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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

Evan Toth

The Sharp Notes is a conversation podcast hosted by Evan Toth.

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Top 10 The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Santa Chiara and Her New Album, "Imported"

Santa Chiara and Her New Album, "Imported"

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

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04/21/24 • 47 min

Going somewhere else is sometimes the only thing you can do to really find your true voice. And I don’t mean taking a vacation or a daytrip. Moving from one state - or, coast - to another is a very adventurous move, but emigrating to another country to live is truly beyond what most of us might even consider doing. Can you imagine leaving your family and friends, everything you know in search of a new life? Looking for new employment opportunities? And don’t forget that eternal search for love.
Chiara D’Anzieri left her hometown of Turin, Italy and ended up in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. Of course the relocation had to do with music, but we all know what would instigate such a bold move: love certainly played a part. When she was younger, Chiara spent time in her Italian homeland studying cello in conservatories. However, she was ready to create some rock and roll and her Italian heritage coupled with her classical background gave her a unique lens with which to make this a reality. All she needed now was a new stage name, a professional moniker: make that
Santa Chiara: named after her favorite monastery in Naples, Italy.
And so she joins me on this episode to discuss her life and her latest record called, of course, Imported . The new album explores the immigration process from her point of view, but there’s more here, too. There’s hope and light connected with the anxiety and excitement of finding one’s way in a new country, not only is Santa Chiara finding her way around, learning how to fit in and stand out, but she’s making great art out of it, too. As the saying goes, “When in Rome.” Or, in Chiara’s case, it’s “when in Philly.” For now, at least.

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Life is full of twists and turns; unexpected chapters. Sometimes, we recall certain times and experiences and they bear resemblance to vivid dreams, so much so, we might even ask ourselves, did that really happen? We evolve, we move on, but - no matter where we go - we carry those adventures with us, even if we’re not always aware of the influences.

The life of May Pang took an unexpected detour in her early twenties when she became romantically involved with one of the most famous people on planet Earth, John Lennon. While this period of Lennon’s life is often described as a debaucherous tangent, Pang - who was there at his side through it all - explains it with a bit more context in the new, recently released film she is involved in, The Lost Weekend: A Love Story .

The film tells the tale of how Pang and Lennon met and Yoko Ono’s unique role in their relationship. It also explores Pang’s association with many of the ancillary characters in Lennon’s life. Even though the Beatle’s biography has been exhaustively documented, Pang’s film offers a few surprises that only a true insider would be able to share. May Pang allows me the luxury of asking about some things I always wanted to know. Perhaps I ask a few questions that you’ve always wanted to know about this somewhat mysterious episode. Let’s learn about the ballad of John and May.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - James Hunter and His New Release, "With Love"

James Hunter and His New Release, "With Love"

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

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07/10/22 • 26 min

When was the last time you really danced and just lost yourself in the music without caring what you looked like? Analyzing music is a rewarding experience, but sometimes it’s best to just shut up, enjoy what you’re hearing and simply dance. And if you’re going to engage in such an activity, there’s no one finer to provide a soundtrack than James Hunter.

Hunter’s 2004 breakthrough album, People Gonna Talk was a refreshing listen back then as it was released just on the cusp of the retro-soul groove revival of the early 2000s, but it’s Hunter’s compositional skills which keeps the album fresh these 16 years after its release. Since then, he’s released many equally enjoyable albums, recently on the famed Daptone label.

So, it’s time for a retrospective. The James Hunter Six has recently released a compilation titled, With Love. To those who have enjoyed Hunter’s music over the last two decades it’s a great opportunity to revisit some classics from his catalog, but to the uninitiated, it’s a huge “where have you been” moment; a great opportunity to learn about a genuine soul music genius living in our modern day midst.

James Hunter joins me from Brighton in the UK to discuss the new compilation, his relationship with Daptone Records, a few secrets that go into getting the sonic quality of his albums just right, and how the best gigs are the ones where there’s plenty of room for people to get out of their seats and dance.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Carlos Santana and His New Album, "Blessings and Miracles"
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03/11/22 • 27 min

Rock and roll didn’t waste any time growing up, even in the earliest years of its inception. Like a delicious batch of chili, it heartily welcomed extra ingredients and spices. In fact, it was those accouterments which allowed the revolutionary musical style to splinter and create so many successful sub-genres.

Carlos Santana did more than anyone else in those early days to initiate and imbue strong Afro-Latin influences into a traditional rock and roll framework. But he continued - and continues - to grow; finding new musical landscapes to explore with the legendarily talented friends that he’s made along the way. Santana’s reputation, of course, precedes him: leader of the Santana rock outfit, Carlos has sold over 100 million records and played in front of 100 million people. Of course, he’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has 10 Grammy - and 3 Latin Grammy - wins to his name.

