https://greenleafmusic.com/artists/kazemdegeorge/

(KU!) Tell us about yourself and what it was like growing up. Were you in a musical family? Access to instruments at home/school? etc.

My parents weren't pro musicians, but we had a musical household with great records playing all the time. My dad was an amateur drummer, and huge music nerd. He loved Jazz, Reggae, Funk, Fusion, Rock, Soul, etc. and had me on a steady listening diet of the good stuff from a young age.

(KU!) Who were some of your influences in the Bay Area? What were you listening to when you were younger?

One of my first concert experiences was Joshua Redman's Elastic Band with Sam Yahel and Brian Blade at Yoshi's in Oakland. I was obsessed with that band. It was also cool growing up around people like Dayna Stephens, Ambrose Akinmusire, Howard Wiley, Justin Brown, Josiah Woodson, etc. I really looked up to those guys, and I still do. I also had some great teachers and musical mentors growing up: Khalil Shaheed, Charles McNeal, Susan Muscarella, Richard Howell, Ian Willson and others. They were all instrumental in my development.

(KU!) Has your perspective about music changed over the years?

Yes! In many ways. I think my musical goals are much clearer than they used to be. I used to feel very overwhelmed by the vastness of this artform, and I still am, but now I think I know what I need to work on to move forward with the specific goals that I have set for myself. I know that those goals aren't the "end-all-be-all" of music, but they just might occupy me for the rest of my life, and that's good enough for me.

(KU!) What are some of your favorite places to play?

Over the years I have developed some great relationships with different clubs. As artists, we really need help in creating a space for the art, the venues are so important! I've played multiple times at these spots and I'm always grateful when they invite me back: The Jazz Gallery, Bar Bayeux, The Black Cat, Bar Lunático, Ornithology, Mr Tipples, CloseUp, Loove Labs.

(KU!) Do you have a top favorite concert/gig that you performed? If so, describe why it's your favorite

I recently played a sold-out show with my trio at the SFJAZZ Joe Henderson Lab in San Francisco. It was a really fun show playing with some great friends and musicians, and we got the opportunity to play for a lot of new sets of ears. As much work as it is to create the art itself, it's a whole 'nother job to get your music out to where it can be heard by the people who need it. When that happens I know I did something right.

(KU!) What projects are you working on now?

I continue to host the Monday Night jam sessions at Ruth. It's a weekly workshop for me, I get to play my tunes with the best rhythm sections, constantly developing my connection with the musicians, and the songs. It is a beautiful community to be a part of too. Come hang with us!

(KU!) Any specific goals you have for the near future?

I'm really looking forward to my next album release - a trio record with Tyrone Allen, and Kayvon Gordon, coming out on La Reserve Records, April 17th, 2026

(KU!) How did you hear about KEYED UP!? Can you say what KU! means to you as a musician in NYC!

Making ends meet as a working musician in the city is really tough, even if you're a great player who is willing to bust their behind to put things together. A lot of times, the money just still doesn't add up. KEYED UP steps in for me and so many of my peers to help ensure that we can get paid a living wage for our blood sweat and tears. And the whole community benefits! Thank you!

We are delighted to announce vocalist, Tyreek McDole as the next artist to Chat with the Cats.

Where did you grow up? Did you grow up around music/jazz? Do you have any familial experiences with music?

"I grew up in St. Cloud, Florida. Growing up, there was music in the house, mainly the radio that my parents played so I gained my musical upbringing from their listening interests. Jazz, Haitian music, reggaeton. My dad is American and my mother is Haitian-Dominican. I have two older sisters and one younger brother, but none of them are musical. My younger brother is interested in music but more so in music interviews and photography. I had been a fan of music since a young age, my aunt had a piano in the house so that got me curious initially. It was something I always intended to do and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

I went to Osceola County School for the Arts. I started in the band class in sixth grade after watching The Princess and the Frog which got me onto the trumpet. Following this, I moved to classical percussion and then started singing during my senior year of high school. I knew that I had the ability to sing but I didn’t take it seriously or know the impact of my voice until I was playing percussion in a pit orchestra for a production of Into The Woods. During that time, one of the actors had gotten sick and there was a void in their absence. I suggested singing the parts to cover that rehearsal. Once I started singing I noticed heads turning. The jazz director was in the back listening and asked me to join the band for the Ellington competition."

Jazz at Lincoln Center's 2018 Essentially Ellington National Competition

"I went in 2017 as a vibraphonist but came back the next year as a vocalist. It was my first year singing and for that to be punctuated with a win at the competition, I was honored. It gave me a lot of hope and aspiration to continue to work.

I have to credit my mentors Rodney Whittaker and Rockelle Whittaker - they worked with Kenny Garret and Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis amongst others. I previously met them at a summer camp that Rodney ran called the Dr Phillips Jazz Boot Camp in 2017."

Studying at Oberlin

"It's in a small town in Ohio, so smaller even than where I had grown up. It's a college town for sure so it's quite insular. It wasn’t a move that I necessarily wanted at the time but it was a great experience. I studied with geniuses and professors like Gary Bartz and Gerald Cannon. 

My opinion definitely changed and I grew to appreciate the different styles of music from all over America. NYC is a melting point for sure but the best artists aren’t necessarily from here.

I moved to NYC the day after graduation. I luckily landed on my feet - I'm rooming with two great musicians, one a trumpeter also from my hometown named Anthony Hervey and the other Philip Norris who is a bass player. 

I think for the most part I have been in a blessed situation. I found a great community that supports what I do and my work is being recognized. Plenty of folks are eager supporters of my career and I am very grateful for their precedence and guidance."

Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition '23 

"I have known about this competition for years and first applied in '21. This was my third attempt at applying and my first time placing (winning). At the competition I performed three selections of my choice; the first was September in the Rain, the second was Lush Life, and the third was Every Day I Have the Blues. These have been staples of my repertoire since I started singing. I wanted items I had a strong connection with and they each honor a different inspiration of mine. Joe Williams with Every Day I Have the Blues, Johnny Hartman in Lush Life, and Sarah Vaughan for September in the Rain. 

Walking off the stage, I felt proud that I had put my best foot forward and gave it my all. I really felt a great connection with the audience and viewed it as an opportunity to showcase my talents and it being my own show rather than a competition. Between pieces, I took the time to reflect on being a part of such a great legacy of wonderful music and artistry and wanted to continue to pay respect to those who had gone before me.

I was pleasantly surprised at winning - I reflected on how long I have been singing, 5 years, and how lucky I am to be a part of the history of the competition. I was so happy to be there at all but to be awarded the win for my first international vocal competition was incredible." (Tyreek is the 2nd male to ever win in the competition's 12-year history.) 

