Judy Carmichael's New Book Revisits 22 Years of 'Jazz Inspired'

Back in 2000, acclaimed jazz pianist Judy Carmichael began producing “Jazz Inspired,” a weekly NPR radio show in which celebrated guests join her behind the mic to discuss their passions and how music has inspired them.

Today, two decades on, “Jazz Inspired” is broadcast on more than 170 radio stations throughout North America and abroad, and though it uses jazz as an entry point into the conversations Carmichael has with her very famous guests, at its heart, the show is really about exploring how artistic souls set out to develop a creatively fulfilling life. That’s because on “Jazz Inspired,” Carmichael delves deeply into the concept of inspiration with those at the top of their field — be it music, film, theater, science or architecture. Along the way, her guests touch on a wide range of topics and they also share their short list of favorite jazz recordings, expounding on how music has affected their life, art and work.

Now Carmichael has released a book based on her radio show. “Great Inspirations: 22 Years of ‘Jazz Inspired’ on NPR,” revisits two decades of interviews with her favorite subjects, hitting the highlights, as it were, of some of the most memorable conversations she’s had on her show over the years.

On Sunday, October 9, at 4 p.m., Carmichael will host a “Great Inspirations” book launch at The American Hotel in Sag Harbor with champagne, hors d’oeuvres and a couple of tunes on the piano — advance reservations for the event are required.

Though “Jazz Inspired” has been presenting in-depth conversations with a range of artistic souls for years, Carmichael is quick to point out that those conversations are less about exploring the genre of jazz itself and more about diving into the depths of what drives successful people to excel in various creative ventures.

She describes her focus, both on the radio show and in the new book, simply — “Jazz as the entry point into humanity.”

While it’s true that many of Carmichael’s “Jazz Inspired” guests are, like her, jazz musicians, including Alan Broadbent, Ted Nash and Diane Schuur, there have also been many more singers, musicians, directors, actors, producers, writers, scientists and even chefs on the show who would, at first glance, not appear to be logical choices for a show with “jazz” in its title.

But as is evident in Carmichael’s eclectic lineup of guests, while jazz may be the appetizer for this show, creativity, ultimately, is served up as the main course.

“I’m interested in knowing why people create, how they create and how they stay inspired,” said Carmichael during a recent interview. “I’m hoping people read this book and think, ‘Oh, they have insecurities, too. How do they deal with it? What do they go back to?’

“While I hope it would bring more people back to jazz, I think the great gift of the creative life we lead is the way we live,” she added. “People always say, ‘I wish I could play piano like you,’ but what’s really more exciting is the way I live. It’s the way we see things as creative people, the way we connect and it really comes across when you read the book, which is an epitome of every person’s thoughts from our conversation.”

By way of example, Carmichael points to actor (and jazz pianist) Jeff Goldblum, someone who has been interviewed thousands of times and is typically asked the same questions over and over. But getting to the heart of what really motivates Goldblum in his creative endeavors is where Carmichael was looking to go in her own conversation with him.

“When they’ve been interviewed so many times, you have to get past the sound bites,” Carmichael explained. “Jeff has such a good time being Jeff and that character he’s created. Everything I read about him said the same thing. Then I found a piece that talked about the moment he discovered ‘the joys of conscientious discipline.’ I thought, there’s my entry point. I’m going to talk to him about that, because if other people knew this, they’d realize he makes it look serendipitous, but this is a guy who is so disciplined, he practices his music every morning.

“I’m interested in talking to people who are interested in putting beauty into the world,” added Carmichael, who notes that in 22 years of “Jazz Inspired,” there were maybe five guests with whom she just didn’t connect. “It was always because I did a favor for somebody, which I don’t do anymore. Now I do the choosing.”

And speaking of choosing, in her book, Carmichael shines the spotlight on some heavy show biz hitters indeed — musicians and singers Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, Tony Bennett, Willie Nelson and opera singer Renee Fleming, film producer and director Frank Marshall, screenwriter, director and actor Christopher Guest, actress Glenn Close, comedian Paula Poundstone and even chef Paul Prudhomme, to name just a few of the many who are featured.

“Another thing about writing the book that was fun is the fact that since I didn’t have a big network behind me, I essentially created a podcast before podcasts existed,” said Carmichael. “I’m completely in charge, but also the chase is really interesting. Now everybody approaches me, but that’s recent — the last five years. Twenty-two years ago in the beginning, it was, ‘How am I going to get that person? Who knows this person?’ Plus, I always insisted to do the recording in person.”

In terms of the big “gets,” there have been many, though Carmichael admits that Seth MacFarlane, actor, screenwriter, producer, director, singer and creator of the animated television series “Family Guy,” was probably the hardest to pin down.

“He’s huge. I had to deal with a lot of people, go through layers of people,” said Carmichael. “I flew to L.A. I knew they would cancel, so I was there for a week. They did cancel. Finally, they called and said, ‘Can you be at his house in two hours?’ Then I was in his house. I think what’s interesting, it shows how it all works. It’s determination.”

Securing MacFarlane as a “Jazz Inspired” guest also helped Carmichael understand just how busy famous people are and how the world of booking big celebrities works.

“I think if Seth decided to stop working, 400 people would lose their jobs. He’s that important in a big way. So much depends on him for so many shows and he’s that busy. I think that’s a big thing to realize,” said Carmichael, who, over the years, also came to understand that often all that what was standing between her and a coveted guest was simply the handlers.

“They couldn’t see what he was going to get out of it,” she said of MacFarlane’s staff. “With Robert Redford, it was the same thing. I kept writing to him for years. I realized the person I was talking to couldn’t see what was in it for him, personally, to let me through.”

It was only after Redford hired Carmichael to perform at a private recital that she was able to explain the concept of her show to an assistant who shared it with Redford who then agreed to come on as a guest.

“It took me a long time to understand the handlers are who you go through,” said Carmichael.

Because her book, like the radio show, covers such a broad range of talented people, Carmichael hopes that ultimately, readers will see how the creative process keeps the connections going. Another favorite subject featured in the book is 93-year-old architect (and friend) Frank Gehry.

“Talk about a hero, this is a guy who envisioned buildings before the technology could make them happen, envisioning curvilinear designs, before computers,” Carmichael said. “He’s just as enthusiastic as he ever was. I was in Japan with him when he got the Pritzker Prize, it was at one of those hotels with open floors, Frank sees a white grand piano, and then sees me, with my blonde hair and white dress, and he says, ‘Come with me,’ and runs down and has me play the piano.

“That is how he thinks. Here’s one of the greatest architects who’s ever lived getting the Pritzker Prize, and he sees a piano player that’s a friend of his who’s blonde in a white dress, and thinks white piano and Japanese people with black hair. He’s picturing how great this is going to look. That, to me, is exciting and inspiring and I’m hoping the book makes people think, ‘Wow, talk about being in the moment.’”

Though Carmichael has traveled far and wide to meet up with “Jazz Inspired” guests over the years, one intriguing subject highlighted in the book came from a chance meeting right in Sag Harbor.

“I used to run a softball game here on Sundays that fed into the Artists and Writers game,” said Carmichael. “One day, this tall, handsome Black guy in a Hawaiian shirt comes out and plays with us. We have a conversation and on the way to the parking lot, I broke my rule and asked him what he did for a living. He said, ‘I’m an astrophysicist.’

“I’ve always been into astrophysics — my dad was a flyer and navigator — and I was so anxious to have a scientist on the show, I said, ‘Great, I have a radio show on creativity and jazz. Do you like jazz?’ He said, ‘A little, but I really love blues,’ and I said, ‘Good enough.’

“I said, ‘Give me your card.’ He said, ‘You’ll find me.’ And then I looked him up and of course, it was Neil deGrasse Tyson and we really hit it off.”

After 22 years of “Jazz Inspired,” one thing that Carmichael has found to be universal is the fact that no matter their specific talents, the most accomplished people on her show have also been the most humble.

“I like to say that they take the work seriously but not themselves,” she said. “I wrote the book because I hoped it would be this entry into a bigger conversation about humanity and how to be creative and how creative people live. My thing is, ‘access your talents accurately and go forth with courage.’ That’s my motto. I feel the successful people in this book, that’s what they’ve done.”

The book party for “Great Inspirations: 22 Years of ‘Jazz Inspired’ on NPR” is Sunday, October 9, at 4 p.m. at The American Hotel, 45 Main Street, Sag Harbor. To reserve, email judy@judycarmichael.com.