Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Italy-based Jazz Guitarist Simone Basile and Drummer Antonio Cerfeda.
We dig into their new 2026 album Perspectives, a remarkable trio project featuring acclaimed bassist John Patitucci. Released by Encore Music, the album brings together three musicians in a deeply conversational setting, exploring composition, improvisation, sound and the many perspectives that shape a modern jazz experience. Perspectives was released April 24, 2026.
The album was recorded at the historic Bunker Studio in New York, with Simone Basile writing and conceiving the entire project. The music grew out of a long international journey that took him through China, Japan and the United States, eventually leading to his meeting with John Patitucci during a June 2025 New York stop.
In this tandem interview, we talk about Simone and Antonio's musical roots, how they met, their evolution as musicians, the making of Perspectives, working with John Patitucci, recording in New York, international touring, composition, improvisation and the creative process behind this exciting new jazz project.
The album features eight tracks, including “Back Home,” “Bouncin',” “Federica,” “Is That Real?,” “Yin and Yang,” “Perspectives” and “To Johnny.”
Dig into this conversation with Simone Basile and Antonio Cerfeda and discover the story behind Perspectives.
GET THE ALBUM:
Simone Basile — Perspectives on Bandcamp
Dig the jazz, my friends.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Bay Area jazz vocalist Stella Heath. In this conversation, we explore Stella’s debut album, For Billie, and the remarkable story behind her journey into the world of jazz. Nearly seven decades after Billie Holiday died in 1959, the singular voice and uncompromising artistry of Lady Day continue to resonate—and Stella Heath is bringing that legacy to a new generation.
On For Billie, Stella shines a light on Holiday’s enduring influence with a thoughtfully curated collection of songs connected to one of the most important and revealing artists in jazz history. Her approach is not simply about looking backward. It is about discovering what Billie Holiday’s music still has to say in 2026.
Raised in Petaluma, California, Stella grew up surrounded by music thanks to her mother, a passionate music lover who helped shape her artistic path. Now based in the Bay Area jazz scene, Stella is beginning to make her mark with a distinctive voice, a deep respect for jazz history and a vision that reaches well beyond the traditional boundaries of the music.
As her reputation continues to grow, 2026 could be the year Stella Heath makes her leap onto the global jazz stage.
We talk about Billie Holiday, For Billie, Stella’s musical upbringing, her life as a jazz vocalist, the power of Lady Day’s legacy and what comes next.
Enjoy this conversation with Stella Heath on Neon Jazz.
🎵 Get the album — For Billie:
Stella Heath — For Billie on Bandcamp
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Bay Area jazz vocalist Stella Heath.
In this conversation, we explore Stella’s debut album, For Billie, and the remarkable story behind her journey into the world of jazz. Nearly seven decades after Billie Holiday died in 1959, the singular voice and uncompromising artistry of Lady Day continue to resonate—and Stella Heath is bringing that legacy to a new generation.
On For Billie, Stella shines a light on Holiday’s enduring influence with a thoughtfully curated collection of songs connected to one of the most important and revealing artists in jazz history. Her approach is not simply about looking backward. It is about discovering what Billie Holiday’s music still has to say in 2026.
Raised in Petaluma, California, Stella grew up surrounded by music thanks to her mother, a passionate music lover who helped shape her artistic path. Now based in the Bay Area jazz scene, Stella is beginning to make her mark with a distinctive voice, a deep respect for jazz history and a vision that reaches well beyond the traditional boundaries of the music.
As her reputation continues to grow, 2026 could be the year Stella Heath makes her leap onto the global jazz stage.
We talk about Billie Holiday, For Billie, Stella’s musical upbringing, her life as a jazz vocalist, the power of Lady Day’s legacy and what comes next.
Enjoy this conversation with Stella Heath on Neon Jazz.
🎵 Get the album — For Billie:
Stella Heath — For Billie on Bandcamp
For More Neon Jazz:
Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2
The Home of Neon Jazz:
http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/
Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Musician, Author & Berklee College of Music Associate Professor Dr. Ray Seol.
In this fascinating conversation, we explore The Prison of Language—a deeply personal and unconventional project that exists as both a book and an album. From his career as a musician and educator to his work as one of the most frequently quoted K-pop scholars in the United States, Ray Seol has a story that crosses musical, cultural and academic boundaries.
Recorded during Ray’s Fulbright Scholarship in Korea, the eight-track project grew from interviews with fourteen survivors of suicide loss. The resulting music draws heavily from Korean shamanism and ritual, creating something far beyond what you might traditionally expect from a jazz album.
There is also a deeply personal element. One of the tracks was written on the day Ray’s mother was buried more than twenty years ago, adding another layer of memory, grief, culture and musical expression to this remarkable work.
From his base in Boston, Ray Seol takes us through the making of The Prison of Language, his experiences in Korea, his work at Berklee, his scholarship surrounding K-pop, and the powerful intersection of music, language, ritual, loss and healing.
This is a conversation about much more than jazz. It is about finding a musical language for experiences that words sometimes cannot fully express.
Enjoy this compelling conversation with Dr. Ray Seol on Neon Jazz.
🎵 Get The Prison of Language:
Amazon — The Prison of Language
For More Neon Jazz:
Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2
The Home of Neon Jazz:
http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/
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https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Jazz Musician, Author & Berklee College of Music Associate Professor Dr. Ray Seol.
In this fascinating conversation, we explore The Prison of Language—a deeply personal and unconventional project that exists as both a book and an album. From his career as a musician and educator to his work as one of the most frequently quoted K-pop scholars in the United States, Ray Seol has a story that crosses musical, cultural and academic boundaries.
Recorded during Ray’s Fulbright Scholarship in Korea, the eight-track project grew from interviews with fourteen survivors of suicide loss. The resulting music draws heavily from Korean shamanism and ritual, creating something far beyond what you might traditionally expect from a jazz album.
There is also a deeply personal element. One of the tracks was written on the day Ray’s mother was buried more than twenty years ago, adding another layer of memory, grief, culture and musical expression to this remarkable work.
From his base in Boston, Ray Seol takes us through the making of The Prison of Language, his experiences in Korea, his work at Berklee, his scholarship surrounding K-pop, and the powerful intersection of music, language, ritual, loss and healing.
This is a conversation about much more than jazz. It is about finding a musical language for experiences that words sometimes cannot fully express.
Enjoy this compelling conversation with Dr. Ray Seol on Neon Jazz.
🎵 Get The Prison of Language:
Amazon — The Prison of Language
For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2
The Home of Neon Jazz: http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/
Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER

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