Reflecting on the life of vocalist Cassandra Wilson (Part 2)

Interview with Lonnie Plaxico

We’re back with more of the heartfelt interview with bassist Lonnie Plaxico where we don’t just learn about the life of an incredible musician, but a little about life itself.

NiA: For those who didn’t get the chance to meet Cassandra or get to know her, is there anything you feel would capture her personality in a few sentences?

LP: Well, she was unique in her own way. Complicated at times, and trying to figure out life. I mean, she was experiencing music, life and relationships. Everything people go through.

Musicians have the same relationships that other people have, but what we do is a little different. Like people go to work, they just doing certain things. But being a musician, you get closer to people, different from other jobs because of the creative freedom that’s happening. the creative thing that’s going on, and freedom that people have is, you know. It’s hard to explain to people who don’t live it.

NiA: It’s like, your work is not just a hat you put on and take off at the end of the day. Being a musician is a part of your identity, a part of who you are and shapes who you are as an individual.

LP: Yeah, and there’s a certain freedom that comes along with that lifestyle but also risk. Your mind has to be secure enough to know that even if you don’t know where you’re going to be working the next week or the next month, you keep moving forward. You have to live in that place of uncertainty and become comfortable with it.

With all the musicians I work with, it’s a culture. It’s a closeness that you get from working with people like Cassandra. I mean, because they become family. Actually, more than family because, you know, I spent 20 years with my biological family. But I was working with her for 43 years.

NiA: It would be difficult to work that long with someone and not develop a special connection with them.

LP: Yeah, it’s music that keeps you together. Not drifting away. It’s like a kind of marriage, it doesn’t have to be perfect but it’s a place you can keep coming back. And you continue to work with other people because that’s how you learn and grow, other people have different things to teach you. I always relate things to relationships, you know. In marriage, you’re pretty much serving that person. In music, you’re encouraged to go have other relationships with other musicians because you learn different things that you’re not gonna get from just one person.

NiA: So would you say Cassandra had a collaborative spirit?

LP: Yeah, she challenged you in her way. I had a figure out how to work with who she was musically. You have to listen and make adjustments to how that person sings or plays. You know, I mean, it’s unpredictable at times. Living, breathing, always changing.

NiA: Where were some of the places you traveled together?

LP: Everywhere! Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, everywhere.

NiA: Was the experience very different playing in all of those different locations?

LP: Not so much, the place didn’t influence the performance all that much. I mean, you go there and you play and it’s an opportunity to create. It’s just a stage, and it’s the same stage everywhere you go.

Now, the people are different in different places. The more the people respond to you, the more they’re gonna bring something different out of you. So, some places where the people are really showing expression, it’s like a basketball team. I would say fans are the other part of the team, because the fans make them play better. Music is the same way. When people are really clapping and showing appreciation, the musicians are going to naturally play differently, better.

NiA: Are there any places where you knew the crowds were consistently going to be very appreciative?

LP: Yeah, Chicago, Oakland, Washington D.C. Culturally, people are going to bring a different vibe, whereas places like Japan, they may be a little more reserved.

NiA: If you had to choose, what is some of Cassandra’s music that you would recommend for people to dip their toe in?

LP: We did a song called “You Move Me”. It was for a movie soundtrack for the film Love Jones. It’s a more commercial tune that a lot of people tell me they like, so I think the listeners are more than just musicians. That would be one.

Also, any of her records that went to the Grammys. I mean, they won for a reason. They were more popular records, like New Moon Daughter, and Loverly. And she did a jazz standard record called Blue Skies. So that would be the one for people who just like listen to traditional jazz. That record is all jazz standards. Those are the three records I would recommend.

NiA: Thank you for having this conversation with us, Lonnie, I know it’s impossible to capture everything in a single brief conversation about someone who lived such a full life. We truly appreciate you speaking with us about your time with Cassandra.

LP: I appreciate that, I knew her off the stage, on the stage, and through the ups and downs. Being able to work together so long was special because in the past, a lot of musicians didn’t even live long enough to make a lot of music. So, I mean, she lived to be 70 and perform at a high level.

Cassandra only got sick within the past month, so she didn’t experience any deterioration or anything like that. Some people, you can tell they’re sick or not as strong a musician as they were when they were younger. Our last gig together was in June (2026), and she didn’t appear to be sick. She was strong and having fun. She was doing what she wanted to do until  it was time to go.

We were supposed to have a gig in July. She was not sick like, how sometimes people are very sick for a year or more. She was performing. I don’t think she knew she was sick. So, mentally and physically, it was just another day.

NiA: What did you play during your last gig together in June?

LP: We were playing music from New Moon Daughter. It was a 30-year anniversary gig. We did a recording in February with a piano player named Eric Lewis, who played in her band. He actually just did a recording, a tribute to Sting. His career started with Cassandra after college. So, he has Cassandra and me on a track on that CD, which will probably come out this year. That’s the last time Cassandra and I recorded together – on that upcoming project.

