70: Ryan Hewitt, Recording Engineer/Producer

March 23, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Recording and mix engineer Ryan Hewitt starting paying his dues in the business before he could even cash a check. He grew up surrounded by recording, assisting his father David Hewitt on mobile recordings, and eventually entering the business in earnest after college. He worked his way up in the old school way, assisting the best engineers of the day and working in the classic studios of New York.

His journey eventually led him to LA and then to Nashville, where we met to talk about his career, coming up in the tradition, forging new paths, working with new technology, developing his own sound, the value of producers, and when to take a steak of the grill.

Along the way we discuss working with Blink 182, Harry Connick Jr., Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Lumineers, The Avett Brothers, Rick Rubin, John Frusciante, Brad Mehldau, and many more.

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed it, please leave a review on iTunes!

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69: Remembering Tommy LiPuma

March 16, 2017 / Leo Sidran

My father and I remember record producer Tommy LiPuma and play some previously unheard interviews with him. These particular stories talk about a time in his life that hasn’t been talked about too much - his childhood in Cleveland, how the radio was his best friend, and how music saved his life, and how being a barber got him to LA.

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68: What Is Music Therapy?

March 02, 2017 / Leo Sidran

What is music therapy? How is it different from traditional talk therapy? Why is music so useful in accessing parts of the brain that we can’t get to in other ways? Creative arts therapists Dr. Brian T Harris and Mechelle Chestnut discuss.

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67: Alexis Cuadrado, bassist / composer

February 16, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Musician Alexis Cuadrado on the search for ecstatic truth, becoming an American citizen, and why he’s not Picasso.

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66: Adam Schatz, musician/presenter

February 09, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Musician and music presenter Adam Schatz on the scene in NY, his creative process, and why it’s important to make your grandparents laugh. Also: "The Good California Story".

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65: Duchess, vocal group

February 02, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Vocal group Duchess on finding your people, subverting the dominant paradigm and avoiding My Funny Valentine.

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64: Benji Rogers, entrepreneur

January 26, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Benji Rogers was an ex sound-man, bartender, and broke 34 year old musician, sleeping on an air mattress in his mother’s spare room, when he had a vision. Eight years later, he’s one of the most innovative, outspoken leaders in the music business.

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63: Ben Wendel, saxophonist

January 19, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Saxophonist Ben Wendel on being heard clearly, having deep conversations and finding personal style.

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62: Michael Dorf, entrepreneur

January 12, 2017 / Leo Sidran

How Michael Dorf became one of the most influential music presenters in New York, despite his best intentions. How the city changed him and how he changed the city.

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61: Spike Wilner, pianist / jazz club proprietor

January 05, 2017 / Leo Sidran

Pianist Spike Wilner belongs to the tradition of jazz musicians who also own and operate clubs. In his case it came by accident, or rather, a series of accidents.

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60: The election

November 10, 2016 / Leo Sidran

I woke up on the road in Paris the morning after the American Presidential election and saw the results. Then my father and I had this brief conversation.

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59: Kurt Elling, singer

November 06, 2016 / Leo Sidran

The New York Times calls Kurt Elling, "The standout male vocalist of our time.” Here he talks about his process, what motivates him, what Chicago offered him and why he moved to New York.

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58: Ari Herstand, musician, songwriter, actor, writer

October 12, 2016 / Leo Sidran

Singer, songwriter, actor, and independent music writer Ari Herstand on why this is a great time for the music industry.

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57: Michael Feldman, Radio host

September 23, 2016 / Leo Sidran

Michael Feldman on a life in radio, why he thrives on performing in front of an audience, and why podcasts aren't radio.

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56: Pat mAcdonald, Singer / songwriter

August 25, 2016 / Leo Sidran

Singer-songwriter Pat MacDonald on inadvertently writing a hit song ("The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades"), the art of allowing circumstance to rule, the value of mishearing the world around you and the power of threes.

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55: Al Schmitt, Recording engineer / producer

August 11, 2016 / Leo Sidran

Engineer and producer Al Schmitt is the embodiment of recorded music in America. Here he covers his career from recording big band music and race records in the 1950s to the roll of digital recording in the 21st century, the impact of drugs on the music business, and the importance of good personal relationships, and 23 Grammys along the way.

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54: Adam Levy, Guitarist / songwriter

July 14, 2016 / Leo Sidran

The guitarist and singer-songwriter talks about working with Norah Jones, the process of becoming a songwriter, making something happen and finding joy.

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53: Clifford Irving, Writer

June 03, 2016 / Leo Sidran

Writer Clifford Irving has lived a lot of life and had many loves, but he says his “one true love” was the Island of Ibiza, where he made his life for 20 years starting in the early 1950s. Here he covers much of his compelling journey and explors the importance of imagination in writing, the question of ethical instruction between parents and children, and the love that can occur between man and monkey.

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52: Larry Goldings

May 19, 2016 / Leo Sidran

Pianist, organist, composer Larry Goldings on New York in the 90s, developing his musical style, the importance of humor and the jazz life in LA.

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Bonus mini: Should I move to Nashville?

May 12, 2016 / Leo Sidran

On a recent weekend trip to Music City USA, I raised this question repeatedly and I got a variety of answers. Uber drivers, bartenders, music managers and restaurant patrons answer the question: should I move to Nashville.

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