Today, the Spotlight shines On Christian McBride, a musician, recording artist, prolific composer, arranger, producer, cultural curator, dedicated educator, and mentor.

Christian has been called the hardest-working person in jazz, and based on what I just rattled off, that might be underselling it. From his early days in Philadelphia soaking up the sounds of Philly Soul to sharing stages with legends like Ray Brown and Chick Corea, Christian has become a bridge between jazz’s rich history and its vibrant future.

These days, you’ll find him leading his new band, Ursa Major, hosting NPR’s Jazz Night in America, mentoring the next generation of musicians, and somehow finding time to work on a new big band album featuring twelve different vocalists. He’s also preparing for an upcoming funk tribute show with none other than George Clinton and Savion Glover at NJPAC.

Whether laying down the groove with Inside Straight, his Big Band, or any other celebrated ensemble, Christian brings an irresistible combination of soul, swing, and storytelling to everything he touches. Today, we’ll explore his journey from Philly to the world stage, his passion for record collecting, and why he believes being uncomfortable might be the best way to grow as a musician.

Quick note: this conversation occurred when our baseball teams were still in contention. One had a better outcome than the other, and neither made it all the way…

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Christian McBride at christianmcbride.com
• Listen to Christian McBride on Qobuz, Bandcamp, or your streaming platform of choice
• Follow Christian McBride on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
• Tribute to Funk!
• The curious mind—and hard work—of bassist Christian McBride
• Jazz House Kids | School For Jazz
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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What can be scarier than Halloween ghouls? How about a trip through the LSD underground?

Today, the Spotlight shines On Erik Davis, and this trip is no bummer. Erik is an author, award-winning journalist, and teacher in San Francisco. He is the author, most recently, of Blotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium_, a study of LSD blotter art. And that’s what he’s joined us to talk about.

Erik also wrote one of my favorite books, High Weirdness: Drugs, Esoterica, and Visionary Experience in the Seventies. His scholarly and popular essays on music, technoculture, drugs, and spirituality have appeared in many books, magazines, and journals. He is also one of the founders of Alembic, a center in Berkeley, California, devoted to meditation, movement, and visionary arts and culture.

Enjoy our talk about the hysteria surrounding LSD, the cultural significance and risks of the LSD blotter art trade, as well as the intersection between that art and the illicit drug market.

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Erik Davis at techgnosis.com
• Subscribe to Erik Davis’s newsletter Burning Shore at burningshore.com
• Purchase Blotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium and other books by Erik Davis from MIT Press, Bookshop, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powell’s
• Eight LSD Blotters That Defined Psychedelic Culture
• Inside the LSD Museum That the DEA Somehow Hasn’t Torn to the Ground
• ‘I’m high as a Georgia pine’: Dock Ellis’s no-hitter on LSD, 50 years on
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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Today, the Spotlight shines On Josh Johnson, the Los Angeles-based saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and Grammy Award-winning producer.

Josh joined me earlier this year to talk about his second solo album, Unusual Object, which came out this past April on Northern Spy Records. Equal parts futuristic jazz and modern composition, Josh uses processed saxophone and subtle samples in his unique compositions.

In addition to examining Unusual Object, we discussed the relevance and impact of genre classifications in music, how Josh’s Grammy has led to more opportunities and connections in various music communities, the impact of Chicago’s artistic community on Josh’s development as a musician, courage in the pursuit of creative avenues, and of course, it would not be an episode of Spotlight On if we did not dig into process. So we did.

Josh will be at the Village Vanguard in New York from October 29 through November 3 with Vibraphonist Joel Ross’s Good Vibes ensemble. It should be a good one.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Josh Johnson’s Unusual Object)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Josh Johnson at joshjohnsonmusic.com
• Follow Josh Johnson on Instagram
• Purchase Unusual Object at Northern Spy Records, Qobuz, or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Meshell Ndegeocello Wins Inaugural Best Alternative Jazz Album Award at 2024 Grammys
• The lessons of Wayne Shorter, engine of imagination
• Josh Johnson “Marvis” live performance
• The Conversations That Make a Voice // Josh Johnson
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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Today, the Spotlight shines On composer and percussionist Shawn Mativetsky. A renowned tabla player, Shawn is a pioneer in bridging the worlds of Western and Indian classical music.

