The Jazz Session – Détails, épisodes et analyse

The Jazz Session turns 17 today! I’m celebrating with an archival episode from back in my jazz radio days. I interviewed Les McCann in 2004 about his classic album Swiss Movement. Les passed away on December 29, 2023. I thought I’d commemorate his passing and celebrate his life and the birthday of this show by sharing that interview with you. Thanks for listening and for supporting The Jazz Session at https://thejazzsession.com/join.

Saxophonist Allison Au’s new album is called Migrations. On it, she explores her family’s history of migration, and by extension the plight of migrants everywhere. In this interview, Allison talks about the album’s spoken word and sung elements; her family history and how it impacted the work; the arranging challenges presented by the presence of strings; and more.

Allison was previously on The Jazz Session in 2016. Listen to that interview.

PATREON

Become a Patreon supporter for $5 a month to get a bonus show called This I Dig Of You, on which the guest from the main episode talks about something non-musical that’s bringing them joy. Allison talks about crosswords. You’ll also get early access to every episode, a thank you on an episode, and behind-the-scenes news. Join at https://patreon.com/thejazzsession.

CREDITS

Theme Music: The Respect Sextet (respectsextet.com)
Logo: Sarah Walter
Intro Voice: Chuck Ingersoll (hearchucknow.com)

Pianist Kris Davis’s new album is called Live At The Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic Records, 2023). In this interview, Kris talks about what it feels like to record at the Village Vanguard; how she put together the Diatom Ribbons band; working with a DJ; the role of humor in instrumental performance; working with the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice; her recent tour with Dave Holland; and more.

Kris was previously on episode #290, which you can listen to here.

PATREON

Become a Patreon supporter for $5 a month to get a bonus show called This I Dig Of You, on which the guest from the main episode talks about something non-musical that’s bringing them joy. Kris talks about grilling. You’ll also get early access to every episode, a thank you on an episode, and behind-the-scenes news. Join at http://patreon.com/thejazzsession.

CREDITS

Theme Music: The Respect Sextet (respectsextet.com)
Logo: Sarah Walter
Intro Voice: Chuck Ingersoll (hearchucknow.com)

We dive into the vault this week for episode #47 from October 2008. Here’s what I wrote at the time:

Jason Crane interviews pianist and composer Satoko Fujii. Fujii has released four new recordings in 2008, her 50th birthday year. These records find her with her New York trio; on accordion in the avant-folk-jazz group of her husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura; in a quartet with some of Japan’s most talented improvising musicians; and in a second trio with both American and Japanese musicians. Far from slowing down in her middle years, Fujii seems to be pushing herself even more relentlessly, searching for new and exciting ways of expressing her musical ideas.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.

Violinist Sana Nagano‘s new album is Smashing Humans. In this interview, Nagano talks about her fabulous band; how she went from giving up violin completely to playing it professionally; her journey from Tokyo to Oregon to Memphis to Boston to New York; and much more.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.

Argentinian vocalist Roxana Amed just released Ontology. In this interview, Amed talks about moving to Miami and finding her place; writing new lyrics to existing tunes; searching for meaning as both a musician and a person; and much more.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.

Saxophonist and flute player Alexa Tarantino has a new album on Posi-Tone Records called Firefly. In this interview, Tarantino talks about recording an album during the pandemic; starting a jazz camp in Rockport, MA; focusing her energies on educating others as well as performing; and much more.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.

I’m in Auburn, Alabama this week and we’re stepping into the TJS Time Machine to listen to an archival interview with organist Barbara Dennerlein from 2009. Here’s what I wrote about it at the time:

Jason Crane interviews organist Barbara Dennerlein about her pipe organ recording Spiritual Movement No. 2 (Bebab Records, 2008). The album was recorded at one of Germany’s most famous churches in front of a very appreciative audience. In this interview, recorded before a concert in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Dennerlein discusses jazz on the pipe organ; why organists should use their feet; and how she adapts to the challenge of seldom having her own instrument on stage.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.

This week on The Jazz Session, take a trip back into the archives for this 2009 interview with pianist Marilyn Crispell, recorded at her home in Woodstock, NY. Here’s what I wrote about it at the time:

Jason Crane interviews pianist Marilyn Crispell about her album of solo piano pieces, Vignettes (ECM, 2008). Crispell made an early name for herself with Anthony Braxton, and she’s since amassed an impressive list of recordings that include composed and freely improvised pieces. In this interview, Crispell talks about the nature of improvisation, the particular challenges of solo playing, and the joys of Woodstock, NY.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.

Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and multimedia artist Jen Shyu‘s new album comes out on April 23, 2021. It’s called Zero Grasses — Ritual For The Losses (Pi Recordings). In this interview, Shyu talks about writing music in the aftermath of the loss of her father; working with students to chronicle their experience of the pandemic; the mentors she admires; and much more.

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I’ve been recording conversations with jazz musicians on The Jazz Session since 2007. I’m now living in a van and traveling the country, so I need your support more than ever. Please become a member today at thejazzsession.com/join. For $5 a month you’ll get a weekly bonus episode called Track of the Week, plus early access to every show. For $10 a month you get all that plus an extra monthly bonus show.

Theme music by The Respect Sextet
Logo by Dave Vrabel
Intro voice: Chuck Ingersoll
Follow The Jazz Session on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Subscribe to my twice-monthly newsletter.