The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music

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Nina DiGregorio Jul 16, 2024

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Viral sensation & violin virtuoso Nina DiGregorio is this week's guest on the podcast! Nina is a classically trained violinist, bass player, writer/arranger, and vocalist, but is most well-known for being an innovative performer on the electric rock violin, as well as a music business mogul and entrepreneur. She has performed as a soloist and string arranger with some of the biggest names in the business. She arranged and performed strings with The Killers for President Obama and was featured on a recent album. She can also be seen featured on the Beyonce I am...Yours live performance DVD and both David Foster and Friends DVDs, which include Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Boz Scaggs, Peter Cetera, and Charice. Nina's list of accolades & performances goes on - & in addition to her live & recording work she is a one of a kind entrepreneur who has become widely popular through her live show in Vegas, & virally through her amazing covers of rock tunes. Tune is to hear all about her background & the story of carving her own path within the music & entertainment industries - don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Dean Delray Part II Jul 09, 2024

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Part II of Jay Jay's conversation with Dean Delray is this week! Don't miss the latter half of their conversation to hear them share killer stories & invaluable insight into the worlds of music & comedy. In this half of their conversation, Dean delves further into the world of comedy, from its current state to his experience hanging out at the Comedy Store back in the 80s. He shares the story of coming back to comedy later in life after being a touring musician - beginning at an open mic in 2009, after which he hasn't stopped stand up since. They talk about the importance of discipline within your craft, the impact that their influences have had on them & list their all time favorite records. Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Dean Delray Part I Jul 02, 2024

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Killer stand up comedian, actor & lifelong rock n roller Dean Delray joins the podcast this week! If you're a rock or comedy enthusiast, you won't want to miss this conversation. Dean has been podcasting for the past 12 years on his great show 'Let There Be Talk, which you'll want to be sure to check out if you haven't already. Dean & Jay Jay get into all things comedy & music - discussing parallels between the two as they share insight into their creative processes surrounding the both. They chat about everything from favorite albums & deepest influences, to underrated bands & stories from sharing the stage with Bill Burr on tour over the past year and a half. Dean gets into stories from seeing Twisted over the years all the way back to their early recording days, & why he was inspired by Twisted's recent documentary, relating their story to his journey in comedy & discussing the importance of tenacity & not ever letting go of your dreams. This is only part 1 of their conversation - tune in next week to hear part II when Dean digs even deeper into the world of comedy. Be sure to check out Dean's upcoming summer tour dates, & don't miss this conversation - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger

Yana Roney Jun 18, 2024

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Yana Roney, better known as Powder Fluff Girl on social media, is this week's guest on the podcast! Yana is an internet sensation - Mountain Shredder, Dirt Braap, Internet Celebrity, and Bikini Model all in one. She is famous for sharing her bike riding videos & exclusive photoshoots via Instagram, Tiktok & Facebook. She collaborates with different brands around the world, & her videos, showcasing her unique lifestyle have gained popularity on a global scale. Hear about Jay Jay & Yana's unlikely meeting, as they both share insight into their unique career paths and journeys. Yana discusses her background & the evolution of her crazy journey into the world of extreme sports & becoming an athlete. Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

Rickey Medlocke May 28, 2024

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Lynyrd Skynyrd founding member and lead guitarist Rickey Medlocke joins Jay Jay this week on the podcast! Jay Jay & Rickey's history goes as far back as Twisted Sister does - to 1973 - and they've remained friends ever since. Rickey is best known as being the frontman & guitarist for the band Blackfoot, as well as an original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He's of Lakota Sioux and Cherokee ancestry, and was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame in 2008. He's heavily involved in supporting the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Movement, and national efforts to end all violence against American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian women, which you can learn more about via the links below:

www.niwrc.org
www.rickeymedlocke.com/never-run-out-of-road
Tune in to hear all about Jay Jay & Rickey's deep history that goes back over 50 years, as Rickey discusses how he's been one of the faces of Southern Rock for decades, and set the standard for the genre.
Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!
A special thank you to our new sponsors, Dimarzio Pickups and Tonequest Report.
Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Edwin Oswald on Ronald Reagan May 14, 2024

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This week, Jay Jay has a timely guest on the podcast ahead of the upcoming election, Edwin G. Oswald. Tune in to hear Edwin & Jay Jay discuss Ronald Reagan's life trajectory into the US presidency, the paradox of Reagan, & how people view him. Edwin recently wrote & published the book 'From Ronald to Donald: How the Myth of Reagan Became the Cult of Trump.' His book lays out a compelling argument that Reagan's presidency, & the mythology surrounding, laid the foundation for Trump's presidency. Reagan's myth persists, and by understanding his time in office in the context of American history and of the American presidency, we can understand how a transformative president created more than policy by also shaping culture with the instrumental force of mythology. His book attempts to neither praise nor bury Reagan but to explain him in non-partisan terms of contemporary popular mythology. Don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

Joe Satriani & Steve Vai Apr 30, 2024

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This week's guests are guitar heavyweights Joe Satriani & Steve Vai! Tune into this special 2-in-1 episode - Joe & Steve find time during their ongoing tour to connect with Jay Jay on the podcast. They discuss their new work & share stories of their dense musical backgrounds, all the way back to day 1 getting their first guitars as kids. In addition to their tour, Steve & Joe just released their first collaborative single The Sea of Emotion, which is available to stream now! Jay Jay, Steve & Joe have very interesting intertwining histories as they all grew up on Long Island. Steve Vai talks about going out to see Jay Jay perform during Twisted's early club days, & Joe talks about giving guitar lessons to Steve when he was 17, & Steve was 12. This episode is a must listen for all guitar players - don't miss this insightful conversation between 3 guitar legends - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger

Wayne Bjerke Mar 26, 2024

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This week's guest on The Jay Jay French Connection, is Wayne Bjerke, joined by Twisted's social media manager, Tor Caracappa! Wayne has been a true old school TS fan all the way back to their club days. He is currently a graphic artist & tattoo artist, who has been friends with Tor for 20+ years. Learn why Jay Jay believes that bands are only as good as their fanbase, & hear Jay Jay & Wayne discuss the power & impact that Twisted had in their early club days. Wayne asks questions he’s always had about the band, and shares what the experience was like to watch and be a part of the incredible arch of Twisted’s career.

Paul Williams Mar 12, 2024

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Legendary Hollywood writer, producer & director, Paul Williams, is this week's guest on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music! You won't want to miss Paul's stories from his remarkable journey into filmmaking, & talk about his recently published book titled 'Harvard, Hitmen and Holy Men. The book gets into how he is a real-life Forrest Gump - & how his experiences form a unique and often wild constellation of encounters with star power, political power, and spiritual power―a life cycle that led to fame and fortune and to integrity and anonymity. Paul shares stories of his intersecting careers with peers & friends in film, from Francis Ford Coppola to Terry Malick & Martin Scorsese. Hear stories from how Jay Jay came on the set to give Paul advice on portraying the culture surrounding drug dealing when he was working on the film 'Dealing' in the 70s, to Paul playing a pick up basketball game with Fidel Castro. Jay Jay & Paul bond over their overlapping in New York during their upbringings and the beginnings of their careers in film and music. Be sure to check out Paul's book, & don't miss this conversation - only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

Produced & Edited by Matthew Mallinger

Raized Wrong Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

This week's guest is 3-in-1 - Guitarist and producer Donny Goldberg, & his 2 sons, join Jay Jay in conversation! Together the 3 of them make up the instagram sensation Raized Wrong. Landon is 13 & his brother Lyric is 12 - together with their father they create online covers of hits from the 80's 90's & more.

Hear the story about how Jay Jay found their music online, & why he immediately fell in love with what they were doing. The family discusses their creative process, generational influences, & what it's like playing and recording together as a family. Donny discusses why he finds it so important to encourage kids to get into art & music at a young age, & how he has encouraged both of his kids to do so since day one.

Be sure to check out Raized Wrong's project online, & don't miss this conversation, only on The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music!

Edited & Produced by Matthew Mallinger

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