Play It Like It's Music - TopPodcast.com

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Not really like surfing, but sort of. Sep 06, 2023

The gig was amazing. Thank you. More coming up! See below.

- Trevor

Good morning. I don't mind staying in the personal realm here. The story of music is too big, anybody's own story is always too big and you can only ever try to convey a small slice of it. I can just try to convey the relevant angle, stay on topic. Point is, there is music to be made.

I haven't done much surfing, and I don't consider myself a surfer. But from what I do know about surfing, the experience I have with it (again, not much. Barely any really) I don't see or imagine too many surfers spending time discussing each others' surfing. Pointing out little things to each other and stuff, what someone did "well" and what could go "better" and how to make it look better, etc. I mean, maybe they do? But it's not the point because there's the ocean to consider, a much vaster consideration. Much more compelling. The ocean is what matters. In my mind I see surfers considering the ocean to each other and struggling to find words.

(Keanu Reeves voice:) The Ocean. It's big. We are too small to matter to it, but we go face it. We go into it. It kicks our ass and we keep coming back. We can't help ourselves. It forces us to overcome our weakness. To grow. To surrender. To meet it.

We, I... simply do not matter in the face of it.

The musicians who I relate to best speak of music like that. It's the ocean, it's the universe. We don't talk about "our" music. We don't talk about style, technique or form much at all. We'll check in with each other, like "how is it going?" How is your process going. How are you surviving? As the ocean of music imposes itself in on you, day after day, minute by minute... how are you holding up and have you learned anything useful or interesting to pass on to me, about how I might hold up better as the universe imposes itself on me, day after day?

We are all in it, and that is the point. It is the Ocean, we are unimaginably small as we navigate it.

So did you get out there?

Did you connect?

Did you fail catastrophically and have to start again from scratch, getting pushed back and under and back out again as you found a way back in?

Or did you just eat s**t.

"So-and-so is kicking a lot of ass right now".

???

(Define ass, define kick.)

These are my experiences. I love that these are my experiences, because I don't define myself by my successes or failures. I define myself by my love of doing it and by my dedication to that love. My immersion in it. It helps me understand the world and it helps me connect in the most meaningful way to other humans. I am not myself without it.

Music is what we are here for, it's what we come from and what we'll return to. For now, we play.

We’re gonna check in with Ed Marshall now. Call-in style. Click play above to hear it.

For those of you who don’t know Ed, here’s the episode we did together a couple of years ago:

“How did the gig go, Trev?”

More like How did it feel.

I played my first proper show of "my own material" the other day, the first one in almost a decade. My family was there, my hometown came out. Friends I had not seen in 30 years, godparents...

"How did it go?" Let's see. People were there and listened, people could watch it on facebook. How do You think it went? Does it matter? I have no idea how it went, I only know how I felt beforehand, getting ready for it. How I felt while it was happening and how I felt afterward. How I feel now.

That's all I know, and I barely know that. I don't have words to describe the feeling. Words would diminish my joy and gratitude, even if they were accurate and precise, insightful ones. And I'm enveloped in joy and gratitude in a way that I cannot describe. So that's all I can say.

Only one of my musician friends asked me "How did the show feel?" Bret Mosley. He just put out his new record, it took him almost a decade to make it. He's been through the fire, too. So he named his record that. ←Go give it a listen.

Thank god for my musician friends, the ones who live it. The ones who learned to surrender and who know that it's not about them, not about us, not about the material or the ideas. People will hear what we do and they will have their experience, meanwhile we got to be together in the presence of the ocean. That's all that matters.

I got to get back in the Ocean, and woah. It's not just that I missed the feeling and that my spirit finally got to inhabit my body again. It's that I got to percieve just how much I'd changed since the last phase, how much I've been able to let go, so that now I can really be in it more. More than before. Hearing and feeling it more than before. I still don't have words.

But nothing will make you appreciate a thing more than the absence of that thing. I was walking through the desert and I arrived at the table, set with a pitcher of water and a glass.

I sat, I poured one and I drank.

Something like that.

Welcome to the family.

Here are the next band shows coming up, come out:

John Kimock and I are playing together for three dates in early October:

Bloomsburg PA on October 6

Bethlehem PA on October 7

New York City on October 8

More dates on the website, including some solo performances. It’s all very special right now.

As always, big love to your ears. Thanks for tuning in here, we’ll talk more next week.

Trevor

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES booking currently: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Spotify)

* Hear 80 penetrating interviews with great musicians in the Play It Like It’s Music podcast archive.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

On music and structure Aug 30, 2023

Back from a short (unscheduled) silent spell, just in time for the shows to start this week:

Thursday I’m playing my first show of the new stuff with a band. 5:30 pm at South Hill Cider in Ithaca, NY. Opening for Bronwen Exter, my excellent sister who is also lending me her rhythm section.

It’s for all ages, there’s no cover and apparently the cider is tasty, so bring the kids!

- Trevor

I told you I'd be posting every week, and that's still my intention. Of course the last time you heard from me was three weeks ago. Then I went into a real confusing funk, and it dawned on me.

I remember turning 30, thinking "Great, it's time to flush all those childish games from my 20's down the toilet and become a real adult". Then when I turned 40 I thought "great, it's time to integrate all the hard lessons I learned in my 30's and become a real adult".

Here I am today, a month into my 50's and I really can't say anything. I'm just here and I just have to own it: I am a mess. And the messy story is slowly starting to make a little hard-earned sense, but not enough. And milestones don't mean anything when you're neither here nor there.

But I do have a 5-year old nephew. And when I tell him that I'm ten times as old as he is and his eyes go wide, I get all the perspective I need for a season.

His mom, my sister Bronwen, is messily providing her kids with an environment somewhat free of the disturbances she and I had as kids, but full of all kinds of new disturbances which will be their work to untangle. Such is life, the best we can do is stay in touch. Help each other find a way to appreciate where we are and pick out a path forward.

I always need reminding that there's always a way forward, even when I don't see it.

There's a big old gap in my brain, telling me I have nothing to say. But sometimes The Stuff I really want to say is maybe too cutting, too close for mere music promotion? For a moment I actually let myself think "promo" is all this publication is for. It takes a lot to keep my head in the game sometimes.

But what do you do when your head and heart are exploding with vulnerability and you're full of fear, making up smallest-self reasons to hide & not be in touch?

The reality is that I'm a bit paralyzed by the reality of what I'm doing here.

Here I am, preparing to deliver a great experience to you this fall starting Thursday.

How great?

So great that you will feel compelled to share it with your friends and multiply the size of the audience to some critical, theoretical number that will somehow scale into my being able to deliver music for you in a properly prosperous way. So we can all be proud of our weird taste and know collectively that we weren't crazy, that the music is actually good for the world and worth our commitment to it.

But I'm also processing a lot of misgivings about my choices over the years, how I might have given into my fears more than a few times, with the unintended result of having deprived you and myself of the opportunity to jam together. It wears my heart out, thinking of all the singing we could have done, that we did not get to do during the years in which I just couldn't get it together to go out on the road and play.

To be fair, it's really, really hard for me to go out on the road and play.

It's also really hard to find a voice for the feelings I have about it. But when I make this move to go play after a long time away from it, the grief of all the lost time and scattered energy comes up to shout at me. The battle inside me is fierce, just like any musician's battle to go out and do that which used to be so normal. But today I'd like to testify to a particular facet of my internal battle, something to which I know many of you can relate.

It's about Music + Structure.

For me music equals structure. That's because early in my life my family went through some displacements and some big structure changes which left me feeling mostly on my heels. Some of it was generational but the thing that filled the gap was music.

I was lucky to be physically protected for the most part, but many of the important things that a child unconsciously depends on for their orientation, integration and growth, like home, neighborhood, location, school, society, friends, language, community... many of mine got scrambled up. Either taken totally away or just moved out of reach.

At some point my parents observed that I was flailing a bit and they decided to get music lessons for me. In order to help me put some structure into my young brain.

They didn't just get me music lessons: we got Suzuki music lessons. Suzuki is a kind of classical music cult for kids which, depending on who you ask, is either an abomination or the greatest thing ever. I can relate to both opinions but I don't really care because for me, at a cellular level, just to have any musical activity at all in my life was what saved me from going totally off the deep end at a young age.

Suzuki helped save me by giving me a simple structure in which to play, learn music and connect with other kids. It was fun, I learned how to play by ear and hear melodies. I had a really fantastic teacher.

But my need for structure beyond music was so great and so unaddressed that I ended up clinging to music in a less-than-healthy way and for less-than-healthy reasons through out my adolescence and young adulthood. This produced results I'm still having to process and recover from at age 50.

People talk about the music business, the economy, the country, the climate, the rise and imminent fall of globalization... no matter where you look it's all changing too much and too fast and you still have to pick a side.

But my flag is permanently planted in music. I believe in my bones that music is what we need to do more of. I believe our existence depends on immersing ourselves in the sounds that connect us.

Maybe that’s my trauma talking, but it’s true too.

It is my prayer that some of the healing I’ve experienced through my musical efforts will continue to touch folks out there who need to receive it.

It’s not entertainment, it’s life itself

On making true sounds:

Anyway, here’s my genre description for the new stuff I’m supporting on this tour: I’m calling it Indie-Yacht.

To spell it out, in case anyone asks: we’re talking Yacht rock without the yacht. Not for a******s. Melodic with a bit more grit & rocking with a little extra poise. You’ll be able to sing along to it unironically.

So come out! Let me know if it fits.

As always, big love to your ears. Thanks for tuning in here, we’ll talk more next week.

Trevor

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES booking currently: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Spotify)

* Hear 80 penetrating interviews with great musicians in the Play It Like It’s Music podcast archive.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Singing loud and saying everything Aug 09, 2023

"What Freud mistook for her lack of civilization is woman's lack of loyalty to civilization"

- Lillian Smith

Moving forward: On self-silencing and un-silencing.

A savvy cultural commentator might say that David Bowie died an extremely artistic, expressive death when he timed his final album release to coincide with it.

Alongside all of the grief, you could indulge yourself in thinking - maybe just a little - that Blackstar wasn't just an ambitious album but also an extremely powerful and innovative PR move by a well-resourced and celebrated man known for making powerful and innovative PR moves. All these years later I still think to myself, “wow, no one will ever top that one”.

A fitting end to the Hero’s journey of a great musical hero.

It’s a thin theory, and only possible to contemplate if you sidestep all of the struggle that such a “move” might have required. And only if you disregard the real grief of a real human’s death mourned by many millions of real people.

You’d have to have a sick sense of humor like me.

But even someone with my sick sense of humor has to simply shut up when contemplating Sinead O’Connor’s recent passing. There are no theories for it. I can’t say anything, I can only listen. So that’s what I’ve been doing.

If a musician’s death could ever make me feel the opposite way that Bowie’s did, we just had one. But don’t listen to me, listen to her:

Album: Sinead O’Connor, “Throw Down Your Arms” LP (2005). Sinead + Sly & Robbie do the reggae hymn book.

Audiobook: “Rememberings” (2021) by Sinead O’ Connor. Listened on the drive through Arizona and New Mexico. Haunting and heartbreaking.

On making true sounds:

I finally made it to the east coast and I'm finally starting to get a pretty clear idea of the mission here moving forward. Let me share it with you:

In the first 80 episodes of the podcast I was asking each guest the following two questions:

1. Why do you play music?

and 2. What separates the professional from the amateur?

I had my reasons. Those two questions were relevant to me at the time, mainly because I was deeply questioining my own original reasons for starting down the professional path of a musician. I was going through some grief around having hit some dead ends in my own twisted creative path as well as certain collaborations that hadn't worked out. I had totally lost confidence in my own musical voice and ability, so I was turning to the folks I knew who seemed to have it together. Asking them how they did it.

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

We got some great answers to those questions. I am super proud of those interviews, and I stand by my reasons for conducting them in the way that I did. Many of you out there found them helpful, and they are still back there in the feed for you to listen to any time that you want.

But they also catalyzed some healing in myself and an eventual evolution which made that particular line of questioning less relevant. I decided to pause the podcast, partly because we outgrew the format.

What do I mean?

Well for starters: the question of professionalism has totally expanded into our wider environment and into a larger set of questions about general survival, purpose and prosperity in an age when the actual bottom has dropped out of the music industry we used to know.

Consequently the very ideal of professionalism is taking some hits.

Music is totally still a profession, but the core approach of professionals who make our living in music has exploded into a million methods. The means of making a living as a musician keeps shifting. Gatekeepers have multiplied, while their standards for admission are less and less musical in nature.

Musicians are adapting, and for many of us that means getting a day job or starting other businesses. It was true before. We've always been hustlers, but now it is simply no longer enough to ask about what separates professionals and amateurs. Pros and amateurs alike, we are all on this mission together. Your voice counts and you have to make it count. You are allowed to make it count in whatever way is true for you.

We all have to fight for the dignity of the shared musical experience, and it's all hands on deck.

The other question, "Why do you make music?" has also outlived its relevance.

I wonder now whether the question was ever relevant, but at least it had some use as an icebreaker. Still, it's worded like a challenge. One that I believe went in the wrong direction. Because given the nature of music and what it can do for humanity, one should never feel required to explain their personal justification for making music. Not to ourselves, or anybody.

We will do much better to ask "What stops you from making music" and apply ourselves to removing those obstacles.

So I'll state for the record here on Wednesday August 9th, 2023 that music is not content, it's connection.

And I’ll elaborate: not only do I believe in eliminating our barriers to the making of music, I'll take aim at the concept of professionalism when it becomes a form of gatekeeping.

We are all amateurs, and we are all also eligible for professional roles in music should we choose to pursue them.

But to point a finger and say so-and-so is or isn't “a professional musician” or such-and-such means of musicmaking is or isn't a professional way of doing it is potentially destructive to the musical culture as a whole, and I'm going to ignore the distinction in my dialogue moving forward.

Make the truest sound you can.

And as far as "Why do you make music" is concerned, ask yourself what is stopping you.

Music has the capacity to organize and motivate populations well beyond the divisions of politics, which is why you don't hear me presenting any political opinions on this podcast.

But I’ll say this: what's stopping you from making music is also something wrong with America. Like, what if you sang every day? What if you were to take your God-given right to make music and use it? And what if you paid it forward, finding ways to integrate it into the larger sounds of your community? Some political healing would probably take place.

So my political stance is Play it like it's f*****g music. Make the truest sound you can, and then try to listen to it through other people's ears as much as you can.

We'll get into that more, but mostly on a personal level because that's where the real work takes place. There's more power in music making than you realize, and these questions are much bigger than the music industry.

More recs for this week:

Watching: Chuck Berry, “Live in London 1972” on the BBC. Sinead says: “Best gig ever.”

Reading: “Chuck Berry: An American Life" (2022) by R.J Smith. The Shakespeare of rock n roll. Alan Toussaint said: “The man is a mountain.”

On Substack: Venkatesh Rao with part 2 in a series about narrative technologies. Bonus reference to Ursula Le Guin’s carrier bag theory of fiction.

As always, big love to your ears. Thanks for tuning in here, we’ll talk more next week.

Trevor

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES booking currently: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Spotify)

* Hear 80 penetrating interviews with great musicians in the Play It Like It’s Music podcast archive.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Venice: a Voice Memo Jul 26, 2023

Note: Play It Like It’s Music is growing back into itself, and I thank you for listening. The “show” part of the show will be diversifying as we go along, but next week there’s no episode since I’ll be on vacation celebrating my 50th birthday.

We’ll catch back up the following Wednesday.

Greetings. Today I’m mostly just going to play for you, so click “Play” to hear some music.

It’s a casual hang, I’m just sitting in the open air living room with the squeals of the neighbors kid and birds included, just as if you’re visiting me at home.

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

It’s a sweet sendoff, since we depart Venice Beach for our long trip to the east coast on Friday.

Fear not:

It may seem to you that I’m just taking up space in your inbox without providing much in the way of content. In the coming weeks I’ll be bringing back some conversations with musicians and other characters about stuff we all love, so thanks for bearing with me! It’s been an eventful season in Play It Like It’s Music land.

Today’s musical selections from my living room:

J.S. Bach Prelude to Suite for Unaccompanied Cello in G Major. Played on telecaster with perhaps a bit too much tremolo. Guitarists usually transpose this to another key, but I like it in the original key, obviously.

Trevor Exter: “Mexico”. This is a tune I’ve done previously with John Kimock (listen to the original here. I’m bringing it into the current set, along with a dozen or so brand new tunes which I can’t wait to share with you in person.

John and I will be playing together on October 6th, 7th and 8th. Big reunion, it’s gonna be great! More specific info soon.

Some recs for this week:

Listening: Joe Cocker, “Stingray” LP (1976). Run don’t walk!

Watching: “Broadcast News” (1987) dir. James L. Brooks. The place near the thing we went to that time.

Reading: “"The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped Rock 'n' Roll" (2019) by Ian S. Port. A pretty good book about electric guitars.

On Substack: A most eloquent short rant about recording music is no longer a viable business model by the legend himself, Nelson George.

I appreciate you very much, thanks. See you again after my big birthday burger in the desert.

As always, big love to your ears.

Trevor

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES booking currently: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Spotify)

* Hear 80 penetrating interviews with great musicians in the Play It Like It’s Musicpodcast archive.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Time flies Jul 19, 2023

It’s hard to believe a whole week has passed since last week. I’ll admit to being a little overwhelmed by all of the communication but it feels pretty organized, so I’ll keep rolling with it.

Since I opened up the can of worms by announcing the fall tour, I’ve been able to re-connect with quite a few people who are interested in helping out and hosting events. I’m also talking with some great musicians who will be in the mix. It’s all very exciting and I’m all very excited. Super grateful.

As much as I like to give you something meaningful each week, for this week I have to be honest and say that the time rolled up on me too quickly, so I’m just going to play some guitar and call it. I know you have plenty to do as well.

As far as dates are concerned, I’m still zeroing on a NYC venue for a ticketed band show on October 8. I’m connecting with house concert hosts in the Hudson Valley, Central PA, Long Island and Rhode Island… Please reach out to me if you’d like to do one yourself! We’re gonna have a great time.

I appreciate you very much, thanks.

And as always, big love to your ears.

Trevor

Listening: Elvis’s great gospel album, “How Great Thou Art”. How great it ith.

Watching: “El Infierno” (2010) dir. Luis Estrada. Makes “Traffic” look like “Barbie”, horrifyingly. But more than one Oaxacan has told me this film is basically a documentary.

Reading: “A Dark and Bloody Ground: A True Story of Lust, Greed and Murder in the Bluegrass State” (1993) by Darcy O’Brien. Who doesn’t wish they could write like a southerner?

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES in process: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Spotify)

* Hear 80 penetrating interviews with great musicians in the Play It Like It’s Music podcast archive.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Hey man I thought you were a Cellist." Jul 12, 2023

Hey, thanks for all the lovely responses to last week’s post about the fall tour. I ‘ve been getting many kind thumbs ups, invitations to new places, offers of hospitality, help in booking more gigs and especially house concerts. Please keep em coming! If you’re curious about hosting a house concert, it’s a great way to experience live music more intimately, conveniently and satisfyingly. I love performing in people’s homes as well as in clubs. Dates are accumulating (pending announcement) but I still have room in the calendar. Hit me up if you’d like to know more.

I am also toying with the idea of adding workshops to the fall offering, separately from the performances. I have a good track record of helping musicians at all levels find their musical footing and develop confidence. These workshops would be for anyone who makes music on any instrument: like if you know how to play but don’t think you have style, if you struggle with rhythm, with feel or if you just plain feel like you don’t deserve to play. I have a rich set of tools and rituals that help people with these things, so please send me an email if you feel intrigued.

Folks are asking about my switch to electric guitar for these new shows. What’s it gonna sound like? Why make such a cliché choice? Longtime listeners and cello loyalists are raising some eyebrows, so I’ll be fully transparent about this development today.

Cello has always been the thing that sets me apart, but it’s totally something to hide behind too.

I’ve played the cello since I was seven years old, and for better or worse a lot of my musical identity got wrapped up in that. I dragged the beast around town to different lessons, orchestra rehearsals and gigs throughout my youth and on up into my 30s and 40s.

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

I embraced the role of “cello guy” well beyond my transition into songwriting, bass playing and bandleading.

But as good as the thing can sound, it’s extremely expensive and cumbersome in a world that caters less and less to the basic needs of a traveling musician. You might know some of the stories. I’m super proud of my cello life and work, which is why I’ve held onto the “cello guy” tag despite all of the logistical and social friction it generates.

I love the cello and I will always be a cellist in my soul. But this guitar episode for me is a long time coming and I’d like to take a moment to unpack a little bit of the why and the how here for you.

I wasn’t always cello guy.

From ages 13 to 17. I mostly considered myself a piano player and lived almost entirely on the piano. For those years (and into my early 20s) I would just play piano for hours every day. I wasn’t practicing, though. I was just banging out a sound cocoon to hide myself in. It helped me avoid getting into drugs as a teenager because my self-soothing took this sonic form, and if I ever got stoned my connection to music would diminish. So I mostly avoided it and I’m grateful for that.

More importantly, the piano was the door through which I fell in love with music at age 13. Cello was only happening half-heartedly in the background and it took center stage when I realized that I’d have a much easier time trying to get into music school on cello then I would as a pianist. They need more of us in those schools to fill out the cello section in the symphony, which means they can’t always enforce the olympically high standards you would have to meet if you’re trying to get accepted as a piano player. Since I didn’t really like to practice, I hadn’t built up any real repertoire on the piano. So it was a non-starter.

But why did I love piano so much? It was mostly because you could just touch it and it would make sound all by itself. The mechanics of tone and intonation were contained within the trunk of the instrument, so you could make music without having to learn how to make a sound. Just choose your note and hit the key… ping! So music was fun right away, because the piano does most of the work for you. I could improvise for hours and feel like a musician.

This is not the case with cello. Cellos are a lot more complicated. It takes a lot of different coordinated micro-movements just to play one note on the cello, and these techniques are hard to learn. You won’t sound good for years, I promise you. And at the end of all that effort, you’ll still have way fewer notes at your disposal… as well as fewer performance opportunities. Even if you’re great.

To put the difference into an analogy: the cello is a quill pen and the piano is the printing press. People who play piano at a professional level get comfortable with manipulating a huge quantity of musical information, they can play anybody else’s part along with them - which means they generally end up being in charge of arranging the band. Meanwhile, drummers dominate the rhythm, guitarists tie the whole show together, singers lead the crowd and horns make it pop.

Between drummers and pianists, horns, singers and guitarists there’s not a whole lot of room in the types of bands I like for the voice or the opinion of a cellist, even an amplified one as I sadly found out too many times.

No matter how cool you think the cello is, it will always live on the margins of the music scene.

And love it as I might, our limited gear options, the need to subject our delicate and cumbersome instrument to harsh and often dangerous spaces where the best part of the sound gets swallowed too often by crowded mixes and crazy dynamic ranges all take their toll eventually. So I had to take some space from performing. I just haven’t had it in me, my appetite for that kind of risk has dwindled.

But my appetite for making and presenting music has not. This is why I released those three electronic music albums a couple of years ago. It’s also why I made 80 episodes of the podcast. I’ve been branching out, and part of that journey has been embracing, and then surrendering to my lifelong attraction to the guitar.

So it’s Guitar Season in trevorland. Here are a few sounds. [click above to listen].

You may notice that I’m still bringing my same tuning over from the cello. That means I have the same vocabulary and harmonic language that I use on cello. I can play the Bach cello suites in their original key…

… and the top strings are tuned in open G, just like Keith Richards. So that’s like the whole history of music at one’s fingertips without having to switch instruments or even re-tune.

I have my work cut out for me.

This fall you’ll get to hear material that sounds like me, because it is me. But it’ll be far more unfettered because I won’t be nearly as frazzled after making the trip with a cello where I have to worry about bumps and scrapes, humidity, feedback or finding a specialty string repair shop in some outlying area because my soundpost got out of whack on the way to a gig. It’s a real relief to be able to play a dependably consistent stock instrument right out of the box, and it frees up a lot of artistic bandwidth to imagine more and express more.

So I’ll be bringing the cello spirit to you in the sound of this guitar in the fall. Please come out and let’s celebrate the little liberations. Looking forward to visiting you then.

I appreciate you very much, thanks.

And as always, big love to your ears.

Trevor

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Spotify)

* Hear 80 episodes of the Play It Like It’s Music podcast in the archive. Penetrating interviews with great musicians.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Tour Announcement (aka the dipping back in of the toes) Jul 05, 2023

Hi, it’s Trevor. How are you?

It’s been a while: this is the first email post I’m sending out since early 2021. I’m coming to you today to announce some fall tour dates, my first in many years.

I will be sending weekly updates again now, so feel free to adjust your subscription or unsubscribe if that’s too often for you.

Thank you for being on this list.

If music is a country, I consider you all great patriots.

Despite my having published just about zip to this feed for more than two years, people have been signing up here at a steady pace. Thank you sincerely for your interest, and welcome to the next phase: I’m starting to come out of a quiet period where I have been refining new material for a record, learning how to do my show on guitar and doing some personal healing.

It’s all been very fruitful and abundant in a private way, and I’m excited to begin sharing with you again. First of all I want people to know that I have booked a few dates on the East Coast this fall.

I’m nervous because I haven’t really played a show of my own in almost 10 years.

Truly? Well actually I’ve played out quite a bit, that’s no secret. But I haven’t been playing out under my own name.

It’s a whole other thing when you get hired to play with or for somebody. I’ve been doing that plenty. It’s much more work to do your own music out in the world, with more exposure to risk and potential heartbreak when things pan out differently than hoped. It’s also more of a financial lift. Whereas if I’m just a hired gun people can just hire me and I can just be like “sure” and then come home with a check and some stories, but where does the time go?

A lot of time has passed since I last put on a Trevor Exter show, let alone a tour. But like I said, I’m working on new material for an upcoming record and we are going to play some of the songs live, to explore them sonically before starting production.

That’s part of why I’m coming out of the cocoon here, to give you a status update on the tour booking process and see what kind of interest is out there for putting more dates on the calendar.

I’m assembling a few different bands for shows in different areas, jumping out of my skin I’m so excited. Some great musicians are getting lined up to participate. I’ll also be doing some solo dates.

But! I’m also nervous and I want you to know this:

If you’re out there and you’ve dug my music at all in the past, then this year you are going to hear a new extension of what I may have believed myself musically capable of before. A furtherance of previous efforts, an evolution. Because I’ve done a lot of growing.

The result is that the music I’m making now is truer to me and my what some might want to call “voice”, however you define that. And regardless of how you define an artist’s voice, it takes a lot of work for them to zero in on it. I’ve been doing more of that work, because I definitely lost touch with my voice for a while.

There’s a robustness now that I never had before, which I had to build pretty much from scratch. Of course I’m still the same guy (for better or worse?) but now there are sounds coming out that this guy finds a lot more satisfying and that more accurately reflect the voices inside. I’ve only dreamed of these sounds before, and now I want to let you hear them.

Thanks for reading "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

See the list below of the dates I have booked so far. No ticket links yet, I’ll put those out in a future post. But please stick any nearby ones on your calendar, I’d love to play for you in the fall.

* If you see “TBD” that means I am still firming up a venue for that date. Please reach out if you have a suggestion, or better yet if you would like to help me put a show together in your area. I would be most grateful for that.

TREVOR EXTER East Coast Tour Fall 2023:

AUG 30 SOUTH HILL CIDER ITHACA, NY

SEP 18 THE DOWNSTAIRS ITHACA, NY

SEP 27 THE DOWNSTAIRS ITHACA, NY

OCT 6 TURKEY HILL BLOOMSBURG, PA

OCT 7 TBD HOUSE CONCERT BETHLEHEM, PA

OCT 8 TBD NEW YORK, NY

OCT 9 THE DOWNSTAIRS ITHACA, NY

Mid-OCT through early NOV TBD New England & Mid Atlantic region. Booking now, please reach out with proposals if interested.

NOV 19 THE VELVET NOTE ALPHARETTA, GA

NOV 21 TBD NASHVILLE, TN

NOV 22 TBD HUNTSVILLE, AL

Let’s do this! Can’t wait to play for you again.

I appreciate you very much, thanks.

And as always, big love to your ears.

Trevor

Do you like my stuff? Please help the audience grow by sharing this post with one friend:

* FALL 2023 TOUR DATES: @trevorexter.com

* Hear my music: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear 80 episodes of the Play It Like It’s Music podcast in the archive. Penetrating interviews with great musicians.

* Sign the mailing list!

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The thing that I enjoy the most" Mar 24, 2021

080: Chris White

Good morning! This is the final (for now) episode of Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

We’ve got a great guest today to wrap up this phase of the show.

On Wednesday, March 24th of 2021 as always, music is not content. It’s connection.

I’m thrilled that we made it this far, and this is definitely not goodbye. Just a transition as I lean hard into some of the music projects I’ve got going on over here.

Moving forward I’ll still be sending out updates on the email list (in a yet-to-be-determined frequency and format) so make sure you sign up at playitlikeitsmusic.com if you’re not already receiving those.

The podcast feed will go to sleep for a bit but if you know me, you know I can’t stop releasing audio. You’ll find new stuff going up on Soundcloud, Bandcamp and my socials, so hit that follow button over on Twitter and Instagram. I still spend as little time as possible over on Facebook, but it can’t hurt to throw a follow over there as well.

Meanwhile, today we’re going to meet the man who pretty much started me down this road. The guy who taught me where a 7th chord could be found on a cello and how to walk a bass line on it as well.

Based in Ithaca New York, Chris White has been exploring new directions for the cello since the late 1970’s. Whether playing in an intimate duo with piano or guitar, a jazz string quartet or with his groups the Cayuga Jazz Ensemble or the Cloud Chamber Orchestra, Chris’ playing has the vibrancy and the urgency of someone who is excited about what he is communicating.

White’s development as a jazz and improvisational cellist has been strongly affected by his guitar studies of folk, rock and jazz during his formative years. These studies were largely self taught, and focused on learning by ear, improvising, experimenting, and studying chords – things which cellists are usually not encouraged to do in traditional study. As he began applying these skills to the cello, he found it to be a wonderfully versatile instrument for playing all kinds of improvised music because he could play melodies, chords, and bass lines.

He’s a major figure in our world, as the founder and director of the New Directions Cello Festival for 25 years. He recently passed the baton to the very energetic and talented Jeremy Harman and some other great musicians who are going to keep the thing going, starting this June 26th and 27th.

I couldn’t be more honored to put Chris on today’s episode as I wrap up this phase of doing my music podcast. It’s been an incredible run, and one could argue that Chris was the man holding the pistol at the starting line. It’s a great honor to call him a friend and a colleague after all these years doing this crazy thing we do.

So let’s say hi.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Chris White.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Chris White for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him on the gram @chrisjazzcello. Go say hi.

I can’t believe we did 80 shows! I’m gonna wrap it up here for a bit as I drill down on finishing my next couple of albums and then we’ll see. Who knows what’s going to happen now with the scene, the world, the universe. All I know is that I’m super happy to have shared this time with you for the last couple of years, blessed that you cared to listen and given us your ears.

All of these episodes will remain available indefinitely, so if you believe the show deserves a wider audience or you want it to come back in the future, help people find out about it by telling a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental records on bandcamp, and I hope you will. Volume 3 is coming out April 1st.

Sign the mailing list on substack to get my music sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"A safe place to deal with my problems" Mar 17, 2021

079: Dwight Ritcher

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, March 17th of 2021 Music is not content, it’s connection.

Glad to be here with you today. As I’ve been mentioning, I’ll be winding the show down for now after next week’s episode (#80). It’s been great and I’m super gratified with the response, but I need to focus on a couple of big projects I’ve got brewing. Make sure you sign up on the mailing list over at playitlikeitsmusic.com so we can stay in touch. I’m not going far, and I’m always reachable.

Today we have the honor of hanging out with musician, guitarist, drummer, bandleader, singer and songwriter Dwight Ritcher of Dwight and Nicole. You may remember we got to spend time with his fairer half, Nicole Nelson back in Episode 50. Today we complete the picture.

This band is so inspiring on a lot of levels. First, they kill. They can rock in a loud way and also in a super quiet way. They write great, perform consistently and are altogether inspiring in a musical sense. I found this out firsthand when I opened for them at Banjo Jim’s back in the day.

Second, they’re a couple! I’m always amazed when you get to see a relationship play out musically in real time, whether it’s these two, Donny and Marie, Captain and Tenille, Sonny and Cher, Ashford and Simpson, Break Out The Crazy or one of the many others working today. It’s rare and beautiful to experience this as a fan.

Both Dwight and Nicole possess strong natural voices that stop you dead in your tracks. Whether belting or whispering, their singing commands attention. They are captivating performers, multi-instrumentalists and strong songwriters, standing far out from the slagheap of gutless conformity.

Dwight plays a Gibson Flying V guitar – picking up his first one as a teenager in Long Branch NJ – he has never played anything else. It was a great honor to get him on a mic and dig a little bit into his background and into his process.

So let’s get into it:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Dwight Ritcher.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Dwight Ritcher for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Dwight and Nicole dot com and follow them online @dwightandnicole.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 79 shows! I’m gonna wrap it up next week at 80 with a very special guest. Still, if you believe this show deserves a wider audience or you want it to come back in the future, please help people find out about it by telling a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental records on bandcamp, and I hope you will. Volume 3 is coming out April 1st.

Sign the mailing list on substack to get my music sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's important to find things that give you pleasure in life" Mar 10, 2021

078 Gideon Freudmann

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, March 10th of 2021 music is not content, it’s connection.

It’s March Madness!

As in, I’m going mad over here. There is so much life-stuff interfering in my musical life right now. It’s a weird feeling when you’re a trained professional in something with solid marketable skills that you’ve always used to live by. And then gradually the market and technology conspire over time to make you out as a hobbyist.

What was that degree for again?

At least I don’t have loans, but it’s maddening. Not like I need to be a musical factory worker, but more and more these days it’s just a giant neverending free obstacle course you run all the time: sending out emails to strangers, courting likes on the ever growing number of platforms, watching kids run circles around everybody and also get sad because you can’t just go to a club these days.

Music feels like a figment of our imagination without the live component, video games are more immersive, netflix is more engaging, sports are more connective and the news will give you a run for your sanity any old time you turn it on. So who - including us - has any time to do music or listen to it anymore?

Not trying to be a downer here, we all grow up and no one gets a pass on basic life skills like earning and knowing where to draw lines.

I’m grateful for the space I’m in, the health I enjoy all day long, sunshine, sound and creativity which just won’t leave me alone these days. We have a great musician to speak with today.

Gideon Freudmann, cellist and composer, has been on the forefront of our instrument's modern creative expansion for more than 30 years.

A formal education at the University of Connecticut laid a solid classical foundation for what has become a diverse soundscape encompassing a wide range of musical genres.

He’s been at this for way longer than it was trendy. In fact it’s his mission to make the cello hip, modern and fun. He’s toured all over the place, worked in lots of small ensembles, he’s a founding member of the Portland Cello Project and the band Caravan Gogh… he’s one of those guys who, if you’re into the cello you definitely know who he is.

And if you’re not, then you’ve probably just heard him a bunch of times without knowing it. His work is all over NPR: All Things Considered, CarTalk, This American Life. Movies too, Good Morning America… everywhere.

Gideon lives to Portland, Oregon in the mid-2000s where he is a founding member of the Portland Cello Project. He has also branched into live soundtrack accompaniment to silent films. He’s a great musician, a great cellist, a great guy and I’m very glad to have him on the show.

Let’s get to it!

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Gideon Freudmann.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Gideon Freudmann for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at CelloBop dot com and follow him on Facebook @cellobop.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 78 shows! We’re going to put this show on indefinite hiatus after two more interviews. Nevertheless if you believe this show deserves a wider audience or you want it to continue in the future, please help create even more demand by telling a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental records on bandcamp, and I hope you will. Volume 3 is coming out April 1st.

Sign the mailing list on substack to get my music sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Creativity is in the cracks. Mar 03, 2021

Episode 77: Announcement! (and some choice rants)

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, March 3rd of 2021 music is not content, it’s connection.

Saying hi to you from the interwebs in these uncertain times. I’m going to do something different for this episode. Check it out.

[What follows is the full transcript of this week’s show. Feel free to press Play and read along if so inclined. I promise it’s more fun with audio, plus there’s some music on there!]

Listen in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

I’ve had a number of shifts in my creative life over the last few years, things that knocked me on my ass, things that have made me think/question what this is all for but also which got me digging further into how it all happens, and finally some major openings that brought some beautiful new energy and momentum into my musical process.

Some of these changes happened because of doing this podcast and others are separate. But if you listen to this show and you’re engaged with music in some way, one thing you probably know is that the ground is always shifting beneath us. We can’t always think on our feet, sometimes we have to think with our feet. More on that in a minute.

Right now I have an announcement.

And it has to do with the above.

This show in its current form is going to go away for a while. I’ll do a few more episodes with a couple of great people, take it up to Episode 80 and then put it on hiatus.

I’m incredibly happy for how it’s gone and this is not a decision I take lightly at all, since I know that many of you tune in each week for the fellowship we get here. It’s exactly the kind of community I feel I was made to serve, but it’s also catalyzed some really important shifts in my creative life which I have to honor.

I’m going to lean into the music 100% for a while, which will include reclaiming the handful of hours I put into producing this show every week.

The energy is simply too great right now, music is pouring out of me at a rate I can barely keep up with. I want to celebrate this and strike while the iron is hot.

I’ll still be sending you emails and sometimes there’ll be sounds with them. But “Play It Like It’s Music” the show is entering a cocoon phase as it finds out what form it wants to take in the future. I’m so thankful that you are all here listening to this process as it unfolds and sharing your own experiences with me. I’m not going anywhere, this is just a metamorphosis.

So during this episode today I’m going to go through some of the changes themselves, and what they might mean for some of us who’ve been chasing the muse our whole lives.

I think you’ll get something out of it, so let’s dig in.

I got my first drum machine in 1987.

Yes, I’m that old. It was a Roland TR-505, it had some samples on pads and some basic sequencing on it but it wasn’t much to shake a stick at - or shake a room with.

Now tell me if this is you: we put our fingers on an instrument, start getting some cool sounds and then start dreaming of putting a beat together with our sounds, maybe getting a band together and seeing if folks might want to go somewhere and dance to some of our stuff.

That was me as a teenager in the 80’s, and it’s still me today.

I went on to log a few hundred thousand miles on the road, playing in every kind of bar imaginable. I did a couple of local cover bands as well, but it’s all the same chase.

AND! Before you do any bands or put on a show, you gotta have band practice. And because you might not have a drummer lined up right away, you try getting your hands on a drum machine and see if you can make something happen with that.

Sound familiar?

Honestly some people start there and go pretty far with it, becoming electronic artists, DJ’s and producers. But I’ve never been able to keep my fingers off a set of strings for very long. And it’s dicey, trying to wrangle a beat and play an instrument at the same time. Some folks do just fine with that but it’s a lot of balls to keep in the air.

So for little old me the drum machine ends up taking the form of a glorified click track, which is fun for about 25 seconds before you start realizing that a beat isn’t just marking time as it marches by. It’s a living breathing thing, an animal which will take your music to unimagined heights if you treat it right, but will also rip your vibe to shreds if you ignore it or piss it off.

So the journey is a long one, and for me it’s been episodic and contentious.

I’ve never felt so musically lost than when I was trying to figure my groove out and couldn’t do it.

It’s a weird feeling of impotence where your nose is pressed so hard against the glass and you have no idea how to get through. You know something beautiful is there, right on the other side, but you can’t quite get beyond a sketch and it’s getting hard to breathe.

I’ve been around the block with it a bunch of times, and the cycle is pretty much the same: I find a line or a riff or a melody or some chords, then I set about looking for combinations with a rhythm or some lyrics. Or I might start with one of those by themselves and look from that angle. Sometimes it works out quickly, other times it leads into a maze. The maze sometimes leads somewhere cool (like my cello style, which I love) and other times it just leads further into the maze.

I’ve had insane power struggles with some of the human drummers I’ve worked with, as well as some crazy dysfunctional codependency with most of the drum machines I’ve used and owned in the past. Then, if you get going with computers using something like Ableton Live the thing changes entirely.

I like to say that Ableton Live is Excel for music. And I stand by that.

And I’m a technically-inclined guy!

So I’ve been able to get quite well-versed in the relationship between strings and drums, between live drums and electronic drums, synths and samples, software and hardware. I’ve owned quite a few pieces of gear over the years but I usually let them go because I can find their limitations pretty quickly. And they are quite limiting.

Usually it comes down to a question of feel and tempo: if it’s a machine then I’m always craving more variation than the thing will provide inside of its feature set, and with a live drummer (and live musicians in general) there are questions of dynamics and personality that can shortchange the musical payoff if you’re not on the same page.

Now a critical point in the process is when you let go of control, watching the elements combine into something greater than the individual parts or preferences. But oftentimes our ego (or egos) will keep us stuck and we don’t give ourselves that chance. Then you end up back at square one, which for me usually takes the form of sitting in a space by myself with a cello, tapping on the surface of it.

As long as I don’t have any life complications getting in the way, that is.

Music is a beautiful thing.

It’s a great way to un-twist ourselves.

But the twisting part can also bring you to your knees if you don’t keep your head up.

My journey took me off the rails for a while. I burned bridges, lost homes, chased the muse into the weeds far more times than I can count.

And I won’t lie: a lot of those trips can definitely make you sound better in the long run. Learning what a musical moment is really worth and connecting with a deep place, each time. But at some point you do have to take charge of your life.

I had to stop throwing my well-being out the window and get down to the work at hand of making a true sound, one that would matter to people and bring them together.

But I had no idea what that even meant anymore.

Personally I had suffered too many losses along the way. I’d come off the road, stopped playing in bars to sell other people’s beer, my mental health was in shreds and I had no joy at the idea of going out to another gig, anywhere.

With no idea of what any of it meant anymore, I started this show you’re hearing right now. I needed to talk to my fellow musicians about these questions: Why do we even do this? What separates the pros from the dilettantes and wannabes? What do we need to stay away from?

I had no idea, but I knew I could ask my friends. So Play It Like It’s Music was born. I knew that it would lead me somewhere. Probably forward.

So two things happened.

First, on the day I launched the show the phone stared to ring with clients and I started booking work as a podcast producer. I made like 40 grand in 6 months, which was astonishing.

The other thing that happened was I started making music again, and not like before. I was writing and producing too. With joy.

There’s something about the very act of hitting Record which will scare a musician back into their shell. The creative process is often not fun, there’s a lot of dread and doubt which can paralyze you. But when it’s your job to produce media for other people - at a high volume with delivery deadlines and so forth - that same act becomes a mere reflex.

Suddenly you’re just doing it. You’re thinking with your feet.

So while I was making the first episodes of this show (for myself) and producing three other shows (for money), I suddenly found myself also writing songs again, composing instrumentals - and most importantly producing demos of said material at a higher rate and quality.

Something was working where it hadn’t been for a long time, which brings me to the third act in this tale.

At some point I stumbled upon the live-coding scene.

It’s the collision of music and technology at the core level. People tapping directly into the sound and musicmaking capabilities of their computers, bypassing all that front-facing software - the digital audio workstations which are so expensive and mostly just imitate tape machines to begin with.

Now there’s nothing wrong with tape machines, I love em. But computers are not tape machines and it’s no use pretending that they are. I mean, DAWs are great but they are not musical instruments!

At some point people decided that DAWs and plugins were instruments in and of themselves, but they’re not. They’re just production and composition environments. Computers might be the most powerful musical instrument humankind has ever invented, but the DAW environment is like using 3% of your brain.

Here’s a little side rant:

Between the twin tectonic shifts of the streaming era and the digital production explosion, not enough attention gets paid to just how toxic the DAW timeline is to a musician's mind.

Hear me out. A musical sound is a living organism. We interact with it when playing an instrument or writing a song. Composing on paper is writing notes to it while it lives in the ether - the sound itself manifests out of the process.

But when sounds all start and end inside a timeline, it's like raising animals in a cage. Yes, they all move exactly when and where you push them, but freedom and surprise are removed entirely.

I don't know about you, but freedom and surprise are exactly what I want MORE of in music, not less.

The DAW timeline is an authoritarian environment where the M.O. is to assert total control over the sounds. Ableton Live is almost as thrilling to use as an excel spreadsheet.

Now I’ll admit that there’s a part of me gets off on using DAW tools: it's the desperate, lonely part of me who craves certainty and safety. Who can't accept music as fundamentally chaotic and interact with it on those terms.

Playing cello, by contrast, is like living with an ostrich. Awkwardness abounds, and surprise is never far away. Control is out of the question, and anyway who would want that? You can collect instruments like animals if you want to, but the real action is out in the wild.

Now don't get me wrong: I use my DAW rig every day and love it for what it enables. But it's an adult activity: taking care of business and delivering the goods. The musical animal in me resents the constant funneling-into-certainty that the DAW timeline demands.

What's weird though is that my musician self also loves the crap out of computers for the raw chaotic power of the sounds they can make. Because music is where spirit and science mingle.

There's a whole scene of folks out there getting dirty with a computer like Jimi Hendrix or something. Check out @yaxu, @hellocatfood and @kindohm:

We’re not all just out here making beer commercials.

Anyway, back to what I was saying…

In live coding, you’re actually playing the computer. You’re not stuck in a grid, mousing around with tempo envelopes or some corny “shuffle” knob. You’re in the machine itself, putting in formulas and rolling the dice on what it’s gonna spit out.

Needless to say, the learning curve is intense. But since the same goes for playing the cello, I jumped in and got hooked. Pretty soon all the different parts of my musical mind started coming together and I felt that sonic sense of purpose again.

Now I’m not a real computer programmer, so I mostly just tack things together and start playing along with it once my brain gives out and I can’t formulate any more. But that dance has started right here in my studio and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.

So I’ve made two new releases in the first two months of this year, and I’m already working on #3. And I’ve never felt better.

So let’s hear some of it, shall we?

TRIOS 02: post-cello generations is available.

Here is installment #2 of the Trios series.

We are getting into some lusher and more melodic territory now, since the cello sound took quite a beating the first time around. We're letting Grandpa breathe a bit here.

February is a short month, hence a slightly shorter album. I hope you like these sounds, they are crafted with love and an adventurous spirit.

TRIOS 03 will come out on 4/1.

Click here to go to the album page.

As before, the creative limitation "Trio" in this instance means that there are three live passes: once with the rhythm bits (done directly from the computer using a live coding program called TidalCycles), and then two instrument takes followed by minimal editing and a mix.

I’m along for the ride with you.

So that’s my story.

I have so many people to thank for helping me to believe in this music and actually get the thing done.

Many of you (in fact the entire Play It Like It’s Music community) are listed in the release notes. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here, and most of all for listening.

OK that’s all for this announcement. Thank you so much for being here, please enjoy and share the album.

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music, for spending some very generous time with me today.

This is episode #77, I’ll be back next week with a new show but we’ll be winding this down after episode 80.

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

So as always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big Love to you and your big ears,

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our musical guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I love: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Music is the first language that made sense to me" Feb 24, 2021

076: Eugene Friesen

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, February 24 of 2021 music is not content. It’s connection.

I had a crazy performance anxiety dream the other night. In the dream I’m famous enough to get invited to do crazy random things on stage, and they offer me a gig to play Romeo at an outdoor Shakespeare production of Romeo And Juliet.

Of course I take it, even though I have no business doing something like that.

Meanwhile, also in the dream I’m in the process of buying an old apartment building. So the bulk of the dream is spent visiting the site and going over minutiae like how old the wooden bannisters are and what kind of plumbing needs to be ripped out and what does the landmark commission have to say…

I don’t do a single rehearsal for the play.

Gig day rolls around and we’re still checking out the property with different real estate agents and managers. I’m riding around in the back of the car - the folks I’m with are completely oblivious to my having taken on a monumental role and they’re just talking about it like I’m going to play songs at a bar or something. Like “that’s so cool that you’re doing this thing tonight”.

Meanwhile it dawns on me that I don’t even know a single one of my lines, haven’t even met the cast or the director.

They drop me off in front, like half an hour before curtain and I realize that I have to find a sub. No matter what, even though it’s my name on the marquee. I am not gonna be that guy who got dropped right into a Shakespeare play with zero prep. I start looking around and see Willem Dafoe on his way in. We’re not friends in my dream either but he recognizes me and treats me like a friend because it’s like “my big night”.

Yeah right.

I tell him the situation and offer him the chance to play Romeo at a moments notice. He says thanks, probably not but he might know somebody and starts calling around. I see the real estate agents walking in, start to lose my s**t and…

that’s the moment I woke up.

Whew.

What a fun one! Some ego, some anxiety, a bunch of hubris and the walls all closing in. Maybe it ended well, I don’t know. We’d all like to get bailed out by a superstar at some point in our lives.

I’m just so glad it wasn’t real because I do not belong anywhere near a Shakespeare stage.

Meanwhile, today on the show:

Four-time Grammy Award-winner Eugene Friesen is active internationally as a concert and recording artist, composer, conductor and teacher. Eugene has worked and recorded with such diverse artists as Dave Brubeck, Martin Sexton, Toots Thielemans, Betty Buckley, Dar Williams, Will Ackerman, and Dream Theater.

Eugene's passion for improvised music has been featured in concerts all over the world with the Paul Winter Consort and with Trio Globo (which is Eugene, Howard Levy and Glen Velez). He appeared on "A Prairie Home Companion" playing with superstar soprano Renée Fleming and has performed as a soloist at the International Cello Festival in Manchester, England; the World Cello Congress in Baltimore, Maryland; and the Rio International Cello Encounter in Rio de Janeiro.

He’s a world renowned teacher of new cello techniques and improvisation in the United States, Asia, Europe, Egypt, and South America. Recording credits include five albums of original music, more than 30 CDs with the Paul Winter Consort, and hundreds of tracks featuring his rapturous cello playing on instrumental albums, films, and television scores.

Eugene is an artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, and on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Eugene was one of the very first cellists I ever saw on stage when I was a kid, someone who liberated us from the idea that we had to stay in line and only play the notes on a page with pre-prescribed intent and a general lack of flavor or modern relevance. He took his classical education and helped the cello grow into the modern musical landscape. None of us would be anywhere without people like him.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Now let’s talk to Eugene!

[Featured tracks: “Shadowplay” and “First Ride” from The Essential Collection]

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Eugene Friesen.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Maestro Eugene for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Eugene Friesen Music dot com and follow him on the gram @eugene.friesen.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 76 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental record on bandcamp, and I hope you will. Volume 2 is coming out next week.

Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's part of the fabric of my family and my community" Feb 17, 2021

075: Samuel Glazebrook

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, February 17th of 2021 music is not content. It’s connection.

I’m making this connection with you now, and I’m making the content too. It’s all happening in 21. So far I haven’t been impeached but only time will tell.

Sam Glazebrook is a cinematographer who spends quite a bit of time touring professionally as a musician. I first met him on a gig with Roo Panes, and we got to put in a few thousand miles together.

With everything he does, he strives to communicate a positive message of a collective human experience through his work. I wanted to have him on the show because a) he’s a great guy and b) I just love the simultaneous levity and depth of his commitment. The man blazes on multiple instruments, he’s also built the house he lives in and he’s got a prodigious output in the world of media and film.

In the pro music world we’re always chasing down a gig or shedding some new lick or trying to hustle the marketing thing. It never ends, and it’s really easy to forget why we bother to do this. I’m guilty of that, even though I deeply love what I do and enjoy it every single day. Walking into the rehearsal room with Sam (and Josh from Episode 47) I was instantly brought back to the infant joy I first felt, before I even became a musician. The band just had so much fun on the road and playing together, and it all just felt so spontaneous.

Sam had a lot to do with it. It turns out that he’s got loads of talent, but also was raised by rocknrollers. I’m a bit envious of kids who have musician parents because a lot of the stuff the rest of us have to learn - not just playing but vibes and etiquette too, a feeling of comfort in a musical space - can come naturally to someone who was raised around the stuff. Sam is a beautiful cat and he conducts himself with a naturalness we’d all do well to remember.

We get into his musical childhood and the elements of his career, how he’s pieced it together for himself and the general ongoing-ness of it all.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Sam’s dad’s band from the 80’s, Marino The Band:

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Now on with the show!

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Samuel Glazebrook.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Sam for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Samuel Glazebrook dot com and follow him on the gram @samuelglazebrook.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 75 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental record on bandcamp, and I hope you will. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Music is the most powerful method for advancing culture." Feb 10, 2021

074: Joey Chang

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, February 10th of 2021 music is not content, it’s connection.

Folks are listening to the album and writing in with your opinions, and I love it.

Kendra said “This is really wonderful. What a groovy new sound for you.. And CONGRATS on this! So much work to take it from concept to reality.”

Shon said “Look at you - tapping your inner Brian Eno. I think this is just the start of a new frontier of music exploration for you. Keep ‘em coming….”

And I will definitely keep em coming. I’m working on the second one right now, due out on March 1st. Thank you so much for listening and for sending and tweeting your feedback, it really helps keep me going.

Meanwhile, we’ve got a cool guest musician on the show today.

Joey Chang aka CelloJoe is an anomaly in the world of cellists. He plays the cello while beatboxing, looping, and singing. He creates fat beats with a cello and his mouth and he does it live! His lyrics weave together sustainability, environmental justice, and social awareness. By beatboxing, throatsinging, singing, plucking and bowing the cello, CelloJoe can mimic many styles of music from dubstep to folk to rock to classical to hip hop.

He has also ridden his bike over 10,000 miles, carrying the cello on tour in the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia. The man has grit as well as a creative spark.

We get into some good horror stories about destroying instruments for dumb reasons, the roundabout journey that someone would take to become the kind of musical polymath that makes Cello Joe such a compelling performer, and towards the end Joe even turns the tables for a bit and interviews me a little. This is a fun one.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Now on with the show!

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Cello Joe.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Joey Chang for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Cello Joe dot com and follow him on the gram, Twitch, YouTube and everywhere else @CelloJoe.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 74 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental record on bandcamp, and I hope you will! Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Stephen A. Thomas Feb 03, 2021

073: Stephen A. Thomas (aka Sejen Aios)

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, February 3 of 2021 music is not content. It’s connection.

I’m rockin the new theme music today, which you may recognize from the new record I just put out on Monday. True to my promise, but it was definitely down to the wire. I set the deadline to make a record in January and put it out no matter what on February first. And it happened!

Go check it out if you haven’t yet: it’s a bandcamp exclusive for now.

Today on the show we have a fascinating musician to hang with. Stephen A. Thomas (aka Sejen Aios) is a drummer and synthesist, bandleader and composer who lives here in Southern California but spent a long part of his upbringing in Mississippi. We get into a whole bunch of stuff around the touring life, a baby’s fascination with spinning turntables, record store culture, deep synthesis and the stupid misconceptions non-southerners tend to have about the South.

Synthesists tend to be gearheads and I often find their music to be overly complex or relying more on technical gizmos than emotional expression. This is not the case with Stephen. He’s got a real heart connection with the instruments he plays, and a critical eye and ear for their design. We have a great time here picking apart the intricacies of synths.

There’s lots more in here, so let’s jump right in.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Stephen.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Stephen A. Thomas.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Stephen for spending some very generous time with us. You can find some of his synthesis work in the meditation app Insight Timer and his drum work at Stephen Thomas dot LA.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 73 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my NEW instrumental record on bandcamp, and I hope you will! Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

New album out today! Feb 01, 2021

Good day to you all! I have a special announcement to share with you today.

TRIOS 01: lo-fi chamber electronica is available today.

This is my first release in six years. But if you read my newsletter and listen to the show you probably know that a lot of music has been brewing.

I’ve been through a lot of changes: personal, geographical, spiritual and sonic among others. And this new music is definitely a departure from my brand. I’m planting my flag here as an instrumental composer, in parallel to my songwriting and other production work.

You can click PLAY above to hear track one, or click here to go to the album page.

A bit about the sound: I’m taking the sound and feel of the cello from inside the fiber. People like to mystify “the cello” as this beautiful, resonant, soaring thing but I’m all about the guts of it. Finding the bonkers noises it wants to make when not spotlit on a concerto stage or brooding in the sad part of a film score. The cello is FUN to mess around with and I’d like to share some of that fun with you:

A bit about the approach: "Trio" in this instance means that there are three live passes: once with the rhythm bits (done directly from the computer using a fascinating program called TidalCycles), and then two live takes followed by minimal editing and a mix. Production standard is strictly wabi-sabi, meaning I emphasized flavor and personality over fidelity and perfection. There’s plenty of bounce and surprise in the music.

I’m along for the ride with you.

I have so many people to thank for helping me to believe in this music and actually get the thing done.

Many of you (in fact the entire Play It Like It’s Music community) are listed in the release notes. But no one has been so steadfast and supportive as Kerri Kelly, the beautiful force-of-nature with whom I get to share this life. She’s here through it all, even while she moves mountains through her own work. Thank you K, I love you.

OK that’s all for this announcement. Thank you so much for being here, please enjoy and share the album, I’ll be back on Wednesday with your regularly scheduled episode.

Big Love to you and your big ears,

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our musical guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I love: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"To connect with other people about things that matter" Jan 27, 2021

072: Aaron Gilmartin

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, January 27th of 2021 music is not content, it’s connection.

I’m doing it, I’ve printed the mixes and I’m in the mastering process for this crazy new instrumental album I’ve been talking about. It’ll go up on Bandcamp on February 1 and the chips can fall where they will! It’s an electronic, experimental record with some very lo-fi drum sounds and a lot of lo-fi cello playing. I have got to say that I’m in love with it and also very pleased to be getting some new sounds out in the world.

It’s not a song album, it’s not the cello suite. It’s some new stuff that might fit into the “ambient” category if you were to find it in the record bins. I’ll come up with a nice list of hashtags to help with SEO, meanwhile counting on you to check it out and let me know how you like it. I’m nervous! But I’m going through with it. Can’t wait.

When you commit to the music life, without picking a lane early on and never ever deviating or getting interested in anything else, you may experience occasional periods of journeyman syndrome. Side effects might include lonely nights and long voyages into the unknown, as well as episodes of feeling lost but can also be accompanied by epiphany, euphoria, extreme dumb luck and transformational catharsis. You may also find friends for life.

Aaron Gilmartin is one of mine. He is an award-winning film composer, a songwriter born and raised in DC in a musical family on a diet of American song, blues and poetry.

We’ve seen each other through some incredible times, both high and low. And one thread which forever maintains is the inexhaustible grit and curiosity that it takes to stay in this life as a working musician.

Aaron started out on recorder, played clarinet and found his musical passion in the string family playing banjo at the age of 10 and then at the age of 12 migrated to the guitar.

He’s opened for Dave Mason (from Traffic) and has shared the stage with Winston Watson (Dylan), Adam Levy (Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman), Jacob Valenzuela (Calexico) and Phoenix Rivera (Lincoln Center Jazz).

In NYC he played in every kind of group from songwriters to latin, country, folk and indie bands. He played flamenco for Ballet Hispanico and dancers in the NY flamenco scene. Aaron created video courses teaching flamenco and bossa nova guitar, and has worked prolifically on the road as a touring musician. He’s been living in LA for many years now where he composes, writes songs, plays guitar and also writes for Film Independent.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Aaron.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Aaron Gilmartin

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to the amazing Aaron Gilmartin for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Aaron Gilmartin dot com and follow him on IG @aaronsings.

And you know what? Go buy his music on Bandcamp!

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 72 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"My spirit always has to make music" Jan 20, 2021

071: Pyeng Threadgill

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, January 20th of 2021 music is not content.

It’s connection.

Big day today. I won’t bore you with my take. Plenty of hot takes out there, for what’s going on. You know?

Seriously, the more confusing things get around here, the deeper I’m getting into music. It was probably dumb of me to tell you all that I’m putting out a recording on February 1st. I am having so much fun recording stuff, and I have no idea how I’m gonna get it through to the finish line. But if I’ve learned anything at all from the 6 years I just spent not putting out records, it’s that without a deadline I pretty much don’t exist in public.

This stuff is new, it’s messy, it’s totally of-this-moment and not barking up any stylistic tree in particular. I’ve just been in musical development-mode for too long, and through too many major life changes that a bunch of sounds just have to come out. I’ll insist on a modicum of coherence, but there’s a strong emotional undercurrent to it all which I hope transcends the complexity of the music.

Today we get blessed with a visit from an incredible artist, singer, writer, bandleader and teacher. I’ve been a fan for longer than I can remember, and the generosity of her sound and her imagination and spirit is thrilling to witness.

Pyeng Threadgill has been described as “charmingly eclectic" by St Louis Today. Singing ‘New Porch Music’ she crafts an intimate journey through folk and jazz with Afro-electronic inflections. In her fourth solo album and multimedia project entitled "Head Full of Hair, Heart Full of Song", she shines a light on hair, adornment, ancestry and the political well as spiritual implications of race, hair and identity.

Pyeng’s music hits in a place that’s hard to pin down. She comes from a family of artists, grew up surrounded by the legendary downtown scene in New York, but she’s also put in an epic amount of miles - went to Oberlin, studied audio engineering, worked in the office at dance labels… she knew all about the business before she ever set out to make her own records. And it shows, she’s a consummate professional who knows exactly how to run a show, down to the details

She’s the kind of artist who doesn’t just put out mere entertainment, she can deliver a compelling story, weave together multiple threads of meaning and also deliver the party. We get into a fascinating chat about how she landed on the album concept, as well as how she goes about developing a project to stand the test of time.

It’s a good one.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Pyeng.

It’s an honor to have her on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Pyeng Threadgill

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks so much for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to the amazing Pyeng Threadgill for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her at PyengNyc dot com and follow her on IG @pyengthreadgill.

And you know what? Go buy her music on Bandcamp!

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 71 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* DID YOU KNOW you can take lessons with me online!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's part of my DNA" Jan 13, 2021

Episode 070: Teddy Kumpel

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, January 13 of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

I said it last week and I’ll say it again: I’m going to put up an instrumental album on February 1st. It’s going well: I’m scared shitless and frustrated and sad a lot of the time but I guess those are signals that some vital work is taking place. I’m in it. We’ll see.

Non-musicians look at us and think we must have such a charmed existence. So many times I hear folks say things along the lines of “ah you’re a musician, that must be so amazing and so nice and sweet and liberating” yadda yadda etcetera. Like we get to live without fear or any normal kind of life challenges. Or maybe that making music is a balm that somehow makes the loneliness just go away.

