Band of Other Brothers is a stellar, multi genre supergroup whose members boast incredible associations with a Who’s Who of A-listers. There's pianist Jeff Babko (Jimmy Kimmel Live, Sheryl Crow), saxophonist and woodwind wizard Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones), drummer Keith Carlock (Steely Dan, John Mayer), guitarist Nir Felder (Esperanza Spalding, Jack DeJohnette), and bassist, vocalist Will Lee (Late Show with David Letterman, The Brecker Brothers).

While they’ve joined forces before, this is their first holiday release. It’s called “This Year At Christmas” on Ear Up records, and offers Christmas standards delivered in a unique, and even unconventional manner, by this all-star group of multi Grammy®️ winning musicians. The album also features two very special guest vocalists, as well as Keith Carlock’s own Carlock Family Choir, all highlighted by an amazing string ensemble that offers the perfect complement the joubilant selection of tunes.

My guests for this fun and more than occasionally frenetic conversation are Jeff Babko, Jeff Coffin, Nir Felder and Will Lee. Drummer Keith Carlock was tending to the reindeer and sadly couldn’t join in the Christmas chaos. Join me for a whimsical journey through the backstory behind this one-of-a-kind holiday release.

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, we turn our attention to that holiday time of the year which is filled with the music that we all know and love. And I can’t think of a better way to kick off the season than with a reprise of an episode we did in 2023 featuring the members of the Grammy®️ nominated a cappella group called Kings Return.

When you listen to their first holiday album release, “We Four Kings”, it’s easy to see why this is the most wonderful time of the year.

Join me again for this conversation with tenor Vaughn Faison, bass Gabe Kunda, tenor J.E. McKissic, and baritone Jamall Williams.

Trombone-playing singer-songwriter Aubrey Logan hails from the Seattle area. Raised by her two music-educator parents, she began her artistic endeavors as a child singing in theatre and in church. She credits her singing mother and trumpet-playing father for early influences like singers/songwriters Billy Joel and Carole King, as well as the soulful musicianship of American horn bands such as Chicago, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Steely Dan, and more. And, at the age of 12, things took an intriguing turn when she picked up the trombone, igniting her passion for the jazz tradition.

Aubrey possesses a distinct yet truly unique voice, able to take a song from practically any era or genre and really making it her own. Her accolades are as impressive as they are extensive, from clinching victory in the prestigious Shure Montreux Voice competition in 2009 to securing a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where she stands as an alumna.

The media refer to Aubrey Logan as “The Queen of Sass,” and it’s easy to see why. Her concerts are a mix of excellent musicality, jaw-dropping vocals, expert trombone-playing, a breathtaking array of originals and original takes on cover songs and, well…fun! Her heart wrenching musical stories has audiences in tears just before her comedic relief has them in stitches. Both of these elements can be found in her latest album “Aubrey Logan & Her Bigger Than Average Band” dropped November 1 via MWO Records.

Our delightful and enlightening conversation, coupled with samples from her new release, will surely make you want to know and hear more from this self-described, genre bending artist who calls herself “a pop singer who uses a contemporary voice and sings jazz.”

Jim Morgan is a dynamic music industry professional with over two decades of experience spanning performance, event management, and competition oversight. He began as a drummer in Australia at age 16, later transitioning to the U.S. music scene in 2000. Jim played a pivotal role in the Boston Music Awards and NEMO Music Conference, and co-founded the International Songwriting Competition and Unsigned Only Music Competition. Currently, he oversees operations for both competitions, including the recruitment and management of high-profile celebrity judges. He is passionate about fostering new talent and promoting musical excellence.

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is an annual contest whose mission is to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters - covering all genres of music - to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena. ISC is designed to nurture the musical talent of songwriters on all levels and promote excellence in the art of songwriting. Amateur and professional songwriters and musicians from anywhere in the world are invited to participate, and 74 winners share in awards that include cash and prizes. Categories include: AAA (Adult Album Alternative), AC (Adult Contemporary), Americana, Blues, Children's Music, Christian, Comedy/Novelty, Country, EDM (Electronic Dance Music), Folk/Singer-Songwriter, Hip-Hop/Rap, Instrumental, and Jazz - both instrumental and vocal. Importantly, entrants retain all ownership rights to all submitted songs. ISC will not have any ownership rights to any songs or lyrics submitted.

Highlighted by a truly stellar panel of celebrity artist judges from all music genres, and also a wide array of music industry professionals including representatives of major recording labels and publishing companies, ISC offers a great opportunity for songwriters, musicians, and performers to further their music careers. For complete details, including how to enter, the specific categories in all genres, who past winners have been, and the impressive list of world-renowned judges, go to https://www.songwritingcompetition.com/

While ISC covers the breadth and depth of all music genres, the role it plays in finding new talent is a story we couldn’t resist amplifying, and one that’s truly inspiring.

More than 25 years ago, I met tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson who was raised in Denver Colorado and that meeting made a wonderful memory and a deep impact that still resonates with me today. It impressed me that he took the time out of his very busy and impressive career to offer his time in a very giving manner to help a small-town, non-profit radio station. But that is just the kind of person he is, one who gives back and makes a difference. He is still doing that today as the Chair of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the University of Hartford since 2013.

Besides being a dedicated educator, Javon has also been a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers; he has recorded over two dozen albums as a leader and has also recorded with such jazz legends including Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Louis Hayes and of course, Art Blakey and others.

It was serendipity that led to Javon forming a friendship and collaboration with the influential poet and activist Nikki Giovanni. Giovanni was invited by Javon to lecture at the University. Discovering they had a shared love of jazz music which resulted in this duo recording an album together called ‘The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni.’ The relationship between the two has only deepened through the years, and from that, other shared passions have emerged. One of them, American cinema, is referenced in the title of their recent and much-anticipated follow-up album called ‘Javon and Nikki Go to the Movies.”

This is the subject of my conversation with Javon Jackson which begins with a reference to another one of Jackson’s musical influences...Sonny Rollins.

New Orleans is a place where virtuosity is always deployed with a celebratory spirit, and Crescent City Jewels is like a Gratitude Journal in song, a rollicking collection that expresses NEA Jazz Master, Grammy-winning producer, trombonist and bandleader, Delfeayo Marsalis, appreciation for the good things in life at a time when so much attention seems to focus on doom and gloom.

In this latest album, Delfeayo set out to celebrate the undersung heroes in his own hometown. To accomplish that, he’s brought together a host of veteran and rising New Orleans musicians, as well as a number of guest stars, including big brother Branford Marsalis for a pair of jaw-dropping sax showcases, Rebirth Brass Band co-founder and Big Easy ambassador Kermit Ruffins, “Piano Prince of New Orleans” Davell Crawford, drummer extraordinaire Herlin Riley, and trombonist Maurice “Miracle Meaux” Trosclair.

“One of our goals is to show the breadth and the dynamic possibilities of New Orleans music. Our philosophy is to take the important ingredients from past generations and use them in the gumbo that we're creating today.”

That’s where our conversation begins.

There are times when you get a sense that you’re talking with an old friend that you’ve actually never met. There are shared times and memories that travelled on parallel lines but somehow never managed to intersect. That’s the best way that I can describe the conversation I had with Shelly Berg. From places lived and mutual friends, to times spent working with Jazz Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, our off-mic discussion created “allegría,” the Spanish word for joy, which is not only the name of his new album, but the foundation of his perspective on life.

Shelly feels that the more an audience feels included in the music, the better time everybody has, the more opportunity there is for the music to reach - and move - them. That’s the foundation of ‘Allegría,’ a collaborative album of Berg originals, plus fresh takes on classics from Leonard Bernstein and The Beatles, performed with longtime friends, bassist Carlitos Del Puerto, drummer Dafnis Prieto and special guest, Melvin Butler.

Shelly draws inspiration not only from his experiences as a leader in higher education as dean of the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music since 2007 - and before that as a professor at USC’s Thornton School for 16 years - but also as a collaborator with jazz legendary international artists, including Gloria Estefan, Arturo Sandoval, Steve Miller, and Pharrell Williams, among others.

All of that rich backstory is brought into ‘Allegría,’ creating an understanding of joy, and all its co-existing chambers — sorrow, longing, faith, peace, reflection. Shelly describes it as, “A big narrative made up of smaller ones,” that allows listeners to feel “connected to the music and the arc of the album.”

That’s where our joyful conversation begins.

From an early age, acclaimed and accomplished vocalist, Alexis Cole, not only knew what she wanted to do in life, but also how she was going to do it - her way.

Both Alexis’ father and maternal grandmother were pianists and singers, and her business-minded mother helped Alexis learn how to carve her way through the financial side of show business. Thanks to their guidance, Alexis not only succeeded in honing her professional career, she also followed a serious educational path, gaining a Bachelor of Music degree that led her to global life experiences including a year as an Americorp volunteer and studying music in Mumbai, India. Alexis also worked the cruise ship circuit as an entertainer, and that was followed by years of travelling extensively through Europe.

Deciding to continue her education, Alexis earned a Masters of Music degree which resulted in her moving in and out of the higher education world as a jazz voice professor.

But then things really began to change for Alexis. First, she took a year's long music gig in Tokyo, Japan. Then, in 2009, she enlisted in the U.S. Army to become the lead singer for the West Point Jazz Knights Big Band.

Our conversation covers all this and much more, including how - and why - she came to make her new album, ‘Jazz Republic: Taiwan, the United States, and The Freedom of Swing’ with the Taipei Jazz Orchestra.