NYC Radio Live

King Sunny Ade – Podcast 193

Wow! A chance to talk with a legend of African Music, King Sunny Ade!   For me this is a dream come true, there are few musicians as influential as King  Sunny Ade who brought the Juju music of Nigeria to the world.   Here we  speak with him in depth about his life and the roots of his music.
King Sunny Ade came on the scene in 1966 and made his first big record in 1967. He became an international star across Africa during the mid-1980s, touring and gaining a significant audience in the United States and Europe as well.  He is known as "the Minister of Enjoyment" or "the King Of Juju Music."
If you are new to the music, I  highly recommend you start with his Juju Music or Synchro System albums.  Also for the roots of this music search for "apala" music .  Much gratitute to World Music Institute for arranging this interview!  This episode is supported by the Rubin Museum of Art.
 
 
 
 

Eric Krasno Podcast 192

Eric Krasno is the amazing guitarist/producer with artists ranging from  Soulive and Lettuce (both of which he co-founded)to  Norah Jones,  50 Cent, Aaron Neville, Phil Lesh, Derek Trucks, and, well, the list keeps going!
To celebrate the upcoming release of his new album, Blood From A Stone, we got to hang with Eric at his home studio, hear him play some guitar and share what he's learned so far in an incredibly prolific career.
The new album comes out July 8th.

Jay Gandhi and Abhik Mukherjee bring the rain (part 1) Podcast 191

In part 1 of this podcast we spend time at home with Jay Gandhi (bansuri) and Abhik Mukherjee (sitar) as they prepare for the a special evening of Monsoon Ragas at the Rubin Museum on June 15.  The two  perform live and share insights and legends about the malhar group of ragas, those that praise the monsoon rains.  This episode was broadcast on WKCR 89.9 FM-NY on Sunday June 5th.
In part two we hope to share their performance with the virtuoso tabla player Suryaksha Deshpande as the trio perform at the Rubin and the following Brooklyn Raga Massive Jam session.
 

Raga Cubana – Podcast 190

Last month, maestro Román Díaz brought a world class group of Afro-Cuban musicians to perform with the Brooklyn Raga Massive All-Stars during the artist collective's epic residency at Pioneer Works. We'll share the recording of that innovative concert, where, for the first time, sarod, bansuri and Carnatic violin dialogue with Afro-Cuban vocals and the sacred Batá drums.   This concert will air on WKCR 89.9 FM 7-9pm Sunday May 22nd.
Raga Cubana is:
Román Díaz ( conductor, Batá: Iyá )
Giancarlo Luigi (Shekere)
Clemente la Tierra (Batá: Okónkolo)
Melvis Santa (vocals)
Folasona Olorunsola (Batá: Itótele)
Camila Celin (Sarod)
Ehren Hanson Ttabla)
Jay Gandhi (Bansuri)
David Ellenbogen (Guitar)
Arun Ramamurthy (Violin)
Michael Gam (Bass)
photo credit: Rob @ Pioneer Works

3 Degrees of Terence McKenna: Dennis McKenna, Alexandre Tannous and Greg Barris in conversation

I've never heard a radio show go off the rails like this one! Counterculture hero, ethnobotanist and "psychonaut" Dennis McKenna, in a freewheeling conversation with ethnomusicologist Alexandre Tannous and comedian Greg Barris.  This was broadcast in NYC on the radio in 2013, when McKenna had just published  his memoir The Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss about his wild  experiences with his legendary brother Terence McKenna, who has been called the Timothy Leary of the 90's."  The conversation hovers around  the spaces where comedy, sound and ethnobotany meet the legacy of Terrance.
Dennis  McKenna  is an American ethnopharmacologist, research pharmacognosist, lecturer and author. He is the brother of well-known psychedelics proponent Terence McKenna and is a founding board member and the director of ethnopharmacology at the Heffter Research Institute, a non-profit organization concerned with the investigation of the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelic medicines.
Greg Barris is a staple in New York’s downtown stand-up scene and is the creator of Heart Of Darkness: a psychedelic showcase of comedy, live music and fringe scientists.  Comedians who have appeared on Heart of Darkness include Reggie Watts, Fred Armisen, Janeane Garofalo, Jim Gaffigan, Marc Maron, Kristen Schaal, Eugene Mirman, Greg Behrendt, and Chelsea Peretti.
 Alexandre Tannous has been active as a musician, educator, composer, and as an ethnomusicologist.  For the past eight years he has been researching the therapeutic and esoteric properties of sound from three different perspectives - Western scientific, Eastern philosophical, and shamanic societal beliefs.  He one of the leaders of investigating the sound mediation experience.
 
