Strictly Jazz Sounds-SJS

Taiwanese vibraphonist and percussionist Chien Chien Lu, along with Pittsburg, Pennsylvania native bassist Richie Goods, have crafted a sound that is both captivating and rhythmic. Their music draws from a rich tapestry of cultural influences including Taiwanese, American, and African-American traditions, especially within the jazz sub-culture. Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods are dedicated to expanding their musical repertoire, creating a unique connection that resonates deeply with listeners. In the fall of 2024, Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods visited Columbus, Ohio, where they met with students at Otterbein University and performed to a captivated full house audience. During their visit, they visited my studio, sharing compelling stories about their individual paths into jazz and the inception of their musical collaboration. Chien Chien Lu recounted her transition from playing classical music in Taiwan to exploring the creative latitude of jazz upon her relocation to the United States. She arrived in the US holding a master's degree in classical percussion but sought the unique expressions of jazz. While pursuing graduate studies in Philadelphia, Chien was introduced to Jeremy Pelt, one of today's leading trumpeters. Impressed by her talent, Pelt included Chien in his subsequent European tour and later featured her in his next album. At that time, Richie Goods was a member of Pelt's band. In 2017, Chien graduated with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of the Arts. It all then fell together. Richie Goods describes his journey into jazz through performing arts school in Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School. After graduating from the prestigious jazz program at Berklee College of Music, Richie moved to New York City, where he studied under jazz legends Ron Carter and Ray Brown. Richie worked extensively with jazz piano legend Mulgrew Miller for nine years, which provided opportunities to perform with other major jazz luminaries including Russell Malone, Lenny White, Louis Hayes, and Vincent Herring. His extensive discography includes Grammy award-winning and platinum albums by Alicia Keys and Common. Connected is a band jointly led by Richie Goods and Chien Chien Lu, and their latest recording is Connected vol. 1. This pandemic era-project was derived from frequent conversations Richie Goods and Chien Chien had about the Black Lives Matter movement and the unwarranted hate crimes against Asians. They decided to do a project that would unify people and invoke imagery of love and peace, says Richie. The result is a dynamic jazz group influenced by global sounds, which reflects the musical identities of Richie and Chien. Connected vol. 1, won "Best Instrumental Album" at the 34th Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan. The playlist for this episode includes five recordings. They tap into their latest recording, Connected vol. 1 and Chien Chien Lu's first recording, The Path. Richie Goods produced The Path and Connected vol. 1. The playlist for this episode: 1.Treasure Mountain, Connected vol. 1, (Richie Goods/Chien Chien Lu), RichMan Music, 2023-(8:16); Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Electric bass & acoustic bass; Brett Williams-Keyboards & Rhodes; Quintin Zoto-Guitar; David Frazier, Jr.-Drums; Danny Sadownick-Percussion 2.Blind Faith, The Path (Chien Chien Lu), RichMan Music, 2020-(5:26); Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Bass & Electric Bass; Shedrick Mitchell-Piano & Organ; Quintin Zoto-Guitar; Allan Medford-Drums; Percussion-Ismel Wignall 3.We Live in Brooklyn Baby, The Path (Chien Chien Lu), Richman Music, 2020-(5:38) Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Bass & Electric Bass; Jeremy Pelt-Trumpet; Shedrick Mitchell-Piano & Organ; Quintin Zoto-Guitar; Allan Mednard-Drums; Percussion-Ismel Wignall; Yoojin Park-Violin; Phoebe Tsai-Cello 4.Someday We'll All Be Free, Connected vol. 1, (Donnie Hathaway), Richman Music, 2023-(7:26); Chien Chien Lu-Marimba & Vibraphone; Richie Goods-Electric bass & acoustic bass; Jamison Ross-vocal; Piano/Organ-Shedrick Mitchell; Lil John Roberts-Drums; Danny Sadownick-Percussion Thanks to A Tribe for Jazz for helping to make this interview happen and their support. Please note that there may be some technical issues in the audio. However, the conversation rich in content. Thank you for listening. Subscribe and you'll be one of the first to listen to upcoming episodes, articles, and announcements. Photo by Stephen Pyo

