Introducing Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek

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

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

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.

A Dream For Cello And Sitar

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

Not Very Motorcycle by Heather The Jerk

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.

Inside The Flow of Sa-Roc

Sa-Roc grew up in Southeast D.C., at the height of the crack era, with neighborhoods plagued by poverty & disaffection. Her early experiences shaped her understanding of the world around her, deepened her emotional sensitivity and cemented a social consciousness that would later feature heavily within her work. She was born three-months premature and didn’t make a sound during the first fourteen months of her life. This struggle to find a voice, both literally and creatively, would later be critical in shaping her lyrical expression. Sa-Roc is arguably one of the most vibrant MCs in the world today. Her crisp articulation, fiery delivery, and her elevated & insightful lyricism has often placed her within the same conversation of some of Hip Hop’s most notable artists. There was no lack of early influences; she was raised by an artist father and an avid reader for a mother who would expose their young children to black writers, musicians & performers. She was raised on everything from the syncopated rhythms of hometown Go-Go acts like the Rare Essence & the Backyard band, to the prophetic poetry of Gil Scott Heron & Nikki Giovanni. It was the work of writers like these and more that helped Sa-Roc foster a love for language & writing and while still young, she began to pen her own poetry & short stories. She attended the Sankofa Institute, a Pan African centered school where her writing, social & creative expression was nurtured by Hasinatu Camara, an educator & civil rights activist. Camara would introduce Sa-Roc to close friends like Kwame Ture (f.k.a. Stokely Carmichael) MutaBaruka, and Haile Gerima. It was through these personal encounters that she began to see how artistic expression could be used as a tool to educate, inspire, & create change, a set of principles that she continues to live by. Sa-Roc was on the verge of graduating from Howard University as a biology major but decided to leave college and, D.C. for Atlanta. It was in THE ATL where she was introduced to famed DJ & producer, Sol Messiah. Inspired by one of the acts he was working with, Sa-Roc decided to record some of her poetry & rhymes to his beats. The result was her first EP, Astral Chronicles which dropped in 2008. She quickly began to gain recognition within the cultural & activist community in Atlanta, performing at social justice & political prisoner fundraisers, and other community based events. Still the full breadth of her artistic expression didn’t arrive until later that year when a surprise introduction at a Mutulu Shakur benefit concert thrusted her on stage for the very first time. Sa-Roc had finally found the full range of her voice and there was no looking back. Her powerful performances, metaphysical lyrics, and skills as an emcee, quickly caught the attention of the independent Hip Hop community in Atlanta. In an effort to maximize her momentum, as well as continually sharpen her skills, Sa-Roc & Sol Messiah continued to release a strong series of collaborative projects between 2008-2014. She also performed at the historic Zulu Nation 40th anniversary event, a performance which led to her gaining the attention of some of Hip Hop’s most respected pioneers. Sa-Roc was making waves as an emcee with notable stage presence and a prolific output — by 2014 she had dropped a stunning 8 projects in 6 years. Black Thought even pulled her on stage at A3C to perform an acapella verse. This led to several opportunities to open for The Roots as well as future creative collaborations w/Black Thought. She has opened for the likes of Common, Jay Electronica, and has shared the stage with legends such as Rakim, De La Soul, & Talib Kweli. She continued to write prolifically & tour with her peers/colleagues. In addition to her music career, Sa-Roc is a health and wellness advocate and public speaker, having led Hip Hop workshops and lectures both nationally and internationally. She is also an ambassador for Hip Hop is Green, an organization that uses the power and influence of Hip Hop music and culture to expose and educate underserved communities about the benefits of plant-based eating. Her Rhymesayers debut album, ‘The Sharecropper’s Daughter’, the title of which pays homage to her father’s experience growing up sharecropping tobacco, is in Sa-Roc’s own words “a sonic reflection on the generational inheritance of trauma and triumph that shapes our humanity and influences the way we see the world.” At a time where people all around the globe are calling for social change, Sa-Roc is an MC whose energy & conscious lyrics are here to shake up the rap game and remind us all that Hip Hop was always about giving a voice to the people.

