The Jazz Session #340: Matt Wilson [ 56:10 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Matt Wilson’s new album with his band Arts & Crafts is An Attitude For Gratitude (Palmetto Records, 2012). In this interview, Wilson talks about the inclusive approach of the band; why he likes the word “allow”; and how a difficult year for his family helped him put things in perspective and brought the idea of gratitude into focus. Learn more at mattwilsonjazz.com and follow him on Twitter at @mattwilsonjazz.

NOTE: This interview is part of a new monthly collaboration with JazzDIY, the online journal for the 21st century jazz musician. Visit JazzDIY.com to see a video interview with Matt Wilson in which he talks about the business of music.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #338: Barry Altschul [ 58:14 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Barry Altschul’s latest CD is History Of Jazz In Reverse (TUM, 2011) with the FAB Trio featuring Joe Fonda and Billy Bang. In this interview, Altschul talks about growing up in the South Bronx; his roots in the tradition and how he uses them even when playing “free”; and how he achieves a personal sound on the drums. Learn more at myspace.com/barryaltschul.

4 Comments »

The Jazz Session #337: Deric Dickens [ 1:07:40 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Deric Dickens’ debut CD is Speed Date, a series of duets with Matt Wilson, Ben Cohen, Jon Crowley, Kirk Knuffke, Jeff Lederer and Jeremy Udden. In this interview, Dickens talks about the DIY philosophy underlying the album; the sound of the drums (including a demonstration on the ride cymbal); and why he left a comfortable position as a band director to pursue a life as a professional jazz musician. Learn more at dericdickens.com and follow him on Twitter at @dericdickens.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #336: Jack DeJohnette [ 50:04 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Jack DeJohnette’s new album is Sound Travels (Golden Beams/eOne, 2012). In this interview, DeJohnette talks about the next phase of his storied career; his induction as a 2012 NEA Jazz Master; and the multiple projects he’s taking to the Newport Jazz Festival this summer. Learn more at jackdejohnette.com.

1 Comment »

The Jazz Session #330: Andrew Cyrille [ 55:58 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Andrew Cyrille’s new CD is Route De Freres (TUM, 2011) with his band Haitian Fascination. In this interview, Cyrille talks about his own Haitian roots and his early childhood in Brooklyn; Haitian rhythms and how they’re expressed on this new record; and the sound paintings that form the main suite, “Route De Freres.”

NOTE: I wrote a poem inspired by Andrew Cyrille’s story. You can read it here.

5 Comments »

The Jazz Session #312: Ernesto Cervini [ 51:07 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Ernesto Cervini’s new CD is There (Anzic Records, 2011), recorded on tour in 2010. In this interview, Cervini talks about the benefits of recording music on tour; his band and why it functions so well as a unit; and why he chose Toronto over New York City several years ago. Learn more at www.ernestocervini.com.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #300: Planetary Unknown [ 47:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

For The Jazz Session’s 300th episode, a rare chance to sit down with four musical veterans: David S. Ware, William Parker, Cooper-Moore and Muhammad Ali. The four have just released Planetary Unknown (Aum Fidelity, 2011). This interview was recorded in the dressing room just after their performance at the 2011 Vision Festival. In this interview, they talk about the spiritual side of music; give advice to young musicians; and tell stories from their 100+ years as performers. Learn more at Aum Fidelity’s Planetary Unknown page.

NOTE: Today (August 11, 2011) is the final day of the “100 By 300″ membership campaign and I haven’t quite reached my goal. Please support the show by joining today for as little as $10 a month.

Tracks used in this episode: Passage Wudang; Shift; Duality Is One; Divination; Crystal Palace; Ancestry Supramental.

Three of the four members of this band have been on The Jazz Session before:

• Cooper-Moore
• William Parker
• David S. Ware

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #299: Tyshawn Sorey [ 1:15:04 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tyshawn Sorey is a forward-looking, broad-thinking player and composer who refuses to be categorized. In this interview, he talks about his use of silence; interesting ways to set up the drums; and perceptions of African-American composers. Learn more at http://www.tyshawnsorey.net/.

Tracks used in this episode: (from Koan) Awakening; (from Paradoxical Frog) Homograph; (from Koan) Only One Sky; (from That/Not) That’s Blues, Right; Permutations For Solo Piano; (from Koan) Embed.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #294: Ches Smith [ 51:08 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Ches Smith is a versatile and daring player who finds himself in a variety of musical situations as a leader and sideman. In this interview, Smith talks about solo drum playing; his many projects; and how his early years influenced his current approach to music without boundaries. Learn more at chessmith.com.

Tracks used in this episode: (from Noise To Men) Noise To Men; (from Congs For Brums) Metal Vacation; (from Finally Out Of My Hands) Anxiety Disorder; Finally Out Of My Hands; (from Noise To Men) Turn Your iPod Into A Car; (from Finally Out Of My Hands) It Rained And The Tent Fell Down; (from Noise To Men) Omar.

1 Comment »

The Jazz Session #293: Adam Rudolph [ 1:12:29 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Percussionist and composer Adam Rudolph’s latest album is Both/And (Meta Records, 2011). In this interview, Rudolph talks about making music that “sounds like itself”; how he uses harmonic and rhythmic challenges to find new musical directions; and the influence of mentors such as Yusef Lateef on his approach to making and thinking about music. Learn more at www.metarecords.com/adam.html.

Tracks used in this episode: Return of the Magnificent Spirits; Love’s Light; Tree Line; Blues In Orbit; Dance Drama Part 3; Dance Drama Part 4.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #282: Lukas Ligeti [ 1:00:35 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Lukas Ligeti’s most recent recording is Pattern Time (Innova Records, 2011). In this interview, Ligeti talks about his travels in Africa and how they’ve influenced his writing, particularly his approach to rhythm; how he crosses musical and cultural boundaries; and a fascinating analysis of swing. Learn more at www.lukasligeti.com.

Tracks used in this episode: Without Prior Warning; On Patterned Time; Timelessnesses; From The Ground Up; Tunnels Alight.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #260: Adam Cruz [ 47:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Adam Cruz has released his first CD as a leader, Milestone (Sunnyside, 2011), featuring his own compositions. In this interview, Cruz talks about finding his own voice as a composer; the challenges associated with leading a band; and the impact of his father on his life as a musician. Learn more at www.adamcruz.net.

Tracks used in this episode: Secret Life; Emje; Crepuscular; The Gadfly; Bird of Paradise.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #255: Marc Miralta [ 50:48 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Marc Miralta’s most recent CD is Dreams (Fresh Sound, 2007). In this interview, recorded while Miralta was in New York to play with Alexis Cuadrado, Miralta talks about his lifelong love of jazz; how he became known for his flamenco/jazz hybrid music; and why a life as an artist was a natural choice in his family. Learn more at www.marcmiralta.com.

Tracks used in this episode: Dreams; Way Out Willy; Cami del Bosc; Epistrophy and Segment (both from the New York Flamenco Reunion album); Eastern.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #246: Scott McLemore [ 40:44 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Scott McLemore and the ASA Trio just released a new album of the music of Thelonious Monk, a follow-up to last year’s daring take on Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. In this interview, McLemore tells the story of how he ended up playing jazz in Iceland; talks about the ASA Trio’s chemistry and origins; and explains how the band came to play the music of Monk and Coltrane. Learn more at www.asa-trio.com.

Tracks used in this interview: Bemsha Swing; San Francisco Holiday; Ask Me Now; Acknowledgment (from ASA Trio’s version of A Love Supreme); Raise Four; Straight, No Chaser.

NOTE:: Scott McLemore is part of a poem I wrote last year. If you’d like to read it, here ’tis.

No Comments »

The Jazz Session #245: Anthony Brown [ 42:13 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra uses instruments from around the world to put a unique spin on two Coltrane classics on their new album, India & Africa (Water Baby Records, 2010). In this interview, Brown gives an overview of the Asian-American jazz movement and its origins in Bay-area protests; discusses the challenges and opportunities of using non-Western instruments in a jazz setting; and talks about what inspired him to focus on John Coltrane’s music for this album. Learn more at www.anthonybrown.org.

Tracks used in this episode: Living Space; India; Percussion Discussion; Africa; Ole; Dahomey Dance.

No Comments »