Category Archives: All Interviews

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

Sam Grisman Project Spreads The Joy

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The music that Sam’s father and friend of the program, Mr. David Grisman and his close friend, Jerry Garcia, made in the early 90s (in the house that Sam grew up in) is not only some of the most timeless acoustic music ever recorded, it also triggers his oldest and fondest musical memories. What Sam finds most inspiring about this material is the way their camaraderie and their love and joy for the music, simply oozes out of each recording. It is also impressive how deeply they get beneath their favorite songs—whether they are originals, covers or traditional/old time tunes—and how expertly that material was curated. The goal in starting Sam Grisman Project is to build a platform for his friends and himself to showcase their genuine passion and appreciation for the legacy of Dawg and Jerry’s music. By playing some of their beloved repertoire and sharing the original music that their own collective has to offer, they will also show the impact that this music has had on their own individual musical voices. Ultimately, there is nothing that makes Sam happier than playing great songs with his best friends and the true hope is to share that happiness with audiences all over!

I had the pleasure of hanGin’ out with Sam ahead of the September 21st event at the Stoughton Opera House when he brings over the Sam Grisman Project for a little good time acoustic music. We get into the music, the love for and of it, the love and friendship between his friends who help him make the sounds go for the rest of us and how they all gained a deeper respect for the music over the years. We talk about the relationship between his dad and Jerry Garcia, and how playing some of the tunes they worked on has enlightened him as an artist and frankly, we just had a good time, like we were sitting out on the back porch catching up. Sam had recently both PHIL’d in for Phil Lesh and played with Peter Rowan, so I had to find out about those times. As I suspected, cool cool cool. I have a good, maybe grateful feeling that anyone who goes to see Sam and his pals live, or finds a way to get their hands on the new music when it comes out, will be reminded of times gone by and friends that will always be near and dear.

All That Is The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra

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The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, originally founded in 1999 by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, emerged as a vibrant expression of the city’s rich musical diversity until the end of its initial run back in 2004. Helmed at the time by Willy Schwartz, the orchestra brought together musicians from Chicago’s immigrant communities, showcasing a global array of musical traditions. Though its initial run ended after five years, its influence lingered, leaving an indelible mark on the local music scene. Fast-forward to 2019, a new chapter unfolded when the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events enlisted guitarist Fareed Haque and oud player Wanees Zarour to revive the orchestra for the 2020 Chicago World Music Festival. Despite the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the orchestra persevered, delivering a lauded virtual concert in September 2020. Today, the rejuvenated Chicago Immigrant Orchestra comprises a 20-piece ensemble drawn from Chicago’s immigrant communities, representing an eclectic mix of musical heritages from across the globe. Under the artistic direction of Haque & Zarour, musicians hailing from the Far East to Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas collaboratively shape the orchestra’s musical narrative. Embracing a fresh perspective, the New Chicago Immigrant Orchestra delves into the interplay between diverse musical traditions, weaving a rich tapestry that celebrates both their shared connections and distinctive differences.

I had the complete pleasure of hanGing out with family to the program, Fareed Haque and Wanees Zarour ahead of their September 20th event in Madison at The Bur Oak. We get way deep into all the possibilities and ways this spontaneously diverse orchestra will create new textures and not only sound neighbors, but sound families (doing the creating at the exact same moment). There is mention of all the different styles, places people representing the music and how they piece together the colorfully shaped glass of each, into that together at-one-time mosaic. This is truly an amazing experience. The mission to provide a platform for musicians in the immigrant community to collectively explore, research, create and perform music encompassing all global musical traditions will spill out and touch each participant in the audience as well. The discussion around the differences, the blend of those and how it ends up creating almost a new weather pattern is simply amazing to try and understand. I did ask if even in the middle of ALL these differences, is there still something missing? I can’t feel it myself, but I imagined they had thought of a respectful newness, an addition perhaps that just finds it’s own way there. We also get into a little conversation about how this scene, this orchestra is or is not jazz music. I hope you’ll find your way on the 20th in Madison, but moreover, explore this group in any way that can help you take it all in, the oneness is contagious.

THE esperanza spalding

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The Brazilian legend, Milton Nascimento & the ever-evolving, esperanza spalding have released their collaborative album, Milton + esperanza, recently. Recorded in Brazil throughout 2023 and produced/arranged by spalding, the record is a dream-come-true collaboration. It serves as a beautiful musical expression of a friendship that began nearly 15 years ago. Milton + esperanza features 16 tracks that celebrate and reimagine Nascimento’s beloved classics, new pieces written by spalding with Nascimento in mind, and interpretations of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” & Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song.” Guests include Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Carolina Shorter, Elena Pinderhughes, Shabaka Hutchings, Guinga and more. The album features spalding’s core band of Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano), Corey D. King (vocals, synths), and several Brazilian musicians, including Orquestra Ouro Preto, percussionists Kainã Do Jêje and Ronaldinho Silva & Lula Galvão. Milton + esperanza sparkles with duets between these 2 voices, exquisite musicianship and what esperanza identifies as a central theme of the album: the importance of younger generations creating with, learning from, and building new worlds with elders. A guiding spirit for the project was Wayne Shorter, whose collaboration with Nascimento, Native Dancer, was released nearly 50 years ago. The genesis for this album goes back to the very first time spalding heard a Nascimento recording, at a dinner party when a friend put on Native Dancer. “I get chills even thinking about it,” she says.” “Ninety percent of things I write, I’m thinking of him. He’s a very present part of my creative imagination.” They would finally meet (thanks in part to an introduction made by Mr. Herbie Hancock) and began to collaborate, record & perform live together. In 2022, Nascimento, now 81, embarked on a farewell tour, and invited her to perform on a couple of shows. At dinner on the eve of her participation in Nascimento’s Boston performance, his son asked her to produce Nascimento’s next album. A dream had come true. She worked in Brazil throughout 2023 recording/producing the album. Milton + esperanza is esperanza’s first new album release since 2021’s Songwrights Apothecary Lab, which along with 2019’s 12 Little Spells, both won GRAMMY Awards (Best Jazz Vocal Album). Last year she released a protest song entitled “Não Ao Marco Temporal” that was recorded in Rio and addresses the Temporal Framework, an initiative in Brazil that threatens Indigenous Brazilians’ land rights and poses a major risk to the Amazon rainforest. A 5-time GRAMMY winner and 11-time nominee, esperanza spalding has previously released 8 full-length albums and in addition to working with her heroes including Nascimento and Wayne Shorter, she has collaborated with Prince, Herbie Hancock, Janelle Monae, Robert Glasper, Terri Lyne Carrington and so many others. As a composer, her credits include writing the libretto for the opera “…(Iphigenia)” with Wayne Shorter, which premiered in 2021. She is also a philanthropist and advocate, and currently co-directs a non-profit BIPOC artist sanctuary in her hometown of Portland, OR.

I had the complete honor and thrill of spending a little time with esperanza spalding before she brings the show on the road to this part of the world. She will be here with her incredible band on September 19 at the Wisconsin Union Theater. We go from A-Z on creative a mental mosaic of what is about to go down in Madison, the ins and outs and side to sides of the possibilities and get into some of the ‘who’ that will try and tame that evenings sounds. Here’s a little scoop – there will even be dancers! I could feel the happiness on my face when we started to get into the new album ‘Milton & esperanza’, a recently releases dream come true kind of album with her ‘on many levels’ mentor, the legend, Mr. Milton Nascimento. We go seed to flower on their relationship as well as the construction/development of the album. Can you imagine having an opportunity like this within the world you’re living in? Of all the songs on the album, find out which one was the only one he commented on as being a ‘has to be’ on there. A large amount of her experiences putting this album toGether have been captured almost like a part of the conversations by the ever-talented Reva Santo. I wanted to make sure folks are aware of this part of the art equation too, since eventually some of these moments will get to our eyes. Of course I volunteered my services to weed through each frame to find the goodies. Just like everyone else, esperanza too deserves time away from the things that try and get to us, so we find out a little bit about where she goes to unwind….to be. Towards the end of our time, I was almost part of a true pied piper moment as someone is playing a sax outside her window and for just a moment, I thought we might get treated to an improvised sharing. I heard it in my dreams I think. Pinch me.

