The transcript of my interview with Martha Mooke. The podcast and video format are linked here with the show notes. Martha Mooke is a pioneer in the field of the electric five string viola and transcends boundaries as a performer and composer. This episode features insights, stories and music, including from the beautiful album by Carla Patullo So She Howls which just won the GRAMMY® Award for “Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.” as well as from several of Martha’s solo and collaborative albums. You’ll hear about the unique multi-style string program she’s helped launch at New Jersey City University, and about many of her mentors and collaborators from David Bowie to Tenzin Choegyal to Laurie Anderson to Jean-Luc Ponty. Martha is passionate about the breadth and diversity needed in music education for the 21st century, and it was a joy and an inspiration for me to be able to hear about the arc of her multi-faceted career so far.

This is the transcript of my interview with James McGowan, a solo and collaborative pianist at home in jazz, classical and improvised musics. The podcast and video versions of this episode are linked here along with the show notes. The 14-member James McGowan Ensemble has just released its jazz-classical fusion album Reaching Out, the companion to the previous album Reaching In, and this episode features some of the music from this beautiful project as well as from his jazz-fusion group Modasaurus. Besides James’ work as a composer and pianist, he’s also a Theory Professor, and choral direcctor, and has served as Carleton University Chair in Teaching Innovation in developing experiences in the arts on campus and in the community. James is so passionate about sharing his love of music and I trust you’ll find this an uplifting conversation.

The transcript to my interview with Thomas Cabaniss. The Podcast and Video versions as well as show notes are linked here as well. Thomas Cabaniss is a wonderful American composer of works for opera, theater, dance, film and the concert stage, and also a visionary Teaching Artist. He’s been a member of the faculty of the Julliard School since 1998, and leads the Lullaby Project at Carnegie Hall, serving young parents in shelters, hospitals and prisons with collaboratively created songs for their children. We talk about all this and much more, inluding his work creating Carnegie Hall’s Link Up. I was curious about these many facets to Thomas’ life as both a composer and educator, and you’ll find this episode has gorgeous, inspiring music , as well as great stories from his diverse career as a Teaching Artist, working with music educators, students of all ages, and meaningful outreach in the community.

The transcript of my interview with Pierre Chrétien, who is a Canadian bandleader, multi-instrumentalist and composer who has had international success with his bands The Souljazz Orchestra, Atlantis Jazz Ensemble and his project Cinephonic, and in this episode you’ll learn about all of these and hear highlights from some of these albums on the Marlow Records label. Pierre shares how left his career as an Engineer to devote himself to a full-time career as a performer. The podcast, video and shownotes are all linked here.

The transcript to my interview with British guitarist Edison Herbert. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well. We are featuring his compositions from a couple of his albums and you’ll learn about his personal journey in music that has led to his career as a full-time performer. He talked to me about some of his mentors and influences including George Benson, and his perspectives as a Black artist navigating the music scene in the UK. I found him to be warmly engaging and candid and we circled around to topics that impact all of us, such as dealing with self-knowledge, creativity, and the need to be persistent and keep true to what’s important to us .

This is the transcript of my interview with the Dutch guitarist and composer Marc van Vugt. The podcast and video with shownotes are linked, which also takes you to my first interview with him in 2022.

This is the transcript of my interview with the Euclid Quartet. The Podcast and Video versions are linked here, along with the shownotes. This world-class string quartet is celebrating their 25th anniversary with a fantastic album of short pieces, entitled Breve, and we are featuring several pieces from that album as part of this episode. In this conversation you’ll get to know each member of the quartet, which is in residence at Indiana University South Bend. I was curious to learn more about the many roles the quartet plays in their capacities as performers, educators and collaborators, and to hear them speak about the special joys and challenges of being members of a full-time quartet.

Chuck Copenace is a Winnipeg-based Ojibway musician from Animakee Wazhing 37. This is the transcript of my interview with him, and the podcast and video links are linked with the shownotes as well. In this episode, we talk about Chuck’s excellent album Oshki Manitou, which expands his work as a trumpet player, arranger, and composer. He’s woven together ceremonial sweat-lodge melodies with jazz, funk, dance and electronica and this episode features tracks from that album. He’s such a powerfully lyrical trumpet player, and you’ll be deeply touched to hear his inspiring story of moving through trauma and addiction to helping others through counseling and music.

This is the complete transcript of my interview with Jennifer Roig-Francoli; the podcast and video versions as well as the show notes are all linked here as well.