Santana has recently released a new album titled, Blessings and Miracles where he revisits the formula that brought him so much success with 1999’s Supernatural album. Blessings and Miracles finds a new duet with his partner, Rob Thomas, but also boasts heavyweight mutual collaborations with Steve Winwood, Chris Stapleton, and many others. In addition to his new album, Santana is also currently headlining a multi-year residency at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

So, I’m very pleased and honored to welcome Carlos Santana to the program. It was a thrill to discuss his career, but what you’ll find most interesting is the mystical way he looks at his life and experiences: through a lens of gratitude, joyfulness, and curiosity. So, grab my hand and let’s climb up this hill together to meet the wise man sitting at the top. Like any guru worth his salt, Santana looks at the complicated edges of existence and filters them to make everyday consciousness seem simple. See if you can see what he’s seeing.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Jim Keller and His New Album, "By No Means"

Jim Keller and His New Album, "By No Means"

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

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02/21/21 • 23 min

The path to success for most successful people in the entertainment business - or any business, for that matter - is rarely a straight one. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, but it's all about keeping one’s cool and choosing directions that make sense, even if there is a bit of risk involved. Jim Keller knows he didn’t just wake up one morning to become the longtime manager for Phillip Glass who is one of America’s most celebrated composers and a Kennedy Center Honors recipient who was presented with the U.S. National Medal of the Arts by President Obama. It was a certain sequence of events that got Jim there.

Keller, of course, is a musician. You’ve all heard Tommy Tutone’s “867-5309/Jenny” blasting from car radios and being played by bar bands, and so has Jim Keller; and he loves it! Except, in his case, he happens to be co-writer and performer of that song and was in Tommy Tutone! After releasing that power pop classic, Keller continued to make music under his own name, on and off through the years, but now he is back with a brand new album produced by the great Mitchell Froom. The record is called By No Means and features Keller’s direct, infectious music that can cut so sweetly you don’t even recognize that you’ve been wounded.

Join me and Jim on this episode of Radar as we talk about the twists, turns and many lives of his career, seeing the music industry from both sides of the stage, and the production and splendid songwriting that went into his new album, By No Means.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Tiffany and Her New Album, "Shadows"

Tiffany and Her New Album, "Shadows"

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth

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12/11/22 • 34 min

In the 1980s, the mall was the place to be and there is a reason why modern society is nostalgic for that insulated wonderland of days gone by. Before the internet and our endless stream of information, there was less to process, and fewer things to worry about. Blissfully ignorant innocence was on full display amid indoor atriums, food courts, and all the shopping one could hope for. Most significantly, the mall gave American youth their first taste of adult-level freedom.

When the Muzak wasn’t playing, one might have heard a cavernous echo of sound floating down the corridors and followed the noise to discover its origin. If you were lucky enough, you’d find teen-icon, pop princess, Tiffany performing her inescapable hits in front of adolescent multitudes. These performances were innovative in that they were engineered to bring the music to where the fans already were, rather than the other way around.

A lot has happened since those days: America is different, the malls aren’t the same and neither is Tiffany. Like the rest of us, she has grown and matured and recently released a brand-new album titled, Shadows, which is a hard-hitting rock record looking toward the future with one or two winks at those past golden days. Sure, the mall still exists now, and as you’ll learn, Tiffany might even be found walking the halls, but - for those of us who remember the old days - it’s different, the world isn’t the same. But, Tiffany’s optimism and dedication to her craft invites us to inject a little of that much-needed 1980s buoyancy into our modern world.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Caitlin Carey's Reissued Album and Her Time in Whiskeytown
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09/25/22 • 30 min

The great alt-country band Whiskeytown had only two permanent members during its tenure: one of them was Ryan Adams and the other was Caitlin Cary. While Caitlin’s name will always be intertwined with that band’s history, she’s also got a history all her own. After the group disbanded, Caitlin decided it was time for her to share the songs that may not have gotten the attention they deserved in her previous group. So, after connecting with Chris Stamey and Yep Roc Records, in 2002 she released her first solo album titled, While You Weren’t Looking.

Well, while we weren’t looking, the album has now turned 20 years old and Yep Roc is giving the album a remaster, a reissue, and is finally putting Caitlin’s music on vinyl where her compositions seem yearning to belong.

Caitlin joins me to discuss her transition from those wild and wooly Whiskeytown days to her own solo career. We also explore how her songs may be ripe for a new audience in the 21st century. Nowadays, Caitlin enjoys her time as a noted visual artist creating needleprint designs and running her own art gallery - The Pocket - in Raleigh, North Carolina.

But, as she traverses through her latest life’s incarnation, every once in a while, she must get flashes of those heady Whiskeytown days and the creation of her own music. Even though she’s more or less left the music world behind, she’s still pleasantly amused that the music she released those two decades ago still reverberates today.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Juana Molina and the Reissue of Musicación 4½
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09/11/22 • 41 min

Nobody likes to be pigeonholed; we all have different aspects to us that we’d like to be appreciated for. Life is short, and even though it takes a long time to become a master at something, there’s still time to become recognized for something else.

