Conversations with Calcaterra

“Every setback is a setup for a comeback” – Coco Vinny (Vincent Zaldivar) We live in a world where sustainable is the current buzzword but how many businesses are living up to the hype they are promoting? This can tricky to quantify but Ken’s conversation with the entrepreneur behind Cocotaps is doing everything in his power to make the world a better place. Coco Vinny’s product allows consumers t...

How many people do you know who set a New Years Resolution to lose weight or better yet a goal to get fit and live a healthier lifestyle? How many of those people actually follow through more than a month or two? The key to success is creating making it a habit and the path to success begins with consulting a professional. Olaoluwa Olunloyo and Quantarrius Q. Wilson operate Roqbody Academy with th...

What does it take to perform a handstand? For Eric Betz it took 180 days of practice and he continues to perfect it although to onlookers he makes it look easy. Eric began practicing Yoga after a car accident kept him from the gym, his sanctuary. The life altering event opened up many doors and windows and shared the gift with students all over the United States. He continues to expand his horizon...

Who is the guy in that thing? In this episode it’s Rico Anderson a Los Angeles based character actor who wasn’t in the documentary “That Guy…Who Was in That Thing,” but is one of those guys who has been in many things including a pilot episode for a Star Trek show which wasn’t picked up but nevertheless a dream come true. https://youtu.be/eE2Wgop9VLM Rico will be appearing in an episode of Fox’s “...

How many people out there have maintained a friendship for over 50 years? Pops and Uncle Frank (Frankie "Cheech" Farina) met on board the USS Independence during the Vietnam War becoming brothers from other mothers and adopted sons into each others families. We converse about movies, growing up in Brooklyn, the Navy, their bucket list and the question "pops up" as to whether or not Uncle Frank is...

The 2016 Presidential Election brought the rise of populist candidate Donald Trump. What most people don't know is Trump is not the first to take politics by storm. Jim Traficant the son of a truck driver came to prominence during the Reagan administration and took no shit from anyone. He proclaimed to love his country but hated the government and often ended his speeches with the Star Trek phrase...

A parody is a work created to imitate, make fun of, or comment on an original work—its subject, author, style, or some other target—by means of satiric or ironic imitation. It is the preferred art form of Adam Huber, independent filmmaker and founder of the popular youtube channel Parody Patrol. https://www.youtube.com/user/MrParodyPatrol Join Ken and Adam in speaking about the art of parody and s...

Alan Carter is a man of many talents with a lifetime of experience as a martial artist, police officer and most passionately as an herbalist. Ken speaks with Alan about herbal tinctures and his time in Bosnia where the French speaking Belgian Army played a prank on him. Visit ken @ www.kencalcaterra.com Special Thanks to our sponsors who have helped to bring you this episode. Dr. Mark Holland of F...

Writing a feature film is not an easy task and making one especially with limited resources is improbable but Tyler Russell and his team of passionate visual storytellers have accomplished this with their tale of a reluctant dog track owner trying to outrun his problems with the bet of a lifetime. Tyler speaks to Ken about his creative process, losing a close collaborator and working with iconic a...

When you hear the opening music you'll know artist Steve Walden is studio...we do what we can on a tight budget. The St. Louis Blues are on a historic run to raise Lord Stanley's Cup and what better way to celebrate then a discussion with the patriarch of St. Louis' quintessential Blues family, Jimmy Manno. We discuss the departure of the Rams, youth hockey, charity, roar bacon, and the amazing ar...

Typewriter Tim is a true original. His artistic adventure began with the study of art at Kansas University. He later discovered his grandfather's old typewriter covered with dust on a basement shelf and the rest is history. Find out more about Typewriter Tim at the following sites: https://youtu.be/H4hvt0nOt7o https://www.facebook.com/Typewriter-Tim-sculptor-877231212310248/?fref=ts Visit ken @ ht...

Spiritual harpist, I bet that's a label most people have never heard. What is a spiritual harpist? When you listen to the music of Amy Camie your spirit is lifted. She pours her heart and soul into her compositions creating an energetic sonic experience which leads to a higher vibration and also allows the listener to begin a journey. In this day and age more and more people are embracing our ener...

What does it take to be an adventurer? Tyson Schaffner has the zest for life and has focused on gaining experiences over possessions. Tyson began his career as a television sound mixer on the set of "The Real World - Chicago. He has worked in reality television for over 15 years and has used some of his earnings to develop "The Patched Overalls Experience" a grant program allowing high school stud...

Heroin has become a huge problem in the United States and not just with the poor. It has crept into middle and upper class neighborhoods and can destroy lives. Who are these addicts and who were they before they became addicted to the drug? Is there hope or should we lock them up and throw away the key? This episode features two men, one a recovering addict and the other a bereaved parent. What ar...

There is a place in downtown Nashville where people flock to hear the top country and pop songs from the songwriters who crafted them. This place is The Listening Room Cafe and the man who brought it downtown and who has worked tirelessly for the past 8 years is Chris Blair. Chris moved from his native St. Louis to Nashville in 2002 to pursue his country music dream. He fronted his band for a few...

What does it sound like when a piece of an artists soul is on a record? We're not just talking one or two songs here but each and every song which paints a picture of that artist's journey. This is what you get when you listen to the album "Music Box" from artist/co-producer Ben Sturgell. With the guidance of Nashville legend Pino Squillace, Ben has crafted his signature album which looks to be th...

What does it feel like to have a higher purpose? Music producer and legendary percussionist Pino Squillace found music after nearly dying from a drug overdose. The Italian native realized music was his calling while in rehab in Florence Italy and the rest is history. Nashville is now home for Pino and he has been busy developing his brand "The Other Side of 615," a sub-culture of the scene which h...

The new Star Wars flick is breaking all sorts of records and Conversations with Calcaterra is as well with more profanity then any other episode thanks to artist Steven Walden and reviewer Jeff Ritter. It was all in good fun and this conversation like many other episodes is layered and deep at that. Also joined by audio guru Matthew Ryan Sims we discuss Kylo Ren as a signature villian, Why the "ba...

What was the experience of going into a Quiktrip while it was being looted just moments before being engulfed in flames? How about witnessing a man being shot and pulling him to safety when one's job is simply to capture the images of these occurrences. David Carson shares these stories and more in the second part of his conversation with Ken Calcaterra. See Davids work at http://www.davidcarsonph...

What I admire the most about David Carson is his integrity along with his amazing creative eye. Giving a fair and balanced view of the world is not easy but David has accomplished this in both Afghanastan, Iraq and Fergurson along with photographing more than his fair share of murders in the city of St. Louis. The work hasn't gone unnoticed as he is a Pulitzer Prize winner as part of the photograp...

How many people just fall into art and are able to make a career painting...in less than a year. Steven Walden began painting when he took an art therapy class while working on a Masters Degree in counseling at Webster University. He received his degree in August of 2015 and hasn't had time to use it as he is too busy with commissions. Ken and Steven discuss art as legacy, sports, time spent with...

It can be a difficult task to find one's creative soulmate but that is what we have with this episodes guests who have collaborated together for over 15 years. First in theatre, then with a low budget mockumentary "Hooch and Daddy-O" followed by the development of the horror film "The Bloodfest Club" and now then the comic anthology "Rough and Tumble" which has changed their focus to creating comi...

How many of you have watched a non-scripted (reality) show on television? Who are the people who create these shows? Adam Neal has worked in the industry for over decade having spent 12 years in Los Angeles. He continues to develop content and has worked with some of the industry's top production companies including Shine America and All3Media (Morocco Junction) producing shows "America's Next Top...

Air Force veteran John Vlasich has been practicing the healing arts for over 24 years. He discovered the magic of Shamanism while dealing with alcoholism and has since become a Reiki master, EFT practitioner and Chigong healer. He puts these modalities together to practice what he calls "Shamantics." John can be reached through email at kalua_healer@yahoo.com or 636.614.6564 Visit ken @ http://ken...

What type of person do you visualize when you think owner of a bread and breakfast? Brant Wilkins is the alternative to the standard. One of the youngest B&B owners in Hermann, MO his establishment is non traditional. The former professional wrestler has worked hard to transforming his parents dream into a wonderful overnight experience for his guests. When you're thinking of a visit to Missouri w...