The Working Artist Project

This episode of The Working Artist Project is special. Today's guests are the stars of one of the most entertaining podcasts out! “We got this!… Or do we?!” is a podcast hosted by two strong women, who like everyone, have insecurities and doubts about life. They focus on relationships, health, and empowerment. I am beyond excited for you guys to come on the adventure we had together. We explored the value of Strength, Trust, women's' rights and the absences of HR departments in the creative arts. Alison and Yunie also helped me understand and explore my own ideas and experiences with relationships and identity. Please, enjoy this episode of The Working Artist Project!

Connect with Yunie and Alison here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-2-red-flags/id1378539254?i=1000411005284&mt=2BIO

“We got this!… Or do we?!” is a podcast hosted by two strong women, who like everyone, have insecurities and doubts about life. We focus on relationships, health, and empowerment. The goal is to inspire, educate and tell our stories. Whatever brings you here, and as you get to know us, we hope that through this podcast you will find yourself smiling, laughing, and taking away something that will inspire you to be a better you.

What does Sacrifice, Focus, and Hope have in common? Well, if you ask Kelly Green she would say absolutely everything! On today's episode of The Working Artist Project Kelly and I discuss her debut album "Life Rearranged". She explained to me the impact these three words have had on her life and how she draws inspiration from them. Some of her melodies have been influenced by the #metoo movement whilst others have come out of her experience with lost love. If you like genuine music, people and experiences then this is the episode for you. Enjoy the show!

Connect with Kelly Green Here: https://www.kellygreenpiano.com/

Bio

Kelly Green - pianist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, educator - from Longwood, FL New York-based pianist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, and educator Kelly Green was born and raised in a musical family in Central Florida. She began singing as a toddler, studying piano at age five and found her passion for jazz at age eleven. She received her Bachelors in Jazz Studies - performance at the University of North Florida where she studied piano and voice. She received the outstanding musician’s award every year at UNF. While in Jacksonville she performed weekly with her trio at many different venues and private events. In May 2011, she won the Generation Next Youth Talent Competition at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival.

In September 2014 she received her Masters in Jazz Piano Performance from William Paterson University where she studied with pianists Harold Mabern, James Weidman, and Mulgrew Miller among many other note-worthy faculty members. She was the pianist in the WP Jazz Orchestra in which performed alongside NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath and legendary vibraphonist Steve Nelson. Kelly received the Outstanding Graduate Music Student Award for her class. In June 2014 Kelly was chosen as the pianist in the William Paterson Colombia Band, which toured three cities in Colombia, South America where she taught at two week-long clinics and performed at three large concert halls. Since moving up north, Kelly has performed at many notable clubs and venues in the area such as Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Apollo Theater, Minton's, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Jazz Standard, Ginny’s Supper Club, Gin Fizz, The Django, Zinc Bar, Fat Cat, B.B. Kings, Rockwood Music Hall, the 9th Note, Deerhead Inn, Trumpets Jazz Club, and Shanghai Jazz among many others. She performs most often with her trio, then her sextet. The Kelly Green Trio hosts weekly jam sessions at Cleopatra's Needle every Sunday. Kelly has performed in bands alongside established jazz musicians such as Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Heath, Steve Nelson, Nat Reeves, Steve Williams, Bill Goodwin, Rich Perry, Winard Harper, Philip Harper, Steve Wilson, Stacy Dillard, Jonathan Barber, Josh Evans, Bruce Williams, Frank Lacy, James Zollar and Jovan Alexandre among others. In December 2016 she recorded her debut album "Life Rearranged” featuring wonderful musicians Christian McBride, Steve Nelson, Josh Evans, Kush Abadey, Jovan Alexandre, Matt Dwonszyk, Noam Israeli, Tamir Shmerling, and Mike Troy. Since it’s release in October 2017, “Life Rearranged” has received notable reviews and radio play. It is featured as one of the Top 50 albums of 2017 in the LA Times by Scott Yanow. Yanow describes Green’s piano playing as, “sophisticated and modern while also being connected to the tradition,” and “her vocals are subtle, quietly expressive and full of insight.” For more reviews information please visit www.kellygreenpiano.com! In addition to being an outstanding performer, Kelly is passionate about education. She has been giving lessons and teaching classes and workshops since high school. She has taught at the Jazz House Kids Summer Workshop and the William Paterson Summer Jazz Workshop for the past four years and is currently a Teaching Artist for Jazz House Kids year round.

