301. Interview with Alonzo Townsend, St. Louis, Missouri (05:32)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Alonzo Townsend
Summary:
Alonzo Townsend (St. Louis, Missouri) Alonzo Townsend is the youngest son of Delta blues legend and patriarch of the St. Louis Blues Henry James “Mule” Townsend and blues singer Vernell Townsend. Alonzo has made it his mission to carry on the blues heritage and become an active voice for St. Louis’ history and vibrant music scene. Alonzo accepted the posthumous Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2008 on behalf of his late father for his album, Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas. Alonzo himself is a spoken word emcee, booking coordinator, event manager and talent manager for events like Taste of St. Louis, River Front Times Music Showcase, Big Muddy Blues Festival, Blues at The Arch and more. His spoken word recording, “A Letter To My City,” was featured as a part of the 18 N 18 St. Louis Blues Society Compilation Album. Townsend is a speaker and writer for the St. Louis Blues Society, Blues Education programs including “Hip-Hop to The Blues,” and a presenter/youth educator for Blues in The Schools Programs. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/04/2020.

302. Interview with Adam Faucett, Little Rock, Arkansas (05:45)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Adam Faucett
Summary:
Adam Faucett (Little Rock, Arkansas) Adam Faucett is a singer-songwriter born in Benton, Arkansas, and based out of Little Rock. Faucett was originally a member of the Russellville, Arkansas-based band, Taught the Rabbits, and has been performing solo since 2006. After the breakup of that band, Faucett relocated to Chicago, where he focused on folk music, writing his first album, The Great Basking Shark. Upon the release of a second album in 2008, Show Me Magic, Show Me Out, he toured the U.S. and Europe with acts including Lucero, Calexico, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Vetiver, and Damien Jurado. Faucett’s music has been described as “southern soul swamp opera,” blending experimental rock, psychedelic rock, and noise rock into his framework of singer-songwriter country music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/14/2020.

303. Interview with Ashley Sankey, Birmingham, Alabama (04:37)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Ashley Sankey
Summary:
Ashley Sankey (Birmingham, Alabama) Birmingham, Alabama-based musician Ashley Sankey, a classically trained keyboardist and percussionist and a formally trained jazz and opera vocalist, has been performing in the Birmingham area for many years. She taught herself guitar, and although she works in multiple genres, she considers herself a soul musician. Sankey has her own in-home studio, where she also produces music and engineers studio sessions for other up-and-coming Alabama artists. Ashley has a long history in the church and started singing background for traveling gospel acts at the age of thirteen. She released her first studio album, Ashley Sankey Presents “Birmingham’s Here,” in 2013. She also performs as a percussionist at Grant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Birmingham. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/23/2020.

304. Interview with Amy Garland, Fox, Arkansas (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Amy Garland
Summary:
Amy Garland (Fox, Arkansas) Fox, Arkansas-based musician and artist, Amy Garland, has spent many years serving as a mentor figure to other artists throughout the region. She also has her own show on the local public radio station, KABF, called “Backroads,” where she plays a variety of independent country/old-time/bluegrass/singer-songwriter musics to her local fanbase. Her all-girl group, The Wildflowers, performs regional shows, while she continues writing and performing her own compositions. Amy Garland is also a social worker and a guitar strap maker. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/18/2020.

305. Interview with Andrae Ambrose, Chicago, Illinois (05:32)

Date:
2020-10-01
Main contributors:
Andrae Ambrose
Summary:
Andrae Ambrose (Chicago, Illinois) As the President and Lead Producer of Jambrose Music Group, gospel musician Andrae Ambrose is known for his professional overseeing of live recording sessions. Andrae has worked with a number of major recording artists, including Grammy Award-winning producers Kevin Randolph, Donald Lawrence, Kirk Franklin, and Aaron Lindsey, as well as work with artists such as Leslie Ruiz, Brandon Roberson, Atmosphere of Heaven, San Franklin, One 4 Christ, and Reggie Royal & Judah. Andrae has served on the Chicago Board of Governors of the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and was the co-chair for the Gospel Task Force of the Chicago Chapter. He is the composer of the SoundMind Collection, a series of therapeutic instrumental music. As a member of a pastoral family, his perspective on music ministry includes training of worship leaders and choirs around the world. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/01/2020.

306. Interview with Andrea Colburn, Atlanta, Georgia (05:51)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Andrea Colburn
Summary:
Andrea Colburn (Atlanta, Georgia) Singer-songwriter Andrea Colburn is one-half of the musical duo Andrea and Mud, who categorize themselves as “surf western music.” Based in Atlanta, they spent many years operating a very demanding touring schedule. Growing up in St. Louis, Andrea Colburn says she wanted to learn guitar from a young age, but never particularly excelled at the instrument. When she moved to Georgia in 2012, however, a shift happened, and she found herself performing on a new level. When she connected with Kyle “Mud” Moseley, they found the right match. The duo released their album Bad News Darlin’ in 2020. In addition to guitar, Andrea Colburn also plays the musical saw. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

307. 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.

308. 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.

309. 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.

310. 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.

311. 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.

312. Interview with Andy Ruff, Bloomington, Indiana (05:52)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Andy Ruff
Summary:
Andy Ruff (Bloomington, Indiana) Andy Ruff is a lifetime Indiana resident and father of two: Anna and Hank (Hank is the front man for the band Hank Ruff and The Hellbenders). Andy Ruff is a honky tonk country singer, songwriter, bandleader, and mandolin and guitar player. Over the years, he has released two full-length albums of original songs with his local band, the Dew Daddies: Makin’ Good Time and Powered by Twang. Ruff is also a long-time politician, having served twenty years (five terms) on the Bloomington, Indiana, city council. In June 2020, he won a five-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for US Congress in a race he lost in November of 2020. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/5/2020.

313. 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.

314. Interview with Daniel de los Reyes, Fayetteville, Georgia (05:42)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Daniel de los Reyes
Summary:
Daniel de los Reyes (Fayetteville, Georgia) Born into a musical family, Daniel de los Reyes’ grandfather co-founded the Cuban orchestra Casino de la Playa. His father, Walfredo de los Reyes III, went on to become one of Cuba’s most successful drummers/percussionists prior to moving to Puerto Rico and then to the United States. Daniel de los Reyes himself is a multi-faceted percussionist who has been on tour with the modern country outfit, the Zac Brown Band, for many years. Prior to his touring with the Zac Brown Band, de los Reyes has performed with a long list of major recording artists, including Don Henley, Earth Wind and Fire, Sting, The Killers, Sheryl Crow, Patti LaBelle, Peter Frampton, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Nicks, and more. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/30/2020.

315. Interview with Corey Ledet, Parks, Louisiana (05:48)

Date:
2020-09-17
Main contributors:
Corey Ledet
Summary:
Corey Ledet (Parks, Louisiana) Zydeco artist Corey Ledet was born and raised in Houston, Texas, but spent his summers with family in the small town of Parks, Louisiana, immersed in Creole culture and music. An accordion player by training, he studied with many of the originators of zydeco, including Clifton Chenier, John Delafose, and Boozoo Chavis. His performing career began early at the age of ten, playing drums for the Houston-based band Wilbert Thibodeaux and the Zydeco Rascals before picking up the accordion. Ledet relocated to Louisiana and has performed there for years, infusing old and new styles of zydeco into his own unique sound. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/17/2020.

316. 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.

317. Interview with Damein Wash, Oxford, Mississippi (05:59)

Date:
2020-09-25
Main contributors:
Damein Wash
Summary:
Damein Wash (Oxford, Mississippi) Hailing from Oxford, Mississippi, musician, composer and filmmaker Damein Wash has spent a lifetime pursuing music in the Southern gospel tradition. With the addition of classical training (a BM in Choral Music Education and an MM in Music Theory from the University of Mississippi), he is also well versed in choral, gospel, blues, jazz, rock, soul, and funk. Wash is the front man for the Oxford-based party band the Soul Tones. He is also a member of Three Grand, a trio of performers who perform across the United States and Canada, primarily for large corporate events. Wash’s recordings and original scores have made their way into Hallmark films and the long-time running daytime drama The Young and the Restless. Wash also arranged and conducted Deep South Gospel for the Moonshine Music Co., a Sony subsidiary, which was featured on STARZ’s American Gods and in USA Network’s Queen of the South. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/25/2020.

318. Interview with Daniel Christian, Tecumseh, Nebraska (06:04)

Date:
2020-10-01
Main contributors:
Daniel Christian
Summary:
Daniel Christian (Tecumseh, Nebraska) For more than a decade, Nebraska singer-songwriter Daniel Christian has been sharing his songs and stories with audiences nationwide, including at the Bluebird Café in Nashville, the SXSW Festival in Austin, and a coast-to-coast tour of the United States. Daniel has released eight studio albums, a Christmas single, and a live recording. His Coffee & Toast project was released on the South Carolina label, Tremulant Records. He has also collaborated on eight albums of children’s music as a member of the band, the String Beans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Daniel created the “Empty Spaces Series,” playing online concerts from “empty rooms that shouldn’t be empty,” including opera houses, churches, schools, and more. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/01/2020.

