Category Archives: Outta World interviews

Chico Freeman, the multi-reedman, keyboard artist, composer & producer embodies the intent of jazz by finding new avenues of expression that embrace the heritage & tradition of the music. Many critics have compared him to the greats in jazz history, but the proof is in the fact that he has played & recorded with some of the most innovative musicians in the world. Few artists can equal his list of musical associations: Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Charles Mingus, Jack DeJohnette, Art Blakey, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Hank Jones, Freddie Cole, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Haynes, Von Freeman, Arthur Blythe, Billy Hart, Lester Bowie, Famadou Don Moye, Cecil McBee, Kirk Lightsey, John Hicks, Mal Waldron, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Eurythmics, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Art Blakey, Sting, and many others. From South America to Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, Freeman has performed and recorded with such Latin greats as Tito Puente, Machito, Irakere, Arturo Sandoval, Celia Cruz, Giovanni Hidalgo, Paulinho DaCosta, Nana Vasconcelos, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri & Puerto Rico’s famous El Gran Combo. Born into a musical family, his father Von Freeman is the legendary tenor saxophonist, and his uncles George & Bruz play guitar & drums respectively. Mr. Freeman earned a mathematics scholarship to Northwestern University, and played trumpet in the school jazz band. He quickly learned that his heart was elsewhere, and eventually studied the tenor saxophone 8 to 10 hours a day until confident enough to challenge the sax section. He switched to a music major, and a great tenor player was born. He graduated with a degree in music with proficiencies in saxophone, trumpet & piano. Following studies in advanced composition & theory, he began teaching elementary & intermediate courses at the Chicago-based AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) School of Music. While completing a Masters Degree in Composition & Theory at Governors State University, his memorable performance at the Intercollegiate Jazz Festival in South Bend, Indiana, with the Governors State’s Jazz Band won him awards as “Best Soloist”, “Best Saxophonist”, and a tour of Brazil with the winning group. Although jazz was the first music Freeman was exposed to, many of his early professional gigs were at Chicago clubs with such blues artists as Memphis Slim & Lucky Carmichael. Mr. Freeman went on to play with pop and R & B greats The Temptations, Michael Jackson, The Four Tops, Jackie Wilson, The Dells & The Isley Brothers. After arriving in New York , he immediately began working with Jeanne Lee, Mickey Bass, John Stubblefield, and Cecil McBee. Through apprenticeships in New York and abroad with such innovators as Elvin Jones, Don Pullen, Sam Rivers, Sun Ra, & Jack DeJohnette, Freeman developed his own group and rapidly rose to prominence with his energetic & exploratory style. A legendary concert at Lincoln Center, by The Young Lions, a group critics hailed as the brightest hopes of jazz in the 1980′s – Chico Freeman, Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D’Rivera, Kevin Eubanks, Anthony Davis & others, produced an album on which Freeman plays nearly every cut. His 14-minute composition “Whatever Happened To The Dream Deferred?” was called “one of the best of the album” by the New York Times. When superstar bands were being organized by promoters in Europe, Freeman brought together The Leaders, an all-star sextet of internationally recognized bandleaders. The group, consisting of Cecil McBee, Kirk Lightsey, Lester Bowie, Arthur Blythe & Famadou Don Moye, set the standard for eclectic & innovative music from a band comprised entirely of composers. During the 150 year anniversary celebration of the invention of the saxophone by Adolphe Sax, the band Roots was formed. This band consisted of internationally known saxophonists Nathan Davis, Benny Golson, Arthur Blythe & Chico Freeman. With the band Squeezeband, Freeman and colleague Reto Weber continue to push the envelope of what is happening in music. This band features seasoned professionals and younger players in a wonderful mix or world music, Latin rhythms, African heritage, and Hip Hop energy incorporating traditional jazz sensibilities and instrumentation, with Human Beatbox and Vocal Percussion. It is music that makes you want to move, and bridges the gaps between generations. It truly brings jazz to the forefront of music, and introduces it, yet again, to another age of listeners. Chico Freeman’s musical journey has been one akin to that of an alchemist, providing the Midas touch to not only his projects, but also helping to create gold for others within the jazz, rhythm & blues, pop and world music musical realms. His objective is to explore new worlds, and he won’t be limited by categories. The only limitations he places on himself are the limitations of his own own imagination. And within that realm, there may be none.

I had the honor of catching up with Mr. Chico Freeman ahead of his upcoming performance in Madison at Cafe Coda for CODAFEST 2026 on September 26th. We get right into what people in attendance could be part of, from the hearing and the feeling side. We talk about the players as well. I was very interested to find out more about how the move out of the United States, as an artist who had made such a name for himself, went down and what the opportunities and hopes were when making the move. I would be remiss if I didn’t ask this legend and force of imagination, which young gun on the scene is one that had caught his eye. I was not surprised when he brought up family to the proGram, Mr. Isaiah Collier. Mr. Freeman makes music that people not only find themselves lost in the ear side, but man….he is somehow able to walk that sound into souls, at least mine has his footprints on it.

Legendary saxman Frank Catalano consistently headlines world-class festivals and sells-out venues throughout the USA, Europe & Japan. Thanks to his signature sound & renowned reputation, Catalano averages 150 concerts a year with his jazz quartet. As a coveted guest artist, He often lends his sax stylings to high-profile rock groups. Recent highlights include playing a 7-minute improvised sax solo at The Hollywood Bowl with The Smashing Pumpkins, closing out the Chicago Blues Festival w/Los Lobos, and performing with Les Claypool, Sean Lennon & the Violent Femmes. He also teamed up on a unique version of the Jane’s Addiction hit “Jane Says” w/Perry Farrell, Billy Corgan & Jimmy Chamberlin. A Belgian documentary about Frank entitled “Sugar Jazz” premiered at the Tokyo Liftoff Film Festival and has since screened worldwide. The film captures Frank’s musical essence & reveals his candid musings with the backdrop of iconic Chicago locations in the city where he was born. While just a teenager, he signed to Delmark Records and released a string of critically acclaimed recordings with jazz greats including Randy Brecker, Ira Sullivan, Willie Pickens, Paul Wertico, and his mentor Von Freeman. His co-led album with Freeman, “You Talking To Me” remains a cult classic. His tribute to John Coltrane, “Love Supreme Collective”, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Jazz Charts & remains a fan favorite. Catalano is the only known saxophonist to perform with Miles Davis, Charles Earland, Elvin Jones, Junior Wells, Randy Brecker, Stan Getz, Betty Carter, Tito Puente, Tony Bennett & Louie Bellson while still in high school. As a sideman, Frank has been heard by millions thanks to his collaborations with Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Maurice Joshua, Destiny’s Child, John Legend, Tony Bennett, Seal, and countless others. Fellow musicians respect Frank’s musical prowess as much as his upbeat personality. Catalano’s numerous accolades include an IMA award at Lincoln Center and induction into the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame. He has featured on three Grammy‐winning and 11 Grammy-nominated recordings and received a Tech Grammy Award for his numerous patents and developments. At 19 years old, Frank was the youngest sax player to be voted into the Downbeat Critics Poll. Frank is the author of the highly-rated book “Modern Saxophone Techniques” by Hal Leonard Publishing and his song “Mighty Burner” is featured in “The Real Book Volume 6”, ensuring his influence on musicians, students, and audiences around the globe. Catalano is also on the Board of Directors for the National Saxophone Museum, a first of its kind. Frank loves composing music and holds a BA in Classical Composition from De Paul University. In his rare free time, Frank donates his musical services to charities including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Peoples Music School, and Off The Street Club. Frank endorses Yamaha Saxophones, JodyJazz mouthpieces, D’Addario Reeds & Rovner Ligatures.

I had the pleasure once again to get some time to hang with Brother Frank as he prepares to bring his quartet to Madison for CODAFEST at Cafe Coda on September 25th. We dive ear first into what he says will be a John Coltrane inspired set for this event. he mentioned a few tunes he knows he will feature and gives a few clues as to other possibilities. As we talk about how it makes him feel to be with the same quarter for so long, we get into the music, relationships and the music business. One of my favorite things about Frank is that he is never at a loss for words to describe his scene. We break down what the next couple of years look like and what he has been up to leading to these future endeavors/projects. You’ll recognize a few friends of this program names as he lists off the work. Wherever he is, in whatever form, quartet, sideman or soloist, Mr. Frank Catalano can fill the room with what it needs.

L. Shankar was exposed to Carnatic music and other styles from an early age. He started studying vocals at the age of 2, then violin at 5, then mridangam at 7 which is when he gave his first public concert. In 1958, Shankar and his 2 older brothers, formed the Violin Trio along with Palghat Mani Iyer which made history in the 20th century Carnatic music scene. He gained a large following performing with some of the most eminent names in Carnatic music, playing all through India, and was highly sought after by legendary musicians such as Chembai Vaithyanatha Baghavatar, Palghat Mani Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Alathur Srinivasa Iyer. In 1973, John Mclaughlin & Shankar formed the band Turiyananda Sangeet and they co-wrote all the music for it. The band also included Ramnad Raghavan on the mridangam. Zakir Hussain was later added on tabla and the band name was changed to Shakti. Raghavan didn’t stay with the project and T.H. Vikku Vinayakaram was added on ghatam for the remainder of those original Shakti days. The band toured extensively around the world. Shankar co-wrote all of the group’s material with John McLaughlin, resulting in the release of 3 world music albums. He also performed extensively on his Indian classical tours with Zakir Hussain & Vinayakram that became a big hit globally. He recorded several classical albums with them featuring his groundbreaking Ragam Tanam Pallavi compositions in highly complex rhythmic cycles that were ahead of their time. He recorded 8 world music albums for the reputed German label ECM and toured extensively featuring renowned musicians such as saxophonist Jan Garbarek, Trilok Gurtu, Zakir Hussain, Kenny Wheeler, Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell & Naná Vasconcelos in many Jazz & world music festivals organized by ECM. Shankar is a one-of-a-kind musician venturing in different genres of music. Besides his numerous classical albums he has released worldwide several pop, rock, electronic dance music hit albums and videos. In 1990, Shankar co-produced a one-hour BBC film directed by award winning director H.O. Nazareth. It was nominated as one of the best documentaries at the Cannes Film Festival. Shankarʼs work has been featured in many films and his pop, rock, electronic dance music albums have featured guest artists such as Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, John Waite, Stewart Copeland, Ginger Baker, Toto, Jonathon Davis, Natasha Bedingfield, Randy Jackson & Patrick Leonard. He has also collaborated with Frank Zappa (who produced Shankarʼs solo record for Zappa Records), Talking Heads, Pete Townsend, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithful, Sting, Jeff Beck, U2, The Pretenders, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Dave Stewart, Pete Townsend, Robert Trujillo, Stephen Perkins and many more. Shankar has worked on numerous soundtracks including the Grammy award winning and controversial “The Last Temptation of Christ” by the legendary film maker Martin Scorsese. He co-wrote many tracks with Peter Gabriel and his vocals were featured in the movie. In 2004 Shankar, composed and performed vocals on Mel Gibsonʼs “The Passion of the Christ”. His unmistakable haunting voice was heard all through the movie. Additional special projects included invitations to perform at The Princeʼs Trust Rock Gala 1988 in England, The United Nations Peace Day Festival & Nelson Mandela’s 80th Birthday celebration. The rock extravaganza, Human Rights Now World Tour in 1988, featured Shankar’s own group, who were joined in performance by Bruce Springsteen & Peter Gabriel, in addition to several other musicians. Shankar collaborated with the gifted duo Wendy & Lisa on their original score for the NBC smash hit TV series “Heroes”. In August 2024, Shankar released Over the Stars with his dear friend and longtime collaborator on ghatam, Vikku Vinayakram—one of South Indiaʼs greatest percussionists. The album also featured Vikkuʼs son, the renowned percussionist Selvaganesh Vinayakram, and his grandson, Swaminathan Selvaganesh, both on kanjira. One month later, in September 2024, Shankar released Full Moon, a sequel to Over the Stars, this time featuring tabla maestro, Abhijit Banerjee. The album reached #3 on the World Music Charts Europe in 2025. He released his latest star-studded pop-rock album in 2025 titled Answers, a collection of undeniably replay-worthy tracks that lead listeners through lifeʼs biggest questions and truths. The album is shaped by a core group of progressive rock musicians—some of whom Shankar first worked with over 35 years ago. In 2026, Shankar was appointed Dean of the Swara Community Art Center in Malaysia. He resides in Malaysia and India in between tours, and is currently working on his solo album as well as a new collaborative album with Tarun Bhattacharya & Bikram Ghosh set to be released later in 2026.

