Explore every episode of the podcast Creative Peacemeal
Dive into the complete episode list for Creative Peacemeal. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Carmine Appice, Rock Drummer discusses career, latest album, and more
Drummer, and NYC native, Carmine Appice joins the show to discuss his lengthy career, inspirations, and the latest album from Cactus.
Bio (from website) One of the premier showmen in rock, Appice became known worldwide for his astonishing live performances, in addition to becoming a highly sought-after session drummer, recording with countless artists throughout his career. In ‘76, he joined Rod Stewart‘s band, touring, recording and writing two of Stewart‘s biggest hits, “Do Ya Think I‘m Sexy’ and “Young Turks.’ He left Stewart to record his first solo album, “Rockers’, and tour Japan and North America with an allstar band. . In the early 80’s, he toured with OZZY Osborne ,Ted Nugent . In the mid 80’s, he formed King Kobra for two Capitol albums and international touring And in the late 80’s, Carmine played on a Pink Floyd record “Momentary Lapse of Reason’ and formed Blue Murder with Whitesnake‘s John Sykes and The Firm‘s Tony Franklin. In the early 90s, he pounded away soul-style for The Edgar Winter Group.
As an educator, Carmine was the first to legitimize rock drumming with his landmark book, The Realistic Rock Drum Method, selling over 400,000 copies (now in video format). He was the first Rock Drummer and Rock Musician to conduct instructional clinics and symposiums around the world.
Author and Ghostwriter, Ruby Peru sits down to discuss the magic of her fantasy novel, hearing it come to life as an audiobook, creativity in her everyday life, and more.
Bio from website: Ruby Peru is a sloppy workaholic and independent operator with weird sleep habits and limited knowledge of pop culture. She drives a beat up pickup truck, and some opine she’s a little bit of a badass.
Studying under Kurt Vonnegut in the eighties and David Foster Wallace in the nineties, made her want to never be a writer – instead be a person who surfs, climbs, and looks cool on a motorcycle. She isn’t and doesn’t. Instead, Ruby is ready when you are to write ever more meaningful things to ponder between the covers of a book. The first novel in her own name (Bits of String too Small to Save) is available wherever you buy books. Her most recent co-release is Business Cards and Shoe Leather, with Larry Vaughn. Ruby Peru has ghostwritten and co-written many memoirs for clients.
My colleague, and fellow music therapist Jennifer Townsend joined the show a few months back to discuss her wonderful work in our field, what excites her in research, where she finds inspiration, and so much more.
Marc-André Teruel, is a talented double bass player out of Europe. Again and again, Marc-André Teruel pushes new boundaries and thus proves that his is a unique and exceptional talent. It is in January 2022 with the age of 19 that the young double bassist won the prestigious Swiss competition “Rahn Musikpreis”. Part of this prize is the arrangement of further concerts in Switzerland for the the next 4 years.
One of my favorite people, Dr. Andrew Rossetti joins the show to discuss how he came to join the music therapy profession, his thoughts on "the power of music", musical influences, books that challenge him, and so much more in this insightful and inspiring interview.
Dr. Andrew Rossetti, Ph.D, MMT, LCAT, MT-BC supervises the multi-site music therapy program in radiology oncology at Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Health System. His practice extends to the infusion suite, surgery, and the neonatal intensive care unit. Andrew specializes in treating emotional trauma and its sequelae. Having developed several music therapy programs in hospitals in the US and Europe, he has lectured extensively there, in South America, and Asia. He received his doctorate at the University of Jyvaskyla.
For more about the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine visit https://www.mountsinai.org/locations/music-therapy
Musician and Luthier, Jonathan Wilson of TogaMan GuitarViols makes updated versions of Appreggione’s an instrument from the 1800’s. His instruments can be heard in a variety of places from movies to videogames.
We dig into his amazing journey, what it takes to make these instruments, and he offers insider stories and wise words.
Exclusive to his episode are 3 VIDEO clips on YouTube. You can find those, and other videos here.
Fellow Mizzou grad, and my dear friend, Dr. Cynthia Williams Phelps joins the show to discuss her passion for teaching, shares some amazing book recs, discusses the power of music education, and more for Music Appreciation month on the podcast.
Books mentioned in the episode: Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words by David Whyte. From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars by Virginia Hanlon Grohl.
Dr. Cynthia Williams Phelps cultivated a unique perspective for the importance of a foundation in fine arts appreciation and skills through her journey as music teacher educator, public school music educator, choral and instrumental performer, church musician, and independent music studio instructor. She has a breadth and depth of experience teaching music courses and working with students of all ages. Whether students are preparing for careers outside the music profession, within music education and performance, or developing an appreciation for music, acquiring practical music skills are essential to their success.
Cynthia Williams Phelps holds a Ph.D. in Music Education, with an emphasis in learning, teaching, and curriculum, from the University of Missouri. Throughout her academic and professional career, she attended and taught in private liberal arts colleges, as well as research universities. Dr. Phelps understands the importance of creating community within the classroom and ensemble settings. Reflective practice and student-centered learning guide her philosophy of teaching. A music environment in which students have engaging opportunities to actively reflect on their educational process creates lifelong musicians.
Dr. Phelps has presented research and workshops at conferences of the Missouri Music Educators Association, National Council of Teachers of English Whole Language Umbrella, Midwest Educational Technology Conference, and National Association for Music Education Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference. She has published in the Missouri School Music Magazineand Journal of Research in Music Education. Her research interests include reflective practice in music education and fine arts education, teacher leadership in music education, and arts integ
Author Colleen Thompson joins the show to discuss her newest book DANGER AT CLEARWATER CROSSING, as well as the creative process, what it takes to make it in publishing, and so much more.
From the historical novels that began her writing journey (written as Gwyneth Atlee and Colleen Easton) to the riveting romantic suspense that has become her trademark, Colleen Thompson writes stories that show us that sometimes, love can kill.
In 2004, Colleen Thompson’s first romantic thriller, Fatal Error, launched Dorchester Publishing’s new line of fast-paced, steamy romantic suspense. The book was nominated for the RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense and won the Texas Gold for Best Mainstream Fiction. Other honors received by her books include a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, a Readers’ Choice Awards, nominations from the Reviewers International Organization, Top Pick, KISS awards, and a reviewers’ choice award nomination from Romantic Times Book Club Magazine, and a Perfect Ten from Romance Reviews Today.
Now residing in the Houston area with her husband, Colleen works with children in addition to her writing and speaking. When she’s not on deadline, she can often be found hiking with her family, playing with her pets, fiddling with her computer, or with her nose stuck in a good book.
For more info about Colleen, or to check out her books, visit these websites. Buy books here. Colleen's website here.
Co-host of podcast, The Creative Exponent, Marian Parsons joins the show to discuss her winding creative road, her love of musicals, dispenses fantastic creative advice, dishes on books that inspire her, and more.
Marian is a paint enthusiast & natural encourager. She is the epitome of a multi-passionate entrepreneur with a spiderweb of creative endeavors including writing, photography, design, fine art, furniture refinishing, and home décor. She has a habit of turning every hobby into a business, which can be simultaneously amazing and a problem. You can find Marian elsewhere on the internet by Googling Miss Mustard Seed…
Mark Alan Miller is a Western Massachusetts-based recording engineer and sole regular member of the techno-industrial band Out Out. He was the founder and owner of Slaughterhouse Studios before closing it and founding Sonelab with Justin Pizzoferrato.
This episode, my friend and fellow sorority sister LaTasha of The Veil KC joins the show to talk about how she got her start, shares stories, and spills secrets of her success, as well as her take on wedding trends of 2022.
LaTasha James is an event coordinator and owner of The Veil KC which is an award winning event management company based out of Kansas City. They have won local awards from her peers, like The Mountain mover, nationally with The Knot the WeddingWire Couples choice award for 5 year in a row, and She coordinates and helps couples and organizations execute with their special day in the KC metro area.
You may have heard of Heather's amazing story about her love and dedication to the arts via the viral Humans of New York post via her husband Mark. I recently had the opportunity to chat with her about her work with AhHa!Broadway, and get to know more about what drives and inspires her. Buckle up for an inspiring, heartfelt interview!
Heather Edwards is Co-Founder of the women-led non-profit, AhHa!Broadway Inc., which provides arts education programming to underserved children, senior citizens and veterans. She trained as a classical pianist and graduated from Berklee College of Music. Heather works as a pianist/songwriter/recording artist who has performed with many types of bands – from funk and rock to jazz and country. Heather conducts, directs, and regularly performs in musical theater around the New York area. In addition to educating children in the performing arts for 25 years, she also enjoys teaching private piano and vocal lessons to children and working with them in musical theater productions as pianist and Musical Director. Heather has also played a wide range of characters as an actress in television, film and theater.
To learn more about AhHa!Broadway Inc. or to donate to their amazing cause, please visit https://ahhabroadway.org/
Actor and Podcast host of The Fittest Fat Kid You Know, Bruce Nachsin joins the show to discuss the power of creative outlets, gets real about body image issues, and dishes about topics from his podcast, to fantasy books, British comedies and more.
Bruce Nachsin fell into the acting world after an ill advised foray into the world of fine woodworking revealed very specific and life threatening allergies. He has been writing and producing for 11 years, starting with his original attempt to create a personal film school in the guise of his comedic 10 episode web series Under the Doghouse. It was out of his time as a member of Fred Willard's MoHo's that Bruce wrote a sketch that would go on to be the impetus of Dark Specter and a series was born. His other works include, Approve-O, Nothing Personal, Searching for the Words and his award winning directorial debut: Lunchtime is Over. Bruce is a man with only one real skill that likes to masquerade itself as many.
Honored to sit down with Jeff Pilson in this enlightening, and sage conversation about the music business, his musical inspirations, current projects, and of course, what living a creative life means to him.
Emily Golden and Rachel May of GoldenMay Editing are a dynamic duo! They are authors, editors, and book coaches, living a creative writing dream by helping others shape their stories, and making dreams come true. On the show they dish about taking the leap to become entrepreneurs, fave books, writing tips they ignore, and more.
Emily Golden spent a decade coaching business entrepreneurs, community activists, and election candidates on how to shape their personal passions into authentic messages that move people. Now she does the same with her book coaching clients! She’s an epic fantasy writer, climate justice activist, and she spends half her weekends sleeping on mountains in her Tacoma.
Rachel May spent her early career in the tech and startup world, working to disrupt stagnant industries. She loves teaching, believes in continual learning, and is a feedback evangelist. She’s an adult fantasy writer, a video gamer, and she’s never met a pup she didn’t want to pet. As a #momwriter, she’s quickly becoming an expert in juggling life and creative pursuits.
Hannah Lipsey is a professional commission based artist, creating highly realistic portraits in both graphite and coloured pencils.
Born near Liverpool, England, Hannah Lipsey gained her BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff in 2011. This was where she discovered and developed her style of acrylic painting. It wasn't until 2016 she then picked up pencils and started to experiment with drawing realistically.
Between then and starting her art career she worked at different times as a waitress, retail,assistant and a teaching assistant. It was then during a time living in South Carolina, USA 2018-2020 that she really honed her drawing skills, enabling her to make it her full time job once she returned to the UK in 2020.
It was an honor to host Dr. Jennifer Higdon earlier this year. Since her episode, she's continued composing, and presenting. In this show she discusses life as a composer, music she finds inspiration from, and what it was like to win one of the biggest awards for musicians.
Jennifer Higdon, a Pulitzer Prize and three-time Grammy winner, is one of the most performed living American composers working today. She is the recent recipient of Northwestern University’s Nemmers Prize and the UT Austin EM King Award. Previous honors include the Guggenheim, Koussevitzky, and Pew Fellowships, as well as two awards from the American Academy of Arts & Letters. Commissions have come from a wide range of performers: from the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony, to The President’s Own Marine Band; from the Tokyo String Quartet to Eighth Blackbird, as well as individual artists such as singer Thomas Hampson, violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist, Yuja Wang. Her first opera on Charles Frazier’s book, “Cold Mountain”, was commissioned by Santa Fe Opera, Opera Philadelphia, NC Opera, and Minnesota Opera, selling out all of its runs and winning the International Opera Award. She makes her living from commissions. Her works are recorded on over 70 CDs. The recording of her “Percussion Concerto” with Colin Currie and the London Philharmonic was recently inducted into The Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. Jennifer holds the Rock Chair in Composition at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
For more information about Dr. Jennifer Higdon, visit her official website here.
Another fave episode from the archives features Shakuhatchi Master, Composer, and friend of mine, Shawn Head. One reason this is a favorite ep are hearing Shawn's amazing stories and learning more about my culture. Shawn has made a name for himself on Shakuhatchi, and currently lives in Japan. Since his interview in March of 2021, he's continued to build his studio, record, and more.
Shawn Head has an active career as a Shakuhatchi soloist, along with being a composer, and educator. He studied at the prestigious Cleveland Institute of Music. He also became the youngest non-Japanese Shakuhatchi master at 23. Head emphasizes the possibilities and coherence between Eastern and Western ideas; mixing the aesthetics and sensibilities of Japanese music with a Western musical framework. In 2019 he received the distinct honor of becoming an OSS Tai Shogun for his work in traditional Japanese music. He has toured worldwide, and collaborated with various artists including members of the Houston Symphony, Susanna Campbell of Shoso Duo, and the Westheimer String Quartet. Head currently performs on eight flutes specifically crafted for him by revered flute maker, Yozan Hikichi.
From the archives comes one of my favorite episodes. I love hosting every guest as they bring such interesting perspectives, and wonderful insight into their creative worlds, but as a musician and writer this one was one of the most moving I had the pleasure of conducting.
John Cotter is the author of the memoir Losing Music, forthcoming from Milkweed Editions, portions of which have appeared in Raritan, Catapult, Indiana Review, and Guernica. His novel, Under the Small Lights, was published by Miami University Press in 2010, and his fiction, essays, criticism, and theater pieces have appeared in New England Review, Washington Square, Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading, Georgia Review, and Commonweal.
John has worked as a theater director, ghostwriter, trash collector, and copy editor, as well as a teacher of environmental ethics, English literature, and history. From 2009 – 2017 he served as Executive Editor of the arts and review site Open Letters Monthly. In 2018 he was Artist in Residence at SPACE Gallery in Portland, Maine, and in 2022 he’ll be a resident fellow at the James Merrill House in Stonington, Connecticut. Born and raised in New England, John now lives in Denver with his wife, the poet Elisa Gabbert. He teaches at Lighthouse Writers Workshop.
Straight from the archives comes the VERY FIRST interview featuring award winning violinist and composer, Tracy Silverman.
Originally landed on January 4th, 2021, this episode features an in-depth interview with Tracy Silverman. He discusses musical influences, shares a touching story of his first steps on his musical journey, and more.
Since helping kick off Creative Peacemeal with this interview, Tracy has gone on to making his own successful and amazing podcast For The Greater Groove (links below), and toured and had some pieces premiered.
"What we really wanted to do, was to do what had happened with guitar...it got electrified...we knew that had to happen with violin and we wanted to be there making those instruments, designing them, playing them, and creating a new future for string placers where their options were not just to play the beautiful classical music which I love."
Entrepreneur, Chavaz Kingman shines when discussing the relationship of arts, business, and the human connection.
Chavaz Kingman is a consultant, coach, entrepreneur, and speaker. He has been featured in Fortune Magazine, Business Management, Talent Economy, and more. It was a delight to catch up with him to talk about the relationship between business and creative arts, the power of the human connection factor, and more.
Chavaz Kingman is a consultant, coach, entrepreneur and speaker known for his incomparable ability to both recognize and realize individual and organizational talent and potential.
Chavaz is known for his ability to simplify the complex, putting both personal and professional problems into easy to understand, digestible and achievable solutions. Combining his unique background in the arts with his career in technology, finance and healthcare, Chavaz provides an incomparable approach to creativity, productivity, and goal achievement.
By focusing on the human aspects of being a professional, Chavaz Kingman serves fellow professionals by helping them uncover and maximize their innate talent.
Multimillion dollar corporations, their teams, and leaders know Chavaz as their go-to person because he provides individual attention, unyielding commitment to excellence, and a communication style that is authentic, memorable, engaging, and enriching.
To connect with Chavaz, check out his website here.
Finding your spark, and pursuing your goals, actor Corrie Legge discusses this and more!
Actor and creative coach, Corrie Legge joins the show to talk about finding and following your spark, the realities of voice over, fave books, and more.
Corrie Legge is a multi-passionate storyteller, performer, and coach. As an actor and voiceover artist, she has appeared in many independent films, national commercials, animation shows, video games, audiobooks, and more. She's also a filmmaker with several short films under her belt, and multiple feature scripts in the works! As a creative coach, Corrie helps multi-passionate creatives overcome mindset blocks and implement effective goal planning strategies to take their creative vision from dream to reality while still living a well-rounded life. As a new mom herself, she especially loves helping other creative parents find balance between their parenting and artistic lives.