Tell us about Penny Jo’s and how the weekly set came to be - how would you describe Tuesday nights?

"I was called to play a gig there by a great tenor sax player named Boyce Griffith, I liked the energy of the room and liked how the booker and curator Mr.Seth was very welcoming and appreciative. I leaned on the folks that I knew who supported the mission and the music. We are extremely grateful to KEYEDUP! for sponsoring our performances. 

Now we do a four-piece. It varies from week to week, sometimes it's thematic, featuring a certain artist but we do a lot of my original music also. I have premiered a lot of my original music there. After the first set, we open it up to anyone. I'm hosting the whole time and I'll call people up as long as they are friendly and courteous and we can all create some great art."

Anything you want to promote - album, tour?

"I’ll be flying out to California for a residency at the SF Black Cat."

Thoughts on KEYED UP! and promotion in general of jazz in NYC and beyond?

"I really love and appreciate the mission of KEYED UP!. They understand that art is valuable. It takes a lot of time and decision to schlep your items across town and sing and perform at a high level. To invest back in the art and the artistic community is so important. Also, to allow young up-and-coming artists to create spaces and music that can flourish is vital. KEYED UP! has allowed me to create my own community and contribute back to NYC as NYC has helped me in my career." 

Photo credit: EBAR

Where did you grow up? Did you grow up around music/jazz? Do you have any familial experiences with music?

I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My family immigrated to Los Angeles, when I was three months old. My father was a very good classical pianist and my step-mom was a working freelance pianist/keyboardist in the L.A. area during the mid-seventies. Our garage had been converted into a rehearsal space and many bands, often made up of really good working musicians, rehearsed there regularly.

When (if ever) did you have a lightbulb moment that this could be a career rather than a hobby?

I had a natural aptitude for the drums. My close grade school friend had a drum set and we used to play along to rock and soul records. By the time I was in high school, my family had moved to Phoenix, Arizona. I had a few friends who were musicians, but by that time it had been three years since I last played the drums.

At one point, a couple of friends had lamented that they needed a drummer to form a band. I told them I could play, but they didn’t believe me.

They took me over to a mutual friend's house which had a garage full of instruments. We started playing a ZZ Top song. They were shocked and wondered why I hadn’t mentioned that I played drums sooner. It was at that exact moment that I knew I would be a professional musician. I was fifteen years old.

It would be a few more years before I heard Freddie Hubbard's album Backlash. That inspired me to learn about jazz. And to this day it’s an ongoing process. 

Tell us a little about your interest in swimming

I’m a rabid, I mean avid :) open water swimmer.  As of this writing, I have open water swam for 1170 straight days. I have even managed to coordinate swims when I’ve been on the road. This will be my fourth winter, and I swim without a wetsuit. There is a sizable group of swimmers that do this year-round. We gather at Brighton Beach every morning. I started during covid and I highly recommend open water swimming for many reasons, especially in the winter. It has changed my life in a very profound and meaningful way. 

You moved here in '99 - What have been the major changes to the city and scene in the last 24 years? How would you compare the NYC jazz scene to other places you have played?

Wow, so much has changed. I wouldn’t know where to begin. The cost of living would be one major area. The other might be what I would describe as the over-corporatization of many aspects of our lives in the city. It’s almost inescapable. To me, jazz and music in general in NYC is like no other place I’ve lived or worked. There is a certain degree of community and openness that in my opinion, is unique to NYC. The determination and resolve of musicians, and dedicated artists in general is amazing. No matter what obstacles we’re faced with, we all seem to find a way to persevere and do what we love. Always moving forward!

Tell us about Bar Bayeux and how the weekly set came to be - how would you describe Tuesday nights?

Jeremy, Harriett, and the entire extended family at Bar Bayeux are incredible. A welcoming environment with a focus on jazz and inclusivity makes it a very special place.I had been running a session at another venue in Brooklyn. When that came to an end I approached Jeremy with the idea of starting a session at Bayeux on Tuesday nights. It’s now been close to four years, and it has become a very popular destination for musicians and civilians alike. I also prepare a large pot of complimentary rice and beans, as well as brownies each week. People seem to really love that, too. We’re communicating through music, food, and the spirit of positivity. Something that is much needed in today's world.

Anything you want to promote - album, tour?

Nothing else really to promote. Just come visit and help support Bar Bayeux! In turn that not only helps support the performing musicians, but also those in attendance who get to hear and interact with world-class musicians.

Thoughts on KEYED UP! and promotion in general of jazz in NYC and beyond?

On the subject of KEYED UP!, I can’t really say enough. Without the generous and continuing support of all the benefactors and staff, places like Bar Bayeux would not be able to present the quality and level of music they do. It’s absolutely invaluable in every sense. I also would love to give a special shout-out to my badass bass-playing brother, Rob Duguay! Without his tireless efforts, none of this would exist.

(Photo credit Kyra Kverno)

Where did you grow up? Did you grow up around music/jazz? Do you have any familial experiences with music?

"My father was in the Marines so I don’t really have a home. New York is the closest thing to a home as I’ve lived here longer than anywhere. I was born on a Marine Corps base in North Carolina, moved to southern California, then back. From childhood growing up, northern Delaware and Philadelphia would speak to me as far as roots. This is where I discovered that I wanted to be a musician - the particular way that jazz is played in the Philly area made me the person I am and pushed me to this trajectory. I've been in New York since 2001.  Growing up as a Marine Corps brat, I never lived in most places longer than 4 or 5 years at a time. In December I will be 23 years here.

I have always been a sax player. My parents are from a humble midwestern background. It never occurred to them to get me into music lessons even though they definitely noticed I had an aptitude for music. My mother can carry a tune really well and has a nice voice and I think my father might have played the trumpet in high school. The radio was always on and my parents, for being blue-collar people without a higher education, were pretty imaginative. I remember my father pointing out the music in the movies on TV when I was very young and it changed my focus to listening to the score rather than the movie itself. I remember watching The Muppet Show as a kid, a little blue muppet called Zoot who played the sax. My mom said I always liked when he came on the screen when I was probably around 3 years old. I remember that by the time I got into middle school, the choice was "art or band" - most of the cute girls picked band so I figured I'd follow and play the coolest instrument which I thought was the sax.

In the beginning, the music I was playing was through school and that was important for me. I was a terrible student and hated school. I was bad at most things except for music. I had a middle school band director who promoted me to playing the baritone saxophone, probably just to keep me busy as I was always misbehaving among the other alto sax players, sometimes making fun of the kids who didn’t practice, and I was sometimes the disruptive kid in class. She would be the one to plant the seed later when she told me that she thought I would be interested in playing jazz one day.  So I have to credit her for initially pointing me in that direction. That definitely helped me move towards this path at 12/13 years old. Music, band class, and a teacher who believed in me basically turned me from a C and D student to an A and B student.  Music is such an important part of the US education system when it is done right and definitely pulled me up."

