Podcasts about Carnegie Hall

Send us a textOn the night his new Netflix special Full Volume hits screens, global comedy icon Vir Das sits down with South Asian Trailblazers Host Simi Shah for an unforgettable podcast live-recorded at the ‪Asia Society of New York.  WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.

Today's Guest Mary Lou is a sought-after speaker and advocate on Lewy Body Dementia and Caregiving since writing her first book. I didn't see it coming. Scenes of love, loss, and Lewy Body Dementia. Mary Lou was inspired to write her memoir after her late husband, illustrator Nicky Zann, died from Lewy Body Dementia in 2020. Mary Lou's journey with Nicky was not her first time as a caregiver. When Mary Lou was 10 years old, her father at age 37 suffered a massive stroke that robbed him of his ability to speak as well as his employment.  The oldest of three kids, Mary Lou helped her mom care for her dad and family. A former opera singer and educator, Mary Lou is internationally known as the classical music publicist slash strategist who for 50 years has helped guide the careers of celebrated artists and advised many institutions including Carnegie Hall, the Los Angeles, New York, and Vienna Philharmonic. She now adds another layer, advocate for Lewy Body Dementia awareness. Mary Lou serves on the board of the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center of New York City.  She is also an executive producer along with Renee Fleming, musician Yo-Yo Ma, and actor David Hyde Pierce, of a new documentary film about Lewy Body Dementia entitled Facing the Wind. The documentary had its world premiere at the Doc NYC Film Festival November 2024, along with a preview presentation at New York's Lincoln Center that same month. Links from May Lou https://maryloufalcone.com/ https://facingthewindfilm.com/ I Didn't See It Coming About Dr. Raj Dr Raj is a quadruple board certified physician and associate professor at the University of Southern California. He was a co-host on the TNT series Chasing the Cure with Ann Curry, a regular on the TV Show The Doctors for the past 7 seasons and has a weekly medical segment on ABC news Los Angeles. More from Dr. Raj The Dr. Raj Podcast Dr. Raj on Twitter Dr. Raj on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

¡La música jazz internacional se apodera de la República Dominicana! En este episodio conversamos con Margarita Miranda de Mitrov, presidenta de la Fundación Sinfonía, quien nos comparte todos los detalles sobre la llegada de la prestigiosa NYO Jazz del Carnegie Hall al país. La orquesta ofrecerá dos presentaciones imperdibles:

You are in for a real treat on this episode. My guest this time is Greg Schwem. Greg is a corporate comedian. What is a corporate comedian? You probably can imagine that his work has to do with corporations, and you would be right. Greg will explain much better than I can. Mr. Schwem began his career as a TV journalist but eventually decided to take up what he really wanted to do, be a comedian. The story of how he evolved is quite fascinating by any standard. Greg has done comedy professionally since 1989. He speaks today mostly to corporate audiences. He will tell us how he does his work. It is quite interesting to hear how he has learned to relate to his audiences. As you will discover as Greg and I talk, we often work in the same way to learn about our audiences and thus how we get to relate to them. Greg has written three books. His latest one is entitled “Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff”. As Greg says, “Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, ‘woe is me,' self- serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. Greg offers many interesting observations as he discusses his career and how he works. I think we all can find significant lessons we can use from his remarks. About the Guest: Hi! I'm Greg Schwem. a Chicago-based business humor speaker and MC who HuffPost calls “Your boss's favorite comedian.” I've traveled the world providing clean, customized laughs to clients such as Microsoft, IBM, McDonald's and even the CIA. I also write the bi-weekly Humor Hotel column for the Chicago Tribune syndicate. I believe every corporate event needs humor. As I often tell clients, “When times are good, people want to laugh. When times are bad, people need to laugh.” One Fortune 500 client summed things up perfectly, saying “You were fantastic and just what everybody needed during these times.” In September 2024 I released my third and most personal book, Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff. Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, “woe is me,” self-serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. You can pick up a copy at Amazon or select book stores. Ways to connect with Greg: Website: www.gregschwem.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/gregschwem LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/gregschwem Instagram: www.instagram.com/gregschwem X: www.x.com/gregschwem About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:16 Hi everyone, and welcome to unstoppable mindset. Today we are going to definitely have some fun. I'll tell you about our guests in a moment, but first, I want to tell you about me. That'll take an hour or so. I am Michael Hingson, your host, and you're listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. And I don't know, we may get inclusion or diversity into this, but our guest is Greg Schwem. Greg used to be a TV reporter, now he's a comedian, not sure which is funnier, but given some of the reporters I've seen on TV, they really should go into tonight club business. But anyway, Greg, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here. I really appreciate you being here and taking the time   Greg Schwem ** 02:04 Well, Michael, it is an honor to be included on your show. I'm really looking forward to the next hour of conversation. I   Speaker 1 ** 02:10 told Greg a little while ago, one of my major life ambitions that I never got to do was to go to a Don Rickles concert and sit in the front row so that hopefully he would pick on me, so that I could say, Yeah, I saw you once on TV, and I haven't been able to see since. What do you think of that? You hockey puck, but I never got to do it. So very disappointed. But everybody has bucket list moments, everybody has, but they don't get around to I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. Well, the other one is, I love to pick on Mike Wallace. I did a radio show for six years opposite him in 60 minutes, and I always love to say that Wallace really had criminal tendencies, because he started out being an announcer in radio and he announced things like The Green Hornet and the Sky King and other shows where they had a lot of criminals. So I just figured he had to be associated with criminals somewhere in his life. Of course, everybody picked on him, and he had broad shoulders. And I again, I regret I never got to to meet him, which is sort of disappointing. But I did get to meet Peter Falk. That was kind of fun.   Greg Schwem ** 03:15 Mike Wallace to Peter Falk. Nice transition there. I know.   Michael Hingson ** 03:21 Well I am really glad you're with us. So why don't we start? We'll start with the serious part. Why don't you tell us, kind of about the early Greg schwim and growing up and all that sort of stuff, just to set the stage, as it were,   Greg Schwem ** 03:34 how far back you want to go? You want to go back to Little League, or you want to   Speaker 1 ** 03:37 just, oh, start at the beginning, a long time ago, right? I was a   Greg Schwem ** 03:41 very strange child. No, I you. You obviously introduced me as a as a comedian, and that is my full time job. And you also said that I was a former journalist, and that is my professional career. Yes, I went from, as I always like to say, I went from depressing people all day long, to making them laugh. And that's, that's kind of what I did. I always did want to be I majored in Journalism at Northwestern University, good journalism school. Originally, I always wanted to be a television reporter. That was as a professional career I was, I dabbled in comedy. Started when I was 16. That is the first time I ever got on stage at my school, my high school, and then at a comedy club. I was there one of the first comedy clubs in Chicago, a place called the comedy cottage. It was in the suburb of beautiful, beautiful suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, and they were one of the very, very first full time comedy clubs in the nation. And as a 16 year old kid, I actually got on stage and did five minutes here and five minutes there. And thought I was, I was hot stuff, but I never, ever thought I would do it for a living. I thought comedy would always be just a hobby. And I. Especially when I went to college, and I thought, okay, Northwestern is pretty good school, pretty expensive school. I should actually use my degree. And I did. I moved down to Florida, wrote for a newspaper called The Palm Beach post, which, don't let that title fool you. It's Palm Beach was a very small segment of of the area that it was, that it served, but I did comedy on the side, and just because I moved down there, I didn't know anybody, so I hung out at comedy clubs just to have something to do. And little by little, comedy in the late 80s, it exploded. Exploded. There were suddenly clubs popping up everywhere, and you were starting to get to know guys that were doing these clubs and were starting to get recognition for just being comedians. And one of them opened up a very, very good Club opened up about 10 minutes from my apartment in West Palm Beach, and I hung out there and started to get more stage time, and eventually started to realize at the same time that I was getting better as a comedian, I was becoming more disillusioned as a journalist in terms of what my bosses wanted me to report on and the tone they wanted me to use. And I just decided that I would I would just never be able to live with myself if I didn't try it, if I didn't take the the plunge into comedy, and that's what I did in 1989 and I've been doing it ever since. And my career has gone in multiple directions, as I think it needs to. If you're going to be in show business and sustain a career in show business, you have to wear a lot of different hats, which I feel like I've done.   Michael Hingson ** 06:40 So tell me more about that. What does that mean exactly?   Greg Schwem ** 06:43 Well, I mean, I started out as a what you would pretty much if somebody said, If you heard somebody say, I'm a comedian, they would envision some guy that just went to comedy clubs all the time, and that's what I did. I was just a guy that traveled by car all over the Midwest and the Southeast primarily, and did comedy clubs, but I quickly realized that was kind of a going nowhere way to attack it, to do comedy unless you were incredibly lucky, because there were so many guys doing it and so many clubs, and I just didn't see a future in it, and I felt like I had to separate myself from the pack a little bit. And I was living in Chicago, which is where I'm from, and still, still exist. Still reside in Chicago, and I started to get involved with a company that did live trade show presentations. So if you've ever been on a trade show floor and you see people, they're mostly actors and actresses that wear a headset and deliver a spiel, a pitch, like every, every twice an hour, about some company, some new product, and so forth. And I did that, and I started to write material about what I was seeing on trade show floors and putting it into my stand up act, stuff about business, stuff about technology, because I was Hawking a lot of new computers and things like that. This was the mid 90s when technology was exploding, and I started to put this into my stand up act. And then I'd have people come up to me afterwards and say, hey, you know those jokes you did about computers and tech support, if you could come down to our office, you know, we're having a golf tournament, we're having a Christmas party, we would love to hear that material. And little by little, I started transitioning my act into doing shows for the corporate market. I hooked up with a corporate agent, or the corporate agent heard about me, and started to open a lot of doors for me in terms of working for very large corporations, and that's pretty much what I've been doing. I stopped working clubs, and I transitioned, instead of being a comedian, I became a corporate humor speaker. And that's what I do, primarily to this day, is to speak at business conferences. Just kind of get people to loosen up, get them to laugh about what they do all day without without making it sound like I'm belittling what they do. And also when I'm not doing that, I work about eight to 10 weeks a year on cruise ships, performing for cruise audiences. So that's a nice getaway.   Speaker 1 ** 09:18 It's interesting since I mentioned Don Rickles earlier, years ago, I saw an interview that he did with Donahue, and one of the things that Don Rickles said, and after he said it, I thought about it. He said, I really don't want to pick on anyone who's going to be offended by me picking on them. He said, I try to watch really carefully, so that if it looks like somebody's getting offended, I'll leave them alone, because that's not what this is all about. It isn't about abusing people. It's about trying to get people to have fun, and if somebody's offended, I don't want to to pick on them, and I've heard a number of albums and other things with him and just. Noticed that that was really true. He wouldn't pick on someone unless they could take it and had a lot of fun with it. And I thought that was absolutely interesting, because that certainly wasn't, of course, the rep that he had and no, but it was   Greg Schwem ** 10:16 true. It is, and it doesn't take long to see as a as a comedian, when you're looking at an audience member and you're talking to them, it, you can tell very quickly, Are they enjoying this? Are they enjoying being the center of attention? A lot of people are, or are they uncomfortable with it? Now, I don't know that going in. I mean, I you know, of course. And again, that's a very small portion of my show is to talk to the audience, but it is something particularly today. I think audiences want to be more involved. I think they enjoy you talk you. Some of these, the new comedians in their 20s and 30s and so forth. Them, some of them are doing nothing, but what they call crowd work. So they're just doing 45 minutes of talking to the audience, which can be good and can be rough too, because you're working without a net. But I'm happy to give an audience a little bit of that. But I also have a lot of stuff that I want to say too. I mean, I work very hard coming up with material and and refining it, and I want to talk about what's going on in my life, too. So I don't want the audience to be the entire show, right?   Speaker 1 ** 11:26 And and they shouldn't be, because it isn't about that. But at the same time, it is nice to involve them. I find that as a keynote and public speaker, I find that true as well, though, is that audiences do like to be involved. And I do some things right at the outset of most talks to involve people, and also in involving them. I want to get them to last so that I start to draw them in, because later, when I tell the September 11 story, which isn't really a humorous thing. Directly,   Greg Schwem ** 12:04 i know i Good luck. I'm spinning 911 to make it I don't think I've ever heard anybody say, by the way, I was trapped in a building. Stick with me. It's kind of cute. It's got a funny ending. And   Speaker 1 ** 12:20 that's right, and it is hard I can, I can say humorous things along the way in telling the story, but, sure, right, but, but clearly it's not a story that, in of itself, is humorous. But what I realized over the years, and it's really dawned on me in the last four or five years is we now have a whole generation of people who have absolutely no memory of September 11 because they were children or they weren't even born yet. And I believe that my job is to not only talk about it, but literally to draw them into the building and have them walk down the stairs with me, and I have to be descriptive in a very positive way, so that they really are part of what's going on. And the reality is that I do hear people or people come up and say, we were with you when you were going down the stairs. And I think that's my job, because the reality is that we've got to get people to understand there are lessons to be learned from September 11, right? And the only real way to do that is to attract the audience and bring them in. And I think probably mostly, I'm in a better position to do that than most people, because I'm kind of a curious soul, being blind and all that, but it allows me to to draw them in and and it's fun to do that, actually. And I, and   Greg Schwem ** 13:52 I gotta believe, I mean, obviously I wasn't there, Michael, but I gotta believe there were moments of humor in people, a bunch of people going down the stairs. Sure, me, you put people get it's like, it's like when a bunch of people are in an elevator together, you know, I mean, there's I, when I look around and I try to find something humorous in a crowded and it's probably the same thing now, obviously it, you know, you got out in time. But I and, you know, don't that's the hotel phone, which I just hung up so but I think that I can totally see where you're going from, where, if you're if you're talking to people who have no recollection of this, have no memory where you're basically educating them on the whole event. I think you then you have the opportunity to tell the story in whatever way you see fit. And I think that however you choose to do it is there's no wrong way to do it, I guess is what I'm trying to get at.   Speaker 1 ** 14:55 Well, yeah, I think the wrong way is to be two. Graphic and morbid and morbid, but one of the things that I talk about, for example, is that a colleague of mine who was with me, David Frank, at about the 50th floor, suddenly said, Mike, we're going to die. We're not going to make it out of here. And as as I tell the audience, typically, I as as you heard my introduction at the beginning, I have a secondary teaching credential. And one of the things that you probably don't know about teachers is that there's a secret course that every teacher takes called Voice 101, how to yell at students and and so what I tell people is that when David said that, I just said in my best teacher voice, stop it, David, if Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And he told me later that that brought him out of his funk, and he ended up walking a floor below me and shouting up to me everything he saw. And it was just mainly, everything is clear, like I'm on floor 48 he's on 47/47 floor. Everything is good here, and what I have done for the past several years in telling that part of the story is to say David, in reality, probably did more to keep people calm and focused as we went down the stairs than anyone else, because anyone within the sound of his voice heard someone who was focused and sounded okay. You know, hey, I'm on the 44th floor. This is where the Port Authority cafeteria is not stopping. And it it helps people understand that we all had to do what we could to keep everyone from not panicking. And it almost happened a few times that people did, but we worked at it. But the i The idea is that it helps draw people in, and I think that's so important to do for my particular story is to draw them in and have them walk down the stairs with me, which is what I do, absolutely, yeah, yeah. Now I'm curious about something that keeps coming up. I hear it every so often, public speaker, Speaker experts and people who are supposedly the great gurus of public speaking say you shouldn't really start out with a joke. And I've heard that so often, and I'm going give me a break. Well, I think, I think it depends, yeah, I think   Greg Schwem ** 17:33 there's two schools of thought to that. I think if you're going to start out with a joke, it better be a really good one, or something that you either has been battle tested, because if it doesn't work now, you, you know, if you're hoping for a big laugh, now you're saying, Well, you're a comedian, what do you do? You know, I mean, I, I even, I just sort of work my way into it a little bit. Yeah, and I'm a comedian, so, and, you know, it's funny, Michael, I will get, I will get. I've had CEOs before say to me, Hey, you know, I've got to give this presentation next week. Give me a joke I can tell to everybody. And I always decline. I always it's like, I don't need that kind of pressure. And it's like, I can, I can, I can tell you a funny joke, but,   Michael Hingson ** 18:22 but you telling the   Greg Schwem ** 18:23 work? Yeah, deliver it. You know, I can't deliver it for you. Yeah? And I think that's what I also, you know, on that note, I've never been a big fan of Stand Up Comedy classes, and you see them all popping up all over the place. Now, a lot of comedy clubs will have them, and usually the you take the class, and the carrot at the end is you get to do five minutes at a comedy club right now, if that is your goal, if you're somebody who always like, Gosh, I wonder what it would like be like to stand up on stage and and be a comedian for five minutes. That's something I really like to try. By all means, take the class, all right. But if you think that you're going to take this class and you're going to emerge a much funnier person, like all of a sudden you you weren't funny, but now you are, don't take the class, yeah? And I think, sadly, I think that a lot of people sign up for these classes thinking the latter, thinking that they will all of a sudden become, you know, a comedian. And it doesn't work that way. I'm sorry you cannot teach unfunny people to be funny. Yeah, some of us have the gift of it, and some of us don't. Some of us are really good with our hands, and just know how to build stuff and how to look at things and say, I can do that. And some of us, myself included, definitely do not. You know, I think you can teach people to be more comfortable, more comfortable in front of an audience and. Correct. I think that is definitely a teachable thing, but I don't think that you can teach people to be funnier   Speaker 1 ** 20:10 and funnier, and I agree with that. I tend to be amazed when I keep hearing that one of the top fears in our world is getting up in front of an audience and talking with them, because people really don't understand that audiences, whatever you're doing, want you to succeed, and they're not against you, but we have just conditioned ourselves collectively that speaking is something to be afraid of?   Greg Schwem ** 20:41 Yes, I think, though it's, I'm sure, that fear, though, of getting up in front of people has only probably been exacerbated and been made more intense because now everybody in the audience has a cell phone and to and to be looking out at people and to see them on their phones. Yeah, you're and yet, you prepped all day long. You've been nervous. You've been you probably didn't sleep the night before. If you're one of these people who are afraid of speaking in public, yeah, and then to see people on their phones. You know, it used to bother me. It doesn't anymore, because it's just the society we live in. I just, I wish, I wish people could put their phones down and just enjoy laughing for 45 minutes. But unfortunately, our society can't do that anymore, so I just hope that I can get most of them to stop looking at it.   Speaker 1 ** 21:32 I don't make any comments about it at the beginning, but I have, on a number of occasions, been delivering a speech, and I hear a cell phone ring, and I'll stop and go, Hello. And I don't know for sure what the person with the cell phone does, but by the same token, you know they really shouldn't be on their phone and and it works out, okay, nobody's ever complained about it. And when I just say hello, or I'll go Hello, you don't say, you know, and things like that, but, but I don't, I don't prolong it. I'll just go back to what I was talking about. But I remember, when I lived in New Jersey, Sandy Duncan was Peter Pan in New York. One night she was flying over the audience, and there was somebody on his cell phone, and she happened to be going near him, and she just kicked the phone out of his hand. And I think that's one of the things that started Broadway in saying, if you have a cell phone, turn it off. And those are the announcements that you hear at the beginning of any Broadway performance today.   Greg Schwem ** 22:39 Unfortunately, people don't abide by that. I know you're still hearing cell phones go off, yeah, you know, in Broadway productions at the opera or wherever, so people just can't and there you go. There that just shows you're fighting a losing battle.   Speaker 1 ** 22:53 Yeah, it's just one of those things, and you got to cope with it.   Greg Schwem ** 22:58 What on that note, though, there was, I will say, if I can interrupt real quick, there was one show I did where nobody had their phone. It was a few years ago. I spoke at the CIA. I spoke for some employees of the CIA. And this might, this might freak people out, because you think, how is it that America's covert intelligence agency, you think they would be on their phones all the time. No, if you work there, you cannot have your phone on you. And so I had an audience of about 300 people who I had their total attention because there was no other way to they had no choice but to listen to me, and it was wonderful. It was just a great show, and I it was just so refreshing. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 23:52 and mostly I don't hear cell phones, but they do come up from time to time. And if they do, then you know it happens. Now my one of my favorite stories is I once spoke in Maryland at the Department of Defense, which anybody who knows anything knows that's the National Security Agency, but they call it the Department of Defense, as if we don't know. And my favorite story is that I had, at the time, a micro cassette recorder, and it died that morning before I traveled to Fort Meade, and I forgot to just throw it away, and it was in my briefcase. So I got to the fort, they searched, apparently, didn't find it, but on the way out, someone found it. They had to get a bird Colonel to come to decide what to do with it. I said, throw it away. And they said, No, we can't do that. It's yours. And they they decided it didn't work, and they let me take it and I threw it away. But it was so, so funny to to be at the fort and see everybody running around crazy. See, what do we do with this micro cassette recorder? This guy's been here for an hour. Yeah. So it's it. You know, all sorts of things happen. What do you think about you know, there's a lot of discussion about comedians who use a lot of foul language in their shows, and then there are those who don't, and people seem to like the shock value of that.   Greg Schwem ** 25:25 Yeah, I'm very old school in that. I guess my short answer is, No, I've never, ever been one of those comedians. Ever I do a clean show, I actually learned my lesson very early on. I think I think that I think comedians tend to swear because when they first start out, out of nerves, because I will tell you that profanity does get laughter. And I've always said, if you want to, if you want to experiment on that, have a comedian write a joke, and let's say he's got two shows that night. Let's say he's got an eight o'clock show and a 10 o'clock show. So let's say he does the joke in the eight o'clock and it's, you know, the cadence is bumper, bump up, bump up, bump up, punch line. Okay, now let's and let's see how that plays. Now let's now he does the 10 o'clock show and it's bumper, bump up, bump up F and Okay, yeah, I pretty much guarantee you the 10 o'clock show will get a bigger laugh. Okay? Because he's sort of, it's like the audience is programmed like, oh, okay, we're supposed to laugh at that now. And I think a lot of comedians think, Aha, I have just discovered how to be successful as a comedian. I will just insert the F word in front of every punch line, and you can kind of tell what comedians do that and what comedians I mean. I am fine with foul language, but have some jokes in there too. Don't make them. Don't make the foul word, the joke, the joke, right? And I can say another thing nobody has ever said to me, I cannot hire you because you're too clean. I've never gotten that. And all the years I've been doing this, and I know there's lots of comedians who who do work blue, who have said, you know, who have been turned down for that very reason. So I believe, if you're a comedian, the only way to get better is to work any place that will have you. Yeah, and you can't, so you might as well work clean so you can work any place that will have you, as opposed to being turned away.   Speaker 1 ** 27:30 Well, and I, and I know what, what happened to him and all that, but at the same time, I grew up listening to Bill Cosby and the fact that he was always clean. And, yeah, I understand everything that happened, but you can't deny and you can't forget so many years of humor and all the things that that he brought to the world, and the joy he brought to the world in so many ways.   Greg Schwem ** 27:57 Oh, yeah, no, I agree. I agree. And he Yeah, he worked everywhere. Jay Leno is another one. I mean, Jay Leno is kind of on the same wavelength as me, as far as don't let the profanity become the joke. You know, Eddie Murphy was, you know, was very foul. Richard Pryor, extremely foul. I but they also, prior, especially, had very intelligent material. I mean, you can tell and then if you want to insert your F bombs and so forth, that's fine, but at least show me that you're trying. At least show me that you came in with material in addition to the   Speaker 1 ** 28:36 foul language. The only thing I really have to say about all that is it? Jay Leno should just stay away from cars, but that's another story.   Greg Schwem ** 28:43 Oh, yeah, it's starting to   Greg Schwem ** 28:47 look that way. Yeah, it   Michael Hingson ** 28:49 was. It was fun for a while, Jay, but yeah, there's just two. It's like, Harrison Ford and plains. Yeah, same concept. At some point you're like, this isn't working out. Now I submit that living here in Victorville and just being out on the streets and being driven around and all that, I am firmly convinced, given the way most people drive here, that the bigoted DMV should let me have a license, because I am sure I can drive as well as most of the clowns around here. Yeah, so when they drive, I have no doubt. Oh, gosh. Well, you know, you switched from being a TV journalist and so on to to comedy. Was it a hard choice? Was it really difficult to do, or did it just seem like this is the time and this is the right thing to do. I was   Greg Schwem ** 29:41 both, you know, it was hard, because I really did enjoy my job and I liked, I liked being a TV news reporter. I liked, I liked a job that was different every day once you got in there, because you didn't know what they were going to send you out to do. Yes, you had. To get up and go to work every day and so forth. So there's a little bit of, you know, there's a little bit of the mundane, just like there is in any job, but once you were there, I liked, just never known what the day would bring, right? And and I, I think if I'd stayed with it, I think I think I could have gone pretty far, particularly now, because the now it's more people on TV are becoming more entertainers news people are becoming, yeah, they are. A lot of would be, want to be comedians and so forth. And I don't particularly think that's appropriate, but I agree. But so it was hard to leave, but it gets back to what I said earlier. At some point, you got to say, I was seeing comedians making money, and I was thinking, gosh, you know, if they're making money at this I I'm not hilarious, but I know I'm funnier than that guy. Yeah, I'm funnier than her, so why not? And I was young, and I was single, and I thought, if I if I don't try it now, I never will. And, and I'll bet there's just some hilarious people out there, yeah, who who didn't ever, who just were afraid   Michael Hingson ** 31:14 to take that chance, and they wouldn't take the leap, yeah,   Greg Schwem ** 31:16 right. And now they're probably kicking themselves, and I'm sure maybe they're very successful at what they do, but they're always going to say, what if, if I only done this? I don't ever, I don't, ever, I never, ever wanted to say that. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 31:31 well, and there's, there's something to be said for being brave and stepping out and doing something that you don't expect, or that you didn't expect, or that you weren't sure how it was going to go, but if you don't try, then you're never going to know just how, how much you could really accomplish and how much you can really do. And I think that the creative people, whatever they're being creative about, are the people who do step out and are willing to take a chance.   Greg Schwem ** 31:59 Yeah, yeah. And I told my kids that too. You know, it's just like, if it's something that you're passionate about, do it. Just try it. If it doesn't work out, then at least you can say I tried   Speaker 1 ** 32:09 it and and if it doesn't work out, then you can decide, what do I need to do to figure out why it didn't work out, or is it just not me? I want   Greg Schwem ** 32:18 to keep going? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 32:21 So what is the difference between being a nightclub comedian and a corporate comedian? Because they are somewhat different. I think I know the answer. But what would you say that the differences between them? I think   Greg Schwem ** 32:33 the biggest thing is the audiences. I think when you when you are a nightclub comedian, you are working in front of people who are there to be entertained. Yeah, they, they paid money for that. That's what they're expecting. They, they, at some point during the day, they said, Hey, let's, let's go laugh tonight. That's what we really want to do when you're working in front of a corporate audiences. That's not necessarily the case. They are there. I primarily do business conferences and, you know, association meetings and so forth. And I'm just one cog in the wheel of a whole day's worth of meetings are, for the most part, very dry and boring, maybe certainly necessary educational. They're learning how to do their job better or something. And then you have a guy like me come in, and people aren't always ready to laugh, yeah, despite the fact that they probably need to, but they just they're not always in that mindset. And also the time of day. I mean, I do a lot of shows at nine in the morning. I do shows after lunch, right before lunch. I actually do very few shows in the evening, believe it or not. And so then you you have to, you kind of have to, in the while you're doing your act or your presentation or your speech, as I call it, you kind of have to let them know that it is okay. What you're doing is okay, and they should be okay with laughing. They shouldn't be looking around the whole time wondering if other people are laughing. You know, can I, can I? Can I tell you a quick story about how I drive that point home. Why not? Yeah, it's, I'll condense it into like five minutes. I mentioned that I worked on that I work on cruise ships occasionally, and I one night I was performing, and it was the first night of the cruise. And if anybody's ever been on a cruise, note, the first night, first night entertainers don't like the first night because people are tired. You know, they're they're a little edgy because they've been traveling all day. They're they're confused because they're not really sure where they're going on a ship. And the ones that have got it figured out usually over serve themselves because they're on vacation. So you put all that, so I'm doing my show on the first. Night, and it's going very well. And about five, six minutes in, I do a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. And from the back of the room in total darkness, I hear hat just like that. And I'm like, All right, you know, probably over served. So the rule of comedy is that everybody gets like. I was like, I'll let it go once, yeah. So I just kind of looked off in that direction, didn't say anything. Kept going with my active going with my act. About 10 minutes later, same thing happens. I tell a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. Hat now I'm like, Okay, I have got to, I've got to address the elephant in the room. So I think I just made some comment, like, you know, I didn't know Roseanne Barr was on this cruise, you know, because that was like the sound of the Yeah. Okay, everybody laugh. Nothing happened about five minutes later. It happens a third time. And now I'm just like, this is gonna stop. I'm going to put a stop to this. And I just fired off. I can't remember, like, three just like, hey man, you know you're you're just a little behind everybody else in this show and probably in life too, that, you know, things like that, and it never happened again. So I'm like, okay, mission accomplished on my part. Comedians love it when we can shut up somebody like that. Anyway. Show's over, I am out doing a meet and greet. Some guy comes up to me and he goes, hey, hey, you know that kid you were making fun of is mentally handicapped. And now, of course, I don't know this, but out of the corner of my eye, I see from the other exit a man pushing a son, his son in a wheelchair out of the showroom. And I'm just like, Oh, what have I done? And yeah. And of course, when you're on a cruise, you're you're on a cruise. When you're a cruise ship entertainer, you have to live with your audience. So I couldn't hide. I spent like the next three days, and it seemed like wherever I was, the man and his son in the wheelchair were nearby. And finally, on the fourth day, I think was, I was waiting for an elevator. Again, 3500 people on this ship, okay, I'm waiting for an elevator. The elevator door opens. Guess who are the only two people the elevator, the man and his son. And I can't really say I'll wait for the next one. So I get on, and I said to this the father, I said, I just want you to know I had no idea. You know, I'm so sorry. I can't see back there, this kind of thing. And the dad looks at me. He puts his hand up to stop me, and he points to me, and he goes, I thought you were hysterical. And it was, not only was it relief, but it kind of, it's sort of a lesson that if you think something is funny, you should laugh at it. Yeah. And I think sometimes in corporate America, my point in this. I think sometimes when you do these corporate shows, I think that audience members forget that. I think very busy looking around to see if their immediate boss thinks it's funny, and eventually everybody's looking at the CEO to see if they're like, you know, I think if you're doing it that way, if that's the way you're you're approaching humor. You're doing yourself a disservice, if right, stopping yourself from laughing at something that you think is funny.   Speaker 1 ** 38:09 I do think that that all too often the problem with meetings is that we as a as a country, we in corporations, don't do meetings, right anyway, for example, early on, I heard someone at a convention of the National Federation of the Blind say he was the new executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind, and he said, I have instituted a policy, no Braille, no meetings. And what that was all about was to say, if you're going to have a meeting, you need to make sure that all the documentation is accessible to those who aren't going to read the print. I take it further and say you shouldn't be giving out documentation during the meeting. And you can use the excuse, well, I got to get the latest numbers and all that. And my point is, you shouldn't be giving out documentation at a meeting, because the meeting is for people to communicate and interact with each other. And if you're giving out papers and so on, what are people going to do? They're going to read that, and they're not going to listen to the speakers. They're not going to listen to the other people. And we do so many things like that, we've gotten into a habit of doing things that become so predictable, but also make meetings very boring, because who wants to look at the papers where you can be listening to people who have a lot more constructive and interesting things to say anyway?   Greg Schwem ** 39:36 Yeah, yeah. I think, I think COVID definitely changed, some for the some for the better and some for the worse. I think that a lot of things that were done at meetings COVID and made us realize a lot of that stuff could be done virtually, that you didn't have to just have everybody sit and listen to people over and over and over again.   Speaker 1 ** 39:58 But unless you're Donald Trump. Up. Yeah, that's another story.   Greg Schwem ** 40:02 Yes, exactly another podcast episode. But, yeah, I do think also that. I think COVID changed audiences. I think, you know, we talked a little bit earlier about crowd work, right, and audiences wanting to be more involved. I think COVID precipitated that, because, if you think about it, Michael, for two and a half years during COVID, our sole source of entertainment was our phone, right? Which meant that we were in charge of the entertainment experience. You don't like something, swipe left, scroll down, scroll, scroll, scroll, find something else. You know, that kind of thing. I'm not I'm not entertained in the next four or five seconds. So I'm going to do this. And I think when live entertainment returned, audiences kind of had to be retrained a little bit, where they had to learn to sit and listen and wait for the entertainment to come to them. And granted, it might not happen immediately. It might not happen in the first five seconds, but you have to just give give people like me a chance. It will come to you. It will happen, but it might not be on your timetable,   Speaker 1 ** 41:13 right? Well, and I think that is all too true for me. I didn't find didn't find COVID to be a great inconvenience, because I don't look at the screen anyway, right? So in a sense, for me, COVID wasn't that much of a change, other than not being in an office or not being physically at a meeting, and so I was listening to the meeting on the computer, and that has its nuances. Like you don't necessarily get the same information about how everyone around you is reacting, but, but it didn't bother me, I think, nearly as much as it did everyone else who has to look at everyone. Of course, I have no problems picking on all those people as well, because what I point out is that that disabilities has to be redefined, because every one of you guys has your own disability. You're light dependent, and you don't do well when there's dark, when, when the dark shows up and and we now have an environment where Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, and we've spent the last 147 years doing everything we can to make sure that light is pretty ubiquitous, but it doesn't change a thing when suddenly the power goes out and you don't have immediate access to light. So that's as much a disability as us light, independent people who don't   Greg Schwem ** 42:36 care about that, right? Right? I hear, I agree, but it is but   Speaker 1 ** 42:41 it is interesting and and it is also important that we all understand each other and are willing to tolerate the fact that there are differences in people, and we need to recognize that with whatever we're doing.   42:53 Yeah, I agree.   Speaker 1 ** 42:57 What do you think about so today, we have obviously a really fractured environment and fractured country, and everyone's got their own opinions, and nobody wants to talk about anything, especially politics wise. How do you think that's all affecting comedy and what you get to do and what other people are doing?   Greg Schwem ** 43:18 Well, I think Pete, I think there's, there's multiple answers to that question too. I think, I think it makes people nervous, wondering what the minute a comedian on stage brings up politics, the minute he starts talking about a politician, whether it's our president, whether it's somebody else, you can sense a tension in the room a little bit, and it's, it's, I mean, it's funny. I, one of my best friends in comedy, got to open for another comedian at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago, and I went to see him, and I'm sitting way up in the top, and he is just crushing it. And then at one point he he brought up, he decided to do an impression of Mitch McConnell, which he does very well. However, the minute he said, Mitch McConnell, I you could just sense this is Carnegie freaking Hall, and after the show, you know, he and I always like to dissect each other's shows. That's what comedians do. And I just said to him, I go. Why did you decide to insert Mitch McConnell in there? And I, and I didn't say it like, you moron, that was stupid, yeah, but I was genuinely curious. And he just goes, well, I just really like doing that bit, and I like doing that voice and so forth, but, and it's not like the show crashed and burned afterwards. No, he did the joke, and then he got out of it, and he went on to other stuff, and it was fine, but I think that people are just so on their guard now, yeah, and, and that's why, you know, you know Jay Leno always said he was an equal opportunity offender. I think you will do better with politics if you really want. Insert politics into your act. I think he would be better making fun of both sides. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. And I think too often comedians now use the the stage as kind of a Bully, bully pulpit, like I have microphone and you don't. I am now going to give you my take on Donald Trump or the Democrats or whatever, and I've always said, talk about anything you want on stage, but just remember, you're at a comedy club. People came to laugh. So is there a joke in here? Yeah, or are you just ranting because you gotta be careful. You have to get this off your chest, and your way is right. It's, it's, you know, I hate to say it, but that's, that's why podcast, no offense, Michael, yours, is not like this. But I think one of the reasons podcasters have gotten so popular is a lot of people, just a lot of podcast hosts see a podcast is a chance to just rant about whatever's on their mind. And it's amazing to me how many podcast hosts that are hosted by comedians have a second guy have a sidekick to basically laugh and agree with whatever that person says. I think Joe Rogan is a classic example, and he's one of the most popular ones. But, and I don't quite understand that, because you know, if you're a comedian, you you made the choice to work solo, right? So why do you need somebody else with you?   Speaker 1 ** 46:33 I'm I'm fairly close to Leno. My remark is a little bit different. I'm not so much an equal opportunity offender as I am an equal opportunity abuser. I'll pick on both sides if politics comes into it at all, and it's and it's fun, and I remember when George W Bush was leaving the White House, Letterman said, Now we're not going to have anybody to joke about anymore. And everyone loved it. But still, I recognize that in the world today, people don't want to hear anything else. Don't confuse me with the facts or any of that, and it's so unfortunate, but it is the way it is, and so it's wiser to stay away from a lot of that, unless you can really break through the barrier,   Greg Schwem ** 47:21 I think so. And I also think that people, one thing you have to remember, I think, is when people come to a comedy show, they are coming to be entertained. Yeah, they are coming to kind of escape from the gloom and doom that unfortunately permeates our world right now. You know? I mean, I've always said that if you, if you walked up to a comedy club on a Saturday night, and let's say there were 50 people waiting outside, waiting to get in, and you asked all 50 of them, what do you hope happens tonight? Or or, Why are you here? All right, I think from all 50 you would get I would just like to laugh, yeah, I don't think one of them is going to say, you know, I really hope that my opinions on what's happening in the Middle East get challenged right now, but he's a comedian. No one is going to say that. No, no. It's like, I hope I get into it with the comedian on stage, because he thinks this way about a woman's right to choose, and I think the other way. And I really, really hope that he and I will get into an argument about to the middle of the   Speaker 1 ** 48:37 show. Yeah, yeah. That's not why people come?   Greg Schwem ** 48:40 No, it's not. And I, unfortunately, I think again, I think that there's a lot of comedians that don't understand that. Yeah, again, talk about whatever you want on stage, but just remember that your your surroundings, you if you build yourself as a comedian,   48:56 make it funny. Yeah, be funny.   Speaker 1 ** 49:00 Well, and nowadays, especially for for you, for me and so on, we're we're growing older and and I think you point out audiences are getting younger. How do you deal with that?   Greg Schwem ** 49:12 Well, what I try to do is I a couple of things. I try to talk as much as I can about topics that are relevant to a younger generation. Ai being one, I, one of the things I do in my my show is I say, oh, you know, I I really wasn't sure how to start off. And when you're confused these days, you you turn to answer your questions. You turn to chat GPT, and I've actually written, you know, said to chat GPT, you know, I'm doing a show tonight for a group of construction workers who work in the Midwest. It's a $350 million company, and it says, try to be very specific. Give me a funny opening line. And of course, chat GPT always comes up with some. Something kind of stupid, which I then relate to the audience, and they love that, you know, they love that concept. So I think there's, obviously, there's a lot of material that you can do on generational differences, but I, I will say I am very, very aware that my audience is, for the most part, younger than me now, unless I want to spend the rest of my career doing you know, over 55 communities, not that they're not great laughers, but I also think there's a real challenge in being older than your audience and still being able to make them laugh. But I think you have to remember, like you said, there's there's people now that don't remember 911 that have no concept of it, yeah, so don't be doing references from, say, the 1980s or the early 1990s and then come off stage and go, Man, nobody that didn't hit at all. No one, no one. They're stupid. They don't get it. Well, no, they, they, it sounds they don't get it. It's just that they weren't around. They weren't around, right? So that's on you.   Speaker 1 ** 51:01 One of the things that you know people ask me is if I will do virtual events, and I'll do virtual events, but I also tell people, the reason I prefer to do in person events is that I can sense what the audience is doing, how they're reacting and what they feel. If I'm in a room speaking to people, and I don't have that same sense if I'm doing something virtually, agreed same way. Now for me, at the same time, I've been doing this now for 23 years, so I have a pretty good idea in general, how to interact with an audience, to draw them in, even in a virtual environment, but I still tend to be a little bit more careful about it, and it's just kind of the way it is, you know, and you and you learn to deal with it well for you, have you ever had writer's block, and how did you deal with it?   Greg Schwem ** 51:57 Yes, I have had writer's block. I don't I can't think of a single comedian who's never had writer's block, and if they say they haven't, I think they're lying when I have writer's block, the best way for me to deal with this and just so you know, I'm not the kind of comedian that can go that can sit down and write jokes. I can write stories. I've written three books, but I can't sit down and just be funny for an hour all by myself. I need interaction. I need communication. And I think when I have writer's block, I tend to go out and try and meet strangers and can engage them in conversation and find out what's going on with them. I mean, you mentioned about dealing with the younger audience. I am a big believer right now in talking to people who are half my age. I like doing that in social settings, because I just, I'm curious. I'm curious as to how they think. I'm curious as to, you know, how they spend money, how they save money, how what their hopes and dreams are for the future, what that kind of thing, and that's the kind of stuff that then I'll take back and try and write material about. And I think that, I think it's fun for me, and it's really fun to meet somebody who I'll give you a great example just last night. Last night, I was I there's a there's a bar that I have that's about 10 a stone's throw from my condo, and I love to stop in there and and every now and then, sometimes I'll sit there and I won't meet anybody, and sometimes different. So there was a guy, I'd say he's probably in his early 30s, sitting too over, and he was reading, which I find intriguing, that people come to a bar and read, yeah, people do it, I mean. And I just said to him, I go, and he was getting ready to pay his bill, and I just said, if you don't mind me asking, What are you reading? And he's like, Oh, it's by Ezra Klein. And I go, you know, I've listened to Ezra Klein before. And he goes, Yeah, you know? He says, I'm a big fan. And debt to debt to dad. Next thing, you know, we're just, we're just riffing back and forth. And I ended up staying. He put it this way, Michael, it took him a very long time to pay his bill because we had a conversation, and it was just such a pleasure to to people like that, and I think that, and it's a hard thing. It's a hard thing for me to do, because I think people are on their guard, a little bit like, why is this guy who's twice my age talking to me at a bar? That's that seems a little weird. And I would get that. I can see that. But as I mentioned in my latest book, I don't mean because I don't a whole chapter to this, and I I say in the book, I don't mean you any harm. I'm not trying to hit on you, or I'm not creepy old guy at the bar. I am genuinely interested in your story. And. In your life, and and I just, I want to be the least interesting guy in the room, and that's kind of how I go about my writing, too. Is just you, you drive the story. And even though I'm the comedian, I'll just fill in the gaps and make them funny.   Speaker 1 ** 55:15 Well, I know that I have often been invited to speak at places, and I wondered, What am I going to say to this particular audience? How am I going to deal with them? They're they're different than what I'm used to. What I found, I guess you could call that writer's block, but what I found is, if I can go early and interact with them, even if I'm the very first speaker, if I can interact with them beforehand, or if there are other people speaking before me, invariably, I will hear things that will allow me to be able to move on and give a relevant presentation specifically to that group, which is what it's really all about. And so I'm with you, and I appreciate it, and it's good to get to the point where you don't worry about the block, but rather you look at ways to move forward and interact with people and make it fun, right,   Greg Schwem ** 56:13 right? And I do think people, I think COVID, took that away from us a little bit, yeah, obviously, but I but, and I do think people missed that. I think that people, once you get them talking, are more inclined to not think that you're you have ulterior motives. I think people do enjoy putting their phones down a little bit, but it's, it's kind of a two way street when I, when I do meet people, if it's if it's only me asking the questions, eventually I'm going to get tired of that. Yeah, I think there's a, there has to be a reciprocity thing a little bit. And one thing I find is, is with the Gen Z's and maybe millennials. They're not, they're not as good at that as I think they could be. They're more they're they're happy to talk about themselves, but they're not really good at saying so what do you do for a living? Or what you know, tell me about you. And I mean, that's how you learn about other people. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 57:19 tell me about your your latest book, Turning gut punches into punchlines. That's a interesting title, yeah, well, the more   Greg Schwem ** 57:26 interesting is the subtitle. So it's turning gut punches into punch punch lines, A Comedian's journey through cancer, divorce and other hilarious stuff.   Speaker 1 ** 57:35 No, like you haven't done anything in the world. Okay, right? So   Greg Schwem ** 57:38 other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln. Yeah, exactly. See, now you get that reference. I don't know if I could use that on stage, but anyway, depend on your audience. But yeah, they're like, What's he talking   Speaker 1 ** 57:50 who's Lincoln? And I've been to Ford theater too, so that's okay, yes, as have I. So it was much later than, than, well, than Lincoln, but that's okay.   Greg Schwem ** 57:58 You're not that old, right? No. Well, okay, so as the title, as the title implies, I did have sort of a double, double gut punch, it just in the last two years. So I, I got divorced late in life, after 29 years of marriage. And while that was going on, I got a colon cancer diagnosis and and at this end, I was dealing with all this while also continuing work as a humor speaker, okay, as a comedian. And I just decided I got it. First of all, I got a very clean bill of health. I'm cancer free. I am finally divorced so and I, I started to think, I wonder if there's some humor in this. I I would, I would, you know, Michael, I've been on stage for like, 25 years telling people that, you know, you can find something funny to laugh at. You can find humor in any situation. It's kind of like what you're talking about all the people going down the stairs in the building in the world trade center. All right, if you look around enough, you know, maybe there's something funny, and I've been preaching that, but I never really had to live that until now. And I thought, you know, maybe there's something here. Maybe I can this is my chance now to embrace new experiences. It was kind of when I got divorced, when you've been married half your life and all of a sudden you get divorced, everything's new to you, yeah, you're, you're, you're living alone, you you're doing things that your spouse did, oh, so many years. And you're having to do those, and you're having to make new friends, yeah, and all of that, I think, is very humorous. So the more I saw a book in there that I started writing before the cancer diagnosis, and I thought was there enough here? Just like, okay, a guy at 60 years old gets divorced now what's going to happen to him? The diagnosis? Kind. Made it just added another wrinkle to the book, because now I have to deal with this, and I have to find another subject to to make light of a little bit. So the book is not a memoir, you know, I don't start it off. And, you know, when I was seven, you know, I played, you know, I was, I went to this school night. It's not that. It's more just about reinvention and just seeing that you can be happy later in life, even though you have to kind of rewrite your your story a little   Speaker 1 ** 1:00:33 bit. And I would assume, and I would assume, you bring some of that into your ACT every so   Greg Schwem ** 1:00:38 very much. So yeah, I created a whole new speech called Turning gut punches into punchlines. And I some of the stuff that I, that I did, but, you know, there's a chapter in the book about, I about gig work, actually three chapters I, you know, I went to work for Amazon during the Christmas holiday rush, just scanning packages. I wanted to see what that was like. I drove for Uber I which I did for a while. And to tell you the truth, I miss it. I ended up selling my car, but I miss it because of the what we just talked about. It was a great way to communicate with people. It was a great way to talk to people, find out about them, be the least interesting person in the car, anyway. And there's a chapter about dating and online dating, which I had not had to do in 30 years. There's a lot of humor in that. I went to therapy. I'd never gone to therapy before. I wrote a chapter about that. So I think people really respond to this book, because they I think they see a lot of themselves in it. You know, lots of people have been divorced. There's lots of cancer survivors out there, and there's lots of people who just suddenly have hit a speed bump in their life, and they're not really sure how to deal with it, right? And my way, this book is just about deal with it through laughter. And I'm the perfect example.   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:56 I hear you, Oh, I I know, and I've been through the same sort of thing as you not a divorce, but my wife and I were married for 40 years, and she passed away in November of 2022 after 40 years of marriage. And as I tell people, as I tell people, I got to be really careful, because she's monitoring me from somewhere, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it, so I got to be a good kid, and I don't even chase the women so. But I also point out that none of them have been chasing me either, so I guess I just do what we got to do. But the reality is, I think there are always ways to find some sort of a connection with other people, and then, of course, that's what what you do. It's all about creating a connection, creating a relationship, even if it's only for a couple of hours or an hour or 45 minutes, but, but you do it, which is what it's all about?   Greg Schwem ** 1:02:49 Yeah, exactly. And I think the funniest stuff is real life experience. Oh, absolutely, you know. And if people can see themselves in in what I've written, then I've done my job as a writer.   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:03 So do you have any plans to retire?   Greg Schwem ** 1:03:06 Never. I mean, good for you retire from what   1:03:09 I know right, making fun of people   Greg Schwem ** 1:03:12 and making them laugh. I mean, I don't know what I would do with myself, and even if I there's always going to be I don't care how technology, technologically advanced our society gets. People will always want and need to laugh. Yeah, they're always going to want to do that. And if they're want, if they're wanting to do that, then I will find, I will find a way to get to them. And that's why I, as I said, That's why, like working on cruise ships has become, like a new, sort of a new avenue for me to make people laugh. And so, yeah, I don't I there's, there's no way. I don't know what else I would do with   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:53 myself, well and from my perspective, as long as I can inspire people, yes, I can make people think a little bit and feel better about themselves. I'm going to do it right. And, and, and I do. And I wrote a book during COVID that was published last August called Live like a guide dog. And it's all about helping people learn to control fear. And I use lessons I learned from eight guide dogs and my wife service dog to do that. My wife was in a wheelchair her whole life. Great marriage. She read, I pushed worked out well, but, but the but the but the bottom line is that dogs can teach us so many lessons, and there's so much that we can learn from them. So I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to create this book and and get it out there. And I think that again, as long as I can continue to inspire people, I'm going to do it. Because   Greg Schwem ** 1:04:47 why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't I exactly right? Yeah, yeah. So,   Speaker 1 ** 1:04:51 I mean, I think if I, if I stopped, I think my wife would beat up on me, so I gotta be nice exactly. She's monitoring from somewhere

Soon-to-be Pella High School Student Kyler Lyons discusses his experience at Carnegie Hall earlier this summer.

Interview date: March 16, 2025Episode Summary:Mfoniso Akpan, Artistic Director of Step Afrika, shares her unique journey from a science student at Stony Brook University to leading a renowned dance company. With training in various dance styles, she combines creativity with analytical problem-solving, using skills from her science background to enhance her choreography.She discusses her extensive travels with Step Afrika, performing in 60 countries and 49 U.S. states, and the company's mission to preserve African American stepping traditions. The episode emphasizes the importance of professionalism and discipline in managing the logistics of touring and rehearsals, while also highlighting the business skills dancers need.Mfoniso encourages aspiring dancers to combine their passions with persistence and curiosity, offering valuable advice on building a sustainable career in dance.Show Notes:(1:00) Mfoniso Akpan's early dance journey and starting with percussive dance(5:00) Balancing dance with academics: Majoring in biochemistry and molecular genetics(8:00) Joining Step Afrika in 2005 and her transition from dancer to Artistic Director(12:00) Step Afrika's mission to preserve and promote African American stepping traditions(15:00) Performing across 49 U.S. states and 60 countries with Step Afrika(18:00) Breaking the Guinness World Record for the most steppers in a live performance(22:00) The importance of professionalism: Timeliness, responsibility, and teamwork on tour(25:00) Combining science and dance: How Mfoniso uses problem-solving in choreography(30:00) Teaching dancers the business side of dance: Professionalism, contracts, and logistics(35:00) Networking and building relationships in the dance industry(40:00) Mfoniso's approach to balancing multiple passions and staying organized(43:00) Final advice: Believe in yourself, keep learning, and make the most of every opportunityBiography:Mfoniso Akpan is a distinguished dancer and the Artistic Director of Step Afrika!, a Washington, D.C.-based arts organization dedicated to the African American tradition of stepping. Her extensive training encompasses tap, ballet, jazz, modern, African dance, hip-hop, and step. While attending the State University of New York at Stony Brook, she majored in biochemistry and molecular genetics, minored in dance, and honed her stepping skills as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.Akpan began her dance training at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center and has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Apollo Theater, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. She also toured with the off-Broadway show "Hoofin' 2 Hittin," where she was a featured stepper and dancer.Since joining Step Afrika!, in 2005, Akpan served as a performer and leader, becoming the Artistic Director in 2015. Under her leadership, the company has premiered off-Broadway, continued extensive national and international tours, headlined President Barack Obama's Black History Month Reception at the White House, and is featured prominently at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African-American History & Culture with the world's first stepping interactive exhibit.Akpan maintains that stepping is a national treasure, an American cultural art form that is a keeper of history—past, present, and future—that should be preserved, innovated, and shared with the world. She continues to share her love of movement and education with students and art lovers globally.Connect on Social Media:https://www.facebook.com/mfoniso.akpan.9https://www.instagram.com/kokoma22

Jim Griffith is in his first season as the executive director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.        He was also the founder, president, and CEO of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in Fort Myers, Florida.  The landmark— an abandoned federal courts building, a neoclassical-style building with a row of distinctive ionic columns out front — is now home to concerts, art exhibits, plays, fundraisers, fashion shows and just about every other kind of art.  All of this after he was told it couldn't be done.  That's all he had to hear. Jim co-founded the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival, Gulf Coast Music School, and New Arts Festival.  Jim Griffith is an accomplished violist who has even performed at Carnegie Hall.  He was a member of the Naples, Florida Philharmonic from 1989 to 2022.

This is your Saturday morning All Local update.

For the Season Seven finale, Kirk takes a look at Bill Withers' enduring hit "Lean On Me." In the process, he takes a broader look at a bunch of Withers' other most famous songs to better understand how this plainspoken, seemingly ordinary guy managed to write so many extraordinary songs.Written by: Bill WithersAlbum: Still Bill, 1972Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Ain't No Sunshine” and “Grandma's Hands” by Bill Withers from Just As I Am, 1971“Lonely Town, Lonely Street,” “Let Me In Your Life,” and “Use Me,” by Bill Withers, and “Who Is He (And What Is He To You)” by Bill Withers/Stan McKenny from Still Bill, 1972“Lovely Day” by Bill Withers and Skip Scarborough, 1977“Just The Two of Us” by Bill Withers, William Salter, and Ralph MacDonald, recorded by Grover Washington Jr., 1981“The Way” by Meshell Ndegeocello and “Who Is He (And What Is He To You)” recorded by Ndegeocello on Peace Beyond Passion, 1996Excerpts from Live at Carnegie Hall, released 1972Excerpts from the 2010 documentary “Still Bill,” dir. Damani Baker and Alex Vlack2004 Songfacts interview w/ WithersWithers' 2015 Rock Hall of Fame acceptance speechRecord needle sound via Sounds Recorded----LINKS-----

Točil s Robertem De Nirem, a jeho Intimní osvětlení se každý rok promítalo v Carnegie Hall. „V momentě, kdy se rozhodnu, že budu dělat nějaký film, tak se do něj zakousnu jako buldok. Když mám v hlavě verzi filmu a někdo by se se mnou chtěl hádat, musel by mě zastřelit, aby dosáhl svého,“ říkal o sobě Ivan Passer (†86), který se řadí mezi nejúspěšnější české režiséry v Hollywoodu.

Točil s Robertem De Nirem, a jeho Intimní osvětlení se každý rok promítalo v Carnegie Hall. „V momentě, kdy se rozhodnu, že budu dělat nějaký film, tak se do něj zakousnu jako buldok. Když mám v hlavě verzi filmu a někdo by se se mnou chtěl hádat, musel by mě zastřelit, aby dosáhl svého,“ říkal o sobě Ivan Passer (†86), který se řadí mezi nejúspěšnější české režiséry v Hollywoodu. Všechny díly podcastu Příběhy z kalendáře můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.

This week on The Chazz Palminteri Show, I sit down with a true music legend Vito Picone, lead singer of Vito and the Elegants and the voice behind the 1958 #1 hit “Little Star.” We talk about the golden era of doo-wop, how Vito's music shaped the sound of the ‘50s and ‘60s, and his unforgettable stories performing with Buddy Holly, Dion, Frankie Avalon, and more. Vito opens up about growing up in Staten Island, the quick creation of “Little Star,” and how that one song changed his life forever. We also talk about the roots of Italian-American influence in music, his time performing at Radio City and Carnegie Hall, and how his story ties into the legacy of New York's greatest performers. Topics include: The real story behind “Little Star” Touring with music legends of the 1950s The influence of doo-wop on American pop culture NYC's evolving music scene from the Bronx to Staten Island Music, memory, and legacy Whether you're a fan of classic music or just love great stories, this episode is for you. Subscribe to The Chazz Palminteri Show and never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Monday.

The true story of Rotorua soldier Captain Roger Dansey is being brought to life in Wellington Opera's performance Mate Ururoa. Written by acclaimed New Zealand composer Dame Gillian Whitehead, it tells the true story of Roger Ingram Te Kepa Dansey, engineer and Maori All Black, who enlisted when Britain declared war on Germany in 1914 and was one of the five hundred strong "Native Contingent". His war story is first about the humiliation faced by Maori soldiers, his heroism at Gallipoli, but then being accused of desertion and sent home in disgrace. Whitehead wrote the libretto in te reo Maori and English for US-based Maori baritone David Tahere, who plays Roger Dansey, and is a member of his whanau. Directed by Sara Brodie, the opera was originally supposed to premiere in 2021 at New York's Carnegie Hall - but this was cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead the world premiere will be in Wellington this weekend. Dame Gillian Whitehead, Sara Brodie and David Tahere are in the Wellington studio.

#202 Broadcast 202 - Episode 195 - The Crooners - 20250705 - Concert Judy Garland - Carnegie Hall - New York City - USA 23.04.1961 by Jim Reeves

Dave Bennett began his national touring career at the age of 14. He has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops and he has performed with 35 other US and Canadian orchestras including Nashville, Houston, Detroit, Rochester, Omaha and Toronto. Some of his annual appearances include The Elkhart Jazz Festival, The Suncoast Classic Jazz Festival, The Arizona Classic Jazz Festival, The Sacramento Hot Jazz Jubilee, The Clambake Music Festival, and The Redwood Coast Music Festival. Dave was featured on NPR's  “Jazz at Riverwalk.”   He made his European debut in 2008 at The Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland in a combo with jazz legends and Benny Goodman alumni guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and vibraphonist Peter Appleyard. Dave is a recording artist on the jazz label Mack Avenue Records. His second release, Blood Moon reached No. 24 on the Billboard Jazz charts in 2018.  In March 2022, Dave and his band performed to a sold-out audience at New York City's Birdland Jazz Club. Dave recently joined forces with guitarist/vocalist/pastor Tom Hampton for Dave's first gospel project, recently released.

Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk about Transport Group’s Hello, Dolly! in Concert @ Carnegie Hall, Machinal @ New York City Center, Prosperous Fools @ Theatre for a New Audience, Duke & Roya @ Lucille Lortel Theatre, and Drunk Romeo & Juliet @ The Ruby Theatre. Transport Group’s read more

In March of 2025 National Concerts commissioned a new work to premiere in Carnegie Hall titled "The Wilderness of You" by composer Andrea Ramsey. Tune in to this special series to hear from Dr. Andrea Ramsey (composer), Dr. Kristina MacMullen (conductor), Matthew Workman (National Concerts Founder/Director), and students and staff involved with this event.

Die 1983 in Bern geborene Künstlerin Sophie Hunger wuchs am Fuße des Gurtens auf, dem Hausberg ihrer Geburtsstadt. Aber nicht nur dort, es ging viel hin und her in ihrer Kindheit und Jugend, London, Bonn, später Teheran und zwischendurch eben die Schweiz. Mit 10 spielte sie auf dem Klavier ihre ersten eigenen Songs, Musik wird jetzt zur festen Begleiterin. Nach der Matura macht sich Sophie auf die Suche, studiert mal dies, mal das, bricht immer wieder ab, singt in verschiedenen Bands und arbeitet in der Gastronomie, bis sie 2006 im Eigenvertrieb ihre erste CD veröffentlicht. Endlich kommt dieser Schub und diese lang ersehnte Bestätigung, zukünftig als Musikerin leben zu wollen und auch zu können. Wenig später performt sie als Vorband des höchst erfolgreichen Stephan Eicher im Pariser Bataclan und tritt beim Montreux Jazz Festival auf. Seitdem gilt die zweifache Mutter, Sängerin, Songwriterin, Filmkomponistin und nun auch Romanautorin Sophie Hunger als eine der innovativsten und außergewöhnlichsten Künstlerinnen Europas. Playlist: Nina Simone (live at Carnegie Hall 1964) - Go Limp The Carpenters - Love is surrender Daniel Barenboim & Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Cello: Jaqueline du Pré Piano: Gerald Moore - Kol Nidrei Op. 47 von Max Bruch Joe Strummer/The Clash - Julie’s been working for the drug squad Sophie Hunger - Halluzinationen Lhasa de Sela - Con toda palabra Barad - Sheykh Shangar Jacob Alon - Don’t fall asleep Diese Podcast-Episode steht unter der Creative Commons Lizenz CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

In March of 2025 National Concerts commissioned a new work to premiere in Carnegie Hall titled "The Wilderness of You" by composer Andrea Ramsey. Tune in to this special series to hear from Dr. Andrea Ramsey (composer), Dr. Kristina MacMullen (conductor), Matthew Workman (National Concerts Founder/Director), and students and staff involved with this event.

For 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game night for teens. It can get a little wacky.We also remember renowned Tennessee luthier, Jean Horner. Whose fiddles were played at Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry. His shop was a destination for fiddle fanatics.And a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia serves vegetarian food made in three sacred kitchens. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In March of 2025 National Concerts commissioned a new work to premiere in Carnegie Hall titled "The Wilderness of You" by composer Andrea Ramsey. Tune in to this special series to hear from Dr. Andrea Ramsey (composer), Dr. Kristina MacMullen (conductor), Matthew Workman (National Concerts Founder/Director), and students and staff involved with this event.

“Happiness is often around an external event or external situation where joy is internal.” “You can't pour from an empty soul.” “You can choose how to show up.”   Episode summary | In this episode of ROG, Shannon Cassidy speaks with Linda Shively, a neuroscience and mindset coach, about the importance of joy, resilience, and generosity. Linda shares her personal journey of overcoming adversity, including escaping an abusive marriage and dealing with her daughter's health challenges. She introduces the concept of 'joy-stealing dragons' that hinder personal happiness and offers strategies to tame them. The conversation also explores the significance of laughter yoga, the difference between joy and happiness, and the importance of self-generosity. Linda emphasizes the power of gratitude and small joys in cultivating a fulfilling life.   R.O.G. Takeaway Tips | Joy-stealing dragons can hinder personal happiness. Laughter yoga promotes intentional joy and connection. Joy is an internal state, while happiness is often external. Generosity can manifest in many forms beyond money. Self-care is essential for personal well-being. Traveling provides perspective and joy. Unexpected connections can lead to profound mentorship. Being present is crucial for mental well-being. Gratitude can spark joy even in difficult times.   Chapters |  00:00 Introduction to Joy and Resilience 02:17 Linda's Journey: Overcoming Adversity 05:30 The Joy Stealing Dragons 08:30 Taming Your Inner Dragons 12:13 The Power of Storytelling 14:18 Understanding Joy vs. Happiness 15:32 The Essence of Generosity 16:36 Self-Generosity and Personal Care 17:06 Filling the Soul: Nourishment and Joy 17:40 Travel as a Soul-Filling Experience 18:36 Unexpected Connections: Mentorship and Friendship 20:22 The Power of Presence in Communication 24:04 Rapid Fire Insights on Joy and Mindfulness   Guest Bio | Linda Shively has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and is a best-selling author, international award-winning speaker, and neuroscience and mindset expert. She has presented at Nasdaq, the Mexican Stock Exchange, the New York Academy of Medicine, the Mexican National Academy of Medicine, the Harvard Club of Boston, the New York City Bar Association, Walmart, and Carnegie Hall. Linda has been a multiple-time guest on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC television, featured in a feature film with Winona Ryder and Jeff Daniels, and even performed at the Rose Bowl for over 90,000 people. After healing from an abusive marriage, and navigating the diagnosis and eventual death of her 3-year-old daughter, Linda found her way to bounce back and reclaim her joy in life. Today she helps successful women defeat the dragons in their life and elevate their joy to new levels. Linda has studied brain and mind function for over 30 years, earning a psychobiology degree from UCLA, is a certified Master Life and Executive Coach, a Master Practitioner of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), a Master Hypnotherapist, and a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.    Guest Resources:  Quiz to identify one of your biggest Joy-Stealing Dragons and what to do about it: https://JoyStealingDragons.com Meditation to get you grounded, present, and focused: https://MyPeacefulMeditation.com My book Getting to Joy to get practical tips to find your way back to joy:  https://GettingToJoy.com/gift https://LindaShively.com   Bridge Between Resources: 5 Degree Change Course Free N.D.I. Network Diversity Index  Free Generosity Quiz    Credits: Linda Shively, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.   Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 239, Special Guests, Mike Wernert and Tay Person.

Fabrizio Poggi joins me on episode 137. Fabrizio plays blues, folk and spiritual music. Hailing from near Milan, he took some time to find his way with the harmonica but since then he has performed at Carnegie Hall and been nominated for a Grammy.His first band was Chicken Mambo who played New Orleans music on their early album releases.Fabrizio traveled around the US where he made lots of friends and great strides with his musical development. This culminated with the making of an album in 2013 where the Blind Boys of Alabama and Charlie Musselwhite make an appearance. Fabrizio then teamed-up with Guy Davis where their second album together, Sonny & Brownie's Last Train, was nominated for a Grammy in 2018.Links:Website: https://www.chickenmambo.com/eng/Biography: https://www.chickenmambo.com/eng/biography/Discography: https://www.chickenmambo.com/eng/discography/Juba Dance album with Guy Davis: https://guydavis.bandcamp.com/album/juba-danceVideos:Italian Folk Band: Fabrizio Poggi e Turututela Miniera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnhwOfCjrpUHarpway 61 album song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx-Reyl3ZuIPlaying live at Carnegie Hall with Guy Davis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joe1mRWMLwcTV appearance with Guy Davis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzlcccMDPFMFabrizio live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkqHNcATQ3APodcast website:https://www.harmonicahappyhour.comDonations:If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GBSpotify Playlist: Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQPodcast sponsors:This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS--------------------------------Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.comSupport the show

Yesterday was a crucial celebration for all US-Americans: Juneteenth. In honor of that event and in continuing observation of Pride 2025, I offer today an episode in honor of the great Joséphine Baker (1906 – 1975). I have been an avid (not to say rabid) Baker fan for more than thirty years, so when she was inducted by the French government into the Panthéon in the fall of 2021, I took the opportunity to devote a pair of Countermelody episodes to her. This refurbished episode includes personal reminiscences about my journey on the route to full Bakermania, while the bulk of the musical content consists of possibly the most vibrant extant live recording of Joséphine Baker, which took place on 30 June 1963, the final performance of her month-long engagement at the Tivoli Varietéen in Copenhagen. I'm pretty sure it's not currently available elsewhere on the interwebs. Joséphine Baker's magnetism, seductiveness, self-mockery, sauciness, and sincerity are all on full display. Some favorite and/or rare Baker material rounds out the episode, including a pair of Pathé recordings made during the War, when she was an active member of the French Resistance; the soundtrack of an early sound film in which she performs her signature number, “J'ai deux amours”; a recording made in conjunction with her final performance at the Bobino in Paris in 1975 (just before her death); a 1966 live recording from one of her many appearances in Havana; and her final appearance in her native United States at Carnegie Hall on 05 June 1973, in which a laryngitic, nearly voiceless Baker delivers her artistic credo in a riveting performance of “My Way.” The episode begins with a tribute to the late Alfred Brendel. Countermelody is a podcast devoted to the glory and the power of the human voice raised in song. Singer and vocal aficionado Daniel Gundlach explores great singers of the past and present focusing in particular on those who are less well-remembered today than they should be. Daniel's lifetime in music as a professional countertenor, pianist, vocal coach, voice teacher, and journalist yields an exciting array of anecdotes, impressions, and “inside stories.” At Countermelody's core is the celebration of great singers of all stripes, their instruments, and the connection they make to the words they sing. By clicking on the following link (https://linktr.ee/CountermelodyPodcast) you can find the dedicated Countermelody website which contains additional content including artist photos and episode setlists. The link will also take you to Countermelody's Patreon page, where you can pledge your monthly or yearly support at whatever level you can afford.

Ksenija Komljenović is a celebrated Serbian percussionist and professor. She was the first woman in Serbia to earn a doctorate in percussion, and she currently is the percussion department chair at the University of North Carolina. She won the International Percussion Competition in Luxembourg and she has performed across Europe, Asia and the U.S. including at Carnegie Hall. And she is the co-founder of Vesna Duo, a percussion and piano duo.My featured song is “No No No” recorded live in concert at the Nisville Jazz Festival by my band Project Grand Slam and released on our album “Greetings From Serbia”. Spotify link.---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH KSENIJA:www.ksenijakomljenovic.com________________________ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“THE CUT OF THE KNIFE” is Robert's latest single. An homage to jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his hit “Take Five”. It features Guest Artist Kerry Marx, Musical Director of The Grand Ole Opry band, on guitar solo. Called “Elegant”, “Beautiful” and “A Wonder”! CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single.It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called “Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS___________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

A singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Eliot Lewis has toured the world over as a member of the Daryl Hall & John Oates band, as well as a former member of The Average White Band. Eliot has also been the only musician to appear on every episode of Daryl Hall's popular, "Live From Daryl's House” show all while keeping his own solo career going at a seemingly impossible pace. Over the course of his career he has worked with the music business' elite including, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Joe Walsh, Sammy Hagar, Todd Rundgren,Train, Cheap Trick, Grace Potter,  Squeeze, Rob Thomas,  Jason Mraz, Darius Rucker, Gavin DeGraw and many, many others. Having mastered four instruments over the course of his career; guitar, keyboard, bass and drums, Eliot's shows will find him moving from one instrument to another. Equally at home in front of 100 or 15,000, Eliot has performed on the worlds most legendary stages, including Madison Square Garden, Japan's Budokan, Red Rocks, The Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall as well as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and many others. Eliot has carved out his own distinctive musical brand and sonic landscape and has written, performed and produced ten solo releases. There are many who shaped Eliot's music and writing. As a guitar player, definitely Jeff Beck who I've been listening to all my life, as well as Billy Gibbons who I had the great fortune of working with recently, and Peter Frampton who I actually jammed with when I was 14 yrs old. I had the amazing experience of meeting and seeing many influential artists when I was a kid mainly at Madison Square Garden in New York City. To Purchase tickets to the Limited Seating WESTPORT, CT show click on linkhttps://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/wwweliotlewiscom/eliot-lewis-live-in-westport-ct-444213059 For more on Eliot's tour log onto the website link belowhttps://eliotlewis.com/shows

If you’ve got a high school kid in public school in New Orleans and your kid is interested in pursuing anything in the arts – like music, dance, theater, film, even creative writing – you find out pretty quickly, the school doesn’t have a budget for that. To put on a play, publish a newspaper, learn dance, or most other musical and artistic pursuits, the funds required generally come from fundraisers, or parents’ pockets. Now, when you get to a public high school like NOCCA – the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts – where education and excellence in the arts is the very reason for its existence – it would be impossible to expect bake sales or parents to foot the bill for those expenses. So where does that money come from? It comes from an organization dedicated to raising the funds that help power NOCCA, called the NOCCA Foundation. Adonis Rose is a NOCCA graduate who has gone on to a successful career as a jazz musician. Adonis has won a Grammy, he’s played on every stage that matters - including Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center - he’s accompanied legends like Dianne Reeves and Wynton Marsalis, and since 2024 he’s been Executive Director of the NOCCA Foundation. One of the arts your high school kid might like to study is film. If they do, maybe they’ll graduate and go to film school. And then, if they want to be in the film business they’ll have to move to someplace else where they make movies. Because everybody here seems to agree that apart from a few brief and wonderful years when we were known as “Hollywood South,” there’s no way to have a career in the film business in New Orleans. Don’t tell that to Kenny Morrison. Kenny has been making a nationwide career for himself as a New Orleans-based film-maker since 2001. He principally makes high-end and big-budget commercials – many of which you have certainly seen - for the likes of banks, shoes, hospitals and insurance companies. Kenny is what’s known in the film business as a triple threat – director, cinematographer, and an entrepreneurial film technologist, pioneering cutting-edge visual effects through his virtual-production company, Lucy XR. It used to be generally accepted that there were real jobs – like lawyers, doctors and plumbers – and then there were b.s. jobs like actors, musicians, and film makers. We don’t think so much like that anymore. Maybe it changed because an actor, Ronald Reagan, became one of the most popular Republican presidents of the 20th Century. Jay Z had a successful career as a musician before creating a music business empire. Artists have made millions of dollars selling works of art in the crypto space as NFT’s. Online content creators clean up collaborating with fashion houses and sneaker manufacturers. The demarcation line between art and business has gotten blurred. Locally, Adonis Rose and Kenny Morrison continue to demonstrate that creativity and commerce can happily co-exist. And that’s a lesson we need to take to heart here in New Orleans, perhaps more than any city in the country. Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. Andrew Ward sits in hosting for Peter Ricchiuti. You can find photos from this show at itsneworleans.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don Wildman examines the mysterious death of one of Hollywood's most beloved stars, the amazing discovery made during the search for the elusive Loch Ness Monster and a tone-deaf diva who took center stage at Carnegie Hall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This June, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will premiere a new work from the Indianapolis composer, vocalist and musician Hanna Benn. Benn's piece is a double concerto for oboe and bassoon titled "A Through Line." Listen to an interview with Hanna Benn, along with ISO's principal oboe Jennifer Christen and principal bassoon Ivy Ringel. Benn's solo work defies classification, featuring intricate vocal layering with refined electronic production. She's contributed to high profile projects across the modern music landscape. As a vocalist, she can be heard on Meshell Ndegeocello's Grammy winning album "The Omnichord Real Book" and the Academy Award nominated soundtrack for "Everything Everywhere All at Once." As a composer, her work has been performed at Carnegie Hall.

“Everything changed for the gay choral movement because they had twins: music and mission. They weren't just there for the music, and they weren't just there for the mission. I've been feeding my twins every day, and I feed them equally. Audiences that are interested in just music for music making are dying out. There are a lot more reasons to get them in: many concerts can reach into the community and be of service.”Tim Seelig is a conductor, speaker, author and educator. He is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus and Conductor Emeritus of the Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas, Texas. He serves as founding conductor of the Portland Sage Singers.Dr. Seelig holds four degrees, including a Diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. He has eight books and DVDs on choral technique published by Hal Leonard Music, several of which are best-sellers. His memoir, Tale of Two Tims, was published in 2020. He made his operatic debut in St. Gallen, Switzerland and solo debut at Carnegie Hall. He has been conducting at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for 30 years, including an upcoming appearance at Lincoln Center in November 2025.He has conducted over 60 recordings which have been on Billboard Top Ten and iTunes Top Ten classical charts. His choruses have been the topic of three documentaries. The first PBS documentary was awarded the national Emmy for best documentary. The most recent had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, won the Audience Favorite and is streaming on Paramount +.He has commissioned major choral works for 35 years. Some of these include the first AIDS Requiem, When We No Longer Touch; Sing for the Cure for the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation featuring Dr. Maya Angelou; “Testimony,” by Stephen Schwartz and the 2022 “Songs of the Phoenix” by Andrew Lippa, Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim.Aside from guest-conducting, he is often seen trading in his podium for the speaking stage. He won the Moth Grand Slam and his recent TEDx Talk has passed 100K views.Fun facts: he conducted the Guinness Book of World Records Longest Choral Concert and carried the Olympic torch as a community Hero.  He has not run since.He is the proud grandfather of the amazing Clara Skye, Eden Mae, Cora Rose, and Ivy Hope.To get in touch with Tim, you can find him on Facebook (@tim.seelig) or email him at tgseelig@gmail.com.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

Martín Bianchi regresa desde Nueva York con noticias frescas: su coincidencia con Leonor en el Carnegie Hall, la nueva empresa de Iñaki Urdangarin en la que se pasa al mundo del coaching, las memorias de Bárbara Rey y Mar Flores, la nueva mansión de Julio Iglesias en Ourense y mucho más de la crónica social. 

Martín Bianchi regresa desde Nueva York con noticias frescas: su coincidencia con Leonor en el Carnegie Hall, la nueva empresa de Iñaki Urdangarin en la que se pasa al mundo del coaching, las memorias de Bárbara Rey y Mar Flores, la nueva mansión de Julio Iglesias en Ourense y mucho más de la crónica social. 

Broadway Director & Choreographer JoAnn M. Hunter (Bad Cinderella, School of Rock) joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss creating kind communities in theatre, her magical new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid at Paper Mill Playhouse, why she only wants to work with compassionate people and more. JOANN M. HUNTER (Director & Choreographer). Always an honor and treat to be back at Paper Mill Playhouse! Over 30 Broadway, West End, and Australian first-class credits. Directed and choreographed at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Early and infant stages: director-choreographer of Jo: The Little Women Musical, Yasuke: The Legend of the Black Samurai, and Birds of New York by Sophie B. Hawkins. I have worked with some extraordinary creatives in my career. How very lucky was I. In honing my craft, I keep my mentors in my heart. I am proud to be a Japanese American woman, and am more than just that. Follow Megan ⁠@meganhilty⁠ Follow us ⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠ / ⁠@robpeterpaul⁠ ⁠Support the show⁠! (⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this captivating episode of Big Conversations, Little Bar, join hosts Patrick Evans and Randy Florence as they sit down with Frank Furino, a media and entertainment veteran with an extraordinary history. From his early days in the bustling newsrooms of ABC to his adventures in Hollywood, Frank shares his remarkable journey, including his chance encounters with famous figures like Howard Cosell and Sammy Davis Jr. You'll be enthralled by tales of his transition from broadcasting to writing for iconic television shows, including "Dynasty" and "Dallas." Frank recounts his experiences in the world of country music and his deep-rooted love for storytelling, culminating in his play about Marilyn Monroe. This episode is a rich tapestry of anecdotes that illustrate the vibrant life of a man who has lived many careers and continues to influence the arts today. Takeaways:• Frank Furino's journey began as a mailboy at ABC News.• He witnessed the pivotal moment of JFK's assassination while working in the newsroom.• Transitioning to California, he was mentored by influential figures in the media industry.• Frank's career evolved into writing for popular television shows like "Dynasty" and "Dallas."• He produced the first country music concert at Carnegie Hall featuring the Oak Ridge Boys.• Frank created a play about Marilyn Monroe, showcasing his passion for storytelling.• His rich experiences include connections with entertainment legends like Dick Clark and Rita Lakin.• Frank emphasizes the importance of mentorship in shaping his career and opportunities. #BigConversationsLittleBarPodcast #PatrickEvans #RandyFlorence #FrankFurino #SkipsLittleBar #McCallumTheatre #MutualBroadcastingSystem #CoachellaValleyResidents #SkipPaige #MarilynMonroe #HollywoodStories #ABCNews #TelevisionWriting #Dynasty #Dallas #CountryMusic #EntertainmentIndustry #Storytelling #LifeJourney #MediaVeteran #Podcast #PalmDesert

Amit Peled is a renowned Israeli-American cellist and conductor who has made a remarkable transition from growing up on a Kibbutz in Israel to becoming a Superstar Cellist and a Professor of Music at Johns Hopkins University. He's performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall and the Seoul Arts Center among many others. He's released over a dozen recordings and started an online cello academy. My featured song is “Because She Said So” from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH AMIT:www.amitpeled.com________________________ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single.It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called “Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS___________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

 In this episode we travel to Westel, Tennessee, home to fiddle maker Jean Horner. For more than seventy years, Horner built instruments that traveled across the country—Carnegie Hall to California, the Grand Ole Opry to the Smithsonian. Two factors shaped Horner's fiddles. The first was his deep roots in the Cumberland Plateau. The second? His fascination with great Italian violin makers of the 17th and 18th centuries. Jean died this past January at age 91, an acknowledged master of his craft. Reporter Lisa Coffman interviewed him at his workshop in 2023. Recently, she attended his memorial service in Westel, and brings us this story of how he came to be known as the Stradivari of the Cumberlands. All fiddle tunes in this piece are played on Jean Horner fiddles. 

Alma Deutscher, often described as a modern-day Mozart, was a prodigy whose early accomplishments include composing a piano sonata at age six, a short opera at seven, a violin concerto at nine, and her first full-length opera at ten. At twelve, she was profiled on 60 Minutes, and in 2021 began conducting studies in Vienna with Johannes Wildner. Now 20, Alma has just written her first ballet score—a collaboration with Lincoln Jones, founder and director of American Contemporary Ballet (ACB) in Los Angeles. Lincoln joined me on the podcast just over two years ago, offering unique insights into the complexities of running a dance company and the profound art of dance itself. In this episode, Lincoln and Alma discuss their new ballet, The Euterpides, inspired by Euterpe, the ancient Greek Muse of Music. This piece follows the Muse's goddess daughters as they descend to dance with a mortal, exploring the age-old connection between inspiration and craft. We recorded this conversation on Memorial Day to get it out ahead of the ballet's world premiere, which runs June 5–28 in Los Angeles. If you're local (or can make the trip!), you'll also hear about an audience support campaign, offering a rare chance for the public to get involved in bringing this ballet to life. GUEST BIO Alma Deutscher has composed a number of acclaimed orchestral works, including a full-length opera, by the age of 10. Her music has been performed at Carnegie Hall and the Vienna State Opera. She's earned the admiration of classical music luminaries like Zubin Mehta, who called her “one of the greatest musical talents of today.” Lincoln Jones is the founder, director, and principal choreographer of the American Contemporary Ballet in Los Angeles. Their collaboration, The Euterpides, premieres on June 5. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING

I've loved group singing my whole life, joining my first choir when I was eight years old. The feeling of creating beautiful music with other people is primal and feeds me in a unique way. When I joined my current chorale four years ago, I had no idea that decision would take me to Carnegie Hall, but it did and it was amazing!

