Best Nate Chinen Podcasts (2025)

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Charm City, with Brandon Woody 44:07

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4d ago44:07

44:07

Growing up in the Ramblewood area of northeast Baltimore, Brandon Woody could hardly have envisioned a future as one of the most heralded young trumpeter-bandleaders in jazz. But he dared to dream beyond what he could see — even after dropping out of college in New York. His 2025 Blue Note debut, For the Love of It All, introduces a powerfully emot…

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Radio Repost: esperanza spalding on the magic of Milton Nascimento 42:47

9d ago42:47

42:47

We're reposting Nate Chinen’s illuminating conversation with esperanza spalding, which will be featured in the inaugural episode of The Late Set Radio Hour. Tune in on Oct. 26 — Milton Nascimento's 83rd birthday.By Nate Chinen

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Bebop to Cubop, with the Curtis Brothers 42:12

19d ago42:12

42:12

Now both in their 40s, brothers Zaccai and Luques Curtis have amassed a wealth of experience, and the mentorship of elders ranging from Jackie McLean to Eddie Palmieri to Ralph Peterson, Jr..In this lively conversation at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, the two open up about their upbringing in Hartford, Conn.; the hidden circuitries of so-called Lati…

1
Turnkey, with Terence Blanchard 46:09

1M ago46:09

46:09

Terence Blanchard's career has brought him to many posts, including the executive artistic director of SFJAZZ and the first Black composer at The Metropolitan opera. To each of these and beyond, he's carried his perspectives on culture and how it operates. Just before his performance at the Exit Zero Jazz Fest, Blanchard sat down with The Late Set …

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Cool Like Dat, with Kassa Overall 51:19

2M ago51:19

51:19

Kassa Overall's smart new album, CREAM, is a celebration of 1990s hip-hop and its classic source material within the framework of small-group acoustic jazz. He joined Nate and WRTI Evening Jazz host Nicole Sweeney to talk about it before a front-to-back performance at Solar Myth.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Newk's Time: Sonny Rollins at 95 57:32

2M ago57:32

57:32

Sonny Rollins is turning 95: a great excuse to toast one of our finest living jazz artists. So in this special episode of The Late Set, Josh Jackson and Nate Chinen are joined by a handful of WRTI’s on-air hostsBy Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Listening at the Vanguard 1:01:11

3M ago1:01:11

1:01:11

"Live at the Village Vanguard" is one of the most familiar phrases in the jazz discography, a marker of place and a point of pride. But why? Together we’ve logged hundreds of hours in the club, so let's talk about it. Tumble down those stairs with us and listen up!By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Eyes on the Prize, with Joshua Redman 32:52

3M ago32:52

32:52

On his fine new Blue Note album, Words Fall Short, saxophonist Joshua Redman introduces a band full of up-and-comers, including Philly’s own Nazir Ebo. This young cohort reminded us of a conversation The Late Set had with Redman in the fall of 2023. We're sharing it again with you now.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Sound Painter, with Jaleel Shaw 53:25

3M ago53:25

53:25

Painter of the Invisible is Jaleel Shaw's first full-band album in more than a dozen years. But it's not as if Shaw, an alto and soprano saxophonist from Philadelphia, has been slacking; as he explains in this revealing episode of The Late Set, the pause had more to do with high standards and pure convictions.…

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Jaleel Shaw Recorded Live at Solar Myth 22:27

4M ago22:27

22:27

Jaleel Shaw's elegy "Tamir" is vividly rendered in this exclusive live performance at Solar Myth, available exclusively on The Late Set.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Satchmo at Home, with Ricky Riccardi 1:17:09

4M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Louis Armstrong belonged to the world. But for more than half of his illustrious career, he made his home in Corona, Queens — where we recently paid a visit to the Louis Armstrong House Museum. There we sat down with Ricky Riccardi — the museum's Director of Research Collections, and a celebrated Armstrong biographer — to discuss Satchmo's life and…

