Catherine Russell Two 9/6-12
Catherine returns to discuss newly discovered recordings of her father, Luis Russell.
Luis Russell At The Swing Cats Ball is a collection of recordings from 1938 to1940 of Catherine’s father playing stride piano solos, leading his band and Louis Armstrong’s, alongside some of the greatest musicians of the era.
Betty Bryant 9/13-19
Vocalist, pianist, songwriter and positive spirit, Betty Bryant at ninety-four is an inspiration on so many levels that her age, which would be the first thing one would mention with anyone else, seems almost beside the point.
Betty’s latest CD, Lotta Livin’ produced by her longtime friend and collaborator Robert Kyle, showcases Betty’s blues roots, soulful sound, and cheeky sense of humor.
Stella Cole 9/20-26
Vocalist Stella Cole is a romantic and not afraid to show it. In our time when so much is slick or ironic, Stella chooses to be sincere and sing from the heart, digging deep into the emotional journey of a song, always with a bit of hope shining through, reflecting the classic musicals of the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s that she loved as a child.
Stella has toured with Post Modern Jukebox, with her own band, and now, three albums later, she’s off and running with loads of fans who include her twenty-something contemporaries, those who heard some of those songs originally, and everyone in between.
Hilary Gardner Two 9/27-10/3
During the pandemic, vocalist Hilary Gardner dreamed of wide-open spaces and the freedom to roam, as she puts it, and started researching trail songs from the singing cowboy era of the 1930s and ‘40s. Her new CD, On The Trail with The Lonesome Pines is a collection of her discoveries, songs not only by singing cowboys but by our greatest jazz and film composers.
Melissa Errico 10/4-10
Tony Award-nominated actress, singer, writer Melissa Errico is loaded with energy, ideas and inspiration. Melissa started singing at eleven and with her pianist father, trumpet-playing brother and Melissa on vocals, they would, in her words, make guerilla assaults on her neighbor’s pianos, going from door to door as a kind of Italian Partridge family, inviting themselves in to entertain anyone who’d have them. These adventures and others made clear where Melissa’s life was heading.
Megg Farrell 10/11-17
Vocalist Megg Farrell or as she is often called, Sweet Megg, has been a jazz singer, a country singer and river boat tour guide, an athelete, and now, to her delight and surprise, she’s a circus performer. Yes, all her talents have combined to get her a gig with Cirque de Soleil. Her actor parents encouraged her to live an interesting life and that she’s certainly done.
Roberta Donnay 10/18-24
Singer/songwriter Roberta Donnay has a wide variety of musical influences and a broad focus with the music she performs, from sharing the stage with Elvis Costello or Leon Russell, to her ongoing shows of 1920s and ‘30’s music with her group The Prohibition Mob Band, to her most recent CD, Blossom-ing, a collection of songs celebrating the music of vocalist/pianist, Blossom Dearie.
Tom Gold 10/25-31
Samara Joy 11/1-7
Vocalist Samara Joy burst onto the scene in 2019 when she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and went on to win two Grammy awards in 2023 for best new artist and best jazz vocal album for her CD, Linger Awhile. Since I talked to her in August 2023, she has gone on to win two additional Grammys. As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, we’re revisiting that early conversation with Samara, when her fame and career were just getting started.
Geoff Muldaur 11/8-14
Singer, arranger, composer, guitarist Geoff Muldaur has always been one of the most inspired and original musical voices on the scene, with his early work with Jim Kweskin and Paul Butterfield to his most recent double album set, His Last Letter, a collection that includes songs from the American folk and jazz-blues repertoire, as well as new original compositions.
Geoff and I discussed this decade-long project, Geoff’s desire to always go his own way and why this album could only have been created in Amsterdam, with the very special musicians Geoff gathered to realize his vision.
Matthew Sheens 11/15-21