Neon Jazz Interviews

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist & Founder/Owner of Wide Hive Records Gregory Howe.
We cover the whole range of this fascinating music man who has made a major impact on the world of jazz from both sides of the equation—as a musician and an entrepreneur.
Gregory Howe founded Wide Hive Records in 1996 and has made it his mission to record and showcase veteran jazz masters while creating adventurous, alluring and forward-thinking music. In this conversation, we dig into the new 2026 Daggerboard project, Daggerboard: The Skipper and Mike Clark, and the larger musical vision behind one of Wide Hive's signature projects.
Primarily active as a producer, mixer and composer, Gregory is also a multi-instrumentalist who performs guitar, synthesizer, turntable, voice and percussion across numerous recordings. His work reflects a deep appreciation for jazz history while continually pushing into new territory.
We talk about Wide Hive Records, Daggerboard, Mike Clark, veteran jazz musicians, independent record labels, producing, composing, improvisation, entrepreneurship and Gregory's own evolution as a musician.
It's a conversation about what it takes to preserve the legacy of jazz while continuing to move the music forward—and the story of a man who has spent decades building his own place in that world.
Dig into the whole story with Gregory Howe. Dig this interview.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with GRAMMY and Emmy Award-Winning Trumpeter, Composer & Synthesist Mark Isham.
We caught up with this accomplished Los Angeles powerhouse to talk about his new 2026 album, At the Carousel Club, and a life dedicated to making music across jazz, electronic music, orchestral composition and cinema.
An Academy Award-nominated composer, Mark Isham has spent decades moving fluidly between musical worlds while helping shape the sound and narrative of some of the most memorable films and recordings of the past four decades. His work includes film scores for A River Runs Through It, Crash, Blade, and more, while his performing career has included collaborations with legendary artists such as Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and Stanley Clarke.
Now, with At the Carousel Club, Isham returns to his roots with a recombinant musical statement that brings together the many sounds and experiences that have defined his remarkable career. His first solo album in more than 15 years places Mark back at the center of his own musical world.
We get into the new album, his jazz roots, synthesizers, composing for film, collaboration, creativity and the evolution of a career that continues to cross boundaries between jazz, electronic music and cinematic sound.
Dig this interview with Mark Isham.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with New Jersey-based Upright & Electric Jazz Bassist John Pachnos. We dig into John's new self-titled 2026 debut album, his career in music, his development as a bassist, and the many different musical worlds he has explored along the way. The album features seven original compositions and showcases a young bassist and composer with a distinctive musical voice.
Born and raised in a small town in northwest New Jersey, John's first exposure to music came when he was just 3 years old, after hearing his older sister practicing piano. He later experimented with piano and drums before discovering the bass at age 13 — an instrument that ultimately stuck.
John went on to study at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he studied with renowned bassist Kenny Davis. After graduation, his career took him in a variety of directions, including jazz clubs, rock bands, musical theatre pit orchestras and cruise ships throughout the northeastern United States.
His new album John Pachnos brings together longtime musical friends and collaborators from his Rutgers years, including Carter Vames, Caleb Heinze, Frankie Midnight and Justin Vedovelli. The record blends jazz with elements of funk, rock, Latin music and Greek musical influences.
In this conversation, we talk about learning the bass, finding his musical identity, growing up in New Jersey, Rutgers, jazz education, cruise-ship gigs, musical theatre, playing rock, composing original music, recording his debut album and building a career as a working musician.
Dig into this conversation with John Pachnos and discover the story behind his new album and his journey as a bassist.
LISTEN TO THE ALBUM:
John Pachnos — Apple Music
MORE JOHN PACHNOS:
John Pachnos Official Website
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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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