Spotlight On

Today, the Spotlight shines On someone we have not spoken to in a while…Over the years, we have periodically turned the tables by having friends and colleagues interview me, most notably in episode 100, or by airing talks and interviews I have done in other forums.Today is a little different. My longtime friend and colleague Jeremy Sirota is hosting a livestream series on LinkedIn called Creative Leadership. There, he interviews figures from the worlds of music, sports, business, and more to discuss their work in applying creativity to realms that are not often thought of as creative fields. I liked the idea and asked him to run his format on me. What follows is that talk.–Dig DeeperVisit Jeremy Sirota at jeremysirota.com and connect with him on LinkedInVisit Lawrence Peryer at lawrenceperyer.com and connect with him on LinkedInMerlin - Digital rights music licensing partner for independent record labelsJazz Journalist Association - Professional organization for jazz writers and criticsLateral Thinking - Edward de Bono's problem-solving methodologyBrian Eno Against Interpretation - The source of the quote that Jeremy referencesDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On saxophonist and composer Sean Imboden.Sean spent years touring with Broadway shows and working as a sideman, but something was missing. He stepped away from a lucrative career path and took a leap, returning to Indianapolis, where he ultimately formed his 17-piece orchestra. Now that ensemble releases Communal Heart, an album that captures the community spirit Sean has built around his music, as well as his transformation from comfortable sideman to big band leader.Sean joined me to discuss this ambitious project and share how he has created what he calls "identifiably human-made music" in an increasingly digital world.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Sean Imboden Large Ensemble’s album Communal Heart)–Dig DeeperArtist and Album:Visit Sean Imboden at seanimboden.com and follow him on Instagram and YouTubePurchase Communal Heart by Sean Imboden Large Ensemble from Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceSean Imboden’s ‘Communal Heart’: A Quiet Subversion of the Big Band CanonCollaborators and Producers:Steve Allee - producer and Indianapolis jazz veteranRich Dole - producer and bass trombonistTucker Brothers - Indianapolis quartet featuring SeanJohn Raymond - trumpeter featured on the albumDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On clarinetist Glenn Dickson and electronic musician Bob Familiar.When a cutting-edge klezmer artist meets a former rock synthesist, you might expect creative tension. Instead, Glenn and Bob found something else entirely—a shared language that turns clarinet and electronics into the most unlikely yet inspired pairings.Their new album All the Light of Our Sphere layers acoustic clarinet with synthesizers and loop devices to create what they describe as orchestral ambient music. The tracks were recorded live with no overdubs, no click tracks, just two musicians finding their way through inspired improvisations.Glenn brings decades of experience from klezmer to microtonal jazz, while Bob's electronic landscapes draw from science fiction and years in Boston's rock scene. Together, they're creating something that sits between Brian Eno and Eastern European folk traditions.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Dickson and Familiar’s album All the Light of Our Sphere)–Dig DeeperVisit Glenn Dickson at GlennDicksonMusic.com and follow him on Bandcamp, Instagram, and FacebookFollow Bob Familiar on Bandcamp, Instagram, and FacebookPurchase All the Light of Our Sphere from Bandcamp or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On drummer and composer Gustavo CortiñasGustavo's latest album, The Crisis Knows No Borders, tackles climate change head-on through music that's both urgent and beautiful. Working with guitarist Dave Miller, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, and violinist Mark Feldman, he's created compositions that explore how global warming sparks conflicts, drives migration, and connects us all, whether we like it or not.The Chicago-based artist has built a career using jazz as a medium for social commentary, and this new project feels especially timely as we face a world where environmental challenges refuse to respect any boundaries.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Gustavo Cortiñas’s album The Crisis Knows No Borders)–Dig DeeperArtist and Album:Visit Gustavo Cortiñas at gustavocortinasmusic.com and follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTubePurchase The Crisis Knows No Borders from Bandcamp or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceGustavo Cortiñas discography and bioClimate and Environmental Context:Climate change and migration - UN perspective on crisis themesEnvironmental justice movement - Social context for album's messageDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On guitarist and composer Kim Perlak.Kim chairs the guitar department at Berklee College of Music, where she's spent over a decade expanding from classical performance into composition and improvisation. Her new album, Spaces, is a collaboration with percussionist Francisco Mela. The record captures four nature-inspired suites that obliterate the lines between written music and spontaneous creation.The project shows how Kim moved from performing exclusively new classical works to embracing improvisation and collaborative music-making. Recorded live in a single afternoon at a studio overlooking New Hampshire's Squam Lake, Spaces reveals Kim’s deep connection to the natural world and her belief in creating musical environments where artists can truly listen to each other.Kim is here to share the story behind this unique project and discuss how creating space—both musical and personal—has shaped her approach to teaching and performing.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Kim Perlak & Francisco Mela’s album Spaces)–Dig DeeperVisit Kim Perlak at kimperlak.com and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTubePurchase Kim Perlak & Francisco Mela's Spaces from Sacred Black Records or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choice.Meet Dr. Kim Perlak, Chair of Guitar at Berklee College of MusicDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On Terence Hannum.Terence wears many hats. He is a visual artist, professor, and one-third of the experimental trio Locrian. It's the 15th anniversary reissue of Locrian's The Crystal World that brings us together today. This album marked a turning point for the band, transforming them from a duo into a full trio and giving structure to their sprawling sonic explorations.The record takes its name and inspiration from J.G. Ballard's 1966 novel, which is about a jungle consumed by crystalline forces. Terence and his bandmates created their version of that suspended, transformative world through layers of drone, metal, and ambient sound.Terence's here to discuss this landmark release and share how his background in religious studies and visual art continues to shape his approach to making music.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Locrian’s album The Crystal World)–Dig DeeperCheck out Terence Hannum's visual art at terencehannum.com and his solo music on BandcampPurchase Locrian’s The Crystal World from Utech Records, Bandcamp or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceFollow Locrian on Bluesky, Facebook, and InstagramThe Horror Tree Presents… An Interview with Terence HannumDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On guitarist Knox Chandler.Knox's name might ring a bell from his work with The Psychedelic Furs, Siouxsie and the Banshees, or maybe from his string arrangements on Depeche Mode's Exciter. However, his latest project takes an entirely different turn. After decades in the music business bouncing between New York, Berlin, and stages around the world, Knox found himself back in his Connecticut hometown caring for his aging mother.What started as a personal necessity became an artistic revelation. His new project, The Sound, is a collection of guitar-driven soundscapes and a book of paintings, photographs, and written meditations, all capturing his rediscovery of the Long Island Sound shoreline where he grew up. It's part memoir, part nature journal, and completely unlike anything else you'll hear this year.Knox is here to walk us through this ambitious multimedia project and share how returning home can lead to your most honest and creative work.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Knox Chandler’s album The Sound)–Dig DeeperVisit Knox Chandler at knoxchandlermusic.com and follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTubePurchase Knox Chandler's The Sound book/album from Blue Elastic or Bandcamp and listen on your streaming platform of choice“I was playing a gig at CBGB’s Canteen, and Cyndi showed up. She heckled me throughout the show”Guitar, Technology, and Nature Converge in Knox Chandler’s Solo DebutDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On John Andrew Fredrick of The Black Watch.After thirty-seven years of making indie rock, the band’s latest album, For All the World, boasts an energy and vitality that surprises even John. John’s a great guest: His creative process remains rooted in uncertainty, he reads more about music than he listens to it, he draws inspiration from everything from Dostoyevsky to David Bowie, and believes the best songwriting comes from not knowing too much about where you're headed.John talked with me about his philosophy of creative doubt, his daily ritual of playing guitar, and why staying uncertain after all these years keeps the music feeling alive.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from The Black Watch’s album For All the World)–Dig DeeperVisit The Black Watch at their Facebook pageExplore The Black Watch's discography on BandcampJohn Andrew Fredrick's author page and novels at Verse Chorus PressShimmering & Shining with The Black WatchOut of My Tree: An Interview with the Black Watch’s John Andrew FredrickPennyblackmusic: Interview with John Andrew FredrickDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On saxophonist and composer Ingrid Laubrock.Ingrid's just released Purposing The Air, a double album that sets 60 brief poems by Erica Hunt to music through four different vocal-instrumental duos. It's an ambitious project that transforms Hunt's emotionally sharp koans into what Ingrid calls "a library of moods”—each piece capturing a different feeling, from the everyday to the searching.The project began during Ingrid’s master's studies, when she met Hunt through a friend and immediately connected with the poet's work. What started as writing for one duo became something much larger: a collection where poems float through musical space, each tailored for specific performers, such as Fay Victor and Mariel Roberts, or Theo Bleckmann and Ben Monder.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Ingrid Laubrock’s album Purposing the Air)–Dig DeeperVisit Ingrid Laubrock at ingridlaubrock.com and follow her on Bluesky, Facebook and YouTubePurchase Purposing the Air from Pyroclastic Records, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines on clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh.Earlier this year, Kinan released Live in Berlin, his fourteenth album with his CityBand quartet. The album captures music he wrote during Syria's 2011 uprising—pieces that carry the weight of watching your homeland torn apart from thousands of miles away. Born in Damascus and now based in Brooklyn, Kinan has spent decades crossing the world with his clarinet, performing with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, the New York Philharmonic, and countless others.What makes this release particularly powerful is its timing. As Syrians celebrate newfound freedom after years of struggle, Kinan's music—born from grief and anger—now carries notes of hope. We spoke about these deeply personal compositions and how his twenty-year collaboration with CityBand has evolved into music that encompasses classical, jazz, and Arabic influences.A technical note: Kinan joined me from Beirut, Lebanon, and although I couldn’t tell while we were recording, I later discovered that our internet connection was not always stable. There are some dropouts and garbles in this episode that we have done our best to clean up; however, even with those, we thought this conversation was worth sharing with you. I know you will agree.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from the album Live in Berlin by Kinan Azmeh and CityBand)–Dig Deeper• Artist and Album:Visit Kinan Azmeh at kinanazmeh.com and follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTubePurchase Kinan Azmeh and CityBand’s Live in Berlin from Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceKinan Azmeh: Berlin and Beyond• Dig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our new online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.