"We're not trying to tell you what to think," is what Francis Jalbert tells us about the philosophy behind every Cirque du Soleil production. LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil, A Waking Dream of Mexico, is no different. The creativity that is the genius of Cirque combines movement, music, color, light and the element of risk all in one show, and at the same time beautifully embeds culture. The audience can dream with these incredible performers as they navigate the story and flavor of Mexico. Luzia is 2...
Jul 30, 2018•31 min•Ep. 107
A performance by Chris Trapper - Live at City Winery - June 24, 2018 in Boston, MA. Recorded after our second ConcertCast - a conversation and performance in front of a live audience. To listen to the entire conversation, go here: http://abovetheb.libsyn.com/episode-106-chris-trapper Song List: Song 1: Everything Shines Song 2: The Losing End Song 3: Don’t Let Your Monday Own Your Sunday Song 4: Gone Again Song 5: Into The bright Lights Song 6: This Time Song 7: Skin Song 8: Keg On My Coffin...
Jul 27, 2018•44 min
Our very first ConcertCast with Brent Shuttleworth was an experiment. Have our guest play a few, sit with us for 20 minutes or so and have a Q&A in front of a live audience followed by a full performance. It was an amazing evening and Brent brought the house down. So we decided to up our game. Back in June we met at the beautiful City Winery in Boston in front of a sold out Haymarket Lounge for our second ConcertCast with prolific Singer-Songwriter and front man for Boston’s own The Push Sta...
Jul 25, 2018•44 min•Ep. 106
We met with a few of the fellas from the Boston electronic-pop band Bearstronaut - David Martineau and Nate Marsden at The Sinclair Kitchen. We quickly went through all the annoying questions - where their name came from and what band do they sound like, and got to the important stuff - their appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live a year ago, what was the name of the recent Harrison Ford movie not named Star Wars or Regarding Henry, whether "Medieval" is a time period or a level of evilness, and what m...
Jul 18, 2018•43 min•Ep. 105
We were able to catch the boys of Old Crow Medicine Show at their Master Class at Berklee College of Music – and what we learned there is that they are not only a great band, but a great bunch of guys too. It was evident that evening as well when they played for The Umbrella Community Arts Center event and had the crowd on their feet dancing the entire show. These former buskers now have two Grammy Awards and their classic single, "Wagon Wheel" went Platinum in 2013 for selling over 1,000,000 co...
Jul 11, 2018•27 min•Ep. 104
Having the title of Director Of Good Vibes would be a daunting title for any normally pessimistic human being, but James MacDonald is an optimist. Formerly with the Life Is Good Festival, James started Festival At The Farm in Canton, MA which will take place in September and features Amos Lee, Dawes, and former ATB guests Martin Sexton, Ali McGuirk and Jesse Dee as well as one of our upcoming guests Will Dailey among many others. The music in this episode is from some of these artists. James has...
Jul 04, 2018•40 min•Ep. 103
We took a trip to beautiful Symphony Hall in early June to sit with Tanglewood Festival Chorus Conductor and Boston Symphony Orchestra Choral Director James Burton. Joining us was choir member by night and Google start-up entrepreneur by day, Will Koffel. We talked the ins and outs of working in a chorus, conducting 250 or so choral members, singing in different languages, the blending of the many different voices in a chorus and the wonders of being onstage with Pete Townsend during the epic pr...
Jun 28, 2018•45 min•Ep. 102
With a background in radio, Jim Olsen co-founded Signature Sounds with Mark Thayer in Northampton, MA in 1995 and works with some of the finest singer-songwriter, Americana, modern folk and rock musicians around, including Kris Delmhorst, Lake Street Dive, Twisted Pine, Chris Smither, Peter Mulvey, Erin McKeown, Josh Ritter and Lori McKenna - to name just a few. He helped guide Signature Sounds through the internet era while fostering a community of musicians who not only have their own projects...
Jun 20, 2018•37 min•Ep. 101
Meet Mickey Hart: part philosopher, scientist, shaman…and passionate drummer. Mickey and The Grateful Dead have offered up the groove and the melody for some of the most iconic themes of our generation. He is a musicologist, a student of polyrhythms and a believer in the connections we all have to rhythm. Mickey has two Grammys and has collaborated with a Nobel Prize in Physics winner, stem-cell researchers and neuroscientists including the late, great Oliver Sacks. He is a true supporter of mus...
Jun 15, 2018•36 min•Ep. 99
Meet Mickey Hart: part philosopher, scientist, shaman…and passionate drummer. Mickey and The Grateful Dead have offered up the groove and the melody for some of the most iconic themes of our generation. He is a musicologist, a student of polyrhythms and a believer in the connections we all have to rhythm. Mickey has two Grammys and has collaborated with a Nobel Prize in Physics winner, stem-cell researchers and neuroscientists including the late, great Oliver Sacks. He is a true supporter of mus...
Jun 13, 2018•33 min•Ep. 98
Ladies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet! Here is our final installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. We are pleased to share with you portions of th...
Jun 11, 2018•7 min
Illustrator and author Tony Diterlizzi got his start drawing for Dungeons & Dragons but soon began "worldbuilding" though his books that include Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure, The Spider and Fly and with writer Holly Black The Spiderwick Chronicles to name only a few of his wonderful books. Angela has worked as a make-up artist in film and TV including Saturday Night Live and MTV and musicians including Dave Matthews Band, Duran Duran and Depeche Mode and is the author...
Jun 06, 2018•41 min•Ep. 97
Ladies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet! Here is our fourth installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. We are pleased to share with you portions of t...
Jun 04, 2018•6 min
Violist and holistic educator, Ashe has played all over the world with a number orchestras and ensembles, and has collaborated with many living composers including Thomas Adès, Steve Reich, and Jeffrey Mumford to name just a few. She has become a voice for social change through her work as Artistic Director of Castle of our Skins – a Boston-based concert and educational series devoted to celebrating Black Artistry through music and is currently working with the Cross Cultural Collective a Black ...
May 30, 2018•41 min•Ep. 96
Ladies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet! Here is our third installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. Every Tuesday for the next 3 weeks, we are plea...
May 28, 2018•7 min
The local evening news in the 80's was such a big part of our day. At 6pm we’d sit down to watch TV and get our fill of what’s happening in our city and the world. A lot has changed since those days, but the names and faces of the anchors who spoke to us every day are as familiar as they have ever been. There was recently a reunion of sorts with the Boston WBZ team of Jack Williams, Liz Walker, Bob Lobel, Bruce Schwoegler and of course, Arts and Entertainment reporter Joyce Kulhawik, and it was ...
May 23, 2018•40 min•Ep. 95
Ladies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet!: Here is our second installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. Every Tuesday for the next 3 weeks, we are pl...
May 21, 2018•8 min
We sat with Luke, Russ and Brendan Condon - three brothers from the Boston band Town Meeting a few weeks ago and it quickly went off the rails. In between several simultaneous conversations we talked tipping, harmonies, Lavar Burton, acoustic music, playing live for a guy and his dog, the meaning of the word Cajon, podcasts…we were all over the place. But it was certainly a hoot. These guys sound great and are amazing live. Enjoy! Song List: Song 1: Dirty Ol' Demon Song 2: Till I Die Song 3: In ...
May 16, 2018•47 min•Ep. 94
Ladies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet!: We would like to introduce you to the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan as told in the Broadway national tour of ON YOUR FEET! The Musical. You can now hear about it from the perspective of On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Our friends at Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians w...
May 13, 2018•6 min
A performance by Brent Shuttleworth - Live at Rapscallions - April 11, 2018 in Acton MA. Recorded after our first ConcertCast - a conversation and performance in front of a live audience. To listen to the entire conversation, go here: http://abovetheb.libsyn.com/episode-093-brent-shuttleworth Song List: Song 1: Black Swan Song 2: Doc Brown Song 3: This Must Be Love Song 4: Just You and Me Song 5: Where We Begin Song 6: She Was A Dancer Song 7: Money Ain't Everything Join us at Above The Basement...
May 12, 2018•46 min
When we got word that Brent Shuttleworth was coming to town, we saw it as an opportunity to celebrate the Nashville / Boston connection, new and old friends, and experience a fresh unique style of songwriting and performing. We wanted to do something new so we gathered some ATB friends and fans together at Rapscallions Table and Tap in Acton, MA and did our first LIVE episode that we are calling a ConcertCast. Brent immersed himself into the audience with his music and strong spirit. He worked h...
