Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage

Welcome back to Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage, where we dive deep into the hearts and minds of the artists who are shaping the contemporary jazz scene.

In today's episode, we're thrilled to have the phenomenal Andrea Lisa joining our host Carl Brown for an invigorating chat. Andrea, a remarkable artist teeming with talent, not only serenades us with her soulful jazz but also captivates us with her diverse interests ranging from acting to motorcycling.

With two albums and countless experiences under her belt, Andrea opens up about her songwriting journey, her aspirations for more music, and the chances of seeing her on screen again.

Get ready for a rich symphony of stories, revelations, and a peek into Andrea's creative fire. Don't miss out on her uplifting perspective on life's challenges, the importance of enjoying the journey, and the value of a steadfast grind. Tune in and get ready to be swept up in the rhythm of Andrea's inspiring story.

Episode Highlights

02:20 - Emerging Music Artist's Upcoming Album: "Well, I definitely feel a sense of urgency to get this app out. So I've been working diligently, preparing these songs, getting together with different producers."

04:42 - Songwriting Journey: "Like the moment we actually recorded Get Your Wings Up for Humanity, I remember feeling, very relieved and confirmed because in the past, I remember showing my songs to, to different songwriters and different people and in my mind, I would be like, it's like me calling you up and saying, Hey, Carl, you know, at 11 at night, I got this new song. I just want, want to hear what you think about it and I'm hype about, I'm not always hype about all of my songs, you know. It depends. And that's how songwriting goes."

19:28 - Embracing Change: "I was actually just coming to the states to LA for a month vacation. And, the funny thing about that was I was just coming to the states to LA for a month's vacation. And I had some work with Kool and the Gang lined up to do some session work. And other than that, I didn't really have anything else. So, but at the end of that month, I just, I was like, man, I really don't want to go home. And I just, I didn't take my flight back home. I just stayed."

39:28 - The Impact of Music on Daily Life: "Is to to be able to have a moment with people that are all over the world where myself and my music and that person can affect that and be, comforted through listening."

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Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Andrea Lisa

In this energizing episode of Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage, we dive into the power of community and commitment with Carl Brown and Podcast Producer, Suzanne Singh. Hear about the tireless work and commitment that makes the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival a reality.

We discuss some exciting behind-the-scenes details and announce the artists who will bring the music and the magic to the 2024 Fresh Coast Jazz Festival. This episode is more than just music—it's a tribute to family, commitment, and the power of giving back. Listen now to experience the passion, heart, and soul of Fresh Coast Jazz.

Save the date and don't miss out! Grab your tickets for the 2024 Fresh Coast Jazz Festival happening on August 22nd to 24th! See you there!

Episode Highlights:

00:54 - The festival truly is a party with a purpose because not only do we bring the world class jazz talent to town, our festival proceeds go towards doing philanthropic work in Milwaukee. It's really important for us that we are about helping the community and being a part of the fabric of the community.

23:02 - They have all been on the podcast and interestingly, that's one of the things, one of the values of the podcast that, that for me is that I didn't get into the podcast for this to be the case. But what it has done is it's introduced me to some of these artists and their work ethic and how they go about their business.

41:13 - My wife leans over and whispers in my ear and she says to me, this is what we should do, we should start a jazz festival in Milwaukee and have the proceeds go to charity, that's how we honor your parents. And that's how the festival idea was born, and that's why the music piece of it is important, but the philanthropic piece of it is so important as well.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Carl Brown

Email 

Suzanne Singh

LinkedIn

Website

In this energizing episode of Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage, we dive into the power of community and commitment with Carl Brown and Podcast Producer, Suzanne Singh. Hear about the tireless work and commitment that makes the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival a reality.

We discuss some exciting behind-the-scenes details and announce the artists who will bring the music and the magic to the 2024 Fresh Coast Jazz Festival. This episode is more than just music—it's a tribute to family, commitment, and the power of giving back. Listen now to experience the passion, heart, and soul of Fresh Coast Jazz.

Save the date and don't miss out! Grab your tickets for the 2024 Fresh Coast Jazz Festival happening on August 22nd to 24th! See you there!

Episode Highlights:

00:54 - The festival truly is a party with a purpose because not only do we bring the world class jazz talent to town, our festival proceeds go towards doing philanthropic work in Milwaukee. It's really important for us that we are about helping the community and being a part of the fabric of the community.

23:02 - They have all been on the podcast and interestingly, that's one of the things, one of the values of the podcast that, that for me is that I didn't get into the podcast for this to be the case. But what it has done is it's introduced me to some of these artists and their work ethic and how they go about their business.

41:13 - My wife leans over and whispers in my ear and she says to me, this is what we should do, we should start a jazz festival in Milwaukee and have the proceeds go to charity, that's how we honor your parents. And that's how the festival idea was born, and that's why the music piece of it is important, but the philanthropic piece of it is so important as well.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Carl Brown

Email 

Suzanne Singh

LinkedIn

Website

Jazz Tales and Inspirations with Steve Carrington

In this soul-stirring episode, host Carl Brown delves deep into the life and experiences of the extraordinary saxophonist, Steve Carrington. As a beacon of inspiration for jazz enthusiasts, Carrington shares poignant anecdotes, his musical influences, and the intricate connection between his music and faith.

Tune in for a riveting discussion that weaves together jazz, spirituality, and the boundless passion for music. Join us in celebrating Steve Carrington's musical odyssey and be inspired by the symphony of his experiences.

Episode Highlights:

07:12 - Carrington reminisces about his musical roots: "It's like writing the story of life"

20:03 - The profound impact of mentorship and the timeless wisdom shared by Kenny Garrett

38:20 - Embracing life’s rhythm and the vibrant colors Carrington perceives while playing

52:46 - Unveiling the fusion of music and spiritual commitment in Carrington's journey as a rabbi

01:05:17 - Carrington's message of humility and the true path to enlightenment

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Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Steve Carrington

Catch the vibrant beats of the phenomenal multi-talented contemporary jazz artist Rebecca Jade as shares her nostalgic favorites with Carl and igniting our musical souls with timeless records. She also discusses her multi-faceted interests such as acting, modeling, playing basketball, and being a car and motorcycle enthusiast.

Rebecca has two albums under her belt and she shares her experiences with songwriting and her aspirations for releasing more music and potentially doing more acting in the future. Experience her vibrant journey and the perpetual rhythm that keeps her creativity aflame.

For the full revelation of her dream dinner guests, her upcoming itinerary, and more heartfelt anecdotes, tune in and join the groove. Check out the episode now to ride the waves of Rebecca Jade’s incredible adventures!

Episode Highlights:

27:42 - You just never know, like certain things, like where certain doors close, it's because you're meant to go down this path. So, I'm just so grateful and that really feels rewarding to me that I'm on the path. And again, I'm sure I'll sound like a broken record, but I just don't take it for granted.

31:37 - People will see your grind. I think that's what people saw in me, like I'm always about just a hustle. I want to do the best and grind. People are more willing to help you if they see that you're going to help yourself, and I feel like that was kind of a big aha moment for me.

56:34 - Life is a challenge, but to just stay the course and to enjoy the process and to not stress as much because the journey is going to happen anyway. So, might as well try to enjoy it and like the ups are going to be ups, the downs are going to be downs, but it's a continuous wave. So, be part of the journey instead of stressing when the journey happens.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Rebecca Jade

Get ready for an electrifying conversation with the dynamic duo, Lemek and Quintin Gerard W! In this riveting episode, they delve into their unique approaches to music, the significance of audience connection, and the exhilarating journey of collaboration.

Discover how Quintin's resurgence in music synchronizes with Lemek's blossoming career in what Quentin calls a "double whammy of goodness". They also share their habits after intensive music creation sessions and the thought process behind constructing an album.

Plus, don't miss the exclusive preview of Quintin Gerard's upcoming CD! Carl also reveals his anticipation for the duo's performance at the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival. Tune in, feel the beat, and immerse yourself in the musical world of Lemek and Quintin Gerard W!

Episode Highlights:

18:05 - Those people, when they graduate, they have no idea how to make it in this industry. They end up being the session players. So, they'll have a great career as session musicians or live musicians, and stuff like that. But I didn't have those aspirations. I wanted to be somebody who has a unique stamp and somebody who has a unique identity.

26:25 - As a musician, you always going to keep performing, keep writing, keep playing. And those creative juices just don't stop. You want to do stuff.

27:54 - You go through your ups and your downs  and sometimes you reach those pitfalls and sometimes you reach those brick walls, and you say to yourself, "Why am I even doing this?" But there's that little voice in your head that says, "Keep going. Don't stop." Because the only time you lose is when you quit.

30:32 - In our world, our family comes first. So, I would never compromise anything, in terms of ethics and morals, that I teach my son over fame and fortune. They just don't work like that in my house. You've got to have ethics. You've got to have morality. You have to be a good person first.

50:49 - Beyond the music, I want to leave people with the idea and the concept that anything is possible in this world. We can't buy the rhetoric that life is too hard, life is this, life is that. Don't accept the word. There are two words that are not in my vocabulary. And I tell Lamek don't put them in his vocabulary. The first word is can't and the second word is try. We don't try to do anything. We just do it. And the second thing is, I don't believe in can't. There's nothing I can't do.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Lemek

Quintin Gerard W.

In this energizing episode of Fresh Coast Jazz Backstage, we dive into the power of community and commitment with Carl Brown and Podcast Producer, Suzanne Singh. Hear about the tireless work and commitment that makes the Fresh Coast Jazz Festival a reality.

We discuss some exciting behind-the-scenes details and announce the artists who will bring the music and the magic to the 2024 Fresh Coast Jazz Festival. This episode is more than just music—it's a tribute to family, commitment, and the power of giving back. Listen now to experience the passion, heart, and soul of Fresh Coast Jazz.

Save the date and don't miss out! Grab your tickets for the 2024 Fresh Coast Jazz Festival happening on August 22nd to 24th! See you there!

Episode Highlights:

00:54 - The festival truly is a party with a purpose because not only do we bring the world class jazz talent to town, our festival proceeds go towards doing philanthropic work in Milwaukee. It's really important for us that we are about helping the community and being a part of the fabric of the community.

23:02 - They have all been on the podcast and interestingly, that's one of the things, one of the values of the podcast that, that for me is that I didn't get into the podcast for this to be the case. But what it has done is it's introduced me to some of these artists and their work ethic and how they go about their business.

41:13 - My wife leans over and whispers in my ear and she says to me, this is what we should do, we should start a jazz festival in Milwaukee and have the proceeds go to charity, that's how we honor your parents. And that's how the festival idea was born, and that's why the music piece of it is important, but the philanthropic piece of it is so important as well.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Carl Brown

Email 

Suzanne Singh

LinkedIn

Website

In this episode, Carl talks to Lemek, an emerging guitarist and New Orleans-based musician, whose father is veteran saxophonist Quintin Gerard W. Beyond simply using a different instrument, what makes this generational hand off unique is the way Lemek builds upon the soul and jazz foundation of his father yet takes his own music into new directions. They talk extensively about Lemek's musical journey and he is determined to make his stamp on the music industry and move it forward.

After a long dabble in the studio, Lemek is ready to put on his showstopping performance again. The pandemic has meant that he hasn't been able to get back on stage yet, so it's time for him to take center stage. He wants to make sure all those hard hours in the recording studio are worthwhile - by crafting unique music and showing off everything he can do with an audience of fans once more.

Listen to Carl and Lemek discuss the most challenging thing about being a musician and his deep connection to his music. Lemek also shares advice to aspiring young musicians. Tune in to discover how Lemek's music is designed to cause positive change and bring people out of darkness and into creativity.

Episode Highlights

18:32 - There's a bunch of people in the city that are fantastic musicians, even better than me. You know what I mean? So, those dudes are going to take your spot, if you can't hang with them so it kind of humbles you in that regard.

35:41 - One of the things that he was always telling me about, he was like, "Whatever field you go into, just make sure that you're the best at it. The best that you could be exactly. Don't go halfway or anything. Just follow that path and get to the end, and make sure that you learn every lesson that's along the way."

52:34 - It's a very intellectual genre, but the format of jazz in all the sub genres, I think it's making somewhat of a resurgence. Especially as of recently because my generation, I guess – this is from what I've seen among people that are around my age – is that they have a little bit of appreciation for things that are moving the boundaries per se.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Lemek

In this episode Carl is joined by Kim Scott, one the hottest contemporary jazz artists on the scene right now. Her billboard #1 charting album, Shine, has been a mainstay on smooth jazz radio for the last few months. She has 5 albums to her credit, she has collaborated with some of the top names in the business and she is also a member of the all-female super group Jazz in Pink. She is a smooth jazz flautist, a classical flautist, a flute professor and a radio show host.

Kim shares how she is balancing time, her work as a classical flautist, her musical influences and much more. In the ‘Bout it or Doubt it segment Kim shares her thoughts about the category Food and Beverage. Tune in to this episode and learn more about Kim Scott.

Highlights:

09:50 - If you`re not affecting the listener you're not doing your job. If you`re not feeling what you're playing and being emotionally vulnerable to the music then you can`t convey an emotion to the listener.

14:24 - I like audiences that are open to possibility, I don't want people to  try to sound like each other, I love people when they're authentic to themselves.

23:23 - You love to be able to send people away from your show uplifted in a better state of mind and move, that is just the best thing in the world.

39:18 - Be fearless, be unapologetic of who you are because you're unique and you`re here to serve a better purpose once you figure that out.

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Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Kim Scott

In this episode, Carl speaks with guitarist Andrea Lisa, a new artist to the American smooth jazz scene. She sings with passion, conviction, and purpose. She shares the story of how she got started in music at 15, starting a band in 2011, moving from New Zealand to Australia, and what it was like to leave everything to chase her passion.

Andrea talks about the musicians who influenced her music and how, instead of just recording a guitar solo, she ended up recording an original song with Kirk Whalum. She tells the story of how "Get Your Wings Off" came to be and while taking vocal lessons, realized that her voice needed to be treated with the same care as her guitar playing. Listen to Andrea and Carl as they talk about the lifestyle of a musician, which involves a lot of travel and little sleep.

Episode Highlights

23:14 - Whenever those feelings are a little stronger than normal, whatever it might be, and my mind starts thinking. When I'm in the mood, I'll just pick up my phone or pick up a pen and paper, or the guitar. That's where it starts. It's never really me wanting to write music, intentionally going to write music. Just me expressing whatever I'm going through.

32:34 - For a long time, the guitar was basically everything to me, especially while I was studying guitar. I took vocals as a second study. I did have vocal training, all of that.

49:21 - I think that even though I'm pretty ambitious and quite a go-getter, I often have these ideas years before I even do them or months before. When we have these ideas, we should do them immediately. We should do them like as soon as we can.

Contact

Fresh Coast Jazz Festival

Andrea Lisa