Interviews

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 …

  “To me, jazz is still taught from the master to the apprentice. It’s not just communicating technical information or knowing theory or knowing which scales to play on which chords. To me, jazz encompasses life, too. It’s a world view. It’s an attitude.” – Helen Sung Women of jazz …

  “I don’t consider myself to be the bravest person….I went through some pretty embarrassing moments, falling on my face and making mistakes. But there’s something about the music. Like I said before, it’s so alive.” – Helen Sung Helen Sung is a pianistic virtuoso whose musical beginnings have allowed …

The Beginnings Legendary saxophonist and composer Gary Bartz was born in Baltimore, Maryland during the 1940’s. His father worked on a railroad and also worked part time at a local jazz club, later purchasing the night club, “North End Lounge”. He felt fortunate to visit many jazz clubs in the …

Saxophonist Steve Cole is one of the most celebrated players in jazz today. This Chicago native burst onto the scene in 1998 with his debut album Stay Awhile, which was produced by fellow Chicagoan Brian Culbertson. His catchy singles made him an instant radio favorite and he put out those …

Japanese born pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara, simply known as Hiromi, began playing classical piano at the age of six. For Hiromi, music has always been her first language. She learned to play from her heart when her piano teacher told her to “Play red” if the piece was passionate …

iRock Jazz writer, Willow Neilson, speaks with New Orleans pianist and vocalist Henry Butler, an accomplished musician as well as a celebrated photographer not having “sight.” Butler is lauded as one of the greatest living proponents of classic New Orleans piano styles. However, our conversation with him reveals his unique …

Esperanza Spalding   On Tuesday, Dec. 4, Esperanza Spalding will be using her bass and her vocals to fight for a cause as she headlines “A Night of Freedom”, a benefit concert at New York’s City Winery. The Grammy-winning prodigy from Portland will be playing to raise awareness and funds …

iRock Jazz recently interviewed vocalist and film maker Brandon Bain, the creator of Capsulocity, an online video series. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Bain emerged on the Jazz scene just a few years ago with an understanding that whether an artist is in New York City, or somewhere on the …