Key Topics & Highlights

• Kaleta’s early life in Benin
  • Growing up near the Nigerian border
  • Secretly learning guitar against family expectations
  • First musical breakthroughs through church and street performances
• Moving to Lagos at age 15
  • Learning English while building a music career
  • Immersion in juju, highlife, and early Afrobeat
  • Joining King Sunny Adé’s band as a teenager
• Writing and recording “E Ba Mi Dupe”
  • Kaleta’s composition recorded by King Sunny Adé
  • Breakdown of juju guitar techniques
• Joining Fela Kuti
  • Auditioning at the Shrine
  • Life inside Kalakuta Republic
  • Afrobeat as discipline, politics, and collective thinking
  • Touring globally with Fela through the 1980s and early ’90s
• Immigration and life after Fela
  • Staying in the U.S. after Fela’s final tour (1991)
  • Rebuilding from scratch
  • Founding multiple Afrobeat projects in New York
• Working with Lauryn Hill
  • A chance rehearsal encounter led to touring together
  • Afrobeat’s influence across genres and generations
• “Country of Guns”
  • Writing the song after witnessing gun violence news in the U.S.
  • Music as social commentary, not just entertainment
• Afrobeat in America
  • Thoughts on Antibalas and non-African Afrobeat bands
  • Afrobeat vs. modern Afrobeats
  • Afrobeat as “roots music,” not museum music
• Music, organizing, and musicians’ rights
  • FESTAC 77 FESTIVAL and Pan-Africanism 
  • Why musicians must act collectively
  • Parallels between Fela’s activism and MFM’s mission

Music Featured in the Episode

King Sunny Adé – E Ba Mi Dupe (composed/arranged by Kaleta)

Zozo Afrobeat – Country of Guns

Kaleta & Super Yamba Band – Mr. Diva

Kaleta & Super Yamba Band – Ajogan Blues

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Musicians For Musicians Celebrates 10 Years of Music Advocacy with Star-Studded Performance Event at The Cutting Room

"In this crazy time with so much social-political-cultural turmoil happening here in the US and around the world,” says Ladjevardi, “I firmly believe that musicians' vital role is to speak out for their communities and come up with messages that will create solidarity among a particular group of people and unite them to fight for their cause. Musicians are the most powerful artists whose sounds can have an impact on people's conscience in a second." - Sohrab aka SoSaLa

Musicians For Musicians (MFM), a nonprofit association founded in 2015 by saxophonist and activist Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa, emerged from a deep need to organize freelance musicians into a unified voice for fair compensation, labor protection, and industry recognition. 

Advocating for the rights, recognition, and fair pay of freelance and independent musicians proudly announces its 10th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, September 5, at The Cutting Room in New York City. This special event kicks off at 9:00 p.m., with musical performances starting at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are free for MFM members and $20 for non-members. 

Over the past decade, MFM has united musicians across genres and geographies under a single mission: to raise music from a passion to a profession through advocacy, education, and solidarity. From educational webinars and podcasts to championing the Freelance Isn’t Free Act and amplifying national campaigns for fair streaming royalties and AI protections, MFM has been a driving force in elevating music as a profession.

The highlight of the evening will be an exceptional performance by the MFM Unity Ensemble, featuring Grammy Award-winning saxophonist/band leader and educator Joe Lovano and 8x Grammy Award-winning pianist/composer/ band leader and Afro Latin Jazz Alliance founder Arturo O’Farrill. Their collaboration will celebrate both MFM’s mission and the power of collective musical expression.

Later in the evening, there will be another exceptional performance by New York’s Nu NO WAVE band SoSaLa — led by saxophonist/singer SoSaLa—featuring guitarist Mark C. (Live Skull) and drummer Andy Weintraub. Together, they will create music that transcends both rock and jazz.

The event will also include remarks from MFM board members, Advisory Committee representatives, and video tributes from supporters.

Supporters can support the organization by purchasing limited-edition MFM merchandise, including event-branded T-shirts. 100% of ticket and merch proceeds will go to benefit MFM’s ongoing programs and campaigns.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for the January episode was Haana.  Haana is a violinist, vocalist, electronic music artist, visual performer, and entirely self-contained as a one-woman orchestra. She played with Kanye West, and Alvin Ailey, as well as festivals such as Joshua Tree Festival and Coachella and others in the US, Canada, UAE, and Australia, Barack Obama's inaugural ball, and at Michael Jordan's wedding. Haana has endorsement deals with Ableton, Native Instruments, Even Headphones (manufactured by Blue Microphones), and Realist Violins. She appeared in ads for Intel, Harvey Nichols, Nike, Ferrari, and Apple Computers. In addition, she has experience as a film composer and does artist mentorship/marketing, branding, and production consultation. 

In February, MFM board member and co-producer of this very podcast Adam Reifsteck joined us for a very fascinating discussion. Adam is a New York-based composer, electronic music artist, producer, entrepreneur, and music activist. He writes for small ensembles, produces electronic music, and performs improvised group compositions on Wi-Fi-connected laptops. He has collaborated with string quartets, university choirs, and visual and electronic artists. His approach to composition includes elements of improvisation. He is a recipient of grants from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, and the Kalamazoo (MI) Community Foundation. His music has been performed by the Attacca Quartet, Amernet String Quartet, Cadillac Moon Ensemble, Duquesne University Chamber Singers, Flutronix, Gaudete Brass Quintet, Mana Saxophone Quartet, Western Michigan University Chorale, and many other ensembles. Adam is also an active recording engineer and producer whose studio alias SONIC FEAR has become synonymous with lush, genre-bending sounds—from dance floor-ready tracks to downtempo meditations. He is the founder and CEO of Teknofonic Recordings, an independent record label and artist development platform providing electronic musicians with learning resources, networking opportunities, and career support. Adam holds a master’s of music degree in composition from Western Michigan University and a bachelor’s of music in music technology from Duquesne University. He is a member of Broadcast Music Inc., the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Recording Academy, the Audio Engineering Society, and Musicians for Musicians.

Our March episode was a landmark. We interviewed Keyna Wilkins, the first MFM member from Australia. Wilkins holds a Master of Music Composition at Sydney Conservatorium, studied composition, classical and jazz piano, and classical flute with several prestigious instructors, and intuitive conceptual improvisation with Tibetan Buddhist musician Tenzin Cheogyal. holds an MA in Flute Performance at Bristol University (UK) in 2008. She is known as a soloist and leader of cutting-edge ensembles and has written over 60 compositions, including 4 major orchestral works. Her works have been commissioned and/or performed by ensembles such as The Metropolitan Orchestra, Syzygy Ensemble, Elysian Fields, The Sydney Bach Society, and many others. She has released 9 albums of original music on all streaming platforms including 4 solo albums. Wilkins is also an Associate Artist with the Australian Music Centre and has five tunes in the Australian Jazz Realbook. She also writes music for films and theatre including the short film "Remote Access" which won Best Short Film at the Imagine This International Film Festival in New York in 2019 and her works are featured on ABC, Triple J, Fine Music FM, Cambridge Radio, SOAS London and many more. Her music is published by Wirripeng and she is a member of Musicians for Musicians.

MFM member Sylvian Leroux was our guest in April. Sylvian is a flutist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator, inventor, and prominent member of Musicians for Musicians.  Sylvain Leroux grew up in Montreal where he studied classical flute at Vincent d’Indy; and improvisation and composition in New York at the Creative Music Studio where he attended classes by luminaries Don Cherry, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Karl Berger, Cecil Taylor, and many others. A pioneer of African/Jazz collaborations, Sylvain is a foremost player of the Fula flute, the traditional flute from Guinea. He was selected as “Rising Flute Star” by the Downbeat Magazine Critics’ Poll for many years, achieving the #2 spot in 2019. As a bandleader, he brought traditional West African music to Zankel Hall with his Fula Flute Ensemble and held the fort for more than a decade at New York City’s Zinc Bar with his African Jazz group “Source”. His 2002 CD “Fula Flute" achieved cult status, and stimulated a worldwide interest in the instrument. His 2012 album “Quatuor Creole” was hailed as “a perfect contemporary music release.” He curated New York’s “Griot Summits” which featured performances by 25 West African griots from five countries. He has performed and recorded with Emeline Michel, Adam Rudolph, Karl Berger, Hassan Hakmoun, Billy Martin, and many West African stars. As a maker and seller of Fula flutes around the world, he invented and patented the Qromatica, a Fula flute capable of chromatic functionality. This led him to initiate "L'ecole Fula Flute", a music literacy project that graduated many excellent young flutists who are now re-energizing an endangered flute tradition.

Our May 2023 episode featured Mark Chimples, a.k.a. Mark C. Mark is the guitarist and synthesizer player with Live Skull. Formed in 1982, Live Skull is considered by many aficionados to be the quintessential New York City noise band. Rising concurrently with bands such as Sonic Youth and Swans, Live Skull helped define the post-No Wave underground "noise rock" in the 1980s music scene in New York City. Over the following decades, Live Skull released five albums and three EPs with a rotating cast of 11 members, all of whom added new ideas to the group’s evolving sound. Themes of struggle and chaos permeated and inspired their music. Their constant progression inspired New York Times critic Robert Palmer to call them “as challenging, as spiritually corrosive, and ultimately as transcendent as Albert Ayler’s mid-’60s free-jazz or the implacable drone-dance of the early Velvet Underground. It’s one of the essential sounds of our time."

Music on this episode:

Haana - Bison Rouge

Adam Reifsteck / Sonic Fear - Aurora

Keyna Wilkins - Floating in Space

Sylvain Leroux - In Walked Bud

Live Skull - Party Zero

Spaghetti Eastern - Jungle Blue

Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra - Amidst the Fire and Whirlwind

Dave Liebman - Journey Around Truth  

SoSaLa - Dadada Dadada Daa

Dawoud Kringle - Keep Trying

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Mark Chimples, a.k.a. Mark C. Mark is the guitarist and synthesizer player with Live Skull. Formed in 1982, Live Skull is considered by many aficionados to be the quintessential New York City noise band. Rising concurrently with bands such as Sonic Youth and Swans, Live Skull helped define the post-No Wave underground "noise rock" in the 1980s music scene in New York City. Over the following decades, Live Skull released five albums and three EPs with a rotating cast of 11 members, all of whom added new ideas to the group’s evolving sound. Themes of struggle and chaos permeated and inspired their music. Their constant progression inspired New York Times critic Robert Palmer to call them “as challenging, as spiritually corrosive, and ultimately as transcendent as Albert Ayler’s mid-’60s free-jazz or the implacable drone-dance of the early Velvet Underground. It’s one of the essential sounds of our time."
 

