Interviews

iRock Jazz recently sat down to talk with Dr. Yusef Lateef about his unique approach to music, education, and most importantly life. When Yusef Lateef speaks, his delivery becomes a story within itself. Resonating throughout his tone is the humility one might expect from a faithful servant. And yet, in …

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images It’s the early 1970’s, the era where Black Power was still at its high, Afros were the norm, Blaxploitation films were the top movies to see and Black actresses like Pam Grier, Tamara Dobson, Lonette McKee, Denise Nicholas, Vonetta McGee and Freda Payne were …

The iRock Jazz interview with singer, performer and actress Freda Payne continues with Part 2: iRJ: Tell us about “Band of Gold” how did it come about, it’s obviously you’re anthem? Did you know it was going to be a hit and a pillar for that decade? FP:  I was …

Bilal is a Philadelphia born, New York-based singer-songwriter. Working within various genres, Bilal first came to prominence as a member of the Soulquarians, creating amongst such names as Common, J Dilla, and Talib Kweli. When not lending his talents to others, Bilal has released four albums to date, most recently …

New Orleans native Victor Goines is much more than a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. He is a composer, musician, educator and the director of jazz studies at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Goines has played the clarinet since the age of eight and has been mentored by …

Cassandra Wilson Cassandra Wilson’s distinctive and versatile voice, coupled with her music playing and writing skills, marked her as one of the top jazz singers of the 1990s. With a background in playing both the guitar and the piano, Wilson’s vocal range is the instrument that distinguishes her from other …

Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1941, pianist and twenty-time Grammy award winning pianist and composer Chick Corea has captivated the hearts and minds of thousands of fans and musicians alike for the past several decades. Be it behind a piano or one of several synthesizers, Corea’s place in history as …

George Duke is a Grammy Award-winning musician whose career has spanned over forty-five years. During this time, Duke has traversed a multitude of genres as both a performer and as a producer, working with artists ranging from Frank Zappa to Julian “Cannonball” Adderley. Duke has also made his mark as …

From as early as she can recollect, bassist Nik West rocked to the beat of her own tune. Growing up, she traded in her Mary Jane’s and ballet flats for L.A. Gears as she played basketball with the boys, and preferred a Transformer over a Barbie doll any day. Her …

Lonnie Liston Smith’s attempt to create chart-topping hits spawned into ageless classics for old-school lovers of jazz and a backdrop for artists of other genres to pair with their sounds. Jay-Z’s song “Dead Presidents”, Mary J. Blige’s Grammy winning hit “Take Me As I Am” and singles from Young Jeezy, …

Lee England, Jr. never imagined an introduction to string instruments as a child would foreshadow his future as a nationally-recognized instrumentalist. At six years old, he was immediately drawn to the violin and rushed home to tell his parents he wanted one. Although it gained his interest, the classically trained …

Imagine growing up in an environment where both of your parents are musical band directors. Adam Larson, composer and saxophone player is fortunate to have a father who played the drums and a mother that played the trumpet the majority of his adolescent years. Music being the center of his …