What a treat! Listening to live recordings of Charles Mingus through the ears of the great trombonist and musical thinker Craig Harris. When Craig was coming up in the seventies, he was enthralled with what Mingus was doing; the daring and imagination were unmatched anywhere. This was a man in his moment. It's easy to see how this would have a bearing on who Craig Harris was to become. Find out more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram at deep_fo...
Nov 17, 2024•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 376
What a treat! Listening to live recordings of Charles Mingus through the ears of the great trombonist and musical thinker Craig Harris. When Craig was coming up in the seventies, he was enthralled with what Mingus was doing; the daring and imagination were unmatched anywhere. This was a man in his moment. It's easy to see how this would have a bearing on who Craig Harris was to become. Find out more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram at deep_fo...
Nov 10, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 375
Here's another Ph.D. topic for you: Miles Davis vs. Ornette Coleman. Both blazingly original innovators lived most of their lives in Manhattan and they were roughly contemporaries (Miles was 4 years older) so they drew from the same talent pool to make up their bands. But across 30+ years of simultaneous bandleading and the hiring of dozens and dozens of sidemen, how many can you think of who toured and recorded extensively with both? We've got one for you: tabla player Badal Roy. And Badal Roy ...
Nov 03, 2024•58 min•Ep. 374
Here's another Ph.D. topic for you: Miles Davis vs. Ornette Coleman. Both blazingly original innovators lived most of their lives in Manhattan and they were roughly contemporaries (Miles was 4 years older) so they drew from the same talent pool to make up their bands. But across 30+ years of simultaneous bandleading and the hiring of dozens and dozens of sidemen, how many can you think of who toured and recorded extensively with both? We've got one for you: tabla player Badal Roy. And Badal Roy ...
Oct 27, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 373
Here's another Ph.D. topic for you: Miles Davis vs. Ornette Coleman. Both blazingly original innovators lived most of their lives in Manhattan and they were roughly contemporaries (Miles was 4 years older) so they drew from the same talent pool to make up their bands. But across 30+ years of simultaneous bandleading and the hiring of dozens and dozens of sidemen, how many can you think of who toured and recorded extensively with both? We've got one for you: tabla player Badal Roy. And Badal Roy ...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 372
Let's present an award: who would you say has been the most prolific artist on NYC's forward-looking music scene and who has contributed the most to its community? Deep Focus host Mitch Goldman's nominee: bassist William Parker. This Monday, Mitch and trumpeter Lewis "Flip" Barnes will put William Parker's music in Deep Focus. Will there be live, unreleased recordings from the WKCR archives? What do you think! (And a bonus question: what are we going to call the award that the winner gets?) It's...
Oct 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 371
Let's present an award: who would you say has been the most prolific artist on NYC's forward-looking music scene and who has contributed the most to its community? Deep Focus host Mitch Goldman's nominee: bassist William Parker. This Monday, Mitch and trumpeter Lewis "Flip" Barnes will put William Parker's music in Deep Focus. Will there be live, unreleased recordings from the WKCR archives? What do you think! (And a bonus question: what are we going to call the award that the winner gets?) It's...
Oct 06, 2024•55 min•Ep. 370
Let's present an award: who would you say has been the most prolific artist on NYC's forward-looking music scene and who has contributed the most to its community? Deep Focus host Mitch Goldman's nominee: bassist William Parker. This Monday, Mitch and trumpeter Lewis "Flip" Barnes will put William Parker's music in Deep Focus. Will there be live, unreleased recordings from the WKCR archives? What do you think! (And a bonus question: what are we going to call the award that the winner gets?) It's...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 369
Tonight (8/19) bassist/composer Melvin Gibbs joins host Mitch Goldman for a Deep Focus on Sun Ra with unheard rarities from the WKCR archives. Here's a serious question, Melvin: what's the Sun Ra/Brooklyn connection? This I have to hear. It's on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD or wkcr.org Monday from 6pm to 9pm NYC time. Or join us next week when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/ . Either way, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-com...
Sep 22, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 368
Tonight (8/19) bassist/composer Melvin Gibbs joins host Mitch Goldman for a Deep Focus on Sun Ra with unheard rarities from the WKCR archives. Here's a serious question, Melvin: what's the Sun Ra/Brooklyn connection? This I have to hear. It's on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD or wkcr.org Monday from 6pm to 9pm NYC time. Or join us next week when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/ . Either way, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-com...
Sep 15, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 367
Tonight (8/19) bassist/composer Melvin Gibbs joins host Mitch Goldman for a Deep Focus on Sun Ra with unheard rarities from the WKCR archives. Here's a serious question, Melvin: what's the Sun Ra/Brooklyn connection? This I have to hear. It's on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD or wkcr.org Monday from 6pm to 9pm NYC time. Or join us next week when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/ . Either way, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-com...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 366
I love it when I go to a gig and I see that Micah Gaugh is going to be playing. It means it is certain that something unexpected is going to happen. And Micah surprised me with his selection of a subject for Deep Focus: Ronald Shannon Jackson. I was 19 years old and already a die hard music fan but I had no idea what music could do until I heard Shannon’s band, The Decoding Society. Now you’re going to hear what I heard then. Caution: severe tire damage! Monday April 2 from 6pm to 9pm on WKCR 89...
Sep 01, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 365
I love it when I go to a gig and I see that Micah Gaugh is going to be playing. It means it is certain that something unexpected is going to happen. And Micah surprised me with his selection of a subject for Deep Focus: Ronald Shannon Jackson. I was 19 years old and already a die-hard music fan but I had no idea what music could do until I heard Shannon’s band, The Decoding Society. Now you’re going to hear what I heard then. Caution: severe tire damage! Monday April 2 from 6pm to 9pm on WKCR 89...
Aug 25, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 364
I love it when I go to a gig and I see that Micah Gaugh is going to be playing. It means it is certain that something unexpected is going to happen. And Micah surprised me with his selection of a subject for Deep Focus: Ronald Shannon Jackson. I was 19 years old and already a die hard music fan but I had no idea what music could do until I heard Shannon’s band, The Decoding Society. Now you’re going to hear what I heard then. Caution: severe tire damage! Monday April 2 from 6pm to 9pm on WKCR 89...
Aug 18, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 363
People love to talk about Miles Davis reinventing himself and reinventing the music. They talk about the First Great Quintet in the fifties, the Second Great Quintet in the sixties, the Lost Quintet of 1969, maybe of the electric bands that followed (although often not). What do they almost never talk about? In 1981, Miles hadn't performed in public, hadn't released a new album, and had barely touched his horn in 5 years (consider that for a moment!). How does a legend go from a standing start t...
Aug 11, 2024•56 min•Ep. 362
People love to talk about Miles Davis reinventing himself and reinventing the music. They talk about the First Great Quintet in the fifties, the Second Great Quintet in the sixties, the Lost Quintet of 1969, maybe of the electric bands that followed (although often not). What do they almost never talk about? In 1981, Miles hadn't performed in public, hadn't released a new album, and had barely touched his horn in 5 years (consider that for a moment!). How does a legend go from a standing start t...
Aug 04, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 361
People love to talk about Miles Davis reinventing himself and reinventing the music. They talk about the First Great Quintet in the fifties, the Second Great Quintet in the sixties, the Lost Quintet of 1969, maybe of the electric bands that followed (although often not). What do they almost never talk about? In 1981, Miles hadn't performed in public, hadn't released a new album, and had barely touched his horn in 5 years (consider that for a moment!). How does a legend go from a standing start t...
Jul 28, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 360
Listen to any song by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. There will be no question in your mind about who is driving the bus or who is riding on the bus or where this bus is going. Who's driving the bus? Art Blakey is driving! Who's riding the bus? Everybody! Where's this bus going? Straight ahead! Seventeen years of Deep Focus and no one has ever called for Art Blakey's music? I don't know how that is possible but it ends Monday night (6/24). Saxophonist/Jazz scholar Eric Person joins host Mit...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 359
Listen to any song by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. There will be no question in your mind about who is driving the bus or who is riding on the bus or where this bus is going. Who's driving the bus? Art Blakey is driving! Who's riding the bus? Everybody! Where's this bus going? Straight ahead! Seventeen years of Deep Focus and no one has ever called for Art Blakey's music? I don't know how that is possible but it ends Monday night (6/24). Saxophonist/Jazz scholar Eric Person joins host Mit...
Jul 14, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 358
Listen to any song by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. There will be no question in your mind about who is driving the bus or who is riding on the bus or where this bus is going. Who's driving the bus? Art Blakey is driving! Who's riding the bus? Everybody! Where's this bus going? Straight ahead! Seventeen years of Deep Focus and no one has ever called for Art Blakey's music? I don't know how that is possible but it ends Monday night (6/24). Saxophonist/Jazz scholar Eric Person joins host Mit...
Jul 07, 2024•59 min•Ep. 357
We don't hear enough about Gil Scott-Heron these days. And when we do, we often get the same few crumbs: his invention of a sort of proto-hiphop, some reference to his social concerns, and, of course, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" (which too often is wildly misinterpreted). What about Gil Scott-Heron the unique stage performer? What about how hilariously funny he was? What about the singular vocal instrument that he developed? How about the utterly distinctive songwriter? And who better...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 356
We don't hear enough about Gil Scott-Heron these days. And when we do, we often get the same few crumbs: his invention of a sort of proto-hiphop, some reference to his social concerns, and, of course, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" (which too often is wildly misinterpreted). What about Gil Scott-Heron the unique stage performer? What about how hilariously funny he was? What about the singular vocal instrument that he developed? How about the utterly distinctive songwriter? And who better...
Jun 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 355
We don't hear enough about Gil Scott-Heron these days. And when we do, we often get the same few crumbs: his invention of a sort of proto-hiphop, some reference to his social concerns, and, of course, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" (which too often is wildly misinterpreted). What about Gil Scott-Heron the unique stage performer? What about how hilariously funny he was? What about the singular vocal instrument that he developed? How about the utterly distinctive songwriter? And who better...
Jun 16, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 354
"Who has the hippest chops in the world?" If you're going to ask that question on a record, you had better have the nuts to back it up. I mean, you will be annihilated, humiliated for the rest of time, if you don't. Rahsaan Roland Kirk knew he had them and so did everyone else on the scene. To this day, any time you see a saxophonist playing 3 horns at once or circular breathing or playing the nose flute or any of the other manifestations that Rahsaan developed, they are paying tribute to him, w...
Jun 09, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 353
"Who has the hippest chops in the world?" If you're going to ask that question on a record, you had better have the nuts to back it up. I mean, you will be annihilated, humiliated for the rest of time, if you don't. Rahsaan Roland Kirk knew he had them and so did everyone else on the scene. To this day, any time you see a saxophonist playing 3 horns at once or circular breathing or playing the nose flute or any of the other manifestations that Rahsaan developed, they are paying tribute to him, w...
Jun 02, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 352
"Who has the hippest chops in the world?" If you're going to ask that question on a record, you had better have the nuts to back it up. I mean, you will be annihilated, humiliated for the rest of time, if you don't. Rahsaan Roland Kirk knew he had them and so did everyone else on the scene. To this day, any time you see a saxophonist playing 3 horns at once or circular breathing or playing the nose flute or any of the other manifestations that Rahsaan developed, they are paying tribute to him, w...
May 26, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 351
Almost every episode of Deep Focus is now available here as a podcast. I say "almost" because there are a handful that, for technical reasons, were not recorded completely or not recorded at all (if anyone has a home recording of the show that I did with Greg Tate on the band VSOP, please send it my way!). This is the second of those episodes to be posted to the podcast, and it's a great one: Melvin Gibbs again, now on the topic of the stupendous Arthur Rhames and the stunning Mixashawn Lee Rozi...
May 19, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 350
Almost every episode of Deep Focus is now available here as a podcast. I say "almost" because there are a handful that, for technical reasons, were not recorded completely or not recorded at all (if anyone has a home recording of the show that I did with Greg Tate on the band VSOP, please send it my way!). This is the second of those episodes to be posted to the podcast, and it's a great one: Melvin Gibbs again, now on the topic of the stupendous Arthur Rhames and the stunning Lee Rozie, again a...
May 12, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 349
Almost every episode of Deep Focus is now available here as a podcast. I say "almost" because there are a handful that, for technical reasons, were not recorded completely or not recorded at all (if anyone has a home recording of the show that I did with Greg Tate on the band VSOP, please send it my way!). This is the first of those episodes to be posted to the podcast, and it's a great one: Melvin Gibbs on the topic of Sonny Sharrock at Soundscape. It was recorded September 13, 2010 and here is...
May 05, 2024•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 348
What confers greatness? There are many pathways, the most obvious being distinctive playing. Are there others? What about brilliant composing? Or inspiring bandleading? Or creating your own sound? How about honoring the tradition while still being blazingly original? Or just going your own way, whether anyone else is on that path or not? Achievement in any one of these categories will bring listeners' admiration but few reach the heights in all of them. Those are the heroes. This Monday (3/18) c...
Apr 14, 2024•57 min•Ep. 347
