Phillip Golub is a Brooklyn-based pianist, improviser, and composer. We talk on Phillip’s career and his work in transcribing Wayne Shorter’s work, as well as some thoughts on the increasing challenges musicians face industrially. All in all a fascinating chat!

To listen / watch:



* Audio-only: click on the play button in the audio player above, or:

* Video: watch the embedded video below or check it and previous episodes out on our YouTube Channel





Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Phillip’s musical upbringing

Establishing a career in music

Phillip playing with Layale Chaker and the Sarafand Ensemble

Tropos – Fronk

Breaking down the binary of composition and improvisation

Approaching transcription and realising the work of others

Steinberg Dorico

Why Phillip prefers Dorico over Sibelius

How Phillip came to be the transcriber of Wayne Shorter’s works

Esperanza Spalding

Attempting to assess Wayne Shorter’s impact on music

Phillip Golub – It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Phillip’s approach to creating music the past decade

The importance of working with other people and sustained collaboration

Phillip’s work with the Music Worker’s Alliance and the industrial challenges musicians face

Session pay versus recording for ‘pizza and beer’

Artificial intelligence and keeping music human

Phillip’s favourite non-piano keyboards

Phillip’s Pianoteq inspired instrument, the Flexichord

How lower quality key beds can be a creative opportunity

Tag a Keyboard Player: Dana Saul

Desert Island Discs: Junk Magic – Craig Taborn, Silent Tongues – Cecil Taylor, Autotrophs – Cory Smythe, Dusk – Andrew Hill, Open, To Love – Paul Bley, Largo – Brad Mehldau

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