The Pace Report

10/30/2026

Welcome to another edition of The Pace Report featuring trombonist and composer Clifton Anderson.

Harlem native Clifton Anderson has been a staple on the jazz scene internationally and locally. In a career spanning some five decades, he's recorded and toured with the likes of Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, J.J. Johnson, Slide Hampton, Carlos Garnett, Frank Foster, McCoy Tyner, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Dizzy Gillespie.

His uncle, NEA Jazz Master and icon Sonny Rollins gave him a trombone at the age of seven and knew music would be his calling. Clifton would serve as a member of Sonny's band and music director for well over three decades.

In this edition of The Pace Report, Clifton explains the dynamic of the trombone and its role in jazz ensembles over the last 70 years. Also, reflect on his Uncle Sonny and the legendary trombonist Slide Hampton.

For more info on Clifton's upcoming club dates please visit him online at CliftonAnderson.Biz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rWvKqlVcLE&t=979s

Welcome to another edition of The Pace Report featuring trombonist ...

10/16/2026

This past summer during Harlem Week 2026, Jazzmobile celebrated the centennial musical celebration of both NEA Jazz Masters Randy Weston and Jimmy Heath at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, New York.

The Jimmy Heath Big Band lead and conducted by Antonio Hart, for an hour played his music to a packed audience.

Born James Edward Heath on October 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, his brother bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath became prolific musicians and composers in their own right. While Jimmy grew up in his native Philadelphia in his teens, he developed his passion and love of music playing in his own band that included Ray Bryant, Benny Golson, John Coltrane, and Johny Coles. He was effectively nicknamed "Little Bird" after playing with Dizzy Gillespie and Howard McGhee in the late 1940s.

Throughout his career Jimmy Heath recorded and played with the likes of Art Farmer, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Nat Adderley, Curtis Fuller, Benny Carter, J. J. Johnson , Elmo Hope, and Kenny Dorham. Jimmy composed over 125 compositions that are now hailed as jazz standards and recorded over 100 albums.

Alto saxophonist, educator, historian, and composer Antonio Hart not only was one of Mr. Heath's students, he was his mentee and eventually became faculty of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College where he created the Jazz Program at Queens College. Antonio is not only carrying out the educational elements of jazz music, but carrying out Mr. Heath's music as well as legacy.

In this special edition of The Pace Report, Antonio sits down discuss what Jimmy Heath means to jazz music, to him, and how important his music is.

For more info on Antonio's upcoming music performances, clinics, and Jimmy Heath Big Band performances please visit him online at www.AntonioHartMusic.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzoPgm7pIYI&t=627s

This past summer during Harlem Week 2026, Jazzmobile celebrated the...

10/07/2026

Welcome to this special edition of The Pace Report live at this year's 2026 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.

2026 Two-time Grammy Award Winner Nate Smith's critically acclaimed album Live Action was recorded live with no programming or sequencing, using analog gear to produce a classic 80's and 90's cassette sound and feel. Nate's organic approach to music blends both contemporary jazz, funk, Afrobeat, hip-hop, and R&B.

The album won Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals. Live Action features special guest collaborations with Lalah Hathaway, Lionel Loueke, CARRTOONS, säje, Marquis Hill, DJ Harrison, Kiefer, Charlie Hunter, Josh Johnson, Marquis Hill, Michael League, Ben Williams, and Jermaine Holmes.

In a span of three decades Nate has been recorded and collaborated with Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Brittany Howard, Childish Gambino, Jon Batiste, Norah Jones, Michael Jackson, Somi, Paul Simon, and Eric Roberson.

Nate was one of this year's 2026 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festivals' headlining artists. His band featured Nate Smith on – Drums, James Francies – Piano, keyboards and synthesizer, Chris Morrissey – Bass, and Hailey Niswanger - Saxophone.

Brian and Nate sat down during the festival to discuss his new role as the Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival, his drumming influences and the Ghostnote affect, and reflect on the musicians he's collaborated with throughout his career.
For more information on Nate's upcoming tour dates or to order his album Live Action, please visit him online at www.NateSmithDrums.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdQzrQqlzew&t=563

Welcome to this special edition of The Pace Report live at this yea...

09/30/2026

I was pi**ed at the almost $20.00 in fees I had to pay for my Pat Metheny ticket last Saturday.

The thing I have an issue with is that the ticket brokers don’t define what those actual fees are and the prices fluctuate depending on the seller. Not cool at all.

NBC News volunteers saw eight different prices for the exact same Harry Styles ticket on StubHub. The company said it’s running random price experiments.

08/27/2026

For over four decades, Grammy-award winning drummer, composer and educator Jeff "Tain" Watts was a "Young Lion" during the 1980's New York City Jazz scene. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native busted out of the gate playing with both a young Wynton and Branford Marsalis.

Tain attended the famed Berklee School of Music in Boston but was mentored by the legendary Roger Humphries, Alan Dawson, Art Blakey, and Billy Higgins.

He's recorded, toured, and played with the likes of Terence Blanchard, Michael Brecker, Kurt Elling, Alice and Ravi Coltrane, Greg Osby, Courtney Pine, Betty Carter, Kenny Kirkland, Danilo Perez, Joe Locke, and Stanley Jordan.

In this edition of The Pace Report, Jeff sits down with Pace and reflects on his career, his role and as a band leader and composer, and some of musical influences.

