Non-Essential Workers

Jah Myhrakle, birth named Eric Garbutt hails from the tiny Central American and Caribbean jewel known as Belize. Jah Myhrakle migrated to New York City, where he founded his record company Gold Den Arkc Recordsz and began working with esteemed collaborators and producers in the scene. Highlights have included chart topping Lead the Way featuring Vaughn Benjamin (Akae Beka), and Key Kode featuring Bigga Haitian. His latest video release on ReggaeVille titled Too Much War features Mobyle Malachi. In 2020, he released two full length albums titled Igziabeher produced by Colin Diles (Central Root Studios), and All 4 U produced by Heights and Sounds record label. In this episode we discuss Rastafarianism, the meaning of "the message", the culture of fear during the past year, and more.

www.jahmyhrakle.com

@jah_myhrakle

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Canadian cellist and composer George Crotty has forged his own unique vocabulary on his instrument. He is the founder of The George Crotty Trio, with whom he released an album Four String Nomad in 2019. Their cross-cultural interplay draws on diverse influences within jazz and world music including post-bop, modal jazz, Indian Raga, and Arabic Maqam. Following his graduation from the eminent Berklee College of Music, he joined a number of ensembles such as the Canadian Arabic Orchestra, Detroit-based National Arab Orchestra, and New York's Brooklyn Raga Massive in addition to collaborating with the likes of Darol Anger, Simon Shaheen, Paquito D'Rivera and Anat Cohen. From 2019-2020 he served as the cello chair on the North American tour of Broadway musical, The Band’s Visit. In this episode we discuss George's artistic influences, his experience playing and touring with Broadway, and how breaking bread and playing music can lead to transformative change and connection.

www.georgecrotty.com @georgeqrious

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Keiko Devaux is a contemporary music composer based in Montreal. In 2019 she won the inaugural Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music, at $50,000 the largest of its kind in Canada and one of the largest in the world. From 2016 to 2018, she was the composer in residence with Le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (Montréal). From 2020 to 2022, she is in residence with the NAC Orchestra as a Carrefour composer. She is an associate composer with the Canadian Music Centre, president of the board of directors of Codes d'accès, and past organizer of the Montréal Contemporary Music Lab. In this episode we speak about creating community, the practical day-to-day side of organizing creative activity, and Keiko's inspirations including memory of sound and flocking behaviours in birds and fish.

www.keikodevaux.com

Facebook: Keiko Devaux

Instagram: @keiko_devaux

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Anoush Moazzeni is a Persian born and Tiohtià:ke/Montreal based concert pianist, interdisciplinary composer, artist-researcher and educator. In her works, she explores how the human-machine relations in music entail new modes of knowing and being. She is currently undertaking her individualized doctoral studies in Artistic Research in Creative Music Practice at Concordia University, where she focuses her practice on mixed-music and interdisciplinary performance designs for piano. In this episode, Anoush and I speak about the art of interdisciplinarity, how her background in mathematics informs her creative practice, and her views on the future of artificial intelligence.

www.anoushmoazzeni.com @anoush.moazzeni

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Emily Steinwall is a multi-instrumentalist from Toronto. In 2017 she was awarded the Mary Alice Stewart Award (presented by JazzFM91.1) and was named one of CBC's "35 best Canadian jazz artists under 35”. In 2018 Steinwall was named the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival's Rising Young Star, and toured as a backup singer with Alessia Cara. Her debut solo album Welcome to the Garden was released on March 28th, 2021. In this episode she tells us the fascinating and transformative story leading up to the release of Welcome to the Garden. We also reminisce about our first jam sessions, and share our latest thoughts on approaching the world with compassion.

https://emilysteinwall.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-to-the-garden @emilysteinwall

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Frank Horvat has been described as "one of the most inventive songwriters to come out of the contemporary scene in Canada" (The WholeNote Magazine), and explores a wide array of themes in his music from love to the environment, mental health and social justice issues. Frank gives his audiences time and space to reflect in this fast-paced world. His compositions tell deeply personal stories while permitting audiences to ponder their own. With a continuously growing discography and premieres on four continents, his compositions have been featured in plays, films and on TV and radio networks internationally. You can find his music on the ATMA and Centrediscs labels, and on all streaming services. We discuss the many things that inspire Frank to write music, our meditation practices, and his project and upcoming album Music for Self-Isolation inspired by the events of 2020.

www.frankhorvat.com @frankhorvatofficial Frank Horvat Music

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Frank Horvat has been described as "one of the most inventive songwriters to come out of the contemporary scene in Canada" (The WholeNote Magazine), and explores a wide array of themes in his music from love to the environment, mental health and social justice issues. Frank gives his audiences time and space to reflect in this fast-paced world. His compositions tell deeply personal stories while permitting audiences to ponder their own. With a continuously growing discography and premieres on four continents, his compositions have been featured in plays, films and on TV and radio networks internationally. You can find his music on the ATMA and Centrediscs labels, and on all streaming services. We discuss the many things that inspire Frank to write music, our meditation practices, and his project and upcoming album Music for Self-Isolation inspired by the events of 2020.

www.frankhorvat.com @frankhorvatofficial Frank Horvat Music

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Thorwald Jørgensen is one of the leading classical theremin players in the world. He has played as soloist with orchestras around the world such as Brussels Philharmonic, Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland, Boston Philharmonic and more. He has been featured at festivals such as Ravinia Festival (USA), Festival Classique (NL), Klarafestival (BE) and more. He has been an invited guest teacher/lecturer/performer at renowned institutions like the Conservatory of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, St. Petersburg, Stanford University and Harvard University. He has also started composing recently, resulting in several solo pieces for theremin. His first composition Distant Shores for theremin, voice and loop station was recorded for TV and radio in Canada, Croatia, Turkey, Australia, Russia, USA and the Netherlands. In this episode we speak about how Thorwald found the theremin, and what he loves about its unique voice. We also speak a bit about nerves on stage, and his new and upcoming albums available on Spotify!

Website: www.thorwaldjørgensen.com

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Paolo Griffin is a Peruvian-Canadian composer based in Toronto. He is the Artistic Director of contemporary music collective Freesound, and Managing Director of Xenia Concerts Inc. a Toronto-based charity presenting music and arts performances in an environment that welcomes those who experience physical, mental or financial barriers. We speak about focused vs. unfocused listening, creating an accessible concert experience, and our mutual love for food, culture and cooking!

www.paologriffin.com

Instagram: @paolo.griffin @freesoundto

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Evan Shay is a saxophonist, producer and composer based in Montreal, QC. In 2017, he was named one of the "35 Best Canadian Jazz Artists Under 35" by CBC Music. His band Lawful Citizen released a full-length release Internal Combustion in 2018. Shay released his first full-length solo album in October 2020 titled New Normal. We speak about Evan's experience with ADHD, the 1970 Dodge Challenger that inspired his album, and even dabble in some politics on both sides of the Canada/US border! Website: www.evanshay.com Instagram: @evanshaymusic @evanshayphoto

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