Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

Philip Griffin is an amazingly versatile, creative, and generous musician. He plays, improvises, and composes in many styles on many different instruments. During this episode you’ll hear him play the rebab, the ukulele, and guitar in his duo with violinist Jude Iddison. He reflects on his work teaching children and people with disabilities, and reflects on some of his important mentors including Richard Gill, Linsey Pollak and Ross Daly. In the video version, I’ve included a slide show of some of his amazing nature photography, which is also on my website linked to this episode, and the link for Philip’s website and Facebook page are also included below. In this conversation with Philip, I was really happy to be able to talk about some of the themes I find most interesting as a musician: education, creativity, and mentorship. Philip was introduced to me by Linsey Pollak, and I hope if you missed his episode that you’ll check it out: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/linsey-pollak

Like all my episodes, this is available as a video, and the transcript is linked here as well as some of his amazing nature photographs: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/philip-griffin

Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

https://philipgriffin.bandcamp.com/album/banksia

https://www.philipgriffin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/philip.griffin.7106

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:30) Linsey Pollak

(06:02) talking about different instruments laouto, oud, rebab, banjo

(10:24) Ross Daly, studying Turkish music

(17:10) introduction to the rebab

(20:24) rebab improv

(23:26) Ross Daly, tours to Australia with Kelly Thoma

(25:43) Linsey Pollak, learning modal music

(29:23) Ricahrd Gill, learning conducting, singing

(41:13) Tutti Arts, Pat Rix, and working with musicians with disabilities

(53:25) music educator in schools

(57:45) ukulele, New Zealand music programs Mary Cornish Maria Winder Kiwilele

(01:07:38) Pat Megowan luthier

(01:11:25) Renaissance guitar music by Tourdion on ukulele

(01:12:46) Affetto Early Music ensemble

(01:16:27) Dominique Schwartz: why Philip moved around so much!

(01:18:59) Banksia album with Jude Iddison

(01:19:31) violin Jude Iddison: Planting the Garlic/Philip’s Wardrobe from album Banksia

(01:24:32) meeting Jude and making the album

(01:27:15) Frogs, birds, Barry Wilson, photography (with slide show), Glen Storr

(01:36:08) Philip’s advice

Matt Zimbel is a percussionist with the band Manteca, and also an award-winning writer, producer, documentary filmmaker, artistic director, broadcast executive and radio and tv host. In this fascinating episode he shares his insights gained from a wealth of experience across the music industry. We speak near the beginning about his father the photographer George Zimbel, who died this past January 2023, after we recorded the episode. We talk about the beautiful documentary film, “Zimbelism” that Matt made with director Jean-Francois Gratton. Matt offered that the trailer for Zimbelism, which features the music of Manteca, could be used in this episode. He has also generously let me weave in a pre-release of a fantastic new percussion piece with Art Avalos which will appear on Manteca’s upcoming Offspring Project.

The video version of this episode, with the transcript is here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mattzimbel

Matt Zimbel website: http://mattzimbel.com/ Manteca: https://manteca-music.com/ Busking in Deadwood video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBtrn8Mob5s Manteca albums on Bandcamp: https://mantecamusic.bandcamp.com/music

Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:30) early influences: Osibisa, jazz on CBC radio

(05:38) dropping out of school at 14, percussion studies Jim Farety, Dido Morris, John Ruddell, Armando’s Orchestra, forming Manteca

(08:30) intro Hit Record percussion piece with Art Avalos pre-release for Manteca’s The Offspring Project

(09:20) Hit Record

(10:31) learning percussion, playing diferent styles, recording disco

(12:30) early influences: Eddie Harris

(13:11) creating the film Zimbelism

(14:38) clip from trailer for Zimbelism

(16:03) making of Zimbelism, Elaine Sernovitz and George Zimbel

(21:03) adoption of Jodi from Korea, racism

(23:27) immgration to Canada to a farm on PEI

(26:00) Matt’s family’s reaction to him dropping out of school, living the freelance life as an artist

(27:59) orchestra life

(29:22) Manteca, Colleen Allen and memorizing music, Will Jarvis

(31:21) Road Stories with Manteca

(34:06) Manteca’s The Offspring Project

(44:46) Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis

(48:42) Canada Day show, PanAm Games

(58:41) publicity, finding new audiences, Canadian culture

(01:07:28) Doug Wilde creative process Manteca

(01:09:17) clip from Miss Météo from album Augmented Indiference,

(01:12:23) story about Miss Météo

(01:15:33) problem with streaming music, Busking in Deadwood video

(01:18:09) dealing with the pandemic through creativity, livestream with Lyne Tremblay, Matt’s sons

(01:21:45) the importance of good food

(01:23:01) Rick Tait

(01:24:59) crowdfunding and challenges for performers

(01:28:44) lessons learned from his parents

(01:32:05) Matt’s perspectives on a varied career

I was so honoured to have this opportunity to talk with the inspiring Destiny Muhammad, who is a California-based jazz harpist and composer. You’ll get to hear inspiring stories from her life as well as her music. She had a dream to play the harp but didn’t have the opportunity until she was 30 years old. She speaks openly about the challenges in the 1980s due to the crack cocaine trade, her success as a barber, her determination and mentors including John Handy, and her unique perspectives in celebrating the legacies of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. When we recorded the episode, I experienced an incredible private concert including several of her original tunes. However, after we listened to the tracks, we agreed it would be even better if she were to record the music separately to have the best possible harp sound, which she generously agreed to do.

Like all my episodes this is available as both as a video and a podcast, with transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/destiny-muhammad-jazz-harpist

Destiny Muhammad website: https://destinymuhammad.net/

Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:29) Algorithms (harp)

(05:18) Destiny’s start on the harp, Stephanie Kaufman Osborne

(09:55) learning jazz, Dorothy Ashby, Alice Coltrane, Khalil Shaheed

(15:22) John Handy

(20:16) Alice Coltrane tribute concerts SF Jazz

(26:45) Dorothy Ashby

(31:37) If it’s magic (harp)

(36:06) Shirley Muramoto, San Francisco Symphony

(37:00) Amateur Music Network, SF Jazz community jam sessions,

(40:37) Teaching jazz, teaching music

(53:14) creative process

(59:15) tribute to Rosie Lee Tompkins

(01:08:40) lessons learned from running a barbershop

(01:21:20) growing up in the projects, dealing with bigotry

(01:25:51) compositions for orchestra, Matt Wong arranger

(01:29:06) Coltrane (harp)

I’m so honoured that Madeline Bruser has agreed to be featured as a guest on this series. When I first read her book The Art of Practicing more than 20 years ago, it helped to transform my experience as a performer and teacher, and on many aspects of my life. Although Madeline’s teaching is aimed primarily at classical pianists and other musicians, I find that much of what she talks about will resonate for everybody trying to get in touch with their emotions, their connection to beauty and meaning, and their experience of being in their bodies. If you happen to be listening to this when it first is released, you should check out Madeline’s free interactive workshop on May 11 at 1pm Eastern. Her website is: https://artofpracticing.com/ Like all my episodes, this is also a video, and the transcript is also linked here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/madeline-bruser Please help me keep this series and this channel going, with a tip or as a monthly supporter: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman If the topics we address in this conversation are of interest to you, you’ll be interested that many of these important issues have come up with past guests and upcoming guests. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:00) why Madeline wrote the book “The Art of Practicing”, Menahem Pressler, meditation (09:58) Body and Sound Awareness Technique (13:14) change from performer to teacher, big realizations, founding The Art of Practicing (19:48) intro to Madeline’s performance of Chopin Fantaisie Impromptu (20:33) Chopin Fantaise Impromptu (25:59) Rhythmic grouping, Stephen Burns, Kirk Ferguson (32:04) colour in harmony and tonal nuances (34:02) story of tape recorder, listening to ourselves and being vulnerable (39:14) parallels with actors and musicians, Performing Beyond Fear exercise (43:43) lineage (46:23) perfectionism (50:17) Madeline demonstrates common problems for pianists (58:04) dealing with injuries, mindfulness (01:01:25) dealing with stress, teaching online (01:06:56) journaling (01:08:58) student-centered teaching, “Freedom to Learn” Carl Rogers (01:12:51) stage fright and beta blockers (01:15:06) dealing with stressful or traumatic history (01:20:42) teaching constructively with kindness, and teacher training (01:24:00) dealing with feelings of overwhelm, orchestra playing (01:28:37) pianists and ensemble experience (01:31:51) upcoming workshops Mindfulness for Pianists, Freeing Your Energy for Performance

My guest today is Immanuel Abraham, a very special musican, who is an inspiring violinist, educator and composer. His phenomenal talent, discipline and creativity is even more inspiring since he didn’t have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument until the age of 14 and 4 years later, he was auditioning for the renowned University of Michigan in violin performance, playing the same Paganini caprice he’d heard Ithak Perlman play on Shalom Sesame as a child. He speaks candidly in this interview about his perseverence in the face of very difficult challenges. More information and links below, including Timestamps!

Like all my episodes, this is also available as a video on my YouTube, and the transcript is linked here as well: ⁠https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/immanuel-abraham⁠

Please help me keep this series going! You can leave a tip or consider becoming a monthly supporter and get access to special perks:

⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠

Immanuel is well-known on social media as The Violin Doctor, which is a Dr. Who reference, but Immanuel actually is Doctor of Musical Arts, awarded from the University of Arizona. When he was a student, in an effort to learn as much as he could that was violin-related, he started The Violin Guild which is an amazingly supportive Facebook group of over 60,000 string players worldwide. Our conversation focused on different aspects of music education, personal development, and you’ll get to hear some clips of Immanuel performing some of his 24 Caprices for solo violin. Below is a link for a discount code the week this is released, and if you’re a violinist I encourage you to buy this amazing volume, which I have been learning and plan to start recording this summer. Immanuel will be releasing his complete recording of all 24 Caprices. https://www.theviolindoctor.com/24 The discount code that will be activated May 12th through May 18th is, theviolindoctor for 25% off of the 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Second Edition. You will also find Immanuel's current projects and social links there as well.

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:25) perspectives on starting the violin at age 14, dealing with racism and growing up in the projects

(15:02) hearing Itzhak Perlman and the opportunity for free lessons through the Merit School of Music with Guillaume Combet

(21:32) inspiration for Immanuel’s 24 Caprices for Solo violin

(28:48) clip of Caprice 14

(30:00) clip of Caprice 21 in C Minor, “The Blues”

(31:43) Caprice 23, a fugue (complete)

(35:54) please support this series on Ko-fi!

(36:23) why Immanuel bought a beginner book spent his lunch money on Paganini

(41:12) Andrew Jennings University of Michigan

(47:15) giving students some choice of repertoire, keeping them motivated

(53:08) Sphinx Organization teaching kids in the inner city

(01:04:45) becoming a composer, opening for We The Kings

(01:11:11) transcribing jazz, learning by ear

(01:16:25) violin technique finger independence

(01:22:08) yoga, dealing with stress

(01:26:03) balance of composition, teaching and performing

(01:28:21) discount code for the Caprices theviolindoctor