Jazz Language Episode 9 with Michael Feinberg and Yunie Mojica

Hosted by Noah Preminger, this episode of the Jazz Language podcast was recorded live at Dada Bar in Ridgewood, Queens, and features a conversation with bassist Michael Feinberg and saxophonist Yunie Mojica. Feinberg, who has recorded for Criss Cross, is the organizer of the Ridgewood Jazz Festival, a nonprofit festival built on grassroots sponsorships from local businesses, with Chris Dave as this year's artist in residence. Mojica, a Hartford native who studied at the Jackie McLean Institute, programs SummerStage and the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival for City Parks Foundation and leads the Make Jazz Trill Again movement with Melanie Charles. In this episode, Noah, Michael, and Yunie discuss why they turned to community building, the day-to-day hustle of running a festival, grant writing and fiscal sponsorship, cold calling local businesses for funding, programming for the culture of a neighborhood versus personal taste, booking headliners to introduce audiences to rising stars, education partnerships from NYU's Clive Davis School of Music to college workshops, the mentors who shaped them, defining success as freedom and balance, and the one album they'd pass on to the next generation.

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Noah Preminger - Host

Yunie Mojica & Michael Feinberg (Live From Ridgewood Jazz Festival 2026) - Special Guest

Coyle Girelli - Executive Producer

Andrew Horowitz - Executive Producer

Chris Leon - Executive Producer

Erica Ramon - Producer

Eric Elterman - Producer

Livia Blanc - Director

Matt Heymann - Director of Photography

Andi Avery - Camera Operator

Michael Bartolomeo - Video Editor