 

Debo Band – Podcast 188

Debo band explores the rich and varied traditions of Ethiopian music with a dose of funk, punk and soul. With a large instrumental ensemble and a charismatic singer Bruck Tesfaye it all adds up to an undeniable party band. We got to hang with the leader of this amazing group, Danny Mekonnen and here excerpts of their upcoming album Ere Gobez (FPE Records; May 20, 2016).  They'll be playing in NYC with Antibalas May 18th at the Brooklyn Bowl.
 
Debo Band is
Bruck Tesfaye vocals
Danny Mekonnen saxophones
Gabriel Birnbaum tenor saxophone
Danilo Henriquez trumpet and percussion
Stephanie Baird trombone
Jonah Rapino electric violin
Kaethe Hostetter five-stringed violin
Marié Abe accordion
Brendon Wood guitar
Arik Grier sousaphone
PJ Goodwin bass
Adam Clark drums

Román Díaz shares the history of the drum – Podcast 187

A legendary percussionist, Román Díaz is a pillar of the New York City Afro-Cuban folkloric tradition and one of the music's great innovators.   He is considered an Olú Aña or “keeper of the sacred drum”  Before his Raga Cubana concert with the Brooklyn Raga Massive  (we hope to share that soon!) he gave this workshop where he spoke of the legends, history and musical foundations of Afro-Cuban Music.

Rhythm Master: V. Selvaganesh – Podcast 185

As a lifelong fan of Shakti, hanging with  V. Selvaganesh was a dream come true.  Here the master percussionist V. Selvaganesh talks about his music and shares his experience with John McLaughlin's Remember Shakti and other great collaborations.   He breaks down the South Indian rhythmic system and we hear selections from his album Souhka.   Our friend Arun Ramamuthy joins the discussion.
Born in Chennai to Grammy-winning musician Vikku Vinayakram, a former member of the original Shakti, he is the grandson of T. R. Harihara Sarma, who founded the Sri Jaya Ganesh Tala Vadya Vidyalaya (Sri JGTV school) in Chenna
Selvaganesh first gained world fame through tours with John McLaughlin's group,Remember Shakti. His debut international solo album, Soukha, was released in 2006 featuring all other regular members of Remember Shakti including John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, U. Srinivas and Shankar Mahadevan, as well as sitar player Niladri Kumar and Selvaganesh's father T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram. He has also formed a new group called dr JSM, with the UK-based Goan songwriter/producer dr.Joel and the young Carnatic singer Mahesh.[citation needed]Their Indo-Celtic album entitled Turn on the dreams was released in the UK in 2005.
In 2012, Selvaganesh made his film directorial debut with Bodhai, a short film in Tamil. He also composed the soundtrack which was released in digital format by Saregama.
Here he is with Remember Shakti

At home with George Porter Jr.! Podcast 184

Whoa! This one went viral.  Here is the full hour podcast interview and below is a half hour of video interview with George Porter.  As the bass player of the Meters, George Porter, Jr. defined one of the most influential styles of popular music. It's now called "Funk."  Beyond that he's on a million records including all the killer material coming out of the Sea-Saint studio in New Orleans with cats like Allen Toussaint, Earl King, Lee Dorsey, Johnny Adams, Irma Thomas, The Lastie Brothers and later with people like Paul McCartney and John Scofield, (check out Sco's Piety Street Album!)
George Porter Jr. and his Funky Friends will be in performing in New York City Saturday, April 16, 2016 at  American Beauty - 251 W. 30th st  6:30pm 9:30pm. Tickets here
 
Here's the full half hour of video from the second part of the interview where he teaches how NOT to play "Cissy Strut"

Anirban Dasgupta and Suryaksha Deshpande – Podcast 183

New music!  A  burnin' set of classical raga from last week's Brooklyn Raga Massive's Raga Roots Night, as broadcast on WKCR 89.9 FM-NY and performed at Pioneer Works.
Anirban Dasgupta – sarod
Suryaksha Deshpande – tabla
Present Raag Kafi Kanada

Awa Sangho with the Brooklyn Raga Massive All Stars – Podcast 182

The opening concert of Brooklyn Raga Massive's 3 month residency at Pioneer Works was a smash.   For this special night,  we had an ambitious triple bill,  celebrating the full year of the  Africa/India series collaborations that had been produced by NYC Radio Live, Afro-Roots Music night and Brooklyn Raga Massive.    We featured the “golden voice of Mali,” Awa Sangho, with by the Brooklyn Raga Massive All-Stars, the electro-acoustic Kora/Tabla duo Orakel with Kane Mathis and Roshni Samlal and the original band in this new genre Afrika Meets India, led by Kevin Nathaniel on Mbira and Eric Fraser on Bansuri.
Here we'll hear Awa Sangho's complete set with the Brooklyn Raga Massive All-Stars the first time these artists came together. You can feel the energy from this explosive set!  This was recorded live by James Clark and mixed with love by Sameer Gupta.  
This video from Josh Adler at Treeline Pics really captured it! Check out his whole web series chronicling the "Raga Rennaisance"
 
This concerts was broadcast on WKCR 89.9 FM-NY 7-9pm Febuary 7th at 2016.
Awa Sangho, Vocals, percussion
Daniel Moreno, percussion,
Joshua Geisler, bansuri
Michael Gam, bass
David Ellenbogen, guitar
Arun Ramamurthy, violin
Jay Gandhi, bansuri
Kane Mathis kora,
Roshni Samlal, Tabla
Malick Koly, drumset

Africa India Series: Orakel Live at Shapeshifter Lab Podcast 180

Orakel is a brand new electro-acoustic project of Kora/oud player, Kane Mathis and tabla player, Roshni Samlal, who began their collaboration at the Brooklyn Raga Massive. Using electronic compositional elements of sound design, field recordings, and drones, they create a new context for traditional elements of Indian classical percussion and Kora repertoire.
They performed live at Shapeshifter Lab a few weeks ago in a dazzling performance and then joined me at WKCR for a broadcast.
This Wed Feb 3rd Orakel will be playing as part of the Africa/India Series.  Brooklyn Raga Massive Shapeshifter Launch Party with Awa Sangho and the BRM-All-Stars and and Afrika Meets India.

Africa/India Series: Innov Gnawa with Brooklyn Raga Massive All Stars – Podcast 179

Of all the concerts I've produced this was one of the most exciting and meaningful.  This installation of Africa/India Series live at ShapeShifter Lab was a synergy of the Morrocan trance tradition embodied by Hassan Ben Jaffer and Innov Gnawa as we combined forces with the musicians of the Brooklyn Raga Massive All-Stars.
Thanks to Sameer Gupta for mixing this Mutha!
INNOV GNAWA
Maalem (Master)Hassan Ben Jaafer (Sintir, vocals)
Samir Langus (Sintir, Vocals)
Ahmed Jeriouda (Vocals, percussion)
Amino Belyamani (Vocals, percussion)
Said Sayed (Vocals, percussion)
Nawfal Atiq (Vocals, percussion)
BRM ALL-STARS
Guy Mintus (Piano, Melodica)
David Ellenbogen (Guitar)
Adam Maalouf (Percussion)
Kevin Nathaniel (mbira, percussion)
Hany ElDiwany (Surbahar)
 Michael Gam (Bass)
Sitting in: Pawan Benjamin (Sax), Aaron Shregge (trumpet) Ken Shoji (violin) Vin Scalia (percussion) Jessica Lurie (Sax)

Noura Mint Seymali, Jay Gandhi, Ehren Hanson and Jeiche Ould Chighaly: Kane Mathis Remaster

  This was a meeting of musical royalty from Mauritania, vocalist Noura Mint Seymali, with her husband  Jeiche Ould Chighaly on fretless electric guitar collaborating for the first time with Brooklyn Raga Massive's Jay Gandhi (bansuri flute) and Ehren Hanson (tabla).
It was a spontaneous and beautiful meeting of two musical worlds and very much inspired our whole Africa/India Series.
 
The multi-talented Kane Mathis,  most known for his dazzling kora and oud  (hear him on podcasts #15, #111, #135 and #147) remastered this most popular of our episodes
Kane's new group with tabla maestra Roshni Samlal Orakel, will perform live for our Africa/India Series this Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 8pm and ShapeShifter Lab.
Orakel is an electro-acoustic project of Kora/oud player, Kane Mathis and tabla player, Roshni Samlal, who began their collaboration at the Brooklyn Raga Massive. Using electronic compositional elements of sound design, field recordings, and drones, they create a new context for traditional elements of Indian classical percussion and Kora repertoire.