There's a not so polite saying about teaching music and music teachers that goes like this: If you can, play. If you can't, teach. That is what jazz legend Ellis Marsalis once said to a Detroit drummer who was considering becoming a music teacher. I'm talking about drummer, educator, producer and band leader Clarence Penn. Fortunately, Clarence did not take it to heart, eventually acquiring a master's in music education from Rutgers University. It was also to the benefit of future musicians who became Clarence's students.  In this episode, Clarence Penn and I engage in deep reflection on jazz and jazz music instruction. He started playing music with the drum set influenced by his drummer neighbor Ricky Hudson around eight years old. In 1986, while still in high school, he attended the Interlochen Arts Academy where Clarence focused on classical percussion aiming to be a timpanist, but later eventually committed to jazz in high school after meeting NEA Jazz Master, trumpeter, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Music Director, Wynton Marsalis. He started studying at the University of Miami in Florida in 1986 but transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University which is when he began working with the great Ellis Marsalis. The conversation navigates his brief stint with trumpet, his preference for jazz over classical due to its broader voice and creativity and reflects on the evolving definition of jazz. The discussion also delves into his teaching philosophy, emphasizing individualized attention, deliberate practice, and the importance of being a well-rounded person. What Ellis Marsalis said about teaching, he later retracted when Clarence told him he was pursuing a master's at Rutgers in music education. He said, according to Clarence, "…that those who can play, teach," thus giving Clarence his blessing. Clarence Penn also talks about various influences and collaborations, his views on the business of being a musician, and his expressive performance style. He mentions his project with the 2025 Grammy nominated American Patchwork Quartet, its diverse cultural influences, and explains his latest album 'Behind the Voice', which pays homage to drummers who have significantly impacted music. His resume more so lays out his career as a jazz musician than a teacher of percussion instruments, performing with Ellis and Wynton Marsalis, Maria Schneider, Stanley Clark, Betty Carter, Christian Sands, Lakecia Benjamin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Kurt Elling, among many other highly accomplished musicians. He concludes by discussing the importance of teaching as therapy and the rewarding relationships with students. In this episode, we'll listen to three tracks of music, thanks to Origin Records. Two will come from Clarence Penn's latest project, Behind the Voice, released in 2024, more so a R&B/soul sound that has enormously brilliant drumming and keyboards by Clarence. The third track comes from his 2014 recording, Monk: The Lost Files, a highly acclaimed release that revisits some of the most memorable compositions by jazz legend Thelonious Monk.   You will hear the first song just prior to the conversation opening. 1. "Send One Your Love" (Steve Wonder)-Behind the Voice-3:15; Clarence Penn-drums, percussion, keyboards, vocoder; Aaron Marcellus-vocals; The second track will play at about 31 minutes into the program. 2. "Hackensack": Monk: The Lost Files; Chad Lefkowitz-Brown - Saxes; Donald Vega-Piano; Yasushi Nakamura - Acoustic & Electric Bass; Clarence Penn - Drums, producer-arranger. The third song will close the conversation. 3. "You Are" (Clarence Penn, Tyrone Corbett), Behind the Voice -3:52; Clarence Penn—drums, percussion, keyboards, vocoder; Chelsea Jackson-vocals; Yasushi Nakamura-bass Thank you for listening. I know there are many podcasts for you to enjoy so it means a great deal to me that you are spending time with this conversation.

World-renowned saxophonist and Blue Note recording artist Walter Smith III is the model music educator and practitioner. This enormously talented saxophonist pursued music education as a profession as far back as high school. In this episode, Walter's storied career follows the path beginning with performing at McDonald's at age 7, to an exciting area of study at one of today's premier high schools, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston, Texas to leadership roles at Berklee College of Music, reflecting on experiences at the Thelonious Monk Institute (today, the Herbie Hancock Institute) and exciting tours with legends like Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. Gender equity in jazz, a priority for Walter, is spearheaded by the Berklee Jazz and Gender Justice Institute, and innovations in jazz education promoting inclusivity. Walter touches on his transition from Boston to New York, emphasizing the interplay between performance and teaching. Walter Smith III just released his eleventh album as a leader. Our conversation on Strictly Jazz Sounds also takes a deep dive into three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not. This project includes three of his closest music cohorts who are three of the most accomplished and influential musicians in jazz today: Jason Moran-piano, Reuben Rogers-bass, and Eric Harland-drums. The music does not disappoint in any way. We listen to clips of selected tracks, discuss the music and the significance, if any, of the composition titles. Walter is/has been a member of many legendary and highly accomplished groups (recording and/or touring) including the Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band (Walter was fired when he decided to go to Los Angeles, California), Terence Blanchard Quintet, Jason Moran's In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall, Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, and the Christian McBride "Situation", He's also teamed up with Eric Harland's "Voyager", the Bill Stewart Trio, Marquis Hill's "New Gospel Revisited", and the Sean Jones Quintet among others. Thank you for listening to Strictly Jazz Sounds. You have a choice among many other jazz podcasts, yet you selected this one today. You have my appreciation for your time and interest. Photo by Travis Bailey.