When (if ever) did you have a lightbulb moment?

"This came after I moved to northern Delaware at 14. The greater Philly area was much more metropolitan, and thus jazz was much more common to hear than in the rural and southern parts of the US. I was far more exposed to it there and I joined a band in the high school with a band director that had more jazz focus. I was promoted to the first chair alto there and I always thought I wanted to do something in music but wasn’t sure. I thought I would be a Marine for most of my life. I think I was in my junior year of high school and the Count Basie Band was traveling through and did a concert at my school. The lead alto player was running late and I was playing with my band director's local community adult jazz band and we opened up for them. So Frank Foster, who was the band leader for the Basie band at the time, comes up to me - and probably did it to be cheeky - and says "Our alto player is late. Why don’t you sit in for the first couple of tunes?" That was kinda stupid! I was a high school junior, and barely hanging on by the skin of my teeth but it was incredible to do that at the time. I knew then and there how incredible it was to look at this legendary book and to try to play with these guys, feeling that energy. It definitely secured the idea in my head. I had a framed picture of that day but a few years later when I was moving from one apartment to another in Philadelphia, I had a bunch of stuff in a car, including that picture, and that car got stolen off of the street with all of that stuff in it.  So that picture is gone, and I’ve forgotten who it was that took the picture. This was pre-social media and broadband internet, so that pic probably only existed as a hard copy or on film.  Side note, later the stolen car apparently happened to be used as getaway car in an armed bank robbery (But that story is for another time)”

How would you compare the NYC jazz scene to other places you have played?

"I was in my early 20s moving to New York City. I think I always wanted to move here even though I had never been here before. Pop culture shows us that that’s where the art scene is. In any movie about jazz, New York was always the focus. I wanted to be on the East Coast, it wasn’t necessarily NYC. I felt that there was a ceiling in Philly in terms of how much I could learn and be exposed to. This was pre-internet and social media so I felt I needed to be immersed in NYC. At the time I thought it would be temporary. A lot of the musicians that I moved here with around the same time, a lot turned around and left, either back to Philly or some place easier to live. It's hard here. In Philly, it's easier to get gigs as it's a smaller scene with a better venue to musician ratio and the pay can be better. But you accept that the standard is higher in NYC. You get your butt kicked but you put up with it because the competitive nature of the NYC scene and the high level of the players can make you better. I was relatively close to ground zero on 9/11 and in the months that followed, since I had a job as a waiter at a restaurant that was a short block from the World Trade Center, and I definitely came away with some PTSD that I haven’t had officially diagnosed, but I know that it messed me up quite a bit and I still deal with it today. It changed me from thinking that NYC was just a temporary place for me to live, to then being a place where I had to be because I needed to be with others who had also been through this tragic event. I had to stay - I would never want to equate myself to a soldier, especially growing up in a military household - but I empathized with those who feel they need to re-enlist after coming back from war. I felt something similar to that whenever I’d leave New York to visit friends and family in other parts of the country, even just a couple hours away in Philadelphia and Delaware.  I’d get antsy and feel like I was in a bubble and just needed to get back home to NYC.  I have a healthy unhealthy relationship with this city but that definitely solidified me staying here, hopefully for the rest of my life.”

Tell us about Bā'sik and Marian’s 

"Bā'sik was just a bar in the neighborhood that I was living in, East Williamsburg, that just had a great feel. I stumbled in there one night looking for a bar just to hang out that I could go to regularly. it opened shortly after I moved there. I instantly befriended the bartenders and owners to the point where I was in there 5 nights a week, after gigs or teaching. Over the course of the next several months, one of the bartenders asked me "We have live music here every so often,  how come you’ve never asked to play here?" I didn’t want to take advantage of them - I couldn’t guarantee there was always going to be a crowd. I recognize I'm a good musician but not a star so if I didn’t have a good turn out that would be depressing and embarrassing since the owners and the bartenders were now my friends. I told him I would much rather prefer to just drink here and not mix business with pleasure. But they pushed back a little bit so then I told them that I could make the gig a regular jazz jam session and then at least we’d probably get a decent turnout semi-regularly and we could grow organically over time. In a nutshell that’s how it grew. The owners, Jay and Derrek, were really willing to work with me and open to all suggestions. They looked at it like they weren’t hiring me to always have a huge turnout of people to pack the bar and hear music, but rather they thought of me as a way to advertise the bar and since we set up in the window, to show the street that there’s things happening inside, even on slower nights. They were willing to see it through for the longest time until it eventually became one of the best nights of the week there. It was part of the agreement that when I started, I told them to give me the worst night of the week and maybe we could turn that around. It has definitely paid out in the long term. The owners didn’t approach me from a place of desperation like I’ve seen a lot of little restaurants and bars do a lot of my other colleagues when they want to book music, as if that is the thing that is going to turn their business around. The owners and management at Bā’sik just really wanted to collaborate to create something, and that has shown through with the popularity that The Bā’sik Jazz Jam Session has achieved on Sunday nights, now going on 12 years!

Both places ended up being places that I liked to go out and hang out in, initially. Marians was originally called The Wilky - my friend Kelly Green and her trio used to play there a few nights a week and I really love that trio. I was pretty much just there to see them for free, whereas you’d usually have to pay to see them at Mezzrow or Birdland. It was a jazz jam session after the first set and I would sit in. I eventually became friends with the owner there, Dennis, and his son Iain. Kelly went on tour and her gig ended at The Wilky. After that they tried a bunch of people to host the jam session and nothing was working out. The owners came through Bā'sik, saw what I was doing there, and asked me to do the same in their place. I really liked the owners and the bar and said I would try and take it on similar to Bā'sik. That lasted for maybe three months (2020 - then COVID hit) and went really well before being shut down. Through COVID it was closed for long periods, but we played out on the sidewalk when things started to open up in August of 2020 through to the beginning of November.  It was Dennis’s idea to bring the music on the sidewalk and get musicians back to playing again and it gave a lot of musicians an opportunity to play out again with other people for the first time in months.  It was really special. You could feel that from the community that came out to hang out and listen. Another traumatic event that everyone went through together, but at least we could hang out, listen, and create music together. The following summer, they renamed the bar Marian's (named after the owner's mother). Then in June of '21, we were back on the sidewalk but by July, we moved it all inside to the space at the back with a baby grand piano, house bass, bass amp, drums, guitar amp and PA. Initially, it was just a little upright piano in the corner of the front space which was great but kinda DIY - it is now much more of a performance venue." 

Anything you want to promote - album, tour?

"I've been writing stuff for my next record but my daughter has just turned three - most of my time for the last three years has been spent being a full-time dad during the day and being a musician at night. But now she’s in school, NYC’s free 3K program, and I now have all these free hours I didn’t have before so I am trying to put some of my energies back into the record.  So, ask me in few months how it’s coming along. Especially after the pandemic though, my main focus has been getting these gigs off of the ground. When things opened up I went full steam promoting these gigs to try to make them self-sufficient. I'm trying to make them as good as the legendary stuff in Manhattan."

Thoughts on KEYED UP! and promotion in general of jazz in NYC and beyond?

"It has elevated things in a major way, even being associated with KEYED UP!, the publicity has brought everything up a notch: the audiences and the musicians in the city see our spots as legit spots to travel to and It allows me to very confidently call musicians to play the gigs because there’s a better monetary guarantee because of KEYED UP!. I never got real hard pushback from hiring musicians before that, but there was notably a modicum of mild reluctance.  I could feel it sometimes before, but now everybody wants to play, not just because of the extra bread, but because Keyed Up offers more legitimacy on the NYC scene. For what these gigs are as great social events, in really great bars and venues, the money we get in help from you guys has elevated everything.

From where we’ve come with the Bā'sik jazz jam session, it's all about community, so increasing the scope of the people we reach with you guys is fantastic. The Bā'sik jam can probably rival most other jams in the city because of the people I’ve brought in as regular house band members and our philosophy is all about community.  And a lot of credit goes to my partner at Bā’sik, pianist Julia Chen.  I can also say this about the house band members at Marian’s as well, and my partner there, drummer Ben Freidkin as well as guitarist Akira Ishiguro who has made invaluable contributions to that gig.  And our philosophy there is the same - I’m not here to just showcase my abilities but to showcase other vibrant musicians throughout the city and give them a place to play and be a part of something greater. I feel that we share that with KEYED UP! and Jazz Generation and that’s why this partnership works."

KEYED UP! and Bar Bayeux:
A catch-up with Jeremy Stratton and Jerome Sabbagh

Interview with Jeremy Stratton, owner at Bar Bayeux

Background

2019 was our first year but we opened for New Year's Eve 2018. I built the bar with my father and brother. The address is 1066 Nostrand and my father, the history buff, recognized the date as the year of the battle of Hastings, which is depicted in the Bayeux tapestry, so basically we were named after a piece of art. We also liked the sound of the Bayeux as a New Orleans kind of vibe.

I grew up in the bar business, my father was a bar owner and I always had one foot in the business, the other as a jazz musician: I’m a bass player. Unfortunately, the old bar had to close after it was sold and the rent was skyrocketing. Grassroots Tavern was a dive bar from 1974, a bar since the 40s. (Editors note: he's speaking of St. Mark's Place in East Village) It's one of the oldest buildings in the neighborhood. I grew up there as a kid.

Finding a space

So we went looking for a place closer to home - we are all from Brooklyn - and we found this empty spot. My brother is a carpenter so we did all the wiring, then brought in a plumber and built it ourselves.

When we were moving to our new space, we were looking for something not too big or small but workable and I wanted to correct all the problems from the old place. What we have here is a cleaner, more sophisticated version. So it was nice that we could have that in mind when building the place. That being said, we weren’t expecting to become a venue per se but only planning on having music once or twice a week. I wouldn’t have known how to do it. That’s where KEYED UP! came in and really helped us become what we are now.

Sponsorship 

When we started with KEYED UP! before the pandemic, we were hosting music only one night a week and honestly we were struggling as a new bar but our Wednesday night that was sponsored by KEYED UP! became our best night. We slowly became a jazz bar as musicians who would play found us or heard about us through other musicians or KEYED UP! social media. The jazz community finds itself very quickly.

We had just brought Diego Voglino’s jam session to Tuesdays because Wednesdays were doing so well but then the pandemic hit. KEYED UP! kept our doors open even when we were shut. We started a live stream (which was a big learning curve!) set up by Jerome Sabbagh and friends Peter Watrous and Adam Kolker. We worked together as a team and eventually figured out how to do the live stream with good sound quality. We did a Facebook event once a week with live donations which meant we were able to pay the musicians which was great and it helped us pay the rent. KEYED UP! was existential for us. When we reopened we were only able to do so much with social distancing, smaller numbers, etc but we graduated to having music every night. Luckily we have a great back patio with chairs which meant we had more options.

Jerome Sabbagh came to me, he had contacted KEYED UP! and we built it back up to where we were before. I think what people have really gravitated toward is the vibe at Bar Bayeux. Patrons are more than happy to show their gratitude when the tip jar gets passed around and because we can match what KEYED UP! puts forward, it is a group effort. I think this is generally why musicians enjoy playing here - it’s the type of place you wish you could play. I always wanted it to have a welcoming atmosphere and I think we are succeeding there.

Moving forward

As it is, it's been fantastic, it's all moving along naturally so I don't want to do anything that will upset that. Noah Garabedian and Caleb Wheeler Curtis have been booking the weekends. We’re trying to maintain that balance between bringing new people in and also keeping performances from great established artists. Once artists play here, they express how much they enjoyed it and want to play again. Adam Kolker and I do a special guest series on Thursday with new people - it can be a lot of work! I must say though, it is incredible that jazz lovers come out and throw money in that tip jar. I see KEYED UP! as the backbone of it; they put in some bread, the bar puts in some bread and then patrons add some bread too. Everyone being involved has made this place what it is.

Interview with Jerome Sabbagh, music curator at Bar Bayeux

Background

I met Jeremy through mutual friends, I think we played a session. We ended up playing every Sunday at Grassroots Tavern for about 15 years. When he opened Bar Bayeux, he actually asked me to help him with the wine list as I would often bring a bottle to Grassroots. The music came after that!

I knew Rob Duguay from having played with him over the years and also from the Jazz Standard. When I got involved with Bar Bayeux and booking musicians on Wednesdays I got in touch with him but hadn’t been involved with KEYED UP! to that point.

Streaming

Jeremy had mentioned it but in the beginning, I didn’t want to do it as the streaming I had seen up to that point, in the early days of the pandemic, wasn’t very inspiring to listen to or look at. I didn’t know much about it and didn’t know the first thing about live-streaming performances. What changed my mind was when the Vanguard started their streaming series. It was Billy Hart's quartet and it looked and sounded really good. With it being the Vanguard, it was always going to be good but it showed me that it could be done. It took us at least two or three months after the Vanguard stream to get it together. 

What makes Bar Bayeux so special?

It's a good-sized space, it feels like an inviting bar, and also has a back patio. It sounds good and also feels good. When we were streaming we put some effort into bringing curtains and carpets which improved not only the sound but also the visual aesthetic. It’s always been a fine line between having a bar atmosphere but also a listening venue which is what I am aiming for on Wednesdays. I make an announcement, go around the room with a tip jar and make sure to give information about the band and KEYED UP! which helps the atmosphere. It’s important that it’s a place where people want to come and hang; a venue with great music but no bar doesn’t work, and vice versa. The credit goes to Jeremy’s vision for having a place where people want to come and listen but also play at. 

Booking the music and striking a balance

It's challenging, I only book on Wednesdays so it's limited openings. Finding a balance is always important. We are lucky that we have had Billy Hart, Al Foster, Victor Lewis, and many others. It's inspiring to see these guys up close and it's important that we have a place where people can do their thing, trying new combinations or arrangements. I try my best to make it special every Wednesday and whether that’s new musicians or established legends, I try to make it something that people will really care about. I leave my tastes out of it so we get a broad range of people, styles, generations, and instrumentation - it doesn't matter as long as it's good! It works well on Wednesdays. We couldn’t do what we’ve been doing without KEYED UP!

You come from a self-prescribed family of the arts, what was that like growing up in a musical/artistic household? Why do you think you gravitated towards music rather than other arts?

"My mom is a dancer and a choreographer, my dad a poet and my grandmother is a painter and book illustrator. Almost everybody in the family plays music as a hobby. So yes, art of different disciplines was all around me, but music had a special place in the house.

I grew up dancing with my mom, playing piano and writing poems with my dad, and painting with my grandma. It was not only personal expression and fun but they were all pretty strict and taught me the meaning of professionalism from a young age. I took dance lessons for a long time and even participated in the Nutcracker production of the Israeli Ballet when I was nine. The production toured all around the country for several months, and this was a great experience.

When I was about twelve, I told my mom that as much as I enjoy being on stage, I don't enjoy ballet class and the physical work in the studio. She replied that, in this case, dance is not for me because when you really like something you should also enjoy the hard work of practicing and not only the performances. (She was right on point and the moment I started singing I realized how much I enjoyed the practice. )

I went to an Art high school, at first to the department of fine arts but soon afterward changed to a pianist in the classical music department and from there to Jazz. That was when I started singing.

Jazz may have been a bit rebellious in a family that cherished classical music but everyone supported my choice. My mom had a vast music library for me to explore that included lots of Jazz records, including Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Mingus, and Art Blakey.

On one of my birthdays, my grandpa (from my mother's side who is originally from Holland) who was a holocaust survivor, got me the full discography of Django Reinhart and told me a shivering story. He was 14 when the war started in Holland and spent the first months hiding in a basement. At this hiding place, there was a Django Reinhart record that kept him company and helped his sanity during this hard time. Later he was on the run for several years and the first thing he did when the war was over was to get a new violin because his old one was lost.

Music had a big place in the heart of everyone in my family, so much so that it helped me understand that being a musician means being a messenger of emotions and that the weight of life can be balanced with a song."

Photo credit Eftycha Vlachou

You grew up in Tel Aviv; what were your early musical experiences like there? Do you have any musical inspirations from Israel that you can share with us as we celebrate international jazz month?

"Tel Aviv is a beautiful colorful city full of culture. From childhood, I went to many concerts, theater, and dance shows and also listened to a lot of Israeli music at home.

There was a kid TV show that hosted many musicians, I heard some singers there and got really excited so my mom took me to the record store and I bought my first record of NOA (Achinoam) Nini. Years later, I found out that Pat Metheny produced her first international album.

I also enjoyed vocalist Chava Alberstein - I recently got to record one of her songs on a Roni Ben Hur Record "Stories" (Dot Times 2020) featuring Victor Lewis, George Cables, and Harvie S.

I like the work of pianist and composer Yoni Rechter a lot, who uses Jazz harmony with very Israeli-sounding melodies.

It is very common in older Israeli songs to have lyrics by poets, and texts with depth and complexity.

Besides the harmony and melodies of songs I grew up on, this concept also influenced me a lot."

Do you remember a moment in your life when you realized being a professional musician was your goal?

"I knew from about 14 years old that I would be doing music in my life but only later, after I graduated from my studies in the Netherlands, (Royal Conservatory of Den Haag) I set the goal of making my income from music.
I supported myself financially from eighteen years of age and paid for my studies and lessons by working as a waitress, bartender, model for painters, babysitter, and many other side jobs. But at some point, I just had to quit all that and take the risk of making a living just from music.

Growing up in a family of artists I was also aware of the financial hardship that might come with that choice. I set a goal for myself to reach the highest, most professional level, to be focused and hassle when I needed to. I love my choice of being a musician and am grateful for every day that I can make a living from my art.

Photo credit George Nazos

When did you move to NYC? What sets it apart from other cities and their jazz scenes?

"I moved here in March 2015. The jazz scene of the city is one of very high level and is multi-international. The scene has a lot of variety of the subgenres of jazz, from traditional scenes, to bebop, modern, and free jazz, so you can choose the right musicians to work with to get the sound you are going for.

It is inspiring that there is so much talent. It gives you a lot of artistic freedom and keeps you practicing and perfecting your craft.

There are many wonderful musicians from all around the world who, just like me, came here following their passion for jazz. It is a competitive yet welcoming scene and has a place for artistic growth. I also got the chance to meet and play with some legendary players. There is so much to learn from the older generation."

Last month we celebrated women in jazz - what does that mean to you?

"It means a lot. Growing awareness of the presence of the many wonderful women in jazz is so important. There is a change that needs to happen and we are slowly moving towards it in the way that the industry and the musicians treat women as well as in how women treat each other.

Lately, I've been involved in building a mentorship program for Israeli women in jazz. Israel has a very male dominant scene and many talented women often don't enjoy the same opportunities. Together with my partner vocalist and composer Tammy Scheffer, we are enabling young female musicians to meet and learn from the experience of professional jazz artists in Israel and abroad. Our goal is to build not only an educational program, but also a community of women that support each other.

Here you can check more about it: https://www.instagram.com/jazzistiyot "

Photo credit Joe Carcamo

You have a Sunday night spot at Bronx Burger House - can you tell us a little about your set there, the musicians, and the general vibe?

"Together with my guitarist and partner in life and music George Nazos, we built this concert series at the Bronx Burger House. We were saddened by the lack of Jazz music in the Bronx, especially since after the pandemic and we knew something had to be done. We have a show with different guest musicians every Sunday 6-7 pm. We play a set of original music by Giorgos, the guests, and myself, then from 7-9 pm, we host a jam session. There are many amazing musicians up here in the Bronx and almost no place for jazz shows so we have great players showing up for the jam. Not only from the neighborhood but also from Washington Heights, Inwood, and Westchester. The first night we played, Jan 29th, there was a great festive atmosphere. Musicians and neighbors were all so thankful and happy to have live music in the neighborhood. It's very exciting and fun. We have about 20 musicians coming to jam weekly and so far, we were able to give work to 16 musicians."

Do you have anything you would like to promote? Album/tour/gig

"I just finished recording and mixing a new album of original compositions. It is a concept album with myself on piano and voice, George Nazos on Guitar, Trifon Dimitrov on bass, and Joe Abba on drums. I will present it at THE JAZZ FORUM on May 14th at 4pm and 6pm and at Maureen's Jazz Cellar, on June 3rd at 8pm."

Who have you been listening to this month?

"I've been listening to a lot of drummers lately as I've started practicing drums during the pandemic. It's a very exciting thing for me to get to experience music from a different perspective than I usually would. One of the albums I especially enjoy lately is 'Michel Petrucciani, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson - Trio in Tokyo'.

I also listen to a lot of Leonard Cohen, I love his songwriting and poems, especially his latest albums."

And finally, what are your experiences of KEYED UP! in the city and its importance?

"I got the chance to work with KEYED UP! already from 2015 when I moved to NYC, now as I write, I'm realizing how many shows I've done with you and thinking of how much work you give to musicians all around the city. It's incredible and so important!

The contribution of KEYED UP! is not only to us, the musicians, but also to the cultural texture of the city and everyone who lives in it benefits from your work."

Simon Moullier CWTC

What are your experiences of Jazz in NYC rather than elsewhere?

I have a deep love for the explosion of cultures and of motivation that each musician has here. It runs really deep and most that stick around do so because they really love being here and really want it. I love that about the city and it is such a beautiful place to grow within a community. I get inspired everyday whether it's an art gallery, movies, museums, shows, concerts, classical music - there is so much available all the time and it’s so exciting to be here at a time like this.

What were your earliest experiences of music growing up in France?

My earliest experiences were listening to music at home. My mom was listening to a lot of classical, jazz, blues and R&B. I was listening to that everyday and that is definitely my earliest introduction to music. 

I started at the conservatory pretty early so heard a lot of classical music - jazz wasn’t really around that much. It was but not as much as one would expect. I played drums early on and that is when I started listening to more jazz.

When I was in middle school I applied for a music program meaning I was at the conservatory more than at school. At fourteen or fifteen I really started focusing on music. I wasn’t any good at anything else in school, I wasn’t the greatest student. Music was a lot of fun for me.

You recently finished a month-long residency at Cafe Bohemia, what were your experiences there?

I had a great time at Cafe Bohemia over the last month. It was a great experience for us to build consistency with a band and to be able to play some original music. It helped that I recorded every show so then I was able to listen back on what needed to be changed and what needed to be worked on. The writing and composing practice I received there is invaluable and to build a sound with musicians you get along with is rare.

What’s coming up? Album? Touring?

I am very excited to be releasing a new album “Isla” on February 17th. I can’t wait for it to be done but it is really exciting for me. Afterwards we have a second trio album coming out in October. It’s already recorded but in the box and I’m equally excited about that.

I’ll be touring in April in London, Paris and Germany. 

What are you listening to this month?

To be honest sometimes I don’t listen to anything as I fall a little behind on that, but this month I am listening to a lot of classical orchestral music: Claus Ogerman, he’s a German arranger. Maurice Ravel too. Sonny Stitt and of course Coltrane. Oh and also a Brazilian singer named Djavan.

What are your experiences with Keyed Up! And how did you first hear about it?

KEYED UP! is a really key organization to the city at the moment and especially post pandemic. As artists we are incredibly grateful for what it has been doing for us, giving us opportunities to perform but also financial assistance. It has definitely given us a lot of hope. I started hearing about it during the pandemic and had played at Bar Bayeux. It is integral to the city and I am thankful for the help with Cafe Bohemia. 

Our next featured artist is multi-instrumentalist Dennis Lichtman.



Growing up in Newport, Dennis recounts how lucky he was to grow up in Boston where he had a great foundation of musical education.

"I don’t come from a jazz family, but we are music lovers. My grandfather introduced me to Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli’s music and my mother always had classical records playing in the house (she had played clarinet and piano when she was younger). She went out of her way to take me to concerts - Don Byron, chamber music, the Del McCoury Band, Klezmer Conservatory Band, blues festivals, etc. — anything she read a preview for in the newspaper that sounded particularly interesting.

For such a small city, Boston has a huge arts scene. I never experienced it as a working musician (I moved away for college when I was just shy of 18) but as a listener, I remember a constant onslaught of opportunities to hear world-class music.

There was and still is strong support for the arts in public schools. I started violin in 1st grade and clarinet in the 4th due to twice weekly music classes. My main teachers were classical players, but they were open-minded and encouraged me to pursue other styles that interested me."

Dennis wasn't always sure he'd make a career in music, the 30 year journey of exploration and discovery has been hard fought. His ideology of what it meant to be a professional musician crystalized as a conservatory student at Hartt School of Music CT.
"I thought it was either playing in an orchestra full-time, having a world-famous band, or teaching full-time. My clarinet teacher there, Charles Russo, had been a NYC working musician for 60 years. He had played the most prestigious chamber festivals around the world and recorded with classical legends, but had also played in seedy strip clubs, done thousands of studio jingle sessions and pick-up gigs, and had incredible stories about all of it. I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen, but that sounded so much more appealing to me (and attainable) than pursuing an orchestral career."

After graduation in 2001, Dennis was a part of a band which toured but didn't last, and was working in an office near Boston.

"In 2002, a friend offered me a low-paid apprenticeship at his booking agency in NYC, and with no other options, I jumped on it. I hated the job and only lasted a few months, but it was immediately clear to me that the music scene here was immensely deep and infinitely inspiring.

I did catering jobs part-time until I had enough music gigs (it took a couple of years). I literally took every gig that came my way, no matter how unqualified I may have been or how little it paid or how long of a subway ride. Sink or swim, fake it til you make it. As I got busier, I was able to take more control of my career, choosing the gigs I wanted to do, and eventually creating my own projects and opportunities."

