Podcast

The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.

TOPICS:
0:00 Intro Music
1:13 Introduction
2:28 How Evan got into jazz and the drums, early influences
7:28 Meeting Jimmy Heath, bombing in front of him
15:20 Being "different" as musical youth. (meeting Bernard Purdie)
20:20 Sacrifices we make for music, as a kid
26:30 First favorite records
28:25 Discovering early drummer, Sonny Greer, Baby Dodds, Big Sid (dancing beat)
35:13 Copying, how to study and be an individual, what is original?
38:22 Evan Sherman Big Band Crazy Musical Play, being daring
51:00 Using innovative ideas to bring more people into jazz. Storytelling to audiences
56:58 How scarcity has affected jazz musicians
1:00:14 Roy Hargrove Gems, Stories, Appreciation
1:11:25 Playing with Ron Carter. Tons of music gems. Balance, Criticisms, Energy, "carpet"
1:20:35 How to convey nuance, subtlety to an audience. Jazz for general audiences
1:26:55 Charity Concert, Jazz for Jennings history and cause
1:31:25 Nurturing, fostering young musicians. Caring for the scene. Musical integrity. Lessons from elders
1:39:55 Evan's evolution as drummer, in taste
1:44:00 History with cymbals, sticks, drums. How gear, touch, tone affects the music. Real nuanced drummer insights.
1:54:00 Swing as a platform for expression and communication
1:55:20 Volume of bands getting louder with time, acoustic volume and balance. Playing with acoustic bass and amped bass
2:01:10 Daily life of Evan Sherman, plans for future
2:09:45 Playing for the gig, project, deadline. Using them for growth
2:13:30 90 Second Fire Round


Today's Guest:
Born into a musical family in New Jersey, Evan Sherman (b. 1993) began playing the drums at age 5 and had his first professional gigs at 13. Since then, Evan has been spreading musical enthusiasm all over the world, touring with the likes of Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Roy Hargrove, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Cyrus Chestnut, Branford Marsalis, and more.

In 2014, he formed the Evan Sherman Big Band, a 16-piece group for which he writes and arranges, of up-and-coming young lions alongside a rotating cast of seasoned veterans and guests such as Roy Hargrove, Johnny O’Neal, & Jon Batiste. The big band continues their residency at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola's late night dance parties as well as frequent appearances at the Perth International Arts Festival (Australia), The Rainbow Room (Rockefeller Center), Ginny’s Supper Club (Harlem), The Django (TriBeca), Midsummer Night’s Swing (Lincoln Center), Caramoor Jazz Festival, SteelStacks (PA), and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

In 2017, Sherman co-produced and performed on a live trio recording with longtime friend and bandmate, Emmet Cohen, flanked by the legendary bassist, Ron Carter. The album continues to receive critical praise citing Sherman as “a beacon of taste”, “who, though in his mid-20's, plays here like an old master”.

In addition to performing, Evan loves to present clinics/workshops, educating people all over the world about jazz. He is honored to be the artistic director for the second year in a row at "Jazz for Jennings", a charitable concert founded by the late ABC world news journalist, Peter Jennings with jazz pioneer, Max Roach.

Find him at https://www.evanshermanmusic.com/

Your hosts:
Austin Zhang - https://www.austinzhang.org/
Michael Shapira http://michaelxshapira.com/ and @michaelxshapira

Learn more: https://bravesound.org/
Instagram: @bravesoundnyc

The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.

TICKETS for their December 6th live streamed concert: https://bravesound.org/shop/artabaden/

TOPICS:
0:00 Intro Music
1:15 Introduction
3:45 How Arta and Baden discovered their musical chemistry
5:50 How Arta was first exposed to Brazilian rhythms
10:35 Arta’s story of how she met Liz Rosa (Excellent Brazilian jazz singer)
12:35 Baden’s exposure to different rhythms growing up in Venezuela
17:20 Baden on why Venezuelan musicians are so adept in many musical contexts
19:55 Arta on Latvian folk melodies
22:00 Arta on strong choir culture in Latvia
23:00 Background of how Austin met Arta
24:30 Latvian National Song and Dance Festivals
26:45 Arta on Latvian Dances
29:15 Arta on going back to Latvian Roots
32:00 Baden on creating music influenced by his Venezuelan roots
34:45 Where do I belong?/Who am I?/Finding my roots
42:30 David Fiuczynski and inspiration from Chinese scales/inspiration from different sources
45:20 Baden on playing with Simon Bolivar Big Band and discovering his true voice with composing
46:10 Baden on his album Magenta
48:30 Arta on her debut album “Light”
51:20 Arta on her song “Shadows and Light”
54:00 Arta on her rendition of “Four”
57:55 Baden on choosing Magenta as his album name
59:40 Synesthesia and its effect on musicians
1:01:00 Arta on how she got exposed to Jazz/American Songbook
1:06:00 Baden on Gerry Weil on being a key mentor in his life
1:08:00 Arta on her first teacher, a classical trumpet player
1:10:00 Arta and Baden on their mentor Reggie Workman
1:14:10 How Covid has affected musicians’ livelihoods
1:17:05 Baden on recording Venezuelan music through his project in Bronx Music House
1:19:00 Arta on recent projects and school life vs. outside school life
1:22:40 Baden on a video he made with Gerry Weil
1:26:30 Arta on receiving her masters in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship
1:30:00 90-Second Flash round

Today's Guests:
New York City-based Latvian singer, composer and arranger Arta Jēkabsone is recognized by her velvety tone. Arta engages listeners with an emotional and honest, adventurous and joyful expression of music. Recently Arta was awarded 1st prize at Montreux Shure Jazz Voice Competition in Switzerland (2016), 2nd prize at Mid- Atlantic Jazz Voice competition (2017) 3rd prize at Ella Fitzgerald International Vocal Competition (2019). At the end of the year, 2017 Jēkabsone released her debut album ”Light”. Recently her album with Erik Leuthäuser “Yesterday Still Lies Between the Floorboards” came out with support from the record label Unit Records.

The bound with nature is significant in Jēkabsone’s original music. She comes from a small countryside town Kandava, surrounded by forests and rivers, hearing and singing folk songs about nature- sun, moon, birds and Latvian females often compared with blooming flowers. Arta is bonded with nature in her style of writing lyrics.

//
Pianist, composer and arranger, Baden Goyo graduated from Lino Gallardo Music School and specialized in Jazz and Popular music with the Master Gerry Weil. He was the principal pianist of the Simon Bolívar Big Band Jazz, (one of the most prominent jazz Project in Venezuela in last decade) performing in several festivals and prestigious stages both nationally and internationally such as: Jazz al Parque (Colombia), Dizzy’s Club Jazz at Lincoln Center (New York) and New England Conservatory (Boston). After putting together his own Jazz Trio, Baden performed in several national festivals and theaters as a band leader: Noches de Guataca, Festival de Jazz de Paraguaná, Festival de jazz de Barquisimeto, etc. By 2014 he was considered one of the most important pianists of his home country, which allowed him to play and collaborate with most of the relevant Venezuelan artists: Pablo Gil, Rafael “el pollo” Brito, Aquiles Baez, Eddy Marcano, C4 Trio, Kiara, Mirna Rios, Primate, etc.

His successful career both as a pianist and composer in Venezuela is reflected within the important Book of Banesco entitled "A New Musical Country" which includes him as one of the youngest and most promising figures in Venezuelan Jazz, dedicating an entire section to his career. Furthermore, his work as composer and arranger has been acclaimed both in the Venezuelan audiences and internationally as well, reaching the peak recently in 2017 when he was awarded with 2 Latin Grammy (Best Album of the Year & Best Album of Salsa) and 1 Grammy (Best Latin Tropical Album) through his collaboration (as composer) with Ruben Blades, who wrote lyrics for one his compositions (¿Adónde?) and include it in his latest album entitled “Salsa Big Band"

Find them at https://artajekabsone.com/ and http://www.badengoyo.com/

Your hosts:
Austin Zhang - https://www.austinzhang.org/
Michael Shapira http://michaelxshapira.com/ and @michaelxshapira

Learn more: https://bravesound.org/
Instagram: @bravesoundnyc

The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.

TOPICS:
0:00 Intro Music
1:20 Introduction
2:37 How Andy does so much, how he manages time, focus, and deep work
19:47 Why Andy started documenting his "best part of the week"
21:49 Choosing your circle, surrounding yourself with positive people
24:42 Seattle's Vibrant Jazz Education community
29:07 How the Westerlies met and their roots
30:30 Early influences
32:54 Wayne Horowitz
37:20 Influence of folk music (and thoughts on other genres in general)
42:06 Value of documenting, being prolific
46:00 Lowering cost of production. Small internet releases vs bigger projects
50:00 “internet fame” vs traditional models
52:38 Westerlies featured in massive NBC ad campaign
57:43 Michelle Obama podcast and podcast music process
1:04:56 Value of relationships. Relationship building vs Networking
1:09:33 Shutter project, scoring music to film photography
1:15:43 Cooking
1:18:47 Leading a balanced life
1:21:57 Andy’s current days
1:23:56 Trombone, early influences, practice time
1:27:20 Sound vs technical virtuosity
1:30:58 Sound production on Westerlies record, Jesse Lewis
1:35:50 What music Andy is listening to now, pleasure vs work listening
1:41:30 Where to follow Andy and upcoming projects
1:44:30 90 second Fire Round

Today's Guest:
Andy Clausen is a New York-based trombonist, composer, producer, and educator.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Andy has served as principal conductor and Artistic Director for Jazz at New York Youth Symphony since 2016.

As a composer, Andy has worked in a variety of formats, from orchestral and large ensemble commissions, to classical and jazz chamber music projects, as well as numerous film, television, and media productions.

An in-demand collaborator across genres, he has performed or recorded a diverse range of artists including:
Common, Fleet Foxes, Big Thief, Feist, A$AP Ferg, Paul Banks, Vieux Farka Touré, Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Frank Wess, Gerald Wilson, Bill Frisell, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano, Theo Bleckmann, Kate Davis, Celisse Henderson, Haley Heynderickx, Nico Muhly, Maria Schneider, Dave Douglas, Wayne Horvitz, John Zorn, and The American Brass Quintet.

Find him at https://www.andyclausen.com/ and @aclausent

Your hosts:
Austin Zhang - https://www.austinzhang.org/
Michael Shapira http://michaelxshapira.com/ and @michaelxshapira

Learn more: https://bravesound.org/
Instagram: @bravesoundnyc

The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.

TOPICS:
0:00 Intro Music
1:13 Introduction
3:24 How Jaleel built his sideman career (Mingus, Count Basie, Roy Haynes, and more)
13:08 Mother’s influence
14:38 Early relationship with Jonathan Blake (young Philly friends)
17:44 Love for swing, Philly swing tradition, Philly sound
23:50 Berklee time, what he worked on in college
25:35 How he got exposed to artists, mother’s incredible record collection, earliest influences
30:30 How Philly supported him
35:34 How to expose children to more culture(s). Inclusion in schools
47:27 Importance of travel, cultural knowledge
50:09 Background of Soundtrack of Things to Come. Ideas behind music, losing his father
55:25 Background of Optimism
58:40 Peers in Berklee, early NYC, friendships, hanging, sessions
1:05:23 Lee Konitz
1:11:25 Tom Harrell, Colors of a Dream
1:15:38 Rehearsal processes with Roy Haynes, Tom Harrell, Nate Smith, how he learned their music
1:22:32 Hanging for introverts, married, or older people. Adapting lifestyle
1:25:30 Sitting in with Jeff “Tain” Watts
1:29:00 90 second Fire Round

Today's Guest:
Alto & Soprano saxophonist Jaleel Shaw has been a long
standing member of the Roy Haynes Quartet, the Mingus Big
Band and recently joined Tom Harrell’s Color of a Dream
band.

A bandleader in his own right, Jaleel’s solo recordings have been met
with rave reviews from publications including The New York Times,
Downbeat Magazine, and Jazztimes Magazine.
In Jazztimes Magazine’s 2011 Readers Poll, he was mentioned as Alto Saxophonist of the Year along with lengendary saxophonists Phil
Woods, Lee Konitz, Bunky Green, and Kenny Garrett. Jaleel is a force
to be reckoned with and is noted as one of the most influential alto
saxophonists of his generation.

Jaleel has performed and recorded with the likes of Clark Terry,
Roy Hargrove, The Mingus Big Band, Christian McBride,
Chick Corea, Jason Moran, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Arturo
Sandoval, Nicholas Payton, Dave Holland, Jimmy Cobb,
the Village Vanguard Orchestra, and the Count Basie
Orchestra

Find him at https://www.jaleelshaw.com/and @jaleelshaw

Your hosts:
Austin Zhang - https://www.austinzhang.org/
Michael Shapira http://michaelxshapira.com/ and @michaelxshapira

Learn more: https://bravesound.org/
Instagram: @bravesoundnyc

The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.