In this episode, I spend time with Grammy Award-winning pianist and Berklee College of Music professor of Jazz Kris Davis on 'Strictly Jazz Sounds.' We do a deep dive into her latest project, Run the Gauntlet, dedicated to six influential women jazz pianists, which drops on September 27, 2024. A common thread is woven throughout the hour, mentoring. As a recipient of it herself, Kris Davis discusses the importance of fostering the next generation of jazz musicians. She also provides a detail description of her fascinating composition process. Kris Davis and I spend time discussing her label, Pyroclastic Records and how the non-profit organization is critical to creating adventurous improvisational jazz. Davis and Pyroclastic Records generously provide three compositions for this episode. The Kris Davis Trio is comprised of three highly accomplished, award-winning artists: Kris Davis-piano, Robert Hurst-bass, and Johnathan Blake-drums. The 23rd Episode opens with "Heavy-Footed" (6:00); at about 30 minutes you will hear "Dream State (4:55), and it closes with "Little Footsteps" (5:12). Kris Davis is a remarkable composer. She's brilliant in her work which reflects her dedication to learning and expanding her horizons. Subsequently, Kris has been recognized by DownBeat magazine and the Jazz Journalists Association as Pianist of the Year. She's a Doris Duke Foundation Artist, her work recognized by the New York Times and NPR-National Public Radio as number one. Since her debut album, Lifespan, which was released in 2003, Kris Davis is a leader/co-leader on 25 recordings. All these accolades are great but what matters most to Kris Davis, is expanding the music and assuring that the next generation of jazz artists is successful. Thank you for spending your time listening to this podcast. If you are a subscriber, wonderful! You are part of a fast-growing membership. If not, when you do subscribe, you become one of the first to learn of new episodes when they are published. Thank you for listening.   Photo by Peter Gannushkin-DowntownMusic.net  

Award winning vibraphonist Yuhan Su is another Gary Burton/Chick Corea-inspired musician, lured away from classical to the art form where improvisation reigns, jazz. This Taiwanese-born, New York based artist, left her homeland pursuing a jazz education at Berklee College of music, a frequently told story. Yuhan Su draws on her strengths to survive the intense transitions as a single woman migrating to the US to learn a completely different style of music, knowing no one, new to the language and cultures. And she plays the vibraphone, not an easy instrument to lug around given she's carless.  Yuhan is an avid composer whose quality was recently recognized in Taiwan with the Golden Melody Award, the Taiwan-equivalent of the Grammy. Yes, a big deal! She won it for the composition "Hi-Tech Pros and Cons" from her recent album, Liberated Gesture. In this episode, we talk about these topics among others that delve into her compositions, her passion for composing, themes reflecting personal experiences and social issues. And, of course, there's music, this time from Liberated Gestures (Sunnyside Records). The Yuhan Su Quintet includes: Yuhan Su-vibraphone, Matt Mitchell-piano, Caroline Davis-alto saxophone & poetry reading ("She Goes to a Silent War), Marty Kenney-acoustic bass/electric bass, and Dan Weiss-drums. The episode opens with "Hi-Tech Pros and Cons" (6:27), you'll hear "She Goes to a Silent War" (poetry read by Caroline Davis) about two-thirds into the conversation, then close with "Siren Days (7:31). Thank you for listening to Strictly Jazz Sounds. Enjoy and listen to live jazz. Steve Braunginn Photo by TeFan Wang

Grammy-Award winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is my guest on the 21st episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds. What attracted me to Wayne was his prolific traveling, extensive performances and recordings with his own band (11 recordings), the Mingus Big Band (3 recordings, one a Grammy Award winner), the Black Art Jazz Collective (4 recordings), and as sideman with trumpeter Tom Harrell (7 recordings, co-producing 4) plus works with other notable jazz musicians. He is now a Harlem resident in the neighborhood where Sonny Rollins grew up, Sugar Hill, but he was born and spent his childhood years in London before he moved to the U.S. with his mother. Escoffery graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in jazz performance from the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, where he was a protégé of saxophone legend Jackie McLean. He earned a Master of Music degree from the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance (now the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz) at the New England Conservatory, Escoffery today teaches at Yale University's School of Music where he emphasizes the value of real-world experience in teaching, reflecting on his own journey and influences, including his time with jazz greats like Jackie McLean and Ron Carter. We cover various topics such as the challenges facing musicians today, the lack of business education in jazz programs, and the exploitation of artists by the music industry. Escoffery also touches on the emotional therapeutic aspects of music, thoughts on mental health in the music industry. We take a deep dive into Wayne Escoffery's soon-to-be released recording, Alone.  Thanks to Smoke Sessions Records for use of the tracks for this podcast. They are: Moments With You (6:32), Alone (8:08), and The Ice Queen (8:16). The episode opens with "Moments With You." You can hear "Alone" about half-way through the conversation, and then the show closes with "The Ice Queen." The conversation begins when Wayne Escoffery and I discuss the importance of real-world experience in teaching. You'll enjoy his thoughts about this topic among others regarding jazz artists getting ripped off by a recording industry that hardly pays anything to anyone anymore. I would appreciate feedback about my podcasts. Past comments have been very useful. Thanks for listening to Strictly Jazz Sounds. This is Steve Braunginn. Photo by Kasia Idzkowskas

 Roni Eytan, a renowned Israeli-born, New York based jazz harmonica player, performs with a passion that differs from other harmonica artists. Perhaps it's the region from which he derives-the Middle East and North Africa. His culture greatly influences his compositions and inspires his passions. Roni's work is influenced by harmonica legend Toots Thielemans but only partially. The folk cultures that make up the regions and his spiritual influences mostly inspire his writing.  Roni Eytan stopped by my studio to talk about his harmonica work and how he got interested in this instrument. We talk about Roni's early fascination with music in Jerusalem, initially wanting to play the trumpet inspired by a film by a popular British band, the Beatles. After a short stint with the trumpet, he transitioned to the harmonica influenced by various sources, including friends and inspired by Israeli artists such as Yonathan Avishai and Avishai Cohen. Roni talks about his journey into jazz, mentioning significant influences like jazz legends Oscar Peterson and Charlie Parker as well as Toots Thielemans and the modern-day sound of French harmonica player Gregoire Maret. Educated at the Herbie Hancock Institute at UCLA in Los Angeles, California, Roni emphasizes the importance of mentorship and collaboration and how powerfully important to him and his work were Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. He also delves into different types of harmonicas, including diatonic, chromatic, and microtonal, and his innovative approach to microtonal harmonica playing for traditional music from his region. The history of the harmonica is fascinating, and I encourage you to delve into it. The conversation wraps up with Roni discussing his compositional process. For this episode, three tracks are presented from the concert the Roni Eytan Quartet presented in Columbus, Ohio, hosted by A Tribe for Jazz. The quartet includes Roni Eytan-harmonica, Gadi Lehavi-piano, Simon Willson-bass, and Alon Benjamini-drums. These tracks are not compressed in any fashion. These are the raw tracks from the show in Columbus, Ohio at the Columbus Dance Theater, thanks to A Tribe for Jazz. The three tracks are respectively: "Winter Dance"-Duet between Roni Eytan and Alon Benjamini: 5:22; "Focus-Hymn"-3:08; and "Melody People"-11:14. Thanks for listening. If you're a subscriber, you're one of the first ones to receive this episode. Subscribing gives you that honor. Following the opening track, Roni and I begin our conversation with how his interest in the harmonica started. I'm Steve Braunginn. Photo by Stephen Braunginn.              