Marquis Hill: Composers Collective

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From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer & bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary & classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all essential elements of the profound African-American creative heritage he’s a part of. That mission to bring styles together, complemented by his absolute mastery of his instrument, is a through line connecting his many achievements. Born in Chicago in 1987 and raised on the city’s culturally rich South Side, Marquis began playing drums at age 4, before switching to trumpet in the 6th grade. He attended high school at Kenwood Academy, excelling in its revered jazz-performance program, and was mentored by Bobby Broom, Willie Pickens, Tito Carrillo and other Chicago greats through the Ravinia Jazz Scholars program. He earned his bachelor’s in music education from Northern Illinois University and his master’s in jazz pedagogy from DePaul University. During college he made gigs & sessions around Chicago, jamming with and absorbing wisdom from the likes of Fred Anderson, Ernest Dawkins & Von Freeman. Even then, he was known in town as a stunningly gifted trumpeter with a soulful, highly textured tone. His sound is now somehow both deeply distinctive and a tour through jazz-trumpet history, evoking the high-drama stillness and space of Miles; the undeniable virtuosity of Clifford Brown & Freddie Hubbard; the groove- savvy phrasing of Lee Morgan & Donald Byrd; and many more of the known greats. Well before Marquis won the Monk prize—arguably the most important jazz competition in the world—his reputation for brilliance was firmly established in the Midwest, as a member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, an in-demand sideman and a bandleader. He also developed into a precocious, determined young label owner, and has released 5 acclaimed discs—New Gospel, Sounds of the City, The Poet and Modern Flows Vols. I and II and more, through his Black Unlimited Music Group imprint. Throughout his journey, he has supported and guested with a who’s who of jazz that includes Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Boney James, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano and Hill’s trailblazing Chicago peer Makaya McCraven. Just this last week, the award-winning trumpeter, composer and bandleader who is widely acclaimed for his soulful, eclectic modern jazz sensibility, is proud to present Composers Collective: Beyond the Jukebox, a new album celebrating the compositions of others: in particular, a group of cherished colleagues & friends, many of them fellow Chicagoans, invited by Mr. Hill to compose a piece for the album with him specifically in mind. In addition to 6 of Hill’s compositions, the program includes pieces by Ernest Dawkins, Gary Bartz, Jeff Parker, Marcus Strickland, SABA, Geof Bradfield & Matt Gold, as well as the members of Hill’s core quintet: vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist Michael King, bassist Junius Paul & drummer Corey Fonville.

I had the pleasure of getting to spend a little time with Marquis Hill ahead of his September 19th event in Madison at Cafe Coda when he and the Composer’s Collective will put on two shows (7pm and 9pm). I was pleased to both discuss who will be coming with him as part of the collective, and was not disappointed to hear who is going to be with him in Madison creating in real time. We even talk a little about the vibes man! He paints the scene a bit as to what folks in attendance can expect to be a part. I found it really interesting when we talked about the making of the new record and how something about other’s music clicked in. When we got toGether, the new album, ‘Composers Collective: Beyond The JukeBox’ had yet to even drop and I was able to soak come in early and we not only go seed to flower on the who & what, but we go deep in to see how that genre-less music created, gets discovered, explored and put out to the universe. We do find out a little bit about how that open-mindedness became a part of who he is, in what I am assuming, everything he does and why he is able to challenge himself into where the music lives with such diverse people;.

