Behind The Note Podcast

This podcast is a response to an email received from a young aspiring musician. Here are 7 tips to have a great career in music. The Time I Was Fired https://soundcloud.com/behindthenotepodcast/51-the-time-i-was-fired

In this episode we talk about what it takes to host a successful event. You will learn what it takes to go from your idea of having an event to actually hosting an event that your audience will want more of. Paul Hall is our guest and just the right person to teach us on this episode. Press Play. Enjoy. Share

Here is a great introduction to an online resource for learning jazz called "Learn Jazz Standards" dot com. In this episode you will learn a good layout for creating your own resource online with special guest Brent Vaartstra. Press play. Enjoy. Share. Brent acquired a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Performance at the City College of New York, where he studied with world-renowned guitarists Peter Bernstein, Vic Juris, and Steve Cardenas and other respected musicians. He has played in groups such as the Don Hahn Quintet and the Laura Campisi Trio, among others, and his own groups: the Brent Vaartstra Trio and Quartet. He teaches and gigs actively around the New York area as a leader and a sideman, and has played at iconic jazz clubs such as Fat Cat in Greenwich Village. Brent is the author of Hal Leonard publication "500 Jazz Licks" released in 2015. Brent owns and operates LearnJazzStandards.com, a renowned website dedicated to jazz education. He is also the creator of Online Jazz School, a web school that allows students to take lessons with professional jazz musicians through Skype and Google Hangout.

In this episode I have a conversation with Len'i McKinney who is a young saxophonist from Chicago and someone to keep your eyes and ears open for in the future. We have a casual conversation at a local Starbucks but there is so much to learn in here. Press play, Enjoy, Share!

Rufus Bonds Jr. is our special guest today! Rufus is an accomplished actor and director in the musical theater profession and a recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. There are several parallels in the acting and music profession so I wanted to have Rufus as a guest because he is at the top of his game. Press play, Enjoy, Share

This is part 2 of our Musical Theater Series where we speak with Contractor Sean McNeely about how he came to be a contractor.

In this episode Tom Vendafreddo is our guest. Tom is an actor and director that I recently had the privilege of working with on Jesus Christ Superstar. Tom is a strong and versatile performer with an undergraduate degree in classical voice (Eastman School of Music) and a graduate degree in musical theatre (San Diego State University). He also has made his presence known in the Chicago cabaret scene, performing sold-out shows annually at venues such as Davenport’s Piano Bar and the Logan Square Arts Center. Though based in Chicago, Tom continues to work regionally on the West and East coasts, as well as throughout the Midwest.

