The Third Story podcast features long-form interviews with musicians and members of the creative class, hosted by me, Leo Sidran.
Their stories of discovery, loss, ambition, identity, improvisation, risk, and reward are deeply moving and compelling for all of us as we embark on our own creative journeys.
Most recent episode: Janis Siegel and The Scent of Danger
Leo Sidran (photo by Tom Warburton)
Part personal story, part philosophical inquiry, and part behind-the-scenes look at how creative work actually gets made, chronicling the process of preparing a gig with Ben Sidran. Drawing on conversations with musicians like Gil Goldstein, Howard Levy, and Jacob Collier.
Phoebe Katis on success and arrival, the value of side hustles, pop music as a delivery system for truth, how to build a creative life without asking your art to carry everything.and what it means to keep “coming of age” well into adulthood.
Singer, songwriter, producer Keren Ann on creativity, discipline, and what it really takes to make art over a lifetime. She talks about growing up between languages and cultures, about solitude, songwriting, and the moment when motivation stops working and discipline takes over.
A conversation with Janis Siegel leads to a deeper reflection on speech, fear, and the subtle ways freedom can erode. Through the lens of jazz, memory, and history: what happens when people begin to hesitate—and why speaking still matters.