In this in-person episode, Pokie and Walter warm up with traditional Bolivian api while catching up on winter life in New York City. From favorite neighborhood food spots to navigating snowstorms, they share stories from their daily routines as working musicians.

Pokie gives a personal update on the ongoing nurses’ strike, offering insight into staffing challenges, healthcare benefits, and workplace safety. The conversation then shifts to music with a special phone interview featuring pianist Naren, who discusses his upcoming Cantuta Concerts appearance, his passion for South American repertoire, and how dance rhythms and cultural identity shape his programming.

The episode wraps up with a “BarTech” segment, where Walter shares a game-changing tip for using digital links in ForScore, plus humorous stories about forgotten pedals and gig-life mishaps.

A thoughtful and lighthearted episode blending music, advocacy, and everyday life.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

It’s a cold one in NYC, and Pokie and Walter are bundled up and catching up on life in this cozy (and chaotic) Bar Talk episode. From snowy dog walks and old-dog vs. young-dog problems to a very real pet health scare, the duo shares honest updates from the week.

They recap missed friend gatherings, espresso martinis with Ferrero Rocher garnishes, and some excellent NYC food adventures. Pokie talks about standing on the nurses’ strike line (complete with air horns, DJs, drag queens, and marching bands), while Walter shares concert highlights, jazz shows, and upcoming performances at Lincoln Center and beyond.

The episode wraps with concert plans, artist spotlights, winter fatigue, and the very real struggle of finding motivation to practice without a performance deadline. No script, no agenda—just two friends talking life, music, community, and staying warm.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

It’s the first BarTalk of 2026, Pokie + Walter kick off the year with gravlax flexing, jet-lag chaos, and Walter nearly meeting his maker in a hot HIIT class.

They swap travel tea (Barcelona NYE, Dubai camels + dune-bashing terror), roast Walter’s depressing plane-movie choices (plus a “what if the world forgot The Beatles?” plot), and agree the best concerts are short and sweet—Amahllength, not “my ears are bleeding” length.

Then comes Ins & Outs for 2026:

IN: being present, fewer notifications, using AI to kill tedious tasks, Absolute Bagels’ comeback tour, Vesper martinis, and choosing joy.

OUT: concert black, endless pings, repetitive spreadsheet suffering, cocktails with cringe names (“Tears of My Ex”), and—officially—no douche bags.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

The BarTalk crew rings in the holidays with their first-ever guest, bestie Amanda, over a cozy pancake breakfast and plenty of chaotic banter. They swap friend origin stories, debate suspiciously perfect pre-cut fruit, and share recent highlights—from Amanda’s Met Opera matinee to Walter’s concert adventures and Pokie’s very relatable “nothing new, but trying to exercise” update.

The episode veers into opera territory with an absurdly difficult “opera endings” quiz, plus a quick rant about composers (looking at you, Beethoven) writing vocal lines as if breathing is optional. In BarTech, Pokie offers practical advice on phone upgrades: pay off what you owe, then trade in during a promo to snag a newer model.

They wrap up with end-of-year reflections, favorite musical moments, holiday song opinions, and Pokie’s strongest seasonal stance: glitter (or “glitters”) is the true villain of Christmas. A warm, funny, low-key holiday episode to close out the year—see you in 2026.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

Walter and Pokie are back in person at the dining-room-turned-studio for a very Thanksgiving-adjacent episode of Bar Talk. They compare stuffing strategies (cranberries, sausage, and serious gravy), take a ridiculous “Which Thanksgiving food are you?” quiz that somehow declares Pokie is cranberry sauce, and spiral into a debate about the worst desserts, chocolate fondue, and those infamous edible arrangements. Walter recaps his snowy trip to Poland and the Chopin Museum, they swap TV recommendations (Stranger Things and The Beast in Me), and reflect on the weird guilt of suddenly having slower, easier days as freelance musicians. Plus: Uber and Uber Eats pet peeves, robot vacuums, wet-sleeve rage, a Russian dumpling–turned–cheesecake mishap, and a tease for their cozy, eggnog-fueled Christmas episode to come.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

In this cozy pre-Thanksgiving episode, Pokie and Walter catch up on life, gigs, and the weird in-between feeling after big projects wrap up. Walter’s fresh from hot yoga in “the hot room,” Pokie’s recovering from playing for hundreds of kids and getting a parking ticket in NYC, and both of them are trying to remember what day it is as December chaos approaches.

They talk about juggling too many hats as musicians and teachers, the emotional crash after concerts. In BarTech, Pokie shares a practical trick to make ChatGPT more like a tough-love friend than a people-pleaser, and Walter battles a fake “virus detected” pop-up on Safari. There are also side quests into nonprofit perks, eggnog, age compliments, orphans in musicals, Frankenstein, Ratatouille, and a legendary Bolivian folk band.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

In this lighthearted episode of BarTalk, Pokie and Walter start with a chaotic laugh about karma and end up diving into everything from house robots and laundry routines to concert updates and pet peeves. Walter shares highlights from the first Project Pacha concert celebrating Bolivian composers, while Pokie talks about the whirlwind of preparing for the Annie musical. The duo swap stories about NYC life, discuss scams targeting music teachers, and discover Spanish pop sensation Rosalía for the first time — all in true BarTalk style: unscripted, witty, and full of tangents.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

It’s hoodie season at Bar Talk! ☕ Pokie and Walter catch up over morning coffee, talk favorite mugs and bagel orders, and discover the hidden mysteries of Instagram emoji games. In this week’s BarTech segment, they dive into the world of QR codes, Canva hacks, and why AI might be translating your tarot readings. A cozy, chaotic, caffeine-fueled episode to start your day.

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

We caffeinate irresponsibly, recap our wild week performing in 11,000 Strings at Park Avenue Armory (50 pianos + chamber ensemble = goosebumps), trade spooky-season movie takes (Chucky ≠ scary), complain about bars with cringey cocktail names, and drop a left-field listening rec: Mozart’s “Coronation” Concerto… with a modern twist.

Concerto for Piano No. 26 in D Major, K. 537 "Coronation"

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC

Pokie and Walter go full stream-of-consciousness this week—starting with “why do we all answer phones with the left ear?” and spiraling delightfully into awkward instrument postures, violin hickeys, super-glued fingertips, and a true story of a concerto round that ended with a blood-spattered keyboard. Updates include Walter’s DC concert in a cathedral-like acoustic, Pokie’s UN-week transit survival guide, and a big announcement: both hosts are performing in 11,000 Strings at the Park Avenue Armory—a massive sound-installation for 50 micro-tuned pianos plus chamber orchestra (hello, Klangforum Wien). BarTech brings a quick AI freebie tip, and we wrap with a pet-peeve PSA: please retire “another trip around the sun.”

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Hosts: Pokie & Walter • Produced by phMediaStudio, LLC