Folk Creativity in the 21st Century: Embracing a Playful Life with Jayne Dent (Me Lost Me)
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
06/10/26
•67m
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Jayne Dent is a British interdisciplinary artist, singer and composer and I was absolutely delighted to explore ideas around a creative and playful life with her. You’ll be hearing clips of music from Me Lost Me, with inspirations from folk culture old and new. She opened my mind to what folk creativity and community can mean in the 21st century. You'll also hear about community music making, collaborations with dancers, experimentation with e-textiles, and the challenges and joys of her career path. I was really struck by her creative and curious spirit and you’ll be hearing about some of her chance-based writing tips and her varied interests from creating costumes to medieval sword fighting.
Show Notes: Jayne Dent, Me Lost Me, Suggested episodes, Podcast Merch, Newsletter, Buy me a coffee, Video version, Full transcript
photo: Amelia Read
(00:00) Intro
(02:36) Me Lost Me RPG, clip of Marie it is While Summer I Last
(09:46) Me Lost Me, RPG video game inspirations, clip of track 2
(11:32) residencies in Aarhus, writing the Oldest Trees Hold the Earth with Ditte Elly, with clip track 8
(14:20) community music making, song writing and improvisation
(17:22) future folk, what folk can mean
(19:03) Me Lost Me, PHD research, folk use of tech, e-textiles
(25:44) costumes, childhood inspired by parents and folk community
(31:29) other episodes you’ll like, podcast merch and more
(32:24) chance-based writing, CAMP France with clip of track 10 This Material Moment
(35:25) challenges of freelancing, mesostic writing with clip of track 12 This Material Moment
(39:38) touring, collaborators with clip of track 4 This Material Moment
(45:57) more about creative process with clip Ancient Summer track 7
(48:39) making, coding, improvising, Abundance with dancers
(54:01) Worm Saliva experimental improvised music with clip of Brass Neck Melt
(57:56) where the name Me Lost Me came from, folk use of technologies, Guidonian hand, sword fighting
Previous Episode
I was fascinated to meet PJ Adzima, and learn about his path from his childhood on a farm to his career as a Broadway performer in the Book of Mormon. A chance encounter with a legendary composer changed his life forever and now as the CEO of the production company Stage Time, he’s paying that forward by discovering and curating talent across genres through many projects. He talked about how embracing vulnerability and studying drag has been transformative and helped him take up space, challenge norms, and create with purpose.
A joyful and deep appreciation for the performing arts certainly has driven his excellence and helped him transform his side project into his full-time business, and I’m sure you’ll find PJ’s energy infectious.
Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on many podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript. It's a joy to bring these inspiring episodes to you every week, and I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity. Have a look at the show notes of this episode, where you’ll find all the links, including different ways to support this podcast, and other suggested episodes: Show Notes
(00:00) Intro
(01:55) Book of Mormon
(06:37) Stage Time
(11:23) power of drag
(16:59) Masquerade nighclub curation Phantom of the Opera
(21:00) The Stuppets
(25:20) history of Vaudeville, dealing with racism, minstrelsy and history of Broadway
(29:43) acting career
(30:10) linked episodes and how to support this series
(31:11) from childhood on a farm to Broadway, his big break
(39:44) comedy, Louis C.K. story
(43:10) curating new shows, Slam Frank
(51:42) challenges and joys entrepreneurship
Photo: Shawn Salley
Next Episode
This episode is with Duo FAE violinist Charlene Kluegel and pianist Katherine Petersen. The first part of this conversation focuses on their album Dissidents of the Gilded Age. You’ll be hearing excerpts from this beautiful program and learning about the composers Dame Ethel Smyth, Cécile Chaminade and Amy Beach. Charlene and Katherine are long-time collaborators and close friends and we got into conversations around education, what a path to a career in classical music can look like, and how they have dealt with challenges including becoming mothers. Wth hundreds of kilometres separating us, I really felt like I was enjoying a thoughtful coffee date with brilliant new friends, and I hope you feel that as well.
Show notes bring you to: their websites, suggested episodes, video version, transcript, podcast merch, podcast newsletter and how you can buy me a coffee to support this independent project! Show notes with all the links
(00:00) Intro
(02:17) Dissidents of the Gilded Age album Amy Beach, Cécile Chaminade
(06:58) Dame Ethel Smyth, Sufragette movement, clip of her anthem March of the Women complete video linked in show notes
(09:08) Dame Ethel Smyth with clip Track 6 Smyth A minor sonata, op. 7, III Romanze
(12:40) Cécile Chaminade with clip Track 1 Chaminade Trois Morceaux, op. 31, no. 1 and Track 3 no. 3 Bohémienne, finally clip of track 2 Romanza)
(19:23) Amy Beach, linked episodes with Samantha Ege and Juliana Soltis, with clip of Track 11 Beach Sonata in A minor, op. 34, IV Allegro con fuoco
(25:47) friendship started at the Aspen festival 2008
(27:36) touring the program in Europe, clip of Track 9 Beach Sonata in A minor, op. 34 II Scherzo
(29:28) FAE, bonding over Brahms and starting the duo, Boman Desai’s book
(32:43) Charlene’s university years, baroque violin minor
(34:51) other linked episodes and ways to support this podcast
(35:54) Charlene’s pedagogical handbook on style considerations in orchestral excerpts
(38:52) Charlene’s decision to pursue music, broader education at Cornell
(40:42) Katherine’s educational path and discovering chamber music with clip Track 10 Beach Sonata in A Minor, op. 34 III Largo con dolore
(45:04) collaborative pianist career, Sarah Lehman mentor
(50:03) classical music career danger of burnout
(52:45) next projects and past experiences
(59:32) European educational differences
(1:02:00) becoming parents and taking care of ourselves
(01:05:44) music educators
Photo: Brittany Purlee
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