Jennifer Stumm is a celebrated violist. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie, the Kennedy Center and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw  among many others. She's done solo tours in Ireland and the UK, and she's won a number of competitions. She's the founder of Ilumina, a Brazil based artist collective. And she's a speaker with her own TED talk.My featured song is “Aches and Pains” from the album Summer Of Love 2020. Spotify link.---------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH JENNIFERwww.jenniferstumm.com_________________________ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single.It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called “Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS___________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

Youtube Amazon Baileygreymusic.comBioBailey Grey Emerges “Out From Under” with Jazzy, Honest, and Joyously Complex Debut“Out From Under,” the debut single from Love It All  Bailey Grey's first full-length album showcases the arrival of a fearless new voice in pop music. Fusing jazz, blues, and danceable pop with lyrical honesty and emotional intelligence, the track is a vibrant introduction to Bailey's musical world. With her warm, expressive vocals and genre-bending musicality, Grey creates a sound that's both refreshingly personal and artistically rich.What makes the song even more striking is the story behind it. Bailey wrote “Out From Under” while working nights as a host in an underground London bar disguised as a sex shop. “‘It said ‘Girls! Girls! Girls!' on the front,” she laughs, “but it was just a dive bar and restaurant. I was getting home at 3 or 4 in the morning, waking up late, and going back to work a few hours later. I felt low, burnt out, and stuck  but still trying to make time to create music and figure out my life.” The result: a song born of exhaustion, longing, and hope, shaped into a beautifully produced, timeless groove.Built on a rhythmic ticking motif that mirrors the pressure of time, “Out From Under” cleverly underscores its themes without being overbearing. Bailey's rim-click percussion ticks steadily beneath shifting tempos  racing forward one moment, slowing down the next  as she sings lines like:“Can I make the time go slow? / And get out from under?”That emotional layering  blending storytelling with sound design  is a hallmark of Love It All, a collection that dances across genres while remaining deeply introspective. Bailey draws inspiration from iconic female artists like Amy Winehouse, Sara Bareilles, Fiona Apple, Joni Mitchell, and Dodie, while forging a voice unmistakably her own.“I get bored when I make the same kind of music,” Bailey explains. “So I zhuzh it up I blend genres, follow new sounds. I want the album to reflect all the spaces I've been creatively. Every song is a new lens.”A Journey From Stage to StudioOriginally from northern New Jersey, Bailey's artistic roots run deep. She began her career as a child actor in New York's musical theater scene, starring in the Broadway National Tour of Mary Poppins at age 10. Her credits include Stephen Schwartz's opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon and A Christmas Rose at Carnegie Hall alongside Jane Seymour.After high school, she studied musical theatre at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and earned a master's degree from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. It was during the pandemic that Bailey began writing her own music in earnest. “Theater will always be a part of me,” she says, “but I needed to start telling my own stories.”Her songs aren't just lyrical  they're sensory. Bailey writes from the rhythms and sounds of her surroundings. “I live in a soundscape,” she says. “There's a rhythm in everything a bus passing by, birds outside the window, cars rushing past  and I try to build those moments into the music.”On Love It All, that soundscape comes to life:“When I Fall” features a bass ukulele and soprano uke.“Easy,” the closing track, was recorded near an open London window you can hear the distant hum of buses and passing voices.The title track, “Love It All,” is a meditation on finding wonder amid struggle: “I fall in love with every song that I hear / Polyrhythmic harmonies reflect my atmosphere.”She adores that lyric for two reasons: “I've never heard anyone use ‘polyrhythm' in a lyric,” she notes. “And it's not just clever  it's how I actually experience the world.”Independent, Unfiltered, and AuthenticAfter returning to the U.S., Bailey made the bold decision to part ways with her label and release Love It Alll independently. “I was a child actor, and for years I had to fit into a box  play characters in other people's stories. Now, I finally get to share mine.”With “Out From Under,” Bailey Grey arrives not just as a singer-songwriter, but as a fully realized artist  one who transforms the ache of burnout and the hum of everyday life into vibrant, resonant music.This is music that grooves, heals, and surprises  a debut that marks the beginning of an exciting, genre-defying journey.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

The spiritual and the sensual find common cause in the music of Brandee Younger. As the world’s leading improvising harpist, she carries a torch for Alice Coltrane, whose astral meditations continue to light a path. But there’s also a place in Younger’s art for playfulness, even mischief — as she reminds us with Gadabout Season, her third album for Impulse! Records. Before a recent show at Solar Myth, part of Ars Nova Workshop’s 25th anniversary season, Younger sat down with The Late Set for this fun and far-ranging conversation. Weeks later, she’d be named a Doris Duke Artist and play Coltrane’s harp in a tribute at Carnegie Hall — making “New Pinnacle,” the title of a song on the new album, feel like a statement of fact.Support WRTI: https://bit.ly/2yAkaJsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

U Guys, Jon Patrick Walker is here! Jon made his professional stage debut at the age of eight, and has been a working actor for twenty-five years, appearing in film, television, and on-and off-Broadway. In 2006, Jon portrayed Bruce Springsteen in the Broadway rock musical, High Fidelity. The following year, Jon appeared in a workshop staging of a new Pete Townshend rock opera, The Boy Who Heard Music. In 2010, Jon made his debut at Carnegie Hall, portraying one of his primary musical heroes, John Lennon, in Alarm Will Sound's 1969. In the fall of 2015, Jon worked with another musical hero, David Byrne, in a workshop production of Mr. Byrne's Saint Joan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joseph Darcourt is an American-born Peruvian-Taiwanese cellist who has been honored by three US presidents. When he was 12 -- he debut at Carnegie Hall. And at 16 he began researching the power of music at Columbia University.This program features Mr. Darcourt performing Bach's Cello Suite #1 in G Major at the West Side Community Garden in May 2025. A longer interview with excerpts from this concertI will add be added to this program in a few weeks.SCG on May 25, 2025 –We are Bar Crawl Radio Podcast – let us know what you think of our programming at barcrawlradio@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“In an age of seeming isolationism, where some countries tend to isolate, this is such a great way to bring people together. When you're doing music and the arts, all those barriers just fall away. People are just collaborating and having fun. It's such a bridge-building endeavor. I don't mean that to sound cheesy either, because I just think it is really amazing. They end up being ambassadors who go back to their own country and say, “Wow, I had a great time at this festival in America or in the Netherlands.” It ends up being one more step in our way, with our organization, of trying to connect people together in an age when so many people seem to want to hide out and not connect. We're big advocates of connecting, and that's another great reason why I think we love to do this. too.”Today's guests are composer Robert Paterson and violinist Victoria Paterson, the visionary duo behind Mostly Modern Festival & Projects, an organization dedicated to celebrating music by living composers through performance, education, and community outreach.Robert's work is known for its rhythmic energy, emotional range, and inventive themes—from environmentalism and mythology to technology and modern relationships. Based in Saratoga Springs and NYC, he's been recognized with numerous honors, including the Classical Recording Foundation's Composer of the Year at Carnegie Hall and a Grammy® for Three Way. His music is performed by major orchestras and ensembles across the globe and regularly featured on NPR. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the Mostly Modern Festival, which takes place in both Saratoga Springs and the Netherlands.Victoria has built a multifaceted career across classical, Broadway, and commercial music, performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The Today Show. As General Director of Mostly Modern Projects, she leads year-round programming that brings music into hospitals, public parks, and senior centers, while also mentoring emerging artists across the country.Episode WebsiteSeason 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

Matt Crawford speaks with author David Singer about his book, From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall. David and I talk about his eclectic careers and how he managed to end up playing Clarinet for two U.S Presidents; one the same day as he was driving a cab. Resilience and gratitude is the overarching message of this book and everyone can take something from this story.

“In an age of seeming isolationism, where some countries tend to isolate, this is such a great way to bring people together. When you're doing music and the arts, all those barriers just fall away. People are just collaborating and having fun. It's such a bridge-building endeavor. I don't mean that to sound cheesy either, because I just think it is really amazing. They end up being ambassadors who go back to their own country and say, “Wow, I had a great time at this festival in America or in the Netherlands.” It ends up being one more step in our way, with our organization, of trying to connect people together in an age when so many people seem to want to hide out and not connect. We're big advocates of connecting, and that's another great reason why I think we love to do this. too.”Today's guests are composer Robert Paterson and violinist Victoria Paterson, the visionary duo behind Mostly Modern Festival & Projects, an organization dedicated to celebrating music by living composers through performance, education, and community outreach.Robert's work is known for its rhythmic energy, emotional range, and inventive themes—from environmentalism and mythology to technology and modern relationships. Based in Saratoga Springs and NYC, he's been recognized with numerous honors, including the Classical Recording Foundation's Composer of the Year at Carnegie Hall and a Grammy® for Three Way. His music is performed by major orchestras and ensembles across the globe and regularly featured on NPR. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the Mostly Modern Festival, which takes place in both Saratoga Springs and the Netherlands.Victoria has built a multifaceted career across classical, Broadway, and commercial music, performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The Today Show. As General Director of Mostly Modern Projects, she leads year-round programming that brings music into hospitals, public parks, and senior centers, while also mentoring emerging artists across the country.Episode WebsiteSeason 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

“In an age of seeming isolationism, where some countries tend to isolate, this is such a great way to bring people together. When you're doing music and the arts, all those barriers just fall away. People are just collaborating and having fun. It's such a bridge-building endeavor. I don't mean that to sound cheesy either, because I just think it is really amazing. They end up being ambassadors who go back to their own country and say, “Wow, I had a great time at this festival in America or in the Netherlands.” It ends up being one more step in our way, with our organization, of trying to connect people together in an age when so many people seem to want to hide out and not connect. We're big advocates of connecting, and that's another great reason why I think we love to do this. too.”Today's guests are composer Robert Paterson and violinist Victoria Paterson, the visionary duo behind Mostly Modern Festival & Projects, an organization dedicated to celebrating music by living composers through performance, education, and community outreach.Robert's work is known for its rhythmic energy, emotional range, and inventive themes—from environmentalism and mythology to technology and modern relationships. Based in Saratoga Springs and NYC, he's been recognized with numerous honors, including the Classical Recording Foundation's Composer of the Year at Carnegie Hall and a Grammy® for Three Way. His music is performed by major orchestras and ensembles across the globe and regularly featured on NPR. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the Mostly Modern Festival, which takes place in both Saratoga Springs and the Netherlands.Victoria has built a multifaceted career across classical, Broadway, and commercial music, performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The Today Show. As General Director of Mostly Modern Projects, she leads year-round programming that brings music into hospitals, public parks, and senior centers, while also mentoring emerging artists across the country.Episode WebsiteSeason 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

Meet Jon Lovitz, acclaimed actor and comedian. You may know him from Saturday Night Live, The Critic, A League of Their Own, or his many appearances across film and TV. Jon has also appeared on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in Neil Simon’s play “The Dinner Party”, taking over the lead role from Henry Winkler. He has sung at Carnegie Hall three times and performed the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium and the U.S. Open. Please enJOY my conversation with Jon!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shannon began her career as a performer and has appeared in 10 Broadway musicals over a 25 year career. She is most known for her performance of “I Gotcha” in the Tony Award winning original Broadway cast of FOSSE. As a choreographer, Shannon has extensive experience creating for film and television as the choreographer of Saturday Night Live's Film Units, creating dances and movement for viral videos such as “I'm Just Pete”, “Gladiator Twosical”, “Shrimp Tower”, ”Big Boys” and many more. She has also choreographed multiple pre-taped and live projects for NBC's “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon and HBO's “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver. Shannon is the Creative Director and Choreographer of the NBC/ Universal Upfront at Radio City Music Hall. She has also created, directed and choreographed many theatrical and dance projects at such respected venues as Carnegie Hall, Ballet Jazz Montreal, Roundabout Theatre Company, Signature Theatre NYC, Town Hall, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Alvin Ailey Citicorp Theatre, Dreamworks, CLI, Dance Out Loud, NY Times Center, Bay Street Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse, Ogunquit Playhouse and The York Theatre Company. Shannon is the founder of FIRESTART Creative; producing and developing impactful, creative projects for film, theatre, television and live events. Her original dance short “Don't Go” was nominated for a 2023 World Choreography Award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices