In this episode, I’m joined by Grammy-winning keyboardist, composer, producer, and arranger Jason Miles - an artist whose legacy spans decades of music-making across jazz, R&B, and beyond, and whose work has helped define the sound and direction of multiple musical eras, working alongside some of the most influential voices in modern music like Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn and Marcus Miller, to name a few.

No less than Roberta Flack said about him, “Jason Miles has raised the level of excellence for the musicians who have had the good fortune of working with him, myself included. He has enriched the lives of millions of people.” And Miles Davis, in his 1991 autobiography, labelled Jason a genius - not a term he threw around!

Jason and I met here in Lisbon, and what started as a conversation became a very honest and enriching exchange for me. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with him.

This podcast explores the journey behind the music - the decisions, mindset, and lessons that shape a sustainable creative life, especially in today’s DIY landscape. We begin our interview by talking about what Luther Vandross understood about music that most musicians never quite grasp.

From there, Jason shares the biggest lessons he’s learned across his outstanding career — we explore creative decision-making, trust on the business side of music, and his perspective on today’s jazz landscape compared to the past, as well as Jason's 2026 musical projects.

This conversation is about practises that still guide artists today. If you’re an independent musician looking for clarity and perspective, I am sure you’ll find a lot of inspiration in hearing Jason's stories, reflections and guiding principles.

Jason Miles - Links:

Website

The Extraordinary Journey of Jason Miles

Bandcamp

Table of contents:

00:00 Intro
03:29 Luther Vandross's integrity & intention
14:26 Advice for DIY artists: listen & learn
21:16 Why decision-making matters
22:19 Trust in the business side of music
23:11 Dealing with rejection
26:11 Today’s jazz landscape
28:27 Jason Miles’ 2026 projects

As you listened, what reflection stayed with you the most?

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Are you planning to release music in 2026?

Take this 3-minute quiz to find out how prepared you are to promote your music, plus a clear action plan to improve it. 

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In this final episode of the year, I’m sharing a short snippet from a live Q&A session inside the Music Travel Guide Club Membership, featuring creative producer and coach Lucy Woolley.

Lucy's expertise spans project planning, network building, and professional development, helping independent artists navigate the complexities of the music industry.

In this extract, Lucy breaks down why knowing your career goals is crucial and how thinking over opportunities through that clarity can help you make more intentional decisions in the music industry.

She also walks you through a real case study of a British artist, showing how consistent exchanges led to a long-term professional collaboration. This extract is definitely an important reminder that sustainable music careers are built through intention and trust over time.

Hope you'll find it helpful!

Table of contents:

0:00 Intro
2:03 Why clarity around your career goals is essential
9:04 Building Relationships After a “No”
12:34 Case Study: Incremental Relationship Building

If this conversation resonated with you, this is just a glimpse of what happens inside our Club Membership Community. 

It’s an online space where independent artists and musicians connect, exchange ideas, and get inspired through live conversations and events with music experts like Lucy. 

To learn more and explore the community, click 👉🏻 HERE.

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Today’s episode is one I’m really excited to share!

I had the chance to meet saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Immanuel Wilkins in my hometown, Mantova (Italy), during the 45th edition of Mantova Jazz - one of Europe’s most historic and respected jazz festivals.

Immanuel is one of the most distinctive voices in today’s jazz scene, not only for his sound, but for how deeply he reflects on what it means to create.

In our conversation, we dive into the heart of the creative process: the tension between concept and creation, and what it means to trust your ideas before the music exists.

Immanuel shares how his album The 7th Hand began as a pure concept, and how he learned to move from theory into sound, from uncertainty into faith.

Whether you’re an independent artist, composer, or musician walking your own creative path, this conversation is an invitation to reflect on how you relate to your ideas, and how to keep trusting your process, even when you’re not sure if it works.

Hope you'll enjoy Immanuel's reflections as much as I did!

Table of contents:

03:49 Finding the balance between concept and intuition

09:07 When the idea takes the lead over the practice

11:42 Creating music in service of something bigger

Take this 3-minute quiz to find out how prepared you are to promote your music, plus a clear action plan to improve it. 

