Inside MusiCast

Through his ever-present sunglasses, Bluey Maunick sees the world in different shades of soul, funk, acid-jazz, and r&b. And it’s his unique global perspective that feeds his musical creativity. As founder, mastermind, guitarist, and producer of the always-evolving band Incognito, Bluey has consistently delivered a deep-grooved, soulful sound on every record since 1981. Incognito’s sound is thick, richly produced and quite addicting, both vocally and instrumentally. Over the years he has introduced some of the best vocal talent to execute his musical vision. Let’s just call it “Bluey’s” touch, because without him, Incognito wouldn’t have been around for more than three decades. His newly released recording, “Surreal”, will only confirm his position as a truly international musical icon.  Inside MusiCast welcomes Incognito’s Bluey Maunick. 

Andres Aleman is clearly on a journey, as the title of his latest solo release states. The Swedish-born singer-songwriter’s second solo album has given him momentum that appears to have captured the ears of a widening audience, extending his musical reach throughout Europe and now to the States. His blend of Soul, Gospel, funk, blues and good pop music developed his ability to create a groove the is reminiscent of Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin. Sink your teeth into his new album project “Its The Journey” and you’ll get a taste of a genre that is alive and well, enjoying a surprising resurgence that is holding on to groove music. As a seasoned keyboardist and vocalist, Andreas Aleman brings a comfortable maturity to the table and his thick, soulful baritone voice being the center of his sound, along with smooth horn arrangements. We’re glad to welcome a musician who you’ll be hearing much more of in the future. Inside MusiCast welcomes Andreas Aleman.

Dylan McDonald could have taken the musical easy road, being that he happens to be the son of one of the most famous pop/rock artists in the business, Michael McDonald, but he didn’t. As a proficient singer-songwriter, Dylan has paved his own road - one very distinct from that of his father’s. You’ll hear it in his music right from the start. He paints his music with his airy Lennon-esque voice, as well as rich orchestrations that seem to bleed through the talents of his band, The Avians. It’s clear to see that Dylan McDonald understands the music creation process, but as you’ll soon hear, it’s not all due to his dad’s influence. His music is his own and it’s very fresh. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome the very talented Dylan McDonald.

Having been a founding member of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, arguably two of the most influential progressive rock bands from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, Greg Lake’s name is synonymous with a genre of rock music that incorporated an influence of European classical elements.  Having picked-up the guitar as a 12 year old, Greg Lake has played and performed for over 50 years and he is as passionate about music now as he has ever been.  In fact, 2012 will be a busy year, as he is about to embark on his “Songs Of A Lifetime” North American tour.  With the concerts being performed in intimate settings, Greg will open-up the floor to his fans and will allow them to share thoughts and ask questions about his music and his career.  2012 will also bring Greg’s autobiography in both audio and written formats, which will give a behind-the-scenes peek into his storied career.  Inside MusiCast is proud to welcome Greg Lake.

On our 100th episode, we’re glad to welcome a guest whose music we all know well. Over the past three decades, Gino Vannelli has delivered albums such as Powerful People, Brother To Brother, Nightwalker, and Black Cars, not to mention a couple of international chart topping hits like “I Just Wanna Stop” and “Living Inside Myself.” The Montreal native continues to sellout venues worldwide and is writing new music in every spare moment – including a recent effort to produce a blues-based collection of songs. We’re honored to welcome Gino Vannelli to Inside MusiCast to help us celebrate our 100th podcast episode.

Toronto native Don Breithaupt has molded his multi-dimensional career into much more than just a “day job”. To start, the Berklee graduate has owned and operated a top-rated recording studio in Toronto for several years; he’s involved in James Taylor and Chicago tribute bands that amazingly replicate the sounds of both artists; he’s a Grammy winning composer for film and television; and finally, he’s the leader of the band Monkey House, who has recently released their new album called “Headquarters.” With stellar musicianship and top-notch production qualities, this new effort by Monkey House is sure to impress. Monkey House hooked us the first time we heard them and we’re sure it will hook you, too. Inside MusiCast welcomes one of Toronto’s best, Don Breithaupt.

In a time when TV musical themes were just as important as the scripts themselves, musician and arranger Mike Post found himself at the epicenter of the custom scoring world for television and film. But this didn’t happen overnight. Post had paid his dues as a session player, musical director and tour musician for such artists as Sonny &Cher, Kenny Rogers and Andy Williams over the years. It was this deep experience along with compositional talent that guided one of the most celebrated careers in the music business, allowing him to deliver internationally recognized TV themes such as Hill Street Blues, The Rockford Files, CHiPS, The A-Team, Magnum PI, LA Law and so many others. We’re pleased to welcome Mike Post to Inside MusiCast.

He doesn’t claim to be a singer or a true musician, but Al Stewart has been crafting intelligent folk and pop laced songs for over 45 years. From his early roots in England to his migration to the States in the mid 70’s, his distinct voice and timeless sound has graced the airwaves and has sold millions of albums worldwide. Today, Inside MusiCast is proud to welcome this legendary songwriter to our show. This is Al Stewart.

On this episode of Inside MusiCast, we catch-up with one half of the most successful duo in the history of rock and pop. Over the past decade, he still tours on a limited basis with Daryl Hall, which has left him plenty of time to concentrate on solo projects and the opportunity to explore his musical roots – his love for folk R&B and Southern roots. In 2011, John released his album Mississippi mile, which explored these roots and delivered a fresh and unexpected sound compared to the classic, blue-eyed soul we’ve come to know from Hall and Oates. Inside MusiCast kicks off 2012 with a very special guest, John Oates.

Our Holiday Special is a gift to you from the IMC Team! This year we welcome back four past IMC guests who’ll give you a wrap-up on their year, what’s new for 2012 and a Holiday Greeting. So help us welcome back Lee Sklar, Jeff Lorber, Randy Goodrum, and Steve Lukather to Inside MusiCast! As very special thanks to our IMC Team, Kim Reilly, Max Zape, Scott Gross, and Brian Pearson along with former IMC correspondents Uwe Reith and Mikael Engstrom. They’ve ALL done one heck of a job for us this past year.