Well let me tell you something: It’s great to be a musician and it’s an absolutely amazing process to make music. But it comes with great vulnerability. The volume of sheer fear and hopelessness that can sneak up on you at any moment will send you into spirals beyond imagining. The constant degradation of the value of our work in the marketplace will test our dignity in ways that make you want to set things on fire.

For me, every day is a miracle.

I look at how some people do it - which is dangerous because no two people can ever do it the same. But it’s easy to survey the landscape and conclude either that an easy life is just beyond reach, or that it’s hopeless to pursue it in the first place without first posessing untold truckloads of talent and charisma. In fact, neither are true.

Music is the stuff of life, and if it is in fact your lot to live in contact with it in any way… as a maker or listener or dancer or feeler or producer or (god help you) artist’s representative, it’s always appropriate to throw open your arms to the sky and give thanks for this doorway into the infinite.

It’s your choice and your chance to receive it. We open ourselves as it opens us. Which can sometimes feel unbearable, but stay in the game. Stay in it.

I’m not going to say anything about the assault on the Capitol. Those shows are all out there, this is not one of them. I’m a bit miffed that last week’s episode (with Mai Bloomfield) got totally upstaged by the world cracking open, but creativity lives in the cracks, and we have cracks in abundance right now. All kinds of cracks.

So crack open a cold one and settle in to enjoy some time with one of the greats. I’m a huge fan of the guy we’re talking to today, and maybe you are too. Or are about to be. Guy does things with a guitar that might be illegal in some states.

Teddy Kumpel was born and raised in Port Jefferson, NY on Long Island, into a musical family. Teddy’s mom was a classical pianist and church organist. His father was a mathematics professor who enjoyed singing, playing piano and ukulele with The Great American Songbook. His family was always playing music together, which inspired Teddy to write his first song at 4 years old. At around the same time, he began playing baritone ukulele as well as playing any instrument his parents had lying around the house…violin, flute, piano, organ and guitar.

After Teddy attended the University of Miami, Teddy spent some time on the road with Rare Silk and in New York City (between tours)to study with guitar legends Steve Khan, Dean Brown and Mick Goodrick.

He’s spent a lot of time in the trenches, toughing it out with the rest of the NY musicians doing whatever he could to get by.

Teddy’s always had a passion for making his own music, and he’s also worked on developing artists with major labels starting in the 90’s and continuing to this day.

In 2008 Teddy was creating a funk band with two guitar players, but couldn’t find another guitar player who was happy just playing rhythm guitar. Around this time, the first multi-track looping pedal came out and Teddy spent a couple of years figuring out how to loop with a live trio. This created, LOOPestra which played over 300 gigs at a Monday midnight residence at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC between 2011 and 2018. Those Monday LOOPestra live performances became a NYC institution and community building experience. Full disclosure: I’ve seen a few dozen of those (at least) and I also played on two of them.

And oh yeah, Teddy also toured with Joe Jackson between 2015 – 2019.

Guy’s got stories for days, we get into a lot of that lineage and plenty else. Good laughs too.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Teddy.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Teddy Kumpel

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to maestro Teddy Kumpel for spending some very generous time with us. You can find Teddy at Teddy Kumpel dot com and follow him on IG @teddykumpel.

And you know what? Go buy his music on Bandcamp!

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 70 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It connects me to everything beyond the human experience" Jan 06, 2021

069: Mai Bloomfield

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening. I’m glad to be back with you on a new morning, whatever the day brings!

On Wednesday, January 6th of 2021 music is not content. More than ever, It’s connection.

OK. NEWSFLASH.

I’m going to put up an instrumental album on February 1st.

I’ve started it, and I’m working on it this month. I promise that it will be good, I’m excited about the toolkit I’ve assembled here and it’s time to stop dicking around.

I’m saying it to you in public because otherwise I know I’ll find a million excuses to postpone or just forget about it. I’ll be making many demos and putting them up on my soundcloud page if you’re interested in checking out the process. Keep in mind these are not songs - the song album will take longer than this one will, and is also very much in the works.

Wish me luck!

(Thanks!)

So welcome back to the show here. I took a couple of weeks off at the end of the year and it was so welcome, to just decompress and put that whole 2020 in the rearview. When I put Ann Courtney’s episode up at the top of the year I decided I was serious about doing this. I had been back and forth a bit on the podcast before that but I decided I was not gonna care about the numbers, just focus on making quality connections with quality people. And some cool things happened.

I started booking a bunch of production work right off the bat in January, and then it all went away with Covid. But it was definitely a sign - while the world was still ticking - that putting your voice and your self out into the world is totally worth it, it’s the way to ensure your energy takes form. Who it reaches and how are not up to you.

Now let me tell you something:

The “artist-career/star” model of the music biz is very much a joke at this point. I got started in music because music was boiling in my body, and it still is. Living the dream ain’t bad, but you can make your living any way you want.

Now don’t get me wrong: I work in music, that’s a fact. Still, it’s worth taking a moment to specify for yourself exactly which quote-unquote “dream” you’re signing up to live. Because for your life, it should be your own dream and not someone else’s.

That image of the star musician killing in on stage in front of thousands of people is one way it can manifest for you, but “dreams” like that are similar in scope to somebody else’s “dream” of reaching the top of mount Everest. It is doable? YES! It is worth doing? Probably? Will you learn a lot? Yes. Will people be psyched for you if you do it? Most definitely!

But do you want to live there your whole life? The air can get thin.

We have to be real about what a musical life really is. I’m not here to tell you that it is a certain way either, just to remind you that music will empower and enrich your life in ways nothing else can touch. And that this wealth also brings with it an opportunity to choose exactly how you’re gonna spend it. Choose how to direct your energy. Choose what you’re going to believe while you do this work.

For myself, I believe the following: that Life is beautiful. Family is a choice. Our relationships are the circuitry of society. We must make the most of the time we have. Humanity does not know our destiny. Beauty is progress, not perfection. Strength is a lifetime quest. There is an artist within each of us. And we belong to this place and this time, so let’s get on with the show.

Welcome to next year. We’re in it. And I’ve got a great guest on the show today to send us off.

Mai Bloomfield is a singer-songwriter-cellist-guitarist from California. As a solo artist, she has received songwriting awards from the Kerrville, Telluride and Rocky Mountain Folks Festivals.

She brings the hits: As a collaborator, she’s worked with various artists including Jason Mraz, Adam Cohen, Sara Bareilles and Willy Porter. She had the honor of playing on Leonard Cohen’s album “You Want It Darker.” Along with her bandmates of 15 years in Raining Jane she co-wrote Jason Mraz’s chart-topping album “Yes!” (2014) as well as his 2018 hit single “Have It All.” She’s toured the world with Mraz in venues ranging from coffee shops to the Royal Albert Hall.

Mai also has a drive for civic engagement: In 2010 she helped start the Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls Los Angeles, a non-profit dedicated to empowering girls through music, where she teaches songwriting and serves as Art Director year-round.

Her songs often speak of the pursuit of finding the light inside the dark – a theme that was magnified in her own life when she became a breast cancer survivor. She is currently working on a book about that experience and the insights that came through it, and hopes her story will inspire and encourage others on their creative paths.

I met Mai in a classic road encounter between cellists: I was on tour and had just found my own cello to have been destroyed by baggage handlers. Gigs were ongoing and needed to call in a favor QUICK to complete my obligations for the tour.

Luckily our mutual friend Emily Hope Price (from Episode 1) decided we should know each other. Mai lent me her cello sight unseen for the show in LA and we’ve been connected ever since. I’ve never met such a kind, abundantly talented and generous musician on the road as Mai Bloomfield, and it’s a privilege to present our conversation to you now.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Mai. (Here’s a track called Running Out Of Time)

It’s an honor to have her on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Mai Bloomfield.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Mai Bloomfield for spending some very generous time with us. You can find Mai at Mai Bloomfield dot com and follow her on Facebook and IG @maibloomfield.

Here’s a link to her latest release, “Three Little Words”.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 69 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience in 2021, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Try not to have any shame about what you do" Dec 16, 2020

068: Yousef Bassirpour

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, December 16th of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

Yousef Bassirpour is working under the name Big Blind, and the music is heavy, spacious and beautiful. He’s a fixture on the Atwater scene here in LA.

Big Blind is an Industrial / Post-Rock project that draws influence from traditional Middle Eastern music. The lyrics are mostly English and occasionally Farsi.

I listen to this guy and I’m hearing a clear voice, sonorous arrangements, deep feeling and melodies that bring me to a variety of different places.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Yousef.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Yousef of Big Blind.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Yousef Bassirpour for spending some very generous time with us. You can find the Bid Blind album on Spotify and follow him on IG @big_blind_.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 68 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"To sing is to pray" Dec 09, 2020

067: George Crotty

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, December 9th of 2020 Music is not content, it’s connection.

I’m glad to be talking with you today, over this amazing little pop-up radio thingy we call podcasting. There are a million shows, so thanks for tuning into this one. It’s about music. Could you tell?

Folks have no idea what music is, least of all the people who make it and listen to it. We care about it, but no two people will define Music in the same way. It’s just this thing that we either can’t turn away from for love or money, or the thing we have to get away from at any cost. Depends on the moment of course, and the band.

I’m pleased to announce that I got a big chunk of work done on my studio, so stay tuned for some videos and some streaming coming up very soon. Keep an eye out there.

On the topic of personal media development, someone who’s given me quite a bit of guidance over the years is a previous guest on the show, Todd Reynolds (@digifiddler). He’s a dear friend who happens to be one of the biggest gearheads on earth (at least as far as string players go). He’s been helping a lot of people get their stuff in gear for recording, improvising with electronics, video streaming. I’m gonna plug his online workshop this weekend, it’s totally free and just the ticket if you’re curious about getting your rig tight.

If that’s you, click the link!

[Photo by Shjaane Glover]

Canadian cellist George Crotty follows the path of many diverse cello forebears, filtering an inquisitive eclecticism through a vibrant sonic imagination. His approach introduces nimble fiddle-derived chording and ornamentation, agile one-finger gestures from Indian classical music, electric guitar-esque manoeuvres, and good old standup jazz bass. He sounds pretty damn decent if you ask me.

He leads a trio as a vehicle for his unique vocabulary on the cello and his compositional sensibility. Their music has a dynamism and conversational interplay that makes you listen.

[Photo by Shjaane Glover]

George and I go back a bit, I’ve checked out his bands live and had some good hangs at certain music festivals. He’s got a lot to say about the world he’s navigating as a young graduate of the Berklee School of Music, working on the road and then off of it too, because covid…

He’s got a new single being released this week on his Bandcamp page, check out Prayer Dance as our segue music. It’s a Brooklyn Raga Massive commission.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s George Crotty.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with George Crotty.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to George Crotty for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at George Crotty dot com. Go buy his music at Bandcamp and follow him on IG @georgeqrious.

(Mentioned in this episode: “Don't play the butter notes!”)

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 67 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's irresistible to me, I wouldn't want it any other way" Dec 02, 2020

066: Nathan Gillis

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, December 2 of 2020 Music is not content! It’s connection.

I skipped a week last week. Did you notice? We were too busy cooking food over here (that we’re still eating since it was a tiny gathering).

I’m gonna make this quick today. I’ve got some work going down over here, and I’m also getting ready for an interesting gig I’ve got online tomorrow so there’s not much to say except I’ve got some walls to paint and am looking forward to getting that done.

We will soon be streaming some video, and I hope to eventually get it to look halfway decent. I’m pretty happy with the sound lately.

I was recently on a songwriter zoom call where Angela Parrish (from Ep. 37) convened some of her favorite writers. This guy Nathan Gillis blew us all away, just dropped timeless gem after timeless gem - he reminds a lot of people of Prine and for good reason.

I just couldn’t get him out of my head - the level of craft that this guy brings in Colorado Springs is a marvel. I had to reach out for an interview.

He was kind enough to share some rough demos of a couple songs, there’s no album polish but the muse is there in full effect. I’m just gonna duck out here and let him tell us a little something about what music means to him. This man is a true inspiration.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Without further ado, here’s Nathan Gillis.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Nathan Gillis.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Nathan Gillis for spending some very generous time with us. You can find his band on Facebook, other than that there’s no web presence to speak of. Which fits!

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 66 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

Do you like this stuff? Please help it grow by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's all for something" Nov 18, 2020

065: AJ Nocito

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, November 18th of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

It's just as hard to find musical partners as it is to find romantic partners. Some people can make it look easy, but finding someone to share the real burdens, who really understands the world the way you do and is brave enough to commit to a project - that part is never easy.

[photo by @shvwnfvckingcooper]

AJ Nocito is a man on a mission,

and his energy will infect any room he walks into. I've seen him in quite a few contexts: percussionist at The Get Down, road manager on a tour we were both on and also front man of the hardcore metal band Christopher Walkin On Sunshine. Strap in, this dude is a live wire. A thrilling man to have in your life.

Today we're going to hear the tale of a band in the making and in the breaking: sleeping on the floor with all the gear and just willing the music into being.

The story will take some turns because life does: there are a couple of different bands that weave in and out, as well as a heartbreaking tragedy that will stop you in your tracks. AJ has survived a major musician's nightmare, and he's here to tell us about it. There is redemption within.

Ok, so

Not a lot of metalheads listen to my show and I get it,

but sound is sound and spirit is spirit. The various facets of the metal and punk scenes which I've visited are some of the most inspiring and committed anywhere, and I confess to some envy alongside my admiration from the 'conservatory' perch I was brought up in. The energy is unmatched. I'm proud to have the few friends I do in there, and AJ is a brother of mine for life.

"I'm gonna start hearing things that my hands can't do."

[photo by @linkreturns]

[photo by Sasha Bianca]

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with AJ Nocito.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to AJ for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him and follow him on IG and chase him around. Also: buy their demo on bandcamp.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 65 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out there.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's always a peak life experience" Nov 11, 2020

064: Kent Klineman

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, November the 11th of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection.

I don’t know about you but I’m really struggling to hold it together mentally this week. After all the goings on and the buildup and whatnot, nerves are fried and it appears the Big Conversation is just going to keep getting more and more perverse for all parties involved.

Not like it’s that unusual, things are perpetually unchained if you look in the right places. But let me tell you, I did something yesterday that gave me an unusual amount of energy and inspiration: I brought my stuff over to a guy’s house and we played some music together.

In the same room.

Woah let me tell you.

Bananas, right? I brought out the cello and the bass and plugged it all in. He had an array of drum machines and synths all wired up and we just went from scratch. YO! We didn’t stop for like an hour and a half. It was weird, just showing up to play. Like for fun. But that’s what it was: FUN.

Who knows when this pandemic is ever gonna ease off - people are still catching it and those numbers aren’t going down like you might wish. But for us musicians it’s a total killer. We totally had our masks on and sat real far apart like sane people will, but it felt pretty rebellious just to be doing it at all. Which is a problem.

Music is the thing we’re supposed to be able to do to heal ourselves, to get connected, to feel whole and all the rest of it. Folks haven’t really been able to play properly for over six months now and man does that lack take a toll.

I remember going for little dryspells in between gigs, then playing and having my body just remember and exhale and want to go back and do it all over again. There’s some somatic signal that makes everything ok for a little while, like a feeling of “this is what you’re here to do”. Know what I mean?

Here’s hoping we can all get back to doing what we’re here to do, sooner rather than later.

Today on the show we have Kent Klineman of Blind Pony, a great character actor who you might have seen in TV shows like “The Practice” or “Better Things”. He also acted with Brian Dennehy in “Death Of A Salesman”. Guy’s a veteran, and he happens to also be a musician and songwriter.

I was happy to catch up with him for an engaging chat about his upbringing and approach and attitude to all things music and art. He’s a fantastic dude and it was an honor to have him on the show this week.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Kent Klineman.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Kent Klineman for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him on Spotify, Youtube, IMDB and on Wikipedia.

The book Kent mentioned is called "Start Your Own Band" by Marty Jourard, keyboard player for The Motels.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 64 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out there.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I love creating something that wasn't there" Nov 04, 2020

063: Mike Block

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, November 4th of 2020, MORE THAN EVER Music is not content, it’s connection.

I’m recording this on Tuesday afternoon, so the voice you’re listening to right now is still on the previous side of whatever corner has been turned by the time you’re hearing this.

So you know something I don’t. Or maybe you don’t. But at least things are moving somewhere.

Today we have the one and only Mike Block on the show. He’s a good friend, a world renowned cellist and teacher and also a songwriter and bandleader who puts out an astonishing amount of records. His work ethic just won't quit.

He's also Yo Yo Ma's go-to arranger, a role which has developed in the wake of his long association with the Silk Road ensemble. We get into that.

He’s got a new album out this month called The Edge Of The Atmosphere and you can find links to it (and all of his music) in the shownotes [below].

Yes that’s right, we are doing a two week run of great cellists with great new albums. Last week’s interview with Nesrine was a real joy, and this one with Mike is another - if you’re into cellists.

He’s truly industrious: In 2010 he founded the Mike Block String Camp. Mike is also the founding Director of Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop (GMW), designed to foster a community of globally minded musicians. He teaches hundreds of cello students online through his Multi-Style Cello School at ArtistWorks.com, he’s an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music, and in 2018 also joined the faculty of New England Conservatory through the Contemporary Improvisation program.

BUT that’s not all. As an innovator, Mike is among the first wave of cellists to adopt a strap in order to stand and move while playing. He patented an original design, The Block Strap, and then became the first standing cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall. The NY Times characterized the performance as, "Breathless ... Half dance, half dare."

So yeah, he’s a complete badass. But also a humble and generous dude with a great heart. Let’s hang out with Mike.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Mike Block.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Mike Block for spending some very generous time with us. You can find his work at Mike Block Music dot com and also on IG @blockcello.

His new album “The Edge of the Atmosphere” is out now, give it a listen on all the streamers and on bandcamp.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 63 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out there.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly on Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The best way to express myself, and to understand the world" Oct 28, 2020

062: Nesrine Belmokh

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, October 28th of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

I voted this past weekend. Have you? Are you planning to? Good idea to get it done early when you can. Especially with how charged everything is now. Because who knows what kind of drama is gonna get thrown at us next week.

Today on the show we’re talking with someone all the way over in Barcelona, Spain. I was captivated by today’s musician the moment I first came across one of her performances on YouTube.

As you know, I keep an eye out for singing cellists. But that can be a pretty mixed bag and a lot of second-rate stuff gets put out in the name of novelty. But French-Algerian Nesrine Belmokh (whose stage act goes by just her first name) is bringing it on a lot of levels: she kills it with the cello in all the traditional ways, but she adds to that with a great vocal delivery, bandleading and songwriting chops which are nothing to sniff at by themselves.

It all comes together in a mesmerizing show.

Nesrine’s musical world is without borders; the combination of cello with her powerful voice and the interaction of her North African roots with her European present are irresistible. There is an economy of expression here, and the poise and culture of clas- sical music are juxtaposed with rhythms coming from both pop and jazz – it is a fascinating and constantly shifting blend.

Her brand new self-titled album comes out this Friday, so follow the links here in the show notes and grab a full listen. In the meantime, here’s a bit of music and conversation with the amazing Nesrine.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

It’s an honor to have her on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Nesrine.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Nesrine for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her work at Nesrine Music dot com and also on IG @nesrinemusic.

Her new album comes out on Friday, but in the meantime here’s a link to the single.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 62 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly onSpotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I love to blame it on inspiration" Oct 21, 2020

061: Ed Marshall

Good Morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, October 21st of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

Today’s conversation is a wild ride, I’d say it’s fitting for the times we’re in too.

Is there life after a dedicated music career? What happens if you decide to quit? I’m not talking about retreating to being a hobbyist - what happens when you actually choose to stop doing it?

It’s not that much fun to think about, and you and I all know there are as many answers to that as there are people. But life has its twists and turns, and we don’t get to hold on to everything.

In today’s case, however, there’s an interesting twist.

[Last Days of CBGB's - photo by Ed Marshall]

I’ve always been fascinated by house music. How’s about you?

Photographer Ed Marshall made some house tracks in the 90’s, then life happened and he took off and forgot about it… and as they like to say, you won’t believe what happened next!

One day in 2017 a couple of DJs tracked him down, and it turns out that copies of his old vinyl pressings were a much sought-after item in Ibiza and around the house scene.

Like worldwide, man.

Folks were throwing down $500 for a copy on eBay. I s**t you not. And Ed didn’t believe it either.

[The Noisettes, The Fillmore, NYC - photo by Ed Marshall]

Soon enough, Ari Goldman of World Building Records reached out to him about the re-release, and it came back out properly in 2018. We get to hear the origin story of that work, but because Ed and I are friends we get deep into some other crazy important stuff about family, community, spirituality and commitment.

Nowadays Ed is a pretty well-known and celebrated photographer. But as you’ll hear, it all comes from, and eventually arrives back at music.

Like life.

[DirtBombs, Fort Greene, Brooklyn - photo by Ed Marshall]

Folks who know Ed understand that he’s bringing a lot of layers of awareness and wisdom to every interaction. Just checking out his photography will reveal that he has an incredibly perceptive eye. He doesn’t always hold forth about what’s in his mind though, so this is a real privilege to get him on the show here today. Talking with him is always an eye-opener and this conversation was a great example of that.

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

It’s an honor to have the man on the show.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Ed Marshall.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Ed Marshall for spending some very generous time with us. You can find his work at Ed Marshall Photography NYC dot com and also on IG @edmarshallphotographynyc. Additionally he has a beautiful book of photographs you can get on Amazon.

[Game Rebellion (NY), Last Days of CBGB's - photo by Ed Marshall]

Downloads of the now-classic “Dreamscape: Welcome to our New Age House” are available for purchase at bandcamp and you can get the fresh vinyl at EarCave dot com, for a reasonable price.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 61 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly onSpotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Experience is important, listening is important" Oct 14, 2020

060: Jenna Moynihan

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, October 14th of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

Day in, day out we have to reckon with our surroundings and with the moment we’re in.

Losing Eddie Van Halen, listening in on a friend’s pre-pre-release party for her debut EP, wondering when (not if) my neighborhood is gonna burn down and all the while just loving all the new music I’m hearing all around me… everything is a reminder that the passing moments of our life are precious and definitely worth spending on something that lights you up.

Today we have a musician on the show who will do just that:

Quick ask: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Too often artists view tradition as a towering monolith to be either conquered or cowed by, but young Scottish fiddler and experimentalist Jenna Moynihan knows that tradition is meant to be a starting point for great inspiration, not a wall.

She just released a new EP called Five Songs, which you can get right now on bandcamp and all the streaming platforms.

She’s got a melodic touch that just slays me. And I’m a tough sell for the violin (as I mentioned to her). It was a real treat to speak with Jenna. She's remarkably subtle at drawing out the melody of a tune, and at recognizing how each tune fits best into the groove of her fiddle.

Jenna’s well on her way to becoming one of the best traditional fiddlers of her generation, teaching now at multiple fiddle camps across the US and touring internationally. She performs in a duo with Scottish harpist, Mairi Chaimbeul and has performed with The Milk Carton Kids, Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards Darol Anger & The Furies and as a soloist at Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops.

It’s an honor to have her on the show.

Press PLAY above to ear my conversation with Jenna Moynihan.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Jenna Moynihan for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her music at Jenna Moynihan dot com. Her new EP is available for purchase now and you can also follow her on IG @jennamoynihan.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 60 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out here.

But as Eddie always said, you gotta keep playing:

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (updated regularly onSpotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's in me naturally. When I talk, I'm talking Music" Oct 07, 2020

059: Shareef Clayton

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, October 7th of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

Last weekend I got to spend a day at the beach chopping it up with a good friend.

We’ve been friends since our 20’s, which is cool. Because on some level we get to be the same people we were back then. But we also get to share some of the ways we’ve both grown since our 20’s and consequently feel so much smarter than we used to. It was a trip, and it was also a beautiful day.

We laughed about how we’ve both been reading some very heavy stuff lately, stuff we’d probably not have even thought to check out before. I told my friend how I’ve been reading a bunch of economic theory, and my friend told be how they’ve been reading some 13th and 14th Century history.

It seems to be a common coping device for a lot of us: when you’re feeling powerless in the face of what’s going on in the world around you, knowledge is a form of power that remains more accessible than ever. So in between bouts of “taking action” we can seize a thick book and try to widen our lens.

Away from constantly feeling the acuteness of our current array of crises.

Cop a bit of perspective.

So yeah, I’ve been reading up on some economic theory. Not because I hope to deeply understand it, but because I’m fascinated by the quest to understand things, and by how something you think you know for a fact can be seen in an entirely different light by someone just as smart as you or perhaps smarter.

Finding out why can sometimes turn your world upside down in a good way.

I’m lucky because I get to have this experience a lot. Very smart people like to tell me things, and I like to listen. I’m also super slow to understand things, including music.

Folks laugh at how long it took me to start loving grunge, punk, hiphop, bluegrass etc. Before we learn to embrace sounds that come from beyond our own level of comprehension, it can feel like we’re drowning in information that doesn’t compute.

For some of us, Music is not a sport. It’s a quest. We’re on it for our whole lives, and it keeps bringing us to new places. But in the meantime:

Play me a melody that’s gonna open my heart.

Hit me with a beat and a bass line that’ll move my ass.

Everyone hears at their own speed.

Our guest today is a supersonic musician.

(Cat also likes to read.)

Shareef Clayton is a jazz trumpeter, a native of Miami, FL and one of the most exciting and creative musicians I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. The sound and feel of his music is intense, with a repertoire that includes jazz, r&b, AfroCuban, funk and soul.

He’s appeared with Macy Gray, Melody Gardot, Bobby Sanabria, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Stevie Wonder, The Roots, Michael Mcdonald, Ruben Blades, and many more.

Once you see what this guy can do, you can never un-see it. He brings an incredible polish and showmanship to his performances, but the sophistication and personality underneath it all makes for a really satisfying trip. I’m glad to know the man, and to know about him. You will be as well.

We get some of the story, but also go deep on the quest and some of the questioning that goes on when you reach new heights while also facing the same struggles year after year.

The music life - no matter who you’re looking at - is full of curveballs. But Shareef is another example of a player who knows how to keep developing your talent while learning the mechanics of life and always moving forward.

It’s an honor to have him on the show.

Press PLAY above to ear my conversation with Shareef Clayton.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Shareef Clayton for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him and his music at Shareef Clayton dot com.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 59 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It sings the songs of our life" Sep 30, 2020

058: Tamara Fuller

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, September 30th of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

We’ve heard plenty about how musicians are handling the pandemic time away from being able to play in clubs and otherwise make their living playing gigs. But what about the venue owners who also make their living putting on said gigs?

How do you keep the lights on when everyone’s afraid to come out? It’s easy to forget the rest of the supply chain, but today we’re going to branch out and speak with a great proprietor and hear how she got her place up and running, why she does it and how things are working out through the craziness. It’s a great chat and I can’t wait for you to hear it.

This journey we go on, there are so many different paths. We don’t just make different choices along the way: different paths are open to different people in different ways at different times. There are different scenes to be a part of. You can be jealous of the boomers who went to woodstock, wonder what might have happened if you’d stuck with those piano lessons or wish you were around to go to Low End Theory in the early days of the LA beat scene, but the reality is that every single moment of your life represents an opportunity to clarify and deepen your relationship to music and the people around you.

I like to stay home and make stuff, but what motivates me to do that is the knowledge that I’m working toward opening up the door. Bringing it out to show people when it’s ready. Otherwise what am I doing?

Likewise, we go out to hear each other just to witness each other. Listen to the environment, connect, maybe play together.

These are all things we could take for granted before the ‘rona, our ability to do them only depended on our energy level, location, commitment to the scene, what have you.

There are always different reasons we’ll find ourselves out looking for that connection.

But all bets seem to be off these days. So in order to make it work, we fall back on those circuits within the musical mind which fire on the problems at hand in surprising ways.

It’s one of the best things about music: it helps your brain connect to its surroundings and find a way through. You’ll know when you’re home, how your apart, where to travel, why to get back, what to do about stuff.

If music is the lens through which we comprehend the world, we forge onward.

I knew Tamara Fuller on the scene in New York, but it was just before we both left town. Later I found out she’d opened up The Velvet Note in - of all places - Alpharetta, Georgia. And before I knew it, I was traveling through the area in style, knowing there was a great place to play where the musicians got treated fairly and the folks get it.

She’ll tell us all about the how and why, coming right up. But first let’s mention just how great it is to have people like Tamara on the scene, keeping the fire burning for when the fog clears and we can all meet on the bandstand once again.

Let’s get into it:

Press PLAY above to ear my conversation with Tamara Fuller.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Since she’s not a working musician, I asked Tamara to provide a track with which I could bookend the interview. She gave us Kate McGarry’s version of the Miles Davis classic, “Blue In Green”. When I asked her why, she gave me the story behind her choice. She goes:

“Well, when I started The Velvet Note, I made an aspirational list of the artists I would most like to book, and the songs I would want them to perform. They had to be artists who were so compelling that they could captivate a small room with no bells, no fireworks. Kate was on my list. I called her directly, out of the blue. I told her I was starting a jazz club. At this time, we had nothing...not even a location or a signed lease. She didn’t laugh at me. She didn’t act like I was crazy. She was kind and supportive and thoughtful. 9 years later, she has performed five or six times at The Velvet Note, including a joint performance with the great Tierney Sutton, during which they dedicated a song to me, “Blue In Green”.

So thanks to Kate for that, I’ll try to get her here on an episode of her own as soon as I can.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Tamara Fuller for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her wearing the hats at The Velvet Note dot com, and if you’re too far away to visit in person, the club always posts complete live sets on their YouTube channel.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 58 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Vibe out, here are 200 songs I like: (Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons with me online!

* Hire me to produce your podcast.

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* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I can always be learning" Sep 23, 2020

057: Emily Rice

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, the 23rd of September of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

Hell of week we’re having, right? Let’s make it better.

Emily Rice is a British born composer for film and TV, who started her musical life as a cellist playing in orchestras and rock bands. She has recorded and conducted her work at Warner Brothers, Capitol Records and The Wiltern – with members of the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra.

She is stacking up credits, busy as hell and I’m very grateful that she made the time to speak with us. I became a fan when I saw the popular online film Mr. Malcolm’s List and I’ve been spotting her all over the place ever since. She recently scored the Netflix series The I-Land as well as the documentaries 100 Years From Home, Self-Taught and For The Love Of Rutland, as well as narrative feature Miss Juneteenth which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. (You should all watch that one on Amazon, it’s great.)

Recognized as an emerging talent early on in her career, Emily was the first composer to be awarded a scholarship from BAFTA Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of York, a graduate certificate in film scoring from USC, and is also an alumna of the prestigious Sundance Institute Film Music & Sound Design Lab. She spent some time early on assisting several elite film composers including Brian Tyler, James Newton Howard and Laura Karpman, and was a writing assistant to Junkie XL.

She has contributed music to Hollywood blockbusters such as Tomb Raider and Alita: Battle Angel and done orchestrations for The Mummy, Altered Carbon and Star Trek: Discovery.

So yeah, big time! I’m psyched to bring her on the show, we’re going to hear some of her story and of course we got off on the good foot talking about what else.. the cello. That thing has its own language. It’s an honor to have her here, so without further ado, meet Emily Rice.

Press PLAY above to ear my conversation with Emily Rice

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Emily Rice for spending some very generous time with us. You can find Emily at Emily Rice Music dot com, follow her on IG and Twitter @emrice music and definitely keep an eye out for new projects as they happen.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 57 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I don't think I've ever not been able to make music" Sep 16, 2020

056: Aaron Whitby

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, September 16th of 2020 Music is not content, it’s connection.

Today we are blessed to have Aaron Whitby with us.

But first here’s a random thought: Music used to be important.

And it was a haven for the self important. It still sort of is, but musicians no longer make the same level of impact economically or culturally.

It’s not quite running on fumes, but nowadays most of us would be happy for musicmaking to be merely sustainable. Some might even say that being sustainable is better than being important. But guess what? Back in that golden age when music was quote “really important”, it was not sustainable then either.

What I mean is that we take our literal life in our hands when we choose to set about making music. It’s a risk, man.

We’re actually getting closer to sustainability now, you could say it’s a beautiful time (aside from it being the apocalypse). Most of the time music works out ok if you work hard enough, make decent choices and keep your priorities more or less in line. But it’s not a magic ticket to some rarefied kind of existence where you get to hold yourself above other people.

I mean, in America you can run your business however you see fit, but there are two sides to this coin: you find the fan who worships at the altar of the musician they love, and the musician who sometimes seems like they might just be seeking to be worshiped above all else - whose ego may be running the show.

I won’t name any of them, but you know the trope. You probably also know that it’s not that simple.

Not all musicians are provocateurs, serial abusers, pedophiles, womanizers, drug smugglers, tax cheaters or general get-somethin-for-nuthin types. Nor are we all deadbeats, addicts, vagrants and underearners.

Most of the time we start out just wanting to play. Not knowing where the train is actually going, we chose to follow the energy and inspiration to wherever it may lead.

But when an artist gets a little traction and starts working with investors (and that’ll be most of the artists you’ve heard of, barring almost none), oftentimes the investor will only stay happy if the artist continually generates energy around themselves, in order to generate attention for the music and get the numbers up so that the investor can profit. It’s not just a label or what have you, but it’s all the members of the artist’s team whose livelihood (and future) depends on those same numbers.

It becomes a self-perpetuating cycle: artist “just wants to make music”, gets some help in the form of a band, production team, label etcetera. Then the pressure starts to multiply. Every person added to the team is a new set of mouths to feed and before you know it, the artist has to become a factory of attention-getting tactics. Only some of which are related to creating excellent and satisfying music. They have to meet those numbers or the show falls apart.

It’s an obligation entirely separate from the creative process. Folks wonder “where everything went wrong” but it’s part of the design. Basically, the music business will turn you into a pirate, and if you don’t want that to happen then you’re probably better off digging into what you’re really after and why. And if what you want is quote-unquote “real music” then keep listening because today we’re talking to a live one.

(Which is good, because I’m about talked out here. )

The point is Music is literally the most important thing for us here at the show. You just have to take the music seriously and not take yourself too seriously. The folks on here tend to really bring it.

[Photo by Michael Weintrob]

So. Aaron Whitby:

is an award-winning record producer, composer/songwriter, pianist, engineer and educator born and raised in London, England and a longtime resident of Brooklyn, New York.

Whitby is best known for his work with longtime collaborator Martha Redbone, who we heard from last week. Whitby and Redbone are recipients of many awards and are currently developing a musical commissioned by the Public Theater in NYC.

[Photo by Molly Magnusson]

Mentored by Ohio Player/Funkadelic Walter ‘Junie’ Morrison, Whitby has recorded with; Natalie Cole, George Clinton, Randy Brecker, Lisa Fischer, Tony Trischka, John McEuen, Raul Midon, Neil Sedaka and Rodney Holmes among many others. He has performed with Nona Hendryx, Brian Jackson, Vernon Reid of Living Colour, Ben Sollee, Mino Cinelu and Brooklyn Raga Massive among many others.

He and Martha have been stacking up awards and commissions. That’s ongoing.But with Cousin From Another Planet, his debut album as a frontman, Whitby comes full circle to his jazz and funk roots pulling together an amazing cast of friends to realize his musical vision, as described by Greg Tate, “a funk-da-fied jam session feel undergirding tight, knotty jazz-smart progressions”. With tunes inspired by the animated energy and profound innocence of his young son, humorous lyrics that celebrate empathy and empowerment and musicians given the freedom to take the music wherever it feels good. According to Tate, this album is “one of this era’s hardiest re-dedications and festival-tent revival of soulful and exploratory jam-gnocity.”

Cousin From Another Planet live onstage is a music and visual experience accompanied by a video artshow by VJ Lady Firefly (who has also worked with Dave Chappelle and The Roots) to capture the colorful, cartoonish and movement-inspired worldview.

Like I said, we got a live one here. Check out Aaron Whitby.

Press PLAY above to ear my conversation with Aaron Whitby

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify- Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Aaron Whitby and Martha Redbone for spending some very generous time with us on these last two episodes. You can find Aaron at Cousin From Another Planet Dot Com, follow him on IG @cousinfromanotherplanet and definitely pick up the new album on Bandcamp. It’s out on Ropeadope Records.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 56 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Music helps me keep my sanity" Sep 09, 2020

055: Martha Redbone

[Photo by Christine Jean Chambers]

Good Morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, September 9th of 2020 Music Is Not Content. It’s connection.

It’s summertime and love is in the air.

Actually, love is always in the air if you know where to smell. (Whomp whomp. )

But for real, you may have been noticing a pattern with my episodes so far this year: there have been several couples in the lineup lately. It’s a thing, definitely. I am fascinated by couples who create music together professionally. I’m fascinated by the dynamics, and I am fascinated by the amazing music they make both together and independently of each other.

We are about to continue this trend, and I’m happy to lean into it for this moment while we’re all in quarantine, getting cozy, weathering the storm… sometimes maybe getting a little too close for comfort or perhaps blowing the occasional gasket. Because believe me, there is nobody more intense than musicians. In general and especially in relationship. (That’s a claim you may be able to fact check yourself. I’ll leave it right here in the open.)

We have heard from several artists who are also in couples: you can check out our episodes with Katya and Chris from Break Out The Crazy, Celia and Simon from PettyChavez, more recently we had Mark Marshall and Abby Ahmad… and I’m still working on getting some others done with Kieran O’Hare who works and lives with Liz Knowles, Dwight Richter from Dwight and Nicole and a few others we’ve had in the lineup.

[photo by Molly Magnusson]

Today we’re going to hear from the one and only Martha Redbone, and next week we will hear from the one and only Aaron Whitby. Both of them are stellar musicians: she’s a legit superstar and he’s an incredible pianist, artist and bandleader who also happens to be Martha’s M.D.

(That’s M.D. in the musical - not medical - sense. Musical Director. Martha and Aaron create everything together, and when they’re not taking care of business they can be found raising their family in Brooklyn.)

[Martha Redbone at the Met Museum Cherokee Day, photo by Don Pollard]

But let me take a stab at why I find musical couples so fascinating, because they are.

I’m going to hit you with a quote from Peter Thiel*:

“The best thing I did as a manager at PayPal was to make every person in the company responsible for doing just one thing…. Most fights inside a company happen when colleagues compete for the same responsibilities.”

That’s from his book, Zero To One.

*Now don’t bite my head off because I get it, people hate Peter Thiel. They hate him for being a Trump guy, they hate him for pulling the strings all over big tech, spying on everybody, they hate him specifically for taking out Gawker and in general for being a notably cutthroat capitalist. That’s fine, but he’s also pretty interesting and he’s so good at debating that he can usually elucidate his opponent’s point of view better than they can. Anyway, I’m talking about Love and Music, so let’s stick with that.

The point is that music is a hustler’s game.

Finding love is hard, you all know that. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of scary choices to make. Finding success in music, I’ll submit, might be even harder. More moving parts! Scarier choices!

And many, many “similar responsibilities” for people in close quarters to compete over: you have writing, producing, booking, PR, art direction, day-to-day management… all kinds of stuff, 24-7 that can turn loyal bandmates into a simmering cauldron of discontent.

All of that, with no PayPal fortune to fight over either.

So the fact that there are people in this world who do both things at once, Love and Music, together is just flat-out amazing to me. I love sharing these moments with members of couples who work in music. One thing that sticks out is how good they are at both supporting each other and staying out of each other’s way.

So take that, Peter Thiel.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest, now let’s talk about Martha Redbone.

[photo by Ebru Yildiz]

Martha Redbone is a Native & African-American vocalist/songwriter/composer/educator. She is known for her unique gumbo of folk, blues and gospel from her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky infused with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn. Inheriting the powerful vocal range of her gospel-singing African American father and the resilient spirit of her mother’s Cherokee/Shawnee/Choctaw culture, she broadens the boundaries of American Roots music. With songs and storytelling that share her life experience as a Native and Black woman and mother in the new millennium, Martha gives voice to issues of social justice, bridging traditions from past to present, connecting cultures, and celebrating the human spirit.

“The Garden of Love” is her most recent album. It’s an absolutely stunning project that puts the poetry of William Blake to music.

She just won a Drama Desk award for Outstanding Music in a Play (beating out the legendary Steve Earle) with an original score in the revival of “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf” at the Public Theater, NYC.

She and Aaron have also just been announced as part of this season’s Artistic Instigators series, to develop new original work at the NY Theater Workshop.

And in case that’s not enough, Martha Redbone is currently in development with her own new work “Black Mountain Women” at The Public Theater. It is a timely musical about the ongoing environmental destruction of her ancestral homeland in Appalachia told through the lives of 4 generations of women in her matriarchal Cherokee family.

I find Martha’s music and performances to be just incredible. I’ve been a fan since the first album and check in on their show as regularly as I can. Her voice is huge and her stage presence is both classy and energetic. She’s powerful in that way where you just feel lucky to be walking on the same planet.

Today she’s sharing an amazing and sensitive story about the first time she was ever called upon to sing in a studio, it’s the literal beginning of her career and I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Check it out:

Press PLAY above to hear my convo with Martha Redbone.

Or subscribe in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

[Photo by Michael Weintrob]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Martha Redbone for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her at Martha Redbone Roots Dot Com, follow her on IG @martharedbone and definitely pick up her albums on Bandcamp.

Come back next week and we will hang with the amazing Aaron Whitby.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 55 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, do some cello, teach you lessons, produce your show or back you up onstage.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Subscribe to the show directly in your podcast app: Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - TuneIn - Overcast - Pocketcast

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's the most therapeutic tool I have" Sep 02, 2020

054: Abby Ahmad

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, September 2 of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

Glad to be here with you as 2020 enters its final third. What’s gonna happen now? Who the hell knows, I for one am all soft eyes and open ears. If there’s anything you’re still taking for granted about this life, I recommend you examine why that might be the case and think about what you may do instead. Time slows down for no one.

Except for me, because I’m on vacation this week. Nothing special, just up the road a bit at an airbnb. Still pretty much in quarantine, but claiming a little sanity too. I have a great guest for you here today though, so let’s talk about her.

ABBY AHMAD is an acclaimed singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor, and voice/yoga teacher residing in Brooklyn, NY. And her music is as passionate as it is profound.

Abby has recorded and toured internationally as a solo artist, backup singer, and with her band Fife & Drom which she fronts with her husband, Mark Marshall who you may remember from last week’s episode. Her original music has been featured in a major motion picture (The Guardian) as well as being honored on multiple occasions by the Independent Music Awards.

She is also a trained actor, we get into that a bit and talk a little about the interplay between the two disciplines. As a voice and guitar teacher, Abby has been a trusted source of guidance and inspiration for both young and professional students over the years. Her vocal coaching and unique exercises have been utilized by major artists in preparation for going on things like Coachella and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Once again, if you like the show and you think it deserves a wider audience, do us a solid and share the link with a friend:

Or better yet: listen to the Playlist we just started that has all the guests and pass that around too. It’s a musical community you can take with you wherever you go: Find it on Apple Music | Spotify

We are here to connect the dots with you.

Halfway through our chat, I mentioned a book which I’ll link you to here in our show notes. I’ve talked about it before, maybe we’ll get this guy on our show sometime. It’s Music: A Subversive History by Ted Gioia. If you’re looking for liberation and you know how to read, this one’ll scrape the sand out of your ears.

I’ve known Abby for a long time, she’s got a very cool way of playing guitar in addition to her amazing voice. I’ve had a great time watching her perform both solo and rockin out blues with Fife and Drom. She can really take over a room. I love the sound of her voice, and her delivery is super powerful. She’s a force, check out our conversation.

Press PLAY above to hear my convo with Abby Ahmad.

Artist’s tracks all come from our guest, check out Abby’s solo work and also Fife and Drom on Bandcamp

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Abby Ahmad for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her at Abby Ahmad dot com and follow her on IG @abbyahmadmusic.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 54 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It fills a void... it's emotionally working things out" Aug 26, 2020

053: Mark Marshall

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, August 26th of 2020 Music is not content! It’s connection.

A quick note: last week’s episode may not have reached you since there was a big traffic burst here on Substack and the whole thing got gummed up for a day, which happened to be the same day I was sending you my regular Wednesday edition. In case you did not get the email, you can still look at the post and listen to the episode, it’s right up on the site where it should be. And the podcast is also in your player’s feed like normal. I put together a great chat with Daniel Wright, and it’s really worth hearing.

[photo by Abby Ahmad]

I’m in California here with the rolling brownouts and the heat storm, it’s been in the low 100’s here for a week straight. Hard at work on multiple projects as usual, but I think I’m settling into a good groove here. It’s a trip to hold myself to account with everything I start, but I’m getting better at completing the things I start. And it’s partly because I’m really liking some of the stuff I come up with.

There’s this thing I’ve been alluding to here and there called the Lazy Cello Suite, which isn’t an entirely original work but I think it’s safe to call it a remix. I basically took the chord changes of the Bach G Major cello suite and made my own notes, played in the way I like to play. It’s lazy-sounding in a good way, a way that doesn’t make you work too hard as a listener. I’m going to make a recording of it soon on my porch and put that out on Bandcamp.

I’m also working on some production prototypes for an album which is moving forward. I’m working with last week’s guest, Daniel Wright. It’s still in a very early stage but the energetic read is good on the thing, so stay tuned for more on both of those projects as they develop.

Today I’m happy to share my conversation with Mark Marshall.

He’s a great guitarist, and very much a connoisseur of guitar tone. In fact, he has an entire website dedicated to the Anatomy of Guitar Tone, which you can find at anatomyofguitartone.com.

But he’s much more than a mere gearhead. I’ve worked with him as a producer and in bands, I’ve also admired his work on stage for many years. He’s got that certain presence, one of total focus where you can just tell he’s taking exquisite care with his sounds, and we the listeners benefit tremendously.

He’s not just a local cat. He’s logged tens of thousands of miles on the road with the likes of Amy Helm and Sister Sparrow. He collaborates with his wife Abby Ahmad in a great rock/blues band called Fife & Drom, and he’s got his own power guitar trio with Adam Minkoff and Tony Leone called Future Relics.

We hear about what it was like growing up in rural Pennsylvania near Scranton / Wilkes-Barre. Mark had to take a long journey through darkness into the light, navigating issues with an overbearing collaborator who also happened to be his father. The man had to move mountains to get to where he is today, and just before the Pandemic hit he was hitting the gas on his composition work, so we’ll get a taste of that as well.

Once again, if you like the show and you think it deserves a wider audience, do us a solid and share the link with a friend:

Or better yet: listen to the Playlist we just started with all the guests and pass that around too. It’s a musical community you can take with you wherever you go: Find it on Apple Music | Spotify

We are here to connect the dots with you.

Now let’s dive into my conversation with Mark Marshall:

Press PLAY above to hear my convo with guitarist Mark Marshall.

Artist’s tracks all come from our guest, check out his bands Fife and Drom and Future Relics on Bandcamp

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to guitarist Mark Marshall for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Anatomy Of Guitar Tone dot com and follow him on IG @guitarist_mark_marshall.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 53 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The consistency and the showing up" + our New Playlist Aug 19, 2020

052: Daniel Wright

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

[photo by Josh Soskin]

On Wednesday, August 19th of 2020 Music is not content, it’s connection.

And some of you will remember when I picked that tag line out. It was a few months ago, soon after I had restarted this podcast up in January. It came to me in a flash, but I’ve been meditating on it every week with you and saying it out loud as often as the subject comes up in conversation, which is often.

The meaning of it will be obvious to most of you, and you may be able to detect a thread of longing underneath it as well. A lot of us, myself definitely included, will pursue a life in music without really understanding what it is we’re after. After many years of trying to play by some set of “rules”, then giving that up in order to heal my heart, then deciding to just try and be transactional and make a simple living at it, then giving that up and taking on this narrowcasting project which you’re listening to now - I’m utterly convinced that we don’t just need music, we need to find each other inside of the music.

It’s not about your personal taste, although your taste matters.

I had an invigorating email and text marathon as I reached out to all of our previous 50 guests on the show so we could celebrate that milestone together. I got to catch back up with those dozens of accomplished musicians and I got so inspired that I had to make a playlist.

Because I get it, we don’t always have the nose to listen to a podcast. Sometimes we want to feel the connection without following a conversation. The audience for this show is small but dedicated, and I keep getting very heartfelt feedback from you listeners that the show is helping you in some way. So I hear that something might be working for you, and I now present to you:

“Playlist It Like It’s Music”:

a music community you can carry with you wherever you go.

Find it on Apple Music | Spotify

Put this thing on shuffle! I grabbed a song (give or take) from each artist we’ve had on the show, so you can dig deeper and also skip around to find your groove. Pass it to your friends, help the people find each other inside the music. If you decide you like somebody, go listen to their episode and buy their album. It’s up to us, and I’m here to try and connect the dots with you. I’ll keep adding to it each week.

Everybody is on there, either as an artist or as a producer or contributing player. We’ve got Dope Sagittarius, Daniel Sadownick, Krystle Warren, Angela Parrish, Mother Feather, Kevin Chown, Artyom, Cremaine, Shana Tucker… call it Evening Becomes Eclectic or some such. It’s quite a mix. Enjoy!

Today on the show we’re lucky to have with us a wonderful Songwriter and Producer, living in Ojai, CA.

[photo by Josh Soskin]

Daniel Wright is a former member of Song Preservation Society, currently fronts Radio Skies and is the owner and manager at Echo Magic.

Echo Magic is a group of producers, songwriters, musicians, and sound designers who love making records and bringing visual storytelling to life through sound. They are a collective, a studio, a house band, a creative think tank, and most importantly they are friends obsessed with creating music and sound.

[Cover Design by Aaron Taylor-Waldman, Portrait by Brendan Willing James]

Daniel has just put out a gorgeous, simmering collection of new songs on an album called Wild House. It features performances and contributions from close friends and collaborators including Mikael Jorgensen of Wilco, Scott Hirsch of Hiss Golden Messenger, Karl Hunter of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Eric Sullivan of Lissie.

He’s wonderful to work with (I can attest) and he’s also a great interview. I love hanging out with folks who get it, and who also can back it all up with great work. So let’s get to it:

Press PLAY above to hear my convo with Daniel Wright.

Artist’s tracks all come from Daniel’s new album, “Wild House” which you can buy on Bandcamp

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Daniel Wright for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Echo Dash Magic dot com and follow him on IG @dannyboywright.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 52 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear all of our guests in rotation on “Playlist It Like It’s Music” (Apple/Spotify)

* Hear my songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” (Apple/Spotify)

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Vibration is at the heart of the universe" Aug 12, 2020

051: Avram Fefer

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday August 12 of 2020 Music is not content, it’s connection.

[photo by Rene Thomas]

A while back (like 20 years or something back) I put on a joint birthday party with a good friend named Celine at a spot in Alphabet City. For the most part our two groups of friends mixed well, everybody was happy but Celine had cooler musician friends than I did.

I spotted her out on the sidewalk talking to this crazy looking dude. Weird glasses, athletic energy, hair everywhere. I had to know this guy, I knew he was into some weird s**t… and sure enough he is. You’ll get to find out today as we spend some time with the very same man, Avram Fefer.

He’s always up to some madness.

[photo by Nina Roberts]

I’ve seen this guy play his horn all over town, from the dustiest unknown free jazz improv spots to the Old Office at the Knit, burning it down at the coolest restaurants and even working with sculptors in high society art galleries. He always has amazing players in tow as well with a list of collaborators to make even the most jaded snob take notice. We’ve been friends for a while and I remember visiting him at his old walkup on Ludlow St for years before he moved into my old neighborhood, Prospect Heights.

Now what is it about Avram? Folks on here are into all kinds of music, some of us are focused on mental and technical aspects, others dwell in the emotional areas of great melody and songwriting, Some people are about the message, others all about that booty. We take all kinds. But when you witness a performance that just owns on every level those distinctions just fly out the window. You see someone who commits and delivers, leaving it all on the bandstand and making sure the folks in the room know that a musical animal has wandered through your life.

Avram is one of those cats. He takes full possession of the proceedings with full physicality, melody, heart and sophistication. I’ve seen the guy perform dozens of times and he never disappoints. Music is a contact sport to people like Avram and I’m very glad to bring him to you today.

His latest album TESTAMENT has received "Best Albums of 2019" honors from Rolling Stone, NPR, Downbeat, Bandcamp, Cadence, Jazz Magazine. It features Marc Ribot, Eric Revis and Chad Taylor. Link for that is in the show notes.

Let’s not waste any more time, check out Avram Fefer:

Press PLAY above to hear my convo with Avram Fefer.

Artist’s tracks all composed by Avram Fefer, provided by the artist:

“Loss (for Flo)” from the album “Calling All Spirits” feat. Eric Revis and Igal Foni

“Essaouira” - from the album “Avram Fefer's Big Picture Holiday”

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Avram Fefer for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Avram Fefer dot com and check out his albums on Bandcamp.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 51 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Episode 50 breather. Aug 05, 2020

Hi there. No interview today! I’ve got many more coming, but since we hit that milestone of episode 50 last week I’ve been living much more in the music space. I figured it might be nice to put together a little check-in piece for you all, and run down a bit of music instead. It’s quick, so mash that play button.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE!

I can’t believe we got to 50 shows. As I said, more are on the way BUT: if you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend about it:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's in my bones" Jul 29, 2020

050: Nicole Nelson

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday July 29th of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection. This is episode 50.

[photo by Thom Adorney]

Every now and then, if you get around to clubs and stuff to hear people (remember?), you come across a sound and a vibe so stunning that you never forget it.

I’ve become a fan of so many artists, and oftentimes the fanhood is based on nothing more than the memory I have in my senses of the first time I heard their “it”. Whatever it is that makes them them. I’ll keep turning them on and going out to see them for years, sometimes with just the hope that I’ll catch another moment like that first one.

It was like a portal opened up and boom, there was this musical spirit just lifting the dust out of the cracks right in front of you. I remember moments like that every time I used to go see Tony Scherr’s trio every Monday. I remember that moment when I was on the gig with Bisan here in the Canyon. Krystle Warren is a never-ending moment like that, pretty much every time she makes a sound. Further back, I got to see the Gil Evans orchestra on a Monday night in Sweet Basil, I saw Radiohead turn the world around in New Jersey about a month before 9/11, I’ve been to Jazz Fest in New Orleans… hell I’ve just walked around the streets of New Orleans. These are all landmark moments of my musical life.

Today is Episode 50 of this show, and I couldn’t be more blessed than to have another stellar artist and performer to speak with. Yesterday was my birthday, today we have episode 50, we’re pushing two straight months of Black Lives Matter protests all over the nation, James McBride’s new book is tearing it up on Oprah and Michelle Obama just launched her podcast. Given that there’s so much going on, now and perpetually, I’m extremely grateful for your ears and your attention and your fellowship and your celebration of our shared musical experience.

This show is for you, in those moments when we are most alone and doing out hardest work in the shadows, far from the stage. It’s here for you whenever you need it and I’m honored to have you listening. Thanks to all the guests we’ve already had on here and thanks to all who are yet to come on, you mean the world to me.

So… onward:

[photo by Eric Antoniou]

The first time I heard the band called Dwight and Nicole was on a night when I was opening for them at Banjo Jim’s, and I walked out a changed man. Forever grateful to them for the sound they brought. Sure enough, that portal opened right up. It was just the two of them on stage but the guitar and the tambourine and the voices sat just right in the coziest pocket you’ve ever witnessed. The groove wouldn’t quit and by the time they were done, folks in the audience were all ready to make babies. They are incredible, and today we’re speaking with Nicole Nelson.

Like I said, I couldn’t be happier. Not only has she got the voice for the band, but she went on The Voice and nearly took the thing. We get to hear her whole background today and get a taste of what it feels like to know you have the talent and the genius and the grit to get up there, and then hear some of the plot twists that happened along the way.

I’ll cut to the chase at this point, since I know you came for the gold. Let’s meet Nicole.

Press PLAY above to hear my convo with Nicole Nelson.

[photo by Rick Levinson]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Nicole Nelson for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her band at Dwight and Nicole dot com and check her out on socials @nicolenelsong.

I can’t believe we’ve gotten to 50 shows! If you believe this show deserves a wider audience, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I love the feeling of it" Jul 22, 2020

049: Adam Levy

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, July 22 of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection.

If you like this show, please tell a friend!

We have a great one for you today with world-renowned guitarist and songwriter Adam Levy.

[photo by B.E. Bixby]

I’ve always admired Adam’s work. His vibe, his bandleading style and his playing all convey a core enjoyment and honesty in the craft. It’s hard to pin down, there’s just real joy and respect and soul and knowledge… all visible and audible and wrapped into a cohesive American style. I find great comfort and inspiration in the man’s music.

Levy was born in Encino, California. His grandfather worked for The Andy Williams Show and The Flip Wilson Show as music director. He played in bands growing up, then moved to San Francisco in 1990. He played with Tracy Chapman for a little while (that’s his guitar you can hear on Gimme One Reason). But he also spent quite a while moving between SF and New York, infiltrating the legendary downtown scene and playing with Joey Baron, Steve Cardenas, Tony Scherr… all up in it with those cats.

And then he met Norah Jones.

[photo by Todd Chalfant]

Adam became a member of her band at the beginning of her career and stayed on through that first set of bestselling albums. You could say he’s best known for that gig, but he has also played with Rosanne Cash, Amos Lee, and Lisa Loeb and continues to put out lots of his own great work. His trio is called the Mint Imperials.

This conversation gets around, we touch on the origins, the journeys and his current output. What does it take to keep it together in this very delicate life we’ve chosen? Adam is someone with a lot of wisdom to shed on these eternal questions, and we can all call ourselves lucky to be sharing some time with him today.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Adam Levy

[photo by B.E. Bixby]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Adam Levy for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Adam Levy Dot Com and learn from him at Guitar Tips Pro dot com. He used to have social media accounts, but chose to shut em all down recently. I admire that. More people should do that. I should do that.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I don't remember ever being without it" Jul 15, 2020

048: Liz Knowles

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, July 15th of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

We are nearing 50 episodes of my precious little show, and I’ve got some great interviews in the can here moving forward. Thank you all for staying with us during this monumental crisis, I’m committed to continuing to show up for you when you need a little bit of that musical fellowship to get you through.

Me? I’ve been getting deeper and deeper into sound design, playing through my cello suite and getting ready for an album production. Still writing it but we are gathering resources for the big push to track and publish my first album in about 6 years. It’s been quite the hiatus but it’s also time.

Today on the show, an amazing fiddler: Liz Knowles. Who will knock you flat!

[photo by Marianne Mangan]

Liz Knowles has brought her distinctive sound—the fire and finesse of Irish fiddle music combined with the tonal richness of the classical violin—to concert stages and festivals across the world. She first distinguished herself as a classical violinist, performing at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and on Broadway, then she stepped out with Marcus Roberts, the Bang-on-a-Can Orchestra, Bobby McFerrin, Paula Cole, Steve Reich, and Don Henley among others.

Bu it was in New York that she discovered her true passion for Irish music. Soon she was working in Riverdance and as soloist on the soundtrack for the film ‘Michael Collins’ and it was onward and upward from there. She’s a global force.

[photo by Earl Richardson]

Her trio Open the Door for Three with Kieran O'Hare and Pat Broaders was touring widely (before COVID). After spending nearly four years traveling together overseas, this trio is a well-oiled machine of crafted arrangements and powerful music, gracing the stages of many irish festivals and concert series across the country.

We’ve known each other for over 20 years, so this one rolls along. Enjoy my conversation with Liz Knowles, a great musical mind:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Liz Knowles

[photo by Earl Richardson]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Liz Knowles for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her at Liz Knowles dot com and follow her on IG @lizknowlesmusic.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on twitter @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It makes me feel the most like myself" Jul 08, 2020

047: Josh Flowers

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, July 8 of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

Opening thread (click through for my elaboration):

And now the main event.

My humble show continues on virtually as we continually adjust to the wonders of Coronaworld.

I’m checked in with my friends who are mourning new losses, folks who are navigating the disease itself, family who are raising tiny children with none of the resources they need and artists who are trying to tread water financially with hands tied and no gigs on the horizon. As ever, music - either the practice or the consumption of it - is getting people through their days in ways so basic that it defies acknowledgement. Let alone proper remuneration.

Me? I’m composing some instrumentals for the album. Of course you’ll get to hear them soon, but today I’m saving for a very delicious chat with a great writer and friend, Josh Flowers.

I went on a tour a couple of years ago which changed my life, but I can’t exactly describe how.

Like any road run it had its share of ups and downs. I had to contend with personal tragedy about halfway through when my cello was destroyed by baggage handlers on the way to LAX, but the gigs themselves we did were of the revelatory sort. As was the company we managed to keep.

The artist in this case was named Roo Panes, and I’m sure I’ll be inviting him on for an episode soon. But the band and crew, small as our group was, bonded in that singular way which imprints the memory of our brief travels together as a small slice of eternity in our shared memory. If you’ve ever lived on the road, you’ll know it can go either way. In this case, the way was good.

But reminiscing about fun times in a van doesn’t necessarily merit an episode of this show. As it turns out, Josh is a first-class songwriter. The kind who, after zapping you with a cheery first impression proceeds to reveal more layers with each listen. You’re about to spend some time with a beautifully cultivated, soft-spoken craftsman who I’m very lucky to call a friend.

Come for the tunes, stay for the gems. Guys and gals, Josh Flowers:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Josh Flowers.

Oh, and also watch this video. Released today, filmed in my old apartment on 23rd St in the beforetimes.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Josh Flowers for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him and follow him on IG @imjoshflowers and also @echobabyband for the project with Juliana Zachariou.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's the same as breathing oxygen." Jul 01, 2020

046: Blake Morgan

Good morning! This is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, July 1st of 2020 music is not content, it's connection.

I did it, folks. I sold my drum machine.

My beloved MPC 1000 went off to a lucky buyer in Texas this week and I now have much more breathing room around here in the studio, both architecturally and musically.

I don't know, something about having one of those things around made me feel so much pressure, it's like a hyper click track. Some people need their music to feel super clocked in, I get that. There's also the magic of sampling and chopping, but I'm not one of the people who work that way. There are some real geniuses out there doing the beatmaking thing, but am I going to compete with that? Hell no. I had my fun with it, now it's someone else's turn.

Over here it's back to making my cello music.

Which is going great! Thanks for asking. The album is coming along nicely, and the thing that usually happens around this time in the process for me (when it's mostly all written but I still haven't recorded one single note) is happening again too. Basically, I start hearing three, four albums ahead in the future. My brain starts tempting me with future projects that haven't even been conceived yet. It can be a distraction but mostly it's a motivator. That little voice saying, "PSST... keep going, and you'll get to do these other things!"

[photo credit: Taylor Ballantyne]

So glad to have music in my life.

Glad to have you listening to this show, incredibly lucky to be living in a time where I can just make something like this and bring it to you each week. Our conversation with today's guest is going to touch on some things that I find incredibly painful to talk about, yet unavoidable. It's the money thing, and Blake Morgan is a powerful voice of reason in a way that gives me hope that even if things don't look like they'll be changing any time soon, at least I'm not crazy and/or alone in thinking them.

Blake is the originator of the #irespectmusic hashtag. He's also a pretty damn good musician, singer and producer. He's a friend, collaborator and has a wild collection of stories to share on the pod today.

Now let me level with you, I go back and forth on how exactly to proceed in this life project we like to call "music". I can't tell you how many times I've tried to quit it altogether in frustration, but it won't let me go. It's love, that's all there is to it. I've stopped trying to quit now, but there are mean forces out there at every turn trying to make you feel unworthy, or ashamed to even try to make a noise of your own. They come back again and again, but the one which never goes away is the eternal thorn of trying to make a living in music.

Blake is a lifer, and as an entrepreneurial type he took charge of his career at an early stage by starting his own label. As the owner of his work and that of other artists, he takes his responsibility seriously. To represent and protect the work of those who trust him with their art. And in the early days of streaming, he didn't like what he saw on those royalty statements. He took things into his own hands, and you'll hear him describe how that went down for him.

[photo credit: PicOwner620 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

All of us out here owe a major debt of gratitude to Blake Morgan for calling out the new naked Emperor which is the cabal of streaming services, big radio and the major labels which have hijacked our core source of income for barely a pittance. He's a voice of sanity in this uncertain and threatening landscape, and it's time we heard what he has to say. Strap in, let's meet Blake.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Blake Morgan.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Blake Morgan for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him and follow him on all the socials @TheBlakeMorgan.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"There's so much that only music can say" Jun 24, 2020

Episode 045: Tasha Blank

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, June 24 of 2020 Music is not content. It’s connection.

Let’s take a break from the cello, shall we. Let’s dance.

On the show today is one of my favorite DJ’s, Tasha Blank. While we’re all forced to distance from each other while we watch the slow-motion car crash that is our society’s reckoning with itself under quarantine, Tasha’s an expert in cultivating that animal connection between bodies and souls in the context of that much maligned and mysterious of venues: the club.

The dance club, that is. And yes, her parties have instruments too - in the form of brass bands and live percussion and a variety of other players. Hell, I’ve gigged with her on cello. Musicians look down their noses at DJs, but the real truth is that musicians need to dance more.

[Photo by Jeffrey Packard]

Here’s a chat with a real human DJ. She’s not hiding behind some neon logo or dropping taste bombs from the top of a skyscraper. She’s incredibly adept at not only celebrating a full-body musical experience but also creating a real sense of togetherness.

[Photo by Jeffrey Packard]

It ain’t lonely at all. Tasha and I get into her upbringing and musical origins, her various transformations and her incredible journey of building this pulsing human mass that is The Get Down.

Let’s tune in.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Tasha Blank.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to Tasha Blank for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her music at Tasha Blank dot com, get down at The Get Down NYC dot com and follow her on all the socials @tashablank and @thegetdownparty.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"When you put it out, that love is there." Jun 17, 2020

044: Cremaine Booker a.k.a. ThatCelloGuy

Good morning! It’s Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, June 17th music is not content, it’s connection. We are going 3-for-3 this month with the cellists, and I’m super happy about it. We will pivot back to more variety next week, I do have a bunch of great interviews coming your way so stick with it. Meanwhile, today we have a chat with one of my favorite - not only cellists - musicians around today.

Cremaine Booker, aka That Cello Guy, is a cellist who hails from Dallas, TX. He lives in Nashville and currently serves as principal cello for the Nashville Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jackson Symphony Orchestra. He has played with Black Violin, Hans Zimmer, Michael McDonald, Sheryl Crow, Nelly, Chris Stapleton, Mike Hicks, Chantae Cann, Kelly Clarkson, LeAnn Rhimes and a variety of other acts, but most of his fans know him for his steady output of amazingly well-produced and performed videos that you can find online, totaling many millions of views.

I find this guy so inspiring, the commitment, the beauty of his sound and the straight up love he brings to the practice. And he takes charge as a producer too, he doesn’t need to outsource the arranging or the recording. He does it all.

I’ve been wanting to speak with Cremaine for quite some time. Maybe you are also a fan like I am. If not, then you’re about to be. Take a listen:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Cremaine Booker.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks so much to That Cello Guy, Cremaine Booker for spending some very generous time with us. You can find his music at That Cello Guy dot com and follow him on all the socials @ThatCelloGuy15

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"There's a tenacity that it takes to do this." Jun 10, 2020

043 Marika Hughes

This is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, June 10 of 2020 music is not content, it's connection.

To play the cello requires a smattering of cleverness and precision on the part of the player. The finger mechanics are complex, the alchemy of the bow is mystifying. On top of it all, gigs require an incredible fitness of nerves and preparation beyond that of many much more renumerative professions.

However, mere cleverness and precision do not a complete musician make.

Many cellists hit all the marks on their instrument but fail to make an artistic impact, and I feel for them because just playing the cello decently takes a huge amount of effort. Why pile on things like visual aesthetics or political awareness, or god forbid writing, verbal and administrative skills?

Singing? Songwriting? Bandleading? Gimme a break.

Fortunately, today we have as our guest a musician who brings it on every one of those levels.

Marika Hughes is a native New Yorker, a cellist, singer, a storyteller on The Moth. She grew up in a musical family – Marika’s grandfather was the great cellist Emanuel Feuermann, and her parents owned a jazz club, Burgundy, on the Upper West Side. As children, she and her younger brother were both regulars on Sesame Street. She went to Barnard College and the Juilliard School, graduating with BAs in political science and cello performance, respectively.

Marika has worked with Whitney Houston, Lou Reed, Anthony Braxton, David Byrne, Adele, Henry Threadgill, D’Angelo, Idina Menzel, Nels Cline, Somi and Taylor Mac, among many others. She was a founding member of the Bay Area-based bands 2 Foot Yard and Red Pocket. She is a master teacher and director for Young Arts and a teaching-artist at Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project. Before COVID she was holding down the cello chair at the Broadway show, Hadestown, and we hope they'll pick it back up.

Marika puts out a vibe that just won't quit, leading her bands Bottom Heavy and The New String Quartet and as the co-founder and co-director of Looking Glass Arts, an artist residency and youth education program in upstate New York.

We get into it: her legendary granddad, growing up and finding her own way in the Bay area, her initial band experiences. We're kindred spirits and I know you're going to love this conversation with Marika. Check it out:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Marika Hughes.

music selections:

Chapter 4 - Marika Hughes & Bottom Heavy, New York Nostalgia 2016, ASCAP Hopscotch Dreams *written by Marika

snippet: Borrowed Arms - 2 Foot Yard (Borrowed Arms 2008, Yard Work ASCAP) *written by 2 Foot Yard

For Nico - Marika Hughes (The Simplest Thing, 2010, Hopscotch Dreams ASCAP) *written by Marika.Band: Kyle Sanna gtr, Todd Sickafoose bass, Matthias Kunstli drums, Shahzad Ismaily gtr

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Marika Hughes for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her music at Marika Hughes dot com and follow her on all the socials @marikahughes.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It actually makes me feel good." Jun 03, 2020

042: Bruce Mack

Good morning! This is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, June 3rd of 2020 music is not content, it's connection. And I've been bothered about everything going on this week, glued to the news just like a lot of you.

We went out and marched down at the Grove in LA, which was lovely because we left right before before the cops broke it up with tear gas.

It turns out Beverly Hills doesn't take kindly to marchers. But up until that moment it was a literal walk in the park with a committed group of peaceably assembled people.

Peaceful isn't the right word to describe something like that. More like it was harmonious, beautiful, honest. Justified criticism of something so obviously wrong like the routine state-sanctioned murder of innocent people shouldn't need to have "peacefulness" imposed on it from outside by anyone, let alone the targets of the criticism...

But this is a show about music.

You know, people like to argue about how much music and politics should mix but I personally don't believe there's a legit argument to be had, because if you really understand music then you know that there really is no line between music and life. Music is everywhere and it's a part of every living experience we have, not just when we choose to sing about it. Likewise, there's no line between politics and life. Sometimes you turn the politics on, sometimes it turns on you.

But don't pretend there's a line there where it stops existing or being relevant. You'd only be blinding yourself. Like where is the line between politics and human rights? Show me where that line is and then I'll believe someone who says a musician can't also be political.

But let's talk about Black music for a second.

For my part I don't have anything to say about black music except "thank you". And then make my own musical offering in return. We can see that a musician of any race is always engaged in hot pursuit of the infinite, and most musicians on the whole understand that cooperating with each other across lines helps move the whole endeavor forward.

But it's not always up to musicians. We know that plenty of people - collaborators and customers alike - line up to take advantage, both of the hard work we do and also of the cultural contributions people bring. Black musicians in particular have historically gotten ripped off by the music industry, even as their compositions, performances, innovations and energy has dominated in public. Follow the money and you'll be shocked at where it doesn't go, especially those of you who believe the hype.

It's not just that people have a right to be mad, but they have a right to organize to change things. Today on the show I'm lucky to have Bruce Mack who is a board member and former president of the Black Rock Coalition to talk to us about growing up in New York City during the 70's and 80's, and how some of the artists of that time chose to show up to the scene with more than just a song.

Bruce is a be-bop style vocalist who incorporates vocal improvisation into funk and other forms of music. B-Mack also plays several instruments, including keyboards, electric bass, percussion and drum set. He performs and contributes original music to multiple ensembles, most notably Burnt Sugar, Melvin Van Peebles wid/ Laxative and Nubian Messengers.

The Black Rock Coalition is well-known to fans of the many bands that make up its membership - a few of which are Living Colour, Meshell Ndegeocello, 24-7 Spyz, Chocolate Genius, Don Byron and Nona Hendryx. An iconic organization that remains vital to this day, the BRC is a collective of artists, writers, producers, publicists, activists and music fans assembled to maximize exposure and provide resources for Black artists who defy convention.

We've heard from members previously on this show: check out episode 2 with Luqman Brown of Dope Saggitarius and episode 4 with Mazz Swift. Today it's all about native New Yorker, Bruce Mack aka B-Mack (the artist, the band). Settle in and let's listen:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Bruce Mack.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Bruce Mack for spending some very generous time with us. You can find his music at b-mack.bandcamp.com and at Reverb Nation, Facebook, IG and Twitter.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I know I'm not the only person to benefit from it" May 27, 2020

Episode 041: Shana Tucker

This is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor, thanks for listening.

[photos all by Jannelle Blackman]

On Wednesday, May 27 of 2020 Music is not content, it's connection. The quarantine wears on, the death toll climbs and the life toll sits in limbo. I am here with another conversation today, and I'm super thankful that those of you players I know who listen to the show keep telling me you get so much out of this. It can be a damn lonely life*, but it doesn't have to be.

*For cellists, especially!

But not today, because I'm blessed to have Shana Tucker on the show.

She's a cellist, singer-songwriter, arts advocate, teaching artist, collaborator and all-around cultural conduit. Shana is a builder-of-connections, whether she’s associating STEM concepts with backbeats or engaging a packed house through candid song-storytelling in performance.

And she can really play! As a cello/singer guy I can't help but smile: Shana's unique genre of ChamberSoul™ weaves jazz, roots, folk, acoustic pop, and a touch of R&B into melodies that echo in your head for days. Plus, there's polish.

She keeps busy on the road and in the studio, working with Bennie Maupin, Nicole Mitchell and The Foreign Exchange. She also worked in Cirque du Soleil, which we don't talk about at all. Why would we?

She's got a band of her own. Shana is also a front-line advocate for arts education, as well as a recipient of several arts council grant awards for her exemplary work as a Performing Artist. She serves on review panels and advisory committees for arts organizations across the country.

These are all big accomplishments, but what amazes me is how good she is at creating relationship around her work. We all need to get better at this, and I think Shana is a leader. She knows how to be a star and how to blend.

This was so much fun, let's cut right to it.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Shana Tucker.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Shana for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her music at Shana Tucker dot com and on all the socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I make music because I haven't lost hope" May 20, 2020

Episode 040: Chris Hierro

It’s a good day to hear that, IMO

On Wednesday, March 20 of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection. Welcome to the show. This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

Break Out The Crazy has been releasing original music since 2016 but is really just getting started. I had the honor of speaking with them at their home studio in Brooklyn. Last week you heard Katya, this week is Chris Hierro. Keyboardist, producer and singer. It’s a treat, he’s a pro through-and-through.

But first let me tell you:

I’ve been in this pandemic, going through the solitude and the fear and the anxiety. I have heard from folks dealing directly with the disease and I’ve heard from folks dealing with economic disease. I want to say this again: at the lowest, most vulnerable and scary points of my life I turned to music and it saved me from making my own situation worse.

It’s not a palliative (though you can use it like that too). When I lived through excruciatingly difficult times like getting run over by a truck, having no home after 2008, carrying a broken heart around et cetera, I always felt a little saner, a little better at breathing and focusing after working on some music. I do music with the same rationale and commitment as a surfer, ball player or rock climber. It’s worth staying connected to in and of itself, there’s no contest and you don’t have to try to be a star.

You show up for it and it’ll show up for you.

That’s my story, but Chris’s story today is more about the method and heart. You can hear the commitment, but you can also hear what he’s built in a career where he’s cultivated a reputation for consistency and steady growth. I come to Break Out The Crazy’s music as a fan, a friend and as a listener and I marvel at the conduct of these two stellar partners in music.

Chris will tell you his own story, but he grew up in Washington Heights the son of a bandleader and producer during an important era of the music business and in touch with the ways it binds people together in art and in commerce. One of the ways I admire Chris is that the art and the commerce are one and the same. We talk about all of this, and much more. Check it out:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Chris Hierro.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Chris for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him and Katya’s music at Break Out The Crazy dot com and on all the socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I make music because I have something to say" May 13, 2020

039: Katya Diaz

Welcome back! This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, May 13 of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection.

I’m super psyched for this week’s guest, and also next week’s. They come as a pair. Welcome to the two-parter for Break Out The Crazy, the amazing duo of Katya Diaz and Chris Hierro. This week, it’s all about Katya.

Quarantine continues on here at rancho trevorio, I’m still making the cello do weird things and taking the random production call. Anything to avoid reading the news and staying in touch with my friends. This would be something to write home about if I didn’t already get to FaceTime with home. No need for the written word anymore, we are not cave people.

Creative people have to walk the line between genius and oblivion every day anyway, so here we are. This conversation should fuel your process a little bit. Katya is a world class pro.

KATYA DIAZ has toured Europe, America and Mexico singing background and/or dancing for numerous artists including Passion Pit, Thalia, Alejandro Sanz and Beyoncé. She also sang background on that amazing Lalah Hathaway performance with Snarky Puppy a few years back which won a grammy. You know the one where she sings a triad all by herself? Katya's right on stage with her.

As a writer Katya has written jingles for JC Penny and collaborated with acclaimed writers such as Itaal Shur and Stuart Matthewman from Sade.

About 6 years ago she formed a musical group with Chris Hierro named Break Out The Crazy with the intention of being a production/songwriter team. Katya and Chris are the power couple on Play It Like It's Music this month, we're gonna hear from Chris on his own episode next week, and they are quite the team.

Break Out The Crazy has been releasing original music since 2016 but is really just getting started. I had the honor of speaking with them at their home studio in Brooklyn.

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Katya Diaz.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Katya for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her at Break Out The Crazy dot com and on all the socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I wish I weren't number 1, I'd like to be number 10" May 06, 2020

038: Time Travel with Artie Shaw

[PRESS PLAY]

Good morning! On Wednesday, May 6th of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

Today I want to try something different, it's a continuation of the thing we did last week with Carmen McRae and I want to start doing more of it. We are gonna check out some raw tape of Artie Shaw, the big band legend.

And yes, it’s posthumous. Mr. Shaw is no longer with us. We should be learning as much as we can from not just the music of the past but also these figures who have so much to remind us of.

It’s spicy! There's a good bit of ranting and namedropping, but there's also a huge amount of perspective and wisdom. I’m gonna take you through it. There’s the early years, learning to become a bandleader, trying to grow as a musician while navigating huge public success, getting blacklisted, living in exile… you’re gonna eat it up.

Meanwhile I don’t know what to say. The world is nuts! I’ve been bunkering down at the spot, the mosquitoes are coming out and we are trying to ration our beer and our composure. It’s going ok, I feel like I’m doing way than I deserve this time around and I’ll take it since after 9/11 and 2008 I went into a couple of tailspins that left me homeless and took me years to recover.

Having said that, people are still dying for no good reason. It doesn’t have to be happening. Please refer to my other podcast for the political rants… oh wait I canceled it. Let’s get on with the show!

Let’s get with Artie Shaw.

The following is a collage, a sizzle reel if you will. It is not the uncut interview. I've organized it by theme and then cut pieces together so that you can get the sense of a certain subject and also the energy behind it, no hesitations or asides. I'll be introducing each piece too.

The two men talking are Joe Smith and Artie Shaw, both legends in the business. And with two veterans cutting to the chase there's no need to sugarcoat anything. It's an unvarnished look behind the scenes at what a music life can really be like.

I'd love to put some of Artie's music on here as a soundtrack like I usually do, but I'm not gonna risk the licensing and copyright issues. The Library of Congress has authorized fair use of the interview, but labels play hardball with people who use tracks even for educational purposes, so I encourage you to go listen to some of his music.

Again, I have taken a lot of liberty editing these segments, putting things in a sequence that doesn't follow the actual chronology of the interview. There is so much gold in the archive and I'm here to distill the bits most relevant to our conversation for this show.

I've included a link to the original if you'd like to go deeper: www.loc.gov.

Now let's meet Artie Shaw. This was recorded in the late 1980's. He was 50 years past his so-called "prime" but very much alive and with lots to say. Joe Smith is the first voice you'll hear.

Press PLAY above to hear my crazy edit of this Artie Shaw interview.

Thanks to the generosity of Joe Smith and the Library of Congress, the archive is available to use, and I’ve gone through it to find my favorite bits.

The LOC Joe Smith Collection: https://www.loc.gov/collections/joe-smith/

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to the Library of Congress for these tapes from the Joe Smith Collection. You can find more at LOC dot GOV and type in Joe Smith.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The thing I was born to do" + time travel with Carmen McRae Apr 29, 2020

037: Angela Parrish

She came to LA and lived in her car. But now she's a renowned, busily prolific singer, writer and producer. I’m very honored to have Angela Parrish on the show today.

[photos by Shervin Lainez]

This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, April 29th of 2020, music is not content! It’s connection.

I couldn’t be happier to present this show to you today. It’s a two-parter. We have a great interview with a great musician (which is standard if you’ve been listening) and then I have a special treat for you at the end, where I dig into some archival tape and we’ll hear a bit of very candid talk by Carmen McRae. So stay tuned for that.

Angela Parrish likes to describe her stuff as “new music for old souls” and it fits.

She’s originally from Newton, Kansas, where she started early with piano and viola lessons, children’s chorus and high school choir, later graduating from Wichita State University and has a master’s degree in jazz piano from the University of Northern Colorado.

Then she showed up in LA with $700 in her pocket, where she stuck it out from sleeping in her car to singing the opening lines of the movie La La Land. We get into all the layers of her story in the interview, and her songwriting is just incredible. Stay tuned for tastes of that underneath.

Click PLAY above to hear my interview with Angela Parrish

ALSO: want to have a zoom meeting with her? Go here.

BONUS SECTION:

Carmen McRae should need no introduction, if she does, then watch this video. She’s immortal among jazz singers:

I’m gonna try something new here, please let me know what you think of it by writing in as you so often do. I envision this show as a weekly dose of connection and inspiring music talk, and we have an amazing population of contemporaries who I’ll never ever get through the supply of.

But back in 1989 Joe Smith, who had been president of three major labels, published a book called "Off The Record" which was an oral history of the music business featuring over 200 interviews with iconic singers, musicians and industry figures to talk about their lives and their music. The book came out, everyone said it was great. It's an amazing artifact. But then in 2012 he took it up a notch and donated his entire set of unedited sound recordings to the Library of Congress.

You can go check out the Joe Smith Collection (link in the show notes) and be a fly on the wall as Joe hangs with all the greats and boy does he get them to open up. All types of popular music are represented — it's a who's who from rock ‘n' roll, jazz, rhythm & blues and pop to big-band, heavy metal, folk and country-western.

Thanks to the generosity of Joe Smith and the Library of Congress, the archive is available to use, and I’ve gone through it to find my favorite bits. I’m gonna let them all play in a row here for you at the end of the show. So let’s spend a little time with Carmen McRae. We need to know and remember our musical ancestors.

There's a little chop in the tape where it skips a bit where she's mentioning Ronny Milsap... but you’ll catch on. It's an incredible story about how she resigned in protest from NARAS which runs the grammys, but did it TWICE. Two years in a row. There’s all kinds of other juice about how she toured, how she came together as an artist… I won’t tell you everything. Just listen. The questions all come from Joe Smith and I’ve tightened it up quite a bit for you so they get right to the point.

The LOC Joe Smith Collection: https://www.loc.gov/collections/joe-smith/

Press PLAY above to hear the whole episode

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Angela for spending some very generous time with us. You can find her at Angela Parrish dot com as well as on all the socials @songsbyangela.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"To touch the heart, that's the goal" Apr 22, 2020

036: Joe Matzzie

Good morning! This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, April 22 of 2020 music is not content! It’s connection.

photo by Judith Ann Warren

Still here, still playing. Trying to stay sane in all of this, and for me that means lots of cello. Meanwhile, we have a great guest today on the show.

Joe Matzzie is a songwriter, guitarist and vocalist. Joe grew up in the post-industrial comic book that is Pittsburgh. He lived in New York City and is now based in LA.

He's not just a songwriter, he's a master of diverse genres as well as a few different instruments. Over the years he has played in Renaissance, Medieval, Traditional Celtic, Bluegrass, Gypsy Jazz, Old Time Fiddle Music, Macedonian Gypsy Folk and Hawaiian outfits as well as scoring for film and TV.

We get into it all, and go on a bit of a tour through his myriad influences. And we don't shy away from some real talk about the lived experience of a gigging musician with the ups and downs you're used to hearing about on the show.

The guy gigs on guitar, ukulele, hammer dulcimer among other things, and we get to hear him play on mic later in the show. He's a really incredible writer, keep an ear open for his music underneath our chat as well as some live performance as we kick it at his space.

We do this in my traditional verité style: ou'll hear creaking chairs and picking up water glasses. NPR I am not, but it's like you're really there in the room with him, so welcome to the world of Joe Matzzie.

Press PLAY above to hear my interview with Joe Matzzie

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Joe for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Joe Matzzie dot com as well as on all the socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go round.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The best feeling in the world" Apr 15, 2020

035: Tommy Fields

Good morning! It’s Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, April 15th of 2020 music is not content. It’s connection.

I’m so glad you’re here, we are good here where I live. Thanks for asking. People are really suffering out there and I’ve been hearing stories from folks I know, folks I love, folks who know folks I know… For the ones out there affected by this, either getting Covid themselves or getting hit by the ridiculous ripple effects that are bringing down the mighty in gangs and gaggles, hang in there and let your people know that you love them.

We gotta keep showing up, the fight isn’t gonna win itself. You know where to look, whether it’s in your own backyard or on your block or at the store or your forgotten job or the whiter-than-ever white house… don’t let the b******s get you down. This s**t will pass. It’s gonna for sure take some meat off before it does, but that’s humanity for you. I’m sending you my love, and I’ve got another bit of audio for you here today.

This is going to by my interview with intrepid rock star and film composer Tommy Fields. You heard that, he’s both. He's threading a rare needle.

You'll hear rock tracks today, film cues, chill tracks, folk songs. He's an incredible talent. We had a great time talking, just before the gates closed on hanging out with our friends in person.*

*Speaking of which, I’m going to have to find a way to do these remotely. The zest of the conversation really happens in person, I like just showing up for a player and not making them do any work. But now it’s gonna shift. Stay tuned for how that ends up happening.

Tommy is capable of producing an amazing variety of music, and respectably. He grew up in Indiana, played trombone in the orchestra and just went with it. And then he kept going, and going.

We get into quite a bit here, so settle in. The rock and roll projects, the nuts and bolts of film scoring, career management. Tommy is a powerful musician, check him out.

Press PLAY above to hear my interview with Tommy Fields

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Tommy for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Tommy Fields Music dot com as well as on all the socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a catastrophic global pandemic and plenty of other noise out there in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Be prepared to live in a state of uncertainty" Apr 08, 2020

034: Simon Petty

Good morning. This is Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening. On Wednesday, April 8th of 2020 music is NOT content. It's connection.

I'm here with the rest of planet Earth in the Club Quarantine with DJ @dnice, who you can hear in the background. I'm gonna make this quick: today in the booth I'm honored to be speaking with Simon Petty.

Simon is an English singer-songwriter, born in Manchester to traditional English parents and currently based in Los Angeles. His voice hits somewhere between Nick Cave and Nick Drake, he's put out several solo albums - tracks from which you'll hear underneath us talking.

These days he's focusing on the absolutely magical collaboration with Celia Chavez (who I spoke to in Episode 031) creatively named Petty Chavez. They are finishing a full length album called One Last Look At the Stars, planned for release later this year.

Simon is a man driven by music from a young age. Simon and his band MINIBAR got signed to Universal and brought to LA from London in the early 2000s. They recorded their debut album with T Bone Burnett and went on to tour the USA extensively, eventually putting in a LOT of road miles with Pete Yorn.

Write from the heart, sing as often as you can, play music with the people you love. — Simon Petty.

Press PLAY above to hear my interview with Simon Petty

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Simon for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Simon Petty dot com and you can find Petty Chavez at Petty Chavez Music dot com as well as on all the socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a potentially catastrophic global pandemic and a lot of noise out there in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, do some cello overdubs, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Don't die trying to sound like someone else" Apr 01, 2020

033: Steve Jenkins

Hey all you cool cats and kittens, it’s Play It Like It’s Music. I’m Trevor, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, the Day formerly known as April Fools’, music is not content! It’s connection.

Today on the show we have this man: Steve Jenkins. Bass player.

Steve gets us off to a great start by saying Music is “the power that we all draw upon, the way that we dance through life".” And there’s a lot more where it came from, coming right up.

Steve has played with a few of my heroes, was in Screaming Headless Torsos with Dave Fiuzynski and one of our previous guests, Daniel Sadownick from Ep # 013, he’s worked a bunch with Vernon Reid from Living Coulour. Bad ass.

I’m fascinated by watching really good players play, and he’s one of them. As we all sit at home trying to make use of the time and stay safe, some quality time with a quality player always goes down well.

Steve is part of the new wave of modern electric bass players. In addition to his mind-blowing technical prowess, his musicianship has allowed him to fit into a diverse range of musical situations that have run the gamut from face-melting prog-metal to experimental microtonal jazz-funk to dubbed-out electronica bass lines to classic sounding r&b grooves--sometimes all within the framework of one song. He also has a strong grasp of using effects and technology which makes him a true sonic force to be reckoned with.

This episode pairs well with Steve's album Coaxial Flutter, which is available on bandcamp. You'll also hear a bunch of his music while we're talking, as per usual. We get deep into the bass, the focus and single-mindedness required to survive as a bass player. Steve lives and dies by the choices he makes on the bass, so this is a good person to learn from.

I’m glad to have you here.

As usual we have one single ask: if you like the show, please tell someone about it. Don’t be a podcast hoarder!

Alright let’s say hi to Steve.

Press PLAY above to hear my visit with Steve Jenkins

Thanks!

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Steve for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Steve Jenkins bass dot com as well as on Instagram @stevejenkins.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a potentially catastrophic global pandemic and a lot of noise out there in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, do some cello overdubs, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like this stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's just what I do." Mar 25, 2020

032: Rich Hinman

Good Morning, we're back.

This is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, March 25th of 2020 music is not content! It’s connection.

Do we need it now more than ever? You tell me. After you get your masks and your bleach wipes and your cans of beans, let me know.

[photo by Robbie Jeffers]

Seriously, I am ready for everything… to be normal again. Not happening, of course, but I’ve never felt readier! Those old things I used to worry about, I’d love to keep worrying about those things! So delicious, such quaint little worries. Ah, they seem so distant but in fact they’re just buried under a new load of worries.*

*Maybe you heard?

I feel like we’re all standing in the middle of this rope bridge, all 8 billion of us. Everybody knows the thing’s about to break, nobody has anywhere to run. Scary stuff, some people might get a soft landing, others might have everything they ever wanted and still not make it. Really makes you wonder what’s really important.

I said this last week and I’ll say it again in a different way: If I’m going down, I’m gonna go down playing. Those musicians on the deck of the Titanic didn’t really have anything else to do, though we all do have to keep on the lookout for ways we can help.

For now, make the music. Put it out there. Forget the fear, wondering where it all goes. For all you know this is the best time.

I make music to be less afraid. I produce it, teach it, perform it. And it works.

Today’s guest is the amazing Rich Hinman. Composer, producer, guitar and pedal steel player living in Los Angeles. He has worked most memorably with Sara Bareilles, kd lang, Rosanne Cash, St. Vincent, Vulfpeck, Brett Dennen and many others. You can pick him out from a mile away.

In this episode we get a tour of the pedal steel guitar along with Rich’s backstory, his origins and the usual assortment of reflections on life and craft that make this show what it is. I’m glad to have you here.

As usual we have one single ask: if you like the show, please tell someone about it. Don’t be a podcast hoarder!

Alright let’s say hi to Rich.

Press PLAY above to hear my visit with Rich Hinman.

Thanks!

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Rich for spending some very generous time with us. You can find him at Rich Hinman dot com as well as on Instagram @richhinman.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a potentially catastrophic global pandemic and a lot of noise out there in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, do some cello overdubs, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Take lessons from me online!

* Hire me remotely for cello overdubs or to score your piece.

* Or to produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"This is the revolutionary thing I can do right now" Mar 18, 2020

031: Celia Chavez

[photo by Jamie Thrower]

Good Morning, this is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, March 18th of 2020, music is not content! It’s connection.

Here's all I'm going to say about the thing:

Musicians are used to living on thin ice and having to improvise. It’s what we do best, and we are here to serve you. Creativity comes from courage, and vice versa. Stay sane out there, folks.

Today, we hang with one of my dear friends from way back, Celia Chavez.

We spoke back when things were what we used to call “normal”, so now that they’re not normal in the slightest I’ll present it as an artifact to a more innocent time.

But seriously. My mind is all over the place, and good inputs are necessary. But what are they? I get them from practicing cello, voice and making beats. Today I was working on some Schubert, some Django Reinhart, some John Williams, some Louis Armstrong and some Trevor Exter for good measure.

