The Third Story with Leo Sidran

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39: Musicians behind Late Show with Stephen Colbert Sep 09, 2015

Show notes

This week, Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” begins, replacing David Letterman and starting a new tradition for late night television. Colbert chose young powerhouse pianist Jon Batiste to lead his band, and Batiste in turn selectedMichael Thurber to play bass in the band.

I've talked with both Batiste and Thurber for this podcast in the past, discussing their early musical development and general outlook on music today. In celebration of The Late Show's kickoff, I compiled some highlights from our previous conversations, as well as a conversation I had with Will Lee, the veteran Late Show bassist from Letterman's band.

I also had a chance to catch up with both Will Lee and Michael Thurber this week to find out what they’re thinking about right now. For Will, after playing for over 30 years on the Letterman show, he feels a new sense of freedom in his schedule and career. For Thurber, there’s a sense of excitement and uncertainty about the next phase of his life and the evolution of the new show.

Individually, each conversation offers an enlightening look into the personal journeys all artists take, the difficult choices they must make, and the overall sense of wonder about life that they all share.

Taken as a whole, to me they paint an incredibly inspirational picture of how to approach life and art.

All three are extremely generous and open people, and their openness, candor and generosity point to a larger truth about success in the arts: when you work on your craft, you are really working on yourself. It’s not that art imitates life; art is life.

38: Addicted To Living In the Present Moment - The Trade Winds project Aug 27, 2015

Show notes

The Triangle Trade route connected the old world to the new world, sending slaves from west Africa to the Americas, and goods from the Americas back to Europe and even to Africa.

How did it profoundly influence the music and culture of each stop along the way?

Bassist Matt Geraghty and Saxophonist Ze Luis have been traveling to port cities (New Orleans, San Juan, Havana) to find out. It's part of their compelling video series, the 21 Trade Winds project. Both musicians have made names for themselves in the jazz and world music communities, Matt with his personal projects, and Ze as a sideman and producer for notable Brazilian artists like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.

I was struck by the intensity of the experience, and by the general positivity among musicians. I was particularly curious to talk about what effect the experience has had on Matt and Ze’s lives outside of the project.

Listen on and hear how, as Zé says, “It’s all about NOW and it’s all about US…and living in the present for long enough is like an addiction.”

37: Inspiration Comes from Life at the Newport Jazz Festival Aug 13, 2015

Show notes

Ben Sidran and I spent three days at the Newport Jazz Festival, checking out the music, hanging with musicians and trying to find a lobster roll. During the course of the weekend, we connected with some wonderful jazz personalities, including Jon Batiste, Dr. John, Jason Lindner, Maria Schneider, Jose James, James Carter, Jamie Cullum, David Hazeltine, and Bob Dorough. Each of them helped us to paint the picture of real life as it comes into contact with a career in music.

36: George Wein at 90 - Looking forward to the future Jul 30, 2015

Show notes

George Wein opened his first jazz club, Storyville, in the early 1950s when he was a young man. He then created the Newport Jazz Festival in 1954. The festival became an icon among music festivals and influenced the way music was presented around the world.

35: Welcome to Copenhagen Jul 16, 2015

Show notes

Roam in and out of Copenhagen jazz clubs with me and my father, Ben Sidran. With microphones in hand, we interviewed all sorts of musicians, wondering aloud about the future of the music. A window into my world.

34: He started the website that you can't stop reading. Meet Peter Koechley. Jul 02, 2015

Show notes

The viral content website Upworthy launched in 2012 with an emphasis on simple and transformational storytelling. It had an immediate impact online and quickly influenced many other sites in the way they shared stories. Peter Koechley explains their philosophy, why they focus on empathy, and how he came to co-found the influential site.

33: Tommy LiPuma with Al Schmitt, Steve Gadd, Larry Goldings, Jacob Collier and Dean Parks Jun 18, 2015

Show notes

The conversation is a fascinating glimpse into both the golden age of recording and modern music production approaches, which also highlights how important relationships and trust are to building a career in music (or any industry).

32: Sachal "I have a power to make my words count" Jun 03, 2015

Show notes

Singer Sachal on connecting with an audience, integrating technology into organic music, and the importance of lyrics.

31: Peter Coyote, "Every other role but your authentic self has already been taken" May 21, 2015

Show notes

Actor, writer, Zen Buddhist Peter Coyote on the value of meditation ("it's like walking in fog - you get drenched!"), the search for the authentic self, and how to stay true to yourself in the midst of commercial pressures.

30: Guitarist Charlie Hunter on D'Angelo, limitation, and finding your voice May 06, 2015

Show notes

Guitarist Charlie Hunter is a true innovator who has collaborated with countless music legends including D'Angelo, John Mayer, Mos Def, Michael Franti, Ben Goldberg and Norah Jones.

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