Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series. On this episode, we talk with Miami-based jazz pianist Martin Bejerano about The Purple Project and more, taking a deep dive into his 2025 release The Purple Project: A Reimagining of the Work of Prince and his vibrant life in live music.
Martin has seen Prince many times in concert and was deeply influenced by the way Prince often performed his own songs in radically different ways from night to night. A lifelong lover and aficionado of jazz—shaped in part by his father, a jazz pianist—Prince embodied relentless creativity and Innovation. These jazz arrangements were inspired by that same spirit of fearless reinvention.
The Purple Project reimagines Prince’s music through a jazz lens while honoring the essence of his songwriting, groove, and improvisational daring. In this conversation, we explore the album’s origins, the challenges of interpretation, and how Prince’s creative philosophy aligns naturally with jazz.
Over the course of his career, Martin Bejerano has performed with an extraordinary list of jazz luminaries, including Russell Malone, Roy Haynes, the Christian McBride Band, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, and Ron Carter. We cover this Prince homage, his journey as an artist, and much more.
🎧 Enjoy this deep and soulful conversation.
👉 Get the album and learn more:
https://www.martinbejerano.com/
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