the arts and is constantly driven by his “it’s-so-crazy-it-just-might-work” ambition. He was able to combine this deeply rich cooperative leadership style with a profound passion for hospitality while designing, building, and operating his first restaurant: Maven.  Jay’s collaborative work style was formalized while playing drums behind the orchestra as a music performance major at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. And his life-long passion for wine also led him to earning his Certified Sommelier and Advanced Wine Specialist title from Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). Mr. Tipple’s is a cozy yet elegant jazz club, cocktail bar and restaurant with three distinct - but also overlapping- types of clientele. Some come in for the music, others for the expertly crafted and carefully poured drinks and a third group for the dumplings, bao and clay pot rice. Adding to that is its alcohol-free CBD cocktails, and gratuity-free pre-calculated tipping policy, all of which make the club feel honest and welcoming. Join us for a deep dive into Mr. Tipple’s with Jay and hear why it’s been rated the best jazz club by San Francisco Magazine; one we personally enjoy each time we visit “The City by the Bay.”

A singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer and band leader, this American-born unequivocal musical prodigy of Korean descent, with the memorable name Grace Kelly,  has rocked the jazz world.  With sold-out concerts, 14 acclaimed albums and a resume that includes performing at the Hollywood Bowl as well as being part of the house band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – all before reaching her mid-twenties, Grace is touted for her scorching saxophone stylings and purring vocals. She’s performed and recorded with renowned artists including Lin Manuel- Miranda, Dave Brubeck, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Huey Lewis, Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan, Questlove, and Wynton Marsalis. Grace’s newest project, “ Grace Kelly with Strings: At the Movies” with her fifteen piece large ensemble is inspired by “Charlie Parker with Strings” - one of Kelly’s all time favorite albums -  as well as her love of classic and contemporary movies. With this album, Grace reimagines her favorite movie music, as well as songs by legendary film composers John Williams, Ennio Morricone, and contemporary artist Billie Eilish ‘s ‘No Time To Die’ from the latest James Bond film, with fresh arrangements fully merged into her signature sound.  In this first episode of Season 5, we talk with Grace not only about her background, name (and, yes, that actually is it), and her dizzyingly impressive accomplishments, but also explore the backstory of her album and how she’s taken classics and made them her own. 

Singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger, New York-based bandleader and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal, Nicole Zuraitis, had been there once before. But when the presenters at the 2024 Grammy®️ Awards announced her name as winner of the Best Jazz Vocal Album for her release, “How Love Begins,” her immediate reaction was “Holy Cow!”    To many of her friends and supporters, however, it was an affirmation of what they’ve known for more than a decade of working with, for and beside her. Nicole is an undeniable force- in music and in life.  Besides leading her quartet, Nicole is the premier vocalist for the Birdland Big Band and frequently headlines iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle,  54 Below and the late, great 55 Bar. She’s collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries, including Christian McBride - who co-produced her Grammy-winning album - and worked with David Cook, Gilad Hekselman, Veronica Swift, Benny Benack, Stephen Feifke, Cyrille Aimee, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Omar Hakim,  Rachel Z, Helen Sung, and Bernard Purdie. And Nicole is also a proud educator, currently serving on the vocal faculty at NYU, SUNY Purchase and the Litchfield Jazz Camp.  In this last episode of Season 4, we focus specifically Nicole’s Grammy-winning album because its story is a microcosm of who and what she is as an artist, composer, vocalist - and person. As Jazz Police aptly put it, Nicole has a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” and Broadway World added, she’s one of the top "prolific songwriters" to watch in the genre of jazz and beyond.   To learn more about Nicole,  visit her website https://www.nicolezmusic.com

Trumpeter, flugelhorn player, composer, educator, and recording artist Jun Iida (Joon Ee-da) has quickly established himself as a highly sought after musician. A recording and performing artist, Iida has appeared extensively throughout the U.S. at notable jazz clubs, theaters, and festivals with his sextet and as a sideman.   This gifted musician born in St Louis of Japanese parents,  has lived literally coast-to-coast - from his hometown, to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Seattle, and most recently relocating to New York City. All these moves afforded him the opportunity to experience and internalize the different styles of music from each region, making his approach to composing and arranging appealing and unexpected with his subtle amalgamation of contemporary jazz, blues, pop, hip-hop, soul, and classical music.   Jun’s debut CD, EVERGREEN, is a showcase for his modern, edgy originals, along with imaginative re-workings of other compositions. In our conversation, we talk with Jun about his life, influences, incredibly diverse background, as well as about the backstory of EVERGREEN, which released January 19, 2024 on Origin Records.

