Interviews

In a space defined by its progressive thought and forward-thinking, Sonny Rollins maintains his place as one of jazz’s most eccentric personalities. And as such, it affects the way in which we examine his life. For most artists, we track their lives through the lens of artistic output, because what …

Very few artists can be proficient behind the scenes as a studio musician, and then break out with a successful career as a solo artist.  Gerald Albright is one such artist.  He has worked with musicians across the board in all genres, which has prepared him well for his own …

Saxophonist, keyboardist and super producer Michael Ghegan’s discography reads like an artist’s dream book. His on screen collaborations with music icons Aerosmith, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Michael Bolton, and his work with major television shows like Extra, Entertainment Tonight, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, are only a sample of his …

The Ravinia Festival is North America’s longest running outdoor festival in Chicago.  The quality of music from Ravinia over the years has featured some of the greatest musicians known to man.  From this festival has emerged the Steans Music Institute, a summer conservatory that is not only a quality training …

Legendary jazz pianist Monty Alexander’s latest release, “Harlem-Kingston Express Vol. 2” has gained a lot of attention and critical acclaim. When iRockJazz spoke with Alexander about his latest project, he described the album as an “imaginary train ride of his life.” A train ride that started over fifty years ago …

Maxx with Wynton Marsalis Where there is music, there is Maxx Myrick. From music, broadcasting, radio, entertainment, recording, blogging, teaching, television, Social Networking, Public Speaking, Event Planning, Digital Media, Sound, and other avenues; his influence and contributions can be found. Considered to be the Berry Gordy of radio, Maxx Myrick …

Originally from Frankfort, KY, Kemba A. Cofield relies on her spiritual roots singing in the church choir and spiritual guidance to keep her routed on her musical path as a jazz vocalist.  Influenced by legendary Queens of Jazz like Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald, her stage presence and flare prove …

The daughter of African immigrants, jazz artist Somi is captivating audiences with her New African sound. A recipient of the TEDGlobal Scholarship, she began playing cello at a young age and allowed that instrument to shape her vocal skills. The soon to be legendary songstress Somi is releasing a brand …

French native Cyrille Aimee has been impressing American audiences with her amazing vocal talents for a few years. The sultry songstress has traveled the world captivating audiences with a unique blend of Dominican rhythms and French Gypsy Jazz. In this interview with iRockJazz, Cyrille opens up about her transition to …

Roberta Gambarini is a singer who started taking clarinet lessons after being caught by her father for playing his tenor saxophone in secret. After having trouble with classical voice lessons, Gambarini decided to trust her instincts and learned jazz improvisation from self-teaching and listening to the masters of recorded jazz …

clas·sic  /klasik/ adjective 1. judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. Synonym: Ahmad Jamal Playing the piano by the age of 3, composing at 10, and performing at Carnegie Hall with Duke Ellington at 22, Ahmad Jamal has proven that …

Theo Croker is casually positioning himself to be the next important musician on the scene. If you’re not yet familiar with the twenty-something trumpeter/vocalist, don’t worry, because you’ve absolutely heard of his grandfather, the Grammy Award-winning trumpeter, Doc Cheatham. But don’t think the young talent will be riding his prestigious …