Wynton Marsalis joined us for Behind The Note Podcast today! We talked many things including leadership, building a team, and turning vision into reality. Rate Behind The Note Podcast on the platform you're using right now to read this script and to listen to the show. Press Play. Enjoy. Share. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is Wynton's Bio straight from his website: Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, educator and a leading advocate of American culture. He is the world’s first jazz artist to perform and compose across the full jazz spectrum from its New Orleans roots to bebop to modern jazz. By creating and performing an expansive range of brilliant new music for quartets to big bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has expanded the vocabulary for jazz and created a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers. The Early Years Wynton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 18, 1961, to Ellis and Dolores Marsalis, the second of six sons. At an early age he exhibited a superior aptitude for music and a desire to participate in American culture. At age eight Wynton performed traditional New Orleans music in the Fairview Baptist Church band led by legendary banjoist Danny Barker, and at 14 he performed with the New Orleans Philharmonic. During high school Wynton performed with the New Orleans Symphony Brass Quintet, New Orleans Community Concert Band, New Orleans Youth Orchestra, New Orleans Symphony, various jazz bands and with the popular local funk band, the Creators. At age 17 Wynton became the youngest musician ever to be admitted to Tanglewood’s Berkshire Music Center. Despite his youth, he was awarded the school’s prestigious Harvey Shapiro Award for outstanding brass student. Wynton moved to New York City to attend Juilliard in 1979. When he began to pick up gigs around town, the grapevine began to buzz. In 1980 Wynton seized the opportunity to join the Jazz Messengers to study under master drummer and bandleader Art Blakey. It was from Blakey that Wynton acquired his concept for bandleading and for bringing intensity to each and every performance. In the years to follow Wynton performed with Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Sweets Edison, Clark Terry, John Lewis, Sonny Rollins, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and countless other jazz legends. Wynton assembled his own band in 1981 and hit the road, performing over 120 concerts every year for 15 consecutive years. With the power of his superior musicianship, the infectious sound of his swinging bands and an exhaustive series of performances and music workshops, Marsalis rekindled widespread interest in jazz throughout the world. Wynton embraced the jazz lineage to garner recognition for the older generation of overlooked jazz musicians and prompted the re-issue of jazz catalog by record companies worldwide. He also inspired a renaissance that attracted a new generation of fine young talent to jazz. A look at the more distinguished jazz musicians of today reveals numerous students of Marsalis’ workshops: James Carter, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Harry Connick Jr., Nicholas Payton, Eric Reed and Eric Lewis, to name a few. Classical Career Wynton’s love of the music of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and others drove him to pursue a career in classical music as well. He recorded the Haydn, Hummel and Leopold Mozart trumpet concertos at age 20. His debut recording received glorious reviews and won the Grammy Award® for “Best Classical Soloist with an Orchestra.” Marsalis went on to record 10 additional classical records, all to critical acclaim. Wynton performed with leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Pops, The Cleveland Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and London’s Royal Philharmonic, working with an eminent group of conductors including: Leppard, Dutoit, Maazel, Slatkin, Salonen and Tilson-Thomas. A timeless highlight of Wynton’s classical career is his collaboration with soprano Kathleen Battle on their recording Baroque Duet. Famed classical trumpeter Maurice André praised Wynton as “potentially the greatest trumpeter of all time.” Record Production To date Wynton has produced over 80 records which have sold over seven million copies worldwide including three Gold Records. His recordings consistently incorporate a heavy emphasis on the blues, an inclusive approach to all forms of jazz from New Orleans to modern jazz, persistent use of swing as the primary rhythm, an embrace of the American popular song, individual and collective improvisation, and a panoramic vision of compositional styles from dittys to dynamic call and response patterns (both within the rhythm section and between the rhythm section and horn players). Always swinging, Marsalis blows his trumpet with a clear tone and a unique, virtuosic style derived from an encyclopedic range of trumpet techniques. The Composer Wynton Marsalis is a prolific and inventive composer. The dance community embraced Wynton’s inventiveness by awarding him with commissions to create new music for Garth Fagan (Citi Movement-Griot New York & Lighthouse/Lightening Rod), Peter Martins at the New York City Ballet (Jazz: Six Syncopated Movements and Them Twos), Twyla Tharp with the American Ballet Theatre (Jump Start), Judith Jamison at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre (Sweet Release and Here…Now), and Savion Glover (Petite Suite and Spaces). Marsalis collaborated with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society in 1995 to compose the string quartet At The Octoroon Balls, and again in 1998 to create a response to Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale with his composition A Fiddler’s Tale. With his collection of standards arrangements, Wynton reconnected audiences with the beauty of the American popular song (Standard Time Volumes I-VI). He re-introduced the joy in New Orleans jazz with his recording The Majesty Of The Blues. He extended the jazz musician’s interplay with the blues in Levee Low Moan, Thick In The South and other blues recordings. With Citi Movement, In This House On This Morning and Blood On The Fields, Wynton invented a fresh conception for extended form compositions. His inventive interplay with melody, harmony and rhythm, along with his lyrical voicing and tonal coloring assert new possibilities for the jazz ensemble. In his dramatic