221. Interview with Aurélien Barnes, New Orleans, Louisiana (05:42)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Aurélien Barnes
Summary:
Aurélien Barnes (New Orleans, Louisiana) Aurélien Barnes is a New Orleans trumpet player steeped in the tradition of the city. Born in 1995, he is part of the young generation of musicians carrying on the legacy of the trumpet and the blues in New Orleans. From an early age, he learned from some of the best musicians and teachers in the city, including the Tremé Brass Band, Leroy Jones, Gregg Stafford, Kent Jordan, and many others. He is the son of Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, a multi-instrumentalist and specialist in blues, zydeco, and Afro-Caribbean musics. Aurélien performs with several brass bands in New Orleans and around the world, including Grammy-nominated Cha Wa, Kings of Brass, the Palmetto Bug Stompers, and more. He has performed with a wide range of artists across several genres, such as Marcus King, Nicholas Payton, Solange, Dr. John, and Carlos Vives. In addition to his musical diversity, Aurélien is a French citizen and speaks French, Spanish, and Portuguese fluently. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

222. Interview with Babar Harrie, Troy, Michigan (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Babar Harrie
Summary:
Babar Harrie (Troy, Michigan) Hailing from an American-Pakistani background, artist Babar Harrie combines his identity and experiences with his passion for music. Born in Lansing, Michigan, and raised in Metro Detroit, Babar first began rapping and freestyling at the age of 16. In the fall of 2010, Babar released his first mixtape, Just Let Me, which garnered him increased recognition. Following the mixtape, he released a number of music videos which gained hundreds of thousands of views through different viewing platforms. Releasing two more mixtapes over the course of two years, November and OCD: Opening Closed Doors respectively, Babar began performing at a variety of local venues. In 2013, he started working alongside Takeover Music Group (TOMG) with MTV artists like Trigg da Kidd and Fuco Bunkin. After taking time off and making a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca in 2014, Babar’s music started to further incorporate his culture and religion in order to reach audiences worldwide. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

223. Interview with Beau Bledsoe, Kansas City, Missouri (05:23)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
Beau Bledsoe
Summary:
Beau Bledsoe (Kansas City, Missouri) Beau Bledsoe studied classical guitar at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music under Douglas Niedt, where he received a Master of Music. There he continued his professional career in the Kansas City music scene playing with jazz musicians, classical chamber musicians, and also participating in the burgeoning Latin music scene. His interest in exploring new repertoire, cultures, and programming ideas led to the creation of a large body of arrangements, transcriptions and compositions for the solo guitar and guitar chamber music. He also founded Ensemble Ibérica, a group that performs the music of Ibéria (Spain and Portugal) and the colonial Americas while educating the public about Iberian cultural influence. His music is regularly programmed on Radio 1 BBC and All Songs Considered on NPR. His recording Yalnız by Alaturka received 4.5 stars and Best Albums of 2013 from Downbeat Magazine. He serves on the music faculty at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/09/2020.

224. Interview with Belén Escobedo, San Antonio, Texas (06:06)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Belén Escobedo
Summary:
Belén Escobedo (San Antonio, Texas) Belén Escobedo plays rare and beautiful fiddle tunes in the South Texas-Mexican grass roots Tejano Conjunto tradition. Growing up on the south side of San Antonio and working as a professional fiddler since she was a teenager, Belén has preserved a unique style of fiddling that has all but disappeared from the Texas borderlands. Belén has a vast and unique repertoire, including tunes she learned from her grandfather’s whistling and a huge range of borderlands tunes from both sides of the border. The name of her trio, Panfilo’s Güera, honors her grandfather’s influence on her, the grandchild he called his güera, or “blondie.” Panfilo’s Güera is Belén, her husband Ramón Gutierrez (tololoche or double bass), and Stevie R. Vaveges (bajo sexto). Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/16/2020.

225. Interview with Ben Sollee, Louisville, Kentucky (05:48)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Ben Sollee
Summary:
Ben Sollee (Louisville, Kentucky) Ben Sollee is a cellist and composer based in Louisville, Kentucky. He has performed with companies including the Charlotte Ballet and the North Carolina Dance Theater, where he wrote original music for the play Dangerous Liaisons. Ben has toured on his bicycle, riding over 4,000 miles. He has been invited to speak on sustainability at festivals including South by Southwest Music (2011) and TEDx San Diego (2012). At home, Ben has raised awareness about Mountain Top Removal Strip Mining in Central Appalachia. His album Dear Companion (Sub Pop, 2010) with artist Daniel Martin Moore and producer Jim James sheds light on the issue. Ben’s music has been featured in film and television, including Mark Steven Johnson’s Killing Season starring John Travolta and Robert De Niro, ABC’s Parenthood, and HBO’s Weeds. Working with experimental technology, Ben has used the Vanishing Point virtual reality app, and created an interactive sculptural installation called Livestream. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/09/2020.

