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On Feb. 25, The Jazz Session celebrates its first anniversary. One year ago, I sat down with saxophonist Grant Stewart to record show #1. It’s been a great ride since then.

As a matter of fact, TJS hit its 50,000th download today! Thank you very much to all of you for the amazing support you’ve given me. That goes out to all the artists, labels, PR folks, jazz broadcasters and writers, and especially the listeners.

As you know, TJS has been on a hiatus recently because of my ongoing relocation to Albany, NY. I’m still working in Albany five days a week and commuting back to Rochester on the weekends as we get our house ready to sell and look for a new home in Albany. New shows will be on a less-than-regular schedule until that gets straightened out.

But never fear, a new show is here! Trumpeter Avishai Cohen joined me to talk about his album After The Big Rain. The interview is available right now, so check it out!

I’m also getting back into the swing of things with All About Jazz. I’ll have several interviews out soon (I promise, John K!), so look for those at AllAboutJazz.com.

Thanks again for all your support, and for making The Jazz Session more successful than I ever imagined. Onward into 2008!

On the new episode of The Jazz Session, Jason Crane interviews Laurie Pepper, wife of the late alto saxophonist Art Pepper (1925-1982). Laurie has recently put out two sets of previously unreleased live recordings by Art Pepper — Unreleased Art, Vol. 1: The Complete Abashiri Concert — November 22, 1981 (Widow’s Taste, 2006) and Unreleased Art, Vol. 2: The Last Concert (Widow’s Taste, 2007). Both concerts show Pepper at the height of his emotional expression, and still very much in command of his instrument. In this interview, Laurie Pepper talks about the concerts and the process of releasing them, and also gives insight into the troubled and triumphant life of her husband.

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THE JAZZ SESSION #32: TORD GUSTAVSEN: Jason Crane interviews pianist and composer Tord Gustavsen. His most recent recording, Being There (ECM, 2007), is part of a trilogy of records exploring the intimate territory traversed by the pianist and his trio. With bassist Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad, Gustavsen delves deeply into the rich musics of the world, filtering the results through a contemplative lens. Being There is an album that rewards repeated listening, and the interview makes it clear that a lot of thought and passion has gone into the music.

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THE JAZZ SESSION #33: KATE MCGARRY: Jason Crane interviews vocalist Kate McGarry about her new album, The Target (Palmetto, 2007). It’s yet another stellar album in a career that has seen her working with everyone from Fred Hersch to Maria Schneider. On The Target, McGarry is joined by her husband Keith Ganz on guitar, Gary Versace on organ and piano, Reuben Rogers on bass and Greg Hutchinson on drums, along with guest appearances from saxophonist Donny McCaslin and Theo Bleckman on voice loops. On both American songbook classics and impressive new compositions, the band finds an organic chemistry that brings something new to the old tunes and makes the new tunes sound familiar.

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Jason Crane interviews percussionist, bandleader, composer and educator Bobby Sanabria. Sanabria is a living link to the great Afro-Cuban jazz tradition. He’s played with just about everyone, including Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, Charles McPherson, Mongo Santamaria, Chico O’Farrill and Mario Bauza. He’s also a Grammy-nominated solo artist and a powerful force in bringing the Afro-Cuban tradition into the 21st century. This interview features a sneak peek at his new album, Big Band Urban Folktales (Jazzheads, 2007), which hits stores in June.

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On the new episode of The Jazz Session, Jason Crane interviews drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. You might know him from his years with Wynton Marsalis, or his years with Branford Marsalis, or his stint as the drummer on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, or from his many, many recordings as a leader and sideman. Tain’s new album is Folk’s Songs (Dark Key Music, 2007). It features his band The Ebonix with Marcus Strickland on saxophone, David Kikoski on piano and Christian McBride on bass.

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On the new episode of my weekly interview podcast The Jazz Session, my guest is saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen. Based in Montreal, Jensen has recorded three albums. Her most recent project is Look Left (Effendi, 2006), the result of a half-year spent studying and writing in Paris. The Globe and Mail called Jensen “one of the most important Canadian composers of her generation.”

Check out the show at TheJazzSession.com.

I went to high school in Canandaigua, NY, a bedroom community for the larger city of Rochester. Today’s paper featured an article on The Jazz Session, which you can read here in PDF format:

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Show #6: MISHA PIATOGORSKY. Jason Crane interviews pianist Misha Piatigorsky. Misha fled with his family from Russia during the height of the Cold War and ended up in New Jersey. A classically trained pianist, he discovered jazz and fell in love with the music, ending up at Rutgers studying with Kenny Barron. He won the 2004 Thelonious Monk Composers Competition. He’s also the pianist and musical director for singing legend Mark Murphy. Misha’s new trio with bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Ari Hoenig is a fusion of hip-hop grooves with his non-traditional jazz compositions. Their new record is Uncommon Circumstance (MISHAMUSIC, 2007). :Listen to the show.

Show #7: WAYNE ESCOFFERY. Jason Crane interviews saxophonist Wayne Escoffery about his life and his new album, Veneration (Savant, 2007). Escoffery was born in London and moved to New Haven, Connecticut as a child. He sang in a boys choir and then got introduced to the saxophone. Choosing the latter, Escoffery moved into the orbit of legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean, eventually attending McLean’s Artist Collective and his jazz program at the Hartt School of Music. In addition to his own band, Escoffery currently performs with the Mingus Big Band, Tom Harrell, Ben Riley’s Monk Legacy Septet and in a band with his wife, singer Carolyn Leonhart. Listen to the show.

Show #8: DAVID TORN. Jason Crane interviews David Torn, a man of many talents. He’s a film composer whose music you’ve heard in Friday Night Lights, Believe In Me, and The Order. He’s also contributed tones and textures to films like this year’s Best Picture winner, The Departed, and the 2000 hit Traffic. Before his film days, he was known for daring musical collaborations on albums such as Cloud About Mercury (ECM, 1987). And he’s worked as a guitarist and/or producer for everyone from David Bowie and David Sylvian to John Legend and Tori Amos. David Torn has returned to ECM after two decades for prezens (ECM, 2007), an adventurous record that features Tim Berne, Craig Taborn and Tom Rainey. Listen to the show.

Show #4: Jason Crane interviews French guitarist Francis Jacob. Jacob’s career has taken him around the world: France, Switzerland, Boston, Brazil, Paris and now New York. Along the way, he’s picked up a gift for improvisation and a taste for West African music. On his new CD, Side By Side (2006), he combines his many influences and creates two albums in one — the same tunes, played by two wonderfully different bands. Listen to the show.

Show #5: Jason Crane interviews Japanese pianist Toru Dodo. Born in Tokyo, Dodo started playing piano at age 4, then gave up his dream of concert piano for the economics department at Tokyo’s Meiji University. He found jazz at Meiji, and eventually came to the United States to study at Berklee College of Music. Since moving to New York City in 1998, Dodo has released three CDs and performed with Kenny Garret, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Ruth Brown and Terumasa Hino. His new album is Dodo 3 (Jazzcity, 2006). Listen to the show.

Show #2: Luis Perdomo
Since coming to New York from his native Venezuela, Perdomo has blossomed as a player. As a student at the Manhattan School of Music and at Queens College, he studied with pianists Harold Danko and Sir Roland Hanna. As a professional musician, he’s played with Ray Baretto, Ravi Coltrane, Miguel Zenon, Dafnis Prieto, and Timbalaye, to name a few. Perdomo’s adventurous new record is Awareness (RKM Music, 2006). It features his working trio of Hans Glawischnig on bass and Eric McPherson on drums, and on several tracks, an expanded group with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Nasheet Waits.

Show #3: John Abercrombie
John Abercrombie’s forthcoming record is The Third Quartet (ECM, 2007). Abercrombie has been on more than 50 ECM recordings as a leader or sideman, including sessions with Charles Lloyd, Kenny Wheeler, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman and Dave Holland. This interview features several excerpts from the new CD in advance of its April 3 release. You’ll also hear Abercrombie’s moving remembrace of lifelong friend Michael Brecker.