Podcast 658: A Conversation with Ben Wendel
The story of The Seasons, Ben Wendel's fine CD released late last year, is absolutely fascinating. It's a story of artistic discovery and whimsy, and it ends with a top-notch band playing top-notch music.
It begins in 2015, when saxophonist-bassoonist-composer Wendel heard a set of twelve piano pieces written and...
Podcast 657: A Conversation with Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez
After pianist Alfredo Rodriguez arranged to get percussion master Pedrito Martinez to appear on a few tracks of his 2014 Mack Avenue release The Invasion Parade, it seemed inevitable that they would collaborate further. Both born and raised in Cuba, Pedrito is a decade older than Alfredo, but they displayed a natural...
Podcast 656: A Conversation with Jamie Saft and Bobby Previte
For the past five years, we've had a rare chance to hear the music of a kinder, gentler Jamie Saft. The prolific keyboardist-composer-producer-entrepreneur is known for his long association with the downtown aesthetic of John Zorn and Tzadik Records, and for bringing the sound of everything from death metal to dub...
Podcast 655: A Conversation with Joe Lovano
I have always associated Joe Lovano with the Blue Note label. For 25+ years, he recorded as a leader with that august label, primarily due to his friendship with the late Bruce Lundvall. But at the same time, Lovano was a fixture at ECM, recording as sideman for John Abercrombie, Paul Motian, Marc Johnson and Steve...
Podcast 654: A Conversation with Natalie Weiner about The 1959 Project
1959 has always been one of my favorite years. It gave us "Ben-Hur", the Guggenheim Museum, Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Twilight Zone". John Kennedy started his campaign for President. Heck, I was BORN in 1959.
It was an auspicious year for jazz recordings as well. Before the new decade started,...