Watford Jazz Junction

Chris Newstead

5.0 (8)
MUSIC COMMENTARY

Watford Jazz Junction

This was a weekly jazz chat exploring the personal stories and creative junctions of fabulous and funny musical guests. We produced 54 episodes from 2020-2022 that remain available. We continue to produce the Watford Jazz Junction festival that runs across the penultimate weekend of May each year.

20/03/2022

Chatting with fabulous Alice Zawadzki - composer, singer and violinist

This week we're talking with creative musical supremo Alice Zawadzki - an astonishing singer, violinist and composer. We explore her journey into music via the influences of New Orleans and music colleges, her approach to creativity and reflections on the natural world, and her unbridled and broad appetite for music in all its forms and types. Obviously, there's an extra special quiz, additions to the fantasy house band, and some cracking musical recommendations. Alice's album recommendations included: Faint by Taylor Deupree (2012) on Norman Records JS Bach: ThreeOrOne by Fred Thomas, Aisha Orazbayeva & Lucy Railton (2021) on ECM El Hal/The Feeling by Electric Jalaba (2021) on Strut Records Support the show & buy us a coffee! You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Links Keep up to date with Alice here: www.alicezmusic.com Keep up to date with the Watford Jazz Junction here (and to buy tickets for our festival 19-22 May 2022): www.watfordjazzjunction.com Credits Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded March 2022.

41 min
06/02/2022

Chatting with Mark Armstrong - trumpeter & artistic director of NYJO

This week we're talking with Mark Armstrong - trumpeter, composer, arranger and artistic director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. We discover all sorts from tales, from dusty old trumpet shops in to dodgy student band names, from fabulous young NYJO musicians to awesome players in the world's greatest bands - it's a musical big band treat! Mark's album recommendations included: Cookin' and Relaxin' (double disc) by Miles Davis (1958) on Prestige Coming About by Maria Schneider (1996) on Enja Plugged In and Live by Earth, Wind & Fire (1996) on Pyramid Support the show! You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Next episode And just a reminder that our next episode won't come out now until March 2022. Plenty of time to catch-up with the back catalogue... :-) Links Keep up to date with NYJO here. Keep up with Mark here. Credits Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded February 2022.

44 min
30/01/2022

Chatting with pianist, composer & collaborator Alex Webb

This week we're joined by the super talented and very interesting Alex Webb - pianist, composer, arranger and serial collaborator. We chat about his fabulous new album British Standard Time featuring Jo Harrop, Carroll Thompson, Luca Manning and Tony Momrelle, reflect on the jazz scene in the UK in some depth and explore all the motivations behind continuing to write and create. It's a beaut! Alex's album recommendations, include: Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder (1976) released on Tamla Miles Ahead by Miles Davis (1957) released on Columbia The Audience with Betty Carter (1980) released on Betcar; Verve Support the show! You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Links Keep up to date with Alex via his website here. Credits Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded January 2022.

38 min
23/01/2022

Chatting with Jess Gillam - saxophonist, presenter and all round musical star

This week we're in conversation with Jess Gillam MBE, presenter of the This Classical Life Podcast as well as being a hugely talented saxophonist and awesome performer. We chat about all sorts including her musical pathways into professional life, her influences, and her reflections on the importance of music for mental wellbeing. Oh, and we discuss the critical issues of Marmite or marmalade, greatest Abba songs, and cope with the jaw dropping revelation of which instrument Jess would drop from a symphony orchestra... Jess's album recommendations include: Blackstar by David Bowie (2016) released on Columbia/Sony. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye (1971) released on Tamla Dummy by Portishead (1994) released on Go! Beat Support You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Links For more information about Jess check out: https://www.jessgillamsax.co.uk/ And listen to her This Classical Life podcast via BBC Sounds or click here. Credits Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded December 2021.

29 min
16/01/2022

Chatting with harp & bass duo Tara Minton & Ed Babar about their new fabulous album

This week we're joined by Tara Minton and Ed Babar to find out more about their new album, 'Two for the Road'. We chat about all sorts including Tara's musical journey from Australia to the UK, the influence of early education on Ed, and learn why Lithuania and The Netherlands are go to jazz countries! Their album recommendations include: Blue by Joni Mitchell (1971) released on Reprise The Clown by Charles Mingus (1957) released on Atlantic Music for Large & Small Ensembles by Kenny Wheeler (1990) released on ECM Support You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Links For more information about Tara and Ed's work, including to buy their album, check out Tara's website at: http://taraminton.com/ Credits Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded December 2021.

33 min
09/01/2022

Chatting with Dave O'Higgins about playing sax, finding his niche and recording jazz

We launch 2022 and Series 9 of the WJJ Podcast in conversation with UK saxophonist Dave O'Higgins. We talk about his journey into music, the influences on route, and the people he's played with and those he continues to create with, having come through the jazz scene of the 1980s playing alongside Mark Nightingale and Gerard Presencer to forming new partnerships today with Rob Luft and leading his own Quartet. Dave's album recommendations include: Go! by Dexter Gordon (1962) released on Blue Note Blue Train by John Coltrane (1958) released on Blue Note Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin (1971) released on Atlantic Support You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded December 2021.

33 min
26/12/2021

Chatting with Ayanna Witter-Johnson - cellist, singer & composer

We round off 2021 with a hugely enjoyable conversation with celebrated cellist, singer & composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson. We talk about playing on the big stage, balancing musical interests, and all the many influences that have made Ayanna such an original and in-demand musician. Ayanna's album choices include: Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum by Sounds of Blackness (1994) released on Perspective Innervisions by Stevie Wonder (1973) released on Tamla To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar (2015) released on AME, Aftermath & Interscope Support You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded December 2021.

31 min
19/12/2021

Chatting with Barney Stevenson, artistic director of the Marsden Jazz Festival

In our penultimate episode of 2021 we chat with Barney Stevenson, who's the artistic director of the Marsden Jazz Festival based in Yorkshire, England. Soon to celebrate 30 years, we chat about how the festival survived lock-down and invented some new online offerings, how their audience has developed over the years, and how they've supported new musicians and promoted new music. Barney's album recommendations include: New Bottle Old Wine by Gil Evans (1958) released on World Pacific Belonging by Keith Jarrett (1974) released on ECM Notes with Attachments by Blake Mills & Pino Palladino (2021) released on Impulse! For more info about the Marsden Jazz Festival check out their website at: https://www.marsdenjazzfestival.com/ where you'll also find a link to their fabulous podcast. Support You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewstead Presenter: Chris Newstead Theme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle. Recorded November 2021.

42 min

5

out of 5

8 Ratings

Great Stuff

10/12/2021

billy861

Interesting guests and conversation. Well worth a listen.

This was a weekly jazz chat exploring the personal stories and creative junctions of fabulous and funny musical guests. We produced 54 episodes from 2020-2022 that remain available. We continue to produce the Watford Jazz Junction festival that runs across the penultimate weekend of May each year.

Creator

Chris Newstead
Years Active

2020 - 2022
Episodes

54
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Chris Newstead 2021
Show Website

Watford Jazz Junction