The Playful Musician

Miguel Zenón joins me on The Playful Musician. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and living in New York City Miguel is a Grammy Winner, Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow, and a Doris Duke Artist. Growing up in San Juan, Miguel Zenón originally thought he would study engineering, but during his senior year of high school he was drawn to jazz, much to his family’s surprise. With no musicians...

Filipino-American saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon joins the ranks of legendary saxophonists sharing their stories on The Playful Musician. Born in Chicago, Irabagon studied at DePaul University before moving to New York City to earn his master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music, followed by postgraduate studies at Juilliard. He has taught on four continents and is currently on the fac...

Lafayette Gilchrist is a keyboardist, composer, and the newest piano chair in the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra. In this episode, Gilchrist shares his story of growing up in Washington, DC, and what led him at age 17 to finally sit down at a piano and begin teaching himself to play and compose. He describes how his early love of hip-hop, funk, and go-go evolved into a passion for jazz, sparked by Chuc...

Fulfilling the unrealized aspiration of his paternal grandfather to become a conductor, Roberto Kalb’s early life was shaped by supportive parents, teachers, and mentors, combined with unrelenting drive and courage. Where many might have shied away from the pursuit, Roberto carved his own path. His journey to becoming a composer and conductor, with a biography that reads like a travel guide throug...

In this episode I sit down with Tibi Cziger, clarinetist, founder, and Artistic Director of the Israeli Chamber Project before his visit and performance with the Chamber Music Concert December 4th in Ashland, Oregon. The Israeli Chamber Project consists of strings, winds, harp, and piano. They were named the winner of the 2011 Israeli Ministry of Culture Outstanding Ensemble Award and 2017 Partos...

Carla Ecker, concert violinist, and I sat down in Ashland, Oregon, for a delightful in-person conversation. She has performed with renowned orchestras, including the Sarasota Opera Orchestra, New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, El Paso Symphony, and the Phoenix Symphony. Currently residing in Tucson, Carla maintains an active perform...

Angela Johnson’s music is rich and funky, featuring smart and, at times, laugh-out-loud funny, soul-baring lyrics. She broke onto the music scene as a member of Cooly's Hot Box, which showcased her unique blend of jazz, soul, and R&B. Johnson then released her first solo album, “They Don't Know,” jumpstarting her solo career and highlighting her production skills. As a singer, songwriter, and...

I’m grateful to be sitting down once again with Martin Majkut, Music Director of both the Rogue Valley Symphony in Oregon and the Queens Symphony Orchestra in New York. We haven’t spoken since 2020, and there’s much to catch up on. We geek out over Beethoven's 5th Symphony and the ongoing debate about its proper tempo. Martin shares how fatherhood has transformed him as both a person and a conduct...

Caity is a two-time Juno Award-winning vocalist from Canada, known for her remarkable musical talent and relentless work ethic. Her voice has an instrumental quality that can hold its own against any saxophone on an improvisational riff. Gyorgy has performed at jazz clubs and festivals across Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the United States, collaborating and recording with incredible musicians, inclu...

Nikka Costa returns to the music scene after a career break, and we sit down to discuss her life and her new album, Dirty Disco . Costa’s evolution as an artist is truly inspiring. Each of her works invites the listener to peel back layers, revealing more about this transformative vocalist with every song and decade. In our candid conversation, we revisit her early fame, which began with an album...

Originally from London, Will Vinson has played as a leader and sideman in New York, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, and Japan. Will is a member of Rufus Wainwright’s band and has performed, arranged, and recorded with Sufjan Stevens, Sean Lennon, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton, Harp...

Sarah Belle Reid is a rule breaker. A performer-composer who trained in trumpet and moved through, and at times against the status quo, to modular synthesizer, and an ever-expanding array of handcrafted electronic instruments. The personal voice she explores, moves between the intersections of contemporary classical music, experimental and interactive electronics, visual arts, noise music, and imp...

Alexandra Arrieche, Brazilian-born conductor keeps busy working with some of the most important ensembles and figures in both classical and pop music. With an ability to move masterfully between genres, she distinguishes herself as one of the most unique and exciting conductors of her generation. Alexandra currently serves as Music Director of the Olympia Symphony Orchestra and the Henderson Symph...

From picking up the violin before even mastering speech, to gracing prestigious concert halls worldwide, Jennifer Roig-Francoli’s musical odyssey is as captivating as her performances. An international prize-winner, her talent has been featured in TIME Magazine. She’s also certified and accomplished Alexander Technique (AT) instructor, reshaping how musicians perceive and inhabit their craft, with...

This week, I sit down with Idit Shner. Idit holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University, a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas. She currently teaches at the University of Oregon as a professor of saxophone and jazz studies. Idit has performed solo recitals across the Un...

Heralded as one of the best prepared and most serious bassists by Chuck Israels, Garrett Baxter is also a longtime friend. Though years separate us, Garrette and I grew up in the same small town in Southern Oregon where we cut our teeth in band rooms from high school to college. Residing now in Portland he is one of the most exciting young bassists in the city.  One of only a few in person intervi...

Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Jazz Ensemble Director at Houghton University  Russell Scarbrough is a composer, bandleader, trombonist, and educator. His works have been performed by symphonies, orchestras, big bands, jazz ensembles, and soloists alike on a multitude of stages, at schools and universities, Carnegie Hall, and the steps of the US Capital.  Russell and I get nostalgic and wa...

Joanna Wallfisch is a London born vocalist/composer, hailing from generations of musicians. A multi-instrumentalist, she plays the guitar, ukulele, charango, piano, flute, and is a master in the art of live vocal looping. Her music is at once, hypnotic, and genre defying. We sat down right before her newest album, now released, All in Time dropped. This latest is a collection of songs, with “no pa...

Kat Eaton has a voice dripping with deep, sultry tones and a pen that cuts through both light hearted topical themes and heavy social issues with equal parts soul and finesse. From drunk-dialing your ex to the persecution and attacks on the LGBTQAI+ community, Kat is the relevant, progressive musician we are all searching for. Truly an artist for the modern times. Kat has toured the UK/EU and sold...

The Playful Musician is back with a new season and you won’t want to miss it.  Our host Steve Davidson will chat with musicians of every ilk; diving into the background, practice rituals, and origin stories of each guest. Discover talented, inspiring artists as you are introduced to them for the first time or hear stories regaled from your favorite performers and legends of our era. With Davidson’...

Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and CBC Music national radio host Laila Biali returns to the Playful Musician to talk about her brand new recording Your Requests. This recording is the result of her deep connection to her fans and their "requests" for songs for her to record. Bringin new imagning's and fresh ideas these jazz standards, Your Request is a joyful, breath of fr...

A delightful and insightful conversation with Toronto based vocalist, composer and teacher Nicky Schrire. Our conversation centers mostly around her new album Nowhere Girl which arrives on June 9, 2023 wherever you get your music! We talk about the long, ten-year build up to this album, working with producer Oded Lev-Ari, how things transpire in the studio and what musical adventures she has plann...

 Dr. Otis Murphy is professor of Saxophone at the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington Indiana. Otis has the distinction of being the youngest faculty ever appointed to the Jacobs School of Music, having obtained his position at the tender age of 28. Otis was a student of Classical Saxophone icon Eugene Rousseau and received a Fulbright Fellowship to study in France...

Brett Detar is a Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, film composer, producer and super creative guy. He's made a name for himself with his band The Juliana Theory which he co-founded when he was just 19. Brett has also made an impact on the big screen, composing for the films The Devil Inside and Wer. Brett Shares about his start with songwriting at age six, how he approaches creativity, what it...

Pittsburgh Trombonist Reggie Watkins has always had a knack for music. He has come a long way from learning how to play the piano at six. Born and raised in West Virginia and spending years in Pittsburgh, Reggie was exposed to musical influences that would later turn him into an internationally-recognized performer, pianist, arranger, and composer. Leveraging  his experience fronting a quarter on...