The Jazz Session #360: Melissa Stylianou [ 1:00:32 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Vocalist Melissa Stylianou’s new CD is Silent Movie (Anzic Records, 2012). In this interview, Stylianou talks about her accidental entrance into the world of jazz; the importance of storytelling; and how her training as an actor has impacted her musical career. Learn more at melissastylianou.com and follow her on Twitter at @sleepinbee.

CONCERT NOTE: Melissa Stylianou is performing two CD release shows in honor of her new album — at Jazz Standard in New York City on April 3 and at The Rex in Toronto on April 7. More details at melissastylianou.com.

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The Jazz Session #359: Raya Brass Band [ 1:01:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Raya Brass Band’s new CD is Dancing On Roses, Dancing On Cinders (2012). In this interview, four of the five members of the band discuss its origins; the rhythmic underpinnings of Balkan music; the uses of improvisation in their performances; and how a movie caused one of the members of the band to quit his job and take up the accordion. Learn more at rayabrassband.com and follow them on Twitter at @RayaBrassBand.

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The Jazz Session #358: Billy Hart [ 58:29 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Billy Hart’s new CD is All Our Reasons (ECM, 2012). In this interview, Hart talks about the “European sound” of this band; what he looks for in bandmates and why this band fits his needs so well; and what he believes powered Coltrane’s musical explorations. Learn more at billyhartmusic.com.

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The Jazz Session #347: Nate Wooley [ 59:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Trumpeter Nate Wooley’s recent albums include the solo records The Almond and 8 Syllables and the quintet recording (Put Your) Hands Together. In this interview, Wooley talks about putting 100 trumpets on one solo (!) recording; why he was surprised when one of his albums made him feel good at the end; how he started playing solo trumpet; and how the death of his grandmother led to his recent quintet album. Learn more at natewooley.com and follow him on Twitter at @nate_wooley.

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The Jazz Session #346: Champian Fulton [ 47:59 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton’s latest CD is The Breeze And I. In this interview, Fulton talks about the bebop record she listened to exclusively for months (starting the day she was born); her father’s influence and how his friendship with Clark Terry shaped her life; and her transition from student to working musician. Learn more at champian.net and follow her on Twitter at @ChampianFulton.

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The Jazz Session #155: Tierney Sutton [ 1:03:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Tierney Sutton Band’s latest CD is American Road (BFM Jazz, 2011). In this interview, Sutton talks about why the band chose to focus on Americana for this record; how the band functions as a collective in everything from song arranging to business; and how her Baha’i faith has influenced the way she approaches making music. Learn more at tierneysutton.com and follow her on Twitter at @TierneySutton.

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The Jazz Session #354: Craig Pedersen [ 53:17 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ottawa trumpeter Craig Pedersen’s new album is Days Like Today (2011). In this interview, Pedersen talks about how literature influences his musical compositions; why he gravitates toward the avant garde; and the nature of the improvised music scene in Ottawa. Learn more at craigpedersen.com and follow him on Twitter at @pedersencraig.

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The Jazz Session #353: Ed Reed [ 1:09:56 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Vocalist Ed Reed’s new CD is Born To Be Blue (2011). Reed, now 83, has lived the kind of life about which movies are made. This interview charts the story of his life: his childhood in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, where a young Charles Mingus was a frequent neighborhood visitor and the big bands were a constant source of entertainment; his time in the military, where he was introduced to drugs; his years in San Quentin and Folsom prisons, where he played in the prison bands with the likes of Art Pepper; his eventual rehabilitation after many attempts; and his turn to performing and recording in his 70s. Learn more at edreedsings.com.

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The Jazz Session #352: Amy Cervini [ 48:03 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Vocalist Amy Cervini’s new CD is Digging Me, Digging You (Anzic, 2012), a tribute to Blossom Dearie. In this interview, Cervini talks about her early exposure to Dearie and why she fell in love with her music; how she chose the songs for this album from Dearie’s large repertoire; why she favors working bands; and the itinerary of her upcoming tour. Learn more at amycervini.com and follow her on Twitter at @amycervini.

CONCERT NOTE: Amy is playing two CD release shows in New York on March 6 and 7, 2012, from 7-9 p.m. both nights at the 55 Bar, 55 Christopher St. She is also touring throughout North America. Visit her website for details.

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The Jazz Session #351: Ochion Jewell [ 53:49 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Saxophonist Ochion Jewell’s debut CD is First Suite For Quartet (Mythology, 2011). In this interview, Jewell talks about his upbringing in a dry county in Appalachia; why he started his recording career with an ambitious multi-movement work; and how the piece took shape from inception to completion. Learn more at www.ochion.com.

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The Jazz Session #350: Jimmy Heath [ 1:08:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Jazz Session celebrates its fifth anniversary with one of the giants of the music, saxophonist and composer Jimmy Heath. In this interview, Heath talks about his early days as a writer and arranger; his Queens neighborhood and its importance to jazz history; why he loves the sound of a big band; and how he keeps himself moving forward and growing at this stage in his career. He also shares a fax of a 1947 concert poster, received the morning of the interview, with some hilarious text. Learn more at jimmyheath.com.

CONTEST: I’m giving away 55 CDs to celebrate the 5th anniversary of The Jazz Session. Listen to the show to learn how to win.

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The Jazz Session #349: Darcy James Argue [ 1:04:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Composer Darcy James Argue’s latest work is a multimedia piece called Brooklyn Babylon. In this interview, he tells the amazing story of how he and visual artist Danijel Zezelj created the piece; goes behind the scenes of the composition and the technical aspects of producing such a large work; and also talks about a performance on March 9, 2012 at which his band Secret Society will play his works and the works of other composers. Learn more at secretsociety.typepad.com, see much more of Brooklyn Babylon at brooklynbabylon.com and follow Darcy on Twitter at @darcyjamesargue.

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 Darcy James Argue in which he talks about the business of music.

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The Jazz Session #348: The Wee Trio [ 56:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Wee Trio is James Westfall (vibes), Dan Loomis (bass) and Jared Schonig (drums). Their new album is Ashes To Ashes: A David Bowie Intraspective. In this interview, the trio talks about why they chose David Bowie — and why they were initially reluctant to do so; how they managed an 8,000-mile tour across the United States; and what makes the trio work as a unit. Learn more at theweetrio.com and follow them on Twitter at @weetrois.

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The Jazz Session #347: Aaron Staebell [ 59:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Drummer Aaron Staebell’s new CD is Bending and Breaking (2011). In this interview, Staebell talks about smashing different sounds and styles together to see what works; how a visit from John Hollenbeck caused him to finally perform his own compositions in public; why it’s important for him that his compositions have stories behind them; and why he likes living and working in Rochester, NY. Learn more at aaronstaebell.com and follow him on Twitter at @aaronstaebell.

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The Jazz Session #346: Ben Wendel [ 50:43 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Saxophonist Ben Wendel’s new CD is Frame (Sunnyside Records, 2012). In this interview, Wendel talks about composing the music for the album; his proclivity for long musical lines; and the many and varied writing projects he’s been involved in recently. Learn more at benwendel.com and follow him on Twitter at @benwendel.

CONCERT NOTE: Ben Wendel will be performing CD release shows for Frame at The Jazz Gallery in New York City on February 17 and 18. Details here.

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