Life is a Piano

I'm joined today by Jes Kramer, an artist in the indie/DIY Grand Rapids music scene! Between her love for smaller keyboards and the variety found in her live setup, there's a lot of fun gear to talk about that often gets overlooked!

Andy Fettig is on the podcast today! He is a multi-instrumentalist who is often scene slaying some synths and utilizing vintage keyboard gear for various projects like his solo project Ghost Dream, Distant Stars, and Lipstick Jodi. We chat keyboard gear, the past year in creative isolation, and Lipstick Jodi's recent signing to Quite Scientific Records and their Audiotree debut!

Happy to sit down and chat with Micah Bracken! He is a solid keyboardist/synth wizard that tours with Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers! We chat about their recent stretches of touring now that things are opening up, working on various projects over the past year, and more insight into how he and the band currently operate in this reopening of the wider industry.

It's always nice catching up with Craig Avery, one of the hardest working keyboardists in Michigan! We're both alumni of GVSU's music program and have similar gigging experiences in the state, from churches to the GVSU New Music Ensemble to gigging in wedding/cover bands, since he play keys in the "Best of the West" Michigan band Brena.  Note: The format is a little different because my remote setup was having issues on my laptop, so I had to shoot the Zoom interview on my phone.  

I'm joined by Clif Metcalf, an organist in Michigan who has carved out a space for himself in the gigging jazz scene around the state. We chat about music school, gigging in the Michigan scene, and some we talk about some of the folks around us that keep us playing and motivated.

Happy to be joined today by Adam Parada, a fellow Grand Rapids keyboardist who plays in the Michigan music scene with groups like Melophobix! We catch up and chat about our gigging on keyboards! We're often gigging on similar weekends, but it's always nice to run into him around the city!

It was great to be able to catch up with Meghan Stagl this week! I met her while studying at WMU, and she is such a talented vocalist, pianist, and composer. We chat about our lives since grad school, reflecting on our studies while I explain the confusing landscape that is the digital realm she is returning to this year.  

Every two weeks, you can see discussions on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts thanks to Anchor.fm distribution, and if you subscribe on Patreon you can get early access to episodes and behind-the-scenes access to streamed tapings where you can join in on the conversation!

Happy to have caught up with Detroit pianist AliceSun for this latest episode of Life is a Piano! We initially met at Harvest Gathering 2019 and had some fun conversations in the artist's green room area. We chat about the time that has passed since then, her new album Qwinn, and more!

▶▶ Support AliceSun!

I sit down to chat with Grand Rapids gospel pianist/music director/arranger Kenny Matthews! I've known Kenny for a few years now and we've shared the stage a couple of times in the past with Benjaman James.  

I'm joined today by Brandon Fitzpatrick, an awesome keyboard player who frequently performs with artists involved with Blvcksheep and Minor Element. We chat about our gear, showcase some sounds, and discuss how we've been working on our various projects during the pandemic with so many uncertainties in the industry.