319. Interview with Eddie Moore, Kansas City, Missouri (05:39)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Eddie Moore
Summary:
Eddie Moore (Kansas City, Missouri) Jazz pianist and bandleader Eddie Moore was raised in Houston, Texas, and began his musical journey at Texas Southern University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and immersed himself in the Houston music scene. As a lifelong musician traversing a number of bands and styles, he then relocated to Kansas City to study under Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received his MA in Jazz Studies. After forming jazz/fusion group Eddie Moore & The Outer Circle in 2012, he released his debut album, The Freedom of Expression, which was given 3.5 stars from Downbeat jazz magazine. Moore’s third album, Kings & Queens, incorporates elements of soul, R&B, rock, and hip-hop into his take on contemporary jazz. Released with Ropeadope Records, Moore’s forward-thinking sounds are part of the rich continuum of African American music that continues to be imbued with indigenous African elements. Moore is also recipient of the 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performance Award; 2017’s Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art “Artist in Residence” in collaboration with Rashid Johnson; 2018’s work with The Outer Circle was nominated for an Indie Music Award; and his music has also been featured commercially for Sprint, Netflix’s Queer Eye and Morgan Cooper’s short film Room Tone. Moore has shared the stage and recorded with Bobby Watson, Pam, Watson, Logan Richardson, Maurice Brown, Boys II Men, Brian Blade and the Fellowship, John Baptiste, Erykah Badu, Mosdef, Bilal, Ledisi, Chantae Cann, Krystal Warren, Matt Otto, Brandon Draper, Andre Hayward, Tivon Pennicott, Various Blonde,  Dominique Sanders, 77 Jefferson, and the Marcus Lewis Big Band. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/06/2020.

320. Interview with Dena El Saffar, Bloomington, Indiana (05:37)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Dena El Saffar
Summary:
Dena El Saffar (Bloomington, Indiana) Dena El Saffar is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, teacher, and recording artist who has performed throughout the U.S. as well as in the Middle East and Latin America. Born and raised in a musical family in Chicago, she learned about her Iraqi heritage through stories, music, and recipes. She began violin lessons at the age of six. At the age of seventeen, after winning several concerto competitions and touring Europe with a youth orchestra, she traveled to Iraq and became inspired to learn Iraqi music traditions. After completing a Viola Performance degree at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, she settled in Bloomington. While still a student, she founded the Middle Eastern music group Salaam, which focuses on music of the Arab world. Salaam has recorded nine albums, and has been featured on NPR, including an interview on All Things Considered with Guy Raz. El Saffar plays several traditional Middle Eastern instruments, including oud and joza, as well as violin and viola. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/23/2020.

321. Interview with DJ Supreme, Birmingham, Alabama (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-26
Main contributors:
DJ Supreme
Summary:
DJ Supreme (Birmingham, Alabama) Birmingham, Alabama-based DJ/producer and local radio personality DJ Supreme has held many roles in the entertainment industry over the years. While he works in many genres, his classic sets fuse hip-hop with funk, soul, Motown, and classic rock as well as contemporary Top 40. DJ Supreme was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, but relocated to Birmingham in the late 1980s, when he began making his own beats and doing his own production. He is one half of the hip-hop performing duo Shaheed and DJ Supreme. The Birmingham-based Communicating Vessels record label released the group’s third album, Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding. Together, they’ve performed with major touring acts, including Raekwon the Chef, Stalley, Atmosphere, and Brother Ali. In the summer of 2014, Shaheed and DJ Supreme successfully toured the UK with Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/26/2020.

322. Interview with Damyon Jolley, Florence, Alabama (05:31)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Damyon Jolley
Summary:
Damyon Jolley (Florence, Alabama) Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Damyon Jolley has been playing bass since 2012. He relocated to Muscle Shoals for school in the early 2010s, and starting in 2017, has worked as an engineer, producer, and bassist based in Florence, Alabama. Damyon Jolley is also the band manager for the Muscle Shoals-based band, Coffee Black. Founded by lead vocalist and pianist CJ Anderson, Coffee Black is a retro funk and soul band. Their sound is driven by the rhythm section of Damyon Jolley, Matt Pettie, Michael Rogers, Angelo Sandoval, and Taylor Edwards, and horn section of Nick Watford, Jaimy Murff, Eli Hart, and Chase Fowler. The Black EP, a solo project released by CJ Anderson in 2017, laid the foundation for Coffee Black’s sound and was further expanded with the release of their self-titled debut album in the fall of 2019. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

323. Interview with DeCarlo Tatum, Jr., Atlanta, Georgia (05:42)

Date:
2020-09-25
Main contributors:
DeCarlo Tatum, Jr.
Summary:
DeCarlo Tatum, Jr. (Atlanta, Georgia) Atlanta-based rapper DeCarlo Tatum, Jr. emerged in 2014 as a member of the Atlanta rap trio, Rebel Forest. The group flourished creatively under the tutelage of southern hip-hop pioneer Rico Wade and released several singles, most notably “More” and “Drugs” in 2015. 2020 marked DeCarlo’s second full-length release on Rare Dope International. The project, titled DEVOTION, introduces listeners to the key principles of DeCarlo’s sound. The album follows the rhythmic pattern of the ceremony that proceeds a church service. In other words, it is meant to sound like the jam session before the main church event. The lead single, “Project Baby,” features Damain.OG. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/25/2020.

324. Interview with DJ Mahf, St. Louis, Missouri (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
DJ Mahf
Summary:
DJ Mahf (St. Louis, Missouri) St. Louis-based DJ and producer Dan Mahfood, better known as DJ Mahf, is the younger brother of famed LA comic-book artist Jim Mahfood, and is the DJ for the local St. Louis group Earthworms. As the official DJ for the New Orleans Super Bowl as well as the official DJ for the St. Louis Blues hockey team, DJ Mahf has spent much time performing at both local and corporate gigs. While he specializes in old and new underground hip-hop records, he spins a wide array of music, from Motown to rhythm and blues, avant-garde, and Top 40. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/09/2020.

325. Interview with Eimear Arkins, St. Louis, Missouri (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Eimear Arkins
Summary:
Eimear Arkins (St. Louis, Missouri) Originally from a small village in Ireland’s County Clare, St. Louis-based fiddler Eimear Arkins is also a singer and dancer with eleven Irish music world championship titles. Eimear has toured extensively with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann throughout Ireland, Britain, North America, and Canada. She has also performed with the show Brú Ború and helped to represent Ireland at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. In August 2015, she traveled to World Expo in Milan with St. Louis Irish Arts where she promoted Irish culture and the expression of Irish culture worldwide. Eimear has toured with The Paul Brock Band, Cherish the Ladies, Tomaseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas and often performs with harp player and St. Louis native, Eileen Gannon. Eimear is a qualified Irish music and dance instructor and teaches at St. Louis Irish Arts. In June 2018, she released her debut album, What’s Next?, and was awarded “Best Newcomer” from Live Ireland in 2019. In January 2020, Eimear was awarded an Artist Fellowship from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/04/2020.

326. Interview with Dwynell Roland, Minneapolis, Minnesota (05:35)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Dwynell Roland
Summary:
Dwynell Roland (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Dwynell was born and raised in North Minneapolis and has been rapping since the age of 13. During that time when he first started writing, he was part of a collective called TCB (Twin City Boyz). His time with the TCB was spent largely perfecting his craft of freestyling. Dwynell’s first mixtape, Upside, showed his burgeoning songwriting talent. His album 92 and Roland showed ongoing growth as a songwriter, taking on topics of partying and reflection, as well as feel-good jams and deep lyrics. With the release of his Factors EP in 2014, Dwynell started to explore more serious subject matter, such as the track “She” about the quest for love gone awry, and that led him to new territory, such as garnering an opening spot on Prof Outdoors in 2016. Shortly after his performance, he released a project called The Popular Nobody, a project that allowed Dwynell to show why he is one of the standouts of the young new rappers hailing from Minneapolis. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/07/2020.

327. Interview with Edem K. Garro, Lincoln, Nebraska (05:46)

Date:
2020-10-01
Main contributors:
Edem K. Garro
Summary:
Edem K. Garro (Lincoln, Nebraska) Edem K. Garro is a Ghanaian-American composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist from Omaha, Nebraska. In 2017, she won the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award for Best Soul Artist. As a skilled hand percussionist and vocalist, she incorporates West African aesthetics into her songwriting and performances. Whether performing traditional music or her electronic compositions, Edem’s work primarily focuses on cultural preservation and identity. As a Nebraska Arts Council artist, she routinely performs for universities, schools, and organizations throughout the West. In recent years, she has had ongoing creative partnerships with Lincoln Motors, Minnesota Humanities, and the Denver Public Library. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/01/2020.

328. Interview with Dessa, New York City, New York/Minneapolis, Minnesota (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Dessa
Summary:
Dessa (New York City, New York/Minneapolis, Minnesota) Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and now splitting time between Minneapolis and New York, singer, rapper, and writer Dessa has made a career of bucking genres and defying expectations—her resume as a musician includes performances at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury, co-compositions for 100-voice choir, performances with the Minnesota Orchestra, and Top 200 entries on the Billboard charts. She contributed to the #1 album The Hamilton Mixtape; her track, “Congratulations,” has notched over 16 million streams. As a writer, she’s been published by The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler, broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio, and published a memoir-in-essays (My Own Devices, 2018) in addition to two literary collections. As a speaker, Dessa has delivered keynote speeches and presentations on art, science, and entrepreneurship; guest lectures at universities and colleges across the US; and a TED talk about her science experiment on how to fall out of love. She’s been covered by Pitchfork, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal among others.  Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/05/2020.

329. Interview with Elexa Dawson, the Flint Hills, Kansas (06:19)

Date:
2020-10-02
Main contributors:
Elexa Dawson
Summary:
Elexa Dawson (The Flint Hills, Kansas) First Nation singer-songwriter Elexa Dawson lives in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. As a musical storyteller, Elexa Dawson presents her original music with a voice that is reminiscent of the prairie hills she calls home. She is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, she plays guitar and mandolin, and she works as a studio vocalist. Her album Music is Medicine (Lost Cowgirl Records, 2019) debuted Elexa’s solo career with community-centered songs meant to inspire, instigate and heal. Her song “High Place” charted #6 on Indigenous Music Countdown. She was the 2019 First People’s Fund Fellow and the 2020 Western Arts Alliance AIP Fellow. Elexa performs solo as well as with a bluesy folk trio at private and public events, gatherings, festivals, and campfires. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/02/2020.

330. Interview with Ellie Grace, Kansas City, Missouri (05:54)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Ellie Grace
Summary:
Ellie Grace (Kansas City, Missouri) Ellie Grace grew up performing in a family band. She is now a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and dancer who specializes in roots-based Americana and percussive dance. Ellie has performed at prestigious venues across the U.S. and Canada, from the Winnipeg Folk Festival to Lincoln Center to the National Women’s Music Festival. She has appeared as a featured guest with Peter and Paul (of Peter, Paul and Mary) at the Rubicon Theater in California. Ellie Grace is also a teacher, having taught at camps, schools, colleges, and festivals across the country. In addition to her time on faculty at Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and University of North Carolina-Asheville, Ellie has directed schools of folk music and dance in Missouri and North Carolina. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

331. Interview with Vanderford, Buffalo, South Carolina (06:39)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Freddie Vanderford
Summary:
Vanderford (Buffalo, South Carolina) Growing up in Buffalo, South Carolina, Vanderford first learned to play the mouth harp, or harmonica, from his grandfather, who played “old mountain songs” on the instrument. Initially, Vanderford blended the country style of his grandfather with the sound of the Chicago blues. However, an encounter with the Piedmont blues of Arthur “Peg Leg Sam” Jackson would forever change Vanderford’s musical style. As a knowledgeable cultural historian and traditional performer, Vanderford is highly sought after for his performing and recording talents. Vanderford received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2010. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

332. Interview with Fred Mayorga, Miami, Florida (04:34)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Fred Mayorga
Summary:
Fred Mayorga (Miami, Florida) Nicaraguan musician Fred Mayorga was born in Nicaragua in 1987. He is now based in Miami, Florida, where he emigrated in June of 2000. At the age of 12, he learned how to play Marimba de Arco, Nicaragua’s iconic traditional instrument. In Miami, Fred performs widely throughout the area and is studying music production. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

333. Interview with Tyler Gregory, Lawrence, Kansas (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Tyler Gregory
Summary:
Tyler Gregory (Lawrence, Kansas) Hailing from the town of Wamego in the hills of Kansas, folk/Americana/bluegrass musician Tyler Gregory can regularly be found performing 260+ shows a year. With his steam-powered melodies, Gregory’s mix of blues and roots music privileges aesthetics of passion and freedom. Performing his live shows mainly on guitar/banjo/stomp-box/vocals, Gregory is based in Lawrence, Kansas, where he found a like-minded community of musicians with which to surround himself. Greatly influenced by the life and music of Woody Guthrie, Tyler explores the aesthetics of a touring troubadour while bringing his own unique voice to the performance of traditionally-framed songs. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/5/2020.

334. Interview with Sulaiman Rahman, Frederick, Maryland (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-29
Main contributors:
Sulaiman Rahman
Summary:
Sulaiman Rahman (Frederick, Maryland) Originally from the D.C. area and residing in Frederick, Maryland, singer/guitarist Sulaiman Rahman is the front man for the D.C.-based original rock band Marshall Fuzz producing a sound that is inspired by the blues rock tradition of classic rock bands like Black Sabbath, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. Some critics have described them as a mashup of Black Sabbath and Muddy Waters. Alongside Vince Vezzi on bass and Nick Rodousakis on drums, they have gigged continuously since they formed the band in 2014. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/29/2020.

335. Interview with Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains, Lawrence, Kansas (06:05)

Date:
2020-10-02
Main contributors:
Tricia Spencer
Summary:
Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains (Lawrence, Kansas) Tricia Spencer is a Kansas fiddler who grew up learning the tradition of old-time music from her grandparents. While growing up, her free time was spent traveling to festivals and fiddling contests throughout the Midwest where she learned from the likes of Pete McMahan, Cyril Stinnet, Lyman Enloe, Dwight Lamb, Amos Chase, and Lucy Pierce. Tricia is multi-instrumentalist who has studied with some of the great masters and is sought after as a performer, dance fiddler, and instructor. Howard Rains is a native Texas artist and the fourth generation to play on his fiddle. He comes from a musical and artistic family and plays rare, old tunes learned from friends, family, mentors, and old recordings. Together, Spencer & Rains have performed and taught nationally and internationally, preserving and building upon the traditions of their region. The husband-and-wife duo are known for their twin fiddle harmony, which is a product of the influence of midwestern Scandinavian fiddlers Tricia heard as a child. At the same time, Howard’s distinct repertoire reintroduces listeners to the pre-contest styles of Texas fiddling. That same sense of harmony is in their vocals, as well, which they pull from all manner of American folk music. Both multi-instrumentalists, they are steeped in tradition and are dedicated to the preservation, performance, and teaching of old-time music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/02/2020.

336. Interview with Will Stewart, Birmingham, Alabama (05:09)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Will Stewart
Summary:
Will Stewart (Birmingham, Alabama) Originally from Alabama, Will Stewart spent many years living in Nashville as a songwriter, front man, and lead guitarist. When he returned to Birmingham, he released his full-length solo debut, County Seat, in 2017. “Caught somewhere between the worlds of country and electrified rock,” as a songwriter he tried to turn the landscape of his home state into music. Co-produced with Les Nuby (who also engineered and mixed the album) and recorded in a series of live takes, County Seat nods to a number of songwriters who sing about the beauty of their homeland without glossing over its imperfections. There are electrified moments influenced by Neil Young, guitar arpeggios influenced by R.E.M., some Dylan-style aesthetics, as well as the modern-day take on folk by Hiss Golden Messenger. Steward intended his first full-length release as a solo artist to be a rallying cry from a Son of the South who, having returned home after a long trip, looks at his birthplace with renewed eyes.  Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/18/2020.

337. Interview with Wallace Lester, Nashville, Tennessee (05:32)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Wallace Lester
Summary:
Wallace Lester (Nashville, Tennessee) Born in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised all over America, Wallace Lester has been playing drums from an early age. Wallace spent the 1990s touring nationally with the Boulder, Colorado-based funk-jam band Zuba. He played over two hundred and fifty dates a year with Zuba and placed his songs in the Farrelly Brothers’ classic comedies Kingpin and There’s Something About Mary. Once he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, Wallace drummed with the space rockers Bipolaroid and the soul blues shouter Mathilda Jones. Hurricane Katrina sent Wallace north to Mississippi, where in his first week in Oxford, he was asked to join the Yalobushwackers with Jim Dickinson. Besides the Yalobushwackers, Wallace has also toured nationally and internationally with Kenny Brown, Reverend John Wilkins, the Como Mamas, Shannon McNally, Eric Deaton, Blue Mountain, and Garry Burnside. After twelve years in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Wallace now resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/18/2020.

338. Interview with Tissa Khosla, Washington, District of Columbia (05:52)

Date:
2020-09-29
Main contributors:
Tissa Khosla
Summary:
Tissa Khosla (Washington, D.C.) Originally from Mumbai, India, Tissa began his musical and professional life in Tallahassee, Florida as a student. Gravitating to the baritone saxophone from a young age, he remains in pursuit of its deep and moving sound, which he believes coincides with his own voice and philosophy of music. Khosla can be heard alongside the Modern Jazz Generation on a recording entitled United We Play, featuring the American Symphony Orchestra. Along with a thorough practice schedule and teaching lessons, he is the Digital Developer at the D.C. nonprofit Casey Trees, whose mission is to restore, enhance, and protect the tree canopy of Washington, DC. This position has given him the opportunity to write code, work on music technology, and develop accessible web design. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/29/2020.

339. Interview with Arnaldo Guevara, North Salt Lake, Utah (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Arnaldo Guevara
Summary:
Arnaldo Guevara (North Salt Lake, Utah) Born in Ciudad Bolívar, Guayana, Venezuela, Arnaldo Guevara sings Venezuelan Llanero music. He has performed extensively with various groups in radio programs, festivals, and cultural events since he was a child. While attending college in Mérida, he joined the choir Orfeón de la Universidad de Los Andes, the polyphonic group Tepuy 5, and the Cantoría de Mérida, with which he toured Venezuela, the Caribbean Islands, and Colombia. He has performed with important groups such as Stereo Gaita, Diamantes del Sur, and Las Cuerdas de Don Ramón Hurtado. He has participated in numerous TV and radio shows and has released three CDs, Arnaldo Guevara y su canto (2009), Arnaldo Guevara y su canto en Mavidad (2015), and Arnaldo Guevara y Su Canto... Popular y Caribeño (2017). He has shared the stage with prestigious artists and groups such as Cheo Hurtado, Jesús Hidalgo, Gualberto Ibarreto, Serenata Guayanesa, and Huascar Barradas, among others. Currently, he resides in North Salt Lake, Utah, where he is a member of the Hispanic choir Luz de las Naciones. In addition to being a musician, Arnaldo is also a social communicator and works as a professional broadcaster. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/15/2020.

340. Interview with Andrew Heist, Juneau, Alaska (05:53)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Andrew Heist
Summary:
Andrew Heist (Juneau, Alaska) Along with working at the Alaska State Senate and playing bluegrass, Cajun, and old-time music on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and accordion, Andrew Heist is the president of the Alaska Folk Festival. This festival, central to Juneau’s social life, has become the largest cultural event annually held in Juneau, with participants and attendees numbering over 2,500 and thousands more in the radio audience—and even the internet. KRNN-FM, Juneau's Public radio station, broadcasts all the performances live. Musicians and participants from around the world attend the nine four-hour performances averaging fifteen acts each, fourteen hours of dances plus dance workshops, a family concert and forty-plus hours of teaching workshops devoted to every imaginable folk music skill, plus jamming all week long. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/23/2020.

341. Interview with Aaron Keim, Hood River, Oregon (06:33)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Aaron Keim
Summary:
Aaron Keim (Hood River, Oregon) Aaron Keim lives an artistic life along with his wife Nicole, making music, building musical instruments, writing instructional music books, crafting folk art, and raising their 6-year-old son Henry in Hood River, Oregon. As the Quiet American, they play old-time and teach at festivals and music camps. Their connection to folk tradition is undeniable as they find new ways to sing old songs and unique ways to incorporate music and art into their teaching and performing. Mainly influenced by Depression-era string band music and the folk revival, they use ukulele, banjo, and accordion to accompany their harmony singing; pick old-time tunes; and lead the audience through group singing. A modern, home-grown folk revival: the Quiet American. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/23/2020.

342. Interview with Willie Wells, West Columbia, South Carolina (06:16)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Willie Wells
Summary:
Willie Wells (West Columbia, South Carolina) Willie Wells, the son of the late Bill Wells, has always been on the music scene. Since the early ‘70s, Willie has played drums and sung lead and harmony vocals. Willie and another musician friend organized a country music group called CHOYCE that ran for more than twenty years. With early country music and bluegrass influences from his father, Willie continued to develop and expand his musical direction toward recording studio production. In the past ten to twelve years, Willie has shifted more toward continuing the bluegrass legacy of his father. Being inspired by his father to play guitar and to be at the helm of the “Blue Ridge Mtn. Grass” band (BRMG) that his father started some forty years ago, Willie is keeping his father’s wishes to preserve bluegrass music in South Carolina. Today, the band is a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass with some new arrangements of old songs as well as a mix of original songs. Willie Wells & The Blue Ridge Mtn. Grass first album title, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, continues to promote bluegrass music throughout the area. Willie is also the owner of Bill’s Music Shop & Picking’ Parlor in West Columbia, South Carolina. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

343. Interview with Artie Mendoza, Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana (04:51)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Artie Mendoza
Summary:
Artie Mendoza (Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana) Firefighter by day and rapper by night, Artie Mendoza (Kiid Truth) is a twenty-five-year-old Kootenai and Mexican who has been described as a “performer with a knack for rhythm and poetry.” Artie made the name “Kiid Truth” at the age of eleven based on his age and in his music he spoke the truth. At the age of nineteen, Artie finished up his first mixtape, The truth speaks for itself. Artie's goal in music is to take his talent to the next level while spreading positive messages through his music and speaking about what is going on at present. He says that the reason to do music is to express himself, to spread messages through his music and connect with people struggling in the same way he did. He has been very active in his community during COVID times and has been part of the social media campaign that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes launched aiming to educate kids about COVID-19. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/16/2020.

344. Interview with Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse, Seattle, Washington (06:34)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse
Summary:
Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse (Seattle, Washington) Arnaldo started as a soloist with Seattle Men’s Chorus (SMC) and has performed with SMC in some of the major concert halls in the US, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. In 1995, he started a group called Cabaret Q, where the “drag chanteuse” persona began. In 1999, Arnaldo began his solo cabaret shows in Seattle’s Capitol Hill and has since performed his one-person cabaret in Portland, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Puerto Vallarta, New York, and Manila. Arnaldo has also collaborated with various directors, choreographers, and songwriters in the Seattle area. In 2005, he completed the Cabaret Summer Conference Workshop at Yale University. In 2006, Arnaldo started the Pacific Northwest Cabaret Association and continues to organize Seattle’s March is Cabaret Month featuring local and visiting artists. 2007 marked Arnaldo’s New York cabaret debut, and in 2008, Arnaldo was honored with a New York Backstage Bistro Award. 2014 was Arnaldo's Manila debut, where he received Most Innovative Concert Artist in Manila Gawad Musika award. In 2016, Arnaldo was presented by the Filipino Community of Seattle with a Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting culture and the arts. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/07/2020.

345. Interview with Yvette Landry, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (05:50)

Date:
2020-09-11
Main contributors:
Yvette Landry
Summary:
Yvette Landry (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana) Grammy-nominated musician, author, educator and interpreter Yvette Landry grew up in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, deeply influenced by her Cajun culture and upbringing. After earning a master’s degree in education and developing a successful teaching career, she began performing widely, playing a variety of instruments in several Cajun bands as well as fronting her own, the Yvette Landry Band. Her debut award-winning album, Should Have Known, was released in 2010. The album was named by New Orleans’ Offbeat Magazine as Best Country/Folk Album of that year, while Landry herself received an award for Best Country/Folk Artist. She has served as a cultural ambassador on behalf of the Library of Congress to perform at the Festival of Traditional American Music and has performed at both the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center. She is also a private homeschool teacher and teaches bass, guitar, accordion, and vocal lessons to students. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/11/2020.

346. Interview with Willi Carlisle, Izard County, Arkansas (05:42)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Willi Carlisle
Summary:
Willi Carlisle (Izard County, Arkansas) Willi Carlisle is a folksinger and writer from the Ozark hills. He performs internationally at places like the Kennedy Center and the Ozark Folk Center and has spent many years living in an intentional community near Fox, Arkansas. With years of collecting folklore and playing/calling square dances, Willi is a multi-faceted writer, performer and instrumentalist. He plays banjo, accordion, fiddle and guitar, and has toured extensively and performed with Dom Flemons, Mary Gauthier, Los Texmaniacs, Cory Branan, Carson McHone, and more. Willi prefers to perform songs for the oldest reasons: love, heartache, and joy. His albums, Too Nice to Mean Much and To Tell You the Truth have garnered critical success. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/04/2020.

347. Interview with Mollie O'Brien, Denver, Colorado (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Mollie O'Brien
Summary:
Mollie O’Brien (Denver, Colorado) Mollie O'Brien and her husband, guitarist Rich Moore, have for nearly forty years quietly made it their mission to find, mine, and reinvent other artists' songs. They are geniuses at the craft of interpretation in the way that great singers since the beginning of popular American music have made the songs of their era their own. As songwriters, they add their own tunes to the canon of American roots music they inhabit and show us they’re completely at home with their musical selves. A Grammy winner, Mollie has long been known as a singer who doesn’t recognize a lot of musical boundaries, and audiences love her fluid ability to make herself at home in any genre while never sacrificing the essence of the song she tackles. She is a singer at the very top of her game who is not afraid to take risks both vocally and in the material she chooses. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

348. Interview with Mike Reardon, Scottsdale, Arizona (05:23)

Date:
2020-09-15
Main contributors:
Mike Reardon
Summary:
Mike Reardon (Scottsdale, Arizona) Mike Reardon studied jazz at Berklee College of Music from the Fall of 1980 to the spring of 1982. He has played with many rock, jazz, punk, folk, and blues bands in the Boston, MA; Rapid City, SD; and now in the Phoenix, AZ, area. Mike teaches guitar, bass, and ukulele at Strum University in North Phoenix. He is currently the vocalist and lead guitarist with Coda Blue, a classic rock band, and also fronts the Neil Young tribute band Danger Bird. During the pandemic, Mike is making at-home videos with his students. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/15/2020

349. Interview with Orlando Pimentel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (05:52)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
Orlando Pimentel
Summary:
Orlando Pimentel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Orlando Pimentel began his musical training in Venezuela’s System of Youth Orchestras, also known as “El Sistema.” From 1989 to 2009, he was a member of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra and performed with such renowned conductors as Claudio Abbado, Sergiu Comissiona, Gustavo Dudamel, Judit Jaimes, and many others. In 1988, together with three other colleagues, he formed the Caracas Clarinet Quartet (1996 National Artist Award: Best Classical Ensemble), a chamber ensemble that has performed throughout Venezuela, as well as in China, Europe, South America, and the United States of America. Since he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2009, Orlando has performed regularly with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Fox Valley Symphony, Racine Symphony, Kenosha Symphony, and Festival City Symphony Orchestra. He performs also with his wife, pianist Elena Abend, as part of the Elisio Ensemble. Orlando received his master’s degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee studying under the tutelage of Todd Levy. Most currently, he has been appointed as Faculty of Clarinet at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/09/2020.

350. Interview with Rich Moore, Denver, Colorado (05:53)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Rich Moore
Summary:
Rich Moore (Denver, Colorado) Singer Mollie O’Brien and guitarist Rich Moore have steadfastly made it their mission to unlock the secrets of the diverse array of styles that comprise the canon of American roots music. Geniuses at interpretation and never sacrificing the essence of the songs they tackle, they are at home with their musical selves. They are unafraid of risk taking, authoritative in their performance, and at the very top of their game. And to top it all off, they’re fun. Rich, while known to produce some of the funniest onstage running commentary, is also a powerhouse guitar player who can keep up with O’Brien’s twists and turns from blues to traditional folk to jazz to rock and roll. He creates a band with just his guitar and, as a result, theirs is an equal partnership that showcases their talent for unlocking the secrets to a diverse array of songs in authoritative yet very fun and unusual arrangements. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

351. Interview with Monte Briggs, Marty, South Dakota (06:06)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Monte Briggs
Summary:
Monte Briggs (Marty, South Dakota) Guitar player Monte Briggs lives in Marty, South Dakota. His mother is from the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge, and his father is from the Standing Rock Reservation. He grew up in a musical family and learned to play music from his uncle, who also taught many musicians in the Black Hill area. Monte was passionate about playing music since he was a child. With his brother, Robert Briggs, he plays and tours extensively with their group Still River, which in 2016 regrouped as Stones of Red, a high-energy group with haunting, soulful vocals and musicianship. With the release of their album Arianna Rain, Stones of Red showcase their ability to meld various genres and create vintage sounds with a whole lot of soul. The album was released and immediately gained traction within the blues and blues rock communities. To this day, the track “Arianna Rain” plays on major radio stations across America. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

352. Interview with Reggie Padilla, Honolulu, Hawaii (05:34)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Reggie Padilla
Summary:
Reggie Padilla (Honolulu, Hawaii) Saxophonist, pianist, composer, and educator Reggie Padilla was born and raised in Long Island, NY. He began his musical journey at the age of seven on the piano, and by nine, began studying the saxophone as well. While studying classical piano, Reggie was also exposed to a wide variety of music. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Classical Piano Performance from Long Island University at C.W. Post, and a master’s degree in Music Education from New York University. In January 2007, Reginald relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii, and continued his musical journey. Reggie continues to perform and record around the world on both tenor saxophone and piano. He has a private lesson studio, teaching both saxophone, piano, classical, jazz, theory, and improvisation. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/14/2020.

