Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Brooklyn-based, Award-Winning Latvian Jazz Vocalist, Composer & Arranger Arta Jēkabsone. Originally from Latvia and now thriving in New York City, Arta is living her jazz dream.

We talk about her upcoming 2025 album, Dziesmu Kamoliņš — a stunning collection of 11 original arrangements of traditional Latvian folk songs, blended with her own compositions inspired by those melodies. The result is a deeply personal and poetic record that connects centuries-old Baltic traditions with modern jazz and world music influences.

A finalist in both the Montreux Jazz Vocal Competition and the Sarah Vaughan Competition, Arta continues to shine as one of jazz’s most expressive and boundary-pushing voices. We dive into her story, her heritage, and her sound. Enjoy.

🎶 Get the music → https://artajekabsone.com/projects/

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Joe Dimino Podcaster/Artist

Joe Dimino has been writing & creating in a variety of capacities since his college days at the University of Missouri-Kansas City somewhere around 1993. If you are keeping score, that would be about 29 years+. It all began at UMKCs University News as a Sports Writer & turned into a myriad of expressive avenues. Inventing poems, art, video & audio has always been in the proverbial cards.