Geoff Zanelli started his career as a collaborator of legends like Hans Zimmer and John Powell, and he has since established himself as an acclaimed composer in his own right. For The Walt Disney Company, Geoff has scored films like Christopher Robin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Perhaps his most notable contribution has been in scoring Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth and most recent entry in the popular franchise, having previously worked with Zimmer on handling additional music for the prior three installments, as well as also Klaus Badelt on The Curse of the Black Pearl. Today on Notably Disney, Geoff joins host Brett Nachman to uncover the majesty of writing Pirates tunes in concert with laying out his professional journey and career highlights. 

Learn more about Geoff Zanelli's work by visiting his website, and be sure to follow his Facebook and instagram (@geoffzanellimusic).

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

You know her voice and content if you’re a Disney Adult. But what makes a Disney Adult? And why is this culture so enveloping and fascinating, too? AJ Wolfe of the uber popular and stellar Disney Food Blog (DFB) has deconstructed this phenomena in a new book entitled Disney Adults: Exploring (And Also Falling in Love with) A Magical Subculture. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman brings on AJ to discuss Disney Adults, just released by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. 

Purchase a copy of Disney Adults, just released, through visiting AJWolfe.com. Also be sure to check out all of the DFBGuide goodness via its website, YouTube channel, Instagram (@disneyfoodblog), and Facebook.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

This fall marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most groundbreaking films ever. Toy Story debuted in 1995 to critical success and public adoration. Pixar’s first film, and also the first fully computer animated production, is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It also boasts the first time we saw the collaboration between Randy Newman and Pixar, who would later compose the scores for and write songs for many subsequent movies, including A Bug’s Life and Monsters Inc. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman welcomes on podcaster Jonathan Goodman, host of the Music Behind the Magic podcast. It’s a great podcast with conversations featuring composers, musicians, and those who study music, among other individuals. Today Jonathan and Brett deconstruct what makes Toy Story's music so special, in addition to where the film lands in their hearts.

Check out the Music Behind the Magic podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about the podcast on its website. Follow Jonathan on Instagram (@musicbehindthemagic) and join the Music Behind the Magic community on Facebook.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

The previous episode of Notably Disney featured a conversation on the best Disney villain songs, but as much as we may love some of these tunes, there are also some atrocious ones in the mix and across a variety of platforms, including film, television, and stage. 

Over two episodes on Notably Disney, author, professor, and musician Matt Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to examine the songs associated with Disney villains. On this episode they highlight their selections for the worst tunes, including those written by talented musicians like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. 

Learn more about Matt's work by visiting his website. And be sure to purchase a copy of Cool Cats and a Hot Mouse: A History of Jazz and Disney, his award-winning book about Disney and jazz, by visiting Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also subscribe to Matt Hodge Music on YouTube.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

We hate to love them, as well as love to hate them. The Disney villains compromise an electric crew of sinfully satisfying baddies. Some appear in animated movies, others live-action films. Others are on television, in the theme parks, or even on Broadway. Disney villains are sometimes misunderstood, funny, and charming, and often cruel and truly wicked. And of course there are those villains who are antiheroes or even fuzzy in having the villain status. Over two episodes on Notably Disney, author, professor, and musician Matt Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to examine the songs associated with Disney villains. On this episode they highlight their selections for the best tunes, noting their appreciation of the lyrics, composition, singers, and the song's role in the specific project. The next edition will focus on the worst songs

Learn more about Matt's work by visiting his website. And be sure to purchase a copy of Cool Cats and a Hot Mouse: A History of Jazz and Disney, his award-winning book about Disney and jazz, by visiting Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also subscribe to Matt Hodge Music on YouTube.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Danielle Kelly, also known as the Dapper Danielle, started out her career as a Disney cast member, and has since evolved into delivering fun social media content and now writing a book that focuses on the most popular theme park in the world. In I Love Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Danielle, with editor Ian Wilson, work to elevate our appreciation and understanding of the enchanting park. On this episode of Notably Disney, Danielle joins host Brett Nachman to share how her pixie dust-infused career has taken her from Cinderella Castle to digital spaces and now the author of a new book. 

Check out more about Danielle and I Love Disney's Magic Kingdom on her website. Follow Danielle (@thedapperdanielle) on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Emmy-nominated composer Jeff Morrow held the mighty job of crafting a score for the live-action adaptation of Disney’s first animated feature. 2025’s Snow White takes our heroine and countless memorable characters into a new landscape for which Jeff has a fertile playing ground to capture whimsy, darkness, and everything in between. On this episode of Notably Disney, Jeff Morrow joins host Brett Nachman to share how this trombone player-turned composer has now been responsible for creating music for a major motion picture for the studio.

Check out Jeff Morrow's scores on Spotify or wherever you listen to music!

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Three decades later and Disney’s 33rd animated feature remains one of its most controversial for its historical inaccuracies and racial depictions. Yet Pocahontas also remains a celebrated film for its score and songs, garnering Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz a pair of Academy Awards. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman leads a discussion of Pocahontas. Joining Brett are two guests who have examined Disney work from a scholarly sense: Dr. Peter Kunze, Assistant Professor of Communication at Tulane University, who was on the podcast a couple of years ago to discuss his book Staging a Comeback, as well as Dr. Michelle Anya Anjirbag-Reeve, Affiliated Researcher at the University of Antwerp. Michelle and Pete examine the roles of race, culture, language, and more in this thoughtful dialogue about how Pocahontas fits within the Disney Renaissance period and in the company more broadly.

Email Pete at [email protected] and check out his book about Disney musicals - Staging a Comeback  - on the Rugters University Press website.

Learn more about Michelle's work by checking out her website: MichelleAnjirbag.com

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

June 7 marks the end of an era, one that lasted 34 years to be precise. The closing of Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios signifies not only a farewell to one of the oldest and most beloved attractions in the park, but also to one of the cleverest shows that has ever existed in a Disney theme park. As the last production that Jim Henson worked on, Muppet*Vision 3D is filled with laughs, heart, and ingenuity. To honor this magnificent attraction, author Aaron Wallace joins host Brett Nachman to share our memories, favorite show elements, including its brilliant writing, and they think represent the show’s legacy, among other topics. This episode is a salute to all 3D shows, but mostly Muppet*Vision 3D. If you know, you know!

Check out what Aaron Wallace has been up to by following him on Instagram (@aaronhwallace) and find out more about his books on AaronWallaceOnline.com.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

For more than 70 years Walt Disney Imagineering has been at the forefront of creating unforgettable experiences for theme park guests around the world, and one individual has played a crucial role in spearheading a vision filled with ingenuity and experimentation. Bob Weis, who presided over WDI from 2016-2012, chronicles four decades of self-described success and failure in Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering, a fantastic autobiography recently published by Disney Editions. In this episode of Notably Disney, Bob speaks with host Brett Nachman about a range of topics, from dealing with tight budgets for park attractions to bringing new lands to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Throughout Bob explains the commitment that Disney Imagineers have in developing rich experiences based on classic storytelling. Bob also shares a bit about his new fiction title entitled Ghost Dog.

Follow Bob on Instagram @bobweis! Learn more about Dream Chasing on Disney Books and Ghost Dog: A Novel from Old Mill Press.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected] 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.