Singer and songwriter Becca Stevens has the ability to make you feel like you know her even when you only know her work. Here she talks about “dancing with the critical voice”, looking for silver linings, “the whole money thing” and a newly born pack of baby ducks out her window. Plus she discusses her new record, Wonderbloom.
Read MoreJosh Norek is a difficult man to define. He is generally a behind the scenes kind of guy (record label exec, artist manager, music conference co-founder, radio host) but every now and then he steps into the spotlight with his band Hip Hop Hoodios. Here he talks about releasing new music during a pandemic, how he approaches his collaborations, and the secrets of securing Spotify playlist placements.
Read MoreVery few songwriters develop the kind of skill and status that Ron Sexsmith has. He’s a songwriter’s songwriter. He writes the songs that the rest of us wish we were writing. He does it consistently, carefully, quietly. If you know who he is, then you know what a deceptively brilliant songwriter he is, and you recognize his singing: at times sweet, other times plaintive or plainspoken. Here he talks about his new album, his process, his career, and how he finally came to own a house.
Read MoreMusician, singer, songwriter Curtis Stigers on promoting new music in the midst of a pandemic, what it means to be a gentleman, how hanging out in a hotel lobby in Boise changed his life, which lessons he learned from Michael Brecker & Gene Harris, and the difference between a tie and a cravat.
Read MoreWhat is needed now in these adverse times? We turn to our spirit guides, our philosopher kings, our rabbis: the musicians. Because although this particular form of adversity is new, musicians have been choosing to feel good in spite of adverse conditions for a long time.
In this episode, we explore the nature of the musician joke, particularly the jazz musician joke. Jokes about gigs, drummers, singers, trombone players, viola players, junkies, 3 legged pigs, bagpipes, bar mitzvahs, African safaris, little old ladies, family therapy, tattoo parlors, monkeys, genies, it’s all here. In other words, the classics.
Read MoreSince the very beginning of this podcast, my father and I have been having occasional, timely conversations to process our own shared experience and often the experience of the world around us. In Paris on November 13, 2015, following the 2016 election, on various tours and travels, mourning the loss of a friend, celebrating a birthday. Here we are again, contemplating the future after Covid-19, considering the consequences, and wondering what jazz has to do with it (and what it has to do with jazz).
Read MoreA life in the theater must be a pretty serious thing, because in these conversations with members of the Broadway community, the conversations are brutally real, big picture, somewhat cosmic and profound.
André De Shields, Dale Franzen, Michael Thurber, Schele Williams and Rob Jost all weigh in on the fate of the Great White Way.
Read MoreHow is Coronavirus impacting the creative class? What happens when musicians lose their primary income overnight? What opportunities are there for creativity in this moment of social distancing? What is the conversation for performing musicians, online creators, and artists? How is it different in countries with a social safety net?
Victoria Canal, Jack Conte, Joe Dart, Joy Dragland, John Ellis, Ari Herstand, Ryan Keberle, Andrew Leib, Adam Levy, Lage Lund, and Gege Telesforo all weigh in. Original Music by Charlie Hunter…sort of.
Read MoreComposer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Michael League on Snarky Puppy, the advantages to the American musical perspective (“we are light on our feet”), why “to create something authentic isn’t really possible to me”, how playing wedding and steak house gigs in Texas taught him about “humility and strengthening the muscles of versatility”, the importance of making everything as fun as possible on the road, why he sees himself as primarily a student, moving to Spain, and getting good sleep.
Read MoreWhat do A Tribe Called Quest, David Byrne, The Roots, D’Angelo, Pat Metheny, Erykah Badu, Jason Moran, Me’Shell N’degéocello, India.Arie, J Dilla, Run DMC, and Theo Croker have in common? They all benefited from the sound of Bob Power’s recording, mixing or production. Here he talks about history, technology, fat beats, staying in your lane, and keeping things fluid.
Read MoreVictoria Canal is a 21-year old Spanish-American, LGBTQ, differently-abled, singer-songwriter with a massively powerful message of diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Everything about Victoria is completely exceptional - from her life experience to her demeanor and her talent - and at the same time maybe her greatest gift is her empathic, generous spirit. She’s just a good listener and incredibly seems to make people comfortable to be who they are.
Read MoreSinger/songwriter/actress Kat Edmonson on her journey out of the Lone Star State and into the Big Apple, her love of old well-made things, why “a tree is not scheming”, enjoying the moment, working with Woody Allen, loving “the limitations in a room”, acting vs singing, her new record, and not asking permission.
Read MoreVideo editor, bass player, recovering sketch comedy and improv player Mark Hervey on the journey that took him “flying too close to the sun”... twice. Along the way, he discusses why video editing is like playing bass (if it’s very noticeable, you’re probably doing too much), the alt comedy scene in New York in the 90s, what to do when the best work of your life goes uncredited, and how “death has no satisfactory resolution”.
Read MoreDrummer Mark Guiliana explains his ideas of coincidental interaction, and proactive repetition (“Repetition is one of the most powerful tools that we have in music and in life,” he tells me), the importance of familial relationships with his musical partners, how “sound is everything” and why for him “the music does the talking”.
Read MoreGilles Peterson is one of the most influential DJs and music curators in the world. Whether as a broadcaster, live DJ, record producer, festival organizer, or music curator, Peterson has devoted his life to finding, contextualizing, and presenting music from around the world. He sees his job as “connecting the dots.” One of Peterson’s most recent discoveries, Kassa Overall is, in the words of Time Out New York, “a Renaissance man: part chopsy, super-funky jazz drummer, and part rising producer-MC.”
Read MoreSteven Bernstein, Peter Apfelbaum and Will Bernard on looking forward, looking back, the musical concept of opposition, defying category, broken mirrors, free improvisation, why coffee is so expensive and music is so cheap, the musical conversation between Berkeley and New York, spontaneous composition, rock and roll, Jewish weddings, Sly Stone, Bill Laswell, Trey Anastasio, and why “sex” is still a dirty word in jazz. Recorded live at Winter Jazzfest 2020.
Read MoreSinger-songwriter-producer Caleb Hawley tells his journey of self discovery, addiction, creativity, Tourette Syndrome, longing, how telling the truth is like a drug, and why it’s so hard to write a happy song. Recorded in a storage locker in Harlem.
Read MoreMusician, writer, educator, actor and funk maestro Ari Herstand asks and answers the big questions: How can a project be bigger than just the music? What is the story? What is the difference between transparency and authenticity? How does one play to the strengths and limitations of social media platforms? Is the internet a real community? Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, California politics, immersive experiences, online education. It’s all here.
Read MoreLegendary recording engineer and producer Glyn Johns’ career and discography are so extensive that it’s very difficult to summarize quickly. The sound of his recordings has had an immeasurable influence on the way we listen to popular music. The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Beatles, Eric Clapton... he worked with them all. Here he talks about his philosophy of recording, producing, and managing a career in record making.
Read MorePodcast host, musician, and writer boice-Terrel Allen (often known as boice) on his personal and professional development, creativity, spirituality, Buddhism, depression, perseverance and love of Tina Turner. We also compare notes on podcast life, techniques, strategies, and ambitions.
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