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Improv Exchange Podcast

Improv Exchange Podcast

著者： Leander Young
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2026年5月12日まで。4か月目以降は月額1,500円で自動更新します。

概要

 Keeping up with the Jazz world, Leander Young, carries out authentic conversions with and about musicians. Make sure to subscribe, leave a comment, and rating. Connect with us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @improvexchange #improvexchange www.improvexchange.comCopyright 2020 All rights reserved. 音楽
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  • Episode #182: Stephan Crump

    Episode #182: Stephan Crump
    2026/04/27
    On a recent wintry afternoon in Manhattan, Stephan Crump was doing what he has done countless times in the city—toting his upright bass, clad in a heavy black bag, along the sidewalk, as if he had a baby that was also a bear. Finding his car, Crump shimmied the instrument through the minivan’s side, climbed into the front seat, exhaled, and then grinned. In less than 24 hours, he would fly to Portland to teach “On Magnetism,” a long-accreting class on connecting more deeply with yourself and others through your instrument, and to play solo at the city’s jazz festival. But he knew he first needed to make the 40-minute trek from Brooklyn to Finlay + Gage, the legendary bass shop in Tribeca, to have his bass adjusted, so that he could make that connection himself. The sound post—that stout wooden dowel inside the bass that keeps it from collapsing on itself, and that the French call l’âme, or the soul—wasn’t sitting quite right. “It’s so personal, elusive, and mysterious. Yes, it’s a mechanical thing, but it has so much mojo to it. That’s why it’s called ‘the soul,’” Crump explained several days later from Portland, noting that the hassle of the errand had been worth it. The bass felt good in his hands again. “It’s this combination of sound and feel.” For a quarter-century now, pairing sound and feel have become Crump’s ambit and expertise. A bassist and composer, collaborator and bandleader, Crump has become one of New York’s most steadfast and experienced instrumentalists. He was the anchor of Vijay Iyer’s foundational trio for 20 years, even as he developed a slew of imaginative ensembles of his own—the two-guitar Rosetta Trio, the Borderlands Trio alongside Kris Davis and Eric McPherson, the Secret Keeper duo with Mary Halvorson, just to sample. In all of these contexts, the act of bringing the rest of his life to the bass—the trauma and hope, the frustration and delight—remains Crump’s primary motivation. It is, if you will, the soul of his playing. “All art is an expression of the artist’s presence in that moment. Musicians need our evolving physical capabilities on the instrument and technical knowledge—how notes interact harmonically and melodically, transcribing our heroes, learning all that,” Crump said. “But in the act of making music, we need to allow that stuff to fall away, to not impose it on the music, to relinquish our defenses. We are sculpting energy as we make music, shaping magnetism.” In some ways, Crump’s career is the fulfillment of his father’s own youthful ambition. His dad toyed with turning pro as a jazz drummer, but he pursued architecture instead. (That’s also how he met Crump’s mother, who comes from a long line of French architects.) His devotion to jazz, though, didn’t waver, and he would constantly play jazz classics—Monk, Miles, Coltrane, MJQ—in the family’s Memphis home. Crump thinks that’s where he fell for the bass, especially when the low-end would creep through old wooden walls at night. At his mother’s behest, though, Crump’s training started with piano, the Suzuki Method leading him through the classics and eventually to his all-time musical hero, Stevie Wonder. But at 13, Crump finally got his first bass, a MapleGlo Rickenbacker 4001 like that of another hero, Yes’ Chris Squire. He joined a crackling power trio with his brother, later enlisted in a larger band, and then started his own group; they all gigged hard. Backpacking through Spain by himself after high school, however, he encountered an epiphany by the name of Dave Holland, playing in his mighty and future-facing quartet. The upright bass: That was Crump’s future. His first was a dilapidated plywood model, collecting dust in a corner of Amherst College, where he’d in part gone to escape family turmoil down south. He’d intended to study physics and music, but he soon realized that his energy and enthusiasm belonged with the latter. That was helped along by a guitarist pal Crump met during his first few weeks at Amherst. He had connections in the West Village. Crump had the car. (“The bassist,” he half-joked, “always has the car.”) Most every week, they would drive the four hours south, link with high-caliber New York pros they’d hired, play until 2 a.m. or so, and head back to school. “That was really powerful and clarifying. It was thrilling to be 18 and gigging in New York. I got a taste for that level of musicianship, and I was doing more than just cutting it,” he said, smiling. “By the end of my first semester, I knew I was moving to New York as soon as I graduated.” That is precisely what Crump did. He used his paycheck from a month-long, fresh-out-of-college stint with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra to rent his first Brooklyn apartment in 1994. He dove right in, roving the West Village with his bass, listening, and joining late-night jams that ended with the sun’s arrival. He’d seal ...
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    39 分
  • Episode #181: Lalia Biali

    Episode #181: Lalia Biali
    2026/03/09

    Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist, CBC Music national radio host and 2026 GRAMMY Award nominee Laila Biali has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents from New York City’s Carnegie Hall to Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, and supported international icon Sting. Her JUNO-nominated 2023 album, Your Requests, featured a stellar cast of guests and received a 4.5 star rave review in All About Jazz. Her previous release, Out of Dust, was also JUNO nominated (in 2021) and won Laila spots on “Best Album” lists around the globe. In 2020, Laila was honoured by SOCAN Music with the Hagood Hardy Award for Excellence in Songwriting. The previous year, Laila’s eponymous release won her a JUNO for “Vocal Jazz Album of the Year” and top prize at the Canadian Songwriting Competition in the Jazz category. Laila was the youngest-ever double winner at Canada’s National Jazz Awards when she was named “SOCAN Composer of the Year” and “Keyboardist of the Year”, and she received her first JUNO nomination for Tracing Light in 2011. When Laila isn’t on stage or in the studio, she’s busy hosting CBC Music’s national radio show, Saturday Night Jazz – a weekly program broadcast to millions of listeners across Canada. And while she continues to earn high honours in the jazz world, Laila’s signature sound transcends genre – “masterfully mixes jazz and pop, bringing virtuosity and unpredictability to songs that are concise and catchy” (Washington Post). Her highly anticipated seasonal album, Wintersongs, was nominated for a 2025 JUNO Award and a 2026 GRAMMY alongside heavyweights Lady Gaga, Barbra Streisand, Elton John & Brandi Carlile, Jennifer Hudson and Laufey.
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    33 分
  • Episode #180: Sean Mason

    Episode #180: Sean Mason
    2026/01/06
    Sean Mason stands as one of the most compelling jazz pianists, composers, and record producers of his generation. A Grammy Award nominee, Bessie Award winner, and Bistro Award recipient, Mason has quickly distinguished himself in contemporary music through his innovative approach and profound connection to jazz tradition. His discography, highlighted by his critically acclaimed 2023 debut album The Southern Suite and Grammy-nominated collaborations, reflects an artist of significant impact on the global jazz landscape. Mason’s musical journey began at age 13 in his native Charlotte, North Carolina, where he taught himself piano, influenced by gospel music and the music of Ray Charles. At 15, his talent led him to enroll in the JazzArts Initiative Camp in Charlotte, North Carolina. At age 17, Mason won the inaugural Loonis McGlohon Young Jazz Competition, an award that included an opportunity to perform as guest soloist with Delfeayo Marsalis. A pivotal moment arrived in 2017 while Mason was attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). He met Branford Marsalis, who was giving lessons there. Marsalis, recalling their encounter, recounted how Mason impressed him by quickly learning and memorizing complex pieces. Marsalis subsequently advised Mason to consider The Juilliard School, telling him directly: "You might want to consider Juilliard. Go to their website, put in your audition tape, and they will call you." He also contacted his brother, Wynton Marsalis, Director of Juilliard Jazz, asking him to "Be on the lookout for this kid." This significant endorsement propelled Mason to Juilliard, where he was accepted and enrolled in 2018, leading to his relocation to New York City for his studies. Upon arriving in New York in 2018, Mason quickly established himself in the city's jazz scene through his work as a sideman. Concurrently, he formed his own trio, featuring bassist Butler Knowles and drummer Malcolm Charles. This trio performed at notable New York City jazz venues such as Dizzy's Club and Smoke Jazz Club. From 2019 to early 2020, Mason's trio cultivated a dedicated following through a consistent after-hours residency at Smalls Jazz Club, performing every other Monday, from 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM. This residency continued until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this initial period in New York, Mason also contributed as the pianist for the soundtrack of the 2020 Netflix film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. The years following the pandemic saw Mason continue his vital work as a sideman, touring globally with various artists and contributing to numerous album recordings. His versatility expanded into film and theatre; he served as pianist for the soundtrack of the 2021 Emmy-nominated History Channel documentary Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre, and the Netflix film Rustin. In theatre, Mason was involved in various musical roles for Broadway productions such as Hadestown and Phantom of the Opera.. During this time, Mason also served as musical director for The Soapbox Presents, a Harlem-based performing arts organization. In August 2022, Mason was recognized by NPR's Jazz Night in America as a member of their inaugural Youngbloods class, a sub-series featuring up-and-coming jazz musicians acknowledged for revolutionizing the genre. Also in 2022, Mason formed his quintet, the ensemble featured on his debut album The Southern Suite. This group, consisting of Tony Glausi (trumpet), Chris Lewis (tenor saxophone), Felix Moseholm (bass), and Domo Branch (drums), performed on a two-week tour sponsored and presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of an initiative to develop new music. On October 27, 2023, he released his debut album as a leader, The Southern Suite, on Blue Engine Records, Jazz at Lincoln Center's in-house label. This marks Mason's emergence as a formidable bandleader, composer, and recording artist. Featuring his quintet, the album received widespread critical acclaim. Jazziz Magazine praised its "captivating blend of sophistication and raw emotion," noting its "contemporary jazz sound rooted in tradition while remaining utterly fresh." Paris-Move lauded it as "a powerful and sophisticated work" and "a masterpiece of contemporary jazz." NPR recognized the album as part of his "meteoric rise" and praised its unique sound. The Southern Suite is a deeply personal exploration of Mason's North Carolina roots, woven into a cohesive artistic statement. Mason’s artistic contributions were further recognized with a Bessie Award in 2023 for Outstanding Sound Design and Music Composition for his work on The Jazz Continuum. His creative spirit continued to flourish in 2024 with two notable co-releases. He joined forces with poet Mahogany L. Browne for Chrome Valley, a project that uniquely blends jazz with spoken word. The same year, on August 23, 2024, Mason’s collaborative album My Ideal with acclaimed vocalist Catherine Russell arrived on Dot Time Records. This duo album ...
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    33 分
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