Betty Bryant Two

Pianist and cheeky singer/songwriter is a model for how to go through life with humor, joy and purpose.  It makes sense that at 96, most would have things figured out if they’ve decided to stay around and keep doing what they love.

Betty came to Jazz Inspired to discuss her CD Lotta Livin’ in 2024 and at the time was a bit nervous about participating in a long-form interview.  To her delight, she had a ball and agreed to come back for a second conversation, this time about her CD Nothin’ Better to Do, along with her friend and frequent musical collaborator, multi-instrumentalist, Rob Kyle, whom you’ll hear chime in now and then.

Leonard Maltin Two

Film critic, historian, podcast host, educator and, although he rarely admits it, jazz pianist, Leonard Maltin is a tireless evangelist for the music and movies he loves.

Leonard agreed to be one of my first guests on Jazz Inspired, a generous move on his part since he’d been doing this sort of thing for years and I’d been doing it for two minutes.  For thirty years, Leonard provided movie reviews and Hollywood insights on Entertainment Tonight, and every now and then, he’d sneak in a jazz feature, which he did on me in 1992, a gift that gave a tremendous boost to my career.

Leonard is as busy as ever, teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts, lecturing, writing, and talking movies with his daughter Jessie on their podcast Maltin on Movies. I’ve seen Leonard many times since our first chat on this show in 2000 and thought it was time to check in with his latest activities.

Ken Peplowski One

Clarinetist/saxophonist, Ken Peplowski had his first professional gig when still in elementary school and went on to play with everyone from Marianne Faithfull and Leon Redbone to Peggy Lee and Charlie Byrd.  

Ken was only sixty-six when he passed away February 1, 2026 after a five-year battle with multiple myeloma. Ken was a joyful, generous spirit and one of the first musicians I played with when I came to New York when we were paired in a jazz festival in front of thousands.  I was nervous and he was cool, and his lovely attitude carried me along musically and otherwise, so no one knew I was shaking in my boots except me.

This is the first of my two-part conversation with Ken, recorded in 2016 in Manhattan.

Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruiz

Venezuelan pianist, Otmaro Ruiz and Brazilian vocalist Catina DeLuna’s latest CD, Lado B Brazilian Project 2, features less well known songs from the Brazilian songbook, and fresh arrangements of some of the classics.

Lado B, means B Side. Catina and Otmaro thought it would be a fun pursuit to record these often forgotten tunes they both consider as interesting as the celebrated A side cuts.  

These are two fabulous musician who are unusually articulate in explaining their process so this was a fascinating and enlightening conversation. They’re also loads of fun.

Sinne Eeg

Danish singer Sinne Eeg has been celebrated internationally with numerous awards, including the French Order of Arts and Letters. Her CD Shikiori is another first, a duo recording with her longtime pianist, Jacob Christoffersen. 

The CD was recorded in the Japanese country home of bassist Saigo Matsunaga. The house is named Shikiori which means “A place where hearts return” making it the perfect intimate environment for a dreamy recording that is all about the heart.

Nicole Zuraitis Two

Singer/songwriter/pianist, Nicole Zuraitis has a big heart and a big voice to match.  She leans into both to spread her love and art around, always hoping to make the world a better place.

Nicole first appeared on Jazz Inspired to discuss her CD How Love Begins, which went on to win a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album.  She won a second Grammy the following year, along with her husband, drummer Dan Pugach. Now, Live at Vic’s Las Vegas, her first recorded live, has two Grammy Nominations. I was curious how this recognition has changed her life and what she’s discovered from the experience.

Christian McBride

Eleven-time Grammy-winning bassist, bandleader, composer and voice of Jazz Night in America, Christian McBride, is everywhere all at once. You’d think he’d wear out, but no, he’s tirelessly passionate about it all and can’t wait to dive into the next project, whatever that might be.

I discussed it all with Christian and his latest CD at the time, Without Further Ado, Vol. 1, which features his big band and some of his favorite musicians, from famous longtime collaborators like Sting and Dianne Reeves, to newer voices like Antoinette Henry and Samara Joy.

Ira B. Liss & Dan Radlauer

Like many creative artists during the pandemic, saxophonist/band leader Ira Liss and multi-instrumentalist/composer Dan Radlauer were inspired by their unexpected gift of time. They had collaborated previously on a number of projects but with this CD, they did something unusual. Dan and Ira invited musicians not usually associated with jazz to perform with Ira’s big band with arrangements by Dan.  

Artists as diverse as Country Music’s Vince Gill and jazz recorder virtuoso Tali Rubinstein—and everyone in between—jumped at this unique opportunity to play or sing with a big band with original compositions by Dan or songs of their choosing. The result is the CD, Unexpected Guests.

Antonio Adolfo Two

Brazilian composer/pianist Antonio Adolfo grew up listening to and being influenced by the music of Cole Porter, a favorite composer he celebrates on his CD, Love Cole Porter. Aldolfo feels there is a natural synergy between jazz, the American songbook and especially the poetic sounds of this favorite composer.

 I talked with Adolfo from his home in Rio de Janeiro.

Jonathan Stout

Guitarist, bandleader, swing dancer, and occasional lawyer, Jonathan Stout loves swing music and diving into the specifics of what makes that music so appealing.  Plenty of doctors, lawyers and those in other fields play music on the side, but Jonathan is the first virtuosic musician I’ve met who does a bit of lawyering on the side.

We talk discuss all this, Jonathan’s latest CD, the enduring appeal of this engaging musical style. 

Melissa Errico

Tony Award-nominated actress, singer, writer Melissa Errico started singing at eleven, and with her pianist father, trumpet-playing brother and Melissa on vocals, they would--in her words--make guerrilla assaults on her neighbor’s pianos, going from door to door as a kind of Italian Partridge family, inviting themselves in to entertain anyone who’d have them.  These adventures and others made clear where Melissa’s life was headed. 

Tom Gold

I first experienced the artistry of ballet dancer/choreographer, Tom Gold at the premiere of his French Cinema-inspired piece, Le Voyage in April 2025 in Manhattan.  Although Tom was a twenty-one year member of New York City Ballet and the founder/director of his own company since 2008, I was new to his work.  Imagine my delight when the music accompanying the dancing was jazz performed by vocalist Olivia Chindamo, pianist Matthew Sheens with bassist Marty Jaffe. 

Tom Gold is a life-long jazz lover and feels the improvisational aspect and rhythmic feel of jazz have always touched something deep inside him and influenced his approach to dance and life.

Matthew Sheens

Australian pianist/composer Matthew Sheens listens intently, whether playing music or having a conversation.  Matthew’s musical inspirations range from Herbie Hancock to Kurt Rosenwickel to George Russell and everything in between so I knew a fun conversation about it all was in store.

I met Matthew in April 2025 shortly after he became an American citizen, something he didn’t plan on when he came to the States on scholarship to the New England Conservatory but rather a reality that unfolded as he fell in love with New York and its unique music scene. Before and after this milestone Matthew won numerous awards and commissions and when we spoke in September 2025, he’d just finished an untitled CD of original compositions which we preview during our conversation.

Stella Cole

Vocalist Stella Cole is a romantic and not afraid to show it.  In our time when so much is slick or ironic, Stella chooses to be sincere and sing from the heart, digging deep into the emotional journey of a song, always with a bit of hope shining through, reflecting the classic musicals of the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s that she loved as a child.

Stella has toured with Post Modern Jukebox, with her own band, and now, three albums later, she’s off and running with loads of fans who include her twenty-something contemporaries, those who heard some of those songs originally, and everyone in between.

Bevan Manson One & Two

Pianist, composer Bevan Manson’s CD Talking to Trees, was inspired by his love of nature and his fears for it, as global warming continues to threaten our environment.

Bevan grew up with a jazz musician father who played his great record collection for Bevan, as well as a healthy dose of classical music. Loving it all, Bevan ignored the pop music of his day, and instead, dove into piano lessons at seven, went on to study at Eastman School of Music, to teach at UC Berkeley, and eventually, to write for film and TV. 

Talking to Trees includes Bevan’s original compositions along with fresh takes on well-known classics, all honoring the importance of our natural environment. We had so much fun that I made this a two-part show!

Melinda Rose & Frenchy Romero

Longtime friends and musical collaborators, vocalist Melinda Rose and pianist Frenchy Romero first met in their teens during a weekly jam session in Miami, then stayed in touch with mutual support and encouragement as they continued studying and developing their individual creative visions.  Now, after years of gigging and teaching together and on their own, they’ve joined forces on their first CD as a team, I’m On My Way, a collection of standards and originals. 

Jim Self

Tuba virtuoso, Jim Self died November 2, 2025 making me even more grateful that I was able to have him on the show and then see him in Beverly Hills shortly after that when he came to cheer me on at one of my recitals. This was a friendship I was looking forward to continuing as we both bemoaned the fact that we hadn’t met earlier.

Acknowledged as one of the greatest on his instrument, Jim still felt his beloved tuba didn’t get the respect it deserved. “I want someone to write something romantic for the tuba,” Jim lamented to me.  I’m called when a there’s someone fat on screen or an elephant. Fat people make love too.”

Yes, it was a fun conversation with this man who DID get respect from every corner of the music business. Jim worked with everyone from Placido Domingo and Mel Torme to Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand, not to mention, his playing on over 1500 movie soundtracks and hundreds of TV shows and records.  Among tuba-enthusiasts, Jim Self is especially celebrated as the voice from the Mother Ship in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Spoiler alert: that was Jim Self playing those tuba tones, not an alien.

Ricky Alexander

Imagine my delight when a CD called Just Found Joy came in the mail with a vaguely amused-looking horn player on the cover with a goat standing behind him digging the sounds. 

Obviously, this musician was a fellow goat-lover and as my luck would have it, a wonderful, swinging player as well. Clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, Ricky Alexander. I immediately reached out to Ricky and arranged the following conversation.

Petra van Nuis & Dennis Luxion

Pianist Dennis Luxion and vocalist Petra van Nuis are a fascinating pairing of two very different personalities with a shared purpose in the music they choose to make, and the message they want to impart with it.

For the last six years, Petra and Dennis have had a weekly gig at Chicago’s Le Piano, an artsy club with a romantic vibe which perfectly suits what Dennis and Petra call the “Afterglow” set they play from 11:00pm to 1am.  This time together has given them the chance to deepen their musical collaboration and broaden the repertoire they feel matches the late-night atmosphere, where listeners sometimes lay on the plush carpet under the piano, giving a whole other spin on getting into the music.

Kristin Korb

Bassist/vocalist Kristin Korb’s latest CD Sweet Dreams is a tribute to the music of The Eurythmics, an idea inspired by her being asked to be a part of a 2023 international Jazz Festival which had the theme of celebrating world-famous duos. Kristin was given a choice of focusing on the Carpenters or The Eurythmics and for multiple reasons, including that she felt it would be the more challenging of the two options, Kristin chose The Eurythmics.

I met Kristin Korb on a jazz cruise in 2009 and became fast friends.  I’ve been on stage with another woman only a handful of times during my long career, so our sets were especially welcome.  Playing with Kristin is great fun not only because of her deep swing feel and time, but because of her dedication to her craft and her determination to move through life with positivity and joy, a focus I admire and try to practice myself.