"Mona's" is an east village staple and one of the best places to hear live jazz on a Tuesday night.
"Over the years, we’ve seen waves of new players come and go at the Mona’s session. Young players come through for the first time, sounding rough around the edges, and we see them improve each week. They come back often for a while, then get busier with their own careers and move on. When we started, I was one of the young guys! As I move towards being an “elder statesman,” it’s a joy to see people who now have thriving careers, when I remember their wide-eyed, sometimes terrified faces sitting in with my band for the first time.

In the beginning, we didn’t play very well but we had heart, and there was the excitement of this new, underground scene of youngsters. The crowds were thin. Now, we have an international reputation and the crowds come from all over — not just East Village locals stumbling in for a pint.

The things that haven’t changed are the musical integrity and the openness. It’s never been a cutting session, and it’s always been community-minded first and foremost. And now, just as then, we don’t know who will show up. We get jazz legends and we get inexperienced newer players, and everything in between — and we find common ground and make good music together.

In 2006-2007, a monumental shift took place as dozens of young musicians in NYC who were interested in pre-bebop jazz all found each other at the same time. There was an explosion of new bands, and gigs started to pop up all over. (A similar movement happened in bluegrass/string music at the time, and there was a lot of crossover between our scenes.) I loved the music, but had found very few people my age to play it with, and all of a sudden they were everywhere. My guitarist friend Izzy Zaidman, who I knew from local bluegrass gigs, suggested we start a weekly jam session so we could get to know more players and tunes.

Mona’s is a cozy East Village dive bar that had hosted a high-level Monday night traditional Irish music session for decades. As a string music enthusiast, I had spent some time hanging out there. One night, the Irish session ended early, so I started playing tunes with a few of my jazz bandmates who were there. The bartender, Aidan Grant, invited us to start a session the following Tuesday. Aidan is still my partner in the venture, and we’ve done every Tuesday since June 2007 (with a pandemic break, of course)."

Dennis has travelled extensively and performed on a multitude of stages. He recounts a few of his favorite stories.
"The best moments are the ones when we feel like fish out of water, but the music connects with the audience in a way that breaks down all barriers.

On a tour of China with banjoist Cynthia Sayer, we did several performances at special boarding schools for children of migrant workers. The whole town came out - they had never seen foreigners or heard jazz. But their sheer delight and joy absolutely melted my heart.

On my first European tour ever, with the Cangelosi Cards in 2008 or 2009, we played at an arts festival in Sweden that was like a miniature Burning Man. Most of the other music was electronic or rock — it was more like a rave — and while we were setting up the crowd stared at us like we were aliens. But from the very first note, they danced like nothing I’d ever seen. They flowed on ballads and went wild on uptempo tunes and cheered in the middle of hot solos. If we brought the dynamics way down, they would crouch down. If the trombone player played a loud note, they would jump up and shout back at him. I’ve never felt more of a direct connection with an audience — they didn’t know what to expect from us, we didn’t know what to expect from them, but we gave each other the benefit of the doubt and built a little community together for a couple of hours."

So what is Dennis listening to this month and what does he have on the horizon?

"Béla Fleck’s new bluegrass album, Ellington’s Queen’s Suite, James Booker. I’ve had my head in the sand about new music coming out recently - I need to get back on top of that!"
"I’m playing 7 shows overseas as a duo with the incredible Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton in November. He’s known internationally as a solo blues performer, but beyond that he is a deep encyclopedia of folkloric American music from ragtime to early country to minstrel music to Tin Pan Alley and more. We just recorded an album that will only be available at shows.

I’m working on a secret composition project under a grant I received — tentatively titled “SECRET WORKSHOP” — but I can’t yet provide details beyond that. It’s extending me creatively beyond my usual comfort zone, and I’m thrilled with what I have so far. Look out for that in late 2022.

And I’m beyond excited to get back to playing festivals and concerts with The Lovestruck Balladeers in early 2022. The band is a personal “supergroup” of longtime collaborators. We’ve been quiet during the pandemic because we’re spread out across North America, but we’ll be coming back strong soon!"

And finally, Dennis speaks about the importance of KU! to the city
"I love everything about KU! An old college friend recently told me about it and connected us. KU! has enabled me to expand the Mona’s house band from a quartet to a quintet, which widens the pool of musicians I can include each week — with an eye on diversity in all ways.

I love that they are enabling weekly performances to happen in places that might not be able to sustain it without a bit of support. The larger, established venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Vanguard, and the Blue Note are great, but the smaller local venues are the true pulse of the city. That’s where young players cut their teeth, new sounds are explored, musical relationships are forged, and newcomers to the music become lifelong fans."

Growing up in northwest Connecticut, Noah was equidistant from NYC and Boston and enjoyed the best of both worlds.

"I went to grade school in Canton which was a bit of a podunk town, and I didn’t have many friends there. This gave me ample time to practice all day long, and listen to my parents’ diverse music collection. I owe everything to my parents for offering me incredible opportunities while growing up, such as private lessons (locally, as well as driving me down to NYC), purchasing me the instruments I still play on today, and even moving to a nearby town, West Hartford, so I could be a part of their prestigious public high school’s jazz band and get a better education. My Mom plays a little piano and my Dad doesn’t play at all, but they both are hip to what’s going on and know who’s who on the scene, often suggesting records to check out and even players I’d never heard of before."

Noah's singular focus in pursuing music was evident from early on in his grade school years.
"When I was about 11 or 12 years old, I had a conversation with my parents where I told them this is what I was going to exclusively focus on. At that point I gave up most of my other extra-curricular activities and buckled down, practicing 6-8 hours a day. I developed the method of finger practicing, which has proven helpful as I got older; this allows me to practice in my head all day long, without needing the physical instrument."

Feeling apprehensive about the bright lights of NYC, Noah chose to first attend the New England Conservatory of Music.
"It could be the part of me that’s introverted, but I didn’t want to get lost in the sea of people, buildings, streets, venues, gossip, etc. It was just too much, even though I had previously spent lots of time there seeing music and visiting family."

"I moved to NYC the day after I graduated college. While in college, I’d made my first recording with a bucket list group ["Dry Bridge Road" which included guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Frank Kimbrough, trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Ted Poor] and I just wanted to play with more people that inspired me like that. Most of all, I just wanted to be a band leader which required finding players that felt similarly about music as I did. No better place in the world than NYC for that!"

Taking these bold risks has become integral to Noah, both in day to day life and how it's reflected in his musical style.
"I’ve found it necessary to get that dose of adrenaline on a regular basis and fortunately I’ve been able to find it in different ways. When I moved to NYC I wanted to quit smoking, so I took up boxing. My grandfather nicknamed me Rocky as a kid and I loved the idea of fighting as a sport, so I trained and sparred for the next 7 years. Over the years I’ve ridden motorcycles, gone skydiving and challenged myself with risky adventures which I believe comes out in my musical attitude and voice. This is my path and I hope the listener can hear how it’s different than others."