I had the complete honor of spending some time discussing an upcoming event at the Stoughton Opera House with L. Shankar. We got into who would be accompanying him on that evening’s music quest. I was so happy to hear who will be joining (stars) and the type of music we will be treated to. We get deep into his career and collaborations. We talk about how he approached many different styles of music that he has been a part of. The range is so advanced and diverse, I just imagined that there must be some special preparation or moments of clarity. Find out. I feel so fortunate to be able to spend time with someone so adverse to boundaries and still asked to color within so many interesting lines sonically, and the treat at the end of the rainbow in Stoughton will be a Carnatic dream come true. Dream with me.

photo by Jonathan Woo

Over the course of the last decade, Brooklyn native Adam O’Farrill, has cemented himself as one of the most in-demand trumpet players on the international contemporary jazz scene, and is widely recognized as a “rising star as a player and composer” (PopMatters) and “a blazing young trumpet talent” (The New York Times). Of course, none of this comes as any surprise, considering the rich musical lineage into which he was born: Adam’s grandfather was the boundary-pushing Cuban composer & arranger, Chico O’Farrill; his father is the composer, pianist & activist, Arturo O’Farrill; his mother, Alison Deane, is a classical pianist & educator; his brother and frequent collaborator, Zack O’Farrill, is a drummer & musicologist. Adam himself has been featured with the likes of Hiromi, Mary Halvorson, Vijay Iyer, Anna Webber, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Mulatu Astatke, Samora Pinderhughes, Son Lux, & Kaoru Watanabe, and has garnered widespread acclaim as a leader in his own right. Adam has released 4 albums documenting his longtime quartet Stranger Days, including 2024’s HUESO, which The Washington Post called, “strikingly original.” HUESO features saxophonist Xavier Del Castillo, bassist Walter Stinson, and his brother Zack on drums in the chord-less setting that has served as the vehicle for the lion’s share of O’Farrill’s output as a composer. The band’s previous album, Visions of Your Other, was named one of 2021’s best jazz albums by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Popmatters, and was awarded the Preis Der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik in January 2022. Adam has received awards and recognition for both his compositions and his work as an improviser. In 2014, he won 3rd place honors in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Trumpet Competition, and in both 2019 and 2021, he won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best Rising Star Trumpeter. Adam has received commissions and grants from organizations such as The Shifting Foundation, South Arts, Roulette, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Metropolis Ensemble, The Jazz Gallery, as well as winning the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. Adam holds a B.M. in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. During his time there, he studied composition with Reiko Füting, and trumpet with Laurie Frink, Thomas Smith, & Cecil Bridgewater. Previous to college, O’Farrill’s teachers included Jim Seeley, Nathan Warner & Ambrose Akinmusire, and he attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music and Art and Performing Arts, in Manhattan.

Adam and I had a chance to get together ahead of the September 4th show at the North Street Cabaret. He is bringing his latest project ELEPHANT here with the same cast of players that are on the album of the same name that was released at the end of March:
Adam O’Farrill– trumpet/electronics, fender rhodes
Yvonne Rogers– piano, synthesizer
Walter Stinson– double bass
Russell Holzman– drums
We dive into both the event and that album to find out how both came to be, how it was possible to bring the same players on the road and how he takes the past and works in the future to create a unique now sound. Adam, as a bandleader, always brings a sound that leads me to open spaces, undeveloped yet in my mind. He surrounds himself in his groups as well as jobs he accepts, with people who also seem to find ways to blaze those new trails within me.

Experience four days of interactive, immersive, and multisensory events at Olbrich Botanical Gardens from Wednesday, August 12 through Saturday August 15, including a two-day spatially composed Sound Garden installation by composer and NeuroArtist JG Everest. The NeuroArts Festival will have a variety of programming centered on deepening audiences’ connection with the natural environment and with their Madison community, including participatory art workshops, sound installations within the Gardens, and collaborations with local performance groups. All events are free and open to the public; workshops will require advance registration. No prior experience necessary. This event was organized by the community curation project, LAB^4.

Sound Garden with JG Everest:
•Friday, August 14, 1:00-8:00pm
•Saturday, August 15, 10:00am-6:00pm

Composer, Director & Historian JG Everest is a multi-disciplinary artist working at the intersections of engagement, ecology, history & the emerging field of NeuroArts through a variety of collaborative place-making practices. He creates site-specific performance installations that connect the histories, ecology & cultures of places & communities, using spatial sound design as an integral compositional element. He has worked as music director & sound designer, as well as performer for many projects & performing ensembles, including over a decade each with Catalyst Dance and Roma di Luna. He regularly designs & leads integrative workshops and classes that connect participants to community, their own creativity, and the natural world, through a variety of disciplines and practices. He has brought his immersive, site-specific “Sound Garden” installations to outdoors sites in the UK, Canada, and across the USA. He was a 2019 McKnight Artist Composer Fellow, and MNPAiR Artist in Residence at Wild River State Park 2024-25.

I had the chance to catch up with JG Everest ahead of this mind-opening event at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. We dive into the specific event, the mapping and planning that goes into a sound garden installation and the specific composition chosen (and how it is chosen) for this site specific event. This is yet another fine example of how sound and music can be interwoven with nature elegantly and with intention to help foster a new sense of community.

70 years after its initial recording, blues-rock artist Amani Burnham posted a video of himself playing Muddy Waters’ “Hoochie Coochie Man.” It was surreal to see a nineteen year old on Instagram wielding a white Fender Stratocaster with such dexterous ferocity & one-of-a-kind personality. In his hands, the Willie Dixon blues standard sounded sexy & dangerous again. At the time, Amani hadn’t been playing guitar for very long, and the post was simply a natural extension of his love for blues-rock. Yet his fluid soloing and electrifying showmanship captured the imagination of blues fans and seasoned professional musicians alike, inadvertently heralding the arrival of a new blues dynamo. On May 29th, he is stepping out from behind the screen with his debut album, ‘Roots & Wings’, coming soon on Blind Pig Records. The 12-track collection showcases Amani’s remarkable guitar work—played uniquely with his right-hand thumb rather than a pick—alongside soulful vocals and introspective songwriting. From the turbo-charged instrumental “Fastlane” to the deeply personal title track reflecting on his Ethiopian roots, the album crackles with groovy blues-rock riffs, cosmic solos, and stinging vibrato. Recorded at the renowned Carriage House Studios with a classic power-trio setup, Roots & Wings honors the legacy of blues-rock giants while heralding a bold new voice for a new generation. Since starting on social media in late 2023, Amani has amassed more than 240,000 followers and nearly 30 million cumulative views on TikTok, Instagram, & Facebook.

