Music Makers and Soul Shakers with Steve Dawson

My guest this month is Gabriel Roth, a/k/a “Bosco Mann”. He is a Grammy award winning engineer, the founder and chief producer/engineer of Daptone Records, and a prolific song-writer, having penned over 150 songs. Roth is highly regarded throughout the industry for his detailed and analog approach, a rare find in today’s computer-obsessed production world.Since the mid-90s, Roth has been honing his craft, first under his label Desco Records and then as co-founder of Daptone Records, producing, writing and arranging for the numerous artists on the label. His own band, the Dap-Kings, are the foundation of the Daptone House of Soul Stable, backing the label’s premier act Sharon Jones, and sought after by a growing list of artists.A superior bass player, Gabe is enlisted as a member of the Dap-Kings to perform on a wide range of sessions, but his talents as a producer, arranger, engineer and mixer immediately place him in an elite class. Early mainstream followers included Kanye West (who sampled Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings’ “Pick It Up, Lay It In the Cut” on Rhymefest’s “Brand New“) and Hank Shocklee (who hired the Dap-Kings to perform on the American Gangster Soundtrack). Mark Ronson quickly followed and what resulted was Amy Winehouse’s Grammy award winning, multi-platinum smash “Back To Black” (for which Roth received a Grammy as engineer).Gabe has expanded his operations to the West Coast, now operating Penrose Studios out of Riverside, CA (while still maintaining an active presence in New York at Daptone). Gabe has made good use of the new space in California, engineering sessions for Bob Rock-produced Michael Buble records and producing, engineering and arranging James Hunter’s latest album Minute By Minute. Enjoy my conversation with Gabriel Roth, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this month is the incredibly original singer, songwriter, author and activist, Billy Bragg. Bragg was the leading figure of the anti-folk movement of the '80s, and for most of the decade, he bashed out songs alone on his electric guitar, singing about politics and love. While his lyrics were bitingly intelligent and clever, they were also warm and humane, filled with detail and wit. Even though his lyrics were carefully considered, Bragg never neglected to write melodies for songs that were strong and memorable. With a strong DIY ethic and punk-rock attitude, Billy recorded an incredible body of work from the late 70's up through his recent collaborations with Joe Henry. Billy went from his obscure first recordings (which are awesome) through commercial success, working with artists like Paul Weller and Johnny Marr. Kirsty MacColl had a hit with "New England" and Billy's own solo recordings gained attention worldwide. Then in 1998, he teamed up with Wilco to record Mermaid Avenue, a collection of performances based on unreleased songs originally written by Woody Guthrie. That spawned 2 follow-up records that are all incredible documents of Americana. His latest records, "Tooth and Nail" and "Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad" mark a new direction in his work and prove that he's as vital as ever. He has also recently released an incredible book that details the history of skiffle music in Britain entitled "Roots, Radicals and Rockers". Thanks go out to Joe Henry for introducing us, and please enjoy my conversation with Billy Bragg! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please go and listen to part one of this episode first to get the full story! Chuck Leavell is one of the great piano and organ players of our time. A member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the jazz rock ensemble Sea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and de facto musical director of The Rolling Stones since 1982. As a session musician, Leavell has performed on almost every Rolling Stones studio album released during his tenure. He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer. I was lucky enough to speak with Chuck about his many musical adventures, recording the classic Allman's album "Brothers and Sisters", his epic solo on "Jessica", and being in the studio with Mick and Keith for albums like "Undercover", "Steel Wheels" and "Blue and Lonesome". We yakked for a while, so I had to split this into 2 episodes. Enjoy my conversation with Chuck Leavell, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chuck Leavell is one of the great piano and organ players of our time. A member of The Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the jazz rock ensemble Sea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and de facto musical director of The Rolling Stones since 1982. As a session musician, Leavell has performed on almost every Rolling Stones studio album released during his tenure. He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer. I was lucky enough to speak with Chuck about his many musical adventures, recording the classic Allman's album "Brothers and Sisters", his epic solo on "Jessica", and being in the studio with Mick and Keith for albums like "Undercover", "Steel Wheels" and "Blue and Lonesome". We yakked for a while, so I had to split this into 2 episodes. Part 2 will come next week. Enjoy my conversation with Chuck Leavell, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this month is guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jorma Kaukonen. Jorma grew up in Washington, D.C., where he first turned to the guitar. He lived in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early '60s, playing backup to Janis Joplin in local clubs. In 1965, he became a founding member of Jefferson Airplane which soared to fame in 1967, and his distinctive guitar-playing was crucial to its sound with signature solos and parts in classics like "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love". With bassist Jack Casady, Jorma formed a spinoff duo from the group in 1970 called Hot Tuna, and this became his primary musical vehicle after the Airplane broke up in 1973. Jorma's fingerstyle guitar playing was a big part of my musical education, and introduced me to the music of Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake and many more. His acoustic playing in the Airplane was a real eye opener for me too, with pieces like "Embryonic Journey". He has just released a great auto-biography called "Been So Long", but I thought it would be fun to hear some of his stories coming from his own mouth, so here we go! Enjoy my conversation with Jorma Kaukonen, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this brief episode, Steve gives you the rundown of what's going to be happening starting next week when the season begins for real! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the incredible pedal steel, guitar, mandolin, dobro player Greg Leisz. The word "ubiquitous" is usually placed in front of Leisz's name. With good reason -- the man's resumé is daunting, boasting spots with Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Peter Case, Paul Westerberg, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Victoria Williams, Joe Cocker, Dave Alvin, k.d. lang, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Cockburn, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole, and the Ventures...to name a few. Not to be pigeonholed in just roots music, Leisz has also played with the likes of Beck, Matthew Sweet, Bad Religion, the Smashing Pumpkins, St. Vincent and Brian Wilson. Greg's inspired playing on many of Bill Frisell's projects form the last 15 years is what made me want to play the steel. Leisz spent his younger years catching acts like the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers in Southern California clubs. Part of his universal appeal -- which certainly draws on the experimental nature of those influences -- comes from an open-minded approach to lap and pedal steel, an approach that casts aside Nashville references. Leisz is also somewhat of a stylistic chameleon: You can't pin down a distinctive style for him because he chooses to serve and accompany a song rather than place his mark on it. His creativity and open-mindedness as a musician have allowed him a genre roving usually not accorded renowned steel players. Enjoy my conversation with Greg Leisz, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the incredible drummer, composer and all-round musical wizard, Matt Chamberlain. Matt is one of the most in-demand studio drummers of the past 20 years, whose eclectic talents found him working in various genres from rock to classical, jazz, and the avant-garde. I first heard Matt with his band in Seattle, Critters Buggin, and then he started appearing on all kinds of great albums through the 90's and 2000's. Chamberlain started playing in the mid 80’s Deep Ellum scene in Dallas where he joined Edie Brickell and New Bohemians. He then moved to NYC and spent a season with the Saturday Night Live Band from 1991 to 1992. After leaving SNL, Chamberlain based himself out of Seattle and embarked on a fruitful career as a gun for hire. He has racked up an impressive list of credits appearing on albums/tours by David Bowie, Fiona Apple, The Master Muscians of Jajouka, Soundgarden, Bill Frisell, Robert Fripp, Tori Amos, Morrissey, Phantogram, Pearl Jam, Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen, The Wallflowers, A Perfect Circle, Willie Nelson, Frank Ocean, Elton John, Brad Mehldau, Randy Newman, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow,  and many others, as well as soundtrack work with Hans Zimmer, Marco Beltrami, Jóhann Jóhannsson and Jon Brion. Enjoy my conversation with Matt Chamberlain, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is the incomparable telecaster-slinger and all around guitar maniac, Amos Garrett. Detroit native Garrett began working as a professional guitarist north of the border in Toronto. There he played with the Dirty Shames, a folk jug band, before moving on to the country-rock-oriented Great Speckled Bird at the invitation of Ian and Sylvia. Perhaps best known for his inspired and jaw-dropping work on Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis", Amos went on to play on many classic albums for Jesse Winchester, Anne Murray, Stevie Wonder, Emmylou Harris, and Paul Butterfield. His studio work led him to California, and eventually to Alberta, Canada where he has resided for many years. Garrett also put out his own recordings, more than half a dozen, on Stony Plain Records. In 1989, his album The Return of the Formerly Brothers, garnered a Juno Award. Enjoy my conversation with Amos Garrett, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is studio guitarist Adam Levy. Adam is a killer guitar player with an impressive history of live and studio work. A member of Norah Jones' band for years, Adam got his start playing around San Francisco and LA, eventually landing a gig with Tracy Chapman. Adam is tactful and tasteful in his guitar playing, never stepping into a solo spotlight without something meaningful to add to a song. Understated but memorable, Adam’s solos draw on elements of jazz and country to reflect perfectly the simple, earnest sentiment of the composition. Beyond continuing his recording career as a sideman for celebrated artists, Levy has risen as a songwriter in his own right. His compositions have been recorded by Norah Jones, Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), and Miles Zuniga (Fastball). The full force of Adam Levy’s songwriting is in play on his six solo recordings, the latest being 2016’s lyrically driven Blueberry Blonde - a collaboration with drummer Jay Bellerose. Enjoy my conversation with Adam Levy, and please subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes! Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.