Topics discussed:

The beginning of the No Wave scene and how it emerged from the savage and atavistic Lower East Side of New York City in the 70s and 80s, how Live Skull formed in 1982, where the term "No Wave" came from, Live Skull's relationship with other bands on the scene like Sonic Youth, The Swans, The Lounge Lizards, Theoretical Girls, Tone Death, Television. Suicide, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Lydia Lunch, how no wave influenced other art forms such as visual art, dance, and film, how no wave related / coexisted with other scenes such as Downtown music scene, punk, etc., some of the main venues the no wave scene thrived in, the artistic visions behind Live Skull's music videos, how Live Skull was received in other parts of the country, Live Skull's break up in 1990, Mark's involvement in Spoiler, Int'l Shades, Fuse, and SoSaLa, how they translated the No Wave aesthetic into the 90s, Live Skull's reunions, how logistics and economics of touring change since Live Skull began touring and how it works in the post-pandemic era, physical media releases vs. digital releases, music activism and Mark's involvement with MFM, the rise of AI in music and art and how musicians should deal with it, and Live Skull's cultural relevance in the mid 21st century.

https://liveskull.bandcamp.com/
 

Music featured in this episode:

1) Mad Kingship

2) Hit So Hard

3) Party Zero

(From the album "Party Zero by Live Skull. Used with permission)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Sylvain Leroux. Sylvian is a flutist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator, inventor, and prominent member of Musicians for Musicians.

Sylvain Leroux grew up in Montreal where he studied classical flute at Vincent d’Indy; and improvisation and composition in New York at the Creative Music Studio where he attended classes by luminaries Don Cherry, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Karl Berger, Cecil Taylor and many others.

A pioneer of African/Jazz collaborations, Sylvain is a foremost player of the Fula flute, the traditional flute from Guinea.

He was selected as “Rising Flute Star” by the Downbeat Magazine Critics’ Poll for many years, achieving the #2 spot in 2019.

As a bandleader, he brought traditional West African music to Zankel Hall with his Fula Flute Ensemble and held the fort for more than a decade at New York City’s Zinc Bar with his African Jazz group Source. His 2002 CD Fula Flute achieved cult status, and stimulated a worldwide interest in the instrument. His 2012 album Quatuor Creole was hailed as “a perfect contemporary music release.”

He curated New York’s “Griot Summits” that featured performances by 25 West African griots from five countries. He has performed and recorded with Emeline Michel, Adam Rudolph, Karl Berger, Hassan Hakmoun, Billy Martin, and many West African stars.

As a maker and seller of Fula flutes around the world, he invented and patented the Qromatica, a Fula flute capable of chromatic functionality. This led him to initiate L'ecole Fula Flute, a music literacy project that graduated many excellent young flutists who are now re-energizing an endangered flute tradition.

Topics discussed:

Sylvain’s studies of classical flute at Vincent d’Indy; and improvisation and composition in New York at the Creative Music Studio under Don Cherry, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Karl Berger, and Cecil Taylor, his time with Adam Rudolph's Orchestra, the jazz and world music Canadian music scene at that time and now, how he became interested in the Fula flute, his band “Source” and their time at New York’s Zinc Bar for over a decade. How the combination of Guinean music and jazz has been accepted among Jazz audiences, his 2002 release Fula Flute and how it was received, his new album Qromatica, why he chose Julia Haines on accordion and harp and Mamadou Ba on bass,  his performances at Zankel Hall with the Fula Flute Ensemble and curated New York’s “Griot Summits”, his performances and recordings with Emeline Michel, Adam Rudolph, Karl Berger, Hassan Hakmoun, and some of the West African musicians he played with, how and why he founded music literacy program L'ecole Fula Flute, how Covid affected the people's spirit and economy in Guinea, government support of the arts, his business of making and selling Fula flutes,  how he invented and patented the Qromatica, his activities in MFM, the present African/world music scene in NY, the cultural separation between African-American musicians and African musicians, NY's GlobalFest for presenting African bands to the US audience, the Visa fee raise proposal to Congress, and his future plans in the areas of music activism.

Music featured in this episode:

1) Zoe

2) Mane Gauche

3) In Walked Bud

"Zoe" and  by Sylvain Leroux, used with permission. "In Walked Bud" composed by Thelonious Monk (EMBASSY MUSIC CORPORATION BMI), performed by Sylvain Leroux. 
 

https://www.fulaflute.net/

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Keyna Wilkins. Wilkins holds a Master of Music Composition at Sydney Conservatorium, studied composition, classical and jazz piano, and classical flute with several prestigious instructors, and intuitive conceptual improvisation with Tibetan Buddhist musician Tenzin Cheogyal. holds an MA in Flute Performance at Bristol University (UK) in 2008.She is known as a soloist and leader of cutting edge ensembles, and has written over 60 compositions, including 4 major orchestral works. Her works have been commissioned and/or performed by ensembles such as The Metropolitan Orchestra, Syzygy Ensemble, Elysian Fields, The Sydney Bach Society, and many others. She has released 9 albums of original music on all streaming platforms including 4 solo albums. Wilkins is also an Associate Artist with the Australian Music Centre and has five tunes in the Australian Jazz Realbook. She also writes music for films and theatre including short film Remote Access which won Best Short Film at the Imagine This International Film Festival in New York 2019 and her works are featured on ABC, Triple J, Fine Music FM, Cambridge Radio, SOAS London and many more. Her music is published by Wirripeng and she is a member of Musicians for Musicians.
 

Topics discussed:

Wilkin's beginnings with the European classical tradition and her interest in the piano and flute, her interest in jazz, the influence indigenous Australian culture has on her music, details from her albums, including her modal jazz improvisations on the music of J. S. Bach on So What Bach, her use of natural sounds in several of her recordings, her collaboration and other projects, her work as a music educator, the effects the pandemic had on the Australian music scene, her methods of music distribution, funding for the arts in Australia, her upcoming US tour, her decision to join MFM and her association with music activism in Australia, and her views on the future of the music scene in Australia.
 

Music featured in this episode:

1) Air in Motion 6, Floating in Space

2) Bach Reflections 2, Little Prelude in D Minor

3) Set Me Free (music collaboration album with Ahwaz Arab (Iran) refugee poet  Jalal Mahamede, made via zoom)

(All music by Keyna Wilkins. Used with permission)

keynawilkins.com

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

He is a recipient of grants from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, and the Kalamazoo (MI) Community Foundation. His music has been performed by the Attacca Quartet, Amernet String Quartet, Cadillac Moon Ensemble, Duquesne University Chamber Singers, Flutronix, Gaudete Brass Quintet, Mana Saxophone Quartet, Western Michigan University Chorale, and many other ensembles.

Adam is also an active recording engineer and producer whose studio alias SONIC FEAR has become synonymous with lush, genre-bending sounds—from dance floor ready tracks to downtempo meditations. He is the founder and CEO of Teknofonic Recordings, an independent record label and artist development platform providing electronic musicians with learning resources, networking opportunities, and career support.

Adam holds a master’s of music degree in composition from Western Michigan University and a bachelor’s of music in music technology from Duquesne University. He is a member of Broadcast Music Inc., the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Recording Academy, the Audio Engineering Society, and Musicians for Musicians (MFM).
 

Topics discussed:

Adam's beginnings with the European classical tradition and modern electronic music, his use of elements of improvisation, his methods of classical and electronic composition, how they overlap, and descriptions of a few of his pieces, the origins of the name Sonic Fear, his collaboration with artists such as She's Excited!, how he approaches the art of remixing, what he looks for in an artist and how he brings out the best in them, the ways he finds and creates ways to monetize his music, his label Teknofonic and what he sees as the most important aspects of running a record label, Teknofonic's distribution and promotion, his involvement with the iConcert project and the use of the Blind Ear software, his founding of the Music Producer's Alliance, their Mentorship program, courses, and instruction, the future plans for Teknofonic and MPA, new methods of promotion and marketing that have and will arise in light of new changes and innovations in business, economics, and technology (which include blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, NFTs, and Artificial Intelligence), how his longtime membership in MFM affected his career in a positive way, MFM's primary strengths and assets to musicians, and what MFM needs to do regarding its marketing and promotional methods in order to reach the larger music community it needs to survive, prosper, and empower itself and its members. 

CLICK HERE to download the PDF guide "21 Income Streams for Music Producers"  mentioned in this episode.
 

Music featured in this episode:

1) Gloria (from Misa Cor Inflammatus) featuring Western Michigan University Chorale, conducted by Karl Schrock

2) No Way Out (from Excursions for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano) featuring Michael Tolbert, Nelly Smukler, and JP Calitz

3) Aurora by Sonic Fear  

(All music by Adam Reifsteck. Used with permission)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Haana. Haana is a violinist, vocalist, electronic music artist, visual performer, and entirely self-contained as a one woman orchestra. She played with Kanye West, Alvin Ailey, as well as festivals such as Joshua Tree Festival and Coachella and others in the US, Canada, UAE, and Australia, and other gigs such as Barack Obama's inaugural ball and at Michael Jordan's wedding. Haana has endorsement deals with Ableton, Native Instruments, Even Headphones (manufactured by Blue Microphones), and Realist Violins. She appeared in ads for Intel, Harvey Nichols, Nike, Ferrari, and Apple Computers. In addition, she's experienced as a film composer, does artist mentorship / marketing, branding, and production consultation, and is an accomplished photographer (and used to be a managing editor for photo.net).  

