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PODCAST

Spotlight On

Lawrence Peryer

The musicians, writers, innovators and ideas shaping media, entertainment, and culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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All Episodes

49:19

Jonathon Grasse: the life & music of Eric Dolphy

Spotlight On ·

2025/01/16

Today, the Spotlight shines On author Jonathon Grasse. His new book,Jazz Revolutionary, traces Eric Dolphy’s journey from the clubs of 1940s Los Angeles to his groundbreaking work in New York’s avant-garde jazz scene.Eric Dolphy’s revolutionary voice in jazz was silenced far too soon. He was an artist who pushed the boundaries of what was possible on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet, collaborating with giants like John Coltrane and Charles Mingus before his tragic death in 1964 at the age of 36

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51:08

Lisa Pegher: Rhythms, Circuits, & Artificial...

Spotlight On ·

2025/01/09

Today, the Spotlight shines On innovative percussionist and drummerLisa Pegher.Lisa turns percussion into something you’ve never heard before. A pioneering artist who moves easily between classical concert halls and electronic music spaces, Lisa wields everything from traditional drums to cutting-edge AI technology.She’s performed with major orchestras worldwide and premiered works by today’s leading composers, but what sets Lisa apart is her drive to push percussion into new territory.Her

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51:31

Paul de Barros: chronicling Marian McPartland's life...

Spotlight On ·

2025/01/02

Today, the Spotlight shines On award-winning jazz critic and authorPaul de Barros.Throughout his storied career, Paul was editor and critic at the Seattle Times and has written for Downbeat and Earshot Jazz, amongst other outlets. He is also the author ofJackson Street After Dark: The Roots of Jazz in Seattlebut today, he joins us to talk about the updated edition of his bookShall We Play That One Together? The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland, which contains a new preface

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42:56

Küf Knotz & Christine Elise: when hip-hop meets harp

Spotlight On ·

2024/12/26

Today, the Spotlight shines On the duo of songwriter, producer, and MCKüf Knotzand harpist, vocalist, and music therapistChristine Elise.Küf and Christine have turned the unlikely harp and hip-hop track combo into pure magic with their 2024 albumHypnagogia. The album explores the space between awake and dreaming, with surreal soundscapes and vivid imagery that pulls listeners in.They’ve shared stages with artists like Wyclef Jean, Rising Appalachia, and Digable Planets. Earlier this year, they

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47:26

Christoph Dallach: krautrock origins from schlager to...

Spotlight On ·

2024/12/19

Today, the Spotlight shines On authorChristoph Dallach, who joins me to discuss his bookNeu Klang: The Definitive History of Krautrock.Christoph has spent years tracking down the pioneers who spent the late 1960s in West Germany’s basements and practice rooms, creating sounds unlike anything else in rock and roll.Through conversations with members of bands like Can, Kraftwerk, and Tangerine Dream, Christoph uncovers how these artists shaped a distinctly German sound in the shadow of World War II

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41:03

Marwan Allam: a Tunisian gateway to modern jazz

Spotlight On ·

2024/12/12

Today, the Spotlight shines On bassist and composerMarwan Allam.Marwan’s debut album,Bab Bhar, takes Arabic rhythms and Tunisian musical traditions and hands them to a jazz quartet, creating something that feels both ancient and brand new.Marwan tunes and plays his bass to echo the sound of the gimbri, a traditional three-string instrument from his native Tunisia. He’s here to walk us through this groundbreaking approach and share how growing up at the crossroads of North African music shaped his

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58:06

Joe Brent: mandolin magic from Vivaldi to Vinegar Hill

Spotlight On ·

2024/12/05

Today, the Spotlight shines On composer, mandolinist, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and label founderJoe Brent.Joe has worked with artists ranging from Regina Spektor to the Philip Glass Ensemble, but his collaboration with Grammy-nominated violinist Sara Caswell and bassist Andrew Ryan in 9 Horses was the impetus for our time together. 9 Horses creates music between classical precision and folk intimacy with mandolins and violins. On their latest album, Strum, 25 musicians create what Joe calls

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45:24

Round Room Live: crafting family entertainment's next...

Spotlight On ·

2024/11/28

Today, the Spotlight shines OnStephen ShawandJonathan LindenofRound Room Live.Round Room Live has become a powerhouse in family entertainment, from Broadway blockbusters to kids' favorite TV characters coming to life on stage.Stephen Shaw and Jonathan Linden launched the company in 2016 with a bold idea—take their experience from massive rock tours and use it to create live shows that capture the magic of beloved brands, from Sesame Street to Formula One. They’ve built Round Room into one of the

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54:44

Taylor Deupree & Joseph Branciforte: reimagining Stil.

