The Tonearm

Today, the Spotlight shines On the Basel-based band LILAMORS , which consists of vocalist Ana Čop, pianist Thilo Seevers, and sound artist Jaka Arh. With their debut album, When I Am Dead, My Dearest, out on June 30th, LILAMORS is taking jazz into new territories of experimental electro-acoustic music, utilizing poetry from the last two centuries as well as original lyrics written by Ana. The...

Today, the Spotlight shines On MISS C-LINE , a neo-soul singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Switzerland.  Her music blends soul and groove with elements of hip-hop and jazz, resulting in a unique and memorable sound. This conversation is memorable, too, and and it pairs well with the MISS C-LINE track we have for you at the end of this episode, her latest single, “Intimately”...

Today, the Spotlight shines On Brooklyn-based pianist and composer Danny Fox and the latest work from the Danny Fox Trio , Time Took Care of It . Danny’s trio, with bassist Chris van Voorst van Beest and drummer Max Goldman, has been a working group with a consistent lineup since their founding in 2008. Their distinctive sound is a testament not only to their time together but also to their intere...

Today, the Spotlight shines On Canadian producer and sound artist Michael Scott Dawson . Michael joined us to mark the release of his third solo album, Find Yourself Lost , a collection of country-adjacent, Western-themed ambient recordings issued by Toronto label We Are Busy Bodies . This album is ethereal without being space music and is steeped in melody, tape loops, and Michael’s own field rec...

In this episode, the Spotlight shines On internationally-renowned bass player and composer Bruno Råberg . Since coming to the US from his native Sweden in 1981, Bruno has made many recordings as both a leader and sideman — and has performed with an incredible number of world-class artists - including Terri Lyne Carrington, Sam Rivers, Donny McCaslin, Billy Hart, Matt Wilson, and countless others....

Today, the Spotlight shines On Lithuanian drummer and producer Marijus Aleksa . Marijus has worked as a band leader, session musician and solo artist, and in each setting, his sound is his own, reflecting his interests in jazz, world and electronic club music.  Marijus spent a decade in London, embedded in the dynamic new jazz scene there. Now back in Lithuania, he recently programmed a small...

Today, the Spotlight shines On South African record producer, emcee, and keyboardist EMAMKAY . EMAMKAY visited us to talk about his new album, Love Is Energy , released back in March. As he explains in our talk, the music was crafted from jam sessions and band rehearsals that le later revisited and mined for inspiration. The resulting album is finely crafted but surprisingly organic. EMAMKAY’s mus...

Today, the Spotlight shines On guitarist Dominic Miller , a musician unique in his ability to fit in and contribute as a sideman, but also to step up as a band leader. Dominic may be best known as guitarist — and in his own words, “Lieutenant” — for Sting , a position he has filled for over 30 years, but he has been creating his own diverse body of work for many decades as well.  Dominic join...

Today, the Spotlight shines On Lem Oppenheimer, co-founder of Easy Star Records, an independent record label specializing in pushing and expanding the boundaries of reggae music.  Founded in mid-90s New York City, Easy Star first focused on raising the bar for US reggae but soon expanded to uncovering and highlighting great artists from regional scenes around the world.  Their in-house b...

Today, the Spotlight shines On Monika Herzig, whose career as a jazz pianist and composer spans three decades and dozens of releases. Monika joins us to talk about the release of a reimagined set of Joni Mitchell’s music, which she arranged and features vocals interpreted by her late friend, award-winning vocalist Janiece Jaffe. To quote from the liner notes: “This album is, first and foremost, ab...

Today, the Spotlight shines On an episode from about a year ago, our conversation with photographer Harold Sherrick. Harold joined Spotlight On to talk about A Pig's Tale , a book he co-authored which tells the story of the legendary bootleg record label, Trade Mark of Quality, and the adventures of its founders in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  Trade Mark of Quality was really the first bo...

Today, the Spotlight shines On New York-based jazz innovators Jane Ira Bloom and Mark Helias, who join us to discuss their latest collaboration with drummer Bobby Previte, 2.3.23 . I’d like to read from Mark’s notes for the album, “ 2.3.23 was an outgrowth of the improvisational recording project that emerged between myself and Jane Ira Bloom beginning at an early stage of the pandemic in April/Ma...