oratorio Blood On The Fields, Wynton draws upon the blues, work songs, chants, call and response, spirituals, New Orleans jazz, Ellingtonesque orchestral arrangements and Afro-Caribbean rhythms; and he uses Greek chorus-style recitations to move the work along. The New York Times Magazine said the work “marked the symbolic moment when the full heritage of the line, Ellington through Mingus, was extended into the present.” The San Francisco Examiner stated, “Marsalis’ orchestral arrangements are magnificent. Duke Ellington’s shadings and themes come and go but Marsalis’ free use of dissonance, counter rhythms and polyphonics is way ahead of Ellington’s mid-century era.” Wynton extended his achievements in Blood On The Fields with All Rise, an epic composition for big band, gospel choir, and symphony orchestra – a classic work of high art – which was performed by the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Kurt Masur along with the Morgan State University Choir and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (December 1999). Marsalis collaborated with Ghanaian master drummer Yacub Addy to create Congo Square, a groundbreaking composition combining elegant harmonies from America’s jazz tradition with fundamental rituals in African percussion and vocals (2006). For the anniversary of the Abyssinian Baptist Church’s 200th year of service, Marsalis blended Baptist church choir cadences with blues accents and big band swing rhythms to compose Abyssinian 200: A Celebration, which was performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Abyssinian’s 100 voice choir before packed houses in New York City (May 2008). In the fall of 2009 the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra premiered Marsalis’ composition Blues Symphony. By infusing blues and ragtime rhythms with symphonic orchestrations Wynton creates a fresh type of enjoyment of classical repertoire. Employing complex layers of collective improvisation, Marsalis further expanded his repertoire for symphony orchestra with Swing Symphony, premiered by the renowned Berlin Philharmonic in June 2010, creating new possibilities for audiences to experience a symphony orchestra swing. Marsalis’ rich and expansive body of music for the ages places him among the world’s most significant composers. Television, Radio & Literary In the fall of 1995 Wynton launched two major broadcast events. In October PBS premiered Marsalis On Music, an educational television series on jazz and classical music. The series was written and hosted by Marsalis and was enjoyed by millions of parents and children. Writers distinguished Marsalis On Music with comparisons to Leonard Bernstein’s celebrated Young People’s Concerts of the 50s and 60s. That same month National Public Radio aired the first of Marsalis’ 26-week series entitled Making the Music. These entertaining and insightful radio shows were the first full exposition of jazz music in American broadcast history. Wynton’s radio and television series were awarded the most prestigious distinction in broadcast journalism, the George Foster Peabody Award. The Spirit of New Orleans, Wynton’s poetic tribute to the New Orleans Saints’ first Super Bowl victory (Super Bowl XLIV) received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Feature (2011). From 2012 to 2014 Wynton served as cultural correspondent for CBS News, writing and presenting features for CBS This Morning on an array topics from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Louis Armstrong to Juke Joints, BBQ, the Quarterback & Conducting and Thankfulness. Marsalis has written six books: Sweet Swing Blues on the Road, Jazz in the Bittersweet Blues of Life, To a Young Musician: Letters from the Road, Jazz ABZ (an A to Z collection of poems celebrating jazz greats), Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life and Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! a sonic adventure for kids. Awards and Accolades Wynton Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards® in grand style. In 1983 he became the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards® for both jazz and classical records; and he repeated the distinction by winning jazz and classical Grammys® again in 1984. Today Wynton is the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards® in five consecutive years (1983-1987). Honorary degrees have been conferred upon Wynton by over 25 of America’s leading academic institutions including Columbia, Harvard, Howard, Princeton and Yale (see Exhibit A). Elsewhere Wynton was honored with the Louis Armstrong Memorial Medal and the Algur H. Meadows Award for Excellence in the Arts. He was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement and was dubbed an Honorary Dreamer by the “I Have a Dream Foundation.” The New York Urban League awarded Wynton with the Frederick Douglass Medallion for distinguished leadership and the American Arts Council presented him with the Arts Education Award. Time magazine selected Wynton as one of America’s most promising leaders under age 40 in 1995, and in 1996 Time celebrated Marsalis again as one of America’s 25 most influential people. In November 2005 Wynton Marsalis received The National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan proclaimed Wynton Marsalis an international ambassador of goodwill for the Unites States by appointing him a UN Messenger of Peace (2001). In 1997 Wynton Marsalis became the first jazz musician ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his epic oratorio Blood On The Fields. During the five preceding decades the Pulitzer Prize jury refused to recognize jazz musicians and their improvisational music, reserving this distinction for classical composers. In the years following Marsalis’ award, the Pulitzer Prize for Music has been awarded posthumously to Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. In a personal note to Wynton, Zarin Mehta wrote: “I was not surprised at your winning the Pulitzer Prize for Blood On The Fields. It is a broad, beautifully painted canvas that impresses and inspires. It speaks to us all … I’m sure that, somewhere in the firmament, Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong and legions of others are smiling down on you.” Wynton’s creativity has been celebrated throughout the world. He won the Netherlands’ Edison Award and the Grand Prix Du Disque of France. The Mayor of Vitoria, Spain, awarded Wynton with the city’s Gold Medal – its most coveted