Interview with Kala Ramnath: transcript with podcast and video linked. Kala Ramnath is a world-renowned Indian violinist who performs in both the Hindustani classical tradition, and in collaborations that incorporate many styles with Ray Manzarek of The Doors, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer, George Brooks, and  leading orchestras, to name but a few. You’ll hear about her childhood, and how she became a disciple of the legendary vocalist Pandit Jasraj, leading her to revolutionize her approach to Hindustani violin technique. As a teacher she has put together an incredible resource with an extensive video library that she’s created of Indian music, Indianclassicalmusic.com

When I recorded this interview with Kala, she had just the day before returned from the celebration of life for the legendary tabla master Zakir Hussain, who died this past December, and was one of the most important musicians in both Indian music and in bringing a global audience to Indian music. He had moved to San Francisco in the 1960s and was involved in too many projects to begin to list; in 2024 he was the first musician from India to receive 3 Grammys at one ceremony, including his collaboration with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. Zakir Hussain was an incredibly important mentor of Kala, and you’ll hear in her words about what his guidance and collaborations meant to her. 

Interview with clarinetist Tasha Warren; the podcast and video are linked. Tasha Warren  is an acclaimed clarinetist who has premiered over one hundred solo clarinet and chamber works. In this podcast you’ll hear excerpts from her album “Ourself Behind Ourself, Concealed” a fantastic collaboration with cellist Dave Eggar of newly commissioned and premiered Bass Clarinet and Cello works, which earned two Grammy nominations. If you listened to my episode with Meg Okura last year, you heard a bit about this project, and Meg’s episode is linked in the show notes if you missed it. Dr. Warren is Assistant Professor of Chamber Music at Michigan State University and the principal clarinet faculty of Mostly Modern Festival and you’ll hear her valuable and candid perspectives on a life as an educator, concert presenter and also the challenges of balancing such a full professional life with that of being a mom. You’ll also hear about her unique musical trip to India sponsored by Pitch Pipe organized by Jennifer Heemstra, among several inspiring projects in this wide-ranging episode. In this episode you’ll be hearing music by Nathalie Joachim, Paquito D’rivera, Martha Redbone Pascal Le Boeuf and Cornelius Boots.

This is the transcript to my interview with Tal Yahalom; the podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well.Tal Yahalom is an award-winning jazz guitarist and composer who has just released a compelling quintet album, Mirror Image  with  refreshingly unique instrumentation: violin, cello, percussion, sax and flute and both nylon-string and electric guitar. You’ll be hearing excerpts from the album and hear about Tal’s creative process and collaborators including percussioninst Rogerio Boccato and David Leon on sax and flute. Tal told me about some great advice he got from Pat Metheny, whom he met  when Tal won the Detroit Jazz Festival National Guitar Competition, and the invaluable guidance of key mentors throughout his education and career. Tal recently came back from musically immersive travels in Brazil and Argentina, and it was inspiring to hear about his experiences their as well as hear about several of his collaborators,  including his band KADAWA, and we’re featuring a track from their new album as well. Towards the end of this interview, Tal shared some personal reflections on his new duo with vocalist Danielle Wertz, and some very wise insights into student-centered learning, which I think apply quite broadly, not just to music. 

Transcript to my interview with Rachel Eckroth and John Hadfield. The podcast and video are linked here.Rachel Eckroth and John Hadfield are wonderfully inventive musicians who have formed a duo. This podcast episode is shining a light on their recently released album “Speaking in Tongues”and you’ll hear some of this textured and dynamic music that really pushes the boundaries of a duo,  along with insights into their creative process and their varied career paths. 

  John Hadfield  is a phenomenal percussionist, drummer, and composer, for many years based in New York and now based in Paris. He’s collaborated on over 100 recordings including Grammy-award winning albums. He talked to me about performing with Kenny Werner, with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silkroad Ensemble, as well as John’s Paris Quartet.

 Rachel Eckroth was nominated for a GRAMMY for her album “The Garden” and she is very active as a keyboardist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger. She tours currently with St. Vincent, and she talked to me about her keyboards, and some of her formative experiences. 

