My guest is Roger Glenn, who would have been the perfect spokesperson for a series of commercials titled the “Most Interesting Man in the World” - in the world of music. Roger is a multi-instrumentalist who plays flute, vibes, marimba, saxophone, clarinet, percussion and more. He’s been described as being overshadowed but in plain sight for decades. In fact, the bio on his website says it best: “He is ingredient X. The secret sauce. The cat behind the cat. Now, after decades of elevating the music of bona fide legends in jazz, Latin jazz, blues, and funk, this versatile, singular multi-instrumental master is stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his first new album in four decades.”
Roger is the son of the legendary jazz trombonist and vibes man Tyree Glenn. Roger is also a pilot, and sailing aficionado, who studied math and physics. And this interesting man, who has just turned 80-years old, can still do it all. To celebrate his 80th birthday, Roger has released his second album as a leader in 49 years, on the Patois Records label, titled, “My Latin Heart.” It’s a panoramic journey through his lifelong passion for Afro-Caribbean rhythms.
Because his amazing story is so all-encompassing, we feel compelled to tell it in two episodes. Here is Episode One. It’s where we take a deep dive into the backstory of his life and times, and how it led him to his breakout moment on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
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Season 6 Episode 11 Mandy Harvey
My conversation with vocalist and composer, Mandy Harvey, may be one of the most memorable we’ve done. Why? Because this incredibly talented woman with an exquisite voice has been profoundly deaf since the age of 18. We conducted the interview over Zoom with Mandy using a voice-to-text captioning program in order for her to see and reply to my questions. Her voice? Well, you’ll find out that it speaks for itself. And her story is one you’ll never forget.
Our episode begins with a discussion about her musical life, followed by a journey through how she was able to transcend the hardships and challenges she faced to become a successful artist and motivational inspiration for others.
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Season 6 Episode 10 Sheila Jordan Tribute
Sheila Jordan has been one of the most revered and utterly unique voices in jazz for decades. Beginning with her debut album, 1963’s ‘Portrait of Sheila,’ she pioneered a bebop-inflected approach to singing. We talked about this, and much more, in our 2021 All That’s Jazz episode.
With her recent passing, we decided to resurrect our conversation one more time so that you could hear the extraordinary stories she shared in her own words.
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Season 6 Episode 9 Jim Caruso
If Jim Caruso’s name sounds familiar, that’s not surprising. Jim is also host of the wildly popular “Cast Party” which has been a Manhattan mainstay for more than two decades at the iconic Birdland Jazz Club.
In 2011, this irrepressible, affable, and talented singer recorded and released an album titled, “The Swing Set,” which he calls a true labor of love. It’s a smart and sophisticated romp through the Great American Songbook. In it, Jim was joined by special musical guests including the late guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, jazz violin sensation Aaron Weinstein, pianist and singer Billy Stritch, music phenom Michael Feinstein and Tony Award-winning Broadway leading lady Stephanie J. Block.
Fast forward to 2025 and this album has now been given a new life and has a new label behind it called Club 44 Records. The album has been remastered and re-released as the Swing Set-Deluxe Edition. As Caruso says about the recording..“But wait – there’s more, this Deluxe Edition comes with two surprise additions: a hilariously fun new track featuring my musical partner-in-crime Billy Stritch at the piano, and a fresh take on an old recording with the divine Jane Monheit.
While the album released in streaming and digital formats last spring, it took us until now to nail him down for a conversation. So on that note, enjoy my conversation with the delightful man of the hour himself...Jim Caruso.
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Season 6 Episode 8 Andy James
Jazz Vocalist Andy James has just released her eighth studio album. It’s on Le Coq Records which is an independent label started by James and her husband Piero Pata, not only as a vehicle for releasing her music but also to work with acclaimed veteran jazz musicians including John Patitucci, Nate Smith, Terell Stafford, Alex Acuna, Rick Margitza, Chico Pinheiro, and many more.
This latest recording is a fusion of jazz and flamenco music called, “Happy People.” You might ask why the blend of jazz and flamenco? Here’s where the story gets really interesting.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Andy heard both jazz and flamenco music at home. Her mother was a jazz vocalist and her father an aficionado of Flamenco music. At a young age, she fell in love with dancing, and particularly flamenco, but instructors were scarce in Australia. In order to pursue her passion, Andy moved to Spain to study flamenco and went on to become a world acclaimed flamenco dancer.
So, what influenced her to take a 180° career turn move to United States to become a jazz vocalist? That’s where we pick up the rest of this story in our conversation.
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This is where you'll hear conversations and the backstory about everything that's Jazz. Topics we'll explore include it all…artist profiles, the next generation, educators, festivals, venues, producers, photographers, painters, broadcasters, writers, even food and recipes from some of your favorite musicians.
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