Musicians Reveal: Beyond

Saxophonist Grady Nichols joins Joe Kelley for a wide-ranging conversation about finding his own musical voice, learning from his heroes and building a lasting career in contemporary jazz.

Grady looks back on the enormous influence of David Sanborn and recalls meeting his musical hero as a young college student. Rather than rushing off after his concert, Sanborn spent time talking with Grady about music and encouraged the ambitious young saxophonist to be patient with his career.

Grady also shares the remarkable path that eventually connected him with Ricky Peterson and Paul Peterson. A longtime fan of Prince and The Family, Grady remembers recognizing “St. Paul” backstage at a David Sanborn concert years before he would eventually collaborate with members of the Peterson family.

That connection comes full circle with “Night Music,” which grew from one of Paul Peterson's Funk Friday sessions. Grady explains how the track was reshaped and developed with an impressive group of musicians including Paul Peterson, Ricky Peterson, Lenny Castro and Carl Burnett.

The conversation also covers working with Jeff Lorber, sitting in with The Beach Boys on “Kokomo,” advice from Tony Bennett that influenced Grady's approach to playing saxophone, his Concrete Jungle EP and the importance of collaboration, improvisation and developing an individual sound.

Grady also reflects on the changing music business, his longtime band, performing original music and why the spontaneous moments onstage can be some of the most rewarding parts of being a musician.

Originally recorded for Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley.

Watch the video presentation of this interview on the Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley YouTube channel.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Jamaican-born singer, musician and Talking Dreads founder Mystic Bowie joins Joe Kelley for a remarkable conversation filled with stories from a life in music.

Mystic tells the unforgettable story of receiving his first guitar from a man he didn't realize was famous — Grateful Dead legend Jerry Garcia. Years later, Mystic finally discovered the identity of the musician who had shown such kindness to him as a young performer.

He also takes Joe inside his long relationship with Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and explains how he became a frontman with Tom Tom Club. Mystic recalls his early encounters with an extraordinary circle of musicians and shares a hilarious story involving Keith Emerson and Ringo Starr.

The conversation explores the creation of Talking Dreads, Mystic's reggae reinterpretation of Talking Heads music. He explains how Chris and Tina immediately supported the concept, how Seymour Stein encouraged the project, and why Mystic traveled to Jamaica to record with seasoned Jamaican musicians including Sly & Robbie, Ernest Ranglin, Dean Fraser and others. He also discusses bringing B-52's singer Cindy Wilson into the project.

Mystic reflects on Tom Tom Club, Talking Heads, Jamaica, reggae, his musical influences, performing at NPR's Tiny Desk, the importance of collaboration between artists and the experiences that have shaped his distinctive musical journey.

Originally recorded for Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley.

A video presentation of this radio archive is also available on the Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley YouTube channel.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Bass innovator Victor Wooten joins Joe Kelley for an archival conversation centered on his ambitious double album Yin-Yang and the creative philosophy behind his music.

Victor takes listeners inside the making of Yin-Yang, explaining how he approached its instrumental and vocal sides and experimented with recording techniques that pushed his music in unexpected directions.

He also tells the story of collaborating with funk legend Bootsy Collins on “What Crime Is It?,” a spontaneous session that grew out of a groove Victor developed with drummer J.D. Blair. Victor discusses working with Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Jeff Coffin and Carter Beauford, as well as the musical connection he shares with his brothers and the extraordinary community of musicians surrounding him.

The conversation reaches back to Victor's childhood, including seeing James Brown perform live, and explores influences ranging from Stevie Wonder and Larry Graham to Prince, Morris Day and the Minneapolis sound.

Throughout the interview, Victor shares his thoughts on experimentation, recognition, originality and why being yourself can be more important than deliberately trying to break musical rules.

Originally recorded for Joe Kelley's WVOF radio program Upper Room with Joe Kelley

A video presentation of this radio archive is also available on the Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley YouTube channel.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Bassist, composer and longtime Weird Al Yankovic band member Stephen Jay joins Joe Kelley for a deep dive into a remarkable life in music.

Stephen looks back on meeting Weird Al in 1981 and the band's journey from its earliest days to major tours and sold-out arenas. He shares stories from more than four decades of recording and performing together, discusses the musicianship behind the parodies, and explains what he's learned from studying the bass parts of countless classic songs.

The conversation also explores Stephen's own music and compositions, his years writing music for PBS, his early experiences with electronic music and composer John Cage, and his fascination with the relationship between rhythm and harmony.

Stephen also discusses his solo work, the album Off Bass, his creative life at Muse Ranch, and the preparation that goes into performing a demanding two-hour Weird Al show.

From MTV and musical parody to composition, bass, creativity and the science of rhythm, this is a wide-ranging conversation with a musician whose career extends far beyond any single genre.

Watch the full video interview on YouTube:

Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley — Stephen Jay

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Guitar great Paul Jackson Jr. joins Joe Kelley for a wide-ranging conversation about an extraordinary career behind some of the biggest records in music history.

Paul shares the hilarious story of Michael Jackson calling his family home — only to have Paul's mother hang up because she didn't believe it was really Michael. He looks back on recording with Michael and The Jacksons, including his contributions to Thriller and “Beat It,” and explains what it was like working inside Quincy Jones' legendary studio environment.

The conversation spans Paul's work with Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston, his years on American Idol, sessions with George Benson and Steely Dan, and his later work with Daft Punk and The Weeknd. Paul also discusses George Duke, Patrice Rushen, Jazz Funk Soul, his approach to being a great session musician, and the preparation that has sustained his career for decades.

It's an inside look at the craft, musicianship and stories behind a remarkable body of work.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul and beyond — drawing from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Watch the full video interview on YouTube: Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley — Paul Jackson Jr.

Jeff Daniels is known around the world for his work on film, television and stage, but music has been part of his creative life for decades.

In this archival conversation with Joe Kelley, Daniels discusses his Live and Unplugged CD benefiting the Purple Rose Theatre, his years of songwriting and guitar playing, the challenge of performing alone with an acoustic guitar, and the vintage instruments he takes onstage.

Daniels also shares stories from his acting career, including working with Robin Williams and Woody Allen, and explains why he and his family chose Michigan over Hollywood even as his career continued to grow.

It’s a revealing conversation about music, acting, family, creativity and building a life beyond the expectations of show business.

Originally recorded for The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM.

From the archives of Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley.