Not So Standard Methodology: Brian Kastan in Conversation with CJ Shearn
In addition to featuring the greatest names in this music I also give space to up and comers on the rise. In this podcast I feature guitarist Brian Kastan. A native of Glen Cove, New York Kastan is an original, eccentric guitarist blending jazz, jazz rock and free jazz into an appealing whole. He has just released his 10th album as a leader Not So Standard with his quartet featuring Grammy winning innovative vocalist Miles Griffith, bassist Steve Rust and drummer Peter O’Brien. Kastan is a true unsung hero and deserves to be heard. He has projects upcoming with bassists Christopher Dean Sullivan, and drummer Karl Latham. Thank you to Brian Kastan for providing the new podcast theme song, “Budapest Blues”.
I have been the staff writer for the New York Jazz Workshop School of Music blog in midtown Manhattan since 2014, and that has broadened my freelance writing skills considerably. In addition to writing artist bios, and articles of interest that pertain to the mission of the school, I have interviewed (in print on the site) legendary guitarist and NEA Jazz Master Pat Metheny, trumpeter Cuong Vu, and in 2015 embarked on producing a podcast for the school where I have achieved my dream and interviewed jazz giants such as Dave Liebman, Lenny White, rising talents like Thana Alexa, Logan Richardson, guitarist and bassist Brian Kastan, among others. I also work on SEO optimization for the blog. In 2015 I started my blog Jazz Views with CJ Shearn, and have written liner notes for 5 time Grammy winner and Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, Antonio Sanchez (for his latest recording “Channels of Energy”) and guitarist Gene Ess for his latest recording, scheduled to be released in November 2018.
My passion for jazz music is what drives me, which is an interest I’ve had since I can remember. I initially began writing about jazz at the age of 13 for my high school newspaper, and in my late teens contributed occasionally to jazzreview.com. In college I was member of the Harpur Jazz Project which brought jazz acts to campus. I’ve also contributed in the past to AllAboutJazz where I was mentored by John Kelman. I decided to focus on my passion for jazz music journalism after a job in the social services field as a caseworker went south, and as a person with a physical disability I work on going against the odds, living independently and having accomplished things people had said I’d never do.