131. Interview with Jemar Phoenix, New Haven, Connecticut (05:58)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Jemar Phoenix
Summary:
Jemar Phoenix (New Haven, Connecticut) Jemar Phoenix is a musician and organizer born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He is a singer and acoustic guitarist specializing in genres ranging from pop, R&B, hip-hop, soul, and Latin music. Along with Cajon player Mike D, he formed the music duo The Hooch, which has performed across the Northeast Metro area. Their EP Cold Fusion (2020) features original lyrics and poetry, and fuses traditional aesthetics of guitar, percussion, and vocals with elements of contemporary American genres. Outside of music, Jemar is also an active member of Ignite the Voice, a non-profit New Haven based youth organization with a mission to equip the youth with the ability of self-expression through the arts. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

132. Interview with Keith Brintzenhoff, Kutztown, Pennsylvania (05:15)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Keith Brintzenhoff
Summary:
Keith Brintzenhoff (Kutztown, Pennsylvania) Keith Brintzenhoff is an autoharp musician and school teacher by profession based in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. He studied autoharp with leading musicians including Bryan Bowers, Bonnie Phipps, and Becky Blackely, and was a consultant for the large size autoharp built by Folkcraft Instruments of Connecticut. He is an expert researcher on the mountain dulcimer and its Pennsylvania German connections. Keith also plays guitar and old-time banjo, and has performed solo, duo or with his band the Toad Creek Ramblers both in Pennsylvania and in Germany. He has performed in venues including the Hershey Museum and the Historic Schaefferstown, Der Dutch Peddler Homecoming (Ohio), and has served as musical advisor for the Kutztown Pennsylvania German Festival. His performances in Germany included a tour for the 700th anniversary of Switzerland Fescht in his ancestral hometown. Keith has also recorded music for various videos and films. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/05/2020.

133. Interview with Jrdarappr, Richmond, Virginia (05:12)

Date:
2020-09-26
Main contributors:
Jrdarappr
Summary:
Jrdarappr (Richmond, Virginia) Jrdarappr aka JR is a rapper based in Richmond, Virginia. His debut album Highway To Hell was released in the spring of 2020 and explores subjects like police brutality, homicide and the ups and downs of living in the United States. The album was made in collaboration with Richmond-based producer NameBrand, along with members of the Poverty Crew, composed of JR, Vonton Soup, and Esco. Other featured artists on the album include Richmond hip hop artists Michael Millions, Young Flexico, and Nickelus F. Beyond the album, JR has performed in open mics around the city, and released a number of music videos driven by visual aesthetics and narrative flow, including “Way 2” and “This That.” JR has collaborated with the Poverty Movement, a project of his and the Poverty Crew that uses creative mediums to further Black radical liberation. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/26/2020.

134. Interview with Marika Hughes, New York City, New York (06:06)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Marika Hughes
Summary:
Marika Hughes (New York City, New York) Marika Hughes is a cellist based in Brooklyn, New York. Although trained in Western classical music, Marika has worked with a wide range of artists and musical genres including Whitney Houston, Lou Reed, Anthony Braxton, Adele, Henry Threadgill, D’Angelo, and Idina Menzel. She was a founding member of the Bay Area-based bands 2 Foot Yard and Red Pocket. She is a teacher and director for Young Arts, a teacher at the Heifetz Institute, and a teaching artist at Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project. Marika has released a number of albums, including The Simplest Thing (2011), Afterlife Music Radio (2011) and New York Nostalgia (2016). She has led her own bands Bottom Heavy and the New String Quartet and played as a cellist in the Tony award-winning show Hadestown on Broadway. Beyond playing music, Marika has been a guest host for All Ears on WQXR and is a featured storyteller on The Moth. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/07/2020.

135. Interview with Moises Nuñez, Portland, Maine (05:55)

Date:
2020-10-26
Main contributors:
Moises Nuñez
Summary:
Moises Nuñez (Portland, Maine) Moises Nuñez aka Mosart212 is a DJ, producer, electronic artist, and educator based in Portland, Maine. His productions and DJ sets feature breaks, funk, bloops, bleeps, and rare finds from far corners of the globe. His released recordings include the EP 212 Pill (Morebeats.lesssleep Collective, 2018), and he is the host of the podcast Symphony Sessions. A mainstay in the Portland, Maine, arts community, he has performed at venues including Space Gallery and the Portland Museum of Art, in addition to touring across the Northeast and beyond. Nuñez was the winner of the Phoenix’s best DJ Music Award in 2011. Outside of music, he has worked as an educator with the Great Schools Partnership, where his focus is on issues of teen violence, restorative justice practices, the social-emotional education of teens, family engagement, and creating inclusive school environments for students. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/26/2020.