During the pandemic, Keyed Up! and Jazz Generation have partnered with Noah and virtuosity music to facilitate a weekly live stream.
"I’ve been able to co-lead a live-streaming gig in Boston with drummer Tyson Jackson at a beautiful store called Virtuosity Music (Virtuosity is across the street from Symphony Hall and directly between NEC and Berklee). It’s definitely given me the needed fix to play with other people during the pandemic and I’m very grateful to my friend, Rob Duguay, and the rest of the Keyed Up!/Jazz Generation team for getting players in Boston working."

"I have a new record coming out in early 2021 that's a duo with bassist Kim Cass. We’ve been recording it remotely for months and I’m really excited and proud of the project. I had a trio record planned with guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Dan Weiss, but it’s postponed until we can record safely together."

In Lockdown, Noah has enjoyed many ups and downs during the quarantine.

"I recently started teaching at Longy School of Music of Bard College, which is a really inspiring community to be a part of. I'm always looking for new music to inspire me but Coltrane and 90's Rock are staples forever. I’m grateful for my wife, who has been able to keep me grounded, focused and has given me tons of support. We also recently adopted a dog named Xena, which now rounds out our fur-child family (Chipie is our cat)."

"I’ve known Keyed Up!’s Rob Duguay for over a decade, so I’ve gotten to witness the organization grow and Rob’s hard work and vision for a long time. I’ve played gigs in NYC that were supported by Keyed Up! over the years and words simply can’t express how meaningful their support is for the community - not just for the players themselves, but also as experiences for the people listening and watching."

You can catch Noah streaming live on Monday nights, 7:30 on the Virtuosity facebook page.
Photo - Anthony Porcar Cano

Our next featured artist for the "Chats With the Cats" series is bassist, Steve Wood.

Family influences played a strong role in Steve's early development, "My dad played some piano as a hobby. He got me into classical music. Also my older brother started playing guitar and turned me on to jazz and funk. I started playing bass just before I turned 12. For Christmas that year my parents asked my brother who's records they should get me. He told them Charles Mingus and Ron Carter so that's who I first started checking out.

Growing up in a musical and artistic household, Kelly recalls the sounds of her childhood along with the gigs she attended with her father, a fine bass player himself.

"I grew up hearing John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis and many many legendary musicians in our home. We would go to see live shows whenever a big act was in Florida. My dad took me to see Chick Corea, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Ravi Shankar, Maria Schneider, Ahmad Jamal, McCoy Tyner and so many others."

Born in Little Haiti, Willerm expresses his love of his hometown and early influences.

"Little Haiti, oh how my heart misses you so much! I absolutely loved my childhood growing up in Miami. One of the most loving, funny, hard working communities that I have ever been a part of. God willing, I would love to end this story called life back home giving back all that I have learned in life. Growing up, there was a scene, but it wasn't accessible for kids, not like other cities such as Chicago or NYC. There's a cut off time for the city, and it probably was at your best interest that you went home during that time! Unfortunately, when I started playing the piano, I was the only one in my family (that I am aware of) that was in music. My biggest influences have been all my musical family, John McMinn: he had me at the age of 11 thinking "this is what I want to do in life", Melton Mustafa Sr.: Greatest musical mind I've ever come across, Christopher Dorsey: hard work, determination, never giving up, leave it all on the field, no excuses."

From a small village in Buenos Aires called Necochea, Julieta spoke about her love of her hometown and her musical introduction. "I really loved growing up there, it's a city with a lot of Nature. I don’t come from a Musician’s family. My dad loves music; he plays a little bit of guitar, but no-one used to listen to jazz in my house. I went to a Music Institute in Necochea to learn Piano at the age of 9 or 10".

Despite beginning on the piano, Julieta first ventured into jazz when she picked up the saxophone as her teacher had asked her to join the big band.

Clark spent the majority of his upbringing in Seattle Washington."There was a bit of a scene there at that time. When I got to middle school, my instructor was Wadie Ervin, and he introduced me to Joe Brazil who was heading an organization called the Black Academy of Music, later becoming the Brazil Academy of music." Clark went on to gig with his big band around Washington State. He also played with an R&B group that played in the city - dances and functions - as well as playing in the Little and Junior Symphonies. "But I wasn't really doing much in that time, I was still in High School"

A native of St. Louis, Jim remembers a small scene there and coming to jazz music later than most.

"I remember seeing that Dizzy video on PBS from 1966. It had Kenny Baron, James Moody and Chris White on bass. I think I was 17 or 18 years old at the time. But it got me in the right spot. When I started playing, my main influences were two guys I lived with. One was the saxophone player Chris Cheek and the other was bassist Steve Kirby. We had a loft in the section of town called Soulard. It's right up next to the Mississippi and the Budweiser brewery is there as well. We had an agreement that whoever played the first note of the day, got the apartment for that day to practice!"

Growing up in Lakeview, Long Island, Talib Kibwe, otherwise known as TK Blue was born to Caribbean parents from Jamaica and Trinidad respectively. Whereas nobody else in his family plays an instrument, he learned a lot in his youth, starting on the trumpet at age 8.

"I got exposed to the Caribbean musical heritage as well as some jazz. My mom loved Horace Silver and Louis Armstrong. And whilst there is not a huge jazz scene in Long Island, NYC was 45 mins away. It should be noted though that I grew up down the street from saxonist Billy Mitchell and tap dancer Conrad "Little Buck" Buckner. I met Eddie Jefferson through "Little Buck" and all three of these artists helped shape my musical growth."

Growing up in Hudson in upstate New York, it was his father's older brothers that got him into music.

"One uncle went to Woodstock and that became a huge influence on me. My oldest uncle introduced me to people like Yusef Lateef and Archie Shepp. Later, when I entered college, those were the two people I studied with at UMass. Through my dad I became heavily interested in real blues like BB King, Muddy Waters, and Lonnie Johnson."

I grew up in Sapporo, Japan. I studied classical piano and jazz saxophone at the local YAMAHA music school. There was a big band for kids that was operated by the city called Sapporo Junior Jazz School. We had many concerts throughout the year. We were lucky to have the opportunity to have a workshops from the professional musicians. One time, Herbie Hancock came to give us a clinic! I studied with several teachers back then. Yosuke Sato who played the saxophone with Gregory Porter's band is one of my former teachers. Of course, he was an outstanding player in Sapporo so I decided to study with him. I'm the only musician in my family. My father is an architect and my mother is a designer for the playground equipment. But they love music, especially my father. Although my cousin in high school is trying to be a musician.