Interviews

James Oppenheim, the saxophonist, producer and songwriter. Who? One may ask, however a fan would know it’s none other than Boney James. The three–time Grammy Award nominee, NAACP Image Award nominee and the most successful instrumentalist of our time is not a “smooth jazz player” according to the Boston Globe. …

Every once in a while, an artist comes along who is so phenomenally talented that it almost seems unfair to every other artist.  For me, one such person is Bobby McFerrin.  I remember listening to “Peace,” sung by McFerrin and written by the incomparable Horace Silver, and being moved beyond …

Bobby Caldwell has established himself as an adult contemporary powerhouse. He is an acclaimed singer/songwriter and his music has been featured in numerous films including “The Perfect Man” and “Simone”. His beginnings started in Manhattan, NY where his parents were the host of Suppertime, a TV variety show. This exposed …

Bobby Broom photo by John Broughton As I call Bobby Broom for an interview, he was preparing his lesson plan for a lecture in jazz improvisation at North Park University. He spoke freely and at length about his career thus far, the incredible opportunities he’s been afforded and his new …

Billy Hart, photo by Louis Byrd III Billy Hart is one of the wise elders of Jazz, or Modern American Classical music, as is his preferred title. He has not only performed and recorded with some of the great figures of the music, such as Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis. …

Albert Einstein once said, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music,” Bill Ortiz has shown us the interconnection between his life and music with Highest Wish, …

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 …

Whether it’s the perception on reality TV and in entertainment, a ‘study’ by a psychologist, an evening news report or an advertisement posted on a billboard for millions to see, African-American women receive the brunt of negative stereotypes and images. Celebrity DJ, entrepreneur and mentor Beverly Bond provided her own …

When bassist Ben Williams played in the 2009 Thelonious Monk Institute competition, he performed in front of some of the world’s greatest bass players: Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Dave Holland and Charlie Hayden. The then 25-year-old proved he could handle the pressure, winning the coveted award, and becoming an instant …

I remember hearing Bitches Brew for the first time. I was new to the Jazz scene and it seemed appropriate to first navigate Miles Davis. Up to this point in my travels, I had made stops at Kind of Blue, ‘Around Midnight,’ and Sketches of Spain, but the moment I …

From the day that we are born until the day we leave this earth, each of us is on a journey. And most of the time that journey is of the unknown, although there are little and big signs, landmarks if you will, that give indications of where we have …

Larry Graham It’s often said that sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. This ideal is mostly applied to the sporting world, but when it comes to Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Larry Graham, his greatness derives from a series of unexpected events. You’d be hard pressed to …