Neon Jazz Interviews

Neon Jazz Interviews - The Finest Jazz Musicians From All Over the Globe

Neon Jazz is a radio show and interview series created and distributed since 2011. Hatched & Hosted by Joe Dimino out of Kansas City, Missouri. The series has been Engineered and generously supported by John Christopher over thirteen years, hundreds of episodes and thousands of interviews. We celebrate the glory days right on into the innovations of modern players. The aim is to tell the rich story of jazz through the voice of the musician and provide an enticing kaleidoscope of sound and stories. We are always celebrating one of America's finest inventions .. Jazz. Dig in ..

  1. 11H AGO

    Juno-Nominated Toronto Jazz Vocalist, Composer & Arranger Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland (2025)

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. We talk with Toronto jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger Alex Samaras about his 2025 Juno-nominated album Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland and his remarkable journey in the music world. As a child, Alex spent hours in the basement of his family home singing along to Judy Garland recordings. The intensity and emotional power of Judy Garland left a permanent imprint — and this album fulfills a lifelong artistic dream. Known for his extraordinary vocal range and fearless genre-blending approach, Alex pushes vocal jazz beyond traditional boundaries. His work seamlessly incorporates classical, world music, and contemporary influences, creating a sound that is both deeply personal and boldly innovative. In this conversation, we explore: The making of Alex Samaras Meets Judy Garland Reinterpreting iconic repertoire through jazz Vocal range, technique, and artistic risk Genre fusion in modern vocal jazz The emotional legacy of Judy Garland The Canadian jazz scene and global influence This is a heartfelt and visionary tribute that feels like a dream realized. 🎶 Get the album:https://tryal1.bandcamp.com/album/alex-samaras-meets-judy-garland-3 Subscribe to Neon Jazz for more interviews with today’s leading jazz voices and innovators. For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Jazz Trumpeter & Composer Dave Douglas on the 2026 Album Transcend

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. We talk with jazz trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas during a historic blizzard in New York about his powerful 2026 album Transcend, out April 24, 2026 via Greenleaf Music. This new release continues Douglas’ deep exploration of legacy, spirituality, and ensemble innovation. The album features his all-star GIFTS Quintet, including DownBeat Artist of the Year tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, members of the Oscar-nominated post-rock trio Son Lux — guitarist Rafiq Bhatia and drummer Ian Chang — along with cellist and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Tomeka Reid. Blending electronics, lyricism, chamber textures, and high-energy interplay, Transcend stands as a spiritual and contemporary response to the landmark Sacred Concerts of Duke Ellington, performed between 1965–1973 and widely regarded as the spiritual culmination of Ellington’s career. In this conversation, we explore: The making of Transcend Spiritual jazz in modern America Ensemble innovation & cross-genre collaboration The influence of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts The GIFTS Quintet’s sonic architecture Jazz legacy in 2026 This is modern jazz at its most urgent and transcendent — needed now more than ever. 🎺 Get the album: https://davedouglas.bandcamp.com/album/transcend Subscribe for more in-depth conversations with the world’s leading jazz artists. For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    19 min

  3. 2D AGO

    UK Pianist Paul Edis & San Francisco-based Vocalist Noa Levy on Bill Evans & More

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring UK pianist Paul Edis and San Francisco-based vocalist Noa Levy. We dive into their 2026 album Portrait in Evans, out March 20, 2026 via Dot Time Records—a lyrical reimagining of the music of Bill Evans. Rather than simply interpreting Evans’ compositions as standards repertoire, the duo transforms some of his most harmonically rich material into storytelling vehicles—placing the human voice at the emotional center of Evans’ sound world. Developed through live performance and touring, Portrait in Evans highlights their deep musical connection, expressive nuance, and sophisticated interplay. In this conversation, we explore their history as collaborators, their approach to lyric writing, Evans’ lasting influence on modern jazz, and how they reshape his legacy for contemporary audiences. 🎹 If you love Bill Evans, vocal jazz, piano trios, modern jazz reinterpretations, and artist interviews — this episode is for you. 🎧 Listen to the album:https://hypeddit.com/noalevypauledistrio/portraitinevans More Paul Edis:https://www.pauledis.co.uk/bio More Noa Levy:https://noalevylive.com/ For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Glenn Makos Interview – Arrowsic (2025) | NYC Jazz Trumpeter on Stop Time Records | Neon Jazz

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series with NYC-based jazz trumpeter and composer Glenn Makos. We caught up with this seasoned New York player to talk about his new 2025 CD Arrowsic, released on Stop Time Records, and his lifelong journey through the world of jazz. Inspired by Glenn’s passion for coffee roasting, Arrowsic reflects the distinctive flavors of beans sourced from around the globe. As he explored the unique regional characteristics of different coffees, those nuances found their way into his compositions—resulting in a richly textured album where aroma, rhythm, and melody intersect. Over the years, Glenn has performed at many of New York City’s premier jazz venues, building a reputation as a thoughtful composer and dynamic trumpeter deeply rooted in the tradition while pushing forward creatively. In this in-depth conversation, we dive into the inspiration behind the record, the intersection of art and everyday ritual, and a life dedicated to jazz. 🎺 If you love modern jazz, trumpet masters, behind-the-scenes album stories, and artist interviews — this one is for you. More on Glenn Makos:https://www.glennmakos.com/  For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min

