MFM SPEAKS OUT

"I'm happy to continue exploring music for the rest of my life"

Our guest for this episode of MFM Speaks Out is Michael Harrison. Michael is a composer, pianist, vocalist, and music educator. His unique approach to piano includes the use of tunings and structures that extend the ancient concept of just intonation, and the incorporation of elements of Indian classical music. He studied piano from the age of 6, composition from the age of 17,and Indian raga from the age of 18. He attended Phillips Academy Andover, graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.M. in composition, where he later received the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, then received his M.M. in composition at the Manhattan School of Music. After moving to New York City, he studied with La Monte Young through a Dia Art Foundation Apprenticeship-in-Residency, and also studied with master raga vocalist Pandit Pran Nath and Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan. He’s a former faculty member of the Rhode Island School of Design, Manhattan School of Music’s Contemporary Performance Program, and the Bang on a Can Summer Institute. He is music director at Arts Letters & Numbers (a non profit arts, education, and publishing organization), and the co-founder and president of the American Academy of Indian Classical Music. In addition he was also a reputable music instrument retailer having been co-founder and partner of Faust Harrison Pianos and presently the co-founder and partner of Cantabile Harrison Pianos.

Topics discussed:

Michael’s beginnings as a musician and composer, his musical and spiritual inspirations, discussions about his compositions, his bridge building between Western and Indian classical music, his innovative use of tunings and temperaments, his innovative approach to the piano, his work as an educator and as a musical instrument retailer, and the business and economic realities of being a professional composer.

Music on this episode:

“Vision in the Desert”

“Mureed”

“Hayy: Revealing the Tones”

(All music written and performed by Michael Harrison)

Credits
Producer and host: Dawoud Kringle
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat Ladjvardi
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck
Links
Be sure to follow and tag MFM on Facebook ([https://www.facebook.com/M4M.org/] and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mfm\_association/).

"If one person's sense of value as a human being is renewed, their family, their community, all of us are affected by it in a positive way. We all benefit"

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, our guest is Alina Bloomgarden. Alina was the original producer of Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC), the Lincoln Center Reel to Real series, and Director of Visitors Services for 23 years, where she received the Directors Emeriti Award for outstanding achievement. Proposing that jazz had a rightful place at America’s preeminent performing arts center, she invited Wynton Marsalis to participate as Artistic Advisor. She produced the first critically-acclaimed seasons of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Alina is also the founder and executive director of Music On the Inside (MOTI), an organization that works with professional musicians to bring the transformative power of music education and mentorship to people who are incarcerated, facing the challenges of re-entry or impacted by incarceration.

Topics discussed: How did the Jazz at Lincoln Center Project begin, Wynton Marsalis' involvement in JALC, the founding of Real to Reel, founding Music On The Inside and introducing it to the Department of Corrections, MFM member's involvement in MOTI, and the positive response inmates have to the music programs and performances MOTI brings to the prisons.

Visit Music on the Inside at musicontheinside.org.

Visit Jazz at Lincoln Center at jazz.org.

Visit Musicians for Musicians at musiciansformusicians.org

Music featured on this episode:

"Embraceable You" (written by George and Ira Gershwin, performed by Wynton Marsalis)

"On the Sunny Side of the Street" (written and performed by Louis Armstrong)

"Havana Blues" (performed by Arturo O'Farrill and the Chico O'Farrill AfroCuban Orchestra)

Credits
Producer and host: Dawoud Kringle
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat Ladjvardi
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck
Links
Be sure to follow and tag MFM on Facebook ([https://www.facebook.com/M4M.org/] and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mfm\_association/).

"Music is service."

This episode of MFM Speaks Out will be different from our usual format. Dawoud Kringle will be interviewing his guest; a professional musician and recovering drug addict and alcoholic. Out of respect to our guest and the tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous and other substance abuse recovery programs, we are protecting our guest’s anonymity and referring to him as Dave. Our discussion will center around alcoholism, drug abuse, and substance abuse recovery among musicians.

Topics discussed: How did substance abuse and music enter Dave's life and how they intersected, the presence of drugs and alcohol, stigma of addiction among musicians, how it affected his life and career, the turning point where he decided he’d had enough, the difficulties of cleaning up and staying clean, and advice to musicians (and all others) who are suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.

