PODCAST · music
The Jazz Session
by Jason Crane
The original jazz interview podcast since 2007. Hosted by Jason Crane.
Episodes
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The Jazz Session #655: Jimmy Heath (2012)
An interview from The Jazz Session archives with sax giant Jimmy Heath.
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The Jazz Session #654: Fievel Crane
Fievel's partner Stephanie interviews them about The Jazz Session, their life as a musician, their high school band director, and a lot more.
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The Jazz Session #653: Three Conversations With Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins died this week at the age of 95. He was on The Jazz Session in 2008, 2010, and 2012. Here are all three episodes.
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The Jazz Session #652: Steve Wilson
Fievel chats with saxophonist Steve Wilson about his new album, Enduring Sonance. They discuss the band, the song selection, the approach to arranging the album, and the upcoming series of shows at Smoke. Steve and the band will be performing songs from the album at Smoke Jazz Club in NYC from...
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The Jazz Session #651: Caroline Davis
Fievel chats with saxophonist Caroline Davis about her new album, Fallows (Ropeadope, 2026). The album was recorded at a retreat in Wyoming. It’s a solo project made with saxophone and an electronic instrument called the Organelle. PATREON Become a Patreon supporter for $5 a month to get a bonus...
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The Jazz Session #650: Jon Irabagon
Jon Irabagon is releasing two albums on March 13, 2026. Focus Out is a full-band record with his quartet and guests. Saturday’s Child is a bass saxophone duet improv with Dan Oestreicher. In this interview, we talk about everything from meditation to improvisation to raising kids to the joy of a...
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The Jazz Session #649: Benjamin Lackner
Pianist Benjamin Lackner’s latest album is called Spindrift (ECM Records, 2025). In this interview, Benjamin talks about the intense compositional process that led to the album; the selection of his bandmates; the ECM sound; life in Berlin; and a lot more. PATREON Become a Patreon supporter for…
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The Jazz Session #648: Tineke Postma & Theo Bleckmann
Voya (2025, Clap Your Hands) is the new album by saxophonist Tineke Postma and her band, featuring Theo Bleckmann on vocals. In this interview, they talk about working Theo into the existing quartet; the difference between identity and ego; the tears that were shed at their first live performance...
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The Jazz Session #647: Alison Shearer
Saxophonist Alison Shearer’s new album is called In The Garden (Pinch Records, 2025). In this interview, Alison talks about the creation of the album with her working band; the way she works her own life story into instrumental compositions; her upcoming entry into the classical world; and more....
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The Jazz Session #646: Jack DeJohnette [2012]
Jack DeJohnette passed away. In his honor, I’ll hope you’ll enjoy this 2012 interview I recorded with Jack at the Blue Note in NYC at the time of the release of his album Sound Travels. [Photo: Mitchell Garrison]
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The Jazz Session #645: Carmen Staaf
On her new album, Sounding Line, pianist Carmen Staaf explores the music of Thelonious Monk and Mary Lou Williams. In this interview, Carmen talks about making music in the context of Palestine and COVID; the intersection between Monk and Williams and how she arrived at it; the arranging of the...
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The Jazz Session #644: Kelly Green
People make music for many different reasons. In Kelly Green’s case, her new album Corner Of My Dreams is in part an attempt to process the loss of her mother to suicide. In this interview, Green talks about writing the music on the new album; finding the right musicians to play it; telling her...
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The Jazz Session #643: Chris Cheek
Chris Cheek’s new album is Keepers of the Eastern Door. It features Bill Frisell, Tony Scherr, and Rudy Royston. In this interview, we talk about putting the band together; how the stories of indigenous people inspired the album; how a painting led to a voyage of discovery; and more. A note that...
