Spotlight On is now . . . The Tonearm!

Videos

Jan. 20, 2025

Uncovering Coltrane and Dolphy: A Talk with Jonathan Grasse

Uncovering Coltrane and Dolphy: A Talk with Jonathan Grasse

In this excerpt from the latest episode of Spotlight On, author Jonathon Grasse discusses the deep friendship and musical collaborations between John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy, particularly highlighting their performances and European tour in 1961, as well as their personal history starting in 1954. Tune in to the full conversation…

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Jan. 19, 2025

Author and religious studies scholar Diana Pasulka on the perils for academics in studying UFOs

Author and religious studies scholar Diana Pasulka on the perils for academics in studying UFOs

Author and religious studies scholar Diana Pasulka discusses the similarities to reports of arial phenomena from religious traditions and modern UFO sightings. Listen to the full conversation from the Spotlight On podcast right here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Fb-2jZNnk&t=22s #Shorts #short #UFOs

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Jan. 18, 2025

Diana Pasulka on UFOs and religious belief

Diana Pasulka on UFOs and religious belief

Author and religious studies scholar Diana Pasulka discusses how media influences human belief, from her first-hand experience with Hollywood filmmaking. Listen to the full conversation from the Spotlight On podcast right here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Fb-2jZNnk&t=22s #Shorts #short #UFOs

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Jan. 18, 2025

Discovering Eric Dolphy with author Jonathon Grasse

Discovering Eric Dolphy with author Jonathon Grasse

In this clip from the new episode of Spotlight On, author Jonathon Grasse discusses the enlightening process of writing Eric Dolphy's biography, revealing lesser-known details and clarifying myths about Dolphy's career and collaborations. Be sure to listen to the full conversation on the Spotlight On podcast: https://www.spotlightonpodcast.com/jonathon-grasse-the-life-music-of-eric-dolphy-biography/ #Shorts #short

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Jan. 16, 2025

Scotty Stoughton

Scotty Stoughton

At the heart of all his endeavors, Bonfire Entertainment Founder Scotty Stoughton is a connector. He lives and breathes music and the world that holds its sound waves. Onstage as frontman with Bonfire Dub or behind the scenes producing his many festivals and events, including WinterWonderGrass and Campout for the…

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Jan. 16, 2025

Jonathon Grasse: the life & music of Eric Dolphy (Spotlight On : 236)

Jonathon Grasse: the life & music of Eric Dolphy (Spotlight On : 236)

The music scholar and author discusses Jazz Revolutionary, his groundbreaking biography of Eric Dolphy, and how the revolutionary multi-instrumentalist navigated artistic boundaries from 1940s Los Angeles to the avant-garde jazz scene of the early 1960s. ------------------ Today, the Spotlight shines On author Jonathon Grasse. His new book, Jazz Revolutionary, traces…

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Jan. 15, 2025

Percussionist Lisa Pegher on AI's Role in Music

Percussionist Lisa Pegher on AI's Role in Music

In this clip from the Spotlight On podcast, percussionist Lisa Pegher discusses how working on the A.I.RE project has influenced her perspective on AI and technology in music, highlighting collaboration, improvisation, and the evolving nature of tech-infused art. Don't miss the rest of this conversation on the latest episode of…

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Jan. 13, 2025

Lisa Pegher: A Percussionist's Exploration of Sound

Lisa Pegher: A Percussionist's Exploration of Sound

In this excerpt from the latest episode of Spotlight On, percussionist Lisa Pegher discusses her shift from classical music to improvisation, integrating electronics, and programming to create unique soundscapes that blend analog and digital elements. Listen to the entire conversation on the Spotlight On podcast: https://www.spotlightonpodcast.com/lisa-pegher-rhythms-circuits-artificial-intelligence/ #Shorts #DrummerQuotes #MusicianStory #PercussionLife…

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Jan. 10, 2025

Lisa Pegher on Crafting Melody in Drumming

Lisa Pegher on Crafting Melody in Drumming

In this clip from the new episode of Spotlight On, innovative drummer Lisa Pegher discusses her pioneering concept of bringing percussion to the front of the stage, highlighting her preference for melodic play and the challenges of repertoire and audience acceptance. Listen to the full conversation on the Spotlight On…

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Jan. 9, 2025

Lisa Pegher: Rhythms, Circuits, & Artificial Intelligence (Spotlight On : 235)

Lisa Pegher: Rhythms, Circuits, & Artificial Intelligence (Spotlight On : 235)

Percussionist and digital innovator Lisa Pegher discusses her mission to modernize classical music through AI technology while preserving the deep emotional core of human artistic expression. ------------------ Today, the Spotlight shines On innovative percussionist and drummer Lisa Pegher. Lisa turns percussion into something you’ve never heard before. A pioneering artist…

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Jan. 8, 2025

Exploring Marian McPartland's Impact with Paul de Barros

Exploring Marian McPartland's Impact with Paul de Barros

In this clip from the Spotlight On podcast, author Paul de Barros discusses Marian McPartland's remarkable life, her connections to jazz legends, and her extensive impact through Piano Jazz, her NPR show, highlighting her unmatched legacy in jazz. Don't miss the full conversation on the latest episode of Spotlight On:…

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Jan. 7, 2025

Dan Mackta — from punk rock to hi-res audio

Dan Mackta — from punk rock to hi-res audio

Today, the Spotlight shines On Dan Mackta, Managing Director of North America and Northern Europe for the high-resolution music service, Qobuz. We get pitched constantly by publicists to have their music business clients on as guests. Long-time listeners have noticed that we host fewer of those types of discussion than…

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Jan. 7, 2025

Jonathan Shank of Terrapin Station Ent.: from Mickey Hart to Peppa Pig

Jonathan Shank of Terrapin Station Ent.: from Mickey Hart to Peppa Pig

Today, the Spotlight shines On music impresario Jonathan Shank, the CEO and Founder of Terrapin Station Entertainment. Jonathan is known for his instincts and successes in sniffing out unique opportunities in under-served spaces in the live entertainment industry, creating business successes in categories and markets often overlooked by the large…

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Jan. 7, 2025

Paul Stache: The Art of Running Smoke Jazz Club in NYC

Paul Stache: The Art of Running Smoke Jazz Club in NYC

Today, the Spotlight shines On Paul Stache, co-owner (with his wife and partner Molly Sparrow Johnson) of Smoke Jazz Club, one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Smoke is celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2024 and Paul joined us to talk about the storied venue’s past, present, and…

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Jan. 6, 2025

Paul de Barros on Mastering Interviews With Musicians

Paul de Barros on Mastering Interviews With Musicians

In this excerpt from Spotlight On, jazz critic Paul de Barros (author of Shall We Play That One Together? The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland) shares his strategies for conducting insightful interviews, emphasizing preparation and thoughtful questions. He recounts a difficult interview with Ray Charles and…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Spotlight On Dominic Miller

Spotlight On Dominic Miller

Today, the Spotlight shines On guitarist Dominic Miller, a musician unique in his ability to fit in and contribute as a sideman, but also to step up as a band leader. Dominic may be best known as guitarist — and in his own words, “Lieutenant” — for Sting, a position…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Ibrahim Maalouf: a conversation on harmony, heritage, and hope

Ibrahim Maalouf: a conversation on harmony, heritage, and hope

Today, the Spotlight shines On trumpet virtuoso and international superstar Ibrahim Maalouf. Ibrahim is exactly the type of artist we love hosting - sensitive, open and unwilling to be limited by genre or expectations. His work mixes jazz, pop, classical, electronic, Middle Eastern, and African influences into a cosmopolitan sound…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Gabriel Kennedy leads us into the Chapel Perilous

Gabriel Kennedy leads us into the Chapel Perilous

Today, the Spotlight shines On Gabriel Kennedy, the author of the forthcoming biography Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson, which hits shelves in February 2024 from Strange Attractor/ MIT Press. The subject of that book, Robert Anton Wilson, wrote 35 books and over 1,500 published…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Seth Godin and The Song of Significance

Seth Godin and The Song of Significance

Today, the Spotlight shines On author, entrepreneur, and teacher Seth Godin. I recently watched an interview with Seth wherein he was describing a discussion he had with someone asking him for career advice and he remarked, “I was not always Seth Godin”. For some of us, that is hard to…

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Jan. 3, 2025

On Minimalism: Kerry O'Brien and William Robin in conversation

On Minimalism: Kerry O'Brien and William Robin in conversation

Today, the Spotlight shines On Kerry O’Brien and William Robin, co-authors of the book On Minimalism: Documenting a Musical Movement from University of California Press. Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley and LaMonte Young are stereotypically described as the “Big Four” of minimalism in music. While On Minimalism does nothing…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Benjamin Koppel plays jazz with a novelist's narrative

Benjamin Koppel plays jazz with a novelist's narrative

Today, the Spotlight shines On Danish saxophonist, composer, and best-selling author Benjamin Koppel. Benjamin joined us to discuss his July 2023 release Perspective, the latest work from KCB Collective, a trio that, in addition to Koppel, includes Scott Colley on bass and Brian Blade on drums. It looks great on…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Tea Krulos explores hidden subcultures in American society

Tea Krulos explores hidden subcultures in American society

Today, the Spotlight shines On freelance journalist and author Tea Krulos. Tea wrote two books that I enjoyed this year: Heroes in the Night: Inside the Real Life Superhero Movement from 2013 and 2020’s American Madness: The Story of the Phantom Patriot and How Conspiracy Theories Hijacked American Consciousness. Both…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Diana Pasulka: a religious study of UFOs and nonhuman intelligences

Diana Pasulka: a religious study of UFOs and nonhuman intelligences

Today, the Spotlight shines On Diana Pasulka, religious studies professor and the author of two books I have really enjoyed in the last few years: 2019’s American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology and Encounters: Experiences with Non-Human Intelligences, released in November 2023. As Diana points out in her work and in…

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Jan. 3, 2025

Paul de Barros Discusses the Intimacy of Marian McPartland’s Archive

Paul de Barros Discusses the Intimacy of Marian McPartland’s Archive

In this excerpt from the new episode of Spotlight On, author Paul de Barros shares his experiences writing about pianist Marian McPartland, highlighting her jazz advocacy, personal archive, and the challenges of working with her closely. Be sure to check out more of this conversation on the Spotlight On podcast:…

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