Category Archives: All Interviews

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

Arun Ramamurthy Trio: A Feeling Experience

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Arun Ramamurthy is a violinist, composer & educator based in Brooklyn, NY. Rooted in South Indian classical Carnatic music, Arun is a versatile musician, performing internationally in both traditional Carnatic & Hindustani settings, as well as blurring genres with his own innovative projects like the acclaimed Arun Ramamurthy Trio & Nakshatra duo with violinist Trina Basu. Arun studied under the celebrated violinist brothers, Sri Mysore Nagaraj & Dr. Mysore Manjunath, the distinguished violinist Sri. Ananthakrishnan as well as many early years with western classical violinist Jim Mate. He has shared the stage with luminaries like Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Sudha Ragunathan, Reggie Workman, Kenny Werner, Jamey Haddad, Amir ElSaffar, Hamid Drake, Martha Redbone, Yacouba Sissoko, Adam Rudolph, Lizz Wright, Subhankar Banerjee, Mashkoor Ali Khan, Awa Sangho, Roman Diaz, Melvis Santa and many more. Arun’s music has brought him stages like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Celebrate Brooklyn and many other celebrated venues. He leads the Arun Ramamurthy Trio, an ensemble that brings a fresh approach to Carnatic classical repertoire and features Arun’s original composition work. Praised by All About Jazz as “a beautiful, exotic, ear-opening listening experience” ART released their 2nd studio album ‘New Moon’ in September 2024 through Greenleaf Music. He also co-leads a violin duo project with wife & violinist Trina Basu, reimagining string chamber music through the lens of Carnatic, western chamber music and jazz. The duo released their debut studio album “Nakshatra” in January 2022. As a composer, Arun has created new works for his Trio (ART) & duo project with Trina Basu, scores for theatrical productions such as Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink, for Indian classical dance, and for the pioneering musician’s collective Brooklyn Raga Massive. Arun received Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works grant to compose his Trio’s upcoming release New Moon. He was also commissioned through New Music USA to compose original work for Malini Srinivasan’s ‘Appeasing Radhika’, an ambitious project investigating Devadasi lives in Indian Classical performing arts. Arun is a co-founder of Brooklyn Raga Massive, a genre-bending musicians’ nonprofit rooted-in and inspired-by the classical music of South Asia. In 2010, Arun created and produced Carnatic Sundays, a traditional and cross-genre concert series at the iconic West Village haunt, Cornelia Street Cafe. Throughout his career, Arun has curated and performed in hundreds of concerts bringing together music from all over the world. Arun also is a dedicated educator, teaching Carnatic music privately to children and adult students, professional string players and instrumentalists from various genres. He conducts workshops and has held teaching-artist residencies working with student ensembles at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Brooklyn College’s Jazz & Big Band program, NYU, Yale University, Sarah Lawrence University, and many others.

I had the chance to catch up with Arun ahead of the trio landing in Madison on May 3rd along with woodwind sound designer Pawan Benjamin at the North Street Cabaret. We get right into what one in attendance should be ready for while Arun shares what makes the trio a sonic brotherhood with percussionist and friend of the proGram, Sameer Gupta, and electric bassist Damon Banks. Arun walks us thru the development of the latest album, ‘New Moon’ and I would be remiss if I did not give him a chance to shout out the all that Brooklyn Raga Massive really is (besides a something that has opened many more doors for me to explore into). This will go down as one of those shows I will recall for a lifetime.

No Noodling Around With Branford Marsalis

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Branford Marsalis continues to thrill audiences around the world while racking up achievements across diverse musical platforms, even after 4 decades in the international spotlight. From his initial recognition as a young jazz lion, he has expanded his vision as an instrumentalist, composer, bandleader & educator, crossing stylistic boundaries while maintaining an unwavering creative integrity. In the process, he has become an avatar of contemporary artistic excellence winning 3 Grammy Awards, a Tony nomination for his work as a composer on Broadway, a citation by the National Endowment for the Arts as Jazz Master, and a 2021 Primetime EMMY nomination for the score he composed for the Tulsa Burning documentary. His first instrument, the clarinet, gave way to the alto and then the tenor & soprano saxophones when the teenage Branford began working in local bands. A growing fascination with jazz as he entered college gave him the basic tools to obtain his 1st major jobs, with trumpet legend Clark Terry and alongside Wynton in Art Blakey’s legendary Jazz Messengers. When the brothers left to form the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, the world of uncompromising acoustic jazz was invigorated. Branford formed his own quartet in 1986 and it remains his primary performance vehicle. The Quartet has established a rare breadth of stylistic range, known for the telepathic communication among its uncommonly consistent personnel, its deep book of original music replete with expressive melodies and provocative forms, and an unrivaled spirit in both live & recorded performances, the Branford Marsalis Quartet has long been recognized as the standard to which other ensembles of its kind must be measured. Branford formed the Marsalis Music label in 2002, and under his direction it has documented his own music, talented stars such as Miguel Zenón, and un-heralded older masters including one of Branford’s teachers, the late Alvin Batiste. Branford has also shared his knowledge as an educator. He enjoys working with students and has formed an extended relationship with North Carolina Central University where he has been teaching for the past eighteen years. He has also taught at Michigan State University and San Francisco State University and continues to conduct workshops throughout the world. As for other public stages, Branford spent a period touring with Sting, collaborated with the Grateful Dead & Bruce Hornsby, served as Musical Director of The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno and hosted NPR’s widely syndicated Jazz Set. The range and quality of these diverse activities established Branford as a familiar presence beyond the worlds of jazz & classical music, while his efforts to help heal and rebuild New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina mark him as an artist with an uncommonly effective social vision. Together with Harry Connick, Jr. and New Orleans Habitat for Humanity, Branford conceived and helped to realize The Musicians’ Village, a community in the Upper Ninth Ward that provides homes to the displaced families of musicians and other local residents. The centerpiece of the Village is the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, honoring Branford’s father. The Center uses music as the focal point of a holistic strategy to build a healthy community and to deliver a broad range of services to underserved children, youth and musicians from neighborhoods battling poverty and social injustice. In January 2024, following in his father’s footsteps, Branford was appointed Artistic Director at the Center and in this capacity, he will shape the artistic trajectory and steer the organization’s creative vision for the future.

I had the complete honor of spending a little time chatting it up with Mr. Branford Marsalis. We dive head first into the upcoming event in Madison on May 1st at the Wisconsin Union Theater. We talk about what people with hear & see at this shared encounter, including the spontaneous interactions. The Quartet gets introduced to us as well so we now know a little more about those folks spending the time with us. They also have a new alum out on Blue Note Records titled ‘Belonging‘, it is an interpretation of Keith Jarret’s 1974 ECM release. Mr. Marsalis shares how this music hits and how it shapes from the original and how the quartet works as students of music, with a slight reminisce of their John Coltrane ‘Love Supreme’ experience years ago. While talking about the tune, ‘The Windup’, we end up talkin’ baseball, sharing our unlove for one particular NY team and I would have been remiss not to try and learn more about his work with the Grateful Dead’s ‘Eyes Of The World’. Note to self, no noodling! Man, I appreciate how this cat does things the way he does things.

Family Time With Oliver Wood

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Whenever Oliver Wood isn’t touring with The Wood Brothers, the Grammy-nominated roots trio that he co-founded in 2006, he typically begins his mornings the same way: in Nashville, at home, with a coffee cup in his hand and a notebook in his lap, sitting in a chair in front of the window. Many of the songs from his latest solo effort ‘Fat Cat Silhouette’ began taking shape in that chair. Produced by his Wood Brothers’ bandmate Jano Rix, it’s an album of unexpected twists & turns. Longtime fans will recognize the earnest, elastic voice that has always anchored the Wood Brothers’ mix of forward-looking folk and southern country-funk, but Fat Cat Silhouette doesn’t spend much time looking backward. Instead, it abandons convention, breaks a few rules, and positions Oliver Wood as a roots-music innovator who’s every bit as interested in the process as the product. Oliver wanted to step out of the norm on this one. On the album’s opener, “Light and Sweet,” he matches an imaginative storyline with a melody that leaps from ground level into the stratosphere. Eight songs later, he brings things to a close with “Fortune Drives the Bus,” which he recorded on an iPhone in his own backyard. While tracking the rest of the album to analog tape, Wood pushed himself to keep things weird. Wood’s years of experience have left him with a wide circle of collaborators, and ‘Fat Cat Silhouette’ features performances from guests like Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin (whose saxophone can be heard on the groove-heavy numbers “Whom I Adore” and “Yo I Surrender”), Ted Pecchio who handles bass duties throughout the collection and Marcus Henderson (who contributes flute & fife to “Whom I Adore”). Co-writers like Sean McConnell, Seth Walker, & Ric Robertson lend their help, too, while Katie Pruitt tackles a verse on the heartbroken soul ballad “Have You No Shame,” which was written by one of Wood’s mentors, the legendary Atlanta musician and songwriter Donnie McCormick. Jano even pulls double-duty as producer & musician, anchoring the album’s mix of mystery & melody with his percussion & keyboards. Despite the stacked guest list, some of Fat Cat Silhouette‘s best moments find Wood and Rix working together as a duo. On “Little Worries,” Wood sketches a picture of a reflective morning in his armchair, a cat in the window, pancakes in the skillet, anxieties crossing and leaving his mind — over Rix’s inventive pulse. Later, when time constraints prevented them from adding horns to “Star in the Corner,” they chose to sing the horn parts instead. A little less typical, indeed. That might as well be Fat Cat Silhouette’s mission statement. This is an album that finds the art in the unexpected, and Oliver Wood, whose songwriting & vocal chops remain as sharp as ever, at his most adventurous.

It has been a long time that Oliver Wood and I have been catching up about what is going on. I have had his brother Chris on a few times as well to talk Wood Brothers, but t s typically Oliver who plays catch-up. He is going to be at the Stoughton Opera House on April 30th with Dave & Dave of Trampled By Turtles, and Seth Walker. We north marveled over the possibilities of what his night could be bringing and then got into what a solo set of his could shape up into. He reminded us a little about how his most recent release, ‘Fat Cat Silhouette’ went down and we even got into a little bit about his work on Seth Walker’s new album which dropped on April 4th. It’s always nice to hear his voice on the other end of the phone, not quite as great as hearing it singing songs, but I am thinking this treat we will be getting at the Opera House is going to be one of those that is hard to forGet.

Photo-by: Alysse Gafkjen

Seth Walker Asks Why The Worry?

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In the midst of recording his 12th album, wavering in his resolve to finish what he’d started, Seth Walker came to a realization. No album is trapped in amber, no song is set in stone. Distance colors compositions over the years and each album is left as a reflection of its own period in time. This idea played a big part in shaping ‘Why The Worry’. Now, the other half of knowing is letting go; letting go of the worry about perception, the worry of over-preparation, and the worry that seeps in constantly from the news and noise of everyday life. The new album finds Walker reunited with old friends and familiar names. Once again Jano Rix steps behind the boards, co-producing the album with Seth & engineer Brook Sutton. In the producer’s 5th outing he’s become an invaluable sounding board, the kind who knows what’s missing and, just as importantly, what needs to be taken away. Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers) lends a pen to the title track, and Seth’s classically trained father Scott adds strings to “I’m Getting Ready,” a song penned by Walker’s contemporary Michael Kiwanuka. Mostly, though, the record was shepherded into shape by Walker’s trio, rounded out by longtime confidants Rhees Williams (Guitar, Piano) & Mark Raudabaugh (Drums). The 3 let the studio guide them, entering without agenda, set straight by the title’s mantra to stop worrying where they’d end up. But worry always tries to creep in. It’s inevitable, isn’t it? The album was just about finished when Hurricane Helene hit Walker’s region in the mountains around Asheville, and as a result, the record almost didn’t see light. As catastrophe took shape and literal bridges were broken, the album’s importance wavered in Seth’s mind until the central theme came back into view. The worry wouldn’t undo any damage, and there was still service in song. There’s a telling nod in the album closing with Bobby Charles’ seminal ode “I Must Be In a Good Place Now.” Why The Worry is a spiritual reset, watching the sunrise over the mountains. It soaks in like warmth on the skin after a night of shivering in the dark. Charles isn’t the only notable scribe among the track list, an even mix of Walker’s originals and a carefully curated crop of covers that rifle through the past and present. Setting the course are two gems from JJ Cale, whose sanguine saunter leans well into the album’s themes of amble and ease. Walker opens the album with the smoke ring sway of Bill Withers, turning the lights low for a gently funked rendition of “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh.” The groove grows deeper on Al Green’s “Take Me To The River,” putting a distinctly reclined feel on the soul classic. The breezy feeling extends to the originals as well, injecting a bit of Cale’s country funk into “Up On The Mountain,” soaking spring air and hope into “Supernatural Thing,” and melting nostalgia into meditation on “Midway Girl.” Why The Worry follows a string of critically acclaimed albums from Walker, garnering praise from NPR to The Washington Post. He’s been found on the road with The Mavericks, The Wood Brothers, Raul Malo, Paul Thorn and Ruthie Foster among others. He recently penned “Moon and Stars” – the title track to The Mavericks new album, sung as a duet with Sierra Ferrell. Walker’s latest album Why The Worry is out on tomorrow, on Royal Potato Family.

I had the chance to catch back up with Seth Walker (it has been a few years since last we spoke and I’ve been paying attention) and he will be back this way on April 30th at the Stoughton Opera House with Dave & Dave of Trampled By Turtles and his longtime pal (doing a short run with) Oliver Wood. What a incredible line-up for all of us who get to be a part of it. He sounded as blown away as I feel about it. We got into the joy of this upcoming show, but we started with getting into his brand new (just dropped April 4th) album ‘Why The Worry’ on Royal Potato Family Records. We kinda go seed to flower, dissect a few tunes off the release, and discuss how he and Oliver worked on their offering on the record and more. When I said I have been paying attention, it all comes back to this moment and this album, it’s really got that truth to it that I search for. Seth also gives some thought to a setlist and he gives love and props to our pal Kevin over at Royal Potato Family. Finally, we will have to check in and find out who wins the tennis matches on this short run. Deuce.

Photo by: Parker Pfister

From The Mind Of Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol

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Grammy nominated composer & CMES Harvard University fellow, Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol made his Carnegie Hall debut in April 2016 premiering his commissioned piece Harabat/The Intoxicated with the American Composers Orchestra. Other recent works have been heard at Tanglewood’s Ozawa Hall & Jordan Hall. He hails from Cyprus & Turkey, and is a Jazz pianist, a multi-instrumentalist, a singer, an ethnomusicologist as well as a full-time faculty member at the New England Conservatory. He has been the recipient of numerous respected awards including the South Arts Jazz Road Creative Residency Grant in 2021, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Grant twice in 2016 & 2020, as well as the New Music USA Grant twice in 2020 & again in 2024. A musical polymath, Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol has composed for, performed & toured with international stars & ensembles such as Dave Liebman, Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Cobham, Antonio Sanchez, Anat Cohen, Ingrid Jensen, Miguel Zenón, John Patitucci, Esperanza Spalding, The Boston Camerata, The Boston Cello Quartet, American Composers Orchestra, Okay Temiz, Erkan Oğur & Birol Yayla. He pairs Turkish instruments such as zurna (double reed wind), ney (end-blown flute), kös (large kettledrums) and nekkare (small kettledrums) with the jazz orchestra/combo to perform his Turkish music-influenced compositions, in which Turkish makam (mode) and usul (rhythmic cycles) are intertwined with modern jazz as well as specifically film noir influenced music. To achieve the same goal on keyboard instruments he has designed & conceived the SANLIKOL Renaissance 17, a digital microtonal keyboard with 17 keys per octave. Mehmet studied western classical piano with his mother and started giving piano recitals at age 5. Later on he studied with the internationally acclaimed Turkish composer/pianist Aydın Esen and won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. While at Berklee, Sanlıkol studied jazz composition with such accomplished composers like Herb Pomeroy & Ken Pullig. After studying with composers George Russell, Bob Brookmeyer & Lee Hyla, Sanlıkol completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Composition. During his doctoral studies, he also focused on Turkish music & ethnomusicology as a result of which he helped find the organization DÜNYA based in Boston, where he acts as the president. It’s a musicians’ collective dedicated to contemporary presentations of Turkish traditions, alone and in interaction with other world traditions, through musical performance, publication, & educational activities. Since its founding Sanlıkol has produced, performed & delivered talks at over two hundred DÜNYA events and released 17 albums, 3 singles, a concert DVD, a feature film of Mehmet’s opera “Othello in the Seraglio” and a documentary film. You can often find Mehmet actively delivering papers & talks at academic conferences such as International Conference on Analytical Approaches to World Music & Society for Ethnomusicology. His first book, entitled The Musician Mehters, about the organization and the music of the Ottoman Janissary Bands has been published during 2011 in English by The ISIS press and in Turkish by Yapı Kredi Yayınları. His second book, entitled Reform, Notation and Ottoman music in Early 19th Century Istanbul: EUTERPE, was published by Routledge in 2023. Currently, he is the director of New England Conservatory’s Intercultural Institute and the project director and curator of Nilüfer Municipality Dr. Hüseyin Parkan Sanlıkol Musical Instruments Museum.

I had the chance to catch up with Mehmet a day or two ahead of the debut concert featuring the R-17 and we got right into it. He described the where it idea (not necessarily a new idea) came from, how it resonates with his desire to reconnect with his Turkish culture, and how this innovation will lead to more exploration. I was and am fascinated by all of this. the concert left nothing to the mind. It took a walk thru history with ancient instrumentation and combined it with a climb into the bed of the future with his new sonic tool to take off with. We talk about the R-17’s small place on his soon to be released album, 7 Shades of Melancholia, out 4/25 on DÜNYA and dive into the creation and ins and out of the new record. For me to get into these types of discussions with Mehmet was a nice push in the ‘we keep building’ direction, as the sonic bridges we create keep getting stronger with each new step added, and new directions we can head. We are constantly moving, and the R-17 is certainly a mover and a shaker.

mssv On & On With

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mssv, made of guitarist Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges on drums & mike watt on bass, creates music that is an unimagined hybrid of a punk power-trio, noir-tinged adventure music & a dreamy experimental rock band, though they prefer the term “post-genre.” Their latest full-length album On And On is the 3rd studio album featuring brand new songs that were written by Mike Baggetta before their 58-show 2023 US tour and performed every night, then recorded & produced by Chris Schlarb at BIG EGO Studio in Long Beach, CA immediately after, and features artwork by the great John Herndon (Tortoise, A Grape Dope, Isotope 217). The digital version of the album features these 8 separate, boundary-pushing tracks, while the limited edition vinyl features these pieces joined into 2 continuous side-long movements by 6 additional band-improvised interludes. The subject matter here, while being universally relatable, is filled with personal references, stories of his and the band’s friends & relationships, and one song Despair & Hilarity includes lyrics written by one of Baggetta’s most important musical collaborators, Steve Gigante (currently of OMFU + The Scrapers, (VIP) Ditchfork, formerly of W-S Burn, 7 Year Rabbit Cycle). Continuing to explore the seemingly endless depths of Hodges’ & watt’s musicianship & skill over the many tours & albums in mssv has grown an instantly identifiable sound from Baggetta’s songwriting for this band. But the trust that has formed between them, that comes from long-running musical partnerships, has also made it possible for mssv to explore more interesting ways to incorporate improvised music into the lives of their songs. On And On skillfully combines all of these elements into a newly evolved lens for the music of mssv, deftly displayed in this album as a high concept love letter to everyday life. 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 anarchy.

I had the pleasure of catching up aGain with Mike Baggetta as mms embarks on a new tour (52 shows in a row) with a stop here in Madison on April 17th at the Gamma Ray Bar. We get into talk about the live experience. I was ready to share my thoughts after seeing them the last time they were here. There is not a lot of ways to describe the journey the trio takes you on when we all are aboard in the same room. We go head long into the new album, ‘On & On’, getting a taste of what it was like working through the songs while they were out on the last long run of live shows. We talk a 7 inch new single called ‘Even So’, on the flip side of Thousand Dollar Movies’ ‘Block Out The Sun’ on Four Fingers Records as well as working in more lyrical content. So many people would like to get a chance to go see this trio live, I say take a trip to the closest space they are going to be at – it’ll be worth the ride(s).

Alash Ensemble To Redefine Sounds

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ALASH are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this group from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies, western instruments & contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound & spirit remain decidedly Tuvan. Trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood, the Alash musicians studied at Kyzyl Arts College just as Tuva was beginning to open up to the West. They formed a traditional ensemble and won multiple awards for traditional throat singing in international xöömei competitions, both as an ensemble and as individuals. At the same time, they paid close attention to new trends coming out of the West. They have borrowed new ideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional Tuvan music, but they have never sacrificed the integrity of their own heritage in an effort to make their music more hip. Alash first toured the U.S. under the sponsorship of the Open World Leadership program of the Library of Congress & the National Endowment for the Arts. Since then they have returned many times, to the delight of American audiences. Alash enjoys collaborating w/musicians of all mediums. Since their early partnership with the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra, they have joined forces with musicians across the spectrum—from country to classical to jazz to beatboxing. Alash appeared as guest artists on Béla Fleck & the Flecktones’ Grammy-winning holiday CD Jingle All the Way (2008). They joined Chicago’s innovative Fifth House Ensemble in a groundbreaking concert series called Sonic Meditations, and later were part of a “global jam band” which recorded the soundtrack for the video game The Pathless. Bady-Dorzhu Ondar even teamed up with beatboxer Shodekeh in a live recording of original Tuvan songs filtered through the creative artistry of hip hop musicians. Beyond performing, Alash has a passion for teaching & promoting understanding between cultures. Their tours often include workshops in which they introduce Tuvan music to students in primary, middle & high schools, colleges, universities, and music conservatories. Even children have learned to throat-sing.

Members of Alash:

Bady-Dorzhu Ondar: vocals, igil, guitar, bayan (accordion). Kyzyl Arts College, East Siberia State Academy of Culture and Art. Best soloist, 2005 All-Russian Festival of traditional ensembles and orchestras. Best in Maxim Dakpai xöömei competition, 2006. Named People’s Xöömeizhi of Tuva, 2007. Grand prize, International Xöömei Symposium, 2008.

Kang-Khüler Saaia: vocals, byzaanchy, chadagan. Kyzyl Arts College, founding member of Tuvan National Orchestra.

