This episode was recorded on June 4th.

Grammy-nominated, Memphis-bred bassist/composer Stephan Crump is a rising light on the New York music scene. As collaborator with mainstream jazz luminaries, downtown explorers, singer/songwriters and others, he has become known for the elegance and purposeful groove of his acoustic and electric bass playing, and for transforming his instrument into a speaking entity with magnetic pull on audiences. As a composer, he is emerging as a singular voice.

Special thanks to All About Jazz, Stephan, and Collin Hough.

Episode 1 - Stephan Crump

Billy Williams is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. He has had the opportunity to work professionally with the likes of Larry Willis, Cyrus Chestnut, Warren Wolf, Christian McBride, Jon Faddis, Ellis Marsalis, Benny Golson, and Steve Davis among others. To learn more about Billy, please visit WWW.BWDRUMZ.COM.

Episode 2 - Billy Williams Jr.

Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, John began playing piano at age 7 and took up the trumpet at age 10. While still in high school, he began performing at the Dakota Jazz Club (then in St. Paul), and was fortunate to play with and learn from some of the city's best musicians. Now, John regularly performs with musicians such as Billy Hart, John Abecrombie, Orrin Evans, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ethan Iverson, Linda Oh, Dan Tepfer and Gilad Hekselman among others. His new album, "Foreign Territory", was an editor's pick for DownBeat Magazine.

Episode 3 - John Raymond

Simonsen went to USC & UNT and is a Southern CA native. He plays trumpet and works as an arranger and composer as well.  Has a LA based big band and a 5 trumpet jazz ensemble known as Trumpetology.  He recently played at the 2015 Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl as the lead player with Gerald Wilson band which featured Kamsai Washington among others.  He plays with a number of big bands including Tex Beneke, Dave Damiani, and Tim Gill All-Stars; he's  loved by old guys and also younger musicians.  He also works with the Colburn Jazz Workshop (by the Walt Disney Concert Hall) - the band he teaches went to Next Gen Jazz Fest at Monterey this year.  

Episode 4 - Walt Simonsen

The Jazz Access Podcast is a weekly podcast featuring interviews from jazz musicians and musical minds from around the world. Each episode hears musicians talk about their projects, explain their origins as a musician, and curates conversation geared toward the unique mindset of the jazz musician. These are the audio portraits of jazz artists, and we're giving you access to them.

Listeners will have the opportunity to not only listen, but tweet questions to the musicians who are interviewed. Follow @JazzAccessPod and find out who's going to be on the show. Then ask your questions using #JazzAccess and I'll ask them during the episode.

The podcast will launch its first episodes in the Fall of 2015. More details coming soon. Stay tuned!

- Tyler J. Henderson, Creator and Host of Jazz Access

Jazz Access Podcast

Popular tracks