Spotlight On ·

2024/11/21

Today, the Spotlight shines On experimental music producers and label ownersTaylor DeupreeandJoseph Branciforte.Back in 2002, Taylor Deupree released an electronic album calledStil.That release captivated listeners with its quiet, repeating patterns and stark digital sound. Twenty years later, Taylor and producer Joseph Branciforte linked up to reimagine the album asSti.ll, rebuilding the entire work using only non-electronic instruments.The new version takes all of the computer-generated sounds

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40:30

Anders Koppel: the Hammond's Danish master

Spotlight On ·

2024/11/14

Today, the Spotlight shines On legendary Danish organistAnders Koppel.Great music often runs in the family, and as proof, we have our first father-son episodes of Spotlight On. Last November, we had Benjamin Koppel, son and collaborator of today’s guest.But today’s story starts decades ago when Anders played Newport with his band Savage Rose. Fast forward to now, and Anders is back at the Hammond B3, making magic with Benjamin on alto sax and the incredible Brian Blade on drums.This trio came

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41:27

Christian McBride: jazz notes from the engine room

Spotlight On ·

2024/11/07

Today, the Spotlight shines On Christian McBride, a musician, recording artist, prolific composer, arranger, producer, cultural curator, dedicated educator, and mentor.Christian has been called the hardest-working person in jazz, and based on what I just rattled off, that might be underselling it. From his early days in Philadelphia soaking up the sounds of Philly Soul to sharing stages with legends like Ray Brown and Chick Corea, Christian has become a bridge between jazz’s rich history and its

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36:50

Erik Davis: the beatification of blotter art

Spotlight On ·

2024/10/31

What can be scarier than Halloween ghouls? How about a trip through the LSD underground?Today, the Spotlight shines OnErik Davis, and this trip is no bummer. Erik is an author, award-winning journalist, and teacher in San Francisco. He is the author, most recently, ofBlotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium_, a study of LSD blotter art. And that’s what he’s joined us to talk about.Erik also wrote one of my favorite books,High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies

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29:51

Josh Johnson: unusual objects and saxophone stories

Spotlight On ·

2024/10/24

Today, the Spotlight shines OnJosh Johnson, the Los Angeles-based saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and Grammy Award-winning producer.Josh joined me earlier this year to talk about his second solo album,Unusual Object, which came out this past April on Northern Spy Records. Equal parts futuristic jazz and modern composition, Josh uses processed saxophone and subtle samples in his unique compositions.In addition to examiningUnusual Object, we discussed the relevance and impact of genre

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31:34

Shawn Mativetsky: a tabla adventure through Temporal...

Spotlight On ·

2024/10/17

Today, the Spotlight shines On composer and percussionistShawn Mativetsky. A renowned tabla player, Shawn is a pioneer in bridging the worlds of Western and Indian classical music.We discussed the intricacies of traditional Indian music, including the setup and tuning of the instruments, the guru-disciple relationship, and the reception of Western musicians in the Hindustani community. We also explored the importance of deep learning, consistent practice, and research in mastering a musical

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28:04

Paul Stache: The Art of Running Smoke Jazz Club in NYC

Spotlight On ·

2024/10/10

Today, the Spotlight shines OnPaul Stache, co-owner (with his wife and partner Molly Sparrow Johnson) ofSmoke Jazz Club, one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Smoke is celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2024 and Paul joined us to talk about the storied venue’s past, present, and future.In addition to the club’s 25th Anniversary Celebration plans, we hit on topics like how their business has navigated the transition to a digital world, insight into managing an independent venue,

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1:20:17

Building Music Communities: Thinking Global & Acting...

Spotlight On ·

2024/10/03

Today, the Spotlight is going to shine a little differently. Instead of a single guest, we will have three segments dealing with the importance of local music scenes.Our first guest is Shain Shapiro. Shain is a thought leader working at the intersection of music, culture, and urban policy. His book, This Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better, came out last year on Repeater Books. Shain has defined a new way to think about the value of music and the creative economy in cities and

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48:46

Devin Gray: Most Definitely's solo drum universe

Spotlight On ·

2024/09/26

Today, the Spotlight shines On drummer and composerDevin Gray.Like me, Devin is a born New Englander who made his way to Brooklyn, though unlike me, he splits his time between Brooklyn and Berlin.Devin has performed with Spotlight On alumni Angelica Sanchez and Satoko Fuji, as well as a who’s who of the creative music scene: David Liebman, Sylvie Couvoisier, Tim Berne, Nate Wooley, and many others.Our conversation ranged from Devin’s earliest exposures to music, his self-taught approach to drumming,

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48:53

Brad Mindich: the art and craft of archiving stardom

Spotlight On ·

2024/09/19

Today, the Spotlight shines On Brad Mindich, an entrepreneur who works directly with artists, athletes, and others in music, culture, and sports to expand their legacies and create powerful connections with their fans.Brad currently does this work as the founder and CEO of Inveniem/Definitive Authentic, which helps its clients organize, catalog, present, and oftentimes monetize their archives directly to their audiences.Brad has worked with Metallica, Def Leppard, Stephen Stills, basketball star

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41:54

Andy McCluskey: kicking down fascist art with OMD

Spotlight On ·

2024/09/12

Today, the Spotlight shines OnAndy McCluskey, the singer, songwriter, musician, and producer best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist ofOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark(also known as OMD). Andy joined Spotlight On producer and guest host Michael Donaldson to discuss topics as varied as the political messages behind their latest work, post-modern society, Kraftwerk, and the Bauhaus art school.OMD is not working the nostalgia circuit, though no one would blame them if they were. Instead, they

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50:51

Gordon Grdina: the axe man cutting down borders

Spotlight On ·

2024/09/05

Today, the Spotlight shines On JUNO Award-winning oud player and guitarist Gordon Grdina.Gordon’s work defies limitations, be they geographical, distance, time, or genre. He incorporates avant-garde jazz, free improvisation, indie rock, and Arabic tradition into his music.So much music, so many collaborators, and so much ground to cover in our talk. We made the most of our time together, exploring projects, processes, the fusion of musical traditions, appropriation, authenticity, and more.If you are

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276 results

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