With the rise of feng shui and self-help books like Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” people are beginning to realize and prioritize the importance of creating a cozy home environment. To truly make a house (or apartment!) into a home, you need to cultivate warm spaces that invite you and guests to relax and unwind. Whether you just moved into a new studio or you’ve been living in the same creaky house for decades, it’s never a bad idea to shower your home with a little tender love and care.
So, this autumn, why not create the most perfect jazz listening nook? I know what you may be thinking–a “listening nook”? What the heck is that? Well, a nook usually refers to a corner, a snug little spot where you can curl up and doze or read. But since music is our forte at Night is Alive, we are assuming that you will be listening to jazz music in your autumnal nook! Maybe you even have an old record player collecting dust in your attic that you could drag out and revive? No matter what, we’ve got some songs to help inspire your home decorating!
At the outset of any new project, the most important thing is that you use your imagination. The sky’s the limit! Let your imagination soar; let it roam free and wild. No idea is too outlandish at this early stage–maybe you want your nook to feel like you’re inside a hollow tree. Maybe you want to feel like you’re looking up at the night sky. Or maybe you really just want a velvet chaise lounge. No matter what you want, allow this song, from Night is Alive’s album Call Me Irresponsible to inspire your imagination.
Once you’ve captured the vision, the dreamboard if you will, of your listening nook, it’s time to shoot for the moon! Why do you want this nook? Why is it important to create a homey space? Reflecting on your goals will help to make the dream a reality. This song, from Night is Alive’s album Old New Borrowed and Blue will help you to refine and focus your vision and land among the stars.
Did you know that Zen Buddhists believe that the clutter, or cleanliness, of your home helps to create your mindset? The clearer and more organized your surroundings, the clearer and more organized are your thoughts. It’s a positive feedback loop! So, while creating your listening nook think about your habits and routine–what will create the clearest path to organization and enjoyment? Let this song from Night is Alive’s album Colors of Jazz inspire your introspection.
Picture this: after weeks of traveling and family obligations every weekend you finally have a Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday all to yourself. You get home from work, take off your sweaty work clothes and toss them in the hamper then take a long shower or bubble bath. After putting on your pajamas, the take-out food you ordered is at your door. You get cozy in your new listening nook, turn on this song–from Night is Alive’s album The Border Widow’s Lament–and settle in. Between bites you contemplate the interiors of your home–where do you feel most safe? Where do you still want to redecorate?
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
Dizzy’s Birthday Bash: How Dizzy Gillespie Shaped Afro-Cuban Jazz
John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina. He was the youngest of nine children born to Lottie and James Gillespie—the latter a local bandleader. Thanks to his dad’s musical knack, young Dizzy and his siblings grew up surrounded by instruments. By age four, Dizzy was already tinkering on the piano, and by 12, he had taught himself to play both the trombone and trumpet!
One night, Gillespie heard his trumpet idol, Roy Eldridge, blasting over the radio waves, and his dream of becoming a jazz legend took full flight. He soon snagged a music scholarship to the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina, attending for two years before his family relocated to Philadelphia. It wasn’t long before his cheeks were puffing, his signature bent trumpet was pointing skyward, and his fiery virtuosic style was captivating audiences nationwide.
By the 1940s, Dizzy had become a pioneer of bebop—a fast-paced, complex style of jazz that showcased blistering speed and high-flying melodic runs. But Dizzy was never one to stay inside a single musical box. He was fascinated by global rhythms, particularly the infectious polyrhythms coming out of Cuba. Then he met Chano Pozo.
In 1947, iconic Cuban conguero Mario Bauzá introduced Dizzy to Pozo, a legendary percussionist and dancer fresh off the boat from Havana. Though Dizzy didn’t speak Spanish and Pozo spoke no English, they shared a universal language: groove. The moment they jammed together, magic happened.
Dizzy and Pozo teamed up to write “Manteca” (Spanish for “lard,” but slang for cool or grease), which quickly became the ultimate Afro-Cuban jazz anthem. The track kicked off with Pozo’s hypnotizing conga rhythm, layered with a swinging bassline, and exploded into Dizzy’s blazing brass melodies.
It wasn’t just a gimmick or a quick fusion, it was a revolution. Before this, Latin music and American jazz mostly played in separate ballrooms. Dizzy fused Cuban clave rhythms directly with complex jazz harmonies, creating a vibrant hybrid genre that got listeners tapping their feet and dancing in the aisles.
Dizzy’s open-minded, celebratory approach to music proved that jazz had no borders. His Afro-Cuban compositions opened the floodgates for generations of musicians, from Tito Puente and the Fania All-Stars to modern Latin jazz masters.
So, this October 21st, blow a horn, puff out your cheeks, and put on some classic Dizzy Gillespie. Happy Birthday, Dizzy! Thanks for bringing the ultimate rhythm party to jazz.If you want to experience Dizzy’s Afro-Cuban magic firsthand, drop these two classics into your rotation:
This is the track, released in 1948, that started it all, opening with Chano Pozo’s infectious conga riff before locking into an irresistible groove. As Dizzy’s trumpet soars over a swinging horn section, you can hear the exact moment bebop meets Havana. It’s impossible to listen to this masterpiece without bouncing along to the beat!
Co-written with Chano Pozo and pianist Gil Fuller, this 1951 track trades high-speed fireworks for a laid-back, smoldering sway. Dizzy’s muted trumpet glides effortlessly over hypnotizing Afro-Cuban percussion and lush harmonies. It’s cool, sophisticated, and guaranteed to transport you straight to a sunlit jazz club.
Can you hear any Gillespie-inspired music in our own Night is Alive albums? You can listen on our Youtube page or add music from our various albums to your Spotify playlist. And of course, the very best in jazz is always available on Night is Alive’s albums page.
“Autumn Leaves”: The Anatomy of Jazz’s Most Famous Standard
If you know anything about jazz, then you’re familiar with Nat King Cole’s 1955 recording of the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves.” I’m sure you know the beautiful lyrics of melancholy and heartbreak: “The falling leaves drift by the window / The autumn leaves of red and gold / I see your lips, the summer kisses / The sun-burned hands I used to hold / Since you went away the days grow long / And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song / But I miss you most of all my darling / When autumn leaves start to fall . . .”
With more than a thousand commercial recordings by mainstream musicians, “Autumn Leaves” is one of the most recorded jazz songs of all time! But do you know the history and evolution of this famous jazz standard? Did you know that the song is actually an English adaptation of a French song? And did you know that the original composer was Hungarian?
Hungarian Joseph Kosma was introduced to Parisian Jacques Prévert in Paris and the two began collaborating on the song, “Les Feuilles Mortes,” which means “The Dead Leaves.” Kosma drew inspiration from his ballet music compositions, as well as Jules Massenet’s “Poème d’octobre No. 4,” and Tchaikovsky’s 1888 Hamlet Overture-Fantasia, Op. 67. The song was completed in 1945 and officially published in 1947.
The most successful recording of “Les Feuilles Mortes” was by Yves Montand in 1949 and sold a million copies within 5 years. Then in 1950, Johnny Mercer wrote the English lyrics, which consist of only two verses, are significantly shorter than the French version. There was also an instrumental piano recording by Roger Williams that topped the Billboard charts in 1955. Over the years, over 1,400 versions have been produced!
So, this autumn, why not have a listen to a few different versions, and see which “Autumn Leaves” is your favorite? Or if you’re a beginner jazz musician, you may want to try playing the song. With its simple AABC form, it’s a great way to become acquainted with jazz harmony.
Did you know that this same form can be found in some of Night is Alive’s music? Check out our albums page and let us know which tunes you can find! Who knows? You might even hear this famous tune “quoted” in improvisational sections…
Here are a few memorable versions of “Autum Leaves” to kick off your listening:
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.
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.
If Charlie Parker were still alive, he would be turning 106 this August 29th! The American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer was a frontrunner in the development of bebop, which is a style of jazz characterized by advanced harmonies, fast tempos and virtuosic technique. He brought groundbreaking rhythm and harmony into jazz, such as rapid passing chords, chord substitutions and new variants of altered chords. But Parker was more than just a musician, he was an icon for the hipster subculture and Beat Generation, and embodied uncompromising artistry and intellectualism rather than just entertainment.
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Charles Parker’s father was a pianist, dancer and singer on the Theatre Owners Booking Association circuit. At Catholic school, Parker sang in the choir, and at age 11 he began playing the saxophone. Then at age 14, he joined the Lincoln High School Band, and his mother bought him a new alto saxophone. In 1935, he withdrew from high school to pursue music full-time by joining the local musicians’ union.
Parker went through some hardships–a divorce, drug addiction and car accident that led to three broken ribs and a fractured spine–but he continued developing his sound and working with a pianist and guitarist. In 1939, Parker moved to New York City to pursue his musical career, where, after working part-time jobs to earn a living, Parker finally achieved his musical breakthrough. He developed a new improvisational vocabulary that later became known as “bebop.”
