Emmet Cohen makes music for the people. That isn’t to say he panders or dumbs it down. Cohen is simply a pianist who puts connection at the center of his performance ethic, whether he’s burning down the bandstand, lighting up a livestream or laying it down in the studio.

He has also made a point of seeking out his jazz elders and welcoming younger fans into the fold, all with a spirit of upbeat discovery. There’s a reason DownBeat’s July cover story bears the headline “Emmet Cohen: Messenger of Joy.”

Cohen recently came through Philadelphia with his tour Miles and Coltrane at 100 and stopped by WRTI for a lively chat. Along with saxophonist Tivon Pennicott, he also performed the title suite from his new album, Universal Truth.

Watch the performance of the “Universal Truth” suite: youtu.be/3O-9LYjxj88

Watch our interview with Emmet Cohen: youtu.be/N-Cps3TDKvI

• 00:00 — Intro
• 02:05 — Miles & Coltrane at 100
• 05:12 — The Rise of Emmet's Place
• 12:10 — Building a Worldwide Jazz Community
• 16:25 — Reaching New Audiences
• 22:08 — Emmet Cohen on AI
• 24:22 — Why Young People Are Finding Jazz
• 29:50 — The Meaning of Universal Truth
• 33:00 — Live Piano Performance: “Eternal Glimpse”
• 34:10 — Writing Music Inspired by Miles & Coltrane
• 37:40 — Legacy, Mentorship and What Lasts
• 40:35 — Becoming the “Vibe Provider”
• 42:42 — Josh & Nate React
• 44:44 — “This I Dig”
• 50:47 — Credits

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When Chris Speed formed Yeah No in the late 1990s, there was no lane for its hybrid style, which drew from both post-punk and post-bop, with shoegaze and Balkan klezmer folded into the mix. Speed, a multi-reedist, had intrepid partners in trumpeter Cuong Vu, bassist Skúli Sverrisson and drummer Jim Black — each a sonic visionary, and all committed to a shared band ideal.

Since then, the musicians have pursued other projects in far-flung locales. So it felt momentous this spring when Yeah No kicked off a reunion tour at Solar Myth under the auspices of Ars Nova Workshop, whose inaugural show the band played more than 25 years ago.

Before the performance, Speed and Black sat down for an onstage interview with Nate Chinen, whose history with the band stretches back to that era.

• 00:00 — Intro
• 07:00 — Interview with Chris Speed and Jim Black
• 42:30 — “This I Dig”

Special thanks to Beau Gordon, Mark Christman and the folks at Ars Nova Workshop and Solar Myth.

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We’ve rarely seen a centennial celebration like the one that coalesced around Miles Davis: cover stories, deluxe reissues, luxury brand partnerships and tributes of every imaginable form.

Then again, we’ve rarely seen an artist like Miles — who once credibly claimed to have “changed music four or five times.”

His body of work remains a source of endless fascination. In this episode, Josh Jackson and Nate Chinen sit down to compare notes and highlights, including some of the less celebrated turns and pivots in a famously forward-thinking career.

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Write us an email: editor@wrti.org