distinction. Britain’s senior conservatoire, the Royal Academy of Music, granted Mr. Marsalis Honorary Membership, the Academy’s highest decoration for a non-British citizen (1996). The city of Marciac, France, erected a bronze statue in his honor. The French Ministry of Culture appointed Wynton the rank of Knight in the Order of Arts and Literature and in the fall of 2009 Wynton received France’s highest distinction, the insignia Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, an honor that was first awarded by Napoleon Bonaparte. French Ambassador, His Excellency Pierre Vimont, captured the evening best with his introduction: “We are gathered here tonight to express the French government’s recognition of one of the most influential figures in American music, an outstanding artist, in one word: a visionary… I want to stress how important your work has been for both the American and the French. I want to put the emphasis on the main values and concerns that we all share: the importance of education and transmission of culture from one generation to the other, and a true commitment to the profoundly democratic idea that lies in jazz music. I strongly believe that, for you, jazz is more than just a musical form. It is tradition, it is part of American history and culture and life. To you, jazz is the sound of democracy. And from this democratic nature of jazz derives openness, generosity, and universality.” Jazz at Lincoln Center In 1987 Wynton Marsalis co-founded a jazz program at Lincoln Center. In July 1996, due to its significant success, Jazz at Lincoln Center was installed as new constituent of Lincoln Center, equal in stature with the New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, and New York City Ballet – a historic moment for jazz as an art form and for Lincoln Center as a cultural institution. In October 2004, with the assistance of a dedicated Board and staff, Marsalis opened Frederick P. Rose Hall, the world’s first institution for jazz. The complex contains three state-of-the-art performance spaces (including the first concert hall designed specifically for jazz) along with recording, broadcast, rehearsal and educational facilities. Jazz at Lincoln Center has become a preferred venue for New York jazz fans and a destination for travelers from throughout the world. Wynton presently serves as Managing and Artistic Director for Jazz at Lincoln Center. Under Wynton’s leadership, Jazz at Lincoln Center has developed an international agenda presenting rich and diverse programming that includes concerts, debates, film forums, dances, television and radio broadcasts, and educational activities. Jazz at Lincoln Center is a mecca for learning as well as a hub for performance. Their comprehensive educational programming includes a Band Director’s Academy, a hugely popular concert series for kids called Jazz for Young People, Jazz in the Schools, a Middle School Jazz Academy, WeBop! (for kids ages 8 months to 5 years), an annual High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival that reaches over 2000 bands in 50 states and Canada. In 2010 the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra established its first residency in Cuba with a rich cultural exchange of performances with Cuban musicians including Chucho Valdes and Omara Portuondo and education programs for kids. Education In 2011 Harvard University President Drew Faust invited Wynton to enrich the cultural life of the University community. Wynton responded by creating a 6 lecture series which he delivered over the ensuing 3 years entitled Hidden In Plain View: Meanings in American Music, with the goal of fostering a stronger appreciation for the arts and a higher level of cultural literacy in academia. From 2015 to 2021 Wynton will serve as an A.D. White Professor at Cornell University. A.D. White Professors are charged with the mandate to enliven the intellectual and cultural lives of university students. Giving Back Wynton Marsalis has devoted his life to uplifting populations worldwide with the egalitarian spirit of jazz. And while his body of work is enough to fill two lifetimes, Wynton continues to work tirelessly to contribute even more to our world’s cultural landscape. It has been said that he is an artist for whom greatness is not just possible, but inevitable. The most extraordinary dimension of Wynton Marsalis, however, is not his accomplishments but his character. It is the lesser-known part of this man who finds endless ways to give of himself. It is the person who waited in an empty parking lot for one full hour after a concert in Baltimore, waiting for a single student to return from home with his horn for a trumpet lesson. It is the citizen who personally funds scholarships for students and covers medical expenses for those in need. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, Wynton organized the Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Concert and raised over $3 million for musicians and cultural organizations impacted by the hurricane. At the same time, he assumed a leadership role on the Bring Back New Orleans Cultural Commission where he was instrumental in shaping a master plan that would revitalize the city’s cultural base. Wynton Marsalis has selflessly donated his time and talent to non-profit organizations throughout the country to raise money to meet the many needs within our society. From My Sister’s Place (a shelter for battered women) to Graham Windham (a shelter for homeless children), the Children’s Defense Fund, Amnesty International, the Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute, Food For All Seasons (a food bank for the elderly and disadvantaged), Very Special Arts (an organization that provides experiences in dance, drama, literature, and music for individuals with physical and mental disabilities) to the Newark Boys Chorus School (a full-time academic music school for disadvantaged youths) and many, many more – Wynton responded enthusiastically to the call for service. It is Wynton Marsalis’ commitment to the improvement of life for all people that portrays the best of his character and humanity. In 2011 Wynton joined with Harvard University President, Drew Faust to present a series of 6 lectures to the student body over 3 years. The series entitles Hidden In Plain View: Hidden Meanings in American Music was developed to foster a stronger appreciation of the arts and a higher level of cultural literacy amount college students.

In this episode we hear from trumpeter Thaddeus Ford who is a 6th generation musician from New Orleans which makes him royalty in the world of music! Thaddeus teaches us how we can get up after we fall because Thaddeus had a heart attack, nearly lost his life. But, he was able to recover back to good health and start his music career anew! Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

Austin Ellis was a past contestant on NBC's The Voice but that is not the best part of his career. Austin is someone that has figured out how to truly earn a living as a musician and in this episode he shares what has worked for him. This will give you some ideas. A little bonus here is how he actually sells his music.

In this episode we get tax tips from an accounting veteran so that we can be better prepared for this tax season and future tax seasons. Submit your questions on BehindTheNote.com by leaving a voicemail.

BehindTheNote.com/64 We cover a lot in this 45 minute episode with Rick Barker, Taylor Swift's first manager. Some questions we answer are: • When is a good time to hire a manager • How to build a loyal audience • And of course, Advice For A Successful Music Career ;) Grab a pen and paper, take notes, and then get to work! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rick Barker strives to teach artists how to be artists. With major changes in the music industry and digital world, record labels expect artists to build their online presence and fan base, become great songwriters and performers, and ultimately create their own buzz. Labels no longer spend thousands of dollars to “develop” an act. Today, labels are interested in investing in small businesses. Therefore, it is the artist’s job to treat their art as a business and become an attractive partner to a record label. Between formerly managing music superstar Taylor Swift, serving as the Social Media Mentor to finalists on FOX’s American Idol, and working as a private consultant to entities such as Big Machine Label Group and Live Nation, Rick Barker’s influence on the music industry is without question. Utilizing his extensive experience in radio, Rick created the “Nashville To You” radio tour, which played an important role in the early development of several acts, including Taylor Swift and Sugarland. With marketing tactics featured in Billboard and other well-known publications, Rick has dedicated his life to helping independent artists plot out the most efficient strategies for turning their music into a career. He is also the co-author of “The $150,000 Music Degree”, a music business e-book that, upon its release, was the most downloaded book on Noisetrade and he created Social Media For Music, the first ever step by step instruction course dedicated to the Music Industry. He was the first record promoter hired by Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta, where he had a role in the label’s first Number One record with singer-songwriter Jack Ingram. Rick later went on to found his own marketing and consulting firm, at which his first client was Sony Music Nashville. He is also the mastermind behind Music Industry Blueprint, a development service teaching artists from around the world everything they need to know about the complicated music business. We hope Rick’s free resources inspire you to take control of your career and become a business-minded artist who is ready to take on this crazy industry. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions.

NOTE: I mistakenly called this episode 62 throughout the episode. It is indeed episode 63. Jeff Schneider wants to share with you everything he knows about making music. His greatest fear is dying before uploading to the internet all of the things he’s learned over the past 20 years. Jeff hates the word talent. It downplays the power and necessity of hard work. It wasn’t until the summer after his freshman year in high school that Jeff showed any real promise or progress on the saxophone. It was in that summer that he started practicing eight hours a day, transposing Charlie Parker solos in all 12 keys. By the way, Charlie Parker practiced 15 hours a day. When he’s not making YouTube videos, Jeff teaches Skype lessons to people in time zones all over the world. It makes scheduling a welcomed challenge. He also composes music for film, television, and advertising with a client list that includes NASA, CNN, Google, Gatorade, Ferrari, and many more. Jeff is a DownBeat Magazine award winner and three-time recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award. A graduate of New England Conservatory of Music (‘09), Jeff also holds a Master of Music degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging from UMASS Amherst (‘13). His teachers over the years include Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Will Vinson, John McNeil, Bob Moses, and the late, great Charlie Banacos.

This is part 3/3 where we talk about The Presidential Suite written by Ted Nash. Today's guest is executive producer Kabir Sehgal. Kabir is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best selling author as well as a Grammy Award winning producer. He has created organizations that give back to musicians and to the community. Kabir, quite simply, is a renaissance man and in this episode we talk about how he put his expertise to great use to help create The Presidential Suite. Press Play, Enjoy, then Share this episode!

This is part 2/3 for The Presidential Suite by Ted Nash. Today, Ted Nash is our guest and gives us an inside look to the work that went into creating this great album. Ted is best known for his work with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and this is his 12th album as a leader. Presidential Suite is available at TedNash.com and you can see more about this episode at BehindTheNote.com Press Play, Enjoy, and Share!

Herschel Garfein is a Grammy Award winning composer and is also known for his work as a director of stage plays and for writing libretto. Herschel teamed up with Ted Nash and Kabir Seghal as the producer of Ted Nash's newest work called The Presidential Suite which features The Ted Nash Big Band. The Presidential Suite is available on September 9th and can be ordered right now at TedNash.com.

In this episode we get to speak with vibraphonist Warren Wolf as he travels the country. Warren is a multi-instrumentalist from Baltimore, MD. From the young age of three years old, Warren has been trained on the Vibraphone/Marimba, Drums, and Piano. Under the guidance of his father Warren Wolf Sr., Warren has a deep background in all genres of music. Beginning with classical music, Warren had studied classical composers from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, Brahms, Vivaldi and Shostakovich. Warren also studied ragtime music learning music from the songbooks of Scott Joplin, Harry Brewer and Geroge Hamilton Green. In Jazz, Warren has studied artist and composers from Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Wynton Marsalis and many others. After graduating from Berklee in May of 2001, Warren became an active musician on the Boston local scene. Warren was hired in September of 2003 to become an instructor in the percussion department at Berklee College of Music. Warren taught private lessons on the Vibraphone and Drums, as well as teach a beginners keyboard class for entering freshman drumset majors. Musicians that Warren has played with or recorded with are Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Jeremy Pelt and "Creation", Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Adonis Rose, Donal Fox, Anthony Wonsey, Aaron Goldberg, Cyrus Chestnut, Lewis Nash, Willie Jones, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Yoron Israel, Larry Willis, David "Fathead" Newman, Stefon Harris, Reuben Rogers, Kevin Eubanks, Curtis Lundy, Steve Davis, Duane Eubanks, Ron Carter, Wycliffe Gordon, Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spaulding and many others.

Sara Gazarek is one of the best voices in jazz today. It's okay if you don't know about her yet but soon everyone will. In this episode, she talks about her walk in pursuit of a music career, personal experiences with Diane Schuur and Wynton Marsalis, and the talk of "relationships" which keeps coming up on Behind The Note Podcast. Press Play. Enjoy. Share.

