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

Songs & S’mores

Photo by Leon Contreras on Unsplash

Bonfire tunes your family and friends will love.

The weather is starting to cool down and the school year is winding back up again, which makes it an ideal time to host a bonfire! Just imagine how nice it would be to put on your favorite worn and cozy hoodie, gather round the fire with friends and family and watch the flames crackle. And of course, no bonfire is complete without some s’mores! So, grab some sticks, marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate, and turn on this playlist.

Harry Allen Trio – Seems to Me I’ve Heard That Song Before

The repetition and cycle of the seasons each year carry a sense of routine and ritual, which reminds me of this song, from Night is Alive’s album It Takes 3. Seems to me I’ve heard that song before–the song of autumnal winds rustling the leaves and replacing the stagnancy of humidity and heat; the song of school buses replacing ice cream trucks; a peaceful and relieving darkness descending earlier and earlier each evening.

WJ3 All-Stars – Star Eyes

What is your s’mores style? Do you like to burn your marshmallow and peel back the smoky top layer to reveal mushy goodness inside? Do you like to patiently rotate your marshmallow over the coals until it’s golden and toasty? Or do you simply enjoy a raw, uncooked marshmallow straight from the bag? Well, no matter how you enjoy your marshmallow, I hope you can look at it with stars in your eyes while you listen to this song from Night is Alive’s album My Ship. Making and eating a s’more gives you a chance to be mindful and present and enjoy a simple pleasure in life!

Lonnie Plaxico, Camille Thurman & Douglas Plaxico – Mona Lisa

Everyone knows the famous enigmatic painting of Mona Lisa. What does the expression on her face mean? Is she smiling or hiding something? Allow this beautiful new rendition of the 1949 song from Ray Evans and Jay Livingston to transport you back in time to the Renaissance. From the brand new album Radiance, this song can also help to open up conversation around the bonfire–maybe you and your friends could discuss the nature of art and reality? Or maybe someone has a story to share about when they saw the famous painting in person?

Lorca Hart Trio – Ness and His Family

Sitting around the bonfire means storytime, right? While this instrumental song, from Night is Alive’s album Inspiration and Gratitude, is playing, why don’t you share a spooky story? Whether it came from your imagination or whether it’s a true story, it’s fun to entertain your friends! Maybe your story is about the Loch Ness monster? Or maybe y’all can do the round robin style of storytelling where each person builds off the previous person’s short piece.

Bill Cunliffe, Tim Horner & Martin Wind – Looking Back

Making, and munching on, s’mores is a great time to reflect on the past, look back at the summer and make goals for the future. Listen to this tune from Night is Alive’s haunting album Border Widow’s Lament while you share experiences from the past few months. My friends and I sometimes even enjoy sharing our “rose, bud, thorn,” which refers to a positive or successful

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

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Leon Contreras on Unsplash

Songs for a Pool Party

Photo by Dushawn Jovic on Unsplash

Tunes perfect for playful splashes or lazy floating.

Savor the last few warm days of summer with a pool party! Even though temperatures may be dropping, there is still time to squeeze in one last pool day with friends and family before fall really sets in. Grab a floaty, a towel and lounge chair and soak up the last rays of sun while you listen to this bright and bubbly playlist, made just for you by Night is Alive!

Lorca Hart Trio – MoJoe

Get your mojo on with this vibrant tune from one of Night is Alive’s beloved albums, Colors of Jazz! Ralph Moore’s electrifying saxophone will have you smiling and splashing around in no time. Maybe you could even have a handstand competition in the shallow end of the pool? Playing around isn’t only for kids; adults can have fun too! Why not?

WJ3 All-Stars – Jitterbug Waltz

Pool days are a time to be light on your feet and let the weight of daily life float away, just like your buoyant body in the water. Listen to this whimsical song from Night is Alive’s album Lovers and Love Songs while you dance and swirl around in the water. Maybe you can even do a backflip or pretend to be a mermaid! Or what about choreographing a synchronized swimming routine?

Janis Siegel, John Di Martino, Aaron Heick & others – Whenever You Come Around

Enjoy the levity of this smooth and jazzy rendition of the 1994 Vince Gill classic, from Night is Alive’s album Cryin’ in My Whiskey. Maybe you have a significant other, or a flirty crush, at the pool party too. Let the romantic lyrics of this tune inspire you to murmur sweet nothings in the corner of the pool, or hold each other as you float around. I get weak in the knees and I lose my breath . . . And when you smile that smile, the world turns upside down . . .

Lonnie Plaxico, Camille Thurman & Douglas Plaxico – The In Crowd

Having a pool party probably makes you and your friends feel like you’re the “in crowd,” doesn’t it? Celebrate the fact that you have a community of loved ones by grooving to this fast-paced tune from the hot new album Radiance. The bouncy sounds of the piano and drums will make you want to toss a ball around in the pool. Maybe you even have a hoop attached at one end!

Harry Allen Trio – It’s Sunny in Cape Cod

You may not be in Cape Cod, but the sun is still shining outside and inside your heart too. Hopefully this pool day and playlist brought you unadulterated delight and joy, just like the melody of this song brings me every time I listen to it. From Night is Alive’s album It Takes 3, the soft flow of Rossano Sportiello’s piano evokes sunlight glimmering off the surface of clear, blue pool water.

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

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Dushawn Jovic on Unsplash

Trails, Trekking & Tunes

Photo by Peter Thomas on Unsplash

Songs to listen to while you hike

Trekking has become all the rage recently, and by trekking I don’t just mean hiking, I mean packing up all your gear–tent, sleeping bag, dehydrated meals–and carrying them on your back through the trails. I actually just went for my first time this past weekend, and it was challenging, but rewarding! Carrying everything you need to survive on your back really makes you feel like a nomadic warrior, and being in the woods for days on end really allows you to immerse yourself in nature. I think the only thing that would make trekking better is a badass playlist that amplifies the vibe. So grab your portable speaker, clip it to the outside of your pack and turn on these tunes to really feel like an explorer!

Harry Allen Trio – Runnin’ Wild

Kick off your adventure with this fast-paced, exciting tune from Night is Alive’s newest album It Takes 3. Allow yourself the freedom to run wild and free through the woods, let your eyes wander and explore all that the wilderness has to offer. Feel the weight of your pack, the strength in your legs and the power in each step forward. You are strong, wild and free, like the piano in this tune!

Lorca Hart Trio – Recluse

Sometimes it can be fun to feel like a little recluse out in the woods, all on your own. Maybe you’re even bold enough for a solitary trek. If so, this song, from Night is Alive’s album Inspiration and Gratitude is for you! Enjoy getting away from all the hustle and bustle of the city and the routines of your daily life, and enjoy the solitude of nature, the snazzy musical notes emanating from your speaker and maybe even your soul.

Bill Cunliffe, Martin Wind & Tim Horner – Marching Season

This hauntingly beautiful song, from Night is Alive’s album Border Widow’s Lament, will remind you of the enchantment and magic that exists in the woods. Allow the hypnotic piano and drums to carry your imagination away into your surroundings–is that a woodland elf hiding behind a tree? Is that a little fairy inside of a blooming flower? What about those eyes up in the leaves?

Lorca Hart Trio – Dew Drop

As you’ve already begun to notice, trekking gives you the perfect opportunity to be mindful and meditative. Take this chance to be present in the moment and appreciate the filigrees of beauty in every step you take forward. Is that a spiderweb? A dew drop on a leaf? Some tracks in the dirt? A little chipmunk? You may also take time to notice the cadence and sound of each lovely note in this song, from Night is Alive’s album Colors of Jazz.

WJ3 All-Stars – Star Eyes

You’ve done it–you’ve arrived at your campsite. Good work and perseverance through the heat and bugs. Now it is time to set up your tent, have a good meal and relax. The sun is beginning to set, and the stars are peeking out in the sky. Sit down, breathe in the fragrant air of nature and gaze up at the stars. Maybe, like this song, from Night is Alive’s album My Ship, you’ll be able to see the stars reflected in your trekking partner’s eyes.

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

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Peter Thomas on Unsplash

Whimsical Wedding Songs

Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash

Jazz songs for the wedding season.

It’s midsummer and that means the wedding season is in full swing! How many weddings are you attending this summer? From engagement parties to bridal showers, bachelorette parties and rehearsal dinners, you are probably very busy finding just the right outfit and gift for every event. But amid all the craziness, make sure to stop and enjoy every moment. Weddings are an important life moment and it’s crucial that you are there, in mind, body and spirit, to celebrate your loved ones. Don’t let the checklists and schedules eclipse the real reason for the season: true love. We at Night is Alive, have created a playlist of love songs to help you destress and be present in the moment.