I had the privilege of catching up with Sa-Roc ahead to her event in Madison on December 5th at the Union Theater’s Play Circle. The Union is going to change the landscape a little in this setting to make it more of a club vibe as part of the Black Box Sessions celebration of Hip Hop. We get deep into what an intimate gathering together will be like, and what the hope is for all of us in attendance when we walk away from this experience. We get a chance to learn more insightful observations from her latest single, ‘Amazing Grace’ and where this lies in the heart & ears of those who tune in. I could not forget to thank her for the full body experience that is ‘The Sharecropper’s Daughter’ and just how relevant it feels today – so we tap into the possible reasons why that could be. And no convo with her could feel complete without sharing in the energy and collaborative execution between her and Sol Messiah. Word cannot describe how excited I am for my mind’s mind to be a part of this event (and the idea that there’s a new album in the works get dropped on us to).

Fun Starts With SistaStrings

SistaStrings is a incredibly dynamic musical duo comprised of dynamic artists and sisters, Chauntee and Monique Ross, whose exceptional talent and versatility has made a profound impact on multiple music scenes. With their unique blend of classical training, heartfelt and heart-shared soulful melodies, and contemporary, even unique sounds, SistaStrings have established themselves as a formidable force within the an ever-widening music community. The duo was recently voted “best instrumentalists” for the Americana Music Associations 2023 honors. Born and raised in nearby Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chauntee and Monique discovered their love for music at a extremely young age. Growing up in a musically inclined family, the sisters were exposed to a diverse range of genres and instruments. Chauntee found her calling as a violinist, while Monique ended up developing her skills as a cellist. Together, they embarked on a remarkable journey, fusing their classical training with their deep-rooted love for Rhythm and Blues, hip-hop, and gospel. As members of Brandi Carlile’s touring band, SistaStrings have performed at iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden, The Kennedy Center, Newport Folk Festival and even Saturday Night Live. They have performed with an eclectic array of artists such as Joni Mitchell, Ed Sheeran, Maggie Rogers, Margo Price, Allison Russell & Jason Isbell.

Sometimes when the phone gets picked up to start a conversation with artists, I immediately feel like we’ve done this before and any nerves just disappear. This was one of those times. I had a really great time chatting with Chauntee and Monique ahead of their November 21st event at the Stoughton Opera House. We talked about the way the event will shape up, with the music, the stories and the shared emotions all interconnected in the community of it all. I wanted to walk in their shoes during some very cool happenings. So we got into what’s been going on. The first time I wanted to tie their laces tight was the amazing experience (I can hardly even imagine being a part of), being able to play rare instruments at the Library of Congress. Say what?? Oh yes! This leads to all the feelings one could possibly have before a single event. They get time to name drop working with legends like Joni Mitchell, Elton John and Chaka Khan. We talk about the inspiration and friendship they’ve been able to foster with collaborator Peter Mulvey before and after their move to Nashville. Playing with friend of the program Allison Russell led to touring with Brandi Carlile and the hits have just kept on coming. It would be hard to find two better people to get to have these a part of their life’s stories. So we discuss what it is about these collaborative experiences of multiple genres that allows them to ‘bring themselves’ to it. Then we laugh about ‘that time networking in New York’. I am so looking forward to the next time the phone rings and it is SistaStrings catching up with all the next first times they’ve shared in.

All Species Parade by Jenny Scheinman

Jenny Scheinman, acclaimed violinist & composer, for many years a stalwart of the New York jazz and creative music scenes, returned to her native Humboldt County, California in 2012. There she has continued her artistic evolution. For years, Scheinman nursed the idea of a musical homage to Humboldt, in particular the area known as the Lost Coast, a remote, earthquake and mudslide-prone region of coastal northern California, where she was raised. She considered the project from many angles. She wrote a song cycle based on the “crusty characters” from her hometown and sketched out a surrealist multimedia project based on the county’s namesake, Alexander Von Humboldt. She collaborated with filmmaker Ai Aiwane on a video installation about the Mattole River (Cojo Come Home) and immersed herself in the sounds & cultural history of the region, with hopes of conjuring, in music, the extraordinary diversity of life in the Pacific Northwest. Her epic new release, All Species Parade, is the result of these meditations. The all-original program is brought to life over the course of a double album, by pianist Carmen Staaf, guitar icons Bill Frisell, Nels Cline, & Julian Lage, and the revered rhythm team of bassist Tony Scherr & drummer Kenny Wollesen. It was recorded by Eli Crews, mixed by Tucker Martine, and mastered by Greg Calbi. Though ‘All Species Parade’ offers a brimming 72 minutes of music, it only contains 10 songs, several of which are over 11 minutes long, and 3 of which (“Jaroujiji,” “The Sea Also Rises” & “All Species Parade”) comprise an Ellington-inspired suite that clocks in at 20 minutes. This long-form approach is a departure for Scheinman, whose 10 previous albums tend toward a more concise, song-like aesthetic. Jenny’s playing is radiant, soulful, stamped with jazz vernacular and old-time fiddling tradition and anchored by her superb lyrical poise & masterful technique. In addition to her extensive work in jazz & improvised music with Jason Moran, Brian Blade, Ron Miles, Allison Miller, Vinicius Cantuaria and many more, she has toured and recorded with songwriting legends such as Lucinda Williams, Bruce Cockburn, Robbie Fulks, Rodney Crowell, Lou Reed, Ani DiFranco & Joni Mitchell. She is featured on the original cast recording of Anais Mitchell’s hit musical Hadestown, and has written several feature length movie scores, including the forthcoming Avenue Of The Giants.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Jenny on release day of this epic tale, ‘All Species’ Parade’ out now on Royal Potato Family and I quickly shared just how this album made me feel (Mycelium or yourcelium?). We got pretty deep into the how this album came together from the garden to the table, including dissecting a track or two and certainly getting into the involvement of that 3 headed guitar monster. Jenny has 2 friends of the program, Mr. Julian Lage & Mr. Bill Frisell as well as Nels Cline on this album, all have a place and reason to share the story as it goes down. We touch on just how and why the song length on this album increased for a few of the tunes, and what memory/comment did she old with her that kept her ear/mind open for just the moment to let things spill over. The album is an incredible story that as a listener, I found myself being welcomed in and not truly wanting to leave until I soaked it all in, thought about it and then wanted to share.

photo by: Kory Thibeault

Look At Brass Queens Now

Brass Queens is a female-led New York-based brass band w/an all-female horn section that has been dominating the scene since 2019. Finding they shared similar frustrations about the emerging brass band scene in New York City, co-founders Alex Harris & Ally Chapel came together to form a group dedicated to showcasing the talents of female musicians in a landscape that was dominated by male musicians & bandleaders. After debuting in March 2019, Brass Queens grew to be a fixture in the local music scene and was dubbed “the hardest working band in town” by their peers. They gained a dedicated following thru outdoor performances on the streets of Brooklyn and playing pop-up events in their community through the pandemic. A core value of the band is to play for as many audiences as possible to increase the visibility of female bands in the brass band scene. Brass Queens regularly tour across the country & internationally, performing on festival stages including the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Northlands Music Festival, MusikFest, Duck Jazz Festival, and multiple appearances at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival. They have played major events like The Met Gala and for many notable clients including New Balance, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., Bombas, Perrier, Instagram, & Pinterest. They have also performed on national T.V. (Good Morning America) and at iconic venues like The Capitol Theater with multiple shows at the historic Blue Note Jazz Club & Brooklyn Bowl. They are also the 2023 winners of We Love NYC’s Rider’s Choice Award, after the people of New York voted them as their favorite of the MTA’s Music Under New York’s roster of subway performers. The band has developed a signature style that sits right at the intersection of the Big Apple and the Big Easy. Their sound is deeply inspired by and pays homage to the New Orleans brass band tradition while injecting the upbeat, multifaceted energy of their New York home into each performance. The result is a nonstop party: a Brass Queens show will have you singing along to classic pop hits, dancing your heart out to reggaeton, and feeling like you’ve been transported to Frenchman Street. In February 2021, Brass Queens released their debut EP ‘Royal Street’, which takes listeners on a six-song journey beginning in the heart of New York City with a cover of Cameo’s Candy, down to Royal St. with their take on a New Orleans traditional, Little Liza Jane. In 2023, the band released their first full-length album titled ‘Black & Gold’, which is an ode to the Brass Queen’s incredible early fan base who supported the band from the virtual performances & socially-distanced street corners during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the crowded clubs & packed venues of today. On October 18, 2024 they will release their second full-length album titled ‘Hot Tub Sessions Vol. I’.

I had the pleasure of spending a little time with Ally Chapel ahead of the Brass Queens making a stop through Madison on October 11th at the High Noon Saloon. They will be sharing the stage with Madison’s own, Mama Digdown’s Brass Band and the story of the bands relationship is touched on (and you can hear the excitement in Ally’s voice) as soon as we start talking about this event. We get into what this show will feel and sound like, but it is this relationship between the two bands that is going to set this particular night ablaze. We dive brass first into the soon to be released album, ‘Hot Tub Sessions Vol. I’ and even dissect one of Ally’s tracks. It is unfortunate but, being an incredible all female band, is still a thing of surprise for some people, so we definitely touch on that experience and how that drives this group. We find time to have Ally build a quick setlist – not a lot of surprises, but you can tell where the party would be at if she was in charge of the music. Don’t miss out on this band.