I had the chance to get a quick hang in with Amani to get a deeper sense of how this debut album, ‘Roots and Wings‘ went from ideas to just about being unleashed into the world. We talk about how some of the songs were originally writing when he was just a true kid but he sounds like a young man who feels the past as he helps shape the future of the blues. There is so much, as a listener, you will say you recognize…but its fresh and is like a perfectly fitting ballcap – just so right. We discuss the title track so people get a sense of a being who is grounded and we allow Amani to build a setlist for airplay one day y choosing one of this top to bottom fabulous album and adds a few tunes to it.

photo by: J.B. Lawrence

Some artists spend their whole lives getting ready for the moment the world finally hears them. Brother Wallace is one of them. Today, the West Point, Georgia-bred singer, pianist, & soul revivalist announces his debut album, Electric Love, out May 8 via ATO Records. It’s a bold 1st chapter from a voice that feels less like a “new artist” and more like a force that’s been building quietly for years. Raised in a small rural town where the church was both community and classroom, Wallace began singing early and started formal piano training at six years old. By 14, he was directing a 100-member choir—leading not from ambition, but from instinct. Music wasn’t extracurricular; it was identity. Still, his path didn’t follow the typical industry arc. Wallace built a life at the intersection of art & service, becoming a K–12 music teacher and shaping young voices day after day, even as his own kept growing into something undeniable. Over time, that “teacher” story expanded into something bigger: including sharing the stage with gospel legend Kirk Franklin performing at Madison Square Garden. But it wasn’t until a chance meeting sparked a creative partnership—one that stretched across years and continents—that Brother Wallace’s vision began assembling into the album it was always meant to become. That partnership was with Dan Taylor (The Heavy), who became not just a collaborator but a catalyst. Recorded at Real World Studios (the legendary facility founded by Peter Gabriel) and produced/co-written by Taylor, Electric Love captures the breathless immediacy of Wallace’s performances—engineered and mixed by Bob Mackenzie (James Blake, The 1975, King Krule, SAULT) and Jim Abbiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys). The result is soul music that feels alive in your hands: gritty, radiant, and built around the kind of vocal that turns rooms silent before it turns them inside out. Across its 13 songs, Electric Love is less a debut than a revelation—a body of work fueled by gospel roots and classic soul lineage (Sam Cooke, Little Richard, Southern soul greats) while refusing to live in nostalgia. Wallace writes in lived-in scenes and hard-earned feeling: heartbreak without defeat, joy without naïveté, vulnerability without apology. Brother Wallace will bring that world to the stage supporting St. Paul & The Broken Bones on his first-ever tour—an ideal match for a performer whose voice and presence were made for big rooms, shared air, and nights that feel like revival.

I had the chance to catch up with Brother Wallace ahead of the May 3rd show with St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Sylvee. Not only did we get a chance to talk about what the people in attendance can expect from him and band, we learn who the players with him are, but the New alum Electric Love drops may 8th. We dive into the story behind the album from how it went down to the feeling of it about to be in the world in its entirety. We get the true story of how he got to be a [part of working with the Heavy – yep – he took a call at the mall and we do share a little educator banter about our ways as well. Before I let him go, I of course wanted to know if he had to air a track as part of building a set on the radio from the new record, which does he go with and why. This question is almost always interesting and often leads me to new artists…but his setlist included some classics.

On the heels of his acclaimed two-album collaboration with the late poet and activist Nikki Giovanni, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson embarks on a new project paying tribute to one of America’s most revered songwriters, whose own work has been hailed for its intricate poetry and outspoken politics. With Jackson Plays Dylan, scheduled for release on April 10, 2026 via his own Solid Jackson Records imprint in a collaboration with Palmetto Records, the saxophonist explores the music of the iconic singer-songwriter, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Dylan. Jackson Plays Dylan finds the saxophonist delving into songs spanning more than 3 decades of the legendary songwriter’s career, from still-poignant folk anthems to incisive & timeless love songs. Jackson is joined on the album by pianist & keyboardist Jeremy Manasia, bassist Isaac Levine, drummer Ryan Sands, and Grammy-winning guest vocalists Lisa Fischer & Nicole Zuraitis. The jazz-focused saxophonist had grown up with almost no awareness of rock music, unfamiliar with even a cultural icon on the level of Bob Dylan. That didn’t change until he was in his 20s and joined the ranks of the final incarnation of the Jazz Messengers. Mr. Blakey’s attorney was a Dylan fan and introduced Javon to the music and the film Hurricane came out in 1999. That drama starred Denzel Washington as Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a black middleweight boxer who spent more than 18 years in prison for a murder that he didn’t commit. The film brought renewed attention to Dylan’s 1976 song “Hurricane,” which strongly denounces the criminal justice system and its use of racial profiling to falsely convict Carter. The song provided Jackson with a renewed insight into the bold strain of social justice that has illuminated so much of Dylan’s work. In that sense, Dylan’s work parallels that of Nikki Giovanni, with whom Jackson formed a strong bond over the course of their 2 critically acclaimed collaborations: The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni (2022) & Javon and Nikki Go to the Movies (2024). Though the idea of a Dylan tribute had been in the back of Jackson’s mind since he discovered “Hurricane,” the present project was conceived with Giovanni’s participation in mind, but sadly, those plans came to an unfortunate end on December 9, 2024, when Giovanni passed away from complications of lung cancer. Jackson Plays Dylan thus became a dual tribute – a celebration of Bob Dylan’s music and a posthumous continuation of the work that Jackson & Giovanni had embarked upon together.

About Javon:
Missouri-born tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson left his studies at Berklee College of Music in 1986 to join Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, where he remained a fixture until Blakey’s passing in 1990. In 1991, Jackson made his recording debut with Me and Mr. Jones, featuring James Williams, Christian McBride, & master drummer Elvin Jones. He joined Jones’ group in 1992, appearing on the great drummer’s albums Youngblood & Going Home. Jackson’s 1994 Blue Note debut, When the Time Is Right, was a straight-ahead affair produced by iconic jazz vocalist & bandleader Betty Carter. His subsequent 4 Blue Note recordings featured wildly eclectic programs ranging from Caetano Veloso, Frank Zappa & Santana to Muddy Waters, Al Green & Serge Gainsbourg. For the Palmetto label he explored a blend of funk, jazz & soul with such stellar sidemen as organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, guitarists Mark Whitfield & David Gilmore, trombonist Fred Wesley & drummer Lenny White. In 2012, he launched his own Solid Jackson Records with Celebrating John Coltrane.

