Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring Los Angeles-based composer, actor, producer, and arranger Laurent Ziliani.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into Laurent Ziliani's remarkable 2026 album, Anyone Can Whistle: A Sondheim Journey—a stunning jazz reimagining of Stephen Sondheim's timeless love songs. Drawing music from nine of Sondheim's legendary Broadway musicals, the album blends big band jazz, intimate vocal performances, lush orchestration, and sophisticated harmonies into a heartfelt tribute to one of musical theater's greatest composers.
The project also marks several major milestones in Laurent's career. It is his debut as a featured vocalist on a full-length album, his first large-scale big band recording, and his first self-produced release—a deeply personal artistic statement created entirely from inspiration rather than commercial expectations.
Although many know Laurent for his acclaimed work composing music for film, television, video games, and commercial media, Anyone Can Whistle: A Sondheim Journey represents a bold new creative chapter that showcases his love for jazz, storytelling, and the enduring brilliance of Sondheim's songwriting.
Whether you're a fan of jazz, Broadway, Stephen Sondheim, big band music, film scores, or contemporary vocal jazz, this conversation offers fascinating insight into one of today's most versatile composers and performers.
Get the album:
https://www.laurentziliani.com/en/release/anyonecanwhistle/
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring Montréal-based drummer, composer, and producer Alexis Martin.
In this episode, we dive into Alexis Martin's 2026 debut as a bandleader, Les pôles Volume 1, a stunning instrumental jazz recording that marks the beginning of an ambitious new series of albums. Long celebrated for his work in film and television scoring, Alexis brings a cinematic vision to modern jazz, creating music that is atmospheric, emotional, and deeply personal.
The title Les pôles Volume 1 reflects the idea of transformation. Much like the Earth's magnetic poles gradually shift over time, Alexis explores an ever-changing emotional and musical landscape where perspectives evolve, boundaries dissolve, and improvisation opens new pathways.
For more than 35 years, Alexis Martin has been a respected fixture on the Quebec, Francophone, and Canadian music scenes. Known for his airy touch, precision, and musical sensitivity, he has performed and recorded with many of Canada's leading artists while building a reputation as one of the country's most versatile drummers and producers.
If you're a fan of contemporary jazz, cinematic composition, modern improvisation, Canadian jazz, and innovative instrumental music, this conversation offers an insightful look into one of Canada's most accomplished musicians.
Get the album:
https://alexismartin1.bandcamp.com/album/les-p-les-volume-1-2
If you enjoy interviews with today's leading jazz musicians, composers, producers, and creative artists, please subscribe, like, and share for more exclusive conversations from Neon Jazz.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring musician, producer, DJ, and Jazztronica creator Samir (FKAjazz) Zarif.
Six years after our last conversation in the summer of 2020, Samir returns to Neon Jazz to discuss his captivating new 2026 EP, Intrepid Sun: You Are the Sun, Again, along with the evolution of his groundbreaking musical vision, becoming a father, creating in modern-day America, and what's next in his ever-expanding artistic journey.
As the founder of Jazztronica, Samir has developed a distinctive sound that blends jazz improvisation, electronic music production, cinematic storytelling, visual art, and narrative-driven composition into an immersive multimedia experience. His latest five-track EP expands the universe introduced in Prelude to Descent, the first chapter of the TV Box Saga, inviting listeners deeper into a richly imagined musical world.
If you're a fan of contemporary jazz, electronic music, experimental composition, or boundary-pushing creative artists, this conversation is filled with insight and inspiration.
Get the new EP:
https://jazztronica.substack.com/p/intrepid-sun-you-are-the-sun-again
If you enjoy interviews with today's most innovative jazz musicians, producers, composers, and independent artists, please subscribe, like, and share for more exclusive conversations from Neon Jazz.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring New York City-based jazz pianist, keyboardist, composer, and arranger Kevin Du.
In this episode, we catch up with one of jazz's exciting emerging voices to discuss his beautiful 2026 album, Somewhere, a Butterfly Sings, along with his remarkable musical journey that spans continents, cultures, and genres.
Born in Chicago and raised in China, Kevin discovered music at an early age as a powerful means of expression, connection, and storytelling. Today, he has become a highly versatile artist whose work effortlessly moves between jazz, classical, R&B, pop, metal, musical theater, and beyond. No matter the setting, Kevin brings a distinctive musical voice, technical mastery, and heartfelt authenticity to every performance.
Somewhere, a Butterfly Sings showcases Kevin's lyrical approach to composition, rich harmonic language, and fearless creativity, blending modern jazz with cinematic textures and deeply personal storytelling.
Kevin Du represents a new generation of musicians who embrace limitless creativity while honoring the traditions that inspired them.
Enjoy this inspiring conversation!
Listen to the album:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Z8puSPY9Rwro7AMKO5Ck5
Follow Kevin Du:
https://www.instagram.com/_kevinduu/?hl=en
If you enjoy interviews with today's leading jazz musicians, composers, and creative artists, please subscribe, like, and share for more exclusive conversations from Neon Jazz.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring pianist Christophe Magnan-Bossé and vocalist Roxane Reddy of the acclaimed Montreal-based Greenhouse Ensemble.
In this episode, we dive into the making of the ensemble's captivating 2026 album, Mezzanine—a bold and immersive recording that pushes the boundaries of contemporary jazz through rich orchestration, collective composition, and genre-defying creativity.
Greenhouse Ensemble has developed a distinctive sound by blending voice, piano, violin, trumpet, and a dynamic rhythm section into a musical landscape that is both intimate and cinematic. Their music bridges contemporary jazz, classical music, folk traditions, bluegrass, and improvised music, creating an organic listening experience filled with harmonic depth and ethereal textures.
With Mezzanine, the group builds upon the musical world introduced on their previous release, unveiling years of collaborative composition and sonic exploration. The album reflects the ensemble's shared vision, where every member contributes unique influences that shape a vibrant and evolving collective voice.
If you're a fan of adventurous jazz, chamber ensembles, and music that defies easy categorization, this conversation offers an inside look at one of Canada's most creative contemporary groups.
Get the album:
https://greenhouseensemble.bandcamp.com/album/mezzanine
If you enjoy interviews with today's leading jazz musicians, composers, and innovative ensembles, please subscribe, like, and share for more exclusive conversations from Neon Jazz.
For More Neon Jazz:
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