Backstage at The Enharmonic

Friday, June 18, 2021 My next guest is certified super-star, Dame Evelyn Glennie!  I've been following and admiring her career for 20+ years now.  Through video conferencing technology I was able to chat with Evelyn based in London, from my home studio in Philadelphia. In today's segment, Dame Evelyn discusses her earliest music lessons in school, learning percussion with none of the traditional method books, the most important lessons that she learned from her two most influential teachers (Ron Forbes and James Blades), having the right musical mindset for doing extended solos and cadenzas, her favorite rock bands, her first snare drum and seven piece Premier drumset, how Scottish folk music continues to influence her music-making, her takeaways from the shut down, and so much more!  Dame Evelyn Glennie is the world’s premier solo percussionist, performing worldwide with the greatest orchestras, conductors and artists. Her solo recordings exceed 40 CDs and are as diverse as her career on-stage. A multiple GRAMMY award winner and BAFTA nominee, Evelyn is also a composer for film, theatre and television. Evelyn was awarded an OBE in 1993 and has over 100 international awards to date, including the Polar Music Prize and the Companion of Honour. Evelyn is currently forming The Evelyn Glennie Collection with a vision to open a center that embodies her mission to Teach the World to Listen.

June 13, 2021 THE DRUM RUDIMENT EDITION Ten of my favorite drummers tell us about their favorite Drum Rudiment! The panel includes: TOMMY CAMPBELL CLAYTON CAMERON LIBERTY DEVITTO MATTHEW HOWARD DAVID LU SHERRIE MARICLE JON BERMUDA SCHWARTZ CHIHIRO SHIBAYAMA MICHAEL VOSBEIN JOHN "DR. THROWDOWN" WOOTON Please consider checking out all of these great artists online to see/hear/learn more about their percussive artistry. Thanks for listening!

May 21, 2021  At long last, Julian Bliss, internationally renowned clarinet phenom, and I get to chat!  It's been two years in the making, but through the beauty of video conferencing we were able to conduct the interview.  The interview starts well, at the beginning, discussing when and why Julian fell in love with the clarinet.  From there we hit a lot of topics, including, performing for the queen at just 12 years old, transitioning to a professional adult musician, his love of danger, on and off stage, the forming of his jazz septet, lots of talk about a mutual hero, Benny Goodman, some exciting news about a brand new EP which he recorded with percussionist Joby Burgess, being released in June, and even talk about skydiving with his clarinet, while dressed as a bumblebee, performing Flight of The Bumblebee!?  Julian Bliss is one of the world’s finest clarinetists, excelling as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, jazz artist, masterclass leader and tireless musical explorer. He has inspired a generation of young players as creator of his Conn-Selmer range of affordable clarinets, and introduced a substantial new audience to his instrument.

March 5, 2021, I'm very happy that one of my longtime inspirations in the field of percussion agreed to chat, Mr. Anthony J. Cirone.  Anyone who has ever studied percussion has said the name, 'Cirone!', countless times, due to his groundbreaking snare drum solo book, Portraits in Rhythm.  The book is used at every high school, college, and percussion studio in the world as a barometer of a student's reading ability and musicality on the snare drum.  I've been using this book since the mid-1980s and still find new challenges in it today! Anthony J. Cirone received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from The JuilliardSchool. In 1965, he obtained positions with the San Francisco Symphony as a percussionist and at San José State University as Professor of Music. He also served as a lecturer at Stanford University from 1983 to 1992. In 2001, Mr. Cirone became Professor of Music and Chair of the Jacobs School of Music Percussion Department at Indiana University, a post he held for six years until his retirement in 2007.  Mr. Cirone has over 120 published titles, including three symphonies for percussion, four sonatas, a string quartet, orchestral works, and textbooks. His book Portraits in Rhythm for Snare Drum is used worldwide for training percussionists and his publication The Great American Symphony Orchestra - A Behind-the-Scenes Look at its Artistry, Passion and Heartache has received high acclaim. Another of his books, The Evolving Legacy of Portraits in Rhythm celebrates the original book's 50th anniversary.  In 1999, Mr. Cirone received a Special Distinction Award from ASCAP for his Pentadic Striations for Orchestra, and in 2011, he received a Paul Revere Award for Graphic Excellence in Book Design and Educational Folio. He is Executive Percussion Editor for Meredith Music Publications; a published author for Alfred Music; and a clinician for Zildjian, Yamaha Corporation of America, and Remo Inc.  Mr. Cirone is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame.    

October 3, 2020 I am excited to welcome drummer, composer and band leader Sherrie Maricle to the podcast! I've long been a fan of her drumming, music and music-business acumen.  Today's chat begins with her early years begrudgingly playing a metal clarinet in the school band and comes full circle when we discuss the jazz institution that she's captained for nearly three swingin' decades, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra!  From the drum set Sherrie leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her quintet FIVE PLAY and co-leads the 3D Jazz Trio. From Carnegie Hall, she performs with The New York Pops and from celebrated stages everywhere, she is music director and drummer for Broadway star Maurice Hines. Sherrie is also a busy freelance performer and a published composer/arranger.    

August 8, 2020 (originally released as a video interview on YouTube) This is a follow-up interview with Count Basie's favorite drummer, Harold Jones.  American pop and jazz drummer Harold Jones is best known for his tours and recordings with Tony Bennett and for his five years with the Count Basie Orchestra.  In a career spanning six decades, Jones has toured and recorded with Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, B.B. King, and Ray Charles. He has also played with major symphony orchestras, including those in Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vienna.  Sean J. Kennedy and Harold Jones discuss the origins and invention of the drumstick bag! Other topics include: Dealing with the COVID-19 shutdown, the upcoming premiere of the new big band chart by Philly Kroc Jazz Orch called "Stick Bag Jones", and a very special guest interviewer has some questions for Harold about some of his famous collaborators.            

May 16, 2020 (originally released as a video interview on YouTube) This interview is with Count Basie's favorite drummer, Harold Jones. American pop and jazz drummer Harold Jones is best known for his tours and recordings with Tony Bennett and for his five years with the Count Basie Orchestra. In a career spanning six decades, Jones has toured and recorded with Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, B.B. King, and Ray Charles. He has also played with major symphony orchestras, including those in Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vienna. [FYI: Harold contacted me a few days later with a fact check from the interview: "The engineer at Lucas Films is Leslie Jones (daughter of Spike Jones) The engineer in L.A. is Al Schmit. That said - I have had a lot of really good engineers. I'm a Lucky Boy!", H.J. 5/16/2020]    

February 3, 2020 At long last I had a chance to chat with Susie Benchasil Seiter!  We've been trying to schedule this interview since late 2018 and I'm thrilled that it finally worked out.  The scheduling difficulties can be attributed to the fact that Susie is one of the hardest working musicians in show biz!  She's a conductor, orchestrator and mom of two beautiful baby boys. I had the opportunity to work with Susie a few times during the Evanescence/Lindsey Stirling world tour in 2018, and I've been a fan ever since.    In the interview we discuss how she got the gig with Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling, her philosophy of conductors and conducting, where she first learned to conduct, the unexpected and lasting influence of a college chemistry teacher, the impact that famed Hollywood composer, Alan Menken had on her career choice, and the challenges of a being a female conductor in a male dominated profession.  Susie Benchasil Seiter is a prolific conductor and orchestrator for film, television, video games, and live concerts. She recently completed a worldwide orchestra tour as conductor and music director for multiple Grammy-winning Evanescence and Billboard Music Award winner and YouTube sensation, Lindsey Stirling.  She's conducted orchestras all over the world, including including the Royal Philharmonic at London’s Apollo Hammersmith, The Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Madison Square Garden, the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap, and the Sydney Symphony at the iconic Sydney Opera House.  Susie Seiter believes that orchestral music should be shared and celebrated by all generations, and she takes great pride in her contributions as a conductor and orchestrator. Originally from Baltimore, Seiter now calls Los Angeles home, where she lives with Chad and their sons.   

August 11, 2019 For as long as I can remember my next guest, Jim Catalano, has always been the face of Ludwig Drums for countless other musicians and me. Jim recently retired from Ludwig Drums after a 36+ year tenure and shared many stories and lots of great advice with me during this interview.  During our discussion, he recounts how first hearing a drum and bugle corps warming up in his backyard while growing up in Western Pennsylvania ultimately started him on the path for a career in music as both a performer and industry professional.  Jim is an Adjunct Instructor of Drums / Percussion at The University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College.  In addition to his many freelance gigs Jim stays busy playing the drums for Truth in Jazz Big Band, Jazz Assemblage Big Band and French Quarter,  and even leads his own band, from the vibraphone, called VibeNation.  

December 3, 2018 In the spring of 2017 I had the opportinity to meet and work with the suberb conductor, Joseph Modica. Joe was conducting the orchestra backing the sensational Italian pop-opera trio Il Volo, for their Notte Magica tour across north America.  Joe is one of the finest conductors I have ever played for, and a great guy too.  In the interview we discuss his first conducting experiences, some cool gigs (like working with John Williams!) and balancing a life in music. Joseph Modica is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Redlands and the Director of Pastoral Music at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood, CA. Dr. Modica is the Conductor of the Festival Choir at the Idyllwild Summer Arts Camp and has prepared choruses for “Video Games Live” in Anaheim, CA and in collaboration with Trudell Orchestras, LLC , he contracted and prepared choruses across the country for the National Tour of “Star Wars – In Concert.” In 2002 Dr. Modica prepared the chorus for the American Ballet Theatre production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which was aired on PBS, and released on DVD as part of the Great Performances series.  Choirs under Dr. Modica’s direction have toured in Italy, Australia, Hawaii, New York, Washington D.C., Washington and Oregon, Florida, and the Bahamas. In 2013, he conducted Mozart’s Requiem in Carnegie Hall, and his choirs have sung High Mass at Basilica San Marco in Venice and Basilica San Pietro in Rome, and have been fortunate enough to sing for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.