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08/12/2026

2026 Blue Note Jazz Festival; Ibrahim Maalouf

Closing out this year's 2026 Blue Note Jazz Festival is trumpeter and bandleader Ibrahim Maalouf. The Beirut, Lebanon born, Paris, France raised Grammy-nominated musician played to a sold-out audience playing music from his latest album. "On Trumpets of Michel-Ange II" pays homage and tribute to his father and continues to explore the music and rhythms of Ibrahim's Lebanese roots. The new album features guest performances with pianist Gonzalo Rubacaba, percussionist Pedrito Martinez, pianist Jon Baptiste, and trombonist Trombone Shorty.

Over the last 30 years Ibrahim has recorded and collaborated with Elvis Costello, Sting, Quincy Jones, and Angelique Kidjo.

He's been hailed as "the Master of the Quarter Tone Trumpet" and plays the four valve trumpet that was created by his dad as a way to play Arabic music on trumpet.

In addition to being one of the top selling European international musician, Ibrahim is a prolific movie composer scoring over 20 films.

Ibrahim sat down with Brian before his set to discuss the concept of the four valve trumpet, his new record, his exploration of playing Arabic while fusing other musical styles, and what inspires him when he composes for movies.

For more info on Ibrahim's upcoming Fall tour dates or to order his new album please visit him online at www.Ibrahimmaalouf.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze63ZsXk3Bg&t=247s

Welcome to this special edition of The Pace Report reporting live f...

07/30/2026

Welcome to another edition of The Pace Report featuring pianist, composer, and educator Donald Vega.

These days Donald Vega wears many shoes. He's a professor of music at The Juilliard School here in New York City, a member of Ron Carter's Golden Stryker Trio(a seat he's held down for almost 16 years, and leader of his own sextet which he wrote new music for his upcoming album.

The Nicaraguan born and Los Angeles raised musician had the best of both worlds growing up.Donald was classically trained in his homeland but during civil war he was forced to move to LA where he was immersed in a heavy musical environment where he was mentored by jazz luminaries such as Al McKibbon, John Clayton, and Francisco Aguabella.

Donald was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 2023 and is a Grammy award nominee.

Earlier this summer Donald premiered the music for his new sextet at Jazzcultural. Brian and Donald sat down to discuss this new music, reflects on his musical upbringings in both Nicaragua and LA, him being mentored by the great Kenny Barron, and him playing with Ron Carter.

For more information on Donald's upcoming club dates or to order his latest CD, please visit him online at www.DonaldVega.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT8fd7w97ro&t=604s

Welcome to another edition of The Pace Report featuring pianist, co...

07/07/2026

Welcome to this special edition of The Pace Report live from the 2026 Jersey City Jazz Festival featuring saxophonist and educator Melissa Aldana.

Melissa's latest Blue Note Records release "Filin" was produced by legendary record producer Don Was, also President of the label. Don suggested she collaborate with legendary Grammy-award Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and the result was the album "Filin" which features Gonzalo, Peter Washington on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums.

The Santiago, Chile native began playing the saxophone when she was six. Her father Marcos Aldana was also a professional saxophonist.Aldana began playing the alto saxophone and was influenced Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, and Michael Brecker. When she heard saxophonist Sonny Rollins, she eventually switched to tenor saxophone. Her first tenor saxophone she played was a Selmer Mark VI that had belonged to her grandfather.

Moving to the United States she attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston where Melissa was mentored by Greg Osby, Joe Lovano, and George Garzone. When she moved to New York she was mentored by heavyweights George Coleman and Jimmy Heath.

In this edition of The Pace Report, Melissa and Brian sit down and talk about her collaborating with both Gonzalo and Don Was, her recording her first jazz ballad album, and her role as an educator and bandleader.

For more info on Melissa's upcoming club dates or to order her new album, please visit her online at MelissaAldana.net

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-QedB4SBaU&t=452s

Welcome to this special edition of The Pace Report live from the 20...

06/26/2026

Welcome to another edition of The Pace Report featuring jazz pianist, educator, composer, and bandleader Helen Sung.

Helen's latest album "Oracles" is her first big band project. The music composed on the new album is dedicated to the jazz luminaries who impacted her life both musically and professionally. Legends that mentored her including Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Wayne Shorter, Barry Harris, Kenny Barron, Herbie Hancock and Sir Roland Hanna, a during her time in t the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, now known as the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The music was funders by a grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation along with additional support from the New York State Council on the Arts.

Recently Helen performed the new music with the big band along with a special duo performance with NEA Jazz Master and bassist Ron Carter.

Brian sat down with Helen to discuss the new music, her time writing the assigning the musicians to play the music, as well as the leading a big band for the first time.

For more info on Helen's upcoming performances or to order "Oracles", please visit her online at HelenSung.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYeMtEmj7nY&t=508s

---------------------------------------------------Timestamp:

06/25/2026

Man…I’m just getting word that the legendary David Clayton-Thomas joined the ancestors this morning at the age of 84.

I’m gonna keep it buck, Blood, Sweat & Tears was one of the funkiest, most soulful, and hard driving “rock horn” bands that ushered in jazz, rock, and soul. David’s lead vocals was the icing on the cake. He and Joe Cocker were coming from school of brother Ray Charles. It was CLEARLY evident on BST’s iconic hits including “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy”, “Spinning Wheel”, “And When I Died”. He held his own with the same iconic soul vocalists of his generation ranging from Joe Tex to James Brown. David took “blue-eyed soul” with BST and elevated it to crossover commercial pop and R&B success.

My pops played the bejesus out if some Blood, Sweat & Tears as a kid and loved his voice. I’ve always thought BST rode the charts high and crumbled fast due to the changes of rock and soul in the early 1970s.

There’ll never be another David Clayton-Thomas. His voice was one of a kind.

Rest in Power.

Paceface