NiA: Well that will be really cool, to have that new music come out even after she’s passed.

LP: Yeah, it’s even more valuable, because it’s one of the last things she’s ever done. It’s just one song, but the song is good. And someone captured that moment.

I’m still just processing the fact she’s gone. I’ll be processing it for years. Her passing is a little different than most people I’ve worked with because, you know, being in the music business for a long time, so many people have passed, since I started playing professional at 14 (I’m 66 now). I’m still processing many losses, but I’ve never worked with anyone as long as I worked with Cassandra.

It’s more like losing family. Most of the time when you work with someone, it’s for a month or maybe a few years.  But you almost never work with someone nonstop for 43 years. But…it’s life. There is a beginning and an ending and it’s out of our control.

NiA: And the beauty of music is that Cassandra will be kept alive through all of her recordings.

LP: Yeah, her legacy is actually going to take on another chapter. And people will value it more, because the book of Cassandra is going to be written now. It’s more sacred when someone dies. When they’re living, they’re still creating and it’s okay. But when they die, you have to preserve it because it’s the value of that person. It means more now that they’re not here.

In loving memory of Cassandra Wilson, one of the great jazz singers of our time.

December 4, 1955 – September 1, 2026

Visit nightisalive.com/albums to check out Radiance, Lonnie’s most recent album with Night is Alive. He also appears on many of our other albums, so be sure to give them a listen.

Learn more about Lonnie Plaxico at www.lonnieplaxico.com

Learn more about Cassandra Wilson at www.cassandrawilson.com

Picture from www.cassandrawilson.com

Reflecting on the life of vocalist Cassandra Wilson (Part 1)

Interview with Lonnie Plaxico

We sat down with Lonnie Plaxico, who was a dear friend and colleague of the late Cassandra Wilson. He played with her for many years, touring and making music across the world. Their relationship wasn’t simply professional – it was a deep connection that you can only cultivate through sharing parts of your soul through musical collaboration.

Night is Alive: How did you and Cassandra meet?

Lonnie Plaxico: We met at a jam session, a place called Jazz Forum in New York in 1982. We had both just moved to New York, and you know, when you get in town, you go to jam sessions. That’s how people can hear you and get to know you. It’s like playing a game of basketball – it’s how you stay in shape and get to know the other musicians in the area.

NiA: Like, a way to just let those creative juices flow, pure expression.

LP: Yeah, it’s a culture. You learn different songs from the musicians you meet and it challenges you – as a young musician, you learn a lot in that culture.

NiA: So, that’s where you and Cassandra met for the first time. Did you decide right then and there that you wanted to collaborate on a deeper level?

LP: Yes, we spoke to each other after the jam session and she asked me where I was from. She thought I was from Mississippi – that’s where she was from. I’m actually from Chicago, and when I told her that I learned that her father had connections with Chicago – either he was from there, or had lived there for a time. That was the connection that started our friendship.

NiA: Was Cassandra singing at the jam session? She also played clarinet, right?

LP: She did play clarinet, but she was singing that night.

NiA: How did you end up becoming her music director, and touring together?

LP: My roommate in New York was Steve Coleman. He told me that he met this real good singer. When he described her, I told him I had met her the other night at a jam session. He was really impressed with her, and when Steve was asked to produce a record, he asked Cassandra and me to join.

NiA: That was Point of View (1986) and was Cassandra’s debut on a major album, I believe.

LP: Yeah, Steve eventually produced her first record. So, we kind of started working together a lot after that, doing gigs together. Whenever I was available, I did gigs with her. And as she built her career, I started recording on more albums and we naturally transitioned into touring together. She became more successful in the music business and once her career took off I was able to just play with her full-time and eventually became her music director.

NiA: What’s one of your favorite memories from that time touring together?

LP: I mean, I don’t have a favorite, because all of it is connected. It’s just…life. It keeps growing until one day it stops. It’s always something new, and I feel like if I choose a favorite moment then I’m going to miss everything that’s ahead. So I prefer to just enjoy the moment.

NiA: If you keep looking towards the next thing, then before you know it you look back and see you’ve missed enjoying it in the moment.

LP: Yeah, like, this is life. I’m living it. If you stay connected to the favorite moments, and life is taking you different directions, then you can’t let those moments go and just enjoy what’s ahead.

NiA: During those moments playing and touring together, do you feel like you and Cassandra influenced each other’s sounds and styles?

LP: Yes and no. Being a musician, you just have to listen to each other. You hire, you work with people. It’s like a relationship, you want to be with someone who paying attention to you. Musicians know who listen to them when they performing, who’s really compatible with them and able to make them sound better.

Some make the music easy because they’re giving you the space or just the interplay. It’s like, the person you end up dating is the one who complemented you more. It’s not a spoken thing, like you’re asking for stuff. It just happens.

NiA: That’s especially true being a bass player as part of the rhythm section, right? I feel like there’s so much interaction that goes on between like you and the drum set and piano, especially interludes where you’re all kind of playing off each other and really listening to what the others are doing.

LP: Yes, it’s a conversation. For sure.

Be on the lookout for Part 2, coming soon…

Photo from Cassandra’s Facebook: facebook.com/reallycassandrawilson/?ref=hl&checkpoint_src=any#

The Making of Cryin’ in My Whiskey

There’s nothing like country music in the summer right? A nice southern drawl, some Americana nostalgia and a little heartbreak in the lyrics certainly gets me feeling some type of way. But have you ever thought about combining country and jazz music together? Jazz Journal’s Valentina Addis writes that such a combination is arguably a risk, but Night is Alive pulled it off with their 2021 album, Cryin’ In My Whiskey.

“Cryin’ In My Whiskey effortlessly amalgamates both genres in a setlist of familiar country favourites,” writes Addis. “Led by Siegel’s powerful vocals, the clear narrative often associated with country music weaves itself throughout the album, creating a great combination of emotions for the listener.”

Cryin’ In My Whiskey, a collection of nine reimagined country favorites, is performed by world-class jazz artists: Janis Siegel (vocals), John di Martino (piano), and Lonnie Plaxico (bass), along with saxophonist Harry Allen, Jesse Lewis (guitar), Ross Pederson (drums), Aaron Heick (flute and saxophone), and Amy Cervini (backup vocals). But who are these artists and what exactly went into the making of this innovating, yet easy listening, album?

Over the past four and a half decades, the voice of Janis Siegel, a nine-time Grammy winner and a seventeen-time Grammy nominee, has been an undeniable force in The Manhattan Transfer’s diverse musical catalog. Alongside her career as a founding member of this musical institution, Siegel has also sustained a solo career that has spawned almost a dozen finely-crafted solo albums and numerous collaborative projects, amassed a large international fan base and garnered consistently high critical praise.

John di Martino is a composer, arranger, jazz pianist, producer and educator, based in New York City. He is described as a “shape-shifter,” for his creativity across musical genres. John composed the music for the documentary series “A Glimpse Of Paradise” (Prospera Medienproduktion), aired on Europe’s Arte Channel, and music for the video games “Batman: The Telltale Series.” John has recorded numerous CDs on the High Note and Venus Records (Japan) labels as a leader, and with Freddy Cole, Gloria Lynn, Houston Person, and Nicki Parrott.

Chicago-born Lonnie Plaxico inherited a gift for music that was discovered and nurtured early. At the age of just fourteen, having already performed alongside several prominent Chicago jazz figures, Plaxico turned professional, playing the electric and acoustic bass with equal facility. He has appeared with such luminaries as Sonny Sitt, Junior Cook, David Murray, Alice Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Sample, Abbey Lincoln, and Dizzy Gillespie. He has also recorded five critically acclaimed albums as leader. Lonnie Plaxico’s musicianship is probably best expressed in his masterful integration of different forms — combining the rigorous technique of classical, the improvisation of jazz, and the rawness of funk into one exhilarating musical experience.

To get a taste of Cryin’ In My Whiskey, here’s a few tracks:

Whenever You Come Around – Janis Siegel, John di Martino, Lonnie Plaxico & others

In the Jazz Journal, Valentina Addis writes that this opening number, a cover of Vince Gill’s 90s country classic, creates a “chilled, laid-back effect.” She also writes that “Siegel’s interpretations throughout the album are no karaoke performance, but rather an accomplishment of stylistic freshness, almost as if the tracks were intended to be interpreted this way.”

Always On My Mind – Janis Siegel, John di Martino, Lonnie Plaxico & others

Valentina Addis of Jazz Journal writes that she was surprised by the decision to include Always On My Mind, since it has an infamous history of interpretations from Willie Nelson to The Pet Shop Boys. But Addis writes, “Once again Siegel’s approach breathes new life into the melody, accompanied by a reduced, subtle accompaniment over characteristically jazzy harmonies and rhythms.”

To see the full setlist and learn more about Cryin’ In My Whiskey, see the album page here. And to learn more about Janis Siegel, see this Q&A we did with her back in 2021, and also this Q&A too!

Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Spotlight: The Women Artists of Night is Alive

For Women’s History Month this March we’d like to shine a spotlight on the many talented women artists of Night is Alive! These ladies have won countless awards, filled our records with passion and really worked hard to contribute to the jazz music community. We applaud you all for your great successes and are overjoyed to be able to celebrate your many accomplishments this month! May we raise our glasses and toast to Janis Siegel, Camille Thurman, Teddy Horangic and Andromeda Turre!

Janis Siegel

Janis Siegel’s career is just as rich and impressive as her silky smooth voice. From her dazzling vocals for The Manhattan Transfer, which received ten Grammy Awards during her tenure; to her solo career and achievements as a vocal arranger; Siegel has had her hand in many parts of the music industry. This vivid tapestry of musical expertise really shines through in her voice! Among her many accomplishments, Siegel was awarded a Grammy for her arrangement of “Birdland” in 1980, and received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee School of Music in 1993. With Night is Alive, Siegel explored a unique fusion of country-western and jazz in the album Cryin’ In My Whiskey. You can read more about her adventurous spirit in our feature interview, and don’t miss her soulful rendition of the classic song “Where Do I Put His Memory.”

Camille Thurman

A double threat on the jazz scene, Camille Thurman is equally renowned for her virtuosic tenor saxophone playing and her four-octave vocal range. Thurman is also a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and as well as a composer. Her first two solo albums topped the Billboard Charts and in 2017 and 2018, and she was the runner-up in the Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocal Competition! Thurman has brought her luminous presence to Night is Alive through her collaboration on Lonnie Plaxico’s album Radiance, where she reimagines soul and jazz classics with effortless sophistication. We just couldn’t get enough of Thurman and ended up doing two interviews with her! The first Q&A focuses more on her formative experiences with music and the second Q&A her more recent endeavors. And don’t forget to listen to her favorite song from Radiance, “It’s a Shame.”

Teddy Horangic

Teddy Horangic brings a powerful and festive energy to the Night is Alive roster, particularly through her contributions to the holiday season. A Yale University student of Grammy-winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, Teddy made her professional recording debut on the label’s celebratory album This Christmas with Night is Alive. Horangic draws inspiration from legends like Sarah Vaughan and Cecile McLorin Salvant, and excels in imbuing her music with deep heartfelt emotion. For a true display of her vocal range and holiday spirit, check out her enchanting performance of “O Holy Night.”

Andromeda Turre

Andromeda Turre is a visionary artist who uses her glorious and fluid vocal tone to bridge the worlds of jazz and environmental activism. The daughter of jazz legends Steve Turre and Akua Dixon, she was raised in the heart of the New York jazz scene and has since headlined stages in 17 countries. Her latest groundbreaking project, From the Earth, is a multidisciplinary gallery exhibit that collaborated with visual artists to provide a fully immersive experience that promotes environmental justice and connects viewers with local climate initiatives. For Night is Alive, Turre shines as the vocalist for the star-studded holiday album Christmas Ain’t Like It Used To Be, where she balances classic jazz sensitivity with modern reflection. For a standout example of her storytelling prowess, listen to the titular track, “Christmas Ain’t Like It Used to Be.”

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s clear that the women of Night is Alive are not just performing jazz—they are actively shaping its future. From Janis Siegel’s legendary arrangements, Camille Thurman’s dual-threat virtuosity to Andromeda Turre’s environmental activism, and the rising brilliance of Teddy Horangic, these artists represent a breathtaking spectrum of leadership, reform, and raw talent. Their contributions remind us that the heart of jazz beats strongest when it is inclusive, bold, and forward-thinking. We invite you to explore their albums, dive into their interviews, and join us in applauding these incredible women who help to make the Night is Alive community so vibrant.

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

2025 with Night is Alive: A Year in Review

Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash

From two new albums to interviews with numerous award-winning musicians and tons of fun, jazzy blog posts, 2025 has been a busy year for Night is Alive! As the year draws to a close, it is time to reflect upon and celebrate our accomplishments, the incredible music we’ve shared, and the community we’ve built together.

New Sounds: The Albums of 2025

Night is Alive is always looking to provide the very best in jazz to our listeners, and that means thinking outside the box to create unique musical experiences. This year, we were thrilled to showcase two standout projects.

It Takes 3

To kick off 2025, we released a smashing new album featuring the exceptional talents of tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, pianist Rossano Sportiello, and drummer Bryan Carter.

This collaboration is a testament to the enduring appeal of jazz and the remarkable chemistry that can be achieved when masterful musicians come together. By choosing a trio format without a bass, the group paid homage to the jazz traditions of the 1930s and 40s while infusing the music with fresh interpretations. The tracklist features a blend of the Great American Songbook alongside original compositions.

Go deeper into the music:

Radiance

Later in the year, we were proud to present Radiance, a soul-jazz masterclass from Lonnie Plaxico. Featuring the luminous Camille Thurman, the rhythmic heartbeat of Douglas Plaxico, and the rich piano textures of Lafayette Harris Jr., this album reimagines classics like “Don’t Know Why” and “All This Love.”

Lonnie is a familiar face to the NiA family, having been featured on Cryin’ in My Whiskey and Christmas Ain’t Like It Used to Be. With Radiance, he delivers a deeply emotional, groove-forward journey.