THE esperanza spalding

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.

Takin’ A Trip With Jed And Company

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.

Being Dessa

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.

Atwoodfest welcomes Parker Barrow

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

Spending Quality Time With Meklit

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.

A Rising Star In Sierra Green

Sierra Green was born and raised in New Orleans 7th ward where she began singing in the church choir at the age of 8. The 7th ward is a mecca for talent, spawning legends including Jelly Roll Morton, Allen Toussaint, & Frank Ocean, rappers Mannie Fresh & Mia X, and film stars Tyler Perry & Sidney Bechet. Hope rings throughout the community. Families are close; music is relevant; and everyone knows someone who made it out and became famous. Music, Art, & Talent remain fresh and abundant in the 7th ward, and Sierra Green and the Giants are the latest breakout. As a teen Sierra began busking on Frenchmen Street, one of the musical centers of the Crescent City, which taught her quickly how to keep an audience. Before long Sierra graduated to clubs, establishing the best residency in town playing a couple of nights a week to a packed Frenchmen Street house. In New Orleans when you have the best gig in town the best players gravitate toward you, and you eventually end up with the best players in town. These are Sierra Green’s Giants. Sierra’s summer was filled with excitement as she and her Giants, featuring William West on drums, Mike Perez on bass, Paul Provosty on guitar, Brandon Nater on trumpet, Maurice Cade on trombone, and David Ludman on saxophone, worked with New Orleans’ legendary producer David Torkanowsky on a blazing new EP called The Torch Sessions. The band recorded five tracks, including an impressive and passionate version of The Meter’s “Break in the Road” and the chance to project her own style into “Promised Land,” a song by the Revivalists’ David Shaw. On the crawling “One Thing” Sierra takes her gloves off with a powerful performance channeling the depth of her passion and range. Sierraowns Nina Simone’s anthem for liberation “Feeling Good.” You can feel the euphoria that comes from being liberated from oppression, something that is common in New Orleans’s 7th ward. “He Called Me Baby” is a perfect track to express the direction and soulful sound that you can expect Sierra to deliver throughout her career. Powerful horns to accent the groovy bass and piano lines and a vocal you can compare to any of the legends of 1960’s Motown. One common thread which runs through all these tracks is Sierra’s hunger and passion to change her own life while changing others with the power of her voice and her music.

I had the pleasure of hanging out with Sierra Green shortly before she and the Giants headlining the Marquette Waterfront Festival here in Madison, Wisconsin on Sunday June 9th at 6:30pm. We get into what the people getting down at the festival can expect to get when Sierra & the Giants hit the stage. There is going to be moments to move, groove and dance your faces off. She may or may not have endorsed hopping up on stage to shake it in front of all. This sound has both the love of STAX Records and the New Orleans flavor seem to fit into any place that is ready for a party. We get into the new album to drop this fall, we went seed to flower on how that turned from sessions to ready to spin. Find out what Sierra’s grandma and I have in common, it has everything to do with how her voice can change the mood and we talk about what would be a setlist if I left the studio and Sierra hopped in. Get Ready To PARTY!


Shannon McNally On Her Way To Madison

Grammy nominee Shannon McNally’s live music career began on the jam band circuit of the 1990s with bands like (friend of the program) The Derek Trucks Band & Railroad Earth. Since then, her catalog has grown to span the whole of the Americana music spectrum, both writing original songs as well as interpreting the songs of others. She brings a soul-stirring musicality to her craft. Her honest and, at times, completely elegant voice immediately grabs you by the heartstrings and unclouds some vivid memories. She also plays a mean guitar, as she mentions she will tell herself heading daily deeper into 2024. Shannon has more than a couple of hands-full of albums to her name and a string of single self-releases on her personal label, Queen Maeve Records. Her latest album, Live At Dee’s, is a career retrospective song list captured over 4 nights in September of 2022 with a revolving band of amazing Nashville musicians. Showcasing her wonderful storytelling & sense of wry humor, the eighteen-song album captures her at her most relaxed in her natural habitat of neighborhood Honky Tonk. As a listener, to me, this is such a great way to be checking into her catalog – the personality of it all really shines through. Anyone that has paid attention to her twenty-plus-year career, the thing that sticks with listeners the most about her is the timeless effortlessness she brings to all she does. With an impressive catalog and extensive list of collaborators with whom she has written, recorded, & toured; Shannon continues to turn out great music across wide-flung ends of the spectrum, defying genre-fication. At home on any stage, from Lincoln Center to the juke joints of Mississippi—she always brings the house down.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Shannon before she makes a trip up to Madison for her April 11th gig with special guest Beth Bombara at The Bur Oak. We get into what that night should bring attendees, including learning that they two will do a few things toGether, even! We dive deep into her most recent release “Live At Dee’s'”, from how do you decide what tunes to pick after a four day residency, a rotation of musicians and such a library of material to choose from. She also shares the news of a brand new single that dropped as we were speaking, find that here. I bring up working with our pal Neal Casal, and we end up getting into how certain people (and she sure has worked with many of these people) shed alight on you, and if your there, you’ll get/feel/learn from them and be able to apply it not only to your music, but your life. Of course, Shannon builds a setlist that would have people beggin’ for more, as I kinda expected.

