Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart
Episode: Vibraphonist Joel Ross Previews Hudson Jazz Festival
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart (A) | Guest: Joel Ross (B)
Main Theme
This episode highlights the upcoming Hudson Jazz Festival, featuring vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross as the headliner. Ross joins Alison Stewart in the studio for a live performance and a conversation about his latest album, New Blues, his personal journey as a musician, the unique qualities of the vibraphone, and what audiences can expect at the festival.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Joel Ross’s Latest Project: New Blues
[00:48-01:44]
- Ross describes New Blues as his "personal interpretation and exploration" of what the blues means historically and in the current era.
- Quote: “I would say New Blues is a personal interpretation and exploration in, you know, what the history of the blues is as well as what it means to me and to my fellow musicians in this day and age.” (B, 00:54)
- He aimed to avoid merely imitating past icons, instead focusing on representing his and his band’s “personal sounds” while respecting the tradition.
2. Introduction to the Vibraphone
[01:44-02:37]
- Ross provides an accessible explanation of the vibraphone, highlighting its unique features:
- A mallet percussion instrument with a sustain pedal and a vibrato motor.
- Quote: “It gets its name, the vibraphone, because it has a motor. And that motor gives it vibrato, which is the woo, woo, woo, woo, woo sound…” (B, 02:10)
- Distinction from other mallet instruments due to its pedal and flat, aluminum bars.
3. Live Performance
[02:41-07:58; 13:45-20:37]
- Ross performs two pieces live in the studio:
- An improvised take on "Autumn Leaves" (inspired by the show’s introduction).
- The title track from his album, New Blues.
- Stewart is visibly excited, remarking, “That was really, really cool,” and taking photos of the performance (A, 08:47).
4. Early Musical Influences and Learning
[08:58-10:18]
- Ross is a twin; both he and his twin brother, Josh, began on drums—playing in church in Chicago.
- He started jazz and vibraphone at age 10, learning music like a language, from basic “letters and words” to full communication through improvisation.
- Quote: “I teach now…like learning a language. You learn the letters to form words, and then you understand how different letters and words function…to communicate.” (B, 09:36)
5. Comparison of Vibraphone and Piano
[10:18-11:08]
- Ross describes the vibraphone as “the perfect meeting place of the piano and the drums.”
- Main difference: the piano allows ten fingers; the vibraphone (as Ross plays it) uses two mallets, limiting options but sharing a similar approach to harmony and rhythm.
6. Deciding Music Was His Life’s Work
[11:08-12:09]
- Ross credits supportive parents and Chicago’s educational programs for never having to question if music could be his career.
- Quote: “I knew that's what I wanted to do. And I, besides my parents, so many programs at Chicago, the educational programs at our schools, they just fed into us.” (B, 11:30)
7. Key Mentors and Life Lessons
[12:09-13:29]
- His father, a church leader and counselor, was instrumental—encouraging practice and recognizing potential even before Ross saw it himself.
- Quote: “He saw the potential before we ever did. And to this day, it…had a long lasting effect on how I approach music today and how I share this information with others.” (B, 12:56)
- These lessons inform both Ross's music and how he teaches the next generation.
8. Creative Process: How Joel Ross Writes Music
[20:37-22:47]
- Inspiration can come from any experience: city sounds, films, or musical moments.
- He lets ideas “develop on their own” and allows songs to reveal their needs, rather than imposing structure too early.
- “New Blues” arose from just a few melodic phrases, allowing room for open interpretation by the band.
- Quote: “It starts with an inspired idea, and from there it'll hopefully figure itself out, depending on what the idea calls for.” (B, 22:44)
9. Hudson Jazz Festival Performance Preview
[22:47-23:37]
- Ross will perform material from New Blues with bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, drummer Jeremy Dutton, and pianist Micah Thomas. There’s excitement about playing with Thomas, whom they rarely get to collaborate with.
- Quote: “It'll be nice to play some of this music with Micah because we've all known him and played with him in different iterations, but it'll be cool to do this with him.” (B, 23:10)
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “I just knew that I loved it. And I've been blessed and fortunate to be able to make money playing music.” (B, 11:53)
- On teaching and music as language: “You learn the letters to form words…and eventually understand how to communicate.” (B, 09:36)
- Host Alison Stewart’s delight: “That was really, really cool.” (A, 08:47)
- Ross on improvisation: “I just think it was like learning a language…how to communicate about the song that is Autumn Leaves and improvise a conversation about it.” (B, 09:58)
- On creative method: “I try to let all musical ideas develop on their own and not try to assert what I want it to be.” (B, 21:10)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:54: New Blues vision and intention
- 01:44: Introduction to the vibraphone
- 02:41: First live performance (“Autumn Leaves”)
- 08:58: Early influences and family background
- 10:33: Vibraphone vs. piano comparison
- 11:17: Deciding on a music career
- 12:18: Mentorship and life lessons from his father
- 13:40: Second performance (“New Blues”)
- 20:37: Artistic process—how Ross writes music
- 22:52: Hudson Jazz Festival set details
Conclusion
The episode offers an intimate, engaging glimpse into Joel Ross's artistry—his reverence for musical history, his creative process, and the thread connecting his family, faith, and community support to his journey as an acclaimed jazz vibraphonist. His preview of the Hudson Jazz Festival promises a performance rooted in tradition but bursting with the vitality of today’s jazz scene, inviting listeners both to appreciate his musicianship and to consider how life itself inspires art.