Meet the Artists:

Living the Jazzy Life: 2025 Blog Highlights

Music isn’t just something you listen to; it’s a backdrop for your life. This year, we curated dozens of playlists and articles to help you find the perfect rhythm for every moment.

Nature & The Great Outdoors

Whether you were greeting the spring or trekking through fall leaves, we had the soundtrack ready:

Celebrations & Outings

We celebrated the people who matter most with curated lists for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Whimsical Weddings.

When you headed out into the world, NiA went with you! We explored music for:

Education & Industry Insights

We believe that the more you know about jazz, the more you can love it. This year, we tackled the big questions, like “What does it mean to swing?”

We also sat down for a comprehensive, three-part interview with David Basse, the voice behind the famous radio show, Jazz with David Basse. With a career spanning 50 years—including playing for presidential galas and teaching at Lincoln Center’s Swing University—David offered an unparalleled look into the depth and breadth of the genre.

Thank You for a Swingin’ 2025!

Whether you purchased Radiance from our online store or read our tips for a jazzy game night, thank you for being part of the Night is Alive community. We can’t wait to share even more music, interviews, and memories with you in 2026.

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash

Q&A with Camille Thurman – Part 2

Part Two of Night is Alive’s exclusive interview with Camille Thurman

It’s finally here – the final part of our conversation with the incredible Camille Thurman! As an accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, she is quickly becoming one of the leading standard bearers of the art form (from https://www.camillethurmanmusic.com/bio). And now, more from Camille…

NiA: You have five studio albums now, and received multiple jazz awards. Which moment from your career makes you most proud?

CT: Getting recognized is nice and great and wonderful but the real reason you do it is for the love of the music and every time I get to play with a musician I love is an honour and a privilege. That they’re willing to join you in creating their vision is an honor. Whether you get recognized or not isn’t as important as getting to play with the people you really respect and admire.

NiA: Yes, it is such an honor. In the beginning what music were you and these musicians playing together? Jazz standards?

CT: In the beginning I figured out who I wanted to play with and work with, then the first step was learning their music, as well as learning all the stuff that you should know. If you’re playing in a session, play the repertoire, learn what particular people want to work with, what are they playing, so if hypothetically you get an opportunity to play with them, know where they’re coming from, whatever it is. You need to meet them where they are and have musical conversation, and my own stuff that over the years I like and have been attracted to are things that inspire me and a lot of times things that I’ve learned from.

NiA: What was it like to record the new album Radiance? Do you have any favorite moments that stood out?

CT: It was really fun! Lonnie Plaxico is an incredible bassist, and he played with Art Blakey, so it was just an honor and privilege. Like woah, I couldn’t believe I got to play with him. I was with my band and Darrell Green, when I got the call from Lonnie Plaxico that he wanted me on his project, and I thought let me get all my stuff together, he’s incredible. I love and appreciate his musicality and composition and so, I was like wait, we’re not doing your stuff?  He used to tell me stories all the time about going up to Chicago and what it was like at that time–you had to learn the music of the people and make people groove and dance and if you could do that that’s what mattered, it wasn’t about showing off on your instrument. He talked about that a lot, so I was like, “wow okay you’re finally getting to do this” and he was like “I want you to have an opportunity to do what you do too on the album.”

The whole session was just fun and easy, not technically easy, but just could breathe with ease–that’s how it felt recording all the music. We didn’t even have to do multiple takes, we just came in and did it and it just happened, the way Lonnie played was just wow…. I was like a kid in the candy store. Recording the music just felt so good, which is what matters. Does it feel good? If it doesn’t feel good, you’re going to work hard. But the whole session was fun and easy. I appreciated it so much because you don’t hear that every day. And Lonnie Plaxico’s brother comes from that same era, so it felt like I was transported in time–that was the real deal and it’ll get the people feeling good.

NiA: Which is your favorite song from Radiance?

CT: Oh, that’s a hard one! I really liked “It’s a Shame.” When you have projects like this, when you’re pulling out different songs from different eras especially when it’s an iconic song, but you don’t want to abandon your own way of playing, it’s always tricky and fun. It’s fun keeping the respect of what it already is and to be able to appreciate it. And even though I’m the new generation I was able to find my own way of hearing the song; I wasn’t trying to just copy it exactly. I really had a lot of fun on this album and everyone should go and buy it!

Check out Night is Alive’s albums page for the very best in jazz, including Radiance.

Learn more about Camille Thurman at https://www.camillethurmanmusic.com/

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Q&A with Camille Thurman – Part 1

Part One of Night is Alive’s exclusive interview with Camille Thurman

This week we had the privilege of speaking with Camille Thurman, the accomplished and multi-talented jazz musician whose powerhouse vocals and distinctive saxophone are showcased in the hot new album Radiance. Thurman may be the youngest musician on the album, but with five full-length studio albums and numerous prestigious awards under her belt, she is quickly becoming a name to remember. From touring and performing as a bandleader in Paraguay and Nicaragua, to founding a mentorship series and serving as cultural ambassador in Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Mauritania, Thurman has done it all!

Night is Alive: You are a saxophonist, singer and composer; and I’ve read that you practiced vocals, piano and flute as a child. What is your earliest musical memory? Which of your many musical pursuits were you originally drawn to most as a child?

Camille Thurman: Probably playing violin at age five. I remember my mother introduced me to Noel Pointer in Brooklyn and he had this blue violin and I was very intrigued by the blue. It had this lacquer on it that just shined.

NiA: Oh wow, I can imagine the blue being very intriguing at age 5! Did you get your own blue violin?

CT: I got a regular violin, it was great. I got to do it for a year, there was a great teacher at my school, Miss Young. And both of my parents appreciated music–my mom sang and played the piano. She would practice at night when I would sleep and I could hear her, then in the morning I would try to pluck the song she was singing on the piano. I learned a lot of songs this way and then they had a talent show at school and I signed up and told my mom and she was like, “wait what?” I just told her, “Oh, I’m going to play the piano, I hear you practice at night.” At that time I think she was playing Bette Midler’s “From a Distance” and I played the melody and she was floored, and I played it from beginning to end at the talent show in the 3rd or 4th grade.

NiA: That’s amazing! I bet she was so impressed by that. You’ve also played with musicians such as Tia Fuller and Mimi Jones.

CT: Tia Fuller and Mimi Jones were my mentors. Tia took me under her wing when she got out of college and she introduced me to Mimi Jones and I got to work with her. Tia was like my big sister–I learned so much from her about being a musician, being a woman in the industry, she got me through a lot and we had some amazing times together.

I didn’t play all the gigs with her; it was more like an apprenticeship, then after that I started playing with other people too–a mixture of playing with her and other musicians, getting on the scene, playing as much as you can. I played with Mimi and Terri Lyne Carrington, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and got to do a few things with other people, like Nicholas Payton, and so many others.

NiA: Do you have a favorite musical performance?

CT: No, you’re just doing it–every time you get to play it’s an accomplishment. Musicians are a dime a dozen. Everyone is trying to make a name for themselves, and I just wanted to play with my heroes. So just to get a call from them to play, that in and of itself was an accomplishment. Getting a call from one of your heroes saying, “Hey I want you in my band” is such an accomplishment. I’m getting to play with this person with all this history, like Louis Hayes, that was another wow. Every opportunity was special, getting to play with Terri Lyne Carrington. There wasn’t necessarily one particular moment.

Look for the second part of this compelling interview, coming soon! In the meantime, check out Night is Alive’s albums page for the very best in jazz.

Learn more about Camille Thurman at https://www.camillethurmanmusic.com/

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Q&A with Lonnie Plaxico – Part 2

Part Two of Night is Alive’s exclusive interview with Lonnie Plaxico

We’re back with part 2 of our chat with Lonnie Plaxico, whose album Radiance is receiving critical acclaim!

Night is Alive: When did you first become involved with Night is Alive?

Lonnie Plaxico: I got called to play in the session with Christie Dashiell, on the Christmas album. It’s fun, the sessions with Kathy Salem’s label always go well.

NiA: You’ve been a part of many Night is Alive albums. Which one has been your favorite?

LP: All of them. I mean because to me it’s all connected, it’s just another opportunity to make music. I don’t have a favorite, they’re all special.

NiA: Could you tell us more about your album Radiance, which came out last summer?

LP: When I started playing jazz, we had to learn the music of the elders, which was the pop music of their time. So, the music that I’m playing on this CD is for the young musicians. We’re the elders now. For a 16-year-old kid, playing music from the 70s, that’s grandparents’ music. For me, playing jazz was like playing my grandparents music, so for this album I wanted to do some music that my parents know. That made it special for me. Because sometimes we play original music and don’t nobody have a connection to it. So, I wanted to play some songs that the average person can listen to, and think “hey, I know that song,” and have a connection to it. And also, my brother–I got into music through him and he really don’t play jazz, so I was willing to do something that he’s comfortable with, that we grew up having the same musical experience with. The piano player, he grew up with this music too. The singer, Camille, she’s much younger, so it’s like we’re bringing her in to our culture, and what we grew up on, and that’s what all the musicians have always done with the younger musicians. We’re pulling them in, and that’s how we learn from the elders.

NiA: Was there a specific moment that inspired you to create the album?

