Episode 28-Zev Feldman: Guardian of Jazz Legacies
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Producing a historical recording requires enormous patience, investigative powers like an investigative journalist. The journey is long, emotional, and exciting when the recordings are discovered, and the final package completed. This is what Zev Feldman does. He is the producer for and co-president of Resonance Records, a record label that releases archival recordings that are previously unissued. The Resonance catalogue includes John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, among many other legendary musicians. In this episode, Zev Feldman and I discuss his insights...
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Episode 27-Erena Terakubo: The Little Woman with a Big Sound
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo, from Sapporo, Japan, began her recording career early, releasing her first album when she was only 15 years old. Inspired by a saxophone-playing M&M doll, Erena developed an interest in music that led her to become a notable figure in contemporary jazz. Her journey inclu0des playing in big bands in Sapporo and preferring jazz over classical music. In this episode, Erena Terakubo exuberantly shares her early influences, including J Fusion and musicians like Charlie Parker and David Sanborn. She shares insights into her life in the United States, cultural...
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Episode 26-Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods: A Real Team
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Taiwanese vibraphonist and percussionist Chien Chien Lu, along with Pittsburg, Pennsylvania native bassist Richie Goods, have crafted a sound that is both captivating and rhythmic. Their music draws from a rich tapestry of cultural influences including Taiwanese, American, and African-American traditions, especially within the jazz sub-culture. Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods are dedicated to expanding their musical repertoire, creating a unique connection that resonates deeply with listeners. In the fall of 2024, Chien Chien Lu and Richie Goods visited Columbus, Ohio, where they met with...
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Episode 25-Clarence Penn: Jazz Makes Me a Better Person
Strictly Jazz Sounds
There's a not so polite saying about teaching music and music teachers that goes like this: If you can, play. If you can't, teach. That is what jazz legend Ellis Marsalis once said to a Detroit drummer who was considering becoming a music teacher. I'm talking about drummer, educator, producer and band leader Clarence Penn. Fortunately, Clarence did not take it to heart, eventually acquiring a master’s in music education from Rutgers University. It was also to the benefit of future musicians who became Clarence’s students. In this episode, Clarence Penn and I engage in deep reflection...
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Episode 24-Walter Smith III: Jazz Educator and Saxophone Virtuoso
Strictly Jazz Sounds
World-renowned saxophonist and Blue Note recording artist Walter Smith III is the model music educator and practitioner. This enormously talented saxophonist pursued music education as a profession as far back as high school. In this episode, Walter’s storied career follows the path beginning with performing at McDonald’s at age 7, to an exciting area of study at one of today’s premier high schools, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston, Texas to leadership roles at Berklee College of Music, reflecting on experiences at the Thelonious Monk Institute...
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Episode 23-Kris Davis: Creative Processes and Mentorship in Jazz
Strictly Jazz Sounds
In this episode, I spend time with Grammy Award-winning pianist and Berklee College of Music professor of Jazz Kris Davis on 'Strictly Jazz Sounds.' We do a deep dive into her latest project, Run the Gauntlet, dedicated to six influential women jazz pianists, which drops on September 27, 2024. A common thread is woven throughout the hour, mentoring. As a recipient of it herself, Kris Davis discusses the importance of fostering the next generation of jazz musicians. She also provides a detail description of her fascinating composition process. Kris Davis and I spend time discussing her label,...
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Episode 22-Yuhan Su: The Imagination is in the Music
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Award winning vibraphonist Yuhan Su is another Gary Burton/Chick Corea-inspired musician, lured away from classical to the art form where improvisation reigns, jazz. This Taiwanese-born, New York based artist, left her homeland pursuing a jazz education at Berklee College of music, a frequently told story. Yuhan Su draws on her strengths to survive the intense transitions as a single woman migrating to the US to learn a completely different style of music, knowing no one, new to the language and cultures. And she plays the vibraphone, not an easy instrument to lug around given she’s...
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Episode 21-Wayne Escoffery: Fostering Pride in Black American Music-Jazz
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Grammy-Award winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is my guest on the 21st episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds. What attracted me to Wayne was his prolific traveling, extensive performances and recordings with his own band (11 recordings), the Mingus Big Band (3 recordings, one a Grammy Award winner), the Black Art Jazz Collective (4 recordings), and as sideman with trumpeter Tom Harrell (7 recordings, co-producing 4) plus works with other notable jazz musicians. He is now a Harlem resident in the neighborhood where Sonny Rollins grew up, Sugar Hill, but he was born and spent his childhood years in...
