1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:09,479 Speaker 1: A podcast playground. I'm Buz's night, the host of Taking 2 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: a Walk Music History on Foot. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: tune in, or wherever you get your podcasts, and leave 4 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: us a review, just like Jack Holbrook did, and he 5 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: says that he really loves the podcast because it's for 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: music lovers. Or Jesse MC who said I just listened 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: to the John Anderson episode and absolutely loved it. I 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: love how on Taking a Walk. It has connected me 9 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 1: with some music that I've newly discovered. Amanda Shires as 10 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: an example on a past episode. The Cadillac Three Band 11 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: is another example. And today we're going to turn you 12 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: on to something that defies categorization and someone who's very special. 13 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 1: Charles Wilson aka Black Bok is a neo classical pianist. 14 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: I don't believe anything sounds like his music. He fuses 15 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: hip hop and classical and jazz into this delectable brew. 16 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: He's going to be appearing at the City Winery in 17 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: Boston on February the twenty fourth, and he'll be out 18 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: on tour elsewhere throughout the country. Please welcome to Taking 19 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: a Walk Music History on Foot. Black Bok, Black Bok 20 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: it's so great to meet you. Thank you for being 21 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: on this virtual edition of Taking a Walk. It's really 22 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me here. 23 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: What's the first moment you remember being moved by music? Oh, 24 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: this is a great story. The first time I remember 25 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: being moved by music a piano recital I played when 26 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: I was very young. As I recall, I was playing 27 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 1: Mozart's Sonata, and when I finished the piece, I guess 28 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: everybody can understood that this little kid playing this piece 29 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: was quite a challenge. So when I stepped off, I 30 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: took my bow and I walked off stage. And right 31 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: as I walked off, I sided really I went whew, 32 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: and the audience just burst into laughter, like they knew that. 33 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: It's like that instant connection. And that was the first 34 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: time I realized that what I'm doing in front of 35 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: these people really connects with them in a deep way. 36 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: They understood what I was going through, they understood what 37 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: I was feeling, and from that moment on, I knew 38 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: that music was something I wanted to do for the 39 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: rest of my life. You were hooked. I was hooked. 40 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: What was life like growing up in the inner city 41 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: Detroit ooh, it had it had its ups and downs. 42 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: One of the things that my mother it's funny that 43 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 1: I just I just saw my mother a few weeks 44 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: ago and she said these words. She said, just because 45 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: you grow up in the ghetto doesn't mean you have 46 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: to have a ghetto mentality. And she's always been that person. 47 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 1: Just because our environment was one thing does not mean 48 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: that our minds have to be part of that environment. 49 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: And I will admit I did all the crazy stuff. 50 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,239 Speaker 1: But at the same time, I took piano lessons every Saturday, 51 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: and I practiced throughout the week, and sometimes my friends 52 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: would be you know, wanted me to come outside and play. 53 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: And it wasn't that because I had to practice. But 54 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: I think very much Detroit shapes the musician that I am. 55 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: It showed me that there's more than one angle, or 56 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: there's more than one perspective of what music can be, 57 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: or should be, or can be perceived by people, you know, 58 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: being like I said, a hip hop kid, like I 59 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: listened to, It's funny I would listen to say ice 60 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: Cube and then in the same moment I'd listened to 61 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: Tina Turner, and the next moment I'd listened to Tchaikowsky. 62 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: So my mother never had a real issue with me 63 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: and my listening and the fact that ice Cube was 64 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: part of the mix. Because he was part of the mix, 65 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: it wasn't just like one thing. But growing up in 66 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: the city of Detroit is amazing. The music community is everything, 67 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: and the people are so welcoming and so knowledgeable, and 68 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: they took me in and a product of my environment. 69 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: What's the first concert that you ever went to. Oh 70 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: first concert I ever went to that I can remember 71 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: was at the Fox Theater and I saw my favorite artist. 