Watford Jazz Junction

This week we're talking with creative musical supremo Alice Zawadzki - an astonishing singer, violinist and composer.We explore her journey into music via the influences of New Orleans and music colleges, her approach to creativity and reflections on the natural world, and her unbridled and broad appetite for music in all its forms and types.Obviously, there's an extra special quiz, additions to the fantasy house band, and some cracking musical recommendations.Alice's album recommendations included:Faint by Taylor Deupree (2012) on Norman RecordsJS Bach: ThreeOrOne by Fred Thomas, Aisha Orazbayeva & Lucy Railton (2021) on ECMEl Hal/The Feeling by Electric Jalaba (2021) on Strut RecordsSupport the show & buy us a coffee!You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadLinksKeep up to date with Alice here: www.alicezmusic.comKeep up to date with the Watford Jazz Junction here (and to buy tickets for our festival 19-22 May 2022): www.watfordjazzjunction.comCreditsPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded March 2022.

This week we're talking with Mark Armstrong - trumpeter, composer, arranger and artistic director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.We discover all sorts from tales, from dusty old trumpet shops in to dodgy student band names, from fabulous young NYJO musicians to awesome players in the world's greatest bands - it's a musical big band treat!Mark's album recommendations included:Cookin' and Relaxin' (double disc) by Miles Davis (1958) on PrestigeComing About by Maria Schneider (1996) on EnjaPlugged In and Live by Earth, Wind & Fire (1996) on PyramidSupport the show!You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadNext episodeAnd just a reminder that our next episode won't come out now until March 2022. Plenty of time to catch-up with the back catalogue... :-)LinksKeep up to date with NYJO here.Keep up with Mark here.CreditsPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded February 2022.

This week we're joined by the super talented and very interesting Alex Webb - pianist, composer, arranger and serial collaborator.We chat about his fabulous new album British Standard Time featuring Jo Harrop, Carroll Thompson, Luca Manning and Tony Momrelle, reflect on the jazz scene in the UK in some depth and explore all the motivations behind continuing to write and create.It's a beaut!Alex's album recommendations, include:Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder (1976) released on TamlaMiles Ahead by Miles Davis (1957) released on ColumbiaThe Audience with Betty Carter (1980) released on Betcar; VerveSupport the show!You can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadLinksKeep up to date with Alex via his website here.CreditsPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded January 2022.

This week we're in conversation with Jess Gillam MBE, presenter of the This Classical Life Podcast as well as being a hugely talented saxophonist and awesome performer.We chat about all sorts including her musical pathways into professional life, her influences, and her reflections on the importance of music for mental wellbeing.Oh, and we discuss the critical issues of Marmite or marmalade, greatest Abba songs, and cope with the jaw dropping revelation of which instrument Jess would drop from a symphony orchestra...Jess's album recommendations include:Blackstar by David Bowie (2016) released on Columbia/Sony.What's Going On by Marvin Gaye (1971) released on TamlaDummy by Portishead (1994) released on Go! BeatSupportYou can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadLinksFor more information about Jess check out: https://www.jessgillamsax.co.uk/And listen to her This Classical Life podcast via BBC Sounds or click here.CreditsPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded December 2021.

This week we're joined by Tara Minton and Ed Babar to find out more about their new album, 'Two for the Road'.We chat about all sorts including Tara's musical journey from Australia to the UK, the influence of early education on Ed, and learn why Lithuania and The Netherlands are go to jazz countries!Their album recommendations include:Blue by Joni Mitchell (1971) released on RepriseThe Clown by Charles Mingus (1957) released on AtlanticMusic for Large & Small Ensembles by Kenny Wheeler (1990) released on ECMSupportYou can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadLinksFor more information about Tara and Ed's work, including to buy their album, check out Tara's website at: http://taraminton.com/CreditsPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded December 2021.

We launch 2022 and Series 9 of the WJJ Podcast in conversation with UK saxophonist Dave O'Higgins.We talk about his journey into music, the influences on route, and the people he's played with and those he continues to create with, having come through the jazz scene of the 1980s playing alongside Mark Nightingale and Gerard Presencer to forming new partnerships today with Rob Luft and leading his own Quartet.Dave's album recommendations include:Go! by Dexter Gordon (1962) released on Blue NoteBlue Train by John Coltrane (1958) released on Blue NoteLed Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin (1971) released on AtlanticSupportYou can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded December 2021.

We round off 2021 with a hugely enjoyable conversation with celebrated cellist, singer & composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson.We talk about playing on the big stage, balancing musical interests, and all the many influences that have made Ayanna such an original and in-demand musician.Ayanna's album choices include:Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum by Sounds of Blackness (1994) released on PerspectiveInnervisions by Stevie Wonder (1973) released on TamlaTo Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar (2015) released on AME, Aftermath & InterscopeSupportYou can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded December 2021.

In our penultimate episode of 2021 we chat with Barney Stevenson, who's the artistic director of the Marsden Jazz Festival based in Yorkshire, England.Soon to celebrate 30 years, we chat about how the festival survived lock-down and invented some new online offerings, how their audience has developed over the years, and how they've supported new musicians and promoted new music.Barney's album recommendations include:New Bottle Old Wine by Gil Evans (1958) released on World PacificBelonging by Keith Jarrett (1974) released on ECMNotes with Attachments by Blake Mills & Pino Palladino (2021) released on Impulse!For more info about the Marsden Jazz Festival check out their website at: https://www.marsdenjazzfestival.com/ where you'll also find a link to their fabulous podcast.SupportYou can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded November 2021.

A festive podcast journey aboard our star-packed Polar Jazz Express as we travel through the snow-capped highlands of Watford to a little place called ‘Jazzmas’.We’re joined by jazzman & sax player to the stars Ben Castle, Tomorrow’s Warrior & all-round sparkling jazz legend Camilla George, super classy classical soprano Lotti Newstead, & shimmering YouTube prog rocker Jim Newstead.We programme the Cab Cabaret Fantasy Stage as presented by the fabulous Ray Gelato, deliver much punning & cunning in choosing the world’s greatest festive jazz candy, generously share live performances a plenty (but sadly only on kazoos), enter into a deep-dive discussion on how to handle the triple appearance of mince-pies, Christmas pudding & Christmas cake, and undertake the loading of Stanta Getz’s iPodThere are also LOADS of special listener Christmas prizes with some awesome jazz swag giveaways plucked from the very top of Stanta’s sleigh.Thank yousOur thanks to Ray, to Serious & the EFG London Jazz Festival & London’s 606 Club for their awesome prizes.Also note, the original recording of this podcast which was available until 5 January 2022 included a beautiful reading from Cerys Matthews, which has now been removed as our licence to share the lyrics of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was limited to just one month. A huge thank you to Cerys - it was a cracker!SupportYou can support the podcast by buying us a coffee (or mince pie!) at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chrisnewsteadCompetitionTo enter our prize draw give-away please email [email protected] with the subject title ‘Festive Swag’. The competition deadline is 12pm GMT 6 January 2022, when winners will be drawn. There are no cash alternatives, no travel is included & there is only one entry permitted per email address. Good luck!Show deets & licensingPresenter Chris Newstead.Recorded December 2021.Theme music & 'Jingle Bells Jazz Christmas' music licensed through AudioJungle.Canine Christmas bell tinkling by Teddy Newstead (The First).All other incidental music/effects by Chris Newstead.Watford Jazz JunctionTickets for the Watford Jazz Junction music festival 19-22 May 2022 are on sale only at www.watfordjazzjunction.com. The line-up includes Emma Smith, Shri Sriram feat. Dennis Rollins, NYJO feat. Tim Garland, Archipelago, Samuel Sharp, Jelly Cleaver, Tomorrow’s Warriors & John Etheridge.Guest web linkswww.watfordjazzjunction.comwww.charlottenewstead.co.ukwww.bencastle.comwww.camillageorge.comwww.youtube.com/jimnewsteadwww.raygelato.comwww.cerysmatthews.co.ukHappy Holidays y’all. Stay safe and always remember to connect with something new. 😊

In this week's bumper episode we take the time out to talk with Anthony Kerr, professor of jazz vibraphone at the Royal College of Music, and a long time vibist on the world jazz scene.We explore the importance of mental and physical well-being for musicians, the conditions for a perfect jazz gig, the Belfast, Dublin, New York and London jazz scenes, and take in a full 101 on the evolution of the vibes. It's super interesting!Anthony's album recommendations include:Transition by John Coltrane (1965) released on Impulse!The Art of the Trio by Brad Mehldau (1997) released on Warner BrosHere's to Life by Shirley Horn (1992) released on VerveKeep up to date with Anthony at his website: www.anthonykerrvibes.comSupportYou can help support the podcast and keep us ad free. Especially useful if you’d like to support the podcast and want to keep it ad free. Plus it makes Chris feel very happy indeed!https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ChrisNewsteadPresenter: Chris NewsteadTheme: by SoundWorkLab, licensed through AudioJungle.Recorded November 2021.