Juna Molina comes from a family of artists and entertainers and was one of the most widely recognized comediennes in her home country of Argentina. Even with that success, she still yearned to explore her musical interests. As is often the case with entertainers who switch tracks during their careers, the public who adored her for her comedy skills was not so sure about following her on this musical journey. However, Juana persisted and soon enough - after discovering her excellent second album Segundo - David Byrne invited her to be the opening act on one of his North American tours and the rest was history. Juana is now an internationally respected musician specializing in experimental electronic indipop music.

While she and I talk about all of these things, we’re really here to discuss her label’s efforts in reissuing an album that was important to a young Juana. Originally released in 1971, Musicasión 4 1/2 is a rare LP which was released in Uruguay and it features recordings of a series of performances by a group of artists who mixed theatrics, poetry, and improvised stage effects with rock and Latin American rhythms. During the pandemic, Juana reconnected with an old friend who had recently been given access to unreleased and rare recordings of the same musicians on the original album. Juana knew that the time was right for her new record label Sonamos to reissue the album and give it the 50th anniversary it rightly deserved.

So, join me and Juana - who joins me from Argentina - to discuss her career, Musicasión 4 1/2 and how it’s never too late to change the trajectory of your life, as long as you allow yourself to follow your heart’s true passions.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Eric Slick from Dr. Dog Discusses Latest Releasd, "Wiseacre"
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06/21/21 • 35 min

Every so often, there is a member of a well-known band who truly blooms after stepping into the spotlight on their own terms. Such is the case for Eric Slick who is also the drummer from that fabulous band from Philadelphia, Dr. Dog.

In 2020, Eric released his second solo recording - <i>Wiseacre</i> - via Bandcamp which - given the current state of the the rabid vinyl buying community - sold out pretty quickly. In conjunction with ORG Music, Mr. Slick has reissued the album on red and yellow vinyl, of course.

It’s always a little interesting when a drummer takes the reigns. A world of critical eyes are upon them: will they be able to make the move from the drum throne to center stage, will they have the chops, the guts, and the vision? A cursory listen to Slick’s Wiseacre not only confirms his ability to make such a move, it leaves mouths agape at the quality and craft that he’s brought to both his writing and performance. He’s not just playing drums either, while Butch Walker produces, Eric plays almost all of the instruments you hear. If it ain’t him, he’s joined by his talented wife, Natalie Prass and Steven Drozd who was on loan from The Flaming Lips.

Eric joins me to talk about the new album, and we do it in a location familiar to many rockstars: the van. But, this time, perhaps teeming with apt symbolism, Eric holds our discussion from the driver’s seat.

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The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth - Donna Lewis and Her New Album, "Rooms With a View"
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06/02/24 • 38 min

When you reach a certain age, you get used to the experience of processing bad news or difficult times in your life. It may be hard to explain the consistency of that behavior as processing trauma is an amorphous experience, sometimes different things heal the wounds that life tosses at us at different times. Cancer is a particularly dark development in anyone’s life or family and while medical treatments for the disease have come a long way over the years, there is plenty of sage wisdom out there that says our mindset plays a large role in recovery from the unwanted specter of cancer.
Donna Lewis is best known for her 1996 megahit, “I Love You Always Forever” which can still be heard frequently on radio dials and while wandering around your local drug store at 11 pm. At the time, it was a vivaciously bubbling love pop song with just the right amount of breathy spookiness to infiltrate a post-grunge world ready for new sounds in a new century.
In 2021, Donna hears the diagnosis that no one wants to receive, she had breast cancer and then embarked on a course of treatment that was - thankfully - ultimately successful. However, during days and nights that must have been hauntingly frightening, she found inspiration and therapeutic relief in composing music that illustrated her journey. The result is Rooms With a View which finds Lewis’ signature voice describing her experiences in an incredibly powerful way.
Join Donna and I as we discuss her latest album, her virtual work with producer and musician Holmes Ives, and what’s coming up next in support of this album. As you’ll learn during our chat, the music on Lewis’ new work got her through a tough time, but will most certainly be heard by other folks moving through their own difficult days. Donna may have made this album to help herself through the darkness, but it’s also there to comfort others, too.

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FAQ

How many episodes does The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth have?

The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth currently has 151 episodes available.

What topics does The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth cover?

The podcast is about Music, Podcasts, Arts, Music Interviews and Performing Arts.

What is the most popular episode on The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth?

The episode title 'Danny Lee Blackwell from Night Beats and His Latest Release, "Rajan"' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth?

The average episode length on The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth is 36 minutes.

How often are episodes of The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth released?

Episodes of The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth are typically released every 7 days, 2 hours.

When was the first episode of The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth?

The first episode of The Sharp Notes with Evan Toth was released on Jan 24, 2021.

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