The Upful LIFE Podcast

cover photo: (c) Jake Silco 2021 (used w/permission) For Episode 048, we flip the script a lil' bit. Finally, a podcast about The PHlSH from VT! Instead of one long form interview, for this two-hour hoo-ride I invited a pair of venerable Phishtorians to the show for twin conversations and complimentary commentary, as we discuss the band's impressive, triumphant return to the stage in summer 2021....

Welcome THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE- DAVID BLOCK (solo electronic producer + Gone Gone Beyond ) to Episode 047! A dancefloor General, prince of the piano, soundtrack to the squish, or conductor around the campfire, David wears myriad musical and intellectual hats. He's been a celebrated artist across various mediums for over a dozen years, with considerable contributions to the West Coast festival/Burnin...

Welcome KARINA RYKMAN , bassist of Marco Benevento 's trio, to Episode 046. A dynamic solo artist, skilled with both the bass and guitar, a lightning bolt of youthful exuberance, dedicated metalhead, hip-hop enthusiast, Phish kid, podcaster, quintessential New Yorker, and all-around swag factory. Karina is riding the wave of her new single/video "No Occasion" , and she checks from NYC via telephon...

Welcome JAKE ROCKATANSKY , co-founder/co-host of Q*non Anonymous podcast to Episode 045. For 3 years, Jake & his cohorts at QAA have been investigating and unraveling the Q phenomenon, and all the various conspiracy threads that fit under the big Q tent. We'd never be able to button up the whole Q conspiracy kit n' caboodle in merely one pod ep! Instead, we take a lengthy, illuminating trek into t...

Welcome CHRIS HARFORD  (Band of Changes, BlancDUBlanc ) to Episode 044! What an honor & a privilege to host such an esteemed rock n' roll troubadour to the show. Prepare for a lengthy, profound powwow with more rabbit holes than you can shake a chalice at. Ep.044 also includes a short, sweet tribute to the late, great Shock G of Digital Underground, the East-Bay psychedelic funksta/hip-hop pioneer...

Episode 043 welcomes DC-born, NOLA-based NIGEL HALL (Lettuce, Jon Cleary, ex-The Nth Power) to the show for an hour-plus Vulcan Mind Probe. Nige has been a friend for about a dozen years, and I've written extensively about his musical exploits, so this convergence was a very long time in the making. The extremely gifted, Grammy-nominated keyboardist/vocalist - singer/songwriter keeps a lot of arti...

Episode 042 welcomes JACKSON WHALAN , emcee/producer based in the Berkshire mountains of Mass. We met in NorCal about 5 years ago, and he released his latest full-length LP From the Woods in Jan 2021; Whalan's got a huge collab on the way with the legendary Blastmaster himself, KRS-ONE. Jackson also helped inspire me to start this podcast when we did a live onstage Q&A in Nevada City, CA back in 2...

Welcome San Diego's prodigal poet/songwriter/vocalist ALFRED HOWARD and SLC's badass firebrand TALIA KEYS to Episode 041 of The Upful LIFE Podcast! Placing the spotlight on a pair of phenomenal underground artists, each carving out their own path with purpose, ingenuity, and verve.  "All Praise Due" Alfred Howard/KDTU 2003 - (7:45),  Alfred Howard Intro (10:00), Interview (14:00) "I Love America"...

JONNY G of lespecial hollers from the Music Cellar to discuss his influences, career, the band, and their fantastic 3rd LP ‘ Ancient Homies’, released Dec. 2020 on Ropeadope. Episode 040 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast*! Rest in Power MF DOOM @ 9:00  Who/Why: Jonny G of lespecial @ 12:00 70min interview starts @ 20:00 lespecial, the Nor’easter trio who blur lines and blast genres beyond recognition, ar...

Welcome the legendary MIKE DILLON to Episode 039 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* for no-holds barred story-telling and a free exchange of ideas!! Punk Rock Jazz Freak Vibraphonist/Percussionist/Singer-Songwriter/Philosopher extraordinaire!  introducing Mike Dillon @ 10mins   Interview  @ 18mins One of a kind unicorn madman, this veteran of three decades in music takes us onboard his fantastic voyage,...

Episode 038 welcomes the esteemed DEREK BERES to *The Upful LIFE Podcast* for a thoughtful, informative and inspiring conversation unlike anything you've ever heard on this program! Author / journalist / yoga-movement instructor / DJ-Producer, and co-host of CONSPIRITUALITY PODCAST.   @derekberes  - introduction @ 11min - interview w/ DEREK BERES @ 20min Derek's been a respected, leading voice in...

Welcome the iconic KARL DENSON to Episode 037! What an honor and a privilege to host this legendary musician to the show. Co-founder of The Greyboy Allstars, bossman/bandleader of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, touring member of the Rolling Stones, and longtime (former) sideman/personal pal to the coolest motherfucker on the planet, Lenny Kravitz. A virtuoso saxophonist/flutist, and prolific singer/...

Welcome  BLACK BURNER PROJECT founder ERIN DOUGLAS, and DJ WILLIAMS of Shots Fired & Karl Denson's Tiny Universe to Episode 036 of The Upful LIFE Podcast! T'was an honor & a privilege to host these inspiring individuals to this program. A pair of enlightening dialogues and Black American narratives that are at once relevant, uplifting, and above all, salient to our current cultural climate.   BLAC...

Welcome CHRIS LITTLEFIELD (Trumpet- Karl Denson's Tiny Universe) to Episode 035 of The Upful LIFE Podcast ! In addition to being a brilliant musician and veteran funk/R&B trumpet player, Chris is a longtime friend going back over fifteen years. It was tremendously rewarding to get with him for a riveting 90-minute conversation that is at once informative and inspiring. Chris Littlefield takes us i...

Episode 034 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* welcomes vocalist KIM DAWSON to the show for an important discussion. A chat as necessary as it is enlightening, with memories uncomfortable and messages inspiring. Kim Dawson is currently a solo artist on  Eddie Roberts' label Color Red , a co-frontwoman of Roberts' quasi-supergroup  Matador Soul Sounds , a go-to singer for any number of collectives, tribut...

Episode 033 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* welcomes the legendary DAVE from DOPEY PODCAST! This conversation is a couple of years in the making, and is one helluva heart-filling, harrowing, ultimately heroic story of human resilience and the magic of recovery. Dave has been a fearless leader of the Dopey Nation for a few years now, and his wildly-popular podcast just clocked it’s 4 MILLIONTH DOWNLOAD...

ADAM DEITCH B-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA! Episode 032 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* is proud to welcome the one & only ADAM DEITCH to the show! It's an honor & privilege for this esteemed gentleman to slide through for a proper powwow. To celebrate his 4/26 b-day, we dig into a pair of fresh records: Lettuce's new LP Resonate (5/8), & his own forthcoming solo electronic EP The Age of Imperfection, AND check-i...

The Upful LIFE Podcast proudly presents LIVESTREAM 101. This program intends to be a resource to the live music culture and music communities across genre, scene, and geography. Episode 031 - ISOLATION STATION v.3 will focus on blanketing the wild wild west of live-streaming, in the voices of four esteemed professionals in the digital music space, each certifiable live music lifers.  TED KARTZMAN...

The Upful LIFE Podcast - Episode 030 : Isolation Station v.2 welcomes JAMES CASEY (Trey Anastasio Band), SHIRA ELIAS (Turkuaz) to the show for fascinating conversations. In light of the current situation at hand, this podcast has transitioned to focus on what we are living through, both collectively and in quarantine. These are our stories. In addition, we also hear from a beloved member of the mu...

Episode 029 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* switches the script in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Welcome 2 ISOLATION STATION v.1. For this episode, we'll have three shorter form interviews that directly address the fallout from the virus and it's paralyzing effect on the music culture, industry, and communities. I wanted to give people a platform and program that can communicate and connect d...

Episode 028 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* welcomes JESSICA DORE (@thejessicadore)  to the show. On Twitter and Instagram, my longtime friend is a new-school tarot superstar, Jessica has hundreds of thousands of followers for her unique approach to tarot as a therapeutic tool. She's a licensed social worker, tarot practitioner and journalist/author interested in using tarot cards to help people under...

Episode 027 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* welcomes the legendary STEVE GORMAN (Black Crowes) for a very special edition of this program. The longtime drummer and co-founder of The Black Crowes is doing a ton of media work, podcasts and live appearances in support of his riveting rock n' roll bio " Hard 2 Handle: The Life & Death of The Black Crowes, A Memoir" . I was honored and truly touched when S...

After a brief pause for the cause, *The Upful LIFE Podcast* is back with Episode 026 featuring Ryan Jalbert of The Motet. In late December, on the heels of The Motet's co-headline funkstravaganza at the Fillmore with KDTU , Ryan and I finally caught up for an hour in downtown San Francisco. Jalbert was on his way to a jazz show at the Black Cat, but took timeout to make sure we got the proper time...

Episode 025 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* welcomes the legendary Eric Krasno to the show for a pretty sweet powwow on a number of salient topics from the guitarist/producer's illustrious career. Co-founder of Soulive, co-founder and former guitarist of Lettuce, Kraz was in the Bay Area in late September for a quick run with E3- (Eric Krasno Trio), at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, a club owne...

Episode 024 of *The Upful LIFE Podcast* welcomes Hammond B3 organ maestro WIL BLADES to the show for a lengthy conversation about his career, Bay Area music culture, saddling up to jazz and funk legends, the Adam Deitch Quartet , Amendola vs. Blades , and beyond. From bright eyed young cat in Chicago, to one of the rising stars in jazz and groove music, he's among the more impressive organ players...