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Jon Faddis Interview One of jazz history's most extraordinary trumpeters, Jon Faddis has dazzled audiences for more than five decades with his remarkable range, technical brilliance, and deep understanding of bebop. Born in Oakland, California, in 1953, Faddis became a teenage prodigy and a protégé of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie. His career includes performances with Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Beyond his solo career, Faddis has directed the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, and Chicago Jazz Ensemble. On November 12, 2026, Faddis headlines Miles @100 with Jon Faddis & Friends at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, celebrating Miles Davis's centennial and his landmark recordings Birth of the Cool and Kind of Blue. Joining him are Steve Turre, Gary Smulyan, Erena Terakubo, and other distinguished musicians for an evening honoring one of jazz's greatest innovators.

“Guilty” and  Ray Noble (140)  “Guilty,” written in 1931 by Richard A. Whiting and Harry Akst, with lyrics by Gus Kahn, is a romantic standard that uses criminal guilt as a metaphor for falling deeply in love. The song features a classic 32-bar AABA form, a memorable melody, and sophisticated harmonies that incorporate augmented dominants, diminished chords, and subtle key changes. Ray Noble (1903–1978), the celebrated British composer, arranger, and bandleader, helped define this era's elegant orchestral sound. Known for his sophisticated arrangements and collaborations with vocalist Al Bowlly, Noble also composed enduring standards including “The Very Thought of You” and “Cherokee.” Although Bowlly originally recorded “Guilty” with Roy Fox's orchestra, the song reflects the romantic sophistication associated with Noble's musical legacy. Ray Noble and Al Bowlly  Billie Holiday  The Jazz Real Book Podcast Playlist

Ryan Keberle – Trombonist, Composer & Educator Ryan Keberle (born June 16, 1980) is an acclaimed American jazz trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator known for lyrical playing, innovative compositions, and a blend of jazz with diverse musical traditions. A leading voice in contemporary jazz, Keberle has collaborated with David Bowie, Wynton Marsalis, Maria Schneider, and Alicia Keys. He leads several ensembles, including Catharsis and Collectiv do Brasil, and co-leads the chamber jazz trio Reverso. He also directs the jazz program at Hunter College in New York. His newest album, Here Is Donato!, scheduled for release October 23, 2026, on Alternate Side Records, features his Brazilian ensemble Collectiv do Brasil. The recording celebrates Brazilian pianist João Donato's compositions, blending modern jazz improvisation with Brazilian rhythms and melodies. Featuring pianist Felipe Silveira, bassist Felipe Brisola, drummer Paulinho Vicente, and percussionist Guegué Medeiros, the album reflects Keberle’s continuing exploration of musical traditions across cultures.

“Grow Your Own” and Sam Brown (139)  Keith Jarrett’s “Grow Your Own,” recorded by Gary Burton’s quintet for the 1971 album Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett, captures the adventurous spirit of early jazz-rock fusion. Featuring Burton on vibraphone, Jarrett on electric piano and soprano saxophone, Sam Brown on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums, the composition combines intricate rhythms with unconventional harmony. Its unusual structure includes a 15-bar A section, a funky two-bar B section, and a lyrical eight-bar C section. Syncopated melodies, unexpected chord changes, and shifting harmonic rhythms give the piece an exciting, unpredictable character. Guitarist Sam Brown (1939–1977) was a remarkably versatile musician whose career crossed jazz, rock, and experimental music. Beyond his work with Burton and Jarrett, he recorded with Charlie Haden, Bill Evans, Carla Bley, and Paul Motian. Although largely overlooked today, Brown’s creativity and adaptability made him an important contributor to jazz’s evolving sound during the 1970s. Gary Burton and Keith Jarrett  Gary Burton -Live  The Jazz Real Book Podcast Playlist

Lawrence Haber — Bassist, Composer & Bandleader Lawrence Haber is an accomplished electric and upright bassist, composer, and bandleader with over 25 years of experience performing and recording throughout the New York metropolitan area and Jersey Shore. In 2026, Haber released, Subtle Moves In Silence his first album as a bandleader, showcasing his original compositions, sophisticated musicianship, and collaborations with outstanding New York-area musicians. The project highlights his creative vision and versatility as a composer and bassist.

