Music Artists Episodes

Composer, bandleader, birder, and unapologetic alarm-sounder, Maria Schneider brings 'American Crow' to The Tonearm for a conversation about listening as both artistic practice and civic obligation.

Armed with a saxophone, an Organelle, and an aluminum can, Caroline Davis spent a month in Wyoming making her debut solo record—and thinking about freedom in all its forms.

The Grammy-nominated composer and chief conductor of the Danish Radio Big Band discusses her new album Frames, the death of her mentor Jim McNeely, and why love is the only honest reason to make music.

Cellist and composer Tomeka Reid joins the podcast to discuss dance! skip! hop!, the fourth Tomeka Reid Quartet album, and why photographs of her grandmother's Wyoming life keep finding their way onto her record covers.

The Grammy-nominated saxophonist and Kneebody co-founder joins us for episode 300 to discuss his new album BaRcoDe, a project built around four of the most inventive mallet players working today.

Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore join The Tonearm to discuss 'Tragic Magic,' their debut collaboration recorded in nine days at the Philharmonie de Paris using instruments pulled directly from the museum's historic collection.

Claire Devlin and Eli Davidovici of Bellbird talk about the bird whose recorded cry became the foundation of 'The Call', the chordless sound that defines the quartet, and the political commitments embedded in the music.

The Philadelphia-based pedal steel player discusses ‘Language at an Angle’, his debut under his own name, and what Susan Alcorn taught him about tradition, freedom, and the instrument she loved.

From a Detroit high school full of concert grand harps to the experimental clubs of the East Village, Parkins traces the unlikely path that made her one of the most restless instrumentalists in contemporary music.

Five Grammys and a working museum of tape machines later, Osiris Studio's Michael Graves reflects on the ethics of restoration, the problem of artist intent, and why the work never stops surprising him.

The Michigan-based composer and multi-instrumentalist discusses Solo Three, his trilogy-closing collection of solo reinterpretations of works by Steve Reich, Glenn Branca, Charlemagne Palestine, and Laurie Spiegel.

With ‘Words Underlined’ out now on Lit Soc Records, saxophonist Patrick Smith talks about the trio format's peculiar difficulty, what he learned from Mark Shim in New York, and why Toronto lets him play everything.

From teenage punk guitarist to internationally exhibited sound artist, Vitiello reflects on his World Trade Center residency, the influence of Nam June Paik and Fred Frith, and treating every element—from architecture to collaborators—with equal respect.

The Australian composer and Room40 founder discusses his new collaborative album 'Trinity' with Stephen Vitiello, his theory of relational listening, and why he spent eight years interrogating the meaning of live performance before returning to the stage.

The JUNO-nominated Vancouver pianist and composer discusses his new trio album Rose-Anna, a record rooted in family, grief, and the quiet power of music passed down through generations.

From Mexican marimba traditions to astronomy-guided composition, the vibraphonist explains how her album 'Of The Near And Far' maps constellations onto the circle of fifths to generate raw material for genre-defying new work.

The drummer and composer discusses how Liberty Now!. Free Country's first album in a decade, transformed from celebration into unintentional protest, shaped by Herb Robertson's death and a fracturing democracy.

Bryan Senti explores the tension between classical's elite associations and his Hispanic upbringing, finding resolution by channeling his family's migration experiences into 'La Marea,' a work that bridges Latin minimalism and experimental composition.

Our recent episode featuring Wilco and creative music guitarist Nels Cline has proven to be a listener-favorite. This holiday season, we thought it might be fun to give you even more of what we know you love. So … we are exci...

Fresh from sessions for Trio of Bloom, the Wilco guitarist reflects on working with Craig Taborn and Marcus Gilmore for the first time, reconciling insecurity with ambition, and why comfort might be creativity's biggest enemy.

The acclaimed blind pianist who honed his craft playing with Wynton Marsalis and Seiji Ozawa now pioneers accessible music technology while leading The Modern Jazz Generation into uncharted creative territory.

The veteran woodwind master joins the podcast to discuss 'Looms & Legends,' his approach to making "ugly and out of tune" multiphonics musically useful, and why curiosity remains essential to both artistic practice and human empathy.

The alto saxophonist and MacArthur Fellow reflects on his quartet's first live recording, captured at New York's Village Vanguard after two decades of collaboration and hundreds of performances worldwide.

The bassist behind the chordless trio album ‘Strange ‘Heavens reflects on studying Dave Holland's transcriptions, competing as a Thelonious Monk semifinalist, and learning to be comfortable with her own sound rather than imitating her heroes.