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. ------------------ Today we're putting The Tonearm's needle on guitarist and composer Sam Wenc. Went is a Philadelphia-based artist who has…
In this excerpt from The Tonearm Podcast, harpist and composer Zeena Parkins recalls first encountering a harp with no preconceived ideas, surprised by the pedals and complex coordination that appealed to her as a trained dancer. Don't miss more of the conversation on our latest episode: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/zeena-parkins-invention-loss-and-the-living-harp-mills-college/ #Shorts #ZeenaParkins #ExperimentalMusic…
In this clip from The Tonearm Podcast, harpist and composer Zeena Parkins describes turning down a full-time teaching position, a choice quickly validated when an email from Björk led to three or four years of recording and touring. Don't miss the full conversation on the latest episode of our podcast:…
In this excerpt from the new episode of The Tonearm Podcast, harpist and composer Zeena Parkins recalls her first solo electric harp concert in San Francisco, where someone in the packed crowd offered to release her debut record on his new label, Table of the Elements. Tune in to the…
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. ------------------ Today we're putting The Tonearm's needle on Zeena Parkins, composer, improviser, and one of…
In this excerpt from our podcast, Grammy-winning mastering engineer Michael Graves describes repairing what sounded like a tape crinkle on Chris Bell's "I Am the Cosmos," only to learn it was a splice made by Beatles producer Geoff Emerick. Don't miss the full conversation on the latest episode of The…
In this clip from The Tonearm Podcast, Grammy-winning mastering engineer Michael Graves explains how restoration starts before digital tools touch the material, describing Stax Records tapes with tire marks, plaster, and mold that required cleaning and careful repair. Don't miss the full conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/michael-graves-the-patient-philosophy-of-audio-restoration-osiris-studio/ #Shorts #AudioRestoration #MichaelGraves #OsirisStudio #MasteringEngineer #StaxRecords…
In this excerpt from the new episode of The Tonearm Podcast, Grammy-winning mastering engineer Michael Graves describes how his career began accidentally in 1998 with a $400 CD recorder, and how he learned early on that restoration can easily go too far. Don't miss the fascinating conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/michael-graves-the-patient-philosophy-of-audio-restoration-osiris-studio/ #Shorts #AudioRestoration…
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. ------------------ Today, we're putting The Tonearm's needle on Michael Graves, a five-time Grammy-winning mastering engineer and the…
In this excerpt from The Tonearm Podcast, musician Erik Hall recalls receiving an unexpected congratulatory email from Steve Reich after releasing his first album, 'Music for 18 Musicians.' Don't miss the full conversation on the latest episode of our podcast: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/erik-hall-multitracking-the-minimalist-aesthetic/ #Shorts #ErikHall #SoloThree #SteveReich #MinimalistMusic #ContemporaryClassical #MusicFor18Musicians #CantoOstinato #GlennBranca…
In this clip from The Tonearm Podcast, musician Erik Hall explains his approach on 'Solo Three,' describing how he reassigned Steve Reich's ensemble parts to instruments he could play in his studio for a faithful, note-for-note performance. Don't miss the full conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/erik-hall-multitracking-the-minimalist-aesthetic/ #Shorts #ErikHall #SoloThree #SteveReich #MinimalistMusic #ContemporaryClassical #MusicFor18Musicians…
In this excerpt from the new episode of The Tonearm Podcast, musician Erik Hall describes discovering Steve Reich's 'Music for 18 Musicians' in college, calling the experience "like an awakening" that opened his ears to American minimalist contemporary music. Tune in to the full conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/erik-hall-multitracking-the-minimalist-aesthetic/ #Shorts #ErikHall #SoloThree #SteveReich…
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. ------------------ Today we’re putting The Tonearm's needle on musician and composer Erik Hall. Based in Michigan, Erik Hall has spent the last five years…
In this excerpt from The Tonearm Podcast, saxophonist Patrick Smith shares advice attributed to Sonny Rollins: that continuing to create is an act of rebellion against forces that try to squash creativity. Don't miss our latest episode for the full conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/patrick-smith-toronto-saxophone-bebop-brass-bands-and-a-bookstore/ #Shorts #PatrickSmith #WordsUnderlined #LitSocRecords #TorontoJazz #FreeJazz #SellersAndNewell #JazzSaxophone…
In this clip from our latest podcast episode, saxophonist Patrick Smith discusses his trio album 'Words Underlined,' describing the group as "technicians of tone" rather than players focused on chops. Don't miss the full conversation on The Tonearm Podcast: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/patrick-smith-toronto-saxophone-bebop-brass-bands-and-a-bookstore/ #Shorts #PatrickSmith #WordsUnderlined #LitSocRecords #TorontoJazz #FreeJazz #SellersAndNewell #JazzSaxophone #ImprovMusic #DanPitt…
In this excerpt from the new episode of The Tonearm Podcast, saxophonist Patrick Smith explains why guitarist Dan Pitt is central to his album 'Words Underlined,' describing how recording the guitar in stereo with a chorus effect dramatically expanded the sound. Don't miss the full conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/patrick-smith-toronto-saxophone-bebop-brass-bands-and-a-bookstore/ #Shorts #PatrickSmith #WordsUnderlined…
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. ------------------ Today, we're putting The Tonearm's needle on Toronto saxophonist Patrick Smith. Patrick has become…
In this excerpt from our podcast, Stephen Vitiello explains his interest in how sound changes as it travels, describing his World Trade Center residency where he heard the building as an active presence filtering planes, boats, and church bells into a single experience. Don't miss the full conversation on the…
In this clip from the latest episode of The Tonearm Podcast, Stephen Vitiello reflects on feeling "not worthy" while playing with Fugazi's Brendan Canty and traces how punk's DIY ethos shaped his path from early-eighties bands into sound and visual art. Don't miss the conversation: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/stephen-vitiello-the-punk-attitude-of-collaborative-sound-art/ #Shorts #StephenVitiello #SoundArt #ExperimentalMusic…
In this excerpt from The Tonearm Podcast, Stephen Vitiello describes the ethical care involved in using late collaborator Steve Roden's material on his album 'Trinity,' explaining how he worked closely with Roden's widow and approached the track as he would have in person. Listen to the full conversation on the…
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. ------------------ Today, we’re putting The Tonearm's needle on Stephen Vitiello. Stephen is an electronic musician…
In this excerpt from The Tonearm Podcast, Lawrence English discusses his eight-year hiatus from live performance and how stepping away helped him reconsider his relationship with the stage and audience. Don't miss the full conversation on the latest episode of our podcast: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/lawrence-english-room40-trinity-capturing-the-impossible-trio/ #Shorts #LawrenceEnglish #Room40 #AmbientMusic #FieldRecording #SoundArt #ExperimentalMusic…
In this clip from The Tonearm Podcast, Room40's Lawrence English discusses his collaborative project 'Trinity' with Stephen Vitiello, reflecting on how their 20-year partnership shapes the creative boundaries they explore together. Don't miss the full conversation on The Tonearm Podcast: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/lawrence-english-room40-trinity-capturing-the-impossible-trio/ #Shorts #LawrenceEnglish #Room40 #AmbientMusic #FieldRecording #SoundArt #ExperimentalMusic #RelationalListening #Trinity…
In this clip from the new episode of The Tonearm Podcast, Room40's Lawrence English explores the Japanese word 'natsukashii' and the concept of 'acid nostalgia,' explaining how AI transforms memories and strips them of their original detail. Don't miss the full conversation on The Tonearm Podcast: https://podcast.thetonearm.com/lawrence-english-room40-trinity-capturing-the-impossible-trio/ #Shorts #LawrenceEnglish #Room40…