Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series featuring acclaimed jazz trombonist, composer, educator, and bandleader Ron Wilkins along with trombone virtuoso, composer, and collaborator Rebecca Patterson.

In this deeply moving and inspiring conversation, we discuss their powerful 2026 album, The Vigil and The Sleeping Giant, a project that explores the nature of time, resilience, healing, and the human experience through the language of jazz.

At its core, the album examines how our perception of time shifts throughout life and how the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered that experience for people across the globe. More personally, the music tells the extraordinary story of Ron Wilkins’ own battle with COVID.

After contracting the virus, Ron endured a life-threatening medical crisis that resulted in a medically induced coma lasting 32 days. Thirty-seven days later, he was finally able to come off a ventilator and breathe on his own once again. What followed was a remarkable journey of recovery, reflection, gratitude, and renewed creativity.

Through composition and performance, Ron and Rebecca transform this profound experience into a compelling musical narrative filled with emotion, courage, vulnerability, and hope.

In this interview, we discuss the making of the album, their musical partnership, the creative process, surviving COVID, recovery, resilience, jazz composition, trombone artistry, and the lessons learned from facing mortality and finding a renewed appreciation for life.

This is a powerful conversation about music, perseverance, healing, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Get the album:
The Vigil and The Sleeping Giant on Bandcamp

For More Neon Jazz:
Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/
Subscribe via Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc
Subscribe via iTunes/Apple – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2

The Home of Neon Jazz:
http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/

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.