Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest today is Jacqueline Petroccia. Jackie is a classically trained vocalist, who enjoys singing opera, musical theater, jazz, and country. I saw Jackie perform her own show, called “Sometimes Patsy Cline” at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, a theater in Montgomery, Alabama in September 2018. I was moved by her courage to play herself in an original show of stories and songs that told her own life story, influenced by Patsy Cline, but just as inclusive of the different genres that shaped Jackie. She collaborated with her husband, Brent Frederick, her musical director and arranger, as they created an entertaining, heartfelt show that deeply touched me. When you are playing yourself, Jackie realized how exposed she felt, there was no character to hide behind. It’s risky to stretch the audience’s limited expectations of who they want you to be, and dare to show up as YOURSELF, trusting in your own authenticity.   Jackie tells the story of how she was discovered 14 years ago to play Patsy Cline in a production of “Always Patsy Cline”, which led to her to performing that role over a dozen times in various regional productions throughout the country. Jacqueline is deeply grateful for all that she has learned from Patsy Cline, someone who has inspired Jackie in countless ways. It was a thrill for Jackie to record her double album, “Champagne and Moonshine” in Nashville, Tennessee.  A few songs were actually recorded in the same studio where Patsy recorded her music. Jackie talks about the humbling, exhilarating role of being a new mother as well as her desire to continue performing. She acknowledges that many people make assumptions that she wouldn’t want to work, and she says please don’t make that assumption, call me! She was inspired to find this work/family balance from the online community Broadway Baby Moms and  encourages other artists thinking about starting a family to trust that it will all fall into place. Check out the links below for Jackie’s website, to buy her album, see photos and find her upcoming performances. In fact, Jackie will be  performing Patsy in another production of “Always Patsy Cline” in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on March 16th, 2019.  I hope to see you there!  Enjoy the podcast! Links: Double CD: Champagne and Moonshine Website FB: Jacqeline Petroccia IG: @jackiepetro @jeffwhitingnyc

My guest today is Matthew Rushing. Not only has Matthew been an outstanding dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater since 1992, he has also choreographed three pieces for the company and became the Rehearsal Director and Guest Dancer in 2010. Matthew was 12 years old when he first saw the Ailey company perform and remembers being transformed; he saw his life danced in front of him and fell in love with the idea of the company! The clarity that followed was not that he simply wanted to be a professional dancer, but that he specifically wanted to dance in this company! 5 years later, at age 17, Matthew manifested his dream. Matthew has a huge heart for young people in the arts, so along with all the classes he teaches, he co-founded the ASAP Mentoring Program, pairing Ailey students with Ailey professionals. As part of the 60th anniversary of the company, a video was made of Matthew dancing “I Wanna Be Ready” (a male solo section from the dance “Revelations”). Matthew danced this piece in Alvin Ailey’s childhood church, in Rogers, Texas, which was both exhilarating and humbling for Matthew. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and Matthew says he couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to thank Mr. Ailey, who changed his life and gave him wings to fly. Check out the links below for the Alvin Ailey website, where you will find photos, interviews and video footage of Matthew’s magnificent work with the company. There are also YouTube links of excerpts of Matthew’s choreography, and a link to Matthew giving an innovative keynote speech to the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts graduating class of 2015. Do yourself a favor and watch it, watch all the YouTube footage of Mathew dancing - he is exquisite and will uplift, inspire and maybe even move you to tears!!! Enjoy the podcast! Links: Alvin Ailey web site YouTube videos: “I Wanna Be Ready” Keynote speech at Frank Sinatra High School of the Arts Uptown (2009) Harlem Renaissance Odetta (2014) tribute to Odetta Holmes Alvin Ailey: The Making of Matthew Rushing's ODETTA: Part 1   Part 2    Part 3 New York City Dance Alliance Matthew 28 Collaborative Performance--Gracefarms.org

NYIBC Gala: A Song For You, solo performance

My guest today is Gary Fritz. Gary is a percussionist, drummer, DJ, photographer and one of the pioneers of NYC’s graffiti movement. Gary happily admits he has diverse interests and has been motivated to pursue them all! It’s not just that he expresses himself in different art forms, Gary embraces the variety of culture and genres within one art form. Take music, for example, Gary plays folk, pop, rock, rap, R&B, jazz, fusion, world beat, spoken word, big band, orchestra and gospel!! He has performed with George Benson, Roberta Flack, Brand New Heavies, Magic Lady, Inc. and played drums or percussion with  Broadway tours. I met Gary 13 years years ago when he became the percussionist for the Alvin Ailey band that backs up the gospel choir for their signature piece, Revelations. Gary shared his long history with the company: he played drums for Ailey classes and camp, dated a dancer from the company in 1988 and had meaningful conversations directly with Alvin. His deep connection to the Ailey company continues to lift and enrich his whole life experience. Sadly, Gary’s 33 year old daughter, Nneka died in a bus accident in Panama 4 years ago, and his stories of mystery, miracles and spiritual connection are very healing. Nneka continues to have a really big impact in the world. Even though I never met her, Nneka’s love is present, palpable and powerful!! Check out the show notes below for links to Gary’s social media sites, to find out where he is performing next and view his graffiti collection. Enjoy the podcast! Links: FB: Gary Fritz IG: @wickedgf  ReverbNation

My guest today is Tahira Clayton. Tahira is a soulful singer, songwriter, music teacher and conductor. Tahira’s name translates as purity of light and that she is! I see, hear and feel light when I am in Tahira’s presence - she is tuned in, gracious, open and compassionate - radiating light both on and off stage! Growing up in Texas, Tahira explained that her family was one of 3 black families that lived in an otherwise white neighborhood. Tahira didn’t want to stick out, she didn’t want anything that was going to make her seem more different than she already was. She acknowledges the irony that she figured out who she was while denying the biggest part of her. Tahira remembers when that self consciousness of her race dissipated and she finally felt proud to be black, she began to  confidently express herself as a strong black woman. We recorded this conversation with Tahira in the fall of 2018, intentionally waiting to release this podcast so we could promote her album release show. However, in addition to waiting for the album release date, her beloved partner,  Addison Frei (featured in Episode #43) pulled off a spectacular, romantic  surprise marriage proposal (with her whole family sworn to secrecy) over Thanksgiving 2018. Blessings Tahira and Addison!! In early December, Tahira came as my guest to see The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform at City Center (NYC), her first time seeing the company! We were both blown away, not only  by the company’s signature dance “Revelations", but by the world premiere of Rennie Harris’ "Lazarus I and II", this piece is a MUST SEE!! Please join me on Thursday February 28th, 2019 at 8pm to celebrate Tahira’s album release show at Nublu, 151 Ave C, New York City. Check out the links below for the latest events in Tahira’s life, as well as her website where you can hear her music and find out about all her exciting projects. For our UK listeners, Tahira will be traveling to London on March 9th, 2019 to be part of a panel on systemic exclusion of women in jazz at the International Women in Music Leadership Conference. Enjoy the podcast! Links: tahiraclayton.com FB: TahiraClaytonMusic IG: @tee.clay Twitter: T_ClaytonMusic “Wait Till Now” album release show: Thursday February 28th, 2019 at 8pm at Nublu, 151 Ave C, New York City

For  2019's Black History Month, we are featuring 4 wonderful people, all who have a tie to my absolute favorite dance company in the world: the  Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Our first guest of the month sings with the Alvin Ailey gospel choir. The second is a young singer who had never seen Ailey live and came with me as my guest this past December, while the company celebrated it's 60th Anniversary - one of my greatest joys is introducing new people to this magnificent dance company. Who knows, perhaps one day she too will sing with Ailey’s gospel choir! Our 3rd guest is the percussionist for Ailey’s live band and finally we feature a spectacular Ailey dancer, who has been with the company for 26 years! May you be inspired by Roosevelt Credit, Tahira Clayton, Gary Fritz and Matthew Rushing as we honor Black History month and the legacy and profound spirit of Alvin Ailey! My guest today is Roosevelt Andre Credit. Roosevelt is a gifted singer, performer, conductor, arranger and music educator. Roosevelt is also one of the most enthusiastic, positive humans I have ever encountered! His large heart, deep spiritual conviction and uncanny ability to find the good in just about every person and situation, plus his natural ability to light up a room and get the party started, truly inspires me. Roo grew up in Oakland, CA, studied opera at Oregon State University, and went to Northwestern University for graduate school. Roosevelt has had a rich, varied career from the Tony Award winning Broadway production of “Showboat”, the touring company of “Porgy and Bess”, to singing in professional NYC church choirs, conducting choruses and festivals, singing with the Alvin Ailey gospel choir for the live music performances of Ailey’s signature piece “Revelations”, helping to write the music for the movie “12 Years A Slave” and appearing on John Oliver’s HBO show Last Week Tonight. Roosevelt also has recorded two of his own CDs: “Old Time Religion”and “Get On Board”. Roo lives from a place of grace and gratitude, enjoys moments of synchronicity and connection, which delightfully appeared during our conversation, and truly is a vessel of love and light! Check out the show notes below for links to Roosevelt’s website www.rooseveltacredit.com, where you can hear his music, purchase his CDs, find a great video of Roosevelt’s hysterical embodiment of Fats Waller, singing “Your Feets Too Big”! I’ve also included links to videos of Roosevelt's appearances with a gospel choir on John Oliver’s show. “Well done good and faithful servant!!!” Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.rooseveltacredit.com Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - YouTube link “Old Time Religion”