Harmony and Hijinks with Duchess
Harmony and Hijinks with Duchess
Duchess
Welcome to "Harmony and Hijinks", the show in which the women of the New York City-based vocal trio Duchess explore and celebrate harmony, both in—and outside of—the world of music. When we started singing together we discovered that humor, collaboration, and (yes) imperfection were essential ingredients for our signature style of harmony. So, we are setting out to explore how creative people from all walks of life use those same ingredients to find joy and success in their chosen field. Along the way there's sure to be laughter, story telling and probably, hijinks --- That's just who we are.
Episode 34: D is for Duchess, with our pal/mixologist, Grant Gardner
It's a very special happy hour! We're continuing our alphabetic sojourn through the world of cocktails with a bespoke libation: the Duchess, created especially for us by the Jazz Standard's master mixologist (and erstwhile jazz guitarist) Grant Gardner (no relation to Hilary, as far as we can tell). Tune in for the story behind our eponymous tipple, which is (we say immodestly) as effervescent, elegant, and fun at parties as we are.
Jun 18, 2018
37 min
Episode 33: "Feel the burn!" Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer rocks our wine world
We are joined by Master Sommelier, drummer, Toto super-fan, and Hilary's erstwhile coworker, Fred Dexheimer for a funny, far-reaching chat about all things Bacchic. Being happy tipplers ourselves, we loved Fred's riffing on the many parallels between enjoying wine and making music. As Hilary can attest from their years working together in restaurants, Fred's no stranger to hijinks, and it's safe to say a good time was had by all when we taped this episode. [Full disclosure: we were drinking rosé THE ENTIRE TIME.]
Jun 11, 2018
53 min
Episode 32: "I'll do my best to free them, but first I want to see them," with guest Kate McGarry
We are joined by Grammy-nominated songwriter, singer, and educator Kate McGarry for a far-reaching conversation about carrying the weight of our ancestors, being present and generous onstage, creating community, and much more (including sitting in the Kennedy family pew at church during her Massachusetts childhood). Kate is a true singers' singer and a beautiful spirit; her definition of harmony as "energetic alignment" is as elegant as it is concise.
May 21, 2018
42 min
Episode 31: "Malleability, focus, and…fun!" with guest Laila Biali
Juno-nominated singer, pianist, songwriter, and radio host Laila Biali chats with us backstage at Birdland before her recent NYC show promoting her new self-titled album. Tune in to hear how a classically trained kid from Vancouver wound up gigging with Sting (and surreptitiously snapping photos during dinner at his Tuscan villa).
May 14, 2018
35 min
"I'd be nowhere without my friends," with guest Catherine Russell
Get ready for a master class on singing and life with Grammy-winning vocalist (and all-around beautiful and wise human being) Catherine Russell. Cat has shared the stage with David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, and Steely Dan (to name but a few) and, with half a dozen critically acclaimed recordings under her belt, is one of the most dynamic jazz and blues singers of our time. Cat shares insights about how she chooses the songs she sings, the importance of being a musical archaeologist, and the live-saving properties of music. 
Apr 23, 2018
1 hr 11 min
"Always being the cute little kid is not good for you," with guest Nat Wolff
We're going to Hollywood! We chat with singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, erstwhile standup comic, and (oh, yeah!) MOVIE STAR Nat Wolff about his childhood music lessons with Duchess's very own Amy Cervini, what it was like growing up in show business, the importance of being nice, and the time he got pranked by Robert De Niro. 
Apr 10, 2018
47 min
"Laughing and crying, you know it's the same release," with guest Jessica Molaskey
We sit down with singer, actor, radio host, painter, and urbane woman-about-town Jessica Molaskey. In our chat, Jessica shares her lifelong love of Joni Mitchell and Stephen Sondheim, the joys of genre-hopping, and the fine art of trusting one's intuition.
Apr 2, 2018
40 min
Winter Blues
The Duchess gals discuss winter, winter blues and how to avoid them.
Mar 26, 2018
20 min
"Going Home" - Laughing at Life Track by Track!
In this week's episode we discuss a vinyl-only bonus track "Going Home," Hebrew "R" sound pronunciation, and Dvorak's "From The New World" symphony. Also included is a seldom-heard English Horn imitation by our arranger/producer Oded Lev-Ari. 
Mar 12, 2018
17 min
He leaves us breathless...with guest John Dokes
We sit down for a long-anticipated chat with one of our favorite people and vocalists, Mr. John Dokes. In true Clark Kent fashion, John is a high-powered business executive by day (after a stint as a marketing exec and comic book creator at Marvel comics, he's now Chief Marketing Officer of Accuweather) and a jazz singer and swing dancer by night. 
Mar 5, 2018
43 min
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