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Your best strategy will always be your clarity of desire. 

When you know exactly what you want and why you want it. 

I believe that kind of clarity will do more for you than any technique in the world. 

Now…the question is: how do you, as a musician, achieve that kind of clarity in your music career?

To help you explore that, I’m very excited to welcome Dave Stapleton.

Dave is a British composer, pianist, producer, and the founder of Edition Records. Since launching the label in 2008, he’s grown it into one of Europe’s most respected independent record labels, home to a lineup of internationally acclaimed artists redefining contemporary jazz.

Dave’s musical journey—from his early quintet recordings to the work with Slowly Rolling Camera—reflects the evolution of Edition itself: a label that started small and now provides a global platform for boundary-pushing artists. 

In this episode, Dave opens up about why having a clear artistic vision is essential for DIY musicians and independent artists.

We dive into how to define your career direction, the questions that help you decide your next move, and practical, proven strategies for building meaningful, lasting connections in the music industry. 

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your path as an artist, this conversation will give you the clarity, guidance, and confidence to take your next steps with purpose.

Make sure to listen to Dave's insights all the way through! 🎧

Table of contents:

2:48 Creating Edition Records

13:28 Your first step to clarifying your career direction

19:26 Getting honest and clear about why you make music

30:37 2 key questions to sharpen your focus moving forward

38:10 Networking that actually gets responses from industry pros

46:03 Building meaningful artist-fan connections in today’s music industry

Ready to Promote Your Next Release?

Take this 3-minute quiz to find out how prepared you are to promote your music, plus a clear action plan to improve it. 

👉🏻 TAKE THE QUIZ NOW

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Learn how to turn your music journey into a compelling story that builds real fans.

To help us break this down, I’m thrilled to be joined by Eric Karsenty.

Eric is a classically trained piano player with a deep passion for jazz, and a music-obsessed marketer with over two decades of experience delivering global campaigns and partnerships for some of the biggest names in the business, including Warner Music, Apple Music, Yamaha, and Sonos. 

In 2016, Eric founded Bridge The Gap Management, a forward-thinking artist management and label services company that helps independent jazz-rooted artists and musicians release their music with clarity, intention, and strategy. 

In our conversation, we explore how you can craft your narrative, how to tell your story consistently across channels, and how to weave storytelling into your music promotion in a way that’s both authentic and effective.

Make sure to listen to Eric's insights all the way through! 🎧

Table of contents:

3:19 What first sparked Eric’s love for jazz

7:54 How jazz has shaped the way Eric thinks about artist development and storytelling today
 
25:58 Helping artists open up and share their personal stories

34:22 A storytelling win: corto.alto case study

42:05 Weaving storytelling into your music promotion strategy

57:20 Building solid marketing foundations with storytelling at the core 

Let's talk about today's episode:
 
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What does it really mean to define your artistic identity? 

And how do you know when you’ve found it? 

Luciane Dom has some answers for you.✨

Born in Brazil, Luciane is a multilingual singer, songwriter, and producer whose sound flows between soul, jazz, R&B, and Afro-Brazilian roots.  Her voice is instantly captivating, but it’s her artistic identity that truly sets her apart. 

In this episode, Luciane shares how she began shaping her artistic self, one intentional step at a time. We talk about the defining moments that sparked her clarity, the early actions she took to stand out, and what “authenticity” really means to her in a noisy world.

She also opens up about the mindset shifts, daily practices, and creative rituals that have helped her stay aligned with her truth—insightful advice for any artist finding their way.

Luciane doesn’t just perform, she inhabits her art. 

I believe that her story is a reminder that your identity is not something you find once, but something you master over time. 

Enjoy listening! 🎧

Let's talk about today's episode:
 
👉🏻 Let's connect on Instagram
 
👉🏻 Drop me a note at [email protected]

Interested in learning more about our membership community for DIY passionate artists?

Join our Club with a 14-day free trial 👉🏻 BECOME A MEMBER

Want the inside scoop on Europe’s most exciting music events + expert music marketing tips?

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What makes someone stop and really listen when you talk about your music?

