Swatkins on his new album "Friends and Other Necessities"

01/13/23 • 36 min

We’ll be back at The Café in Artichoke Music next week. Mean ole Mr. Covid laid me up for a few weeks but things are much better now. Nevertheless, I am using an ancient arcane device known as the telephone to talk with this week’s guest Steve Swatkins, he of the keyboards and voice box, a composer and bandleader as well as a member of Allen Stone’s band. His new album Friends and Other Necessities is just out and it is both very funky and tremendously inspiring. Not religious, but just exactly what we need right now. I realize I said that about Jim Brunberg’s new album a couple of weeks ago but that just means we’re lucky to have both of them in our world. Steve lives in L.A. now with his fiancé Moorea Masa, who appears on the album. Mr. Swatkins, come here, I want you. That’s what Mr. Bell said.

Previous Episode

Kyleen King: Having a wonderful time in Brandi Carlisle's band CC#365

Hi there. We’re not in Café Artichoke today because I have the covid. I am not in any danger but I don’t want to give it to anyone and so I am at my desk, and at her home in Portland is violist Kyleen King. She is having the time of her life, having played the Moda Center on New Year’s Eve and an appearance on Saturday Night LIve both as a member of Brandi Carlisle’s band. Matter of fact, she’s played all over the world as Brandi’s violist. How did this happen? How did she become a member of Brandi’s band? And what’s up with Swansea, another band she’s in, with Portlanders Rebecca Sanborn and Ji Tanzer. It’s a happy episode of Coffeeshop Conversations.

Next Episode

Greg Goebel: Versatility at the keyboard / CC#367

This time with me here is pianist/composer Greg Goebel, known for his virtuosity as well as his versatility. We’ll get into that and at the end of our conversation we’ll here one of his compositions. He’ll also talk to us about that and his work with Chris Brown and how some Jazz takes on some popular tunes fits into what he does. That synthesis is part of the history of Jazz, and it hasn’t stopped. Nor has Mr. Geobel. Nor have we. Upcoming Coffeeshop Conversations will feature John Averill, founder of March Fourth. Also coming up is Chris Doss the Executive Director of PDX Jazz to fill us in on this year’s Portland Jazz Festival. Right now, meet Greg Goebel.