  5. 5D AGO

    Cultural Historian, Educator & Author of The Jazz Barn John Gennari

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring cultural historian, educator, and author John Gennari. We dive into his 2025 book The Jazz Barn: Music Inn, the Berkshires, and the Place of Jazz in American Life. Dr. Gennari is a Professor of English and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at the University of Vermont and an American Studies–trained U.S. cultural historian specializing in jazz and popular music, race and ethnicity, Italian American culture, food, sports, and cultural criticism. He is also the author of the 2017 book Flavor and Soul: Italian America at Its African American Edge. In this conversation, we explore how a small New England town — Lenox, Massachusetts — became an unlikely home for jazz in the 1950s. The Jazz Barn chronicles the story of the Music Inn in the Berkshire Hills, where a barn, icehouse, and greenhouse were transformed into a groundbreaking cultural hub for performances, seminars, and cross-cultural exchange. Set against the backdrop of McCarthyism, the civil rights movement, the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, and postwar tourism, this story challenges assumptions about race and place, art and geography, and the relationship between rural landscapes and urban jazz culture. This is an essential conversation for anyone interested in jazz history, American cultural studies, race and music, and the evolution of jazz in America. 📚 Get John Gennari’s books here:https://www.amazon.com/stores/John-Gennari/author/B001HD13RS?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=ccd9f68d-c8af-4cc6-8fd6-2eb7952af8ca Subscribe for more in-depth conversations with today’s leading jazz artists, historians, and cultural voices.  For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  6. FEB 19

    Award-Winning Musician Scott Routenberg Talks Live at Merriman’s Playhouse & Jazz Legacy

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring Indiana-based, award-winning jazz pianist, composer, arranger and educator Scott Routenberg. We dive into his 2025 release Scott Routenberg Trio Live at Merriman’s Playhouse: Oscar Peterson Tribute, a powerful live recording honoring the legendary Oscar Peterson and celebrating the timeless swing and virtuosity that defined his sound. Over a prolific career spanning more than two decades, Dr. Routenberg has earned widespread critical acclaim. In 2004, he became the first jazz songwriter to win the coveted John Lennon Songwriting Contest Maxell Song of the Year. He is also an established symphonic jazz arranger with commissions from Grammy-winning ensembles and artists, while continuing to educate and inspire the next generation of musicians. In this conversation, we explore the making of this live tribute album, his dedication to music, arranging for large ensembles, the influence of Oscar Peterson, and his work shaping future jazz artists. 🎹 Listen to the album here:https://music.apple.com/us/album/scott-routenberg-trio-live-at-merrimans-playhouse-oscar/1855347878 If you love jazz piano, live trio recordings, Oscar Peterson tributes, and in-depth jazz artist interviews, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more exclusive conversations with today’s leading jazz artists.  For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min
  7. British Jazz Guitarist Joe Steels Talks A Blue Patch, His Career & UK Jazz Scene

    FEB 18

    British Jazz Guitarist Joe Steels Talks A Blue Patch, His Career & UK Jazz Scene

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring British jazz guitarist Joe Steels. We dive into his 2026 CD A Blue Patch and his evolving career in music. Rooted in the northern landscapes of Cumbria and Northumberland, this project draws deep inspiration from countryside heritage, tradition, and a strong sense of place. Joe continues to establish himself as one of the most exciting voices in British jazz guitar, blending a deep love of jazz tradition with elements of folk, rock, and contemporary music. His sound is driven by strong melody, innovation, joy, and optimism — qualities that shine throughout A Blue Patch. In this conversation, we explore the making of the album, the influence of northern England, the state of British jazz, touring, collaboration, and the path forward. 🌍 More on Joe Steels & his music:https://joesteelsmusic.com/home If you love modern British jazz, melodic guitar-driven ensembles, and artist-driven conversations, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more in-depth jazz interviews from Neon Jazz. For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    24 min

  8. FEB 17

    Saxophonist Aaron Irwin Talks 2026 Album Spark, Touring & Modern Improvisation

    Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring saxophonist, clarinetist and composer Aaron Irwin discussing the 2026 album Spark. The Aaron Irwin Trio brings together guitarist Mike Baggetta and drummer Bill Campbell in a unique bass-less trio format that prioritizes melody, space and texture. The group blends chamber-like intimacy with Americana-rooted language and modern improvisation, creating clear song forms that invite deep interaction between musicians and listeners. This marks the trio’s third album together. In this conversation, we dive into the making of Spark, touring, creative chemistry, improvisation, and reflections on America today. 🎵 Get the album Spark here:https://aaronirwin.bandcamp.com/album/spark If you love modern jazz, saxophone-led trios, creative improvisation, and intimate ensemble interplay, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more in-depth jazz interviews and artist conversations from Neon Jazz. For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkcSubscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz:http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    14 min
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About

Neon Jazz is a radio show and interview series created and distributed since 2011. Hatched & Hosted by Joe Dimino out of Kansas City, Missouri. The series has been Engineered and generously supported by John Christopher over thirteen years, hundreds of episodes and thousands of interviews. We celebrate the glory days right on into the innovations of modern players. The aim is to tell the rich story of jazz through the voice of the musician and provide an enticing kaleidoscope of sound and stories. We are always celebrating one of America's finest inventions .. Jazz. Dig in ..

Information

  • Creator
    Neon Jazz Interviews - The Finest Jazz Musicians From All Over the Globe
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.7K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Neon Jazz Interviews - The Finest Jazz Musicians From All Over the Globe
  • Show Website
    Neon Jazz Interviews

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