Marquis Hill
Composers Collective: Beyond The JukeBox

Album Credits:

Marquis Hill, trumpet
Joel Ross, vibes/marimba
Michael King, piano
Junius Paul, bass
Corey Fonville, drums

Guests:

Gerald Clayton, piano
Makaya McCraven, drums
Jef Parker, guitar
Josh Johnson, Caroline Davis, alto sax
Samora Pinderhughes, Manasseh, Christie Dashiell, vocals

Takin’ A Trip With Jed And Company

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Jed and Company is Madison’s new hard-rippin’ Grateful Dead tribute band. With high-level high-energy jamming, experimental setlists, soulful vocals and fresh takes on the catalog, Jed and Company will impress any discerning Wisconsin Deadhead.

Erik Anderson- keys, vocals
Devin Geary- guitar, vocals
Becca Reynolds- vocals
Jeremy Snow- drums
Ben Johnson- bass, vocals
Jed Heckman- guitar, vocals

I had the chance to catch up with Becca Reynolds recently as Jed and Company prepare for their very first ticketed event on August 30th at The Bur Oak. Becca shares a little about what she expects that evening will brinG, including a fantastic sounding light show (Cosmic Flights Liquid Lights) that will certainly add to the night’s psychedelic feel and presentation. We talk about the mission of the band at a live event, how they choose setlists and one of the more fascinating things shred was thinking about how Becca (who is taking on more of a lead singing role), goes about finding her way as a female vocalist on tunes that were not written for nor sung originally by a female artist. I share my personal thoughts and findings from their recent performance at Atwoodfest, an event that band happily accepted a fill-in role for but did not have a ton of time to prep for, here’s a clue…they killed it. Come on and clap your hands.

Long Beach Dub Allstars Soon Come

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After making their triumphant return in 2020 with their self-titled album, Long Beach Dub Allstars have taken it all the way back-to-basics on their latest album “Echo Mountain High”. The album will take listeners on a trip through a psychedelic mountain range of musical madness filled with reggae, rock, ska, hip hop, hard dub, & soul. Long Beach Dub Allstars have always taken chances and have never been afraid to chart into unknown musical territory. “Echo Mountain High” sees them experimenting with some heavy psychedelics and finds the band playing some hard classic dub anthems along with some wild experiments, showcasing the band’s free spirit & fearlessness to venture into the unknown. Joining the Dub Allstars on this mind-altering musical journey are Chris Dowd (Fishbone), who adds his trombone flavor to a track, some sweet vocals on another and some of his iconic keys on 2 others. Devin Morrison (Expanders/Man Like Devin) and Jesse Wagner (Aggrolites), lend some singing on a few tracks. Philieano (Doobie Raider) jumps on two tracks to rap and sing some harmonies, and local Long Beach ripper, Travis Goertz, plays a little slide guitar on one track. Today’s generation of reggae-rock fans may not fully understand how critical this group was to the reggae-rock genre, following Sublime’s conclusion in 1996. They played at a time when social media was non-existent. Live-videos of their early performances are mostly of grainy VHS quality, while most live-photos shot by fans were with those cheap throw-away cameras. There was no Youtube, Facebook, and this was before Myspace or even iTunes. They were the torch bearers of a genre that Sublime introduced and the original ‘Dub Allstars lineup included most of the players who were involved in cultivating that Reggae-Rock sound with Brad Nowell. 25 years later the band has found its resurgence with Opie Ortiz(vocals), Miguel Happoldt (guitar), Tim Wu (horns) joined by Roger Rivas (keys), Ed Kampwirth (bass) and Gil Sharone(drums).

