Close Enough for Jazz

Tired of the old jazz paradigm? We call this Close Enough for Jazz because "Modern-Avant-Garde-Polyrhythmic-Sound-Art" was too long for the RSS feed. Join Lindsay and Alan Bjorklund (Birch Grove Media) for unfiltered dialogues with the composers and improvisers pushing the boundaries of the modern and avant-garde jazz scene. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Close Enough for Jazz is a music podcast hosted by Birch Grove, with 30 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Birch Grove hosts Close Enough for Jazz, a music show with 30 episodes published.

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  Episode #31

  Combating Writer’s Block, Composing for Big Bands, and Extended Techniques

  Oct 1, 202642 minS1

  We sit down with composer and saxophonist Anna Webber to explore her disciplined compositional process and look ahead to her upcoming nonet album, It's Easier to Imagine the End of the World. Anna explains how she maintains a daily composition practice by avoiding time crunches, relying on pencil and paper, and utilizing "rogue cop police walls" to combat writer's block. We dive into her strategies for writing difficult "etudes" designed to challenge heavy-hitting musicians, and the financial realities of co-leading a big band with Angela Morris. We also reflect on her time studying in Berlin with John Hollenbeck and how she integrates extended techniques and microtonality into her work. Finally, she previews her upcoming nonet release, inspired by the writings of Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis, and Naomi Klein as a hopeful response to late-stage capitalism. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode. Timestamps: 01:47 - Developing a daily, disciplined compositional process 05:14 - The benefits of writing slowly without time crunches 07:05 - Composing with pencil and paper vs. the computer 10:07 - Strategies for breaking out of writer's block 14:42 - Studying in Berlin with John Hollenbeck 17:39 - The financial realities of co-leading a big band with Angela Morris 23:21 - Finding inspiration in extended techniques and microtonality 28:52 - Navigating misogyny and the "boys club" mentality in jazz education 36:08 - Previewing her upcoming nonet release, It's Easier to Imagine the End of the World BIRCH GROVE MEDIA Web: birchgrove.io Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #30

  Pure Improvisation, the Denver Jazz Scene, and Turning Off the Inner Critic with Kenny Warren

  Sep 24, 202654 minS1

  We sit down with trumpeter Kenny Warren to explore the boundless possibilities of modern improvisation and the magic of trusting your instincts on the bandstand. Kenny opens up about his deep connection to free improvisation, describing it as a childlike state of uninhibited play, and details how he turns off his "inner critic" during esoteric sessions. We reflect on his formative years in the Denver scene with the legendary Ron Miles, his "jazz prog rock" roots with JP Schlegelmilch, and the collaborative strength of their current project, Slow Tiger. Kenny also shares his thoughts on the process of mixing and editing albums—comparing psychedelic post-production to a David Lynch film—and discusses how he adapts his compositions when writing for his Sweet World trio. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode. Catch the Slow Tiger album release gig at Three's Brewing on September 27th. Timestamps: 00:30 - Forming the Sweet World trio and adjusting to unique instrumentation 02:34 - The slippery slope of editing and mixing your own albums 07:59 - The "David Lynch" moments of psychedelic editing in jazz 08:37 - Taking inspiration from cellist Hank Roberts 09:29 - The magic of pure improvisation vs. playing written music on tour 17:32 - Navigating uninspired moments on the bandstand 19:57 - Trusting the process and turning off the "inner critic" 26:21 - Growing up in the Denver jazz scene with Ron Miles 30:35 - How to compose for specific musicians and adapting to line-up changes 42:09 - The history of Slow Tiger and taking inspiration from Sonic Youth 46:13 - Balancing the writing duties in a collective band 51:34 - Outro: Making new music with Tyler Gilmore and Carlo Costa BIRCH GROVE MEDIA Web: birchgrove.io Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #29

  Revisiting the Golden Era of Williamsburg Jazz with the Alessi Quartet

  Sep 17, 202647 minS1

  We open the vault for another installment of our Blind Pig series, traveling back 20 years to September 15, 2006, for a rare bootleg of the Ralph Alessi Quartet live at Layla Lounge. In this episode, we revisit a nostalgic set at the Williamsburg Jazz Festival featuring Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Brad Shepik on guitar, Scott Colley on bass, and a 26-year-old Tyshawn Sorey on drums. We reflect on the vibrant, pre-condo Brooklyn loft scene of the mid-2000s, exploring the history of lost venues and the grassroots origins of the Williamsburg Jazz Festival. We also unpack what these heavyweight musicians were up to in 2006, from Alessi’s School for Improvisational Music (SIM) to Brad Shepik’s Balkan folk-jazz integrations, while listening to the quartet's intense interplay over the ambient sounds of a Brooklyn hookah bar. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode. Timestamps: 00:25 - Introducing the Ralph Alessi Quartet bootleg from September 15, 2006 10:41 - Tyshawn Sorey’s dynamic playing and Brad Shepik's groovy soloing 12:33 - The aesthetic of Layla Lounge and mid-2000s Williamsburg 14:43 - The history of the Williamsburg Jazz Festival and the FONT festival 17:08 - Ben Neill's Mutantrumpet and other featured festival artists 27:53 - Hookah lounge acoustics and talking during the bass solo 30:30 - What Alessi, Shepik, and Colley were recording in 2006 32:58 - A 26-year-old Tyshawn Sorey touring with Steve Coleman 45:27 - "Allesorey": The intense duo interplay between Ralph and Tyshawn BIRCH GROVE MEDIA Web: birchgrove.io Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #28

