Music Life and Times

EP15 Music Business or The Business of Music?

The music business, like selling records and becoming a music star, is a tiny part of the industry whereas the business of music extends to a wide range of occupations, from writing music for commercials to engineering in a recording studio to teaching. And while becoming a star is so rare that it is unachievable for the vast majority of musicians, there are many opportunities to make a living in the business of music. It might not be a regular nine-to-five job, but it is much like other entrepreneurial ventures. 

EP14 American Popular Song

Jerome Kern, Hoagy Carmichael, the Gershwins, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, and so many more: the composers of the songs of the golden era of American popular music known as The Great American Songbook, of the tunes that are the platforms from which jazz musicians have launched many of their most memorable improvisations.

EP13 Steal, Don’t Borrow

Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but it is also the way musicians over the years have improved their skills. Great players “steal” ideas and phrases they admire and let them influence their playing and broaden their musical vocabulary. 

EP12 Guest Dr. Gordon Vernick

Dr. Gordon Vernick, trumpeter extraordinaire and coordinator of jazz studies at Georgia State University, talks about jazz and how students can improve their playing. This episode is chock full of great insights from a revered teacher and musician.

EP11 Guest Keri Johnsrud

Chicago-based jazz singer Keri Johnsrud talks about singing, her career, and her work with Kevin Bales on the Grammy-nominated album Beyond the Neighborhood, a collection of songs composed by Fred Rogers, host of the long-running children’s television series, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. The podcast includes a sample of Keri’s inviting voice from an earlier Kevin and Keri recording and hints at a sequel to Beyond the Neighborhood.

EP10 Mentors and Legends

Most accomplished musicians will point to influences that made a difference in their lives and playing along the way, including mentors who were genuinely interested in helping them learn and advance their careers and took the time to do so. Let’s give credit where credit is due.

EP09 Community Support

The jazz community is open and warm in a remarkably non-competitive way. As well, jazz musicians enjoy avid support from people who love jazz, including support systems like jazz societies, and sometimes just individuals who go out of their way to show their support. Here’s evidence of that as experienced by our podcasting musicians.

EP08 Louis Armstrong

“All roads lead to Louis Armstrong, and all roads come out of that,” notes Trumpeter, Composer, and Bandleader Russell Gunn. “All pop music, not just jazz, goes back to Louis Armstrong, his timing and phrasing,” Kevin Bales adds. This episode shares stories about Louis Armstrong, his life and art.  

EP07 Funny or Just Strange

As a musician, you typically move around a lot, working in different venues in different places. Many turn out to be, well, not conventional. Sometimes it’s worth a laugh; sometimes it’s a real problem. Here are some of the strangest situations these two career musicians have encountered.

EP06 Beatles

Rolling Stone magazine ranks John Lennon and Paul McCartney as two of the three greatest songwriters of their era. It can be argued that The Beatles were the most popular rock group in history. Were they educated musicians or just raw talent, and how did they learn and refine their craft?