Improv Exchange Podcast

Episode #43: Andrew McGowan

Andrew McGowan is a New Orleans born pianist who played with renowned artists such as Jason Marsalis, Joe Dyson, and Sasha Masakowski in New Orleans as well as bands such as The Stooges Brass Band and The Session at venues such as Snug Harbor, The Jazz and Heritage Festival, and also many international clubs and festivals such as the Edinburgh Jazz festival and South by Southwest. After moving to NYC in 2016, Andrew played at major jazz clubs in NYC such as Blue Note, Minton’s, Dizzy’s, Smalls, and Fat Cat.

Andrew's most recent releases are "MicroCosmos" with MicroCorgi, and "Collusion" with The Session. He also produces a cooking and music YouTube show called "Cooking with the Woodsiders".

 

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Episode #42: Eric Reed

Through more than a quarter-century as a first-caller on the jazz scene, Eric Reed has articulated this inclusive conception as a leader of numerous ensembles, solo performer, composer, producer, educator, and sideman with numerous artists, including extended stints with Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Buster Williams, and Wynton Marsalis. Whatever the context, whatever the style, he consistently animates the flow with fresh ideas, virtuosic chops, intellectual clarity, and an unwavering will to groove. In this episode, Eric shares his background, education, and musical journey.

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Episode #41: Art Hirahara

Art Hirahara is a jazz keyboardist and composer based in New York, NY. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Art moved to New York in 2003 to be challenged by its pool of world-class musicians. Here he has honed his craft, performing in a wide range of musical situations ranging from straight-ahead standards to time cycle-based progressive jazz to working with singer/songwriters. From the traditional to the avant-garde, Art has found a sound of his own that cuts across genres and boundaries. Art has had the privilege to perform with Don Braden, Stacey Kent, Freddy Cole, Akira Tana, Rufus Reid, Dave Douglas, Vincent Herring, Royal Hartigan, and many others. He has performed around the world in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East, and extensively around the United States. As a bandleader, he has released five recordings on Posi-Tone Records, working with well-known musicians including Donny McCaslin, Melissa Aldana, Linda May Han Oh, Joe Martin, and Rudy Royston. In this episode, Art shares his background, education, and musical journey.

 

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Episode #40: Nathan East

Nathan East is one of the most in-demand bassists of all time. A founding member of the chart-topping contemporary jazz group Fourplay, Nathan was 16 years old when he got his first break and found himself on the road with Barry White. The next time the phone rang, Quincy Jones was on the line. The calls kept coming and for the last forty years, Nath has been churning out hit songs with artists as legendary as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand, and Stevie Wonder. In this episode, Nathan shares his background, education, and musical journey.

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Episode #39: James Hudson

London-based jazz vocalist James Hudson has all of the unique qualities that epitomize the 21st-century crooner. An assured and charming performer, his natural affinity with an audience is complemented by effortless vocals, tasteful phrasing, and interpretive prowess.

James’s debut album 'TOMORROW', set for release in February 2021, will be the biggest milestone of his career so far. Over a year in the making, the album features James and his band performing brand-new interpretations of classics from The Great American Songbook. Greatly influenced by Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett, James is fuelled by a desire to play his part in keeping jazz standards alive. In this episode, James shares his background, education, and musical journey.

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Episode #38: John Beasley

John Beasley, Multi-GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-nominated pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director. An uncommonly versatile pianist, he has backed such jazz icons as Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard – playing in the bands of both these trumpet greats while still in his 20s. Since then, Beasley has performed with a wide range of artists from Dianne Reeves, Ivan Lins, John Patitucci, Chaka Khan, Christian McBride, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, Lee Ritenour, Somi, A.R. Rahman, and James Brown’s last concert at the Hollywood Bowl. His extensive work as a composer-arranger extends beyond jazz, with many credits in television such as Star Trek:TNG, Cheers, and Fame; and in films scored by 15-time Oscar nominee Thomas Newman 1917, James Bond’s Spectre and Skyfall, Finding Dory, He Named Me Malala, and Shawshank Redemption. While on tour with Miles Davis, Beasley was inspired to record his first album Cauldron, which was produced by Steely Dan’s Walter Becker. A dozen albums later, Beasley has earned ten GRAMMY nominations, six for his project called MONK’estra. In this episode, John shares his background, education, and musical journey.

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Episode #37: Jim Lang

Jim Lang is a seasoned composer in the film and television world, having strengthened many projects through his diverse musical palette. He is most recognized for his theme music, original songs, and score for Nickelodeon‘s hit animated series Hey Arnold!, which has aired in over 70 markets worldwide. Most recently, Jim scored Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie, the highly-anticipated return to television after a 13-year hiatus. The film, which features updates to the iconic themes from the series, picks up after the cliffhanger ending of Hey Arnold: The Movie, and finds Arnold and friends searching for his parents in Central America.

 

Jim is currently scoring season two of Wind Dancer Films‘ popular early childhood science show, Ready, Jet, Go! for PBS. His original music is also featured in the Ron Howard films The Paper, Ransom, and ED TV. Other film scores include the independent features Born Killers, Fred & Vinnie, Cellmates, and Guido. Additionally, Jim scored The Jim Henson Company’s animated feature series Unstable Fables, and Houston International Film Festival’s Best Short Grand Prize winner World Song. He has also collaborated with acclaimed horror director John Carpenter, for his film In the Mouth Of Madness.

 

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Episode #36: Dejan Ilijic

Dejan has performed in more than twenty – five countries around the globe (USA, Russia, China, Japan, Britain, France, Germany, etc.) both independently and as the leader of the acclaimed jazz-rock band EYOT. Aside from 4 released albums of EYOT, where he is signed as the sole composer of all compositions, Dejan also released three solo piano projects for the US market, under 90&9 Records and Magnatune labels, and one more for Serbian label Metropolis. Ilijic has composed music for multi-awarded documentaries and TV shows that aired on numerous national and local TV channels in Serbia and Europe, and also at international film festivals. In this episode, Dejan shares his background, education, and musical journey.

 

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Episode #35: Christope Schweizer

Christophe Schweizer is considered one of the most innovative and creative musicians on the European Jazz scene, both with respect to his abilities and versatility on the trombone and other low brass instruments (also as an interpreter of classical and new music), as well as especially to his work as a composer, arranger, and bandleader.

Born in Switzerland and nowadays residing in Hamburg, Germany, he lived in New York for seven years starting in the mid-nineties. During this period, he worked with the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band for three years, and occasionally with the orchestras of Maria Schneider and Sue Mingus, playing two European tours with the latter. In this episode, Christope shares his background, education, and musical journey.

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Episode #34: Danny Markovitch

Danny Markovitch is the co-leader and founder of the jazz-fusion band Marbin. Marbin is a progressive jazz-rock band based in Chicago, IL, with a unique story that stands out in today's music world. With a do-it-yourself approach, Marbin started touring extensively in 2011, bringing their original instrumental music to every part of the United States. Through word of mouth, Marbin has gained hundreds of thousands of devoted fans all over the world and has sold tens of thousands of albums. Marbin has released eight albums: Marbin (2009), Breaking the Cycle (2011), Last Chapter of Dreaming (2013), The Third Set (2014), Aggressive Hippies (2015), Goatman and the House of the Dead(2016), Israeli Jazz (2018), and Strong Thing (2019). Marbin regularly plays in clubs all over the US and in jam and jazz festivals around the world.

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