The Mindful Musician
A weekly podcast exploring music, art, philosophy, and culture through interviews with musicians, artists, experts, comedians, and more.
On a mobile device? listen here via itunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/insight-matt-oestreichers/id1039740479?mt=2
Sign up for The Mindful Musician Mailing List here: www.mattoestreicher.com
EPISODE 27 Jeffrey Lee Campbell(Musician and Author)
JEFFREY LEE CAMPBELL
LINKS:
BUY HIS BOOK HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Close-Improbable-Adventure-Guitarist/dp/1947309331
BIO:
Originally from North Carolina, Jeffrey Lee Campbell was raised on a steady diet of rock 'n' roll, soul, and Top 40 music. Playing his first PAYING gig at age 13, Jeffrey is a lifer.
Jeffrey picked up the guitar at the tender age of 8, spending his formative years gigging in bands “anywhere and everywhere” (school dances, frat parties, night clubs, etc). After graduating high school, Jeffrey was accepted into the prestigious "Studio Music and Jazz" program at the University of Miami.
Ultimately chasing his dream North, Jeffrey Lee relocated to New York City and quickly established himself as one of the city's top musicians. His performance experiences range from iconic intimate venues such as CBGB, The Bottom Line, The Bitter End, MTV and NBC’s Saturday Night Live . . . to huge concert stages including NYC's Madison Square Garden, London's Wembley Stadium, and Japan's Tokyo Dome.
Jeffrey Lee strummed his way around the world on Sting’s "Nothing Like the Sun" World Tour ("blazing guitar work" - Rolling Stone, "soaring guitar" - USA Today), proudly sharing the stage with musical heavyweights Branford Marsalis, Mino Cinelu, and Kenny Kirkland in twenty-five countriesacross six different continents.
In addition to Sting’s World Tour, Jeffrey Lee was also a part of Amnesty International's "Human Rights Now!" World Tour (featuring Sting, Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour). Playing 20 concerts worldwide (including extraordinary shows in Africa and India), the Amnesty tour was truly a once in a lifetime experience. One of Jeffrey's top Amnesty highlights was sitting in with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Bandat the tour's concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Back at home in NYC, Jeffrey Lee had the extreme pleasure of playing guitar with Aretha Franklin (for "VH-1 Divas Live" - an all-star tribute to the Queen of Soul at Radio City Music Hall). The "Divas" concert climaxed with a finale that found Jeffrey jamming with Ms. Franklin, Mary J Blige, Nelly Furtado and surprise special guest Mr. Stevie Wonder. Other performance credits include Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Bublé, Bob James, and singer/songwriter Sam Phillips.
As a studio musician, Jeffrey has worked with some of the industry's top producers such as T Bone Burnett, Phil Ramone, Rob Cavallo, and David Foster —as well as legendary engineers Bob Clearmountain and Elliot Scheiner. Jeffrey has recorded at The Record Plant, Hit Factory, Avatar (aka The Power Station), Quad, Unique, Sear . . . and many more.
Jeffrey's extensive Broadway credits include Saturday Night Fever, Seussical, Mamma Mia, and School of Rock - the Musical.
Most recently, Jeffrey has added "published author" to his list of accomplishments, releasing his "insightful and engaging," coming-of-age memoir "Do Stand So Close: my improbable adventure as Sting's guitarist" (from Deeds Publishing).
EP. 25 and EP. 26: The Time I Toured With The "Enlightened" Guru (Feat. Stas Mavrides)
One of my most interesting experiences in music has to be the time I toured with the band of a spiritual teacher(read: cult leader.) I was the only one in the band who was not a devotee of his. Well, about 10 years later, this teachers community dissolved amidst scandal. For the first time since then I talked to his 2nd in command who was the guitarist in the band. I finally got some answers about what was going on behind the scenes. This guitarist, Stas Mavrides, also happens to have had a very colorful career in the music business. He has toured with the Beach Boys, recorded several award winning albums, and has a new album out with his band Baraka Moon.
This episode is a conversation between me and Stas about our experiences making music with this guru. The next episode will be about Stas's path in music and in spirituality.
Stan's group Baraka Moon:
BARAKA MOON delivers pulsing, soulful and spiritually charged dance music with a positive message of peace for the whole world! Uniting influences from mystical Sufi trance songs, Indian ragas, African beats & the Australian Aboriginal didgeridoo Baraka Moon is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The release date for Baraka Moon's new album, Wind Horse, is October 6th, 2017.
