The Song Inside

Sonia de los Santos was born in Mexico with a smile on her face, so the story goes. Listening to her music, it's easy to believe! Her joy is infectious. In this episode we talk about the beauty of informal singing, the importance of saying "I'm here", the rise of family folk musicians such as Dan Zanes, and the sound a chipmunk makes. Learn more about Sonia HERE Songs: Alegria Suena Fiesta Fiesta...

Tony Malaby. Saxophonist. Teacher. Kung Fu Panda. Join us as we talk about Mexican food, NYC in the 1990s, falling into the waters of improvisation, and Ricardo Montalban. Learn more about Tony HERE Songs: Mia Corinthian Leather Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesonginside  Please rate and review! Apple Spotify Catch my Daily Piano Snacks weekdays at 1 pm EST on Faceb...

It's a new year, and we are starting out by celebrating the large ensemble jazz arrangements of Alan Baylock! Full disclosure: Alan was my arranging TA at the University of North Texas, where he now runs the infamous 1:00 Lab Band. Lucky me! In this episode we discuss starting simple, what we learned in college, framing devices, and How To Gain Life Skills From Playing In A Big Band (this should t...

It's a special family-friendly holiday episode here at The Song Inside! Curl up by the fire with The Pop Up's Jason Rabinowitz, and listen to why kids are the best audience, what it's like finding out you've been nominated for a Grammy, falling backwards into Broadway, and finding the weird true spark that is YOU. Learn more about Jason and The Pop Ups HERE and HERE . Jason's Songwriting Tip: When...

This week, meet Anna Dagmar! Like me, she's a pianist, singer, and songwriter, as well as a mom. We get into the momtalk a bit with regards to the music theater industry, and move on to discussing inviting our idols to the table, growing up with both spirituality and science, the new Beatles documentary, and leaning on love. Learn more about Anna HERE Songs: Satellite Amazed Buy me a mocha or...

Composer Jannek and I meet for the very first time to talk about the unexpected surprises that come from being of service, the importance of mentorship, the experience of listening to electronica in Brooklyn warehouses, and dancing toward the sun. Lear more about Jannek HERE Songs: Dyer Point Bottomless Breath Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesonginside  Please rate...

Attention, hashtag duneheads! Songwriter Pete Galub and I have cast ourselves in our own biopics, and, spoiler alert, Pete has cast hottie Chalamet to play him. This movie will include accepting the different parts of ourselves, the power skill of empathy, the fifth dimension, and how to prep for Bar Mitzvah using classic rock. And maybe sandworms and stuff. Have a listen!  L earn more about...

Visit the beautiful decay of Coney Island with me and songwriter Carol Lipnik. In this chat, we walk through pulling song rabbits out of hats, the metaphors of roses, throwing out the instruction manual, and finding our inner clowns. Learn more about Carol HERE Songs: Honey Pot The Things That Make You Grow Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesonginside  Please rate and...

In this episode, film composer Paul Brill and I talk about the current landscape of film composing, the residue of design, the imagery of powerlines, and the unswerving punctuality of chance.  L earn more about Paul HERE Songs: Everything I Believe In Powerlines Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesonginside  Please rate and review! Apple Spotify Catch my Daily Pia...

In the first episode of this shorter "snack" series, I expand on a songwriting tip from my first podcast guest, Blake Lewis. The tidbit? Be your authentic self. Easy to say, harder to do!  I'll give a little personal background, dive into why I like this songwriting snack, and give everyone some concrete homework to try.  Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesongins...

Debbie Deane is a neighbor of mine. More importantly, she has a new album out that will make you sing La Dee Da for days. We talk about school music committees, the importance of friends, telling our inner critics to take a hike, and living joyously! L earn more about Debbie HERE Songs:  La Dee Da   In This World Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesonginside ...

Michael Harren, songwriter, teacher, and animal rights activist, sits down with me to discuss our analysts, the nature of cats, being OG podcasters (remember Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code??) and deflecting our inner saboteurs.  L earn more about Michael HERE Songs featured in this episode:  Mango   Go Buy me a mocha or leave me a note! www.buymeacoffee.com/thesonginside  Pleas...

