Category Archives: All Interviews

ARCHIVED list of my interviews/conversations with people/artists.

Heavenly Cream With Malcolm Bruce

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Composer, singer-songwriter & multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Bruce has toured, performed, recorded and appeared on records with some of the biggest names in music including Little Richard, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Dr John, Steve Cropper, Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa, Bill Ward & Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath), Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Jeff Beck), Leslie West & Corky Laing (Mountain), Tony Butler & Mark Brzezicki (Big Country) and his father, the late Jack Bruce of Cream. Malcolm curated a tribute to his father in October 2016 alongside Pete Brown (Cream lyricist) at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and performed with legends such as Lulu, Eddi Reader, Maggie Reilly, Paul Young, Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Dennis Chambers (Santana, Parliament / Funkadelic), Gary Husband (Level 42, John McLaughlin), David Sancious (Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Stanley Clarke) & Ginger Baker (Cream). He released his album ‘Salvation’ in 2017, a collection of 10 songs recorded at Kevin McKendree’s (Delbert McClinton, Brian Setzer) The Rock House Studio in Franklin TN and mixed by Steve Orchard (Paul McCartney, Chris Cornell) and toured the UK and USA in support. Between 2017 and 2019 Malcolm played around 100 shows in the UK, US, Australia & New Zealand with ‘The Music of Cream’, a tribute to his father’s band, featuring special guests Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) & Robben Ford (Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell). Malcolm was also the bass player for the late Pete Brown’s final record ‘THE SHADOW CLUB’ featuring Richard Bailey (Bob Marley, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Incognito) on drums, Clem Clempson & Eric Clapton on guitars, slated for release in 2024. He’s currently working on a new album, ‘FAKE HUMANS AND REAL DOLLS’, to be released in 2024. In 2018/2019 Malcolm was co-executive producer, arranger & performer for ‘HEAVENLY CREAM’, a project headed by Cream lyricist Pete Brown and recorded at Abbey Road Studios, which featured performances by Ginger Baker, Joe Bonamassa, Bobby Rush, Paul Rodgers, Deborah Bonham, Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), Pee-Wee Ellis (James Brown), Abass Dodoo and many more. Produced by Rob Cass. The album along with a documentary, ‘THE CREAM ACOUSTIC SESSIONS’ will be released by Quarto Valley Records in November 2023.

I had the chance to catch up with Malcolm recently to get the low down on the project ‘Heavenly Cream: An Acoustic Tribute to Cream‘. We discuss how the project took shape, including the roster of incredible participants (including some of the final recordings of a few leGends). It was not difficult to get people to want to be a part of this record, not a big surprise but when you consider the raw, almost naked at times versions (compared to what our ears are accustomed to), it does make me feel like I/we are able to be there as these songs get (re)discovered. Malcolm clearly has the chops as his own performer, which I would recommend getting out and seeing as much as he is a part of as well, but as many of you, the music of Cream will always summons special times as a person, both as a musical explorer but also as a human doing. The music comes with feelings. So, we do discuss some of that from Malcom’s feelings point of view. I apologies for the poppin’ P’s etc. Must have been the long-distance connection.

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Tatsuya Nakatani Gong Orchestra

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Tatsuya Nakatani is an avant-garde percussionist, composer, and artist of sound. Active internationally since the 1990s, Nakatani has released over eighty recordings and tours extensively, performing over 150 concerts a year. His primary focus is his solo work and his large ensemble project, the Nakatani Gong Orchestra. He teaches master classes and lectures at universities and music conservatories around the world. Originally from Japan, he makes his home in the desert town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. With his activity in new music, improvisation, and experimental music, Nakatani has a long history of collaboration. Nakatani’s distinctive music centered around his adapted bowed gong, supported by an array of drums, cymbals, and singing bowls. In consort with his personally hand-carved Kobo Bows, he has spent decades refining and developing his sound as an arrangement of formations of vibrations, incorporated in shimmering layers of silence and texture. Within this contemporary work, one can still recognize the dramatic pacing, formal elegance and space (ma) felt in traditional Japanese music.

I had the honor of catching up with Tatsuya shortly before his November 1st event at the Garver Feed Mill here in Madison with his Nakatani Gong Orchestra (N.G.O.). The N.G.O. is a touring large ensemble sound art project that functions as an extension of his solo work. He composes and conducts (and plays with) an ever changing orchestra cohort formed by musicians from the local community where the performance takes place. We had to dive into how this project works from community to community, finding out how amazed even he is when concluding his time with those in that current space. I am thrilled and filled with the feeling of falling into the (ma), so we get to discuss a little more on this concept and talk about his bowing and his bows. Based on the unique coolness of what Tatsuya presents, teaches, learns from – I tried to figure out how he goes about his art when being a collaborator with other projects, as a duo. I mean, who is calling the gong guy for a jam session? November 1st here in Madison (because we are lucky) and I hope he makes his way to you sometime. We joke about his vehicle and his “Food Network’ type Instagram updates form the road.

Ed Durocher Of Apollo Suns

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Founded by Ed Durocher, Apollo Suns is a 9-piece instrumental collective from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The band fuses the influence of jazz, rock & psychedelic music, to create their own unique sounds with a full dancefloor in mind. They have self-released three EPs: ‘Each Day a Different Sun’ (2017), ‘Dawn Offerings’ (2019), ‘A Relationship of Force’ (Color Red, 2021), and were awarded “Instrumental Artist of the Year” at Western Canadian Music Awards in both 2018/2020. In 2022, Apollo Suns returned to the studio with Juno award-winning producer Ben Kaplan (Five Alarm Funk, Mother Mother, The Rare Americans) to record their latest album, ‘Departures’. The band is signed to the Canadian label Do Right Music, home to such soul-filled groovy artists: The Souljazz Orchestra, Soul Motivators, & Luvmenauts. Developed over many tours trying out different arrangements & grooves, their new single ‘Pluto’ became a fan favourite at live shows due to those heavy-ass horns, dynamic groove, & catchy melody. This band is definitely best known for their high-octane live shows, they have captivated audiences at Winnipeg Jazz Festival, Big Fun Festival, Vermont Jazz Fest, & Calgary Stampede. Some of their most notable shows include support slots for The Comet is Coming, Makaya McCraven, Anomalie, The Brooks, and Five Alarm Funk. The core group includes Ed Durocher (Guitar), Tim Iskierski (Drums), Erika Einarson (Percussion), Bryn Herperger (Bass), Garrett Malenko (Trumpet), Benjamin James Hill (Trombone), Aaron Bartel (Bari Sax) and Anatol Rennie (Keyboards/Synths).

I had the chance to catch-up with Ed from the van out on the road, as Apollo Suns will be making their way to Madison on November 5th to funk up The North Street Cabaret. We get into just what the scene will be like when this nine piece gives an evening’s worth of good times out into the Madison. There’s a new album, their first fill lenGth and it does not disappoint. Ed and I get into the roots and fruits of that labor – dissecting the process, the building of tunes and the evolution that will be on display in a primed up condition by the time they get into town. They have a brand new opportunity to grow within the roster of Do Right Music!, and it does seem like this band is ready to explode. At the end of the chat, Ed (and I) create a little setlist, and that too would have you up and having FUN!!!

One Drop Of Kindness With Yungchen Lhamo

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Yungchen Lhamo was born & raised in Lhasa, Tibet. Her name, which translates as ‘Goddess of Melody,’ was given to her by a lama at birth. In 1989 she made the month-long, 1,200-mile journey across the Himalayan Mountains to Dharamsala, India, to pursue her dreams. Later, she moved to Australia, where she began to sing prayers of meditation that inspired her to record her first album, ‘Tibetan Prayer’, which won the Australian Recording Industry Award (ARIA) for Best World Music Album in 1995. Yungchen was then signed by Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records label on which she released three more albums: ‘Tibet, Tibet’ (1996), ‘Coming Home’ (1998), & ‘Ama’ (meaning ‘Mother’), featuring Annie Lennox on ‘Fade Away’ & Joy Askew on ‘Tara’ (2006). In 2013 Cantaloupe Music released her fifth album, ‘Tayatha’ (meaning ‘It Is Like This’), a meditational collaboration with Russian classical pianist Anton Batagov. In March of 2022, she released a long-awaited sixth album, ‘Awakening’, through Six Degrees Records. With this album, Yungchen, who now lives in Upstate New York, explores the relevance of compassion-based spirituality to our modern-day, interdependent lives – each song reflecting topics that have become ever-more highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic. These offerings aim to appeal to those of any religion, or of none, who are interested in sound healing & spiritual awakening. It is also the 1st album to include a song in Mandarin. And now in 2023, she has just released “One Drop of Kindness” into the world. This amazing being has performed, acapella or accompanied, in numerous countries on all 5 continents, including at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, New York; Royal Festival Hall & Royal Albert Hall, London; National Concert Hall, Dublin; The Louvre, Paris; Philharmonic Hall, Berlin; International Performing Arts Centre, Moscow; The Vatican, Rome; & the Sydney Opera House. Others include the 1997 Lilith Fair festival, many WOMAD festivals, rock concerts, & benefit concerts. She has also contributed soundtracks to many films, including the 1997 film ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ starring Brad Pitt, and documentaries ‘Mission: Joy’ and ‘Better Living Through Chemistry’. She has performed or shared a stage with numerous well-known artists, including Philip Glass, Michael Stipe, Billy Corgan, Beastie Boys, Peter Gabriel, Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Bill T Jones, Laurie Anderson, Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Lou Reed, Peter Rowan, U2, Paul Brady, & Sinead O’Connor. In 2004, Yungchen established the One Drop of Kindness Foundation, formally known as the Yungchen Lhamo Charitable Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the welfare of human beings in need, regardless of borders, through direct action. A complete being she is!.

I had the complete pleasure to have a conversation with Yunchen Lhamo about her brand new group of sonic offerings that has been released into the world just the other day. ‘One Drop Of Kindness’ is out now on Real World Records. We get deep into how, and where these seven new offerings developed from, the clear mission of the music and the living of service for others. As we are talking about the sound healing that is clearly intended from this album, we talk in length about one track in particular, which I have been using for a month now as a daily start, a reminder. For me, so much of this music is the feeling and mood it brings within me and it is clear that there is a path being created for human communication and sharing of both the common and the uncommon, and putting others ahead of yourself. The bridges being built here come with tools form many countries and take the form in many shapes, the instruments and artists devoted to the spirit of this music, the meeting of her co-produces at the time, THE TIME that was just right. None of this moment by moment living escapes importance for Yungchen, and with this newest release, I have not lost faith in the hope of opening hearts, uniting communities and bringing cultures toGether. After-all, it could just start with ‘One Drop Of Kindness’.

The Unique Fingerstylings of Adrian Legg

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Globally acclaimed by critics & fans alike for his unique acoustic & electric fingerstyle guitar playing, Mr. Adrian Legg masterfully blends diverse musical styles, influences & inspirations to create a distinctive sound all his own. With multiple awards and accolades spanning 4 decades, he has been heralded as a “guitarist of astonishing virtuosity, (whose) imagination and melodic invention seem unbounded,” (Q magazine); “ridiculously talented,” (Music Week) and “simply the best acoustic guitar player I’ve ever heard.”(guitar icon Joe Satriani). But there’s even more to Adrian Legg’s draw as an engaging, one-of-a-kind performer. Described by Audio Magazine as a “kind of cross between Robert Fripp & Garrison Keillor,” Legg is more fully characterized as a “genuine entertainer who excels at not only painting pictures, if not frescoes, and telling stories with music— but also wittily regaling his audiences with tales from his life and travels and his cogent and often oblique yet thought-provoking observations on a spectrum of topics. It’s all part of his dedication to making his performances a full- blooded emotional experience.” Over his career, he has released over a dozen recordings of his original compositions, which are consistently described as “thrilling, engaging, emotionally compelling and evocative.”, while encapsulates his own music by saying, “I’m a collision between European classicism and the American guitar.” Loyal fans around the globe enthusiastically appreciate Legg’s witty, entertaining stories, often shared in between songs onstage and on his live albums. As noted by popular BBC radio personality Andy Kershaw, “Quite simply, there is no one else like him,” citing Legg’s “dazzling technique and equally large dollops of spirit, humor, passion, eclecticism and spontaneity.” The essence of his creativity is in live performance. “Playing live is the whole point,” he stresses. “Everyone makes a journey, an effort; we all come together — me, the audience, the people who run the venue — to share this wonderful, universal, human emotional interaction. This is where music lives; it has a huge social value which I think is very important.” When it comes to musical technique, he plays fingerstyle guitar, mixing an alternating-bass style with harmonics, banjo-peg retuning and single or double string bending. Often, he plays a piece entirely in arpeggios (similar to a classical guitar style) and extensively uses altered tunings and capos to create his signature sound. In addition to his well-honed gifts as a performer, Mr. Legg is an innovator in guitar design & amplification technology, an instructor, photographer, writer, author, and an at-large commentator for National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” which still regularly uses many of his varied guitar interpretations of its theme music. So it’s no wonder that What’s Up magazine hails London-born Legg as “the greatest British import since Newcastle Brown Ale.”

