Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring Ottawa-based bandleader, vocalist, and trombonist Steve Berndt.

We caught up with Steve to talk about his new 2026 album Heart of Hearts, a project that explores themes of Love, honesty, and emotional connection through jazz. The eleven-track release features eight original compositions along with inventive jazz interpretations of three well-known pop and rock songs from the 1970s.

Steve is also the leader of the jump blues group The Jivewires. Over the years, the band has released six albums filled mostly with original material and has toured extensively across Europe, the United States, and Eastern Canada.

In this interview, we dive into the inspiration behind Heart of Hearts, Steve’s journey through jazz and jump blues, and the stories behind a long career making music and leading bands.

🎶 Get the album & learn more:
https://www.steveberndt.com/

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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.