TOPICS:
0:00 Intro Music
1:15 Introduction for Joe Giordano
2:45 Upbringing and family life
4:45 Perfect Pitch experience
7:30 Advantages and Disadvantages of having special talents
11:15 When Joe decided to become a musician
12:40 Doubts Joe experienced and how he went passed them
15:10 Joe on his latest project, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSxUNCXX2TA
16:30 Motivations for Joe’s latest project
18:20 Collaborating with lyricists
19:30 Joe’s driving emotion in his lyrics
22:15 Writing process
23:40 How many songs of Joe’s get heard?
25:30 Joe on stealing from past compositions
28:10 Clarifying full names of everybody mentioned
30:00 Wanting to be known as a household name
32:40 Joe on being influenced by Kurt Rosenwinkel and Ambrose Akinmusire
38:45 Joe on his thoughts while he improvises
40:35 Wynton Marsalis story on thinking while improvising vs. listening and adding
43:10 Joe Giordano on asking Wynton Marsalis about balance
46:00 “There are no right angles in nature” further elaboration
48:00 Dealing with gap of where we are and where we want to be
51:50 Joe on how William Blake influenced him/being raised catholic
59:10 How technical proficiency can damage artistic creativity
1:01:00 Lessons from Marc Cary
1:03:00 Getting at essence of solo
1:04:50 Amount of flexibility in compositions with Joe Giordano Trio group/Improvisation/playing in moment
1:08:00 Practicing of exploration
1:13:00 The act of listening outside of music
1:16:30 Empathy on bandstand/taking temperature of room
1:19:30 Distractions in other eras
1:22:20 Experience of watching Stefon Harris Blackout Show in NYC
1:25:45 Stefan Harris story on empathy
1:30:40 Stefan Harris on eliciting different emotions at will
1:34:15 Joe on using constraints while composing
1:35:50 Joe’s work at the moment/current projects
1:36:50 Joe on writing lyrics
1:39:30 90 Second Flash Round

Back once again, after our first try was tarnished by a mistake in the audio. Please enjoy this conversation with Joe Giordano

Hear his group perform Joe original song “I Won’t Rest” here: https://youtu.be/sSxUNCXX2TA

Today's Guest:
Originally from Albany, NY, Joe Giordano is a trombonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader based in New York City. He currently studies at the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Marshall Gilkes and Marc Cary. Giordano was inspired by his father, Mark, at a young age and became enamored with the sounds of JJ Johnson and Curtis Fuller. His list of heroes and influences has expanded to include literary geniuses such as William Blake, Carl Jung, and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Since moving to New York City, Giordano has performed with many key voices on the scene, including Frank Lacy, Bobby Sanabria, Stacy Dillard, and Davis Whitfield Jr. He has performed at venues such as Smalls, Dizzy’s, Clement’s Place, Newport Jazz Festival, and with the Jazz Exchange. In addition to being a Vail Jazz Alumnus, Giordano was named a YoungArts Finalist in Jazz in 2018.

Find him @joegiordano120 on Instagram

TICKETS for Nov. 8 Concert:
https://bravesound.org/shop/joegiordano/

Your hosts:
Austin Zhang - https://www.austinzhang.org/
Michael Shapira http://michaelxshapira.com/ and @michaelxshapira

Learn more: https://bravesound.org/
Instagram: @bravesoundnyc

The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.

TOPICS:
0:00 Intro Music
1:32 Introduction
3:43 Experience moving to NYC. Big fish small pond syndrome
7:25 Auditioning for Celine Dion’s band
9:35 Making his own opportunities
11:30 Approaching your heroes (Ambrose, Mike Rodriguez, Aaron Goldberg, and others)
21:00 Touring business vs gigs in NYC. Breakdown of income streams
25:45 Moving to Kansas City, university job, buying first home
31:20 Gig with Clarence Penn
34:10 Is there a definitive “ready” (for career moves, life shifts)
35:55 Saying no to good opportunities, quitting doubles, staying ready
41:07 Tour of West Africa back
44:15 Hilarious African tour stories
47:40 Lionel Loueke
49:00 Education, common musical mistakes for young musicians, running clinics
53:00 Adam’s Long Term goals, adjunct vs tenure, reforms in music university programs
57:20 Pandemic focus, effect on work, business in 2020

Today's Guest:
Adam Larson (b. 1990) is an American saxophonist, composer, educator and author currently residing in the Kansas City-area.

Larson teaches music business, jazz pedagogy and applied jazz saxophone lessons at UMKC Conservatory, where he has been on faculty since 2019. Larson holds BM and MM degrees in jazz performance from The Manhattan School of Music and was a part of the vibrant NYC jazz scene for eleven years before relocating in 2019.

Larson continues to perform in NYC with some of the greatest musicians in the genre.

As a guest artist, Larson has been invited to present masterclasses on music business, improvisation and composition at more than fifty universities across the globe.

Adam has recorded five albums and maintains an active touring schedule year-round playing his original music.

Find him at https://www.adamlarsonjazz.com/ and @adamlarsonjazz

Find his many awesome e-books at: https://www.adamlarsonjazz.com/store-1

Your hosts:
Austin Zhang - https://www.austinzhang.org/
Michael Shapira http://michaelxshapira.com/ and @michaelxshapira

Learn more: https://bravesound.org/
Instagram: @bravesoundnyc