I had the chance to catch up with Mr. Adrian Legg ahead of his October 17th event here in Madison at The Bur Oak. We got into talking a little bit about what it is people can expect when he heads this way to play live…and….with a Shel Silverstein quote at the ready, you may have to head out to the event to really get the full picture. When we stated to talk about his ‘signature sound and how that was developed and even if it is a real thing, the time got very interesting for me. When the sounds are there, go find a way to make them happen the way you hear & feel them. I do actually want to see if each one of his finGers has a little face and brain of it’s own while he is playing. More reasons to get there and see him. Just like his commentary – he is brilliantly witty and I did get a little more insight into a possibly way that trickled into the way he puts on an event. We close out by talking aboyut how Mr. Legg refreshes his mind and finds inspiration when he isn’t working on his musical endeavors. The history is real and I can even picture the trail his bike is taking passing the timelines of the past as he pedals. Oh and when you go check him out live, don’t be fooled by one man sitting with a weird looking guitar, the outside of this book is much different when it sits on the table then when you open it up (and fingerstyle through).

55 Years Of Tower Of Power

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For over 55 years, Tower of Power has delivered the best in funk and soul music. .“We were a Soul band called The Motowns.” recalls family of the proGram, Emilio Castillo. “Rocco was the bass player, I was there, and my brother was the drummer. I met “Doc” Kupka back in 1968, and gave him an audition. He came in the band, and we eventually changed our name to the Tower of Power.” The reason for the band name change was that they had a specific goal in mind.East Bay Grease defined their sound and landed them with Warner Brothers. Bump City, their 1972 debut for the label, was a hit on both the Billboard 200 and the R&B Albums chart, and netted them the hits “You’re Still A Young Man” and “Down to The Nightclub.” The 70s were a boom period with radio classics like “So Very Hard to Go” and “What Is Hip?,” and the band continued to tour and record over the years. Castillo says their love of the stage is the same today as it was back in 1968. 50 years later, in 2018, they returned to Oakland to celebrate their landmark 50th anniversary. Tower’s window-rattling grooves and raucous party spirit has been a balm for the soul throughout their half-century existence, but the release of 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The band has long since surpassed Castillo’s modest aspirations, traveling the world, enjoying hit singles on their own and backing legendary artists including Otis Redding, Elton John, Santana, the Grateful Dead, John Lee Hooker, Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, and countless others. In the process they’ve defined an “Oakland soul” sound as instantly recognizable as those from Castillo’s hometown, Detroit, as well as inspirations like Memphis and Philadelphia. The future of Tower of Power is set out to be vigorous and dynamic, and will prove to be just that for fans around the world starved for the band’s groove just the way Tower of Power likes it! And you do too!!

It’s that time of year aGain and you can feel it in the air. Tower Of Power is heading back to Party in Madison on October 3rd at the Orpheum. As usual, we got a chance to hang out with Emilio to talk about what is going to go down. We chat a bit about there to hear and then to now, and a lot of the feelings and conversations shared between all the people in the venue. Emilio and I always try our best to connect to the younger crowd who maybe through it all has not quite bumped into this scene, we’re going to be on the look out for all of you(s) at this party.

30+ Years of moe.

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Hailed by American Songwriter for their “mind-bending musicality,” moe.is treasured for their mesmerizing musical synergy, unfettered showmanship, & smart, resonant songcraft. For 3 decades, the band has corralled diverse musical forms on a truly original journey. Fueled by an impassioned fan base, moe. has spent much of those 30 years on the road, encompassing countless live performances marked by eclectic wit, deep friendship, & exploratory invention. Having built an enduring legacy with hard work and a confirmed commitment to creativity and community, moe. seem as surprised as anyone to find themselves at such a significant landmark. The more the band traveled, the more they grew creatively, evincing a remarkable willingness to progress as they went along. moe. quickly became part of a burgeoning scene centered around NYC’s Wetlands, a grassroots revolution that embraced freewheeling genre fusion – spanning funk & free jazz, country & classic rock, prog, new wave, calypso, pop & everything else under the sun – fan interaction, & unrestrained improvisation. moe. widened its reach across America, earning new fans and national attention with their ingeniously imaginative interplay and a regularly growing catalogue. The band spent almost as much time in the studio as they did on the road. As if all that weren’t enough, the moe. canon – released largely through their own Fatboy Records, as well as via two label deals, one major, the other independent – further includes a wide range of archival live releases (including 2000’s L), a Christmas album, even a re-recorded collection of greatest hits. moe. is truly a live band, rightly adored by a fervent following for their epic concert performances, each one imaginatively improvisational, rhythmically audacious, and utterly unique. Indeed, the band has spent much of its 30-year career on the road, including innumerable headline tours, international festival sets from Bonnaroo to Japan’s famed Fuji Rock, music-themed cruises, and sold-out shows alongside such like-minded acts as the Allman Brothers Band, Robert Plant, members of the Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band, The Who, Gov’t Mule, & Blues Traveler, to name but a few. As if that weren’t enough, moe. has both promoted and headlined at multiple festivals of their own, including snoe.down and moe.down. That illustrious career path has been supported and nourished by the band’s ever-growing legion of devoted fans and followers, known lovingly as moe.rons. With their astonishing prolificacy and awe-inspiring longevity, moe. is among the rare bands that somehow manage to transcend time and trend to be passed down from one generation to the next. Impossible to pigeonhole as anything other than simply moe., this one-of-a-kind band has never been easily categorized, their sonic adventurousness and tongue-in-cheek humor distinctly and undeniably their own. Despite current circumstances, moe. is celebrating their milestone anniversary with characteristic self-deprecation and wistful optimism. Here’s to the next 30.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Drummer of moe., Vinnie Amico ahead of the band’s arrival back in Madison on September 29th at The Barrymore Theater. We got into what someone new to the scene can expect from the live experience, which is really what this group of artist seems to live for. We talk about how, after thirty years, things are feeling as good and fresh as ever. This is one of those bands that gets into that (as Vinnie said), the music at times starts to play the band, so of course we talk about that in the moment spirt and energy between band members, the fans and the music. Once again, this is a band that has an idea or a map to what should go down once the how begins, but it is that shared moment of this is now happening, and here we go, makes each song, each setlist a unique to you experience. Being a big fan of Al’s writing, we find out a little bit about what happens when he walks into the studio and presents a song he’s working out. It’s a classic answer about process, discussion and family style working through.