Lady Wray Comes To Play Circle At Wisconsin Union Theater

Like most artists, Nicole Wray’s life in music has always reflected her real life. As a fifteen-year-old in Virginia, she auditioned for Missy Elliot in her mother’s home. Even then, with her voice so full and arresting—Missy signed her on the spot. Later, in 1998, merely two years after that tryout, she had a debut solo album and a single that smashed up radio and TV, quickly going gold. But back then—young and unsure—Nicole was essentially following someone else’s lead, signing the lyrics they wrote for her and in the way they wanted them sung. Fast forward to now, after a few fits and starts with other labels and projects, and you’ll find a very different Nicole Wray. Today, she’s a mother, a wife, and living for herself and her family. So naturally, this evolution followed into her music: she sings how she wants to, expertly writing lyrics for herself and others. To hear her tell it, it’s these things—and most importantly, an unflinching self-belief that help lead a young and raw Virginian singer named Nicole to become Lady Wray. The most recent step for Lady Wray is her latest album, released on Brooklyn’s Big Crown Records. Called ‘Piece Of Me’, the record is on the one hand—a continuation, picking up where Lady Wray and label co-owner/producer Leon Michels left off with her project Queen Alone. But ‘Piece Of Me’ is also a kind of homecoming for Lady Wray. That first record sonically showcased the dexterous range of Lady Wray’s voice and songwriting by leaning toward soul & R&B with tinges of hip-hop. On Piece of Me, it’s still R&B with a heavy dose of soul, but you’ll hear boom-bap-smacked drums and chunky basslines front-and-center, all creating a head-noddingly dense backdrop for Lady Wray to traverse, much like the era in which she was first introduced to us. In some ways, Piece of Me is like a Big-Crown-ification of late 90s R&B and Lady Wray is right at home.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Nicole ahead of the Lady Wray event that is going to provide a much needed soul-lift to the Play Circle at the Wisconsin Union Theater on February 29th. I have long been a fan of Nicole’s powerful and commanding voice. She can control time with this talent. We get to hear from her what she intends to brinG to Madison for a special and intimate evening. We talk heavily about the creation of her album ‘Piece Of Me’ and her wonderful relationship with her label, her family, Big Crown Records, and how much both her ancestors and her in-her-belly baby helped form, shape and gave strength to her. We chat about label mate Suprise Chef‘s remix of one of her tunes and it is a joy to hear her give props to anyone who has ever touched any piece of her project. We talk about late Summer 2024 and a dream event to be, we pinched ourselves and yep it’s still true, and to wrap up the fun time we had toGether, Nicole build a setlist of vocal phenoms, and she sure does slide right in there nicely.

Update on Lee Fields: Faithful Man – The Film

Mr. Lee Fields is a funk and soul legend, over fifty years in the making, and family to greenarrowradio. In this feature documentary, his journey through soul music history will take you from vinyl to virtual — and back again. A little over five years aGo, I had the chance to catch up with the folks putting this documentary together. That chat can be found here. Jessamyn Ansary and Joyce Mishaan had a specific target and goal in mind at that point to get this project way off the ground. After our conversation the first time, goals were met and onward and upward. Fast forward until now, after shopping the film, going through the change that is/was COVID, edits and more edits and eventually winning awards and garnishing the type of chatter a great subject and story do. As we sat down to talk this time around I could feel the extra energy within myself as looking to catch up must mean things are in great shape. As it turns out, the film just received great news with an offer for streaming distribution. With that comes new financial hurdles. So with the finish line hanging in the balance, Jessamyn and Joyce are reaching out to our/their amazing community for help getting this film to break the tape and out into the world! Last time, I truly believe greenarrowradio and its reach helped make that part of this dream come true. Come be part of this amazing journey and get the excited feeling I have in my SOUL. Once again there are all sorts of VERY cool premiums to commemorate your part in the success of this film.