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Episode 20-Roni Eytan: Jazz Harmonica Colossus
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Roni Eytan, a renowned Israeli-born, New York based jazz harmonica player, performs with a passion that differs from other harmonica artists. Perhaps it’s the region from which he derives-the Middle East and North Africa. His culture greatly influences his compositions and inspires his passions. Roni’s work is influenced by harmonica legend Toots Thielemans but only partially. The folk cultures that make up the regions and his spiritual influences mostly inspire his writing. Roni Eytan stopped by my studio to talk about his harmonica work and how he got interested in this...
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Episode 19-Alexandra Ridout: Her Journey Into Jazz
Strictly Jazz Sounds
Alexandra (Alex) Ridout is a young jazz trumpeter from the UK, now residing in New York City. In this episode of Strictly Jazz Sounds, she lays out her journey as a musician, comparing the experiences and educational backgrounds between the UK and the US. Ridout recalls her time at the Royal Academy of Music in London and Manhattan School of Music, emphasizing her family's influence, especially her jazz musician parents. Highlighting her musical achievements, the conversation includes her participation and victory in the BBC Youth Competition, winning at 17 years old. She talks about her...
info_outlineProducing a historical recording requires enormous patience, investigative powers like an investigative journalist. The journey is long, emotional, and exciting when the recordings are discovered, and the final package completed. This is what Zev Feldman does. He is the producer for and co-president of Resonance Records, a record label that releases archival recordings that are previously unissued. The Resonance catalogue includes John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, among many other legendary musicians.
In this episode, Zev Feldman and I discuss his insights into his multifaceted career, how he got started in the music industry and his subsequent journey through various roles in sales, marketing, and ultimately producing rare jazz recordings. Feldman works with numerous other labels including Blue Note, Verve Label Group, Elemental Music as well as own his own labels, Jazz Detective and Deep Digs.
Feldman spins many stories about his adventures in discovering music long forgotten. It’s music that is not just good; it must be GREAT! Curating legacy music requires a sense of understanding about the elements of a dynamic recording, one that exceeds others in the quality of the performance, the importance of a certain date, and the historical aspect of the show or studio recording. Then there is the emotional involvement with the families of these jazz legends, many of whom become close friends, such as it has with the families of jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery (Zev produced the first archival recording of Wes Montgomery for Resonance) and piano virtuoso Bill Evans as Feldman is just releasing his 13th archival recordings of Bill Evans.
Then there is the importance of Record Store Day on April 12. Feldman highlights the significance of this little-known observed day in bringing these projects to life.
This episode is rich with music, thanks to Zev Feldman and Resonance Records. There is more than 36 minutes of full tracks of music along with clips of recordings discussed. The playlist includes:
Freddie Hubbard-On Fire, “True Colors-Breaking Point Closer” (13:32); Freddie Hubbard-trumpet, Bennie Maupin-tenor saxophone, Kenny Barron-piano, Herbie Lewis-bass, Freddie Waits-drums. Charles Mingus-Mingus in Argentina-The Buenos Aires Concerts, “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love” (9:32), Charles Mingus-bass, Ricky Ford tenor saxophone, Jack Walrath-trumpet, Robert Neloms -piano, and Dannie Richmond-drums.
Kenny Dorham-Blue Bossa in the Bronx: Live from the Blue Morocco, “Blue Bossa”, (13:31), Kenny Dorham-trumpet, Sonny Red-alto sax, Cedar Walton-piano, Paul Chambers-bass and Denis Charles-drums.
Short music clips: Charles Mingus-"Pork Pie Hat", Freddie Hubbard-"Crisis", Kenny Dorham-Blue Friday, Bill Evans-"Ro(u)nd Midnight".
Thank you for listening to this podcast. I know you have many others to listen to, but you chose Strictly Jazz Sounds.
When you subscribe you become one of the first to hear new episodes, read articles, see new photos, and learn of my annual “Best of” list. Soon, I will introduce a Patreon opportunity, your way of saying thanks to me for spending the more than 25 hours per episode to bring it to you. Photo by Zak Shelby-Szyszko