The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The jazz musician’s guide to the universe

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How is the origin of our universe like an improvised saxophone solo? This week, Sean Illing talks to Stephon Alexander, a theoretical physicist and world-class jazz musician. Alexander is the author of The Jazz of Physics and his most recent book, Fear of a Black Universe. This episode features music by Stephon Alexander throughout, from his latest 2024 album Spontaneous Fruit and his 2017 EP True to Self.


Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area

Guest: Stephon Alexander (@stephstem), theoretical physicist, Brown University

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