Interviews

  Jazz pianist and producer Robert Glasper is at the head of the class when it comes to breaking rules in his genre. Known for thinking outside of the musical box, he fuses Hip Hop, Soul and Jazz to create his own element and niche in one of the oldest …

Trumpeter Rick Braun is as smooth as they come. Best known for his passionate style of play and amazing song writing skills, the Pennsylvania native started his career at a young age and has gone on to create one of the most recognizable and admired sounds in contemporary jazz today. …

  With 30 years in the music business under his belt and 17 original solo albums, Richard Elliot has earned all of the acclaim and accolades thrown his way.  But resting on his laurels and allowing others to define him is not how he has stayed relevant for so long.  …

This is a jazz trio of leaders. For twelve years The Bad Plus has been consistently doing what they enjoy and love; making music. It is their unconventional style that has brought them incredible recognition in the jazz world and allowed them to connect to a vast audience. Dave King …

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 …

Ravi Coltrane photo by John Watson Bearing the last name Coltrane and the genes of John and Alice, Ravi Coltrane seemed destined to a career in jazz . However, he hasn’t relied on his bloodlines and developed his own voice to carve out a niche of his own. He’s stood on …

Many of the guys that influenced me have faded away. Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane; these are some of the great musicians that have been on this planet…. They never said a lot verbally, but they said a lot musically. – Roy Ayers Without question, Roy Ayers continues …

Leonard Feather, the author of the encyclopedia of jazz, spoke to me and he said the first real American he ever met was Louis Armstrong. – Roy Ayers Growing up in Los Angeles, Roy Ayers marveled at the sounds of jazz masters Lionel Hampton, Billie Holliday, and Louis Armstrong. Today, …

After contributing six decades of musical direction and genius, Randy Weston remains one of the world’s foremost pianists and composers today, a true innovator and visionary. Encompassing the vast rhythmic heritage of Africa, his global creations musically continue to inform and inspire. Recently an iRock Jazz interviewer sat down with …

Jazz was the first music Randy Brecker heard in his home, and says “bebop is at the root of everything.” While growing up in Philadelphia, he was exposed to a plethora of musical styles. Brecker relocated to New York in 1966, during what he calls “an exciting time!” He was …

Ramsey Lewis has enjoyed an incredible career of more than 50 years in jazz. From his early days, he has maintained strong ties with the people and culture of Chicago. In this recent exclusive interview with iRock Jazz, Ramsey Lewis looks back on his early days as a musician and …

Have you ever wondered how it would be growing up as the child of a celebrity? How about being the daughter of an iconic comedian? Most of us would probably think about the former rather than the latter however, Rain Pryor is of course, both. Born in 1969 to comedian …