Connect with Corrie and sign up for her THE ARTIST'S WAY workshop (next one in January). IG: @creatingwithcorrie Website: www.corrielegge.com
Portrait photographer Darío Acosta’s brilliant work capturing top musicians, artists, CEO’s and more can be seen across advertisements, magazines and CD covers. A graduate of The School Of Visual Arts, he’s been focusing his lens and creating mesmerizing photos for the past 15 years.
In this episode, he gets honest about life as a photographer, and shares wise words. This is an inspiring episode about a phenomenal artist.
To learn more about Dario Acosta, or to book him, visit his website here.
Actor and Musician Ben Barnes on his debut album, and more.
Actor and Musician, Ben Barnes joined the podcast to talk about music inspirations, and his debut album, Songs For You. Check the links below to order the album, purchase BB's merch, and more.
Ben Barnes is known to many for portraying fantasy heroes and comic-book villains, characters from history and classic novels and the occasional romantic street busker or wannabe rock-star. His own fantasies, stories and dreams have until now been eclipsed by these roles.
With Songs For You, Barnes is baring his soul through his music for the first time; hopeful, joyful, passionate, nostalgic, vulnerable and loving. The lyrics to most of the songs, he explains, came from “poetry written for a loved one or just for myself, a long-forgotten phrase I jotted down in a notebook years ago, inspired by a photograph, a moment, a quotation, or in the case of one song, a story I read about a female pirate!”
After years of being directed, written for and edited in movies, this is his moment to shine the light on the five songs on Songs For You, lovingly crafted at his piano at home and presented unedited and straight from the heart.
Barnes shared, “Songs For You comes from one of my favorite records, ‘A Song For You’ by Leon Russell (but the Donny Hathaway version, of course), from wanting the songs to speak intimately to anyone who listens to them, and because if a song is written for you, you know who you are.”
Ben Barnes has starred in films, TV shows and theater productions spanning the last 20 years:
Movies have included, The Chronicles of Narnia franch
Content Warning: Themes of songs discussed in this episode include violence, cancer, suicide, and drug use. Please make your own choice when deciding whether to listen to this episode or to fast forward or skip altogether.
Bio (from website) Based in Los Angeles, Richard T Bear boasts a career that spans more than 40 years, one that led to a string of noted solo albums and collaborations with a dizzying list of revered artists. In 1978, he signed with RCA Records and released his debut album, Red, Hot, and Blue, produced by Jack Richardson (Bob Seger, The Guess Who). The album featured a notable group, Les Dudek, Billy Squier, Paul Shaffer, and the Becker Brothers. The album spawned the single “Sunshine Hotel.” A remix of the song climbed to number four on the world dance charts before becoming the dance staple that it remains today. A second album titled Bear includes a rendition of the Rolling Stones’ classic “Ruby Tuesday,” followed by The Best of Richard T Bear and Captured Alive, a concert recorded in Hamburg, Germany. In 1984, he moved to Teldec Records, which led to the release of The Bear Truth, and the Giorgio Moroder produced album The Runner.
He has appeared on numerous recordings including Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Southern Cross,” The Blues Brothers Soundtrack, Richie Havens Mixed Bag II, Kiss members Gene Simmons and Peter Criss’ solo ventures, as well as Toby Beau’s hit single “My Angel Baby,” Billy Squier’s solo debut Tale of the Tape, and former Rascals Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli. He would also pen the song “Love and Pain,” one of the standout tracks on Cher’s blockbuster album Take Me Home. He has shared the stage with artists such as Richie Havens, Odetta, The Doobie Brothers, and Jeff Beck, to name a few.
Domestic responsibilities and a struggle to regain his sobriety forced him to put his musical career on hold. In 1983, T Bear gained his sobriety and focused on helping others with addiction, and became instrumental in developing the Musicians Picnic, serving on its board of directors. The annual event led to the creation of the Musicians Assistance Program (MAP), a non-profit organization that is now part of the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Foundation.
After a lengthy hiatus, T Bear returned to the music scene in 2020 and released the single “One Day at a Time” on Quarto Valley Records.
Delight to be joined on my show by my dear friend, and fellow grad school pal, Tara Davis. We catch up and dig deep about her experience working on the front lines the last few years, her journey to become a music therapist, and what's on the road ahead.
Tara Davis, MA, MT-BC, is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory, and Montclair State. Prior to becoming a music therapist, Ms. Davis held positions as a vocalist, actress, and director across the United States. Ms. Davis established and is the internship director at her work, and is the current vice president of the New Jersey Association of Music Therapy. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Montclair State in addition to her duties as a full-time music therapist in New Jersey.
To learn more about music therapy, visit musictherapy.org, the official site of the American Music Therapy Association.
Author, engineer and ubran planner, Lisa Brideau joins the show to talk about a variety of topics ranging from writing tidbits, fave TV shows, the influence her job has on her writing, and much more.
LISA BRIDEAU (‘bree-doe’) was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada in the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw People. Her writing is inspired by the ridiculous quantities of science fiction she read during her formative years with a crust of CanLit layered on top.
She has degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Carleton University and Urban Planning from the University of British Columbia and currently works as a sustainability policy expert. When she takes breaks from trying to prevent catastrophic climate change, she likes to write speculative fiction or practice her waltz. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her partner and their herd of cats. She is most likely cuddling a cat right now.
Here is the list of craft books she enjoys. - Anatomy of Story by John Truby - Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose - The Art of Subtext by Charles Baxter - Consider This by Chuck Palahniuk
Dr. Todd Coolman joins the show to talk about his humble, hardworking beginnings in the Midwest, to his first jazz concert, his beloved LP collection, and dispenses some wise words and interesting insights. This is a don't miss for jazz fans, and fans of the Todd's podcast.
Grammy award-winning bassist Todd Coolman is among the most sought-after musicians on the New York music scene today. Since moving to New York in 1978, he has performed and/or recorded with a virtual, “Who’s who” of jazz artists including Horace Silver, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Golson, Ahmad Jamal, Art Farmer, Jay Jay Johnson, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and numerous others. Coolman enjoyed a 25-year stint with the James Moody Quartet and continues to perform with Jon Faddis, Charles McPherson, Renee Rosnes, as well as leading his own small groups. Collectables on Sunnyside Records is Todd’s fourth and most recent CD as a leader. Todd has also authored two books, The Bass Tradition and The Bottom Line. ding his own small groups. Collectables on Sunnyside Records is Todd’s fourth and most recent CD as a leader. Todd has also authored two books, The Bass Tradition and The Bottom Line. Dr. Coolman’s faculty positions include posts in the jazz studies programs at SUNY Purchase and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. After joining the faculty of the Skidmore Jazz Institute in 1998, he also directed the Institute from 2011-2018 and subsequently has returned to the faculty. In whatever spare time he can carve out of his busy schedule, Todd enjoys fly fishing, bird watching, hiking, and generally communing with the Natural World.
NYT bestselling author, and one of my personal favorite living authors joins the show to talk about choosing joy, writing tips, her journey to become an author, a fave scene from her newest book, and much more. This uplifting episode is great for writers and readers alike!
Katherine Center is a NYT bestselling author of 8 books including HOW TO WALK AWAY, THINGS YOU SAVE IN THE FIRE, WHAT YOU WISH FOR and THE LOST HUSBAND which is currently a film. Her books are bittersweet comic novels. She believes the best stories let you get so lost, you forget you’re reading at all—and then you find your way back out a little bit changed.
Cellist and Professor, Jennifer Kloetzel's first appearance on the podcast has garnered her a top episode spot! The inspiring and insightful interview led to a second (this one) and she joins me to continue the conversation.
A graduate of The Juilliard School and a Fulbright Scholar, cellist Jennifer Kloetzel has concertized throughout the United States, Europe and Asia as a soloist and chamber musician. A founding member of the San Francisco-based Cypress String Quartet (1996-2016), Ms. Kloetzel has toured the globe and performed at such renowned venues as Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Chautauqua Institute and the Ravinia Festival, the Lobkowicz Palaces in both Vienna and Prague, as well as prominent colleges and conservatories worldwide.
Ms. Kloetzel is noted for her elegant playing and her vibrant tone. She is a sought-after recitalist, performing concerts for San Francisco Performances and on WQXR in New York. A fervent champion of new music, she has received the Copland Award for her work with living American composers and has commissioned and premiered over fifty works, including five concertos written specifically for her. In the past few seasons, premieres included a Cello Suite by Daniel Asia, a Cello Concerto, “Cloud Atlas” and unaccompanied cello work “Lift,” which were both written for her by MIT composer Elena Ruehr and a Cello Sonata dedicated to her by Joseph Landers. Ms. Kloetzel has recorded the Ruehr Cello Concerto with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, which was released to critical acclaim in October 2014. “Lift” is the title track of an all-Ruehr disc, released on the Avie label, and was included on Keith Powers’ 13 Best Classical Music Recordings of 2016. Ms. Kloetzel is the featured cellist on a 2019 Albany Records release of music by Richard Aldag, and recently premiered Lee Actor’s Cello Concerto, written for her in 2017. In the next few seasons, she will give world premieres of sonatas written for her by Richard Aldag and Elena Ruehr and “Inferno: Double Concerto for Viola, Cello and Chamber Orchestra” by Joel Friedman, as well as six ‘companion’ pieces commissioned to go with the six Bach Cello Suites, for a special project entitled “Mission: Bach~ The Road to Inspiration."
Ms. Kloetzel has been featured regularly on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today” and her performances have been broadcast on radio stations from coast to coast. A passionate recording artist with 36 CD releases to da
Ami has presented on self-care and professional burnout at international events and conferences. Ami has also taught as a lecturer at UCLA and adjunct graduate faculty at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
Ami has been a board-certified music therapist since 2006, specializing in mental health, trauma, and addictions treatment. Ami also holds certifications in yoga education and first and second degree reiki, with training in mindfulness and meditation.
Ami received her BA in Psychology from Loyola Marymount University and her MA in Music Therapy from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Mind-Body Medicine at Saybrook University.
Renowned Cellist Johannes Moser joins the show to discuss how he decided on cello, his thoughts on living a creative life, the amazing things about being a concert cellist, as well as the hard work that goes into this field.
Norwegian Music Therapist, Karette Stensæth joined me recently to talk about how she got into the field, current projects, what she hopes for the future of music therapy, as well as diving into philosophy, and the importance of the here and now.
Dr. Karette Stensæth is Associate Professor in Music Therapy at the Norwegian Academy of Music, where she also works as the Director of CREMAH (Centre of Research in Music and Health). In addition to engaging in research, she's the author of the book Responsiveness in Music Therapy Improvisation: A Perspective Inspired by Mikhail Bakhtin, from Barcelona Publishers in 2017.
To learn more about music therapy in the United States, click here.
To learn more about music therapy in Europe, click here.
Fellow podcaster Melissa Bright of THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE PODCAST joins to talk about podcasting, fave music, the power of holding space, and gets real about her journey and where she wants to go.
Host and creator of bright side of life podcast. Her podcast focuses on talking with people that have had struggles in their life and how they found their path back to the bright side, whatever that means to them. Melissa believes that happiness and looking on the bright side is all about mindset and these stories navigate and discuss people’s successful journeys to happiness.
To listen to her podcast, THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE, or to learn more about Melissa, click HERE.
Chad Boudreaux, whose resume includes a tenure as Deputy Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is the author of two thrillers. His first, published last year, was Scavenger Hunt, a tale of international intrigue whose main character is a Justice Department lawyer assigned to a clandestine counter-terrorist group.