  Jazztronica, Dream Melodies, and The Big Machine with Aaron Burnett

  Sep 10, 202646 minS1

  This episode features saxophonist Aaron Burnett to explore his evolution into "Jazztronica," discussing everything from auditioning for Wynton Marsalis over the phone to building a custom digital pedalboard in Ableton. We examine his unique compositional process, which he describes as "downloading" full melodies from his dreams—a method that helped him write his upcoming swinging, nostalgic album Archangel at just 21 years old. Aaron breaks down his boundary-pushing group The Big Machine and details his use of audio-to-MIDI pitch followers to manipulate his saxophone sound. We also discuss his experiences touring with powerhouse vocalists like Esperanza Spalding and Corinne Bailey Rae, including a nightmare scenario where an airline destroyed his baritone saxophone right before a week of gigs. Packed with stories about going viral with drum and bass remixes and shouting out the next generation of killer musicians, this episode covers the cutting edge of modern improvised music Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode. Chapter Timestamps: 01:01 - The culture of sitting in on gigs and finding inspiration 05:22 - The Big Machine: Fusing modern classical, hard bop, and world music 07:11 - Creating "Jazztronica" with Ableton and audio-to-MIDI modules 12:19 - Branding the music and the upcoming Quantum Breaks project 16:37 - Bringing dance music back into the modern jazz ecosystem 17:27 - Taking inspration from Tyshawn Sorey, Morton Feldman, and Steve Coleman 21:53 - Going viral on social media with a drum and bass remix of "Countdown" 25:51 - Touring with Esperanza Spalding and Corinne Bailey Rae 28:43 - "Downloading" melodies from dreams and the upcoming Archangel album 31:38 - Auditioning for Wynton Marsalis over the phone with "Cherokee" 37:25 - Shouting out the next generation of killer jazz musicians 41:07 - Aaron's best gig ever: Roulette with Craig Taborn and Tyshawn Sorey 42:17 - The worst gig ever: Playing a European tour with a broken baritone saxophone BIRCH GROVE MEDIA Web: birchgrove.io Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. AARON BURNETT https://www.instagram.com/aarondjuan/?hl=en https://aarondburnett.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/aaron-burnett-music https://www.youtube.com/@aaronburnett476 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  Episode #27

  Inside the Mind of Chris Tordini: Upright Bass vs. Electric and Prioritizing Opportunities

  Sep 3, 202657 minS1

  We sit down with highly in-demand bassist Chris Tordini to discuss his unique approach to the instrument, from his early days playing South Jersey bookstores to holding down the bass chair on Broadway. Chris shares the story of how he unexpectedly came to author two instructional books for Mel Bay, and why his early background in piano helped him seamlessly transition between guitar, electric bass, and upright bass. We talk about his formative years building a DIY jazz scene in South Jersey, how he navigates the New York gig economy using his trusty "two out of three" rule, and the realities of playing eight shows a week on Broadway's Hadestown . Chris also shares his strategies for staying grounded when playing with intense drummers—drawing inspiration from veteran bassist Drew Gress—and recounts a disastrous 2022 European tour featuring a flip-phone-wielding bandleader that taught him the ultimate lesson in trusting his gut.  Note: Please go find and enjoy the music of Timo Vollbrecht, Marko Churnchetz, Alec Goldfarb, Chris Speed and Angelika Niescier. A few clips of their music were reposted in this episode. Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation. Chapter Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: Sweating with certain drummers 00:25 - Writing two upright bass books for Mel Bay 06:00 - Translating technique between electric and upright bass 11:06 - Taking the "rock route" to the upright bass 13:08 - Growing up and gigging in the South Jersey music scene 18:25 - How to prioritize gigs: The "Two out of Three" rule 24:41 - Practicing quarter tones, polyrhythms, and meditative focus 28:01 - Keeping calm while playing with intense, complex drummers 29:56 - Finding inspiration in Drew Gress's relaxed playing at the Village Vanguard 32:00 - Knowing when to step out and when to be the glue 36:44 - Taking over the bass chair on Broadway's Hadestown 42:32 - The mental challenges of playing repetitive shows eight times a week 47:55 - Exploring groove-based improvisation and extreme math jazz 51:04 - Storytime: The worst tour BIRCH GROVE MEDIA Web: birchgrove.io Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram. Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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