We talk about my cd release concert! I tell you about what I used to help make it a successful night and I tell you what can be improved for next time as well. Use this episode coupled with episode 47 to help you with your own release. Press Play. Enjoy. Share

If you have ever accepted a gig that ended up being something you wished you had nothing to do with then press play on this episode. We'll talk about signs to look out for from the first point of contact that may help you protect yourself in the long run. Press play. Enjoy. Share

What happens if you dare to dream, write down your dream, talk about it and then walk it out? You'll win! With his highly regarded discography, unique compositions, and acclaimed performances in a variety of configurations, pianist Geoffrey Keezer commands the attention typically reserved for the living legends of jazz. Whether recording with jazzy chanteuses Diana Krall or Dianne Reeves, touring with trumpet king Chris Botti, or collaborating with pop icon Sting, sax legend Wayne Shorter, guitar wizard Jim Hall, star bassist Christian McBride or vibes master Joe Locke, Geoffrey "has more than enough virtuosity and sheer musical wit and intelligence to weave all of his apparently disparate strands of influence into an original and compelling whole" (Time Magazine). A native of Eau Claire, WI, Keezer was playing in jazz clubs as a teenager, holding down the piano chair for Art Blakey at age 18, and touring in the company of Joshua Redman, Benny Golson and Ray Brown in his 20s. More recently he has toured with David Sanborn, Chris Botti, Joe Locke and Christian McBride; worked with vocalist Denise Donatelli on projects garnering three GRAMMY® nominations, and released a series of albums drawing influences from Hawaiian, Okinawan and Afro-Peruvian folk traditions. Perhaps the most exciting turn in Geoffrey's career is his recent focus on solo piano and his first solo release in thirteen years, Heart of the Piano (2013, Motema Records). On a mission to redefine solo jazz piano as a personal and interactive showcase of melody, energy and groove, Keezer brings to Heart of the Piano his most direct and focused artistry to date. Barely into his 40s, Geoffrey Keezer's singular style of intellectually abstract lyricism woven over exotically complex rhythms and harmonies makes him one of the most sought-after artists on the modern jazz scene. Regardless of the nature of his projects, from solo to duo to quartet, from bandleader to big band, from post bop jazz to electronica to global fusion, from composer to arranger, Geoffrey delivers music from the heart of the piano to the ear--and heart--of the listener.

Today's guest is, pianist, Lynne Arriale. A devoted educator and Yamaha artist, Lynne Arriale is currently Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Director of Small Ensembles at The University of North Florida in Jacksonville. She has served as a faculty member of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, the Centrum Port Townsend Jazz Workshop, the Thelonious Monk Institute in Aspen and numerous clinics and workshops worldwide, including the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Brazil and South Africa. She is a member and piano pedagogy representative of The Jazz Education Network and has adjudicated the Montreux Jazz Competition, American Pianists Association Fellowship Awards, The Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams Competition and the Jacksonville Piano Competition. With jazz icon Toshiko Akiyoshi, she was a featured mentor at The Mary Lou Williams Emerging Artist Workshop at the Kennedy Center. Arriale’s affinity for music and specifically the piano was evident early on, but well outside a jazz context. Adopted as an infant, she grew up in Milwaukee and was given a plastic toy piano at age 3. Playing by ear, she soon had a repertoire of songs that she had learned from the radio and records, mostly from Broadway musicals. Throughout her school and college years, she studied classical music, earning a master’s degree before turning to jazz. “Discovering the unlimited creative potential and artistic freedom in jazz changed my life,” said Arriale. Later she learned that her biological mother was a jazz vocalist; perhaps there is something to heredity, given her reverence for songful melodies. Motema founder Jana Herzen refers to Lynne’s "singer’s-like" ability to connect with an audience… "Though she played the piano and not a sound came from her lips, I had the distinct impression I was listening to a singer." Arriale always sings when she is practicing and composing. "I have found that the key to expressive playing and truly spontaneous improvisation is singing," says Arriale." I focus on the melody regardless of where spontaneous improvisation takes me. I search for the 'heart' of the song, find what makes it special to me and use it as musical inspiration.It is very important to me that my music has a vocal quality and a heart connection. It’s a lifelong process to teach my fingers how to sing." “Lynne Arriale’s remarkable career is graced by a rare commitment to authenticity and vulnerability defined by careful craft and high artistic standards. It is precisely this willingness to remain so emotionally exposed that makes her performances so accessible to music lovers of all kinds” (All About Jazz). Press play, enjoy, then share.

This is a cool talk with Chicago saxophonist Chris Greene. Chris has been on the local scene for over a decade and probably closer to two. We talk about how he as been able to keep his band together, get great media support, and build his fan base . Press play, enjoy, share.

Today we talk with Fabienne Raphaël from Marketing To Crush Your Competitors about . . . marketing. Press play, Enjoy, Share

Enjoy this solo episode where I share the story with you about the time I was fired. I hope that this is entertaining for you but most importantly I hope you learn from my mistakes so that you won't have to learn the hard way. Press Play, Enjoy, Share

Introducing Mrs. Davis and celebrating 50 episodes! This is a review of the first 49 shows just in case you missed some. Press play, enjoy, and share!

Our guest today is Grammy Award Winning trumpeter Chris Botti. This was a pleasant surprise when my colleague James Newcomb from 'Think Outside The Music Box' recommended today's guest. Some things we talk about include: •Chris' habits that attribute to his success •Lessons learned from past teachers and band mates including Sting and Bill Adam •What it takes to be successful as a musician on the international level www.behindthenote.com

I met John Clayton over a year ago at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference. I asked him to be a guest on this platform and he said yes before I could finish asking. At the time, this show was only an idea in my mind and didn't actually exist yet. That's how kind John is and I'm happy that he was able to join us today. We talk about many topics in this episode including goal setting and team-building the right way. John shares fun stories about some of his past co-workers and lessons he has learned from them. This is a great talk so press play, enjoy, and share! www.behindthenote.com/48

Chicago saxophonist Rajiv Halim joins us to talk about how he was able to pull off a successful cd release concert. I was present for the show and he successfully sold out and had a room of 200 plus people waiting in anticipation or the show! He shares what he did right in preparation for that night as well as what he did wrong. Press Play, Enjoy, Share

Our guest today is Nick Ruffini who is the founder of DrummersResource.com. He is also responsible for his independent album making top 50 on the music charts. Nick hit some adversity in his life and still managed to come out on top. Listen to how he did it here. Press Play, Enjoy, Share

In this solo show I introduce and review music marketing concepts for you to practice, adopt, or not. Try them for yourself. Press Play, Enjoy, Share

Our guest today gives us insight on what it is really like to be a Hollywood composer. Enjoy this interview with Nathan Kelly

In this episode talk about going all in, overcoming impostor syndrome, and the uniqueness of you and your talent. Our guest, Marqueal Jordan is a vocalist and saxophonist from Chicago, IL. He has overcome the very struggles that we all deal with. Listen to how and you'll hear something familiar. Press play, Enjoy, then Share!

Today's guest earned $25,000 in two months while on a house concert tour. Her methods are unlike anything the average musician is doing which is why she has extraordinary results. Press play to learn her strategy.

You're a musician so there is a great chance that you are a freelancer, at least part of the time. In this Episode, trumpeter John Raymond gives us some helpful lessons on how make your career as a freelancer a little better. John Raymond is the winner of the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. He is also an accomplished performer and is active in the New York music scene. Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

In Today’s Episode We Talk About The importance of timing when it comes to recruiting students How to take a vacation and NOT loose money while doing it The importance of the number 32 when it comes to building habits. Today’s guest is Shanta Hejmadi of the Mind Your Own Business Music Teacher Blog. Shanta teaches musicians how to have better business chops when it comes to their teaching studio. Press Play. Enjoy. Share.

Dee Snider joins us for a podcast JAM PACKED with great advice for a successful music career. This is for all musicians no matter where you are on your journey currently. Dee has reinvented himself so many times! His "15 minutes of fame" began in the mid 1970's but he is STILL relevant today because he continues to make himself better. Press play, Enjoy, Share! www.behindthenote.com/gift

If you have ever had a desire to work in Las Vegas in any capacity then this episode is perfect for you. Our guest today has been working in the Las Vegas scene for over 10 years as a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator. He also does shows as himself and travels the world. He shares the story of how he has been able to work consistently on the Las Vegas scene. Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

What is copywriting and why in the world would a musician need one? We will answer that question in this episode of Behind The Note Podcast because today's guest is an experienced, professional copywriter. (I hope that I didn't mess up this copy!) We're going to talk about how to use copywriting to your advantage; and you SHOULD use it to your advantage. Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

www.behindthenote.com/gift If you haven't already noticed things in life happen in seasons. There are times of prosperity and there are times of struggle. This episode will teach you what this means for your music career and how to take advantage of the seasons. Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

When you were a child did you have a dream to perform in a certain hall or to perform in the band of your favorite artists? If you have not done it yet then seriously ask yourself why. Maybe you "grew up." Maybe you just simply changed your mind. Today's guest literally had a dream, made a decision that he was going to follow through on it, and created a new life for himself. Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

http://www.behindthenote.com Happy New Year! Today, I give 7 places to seek gigs that you probably never thought about. All of these aren't for everyone but one of them may be for you. This is only the first part. Part 2 is coming later this month. Press Play. Enjoy. Share.

http://www.behindthenote.com/category/podcast/ If you have ever recorded an album independently or desire to do so then this episode is for you. We talk about the pros and cons of signing with an independent record label. Also, we discuss how to choose the company that is a good match for you. We also talk about if it is a better idea to just do things without a label. Today's guest is Chad McCullough who is a former employee of Origin Records. Chicago-based Trumpeter/composer Chad McCullough… called “a thoughtful improvisor with technique to spare” by Allaboutjazz.com, Chad’s various albums have received wide critical-acclaim. His stable of collaborators is a diverse collection of unique musicians and speaks to the depth of his musical palette. Dan McClenaghan writes, “He is a rare instrumentalist who makes each note sound as if it were imbued with a deeper meaning. Certainly a player with great chops, his approach is one that is measured and deliberate, often introspective, sometimes gorgeously melancholic, and one that employs a continuity of mood and atmosphere that the best recordings have.” As a leader, he has performed with his bands at festivals throughout the globe, including the 2013 Festival of New Trumpet Music (New York), the GG Jazz Festival (Krasnodar, Russia), The Earshot Jazz Festival (Seattle), and The Appeltuin Jazz Festival (Belgium). His albums have been released on Seattle’s Origin Records, and many have peaked in the top 100 for national airplay in the US.

http://www.behindthenote.com/category/podcast/ This episode is all about how to run a successful rehearsal! Learn some tips on how to be a better leader, get the most out of the small amount of time you have in rehearsal, PLUS, I give you some recommendations on some great recording gear you can use during rehearsal. HINT: The gear is compact but still records INCREDIBLE audio. Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

http://www.behindthenote.com/category/podcast/ Trombonist Marshall Gilkes shares his experiences with the WDR Big Band which is based in Germany. He also talks about the importance of having a routine and how he developed the technique that allows him to play wide intervals in an extremely short period of time. Finally, we speak about how to land the college gigs . . . the type of gigs that allow you to perform as a guest artist.

In this episode of BehindTheNote Podcast we talk about how to set goals in a way that is manageable. We also recommend some great apps to aid in that process. Finally, we touch on the topic of fear. Why do you allow fear to hold you back when it doesn't have any true power over you? Adam Rapa is our guest today! Adam is a great trumpeter that has recently found a new home in Europe. He shares with us some key concepts that have allowed him to have the career that he has today.

IN THIS EPISODE: Some of the things we will cover are as follows. HOW TO MANAGE DISTRACTIONS HOW TO GO FROM PLAYING MUSIC AS A JOB TO PLAYING YOUR DREAM GIG HOW TO KEEP YOUR CALENDAR FULL HOW TO HAVE A LONG CAREER AND NOT A ONE HIT WONDER TYPE OF CAREER INTRODUCTION: Here on BehindTheNote Podcast, we have been blessed with some great guest, accomplished musicians, knowledgeable and giving people. Today is no exception! Today’s guest was a recipient of a Juno Award for her album Vernal Fields and has been nominated for many more Juno and Grammy Awards. This Canadian Trumpeter and international musician has performed with many of the greats including pianist Geoffery Keezer, Terri Lynne Carrington, Maria Schneider, and many others! I am happy to introduce to you today, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen! Catch up on previously released podcast at www.behindthenote.com

Terell Stafford is one of the great trumpeters of our time. In this episode he tells some things about himself that you probably don't know about him such as why he got suspended from his school band program also why he quit playing music for 6 months as a young adult. Terell has two main routines and he shares with us in detail what those are and how they benefit him. He gives us valuable tip after valuable tip. Go ahead and press play on this episode to see what they are then share with friends. http://www.behindthenote.com/category/podcast/

In this episode of BehindTheNote Podcast I answer a listener question. The listener shows a genuine concern about how they should pursue a music career when there is little money earned on this track. We talk about this. Some things we talk about in this episode are: • Time freedom • Renewed perspective • How to get a teaching position Also, if you have a question, comment, or concern that you would like addressed on the show then leave a voicemail at www.behindthenote.com Press Play, Enjoy, Share!

Jeremy Pelt's recordings and performances have earned him critical acclaim, both nationally and internationally. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal by legendary jazz writer and producer, Nat Hentoff, and was voted Rising Star on the trumpet, five years in a row by Downbeat Magazine and the Jazz Journalist Association. Pelt is currently touring throughout the United States and Europe in support of his latest release, "Water And Earth." Jeremy and I got to speak about what it means and what it takes to be a good band leader. Jeremy also tells about the key people that catapulted his career and how he leveraged his relationships early on to have the career that he currently has. There are some valuable lessons here that you may apply to your personal life and career. Press Play, Enjoy, Share! www.behindthenote.com

In this episode we speak with a recording engineer and he shares some valuable tips on how to get started in a career as an audio engineer and also gives great advice on how to sustain once you have your foot in the door. Our guest got totally burned and left the industry for while. He tells that story and we learn why he has returned to do this work today. You'll also learn how to get connected in the industry.