Fun fact: Did you know that Charlie Parker was nicknamed “Bird” or “Yardbird” for his legendary love for eating chicken? This 1946 song’s title cleverly makes a reference to this beloved nickname. “Ornithology” showcases contrafact, which is a practice that was developed by Parker and involved writing original melodies over existing jazz forms and standards. In this case, the newly-created melody was written over the standard “How High the Moon.”
The titular track of the 1956 studio album, “Now’s the Time” is one of Charlie Parker’s most important compositions. The song bridges Parker’s roots in traditional Kansas City blues with the new radical rhythmic language of bebop. The 12-bar blues written in the key of F features a simple but catchy six-note repeating riff. The song also became an anthem for the power and urgency of modern art, with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat famously painting a massive tribute to the vinyl record.
This 1945 bebop recording begins with a harmonically ambiguous introduction that quickly moves to a B flat major at the start of Parker’s first solo chorus. The harmony becomes based on the chord changes of Ray Noble’s song “Cherokee.” Max Roach’s drum solo ends the transition and the closing echoes the introduction but with an unexpected change. Enjoy this frantic, high-speed masterpiece on Charlie Parker’s birthday!
Can you hear any Parker-inspired music in our own Night is Alive albums? You can listen on our Youtube page or add music from our various albums to your Spotify playlist. And of course, the very best in jazz is always available on Night is Alive’s albums page.
This August 25th would have been Wayne Shorter’s 93rd birthday were he still alive. The legendary jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader had a career that spanned more than six decades and included 12 Grammy Awards! Shorter was particularly influential and acclaimed globally for his compositional depth, originality and transformative approach to improvisation.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Shorter began taking clarinet lessons at age 16 and then switched to tenor saxophone. He attended New York University and graduated in 1956 with a degree in music education. After two years in the U.S. Army, Shorter began his musical career by playing with Maynard Ferguson. In 1959, he joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, which brought him into mainstream prominence. He quickly became the main composer of the ensemble and helped to define its artistic voice.
Shorter then joined Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet in 1964. In 1970, he co-founded the jazz fusion band Weather Report, which reinterpreted the possibilities of electric jazz and achieved international success. Throughout his career as a bandleader, Shorter recorded over twenty albums, many of which became long-lasting jazz standards. The most notable and trademark traits of his music include philosophical depth, harmonic sophistication and narrative structure. Additionally, his mastery of the soprano saxophone was highly admired.
In honor of Wayne Shorter, we put together a few of his most beloved songs for your listening:
From The Weather Report’s sophomore 1972 album, this jazz-fusion tune opens with a long solo by Ralph Towner that sounds very unique due to its aggressive, unconventionally detuned 12-string acoustic guitar. After the introductory guitar, the band explodes with a rich, pulsating rhythm. Shorter’s signature soprano saxophone pierces through with memorable melodies. Joe Zawinul’s electric piano creates an energetic, swirling energy.
This fast-paced, bebop-influenced song almost feels like a workout with its lively, frenetic energy. The stripped-back sound makes it stand out from the other highly synthesized tracks on the album. Shorter’s tenor saxophone is really showcased. His sharp, complex melody plays over a driving swing rhythm. No wonder this 1979 album, 8:30, won a Grammy for the Best Jazz Fusion Performance!
From Wayne Shorter’s 1995 album High Life, this tune blends a steady, infectious funk groove with cinematic orchestration and Shorter’s trademark soaring sax. This album departed from the jazz-fusion works that Shorter had done after leaving Weather Report. In High Life, synthesized instruments were used more subtly and the compositions were seen to be more complex. The album also featured a thirty-piece orchestral ensemble!’
Can you hear any Shorter-inspired music in our own Night is Alive albums? You can listen on our Youtube page or add music from our various albums to your Spotify playlist. And of course, the very best in jazz is always available on Night is Alive’s albums page.
Summertime encourages a slightly slower pace of life. Whether you’re a teacher or student on school break, or still working that daily 9-5, the summer contains a more languorous energy than the rest of the year. I don’t know about you, but this unhurried, leisurely vibe gets me into the mood to cook! When I am super busy and overwhelmed, I find cooking to be a drudgery but when I have the time for it, I enjoy preparing a nice meal, especially for my family and friends. To help inspire your creations in the kitchen, we at Night is Alive have made you a playlist of songs that pairs with some specific recipes! So, pour yourself a glass of wine, turn on this music and get out your ingredients . . .
Yesterday, I made the most delicious spinach, kale, crab and avocado salad, and I thought it was such a nice light summer meal. Funnily enough, I didn’t use a recipe for the dish but invented it based on the ingredients I had in my fridge. That’s how the best meals emerge sometimes–just by random! I also added some chopped spring onions and cilantro; and wonton chips and salty sunflower seeds. The buttery avocado and soft crab combined with the crispy wontons and crunchy seeds created a wonderful mixture of textures! To pair with this salad, I recommend NiA’s song “Always On My Mind,” from our jazz country western album Cryin’ In My Whiskey,because even after you finish eating, this salad will always be on your mind!
Hot dogs are a staple of the American summer diet, but what if we mixed things up a little bit and made them a little healthier and fresher than the standard ketchup and mustard? This August, why not try putting some guacamole or pineapple mango salsa on top of your hot dog? Maybe you could even try using a lettuce or cabbage leaf instead of the typical starchy bun? But no matter how you eat your hot dog, the bottom line is that you can’t hide the love that comes from sharing a summer meal with your friends and family. Turn on this tune, from the funky album Radiance, while you bask in that summer bliss.
Sometimes it can be so lovely to eat a meal by yourself. Solitude doesn’t necessarily have to mean loneliness. There can be great pleasure in silence, particularly when you are mindful of each bite of food you’re eating. We are often in a rush to eat, shower, get ready for the next day and sleep. But it can be so beneficial to slow down and enjoy the process of chopping up some tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, then mixing it all together and topping with some balsamic and olive oil. While you’re cooking, listen to the beautiful crooning vocals of this song, from NiA’s album Call Me Irresponsible.
Sushi may seem like an intimidating food to make, but really it’s not as complicated as it may appear. All that you need is some short-grain white rice, smoked salmon and cucumber; a sushi roller and seaweed paper. Most grocery stores nowadays carry an Asian foods section, so you can easily buy all of these ingredients! Perhaps, if you’re feeling fancy you could get some mirin (sweet rice wine)–just splash a dash into your rice and water before it cooks for an extra special flavor. Cut the cucumbers in long strips, then simply watch a short YouTube video about how to wrap the rolls and you’re done! You’ll have anime eyes, or star eyes, in no time!
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
The temperatures this month may be soaring but that doesn’t mean that you need to be sweaty and overheated. There are plenty of ways to stay cool, both physically andmentally that don’t necessarily involve a sky-rocketing air conditioning bill! For example, did you know that in Japan, instead of trying to cool one’s environment, like we do in the U.S., Japanese people aim to cool their bodies? So, this means that instead of blasting the A/C, Japanese people put cold wet towels around their necks, and wear special undershirts that absorb and ventilate sweat and heat. Pretty neat, right?
Since music is our forte at Night is Alive, we put together a playlist of cool jazz to help you chill out this August. Grab a nice tall glass of ice water, put a cold towel around your neck and kick back in the shade while you beat the heat and enjoy these super chill tunes.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like the heat affects not only my physical health but also my mental health. When I’m constantly in a hot, sunny, humid environment, my mind starts to feel foggy and hazy. I become lethargic and lazy, and feel like those small tasks on my to-do list are insurmountable. But this song, from the groovy album Radiance, will have you feeling free and radiant. Take it easy on yourself! It’s okay to take a break and cool down. Remember, breaks are important because they refresh and revitalize you to accomplish whatever comes next.
Heat stroke is a real problem that occurs more often than you might think! When you’re dehydrated and spend too much time outside in the heat, sometimes your body is unable to cool itself down. It’s important to take precautions to avoid heat stroke, like avoiding laborious physical labor and exercise during peak temperatures, which often occur in the late afternoons. Instead of going for your daily post-work run, why not have a siesta or do some gentle yoga indoors? You could even listen to this song, from NiA’s album My Ship, to help you unwind and sleep or stretch.
Maybe sometimes instead of trying to beat the heat, it’s better to just lean in and embrace it. It might always be sunny right now, but the sun is a lot more enjoyable when you’re basking by a pool. This tune, from Night is Alive’s album It Takes 3, will have you imagining that you’re on a luxury beach retreat in Cape Cod, even if you may only be at the YMCA in your small hometown!
In this stifling heat, the breeze can truly feel like a godsend. Listen to this song, from NiA’s album Old New Borrowed and Blue while you blast the fan or go for a bike ride that’ll have the wind rippling through your clothes. Remember, loose, lightweight clothes are the way to go when it comes to embracing the breeze, no matter how small it may be.
Even though it’s not technically Christmas in July anymore, it could be fun to listen to a holiday tune to remind yourself that the heat is only temporary. The summer heat also often makes me want to listen to country music, which makes this jazz country western Christmas song the perfect tune to imagine a snowy, wintery time. From NiA’s album Cryin’ In My Whiskey, “Hard Candy Christmas” would pair well with a sweet peppermint ice cream!
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
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:
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.”
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.