72 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 1: His name is Andreas Voldenweiter. He's an electroacoustic harpist. And 73 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: I can remember that concer are so like if I 74 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 1: close my eyes, I can remember it. And it's been 75 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: very influential in my music because he is a musical 76 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: storyteller and I consider myself a musical storyteller as well. 77 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: Did you know at that moment how special seeing that 78 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: concert was? No. At that moment, I didn't realize how 79 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: special it was. I think I realized that it was special, 80 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: but I didn't realize how special that it would be 81 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: something later that I would be influential into my own artistry. 82 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 1: I just thought it was really cool. I mean, there 83 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: was like the drummer had this big piece of metal 84 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: that hung from the ceiling and he was playing it, 85 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: and it was just like wow. You know, as a kid, 86 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: you see that stuff and you're like, you know, your 87 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: mind is blown. But did I know that it would 88 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: affect my music in the way it has. No, I 89 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: didn't know at that time. And the rest of your 90 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: influences are so diverse. Can you maybe walk us through 91 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: some of those other influences. Oh yeah. One of my 92 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: hip hop influences is Buster Rhymes. I love his his 93 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: use of melody, I love his use of rhythm. One 94 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: of my classical influences. I'm a very big fan of Chopin. 95 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: I'm a big fan of Florence Price. I'm a fan 96 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: of Tchaikowsky. I'm a fan of Debuty, which I play 97 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 1: on my shows R and B. And I'm a Motown 98 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: kid through and through. I mean it runs through my veins. 99 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 1: It's amazing. My father's from Detroit and my mother's from Memphis, 100 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: so stacks in Motown are just a part of my DNA. 101 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,559 Speaker 1: And I also listen to everything Celtic music. I listened 102 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: to the Brazilian music. I'm listened to music from all 103 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: of the world. I just think everything has its place 104 00:06:55,880 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: and its time, and it's it's store, its own personal story, 105 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: and I just love diving into those stories and seeing 106 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: what I can discover. Is there one person from those influences, 107 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: from many, many, many many many years ago that you 108 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: wish you could, you wish you could meet, And what 109 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: would you say to whoever that is? Oh, well, being 110 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: small as I can't meet him, but if I could, 111 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: I would just say, you know, I think I would 112 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: say to all of them, thank you for being the 113 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: most unique you, thank you for being you. You know, 114 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: that's what shows in the music, is that we get 115 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: a piece of who this person is. And I think 116 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: that's the most important thing, is that as musicians we 117 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: always show up as our very unique selves and convey 118 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: that message to our audience. So I think I would 119 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: just thank them for being them. Yeah. So you went 120 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: on tour with some fairly noteworthy characters in your career, 121 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: justin Timberlake, Brianna John Mayer. What were those experiences like, Oh, 122 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: those were awesome. I think those are some of you know, 123 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: there's a reason why each one of them are the 124 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: a list of musicians and performers that they are. I 125 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: think one of the things I learned from them all 126 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: is how to be that type of performer. Also, how 127 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: to command a stage in a way that others do 128 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: not know, how to run a business, how to be 129 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: a professional. These things are are are things that have 130 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: to be They have to exist for these people to 131 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: be who they are. You know, what would Justin Timberlake 132 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: be like if he never showed up for an interview 133 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: on time? Or what would Brianna be if she never 134 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: got on stage and commanded the state like she did 135 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: recently at the super Bowl? You know, So that those 136 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: experiences very much taught me how to be that person 137 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 1: and how to sit in that role. And I wouldn't 138 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: give that those experiences up of the world. Those were 139 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: some of the most awesome times. That's almost like like 140 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: an MBA course, isn't it. Yeah, it's like pop one 141 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: on one pop music one on one. I had chills 142 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: just thinking about that. Yeah, it was. It's honestly, you know, 143 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: like I said, the top of the top and seeing 144 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: how they put together a production, put together a show, 145 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: how it all you know, unfolds with their business and 146 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: with their team and with their schedules, and just being 147 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: up close to that energy allows you to learn from it. 148 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: If you take the moment, if you take the opportunity, 149 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: the initiative to learn, you can see it all. It 150 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: must when you see them perform from Afar must really 151 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: tickle you. Yeah, it always makes me laugh. You know. 152 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: The thing