Preston Frazier: Michael Leonhart is a great honor to speak with you. Your career has spanned well over thirty years. At Seventeen, you were a Grammy winner, and there are so many projects I would want to dig into with you,

I’ve been listening to Sometimes, Late at Night repeatedly. There seems to be an arc about the album in terms of relationships. So, could you talk a little bit about the theme of the album?

his is one of the most unhinged and diverse albums I’ve ever put together. It’s definitely me, trying to definitely find out who I really am, hence the songs. But I’ve done a lot of different styles of music and I’ve done a lot of different things.

Hybrids can sometimes be a rough proposition. Luckily, the album Movable Objects by the band Hybrid shows an empathetic melding of talents and styles. Hybrid, which features Adam Larson on tenor sax, Clark Sommers on bass, and John Kizilarmut on drums,

opened for Steely Dan in 2013. I did my first tour with them in 2013 with the Deep Blue Organ Trio. We had been doing various opening dates for them for a few years, at least two years prior to that. Then we landed the entire tour.

Rachel Z career as a side musician is astonishing. Her work with Regina Carter, Terri Lynne Carrington, Wayne Shorter, Al Di Meola among others, hints at her acumen as a musician.

Nick Finzer continues to further his craft with his latest Outside In Music release, ‘Legacy’. The album, a recognition of J.J. Johnson features some of the trombone legend’s original sidemen such as bassist Rufus Reid, drummer Lewis Nash, and pianist Renee Rosnes.

JD Souther,  now in his late seventies, has released the best work in this career after his commercial peak. Souther, who had big hits in 1979 and 1981 ( with the songs “Your Only Lonely “ and “Her Town Too”, respectively) ,

Hybrids can sometimes be a rough proposition. Luckily, the Movable Objects by the band Hybrid shows an empathetic melding of talents and styles.

Fernando Perdomo’s Patreon and Bandcamp pages are a treasure trove of demos, new album releases, and one-off singles. It’s a perfect example of what progressive music means. 

Metaphors, sarcasm, downright snarkiness are but a few of the characteristics of a Steely Dan song. The song,” Things I Miss The Most” doesn’t have these tell-tale Steely Dan signs yet stills ranks among their best because on what it does contain.

Catherine Russell has been on my mind recently. Of course I’m excited by the fact that Steely Dan has decided to tour on what is one of their off cycle years. Part of the thrill of last several seasons of Steely Dan tours has been the band’s arsenal of fantastic background singers.

I’m calling Shenanigans on Steely Dan! Shenanigans! In 1972 Steely Dan fans got a hint of Walter Becker’s singing voice in the song, “Turn That Heart Beat Over Again”.

If Two Against Nature came out as a L.P. the song ‘Jack of Speed’ would have made a perfect side two opener. Its funky, it rocks, it sophisticated. ‘Jack of Speeds is one of the strongest cuts on Two Against Nature and ranks in my top 5 Steely Dan Songs of all time, yet it’s disappointing!

Decades after his death, Sylvester, described as an androgynous, openly gay, drag-loving, African American, falsetto-singing, unapologetically flaming man-diva, has experienced a continuous surge in popularity. His latest posthumous release,

“There’s more to life than anger and pain” according to Mark Anthony K’s lyrics in the leadoff song from Projekt Gemineye’s album “What’s On Your Mind”.

Judith Owen frequently walks the high wire without a net. She is an accomplished singer and songwriter with a long career singing her bold compositions and is an equally accomplished pianist. Her latest release, “Judith Owen Come Alive,”

Cidny Bullens’ album “Little Pieces” is a musical gem that beautifully intertwines with the narrative of Bullen’s autobiography, “TranElectric: My Life As A Cosmic Rock Star.” This album is a captivating journey filled with heartfelt lyrics and incredible melodies.

I’m probably in the minority of Yes fans, but I didn’t think much about the Yes album “Talk” when it was released in March 1994. The album ranked towards the bottom of my favorite Yes albums.

Peter Himmelman’s “Flown This Acid World is a captivating album that the immense talent of all the musicians involved. With guitarist Greg Herenach’s intricate and soulful playing, pianist Jeff Victor’s melodic and emotive touches, bassist Al Wolovitch’s solid and groovy foundation

Nick Finzer continues to further his craft with his latest Outside In Music release, ‘Legacy’. The album, a recognition of J.J. Johnson features some of the trombone legend’s original sidemen such as bassist Rufus Reid, drummer Lewis Nash, and pianist Renee Rosnes

If you have been fortunate enough to catch the enigmatic Jose James on tour for his latest release. “1978” or his acclaimed 2023 release “On & On,” then you are already familiar with drummer Jharis Yokley.

Jamie Leonhart’s “The Illusion of Blue, Side A” is a mesmerizing blend of artistry and soul that solidifies her place as a contemporary music virtuoso. Collaborating with the renowned Michael Leonhart, known for his intricate musical arrangements,

Fernando Perdomo’s Patreon page is a treasure trove of demos, new album releases, and one-off singles. It’s a perfect example of what progressive music means.

Out now on Spicerack Records, The Christian Fabian Trio’s album “Hip To The Skip” is a captivating blend of jazz and funk elements that showcases the trio’s exceptional musicianship. From the original opening track, “Hip To The Skip,” to the album closer,

The self-titled album “Alliance” featuring drummer Colleen Clark and Sharel Cassidy is a bold musical statement. Supplemented by pianist Hannah Meyer and bassist Carmani Edwards, the band navigates through nine songs with power and grace.

The album “Sherinian/Philips Live” is a captivating and electrifying masterpiece that showcases the exceptional talents of Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Simon Phillips on drums, Bumblefoot on guitar, and Ric Fierabracci on bass.

Jamie Leonhart- “The Illusion Of Blue, Side A” Jamie Leonhart’s “The Illusion of Blue, Side A” is a mesmerizing blend of artistry and soul that

Preston Frazier: Ive been looking forward to this interview. your last album, Devil The Tthe White City, was breathtaking, driving, it was very musical. when I heard about “Splinters”, I was immediately intrigued

Walter Becker, who left us on September 3, 2017, left a fantastic legacy with Steely Dan. His estate has also released albums worth of material, which further his legacy. Love in the 4th (a.k.a. Lies I Can Believe) is among many great songs on www.walterbeckermedia.com.

Preston Frazier is joined by Greg Gonzalez, one of the original founding members of Grupo Fantasma. Over the years, Gonzalez has worked in a variety capacities with the band, including songwriter, producer, mixer and engineer, while also working with Brownout, Money Chicha and others.

Dare I say, there are no good songs which directly take on the tragedy of 9-11. Neil Young’s song, “Let’s Roll” is the most memorable of a sorry bunch. Part of the challenge is that the events that surround the day are so large in scale that a four-minute pop song doesn’t do the event justice

David Whitman’s fourth album, “Ode to Joe,” is a heartfelt salute to the legendary drummer Joe Morello, beautifully recorded at Capital Studios.

Most fans of the Doobie Brothers seem to have allegiances to particular periods in the band’s 45-year history — with the most common divide being Tom Johnston vs. Michael McDonald.

Ben Craven, who calls himself a “cinematic progressive-rock singer-songwriter,” has quickly established himself as one of the leading lights in neo-prog. But the Brisbane, Australia-based Craven understands its history, too.

Joe Bailey’s 2022 album, Devil In The White City, was one of the year’s best. Splinters, available now via Bandcamp doesn’t retread the themes of Devil In The White City however its nine songs offer a variety of hard-charging, powerfully constructed Prog-Metal.

Preston Frazier: Michael Leonhart is a great honor to speak with you. Your career has spanned well over thirty years. At Seventeen, you were a Grammy winner, and there are so many projects I would want to dig into with you, but we’re going to start with your current album with rapper JSWISS called Bona Fide. 

Combining three stellar singer-songwriters and great classic rock songs is not a guarantee of success. Fortunately, Cidny Bullens, Deborah Holland, and Wendy Waldman know how to deliver tasty arrangements and stellar vocals. California,

Steve Lukather- Bridges – I was chatting with Steve Lukather about his latest solo albumwhen he said, “Look, I know what you are going to ask:

Michael Leonhart ORCHESTRA – THE NORMYN SUITES (JAZZ)-The constant in every Leonhart project is his excellent gift of melody and ability to draw the listener in.

Ten studio albums and one greatest hits package into her career, yet Madeleine Peyroux continues to break new ground. ‘Let’s Walk,’ co-produced by Peyroux, her

Out on GroundUP Music, Ford’s fifth studio release, ‘Big Party,’ continues the band’s tradition of engaging, amazing, and confounding listeners. The band, the brainchild of uber-talented keyboardist Henry Hey, mixes rock, jazz, and funk with a formula that is all their own. 

Catherine Russell’s busy worldwide tour schedule in support of her 2022 album ‘Send For Me,’ and her dates as a long-term band member of Steely Dan have not kept the stellar vocalist out of the studio.

If the first post-Chris Squire Yes album, The Quest, was slightly overbaked with its three bonus tracks, Heaven & Earth, released on July 14, 2014, suffers from the opposite issue.

To say that Chicago based Chris Greene has chops is an understatement. However, Greene and is his quartet consisting of drummer Steve Corley, acoustic bassist Marc Paine and pianist/keyboardist Damian Espinosa prove on their March 4, 2014 release, Music Appreciation,

Joe Walsh has been on a bit of a roll as of late. He toured for his first solo album in almost 20 years, the critically acclaimed and Jeff Lynne produced Analog Man, then he hooked up with his old friends the Eagles and had a successful run of shoes celebrating the documentary, “The History of The Eagles”.

Walter Becker is the lesser known half of Steely Dan yet has a successful career as a jazz producer which extends from 1981 to present day. Shortly after the breakup for Steely Dan in the 80’s Becker amazed critics with his behind the boards prowess and speed and facilitating

A lot of people are good a composing year end list. Taking that a step further, friend asked me and a group of acquaintances to

Listening to a bass player’s album is like watching porn to me. At first it seems like a good idea, but a few minutes in

I’ll confess up front I’m a huge Thompson family fan. Sure it’s easy to love Richard Thompson. He’s one of the best guitarist to emerge from England since, well ever. He’s also a formidable writer. His son, Teddy Thompson is a fantastic writer as well and no slouch on the guitar either ( if you doubt that see him live in his band Pound cake).

What do you get when you lock Sgt. T.J. Hooker in a room with one of the most despised men in progressive rock? You get an interesting cosmic trip called “Ponder The Mystery”. The album, released by Cleopatra Records is the second William Shatner release in as many years

While the album Morph The Cat represented the end of Fagen’s musical trilogy, it was hardly an end. In fact Morph The Cat may represent the most productive stage in Fagen’s career. Fagen started recording Morph The Cat in 2004 shortly after the wind down from the Steely Dan world tour for Everything Must Go. The March 14, 2006 release of Morph The Cat

Steely Dan’s “Second Act” started in 1993 and shows no sign of ending. Though in 20 years it’s produced two Steely Dan album, it’s also include 5 Walter Becker and Donald Fagen solo album. It’s also seen the emergence of Walter Becker as a respected producer of jazz artist

Evanston, Illinois-based Chris Greene’s music always makes great road music, and Boundary Issues is no exception. Greene and his long-term band blend stunning new compositions like “Thunder Snow (written by piano player Damian Espinosa) and “The Crossover Appeal” (written by Greene) with daring and original interpretations of masterworks by Horace Silver (“Nico’s Dream”) and Kenny Kirkland (“Dienda”).

As we’ve covered earlier in the reviews of this album, there are a number of new players and even a new strategy represented by Two Against Nature. Not only do Becker and Fagen take the helm in the production

The best live albums offer something familiar along with something new. Unfortunately a number of live albums give you one or two studio recordings or dress up old ‘B” sides. Steely Dan’s Alive in America falls somewhere in the middle

I’ve always loved the six degrees of separation concept as it relates to my musical discoveries. The career of Joni Mitchell is a perfect example of that  I didn’t discover Joni because of her much revered albums, Blue or Hejira.

I mentioned last week in my look back at Joni Mitchell’s album Wild Things Run Fast that it was her first album for Geffen Records and one which left a major impact on me. Mitchell’s subsequent release, 1985’s Dog Eat Dog was not only my first experience with the singer but left an even more lasting impact.

Joni Mitchell ended her tenure with Geffen Records with the lovely and understated Night Ride Home. The album is a stark contrast to its predecessor, 1988’s Caulk Mark In A Rainstorm, in many respects. The album leans heavily on Mitchell’s jazz guitar phrasings intertwine with coproducer Larry Klein’s 5 string bass.

Let me start off but stating the obvious. Vast talent does not equate to popularity. Fortunately in singer, songwriter and keyboardist Kiki Ebsen’s case, her vast talent has led to a string on elegant albums and respect of her musical contemporaries.

Did Fagen hit his high watermark with track number 4 on Morph The Cat? The song “Brite Nitegown” beats the listener over the head with Fagen’s rhythm stick. The writer producer/finally gets his drummer and bassist to work up a steamy sweat.

I love when a “new” Neil Young album comes out. Neil Young’s Live at The Cellar Door harkens me back to a time when Young was a the height of his power.  No I’m not talking about the 1970 period Live at Cellar Door represents, I’m talking about Neil Young’s Geffen Records years from 1982-1987.

I have a deep love for Walter Becker’s second solo effort, 2008’s Circus Money. It’s a love that far surpasses any other solo effort to

Out now on Lateralize Records, Jo Harrop’s ‘The Path Of A Tear’ combines her wonderfully emotive vocals with her dazzling song-craft to produce an album more than the sum of its parts. The album, produced by noted producer Larry Klein, has eight originals from Harrop and three diverse covers.

The Dark Monarchy, with four complete studio albums and as many E.P.s, has seen a steady progression of their music. ‘Weight Of The World,’ the

Long-time Protocol leader and former Toto drummer Simon Phillips returns with multi-instrumentalist DarWin’s self-titled group. He joined Preston Frazier to discuss ‘Five Steps on the

Parlor Greens’  ‘In Greens We Dream’ is a riveting and funky debut album. The trio, consisting of organist Adam Scone, guitarist Jimmy James, and drummer Tia

Going back to the Falling in Between album, from the production point of view, it was a tremendous honor to be given the responsibility of engineering that album. Toto worked with everybody – you know, Ed Cherney, Elliott Schneier, and Al Schmitt.

The song is the musical equivalent of a fine bourbon. Out now on Ridgeway Records, Finding the Light should not go overlooked. Hopefully, they will take this on the road soon.

The lyrics don’t give you a clear answer to the relationship question raised throughout the album, but the song leaves you more than satisfied with the journey Yokeley has taken you on. The album is fiercely satisfying and is a bold debut statement from Jharis Yokley. 

Bernie Chiaravalle’s lengthy association with Michael McDonald goes back to the late ’80s, but he’s also fashioned an intriguing solo career away from the Doobie Brothers legend.

Polar Greens delivers a near-perfect debut. The album, recorded live to a Tascam 388 analog machine, sounds fresh and vibrant. It is available now on Colemine Records.