“Groovin High’ and Diz and Bird  in 1945 (138)  1945 was a landmark year for bebop, with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie establishing a revolutionary new direction in jazz. Their recording of “Groovin’ High,” based on the chord changes of the 1920 popular song “Whispering,” demonstrated bebop’s harmonic and melodic sophistication. Gillespie’s arrangement featured a six-bar introduction, three key changes, and a half-time coda. The 32-bar composition uses two 16-bar sections with different endings, incorporating syncopated eighth-note runs, melodic leaps, chromatic movement, and unexpected ii–V progressions. Parker and Gillespie’s remarkable unison playing and improvisations highlighted their musical chemistry. Their partnership flourished throughout 1945 but weakened following their California engagement, largely because of professional differences and Parker’s addiction. Although they pursued separate careers, their collaboration helped establish the foundation of modern jazz. Dizzy Gillespie 1945  Dizzy Gillespie 1947 The Jazz Real Book Playlist Podcast

Russell Gunn Interview Born in Chicago in 1971 and raised in East St. Louis, trumpeter Russell Gunn developed a musical identity that bridges hard bop, hip-hop, funk, and R&B. Beginning trumpet at age ten, he was influenced by jazz legends and hip-hop artists such as LL Cool J. Encouraged by band director Ron Carter (not the bassist R) Gunn attended Jackson State University before working with Oliver Lake, Wynton Marsalis on Blood on the Fields, and Branford Marsalis’ Buckshot LeFonque. His solo career began with Young Gunn (1994), while the Grammy-nominated Ethnomusicology series established his innovative fusion of jazz and contemporary Black music. Based in Atlanta, he later formed the Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. His latest project, Afrikan-Amerikan Book of the Dead, introduces his sextet Blackhawk and explores cultural identity, historical understanding, and empowerment. Inspired by ancient Egyptian spiritual traditions, the album encourages listeners to embrace their heritage and find fulfillment in the present, combining powerful improvisation with social commentary.

“The Green Mountains” and Roy Haynes (137) “The Green Mountains,” from Gary Burton’s 1969 album Country Roads & Other Places, features guitarist Jerry Hahn, bassist Steve Swallow, and legendary drummer Roy Haynes. The composition stands out for its open harmonic sound, moving between major seventh and suspended chords, along with syncopated melodies and smooth descending bass lines. Haynes brings his unmistakable rhythmic personality to the recording, using crisp cymbal work, unexpected accents, and constant interaction with the ensemble. A veteran of groups led by Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, John Coltrane, and others, Haynes helped connect several generations of jazz while continually adapting his distinctive drumming style. Gary Burton  Francesco Chiapperini The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol.2

Abraham Burton Interview Saxophonist Abraham Burton has developed a reputation for a powerful and expressive sound rooted in the jazz tradition while maintaining a voice distinctly his own. Growing up in Greenwich Village, Burton was surrounded by music from an early age. His most important mentors were Jackie McLean and drummer Arthur Taylor taught him one of his most important lessons: technical ability means little if it does not serve the music. Today, Burton carries those experiences into his work as an educator at Rutgers University and with organizations such as Jazz House Kids.

“Grand Central” and Cannonball Adderley Quintet In Chicago (136)  “Grand Central” is a John Coltrane composition recorded on February 3, 1959, for Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago. The session featured Cannonball Adderley, Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb—the same core musicians who, less than a month later, would participate in Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue. Played at approximately 256 BPM, the melody mixes rapid eighth-note lines with longer resting notes. Harmonically, Coltrane moves through a series of ii–V progressions that frequently avoid their expected resolutions. The result is a tune that is constantly moving forward, both melodically and harmonically, offering an early glimpse of the increasingly complex harmonic language Coltrane would explore over the next several years. Coltrane and Cannonball  Pancho Sachez  The Jazz Real Book Podcast Vol 2.

“Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America & All the Ships at Sea” and Tom Scott (135) “Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America & All the Ships at Sea” was composed by drummer John Guerin and recorded by Tom Scott and the L.A. Express for the 1975 album Tom Cat. The title references broadcaster Walter Winchell’s famous opening line. The track is a great example of 1970s jazz fusion, combining jazz harmony and improvisation with funk and rock rhythms. It is also a tune you rarely hear called at a jam session—and for good reason. Compared with most jazz standards, its form, melody, harmony, and rhythms are unusually demanding. The arrangement moves through several contrasting sections, including an extended solo form. Much of the piece is built around a funky bass line and unique chord movement. Later sections introduce dominant chords loaded with tensions, shifting meters of harmonic activity, challenging sixteenth-note figures, and unexpected movement. Guerin’s driving backbeat and Scott’s saxophone ultimately hold the complicated arrangement together.  Tom Scott and L.A. Express  The Jazz Real Book Podcast Vol. 2

Ben Allison Interview Ben Allison is an American jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, and educator known for bringing a distinctive contemporary voice to the acoustic bass. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1966, Allison studied jazz at New York University before becoming an important figure in New York’s downtown jazz scene. In 1992, he co-founded the Jazz Composers Collective, an influential organization that provided musicians with opportunities to perform and develop original music outside the traditional jazz-club system. As a bandleader, Allison blends jazz with rock, funk, folk, and contemporary classical influences. His playing emphasizes groove, melodic invention, and interaction rather than simply serving as a traditional rhythm-section foundation. He has recorded numerous albums, including Buzz, Cowboy Justice, Little Things Run the World, and Action-Refraction. Allison has also championed the music of overlooked jazz composer Herbie Nichols. His work demonstrates how the modern bassist can function equally as accompanist, composer, bandleader, and musical innovator.

“Golden Lady” and Stevie Wonder  Stevie Wonder’s “Golden Lady,” from his landmark 1973 album Innervisions, represents everything that makes Wonder such an extraordinary musician. On the surface, it is a warm and uplifting love song, but underneath it is a sophisticated mixture of soul, funk, pop, rock, and jazz influences. Wonder’s inventive harmonies, memorable melodies, rhythmic feel, and use of keyboards and synthesizers give the song a sound that remains remarkably fresh. “Golden Lady” also demonstrates Wonder’s strong connection to jazz. Although he has never been primarily considered a jazz musician, jazz harmony, improvisation, and musical experimentation have always been important parts of his work. That connection began early with The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie and continued throughout his career, including collaborations with major jazz artists. More than fifty years later, “Golden Lady” remains a great example of Wonder’s genius: sophisticated music that never sounds complicated, combining remarkable musicianship with an immediately memorable song. Stevie Wonder  Soulive The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol 2

Boris Kozlov Interview Boris Kozlov’s connection to Charles Mingus runs far deeper than simply directing the Mingus Big Band. Growing up in the Soviet Union, Kozlov first encountered Mingus through photocopied music, playing “P***y Cat Dues” before he had even heard Mingus’s recordings. After moving to New York, hearing Mingus Ah Um proved transformative—Kozlov describes it as such a perfect recording that it could be sent into space as a representation of “what human jazz is.” Kozlov joined the Mingus Big Band in 1998 as a last-minute substitute and quickly earned Sue Mingus’s confidence. Within weeks, she entrusted him with creating what became Charles Mingus: More Than a Play-Along. Now the band’s frequent musical director, Kozlov brings that nearly three-decade relationship to the group. His philosophy remains wonderfully Mingus-like: don’t imitate the master—use his music to find your own voice.

T.S. Monk Interview T.S. Monk has built a remarkable career both as a musician and as the steward of his father Thelonious Monk’s extraordinary legacy. A respected drummer, bandleader, composer, and recording artist, he performed with his father as a young musician before establishing his own career, eventually devoting significant energy to preserving and expanding awareness of Monk’s music. Today, T.S. Monk is helping lead an important new chapter through the Thelonious Monk Estate and Rhythm-A-Ning Entertainment. The newly unearthed and fully restored Monk Live in Paris, 1967 Volume One represents the first official release from the Monk Estate and launches a series devoted to reclaiming rare and previously unauthorized archival recordings. The Paris recording captures Monk with Charlie Rouse, Larry Gales, and Ben Riley, joined by guests including Phil Woods, Jimmy Cleveland, Ray Copeland, and Johnny Griffin. Volume Two, featuring Clark Terry, is scheduled for October 9, 2026. For T.S. Monk, these releases are about more than rediscovery—they represent preserving, protecting, and reintroducing his father’s revolutionary music for future generations.