Jeff Goldblum Gets Jazzy

As if having one of the most beautiful and distinctive voices of all time weren’t enough, Smokey Robinson is also one of the greatest songwriters ever, a top-notch producer, engaging performer, and an indispensable part of Motown's legacy. In other words: he’s an institution of American music unto himself. On February 19th, Smokey turns 85, and as he prepares to head out for another run on the road including a three night engagement at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Smokey sat down with Justin Richmond for a conversation about his incredible life and legacy. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Smokey Robinson songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Feb 1h 2min

Indie rock band Nada Surf first hit big on college radio in 1996 with their driving, guitar forward song, “Popular.” The band started playing together four years earlier while attending college in Vermont. But they’re perhaps best known as a New York City band, where their lead singer and primary songwriter, Matthew Caws came of age. Caws is known as a vulnerable, and often reflective songwriter who tackles everything from social anxiety to politics in his work. Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mirror, is the band’s tenth studio album. It's both introspective and at times, and hard hitting. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Matthew Caws about growing up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in a house filled with baroque music, and how he thinks some of the classical instrumentation may have influenced his own writing. Mathew also recalls the time Nada Surf backed up Joey Ramone and played a full Ramones set at Coney Island High. And he performs two songs from Nada Surf’s latest album, Moon Mirror, for us live. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Nada Surf songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Feb 53min

Jerry Cantrell has been the lead guitarist and songwriter for Alice in Chains since the band formed in 1987. By the mid ‘90s after a run of multi-platinum albums, Alice secured their spot as one of Seattle’s “big four” grunge bands along with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana. Legend has it that Alice In Chains’ early whirlwind of commercial success wreaked havoc on the personal and professional lives of the band. In 2002, lead singer Layne Staley overdosed and died after more than a decade of battling drug addiction. Amidst the turmoil, Jerry Cantrell found solace in continuing to write and release music both as a solo artist and as a member of Alice In Chains. And he’s never stopped playing. In 2021, he released his critically acclaimed solo album, Brighten, followed by last year's hard rock opus, I Want Blood. On today’s episode Leah Rose talks to Jerry Cantrell about how he's drawn to art that exists in the shadows. He also talks about how getting sober over 20 years ago has influenced his songwriting, and he remembers the time he tried to pass a demo tape to Axl Rose, only to see his security guard toss it in the trash. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Jerry Cantrell HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Jan 49min

Today Justin Richmond has a quick chat with Laura Segura, the Executive Director of MusiCares—a Recording Academy non-profit that's currently offering support to musicians and music professionals affected by the ongoing fires in L.A. MusiCares can provide assistance with costs related to evacuation, relocation, instrument replacement, home damage, medical care, mental health services, and other essential living expenses. For more information or to apply for support, contact MusiCares at MusiCaresRelief@musicares.org or call 1-800-687-4227. To donate, please visit musicares.org/firerelief. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Jan 9min

Coming off the loss of Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Roy Haynes and Lou Donaldson at the end of 2024, it’s truly a treat to bring you a fresh interview with one of the last musicians of the Bebop era, the saxophone colossus himself, Sonny Rollins. Since we last spoke, a couple interesting artifacts from Rollins life have surfaced: "The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins" and "Rollins in Holland." We discuss those releases, his spirituality and the loss of some of his comrades in 2024. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Sonny Rollins songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Jan 57min

Alejandro Escovedo is a Texas-born singer/songwriter who comes from a rich family of musicians including his niece, Sheila E. Alejandro started out in the pioneering San Francisco punk band the Nuns in 1975. From there he moved to New York, and then eventually settled in Austin where he started playing rootsy rock with bands like Rank and File, as well as The True Believers. In March, Alejandro Escovedo released his latest album, Echo Dancing, a retrospective of his career that spans five decades. Inspired by artists like Brian Eno and Suicide, Alejandro Escovedo both re-imagines and re-records his previous work on the new album. On today’s episode Bruce Headlam talks to Alejandro Escovedo about his upbringing in San Antonio and Huntington Beach, where he’d sometimes pretend to be Hawaiian to avoid getting beat up. He also tells some great stories about his swings through Austin and San Francisco—like being on the bill for the Sex Pistol’s final show. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Alejandro Escovedo songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 Dec 20241h 6min

2024 has been a career-defining year for St. Vincent. In April she released her self-produced seventh album, All Born Screaming. Then in November she released the Spanish language version of the same album, called Todos Nacen Gritando, as a tribute to fans she met in Spain and Latin America. The album doesn’t serve to replace the English language version, but instead supplements it brilliantly and provides a renewed listening experience. Of all the St. Vincent projects dating back to her debut album in 2007, this is the one that feels the most steeped in a singular vision On today's episode St. Vincent talks to Justin Richmond at Amazon Music’s Studio 126 about the difficult production process behind her latest release. She also sheds light on her experience touring the album, which continues well into the new year with some dates featuring Olivia Rodrigo and Nick Cave. And she talks about how she developed what she describes as her high-level taste despite growing up in the middle of the country pre-internet. Check out the full video version of this episode HERE. You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite St. Vincent songs HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Dec 202452min

This week we're sharing an episode from one of Slate's podcasts called Hit Parade. A decade ago, Rolling Stone magazine called 1984 “Pop’s Greatest Year.” A bold statement…but a lot of critics agree. A confluence of factors—the comeback of dance music, the peak of MTV, the Second British Invasion and the emergence of metal and hip-hop—made the radio a great place to be. Join Chris Molanphy in this episode of Slate's Hit Parade as he dissects eight reasons why 1984 was awesome for pop fans and walks through all 20 of the year’s No. 1 hits: from “Jump” to “Hello,” “Karma Chameleon” to “Caribbean Queen,” “Let’s Go Crazy” to “Like a Virgin.” You can listen and subscribe to the Hit Parade podcast on your favorite podcast player. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Dec 20241h 3min