Brendan Keller-Tuberg–Australian bassist and composer–gives us all permission to honor the music we enjoy. We chat about rage composing, promoting collectivism, Bladerunner 2049, what makes music valuable, My Chemical Romance, “art” vs “popular” music, vulnerability, and (of course) institutional arts education.
Monica Shriver–woodwindist, educator, visual artist, and host of Brave Musician–joins me to talk about creating communities where everyone feels they belong, leading our friends towards a deeper connection with music, imposter syndrome, dropping out of school, challenges faced by doublers, and removing systemic obstacles imposed on female musicians.
Coty Raven Morris–speaker, educator, artist, conductor, and founder of Being Human Together–joins me to talk about judgement, being afraid of singing, proudly celebrating ourselves, houselessness, having uncomfortable conversations in the classroom, and accessing the healing power of the voice.
Brad Webb – drummer, composer, bandleader, multi-hobbyest– joins me to talk about avoiding linear thinking, potentially quitting music, surfing, defining quality, exploring other interests, experiencing balance, and getting punched in the face by music. Brad was the first person to accept me in the New Orleans music community and remains a dear friend.
Shea Pierre is a Louisiana native, husband, father, pianist, and community activist. We talk about diet tips for busy musicians, low vibrational cats, experiencing taste on a deeper level, and what comes next for him post-Ida. He and his community lost their homes and most of their material possessions to Hurricane Ida. In need of …
My favorite moments from every episode to date all in one place. This is a serious dose of human, wholesome connection, and it’s guaranteed to brighten your day. Thank you all for listening and being on this journey with me!
Suzanna Klein – violinist, professor, researcher – shares practice psychology tips for truly enjoying our time in the shed. We talk performance injuries, confidence vs bravery, playing through pain, journaling, recording yourself, performance anxiety, enjoying the journey, utilizing technology, and reimagining the classical musician education model.
Michael Spiro – world class conga player and renowned educator of Afro-Caribbean musics – shares insights from nearly 40 years of annual trips to Cuba. We chat about developing meaningful relationships with mentors, how to learn new instruments, the Vietnam War, trance states, sneaking in/out of Cuba, compensation for knowledge, conga drums, eating hot dogs, …
Ian Molinaro-Thompson – fellow drummer and dear friend – interviews me for this one. We talk about why I don’t think musicians are special, and how that’s actually a freeing idea. I also share my current hot takes on Dungeons and Dragons, finding your voice, the role of artists in the digital era, musical ownership, …
Joshua Starkman – the “Have a Great Day” guitarist – and I talk about having a great day, humanings, insomnia, the reality of making music in a capitalist society, the role of music in our communities, managing our relationships with social media, desiring things you can’t have, confessions, therapy, how whack hyper-individuality is, and (because …