that makes me laugh most is when I'm 153 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: in the grocery store and one of their songs come on, 154 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: or if I'm in the grocery store and then you know, 155 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: a Rihanna song comes on, and Justin Sunk comes on, 156 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: a Backstreet Boy song comes on, and a John Mayer 157 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: song comes on, I just crack up. I'm like, oh, 158 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:19,319 Speaker 1: they just nailed it all. So you've had some mentors 159 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: that have impacted you in your life. It certainly sounds 160 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: like your parents would be included in that, right, Yeah, absolutely, 161 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: any other mentors. A piano teacher from my youth. His 162 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: name is Thomas Schwartz, some of the Detroit jazz legends, 163 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: Teddy Harris and Marcus Belgrave and Thomas Bean's Bowls and 164 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: Charles Bowles and Harold McKinney and so many others. Michael 165 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: Kocher throughout my career. My good friend Kevin Antuns, who 166 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: gave me my first opportunity with Justin Timberlake, and then 167 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: you know the co chair of my label, Billy Mann 168 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: and his partner Benton James. These have all been like 169 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: people who have been very influential in my life and 170 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:15,839 Speaker 1: I loved him all dearly. And conversely, are you mentoring 171 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: anybody along your path? Absolutely? Yes, I think that it's 172 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: very important that I, you know, pay it forward. One 173 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: of the things that recently happened there's a five year 174 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 1: old pianist. Just so happens. My first name is Charles, 175 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: and everyone calls me Charlie, and so happens, this kid's 176 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: name is Charlie and he's a five year old piano prodigy. 177 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: I mean, this kid has so much figured out at 178 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: this point. And I just got to meet him in 179 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: person in Grand Rapids, and after my show, he sat 180 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: down and played a song for me, and you know, 181 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,719 Speaker 1: his father is also a pianist, and we just talk 182 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 1: about his path and how to keep him on the 183 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: straight and narrow to becoming the best version of who 184 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: he will be. So it's always important that I reach 185 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: back and you know, mentor young people. And also I've 186 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: become very active in my own city in Detroit in 187 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: the music scene. So yeah, definitely have to pay forward. 188 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: Why am I not surprised? Yeah, yeah, knew, I knew 189 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: you would. I'm amused on your sense of humor. The 190 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: most recent one I was looking at on your I 191 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,479 Speaker 1: think it was on TikTok was the push up challenge. 192 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I love it. How do you just do 193 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: you just love to just throw that out and see 194 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: what sticks? Is it just for fun? Let me tell 195 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: me about it. Yeah. Like, I'm one of those people. 196 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: I don't take myself too seriously ever, so me just 197 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: doing fun stuff or making fun of myself or you know, 198 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: throwing myself on the floor anything. Like, I'm always uh 199 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: intrigued by things that, you know, just make people laugh. 200 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: I think in some way I'm a bit of a 201 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: comedian some way. Maybe maybe not. I don't know. Some 202 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: people laugh at my jokes, other other people don't. But 203 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: I think that there's a great connection and laughter. And 204 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: like I said, I'm just so funny. I just love 205 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 1: I don't know, I just love humor. I think comedians 206 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: are there the bravest people on earth. And I think 207 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: musicians are right behind them, so very much connected. And 208 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: uh yeah, push up challenges, jokes on Instagram, jokes on YouTube, 209 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:46,599 Speaker 1: or or ig or TikTok. It's just fun stuff. And 210 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: who are the comedians that that you love? Oh, of 211 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: course we've got to say Dave Chappelle, of course, Yeah, 212 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: but all I love Sebastian Maniscalco, I love Dave, love 213 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: Kevin Hart, Mike F's is one of my favorites. Wanda Sykes. 214 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 1: So I don't know. I just think these people are 215 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: like superhuman. So I would love to meet them all 216 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: one day and just sit down have a chat. Well, 217 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: there is a parallel because I'm not a musician and 218 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: I'm not a comedian, and I'm marvel at both musicians 219 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: and comedians for their work ethic, their practice ethic, and 220 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: how it just seems so effortlessly happens, even though it's 221 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: obvious it's from hard work. Yeah, very hard work. It's 222 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: I definitely see the parallels as well. You know, there's 223 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff that happens behind the scenes that 224 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 1: people don't see that when they get on stage it 225 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: seems like, oh, it's so easy. You stand in front 226 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: of an audience and tell jokes or play music, and 227 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: it's it's not as simple as you think. It comes 228 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: from a lot of trial and error. The composition George 229 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: Floyd and the Struggle for Equality is absolutely chilling and 230 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: it's an incredible piece of work. Can you talk about 231 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: the creation of that. Yeah, So essentially I set out 232 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: to create an album which was ten songs, and when 233 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: I finished the tenth song the next day, the George 234 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: Floyd incident happened and I got a call saying, hey, 235 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: don't take to the streets, don't riot your people need 236 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: to hear your voice. Sit down at the piano and 237 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: express yourself. So as you hear in the piece, the 238 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: beginning of the piece is so loud, and it's thunderous, 239 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 1: and it's angry, and it is exactly what I felt 240 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: in that moment was anger, and there was one way 241 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: I could get it out, and it was just to 242 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: bang on the piano with like all my might. And 243 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: as you hear throughout the piece, you'll hear each each 244 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: day of the expression in the beginning, like I said, 245 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: I'm angry, and then you hear this very reflective, this 246 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 1: reflective moment, and then it goes back to anger, like 247 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: it every day, this as it was the news, you know, 248 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: it was going through you know, as I would hear 249 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 1: it every day. It was just like these emotions will 250 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: go up and down. The idea of that piece is 251 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: to end with hope that this doesn't happen again. So 252 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: the last couple of days of the piece, writing the piece, 253 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: we're a bit challenging to kind of push aside what 254 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: I was feeling about the incident and repurposing and refocusing 255 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: the energy energy into hope. How do we how do 256 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: I make an expression it says, let's be hopeful that 257 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: this does not happen again. So the piece was, like 258 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: I said, wrote itself over. I think it was eleven days, 259 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: and it was a bit of a challenge because the 260 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: things that were happening were happening in real time, not 261 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,199 Speaker 1: like many of the other pieces where I'm drawing from 262 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: information that may have happened or may not have happened. 263 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: Yet this was going on as I was writing. It's 264 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: amazing piece. Thank you. If a musician who is struggling 265 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: to find their voice and find their audience is listening 266 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: to this podcast, what advice would you give them? Ooh, 267 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: I would say to take a moment to detach from 268 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: everything that you do know and think about who you 269 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: are the sum of all the things that you are, 270 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: and when you discover what that is, you will have 271 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 1: discovered who you are authentically. And when you discover who 272 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: you are, authentically, speak authentically, right, authentically, perform, authentically be 273 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: who you are, the world needs to hear who you are. 274 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: They're waiting for your voice. There's an audience for everything, 275 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: So whatever it is that you're writing, never be afraid. 276 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: I think one of the things we get balked down 277 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: is the question of who's going to listen to this? 278 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: And I think that's an absolute question because there's always 279 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: someone who listens to There's an audience for everything. So 280 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: the idea is to approach it with the sensibility that 281 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: whatever I create, there is an audience for it, so 282 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 1: that means I can create authentically. So you have the 283 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: City Winery date in Boston that we mentioned earlier as 284 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: I introduce you, and the other dates of course where 285 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:08,719 Speaker 1: you're performing. If someone's never seen you perform live, what 286 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 1: can they expect. They can expect great storytelling, they can 287 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 1: expect an emotional experience. They can expect to be taking 288 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: into places that they may not have thought about before. 289 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: People cry at my shows. I think that if I 290 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: don't see tears, I didn't do my job. You can 291 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: expect to be taken on this wild adventure. And the 292 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: beauty of the adventure is that you are the co 293 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: creator of it. I am just putting the canvas up 294 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: and you are the painter. So I think that's one 295 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: of the great things about my shows is that everyone 296 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,479 Speaker 1: gets to experience it their own way. I'm grateful I 297 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: got to talk with you and thank you for your insights, 298 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: and thank you for the gift that you Thank you us, 299 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 1: Thank you bus. This was awesome. Taking a Walk with 300 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: buzz Night is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 301 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.