Category Archives: Outta World interviews

artists I have chatted with that are just plain different..in my opinion.

What’s New With FlowPoetry

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FlowPoetry (aka Adam Gregory Pergament of Madison, WI) to release a book of poetry titled: “Hopped Up Cranked Flip Top Chrome Plated Hot Rockin’ Cherry Chariot” as part of a music show at Gamma Ray Bar in Madison, WI on Wednesday July 24, 2024 presented by Gamma Ray Bar. In addition to the book release, there will be a FlowPoetry performance featuring New York based percussionist Noah Lehrman who has gigged with international legends including Nile Rodgers, the late Babatunde Olatunji, & Charles Neville. Supporting musical acts include Def Sonic(WI), an ambient folk & electronica artist, and Lukie P. (WI)., an acoustic singer/songwriter. “Hopped Up Cranked Flip Top Chrome Plated Hot Rockin’ Cherry Chariot” is FlowPoetry’s 4th published work in-print and explores a performative lyrical jam based style of poetry. “Beautifully crafted poetry…brilliant!”, raves Sensible Reason (Brooklyn, NY). “Few people in his scene are as creative as Pergament, who turns music into art.”, states Isthmus Newspaper (Madison, WI). Deeply beautiful.”, declares Relix Magazine. With over 1500 shows in the USA with bands and as a solo poet, FlowPoetry was voted by the city as one of Madison (Wisconsin) Magazine’s Best Spoken Word/Poetry Performers in 2014, ’15, and ’16. He is a three-time finalist for Best Artist in the Annual Madison WI Area Music Awards and the winner of two Dane County Artist Grants. He has appeared at over 80 Midwest and East Coast Music and Arts festivals. “A lyrical rollercoaster!”, writes Grateful Web Music Blog. “Legendary spoken word artist”, raves Madison.com. “FlowPoetry is one of the most unique and riveting performers on the Midwestern musical and artistic landscape. On the cutting edge of the nationwide expansion of new forms of spoken word…. unique, theatrical and musical.”, DeKalb Chronicle (DeKalb, IL)

I had the chance to get back into the mind quickly with Adam about the new book and the upcoming event/tour. We dive riGht into the new book of poetry to uncover where that title comes from, the book’s journey to completion and we get into one of the poems that grabbed my attention immediately. We get into the upcoming event, (the who’s who and what’s what of the artists) and the new venue space, Gamma Ray. We have had Adam on a few different times now over the years, as his tales told, and the presentation of such tales in a ‘jamular’ flow, always have spoken to me, and I am sure they will, wherever and whenever. Ride that Chariot where it takes us.

Wave From The WOOniverse with Evan Taylor

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Evan Taylor is a Hollywood-based producer, songwriter, & multi-instrumentalist. Taylor is also the owner & operator of boutique record label, Loantaka Records, and sister studio Loantaka Sound. He is also the former Bernie Worrell Orchestra bandleader Evan Taylor who’s latest production is the posthumous release, Bernie Worrell: Wave From The WOOniverse. It’s a double album concocted in 14 cities, issued on 12” LP vinyl a day after Bernie’s birthday, (April 19) on Record Store Day 2024 by Org Music in conjunction with Loantaka Records as a Record Store Day “exclusive.” As of today, it’s available via streaming platforms. A co-release from Loantaka Records & Org Music is available on CD August 16th, 2024. Taylor has remained behind the scenes for most of his career. He worked in various capacities with Bernie, mike watt, Money Mark, Theresa Wayman (Warpaint), King Tuff, The Chapin Sisters, and Jimmy Destri of Blondie. He has participated in eclectic recording projects and performed with practically every member of Talking Heads. Evan’s also released a string of critically acclaimed singles as part of the Art-Rock duo Purple Witch of Culver. Evan has never identified with the archetype of “cosmic Funkateer.” He grew up with diverse tastes that ran from The Beach Boys to Prince. As a producer his brand has been “staying off-brand.” In 2022, Taylor was presented with a unique opportunity he felt he had been preparing for his entire career. Bernie Worrell: Wave From The WOOniverse addresses the abundance of unfinished work Bernie Worrell, a prolific writer & visionary, left behind when he passed away in 2016. These compositions remained untouched for a period of decades, collecting dust on reels of two-inch analog tape. Eventually, the tapes were re-examined to analyze Bernie’s nuanced & creative method. After a period of deep reflection, the Bernie Worrell estate decided it was time to complete his vision. The list of innovators who wanted to participate and make sure this initiative was completed with dedication to preserving the integrity of the magic which makes Bernie a beloved extraordinary soul. Also included on the album is a previously unreleased Funkadelic track, “Contusion,” which showcases Bernie’s masterful work with the legendary, pathfinding group.

Tracklisting:

1. Intro (Reflections on a Bird) – Feat. Nick Montoya
2. Distant Star – Feat. Jerry Harrison with Paul Dooley, Alecia Chakour & Invisible Familiars
3. What Have they Done to My Funk – Feat. Bootsy Collins, Michael Moon Reuben, Ouiwey Collins, & Buckethead
4. Heapin’ Bowl of Gumbo – Feat. Leo Nocentelli, Fred Wesley, Stanton Moore with Lonnie Marshall
5. Re-Enter Black Light (Phase II) – Feat. Sean Lennon
6. The Big WOO – Feat. Fred Schneider with Binky Griptight, Marco Benevento, Kyp Malone, Jaleel Bunton, & Steve Scales
7. Greenpoint – Feat. Steven Bernstein with Smokey Hormel, Mauro Refosco, Scott Hogan, & Michael Jerome
8. Soldiers of the Stars Feat. Daru Jones & Eric McFadden
9. When The Rain Subsides – Feat. Will Calhoun
10. Pedro WOO – Feat. Mike Watt
11. Contusion (Funkadelic)
12. Transcendence – Feat. Marc Ribot & Norwood Fisher
13. Wave From the WOOniverse – feat. Miho Hatori with Sarah La Puerta, Steve Scales & Invisible Familiars

I had the chance to catch with with Evan to get some insider views into the sounds. We get deep into this posthumous record from friend of the proGram, Dr. Bernie Worrell, from the invitation to get involved to the creation of and the invites to the many artists who contributed. We specifically get into a few of the folks, and it was as if Evan was reading my mind on the people he picked to talk about. We talked a bit about process and the choosing of who will work with who. What a cool time. We talked about the relationships formed between the two, and how getting back into some of this music was not a jump into the fire moment for Evan, he had to make sure he could get through emotions attached. We also talk about his label, Loantaka Records and one of his strangest projects.

The Joy Of The Campbell Brothers

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At countless performances over the past 3 decades, the Campbell Brothers have taken far-reaching, genre-spanning audiences to church — namely the Pentecostal House of God, where their transcendent “sacred steel” tradition of guitar-focused gospel music flourished. But with INNOVA, out August 2 on Ropeadope, the Campbells deliver their most profound testament yet to the faith that has inspired their work and, in recent years, guided them through tragedy. These 9 tracks comprise the Campbells’ first studio album since 2013’s ‘Beyond the 4 Walls’, and their 1st studio LP since the shocking passing of lap-steel guitarist Darick Campbell, who died in 2020 at age 53, of complications related to heart surgery. After this devastating loss, and in the midst of the Covid pandemic, guitarist Phillip & pedal-steel player Chuck were faced with a daunting hurdle – how do they continuing doing what it is they’ve been doing? The answer is that you can’t. So with INNOVA, the Campbells have reimagined their group while continuing to honor their integrity & heritage. An essential part of this renewal can be found in Phillip’s songs, which burst forth with locomotive grooves, unbridled guitar wizardry and powerful messages of perseverance and healing. Alongside Phillip & Chuck on this outing are official band members including drummer & vocalist Carlton Campbell, bassist Daric Bennett and lead vocalist Denise Brown, as well as special guests who uphold the Brothers’ ideal of church-rooted strength: the singer Ron Staples, heir to Joe Ligon’s throne in the Mighty Clouds of Joy; Serena Young, a worship leader from the Campbells’ hometown of Rochester, N.Y., and an alumnus of the Kirk Franklin-hosted BET show Sunday Best; and Rochester organ great Rufus McGee. The Campbells developed in Rochester under the tough-love tutelage of their father, a bishop in the House of God Church, who delivered to his musician-sons a paradoxical demand: resist the temptations of secular music, but push yourself to meet the standards of blues, jazz and country music heroes: B.B. King, George Benson, Roy Clark, Jimmy Day, Buddy Emmons. A sense of fierce but healthy competition created an extrasensory rapport among the boys, a kind of musical mind-reading that perfectly suited the heavenward, snowballing passion of gospel. After the Campbell Brothers released their debut album in 1997 on the storied Arhoolie label, they began to stir interest among a vast and diverse swath of dedicated music fans: blues aficionados who heard them as a living conduit to a rich if unsung strain of Black roots music; jam-band kids who appreciated their funky, exhilarating spirituality; devotees of R&B and contemporary gospel who grew up in the church themselves. They worked constantly in the ensuing years, and became highly decorated keepers of a uniquely American tradition. The Campbells were named NEA National Heritage Fellows, received a commission to arrange John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme for its 50th anniversary, and collaborated with B.B. King, Mavis Staples, Medeski Martin & Wood, the Allman Brothers Band, the Blind Boys of Alabama and many others. Their music was even featured in The Sopranos.

I had the honor of catching up with Mr. Phillip Campbell ahead of the Campbell Brothers heading back to Madison to play La Fête De Marquette on July 13th. We get into the forthcoming uniqueness of this event: ‘Praise Break w/ Campbell Brothers, Fountain of Life Church and more’, and how something like this is the exact reason that the Campbell Brothers continue to spread the happiness and joy wherever they go. We talk about what a set of theirs usually consists of, stylistically, sonically (tunings) and oh yes, spiritually. While that image of what will go on at this festival, and anywhere you can catch them brightening your day, is something I cannot wait to become a present moment reality, it is the new album that I am also excited to be able to chat about. We get deep into the new record of tunes, ‘Innova’. We go seed to flower, but there is so much flower on this record, the sun and water must have nurtured it just riGht as it was growing. We talk about the feelings of this music (and you’ll feel it too) and the remembrance of before and the steps into tomorrow. We talk Sacred Steel and collaborators so I can wrap my head around just how this music seems to fit in everywhere, at any time. It all did circle back to that anthem of Happiness and Joy. I am ok with that!

Maude Caillat Quartet Come With Free Jazz

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Maude Caillat is a prolific saxophonist leading four different projects all around the New Orleans area. The Maude Caillat Quartet is the most intimate version of her vast musical universe. Still recognized as an emerging new sound in the New Orleans jazz scene, the Quartet fuses in modern and traditional African & Arabic influences with a perfect amount of a Coltrane-esque thang. Sophistication, passionate improvisation, and heartfelt melodies are just a few words to describe the music of these inspired artists. Her quartet put out a release mid 2023, ‘Follow the Camel’, which is a completely free improvised sonic journey. The album features Maude Caillat on tenor sax & flute, Luke Palmer on keys & fingerboard, Sean Weber on bass and Moses Eder on drums and percussions. ‘Follow The Camel’ was recorded at Fountain Sound Studio in New Orleans by Biff Hitchins, mixed and mastered by Ratty Scurvics with original artwork by Dominic Sgro from Catahoula Tattoo. Produced and independantly released by the Maude Caillat Quartet.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Maude a little better in a recent call. Listening to her music, especially the quartet’s album ‘Follow The Camel’ has really set me off in a new, unknown direction. Seemed completely possible that a live event with her and a band would be an adventure of sonic discovery. We talked about her upcoming stop in Madison on July 6th at the North Street Cabaret and am definitely convinced that what is coming our way (and hopefully wherever you are, your way too) is going to be that of a new place/space creation. The way Maude describes how she got into the “Free Jazz scene’ in New Orleans and how it was just so much fun not following any set guidelines and truly letting the feeling…the music, guide. We find out the quartet coming our way is a little diffrent when it comes to who is playing, and how by the end of the tour, the aim is to create a new record based on the meetings/feelings/explorations of this tour. Listen in to find out how friend of the proGram Mike Dillon fits into Maude’s planning and I believe we learn just how freeing an improvised sharing for players and audience can be a place to build of a fresh new vision.

Spending Quality Time With Meklit

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Meklit Hadero is an Ethiopian-American vocalist, songwriter, & composer, known for her electric stage presence, innovative sound & vibrant cultural activism. Her latest EP ‘Ethio Blue’ was released March 8, 2024. Meklit’s Ethio-Jazz performances have taken her to renowned stages across 4 continents. Her 2017 album ‘When the People Move, the Music Moves Too’ topped world music charts across the US + Europe, and was named amongst the best of the year by Bandcamp & The Sunday Times UK. Meklit has collaborated with renowned artists such as Kronos Quartet, Andrew Bird, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the late creator of funk music, Pee Wee Ellis. Meklit has always straddled her creative practice with her passion for cultural activism. She is the former Head of Creativity and Impact at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, where she helped design & implement a slate of radical programs supporting social justice focused artists during the height of the pandemic. She is a sought after thought leader & speaker and has given talks on multiple TED Stages, at the UN, and at the National Geographic Storytellers Summit, as well as at companies, organizations & Universities around the globe. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a TED Senior Fellow, and a former Artist-in-Residence at Harvard University. She is the co-founder of the Nile Project, a featured voice in UN Women’s theme song and the winner of the 2021 globalFEST Artist Award. Meklit has been a guest DJ on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, created new works via commissions from Lincoln Center, MAP Fund, Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA, Stanford Live, NYU Abu Dhabi and so many more. Her music has been featured by the New York Times, BBC, CNN, NPR, Washington Post, Vibe Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe and many more. The list is long, but Meklit is also co-founder, co-producer & host of Movement, a new podcast, radio series & live show uplifting the stories/songs of immigrant musicians. The show airs monthly on PRX’s The World to an audience of around 2.5 million listeners.

I had the complete pleasure of chatting with Meklit about her latest project, her self-released ‘Ethio-Blue EP. We got into how it went from it’s beginning (a true birth-like moment) to its release into the world. We dissect a couple of tracks to get a little more inside the mind’s eye as we tend to look with our ears first. There’s family style props to all that worked on this project and you can sense it from the final product, that they people who put the puzzle toGether, cared for these songs. Before we hit record, I mentioned about wanting to talk about the National Geographic Explorer title she has as a part of her name because I had a little joke for it. Find out what grade my joke received and how you too could become an explorer. We also spend some time talking about the super cool transmedia storytelling initiative that lives at the intersection of migration and music, known as Movement. I really have had my phone to my ear learning and listening about people I am more interested in already after being introduced via this platform. This is just one of so many projects that Meklit is a part of, has been a part of as a bridge builder. We find out if she ever gets nervous or maybe perhaps a little gushy ever speaking to such cool and interesting artists/people. Before letting her go, and I think we could have just kept on talkin’ as the energy was so positive and felt like hanging out with a friend….we found out a little setlist stylin’ Meklit would put out for listeners if she took the DJ baton from me, she picks one from ‘Ethio Blue’ and then we get a some of her local flavors from the S.F. Bay area to get an education on.

Photo by Alexa Treviño.