Both Rachel and John love to explore new sound colours both acoustically and with electronic instruments and this album is a powerful, inventive and immersive listening experience. You’ll find this project linked in the show notes, and hopefully some of you can attend  their live shows on one of their tours. 

Transcript to 2025 interview with Fern Lindzon; the podcast and video versions are linked here. Fern Lindzon is a Canadian multi-style pianist, vocalist, composer and improvisor. She recently released a great album with her new trio project Tryptique with Colleen Allen and George Koller ,and we’re featuring music from that album as well as some of her other work, including her Juno-nominated album Two Kites. We talked about her mother, the artist Rose Lindzon, many mentors and influences including Don Johnson, Alan Bern and Marilyn Lerner, and several of Fern’s projects including creating silent film music, Klezmer with the Sisters of Sheynville, and her new project of learning the expressive electronic instrument the Haken Continuum. In fact, what really struck me about talking to Fern was her thirst to continuously expand her knowledge, skills, and creativity. 

Transcript to my interview with Naomi Moon Siegel; the podcast and video versions are linked here. Naomi Moon Siegel is an award-winning trombonist, improvisor, composer and educator. In this episode we’re highlighting her beautiful sextet album Shatter the Glass Sanctuary, and you’ll hear her reflections on the valuable mentorship process with Allison Miller and brilliant collaborators including Marina Albero and Ray Larsen. Naomi reflected on her journey finding a supportive musical community, overcoming injury, and how she’s advocated for intersectional gender justice for many years through her workshops for fellow educators and music students.  We talked about some of her mentors including Kristen Strom, Wayne Horwitz, and her duo project the Syrinx Effect with Kate Olson. Naomi shared how her career path has been shaped by personal decisions and outlook,  some of her experiences on several inspiring trips, as well as how she’s able to find grounding and inspiration in both her new physical landscape in Montana and her new emotional landscape as a parent. 

Exploring Creativity with Anthony Brandt: the transcript to the interview; the podcast and video linked here.

Anthony Brandt is an acclaimed composer who is also a multi-disciplinary researcher. Dr. Brandt is  a Professor at Rice University and co-founder and Artistic Director of Musiqa. Like many people worldwide, I had first learned of his work as co-author with neuroscientist David Eagleman,  of the amazing book “The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World”. We started this episode with an overview of that book, and Tony’s passion for the importance of encouraging creativity at all stages of life comes through in our discussion of his research, compositions, teaching and mentoring. You’ll hear about how he and other researchers are using mobile brain body imaging, and how research into the arts are so important to the development of neuroscience. You’ll learn about his unique childhood, his mentors and approach to composing and teaching composition, his valuable insights on presenting new music and how integrating art forms can help to connect with audiences. We’re also shining a light on his recent album of string quartet music Meeting of Minds and LiveWire, which are both collaborations with the NobleMotion Dance Company and the University of Houston Brain Center.  Central to this episode is the importance of creativity, and different ways to investigate and explore that. 

Samantha Ege is both a leading scholar and interpreter of Florence Price. In this interview, she talks about her recent book “South Side Impresarios: How Race Women Transformed Chicago’s Classical Music Scene”. I was fascinated to learn about this compelling history of Chicago’s Black Renaissance with women such as Nora Holt,  Margaret Bonds, and Katherine Dunham.  Dr. Ege shared how the scholarship side of her work informs both her identity as a pianist and also how this research and storytelling cause her to reflect on some of her own challenges. We also talked about some of her other recent recording projects, including the upcoming Avril Coleridge-Taylor piano concerto and chamber music with Castle of our Skins, and she reflected candidly on her personal creative life as a writer, performer and composer. 

Transcript of my interview with Ian Maksin; podcast and video linked here. Ian Maksin holds a special place in the hearts of his fans worldwide,  with his unique concerts of cello and songs in over 30 languages. It was really interesting to learn about how he has forged a unique path as a solo touring performer, and he shared his insights on finding commonalities between cultures, mindfulness practice and how he stays healthy with such an intense touring schedule. You’ll hear about his childhood, his need to break out of a strict classical music career, how his love of languages started and some suprises, including how he became a pilot as a teenager. 

This is the transcript of my interview with Jean Rohe, and the podcast and video versions are linked here. Jean is an acclaimed song-writer and singer, as well as a devoted  mentor, working with incarcerated song-writers,as well as at the New School and privately. She writes powerful narrative songs, and is widely known for her National Anthem:  Arise! Arise! an aspirational alternative which has been performed extensively across the US. She shared with me her perspectives on love, grief, identity, community and creativity.   One of her beautiful collaborations is the wonderful album Beautalina with the band Eureka Shoes, with Skye Soto Steele,  Charlie Burnham and Rashaan Carter. We are featuring music from that project as well as with  Robinson & Rohe. 

This is the transcript to my interview with bassist Edwin Barker, and the podcast and video versions are linked here. Edwin Barker is recognized as one of the most gifted bassists on the American concert scene. In this wide-ranging interview, you’ll hear about how when he was still a student, he won a job with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and then at age 22, he was appointed to the position of Principal Bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a position he has now  held for nearly 50 years. He shared memories of his mentors, and his valuable perspectives on learning and teaching the bass, playing in orchestra, conductors, auditions, acoustics and more. We’re featuring his wonderful recent album of solo bass music,  Basso Profundo,  both Bach’s Suite no. 5 and Weinberg’s Sonata Op. 108. 

Interview with the phenomenal fiddler Brittany Haas. This transcript is linked to the podcast and video versions. Brittany Haas is widely regarded as one of the most influential fiddlers of her generation. In this wide-ranging conversation you’ll be hearing about her early career, touring with Darol Anger at age 14, the bands Croooked Still, Hawktail and Punch Brothers with Chris Thile. She reflected on the challenges and thrill of a touring life, the Nashville scene, her teaching through Artistworks, and dynamics of being a woman in Bluegrass. We talked about mentors Bruce Molsky and Tony Trishka, her time at Princeton studying Evolutionary Biology, and the need for self-care and boundaries. 

We are featuring music from several of her albums, including her recent projects with sister Natalie and the Swedish musician Lena Jonsson.

This is the transcript to my interview with cellist and composer Dorothy Lawson; the podcast and video versions are linked here. Dorothy Lawson is one of the founding members and Artistic Directors for ETHEL, a string quartet celebrating 25 years of setting the standard for contemporary concert music. In this episode, you’ll hear about many fascinating and meaningful collaborations with musicians including Alllison Loggins-Hull,  Robert Mirabal, and Layale Chaker. It was really inspiring to hear how they got started with adapting the concert experience into something less-predictable, and ways to connect with new audiences. Dorothy also shared her insights into playing and teaching the cello and staying healthy. We also talked about many of the long-term relationships with the Metropolitain Museum, Denison College and the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composer Apprentice Project. 

This is the transcript to my interview with Katherine Needleman, and the podcast and video formats are linked here. Katherine Needleman is a wonderful oboe player,  who has been the principal oboist of the Baltimore Symphony  since 2003. She’s also active as a solist and chamber musician, and is on faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music.  She is a champion of music of our time and you’ll find her recordings and many projects on her website. To many listeners in the Classical Music world, she’s probably better known for her Substack articles and posts on social media that address misogyny, sexual misconduct and assault, and the lack of diversity and equity in the Classical music world. In this conversation you’ll hear about some of her activism and advocacy work , and different aspects of Katherine’s life as a musician, including her work as a composer and educator, and mentors including Jennifer Higdon. Please note the timestamps to navigate the episode.  I regret that I didn’t get into improvisation with her, because she’s also an excellent improvisor and has put out an album of improvised chamber music “The Marmalade Balloon”. Perhaps we can get into this next time she comes on the podcast! 

Transcript to my interview with Shakura S’Aida and the podcast and video versions are linked here. Shakura S'Aida, acclaimed Americana roots soul singer and songwriter  has thrilled global audiences in 31 countries over many years. 

