Podcasts about Maurice White

The way people search for information is changing fast. In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg is joined by Maurice White and Chris Harihar for a discussion about Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).  They explore how search behavior is evolving with the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and what that means for brands aiming to show up in these new discovery environments. Maurice and Chris break down the parallels between GEO and traditional SEO, why marketers need to rethink their content strategy, and how PR now plays a crucial role in driving visibility in results powered by large language models (LLMs).  This episode offers real-world tips, fresh thinking and a bit of reassurance for those feeling overwhelmed by the shift. Whether you're in SEO, content, PR or digital strategy, you'll walk away with clear insights and actionable ideas to stay ahead. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op.  Mod Op Contributors: Chris Harihar, EVP of PR at Mod Op Maurice White, Senior SEO Strategist at Mod Op About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.  

Te presentamos tres compilaciones del sello Jukebox Factory. Oscuros y divertidos singles de los años 50 y 60 extraídos de las valijas del pinchadiscos y coleccionista francés El Vidocq. Los títulos hablan por sí solos. “Monster-O-Rama Vol.4”, “Bongo a Go-Go” y “Ohana Hawaiiana”.Playlist;FRANKLYN STEIN “Zotz”ARCHIE KING “The vampire”THE MAGICS Zombie walk”BILLY WARD and HIS DOMINOES “Cave man”TOMMY BRUCE “Monster Gonzalez”IGOR and THE MANIACS “The big green”MAURICE WHITE “Big bad wolf”HARLEY HATCHER ORCHESTRA “African safari pt2”THE CATALINAS “Cha Cha Joe”LUCKY MILLINDER and HIS ORCHESTRA “Bongo boogie”FRANCES FAYE “Summertime”THE INTERNATIONAL BONGO BAND “Mr Bongo man”FRANKIE BRENT “Banging on the bongo”PRESTON EPPS “B’wana bongos”THE PLAYBOYS “Hawaiian war chant”TOMMY SANDS “Hawaiian rock”FELIX MENDELSSOHN and HIS HAWAIIAN SERENADERS “My little grass shack in Kealakekua”PEREZ PRADO and HIS ORCHESTRA “Hawaiian cha cha cha”WEBLEY EDWARDS “Hukilau”FRANKIE VAUGHAN “Little kookie paradise”LOUIS ARMSTRONG and THE POLYNESIANS “On a coconut island”Escuchar audio

    Offering more indelible proof that a great song can enjoy many lives and enthrall multiple generations, Ellis Hall's timeless, haunting ballad “Some Days Were Meant for Rain” is now the second single from In the World, the debut album of WHAT!!!!, the legendary vocalist and multi-instrumentalist's duo with Grammy winning keyboardist George Whitty.   The track follows fast on the heels of the release of the powerhouse, eclectic 10-track collection and the October 2024 drop of its lead single, “Die Living,”    The first song recorded for the project, “Hug Me” is an expansive anthemic power ballad that pays tribute to the tenacity and resolve of the citizens of Ukraine in the face of Russia's invasion and the ongoing war.    In addition to his years with the group Tower of Power, Hall – who has been sightless since age 18 - fronted the Ellis Hall Group in the 70s, has written over 4000 soul, gospel, blues and pop songs, performed with the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Herbie Hancock, George Benson and Maurice White and recorded with John Klemmer, George Duke and Kenny G, among countless others. He has also written and performed on many film soundtracks including The Lion King 2, Shrek 2, Invincible and Bruce Almighty. He also sang a Louis Armstrong tune in the Steven Spielberg film Catch Me If You Can.      Want to watch: YouTube Meisterkhan Pod (Please Subscribe)

Janvier 1985, on commence cette année particulière mondialement dominée par des Simple Minds et U2, avec un troisième album solo, déjà, de Phil Collins. Et si les deux premiers, qui se sont vendus par paquets de millions, étaient particuliers, à l'image de son groupe Genesis, il n'en va pas de même de celui-ci qui est, vraiment, un pur produit pop des années 80. Et ce n'est pas un hasard car après deux disques hantés par son divorce, la séparation avec ses enfants et la paradoxale solitude d'une star du rock, Phil est pris cette fois par l'envie de produire un disque sympa, positif, et donc, années 80 obligent, dansant. Et même s'il ne peut s'empêcher de composer l'une ou l'autre chanson romantique, tout est fait pour vous emmener sur la piste le samedi soir. C'est d'ailleurs la raison pour laquelle son visage apparaît cette fois coloré de rouge, comme pris dans un projecteur de boîte de nuit, le front perlant de sueur après une bonne séance d'immersion sur la piste. C'est vrai que teenager, le jeune Anglais était un fan de la Motown, ce label noir américain qui produisait des titres dansant et sympas. Il ne manque pas d'y faire référence sur l'un ou l'autre titre de ses deux premiers disques. Et ça tranchait vachement avec les autres, c'est vrai, on a été étonné d'entendre ces cuivres clinquer sur des rythmes ronds. Ça sonne, hein ? Pas étonnant, ce sont les Phenix Horns, la section qui joue pour Earth Wind & Fire, le plus grand groupe funk de l'époque. Et qui sait à peine qui est Genesis. Ainsi, alors que Phil Collins est à New York et que justement, EWF est de passage à Madison Square Garden, il se pointe à leur hôtel avant le concert. Et le gars à qui il demande dans le hall si les Phenix Horns sont là, se trouve être le frère de Maurice White, le leader de Earth Wind & Fire. Et ce type qui ignore qui est Phil Collins, In the Air Tonight n'est pas encore sorti, le prend pour un dealer, alors il donne l'interdiction d'embarquer quiconque n'est pas du groupe. Mais allez savoir comment Collins passe entre les mailles du filet, il monte dans la limousine sous l'insistance des cuivres mais, une fois arrivé à Madsion Square Garden, est refoulé par la sécu et se retrouve bien seul. Imaginez le chanteur de Genesis interdit d'entrer dans une salle qu'il remplit habituellement. Heureusement que des régisseurs le reconnaissent et l'invitent dans leur cantine. Hé les mecs, j'le crois pas, vous avez viré Phil Collins des coulisses ! Qui ? Le chanteur de Genesis. Merde ! C'est ce soir que les gars des Phenix vont parler de Collins à Philip Bailey, la seconde voix d'Earth Wind & Fire, et de la qualité de son travail en studio. Le succès américain des deux premiers albums de Collins fera le reste quand, Earth Wind & Fire battant de l'aile, Bailey voudra voler des siennes, comme Michael Jackson. Une chanson pliée en un jour et demi, et hop ! Ça se passait comme ça avec Phil dans les années 80.

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is playing music for all to hear. London Hippy brings you his Christmas favourites ranging from the Blues, Psych, Funk & a dash of Hip-Hop. Starting in the 60s with some vintage sounds we skate around the Rock n Roll Tree ending with the best Christmas music there is; James Brown's of course. In the second half we warm up and mellow out by honouring the birthday of Maurice White from Earth, Wind & Fire and spin some Joni Mitchell.For more info and tracklisting, visit: https://thefaceradio.com/the-london-hippyTune into new broadcasts of The London Hippy, Thursday from 2 – 4 PM EST / 7 - 9 PM GMT.//Dig this show? Please consider supporting The Face Radio: http://support.thefaceradio.com Support The Face Radio with PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thefaceradio. Join the family at https://plus.acast.com/s/thefaceradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

National hard candy day. Entertainment from 2007. Aztec sacrafice 4,000 POW's to their gods, Washington sets up camp at Valley Forge, Theresa Vaugn married 62 men over 5 years. Todays birthdays - Cicely Tyson, Maurice White, Tim Reid, Robert Urich, Janie Fricke, Limahl, Mike Lookinland, Jennifer Beals, Kristy Swanson, Jake Gyllenhall. Emile Bronte died.Intro - Pour some sugar on me - Def Leppard     http://defleppard.com/Hard candy Christmas - Dolly PartonNo one - Alicia KeysOur song - Taylor SwiftBirthdays - In da club - 50 Cent     https://www.50cent.com/ September - Earth Wind & FireWKRP in Cincinnati TV themeVegas TV themeShe's single again - Janie FrickeToo shy - KajagoogooBrady Bunch TV themeExit - Dokken  https://www.dokken.net/  

On the December 19 edition of the Music History Today podcast, Keith Moon collapses, Carl Perkins records, Ronnie Wood leaves, & happy birthday to Maurice White & Edith Piaf For more music history, subscribe to my Spotify Channel or subscribe to the audio version of my music history podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts from ALL MUSIC HISTORY TODAY PODCAST NETWORK LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichistorytoday --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/musichistorytodaypodcast/support

Get ready to share the spice of life and glide like a 747 to a classic cookout jam from one of the best selling bands of all time! On this episode of One Song, Grammy Award-winning pop star, rapper, and actress Estelle joins Diallo and LUXXURY to talk about Earth, Wind & Fire's 1981 hit “Let's Groove.” They break down band leader Maurice White and his bandmates' recipe for creating certified gold songs and albums that blend funk, soul, disco, jazz, and beyond; and how their music spreads messages of Afrocentricity, universal love, harmony, and spiritualism.

In this high-stakes election, it's crucial that voters know their rights and where to turn for help. I speak with Danitra Sherman, Deputy Advocacy and Policy Director at ACLU of Pennsylvania, and Marian Schneider, Senior Policy Counsel for Voting Rights at ACLU of Pennsylvania, to discuss key resources for voters.Find your polling location: Visit vote.pa.gov to locate your in-person voting site.Election protection: If you need assistance or face barriers while voting, call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). This nonpartisan voter hotline is staffed by legal and policy experts.Website and Social Media HandlesWebsite: aclupa.org and aclupa.org/vote for voting rights information.Social media: @aclupa on X, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube. Also available on LinkedIn.I also speak with Maurice White, Partnerships & Recruitment Manager for Propel in Philadelphia and Camden. Propel is a nonprofit that connects young people with the skills, credentials, and networks needed to secure good jobs. They've developed a model to help high school graduates quickly access tuition-free college credits and build a pathway toward a thriving healthcare career. Website and Social Media HandlesWebsite: propelamerica.orgInstagram: @propel.americaFacebook: facebook.com/propelamericaLinkedIn: Propel AmericaAdditionally, I speak with Samantha Mathews, Founder & CEO of Andrée Collective, a nonprofit that provides transitional employment in the events industry for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. We also discuss their annual Celebrations for Freedom Gala and Silent Auction happening on November 3rd at 5pm at Union Trust. Website and Social Media HandlesWebsite: andreecollective.orgInstagram: @andreecollectiveFacebook: facebook.com/andreecollectiveLinkedIn: Andrée Collective

Peter Cetera, Lionel Ritchie, Don Henley, Phillip Bailey, & Maurice White. In this episode, Tyler talks their influential careers fronting bands & going soloThey essentially became just as popular if not more than these respective bands who featured them.

Ba de ya! Say that you remember! Ba de ya! Dancing in September! Ba de yah! Musical analysiiiis!It's finally time for Strong Songs to take on one of the strongest bands of all, the great Earth, Wind & Fire. In honor of September 21, Kirk does a deep dive on EWF's timeless tribute to the end of summertime - those layered grooves, those funky bass parts, and those glossy, effortless vocals.Written by: Maurice White, Al McKay & Alee WillisProduced by: Maurice WhiteAlbum: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1, 1978Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyFEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Shining Star” and “Way of the World” by Earth, Wind & Fire from That's The Way of the World, 1975“Serpentine Fire” by Earth, Wind & Fire from All N' All, 1977“In The Stone” by EWF from I Am, 1979“Easy Lover” by Phillip Bailey, Phil Collins and Nathan East, 1990“Neutron Dance” by Alee Willis performed by the Pointer Sisters on Break Out, 1984“Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, 1980“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik ElligersErik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/----LINKS-----RECAST RECOMMENDATION: "Disco Snails" by Vulfmon and Zachary Barker and "Hit The Target" by Theo Katzman feat. Eddie Barbash from Dot, 2024SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.comJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicSHOW ARTTom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------SEPTEMBER 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeBrian TempletCesarBob TuckerCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallJay SwartzMiriam JoyRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneyDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreySEPTEMBER 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONSLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattle Trans & Nonbinary Choral EnsembleKevin MarceloMatt CSamantha CoatesJamesMark NadasdiJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizMichael YorkClint McElroyMordok's Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzSuzanneRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan Laserbrian john peterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Robert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Jjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Angela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo

EW&F dyrkade refrängen och respekterade alltid kraften i en melodi. Samtidigt handlade det om musiker som ville briljera, som la in märkliga ackordskiften och översinnliga harmonier. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. En rytmsektion som kunde få döda att dansa. En blåssektion som skar genom glas. Maurice White hade drömt fram ett band som kunde spela allt och ge det ett groove. Den första verkligt genreöverskridande R&B-gruppen i spåren av Sly & The Family Stone, och den mest framgångsrika med över 90 miljoner sålda album i världen. Men det skedde inte utan kritik. Vissa kallade deras texter för kosmiskt dravel och musiken för pretentiös. Konflikterna tilltar i den andra delen om Earth, Wind & Fire.

EW&F sprängde alla gränser! Ett band som föddes ur en tanke hos en viljestark man och formades med hjälp av musiker som blickade ut i ett accelererande universum. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play. Här är miniserien om inflytelserika Earth, Wind & Fire. Du får möta bortgångne ledaren Maurice White, samt medlemmarna Philip Bailey och Al McKay under resan som går från psykedeliska jazzfunkfusionexperiment färgade av medborgarrättskampen och hippierörelsen till toppen av listorna och superhits som ”September” och ”Boogie wonderland”.Del 1 av 2.

In this profound episode, Mick Hunt engages with Brenda Russell to explore her journey as a musician and songwriter. Brenda discusses her creative process, the stories behind her most cherished songs, and her philosophy on music and life. This episode offers an in-depth look at the artistry that has made Brenda a beloved figure in the music industry.Brenda Russell's Background: Celebrated for her deep musical heritage and iconic songs that have resonated across generations.Defining Moments: Brenda shares her approach to songwriting, including the spontaneous creation of "So Good, So Right" and insights into maintaining creativity and authenticity in her work.Discussion Topics:The inspiration and emotional depth behind her hit song "If Only For One Night."Her songwriting process and how she captures complex emotions and stories in her music.Collaborations with legendary artists like Maurice White and experiences that shaped her music career.Key Quotes:"Many writers write about our heartbreaks, and those sometimes are the best songs.""Write from your heart for yourself because that's your highest point."Next Steps:Listen: Explore Brenda Russell's music to experience her powerful storytelling.Reflect: Consider how you can bring more authenticity and heart into your creative endeavors.Engage: Share your favorite Brenda Russell song and how it has impacted you using #MickUnplugged.

Welcome to "The Backstage Pass," where we unlock the captivating tales behind musical masterpieces. In this episode, we turn our spotlight on the genre-defying hit "Easy Lover" by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey, released in 1984.Our journey begins in Denver, where Philip Bailey's soulful roots take shape. From singing in his local church every Sunday to honing his drumming and percussion skills at university, Bailey's musical journey unfolds. Picture the scene in 1972 when Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire's leader, recognizes Bailey's extraordinary vocal range and invites him to join the iconic group.Fast forward to the '80s, where the ebb of Earth, Wind & Fire's success opens the door for Bailey's solo career. Enter Phil Collins, selected to produce Bailey's third solo album. As the recording progresses, Collins senses the need for a musical bridge, a track that defies categorization and unites pop, soul, and rock.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Beave and Len take you back to the 70s and 80s with an in-depth discussion of the music of Maurice White, Philip Bailey and the musical geniuses that are Earth, Wind & Fire. The guys discuss the band's biggest hits, go through their own EWF 45-minute playlist, and talk Philip Bailey's recent book "Shining Star". They also compare Earth, Wind & Fire to contemporary musical acts of that particular era. Tune in and Sing a Song! It'll make you glad!

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chris to discuss some of his iconic photos and the stories behind them. ******Over the past 50 years, Chris' signature work with a galaxy of A-List actors, models, athletes and musicians has helped them define their public image while establishing his reputation as one of the most respected photographers in the entertainment industry.  Drawn to the excitement of music as a teenager growing up in Northern California, Chris began his career by shooting local rock shows for fun. He quickly graduated to headlining acts and, since moving to Los Angeles in the early 1980's, has worked with a massive catalog of performers in the music and entertainment industry.  He has shot the best of the best in the music world including ground-breaking bands like Jane's Addiction, Pearl Jam, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nirvana, George Michael, Iggy Pop, No Doubt, Henry Rollins, Elvis Costello, Fiona Apple, Scott Weiland and Soundgarden.  These images have regularly appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin, RayGun, Vibe, Musician as well as on the covers of more than 300 record albums and CDs.Along with his significant commercial and editorial contributions as a music photographer, Chris' portfolio also includes an equally impressive group of A-list actors from Johnny Depp to Dustin Hoffman, sports icons from Kobe Bryant to Wayne Gretzky, and television shows from American Idol to So You Think You Can Dance.  His images have been in Entertainment Weekly, US, Stuff, Maxim, Premiere, British Elle and W. In the last few years Chris has presented multiple exhibitions celebrating his iconic music photography.  He started with Greatest Hits: Los Angeles and then followed up with GH: Martini Ranch, GH: George Michael, GH: Grunge, GH: Pearl Jam and GH: Michael Hutchence.  He is currently working on his Greatest Hits documentary and expanding the exhibition worldwide.His natural talent, versatility and tireless pursuit of artistic expression continue to grow no matter the medium.  “Regardless of what I've been able to accomplish in the past, there are always new mountains to climb and new borders to cross,” Chris explains. “I'm excited by where I'm going and what lies ahead… by the journey as well as the destination.”Website: https://www.chriscuffaro.com/Photo Website: https://cuffarophoto.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuffarophoto/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ6qTnhssn2OgCKcQb9J8ww*****If you would like to contact the show about being a guest please email us at Dauna@betertopodcast.comThis episode is on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VZhkYCBBkkoFollow us on Social MediaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_d.m.needom/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bettertopodcastwithdmneedomHave a question or want to be a guest on the podcast email: dauna@bettertopodcast.comHave a question for our producer Rich Zei contact him at rich.zei@thirdearaudio.comIntro and Outro music compliments of Fast SuziTo see upcoming guests click here: https://www.dmneedom.com/better-topodcast©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.NeedomSupport the Show.

Find me and the show on social media @DrWilmerLeon on X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube Facebook page is www.facebook.com/Drwilmerleonctd   Some articles referenced in the episode: Libertarian article: To End the War in Ukraine, Expose Its Core Lie | The Libertarian Institute Nato Watch article: How Gorbachev was misled over assurances against NATO expansion TruthOut article: The Ukraine Mess That Nuland Made | Truthout   FULL TRANSCRIPT: Announcer (00:06): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge. Wilmer Leon (00:15): Welcome to the Connecting the Dots podcast with Dr. Wilmer Leon. I am Wilmer Leon and this is a special episode. Here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they occur in a vacuum and we're failing to understand the broader historical context in which many of these events occur during each episode. Usually my guests and I have probing, provocative and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between these events and the broader historic context in which they occur, and this enables you to better understand and analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live on today's episode. The issue before us is what's really behind this most recent spate of military spending and is democracy really at risk? My guest for this discussion is me as the brilliant philosopher of the late Maurice White with Earth, wind and Fire said in all about love. (01:23) I want to take this moment to run down a couple of things about things we see every day. So in this episode it's just going to be you and I, president Joe Biden. On Wednesday the 24th of April, he signed into law the So-called Military Aid Package. It's worth $95 billion of your hard earned tax dollars. It includes nearly $61 billion that's going to Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and $8 billion for the Indio Pacific. After signing the bill, president Biden said quote, it's a good day for America. It's a good day for Ukraine. It's a good day for world peace. The aid package, Biden said is going to make America safer. It's going to make the world safer, and it continues. America's leadership in the world. Is it and does it really well. So these statements by Biden, they're going to be kind of the broad outline of my comments for today. (02:43) What's really behind all of this money to Ukraine, Israel and the Indio Pacific, and is it an investment in safety or is it profit for the military industry? On January 17th, 1961 in his farewell address to the nation president Dwight Eisenhower, a former general and Republican warned the country and the world against the establishment of what he called the military industrial complex. Eisenhower said, and I quote, A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be might ready for instant action so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction. He was talking about a defensive military, not an offensive military. He went on to say American makers of plowshares could with time and as required make swords as well, but now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions and this is really the key, this conjunction, this is Eisenhower of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience, yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications in the councils of government. (04:28) We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought by the military industrial complex, the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. I repeat that the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist and that's what we see today. Eisenhower was incredibly prophetic in his concern of the dangers of American foreign policy becoming the ideological play thing of the arms industry. So coming out of World War II in 1945 coming out of the Korean conflict in 1953 and entering the Vietnam conflict around 1955 or 1956, it's very easy to understand Eisenhower's position on the need for a strong and prepared military. We're not going to debate that point. That could be a whole nother program, but with that, he admonished us not to fail to comprehend the grave implications, the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought by the military industrial complex. (05:57) So again, what's really behind all of this money to Ukraine, all this money to Israel, all this money to the Indio Pacific. Let's start with Ukraine and most of this will center around Ukraine because that's where a bulk of the money is going and that's also where for the most part, the most immediate risk of conflagration exists. There's a great piece that's published in the Libertarian Institute. It's entitled to end the War in Ukraine, expose its core lie to end the war in Ukraine, expose its core lie it's co-authored by Ted Snyder, a regular columnist on US foreign policy at antiwar and history at anti-war dot com as well as the Libertarian Institute and it's also it's co-authored by Professor Nikolai Petro. He's a political scientist at the University of Rhode Island and he's also the author of a number of books and since their piece is so well researched and so well written, I'm just going to quote from it, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, they did a phenomenal job with this piece and I suggest everybody read it anyway. (07:19) They write. The essential argument used to avoid negotiation and continue support for the war in Ukraine is based upon a falsehood. They call it a falsehood. I call it a lie. That falsehood repeated by Joe Biden is that when Russian president Putin decided to invade Ukraine, he intended to conquer all of Ukraine and annihilated its falsity and this is Snyder and Petro its falsity has been exposed multiple times by military experts who have pointed out both before and after the invasion that Russia could not have intended to conquer all of Ukraine because it did not invade with sufficient forces to do so. Indeed, this was the key reason why senior Ukrainian officials and even President Zelensky himself argued just days before the invasion it would not occur. Now, I take issue with their use of the word invasion because it's really a military intervention, but again, that's a discussion for another time. (08:33) Folks, if you just strip away the rhetoric and the lies, and if you just look at the facts, the US started this fight with Russia and is using Ukraine as its proxy to do so. Schneider and Petro also have a piece, it's a shorter version of piece that I just referenced and it's entitled four Myths that Are Preventing Peace in Ukraine. Again, their work is so well researched and written, I'm just going to quote them again, I'm not going to try to reinvent the wheel they write. If diplomacy is to have a chance at settling the bloody conflict, then four persistent myths about Ukraine need to be exposed and refuted. Myth number one, Putin. I'm sorry, myth number one. If Putin is not defeated in Ukraine, he will roll into Europe. You've heard this many times. If Putin takes Ukraine, according to President Biden, he said this in Congress on the 6th of December, 2023, he won't stop there. He's going to keep going. He's made that pretty clear. (09:53) The problem with that statement is no evidence to support it has ever been presented. Petro and Snyder go continue, but Putin has not made that pretty clear. In fact, Putin has consistently said that the Ukraine crisis is not a territorial conflict. The issue is much broader and more fundamental and is about the principles of underlying the new international order. Simply put, it's about President Putin being concerned about Russian territorial security, sovereignty and integrity in the same manner that any other leader in the world is concerned about their territorial security, sovereignty and integrity. He's not doing anything different than what any other world leader would do. There's a piece@natowatch.com, I think.org, nato watch.org entitled How Gorbachev was Misled Over Assurances Against NATO expansion. And this piece that I'm referencing is kind of background to give you some greater context about what Schneider and Petro have written the US was trying to convince. The Soviet Union, this is back in the nineties, was trying to convince the Soviet Union to allow for the reunification of East and West Germany. (11:40) The then US Secretary of State, James Baker, his famous not one inch eastward assurance about NATO expansion while he was meeting within the president of Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev. This was on February 9th, 1990 was only a part of a cascade of similar assurances, meaning not only did James Baker say it, but other European leaders said this to Gorbachev as well. In February of 1990, baker assured the Soviet Union, and at the time he was the US Secretary of State under then President George HW Bush, he assured his counterpart Edward Chevron Nazi, that in a post Cold War Europe, NATO would no longer be belligerent, less of a military organization, much more of a political one, and then it would have no need for an independent capability. This is what the United States told the Soviet Union. Nonetheless, baker promised Shepherd Nazi ironclad guarantees that NATO's jurisdiction of forces would not move eastward meaning no closer to the then Soviet Union. (13:12) On the same day in Moscow. He famously told the Secretary General that the alliance would not move one inch to the East The following day, O Cole, the future chancellor of a United Germany repeated the same thought to Gorbachev even though they were disagreeing on other issues. Tillman Cole told Gorbachev not one inch eastward. That's what convinced Gorbachev to agree to the reunification of east and West Germany. I believe France, Britain and possibly one or two other European countries made the same assurances as well. And again, as a result of these insurances assurances, Germany was reunited the West NATO and Western allies or US allies have violated this agreement ever since. That's what's at the crux of the conflict. That's why when President Putin and President Biden met in Geneva, Switzerland before the Russian intervention, Putin told Biden, I'm giving you my security concerns in writing and I expect your response to my concerns to come back to me in writing. (14:46) He demanded the written response because Baker had stated the commitment verbally to Gorbachev. So now Putin wants this in writing and just quickly to those that say, oh, well, because it was just a statement and it was not written, it's not valid. Nene, I say to you, there's a case, I think it's Norway versus Greenland. It's a 19 35, 19 36 international law case that holds statements made by official representatives of states or countries are valid. They are enforceable. So the fact that Baker said it and didn't write it does not mean it's not valid. Again, according to Norway v Greenland, it's a 19 35, 19 36 international case. Okay with that. Now let's go back to Petro myth number two. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was never about nato. That's the myth that this has. The conflict in Ukraine has nothing to do with nato. Western officials insists that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked and that Russia's decision to illegally invade Ukraine was never about NATO expansion and crossing Russia's red lines, but rather it's a senseless war against a sovereign freedom loving nation. (16:29) Petro Snyder continue. On the 7th of September of 2023, NATO's secretary Jens Stoltenberg made the stunning admission that Putin's decision to invade Ukraine was indeed provoked by NATO encroachment on Ukraine. The United States wanted to put missiles into Ukraine too close to the Russian border. Prior to making that decision to go into Ukraine, Stoltenberg said that Putin had sent a draft treaty that they wanted NATO to sign to promise no more NATO enlargement. That was what he sent to us, Stoltenberg said and was a precondition for his not invading Ukraine. And Stoltenberg said, of course, we didn't sign that. Myth number three, the war in Ukraine is a war on democracy versus autocracy. According to this narrative, Russia cannot be allowed to win because this war is not just about Ukraine. It's the first battlefield in a larger war for democracy against autocracy. (17:55) But Russia abandoned the goal of exporting ideology when the Soviet Union collapsed. In fact, the Russian constitution, article 13 of the Russian constitution explicitly prohibits the imposition of a single state ideology and the exportation of such. And for those of you who will say, oh, you all didn't know Russia has a constitution, president Putin is bound by that constitution. Russia has a parliament, they have a democracy. Vladimir Putin, contrary to popular belief and narrative is not an autocrat. He's no more of an autocrat than Joe Biden is an autocrat and some would tell you that Joe Biden is an autocrat. But anyway, this and this is my input. If the US is spending billions of your taxpayer dollars to defend democracy, then why did the United States go in and overthrow the democratically elected government of President Victor Jankovich in Ukraine in 2014? To that point, there is a piece in truth out the Ukraine mess that Newland made. (19:18) You can find this in truth out the Ukraine mess that Newland made assistant Secretary of State at the time, Victorian Newland engineered Ukraine's regime change without weighing its likely consequences. This is by Robert Perry, a RRY, as the Ukrainian army squares off against ultra-right, and neo-Nazi militias in the west and violence against ethnic Russians continues in the East, the obvious folly of the Obama administration's Ukraine policy has come into focus even for many who tried to ignore the facts or what many have called the mess that Victoria Newland made assistant Secretary of state for European affairs. Tor Newland was the mastermind behind the February 22nd, 2014 regime change in Ukraine, plotting the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President Victor Jankovich while convincing the ever gullible us mainstream media that the coup wasn't really a coup but a victory for democracy folks. She worked with Nazis in Ukraine to overthrow the democratically elected Jankovich government in 2014. (20:51) It's called the ma don coup or ma don coup. Look it up, M-A-I-D-O-N. Everything I'm telling you right now, you can verify for yourselves. In fact, I implore you to do so. I'm not just taking this stuff off the top of my head. This is not my opinion. If it is my opinion, I will tell you that it is. This is historic fact. Myth number four, Putin again, this is Snyder and Petro Putin is not interested in negotiating. The West insists that Putin is not interested in negotiating an end to this conflict despite multiple news reports that he has been signaling through intermediaries that he is open to a ceasefire and that he is ready to make a deal. The White House continues to insist that he has shown absolutely no indication he's willing to negotiate. And that's just not true. My opinion, that's just not well, that's a fact. (22:08) He my opinion is not interested in negotiating based upon the usual tactic that the United States uses. The United States usual tactic of negotiation is capitulation. The United States comes to the table and says, here's how it's going to go. And once you agree to how we believe it's going to go, then we can sit down and talk about it. And Putin's saying, no ne nay, I'm not going to do that. You want to negotiate this. We're going to sit down and negotiate this. And that's one of the big problems. My opinion, again, that's one of the big problems that the United States has with dealing with a peer such as Russian president, Putin back to Petro. But the historical record shows that Putin has sought a negotiated settlement since the opening days of conflict. And by all accounts, Russia and Ukraine had even reached a tentative agreement in Istanbul in April of 2022. And that has been confirmed by American reporting by then Israeli Prime Minister Neftali Bennett by former German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder by Turkish Foreign Minister, and Newman Tuus, sorry for that struggle with those names. He's the deputy chairman of Erdogan, Turkish president of Erdogan's party. In fact, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he went to Ukraine and told Zelensky in April of 22, under no circumstance is the West going to allow you to negotiate a settlement with Russia. (24:29) I say that again as the United States says that Russia has no interest in negotiating. They were already negotiating and they had reached an agreement. And there have been some instances, some press conferences where Putin has held up the agreement and said, I got it right here. But Bojo Boris Johnson went and told on behalf of the West, went and told Zelensky, under no circumstances is the West going back that play. So if Putin isn't interested in negotiating, negotiating, why did he participate in the mens agreements, the series of international agreements which sought to end the Donbass conflict that was fought between armed Ukrainian, pro-Russian separatist groups and the armed forces of Ukraine. Folks look up the Minsk accords. And when you look up the Minsk accords, here's the problem. You can find this at the World Socialist website. You can find this a number of places former German chancellor, Angela Merkel Min, that the mins accords or the mins agreement was merely to buy time for Ukraine's arms buildup. The 2024 Minsk agreement was an attempt to give Ukraine time. Merkel told a German newspaper, it was also used. They also used that time to become stronger as you can see today. (26:16) And Angela Merkel was one of the key conveners of the Minsk meetings under the pretext of negotiating a settlement between what were called the ethnic Russians in the Donbass region and the rest of Ukraine. See, once you had the 2014 Midon coup and the Yakovich government was thrown out, then a pro Ukrainian nationalist Western leaning government backed by Nazis in Ukraine was implemented. And they then, because they were Ukrainian nationalists, they started ethnically cleansing what were called ethnic Russians in what's known as the Donbas region of Ukraine. And those folks in the Donbas were begging President Putin to intervene on their behalf. They're Ukrainian citizens with Russian background, Russian families, many of them speak Russian. They are members of the Russian Orthodox Church. They travel back and forth between the Donbass and Russia because they have families in Russia. But the Ukrainian nationalists wanted to ethnically cleanse them from the country. (27:50) And so in order to stop the conflict, they came to what was called the mens accords, which is why if you go back and look at the record, you'll see Putin telling Biden before he went into Ukraine, all you got to do is implement the Minsk agreement and we're good. All you've got to do is implement the Minsk agreement. And I'm not going in. We've already negotiated this. All you have to do is implement it. And the United, he told that to Biden when they were in Sweden in Geneva, you can look it up. The United States ignored it. So folks, this is a cursory view, cursory overview of the situation. You can research this for yourselves. Tony Blinken, Joe Biden, even Malcolm Nance, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, they're all lying to you. This is not about defending democracy, it's not about stopping the further advance of Russia. It's all about selling weapons around the world and they're using your nickel to do it. (29:22) Of the $60.7 billion that's going to Ukraine, $38.8 billion isn't going to Ukraine. It's going to US factories that make missiles, munitions, and other military gear. It's going to replenish the United States military stocks that have been depleted as a result of this fool's errand called Ukraine. It's going to Lockheed Martin, it's going to General Dynamics, it's going to General Electric, it's going to Boeing, it's going to Raytheon, it's going to a whole lot of other American arms manufacturers or as Eisenhower refer to them, the military industrial complex. And I'm not making these numbers up. You can look it up. This came from an Associated Press story and guess where the Associated Press got their numbers? They got their numbers from the Biden administration. So again, not my opinion, it's the facts. There's a great summary at the World Socialist website. (30:48) I referenced the story a little earlier in this piece, but if you're asking yourself, so what's the motivation behind the United States for using Ukraine as its proxy to confront Russia? The summary is as follows, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States has pursued the goal of remaining the sole world power. To this end, Washington has waged numerous criminal wars and expanded NATO into Eastern Europe. Now it wants to integrate Ukraine, Georgia, and other former Soviet republics into NATO and subjugate Russia in order to plunder its resources and isolate China. You may have heard the pivot towards China from the Obama administration. That's what this isolation of China is all about. It's a pivot away from Afghanistan, a pivot away from a conflict with Russia, and the focus is on China. So the 61 billion in aid to Ukraine, the 26 billion for Israel, the $8 billion for the Pacific, those are your tax dollars with infrastructure crumbling in the United States, healthcare, pensions, education, we don't have the money to deal with those things as the rate of suicide is up in the United States as the rate of depression is up in the United States as inflation is ravaging the pocketbooks of the middle class and the working class and the poor in this country, they got 95 billion of your tax dollars that they can send to Ukraine now 26 billion for Israel. (33:09) What a mess that is contrary to the dominant narrative. This conflict did not start on the 7th of October. In fact, there's a piece in the publication in these times entitled History didn't Begin on October 7th. The Israeli military is currently carrying out an attack on the besieged Gaza Strip bombing homes, bombing mosques, bombing hospitals, churches cutting off access to water, assassinating children, assassinating doctors. They're cutting off electricity, they're cutting off food. The Palestinian death toll has risen to over 35,000. 70% of those 35,000 are women and children, 80% of GA's, 2.3 million residents have been displaced GA's and suffer untreated injuries and a continual lack of medical supplies. (34:28) While this collective punishment, which by the way violates international law, has been justified by right wingers. Israeli defense minister Yoav Glan called Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip human animals and US Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican from South Carolina that's never met, a war he didn't like, called for the military to level the place in a sitting American senator has called upon the Israeli government to level Gaza, which by the way is in violation of American law because Israel is using American money and American weapons to ethnically cleanse, to collectively punish, to engage in genocide against the Palestinian people. Look up the Lehe law, thehe Amendment, look it up. Look up the Arms Export Control Act, and you'll see very clearly that the United States is in violation of its own law by providing weapons to Israel. While it's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while it's defense Minister Gallant and others have stated very clearly that they are engaging in genocide. (36:16) Now, as I talk about this and as I talk about what Hamas' response, Hezbollah's response in Lebanon, ansara Allah in Yemen, I'm not saying this to condone violence or to condone killing in no way, shape or form, but you have to understand the context in which these actions and reactions are taking place. Dr. King told us many times that war is an enemy of the poor, and he also talked about the three evils of society are racism, militarism, and poverty about racism. He said, if America does not respond creatively to the challenge to banish racism, some future historian will have to say that a great civilization died because it lacked the soul and commitment to make justice a reality for all men. That not only applies to how the United States government treats Native Americans, that not only applies to how the United States government treats Mexican and other Latino or Hispanic immigrants. That does not only apply to how the United States treats African-Americans, it applies to how the United States spends and spends its money to back fund and organize genocide against the Palestinians. (38:03) The second evil was militarism. And Dr. King said, A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death. 95 billion sent of our tax dollars to foreign countries for war, for oppression to maintain this unitary or unilateral hegemony that the United States has become used to since World War II and our bridges are collapsing. You have people in the United States that are having to decide between do they pay their rent, do they pay their mortgage, or do they pay their grocery bill? And that takes us into the third element, the third evil of society that Dr. King talked about poverty where he says the poor black and white are still perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. What happens to a dream deferred? It leads to bewildering frustration and corroding bitterness. (39:29) The people cry for freedom and the Congress attempts to legislate repression. They just voted to send $95 billion of your tax dollars to oppress another people, repress another people, Dr. King, millions. Yes, billions are appropriated for mass murder. That's not me, that's Dr. King for mass murder. But the most meager pittance of foreign aid for international development is crushed in the surge of reaction. Unemployment rages at a major depression level in the black ghettos, but the bipartisan response is an anti-riot bill rather than a serious poverty program. Or you've got Mike Johnson going to Columbia calling for the arrest of protesting students that are protesting what? They're not protesting against Judaism. They're not protesting against Israelis, they're protesting against genocide and they're protesting for the freedom and the rights of Palestinians at the time that he gave this speech, which I think was 1968, right before he died, $26 billion. (40:56) I'm sorry, this is me now, my problem, my mistake, 26 billion of your tax dollars are being invested in the genocide of the Palestinian people. Context, folks. Context is incredibly, incredibly important here. I'm not going to go through the 75 years of apartheid and oppression right now that's going on in pal. I'm not going to go through that right now. Let's just look at some of the most recent incidents. According to Chatham House, the Israeli attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus on the 1st of April. You remember Israel sent missiles into Damascus, Syria and struck the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing an Iranian general and a number of other diplomats. That's unprecedented. That's an unprecedented escalation by Israel against Iran in Syria, an unprecedented escalation. Folks, it's a violation of international law for one country to attack the embassy or the consulate of another country, and they did it on Syrian soil, which means they also violated Syrian sovereignty. (42:37) What did Iran do after consultation with the United States and agreement with the United States? Some say it was Bill Burns from the CIA A with the US and other countries in the region and based upon and consistent with international law. That's a very, very important point here is that after Israel on April 1st illegally struck the Iranian consulate in Syria, Iran did not just react in a knee-jerk manner. They didn't just send a barrage of missiles into Tel Aviv. They sat down and they spoke with the United States and they said, look, we can't allow this to stand. (43:29) We just can't sit I lead by anymore and let them do this to us. So here's what we're going to do Based upon international law, we are allowed to retaliate rarely. When you read about this in the newspaper, does it say that Iran retaliated against Israel? What they usually, how they usually describe it, and this is why context is important, they usually describe it as Iran struck Israel. Iran attacked Israel. No, they retaliated. And under international law, what you are allowed to do is you are allowed to strike military targets that were tied to the offensive strike that you endured, and you're also allowed through international law to strike support targets well such as radar towers, communication facilities. And so Iran sat down, I think it was Bill Burns from the CCIA A and Bill Burns said to Iran, okay, so long as you don't hit civilian targets, we the United States will not respond. So what did Iran do? (45:02) They retaliated as international law allows them to, and when they finished, they even gave the United States and Israel the heads up. They said In five hours, this is what we're going to do. And they used these slow moving drones so that the United States and Israeli radar could track the drones. They even gave them time to get their newly acquired F 35 jet fighter planes that they had just gotten from the United States out of harm's way. They did all of that to make a point, and when they were finished, they said, we now consider the matter closed. You struck us. We retaliated we're good, but Israel wasn't satisfied. (46:10) And what did Israel do? They struck again in violation of international law. Fortunately, president Raisi as well as Supreme Leader, Khomeini and others in the Iranian government, fortunately they are thoughtful. Fortunately, they have a longer view of history than Americans do. Fortunately, they exercised restraint and they have not struck back. Think about that context, folks. Context is very important. President Biden tells us that we're protecting security and democracy in Israel. Here's the newsflash. There's nothing secure about Israel and there's nothing democratic about a colony that oppresses over 30%. Its population. Palestinians do not have the same rights to vote as Israelis do. Palestinians do not have the same right to travel throughout the country as Israelis do. (47:46) Many Palestinians have been relegated to living in an open air concentration camp called the Gaza Strip, where their caloric intake is monitored and managed by the Israeli government. Their access to water, their access to electricity is managed by the Israeli government. That's not democracy. That's not even humanity. It's called genocide. And your tax dollars are being used to fund it. There's nothing democratic about a United States that is arresting students for peacefully protesting against genocide. Now, over 40 colleges and universities are engaged in protests. The University of Southern California in Los Angeles has canceled graduation. They are not allowing, well, the first thing they did was they decided that the valedictorian of the class of 2024, a Palestinian American woman was not going to be allowed to give her valedictorian address and they claim due to security concerns. So instead of protecting her and allowing her to give her speech, they have been held hostage by threat, by innuendo, by social media posts. Think about that. (49:29) Over 40 colleges and universities are now engaged in protests and presidents of these universities are calling out the police. They were arresting students. Mike Johnson, the speaker of the house, just went to Columbia University and threatened or called for the resignation of the President of Columbia because she's not following the script. And to show you how prevalent this has become, there are now high school students, high school students in Washington DC at Jackson Reed High School, the largest high school in the District of Columbia. They have had to file a lawsuit being represented by ACL U. They have filed a lawsuit against their principal saying that the principal has infringed upon their first amendment rights by barring them from holding pro-Palestinian events and distributing information materials. So apparently the First Amendment doesn't apply if your speech is in support of those that the Israeli lobby deems to be offensive. (51:06) And for those of you listening to this that say that this is an anti-Semitic analysis, no, it's not. It's anti-Zionist is what it is. And contrary to what they have now wanted to say from Congress and what many backing the Israeli lobby will tell you, Zionism and Judaism are not the same thing. Look it up. Don't take my word for it. Zionism is a political ideology that is racist, that is white supremacists and is used as the basis for genocide against the Palestinians, whereas Judaism is a religious belief system. Two totally different things. Finally, what the United States loves to call the Indio Pacific, basically what they're doing is trying to start a war with China, and they're using the island of Taiwan as the United States has used Ukraine as its proxy to start a war with Russia. The United States is using the island of Taiwan in a similar manner, and fortunately, president Xi of China is thoughtful, patient, reserved, and is not responding to the provocations as the United States would do if China were trying to do to Puerto Rico or trying to do through Puerto Rico. What the United States is trying to do to China through Taiwan, missiles would be flying and bullets would be shot. (53:17) But G is a wise man and he's not falling for the banana in the trick. He's not going to allow the United States to provoke his country into a conflict. So the United States is engaging in military exercises with South Korea. The United States is engaged in military exercises with Japan. The United States is engaged in military exercises with the Philippines. The United States is building more military bases in along the Pacific Rim. All of this, and heaven knows why, because it's a fight. The US can win. We don't have the technology, we don't have the technology that they have. We don't have the capacity, the capability, the hypersonic missiles. Look, the United States going back to the Iranian, I'm sorry, going back to, yeah, the Gaza conflict, the United States sends in the USS Eisenhower, was it Gerald Ford? I think it was the Gerald Ford. They send in the Gerald Ford carrier Group into the Mediterranean off the coast of Israel. And President Putin says to Biden, he says, why are you doing this? He says, you're not scaring anybody. These people don't scare. He says, oh, and by the way, we Russia can sink your aircraft carrier from here with hypersonic missiles. (55:26) Hypersonic missiles. These things fly at something like nine times, 10 times the speed of sound they have, I think it's the SU 35, which is a fighter jet that Russia has, and they're called Kja. I think it's K-I-N-J-A-L, Ken jal missiles. Look it up. They can sink the carrier from the Black Sea before the carrier even recognizes that the missiles are incoming. That thing is on its way. That carrier is on its way to the bottom of the Mediterranean before they even know that the missiles are incoming, and China has the technology as well. Some say that Iran has the technology. (56:20) So folks, why are your tax dollars being used being wasted when there is such drastic need at home? And this is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. Democratic, this is a NeoCon, and you got Republican and Democratic neocons. This is a NeoCon issue. They are lying to you about the rationales and the so-called logic that they are employing so that it's a money laundering scheme, is what it is. The United States through its proxy, Ukraine starts a conflict with Russia so that the Biden administration can tell you that we have to increase our military spending to stop the fight with Russia to stop the war in Ukraine, to defend the Ukrainians. Well, if you hadn't started the fight in the first place, there wouldn't be a fight. (57:57) Joe Biden tells us we have to defend security and democracy in Israel as the United States Arms funds, trains, provides logistics support to the Israeli government as it engages in genocide against the Palestinians. It's very simple. Joe, if you want to bring a stop to this as you ring your hands and cry, crocodile tears about protecting innocent Palestinian civilians, pick up the phone. Tell Benjamin Netanyahu, you don't get another damn dime. Very simple, very simple. The way you end the fight is don't start the fight in the first place. The United States is trying to provoke a war with China over Taiwan, even though it is clearly stated, articulated by then President Nixon, secretary of State, Kissinger, the one China policy. The United States considers Taiwan to be a part of China. The UN recognizes Taiwan is a part of China. The majority of Taiwanese believe support that they are Chinese citizens. If you don't want to have a fight with China, then don't provoke the fight with China, as they say on the corner. Don't start nothing. Won't be nothing. So folks, here's what you really need to think about. What does this mean? I just went through Ukraine. I just went through Israel. I just went through the conflict with China, and what does this mean? What's at stake? Well, first of all, world War iii. Remember, Russia is a nuclear armed country. China, I believe, has nuclear weapons. Israel, that's the worst kept secret in the world, is a nuclear armed country. So the United States as a nuclear power is trying to start a conflict with other nuclear powers. A nuclear war is unwinnable by anybody. Everybody loses in the course of a nuclear war, (01:01:06) Even if the war doesn't go nuclear. Look at all the resources that have been wasted that could have been used to make America truly safer. When our infrastructure is sound, the country is safer. When our children are better educated, our country is safer. When you have social security, our country is safer. Why can't we have the healthcare, the mental healthcare, the family care that this $95 billion, and that's just the most recent of the So-called aid bills. That's just the most recent of them, 95 billion. Where could that money go, and what could that money do to help you life easier to ensure a better standard of living for you? (01:02:32) What could be done with that money instead of being used to fund a fight that the United States started? Again, don't start. Nothing won't be nothing. But when militarism is all you have, what is the adage? When your only solution is a hammer, every problem is a nail. When militarism is your solution, every problem is a conflict. And oh, by the way, you're starting the conflict. So folks, in all the stuff that I've said over this past hour, if you heard that on M-S-N-B-C, have you heard that on CNN? Have you heard that on Fox News? Probably not. But when you do a little research, you'll find everything I've said to you is true. (01:03:45) The truth is the light. So again, this is on you because this is impacting you, and you've got to start at the local level, starting with your city council, starting with your state and local government and working its way up. You've got to look at what those kids are doing on college campuses and on high school campuses. Now they are getting engaged. Now, I'm not saying you got to pitch a tent on somebody's lawn, and no, there are a myriad of ways that you can reengage in the process, but it starts with reading. So with that, I say to you, I got to thank my guest, who by the way, is me. Thank you all so much for listening to the Connecting the Dots podcast with me, Dr. Wilmer Leon. Stay tuned for new episodes every week. Also, please follow and subscribe. Go to patreon.com/wilmer leon and contribute. Please contribute. It costs to produce this program every week. We could do more programs in the week if we had the funding to do so. So please contribute. Go to patreon.com/wilmer Leon, leave a review, share the show, follow us on social media. You can find all the links below in the show description. And remember that this is where the analysis of politics, culture, history, converge, talk without analysis is just chatter, and we don't chatter here on connecting the dots. See you again next time. Until then, I'm Dr. Wilmer Leon. Have a great one. Peace Announcer (01:06:11): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge.

In this episode of LEGENDS: Podcast by All Day Vinyl, host Scott Dudelson explores the extraordinary life and career of four-time Grammy-winning artist, Deniece Williams.  From humble beginnings in Gary, Indiana, to gracing the global stage with her iconic songs, Williams shares the stories and lessons learned from her remarkable journey. Listeners are given a front row seat as Williams recalls her time working with Stevie Wonder on his Talking Book album, touring with The Rolling Stones during their infamous 1972 tour of the USA, showing Stevie Wonder how to drive and how her solo career was kicked off with chance encounter with Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire. We discuss the making of her debut album "This is Niecy" which was recorded with Earth, Wind and Fire as the backing band and brought Deniece her first taste of stardom, her work with Johnny Mathis and meeting Prince Charles with Johnny.  How she convinced George Duke to make "Lets Hear it for The Boy" which ended up being her largest pop hit and the time her studio was turned Purple by Prince.  This episode invites audiences to delve deeper into Deniece's partnerships with industry greats like George Duke and Thom Bell, highlighting the creative processes and insights that led to the creation of her enduring hits. The discussion not only celebrates her illustrious musical journey but also emphasizes her dedication to giving back to her community and paving the way for future generations. Capturing the perseverance, grit and unwavering spirit that marked Deniece's career, this episode provides a glimpse into the unique experiences and profound influence of this living legend. -- Please rate and subscribe after you listen - thank you!

Seattle-based musician, singer, rapper and songwriter Michael Wansley (aka Wanz) drops in on YMAAA for the first of two episodes to talk about Earth, Wind & Fire's 1979 album, I Am. Wanz talks about his lifelong EWF fandom, what he loves about I Am, and how it compares to other EWF albums. He also explains how the album is a reflection of the changes in the music industry that were occurring in the late ‘70s. Wanz and Al also discuss other bands that were popular around the same time, including Toto, The Police and Rush.Wanz' TEDx Talk, "You, Too, Can Be a Unicorn," is outstanding. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGPy-bbpRfMAl mentioned that he had interviewed Steve Lukather, David Paich and Joseph Williams of Toto. The interviews were for a couple a pieces for American Songwriter, which are linked below.https://americansongwriter.com/toto-talks-toto-to-celebrate-their-debut-albums-45th-anniversary/https://americansongwriter.com/6-toto-songs-that-are-miles-away-from-yacht-rock/Wanz is on Instagram and Threads at @teewanz!Also be sure to check out Want's music and more at thewanz.comAl is on Bluesky at @almelchior.bsky.social. This show has accounts on Instagram and Threads at @youmealbum. Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter! https://youmealbum.substack.com/1:36 Wanz joins the show2:26 Wanz has worked many different jobs to support his music3:52 Wanz has a collection of EWF t-shirts6:17 An EWF promo poster connected Wanz with an early bandmate7:58 Wanz paid close attention to EWF over a span of 10 albums8:51 Wanz talks about EWF's progression through the albums leading up to I Am15:20 EWF was the first concert Wanz ever went to19:10 Wanz and Al talk about the Police and Sting's Bring on the Night documentary21:35 Wanz blames one album for changing radio23:16 Wanz singles out the decision EWF made that led to their commercial demise26:24 Maurice White's death gave Wanz a reason to deep-dive into the EWF catalog again27:21 Wanz talks more about how radio changed in the late ‘70s31:10 Wanz remembers how he was introduced to Rush32:51 Wanz explains what makes “Boogie Wonderland” a perfect song36:09 Wanz loves the whole second side of I Am39:15 Wanz explains why I Am is a different-sounding EWF album43:01 Did the right tracks get released as singles?46:34 Transcribing “Rock That!” in the pre-digital era was not an easy task48:12 Al and Wanz talk about the Toto connections to I Am49:57 Wanz explains how Phil Collins got connected with EWF53:57 Steve Lukather's memoir changed the way Wanz understands how the recording industry used to work57:34 The interludes are one of Wanz's favorite parts of I Am1:01:10 Wanz finds some interesting names in the album creditsOutro music is from Wanz, “Go Where the Love Is.”Support the show

# earth wind and fire take it to the sky # one of the greatest bands ever # self contained songwriters arrangements producer and instrumentalists horns# lead by the lead great Maurice White# respect and appreciate rip # uplifting song # versatile --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mr-maxxx/support

National hard candy day. Entertainment from 1985. Aztec sacrafice 4,000 POW's to their gods, Washington sets up camp at Valley Forge, Theresa Vaugn married 62 men over 5 years. Todays birthdays - Cicely Tyson, Maurice White, Tim Reid, Robert Urich, Janie Fricke, Limahl, Mike Lookinland, Jennifer Beals, Kristy Swanson, Jake Gyllenhall. Emile Bronte died. Intro - Pour some sugar on me - Def Leppard http://defleppard.com/Hard candy Christmas - Dolly PartonBroken wings - Mr. MisterThe chair - George StraitBirthdays - In da club - 50 CentSeptember - Earth Wind & FireWKRP in Cincinnati TV themeVegas TV themeShe's single again - Janie FrickeToo shy - KajagoogooBrady Bunch TV themeExit - Dokken https://cooolmedia.com/

On the December 19 edition of the Music History Today podcast, Keith Moon collapses, Carl Perkins records, Ronnie Wood leaves, & happy birthday to Maurice White & Edith Piaf ALL MY MUSIC HISTORY TODAY PODCAST LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichistorytoday CHECK OUT MY OTHER PODCAST, THE MUSIC HALLS OF FAME PODCAST: LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichallsoffamepodcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/musichistorytodaypodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/musichistorytodaypodcast/support

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

This immersive new autobiography provides insight into the early life and illustrious career of the late great Ramsey Lewis, one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time. Beginning with his childhood growing up in Chicago's Cabrini Green neighborhood, Ramsey Lewis recounts his memories of the music in his parents' church and his early piano lessons. As he learned classical technique, Lewis also absorbed countless jazz records and heard gospel music weekly, finally becoming a performer himself in his teenage years. With his coauthor and collaborator, Aaron Cohen, Lewis describes his early steps in jazz from joining the Clefs in the '50s, to eventually establishing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. This memoir provides an evocative tour of Lewis's life from the club circuit of the early 1960s and recording with Chess Records to working with producer Maurice White and musicians such as Stevie Wonder. In this deep dive into an exceptional life and expansive career, Lewis takes us through his artistic challenges, offers insight and perspective on his own musical growth and the creative process, and describes his eventual foray into symphonic composition and performance. Gentleman of Jazz: A Life in Music (Blackstone, 2023) is an inspiration to young musicians eager to follow in his footsteps and a tribute to the legacy of Ramsey Lewis and is sure to appeal to longtime fans as well as those new to the jazz scene. Ramsey Lewis (1935-2022) was one of the most popular jazz pianists of all time, with more than eighty albums to his name. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Top 10 hitmaker, and winner of three Grammys, Lewis also hosted popular television and radio shows that honored the history of jazz music. He was not only influential for many modern jazz artists but beats he created decades ago can be heard across R&B and hip-hop. Through it all, Lewis remained grounded, never leaving behind his roots in Chicago. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and Move on Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power. Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music

On this Jeff Rona interview: Jeff gets in-depth and personal, sharing his journey to the top, and it definitely wasn't easy. Getting turned on to soundtracks and the career and musical doors this opened… how he got session work and ultimately ghostwriting for movies. Starting and growing his Music Library, Liquid Cinema… Types of music that get licensed most… when you're most “qualified” to do pretty much anything… Cool stories about working with Hans Zimmer, Barry Levinson, Maurice White, Don Ellis (very cool!), Jon Hassell, Brian Eno, and others… How he markets his production company, KEY things you need to know about working with and forming healthy and productive relationships with producers, directors, and music supervisors… Questions to ask that help you determine how to write your scores. A terrible tragedy his parents dealt with, low points in his life and how he dealt with them. AWESOME convo, super sincere, tons of insight into the licensing business! Discover Where the Money's Hiding in Today's Music Business: https://www.MusicReboot.com JEFF RONA owns one of the biggest music production companies (music libraries) in America, Liquid Cinema. He's also an an award-winning music composer for film, TV, and video games, as well as a recording artist and producer. He was initially an in-demand studio musician, arranger, sound designer, synthesist, and music programmer working in Los Angeles and New York. After working with legendary record producers such as Maurice White, David Foster, Albhy Galuten, Malcolm Cecil and others, he collaborated on film music with Philip Glass, Mark Isham, Lisa Gerrard & Basil Poledouris. He's had longstanding relationships with composers Hans Zimmer & Cliff Martinez. Subscribe & Website:  https://www.MusicLicensingProfits.com/subscribe Jeff's scored dozens of film and TV projects with filmmakers including Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg, Wong Kar-wai, Robert Altman, Steven Soderbergh, Mark Pellington, Stephen Hopkins, Jonathan Demme, Frank Darabont, and many others. Movie soundtracks Jeff's scored or contributed to, include Black Hawk Down, Mission Impossible 2, Generation Iron 1 & 2, Traffic, The Lion King, The Thin Red Line, Prince of Egypt, The Net (Sandra Bullock), Sea of Life (Documentary), Shelter Island, Toys (Robin Williams), The Fan and literally dozens of other major motion pictures Jeff's written music for video games: God of War 3, Far Cry 4, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, Transformers, Resident Evil 2, Crossfire, Devil May Cry 5 & Bright Memory: Infinite He's toured with Brian Eno, Lisa Gerrard (solo) and Dead Can Dance, and composed music for the 2008 Beijing Olympic games. His music appears in numerous Oscar, Peabody, BAFTA and Emmy award-winning projects, as well as countless film festival honors. He is a three-time recipient of the ASCAP Film and Television Music Award  

Label: Columbia 10090Year: 1975Condition: MLast Price: $12.00. Not currently available for sale.From a warehouse find, this is a new, unplayed stock copy, in its original factory sleeve. OK, EWF fans, here's one of the pinnacles of the group's career, presented on a gorgeous promo copy. This was their first chart-topper on both the Pop and Black Billboard charts, was their first Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and turned out to be the biggest hit of their long career! Quite a lot of accomplishments for one little 45. From the arresting funk guitar line at the beginning, to the arresting a capella vocals at the end, the fun just doesn't stop. (Oh, and did I mention that all the action takes place in less than 3 minutes? That's a 45!) With this single, it was clear that Maurice White & the band had finally found their own unique groove.... and aren't we all fortunate that they did! Note: This copy has very light storage wear, which results in a Near Mint grade for the vinyl (styrene) to reflect a few light storage scuffs. The 45 has Mint labels and audio.

Today is Earth, Wind & Fire Day. Founded in Chicago by the late band leader Maurice White in 1969, the legendary group has sold over 100 million records worldwide, won every imaginable award, all while redefining multiple genres of music. In honor of their timeless sound and over 50 years of hits, we are joined by Clark Atlanta University professor Trenton Bailey, the author of “Do You Remember: Celebrating 50 Years of Earth Wind and Fire.”  Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter.  Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsor(s) of this show: Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bada-ya, we're dancin' into September with I Am, the groovy 1979 album by everyone's favorite Afro-gospel-jazz-blues-rock-funk collective: Earth, Wind & Fire! Born out of Maurice White's jingle-writing Chicago days and boosted by the incomparable talents of the Phenix Horns, EWF truly gives their all to this record and to the magical shows they put on to accompany it. Plus, we're talking about the band's all-time classic single September! We'll explore the career of a young David Copperfield as he took the band to new heights (and even made them disappear)! Fire up the time machine, lace up those ice skates, and get ready to dance your way through a Boogie Wonderland with us this week!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earl Cureton, veteran of 12 NBA seasons and author of Earl the Twirl: My Life in Basketball (with Jake Uitti), joins Al to discuss Earth, Wind and Fire's 1975 double album, Gratitude. Earl talks about what he loves about EWF and about this part-live, part-studio album in particular. He also discusses how music and basketball has been intertwined in his life and in the lives of others he has known, including Julius Erving. Earl also delves into his book and his work as the Detroit Pistons' Community Ambassador.As Earl and Al mentioned on the episode, you can pre-order Earl's book now. Here's the link! https://www.amazon.com/Earl-Twirl-My-Life-Basketball/dp/1476693838/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QJI8P93F3V0T&keywords=earl+the+twirl&qid=1684467193&sprefix=earl+the+twirl%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1Also, be sure to keep up with Earl on Twitter: @EarlTheTwirlAl is on Twitter at @almelchiorBB, and this show has accounts on Twitter, Threads and Instagram at @youmealbum. Be sure to follow @youmealbum to find out in advance about upcoming guests and featured albums for this podcast.Subscribe for free to You, Me and An Album: The Newsletter and participate in weekly chats about this podcast's featured albums! https://youmealbum.substack.com/1:18 Earl joins the show2:50 Earth, Wind and Fire was a popular band when Earl was in college4:54 Gratitude introduced Al to sides of EWF he didn't know about7:39 Earl remembers back to listening to Gratitude and other albums in the dorm11:06 Earl talks about music that evokes memories for him14:27 Certain tracks from Gratitude bring back memories for Earl18:31 The early ‘80s were a great time for Philadelphia sports21:26 Earl explains why he decided to write his book24:24 Earl talks about his current work with the Detroit Pistons25:40 Were The Temptations the first group to rap?28:00 Does Earl focus more on EWF's lyrics or their music?29:56 Earl saw Maurice White frequently in the Sixers' locker room33:42 Earl has listened to EWF throughout the yearsDiscussion of specific tracks:35:03 Reasons37:30 Shining Star38:20 Sun Goddess/New World Symphony40:38 Al thinks he hadn't appreciated EWF enough after the ‘70s ended42:28 Earl talks about an Alicia Keys concert he had just attended44:19 Earl lets readers know what they can expect from his book54:16 Earl talks about Marvin Gaye and Dave Bing growing up together in Detroit56:48 Earl recently performed in a lip synch competitionSupport the show

With a career spanning six decades and over 80 albums to his credit, NEA Jazz Master and multiple GRAMMY® winner Ramsey Lewis is one of the most distinguished artists of our time. His crossover success as a mainstream artist made him a household name with hits like "The In Crowd" and "Sun Goddess." Yet it is through his last great offering to the world that we learn the depth of this tremendous figure. Published this month, Gentleman of Jazz: My Life In Music is Lewis' posthumously released autobiography which chronicles his incredible journey from the Cabrini-Green Homes of Chicago with a family devoted to music, to his rise to stardom with The Ramsey Lewis Trio and beyond. On the week of Lewis' 88th birthday, Gentleman of Jazz co-author Aaron Cohen and Lewis' wife and closest confidant Jan join Milestones to discuss everything from Lewis' activism and mentorship, to his exceptional work in media. From his connection to artists like Charles Stepney, Minnie Riperton, Maurice White and Stevie Wonder, to his unyielding love for the city of Chicago and the unprecedented breadth of music he produced that helped expand the landscape of jazz forever.  Milestones theme produced by Riley K. GlasperProduction Assistance: Corey Goldberg Millennium Park Summer Music Series Tribute to Ramsey Lewis: A Gentleman of Jazz on June 22 at 6:30PM: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park9.html

** PLEASE SUBSCRIBE ** Brought to you by FUNKNSTUFF.NET and hosted by Scott "DR GX" Goldfine — musicologist and author of “Everything Is on THE ONE: The First Guide of Funk” ― “TRUTH IN RHYTHM” is the interview show that gets DEEP into the pocket with contemporary music's foremost masters of the groove. Become a TRUTH IN RHYTHM Member through YouTube or at https://www.patreon.com/truthinrhythm. Featured in TIR Episode 277: Grammy Award-winning jazz saxophone, flute and bass player as well as composer and producer Gerald Albright, who since the late 1980s has released some 20 albums. Six of those hit No. 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.  Beginning in the late 1970s as a sessions player, he has also contributed to hundreds of works by dozens of top name talents. Those include Patrice Rushen, Teena Marie, Rick James, Dazz Band, Maurice White and Earth Wind & Fire, Anita Baker, Howard Hewitt, Whitney Houston, Barry White, Gladys Knight, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Nina Simone, Smokey Robinson, Jeffrey Osbourne, Babyface and many others.  He performed at Bill Clinton's inauguration, and in 2021 received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from Joe Biden. He continues to perform, and his most recent projects are a pair of EPs titled G-Stream. RECORDED NOVEMBER 2022 LEGAL NOTICE: All video and audio content protected by copyright. Any use of this material is strictly prohibited without expressed consent from original content producer and owner Scott Goldfine, dba FUNKNSTUFF. For inquiries, email info@funknstuff.net. TRUTH IN RHYTHM is a registered U.S. Trademark (Serial #88540281). Get your copy of "Everything Is on the One: The First Guide of Funk" today! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1541256603/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1541256603&linkCode=as2&tag=funknstuff-20&linkId=b6c7558ddc7f8fc9fe440c5d9f3c400

Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001AlbumComplaints@gmail.comBuy a copy of That's the Way of the World through this link and help support the podcast! https://amzn.to/3HNDUx7Earth, Wind & Fire were a band that cared about raising the spiritual consciousness of the people, and when Maurice White finally assembled his desired lineup, they went into the studio and made That's the Way of the World. The gents discuss kalimba playing, pocket bass heroes, and falsetto that could break champagne glasses. Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3dYF2r5QNwM4h34frehbCm?si=5e58d501796b4c35Listen to the weekly album here:https://open.spotify.com/album/5tXZfxvr2VaWibD74nw8VL?si=Svynp8aqSduMPmlq8UniWA Intro music courtesy of The Beverly CrushersOutro music courtesy of MEGAFollow us on instagram @thechopunlimitedWe have Merch! T-Shirt #1 | T-Shirt #2Next week's album: Big Star - #1 Record

Agradece a este podcast tantas horas de entretenimiento y disfruta de episodios exclusivos como éste. ¡Apóyale en iVoox! Esta edición está dedicada al teclista, compositor y productor Dean Gant, un músico fallecido en Abril de 2020. Repasamos sus colaboraciones junto a artistas tan conocidos como Anita Baker, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle, Bill Withers, Perri, Marc Sadane, George Howard, Maurice White, Randy Crawford y Toshiki Kadomatsu.Escucha este episodio completo y accede a todo el contenido exclusivo de Cloud Jazz Smooth Jazz. Descubre antes que nadie los nuevos episodios, y participa en la comunidad exclusiva de oyentes en https://go.ivoox.com/sq/27170

Radio Owlsnest Episode 38 - THE END OF YEAR SHOW! ‘Where did the time go, my noble OwlHeads? Another year has passed, another season has flown by (notice the pun), and here we are again - a year older, but as all “OwlHeads” know, we are a year wiser. I wanted to pull out all the stops for this festive extravaganza. Hence, some ridiculously rare demos will be revealed. I'm gonna spin an unheard, much requested song written with Bernie Taupin, “Welcome To The Retrohip” - now there's a title! It was a track destined for my second solo album, “In The Temple Of The Muse”, but somehow was left on the cutting room floor. You'll hear the studio live version. I've dug deep into the archives to play song demos from the technicolor-crazy 80s and the naughty 90s… tracks I was myself surprised to find, and I was suitably impressed. I have an emotional moment playing a song and demo I wrote and recorded with the great Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire… his voice struck home with poignant, soulful beauty. I was touched big time remembering him, particularly at this Christmas period. And a song written and performed with the mighty songwriter, Clif Magness (a song we penned with Michael Jackson in mind), will be spun as a ‘kindred spirit' to Maurice's emotional uplifting rendering. A rarity of rarities debuts as I play a song I wrote for the female band “Wild Orchid”, featuring the enigmatic, glamorous “Fergie” singing lead vocals. These girls brought bagels to my home studio during the writing sessions…. fond memories of being ‘mothered' and cooked for just before Fergie joined “Black Eyed Peas”. In between these musical fancies, I'll liberally disclose the facts about my youthful soccer/football career when I dabbled seriously in becoming a professional player with Southampton FC. A new track from a pagan folklore Christmas album I'm forever working on will be aired, and YES, what you've all been waiting for - Pagey becomes a crooner! I'll play a new half baked track I'm working on which encompasses the zeitgeist of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra…. Cigarette in hand, glass of wine at the ready - romance is ignited! I want to thank you “OwlHeads” for another fine vintage year of songwriter podcasts. You've made it all worth it - couldn't do it without you. Fly high - enjoy

Agradece a este podcast tantas horas de entretenimiento y disfruta de episodios exclusivos como éste. ¡Apóyale en iVoox! El protagonista de este especial es Maurice White, el que fuera líder de la banda Earth, Wind & Fire, fallecido en el año 2016. Repasamos algunas de sus producciones para otros artistas: Freddie Ravel, The Emotions, Afterbach, Jennifer Holliday, Urban Knights, Ramsey Lewis, Pieces of A Dream, Barbra Streisand, Pockets, Deniece Williams, El DeBarge, Jevetta Steele y Brian Culbertson.Escucha este episodio completo y accede a todo el contenido exclusivo de Cloud Jazz Smooth Jazz. Descubre antes que nadie los nuevos episodios, y participa en la comunidad exclusiva de oyentes en https://go.ivoox.com/sq/27170

Veteran jazz keyboardist Brian Culbertson has a 25-album discography that offers up his signature sounds of funky instrumentals, sexy soul jams and straight-up, smooth R&B grooves. With a career of delivering some 40 Billboard No. 1 singles, he's performed and recorded with the industry's finest – from Stevie Wonder and Bootsy Collins to the late Prince and Maurice White, the founder of the iconic band, Earth Wind & Fire. Culbertson has also earned a very loyal fan base, including online music connoisseurs who follow his weekly YouTube and Facebook hang out sessions. But there's one entity where music support has dwindled over the years—terrestrial FM radio. Join Host Eddie Robinson as I SEE U continues its ongoing series dedicated to exploring the future of the smooth jazz format and speaks candidly with acclaimed producer and songwriter, Brian Culbertson. The hitmaker from Decatur, Illinois chats about why he believes jazz music discovery is almost non-existent on FM radio and how he, along with countless other musicians, rely on satellite radio and the digital landscape to keep the momentum and energy of the jazz genre afloat.

The Muffs bass player Ronnie Barnett joins Rob and Keith in Thunderlove Studio to chat about the bands 1995 album Blonder and Blonder. Along the way they talk about the history of the band as well as a bunch of other things - like a riveting story about Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire.    Information on Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Brent Carter is a professional singer. Presently, he is the lead singer of The Average White Band & former lead singer of Tower of Power. He toured with Regina Bell and was in Maurice White's Broadway Musical, “Hot Feet.” Brent has a great story on how he got the Tower of Power job. He also tells you what goes on in his head when he is on stage. Brent is wonderfully honest, charming and keenly insightful on being a professional singer. He has great stories and magnificent story teller. Follow Brent at: brentcarter.net  

From her early days as a girl singing solos with the choir at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Houston, TX to her years on the Broadway stage and beyond, the inimitable voice of Jennifer Holliday has riveted the hearts of audiences from around the world. She is a Broadway Legend in every sense of the term: her iconic portrayal of Effie “Melody” White in the 1981 smash hit Dreamgirls will forever be a template for delivering gut-wrenching, timeless performances, evidenced in Ms. Holliday garnering a Grammy® Award for her performance of the show stopping torch ballad “And I am Telling You, I'm Not Going” and a coveted Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Effie. Her second album, “Say You Love Me,” won her a second GRAMMY® for her rendition of Duke Ellington's classic, “Come Sunday.” From 1985 to 1992, she had five Top 10 singles on the R&B and Dance Charts and her star continued to shine brightly with collaborations and appearances with other megastars: Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross, David Foster, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Maurice White and Foreigner, with whom she performed on a special version of “I Want To Know What Love Is.” In 2014, Ms. Holliday released her first album in two decades. “This Song Is You” stirred long-time fans and garnered a new generation of enthusiastic listeners landing Ms. Holliday back in the Top 20 R&B charts with rave reviews. Standout television appearances include David E. Kelley's Ally McBeal, American Idol, and So You Think You Can Dance. In 2016, Ms. Holliday returned to the stage starring alongside Cynthia Erivo in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple as sultry singer Shug Avery. She is a long-standing, dedicated supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and an advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. Listen to Jennifer Holliday's "So In Love" now on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PzFxjr __________________________________________ Support the channel here: DONATE – CashApp… https://bit.ly/30ps5cT – Patreon… https://bit.ly/3vyWVvr – Buy Me A Coffee: https://bit.ly/2Z1JfwZ __________________________________________ Check out Merch at ‘The Soul Shop' https://bit.ly/3aIS7df For more information and news, check out our website and on social media: Web: www.BringBackSoulMusic.com Facebook: /BringBackSoulMusic2019 Instagram: instagram.com/bringbacksoulmusic2019 ​​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BringBackSoulM1__… YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bringbacksoul...

Curtis Mayfield. The Chi-Lites. Chaka Khan. Chicago's place in the history of soul music is rock solid. But for Chicagoans, soul music in its heyday from the 1960s to the 1980s was more than just a series of hits: it was a marker and a source of black empowerment.  In Move On Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power (U Chicago Press, 2019), Aaron Cohen tells the remarkable story of the explosion of soul music in Chicago. Together, soul music and black-owned businesses thrived. Record producers and song-writers broadcast optimism for black America's future through their sophisticated, jazz-inspired productions for the Dells and many others. Curtis Mayfield boldly sang of uplift with unmistakable grooves like “We're a Winner” and “I Plan to Stay a Believer.” Musicians like Phil Cohran and the Pharaohs used their music to voice Afrocentric philosophies that challenged racism and segregation, while Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire and Chaka Khan created music that inspired black consciousness. Soul music also accompanied the rise of African American advertisers and the campaign of Chicago's first black mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983. This empowerment was set in stark relief by the social unrest roiling in Chicago and across the nation: as Chicago's homegrown record labels produced rising stars singing songs of progress and freedom, Chicago's black middle class faced limited economic opportunities and deep-seated segregation, all against a backdrop of nationwide deindustrialization. Drawing on more than one hundred interviews and a music critic's passion for the unmistakable Chicago soul sound, Cohen shows us how soul music became the voice of inspiration and change for a city in turmoil. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace." Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Curtis Mayfield. The Chi-Lites. Chaka Khan. Chicago's place in the history of soul music is rock solid. But for Chicagoans, soul music in its heyday from the 1960s to the 1980s was more than just a series of hits: it was a marker and a source of black empowerment.  In Move On Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power (U Chicago Press, 2019), Aaron Cohen tells the remarkable story of the explosion of soul music in Chicago. Together, soul music and black-owned businesses thrived. Record producers and song-writers broadcast optimism for black America's future through their sophisticated, jazz-inspired productions for the Dells and many others. Curtis Mayfield boldly sang of uplift with unmistakable grooves like “We're a Winner” and “I Plan to Stay a Believer.” Musicians like Phil Cohran and the Pharaohs used their music to voice Afrocentric philosophies that challenged racism and segregation, while Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire and Chaka Khan created music that inspired black consciousness. Soul music also accompanied the rise of African American advertisers and the campaign of Chicago's first black mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983. This empowerment was set in stark relief by the social unrest roiling in Chicago and across the nation: as Chicago's homegrown record labels produced rising stars singing songs of progress and freedom, Chicago's black middle class faced limited economic opportunities and deep-seated segregation, all against a backdrop of nationwide deindustrialization. Drawing on more than one hundred interviews and a music critic's passion for the unmistakable Chicago soul sound, Cohen shows us how soul music became the voice of inspiration and change for a city in turmoil. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace." Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Curtis Mayfield. The Chi-Lites. Chaka Khan. Chicago's place in the history of soul music is rock solid. But for Chicagoans, soul music in its heyday from the 1960s to the 1980s was more than just a series of hits: it was a marker and a source of black empowerment.  In Move On Up: Chicago Soul Music and Black Cultural Power (U Chicago Press, 2019), Aaron Cohen tells the remarkable story of the explosion of soul music in Chicago. Together, soul music and black-owned businesses thrived. Record producers and song-writers broadcast optimism for black America's future through their sophisticated, jazz-inspired productions for the Dells and many others. Curtis Mayfield boldly sang of uplift with unmistakable grooves like “We're a Winner” and “I Plan to Stay a Believer.” Musicians like Phil Cohran and the Pharaohs used their music to voice Afrocentric philosophies that challenged racism and segregation, while Maurice White of Earth, Wind, and Fire and Chaka Khan created music that inspired black consciousness. Soul music also accompanied the rise of African American advertisers and the campaign of Chicago's first black mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983. This empowerment was set in stark relief by the social unrest roiling in Chicago and across the nation: as Chicago's homegrown record labels produced rising stars singing songs of progress and freedom, Chicago's black middle class faced limited economic opportunities and deep-seated segregation, all against a backdrop of nationwide deindustrialization. Drawing on more than one hundred interviews and a music critic's passion for the unmistakable Chicago soul sound, Cohen shows us how soul music became the voice of inspiration and change for a city in turmoil. Aaron Cohen covers the arts for numerous publications and teaches English, journalism, and humanities at City Colleges of Chicago. He is the author of Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace." Aaron Cohen on Twitter. Bradley Morgan is a media arts professional in Chicago and author of U2's The Joshua Tree: Planting Roots in Mythic America. He manages partnerships on behalf of CHIRP Radio 107.1 FM, serves as a co-chair of the associate board at the Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and volunteers in the music archive at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Bradley Morgan on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In this episode, we welcome the great Lenny Kaye — all the way from NYC — and ask him to reminisce about his New Jersey youth; the revelation that was rock 'n' roll; his exposure in 1966 to Crawdaddy! and other pioneering music zines, and of course his first encounters with the inimitable Patti Smith. Along the way we hear about his landmark 1972 anthology Nuggets, and about his thrilling new book Lightning Striking.Clips from John Tobler's 1978 audio interview with Patti prompt Lenny to relive key moments from the '70s, including the pair's engagement with the British punk scene on their band's first London visit in May '76. To mark the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin IV, he also talks about his rave Rolling Stone review of that album, a piece he stands by to this day. His hosts also note the imminent release of the follow-up to Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Americana classic Raising Sand.The RBP team pays its respects to Maureen Cleave, whose crucial early pieces on the Beatles made her part of Fab Four folklore. Lenny mentions his New York mentor Danny Fields (episode 28) whose syndication of Maureen's "more popular than Jesus" Lennon interview sparked an unholy fundamentalist backlash across America. Mark & Jasper talk us out with remarks about "new and notable" library pieces on — among other subjects — Patti Smith (1972) and Led Zeppelin (1969)! And several more great interviews and reviews besides…Many thanks to special guest Lenny Kaye. Lightning Striking is published by White Rabbit and available now.Pieces discussed: Lenny Kaye on music in the '60s, Nuggets, Patti Smith, Patti Smith audio, Lenny on Led Zep IV, Barney on Led Zep IV, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, The Beatles, John Lennon, Pete Makowski, Thelonius Monk, Maurice White, Anita Baker, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin at the Fillmore West, Patti Smith, Gary Lucas, Vibe magazine and Field Day festival.

A question for Nick Cannon. Bo's apartment decorating tips. Has Verzuz jumped the shark and lots more!