The Music Makers – Details, episodes & analysis

This is the 3rd part in a series of interviews, done every couple of years, with Brent Birckhead, an award-winning artist who writes, composes, and performs on a variety of woodwinds, mostly alto saxophone. Educated at Howard University, Brent was named best blues/pop/rock soloist and outstanding instrumental jazz soloist by Downbeat Magazine as part of the annual Student Music Awards. Since then, he’s received various other awards. He’s also had the honor of performing and touring with legendary artists including Lauryn Hill, Wale, Eric Benet, Larry Graham, George Duke and many more. Brent was also the professor of saxophone at Morgan State University. If you haven’t checked it out, listen to his debut album, Birckhead, and be on the lookout for his followup release.  And be sure to listen to parts 1 and 2, episodes 5 and 6, on The Music Makers.

Mentioned:
Toni Menage 
Nathan East 
Steve Ferrone 

Episode 5 Brent Birckhead/Saxophonist: A Musician's Journey Part 1
Episode 6 Brent Birckhead/Saxophonist: A Musician's Journey Part 2

Follow The Music Makers: 

The Music Makers on Instagram

The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection: Elliot Jefferson, Lamonte Silver, Keith Hammond, Roy Lambert, Joe Herrera, and Craig Alston.

Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment

Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz

Trumpeter Brad Clements has recorded and/or performed with numerous major artists including Prince, Chuck Brown, Bootsy Collins, Aretha Franklin, Larry Graham, Kenny G, and Thievery Corporation. He also owns and runs B&B Music Lessons, which creates systems music teachers can use so they can focus on their craft and further hone their skills as well as help students find the best teachers available.  

Barry Dean is a hit country and pop songwriter with four #1 singles and various other cuts and/or hits recorded by Little Big Town, Michael Ray, Jon Pardi, Ingrid Michaelson, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, George Strait, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, and many more. In addition to various songwriting awards, Barry earned a Grammy nomination for Tim McGraw’s “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools.”

Links
instagram is: @thebarrydean

Mentioned
Lori McKenna (#20)
Beth Laird (#16)

Khaliq Glover, also known as Khaliq-O-Vision, is a grammy award winning recording engineer, mixing engineer, producer, and songwriter based in LA. Khaliq was 1st engineer on records by Jermaine Jackson, Donna Summer, Kenny Rogers, Jeffrey Osborne, and many more. He was also one of the engineers to work on the We Are The World project produced by Quincy Jones with an all star cast including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, and many others. More recent projects include working with Prince and Justin Timberlake. He also worked with Herbie Hancock for his collaboration CD, Possibilities, with artists including John Mayer, Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, Santana, Sting, and others. 

www.khaliq-o-vision.com 

Sylver Logan Sharp was the former lead singer of the legendary group CHIC, w/Nile Rodgers & the late, Bernard Edwards for 20 years! She also recorded and/or performed with Kid Rock, Slash, Elton John, and numerous others. She also had a #1 hit with Jonathan Peters. Andy has seen Sylver perform numerous times and says she’s one of his favorite singers and performers…she’s a true dynamo! Sylver also has her own Jewelry line called Sylverwear with many celebrity clients.

sylverlogansharp.com
http://sylverwear.com
Virtual performances: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5UmrKmidoU4fErUYUwRh1w 

Martin Sutton is a multi-platinum British songwriter, record producer, mixer, multi-instrumentalist, programmer, and songwriting coach and mentor living and working in the United Kingdom. He has worked with many major artists worldwide including LeAnn Rimes, Céline Dion, Backstreet Boys, Olivia Newton-John, Gary Barlow, Mike + The Mechanics, K-pop superstars Super Junior, The X Factor and American Idol winners, and more! He is also the founder of The Songwriting Academy with an incredible faculty of industry professionals all under one roof! The Songwriting Academy provides students with courses that provide the skills, guidance, contacts, and advice to further anyone's career in the music industry.

Even though Martin grew up in Norfolk in England, which he notes as not being much of a musical hotspot, he still had music and a love and passion for it in his blood. He talks about that and how he got into music and songwriting, and also discusses the Songwriting Academy and how it is unique in what it offers, his Clubhouse rooms and what they have to offer, what a successful collaboration is to him, what kind of music he grew up on and who influenced him, what the very first record was that he ever purchased, how success doesn't mean the same thing to everyone, the importance of finding the appropriate balance between lyrics and melody, how he tries to do everything that he does as a songwriter and as a creator with authenticity, and so much more!

This conversation with Martin is a great one for anyone who wants to take their career in music and songwriting to the next level. Andy had such a great time chatting with Martin and hopes that listeners will enjoy listening in! He would be very appreciative if you would help build the community by sharing this podcast with friends and fellow musicians and lovers of music! A great review would also be very helpful and appreciated!

Show Highlights:

[0:10] – Andy gives us some information about today's guest, Martin Sutton.

[1:23] – Martin describes his Clubhouse rooms and what they offer.

[4:01] – Andy and Martin chat about what Nathan East said about the influence of the hang and collaborating.

[6:44] – Martin describes where he grew up and how he got into songwriting.

[8:05] – We discover who some of Martin's musical influences are and how Martin has always loved melancholy songs.

[10:17] – Martin discusses his growing years as a songwriter, citing Donovan, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, and Joni Mitchell as some of his biggest influences.

[11:49] – Martin talks about his prior publishing deal with Universal Music.

[13:51] – Martin stresses the importance of relationships and who you work with.

[16:07] – Martin reveals how and why he established The Songwriting Academy.

[19:00] – Martin describes the planning process behind the Songwriting Academy.

[21:59] – Martin describes the Songwriting Academy as a unique experience and explains what makes it unique.

[25:02] – We learn about some of the most common mistakes that songwriters make according to Martin.

[27:16] – Martin asserts that songs need to have contrast between sections rather than be too linear.

[29:09] – Martin emphasizes the importance of sequential repetition in music.

[31:30] – Martin argues that there are certain actions that songwriters can take to strengthen a song.

[34:44] – Martin comments on how to deal with insecurity as a songwriter.

[37:50] – Martin reveals three questions that he asks himself in order to help curb his tendency to compare himself to other songwriters.

[40:20] – Whenever Martin creates music, he says, he does so for the right reasons, and he delineates what those reasons are.

[41:18] – Andy and Martin enthuse over the cathartic element of writing songs and the joy that can be found in it.

LINKS & RESOURCES

The Songwriting Academy - Website

Clubhouse Group: @martinsutton

Clubhouse Group: @thesongwritingacademy

Martin’s Instagram Page

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Music Makers - Episode 46 Nathan East: Premier Bass Player with Over 2000 Recordings!

Olivia Newton-John – "Pass It On"

Follow The Music Makers:

The Music Makers on Instagram

The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection.

Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment

Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz

With over 2,000 recordings, Nathan East is considered one of the most recorded bass players in history! He is a founding member of the GRAMMY-nominated contemporary jazz band Fourplay and has recorded, performed, and/or co-written songs with a huge number of major artists including Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Whitney Houston, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Toto, Daft Punk, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, The Bee Gees, Steve Winwood, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Earth Wind & Fire, Savage Garden, Sting, Michael McDonald, The Isley Brothers, Joe Satriani, and that's just some of them! The list goes on and on! You should also be aware that Nathan has released two incredible solo albums, with the most recent being Reverence in 2017 which hit the #1 spot on both the Jazz albums and the Contemporary Jazz albums Billboards charts.

Nathan discusses his earliest memory of music moving him emotionally and also describes his innate musical ability as a gift and one of the first miracles of his life. He reflects on his first major break having worked with Barry White and where he went from there. He enthusiastically describes his experiences having worked with artists like Quincy Jones, Chick Corea, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Michael McDonald, and others, and he talks about topics such as the differences between touring and recording, whether or not his mindset changes between recording different genres of music, whether or not he struggles with any difficulties in his profession, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted him. He closes by briefly touching upon his work as a teacher via the Nathan East Online School of Bass out of ArtistWorks, humbly asserting that he still learns plenty by teaching.

Andy describes his chat with Nathan East as an incredible conversation and really appreciated this opportunity to talk to Nathan. He would be very appreciative if you would help build the community by sharing this podcast with friends and fellow musicians and lovers of music! A great review would also be very helpful and appreciated!

Show Highlights:

[0:10] – Andy gives us some background information on Nathan East.

[2:38] – Nathan shares his earliest memory of being emotionally moved by music.

[3:14] – We learn that Nathan was only sixteen when he got his first big break playing with Barry White.

[4:28] – Nathan discusses his stint with Quincy Jones playing on Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall album.

[6:02] – Nathan shares where he believes musical ability at such a young age comes from.

[7:45] – Nathan justifies why he lists Paul McCartney as an influence on him as a bassist.

[9:16] – We discover how Nathan went about finding his signature sound as a bass player.

[11:04] – Nathan reflects on his general approach and mindset when he is playing in a more supportive role and shares what his experience working with Whitney Houston was like.

[13:45] – Andy and Nathan discuss a quote that is on Nathan's website about how Nathan loves the element of surprise when it comes to the recording process.

[15:20] – Nathan expounds upon the touring process and how it differs from recording and talks about having worked with Chick Corea.

[18:05] – Andy and Nathan enthuse over Nathan's work with Phil Collins.

[19:38] – Nathan details the process of having co-written “Easy Lover,” recorded by Phil Collins.

[22:09] – We hear about Nathan's collaboration with Michael Jackson.

[24:27] – Nathan tells Andy about his experience having worked with Stevie Wonder.

[26:00] – We learn about Nathan's collaboration with Peter Gabriel.

[26:41] – Nathan recounts his work on a Beyoncé song and working with David Foster.

[27:51] – Nathan praises Michael McDonald's artistry and personality.

[28:54] – Nathan describes his process of writing instrumental pieces.

[30:16] – We hear Nathan discuss some of his favorite drummers and what elements make a drummer especially good.

[32:56] – Nathan offers advice to young people who might want to become musicians like he is, asserting that every single note you play should be important.

[34:40] – Andy and Nathan have a conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected Nathan.

[37:40] – We learn who Nathan will likely be touring with in 2022.