BARAKA MOON Link:
http://pressjunkiepr.com/video/bismillah-baraka-moon-album-wind-horse-2017-official-video/
For More Information:
www.facebook.com/BarakaMoon www.barakamoon.com
e: info@barakamoon.com
t: 415-596-3518
Ep. 24 Dealing with Difficult People and Situations in the Music Biz feat. Travis LaMothe
As musicians we are always meeting and working with new people in new places. For this episode I asked several working musicians about their worst experience in the music business - how they dealt with it, what red flags there were going into it, and how they would advise someone else to prepare for and navigate through these types of experiences. Episode 24 features a story by musician/producer Travis LaMothe
Travis La Mothe Bio:
With first club gigs starting at the age of 15, Travis has been actively performing for 23 years. Studies with Frank Giguere, Casey Scheurell, and Steve Wilkes, allowed a quick evolution in Travis’ skill set. Amassing performances in percussion ensembles under the direction of Sal Raniello (Hartford Symphony Orchestra,) live performance became a place to thrive in all genres.
Attempting to live up to his influences and working at creating his own, Travis spent six years touring with New England regional act Rane (Tides Records), opening for numerous national acts including the Barenaked Ladies, Ozomatli, Santana, and Tom Petty and playing almost every room in New England. After multiple albums and recording credits with the group, Travis left to pursue other musical worlds.
After winning the 2006 Hartford Advocate's “Best Drummer” award, Travis went on to play with several Advocate-acknowledged bands including The Bill Carleton Band, and Jet Black Jane. A jaunt into the jazz world helped Travis to see a different side of performance after spending 2 years as a member of the house band for WOR radio in Manhattan. He also joined Hank Agency artists “Jimmy and the Hat Tricks” for a 3-year stint in general business music. He was called to play with The Last Goodnight (Virgin Records), and subbed several gigs with Girls Guns and Glory (Lonesome Day Records) as well. All of this while maintaining 10-20 private students for the duration.
The pursuit is endless, and Travis currently plays pick up gigs throughout New England with many talented groups. He has also begun establishing himself in the production world. After opening his small studio “Sunderland Sounds” in Sunderland MA, Travis has already cut a few spots that you’ve likely heard on the radio…
To reach Travis for gigs and/or production inquiries:
860.604.7414
Samples of performances/work
Performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs4Z7N3e-oE
Commercial Spot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_xL9wlORDI
Telefunken demo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28-jmeeGqFY
Ep. 22 and 23 The inner game of Music Freelancing w Dmitry Gorodetsky
Bassist Dmitry Gorodetsky on the Mindful Musician Podcast talking about how to navigate the music scene as a freelancer.
Some topics that come up:
How to play well with others -
listening well,
working without ego,
the importance of authentically connecting with the people around you,
How to work in New York vs Los Angeles
Dmitry's very interesting musical upbringing in Belarus (former Soviet Union)
and much more
follow Dmitry on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tallbassist/?hl=en
Ep. 20 and 21 year in review(parts 1 & 2) with adam rafferty
Adam Rafferty is a masterful musician and educator. His solo acoustic guitar performances of songs like Superstition and Billie Jean have earned him millions of views and admirers. He is often found touring the world with his guitar.
Also find him here: http://www.adamrafferty.com/
and study with him here: http://www.studywithadam.com/
Other things/people discussed in this episode:
goal setting exercise that Adam mentions: http://aaron.com/2013/08/13/the-best-goal-achievement-strategy/
The other year in review that I mention in the intro by meditation instructor Jonathan Foust
http://jonathanfoust.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/2016-Annual-Review-Jonathan-Foust.pdf
ep. 19 how to make it in the new music business with Ari Herstand
Most musicians now know Ari Herstand (pronounced Ar*ee Her*stand) as the guy who has helped them fly with their instruments, book national tours, get songs placed on TV and make more money with their music career - without the help of a label. Herstand’s music business advice blog, Ari’s Take, was nominated by the LA Weekly as the best music blog in Los Angeles and has become a go-to resource for DIY musicians worldwide.
He released the preeminent book on the new music industry entitled, How To Make it In The New Music Business (Norton/Liveright Publishing) on December 20th, 2016. It was the #1 best selling New Release in the Music Business, Performing Arts Industry and Entertainment Industry categories on Amazon.
Ari Herstand is a DIY musician who has played over 600 shows around the country, has opened for or toured with Ben Folds, Cake, Matt Nathanson, The Milk Carton Kids and Ron Pope, has performed on Ellen, and has had his music featured in countless TV shows, commercials and films. He currently fronts the funk band Brassroots District and is a member of the acoustic trio Young Canyon.
Herstand is a staff writer for Digital Music News and has also written for many of the top musician trade magazines and websites including Music Connection Magazine, American Songwriter, Playback Magazine, CD Baby, Tunecore, Reverbnation, Roland, Discmakers, ASCAP, Hypebot and others. He has been a featured speaker at SF MusicTech, SXSW, ASCAP Music Expo, CD Baby's DIY Musician Conference and in music business classrooms worldwide.
As an actor, he has co-starred in TV shows including Transparent, Aquarius, Mad Men, 2 Broke Girls, The Fosters, Sam & Cat and Touch.
Visit him: ariherstand.com
His Blog: aristake.com
Upcoming appearances: ariherstand.com/appearances
EP. 18 The Entrepreneurial Musician With Andrew Hitz
Andrew Hitz is an internationally renowned soloist, clinician and speaker having appeared in over 40 states and 30 countries including Japan, Brazil, Russia and Singapore. He recently ended a 14 year tenure as the tuba player for Boston Brass. Andrew has also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound and the Marine Band of Mexico. Andrew currently teaches tuba and euphonium at George Mason University and Gettysburg College.
As an Educational Ambassador for Jupiter Band Instruments, he appears all over the world as both a teacher and performer. Andrew has presented at over 20 state music educator conferences and taught master classes at some of the finest music schools in the world including Juilliard, the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore. He has also spoken about entrepreneurship and music business at many colleges and universities including Carnegie Mellon, the University of Georgia and the University of South Carolina, where he appeared as a thought leader specializing in marketing and social media at The Savvy Musician In Action Retreat.
full bio at: http://www.andrewhitz.com/bio/
Andrews digital media company: http://www.pedalnotemedia.com/
Andrews "The Entrepreneurial Musician" Podcast http://www.andrewhitz.com/tem/
Ep. 17 David nichtern
Featuring Buddhist Teacher, Author, and Award Winning Musician David Nichtern.
Davids New Book: Awakening From The Daydream http://davidnichtern.com/awakening-from-the-daydream/
David will be teaching a workshop at Kripalu Center For Yoga & Health from Oct 16 to Oct 21st https://kripalu.org/presenters-programs/awakening-daydream-meditating-wheel-life
His course entitled "Creativity, Spirituality, and Making a Buck" is available on creativelive.com https://www.creativelive.com/courses/creativity-spirituality-making-buck-david-nichtern All music from the podcast is by David Nichtern Intro music: Thank Kevin from his album From Here to Nichternity Full song at the end of podcast: Moon of Tunis from his group The Beyman Brothers (with Christopher Guest)
The young jazz piano prodigy that David mentions: http://joeyalexandermusic.com/
The young man that David and I pay tribute to at the end of the podcast: http://mrisaacallen.com/
David Nichtern Full Bio:
David Nichtern is a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. This tradition combines a contemporary, secular approach to meditation with the ancient practices and philosophies of Tibetan Buddhism. David was one of the initial American students of renowned meditation master Trungpa Rinpoche and studied closely with him soon after his arrival in the United States in 1970. David has been co-director of the LA Shambhala Center and Karme Choling Meditation Center in Vermont, as well as Director of Expansion for Shambhala Training International and Director of Buddhist Practice and Study for OM yoga.
He has been a featured writer and regular contributor to The Huffington Post and leads meditation workshops around the world and online. David also works individually with meditation students in person and via Skype, and has created and taught meditation teacher trainer programs for OM yoga, Empowered Yoga, Kaia Yoga, Metrowest Yoga, True Nature Yoga (Tokyo), and Journey Meditation. He has also been a business consultant with companies creating a variety of offerings integrating meditation in a larger health and well-being context – including Balanced Athlete, Journey Meditation, The Center for Health & Healing, and Om Births, among others. His new book “Awakening From the Daydream: Re-imagining The Buddha’s Wheel of Life”, will be released by Wisdom Publications on October 4, 2016. He has several online meditation workshops available through CreativeLive.com and a DVD/CD package OM YOGA & MEDITATION WORKSHOP, created in conjunction with yoga teacher Cyndi Lee.
David Nichtern is also a well known composer, producer and guitarist – a four-time Emmy winner and a two-time Grammy nominee. He is the founder of Dharma Moon and 5 Points Records. David has recorded and played with Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Lana Del Rey, Maria Muldaur, Paul Simon and many others. Among his many credits in records, film and TV, David wrote the classic song “Midnight at the Oasis” and composed the score for Christopher Guest’s film “The Big Picture”. As the Beyman Bros, he collaborated with Guest and CJ Vanston on an album “Memories of Summer as a Child”, and has produced multiple records for Grammy nominated kirtan performer Krishna Das as well as touring frequently as guitarist with KD over the last 10 years.
EP. 16 RISING STARS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS
For this episode I sat down with 3 up-and-coming artists to share insights about building a career in todays music business. Check them out and hear there music here:
Lev Allan-Blitz
Tori Schachne
Nick Depuy
https://www.facebook.com/Nick-Depuy-Music-121267417956474/?view_public_for=121267417956474
EP. 15 What is the Mindful Musician?
Host Matt Oestreicher explains what The Mindful Musician Podcast is and what he hopes you get from listening to it. He is interviewed by his fiancee Alisa. It includes a quick recap of the previous 14 episodes.
EP. 13 & 14 The Jazz Pianist and the DJ - feat. Michael Cain (Parts 1 & 2)
Michael Cain is a musician, writer, and educator. He has taught at many top universities such as Eastman School of Music, The New School, and The New England Conservatory of Music. He currently teaches at Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada. He was a long time collaborator with legendary drummer Jack DeJohnette - they have several albums together. He has also worked with musicians such as Bobby McFerrin, Ravi Coltrane, Christian McBride, Me’Shell Ndegge’Ocello, Regina Carter, Steve Coleman, John Scofield, Stanley Turrentine, Joshua Redman, and many others.
For full bio and all other info, go to: http://www.michaelcain.com
All music on this episode is from Michael Cain's new album "Sola." The short clips before and after the intro are from the track entitled: Mais Uma Noite
The full track at the end is entitled: Wogg
THINGS AND PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST
BOOK LIST(some of the books that Michael Cain recommended to me and my college peers)
http://www.amazon.com/Free-Play-Improvisation-Life-Art/dp/0874776317
http://www.amazon.com/Care-Soul-Cultivating-Sacredness-Everyday/dp/0060922249
http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Years-Psychotherapy-Worlds-Getting/dp/0062506617
http://www.amazon.com/Iron-John-Book-About-Men/dp/0306813769
http://www.amazon.com/Impro-Improvisation-Theatre-Keith-Johnstone/dp/0878301178
http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Faces-Collected-Joseph-Campbell/dp/1577315936
A Javanese Gamelan Album (also recommended to me by Michael Cain)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javanese_Court_Gamelan
Eliot Krimsky - lead singer of Glass Ghost/film composer mentioned in the podcast.
ep. 12 the whole ball game with danny Goldberg
Danny Goldberg, President of GoldVE Entertainment (http://goldve.com), has worked in the music business as a personal manager, record company President, public relations man and journalist since the late nineteen sixties. GoldVE Entertainment was formed in July 2007 and marks the return to artist management for Goldberg. A complete roster of artists can be found here. Goldberg is also a consultant to the forthcoming HBO series “Vinyl”. From 1983-1992, Goldberg was the founder and President of Gold Mountain Entertainment, an artist management firm whose clients included Nirvana, Hole, Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Bonnie Raitt, The Allman Brothers, Rickie Lee Jones and more. Directly prior to the creation of GoldVE Entertainment, Goldberg had been the CEO of Air America Radio from 2005 until mid-2006. Goldberg formed the independent label Artemis Records in 1999 and ran the company until January of 2005.
Prior to forming Artemis and prior to the acquisition of Polygram by Universal in 1998, Goldberg was Chairman and CEO of the Mercury Records Group, which was the number one U.S. label group in terms of market share in 1998. The Mercury Records Group included music from virtually all major genres; pop, R&B, hip-hop, country, jazz and rock and roll via its labels Def Jam, Mercury, Mercury Nashville, Motown, Verve, and Deutsche Gramophone, all of which reported to and were supervised by Goldberg. Prior to coming to Mercury, Goldberg was Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records in 1995, during which time Warner Bros. was the number one U.S. record label. In 1993-94, he was President of Atlantic Records, also a division of the Warner Music Group, which likewise attained the number one ranking among U.S. companies during Goldberg’s tenure.
Earlier in his career, Goldberg formed and co-owned Modern Records, which released Stevie Nicks’ solo albums including her number one album “Bella Donna.” Prior to that, Goldberg was Vice-President of Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song Records and worked with the band from 1973 through 1975. In 1980, Goldberg co-produced and co-directed the rock documentary feature, “No Nukes,” starring Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, and Jackson Browne, among others. In 2004 he was the Executive Producer of the documentary about Steve Earle, “Just An American Boy.” He was Executive Producer of the multi-platinum soundtrack of music from the television series “Miami Vice” and was Music Supervisor on numerous feature films including “Dirty Dancing.”
Goldberg began his career as a music journalist having written for, among others, Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, and Billboard Magazine (for whom he reviewed the Woodstock Festival in 1969). He is author of the books “How The Left Lost Teen Spirit” and “Bumping Into Geniuses: My Life Inside The Rock and Roll Business.” Danny is also Executive Producer of the “The Gits Movie.” He was Chair of the American Symphony Orchestra from 2008-2013 and is on the Board of Directors of The Nation Institute, The ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Americans for Peace Now, Brave New Films, The Greyston Foundation and Public Citizen. Goldberg is also a consultant to the forthcoming HBO series “Vinyl.”
------------------
The Featured song is "Can You Feel The Bern" by Matt Oestreicher (inspired by Bernie Sanders) link to video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrmup2t3bdo&feature=youtu.be
-------------
ep. 11 Bringing classical music to life with frederic Chiu
Music in this podcast:
Intro: Excerpt from Katyusha, Homage to D.Shostakivich - From the album Distant Voices by Frederich Chiu
Interlude: Excerpt from Reflets dans l'eau (Reflections in the Water) - from the CD Distant Voices by Frederich Chiu
Featured Piece:
Sayyid Chant & Dance - Andante E Molto Cantabile Ed Espressivo - from the CD Hymns & Dervishes by Frederich Chiu
Frederic Chiu's intriguing piano-playing and teaching springs from a diverse set of experiences and interests: his Asian/American/European background, his musical training, and an early and ongoing exploration of artificial intelligence and human psychology, especially the body-mind-heart connection.
With over 20 CDs on the market, his repertoire includes the complete work of Prokofiev as well as popular classics of Chopin, Liszt and others, and lesser known masterpieces of Mendelssohn and Rossini, with a special place for the piano transcription. Many have been singled out, such as "Record of the Year" by Stereo Review, "Top 10 recordings" by the New Yorker, with raves from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. His most recent recordings demonstrate his wide range: Beethoven/Liszt Symphony V, Carnival of the Animals with David Gonzalez, and Hymns and Dervishes, music by Gurdjieff/de Hartmann. (hymnsanddervishescd.com)
A new recording on the Yamaha Entertainment Group label, released in 2015, is a long-awaited recording of the music of Debussy, along with world premieres of work by Chinese composer Gao Ping. This recording breaks new ground, introducing the first Classical recording to the YEG catalogue. The performance will be released in Audio CD, DVD and DisklavierTV formats.
Frederic Chiu has toured in Europe and the US with the Orchestre de Bretagne and Stefan Sanderling. He has played with the Hartford Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Kansas City Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony, BBC Concert Orchestra, Estonia National Symphony, China National Symphony, the FOSJE Orquesta in Ecuador, among others. In recital he performs in the world's most prestigious halls including the Berlin Philharmonic, Kioi and Suntory Halls in Tokyo, Lincoln Center in New York and Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Mr. Chiu's musical partners include Joshua Bell, Pierre Amoyal, Elmar Oliveira, Gary Hoffman, David Krakauer, Matt Haimovitz and the St. Lawrence, Shanghai and Daedalus string quartets.
Frederic Chiu recently premiered Edgar Meyer’s Concert Piece with Joshua Bell. He has worked with many composers, including George Crumb, Frederick Rzewsky, Bright Sheng, Gao Ping and David Benoit.
He was the recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Petscheck Award of the Juilliard School, and was a fellow of the American Pianist Association. He was also the "non-winner" of the 1993 Van Cliburn Competition, where his elimination from the finals caused an uproar in the press.
Frederic Chiu is also committed to expanding the place of classical music. He has created unusual collaborations with personalities outside the world of Classical music, such as the Shakespearean actor Brian Bedford and psychologist/writer/clown Howard Buten. He worked with the hip-hop artist Socalled in the Messiaen Remix project. He does extensive work with children through concert/lectures for schools, and has brought classical music to places where it is rarely heard. Currently, he is performing with David Gonzalez in the classics Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals, transcribed for solo piano and narrator. He is also running a multi-year project called Classical Smackdown, in which audiences vote for their favorite composers (ClassicalSmackdown.com)
Deeper Piano Studies, Frederic Chiu’s innovative workshop program, brings together pianists from around the world to study aspects of piano playing usually left uncovered. Articles in Piano Today and the New York Times have featured his original approach to learning and performing that draws on ancient traditions of philosophy and meditation combined with the most recent discoveries in psychology and acoustic sciences, using non-traditional techniques such as cooking and learning without using the instrument. Frederic Chiu has been invited to many prestigious music schools and conservatories to present his DPS program, including the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Mannes College, The Banff Centre, Cornell University, Indiana University’s Jacob Music School, and major conservatories in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Shenyand and Wuhan. He has been guest artist at many state and national Teachers’ Conferences.
After 12 years spent in France, Frederic Chiu returned to the United States, where any free time he can find is divided between writing, painting and cooking. He also co-directs artistic activities at Beechwood Arts, an arts immersion non-profit in Connecticut.
For more information please go to www.fredericchiu.com
EP. 10 the soul of the piano with clifford carter
Clifford at Royal Albert Hall
Clifford Carter Bio:
One of the music industry's most sought-after keyboardists and composers, Carter has performed and recorded with legendary artists ranging from Art Garfunkel, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Natalie Cole, Bette Midler, Carly Simon and Patti Scialfa to Chris Botti, Paul Simon, Betty Buckley, George Benson, Narada Michael Walden and Herbie Mann. He is currently the music director for Idina Menzel. His playing can be heard on film scores, television shows and commercials. He has been featured in a wide range of musical contexts from symphony orchestras to David Letterman's band. His songs have been recorded by Michael Franks, Phyllis Hyman, Vanessa Williams and The Four Tops, among others, and for his own solo CD. He owns Secret Road Studios, a versatile production environment, where he plays, writes, arranges and produces.
His full-time professional career began at that time as he worked playing Miami clubs with local and national artists, among them Bobby Vinton, the Coasters and Motown's legendary Four Tops.
An offer to tour with The Four Tops took him on the road for the first time. He spent a year with the Tops and recorded three albums with them.