Alexandra (Alex) Ridout is a young jazz trumpeter from the UK, now residing in New York City. In this episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds, she lays out her journey as a musician, comparing the experiences and educational backgrounds between the UK and the US. Ridout recalls her time at the Royal Academy of Music in London and Manhattan School of Music, emphasizing her family's influence, especially her jazz musician parents. Highlighting her musical achievements, the conversation includes her participation and victory in the BBC Youth Competition, winning at 17 years old. She talks about her association with renowned musicians and mentors, including trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, now Dean of Jazz Arts at the Manhattan School of Music, and her involvement with the all-female group, Artemis. As with many women in the jazz industry, the topic of women's growing strength emerges. She also addresses the challenges and realities of the recording industry today, stressing the importance of patience and genuine passion in pursuing a music career. The conversation culminates with her upcoming performance on International Jazz Day and a surprise familial discovery. Alexandra Ridout generously allowed me to record portions of the show she and her quintet performed at their concert, hosted by A Tribe for Jazz as part of their 2024 International Jazz Series for International Jazz Day. This episode provides two tracks from the show and one from her Remote Duets EP that can be found at Bandcamp.com. The first track, "Compersion Song" (7:71), an original composition by Alexandra Ridout, features solos by Alex on trumpet, Tal Kalman - tenor sax, Iver Cardas – guitar and Karl Henrik-Ousbäck - drums. Rafael Enciso is on double bass. The second track is "BM Blues" (9:47), also written by Alexandra Ridout. The band members remain the same with soloists: Alexandra Ridout-trumpet, Iver Cardas – guitar, Tal Kalman - tenor sax and Karl Henrik-Ousbäck – drums. The third track heard near the end of the show is from Remote Duets Alexandra Ridout has on Bandcamp. The track is entitled "No Train" (3:41). Miles Midlin joins her on guitar. Photo of Alexandra Ridout by Melody McLaren.

In this episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds, I have a conversation with Jocelyn Gould, a professional jazz guitarist who fills all the shoes it requires to drive a successful career. Jocelyn shares her journey from pretending to play a cardboard guitar at the age of four to winning a Juno Award for her first album, Elegant Traveler. She later discusses the challenges and triumphs of her career, including her education in the U.S. at Michigan State University, her experiences in New York's rough and tumble jazz scene, and her recent endeavors, including her podcast and latest album releases. Jocelyn also explores her passion for mentoring young women and non-binary people in jazz, highlighting the importance of diversity in the music industry. The conversation touches on the intricacies of guitar playing, her teaching career, and the financial and logistical challenges faced by modern musicians. Thanks to Jocelyn Gould for use of the three tracks of music from her third album Sonic Bouquet (2023) and her second album Golden Hour (2022), both released on the Jocelyn Gould Music label. They are: "Trailblazer", "Serendipity", and "Gemini". All original compositions by Jocelyn. Personnel: Jocelyn Gould-guitar & vocals ("Serendipity" & "Gemini'), Jon Gordon-saxophone ("Trailblazer"), Will Bonness-piano, Rodney Whitaker-bass, and Quincy Davis-drums. Photo by Lain Geoghan         

Question: What would jazz music sound like if it had been born in a country without patriarchy; taught without bias and performed on a stage with radical inclusivity? That's what jazz titan Terri Lyne Carrington says is the foundation behind Berklee College of Music's Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice. Terri Lyne is the founder and artistic director of the Institute and a professor at Berklee, her alma mater. In this episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds, I spend time with Terri Lyne Carrington, getting deep into this question along with how to lift women and nonbinary individuals in this historically male dominated industry, creating a new bandscape that reveals the multitude of different voices in jazz. Terri Lyne is a drum major for women and nonbinary individuals in the jazz ecosystem. She's also a highly successful drummer/percussionist, a bandleader, composer and producer, an artistic director of a couple of organizations, a writer with two books, and an educator. On Terri Lyne's website, she displays many photos of the extraordinary talent that she met through her musician father's friends. You see her standing between drummers Roy Haynes and Tony Williams; Art Blakey is sitting on the floor next to Terri Lyne while she plays the drums; another has Buddy Rich next to her while she's on the drums. Not your typical teenager's hangout of friends nor upbringing experiences. She readily acknowledges her home environment was one of privilege and enriching for a young prodigy. Terri Lyne dedicates her life to reaching back to today's young women and nonbinary individuals bent on changing the faces of jazz, on and behind the bandstand. We most certainly spend time on her 2023 Grammy winning album New Standards Vol. 1 on the CANDID label and the related book "New Standards Vol. 1: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers," published by Berklee Press. Two tracks of music from the album are included in this episode. The personnel for the album: Terri Lyne Carrington-drums/percussion; Kris Davis-piano; Linda May Han Oh-bass; Nicholas Payton-trumpet; and Matthew Stevens, guitar.  Uplifted Hearts by Shamie Royston; featuring Ravi Coltrane-tenor sax; Val Jeanty-electronics; Elena Pinderhuges-flute; Negah Santos-percussion; and Shadrack Oppong-spoken word. Throw It Away by Abbey Lincoln; featuring: Somi-vocal; Melanie Charles-vocal; and Negah Santos-percussion. Terri Lyne Carrington's portfolio is extensive, bold, and rich. If you are unfamiliar with it, I encourage you to check it out and listen to her music in her discography. The next episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds will be in early 2024. I'm taking some medical time off until then. This is the first year of this podcast. Thanks so much to all my guests and to you for making this a great year for me. If you have not subscribed, do so. You'll be one of the first to know when a new episode is released. Support live jazz wherever you are. Be safe. Steve Braunginn Thanks to CANDID Records for the music. Photo of Terri Lyne Carrington by Michael Goldman

