Jamie Taylor 8/8-14
British guitarists, Jamie Taylor and Sam Dunn have been musical collaborators since their university days. They each have their own bands and busy careers as teachers, Jamie in the north of England and Sam at Eton College and The Purcell School, and as sidemen they’ve been even busier. In fact, I’ve employed them both for concerts at London’s Ronnie Scotts and beyond.
After years of musical merriment these two have finally recorded their first duo CD, Going Coastal. I thought I’d have a chat with Jamie about it all and discuss the challenges and delights of playing with another guitarist, especially one you know so well.
David Slonaker 8/15-21
Film and TV orchestrator, arranger, composer, Dave Slonaker has been working in Hollywood for over thirty years, utilizing his lifetime knowledge of a broad range of musical influences.
Dave loves every aspect of his musical life but is especially inspired when he records his own music which this conversation celebrates, focusing on his new CD, Shifty Paradigms, a big band extravaganza of Dave’s compositions and arrangements with one standard thrown in for fun.
Stella Cole 8/22-28
Vocalist Stella Cole is a romantic and not afraid to show it. In our time when so much is slick or ironic, Stella chooses to be sincere and sing from the heart, digging deep into the emotional journey of a song, always with a bit of hope shining through, reflecting the classic musicals of the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s that she loved as a child.
Stella has toured with Post Modern Jukebox, with her own band, and now, three albums later, she’s off and running with loads of fans who include her twenty-something contemporaries, those who heard some of those songs originally, and everyone in between.
Matthew Sheens 8/29-9/4
Australian pianist/composer Matthew Sheens listens intently, whether playing music or having a conversation. Matthew’s musical inspirations range from Herbie Hancock to Kurt Rosenwickel to George Russell and everything in between so I knew a fun conversation about it all was in store.
I met Matthew in April 2025 shortly after he became an American citizen, something he didn’t plan on when he came to the States on scholarship to the New England Conservatory but rather a reality that unfolded as he fell in love with New York and its unique music scene. Before and after this milestone Matthew won numerous awards and commissions and when we spoke in September 2025, he’d just finished an untitled CD of original compositions which we preview during our conversation.
Diogo Brown 9/5-11