#63 John O'Hara — How To Be A Deep Communicator of Music

The wait is over for electronic music enthusiasts as Chris Hawkins, the voice behind BBC 6 Music's Early Breakfast show, is set to drop the latest installment of his acclaimed 'How to DJ' podcast on Friday, November 3rd.

In this exciting new season, Chris is bringing listeners 8 captivating episodes, each offering an intimate exploration of the lives and careers of legendary DJs, both from the club and radio worlds.

Since its inception, 'How to DJ' has earned its place as a premier platform for music aficionados having topped the Music Podcast charts in the UK. Past episodes have featured iconic figures like Fatboy Slim, Greg James, Paul Oakenfold, Mark Radcliffe, Tony Blackburn, Bob Harris, Jodie Harsh, and many more, all sharing their insights and anecdotes about their journeys in the world of DJing.

This season promises to be a sonic adventure like no other, as Chris Hawkins takes a deep dive into the world of DJing with a star-studded lineup of guests, including: Groove Armada Orbital Norman Jay Dave Beer Mike Sweeney (Radio DJ) Barry Ashworth Judge Jules

In each episode, Chris and his esteemed guests reflect on their careers, exploring the music that inspired them and continues to shape their creative journeys. To add a unique twist to the conversation, Chris delves into his eclectic record box, each 45rpm sleeve concealing a different question, challenging his guests with five thought-provoking queries. As a grand finale to each episode, Chris invites his guests to curate a playlist of three songs they would play if they were the DJ for the apocalypse.

Talking about the new series, Chris Hawkins expressed his excitement: "I am delighted to be bringing the podcast back with such an incredible guest line up - it’s going to be a banger of a series!" With 'How to DJ,' listeners are in for an unforgettable auditory experience, gaining unparalleled insight into the world of DJing and the music that drives these remarkable artists. Make sure to tune in starting Friday, November 3rd, as the 'How to DJ' podcast redefines the art of DJing one episode at a time.

Episodes drop weekly on Fridays for the next 8 weeks - listen and subscribe here: podfollow.com/howtodj

How to DJ is made by Listening Dog Media.

00:00 Intro

1:07 Why become a DJ?

5:42 The art of song selection and music curation

9:57 Twisted DJ questions

13:57 How can indie artists get radio play

26:27 How to DJ Podcast

75 Chris Hawkins—How To Get Your Song On The Radio

Hear the new album “Updraft” everywhere you listen to music and find out more at https://www.silvanjoray.com/

Silvan Joray is a Swiss jazz guitarist and composer currently based in New York City. He has gained recognition in the jazz community, having won special prizes at several international jazz competitions. He has performed at prestigious jazz festivals and has toured internationally. Joray grew up in a musical family and began his formal training on the classical guitar, before discovering jazz and switching to the electric guitar. Starting out he focused on jazz standards and was influenced by guitarists such as Wes Montgomery. Later, his studies with renowned jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel at Jazzcampus Basel broadened his musical horizons, inspiring him to compose his own music. Joray's latest album, „Updraft", embraces both the openness of European as well as the rootedness and swing of American jazz. His music is characterized by intricate harmonies, melodic sensitivity, and virtuosic improvisation. Joray is currently immersed in the New York City jazz scene and is continually developing his style by experimenting with extended techniques like quarter tones (also called microtones) and „tapping” (which was popularized by Eddie Van Halen) which are not traditionally associated with jazz guitar playing.

73 Janet Robin — The Art of Musician

The String Revolution plays Folsom Prison Blues. Click to hear now: https://youtu.be/cWvZAmT7Skk?si=rx9GbbluhlT20v66

https://www.janetrobin.com/

https://www.Thestringrevolution.com

The Hateful Eight Guitar Scene: https://youtu.be/fbp3Pj-ALqU?si=hm1R7P4CORXiqTVM

#janetrobin #thestringrevolution #thehatefuleight

Janet Robin’s musical education began the moment she met her guitar teacher, Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne). Under Rhoads’ tutelage, Janet became an ace six-string player and, while still in high school, parlayed this education into a position as the lead guitarist for the all-female rock band Precious Metal. Precious Metal released several albums and wrote with Heart, Poison and Cheap Trick.

Robin has toured, performed with, recorded, or written songs with Tommy Emmanuel, Peppino D’Agostino, Meredith Brooks, Monty Montgomery, Michelle Shocked, Maia Sharp, Marcy Levy (co-writer with Eric Clapton on “Lay Down Sally”), Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart), Garrison Starr, Anne McCue and many more. She was also the touring guitarist of Air Supply in 2007-2008. 

In 2017 she was named in Guitar Player’s “Top 50 Acoustic Guitarists” (Bonus List), amongst many notable players. Janet has also had her original songs placed in TV and films such as “One Life to Live,” “All My Children,” “Felicity,” “Free Enterprise,” and many more. Along with placements she has also composed original scores for short films such as “Traces” directed by Joseph Culp which was accepted into the prestigious Palm Springs Short Film Festival and the Hollywood Film Awards. In 2017, she had an original song in a short film “Casting All Corpses” which won the “Best Comedy Short Award” for the Reel Hollywood Film Festival. 

In January of 2015, Janet was hand-picked to coach and consult actress Jennifer Jason Leigh for 2 months on location and in Los Angeles for a special guitar scene in the Quentin Tarantino film, "The Hateful Eight." The actress was nominated for an Academy Award. 

Janet has also played guitar for productions of the musicals “Girlfriend", “Soul Doctor” and "Staring Into Nothing”.

Along with Janet's busy solo career, she has another band, featuring 3 amazing guitar players- "The String Revolution." The String Revolution's Spotify channel has reached over 4 million streams.

The String Revolutions latest release with Tommy Emmanuel is a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues”. https://youtu.be/cWvZAmT7Skk?si=rx9GbbluhlT20v66

72 Joe Deninzon — Picking Up The Violin for Kansas + New Projects!

Kansas fans will like this:  @JoeDeninzonStratospheerius 

More about Joe: https://joedviolin.com/

#joedeninzon #Stratospheerius #kansas

00:00 Intro

3:21 Learning songs for KANSAS

14:11 Work ethic - we never stop growing

22:48 What makes some music hard?

27:15 Classical vs. improvised music

31:27 7-string violins!

33:48 Joe’s session work

43:53 Stratospheerius new album

#felixcavaliere #therascals #thenandnow

Felix's website: https://www.felixcavalieremusic.com/

 Felix's new album: https://www.felixcavalieremusic.com/store

The message has always been to stand for peace, love, and happiness. For legendary singer songwriter, FELIX CAVALIERE, making people feel good is primary to his illustrious 50-year career that includes the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and Grammy Hall of Fame. Few artists can claim they defined a generation; FELIX CAVALIERE continues to remind us to keep listening for the world’s beauty.  

In 1965, FELIX CAVALIERE formed the ‘Young Rascals’ with Dino Danelli, Eddie Brigati, and Gene Cornish. That October, they caught the attention of promoter/manager Sid Bernstein with their high-energy set at Long Island’s elite club, Barge. Signed to Atlantic Records, and now called The Rascals, the mega-hit “Good Lovin’” struck No. 1 in February 1966. They followed suit with a string of hits like “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long,” “Groovin’(No. 1 in 1967), “How Can I Be Sure,” “A Girl Like You,” “A Beautiful Morning,” and “People Got to Be Free” (No. 1 in 1968).  

Felix released his self-titled debut album with Todd Rundgren at the producer's helm. His follow-up albums were Destiny (1974), Castles in the Air (1979) (Castle in the Air produced another Top 40 hit – “Only a Heart Sees” reached No. 2), Dreams in Motion (1994) and in 2008 he collaborated with Stax guitar legend, Steve Cropper, on the Grammy-nominated Nudge it Up a Notch and again in 2010 with Midnight Flyer.  

FELIX CAVALIERE calls Nashville home base, where he is constantly collaborating and writing new material. He’s also finishing his memoir and has an active tour schedule with Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals. 

His new album… “Then and Now” is available everywhere you get your music.

00:00 Intro 02:25 Interview

ClascyJitto is a musician, artist, and video game developer who also makes music under the name RiZi!.

He is a composer for the successful video game "Pizza Tower.”

Javier website: https://www.javierrosarioguitar.com/

Javier YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@javierrosarioguitar

Guitar virtuoso, composer, bandleader, educator and recording artist, Javier Rosario attended the world-renowned Berklee College of Music with a full scholarship. In 2010, Javier earned his Master’s Degree at the Longy School of Music of Bard College where he was awarded a Presidential Scholarship.

Javier has performed with: Joe Lovano, John Lockwood, Matt Savage, Zachary King, Scott Kiefner, Aaron Holthus, and Avery Logan just to name a few. 

He is a guitar Adjunct Professor at Bunker Hill Community College and member at Community Music Center of Boston, Passim School of Music, Amigos School and Morse School in Massachusetts. Javier received the Community Music Center of Boston Marilla MacDill Award for Teaching Excellence and Community Service.

He has been a Visiting Professor at the National Conservatory of Music

since 2009 and a Visiting Artist and Music Thesis Judge for the international music program at Universidad Pedro Henriquez Ureña. 

Javier’s new album “Yes!” Is out now wherever you listen to music. Links are in the show notes if you are listening to the podcast and in the video description if you are on YouTube.

Jim's latest single “Breath of the Wind” is available now at http://www.jimmccarty.co.uk

Jim's new book "She Walks In Beauty" is available now: https://www.jamesmccarty.com/my-new-book-is-now-available/

Besides being the drummer for the legendary classic rock band “The Yardbirds", a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and all-around awesome music maker, Jim has been involved in many projects such as: 

TOGETHER, RENAISSANCE, SHOOT, ILLUSION, RUTHLESS BLUES, BOX OF FROGS, STAIRWAY, STAIRWAY & STERN, BRITISH INVASION ALL-STARS, TOP TOPHAM BAND, PRETTY THINGS/YARDBIRD BLUES BAND, JIM MCCARTY BAND, MCCARTY/HITE PROJECT, PILGRIM, MELTDOWN, THE YARDBIRDS EXPERIENCE…and many others... as a songwriter, singer, performing as an acoustic rhythm guitarist and keyboardist, acting at times as a producer... as well as more recently, launching his own solo career.

His latest single “Breath of the Wind” is available now at jamesmccarty.co.uk

#BenjaminKoppel #saxophone #musiclesson 

Listen to the album and find out more at https://benjaminkoppel.com/

Benjamin Koppel, Danish saxophonist and composer, is one of the most award-winning musicians of his generation, known for his versatility and virtuosity. Also a renowned composer, Koppel is the grandson of noted Danish classical composer Herman D. Koppel. His father, Anders Koppel, is a well-known and successful Hammond organ player and a composer…the family is full of music and creativity. 

The prizes Benjamin has won so far include the Palæ Bars Jazz Prize, the Jacob Gade Prize, Holstebro Music Prize, and others. He was also named Knight of France, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2011 for his musical work.

Koppel has released more than 60 albums as a jazz soloist along with some of the biggest international jazz names, including Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Charlie Mariano, Daniel Humair, Phil Woods, Alex Riel, Larry Goldings, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine…and many, many others. Koppel has collaborations with a number of high-class classical soloists, including Katrine Gislinge, Michala Petri, Henrik Dam Thomsen, Inger Dam Jensen, and others. His saxophone can be heard on a large number of albums, including Moonjam (the best selling Scandinavian instrumental band with several multiple platinum albums to their credit), Danseorkestret, Rugsted & Kreutzfeldt, Maria Montell, Marie Carmen Koppel, Hanne Boel, Alberte Winding, Sanne Salomonsen and soundtracks for several feature films, documentaries, cartoons and ballets.

He has jazz groups and plays classical, pop, R&B, folkloric music and almost anything in between. As a composer, he writes in those genres and is not afraid to take on large scale projects and compose music for theatre, put together two festival programs per year and write a book whenever there is a break.

Since 2012 Benjamin has been member of the trio Koppel-Colley-Blade Collective together with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade. Their new album “Perspective” is out now wherever you listen to music. Listen to the album and find out more at https://benjaminkoppel.com/

Learn more: Doctor.fish

Doctor Fish’s Renaissance Records debut reveals a proud musical throwback—a guitar-wielding, storytelling folk-rock singer-songwriter. No fake retro act; he’s one of the last surviving purveyors of a style of music made famous by Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, Cat Stevens, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Gordon Lightfoot.

The road to Doctor Fish’s debut has been long and winding. As he sings in his “Tuesday Morning,” “You know that I’m still standing, just not where I thought I’d be.” He grew up playing saxophone in Tucson, Arizona, and pursued jazz through college. As a saxophonist, he backed legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Cher. 

Somewhere along the way, the doctor picked up a guitar and began writing and singing songs.

His journey also found him earning a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology and living in Japan for some years. From there, he founded a thriving program of study for students of popular music at a small college in North Carolina.

The good doctor’s emergence as a solo performer is a beautiful fluke that makes him one of the oldest artists with a debut release.

The legendary David Kershenbaum (Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, Joe Jackson) produced the Last Troubadour. The album features bassist Leland Sklar (James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Carole King), drummer Denny Fongheiser (Heart, Counting Crows, Shawn Colvin), and top studio musicians from around the world. 

“Harry Chapin” serves as the lead-off single for the album. A tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter, it helps celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chapin’s breakout hit, “Taxi,” and what would have been his 80th birthday. Harry’s son Jason calls the song a “great tribute” to his father.