Jazz drummer discusses the importance of developing a future audience for jazz and his work bringing jazz to schools with his foundation Jazz Reach.
Maria Schneider
Jazz composer, Maria Schneider talks to me about being the first musician to win a Grammy with a CD released exclusively on the internet, her influences from stride piano to The Fifth Dimension and how fortunate she feels to have had a great musical education from day one.
Phil Schapp
My 2002 conversation, one of my first for Jazz Inspired, with Grammy winning jazz producer, D.J., historian, author Phil Schaap, who passed away in September 2021 at the age of 70. Phil had a photographic memory and unlimited enthusiasm for jazz music and its history and made it his life’s mission to educate others to enhance their enjoyment and appreciation of it. In 2021 the National Endowment for the Arts named Schaap as one of their Jazz Masters, America’s highest official honor for a living jazz figure.
Randy Sandke
Composer/Trumpeter Randy Sandke talks about playing jazz from Louie Armstrong and Bix Beiderbeck to his own "Metatonal Music."
Spider Saloff
Jazz vocalist Saloff has an unusually broad range of music she performs and discusses the challenges that presents, but the advantages as well.
Catherine Russell and Catherine Russell 2
Catherine has enjoyed a long career as a back up singer with everyone from David Bowie to Jackson Browne but is now focusing on the music of her father, Luis Russell, who was music director for Louis Armstrong and led his own bands in the 20's and 30's. Catherine discusses her love of New Orleans music and early jazz and what it means to come to this music at this stage of her career. The following was recorded in 2009, early in Catherine’s pursuit of a career under her own name.
Catherine Russell 2
Catherine returns to discuss newly discovered recordings of her father, Luis Russell.
Luis Russell At The Swing Cats Ball is a collection of recordings from 1938 to1940 of Catherine’s father playing stride piano solos, leading his band and Louis Armstrong’s, alongside some of the greatest musicians of the era.
Catherine and I talked about these recordings and the lasting effect her father has had on her life and music in 2023.
Hannah Rothschild
British film maker, Hannah Rothschild, explores the extraordinary life of her great-aunt Pannonica de Koenigswarter who supported bebop long before it was appreciated by the public, and was a close friend of Thelonius Monk and other greats who played the music.
Ted Rosenthal
Jazz and classical pianist and educator Ted Rosenthal discusses his love of the great jazz pianists, his joy in introducing his two sons to the music and how he brings inspiration into their lives every day.
Barbara Rosene
Jazz singer Barbara Rosene focuses on jazz standards but unlike most of her contemporaries, focuses on the early years of 20's and 30's.
George Rodrigue
New Orleans painter talks about how growing up in the south and experiencing jazz has influenced his painting - from his "Blue Dog" portraits to his posters for "Jazz Fest".
Todd Robbins
1st Interview
Judy's conversation with magician, actor and side-show specialist Todd Robbins, one of the most unusual entertainers in the business. Todd discusses his musical work with Woody Allen, his passion for early jazz, and how he utilizes these interests in his magic shows.
2nd Interview
Actor/magician/pianist Todd Robbins has spent decades specializing in arcane forms of popular entertainment. His inspirations range from his work at Coney Island and the Big Apple Circus to his stint as Woody Allen’s pianist. Todd discusses his current gig with Judy on the Investigation Discovery channel's new series True Nightmares. The series features Todd as the host telling bizarre true tales of murder and mayhem that all have a lovely ironic twist to them.
Tim Ries
Tim Ries discusses his latest CD "Stones World" recorded around the world during his tour with the Rolling Stones.
Greg Reeves
Composer/Producer/Bassist Greg Reeves discusses his latest CD and the influence his physical surroundings had on his music.
Robert Redford
When I first conceived of Jazz Inspired, Academy Award, BAFTA and two-time Golden Globe-winning director, actor, producer, Robert Redford was the first person I thought of as the ideal guest, a creative artist I admired greatly who loved jazz and was inspired by it.
I tried every imaginable way to get to him but never managed it until, in 2005, he invited me to bring my trio to the Sundance Film Festival which he thought would be a stimulating addition to the lineup of films being shown.
I took advantage of the moment and asked him to sit down for a conversation on Jazz Inspired while we'd be in the same place at the same time. He loved the concept of the show and generously spent two hours with me, one before we recorded, just to get to know each other. Happily, Bob (yes, I wound up calling him Bob at his insistence) brought me back multiple times for other events, all highlights of my career.
Robert Redford died September 16, 2025 in his home in Sundance at the age of 89. Here we celebrate his extraordinary life with our 2005 conversation.
Paul Prudhomme
Chef Paul discusses his childhood as one of 13 siblings (and how one cooks for such a brood) and talks about the similarities between being a great chef and being a great jazz musician.
John Pizzarelli
Singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli talks about working with his famous dad Bucky and the influence singer/songwriters of his youth have had on his music. Hint: John REALLY wanted to be...
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Bucky Pizzarelli
Jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli died April 1, 2020 from Covid 19 at the age of 94. Bucky continued to perform into his 90s, even after a stroke and pneumonia led to several hospitalizations in 2015 and 2016. In spite of all that, by the end of 2016, Bucky was back in action.
I was the Artistic Director for a festival in Brazil for years and in 2009 brought Bucky as one of my featured acts. This was a festival in six different cities, so I had a lot of tricky logistics to deal with and many cranky musicians. Bucky, then 83, was the sharpest dresser, never complained, was always cheerful and the first to be ready for his soundcheck. He was a wonderful role model for everyone, an example of a life well-lived. This is my 2010 conversation with Bucky about playing with everyone from Benny Goodman to Stephane Grappelli and why it’s so hard to find musicians today who play great rhythm guitar.
Michelle Pirret
Young vocalist Michelle Pirret talks about the difficulties of finding your own sound in the pop world today.
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David Parsons
Dancer/choreographer David Parsons talks about capitalizing on improvisation and the input of his dancers when creating a piece, and his passion for creating with jazz musicians, most notably, his work with the late Billy Taylor.
Ken Page
Broadway star Ken Page (Ain't Misbehavin', Cats) and movie actor (Dreamgirls) talks about the way jazz used to influence stage performers and how he misses that influence in many performers today.