Jazz Backstory

About Jazz Backstory

The podcast series, Jazz Backstory, is based on the holdings of the Fillius Jazz Archive (https://www.hamilton.edu/campuslife/arts-at-hamilton/jazzarchive) located at Hamilton College (https://www.hamilton.edu/), in Clinton, New York. Established in 1995, and dedicated in 2013 in honor of Milton F. Fillius, Jr. ’44 and Nelma “Nikki” Nenneau Fillius, the Fillius Jazz Archive holds a collection of over 500 videotaped interviews with jazz musicians, arrangers, writers and producers. The wide-ranging collection includes interviews with sidemen, soloists and band leaders who have performed from the 1920s through the present. Jazz Backstory podcast episodes will feature interview excerpts focused on topics inherent to the creative life. Artists, both famous and unsung, relate these tales in their own jazz inflected vocabulary. Original music and commentary from the host help set the tone, both educational and swinging. Monk Rowe (https://www.monkrowe.com/), creator of the podcast series, Jazz Backstory, and the Joe Williams Director of the Fillius Jazz Archive, conducted the majority of the interviews and has presented programs about the resource at conferences for the Jazz Education Network, the Music Library Association, and the International Society of Music Educators. Monk co-authored with Romy Britell the book Jazz Tales From Jazz Legends on Hamilton’s Couper Press and created the edX online course, “Jazz: The Music, The Stories, The Players” in collaboration with members of the Library and Instructional Technology Services at Hamilton College. He is an active performer on saxophone and piano and has composed numerous works for both jazz and classical ensembles.

Publisher

Monk Rowe

Category

music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Sept 2022

Latest episode

26 Aug 2025

Latest episodes

40 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   26 Aug 2025

   Episode 40 “Potpourri” - pt. 2

   We end Season 5 as we began, with a variety of jazz life stories. From piano nightmares to surviving on potatoes and onions, these cats have seen it all. See you on the flip side.

2. 

   19 Aug 2025

   Episode 39: “Tunes, Titles & Intent”

   Your host, Monk Rowe, directs the spotlight on himself and speaks about licks, riffs, bumper music, inspiration and the creative process.

3. 

   12 Aug 2025

   Episode 38: “You’re a Funny Guy”

   Find a gathering of jazz musicians and you’ll hear laughter and humorous stories galore. Lou Marini, Dave Pell, Jake Hanna, Bill Watrous and Joe Wilder make Episode 38 one to smile about.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

26

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Jazz Backstory

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.