Announcer: Major funding for "Chat Box with David Cruz" is provided by the members of the New Jersey Education Association, making public schools great for every child.

♪ David: Hey, everybody.

Welcome to "Chat Box."

I'm David Cruz.

Election day is done and we are taking a break from the political drumbeat of the past year plus to bring you some levity by way of music.

The TD Moody Jazz Fest is back, up the Fest from here -- up the street from here, we will talk to the director and a bit.

We begin with an interesting project from actor Hank as Ruth Springsteen?

-- as Bruce Springsteen?

♪ >> ♪ Oh Oh Oh ♪ David: Hank, good to meet you and welcome to "Chat Box."

Hank: good to be here, thank you for having me.

David: Agador Spartacus, Jim Brock, Bruce Springsteen.

I did not see that coming.

Hank: it was not on your bingo card?

Truth is, I did not either, but it should have.

I've been a Springsteen freak since I was a kid, and I always imitated the way he talked.

Thinking like him was a different story, but I turned 60 last month, I wanted to cheer myself up, and I got the crazy idea to sing some Springsteen songs and put together a band and the rest got away for me is that we are touring.

David: As one does.

Are you one of those Springsteen fans it was like, yeah, I've been to over 120 shows in 39 states?

Hank: No, but I've seen 25 or 26 shows.

You know, I have earned my Bruce Brown card.

David: Right.

Hank: The fan membership card.

I made Bruce freak, I have been since I was 11.

David: This does not sound like the kind of project that one's agent pitches to them.

I imagine it must feel pretty good to be able to do something because you wanted to do it.

Hank: That is exactly right.

That is one of the many joyous things about this for me.

It is all for charity.

As I said, I wanted -- I did this reverse surprise party on my birthday where I told people, I have a Springsteen tribute band coming, but I did not tell them it was me is the front man.

And then I realized, people were saying, what about gifts?

No gifts, but donate to my foundation if you would like.

We raised $2000 that night.

And the band was good -- we raised $30,000 that night.

And the band was good!

I worked harder on this, and I have been at it for a solid year because singing like Bruce takes a lot.

I basically found a weird backdoor into learning to sing properly by trying to get his impression down really well.

So I love it, and, yeah, I have done this for every entertainment Corporation and fortunate to do it.

But why not do something for myself and to raise money for kids?

David: Were you a singler at all, did you have a high school band or anything?

Hank: No, I have always had to sing but in character.

I sing the lot on "The Simpsons."

But everybody has sung on the show.

I sung on Broadway.

That was character comedy.

This was the first time I really took it seriously.

David: This is a tribute band, but you say you are not a Bruce impersonator.

You are at the pony this week, sold out, by the way.

And then taking the show on the road.

Explain what the Hank Azaria And the easy Street band experience is.

Hank: I talk like Bruce, and a kind of stay in character as Bruce, and I tell stories about how certain songs were created, what certain songs meant to me, I tell them about the night I met my wife, and that is an intro into the song "She is the One," and it started as something for my party guests, and I loved it.

We call them Bruce's talks.

I was a big fan of his legs and live recordings when I was growing up.

Back then you had to go to the record store and buy them.

So my gig is kind of talking in character and giving it life, you know.

And it somehow felt right to tell the story is, even when they are about me as Bruce.

Hank: It is -- David: It is an interesting juxtaposition.

You as Bruce telling your stories.

Hank: It is weird.

For example, we are playing Brooklyn bowl last week.

I was thinking about, you know, essentially you are doing a show in a bowling alley.

And it put me in mind of how my dad taught me how to bowl.

One of the few things I really shared with my dad was love of bowling.

I tell that story as intro to "THhunder Road."

He did not really love Bruce Springsteen, and he would say "turn down that Bruce Springsteen."

I tell the story as Bruce because there was a poetry in rhythm to the way that Bruce tells a story and it just works.

David: Storytelling has always been and currently has become a big part of the Bruce Springsteen experience.

Do you have any trepidation playing the house that Bruce built?

Hank: That is so funny.

I did not, and then everybody is asking me that, so now I'm starting to.

I have a very healthy respect for the sacred ground I'm walking on.

I have always wanted to go to the Stone Pony, I have never been.

The stakes are probably a bit higher here, but, honestly, my love of Bruce and my genuine fandom and earnest, passionate desire to re-create that sound and that experience is really what carries me through it.