Topics discussed:

The topics discussed include Haana's inspiration to become a "one woman orchestra," her studies of contemporary composition at New England Conservatory and electronic music production at Dubspot NYC, the growing trend among many classically trained musicians to combine the European classical tradition with modern electronic music, how she incorporates her improvisational methods and Nordic and Icelandic elements into the context of electronic music / beats, the aesthetic concepts behind her music videos and her use of dancers and other visual elements in her live performances, how the presence of her skills as an instrumentalist are received among EDM audiences, her practice of yoga and meditation, and incorporate this into her musical endeavors including the Deepsonos by Haana project, her work as a film composer for the Heavy Water and The Cold Life projects, her work with Alvin Ailey performing for festivals in the US, Abu Dhabi, Canada, Portugal, Hungary, Australia, Mexico, at festivals such as Joshua Tree Music Fest and Coachella, her performances with Kanye West when he opened for The Rolling Stones at Gillette Stadium, and at Madison Square Garden for MTV, at Michael Jordan's wedding, and at Barack Obama's inaugural ball, her endorsement deals with companies such as Ableton, Native Instruments, and Realist violins, other ways she monetizes what she does, and her ideas on music activism.

Music featured in this episode:

"Ornate"

"Seli"

"Teardrop"  

(All compositions by Haana Thiem. "Seli" is a collaboration between Haana and Bison Rouge. Used with permission)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle offers a retrospective of the progress of the MFM Speaks Out podcast in 2022. The guests mentioned, and / or whose music was included, include Ken Butler, Ariel Hyatt, Neel Murgai, Banning Eyre, Baba Don Eaton Babatunde, William Parker, Bruce Lee Gallanter, Jeff Slatnick, Hubert Howe, and April Centrone.

The progress and accomplishments of MFM as a whole during the year 2022 were also briefly discussed. 

Topics discussed:

Our guest for episode 35 in January was musician, experimental musical instrument builder, and visual artist Ken Butler. He builds hybrid musical instruments and other artworks that explore the interaction and transformation of common and uncommon objects, altered images, sounds and silence.He is internationally recognized as an innovator of experimental musical instruments created from diverse materials including tools, sports equipment, and household objects.

February's episode 36 featured Ariel Hyatt. Ariel is a digital marketer, writer, and teacher who assists independent musicians in career development. She is the author of Music Success in 9 Weeks, Cyber PR For Musicians, Crowdstart, and other books. Hyatt worked at New York City's WNEW-FM, and the What Are Records? record label. She moved to Boulder CO, where she managed and handled publicity for the funk band, Lord of Word. She is also the founder and owner of the New York-based public relations firm Cyber PR. Her clients included the Toasters and George Clinton.

Neel Murgai was our 37th guest in March. Neel is a sitarist, overtone singer, percussionist, composer, teacher, and Co-Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, a raga inspired musician's collective.

Banning Eyre is a writer, guitarist and producer, and the senior editor and producer of the public radio program Afropop Worldwide.  He has traveled and done music research in over 20 African countries, as well as in the Caribbean, South America and Europe. His latest initiative is the launch of Lion Songs Records, an independent label dedicated to uplifting overlooked, mostly acoustic music from the African universe. He is the author of several books, and the co-author of AFROPOP! An Illustrated Guide to Contemporary African Music. Eyre is a contributor to National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and his writing has been published in Billboard, Guitar Player, Salon, the Boston Phoenix, College Music Journal, Option, The Beat, Folk Roots, Global Rhythm, and other publications. He also has a background in technology, and worked for 10 years as a software technical writer. Eyre is also on the Advisory Committee of Musicians for Musicians.  

Baba Don Eaton Babatunde. He is a percussionist and master of African Drumming and the rhythms of the African Diaspora in the Americas. Baba Don has performed and recorded with Abidun Oyewole and The Last Poets, Pattie Labelle, Joe Henderson, Donald Brown, Jason Linder, Tyrone Jefferson, Tevin Thomas, James Spaulding, Ron Carter, George Clinton, Pharaoh Sanders, the Metropolitan Orchestra, Bill Laswell, and Philycia Rashadto name a few. His work with dance companies and choreographers includes The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Maurice Hines, Gregory Hines, Andy Williams, Chuck Davis Dance theatre, Frank Hatchet, Geoffrey Holder, Louis Johnson, and Pyramid Dance Company.

Episode 40 featured free jazz bass master William Parker. He has also performed and recorded with Cecil Taylor, Peter Brotzmann, Derek Bailey, John Zorn, Hamid Drake, Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves, Oliver Lake, Daniel Carter, Billy Bang, Andrew Cyrille, Matthew Shipp, Roy Campbell, Warren Smith, Joe McPhee, Roscoe Mitchell, Jemeel Moondoc, Joe Morris, Steve Swell, David S. Ware, Leena Conquest, and many others. He was the leader of the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra and In Order to Survive, a member of the Other Dimensions in Music cooperative, and co-founder of the musician's non-profit organization Arts For Art. 

Our guest for episode 41 was Bruce Lee Gallanter, the owner and proprietor of Downtown Music Gallery (DMG), a Manhattan based music store that specializes in new, used, hard to find, and out of print CDs, Vinyl, DVDs, and books. DMG was started in 1991 by David Yamner & Steve Popkin, with Gallanter working for the store. They remained in their first location on east 4th street in Manhattan for 12 years until 2003, and started having weekly free concerts, an idea that Gallanter had started with Manny Maris when they worked at Lunch For Your Ears. Gallanter became the owner in 1997. Around the time. he and Emperor Mike started the DMG newsletter, In 2003, they moved into a new store on the Bowery, not far from St. Marks Place, Tower Records, and Other Music.

Jeff Slatnick was our 42nd guest. Jeff has been an employee and later the owner of Music Inn for over 54 years. Music Inn is one of the oldest music stores in New York City (second in longevity only to Sam Ash). It is a landmark music store in the West Village of NYC specializing in imported world and western instruments, rare and exotic music items, and records. Music Inn has been described as “a museum, rich with music history from around the world.” Music Inn is also the headquarters of Limulus, a company that designs and manufactures unique solid body string instruments. 

Hubert Howe graced the annals of our podcast as our 43rd guest. Hubert was one of the first researchers in computer music, and became Professor of Music and Director of the Electronic Music studios at Queens College in New York, where he was also Director of the Aaron Copland School of Music from 1989 to 1998, 2001 to 2002, and Autumn 2007. He taught at the Juilliard School from 1974 through 1994. In 1988-89 he held the Endowed Chair in Music at the University of Alabama. He has been a member of the Society of Composers, Inc. , President of the US section of the League of Composers / International Society of Contemporary Music, a member of the International Computer Music Association, and directed the International Computer Music Conference at Queens College, a member of Society for Electro-Acoustic Music, a member of BMI, and the American Composers Alliance since 1974 and served as their President from 2002 to 2011. He is a member of the New York Composer's Circle and has served as Executive Director since 2013. In 2009, he founded the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, and he continues as Director.

Our final guest for for 2022 was April Centrone. April Centrone is a multi-instrumentalist (specialising in the riqq, darbuka, frame drum, trap drum, and oud), co-founder of the New York Arabic Orchestra, teacher, composer, film producer and director, and music therapist. She is a Carnegie Hall World Explorer musician and educator, business owner and founder of 10PRL, arts/film/event space on the Jersey Shore. Shehas performed in venues such as the United Nations, NYC Opera House, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and has toured throughout Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Far East.

Music on this episode:

"Aurora" by Adam Reifsteck / Sonic Fear

"Building a Desert Blizzard" by Ken Butler

"Bagheshri Unbound" by Neel Murgai

"Today is a New Day" by Voyagers

"25 Years" by Abiodun Oyewole, featurning Baba Don Eaton

"Give Me Back My Drum" by William Parker

"Warm Arms to Hold You" by Dawoud the Renegade Sufi (a.k.a. Dawoud Kringle)

"Inharmonic Fantasy No. 7" by Hubert Howe

"New Moon" by April Centrone

"Welcome New Iran" by SoSaLa (a.k.a. Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi)

(All music used by permission)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is April Centrone. April Centrone is a multi-instrumentalist (specialising in the riqq, darbuka, frame drum, trap drum, and oud), co-founder of the New York Arabic Orchestra, teacher, composer, film producer and director, and music therapist based in NY / NJ. 

She has toured as a drummer and percussionist with Secret Chiefs, Ziad Rahbani, Marcel Khalife, Bassam Saba, and others.

She is a Carnegie Hall World Explorer musician and educator, business owner and founder of 10PRL, arts/film/event space on the Jersey Shore, and co-founder of the New York Arabic Orchestra, non-profit organization specializing in the performance and education of Arabic music. She has a Masters degree in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College, NYC.

As a youth educator, April worked closely with inner-city schools throughout NYC’s boroughs, teaching Arabic music and percussion and coordinating world music projects through Musicians For Harmony and Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Connect. 

As a music therapist, her work included her participation in a ‘Music Therapy Tour’ with the U.S. Embassy of Malaysia, holding workshops at Rohingya refugee youth centers and safe houses for young Malaysian women. During her residence in Lebanon from 2013 to 2016, she held Arabic music workshops for Syrian and Palestinian refugee youth through her project, Juthoor, with Nisreen Nasser.

She currently teaches world music at William Paterson University, leads group classes and workshops virtually and in NYC, and has held lectures in music therapy and Arabic music/percussion at Taipei University of the Arts, Lebanese American University and others.

Over her career, April has performed in venues such as the United Nations, NYC Opera House, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and has toured throughout Europe, the Americas, Middle East and Far East, performing at the Marciac Jazz Festival (FR), New Zealand World Music Festival Festival, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors (NYC), Musicas Do Mundo, Sines (PT), Beirut Jazz Festival (LB), Taipei Chinese Orchestra Silk Road Conference (TW), and others. Her debut album ‘New Moon’ is available on CD Baby and Spotify.  