Song Inside: Camp Edition! Bronx songwriter Jeremy Suarez and I met at summer camp this year, and directed teens together in a musical. I chatted with them in the staff lounge (aka barn loft) to talk about home recording, being our own biggest fans, creating new genres, and making people cry (in a good way).    L earn more about Jeremy HERE Songs featured in this episode:  Recr...

Join Aussie singer/songwriter/composer Greta Gertler Gold and I as we talk musical theater and Moonfish, carving out personal space as we parent, showing ourselves grace, and being healed by Abbey Road.   Learn more about Greta HERE Songs featured in this episode:   Hard to Hope    Watch the Sunrise   Full episode notes, workshops, and more at www.thesonginside.m...

“There’s something about high desert,” Karen Dahlstrom says. I’ve known Karen forever. No, really! We hail from the Gem State (IDAHO!), played together in the 7th grade talent show, went to the same (Mormon) college, moved to NYC, and are both songwriters. We also left the church of our youth, which was, shall we say, intense. And we get INTO it. Crooked landscapes, crooked patriarchies, crooked t...

Composer and saxophonist Donny McCaslin is perhaps best known for his work as the bandleader on David Bowie's final album, Black Star. We talk about what it was like collaborating with a musical icon (Bowie's advice: it's good to be uncomfortable), tips on working with different producers while maintaining one's voice, embodying the authentic self, and readjusting after trauma. The groove is deep....

Join me as I chat with vocalist and songwriter Abby Ahmad about benching our judgment, being a translator for one's instrumentation, the poetry of our youth, and breaking through the walls of resistance.  Learn more about Abby HERE  Songs featured in this episode:  Say You Believe   Tea With Shadows    Full episode notes, workshops, and more at www.thesonginside.me Bu...

Adam Bernstein writes songs with a vivid imagination. In one of his latest, I got to play Margie! Who is Margie? You’ll have to listen to find out! (One tidbit: she wants you to cut your veggies without causing them pain). We also discuss what it’s like to write musicals.   Learn more about Adam HERE Songs in this episode:   Margie and the Marxist    I Melted All the...

As the head of jazz and world music label Sunnyside Records, French-born Francois Zalacain has championed many young, modern New York jazz composers and songwriters. Join us for a conversation about the unlikely birth of his iconic record label, what makes a great song, and how Sunnyside has thrived for 40 years (and counting). Celebrate with us!  Learn more about Sunnyside HERE   Songs...

Misty Boyce is a true force of sunshine. We have fun talking about the differences between auditioning in New York and LA, the pleasures of co-writing, the curse of Genesis, and the pure joys and pains of first time motherhood. Bring the tissues for this one.   Learn more about Misty HERE    Songs featured in this episode:   luv u always    genesis...

Film composer, songwriter, and cellist Michael Bacon (yes, one of those Bacons!) contacted me a few years ago to play keyboards for a large family Christmas concert. We talk about the conception and performance of that concert, growing up in Philly with a family who prized creativity over grades, the differences between songwriting and film scoring (and arranging and orchestration), and what it’s...

Jamie and Deidre sit down to chat about the optimism of Mister Rogers, the surprising value of teaching over zoom, fitting in vs. belonging (thanks, Brene Brown!), the art of performing covers, and slowing down.  Learn more about Jamie HERE Songs featured in this episode:  The Truth About Suffering   Wash Over   Full episode notes, workshops, and more at www.thesonginside....

Rebecca Pronsky and I started making music together after the 2016 election to heal. Our chat covers pizza, Bach choir, our Hillary Clinton musical, Candidate Jams, dark matter, and emerging from the pandemic chrysalis.   Learn more about Rebecca HERE    Songs:   Steve Bullock    Cory Booker    Kirsten Gillibrand    Marianne Wil...

Josh Dion is one half of the band paris_monster, and a consummate drummer, keyboard player, songwriter, and vocalist. In this episode, we talk about what it's like collaborating in a respected long-term partnership, the muse that wakes us up at night, the joy and work ethic of true gentleman Steve Swallow, and writing songs in the back of a van.  Learn more about Josh HERE   Songs featur...

On a rainy day in Brooklyn, singer and songwriter Jean Rohe (my colleague at Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project) and I sit down to talk about group music making, surviving as a woman in jazz school, justice, and how sound can transcend language.   Learn more about Jean HERE   Song featured in this episode:    Sisterly    Forget/Remember   Full episode note...