Ayan-ool Sam: vocals, doshpuluur, igil, xomus. Republic School of the Arts, Kyzyl Arts College, Moscow State
Pedagogical University. First prize, International Xöömei Symposium, 2008. Named People’s Xöömeizhi of Tuva, 2015.

Ayan Shirizhik: vocals, kengirge, shyngyrash, shoor, xomus. Kyzyl Arts College, East Siberia State Academy of Culture and Art. Second prize, International Xöömei Symposium, 2008. Distinguished Artist of Tuva, 2009. Named People’s
Xöömeizhi of Tuva, 2021.

Sean Quirk: manager, interpreter. Studied music in Tuva on Fulbright fellowship. Named Distinguished Artist of Tuva, 2008.

I had the pleasure of getting some time with the ensembles manager/interpreter Sean Quirk as the ensemble got its tour on. Here in Madison on March 29th, people can experience all that is the Alash Ensemble at the Bur Oak. We got deep into trying to explain just what it is people who go out and see an Alash show are going to experience. I will attest (Sean will back me), it is as much a feeling within as it is getting wrapped in the sound vibrations coming out to you. It is something that does change people. Sean does his best to share what is was/is about the music and the culture that changed his life. Click into his name above to see just how much he got immersed – amazing cat. We talk about the ability of this music and these artists to be universal collaborators, with an openness to see where the ‘fits’ are, I believe the bridges of the world do get extended. We also get into a little lesson or two on both the instruments (not just throat singing happening here) and the region of Tuva. The music is as fascinating as all the pieces that make it happen. I believe I could do greenarrowradio from Tuva (with our new Packers Bar opening).

Introducing Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek

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Born in Hamburg, Germany to Turkish parents, Derya Yıldırım grew up influenced by her family’s Anatolian background and the myriad of cultures in the city. Derya’s musical roots started at home playing folk music with family members. Her father pushed her to learn various instruments, beginning with the bağlama, a seven stringed Turkish lute. Then she picked up the guitar, piano, & saxophone. Although she is a multi-instrumentalist, Derya always felt drawn to the sound of the bağlama, finding a special magic within that sound. With her band Grup Şimşek’s forthcoming album Yarın Yoksa, which translates to ‘If There’s No Tomorrow’, Derya continues her journey revitalizing Anatolian folk music and instrumentation by infusing timeless melodies with a modern psychedelic flair. Ten years ago, while participating in a community theater project, Derya met French musicians Graham Mushnik & Antonin Voyant from Catapulte Records and formed the band Grup Şimşek with Helen Wells, a drummer from Cape Town, South Africa joining in 2021. While the band is truly international, they eschew the term ‘world music’, preferring instead ‘outernational’ which they say suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” DY&GS embody what defines Anatolian folk music, finding a groove and melody and then looking for the freedoms within. It’s this ethos that guides the band’s songwriting and the way they take on Anatolian folk standards. Respecting the roots of the music while entertaining their own spins on the music while preserving historic words & melodies…perhaps the soul changes just a little bit. While it’s easy to think of folk music as a music of the past, Derya insists it’s just as valid today since this music is so important as it remains the voice of the people, the minority, and the oppressed. After self-producing multiple albums, they signed with New York’s Big Crown Records in 2024 and teamed up with Grammy-nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair) for Yarın Yoksa. The new album embodies their balance of preservation and innovation across nine original compositions and three traditional folk songs. It is a record that will enchant any listener regardless of language barrier with Derya’s passion and authenticity front and center and music too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait until you experience them play it live.

I had the pleasure of chatting it up with Derya & Helen of Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek shortly before the new album, Yarın Yoksa drops. This album delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing and hope for change running throughout. Derya also sings in her parents’ native Anatolian with lyrics that are poetic with symbolic language, metaphors & storytelling. Derya & Helen talk a bit about the album’s journey from beGinning to it’s almost peek into the ears of others. Together, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek have created a memorable and emotional record that challenges genre while having broad appeal and a powerful message. None of this is lost on my ears, body and spirit as I listen and share. I feel the album’s haunts and romances. We talk about getting to work with Big Crown Records and the one and only Mr. Leon Michels. I really get into being educated a bit about the region and corners of the world on the birth certificate of this record, including a geography lesson and some extra insights into the bağlama. I even got to learn a few more bands to look up when Helen & Derya build a setlist around one of the new tracks.

Photo by: Philomena Wolflingseder

Kendra Morris Comes To Madison

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There is something completely out-of-time about Kendra Morris and her latest album ‘I Am What I’m Waiting For’ on Karma Chief Records. It combines powerhouse vocals w/arrangements that betray an extensive record collection & a whimsical instinct for a joyous kinda noise. It’s vibrant & varied and packed w/personality. She & Torbitt Schwartz, AKA Little Shalimar (Run The Jewels) wanted to make it feel like listeners cracked open the ooze in her head. Torbitt was the Co-Writer & Producer on the record. Kendra is also an accomplished visual artist & stop-motion animator, so it’s appropriate that the album takes a collagist approach, recombining all sorts of Rock-n-Roll ingredients, the sass & swagger of Ronnie Spector, The more acid-fried corners of The Nuggets Compilations, post-modern interpolations of mid-century Exotica music, the cracking snares & sugary Urbanity of ESG, all while offering moments of vulnerable insights from a life in pursuit of expression. She was a musically precocious child and, after playing in Florida bar bands, moved to New York to chase the dream. Thus began a 13-year stint bartending at the beloved lower East Side dive The Library, which thrust her directly into the heart of Manhattan’s fertile post-Strokes creative scene. Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe lived Upstairs, music journalist Marc Spitz was a regular, and touring acts would come through to hang after playing Bowery Ballroom. During those moments, Morris yearned to join those folks on the other side of the bar. All the while, she kept pursuing her music dreams. Her process was pure, 100% DIY. She never took no for an answer. After the dissolution of her first band, She Recorded 8-track demos and performed solo shows backed by cassette recordings of her own vocal harmonies. Through these shows she connected w/longtime producer Jeremy Page. It felt meant to be. She worked with Jeremy for the next 10+ years, they Worked together thru some of the most beautiful & hardest life things she’s ever gone thru. It was a fruitful partnership: she signed to Wax Poetics for the release of her 2012 debut ‘Banshee’ & 2013’S ‘Mockingbird’, self-released her 2016 EP ‘Babble’, & signed to Karma Chief for 2022’S ‘Nine Lives’. She’s hooked up with a great cast of collaborators, including DJ Premier, MF Doom, Ghostface Killah, & David Sitek. Despite her strong professional & personal relationship w/Page, Kendra knew that she needed to change up the energy for her next project. She connected w/Torbitt Schwartz and set about making ‘I Am What I’m Waiting For’. Kendra was eager to break out of old habits: she started playing guitar again live, pulled old songs out and reworked them, less-than-perfect takes were tolerated. To me, it feels like he risk has paid off.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Kendra as she sets out on a brief run with Marc Brousaard which brings her to Madison on March 16th to play the Majestic Theatre. We get into how that gig got put on her calendar and what that set of music will be like, ranging from her past albums into trying out some new music on us. You heard it riGht, NEW music. We also never had time to discuss her most recent release, “I Am What I’m Waiting For” so we go a little seed to flower on that and prompt a little double check on the video for Dominoes. I would have been remiss if this time around I neglected to get into a little conversation on the really cool track, ‘White Noise‘ she worked on with Peter Matson – this tune really collides well with how she makes a little magic every time we hear a new thing and should be heard by everyone at least once. Ready…GO!