136. Interview with Miss Kam, Baltimore, Maryland (05:41)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Miss Kam
Summary:
Miss Kam (Baltimore, Maryland) Miss Kam, born Kamaria Alexis, is a West Baltimore emcee. Miss Kam’s work moves between viral appeal on social media, freestyle series, and prolific collaborative efforts in and out of her community. Miss Kam has collaborated with multiple artists in the DMV region, including Chris Cassius, Baby Kahlo, and Kam’s collective group People Like Us Global. She has gained placements on The Demo Tape’s 2018 playlist and performed with renown acts like JPEGMAFIA. Her performances include cyphers, The Boiler Room, and Red Bull Miss Kam. Beyond live shows, Miss Kam has released multiple singles, including a number produced by producer Doowy Lloh. Her debut EP Birthday Pack was released in 2020. Miss Kam’s music videos, such as “We Are The World, ft. Zadia” seek to feature strong visuals of Baltimore in order to capture the city’s essence. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

137. Interview with Nique Love Rhodes, Detroit, Michigan (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Nique Love Rhodes
Summary:
Nique Love Rhodes (Detroit, Michigan) Nique Love Rhodes is a hip-hop artist and organizer/activist from Detroit, Michigan. As a performer, Nique leads a multi-faceted ensemble of musicians known as the NLR Experience, playing interactive shows that fuse hip-hop music with jazz and rock. Nique has performed at festivals and headlined venues including the South by Southwest Music Festival (Texas), the North by Northeast Music Festival (Toronto), Dally in the Alley (Detroit), and the Nuyorican Poets Café (New York City). Nique has independently released studio albums including Against All Odds (2019) and The NLR Experience (2018). Nique is also involved in initiatives that are rooted in community and culture. She launched the nonprofit Rise Up Higher, which aims to use music as a tool for social good, and is also the co-founder of D.Cipher, a music mastermind collective dedicated to advancing the Detroit music economy through collaboration and partnerships. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

138. Interview with Morgan Morrison, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (05:49)

Date:
2020-11-02
Main contributors:
Morgan Morrison
Summary:
Morgan Morrison (Harpers Ferry, West Virginia) Morgan Morrison is a musician based in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Morgan comes from a family of professional musicians across diverse genres. She began studying the music of Virginia in her teens in various music festivals across the state, but her musical interests span many genres across the world. She plays guitar, bouzouki, and sings. Morgan is a band member and principal manager of the band Furnace Mountain, and performs extensively in the United States and internationally. She teaches mandolin and guitar to local students. Morgan also coordinates more than 200 volunteers for the annual River & Roots Festival and Watermelon Park Festival in Clarke County, and is the Program Director of Barns of Rose Hill, a nonprofit performing arts venue and community center located in historic downtown Berryville, Virginia. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 11/02/2020.

139. Interview with Pablo Batista, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Pablo Batista
Summary:
Pablo Batista (Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania) Pablo Batista is a master percussionist based in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He has performed, recorded and toured internationally since the 1980s with renowned musicians across genres, receiving the rare distinction of having performed on Grammy-winning releases in jazz, R&B and gospel. Pablo worked with Grover Washington, Jr. since 1985, and served as his touring percussionist 1991-1999. Between 2000-2012, Pablo recorded and toured with Alicia Keys, performing alongside her at such venues as the 2010 World Cup ceremonies in South Africa for an estimated audience of over one billion viewers. Pablo has received grants for research on Afro-Cuban percussion and composer commissions from organizations including the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. Pablo leads his own ten-piece Mambo Syndicate salsa conjunto. As an instructor, he has taught at the Curtis Institute of Music, as well as taught low-income students at schools and community centers in North Philadelphia. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

140. Interview with Pepe Santana, Stanhope, New Jersey (05:55)

Date:
2020-10-16
Main contributors:
Pepe Santana
Summary:
Pepe Santana (Stanhope, New Jersey) Juan Pepe Santana is a musician, educator, and instrument maker based in Stanhope, New Jersey. Born in Ecuador, Pepe moved to the U.S. in the 1960s, where he has performed and taught Andean traditions. Pepe plays over twenty Native wind instruments and multiple string instruments. He founded the Festival of the Andes at Waterloo Village, and directed several Andean festivals at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and Symphony Space. Pepe has lectured nationally and internationally. He was an artist in residence at the National Museum of the American Indian: Smithsonian Institution, and has delivered workshops on instrument making in venues including the Museum of Natural History. Pepe founded the ensemble INKHAY (Quechua: “to tend the fire”), which interprets traditional music from the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Pepe was a master folk musician in the Apprenticeship Program of the NJSCA, and was awarded the National Merit and Title of Great Gentleman by the Ecuadorian Government. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/16/2020