226. Interview with Bertram Levy, Port Townsend, Washington (05:47)

Date:
2020-10-23
Main contributors:
Bertram Levy
Summary:
Bertram Levy (Port Townsend, Washington) Bertram Levy is one of the few accomplished bandoneonistas in North America. In 1989, Bertram first heard the instrument played live by Astor Piazzolla. He was so moved by Piazzolla’s music that he abandoned all his other musical endeavors to pursue the bandoneón. At that time Bertram was in his late forties and had achieved an international reputation as a banjo and concertina virtuoso. He had been featured on more than a dozen albums, including the Smithsonian CD compilation American Folk Music. He had also authored the definitive concertina tutor The Concertina Demystified, was chosen as banjo player of the year by Frets magazine, and was highlighted in several national broadcasts of The Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. In addition, he created and directed the most prestigious instrumental folk music festival in the United States: the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. Bertram’s first bandoneón lessons were with Miguel Varvello in Buenos Aires in 1991 and later in Paris with Cesar Stroscio. In 2005, Bertram enrolled in the Conservatorio Manuel de Falla in Buenos Aires to study classical bandoneon with the great Rodolfo Daluisio. He founded Tangoheart in 1999 to introduce Pacific Northwest audiences to authentic Argentine tango. He currently lives both in Washington State and in Buenos Aires, where he continues his studies with Rodolfo Daluisio. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/23/2020.

227. Interview with Bethany Highley, Bonners Ferry, Idaho (05:38)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Bethany Highley
Summary:
Bethany Highley (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) Bethany is a professional recording artist and session vocalist with classical vocal training, choir, musical theater, and worship leading experience. She can also dance, play piano/keyboard, and write song lyrics. Bethany just finished co-writing and recording vocals for a chill but dark electronic album written and produced by Yuri Kryzhanivskyy. She defines herself as pretty trance, chill, alternative, alt/dream pop/rock/punk-oriented, but has dynamic singing style abilities. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/5/2020.

228. Interview with Bonnie Montgomery, Wimberley, Texas (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Bonnie Montgomery
Summary:
Bonnie Montgomery (Wimberley, Texas) Austin-based artist Bonnie Montgomery works in a multitude of genres, including outlaw country, classical, and opera. With her roots in White County, Arkansas, Montgomery is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who has performed and toured with a number of artists, securing the title of 2020 Entertainer of the Year from the Arkansas Country Music Awards, the ACMA 2019 Americana/Roots Artist of the Year, and the titles of Best Americana Artist and Best Female Vocalist. She has produced singles with rockabilly legend Rosie Flores, toured with Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard, and composed a 2016 short-length opera about Bill Clinton’s youth in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which earned her accolades from The New Yorker and Huffington Post. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/16/2020.

229. Interview with Bradley Simmons, Durham, North Carolina (05:56)

Date:
2020-09-25
Main contributors:
Bradley Simmons
Summary:
Bradley Simmons (Durham, North Carolina) Bradley Simmons is a performer and educator of Afro-Cuban and African percussion based in Durham, North Carolina. A native of New York City, he started playing at age nine, and became a sought after Conguero and shekere player for community and religious events. Bradley has played on Broadway plays including Timbuktu with Eartha Kitt and Melba Moore and Billy Wilson’s version of Guys and Dolls starring Robert Guillame. He has performed in nightclubs with musicians including Eartha Kitt, Gregory and Maurice Hines, and Oba Babatunde, and has recorded and played with the Fatback Band and with drummer Norman Connors. Bradley is the former Music Director of the Chuck Davis African-American Dance Ensemble and has taught throughout the United States. Bradley is a Musical Director at Duke University where he teaches West African and Afro-Cuban music. He is the leader of the percussion ensemble Elements of Percussion, which tours locally and nationally. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/25/2020.

230. Interview with Brandon Woody, Baltimore, Maryland (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Brandon Woody
Summary:
Brandon Woody (Baltimore, Maryland) Brandon Woody is a trumpet player, composer, and curator based in Baltimore, Maryland. Growing up in East Baltimore, Woody is an alumnus of the Baltimore School for the Arts, and participated in programs such as the Berklee jazz workshop and Grammy Camp. Woody has studied with Cecile Bridgewater, Ambrose Akinmusire and Theljon Allen. He has performed with musicians including Quincy Phillips, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Tarus Mateen, and has appeared on the projects of several different rappers and singers including Miranda Curtis, Sophie Marks, and Neptune. Woody is also a member of the band of singer Solange. Woody has performed at venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center Appel Room, the Lyric Opera House, the Kimmel Center, Monterey Jazz Festival, Moma Ps1, and Harlem Stage. After attending the Brubeck Institute on a full scholarship, he moved back to his hometown of Baltimore. In 2015, Woody founded his band UPENDO, which has toured nationally and internationally. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/16/2020.

