Spotlight On

Mar 06 2025 243 ep. 51 mins
Spotlight On Podcast artwork

The musicians, writers, innovators and ideas shaping media, entertainment, and culture.
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Cary Baker: Adventures in Busking and Street Music

Mar 06 2025 47 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On Cary Baker, author of Down on the Corner: Adventures in Busking and Street Music.The music you hear on street corners and subway platforms has its untold history, and at age 16, Cary Baker followed a slide guitar's haunting melody through Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market to find himself face-to-face with bluesman Blind Arvella Gray. That ch

Michael Dorf: From Knitting Factory to Patti Smith's Carnegie Tribute

Feb 27 2025 46 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On New York live music and venue impresario Michael Dorf.In addition to founding The Knitting Factory and City Winery, Michael has brought legendary artists together at Carnegie Hall for over twenty years, raising millions for music education while creating unforgettable tribute nights. He launched his first tribute show in 2004 after

Greg Lisher: From Camper Van to Circuitry Man

Feb 20 2025 32 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On Greg Lisher, a guitarist best known for alternative rock who has leaned hard into electronic music.Greg made his name playing with Camper Van Beethoven and Monks of Doom, but during the pandemic, he sat down at a keyboard and started exploring new sonic territory.The result is Underwater Detection Method, a collection of instrumental pieces

Dorothy Lawson: ETHEL's String Theory for Quartets

Feb 13 2025 44 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On Dorothy Lawson, a cellist who's helped redefine what a string quartet can be. Dorothy and the group ETHEL have spent years breaking down walls between classical, jazz, rock and world music.On March 13th at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Dorothy teams up with bass legend Ron Carter to reimagine his landmark Kronos Quartet recordin

Jamie Baum: a flutist sets poetry in motion

Feb 06 2025 43 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On flutist Jamie Baum.When COVID hit, Jamie found inspiration and solace in poetry. What started as daily readings of women poets became something much bigger: an album blending jazz and spoken word.As leader of her long-running Septet+, Jamie has crafted wide-ranging music for over twenty years. She has played everywhere, from major jazz festivals to ti

Anat Cohen: Clarinet in Full Bloom

Jan 30 2025 44 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On clarinetist Anat Cohen.Anat’s been bringing her joyful spirit to jazz venues worldwide for two decades, blending swing, Brazilian rhythms, and melodies from her native Israel. Her 2024 album Bloom pairs her musical warmth with that of her quartet Quartetinho - Portuguese for "little quartet" - creating intimate conversations

Marina Albero: from pianist to nomad of sound

Jan 23 2025 47 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On pianist and composer Marina Albero.From Barcelona’s vibrant music scene to the heart of New Orleans, Marina keeps finding new ways to push musical boundaries. Her latest album, A Nomad of Sound, brings together jazz, classical, and world music traditions in a blend all her own.Marina has journeyed across continents and cultures—from her

Jonathon Grasse: the life & music of Eric Dolphy

Jan 16 2025 49 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On author Jonathon Grasse. His new book, Jazz Revolutionary, traces Eric Dolphy’s journey from the clubs of 1940s Los Angeles to his groundbreaking work in New York’s avant-garde jazz scene.Eric Dolphy’s revolutionary voice in jazz was silenced far too soon. He was an artist who pushed the boundaries of what was possible on alto sax, flute, an

Lisa Pegher: Rhythms, Circuits, & Artificial Intelligence

Jan 09 2025 51 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On innovative percussionist and drummer Lisa Pegher.Lisa turns percussion into something you’ve never heard before. A pioneering artist who moves easily between classical concert halls and electronic music spaces, Lisa wields everything from traditional drums to cutting-edge AI technology.She’s performed with major orchestras worldwide and premi

Paul de Barros: chronicling Marian McPartland's life in jazz

Jan 02 2025 51 mins  
Today, the Spotlight shines On award-winning jazz critic and author Paul de Barros.Throughout his storied career, Paul was editor and critic at the Seattle Times and has written for Downbeat and Earshot Jazz, amongst other outlets. He is also the author of Jackson Street After Dark: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle but today, he joins us to talk about the updated edition