We continue our series ‘Jazz is our Democracy’ with Jazz-Funk genre bending Band Butcher Brown from Richmond, Virginia. Their music style is influenced by former fusion Bands and Musicians like The Weather Report, Herbie Hancok’s Band The Headhunters, Return to Forever and many more. Butcher Brown blessed the city of Frankfurt, Germany on the 9th of November 2024 with an eclectic and powerful concert, which made our crowd move their hips and feet. Check out this interview in which we dive into the story how Butcher Brown has been founded, the music inspiration and democratic topics. It’s funky, and it’s tasty …

A few months ago, organist and bandleader Delvon Lamarr brought his signature sound to Frankfurt, Germany, for an unforgettable performance with Jazz Montez. Before he took the stage, Delvon sat down with John Steinmark for an interview in our series "Jazz is our democracy.“ In the conversation, we delved into Delvon’s unique musical journey, from teaching himself to play the organ by ear to leading one of the most celebrated organ trios in contemporary jazz. We explored the influence of soul, funk, and blues on his sound, and how his creative process thrives on spontaneity and groove. Delvon also shared his thoughts on the communal spirit of jazz and why his music is designed to get people moving. Find out more about how Delvon Lamarr views the legacy of organ music, his approach to collaboration within the trio, and the role of joy in his performances.

A few months ago, pianist, singer-songwriter and multimedia artist Samora Pinderhughes came to Frankfurt, Germany to play a show with Jazz Montez. Before he took the stage together with his sister Elena Pinderhughes, Dani Murcia, Elliott Skinner and special guest Jebreal Jackson, Samora sat down with John Steinmark for an interview in our series "Jazz is our Democracy". In it, we speak about his creative approach and its relation to various social and political issues we face today. We talk about his musical and artistic development, which lead to such ambitious endeavours as the Healing Project, which deals with the prison-industrial complex in the US. Find out how Samora reflects on the role of artists in our society today and why he doesn't like the term "jazz".

On May 15, 2024, Seattle's finest Shabazz Palaces traveled to Frankfurt, Germany to play a concert at Jazz Montez. After the show, Ishmael Butler aka Palaceer Lazaro aka Butterfly from Digable Planets took the time to speak to John Steinmark. The conversation covered Ishmael's musical upbringing, his "jazzy approach" to life and the role of the arts in our collective struggle for the good.
 

In this episode, we sit down with Joel Ross. Born in 1995, Joel is a vibraphonist, composer and band leader who recently released nublues, his fourth album on Blue Note Records. Joel takes us along on his musical journey, from sharing drum duties with his twin brother in church in Chicago, to moving to New York and becoming one of the most sought-after and celebrated “cats” of his generation. He describes his “self-less” approach to playing music and contemplates what society at large might take away from that.