Easy Jazz Spotlight

He desperately wanted to be a jazz artist, moving to New York City. But bass guitarist Yosef Gutman Levitt (originally from South Africa) found that success doesn't come easily. To support himself, Yosef had to work in restaurants. He did other odd jobs as well - all the while, performing in local venues. Still, real success eluded him. He took a break to reflect on his approach to music, then landed a job as a producer on the Opra...

The legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter, who performed with Miles Davis and many other great jazz artists for decades, turned 87 years old on May 4, 2024. To help celebrate Maestro's birthday, our jazz radio host Ross Morgan (who is also a jazz guitarist) spoke with Ron about his approach to music and working with other artists. Towards the end of the interview, Ross asks Ron if he'd mind doing a liner for Ross's radio show. Ron agre...

In this episode of Easy Jazz Spotlight, host Ken Boyd talks with jazz songwriter and singer John Korbel. John's song "Bourbon Street Taps" which is featured in this interview at 13:38, hit number one on iTunes. The video was filmed during the Covid crisis in New Orleans - a big advantage for filming says John, because: "There weren't too many people around." John is a former rock and roller who tells Ken that he writes all of his ...

In this edition of Easy Jazz Spotlight, host Stefan Zaichkowski talks with veteran Toronto jazz guitarist Rob Tardik. Rob tells Stefan that in his early days, he played in a rock band, but also played classical guitar and jazz on the side. Today, Rob's music has made it to the top of the Billboard smooth jazz charts. During the interview at 36:30, Rob decides to grab his guitar and start playing! Be sure to also check out Rob's mus...

On this episode of Easy Jazz Spotlight, we feature jazz fusion artist Deepspawn Logic. Deepspawn, who is from Brooklyn, New York - tells host Stefan Zaichkowski that she underwent a period of depression during the pandemic. But her music helped her get through it. In her words: "My brain just exploded." Deepspawn talks about her unusual style of music, and says there is an audience for every song she produces. Hear a sample of her ...

In this episode of Easy Jazz Spotlight, California musician and host John Armato talks with Los Angeles vocalist, songwriter and producer Staci Griesbach who combines her passion for country music with jazz. Staci talks about overcoming the challenges of recent years. John also asks Staci: how she got started; how she plans her albums; the differences between working in the corporate world and being an independent artist; and what ...

A 17 year old crooner? It's true. Toronto's Noah Kosta began winning singing contests at that age, and today - 2 years later - he continues to turn heads as he puts a new twist on old jazz standards once made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. A powerful voice, calm demeanor and distinctive style have created the right brand to attract more and more fans of all ages. In this interview with host Stefan Zaichkowski...

In this episode of Easy Jazz Spotlight, host John Armato speaks to emerging jazz singer Lucy Wijnands from Kansas City. Lucy has performed throughout the world, perfecting her craft. In the interview, she reveals to John that she feared her career was coming to a crashing end when the pandemic began. But she learned how to survive, and thrive. John also discovered that Lucy is multi-talented, making a name for herself not only as a...