ABLE Voices

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Rivky Grossman.

Rivky’s musical career took off last year, with the writing and recording of her first Album-EP, Angel Sings the Blues. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Rivky's music combines unique beat structure, a folksy blues style, and the influence of her Hassidic culture upbringing. Rivky's work has been compared to Jacques Brel, Laura Nyro, Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and early Regina Spektor. A self-taught musician, Rivky lives with Schizo-affective disorder, which, she says, plays like a fuzzy, backdrop hum in her day to day routine and ignites her creative spark. Today, Rivky will be speaking with Gaelynn Lea.

Since winning NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, Gaelynn Lea has captivated audiences around the world with her haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. Over the years, she has collaborated with artists such as Michael Stipe, The Decemberists, and the industrial rock supergroup Pigface. In 2022, Gaelynn Lea composed the original score for Macbeth on Broadway, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. Thanks to a recent Whippoorwill Arts Fellowship, her soundtrack is set to be released in Spring 2025; a Music from Macbeth UK album tour will follow soon after. Gaelynn Lea is a sought-after public speaker about accessibility in the arts. She has been featured on PBS NewsHour, On Being with Krista Tippett, The Moth Radio Hour, The Science of Happiness Podcast, and via two widely-viewed TEDx Talks. In 2024, Gaelynn was awarded the prestigious Disability Futures Fellowship from the Ford and Mellon Foundations, which spotlights the work of disabled creatives across disciplines. One of Gaelynn Lea's biggest passions is promoting Disability Culture. To that end, she co-founded RAMPD [Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities] with NYC-based recording artist Lachi in early 2022. The mission of this fast-growing global network of disabled music professionals is to amplify Disability Culture, promote equitable inclusion & advocate for accessibility in the music industry. 

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.

For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE

Follow us for more weekly updates at:

Instagram: @BIAAE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and  guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Rivky Grossman.  Rivky’s musical career took off last year, with the writing and  recording of her first Album-EP, Angel Sings the Blues. Raised in  Brooklyn, New York, Rivky's music combines unique beat structure, a  folksy blues style, and the influence of her Hassidic culture upbringing. Rivky's work has been compared to Jacques Brel, Laura Nyro,  Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and early Regina Spektor. A self-taught  musician, Rivky lives with Schizo-affective disorder, which, she says,  plays like a fuzzy, backdrop hum in her day to day routine and ignites  her creative spark. Today, Rivky will be speaking with Colin Farish.  

Colin Farish is a multi-faceted musician who grew up in a world of sound  and started playing the piano at age three. For him, “active listening  reveals unfolding moments of silence and sound, playing with the  dynamics between the two is my inspiration for creating music.” Colin is  primarily a solo pianist and composer in the jazz and classical genres.  He is also an accomplished acoustic guitarist and producer of world  music and musical theater. Colin works in multiple genres, formats and  styles, from soundtracks for award winning documentary films to original  music for dance productions; from song-writing to live performances and  recordings with Grammy winning musicians. He enjoys composing for both  small and large ensembles, especially chamber jazz. His songwriting also  embraces political satire, humor, and spiritual philosophy as elements  of musical theater.  

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations  Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was  written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian  Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs  at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.  

For more information about our programs visit us at  https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE  

Follow us for more weekly updates at: 

Instagram: @BIAAE 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and  guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Rivky Grossman.  

Rivky’s musical career took off last year, with the writing and  recording of her first Album-EP, Angel Sings the Blues. Raised in  Brooklyn, New York, Rivky's music combines unique beat structure, a  folksy blues style, and the influence of her Hassidic culture  upbringing. Rivky's work has been compared to Jacques Brel, Laura Nyro,  Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and early Regina Spektor. A self-taught  musician, Rivky lives with Schizo-affective disorder, which, she says,  plays like a fuzzy, backdrop hum in her day to day routine and ignites  her creative spark. Today, Rivky will be speaking with Kemal Gorey.  

Kemal Gorey is Istanbul-born, classically trained film and TV composer  and accessibility advocate identifies as blind. Kemal's early career  included session, live, and arranging work, but 2020 marked a turning  point. After winning the Able Artist Foundation's Song Contest, he began  composing for media, notably co-scoring the feature film "Love and  Taxes" with Stephen Letnes. Kemal's music has been featured on major  networks like Discovery and Comedy Central, and even accompanied the  world's first blind Barbie doll campaign. He's a project lead for  groundbreaking library music albums by disabled composers released by  Able Artist Foundation and MPATH Tracks, and currently serves as  secretary for the Recording Artists and Music Professionals with  Disabilities (RAMPD) organization.   

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations  Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was  written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian  Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs  at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.  

For more information about our programs visit us at  https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE  

Follow us for more weekly updates at: 

Instagram: @BIAAE 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Rivky Grossman.