The Working Artist Project's Artist Spotlight is a new series where I talk to creatives about new and exciting creations! Today I have Nickel Five on the show and we listened to and discussed a number of tracks from his new CD entitled Resuscitation Music. Nickel is a New York-based M.C. that merges hip-hop and jazz in a unique way. He describes it as truth that you can dance to, I don't know about you but that sounds like something I want to be a part of. I have a feeling you guys are going to enjoy listing to this Episode of The Working Artist Project Spotlight series.

Connect with Nickel here https://www.spotmeanickel.com/

Bio:

For 7 years and running, Nickel and Dime Ops have held their weekly Thursday night residency at Smoke Jazz Club. The platform has allowed them to grow into a world-class jazz fused hip-hop band, with a monumental new album being released Spring 2018. September will mark 8 years of playing at this world renown jazz club. What will happen from there we shall see. For now, come check out Nickel and Dime Ops as the longest lasting late night resident at Smoke's 'Round Midnight Sessions. 2751 Broadway, NYC.

Corey and I explored the complexity of navigating the life of a creative in 2018. He shed light on the process of developing a business model that has helped him build a following for his band "Butcher Brown". This business model has also set him and his bandmates up to continue traveling and recording around the world for. Fonville also spoke about the challenges of maintaining focus and recognizing that you can only fail if you give up. Per usual, he and I also dove deep into the topic of politics, racial, profiling and how he manages to rise above these challenges and more. I hope you all enjoy this episode of The Working Artist Project.

Connect with Corey Here: http://www.butcherbrown.com/

Bio:

Corey Fonville, an influential drummer in today's music scene, has dedicated his life to learning the craft and its history in order to be one of the best drummers of his time. As an artist and music-enthusiast, he studied a variety of genres, mostly through his father’s music collection, which generally consisted of jazz, R&B, alternative, and funk. His skills are rooted in an eclectic background and call attention to the fact that music is hard to typify.

Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, Corey has played with recognized musicians who have not only helped him develop as a drummer but also introduced him to the life of a touring artist. Since the age of 2, Corey hasn’t been able to put the sticks down -- music was always his passion. He first started creating a buzz after high school when he attended New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. While he lived in New York City, he played almost every night with prominent artists from the city and quickly made close connections with influential musicians. He eventually left New School to study at the Dave Brubeck Institute in Stockton, CA where he received a full scholarship to play the drums. The Brubeck Institute gave Corey the opportunity to network with many artists whom he aspired to be and to whom he listened when he was a child.

Almost immediately after completing his studies at The Brubeck Institute, he began traveling the world with notable artists such as Nicholas Payton, Jacky Terrasson, and Christian Scott. Now, at the age of 27, Corey is currently touring with Christian Scott. Additionally, Corey has his own band Butcher Brown which recently completed their first European tour. He plans to continue recording with them and hopes to keep building a international fan base.

Corey has proved that his skills make him one of the most recognizable and accomplished contemporary drummers. Through his touring experiences, he wants to continue to develop his technique and sharpen the skills he already possesses in order to continue playing for audiences whom truly appreciate the artform.

E.J. and I spoke about his love for music and how this love has to evolve as you grow and change. He also touched on the challenges he faced throughout his career and how those things were integral for him to bring his dreams to life. E.J. is an amazing musician who understands that giving is the key to a success. We also touched on the violence that has plagued the Afro-American from the hands of the "Authorities". Overall this interview gives you a birds-eye view into the mind of E.J. and the heart of the community as a whole.

Connect with E.J. here www.ejstricklandmusic.com

Bio:

Enoch Jamal “E.J.” Strickland is the world-class, world-travelled drummer, composer, educator, and artist you’ve heard on over 60 albums in the last 10-plus years. The Miami native grew up in a creative household, where his dad was a percussionist in the Ft. Lauderdale Orchestra; his twin brother Marcus played the saxophone; and where E.J. beat on pots, pans, and tables until he finally got his hands on the drums. He was only in middle school, yet E.J. knew then that jazz was his calling. Where does one go as a young jazz musician, serious about the work? New York City, of course. Like so many talented artists before him, E.J. chose the New School to further his jazz education, a course of study that would introduce him to greater technical ability, but really, to the meat of any jazz program: teachers and peers. Reggie Workman. Buster Williams. Billy Harper—just to name a few of the living legend, caring instructors who guided E.J. during his tenure. And the peers? Friends who would spend almost every moment together, growing as young musicians and future leaders of the sound: Mike Moreno, Robert Glasper, Brandon Owens, and Marcus Baylor. Together, they formed a group that would shape their voices, and establish their careers. E.J. quickly graduated into New York’s gigging jazz scene, playing early on with Russell Malone and Ravi Coltrane. Both artists proved to be big brother types for E.J., gently guiding him as he established his voice. “Russell really stressed the point that as a drummer, you’re supposed to make the music feel good,” he says. “I always try to remember what he instilled in me.” Ravi Coltrane lent a similar kind of open-ended guidance, telling E.J. to simply “find something” in the music. Just what that would be was up to him. Since then, Strickland has built a successful career as a composer, bandleader, educator, and sideman. He’s toured, performed, and recorded with some of the greatest names in contemporary music: Cassandra Wilson, Terence Blanchard, Lizz Wright, Wynton Marsalis, George Colligan, David Gilmore, Vincent Herring, and Nnenna Freelon, to name a few. As an instructor, he’s taught alongside some of the world’s best jazz educators: Dave Douglas and Vijay Iyer at the prestigious Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music, Steve Kirby at the University of Manitoba, and Earl MacDonald at the University of Connecticut. As a leader, he’s released two albums: 2009’s In This Day featuring Marcus Strickland, Jaleel Shaw, Luis Perdomo, and Hans Glawischnig in a blend of musical settings. His most recent release, The Undying Spirit “positively glows…its success comes largely from the leader’s ability to inspire the best in his fellow musicians,” says Brian Zimmerman, Downbeat Magazine. Nick Bewsey in Icon Magazine calls E.J. “an artist with a clear and sensible vision: that a drummer-led jazz record should give listeners an opportunity to get their groove on.” Variety—of influence and interest—might be the keyword for E.J. in his creative approach. He studied both classical and Latin percussion, working early on with the great Cuban drummer Ignacio Berroa. “Growing up, we listened to all kinds of music in the house,” he says. “Miles, Stevie; just good music.” He’s applied his wide-ranging tastes to the artists he plays with today: funk and fusion with pianist Manuel Valera’s Groove...

Jasen Weaver is a composer, educator, and world renown musician. He has performed with Donald Harrison, Jason Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis and many others. Jasen and I discussed the process of creating his debut album Voscoville as well as the importance of constant creation as an artist. We also explored the inner workings of the day to day life of a musician when taking on different roles. Enjoy the show.

Contact Jasen Weaver Here: https://www.JasenWeaver.com

Bio

Jasen Weaver began playing the double bass at the age of 11. He first received training at programs like the New Orleans String Project and the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra (GNOYO). At the age of 13, he joined the jazz band at his middle school and began what would become a full time interest in music. By age 14, he was accepted into the prestigious New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) as a member of the Jazz program. He later attended the University of New Orleans and graduated as a Jazz Studies major in 2012.

Since then he has been privileged to play with many great musicians including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Herlin Riley, Donald Harrison, Ellis Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Adonis Rose and many others. He has also recorded with Dr. John, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (feat. Dee Dee Bridgewater), Jason Marsalis, The Session, Cliff Hines, Sasha Masakowski, and saxophonist Stephen Richard. He has performed internationally in Europe, Australia, Japan, Russia, Honduras, Barbados, Israel, South Africa and New Zealand. Jasen has also played at some of the most renowned jazz clubs and festivals in the world such as the Newport Jazz Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Jazz Showcase and Yoshi’s.

In addition to being a sideman, Jasen has been leading his own band since Summer 2012. The group is currently a sextet and has been featured on Saturday nights at Bacchanal Wine since Fall 2012, as well as many other venues in New Orleans such as Snug Harbor, The Prime Example, the Hyatt Regency and Gasa Gasa. He released his debut album, "The Voscoville" in March 2018 and will be performing at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in May 2018.

Corcoran is one of the most influential musicians on the music scene today. His connection to the art form and the people is unparalleled. We had a great time dissecting the relationships between life, love, music and fatherhood. When you listen to this podcast do your absolute best to hold on to the words and emotions that he expresses so eloquently. Enjoy the show.

Connect with Corcoran Here: https://www.corcoranholt.com/

Connect with Darrian Here: https://www.SecondLineArts.org

Bio:

Corcoran Holt, a son of Washington, DC, began playing djembe and other West African percussion at the age of 4 as a member of Wose Dance Company. As a keeper of the rhythm, Corcoran began his study of upright bass at age 10 with the renowned DC Youth Orchestra (DCYOP). Soon he learned that his great- grandfather, with whom he shares a birthday, was a bass player who grew up in High Point, NC and lived next door to a very young John Coltrane. Legend has it that he gave Trane music lessons. Corcoran feels called to the bass and his work is about honoring the ancestors.

While continuing his classical training at DCYOP, Corcoran attended the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC from 1996 to 2000 where he studied classical bass with Carolyn Kellock, and jazz music with educators Davey Yarborough, the late great Keter Betts and Steve Novasel. During these high school years, Corcoran realized his affinity for the jazz music and honed his performance skills by working frequently on the Washington DC jazz scene.