[39:35] – Nathan discusses and describes what kind of gear he is currently using to play bass.

[40:52] – Nathan enthusiastically states that there is still plenty for him to learn and gives his students at ArtistWorks a nod.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Nathan’s Website

Nathan’s Facebook Page

ArtistWorks - Website

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Music Makers – Episode 45 Steve Ferrone: Celebrity Session and Touring Drummer

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - “More Love”

The Beatles - “Nowhere Man”

Whitney Houston - “Saving All My Love for You”

Whitney Houston - “The Greatest Love of All”

Hubert Laws - “Ravel's Bolero”

Phil Collins - “Easy Lover”

Michael Jackson - “I Just Can't Stop Loving You”

Stevie Wonder - “Overjoyed”

Beyoncé - “Listen”

Lee Ritenour - “Mr. Briefcase”

Nathan East & Michael McDonald - “Moondance”

Follow The Music Makers:

The Music Makers on Instagram

The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection.

Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment

Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz

Steve Ferrone has recorded and/or toured as a drummer with numerous high profile acts, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from 1994 until now, Average White Band for eight years, George Harrison, Duran Duran, Stevie Nicks, Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, The Bee Gees, Johnny Cash, Bryan Ferry, Peter Frampton, Whitney Houston, Pat Metheny, Marcus Miller, Steve Winwood, Paul Simon, and Jaco Pastorius – and that's just some of the acts he's been with!

This was a blast of a conversation because Steve has so many great stories. He talks about his work with The Average White Band, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, and Michael Jackson. He also talks about some of his favorite bass players and more!

Steve was actually a tap dancer at a young age. He was only twelve years old, and he shares how that inadvertently led to his first drumming gig. He explains how he found his sound, as a drummer, and the journey that led him to where he is today.

Despite the fact that Steve has played drums on a lot of classic hits from artists such as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (with whom he has worked for more than twenty-five years!), Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, and so many others, he definitely maintains a certain level of modesty, presenting the possibility that a hit with which he was involved “was already a hit and I got to play on it.” He also discusses the advent of the drum machine and electronic drums and how they initially made some drummers panic thinking that their work would become obsolete. He shares his own feelings on electronic drums and gives examples of times when he maintained the value of organic drums over electronic ones, such as when he worked on “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson.

Andy and Steve also talk a little about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected musicians, with Steve detailing what his life and profession have been like ever since the breakout of the pandemic. He remains optimistic and hopeful that an end to the pandemic is in sight but also clarifies that he is grateful for that which he has been able to hold onto in his life. Having worked with so many high profile musicians, Steve definitely has a lot of great stories to share and makes for a very fascinating guest on the podcast!

Show Highlights:

[00:10] Andy gives some background information on Steve Ferrone and his career so far as a high profile drummer.

[2:06] – Steve reveals where his passion for drumming comes from and shares what some of his hobbies were as a child.

[5:00] – Steve reveals how he scored his first drumming gig.

[7:14] – We learn how Steve found his sound as a musician.

[10:19] – Steve talks about what his process is like preparing for recording in the studio.

[12:27] – Steve shares the story of having worked with Duran Duran on their “Ordinary World” song.

[15:18] – Steve reflects on how he feels about many musicians today playing their parts separately and sending them in rather than all being in the same room playing together.

[18:55] – Steve hones in on an important lesson that he learned from Arif Mardin.

[22:03] – Steve looks back on his time with The Average White Band.

[22:38] – Steve and Andy discuss Tom Petty and what it was like for Steve to work with him.

[24:34] – Steve talks about his time with Chaka Khan.

[27:40] – Steve explains how his collaboration with Eric Clapton came about.

[30:45] – We learn how Steve led a very busy life while touring with Eric Clapton because he was touring with him and with Duran Duran.

[32:45] – Andy and Steve enthuse over Phil Collins' phenomenal drumming work.

[35:38] – Steve talks about electronic drums and how they were incorporated into “I Feel for You” by Chaka Khan.

[36:42] – Steve narrates how he came to work with George Harrison.

[38:47] – Steve explains how George Harrison might hold the record for most expensive recording session ever.

[41:56] – Steve describes his experiences working with different bass players.

[44:00] – We learn that the business side of things is Steve's least favorite aspect of his job.

[44:57] – Steve describes his experience working on “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson.

[48:35] – Andy and Steve talk about what Steve is looking forward to now that we're reaching the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[50:25] – Steve describes an experience that he had recording a project during the pandemic.

[52:05] – Steve looks forward to the day when the pandemic is over but remains grateful for what he has in his life now even in a pandemic.

[54:22] – Steve talks a little bit about his jazz group, The Coffee Shop Trio, and how they play.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Steve Ferrone - Website

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Music Makers - Episode 37: Jeff Babko: Keyboardist Extraordinaire & Keeping the Channels Wide Open

Duran Duran - “Ordinary World”

Chaka Khan - “I'm Every Woman”

Chaka Khan - “I Feel for You”

Phil Collins - “Easy Lover”

Michael Jackson - “Earth Song”

Follow The Music Makers:

The Music Makers on Instagram

The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection.

Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment

Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz