Paradigms

Soulsha plays music bringing together Traditional Scottish and Senegalese music with American Funk and Jazz; Afro-Celtic Funk! Elias Alexander plays pipes, sings, plays guitar, composes, and is one of the eight musicians in the band. Elias and Baruch discuss the band, the music, and humanity’s trajectory! Soulsha released their debut album this year Carry It On which we will be listening to...

“Lisa Fithian has been working for nonviolent social change since the mid 1970’s. Over the years she has been a student, labor and community organizer on a broad range of issues. From environmental justice to student and worker rights, from peace and global justice to immigration and housing, Lisa continues to use a wide range of strategies and tactics and encouraged nonviolent direct action...

Staci Griesbach grew up listening to country music. Later in life she discovered that she loved jazz, so it was a natural progression for Staci to bring these two genres together. The result is My Patsy Cline Songbook an album of Patsy Cline songs reinterpreted through jazz. Staci is a pro. She assembled a group of brilliant musicians to record this music, brought in 3 talented arrangers, and now...

Moken is a Camaroonian musician, now based in Atlanta Georgia. He’s just released a record called Missing Chapters , which came through him after a period of particular challenge and difficulty. His story is inspiring! Baruch and Moken discuss his story, the music, and the world. Moken says “This is a feelings album. Whatever felt right, we kept it,” reflects Moken. “This album has given me...

Aaron English is a Seattle native who is a musician, an artist, a humanitarian, an explorer, and more. Baruch caught up with Aaron between trips to talk about music and the world. Aaron has released 4 albums of music so far, and also is the founder of the International Youth Music Project which was formed to support Aaron’s work with orphans & HIV/AIDS+ kids in Kenya & Uganda. We’ll...

Coniece Washington has just released a tribute record Shades of Shirley Horn that will knock your socks off. Her voice is smooth and rich, the musicians are top notch, the production is clear and full, you’re going to love it. Coniece grew up singing and dancing. She has developed her craft to the point that she felt ready to tackle some of her favorite music, and she does it justice. The co...

Raine Geohegan is an actor, dancer, singer, mother, wife. Raine has also come through a severe physical illness. She has a great story about how she has accessed healing through the exploration of her Romany heritage, through connecting with her ancestors. Raine’s has written a book of poetry, Apple Water: Povel Panni celebrating her Romany family and culture. We get to hear Raine read some...

“Beloved is a 4-Day Sacred Art, Movement, and Music Festival on the Oregon Coast. Beloved is a healing event, intended to experiment with new models for culture. In the troubled times in which we live, people become divided against each other and can more easily feel isolated and separated from the Soul of the World. At Beloved, we become a sudden, mystical community where everyone can feel...

Maureen Choi and her quartet have moved to Spain! They’re making amazing music, touring, composing…and they have a new album Theia . Maureen is a woman whose bi-cultural upbringing, to some extent, informs her life, and of course, her music, which is Spanish Jazz Fusion with unique undertones. Her bandmates are also her close friends. She’s married to the bass player! The band is...

Väsen is a three man band from Sweden, playing traditional and original music together for 30 years! They’ve just released a new record to celebrate their 30th anniversary, “Rule of 3” which we’ll hear about from Olov Johansson, who plays the nyckelharpa. Olov and Baruch discuss the new record, but also get into some of the ethos and benefit of traditional music as part of...

Olivia Frances is a pop/folk artist in her early 20’s. She has just released her 3rd album! It’s called Orchid and you will love it. Olivia is a bit of a prodigy. She started writing songs at an early age and recorded her first record while still in High School. The music is upbeat, relevant, and personal. Olivia and Baruch discuss how Olivia came to the music, her inspirations, what i...

Benji & Rita are a performing duo; a married couple from different countries (Brazil and USA) who met and made music together before they started dating. They are both songwriters. They both play guitar and sing. They’re traveling around the world playing music! Benji has been a guest on Paradigms before. Check out those episodes and learn about how he fell in love with Brazilian music:...

June 28, 1969, New York City, the Stonewall Inn was the scene of what is known as The Stonewall Uprising . Considered a watershed event for Gay Liberation, and for LGBTQ rights, these events are commemorated and celebrated in cities and countrysides around the world, every June, in Pride marches and activities. While some question why LGBTQ people celebrate Pride, one answer is this; until the pla...

Bernard O’neill is one of those people who is inspired by humanity’s beauty and ability to be big hearted and open minded. He’s also a brilliant musician who goes places and learns and shares music and then brings that to the rest of us. Bernard was on Paradigms in 2017 with Nick Page after New World Records released the Ipiros Remixes from the 2010 Road to Damascus project. Bern...

“5 Soldiers” is a very powerful dance piece that examines the role of the soldier’s body as a tool of war, from strength, resilience, and vulnerability, to wounding and destruction, and all that lies between. Rosie Kay, who created this very significant work shares her story and inspiration with Baruch. Rosie discusses what this artistic creation means to her, and how it has been...

In this second part of a 2 part series we will meet filmmaker Katherin Hervey whose current project The Prison Within follows the restorative justice process, sharing perspectives of incarcerated people who have caused harm and survivors of harm. The film comes out in late 2019. Martina Kartman and Devitta Briscoe work at the Public Defenders Office and run restorative justice based healing circle...

The United States imprisons more people than any other country, both in number and per capita. Something isn’t working, our legal system is not a justice system. In this first part of a 2 part series we will meet Karena Montag , a psychotherapist, and Troy Williams , who works with prisoners in San Quentin and is a formerly incarcerated person. Karena talks about what Restorative Justice is...

Basia hit the world stage in the early 1980’s with the band Matt Bianco and then as a solo performer, with her potent brand of jazzy music inspired by latin music, Motown, the blues, and so much more. Celebrated for her vocal range and stylings, Basia is also a phenomenal songwriter and composer. Together with musical partner Danny White, Basia has released a number of albums, all received w...

Ayana Young is one of the founders of the For the Wild Collective . Ayana talks about rewilding and unlearning as part of living sustainably. By spending less time with electronics and the trappings of modern life, and by spending more time with living things like plants and animals, especially outside, you set in motion an organic process of rewilding.  You can do it too! Eljuri has released a ne...

Colton Davis , founder of Chicago Food Rescue , tells about this bike powered organization that picks up and delivers food that would otherwise go to waste; preventing waste and feeding hungry people with fresh food! Rehan Choudry tells us about Emerge , a conference and musical gathering happening in Las Vegas at the end of May, addressing major issues of our time: Protest, Self Care, Bravery, an...

“ My story starts long ago and far away, in a family of Irish immigrants on a voyage to the unknown, leaving everything and everyone behind in search of better livelihood. My life-long musical voyage to the unknown is fueled and inspired by that of my parents, who have dreamed of seeing the world, hearing its song, and making it their own. It’s their courage and passion that empowers me to take th...

Petite Celine is a Franco-American singer/songwriter. Her new album is Man Made Fire . The songs vary in style, as Celine is intent upon bringing cross cultural and creatively diverse material to the world. Celine and Baruch had a conversation about the music, the new record, and also about Celine’s experience as a bi-cultural person in a world that seems to be increasingly frightened of any...

John Westmoreland is a native of North Carolina. He’s been playing music since he was a kid, inspired by the likes of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. John has a new album called Cast Fire which is remarkable in it’s depth and what it calls forth from listeners. John plays live shows, and he plays live for people who are dealing with Alzheimers and dementia, at local memory care homes. He&...

Yoeke Nagel is a journalist and author from The Netherlands. In this book Yoeke tells the story, quilted together over decades of research, of her Grandmother Jeanne van Emden, a member of the Dutch Resistance during WWII. This is the story of Yoeke’s family who were persecuted by Nazis; of a courageous woman, and her children, who lived, and about some who didn’t come back from the ca...

Phil Hewitt is a journalist and a marathon runner. In 2016 Phil was stabbed and nearly died. Phil’s new book Outrunning the Demons is a collection of vignettes, accounts of people who have faced a trauma of one sort or another ranging from illness to political oppression to sexual assault, and more, who have found healing through running. Each chapter is one person’s story. The writing...