231. Interview with Brian Coleman, Summerville, South Carolina (04:24)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Brian Coleman
Summary:
Brian Coleman (Summerville, South Carolina) First Nation drummer Brian Coleman was born in Summerville, South Carolina, where he resides with his wife Shantrice and their daughter, Alijah. Brian is a Tribal member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He serves as Chairman and Treasurer of the Board for the Tribal Council and the Edisto Indian Free Clinic. As a musician, he is a member of the Edisto River Singers Drum group, with whom he regularly performs at pow wows and other functions. He received his degree in electrical engineering from South Carolina State University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Charleston Southern University, and continues to work as an electrical engineer. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/09/2020.

232. Interview with Brian Marshall, Humble, Texas (05:38)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Brian Marshall
Summary:
Brian Marshall (Humble, Texas) Brian Marshall is considered one of the keepers of the unique Texas Polish fiddle tradition. Performers like Brian Marshall have been responsible for a recent revitalization of the rich tradition of Polish fiddling from Texas that declined into obscurity until recent years. In the nineteenth century, Polish bands used fiddles to create a distinctly Texan sound. Brian and His Tex-Slavik Playboys bring back the old Polish Texan sound. A Houston native with Bremond roots, Marshall has a fiddle style redolent of the Old Country while containing elements of Western swing as well. Brian and his band have recorded several CDs including Texas Kapela and Texas Lowlands. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/14/2020.

233. Interview with Brian Walther, Bismarck, North Dakota (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Brian Walther
Summary:
Brian Walther (Bismarck, North Dakota) Brian Walther’s career in music goes all the way back to 1982 and he has played countless styles of music. Whether it be as a polka drummer, a bass player in a country punk band, a keyboard player in a blues rock outfit, or an acoustic solo artist, Brian has a lifetime of experience in the music industry. Brian has recorded two solo albums that are currently available and was a founding member of the seminal 1980s cult country punk band Eddie & The Shitheads. The Shitheads were at the forefront of the DIY independent music movement selling several thousand copies of their classic record Ignorant Prix. Brian is the lead vocalist and guitar player for the American Storytellers. He has also produced multiple independent artists and worked as a live sound engineer for many years. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/05/2020.

234. Interview with Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, New Orleans, Louisiana (05:59)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes
Summary:
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes (New Orleans, Louisiana) Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes is a musician, author, and ethnographic photographer. Sunpie is the Big Chief of the Northside Skull and Bone Gang, one the oldest Afro-Creole carnival groups in the United States, which began its traditions in 1819. He is a member of the Black Men of Labor Social Aid and Pleasure Club and the band leader of Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots. His joint book and album project, Le Kèr Creole, was co-authored with Rachel Breunlin and Leroy Etienne. Sunpie is a former National Park Service Ranger, former high school biology teacher, former college football All-American, and former NFL football player for the Kansas City Chiefs. He performs his own style of Afro-Louisiana music, incorporating blues, zydeco, creole jazz, gospel, work songs, and Caribbean and African-influenced rhythms and melodies and is a multi-instrumentalist who plays accordion, harmonica, and piano along with rubboard, talking drum, and dejembe. He is a former member of the Paul Simon Band, and his acting work has appeared in the Hollywood films Point of No Return, Deja Vu, Under Cover Blues, Jonah Hex, Tremé, The Big Easy, Skeleton Key, and many more. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/14/2020.

235. Interview with Buffalo Rogers, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (05:50)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Buffalo Rogers
Summary:
Buffalo Rogers (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Singer-songwriter Buffalo Rogers’ music has been described as Americana with a heart. Originally from Oklahoma, where he has lived with his wife and child for a number of years, he has spent many years touring extensively throughout the Oklahoma/Texas area with his blend of country/Americana/folk. Known for his showmanship and clever lyrics, his songs have been recorded by the Damn Quails and many others. Buffalo Rogers is also a visual artist. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/30/2020.

