ABOUT THE EVENTMusicians 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 SoSaLaMusicians 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. CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
In this episode of MFMSpeaks Out, Dawoud Kringle and Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi discuss the birth, history, mission, and future of Musicians For Musicians. Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi's inspiration for founding MFM, the problems in putting the organization together, including how to define its objectives and methods, MFM's relationship with other musician organizations (such as the Musicians Union), how to attract and grow our membership, the economics of the music business and the importance of musicians getting paid fairly for their work, the state of mind many musicians are in where they do not understand how to turn their music into a profession, Sohrab's experience with Justice for Jazz Artists, MFM's accomplishments, MFM's services and value to our members, MFM's activism, the need for organization between musicians, the DYI method and operating as an independent musician, the future of the music business, the empowerment of musicians, and the future of MFM. CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle comes out of retirement to present a 2023 retrospective. We will share some of the content we brought to you in 2023, and enjoy a few other surprises as well. 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 RougeAdam Reifsteck / Sonic Fear - AuroraKeyna Wilkins - Floating in SpaceSylvain Leroux - In Walked BudLive Skull - Party ZeroSpaghetti Eastern - Jungle BlueArturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra - Amidst the Fire and WhirlwindDave Liebman - Journey Around Truth SoSaLa - Dadada Dadada DaaDawoud Kringle - Keep Trying CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"We Had Changes We'd Never Thought of That Created Surprise and a Chaotic Feel."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 Kingship2) Hit So Hard3) Party Zero(From the album "Party Zero by Live Skull. Used with permission) CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"I Didn't Look For The Fula Flute; It Came And Got me!"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) Zoe2) Mane Gauche3) 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/ CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"I think Live Music Will Always be Very Exciting and There Will Always Be a Market For It."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 Space2) Bach Reflections 2, Little Prelude in D Minor3) 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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Adam Reifsteck. 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 (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 Schrock2) No Way Out (from Excursions for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano) featuring Michael Tolbert, Nelly Smukler, and JP Calitz3) Aurora by Sonic Fear (All music by Adam Reifsteck. Used with permission) CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"When I Started to Consciously Put it all Together, I was Forging My Own Path and Creating My Own Way of Putting These Elements Together."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) CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"You inspire us to work hard to improve the service we do for the music community." 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) CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"Our bedrock is education. We’re always intent upon creating beautiful alliances."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.comInstagram: @aprilcentroneNY 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/ CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"You have to take yourself seriously and find your own voice."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. 7Harmonic Fantasy No. 5(All compositions by Hubert Howe. Used with permission) CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"I Like the Power of the Simple Expression of a Musical Idea."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. CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"I find Joy in Discovery All the Time!"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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"Music is Defined as Anything that is Beautiful, and What Makes Something Beautiful is Music"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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"You Gotta Make Them Say 'Wow!'"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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"Recognizing yourself in (this music) or finding a mysterious familiarity is something completely unexplainable."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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"We're Creating New Musical Art Forms Indigenous to Brooklyn."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) CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"The Old Ways of Music Monetization are Gone, and We Have to Think of Other Ways of Monetization"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 GleesonThe artists presented in this episode are clients of Ariel Hyatt / Cyber PR CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
"I've Always Been Interested in Finding Connections Between Art and Music" - Ken ButlerOur 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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org
" You inspire us to work hard to improve the service we do for the music community." 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 CreditsProducer and host: Dawoud KringlePublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat LadjevardiTechnical support: Adam Reifsteckhttps://musiciansformusicians.org