The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt

Multifaceted Artist RIMARKABLE stops by the  Sit-Down Podcast to discuss the journey to becoming the unique vocalist, DJ, producer, and educator, and radio host only attained through trial, error, and DIY on the path towards excellence. This episode is dedicated to the Junteenth celebration, a federally recognized holiday often referred to as "America's second Independence Day", and...

As this season of The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt comes to a close I would like to personally extend deep gratitude and thanks to all that took time out of their very busy and active schedules to stop by. A very special thanks goes out to all of the listeners that tune in to listen while you navigate your day be it through long morning commute, a trip to the coffee shop to return emails, or i...

Cultural Ambassador of Hip-Hop, author, and creative Toni Blackman stopped by The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to share her origin story in her own words. Toni recounts the earliest instance of experiencing creativity and moves through the memories leading up to her East Coast arrival. Toni and the host engaged one another about their shared cultural backgrounds and experiences growing up in d...

Saxophonist, composer, singer, and events tastemaker Yunie Mojica stopped The Sit-Down Podcast to share her origin story in her own words. While coming from a family immersed in both educational athletic endeavors Yunie was exposed to the many flavors of music through her home listening culture that she credits her dad with. Growing up the city of Hartford, Connecticut Yunie shares how she made pe...

Carole Alexis, Choreographer and Director of Ballet Des Ameriques, takes time out of her busy and active schedule to stop by the Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt and discuss her origin story in her own words. Having had multiple levels of training and expertise in several disciplines Carole takes the listener on a journey that begins in her homeland of the French-Caribbean territory of Martinique,...

Sound Chemist, drummer, percussionist, and turntablist, Val Jeanty stops by The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to share an origin story which begins in her native land-The Republic of Haiti. From immersion in ceremonies of drum and dance as a young child, exposure arts across multiple disciplines, the shift towards instability and the decision to migrate to the USA, to an awareness of the differ...

Visual artist, educator, and spontaneously-creative drummer Chad Anderson stops by the Sit-Down Podcast to share both his origin story and musical journey in his own words. This episode takes us to the state of Mississippi and into the city of Starkville. Chad recounts his first interests in art and music in particular, coming from a family of educators, radio as  a first instrument, earliest drum...

Creative Vocalists and songwriters Heidi Martin and Kim Lake stop by The Sit-Down Podcast to share their latest musings on the craft of songwriting, the mystique surrounding the 'magic' behind a great song, and gaining access to the Abbey Lincoln estate. This one promises to be a thriller with lots of twists and turns relative one of the most under-discussed aspects of creative music-the...

Drummer and storyteller George Sluppick stops by the Sit-Down Podcast to share his origin story in his own words. In addition Sluppick gives the listener a glimpse into his long and fruitful relationship relationship with the road and his love for music has taken around the world. His journey begins with a keen curiosity that was rather organic and involved a box of animal krackers. The rest, as t...

Drummer and 'Sound Ambassador' Lamy Istrefi stops by the Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to discuss his musical journey in which he recounts the early years as the son of an academic family of scholars in the occupied territory of his homeland Kosovo, earliest experiences with a musically gifted older brother who encourages his music curiosities, experimenting with several instruments b...

Career Creative and Experimental Artist David Servoss stops by the Sit-Down Podcast to discuss sensibilities, sensitivities, and the quest for creativity. Though it could be aptly titled "The Case for Creativity" it seemed the natural way to go with 'quest' as it more represents an ongoing occurrence rather a thing that may come to some sort of conclusionary end. David shares h...

Composer, pianist, vocalist, dancer, and educator Goussy Celestin, born of Haitian parents, visits The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to discuss her origin story of becoming a multidimensional artist through the rich community of resources provided through her family homes in both Brooklyn and Queens, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Dr. Billy Taylor&apos...

Pianist and composer Victor Gould stops by The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to discuss his origin story and his musical journey. The layers of the proverbial onion began to expose themselves in this gifted artist as we deep dive into the notions of composition, improvisation, and the quest for how great art, and the case for music, needs to strike a balance between the two. Gould takes us thro...

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/james36963/?hl=en Website: https://musicjameshurt.com/

Drummer and Executive Director of Secondline Arts Collective, Darrian Douglas, stops by the Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to discuss his origin story. Douglas takes us back to his birthplace, the first time he was exposed to drums though a musical legacy, meeting Alvin Fielder through a live performance at his elementary school, performing with Dr. London Branch, professional development throug...

This episode speaks to the month of June as instrumental in shaping popular culture through the lens of the contributions of pioneers in art and culture. To highlight a unit which is in the process of becoming seemed fitting and no other unit seemed more poised for this than Concurrence-a duo of bassist Greg Bryant and pianist Paul Horton Jr. Concurrence stopped by The Sit-Down  to discuss their l...

German-born Amsterdam-raised alto saxophonist and composer Susanne Alt  joins us remotely for the next Episode of the Sit-Down Podcast to share her origins story of becoming an artist beyond compromise. The segment takes us from the earliest beginnings of Susanne as a young child with two educator parents that also happen to be musicians. From early experiences with music in the most holistic way...

Keyboardist, composer, and educator Marc Cary joins the Sit-Down Podcast to discuss his origin story and how the 'district' shaped his musical trajectory. Although his birthplace was Harlem in New York City, Cary spent time in several areas on the Eastern Seaboard to include his parents home state of Rhode Island before relocating to the District of Columbia. Tune in as Marc weaves a thr...

Multi-talented Candice Ivory, Queen of Avant Soul, wears many hats as a festival symposium curator for the long-standing King Biscuit Festival, educator of Applied Music, Voice, Jazz and Contemporary Music at Washington University at St Louis Missouri, a devoted visual artist & painter, and a lifelong student of the craft of songwriting. Candice stops by to discuss her whirlwind schedule comin...

Multi-reed & woodwind specialist, instrument repair technical wizard, clinician, student of music, and consummate musician James Carter stops by the Sit-Down to discuss his early origins as the youngest sibling who had a burning desire to perform with his diverse musical family of both soulfully & classically-trained musicians. James' keen ear and expansive musical interests take him...

Consummate bassist and educator Rodney Jordan stops by The Sit-Down Podcast to discuss art and culture in addition to his origin story. We touch on his early live in Memphis, early music exposure and influences, music educators that shaped his trajectory, university and moving to Mississippi, the deep Alvin Fielder influence, the Wynton Marsalis-Terance Blanchard effect on the last century, the Ma...

Singer-Songwriter Heidi Martin visits The Sit-Down to discuss her origin story, traveling abroad, discovering Jazz, and much more! This is the first episode that explores the 1990s 'Lost generation' of creative musicians (and artists of several disciplines) that came to New York City between the years of 1990 to 2000 by the thousands. This episode focuses on the early 90s, the proximity...

This segment is a rebroadcast of the multi-talented and multi-faceted visual artist, singer/songwriter, events curator and arts advocate Candice Ivory. Grab a nice beverage of your choosing,  find a comfortable seat, and listen to the origin story unfold as told through Candice's voice in her own words. Background music provided by James Hurt.  © 2023 James Hurt. All rights reserved. The Sit-...

Pianist and Composer Tony  Suggs stops by the Sit-Down to discuss his journey from his birth place of Mississippi, growing up in East St. Louis, IL, the decision to choose music, his time at sea, living in Japan,  and The Count Basie Orchestra experience. The segment is filled with bak-stories and pieces to the puzzle that will that make up the  artist. Background music provides by James Hurt.  ©...

The episode helps to kick off the first day of spring 2023. Vocalist and song stylist Kelley Hurt and pianist and composer Chris Parker stop by the podcast for a spirited conversation. We start off with the big question. Why music? Later we unpack their biggest musical influences, early life as musicians, music together in varying configurations, leaving Memphis, and their latest large-scale work...