Boudreaux, born and raised on the Texas coast, returns there for his second thriller, Homecoming Queen, to be published in August, which chronicles the plight of Anika Raven, who faces the challenge of a lifetime after returning to Miranda, Texas, to rescue her little sister.
Chef Chris Spear is on the show to talk about his amazing business, Perfect Little Bites, and his podcast, Chefs Without Restaurants.
Chris Spear is the chef and owner of Perfect Little Bites, an in-home personal chef business based in Frederick, Maryland. You might also know him as the host of the Chefs Without Restaurants podcast, and the man behind the culinary networking organization of the same name. Chris graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a B.S. in culinary arts, and has been working in the foodservice industry for almost 30 years.
Chris dreamed of bringing an upscale dining experience directly into peoples' homes, and he started his personal chef business on the side in 2010. Tired of the corporate foodservice grind, he left his job and took his business full-time in 2016. Specializing in contemporary American cuisine with global influences, Perfect Little Bites services the metro Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas, as well as parts of West Virginia, Southern Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia.
Wanting to build a community to help support other food entrepreneurs, Chris started the Chefs Without Restaurants community. Its focus would be on sharing gig opportunities and knowledge, as well as doing collaborative pop-up events. This led to the launch of the Chefs Without Restaurants podcast in late 2019, and the show features guests working in aspects of foodservice such as catering, research & development, contract foodservice, and the food truck industry.
Now Chris splits his time between cooking unique dishes for his guests, such as scrapple dip, and engaging with the culinary community he built. He has written editorials for StarChefs, and some of his recipes can be found on the Garden & Gun and Imbibe websites. You can also find an illustration of his chest tattoo in the book Knives & Ink, along with his recipe for smoked gouda and hot pepper pimento cheese.
Chris is also a husband, and father of twins. When he's not cooking or talking about food, you'll probably find him taking photos, wandering an art gallery, or rocking out at one of DC's concert venues. Ask to see his Star Wars collection, or to tell you about the time Bill Murray inadvertently ruined his anniversary dinner.
Click HERE to listen to Chris' podcast, Chefs Without Restaurants. Chefs Without Restaurants Website:
Creative artist, Michael "Flip" Yingling joins me on the show to talk about how he got into the field, life at LEGO, gets serious about living a creative life, and does a deep dive into Danish food and desserts. Don't miss this insightful look at life in the arts from this talented individual.
Michael Yingling, also know as Flip, as Sr Product Lead at LEGO working on digital experiences for kids. A seasoned creative and voice over performer, Flip has worked in the the theater, on television, for Walt Disney Imagineering, Club Penguin, and Disney's Photopass Service where their passion for performance and storytelling turned into engaging products for users and inspirational leadership for their teams.
Musician and Bandleader, Alex Mendham of the illustrious Alex Mendham and His Orchestra graces the show to talk about the struggles of getting a niche group together, the successes, his musical inspirations, and what's next for this group which has become a mainstay on the BBC radio, and stages worldwide.
Mesmerised from a young age by the music of a forgotten time, Essex-born musician, singer, and lyricist Alex Mendham made a name for himself, having burst onto the scene by forming his own orchestra at the tender age of just 20 (and refusing to slow down ever since!).
Alex Mendham spent his youth studying the saxophone and meeting the last surviving dance band musicians from the golden era, living links to the past, including the virtuoso Al Gallodoro, a star of 1920s Paul Whiteman fame. He also spent several years as protégé to Bob Wilber, himself a student of Sidney Bechet.
After the initial performances with his Orchestra, Alex soon realised what was needed was an authentic vocalist and frontman. He exchanged the saxophone for a conductor's baton and the rest as they say - is history.
Author John Cotter is the latest guest on the podcast, which marks the 25th episode. John gives one of the most moving interviews to date as he goes deep sharing stories of personal health struggles with Meniere's Disease which sparked his upcoming memoir, LOSING MUSIC. We also discuss the creative process, music that touches our souls, and more.
John Cotter is the author of the memoir Losing Music, forthcoming from Milkweed Editions, portions of which have appeared in Raritan, Catapult, Indiana Review, and Guernica. His novel, Under the Small Lights, was published by Miami University Press in 2010, and his fiction, essays, criticism, and theater pieces have appeared in New England Review, Washington Square, Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading, Georgia Review, and Commonweal.
John has worked as a theater director, ghostwriter, trash collector, and copy editor, as well as a teacher of environmental ethics, English literature, and history. From 2009 – 2017 he served as Executive Editor of the arts and review site Open Letters Monthly. In 2018 he was Artist in Residence at SPACE Gallery in Portland, Maine, and in 2022 he’ll be a resident fellow at the James Merrill House in Stonington, Connecticut. Born and raised in New England, John now lives in Denver with his wife, the poet Elisa Gabbert. He teaches at Lighthouse Writers Workshop.
Chef Jacqueline Myer of Broth and Brine, a new restaurant in the Houston area joins me today to discuss her path to the culinary arts, her hot take on food as medicine, and much more. Jacqueline Myers is chef-owner of Broth & Brine | Dedicated Craft Kitchen as well as GF Personal Chef | Gluten Free & Paleo. In addition to her role as chef-owner-manager at Broth & Brine, she is also a personal chef and a food and wellness consultant. She intercedes for clients on their healing journeys using a food-as-medicine approach.
Jacqueline holds a Master of Science degree in secondary education from Indiana University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Spanish. She has always held a passion for the culinary world, cooking, and world travel. Through food, perspective is downloaded and peoples are united.
Having spent 16 years as an educator, Jacqueline observed the rise of gut-related disorders and astonishing epidemic of ASD—Autism Spectrum Disorders. Through a series of events, she began to investigate the root cause(s) of ASDs, the brain connection, and the factors involved in other autoimmune conditions including cancer and diabetes. Toxicity and gut health emerged as critical factors in need of immediate attention across all United States demographics. For Jacqueline, it was time to step out of a classroom with four walls and take action at a different level in order to encourage change and healing for our children and our society.
Combining her passion for research, education, and food preparation, Jacqueline embarked on a relevant and timely mission to help others using the timeless concept of nutrition. She relied on her time spent studying and traveling abroad, as well as her passion for healing foods of the Mediterranean and our distant ancestors.
At the core of her mission today is to empower others with knowledge and skills for healing true root imbalances using food as a first line intervention and prevention.
A.S. Hatch, brilliant author of the stunning thriller, THIS LITTLE DARK PLACE, joins the podcast to discuss his favorite writers, books that changed his life, his creative process, and shares the story of how he got published.
Versatile violinist, Filip Pogády joins me on the show today. He talks about how he got his start, what inspires him, a mutual adoration of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, his thoughts on shoulder rests, and more.
Violinist Filip Pogády has been praised by the press for the "beauty of his tone", “lightning-like virtuosity” (Russkoe Slovo) and his "commanding performances" (The New York Times). Pogády has performed in some of the most renowned concert venues in the world including Lincoln Center (New York), Rudolphinum (Prague), Konzerthaus (Vienna), Tel Aviv Opera House, Lotte Hall (Seoul), and Seoul Arts Center. He also makes TV appearances, including guest starring on Louis CK's "Louie". As a firm believer that music should be available to everyone, Pogády joined Yehudi Menuhin's “Live Music NOW!” Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing music to orphanages, nursing homes, prisons and hospitals. Pogády has played over 30 recitals for “Live Music NOW!”. Pogády decided to take this concept to the next level and has been performing the Sonatas and Partitas by J.S. Bach in the New York City subway throughout his studies at the Manhattan School of Music until present. “Most of these people have never heard this kind of music before, and yet it touches them on a basic human level, because this music is just SO good," he says. Pogády gave his solo debut with orchestra at age 11 at the Wiener Konzerthaus in Vienna after winning the 1st prize at the Tsusuki Violin Competition as the youngest contestant. He participated three times at Austria's nationwide music competition "Prima La Musica" and won the 1st prize each time. He was also honored with special prizes by the Austrian String Society and the Raiffeisen Bank for extraordinary results at this competition. Pogády earned his Master's Degree in Violin Performance under the tutelage of Maestro Pinchas Zukerman at the Manhattan School of Music, where he was awarded a full scholarship. Born in Bratislava (Slovakia), Pogády moved with his family to Austria as
Artist and educator, Melanie Trout Anderson joins to show to talk about teaching during the pandemic, what inspires her, how she got her start, her ADORABLE dog art, and more.
Anderson earned her BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Memphis and her Masters of Art Education from Memphis College of Art. She began her career as a graphic designer and served as the Director of Advertising for Catherine's Stores Corporation for fifteen years before becoming an art educator. She is a working artist, high school art teacher, and dog advocate living in Arlington, TN, a suburb of Memphis. She was recently named the West TN Art Educator of the Year. She serves on the board of the TN Art Education Association, and is Youth Art Month Chairman for the state of Tennessee
Anderson is most recognized for her large scale paintings of colorful, happy dogs. Her personal artwork was published in 2014 and 2016 by North Light Books Incite: Mixed MediaSeries, and was featured in August 2020 in the a special edition Acrylic Works compilation from Artists Magazine. Her work and teaching practices were featured inthe 2019 college textbook release Teaching and Learning in Art Education by Deborah Sickler-Voigt. Anderson is in the process of writing a book entitled You Can Be A Maker: How to Find the Time and Space to Create due for release in 2021. Her work can be found in personal art collections around the country. To view or commission her work visit www.melanieanderson.net
Artist Statement: Why I paint dogs...
"Dogs are gifts wrapped in spontaneity and freshness. A dog's experience is always new, even when catching the Frisbee for the fifty-seventh time. With open hearts and soaring spirits, they brightly color our world. My paintings represent the pure nature of liberation that dogs embody. They remind me to be fully present and free. I am lucky enough to have two willing subjects of my own to inspire me daily. Their antics provide me with an endless amount of subject matter." Melanie Anderson
To learn more about Melanie, or to follow her social media, check out the links below. Website: melanieanderson.net Instagram: @melanietanderson @girlsnightart FB: Melanie Trout Anderson
The brilliant Thomas Echols joins the show today to talk about musical barriers in his life, various philosophies, current trends in electronic music (hint it's quite a surprise), his diverse career, and more.
Thomas Echols’s work is an amalgam of classical, modernist, and pop music forays. As visiting artistic director for Austin Classical Guitar, Thomas curated programs including traditional instrumental recitalists, experimental electronics, newly commissioned works, and interactive visual projections. I have recorded and performed with the GrammyNominated choral ensemble Conspirare and the Houston Symphony Orchestra (our recording of Wozzeck recently won a Grammy and the prestigious Echo Klassik award for best operatic recording), and have had major engagements at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Palazzo Chigi (Siena, Italy), The Whittier Bach Festival (LA, The Blanton Museum of Art (Austin), Jones Hall (Houston), and other venues around the world.
His experimental-pop alter ego, Man, Woman, Friend, Computer, creates simple songs that unfold into meandering compositions, analogue synth fetishism, conspiracy pop, polyrhythmic laments, somnambulist visions, and process music. MWFC’s debut album has garnered rave reviews from Austin Monthly and The Austin Chronicle, which calls it “Meditative and fetching . . . he ventures into a complex amalgam of analog and synth. Wistful, romantic. . . Echols’ vocals sooth to surrender.” As a classical guitarist, music technologist, composer, and song writer, Thomas is a mainstay in the thriving classical guitar and experimental music scenes in Austin. Thomas is active as a performer and lecturer, and he has contributed scholarly articles to Soundboard Magazine.
Thomas Echols holds degrees from the University of Southern California (Doctor of Musical Arts), the University of Texas (Master of Music), the University of Colorado (Bachelor of Music), and the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy (Diploma di Merito).
Music Therapist and researcher, Dr. Claire Ghetti joins me on the show today. She shares a moving story of how she came into the field, her current research, life in Norway, and more.
Dr. Claire Ghetti is Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Integrated Master's Program in Music Therapy; Assistant Leader, GAMUT - The Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Centre The Grieg Academy – Department of Music For information about Dr. Ghetti and the program at the University of Bergen in Norway, click here. Information on Dr. Ghetti's research can be found here.
More information about music therapy, can be found here on the American Music Therapy Association website.
Love this episode? Want to know more about music therapy? Then check out back episodes featuring other music therapists, and also my creative arts blog! All found here.
Dr. David Weill, author of the 2021 memoir, Exhale: Hope, Healing, and a Life of Transplant, and the upcoming fiction, medical drama All That Really Matters is the former Director of the Center for Advanced Lung Disease and Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant Program at Stanford University Medical Center. He is currently the Principal of the Weill Consulting Group which focuses on improving the delivery of pulmonary, ICU, and transplant care. David’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsweek, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, The Hill, and the Los Angeles Times. He also has appeared on Fox, CNN, and in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Wall Street Journal.
Connect with Dr. Weill here: https://www.facebook.com/davidweillmd/ and be sure to pick up his latest book All That Really Matters, which lands on June 11th, 2024
Jessica Conick is a vibrant, eco-friendly fashion designer and founder of MOUNT INDIGO. Mount Indigo was founded by Jessica Conick. She speaks about what inspired her to start her company, what we can do to make a difference, and more
Jessica started Mount Indigo as a passion project after working in the fashion industry for years and realizing that it is one of the most polluting industries in the world. She knew she had to do something to be a part of the solution and spread awareness, but wanted to do it in a fun way. ⠀ ⠀ Mount Indigo is a curation of upcycled denim jackets, and eco-friendly tees re-worked with sassy, sustainable statements and art. Jessica wants people to feel empowered to wear their values, especially if it’s something as non-controversial as “Please Recycle” or “Keep The Planet Instagrammable.” ⠀ ⠀ “I think of all of my pieces like a little sustainable fashion army out there trying to make the world a better place,” Jessica says
Award winning, multimedia artist Janet O'Neal joins the podcast today! Janet shares heartwarming, and interesting stories from her career of over 30 years (and still going strong!), as well as current projects, including collaborations with musicians and other creatives.
Janet O'Neal is an award winning multimedia artist, photographer and teacher. She is best known for her colorful energetic abstracts and multimedia assemblages. Born in Raleigh North Carolina, she is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied art and obtained a degree in Administration of Criminal Justice. After working as a deputy sheriff and an assistant to the district attorney in North Carolina, she decided not to attend law school, began a career in real estate and finally launched a full time career in art in 1987. She moved to Florida and began traveling extensively through out the country participating in juried art festivals and gallery exhibitions. Janet has studied with leading American artists through out her 33-year career including Rudy Pozzatti, Glen Bradshaw, Maxine Masterfield, Carole Barnes, Sharon Montgomery, Barbara Nechis, Carrie Brown, and Bernice Ficeck Swenson and John M. Swenson: Landmark Editions, The Guerrilla Girls, The Penland School, Santa Fe Photography Workshops, photographer Marcel Perez and photographer George DeWolfe.
Janet has worked in watercolor, printmaking, painting, ceramics, multimedia assemblage, sculpture and photography. Her desire to express new ideas and emotions is almost always accompanied by the search and exploration of new techniques and media. Her current works include digital photography and conceptual multimedia works and installations where photography is the dominant media. She has won awards in the prestigious Georgia O’Keeffe International Photography Competition, International Pollux Awards Competition and is a Julia Margaret Cameron Awards Finalist.
Her artworks are included in private collections and over 300 corporate and public collections nationwide. She currently lives and works in Santa Fe New Mexico.
Former classmate, and talented poet, Keith Mark Gaboury joins me on the show today. He talks about his creative process, current projects, inspirations for poems and more.
Keith Mark Gaboury earned a B.A. in English: Concentration in Creative Writing from Baker University (2008), a M.A. in English: Concentration in Literature from San Francisco State University (2010), and a M.F.A. in Creative Writing: Concentration in Poetry from Emerson College (2013).
For more than fifteen years, Keith Mark Gaboury has spearheaded action to promote literary engagement. Moving forward, he is seeking to build more literary avenues in the Bay Area, nationally, and globally. Feel free to contact him if you’re interested in a collaboration to support a platform of expression from a diverse range of voices who have a right to be heard. In the Bay Area, he is a regular attendee at literary readings, open mics, and workshops, including Saturday Night Special, Naked Bulb, Quiet Lightning, and The San Francisco Creative Writing Institute.
From such topics as science fiction, surrealism, and religion, his poetry perceives reality through a disjointed lens. Whether a poem travels to the moon Europa or slithers along a Brooklyn sidewalk, unexpectedness is ripped open where the strange is truly beautiful. Keith is a poet, preschool teacher, and runner in Oakland, California. To learn more about Keith and find his work, click here.
Resources he mentioned in the show are below. Typewriter Poetry Group (Keith hosts bi-monthly poetry workshop): https://www.meetup.com/The-Typewriter-Poetry-Group/
Walnut Creek Zoom Poetry Meetup (Keith co-hosts a weekly poetry meetup): https://www.meetup.com/Walnut-Creek-Poetry-Meetup/
San Francisco Creative Writing Institute (creative writing classes, relatively cheap): https://sfwriting.institute/
The Writing Salon (creative writing classes as well): https://www.writingsalons.com/