May 09, 2018•37 min•Ep. 93
Hip-Hop artist and proud "Queen of the Bean", Dutch ReBelle has earned national attention for her lyrical punch and powerful performances. In 2014 she was named the Boston Music Awards “Best Hip-Hop Artist” and continues to make her mark in the fantastic Boston Hip-Hop scene. We talk about her Haitian roots, food, her experience in the Congo and her foray from pre-law into a hip-hop force to be reckoned with. Song List: Song 1: I Can't Song 2: Sunday Morning (feat. Amandi) Song 3: No Less (ReBel...
May 02, 2018•44 min•Ep. 92
ON YOUR FEET! The musical is a story of rhythm and resilience. It covers the lives of Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio Estefan to and through success, and tells a story of setbacks and love. The foundation is built upon music and at its core is the legendary Miami Sound Machine. We sat down with Jorge Casas and Clay Ostwald of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine, who help bring all these iconic songs to the Broadway stage. We talk about the tour and the transition of pop-Latin-j...
Apr 23, 2018•49 min•Ep. 91
What is the first song that comes right to your mind? When you think of the world around us, or a social issue - why does this song resonate? These are the kinds of questions we asked the students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School as part of a music and society discussion. While we always look try to raise these important questions during our conversations, we can’t take credit for this one... it was senior Natalia Ruiz who spotted an ATB sticker somewhere in Cambridge, looked us up and ...
Apr 20, 2018•48 min•Ep. 90
We first saw Ryan Montbleau back in 2012 in Boston on a Rock and Blues Cruise that featured the Ryan Montbleau Band. It was a full boat and was packed with Ryan Montbleau fans and the band totally rocked the house. Or rather the boat. The singer-songwriter and bandleader has been a relentless road warrior. His last album called I Was Just Leaving is a bit more introspective than his previous but certainly shows off his songwriting chops. His most recent project is a duo with the wonderful Hayley...
Apr 11, 2018•55 min•Ep. 89
Internationally acclaimed soloist, composer and educator, Wu Man is a master of the Pipa, an instrument that dates back almost 2000 years. Wu Man co-founded The Silkroad Project with Yo-Yo Ma and has collaborated with many illustrious composers including Phillip Glass, Tan Dun and Terry Riley and has written for The Kronos Quartet. In 1998 she was awarded The Bunting Fellowship at Harvard University and was the first Chinese traditional musician to receive The United States Artist Fellowship in ...
Apr 04, 2018•39 min•Ep. 88
Jonatha Brooke's first band - the critically acclaimed The Story with the talented Jennifer Kimball was the beginning of an impressive run of beautifully written songs that today culminate in her latest project – a Broadway musical play called My Mother Has 4 Noses. Currently touring the US, this musical play explores her relationship with her mother who suffered the devastating effects of Alzheimer's. We caught up with her just before she played a fantastic concert at City Winery Boston and tal...
Mar 28, 2018•45 min•Ep. 87
This is part two of a two part episode. We met Sir David Minehan when we walked up the stairs to the wonderful rooms of his recording studio Woolly Mammoth Sound to begin recording our Butler Frog EP. David is in the seminal Boston band The Neighborhoods that won the very first WBCN Rock 'N' Roll Rumble in 1979 and has toured with David Bowie, The Ramones and Cheap Trick among others. He has since been running Woolly Mammoth Sound for 20 years while also taking time to tour with Paul Westerberg ...
Mar 23, 2018•33 min•Ep. 86
We met Sir David Minehan when we walked up the stairs to the wonderful rooms of his recording studio Woolly Mammoth Sound to begin recording our Butler Frog EP. David is in the seminal Boston band The Neighborhoods that won the very first WBCN Rock 'N' Roll Rumble in 1979 and has toured with David Bowie, The Ramones and Cheap Trick among others. He has since been running Woolly Mammoth Sound for 20 years while also taking time to tour with Paul Westerberg and The Replacements as their lead guita...
Mar 21, 2018•32 min•Ep. 85
This is part two of our conversation with RIPE so if you haven’t heard the first, go to abovethebasement.com/episodes to listen. Coming out of Berklee College of Music, RIPE has been called many things - from neo-soul to funk/pop to jam band - but whatever genre they fall into, their infectious licks, lyrical grooves and high energy performances made us immediate fans. We sat with 3/7ths of the band out in Allston, MA a week or so after seeing blow away the crowd a The Paradise. Singer Robbie Wu...
Mar 16, 2018•30 min•Ep. 84
