Rising star Alex McArthur and jazz legend George Caldwell talk Billie Holiday, jazz and America

About this episode

Jeff Miers hosts a discussion with rising star Alex McArthur and jazz legend George Caldwell about the influence of Billie Holiday and the evolution of jazz in America.

Hello music lovers, and welcome to another edition of Why Music Matters. I’m your host, music journalist and musician Jeff Miers. Today, my guests represent a cross-generational journey through the ever-evolving world of jazz. Alex McArthur is a singer and storyteller whose resume reads like that of a musician three times her age. A winner of multiple JazzBuffalo Vocalist of the Year awards, Alex brings a distinct soulfulness to any music she lends her voice to, whether she’s singing something she wrote herself, or flexing her interpretive muscles on the works of legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, and Mavis Staples. Alex is joined today by a man who has acted as a significant mentor in her musical journey. Pianist George Caldwell is credited by Alex as, quote, “the first person I ever attempted to sing jazz in front of, and the person who encouraged me to explore vocal jazz and improvisation in the first place.” In his role as Director of the Student Jazz Ensembles and Music Piano Performance Instructor at the University at Buffalo, George has employed his decades of experience as a Grammy-winning professional musician to help mold the musical imaginations of countless…

People in this episode

Host: Jeff Miers

Guests: Alex McArthur, George Caldwell

Topics covered

• jazz
• music evolution
• cross-generational mentorship
• vocal jazz
• improvisation
• Billie Holiday

Keywords

• jazz
• Billie Holiday
• Alex McArthur
• George Caldwell
• vocal jazz
• improvisation
• music mentorship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University at Buffalo, Count Basie Orchestra, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Star People

Books & works: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Mavis Staples, Miles Davis Repertory Ensemble

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