The Magic Of Marcia Ball

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50+ years have passed in a flash for pianist/songwriter/vocalist Marcia Ball. The 2018 Texas State Musician Of The Year has won worldwide fame & countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse party every time she takes the stage. Born in Orange, Texas and raised in Vinton, Louisiana, her deep Acadian heritage and a lifetime of absorbing Gulf Coast rhythm & blues is evident in her original songs and the classics she chooses to cover. This has made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. With each new release, her reputation as a profoundly soulful singer, a boundlessly talented pianist and a courageous, inventive songwriter continues to grow. Her love of the road has led to years of soul-satisfying performances at festivals, concert halls & clubs. Marcia grew up in a family whose female members all played piano and she began taking lessons at age 5, playing old Tin Pan Alley and popular music tunes from her grandmother’s collection. But it wasn’t until she was 13 that Marcia discovered the power of soul music. One day in 1962, she sat amazed as Irma Thomas performed on a show at the Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans and delivered the most spirited & moving performance the young teenager had ever seen. A few years later she attended Louisiana State University and after dropping out to explore the brave new hippie world of the late 1960s, she was invited to try out for a blues-based rock band called Gum. She made the cut and her future was set. In 1970, she left Baton Rouge for San Francisco. Her car broke down in Austin, and while waiting for repairs she fell in love with the city and decided to stay. It wasn’t long before she was performing in local clubs with a band called Freda And The Firedogs, which attracted many musicians & significant media attention to Austin. It was around this time that she discovered Professor Longhair she knew she had found her direction. When Freda And The Firedogs broke up in 1974, Ball launched her solo career and began touring outside of Texas & Louisiana. She signed with Capitol Records in 1977, debuting with the country-rock album Circuit Queen. As she honed her own sound, she released 6 critically acclaimed titles on the Rounder Records label during the 1980s & 1990s. In 1990, Ball, collaborating with Angela Strehli & Lou Ann Barton, recorded the hugely successful Dreams Come True on the Antone’s label. At the end of 1997, Marcia finished work on a similar “three divas of the blues” project for Rounder, this time in the distinguished company of Tracy Nelson and her longtime inspiration, Irma Thomas. The CD, Sing It!, was released in 1998 and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Marcia Ball has appeared many times on national TV over the years, including the PBS special In Performance At The White House with B.B. King & Della Reese, Austin City Limits & HBO’s Treme. She performed in Piano Blues, the film directed by Clint Eastwood included in Martin Scorsese’s The Blues series which aired on PBS television nationwide in 2003. Marcia also appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman w/The New Orleans Social Club, where she helped to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2012, she had a role in the independent film Angels Sing starring Harry Connick, Jr. & Lyle Lovett & Willie Nelson. Ball joined Alligator Records in 2001 with the release of the critically acclaimed Presumed Innocent. The CD won the 2002 Blues Music Award for Blues Album Of The Year. Her follow-up, So Many Rivers, was nominated for a Grammy Award, and won the 2004 Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year as well as the coveted Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year award. Her next release, Live! Down The Road, released in 2005, also garnered a Grammy nomination, as did 2008’s Peace, Love & BBQ. She holds 11 Blues Music Awards, 10 Living Blues Awards, and 5 Grammy Award nominations. 2010’s Grammy-nominated Roadside Attractions and 2014’s The Tattooed Lady And The Alligator Man successfully grew her fan base even further. She has been inducted into both the Gulf Coast Music Hall Of Fame & the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame and the Texas State legislature named her the official 2018 Texas State Musician. In 2018, Marcia was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. And she kept on traveling down the road to the next gig…

I had the pleasure of catching up with the legendary pianist/singer/songwriter ahead of her heading back to Madison for a gig at The Bur Oak on March 5th. Marcia and I get into a bit of what that show will be like, with some of that good ol’ rockin’ and rollin’ being at the center. We talk about her love of Madison and how much she enjoys being here, musically and otherwise, including her working with a staple here, The Jimmys (with whom she’ll be hanging and playing with down in Jamacia before heading here). We get into her passion for Irma Thomas, and how much seeing her early on changed her life, and then they worked toGether on a few occasions. How dreamy?! For me, it is always nice to talk about new music and Marcia drooped a little knowledge this way that there in fact, is some of that heading our way. YES!!! While new music is usually a big part of my thanG, so is the give-back. Marcia is doing her part as well with the HOMES initiative, providing financial housing assistance for aging musicians in need. So I would have been remiss not to shine a little light on these fantastic efforts.

New Music From Charles WIGG Walker

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Charles Walker was born in Nashville, Tennessee on 7/12/1940. Charles or “Wigg,” as he is known by his friends (his mother nicknamed him when he was born with a full head of hair), began singing at an early age in church & school. He cut his first record in 1959 for Ted Jarrett’s legendary Champion label. One cut, “Slave To Love,” was credited to Charles Walker and the Daffodils. In fact, there was no such group as the Daffodils. The backup singers on the record were label mates the Kinglets & Larry Birdsong. In 1960, Charles moved to New York City where studios & nightclub work were plentiful. 1962 found Charles recording with Chess Records out of Chicago, and soon he signed on as lead singer with the J.C. Davis Band. This band began touring the country opening for the greats of the era including James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Little Willie John, Otis Redding, & Sam Cooke. The J.C. Davis Band recorded some real barnstormers for Chess like “Sweet Sweet Love” & “The Chicken Scratch.” In 1964, Charles formed his own group, Little Charles and the Sidewinders. They became one of the most in demand soul bands in New York City’s nightclub scene, performing at the Apollo Theater, Small’s Paradise and venturing out to Las Vegas & Atlantic City. They subsequently recorded for Chess & Decca labels. The Sidewinders stayed together through the 60’s, and in 1969 he cut some sides for Botanic Records. The Sidewinders reformed in 1973 and worked as a show band in hotels, nightclubs, and casinos without the benefit of a recording contract. Early in the 80’s, he recorded in England and re-issued many of the Sidewinders classic sides. Realizing that there was a market for soul music in the U.K., he formed his own label P.R.G. and released the single “See Me” in Europe. He spent most of the 1980’s in England & Spain and worked steadily but recorded occasionally. In 1993, he moved back to Nashville to do some serious recording, since Nashville’s blues & R&B scene was really booming. His solo releases include “I’m Available,” “Leavin’ This Old Town,” “In the House” (live with Johnny Jones) & “Soul Stirring Thing.” He also released an album on the U.K. label Zane records called “Number By Heart” in 2003. Charles most recently was the featured singer for a band called “The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker”, and 3 records were released since June of 2007 on Outtasight Records. The band toured frequently in the U.S., Canada, Europe, & Australia. Charles is one of the few remaining original soul singers from back in the day when old school R&B/soul was brand new on the music scene. There has recently been a resurgence of this style of music, and it is finding a younger audience while rekindling memories for the old school crowd. Wigg is still delivering this style of music at a very high level, and his experience and maturity in the field of soul music gives him a perspective that is unmatched. Now in 2025, he comes out strong like never before even, with a new album ‘This Love Is Gonna Last’.

I had the chance to catch up quickly with Mr. Charles “Wigg” Walker’s shortly after ‘This Love Is Gonna Last‘, his first album in over a decade, officially dropped. We go seed to flower on the record, including dissecting two of the track a bit. The album is a dedication to his late wife and shifts seamlessly between definitive eras of soul, from Philly and Detroit to Memphis. We go back in time to learn a little about what he learned from James Brown, how he was the opening act for the Jackson 5 and the work he did fronting The Dynamites. I think this album will add to any music fans collection, but certainly, if that old feelin’ soul music is your thang – this has that and it feels fresh and new.