Donna Grantis who performed with Prince for several years, is Shakura’s longtime co-producer and co-writer. Donna praises the three-time Juno Award nominee  as a "powerhouse vocalist whose artistic vision continually inspires me.”

I trust you’ll find this week’s episode an inspiring and uplifting conversation, in which we’re highlighting Shakura’s new album Hold on to Love. We also talked about her career in acting, and she shared some of her experiences on the set of Schitt’s Creek. Shakura shared many valuable insights in this wide-ranging interview.

Yann Passabet-Labiste is a French violinist with a beautiful warm intensity to his playing, and in this episode we’re focussing on his album “Robert Schumann et son univers” with pianist Bertrand Giraud. Yann talks about some of his mentors in France and Switzerland, many interesting and inspiring musical highlights and his perspectives on how music has helped him through some difficult challenges.   This is the transcipt of this interview and the podcast and video formats are linked here.

Interview with Ida Gillner: the podcast and video versions are linked here. Ida Gillner is very special musician based in Sweden, and in this episode you’ll hear the powerful story of her personal journey, embracing different cultures, and also the comforting power of music.  Ida is a multi-instrumentalist and composer; her main instruments are soprano saxophone, piano and voice.  In the first part of this episode we focus on her project Shtolstse lider, her songs set to the poetry of some of Yiddish’s greatest women writers. You’ll hear about Ida’s childhood on the island of Asperö, forging her own path in different world music traditions, and  the Finnish tango group Anna Heikkinen and Längtans Kapell. We also talked about her solo album “Anna” dedicated to her sister, and how the process of writing and recording this healing music comforted her through the shock of her family’s loss. Ida’s path in music reveals a powerful story of embracing different cultures through music, and the comforting power of music. 

The transcript of my interview with DeWitt Fleming Jr. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well. DeWitt Fleming Jr. is a multi-talented and brilliant performer, renowned for his tap dancing, choreography and acting, and is also a singer and drummer. As he said to me in this interview “when I’m tap dancing I’m drumming”. You’ll hear about his experience growing up in the Projects, the importance of attending an Arts high school, the usefulness of theatre training for musicians, and insights into memorization, mindset and performing. He shared his experiences working with Wynton Marsalis, meeting his wife the actor and singer Jennie Harney-Fleming, with whom he’s presently performing A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical,  his experiences with Cirque du Soleil and touring internationally with Riverdance, and most recently playing both drums and performing tap with the Hot Sardines in Tokyo. 

This is the transcript of my interview with Yale Strom, and the podcast and video are linked here. I was honored to be able to record this wide-ranging interview with violinist Yale Strom, who is the leading ethnographer-artist of Klezmer music and history, and also has done many years of research among the Roma communities. He speaks to us about some of his many inspiring experiences during over 75 research expeditions to Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. To prepare for this episode, I read several of his books, including his 400 page The Book of Klezmer: The History, The Music, The Folklore, some of which we touched on during this conversation, and he also spoke about two of his upcoming books and other projects. Yale is an energetic and prolific creator; he’s also a filmmaker, photographer, educator, playwright and composer, and we spoke about many of his projects during this wide-ranging interview.  

This is the transcript of my interview with Nimrod Borenstein, and the podcast and video versions are linked here as well. Nimrod Borenstein is a brilliant composer, who was a child prodigy as both a composer and performer. His often complex music is beloved by performers and audiences alike, and has been widely recorded and performed internationally. He is also a renowned conductor, and he spoke to me about his difficult decision to cut short his career as a violin soloist in order to find alternate career options as he developed his career as a composer. Vladimir Ashkenazy has been an active champion of Nimrod’s music, and you’ll hear the charming story of their first meeting.  

Nimrod shares his insights about interpreting music for performers and conductors, the development of his compositional style and his views on creativity in general. Nimrod has an infectious energy in his enthusiasm for the pursuit of beauty.  Nimrod has exceptional parents, and you’ll hear how they met, and we start with Nimrod’s close relationship to his father the renowned painter Alec Borenstein.