AC23+ - Artist Legacy Series of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge

Mike Esneault converses with James Fogle, for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Artist Legacy Series podcast. James is the owner of Mid City Ballroom, Baton Rouge Music Exchange and Pop Shop Records. Through these ventures as well as his work as a musician/performer, James has greatly enriched the Baton Rouge arts community. They discussed this as well as other topics related to bein...

Original air date 9/2/2025 Mike Esneault talks and plays music with Louisiana Music Hall of Fame performer and song writer Chris LeBlanc. They discuss Chris' formative years growing up in a musical family in South Louisiana as well as being influenced by the blues and many other genres of music that he heard and played in his home town of Baton Rouge. In addition, they play three of Chris' origina...

Original air date 8/28/2025: Mike Esneault talks with radio personality, educator and musician, Rob Payer. They discuss Rob's history in radio, particularly as it relates to Baton Rouge Magnet High School and their long-standing radio educational program and his role as program director. In addition, they discuss many other topics including the rich musical heritage of South Louisiana, preserving...

Original air date 8/15/2025: Mike Esneault converses with East Baton Rouge- Director of Fine Arts, Dr. Sean Joffrion. They discuss the artistic environment and support of Joffrion's formative years and how this helped instill his deep love of the arts moving forward. They also converse on various topics including the importance of arts education as well as arts integration and the role it can play...

Original air date 8//1/2025: Mike Esneault talks and performs with Baton Rouge music icon David Hinson. They discuss his extensive career as a performer and educator in the greater Baton Rouge area. They touch on his experiences working in a wide array of musical genres, including orchestral music, jazz and rock, etc. as well as his thoughts and techniques on educating music students of all ages,...

Mike Esneault talks with dance artist and owner of "For the Love of Dance", Shamira Cummings. They talk about her formative years learning the art of dance, the education of students at her dance studio, her work with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge as well as various dance programs that she has created over the years for the Greater Baton Rouge community.

Original Air Date 7/21/2025: The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's Mike Esneault plays music and talks with guitarist, composer and music educator, Patrick Bordelon. The two discuss Patrick's love of Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz as well as many other topics including life as a working professional musician and educator.

Original Air Date 7/9/2025: Mike Esneault talks with Southern University Professors Harry Anderson and Darrell Roberson about the launch of SU's Digital Media Arts Program. This new degree program features the following concentration tracks: Digital Screen Arts Production, Digital Performance Fusion, Visual Arts and Motion Graphics, Digital Sports Production and Recording Arts. They discuss the or...

Mike Esneault talks with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's Artist in Residence and Artist Liaison, Mike Weary. They discuss various aspects of being a professional freelance visual artist as well as Mike's experiences working as an arts administrator, educator and gallery curator.

Original Air Date: 6/27/2025 - Mike Esneault speaks with visual artist BJ Smith, and his mother Kim Smith, about BJ's 20-year ongoing journey surviving a severe brain injury accident. They discuss the power of the arts as healer and how BJ's passion for being a visual artist has had a profound impact on his positive development.

Mike Esneault talks and plays music with New Orleans bassist, arranger, composer and band leader, Brian Quezergue, for the Arts Council of Greater Baton's "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast! Listen to them discuss Brian's life in music from his formative years growing up under the tutelage of his famous father Wardell Quezergue (arranger for The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Allen Touissant and ma...

Mike Esneault talks and performs with jazz saxophonist Don Evans about his performance and teaching career. Don reflects on growing up in the New Orleans and learning music in that rich environment and being part of the blues and jazz music scene for many years in South Louisiana.

Orignal Ari Date 4/11/2025: Mike Esneault talks and plays music with Fort Worth tenor saxophonist, Quamon Fowler for the Arts Council of Greater Baton's "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast! Listen to them discuss Quamon's life in music from his formative years playing in church, later studies with the great Alvin Batiste, and his current life as a performer, educator and author.

Original Air Date 4/4/2025: Mike Esneault talks and plays music with 5-Time Grammy nominee, Zydeco musician, Sean Ardoin for the Arts Council of Greater Baton's "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast! Listen to them discuss his roots to the father of Zydeco, Amédé Ardoin, along with his music career, impactful work with the Grammy Recording Academy and so many other endeavors he is involved in.

Original Air Date: 04/2/2025 Mike Esneault talks with renowned drummer, Ricky Sebastian about his extensive performance career in music with artists such as Harry Belafonte, Tania Maria, John Scofield and many others as well as his long tenure as a music educator.

Original Air Date: 03/19/2025 Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's Mike Esneault talks with Bob Mintzer and Russell Ferrante of the legendary two-time Grammy winning jazz fusion group Yellowjackets. Listen to them discuss the inner workings of the ensemble including recording and touring, amongst other topics.

Original Air Date: 02/25/2025 Mike Esneault talks and plays music with tuba/bass player, educator, and band leader Mike Foster for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform duets discuss Foster's influences along with his career and life in music.

Original Air Date: 02/27/2025 - Mike Esneault hosts a panel discussion on music development, careers in jazz, and jazz education with Mike Williams (lead trumpeter of the Count Basie band for 31 years), saxophonist Cully Joyce and trumpeter Jason Smith of the United States Air Force Big Band at Southern Arkansas University.

Original Air Date: 11/23/2024 - Mike Esneault talks with drummer Herman Jackson, bassist Reggie Richards, and guitarist Lil' Ray Neal about their experiences with the blues legend BB King for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Artist Legacy Podcast Series. Listen to Herman and Reggie talk about their touring experiences with BB King and work with him on his final performances. Also, l...

Original Air Date: 11/19/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with trumpeter and Capital Area United Way President/CEO, George Bell, for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Podcast Series. Listen to them discuss George’s influences along with his 30-plus-year career and life as a thriving community leader and musician.

Original Air Date: 11/07/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with New Orleans bassist, educator, and band leader Peter Harris for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform duets on original jazz compositions and discuss Peter’s influences along with his career and life in music.

Original Air Date: 11/07/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with New York-based, world-class trombone soloist, heralded bandleader, and Grammy-nominated arranger John Fedchock for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform duets on original jazz compositions and discuss Jon’s influences, career, and life in music.

Original Air Date: 10/29/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with classical and jazz pianist, composer, arranger, conductor and LSU music professor Dr. Willis Delony for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform piano duets on original jazz compositions as well as discuss Willis’ influences along with his career and life in music.

Original Air Date: 10/22/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with bassist, arranger, composer, conductor and former LSU music professor Dr. Bill Grimes for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform some original jazz compositions as well as discuss Bills’s influences along with his career and life in music.

Original Air Date: 10/01/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with trumpeter and educator John Gray for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Podcast Series. Listen to them discuss John’s influences along with his career and life in music.