In Episode 19 Season 1 of my interview series, I was delighted to welcome the inspiring musician Hooshyar Khayam to my home, to improvise and speak about his perspectives on improvisation, the music of Central Asia, the Middle East and Western Classical music. We speak about some of his beautiful recordings in his large discography, and his creative process. He also speaks about his role as founder and producer of Tehran Records. In a separate bonus episode you can hear an improvisation we played together. http://hooshyar-khayam.com/site/

I really enjoyed my conversation with the inspiring multi-style violinist Gina Burgess. During the episode she plays a couple of her original tunes, and at the end we did an improv back-and-forth across our Zoom call. It was really inspiring hearing about her journey through a severe overuse injury as a Classical violinist through to re-learning the violin in different styles, learning to improvise and compose, and also how she teaches improvisation to children.

Gina is a founding member of the Iqaluit-based Arctic rock band The Jerry Cans, is a four-time ECMA award winner with the band Gypsophilia, she fronts her own klezmer band Der Heisser, and is a regular collaborator in flamenco and Arabic music ensembles. Gina has toured Europe twice over with Tim Crabtree’s atmospheric ensemble; Paper Beat Scissors, and with folk-pop artist Gabrielle Papillon. Along with The Jerry Cans, Gina has performed and conducted youth workshops in Canada, Australia, Greenland, New Zealand, and Europe. https://www.ginaburgessmusic.com/ Instagram @ginaburgess.violin Facebook Gina Burgess Music

Jack Everly is well-known to audiences throughout the United States and Canada for his Symphonic Pops programs, conducting and charismatic storytelling during which he imparts his wealth of knowledge. In this lively conversation we discuss his distinguished career and perspectives.