Portraits by friend of the proGram Jay Blakesberg

Kris Davis’ Diatom Ribbons Live At The Village Vanguard

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Pianist/composer Kris Davis introduced her acclaimed 2019 album ‘Diatom Ribbons’ by talking about the micro & the macro, using the titular microalgae as an evocative analogy for her compositional approach. The comparison could be extended, in a way, to describe the legendary Village Vanguard – although in time, rather than in space (the basement club’s notoriously intimate confines don’t allow for much of a macro view). On this venturesome new double album, the long & storied history of one of jazz’s most revered venues coexists with the immediacy of contemporary invention in thrilling and unexpected ways. With ‘Live at the Village Vanguard’, Davis’ 2nd release with her far-reaching Diatom Ribbons band, she adds her name to the astounding roster of legends who have recorded at the Vanguard, yet the music takes forms that even visionaries like John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins or Bill Evans could never have imagined. The album, which dropped September 1, 2023, via her own Pyroclastic Records label, reunites Davis with her core collaborators from that album – drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, turntablist & electronic musician Val Jeanty and bassist Trevor Dunn, as well as the addition of a new voice to the mix in the person of guitarist Julian Lage. ‘Live at the Village Vanguard’ follows in the kaleidoscopic spirit of its celebrated predecessor, which was hailed as one of the top 5 albums of 2019 by both DownBeat & JazzTimes magazines while topping the list of both the NPR Critics Poll and The New York Times. The music is an inspired collage of eclectic influences, drawing on the music and philosophies of Wayne Shorter, Olivier Messiaen, Sun Ra, Geri Allen, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Charlie Parker, Eric Dolphy, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Paul Bley & Conlon Nancarrow, among others. In her role as Associate Program Director of Creative Development for the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice at Berklee College of Music, Kris plays an active part in remedying the historic injustices and imbalances in the jazz world while serving as a role model in her own work. She and bassist Linda May Han Oh are only the second & third women to win the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Terri Lyne Carrington’s 2022 album ‘New Standards Vol. 1’, an honor they share with Carrington, the first woman to win the category with 2013’s ‘Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue’. This new record showcases the fact that Kris Davis also becomes one of very few women instrumentalists to have recorded at the Vanguard, preceded only by Geri Allen, Shirley Horn & Junko Onishi.

I had the honor of getting some time with Kris Davis to walk through the creation and performance of this new record. Kris explained how she was able to get onto the schedule of the Village Vanguard with Diatom Ribbons. ‘Knock Knock – who is it?” We got into the pieces of the band and how they fit into the whole of the space of the music and the spaces between. Having had Julian Lage on the program before it was clear about how these open-minded blazers of new trails made time for this project. Each person/artist fills a need for me as a listener to this live landscape – and you can feel the drops of their soul’s sweat in each note. We talk about song selection with honoring those who came before and also adding a bit of a newness to the past. Check out which tines we sorta dissect a bit including “Delores Takes 1 & 2”. I was able to get some insight into a new release on her Pyroclastic Record Label, “Sculpting Sound”, six high-definition concert films, each featuring two musicians famed for their distinctive voices playing with, and on, sound sculptures by Harry Bertoia‘s Sonambient sculptures. This has to be as maGical as it looks in writing. Kris and I also spoke about another visionry on the scene and friend of this program, Kassa Overall, as she was on his latest release and if you listen closely, there could be more to come.

Kris Davis Diatom Ribbons by Caroline Mardok

Kevin Carnes of Broun Fellinis

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Formed 1991 in San Francisco by Kevin Carnes, drums/sampler (Beatnigs), David Boyce, tenor/soprano saxophone, efx, synth, spoken word, and Kirk Peterson, electric bass. The miGhty Afrofuturists, Broun Feelinis, have been profiled on NPR, BET, and KCRW in the US and on Radio Nova in France. The trio has been featured at festivals such as the San Sebastian International Jazz Festival in Spain, the San Francisco Jazz Festival in the US and they’ve performed sold out shows at top venues such as Yoshi’s, The Independent, and The Warfield. The Broun Fellinis play a soulful and highly energetic style of post modern improvised/composed jazzical sound that is informed by dub, afro beat, abstract funk, hardcore/psych/prog rock and film soundtracks. Broun Fellinis have toured with Ben Harper and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and performed with many great and varied acts such as Meshell Ndegeocello, the Roots, Rafael Sadiq, Mos Def, Living Colour, Erykah Badu, Bad Brains, The Last Poets, Gil Scott-Heron, Zakir Hussain, Bernie Worrell, George Clinton, Les Claypool, Jimmy Smith, General Public, Ravi Coltrane, Galactic, Medeski, Martin, Wood, and more. This type of sonic diversity says a ton to me about the kind of exploration and ‘feeling’ that goes on within a live performance by this mind-opening trio.

And lucky for us here in Madison on September 22nd, we get to share in an evening of new moments and a walk through a fresh landscape with Broun Fellinis at Cafe Coda. I had the chance to spend some time with Mr. Kevin Carnes to talk about the upcoming sets and man, let me tell you, he gave me one of the greatest replies to paining that scene of where me may go from where we have been. He shared the who, the what and even a bit of the how we will all get to the new spaces – in a deep fashion that makes me wanna go out to be a part of it. We learn how the trio found one another, how they make the food on stage that involves all the emotions and ‘you hafta feel its’ that are within them and spread out amongst the masses, the universe and that yet to be. We also learn where in Madison you can find Kevin as he opens the paths up to others in a free to be improvising space. For me, this is the type of thinG that is like the fluids running through me for a survival of me spirit. That spirit deserves to roam.

