Bassist Nick Jost joins Lindsay to discuss his "prepped-for-anything" mindset and the reality of the creative music scene. He breaks down his roots in St. Louis, his technical tools for learning odd meters, and why the best music comes from leaving your ego at the door.

BIRCH GROVE MEDIA

• Web: birchgrove.io
• Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.
• Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia
• Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Alan and Lindsay break down the move from New York City to their new headquarters in Blairstown, NJ. They discuss the "obsessive" process of building a professional-grade home studio, the difficulty of booking bands in the city post-2022, and the local history of the Delaware Water Gap.

BIRCH GROVE MEDIA

• Web: birchgrove.io
• Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.
• Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia
• Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guitarist Ryan Clackner joins the show to discuss why jazz guitar often fails to harness the true power of the electric instrument. From the "incestuous" habits of guitar players to the soul-crushing influence of academia, Ryan breaks down what’s wrong with the scene today—and why he had to move to the "Bermuda Triangle of Appalachia" to find his own voice.

Timestamps:

01:30 - The "Sound Riddle": From Holdsworth to Scofield

03:49 - The hurdle of "straight-ahead" proficiency

11:10 - How the "classical sickness" infected jazz

16:46 - From eighth-grade Metallica to jazz band

22:03 - The cultural importance of the Garwood Crossroads scene

28:31 - Why Nashville actually "hates musicians"

37:43 - Details on the upcoming Big Ears Festival duo performance 

BIRCH GROVE MEDIA

• Web: birchgrove.io
• Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.
• Watch the episodes: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia
• Support the music: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Visit our site to shop our latest physical media and vinyl releases.

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In the debut episode, founders Alan and Lindsay discuss why they decided to "choose themselves" and launch Birch Grove Media. They break down the importance of physical media, the roles of a creative director versus a label manager, and why their podcast won't sound like your typical "soothing" NPR jazz show.

Timestamps:

• 01:15 - Looking back at the first release: Smirk
• 02:37 - What makes a Birch Grove Media project?
• 09:00 - The philosophy of independent publishing
• 10:47 - Why we insist on 180g vinyl and gatefold packaging
• 14:45 - Building a label from scratch (literally, including the fonts)
• 20:54 - Introducing the quartet: Bear Skinner

BIRCH GROVE MEDIA

• Web: birchgrove.io
• Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.
• Watch the episodes: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia
• Support the music: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Visit our site to shop our latest physical media and vinyl releases.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.