Joe Marcinek Brings It on 1 River Street

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The Joe Marcinek Band is a vibrant fusion of the Chicago Blues, Dat New Orleans Funk, Grateful Dead inspired jamming psychedelia and an array of intricate jazz fusion which creates a unique and eclectic musical journey. Attending a Joe Marcinek Band concert is an electrifying experience that takes listeners on a diverse musical journey. Each concert is unique, as the band is known for its improvisational skills, ensuring that no two performances are exactly alike. The band’s palpable energy and passion for music are infectious, making their concerts not just a listening experience, but a full-fledged musical adventure that resonates with fans of diverse musical tastes. Expect a night filled with skillful musicianship, unexpected musical turns, and a lively atmosphere that invites the audience to be part of the band’s ever-evolving musical narrative. For years now, Joe has also been curating a collection of albums with each showing that true range and ability he has with the music but also how he interacts with other artists to find their personal together landscape. It always feels fresh and evolving. His latest release, 1 River Street, was recorded in Massachusetts at Iron Wax Studios with Alan Evans producing and on drums, Nate Edgar on bass, Kris Yunker on keys, Brian Thomas on trombone and Alex Lee-Clark on trumpet and Jared Sims on sax & flute. It’s a tight collection of eight sharply-honed tunes that brinGs the funky and groove of life within each note.

I had an opportunity to catchup with family to the proGram, Joe Marcinek to get into the new record 1 River Street. We talk about the evolution of both him as an artist and this new music. We get into the above mentioned players and friend of the program, Mr. Alan Evans’ studio and the desire for both to work with each other finally on a record like this. So this one is on Alan’s Vintage League Music label which is a conduit for many a funky great. Mostly, I really wanted to tell him how funky he is and that this record really shows off where the experiences of many years now has taken him. We find out what big shows Joe and his rotation of cool musical comrades played in the past year or so and highlight a couple of the bigger ones to look forward to this year. Joe is family, he is open to what & where the groove takes him, and I just really respect someone who can work with so many different people and the music still has it’s own unique smile to it, each time. If you are looking for a groove, it could very well live inside of 1 River Street.

Cash Box Kings Come Knockin’

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The Cash Box Kings are co-led by real-deal Chicago blues vocalist & songwriter Oscar “Mr. 43rd Street” Wilson, and Madison, Wisconsin-based songwriter, harmonica giant & singer Joe Nosek, plays masterfully raw, unvarnished, old-school ensemble blues. Wilson’s huge, emotive vocals and Nosek’s blistering harmonica fuel their razor-sharp original songs and always incisive reinvention of obscure blues classics. On their new Alligator Records album, Oscar’s Motel (their 3rd for the label & 11th overall), The Cash Box Kings bring contemporary authority and old-school authenticity to each of the album’s 11 tracks. The band, featuring guitarist Billy Flynn, drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, bassist John W. Lauler, and keyboardist Lee Kanehira, opens a door into the intoxicating spirit and sounds of 1950s and 1960s Chicago-based blues, and then they bring it all right up to the minute with Wilson & Nosek’s original, instantly memorable songs. The history of The Cash Box Kings begins in Madison, Wisconsin where Nosek founded the band in 2001. Since 2007, his co-leader has been the charismatic, larger-than-life Chicago blues vocalist Oscar Wilson. Over 20 years apart in age and coming from vastly different backgrounds, the two form an unlikely pair, combining Wilson’s indisputably authentic South Side Chicago blues vocals and gritty, street-smart songwriting chops with Nosek’s storytelling vocals, dynamic harmonica and witty tunesmithing. In their first 6 years, The Cash Box Kings’ top-notch musicianship and deep blues feeling won the band a large and loyal audience across the Midwest. Wilson joined the group in 2007, bringing with him an instantly commanding stage presence and an authoritative vocal style that gives fire-breathing power to the music. A captivating singer, born in Chicago with the blues in his blood and with an encyclopedic knowledge of almost every blues song known to man, Wilson is a natural-born entertainer and a perfect foil for Nosek and the band. Born in 1953 on Chicago’s 43rd Street (aka “Muddy Waters Drive”), Wilson grew up in the company of many famous blues artists. Junior Wells, Elmore James, Big Smokey Smothers and close family friend David “Honeyboy” Edwards were all regulars at weekly Friday night fish fries/jam sessions at the Wilson home. Throughout his adulthood, Wilson held regular jobs but was always welcome sitting in with Chicago blues mainstays like Melvin Taylor & Johnny B. Moore. His vocal inspirations range from Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Albert King to Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Rogers and Little Walter, but he mostly sings like Oscar Wilson. A self-described blues fanatic, Nosek, born in Wisconsin in 1974 and raised the Chicago suburbs, spent his youth soaking up as much blues music as he could hear, both live and on record. In his teens, he began sneaking into blues clubs to watch Junior Wells, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rogers, Sunnyland Slim and others. He took up harmonica, quickly cultivating his own aggressive, fluid style. After moving to Madison in the early 1990s, he began sitting in with artists such as Clyde Stubblefield & Luther Allison. Finding like-minded musicians hell-bent on playing raw, rough-edged, hard-charging blues, Nosek formed The Cash Box Kings. They released their first album, Live! At The King Club, in 2003, instantly earning praise from critics and fans, and gaining a reputation as one of the hottest live bands on the circuit. With 10 previous releases to their credit and hundreds of live performances under their belts, The Cash Box Kings have won widespread acclaim throughout the blues world. Their Alligator Records debut, 2017’s Royal Mint, was named among the Top Ten Blues Albums of the Year by MOJOmagazine. 2019’s Hail To The Kings! continued the trend, with the band receiving three Blues Music Award nominations, praise from media including NPR, The Chicago Tribune, AllMusic.com, UK’s MOJO and Blues & Rhythm, and radio airplay around the world. The Cash Box Kings continue to play major festivals across the U.S. and Europe. They’ve blown away audiences at the Chicago Blues Festival, the Tampa Bay Blues Festival, the Doheny Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Cincinnati Blues Festival, the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), the Moulin Blues Festival (Netherlands), the Lucerne Blues Festival (Switzerland), the Baltic Blues Festival (Germany) and the Edmonton Blues Festival (Canada). They have also performed in Belgium, France, Spain & Uruguay, building their worldwide audience one jaw-dropping show at a time. No matter where The Cash Box Kings perform, they bring the music to fuel the party. Between Wilson’s natural blues vocal power and Nosek’s talent at wringing every last drop of emotion from his harmonica, The Cash Box Kings never fail to wow their longtime fans while earning new ones at every gig.

I had the chance to catch up with Joe Nosek ahead of a busy week in and around Madison. On Tuesday the 18th they will be rockin’ the Harry Whitehorse Sculpture Festival, and on the 21st, the Cash Box Kings will be part of a Make Music Madison event at 4pm and then aGain that evening at the North Street Cabaret. We start by filling in any newcomers to the scene on what to expect from a CBK’s show, traditional blues with a modern feel striving to provide a mosaic of feelings and get down rhythms. We go into their latest release on Alligator Records, ‘Oscar’s Motel’ and get deeper into the how’s and why’s of what they did and do for this record. We talk about speaking up and being the voice of the times as well as living the dream of working & hanging with friend of the program, Mr. Buddy Guy. Also, this chat would not be complete without hearing what track off the new album Joe would pick to share in a set, and what other artists would get in that list.

Peter Dominguez Talks String Theory

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Peter Dominguez grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and began performing with the Music for Youth Orchestras and his father; pianist and vocalist Frank DeMiles. Peter went on to study with Roger Ruggeri and Richard Davis at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and with Dr Lucas Drew at the University of Miami. Peter served as Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at Michigan State University from 1984-96, and continued studies with Robert Gladstone while substituting with the Detroit Symphony. The former Principal Bass with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra and the American Sinfonietta, Peter was Professor of Jazz Studies and Double Bass 1990-2020 at Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He is currently Professor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He continues to perform with an impressive array of Classical, Jazz, and Latin artists throughout the Americas and Europe. His teaching includes national and international classes, adjudication of international competitions, artistic direction of the Richard Davis Foundation for Young Bassist Inc annual conference in Madison Wisconsin, and the director of the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass. Peter’s recordings include ‘How About This’ (2010) & ‘Groove Dreams’ (2017) performed on Milt Hinton’s famous 1790 bass. Another solo recording entitled ‘Bass Salute’ (2023) featuring Richard Davis’s 1855 Lion Head double bass.

I had the chance to catch up with Peter about the upcoming event as part of the 2024 Madison Jazz Festival. On June 13th from 7-9pm at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Peter, who is the producer of the new documentary: String Theory: The Richard Davis Method, will be screening & participating in a Q&A (and perhaps he may let the Lion Roar?!) about the documentary and the life, career & legacy of a legend, Mr. Richard Davis. We go deep into the creation of this endeavor – including a great tale from an original screening in Milwaukee highlighting the maGic of The memories include the different ways Mr. Davis would inspire students to try and even that level of success into a double-bass equality with other more prominent instruments, it was not a ‘traditional’ teaching method many have said, but clearly it is all about the results, the people and the wholistic education art provides both student and society. Peter is also going to be playing with his long time friend Gerri DiMaggio on the Terrace, June 15th at 3pm, so we touch base on what is gonna go down when that goes down.

Lost & Found With Raul Midón

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Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist & Engineer, Raul Midón established himself as a first-call session singer upon graduation from the prestigious Studio Jazz program at the University of Miami in 1991. He sang background vocals on more than 60 Latin recordings, many Grammy winning. In 1999 he was asked to join the touring band of Shakira. During that time, he was creating his own original music and was signed to a development deal with Warner Chappel. He left Shakira’s band to move to NYC to pursue his own career. Within a year he debuted at Carnegie Hall with the Movie Music of Spike Lee. Spike engaged him to write the end credit song for “She Hate Me.” At the same time Raul was signed by legendary producer Arif Mardin to his label under the Blue Note moniker, Manhattan Records. Raul has worked with countless legends in the industry including Bill Withers, Herbie Hancock, Sting, Terence Blanchard, & Dianne Reeves to name several. He received 2 Grammy nominations back-to-back in 2017 & 2018 for his albums “Bad Ass and Blind” & “If You Really Want” in the Best Jazz Vocal Category. Since moving to the DMV he established himself as an accomplished recording engineer, recording all the vocals for both of the aforementioned in his home studio. In 2019 he was invited to speak at his high school Alma Mater Santa Fe Prep and also was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Miami. In 2021 he was awarded the Disability Rights Ambassador of the year award, presented to him in a virtual ceremony by his friend and colleague Jason Mraz. During the COVID lockdown, Raul continued to collaborate with colleagues and appears in a duet on the Grammy winning album “Mendo” by Alex Cuba. He chose to pursue a long-time dream of recording a guitar duets album with some of his favorite guitarists including Mike Stern, Dean Parks, Lionel Loueke, Julia Bailen, Stephane Wrembel, Alex Cuba and more. This album ‘Eclectic Adventurist’ was released on his own label, ReKondite ReKords on 11/11/ 2022, to acclaimed reviews. He continues to tour, write, record and is working on a novel, ‘Tembererana’, and he is also back in strong 2024 with a brand new album to share, ‘Lost & Found’.

I had the pleasure of re-connecting with Raul ahead of his June 8th event at Cafe Coda as part of the 2024 Madison Jazz Festival. We get into what that show should be like as he is heading here after just releasing a brand new record, Lost & Found. We get into how that album went from ideas to release, working in his own studio and which tunes off the album seem to be hitting just right with audiences. Some even to his surprise. We get a chance to learn a little more about the person Raul is as we chat in depth about his fascination and practicing of the HAM radio. His love and respect of this communication wizardry certainly reignited a spark within this G. We also talk about ding the National Anthem recently at an OKC Thunder playoff game and is approach to performing the anthem – check it here. well, you know me, it would not be a good talk if we didn’t get a moment to talk about a level of cool, like Raul being honored as the Disability Rights Ambassador a few years back.

Da Funk Up With Delvon Lamarr

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Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio — or as it is sometimes referred to, DLO3—specializes in the lost art of “feel-good music.” The precise sequence of music chosen by Delvon is unique in itself, as he creates an experience for each show based on the vibe and feel of that audience. This includes the 1960s organ jazz stylings of Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette, a tweak of the snappy soul strut of Booker T. & The M.G.’s, and The Meters. It teases you with Motown, Stax Records, Blues, and many other styles that often will surprise you. It’s a concoction that goes straight to your heart and soul, leaving you emotionally connected on a whole new level. The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play many instruments. The trio is formed by collecting a unique blend of guitarists and drummers worldwide. They leave you with a feeling of wonder caused by seeing something surprisingly beautiful and unforgettable for their fans at every show.

It is always a pleasure to catch up with family to the proGram, Delvon Lamarr. This time around he is heading back to Madison to play an afternoon and an evening show at the Bur Oak on June 16th. We get into the new look trio and how he has gone about finding band members these days, which led into a very interesting crystal ball type observation. We also get into him talking about getting lost in writing a lot of new music and how when he is there, doing that, nothing else seems to be. You know me, I like the new stuff. The amount of party Madison will be feeling June 16th could be documented on video channels, you’ll get the idea, but nothing beats that organ trio feeling that letting it all vibrate into you. Before letting him go, we do get into him building a setlist with one of his tunes and then get a pen and paper to jot down his other choices. Soul on!

Nation Beat’s Archaic Humans & Scott Kettner

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When band leader Scott Kettner looks at a map, he sees a direct line that connects the rivers of northeastern Brazil to the parishes of New Orleans & the streets of NYC. It’s a connection that came to him in 1999 amid the swirling dancers, ecstatic musicians, & powerful percussionists parading in the streets during Carnival in Recife, Brazil. He was there at the urging of his mentor, NEA Jazz Master Billy Hart, to study maracatu, the region’s complex, dance-inducing rhythm. He came home with a vision, a vision that achieves its highest, funkiest, & most expansive expression to date with the release of Nation Beat’s latest album, ‘Archaic Humans’, out end of May on Ropeadope Records. That day in Recife, Scott heard the thread that connects the musics of Brazil & New Orleans. A master percussionist, composer, educator, & the guiding force behind Nation Beat, he has been tracing the similarities between the music & culture of northeastern Brazil and the American South for 2 decades, through recordings & performances, as well as educational/community outreach programs. Back in 2017, Kettner expanded his conception of the Nation Beat sound to incorporate his background in jazz & hybrid drumming, and he began collaborating with tenor saxophonist/arranger extraordinaire Paul Carlon. With the release of ‘The Royal Chase’ in 2020, Nation Beat injected the high-octane improvisations of NYC bop into the thunderous grooves of northeastern Brazil and the swagger of parading New Orleans brass, moving hips & feet and setting brains on fire. The Royal Chase marked a new phase in the band’s cross-cultural explorations and the album charted on both World & Jazz radio charts and spent over a year on the Roots Report chart, peaking at #1. With the release of ‘Archaic Humans’, Nation Beat expands its cross-cultural explorations even further and leaves an original mark on the music. While maintaining the infectious, audacious rhythmic and brass energy of its Brazil & New Orleans roots, the band lights up the afterburners on its jazz chops and reaches into fresh new territory with new collaborators. GRAMMY-nominated progressive hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon from Washington, DC, & soulful South African singer/songwriter Melanie Scholtz braid radically new & uplifting strands into the Nation Beat thread on several tracks. As exciting/adventurous as their recordings are, the band’s live shows have taken on an almost mythological aura for their ability to lift the souls & move the feet of their ever-growing cross-cultural audience.

I had the pleasure of chattinG with Scott Kettner about this brand new album coming out end of May from Ropeadope Records. We talk about the journey it took to go from the new ideas into the final product that I am proud to be able to get into your thirsty ear-holes. This is music to feel as you enjoy with those ears. It hits so deeply. Not ever shy to work with others, we get into the hows/whys of both Christylez & Melanie as choices to be art of the project – clearly after a few (ok..ok..ok..MANY) listens this was a great choice, as they feel like the were just waiting along the way to be in the parade. I like ot find out what helps an artist call a label home, and we find out what Ropeadope is doing to help make this music progress. When not making music, where can you find Scott, find out his special place and what artist he would chooses to build a setlist and what song off the new album does he work in?

Stephane Wrembel Back In Madison

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Stephane Wrembel is one of the finest guitar players in the world. The breadth & range of his playing & compositions are unmatched. This prolific musician, composer, educator, & musical director has released a steady stream of music since 2002 making his mark as one of the most original guitar voices in contemporary music. He has headlined Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Town Hall in NYC & The Lyon Opera House in France. He has toured and/or shared stages with master violinist Mark O’Connor, Sam Bush, Stochelo Rosenberg, Esperanza Spalding, & Al Di Meola. He has dazzled audiences at Montreal Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Django Reinhardt Festival in France, Ellnora Guitar Festival, Caramoor Jazz Festival & many others. Born in Paris and raised in Fontainebleau, the home of Impressionism & Django Reinhardt, Stephane 1st studied classical piano, at the age of 4. But in his mid-teens, he discovered that he had an affinity for guitar and then he found out about Django and fell in love w/the very strong impressionist feel in his music. Django, long regarded as one of the most influential musicians/composers of all time, was a Sinti, so Wrembel immersed himself in Sinti culture and started learning the atmosphere of what it really means to play Sinti-style guitar. He learned from the masters such as Angelo Debarre & Serge Krief. After graduating summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2002, he released his debut album, Introducing Stephane Wrembel. He moved to NYC in 2003. Before long, word of this remarkable European transplant began spreading among fellow musicians in the robust New York music scene. Both Gypsy Rumble (2005), which includes mandolin legend David Grisman, and 2006’s Barbes-Brooklyn found favor with critics. Oscar-winning director Woody Allen used one of Gypsy Rumble’s tracks, “Big Brother,” in his 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Hiss fourth album, Terre Des Hommes, was released the same year. In 2003, Wrembel created his own annual event, Django á Gogo Music Festival & Guitar Camp, bringing together some of the finest musicians in the world to celebrate the Sinti guitar style to perform in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall & The Town Hall. This weeklong event held in his hometown of Maplewood, N.J. & NYC is now being produced in Los Angeles, Canada & beyond. Wrembel’s breakthrough came with his original composition “Bistro Fada,” a Django-influenced swinging waltz on his 5th album Origins that became the theme song for Woody Allen’s 2011 Oscar®-winning film, Midnight In Paris. It was included on the Grammy®-winning soundtrack for the film. Wrembel performed the irresistibly catchy “Bistro Fada” live during the 2012 Academy Awards® ceremony with an all-star ensemble led by Hans Zimmer. In 2016, Wrembel released two masterfully recorded live albums: Live In India and Live In Rochester. From 2017-2021, Stephane released The Django Experiment I -The Django Experiment VI under the nom du plume The Django Experiment. These 6 volumes were recorded with long-time collaborators Thor Jensen on guitar, Ari Folman-Cohen on double bass, Nick Anderson on drums& Nick Driscoll on saxophone and clarinet, live in the studio, evoking new interpretations of Reinhardt’s music as well as songs by other jazz composers. In 2019, Wrembel produced Les Yeux Noirs, the debut CD by Simba Baumgartner, Django’s great-grandson. Baumgartner, who lives in the countryside in France, was one of the special guests at Django á Gogo 2019 & 2023. That same year, he released Django L’Impressionniste putting the spotlight on 17 little-known preludes for solo guitar Reinhardt recorded between 1937 and 1950. Wrembel is the first interpreter who has performed all of these pieces and collected them in one definitive masterwork. It took 4 years to meticulously transcribe the songs. He released a beautifully printed/bound book of sheet music in April of 2021. In November of 2021, he debuted his specialty group Django New Orleans, a 9-piece NYC-based band, with 8 sold-out shows at Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club. The following year his specialty program Shades of Django sold out two nights in The Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Now, in 2024, he is doing another something he has never done, recording a triptych album with a duet of guitar & piano with Jean-Michel Pilc. Following the success of these shows, Wrembel released Django New Orleans in May of 2023 in conjunction with the Django á Gogo festival. And while he is now considered one of the preeminent master guitarists in the world specialized in the Django Reinhardt style, this wonderful human keeps transcending & expanding. His music incorporates jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock. All of these influences come together as a genre identifiable only as Stephane Wrembel.

I had the pleasure of catching up with family to the proGram, Stephane Wrembel ahead of his May 21st event at the Bur Oak here in Madison, presented by the Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest. We get into the event here with the quartet and what types of things to expect. We will be in store from something off the new and amazing triptych album with Jean-Michel Pilc. We get deep into that new trilogy with meaning and how the two artist have taken that new energy and become close friends, not only for their musical creation. I would be remiss if we didn’t take a moment or two to let Stephane brag and boast a little it about the 2024 Django-A-Gogo and my my my, there’s a lot to be proud about once again. I am proud to call Stephane a friend as when we talk, and you’ll hear it aGain, there’s a rhythm and ebb & flow to us as well, and you’ll feel that personal connection I bet when you plug into the records and most definitely when you catch him in any of his projects live.

Photo by Jason Goodman

The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis

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The Messthetics is an instrumental trio formed by former Fugazi members bassist Joe Lally & drummer Brendan Canty with progressive jazz rock guitarist Anthony Pirog. Their music has been described as “jazz punk jam. The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis is a collaborative studio album by American jazz fusion group the Messthetics & saxophonist James Brandon Lewis. How do we get to this moment: Joe Lally was onstage, playing at full throttle, when he realized that his band had found a true kindred spirit. It was the fall of 2021 and the Messthetics were at the Bell House in Brooklyn, just getting into their uptempo riff jam, “Serpent Tongue.” Joining them for the piece was a special guest, acclaimed jazz saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, making only his 2nd appearance with the group after a drop-in at another New York show back in 2019. That first meeting had been a success, but this time, Lewis’ presence definitely sparked something new. The feeling that there was more to explore within what began as an ad hoc union among the 4 musicians, lingered after the performance ended. Now, Lewis, Pirog, Lally & Canty are ready to unveil their first full-length album as a quartet. Recorded in just 2 days in December 2022 at Takoma Park, Maryland, studio Tonal Park, with engineer Don Godwin, The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis features 9 tracks that capture the combustive chemistry Lally originally sensed onstage while expanding the collaboration in all directions. Across the album, which dropped on March 15th via the legendary Impulse! label, the quartet can be heard locking into a hard, swaggering funk groove on “That Thang,” cradling a wistful, jazz-like theme on “Asthenia” or rocketing into ecstatic art-punk overdrive on “Emergence.” There is plenty of expected evidence of spontaneity running throughout this record. Once the quartet established a rapport onstage, the Messthetics followed up with an invitation to team up for an album, which Lewis quickly accepted. The Messthetics spent a few months in the fall of 2022 assembling & arranging material as a trio before meeting w/Lewis for just 1 day of rehearsal prior to the recording in December. Even with minimal prep time, the material evolved considerably.

I had an opportunity to get hang out with Joe, Brendan, Anthony and Mr. James Brandon Lewis ahead of The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis May 12th show here in Madison at the High Noon Saloon. On the heels of their new album released on Impulse!, we talk about the event and give people an idea of what’s instore and how the new record is what they will build off of as the conversations in real time begin. Anthony and James give the scoop on how they played together which led to an opportunity for a live a cameo or two, which, in turn led what is on the new record and what we will be involved in as they add to that foundation at the High Noon (or wherever you may be fortunate to catch them). A supportive environment, allow the former rhythm section of Fugazi to control the course of the ship, while Anthony’s guitar and JBL’s sax navigate the corners and exploring a dueling dialogue. For me this sound is something I want to surround myself with, sometimes alone or with a group but it has a quality of heavy and groove that can spin at a moment, just like the feeling in life. The guys shared what tracks they’d =choose to build a setlist with and some other artists and tunes, it was as eclectic as what they do. Go figure.

Photo by Shervin Lainez

Left Lane Cruiser Driving This Way

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Specializing in a raw hillbilly punk-blues style that roars like a tweaking modal chain saw, Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Left Lane Cruiser is a band led by slide guitarist Frederick “Joe” Evans IV. and Brenn “Sausage Paw” Beck on drums/washboard/trash kit. Their music has the swampy feel of North Mississippi hill country blues à la Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, with a good dose of snarling garage punk tossed into the mix. While the band would sometimes expand into a trio, they record the bulk of their work as a two-piece, and the tough, funky roar of their music arrives fully formed on their 2006 self-released debut album, “Gettin’ Down on It”, on the group’s own Hillgrass Bluebilly Records, and the following year they signed to Alive Naturalsound Records, which is their current home. The new studio album by Indiana’s favorite blues duo, “Bayport BBQ Blues” blends Freddy’s commanding, gritty vocal rasp and positively nasty hoodoo slide guitar work with Sausage Paw’s rhythmic stomp to make for a heady firestarter for your house party, backyard barbecue or juke joint get-down. The album is dedicated to the memory of the late Chris Jonson, creator of the Deep Blues Festival.

I had the chance to catch up with Freddy J IV of Left Lane Cruiser ahead of their May 15th event in Madison at the High Noon Saloon. We talk about the event and being on tour supporting John Garcia and Telekinetic Yeti specifically citing bands like Kyuss as shaping their musical ear. What an event Madison! We dive ear first into the soon to be released record “Bayport BBQ Blues” (late Spring 2024) and we both share our stories that the new track “Turkey Vulture’ inspired and have in common. For those heading to any of their shows and dig their sound, they also do covers of tunes that work for their sound, so you may also hear something familiar differently. Let me tell you, if I was having a backyard BBQ kinda party, these two would be high on my list of being on the bill – they sure do bring a rockin’ raw fun that I feel inside from memories of times long aGo.

Stretch Music and Chief Adjuah

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Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), is a 2-time Edison Award winning & 5-time Grammy Award nominated musician, composer & producer. He is the nephew of jazz innovator & legendary sax man, Donald Harrison, Jr. His musical tutelage began under the direction of his uncle at the age of 13. After graduating from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) in 2001, he received a full tuition scholarship to Berklee College of Music where he earned a degree in Professional Music and Film Scoring 30 months later. Since 2002, Chief has released 12 critically acclaimed studio recordings, 3 live albums and one greatest hits collection. An artist known for developing the harmonic convention known as the “forecasting cell” and for his use of an un-voiced tone in his playing, emphasizing breath over vibration at the mouthpiece. The technique is known as his “whisper technique.” Adjuah is also the progenitor of “Stretch Music,” a jazz rooted, genre blind musical form that attempts to “stretch” jazz’s rhythmic, melodic & harmonic conventions to encompass multiple musical forms, languages & cultures. The 2015 release of the recording Stretch Music marked the partnership between Adjuah’s Stretch Music record label and Ropeadope Records. Stretch Music is also the first recording to have an accompanying app, for which Adjuah won the prestigious JazzFM Innovator of the year Award in 2016. The Stretch Music App is an interactive music player that allows musicians the ability to completely control the practicing, listening & learning experience by customizing the player to fit their specific needs and goals. In 2017, Adjuah released 3 albums, collectively titled The Centennial Trilogy, that debuted at number one on iTunes. The albums’ launch commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first Jazz recordings of 1917. The series is, at its core, a sobering re-evaluation of the social political realities of the world through sound. It speaks to a litany of issues that continue to plague the collective human experience, such as slavery in America via the Prison Industrial Complex, food insecurity, xenophobia, immigration, climate change, racial and sexual orientation and gender inequality, fascism and the return of the demagogue. The trilogy includes Ruler Rebel, Diaspora and Emancipation Procrastination. Each recording vividly depicts Adjuah’s new vision and sound via a new production methodology that stretches trap music with West African and New Orleanian Black Indian masking tradition musical styles. Ruler Rebel’s release coincided with the first annual Stretch Music Festival at Harlem Stage in New York. The Stretch Music Festival, created/curated by Chief Adjuah for 3 consecutive years, explores the boundaries of Stretch, Jazz, Trap, & Alternative Rock with some of music’s most poised & fiery rising stars. Since 2006, Chief has worked with a number of notable artists, including Prince, Thom Yorke, McCoy Tyner, Marcus Miller, Eddie Palmieri, rappers Mos Def (Yasin Bey), Talib Kweli, & Vic Mensa, as well as heralded poet & musician Saul Williams. This amazing being is a scion of New Orleans’ 1st family of art & culture, the Harrisons, and the grandson of legendary Big Chief, Donald Harrison Sr., who led four nations in the City’s masking tradition. The HBO series, Treme, borrowed the storyline and the name “Guardians of the Flame” from the group Adjuah began “masking” as a member of with his grandfather in 1989. In 2018, Tulane University’s acclaimed Amistad Research Center announced its archive of the Donald Harrison, Sr. legacy papers to highlight the Harrison/Scott/Nelson family’s contributions to the arts, activism, and African diaspora cultural expressions. The Harrison family’s story has been documented by Oscar winning director, the late Jonathan Demme, in his post-Hurricane Katrina filmic works. Dedicated to a number of causes that positively impact communities, Chief Adjuah gives his time & talents in service to several organizations which garnered him a place in Ebony Magazine’s 30 Young Leaders Under 30. Holding master classes, creating and participating in discussion panels, creating content, and purchasing instruments for youth music programs and individual youth musicians are all part of hiss community-based work. He has worked with Guardians Institute in New Orleans’ 9th Ward, which is dedicated to reading & fiscal literacy, cultural retention and a firm commitment to the participation of community elders & artists in uplifting and supporting youths in underserved areas of New Orleans.

Earlier in the year, I had the honor of getting to keep it real with Chief Adjuah ahead of the May 2nd event in Shannon Hall at the Wisconsin Union Theater. We get into what people in attendance can sorta/kinda plan for, as no one in the moments quite knows. We dive deep into the latest record on Ropeadope, ‘Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning’, his journey into Chiefdom and some of the practices and responsibilities it brings, and of course, we get heavy into Stretch Music and the idea of genre blindness (something I hope greenarrowradio brinGs with it). During this, we get talk frank about the way people do the things they can do or cannot do, and how opportunity needs to be able to be in front of all. With that also comes the the who do you get in your camp to help support your ideas (like Chief Adjuah’s Harp) and allow you those opportunities to grow as an artist and take the music where it takes you – Ropeadope Records has been that place of support and growth so we talk a bit about how that relationship went down and where it can go. We even found some time for him to build a mighty setlist. I try not to play favorites, but Chief Adjuah has been one of those artists that speaks to me – and now he has.

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What’s Up With Jorma

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In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, & rock. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy recipient, Jorma was at the forefront of popular rock & roll, one of the founders of the San Francisco sound and a progenitor of Psychedelic Rock. He is a founding member of two legendary bands, Jefferson Airplane & the still-touring Hot Tuna. Jorma Kaukonen is a music legend and one of the finest singer-songwriters in his field. He continues to tour the world bringing his unique styling to old blues tunes while presenting new songs of weight & dimension. His secret is in playing spontaneous & unfiltered music, with an individual expression of personality. In 2016, Jorma, Jack Casady and the other members of Jefferson Airplane were awarded The GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award for their contributions to American music. In 2019 St. Martin’s Press published Jorma‘s autobiography, Been So Long: My Life and Music, written to express his life both in and out of the music world. He was a devotee of rock & roll in the Buddy Holly era but soon developed a love for the blues & bluegrass that were profuse in the clubs/concerts in the nation’s capital. It inspired him to take up guitar and play that kind of music himself. Soon he met Jack Casady, the younger brother of a friend and a wonderful guitar player in his own right. Though they could not have known it, they were beginning a musical partnership that has continued for more than 50 years. Jorma graduated from high school and headed off for Antioch College in Ohio, where he met Ian Buchanan, who introduced him to the elaborate fingerstyle fretwork of the Rev. Gary Davis. A work-study program in New York introduced Jorma, the increasingly skilled guitarist, to that city’s burgeoning folk-blues bluegrass scene and many of its players. After a break from college and travel overseas, Jorma moved to California, where he returned to classes at Santa Clara University and earned money by teaching guitar. It was at this time, in 1965, that he met Paul Kantner and was invited to join a new not-yet-named rock band Kantner was forming with Marty Balin. As a self-described blues purist, Kaukonen was initially reluctant, but found his imagination excited by the arsenal of effects available to electric guitar, later remarking that he was “sucked in by technology.” With the group still looking for a name, Kaukonen suggested Jefferson Airplane, inspired by an eccentric friend who had given his dog the name “Blind Lemon Jefferson Airplane.” Jorma invited his old musical partner Jack Casady to come out to San Francisco and play electric bass for the new band, and together they created much of Jefferson Airplane’s signature sound. A pioneer of counterculture-era psychedelic rock, the group was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve international mainstream success. Their 1967 record ‘Surrealistic Pillow’ is regarded as one of the key recordings of the “Summer of Love.” Jorma & Jack would jam whenever they could and would sometimes perform sets within sets at Airplane concerts. The two would often play clubs following Airplane performances. Making a name for themselves as a duo, they struck a record deal, and Hot Tuna was born. Jorma left Jefferson Airplane after the band’s most productive 5 years, pursuing his full-time job with Hot Tuna. Over the past five decades Hot Tuna has performed thousands of concerts and released more than 2-dozen records. The musicians who have performed with them are many and widely varied, as are their styles, from acoustic to long & loud electric jams, but never straying far from their musical roots. What is remarkable is that they have never coasted. Hot Tuna today sounds better than ever. Jorma’s originals from his poignant instrumentals, “Embryonic Journey” (Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow) & “The Water Song” (Hot Tuna – Burgers), to his insightful lyrics, “Genesis” (Jorma Kaukonen – Quah), have stood the test of time. Having an undeniable feeling of significance, they have been included in films and covered by many artists who have been inspired by his depth and continuity of spirit. In addition to his work with Hot Tuna, Jorma has recorded more than a dozen solo albums on major labels. But performance and recording are only part of the story. As the leading practitioner and teacher of fingerstyle guitar, Jorma and his wife Vanessa Lillian operate one of the world’s most unique centers for the study of guitar and other instruments and a high quality place to play. Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch is located on 125 acres of fields, woods, hills, & streams in the Appalachian foothills of Southeastern Ohio. It has become an important stop on the touring circuit for artists who do not normally play intimate 200-seat venues, bringing such artists as David Bromberg, Roger McGuinn, Arlo Guthrie, Dave Alvin, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Warren Haynes, Lee Roy Parnell, Chris Hillman and more. Students, instructors, and visiting artists alike welcome the peace and tranquility — as well as the great music and great instruction — that Fur Peace Ranch offers. At Fur Peace Ranch the Kaukonens have created the Psylodelic Gallery, a museum in a silo, celebrating the music, art, culture, and literature of the 1960’s, tracing important events and movements of the psychedelic era. They produce concerts at the Fur Peace Station which are streamed internationally on YouTube as well as broadcast on WOUB 91.3FM. The Kaukonens there support their local community through art
festivals and a restaurant on site.

I had the pleasure to play a little catch up with family to the program, Jorma Kaukonon ahead of the May 8th event at the Stoughton Opera House with special guest, John Hurlbut. We get into what the scene will be like for this show as well as the soon to be released new album from John & Jorma (out on Record Store Day) called ‘One More Lifetime’. We also take time to discuss the 2023 release of Live at the Bottom Line, which I (looking right at the correct name – call The Bitter End), and how he thought the guys sounded on a night a long time ag and we even touch a bit on the recent 3 CD box set of live Hot Tuna music – which really is my fav. I check in with him to see if he goes back ever like a coach to see if there’s more/less to be done with a tune – he gives a not so surprising answer with a great Jefferson Airplane example and we of course, had to find out what is going down at the Fur Peace Ranch. Friends.

Sly5thAve’s Liberation Feels Right

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Sly5thAve‘s musical inspirations span the worlds of jazz & hip hop, with recognizable icons like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker & Cannonball Adderley influencing his artistic journey. He released several acclaimed projects, including “Akuma” and the “Vein Melter” EP, inspired by Herbie Hancock’s ‘Head Hunters’. He signed to Tru Thoughts, releasing his “Composite” EP, which featured orchestral covers of tracks by Rihanna, Drake, & Frank Ocean, performed with the Clubcasa Chamber Orchestra. Following the release of his orchestral tribute t Dr. Dre, ‘The Invisible Man’, (through this recording Sly5thAve felt he had found a way to help/make people connect with orchestral music) Sly5thAve returned in 2020 with ‘What It Is’, showcasing his abilities as a talented producer & collaborative musician, the LP featured the likes of Denitia, Marlon Craft, Melissa McMillan & Grammy-nominated Thalma de Freitas as well as that celebrated Sly5thAve’s multifaceted musical nature. 2022 saw him working with fellow composer/pianist Roberto Verástegui on ‘Agua de Jamaica’ and with New York MC/lyricist JSWISS on ‘Somebody’s Gotta Do It’. He has attained much respect from his work with a host of highly acclaimed and household favorite musicians including Prince (as a member of the New Power Generation Band), Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Taylor Swift, Janelle Monae, Freddie Gibbs & one of my personal favorites, Quantic. Sly has toured and recorded as a member of Ghost Note, Quantic and with his own side project, IGBO, and he recently supported Alfa Mist on his North American tour. Here we are now in the beGinning 0f 2024, and there’s something special that feels just right. ‘Liberation’ is his 3rd solo LP. Layered with orchestral arrangements, jazz improvisation and Hip-Hop production, ‘Liberation’ is an accomplished record of courage, musical conviction & growth. Trusting his inner voice & personal taste, Sly found himself liberated from fear by the ease with which the original orchestrations of ‘Liberation’ manifested themselves: The LP is his 1st full album of original orchestral arrangements and features the musicianship of Sly5thAve’s collaborators and Ghost-Note bandmates, headed by Snarky Puppy’s multi-Grammy–winning percussion duo Robert “Sput” Searight & Nate Werth, alongside previous collaborator Roberto Verástegui. Sly5thAve’s passion for collaboration is expressed on singles from ‘Liberation’, as he revitalizes the beloved Destiny’s Child classic “No, No, No Pt. 2” with help from Jonathan Mones; through the MonoNeon bassline of “Monoxide” featuring MacKenzie on vocals and guitar from Peter Knudsen; and on closing track “Big Brother feat. Daniel Wytanis”, a track that features/pays tribute to both “Sput” & Nate, alongside Ghost-Note member/mixing engineer Ben Burget.

I finally got a moment to catch up with Sly5thAve – this was the right time. As ‘Liberation’ is an album that combines many sounds that I enjoy finding in an ear blend. We get into the seed to flower of the record and dissect the title track a little bit. We also talk about how he landed in the world of Try Thoughts Records and what it is about that relationship that feels like home. Since Sly is known for his ability to work on and with others, we get into who he’d like to see himself work with in the future, but you can tell how much he appreciates those experiences of the past. Ghost-Note has a new album dropping soon, so we talk about his pieces/parts with that scene and he builds out an amazing setlist that he’d share if invited to host the proGram. This here, right now!

