It has been just over a year since Chicago Jazz Magazine switched to an all-digital monthly format. We thought we would celebrate the anniversary with a recap of some of the interviews we have done over the past year. The switch to a monthly digital magazine has enabled us to expand our coverage of the art form—and to reach a wider audience than ever before.
Thank you for your continued support! We look forward to another wonderful year covering the people, places, and events that make up the jazz scene in Chicago and beyond.
Sincerely,
Mike Jeffers
Founder, Chicago Jazz Magazine
Fareed Haque
There was a lot of ground covered in our feature interview with critically acclaimed guitarist Fareed Haque for the December 2018 issue. There is so much great stuff in this interview it was hard to pull just one short clip!
His ability to perform in so many different styles, his thoughts on education, and how he sees music in the future are things every musician and music fan should hear. On this short clip he talks about the first time meeting, performing, and recording with Sting and the music that came from those sessions.
Listen to the Full Interview Below
Maurice "Mobetta" Brown
Trumpeter Maurice Brown was our feature interview for the June 2018 issue. It was the first interview for the new monthly online magazine format, before we moved into the studio setting. Maurice talks about his early beginnings growing up in Chicago, how he first started playing trumpet, his influences, studying jazz in New Orleans, traveling the world for five years as a member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and much more. On this short clip we talked about how he used to randomly call up the headliners that were playing each week at the Jazz Showcase and take them out to lunch as a way of connecting with them. What an incredible idea!
Patricia Barber
For the November 2018 feature interview we talked with pianist, vocalist, composer, and Blue Note recording artist Patricia Barber. We covered a wide range of topics: how she got her start, the importance of saving money as an artist, her years at the famed Gold Star Sardine Bar, her current gig at the Green Mill, selling over 120,000 copies of her album Modern Cool, signing with Blue Note Records, and much more. On this clip Barber talks about her deep thought process for composing music and writing lyrics—which has enabled her to tour the world performing her music on her terms.
Listen to the Full Interview
Henry Johnson
Guitarist Henry Johnson was featured on the February 2019 issue. We ended up doing two parts in order to cover his entire career! Johnson talks about his many influences, performances, and concepts as well as his continued passion for composing, performing, and education. Johnson’s credits include Ramsey Lewis, Joe Williams, Vanessa Rubin, Nancy Wilson, Marlena Shaw, Angela Bofil, Dizzy Gillespie, Jack McDuff, the Boston Pops, Sonny Stitt, and Freddie Hubbard to name a few. On this clip he talks about getting a call from Donnie Hathaway to audition for his band.
Watch the full interview - PT 1
Watch the full interview - PT 2
Marquis Hill
We caught up with trumpeter Marquis Hill back stage at the 2018 Chicago Jazz Festival and featured him on the cover of the October 2018 issue of Chicago Jazz Magazine. Originally from Chicago, Marquis has been making a huge splash in the jazz world with tours that have taken him literally around the planet. On this clip Marquis and I talk about his experience competing and winning the 2014 Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and how it helped to really launch his career.
Kobie Watkins
Chicago-born drummer Kobie Watkins has deep ties to the city and its jazz scene that helped him develop his sound and style, allowing him to perform with such artists as Sonny Rollins, Branford Marsalis, Joe Lovano, Curtis Fuller, Bob Mintzer, Jim Hall, John Patitucci, and Arturo Sandoval to name a few. On this short clip from the interview we did for the September 2018 issue, Watkins talks about his audition for Sonny Rollins that helped him get into the band.