353. Interview with Rebecca Whitney, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (06:41)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
Rebecca Whitney
Summary:
Rebecca Whitney (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Director of Education of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Rebecca Whitney, tells us about the different ways MSO has managed its programming during the COVID-19 pandemic in both regular season concert activity and education programs such as the Arts in Community Education (ACE) program, a nationally acclaimed program that enhances students’ total education through the integration of music and other art forms into the overall curriculum; MSO concerts for schools; and Bach Double Violin Competition in which winners perform with the MSO on the ACE concert series. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/09/2020.

354. Interview with Ricardo Lemvo, Los Angeles, California (06:00)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Ricardo Lemvo
Summary:
Ricardo Lemvo (Los Angeles, California) Ricardo Lemvo has established himself as a pioneer with his innovative music. Lemvo's blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms with pan-African styles (soukous, Angolan semba, and kizomba) has been described as seamless and infectious. This Congo-born artist of Angolan ancestry is the embodiment of the Afro-Latin Diaspora which connects back to Mother Africa via the Cuban clave rhythm. Lemvo is truly multicultural and equally at home singing in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Lingala, and Kikongo. Lemvo hails from São Salvador Do Congo (M'Banza-Kongo), Zaire, in Northern Angola. He grew up in Congo-Kinshasa, where he was introduced to Cuban music by a cousin who owned a large collection of vintage Cuban LPs. Lemvo came to the US more than thirty years ago to pursue a law degree but ended up devoting his life to music. Since forming his Los Angeles-based band Makina Loca in 1990, Lemvo has refined his craft and vision, raising his joyous voice with strength and inspiring his audiences to let loose and dance away their worries. Through the years, Lemvo has performed countless shows in many festivals, night clubs, and performing art centers throughout Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australia. Lemvo's seven CDs have been enthusiastically acclaimed worldwide. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/30/2020.

355. Interview with Rhoda Ethelbah-Case, Whiteriver, Arizona (06:41)

Date:
2020-11-07
Main contributors:
Rhoda Ethelbah-Case
Summary:
Rhoda Ethelbah-Case (Whiteriver, Arizona) Born and raised in the White Mountain Apache Reservation, Rhoda grew up the child of musicians Matthew J. Kane (Midnite) and wife Lee Kane. Midnite and Lee founded the band Apache Spirit and performed together for forty-seven years, covering the entire southwestern United States and playing a variety of different venues. They recorded fifteen albums and won the First Country Folk category for the Native American musical awards. Today, as a family band, Apache Spirit livens casino, club and rodeo audiences and dance floors with their hefty mix of country, Native Contemporary Originals, Oldies but Goodies, Rock N’ Roll and Blues. Currently she is the leader, background vocalist, keyboard, and drummer for Apache Spirit, Chris Kane Trio, and Lady Krow Roadshow & Rez Rootz. Currently, Rhoda manages and is the vocalist, keyboard, and drummer for Apache Spirit, Chris Kane Trio, and Lady Krow Roadshow & Rez Rootz. She is also a motivational speaker. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 11/07/2020.

356. Interview with Oscar Chirinos, Ogden, Utah (05:18)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Oscar Chirinos
Summary:
Oscar Chirinos (Ogden, Utah) Oscar Chirinos has been playing flamenco guitar since he was a little child. Born in Lima, Peru, his family moved to United States when he was nine. He picked up his passion for flamenco from his Spanish grandfather, a guitar player himself. He now lives in Ogden, Utah, where he works for an advertisement company so that he can pursue his passion, music. In 2019, Oscar and Romina Notaro formed the flamenco fusion band AmoRoma along with Rodrigo (percussion), Jaesi (violin), and Barbara (dancer). Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/14/2020

357. Interview with the Gypsy Cowbelle, Thermopolis, Wyoming (06:12)

Date:
2020-10-13
Main contributors:
The Gypsy Cowbelle
Summary:
The Gypsy Cowbelle (Thermopolis, Wyoming) Whether she’s building a banjo, riding the Divide, singing around a campfire, floating the Grand, or hitchhiking across America, this little gal is doing her best to seize Life’s Rich Pageant. Miss “V,” as she is also known, has balanced her back-country experiences with countless asphalt tours, seeking enlightenment through solitude as well as through her interactions with people from all walks of life. A knack for recognizing the humor in everyday life, an appreciation for history, a hunger for adventure, and a ceaseless sense of creativity collectively establish Miss V’s unique perspective and personality. Her experiences, free spirit, clever lyricism, and classic rhythms on the guitar and her homemade banjo blend together to create her signature “Genuine Cowbilly” music. This Gypsy Cowbelle and her music possess a universal and timeless allure that has charmed fans from coffee houses and campfires to festivals and honky tonks across America for nearly two decades. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/13/2020.

358. Interview with Ricky Carrido, Albuquerque, New Mexico (06:09)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Ricky Carrido
Summary:
Ricky Carrido (Albuquerque, New Mexico) Ricardo (“Ricky”) Carrido learned to play flute and Latin percussion from his father, Romeo Carrido, as well as Afro-Cuban traditional master drummers from Cuba. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Stevie Wonder, Jessica Simpson, Alfredo de La Fe, Chuchito Valdez, Chucho Valdez, Pete Escovedo, Charanga Cubana, B-side Players, and Poncho Sanchez, among others. As of the winter of 2008, Ricky Carrido became a sworn batá drummer (Omo Añá, or child of Añá, the deity that lives in the batá drum) from the batá set by the name Obbá koso that belongs to the Obbá Enrique Barriero, from Mantanzas, Cuba. Ricky resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he teaches Afro-Cuban Folklore Drumming at the New Mexico Jazz Workshop along with his father, leads the Cuban band called Luna Llena, and plays with the group Son como Son. Ricky is also active as a private instructor. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/30/2020.

359. Interview with Sims Delaney-Potthoff, Madison, Wisconsin (06:02)

Date:
2020-09-02
Main contributors:
Sims Delaney-Potthoff
Summary:
Sims Delaney-Potthoff (Madison, Wisconsin) Mandolin virtuoso and vocalist Sims Delaney-Potthoff is one of the founding members of the multi-award-winning trio, Harmonious Wail. The group plays Americana-infused Gypsy Jazz and takes their listeners on a ride via the music of the Hot Club sounds of Parisian cafes, to the deepest blues of the Memphis Delta, to the heartfelt folk scenes across every-town-America. This harmonious clique are sublime entertainers, great educators, and lifters of spirits. As stewards of the Gypsy Jazz genre, they have established the Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest, held twice a year in Madison, Wisconsin.  They also offer to take the fest on the road as a special concert package. They have mastered a plan on how to bring amazing Gypsy Jazz All Stars from around the world and place them in front of concert audiences throughout the United States. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/02/2020.

360. Interview with Taide Pineda, Phoenix, Arizona (05:33)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Taide Pineda
Summary:
Taide Pineda (Phoenix, Arizona) Taide Pineda has been playing the guitar since high school and has been involved in the Phoenix local music scene with many well-known working bands for over 15 years. He’s a cutting-edge sole artist. He is one of the founding members of Highest Conspiracy, a band that mixes reggae, rock and roll, hip hop, and pop music in their original work. With a core group of musicians and the creation of Conspiracy Horns, which is a full two-piece horn section, Highest Conspiracy has created a following that has surpassed the normal media buzz. Taide released his first solo album, Big Dreams, in May 2020. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

361. Interview with Roy Bosh, Salt Lake City, Utah (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Roy Bosh
Summary:
Roy Bosh (Salt Lake City, Utah) Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, percussionist Roy Bosh moved to United States when he was eleven years old. He got involved in percussion at an early age and later learned Latin percussion on his own. He grew up listening to Latin music, salsa, merengue, bachata, as well as African rhythms, some of the genres he loves to play. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he plays with a number of groups. Roy is also working on documentaries with dancers and Afro musicians in the community, and is back at college working on two master’s degrees. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/15/2020.

362. Interview with Stevie Ray Vavages, San Antonio, Texas (05:58)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Stevie Ray Vavages
Summary:
Stevie Ray Vavages (San Antonio, Texas) Stevie Vavages grew up in Anegam, Tohono O'odham Nation on the Arizona/Mexico border. He comes from a musical family. His grandfather used to play with a group of old-time fiddlers called Gu-achi fiddlers that played Waila music—Waila being the term Tohono O’odham indigenous people use for their instrumental music. His father and uncle were musicians as well: “My uncle taught me for a month and after that month of practicing bajo sexto I had my first gig,” Stevie says. He moved to San Antonio, Texas, in 2017 to fulfill his dream of making a living playing Tejano conjunto music. His big surprise was to realize that many of the music the Tejano conjuntos were playing was music that he has learned from his grandfather. That and the realization of playing with musicians he grew up admiring. Stevie is a very talented bajo sexto player and superb musician who also plays accordion, bass, and drums. He has become a fixture in San Antonio’s Tex-Mex music scene and plays with artists such as Bobby Pulido, Belén Escobedo, and Flavio Longoria to say a few. He feels rooted into the community. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/14/2020.