With friends Steve Jordan, Hiram Bullock and Will Lee, Carter formed the 24th Street Band in 1978. He was one of the principal songwriters in the band, which made three records, played regularly in New York City clubs and embarked on a successful series of tours in Japan.
In 1990, Carter began a long association with singer/songwriter James Taylor as a member of his touring and recording band. Carter's long-time friend and colleague Don Grolnick was keyboardist and musical director for the band at the time, and after playing a supportive role to Grolnick as the second keyboardist, Carter became the sole keyboardist when Grolnick tragically passed away in 1996. He remained in the band through 2001, playing acoustic piano and electronic keyboards. He worked on numerous Taylor releases, including the 1997 Grammy-award-winning Pop Album of the Year, Hourglass.
Carter recorded Walkin' Into the Sun, his only solo recording to date, which was released in 1993 and described as "one of the most engaging surprises of the year" by Jazziz Magazine and "a showcase for the keyboardist's excellent musicianship" by Jazz Times. The CD, a jazz/pop hybrid, features Carter's vocal and instrumental songs with a top supporting cast of musicians including Steve Rodby, Will Lee, Mark Egan, Bob Sheppard, Luis Conte and producer-guitarist Tim Weston.
A favorite of Late Night with David Letterman bandleader Paul Shaffer, he has often sat in with the band to accompany the show's guest artists, and he's subbed for Shaffer as well. He has accompanied a variety of artists on television programs ranging from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Saturday Night Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, Regis and Kathy Lee, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The View to Rosie O'Donnell's 1999 Christmas special and VH1's Storytellers and Live By Request. Among these artists are Al Green, Jewel, Christina Aguilera, the Black Crowes, Smokey Robinson, the B-52's, Rufus Wainwright, the Temptations, Little Richard, BB King, Lyle Lovett, Cher, LeAnn Rimes, Vanessa Williams, Michael McDonald and many others.
Carter has played at star-studded music events such as the 1985 reopening of the Apollo Theater ("Motown at the Apollo"), tributes to artists including Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Chuck Berry at the Kennedy Center Honors, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Sting's Rainforest Benefit in New York City, and Oprah Winfrey's "A Bridge To Now" celebration honoring 25 legendary African-American women, the concert for the 1st Annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song honoring Paul Simon, and Fashion Rocks at Radio City Music Hall.
His keyboard work has contributed to numerous film scores including You've Got Mail, A Chorus Line, The Object of My Affection, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and the recent remake of Shaft.
In 2006, Carter began working with legendary singer Art Garfunkel, and continues to perform regularly with him both at home and abroad.
2009 highlights include appearing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland with Little Anthony and the Imperials and Bobby Womack, touring the United States with Art Garfunkel, concerts with Betty Buckley, performances of "Too Hot to Handel" with The Colorado Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and recording a soon to be released CD with leader/drummer Chris Parker.
Carter continues to participate in a variety of musical settings from clubs to concert halls around the world, to television appearances and recording sessions. All these of course are his hobby - his main job is to raise his three daughters with occasional time out to watch the river flow.
NOTES:
The music from this podcast is all from Clifford's album Walkin' Into the Sun. It's available here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cliffordcarter
Intro track: Hard to Get Back
Outro Track: Nothin' Left to Do (From Walkin' Into the Sun)
The Frank Morgan track that I spoke of in the intro is the last track of his album Mood Indigo. It can be found here:
Ep. 9 Thinking like a boss with da wallach
D.A. Wallach is a recording artist and songwriter who Kanye West and Pharrell Williams discovered while he was an undergraduate at Harvard College. He has been featured in GQ, Rolling Stone, Vogue, and numerous other publications, and has toured with N*E*R*D and Weezer. D.A. has also appeared on many TV Shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. As one half of Chester French, D.A. has released three full-length albums, and as a featured vocalist has written and performed on records with Janelle Monae, Rick Ross, Diddy, and many others. He is currently recording his first solo album for Harvest / Capitol Records, new selections from which are available at: www.dawallach.com/music Beyond music, D.A. invests in and advises several start-up technology companies, including SpaceX, Doctor On Demand, Ripple Labs, DAQRI, and Spotify, where he is the official Artist in Residence. Forbes has selected D.A. as one of its 30 Under 30 and Fast Company has named him one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. As one of facebook's first users and one of the most followed artists on twitter (@dawallach), he is a recognized social media pioneer, and frequently publishes essays on media, technology, and philosophy at www.dawallach.com and www.medium.com/@dawallach.