LP: Well, I’ve always loved 70s music and early 80s music and sometimes I feel like I’m starving to play it, because a lot of young musicians play more original music and I don’t feel they connect to the audience. And I know that when you play something people know, it’s a whole different connection. I wanted to play some music that would connect with the people because when I grew up, musicians loved playing for people. But now, most musicians go to college and just want to play their own original music. And we don’t listen to the radio like we used to, so nobody has hit records, so the music, I feel like it doesn’t connect with the audience. And I grew up in a time when you didn’t write original music, you performed in clubs what you heard on the radio. People didn’t write original music until they got a record deal and it was very hard to get a record deal in the 70s. You had to get “discovered” and until then you played what was on the radio, played strictly for the audience, and I used to love doing that because people knew the music and we made them happy.

Check out Night is Alive’s albums page for the very best in jazz, including Lonnie Plaxico’s Radiance.

Learn more about Lonnie Plaxico at http://www.lonnieplaxico.com/

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

photo from https://www.facebook.com/lonnie.plaxico1

Q&A with Lonnie Plaxico – Part 1

Part One of Night is Alive’s exclusive interview with Lonnie Plaxico

This week we were lucky enough to speak with the extremely talented double bassist, Lonnie Plaxico. You may recognize Lonnie from the five Night is Alive albums he’s featured on: Night is Alive’s First Christmas; Christmas Ain’t Like It Used to Be; Cryin’ in My Whiskey; Old, New, Borrowed and Blue; and most recently, Radiance, the last of which just came out this July! Lonnie also won the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, and played with countless legendary musicians, including Chet Baker and Hank Jones. Now, let’s hear from Lonnie . . .

Night is Alive: You’ve been playing the double bass since you were twelve years old. What originally drew you to the instrument?

Lonnie Plaxico: I actually started with electric bass, then I got into acoustic bass. The music at that time, the 60s and the 70s was R&B. A friend of mine who played saxophone and knew about jazz started telling me about jazz and John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, acoustic bass. And I got interested around that time. By the time I was 14/16, they had acoustic bass at the high school and that was the first time I touched the acoustic bass.

NiA: Did you fall in love with the acoustic bass and stop with the electric bass?

LP: It was like learning history. Electric bass has a history that no one had told me about when I got one. I didn’t know I was supposed to learn the history of music, you know I was a kid and just heard the music on the radio, but then I realized there was a history. I was naturally curious, like hey where does this stuff come from? I was surprised that people were playing a different kind of music in the 50s. I was a kid and didn’t know, didn’t have a music education that holds you responsible for learning where the rules come from. As the R&B music started changing and going more towards disco and non-instruments, I could tell I really need to learn where this stuff comes from. Studio musicians had to be able to play anything. I was with my family band, and I realized I didn’t see no career in that. I wanted to be able to play with everyone, not just my brothers and sisters, and jazz was a whole ‘nother mystery for me. And I love playing electric bass too, but you just realize there is so much more out there.

NiA: You’ve played with many talented musicians throughout your career, like Chet Baker and Dexter Gordon. What is one of your favorite performance memories?

LP: All of them. I mean because these are people I listened to when I started listening to jazz, so to play with any one of them was like a dream. We recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, and I saw these people on TV when I was just getting into music and I never thought that I’d be performing with them.

NiA: Yeah, it sounds like a dream-come-true! Do you remember which performance was the first one where you really felt like you had to pinch yourself, and couldn’t believe it?

LP: Sonny Stitt when I was 16, in a small club in Robbins, Illinois, a small suburb outside of Chicago. It was not like a regular jazz club. He needed a band and someone asked if we could play behind Sonny Stitt, and I thought it was a joke because you know they were asking us teenagers to back up Sonny Stitt. We said yeah, but we didn’t think Sonny Stitt would show up, but he did, and we played behind him. We were playing the first set and this old guy–probably in his 40s but to us he was this old guy–he came in with his horn, and it was Sonny Stitt. And my brother-in-law–he plays saxophone and was in the band–he took a picture. I didn’t even say hey let me take a picture with Sonny Stitt, so he’s the only one in the picture. It was just one gig but that was the first gig with a legend. Then in Chicago, where I’m from, I played with the elders, all of them basically. And then I got to New York to play with Wynton Marsalis, that was my way to New York, and that lasted me, and then Art Blakey.

Look for the second part of this compelling interview, coming soon! In the meantime, check out Night is Alive’s albums page for the very best in jazz.

Learn more about Lonnie Plaxico at http://www.lonnieplaxico.com/

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

photo from https://www.facebook.com/lonnie.plaxico1

Q&A with David Basse from Kansas City Radio – Part 3

Here we wrap up our conversation with the acclaimed David Basse, a living legend in today’s jazz world. Stay tuned for more interviews with your favorite artists!

NiA: Your singing has been compared to Mel Tormé, Jon Hendricks and Al Jarreau. Are these the musicians you look up to the most? Which musicians do you most admire and why?

