Mike Jeffers Audio Experience

Pianist Larry Fuller Talks Ray Brown on Around Town with Chicago Jazz

Founder of Chicago Jazz Magazine Mike Jeffers Talks with Larry Fuller about his upcoming tribute to Ray Brown and much more on this episode of Around Town with Chicago Jazz Magazine.

 

Visit ChicagoJazz.com for Jazz News and Interviews

Angel Bat Dawid - The Future is Now with host Monica Staton

Angel Bat Dawid, vocalist and multi instrumentalist is the guest on the "The Future is Now" podcast on the Chicago Jazz Audio Experience hosted by Monica Staton.

 

Visit https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/the-oracle for more information on her new release.

 

IG - angeltheoracle

 

Episode 093 Chicago Music Revealed with guest Brandee Younger

Ms. Younger has an innovative approach to teaching, and works exceptionally well with students of all levels and ages. Her encouraging and supportive teaching style helps motivate students within musical style and variations. With an extensive background in classical music and jazz, Ms. Younger has an eclectic variety of musical techniques to offer.

Ms. Younger has taught at The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, Adelphi University, Nassau Community College and is currently on the faculty at The Greenwich House Music School in lower Manhattan. She also has a private studio on Long Island and Manhattan. She is the Vice President of the Long Island and Metro NYC Chapters of the American Harp Society, and presents masterclasses and workshops internationally, in which she promotes the use of harp in multi genres. She is currently accepting a limited number of new students in Manhattan and Long Island.

 

 

Episode 092 Chicago Music Revealed with guest Johnny Iguana

Johnny Iguana grew up in Philadelphia, where he studied piano from age eight and played piano and organ in blues bands from age 16. He moved to New York City at age 22, where he met one of his greatest musical heroes, Junior Wells. He was hired by Junior after auditioning live at the Boston House of Blues, and moved to Chicago in February 1994. He toured with the Junior Wells Band for three years, toured with Otis Rush and recorded with Carey (and Lurrie) Bell, Lil’ Ed and more.

Johnny went on to play on Grammy-nominated albums by Junior Wells, Chicago Blues: A Living History and the Muddy Waters 100 Band, and he played all the piano on the “Chicago Plays the Stones” album (2018). Those releases saw Johnny play on record with Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Derek Trucks, Gary Clark Jr., Johnny Winter and more. Now, after appearing on dozens of blues albums released by other artists, Johnny is set to release his debut blues-piano album as a leader in 2020 on the legendary Delmark Records label. “Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular!” features Lil’ Ed, John Primer, Billy Boy Arnold, Bob Margolin, Matthew Skoller, Billy Flynn, Kenny Smith, Bill Dickens and Michael Caskey.

 

 

Episode 091 Chicago Music Revealed with guest Jesse Fisher

Jesse Fischer is a Brooklyn-based pianist, composer, and producer. Known for his warm, soulful touch and emphasis on melody, groove, storytelling and emotion, his unique voice combines elements of his own Jewish heritage with music of the African diaspora, jazz, hip-hop, indie, and singer-songwriter genres. A two-time ASCAP Plus Award winner, Fischer has performed with many notables in the jazz, pop, and world music scenes, including Mino Cinélu, Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Becca Stevens, Grace Kelly, Lakecia Benjamin, Deva Mahal, and Takuya Kuroda. He has released several records as a leader, including Day Dreamer (Ropeadope, 2015), his Herbie Hancock/Head Hunters tribute Vein Melter (Tru Thoughts, 2015) — jointly created with producer/multi-instrumentalist Sly5thAve — and most recently, the Cross Currents EP (self-released, 2019), featuring drummer Nate Smith and saxophonist Marcus Strickland.

 

He is also a core member of the groundbreaking Brooklyn Afro-pop/jazz fusion collective Ajoyo and producer & engineer of their sophomore release, War Chant.Fischer has brought his unique voice as a composer and bandleader to stages around the world. With over 700,000 plays on Spotify to date, his music has been featured on Spotify’s flagship editorial playlists like State of Jazz, Butter, and Fresh Finds, as well as taste-making radio shows including Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6), Jeremy Sole (KCRW), Miller Time with legendary bassist/producer Marcus Miller (Sirius/XM) and Wicked Jazz Sounds (Amsterdam).

 

 

Episode 090 Chicago Music Reealed with guest Nick Moss

Blues guitar virtuoso Nick Moss and harmonica wizard Dennis Gruenling have been on a winning streak since they first joined forces in 2016. With relentless nonstop touring and the release of their Alligator Records debut, The High Cost Of Low Living, in 2018, The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling has been playing for wildly enthusiastic fans and winning over critics and radio programmers worldwide. Debuting at #3 on the Billboard Blues Chart, the album topped many 2018 “Best Of” lists. UK tastemaker magazine Mojo said, “Guitarist and singer Nick Moss shows the world his fearsome guitar chops and his complete familiarity with the great tradition of Chicago blues music. Partnered with harmonica-player Dennis Gruenling, Moss creates a two-headed monster that takes the band thundering through crisp originals.” 

 

Their self-made lucky streak continued into early 2019, when down-and-dirty guitarist Moss – a 30-year veteran of Chicago’s take-no-prisoners rough and tumble West and South Side blues clubs – won the Blues Music Award (BMA) for Traditional Blues Male Artist Of The Year. Gruenling, one on the hottest players on the scene today, took the BMA for Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica. And now, with the odds heavily in their favor, they unleash their dynamic new album, Lucky Guy!.

 

 

Episode 089 Chicago Music Revealed withguest Ralph Peterson

WEDNESDAY

 

Master drummer Ralph Peterson continues to advance the continuum of his late mentor Art Blakey on Onward & Upward, his ambitious and expansive 25th release as a leader. On this historical release, due out September 18th, Peterson brings together 14 former Jazz Messengers and three Legacy Messengers to write a new page in the Messenger Legacy songbook.

 

Spearheaded by Peterson, the expansive lineup on Onward & Upward features Joanne Brackeen, Kevin Eubanks, Robin Eubanks, Essiet Essiet, Steve Davis, Craig Handy, Philip Harper, Brian Lynch, Lonnie Plaxico, Bill Pierce, Melissa Slocum, Jean Touissant, Peter Washington, and, in the spirit of mentorship, rising pianists Zaccai Curtis and Anthony Wonsey and percussionist Reinaldo DeJesus. The first single "El Grito" was released on May 20th, Ralph Peterson's 58th birthday.

Episode 088 Chicago Music Revealed with guests Jim Kaczmarek and Scott Mertens

EVENT HORIZON JAZZ QUARTET is a Chicago-based group comprising four of the finest jazz musicians the Windy City has to offer. Reedman JIM KACZMAREK, keyboardist SCOTT MERTENS, bass player DONN DESANTO, and drummer RICK VITEK have played with some of the biggest names in jazz and pop. Their eponymous debut album is a collection of 11 original compositions written by either Kaczmarek or Mertens.

 

The Quartet are regulars on the Chicago jazz scene. Kaczmarek is the driving force behind the band’s creation, but he emphasizes “Although Scott and I contribute our original tunes, we’re really a collective. Each band member has his own strengths and unique voice that shape every arrangement. Oftentimes, Rick or Donn will come up with an idea that largely changes and improves upon my original concept.” EVENT HORIZON is a richly textured album that encompasses a wide variety of styles and attitudes. Jim Kaczmarek and Scott Mertens are top-notch composers who deserve a wider audience. All four musicians, including Donn DeSanto and Rick Vitek, have created a joyful musical expression through the entire range of human emotions.

Episode 087 Chicago Music Revealed with guest Brian Scarborough

Brian Scarborough is a top call trombonist, improviser, composer, and educator in the greater Kansas City area. He can be seen performing around Kansas City with his own ensembles, and is a member of the People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, the Boulevard Big Band, Zen Brass, The Kansas-Nebraska Act, and is a sub for the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. Brian has also appeared with the Fountain City Brass Band. Additionally, Brian can be seen working with musical theatre companies throughout the metropolitan area, having performed for more than 50 different productions with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Starlight Theatre, New Theatre Restaurant, Owen/Cox Dance Group, Spinning Tree Theatre, Musical Theatre Heritage, The Chestnut Theatre, and Music Theater Kansas City, among others. He can also be seen performing for touring Broadway productions and with touring acts, such as The Temptations, when they stop in the area. Brian has also performed in jazz, classical, and chamber settings in Germany, Sweden, and England.

Episode 086 Chicago Music Revealed with guest Matt Ulery

Chicago based bassist/composer and bandleader, Matt Ulery, has developed an instantly recognizable sound. Known for his sweeping lyricism, unconventional phrase structures, expressionistic emotionalism, Ulery’s music, from small, diverse chamber ensembles to full orchestras, is informed by the entire spectrum of jazz, classical, rock, pop, and folk– specifically American, South American, Balkan, and other European folk
styles. He has been performing for 23 years on upright, electric, and brass basses.
For a decade, Ulery has been the leader of his own groups and frequent collaborator. Ulery has produced and released 8 albums of all original music under his name including three recent releases of critical acclaim, “By a Little Light,” “Wake an Echo,” and “In the Ivory,” on Dave Douglas’s Greenleaf Music record label in 2012-2014 and his latest, “Festival (2016),” and “Sifting Stars (2018)” on his own label, Woolgathering Records.

Ulery earned a Master of Music degree at Depaul University and Bachelors degree in music composition at The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and has played in bands with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Fareed Haque, Howard Levy, Patricia Barber, Goran Ivanovic, Greg Ward, Jeff Parker, Zach Brock, Jimmy Chamberlin, Makaya McCraven, Marquis Hill and countless others. As a composer, Ulery has collaborated with diverse ensembles such as Eighth Blackbird, Miami String Quartet, New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, Axiom Brass, Wild Belle, and the Guimaraes (Portugal) Jazz Festival.