A Human Reaction with Mike Baggetta Of mssv

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mssv is releasing their second studio album ‘Human Reaction’ in their typical style: with a 58-show tour in the U.S. & parts of Canada. The band, composed of guitarist Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges on drums & mike watt on bass, creates music that is a hybrid of a punk power-trio and a dreamy experimental rock band, though they prefer the term “post-genre.” ‘Human Reaction’ was released on BIG EGO Records as a digital download, 12” LP vinyl, and via streaming platforms on September 1st. This brand new full length album finds the oddly memorable hooks of their noir-tinged adventure music with a lot more vocals from the Main Steam Stop Valve leader Baggetta, adding more personality than ever before, alongside his bandmates, Hodges & watt, who also share in the vocal duties throughout the album. Recorded mostly on May Day immediately following that last tour, ‘Human Reaction’ passes through a deeply broad sonic landscape, as expected from this nearly unclassifiable group, though with some even deeper twists & turns. With inventively churning drum textures from Hodges (an instantly identifiable sound honed in his days with Tom Waits & David Lynch) and the full-steam-ahead all-in attitude from watt, (as he’s displayed throughout his storied career with MINUTEMEN, fIREHOSE, & The Stooges), you can feel the steam being converted into an electrical energy. It’s real! Also evident is the more fearless exploring that comes from a band that has spent a lot of time together crafting their vision, as well as making room for guests like J Mascis, Petra Haden and Nels Cline on some of their previous releases. Mike Baggetta has had the pleasure to work all over the world with a wide range of visionary musicians across many generations including David Torn, Jim Keltner, Psychic Temple, Jeff Coffin, Henry Kaiser, Rev. Fred Lane, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Joseph C. Philips’ Numinous with Imani Uzuri, Viktor Krauss, Jerome Harris, David Wax Museum, Jon Irabagon, Eivind Opsvik and Ruth Brown among many others. Even though Mr. Baggetta wrote all the songs specifically for these bandmates to play, there’s no telling which way the band will turn at any given moment, a proposition that becomes a promise when they break down and reassemble these songs live, with an instinct for restraint and an openness to a little anarchy.

I had the complete pleasure of catching up with Mike before the road warrior type monster stretch of a 58 day/58 show tour (Aki Tour), and when mssv makes their way to Madison on October 1st at the High Noon Saloon. Mike introduces the band to us to get any folks unfamiliar into the scen and we get into about how they go about their business of playing the new tunes and then recording an album, giving them time to form and shape into themselves and he evens shares the expectations for those in attendance to prepare for a taste of the past, future and present of a live show musically. This lead right into a deep dive into the seed to flower of this brilliantly unique sounding new release ‘Human Reaction’, including the how/why/when he started taking on a little more of that singer aspect of the instrumentation (including a tale from little Mike days). This leads us down into a conversation about different layers added to make that trio feel like more people, like more beings being and doing. It is alwsays fun to talk about visions people may have when inviting others to collaboration with other people. We get into that a bit to see how Mike tries to keep his way of approaching music and taking on that conversation by being himself. The facts is that this group is a young, ever-evolving, take your chances kid type of situation, wrapped in some dynamic layers within that/this moment improvisation preparing themselves and listeners alike on a unique journey toGether. That’s what it’s all about and mssv, the people, the artists, the sonic sculptors of then and now take the influences of everything and here’s our adventure. It just so happened that Mike was right there with his turntable and we learned exactly what he is/was listening to recently. It would make a great greenarrowradio set.

mssv by Devin O’Brien

Amendola Vs Blades with Cyro Baptista

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Wil Blades & Scott Amendola conjure various sonic deities though only a duo. For the past 10 years, their live shows have been generating a buzz around the San Francisco Bay Area. The two got their start as a group when Scott had the vision of performing Duke Ellington’s “Far East Suite” in duo with Wil. While quite a daunting task translating a suite (originally written for a big band) into duo, the Hammond Organ had previously been used in the 1940’s & 1950’s to emulate the sound of big bands. With Wil’s knowledge of this tradition and Scott’s desire to push boundaries, they were able to pull it off in an explorative, yet cohesive manner. The duo continues to perform pieces from the Ellington suite, while also developing their original material. Their live performances are fun and playful, yet deeply musical. They can cover everything from Avant Garde to Funk, Bebop to Rock, sometimes all within one song, even. In June 2015, at Duende in Oakland, CA, they set up shop for two nights and recorded in front of a live audience. The resulting release, entitled “Greatest Hits”, is now out on SAZi records. As people now have learned, Wil Blades is hands down one of the essential torchbearers for the Hammond B-3 organ-jazz tradition, not to mention as tasty as they come on Clavinet. Scott Amendola is one of the rare drummers who’s pure groove in the pocket, but somehow simultaneously & delightfully angular and skewed in the very same moment. Add guitarist Jeff Parker of Tortoise, percussion wizard Cyro Baptista, saxophonics visionary Skerik and the ever cinematic Rob Burger to the mix and you have a record that reveals itself in new and explosively colorful ways with each listen! That is some of what happens on the 2019 Royal Potato Family release, “AMENDOLA VS. BLADES :: Everybody Wins”. The way to get to know the sounds and how the interact best with you is to go try it out when they are coming into town to play.

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Scott & Wil ahead of the September 22nd event at the North Street Cabaret here in Madison, and this event will feature the one and only spellbinding percussionist, Mr. Cyro Baptista. We get into the duo as a being while adding to the discussion the extra special layer Cyro adds to the mix of a live performance, not only for them as the players, but for those in the listening of the room as well. We talk about collaborations and the 2019 release, ‘Everybody Wins’ that they are actually now finally getting to go out and tour on. During that portion of the chat, we do learn that there is and will be new music in the making as well, which is always exciting to learn about. Wil and I briefly talk of our mutual pal, Mr. Melvin Sparks and we find out what & why the two guys are listening these days. Based on this conversation, it is easy for me to see why these cats can get into the explorations of sound toGether, while remember the playfulness of the people making it and the doors it opens for others.

Dixie Longate’s Tupperware Party Is Back

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Friend of the proGram Dixie Longate hails from Mobile, Alabama where she lives with her three kids: Wynona, Dwayne & Absorbine, Jr. She started selling Tupperware as part of the conditions of her parole back in 2001. Within a few years, she became the top selling Tupperware representative in the US. When a friend of hers told her she should turn her living room party into a theatrical show, she laughed so hard at the idea, she almost had to put down her drink. Dixie’s Tupperware Party soon opened off-Broadway in 2007 to both raving fans & great reviews. The show earned Dixie a Drama Desk Award Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance. She lost to Laurence Fishburne! The following year, with plastic bowls in hand, she embarked on a small tour to some theaters in the US. 10+2 years later, that tour was still running and had become one of the longest-running off-Broadway tours in American theater history. She followed that up in 2014 with her second show, ‘Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding A Mechanical Bull (and 16 other things I learned while I was drinking last Thursday)’ which was originally produced by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts which Dixie discovered is really hard to say after 8 alcoholic Shirley Temples. During the lockdown in 2020, she came up with her first streaming show while refilling her breakfast vodka as she was trying to homeschool her kids. Dixie’s Happy Hour ran in 26 cities over the first few months of 2021. After 22 months of being forced to be with her kids full-time, she decided it was time to emerge from the trailer to share all the things that she learned when the world was flipped over and life took a crap on the front lawn with her new show, Cherry Bombs & Bottle Rockets.