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Best Jazz of 2025 (So Far) 37:05

4M ago37:05

37:05

We’ve reached the midpoint of 2025, and listened our way through well over a hundred albums. In this episode, we’re sharing half a dozen of our favorites.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Into the Amazon, with Amaro Freitas 44:13

5M ago44:13

44:13

Pianist-composer Amaro Freitas creates music with a vivid sense of place. His native Brazil pulses through his most recent album, Y'Y, which mixes jazz with Afro-Brazilian and indigenous music, and the sounds of the Amazon. Freitas discusses this and more with Josh Jackson, in a deeply searching conversation recorded backstage at New York's Winter …

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New Pinnacle, with Brandee Younger 1:01:38

5M ago1:01:38

1:01:38

The spiritual and the sensual find common cause in the music of harpist Brandee Younger. Before a recent show at Solar Myth, she sat down with The Late Set to talk about her instrument, her cohort, and her third Impulse! release, Gadabout Season, which finds her in exceptional form.

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Run the Song, with Ben Ratliff 1:00:16

6M ago1:00:16

1:00:16

"Running and listening can illuminate each other,” argues critic Ben Ratliff in a new book, Run the Song: Writing About Running About Listening. He recently sat down to talk about the book, its back story and his listening practice with friend and colleague Nate Chinen at Solar Myth.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Lost Coast, with Jenny Scheinman 46:10

6M ago46:10

46:10

Violinist Jenny Scheinman grew up along Northern California’s so-called Lost Coast, and she carries its rustic charm and mystique in her music — even when it assumes a form as elegant as the songs on All Species Parade, her recent double album. She talks with Josh Jackson about the album and other matters before a recent performance with her band a…

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Pilgrimage, with Wadada Leo Smith and Vijay Iyer 1:01:31

7M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Few events embody the act of listening and receiving quite like the Big Ears Festival. In this episode, Nate reports back from the fest, and shares an interview with two artists who performed there: trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and pianist Vijay Iyer, who have a new duo album called Defiant Life.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Record Store Day Preview 57:12

7M ago57:12

57:12

As a kickoff to Jazz Appreciation Month, we're looking ahead to Record Store Day. There's another great haul of archival releases dropping on April 12. Two of our favorites were recorded in the same room in 1967 by two amazing trumpeters, Kenny Dorham and Freddie Hubbard.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Branches and Paths, with Renee Rosnes 53:10

8M ago53:10

53:10

Pianist Renee Rosnes has loved Brazilian music for ages, but hadn't devoted an album to it until 'Crossing Paths.' It landed in the same season as a new effort from Artemis, which she founded almost a decade ago. In this episode, Rosnes talks about both projects, and her own path from rural Canada to the heart of modern jazz.…

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Let Her Cook, with Endea Owens 1:02:14

8M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

Bassist Endea Owens specializes in the kind of buoyant uplift that just won’t quit. You can see her putting it into practice on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, or with her band The Cookout. At the 2025 Winter Jazzfest, we talked about her TV gig, her sense of mission, and her resilient journey.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Poetry is the Process, with Aja Monet 1:14:06

9M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

Aja Monet has lately breathed new life into the rich exchange between spoken word poetry and jazz. We sat down with her at the 2025 Winter Jazzfest performance, to talk about poetic practice, political necessity, and musical imperatives. Don’t miss some deep truths from one of our most committed truth-tellers.…

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Grammy Recap, with Natalie Weiner 55:59

9M ago55:59

55:59

What was up with the jazz field at this year’s Grammy Awards? A big win by a legend who died three years ago? Two major awards for a Christmas release? Here to talk it all down with Nate is the esteemed critic Natalie Weiner. You won’t find a more swinging recap of Music’s Biggest Night.By Nate Chinen

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Recovery, with John Clayton 51:34

10M ago51:34

51:34

Bassist and bandleader John Clayton was in New York to receive an award when he learned that the Eaton wildfire had destroyed his home of 40 years, along with his daughter’s home and many others. He lost everything, including irreplaceable heirloom instruments. But as he tells The Late Set, speaking from temporary living quarters in L.A., he is foc…

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New Year's Resolutions, with the McLendons 1:02:51

10M ago1:02:51

1:02:51

For our first episode of 2025, Nate and Josh talk through a few New Year’s resolutions. And we’re sharing one of our favorite interviews in recent memory: a sit-down with Samara Joy, her father and her grandfather at Mother Bethel AME Church.By Nate Chinen, Josh Jackson

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Year in Review, with Immanuel Wilkins 1:14:45

10M ago1:14:45

1:14:45

We're looking back at the stories, themes and other highlights from a jam-packed year — including Blues Blood, an album by our guest, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Behold the Mayo 50:54

11M ago50:54

50:54

The jazz vocal tradition is always evolving, but rarely does that notion feel truer than in the output of Michael Mayo, who stopped by our studio to talk about his dynamic second album, Fly.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Thanksgiving Mailbag Special 51:13

11M ago51:13

51:13

As Thanksgiving rolls around, it’s a good time to ask: what are we grateful for? Here at The Late Set, our first answer is you, our listener. So we decided to spend this holiday episode answering your questions.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Adjust Brightness with Bilal 53:00

12M ago53:00

53:00

“I’m a jazz musician first, I feel,” says Bilal. Maybe this comes as news to the many admirers who know him as an ethereal singer with a shape-shifting R&B profile, or as one of the original catalysts for neo-soul. On a compelling new album, Adjust Brightness — his first studio release in almost a decade — Bilal explores a galactic sweep of sound, …

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Forces of Nature, with Jack DeJohnette 44:46

1y ago44:46

44:46

“Dreams do come true.” That’s how Greg sums up this episode, as he and Nate talk with master drummer Jack DeJohnette about an incredible recording made in the spring of 1966. Featuring a ferocious quartet co-led by pianist McCoy Tyner and tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, it captures each of those giants at a turning point in his career. Blue Note R…

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Nine Lives, with Chris Coles and Sean Jones 54:35

1y ago54:35

54:35

WRTI’s Josh Jackson subs in for Greg, talking with Nate about their rich experience at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival. Their guests are saxophonist Chris Coles and trumpeter Sean Jones, who had just performed a powerful suite titled Nine Lives. Coles composed the suite in response to a 2015 church shooting in Charleston. This conversati…

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Catch Fire, with Isaiah Collier 1:02:23

1y ago1:02:23

1:02:23

Urgency is a currency for Isaiah Collier, an ambitious young saxophonist from the South Side of Chicago. During a recent visit to Philly, he sat down with us to talk about stirring emotions, channeling energies, and his problem with the term “spiritual jazz.”By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Fall Preview, with Nubya Garcia 59:33

1y ago59:33

59:33

Feel that rumble underfoot? It might be the stampeding onrush of new music this fall. This episode, we’re throwing a spotlight on the most anticipated albums among them — including 'Odyssey,' by tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Creative Dancer: esperanza spalding 1:16:44

1+ y ago1:16:44

1:16:44

For esperanza spalding, the iconic Brazilian troubadour Milton Nascimento exerts a magical influence. So it makes sense that she describes their luminous new album, Milton + esperanza, as the realization of a dream.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Rise and Shine: Julius Rodriguez 58:01

1+ y ago58:01

58:01

What should the omnivorous young jazz mainstream sound like today? One beguiling answer can be found in the music of Julius Rodriguez, a brilliant multi-instrumentalist who just released Evergreen, his second album for Verve, which synthesizes elements of jazz, R&B, gospel, funk, even electro-pop.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Remembering Ron Miles, with Bill Frisell and Rudy Royston 50:31

1+ y ago50:31

50:31

Cornetist Ron Miles left us too soon — but also left a lot to remember him by. Two of his closest friends, guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Rudy Royston, do just that in this episode, which follows the release of a gorgeous archival album, Old Main Chapel.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Search for the New Landmark 17:57

1+ y ago17:57

17:57

Trumpet great Lee Morgan now has a historical marker in West Philly, at the site of his final hometown gig. We were there for the ceremony, so we could bring you this report.By Nate Chinen, Greg Bryant

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Breathe Open: Shabaka 49:46

1+ y ago49:46

49:46

When Shabaka hung up his tenor saxophone in favor of bamboo flutes, the world reacted with a mix of admiration and puzzlement. In this episode, we talk with him about his remarkable new album, Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace, and the challenge of making such a decisive pivot.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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The Seeker: Melissa Aldana 45:26

1+ y ago45:26

45:26

In this episode of The Late Set, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana talks about absorbing influences, and her path to a personal sound. And she reflects on the process of refinement that can be heard on her captivating new album, Echoes of the Inner Prophet.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Deep River: Gary Bartz 46:17

1+ y ago46:17

46:17

Ahead of his induction as an NEA Jazz Master, alto saxophonist Gary Bartz joins us on The Late Set to share some profound musical insights.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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BONUS: I Hear a Rhapsody 48:41

1+ y ago48:41

48:41

Marcus Roberts was recently in town to perform Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and he stopped by our studio to talk about it. In this bonus episode of The Late Set, we feature that interview along with our own thoughts about the 'Rhapsody,' which can still inspire heated debate.…

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Deeds, Not Words 55:05

2y ago55:05

55:05

For a Max Roach centenary, there's no better guest than Nasheet Waits.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Our Year in the Rearview 1:10:34

2y ago1:10:34

1:10:34

For our final episode of 2023, we’re talking about the albums we can’t let go. One of them was Rivers in Our Veins, by drummer and composer Allison Miller, who joins us in conversation.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Comfort and Joy 45:02

2y ago45:02

45:02

The holidays are upon us, and so are the holiday tunes. Who better to join us than a pair of sublime vocalists with soulful new Christmas albums, Gregory Porter and Samara Joy?By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Eyes on the Prize 45:48

2y ago45:48

45:48

What does it mean to pick a winner in jazz? We're considering that question in this episode of The Late Set — with an assist from Joshua Redman, whose career got off to a big start when he won the Thelonious Monk Jazz Saxophone Competition precisely 30 years ago.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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The Philly Sound 43:10

2y ago43:10

43:10

On the first episode of The Late Set, hosts Greg Bryant and Nate Chinen compare notes on Philadelphia's jazz legacy and state of play — with some help from an absolute authority, pianist Orrin Evans.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Carla Bley at 85: In Praise and Awe of an Unfettered Genius 28:54

2y ago28:54

28:54

Jazz United celebrates Carla Bley, the irrefutably original composer and pianist, as she rounds the corner on an 85th birthday.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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The Late Set: Trailer 1:06

2y ago1:06

1:06

Jazz is a conversation — and that’s what The Late Set is all about.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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Sorting through our mixed feelings about Oscar Peterson 57:07

3+ y ago57:07

57:07

On the final episode of Jazz United, Greg Bryant and Nate Chinen work out their mutual ambivalence about one of jazz's best-loved virtuosos.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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We're in this together 3:47

3+ y ago3:47

3:47

Jazz United began with a literal conversation, as Greg Bryant and Nate Chinen met up for some music just over two years ago. We're proud of how far we've come, and now we're asking for your support.By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen

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From cacophony to clarity: Cecil Taylor's 1973 return concert is a fresh revelation 46:01

3+ y ago46:01

46:01

Jazz United considers the vital challenge and rich reward of 'Cecil Taylor - The Complete, Legendary, Live Return Concert.'By Greg Bryant, Nate Chinen