Is "Haunt" a musical genre? If not, may I humbly nominate Brooklyn duo the Bright Smoke as its progenitors? Consisting of Mia Wilson (vocals/guitar) and Quincy Ledbetter (multi- instrumentalist/filmmaker), their second full-length release, Terrible Towns , is the 2015 album most likely to break your heart before putting it back together. With Mia's soft-focus vocals and the evocative landscapes Quincy builds beneath her, the sustained mood is the highest example of why albums still matter. And if...
Nov 23, 2015•50 min
Singer-songwriter and up-and-coming pop star Ellis Martin has easily fulfilled the willful maxim, "Give the People What They Don't Know They Want" with an innovative amalgamation of electronica, '60s Motown and doo-wop that he calls "Molly Pop". Although the label might ring as provocative, it doesn't detract from music that is simultaneously contemporary and timeless. For proof, just listen to his debut EP, Pornotopia , co-produced by fellow Stanford U. alum, Jidenna, whose "Classic Man" hit was...
Nov 22, 2015•48 min
In just over five short years, Mindy Abovitz has expanded the narrow definition who gets to drum with Tom Tom magazine, the only magazine dedicated to female drummers. As its founder and editor-in-chief, Mindy has fused her passions of feminism and drumming to create a platform designed to dispel the ignorance, misogyny and flat-out neglect often lodged at female percussionists in a male-dominated field. What started out as a personal blog quickly grew into a printed quarterly that features an inten...
Nov 09, 2015•44 min
With a four-octave voice and a madhouse sense of wonder, perhaps an influence of her Coney Island rearing, Carol Lipnik is not your usual cup of tea. She is without peers. Her buoyant performances are only equalled by the twisted beauty of her recorded output including this year's highly praised sixth album Almost Back to Normal . Released through her own Mermaid Alley imprint, it was generously funded by a grant from the Peter S. Reed Foundation. Produced by Jacob Lawson, who also played violin,...
Nov 08, 2015•1 hr 16 min
As the Brooklyn Rail 's Music Editor, critic at the New York Classical Review and with his own Big City blog, George Grella covers the musical waterfront with an informed and creative point of view. Often forceful and always entertaining, George doesn't shelter his opinions in hyperbole including in his just-released book on Miles Davis' Bitches Brew . It's the Brooklyn writer's exploration of the 1970 classic that isn't quite jazz and isn't quite rock; but its own island of a genius working at ...
Nov 08, 2015•1 hr
Music business consultant Rick Goetz is standing tall at the crossroads of a rapidly changing industry where the gatekeepers are fewer and the musicians posses more beneficial options than ever. Your favorite band at the local dive bar can now foster their audience through social media, YouTube or SoundCloud. Between sluggish album sales and low-paying streaming, companies like Rick's appropriately named Music Consultant are giving the indie artist the chance for a fulfilling career sans a major l...
Nov 07, 2015•50 min
I'm extremely honored to interview Highsnobiety 's Jeff Carvalho for Talk Music Talk 's 50th episode!!! As a partner and executive editor of the daily news site and coffee table worthy magazine (and their menswear site Selectism), Jeff is an astute overseer of what's vital in fashion, art, design and of course, music. Highsnobiety regularly features aural tastemakers like Pharrell and Oh Land with sumptuous layouts and insightful articles. Jeff says he's obsessed with music which is evident by H...
Oct 25, 2015•1 hr 6 min
1WayTKT are hardly your typical DJ/production duo. Comprised of DJ U-Kno and J-Glaze, their singular blend of house music and live trumpet infuses their performances with an energy and soul so often lacking in computer-generated EDM. The same heart can also be found in their recorded output which has collectively garnered over 500,000 plays on SoundCloud. From remixes to original cuts, every sound that 1WayTKT create is designed for maximum joy through BPM. Visit 1WayTKT online: http://1wayTKT.c...
Oct 13, 2015•50 min
A renowned former music critic, Kandia Crazy Horse's journey from scribing about music to performing her own happened unexpectedly. A Country-Western blend is her milieu which naturally reflects her rural Southern roots of Hee Haw and 1960s-70s free-form radio. Her exquisite 2014 debut, Stampede , was awarded "4-stars" from the British MOJO magazine. This year will hopefully see the release of Canyons , the second installment of a planned tetralogy. Fingers are crossed! Visit Kandia Crazy Horse o...
Oct 05, 2015•56 min
Rony's Insomnia is the creation of Rony Corcos and is a brilliant summation of her numerous talents: singer, songwriter, lead guitarist, producer and engineer. Count to Ten , the first title under her group name, is a dark and brooding song collection featuring mostly personal accounts with the exception of "Rose," which was inspired by the life and murder of four-year old Rose Pizem. The Jerusalem-born artist currently resides in New York where she regularly performs her unique brand of rock fea...
Sep 28, 2015•1 hr 13 min
The upward trajectory of R&B singer/composer/producer Daniel Bazán, Jr. is undeniable. An alumnus of NYU's acclaimed Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Check! Profile in JAY Z’s Life + Times magazine. Check! Performances at SOB's and Pianos in New York City. Check! These exciting milestones are merely the evidence of hard work and talent from this Queens native. Raised in the Dominican Republic, Daniel started playing the piano at the age of eleven which led to him defining his craft in ...
Sep 15, 2015•1 hr 13 min
In addition to being a singer-songwriter, Bryan Wade has created a practice to help musicians deal with anxiety called the Connected Musician or as Bryan explains: the intersection between music and mindfulness. Some musicians are at a loss for words between songs or judge themselves harshly at band rehearsals. Whatever the case, the CM is designed to allow musicians to fully enjoy their passion for music minus the tension and self-criticism. Even if you're not a musician you'll find plenty of tr...
Sep 08, 2015•1 hr 12 min
Israeli born jazz guitarist and composer Idan Morim currently resides in New York where he recently graduated from the New School for Jazz. Prior to his move he'd been a professional musician since he was seventeen in his home country, served in their military (and band) and also toured China as a part of a theater company. Since graduation, Idan's been busy overseeing group performances as a bandleader before heading into the recording studio. Look for his debut album late 2015/early 2016. Visi...
Sep 01, 2015•55 min
Witnessing Josh Dion drumming is as equally exciting as listening to his soulful voice. Whether he's performing with other acts (including previous TMT guest Nate Wood, episode #37) or in his own band Paris Monster, Josh's unique style is a visceral experience. Along with bassist Geoff Kraly, Paris Monster is the ultimate example of musical multitasking where Josh simultaneously drums, plays keys and sings. Their debut EP, It Once Had Been Kind , sacrifices none of the thrills of their live perfo...
Aug 25, 2015•1 hr 8 min
JOE BUCKingham is a painter, illustrator and graphic designer. His connection to music is vast and celebrated beginning with his big break designing 1991's De La Soul is Dead album cover. Since then his artistic journey has been a series of reinventions and milestones including projects with Ecko and The Fader magazine, album covers for Redefinition Records and even the classic Native Tongue logo. Whether creating an aesthetic for brands or creating his own fine art, Joe's unique style is simultan...
Aug 18, 2015•56 min
Brooklyn-based Songwriter/Musician/Artist Zachery Allan Starkey may find his inspiration in iconic synth touchstones like New Order & Depeche Mode but the glorious results are all his own. From working class Ohio to art-infused Bushwick, Zachery's path wasn't without challenges but it was all a set-up for his three solo albums. The most recent, 2013's DIY , was entirely performed and produced by Zachery and features the frosty new wave track "Into the Sun," inspired by the passing of his gran...
Aug 11, 2015•1 hr 23 min
Shilpa Ananth, creator/bandleader of SA, tags her music Indian Soul. An amalgamation of East and West influences; an original stew consisting of Indian root melodies and lyrics with Jazz, R&B and Soul. Indian Soul is also the title of her debut and is a manifestation of a musical dream that began in India for Shilpa before moving to the States to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston and then New York City in 2014. With the release of Indian Soul under her belt, Shilpa, along with SA, is ...
Aug 05, 2015•1 hr 13 min
Multi-instrumentalist and mastering engineer Nate Wood first came to my attention through his singing and guitar playing via a live performance. In addition to his three solo albums, Nate is also the drummer in the Grammy-nominated jazz fusion group Kneebody. As Nate states, the primary difference between his solo and group are the lack of his vocals. For the complete Nate Wood, one should turn to his excellent third album, Another Time (2014), performed and recorded entirely by himself. Nate's ...
Jul 27, 2015•58 min
When I first interviewed jazz singer Sarah Elizabeth Charles on episode #21, she was just days away from the release of her transcendent Inner Dialogue album. How fitting that my first repeat guest and I speak on the eve of her debut headlining performance at NYC's Blue Note with her S.E. Charles Quartet. In this mini-episode, we catch up on the time in between our conversations and discuss what she has planned for the future. Listen to our first conversation: http://traffic.libsyn.com/talkmusictalk...
Jul 18, 2015•28 min
Harlem born and bred singer/songwriter/performer Dandy Wellington is both a delight to the eyes and ears. His seamless integration of music and style files him into that rarefied club of the Björks, Bowies and Madonnas. What makes him even more unique is that his taste harks back to the golden era of big band jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Columbia-era Billie Holiday but with a modern Dandy-twist. His new album Harlem Rhythm is a prime example of his inspired originals an...
Jul 02, 2015•1 hr 10 min
Journalist James Gavin is the author of four acclaimed books each exploring the interior lives of music legends. His first book, Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret , was published in 1991 followed by Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker , Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne in 2009 and 2014's Is That All There Is?: The Strange Life of Peggy Lee . James's journalism has appeared in countless publications such as the New York Times, the Huffington Post and Vanity Fair. A...
Jun 25, 2015•1 hr 18 min
The Rickster. The Funky Uncle. The Lazy Hustler. Whatever name he cheekily goes by, the legendary street photographer Ricky Powell is the master of wielding his camera to capture "right now" and creating a timeless picture. Basquiat and Warhol right before they enter their joint '85 exhibition. Run-DMC, in a mid-jump silhouette, photo-bombed by the Eiffel Tower. A born and bred New Yorker, Ricky synthesized what the classic era of hip-hop felt like whether you lived in the culture or not. The sa...
Jun 16, 2015•41 min
Finnish-American singer/songwriter Janita (pronounced "YAH-nee-tuh") moved to Brooklyn at the tender age of 17, but not before setting her homeland afire as a highly popular singer and actor. Since then she's released several albums, including a stint on Sony, that have seen her style evolve from the very poppy to the evolved Didn't You, My Dear? Janita's just-released third American album is a lyrically honest and musically haunting statement from a talent crafting music on her own terms. In add...
Jun 10, 2015•54 min
Singer/Composer/Pianist akie bermiss is the real deal! The one to watch! Possessor of a flexible gift that can veer from jazz to funk to hip-hop without losing his proverbial breath. The evidence is in his transcendent live performances and his EP akie . But perhaps the real proof is his opus- in-progress "Alien Love Songs", a 20 song suite. akie's performing many of the songs live and you'll even find some on his Soundcloud page. Visit him online to stay up-to-date: http:// akiemusic.com/ or hear...
Jun 02, 2015•1 hr 12 min
It's Talk Music Talk Episode #30!!! California-native SiairaShawn currently calls New York home, the city where she recorded her acclaimed 2013 EP, Ghost and single "Lamb". The singer-songwriter continues to expand and refine her new soul sound with her latest release Flowers While You're Here , a sonically-beautiful trilogy of EP's. Camellia, the first installment is out now with Lily and Iris following later in 2015. SiairaShawn is also a consummate altruist sharing her talent and expertise with...
May 26, 2015•53 min
Jazz/Folk singer-songwriter Ashley Daneman is only a few months out from her full-page feature in the prestigious Downbeat Magazine. The March 2015 issue celebrated the release of her debut album Beauty Indestructible. An achievement for any artist but especially for an indie artist without the luxury of a major-label backing. Currently based in NYC, the wife and mother of two kids saw the fulfillment of her album release at 37. Daneman's age should be an unremarkable fact but it's really just a ...
May 19, 2015•55 min
There's an element to the music of David Rothschild that appears casual and comfortable to a listener's ear. But to quote an old ad, don't let the smooth taste fool you. There's a hard-earned craft to his songwriting that belies his EP, Simple Changes . This debut sounds like the lived-in effort of a seasoned veteran. Released February 2015, on the heels of a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, David is just getting started with a sound that reminds you of The Band or early 70s Elton John, b...
May 12, 2015•57 min
Christopher Botta calls his music electro-acoustic. An exciting intersection between his laptop and his electric guitar exploring the infinite possibilities between them. A musician, composer and engineer based in Brooklyn, Christopher is the co-founder (with drummer Joseph Branciforte) of the cellar and point, a 7-piece "garage-chamber" group, whose 2014 debut ambit was high-praised by everyone from The Brooklyn Rail to All About Jazz to BBC Radio. He also releases music through his solo project...
May 05, 2015•53 min
To label Mel D. Cole a music photographer seems too thin a description. Yes, he was dubbed as one of Complex magazine's 50 Greatest Music Photographers. Yes, he's the "house photographer" of The Roots crew and Questlove hailed him as his favorite contemporary photographer. And of course, his exquisite black and white photos perfectly capture the performances of artists like Lauryn Hill, Nas and Common. However, Mel is equally adept at travel, nightlife and street photography. His talent is as im...
Apr 27, 2015•49 min
Drummer and composer Ramsey Jones is creating his own legacy. As the oldest of six siblings that included the late rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard, the Brooklyn native has been a force in the New York music scene including 25 years in the Afro-Punk band Funkface. His band appeared in the classic Afro-Punk movie and Ramsey has played with Vernon Reid and of course on several Wu-Tang Clan albums featuring his cousins RZA and GZA. For additional information on Ramsey and Funkface, visit his band's website...
Apr 22, 2015•1 hr 9 min