Always performing, he completed a Bachelors of Arts in Jazz Studies from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2004 where he studied bass with Michael Bowie. He received his Masters degree in Jazz Studies from Queens College in New York City in 2006 under the tutelage of Buster Williams, Michael Phillip Mossman, and Antonio Hart.

Corcoran has been blessed and has worked with numerous pioneers and greats of the music such as Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, Harold Mabern, Steve Turre, Billy Hart, Kenny Garrett, Javon Jackson, and Wycliffe Gordon to name a few.

Corcoran is currently the regular bassist with the world renown alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett. Holt performs regularly at many of the top music festivals and venues around the world. Some have included The North Sea Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note (NYC Tokyo Milano), and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola to name a few. Corcoran has performed throughout North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. In 2009, he toured the Middle East as a Jazz Ambassador representing the United States under the US State Department. In September 2010, he traveled part of The Rhythm Roads tour with Nasar Abadey and Supernova to East Africa, a collaboration between the U.S. State Department and Jazz at the Lincoln Center.

Corcoran is honored to have been a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk Bass Competition in 2009.

Currently Corcoran leads his own group and has a new release titled “The Mecca”. He is also a part of three grammy nominated recordings, Kenny Garrett’s 2013 recording “Pushing the World Away” recorded on Mac Avenue Records, Jamison Ross’s 2014 recording “Jamison” recorded on Concord records, and The Baylor Project’s Recording “The Journey” 2017.

Corcoran also works with numerous bands throughout the world and is based in NYC. He also serves as a djembe drummer/music therapist at Greater Harlem Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where he plays for his elders.

After witnessing Bria's tenacity first hand it became increasingly important for me to shine a light on her innate ability to breath life into her dreams through hard work, focused leadership and vision. On this episode of The Working Artist Project, we explore Bria's past with the purpose of decoding her formula for success. Enjoy the show.

Connect with Bria here: http://www.briaskonberg.com

Connect with Darrian here: http://www.secondlinearts.org

Bio

New York based Canadian singer, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg has been described

as one of the “most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal).

Recognized as one of 25 for the Future by DownBeat Magazine, Bria Skonberg has been a

force in the new generation with her bold horn melodies and smoky vocals, and adventurous

concoctions of classic and new.

Bria is signed to Sony Music Masterworks’ OKeh Records and released her debut LP in

September 2016, Bria, which won a Canadian JUNO award and made the Top 5 on Billboard

jazz charts. She collaborated again with producer Matt Pierson, as well as multi-Grammy winner

Gil Goldstein, for her second Sony album, With A Twist, released May 2017. Her take on

Leonard Cohen’s “Dance Me To The End of Love” has garnered over 1.3 million streams.

Noted as a millennial “shaking up the jazz world,” (Vanity Fair), Bria Skonberg has played

festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Monterey

Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and over a hundred more. She

recently performed the Star Spangled Banner at Madison Square Garden for an NHL game.

Originally from the small town of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Bria studied jazz and performance

at Capilano University in Vancouver while balancing a full road schedule with two bands. After

graduating, she traveled extensively, performing in China and Japan and throughout Europe.

When she wasn’t traveling, Bria was honing her chops with Dal Richards, Vancouver’s King of

Swing. Playing BC Place Stadium at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver capped off

this exciting period, with Bria featured at the Paralympics opening ceremony. Seeking new

challenges, Bria moved to New York city in September of 2010. Upon arrival she went to jam

with friends in Washington Square Park and an hour into playing world renowned trumpeter

Wynton Marsalis stopped to listen. He gave her a thumbs up.

In 2012, Bria released So Is The Day (Random Act Records). That collection showcased a

developing flair for original songs and new takes on standards, including a duet with John

Pizzarelli. So Is The Day received rave reviews from critics; “while tipping a hat to tradition, [So

Is The Day] appropriately pushes Bria Skonberg to the forefront of today's musical talents” (All

About Jazz). In 2015, following her second album Into Your Own, Skonberg received the

distinguished Jazz At Lincoln Center Swing Award. Further accolades include Best Vocal and

Best Trumpet awards from Hot House Jazz Magazine (2014-15, 2017), Outstanding Jazz Artist

from the New York Bistro Awards (2014), DownBeat Rising Star (2013-17), and a nominee for

Jazz Journalists Association Up and Coming Artist (2013).

She is an avid educator and supporter of public school opportunities, giving numerous

workshops and concerts for students of all ages. Bria has been a faculty member at the

Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp (2008- present), Centrum Jazz Camp, performs outreach on

behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center and co-founded the New York Hot Jazz Camp for adults in

2015. She is also co-founder of the New York Hot Jazz Festival.