DB: I think what that comparison speaks to is that I don’t really copy anybody. There’s also another article that compared me to Dr. John. But I really actually patterned myself after Tom Waits for quite a while, and Joe Williams who sang with Count Basie Orchestra. And each time that somebody would say, oh you sound like that guy, and if I was trying to sound like that person, I would try to sound like someone else. I didn’t really start singing, really singing until I was 19, when I came to Kansas City. When I got to Kansas City it was like I had a new life. I could try anything, dress however I wanted to dress, be whoever I wanted to be, so I felt comfortable singing. But I’ve changed a lot over the years and I don’t pattern myself after anyone anymore and I don’t really hear that anymore. I’m just doing what I do.

NiA: Which musicians are you most jazzed to be listening to at the moment?

DB: I like to explore music and I guess that’s why I started doing radio, which was in 1998. Recently, I went to the last two Sarah Vaughan music competitions in Newark, New Jersey. And Tyreke McDole, he won in 2023, and the next winner was April May Webb. In 2023, I picked Tyreke and my wife and I went to dinner and he won, so we went back the next year and I picked April May and she won! I’ve kept in touch with both of them. They’re really great; they’re really saying something with their music. And then there’s a young trombonist, Altin Sencalar, he’s Turkish and Mexican, and he’s a terrific trombonist. So those are my three favorite people right now in jazz. And it’s not like my opinion means anything, it’s just something I like. I’m not listening to any particular kind of jazz–I just love music. So, on my radio show we play a wide range–blues, smooth jazz, classic jazz, whatever it is, I make a case for it.

NiA: Could you talk a bit about your transition from performing to the radio?

DB: I don’t really make a differentiation–in both, I play the music I want to play. As I’ve gotten older I want to play my original music more and play less of the standards and things I used to play although I do play a lot of those songs because people want to hear them and they come into my head. With radio, I try to make it like a symphony, so there’s the first movement of the symphony and then it has to lead into the next movement. Even if I’m going to talk in between the songs and explain things–which I don’t always do–I want the key, the tempo, and the feel of the music to bleed into the next piece of music. So curating the jazz for the radio is the most fun and the most challenging; it takes the most time.

NiA: Could you talk about how exactly you decide which songs to play on the radio? What is the selection process?

DB: Record companies and artists work with radio promoters and they send an awful lot of music. I get maybe 30 or 40 CDs a month and 10-20 downloads a day from various places and artists from all over the world. So, I’m able to have a good amount of music and it’s really run me out of a couple studios so far and I’m currently looking for a place to house my collection of recordings–my albums and CDs, drives with shows. I’ve done about 8,000 hours of jazz at this point, and I was involved in a syndicated radio show before this for a decade and that show is no longer–it’s housed in a library now–it’s no longer on the air. That’s a lot of music! And I pick a Top 10 every year. You can look on my website from 2015 to 2023 to see the Top 10s. So if you think of all the albums, I’m distilling them down to 10 top songs of 10 top albums. I’ve been curating 15 hours of jazz per week and there’s 9-10 songs in an hour–that’s 150 albums a week! And I put a post-in note in every CD or album that says when I played it and the track that I played. The only way that the album can be in the Top 10 is if I play every track in the album and so at the end of the year I have a tabletop full of stacks of CDs and I start to rethink and play those great songs again. Then I can say over the air that this is one of my Top 10 picks for the year.

NiA: What do you think about NiA’s music?

DB: Well as someone who has had their own record label for quite a while, I think it’s a good endeavour. I think she’s doing good things with it. I think she’s making nice, really good albums with influential musicians. You know, it’s a hard thing to do. It’s a labor of love and a lot of jazz labels don’t last for a long, long time. But she has some very good music, so…it’ll probably be something very special as time goes on.

Since I’m a radio person, I receive stacks of CDs from everywhere, and downloads come in all the time, so there’s a lot of competition. But she has a style that’s specific and it’s a wide genre, it’s not just jazz, it’s Night is Alive! The way that she puts these albums together is very personal, so I usually play all the songs, which is my criteria for a good album.

NiA: Yeah, I know what you mean. With a really good album you listen to every single song, no skips.

DB: Yeah, sometimes there’s just one good song, and sometimes there’s no good song. And it depends on a lot of aspects, and it’s really hard. I’m making my own recording right now and sometimes I really like it, and other times, I’m like “am I doing the right thing? Is this going to be successful in any way?” It has to be something that you really choose to do, and that seems like what Kathy does–she really chooses what she wants it to sound like, which I think is the best course of action.

NiA: Which Night is Alive album of ours is your favorite?

DB: Call Me Irresponsible is my favorite because it really captures an excellent singer in the beginning of her career, and it’s off-handed in a way. I love John Di Martino–the pianist–too. He was the director of the band. But I remember all the albums as joyful to open up. They always come in the mail and I like everything about them. I like the way Kathy presents the albums, so I always play them.

Learn more about David Basse at davidbasse.com

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

photo from facebook.com/davidbassejazz/