The true story behind the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Can%27t_Make_You_Love_Me
Elon Musk posts about DAs new album: https://www.instagram.com/p/9BC045wEbB/
The article: : http://nypost.com/2015/10/04/your-favorite-song-on-the-radio-was-probably-written-by-these-two/
In the beginning of the interview we are talking about Max Drummey who DA's musical counterpart in the group Chester French.
ep. 8 Change the world with Joe Gray
Joe Gray has worked at the World Famous Apollo Theater for almost 30 years where he began as a truck loader and now holds the position of Head Of Stage. He is a musician, songwriter, photographer, and educator. Mr. Gray performs every week as the “Set It Off Man” in their iconic weekly show “Amateur Night at the Apollo.” Joe has a BA in music education, he has toured and or performed with some of the nation's top artist such as Lenny Kravitz, Kashif, Patti Labelle, the rock Funk group Cameo, and has recently received a Grammy certificate for his participation on the Grammy award-winning album by Stephan Marley. He continues to be a mentoring and positive force to all that comes in contact with him. Matt and Joe are founders of the non-profit "Your Time To Shine, Inc." that brings music education, inspiration, and career development to in-need communities and teaches music as a force that creates community, confidence, and crosses all divides.
In the podcast we talk about some of our programs which include a monthly showcase/competition, workshops, classes, and one on one instruction.
Your Time To Shine's new website will be up in December - current website can be found at yourtimetoshine.net
Ep. 7 Keeping the creative fire alive with Eddie Barbash
Eddie Barbash plays American roots music on alto saxophone. He brings his horn and sensibility to Texas and Appalachian fiddle tunes, bluegrass, old time, R&B, soul, and jazz. His pioneering take on these traditions has attracted audiences around the world. He is a founding member and the lyrical core of Jon Batiste and Stay Human, currently the house band for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. He was raised in Oaxaca, Mexico, Atlanta, Georgia and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He lives in Brooklyn.
We recorded this interview at a Japanese restaurant on 55th street in Manhattan. I caught Eddie in between him playing for the taping of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and him leading his own band at The Manderlay Bar. The song featured in the podcast is called Squirrel Hunters and it is performed by Eddie Barbash and his band. They will be performing at the Manderlay Bar at the McKittrick Hotel on November 30, December 7, and December 14. (2015)
ep. 6 Music and meaning with Noah Baerman
Note: All music heard in this episode is from Noah's album Ripples. At the end of this podcast is the full track (10:21) entitled 'Ripples (for Margie).'
About Noah:
Jazz pianist and composer Noah Baerman's tenacity and his cutting edge yet soulful music have made him an inspiring figure to a growing legion of admirers. Ten years after nearly walking away from the piano due to his struggles with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), an incurable connective tissue disorder with which he was born, Noah is playing and composing with more authority than ever. These challenges and his experiences as a foster parent have deepened his already fierce commitment to "message music."
Noah earned his B.Mus. and M.M. from Rutgers University in the 1990s under the mentorship of Kenny Barron ("Mr. Baerman is very creative and imaginative and has the technical wherewithal to bring his creative ideas to fruition." - Kenny Barron). Since then he has participated in and composed for numerous recordings, including eight CDs as a bandleader. His 2003 release Patch Kit features jazz legends Ron Carter and Ben Riley and revolves around his struggles with EDS. Patch Kit raised awareness and funds for EDS and led to an invitation from Marian McPartland to be a guest on her long-running NPR program Piano Jazz in 2005. Two compositions premiered on that show then appeared on his album Soul Force, a tribute to the life and message of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Soul Force featured Noah's writing for large ensemble, here featuring trombonist Robin Eubanks, percussionist Warren Smith and saxophonists Steve Wilson, Jimmy Greene, Wayne Escoffery and Claire Daly.
In 2008 he was awarded a "New Works" grant from Chamber Music America/Doris Duke Foundation. The resulting Know Thyself, an emotionally sweeping 65 minute suite for septet, was premiered at Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts and at the Jazz Gallery in New York and recorded for a 2010 release.
Baerman lives in Connecticut, and has been gaining a strong reputation as an educator. He teaches at several institutions including Wesleyan University, where he directs the Jazz Ensemble and teaches graduate courses in music. His teaching concepts have been codified through nine well-regarded instructional books published by the Alfred Publishing Company.
His blog, NB Pontificates, covers topics ranging from frank discussions of his experiences as a survivor of disability and child sexual abuse to his popular musical Top 10 lists and his own vegetarian recipes. In 2012 he was named Artistic Director of Resonant Motion, Inc., an organization that seeks to explore and deepen connections between music and social causes, as well as forming the Jazz Samaritan Alliance, a collective of accomplished artists working to compose and perform socially conscious music. Other projects in the works include a multi-media collaboration with photographer Carla Ten Eyck depicting survivors of cancer and other life-shaking challenges, a foster care-themed set of compositions titled "There But for the Grace," and a series of largely improvised collaborations with his wife, visual and performance artist Kate Ten Eyck.
"It is an amazing gift to have a bright future in spite of adversity. I hope to create things of sufficient beauty that I can give that gift back many times over." - Noah Baerman
The music on this podcast is from Noah's latest album "Ripples."