We discussed the intricacies of traditional Indian music, including the setup and tuning of the instruments, the guru-disciple relationship, and the reception of Western musicians in the Hindustani community. We also explored the importance of deep learning, consistent practice, and research in mastering a musical instrument, with Shawn sharing his personal journey and commitment to his craft.

Shawn and I spoke much earlier this year, around the April release of his album, Temporal Waves. Enjoy.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from the album Temporal Waves)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Shawn Mativetsky at shawnmativetsky.com
• Visit Temporal Waves at temporalwaves.com
• Purchase Temporal Waves on Qobuz or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Follow Temporal Waves on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube
• Intro to Tabla & North Indian Rhythm – Shawn Mativetsky
• Introduction to Classical Tabla
• Pandit Sharda Sahai
• Canadian Percussionists: Shawn Mativetsky
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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Today, the Spotlight shines On Paul Stache, co-owner (with his wife and partner Molly Sparrow Johnson) of Smoke Jazz Club, one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Smoke is celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2024 and Paul joined us to talk about the storied venue’s past, present, and future.

In addition to the club’s 25th Anniversary Celebration plans, we hit on topics like how their business has navigated the transition to a digital world, insight into managing an independent venue, as well as many of the amazing artists who have graced their stage over the years. Enjoy.

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Smoke Jazz Club online at smokejazz.com
• Follow Smoke Jazz Club on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
• Visit Smoke Sessions Records at smokesessionsrecords.com or on Bandcamp
• Smoke Rises: A Jazz Room Returns on the Upper West Side
• Smoke Jazz & Supper Club reopens (video)
• Harold Mabern “The Iron Man: Live at Smoke” (video)
• Smoke Jazz Club NYC: Talking with Co-owner Paul Stache

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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Today, the Spotlight is going to shine a little differently. Instead of a single guest, we will have three segments dealing with the importance of local music scenes.

Our first guest is Shain Shapiro. Shain is a thought leader working at the intersection of music, culture, and urban policy. His book, This Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better, came out last year on Repeater Books. Shain has defined a new way to think about the value of music and the creative economy in cities and places. He is the founder and chairman of Sound Diplomacy, a global research and strategy consultancy that demonstrates the impact of the creative industries on community development and economic growth. He is also the founder and executive director of the not-for-profit global Center for Music Ecosystems, where he collaborates with leaders and policymakers to foster policies that lead to social and economic development at local, national, and global levels.

Our second segment features trumpeter and composer Thomas Marriott, who takes us through the modern history of the Seattle jazz scene, with its current challenges and opportunities.

We end with Seattle House Mafia, a three-member DJ collective that tell tales of the evolution of Seattle’s dance music scene.

If you enjoy this episode, please let us know, and support live music wherever you are.

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Shain Shapiro at shainshapiro.com and follow him on LinkedIn
• Visit Thomas Marriot at thomasmarriott.net and follow him on Facebook and YouTube
• Visit Seattle House Mafia at seattlehousemafia.com and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), and YouTube
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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

Today, the Spotlight shines On drummer and composer Devin Gray.

Like me, Devin is a born New Englander who made his way to Brooklyn, though unlike me, he splits his time between Brooklyn and Berlin.

Devin has performed with Spotlight On alumni Angelica Sanchez and Satoko Fuji, as well as a who’s who of the creative music scene: David Liebman, Sylvie Couvoisier, Tim Berne, Nate Wooley, and many others.

Our conversation ranged from Devin’s earliest exposures to music, his self-taught approach to drumming, genre divisions in music, local and regional art scenes, the different approaches to arts funding he’s encountered in the US and Europe, the appeal of creating an artistic universe of work, sincerity and authenticity, more.

Devin will be performing in Seattle in the next few days and I hope to continue our conversation then. Enjoy.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Devin Gray’s album Most Definitely)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Devin Gray at devingraymusic.com
• Purchase Devin Gray’s Most Definitely on Qobuz or Bandcamp, and listen on Spotify
• Follow Devin Gray on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter (X), and YouTube
• 7 Questions for Devin Gray
• Satoko Fujii: composing beyond the jazz spirit
• Melt All the Guns (feat. Ralph Alessi & Angelica Sanchez)
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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

Today, the Spotlight shines On Brad Mindich, an entrepreneur who works directly with artists, athletes, and others in music, culture, and sports to expand their legacies and create powerful connections with their fans.

Brad currently does this work as the founder and CEO of Inveniem/Definitive Authentic, which helps its clients organize, catalog, present, and oftentimes monetize their archives directly to their audiences.

Brad has worked with Metallica, Def Leppard, Stephen Stills, basketball star Devin Booker, Monty Python co-founder Eric Idle, and many others.

Our conversation took some fascinating turns, exploring the concept of “pre-nostalgia”, the longing for a future that was imagined in the past. We discussed the powerful impact of nostalgia on individuals and communities and how it can evoke positive or negative emotions.

We also talked about the cultural influences and connections between various subcultures, particularly Rastafarianism, with its historical and social roots in and connection to Hinduism and Indian immigrants.

At its most basic, Brad’s work is about preserving cultural heritage, something his family has contributed to. Brad’s father owned the Boston rock station WFNX and was the longtime publisher of The Boston Phoenix, the fabled underground newspaper with roots stretching back to 1965.

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Definitive Authentic at definitiveauthentic.com and Inveniem at inveniem.com
• Follow Definitive Authentic on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X)
• The Inveniem Company: Dedicated to Preserving and Expanding the Cultural Legacies of Bands, Artists, and Others
• What Happened to the Boston Phoenix?
• WFNX | The Music Museum of New England
• Behind The Metallica Black Box
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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

Today, the Spotlight shines On Andy McCluskey, the singer, songwriter, musician, and producer best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (also known as OMD). Andy joined Spotlight On producer and guest host Michael Donaldson to discuss topics as varied as the political messages behind their latest work, post-modern society, Kraftwerk, and the Bauhaus art school.

OMD is not working the nostalgia circuit, though no one would blame them if they were. Instead, they continue to release new music that fans and critics rate as among the best of their classics and already have plans to spend a large portion of 2025 on the road.

Bauhaus Staircase, OMD’s latest album, and their recent EP, Kleptocracy, are out everywhere you get your music.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from the OMD album Bauhaus Staircase)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark at omd.uk.com
• Purchase OMD’s Bauhaus Staircase from The OMD Store or Qobuz, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Follow OMD on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and Twitter (X)
• Kraftwerk changed my life: 20 artists pick their favourite Kraftwerk records of all time
• The Man in the Machine: How Oskar Schlemmer’s Triadic Ballet left its mark on David Bowie and New Order
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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

Today, the Spotlight shines On JUNO Award-winning oud player and guitarist Gordon Grdina.

Gordon’s work defies limitations, be they geographical, distance, time, or genre. He incorporates avant-garde jazz, free improvisation, indie rock, and Arabic tradition into his music.

So much music, so many collaborators, and so much ground to cover in our talk. We made the most of our time together, exploring projects, processes, the fusion of musical traditions, appropriation, authenticity, and more.

If you are open to the idea that music can be a tool for communication and understanding between people and peoples, Gordon Grdina will give you plenty to consider.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Gordon Grdina’s The Marrow with Fathieh Honari and the Grdina/Lillinger album Duo Work)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Gordon Grdina at gordongrdinamusic.com
• Purchase Grdina/Lillinger’s album Duo Work from Qobuz or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Purchase Gordon Grdina’s The Marrow with Fathieh Honari from Qobuz or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Follow Gordon Grdina on Instagram and Facebook
• Gordon Grdina - Free Form Improvisation on Oud
• Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.

• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Mastodon.

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