Podcasts about altadena

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Latest podcast episodes about altadena

The LA Report
Angels sale, Modular housing comes to Altadena, Dolly Parton Day— Evening Edition

The LA Report

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2026 4:15


The Angels are getting a new owner. New housing goes into Altadena in the Eaton Fire recovery. California declares Dolly Parton Day. Plus, more on the Evening Edition. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

KQED’s Forum
Who Should Pay When Utilities Companies Start a Fire?

KQED’s Forum

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2026 54:47


Wildfire season is underway in California, but the state's wildfire fund is running low after billions went to victims of last year's massive Altadena fire, sparked by faulty equipment owned by Southern California Edison. Governor Newsom and the legislature's debate over fixing the wildfire fund has hinged on the extent utilities, insurance companies and homeowners would pay into it. We'll dig into the details, and hear your thoughts on who should pay to rebuild after wildfires. Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Michael Wara, policy director for the Sustainability Accelerator at the Doerr School of Sustainability, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program, senior research scholar at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University Joy Chen, executive director, Every Fire Survivor's Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fork Report w Neil Saavedra
Water Warning, Talk Backs & a Taste of Betsy's Altadena!

The Fork Report w Neil Saavedra

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2026 26:35 Transcription Available


The Fork Report, Neil dives into the surprising dangers of drinking too much water, takes on listener Talk Backs, and looks back at a delicious visit from Chef and Owner Tyler Wells of Betsy’s Altadena. Neil recaps the incredible food Tyler brought for the crew—including his amazing August summer recipe that had everyone talking!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fork Report w Neil Saavedra
Altadena Eats & Rock 'n' Roll Mysteries!

The Fork Report w Neil Saavedra

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2026 26:26 Transcription Available


Neil goes behind the scenes with Tyler Wells, owner of Betsy’s in Altadena, to talk about the restaurant, its food, and what makes it a local favorite. Plus, Richard Syrett from Coast to Coast AM joins Neil to reveal the eerie, supernatural stories behind his new book, Tales from The Rock ’n’ Roll Twilight Zone: Eerie Enigmas and Supernatural Secrets from Rock’s Darkest Corners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Untaught Essentials
46. Facing Change? with Jason Beck

Untaught Essentials

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2026 90:40


This episode is all about transitions: the endings, the long uncertain middle, and the new beginnings you often don't notice until you're already in them. Jeremy is joined by Jason Beck: friend, student, teaching assistant, and producer of the show. Jason is at the front end of a change he chose (he's about to become the father of twins), while Jeremy is well into one he didn't (rebuilding after losing his home in the January 2025 Altadena fire). Together they explore what it takes to move through transition intentionally. Links & Resources Jeremy's live course on transitions (Sunday mornings, September–January): https://untaughtessentials.com/untaught-essentials-transitions/ Jeremy's article on change and transitions, published at Mindful.org: https://www.mindful.org/the-scary-winding-road-through-change/

ITSPmagazine | Technology. Cybersecurity. Society
Six Hours, Five Strangers, and a Song the Machine Could Not Write | A Music Evolves Conversation with Gregoire Gensollen, Producer and Chief Operating Officer of Tucker Tooley Entertainment

ITSPmagazine | Technology. Cybersecurity. Society

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 47:41


Show Notes The premise sounds like a stunt. Five strangers, one room, six hours, one original song. Meanwhile the show's host sits at a keyboard with a text prompt and half an hour. Grégoire Gensollen, Producer and Chief Operating Officer at Tucker Tooley Entertainment, built that episode of Band of Strangers knowing he could not predict the outcome, which is precisely why he made it. Gensollen comes to this from the traditional side of the business. He grew up in Marseille, trained as an industrial engineer, moved into management consulting, then rerouted through business school at UCLA Anderson into Lionsgate and later FilmNation, where he ran distribution strategy and film finance across a run that included The King's Speech, The Imitation Game, Nebraska, Mud, and Looper. Ten years ago he partnered with Tucker Tooley. What he says he remembers from two decades of that work is not the tooling. It is who was in the room. The origin of Band of Strangers is a documentary called The Unknown Tour, made by two filmmakers who outfitted a bus with a recording studio and drove across the country finding musicians on street corners, in dive bars, and in gospel churches. The pandemic put the idea on hold. When Gensollen and his team picked it up again, they made a decision that would have been unthinkable inside the studio system: skip the networks entirely and release directly on YouTube. Not for reach, but for control of the entire chain, and to protect a show about collaboration from the unscripted television reflex that turns every format into a competition with prize money and manufactured conflict. The constraint that holds it together is the song. Every episode has to produce one, on a clock, or there is no episode. What varies is the entry point. A mariachi band at El Pueblo on Olvera Street laying a first track that hip hop artists in Leimert Park then struggle to find the rhythm inside. Buskers on the Venice boardwalk writing separately. Artists displaced by the Altadena fires building an anthem about rebuilding rather than grieving. Gensollen is candid that the stumbles stay in the cut, because the friction is the story. On AI, he is neither evangelist nor holdout. He describes it as a tool his company will have to use to stay competitive, not against other producers but against creators working alone in their kitchens with the full chain in hand. He also draws a line: optimization, yes. Creative engine, no. His argument is structural rather than sentimental. Prediction models and comparables, the benchmarking method he learned at Lionsgate, tell you where the ceiling is on a category that already exists. A producer's job is to make the thing that does not exist yet. That distinction is the real subject of this conversation. The question is not whether a machine can produce a competent song in thirty minutes. It clearly can. The question is who decides what is worth making, and whether an industry trained on comparables still knows how to recognize the thing it has no comparable for. Host Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/ Guest Grégoire Gensollen, Producer and Chief Operating Officer at Tucker Tooley Entertainment | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoire-gensollen/ Resources Tucker Tooley Entertainment | https://www.tooleyentertainment.com/ Band of Strangers | https://www.bandofstrangers.com/ Band of Strangers, Can AI beat REAL musicians? [Blind Test], the episode discussed in this conversation | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi0nadrsK8Y Band of Strangers: Angelenos from different communities make music together from scratch, Los Angeles Downtown News | https://www.ladowntownnews.com/arts_and_entertainment/band-of-strangers-angelenos-from-different-communities-make-music-together-from-scratch/article_7f9978b0-18c2-4330-b160-b167c10e8856.html Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/ Keywords gregoire gensollen, tucker tooley entertainment, band of strangers, sean martin, ai music, creator economy, youtube original series, music collaboration, songwriting process, unscripted television, film production, generative ai, artist discovery, independent distribution, music, creativity, art, artist, musician, music evolves, music podcast, music and technology podcast

A More Perfect Union with Nii-Quartelai Quartey
Altadena: A Black Community Fighting to Survive

A More Perfect Union with Nii-Quartelai Quartey

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 18:40


Zaire Calvin lost his sister and his home in the Eaton Fire. Now he's fighting to keep what's left of a historic Black community from disappearing for good.

Open-Door Playhouse
THEATER 202: Insensitivity Training

Open-Door Playhouse

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 14:52 Transcription Available


Send us Fan MailA Sensitivity instructor is forced to return to Basic Training after making a careless remark while teaching a class.Playwright Chriselle Almeida directs a cast that includes Swati Kapila as Sheila, Marisa Chandler as Donna, Zelda Kimble as Karen and Michael Harvey Fletcher as Nathan.Ms. Almeida's previous plays include Shakespeare's Heroines at the Gynecologist (which was produced by Open-Door Playhouse) and Siblings. A busy actor, she has recently appeared on episodes of the television series Fallout, Never Have I Ever, Shameless, and more.Support the showFounded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What's Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA. There's no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to  https://open...

The Documentary Podcast
LA: Rising from the ashes

The Documentary Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 26:29


On 7th January 2025, the Altadena and Pacific Palisades neighbourhoods of Los Angeles suffered two of the most destructive fires in the city's history. Twenty-one people died and 15,000 buildings were destroyed over a combined area the size of Paris.The city is still reeling from the scale and intensity of the fires, and the challenge of rebuilding areas in which almost nothing remains standing. As the first tentative shoots of recovery begin to appear, Jonathan Glancey meets locals, including architects Scott Uriu and Michael Kovac. Like Dustin Bramell, co-founder of the Case Study: Adapt programme, they lost their own homes in the fires. Others, like architect and social justice advocate Steven Lewis, or Cynthia Siegler and Alex Athenson, founders of the Foothill Foundation Catalogue, saw their neighbours and communities displaced. Now they're trying to help replace what has been lost while looking for better ways of building, in a land where earthquakes, drought and fire are an ever present threat. As man-made climate change and urban growth worsen the risk and impact of fires, Jonathan asks experts including Dan Turner, a retired fire chief and executive director of Cal Poly's Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Institute, and architecture critic Frances Anderton if and how this city can reshape itself for a better future.

A More Perfect Union with Nii-Quartelai Quartey
Altadena: 18 Months Later, We Know Who Caused the Eaton Fire

A More Perfect Union with Nii-Quartelai Quartey

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 35:31


LA County Fire has an answer: SCE equipment sparked the blaze that killed 19. NAACP Pasadena President Brandon Lamar and James Farr unpack the report — and its eerie echo in Spokane's raging wildfires.

The California Report Magazine
Eel River Dam Removals; Altadena's Backyard Punk Shows; Visiting Pinnacles

The California Report Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2026 31:10


Mendocino's Tribes, Farmers, Environmentalists Agree: Take Down Eel River's Dams For over a century, dams have blocked the Eel River's natural flow of water in Northern California. Now, tribes, environmentalists and utility companies have come up with a plan to tear down the dams, as part of the “Two Basin Solution.” Reporter Sam Anderson found out what a free-running Eel River would mean for local Round Valley Indian Tribes, industry and wildlife.  In Altadena, A Youth Music Scene Crops Up from Eaton Fire's Ashes After the 2025 Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles, music lovers organized fundraisers to reconnect artists with instruments lost in the fire. Now live music shows in Altadena's vacant lots and backyards have sprouted a new scene, where teenage punk and indie bands draw audiences from across Southern California. Reporter Steven Cuevas has the story. Looking for a Last-Minute Summer Road Trip? Try Pinnacles National Park Pinnacles National Park doesn't have the name recognition as Yosemite or Joshua Tree, but it stokes just as much wonder. For our Hidden Gems series, KQED outdoors reporter Sarah Wright traveled to this small park just an hour east of Monterey to find out why it's worth a summer getaway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Booked On Rock with Eric Senich
[EP 403] Terry Kilgore: Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth & An Incredible Rock 'n' Roll Comeback

Booked On Rock with Eric Senich

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2026 139:57 Transcription Available


Terry Kilgore has spent decades as one of Southern California's most respected guitarists, coming up in the same Pasadena-area scene as Eddie Van Halen and later playing and writing with David Lee Roth. In this episode, Terry shares firsthand stories about his friendship and friendly rivalry with Eddie, the origins of the finger-tapping technique that became synonymous with Van Halen, and his experiences working with Roth on albums including Your Filthy Little Mouth and DLR Band.Terry also opens up about the devastating 2025 Eaton Fire, which destroyed his Altadena home, studio, guitars, and irreplaceable personal belongings. Now, at 71, he's rebuilding his life and returning to music alongside singer-songwriter Korpus Kristy with the upcoming album The Devil's in the Details. It's a conversation about Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth, guitar history, survival, friendship, and why Terry Kilgore still has plenty of music left to make.Visit Terry Kilgore's websiteListen to "Terry Kilgore's Love Song" from the forthcoming album The Devil's In The DetailsVisit Korpus Kristy's website----------

Open-Door Playhouse
THEATER 201: Buck a Poem

Open-Door Playhouse

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2026 10:15


Send us Fan MailCarol is a street poet, cranking out poems on her typewriter for a dollar per poem. She encounters several people who buy her wares, including one who offers her a path to elevate her craft.Severina Mijan directs a cast that includes Christine Uhebe as Carol, Rosemary Thomas as Noreen, Justice Davis as Matt, and Hessel Evelaar as Luca Diaz.New York based playwright Steven Doloff's plays have been staged, streamed and radio broadcast in over a dozen states, Canada and Australia. His plays include Can We Talk?, Florida, That Thing with Feathers, The Waiting Room, My Coffee with Andy, and more.Support the showFounded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What's Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA. There's no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to  https://open...

The Angry Therapist Podcast: Ten Minutes of Self-Help, Therapy in a Shotglass for fans of Joe Rogan Experience

What if the biggest factor affecting your mental health isn't what happens to you, but which container you're paying attention to? In this personal check-in from Mexico City, I reflect on the difference between the macro container - the collective world of politics, climate change, technology, uncertainty, and fear - and the micro container - your relationships, work, family, community, and daily life. After losing my home in the Altadena fires and spending the last year rebuilding my life in a completely different way, I've been thinking a lot about how perspective, attention, and emotional frequency can shape the way we experience our circumstances. In this episode, I talk about: ● The difference between the macro world and the micro world ● How social media can keep us trapped in fear and hopelessness ● Why losing my home changed my perspective on time and possibility ● What travel has taught me about identity and freedom ● How surfing and beach life have helped me regulate my nervous system ● Why survival mode became my default for most of my life ● The question I'm asking myself: which container is shaping my frequency? If this episode resonated with you, follow the podcast, leave a rating, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that while we can't control the entire world, we can still shape the world immediately around us.

Don't Ignore the Nudge
He's Filled the Gap With Dawn Smith

Don't Ignore the Nudge

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2026 57:42


Dawn Smith has been through more than most people out there.  You might be familiar with the Eaton Fire in Altadena.  Well, that fire took her house, yes; but more devastating was it took her HOME.  And as you know, the saying is "Home is where the heart is."  How is her heart doing?  What has God done to heal her heart?  Today you'll find out.Reach Out to Me:Website: www.dontignorethenudge.comPatreon: www.patreon.com/dontignorethenudgeIG: @dontignorethenudgepodcastPrivate FB group to WATCH interviews: www.dontignorethenudge.com/facebook__________________________________________________________________________________________Business/Personal Coaching with Cori:www.corifreeman.com(951) 923-2674Reach out to Dawn Smith:Website: https://www.sunrisemeadowfarm.com/

LA Theatre Bites - Podcast
Grease the musical @ Altadena Music Theatre - Review

LA Theatre Bites - Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2026 2:49


Grease the musical @ Altadena Music Theatre - 7.6 out of 10! Above Average! Aug 6 - 16, 2026. www.latheatrebites.com

KPFA - APEX Express
APEX Express – 8.06.26 – Obbligato – In Conversation with Composer Reena Esmail

KPFA - APEX Express

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2026 59:58


A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. For this episode of “Obbligato,” a show dedicated to AAPI classical musicians, composers, and scholars, host Isabel Li interviews Indian American composer Reena Esmail, who blends Hindustani musical themes with western classical compositional styles. Music in this episode: – This Love Between Us “Prayers for Unity”: II. [Sikhism] – Lacrimosa (from Malhaar: a Requiem for Water) – Terra infirma: IV. roaming the ghost forest Transcript Isabel Li: I'm Isabel Li, here for a new edition of “Obbligato,” which explores the AAPI community in the classical music world. Today, we're featuring the Indian American composer Reena Esmail and her unique compositions that blend Hindustani music with Western classical styles and how she writes music about religion, spirituality, and even environmentalism. Welcome, Reena, to Apex Express. Reena Esmail: Hey! It's so great to be here. IL: My first question for you is one that's probably a little bit loaded, but how do you identify and what's your story? RE: I don't know, it's interesting because I work in many different situations, and I think I always identify as the thing that isn't whatever the dominant situation is that I work in. Right? So it's like when I'm in America, I identify as an Indian American. When I'm in India, I identify as an American. When I'm working in Western classical music, I'm the person who knows stuff about Hindustani music. When I'm working in Hindustani music, I'm the person who knows stuff about Western music. So really. Actually, I think of identity not as a fixed thing, but as how you, um, delineate yourself, how you're unique in the situation you're in. You know, it's interesting because especially in the case of Asian Americans, Asia is such a broad thing, right? There are so many more East Asians in Western classical music than there are South Asians. Certainly in my generation. You know, I was surrounded by Chinese, Korean, some Japanese people who were always, you know, playing the piano when I was playing the piano. And, um, there really was not many other Indian people. And, you know, I'll, I'll actually say that even within India, um, you know, if you look at me in America, I'm just Indian. If you look at me in India, I have a very unusual lineage, which is that my dad is from the region of Gujarat and his family is Muslim. My mom is from the region of Goa and her family is Catholic. And so because of that, when I was expressing interest in music, My mom was the one who had more of kind of a musical knowledge in her family, even though there's no professional musicians in her family. So because Goa was colonized by Portugal, there is this element of Western classical music in Goan culture. And so because of that, my mom was like, oh, let's give her guitar lessons, let's give her piano lessons. And so that's how I landed up in Western classical music as opposed to doing Indian classical music. Um, so yeah, I kind of went through the Western classical scene. I was very interested in being a pianist. And, you know, I'm glad that I'm glad I'm a failed pianist in all honesty, because I see what my colleagues who are real, you know, professional pianists have to go through. And I just don't think I have what it takes to do that. It's really an intense job. Um, but when I was in high school, um, one of my theory teachers kind of said, hey, you know, you might be a composer. It seems like you think like a composer thinks, why don't you try composing and why don't you try writing things down? and one thing led to another. And basically a year and a half to two years after studying, I got one of a very few spots in the undergrad program in composition at Juilliard. And that was a point where my parents kind of said, okay, you know, we don't know a lot about the music world, but it seems like if she got into Juilliard, she's probably like somewhat good at this. Maybe we should kind of see how this goes. And, you know, from there on, I pursued composition. IL: And when and why did you start to study Indian classical music, which is a big element in your compositions now? RE: Yeah, absolutely. So I think it's interesting because in every generation, I've seen so much change in how the diaspora views itself. And certainly when I was growing up, you know, I know this is hard to believe, but there were not if you were an Indian going to school, you were kind of the only one. If you were an Indian music, you were kind of the only one. So there was this element where when I went to Juilliard, um, there were I to my knowledge, two Indians in the entire school, me and an actress who had actually come from Calcutta. And so people were trying to, you know, make conversation with me and they'd be like, well, you know, do you do stuff with Indian classical music? And I would just be like, no, I'm trying so hard to even write music for orchestra and, you know, string quartet and all the things that my peers are trying to do. Like, is that not enough? Because I'm Indian, I also have to be doing all this other stuff. And so I resisted it for a long time because I was just trying so hard to do one thing well. But then, you know, I think what, what made me kind of unique is that, you know, I stood out, I was Indian and then, you know, when I was young, that felt really cool. The older I got, the more I thought, well, you know, I know I'm from this culture that has incredible music and I know it when I hear it, I know nothing about it, and maybe I should actually pursue it. And so I really separately kind of started meeting Indian musicians who lived in New York, and I would just ask them questions, and I got to know them. And I realized that while we didn't share a type of music, we did share a culture and we did share a love of music because it is interesting that the culture of Indian classical music is actually quite similar to the culture of Western classical music. You know, you study with a teacher over a really long period of time. You're practicing for hours a day. The kind of personality that would love Western classical music would also love Indian classical music. And so I just made friends with some of these Indian classical musicians. And of course, being a composer, I thought, why don't I put them in my music? You know, how do I do that? And so it was really just curiosity that led me down that path. And for many years, that path was very separate. Because again, I know it's very hard to believe now, but there was a time where people really did not want these cultures to be combined, and people just really looked down on cultures that were not, you know, the dominant Western European classical culture. And so I kept them really separate. And even when I started combining them, people were like, oh, that's sweet. She does stuff with Indian music, you know? And it was really not taken seriously. It's only really in the last decade that people have been embracing other musical cultures. And I mean, how glad I am that that's happening. But it was very, very hard fought and very separate at first. IL: And on that note, how do you navigate the unique challenges of composing with both these cultures in mind, but also being situated in the United States, where people come from all different backgrounds? And how do you as a composer approach that in this context? RE: I mean, I think it's interesting because first of all, I am musically bilingual now, so I can. I went to India, I studied Indian classical music. Seriously. I still work with Indian classical musicians very closely. And so, you know, I can be working on a piece that has Indian classical musicians in it, and I can turn to them and immediately speak in their language and their musical language. And then I can turn to the Western musicians and speak in their musical language. So every single piece I write, especially the ones that involve Indian classical musicians. There is a way through those pieces, both through the Western lens and through the Indian lens. And so I think I'm working in a position where I actually do know how to speak both those languages. And when you do speak both those languages, you know, just the way that if you speak any two, you know, verbal languages, you would know that there are sounds that are cognates. And so you're like, oh, I say the sound. So maybe and it means one thing in one culture and one thing in another culture. But you know that that sound is the same. And so with musical language, you can actually use those musical cognates to connect across cultures by saying, just listen for this thing. And when you listen for this thing, interpret it through the lens of your own culture. So that's certainly how I work. But, you know, I mean, again, I want to say that's not the only way to work. I don't think that you have to be, you know, I mean, again, there's probably most people who are listening to this probably have one musical culture and then maybe they know much less about the other musical culture. That is also fine. You know, you don't need to be an expert in order to want to explore and, and love a thing that's just, you know, where I am because it's the, the center of my musical practice. IL: Well, let's hear a selection from Reena Esmail's oratorio, “This Love Between Us.” This is the second movement titled Sikhism. David Hill conducts Juilliard415 with the Yale Schola Cantorum. [MUSIC: This Love Between Us “Prayers for Unity”: II. Sikhism] IL: That was Sikhism, the second movement from the oratorio This Love Between Us by Reena Esmail, who is here in conversation with me today on KPFA for APEX Express. Something that I really found interesting in especially your work — and I'm sure this has been asked many times, but This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity. This oratorio that you wrote, beautiful work where you use words from the seven major religions of India. And each movement of the choral work is also named after a different religion. In what ways did you adhere to or challenge norms of spiritual music? Because religion is so religion and music are so deeply tied together. How did you challenge those norms or how did you express those norms when you wrote this work? RE: You know, I think it's interesting because my own spiritual background is very kind of multi spiritual multi-faith. But like I said, my, my father is, is my father's side of the family is Muslim. My mom's side of the family is Catholic. My husband is Hindu. All of them grew up in a very singular practice in each of their religions. But for me, I grew up, you know, around my mom and my dad and then, you know, my husband later. And just there's a part of me that takes in the essence of each of these spiritual traditions. And, you know, I'm trying to kind of find what feels true to me in each of those places. And so to me, you know, this love between us is, is a place where I'm trying to essentially say, yes, we express things differently through whatever cultural, uh, history, that language or that that religion emerged through. And yet we're all trying to get at that same numinous thing. And, you know, I mean, I'm not saying, oh, all religions are the same. Definitely not. You know, there's, there's many different ways to practice things. And, you know, your unique way into your spirituality is your own. And that's, that's amazing. But also, we all kind of our cultures form religions for a certain reason, and it's because we want to try to understand things that are beyond ourselves. And so that's essentially what the piece is saying. So I know I'm sure there are purists who are like, you shouldn't be combining these things, but, you know, there's always going to be purists who do that and there's a role for that. But that's not really my role. So, I mean, I picked the pieces and I picked the religion specifically because of the numbers of people who practice that religion currently within India. And so it is like the largest, um, populations, you know, like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, all, all of those things. And then there's one little tiny religion, Zoroastrianism. And while they are not, there's not many of them within India. They are the ones who are practicing Western classical music in India. So people like Zubin Mehta and all, they are Parsis that are Zoroastrians. So I thought, you know, it's important to include them too, because it's a piece that involves a lot of Western classical musicians. IL: I'm wondering now, as a composer who's working with music of different languages and religions and origins and also evoking a lot of these spiritual truths that are pretty universal in nature. What is your view on the function of music? There's the platitude that music is a universal language. Do you how to what extent do you agree with that? RE: You know, yeah, it's hard to, to, um, to think of music as a universal language. But I think sometimes we, how can I say this? It's such a broad question. When we are working in a form that isn't completely narrative, it gives us a little more chance to get at things that don't have to follow logically after one another. They're just feelings that we're able to feel. And I like working even when there are words, you know, there are certainly words in all of these, these, uh, pieces in this love between us. But I feel like sometimes we just feel something within us. And, you know, I experience this a lot when I have a piece performed, people will come up to me and say like, oh, this made me feel like this. And then the next person will come up to me and say, oh, this made me feel exactly the opposite thing. And I, I really love that we can have those experiences. And, you know, recently it's been really interesting because people have been asking these questions like interviewers, you know, before performances will be like, well, what do you want the audience to feel? And I'm like, oh, I don't want to answer that question. I want you to feel whatever you feel. There's nothing right to feel. And often, I mean, I'm not the one to ask. I'm so close to the music because when I'm listening, I'm thinking like, okay, was that C sharp in tune? Okay, you know, that's what I'm feeling. And I certainly don't want them to feel that. So I don't know. I think it's, it's just exciting to see how when we get out of these, what we should do this and this is the right thing to do. And this is the only way to do it. Um, how do we behave? And there are so few spaces left where if we don't say exactly the right words at the right time to the right people, you know, if we don't have exactly the right opinions that everyone around us has, We are so condemned and music might be one of the last places that we're allowed to feel whatever's inside of us. IL: Mhm. That's really interesting to think about. I think art in general is very beautiful because it allows people to interpret it in many different ways. I think for your music, you really draw on cultural specificity in terms of Hindustani music. What advice would you give to other young composers or also maybe artists of different mediums in creating that balance between specificity and universality? RE: Yeah, I think the thing is that the way into a deep practice is specificity. You know, I know people have asked me like, oh, you've done stuff with Indian music. Are you going to do stuff with other music? And I'm like, gosh, there's still so much to explore. I could have like three lifetimes and still not explore everything I want to explore just in the relationship between Indian and Western classical music. I mean, goodness knows I have four degrees in Western classical music, and I still am barely scratching the surface of it. Right. So I kind of feel like specificity is important because it allows you to access depth. And yet, you know, when you are specific about a certain thing, um, like for instance, like a scholar who only speaks Italian, I mean, they're going to know more than someone who maybe speaks five words of each language, right? So they can transfer over at a higher level and make more sophisticated points and understand the world with a more universal lens if they've gone really deep on one thing. So I would say, you know, to young composers, to young musicians, pick one practice and know it really, really well and deeply become go as far as you possibly can and then, you know, try to see if you can find relations between your primary practice and a different practice. Um, and I mean, some people, you know, I know in this generation that's coming up, that's like in their teens and twenties, there are South Asian, uh, kids who are here whose parents have come from India that are learning Indian and Western classical music side by side. And I think that's great. I mean, that's awesome. But I would also say make sure you don't just learn halfway. Both of those things, you know, if you're going to learn them, if at least with one thing, try to go as absolutely far as you can. IL: Let's hear another example of Reena Esmail's bilingual musicality with her work, Malhaar: A Requiem for Water, which was recorded fairly recently. The vocalist is Graycen Gardner with the choir conducted by Amy Fogerson. [MUSIC: Lacrimosa (from Malhaar: a Requiem for Water)] IL: Composer Reena Esmail used Indian classical instruments in that work, titled Malhaar: A Requiem for water. The vocalist was Graycen Gardner, with the choir conducted by Amy Fogerson. Percussionist was Rohit Panchakshari. I'm Isabel Li in conversation with composer Reena Esmail on this edition of Apex Express here on KPFA 94.1 FM. So when you integrate Hindustani classical Hindustani music, Indian classical music and those instruments into your scores, did you happen to did you have to develop a way to translate the notation of those notes in Western classical music notation, or vice versa? RE: Yeah, it it begs the greater question of what is notation for? Right? Because notation is essentially a way for Western musicians who read notation to look at a thing and be able to associate sounds with that thing. And so when I'm notating for Western classical musicians, I'm saying, okay, what is a cellist typically seeing and what are they doing based on what they're seeing? And then how can I take that language that they know really well that they play in Bach suites, that they play in Elgar, Cello Concerto, whatever it is, how can I take that language and just move it, you know, a couple degrees outward so that they're able to express different things, right? And so it's very much a psychological thing. You know, it's not a science the way that we think of it as and we learn it as this, oh, you know, eighths and sixteenths, and they divide this way. There's a lot you can do just to make someone feel a certain way with notation. On the other hand, if I'm writing for a sitar or tabla, the question is what? What is the role of the notation? Because the role of the notation for tabla player who has only Hindustani training and doesn't read music. It's certainly not for the tabla player that I'm doing the notation. Usually what I'll do is sit down with the tabla player in a, you know, more Hindustani style and say, hey, this is what I want. I want you to have like six overtones of teental. It should be at this tempo, blah, blah, blah. And they're like, oh, got it. I see what you want me to do. Right? And so all you need to figure out is the alignment points with the Western classical musicians. And so then the notation I put in the score is not really for them. It's for a conductor, for the Western musicians to be able to understand what they are doing and to be able to cue them in and help them kind of be in dialogue to one another. So it's interesting because, I mean, these days now I'm finding that there are tabla players who are both Indian and Western classical trained, and they want a part, but parts are not a thing. When I first wrote This Love Between Us, there were no parts for the tabla and sitar player. I actually had a cue sheet that I would actually point to as they were going, so that they knew, you know, what the different cues were because a part, you know, counting rests and stuff is not going to help them at all. So I think it's mostly trying to understand how is someone perceiving something and how can you give them the information they need in the most seamless way possible so that you can express what you want to express? IL: I love how technical that entire rundown was. I also wanted to talk a bit about your work, Terra Infirma, which is pretty recent. I had the honor of attending the premiere of Terra Infirma, a harp concerto that you composed based on your experiences with the Los Angeles fires in January of 2025. Um, it was such a wonderful work. I personally really loved hearing how you musically depicted the progression of a wildfire from despair to hope. It's also not the first environment based piece that you've written. YYou've written, for example, Earth Speaks in 2015. How do you approach composing works that are so rooted in environmentalism? And of course, have, have the undertones of speaking to the larger climate crisis at hand? RE: The thing that is interesting is, you know, someone was asking me about that piece, you know, you, you're, they're asking like, how do you kind of deal with activism in your work? And I was saying like, you know, I don't really think of myself as an activist because I think these issues are so fundamental to all of us, right? It's like you turn on your tap and you're just afraid that there's only going to be so long before water stops coming up. That's not, um, it doesn't feel like activism. It just feels like, you know, fear and it feels like we're tapping into these human emotions where people are so worried about what's going to happen. We don't really know what to do. And I think, you know, with anything, most people who have fear about things, you're going to just clam up if you feel that it's too, um, too much to deal with. And it is I mean, the environmental crisis is so huge that I think most people are just clamming up. And I guess, you know, what is our role as musicians? I think it's maybe to have some moments where we're not just like on our phones, seeing pictures of things burn down and freaking out where we can actually take some time to just reflect and be with one another. Because if we're going to solve this, it's going to be together and we need to come to some kind of like calm understanding of what is happening. And so a lot of my pieces are not accusatory. They're not, you know, pointing a finger. They're not supposed to rile people up. They're supposed to actually depict that experience of what it feels like to really sit with a hard thing for a long time and come to terms with it and then figure out how to move forward. And that's certainly the case with Terra Infirma and certainly the case with my Requiem. Certainly the case with curiosity, like you were saying, it's from Earth Speaks, which is many years ago. And that piece actually talks about the, the Pasadena institution's. It was actually for an organization called Pasadena Master Chorale. They commissioned the work many years ago. And what's so funny is I now live in Pasadena. I live in Altadena, up in the hills. So it's I wasn't living here at the time, but it is, you know, a place where many scientific institutions like the U.S. Geological Survey, you know, JPL, Caltech, all these places that are really exploring the environment in important ways are based. And so the piece kind of honors that and honors how we can interact positively with our environment. We can get data, we can find ways to do things that are, I mean, beyond my understanding, you'd have to ask a scientist, but but I just love that that we're in this place that sees the environment as something to understand more deeply instead of something that's just going to turn on us at a certain point. IL: Certainly. And I'm really curious, because Terra Infirma is also a work that was paired with multimedia animation and performance. Was there anything in your compositional process that differed when you're collaborating across these different mediums? RE: Yeah. So it's interesting because so the, there was, there were projections that were happening. And also in addition to that, it was a harp concerto, but a harp concerto where the harpist was also playing percussion. And so there were some elements that were so different than what would be typically like if harpist was like, I want a concerto. You would just be like, okay, you know, she sits there, she plays these notes. They're in that one position. That's all fine. Um, there was so much more, you're right with this piece than with, um, with my normal pieces. Um, and to me it's both, how can I say this? There's, there's such a different way I have to think about it, but I think that way starts with collaboration. So Yolanda Kondonassis, the incredible harp player, and Camilla Tassi, who was the production designer. These are people I know well and I've had multiyear relationships with. And so when you're thinking about how to build something, you're totally aware of what their work is like. I knew kind of the not even what Camilla's projections were going to look like, but the way that they interact with things. We've done projects together before. And so I pretty much had the sense of how she was going to respond. And I knew what she needed to know in order for her to do her work and make things kind of match up with one another. And then also with Yolanda, a lot of the stuff I put in that was like harp and percussion together. It wasn't something that I was making her do, right? It were things that we came up with together. We've spent so long workshopping things in percussion studios in, um, you know, we've met in all these different cities and we're basically like banging things against a harp and doing, you know, just so much experimentation. So for every technique you see in the concerto, you, um, you basically there's like ten things that we didn't do that didn't put in. So you're really only seeing the best of all the kind of crazy stuff that we tried. So I do think the thing is that when you're trying to invent something new and you're trying to invent new styles and new techniques, I mean, you can think of anything, but you're trying to find the things that A practically work and B allow the performers and the artists to really express themselves. So I found that I was actually choreographing the piece before I was composing it, um, that I had to figure out, okay, where are these percussion setups going to be? What are the instruments that I want? Okay. Are these chimes going to be like over her head? Or is she going to have to reach really far to get them? Are they going to be near the low end of the harp? Things like that that seem so practical. But the difference between having to reach out far and slowly versus having to like, quickly swat something near your ear, right? It makes a different choreography. And so I thought that way first. And then I kind of put the notes and rhythms and melodies and stuff in. IL: Let's now hear a selection from Reena Esmail's Terra Infirma. This is the fourth movement titled “Roaming the Ghost Forest.” Yolanda Kondonassis is the harpist with the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra. [MUSIC: Terra infirma: IV. roaming the ghost forest] IL: The harpist was Yolanda Kondonassis with the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra, playing the fourth movement of Terra Infirma by composer Reena Esmail. I'm Isabel Leigh, and in this episode of Apex Express, I'm joined by Reena Esmail, the composer, in conversation about her music and her approach to making art. Something else that I really was fascinated with on your on your Instagram account. You actually made a post a while back that I found to be very powerful. It's pinned as the letter to the young artists' immigrant parents. It's such an empathetic message that I also really relate to as a daughter of immigrants in the arts. And you kind of argue that these children's pursuit of the arts is a tribute to their parents immigrant struggles. Um, what motivated you to write this letter? RE: You know, I'm so glad you asked about that because so much has changed since I wrote that letter in a really good way. You know, first of all, I will say that when I wrote that letter, if you weren't a child of, you know, like Asian immigrant parents, you. And actually, I think this is true for most immigrant parents who, you know, have kind of given up everything to move to America so that their kids can explore all these opportunities they wouldn't get in their country of origin. When I first wrote this letter, it was really just, I felt like I was saying something really new. And now I think what's really interesting is that we have both parents who understand this and, um, kind of almost this parody way of seeing what Asian parents are like. Right. For me, one thing that I, that just makes my heart sing is the comedy of Zarna Garg. I don't know if you know who she is, but she is like an Indian American comic and she plays this role of being like this very typical Indian parent. And I will say, my parents weren't really like this because again, they were two different religions and married one another. So they were already quite open minded. But like 99% of Indian parents and even my parents, sometimes they have this thing of like, well, ‘why are you going into this?' Like you should make money, you should do this stuff. And I feel like, um, since Zarna's comedy came into the world, it's such an easy way to just point a finger at that and say, hey, this is what we're really dealing with as Indian immigrants. And, you know, we all just laugh at it. And I find that, you know, sometimes my friends who are just, you know, white Americans who have been in this family has been in this country for many generations. They don't get it. But like anyone who's a child of immigrant is like, oh yes, I completely understand what she's saying. So we have that. And I think that's really healthy and awesome. And she's very talented. Um, and on the other hand, I found that when I was first going into music and I mean, I, you know, when I was 18 and I was going to go to Juilliard, my parents were certainly supportive and curious and wanted me to do whatever they thought I might be good at enough to make a living and didn't want to optimize for, oh, you need to earn the most money or you need to, etc. but most other Indians around us were like, oh my God, she's so smart. Why is she like wasting her life doing music? You know, that was kind of the dominant narrative. And so I had to become very good at explaining why. And imagine my complete disbelief when I would go to conservatory and meet people whose parents had encouraged them to do music. I was like, what is happening? Like, we're like, there'd be four siblings and all of them would be in the arts. And I was like, oh wait, you're not the black sheep of your family. Like, I mean, half of my family, I don't think really knows what I do still even. Right? And so to me, it was so important to provide some kind of context. And like you said, it's like to, to come to this country and be an immigrant and to come with a lot of skills, but to have to just work in silence for so many years with no congratulation, with no one just constantly propping you up. That is what being an artist is. And you know, it's only maybe the past 10 years of my career that I've even been visible to people. Before that, it was just me doing my thing and like, no one cared about it. It was not not glamorous at all. And for me, that's what built the kind of strength in me to be able to sustain the career that I have now. And so I think if it had been a little too easy, I don't know that I would be able to handle, um, the, what I have now. So I think what's great though is that the Indian parents of kids who are teenagers and in their twenties nowadays are not coming to me being like, oh my God, what do I do with this kid who wants to be a musician? I've failed as a parent. Which again, for those of you who are not Asian, this is totally a true thing out there. They will come to me and say, hey, look, my, my child doesn't wants to be a musician. I want to help them. I can't tell like, are they good at this? Where should they be? Can you help me understand things? And that is really what my parents did. And I will, you know, kind of go further to say — PBS did a special on me a number of years ago, and I insisted on putting my parents in this special because I wanted people to see what it looked like to have really encouraging Indian parents who, again, they weren't going in blind. They were. They would go to my teachers and be like, well, I mean, is she good? Can she do this? We don't know what these answers are. Can you help us understand? And they really relied on the right people to be able to help me get to places that they couldn't get, but they also weren't just immediately dismissive of it. And that's what allowed me to kind of have a massive advantage, because I didn't have to also go back to school and do a medical degree. Or like most of my my peers of my age actually did. So I wanted to put them on that special to actually show that that is possible. And I'm seeing more and more that it is. There are many more parents like that now. And oh my goodness, I love every one of them. IL: That's wonderful. When you look back at your compositional career and how everything has changed since then, how do you think your work has evolved? RE: Oh, so you mean like since I began being a composer? IL: Yeah. Or maybe in the past ten years, even. RE: Yeah. It's interesting because I think one of the big inflection points in my work was when I did my Fulbright in India. So before that, I really didn't know very much about Indian classical music. And then the year before that, I really started to get deeper and started to integrate my Indian and Western classical world with one another. And then, you know, I from 2011 to 2012, I went to India and what was so different was actually seeing the music in its culture and actually getting to participate as an Indian in India, studying Indian classical music. Right. Because there's no filter. You're not going through a Western filter. You're just there in this culture. And I know that many of my Indian teachers, they kind of had this attitude of like, look, we don't know what kind of music you were doing before, but we're so glad you're here and studying your own music. And this is great. And so there wasn't this sense of having to go through another culture to get to their, their music. And to me, that really changed things because I don't see myself as writing music. That's one through the conduit of the other. I just see it as two streams that are equally incredible and equally independent, and they just meet each other in these interesting places. IL: And looking ahead into the future, is there an ensemble or an artist who you haven't worked with before that you'd love to work with? Ooh. It's interesting because, like, almost everyone who comes to mind is not a musician. Um, I've worked with so many. I mean, truly, I've been so lucky to work with musicians like Gil and Orli Shaham. Yolanda Kondonassis. I'm writing a piece for Hilary Hahn and Matthias Goerne right now. It's I mean, just like literally anyone who I could ever ask to work with, I have. I don't know. I mean, to me, it's like, gosh, someone like Misty Copeland would be amazing. Like, you know, there are so many actors like the world of Indian/South Asians in comedy and in drama and stuff like that is just incredible. People like Mindy Kaling who have done incredible things to me, people like that are just going outside of just music would be fascinating to me. IL: Absolutely. And I will put a link to your website, as well as the links to the music that will also be aired on this in this episode on KPFA.org, so our listeners can learn more about you and your wonderful work. Well, Reena, thank you so much for your time and thank you for talking to me today. RE: Absolutely. The post APEX Express – 8.06.26 – Obbligato – In Conversation with Composer Reena Esmail appeared first on KPFA.

Tim Conway Jr. on Demand
"Calling Dr. Bombay! Emergency! Come right away!"

Tim Conway Jr. on Demand

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2026 35:03 Transcription Available


The Tim Conway Jr Show Hour 3 (8.4) A packed hour. Let's move. ⚡ We open with spooky season kicking down the door in August — Spirit Halloween stores are popping up nationwide.

Bill Handel on Demand
Handel on the News

Bill Handel on Demand

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2026 29:11 Transcription Available


(August 05, 2026) Amy King and Neil Saavedra join Bill for Handel on the News. Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery judge sets March 2027 trial date for antitrust fight. Lineage to spend $80 to $100MIL on warehouse fire cleanup efforts. Edison tower caused deadly Eaton fire that devastated Altadena.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Open-Door Playhouse
THEATER 200 -Acceptance

Open-Door Playhouse

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2026 12:12


Send us Fan MailWhile lying in his hospital bed, David reaches out to his estranged daughter Julie and her husband Robert and requests a visit to clear the air and apologize for all the cruel things he said and did in the past. Can she accept him as her father?Mimi Kmet directs a cast that includes Noelle Evangelisti as Julie, David Mingrino as David, and Ernest McDaniel as Robert. Author Martin Fogarty is a playwright and acting coach based in Oregon. He received his Master's Degree from the University of Washington.Support the showFounded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What's Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA. There's no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to  https://open...

Live Love Thrive with Catherine Gray
Cagney & Lacey Help the Altadena Fires Film Fundraiser with Tyne Daly, Eric Dyson and Catherine Gray Ep. 499

Live Love Thrive with Catherine Gray

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2026 29:28


Today on the Invest In Her Podcast, host Catherine Gray talks with 6-time Emmy award-wining Actress Tyne Daly of Cagney and Lacey fame and award-winning director Eric Dyson, to talk about their upcoming fundraiser for his important and moving Alta Dena fires film.  On Sept 17, 2026 there will be an Extraordinary Evening of Legacy, Storytelling, and Purpose. Join us at an intimate private theater in West Hollywood for an exclusive Cagney & Lacey Reunion featuring Emmy Award-winning actresses Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless, hosted by Golden Globe-nominated actress Susan Anton.   Limited to just 50 guests, this unforgettable evening includes a premiere short film, a live reunion conversation, audience Q&A, and an auction of rare Cagney & Lacey memorabilia—all in support of an important cause. The event benefits Parable of the Ashes, a feature documentary inspired by the prophetic work of acclaimed author Octavia Butler and the devastating aftermath of the Eaton Fire. This event is sponsored by the Sunset Marquis.   The film explores the profound disparity that left Altadena disproportionately impacted while many surrounding communities were spared—echoing the social inequities and climate realities Butler envisioned decades ago. More importantly, it will help preserve Altadena's history, document its recovery, educate future generations, and serve as a fundraising tool to support the community's rebuilding efforts. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Eric Dyson, whose acclaimed documentary short on the Eaton Fire won Best Documentary Short at the Pasadena International Film Festival and the Burbank Film Festival, will direct a feature will expand this powerful story through the voices of residents, historians, and community leaders.   Your tax-deductible contribution through 501(c)3 From The Heart Productions directly supports the production and distribution of this documentary, ensuring it reaches audiences, schools, and communities while generating awareness and resources for Altadena's continued recovery.   Together, we can preserve an important story, honor an extraordinary community, and transform film into a lasting instrument for education, remembrance, and renewal. A portion of the proceeds will also go to Civic Soul, a non profit stated by Actor John Stamos and his wife Caitlin- that is helping the fire survivors.   We hope you'll join us and become part of this important journey with your donation or investment. For tickets and/or producing opportunities, contact www.EricDyson.net Or reach out to Catherine Gray or Eric Dyson on LinkedIn! Websites Mentioned: Show Her The Money – https://showherthemoneymovie.com She Angel Investors – https://www.sheangelinvestors.com   Follow Us On Social Facebook @sheangelinvestors Twitter (X) @sheangelsinvest Instagram @sheangelinvestors & @catherinegray_investinher LinkedIn @catherinelgray & @sheangels  

Open-Door Playhouse
THEATER 199: Charlotte

Open-Door Playhouse

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2026 40:58


Send us Fan MailJoseph is desperate to find help for his troubled trans daughter, Charlotte. He seeks the counsel of a renowned transgender activist, Jenna. But Jenna is the trans woman he bullied in high school. She has never forgiven him.Bernadette Armstrong directs a cast that includes Noelle Evangelisti as Jenna, Gilbert Glenn Brown as Joseph, Gloria Tsai as Anne, and Camille Ameen as Clara.Sasha Cohen is the playwright. He is a student at Wesleyan University (class of '29) with a prospective double major in English and sociology. This is his first play.Support the showFounded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What's Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA. There's no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to  https://open...

The LA Report
LAPD negotiating Flock camera deal, Multifamily homes in Altadena, AI school replaces Montessori — Evening Edition

The LA Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2026 4:54


LAPD is negotiating a deal for the controversial Flock surveillance cameras. We break down community tensions over how to rebuild in Altadena. A local Montessori School is being replaced with an AI driven school. Plus, more from Evening Edition. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

The Jake Feinberg Show
The Aaron Sperske Interview Set VII

The Jake Feinberg Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2026 65:36


Prolific drummer and producer talks about moving back to his hometown of Altadena after the fires in '25 and how he has connected on a more visceral level to the town because of what has been preserved and what is growing back.

Country Music Dads
Brian Whelan: Zen and the Art of Session Musicians

Country Music Dads

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2026 54:57


Brian Whelan is a professional musician with a range of impressive credits to his name. He's supported Post Malone's early forays into country music, was a mainstay in Dwight Yoakam's studio band and supported one of last year's best albums, Jake Owen's Dreams to Dream. In addition to his studio work, Whelan is a regular on stages across Southern California and beyond. Like so many musicians based in Los Angeles, he called Altadena home. The proximity to recording studios, affordable and interesting housing and a slower pace of life were appealing. Along with his wife, they welcomed their twins home to the city, and not long after that, their lives changed, along with so many others, on a windy night in January. More than 9,400 structures burned down in that fire that raged through the hills and neighborhood east of Los Angeles. The Dads speak with Whelan about music, the impact of the Eaton fire on the music scene in LA, especially the roots, Americana and country scenes, and how being a dad, growing up and getting "Pro Vibed" have provided balance in his life and approach. Show Notes:2:20 - Brian claims he knew he'd be a performer at 6 years old—and never looked back. As he got older, he became a “liner note junky” and knew he wanted to be one of those guys.4:22 - Becoming a father drastically shifted his priorities and changed his idea of time. Brian flipped the script on Dave and Donnie and put the question on them -- always a good guest power mover. 7:50 - The Kid Happy Hour: Putting on the greats, right after kid dinner and before bath and bed, the family gets some music, the parents get some drinks, and everyone dances. 9:59 - Brian has mixed feelings about having his kids go into the arts, but he will support them no matter what. But that is sometimes a bit harder said than done, and the guys explore that kind of support. 15:35 - Exploring how a session player helps develop and advance the sound of an artist's album, Brian explains that he sees himself as a connector and supporter of music. Almost as important is how he's matured as a person, and how his fatherhood and getting “Pro Vibed” have played into that process. 20:05 - We talk about Dwight Yoakam and how much Brian learned and grew when working in his band. 24:00 - Discussing Jake Owen's most recent album and his role in “the five-piece band in the middle of Hollyweird.” 31:50 - The impact of a local haunt on the trajectory of Brian's career -- a personal history of the Cinema Bar in Culver City. 37:05 - Eaton Fire and the long-term impact. Brian lost his first home, most of his guitars and most of the family photos. But his kids gave him and his wife purpose. He had a place to put his energy -- and his kids gave him an incredible gift. 45: 18 - The Dad Life Sound Check!Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we'd love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email countrymusicdads@gmail.com.Mentioned in this Episode:Marissa R. Moss on Jake Owen in the Don't Rock the Inbox newsletterBrian Whelan's websiteCinema BarMusiCaresTom T. Hall's children's record Country Songs for Children Vincent Neil Emerson's health issue postTender Country - Thomas CsorbaReview of Tender CountryCountry Cutler newsletter for new music discoveryNathan Evans Fox interviewChildren's books episode References:Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by MoodmodeSecond Hand Heart - Dwight YoakamI'll Pay the Price - Dwight YoakamDreams to Dream - Jake OwenBarefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake OwenWouldn't Be Gone - Jake OwenCan't Let Go - Lucinda WilliamsI Love - Tom T. HallFox on the Run - Tom T. HallThe Great Highway - Vincent Neil EmersonHe Would've Loved This - Thomas CsorbaLittle Green Apples - Thomas Csorba

The Bandwich Tapes
Evan Zee: Big Ears, Deep Community, and the Music of Becoming

The Bandwich Tapes

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2026 50:31


On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, and music director Evan Zee for a conversation that begins with musical connection and quickly opens into something deeper. I first found Evan while researching for another interview, tracing a path from Larry Goldings to Lila Forde and then to Evan. That kind of chain reaction is one of my favorite things about this show, and in this case it led to a conversation about listening, community, faith, family, and the way music can widen a person's heart.We begin by talking about Evan's musical relationship with singer Lila Forde and how their collaboration grew out of church work, friendship, and time spent simply playing together. Evan reflects on the importance of “big ears” as a musician, the kind of listening that goes beyond technique and becomes a way of serving the song, the people around you, and the moment itself. What follows is one of my favorite kinds of conversations: one that starts with music but naturally opens into larger questions about how to live.From there, Evan speaks with real honesty about marriage, fatherhood, and how family life changed his voice, his art, and his sense of purpose. He describes becoming a parent before he felt ready, and how that experience forced him to confront fear, insecurity, and the need for growth in a way that ultimately deepened his artistic expression. It is a thoughtful and moving part of the conversation, and one that gets at something I care deeply about on this podcast: how life itself shapes the music.We also spend time talking about Evan's long history playing in church, from starting as a teenager to later studying at USC, moving to Los Angeles, and navigating his own spiritual unraveling and reconstruction. Today, as music director at a Presbyterian church in Santa Monica, he has built a creative community around intention, trust, and “the hang.” He shares how that environment led to a new record featuring close collaborators including Lila Forde, Misha, Carl McComas-Reichl, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Tom Frazier, and Darla, and why he wanted the session to feel playful, immediate, and alive.We close by talking about a powerful live performance in the wake of the Eaton fire, which displaced Evan and his family from their Altadena home, as well as his deep love for Joni Mitchell and the spiritual force he hears in her writing. This episode is about much more than career milestones. It is about listening as a musical value, as a human value, and as a way of moving through the world with greater presence.Key TakeawaysEvan Zee talks about why “big ears” may be one of the most important qualities a musician can have, both on and off the bandstand.He shares how his collaboration with Lila Forde grew out of church work, friendship, and hours of unpaid playing simply for the sake of getting better together.Evan reflects candidly on how marriage and fatherhood reshaped his artistry, deepened his voice, and changed the way he experiences music.He discusses his journey through faith, deconstruction, and a more expansive understanding of music as a spiritual practice.As a music director in Santa Monica, Evan has created a scene built around trust, intention, generosity, and what musicians call “the hang.”He gives insight into a new record built with a close-knit cast of players including Lila Forde, Carl McComas-Reichl, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Tom Frazier, Misha, and Darla.We also talk about Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, live performance after loss, and the role music can play in grief, healing, and community.Music from the EpisodeWarm and Right - Evan Zee (Live in LA)Never Leave a Moment - Evan ZeeLong Lost Lover - Evan Zee (Live in LA)Love - Evan Zee (Live in LA)About the PodcastThe Bandwich Tapes is a podcast where I sit down with musicians, songwriters, producers, and creative people for thoughtful conversations about craft, career, collaboration, and the experiences that shape a life in music. It is a show about process, humanity, and the stories behind the work.Connect with the Showcontact@thebandwichtapes.com

Open-Door Playhouse
THEATER 198: That Kind of Future

Open-Door Playhouse

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 16:03


Send us Fan MailJulie loves Evan and wants to be his wife and have his children. Evan loves Jilie, but won't give her that kind of future. There's a reason for that.Bernadette Armstrong directs a cast that includes Sue Gisser as Julie and Matthew Scott Montgomery as Evan.Author Martin Fogarty is an Asian-American playwright and acting coach based in Oregon. He received his Master's Degree at the University of Washington.Support the showFounded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception. Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody and in 2023 the play What's Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.Plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, Sound Engineer is David Peters, sound effects are provided by Audio Jungle, and music from Karaoke Version. All plays are recorded at The Oak House Studio in Altadena, CA. There's no paywall at the Open-Door Playhouse site, so you could listen to everything for free. Open-Door Playhouse is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and if you would like to support performances of works by new and emerging playwrights, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the Podcast Stage. We strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising one-act plays and ten-minute shorts that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. To listen or to donate (or both), go to  https://open...

AIR JORDAN: A FOOD PODCAST
Is Betsy Worth The Schlep?

AIR JORDAN: A FOOD PODCAST

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2026 42:28


Jordan and Max finally made the voyage to Betsy in Altadena, where the reviews have been mostly strong, but the boys needed to know if the seasonal, hearth centered restaurant is worth the schlep. Plus, all the veggies, proper pork temp, day drinking at a new bar, Max doesn't want to watch soccer with Jordo, but he is a fashionista despite being in the hot seat, Saint James Iced Tea energy, and of course, what is the official Betsy schlep meter?

The LA Report
Latest on the Summit Fire, Comedy fundraiser for Altadena school, Caltech's cool marine lab. — Saturday Edition

The LA Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2026 8:31


The latest on the Summit Fire burning in the Antelope Valley. Rosebud Academy, a charter school in Altadena that was lost to the Eaton Fire, hosts a big comedy fundraise to help rebuild. Did you know that Caltech has a marine lab in Orange County -- and it's open to the public? Plus more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Verge of the Dude
Crossing the Covered Bridge to the Edge of the River

Verge of the Dude

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2026 35:38


Hey Dude, I took my dad back up to Yosemite where we found serenity along the South Fork of the Merced River, the Oakhurst Lodge swimming pool, the garden at the Mariposa Coffee Company and the cool little Wawona Library.  QUOTE: "Is this my Tom Bopp musical? Maybe." CAST: Tom Bopp, Diane Keaton, Huell Howser, Hell's Angels, Marlon Brando LOCATIONS: Yosemite, Wawona Hotel, The Redwoods in Yosemite, Oakhurst, Oakhurst Lodge, Los Angeles, Burbank, The Grapevine, Central Valley, Bakersfield, Bass Lake, Yosemite Gateway Art Center, Mariposa Coffee Company, Mariposa, Topanga Canyon, San Luis Obispo, California, Bigfoot Bakery and Grill, Wawona, South Fork of the Merced River, Pioneer Village, Wawona Library, Central California, Northern California, Echo Park, Altadena, England PROPS: DOGE, American Songbook, The 5, California's Gold, Nikon D3100 DSLR, The Wild Ones, 1967, hybrid bathrooms, Dodgers, A's, Giants, manna from Heaven, Vietnam War, 21 grams, 2005 Ford Rangers 4.0 V6, muscle cars, photo slides, fondue  SOUNDS: wind,  Laguna Sawdust Cowbell Chimes  (more cowbell), car muffler  PHOTO: "Old Wooden Covered Bridge" shot with a Nikon D3100 DSLR RECORDED: July 10, 2026  in "The Cafe" under the flight path of the Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank, California GEAR: Zoom H1 XLR with Sennheiser MD 46 microphone. TOTAL RUNNING TIME: 35:37 FILE SIZE: ~ 35 MB GENRES: storytelling, personal storytelling, personal journal, journal, personal narrative, audio, audio blog, confessional  HYPE: "It's a beatnik kinda literary thing in a podcast cloak of darkness." Timothy Kimo Brien (cohost on Podwrecked and host of Create Art Podcast) DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Proudly presented rough, raw and ragged. Seasoned with salty language and ideas. Not for most people's taste. Please be advised.

The LA Report
Realtor sentenced for post-fire rent hikes, Culver City weighs drive thru ban, Altadena historic district declared — Evening Edition

The LA Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2026 4:32


A local realtor is sentenced for rent price hikes after the L.A. fires, the first conviction of its kind. Culver City considers a ban on new drive-thru's - find out what chain made them consider it. L.A. County declares its first historic district. Plus, more from Evening Edition. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

The John Phillips Show
Rebuilding In The Palisades and Altadena Is Slow

The John Phillips Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2026 39:47 Transcription Available


Under 1 Percent of Homes have been rebuilt in 18 monthsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KSFO Podcast
Rebuilding In The Palisades and Altadena Is Slow

KSFO Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2026 39:47 Transcription Available


Under 1 Percent of Homes have been rebuilt in 18 monthsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KAZU - Listen Local Podcast
Emergency call boxes go away, Altadena rebuilding bill

KAZU - Listen Local Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2026 1:55


The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is currently removing all county emergency call boxes. And, a state senator wants to protect Altadena from real estate speculators while residents rebuild, but her bill also raises concerns.

The Ghost Story Guys
The Poltergeist Files, Vol. 1

The Ghost Story Guys

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2026 94:59


⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ad-free episodes, early release, and bonus shows⁠ We've been wanting to cover a full-on poltergeist case for a while and now here it is! Me and Paul dive into the 1960 Leuthold Poltergeist in Maschwanden, Switzerland, as well as a 1956 UFO sighting in Altadena, CA by W.E. Dickensheetz (for real). Also on this episode: Tom Waits down on the farm, making fun of Italians is okay, and one of our patrons passed Stephen King at a Patton Oswalt show, like two spooky ships in the night. For full shownotes, head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GhostStoryGuys.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The LA Report
Controversy over Arroyo Seco project, Altadena school hosts comedy fundraiser, Mahjong at LA County parks—Afternoon Edition

The LA Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2026 5:03


Why a proposal to clean water from the Arroyo Seco has sparked controversy among three cities. An Altadena school destroyed in the Eaton fire is hoping comedy can help fund its recovery. And how mahjong is making its way to L.A. County parks. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Buddhist Geeks
The Cost of Silence

Buddhist Geeks

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2026 30:27


In “The Cost of Silence,” dharma teacher Vince Horn and guest Daniel Klein trace what it costs us—psychologically, relationally, economically, and spiritually—to withhold the truth, arguing that the small silences of the dinner table are the same debt that scales into complicity with collective harm, asking what it takes to finally stop paying it.

The California Report Magazine
Students 'Podcasting Democracy'; Rock Opera Celebrates Pasadena

The California Report Magazine

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2026 31:19


‘Podcasting Democracy' Helps Constitution Come to Life for Teens As America gets ready to celebrate its 250th birthday, a new project called Podcasting Democracy is helping high school and middle school students engage with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Participants created a series of audio commentaries connecting how those founding documents still affect their lives today, and how they can use constitutional principles to create positive change in their own communities.The curriculum is free and available to teachers nationwide. It was written by KQED Education's Rachel Roberson, who along with 17-year-old student Eumari King Perez sat down with host Sasha Khokha to talk about the project. Time-Traveling Rock Opera Celebrates Pasadena A new time traveling rock opera called Pasadena Right Here, Right Now imagines the city's distant past, its far-off future and its fire-scarred present. Composer Russell Mark spent a year talking to dozens of locals from Pasadena and Altadena, who helped inspire the opera's storyline. It begins in the Pasadena of the future. In the year 2125, a professor at Caltech develops a time machine to travel back to 2025 Pasadena. As reporter Steven Cuevas tells us, the multi-part song cycle blends rock instrumentation with chamber music, to create a love letter to the region.  Long Beach Man Faces Deportation to a  Country He's Never Seen⁠ Since President Trump took office, his Administration has talked about deporting criminals,  even as they've mostly detained immigrants with no criminal background. But exactly who are those immigrants President Trump is calling the “worst of the worst?” KCRW's Andrew Lopez met one Long Beach man who, despite spending the last 10 years turning his life around, is now facing a future in a new country— a place he's never been.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Future of Everything presented by Stanford Engineering
Best of: The future of wildfire management

The Future of Everything presented by Stanford Engineering

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2026 32:32


In the western United States and Canada, this time of year is the beginning of peak wildfire season, a reality that's become impossible to ignore. In light of this, we're re-releasing my conversation with energy and climate policy expert Michael Wara on the future of wildfire management. Michael walks us through how we got here, why fires are burning bigger and more frequently, and what a smarter, more proactive approach to managing our landscapes might look like. Whether you're in a fire-prone region or simply paying attention to the changing climate around you, this one is well worth another listen. Have a question for Russ? Send it our way in writing or via voice memo, and it might be featured on an upcoming episode. Please introduce yourself, let us know where you're listening from, and share your question. You can send questions to thefutureofeverything@stanford.edu. Episode Reference Links: Stanford Profile: Michael Wara Connect With Us: Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon Connect with School of Engineering >>> Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Russ Altman introduces guest Michael Wara, a wildfire expert and professor of law at Stanford University. (00:02:05) Journey to Wildfire Research How Michael's clean energy work led to wildfire research. (00:03:36) Communities at the Frontlines The community-level challenges and responsibilities in fire prevention. (00:05:53) Shifting Community Perspectives How awareness is rising but state efforts remain misaligned. (00:08:17) Legacy Homes, Modern Risk Why older homes pose a major risk and retrofitting is crucial. (00:09:55) Utility-Led Safety Limitations The significant but insufficient progress utilities have made. (00:13:23) Targeting High-Risk Areas How utilities now prioritize high-risk areas for safety upgrades. (00:14:30) Insurance Industry Realities Why insurers can't price risk without crashing markets. (00:17:19) Urban Wildfires How today's major fires in suburbs are mostly fueled by homes. (00:22:12) The Climate Change Multiplier The impact of atmospheric dryness and fuel moisture on fire risk. (00:24:45) New Fire Regulations Recent mandates that have been implemented to decrease fire risk. (00:28:17) Rethinking Wildfire Communication Why better messaging is key to changing homeowner behavior. (00:31:52) Conclusion Connect With Us:Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything WebsiteConnect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / MastodonConnect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Consumer Tech Update
AI knows your pet is in pain

Consumer Tech Update

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2026 11:33


Pets are wired to hide their pain. AI detects it in seconds. Plus, Sue's son lost everything in the Altadena fire. He couldn't prove what he owned. We help Sue make a home inventory with AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Future Christian
The Hidden Drama Behind Every Pastor Search | Michelle Huneven

Future Christian

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2026 49:01 Transcription Available


Why do church search committees so often struggle to find the right pastor? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with novelist Michelle Huneven about her acclaimed novel Search, a witty and surprisingly insightful look at the dynamics of a church pastoral search committee. Although fictional, the novel captures many of the real-world challenges congregations face as they discern leadership, navigate competing priorities, and wrestle with their own identities. The conversation explores why churches are often drawn to charismatic candidates, how institutional blind spots shape hiring decisions, and why healthy congregations begin with self-awareness rather than simply searching for the "perfect" pastor. Huneven reflects on the parallels between church searches, university hiring, and other institutional decision-making, highlighting how group dynamics, consensus, and competing visions of the future influence outcomes. They also discuss declining church attendance, denominational structures, diversity, congregational governance, and the enduring tension between preserving tradition and embracing change. Along the way, Huneven shares practical wisdom from her own experience as a novelist, teacher, and occasional preacher about creativity, leadership, and the writing process. Together they explore: Why church search committees often struggle to discern the right leader The appeal—and danger—of charismatic candidates How group dynamics shape congregational decision-making Institutional health and leadership transitions Consensus, conflict, and competing visions for the future Why healthy churches are marked by self-awareness Michelle Huneven is the author of six novels, most recently Search and Bug Hollow. She teaches creative writing at UCLA. Among other honors she has received a James Beard Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She lost her house in Altadena, California in the Eaton fire so, while rebuilding, she lived in Los Angeles with her husband, dog, and talkative African Gray parrot.   Mentioned Resources:

The LA Report
More resources for Boyle Heights residents, SB 1090 aims to curb real estate speculators in Altadena, Plastic Free July — Afternoon Edition

The LA Report

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2026 5:00


Where Boyle Heights residents can get masks, air purifiers and other services following the warehouse fire. A proposed state bill could protect burned properties in Altadena from real estate speculators. And we'll tell you about an eco-challenge that wants you to ditch the plastic in July. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast
Thriving Is Climate, Flourishing Is Weather with Pam King

Homebrewed Christianity Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2026 90:17


Pam King is back, and this conversation moved at the pace it wanted to. She runs the Thrive Center at Fuller Theological Seminary, and the framework she has built there is the most useful integration of psychological science and Christian theology I have come across — six facets that spell THRIVE, with a telos she calls the reciprocating self. We started with Stanford and seminary and ended with how the church is asking nine-year-olds to defend their interpretation of Torah when what they actually need is a fifth adult who knows their name. In between: the difference between flourishing and thriving, the Altadena fires Pam watched from her office window, how Winnicott's good enough mother maps onto how children come to relate to God, what Mark Labberton's seminary depression taught him about liturgy, why I rebuilt our confirmation class around questions instead of doctrines, and the prayer I have been praying with my daughter Khora since she was an infant. You can check out her previous visit on the podcast here. Books we touched on: The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective, with Jack O. Balswick and Kevin S. Reimer. Her foundational telos book. Thriving with Stone Age Minds: Evolutionary Psychology, Christian Faith, and the Quest for Human Flourishing, with Justin L. Barrett. The Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence. Join our online class – THE FUTURE OF RELIGION⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tripp and Ilia Delio are teaming up for a brand-new four-week online class, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Future of Religion ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— for everyone who's read the books, asked the questions, and realized the faith they inherited doesn't quite fit anymore. Together they'll trace religion's evolutionary arc and map what's emerging on the other side. Includes 4 video lectures, 4 live Q&As (replays available), and a community of fellow travelers. Donation-based, pay what you're able (including $0). Live sessions start this month — register at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thefutureofreligion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Future Of Work
Bridging Recovery and Workforce with PCC's Wildland Fire Academy & Mathew Barboza, Dean of Business and Enrollment Management Episode 170

The Future Of Work

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2026 23:04 Transcription Available


What does it take to turn a crisis into an opportunity for community resilience and meaningful careers? In this episode of The Future of Work podcast, our host Dr. Salvatrice Cummo, talks with Pasadena City College's Dean of Business and Enrollment Management, Mathew Barboza, to discuss the rapid launch and far-reaching impact of the college's Wildland Fire Academy.Sparked by the urgent needs following the Eaton fire, this program trains and empowers students to become skilled wildland firefighters—meeting a critical demand as California's fire season becomes a year-round reality. Tune in as we explore what it takes to adapt education for real-world challenges, hear the inspiring stories of students called to serve, and learn how innovative training is shaping the future workforce and helping rebuild lives and communities in the Altadena and Los Angeles Region.You'll learn:Why short-term, high-impact training programs are critical for workforce readiness and regional recoveryThe importance of timing academies to synchronize with hiring cycles for organizations like U.S. Forest Service and Cal FireWhy up-to-date equipment, strong advisory committees, and close industry alignment matter for effective workforce educationThe role that accessible, responsive higher education can play in both immediate disaster response and building long-term resilienceAbout the guest:Mathew Barboza attended Cal Poly Pomona and earned his bachelor's degree in communication arts and later attended Cal State Fullerton to earn a master's degree in communication arts. After graduating, Barboza started a graphic design career in the advertising and marketing field, working on such global brands as Coca-Cola, Ray Ban, Bebe, Oakley, and BCBG.After 15 years in the advertising industry, Barboza made the leap to education, where he began teaching for Moreno Valley College, within the Riverside Community College system. He taught at MVC for 19 years across several FSA's (faculty service areas) including computer science, computer information systems, graphic design, digital art, and game design. While teaching, he became interested in a management position and was hired as the Dean of CTE (Career and Technical Education) at CMC (Copper Mountain College), located in Joshua Tree, California. Copper Mountain College is one of the smallest California Community Colleges in the state, which allowed him to become deeply involved in many aspects of his CTE Dean role.While at Copper Mountain College, Barboza was approached by CMC's Fire Technology faculty, asking him to support a new WFA (Wildland Fire Academy). As a team, the Fire Technology faculty and Mathew Barboza created and supported CMC's very first WFA, which is still being offered today. After a few years at CMC, Barboza applied to colleges closer to his home and was hired by PCC (Pasadena City College) as the Dean of Business and Enrollment Management in 2022.While working at PCC, Dean Barboza was contacted by his former Fire Technology faculty from CMC, informing him of the fact that PCC is within the Verdugo Corridor, which meant that this Firefighter/Faculty cadre would follow him to PCC if he agreed to start a WFA there. Agreeing to this, the Fire team and Dean Barboza launched PCC's first 8-week WFA academy in 2025.Last year's WFA boasted a full cohort of 40 students, which was limited by the classroom size. This year, PCC's WFA was able to move to a larger classroom, allowing the enrollment of 60 students into cohort #2.Because of our alignment with USDA FS (United States Department of Agriculture Service Forest Service) we were invited to train at MRCA (Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority) located in the Malibu Hills, where PCC currently conducts field training.Engage with us:LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook: @PasadenaCityCollegeEWDJoin our newsletter for more on this topic: ewdpulse.comVisit: PCC EWD websiteMore from Dean Barboza & The Wildland Fire Academy at PCC:Visit - WIldland Fire Academy CertificationDean Barboza: mbarboza3@pasadena.edu or 626-585-7684LinkedIn - @mathewbarbozaFull-time faculty Lead Captain Frank Brambilla: fbrambila2@pasadena.edu or 626-585-7647Partner with us! Contact our host Salvatrice Cummo directly: scummo@pasadena.eduFind the transcript of this episode herePlease rate us and leave us your thoughts and comments on Apple Podcasts - we'd love to hear from you!

Airtalk
The Boyle Heights fire, LAUSD superintendent resigns, history of LA punk, PetTalk and more

Airtalk

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2026 99:04


Today on AirTalk: Boyle Heights fire (0:30) LAUSD superintendent Alberto Carvalho resigns (9:18) LA Metro, city of Burbank, and businesses at odds over the rapid bus route (17:56) History of L.A. punk (34:16) New legislation looks to curb housing speculation in Altadena (51:31) PetTalk (1:09:39) Visit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

Midnight Snack with Michelle Collins
Altadena Menzel (w/ Ellie Kemper)

Midnight Snack with Michelle Collins

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2026 65:30


Is there any better way to kick off a morning or any time of day then listening to Queen of both Comedy & KOHL'S Ellie Kemper? Michelle (writing this) argues no! Ellie sits in her finest bistro chair to join Michelle for an almost academic discussion about comedian genetics, musical theatre high school, FORENSICS (trigger warning for those sick of it, note that Ellie had never heard of it) and an in-depth look at two of their favorite movies, Little Shop of Horrors & My Cousin Vinny. Which begs the question: Did the movies you loved as a kid hold up? Or were our brains just so soft at that point that nothing could possibly top them? To hear this episode ad-free or watch a video of the show, head over to patreon.com/michcoll. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fascination Street
Imaad Wasif - Musician (Imaad Wasif / The Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

Fascination Street

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2026 51:38 Transcription Available


Imaad WasifTake a walk with me down Fascination Street as I get to know Imaad Wasif. Imaad is a musician, singer, and songwriter from the California Desert. In this episode, we chat about how his family wound up living in the desert, and what it was like growing up as 'The Weird Indian Kid' in that fairly tightknit community. We do discuss his parents and their influences on his musicality as well as his overall worldview. While his family comes from India, his parents thought it might be a good idea to make a hasty retreat from their home country due to one of his folks being Muslim, while the other is Hindu. After a stint in Canda, then London, the family moved to Palm Desert. Imaad's influences know no bounds. His father was a Ghazal singer, the family spoke Urdu at home, and Imaad grew up attending 'generator parties' in the desolate lands that are now famous for Coachella! Imaad generously lets me play my favorite song from his very first solo album from twenty years ago. The we do a deep dive into 'The Devine', the 'Super Consciousness', and what it means to have an 'awareness of self'. Naturally I ask how he came to be basically the fourth member of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs; with whom he has play for twenty years as well. Finally, we dig into Imaad's newest record. This is his SEVENTH solo album, and it is called 'Superconsciousness', and it was released in mid-March of this year. All of the songs are avail in all of the usual places, but YOU SHOULD PURCHASE the new album on Bandcamp. He is eve selling it on vinyl and includes several demo versions of some of the tracks. Speaking of which, Imaad is such a rad gut, that he lets me play my favorite track from the new record. The making of this record was severely hampered by the catastrophic wildfires in Altadena, California. Imaad lost some stuff but was very lucky overall, thank goodness. Follow Imaad Wasif on Instagram to see where he will be playing live next!***LIVE AT PERMANENT RECORDS IN LOS ANGELES JULY 3RD***

The Terri Cole Show
838 Love Hard on Purpose with John Kim (The Angry Therapist)

The Terri Cole Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2026 38:12


Stop falling into the anxious-avoidant attachment trap. In this episode, learn how to build a healthy relationship and experience corrective love. Today, I'm sitting down for a deeply personal, raw, and honest conversation with my longtime friend John Kim (aka The Angry Therapist) to discuss his brand new book, Love Hard on Purpose: Toss the Blueprints, Build Something Honest. We are stripping away the fairytale narratives and diving into what it actually takes to build a secure relationship from scratch. John opens up about his heavy heart following a recent relationship rupture, how losing his home in the Altadena fires completely transformed his identity, and his own realization about childhood mother wounds and shadow addictions. I also share my own journey healing a father wound and breaking free from high-functioning codependency. Whether you are single on purpose or trying to navigate a long-term partnership, this episode will show you how to move past the trauma breakers and rewire your body to accept a calm, healthy, and deeply intimate love. Read the show notes for today's episode at terricole.com/838

Tim Conway Jr. on Demand
A Little Ol' Vino Would Be Keeno with Salmonella-Infused Cheese Bread. Yum!

Tim Conway Jr. on Demand

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2026 27:27 Transcription Available


Tim Conway Jr Show Hour 3 (6.3) Pasadena PD is doing training tonight, so if you live in northeast Pasadena, expect lots of booms, bangs, choppers and controlled explosions. Isn’t that right near Altadena? Haven’t those people suffered enough? Meanwhile, Tom Steyer has blown nearly a billion dollars on politics and still can’t get people to like him. Rough business. In better news, 133 bottles of century-old wine was found hidden in a Czech castle since World War II. And this morning feds raided a $35 million mansion in Newport Coast and arrested a US-Iranian guy for selling secrets to Iran. At that price, how much is the property tax?! Then to wrap it up, Timmy read a really touching letter from a woman whose retired LA County firefighter husband lost their beloved dog Pierre, a 13-year-old Human Remains Detection K9 who just crossed the rainbow bridge. Got a little dusty in the studio on that one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Angry Therapist Podcast: Ten Minutes of Self-Help, Therapy in a Shotglass for fans of Joe Rogan Experience

Love often starts as a drug. But what happens when the high wears off? In this episode, John Kim explores the difference between “drug-based love” and “medicine-based love,” and why most relationships struggle when chemistry begins to settle. He talks about projection, love addiction, emotional growth, and how real healing begins when relationships stop being a place to escape yourself and become a place to return to yourself. John also shares personal reflections on rebuilding life in Costa Rica after losing his home in Altadena, and how reinvention is shaping this new season of his life. Key points covered: • Why love feels intoxicating in the beginning • The difference between chemistry and healing • How projection shapes modern dating • “Recess love” vs mature relational work • Why repair matters more than avoiding conflict • How healthy love can rewire old patterns and fears Resources & mentions: • John discusses his new book, Love Hard on Purpose • Listeners who purchase the book get access to his private WhatsApp community If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who's learning the difference between chemistry and healing. Follow the podcast for more conversations on love, growth, and relationships.