Ear Expansion Podcast

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton converses with percussionist-composer and educator JoVia Armstrong. In this conversation, they speak about wide-ranging topics from her early sonic formation and major projects to her later immersion in global rhythms. She discusses the ensemble Musique Noire, her first solo album Fuzzy Blue Robe Chronicles, and her performance ethos of receptivity...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton speaks with Tongo Eisen-Martin about the revolutionary atmosphere that shaped his poetry and praxis. Tongo reflects on his upbringing in San Francisco within alternative community institutions, and music as a vessel for spirit and a foundation for craft. They discuss imagination made praxis, resisting bourgeois cultural subjugation, police ter...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton and guitarist-composer Brandon Ross dive into his expansive musical journey. Ross recounts his early experiences, including self-teaching on the guitar and absorbing his brother’s musical influence, as well as his father’s jazz and classical tastes. He also shares accounts of his first professional recording with Archie Shepp and reflects on format...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep and reflective conversation with sound artist Nour Sokhon. They discuss Nour's journey from visual arts to sound, driven by a desire to capture and archive fleeting moments and memories through soundscapes. Nour shares her personal experiences and the impact of growing up in ever-changing Lebanon and Dubai, which influenced h...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep and expansive conversation with interdisciplinary artist, musician, and theorist DeForrest Brown Jr. They discuss Brown's early musical influences, the integration of black history and techno within his work, and the critical intersections of race, class, and cultural history in America. Brown talks extensively about his major pro...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton speaks with multidisciplinary artist, DJ and theorist Ryan C. Clarke about his practice, which integrates sedimentology, coastal geomorphology, black electronic music studies, blues epistemologies, ethnomusicology, regional environmental history, and more. Clarke shares his early influences, from his grandparents' gospel radio to video games,...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a conversation with artist and sonic explorer Bonnie Han Jones. They explore Bonnie’s artistic journey, particularly her experimental work in sound and language. Bonnie shares her unique approach to instrumentation, her experiences in diverse musical communities, and the conceptual frameworks that guide her exploration of sound and...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton converses with rhythmic tap explorer Melissa Almaguer. In this conversation they explore Almaguer's journey from her early tap dance experiences to her expansive work that spans improvisation, ensemble collaborations, and experimental forms. Almaguer shares how tap dance became her primary sonic language and a means of healing and liberation....

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton engages in an extensive conversation with Giulia Loli aka Mutamassik, a multifaceted artist known for her work as a producer, multi-instrumentalist, essayist, and thinker. The dialogue explores Mutamassik's formative experiences with a culturally diverse musical background, her deep dive into punk, classical, and jazz genres, as well as the ethos s...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton converses with Beans about his journey through the vibrant hip-hop scene in Westchester County. They discuss early inspirations and the significance of White Plains in Beans' musical formation. Beans reflects on his transition from being a DJ to forming his first band Treadin Measures, and the impact of famed venues like the Nuyorican Poets Café on...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host by LaMont Hamilton is inc conversation with multi-dimensional artist Jordan Deal. The conversation explores Jordan's artistic journey, rooted in various mediums including sound, performance, poetry and installation. Jordan discusses their early sonic influences growing up in Philadelphia, influenced by a diverse array of music. They reflect on important miles...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in an in-depth conversation with Leila Bencharnia about her artistic journey and deep connection to sound, rooted in her childhood experiences with her father, a prominent Gnawa musician. Leila explores how her early sound experiences were holistic and spiritually significant, contrasting with her later academic study of classical comp...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages with musicians Chris Williams and Lester St. Louis in a deep conversation about their musical journeys and collaborative projects. Chris Williams, a trumpet player with a flair for electronic music, and Lester St. Louis, a cellist with a passion for expansive soundscapes, recount their formative experiences and the improvisational tech...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages with Kamari Carter—a producer, performer, sound designer, and installation artist—in a deep and insightful conversation. They discuss Kamari's early influences from cartoons, video games, and his music education which helped shape his understanding of sound as a medium of storytelling. The discussion then moves to Kamari's work using p...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a profound conversation with multidisciplinary artist Elijah. They discuss Elijah's early sound memories, which are deeply tied to his father’s rhythmic drum playing in rural Kansas that connected him to his heritage. Elijah delves into the concept of softness in his art, relating it to prayer, longing, and desire. The conversation...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep conversation with acclaimed drummer Pheeroan akLaff. The discussion begins with Pheeroan's early musical influences growing up in Detroit, a city rich in black sonic imagination and cultural history. Pheeroan reminisces about his early experiences in rhythm, initially shaped by his parents' love for jazz and reinforced throug...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in an in-depth conversation with renowned musician and ethno-musicologist Luis Perez Ixoneztli. They delve into Luis's early musical formations, his journey through various bands, and his self-taught instrumental skills. Luis recounts his profound personal and artistic exploration into pre-Columbian music and indigenous Mexican instrum...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton is in conversation with electronic musician and expansive composer Qasim Naqvi. Naqvi discusses his early musical influences, particularly his time as a drummer and his exposure to jazz and experimental music. He talks about his work with the acoustic trio Dawn of MIDI and his transition into creating solo sonic practice. The conversation delves in...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton converses with Geng about his musical journey and influences. Geng PTP delves into his eclectic sonic formation, influenced by electronic music, hip hop, funk, and more from his childhood in New York City. They discuss the impacts of the city's sounds, the cultural significance of hip hop, and how pain and trauma can shape artistic expression....

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a deep and introspective conversation with saxophonist Sam Newsome. The dialogue explores Sam's early musical formation, his experience playing post bop tenor saxophone with Terrence Blanchard, and his radical transition to solo performances on the soprano saxophone. Sam recounts his journey of finding his own voice, the challenges...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton has a detailed conversation with Leena Conquest about her extensive musical journey. Leena shares her early exposure to sound in Dallas, Texas, her academic background at Stanford and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and her dance training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She talks about her initial steps into the music world, includin...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in an in-depth conversation with vocalist and composer Shara Lunon, exploring their artistic journey which began with early musical influences from their grandmother and evolved through studies in ethnomusicology and vocal performance. Shara recounts their experiences moving through diverse musical genres, from vocal training to experi...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton engages in a profound and heartfelt conversation with renowned musician Tisziji Muñoz. They explore the depths of Tisziji's musical journey, touching on topics such as his early influences, the spiritual impact of music, and the concept of 'spirit-taught' artistry. Tisziji shares stories about his family's musical heritage, the pivotal role of...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, LaMont Hamilton converses with Jeremy Toussaint Baptiste about his extensive journey and relationship with sound. The discussion delves into Jeremy's collaborative practices, emphasizing the importance of relational dynamics in his work, particularly with movement and performance artists. Jeremy reflects on his interactive and intimate art experiences during the p...

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton is joined by composer and pianist Vijay Iyer. Together, they reflect on music as a relational practice—shaped through presence, exchange, and the enduring trace of those we’ve moved with. Iyer recalls an early memory of shared soundmaking with his sister—an ecstatic moment of vibration and discovery that continues to echo through his relations...