Once again, I had the pleasure of catching up with Javon about some new music to feed our souls. This time around it is his tribute of sorts to a master of another type of trade, Mr. Bob Dylan. We started by talking about what this release wasn’t before we got into what is is. It was going to be something that his friend and colleague, Nikki Giovanni was going to write some new poetry for and form another collaborative effort with Javon. Unfortunately the world lost Nikki and that was not to be. But plan B was just as wonderful, with the support of Lisa Fischer & friend of the proGran, Nicole Zuraitis and a band as with it as anyone Mr. Dylan would have backing him to tell his stories. We talk about how Javon was not familiar with any of this work until much later in life and just what was it that helped him feel the music and understand the type of person Bob Dylan seemed to be. The entire project really doesn’t stray from the original meaning and hope they were written with, the integrity of the tracks in a almost all for one and one for all fade in mentality, really sits with me as I reflect on times gone by still circling back with such a serious importance. This is one record that should end up in people’s hands with the intent to share.

Friends of the proGram BALTHVS, the Colombian psych-funk trio, has wrapped up their massive world tour and impressively stayed true to a commitment they made to themselves and their fans: to deliver a unique setlist at every show. As they traveled across Europe, the U.S., & Latin America, with dates opening for My Morning Jacket & major festivals, the band saw firsthand what happens to a song when it is given a year, crowds & open stages to evolve. Their newest album is the product of that time on the road. Aptly titled Transmutations, it defies easy categorization. It is not a live album, nor a conventional studio release, but something rarer: a document of transformation. It was captured live during their late 2025 European concerts and the Flesh & Soul tour, by Zev Russ, with additional studio recordings taking place in San Diego, CA, & Bogota, Colombia, recorded & produced by bandleader Balthazar Aguirre. The album also marks a transitional moment in the band’s story. It serves as both farewell & welcome: a bittersweet send-off for fill-in bassist Vanessa Muñoz, whose ferocious energy redefined the sound of these songs in concert, and a joyful homecoming for Johanna Mercuriana. Both appear on the record, as the band is unwilling to erase either chapter, making Transmutations a living record of the people who shaped it. On the new album, longtime fans will recognize the band’s signature warmth in Johanna’s Dream and their reverence for improvisation in Inner Heights. All is One, their psychedelic centerpiece, grew a full offspring in Outer Reaches, a tribal drum-driven journey that spotlights the percussive brilliance of Santiago. Ojos Verdes similarly gave birth to LSD in Bahia, a hypnotic fusion of Brazilian & Hungarian rhythms filtered through the unmistakable BALTHVS lens. Those newer to BALTHVS will find an entry point in Mood Swing, a dance-floor-ready arrangement born from a remix by collaborator Sinego, & Shakedown Street, the band’s love letter to the Grateful Dead, a group that is foundational to their entire musical pursuit. With Transmutations, BALTHVS celebrates their 1st fully independent release, arriving under their own Cubensis Records imprint. It is a milestone that reflects 5 years of growth not just as musicians but as artists who have full command of their creative & business lives. It is a record that could only exist today, as it is shaped by everything they have lived & learned, by the people who came and went, and by the audiences who helped them discover what their music could become. In just 5 years, BALTHVS has become one of indie music’s most vital & globally resonant voices. Hailing from Colombia, BALTHVS is a three-piece psychedelic funk rock band creating groove-driven, atmospheric music that draws from global influences. Their sound fuses the spirit of 70s psychedelia with funk, Latin rhythms, & ambient texture. Inspired by artists like Santana, Khruangbin, Thievery Corporation, & The Grateful Dead, BALTHVS create music that feels both nostalgic & forward-thinking, a guitar-driven psychedelic funk rock experience that is unmistakably their own. At the heart of the group is Balthazar Aguirre, a self-taught guitarist who started down his musical path after a near death rock climbing accident. The incident opened his eyes to his true passion, music, driving him to leave behind his life as a lawyer and form BATHVS. He is joined by fellow musicians and funk enthusiasts Johanna Mercuriana, the bassist, & Santiago Lizcano, the drummer.

I had the chance to get toGether once again with Balthazar to dive ear first into Transmutations. While this is an adventure of the ears, this band delivers everything they do with a lot of heart as well and that is not missed by me. I feel the family affair going on as an outsider with this group. This music, that energy is what runs in their veins and is spilled out onto the stage (or even in the studio) daily/nightly. We talk about why this album right now and Balthazar doesn’t mince words when he says how this is a complete representation of who/what you get when you attend one of their events – the illusive recreation of a live show on a record. We talk about a challenge they took seriously when touring with My Morning Jacket. We talk about the bassist swamp and adding a new family member to the scene. I would have been remiss if I did not talk a little bit as well about their own label that is releasing the album, Cubensis Records. Of course, as we spoke about before, the influence of the Dead is discussed and how Shakedown Street found its place on the record. Live, they have their own ‘Drums->Space type a spot in their set – of course – more groove than experimental. I found our conversation surrounding Jam Bands in the U.S as a phenomena to be very interesting. While they may be growing up in both numbers and experience, it is those past experiences that still help paint the scene of just who this band is, and the sounds they seek. If you have not yet, it feels like now is the time to get yourself a part of this journey.

One of the world’s most acclaimed comedy ensembles, Baby Wants Candy has performed more than 3,000 completely improvised musicals for audiences across Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and Madison! Each performance is powered by audience suggestions, a full band and the troupe’s lightning-fast wit—creating a rollercoaster of spontaneous songs, intricate dance numbers and side-splitting comedy. Each show is a roller-coaster ride of spontaneously choreographed dance numbers, rhyming verses and witty, jaw-dropping comedy. Each performance is the opening and closing night of that performance. BWC has performing casts in Chicago (Apollo Theater), Los Angeles (UCB) and New York (UCB) and tours internationally. The world-renowned improv comedy ensemble Baby Wants Candy returns to Madison with two popular shows, “Baby Wants Candy” and “Shamilton,” at Overture’s second annual Fringe Festival running Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1, 2026.

I had a chance to catchup with the group’s leader, Al Samuels about just what will be going down as Baby Wants Candy gets back to Madison for this year’s Fringe Festival at the Overture Center. We get into how this is the type of show for people who like (or don’t like) musicals, the type of examples they might encounter during the performance, how much the band and the cast like to ‘get’ each other and speaking of the band, just what type of musician gets that gig. There are also workshops the cast will be providing, so we talk about the warming of the heart moments when those who thought they could not, do and all the same types of surprises as being on the stage. Here in Madison there will be two shows of each, the audience suggested title of a musical and ‘Shamilton’ – so that is four unique experiences over a weekend for those who attend. If you think you need a laugh (and I speak from experience) this is definitely a show for you.

A longtime cornerstone of the New York City underground music scene, bassist, producer, label boss & documenter Mr. Bill Laswell has been among the most prolific artists in contemporary music. As a performer, producer & label chief, his signature is on thousands of albums, including more than 135 of his own starting with 1985’s Baselines, the majority are characterized by a signature sound fusing the energy of post-punk with the bone-rattling rhythms of funk, fusion, & dub. He’s also known for star-studded collaborations, having founded Praxis, Material, and several other groups. Mr. Laswell also records immersive electronic ambient explorations as well as fusions of disparate genres from Indian, Latin, & African music to opera, klezmer, hip-hop, jazz, and many other genres. He released 2022’s Nammu with Ulf Ivarsson, and 2 duo recordings with John Zorn, 2022’s The Cleansing and 2023’s Memoria. Mr. Laswell has been a staple of the downtown New York music scene since the late ’70s when he founded Material, a rotating ensemble whose output ranged from angular art-funk (1981’s Memory Serves) to club-friendly, futuristic electro-pop (One Down). His commercial breakthrough came when he co-wrote & produced Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking 1983 electro track “Rockit.” Throughout the decades, he has participated in many musical projects as a bassist, including Last Exit, an avant-jazz-rock supergroup, and has produced dozens of records for a staggering array of artists including Mick Jagger, Nona Hendryx, & Iggy Pop. During the ’90s, Laswell founded/ran the Axiom label to release ambient, dub, & electronic outings. He also helmed a series of remix & reconstruction projects, kicked off by the release of Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969-1974. In the early part of the 80’s he explored Indian music with supergroup Tabla Beat Science, and founded futurist drum’n’bass ensembles Method of Defiance with Submerged. Throughout the 2010s and well into the 2020s, he ran M.O.D. Technologies, a genre-defying label that released albums by avant-jazz artists including Milford Graves & Rudresh Mahanthappa, as well as On Common Ground, a power trio with guitarist Mike Sopko & drummer Tyshawn Sorey. Born on February 12, 1955, in Salem, Illinois, he initially played guitar but soon switched to bass. Raised primarily in the Detroit area, he honed his skills in local funk outfits before relocating to New York in 1978. There Laswell formed Material, an outlet for his experimental approach toward sounds ranging from jazz to hip-hop to worldbeat. Originally the backup unit for Daevid Allen, the group soon began working on its own, issuing its debut EP Temporary Music in 1979. While Material’s early work was more esoteric, they soon released more accessible, pop-influenced music, including the club classic “Bustin’ Out” and the full-length One Down, which included one of Whitney Houston’s first lead vocal performances. In addition to fronting Material, Laswell also mounted a solo career, issuing Baselines in 1983 on Celluloid, a label he partly owned and operated. Appearances on key recordings by the likes of David Byrne, John Zorn, Fred Frith, and the Golden Palominos established him as a virtual nexus of the downtown N.Y.C. community and he broke into the mainstream with his production work on Herbie Hancock’s 1983 smash “Rockit,” which he also co-wrote; Hancock’s follow-up LP, Sound-System, won him a Grammy. Throughout the mid-’80s Laswell was everywhere, playing bass on LPs from artists including Mick Jagger, Peter Gabriel, Yoko Ono, & Laurie Anderson. He also joined the avant group Curlew and produced a number of African acts. In 1986, Laswell joined guitarist Sonny Sharrock, drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, & saxophonist Peter Brötzmann in the group Last Exit; a second solo LP, Hear No Evil, appeared 2 years later, and after a long hiatus he also resurrected Material in 1989 with Seven Souls. Another project, the hip-hop-flavored Praxis, was resumed after almost a decade of inactivity with 1992’s Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis). In 1990, Laswell formed another label, Axiom, to explore his interest in the new sounds of ambient and techno; where in the past his work rarely appeared solely under his own name, by the middle of the decade he was issuing several solo records annually in a wide range of styles from dub to jazz. He also remained among the most prolific producers in the business, collaborating with the likes of Dub Syndicate, Pete Namlook, Buckethead, & DJ Spooky. In 1998 he released Panthalassa: The Music of Miles Davis 1969–1974, a “remix translation” that won acclaim across the music world. IN 2001 he issued one with Carlos Santana as its subject entitled Divine Light: Reconstructions & Mix Translation. In 2004, Laswell signed a multi-album label deal with the Sanctuary Records group. The deal spawned his new label, Nagual. He also began to collaborate on a series of drum’n’bass-styled recordings with Submerged (aka Kurt Gluck of the Ohm Resistance imprint), the first of these, attributed to Bill Laswell vs. Submerged, was entitled Brutal Calling and issued by Avant in 2004 with contributions from Toshinori Kondo & Guy Licata. Through the Sanctuary label’s earlier acquisition of the seminal reggae label Trojan, Laswell now had access to the Jamaican label’s sizable back catalog. Picking some of his favorite cuts and remixing them, He issued the Trojan-sourced Dub Massive: Chapter One and Chapter Two in May 2005. Laswell and Submerged re-teamed under the Method of Defiance moniker for 2006’s The Only Way to Go Is Down on Sublight Records. This was followed by 2007’s Inamorata, on Ohm Resistance. This date found the pair teaming various drum’n’bass producers, including Future Prophecies, Evol Intent, & SPL, with jazz, rock, & avant artists such as Herbie Hancock, Pharoah Sanders, Nils Petter Molvaer, & Buckethead. That same year he issued the mix translation outing The Tony Williams Lifetime: Turn It Over (Redux). Laswell also released a collaboration with Finnish producer Fanu on Ohm Resistance titled Lodge, which includes contributions from Molvaer & Bernie Worrell. The notion of a live band created around the Method of Defiance structure was initiated with participation from Laswell, Worrell, Kondo, Licata, & Dr. Israel. The group was documented on Nihon from the RareNoise imprint in 2009. In 2010, Laswell initiated a new label called M.O.D. Technologies. Said to be centered around the principles of a solidified Method of Defiance lineup, the label released 3 albums that year: Method of Defiance’s Jahbulon, the instrumental dub-centric Incunabula, and a live offering from Laswell’s spouse, Gigi, with Material, entitled Mesgana Ethiopia. Laswell also collaborated with Submerged (who had left Method of Defiance) for a new group called the Blood of Heroes, which also included Dr. Israel, Enduser, & Justin Broadrick. The band released a self-titled debut & remix album Remain on Ohm Resistance in 2010. Laswell collaborated with master reggae & Radical Jewish Culture bassist/composer David Gould on a dub version of the latter’s 2009 album Feast of the Passover. The new recording, titled Dub of the Passover, was issued by Tzadik in 2011. Metastation released Aspiration, an electronic album billed to Bill Laswell & Friends (including Alice Coltrane, Carlos Santana, Pharoah Sanders, & Zakir Hussain),the tunes were dedicated to the ensemble members’ own inspirational figures, including H.H. Dalai Lama XIV, Sonny Sharrock, Rumi, & Pattabhi Jois. The Blood of Heroes’ 2nd album, The Waking Nightmare, appeared in 2012. M.O.D. Technologies continued releasing material, including archival releases by Praxis as well as Laswell’s collaborations with artists including DJ Krush, Milford Graves & Wadada Leo Smith. In 2014, Laswell collaborated with several Hawaiian musicians for the album Kauai: The Arch of Heaven, which appeared on Metastation. Laswell and Submerged collaborated once again in 2016, when After Such Knowledge, What Forgiveness? appeared on Ohm Resistance. Along with Masahiro Shimba, Laswell combined dub & opera on the ESP-Disk release Risurrezione. He also released work with Japanese drummer Hideo Yamaki & avant-rock guitarist Raoul Bjorkenheim. In 2018, Laswell collaborated with drummer Simon Barker, guitarist Henry Kaiser, & saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa on Mudang Rock, an album inspired by the Shamanic ritual music of Korea. The following year, he teamed with Jah Wobble to release the group offering Realm of Spells with guitarist Martin Chung, keyboardist George King, alternating drummers Mark Layton-Bennett & Hideo Yamaki, with guest Peter Apfelbaum on saxophone & flute. Before year’s end, he cut the single “Showing Up”/”The Power of the Vote” with Dave Douglas and released the 2017 Sonar session featuring electric guitarist David Torn. In April 2020, Laswell released Against Empire, an electro-acoustic offering issued by MOD Reloaded. His sidemen on the session included Sanders & Apfelbaum on saxes & flutes, Herbie Hancock on electric piano, drummers Jerry Marotta, Chad Smith, Satoyasu Shomura, & Yamaki, and Adam Rudolph on percussion. In October he collaborated with guitarist Mike Sopko & drummer Tyshawn Sorey on the power trio outing On Common Ground. Freely improvised, it was inspired by the live albums of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. Laswell spent most of 2021 working with his M.O.D. Technologies, issuing archival recordings for the first time and long out of print titles. Among the offerings that appeared that year were his own long-form ambient work Essay in Light and Tokyo Rotation, offering volumes drawn from various live sets played in 2009 and 2010 with an enviable clutch of Japanese musicians including Toshinori Kondo, Hideo Yamaki, DJ Krush, & Akira Sakata, among others. In 2022, Mr. Laswell & Swedish composer & multi-instrumentalist Ulf Ivarsson released the avant, electronica-laden fusion of Nammu on Ropeadope. He also issued The Cleansing on Tzadik, a duo recording with John Zorn. They followed it with a 2nd album titled Memoria in May 2023. He has been involved with many projects to this day, which leads us to one of his latest, Cosmic Trip, the new solo album by legendary Miles Davis saxophonist Sam Morrison. Blazing with heat, flowing with cool, crisp and edgy electric sound, the music allows you to savor every aspect of his remarkable talent. Mix-translation of course by Mr. Laswell and the album is presented by his MOD Reloaded label.