I'm such a big fan.

I feel like another fan, enjoying the show.

David: When you play the Pony, it will inhabit you.

I don't know how tall you are, but once you get on stage, the ceiling is about right here.

And it is just a local bar, and, you know, it smells like a local bar and feels like a local bar.

But once you get started, I think you're going to find the history inhabiting you.

Hank: Honestly, I cannot wait.

It is like I consider it the mothership.

That is how I think of it, the mothership.

And I just cannot wait to do this in there.

I really cannot.

David: These are really great songs to sing.

They are fun songs.

Some are really dramatic, but they are kind of built for audience participation, no?

Hank: Many of them are.

All of us Bruce fans know where to sing when.

We do a few songs that definitely include that audience participation part.

But then people end up singing the whole song, all of every song all night anyway.

David: What is in the set list?

The other guy's friend has to be ready to play -- band has to be ready to play every song on the Springsteen songbook.

Have you narrowed it down?

Do you mix and match?

Hank: We have about 20 songs right now, and we will bring about a dozen to the Stone Pony.

It is about three songs we have not played yet that we will be debuting their.

One in particular is forward the New Jersey crowd.

I will let you figure out which one it might be.

David: I already know.

Hank: [LAUGHTER] David: How much work goes into the voice?

You talked about it a little bit.

I guess you found Bruce's speaking voice first, and then develop the singing style after?

Hank: I have imitated his voice since I was a kid read my vocal impressions are based on hero worship.

I loved Al Pacino.

He was a hero of mine.

I imitated "the Godfather."

this is part of a show, a fun fact for you, halfway between Al Pacino and Bruce Springsteen is another who lives right in the middle there.

So, I have been talking like Bruce, not professionally, but in a profession that has meant a lot to me since I was a kid, and then trying to sing like him, I found a side door into tricking me to learn how to sing because one must learn how to sing to sing these songs.

David: No doubt about it.

You mentioned that there has got to be a most this album out there somewhere.

Hank: Do not underestimate my recording career.

David: So getting the singing voice, you have to learn how to sing, but then you have to learn how to sing like Bruce Springsteen or approximate it, right?

Hank: Yes.

I may mimic.

-- I'm a minute, I'm a percussionist as a mimic.

I'm still working at it.

I almost had to unlock it line by line on certain songs.

And the Rosetta Stone song for some resume with "She is the One," there was something I found really challenging, but once I unlock that song, it seemed like the rest of the Bruce Kanaan could follow.

David: You have already played a few stages.

What has audience reaction been?

It would be difficult to know to expect from the show.

It is not comedy, at all.

Hank: No, I tell some stories that are funny, but it is not a comedy, no.

No, it is a loving, very loving tribute to not just Bruce's music and herself, and I think it also answers your question.

What comes through the most is how much I love and the audience loves this music, right?

You feel it at every Bruce sure you go to, as well.

But someone asked me, do you feel like a rock star up there?

You are living out a rock star fantasy.

To certain extent.

But I feel much more like what I am, a lucky fan who got two out of the audience and share this music with everybody else.

And one of the things that is amazing about Bruce using his the poetry of it and the movie that plays in your head.

It is cinematic, his storytelling through song.

When I tell the story about how I met my wife with "She is the One" or "thunder Road" with my dad, and how I talked about growing up and talk about the story of meeting Bruce, I feel like I could call up any audience member and say, you tell me what this song means to you.

And they could probably do an equally beautiful monologue about it.

That is what it really feels like, that I'm just kind of a fan who is getting to share their personal connection to music with everybody.

David: You talk about being a mimic of Bruce Springsteen's voice all your life, he kind of has this southern twang to his voice, and I'm like, dude, are you really from Jersey?

Because it kind of drools a little bit, right?

Hank: There is a little bit of that, almost like a jazzy, beatnik era.

And he is not quite -- he does not always sound as gravelly.

This is more end of tour Bruce what I do.

It is a little easier.

And it is more a voice in my head.

The recordings from when he was young, you heard him a little more raw like this.

But, you know, South Jersey, he writes this in his book "Born to Run," it is very rural and South Jersey and that influenced him a lot.

David: I called the South Jersey the Appalachia of Jersey.

It kind of has that feeling a little bit.

Hank: Right.

David: Have you met Bruce Springsteen?

Hank: I have met him twice very briefly.

I made a complete fan boy idiot of myself.

He was really patient and sweet with me, but I was like a puppy that was like going on the carpet.

And I did it twice.

I did better the second time.

I did try to tone it down but I cannot help myself.

My friend calls it Rus juice -- Bruce juice.

The exuberance overtakes you when you see Bruce.

I'm definitely a victim of it.

David: As using this?

We were walked -- has he seen this?

We were watching "thunder Road" this morning and I wondered what he would think of it.

Hank: Apparently he has because a buddy of mine is a dentist here in New York and texted me one day, send me whatever video you like of your band ASAP.

I sent him that "Thunder Road" video you have seen, and then he texted me back and said I had packed in my chair and I played it for her.

I said if I knew that, I never would have sent it.

Apparently, she loved it and she played it for Bruce, and they both really enjoyed it.

I said, make sure they know it is for charity, that's the first thing I said.

The next thing I said was, and apparently they get how it is meant, which is very loving tribute.

David: You have got to be in pretty good shape.

Bruce, can kick --does this change your daily physical regiment?

Hank: Only now that I tend to sing pullout as I run, as Taylor Swift told us she does.

That is kind of how it started.

I'm a runner.

I like to keep in shape, I work out pretty hard.

Which has come in handy for this.

And I started singing during my runs.

And Bruce is on my playlist, and that put me in mind, I always felt such joy at the end of a run where I sang like Rus, why don't I -- Bruce, why don't I do this to cheer myself up about my mixed feelings on turning 60?

David: We are in postelection mode.

You had a funny post on election day featuring your Simpsons characters.

Did Springfield go for Trump or Harris?

Hank: It depends on how you asked, it depends on the politics.

They are pretty divided here.

Comic book guy probably voted the opposite way.

Probably not sure who Cletus voted for.

I think superintendent probably went another way.

It is tough to say.

Mailed down his polyp -- nailed down his politics.

David: The fantastic Hank Azaria , pleasure to meet you.

Good luck with this piece.

Hank: Thank you for having me.

David: Our next guest would be a great Simpsons character, he is a man of many talents.

The artistic director of the Moody Jazz Fest, underway now at njpac, it is a pleasure to welcome back Christian McBride.

Welcome back.

Christian: great to see you.

David: You had a pretty good summer it seems.

Christian: it has been a good summer, I stayed busy.

David: Good Jazz Fest in Montclair is always a smash, and this year, it was even smashier.

Christian: it is wonderful to see it keep growing year by year, and we also have the Newport Jazz Festival, now we are ready for TD James Moody.

David: I should say that every jazzman I have ever met has 15 jobs.

Christian: Is it just jazz?

[LAUGHTER] David: And a musician.

Christian: Exactly, that is right.

We all got to sharpen our Hussle skills.

David: So how do you do that?

Do you teach?

You must teach, right?

Christian: No, I used too I don't anymore.

David: You don't have the patience for the classroom?

Christian: I feel like my strength lies, from a teaching standpoint, it works better on stage, so when I'm hiring younger musicians to play concerts with me or to be in my bands, on-the-job training, that is how I like to train.

David: Great point, and you play with -- I mean, you play with superstars, and you also play with kids who were just learning.

How does that work?

There has got to be a different level of patience for either side of that.

Christian: Sure.

Sure.

You need patience for whatever situation.

Just because someone is a superstar does not always necessarily mean the job is going to be easier.

You know?

You need patience.

What you would like to see is enthusiasm and willingness to work with people.

David: I was just thinking that, I mentioned that you were being great -- that you would be a great Simpsons character, and you used to be a jazzman on the Simpson.

And knew would be perfect.

Christian: Lisa's teacher, right?

[LAUGHTER] Yes, I could be in a band with Lisa.

David: Yes.

I like that.

Let's get the producers on that.

Let's get Hank Azaria Working on that for us right now.

Talk about collaborations.

I saw Sting this year, and I saw Billie Eilish with you.

Tell me about both of those.

The sting thing was a fundraiser for jazz house kids.

Christian: Correct, and I've been working with him on an off for 23 years now.

First joined his band in 2001, and we have done three or four albums together and he is someone I consider a friend, but we lost touch for a while.

I had not seen him in maybe five or six years, maybe longer.

And then we ran into each other on the road, so it was like, I miss you.

And then I would say, by the way, what are you Doing in a couple of months?

Glad he came to do this fundraiser for jazz house kids, so we are really grateful.

As for Billie Eilish, it was the flukiest of flukes on how we wound up getting together.

In the summer of 2022, I was a musical director for the Hollywood bowl.

David: Of course you would be.

Christian: Which was at njpac earlier this year.

The producer of that concert, a friend of his takes Pilates classes with Billie Eilish's mother.

And so, they are doing their Pilates class and says, hey, my friend is producing this concert Peggy Lee -- Billy loves Peggy Lee.

Really?

Billie would love to be a part of that.

Somehow, people got in touch with one another and the next thing you know, Billie Eilish is on this concert.

We wound up becoming -- she is pretty amazing.

I love her so much.

And her parents are hard-core jazz head.So that helps .

David: When you talk to the kids , I say kids, some of these kids are already grown-ups, but at jazz house kids, you encourage that.

This is about jazz, but it is also because jazz really means -- leaves all these other types of music to inform it, as well.

Christian: Jazz is a fusion.

If you go back to the beginning of jazz, there were these cultures that came together in New Orleans, and nobody really knew what the other one was doing, and then these rhythms started, these harmonies started, improvisation was going on.

Next thing you know, you have this music called jazz.

To study the history of jazz is to study the fusion of a lot of different cultures.

David: The Spanish tinge, as well.

Christian: All of that.

That is right.

David: Let's talk about the jazz fest.

What year is this?

Christian: 12.

David: 12th year, while.

-- wow.

Have you been artistic director all those years?

Christian: Yes.

David: You have a funk set you are doing tonight as we go to record, tell the about that and what else is on there?

Christian: I'm excited, I get to play with the great George himself.

The other time I played with him was at njpac a couple of years ago.

The musical director, Ray, the great Noah Hendrix, Vernon Reid, so it is just going to be -- you are going to need a lot of air freshener tonight.

David: A lot of funk.

That is an eclectic smash right there.

Christian: Absolutely.

As you mentioned, we talked off-camera, Paquito de Rivera, we have everyone from Madeleine, John, Catherine Russell.

We have the great Cindy Santana coming.

I'm excited about my big band that is going to perform with the great Philip Bailey from Earth, wind, fire, Lisa Fisher, and Diane Reeves, Brandy younger is going to play with her group.

Shout out to the Queen of Newark.

And, of course, it culminates in the international vocal competition.

Which has been one of the bright spots in the entire jazz community.

David: That particular vocal competition has created some stars.

Christian: Oh yes.

None other than Miss Amara Jones.

She is literally not just the hottest persons in jazz bu in music, period -- but in music, period.

We discovered her at the competition.

Others have also won that competition.

Last year's competition winner, it is a matter of time before he becomes a star.

David: I feel a lot like jazz is going to save music because I see a lot of younger people, just like touching it, like, oh, what is that?

So it gives me hope.

Tell me you have that same hope.

Christian: You know, that is a conversation that I think a lot of people have said for a long time.

But I don't know if jazz really needs help because the music is here.

David: I'm talking about saving music in general.

Christian: Well, I mean, yeah.

[LAUGHTER] David: Is that a lot to ask of jazz?

[LAUGHTER] It is only jazz, it cannot save the world.

Christian: The power of the music itself should be able to, you know, and I think with somebody like particularly some Air Jordan because she is -- Samara Jordan because she is so young, she has brought in a whole generation of Gen Z's who think of jazz as their grandparents' music.

We will see what happens.

David: It is great to see you.

Thank you for coming back with us.

Christian: Great to talk with the legend himself.

David: You are too kind.

I would like to do a programming note, but if you would be so kind as to play us out.

Christian: You want a little funk underneath you?

Let me see what I can come up with.

David: We have a special one-hour "Chat Box" next week with a conversation with the candidates for New Jersey Governor from both parties, recorded before a live audience.

I should have this every week.

From the exhibit for the league of municipalities conference in Atlantic City, next week.

And that is "Chat Box" for this week.

Thank you to Hank Azaria For joining us and to you, Christian McBride, brother, get to see you.

Christian: You, too, my man.

Announcer: Major funding for "Chat Box with David Cruz" is provided by the members of the New Jersey Education Association, making public schools great for every child.

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