Ep. 5 The joys and hazards of freelancing with Ryan Estrada
Ryan is an artist who was: A gator wrangler, an ambassador to Australia, a Bollywood star in India, a ghostbuster in South Korea, a coca war reporter in Peru, a performer in Malaysia, Singapore, and Lao. He also slept on a bench during a typhoon in Japan, dug toilets for Thai tsunami victims, hunted Hyena skulls in Kenya, climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, lived on the beach in Costa Rica - anyway, you get the idea.
We did this via Skype as Ryan lives in South Korea
Please check Ryan out. You will be entertained and inspired:
http://ryanestrada.com
https://twitter.com/forexposure_txt
https://twitter.com/ryanestrada
https://www.youtube.com/user/ryanestradadotcom
Music: selections from Matts yoga album “An Enlightened World” (released in Hawaii only)
samples from Ryans "For Exposure" Twitter account:
stay tuned for:
- compilation of freelance horror stories
- Part 2 with Bert Padell - music industry advice from a legendary figure
Ep.4 Featuring Bert Padell
Bert Padell is known as "The Accountant to the Stars." He is an investor, business manager, and a career planner with a roster of clients that has included Joe DiMaggio, P. Diddy, Britney Spears, Madonna, Whitey Ford, and way too many others to name. Bert was a batboy for the 1949 and 1950 New York Yankees.
We talk about the changing music business, how he became the batboy for the NYYankees, deals he made for P. Diddy, racial issues that came up during his career, the future of the music business.
Featured Music: Funky Digital by Matt Oestreicher
Ep.3 Featuring Bill Carbone
Bill Carbone is an ethnomusicologist, musician, and a writer. He teaches at Wesleyan University and Southern Connecticut State University where he teaches “Music of the World’s People. ” As a musician(drummer, writer, singer), Bill has worked with with renowned bands and artists like Max Creek, Zac Deputy, Melvin Sparks, Toussaint and the China Band, and the Z3. As a writer, Bill has been published in Wax Poetics, Modern Drummer, jazz.com, and in a long-running New Haven Advocate column.
Find Bill Carbone here: http://www.billcarbone.com
Bill on FB: https://www.facebook.com/billcarbone
What is the “Chitlin Circuit”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitlin%27_circuit
Film: The Girls in the Band
http://thegirlsintheband.com/synopsis/
Very clever and funny Mike Judge film that we refer to several times: Idiocracy
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/
The 100 People Project
http://www.100people.org/statistics_detailed_statistics.php
http://www.100people.org/wp/the-100-people-project-an-introduction/
Some of the “Avant-garde” jazz musicians that we talked about:
Anthony Braxton:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Braxton
Pheeroan akLaff:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheeroan_akLaff
Sun Ra:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Ra
Art Ensemble of Chicago:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Ensemble_of_Chicago
Music played on this podcast:
Opening theme: Composed by Matt Oestreicher, used as an opening and closing theme of the film "We Cause Scenes." Performed by: Marissa Licata, Ervin Dede, and Egil Rostad at SST Studios in Weehawken, NJ.
EP. 2 Featuring Alan Johnson
This week I talk with entertainment lawyer Alan Johnson. His workshops "The Whole Music Business" help musicians gain essential information for their careers. His law practice straddles two widely disparate communities – Brooklyn, NY (Bushwick) and Greenwich, CT, each a center of its own niche discipline – Bushwick is the fastest emerging center of music and art in the country, and Greenwich is a prominent business and celebrity enclave. Alan also has a background which includes both advertising and work as a professional musician(drummer).
Some topics we covered are: the ever-changing music business, some history of music technology, ways for musicians to learn the business side of music.
Alan can be found here:
NOTES: the other writer for the song Man In The Mirror that we couldn't think of (apologies!) is Siedah Garrett http://siedah.com The film about Shep Gordon that we referred to: http://supermenschthemovie.com
also: a list of songs written by Billie Holiday:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Songs_written_by_Billie_Holiday
This episode will appeal to: -people interested in getting a glance behind the scenes of the music business -people who want to make a career from their art -working musicians/aspiring musicians
Ep. 1 featuring Shawna "Sir" Corso
Shawna is a musician, model, actor, choreographer. She has spent the last few years touring and making numerous tv appearances with Iggy Azalea, Sam Smith, and most recently with Stevie Wonder on his "Songs in the Key of Life" tour. We talked about her path through the music business. Includes shout outs to and stories about people she's met or worked with such as Tony Robbins, Iggy Azalea, producer/music director Onree Gill, Jojo, drummer Skeeter McMillian, Jeff Gitelman, Tiffany Jackson, and Marlon Saunders. I played a little keyboard at the end to get her to sing a bit...it worked!
Shawna can be found at:
This episode will appeal to:
- Shawna fans
- Aspiring musicians/ people interested in how to get gigs in the music business
- people interested in the inner workings of life in the music business
- people who like honest conversation that explores underlying motivations and forces that shape us
NOTES: future episodes will include professors, technology leaders, spiritual practitioners, artists, and more
Shawna "Sir" Corso