A long way from the block

https://gofund.me/c0c3fb4b7 I sat down with the illustrious DJ Short Blitz at The BBE Store in London to discuss his journey as a legendary Hip-Hop DJ. ​Shortee Blitz is a multi-award-winning DJ, broadcaster, producer and one of themost respected figures in UK Hip Hop & Black Music culture. ​Starting out in 1992 as part of an underground sound system, he cut his teeth rocking illegal house par...

https://gofund.me/2f6042ff7   Leave It for the Children: A Visual History of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (with Darol Olu Kae, 2026) Leave it for the Children: A Visual History of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra blends new and archival images and ephemera to highlight the ongoing legacy of the renowned community jazz organization. Dr. Samuel Lamontagne is a writer, scholar, and professor at t...

https://gofund.me/6d4221cea Ade Egun Crispin Robinson, known as Spry, is a musician and a babalawo from London. Of mixed Jamaican and English heritage, he has a lifetime’s immersion in the music, culture and history of the Black Atlantic. His musical journey has moved through Jah Shaka sound system, the UK acid-jazz scene, contemporary London jazz, West African Mande music and the Afro-Cuban Orish...

https://gofund.me/6d4221cea Wayne Crichlow (aka chasingthelight_67 ) is a London-based documentary and street photographer, and the Founder of Chasing The Light Media Ltd , a creative media platform encompassing photography, film, podcasting and long-form visual storytelling. Born in East London, his work examines social justice, protest movements, storytelling, and everyday life within Black Brit...

In this episode, I discuss legendary saxophonist John Coltrane with talented historians, writers, and, of course, musicians. One of those musicians, Charles McPherson, knew Coltrane personally. Coltrane's signature album A Love Supreme and his groundbreaking song "Giant Steps" are singled out for attention, and we talk about his classic quartet with Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jim...

https://www.gofundme.com/u/d5009c4a-fdcd-4494-bc4b-b19377260e17 TEAR THE CITY DOWN is a classic noir—a find-the-girl mystery, a father-daughter story, a buddy story—but Hardy subverts the genre with a front-face Black world that has jazz running through its bones. Exploring race, identity, power and agency, this is a series launch not to be missed. The odds of being drafted into the NFL are roughl...

https://gofund.me/9ee7bcb33 Son of D.C. Voice of the Bass Corcoran Holt—bassist, composer, arranger, and educator—is a son of Washington, D.C. who began playing djembe and West African percussion at the age of four with the Wose Dance Company under Baba Aidoo Holmes and Mahiri Fadjimba Keita. At ten, he took up the upright bass with the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program, discovering a family connection...

Jones is an internationally recognised educator, currently holding the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair of Jazz at John Hopkins University's Peabody Conservatory and is Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall's NYO Jazz ensemble. Previously, Jones was Chair of the Brass Department at Berkeley College of Music and served as President of the Jazz Educators Network.  Jones was lead trumpet for J...

Chenjerai Kumanyika is an assistant professor of journalism at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and an award-winning narrative audio creator whose work sits at the intersection of journalism, public history, and organizing. Kumanyika is the creator, executive producer, and host of Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD, a chart-topping series featured in The New York Times. He...

London based DJ, producer, poet and cultural force Charlie Dark has spent decades shaping the sound and spirit of UK underground culture. A founding member of Attica Blues, his journey began in the early 1990s at the intersection of hip hop, jazz, soul and spoken word, driven by a deep belief in music as a tool for connection, expression and community building. On the dancefloor, Charlie Dark is k...

In this episode I sat down with the London based poet, author, editor, educator & activist to discuss her journey as an artist. Born in Pakistan, she earned a BA in Liberal Arts from Bennington College, where she studied writing, photography, filmmaking and multi-media installation art. In 2003 she was awarded a fellowship to attend the MFA Creative Writing Programme at the University of Massa...

In my latest episode I sat down with Jonzi D, he is the foremost advocate for hip hop who has changed the profile and influenced the development of the UK British hip hop dance and theatre scene over the last two decades. Since founding Breakin’ Convention in 2004 Jonzi has triumphed in raising the profile and giving a platform to hip hop disciplines, which has gained worldwide recognition as bein...

Critically acclaimed saxophonist, flautist and composer, Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous community outreach arts programmes in Birmingham, UK. Holding his spirituality at the center of his creative practice, Cole has been forging a career across communities in the UK and beyond. Having developed his unique mixed-heritage, black British queer voice in the Jazz tradition, Xhos...

In my second interview with Tongo Eisen-Martin, former Poet Laureate of San Francisco. We sat down to discuss his latest project "Traveling Shoes" which features composer Damani Rhodes and vocalist Vadia. 

In this first installment of my coach's series, I sat down with San Diego girls basketball legend Nicole “Colie” Anderson. We discuss her days growing up and honing her skills at Memorial Gym.  Being the young sister of four older brothers and always playing with the boys helped Nicole become a great player and inspirational leader. She talks about her connection with one of the most respecte...

Last summer 2025 I made my first ever trip to South Africa, specifically Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. I went there to make connections, interview local jazz artists, elders and community leaders.  One of the very talented artists I connected with was jazz drummer, composer and scholar Tumi Mogorosi. We took a deep dive into his journey as an artist and activist. He spoke about what inspired...

In my latest episode I sat with Simon Frederick to discuss his journey as a self-taught photographer, filmmaker, writer, director and producer. We talk about his upbringing in the UK with roots in Grenada. He talks about his mother's influence and wisdom which helped him navigate things as a child, and how he relies on her insights even today.  Simon talks about what being a father means to h...

In the latest episode, I again sat down with my friend Hannibal Smith. Listeners may remember him as the NXPT FIT co-owner and ultra runner. Hannibal recently participated in The Dia De Los Muertos 200 mile Machete Madness ultra trail event.  Originally we had planned on this being a one on one interview about his experience running 200 miles for the first time. A day before the interview Hannibal...

In this episode I sat down with Grammy winning tenor saxophonist, composer and educator Darryl Yokley. Born to an African-American father and a first generation Mexican mother, Yokley draws deeply from his diverse cultural roots.  During our conversation we hear about him playing multiple instruments at an early age, his exposure to jazz and classical music and the influence of John Coltrane. The...

During my recent trip to South Africa, I was honored to be invited to a rehearsal of Cape Town’s own Thanda Choir. Afterwards, I sat down with two choir members, Iva Sogiba and Siyasanga Mhlekwa, and two managers, Asavela Mpayipeli and Zikhona Mapisa. We discussed the choir’s founding and the importance of recognizing and bringing awareness to Khayelitsha Township. Our conversation encompassed the...

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with the Ugandan-born, UK-raised runner Deo Kato—a man who, doing what had never been done, ran from Cape Town to London to raise awareness of social injustices and human migration. It all started in 2020, when he first connected running with activism. For 381 days in a row, he ran a 10k, to honor the Montgomery Bus Boycott and its duration. During our convers...

Ofosu Jones-Quartey—performing as Born I—is a conscious hip-hop artist and meditation teacher. A native of Washington D.C., his early life was impacted by the crack epidemic of the 1980s and 90s. His strong, educated, cultured Ghanaian parents helped him navigate tough times. Born I talks about being exposed to Buddhism at an early age, by his mother. His interest in conscious hip-hop led him to b...

For this episode, I sat down with Brooklyn native Ken “Shadow” Goodman, founder and chief combatives coach of 52 Blocks VTK (Violent Tactics Knowledge). We talk in depth about what it was like growing up in Bed-Stuy and trying to navigate the pull of the streets. He learned early on from elders in the community, but street life eventually got the best of him, and he ended up spending over twenty-f...

Guy Nattiv—the Israeli-born director, producer, and screenwriter—won an Oscar in 2019 for his short film Skin. His latest release, Tatami , is out now in select theaters. In this episode, we speak about the subject matter of Skin , his filmmaking process, and the impact it had on him and on the actors. It's a highly unconventional story of revenge, making Nattiv, in my mind, one of the most i...

My guest for this episode is flautist, vocalist, and composer Naïssam Jamal. Born in Paris to Syrian parents, she entered a conservatory at age six to study classical flute. We discuss her early life in Paris and issues surrounding her cultural background; she talks about her experiences in the conservatory and her subsequent travels throughout the Middle East and Africa. Master musicians whom she...