Divergent Paths With Dan Dunford

Here we are back for Part 2 of my interview with Chanell, TJ, and Ben of PitchBlak Brass Band. We talk about women in music, diversity, and creating accessible music that connects with people, as well as the PitchBlak Playlist (the band's monthly series featuring arrangements for up and coming rappers). Featured on this epiosde are two tracks from PitchBlak's album, "You See Us," available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc.: "Get It & Run" and "The Light" (feat. Jackie Morales). For all things PitchBlak Brass Band: pitchblakbrassband.com facebook.com/PitchBlakBrassBand twitter.com/PitchBlakBrass

Hip-hop and high level brass playing may not seem like they go together, but that is certainly NOT the case. This week, in part 1 of a 2-part interview, Tubist/Bandleader Chanell, Trombonis/MC TJ, and Horn Player/Guitarist Ben, three members of PitchBlak Brass Band talk about hip hop, popular music, American culture, and diversity in the music world. It's a killer interview. Make sure to come back next week for Part 2! Featured on this week's episode is Pitchblak's most recent single, "Like Us." Check out their album "You See Us" on iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify. For all things PitchBlak Brass Band: pitchblakbrassband.com facebook.com/PitchBlakBrass youtube.com/PitchBlakBrassBand twittwe.com/pitchblakbrass

This week, I talk to Ben Brody on his own, as part 2 of a 3 episode arc featuring Ben and two groups that he is a part of. He is a fascinating guy. We cover his horn/guitar/composition career, handling the business side of being a musician, and his group Flow State. This episode features two tracks from Flow State's new EP, Where The Sky Meets the Earth: "What's Done Is Done" and "These Things." For all things Ben Brody, Flow State, and whatever else he is working on at the moment: benbrodymusic.com

This week, I sit down with a few members the improvisational dance collective, The 7 Lovelies, Dancer Katie Vason, Dancer Joanna Futral, and Guitarist Ben Brody. We talk about the idea of movement vs. dance, crafting a cohesive piece in an improvisational setting, accompanying (or composing) live in the moment, and crafting a public image. For all things Lovelies: the7lovelies.com facebook.com/the5lovelies twitter.com/the7lovelies instagram.com/the7lovelies The 7 Lovelies core is comprised of: Ben Brody Annie Duffy Joanna Futral Lena Lauer Marike Van Dijk Katie Vason Keeley Walsh

This week, I talk to the delightful harp duo, Duo Scorpio, comprised of harpists Kristi Shade and Katie Andrews. We talk about the origin of the duo's name, challenges in harp culture, commissioning new harp duo works, and Rachel McAdams movies(?). Check out their album Scorpion Tales on iTunes and Spotify. This episode features excerpts from Fast Dances by Nico Muhly and Two Bridges by Andy Akiho, both of which will be on the Duo's next album due out in Fall 2016. For all things Duo Scorpio: duoscorpio.com facebook.com/Duo-Scorpio twitter.com/DuoScorpio youtube.com/user/DuoScorpio

This week, I sit down and talk with the talented and very interesting trumpeter/composer Sam Wells. Sam has performed and given clinics across North America at many festivals and the like spreading the gospel of trumpet/electronic music. We talk about using electronics as an instrumentation, bringing a new music mindset to old standards, and the performer-composer relationship, both in past centuries and today. Featured on this episode: Sam's composition (dys)functions for trumpet/electronics (performed by Sam) For all things Sam Wells: samwellsmusic.com For more about SPLICE (Summer institute for Performance, Listening, Interpretation, and Creation of Electroacoustic music), where Sam is on faculty: www.splice.institute

Me and my bass-playing buddy David White (Upcoming Bridges of Madison County National Tour) sit down and have a good time talking about touring with different shows, being a working musician, leaving school early, and all sorts of other delights.

Sam Jones is an incredible 22-year-old trumpter doing incredible things. He's also a nice guy. This week, he comes by, and we talk about hos new music background, using the trumpet as an artists' brush, and how he approaches new music and composing. BONUS: A live Whacky Whistle demonstration. You'll have to listen to find out what the deal with that is. Featured on this episode - Sam's composition SHIFT for improvisation and electronics. The interview is a hair shorter but the music is longer. C'est la vie. For all things Sam Jones: samjonestrumpet.com

This week, I talk to violist, writer, and ethnomusicologist Tanya Kalmanovitch (faculty, New England Conservatory and Mannes School of Music). This one is a heavy one, and it was awesome. We talk about the Kalmanovitch-Maneri Duo and their upcoming album Magic Mountain, free improvisation, performing, connecting with audiences, and musical philosophies. This episode features two tracks from the upcoming Kalmanovitch-Maneri album Magic Mountain: "Foreward" and "The Dance of Death." For all things Tanya: tanyakalmanovitch.com facebook.com/tkalmanovitch twitter.com/kalmanovitch For more on the Kalmanovitch-Maneri duo: http://www.kalmanovitchmaneri.com/

This week, my friend Enzima (formerly Meredith Ramsay) comes by to discuss rebranding as an artist, Bach, race and classical music, teaching, and writing/preparing for her upcoming EP I Am Ezinma. For all things Ezinma: iamezinma.com facebook.com/IamEzinma twitter.com/iamezinma instagram.com/iamezinma

This week, Ray Riccomini (2nd trumpet, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) sits down with me to talk music. We cover growing up in a household of musicians, differing teaching styles, music students these days, putting down the instrument for another profession (and then picking it back up again), handling the day-to-day rigors of an orchestra lifestyle without losing the love for music. You can go hear Ray play almost any day of the week at the Met at Lincoln Center: http://www.metopera.org/Season/2015-16-Season/? OR on any of dozens of the Met HD broadcasts in over 2,000 cinemas worldwide. For more information: http://www.metopera.org/Season/In-Cinemas/

This week, delightful and passionate Marie Incontrera, leader of the Eco-Music Big Band comes in to talk about her band, her music, the legacy of Fred Ho, Sun-Ra, the new Eco-Music album, David Taylor, and the use of the word mother-f*cker as a compliment(!). Yeah, we covered a lot. Featuring two songs from the band: Hey Goddamit Things Gotta Change, and Double Tier (featuring David Taylor on bass trombone) For all things Eco-Music: facebook.com/ecomusicbigband twitter.com/ecomusicbigband soundcloud.com/ecomusicbigband

This week, percussionist Chihiro Shibayama sits and talks about her experiences starting as a musician in Japan and transitioning to a music life in the US. We also talk about Juilliard, freelancer challenges, and MuSE (Multi-cultural Sonic Evolution), the non-profit she co-founded. In addition, Chihiro's founding partner and the Artistic Director of MuSE, Yui Kitamura, stops by to talk about MuSE's upcoming Sounds of the Arts Festival (SOAF) 2015. For all things Chihiro: chihiroshibayama.com For all things Yui: yuikitamura.com AND for all things MuSE and SOAF 2015: musefriends.org

This week, I talk to the delightful woodwind quintet, the Washington Square Winds. We talk about the challenges of keeping a chamber group together long-term, adding new members, the delights of chamber music, commissioning new music, and MORE! Lots of laughs in this one. Also, composer Stephanie Ann Boyd, who wrote a piece for the quintet's upcoming concert at Spectrum NYC, stops by for a few minutes to talk about the piece she wrote for the group, among other things. Links: washingtonsquarewinds.org twitter.com/wswinds5 facebook.com/washingtonsquarewinds soundcloud.com/washingtonsquarewinds For Stephanie: stephanieannboyd.com facebook.com/stephanieannboydcomposer twitter.com/stephaniannboyd

This week, as Part 2 of the ongoing Radical Brass Series partnership, the great trombonist Will Lang (loadbang, The Guidonian Hand, etc.) sits down to talk about working on and commissioning pieces for solo trombone, contemporary music, his two (main) chamber groups, and relating to an audience while performing music that they may not like. Featuring Will's performance of Iannis Xenakis' Keren for solo trombone. Links: williamlang.org twitter.com/WillLangTbone For loadbang: loadbang.com For The Guidonian Hand: trombonehand.com

Because the The Chelsea Symphony is a group that I am consistently involved with (and love being so), this episode was a special one for me. I sit down with co-artistic director Mark Seto and president Emily Wong of The Chelsea Symphony to talk about what makes the orchestra unique in a city where orchestras pop up and fold every week. We cover backgrounds, and programming, and concerto selections, and the special organic way in which the orchestra is run. In addition, Angela Shankar, freelancer and clarinetist with the orchestra, stops by the pod and we talk briefly about her upcoming concerto showcase and why she enjoys being a member of The Chelsea Symphony. Links for The Chelsea Symphony: chelseasymphony.org instagram.com/chelseasymphony facebook.com/TheChelseaSymphony And for all things Angela: angelashankar.com

This week, my friend Trevor New stops by to talk! We talk about his passion for music education, how he dealt with severe performance injuries, breaking in as a freelancer in NYC, and his excellent series of teaching YouTube videos. For all things Trevor-related (i.e. links to Facebook, Instagram, his YouTube channel, and upcoming performance), head on over to trevornew.com!

Jay Rozen's career encompasses so many things that there was no way we were going to get through everything, but we spend an hour covering: how he got pieces written for him by famed critic Virgil Thomson and A Clockwork Orange author Anthony Burgess, the joy of live performance, the art of free improv, and his new CD! Today's episode features Jay's arrangement the Frank Zappa song Peaches and Regalia, with him playing all of the overdubbed tuba parts. Jay's new album Killer Tuba Songs, Vol. 2: Naked Singularity is available now on iTunes and Amazon. This episode is also the first in my series partnering with David Whitwell's Radical Brass concert series at Spectrum NYC.

This week, I sit down with the wonderfully talented Adrianna Mateo to talk about her music, why she does things that might be considered risky with her music, how to manage a social media presence, Kickstarter-ing her upcoming album, and Jesse Eisenberg? Featuring clips of Adrianna's music, and a full single, "Like a Little Kid With a Raging Heart", from her rapidly approaching rock album. Follow her online: facebook.com/adriannas.violin adriannamateo.tumblr.com soundcloud.com/adriannamateo Twitter: @AdriannaMateo Instagram: @adriannamateo

Talking to trombonist David Whitwell