To some extent, musical exploration/exertion has always been my favorite coping mechanism. Since I was much younger. And guess what: it still is. I’ve had to learn to perceive when I’m sticking my head in the sand, because it’s a great place to hide from what’s going on. But we do what we gotta do to get some steadiness, to feel that long breath in and out.

We all need it.

In the meantime, I wish I were not afraid, I wish I didn’t need sleep, I wish my income weren’t so jeopardized by the situation, I wish songwriting were easier (it never will be, even for folks who make it look easy), I wish my confidence were greater, I wish I could describe my work in 10 words or less… and I totally wish to feel like I did a month ago.

A lot of garbage in my head today. How’s yours doing? Fear and uncertainty will spin us out if we’re not careful. So I’m taking it easy on the coffee and making sure to get outside (for the air, not the people!) and I will hope for the best. There is so much we do not know. I am as prepared as I can be, and I’m grateful for some time and space in which to practice working when my mind is trying to leap out of my skull. I hope that you are staying secluded the best that you are able, and keeping your surfaces clean.

So let’s visit our friend Celia, shall we? She’s great to spend some time with.

These days she is known for four main things: She’s a solo act with four albums out including a live one. She is also one half of indie-darling folk duo Petty Chavez who you can hear on the radio. She’s a successful backing vocalist for the likes of Enrique Iglesias, Pink, Burning Spear, Julia Fordham and Melody Gardot. And when she is in town here in LA she also teaches a popular series of vocal workshops.

Celia is an all-around expert on many things and a fantastic hang, so you’re in for a treat.

We talk about her origins, the years she spent out of music entirely, the many jobs she had and wrong turns she took before jumping back in with both feet, starting her solo career, the difference between being a soloist and a backup singer, and how to do both.

But what I hope you’ll find here is a thread that leads you into a fuller sense of your own purpose. That’s what I get from doing this show and it’s the most precious thing about choosing to put energy towards that which you want most in your life. In my case it’s great musical immersions but for you it could be anything.

We all have a tendency to fear the thing we want the most, but that’s a luxury reserved for good, safe times. Today the fear comes from outside, so send it packing by questioning the fears you had before now. A musical life can be yours if you want it enough, and Celia is living proof. Enjoy her story:

Press PLAY above to hear my conversation with Celia Chavez

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It’s Music. Thanks to Celia Chavez for spending some time with us. You can find her at Celia Chavez dot com as well as on All The Socials.

If you like this show, please tell a friend:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams, a potentially catastrophic global pandemic and a lot of noise out there in the culture.

But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, do some cello overdubs, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Anger as a turbo boost" Mar 11, 2020

030: Ro Rowan

We might have had a lttle too much fun on this one, which is actually exactly why I do this.

On Wednesday, March 11 of 2020, don’t get the coronavirus

AND: music is not content, it’s connection.

Enjoy a little cello rig rundown at the top of today’s episode, and a special space jam for you at the end. I am very cello happy at the moment, and it may show a bit.

Meantime, Ro has a fascinating point of view and a story which will help you measure your own level of commitment to whatever you're trying to do. Get into that by pressing PLAY at the top of this page. Much joy, many fun.

Now let’s get to it.

It’s big out there with the global pandemic going on, I won’t lie. I count my blessings that I’m not always out pounding pavement and am mostly working from the studio these days. Please stay safe and stay clean out there. Tell your family you love them.

The interview today is awesome! Check out Ro Rowan:

Although Ro studied classical cello and spent most of their youth in orchestras, they have brought their rich tone and non-traditional techniques to a vast landscape of genres within the Los Angeles, Boston and New York music scene since 2002.

Ro has worked with Lorde, Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Hans Zimmer, deadmau5, Mike Posner, Toni Braxton, Shirley Manson, Willie Nelson, Annie Lennox, The Boston Pops, Deepak Chopra, Dream Theater, Chvrches, Alan Silvestri, George S. Clinton, Christopher Lennertz, Ron Carter, Terri Lyne Carrington and Lalah Hathaway.

Ro’s cello can be heard on over 300 albums, film scores, television shows, documentaries, commercials, trailers, video games and sound libraries.

They are working their ass off. And we have a blast here.

Press PLAY up top to hear my interview with Ro Rowan

Thanks for sticking around. Thanks to Ro for spending some time with us.

You can find them online at rorowan.com and on all the socials. [IG]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing:

LINKS:

Check out Marc Maron’s show, which inspires this one: https://www.wtfpod.com/

Also, a recommendation for you string players: My buddy Bryan just came out with a really cool set of compositions/books which may be of interest to you:

Bryan Charles Wilson’s String Jams

"Bryan Charles Wilson's new books, Advanced and Beginner String Jams for Violin, Viola, and Cello features original songs in contemporary genres including Hip-Hop, Synthpop, Hard Rock, Reggae and more! Songs include lead sheets with melodies, chord changes, and an improvisation section for jamming. All songs are designed to be performed with the included high quality backing tracks and can be practiced with the tracks at slow, medium, and performance tempo. String Jams is perfect for players looking to go beyond the classical realm to become familiar playing and improvising in a multitude of styles. For more information go to bryanwilsoncello.com/stringjams"

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Burn everything except the truth" Mar 04, 2020

029: Bisan Toron

Ever wonder: when a singer probes so deep within that they get lost and unravel, what then? In this case, a completely unique sound is born. Bisan Toron opens up about her global journey, seven years of silence and her vocal creatures.

[photo by Tony Herbas]

Good morning! On Wednesday, March 4th of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection.

*And if you like the show, please tell a friend!

A little late to press this morning, I had a gig last night in Santa Monica and didn’t get this out to you at the usual time. I hope the impact on your wellbeing was not too severe, we are back now with another great guest.

I gotta say, every time I go play somewhere I get reminded of how important it is to just get out and play. I used to take it for granted because I was gigging all the time, but these days I’m doing more composition and production so the actual performances are more spread out. I’ll forget that there’s nothing like getting into a room full of people and actually making music in real time.

Of course I feel like an idiot saying that to this audience, but there are plenty of other really basic things that I also forget pretty regularly. Settle in.

This was just a private party, nothing outrageous, but I am definitely feeling the itch to get out more.

I did a gig with today’s guest a couple of months back and wasn’t emotionally prepared for the depth of the experience. Bisan Toron took the band and the audience through a stunning set of music which she calls “Migrant Songs”, and the goosebumps were in abundance.

I don’t know about you, but I get a little jaded sometimes with the saturation of music these days. I hear track after track, show after show and if I don’t take care to curate my feed with the unexpected I’ll start to fall into that trap of hearing everything through the same filter or feeling like everyone’s just competing with the same set of sounds and styles for a quick dash through an ever-diminishing spotlight.

Bisan knocked me right out of that rut.

Born in Syria and raised in Paris and New York, she studied classical voice performance at NYU and holds a masters in Ethnomusicology from the University of London. Her music is informed by a multitude of cultures and traditions, which she threads with vocal articulations that arise from the moment.

She’s developed a musical vernacular all her own, partly inspired by Alfred Wolfsohn's re-imagining the voice as a “muscle of the soul,” using it to bridge the chasm between our inner impulses and outer expression.

She’s doing God’s work, I tell you, and I was incredibly lucky to play with her here in Los Angeles. But the reason I wanted to speak with her and share it with you is much more basic:

This singer stopped singing completely for a period of seven years.

We all have the occasional dry spell. And plenty of ups and downs. It’s also perfectly normal to doubt the validity of what you’re doing and take a breather from all the work of being active. A little sabbatical is ok, hell I’ve not put out any new records for six years. It happens.

But Bisan went deeper, and she also came back strong. You should hear about it and tell me how it relates to what you might be going through.

As always, you can get this show in your email if you sign up, and you can tell me what you think anytime or write a review. That's always appreciated. Don’t be shy.

Now let’s talk to Bisan.

Press PLAY above to hear my interview with Bisan Toron

Thanks for sticking around. Thanks to Bisan for spending some time with us.

You can find her online bisantoron dot com and on the socials. [IG]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I just burn to make music" Feb 26, 2020

028: Artyom Manukyan

Powerhouse on the cello. Composer, improvisor, bandleader. Let’s spend some time with one of today’s most exciting string players.

This is Play It Like It’s Music, I’m Trevor Exter. Thanks for listening.

Welcome back! On Wednesday, February 26th of 2020 music is not content, it’s connection.

I’m so glad I got a good one in today with one of my favorite cello players, and I’m biased. The guy is a rule breaker and a free spirit on the instrument, as well as a consummate musician who always plays from the heart. Artyom Manukyan is a real hero to cello players everywhere and that’s who we’re talking to today.

He’s got two great albums out, the newest one is called Alone and you can hear it in all the places.

A quick check-in, I am enjoying the weather here. It’s my first winter in LA and I gotta say, I’ll take it. Thanks. Also finishing up a couple of songs that I will be releasing to you soon. Things are sounding good here in the studio and I’m excited to get some music back out into the world.

It’s been six years since I released any proper records and they were both EP’s. But lemme tell you, it’s been a journey. I won’t talk too much about it now because I’m still finishing up the tracks and have to stay focused, but it feels like the right time.

But you know, trying to go out as a so-called “artist” can be quite daunting even after you’ve given yourself permission to do it. Some might say that’s where our troubles begin: in identifying ourselves as “artists” with all the baggage that term implies in our creative landscape.

But the workaround is to let yourself define what the word means to you. For example, in the music business, “Artist”, “Composer” and “Musician” are three distinct roles. Separate jobs. But you can be all three. I hate it though, when people dodge the distinctions and start to call us “creatives”. That’s a lazy poaching of an Ad industry term. The reality for most of us is that we have a demon inside of us that won’t let us rest until we find expression for something new, original and of our own making.

Call yourself what you want, but don’t let that part of you fall asleep for too long.

Which brings me to our guest of the hour.

I’m a cello guy, and I’d like to reassure you non-cello people that we don’t get too deep into the weeds here. Fear not!

One thing that happens though - if you really grab the cello and commit to it - is that you realize it’s just a giant doorway into music. There are so many possibilities that the instrument will offer an imaginative player and it really demands a lot of discipline from us. It definitely does not play itself, though you can get that impression when watching a truly great player.

The thing about Artyom, though - and this is why I wanted to talk to him on the show - is that he incorporates a deep knowledge of music with a capital M. He is definitely not confined to the standard view of what the cello can or should do. He’s blazing a trail through the modern instrumental landscape and all kinds of important players are taking note.

He tours with Melody Gardot as an integral band member. He gigs around LA with the coolest and most forward-thinking players on the scene, folks like Mark De Clive-Lowe, Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus, Tim Lefebvre and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. He just went to play on the Blue Note cruise, man!

So he’s totally made it out of the cello crab-bucket, and that’s a thing we all can get behind. I’m super privileged to present my interview with the fantastic and fascinating Artyom Manukyan.

As always, if you like the show, please tell a friend and help us spread the word. Otherwise it’s just us.

OK, let’s go.

Press PLAY above to hear my interview with Artyom Manukyan

Thanks for sticking around. Thanks to Artyom for spending some time with us.

GO LISTEN TO HIS RECORDS. Nobody plays cello like this guy.

You can find him online @artyommanukyan dot com and on the socials.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list on substack to get this show sent right to you the very moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, produce your show or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Pros can smell a dumpster fire a mile away..." Feb 19, 2020

027: Krystle Warren

Good morning everyone. This is Play It Like It's Music, I'm Trevor, we're back, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, February 19th of 2020, music is not content. It's connection.

You all are in for treat with today's episode. I'm going to keep the intro short so we can get right in to it. Krystle Warren is one of my favorite musicians, and she's highly influential too. I always see one or two famous artists at her shows, showing up incognito to soak up the richness that is her music.

It's a hard act to describe, but that’s ok because she's got several records out, to which you can go listen after we talk here. I'll just say there's a depth of connection which she has that is incredibly rare to find. If this is your first time finding out about her, it’s your lucky day.

She's from Kansas City but she lives in France. I met her in New York many years ago and we recorded our chat in LA on the patio at the home of bassist Solomon Dorsey, another great musician who I hope to speak to on this show someday.

Solomon is in Krystle's band, The Faculty. They had just played a set at the Hotel Cafe the night before, so there’s a bit of afterglow mixed with the inevitable nuts and bolts of how she runs a band and ways to handle a talkative audience.

Let’s get right to it.

Press Play to hear my interview with Krystle Warren.

Thanks for sticking around. Thanks to Krystle Warren for spending some time with us.

GO LISTEN TO HER RECORDS. I have them in regular rotation and you should too.

You can find her online @krystlewarrenofficial on the socials.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing:

Follow me on social media @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts about the show.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

You can check out my music on bandcamp and other places. It’s all at my website, trevorexter.com. Sign the mailing list to get this podcast sent right to you the moment it comes out. Consider hiring me to score your piece, produce your podcast or back you up onstage. Music is a beautiful thing and it makes the world go around.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Know your why" + In Memoriam Feb 12, 2020

026: Alfred Rutherford, Jr.

We’re back! This is Play It Like It’s Music, thanks for listening.

On Wednesday, February 11th of 2020 Music is not content. It's connection.

I've been going through it a little bit, like ya do. It's kind of grounding for me to check in with you all every week. It keeps me aligned with what I'm doing but mainly also the why. We can lose track of the Why so easily.

Thanks for being here.

In Memoriam: Lyle Mays

I just found out about the passing of Lyle Mays, apparently after a long recurring illness. And I'm pretty gutted by this one, even though great musicians are passing with some regularity lately. It's a huge, huge loss.

By the way, don't feel bad if you've never heard of him. So many artists don't get to be in the news until they either win an Oscar or they die. If this is the case for you, please do yourself a favor and put his name into that search box. With literally any note that man ever played, I felt his depth and connection to what might best be called "Musical Infinity".

In fact, f**k it. I'll borrow this phrase from Allen Toussaint, which he used to describe Chuck Berry: The man is a mountain.

Lyle Mays. My early dalliances with modern instrumental music were propelled in a huge way, back when I was in high school, by listening obsessively to the Pat Metheny Group. It's actually tough for me to admit that, because later I came to reject that same music and any aesthetic remotely connected to it. I went through deep phases of both loving and hating both the sound and the actual music.

It's all my own s**t, maybe you can relate. I can laugh about it now, but as we're developing in music and our tastes evolve, we uncover new areas and it's common to shift gears.

Some people come out of the ground just like a potato and they never change what music they like. But I'm not one of those people.

I have actually changed my musical tastes so many times that I frequently forget who I am. I listen really hard, and I also play hard and practice hard. I go hard in lots of directions, and one of these was deliberately trying to throw off my addiction to what you might call "finger jazz", that supernoodle, hyper-intricate polyphony that the Metheny vibe is most associated with. I'd been weaned on it, and I became convinced that I needed to wean myself off of it.

I thought it might be holding me back from getting laid or something, who knows. It was a long time ago.

It can happen, and my real reasons were sound but also sad: I didn't believe I'd ever be a good enough player to work in those circles. Not only did I lack confidence, but even hearing folks - friends of mine - who played at that level made me feel bad about myself. My string playing ability seemed stuck somewhere in space between the suzuki method and the world of guitar gods, and far from those extremes I grew very lonely.

I plateaued there for a long time and started to feel like I was running out of air. It hurt, and I decided I no longer could afford to listen to music that didn't shine a light on my own path forward.

The complexity was too intimidating for me.

I stopped believing in anything but the simplest possible music, stuff I could try to play on my cello, and my path became very narrow. I laugh about it now because I eventually healed myself and my attitude and I found a way to start playing again. It was all in my head like you might guess.

And my feelings about the Metheny group eventually settled down into a loving appreciation, the kind one might feel for a friend with whom I'd lost touch over the years but for whom you have great respect. And that's where that music lives for me, it's a place of deep respect. But of course we're fortunate that Metheny is still with us and still pushing music forward.

None of this is about him though.

Lyle Mays was and remains the core of my connection to that group, and also very close to the trunk of my own musical tree of influences. He made the keyboards not only sing, but shine. He brought a magic to the stage, and to the very idea of musicmaking. Genius. The man was an unbelievable genius, and the music just emanated from him.

I really can't put into words just what kind of player he was. Marketing folks need to sort us into genres, but the more you love music the more music you love. The more you inhabit music, the more the music will inhabit you.

Lyle Mays was one of the closest things I ever saw to a pure musical being. Go listen. Start maybe with his solo album from the year 2000 and work backward, or start from the beginning and work forward. Or anywhere really. Now that there's a bookend to the man's work, maybe I'll discover my own courage and dive back in to that infinite pursuit.

Here's to you Lyle, thank you for your gifts and your work which will continue to teach us.

In honor of Lyle, today we're going to hear from a great piano player. His name is Alfred Ruthorford, Jr.

Listening back to this interview in the edit, my jaw just kept hitting the floor as he dropped one gem after the next.

In case you don't already know and admire him, Alfred is a native of Memphis Tennessee. While still in high school he performed background vocals with artists such as Eric Benet, Monica and Jon Secada. He went on to study opera and also begin developing his love for teaching.

He's a sought-after session pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, organist, studio musician, background vocalist and vocal coach.

Like many of us, he moves between genres. Alfred has in real credibility in Modern Pop, Country, Reggae, EDM, Gospel, Contemporary Christian, Club/house, instrumental music, electronic music, soul music, neo soul, rock, sacared music, vocal jazz, hip-hop, folk music, opera, and choral music.

He's worked with Jack Flash, Karen Clark-Sheard, Marla Joy, B Slade, Citizen Cope, Valarie June, The Clark Sisters, Cassondra James, The Winans, Cory Henry... it's a long and growing list.

You'll get a lot out of this one.

[PRESS PLAY.]

Thanks for sticking around. Thanks to Alfred Rutherford, Jr. for sharing his space and his spirit with us.

You can find Alfred online @alfredrutherfordjr on the socials that matter. Especially on IG, he’s got so many tasty videos of himself playing on his downtime in the studio.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing.

Follow me on social @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It's about feelings!" Feb 05, 2020

Episode 025: Max Lilja

That’s the captain himself.

Founding member of Apocalyptica, cellist at large currently working on his 4th solo album, multimedia artist and composer for video games, films, a Finnish radio drama based upon The Excorcist, he also tours with operatic metal star Tarja Turunen. Max Lilja is a quiet killer on the cello and also one of the people moving the state of the art forward on that instrument.

That is, this instrument [plays]…

Good morning! This is Play It like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

We are back.

On Wednesday, February the 5th of 2020, music is not content, it's connection.*

*and if you like the show, please tell a friend!

So why talk to Max?

We are a weird bunch, the cellists. There are so many reasons why the instrument just shouldn’t survive in this age of synths and samples and Marshall stacks, but we do. Max not only shows the cellists how to do it but also for the rest of you, he embodies how discipline and experimentation can coexist in one amazing career. We all can learn quite a bit from Max.

Just a quick note, we were speaking at a bar in New York, during a soundcheck. So there’s some noise. It was the same night I spoke with Kevin Chown, the episode from a couple weeks ago. It gets loud and you’ll notice. But these musicians have lots of great things to say as we get ready for our gigs. So this is your backstage pass.

Here’s Max.

[press play!]

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing.

Follow me on social @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The person who says 'yes!' and knows I'll figure it out... that's the professional." Jan 29, 2020

Episode 024: Cormac Bluestone

Good morning! This is Play It like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

We are back.

On Wednesday, January the 29th of 2020, music is not content, it's connection.*

*and if you like the show, please tell a friend!

My friend Cormac Bluestone does it all: music, comedy, casting, directing, coaching, you name it. But he’s not a typical slasher, he’s got a unique talent for finding the humor inside of music, and also finding the music inside of humor. That’s why he’s an indispensable asset on shows like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and The Cool Kids, as well as scads of theater credits and even TV acting credits.

The guy knows his stuff, and he’s here to let you in on a few things.

OK, so WHY talk to Cormac?

Aside from wanting to catch up with a friend of over 20 years, I wanted to get a sense of how he keeps it together. The man is busy on both coasts and just had his second kid, but manages to keep the calm voice of the captain with every new twist that catches him, blowing the competition out of the water with every new deadline.

My hat is off to the guy, and yours will be too once you get a sense of all that’s going on here.

We get into a lot, so THANKS to Cormac for opening up his mind and his space for us. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

You can find him on social at "cormac bluestone" :

@cormacbluestone

https://www.cormacbluestone.com

All music cues in this episode (besides the opening/closing themes) composed and produced by Cormac Bluestone

OK, That's it for today.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing.

Follow me on social @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Make A Thing, Make It Nice!" Jan 22, 2020

Episode 023: Simone Giuliani

Good morning! This is Play It like It's Music, I'm Trevor. Thanks for listening.

We are back.

On Wednesday, January the 22nd of 2020, music is not content, it's connection.*

*and if you like the show, please tell a friend!

My friend Simone Giuliani is an Italian musician, film composer, arranger, record producer and music director based in Los Angeles and Manhattan, New York. He is also a keyboard player and a pianist. He's collaborated with Miho Hatori from Cibo Matto and Gorillaz and he's worked on remixes for Beyoncé, Maxwell and Sia...

He also won the Best Music Award at the 8th China Academy Awards for Documentary Film in Beijing for his soundtrack "Deep into Shambhala", and in general his bio is packed with both producer and musician credits with Andrea Bocelli, London Symphony Orchestra, Groove Collective… he's recorded at Abbey Road, etc… !

*Besides his work as a musician, producer and composer he is also the Artistic Director of YANGCHENMA ARTS & MUSIC, an organization preserving and promoting human cultures around the world through their artistic musical traditions:

https://www.yangchenma.org/

Yangchenma organizes live concerts, and as luck would have it I am working with him this very week!

He produces a stellar season of inspiring talks and cultural immersions at Pure Land Farms, the Center for Tibetan Medicine situated in the beautiful canyon of Topanga, California.

OK, but WHY talk to Simone?

Aside from having a soothing voice and a beautiful selection of work which we will be sampling underneath the conversation, I wanted to get a sense of how he keeps his career vital, always moving forward.

He and I are the same age and I've done a bit of travel myself. I know how hard it is. But Simone has a way of landing in new places: concert halls and studios all over europe, Asia, New York, LA... and he somehow makes himself at home.

We get into a lot of that and more, so THANKS to Simone for opening up his mind and his space with us. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

You can find him on social at "simone giuliani" with two underscores at either end. EDGY:

@__simonegiuliani__

Music Credits:

Bossamore (from Monday Michiru's album "Brasilified")

Innocent Crime (from the soundtrack of "Unseen")

Monday michiru moments (from Terron Darby's "Moments" feat. Monday Michiru)

The Scale of things (from the soundtrack of "Deep Into Shambhala")

Levity ending credits (voice: Bisan Toron from the soundtrack of "NYSFERATU")

Keepin' On (from Lazybatusu's album "00.03")

Arise (from the soundtrack of "Deep Into Shambhala")

Il Vento (from the soundtrack of "Reject")

Canto de Zinha (from "The Handmaid's Tale")

Way down (from the Happening's album "Miles Away from America")

Arrival (from the soundtrack of "Unseen")

Lacrime di un pirata italiano (from the Happening's album "These are My Diamonds")

Musicians: Simone Giuliani, Monday Michiru, DJ Terron Darby, Trevor Exter, Robbie Angelucci, Masa Shimizu, Eleanor Norton, Hamilton Berry, Piero Perelli, Bisan Toron, Bill Dobrow, Guilherme Monteiro, DJ Corrado Bay, Jamie Catto, Alex Forster, Dave Randall, Renaud Gabriel Pion, Jonathan Kotler, Mauricio Zottarelli, Itaiguara Brandao

As I mentioned,

besides his work as a musician, producer and composer he is also putting on concerts! I am fortunate to be working with him this very week, playing the cello. So if you are in the Los Angeles area, go to www.purelandfarms.org and get directions and tickets for two concerts in Los Angeles:

Friday January 24th and Sunday January 26th

He's got a new album Migrant Songs concert with Bisan Toron (voice), Piero Perelli (drums) and guest musicians including myself on Sunday. They call it a Sound Alignment Concert: a journey through sound and color. Come out.

OK, That's it for today.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked the show, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing.

Follow me on social @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Sign the mailing list!

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

psst… sign up for emails:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

“I live my life as a gigantic middle finger to my medical condition” Jan 15, 2020

022: Kevin Chown

The Carpet of Confidence

It's Wednesday, January the 13th of 2020.

*if you like the show, please tell a friend!

Before we hit you with today’s interview I'd like to hip you to the premise of this show, because you should know what we stand for around here. It came to me in a flash as I was finishing last week's episode with Mike.

Ready? Here it is:

"Music is not content. It's connection."*

*Now I've heard the wailing and I've even done a bit of it myself, people are crying about how the music biz is a sucker's game and all kinds of other hoo haa from all kinds of folks, everywhere. It's a saw we can pick up, But there's less stuff to cut with it. Because the music game may indeed be a sucker's biz, but that's only for those who call it a game and play it like one. But you and I know it's NOT a game. Music is not just about feeding the beast. We play for a multitude of reasons and in a magnitude of different ways. And we do it to open up doors and channels and pathways and hearts, and to amplify all kinds of resonances that don't fit onto a spreadsheet. The spotify top 100 is just a spreadsheet, don't let em trick you. Anyway, I just wanted to get that off my chest.

I'll get deeper into this idea and what it means in future episodes, but I'm sure you get the drift.

Meanwhile, today's episode is gonna blow your mind.

Kevin Chown is a bass player. And he is a warrior.

The style of music he is known for is of the heavy variety, he's associated with several projects over the years, from Cosmosquad to Sebastian Bach to Chad Smith to the power trio Der Elefant. When we spoke, it was on the same gig that my cello friend Max Lilja was on: the Finnish heavy metal/opera singer Tarja Turunen.

You could call him a road dog.

But you and I know that as excited as we all can get about playing music and maybe even earning a living from it, there's an ugly reality that sneaks in over time. Once the bloom is off the rose and you've been through the ringer a few times, gone around the block, played your first few hundred or few thousand gigs, it can get hard to keep showing up.

* You might experience a bit of depression as the never-ending highway stretches out in front of you for the unforeseeable future.

* You may question your life choices as you nurse some tender vertebra after loading your rig in and out of a club before crashing in a strange bed, waking up before dawn, choking down a black coffee and a gas station burrito and facing yet another epic drive, another gig in front of more strangers and another lonely night.

Stuff we all deal with at one point or another, yeah those are the basics.

But what if you had something else, something potentially catastrophic on top of it all that dwarfed all of the other inconveniences and concerns?

Kevin Chown is a monster. I saw him perform shortly after we spoke at the Gramercy Theater in New York City and let me tell you, this guy has a sound and a style that simply takes no prisoners. I could geek out over his signal chain and his bass chops for days, but that would be missing the point.

He shows up with a mission and a purpose, each time. And it's a huge risk for him to do so, way beyond what most of us deal with. You're gonna hear him tell us about it in the interview, but suffice it to say that if you find yourself out on the road, lonely and tired, wondering what it's all about, you can always check yourself and take an example from this man you're about to meet.

Because there's a reason we go out to play,

and when the personal cost is high and the floor falls out from under us, that reason is what saves us and keeps us coming back.

Players, I give you Kevin Chown.

If you're in LA or going to the NAMM show this week, you can check out Kevin's band Cosmosquad at the #M3Live on Sat. Jan 18th at7pm sharp.

They are also playing 2 sets at the Baked Potato on Saturday January 24th.

Go check em out!

You can find him online at KevinChown.com. He's on all the socials.

That's it for today.

Thanks for listening to Play It Like It's Music. If you liked it, PLEASE tell a friend. Let's grow this thing.

Follow me on social @trevorexter and talk to me on there if you have thoughts.

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I would much rather have the milkman at my concert." Jan 08, 2020

Play It Like It's Music 021: Earspasm

Good morning! In today’s edition:

Michael Lowenstern of Earspasm

[Photo by Peter Gannushkin]

It's Wednesday, January the 8th of 2020.

This is Play It Like It's Music, thank you for listening *

*and if you like the show, please tell a friend!

We're hanging today with a totally unique, and uniquely advanced player and citizen.

Michael Lowenstern, a completely world class Bass Clarinetist. And a thriving corporate executive in the field of advertising. The guy has stories for days, a fascinating Ableton rig where he can loop a ton of stuff and - most of all - a beautiful, charismatic tone on his instrument.

Oh and he's also a pilot.

I hope you all are bringing it like champs out there! For those of you who asked, yes it's true. I've suspended my campaign for president. Maybe a couple more go-rounds I'll try it again but for now I'm gonna stick to things I'm good at, like looking out upon the ocean at sunset, making guacamole and trying not to read the rest of the news.

We got an incredible musician with us today, so I'm gonna jump right in.

Michael started in on Harmonica at age 2, growing up in the south side of Chicago. He played with Orpheus and did a whole slew of other “wish list” gigs.

Then he started a family and moved over to doing grown up jobs where he also thrived and eventually bought himself a plane. (A little one, that he flies himself around in on the weekends.) We don't talk too much about that, but suffice it to say that the man is not just some hippie.

And he still plays out, quite successfully.

Mike puts a lot of full time pro players to shame with his solid stage prowess, but he shares the wisdom quite generously. We got to talking about the kind of music he likes to call "Post Ugly", becoming a popular bass clarinet guy on YouTube, knowing who your audience is and playing to them… as well as maintaining two successful careers.

You'll also hear some incredible sounding tracks of his as an underscore to parts of this interview.

Thank you so much for listening to the show. If you like it, tell a friend? Let's grow this thing.

Go and find Mike and all of his brilliance at: https://www.earspasm.com/

Look at his youtube channel, lots of action up there: https://www.youtube.com/earspasm

This show is for you!

We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

It’s exciting times. Music isn't just content, it's a connection.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles. As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Play It Like It's Music 020: Ann Courtney Jan 01, 2020

OK, it's a new year, new decade. Goodbye teens, hello 20's!

Got a good one to start you off today:

In This Episode: ANN COURTNEY

[photo my Omar Kasrawi)

My 20's were a freakshow, but that's a tale for another day.

PRESS PLAY because we made it through, we're here now, this is Play It Like It's Music, the show is back, I'm Trevor Exter and thanks for tuning in!

If you know me at all, you know I've had my battles with music.

Not just with trying to play it or trying to get ahead in the music business or even just play a gig. But I've had battles just trying to come to terms with "what the hell music even IS" or "why do we do this??"

I've tried to quit a bunch of times, but by now I know that life is definitely better if I'm playing.

So a day doesn't go by...

I'm here at the top of the 20-20's, (20/20’s?) still playing cello and still talking to people. So wherever you are today, whatever your relation to music, whether you're playing or touring or struggling or listening or learning or all of the above, I want to wish you well.

And I want to make something clear, to start my own decade:

I defined the best parts of my career when I refused to think of music as a product, but as a service. My attitude got much better when I didn't stay locked into the idea that I had to make "things" in order to call myself a musician. The audience may or may not want to buy your pieces of plastic but they always want to be served by you. So I went around saying that "Music is not a product, it's a service" and that worked.

My gigs got better, my attitude was better. It's a good way to get in the door.

But it turns out music is more than a service. Before it's anything you provide to anyone, It's an experience. IT's a phenomenon, you know what I mean. But unlike a "service"…

we all get to have it.

It doesn't have to be a transaction, you don't have to separate everybody into audience and performers and producers... it's just a gateway that opens up to infinity every time you start making a noise on something.

So I'm just gonna say these three things before we move on today. On new years day, 2020:

1. you have the right to your own noise

2. No one can tell you how you should play

3. you don't have to perform if you don't want to

Because music is huge, it's like the water or the air. IT's not something that can be taken away from you just because you were told that you won't make it or that a gig has to go down a certain way and you don't fit. No, music is infinite and you can always connect to it.

So take that in moving forward into the year here.

PLAY IT LIKE IT’S MUSIC - EPISODE 20 with Ann Courtney

The band Mother Feather blows my mind every time I see a show of theirs, and Ann Courtney is amazing. She's a good friend and we go way back to my first gigs in Rockwood back in NYC. We get in to all of her background and her attitude and her approach, and you're in for a treat with that.

They have a gig on Jan 24th 2020 at Saint Vitus opening for The Giraffes that you can go to if you're anywhere near NEW YORK.

Go to: http://www.motherfeather.com/live

Thank you so much for listening to the show. If you like it, tell a friend? Let's grow this thing.

Come find us at playitlikeitsmusic.com, we did some good episodes and there's more coming.

This show is for you! We're all contending with a mutating professional landscape, jacked revenue streams and a lot of noise out there in the culture. But you gotta keep playing.

It’s exciting times. It's almost as if the simple act of playing an instrument is a revolutionary one.

We don't draw any lines here between scenes or styles, so if you haven't done it already, head over to the web site and join the mailing list.

As always, thank you for listening and remember to play it like its music.

Big love to your ears.

And to your year.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Around the block and back Dec 29, 2019

Today we visit John Newcott, composer and singer. Goes by the stage name NewK. Like many, I first knew him as a Marketing guy for Universal and Verve Forecast back in the 90s, but as happens with all first impressions I later had to seriously expand the slot I’d originally allocated to him in my mind. The guy has a long history as a musician and composer as well as a deep love of the art which now, at long last, takes center stage in his life. NewK has been around the block and back, and in this episode of Play It Like It’s Music we get to hear some of his stories as well as some great music.

Say hi to NewK: NewKisms.com

Say hi to Me: trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Laughing And Laughing" Dec 28, 2019

We got a good one today, so settle in. I went to Greenpoint to hang out at the home of Chris Morrissey. Bass player, singer, guitarist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He’s literally everywhere, you can hear him on records by Sara Bareilles, Mark Guiliana, Dave King, Jim Campilongo, Lucius, Ben Kweller, Andrew Bird. But his own, original music will blow your mind. I get a Radiohead-like thrill when I hear his stuff, especially his new record called Laughing And Laughing. Say hi to Chris.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

“I got on the 8:00 bus to come to New York, but the drum machine was on the 7:30” Dec 27, 2019

Good times today, because we’re hanging out with master drummer Damon Due White. The guy’s been around the world with everybody: Harry Belafonte, Shemekia Copeland and a long list of others. He and I did a bunch of James McBride gigs together in France and Mississippi. Solid cat with a heart of gold. Let’s dive in.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Never Stop Experimenting" Dec 26, 2019

GREGG AUGUST is the man of the hour on the bass. He’s played with Ray Barretto, Ornette Coleman, Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo O’Farrill, James Moody, The Chico O’Farrill Big Band, The list goes on. As a classical bassist he frequently performs with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Mark Morris Dance Group, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and the American Composer’s Orchestra. He’s also a faculty member at the Bang on a Can Summer Music Institute at MassMoca in North Adams, Mass. We cracked a beautiful bottle of wine at his place in brooklyn, and he’s got a lot to offer here.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"The audience doesn't care, they just want to see a gig!" Dec 25, 2019

Kiku Collins has established herself at the heights of pop, jazz and R&B. She has performed with everybody: Beyonce, Michael Bolton, Jill Scott, Train, Gloria Gaynor, Carole King, Sza, Sam Moore, Esperanza Spalding, Queen Latifah, Trombone Shorty, Smokey Robinson, Keb Mo, Lea Delaria, Paul Shaffer, The Manhattan Transfer, Buddy Guy, Faith Evans, Ciara, Ben E. King, Janelle Monae, Patti LaBelle, Sheila E., Lalah Hathaway... even Joe Piscopo! You might have seen her on the Today Show, Oprah Winfrey, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, at the White House for President Obama (twice), the Grammys and at several international jazz festivals. But it's not all glitz and glamor: Collins is also a cancer and lymphedema patient, and is actively involved with #Cancerland and other advocacy organizations.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"It was in me from the beginning, but it was repressed." Dec 24, 2019

Bronx native Daniel Sadownick has toured with a large (and growing) cross-section of the greatest musicians we all love: Michael Brecker, Me'shell Ndege'Ocello, Steely Dan, Tony, Toni Tone', Maxwell, Angie Stone, Dennis Chambers, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Nat Adderley, George Coleman, Dianne Reeves, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Carl Allen, Nnenna Freelon, Dewey Redman, Jennifer Lopez... even Billy Idol. Daniel is also a member of the New York based cult band the Screaming Headless Torsos. He is a versatile percussionist that does not limit himself to one genre.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"You just have to sit in a certain place." Dec 23, 2019

"You just have to sit in a certain place."
- Trevor P. Allen
My friends, today we hear from a true keeper of the flame, Mr. Trevor P. Allen. From the trenches of the New York club scene to bandstands all over the world, this guy delivers on the bass.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I was a freak. Kids like us are freaks." Dec 22, 2019

There's a guy who's been running an open mic at Birdland in midtown New York City for an insanely long time, and he looks like he's 15 years old. I don't know how he does it, but here he is: Jim Caruso. Showbiz man of the hour here on Play It Like It's Music. It's always a good time hanging with the witty and dapper master of ceremonies. Check it out.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

“When I was young there were a lot of sixteen-year-old cellists... Dec 21, 2019

“When I was young there were a lot of sixteen-year-old cellists. There are not that many 48 year old cellists.”
Today my guest is Pablo Mahave Veglia, cello professor at Grand Valley State University in Michigan and a total pro. We get into it here, the guy knows his stuff on the cello: all the notes, all the styles, all the periods, all the positions. We get a tour of his instruments and a look at his fascinating life story. Check him out.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"That song brought me so much joy. If I could play it, maybe I could replicate the joy.” Dec 20, 2019

We were in too much of a time-crunch for me to record him playing, but the night after we spoke I witnessed him holding court at a campfire jam with about 200 people getting quite sweaty and singing at the top of their lungs. This guy brings it.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"Joy is kind of self illumination that allows people to see the world in better ways." Dec 19, 2019

Today is a great day because I get to speak to my good friend, world-famous author James McBride. I know him as a band leader. You probably know him for his best-selling books, the movies he made with Spike Lee... all that stuff. I went and met him at the source: New Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Red Hook, Brooklyn. If you read his first book “The Color of Water”, then you'll know the place I'm talking about.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"We serve the public by digging down into something that's beyond words." Dec 18, 2019

He's got major cred: he actually studied with Jascha Heifetz, at age 20 he played principal second violin for the Rochester Philharmonic, then went on to work with Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, Joe Jackson, Todd Rundgren, the Mahavishnu Project... he founded a string quartet you might have heard of called Ethel. Whether he's on Broadway or in Bang On A Can he kills it every time, I went to his house in Massachusetts.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"What I lack in skill I make up for in discipline" Dec 17, 2019

Hallie and I have been friends for most of our adult lives, we performed together in De La Guarda back in ancient times and have stayed in touch. It's been great to follow her career through several bands and albums to now get to watch her perform on TV every week. In this episode we get to catch up a little and also hear her play some of her songs alone with just a bass guitar. Give it a listen, and give her a follow!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I play my show and then I'm off to two other shows. I can never get enough of feeling enveloped by improvisation." Dec 17, 2019

Today we're talking with a legit songwriting giant, Richard Julian. You might know his supergroup The Little Willies, or his solo albums like Slow New York or Fleur-de-Lis. He hangs out with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Randy Newman, Norah Jones and he's got a more recent project: he runs his own club.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"You have to do it, like you have to do it all the time. That's the only way your thing is gonna take off." Dec 16, 2019

Today we feature Mazz Swift. She's one-of-a-kind: plays, sings writes and performs with total fire. I'm proud to call her friend. She's been a member of Burnt Sugar, Brazz Tree. She's got her own band called MazzMuse and she also plays in a string trio called Hear In Now.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I don't know what I would do if I didn't play. It'd be very strange existence." Dec 15, 2019

Today we're talking with one of my favorite drummers Tony Mason. Something of a local legend in the New York club scene, he's played with everybody and you can always trust him to keep it bouncing, no matter who he's appearing with that night.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"I saw a church band, and then I saw Funkadelic. That was it." Dec 14, 2019

We’re in Harlem today with the legend, Luqman Brown. Singer of FunkFace, Dope Sagittarius and an accomplished composer, producer and sound designer. Check out his brand new Dope Sagittarius album, Sacred Places. Out this month on Buddhabug Records.

Here's my conversation with Luqman Brown. Composer, performer, sound designer, rock star, raconteur, stylist... he's made a deep imprint on the NYC scene with his seminal band FunkFace and his more recent band Dope Sagittarius.

Check out the brand new Dope Sagittarius album, Sacred Places out this month on Buddhabug Records:

You can find Luqman Brown at LuqmanBrown.nyc

His Twitter and Instagram handle is @DopeSagittarius, and you can also buy the album at Dope Sagittarius Dot Com.

You can read a transcript of this interview here.

Thank you so much for your ears and support - if you can, please pass the link to your friends, review us on the web and help out financially on Patreon.

We are 100% listener-funded, scene- and style- agnostic. Find us at playitlikeitsmusic.com.

Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

"If you never do it, you can never say you failed at it." Dec 13, 2019

We’re uptown today with Emily Hope Price, a prolific cellist and singer. She put in a lot of miles with a beloved band called Pearl and The Beard, and she also played cello for Sting, Roger Waters, Ani DiFranco, D’Angelo and Father John Misty.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

❤️ Serviam Dec 12, 2019

Hi folks!

In this edition: a bit of housekeeping and some end-of-decade reflection.

* This will be my only post this month because I have quite a bit of travel and work on the books right now. But stay tuned: “Play It Like It’s Music”, the podcast will be re-booted in January and we will soon be in touch like never before. There are some great guests and jams coming your way right here on substack.

But let me share too: because you know that aspirationally, I'm coming at you from a place of service on this channel.

We know it’s a “bring it or don’t” world, and that any service provided is easier to trust when it shows up with consistency.

And Yes, I've had patches where I didn't always provide every Wednesday according to my commitment.

We’re still here though.

And still casting.

“What gives, Trev?”

I got a little buried in small potatoes lately.

You know I'd prefer to show up as that gritty, ultra-dedicated "The show must go on!" guy, a stoic provider of musical connection, perspective and reason who's always got something to say and play.

You bet I am that, but sometimes life and humanity intervene.

…Like we just hosted 21 people for Thanksgiving.

…Like our boiler also exploded this month.

…And then I got hired for some things.

I’m working on stuff *sure* but I've also been embroiled in some production and enshackled by some paperwork. Not making as much art.

It happens (humanity…)

But I still love you. And reflecting back on 2019, to 2009 and 1999, it’s clear I've been on a journey of digging & building, sometimes erupting maybe but always evolving.

We call ourselves musicians, but what did that word even mean in 2019?

for context: We can admit that those of us who became conscious between 1970 and 2000 grew up in a bubble. But let's also remember that Leonard Bernstein used to be a regular on primetime TV. Let's remember Santana going on tour with Wayne Shorter. Let's remember the arguments people used to have about Mariah Carey’s voice when she first came out. Let's remember what a big deal Live Aid was, before autotune, and also that Black Sabbath was a scary band when they first came out, even though *now* they sound more like the Beatles than some of the truly scary stuff out there today.

And let's also remember that the backdrop for all of the above was a functioning music industry that routinely employed professionals.

Today, when bankers and tech founders call each other "rock stars" it's an attempt to make us forget what a real rockstar is.

(And don’t get me started on the term "gig economy"… that farce is a literal affront to the meaning of both words.)*

*But especially GIG: "gig" is slang for Engagement and refers to a manifestation of commitment, relationship and meaningful exchange. A good gig can change your life, define or even save it.

Music connects us, but what is the essence of that connection?

These days I catch myself in professional settings describing my musical practice as a lifestyle choice. Otherwise the 2019 people make all kinds of assumptions about why a 46 year old man still plays.

I’ll say that I “play music for the same reasons a surfer surfs or that a rock climber climbs. They have to be in the waves or on the face, I have to be in the sound.”

Oo baby. Just like that.

Because quitting may be an option for some, but take it away from us for a few days and we'll start to lose the sanity.

So we play on. But it's only part of it.

Because while a surfer can surf alone, and not every climber needs a film crew to follow them around, a musician's work remains genuinely incomplete without some aspect of public performance.

So a process which may have started as a solitary, even cave-dwelling pursuit can only reach true fruition when witnessed by others.

It can take the form of teaching, composing, producing media or playing live.

Better yet, some combination of all these. But!

Music is fundamentally a service.

Unlike surfing or rock climbing, it is not recreation.

Nor is it a product.*

*(YES —> there are those who would comodify it, claiming that it is both a product and a form of recreation. They want it to be sold as voluminously, cheaply or expensively as possible. For them Music is to be engaged in ONLY while working on something else, or AFTER you have satisfied your other real and worldly responsibilities.)

But people who see music as a recreational product are living in ignorance. Music is a service.

I am here to serve the Muse.

Who in turn serves You.

[two of these pies were delicious, and the other two were vegan]

Back to now:

In 1999 I was living the peak of my adolexcent fantasies, performing a nightly hedonistic spectacle in New York City. (Gig of a lifetime, that.)

In 2009 I had no home. (A story for another day.)

And in 2019 I moved to California.

The intervening decades saw me doing the best I could with what I'd been given: getting knocked down, getting back up, getting run over, finding God, building up, walking away, breaking down, getting walked away from, writing songs, playing gigs, finding love and choosing to serve.

So here we are.

Sending you all my deepest gratitude for coming with me this far, for listening and supporting and for staying connected. I’m ready to grow it out again.

In 2020 the podcast is coming back and the music will continue.

Thank you for the chance to serve.

Big love to your ears!

Back in January.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Lazy Cello pt 2 Nov 21, 2019

[It rained today. Looks like fire season is officially over.]

In this edition:

* A bit o blues

* Integrated

* Your moment of zzzzzzhhen

Integrated

I keep getting reminded that here in America we have created a totally disjointed musical situation for ourselves, but it’s ot like this elsewhere in the world.

In Brazil, people still sing in the streets together. Folks who build houses for a living - no matter where they live - usually get together to jam at night. Europe might be full of conservatories, but it’s also full of working people with normal jobs who get together and play string quartets for fun.

Like ya do..

It’s not all about the gig or making a record. Music is a practice of self-integration, connection, health and adventure. Why do I keep practicing and exploring when the gigs dry up? Because my aliveness demands it.

I gather my sound and make my offering. To not do so would open my days up to unbearable sameness, disconnect and disease.

So let’s keep playing.

Your moment of zen

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Lazy Cello Nov 14, 2019

[…working on like 4 albums…]

In this edition:

* A quickie jam

* Out of hiding

* A semi-repeat share

Out of hiding

It bears reminding that many of us (if some of you are like me) found music as a place to hide in our more vulnerable years.

At 13, 14 I just wanted to disappear into the music, to hide inside a sound cocoon because the world did not feel safe.

The world doesn’t feel any safer today, but along the way I had to stop imagining music as a distinct, safe hiding place.

Because if you’re doing Music honestly, you’ll find that not only is the big world staring you in the face while you do it, but it’s demanding more honesty and guts out of you than you thought you’d need.

Gotta be brave about your choices here in this music world.

Speaking of which, check out a very deep wormhole with the sound wizard himself, mr. Richard Devine. On a recent Hanging Out With Audiophiles:

“not content with just making LPs, touring and all of that trad life, Richard’s made his own path and now his work represents the high bar for sound design across the board.

Whether working for Google, Yamaha or Jaguar Richard is the guy to figure out converting the unknown into the possible. A no to yes convertor.

We talk about his toughest sonic challenge, the cutting edge of sound tech in 2019 and where he is heading in terms of his AI aspirations.

We chat about the world of sound that lives above 20kHz.

Why analog ??? and a lot more.

He’s a deep mind and this chat gets pretty specific in terms of tools used and so forth.

You’re welcome!”

(Says Jamie Lidell in his intro)

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

abandon feeling smart Nov 07, 2019

[…feverishly making lots of music…]

In this edition:

* A spontaneous jam

* Walking the line of learning

* Music, as talked about by people who know what they’re talking about

PINCH ME. This just grew in our backyard:

I'm always either learning something new, or slowly getting bored of something I think I already know.

Of course, you never really "know" anything. There's something strange under every surface. The juice is in the squeezing, but it's a drag to have to abandon feeling smart.

Every time I uncover a new angle, a new fingering, mic position or arrangement idea, there's a trickle of happy energy - immediately followed by a jolting reminder that I'm flying blind.

It's scary. And as a monomaniac introvert, the same goes for the public hustle: one email or meeting and suddenly I'm stuck calibrating a whole lot of new energy. 5 minutes later I’m all like, "where was I?"

(An entrepreneurial friend once told me that the ‘secret’ for work success is to be sexually attracted to rejection.)

But this is the trip. We all find our own mix. Musicians have had our share of upheaval around work, life and work/life balance. The interview below helps shed a lot of light. Check it out:

“…for most of history, music was a kind of cloud storage for societies…”

As a lover of language, music and truth, I found this conversation enthralling. It’s simultaneously deep and high-level:

Tyler Cowen (love him or hate him) knows a lot of stuff, and he is constantly learning more. He asks some amazing questions of the incomparable Ted Gioia, who’s also got a new book out.

Some things they touched on:

* How RCA was the Apple Computer of its day

* Noise in restaurants

* The history of cool

* Disrupting the Pythagorean paradigm in music (getting away from mathematics and back towards sound)

* Music’s roots in fertility rituals

* Why the best music of today is under the radar

Give it a shot: Conversations with Tyler: Ted Gioia

Big love to your ears.

Trevor

ps: Thanks again to those who reached out during/following the fires last week. We’re sound.

(Did you press play yet?)

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Hear songs: the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Ancestry and True Sounds Oct 30, 2019

Good evening. In this edition:

* Some more legato bowing, just me and the reverb today. [press play]

* Ancestry and True Sounds

* A rad pod, oh my God!

Coming to you today from the little black dot in the yellow zone:

Thanks for all your notes and calls, we are very ok and totally packed to leave if we need to.

Ancestry and True Sounds

Who are your ancestors? Are they speaking through you? What are they saying?

You might want to say your own thing, you may think you're saying something new.

But much of what has been said already bears repeating, things like "keep your shoes clean" and "honor the gods".

So find and make your sound, then make sure your message is true. It doesn't have to be original, just true. Most of the time your sound itself is the message, and it is being sent to you every bit as much as through you.

Practicing can feel like scanning a radio dial, finding your way through the static. Some of us have just the one little AM thing with mostly talk, others found a shortwave with many frequency bands. Some players sound like they're building themselves a hubble telescope, and more power to them. But we all have to listen and receive something.

We don't all have to broadcast, a lifetime of listening and practicing is ok. But when you play for others, make sure it's something you think they need to hear.

And you gotta hear this!

Dolly Parton's America

The story of a legend at the crossroads of America’s culture wars.

Hosted by Jad Abumrad (the Radiolab guy)

This thing is amazing:

“In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? That simple question leads to a deeply personal, historical, and musical rethinking of one of America’s great icons. Join us for a 9-part journey into the Dollyverse.”

I’m three episodes in. Highly recommend!

Big love to your ears.

(Did you press play yet?)

Thanks for all your notes of encouragement.

Trevor

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Listen to songs: Hear the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! Check out: "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Spectrums Oct 23, 2019

Good day to you. In this edition:

* Some full-throat legato bowing, something I’m trying to get better at. [press play]

* Control vs. Participation

* A thread from a big head

As a cello player I constantly navigate on a spectrum between control and flailing: at either extreme there’s no music, but plenty can be found in the tension between them. Among my arms, digits, bow hair and strings there are a multitude of variables. We combine and adjust to find what works.

As a musician, I’m moving on another spectrum too: the one between participation and isolation. We can make all the sounds we want, but if there’s no one to play with or for, then the music can stagnate.

When I’m practicing or working in my studio I enjoy a near-total level of control, but if I don’t release music in the world then I get no participation. If I don’t go out and play (less control) then no one will benefit from my work (more isolation).

And it only begins there: some performances can be incredibly isolating in reality. Studio sessions can also be profoundly graceful and intimate.

A fresh formula has to be found every time.

But if you see the space for what it is, you can live in it forever.

Messages you may need to hear

In between making amazing blockbuster films, Christopher McQuarrie sometimes finds time to tweet great advice:

Check out the whole thread here.

Big love to your ears.

(Did you press play yet?)

Trevor

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Listen to songs: Hear the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! Check out: "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

the gift of shred Oct 17, 2019

Just a tune today, another instrumental sketch. It's been a slow week for me out in public. (Hell, it's been a slow year or a slow several years!)

[photo by kk]

I don't perform much lately, but last Wednesday I joined my friend Jim Caruso and played a song at his open mic event, Cast Party.

It's mostly Broadway show tunes but I can blend in everywhere, oddball that I am. I did my cover song (50 Ways To Leave Your Lover), accompanied on piano by the guy who also plays piano and directs for Tony Bennett and Liza Minelli.

I got to touch the sound in public, briefly once again and as usual it was all over too quickly.

(Same is true if I play for 90 minutes or 4 hours, btw.)

Why so little performing these days, Trev?

I've been re-calibrating my life after experiencing severe burnout on the road. I've invested in my mental health, re-evaluated some of my relationships and done what I could to become a better steward of my own sound.

Never did I ever imagine I'd go so long without performing, but here we are.

The world has been changing so much, but I am a witness to the power of music every day and I can see how people need it.

Music helps us make sense of our lives. It helps us inhabit our own bodies and connect with those around us. We all have to do it in our own way, but when we do it right a connection opens to a power much greater than ourselves.

It's given to us so that we can give it out further.

So I give this to you.

(Press play)

Love to your ears,

Trevor

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Listen to songs: Hear the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! Check out: "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

creating headroom Oct 10, 2019

Good evening!

In this post:

* a tune idea

* a hello

* a recommendation

"If you don't create you will destroy."

I don't know if this cliche is true, but it sure feels like it.

My sounds come to me at the most inopportune times, and sometimes I'll jump out of bed at 2am just to put something down on paper. I'm still usually at a loss for where to put them, but they come anyway.

Over time I have found a few different vessels for my music, but the transaction is always incomplete. Songs, bands, theater projects and films all have their strengths and flaws, but the feeling of being musically "emptied" never catches up. New sounds settle over me like so much dust and I have to begin again.

Maybe it'd be easier to just forget the whole thing, but music won't leave me alone.

I am still here, still craving, still blessed with the hunger for sound. The sound wants to reverberate, ripple and resonate.

Thank you all so much for your kind responses and encouraging notes about last week’s “Cinema Paradiso” track. I just love that tune so much, I had to orchestrate it for cellos. (if you missed it, you can listen here.)

Godfather of Harlem

A few years ago I got hooked by “Narcos” on Netflix. I guess I had too much spare time, but the quality of the writing was enough to win me over - despite the obvious brazilian-ness of the actor who played Pablo Escobar.

The same writers/showrunners are back with a totally homegrown tale now, and it’s jam-packed with legendary actors: Forest Whitaker, Vincent D’onofrio, Giancarlo Esposito… too many to count really. Take a look:

I’m only two episodes deep and thought you might like to check it out.

Love to your ears,

Trevor

If you like my stuff, help it spread by sharing it!

* Listen to songs: Hear the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hang with players! Check out: "Play It Like It's Music"

* Consider hiring me to score your piece.

* I can also produce your podcast.

* Follow me on IG \ TW \ FB

* More @trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Are you there, Ennio? It's me, Trevor Oct 03, 2019

Short and sweet this week. Press play.

I’m happy to say that the new studio is officially up and running.

In Topanga.

Sun is shining and the juice is flowing.

(And I told you I loved that Cinema Paradiso melody…)

Love to your ears,

Trevor

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

the cultivation of small delightful actions Aug 07, 2019

song: “Natalie” by XVSK (Trevor Exter & John Morgan Kimock)

press play above or listen here.

When I play one note, it’s a simple action with some part of my body that generates sound, and I'm instantly delighted.

To play one note is delight. Do I need the world, an audience, to hear it?

No.

Obviously the presence of an audience amplifies and multiplies the delight, but the delight in its purest form already exists independently.

Practice is the cultivation of these small delightful actions in quantity and order: creating and inhabiting patterns of delight.

We smooth out our movements: a sour note here, a lopsided rhythm there... we feed our attention and love into the ongoing action and the rest takes care of itself.

We must remember to breathe. And not to judge, only shape.

(Shaping it allows for more delight, judging cuts it off at the neck.)

Connect to the delight, and protect that connection with your life. God speaks through our bodies and the audience shows up to witness.

Sometimes you’ll break a string.

See you again next Wednesday.

Love,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Help it spread by sharing it:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

A guy inside my head Jul 25, 2019

The move, part 2 with musical reflections

[press play]

song: “Hudson”

got a guy inside my head who doesn't like me

can't stand my type, my band, my sign

but you seem to handle me just fine

I've got the wings, just need the wheels

show me something

something that'll make me feel

I seek to belong but also to control. I want delight but also health. Tension much?

I want to feel safe but also powerful, so cello is the perfect instrument for me because you know it's never gonna go perfectly.

I got a love the size of the sun

that could boil the ocean

rose above I've not, no prizes won

see I'm just one

your mind is a window, body is the sky

can't live without the one

without the other you won't ask why

We do the long tones to make the sound warm and fluid. I've also been dusting off my bounce matrix - that thing is hard to execute in real time.

Honestly, most of my practicing is to address my own feelings, an effort to feel safe in the face of potential mistakes and to make a compelling (i.e. powerful) sound.

We forget that the cello drill is not taught so that we can feel good, but so that we can do the cello job.

But what if...

why keep it to yourself

can't be someone else

don't keep it to yourself

talk is cheap inside a shell

What if, when we played the cello we got to feel the way a listener wants to feel when they hear the cello?

(warm, emotional, thrilled)

What if we could benefit from our own musical medicine?

I got a g-d follows me around, saving my hide

though I tried slippin away

you know it ain't fake tonight

here in this house of love

got to do things right

some day I'll run clear in the light

That's my goal, which partly explains why I've done so little performing lately. Not only is cello hard and awkward to play, but booking and promoting gigs can often run counter to the real work of music, which among other things is healing.

why keep it to yourself

can't be someone else

don't keep it to yourself

talk is cheap inside a shell

In order to heal a listener, the musician has to first heal themselves. And I've been engaged in some deep healing of late.

But the songs are about ready to burst.

They've been doing their job for me, so I'm starting to think about trying them out on you.

I'm looking forward to a release (it's still very far away).

But I will be booking a show soon.

Promise.

Thanks for all your notes last week. Big ups, keep em coming.

Love,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please help it spread by sharing it:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Most Right Jul 03, 2019

Missed you folks last week! The reality is that I simply crashed… after 2 months living out of a bag (with 1 more to go) I had to crawl into a cave for a few days.

Emerging now to say a quick hello and provide a peek at one of the songs I have in preproduction. An album is starting to emerge out of the mist. Hit “play” above and scroll for lyrics below:

Most Right [draft 2019]

paint fell off the walls

we danced our faces off

Took the long way through

Hot times in a stone-cold room

tapes still in your car

the good ones travel far

crazy, you're crazy

the one i need to see

don't ever change your mind

waiting for next time

the old familiar hiss

of another night

don't ever change your mind

give up your place in line

find the most-wrong miss

make it the most right

mixtape in my stacks

love letter in these tracks

listen back and it hits me:

the songs you thought might fix me

if only I hadn't known too late

don't ever change your mind…

…

This song has been settling in nicely - they all require a period of breaking in before I’ll perform it live or record it. Patreon folks heard it a few months ago. Hopefully the words speak for themselves, and I look forward to hitting it on stage one of these days.

Thank you for reading and subscribing. More to come, and have a happy 4th tomorrow.

I appreciate you!

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please help it spread by sharing it:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

no use for a butter knife Jun 12, 2019

Back in NYC this week like:

In this edition:

* An oldie but a goodie.

* A comparison of implements.

* A gig for Friday in NYC.

a lumberjack has no use for a butterknife.

I was surrounded by horn players last night. Great ones. Saxes, trumpets… they can play lead or blend into a nice punchy section in a funk band. The sound is loud and faces forward. The horn is always ready to cleave through space and make its sonic dent.

Likewise the electric guitar. The guitar can play lead or rhythm or chords… or all of the above! The guitar is always integral to the band and central to most industrialized music of the last 100 years. Wielding their axes, guitarists are the lumberjacks of our modern musical age, clearing the forest so we can forge our way forward.

(And what are drums but the guns of musical colonization? They’re everywhere.)

But the cello? The cello is more like a butterknife. It requires certain circumstances in order to shine: the sound requires headroom, the player is better off seated. If the butter is soft at room temperature then the butterknife will more than excel at its job. But you’d never use it to cut any trees down.

The cello is refined and begs a refined place, it needs a lot of parameters to be met which the horns, drums and guitars of our modern age do not need. The cello works best in a prepared, climate controlled, echoey space.

Out in the wilderness we are dependent on (and at the mercy of) our drummers, horn players and guitarists. They clear the way and build the world. Respect to that.

But once the world is built? Give yourself the gift of a little cello.

Because you earned it.

This Friday in NYC:

* Friday 6/14 in New York City: gina Breedlove “Naked Soul” at the Rubin Museum

“The potent, powerful medicine of sound can shift and move stuck energy out of the body, creating opportunity for wellness, presence, clarity, and so much more.” —gina Breedlove

Medicine woman gina Breedlove is a singer, songwriter, sound healer, and actor from Brooklyn. gina began performing professionally at age 16, singing background for the inimitable Phyllis Hyman. She went on to tour with legendary artist and activist Harry Belafonte as his featured vocalist. gina created the role of Sarabi in Disney’s The Lion King, and most recently has appeared in two Spike Lee films: Chi-Raq and Living Da Dream. gina tours the world with her music, which she describes as “FolkSoul,” holding sound healing circles in every city she visits.

This Friday the band consists of gina, guitarist Ashley Phillips, percussionist Daniel Sadownick and myself. It’ll be totally acoustic, no mics or anything so come on out!

Otherwise still on the road. I’m living out of a bag for the next little while, visiting the cello siblinghood:

* 6/17-20 in Bellow’s Falls, VT: Creative Cello Workshop with Eugene Friesen

* 6/21-23 in Boston, MA: 25th Annual New Directions Cello Festival

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you.

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please help it spread by sharing it:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

adventure lies off the grid Jun 05, 2019

Sending love from Eagle Rock!

Overheard:

New Yorkers are not "nice", but we are friendly. Angelenos are not friendly, but they are "nice". [last word spoken through a clenched perma-grin]

In this edition:

* Some happy cello

* A bit o’ moanin

* A podcast I listened to twice

[the Santa Monica beer kundalini is strong. Horchata?]

It's easy to look at the music career landscape these days and feel like we're stuck in quicksand, with the machines taking over and whatnot.

Artificial intelligence may be a slick bit of mythmaking, but artificial music has definitely been dominating the scene for awhile now and the results are debilitating.

I like a lot of the noises made by machines, but I hate the power dynamic.

Where we used to have all these different kinds of bands and orchestras led by all manner of currupt people - with doors nevertheless open everywhere for an enterprising musical human to wend our way to expertise and success - now we all have the “means of production” at our fingertips - but very few places in which to bounce sound around.

A DJ event can feel like the musical version of a fascist rally. Led by the machines, a DJ is merely an operator with the thinnest set of instructions.

What we miss when the instruments are stashed away in closets is the very voice of democracy, of humanity. Forgetting how to play is like forgetting how to speak.

(Folks have forgotten how to dance too, but that's someone else's soapbox.)

Meanwhile, "Jazz" has become like dentistry. There’s only room in there for the most studied, qualified, pedigreed professional players. Slightly less exclusive than the NBA but with 1/1000th the paycheck for the winners.

The folk scene, the rock scene... plenty to complain about: as professional playing opportunities get ever rarer, machines are an outlet which emerged to fill the void of human engagement.

I can now make a record on my phone, as long as I stick to the grid.

But the adventure lies off the grid.

Off the grid is where you'll find friendship, power, delight, freedom, freshness, luxury, respect, romance, tension, strength, sex and the safety brought by full-organism involvement.

The digitized music scene of today has everything and nothing. More sound in it than ever before, but increasingly disintermediated, overpriced and more underpaid than ever.

So make yourself a classic record. If you're truly lucky maybe you'll get sampled by a rapper. Meanwhile the Irish group from the corner bar has long been replaced by a TV and the jukebox sounds like a perpetual beer commercial.

I've written myself into a hole. What's the way forward Trev?

Get your head off the bar and make your noise.

In the meantime, The Dirty Three will save you.

a podcast I listened to twice:

The conversation gets deeply wonky and goes slow as molasses. I started it while doing the dishes and then let it run in the background. Then I tuned out for a bit, but the last half hour really caught me and I found myself rewinding to listen from the beginning.

David Brooks has really been through it, and it changed him. He’s beautifully vulnerable in this wide-ranging interview.

I’ve never been a huge fan, but this one felt like a valuable listen.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disillusionment-of-david-brooks/id1081584611?i=1000437042197

gigs this month:

Still on the road! I’m living out of a bag for the next little while:

* Friday 6/7 in Topanga, CA: appearing with Simone Giuliani at Pure Land Farms

* Friday 6/14 in New York City: Gina Breedlove “Naked Soul” at the Rubin Museum

* 6/17-20 in Bellow’s Falls, VT: Creative Cello Workshop with Eugene Friesen

* 6/21-23 in Boston, MA: 25th Annual New Directions Cello Festival

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you.

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please help it spread by sharing it:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Much move, many play May 29, 2019

Sending love from Seattle. In this edition:

* A tiny sting [press play].

* A pep talk to go deeper.

* An array of gigs for June.

[tea in the Sahara with you…]

No Giving Up.

People become friends with me for whatever reason, but the meat of our relationship often consists of a shared contention with the musical beast inside ourselves.

I'm blessed with a few world-class friends: violinists, engineers, authors, welders, investors, activists... Living in New York brought me some great connections and gigs, but at the end of the day a gig is just a gig. We are always left with the same situation:

Inwardly facing an unfathomable amount of unexpressed music.

Unplayed, Unwritten.

Songs unsung, audiences unmet.

Not everyone is like this, but most of my friends are, no matter their choice of career or the state of their sound. It has nothing to do whatsoever with worldly success.

Designers gravitate to other designers. Visual artists to other visually-driven people, writers to each other and so forth. But music drives me.

I recognize this drive in others when it appears. We're in this and we hear things, and if I worked as a coach there'd be only one thing I’d say, and that's Don't give up.

This thing inside you is telling you something valuable. Honor it.

Because Marketworld wants you to crave something else, wants to take you away from yourself.

I know because I've tried harder to quit than I ever tried to succeed in music.

You know all the reasons to get "with the program"? I took them deeply to heart:

It's scary.

The music biz can be dicey.

The road is no way to live.

We have oversupply.

Knowing these things I tried many, many times to leave music. Or to at least contain my urges somewhere safe and manageable.

But no such constrained safety exists.

It's in me, and it will eat me alive if I don't move on it.

You may not feel this way, in which case I envy you.

But if you do, it's better to admit it and find ways to engage as the servant you really want to be.

I am a servant to my sound. I've learned that I have no other choice. But I’m happy knowing.

It does not liberate me from the responsibility to make a living, just ask any of the legions of musicians with jobs.

We don't sleep much, it won't let us. And that's fine with me.

It means less time to think about giving up.

I don't have time to give up.

Neither do you, so play.

from a new reader:

"I've recently subscribed to your newsletter and just felt compelled to let you know I think it's amazing. It's simple and thoughtful which I really like. Thanks so much for all of this, it's inspiring and I hope that one day I can contribute to the music world and musical thinking like this."

Thank you. This means so much to me because I’m flying very much by the seat of my pants, totally on faith.

Lately I’ve been riding camels, herding cats, packing up the house for a major move and basically doing everything but my music. My chops are such s**t right now. But I’m feeling the pull because I have five massive gigs coming up:

* Thursday 5/30 (Tomorrow) in Olympia, WA: An Evening with James McBride and Band

* Friday 6/7 in Topanga, CA: appearing with Simone Giuliani at Pure Land Farms

* Friday 6/14 in New York City: Gina Breedlove “Naked Soul” at the Rubin Museum

* 6/17-20 in Bellow’s Falls, VT: Creative Cello Workshop with Eugene Friesen

* 6/21-23 in Boston, MA: 25th Annual New Directions Cello Festival

I would love to connect with you at any of these!

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you.

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please help it spread by sharing it:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

¿Que és hip? May 22, 2019

Beautiful day in New York today. In this edition:

* A little melody.

* An oldie swipe.

* An awesome invitation for the cellists.

[I promise I’m just keeping an eye on the group here. Not trying to look colonial or anything.]

What is hip?

Classic song, timeless message. Except maybe for the word "hip".

But I propose that the older that word gets, the better (as in hipper) it gets.

Because it was always pointing to the slipperiest, most ephemeral thing.

Hipness has always been for the kids, who think they can hide from their own unexpressed fear of death and obscurity behind an endless string of new words.

I was more lost than hip when I was young. I thought I wanted hipness (maybe by some other name I can’t remember), but it was worthiness, participation and delight I wanted.

Things much less slippery.

Posolutely.

Meet me in Vermont!

This is Eugene Friesen, a hero of mine since childhood and you can see why. The guy burns it down on the cello in all kinds of ways:

I just surprised myself by signing up to attend his Creative Cello Workshop in Vermont next month, and apparently it surprised him too. He wrote, "You're an accomplished solo artist already, what are you hoping to get from the weekend?" and I replied that "with all that I’ve been up to musically and production-wise, I have not been as connected to other cellists as I want to be."

Seriously, I’ve been wanting to tear myself away and come up there for a while. So I'm gonna do it. If you are a cellist, come join in!I didn't bend his ear at length inre my deeper emotional/spiritual reasons for wanting to gather in community with creative cellists, as they are likely similar to all of ours. I've had a lot going on as usual, and the cello remains my steadiest friend through it all.Read more here and sign up if you want to come join us!

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you.

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Totally ok to share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Train Stations May 15, 2019

Beautiful day in the Sahara today. In this edition:

* A song called “Train Stations”

* An ostrich

* An underwater show to listen to on your desert island.

[Today’s location: Morocco. More on that in future.]

Ostrich

A friend once compared playing the cello to making out with an ostrich. And I get it, because these things are super awkward.

After decades on the chase, I finally feel somewhat natural with these things, but the life is one of obedience more than affection.

It's not what people see from the outside, though.

Because the sight and sound of a cello usually conjures deep feelings of connection and power. It's all we can do to lighten it up, what with the extreme physical awkwardness of the play.

And the haunting sound a cello makes.

I still just want to have a good time on the thing, and tell the truth.

I am currently bingeing this podcast

And it’s only three episodes, so if you’re squeamish about podcasts then I promise you it won’t take long.

Science Weekly: Oceans of Noise

[Photo by Irina Iriser from Pexels}

The Guardian given us quite a gift. The show, “Science Weekly” is ongoing, but this is a three-part series. A [ahem] deep dive, as it were.

“Contrary to popular belief, or the writings of Jacques Cousteau, life under the ocean surface is not a silent world but in fact a dense and rich sonic environment where sound plays a fundamental role to all known life.”

I am in heaven: listen to Science Weekly: Oceans of Noise.

Thank you for reading and subscribing!

I appreciate you.

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Totally ok to share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

A Wreath for Emmett Till May 08, 2019

Beautiful day in NYC today. In this edition:

* A quick jam with my friend @digifiddler, who was my guest on Episode 7.

* Nostalgia for the future.

* Some amazing new music from another podcast guest.

[Today’s guest violinist in action. Press play above!]

It is a luxury to listen to music.

But making music is a healthy pursuit. Not luxurious.

From the making and the playing, many benefits flow as long as we don't get caught up in the luxury side of things. We leave that to the listener because it takes work to create luxury listening experiences.

And work is good for the soul.

But it is still work.

We play, but it is work. And the work has to be FOR somebody. Maybe you have an audience. Maybe God is your audience. Maybe you play to retrieve a lost part of yourself.

But one of the big lines that gets blurred when music is "free" and our technology enables all kinds of sharing is this one: the line between frivolity and service.

It's not a supply and demand thing. Music isn't a game. We serve the sound and the sound serves humanity a thousand fold.

Take it seriously. It's real. And some very real music is about to follow below!

A Wreath for Emmet Till

Some of you may remember hearing from Gregg August in episode 15 of my podcast, in which he gave us some rich rememberings of his time in Cuba and growing up between the worlds of jazz, classical and afro-cuban music.

He has some new music, the album isn’t out yet but a few videos are. This is a deep and intricate piece of work, Gregg has put together a beautiful ensemble and given us quite a gift here.

Click here for the more-uptempo other video with the same group.

And here’s a great one with both Greg and Todd in a trio.

It’s some high quality music. For more on Gregg, explore his site.

Thank you for reading and subscribing!

I appreciate you.

Big love to your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Totally ok to share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Follow: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

With You May 01, 2019

Today has been a day of cranking things out. Thus: a bit tardy.

* A new sung song of mine you may not have heard.

* Nostalgia for the future.

* Triplets from Brazil, animated and beautifully sung.

[Cellos must relax! Lie down, little cello.]

Nostalgia

When I hear good gypsy jazz I get flooded with nostalgia for a time I never knew. Good music does that: it makes us time travel.

90’s hip hop will forever be 90’s hiphop, especially for those who experienced it in person. But if the music is made right, you can be from any “time” and still experience nostalgia.

When I hear a good Irish or Argentine musician I get filled with longing, usually for some heartful link to a past that’s foreign to me. But other kinds of music make me feel different things:

Billie Eilish makes me wish I were a lot younger and way more talented and connected.

Bach makes me wish I were more religious.

Louis Armstrong makes me wish I played trumpet.

And all the best, most imaginative music makes me feel one other, totally delightful thing: nostalgia for the future.

For what we’ll be making.

Brazilians don’t play a lot of triplets,

But when they do? Wow. Oh and they sure can animate too:

I’d never heard of Tulipa Ruiz before, but apparently she’s massive on the scene. I now stand informed, and so can you.

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you. Enjoy spring!

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Totally ok to share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Sunnyday Cello Apr 24, 2019

Greetings from an LA café. In this edition:

* Some sunny day cello.

* Some freedom of epression.

* A movie to not sleep on.

[Serious-er times with John Kimock]

Freedom Of Expression

The more smart and connected one gets, the more elusive our freedom of expression.

It's a slippery sword we try to wield: as long as the music means little and is heard by few, total freedom is possible. But as it acquires weight, relationships and influences responsibility creeps in and our “freedom” gets clouded.

Here’s what I’ve learned: the freedom of the player has to become the liberation of the listener, else our playing circumstance will start to contract.

I used to be that kid who would find the piano in every building, run to it and start playing. It never occurred to me that I might be driving anyone crazy. My only concern was that there wasn't music before I’d started, and now there was. What could be wrong?

We all start there, discovering the sound and celebrating it. But as our sound expands, so does our awareness. Becoming aware of the room and any potential listeners within it, I inevitably start to hear through their ears and my sound inevitably changes.

But the line between empathy and pandering is invisible.

Before I know it, my “freedom” fades into a stack of new considerations. And that's when the real work begins, because the quest for individuation demands a discipline which will ultimately bring us a greater measure of freedom.

Music is a disciplined journey into deep liberation. In order to play freely we have to create a new space within the wider space.

Especially because when the listeners arrive, the stakes go up.

You never know whose life you might alter or how.

Music is a powerful thing, it works on us in powerful ways. [Cue Stan Lee.]

So we get smart, become connected and our freedom becomes service: we work to free the sound, and the sound frees us in return.

Please see this if you haven’t:

If Beale Street Could Talk

Nicholas Britell’s score is one of the many wonders of this movie. The string writing and production gave me goosebumps throughout, but the film as a whole is a miracle.

Somehow, I felt a throbbing love in my heart from start to finish. For the characters, the filmmakers, James Baldwin… everybody. There’s lots of stuff out there to see, but make the time for this one. Trust me.

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you. Enjoy spring!

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Totally ok to share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Blockbuster Apr 18, 2019

A long time ago…

In this edition:

* Fresh music: a Mancini-inspired cello “big band”.

* A single recommendation

* (That’s all. I hope you like it too.)

[John Williams conducting Star Wars]

Big time podcast recommend:

I just fell in love with this thing, so I’m dedicating this week’s email to it. It’s a blockbuster.

Actually, it’s THE blockbuster podcast: It’s immersive, imaginative, a bit campy and fun in all the right ways (for me). An innovative use of the podcast medium as well, I can’t wait to hear the rest.

From the website:

“This series has been painstakingly researched, compiled and referenced from thousands of sources, and many of the events that led to the creation of JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, and STAR WARS, which launched the very idea of "the blockbuster" film.

It's a story that took place a half century ago — recreated by voice actors, exquisitely designed by award-winning designers, and scored with original music in the spirit of John Williams. It follows two scruffy 20-something filmmakers who become friends, and in some ways, rivals. It's a story of following dreams, frustration, and failing ... hard. Even flopping.”

It’s immersive, imaginative, a bit campy and fun in all the right ways (for me). An innovative use of the podcast medium as well, I can’t wait to hear the rest.

“BLOCKBUSTER” has done something ambitious, a great idea that was hiding in plain sight. Listen to it and you will see things, something which has always been true of the best audio content but is often lost in the marketing mix.

Music and visual art are marketed in such different ways, and the target fans often have wildly different personality types. Are you a ‘visual’ person? I don’t consider myself one. But the reality in advertising/marketing is sadly (IMO) “eyes first, ears second”.

So it’s especially gratifying to come across an audio product that embraces the visual medium and professes plenty of love for it without also trying to become it.

This thing wouldn’t work the same magic if it were paired with visuals on a screen.

At first I was turned off by the VO/narration. Admittedly it’s bit bro-y, lacking proper hollywood/NPR fidelity and slickness. But therein actually lies the appeal: it’s as if your nerdy cousin loves this story, and the idea of sharing it with you so much that he’s gonna tell it all to you personally. Just to kill time over thanksgiving.

There’s huge heart in it. Enjoy!

[George and Steven]

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you. Enjoy spring!

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Totally ok to share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Headroom Hunting Apr 11, 2019

Hot days, cool evenings. Best time of year.

In this edition:

* An instrumental soundtrack.

* A riff on headroom and overtones.

* A beautiful cello video.

Headroom

You could say that a musician has found their "voice" IF their sound feels like home to them AND they can find a circumstance where it can do some good for an audience.

I've owned my sound for a long time and explored a number of places for it, and lately I’ve been tapping into some new energy. I recently played cello on a film soundtrack which premiered at SXSW less than a week later.

Tight deadlines produce surprising results and I was amazed at the work this composer pulled off. (When a proper release happens I’ll tell you about it, of course. )

But the cinema music experience is all about the headroom, much more than performing live. And I love the sound of headroom.

At conservatory I used to create pieces to help me work through my burning musical questions. The practice pieces always led to further questions, which naturally led to more writing.

Convinced that the cello had untapped flavors and looking for ways to let it breathe, I realized early on that it’s not about the cello at all, but the space you create around it.

Life on the road taught me that you can make any sound you want - anywhere, using anything - if you can find the moments where it will enhance people’s experience.

But it’s important to listen from outside.

Because while a melody might live on the canvas or as part of the frame, overtones are the light without which none of our musical ideas can ever matter.

Let the sound breathe.

something curated:

Some cello brilliance by Helen Mountfort. I was mesmerized. “Soliloquy is inspired by and pays homage to the music of extraordinary Armenian composer and duduk player Djivan Gasparyan.” What a sound.

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you. Enjoy spring!

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to score your piece.

* Or I can produce your podcast.

* Direct support @ Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Cello Sunset Apr 03, 2019

I’m about to look at a beautiful sunset here in NYC, and it was approaching a welcome 70 today. Here’s a tune for that.

In this edition:

* A little lush sound.

* A touch o writing

* A pod recommend

* A GREAT cello video (by a musician I hope you’ll already know about.)

[getting ready for some big stuff...]

When you're making music, it's so easy to get caught in the pursuit of control.

When playing, we control so many things: our timing, our tuning, our tone, our volume. We have to listen and adjust constantly, and that's just us.

God forbid we might be playing with any other people! Then there's all kinds of other stuff going on that we can’t control.

It can feel like a party or a battle, depending on the moment.

(And let's also remember that we call it "playing". So control your attitude too - can't be overserious!)

My friends all know that I love practicing technique way more than I do actual material. I get a lot of joy from training my fingers where and when to go, more than I do from writing tunes or from learning repertoire. (But we all know that’s just resistance.)

Over time it's paid off in a calm feeling of control over my cello sound, which I only realized after the fact was a coping effort to deal with the normal, chronic lack of control over sound.

The human musical condition.

There's all kinds of stuff to control (just fire up a computer and you can literally create infinite knobs) but the music, at the end of the day, wants to liberate you from that compulsion.

The only thing we can control - and only some of the time - is our level of surrender.

Let the music play you. That’s more fun.

podcast recommendation:

For the music heads out there, I highly recommend Jamie Lidell’s podcast, “Hanging Out With Audiophiles”. It’s such a great hang and he brings the fun - if you’re the type of person who loves to geek out on the creative side of sound production. There’s always a segment at the top where he picks up a wierdo sound module and messes around with it, like a narrated “tour” of esoteric pieces of gear. [Check out HOWA]

something curated:

Back to my New Orleans love, there are a few fantastic cellists making good ol’ “American” music in NOLA. Here’s a video I recently re-saw and dig the crap out of. Don’t sleep on Leyla McCalla!

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you. Enjoy spring!

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

One for Wednesday Mar 27, 2019

In this edition:

* Some cello textures and melodies for your face. No talking today.

* A bite o writing

* A pod update and recommend

* Another amazing short video.

[2007 was a trying year, though I tried not to show it.]

Responsibility

It's a leap to take responsibility for the sound we make in this world. Can’t hide anymore.

If we make sound just for ourselves it's ok, but the implications of making it in earshot of others can scare even the most promising musician back into silence.

Because if it affects me this much when you do it, what response in you will I have to shoulder?

Duh! "It's not music that scares me, it's people!"

This realization finally turned it around for me. And my fear of people wasn’t of getting beat up or rejected (any of the usual things) but their beauty.

Your beauty.

Witnessing music alone at night with my cassette tapes, going to shows, going to church... a fire would burn right above me. It was like the sound and my soul commingling into some third, totally unpredictable and uncontrollable entity. Telling me to stay present in life. As a teenager my musical taste developed haphazardly but I could always feel this third thing, the fire doing what it wanted and warming up the room whenever there was music playing.

I was panicky at 13, but once I sat down at the piano I became action. All questions of style ceased, all genres melted and I evaporated into a cocoon of noise. All by myself.

Everything felt safe and beautiful, all responsibility ceased.

But that's the rub: responsibility.

Because the room is rarely just ours. Other people will often be in it.

I knew from my solitary listening the beauty that descends on a space when music is playing. But other people complicated and expanded this beauty.

It's not just other players: any person within earshot is adding their own fire to the experience.

All kinds of fire.

A beautiful noise is one thing. Silence is also, as they say, golden.

We all wield our ways of witnessing, consciously or not.

And we don't get to decide what is "beautiful". We can only take responsibility for our own witnessing and tend the fire of the other people in the room with our playing.

I can’t run away and hide from my own sound. Or yours.

We're all in this. I owe you some truthful moments while we're here and capital M music is the best ticket I have for that.

Responsibility is beautiful.

Hope you liked the track.

Podcast recommendation: CTZN

I’ve been working on a show that just launched their Season 2: it’s called CTZN.

* I’m the producer, I put these things together. (How about let’s talk about making yours.)

Here’s the S2 premiere, an interview with pleasure activist Adrienne Maree Brown.

I’m working on my own pod as well… it’s just taking a while.

I had a nice lunch with my friend Sean, and he said “I thought you’d just stopped making that show of yours” and I felt it.

Just to give you all a heads up, I must say that making podcast episodes (at the quality level that I like) is time-consuming. My podcast, “Play It Like It’s Music” hasn’t gone away, I’m just working on lots of stuff at once and these things get pushed to the back because they are a pleasure project for me. Please be patient, there are some great ones coming up! In the meantime, go check out some older episodes and subscribe!

something curated:

This one is crazy. Honestly, I am so not visual. I don’t know how these people do it.

I see some “non-musical” folks sometimes, and they can’t hold back their awe for someone who can and does do music. Well I feel the same way about folks who execute on their visual ideas, because when I look inside there I don’t see much.

A vid like this just tickles my eyes and brain:

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you. Enjoy spring.

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

springtime travels Mar 20, 2019

In this edition:

* A taste of a vibe (no talking on this one)

* A bite o writing

* A video morsel

(hungry, trev?)

[I did not buy this shirt at the sample sale. Vegas can wait.]

springtime travels

I don't know about you, but I have to go places in order to find myself in music.

The music in my head just doesn't make sense to me until I bounce it off some other ears in other places.

Touring helps, once you have an invitation to go play somewhere. But before that, what do you do?

Listen to all the different records that you can.

Check this out:

My house has been weird for a while because I have a stack of records on the shelf and no record player. Thanks to New York real estate and the miracle of technology, I take out the record to look at and play it on spotify, no joke. It’s got everything except that essence.

Before, I felt freedom of movement because I had records. I still do. But while a record collection can be a burden, the phone is more of a leash than I want to admit.

That's one drag about digital. Musical objects will always be physical instruments and records.

They have a smell and a history just like you, sounds in your phone can only point at it.

I remember certain records just jumped off the shelf when I was young and getting the bug. Others didn't, but their presence gave me a sense of context, something to navigate.

* I found out I had to go to Brazil, not just dream of it.

* I found out Chinese folk music didn't really speak to me.

* I learned the history of the Beatles. Bach was to the left of them on the shelf, Brahms to the right.

I swear those Beatles records smelled different. More sweat and cigarettes on them.

And the Brazilian ones definitely had sunshine.

Time to put one on.

something curated:

Cute, gentle phobias! 2 minutes, and I really admire the sound design in this one. Try headphones:

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you deeply, and very much appreciate your reply/feedback/whatsups.

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Truth in tension Mar 13, 2019

In this edition:

* A narrated beat, or a beaten-up narrative? You be the judge… click play and follow the blog/script (blipt? scrog?) below.

* A very cool video

[Last year’s summertime train season]

Truth in tension

The pursuit of music reveals an essential life truth to us, over and over again: that it's impossible to stay 100% true to ourselves.

Before we manifest our music, we may hear or feel it internally. But finding a place for it to live in the world means finding other people to hear it and feel it themselves. We must somehow interface and link.

It starts with simply making the sound, but if you want to sustain it then you have to learn to navigate this gauntlet of other people.

Some call this gauntlet a market. But markets, like democracy are a fragile human ideal. Not the norm.

The norm is that our music must find a way to prevail in the face of an onslaught of predators and parasites, both within and without. Self-sabotage and shady business dealers are equally destructive to our sound and to our soundness.

But without our sound we are nothing. So we must go through.

Through the fear, through the cacophony, through the swindles, through the compromise, the forgetting and the loss.

We must then resuscitate the sound, for it is us. Protect and nurture it so it can live, even if nobody but us wants to hear it or pay for it.

After decades of trying to quit, failing to quit, trying to "succeed" and losing my direction again and again, I often feel like my sound is both the source of my sanity and its worst threat.

100% tension.

The only way to be cool with that is to just choose to be cool with it.

Because I also know how much lonelier it can get when I'm far from my sound. That's no way to live.

I know this: the music business will not always be there for you, but the Music will.

Good thing it's the one you need.

Your music loves you, so let it.

something curated:

Just came across this brilliant one-minute animation. MUCH momentum, SO inertia!

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you more than you know, and thanks again for all your lovely replies.

Your feedback is always welcome, especially some good ol’ informed criticism! Otherwise I’m writing in a vacuum…

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too. Please share:

* Listen to the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Changes (a non-narrated musical post) Mar 06, 2019

Just music this time, couldn’t get my narration together today. Here’s the vibe from home this week. [click play]

In this edition:

* a bit of a track for you [see above]

* a bit of writing for you

* a beautiful performance I just watched

[Paris circa 2010]

Changes

We are not all so strongly affected by music. But for those of us who are, it's scary to admit the power it has to change us.

Besides the bag of tastes we picked up between the ages of 14-17 - the window when our musical tastes solidified whether we like it or not - the input of new sounds at opportune moments can transform us completely.

A list that can go on forever: How music changed me.

I was forever changed after I heard Piazzolla. Jeff Buckley invited me back from exile. Coltrane showed me limitlessness and the need for humility.

Chuck Berry changed just about everyone, but Henry Threadgill changed me.

João Gilberto changed a bunch of folks too, and without him there might not have ever been Tool.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor changed me.

Bruce Springsteen mostly just changes himself, but manages to bring everybody along for the ride.

There is so much power in music, and a scary responsibility comes with it.

I'm scared out of my mind each time I pick up the instrument. I have to get over some real musical vertigo before doing any work, and a lot of the time it overtakes me anyway.

I've chosen this, I'm responsible. But it doesn't get any less scary. I'm not intimidated so much as awed by the mastery which came before and surrounds us. I still have my own sound to make.

But I'd better make it right, play for keeps because someone might hear it. And what change in them do I want to puy my name on?

It takes work to to make a true sound. You don't get to choose how it lands.

But we're still responsible.

something curated:

I got a real kick out of this subway performance by Alan Cumming and musicians. Special props to Eleanor Norton, the fantastic cellist featured here:

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you more than you know, and thanks again for all your lovely replies.

I’m starting to feel happy with where things are going for me sonically. Feedback is always welcome here.

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too:

* Check out the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Peace of Mind Feb 27, 2019

In this edition:

* Edition #two of my “email exclusive” sonic dispatches (press play and then scroll to follow the written version.)

* A treat for your face and what’s behind it

[me, sometime in the 80’s]

Peace of mind

I don't always remember the incredible peace of mind that comes from playing. Life makes me lose the plot and forget what's missing until I find the sound again.

But man, when it comes back it's like the smell of toast. There's nothing like it.

It's the most basic thing: you touch something with your hands and sound comes out.

Then the sound touches you and makes your movements change from what you hear.

Your hands change, the sound changes, you change. And on around.

A beautiful little feedback loop.

There's energy in it, and joy too.

So simple.

I wonder what it would be like if we were taught music with this simple feedback loop as a basis, instead of the usual mimicry and patriotism.

At the core, playing should feel like playing.

Unless you find a real mission with music, the joy of playing should remain the only purpose.

And if the joy is hot enough you might find yourself wanting to write songs, produce soundtracks, go out for the big Concerto...

But keep an eye on the joy.

It can turn into ambition so easily.

And the drag there is that you won't notice if it happens.

Just the listeners will.

Your collaborators will also notice before you do.

If it stops being fun momentarily, that's ok. Life isn't always fun.

But if music is your job because you embarked on that mission, remember that most of the listeners want it to be fun. They might think you chose the job of providing them with fun in the form of music.

But music isn't a job, it's a calling.

It's better when you learn to dance with it.

True sounds, joyful sounds, feedback loops...

Energy.

Peace.

something curated:

Here’s another two minute eye/brain massage. I can’t get enough of these:

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you more than you know, and thanks for all your lovely replies to the first audio dispatch last week. It’s great to know how it’s landing. Go ahead, hit “reply” and let’s keep this going.

Better yet, maybe share it with someone you think might like it?

Love your ears,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, it’s in these other places too:

* Check out the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

The Blank Canvas Feb 21, 2019

In this edition:

* A short riff on silence, complete with narration and musical accompaniment

* You read that right! (Press play dear friends, and engage those headphones.)

* A sweet recommendation.

The blank canvas

Some people feel they need to make a loud sound in order to feel beautiful. For them, the power they put into and extract from an amp is the only way to experience an honest sound.

This is sacrosanct for some people, and I'd respect it more if the sounds these people made didn't drown out all the other sounds so insistently.

We don't all have the same set of issues.

I like to bring it, loudly and through an amp with the cello. But the real work is done with my hands, and sometimes it happens at an SPL so close to silence that you wouldn't know it was happening even if you were here in the room with me.

There's a wide, wide range.

And the sound of actual silence has a power beyond anything, not to mention a beauty you can't find anywhere else.

I work hard on my sound, but I also burn a lot of bandwidth creating that silent space in which to play. It's like stretching a canvas before you paint: the silence is under everything so I take care of that part first.

And I'll tell you the truth, it's one of the hardest parts because it's a noisy world out here.

And while you can totally start something without a bed of silence, it's one way I've found to know right away if my noise is coming from an honest place.

We all end up there eventually, so might as well make friends with it.

something curated:

I’m a huge fan of the podcast “Scene On Radio”. It’s made at the Center For Documentary studies and their last two seasons have been addictive, bingeworthy masterpieces. The force is strong in host John Biewen, master of the podcast trick of making you think and feel deeply while entertaining and relating. Many dimensions! Check them out below and get hip to some beautifully gentle-voiced piercing honesty.

Seeing White

MEN

Thank you for reading and subscribing.

I appreciate you more than you know, and I especially want to hear your thoughts about this first edition of an “audio newsletter”. Go ahead, hit “reply”, because I’ve never done anything like this before.

It was all made today, for you, right now. How do you like it?

Love your face,

Trevor

If you appreciate my work, may I ask you to help share it?

* Check out the “Trevor Exter Playlist” on Spotify

* Hear 18 episodes of: "Play It Like It's Music"

* You can hire me to produce your podcast.

* Or get supportive: visit Patreon

* Social: IG \ TW \ FB

* trevorexter.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

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