I had the complete honor to get some time with Mr. Laswell to dive into ‘Cosmic Trip‘ to get inside how it came to be. We talk about how the project went from that idea to the powerhouse sonic exploration it turne dout to be. We talk about one of the tracks specifically to get a sense of how it was born and the interesting part of the discussion around the album was just how Mr. Laswell found out just who this cat, Sam Morrison is. This is where the gold started ot be mined. We also talked briefly about his recently departed friend Sly Dunbar, and once again it wasn;t just anbout the music, it was about the person he was (which happens to be all about every side of music)/. We even quickly touched base on one of more recent artists he worked with whom I have had on the proGram, Nevaris, which just keeps reminding me how much of the things I have put into my ears, my mind and all my emotions that Bill has been a part of. He has literally shaped the listener and feeler of music I am. More to come.

Photo by: Hiroshi Ohnuma

Mike Mattison, a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band & the Derek Trucks Band for over 23 years, today releases Turn A Midnight Corner, his 3rd solo outing for Landslide Records. So, what is Turn A Midnight Corner? As is often the case with Mattison, there is a back story. He had an idea to write a novella about a country blues duo from the 1930s, ‘Ted ‘n’ Turk,’ who are ‘rediscovered’ in the early 1970s by a music critic. They’re brought together as aging men and are poised to re-record their old 78 rpm sides. However, the ‘rediscovery’ turns into a bit of a media circus when rockstars come sniffing around, money muddies the waters, race stuff encroaches, resentments emerge, and the whole thing falls to pieces. All the songs in this collection were written by Mattison (Thumbs Plus Music / ASCAP) and recorded in a couple of week-long sessions at Studio MG in Roswell, GA. The LP was co-produced by Mattison and mix engineer Jason Kingsland [Band of Horses, Bryan Ferry, Belle & Sebastian] and engineered by Spencer Garn and drummer Tyler “The Falcon” Greenwell. It features members of his current band, Trash Magic: guitarist Dave Yoke (Dr. John/Susan Tedeschi Band/Scrapomatic), guitarist Greg Spradlin (Los Lobos satellite member), bassist and keyboardist Wesley Flowers, and drummer Tyler Greenwell (Tedeschi Trucks Band.) A native Minnesotan and Harvard University graduate, Mattison penned some of Tedeschi Trucks Band’s signature tunes, e.g., “Midnight in Harlem.” With TTB & DTB, Mattison has won two GRAMMYs, eight Blues Music Awards, and four Canadian Maple Blues Awards. He’s toured the planet, played on five continents, and every state except Alaska.

I have had the chance to chat with Mike a few times over the years. Each time is a growing experience for me. Anyone who knows me knows just how much his group with Paul Olsen (and others of course), Scrapomatic is certainly a guilty please of mine. His voice is something that cause a feel that runs thru me and heads right to my soul. This time around we have a different project to dive into. We talk about the new album ‘Turn a Midnight Corner with his latest group, Trash Magic. We go see to flower on this new music and get to know the band a little bit more. Not a big surprise to me that the beGinning of this music stars with him working on a book. Mike clues us in to how he attempts to box out the other things he has ongoing to find time to make all this happen. Here we are on the day this album drops and a few tour dates with Trash Magic lined up. We take time also to dissect one of the tracks, often I am easily set astray when a tune comes on sounding like the rhythm of a train and there’s one of those right her eon this new record, so we take a walk through that one together as well. The music and Mike make me feel like for a little bit, I (and hopefully we) get to walk into some new stories and be a[part of it, or away from that, for just a little bit.

Photo: Alix Lamber

Thollem is a pianist, keyboardist, composer, improviser, singer-songwriter, activist, author & teacher. He has toured throughout North America & Europe as an itinerant artist for 2 decades, performing, teaching & collaborating in myriad situations across the idiomatic spectrum. Thollem’s known in concentric circles as an acoustic piano player in the free jazz & post-classical worlds, as the lead vocalist for the Italian agit-punk band Tsigoti, and as an electronic keyboardist through a multitude of projects. His lifelong interest has been to work with people from all walks of life, bringing artists & communities together in ways that may create something uniquely valuable to everyone involved. He is currently focused primarily on his multimedia collaboration with New Mexican visual artist ACVilla, his solo piano work Infinite-Sum Game, his new autobiographical songs project Godammit Tommy!, and workshops on the collaborative process. Since 2005, he has played over 3,000 concerts throughout N. America & Europe, releasing more than 100 albums on 27 different vanguard labels. A very brief cross section of his many collaborators include William Parker, Pauline Oliveros, Stefano Scodanibbio, Nels Cline, Sara Lund, Rob Mazurek, Michael Wimberly, Mike Watt, Susan Alcorn, & Carmina Escobar. Thollem is a published author about art, politics and his travels in NewMusic Box, The Anthology of Essays On Deep Listening, Full Moon Magazine (Prague) & First American Art Magazine. 2 years ago Other Minds Records released The Light Is Real with Terry Riley, Thollem, & Nels Cline. This latest album, ‘The Right Is Real’ features Mr. Terry Riley, and is a return to the original duo concept, starting from scratch. Tracks 1 – 4 are the recordings from the 1st session Terry & Thollem recorded on-line. The rest of the album are samples of these recordings played by Thollem through a Wavestate, in real-time. The impetus for this project together was a kind of epiphany he had when he walked into his Suegra’s bathtub room in northern New Mexico surrounded by her mural of a Redwood forest. Thollem was so captivated that he took a photo and simultaneously thought “the light is real” & “Terry Riley”. Mr. Riley and Thollem have been friends for many years and Thollem shared this epiphany with him. They decided to improvise with their voices while meditating on this photo & concept. Now, on the Winter solstice, ‘The Light Is Real (VOICES)’ has been let out into the world.

I had the chance to get back together with family to the proGram, Thollem to discuss this recent offering into the sonic landscape. We get into the original ideas, hearing them back now since it has been ‘released’ and the work that went into it once the thoughts were shared. In the early Spring, Post Consumer Records will be doing a physical release of this album for people to get a chance to hold it in their hands. Thollem assures us (there is no doubt) that the art that will accompany will be yet another part to this gift. He reminds us of the music he is creating for his forst autobiographical project, Godammit Tommy!, from which I have shared a few tracks, and this is a completely different beast than this work with Mr. Riley. COMPLEETELY! There is no reason to not be reminded about the work he and Angela have done with the documentary series Artists Engaged, as we talk about how we both find new people to become immersed into because of each other. This space is a place where open minded deep listeners can go to be introduced to ‘off the beaten path’ artists to feel.

Grammy Winner, Doris Duke Artist & Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón represents a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced & blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation & tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking & influential saxophonists/composers of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between jazz and his many musical influences. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has released 18 recordings as a leader, including his latest, Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard (2025), the Grammy-nominated Golden City (2024), & the Grammy-winning album El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2 (2023). He has worked with luminaries such as The SFJAZZ Collective, Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Perez, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Kurt Elling, Joey Calderazzo, Steve Coleman, Ray Barreto, Andy Montañez, The Mingus Big Band & Bobby Hutcherson. In April 2008 he received a fellowship from the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Later that year he was one of 25 distinguished individuals chosen to receive the coveted MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “Genius Grant.” In 2011 he founded Caravana Cultural, a program which presents free-of-charge Jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico. In 2022 he received an Honorary Doctorate from La Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the highest honor bestowed by the institution. In 2024 he received a Doris Duke Artist Award from the Doris Duke Foundation. Zenón has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe & The Chicago Tribune. In addition, he topped both the Jazz Artist of the Year & Alto Saxophonist of the Year categories in the 2014 JazzTimes Critics Poll and was selected as Alto Saxophonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2015, 2018, 2019 & 2020 (when he was also recognized as Arranger of the Year). In 2023 he was recognized by the same organization as the Composer of the Year. As a composer he has been commissioned by SFJAZZ, NYO Jazz, The New York State Council on the Arts, Chamber Music America, Logan Center for The Arts, The Hyde Park Jazz Festival, The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, MIT, Spektral Quartet, Miller Theater, The Hewlett Foundation, Peak Performances, PRISM Quartet, Kinetic Ensemble and many of his peers. Zenón has given hundreds of lectures and master classes at institutions all over the world and is an Associate Professor in the Music & Theater Arts Department at MIT.

I had the honor to get some time catching up with Miguel ahead of the December 5th event in Madison at Arts Literature Laboratory with the great pianist, Mr. Luis Perdomo. We get into what people can expect this time around with their ‘El Arte Del Bolero’ concert that evening. We talk about what a new person to this scene might expect. Miguel also shares about them workshopping in some new music into these sets. That leads to a conversation around improv, live recordings versus studio work and we end up finding out what he has been listening to these days. The dive into making of his latest record and sharing the moments that have been captured in time and getting it to the point of wanting it to be documented and shared was such a highlight for me to wrap my mind around. Considering the people he has worked with and been inspired by, it was very insightful when we get talking about him being an instrument for someone else’s project.