In A Moment with Zakir Hussain

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The pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Zakir Hussain is appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon and one of the world’s most esteemed & influential musicians. The foremost disciple of his father, the legendary Ustad Allarakha, Zakir was a child prodigy who began his professional career at the age of 12, accompanying India’s greatest classical musicians & dancers. He was touring internationally with great success by the age of 18. His brilliant accompaniment, solo performance and genre-defying collaborations, including his pioneering work to develop a dialogue between North & South Indian musicians, have elevated the status of his instrument both in India and globally, bringing the tabla into a new dimension of renown and appreciation. Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir’s contribution has been unique, with many historic and groundbreaking collaborations, including Shakti, Remember Shakti, Masters of Percussion, Planet Drum & Global Drum Project with Mickey Hart, Tabla Beat Science, Sangam w/Charles Lloyd & Eric Harland, CrossCurrents with Dave Holland & Chris Potter, in trio with Béla Fleck & Edgar Meyer, and, most recently, with Herbie Hancock. As a composer, he has scored music for numerous feature films, major events & productions. He has composed 3 concertos, and his third, the first-ever concerto for tabla & orchestra, was premiered in India in September, 2015, by the Symphony Orchestra of India, premiered in Europe and the UK in 2016, and in the USA in April, 2017, by the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center. A now several time over Grammy award winner, Zakir is the recipient of countless awards and honors, including Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the USA’s National Heritage Fellowship and Officier in France’s Order of Arts and Letters. Voted “Best Percussionist” by both the Downbeat Critics’ Poll & Modern Drummer’s Reader’s Poll over several years. Zakir has received several honorary doctorates and, in 2019, became a Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow, a rare lifetime distinction afforded to only 40 artists at a time by India’s reigning cultural institution. He is the 2022 Kyoto Prize laureate in Arts & Philosophy, awarded by the Inamori Foundation to “those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural and spiritual betterment of mankind.” Zakir became the 1st musician from India to receive 3 Grammys at one time at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards on February 4, 2024, for Best Global Music Album, Best Global Music Performance & Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. As an educator, he conducts many workshops & lectures each year, has been in residence at Princeton University & Stanford University, and, in 2015, was appointed Regents Lecturer at UCBerkeley. His yearly workshop in the San Francisco Bay Area, conducted for the past 30 years, has become a widely anticipated event for performers and serious students of tabla. He is the founder and president of Moment Records, an independent record label presenting rare live concert recordings of Indian classical music & world music. Zakir was resident artistic director at SFJazz from 2013 until 2016, and was honored with SF Jazz’s Lifetime Achievement Award on January 18, 2017, in recognition of his “unparalleled contribution to the world of music”. There’s more but let’s keep it simple.

I had the honor of spending a little time talking with Master Zakir Hussain ahead of the TISRA event on March 16th at the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Shannon Hall. Zakir and I spent time discussing a few unique features of this event, including having a female artist, Debopriya Chatterjee on bansuri. Along with Sabir Khan on sarangi, we get into what the instruments represent and the types of sounds to be delivered through this trio. Zakir shared the story of his father whispering rhythms (prayers) into his ears at just days old as part of a tradition that certainly must have done some priming & shaping. We get deep into the story telling of both his foundational Indian classical traditional ways and the spirit of open collaboration with artists as varied as the world is wide. We get into the transmissions he got into with several fellow percussion/rhythm masters like Mickey Hart, Babatunde Olatunji, Airto Moreira and friend of the proGram, Sikiru Adepoju (I give Zakir a chance to talk praise of Sikiru as we did when I spoke to him about Zakir). Along the way – the importance of the relationship – the acceptance of instrument and player is walked through, and we touch on when/how that happened, with so much praise to his legendary father, Alla Rakha as his journey from a small handed on the outside looking boy into the wide minded, rhythm follower that this year alone, took home 3 Grammys. Reflections of this incredible accomplishment brought out his praise for his mentors/collaborators like John McLaughlin (Shakti) & Béla Fleck? Believe it our not, the music his father would bring home from the States played a huge role in this open to all sounds exploration, and one example consists of a dual cassette boombox and a cassette of the Doors. This is a full and rich conversation, I suspect he show will be as incredible as a journey as we find when just hearing Master Hussain share some tales. Enjoy it all.

Worlds In A Life with Thollem

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Worlds In A Life is a new project that evolved organically out of Thollem’s most recent album with Nels Cline and Terry Riley (Other Minds Records). Utilizing samples from the six Thollem/Cline Trio albums as the primary sound sources, (including double bass, piano, organ, electric guitar, drums, MIDI accordion, and voice), Thollem has basically created a solo sextet with Nels Cline, Terry Riley, William Parker, Pauline Oliveros, & Michael Wimberly. This is a real-time performance combining electro-acoustic sensibilities with unique keyboard technique & omni-idiomatic improvisation. Creating new sounds from these live re-mixes the results resemble something familiar and at the same time unlike anything else. What if? and Why not? are the two leading questions generating ear-dropping surprises at each twist & turn. The title of the albums and the performance comes from the track titles of the first album with William Parker: “there are as many worlds in a life as there are lives in the world.” This music is a celebration of the limitless palette of sounds and the infinite within each of us, the seen and unseen. ACVilla will be joining Thollem in performances throughout Europe & N. America in 2024 as a multimedia improvising duo. Together they have created a show in eight movements, much like storytellers, keeping the general structure, but with enough freedom to perform it VERY uniquely each time. ACVilla will be mixing new visual material created for this performance, along the lines of this: vimeo.com/thollemacvilla/wialone. Worlds In A life is a meditation on the intrinsic value of every individual in respect to the infinitely complex inner workings and all the possibilities within each being.

It is always the riGht time to discuss new things with family to the proGram, Thollem. Somehow, this time, with our deep dive into this new Worlds In A Life project, I found myself really feeling the process along with the discussion. I started to feel the happiness I could hear in his voice, and I definitely wanted to get some of that. I went back and re-listened to Worlds In A Life, One and there I was, in the happiness. Taking what was and making a new what is, in real time prompts more questions than answers and for me, that often feels the point. Then getting an idea of how our friend, ACVilla will work her new material into something they can…they are taking on the road is the icing on this cake. This feels like another experience out there not to be missed, I hope the inspiration these folks bring me, feels an open and obvious to you, but even better, it may not and that is a perfect door in.

Talisk Brings The Energy To Stoughton Opera House

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One of the most talked-about folk bands of the 21st century, Talisk have been tearing apart stereotypes and redefining the genre for almost a decade. With over fifteen million streams and ten thousand albums sold worldwide, and sell out shows across five continents – from Paris to New York, London to Tokyo, Glasgow to Vancouver – alongside headline appearances at major festivals across the world, the Scottish trio have amassed a global, die-hard following. I am one of them. Never afraid to push musical boundaries, or test the live production capabilities of just three people, which I am sure is part of the reason why. Wielding instruments that have rarely seen the likes of their music, Mohsen Amini (concertina), Benedict Morris (violin) and Charlie Galloway (guitar) have stacked up major awards for their explosively energetic sound – including five between BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio Scotland, and two highly coveted BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards. At New Year 2022 they played BBC One’s Hogmanay show to a television audience in excess of one million, and – as the only folk act alongside pop headliners – quickly amassed a vast, mainstream audience that continues to propel the group to some of their largest live shows to date. Headlining Glasgow’s iconic Barrowland Ballroom in 2024 – during Europe’s largest winter festival, the legendary Celtic Connections…Talisk’s upward motion remains a positive force to be shared.

I had the pleasure of hanging out a bit with Mohsen Amini ahead of Talisk making their way to the Stoughton Opera House on February 17th. We get deep into the live scene that seems to really be the wheelhouse for this power trio. The energy shared and transferred is magical and brinGs people together with such ease. We also make it a point to talk about a new track, ‘Maverick’ and how they tried to bring that live setting feeling into this track, such an hefty goal, but after hearing and airing, perhaps they have gotten close. We talk about how Talisk and it variety of members over the years have come to make music and how this trio, were born to play as one. Mohsen as a great story wen asked if anyone as ever run away form him when he busts out his concertina. Don’t thumb-wrestle this guy!! You can tell wen chatting with Mohsen just why people may be attracted to this guy, this band – real feeling-based people making music that is meant to unite.