Category Archives: Outta World interviews

Toots Hibbert is one of the great voices of Jamaica; a legend whose career spans every development in Jamaican music, from ska through rock-steady to reggae. Toots and the Maytals have helped to chart the course of Jamaican music with unrivaled delivery and dynamism, setting new standards of excellence, and becoming the most enduring of all Jamaica’s groups. On September 29, 1980, Toots and The Maytals made history when the band played at London’s Hammersmith Palais. Less than 24 hours later, a live album from that show was on sale in record stores throughout Britain. It was the fastest live album in recording history and, according to some critics, TOOTS LIVE ranks alongside Bob Marley Live At The Lyceum, James Brown At The Apollo and Otis Redding in Europe as one of the finest live records ever made. The latest album, TRUE LOVE, finds Toots and the Maytals revisiting some of the band’s most classic works with a host of musical friends onboard – Keith Richards, Shaggy and Rahzel, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Beck, Ben Harper, No Doubt, Marcia Griffiths, Ken Boothe, Ryan Adams, Bootsy Collins and the Roots, Eric Clapton, Terry Hall and the Skatalites and Trey Anastasio – for delightful fresh-ear journey through Toots‘ musical history. Add in the surprise tracks- Willie Nelson and Toots groovin’ on Willie’s STILL IS STILL MOVIN TO ME, Rachel Yamagata pleading on the newer BLAME ON ME and Bunny Wailer’s vocal comradery on the never-before released TAKE A TRIP for an unparalleled reggae joy ride.

Listen to our talk here.

For over fifty years the Juilliard String Quartet has been an international presence and an American institution. They perform with emotional intensity, technical precision, and intellectual rigor in concerts given across the globe, while in the United States its members have been educators, mentors, and champions of new music. I had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Krosnick, who teaches and plays the cello, before the Quartet plays at von der Mehden Recital Hall at the Uconn Storrs campus. I was overwhelmed with the rigors of his life as a faculty member and Quartet member. You can hear the love for what he does with every word he speaks. We touched briefly on the issue of preserving the history of classical music by educating and funding programs for the youth and various ways he envisions all interested parties to assist. A Connecticut native, we had to talk for a moment about UCONN sports, find out Mr. Krosnick‘s observations on the women’s basketball program and how it relates to the preservation ideas of classical muisc.

Listen to Mr. Joel Krosnick here.

The sound of the barratone sax is one that is unforgetable, especially when being produced by Dana Colley. You know him from Morphine, Orchestra Morphine and now Twinemen. Check out the conversation we had and stay tuned as we find out if I was successful in getting Mars Williams and Dana together or better yet, Twinemen and Liquid Soul. Two great tastes that do taste great together.

listen to our conversation here

listen to the conversation here

if I ever become involved in musicians management, this might be the time when I first took that direction. After this chat with the oft-busy Mars Williams, you must listen to the conversation with Dana Colley to see where the idea of Liquid Soul and Twinemen gettng together.

Mars Williams & Liquid Soul

Listen here for the world according to Roy “futureman” Wooten from his own futuristic world as well as an occasional tour with Bela Fleck as one of the flecktones. I think you’ll agree that he is out of this world and still as cool as Fonzie…aaaaaaa

Listen to the FUTUREMAN podcast here

Roy”FUTUREMAN” Wooten

The three time Grammy award winner from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones is back at it again! Taking downtempo, house, breakbeat, jazz, tribal, and funk, Futureman is mixing it all together and serving it up through turntables, laptops, drum machines, live kits, and visual projections.

Moustapha and I had the chance to speak with Mr. David Harrington about the upcoming show (March 21st) at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. What a pleasure it was to have a conversation with a musician who loves waking up and facing the next project. For more than 30 years now, Kronos has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet. In the process, Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential ensembles of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 40 recordings of extraordinary breadth and creativity, collaborating with many of the world’s most eclectic composers and performers, and commissioning hundreds of works and arrangements for string quartet. Kronos’ work has also garnered numerous awards, including a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance (2004) and “Musicians of the Year” (2003) from Musical America.
The show at Uconn will be SUN RINGS. Sun Rings, written by longtime Kronos collaborator Terry Riley, is an evening-length work in 10 movements. With visual design by Willie Williams, lighting design by Larry Neff and sound design by Mark Grey, Sun Rings is a multimedia production featuring a choir and both sounds and images from space. The piece, commissioned for Kronos by NASA and others, received its first performance at the University of Iowa’s Hancher Auditorium in October 2002, and has since been performed in cities including London, San Francisco, Calgary, Tucson and Boston.

Listen to the interview here.

Go get your tickets soon! Dial 860-486-4226.

Today I had the pleasure of Interviewing Colin Mochrie from the very popular “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” Listen to the podcast here.

Yes, you did hear it correctly, Colin invited yours truly and the Mrs. of the yours truly to go backstage(w/gifts in hand) to meet the talent. Any ideas/thoughts on what this years gift should be?

Take a moment to listen to one of the world’s most articulate men in the music world. I am so proud of the opportunity I had to speak to the man known as Ravi Shankar. This phone interview certainly makes me happy to be alive. Mr. Shankar is a gracious human being who loves a good laugh and telling tales of authentic Indian raga/sitar music. ENJOY

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