Some additional thoughts on important ideas from my conversation with René Marie.  Going forward, these solo "liner notes" episodes will only be available to my Patreon supporters over at patreon.com/thehappymsucians  You can join our wholesome-minded musician community for as little as $3 a month!

René Marie–Grammy nominated singer who didn't start her career until she was 42–on following our inner note, sticking it to the patriarchy, getting hit by buses, getting out of an abusive relationship, recognizing a weed from a plant (not about gardening), accepting dormant periods, performing original material, doing "the shit", and why getting your boss to sing is more important than a Grammy nomination. In a span of two decades, 11 recordings and countless stage performances, vocalist...

My recent interview on The Misfit Musician podcast with Bronwyn Beth! We talk about what I've changed my mind about since starting the show, what happiness means to me these days, sustainability, and the importance of having open conversations with other artists. When it comes to musician mental health two heads are way better than one. 

Richard Wolf–multi-platinum music producer, Emmy-Award winning composer, mindfulness teacher–helps us understand the what and why of meditation. We get into panic attacks, checking ourselves before we wreck ourselves, creating space in our lives, the notes of enlightenment, a guided meditation, zen and the art of film composing, and exploring some of the bridges between music and mindfulness. Richard hosts the Wolf In Tune podcast and is the author of In Tune: Music as The Bridge to...

Over 40 mini interviews (miniviews) with wholesome folks at the 2022 JEN conference in Dallas. I'm feeling supercharged from all these hopeful perspectives! What's something you do to enjoy the gig? What's your favorite thing about music? What makes you hopeful about the future of music? What would you do to improve jazz education? Should music be easy? What's a record everyone should listen to?

Sean Jones – trumpet icon, education trailblazer, bandleader, and composer – joins me to talk practice routines, your local weather channel, getting stranded on a cruise ship, insecurity, creations of time, the ancestral pipeline, the importance of resistance, and E pluribus unum.

Kenny Werner–acclaimed pianist, composer, and famed author of Effortless Mastery–is here to discuss his new book Becoming the Instrument. We talk about finding The Space, MSD (music school disease), applying musical mastery to our lives, how to let go of the need to sound good, a 20 sec meditation for fellow lazy yogis, treating music as a spiritual practice, letting the hands play, how to actually make progress when practicing, and lima bean cans.

Pedro Segundo–otherworldly percussionist, sound wizard, and personal role model–is back on the podcast to talk about making other people feel valued, cultivating an unbiased relationship with sound, finding "home" when living in multiple places, travel tips, civilian life, making time for yourself, and celebrating silence.

Emily Fredrickson–trombonist, composer, arranger–opens up about dungeons & dragons saving her life, trying to quit music, working with Dee Dee Bridgewater, day jobs, the nonprofit world, therapy and depression, permission to be selfish, growing your career through genuine connections, and getting excited about our flaws.

Angie Marianthi–multi-instrumentalist and director of the adult education program Boise Music Lessons–joins me to talk about gate-keeping, teaching adults who don’t think they can play music, busking, finding your place in the music world, the Boise music scene, and if getting “serious” about music actually works.

Brendan Keller-Tuberg–Australian bassist and composer–gives us all permission to honor the music we enjoy. We chat about rage composing, promoting collectivism, Bladerunner 2049, what makes music valuable, My Chemical Romance, "art" vs "popular" music, vulnerability, and (of course) institutional arts education. In Spite of It All is Brendan's new album which, in addition to being the subject matter for a significant portion of the episode, is breathtaking.

Monica Shriver–woodwindist, educator, visual artist, and host of Brave Musician–joins me to talk about creating communities where everyone feels they belong, leading our friends towards a deeper connection with music, imposter syndrome, dropping out of school, challenges faced by doublers, and removing systemic obstacles imposed on female musicians.

