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**Play It Like It’s Music**

Purists may whine that the best days of music are behind us, that capital “M” music has seen its peak and is no longer relevant. But here at Play It Like It’s Music we believe the opposite: not only is the act of musicmaking an essential life skill with a lineage stretching back to the beginnings of human history, but the vocation of the professional musician is more vital today than it ever has been. Once a month, join musician, songwriter and producer Trevor Exter as he drops in on working musicians from every genre.

playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com

Latest Episodes:

"I make music because I have something to say" May 13, 2020

Show notes

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.

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!

* 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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"I wish I weren't number 1, I'd like to be number 10" May 06, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"The thing I was born to do" + time travel with Carmen McRae Apr 29, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"To touch the heart, that's the goal" Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"The best feeling in the world" Apr 15, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"Be prepared to live in a state of uncertainty" Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"Don't die trying to sound like someone else" Apr 01, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"It's just what I do." Mar 25, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"This is the revolutionary thing I can do right now" Mar 18, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe

"Anger as a turbo boost" Mar 11, 2020

Show notes

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:

Get full access to Play it Like It's Music at playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/subscribe