It was a pleasure to catch back up with Dixie after, well to be honest, we had to take off our shoes and socks to figure how long it actually has been. Dixie was just about to head out to host a celebrity cruise when we spoke, can’t even imagine that! I got a little reminder about the life lessons, feelings of self-empowerment, and PLENTY of reasons to get on up and start each day as a reasons I loved this show so much. Oh yeah, Dixie is bringing the Tupperware Party back to Madison on September 15th at The Overture Center and bringing with her plenty of audience participation and homespun wisdom. We spoke about the research & development department and the discoveries of the many many uses of Tupperware, oh yeah, there’s also a party to prepare for! We talked a little bourbon and love of exploring food, as well as catching up to what her family is up to and who were some of the most important role models and inspirations that have kept her working toward holding people up and working toGether to get there. The live event and party Dixie brings to town is the smile you might just have forgotten you once had.


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The Headhunters Live From Brooklyn Bowl

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Legendary Band The Headhunters Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Captivating Live Album

Announce Canada and Europe Dates for Fall 2023

Not many bands can claim a history as remarkable and illustrious as The Headhunters. Originating in 1973 under the visionary leadership of renowned musician Herbie Hancock, the band quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with. Comprising percussionist Bill Summers, bassist Paul Jackson, saxophonist Bennie Maupin & Harvey Mason, who was soon replaced by legendary drummer Mike Clark, each member brought their own unique talents to the team, forging a timeless legacy that surpasses the dreams of most musical ensembles. By blending jazz, funk, and rock, The Headhunters created a sound that resonated with audiences worldwide, selling over a million albums and inspiring musicians across genres for generations. Their music was even sampled by hundreds of hip-hop artists throughout the ’80s and ’90s, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary music. Today, The Headhunters’ impact remains a constant, with their time alongside Hancock serving as a transformative experience. The band went on to release six more full-length albums. They ventured out on their own, free from Hancock’s involvement, producing standout albums such as “Survival of the Fittest” in 1975 and “Straight from the Gate” in 1977. The band reunited with Herbie in 1998 for “Return of The Headhunters” and subsequent released albums “Evolution Revolution” in 2003 and “Platinum” in 2011. The Headhunters’ latest studio release “Speakers In The House” came out November 4th, 2022 to international acclaim through Ropeadope Records in association with Devil Hills Entertainment. Now co-led by original members Bill Summers on percussion & Mike Clark on drums complemented by the talents of some of New Orleans’ finest musicians: Kyle Roussel on keys, Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, and Chris Severin on seven-string bass. In celebration of their eponymous album’s 50th anniversary, the band started on a world tour in early 2023. The journey began with a monumental performance meticulously recorded at the iconic Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, New York, on February 9th, 2023. Showcasing the band’s incredible live energy, this momentous occasion was masterfully captured and subsequently mixed and mastered in New Orleans by the talented Keenan McRae. The result is an extraordinary live album that encapsulates the essence of The Headhunters’ artistry. This new album, from Ropeadope Records, features an array of their greatest hits, including the iconic tracks “Watermelon Man,” “Chameleon,” “Butterfly,” and the latest original “Rocking At The Mole House” from studio album “Speakers In The House.” With their 50th-anniversary live album, The Headhunters invite both loyal fans and new listeners to experience their groundbreaking sound in its raw and electrifying form. This release not only pays homage to their incredible journey but also serves as a testament to their enduring musical legacy. The band is scheduled to return to Europe and Canada this Fall and tour internationally in 2024.

I had the honor of catching up with two legends anyway you try to slice it, Mr. Mike Clark & Mr. Bill Summers. OG’s! We have a wild time discussing the way this new album, Live From Brooklyn Bowl (set for release on August 11th), became a thing. We dive deep into the stories of getting to these show(s), knowing not just thinking about how good their live set of now ARE definitely going to be, and just how these live recordings capture the way these songs take off in 2023. I could honestly listen to these cats talk to each other about all they have seen and done and how that transforms and shapes the sounds they create. It is this kinda conversation that they create toGether as one unit. I could chuck out one name of great jazz days gone by and either of these dudes will have something relevant to say. We also learn just what it would to get them to come t Madison and play in my backyard. I have to start planning that menu soon. This album is a flavor you may thing you have tried before, but the people assembled with Mr. Summers & Mr. Clark are waking in the landscape of the pasts and present to create a future fulla rhythms, grooves and funky shit that will keep your blood flowing and your ass moving. We talk a bit about each, a little back of the baseball card look and the props for Mr. Harrison are real and true, recently becoming a partner. This new record has a bit for all of us, newbies and not and it is a sure way to bring that “I was at that show” feel into your homes.

Photo by: Michael Weintrob

Gankino Circus & Friends beim Nürnberger Bardentreffen

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Is it world music, folk music or comedy? A little bit of this, a little bit of that – really special. Creative minds are at work in Gankino Circus, musicians who certainly know what they are doing. The four of them act as if they had never done anything else: perfectly set into scene & highly sophisticated while maintaining a close connection to their audience, all of which makes them one of Germany’s finest world music exports. Gankino Circus have traveled from Finland to Kazakhstan – constantly voyaging, always in search of musical inspiration for their signature style. German Folk, Balkan Beats, Nordic Sounds and lots of humour are mingled in a fantastic concert event. Winners of the German world music Award RUTH, Gankino Circus have played more than 1000 shows in theatres, clubs and at festivals across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Armenia. The group has performed at famous world music festivals like Rudolstadt Festival, Bardentreffen Nuremberg, Masala World Beat Festival Hanover, Global Music Festival Halle and Accordion Festival Vienna.

Gankino Circus & Friends beim Nürnberger Bardentreffen

Gankino Circus & Friends – Crazy World Music Show
This show promised to be something unique and outrageous and it was: Guests of the Gankinos are besides David Saam, the Pope of Franciscan folk music and fun-heavy-metal legend Vito C of J.B.O., also the most dazzling couple of Finnish tango: Laura Ryhänen and Mikko Kuisma of Uusikuu.
Recording of the concert on Sebalder Platz from 23. July

Jane Lee Hooker Back In Madison

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Jane Lee Hooker exploded out of New York City in 2015, with members having spent time playing in Nashville Pussy, Bad Wizard, Helldorado, Lez Zeppelin, NYC punk rockers The Wives & Plasmatics offshoot New Hope. The band released a revved up album of Blues covers titled ‘No B!’ in 2016, and were immediately signed to legendary German Blues label Ruf Records. ‘Spiritus’ followed in 2017 and found Jane Lee Hooker touring extensively in support of these records – performing to packed houses across the US and Europe including Germany, France, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic & Luxembourg. While Jane Lee Hooker’s blend of rock, blues, punk, R&B & soul pays respect to the greats of the past, this is a band that lives fiercely in the present tense. JLH’s fiery performances have made them a must-see live act, and feature the dynamically muscular lead guitars of Tracy ‘Hightop’ & Tina ‘T-Bone’ Gorin, the rock-solid rhythm section of bassist Mary Z and drummer Lightnin’ Ron Salvo and the full ranged, soul-scorching lead vocals courtesy of Dana “Danger” Athens. In a world full of manufactured bands and live shows backed up by hard-drives, Jane Lee Hooker play rock ‘n’ roll the way it’s meant to be played – loud and with uncompromised passion. You can easily feel that Jane Lee Hooker loves to play live and share their music with their fans around the globe.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Hightop ahead of Jane Lee Hooker’s upcoming set at Atwoodfest 2023 on July 30th as they help close the party out. It has been too long since JLH has been to Madison and Hightop misses this place as much as we miss them. The love of how they feel when they rock with us is shared and highly reciprocated, and now they’ll be back where it all beGan. Since it has been a bit since they last rawwwkkkked with us, we talk about what songs (especially the newer ones) we can expect to blow us away live in Madison, and how the ‘tune up’ went as they just got back from a wild time in Europe. I have no doubt if the first time you catch Jane Lee Hooker is when they hit Atwoodfest 2023, you will walk away, maybe head bangin’ away with a feeling of some new rockin’ friends coming into your lives.

Photo By: Rob Carter

Talkin’ Atwoodfest with Rökker

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Here we are in the perfect part of Summer for Madison’s outdoor and free music and arts festivals. Atwoodfest is an east-side neighborhood tradition, it’s a block party that keeps on growing! I had a chance to catch up with the man who helps put together the music the people get to enjoy on the yearly,Rökker. We spend some time going over what is new this year and man, there is plenty of newness going on this year. Since Rökker helps choose te acts, we talk a bout the thnking that goes on to try and have people feel torn about which stage when for their entertaining choices. We talk a little about many of the bands playing Atwoodfest 2023 and who this event ultimately helps out. Speaking of helping out, there is always room for you to volunteer!

Music Lineups:
Saturday, July 29

Clyde Stubblefield Stage: 12:00 PM Moon Gypsies; 1:45 PM The Stephen Hull Experience; 3:45 PM Steepwater Band; 5:45 PM New Primitives; 8:00 PM VO5 (stage sponsor: The Bur Oak and Weichert, Realtors – Lakepoint)

Madison Heritage Stage: 12:00 PM Forró Fo Sho; 1:15 PM Elizabeth Mary & Paul Schluter; 2:45 PM Butter Brick; 4:30 PM Frank Martin Busch and the Names; 6:30 PM Kyle Megna & The Monsoons; 8:30 PM Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts (stage sponsor: The Alchemy Cafe)

Sugar Maple Stage: Teen Fest produced by Madison Music Foundry: 12:00 PM The Sandblasters, 1:00 PM The Blue Dyes, 1:50 PM SLAG; Sugar Maple Concert Series: 3:00 PM Tony Casteñeda Mambo Combo, 4:30 PM, Katie Powderly & Her Bluegrass Boys, 6:00 PM Piper Road Spring Band (stage sponsor: The Lauer Realty Group)

Sunday, July 30

Clyde Stubblefield Stage: 12:00 PM Steely Dane, 2:00 PM Kirstie Kraus, 3:45 PM God’s Outlaw, 5:30 PM Jane Lee Hooker (stage sponsor: The Bur Oak and Weichert, Realtors – Lakepoint)

Madison Heritage Stage: 12:00 PM Seasaw, 1:45 PM Lynda & the Zeros, 3:30 PM Porky’s Groove Machine, 5:30 PM Dub Foundation featuring Jah Boogie (stage sponsor: The Alchemy Cafe)

Sugar Maple Stage: Kids That Rock produced by Forward Craft & Coffee: 12:00 PM Charlieboy, 1:30 PM Jane Hobson Band; Sugar Maple Series: 3:00 PM The Donna Herula Band, 5:00 PM Joel Paterson Trio (stage sponsor: The Lauer Realty Group)

ST. PAUL AND THE MINNEAPOLIS FUNK ALL STARS

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One of the best musicians to emerge from the Twin Cities, St. Paul appeared in Purple Rain as a teenage wunderkind, playing keys with The Time on hits like “Jungle Love” and “The Bird.” He was hand-picked by Prince himself to be lead singer of The Family (best known for “Nothing Compares 2 U”) on Prince’s Paisley Park label. In the tradition of Motown’s Funk Brothers, St. Paul has assembled the who’s who crew of the Minneapolis Sound with St. Paul & The Minneapolis Funk All-stars, showcasing those who wrote, produced, performed, or sung on some of the biggest hits from the heyday of electro funk-rock in the Twin Cities.

Their incredible show: “THE MINNEAPOLIS SOUNDS” is now a National Tour!!

I had the pleasure of catching up with St Paul Peterson ahead of the July 27th event at the >Majestic Madison where St. Paul and the Minneapolis Funk All Stars will be brinGing all the hits of some of the most important grooves to be born with many of the original players, the people who have this sound running through their veins. We get into these artists that’ll be doing this thang here in Madison, the amazing history of the Minneapolis Sound and how carrying on the legacy has taken on a new meaning now without Prince. We talk Prince, The Family & The Time of course as well as a little Purple Rain, because, well, how could we not. I ask St. Paul to by=uild a set list around some of the artists he has worked with and the list is of course, diverse like we like it here on the proGram, and in that same vein, he shares a new thing he is up to, his Funk Fridays series he is doing on social media, sending out a groove to others from his rolodex and putting it together. While this will be his first time playing in Madison, he is well connected here with Ben Sidran sited as a pal. Gonna be an amazing time in Madison. Hit Me!!

The All-stars include (Bolded members will appear in Madison):

Jellybean Johnson – Drummer for The Time and The Family.
Dr. Fink – Keyboardist for Prince and the Revolution.
Kirk Johnson – Drummer for Prince and the NPG.
Elisa Fiorillo – Singer for Prince and the NPG.
Oliver Leiber – Producer of Paula Abdul and guitarist with Tamara and The Seen.
Jason Peterson DeLaire – Keys and saxophone with Solo and Carmen Electra.
Horn Heads – Horn section for Prince.
Homer O’Dell – Mint Condition
St. Paul Peterson – The Time and The Family

Hypnagogia From Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise

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Christine Elise is classically trained harpist, pianist, & vocalist who has been consecutively touring across North America for the past 4 years. Studying music therapy at a masters level led her to find a passion for community music therapy. She has facilitated group sessions & workshops for professionals & clients in the USA, South Africa, Peru & Jamaica. She has presented at national, regional, & world music therapy conferences and written scholarly articles published by Music Therapy Perspectives. She has provided clinical supervision for undergraduate and graduate students at MusicWorks, Jamaica Field Service Project, Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, NY, Warren Wilson College, & Immaculata University. Christine taught as an adjunct professor for the music therapy department of Immaculata University College of Graduate Studies and Boyer College of Music and Dance of Temple University for several undergraduate and graduate level classes. She has composed for various organizations & institutions. Recent commissions include The Free Project Series, for Pennsylvania Humanities Council, What Does Freedom Mean to Me? as part of the The Dedication of the Commemorative to Enslaved Peoples of Southern Maryland for St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Club House Theme Song for AHA Studio for Integrated Therapies and over 20 original compositions for Autism Across the Globe, directed by Rima J. Irani or Lebanon.
Named Philadelphia Magazine Best Rapper of 2022, Kuf Knotz Blends hiphop poetry with deep grooves of soul and beats sun kissed with the spirit of Lo-Fi & 90’s era vibes , Kuf’s inimitable style focuses on unsubtle spirituality, that, like his music, focus on unity, positivity & creativity. In 2008, the same year he opened for Bruce Springsteen, Kuf sang lead vocals on “Unstoppable,” a song created to mark the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series. In 2010, he recorded “Boombox Logic,” which was named the year’s best hip hop song by the Independent Music Awards. His next venture, 2015’s A Positive Light,” reflected his carefully forged fusion of music styles. Kuf’s on-screen credits include a part on the hit FOX TV show “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.” He appeared in a Domino’s Pizza commercial and was a cast member in a music-based reality show. Film and video are close to Kuf’s heart; he earned a degree in video production from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Kuf has opened for The Roots, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, Wyclef Jean, The Wailers, Arrested Development, Josh Ritter Robert Glasper, Robert Randolph, G-Love and others. In 2018, Christine & Kuf founded a community music therapy outreach performance project called Higher Grounds Music, using the power of music, clinical training, and performance experience to foster personal growth. Working in a strength based model, the workshops/performances are designed to support participants in building skills to build confidence, increase motivation and drive and strengthen self-care skills.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Christine & Kuf a short time after they were in Madison, opening up for friend of the program, Wax Tailor. We got into the entire thng from how the brand new album ‘Hypnagogia’ came about, the process the went through and go through to create toGether, and we even dissected 2 tracks from the record. The first track we go into features Speech from Arrested Developement, so we chart the path of that tune (including who turned it down)and the other track selected to open into is the one that I see/feel inside my mindspace as well as my ear holes. That is the part about their music that really I really appreciate so much, they make music that I feel and see at times – there’s plenty to feel on this new record. The conversation here is rich and real and that is the real reason I wanted to connect. I selfishly do want to have them stay here in Madison to do some workshops as part of their Higher Grounds Music project and have performance open others minds, bodies and spirits to a positive vibe that is contagious, and feels good to pass along to others.

Counting Pebbles with Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project

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Award-winning New York City jazz pianist & accordionist Ben Rosenblum has been described as “mature beyond his years,” (Sea of Tranquility), an “impressive talent” (All About Jazz), who “caresses [the music] with the reverence it merits” (Downbeat Magazine). Since the release of his debut trio album, Instead, Mr. Rosenblum has toured extensively with his trio & sextet throughout the United States, including multiple trips to the Northeast, Midwest, South & West Coast, as well as internationally in Canada, Europe & Japan. He was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall’s Stern-Perelman Auditorium – with Reona Ito’s New York Harmonic Band – and has appeared at prestigious venues throughout the world, including at the Appel Room at Lincoln Center, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Ravinia, Himawari-No-Sato Concert Hall in Yokohama, Bird’s Eye in Basel and the Library of Congress. Rosenblum’s second trio album in 2018, River City, was called “richly romantic” and “well-realized” by JAZZIZ Magazine, which featured the title track as part of their Best of Fall 2018 CD. In 2020, he released his third album, Kites and Strings, which is the first to feature him on both piano & accordion alongside his new sextet, the Nebula Project. That year, the Nebula Project was voted runner-up for Best New Artist in JazzTimes’ Readers’ Poll. Most recently, Rosenblum released his fourth album, A Thousand Pebbles, in 2023. In May 2023, Mr. Rosenblum and the album were featured in a Downbeat Magazine article entitled “Worldly Jazz Adventuring.” He has been privileged to share the stage with many highly acclaimed jazz musicians, including extensive work with Curtis Lundy, Winard Harper, Deborah Davis & Chris Washburne, as well as appearances with Bobby Watson, Sean Jones, TS Monk, Warren Wolf, Eliot Zigmund, and many others. Rosenblum’s musical interests also extend beyond jazz to include work in numerous world music scenes, including musical styles from Brazil, Peru, Croatia, Bulgaria, India, Ireland, Jewish traditions and more.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Ben ahead of his July 14th show in Madison at The North Street Cabaret with Nebula Project. Ben was just about to head off to Europe to do another leg of a tour with the great Rickie Lee Jones. We spoke about what the people who head out on what I am sure will be a perfect evening in mid-July and get some Nebula Project in their world. We dove deep into the new record, ‘A Thousand Pebbles’ and got a peek behind the curtain a bit on how it went from those beGinning moments into a final product ready for ear consumption. We also spoke about his involvement in the Swiss vocalist, Gabriela Martina‘s striking new album ‘Homage to Grämlis and what was fresh and new for him with that work. And it wouldn’t be right if I let Ben go without trying to have him build a setlist. One thing I learned in my chat with him is that I think ‘d really like to spend a bunch of time listening to and talking about music with him. Maybe on the 14th?

Photo: Monica Witt