Coty Raven Morris–speaker, educator, artist, conductor, and founder of Being Human Together–joins me to talk about judgement, being afraid of singing, proudly celebrating ourselves, houselessness, having uncomfortable conversations in the classroom, and accessing the healing power of the voice. This episode's theme music is a field recording of The Preservation Hall All Stars from Mardi Gras 2020.

Brad Webb – drummer, composer, bandleader, multi-hobbyest– on avoiding linear thinking, potentially quitting music, not having music as his main source of income, surfing, defining quality, exploring other interests, experiencing balance, and getting punched in the face by music. Brad was the first person to accept me in the New Orleans music community and remains a dear friend and mentor.

Shea Pierre is a Louisiana native, husband, father, pianist, and community activist. We talk about diet tips for busy musicians, low vibrational cats, experiencing taste on a deeper level, and what comes next for us post-Ida. He and his community lost their homes and most of their material possessions to Hurricane Ida. In need of support, but wanting to provide something of value in return, he released Food & Mood: a cookbook/album project for cultivating mindful, enriching meal experiences.

Whether you're new to the show, missed one of these, or just want another round of wholesome goodness, these are the episodes I believe best capture the essence of The Happy Musicians. Thanks Matt Kilby, Meagan Johnson, Mikel Patrick Avery, Brent Wallarab, Roxy Coss, and Sean Jones for your wisdom and support!

My favorite moments from every episode all in one place. This is a serious dose of human, wholesome connection, and it’s guaranteed to brighten your day. Thank you all for listening and being on this journey with me!

Susanna Klein – violinist, professor, researcher – shares practice psychology tips for truly enjoying our time in the shed. We talk about performance injuries, confidence vs bravery, playing through pain, journaling, recording yourself, performance anxiety, enjoying the journey, utilizing technology, and reimagining the classical musician education model.

Michael Spiro – world class conga player and renowned educator of Afro-Caribbean musics – shares insights from nearly 40 years of annual trips to Cuba. We chat about developing meaningful relationships with mentors, how to learn new instruments, the Vietnam War, trance states, sneaking in/out of Cuba, compensation for knowledge, conga drums, eating hot dogs, and a whole lot more.

Ian Molinaro-Thompson – fellow drummer and dear friend – interviews me for this one. We talk about why I don't think musicians are special, and how that's actually a freeing idea. I also share my current hot takes on Dungeons and Dragons, finding your voice, the role of artists in the digital era, musical ownership, and insights from my meditation practice.

Joshua Starkman – the "Have a Great Day" guitarist – and I talk about having a great day, humanings, insomnia, the reality of making music in a capitalist society, the role of music in our communities, managing our relationships with social media, desiring things you can't have, confessions, therapy, how whack hyper-individuality is, and (because it's Josh) poop, pee, sex, and drugs.

I'm joined by Trumpet Mafia members Branden Lewis, Ashlin Parker, John Michael Bradford, Emily Mikesell, Aurélien Barnes, Amina Scott, Michelle Welchons, and Jonathan Bauer. We talk about the power of social learning, becoming a leader, lineage, liminal spaces, cultivating community, and what happens behind Wendy's.

Drew Tucker – vibraphone maven, social entrepreneur, and educator – joins me to talk about marching band education, taking the untraditional route, questions we should be asking our students, the elements of "good technique", weighing aesthetics vs musicality, booking your own gigs, learning to be yourself, and vibraphone players probs.

Katie Ernst – bassist, vocalist, composer, and educator – and I talk about fancy crayons, her social media detox, when to stop saying yes, growing your orbit, making room for what you want, how everyone can sing, networking, and accessing deeper musical conversation. Katie is a renowned member of the Chicago music community and has received widespread acclaim for her work with the experimental jazz trio Twin Talk and her Dorothy Parker poetry song cycle Little Words.

Sean Jones – trumpet icon, education trailblazer, bandleader, and composer – joins me to talk practice routines, your local weather channel, getting stranded on a cruise ship, insecurity, creations of time, the ancestral pipeline, the importance of resistance, and E pluribus unum.