“I wanted to get into the real feeling,” Melissa Aldana says of studying the work of singers from Cuba’s filin tradition in preparation for her collaboration with pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

​Dave King (left) and Reid Anderson offer insights into why The Bad Plus’ chemistry was cool, the accomplishments many and its longevity so fruitful.

While writer Ted Panken, right, didn’t play Ella Fitzgerald for the Blindfold Test with Janis Siegel, the vocalist passed with flying colors!

“If you’re creative, then it means that you can approach anything with a creative spirit and just do your best at it,” says Shabaka.

“I love compositions by jazz musicians,” says vocalist Samara Joy. “There’s a different touch, a different foundation.” She put lyrics to a song each from Brian Lynch (right) and Charles McPherson for Torch Bearers.

“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”

Bollani demonstrates at the piano during a live Blindfold Test in Umbria, Italy, while writer Ashley Kahn, right, and translator Greg Burk look on.

“This is the most explicit and boldest expression of what I believe,” Joel Ross said of his latest album, Gospel Music.

“These days, with curated news, where people only get half the story, people can’t even speak to family members anymore,” Schneider laments.

“We’re going to do what we want to do; that’s how we got a fanbase in the first place,” says Snarky Puppy leader Michael League.