Josanne Francis is a Trinidadian Steelpan performer and educator based in Maryland, USA.

In the episode, Josanne talks about Cultural Academy for Excellence (CAFE) and Steel on Wheels, two arts education organizations she directs. We also discuss the challenges of keeping one’s artistic brand relevant, and why and how Josanne performed at the Haiti International Jazz Festival in January.

Josanne’s website is: josannefrancis.com

Josanne was recently featured playing pan on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in a music feature put together by Jon Batiste & Stay Human for Mardi Gras/Carnival 2021.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Bruce Jacoby has worked in the music industry for over 30 years. Based in southern California, he specializes as a drumset technician for touring and recording ensembles.

In this episode Bruce talks about touring with popular music artists, including Michael Macdonald, Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, and Gloria Estefan. He also outlines how the LA recording studio scene has changed in the past 20 years, recounts some favorite experiences, and describes recent work with Tool and Avenged Sevenfold . At the end of the episode, Bruce tells a great story about his first experience working a concert, in 1982 with the Dixie Dregs.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Yuko Asada is a Japanese American musician who specializes in the steelpan. She builds and tunes steelpans, composes and arranges music, teaches, and performs on multiple steelpan voices as well as the piano.

In this episode Yuko describes her duties at Northern Illinois University, and how they have changed since the pandemic. She also speaks about how the pandemic has affected her artistic and personal life, and has advice for younger artists, especially those who study cultures other than their own.

Some of Yuko’s most recent performance and educational projects include:

Pan In Unity, a virtual steelband of 691 performers from 23 countries, produced in 2020 by Yuko Asada, Dr. Mia Gormandy Benjamin and Tracy Thornton.

Virtual Steelband (2015) and Virtual Steelband II (2017) were the first large online mass-steelband projects, founded and produced by Yuko Asada, Abram Breiling, Dr. Mia Gormandy Benjamin, and Scott McConnell.

Yuko’s composition for traditional Thai instruments and steelband, "Forn Dueng Khrok Dueng Sak," was premiered in 2016.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Malika Green is an American jewelry designer and maker who lives in Trinidad & Tobago.

Malika tells us how her art has been influenced by her move to a new country, how the pandemic has affected her business, and how jewelry design contrasts with her previous musical career.

Malika’s jewelry can be found on her instagram page, malikarachelledesigns

and her website: malikarachelledesigns.com

In the podcast Malika describes watching her mother, Lorna Green, found the Cultural Academy for Excellence in Baltimore in 1996. Since that time CAFE has become a widely-celebrated youth enrichment program that uses the performing arts to promote leadership and academic achievement. Please visit cafeyouth.org for more info.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Li-Hsuan Hsu is an art educator and researcher whose interests lie at the intersection of arts and leadership.

In this episode, Li-Hsuan tells us how she uses art to teach students leadership and coping skills for difficult times. She also speaks about how the practice of making art can create a space to pause, recalibrate, and process our emotions.

Some of Li-Hsuan’s recent research can be found here.

Some recent artwork can be found here.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Aditya Kalyanpur is a virtuoso tabla player based in India and the United States.

In this episode, Aditya shares the story of his study with legendary North Indian classical music master Ustad Allarahka Qureshi, also known as Alla Rakha, who first became known to Westerners as Ravi Shankar’s drummer. Aditya tells of his close relationship with Alla Rakha, or Abbaji, and his equally talented sons Taufiq Qureshi and Zakir Hussein, including the ganda bandhan ceremony they had when he was ten years old.

We discuss the differences and similarities from traditional guru -disciple training (gurukul), training in Alla Rakha’s evening school, and online classes today. Aditya also talks about the challenges and pleasures of touring, the many responsibilities of a professional musician, and his dedication (shraddha) to practice (riyaz). We recorded the interview at the beginning of the COVID-19 quarentine, so you will hear us speak about that as well.

Aditya’s website is: https://adityakalyanpur.com/

Here is a short composition played by Aditya Kalyanpur and sitar player Niladri Kumar

Here is his 2019 Melbourne International Jazz Day performance with Herbie Hancock

Aditya spoke of:

Legendary vocalist Dr. Prabha Atre

Master violinists Dr. T.N. Krishnan and Dr. N. Rajam

Fusion artist Abhijit Pohankar

The outro music on this episode is “Raga Jhinjhoti” performed by Aditya Kalyanpur and sitar player Pandit Nayan Ghosh, from Pt. Ghosh’s Enchanting Sitar album

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Dr. Nicholaus Meyers is a music composer, conductor and performer.

In this episode Nick recounts his musical path and training, and explains why one’s career path may or may not be defined by college degrees. We also learn how Nick’s composition “Slightly Funky” (our theme music here at Art Lives!) came to be.

You can find out more about his compositions and recordings on his website, nicholausmeyers.com. Dr. Meyers is Director of Bands and Percussion at East Central University in Oklahoma.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Dr. Kenneth Jimenez is a performer, educator, and instrument repair technician.

He has over 20 years of repair experience and is an Instrument Repair Technician at the International Music Camp, where we recorded this interview. Dr. Jimenez maintains an active schedule as a trumpet artist, including an ongoing collaboration with percussionist and composer Dr. Nicholaus Meyers. (In fact, it’s their recording of Nick’s composition Slightly Funky that you hear at the beginning and end of each Art Lives episode.).

Ken is Assistant Professor of High Brass and Music History at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota.

Ken Jimenez’ personal website is: https://kenjimenez.com

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Violinist Daniela Arley and percussionist William Ramos perform in the Orquesta Sinfònica Nacional de Costa Rica, and together as Duo Arley-Ramos, featuring music for the violin & marimba.

In this episode, Daniela and William tell us about their respective musical histories, including William’s grandfather, who ran away with a circus. As members of the Orquesta Sinfònica Nacional de Costa Rica (OSN), Daniela and William get to play a great variety of music for enthusiastic audiences, yet still participate in other musical projects, such as their new duo collaboration. We discuss the importance of new creation, preserving the old classics, and the concept of “giving back.”

William has four albums, including Turrialba 1920s.

Here is a clip of William playing his arrangements of Costa Rican folk music.

This is a delightful clip of Daniela playing soon after she joined the OSN.

Art Lives Theme and Incidental music composed by Nicholaus Meyers, and performed by Nicholaus and Ken Jimenez. Art Lives Logo created by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.

Karla Huston is a poet based in Appleton, Wisconsin. Karla was the 2017-2018 Poet Laureate of Wisconsin.

On this episode Karla tells us what it means to be a Poet Laureate for a State. She also discusses how her artistic and educational roles have informed each other, and what it means to be a good Literary Citizen. At the end of the episode, Karla reads “The Theory of Lipstick,” which won a Pushcart Prize in 2011.

You can find more information about Karla and her work, which includes 8 chapbooks and a full collection, here: www.karlahuston.com

Karla recommends reading any poetry that speaks to you! She is currently reading these wonderful works:

Tyehimba Jess, Olio

Allison Joseph, Confessions of a Barefaced Woman

Ilya Kaminsky, Deaf Republic

Ted Kooser, Kindest Regards

Dorianne Laux, Only As The Day Is Long

Art Lives theme and transition music is composed by Nicholaus Meyers. Logo designed by Eduardo Moreno. Art Lives is available here, on Apple podcasts and Stitcher.