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The Jazz Session #500: Sheila Jordan (Encore)
Sheila Jordan passed away today (August 11, 2025) at the age of 96. This is an interview I did with Sheila for episode #500. She will be missed. /// The Jazz Session celebrates its 500th episode with NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan. In this interview, Jordan talks about how a nickel changed her…
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The Jazz Session #642: Nico Soffiato & Josh Deutsch
Jason Crane chats with guitarist Nico Soffiato and trumpeter/keyboardist Josh Deutsch about their new Redshift Trio album Cloud Forest. The trio features three drummers on different tracks: Dave King, Rudy Royston, and Bram Kinchloe. In this interview, Nico and Josh talk about creating the music;...
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The Jazz Session #641: Jump Off This Bridge
Jason Crane chats with the members of the improvising collective Jump Off This Bridge: Judith Insell (viola), Virg Dzurinko (piano), Eli Asher (trumpet), and Leonid Galaganov (percussion). They tell a Rashomon-esque story about the formation of the band, and then the conversation covers their new...
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The Jazz Session #640: Johanna Summer
German pianist Johanna Summer has released several albums in recent years: Upright (ACT, 2025); Cameo (ACT, 2025 with Jakob Manz); and Resonanzen (ACT, 2023). In this interview, Summer discusses all three albums; her musical partnership with Manz; improvising on classical themes; finding freedom...
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The Jazz Session #639: Muriel Grossmann
Jason Crane talks with saxophonist Muriel Grossmann about her new album, Light Of The Mind. They also talk about Buddhism and its relationship to improvisation; the music scene on the Spanish island where Muriel lives; finding players and sticking with them; and more. Learn more about Muriel at...
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The Jazz Session #638: Emily Mikesell and Kate Campbell Strauss
Jason Crane talks with Emily Mikesell and Kate Campbell Strauss about their debut album, Give Way. The album uses overdubbing to create a choir of of trumpets and saxophones. In this interview, they talk about the random way they were paired in a grad school class; why the partnership works so...
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The Jazz Session #637: Rachel Eckroth
The Jazz Session returns after nearly a year with a new episode featuring pianist Rachel Eckroth. This interview was recorded in October 2023 and focuses on Rachel’s then-new album Humanoid. We also talk about returning to the piano, recording in a live setting, the album Money Jungle, and more....
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The Jazz Session #636: 17th Anniversary Episode with Les McCann
The Jazz Session turns 17 today! I’m celebrating with an archival episode from back in my jazz radio days. I interviewed Les McCann in 2004 about his classic album Swiss Movement. Les passed away on December 29, 2023. I thought I’d commemorate his passing and celebrate his life and the birthday…
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The Jazz Session #635: Allison Au
Saxophonist Allison Au’s new album is called Migrations. On it, she explores her family’s history of migration, and by extension the plight of migrants everywhere. In this interview, Allison talks about the album’s spoken word and sung elements; her family history and how it impacted the work…
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The Jazz Session #634: Benjamin Koppel
Danish saxophonist Benjamin Koppel’s new trio recording with Scott Colley and Brian Blade is called Perspective. In this interview, Benjamin talks about the special relationship between the band members; the band as a collective; his family’s long history in music in Denmark; why he chooses to…
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The Jazz Session #633: Allison Miller
Allison Miller’s latest album is called Rivers In Our Veins. In this interview, Allison talks about the inspiration for the project and the research into American waterways that went into it; the care she took in assembling the band; the multimedia nature of the project, which includes both…
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The Jazz Session #632: Benjamin Boone
Saxophonist Benjamin Boone’s new album is Caught In The Rhythm (Origin Records, 2023). In this interview, Ben talks about his ongoing project to combine poetry with improvised music; how he approaches the selection and setting of the poems; his study of the music of speech; using his music for...
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The Jazz Session #631: Marc Copland
Marc Copland’s latest album is Someday (InnerVoiceJazz, 2023). In this interview, Marc talks about his bandmates; why he seeks out opportunities to play with younger musicians; his years with John Abercrombie and Gary Peacock; going into the studio without a detailed plan; and much more. PATREON...
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The Jazz Session #630: 2023 TD James Moody Jazz Fest Preview
This episode of The Jazz Session is sponsored by the TD James Moody Jazz Festival at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The festival runs from November 3 through 19 and features a who’s who of talent from the jazz world and beyond. Performers include Dee Dee Bridgewater with Bill Charlap…
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The Jazz Session #629: Aline Homzy
Violinist Aline Homzy’s new album with her band Etoile Magique is called Eclipse (Elastic Recordings, 2023). In this interview, Aline talks about imagining a world for the album to inhabit; how that world took shape in the arranging and titling process; writing for these particular musicians; a...
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The Jazz Session #628: Todd Sickafoose
Bassist Todd Sickafoose’s new album is called Bear Proof (Secret Hatch Records, 2023). On this episode, Todd talks about assembling a cast of strong musical personalities; the challenges of recording an hour-long piece with no breaks; his work with Anaïs Mitchell on Hadestown; his long tenure in...
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The Jazz Session #627: Kait Dunton
Kait Dunton’s new album is called Keyboards (Real & Imagined Music, 2023). In this interview, Kait talks about her love for 70s synth music; the challenge of using vintage keyboards; how she was “pushed” (in a friendly way) into the world of keyboards; developing her social media following;...
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The Jazz Session #626: Kris Davis
Pianist Kris Davis’s new album is called Live At The Village Vanguard (Pyroclastic Records, 2023). In this interview, Kris talks about what it feels like to record at the Village Vanguard; how she put together the Diatom Ribbons band; working with a DJ; the role of humor in instrumental...
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The Jazz Session #625: Christine Jensen
Saxophonist Christine Jensen’s latest album is called Day Moon. In this interview, Christine talks about creating musical sketches; writing during the pandemic; turning visual and other ideas into music; playing in duo format; losing the friend to whom the album is dedicated; teaching at Eastman;...
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The Jazz Session #624: Moreira Chonguiça
Moreira Chonguiça is a saxophonist and producer from Mozambique. His latest album is called Songs of Peace. In this interview, Moreira talks about surviving the pandemic and evaluating life; his education in South Africa; the people in Mozambique who inspired his interest in jazz; his…
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The Jazz Session #623: Michael Blake
Saxophonist Michael Blake’s new album is Dance of the Mystic Bliss (P&M Records, 2023). Michael talks about his mom, to whom the album is dedicated; the recording process, especially the percussion; his days with the Lounge Lizards; working with Teo Macero and Scotty Hard; and a lot more. PATREON...
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The Jazz Session #622: Laila Biali
Laila Biali’s latest album is called Your Requests. In this interview, she talks about the fan-generated song list; balancing her dual roles as vocalist and pianist; her adventurous collaboration with Kurt Elling; and a lot more. Laila was also on The Jazz Session in 2021 and 2022. PATREON Become…
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The Jazz Session #621: Steven Bernstein
Steven Bernstein’s new album with his band Sexmob is called The Hard Way (Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2023). In this interview, Bernstein talks about working with producer Scotty Hard; his “first take” philosophy; bringing the audience in; life as a working musician; and a lot more. PATREON Become a...
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The Jazz Session #620: Mark Dresser
Mark Dresser‘s new solo bass album is Tines Of Change (Pyroclastic Records, 2023). In this interview, Mark talks about the sonic experimentation that led to the modified bass he plays on this recording; how Jimi Hendrix and Charles Mingus influenced his early musical thinking; the short vacation…
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The Jazz Session #619: Alex Weiss
Saxophonist Alex Weiss’s new album is Most Don’t Have Enough. In this interview he talks about the legacy and influence of his grandfather; the selection of his bandmates; the evolution of the music; using music for social change; and more. PATREON Become a Patreon supporter for $5 a month to get…
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The Jazz Session #618: Ingrid Laubrock
Saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock’s new album is called The Last Quiet Place. In this interview, she explores the idea of the title; talks about her band and how she chose them; describes her methods of composition; gives a preview of some upcoming projects; and more. PATREON Become a Patreon supporter...
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The Jazz Session #617: Bill Lowe
Trombonist and tuba player and educator Bill Lowe has a long and fascinating history in the world of improvised music. In this interview, we talk about his new album, Sweet Cane: Suites And Other Pedagogical Prompts (Mandorla Music Records, 2023); his Signifyin’ Natives Ensemble; the mentorship…
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[UNLOCKED] TJS Bonus: Jason Parker on collecting jazz records
NOTE: This was originally a Patreon bonus episode. I’m unlocking it so that everyone can hear it and become convinced that it’s cool to be a member. Are you convinced? Great! Join today for $5 a month at https://thejazzsession.com/join. Trumpeter Jason Parker takes us on a guided tour of the…
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The Jazz Session #616: Nicky Schrire
Nicky Schrire is a vocalist, songwriter, and the former host of The Jazz Session. Her new album is Nowhere Girl (Anzic Records, 2023). In this interview, Nicky talks about the process of crafting the songs on the album; finding the right players to join her on the project; her evolution as both a...
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The Jazz Session #615: Bob Mintzer
Saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator Bob Mintzer’s latest album is called Soundscapes. In this interview, Bob talks about learning to arrange during his days with Buddy Rich; recording with the WDR Big Band; how he ended up on more than 1,000 recordings; his legacy as an arranger for...
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The Jazz Session #614: Joe Locke
Vibraphonist Joe Locke returns to The Jazz Session to discuss his new album, Makram. In this interview Joe talks about connecting with an audience; finding the right band; his late colleagues Roy Hargrove and Vic Juris; adapting old songs for modern settings; and more. NOTES You can also listen…
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The Jazz Session #613: Jo Lawry
Jo Lawry’s new trio album with Linda May Han Oh and Allison Miller is called Acrobats. In this interview, we talk about the selection of the band members and the repertoire; gender diversity in jazz; Jo’s years with Sting; and more. NOTES You can hear Jo’s 2008 episode of The Jazz Session here.…
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The Jazz Session #612: Tomas Fujiwara
Tomas Fujiwara is back for his third appearance on The Jazz Session. In this interview we focus on his band Triple Double. We explore their formation and talk about their two most recent albums: March (2022) and March On (2023). Be sure to listen to his previous appearances from 2010 and 2012…
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The Jazz Session #611: Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron’s latest album is a collection of solo piano performances called The Source. In this interview, Kenny talks about why playing solo piano can be scary and why he returned to it on this recording; his older brother Bill and their musical history together; his goals for the future of…
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The Jazz Session: 16th Anniversary Spectacular!
The Jazz Session turns 16 today! On this special episode, you’ll hear a clip from each calendar year of the show, along with the story behind the clip. This episode features John Abercrombie, Chico Hamilton, Steve Kuhn, Amy Cervini, Fred Hersch, Jack DeJohnette, Angela Davis, Allison Wedding, Red...
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The Jazz Session #610: Conrad Herwig
Trombonist Conrad Herwig and the Latin Side All-Stars are playing every Tuesday night at Django in the Roxy Hotel in New York now through March 28, 2023. In this interview, we talk about Conrad’s history from his formative years in Hawaii to his early professional career in NYC; his The Latin…
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The Jazz Session #609: Doug Wamble
Guitarist and vocalist Doug Wamble‘s latest album is called Blues In The Present Tense. It’s an overtly political album that speaks to a range of important issues. It’s also a great album musically, featuring performances by Eric Revis, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Branford Marsalis. In this interview,...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The original jazz interview podcast since 2007. Hosted by Jason Crane.
HOSTED BY
Jason Crane
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Jazz Session have?
The Jazz Session currently has 709 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Jazz Session about?
The original jazz interview podcast since 2007. Hosted by Jason Crane.
How often does The Jazz Session release new episodes?
The Jazz Session releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 709 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to The Jazz Session?
You can listen to The Jazz Session on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Jazz Session?
The Jazz Session is created and hosted by Jason Crane.
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