Music featured on this episode:

"Cocaine Blues" (written by Porter Irving & Rev. Gary David [c. 1905], performed by Dave Van Ronk)

"Heroin" (written by Lou Reed, performed by The Velvet Underground)

"Master of Puppets" (written by James Hetfield, performed by Metallica)

Credits
Producer and host: Dawoud Kringle
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat Ladjvardi
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck
Links
Be sure to follow and tag MFM on Facebook ([https://www.facebook.com/M4M.org/] and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mfm\_association/).

"Success in music is not guaranteed, but as long as you are persevering and helping others along the way, you will reach your goals."

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews conductor and pianist Geraldine Anello about immigrating to the United States from France in her early 20s which ultimately led to a career as a Broadway musician. Topics discussed include how she created an online community and professional development resource called Theatre Music Directors, the issue of gender inequality on Broadway, and finding a new creative outlet as a writer and poet during the pandemic.

Geraldine Anello has conducted Kinky Boots and School of Rock on Broadway, The Fantasticks off-Broadway, and played in the orchestras of Broadway’s School of Rock, Bronx Tale, Aladdin, and On the Town. She has also worked on the Broadway productions SpongeBob the Musical, An American in Paris, On Your Feet, and Matilda. Anello served as music director of We Are the Tigers off-Broadway, and of Renascence for the Transport Group, Finian’s Rainbow at the Irish Repertory Theatre, and Children of Salt at the New York Musical Festival.

Visit Geraldine Anello at geraldineanello.com

Order Geraldine's new book of poetry on Amazon.

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Fragmented Fractals" by Adam Reifsteck featuring Geraldine Anello (piano) and Roberta Michel (flute)

Middle track: "Wallflower” from the musical We Are the Tigers by Preston Max Allen; Geraldine Anello, music director and pianist

Ending track: "Renascence” from the musical Renascence by Carmel Dean, Dick Scanlan. Edna St. Vincent Millay; Geraldine Anello, music director and pianist

Credits
Producer and host: Dawoud Kringle
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat Ladjvardi
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck
Links
Be sure to follow and tag MFM on Facebook ([https://www.facebook.com/M4M.org/] and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mfm\_association/).

“Stay true to yourself, and stay true to the game. If you give music your all, and be honest with yourself, you will be rewarded.”

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Royal Bayyan. Royal is a Musician, Songwriter, Producer, Music Supervisor, Personal Manager, Executive Brand Consultant. He played with and was a founding member of Kool & the Gang. He established several Production Companies such as Bayyan Internationale’, “The Forecast”, America’s Best Entertainment, Spook Productions Inc.& Urban Media Sound. He is the CEO of Raven Entertainment Group Distribution, partnered with Nile Rogers’ & Andy Uteroni, worked as a consultant for National R&B Music Society, Good Tree Media, Mos Def Mgmt, RUFF RYDERS Entertainment, and others.

Royal, individually or collectively with his family, has discovered, managed, developed, or produced artists such as: Freddy Jackson, Gloria Gayner, Latoya Jackson, Ray, Goodman & Brown, The Main Ingredient, Mos-Def, Teddy Riley, Pink, The TUPAC Poetry Project, Color Me Badd, and many others. He was the New York Entertainment Coordinator at Harlem World Promotions, and the A&R Director of Black Music @ The Sound of New York Records with Gene Griffin. Between 1988 & 1989 Royal & Kool Bell sponsored and promoted the “Def Jam in the Motherland Tours” in Africa with EPMD, Eric B and Rakim, and LL Cool J. On top of that, he's an accomplished jazz guitarist, instrumentalist, and songwriter.

The topics of the interview include Royal's beginnings as an early member of Kool and the Gang, the problems and pitfalls of the music business, the art of record production, Bringing live hip hop concerts to Africa, the evolution of music production, surviving in the music business, an alternative perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the music business, and the spiritual aspects of life as a professional musician and as a Muslim.

Visit Royal Bayyan at www.royalbayyan.com

The following music is featured in this episode:

Opening track: "Love & Understanding" by Kool & the Gang

Middle track: "All I Wanna Do” by Royal Bayyan

Ending track: "Corona Blues” by Royal Bayyan

(All tracks composed by Royal Bayyan)

Credits
Producer and host: Dawoud Kringle
Publisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc. and Sohrab Saadat Ladjvardi
Technical support: Adam Reifsteck
Links
Be sure to follow and tag MFM on Facebook ([https://www.facebook.com/M4M.org/] and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mfm\_association/).