Inside MusiCast

As one of the most influential drummers of all time, Steve Gadd set a new standard in contemporary drumming techniques and performance, and for years everyone has tried to play like him. His work is unavoidably recognizable, from the military, cadence-like shuffle intro on Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”, to arguably one of the finest drum solos ever recorded on the title track from Steely Dan’s “Aja”, to his current touring gigs with James Taylor and Eric Clapton – Steve has a way of leaving his rhythmic stamp on most every track that he’s performed on over the past five decades. It’s good to know the native New Yorker is healthy and still going strong...and he’s here today to chat with us. Inside MusicCast is pleased to welcome the legendary Steve Gadd.

During the explosion of the British invasion in the 60’s, a 16 year-old boy from Manchester became the lead singer of the band Herman's Hermits and found himself in the middle of all the musical madness. Imagine traveling with your bandmates from gig to gig, performing with bands such as the Stones and the Beatles. Or having The Who warm-up for your band. Peter Noone lived it and his band, Herman’s Hermits, was making hit after hit. In fact, during the height of the band's career they played 360 shows in a single year and finished making a movie. We could go on, but we’d rather have Peter Noone tell you how it all really happened almost 50 years ago. Inside MusiCast welcomes Herman of Herman’s Hermits, Peter Noone.

David Foster was drawn to the piano. In fact, as the story goes, his mother was dusting off the family piano and struck one of the keys.  She was amazed when her young son correctly identified the note as an “E”. She quickly found that David had perfect pitch and they knew immediately that there was something special about their son and that the piano would play an important role in his life. This is where the musical legacy begins. Over the past several decades, David Foster has raised the bar of musicianship, arranging and producing in astronomical ways – and he has the hardware to prove it. David has been the guiding force behind dozens of hit songs for the biggest names in popular music.  He’s won 16 Grammy Awards, including three for Producer Of The Year, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and has racked up three Oscar nominations.  It’s been a long time coming, but we’re pleased to finally welcome David Foster to Inside MusiCast.

Three years after Tomi Malm’s critically acclaimed debut "Walkin' On Air", the talented Finnish songwriter, producer, and arranger returns with another great project titled “Coming Home” on the Contante and Sonante label. This new collaboration is loaded with some of the best in the business and features solid vocal performances from Bill Cantos, Marilyn Scott, Randy Goodrum, Jerry Lopez, Ole Børud, Andreas Aleman, Frank Ådahl, Ashton Moran, Michael Haddad, Wendy Moten and the late, great Warren Wiebe. The session players include Steve Lukather, Vinnie Colaiuta, Alex Acuña, Simon Phillips, Jimmy Haslip, Luis Conte, John “JR” Robinson, Neil Stubenhaus, Robbie Buchanan, Eric Marienthal and Brandon Fields, among others. In addition to Tomi, we’re also joined by the founder of the Contante and Sonante label, Gabriel Raya, to talk about Tomi’s new project and to share his insights about his unique record label. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Tomi Malm and Gabriel Raya.

On this episode of Inside MusiCast, we welcome back the one and only, Bill Champlin. While the pandemic has put the brakes on much of the activity in the music industry, it hasn’t stopped the creativity of this legendary singer/songwriter. Bill has produced a brand new solo album titled “Livin’ For Love”, which is loaded with 14 new tracks that explore a lot of musical territory, from gorgeous ballads, to West Coast grooves, blues, pop, funk...it’s all in there. Bill has also invited some amazing guests, including Steve Porcaro, Vinnie Colaiuta, Lenny Castro, Alan Hertz, Gary Falcone, Bruce Gaitsch, Carmen Grillo, Gorden Campbell, George Hawkins, Jr., Jason Scheff, Greg Mathieson, Abe Laboriel, Marc Russo, and of course his wife Tamara and son Will. We’ll also chat with Bill about the new CWF 2 album that was recently released, with his bandmates Peter Friestedt and Joseph Williams. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome back to the show, Bill Champlin.

On this episode of Inside MusiCast, we welcome journalist and author Robyn Flans to discuss her soon-to-be-released book titled "It’s About Time: Jeff Porcaro – The Man and His Music", which is being released through Hudson Music. This in-depth book provides insight into Jeff’s career in music. Starting with his childhood and formative years, the book recounts his establishment on the L.A. scene, rise to stardom with Toto, and legendary career as one of the most sought-after studio drummers in the world until his tragic death in 1992 at only 38 years of age. If you're a fan of Jeff Porcaro, you'll really love this chat with Robyn, who was as close a journalist to Jeff than any other. For the past five years, she took on the challenge of unearthing some treasures about Jeff that might even surprise his biggest fans. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Robyn Flans.

On this episode of Inside MusiCast, we’re pleased to welcome two Grammy winning musicians that have joined forces to create a brand new album titled “Double Dealin’”, which will be released on Shanachie Records in mid September - Randy Brecker and Eric Marienthal. Both Eric and Randy have storied careers in the world of jazz. Randy is notorious for his work with the likes of Blood, Sweat & Tears, Horace Silver, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Steely Dan, Bruce Springsteen, Parliament-Funkadelic and of course the Brecker Brothers with his brother Michael. Eric’s saxophone talent has led him to amazing gigs with Chick Corea, Patti Austin, Lee Ritenour, Elton John, Billy Joel, Jeff Lorber, Stevie Wonder and many more. Randy and Eric are good friends and they’ve performed together on many occasions. However, this is their first album collaboration and it’s filled with upbeat grooves and fantastic performances. Produced by George Whitty, the album also includes Dave Weckl on drums, John Patitucci on bass, and George on keys. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Eric Marienthal and Randy Brecker.

Rock, pop, fusion, jazz, Latin, soul, funk, Flamenco. These are just a few of the styles of drumming Joey Heredia has mastered over the course of his career. Like most of the musicians we interview, music was in Joey’s blood from a very early age, as he started playing in bands when he was 16 years old and never looked back. He became a sought-after studio and touring musician and has performed with many incredible musicians, including Billy Childs, Stevie Wonder, Sheila E., Michael Ruff, Sergio Mendes, Herb Alpert, Tania Maria, Scott Henderson, Steve Lukather, Dianne Reeves, Frank Gambale, and many more. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Joey Heredia.

Randy Goodrum is at it again. Making great music, that is. The singer/songwriter/instrumentalist/producer has just released RED EYE, his first original solo album in decades, and we’ve found that it was worth the wait. He co-wrote the album with veteran session musician Larry Williams, along with Douglas Carr, and they struck gold. If you’ve heard RED EYE, you know that Goodrum is on point, delivering “his” style of music and on his terms by collaborating with some of the best session players in the business, including Michael Landau, Vinnie Colaiuta, Marcus Miller, Gavin Harrison, Brian Bromberg, and others. The album contains 12 tracks and they're all brilliantly different, catchy, well-written and excellently produced. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome back to the show, Randy Goodrum.

Eliot Lewis is a musician who can do it all. The multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter has enjoyed a diverse and vibrant path in the music business and has worked with an elite cast of musicians. Eliot’s career has taken him from being a studio musician, to becoming a member of the Average White Band, to his eventual touring gig with Hall & Oates, as well as being a regular on Live From Daryl's House. He’s also delivered several solo albums and tours nationally in support of these projects. Aside from music, Eliot is a passionate photographer and has chronicled his travels as a touring musician through the lens of his camera. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Eliot Lewis.