Episode 18 Ken Cook: Professional Pianist, Composer, & Beloved Jazz Faculty Member at Sonoma State, Improvisation and Free Play, Dirty Little Secret between Instrumentalists & Vocalists Unpacked.

Episode 20 Kendrick Freeman: Drummer, Percussionist & Teacher, Developing Your Personal Voice, Haitian Polyrhythms, Clarifying Misconceptions about Vodou, Healing and Presence.

What you just heard is our guest setting an intention for this interview, by singing this little song in Haitian Kreyol. I’m happy to announce that we have our first drummer and percussionist on the show! I’ve seen him perform many times over the years and have always enjoyed something about his playing that is hard to describe. I guess I could say that it is as much about his Presence as his playing.

He was born in Bronxville, New York, grew up in Western Connecticut, and made his way to California in 1974. He performs in and around the Bay Area playing with a large pool of musicians and plays in a variety of styles and genres. That said, he has a special passion for Haitian drumming, has studied seriously for many years, and performs regularly with two Bay Area Haitian dance companies.

He has also been a member of the Brazilian Jazz guitarist/composer Ricardo Peixoto’s quintet for five years.

Our guest is also a teacher, teaching both privately and at Sonoma State University, where he leads an ensemble in the Jazz Program.

He is one of the first people I thought of having on the show when Daniel and I first started this project, so I’m thrilled that we finally got to sit down with him, and get to share our conversation with you! We are so pleased to welcome, Kendrick Freeman!

kendrickfreeman.com

Rara Tou Limen with Daniel Brevil

Blanche Brown leader of Hatian Dance Company, Group Petit La Croix

John Salz

Marc Farre: Singer/Songwriter and Guitarist, The Craft of Songwriting: Where do Songs Come From? The Value of Self-Discipline and Perils of Perfectionism, Being Your Own Benefactor.

Marc Farre: Singer/Songwriter and Guitarist, The Craft of Songwriting: Where do Songs Come From? The Value of Self-Discipline and Perils of Perfectionism, Being Your Own Benefactor.

Our guest this episode is a guitarist/singer-songwriter who is known as an Indie POP-rock musician with an art house French vibe sound, a throaty voice, and darkly poetic lyrics.

He grew up in Washington D.C., was raised speaking both French and English at home, and sings many of his songs in French.

After graduating from Georgetown University with a degree in Mathematical Economics he lived in NYC for about 10 years, working as a manager for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and traveling the world, before he left to pursue a career in music. In 2018, he and his wife made their way out to Sebastopol, California, where they currently live, growing their own food, and enjoying the beauty of Sonoma County.

This episode has plenty of music throughout, with several clips from songs from our guest’s albums as well as two live performances.

We are so pleased to share with you our charming poet-musician, Marc Farre!

marcfarre.com

flatbedfestival.com

Episode 18 Ken Cook: Professional Pianist, Composer, & Beloved Jazz Faculty Member at Sonoma State, Improvisation and Free Play, Dirty Little Secret between Instrumentalists & Vocalists Unpacked.

Our guest this episode is a professional pianist, originally from Newport Beach, California, currently residing in the San Francisco Bay Area where he performs with his trio, as well as with a long list of other accomplished musicians, including vocalist Deborah Winters, and soul singer Chris Saunders. He is also a member of guitarist Ricardo Peixoto’s Quintet.

Our guest is an adjunct faculty member of the Jazz department at Sonoma State, teaches piano privately, and composes and scores music for film. He loves all kinds of music and has played on 13 albums.

He has a B.A. in Economics, attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and has a Masters degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music.

I feel fortunate to have gotten to know our guest and listen to him play live during our conversation, as he shares his heart and wisdom generouslythrough both. He is also strong in the empathy department!

We are so pleased to welcome to the show, Ken Cook!

kencookmusic.com

Ken's Discography

Sonoma State University

Episode 17 Nancy Hayashibara: Life as a College Piano Accompanist, Comic Relief: Cultivating Well-Being Through Drawing Comics & Creating Variety Shows, Thriving as a Gay, Female Musician.

Our guest this episode was born and raised in Carson California, where she studied classical piano throughout her childhood starting at very young age. After high school, she attended University of California, Long Beach, where she studied Interior Design. After one semester there, she changed course and made her way to Sonoma State, where she graduated with a BA in both Music, (piano) and Fine Art, (printmaking).

Our guest works as an accompanist in private studios and is currently the pianist who accompanies the applied music students at Santa Rosa Junior College in Northern California. She is also a vocal coach for these voice students.

While our guest’s career is primarily focused on music, her interest in the arts is eclectic. She has a passion for both comedy and drawing and finds great satisfaction through creating comics strips. She also loves variety shows, theater, puppets, and dance and has even created, starred in and produced several variety shows for the stage!

We are so pleased to welcome our multi-talented, funny and humble guest, Nancy Hayashibara!

Episode 16 Briony Greenhill: Vocal Improvisation - Surrendering to the Fountain of Creativity, Earth-Based Spirituality & Healing, Paradigm Shift - From Fear & Trauma to Nourishment & Belonging.

Our guest this episode was born and raised in the UK in East Anglia - and in December of 2019, she became a US citizen. She is a vocal improviser, which means that she sings without knowing what she is going to sing, both alone and with others, and she is also a teacher.

Our guest developed her musicianship chops through studying with well known vocal improvisers, Rhiannon and Bobby McFerrin, as well as with bassist and guitarist, David Eskenazy and Indian master singer, Atulkumar Upadhye. In 2017, she recorded “Listen”, an album of completely improvised vocal music with her quintet, The Elements, and has two albums coming out in 2020.

While she performs in ceremonial contexts such as weddings, blessings, and grief rituals, as well as regular gigs throughout the UK and America, our guest is also very much a helper/healer/priestess of sorts. She has trained with Dr Melissa Michaels of the SomaSource Leadership Training, and works with people who have experienced trauma and oppression. I have had the honor to both witness and experience her capacity to hold sacred space, and the therapeutic nature of her work.

We are so honored and pleased to welcome our guest, Briony Greenhill!