363. Interview with Toni Hickman, Houston, Texas (04:59)

Date:
2020-09-28
Main contributors:
Toni HIckman
Summary:
Toni Hickman (Houston, Texas) She is not only a talented singer-songwriter, but the survivor of two brain aneurysms and a stroke. Toni is an accomplished artist, speaker, author, certified naturopath, and performer who has traveled throughout the United States encouraging people to live up to their highest self.Toni is an author, hip hop artist, and public speaker on disabilities, beauty, and foods. She uses her voice and music to inspire others. She has been featured on the Deborah Duncan Show and Radio One and featured in Shape magazine and several other publications throughout the world. She has spoken at numerous colleges and other organizations on subjects of depression and recovery; physical, mental, and spiritual health; living one’s purpose; chemicals in beauty products; and a host of other subjects. She is a speaker/performer for YoungStroke and the American Heart Association, an author, artist, Certified Naturopath, mother, and activist. As a survivor who knows no limits, she lives to its fullest potential and uses music as a tool for empowerment and healing. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/28/2020.

364. Interview with Valerie Troutt, Oakland, California (05:59)

Date:
2020-08-31
Main contributors:
Valerie Troutt
Summary:
Valerie Troutt (Oakland, California) Composer Valerie Troutt sings soulful, conscious originals inspired by her relationships with family, community, and hope for a brighter tomorrow. Bay Area-born and bred, jazz and gospel trained, and internationally respected, Valerie Troutt is a musical collagist, borrowing from ancestral centuries of sound, channeling spirits, and delivering the stories of our love, loss, and lives. There’s a light in this unapologetically unconventional artist/teacher/activist for whom art and activism are intertwined. Within this spiritual and social justice-driven performer is a lifelong hunger for craft, connection, and cultural narratives and an indefatigable thirst to serve as an agape griot to a waiting and hurting people. The Sound of Peace, her long-awaited, full-length debut comes after a critically acclaimed EP and several wizening years culminating in Valerie Troutt’s acceptance of her own original artistic difference in a world of commercial carbon copies. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 08/31/2020.

365. Interview with Akua Naru, Boston, Massachusetts (06:06)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Akua Naru
Summary:
Akua Naru (Boston, Massachusetts) Akua Naru is a Hip Hop artist, organizer, producer, activist, and scholar whose work centers social justice advocacy and community building. Her music theorizes the myriad experiences of Black women through rhyme along a sonic spectrum from Jazz to Soul. She is co-founder of the production/management company The Urban Era and has released multiple albums alongside a wide range of additional artistic content. She has recorded with artists including Tony Allen, Angelique Kidjo, Questlove, and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Akua has performed internationally in more than fifty countries across five continents with her six-piece band. In her social justice work, she has collaborated with numerous individuals and organizations globally in order to instigate change. Akua Naru was a Nasir Jones Fellow at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University (2018-19) and a Race & Media Fellow at the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University (2019-2020). Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/24/2020.

366. Interview with Tito Matos, Santurce, Puerto Rico (06:34)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Tito Matos
Summary:
Tito Matos (Santurce, Puerto Rico) Percussionist and singer Héctor “Tito” Matos is a native of Santurce, Puerto Rico. He is considered one of the best requinto plena drum players of his generation and he is the director and lead singer of Viento de Agua, a Puerto Rican Latin dance band that combines traditional Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms, Bomba and Plena, with other Afro-Caribbean musical styles as well as Jazz. Tito has taken the Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena to four continents and to important stages such as Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall. He is also the musical director of Bomba and Plena group, La Máquina Insular. Both groups pay tribute to the great masters from whom Tito learned to play. He is very active as an educator. His non-profit organization, Taller Comunidad La Goyco, is a community project working on the development and creation of education, culture, and health programs to which Tito and his wife are very dedicated. La Goyco is devoted to the development and creation of education, culture, and health programs. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

367. Interview with Zachariah Julian, Albuquerque, New Mexico (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-15
Main contributors:
Zachariah Julian
Summary:
Zachariah Julian (Albuquerque, New Mexico) Zachariah Julian (Jicarilla) has produced the We Are the Seeds stage since its inception. He curates programs that are diverse, balanced, interesting, and entertaining. A musician and performer, he is knowledgeable in production and stage management. He has lived on the Apache Nation for nineteen years and has been playing piano for over 20 years. Zachariah started composing when he was sixteen and attended University of New Mexico majoring in Music Theory and Composition. He has just released a CD called These Marked Trees. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/15/2020.

368. Interview with Vincent Fuh, Madison, Wisconsin (06:08)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Vincent Fuh
Summary:
Vincent Fuh (Madison, Wisconsin) Vincent Fuh, an active pianist in the Madison classical and jazz communities since 1983, has appeared with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Bach Dancing Dynamite Society, Oakwood Chamber Players, Sound Ensemble Wisconsin, Madison Chamber Choir, Madison Choral Project, LunART Festival, Fresco Opera, and Opera for the Young. Since 1997, he has toured extensively with Opera for the Young, an arts outreach organization dedicated to encouraging student participation in fully staged operas at schools throughout the Midwest. Crossing genres, he was pianist and writer/arranger for salsa band Madisalsa and Afro-Cuban quintet El Clan Destino. He joined University of Wisconsin School of Music professors on five CDs, three with Mark Hetzler (trombone), one each with Marc Vallon (bassoon) and Tom Curry (tuba). His other CD collaborations include Laura Medisky (oboe), Patrick Hines (horn), Matthew Onstad (trumpet), Thomas Pfotenhauer (trumpet), and Charles Tibbets (horn). Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/18/2020.

369. Interview with Aria Arus, Raleigh, North Carolina (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Aria Arus
Summary:
Aria Arus (Raleigh, North Carolina) Aria Arus is a DJ, producer, and biochemist in Raleigh, North Carolina. Biochemist by day, by night she is Neuron Husky, her psyberpunk canine alter ego. Neuron Husky blends genres of drum and bass, psytrance, hardstyle, and future bass. She has performed in venues ranging from music festivals to burns to anime conventions. She has held several residencies at clubs throughout central North Carolina, has performed in Japan and Thailand, and has played alongside renowned artists such as Jackal & Hyde, Fixx, DJ Irene, DJ Micro, John B, Apashe, Space Jesus, and many others. Starting in 2015, Neuron Husky gained recognition as both electronic musician and installation artist, designing her own performance stages. She is backed up by the artist collaborative Source Code Studios, which specializes in constructing immersive psychedelic landscapes around the dance floor. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

370. Interview with Anna Borges, Medford, Massachusetts (05:32)

Date:
2020-09-27
Main contributors:
Anna Borges
Summary:
Anna Borges (Medford, Massachusetts) Anna Borges, originally from Recife, Pernambuco, began her career in Brasília, singing in local nightclubs and theaters. She studied the guitar and enrolled in the Escola de Música de Brasília, where she studied voice with Jane Duboc and sang in choral groups, studying both classical and popular techniques. After many years working closely with Brazilian guitarist Agilson Alcântara, Anna moved to Boston, Massachusetts along with her father, who was stationed there as a vice-consul in the Brazilian Consulate. In Boston, she began a musical collaboration with Bill Ward, with whom she would start the band Receita de Samba. The band performs bossa nova and samba, and well as regional specialties such as forró, ijexá, and coco. Anna is also an event promoter for Brazilian music in the Boston area with her own Sounds of Brazil Anna Borges Productions. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/27/2020.

371. Interview with Arnetta Johnson, Camden, New Jersey (05:56)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Arnetta Johnson
Summary:
Arnetta Johnson (Camden, New Jersey) Arnetta Johnson is a trumpet player based in Camden, New Jersey. Johnson began playing trumpet at age thirteen with mentors Nasir Dickerson, Jamal Dickerson, and Hassan Sabree. She attended the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Camden, followed by Berklee College of Music. Johnson has performed with Beyoncé at the Super Bowl, as a featured trumpeter on her 2018 On the Run II Tour, and on the Carters’ Grammy-winning album Everything Is Love. She has toured internationally and performed on television shows including Black Girls Rock. Johnson has also studied with saxophonist Tia Fuller and singer-poet Jill Scott, whose Blues Babe Foundation presented Johnson with their Rising Star Award. Johnson has worked with musicians including Terri Lyne Carrington, the Roots, and Chloe x Halle, and leads her own band Arnetta Johnson and SUNNY (Sounds Uplifting Nobility through Notes and Youth). Her goal is to stand jazz on its head: disrupt, uplift, and inspire. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/8/2020

372. Interview with Alonzo Demetrius, Morristown, New Jersey (05:51)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Alonzo Demetrius
Summary:
Alonzo Demetrius (Morristown, New Jersey) Alonzo Demetrius Ryan Jr. is a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. He was classically trained in trumpet pedagogy and has studied at the historic Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz. In 2014 he obtained a B.M. from the Berklee College of Music, and in 2019 received his MM from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. He has taught masterclasses domestically and abroad at Berklee College of Music, IMEP Paris College of Music, Music Academy International, Fundación Danilo Perez, and beyond. Alonzo is the founder and bandleader of the band The Ego, which has performed throughout the New England and New York metropolitan areas since the fall of 2017. He has worked with musicians including Terence Blanchard, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson Jr., Tia Fuller, Robert Glasper, and Jason Palmer. His album Live from the Prison Nation (The Onyx Productions Music Label, 2020) is his personal form of protest against the Prison Industrial Complex. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

373. Interview with Angelica Garcia, Richmond, Virginia (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-29
Main contributors:
Angelica Garcia
Summary:
Angelica Garcia (Richmond, Virginia) Angelica Garcia is a songwriter and vocalist based in Richmond, Virginia. Growing up in a musical and multigenerational environment, Garcia recalls Mexican ranchera music always playing throughout her home, which included Garcia’s mother, who was a professional singer of mostly mariachi and Latin pop. Garcia attended the magnet high school LACHSA (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts). In Richmond, she has released studio albums including Medicine For Birds (2016) and Cha Cha Palace (2020), both with Spacebomb Records. She released several music videos, and her song “Jícama” became widely known when Barack Obama selected the track for his 2019 year-end list. Her music explores Latinx identity and her roots in Los Angeles, and she has donated proceeds from her work to regionally based organizations supporting migrant families in the U.S. such as ¡MIRA!, Annunciation House, and Immigrant Families Together. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/29/2020

374. Interview with Annalisa Boerner, New Haven, Connecticut (05:54)

Date:
2020-09-28
Main contributors:
Annalisa Boerner
Summary:
Annalisa Boerner (New Haven, Connecticut) Annalisa Boerner is a violist and educator based in New Haven, Connecticut. As Senior Resident Violist at Haven String Quartet/Music Haven, she teaches music to youth in the New Haven community and plays with the resident quartet. Before Music Haven, she held a Community Music Works fellowship in Providence, R.I., where she performed as a member of the Community Music Works Players and taught a full studio. During her time there, Annalisa was part of world premiere performances of music by Gonzalo Grau and Kareem Roustom. She has collaborated with such artists as the Kronos Quartet, the Cavani String Quartet, the Claremont Trio, and members of the Cleveland Orchestra in concert. Annalisa earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and has performed with various orchestras throughout New England and Ohio.  Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/28/2020.

375. Interview with Aline Mukiza, Burlington, Vermont (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Aline Mukiza
Summary:
Aline Mukiza (Burlington, Vermont) Aline Mukiza is a dancer, musician, and community organizer based in Burlington, Vermont. Mukiza was born in Burundi and moved to Vermont in the state’s refugee resettlement program. She is a master artist of Burundian women’s dance and traditional song in the Vermont Folklife Center’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. Mukiza is the director of Twibukanye, where she teaches Burundian music and dance to young adult women and girls in Chittenden County. She has worked with the Vermont Folklife Center to develop and expand pedagogies and materials for cultural education in her community. Additionally, Mukiza has worked as a multilingual liaison for the Burlington School District and a family service coordinator at the Vermont Family Network. She has also served as coordinator of the Heritage Learning Program, a project of the Burundian American Association of Vermont, which provides language, science, and culture classes to children. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/14/20.

376. Interview with Ashley Frith, Providence, Rhode Island (05:53)

Date:
2020-11-02
Main contributors:
Ashley Frith
Summary:
Ashley Frith (Providence, Rhode Island) Ashley Frith is a musician, composer, and educator based in Providence, Rhode Island. Ashley studied viola with Lila Brown at The Boston Conservatory. She was the music director, composer, and lyricist for the Trinity Repertory Company’s 2018-19 season production of Jose Rivera’s Marisol, directed by Brian Mertes. She has composed music for a production on allyship with Off the Page Education in NYC. Ashley has held resident musician and teaching artist positions with Newport String Project, Revolution of Hope, the Greater Miami Youth Symphony, and Community Music Works in Providence, Rhode Island. At Community Music Works, she serves as Director of Racial Equity and Belonging, where she performs, teaches, and develops anti-racism curricula. Ashley also explores the use of sound as a healing modality, in combination with mindfulness practices, and the effect these tools can have on mental health. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 11/02/2020.

377. 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.

378. 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.

379. Interview with Aubrey Atwater, Warren, Rhode Island (05:58)

Date:
2020-10-29
Main contributors:
Aubrey Atwater
Summary:
Aubrey Atwater (Warren, Rhode Island) Aubrey Atwater is a musician, vocalist, writer, public radio commentator, and dancer based in Warren, Rhode Island. Atwater presents programs of folk music, dance, and spoken word, and has performed and taught across the United States as well as England, Ireland, and Canada. She sings and plays the mountain dulcimer, old-time banjo, guitar, mandolin, and Irish tin whistle, and also performs with percussive clogging. In both teaching and performance, Aubrey conveys the heritage behind traditional folk music and dance, showing an expertise of folk history and its key players. Part of the acclaimed duo Atwater-Donnelly, Aubrey and her husband Elwood Donnelly perform with up to eight other band members and have thirteen recordings and six books to their credit. Atwater and Donnelly are both on the performing rosters for the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts and the New England Foundation for the Arts. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/29/2020.

380. 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.

381. 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.

382. 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.

383. 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.

384. Interview with Chris Newell, Bar Harbor, Maine (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-23
Main contributors:
Chris Newell
Summary:
Chris Newell (Bar Harbor, Maine) Chris Newell (Passamaquoddy) is a musician and educator based in Bar Harbor, Maine. He was born and raised in Motahkmikuhk (Indian Township, ME) and is a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. Chris has been a member of the Mystic River singers, an award-winning inter-tribal pow wow drum group based in Connecticut. The group traveled across North America singing and learning at community pow wows. Beyond, Chris has served as Education Supervisor for the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center and co-founded the Akomawt Educational Initiative addressing the lack of Native history and social studies in public schools and other institutions. He spearheaded Akomawt’s collaboration with the Leventhal Map Center’s exhibit America Transformed: Mapping the 19th Century, earning the 2019 Excellence Award from the New England Museum Association. Chris serves as Executive Director and Senior Partner to Wabanaki Nations in the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/23/20.

385. Interview with Daniel de Jesús, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (05:43)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Daniel de Jesús
Summary:
Daniel de Jesús (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Daniel de Jesús is a painter, composer, and songwriter versed in the worlds of visual and sonic tapestries. They hold a degree in fine art form the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and have exhibited their work throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Their musical practice includes building beats, ambient sonic spaces, and string arrangements with vocals, and their work has been described as Baroque pop and Neo-Goth, filled with dramatic themes based on mysticism, the occult, and Latin American lore. Daniel de Jesús has nine studio recordings of their original music and performs with orchestras and rock bands in the region and around the world. Their projects include collaborations with painter and performance artist David Antonio Cruz, singer songwriter Courtlyn Carr, and the Bearded Ladies Cabaret. They have performed at venues across the world including the Park Ave. Armory, Millennium Park Theater, and World Café Live. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/24/2020

386. Interview with DDm, Baltimore, Maryland (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
DDm
Summary:
DDm (Baltimore, Maryland) DDm (Dapper Dan Midas) is a singer, raptivist and social media personality based in Baltimore, Maryland. DDm was born and raised in Baltimore, and participated in the local rap circuit beginning in the mid-2000s before starting his hip hop duo Bond St. District. As a solo artist, DDm has recorded albums including Beautiful Gowns (2019) and The Ballad of Omar (2020), inspired by Michael K. Williams’s portrayal of Omar, an openly gay man raised in West Baltimore, in the series The Wire. DDm has released multiple music videos including “Come Thru,” “He Say She Say,” and “Pull Up.” In addition to rapping at ciphers around Baltimore, he has performed at venues such the Baltimore Soundstage and the LGBTQ mega-party Bent: Back with a Bang. He has performed alongside musicians such as Dan Deacon and collaborated with Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner on her project Dungeonesse. Beyond music, DDm regularly presents social commentary videos under the moniker Secretary of Shade. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

387. Interview with Deborah Strauss, Princeton, New Jersey (05:58)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Deborah Strauss
Summary:
Deborah Strauss (Princeton, New Jersey) Deborah Strauss is a multi-instrumentalist, educator, and dancer of klezmer and Yiddish music. She is a member of the intercontinental group Voices of Ashkenaz and the Yiddish/North German fiddle trio, Figelin. She has performed with the Grammy-winning Klezmatics and appears in the film Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholom Aleichem. Together with Cantor Jeff Warschauer, she is a member of the Strauss/Warschauer Duo, which has performed in venues such as Great Britain’s Fiddles on Fire and the Jewish Culture Festival in Cracow, Poland. Jeff and Deborah were both longtime members of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, one of the premiere groups of the klezmer revival, and have performed with violinist Itzhak Perlman. They lead Yiddish song and dance workshops throughout North America and Europe and have taught at places such as KlezKamp, KlezKanada, and Yiddish Summer Weimar. Deborah and Jeff are Yiddish speakers, and have researched and collected Yiddish and Hebrew songs and melodies since the 1980s. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/30/2020.

388. Interview with Danielle Ponder, Rochester, New York (05:52)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Danielle Ponder
Summary:
Danielle Ponder (Rochester, New York) Danielle Ponder is a singer and bandleader based in Rochester, New York. Her group was named one of the Top Ten Bands to watch by CityPaper and was a winner of the 2015 and 2016 Roc Awards for Best Band. Danielle has performed opening shows for musicians including George Clinton, Ledisi, and the Roots, and has toured nationally and internationally. Her recorded releases include the EP Blow Out The Sun (2016) and the single “Holding Me Down” (2019). Beyond music, Danielle is a former Public Defender and TEDx speaker, and has organized around issues such as education funding, women’s rights, and criminal justice reform. She has been highlighted by the American Bar Association and has been awarded the Public Interest Law scholarship at Northeastern University, the Teen Empowerment’s PeaceMaker in Action Award, and the Jessica Bain Community Excellence Award. In 2017, she created the multimedia show For the Love of Justice, where she examines the U.S. criminal justice system. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/09/2020.

389. Interview with Dot Levine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (05:50)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Dot Levine
Summary:
Dot Levine (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Dot Levine is a Philadelphia-based entertainer, bandleader and producer. As a singer and guitar player, they specialize in many genres, most prominently 1920s jazz music. Dot has performed with their group the Singular Band, as well as with the Mahogany Stompers, a duo with percussionist Julius Masri; the Howling Kettles, an old-timey trio with members spread across the United States; and groups such as the Perseverance Jazz Band. Dot is also a dedicated teacher, an active producer, and has worked extensively as a live sound technician. They build electronic instruments and equipment to use in their recording studio and in their solo experimental project, Fink Tank. In March 2020, Dot founded Dottie’s Serenade Service, which provides individually tailored socially distant performances in the age of pandemic and has expanded beyond Philadelphia to New York City, Boston, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/18/2020.

390. Interview with Dakota Karper, Capon Bridge, West Virginia (05:55)

Date:
2020-10-29
Main contributors:
Dakota Karper
Summary:
Dakota Karper (Capon Bridge, West Virginia) Dakota Karper is an Appalachian fiddler, vocalist and storyteller based in Capon Bridge, West Virginia. Born and raised in rural West Virginia, Dakota grew up surrounded by old-time Appalachian string band music and began studying the music at a young age. Absorbing as much as possible, she apprenticed under fiddler Joe Herrmann, spent weeks at Augusta Heritage Center, played various music festivals in and around West Virginia, and studied classical violin at the Shenandoah Arts Academy in Winchester, Virginia. After living in Baltimore, Maryland, for seven years, Dakota moved back to her roots in Capon Bridge, West Virginia, where she teaches Appalachian fiddle, as well as performs in the surrounding areas. Dakota was a founding member of the Short Mountain String Band and Hay Fever. In 2019 Dakota opened her own traditional roots music school called The Cat and The Fiddle. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/29/2020.

391. Interview with Fawziyya Heart, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (05:58)

Date:
2020-09-26
Main contributors:
Fawziyya Heart
Summary:
Fawziyya Heart (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)  Fawziyya Heart is a singer/songwriter based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born and raised in the city, she has been influenced by the Philly music scene. Her music is a funk-infused blend of jazz, blues, and soul with anthemic lyrics calling for social change and self-transformation. Fawziyya has performed, recorded, and written several songs with global house music collective World Town Sound System alongside Grammy award winning percussionist Pablo Batista (Alicia Keys/Grover Washington Jr). In 2020, Fawziyya prepared for the release of her debut EP, featuring her own original songs and an array of Philly talent. The songs on the EP are produced by Philadelphia’s legendary Chuck Treece, who remixed songs for Amy Grant and Sting, and played bass on “The River of Dreams” by Billy Joel. Trap Rabbit’s Logan Roth has co-arranged the songs and added his distinct sound to the tracks. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/26/2020.

392. Interview with Emi Grate, New York City, New York (05:58)

Date:
2020-09-22
Main contributors:
Emi Grate
Summary:
Emi Grate (New York City, New York) Emi Grate is a drag artist, event producer, and illustrator based in Brooklyn, New York. Emi Grate was born and raised in Mandalay, Burma, and came to the United State in 2011 for college. She is an LGBT asylee in the U.S. Emi Grate is a classically trained tenor vocalist. She holds a liberal arts degree in theatre and is trained as a stage manager. Emi Grate is the producer of A+ the Pan-Asian Drag Revue, and is Mr(s) BK 2018 and Miss Brooklyn Pride 2020. Her drag involves community organizing and is centered around themes of identity politics, looking to her own upbringing and cultural background to validate and celebrate queerness. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/22/2020.

393. Interview with Fay Victor, New York City, New York (05:58)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Fay Victor
Summary:
Fay Victor (New York City, New York) Brooklyn based Fay Victor is an improvising vocalist, composer, lyricist, and educator working with musics that are improvisational and conversational in nature. Victor has released critically acclaimed albums as a leader, including Barn Songs (Northern Spy Records, 2019) and SoundNoiseFunk-Wet Robots (ESP-Disk, 2018). She has worked with musicians including William Parker, Roswell Rudd, Nicole Mitchell, Archie Shepp, Marc Ribot, and Tyshawn Sorey. Touring nationally and internationally, she has performed in venues including Whitney Museum and The Museum of Modern Art (NYC), The Kolner Philharmonie (Germany), De Young Museum (SF), The Winter Jazz Festival (NY) and the Bimhuis (Netherlands). She was the 2017 Herb Albert/Yaddo Fellow in Music Composition and a 2018 recipient of a month-long Headlands Center for the Arts residency. As an educator, Victor teaches her own singing classes and workshops and serves on the faculty of the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/14/2020.

394. Interview with Gopal Niroula, Burlington, Vermont (05:06)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Gopal Niroula
Summary:
Gopal Niroula (Burlington, Vermont) Gopal Niroula is a multi-instrumentalist and singer based in Burlington, Vermont. Born in Bhutan, Niroula was raised in a refugee camp in Nepal before resettling in Burlington. Niroula plays traditional Nepali music, along with other Nepali music genres. He is a multi-instrumentalist and singer, with a specialty in flute, and a particular expertise in the nose flute. In Vermont, he plays with his brother, tabla musician Puru Niroula. Alongside other members, they play in 3rd STEPS, a group they co-founded which gathers bi-weekly for two hours to sing bhajan, or Hindu devotional songs, in Nepali. The name 3rd STEPS refers to the members’ links to three countries: Bhutan where they were born, Nepal where Bhutanese nationals of ethnic Nepali descent fled after stripped of their Bhutanese citizenships in the 1990s, and the U.S. During COVID-19, Niroula produced and performed in a weekly livestream show that attracted many well-known musicians from Nepal, including a winner of the Nepali Idol contest. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/16/2020.

395. Interview with Jadein Black, Ypsilanti, Michigan (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Jadein Black
Summary:
Jadein Black (Ypsilanti, Michigan) Jadein Black is a performing Drag Queen, as well as founder and producer of the Boylesque Drag Show in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In addition to performing locally, she has been on multiple tours around the United States and Canada, from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has made top-ten at the prestigious Nation Entertainer of the Year competition. In addition to her performance at venues and shows including Boylesque, she also hosts and performs at many universities around the country, private parties, as well as at local Drag Show and Storytime events. The events she produces and performs in with Boylseque Drag Show regularly raise money for various causes ranging from at-risk LGBTQ youth to the Black Lives Matter movement. Boylesque Drag Show features local drag performers such as Maxi Chanel, Hershae Chocolatae, Izaya Cole, and Ani Briated. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 09/04/2020.

396. Interview with Stephanie BadSoldier Snow, Garwin, Iowa (06:17)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Stephanie BadSoldier Snow
Summary:
Stephanie BadSoldier Snow (Garwin, Iowa) Stephanie BadSoldier Snow was raised on the Meskwaki Settlement in central Iowa with traditional Meskwaki ways and is of the Swan Clan. She is an enrolled tribal member of the HoChunk Nation of Wisconsin. Along with Meskwaki and HoChunk heritage, Stephanie is also Lakota and Umohon. As a member of various song, storytelling, and dance troupes, she has had the honor of working with acclaimed Native American performing artists throughout her career. A tremendous lifelong goal was realized when she was blessed to be one of the first Native performers on the Nashville stage. Stephanie is an award-winning artist who holds the Meskwaki way of life dear, appearing on recordings meant to revitalize the tribal language and revive songs once thought lost to the community. Today Stephanie, also a published poet and anthropologist, works from home as a cultural consultant, continues as a virtual musical performer, acts as learning coach to her two children, and spends time sharing ideas with her intellectual husband. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/09/2020.

397. Interview with Ricky B, New Orleans, Louisiana (05:51)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Ricky B
Summary:
Ricky B (New Orleans, Louisiana) Raised in the St. Bernard projects of New Orleans, Ricky B is considered a pioneer of New Orleans bounce, an indigenous local subgenre of rap. Incorporating Mardi Gras Indian chants into his early records, Ricky is considered widely influential across multiple demographics, including rap, hip-hop, brass band, funk and more. Ricky B has multi-generational appeal, as the songs he wrote in the 1980s and 1990s are still regularly played by DJs throughout Louisiana. Ricky B is also a cultural historian and advocate for New Orleans music and culture. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

398. Interview with Samantha Crain, Norman, Oklahoma (05:34)

Date:
2020-10-02
Main contributors:
Samantha Crain
Summary:
Samantha Crain (Norman, Oklahoma) Samantha Crain is a Choctaw singer, songwriter, poet, producer, and musician from Oklahoma. She is a two-time Native American Music Award winner and winner of an Indigenous Music Award. Her genre spanning discography has been critically acclaimed by media outlets such as Rolling Stone, SPIN, Paste, No Depression, NPR, PRI, The Guardian, NME, Uncut, and others. She has toured extensively over the past eleven years nationally and internationally, presenting ambitious orchestrated shows with a band and intimate folk leaning solo performances. She has toured with First Aid Kit, Neutral Milk Hotel, Lucy Rose, the Avett Brothers, the Mountain Goats, Brandi Carlile, Langhorne Slim, and many other bands and artists. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/02/2020.

399. Interview with Ron Shirley II, Atlanta, Georgia (05:53)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Ron Shirley II
Summary:
Ron Shirley II (Atlanta, Georgia) Ron Shirley II is an R&B, pop, and electro-dance performer from Atlanta, Georgia. With rich vocals, crafty songwriting, and artsy videos, Ron is a young artist who was supported by his mother, who served as the director at the Woodruff Arts Center. He was involved in musical theatre from an early age and began writing his own music in his early teens. He released his first few EPs in the early 2010s, where he says he explored more colorful sounds and created his own visuals to accompany the music. His later albums, Thanks For Nothing and About a Boy, expanded upon similar connections between colorful visuals and music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

400. Interview with Sari Reist, Nashville, Tennessee (05:14)

Date:
2020-09-22
Main contributors:
Sari Reist
Summary:
Sari Reist (Nashville, Tennessee) Sari De Leon-Reist is Artistic Director of the Grammy-nominated Alias Chamber Ensemble. She plays with the Nashville Opera Orchestra and is a regular substitute for the Nashville Symphony. Sari was also a soloist with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and the Nexus Chamber Orchestra. In the popular music realm, she can be heard on the recordings of Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum), Kings of Leon, Faith Hill, Ben Folds, Train, Carrie Underwood, and many others. Sari received her Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Irene Sharp. She was formerly on the faculty of Mannes College of Music, School for Strings New York, and the Children’s Orchestra Society of New York, as well as the Governor’s School of the Arts in Tennessee and Lipscomb University. In 2018, she was a guest artist in the First National Youth Cello Festival in Ningbo, China. Sari teaches at Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/22/2020.