I have to say, when Sublime and Long Beach Dub Allstars first made their way to me I found both to be a something I never heard quite like that before. Maybe it was that West coast flavor that adds its own something to it, but I dug it. I was happy to see that LBDAS are heading to Madison on September 19th along with The Movement at the Majestic to give us some of that West coast good time. I had the chance to chat with Ed Kampwirth to go through what the event will godown like. I wanted to get more insight on the latest album, ‘Echo Mountain High’, so we dive in seed to flower, talk a little about a couple of the tracks and from what went from a session in the yard to this finely assembled group of interesting & diverse tunes. For me this is soul’s music. Taking risks and getting the rewards should be how this album plays out for this band. We do touch a little on how the 562 (Long Beach) plays into the way the music grooves and grows as well as the lineage of the band from the then to now and all points between. HR is definitely an important figure in many a life, our included so we chat briefly about a tune he is actually singing on on their 2020 self titled record. Of course, no time would be complete without building some kind of setlist and that is just what Ed did. Some kind.

Photo by: Matt Farrington @maxfarenhite

Being Dessa

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Singer, rapper, and writer Dessa has made a career of bucking genres and defying expectations—her résumé as a musician includes performances at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury, co-compositions for 100-voice choir, performances with the Minnesota Orchestra, and top-200 entries on the Billboard charts. She contributed to the #1 album The Hamilton Mixtape and the RBG documentary; her track, “Congratulations,” has notched over 20 million streams. As a writer, she’s been published by The New York Times & National Geographic Traveler, broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio, and published a memoir-in-essays (My Own Devices, 2018) in addition to 2 literary collections. As a speaker, Dessa has delivered keynote speeches and presentations on art, science, & entrepreneurship; guest lectures at universities/colleges across the US; and a TED Talk about her science experiment on how to fall out of love. She also hosted two seasons of Deeply Human, a radio program created by the BBC and American Public Media. Dessa has been covered by Pitchfork, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal amongst others. The LA Times says she “sounds like no one else.” NPR’s All Songs Considered calls her “a national treasure.” On the stage and on the page, Dessa’s style is defined by ferocity, wit, tenderness, & candor. Plainly put, Dessa is dope.

I had the chance to catch up with Dessa before she headlines the 2024 Orton Park Festival in Madison on August 25th. Firstly, I am honored to have such a keen observer and sharer on the proGram. We get right into what the show will be like sonically, as in who will be doing what, and their are some surprises I think for many a listener to wrap their heads around. A harp? Of course, Dessa turns the plan on nme and asks me some questions as she prepares herself for the uniqueness Madison will offer her. We get into her latest album on Doomtree, ‘Bury The Lead’ and talk about the music, the risks and the rewards within the industry and life for that matter, when you stretch into the unknown. We say a lot of things to each other, as our foreheads were opened…but I really wanted to hear more about her TED Talk/science experiment/really freakin’ cool idea, so we get into her ‘Brain Skin Rug’ a bit. I could spend the time writing more about our conversation, but that’s not going to pinpoint the spots that will engross you, personally. I think a live performance will do that, just like this time we spent together.

Afghan Youth Orchestra Is Courage

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The Afghan Youth Orchestra returns to the Kennedy Center more than a decade after its groundbreaking U.S. debut in 2013. This group of brave young musicians were forced to leave their homes in 2021 after the Taliban’s return to power. Today their performances are a symbol of defiance against the Taliban’s enforced silencing of Afghanistan’s rich musical heritage. The orchestra works tirelessly to defend musical rights, women’s rights, and gender equality in their native land through performance of Afghan traditional songs and classical works played on both Western and Afghan instruments. This was a moment in time I shared goosebumps with the many who watched.