236. Interview with Caique Vidal, Greensboro, North Carolina (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Caique Vidal
Summary:
Caique Vidal (Greensboro, North Carolina) Caique Vidal is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Born in Salvador, Bahia, he is steeped in the Afro-Brazilian tradition. One of his first performances took place with the ensemble of the Olodum Mirin project, participating in Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” (1993). Vidal studied at the Liceu de Artes e Oficios da Bahia and toured with the Balé Folclórico da Bahia. He participated in Mikael Mutti’s project Percussivo Mundo Novo. He has performed nationally and internationally, sharing the stage with artists including Suzana Baca, Carlinhos Brown, and Gilberto Gil. In 2012, Vidal moved to North Carolina, where he has taught Afro-Brazilian music and culture to professional musicians, publics school students, and universities. He leads the band Batuque, which uses Afro-Brazilian percussion in various contexts. Batuque has performed at venues including the Art of Cool-NC, Afro-Bahia Festival-NC, and Hardee’s Festival-VA. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/14/2020.

237. Interview with Cantor Yvon Shore, Cincinnati, Ohio (06:02)

Date:
2020-10-27
Main contributors:
Cantor Yvon Shore
Summary:
Cantor Yvon Shore (Cincinnati, Ohio) Cantor Yvon F. Shore is a cantor and educator based in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she is the Director of Liturgical Arts and Music at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She earned a master’s degree in Sacred Music and Ordination through HUC-JIR, New York in 1995. She received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from West Chester University, College of Visual and Performing Arts with a double major in flute and conducting. Cantor Shore took additional studies in ethnomusicology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York with Bathja Bayer, Amnon Shiloah, Edwin Seroussi, and Johoash Hirshberg. She continued graduate studies with an emphasis in musicology at the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music. At HUC, she teachers and oversees curricula, as well as leads prayer services. She has taught and lectured on topics from Music of the Moroccan Jewish Community to Classical Reform Jewish Music and Prayer. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/27/2020.

238. Interview with Carla Sciaky, Lakewood, Colorado (06:39)

Date:
2020-10-12
Main contributors:
Carla Sciaky
Summary:
Carla Sciaky (Lakewood, Colorado) Carla Sciaky is a multi-instrumentalist and folk singer-songwriter based in Lakewood, Colorado. As a soloist, she toured the US and Europe throughout the 1980s and 90s, recording first on her own Propinquity Records and later on Green Linnet and Alacazam Records. Her songwriting won her awards and/or recognition in such arenas as the Kerrville New Song Competition, the Louisville (Kentucky) songwriting competition, the Colorado Arts and Humanities Fellowship for Composition, the Billboard Songwriting Competition, and the Colorado, Utah, and Kansas Artist in Residence programs. As a member of the long-standing infamous Denver-area group the Mother Folkers, Carla was recently inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, and her solo Zoom series, Concept Concerts, has soothed fans worldwide during the sheltering time of COVID. In the classical/early music world, Carla performs on baroque violin with Sémplice, a Denver quartet specializing in baroque music on period/replica instruments, as well as being a member of the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado since their first season. Carla is also active in the holistic and energy healing world, helping people find greater well-being through her practice Doorway to Healing, and is working on two book projects. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/12/2020.

239. Interview with Casey Wayne McCallister, Charlottesville, Virginia (05:49)

Date:
2020-09-08
Main contributors:
Casey Wayne McCallister
Summary:
Casey Wayne McCallister (Charlottesville, Virginia) Originally from Baton Rouge, multi-instrumentalist Casey Wayne McCallister spent years in New Orleans playing with multiple bands in the nuevo roots/country scene, including Hurray for the Riff Raff, before relocating to Charlottesville, Virginia. Over the years, he slowly began to do increasing amounts of composition for film, and now he has multiple feature film scores under his name, including the independent films Ghostbox Cowboy (2018), Western (2015), the Ross Brothers’ Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets (2020), and Socks on Fire (2020. He is also a skilled refurbisher of vintage organs. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/08/2020.

240. Interview with Caz Gardiner, Washington, District of Columbia (05:45)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Caz Gardiner
Summary:
Caz Gardiner (Washington, D.C.) Caz Gardiner, 2019 Wammie (Washington DC Area Music Association) nominee for best Soul Artist/Group, grew up listening to jazz, Caribbean music, soul, blues, rock, mod, and punk. Caz has shared the stage with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Lee Fields and the Impressions, the London Souls, the Selecter, Don Bryant, and Nikki Hill. Starting her music career in the 1990s as the front woman of the soul/ska band the Checkered Cabs, Caz was later the lead singer of the rock/soul band the Ambitions, as well as for the rocksteady band Caz and the Day Laborers, before deciding that she wanted to break free of the band dynamic by starting her own self-titled band. In addition to her own current band, Caz Gardiner has performed with the BandHouse Gigs, Newmyer Flyer productions, Beat Hotel, Soul Crackers, Caz Gardiner and the Badasonics, Caz and the Commotions, Victor Rice Octet, and the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble. Caz has recorded and performed throughout the U.S., South America, and parts of Europe.  Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/30/2020.