Today, the Spotlight shines On John Brodeur, leader of the music project, Bird Streets.  John conceived of Bird Streets as his return to a band format after a long career as a solo artist. The new band point of view proved to be artistically freeing, and John joins us today to talk about Lagoon , the second Bird Streets album. Among John’s collaborators on Lagoon are Pat Sansone of Wilco, Mic...

Today, the Spotlight shines On Australian jazz heavyweight Christopher Hale.  Christopher has been called “one of the most unique and respected musicians in Australia” ( Glam Adelaide ) and an “unconventional virtuoso of the bass guitar” ( The Age ). His new release, Ritual Diamonds , came out on March 3 through Earshift Music. The work reimagines Korean ritual drumming and contemporary jazz,...

Today, the Spotlight shines On rising electro soul artist, Nick Locke, who performs under the name Phyphr. A songwriter and producer, Phyphr combines his own live guitar playing with electronic elements to create a unique, vibrant twist on electronic funk, soul and blues.  Phypht and host Lawrence Peryer had a great time connecting which hopefully comes across in this recording.&nbs...

Today’s episode is a live recording of a conversation Spotlight On host Lawrence Peryer had in Santa Barbara, at the FestForums conference, with American musical treasure, Jesse Colin Young.    Jesse Colin Young has been a pioneer of American roots music for more than half a century and has left his unique mark on the intersecting worlds of folk, blues, jazz, country, and rock & roll...

Today, the spotlight shines on the German electronic jazz collective Conic Rose. Their new, self-released debut album Heller Tag (or, Bright Day , in English), is out tomorrow, February 17, worldwide.   Members of the group who joined our talk included Trumpeter Konstantin Döben, keyboardist Johannes Arzberger, bassist Franziska Aller and guitarist Bertram Burkert. All come from diverse...

Today, the spotlight shines on Janishia Jones, CEO & Founder of Fresh 'N Sassy Productions, a holding company whose mission is to empower and create an ecosystem of safe spaces for women of color in the music industry. Janishia had four main initiatives to tell us about: The Pub Royalty Queen Podcast, The Juke Joint Non-profit Foundation, her consultancy Encore Music Tech Solutions and Market...

Today, the spotlight shines on two companies doing interesting work at the crossroads of music and technology.  In our first segment, we talk to Adam Hasslert, CEO of online digital audio workstation and beatmaking platform Soundation . Every month, Soundation’s online music studio is used by over 100,000 creatives who produce music directly in their web browsers. Focusing on building the nex...

Today, the spotlight shines on musicians Bart Wirtz and Emiel van Rijthoven who perform and record together under the name WAAN (Dutch for ‘Craze’).  WAAN have a new record, Echo Echo , out on February 24 through the Sonar Kollektiv label. As of this recording three tracks have already appeared on streaming outlets and through the band’s bandcamp page. In fact, just hours before we spoke the...

Today, the spotlight shines on author and educator Michael Kuelker, here to talk about his recent book, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils On Record: A Narrative Discography . Michael is a teacher, writer, and reggae radio DJ in St. Louis, Missouri.  The Ozark Mountain Daredevils are an American rock group who first formed in 1972. Hailing from Springfield, Missouri, the band had two major hits, "...

Today, the spotlight shines on the wildly influential post-punk group, That Petrol Emotion. Guitarist and songwriter Raymond Gorman and lead singer Steve Mack joined Spotlight On host Lawrence Peryer to mark the release of the band’s career-spanning box set, Every Beginning Has a Future: An Anthology 1984-1994. Spawned from the ashes of the Northern Irish pop-punk group, The Undertones, the Petrol...

Brigadoon is a global affairs news and information platform for founders + thought leaders with global ambition.  Brigadoon curates the emerging issues and the independent thinkers shaping commerce + culture. Brigadoon sees this curation as global street smarts.  The conversation covers the history of technology and innovation in creative fields - specifically music - and highlights the...

Saxophonist-composer Jeremy Rose leads a multi-dimensional career spanning a dozen releases of original music with collaborative and solo projects across the world, including The Earshift Orchestra, Jeremy Rose Quartet, and The Vampires. Rose is the founder and director of the Earshift Music record label and festival. Rose has performed at festivals, venues, and concert halls throughout Australia,...

Markus Reuter is a music producer, composer, performer, and creative educator with international credentials and a vast discography.  Reuter's work as a recording artist, solo performer, and collaborator spans (and frequently fuses) electrophonic loop music, contemporary classical music, progressive and art rock, industrial music, world jazz, jazz fusion, pop songs, and pure improvisation. Ov...