The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music

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David Wilson Nov 23, 2021

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This week's episode is a must listen for all tone freaks out there. Jay Jay's friend David Wilson, editor & publisher of The ToneQuest Report, is this week's special guest. Hear all about why Jay Jay strongly recommends The TQR to all guitar players, & finds it to be a refreshing alternative to all other guitar publications out there. David talks about why he believes all guitarists are chasing the perfect tone ~ & where to begin when seeking out a specific tone in the constantly evolving world of music technology. Everything from desert island guitar / amp combos, to the history of amplifiers is discussed in this episode - you won't want to miss it! Be sure to check out The Tone Quest Report's website, & subscribe to their one of a kind publication. https://tonequest.com/about/our-story/

Peppy Castro Nov 16, 2021

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This week's guest is psychedelic rock legend & pioneer, Peppy Castro. Peppy has done it all, from being a founding member of The Blues Magoos, to starring in the original Broadway production of Hair. Tune in to hear about his unique career journey, all the way back to his beginnings in the world of rock n roll as a teenager on the east coast. Don't miss hearing the story of Jay Jay & Peppy's first meeting - in which their bands were sharing a bill, & as Jay Jay recounts, Peppy kindly told him to "Get the f*** off my amp!!" Hear these stories only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music.

Don McClean Nov 09, 2021

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This week we're revisiting one of our highlight interviews from earlier this year - Don McClean. Tune into hear legendary American singer/songwriter Don McLean & Jay Jay discuss the cultural impact of Don's hit "American Pie," how much Don's music has impacted Jay Jay, resilience in show business, and the ups & downs of their remarkable journeys in the music industry. Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Justin Kreutzmann & Mark Pinkus Nov 02, 2021

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This episode is a must listen for all Dead Heads. This week's 2 guests are Justin Kreutzmann & Mark Pinkus. Justin is a director, & the son of legendary Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Justin has worked on a large catalogue of projects with music legends such as Pete Townshend and The Who, Motley Crue, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staples, & last but not least - The Grateful Dead. He has worked as an editor & producer on a wide variety of music documentaries & programs - including Long Strange Trip, Let There Be Drums, Backstage Pass & Dead Ringers: The Making of Touch of Grey. Mark Pinkus is president of Rhino Entertainment, and he is the official General Manager of Grateful Dead Properties. He has access to the Dead's extensive vault — a superfan's paradise with thousands and thousands of tapes — and handles the production and release of the music contained within. Tune in to hear these 3 discuss all things Grateful Dead - from producing their most recent documentary, to each member's unique character & style of playing, & why the Dead have had such a huge impact on multiple generations. Justin discusses how his dad being a member the Dead has impacted his life & career, & Mark discusses his special working relationship with the Dead. Jay Jay tells stories of seeing the Grateful Dead perform growing up in New York, & the impact that their musical connectedness had on his playing. Don't miss this one of a kind conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Rob Halford - "Love & Metal" Oct 19, 2021

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This week we're revisiting a classic episode, with guest & metal legend Rob Halford. In the second ever released episode of the Jay Jay French Connection, Jay Jay brings on heavy metal legend Rob Halford, to discuss his new book "Confess." Tune in to hear Jay Jay & Rob discuss the birthplace of heavy metal, their early days in Judas Priest and Twisted Sister, memorable performances, communicating through music and wisdom with age. You won't want to miss this one! Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Juha Ruokangas Part III Oct 12, 2021

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For the first time ever - Jay Jay welcomes back a special guest for the THIRD part of their conversation - legendary luthier Juha Ruokangas. For the guitar enthusiasts who couldn't get enough of their previous conversations - tune in to hear Jay Jay & Juha dive even further into the endlessly fascinating world of guitars. Juha discusses everything from how the internet has led to a renaissance of handmade electric guitars & the importance of guitar archetypes, to the challenges that legacy guitar brands face & impact that iconic models such as the Gibson & Les Paul have had on the world of music. Juha delves into which elements from classic guitar models have influenced Ruokangas guitars, & what he has singled out as areas to be improved - from balance, aesthetic, tone & much more. Be sure to check out Ruokangas's extraordinary custom models on their website, and tune in to Juha's Weekly Wednesday Live Q&A on Youtube - you won't want to miss it! https://ruokangas.com/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1pbgUzEKLMqaXDALXcT7ZHGl7QpxVyeF https://podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/weekly-wednesday-q-a-with-juha-ruokangas/id1520183578 Weekly Wednesday Live Q&A with Juha Series Description: "Let's talk about guitars. I'll do my best to help you understand your instrument better, and give all tips I can, so you could get the most out of your guitar and enjoy making your music even more! A little disclaimer - these live streams are not about selling my guitars to you, but an attempt to help you get more out of the guitar you already own, and understand your instrument better. The brand or monetary value of your guitar doesn't make a difference, either." Catch this one of a kind conversation only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond The Music! Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Juha Ruokangas Part II Oct 05, 2021

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This week's episode is another must-listen for all guitar enthusiasts. Jay Jay welcomes back Juha Ruokangas of Ruokangas guitars for part II of their conversation. Juha joins Jay Jay from Helsinki & they get right back into it, discussing everything from heat treatments and finishes, to the evolving quality of beginner guitars & the longevity of various guitar models. Juha discusses the differences between large-scale guitar manufacturers and boutique custom guitar builders, and every type of company in between. Hear first hand what it takes for him & his team to ensure the perfection of every single guitar they make, & what influences have gone into the designing of their 6 signature models - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Be sure to check out Ruokangas Guitars remarkable guitar models & learn more about their company at https://ruokangas.com/ Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Juha Ruokangas Sep 28, 2021

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This week's guest on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music is THE master guitar maker Juha Ruokangas. Juha is a Finnish guitar maker & entrepreneur who founded Ruokangas Guitars. Ruokangas Guitars builds solid-body and semi-hollow electric guitars, including models such Duke, VSOP, Mojo, Hellcat and Unicorn. Their company builds guitars using traditional methods – no modern computer-controlled machinery or serial production methods are used. Each guitar is built individually by a luthier. Tune in to hear how, in the endless world of possibility that is guitar making, Juha & his team have discovered the magical balance between tones & woods that Ruokangas Guitars uses, & why Juha considers guitar making to be comparable to alchemy. Jay Jay & Juha discuss how they met, their mutual respect for one another, & get into the weeds on all things guitars - hear this conversation only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music. Be sure to check out Ruokangas Guitars remarkable guitar models & learn more about their company at https://ruokangas.com/ Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Mark Mendoza Part II Sep 21, 2021

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This week is part II of Jay Jay's conversation with Mark Mendoza! Tune in to hear these 2 lifelong friends share stories that they've never told each other. Mark discusses in depth how he got to where he is in music - from the first bands he auditioned for and played with, all the way to his current musical activity & ongoing projects. Mark is a legendary bass player that has an incomparable feel, stage presence & knowledge of the bass guitar. Mark & Jay Jay have been business partners, musical collaborators & in-laws to one another for years. Don't miss this one of a kind conversation - only on the Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music. Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

Steve Binder Part II Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Jay Jay welcomes back a very special guest, renowned producer & director Steve Binder. Tune in to catch part two of their conversation, all about The Elvis Presley: '68 Comeback Special - a televised concert of Elvis Presley which aired on December 3rd, 1968 via NBC, that Steve produced & directed. Hear the story of how Steve & Elvis connected to create this documentary, and how it changed both of their lives. If you're an Elvis fan - you won't want to miss the stories included in this week's episode - what made Elvis such a genuinely loveable figure to all those who worked with him, how Colonel Parker effected Elvis's career, to the youth craze surrounding Elvis and how his hip swinging gained so much international publicity. Hear these stories exclusively on The Jay Jay French Connection - Beyond the Music! Produced & edited by Matthew Mallinger

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