BALTHVS Has A Harvest

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BALTHVS is a Colombian psychedelic funk trio formed in 2020. Best known for their eclectic style, which fuses elements of Middle Eastern Music, Disco, House, Funk, Psychedelia, Indie Rock, Surf & Cumbia into a cohesive whole. The band is notable for their energetic shows, live improvisation and prolific output. Since their formation, the band has released over 39 singles and 3 full length albums, accumulating over 15 million streams worldwide. The group has performed in the biggest rock music festival in Colombia, Rock al Parque, has toured extensively in the United States, gracing SXSW 3 times in row as well as 7 countries in Europe. They will perform at major festivals such as Outside Lands & Austin City Limits this year. Summer 2024 is proving to be the Season of ‘HARVEST’, with all eyes on BALTHVS. After selling out several shows on its N.A. & European tour, including its very first L.A. show at the tastemaker venue the Lodge Room in Highland Park, BALTHVS has quickly gained a passionate audience following. As the rise of psychedelic music popularity gains steam, BALTHVS is at the forefront. They just dropped a new album, their 4th, ‘Harvest’. In support of the new album release, BALTHVS will be embarking on a U.S. Tour this August. Released on Mixto Records, ‘Harvest’ was composed by all 3 band members, Balthazar Aguirre, Johanna Mercuriana & Santiago Lizcano. This album is a reflection of where the band is currently. The trio spent a month at a tropical summer house in La Mesa, Colombia to record. The tropical landscape served as more than just a backdrop, it was the wellspring of inspiration for BALTHVS. Unlike their previous albums, where Balthazar took the lead in recording, composing, producing & arranging, the music emerged as a collective effort. All 3 contributed equally to the creation of every song. Harvest features vocals that harmonize like instruments, weaving lyrical poetry into a tranquil groove. Most evident in songs like “Like Coconut Water,” an effervescent song that captures the essence of a tropical escape. “Anouk” is a gorgeous groove that is dedicated to the house cat at La Mesa, the sphynx-like guardian who set watch during the recording sessions. “Mango Season” a laid back, funky and soulful instrumental groove that is perfect for relaxing, skateboarding and looking at clouds. ‘Harvest’ is a sonic testament to the last 4 years of artistic & personal growth and building a musical family across borders.

I was so psyched to see that part of the Summer Harvest 2024 tour would brinG BALTHVS to us here in Madison. On August 24 at the Orton Park Festival, we will be able to hang out with this group of rising stars. I had the chance to catch up with Johana, Santi & Balthazar while they were in Colombia, to help get to know the people and the what’s’ possibly heading our way. We get into their sound merging many grooves with the spirit of the Grateful Dead and that feel your way into the music way. We get into the creation of and dropping of the new album ‘Harvest and how working with a label, Mixto Records and the combination of all three bandmates’ ideas made for what I would say is a aura-filled album for me. I truly feel their music. We talk about how Mother Nature was a close second to the honorary band member during the albunm’s creation and provided many an opportunity to expand during the process. They really made yet more exciting noise recently at their L.A. debut on the Jazz Is Dead stage and were introduced by the coolth that is friend of the proGram, Mr. Adrian Younge. Of course, we get a little time to build a little setlist – all of this time together left me even more ready to find a brand new groove and way with BALTHVS. Take some time and found yours.

Bernard Allison Back In Madison

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For over fifty years, music has been Bernard Allison’s essence. As the youngest son of the much-missed Chicago bandleader Luther Allison, he was a bluesman from birth, naturally drawn to this ancient music that seemed to heal deep wounds, and held spellbound by early encounters with heavyweights like Muddy Waters, Albert King & Hound Dog Taylor. Shuttled between Florida & Illinois as a child, but never separated from his guitar, by 12, Bernard was a fireball player himself, and at 18, he commanded instant respect as his dad’s guest at the 1983 Chicago Blues Festival. One week after graduating high school, Bernard cut his teeth on the road with Koko Taylor’s Blues Machine lineup and ended up staying for most of the ’80s. By the close of the decade, however, he assumed a twin identity, leading & writing for his father’s band, while forging a solo career that exploded in Europe off the back of early albums like The Next Generation (1990), No Mercy (1994) and Funkifino (1995). Across his respected career, Bernard has certainly tasted the highs. Just ask him for his memories of jamming with Stevie Ray Vaughan on his 16th birthday.“He contacted my mom and said he and Double Trouble were going to surprise me after their show.” Or being given a lesson by the Texas tornado himself, “Johnny Winter sat me down and taught me how to play slide in open tuning.” But even when the lows bit, like losing Luther to cancer in 1997, just as his career was peaking, Bernard has defied his circumstances. That same year’s solo album, Keepin’ The Blues Alive, might as well have been his mission statement, and Bernard has spent the last quarter-century both honoring his father and exploring his own voice during a constantly flourishing solo career.

I had the honor of spending a little time with Bernard Allison to get into what his set at The Sessions at McPike Park on August 10 here in Madison will be like. We talk about the real fun that he and his band are having while playing with and for folks. Bernard is sure to remind that this is all about representing the Allison name. We talk energy and style, his and what his father was known for. Bernard and mates had just gotten back from a European tour, which led naturally into discussing how his father Luther was beloved overseas and that family/community feel is still alive and rockin’ whenever he shows up for a gig/festival. Madison Wisconsin holds a special spot for Bernard as his dad hung out here as a place to fish and set the stage for more business, music business that is. So, this welcome back to Madison is going to be one for the books, just like the latest album on Ruf Records (a label created with/by Luther & Thomas Ruf) aptly titled ‘Luther’s Blues’ and how playing his dad’s songs, some with a recreated sprit, serves to keep a legacy alive from the past, into the present and through the future. The entire conversation seems to revolve around not only the music, but family, community and the recognition and acknowledgements of forward progress from the places and people that have touched/taught him as a person AND as an artist. I mean this cat was shown certain things from Johnny Winter & Stevie Ray Vaughn (we touch on some of this as well – how could we not?). I will Guarentee that if you are open to having a good time, Bernard Allison and his band will give you more than you can handle.

Atwoodfest welcomes Parker Barrow

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Taking their name from the infamous outlaw duo of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, Parker Barrow is a powerhouse, blues-infused Southern rock ‘n’ roll band led by vocalist Megan Kane & her husband/drummer Dylan Turner. When a chance meeting brought them together in 2019, the pair immediately hit it off and within the span of 2 weeks formed an acoustic duo and hit the road full time – where they have lived ever since. In 2023 Parker Barrow expanded into a full band with many a friend rotating in & out. The band’s vintage sound contains elements of rock, blues, soul, & country music, but Parker Barrow’s brand of music is unmistakably and distinctively their own. Kane was raised on old-school country including Johnny Cash & Dolly Parton, while Dylan grew up listening to classic rock bands like the Allman Brothers & The Stones alongside more contemporary blues-rockers like the Black Crowes & Tedeschi-Trucks Band. The 2 wrote Parker Barrow’s debut album “Jukebox Gypsies” and released in August 2023. The record is a collection of songs that tells the couple’s story over the last 4 years; from their 1st encounter to living out of an RV while touring and everything in between. The record touches on the highs & lows of life on the road, with each song reflecting their feelings and emotions during these times and how they managed to discover a harmonious balance amid the chaos. Parker Barrow have become well known for their electrifying full-throttle live show. Their performances feature high energy jams infused with rock ‘n’ roll, blues, soul and even a dash of classic country. The band is powered by the immense groove of Turner’s drumming at the foundation and Kane’s soulful & electrifying vocals soaring up over the top. They will be bringing a 9 piece band to Madison to close out Atwoodfest in rockin’ style.

I had the chance to catchup with Megan and Dylan just ahead of the upcoming (first time in Wisconsin) event to close out the festivities in Madison at Atwoodfest, Sunday, July 28th. Right from the get go I could tell that the fun and energy I have heard about with their live shows, seemed to flow off the two of them naturally. I wanted to make sure our new friends felt at home before they get out of the van, so we get to know a little bit about exactly how this fun and energy translates live into a rockin’ good time. Just how much a festival crowd can get this band even more revved up then they already plan to be and it is exciting to hear that songs are going to ebb & flow depending on the moments Madison will be providing. We usually do not disappoint!! And if you listen carefully, you’ll hear I was given the green liGht for a chainsaw solo. We get a little back story on the debut album ‘Jukebox Gypsies’ and I think I can hear a tinge of wanting to talk about some new songs?! Maybe we will get something brand spankin’ while they are in town?! Before we call it a day, it was time for a setlist and within that, maybe a new band for us to check out, Them Dirty Roses.

Photo: Jaime Silas

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.

JFA Presents: Ra Kalam Bob Moses and the Heart Breath Ensemble

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A mainstay in creative music, drummer Ra Kalam Bob Moses took early inspiration from growing up in the same NYC building as Max Roach, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones, propelling him through a prolific career that has found him in collaboration with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Charles Mingus, Gary Burton, Dave Liebman, Keith Jarrett, Jaco Pastorius, Paul Bley, Billy Hart, Sheila Jordan, Tisziji Munoz, and Jim Pepper among countless others. This concert features longtime collaborates Darius Jones, Don Pate & Billy Martin. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the Howard Gilman Foundation. Another mind opening experience presented by the Jazz Foundation of America and LIVE FROM HARLEM.

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.

The Legend John Primer

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Mr. John Primer has undisputedly helped build the sound and style of Chicago blues as we all know it today. The echoes of tradition bellowing from the birthplaces he played such as: Maxwell Street, Theresa’s, Checkerboard & Rosa’s Lounges, pulse from every chord in his fingers still today. John Primer is a Chicago Blues Living Legend. Growing up on Mississippi sharecropper land in 1945, inspired by his family’s hard work & field songs daily, deep devotion to spirituals on Sundays, and blues on Saturdays. John dreamed of one day playing with the Legendary Muddy Waters! Moving to Chicago in 1963, he started on that path of becoming a great bluesman, getting his 1st steady gig at the legendary Maxwell Street in Chicago on Sundays and at the famous Theresa’s Lounge 7 nights a week for 7 years. John was taught by the founding fathers of the blues. Starting out with his own band the Maintainers with Pat Rushing on Maxwell Street, he then moved on to play with the legendary Sammy Lawhorn & Junior Wells at Theresa’s Lounge. He worked hard and impressed Willie Dixon enough to go on tour with him and his Chicago Blues All-Stars Band. At this point he was known and John’s dream finally came true in 1981 when he got to play with his idol, Muddy Waters. Muddy called for him to lead his band and changed his life forever. After Muddy’s untimely death, he joined up with Magic Slim & The Teardrops for the next 14 years, traveling all over the world. John paid his dues and in 1995 he began leading his own band, The Real Deal Blues Band. He has been recorded on more than 87 albums with 17 albums in his own name. He has written & produced more than 55 songs on more than six record labels including his own, Blues House Productions. Earning 2 Grammy Award nominations, given 2 Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame, awarded the “Muddy Award” for being a traditional blues icon, winning a Blues Music Award, Blues Blast Awards and countless other awards, John Primer is a legendary Chicago Blues Icon!!!

I had the honor of getting to spend some time talking with Mr. John Primer ahead of his upcoming stops through Madison on June 22nd at the Red Rooster and then again on August 10th part of the Sessions At McPike Park. We got into what an audience can expect in the way of traditional blues that is flowing through this man’s veins and how is is doing all he can to keep that vibe alive. We spent time dissecting his recent award winning album “Teardrops For Magic Slim” and how the album (a live recording – was a tribute fitting for another legend to the scene). Mr. Primer was recently overseas for a festival so we talk anbout him prepping the band he inherited when he arrived and how they did such a bang up job. As you can imagine, we got into stories about the who and the what and the where and especially the how of major career paths in his life, a life worthy of any hall of fame and certainly his sound is in many of our individual sonic halls of fame. I invite you to take a listen to the past and learn a bit about where one of the originals to the Chicago Blues groove got his starts and stops, he come-uppins and his immense influence still to this day on generations of others, feeling this music. John Primer is a leGend.

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.