Topics Discussed:

April's interest and pursuit of Arabic music, her meeting and work with Bassam Saba in founding the New York Arabic Orchestra, her philosophies on blending cultures, the artistic, cultural, and spiritual essence of Arabic music, her solo album New Moon, her teaching resume, her work as a music therapist, her charitable works, women's roles in Arabic music, the political situation in Iran and how if affects the music community, the business model of the New York Arabic Orchestra and their potential and actual collaboration and solidarity with the music community at large. 

Music featured in this episode:

"Raqsat al-Atlas" composed by Abd el-Qader al Rashidi, performed by the New York Arabic Orchestra 

"Fire and Blood" by April Centrone
"New Moon" by April Centrone

(All music used with permission)

Links:

April Centrone website: www.aprilcentrone.com

Instagram: @aprilcentrone

NY Arabic Orchestra: https://nyarabicorchestra.org/

DBDBD NY interview: https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/2011/03/02/interview-bassam-saba-and-april-centrone-speaking-about-their-baby-the-ny-arabic-orchestra/

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Hubert Howe. Hubert Howe grew up in Los Angeles, California, where he began his musical studies as an oboist. He was educated at Princeton University, studied with J.K. Randall, Godfrey Winham, and Milton Babbitt, and received the A.B., M.F.A. and Ph.D.. He was one of the first researchers in computer music, and became Professor of Music and Director of the Electronic Music studios at Queens College in New York, where he was also Director of the Aaron Copland School of Music from 1989 to 1998, 2001 to 2002, and Autumn 2007. He taught at the Juilliard School from 1974 through 1994. In 1988-89 he held the Endowed Chair in Music at the University of Alabama.

He has been a member of the Society of Composers, Inc. since its founding in 1965 and served on the Executive Committee from 1967 to 1971. He served as President of the US section of the League of Composers / International Society of Contemporary Music from 1970 until 1979. In 1980, he received a commission from the CSC at the University of Padua, Italy, for his composition Astrazioni (Abstractions), which was presented at the Biennale of Venice.

He is a member of the International Computer Music Association, and directed the International Computer Music Conference at Queens College in 1980. In 1994, he was the composer-in-residence at the Third Annual Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He is also a member of Society for Electro-Acoustic Music, a member of BMI, and the American Composers Alliance since 1974 and served as their President from 2002 to 2011. He is a member of the New York Composer's Circle and has served as Executive Director since 2013. In 2009, he founded the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, and he continues as Director. He is also a member of the Association for the Promotion of New Music (APNM).

Recordings of his computer music have been released by Capstone Records, Ravello Records, and ABLAZE Records.

Topics discussed:

The topics discussed include studying composition at Princeton under people like Milton Babbitt and J.K. Randall, his opinions of Karlheinz Stockhausen, becoming a Professor of Music and Director of the Electronic Music studios at Queens College in New York and Julliard, his involvement with the New York Composer's Circle, how electronic music was and is accepted in the classical music world, his thoughts about the influence of electronics on American popular music, such as Progressive Rock, Hip Hop, EDM, and composers and improvisers like Frank Zappa, Brian Eno, or Miles Davis, how he approaches and draws inspiration composing for electronics as opposed to acoustic instruments, his thoughts on the unprecedented factor of Artificial Intelligence and its application as a compositional tool, how the domination of streaming the economics of a career as a professional music composer changed over the years, how recent changes in the sales and marketing structure of recorded music, coupled with the domination of streaming services affected composers of orchestral, chamber, and electronic music, thoughts of Modern Classical Music's relevance, and music in general, in contemporary American life, and in the near future, and his advice to aspiring composers. 

Music featured in this episode:

Nocturne, Dance and Dream (a live performance featuring Craig Ketter on piano)

Inharmonic Fantasy No. 7

Harmonic Fantasy No. 5

(All compositions by Hubert Howe. Used with permission)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Jeff Slatnick. Jeff has been an employee and later the owner of Music Inn for over 54 years. Music Inn is one of the oldest music stores in New York City (second in longevity only to Sam Ash). It is a landmark music store in the West Village of NYC specializing in imported world and western instruments, rare and exotic music items, and records. Music Inn has been described as “a museum, rich with music history from around the world.” Music Inn is also the headquarters of Limulus, a company that designs and manufactures unique solid body string instruments.  

Slatnick started at Music Inn in 1967 when it was a record and musical instrument store run by Jerry Halpern, the original owner (who'd opened the store in 1958). The Music Inn was frequented by the likes of Bob Dylan when he lived just a few doors down at 161 West 4th Street (and wrote the song “Positively 4th Street” about the time he lived there), as well as John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, John Sebastian, Paul Simon, Ritchie Havens, and many others. In 1968, he left Music Inn to attend the Ali Akbar Khan School of Music in California. He studied under many of today’s acknowledged masters of Indian music, including Ali Akbar Khan, Nikhil Banergee, and Ravi Shankar. He returned to New York City in 1976 as an accomplished performer. In 1993, Halpren retired and Slatnick became the owner, in 1998.  

They do musical instrument repairs, specializing in repairing instruments few others do.

In addition to maintaining Music Inn as an importer and distributor of musical instruments, he and Andy Dowty founded Limulus Musical Instruments. Limulus manufactures unique solid body sitars, sarods, ouds, tamburas, guitars, bass guitars, and custom built hybrid instruments.

Music Inn also hosts live performances and open mics.

Slatnick is also an accomplished music teacher, specializing in Indian raga.  

Topics discussed:

Greenwich Village as a historical hub of musical creativity and why so much music and art came from that small geographic location, his beginnings working at Music Inn, mastering repairs on instruments from all over the world, interacting with musicians who frequented Music Inn such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Dave Van Ronk, etc., Slatnick's time studying at the Ali Akbar College of Music, his eventual taking over ownership of Music Inn from original owner Jerry Halpren, the changes and innovations he made in the store's operations. him and Andy Dowty founding Limulus  

Music on this episode:

"Bluegrass improvisation," by Adrian Koss and the Moonskippers

"Old City" by Good Judgement (a.k.a. Dina Pfifer)

All music used with permission. 

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Bruce Lee Gallanter, the owner and proprietor of Downtown Music Gallery (DMG), a Manhattan based music store that specializes in new, used, hard to find, and out of print CDs, Vinyl, DVDs, and books. DMG was started in 1991 by David Yamner & Steve Popkin, with Gallanter working for the store. They remained in their first location on east 4th street in Manhattan for 12 years until 2003, and started having weekly free concerts, an idea that Gallanter had started with Manny Maris when they worked at Lunch For Your Ears. Gallanter became the owner in 1997. Around the time. he and Emperor Mike started the DMG newsletter, In 2003, they moved into a new store on the Bowery, not far from St. Marks Place, Tower Records, and Other Music. This was their most popular and successful location. They are presently located in Chinatown.

Their concerts at their different locations included musicians such as Elton Dean, Lol Coxhill, Derek Bailey, Peter Kowald, Joelle Leandre, John Zorn, Rod Poole, Ivo Perelman, Marc Ribot, Eugene Chadbourne, Haino Keji & Loren Mazzacane,  Gong, Hatfield & the North, Present, Dr. Nerve, Kramer, Luscious Jackson, Fibre, Machine Gun, Thinking Plague, Dark Carnival, members of Henry Cow: Fred Frith, J.D. Parran, Tony Levin, Michael Moore, and many others. The Sunday night in-store series continues to this day. 

DMG  also devotes an entire 700-CD display to the Tzadik label (founded and owned by John Zorn), and operates the mail-fulfillment for the label. They also provide the telephone information service for The Stone performance space. 

Gallanter is also a valued contributor to doobeedoobeedoo.info,  
 

Topics discussed:

His beginnings with Downtown Music Gallery, the in-store concerts DMG presents, becoming the owner of DMG, DMG's relationship with John Zorn's Tzaddik label, the DMG/ARC label, DMG's relationship with The Stone, Arts For Art, and the VISION FESTIVAL, DMG's business model and how they survive as a brick & mortar store in the age of online music purchasing, Gallanter's views on musician's rights, his  writings for doobeedoobeedoo.info and DMG's alliance with MFM, and the future of music retail.
 

Music on this episode:

1. Jamie Branch, Thomas Helton, and Michael Evans (recorded live at the Downtown Music Gallery Concert Series May 2021)

2. Sandy Ewen, Chris Pistons, and Nate Wooly ((recorded live at the Downtown Music Gallery Concert Series May 2021)

3. Francisco Mora Catlett & Same Newsome (recorded live at the Downtown Music Gallery Concert Series April 2021)

All tracks courtesy of Bruce Gallanter / Downtown Music Gallery

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is free jazz bass master William Parker. Parker was born in the Bronx, New York City, and grew up in the Melrose housing project. His first instruments were the trumpet, trombone and cello. Parker had no formal training as a classical player, but in his youth studied with Jimmy Garrison, Richard Davis and Wilbur Ware.

In the 1980s, he first came to public attention playing with Cecil Taylor. He has also performed and recorded with Peter Brotzmann, Derek Bailey, John Zorn, Hamid Drake, Anthony Braxton, Milford Graves, Oliver Lake, Daniel Carter, Billy Bang, Andrew Cyrille, Matthew Shipp, Roy Campbell, Warren Smith, Joe McPhee, Roscoe Mitchell, Jemeel Moondoc, Joe Morris, Steve Swell, David S. Ware, Leena Conquest, and many others. He also led several groups, such as the Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra and In Order to Survive.

His discography is extensive, with dozens of albums as a leader and co-leader, and with the aforementioned artists. They received very favorable reviews from publications such as Downbeat, The Village Voice, The Wall Street Journal, Parker is a prominent musician in the New York City experimental jazz scene, where he leads a number of groups and is associated with the Vision Festival, organized by his wife, dancer / choreographer Patricia Nicholson. He is also a member of the Other Dimensions in Music cooperative, and co-founder of the musician's non-profit organization Arts For Art. He has performed at many prestigious venues and music festivals around the world. In addition to double bass, Parker also plays trumpet, tuba, bamboo flutes, shakuhachi, flute, double reeds, Kora, gembri, and donso ngoni.

In 2006, Parker was awarded the Resounding Vision Award from Nameless Sound. In March 2007, his book of political thoughts, poems, and musicological essays, Who Owns Music?, was published by Buddy’s Knife Jazzedition in Cologne, Germany.  In June 2011, Parker's second book, Conversations, a collection of interviews with notable free jazz musicians and forward thinkers, mainly from the African-American community, was published by RogueArt. 

Parker is frequently noted for his community dedication, mentorship, and status as "unofficial mayor of the New York improvisational scene." The Village Voice named him "the most consistently brilliant free jazz bassist of all time" and Downbeat has called him "one of the most adventurous and prolific bandleaders in jazz."

Topics discussed:

His beginnings as a musician and what led him to free jazz, his work with Cecil Taylor, Roy Campbell, Hamid Drake, Jimmy Garrison, and many others, his work and long association with Arts for Art (AFA), the Vision Festival, the Other Dimensions in Music Cooperative, AFA's kinship with other musician's organizations, his thoughts on hip hop, social media, and modern music technology, racism in America, the spiritual essence of music (especially free / improvised music), the future of free jazz, and his experience, thoughts, and advice about the political and economic climate of the the music business.

Music on this episode:

"Give Me Back My Drum"
"It's A Great Day to Be Dead"
"Canyons of Light"

All Music by William Parker

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Baba Don Eaton Babatunde. He is a percussionist and master of African drumming and the rhythms of the African Diaspora in the Americas.

Baba Don has performed and recorded with Abidun Oyewole and The Last Poets, Pattie Labelle, Joe Henderson, Donald Brown, Jason Linder, Tyrone Jefferson, Tevin Thomas, James Spaulding, Ron Carter, George Clinton, Pharaoh Sanders, the Metropolitan Orchestra, Bill Laswell, and Philycia Rashad to name a few. 

His work with dance companies and choreographers includes The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Maurice Hines, Gregory Hines, Andy Williams, Chuck Davis Dance theatre, Frank Hatchet, Geoffrey Holder, Louis Johnson, and Pyramid Dance Company.

His theatrical credits include The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s productions of Macbeth, Caligula, and Dream on Monkey Mountain, He performed on HBO’s Hoop Life soundtrack and Julie Andrews' Green Room, and has been featured on a Sesame Street segment called Drumming School.

He has performed at Carnegie Hall, The State Theater,  Avery Fisher’s Hall, City Center, The Apollo Theatre and The House Of Blues to name a few.

He is also a respected music educator. His credentials include workshops throughout the Metropolitan, Tri State  Area, with many institutions such as The Harlem School of The Arts, John Jay College, Arts Connections, Harlem Late Night Jazz, African Horizon, Arts Horizon, Yaffa Productions, North Hampden High School and Jack and Jill Arts Center.

Topics discussed:

Baba Don's family lineage and their part in the history of Harlem and the civil rights movement, his education, his work as a music educator and purveyor of African drumming in modern western music, the many people he performed with, including his work with Abiodun Oyewole and the Last Poets, The Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and Patti LaBelle, his association with MFM, and his experience, thoughts, and advice about the music business. 

Music on this episode:

"25 Years" by Abiodun Oyewole, featurning Baba Don Eaton

"Brothers Working" by Abiodun Oyewole, featurning Baba Don Eaton

"Festival" by Abiodun Oyewole, featurning Baba Don Eaton

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode is Banning Eyre. Banning Eyre is a writer, guitarist and producer, and the senior editor and producer of the public radio program Afropop Worldwide.  He has traveled and done music research in over 20 African countries, as well as in the Caribbean, South America and Europe. His latest initiative is the launch of Lion Songs Records, an independent label dedicated to uplifting overlooked, mostly acoustic music from the African universe. June 2021 sees the release of Boubacar “Badian” Diabate’s Mande Guitar, a showcase recording of finger-style Malian guitar.

He is the author of Lion Songs:Thomas Mapfumo and the Music That Made Zimbabwe, In Griot Time: An American Guitarist in Mali, Playing with Fire: Fear and Self-Censorship in Zimbabwean Music, and Guitar Atlas: Africa, and the co-author of AFROPOP! An Illustrated Guide to Contemporary African Music. 

Eyre is a contributor to National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and his writing has been published in Billboard, Guitar Player, Salon, the Boston Phoenix, College Music Journal, Option, The Beat, Folk Roots, Global Rhythm, and other publications. He also has a background in technology, and worked for 10 years as a software technical writer. He is also on the Advisory Committee of Musicians for Musicians.  

Topics discussed:

Banning's profound knowledge of African music, drawing upon his influences when composing and improvising, his experiences performing with African musicians like Thomas Mapfumo and others, how he was received by African musicians and audiences, the challenges in adapting to different styles, the essence of African music, Afropop Worldwide, the future of African music, Banning's travels to Zimbabwe and his report on music censorship by the Mugabe regime to the Danish human rights organization Freemuse, Lion Songs Records, the politics of the music business in Africa, China's involvement in African economy and its influence on the music business, Banning's involvement with MFM and how MFM could be a presence in the African music scene.

Music on this episode:

"Today is a New Day" by Voyagers

"Silanide" by The Super Rail Band 

"Shumba" by Thomas Mapfumo

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode is Neel Murgai. Neel is a sitarist, overtone singer, percussionist, composer, teacher, and Co-Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, a raga inspired musician's collective.  He is a graduate of Goddard College's MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program, and studied sitar with Pundit Ravindra Goswami in Banaras. Neel's music ranges from Indian classical to original compositions and contemporary cross-cultural collaborations. Neel has worked with a diverse array of artists and ensembles, including Adam Rudolph, Wyclef Jean, Cyndi Lauper, Karsh Kale, Samir Chatterjee, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Laraaji, Baba Israel, Andre DeShields, Raz Mesinai, Mission on Mars, Akim Funk Buddha, Loren Conners, Sameer Gupta, Marc Cary, Jay Gandhi, Arun Ramamurthy, Haunted House, and Cosmo Vinyl. He has performed at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Blue Note, at festivals around the U.S, and appeared on the David Letterman Show, and on a music video for Will Smith's Bel Aire. 

Topics discussed:

Neel's beginnings and interest in music and his beginnings with sitar and other musical pursuits, how the Brooklyn Raga Massive (BRM) began, his sources of inspiration, his experiences as co-Artistic Director for the BRM Orchestra and musicians' blending genres, performances with jazz and rock musicians, and musicians from all over the world, performances and recordings of Terry Riley's "In C." collaborations with Adam Rudolph and the Go Organic Orchestra, the BRM's strong online presence with performances and education during the pandemic, their promotion, PR, marketing, and funding strategies, and the friendship and alliance between the BRM and MFM.

Music on this episode:

"Bagheshri Unbound"  (live recorded improvisation by Neel Murgai using sitar, vocals and loops)

"For Elijah” (Brooklyn Raga Massive Orchestra)

“In D” (Brooklyn Raga Massive Orchestra)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Ariel Hyatt. Ariel is a digital marketer, writer, and teacher who assists independent musicians in career development. She is the author of Music Success in 9 Weeks (2009),Cyber PR For Musicians(2013), Crowdstart(2016), and other books. Hyatt worked at New York City's WNEW-FM, and the What Are Records? record label. She moved to Boulder CO, where she managed and handled publicity for the funk band, Lord of Word. She is also the founder and owner of the New York-based public relations firm Cyber PR. Her clients included the Toasters and George Clinton.

Topics discussed:

Ariel's beginnings and interest in music, how she began her career in public relations, what she looks for in a potential client, how she approaches the specific marketing and promotion needs of an artist, her 2014 Bold Talks talk titled "Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow; Or Will It?," her views about social media, Spotify, the recent Joe Rogan / Neil Young controversy, the future of social media with the rise of Web 3.0, and the importance of being just as creative in business as in music.

Music on this episode:

"Better" by Sandhya

“Sin Eater" by Annie Stokes

“Anchor Me” by Gleeson

The artists presented in this episode are clients of Ariel Hyatt / Cyber PR

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest today is Ken Butler.  Ken is a musician, experimental musical instrument builder, and visual artist. He builds hybrid musical instruments and other artworks that explore the interaction and transformation of common and uncommon objects, altered images, sounds and silence. His work combines live music, instrument design, performance art, theater, sculpture, and other forms of visual art. He is internationally recognized as an innovator of experimental musical instruments created from diverse materials including tools, sports equipment, and household objects. Butler has performed with John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, David Van Tieghem, Butch Morris, The Soldier String Quartet, Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio, The Tonight Show Band, and The Master Gnawa musicians of Morocco. He has been featured in exhibitions and performances worldwide including The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, The Prada Foundation in Venice, The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, New Music America, Mass MoCA, and The Kitchen, The Brooklyn Museum, Lincoln Center and The Metropolitan Museum in New York City as well as in Canada, South America, Thailand, and Japan. His works are represented in public and private collections in Portland, Seattle, Vail, Los Angeles, Toronto, Montreal, Washington, Paris, Tel Aviv, and New York City including the permanent collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. .

Topics discussed:

Ken's beginnings and interest in art and music, how he began building hybrid musical instruments from everyday objects, his sources of inspiration his experiences as a music educator, his experiences recording for Tzaddik Records, performing with John Zorn and the Gnawa Masters of Morocco, his experience as a guest on The Tonight Show, the Downtown Music Scene of the 80s and 90s, the future of experimental music, and his experience as a cancer survivor.

Music on this episode:

"Building a Desert Blizzards"

“Axioms”

“Par Twelve”

All music composed and performed by Ken Butler, from the album “Voices of Anxious Objects.”

Ken Butler's Hybrid Visions 

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Episode Summary:

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle offers a summary of our progress as a podcast and of MFM as a whole during the year 2021, and shares music from our guests. 

Episode Notes:

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle offers a summary of the work he, Adam Reifsteck, and Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi did on the podcast, our progress of the MFM Speaks Out podcast.

The guests mentioned, and/or whose music was included, include Chris Reza, Geraldine Anello, Anne Wichmann, Flaviyake (a.k.a. Duck the Bass), Roger Blanc, Royal Bayyan, Alina Bloomgarden, Jeffery Green, Michael Harrison, Axel Mueller, Sal Cataldi / Spaghetti Eastern, Peter Wetzler, Eleni Lomvardou, Christopher North, Richard Miller, Stephen Johnson, Banning Eyre, and Barry Heyman Esq.

The Music Is Essential webinar series, the MFM Hudson Valley Chapter, and the progress and accomplishments of MFM as a whole during the year 2021 were also discussed. 

Topics Discussed:

Adam Reifsteck's contributions to the podcast, Chris Reza's webinar and interview, Adam's interviews with Reza, Geraldine Anello, Anne Wichmann, Axel Mueller, Flaviyake (a.k.a. Duck the Bass), and Roger Blanc. Dawoud Kringle's interviews with Royal Bayyan, Alina Bloomgarden, Michael Harrison, Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi, "Dave," and Jeffrey Green. Some of the stats of the podcast were shared. Additionally, MFM's progress with its finances, membership drive, Music Is Essential webinar series, and a report on the MFM Hudson Valley Chapter. 

Music on this Episode:

"Why Have You Abandoned Me?" by Adam Reifsteck

"Intermission" by Chris Reza

"Wallflower" by Geraldine Anello

"My Death (is a Nice Guy) by Anne Wichmann aka She's Excited

"Mudflat Mood" by Axel Mueller

"You Found My G" by Flaviyake

"Mood Swing for Jazz Quartet" by Roger Blanc

"Corona Blues" by Royal Bayyan

"Hayy: Revealing the Tones" by Michael Harrison

"Rift Raft" by Jeffrey Green and Griffin Green

"Enough Is Enough" by SoSaLa feat. Dr. Cornel West

"Claude and Aaron" by Peter Wetzler

"Sawdust and Seagulls" by Sal Cataldi / Spaghetti Eastern

"Powah" by DJ Celt Islam feat. Dawoud

"I See That We Meet Again" by Dawoud

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the "MFM Speaks Out," Adam Reifsteck interviews Brooklyn-based producer and powerhouse performer Anne Wichman about immigrating to the United States from Germany and finding a home in the New York underground Indie Electronica music scene. Topics also discussed include the issue of gender inequality in the music industry and creating opportunities in spite of a global pandemic. 

Anne Wichmann is known for her edgy indie Electronic Pop project She’s Excited! With an appetite for intelligent and genre-bending music of icons like David Bowie and Björk as well as grooving Future Pop and Dark Electronica of artists like Billie Eilish and ODESZA, she listens to music defined by limitless imagination rather than genre. This bleeds into her versatile style of edgy and dark yet sparkling Electronic Pop that she merges with empowering and uplifting lyrics. She’s Excited! is a solo project, yet Anne collaborates with singers, musicians, producers and artists all over the globe.

Visit Anne at shes-excited.com.

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "My Death (Is a Nice Guy)" by She's Excited!

Middle track: "Manipulate” by She's Excited!

Ending track: "Add Clarity” by She's Excited!

Listen to three previous episodes featuring women in electronic music: 

Flaviyake | DeLaurentis | Jeannie Hopper

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest today is Jeffery Green. Jeffrey is a professional sales engineer, musician, composer, and theorist with Sweetwater, the world’s largest online musical instrument retailer, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He holds a Bachelor of Music & Music Engineering Technology from Ball State University, where he also won a Distinguished Music in 2012. He holds certifications from Avid/Digidesign, Apogee, Moog Pro, and is skilled with recording, synthesizers, software/DAWs, MIDI, and controllers. He is also a talented and experienced cellist, with experience performing on the electric cello at raves, classical recital halls, clubs and festivals.

Topics discussed:

Jeffrey's beginnings and interest in the cello, his background in electronic music and recording, his career in musical instrument retail with Sweetwater, Sweetwater’s founder Chuck Surack. his certifications from manufacturers such as Avid, Apogee, Moog, etc., the unique ideas behind Sweetwater's campus and their philanthropic efforts, Providence Equity's purchase of a majority share of Sweetwater stock, the historical changes and predictions for the future of musical instrument retail, Jeffery's most unusual experiences in this business, and the relationship between MFM and Sweetwater and possible collaborating to empower musicians. He also offered some information about possible Sweetwater discounts for MFM members. 

Music on this episode:

"Tangled" by Jeffrey Green and Steve Stoll, from the album Tangled,  for the ambient label Datebloem in 2009

"Rift Raft" by Jeffrey Green and Griffin Green, for the TV series of the same name

"Cello Improvisation" Live performance by Jeff Green

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Michael Harrison. Michael is a composer, pianist, vocalist, and music educator. His unique approach to piano includes the use of tunings and structures that extend the ancient concept of just intonation, and the incorporation of elements of Indian classical music. He studied piano from the age of 6, composition from the age of 17,and Indian raga from the age of 18. He attended Phillips Academy Andover, graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.M. in composition, where he later received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, then received his M.M. in composition at the Manhattan School of Music. After moving to New York City, he studied with La Monte Young through a Dia Art Foundation Apprenticeship-in-Residency, and also studied with master raga vocalist Pandit Pran Nath and Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan. He’s a former faculty member of the Rhode Island School of Design, Manhattan School of Music’s Contemporary Performance Program, and the Bang on a Can Summer Institute. He is music director at Arts Letters & Numbers (a non profit arts, education, and publishing organization), and the co-founder and president of the American Academy of Indian Classical Music.  In addition he was also a reputable music instrument retailer having been co-founder and partner of Faust Harrison Pianos and presently the co-founder and partner of Cantabile Harrison Pianos.

Topics discussed:

Michael’s beginnings as a musician and composer, his musical and spiritual inspirations, discussions about his compositions, his bridge building between Western and Indian classical music, his innovative use of tunings and temperaments, his innovative approach to the piano, his work as an educator and as a musical instrument retailer, and the business and economic realities of being a professional composer.

Music on this episode:

“Vision in the Desert”

“Mureed”

“Hayy: Revealing the Tones”

(All music written and performed by Michael Harrison)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews singer-songwriter, DJ, and producer Flaviyake (aka Duck The Bass) about the importance of combining multiple musical skills to achieve lasting success, immigrating to the United States, the issue of gender inequality in the music industry, and the biggest challenges musicians and DJs face in the current digital landscape. 

Flaviyake is a record label owner, Pop and EDM producer, songwriter, DJ and Grammy NEXT alumna  with releases on prominent dance music labels such as Acapulco Music, Blanco y Negro, United Music Hits and SoundEvolution. Originally from Moldova, she started her music career by studying the flute and piano at the Sergey Rachmaninov School of Music in Chișinău. After spending a few years working in the London music scene, she moved to Los Angeles where she currently writes and produces songs for various artists. Her song “Lonely Seal” became an anthem for a Californian Marine Mammal Rescue Center. 

Visit Flaviya at flaviyake.com.

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Jarcanda" by Duck The Bass

Middle track: "You Found My G” by Flaviyake

Ending track: "DJ, DJ” by Duck the Bass

Listen to two previous episodes featuring women in electronic music: DeLaurentis | Jeannie Hopper

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, our guest is Alina Bloomgarden. Alina was the original producer of Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC), the Lincoln Center Reel to Real series, and Director of Visitors Services for 23 years, where she received the Directors Emeriti Award for outstanding achievement. Proposing that jazz had a rightful place at America’s preeminent performing arts center, she invited Wynton Marsalis to participate as Artistic Advisor. She produced the first critically-acclaimed seasons of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Alina is also the founder and executive director of Music On the Inside (MOTI), an organization that works with professional musicians to bring the transformative power of music education and mentorship to people who are incarcerated, facing the challenges of re-entry or impacted by incarceration.

Topics discussed: How did the Jazz at Lincoln Center Project begin, Wynton Marsalis' involvement in JALC, the founding of Real to Reel, founding Music On The Inside and introducing it to the Department of Corrections, MFM member's involvement in MOTI, and the positive response inmates have to the music programs and performances MOTI brings to the prisons.

Visit Music on the Inside at musicontheinside.org.

Visit Jazz at Lincoln Center at jazz.org.

Visit Musicians for Musicians at musiciansformusicians.org

Music featured on this episode:

"Embraceable You" (written by George and Ira Gershwin, performed by Wynton Marsalis)

"On the Sunny Side of the Street" (written and performed by Louis Armstrong)

"Havana Blues" (performed by Arturo O'Farrill and the Chico O'Farrill AfroCuban Orchestra)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews German saxophonist and composer Axel Mueller about his work as a musician and activist which led to co-founding a new union in Germany called Pro Musik that supports freelance musicians. Topics discussed include the challenges gigging musicians face in Germany that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic and the importance of coming together as a community to enact social and political change that uplifts the livelihood of all professional musicians.

Saxophonist & multi-instrumentalist Axel Mueller enjoys a varied career as a composer, arranger, and sideman for top artists in Germany. A graduate of Mannheim University of Music, he started the brass band "Blassportgruppe" with 9 other wind colleagues and began touring Europe with the cabaret act "The Les Clöchards". In addition to touring, Axel plays in the horn section of the TV show "Sing mein Song" with the band "Grosch's Eleven," now in its 5th season, with artists such as Xavier Naidoo, Roger Cicero, Sarah Connor, Yvonne Catterfeld and Samy Deluxe & South African Sunset. Together with his brass colleagues Johannes Goltz (trombone) and Christoph Moschberger (trumpet), Axel has led the horn section for renowned artists such as Nena, Wolfgang Niedecken, and Mark Forster, which has resulted in 8 Gold and Platinum releases.

Visit Axel Mueller at axelmuellermusic.com

Visit Pro Musik at promusikverband.de 

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Mudflat Mood" by Axel Mueller featuring Chris Nemet (keyboards) and Hendrik Lensing (drums)

Middle track: "Toch Wood” composed and performed by Axel Mueller

Ending track: "Mr Rusher” by Axel Mueller featuring Chris Nemet (keyboards) and Hendrik Lensing (drums)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

This episode of MFM Speaks Out will be different from our usual format. Dawoud Kringle will be interviewing his guest; a professional musician and  recovering drug addict and alcoholic. Out of respect to our guest and the tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous and other substance abuse recovery programs, we are protecting our guest’s anonymity and referring to him as Dave. Our discussion will center around alcoholism, drug abuse, and substance abuse recovery among musicians.

Topics discussed: How did substance abuse and music enter Dave's life and how they intersected, the presence of drugs and alcohol, stigma of addiction among musicians, how it affected his life and career, the turning point where he decided he’d had enough, the difficulties of cleaning up and staying clean, and advice to musicians (and all others) who are suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.

Music featured on this episode:

"Cocaine Blues" (written by Porter Irving & Rev. Gary David [c. 1905], performed by Dave Van Ronk)

"Heroin" (written by Lou Reed, performed by The Velvet Underground)

"Master of Puppets" (written by James Hetfield, performed by Metallica)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews conductor and pianist Geraldine Anello about immigrating to the United States from France in her early 20s which ultimately led to a career as a Broadway musician. Topics discussed include how she created an online community and professional development resource called Theatre Music Directors, the issue of gender inequality on Broadway, and finding a new creative outlet as a writer and poet during the pandemic.

Geraldine Anello has conducted Kinky Boots and School of Rock on Broadway, The Fantasticks off-Broadway, and played in the orchestras of Broadway’s School of Rock, Bronx Tale, Aladdin, and On the Town. She has also worked on the Broadway productions SpongeBob the Musical, An American in Paris, On Your Feet, and Matilda. Anello served as music director of We Are the Tigers off-Broadway, and of Renascence for the Transport Group, Finian’s Rainbow at the Irish Repertory Theatre, and Children of Salt at the New York Musical Festival.

Visit Geraldine Anello at geraldineanello.com

Order Geraldine's new book of poetry on Amazon.

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Fragmented Fractals" by Adam Reifsteck featuring Geraldine Anello (piano) and Roberta Michel (flute)

Middle track: "Wallflower” from the musical We Are the Tigers by Preston Max Allen; Geraldine Anello, music director and pianist

Ending track: "Renascence” from the musical Renascence by Carmel Dean, Dick Scanlan. Edna St. Vincent Millay; Geraldine Anello, music director and pianist

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews  Royal Bayyan. Royal is a Musician, Songwriter, Producer, Music Supervisor, Personal Manager, Executive Brand Consultant. He played with and was a founding member of Kool & the Gang. He established several Production Companies such as Bayyan Internationale’, “The Forecast”, America’s Best Entertainment, Spook Productions Inc.& Urban Media Sound. He is the CEO of Raven Entertainment Group Distribution, partnered with Nile Rogers’ & Andy Uteroni, worked as a consultant for National R&B Music Society, Good Tree Media, Mos Def Mgmt, RUFF RYDERS Entertainment, and others. 

Royal, individually or collectively with his family, has discovered, managed, developed, or produced artists such as: Freddy Jackson, Gloria Gayner, Latoya Jackson, Ray, Goodman & Brown, The Main Ingredient, Mos-Def, Teddy Riley, Pink, The TUPAC Poetry Project, Color Me Badd, and many others. He was the New York Entertainment Coordinator at Harlem World Promotions, and the A&R Director of Black Music @ The Sound of New York Records with Gene Griffin. Between 1988 & 1989 Royal & Kool Bell sponsored and promoted the “Def Jam in the Motherland Tours” in Africa with  EPMD, Eric B and Rakim, and  LL Cool J. On top of that, he's an accomplished jazz guitarist, instrumentalist, and songwriter. 

The topics of the interview include Royal's beginnings as an early member of Kool and the Gang, the problems and pitfalls of the music business, the art of record production, Bringing live hip hop concerts to Africa, the evolution of music production, surviving in the music business, an alternative perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the music business, and the spiritual aspects of life as a professional musician and as a Muslim.

Visit Royal Bayyan at www.royalbayyan.com

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Love & Understanding" by Kool & the Gang

Middle track: "All I Wanna Do” by Royal Bayyan

Ending track: "Corona Blues” by Royal Bayyan

(All tracks composed by Royal Bayyan)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews composer, guitarist, and MFM Board member Roger Blanc. His concert music has been performed at major New York City venues and abroad. As an arranger, orchestrator, and music producer for media including the Tonight Show, Saturday Night Live, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Arsenio Hall, as well as 80 feature films such as Frida, The Untouchables, Wag The Dog, Flirting With Disaster, Fargo, and the Stepford Wives. Roger Blanc has also worked in the recording industry with many artists including Barbra Streisand, Yoko Ono, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Bette Midler, Luciano Pavarotti, among others. 

The topics discussed include insight into navigating today's music industry landscape, adapting and finding ways to work as a musician during the coronavirus pandemic, and the importance of music rights advocacy.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/rogerblanc

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Fashion One" co-written, produced, and arranged by Roger Blanc

Middle track: "Mood Swings for Jazz Quartet” by Roger Blanc

Ending track: "What a Night” featuring Terry Iten, produced by Roger Blanc

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (a.k.a. SoSaLa). Ladjevardi is a saxophonist, composer, improviser, producer, entrepreneur, activist, and the founder and president of Musicians For Musicians (MFM. He has lived in and performed in Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and the United States as well as releasing several independently produced albums. The topics discussed focused on MFM, the ideas and philosophies behind it, its founding and history, Ladjevardi’s music and how it interrelates to the message of MFM, and the future of MFM and its place in the music community.

Visit SoSaLa at https://sohrab.info/ and at musiciansformusicians.org

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Welcome Nu World" by SoSaLa, Hubl Greiner and Paul Amrod

Middle track: "Enough is Enough” by SoSaLa

Ending track: "Mystical Full Moon: Hymn for Ornette Coleman” by SoSaLa and Genetic Drugs

(All tracks released on Nu World Trashed).

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews multi-instrumentalist Chris Reza about his work in the Broadway music scene. His performance credits include Fun Home, Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. Book of Mormon, Matilda, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and many more. Reza is also composer, lyricist, and book writer for the musical Question 1 , a satirical musical dramedy about a closeted politician who becomes the center of Maine’s 2009 same-sex marriage debate.

While serving as vice-chair of the Broadway Theatre Committee, the liaison between the Broadway Musicians Community and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802, Reza founded the Electronic Music Committee in early 2018 and served as its Facilitator through late 2019. He oversaw the development and rollout of Broadway’s first-ever industry-wide assessment of electronic music practices, the creation of Local 802’s first-ever Guide to Electronic Music, and the establishment of recommendations to help modernize our union’s contractual electronic-music provisions. 

Topics discussed in this episode include Reza's approach to the music business, his insight into how musicians are coping during the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of becoming an activist, and his involvement with MFM.

Visit Chris Reza at chrisrezamusic.com.

The following music featured in this episode are:

Opening track: "Intermission Song" from the 2019 Off-Broadway Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop by Michael R. Jackson. Featuring Chris Reza on flute and tenor sax

Middle track: "Ring of Keys" from the 2015 Broadway musical Fun Home by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori. Featuring Chris Reza on clarinet and flute.

Ending track: "Come to the Fun Home" from Fun Home. Featuring Chris Reza on tenor sax and flute.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Oakland, California based guitarist Karl Evangelista is among the new wave of  21st century experimental / improvisational musicians. His work blends contemporary improvised music with popular song, 20th century composition, psychedelic rock, free jazz, and multicultural concepts. The topics discussed include his beginnings and inspiration as a professional improvisational / experimental musician, his work with Oliver Lake, Fred Frith, Eddie Gale, Trevor Watts, Hafiz Modizradeh, Muhal Richard Abrams, Roscoe Mitchell and many others, his involvement in music education (including lecturing at UC Berkeley and directed guitar ensembles at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts and San Francisco Waldorf High School, and as a licensed instructor in the Kinderguitar method), his prolific recording output, his GREX project with Rei Scampavia, his iconoclastic interpretation of John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, his approach to the music business, the production of four "Lockdown Festivals" during the coronavirus pandemic, music activism, and his involvement with MFM.

Visit Karl Evangelista at grexsounds.com

The following music featured in this episode are

Opening track: "Apura!" by Karl Evangelista w/Alexander Hawkins, Louis Moholo-Moholo, and Trevor Watts

Middle track: "The Other Mouses: by Grex

Ending track: "Acknowledgement: A Love Supreme" by Grex

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews an electronic musician and founder of sampling record label Illegal Art who goes by the alias Philo Farnsworth about the use of samples in recorded music. the label gained immediate notoriety from legal threats surrounding Deconstructing Beck, a compilation made exclusively from sampling Beck's music. While Philo believes that the use of samples of music copyrighted by other artists is an expression of artistic freedom that does not co-opt or compete with the original music, there is a crucial difference between bootlegging/piracy and in the creative transformation of existing culture into new and original works of collage. Nevertheless, this obviously creates a bit of a dilemma in that the copyright holders should be compensated for the use. The solution will require both legislative and technological mechanisms for copyright clearance so that musicians and sound artists can be unhindered in their pursuit of furthering the art form of sampling. Other topics discussed are the evolution of Philo's music through the use of modular synthesis and his latest collaboration with the improvisatory ensemble the Shoshin Trio.

Visit Illegal Art at http://illegalart.net

The following music featured in this episode are:

Opening track: "Once Again" by Girl Talk, from the album Night Ripper

Middle track: "Lesson 2 (James Brown Mix)" by Steinski, from the album What Does it All Mean (Disc One - Retrospective)

Ending track: "Part 1, In Gratitude" by Yea Big and Shoshin Trio, from the album The Shape of Emptiness Now

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Cecile DeLaurentis, commonly known as DeLaurentis. DeLaurentis is a French innovative electronic musician and producer. She studied music at the Perpignan Conservatory and at the University of Mirail in Jazz Musicology in Toulouse. Her work has been described as electro-cinematic music and stands out from most other electronic music artists as having an emotional and beautiful quality. She developed a unique style and technique for performance and voice manipulation with innovative use of Ableton software and hardware. The topics discussed included her early training and interest in electronic music, her upcoming album, UNICA, her approach songwriting and production, her use of Ableton Push as a MIDI controller, her approach to music video production, her personal theories on the relationship between organic and synthetic music, the inclusion of AI in the music creation process, her interpretations of the works of Satie, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns, her approach to the business side of music as a self-contained artist, the music scene in Paris and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the music scene in Paris and the rest of Europe, and her thoughts about the upsurge in music activism and musicians fighting for their rights.

Visit DeLaurentis at https://delaurentismusic.com/

The following music featured in this episode are:

Opening track: "Life" by DeLaurentis

Middle track: "Silent Home" by DeLaurentis

Ending track: "Ravel's Bolero" by DeLaurentis

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews William Deresiewicz, a leading critic of the arts and contemporary culture and New York Times bestselling author about his new book, The Death of the Artist: How Creators Are Struggling to Survive in the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech--specifically, what he learned from artists that are managing to make a living today in this digital era, how exploitation and instant gratification have changed our perceptions of art, and the importance of coming together as a community to stop the exploitation of musicians and creatives by Silicon Valley.

Visit William Deresiewicz at https://billderesiewicz.com

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Sal Cataldi. Sal is a guitarist, composer, improviser, producer, a contributor to nysmusic.com, MFM member, and founder of Cataldi Public Relations Inc," In this episode, Sal discusses his Spaghetti Eastern Music project, His recent release "One Act Sonix" with the Vapor Vespers project, his other music projects such as the Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom & Frank's museum, the nature of 21st century music performance, his experience as a music journalist with nysmusic.com, how he founded Cataldi Public Relations, the Hudson Valley Music scene and musician's community and how the recent COVID-19 pandemic affected it, and his involvement with MFM. 

Visit Sal Cataldi at https://spaghettieasternmusic.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsIe5alh1-nVPpDuQG-3TLA  

https://nysmusic.com/author/salcataldi/

The following music featured in this episode are:

Opening track: Maiesy Hot & Humid" by Vapor Vespers

Middle track: "Timbuktu" by Vapor Vespers"

Ending track: "Dream Within" by Spaghetti Eastern

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews trumpeter and producer Donald Malloy, aka Wave Magnetik. The topics discussed include how he infuses jazz with electronic dance music to reach new audiences, creative ways to monetize music online while live gigs have been canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of reclaiming respect for the livelihood of musicians.

The following music featured in this episode is from Virtual Vibes EP by Wave Magnetik:

Opening track: "Light on the Rescue" by Donald Malloy

Middle track: "Worthy" by Donald Malloy

Ending track: "Echoe" by Donald Malloy

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews LaRonda Davis, National President of the Black Rock Coalition (BRC), co-founder and CCO of Flaming Yoni Productions, and Group Creative Director of Publicis. The topics discussed include the history of the BRC, it's mission and accomplishments, their unique approach to music activism and their relationship with organizations such as MFM, AFM, Local 802, combating racism in the music industry, surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, and looking toward the future. 

Visit LaRonda Davis and the BRC at http://blackrockcoalition.org/

The following music featured in this episode are

Opening track: "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour

Middle track: "I Know Who I Am" by Nona Hendryx

Ending track: "Grandma Dynamite" by 24/7 Spyz

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews percussionist and composer Ed Hartman. The topics discussed include the evolution of Hartman's music career, the challenges musicians continue to face during the Coronavirus pandemic, and how to get started in the world of sync licensing as a lucrative income stream.

Ed's music has been heard on television (HBO, NBC, ABC, CBS, MTV, Discovery, Green, TLC, WE, Travel, Women, Animal Planet, MSNBC) and in feature films, shorts commercials, documentaries, and even a planetarium. Ed's score for "As the Earth Turns" (also co-producer), has helped the film get into over 100 festivals, over 100 awards and nominations, including 29 for best score. 

Visit Ed Hartman at https://edhartmanmusic.com/

Check out "As the Earth Turns" film at https://www.astheearthturns.com

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Ed Hartman

Opening track: "The Spring's in Your Step" by Ed Hartman.

Middle track: "Football Funk" by Ed Hartman

Ending track: "As the Earth Turns: Main Title, War, and News on the March"  by Ed Hartman

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Visit Arturo O'Farrill at http://www.arturoofarrill.com/

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Arturo OFarrill. All tracks are from his newest release "Four Questions"

Opening track: "Cacophonous," by Arturo O'Farrill and the Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Middle track: "Baby Jack'" (excerpt) by Arturo O'Farrill and the Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Ending track: "Amidst the Fire and the Whirlwind"  by Arturo O'Farrill and the Latin Jazz Orchestra

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

"The (my) rage turned into knowledge." - Keith Levenson

​The pandemic, however, has affected the livelihood of all professional musicians. Keith explains the challenges of going from mounting another tour with The Who early this year to fighting for unemployment assistance from the Department of Labor. This gave rise to his new venture Fustercluck Music Productions to produce parody music videos calling out the U.S. Government's lack of support for the freelancer workforce. 

Visit Keith at https://www.keithlevenson.net/
 

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Keith Levenson

"It Would Have Been Wonderful" from the Broadway Musical Annie Warbucks, featuring  Marguerite Macintyre. Arranged and conducted by Keith Levenson

"Gra Can Chrioch" and "After the Rain", from India, composed and produced by Keith Levinson

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Austin TX based guitarist, singer, songwriter, & producer Jackie Venson. Venson began as a classically trained pianist and student at the Berkeley School of Music. Eventually, she took up the guitar, and developed her approach to her multi-style music with blues as a foundation. In addition to several self-produced recordings and extensive experience touring and performing, Venson also has a prolific output of music videos. Her business model makes extensive use of internet based resources, and has taken an innovative way of surviving and prospering as a professional musician during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 

Visit Jackie at https://jackievenson.com/
 

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Jackie Venson. All tracks are from her newest release "Joy."

Opening track: "Joy," by Jackie Venson.

Middle track: "Rollin' and Tumblin'" by Jackie Venson.

Ending track: "Witchcraft" by Jackie Venson.

https://jackievenson.bandcamp.com/album/joy

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

A dual citizen of the US & Canada, now living in Kingston, NY, Wetzler’s resume is as impressive as it is varied. He studied at Yale, Princeton University, The Mozarteum, Conservatory in Salzburg, Brown University, UC Santa Cruz, and 20 years of classical/jazz piano study with Kirk Nurock and Robert Helps. He also held teaching appointments at Princeton, NYU, Connecticut College, Juilliard, the School for Visual Arts, and The Center for Creative Imaging. He also plays accordion and is a member of Stephen Johnson's Future350 Nu Bossa band, performing on their latest CD Songs for the Amygdala.

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Peter Wetzler.

Opening track: "Ambient Piano and Voice," by Peter Wetzler,  featuring Becca Armstrong.

Middle track: "Nice Little Piano Interlude," by Peter Wetzler.

Ending track: "Category D," by Peter Wetzler and the Repeatos.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

CD Review: Mark Deutsch (NY): Virtuoso Musician, Inventor, and Visionary

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Mark Deutsch.

Opening track: "The Offending Stone," by Mark Deutsch, from The Picasso Tunings.

Middle track: "Antique Slippers," by Mark Deutsch, from The Picasso Tunings.

Ending track: "Kundalini Rising," by Mark Deutsch, from The Fool.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Jeannie Hopper.

Opening track: Jeannie Hopper feat. Mohammed & Jay Rodriguez- Everything Is Music (Work in Progress)

Ending track: Louie Balo feat. Jeannie Hopper - Guiding Light

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

The following music featured in this episode is provided courtesy of Stephen Johnson.

Future 350 - Santa Lucia Of Lights 
Victorian Parents - Wasteland
Stephan Johnson w/ Noah Hoffeld - Women in Black / Movita Dance Company

CD Review: Future350 Nu Bossa…Nu Bossa Nova from Kingston (NY)

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Hilaire is not just a talented drummer but also a social political active musician. He cares for his peers and his community. He's the co-founder of the musicians collective Sound Mind Collective and a member of the Music Workers Alliance.

"The musicians have just as much as responsibility as everyone. I would argue they have more, because of the power of music..."- C. St. Hilaire 

The three songs featured Strangers at Home, Up All Night, and Unify are provided courtesy of Chris St. Hilaire.

All three are off his debut EP Knowledge of Self (2019).

1 - Strangers At Home

Recorded, mixed, and performed by Chris St. Hilaire in Long Island City. The lyrics speak for themselves, but the song is about being treated like a stranger in the USA and being locked up for being "other". Seeing how people were treated at the US-Mexico border sparked it, but really it applies to people all over the country and the world.

2 - Up All Night

Recorded in Nashville, produced by Dan Auerbach, mixed and performed by Chris St. Hilaire. Tribute to George Harrison / Traveling Wilburys.

3 - Unify

Recorded, mixed, and performed by Chris St. Hilaire in Long Island City. Commentary on racial division, and a call to action to unite against those who would benefit from keeping people divided along racial lines. The speech clips are Fred Hampton (Black Panther) and holocaust survivor Rabbi Joaqim Prinze who spoke right before MLK at the March on Washington.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

The three songs featured are:

 Kyle Gann - Faith

Jollee Wallach - Making Love to the Milkman

Parathen Viols - Fantasia di sei Bassiby Alphonso Ferrabosco 

All songs are provided courtesy of Jeffery James.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

During the interview Mario repeatedly expressed that now is the time for professional musicians to organize in order to tackle musicians rights issues.

The two songs featured  Bye Bye Blackbird and Over Greenland are provided courtesy of Mario Guarneri.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

The two songs featured  Etude No. 5 in E-Major and Variation No. 12 are provided courtesy of Ken Hatfield.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org

The two songs are courtesy of David Liebman Journey Around the Truth with Andy Emler, and Round Midnight with Richard Beirach.

Liebman is a member of MFM's advisory committee.

Credits
Producer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)

https://musiciansformusicians.org