Life In The Grooves

With more than 3,000 career shows playing an average of 228 gigs a year, bass player and musical director to the stars Ivan "Funkboy" Bodley is one of the hardest working musicians in the business today.

In his debut book, Am I Famous Yet? Memoir of a Working-Class Rock Star, Ivan chronicles his life on the road performing with more than 50 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees - everyone from Sting and Elvis Costello to Bo Diddley and Wynonna Judd.

In this episode, Bodley talks about his first performance at his high school talent show and how that moment came full circle 28 years later when he performed on stage with iconic rocker Sting. Ivan also talks about the perils of being a substitute musician for a Broadway show, and how he and his bandmates witnessed the ancient practice of payola live-on-stage.

With a career that has taken him to more than 29 countries playing to audiences of up to 82,000 people, it is no wonder that Ivan “Funkboy” Bodley is truly a working-class rock star.

Part 2 of my conversation with Jeff Tyzik continues on this special 2-part edition of Life In The Grooves. The GRAMMY Award-winning conductor, composer, arranger, and trumpeter shares his philosophy on what he believes is key to making good music. Tyzik talks about his special relationship with fellow trumpet virtuoso Allen Vizzutti and the concerto they created for legendary trumpeter and bandleader Doc Severinsen. He also talks about his time studying with the great American composer Samuel Adler. All this plus more great music from one of America’s most innovative and versatile artists.

On this 2-part special edition of Life in The Grooves, I talk with GRAMMY Award-winning conductor, composer, arranger and trumpeter, Jeff Tyzik. As one of America’s most innovative and sought-after pops orchestra conductors, Tyzik is recognized for his brilliant arrangements, original programming, and engaging rapport with audiences of all ages. 

Jeff has led the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra as its principal pops conductor for more than 27 years. He is also the principal pops conductor for the Dallas Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, and the Oregon Symphony. Tyzik studied both classical and jazz at the prestigious Eastman School of Music where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He has also produced and composed theme music for many of the major television networks and released six of his own albums on Capitol, Polygram, and Amherst Records.

In Part 1 of my conversation, Jeff talks about how he had to adapt and create new programming for orchestras during the Covid- 19 pandemic. Tyzik also looks back on some of his earliest musical experiences and the impact they had on his career. You’ll also learn about the years Jeff spent touring, recording, and producing with GRAMMY Award-winning jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist, Chuck Mangione. 

Committed to performing music of all genres, Jeff Tyzik has collaborated with such diverse artists as Megan Hilty, Chris Botti, Matthew Morrison, Wynonna Judd, Tony Bennett, Art Garfunkel, Marilyn Horne, and the great Doc Severinsen.

When it comes to writing songs for the world of musical theater, composer-lyricist Gaby Alter remains committed to getting it right. The process of serving the story, how a character can change over the course of a song, and making smart musical choices, are all key components that Alter continues to explore when making music for the stage. His most notable works include the musicals Band Geeks, Stars of David, and the New York critically acclaimed hit, Nobody Loves You, which he co-wrote with Tony Award-winning playwright, Itamar Moses.

In this episode, Alter looks back at how he fell into the world of writing musicals in his hometown of Berkeley, California, his decision to move to New York, and how he and Itamar pitched Disney to write for the animated film Tinkerbell and The Pirate Fairy. Alter also talks about his work as a solo artist under the name Yes Gabriel, and the development of a new musical, Radio 930 set in East Berlin during the Cold War in the 1970's.

From the time he started playing the drums at the age of 9, singer-songwriter Zach Jones proved he was natural born talent. From appearing on MTV’s 2003 reality series “Made” with his high school bandmates The Sly Caps, to developing his proficiency and technique at New York City’s famed Drummer’s Collective, Zach Jones would later find himself as an in demand sideman for such renowned artists as Sting, A Great Big World, Elle King, Secret Someone’s, and more. 

But with his new band, Zach Jones & The Tricky Bits, Jones steps to the front of the stage to reveal his talents as singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. Zach Jones & the Tricky Bits are living proof of the continuing charm of power-pop and gleeful, witty songcraft. The band's catalogue has the tunefulness and longing of the early Beatles, The Byrds, Big Star, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

From the moment he arrived in New York City from Northern Ireland, solo artist Paul McGilloway has been carving out his own signature style. Inspired by legends like AC/DC’s Angus Young and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, Paul developed his own innovative sound by drawing on Page and Young’s brilliant proficiency and technique. The results can be heard on his 2020 debut album “Fear of Falling Up,” a collection of carefully crafted songs that feature soulful melodies and shimmering atmospheric guitars.

In this episode Paul talks about growing up during the period of conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles, his first band appropriately named Local Chaos, his journey to New York City, and how answering a classified ad ultimately led to sharing the stage with such greats as ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Moby, Glenn Tillbrook of Squeeze, and actor Jim Carrey.   

Splitting residency between New York and Nashville, Carolyn Miller has already begun to make a name for herself in Music City, being tapped “One to Watch” by the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and a Next Up Now artist by CMT.

Working as a professional actor since the age of eight, Miller’s background in musical theatre, film, and TV created a foundation that allowed her to develop her own style that captures the true essence of “country pop.”

She's also attracted some of country music’s top songwriters and producers including Lance Carpenter, Jesse Lee, Forest Glen Whitehead, and Jamie Moore. With over 300 thousand streams to date, continuous airplay on country radio, and an ever-increasing social media fan base, Carolyn Miller is on a fast track to become one of country music’s next rising stars.

And there's no sign of her slowing down.

Producer, songwriter, and recording artist Paul Guzzone describes himself as an “electronic troubadour” fusing acoustic guitar with a variety of sonic textures. His passion for pop melodies and radio hits are very much a part of his narrative style. In addition to songwriting and performing, Paul has produced recordings for the critically acclaimed folk-rock duo- Aztec Two Step and is the bass player and contributing producer for Kevin Bacon & his brother Michael of The Bacon Brothers band.

In this episode, Paul talks about being signed to major record label right out of high school, his years as a session musician working with such renowned folk artists as Tom Chapin and Tom Rush, and his 2013 re-emergence as singer/songwriter and producer of his own unique brand of music. According to Paul, writing a song and then recording it are inseparable - "the Sound is Everything."