In jazz, two legendary harp musicians come to mind. Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. Now, there is a third musician whose image immediately erupts into focus. For harp artist, educator, and Grammy nominated musician Brandee Younger, both Ashby and Coltrane made a tremendous impact on her. And with her latest recording, Brand New Life, on Impulse Records, Brandee Younger embraces Ashby and her impact on the harp. I caught up with Grammy nominated harpist Brandee Younger at the Spoleto Jazz Festival in Charleston, North Carolina. This was a major opportunity for me to learn how the harp, this extraordinarily large instrument, can be used in improvisational jazz. I am unfamiliar with how to play the harp so talking with Brandee Younger was a good time to learn how she does it. And learning about her major influence, Dorothy Ashby was an extra for me. Brandee's latest recording, Brand New Life, finds her embracing Ashby's compositions and styles as she crosses genres on this album. Chicago producer, drummer and bandleader Mikaya McCraven produced this album, infusing hip-hop and R&B influences in this recording. Some of the artists include Mumu Fresh (Maimouna Yousef), rapper, bassist and singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello and Blue Note recording artist and vibraphonist and bandleader Joel Ross. She was nominated for a Grammy in 2022 for Best Instrumental Composition for "Beautiful is Black" from her 2021 Recording Somewhere Different becoming the first black woman to do so. That same year she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and named winner of the DownBeat Critics Poll in the category of "Rising Star" Miscellaneous Instrument. In 2023 Brandee Younger won in Jazz Journalists Association annual recognition awards in the category Rare Instrument. Brandee's discography includes Somewhere Different (Impulse, 2021)-composition Grammy nominated; Force Majeure (International Anthem Recording Co.) 2021; Soul Awakening (Self-Released) 2019; Wax & Wane (Disk Union) 2016; Prelude (Self-released) 2011. Brandee Younger is currently on the teaching artist faculty at New York University and The New School College of Performing Arts. She also serves as Symphonic and Jazz Harp Artist in Residence at the Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts. The photo of Brandee Younger is by Erin O'Brien.

For tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, educator and artist Roxy Coss, jazz education is everything. When we talked in July, she and her husband, saxophonist, educator and composer, Lucas Pino, just returned from their week-long session as co-directors of the Brubeck Jazz Summit, (yes, that Brubeck-Dave Brubeck) a week-long intensive emersion of jazz education and performance for talented students worldwide. To participate, young people must have exceptional capacity. To teach, your credentials must be superior.  In this episode, Roxy Coss shares her deep thoughts and intense feelings about two of her major passions: jazz education and creating an environment in the jazz ecosystem that values women and nonbinary individuals. Roxy also reveals a more personal side of herself as we talk about the socio-political-pandemic choked environment that has embraced our nation since 2016 and how these have influenced her compositions in all her recordings as a group leader. Roxy founded WIJO-Women in Jazz Organization in July 2017, a collective of over 500 professional jazz musicians and composers who identify as women or gender non-binary. WIJO is largely a New York-based organization, but it has made connections to other individuals and groups nationally and internationally to address the many inequities in the jazz music industry. Roxy currently serves as its president. It has various programs including a popular mentorship program, WIJO Mentors. It also sponsors concerts and jam sessions. In Roxy's music education career, she had numerous outstanding opportunities since she was five years old. She actually composed at an early age when she was in third grade, writing her first award-winning composition in a city-wide contest called "Reflections." Later, she attended Garfield High School (alumnae/i include Ernestine Anderson, Quincy Jones and Jimi Hendrix), a rich and fertile place for Roxy's jazz education. She was a member of the Garfield HS Jazz Band when they set a record in 2003 and 2004. It is the only band to win the first-place trophy in two consecutive years in the highly competitive Essentially Ellington contest. The band also placed first in 2009 and 2010. Roxy is also a winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. It is no wonder, then, that Roxy currently serves on the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Board of Directors and is a Jazz Faculty member at the prestigious Juilliard School. Roxy's discography includes her self-titled recording, Roxy Coss, which is a self-released album (2010), Restless Idealism (Origin, 2016), Chasing the Unicorn (Posi-tone 2017), The Future is Female (Posi-tone 2018), Roxy Coss Quintet (Outside in Music 2019), and Disparate Parts (Outside in Music 2022). Roxy plays the same instrument she's had since 2018, a P. Mauriat.  There are two tracks from Roxy's latest album, Disparate Parts, thanks to Roxy and the record label, Outside in Music. The Lineup includes: Roxy Coss, saxophones; Miki Yamanaka, piano/Rhodes; Alex Wintz, guitar; Rick Rosato, bass; and, Jimmy Macbride, drums. Obviously, you've found this podcast, but I want you to know that you can find my podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, Player FM, and iHeartRadio. Subscribe on my website and you will be one of the first to know when the next episode is released. Thanks for listening. Photo of Roxy Coss by Desmond White.                

Japanese jazz pianist Miki Yamanaka, born and raised in Kyoto and Kobe Japan, now resides in New York City with her drummer husband Jimmy Macbride. Her upcoming album, Shades of Rainbow is set to drop on September 8. Excitement explodes in Miki during this hour-long interview with this jubilant pianist who is a mainstay at New York's prime jazz clubs for emerging talent, Smalls and Mezzrow, both found in the West Village in Greenwich Village in the lower west side of Manhattan. Miki's been a New York resident since 2012. She did her graduate work at Queens College in Jazz Performance 2014-2015. Her street education occurred in New York City jazz clubs and concert halls before the COVID pandemic, performing with the likes of Antonio Hart, Peter Bernstein, Nicole Glover, Joe Farnsworth, Tivon Pennicott, Roxy Coss, Mark Turner and Fred Hersch. But all of that came to a grounding halt in March 2020 as COVID wiped the streets clean, leaving all jazz musicians jobless and at home with nobody to play with. This required inventiveness. Taking the cue from friend and fellow jazz pianist Emmet Cohen, Miki began to assemble ensembles in hers and Jimmy's Harlem apartment and stream her show "Miki's Mood" on the internet. Perhaps not as successful as "Live at Emmet's Place" it became a place where Miki, Jimmy and friends could play and jam once more and make a little money.  In 2015 she was one of three pianists selected to participate in "Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead", an intensive composition residency at the Kennedy Center. She earned her Master of Music degree from Queens College, receiving the Sir Roland Hanna Award. Recently, Miki was one of ten new talent identified by The Academy (Grammy) as top emerging jazz talent.  Shades of Rainbow is Miki's fourth release, her second for Vancouver-based record company, Cellar Music. Her debut release, Miki, was also from Cellar Music. Her previous two recordings, Human Dust Suite and Stairway to the Stars can be found on the Outside in Music label. You can find this episode on all of the major podcast streaming providers. Support live jazz. Support women in jazz. Subscribe to be one of the first to receive SJS podcasts, news and information. Photo by Martina DaSilva. Thanks for listening. Steve Braunginn

"Music in the soul can be heard by the universe."— Lao Tzu Music moves the soul in so many ways. It moves the spirit and inspires living beings to become one with the music. Argentinian Julieta Eugenio was just that person from a young age. She's not entirely sure why. Her parents didn't play an instrument though they played recordings around the house. As long as she can remember, music was in her life. Her personal interest wasn't piqued until she saw a piano when she was about five years old. It was like magic, Julieta recalls. She was visually pinned to the piano. That's love at first site. Music grabbed her and it hasn't let her go since. Later, when she was in middle school, when she joined the school band, Julieta nonchalantly selected a saxophone when presented with a choice of instruments. A tenor saxophone. Julieta Eugenio hails from Argentina and now lives in New York city. She made this bold change in her life at 23 years old. Alone. No family or friends to accompany her. Julieta's formal music studies began following high school in Buenos Aires at Conservatorio Manuel de Falla (Bachelor 2012) and the Conservatorio Nacional Lopez Buchardo (IUNA) where she studied jazz. In New York, Julieta attended Queens College where she studied jazz and performed in area clubs with the masters, including pianist Johnny O'Neal, David Kikoski and Pasquale Grasso. The mental journey Julieta took was immense. She loves jazz and knew she had to take the leap, leaving the familiar settings and family, the beautiful landscape of Argentina, and the comfort of her home country to challenge herself in New York City. It seems, though, to be paying itself off as Julieta was recently recognized as one of the top ten emerging jazz talents by the Recording Academy in their online publication, "Grammys." In 2017, Eugenio won the International Women in Jazz Competition as a member of the SIJ Trio, which she formed with pianist Sarah Slonim and bassist Inbar Paz. With her own trio, she won the DCJazzPrix 2022, a competition presented by the DC Jazz Fest.  I think we all know what it's like to be somewhere new, far from home and vastly different from home. Thrust a global pandemic into this formula. That's what Julieta had to face, alone in New York. Then, good fortune showed up. One of her beloved sisters decided to immigrate to New York for work, which saved Julieta. And those are her words describing the arrival of her sister. Jazz also saved her. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Subscribing will make sure you're one of the first ones to receive future episodes. Check out my website for other articles and photos. As usual, you will be treated to two complete tracks of music. These compositions will come from Julieta's 2022 debut recording, Jump, which can be found on Greenleaf Music. Jazz Journalists Association president, Howard Mandel, gave the album a four-star rating in DownBeat Magazine. This features her trio with Julieta on tenor sax, Matt Dwonszyk on bass and Jonathan Barber on drums.  Upcoming episodes include saxophonist Roxy Coss, pianist Miki Yamanaka, who has a new album soon to be released, and harpist Brandee Younger. You can listen to this podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and other streaming services. Thank you for listening.

Welcome to the Bonus recording of Episode 11. More stories to tell by Jon Irabagon. The recording by the group, Mostly Other People Do the Killing, Blue, the note-for-note recreation of Miles Davis' classic album is "A work of conceptual jazz art," writes Bandcamp. The listening public's response varied considerably but suffice it to say that Jon as well as his bandmates had to deal with substantial internet rage, including death threats. But not to let that totally color the experience, Jon says there were many positive emails about the recording and the process. The way Jon tells the story details a tale that will live on for ages. This bonus track also includes Jon Irabagon recounting the many years it took for him to transcribe most of the recorded solos of sax giants John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. We talk about his recording Dr. Quixotic's Traveling Exotics, which we both consider as perhaps his best work largely because of with whom he records. The personnel on this album are phenomenal: Luis Perdomo, piano, Yasushi Nakamura, bass, Rudy Royston, drums, and Tom Harrell on trumpet. And, of course, Jon Irabagon is on alto sax. This is one helluva recording, we both agreed. I did not think our conversation would have been complete without touching base about Jon's good friend Sylvain Rifflet from Paris with whom Jon recorded two outstanding albums, Perpetual Motion and Rebellion(s). And if you wondered what is in Jon's future, he gives a full accounting of where he's moving forward. So, buckle up for this ride. Jon Irabagon, a tale of tales. Music: The Cost of Modern Living (Behind the Sky, Irabbagast Records, 2015) 6:02 Jon Irabagon-tenor saxophone, Luis Perdomo-piano, Yasushi Nakamura-bass, Rudy Royston-drums The Bo'ness Monster (Dr. Quixotic's Traveling Exotics, Irabbagast Records, 2018) 6:40 Jon Irabagon- tenor saxophone, Luis Perdomo-piano, Yasushi Nakamura-bass, Rudy Royston-drums, Tim Hagans-trumpet