Whatever  Gordon Goodwin touches, whether it’s in his role as pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor - or any combination of these gifts - it’s all about his love of music. That love, and prodigious talent has brought him 25 Grammy® nominations, including three this year: Best Jazz Vocal Album: Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s  Big Phat Band - For Ella 2. Best Instrumental Composition: Quartet San Francisco Featuring Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Cutey and The Dragon, Composed by Raymond Scott and Gordon Goodwin. Best Arrangement, Instruments, and Vocals: Patti Austin ft. Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - April in Paris, Arranged by Gordon Goodwin.   Gordon’s collection already includes a Grammy® for ‘Best Instrumental Arrangement’ for “Incredits” in the film The Incredibles and has been honored with 3 Emmy awards for his work on the Steven Spielberg-produced shows Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain. His work has been featured/utilized in more than 80 film & TV productions spanning the gamut of pop culture, amplifying the likes of National Treasure, Star Trek: Nemesis, Snakes on a Plane, Get Smart, Remember the Titans, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Majestic (starring Jim Carrey), The Lion King, The Incredibles and Ratatouille.   “I look at that number and it shocks me every time. I still find it difficult to believe that the members of the Recording Academy have given me 25 Grammy® nominations for my work. I don’t think you ever get used to it and the three most recent nominations seem somehow more precious than ever. I had the good fortune to be involved in two projects that were close to my heart in the past year, and happily, both were acknowledged by the Recording Academy.”   While this episode focuses primarily on the nominations for the current Grammy® season, we cover a lot of ground with Gordon in our conversation. 

Swedish musical sensation Gunhild Carling is an internationally acclaimed superstar whose show is a can’t-miss event! Whether she’s singing favorite swinging jazz standards, playing one of many 11 instruments (trumpet, trombone, harmonica, oboe, harp, flute, recorder, or jazz bagpipe!) or juggling and tap dancing, Gunhild is not only the consummate show-woman, in Jazz terms she’s definitely “The real deal.”    She performed with her 'Carling Big Band' at the Royal Palace in Stockholm in the celebration for King Carl XVI Gustaf's Ruby Jubilee, and has performed at the iconic Birdland in New York multiple times, the most recent being January of 2024.   Noted Jazz journalist Scott Yanow said, “Gunhild Carling has always been quite a character. Her musical abilities are simply brilliant (whether playing trombone, trumpet, flute or even bagpipes); she is a joyous singer who can put across a heartbreaking ballad or a joyous romp. She seems to have limitless energy, and her performances are always quite great fun with her foundation being New Orleans jazz and swing.”   We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off 2024 than with “The Party” that is Gunhild Carling! 

 ‘The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Live From The Northwest, 1959’ is a collection of never-before-released recordings from the archives of Brubeck Editions of two electrifying concerts recorded on April 4, 1959 at the historic Multnomah Hotel in Portland and on April 5th in the auditorium at nearby Clark College.  The legendary quartet of Dave Brubeck on piano, alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright, and drummer Joe Morello are further testament to their unprecedented skills. What master sound engineer, Wally Heider, was able to capture from these diverse and challenging venues  are two performances that embody the very sound of the Dave Brubeck Quartet that audiences first fell in love with - described as “lightning in a bottle.”   We talk with multi-instrumentalist and Grammy-nominated composer, Chris Brubeck, about discovering this stellar collection in the archives, the backstory of how it happened, and why Brubeck Editions chose it as the label’s third release in continuing the legacy of Dave Brubeck.  

Over the years, Tony-nominated, multiplatinum-selling pop/jazz singer-songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway’s compositions have been recorded and performed by some of the biggest names in the business – among them, Carole King, Patti Lupone, Liza Minnelli, Karrin Allyson, and Michael Feinstein, to name a few. Her newly released album, Finding Beauty, Originals Volume 1, released on Sept. 29 via Shanachie Entertainment, is  a milestone for this incredibly and  diversely talented artist who was recently inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. It features 16 tracks of original songs - all produced and arranged by Trey Henry and Paul Viapiano - and is highlighted by select tracks of Ann singing alongside a number of notable guests that include Melissa Manchester, Tierney Sutton,  jazz legend Kurt Elling, pop and R&B singer Niki Haris, singer Jarrett Johnson, and her frequent musical partner (and real-life sister), the Tony-nominated and Emmy-winning Liz Callaway.  Not only do we talk about this intricate and beautifully constructed album that Ann describes as “my most personal record,”  but about the three year path that got her there.,adding “ I realized that I wanted to tell my story and share the deepest part of me. What better way than by sharing and singing songs I’ve written?” We think you’ll wholeheartedly agree. 

British singer-songwriter and composer Rebecca Poole’s story is one of a musical journey that began as a child on a farm in Oxfordshire, England.  The family lived in a house on an estate owned by Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.  Their simple farm home was always filled with music, two of her brothers became professional musicians, her mother sang a bit and she also had an aunt and uncle who played gypsy jazz professionally.   Choosing initially to take a different tack, Rebecca became an avid writer of poetry and loved the creative arts and painting which she studied in college.  Though she never formally studied music, she eventually became interested in singing after hearing a recording of Nina Simone and also listening to other great jazz vocalists.  Friends encouraged her to sing with a contemporary/pop band that playing gigs during après ski in Zermatt, Switzerland, where in the evenings she also sang at a jazz club she discovered in the town.  But despite all that jazz influence, Rebecca’s path led her to the commercial realm. Changing her name professionally to Purdy, she  recorded two widely acclaimed albums and garnered a large following. Her instincts, however, were telling her to return to her jazz roots. So for now, she’s set the Purdy moniker aside, and returned to using her birth name, Rebecca Poole.  Her new album called “Dreamers Ball” is the main focus of my conversation about Rebecca’s fascinating musical journey.

With their newly-released first album of a cappella Christmas music, GRAMMY nominated, Dallas TX based Kings Return continue to defy expectations. Tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor JE McKissic, and baritone Jamall Williams , whose bare-bones a capella stairwell singing went viral on social media, have been compared to some of the iconic groups like Take 6 and Boyz ll Men. Their brand of R&B is entwined with free moments of jazz, soulful bursts of gospel, and bright touches of pop—all built on a solid, classical foundation. Our music-filled conversation introduces their new release titled “We Four Kings,” allowing you to meet these talented, dedicated and engaging men and learn the backstory to what is sure to become a new holiday tradition.

In September, as part of their 75th anniversary celebration, Smithsonian Folkways Records re-released two albums by the poet and activist Sarah Webster Fabio, often referred to as “the mother of Black studies.” The albums, “Jujus: Alchemy of the Blues,” and “Together: To the Tune of Coltrane’s ‘Equinox’” contain poems authored and read by Sarah Webster Fabio, who, in her just 51 years, wrote more than 500 poems and recorded four albums for Folkways, in a style that reflects “a funky blend of Black poetry, spoken word, and jazz/blues” that were not only forward thinking, but in many ways a precursor to Hip-Hop’s distinctively African-American form of poetic expression. We talk with her daughter, Cheryl Fabio, a documentary filmmaker, educator, and former Program Director at Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in Oakland, California, about her mother and her impact, the albums,  and the far-reaching importance of these works.

This All That’s Jazz episode is a conversation with three diverse and virtuosic musical masters - renowned saxophonist Jeff Coffin, venerated drummer Jordan Perlson and bass legend Viktor Krauss - have joined together  for a nine-track debut of all original music that’s been described as “a thrilling sonic odyssey that showcases undeniable musicianship and boundless artistic expression.”   Coffin, Perlson and Krauss first started playing together in 2020. The connection between them was evident instantly. During the pandemic, the three Nashville based musicians formed a social pod, and made playing together a regularity as long as they were safe to do so. Using this unexpected time, the trio decided to record at Krauss’ home studio to officially document this special collaboration, eventually settling on seven compositions and two solo works.  The result is their first album as a trio, self- titled ‘Coffin /Perlson/Krauss. 

‘Searching For a Memory’ is a truly remarkable album. Released in July, legendary GRAMMY-nominated percussionist Sammy Figueroa brings together a stellar group of GRAMMY winning and nominated friends to musically tell the story of his late father, Charlie Figueroa, a singer of romantic boleros back in the 1950's, one of the best, whose records still sell to this day. Charlie passed away as a young man, when Sammy was just a small boy, as he describes it “a victim of his bohemian lifestyle. “   We talk with Sammy about his remarkable musical journey in ‘Searching For a Memory,’ and how the song choices and arrangements allowed him to make his peace. This is an album of cathartic strength, and a backstory takes you on a journey that isn’t soon forgotten.

All That’s Jazz catches up with drummer Richard Baratta to talk about his newest release, “Off The Charts,” a departure from his previous two albums that focused on music from the movies. It’s a subject he knows well having spent upwards of 35 years as a film producer. We pick up with Richard where we left off in 2020, Season 1-Episode 30,  that focused on his incredibly rich background and how it led him to his album “Music in Film: The Reel Deal”.  This time, we drill deep into the backstory of album number 3, “Off The Charts” and why he chose to change course to present music mined from the catalog of his youth, focusing on the 1960’s and 1970’s, a period he describes as “full of intense musical creativity and experimentation.”

Pianist, composer, and educator EUNMI LEE brings a distinct compositional flair with her debut album, INTROSPECTION. Originally from South Korea, Eunmi has been living in New York City since 2020.   In this episode, we talk about how Eunmi crafted INTROSPECTION from the disparate musical traditions of big band jazz, post-bop, chamber music and even Brazilian music. Though her compositions are very contemporary, they are also subtly shaded with Eunmi’s Korean culture, creating a unique and musically diverse palate.