Episode 72: William Bowerman. William is one of the most in-demand musical directors in the world, coming out of London. His client list includes Post Malone, Jennie, BLACKPINK, The Kid Laroi, FKA Twigs, Addison Rae, and many more. He's the co-founder of WFB with his wife, creative director Ace Bowerman. Together, they’re building something special.

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Episode 71: Harvey Mason Sr.

You’ve heard Harvey Mason Sr., whether you realize it or not. From the iconic grooves of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters to the GRAMMY-winning “Kiss From A Rose” by Seal, Harvey's drumming has shaped music history across genres, decades, and mediums — albums, film scores, and TV alike.

He’s not only a musical powerhouse, but a dear friend, and in this episode, we finally sat down to dig into his legendary run — especially his work with Herbie Hancock and the Head Hunters album. Harvey shares the story of how that band came together, the sessions behind Chameleon and Watermelon Man, and why he chose not to tour with them at the height of their success.

We also dive into his solo career — how it started, how it evolved, and the surprising role Clive Davis played in making it all happen.

Harvey opens up about his long-standing friendships and collaborations with Quincy Jones and Chick Corea, his approach to fatherhood (including raising his sons Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, and Max Mason, former VP of Quincy Jones Productions), and how he built a legacy both on and off the kit.

Fun fact: Vic Firth was Harvey’s teacher — and Harvey still receives royalties from the early days of Vic Firth drumsticks!

We also get into his stunning new album Changing Partners: Trios 2, featuring the likes of Chick Corea, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, James Genus, Dave Grusin, Stanley Clarke.

This conversation is a masterclass in musicianship, legacy, and love for the craft. Enjoy my sit-down with the incomparable Harvey Mason Sr.

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(0:00:00) Intro

(0:02:35) Harvey’s New Album

(0:05:26) Head Hunters

(0:06:29) Getting the Call from Herbie Hancock

(0:09:20) Making the Head Hunters Album

(0:10:59) Studio vs. Touring Musician, Harvey’s Background

(0:14:06) Berklee, Studying with Alan Dawson

(0:15:33) Vic Firth taught Harvey

(0:17:55) Moving to L.A., Lucille Ball Show

(0:19:41) Session Work in the 1970’s

(0:21:24) Working with Quincy Jones on the Bill Cosby Show

(0:22:51) Instrument Collection, Harvey’s Foundation

(0:24:23) Session Work, Touring

(0:28:00) “Chameleon” Session

(0:30:56) Herbie’s Hollywood Bowl Show

(0:32:55) What Herbie was like in the 70’s

(0:33:47) “Watermelon Man”

(0:35:15) The “4 A.M.” Session, Jaco Pastorius

(0:36:41) Jaco Stories

(0:38:22) The “4 A.M.” Session Continued

(0:38:45) Focusing on Goals, Family Life

(0:41:18) Harvey Mason Jr.

(0:41:59) Max Mason

(0:44:18) Learning from Clive Davis, Quincy, and others

(0:48:22) Biggie, T.I., and Lupe Fiasco Sampled Harvey’s Music

(0:49:05) Funk in a Mason Jar

(0:49:39) “Till You Take My Love,” David Foster, David Paich

(0:51:40) Clive Davis

(0:55:59) Touring with Carole King

(0:57:30) Chick Corea

(0:58:55) Losing Chick and Quincy

(1:00:44) What Harvey is Doing Now

(1:02:05) How to Keep Creativity Going

(1:02:54) Playing Piano in Church

(1:06:42) Playing with Duke Ellington

(1:08:07) The Quincy Jones JammJam

(1:09:12) Advice

(1:10:47) “Changing Partners Trios II”

(1:11:49) Vic Firth Stories

(1:18:55) Residuals, Pension, Royalties, and Sessions

(1:21:31) Sharing Stories

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Episode 70: Emilio Estefan. The global latin music scene was shaped by this incredible, visionary, and kind man. Born in Cuba and immigrating to the U.S. with a dream, Emilio Estefan built an empire alongside his wife, Gloria Estefan. From founding Miami Sound Machine and bringing Latin music to the mainstream charts to serving as President of Sony Music, where he helped launch the careers of Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Ricky Martin—his impact on Latin music and the city of Miami is undeniable.

We sat down with Emilio backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, where he is now an investor. Though our time was limited to a fast-paced 10 minutes, this conversation is packed with insight from a true legend. We hope you enjoy our conversation with the one and only, Emilio Estefan!

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(0:58) MONTREUX JAZZ MIAMI

(1:19) THE MIAMI SCENE

(1:54) MAKING LATIN MUSIC GLOBAL

(2:27) MIAMI SOUND MACHINE

(3:10) "CONGA" GLORIA ESTEFAN, BECOMING CEO OF SONY

(4:49) THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY

(5:20) MONTREUX JAZZ MIAMI, QUINCY JONES

(6:08) ADVICE FOR INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS TO BECOME GLOBAL, GLORIA'S NEW ALBUM

(7:09) HOW TO BALANCE CREATIVE VS. ENTREPRENEURIAL, QUINCY JONES

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Episode 69: The Pocket Queen. Taylor Gordon, aka The Pocket Queen has become one of the most followed drummers on social media. And for good reason—her groove is deep, her performance is engaging, and she’s built a strong brand that goes beyond just drumming.

We sat down backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, where she was playing with Willow Smith, and got into all of it—how she came up with The Pocket Queen name, how she first went viral and continued her social media growth, how she landed the Willow Smith gig, and how she’s running her career as both an artist and a business. We also talked about her journey from Berklee student to full-time pro, the challenges of balancing creativity and entrepreneurship, and what she’s learned along the way. So here it is! I hope you enjoy my conversation with The Pocket Queen.

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(00:00) INTRO

(01:21) PLAYING WITH WILLOW SMITH

(01:50) RECORDING BASS ON "FALSE SELF" ON "EMPATHOGEN"

(02:39) HOW "POCKET QUEEN" WAS CREATED

(05:03) CREATING VIDEOS, INTROVERSION, BUILDING A BRAND

(07:39) VIRAL "777-9311" CLIP, SOCIAL MEDIA

(11:59) COVERS, CHALLENGING YOURSELF, GROWING SOCIAL MEDIA

(14:43) PQ CHALLENGE, MAKING BEATS

(15:21) REACTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH

(20:08) PQ'S CAREER NOW, TOURING, PERSONAL PROJECTS

(20:59) MANAGING ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREER

(22:53) WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO POCKET QUEEN?

(26:27) STRATEGY, RELEASING MUSIC, TIMING

(30:12) WHAT INSPIRES POCKET QUEEN TO DRUM RIGHT NOW

(31:45) TINY DESK WITH WILLOW SMITH, MOHINI DEY

(32:54) WILLOW SMITH IS A NO CLICK SHOW

(33:31) WILLOW SMITH

(35:08) WHAT'S NEXT?

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Episode 68: Mohini Dey.

Today, we’ve got the incredible Mohini Dey on the pod! We’re coming to you from backstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Miami, where she just played an amazing set with Willow. Mohini is absolutely one of the greatest bassists in the game right now. She came up in India, built a huge name for herself, and is now living in the U.S., touring the world. We get into her journey, her artist career, her inspiring drive, and something I had no idea about—her entrepreneurial work, which she keeps super low-key (and honestly, that just makes me respect her even more). We also talk playing with Willow, their viral Tiny Desk performance, life on tour, and more. Hope you dig this convo with my friend Mohini Dey. Let’s go!

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(00:00) INTRO

(03:39) CAREER GROWTH

(06:32) WILLOW SMITH

(14:54) TINY DESK, WILLOW SMITH'S BAND

(15:42) SOLO CAREER

(23:11) FAMILY UPBRINGING, DEDICATION, HAPPINESS

(30:58) THE MUSIC SCENE IN INDIA, A. R. RAHMAN

(36:51) LESSONS FROM PLAYING WITH OTHER LEGENDARY MUSICIANS

(39:34) ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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Episode 67 – Rex Kudo is one of the most influential producers in modern hip-hop. His big break came when he co-wrote/produced Post Malone’s “White Iverson”, and from there, he’s worked with Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky, Juice WRLD, J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Skrillex, M.I.A., Mac Miller, Roddy Ricch, Future, Young Thug, The Weeknd, Trippie Redd, and has even produced alongside Rick Rubin.

Lately, I’ve been spending more time with Rex, and I get the feeling he’s becoming the next Rick Rubin. He’s got this energy, this perspective on music and life that’s just different. He’s inspiring, community-driven, and one of the most genuinely good people in the game.

But last month, he unfortunately lost his house and studio, burned down in the Pacific Palisades fires. Instead of letting it destroy him, he’s kept moving forward with pure optimism for the future and realizing how lucky he already is. That really hit me.

In this episode, we talk about his journey, his process, the hits, the lessons from working with legends, making new legends, and how he’s pushing through one of the toughest moments of his life. Rex is one of those guys you just root for, and I’m stoked to share his story with you.

Hope you dig this convo with the great Rex Kudo.

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(0:00:00) INTRO

(0:03:30) L.A. FIRES

(0:05:11) LOSING STUDIO AND HOUSE TO THE FIRE

(0:22:45) WHY DO YOU CREATE?

(0:25:47) SIGNATURE PRODUCTION SOUNDS

(0:26:47) "WHITE IVERSON", WALE, MAC MILLER

(0:27:49) "WHITE IVERSON" AND POST MALONE

(0:28:46) CHAIRLIE HANDSOME, FKI 1ST

(0:29:33) THE "WHITE IVERSON" SESSION

(0:32:23) EARLY POST MALONE MEMORIES

(0:33:06) HOW "WHITE IVERSON" CHANGED REX KUDO’S LIFE

(0:34:53) YUNG THUG, FUTURE, WEEZY

(0:37:44) EARNING RESPECT, EGO

(0:38:57) BUILDING A TEAM, LYOR COHEN, AUSTIN ROSEN, BILLY WALSH

(0:39:41) SBE PARTIES, JERRY LORENZO

(0:40:29) AUSTIN ROSEN

(0:40:46) LYOR COHEN

(0:41:43) REX’S MUSIC BACKGROUND

(0:42:40) "GO FLEX", GUITAR IN HIP HOP

(0:44:07) "OLD TOWN ROAD", YOUNG THUG

(0:44:39) FOLK EMOTIONAL HIP HOP

(0:45:04) SKILLEX, "WAY BACK", PINKPANTHERESS AND TRIPPIE REDD

(0:46:09) COVID SESSIONS WITH SKRILLEX AT SHANGRI-LA, MIA, RICK RUBIN

(0:54:02) RICK RUBIN

(0:55:35) LESSONS FROM RICK RUBIN

(0:56:55) CO PRODUCING WITH RICK RUBIN, M.I.A.’S ALBUM, “MATA”

(0:59:44) HOW REX CREATES A SONG

(1:03:24) JUICE WRLD

(1:04:54) HOW REX MET JUICE WRLD

(1:07:15) PROCESSING THE LOSS OF JUICE WRLD

(1:10:45) RODDY RICCH

(1:13:23) 2010’S AND 2020’S HIP HOP GENRE

(1:14:27) LIL UZI VERT SESSIONS

(1:17:17) A$AP ROCKY, MANNY MARROQUIN

(1:19:23) TRACKING VOCALS WITH A$AP ROCKY

(1:20:06) MOST PROFICIENT RAPPERS

(1:21:36) CAREER JOURNEY, DISCUSSING THE NEXT 10 YEARS

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Episode 66: Musical Director Week! If you’ve ever wondered what a musical director is, what they actually do, or how to become one—this episode is for you. MDs are one of the most important (and underrated) pieces of the live music puzzle, running the show behind the scenes for some of the biggest artists in the world.

I’ve been a musical director myself for years before starting Jammcard and this podcast, so I’m breaking it all down—what an MD does, why they matter, and how to be a great one. Plus, we've brought in some of the top MDs in the game to share their experiences on the pod:

Adam Blackstone (Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna)

Kris Pooley (Katy Perry, American Idol)

Michael Bearden (Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga)

Rance Dopson (Beyoncé, Jay-Z)

Teddy Campbell (Britney Spears)

This is a must-listen for anyone who wants to step into the world of musical direction or just understand how live shows really come together. Drop any questions you have or personal stories in the comments!

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(00:00) INTRO

(01:43) WHAT IS A MUSIC DIRECTOR? - ELMO LOVANO

(02:45) ADAM BLACKSTONE - MD'ING EMINEM

(06:05) MICHAEL BEARDEN - MD'ING FOR LADY GAGA

(13:32) TEDDY CAMPBELL - MD'ING FOR BRITNEY SPEARS

(14:25) WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT AS AN MD? - ELMO LOVANO

(15:18) KRIS POOLEY - MD'ING AMERICAN IDOL

(19:44) HOW DOES MUSIC DIRECTING WORK? - ELMO LOVANO

(23:23) RANCE DOPSON - MD'ING BEYONCÉ BE A PROBLEM SOLVER

(25:27) HOW TO BECOME A MUSIC DIRECTOR - ELMO LOVANO

(29:27) HOW ADAM BLACKSTONE BECAME A MUSIC DIRECTOR

(37:56) CLOSING THOUGHTS

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Episode 65: Nate Smith. One of the greatest drummers in the game, a future member of the Hall of Fame—you already know it’s Nate Smith! I had a great time hanging with Nate in this conversation. He’s a brilliant musician, composer, thinker, and such a fun guy.

We go deep on how he got the gig with Brittany Howard and his work with her, how the Fearless Flyers became a band and how they make records, his practice regimen, personal life, philosophies, working with Paul Simon, going viral, what drives his creativity, etc. Nate is the kind of guy you like even more once you talk with him, so I hope this interview makes you feel like you know him better—and become an even bigger fan. Much love! Here's my talk with Nate Smith.

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(0:00:00) INTRO

(0:03:06) L.A.

(0:04:15) NEW FEARLESS FLYERS ALBUM

(0:04:54) L.A. FIRES

(0:05:59) THE FEARLESS FLYERS, ACE OF ACES

(0:08:32) CREATING FEARLESS FLYERS SONGS

(0:09:50) RECORDING SESSIONS, JOE DART

(0:13:45) KICK, SNARE, HAT

(0:16:35) STAYING MOTIVATED

(0:18:12) DROPPING DRUM STICKS VIRAL CLIP, GETTING FOUND

(0:22:22) EXPANDING CAREER

(0:26:00) KINFOLK

(0:27:14) BRITTNAY HOWARD

(0:30:14) BALANCING BANDS

(0:32:58) MUSIC BUSINESS, QUINCY, MICHEL MAYO, YEBBA, DANIELLE PONDER

(0:38:01) POCKET

(0:40:43) PRACTICING, STAYING INSPIRED

(0:44:27) WRITING SOLOS

(0:45:23) AARON SPEARS

(0:47:04) PAUL SIMON

(0:50:23) GREATEST LESSON FROM BRITTNAY HOWARD

(0:51:49) BRITTNAY HOWARD'S METAL BAND, "KUMITE"

(0:52:36) NATE SMITH'S ROUTINES

(1:06:54) WATCHES

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Episode 64: Nathan East. One of the most recorded musicians of all time, and truly one of the greatest humans—that’s Nathan East. I had the best time hanging out with him, diving into his perspective and stories, and cracking up along the way. We talk about his 40-year relationship with Eric Clapton, recording some of the biggest songs ever, and co-writing one of my personal favorite records. His outlook on life is incredible, and I believe that’s a huge part of why he’s had nonstop opportunities since his teenage musician years.

Nathan has played on over 2,000 recordings with legends like Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Kenny Loggins, Daft Punk, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock…the list goes on and on. As a bassist, he’s been half of the groove behind a laundry list of the greatest drummers of all time: Vinnie Colaiuta, Ringo, Ndugu Chancler, Jeff Porcaro, Phil Collins, Harvey Mason, John JR Robinson, and more. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the one-and-only Nathan East! I tried my best to make it special from every other interview he’s done. Much love!

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

(0:00:00) INTRO

(0:04:31) NATHAN’S BASS

(0:06:31) PHIL COLLINS “EASY LOVER”

(0:10:28) DAFT PUNK “GET LUCKY” SESSIONS

(0:18:13) ERIC CLAPTON

(0:19:10) TEARS FROM HEAVEN

(0:24:12) GETTING THE GIG WITH ERIC CLAPTON

(0:28:37) “CHANGE THE WORLD” SESSION

(0:32:35) GREATEST LESSON FROM ERIC CLAPTON

(0:36:01) PHIL COLLINS

(0:37:21) SOLO ALBUMS

(0:37:51) FIRST GIG AT MSG WITH BARRY WHITE

(0:38:44) EARLY LIFE, GETTING NOTICED

(0:42:16) RECORDING WITH BARRY WHITE

(0:43:27) JUGGLING GIGS, FINANCES

(0:45:56) QUINCY JONES SESSIONS

(0:50:20) CALLS FROM QUINCY JONES

(0:52:28) DRUMMERS

(0:53:28) JOHN JR ROBINSON

(0:54:31) HARVEY MASON SR., FOREPLAY

(0:56:13) RINGO STARR

(0:58:08) VINNIE COLAIUTA

(0:58:57) JEFF PORCARO

(0:59:32) RANDY NEWMAN “I LOVE LA”

(0:59:45) GEORGE BENSON “LADY LOVE ME”

(1:00:12) RICKY LAWSON, CARLOS VEGA, LA TALENT

(1:01:17) “I LOVE LA” SESSION

(1:03:13) BEING A DAD

(1:05:43) HOW TO PRESENT MUSIC TO KIDS

(1:07:42) AGING, HAPPINESS

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Episode 63: Don Was.

Don Was is undeniably one of the most influential figures in music. For the past 31 years, he’s been producing The Rolling Stones, while also working with legends like Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, The B-52’s, and John Mayer. Beyond that, he’s the President of Blue Note Records, plays bass with Bob Weir, and now fronts his own band.

In this episode, Don sits down with Elmo to share how he balances running Blue Note Records, producing iconic albums, and touring. He opens up about the challenges of managing a record label in today’s rapidly changing industry and shares some gold on how he makes it all work. We also dive into how Blue Note has stayed relevant, from Robert Glasper’s game-changing projects to rising stars DOMi and JD Beck.

One of the highlights is Don’s 30-year journey with The Rolling Stones. He breaks down what it’s like to produce for rock legends and how he’s maintained strong relationships with the band. Don also reflects on his friendship with jazz icon (and Elmo’s cousin) Joe Lovano, studio sessions with Bob Dylan, and his early days with Was (Not Was)—including how "Walk the Dinosaur" became a life-changing hit.

Don shares how he introduced John Mayer to Bob Weir which led to Dead and Co. and tells us how he produced The B-52’s, including the making of “Love Shack.”

This episode is packed with incredible stories and insights from a producer who’s helped shape the soundtrack of generations. Plus, Don’s about to hit the road with his Pan-Detroit Ensemble Tour—don’t miss it. Let’s go!

‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.

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