In today’s episode, I am dropping into a highlight from a recent live Q&A inside our Club, featuring none other than Allie Silver, world music artist manager and founder of Free Radical Productions.

Over the past decade, Allie has managed and produced more than 50 international tours across 37 countries, bringing artists to some of the most iconic venues and festivals on the planet. 

Through her acclaimed Band Therapy program, she’s helped countless artists and industry pros build strong, sustainable global careers. In our conversation,

Allie gets right into how to present yourself in a way that stands out, starting with one of the most powerful tools you have: your elevator pitch. 

She shares super actionable tips on how to weave your story and uniqueness into a pitch that truly grabs attention.

Let's talk about today's episode:
 
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Interested in learning more about our membership community for serious DIY artists?

Join our Club with a 14-day free trial 👉🏻 BECOME A MEMBER

Want the inside scoop on Europe’s most exciting music events + expert music marketing tips?

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How do you find the right creative partners? How do you build a thriving music community around you? To break it all down, I’m sitting down with Alexander Flood—one of Australia’s most forward-thinking and versatile drummers.

His sound is a fusion of nu-jazz, deep house, broken beat, DnB, funk, and experimental vibes—completely his own. Back in 2020, just a few years after topping his jazz program, he signed with US label Stretch Music and dropped his debut album, Heartbeat.

Two years later, he followed it up with The Space Between—an album that wasn’t just about the music but about connection, featuring heavy-hitters like Christian Scott and Vivian Sessoms.

And that’s exactly what we’re diving into today.

In this episode, Alexander breaks down what it really takes to collaborate as an artist—how he finds creative partners, builds an artistic community, and brings people together to make meaningful music. 

We’re also talking about the evolution of contemporary jazz and getting an exclusive look at his upcoming album, Artifactual Rhythm. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss!

Check out the Table of Contents 👉🏻 HERE.

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I love the music and energy that emerge from artists who make their multi-creative sides shine together contagiously. One such artist is James Berkeley.

As an instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer, James has established himself in the UK jazz, soul, and R&B scenes through a wide range of musical projects.

Whether delivering electrifying live performances with his band Yakul or working behind the scenes producing and writing for other artists, he’s built an impressive reputation.

He’s worked extensively with legendary jazz outfit Incognito, and his collaboration with R&B powerhouse Mereba has racked up over a million streams, all leading up to Yakul’s acclaimed 2021 debut, Rise Indigo.

Now, James is stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist—plus, his debut album drops this year!

Beyond his music, James is passionate about sharing his journey. He offers insights and advice to fellow musicians on social media. With over a decade in the industry, he uses his experience to help others carve their paths.

That’s exactly why I wanted to interview him—to learn about his creative process, deep connection to jazz, soul, and R&B, and how he’s crafted such a unique sound. 

We also get into the art of building an authentic online presence in today’s music world.

Trust me, you won’t want to miss this one. Enjoy the conversation!

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If there's one musician who truly embodies resilience, it's Lakecia Benjamin.

Just a couple of weeks ago, at the 60th Jazzfest Berlin, I had the privilege of sitting down with powerhouse saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin for an inspiring conversation.
 
Throughout her career, she's played alongside legends like Anita Baker, the Count Basie Orchestra, Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder, the Roots, Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, and so many more.
 
After a serious car accident in 2021, Lakecia didn't just bounce back—she wrote new music that would become her latest album, Phoenix, earning three Grammy nominations. Her journey shows just how far small steps forward can go.
 
Lakecia opened up about her roots growing up in Washington Heights, New York, a predominantly Dominican neighbourhood pulsing with Latin music.

She shared insights into her 2020 album Pursuance: The Coltranes, her triple Grammy-nominated 2023 Phoenix, the influence of Alice and John Coltrane, and the courage it takes to reveal your authentic self to an online audience as an independent artist.
 
I saw Lakecia in an incredible concert at Quasimodo.

What impressed me the most was her attitude. I had to think of what Miles Davis once said: "Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherfucker who plays it is 80 percent." The concert wasn't just music, it was a party with all of us - we all celebrated life and women in music.

I love her story, her truth and her drive.
 
Enjoy listening! 🎧 

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