Smif-N-Wessun Got It Going

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Currently celebrating 30 Years Since Their Groundbreaking Debut, Dah Shinin’, Brooklyn, NY-Iconic duo, Smif-N-Wessun is preparing to release their latest album Infinity, February 21st., 2025. Hailing from Bucktown, a borderless place where otherwise warring Brooklyn neighborhoods find peace, Smif-N-Wessun, aka Tek & General Steele, are recognized and respected worldwide for their lyrical control. The pair first appeared on Black Moon’s debut album Enta Da Stage in 1993. Adding relentless rhymes to tracks “U da Man” & “Black Smif N’ Wessun,” the pair paved the way for the Brooklyn Supergroup Boot Camp Clik. Smif-N-Wessun released their classic debut Dah Shinin’ January 10, 1995 on Nervous Records. The album was noted for its hardcore lyrical content & gritty production, handled by Da Beatminerz production crew and was selected as one of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums of all time. Always standing on business, the Brooklyn duo has always stayed true to their roots. Never faltering or curving to conformity Infinity is a testament to their staying power and a gift to their loyal fans. The album will be released on Bucktown USA Entertainment/ Duck Down Music. The first single, “Infinity” was released on January 10th, followed by “Elephant In The Room” both produced by Khrysis, February 7th. A third single, “Medina” featuring Pharoahe Monch produced by SND*TRK, to be released simultaneously on February 21st. Fresh from the triumphant return of a successful domestic & international tour, Smif-N-Wessun’s new album is a cumulative reflection of their life experiences. Executive Produced by college professor & world renowned producer, 9th Wonder and the Soul Council, 9th explains the thought process with the album. “I wanted to make sure that it didn’t sound dated. It sounds like them (Smif-N-Wessun) but it’s also new. They are our generation’s version of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Donald Byrd.” Illustrious MCs featured on the album include, Buckshot, Pharoahe Monch, Conway the Machine, legendary artists Sean Price & Prodigy, multi-platinum RnB legend, Ralph Tresvant along with rising stars, Sweta and Jalisa. Infinity cements Smif-N-Wessun’s status as creators of nothing but classics. This is their eighth album and the 2nd collaboration with 9th Wonder and the Soul Council. Showcasing buttery beats from Council members, 9th Wonder himself, Khrysis, SND*TRK, Kash, Mu’aath & Nottz, the album delivers a sonic smash that will satisfy everyone from the rap purist to new school connoisseurs. This new album has cemented Smif-N-Wessun’s place in Hip-Hop history as stalwart artists and champions of Hip-Hop culture.

I had the honor of chatting with Tek & Steele like we was hanging out on the front stoop together talking music. We got into the 30th anniversary of Das Shinin’ and how that album got it’s story built, and the fellas of course, mention those who came before and helped them through. We also got into the upcoming event at the Union Theater’s Play Circle in Madison on February 13th and what showgoers can think to expect, especially with this new record, ‘Infinity’ set to drop a little over a week later. We gonna get some teasers! That of course got us into the new album and how these joints came to life, and they got me a couple of tunes ahead of time to share with listeners. From the classic to the this moment music, Smif-n-Wessun are always poised to share their stories in a way that are relatable, image in the mind worthy and got a soul of their own riding on beats to move to.

Arts + Literature Laboratory Welcomes Larry & Joe

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Larry & Joe is the duo of Joropo maestro Larry Bellorín (Monagas, Venezuela) & Grammy-nominated bluegrass & oldtime star Joe Troop (Winston-Salem, North Carolina). These two virtuosic multi-instrumentalists fuse their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions on the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, and maracas to prove that music has no borders. Their engaging bilingual (esp / eng) program includes storytelling, humor, singalongs & dancing. Larry hails from Monagas, Venezuela and is a legend of Llanera music. Joe is from North Carolina and is a GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime musician. Larry was forced into exile and is an asylum seeker in North Carolina. Joe, after a decade in South America, got stranded back in his stomping grounds in the pandemic. Larry worked construction to make ends meet. Joe’s acclaimed “latingrass” band Che Apalache was forced into hiatus, and he shifted into action working with asylum seeking migrants. Then Larry met Joe. Currently based in the Triangle of North Carolina, both men are versatile multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters on a mission to show that music has no borders. As a duo they perform a fusion of Venezuelan and Appalachian folk music on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van. The program they offer features a distinct blend of their musical inheritances and traditions as well as storytelling about the ways that music and social movements coalesce.

I had the chance to catch up with Joe Troop ahead of Larry & Joe heading into Madison on February 5th at Arts & Literature Laboratory. Joe and I spend some time defining what a Larry & Joe event will be like, from the history of the music to the even futuristic sounds of this unique duo. Joe and I discuss the creation of their brand new album ‘Manos Panamericanos‘ and how it went from idea to final product, but moreover, we talk about what goes into it and how it will translate into their live events. The very interesting part of this duo besides the sounds they create toGether, is how the two met and began their relationship, as artists but more importantly, as people. Finally, Joe gets a chance to build a setlist around one (or two) of their tunes and we do learn about some of the Wisconsin type experiences, including walleye, Supper clubs and of course, cheese they look forward to partaking in.

Our Friend Ahmed

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I was led to our friend, Ahmed Abuamsha (he also goes by the stage name Ahmed Muin), by a trusted source and family to the proGram (and an important arm to my Burnt Sugar family), Amy. Ahmed is a music teacher at the American School of Gaza and an instructor in guitar playing at Edward Saeed Institute for Music in Gaza. Before the war of 2023 on the Gaza Strip, he used to have a sound recording & producing studio where he used to compose, write lyrics & engineer sound on songs for children, commercials, advertisements for love & popular wedding songs. His studio was designed according to professional specifications and was on the ground floor of his house in the Southern part of Beit Harroun, Northern Gaza. The studio had:
a) Recording room.
b) Control Room.
c) a small salon.
As with any professional studio, it had a lot of valuable equipment. The walls were covered with wavy sponge blaster, double-hard-glass windows, and it had all appropriate and expected jacks, cords & cables, high-quality microphone and iron stands for music notes & headphones. All the things artists anywhere would come to know they need to have in such a facility.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/azP6aF4Wyy2vNS5N/?mibextid=oFDknk (Ahmed going live in his studio)
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/7DvQj3zKVVYo5RJ8/?mibextid=oFDknk (Ahmed at Edward Saeed Institute)

His story begins when people received messages on their cellphones ordering them to leave immediately or their lives would be in great danger. Frightened and confused he and his family left everything except the clothes they had on. In the middle of the night where there wasn’t any light but the glow of their cellphones, F-16 fighters bombarded the far side of the city of Beit Hanoun. They were pushing people to move to the south part of the city and the drones were surveying the area hovering over their heads with relentless noise. Constant flashing was blazing the dark horizons of the skies and there were deafening explosions. Ahmed and his family kept moving quickly until they reached the Jabalia Refugee Camp. They found shelter in an UNRWA school, where they slept on the ground, on stairs, wherever they could find a spot. He and his family were 51 people. The next day, their shelter was bombarded by an artillery bomb. Again they ran away, people were screaming with fear and panic as they continued to walk on foot until they arrived at Gaza (Gaza city). There was no place to stay or to find any shelter, so they decided to move to Khan Younis since the Army ordered the people to go beyond Wadi Gaza (South of Gaza Valley). They stayed for 51 days at another UNRWA school. Eventually they left Khan-Younis and were off to Rafah. As of now, however many days it has been, they stay in a plastic and wood tent, facing the ever new, strange and dreadful conditions. Remember, he had nothing with him, so he managed to borrow a Spanish guitar from a friend in Rafah and began playing music & singing with kids to change the mood for people. He started to tour the displaced war-refugee centers, creating an atmosphere of fun & happiness even though the kids are still under this major traumatic situation. Recently he applied for the implementation of a new initiative which he is set up with a group of artists, actors & activators to help kids who bear the psychological agony of war by traveling from camps to camps. Here is one example of his work since starting this endeavor. Please do the needful. When he sits with family & friends in the tent, they recall the happy moments and remember how decent life was. His business was flourishing, people leading normal lives, but now the people cannot help the overwhelming feeling of nothingness. But Ahmed still knows there always a tiny light at the far end of the dark tunnel. Hope always comes with the help of good-hearted people. He and his people have plans to survive and start again.

As we hope this cease fire will last, Ahmed had set up a fund to help rebuild his life back when that light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter and end up shining and warming the lives of his people.

To know more about Ahmed wherever you may be:

https://www.tiktok.com/@ahmedmuin?_t=8kCySYfrBPb&_r=1

https://www.facebook.com/ahmed.abuamsha?mibextid=ZbWKwL

https://youtu.be/PamAm4D3QxY?si=-kzR0TpxLiD8FYDc

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/tqGKJsCoMZ3FsJig/?mibextid=pAjZwd

To try to walk in the shoes of my friend, Ahmed I attempted to do an audio diary with him to make an effort to be with him as he goes through this. Ultimately he had a usual difficult time getting the internet to stay working, his time is limited as in order to survive and help people, the days get full trying to get places on foot. And as you’ll hear, that constant sound of the drones overhead is as invasive as I could imagine from where I am. All I feel like I could do is try and spread his honest and sincere world with others. My shoes can’t even come close to finding a way to walk with him from here. Take a listen below to what it sounds like when he could actually get online to share, the first part if from a little over a week ago and the final clip is from the day of the ceasefire.

Help in you can.

JLCO with Wynton Marsalis In Madison

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In 1988 the Orchestra was formed as an outgrowth of its concert series, Classical Jazz, with David Berger conducting. When Wynton Marsalis became artistic director in 1991, he emphasized the history of jazz, particularly Duke Ellington. The first album was Portraits by Ellington (1992), and seven years later the Ellington centennial was honored with the album Live in Swing City: Swingin’ with the Duke (1999). Under the leadership of Marsalis, the band performs at its home The House of Swing, tours throughout the U.S. and abroad, visits schools, appears on television, and performs with symphony orchestras. The Orchestra backed Wynton Marsalis on his album Blood on the Fields, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1997. Since 2015, the Orchestra’s albums have been issued on its own label, Blue Engine Records. The first release from Blue Engine Records, Live in Cuba, was recorded on a historic 2010 trip to Havana by the JLCO and released in October 2015. The label issued Big Band Holidays in December 2015, The Abyssinian Mass in March 2016, The Music of John Lewis in March 2017, and the JLCO’s Handful of Keys in September 2017. Blue Engine’s United We Swing: Best of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Galas features the Wynton Marsalis Septet and an array of special guests, with all proceeds going toward Jazz at Lincoln Center’s ever important education initiatives. One of Blue Engine’s most recent album releases (2023) include Wynton Marsalis Plays Louis Armstrong’s Hot Fives and Sevens and The Jungle, a recording of Marsalis’ fourth symphony featuring the JLCO and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and they dropped another at the end of 2024, ‘The Shanghai Suite’. Always swinGin’!

Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, educator and a leading advocate of American culture. He is the world’s first jazz artist to perform and compose across the full jazz spectrum from its New Orleans roots to bebop to modern jazz. By creating and performing an expansive range of brilliant new music for quartets to big bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has expanded the vocabulary for jazz and created a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers. Here in Madison on January 29th, at the Overture Center, we will get to experience the world’s premier big band, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra directed by Wynton Marsalis. Marsalis, has been hailed as the “Pied Piper” & “Doctor of Swing”. The group performs a vast repertoire of music, from historic and rare compositions, including works by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams & Charles Mingus, to new music from the group’s unrivalled collection of world-renowned composers and arrangers. I had the honor of catching up with Maestro Marsalis ahead of the event in Madison and we get going by talking about what a youngster joining the experience for the first time may want to check out and try to focus on. Us young at heart can follow along with this advice as well. We dive into the latest release on Blue Engine Records, ‘The Shanghai Suite’, and how it grew it’s wings. I was personally interested in a couple of other things. Just how did his time with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers show him how to become himself and what is a day off like for Wynton Marsalis, someone who’s list of deeply cool and important accolades is so long and impressive, I just wonder how he chills out. You probably won’t be surprised by his answer. This time with Maestro Marsalis felt good to be a part of, he was welcoming and open….HUMAN…like the music.

A Dream For Cello And Sitar

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For some time now, I have been sampling a few moments of a project that family to the proGram, Janet Schiff had been thinking on and working through. It was a long distance, international dialogue between someone she had never officially met. We spoke on the tapestry that could be. Finally the project got thing wings it deserved and was released into the world. Janet of course, plays the cello. We have had her on the program to discuss some solo work and also with the beloved nineteen thirteen. But this new collaboration was a stretch she had never fully explored before, working with a sitar master in India to create that new bridge of togetherness that formed a healing creation. In our discussion, we learn how she and Ramprapanna Bhattacharya first found each other online and formed a friendship. As music does, that original handshake turned into a ‘hey why don’t we’ and within time a raga was born with sitar being sent over the webs of the internet. The cello parts were created with distinct numbers in mind, adjustments were needed, and what was once a track to be, turned into an EP’s worth of unity, combining the earthly sound of sitar with the looping of many a cello textured to a new mosaic – one that people can easily chill put to, or find their yoga space with or just be deep in or out of the many of this oneness. ‘A Dream For Cello And Sitar’ was born on December 22nd, which is Ramprapanna’s birthday and I for one, am proud to announce it has shown up!

A Dream for Cello and Sitar · Janet Schiff Ft. Ramprapanna Bhattacharya

More From G Love

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G. Love & Special Sauce is an American Hip-Hop Blues band known for its unique fusion of hip-hop, blues, funk, & soul musics. Formed in 1993 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the band originally featured Garrett Dutton, aka G. Love, as the lead vocalist & guitarist, Jeffrey Clemens on drums, & Jim Prescott on bass. The trio quickly gained attention for their laid-back, groovy style and G. Love’s unique vocal delivery, blending rap-like spoken word with bluesy ‘sanging’. Their debut self-titled album, ‘G. Love & Special Sauce’, was released in 1994 on Epic Records and included the hit single “Cold Beverage,” which became popular on alternative radio stations & MTV, solidifying their presence in the music scene. The band’s style has been described as a mix of “slacker blues” & “alternative hip-hop,” as they frequently incorporate elements of 90s hip-hop beats with classic blues rhythms. Over the years, G. Love & Special Sauce has released numerous albums, including Coast to Coast Motel (1995), Yeah, It’s That Easy (1997), The Electric Mile (2001) and the GRAMMY nominated The Juice (2020). Their sound evolved to include more soul, R&B, and rock influences, though they retained their laid-back vibe and clever lyrical play. Their 2014 album Sugar saw a reunion of the original lineup after several years, and they continued to tour and produce music with a loyal fan base. Known for their energetic live performances, G. Love & Special Sauce has played at festivals like Bonnaroo & Lollapalooza. Garrett Dutton also frequently collaborates with other artists, including Jack Johnson, with whom he shares a similar vibe, and has released solo projects that dive deeper into his blues influences. G. Love & Special Sauce remains a beloved name in the music scene, blending genres in a way that feels fresh & authentic.

It is always a good time when I get a chance to catch up with family to the program, G Love. This time he is heading on back to Madison with The Special Sauce to get busy at the High Noon Saloon on January 8th. We get into what someone who doesn’t know might find out if they attend this show. We spend a good amount of time discussing an album that both of us think didn’t hit in the ‘rankings’ as much as it should have, the 2022 release ‘Philadelphia Mississippi‘. This outstanding collection really made me go back in time to my first taste of the special sauce, that combination of both raw blues AND hip hop really sat well with me and this album has that feeling. We specifically call out the working with Mr. R.L. Boyce in particular, and G spills the beans on an upcoming release (due around April 2025) from the overflow of tunes worked on with Mr. Boyce (he since has passed) during this original session. Since it is right around the holidays, we get into his new Christmas music, especially ‘Fishing For Christmas’ and how much he loves to create the holiday tunes, and how a little different this one went down. Which brings me to a couple of times we get into the business of it all, we both find the art more important than the money, but it is amazing who gets to have it all. We talk L.L. Cool J & Taylor Swift as well as what would we be spinning on his console if we got toGether to spin some tunes. Just two G’s once again keepin’ it real for the people who feel.

Not Very Motorcycle by Heather The Jerk

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Well, it is one of my favorite times of the times. Madison’s own Heather The Jerk has new music out to help make the days go by a little easier. The eight songs are quick to the ear, but spend a lot of time in my mind – easily being brought back up due to catchy choral imprints and quick-witted lyrics, I just want to scream them all out into the world. We learn straight-away that even though the title is a little misleading, by definition, this album is VERY motorcycle. You don’t have to take it from me either, since I have known this Jerk for a lifetime, take it from one Mr. Henry Rollins, who not only got this new album, but all the other music Heather the Jerk has put out and he airs it over the world wide web on his radio proGram. Check it here. We dive a little into how these tunes came together, we round off the band’s introductions and talk about a couple of tracks as if they were friends. There was a recent tape release part too here in Madison at Mickey’s Tavern and from the sounds of it, there were many people leased with the new music and the scene. Maybe go here and order the music yourself to see what all the Henry Rollins’s hub bub is all about. He oughta know.

Live at Snug Harbor New Orleans Gregg Stafford & his Jazz Hounds

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Gregory Vaughan Stafford is an American jazz cornetist, trumpeter, and educator based in New Orleans, known for his work in preserving the city’s jazz heritage. He has been a significant figure in the local music scene since the 1980s, particularly as the long-time leader of the Young Tuxedo Brass Band. He was part of the Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band, a group founded by banjoist Danny Barker in 1971. Gregory Vaughan Stafford graduated from Southern University in 1976 and began performing in New Orleans in the mid-1970s. Alongside Dr. Michael White, Stafford worked to preserve New Orleans’ musical traditions, often playing in each other’s bands. He became a music educator in New Orleans public schools in 1985 and took leadership of the Young Tuxedo Brass Band in 1984. He also led the Heritage Hall Jazz Band after Kid Sheik Cola’s passing in 1992 and took over Danny Barker’s Jazz Hounds in 1994, continuing to shape the city’s jazz scene. Gregory Vaughan Stafford has collaborated with musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Brian Carrick, & Michael White. He co-founded Black Men of Labor, an organization supporting brass bands and second-line culture in New Orleans. From the wonderful Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro.

Presented by Jazz Foundation of America.

Linear Labs: São Paulo & Adrian Younge

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Adrian Younge is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, composer, & orchestrator who has produced for entertainment greats such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar & Wu Tang Clan. In 2007, Younge relinquished his position as a professor of law to find himself at the center of the Black Dynamite phenomenon. He served as the film’s editor/composer. Hailed as a modern blaxploitation masterpiece, the soundtrack was listed in the top 10 best soundtracks of the year by the LA Times. In 2011, Younge created the album, ‘Something About April’, showcasing a dark mix of psychedelic soul & cinematic instrumentals. In 2013, the project was sampled twice by Timbaland for Jay-Z’s Magna Carta… Holy Grail, solidifying Younge as a new sound in hip hop. His work has also been sampled by various artists including No I.D., DJ Premier, Schoolboy Q, and more. Younge owns/operates Linear Labs, a recording studio/label which reflects his dedication to the art of analog recording, utilizing analog tape & live instrumentation exclusively. Under the label, he’s produced projects for artists such as Ghostface Killah, Souls of Mischief, & The Delfonics. In 2017, Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) formed the band, The Midnight Hour. In addition to musical releases & touring, they’ve teamed to score a myriad of television/film projects: Marvel’s Luke Cage (Netflix), Raising Kanan (Starz), The Equalizer (CBS), Reasonable Doubt (Hulu), Run This Town (2019), Washington Black (2023), Boogie (2021), and Bitchin’, The Sound and Fury of Rick James (2021). Younge has also scored Black Dynamite (2009), Black Dynamite animated series (2012), California King (2023), The Big Payback (2023), Queens (ABC), All Rise (OWN), & Human Footprint (PBS). In 2019, Younge, Muhammad, Andrew Lojero & Adam Block created Jazz Is Dead (JID): a multimedia company specializing in the production of live concerts, studio albums, television & film. JID concerts have earned an ever-growing fanbase through national/international tours. Under the label, Younge & Muhammad have produced albums w/their musical heroes including luminaires such as Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Gary Bartz, Jean Carne, Marcos Valle & Tony Allen. In February 2021, Younge released the seminal album, ‘The American Negro’, his most important work to date. This project, in tandem with his Amazon original podcast, ‘Invisible Blackness’ and short film ‘TAN’, provides an unapologetic critique on the evolution of racism in America. The podcast features conversations with guests such as Chuck D, Roy Choi, Dr. Melina Abdullah, Wayne Brady & Mahershala Ali. For Adrian, the message is more important than the music. The many projects continue today as he is working on JID30’s and we are just searing up JID20’s. In between, there is more going on over at Linear Labs: São Paulo. São Paulo sparks a new golden era of musical genius defined by the maestro Adrian Younge, encapsulating what he’s learned in building the first era of Linear Labs and its successor label Jazz Is Dead. Linear Labs: São Paulo marks the evolution of this journey. Step into an extraordinary psychedelic and soulful experience with Adrian Younge presents Linear Labs: São Paulo: a compilation of new songs showcasing the musical brilliance of Adrian Younge with artists from around the world. Essentially, the album features one unreleased song from an array of forthcoming albums Younge has produced for Linear Labs, including Something About April III, the tertiary installment of Younge’s masterwork trilogy, and a new blaxploitation adventure from hip hop legend Snoop Dogg, entitled ‘Don’t Cry For the Devil’. Also included on this preview is Brazilian actress/ singer Samantha Schmütz, Middle-Eastern singer Liraz, London-based jazz vocalist ALA.NI, afro-futuristic soul singer Bilal and a bonus song with Stereolab’s Lætitia Sadier.

I had the pleasure of catching up with friend of the proGram, Mr. Adrian Younge shortly after ‘Adrian Younge presents Linear Labs: São Paulo‘ dropped and even before we got into how that all took shape, and color, we just did a routine check in with each other since last we spoke. It is always one of my objectives to try and get listeners to ‘feel’ the way the artists, these PEOPLE, feel as they go through the artistic explorations and expressions. The global reach of many of his projects is always something that catches my ear – but on this compilation, this peek into the future, I really took off in flight with it. We talk about how then then gets mixed with the now and sometimes the future gets created, on analog even. I feel a connection with this cat, so the support is brotherly for me and I truly believe he will continue to unlock and open new doorways into sonic adventures that seem familiar yet, there’s a welcoming newness to that rare groove…and it may just be Adrian Younge.