Go HERE to see the list of ways you can help, info on a small set of people who assisted in the journey and did I mention ways you can help and cool premiums to take with you?

Here is the pre-sale link so you can get this film in your living room.

Heather The Jerk – Surreal Good Fun Exciting Tape – Tape

After what could have been a great Adult Swim album, “Cable Access TV” from 2021, Heather The Jerk (The Hussy & Proud Parents) is back with 4 new garage rock/punk super fun tracks. Heather the jerk is the solo project of Heather Sawyer based riGht here out of Madison, WI. After playing a few shows HTJ released a 4 song ep titled “The Rick Shitty Sessions” recorded by Rick Freuhling of local bands Fire Heads & Dumb Vision. In between now and then Heather played in a couple touring bands and was pretty busy with that. Fast forward several years and a pandemic later, Heather wrote a bunch of songs and decided to record them all as a full band this time around. Cable Access TV is the result of the recording sessions. Recorded entirely by Graham Hunt at their practice space this last fall, CATV also featured Graham, and friend Tyler Fassnacht on some guitar and bass help. Cable Access TV is the result of some breakups, a pandemic, and smoking up. Now she is back with “Surreal Good Fun Exciting Tape”. The tape is comprised of her and her BF Josh and out now (if physical is still sold out – the digital is not) from Italy’s Goodbye Boozy Records. It was fun to hear how this record came toGether for Heather, what Josh adds to her thang and what is happening on February 17th at the Crystal Corner Bar – what’s this, a birthday show for the Jerk herself….she nEEds that. Check out our catch up chat around the new music below.

Allison Miller Reminds There’s Rivers In Our Veins

A lauded drummer who’s mastered a vast array of musical settings, from guesting on late night TV, keeping time for some of today’s most beloved singer-songwriters, and being a renowned bandleader/composer in her own right, Allison Miller is always at the heart of the music. Her latest album, Rivers In Our Veins ( out now on Royal Potato Family), is a 12-song cycle embracing the concept of flow and renewal, and dedicated to our nation’s crucial rivers, watersheds and the organizations devoted to reviving and protecting them. Commissioned by Mid Atlantic Arts Organization & Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Rivers In Our Veins is the studio manifestation of an ambitious live multimedia production with original music composed by Miller featuring a deeply telepathic cast of improvisers, as well as, amazing tap & contemporary dancers. Rivers In Our Veins spotlights Allison Miller alongside longtime collaborators, including violinist Jenny Scheinman, Ben Goldberg on contra-alto and Bb clarinets, pianist Carmen Staaf, trumpeter Jason Palmer, bassist Todd Sickafoose, and tap dancers Claudia Rahardjanoto, Michelle Dorrance, Elizabeth Burke, Byron Tittle, & Orlando Hernández. This new record draws inspiration from what acclaimed writer Rebecca Solnit calls “human geography.” It’s a perspective that encompasses indigenous communities who depend on rivers and the vital role waterways play for survival throughout America’s often torrid history of forced migration for marginalized people, as well as the conservation movement dedicated to reclaiming historic rivers from pollution. Miller culls inspiration from the cultural histories of five East Coast rivers that have been polluted nearly beyond repair through industrialism and commercialism, she focuses on the James, Delaware, Potomac, Hudson, and Susquehanna.

I had the complete pleasure of chatting it up with Allison Miller about this new project. I had caught her set at the Detroit Jazz Festival back in September and had some questions from my eyes and ears on the live show. We also go seed to flower on how this project took over, the waterways she focused on and the dreams of clean waters globally is certainly something her and I have in common. The one things that stood, well it did not stand still…out was the addition of the tap dancers both in the live performance and on the album. We got into the meaning, the connection and the talent of those tapping their ways into my ears. Of course, after talking music, water and tap-dancing with Allison, it felt appropriate for her to build a setlist in real-time if I were to give her the studio. I look forward to the day, when Allison and I and all the rest of us can listen to the sounds of the clean, safe riverways, wherever we may place our shoes on the beachy sand.