Lorca Hart Trio – A Time For Love

Wedding season is all about making time in our busy lives for love. Let this song, from Night is Alive’s album Inspiration and Gratitude, wash over you and remind you that right now is a time for love. While you are getting ready for a wedding event, whether it be doing your nails, washing your hair or fixing your bowtie, listen to this song to get you into the wedding spirit!

WJ3 All-Stars – First Time I Saw Your Face

They say that when you know, you just know. From that very first time you saw each others’ faces, you probably knew that this was the person meant for you. And this beautiful song, from Night is Alive’s album Lover and Love Songs perfectly captures that love-at-first-sight moment. Maybe it was at a coffee shop, or maybe it was a bar, or in the office, when your eyes first locked and you saw a future in your beloved’s face.

Harry Allen Trio – It’s You Or No One

With its whimsical melody, this snazzy tune, from Night is Alive’s newest album It Takes 3, really gives strong wedding season energy. The swinging beat brings to mind a bunch of couples grooving and jiving, hand-in-hand, on the dancefloor. So, dust off those dancing shoes, grab a partner and have a ball! Why not?

WJ3 All-Stars – Taking A Chance on Love

Even when you know you’re with the right person, love still feels risky, doesn’t it? It’s scary to be vulnerable with another person; it’s scary to share all your feelings and take a chance on love. This song, from Night is Alive’s album My Ship, conjures that feeling of vulnerability and risk while also being playful about it. Yes, love is risky and means taking a chance, but that’s what life is all about, isn’t it? Maybe you’re a single guest at the wedding reception, and you notice a cute guest across the hall smiling at you–take a chance on love and go ask that person to dance!

John Di Martino, Janis Siegel & Others – Whenever You Come Around

This jazzy rendition of the beloved 1994 Vince Gill country tune will truly melt your heart. From Night is Alive’s album Cryin’ in My Whiskey, this sappy song will have you tearing you when you think about your lover. Or it also gives you the perfect opportunity to slow dance with a new crush. I’m standin’ here holding the biggest heartache in town / Whenever you come around / I get weak in the knees and I lose my breath…

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

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash

5 Jazz Songs for Christmas in July

Who says you have to wait until it’s snowy and cold in December to “jingle all the way”? Why not have some fun and celebrate Christmas now while the sun is a-blazing? Barbeques and pool parties are how the Australians usually celebrate the Yuletide, so why shouldn’t we give Christmas in the summer a try in the northern hemisphere too!? Grab a cold beverage or an ice cream sundae with red and green sprinkles and let these jazz tunes inspire your festivities.

Teddy Horangic, Frank Lacy & others – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Who needs Mariah Carey when you have this lovely new rendition of one of the most beloved Christmas songs from Night is Alive? Whenever I hear this song start coming on the radio, it always puts me into the jolliest spirit! Enjoy Frank Lacy’s baritone and, like he sings, let your heart be light as you bask in the sun or float in the pool.

John Di Martino, Willie Jones III & others – Christmas Ain’t Like It Used to Be

The titular song of the Night is Alive album, this groovy tune adds some spice to the typical holiday music playlist, which is perfect for a Christmas in July celebration! Christmas sure ain’t like it used to be, it’s sweaty and slick and daylight is much longer now, so why not stay up late twistin’ and jivin’ to this stellar saxophone solo?

Bill Cunliffe Trio – Linus and Lucy

This playful song is perfect for a summer holiday party! From the Night is Alive album Christmas in the Dog House, this upbeat tune captures the childlike wonder of the holiday season. It’ll bring back memories of watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, and, perhaps, eating one too many gingerbread cookies…don’t forget to leave some for Santa!

Bill Cunliffe – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Christmas in July is the time for the fun and fast-paced tunes, like this one from Night is Alive’s album That Time of Year. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have seen the beloved musical, The Nutcracker? If so, you’ll recognize this lovely, whimsical song, which really captures the magical spirit of the Yuletide season. Watch out, the sugar plum fairy might even leave some sparkly fairy dust on your pillow!

Teddy Horangic, Frank Lacy & others – O Holy Night

To round out this playlist, we’d like to finish with a classic from This Christmas With Night is Alive that you can all sing along to! By this point, you’ve probably had a few spirited drinks and are hopefully feeling quite jolly, so gather round, maybe arm-in-arm, and sing together! Maybe you can even make it into a carol for the neighbors?

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

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild

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/