The Jazz Interview Podcast
Fresh and archive interviews with the greatest improvisers, composers and thinkers on the planet.
- Update frequency
- every 23 days
- Average duration
- 42 minutes
- Episodes
- 9
- Years Active
- 2025
Sérgio Mendes on working with WIll.i.am, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, and the eternal bossa nova beat
To celebrate the life of Sérgio Mendes – one year after his death aged 83, on September 5, 2024, from complications associated with long Covid – I’m sharing this archive interview with the world’s gr…
Certified ‘Genius’ Mary Halvorson on About Ghosts, Bill Frisell, freaky guitar pedals and her practise routine
In the wake of winning more Downbeat awards than even the magazine can count*, we called Mary Halvorson at home in Brooklyn, at 8pm on a Saturday night, to discuss the new artistic heights reached on…
Angélique Kidjo’s 5 most important albums, in her own words
To celebrate the 65th birthday of the first Black African women to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we asked Angélique Kidjo to talk through the five of her most influential and life-cha…
Antonio Sánchez on Birdman at 10, being discovered by Pat Metheny – and why Whiplash sucks
As Antonio Sánchez releases an incredible new album with the BEATrio supergroup – alongside American banjo legend Bela Fleck and Colombian harp maestro Edmar Castañeda – the Mexican drumming powerhou…
Makaya McCraven talks through his discography, from In The Moment to In These Times
Makaya McCraven is one of the most innovative improvising musicians to come to prominence amid “jazz” music’s unlikely resurgence of the past decade. His breakout International Anthem albums In The M…
Herbie Hancock on AI, addiction, Buddhism, Wayne Shorter and Miles Davis
To mark the 85th birthday of the most famous improvising musician on the platform, Herbie Hancock looks back over his life and career at length – from his first encounters with Miles Davis in the 60s…
Takuya Kuroda on new album Everyday, and working with José James on Blue Note breakout Rising Sun
As Takuya Kuroda drops another banging funk-forward LP, Everyday – on PPK Records, a new label venture from bass legend Pino Palladino – we called the Japanese, NYC-based trumpeter to talk through hi…
Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso on his top 5 Fela Kuti LPs, drum lessons with Tony Allen and dream collabs
Ezra Collective just won a freaking Brit Award for Best British Group!
Talking to drummer and leader Femi Koleoso, we trace the history of band, from its inception as competition-winning teens in 2012…
Ralph Towner on Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins and 50 years at ECM Records
To mark the 85th birthday of Ralph Towner, we share a recent interview with the legendary guitar virtuoso and pianist. From his home in Rome, Towner talks us through his 50-plus-year recording career…