Paradigms

Randy Hoexter has been playing music most of his life. He’s a pianist and a composer with a deep appreciation for the music and for creativity in general.  He also likes to make things with wood.

The new record Tomorrowsville is an upbeat journey into possibilities, musical and otherwise. The music is accessible, fun, at times whimsical, at times serious. All this makes sense when you hear the conversation between Randy and Baruch, which goes from music to physics to human potential.

• Randy Hoexter on YouTube

Music by: Randy Hoexter

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Tracy Grammer is a wordsmith and a poet, creating music that is bluegrassy w/traditional and electric instruments, haunting and raucous melodies.  Her songs delve into emotional landscapes, stories, and the perennial inquiry into human existence.

Prior to her solo career Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer were a musical duo getting a lot of radio play, touring nationally, when Dave Carter died in 2002. Since then Tracy has carried Dave’s music forward while continuing to develop herself as an artist.

The conversation with Tracy and Baruch is lively, with humor and gravity. Tracy is a very humble person, but her artistry is brilliant. She has a number of solo albums worth listening to.

• Tracy Grammer on YouTube 

Music by: Tracy Grammer

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William Carn and Tara Davidson have been playing music together for years, which is convenient because they’re married to each other! Together they lead Carn Davidson 9 which is a bit of a super band; all accomplished wind instrument players plus a great rhythm section.

The new record Reverence is an homage to musicians who are particularly inspiring to Tara and William.

CD9 is…Tara Davidson – woodwind 1, composer & arranger, William Carn – trombone, composer & arranger, Kelly Jefferson – woodwind, Shirantha Beddage – woodwind 3, Jason Logue – trumpet, Kevin Turcotte – trumpet, Christian Overton – bass trombone, Andrew Downing – bass, Ernesto Cervini – drums.

Tara and William join Baruch for a discussion of the music, their process, and the musicians who inspired these compositions.

Music by: Carn Davidson 9

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Arun Ramamurthy is a violinist who leads a trio composed of himself, Sameer Gupta on drums, and Damon Banks on bass. They have just released their second record New Moon which is a beautiful collection of Arun’s compositions, inspired by his musical life and his families love of the arts. The music embodies an improvisational openness while honoring traditional Indian Ragas.

Arun shares some of his family story, which is fascinating, and helps us to understand where he’s coming from. He’s a good guy making music that’s good for your soul.

• Arun Ramamurthy on YouTube

Music by: Arun Ramamurthy Trio

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Crystal Zevon has been an activist for many years. She’s one of the Raging Grannies one sees in demonstrations for Peace and Justice around the world. Crystal is also a visual artist, and has been involved in creativity for much of her life, encouraging her children and grandchildren to follow their creative inspirations too.

Crystal has written a play One Family in Gaza which is being performed in a few communities in the United States, and hopefully will be produced in more places.  If you’d like to stage the play or host a reading, you can email Crystal. Based on text messages Crystal has been exchanging with a Palestinian man, the play brings us into the experience of this one man and his family in Gaza.

Crystal is also the author of I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon.

• One Family in Gaza on YouTube

Music by: El-Funon, Ariel Zevon, Jackson Browne, One World, The Sound of Reason, El-Funoun, Dan Parks with Mary Collins and Gus Zeising, Johnny Clegg, Lar Duggan and Ellen Powell, and Zeinab Shaath.

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Joel Jeschke grew up in a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, surrounded by endless prairie.  He gravitated towards drums at an early age. Now he lives in Edmonton, Alberta where he plays drums with a rock band, and leads his own jazz band, which has just released the album Time & Place.

This music has a lot of complexity, as well as simple melodic moments. The musicianship os excellent, with Aretha Tillotson on bass, Brett Hansen on guitar, Brendan McGrath on piano, and Holly Sangster on saxophone. The music definitely takes one journeying!

The conversation winds through the making of the album, Joel’s inspirations, and the power of music.

• Joel Jeske on YouTube

Music by: Joel Jeschke

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Performing is a by-product of making the art. – Abbie Thomas

Abbie Thomas has been writing songs and playing music since she was a child, but in recent years, catalyzed in part by the Covid lockdown, she has been recording and performing her original songs with a band. The new album is Not Gonna Lie and it’s great! The songs are weighty and personal yet relatable, and the music packs a punch with palpable rhythms and bold melodies, all set off by Abbie’s strong vocals.

Abbie is receiving some attention for her music, nominated for 2024 Josie Music Awards Vocalist of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Songwriter Achievement for Crystal Ball.

• Abbie Thomas on YouTube

Music by: Abbie Thomas

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Welcoming back Si Kahn and George Mann to talk about the new album Labor Day. Si has reached 80 years old, and is contemplating and creating his legacy. He’s written thousands of songs, been a Union organizer and activist on the line with workers, and is a Union member himself. Si enlisted fellow organizer, activist and musician George to produce this album.

This is a collection of 21 songs which range from singable rousting action songs to the more personal, performed with a lot of heart by wonderful artists.

Music by: Si Kahn, George Mann, Peggy Seeger, Billy Bragg, John McCutcheon, Tom Chapin and The Chapin Sisters, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, Kathy Mattea, Michael Johnathon and Odetta, Vivian Nesbitt and John Dillon.

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Richard X Bennett is welcomed back to Paradigms to talk about his new record Scavenger, the film that goes with it, and some personal health challenges experienced during lock down and after.

Richard is an eclectic musician who his own perspective and inspirations to a variety of musical traditions.  His new record, Scavenger, is a collection of pieces, some assembled from musical snippets Richard had made and put aside, some conceived of as whole pieces, but all excursions into and through Richard’s mind, heart, and soul, as he navigated a life threatening illness during this time of Covid.

Richard is a person who finds inspiration all around him. This has resulted in many albums of music that explore rhythms and melodies, poems and experiences, cultures and people’s stories.

• Scavenger in six parts on YouTube

Music by: Richard X Bennett

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Tristan Israel and his band mates of over 30 years Nancy Jephcote and Paul Thurlow have released a new album Snake Hollow, 15 original song poems written By Tristan, exploring themes of home, mortality, and continuity.

Tristan joins Baruch for a conversation about his life experiences, musical inspirations, and active participation in community life and politics in the small town where he resides.

The songs are outstanding, and the music is New England country rock bluegrass funk barn dance, down home good.

• The Tristan Israel Band on YouTube

Music by: The Tristan Israel Band

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