Rivky’s musical career took off last year, with the writing and recording of her first Album-EP, Angel Sings the Blues. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Rivky's music combines unique beat structure, a folksy blues style, and the influence of her Hassidic culture upbringing. Rivky's work has been compared to Jacques Brel, Laura Nyro, Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and early Regina Spektor. A self-taught musician, Rivky lives with Schizo-affective disorder, which, she says, plays like a fuzzy, backdrop hum in her day to day routine and ignites her creative spark. Today, Rivky will be speaking with Dr. Cynthia George.

Dr. Cynthia George is a PhD level social worker and an Associate Professor at Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN where they are an AI Fellow and teach courses on research and public policy. They are an award-winning artist, educator, and evaluator with twenty years experience working with groups from across the USA to engage in prevention science in areas including substance abuse, healthy relationships, teen driver safety, inclusion of people with disabilities, and crime prevention. They are a first-generation college student from a low income family and a person who manages disabilities. Performing as Dr. CynCorrigible, they write music and sing for the punk band Dr. Cyn and the Graduates Rise. Dr. Cyn uses music as a tool for education and as a rage outlet for self-care.

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.

For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE

Follow us for more weekly updates at:
Instagram: @BIAAE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and  guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Rivky Grossman.

Rivky’s  musical career took off last year, with the writing and recording of  her first Album-EP, Angel Sings the Blues. Raised in Brooklyn, New York,  Rivky's music combines unique beat structure, a folksy blues style, and  the influence of her Hassidic culture upbringing. Rivky's work has been  compared to Jacques Brel, Laura Nyro, Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and  early Regina Spektor. A self-taught musician, Rivky lives with  Schizo-affective disorder, which, she says, plays like a fuzzy, backdrop  hum in her day to day routine and ignites her creative spark. Today,  Rivky will be speaking with Mx Enigma.

Mx. Je'Jae  (They/She/Qween) is a queer Mizrahi mixed media artist. They received a  BA in Media and Film/Gender Studies from the CUNY Baccalaureate Program  for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies. Their work focuses on the  intersections of Queerness, American culture, and public perceptions and  has been featured at film and arts venues worldwide, including the  Museum of Modern Art, Tribeca Film Festival, Miles Nadal Gallery in  Toronto, and Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen. They have had  residencies at the Brandeis Collegiate Institute/American Jewish  University in California, New York City’s Judson Memorial Church, and a  writing fellowship with the LA Times.Mx. Je'Jae worked with the New York  Public Library on a production of the play L’Chaim 2 Dykes, about Queer  ex-Hasidic women engaged in custody battles.

The ABLE Voices  podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations Coordinator, Daniel  Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was written by Kai Levin and  the ending song was written by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are  students in the Arts Education Programs at the Berklee Institute for  Accessible Arts Education.

For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE

Follow us for more weekly updates at:
Instagram: @BIAAE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is Rivky Grossman.

Rivky’s musical career took off last year, with the writing and recording of her first Album-EP, Angel Sings the Blues. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Rivky's music combines unique beat structure, a folksy blues style, and the influence of her Hassidic culture upbringing. Rivky's work has been compared to Jacques Brel, Laura Nyro, Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and early Regina Spektor. A self-taught musician, Rivky lives with Schizo-affective disorder, which, she says, plays like a fuzzy, backdrop hum in her day to day routine and ignites her creative spark. Today, Rivky will be speaking with Rich Courage.

With no formal training other than high school art classes, Rich began drawing in 1999. He enjoyed making magical, Tarot-themed collage art that has grown popular with collectors, and he also works in photography. Rich served as a Certified Peer Counselor at Fountain House Studio for several years and made regular appearances as an actor on the original Law & Order TV franchise. Rich's play, The Very Last Dance of Homeless Joe, had its Off-Off-Broadway world premiere in 2022 at the renowned Theater for the New City, where it attracted critical acclaim and played to sold-out houses.

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.

For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE

Follow us for more weekly updates at:
Instagram: @BIAAE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and  guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest is Rivky Grossman, who will  also be our next guest host.

Rivky’s musical career took off last  year, with the writing and recording of her first Album-EP, Angel Sings  the Blues. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Rivky's music combines unique  beat structure, a folksy blues style, and the influence of her Hassidic  culture upbringing. Rivky's work has been compared to Jacques Brel,  Laura Nyro, Billy Joel, Sara McLachlan, and early Regina Spektor. A  self-taught musician, Rivky lives with Schizo-affective disorder, which,  she says, plays like a fuzzy, backdrop hum in her day to day routine  and ignites her creative spark.

The ABLE Voices podcast is  produced and edited by BIAAE Operations Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del  Campo. The introduction music was written by Kai Levin and the ending  song was written by Sebastian Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in  the Arts Education Programs at the Berklee Institute for Accessible  Arts Education.

For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE

Follow us for more weekly updates at:
Instagram: @BIAAE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is John Bramblitt.  

John  Bramblitt is an artist living in Denton Texas, his art has been  sold  in over one hundred and twenty countries and he has appeared   internationally in print, TV and radio. He has appeared on CBS Evening   News with Katie Couric, ABC, NBC, FOX, Discovery Channel and BBC Radio   and TV to name a few outlets, and he's been featured in The New York   Times and Psychology Today as well as designed the artwork for numerous   magazine covers and even the artwork for major film productions. He's   the subject of the award winning documentary shorts ""Line of Sight' and   “Bramblitt.” His work has received much recognition including the  ‘Most  Inspirational Video of 2008′ from YouTube and three Presidential  Service  Awards for his innovative art workshops. And John is blind.  Today, John will be speaking to Bruce Horak.

Bruce Horak s a Canadian artist, television and stage actor, perhaps  best known for portraying Hemmer on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Horak  is the first legally blind actor to portray a character in the Star  Trek franchise. Having lost over 90% of his eyesight to a childhood  Cancer, Horak has navigated the world of the fully-sighted his entire  life.  For the past 25 years, Horak has pursued a career in the  performing arts and has won numerous awards for his performance,  writing, direction, and creation. He has performed across Canada, the  United States and Europe. His stage credits include an award-winning  role in Evil Dead: the Musical and his original one-man show,  Assassinating Thomson, in which he creates a painting live on stage. He  has also been active as a painter since 2011, exhibiting his work in  various venues.

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced  and edited by BIAAE Operations  Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo.  The introduction music was  written by Kai Levin and the ending song was  written by Sebastian  Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the  Arts Education Programs  at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts  Education.  

For more information about our programs visit us at  https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE  

Follow us for more weekly updates at:
Instagram: @BIAAE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and  guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is John Bramblitt.  

John Bramblitt is an artist living in Denton Texas, his art has been  sold in over one hundred and twenty countries and he has appeared  internationally in print, TV and radio. He has appeared on CBS Evening  News with Katie Couric, ABC, NBC, FOX, Discovery Channel and BBC Radio  and TV to name a few outlets, and he's been featured in The New York  Times and Psychology Today as well as designed the artwork for numerous  magazine covers and even the artwork for major film productions. He's  the subject of the award winning documentary shorts "Line of Sight' and  “Bramblitt.” His work has received much recognition including the ‘Most  Inspirational Video of 2008′ from YouTube and three Presidential Service  Awards for his innovative art workshops. And John is blind. Today, John  will be speaking to Heather Bergerson. 

Heather Bergerson is a German-American multimedia artist who recently  became visually impaired due to a life-threatening car accident in 2020. Inspired by  biological survival mechanisms, Bergerson explores the relationship between nature  and humanity, particularly focusing on parallels between carnivorous plants, fungi, and  human behaviors. As a researcher, explorer, survivor, and a mother, Bergerson infuses her creations with authenticity and depth through mediums such as printmaking, oil  painting, and large-scale collaborative projects. 

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations  Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was  written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian  Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs  at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.  

For more information about our programs visit us at  https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE  

Follow us for more weekly updates at: 

Instagram: @BIAAE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE

We are inviting disabled artists and arts educators to be guests and  guest hosts on ABLE Voices. Today's guest host is John Bramblitt.  

John Bramblitt is an artist living in Denton Texas, his art has been  sold in over one hundred and twenty countries and he has appeared  internationally in print, TV and radio. He has appeared on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, ABC, NBC, FOX, Discovery Channel and BBC Radio  and TV to name a few outlets, and he's been featured in The New York  Times and Psychology Today as well as designed the artwork for numerous magazine covers and even the artwork for major film productions. He's  the subject of the award winning documentary shorts "Line of Sight' and “Bramblitt.” His work has received much recognition including the ‘Most  Inspirational Video of 2008′ from YouTube and three Presidential Service Awards for his innovative art workshops. And John is blind. Today, John  will be speaking to Krista Webb.  

Krista Webb is a wood burning artist based out of Texas. Krista was born  with Usher syndrome, type 2, a genetic cause of combined  deaf-blindness. Krista uses Instagram to connect with other deaf-blind people all over  the world. She loves creating art and educating people how blindness is a  spectrum.  

The ABLE Voices podcast is produced and edited by BIAAE Operations  Coordinator, Daniel Martinez del Campo. The introduction music was  written by Kai Levin and the ending song was written by Sebastian  Batista. Kai and Sebastian are students in the Arts Education Programs  at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education.  

For more information about our programs visit us at https://college.berklee.edu/BIAAE  

Follow us for more weekly updates at:

 Instagram: @BIAAE 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAAE