195 – Jeff Mellott: Playing in “Us Today,” The Cincinnati Scene, Your Region’s Musical Heritage
Nov 22, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Episode description
Jeff Mellott has spent his entire life in Ohio and become a fixture on the Cincinnati scene. His trio, Us Today, recently release its fourth album, Computant. After starting at a community college, he transferred to Ohio Univeristy and went on to earn a master’s degree in Jazz Studies from the College Conservatory of Music at The University of Cincinnati. In addition to Us Today, Jeff performs with guitarist Brandon Coleman and many other Cincinnati-based jazz artists, and has diversified his working life between performing and being a Music Educators Rep for Willis Music.
In this podcast, Jeff talks about:
* The evolution of Us Today
* Getting featured on NPR
* The band’s composition process
* His upbringing and musical background in Ohio
* Starting out at a community college, transferring to Ohio University, and going on to grad school at University of Cincinnati
* His other job with Willis Music, outfitting music educators with everything they need from instruments to sheet music to tech
* His advice on endorsements
* What keeps him in Cincinnati, and the city’s musical legacy
* Appreciating the different pockets and regions of American music
* The possibility and feasibility of someday moving away from Cincinnati
Jeff Mellott endorses Canopus drums, Bosphorus cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks
