Gerry Bryant: a Unique and Inspiring Life in Music

Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

04/20/24

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116m

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Gerry Bryant is a brilliant classically-trained pianist, composer, and arranger. He came from a poor inner-city Cleveland neighbourhood, and was givin an opportunity to attend the prestigious Phillips Academy, then Harvard university. He went on to get an MBA and a law degree, all the while continuing the expansion of his knowledge of different styles of music, and forming his jazz group Pocketwatch. This episode partly focuses on his Composers album, with music of Florence Price and Thomas Wiggins who was known as Blind Tom to his slave masters. Gerry reflects on how access to a musical education changed his life, and how wonderful it has been to discover and champion Black composers. One of the musicians that Gerry has collaborated with many times is the wonderful and versatile violinist Mark Cargill, whose playing is also featured in this episode.

Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/gerry-bryant

Can you buy this podcaster a coffee to support this series? ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠ Thanks!

Gerry Bryant website: https://www.gerrybryant.com/music

Follow me on Social Media: ⁠https://linktr.ee/leahroseman⁠

Complete Catalog of Episodes: https://www.leahroseman.com/about

Did you know that this podcast is in Season 4, and that I send out a weekly email newsletter where you can get access to Sneak Peeks of upcoming guests and be inspired by highlights from the archive: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:18) The Composers album, Thomas Wiggins “Blind Tom”

(08:39) Rêve Charmant by Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins performed by Gerry Bryant

(17:16) blind musicians, learning by ear, Gerry Bryant first teacher Ethel Morton, going to Phillip’s Academy, Albian Metcalf

(23:27) inspiration and problems with comparing ourselves to great masters

(29:15) Florence Price

(33:18) Florence Price Piano Sonata in E minor, 2nd movement Andante, The Composers album

(40:49) Florence Price

(41:46) please help me keep this series going!

(42:24) violinist Mark Cargill, Florence Price

(46:33) Andante con espressione by Florence Price for violin and piano Mark Cargill and Gerry Bryant

(51:08) Gerry’s experience going to Phillips Academy in Andover and then Harvard

(01:02:03) accissibility in arts education

(01:06:42) commonalities between people in different creative disciplines like acting, music, visual art, and the importance of nurturing creative expression

(01:14:12) Gerry’s full life, and Pocketwatch jazz ensemble, getting a law degree and MBA

(01:24:19) What Could Have Been with Pocketwatch at Kulak’s

(01:31:29) the healing power of music and Gerry’s volunteer work

(01:41:31) entertainment lawyer, California Lawyers for the Arts, balancing his life and new album

(01:53:06) Gerry’s foray into acting

Previous Episode

Pat Irwin: Bands, Cartoons and Friendships

April 13, 2024

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105m

This week’s episode is a Catch-Up episode with the renowned film and televison composer and multi-instrumentalist Pat Irwin, and we are featuring lots of Pat’s music for you today in different styles from many of his projects.

In my previous episode with him from 2023, Season 3 of this podcast, we talked about his days with the B52s and composing the score for Dexter: New Blood, and we also talked about his band SUSS and his work mentoring graduate students, and so much more . I encourage you to click on the link to that earlier episode if you missed it: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/pat-irwin

Today’s conversation also jumps around Pat’s varied and fascinating creative life. You’ll hear more stories and music from some of his acclaimed cartoon music from Rocko’s Modern Life and songs from Pepper Ann. We talk about, and you’ll hear music from some of his projects, including rocking out with the PI Power Trio with Sasha Dobson and Daria Grace, and new albums coming out with Cynthia Sley, with SUSS and with Julia Heyward. I’m blown away by Pat’s detailed memory and this episode is rich with interesting stories, and also his down-to-earth advice.

Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/pat-irwin-2024-catch-up

Pat Irwin website: https://patirwinmusic.com/

Can you buy this podcaster a coffee to support this series? ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠ Thanks!

Complete Catalog of Episodes: ⁠https://www.leahroseman.com/about⁠

Newsletter sign-up: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter⁠

Follow me on Social Media: ⁠https://linktr.ee/leahroseman⁠

(00:00) Intro

(03:25) writing music for Disney’s cartoon Pepper Ann, touring with B52s

(10:06) music: Enough, song from Pepper Ann musical episode

(12:10) process of writing and recording for Pepper Ann

(14:21) music: Photosynthesis, song from Pepper Ann musical episode

(15:45) collecting instruments, Ray Beats archives

(19:32) Rocko’s Modern Life, getting the band back together

(22:53) music: Junk Junkies from Rocko’s Modern Life soundtrack

(26:09) music: Bookshop from Rocko’s Modern Life soundtrack

(27:27) getting the Rocko’s band back together

(29:33) re-purposing music, SUSS new album

(36:55) music: Heat Haze SUSS

(41:28) But I’m a Cheerleader

(43:59) how and why to pitch

(49:54) Nurse Jackie

(50:15) music from Nurse Jackie

(50:13 advice for preparing reels, learning collaboration, students at NYU and Brooklyn College

(01:01:14) can you buy me a coffee? Thanks for supporting the series!

(01:01:56) music from Nurse Jackie

(01:01:55) learning to collaborate as a media composer

(01:04:53) Cynthia Sley Command V, Bush Tetras

(01:07:05)music: Command V with Cynthia Sley Lost On Me

(01:11:58) changes in the music industry

(01:16:18) the PI Power Trio Sasha Dobson, Daria Grace, Pat’s love of instrumental Rock ’n Roll

(01:21:48) music: The Walk PI Power Trio

(01:25:05) George Scott, Raybeats, PI Power trio

(01:29:10) film When Last Seen

(01:30:04) music from Pat’s score to film When Last Seen

(01:31:39) working on When Last SEen, T Venus with Julia Hayward

(01:35:11) music: excerpt from Smile, Don’t Touch That Dial with T Venus Julia Hayward

(01:36:32) the importance of frien

Next Episode

Gail Archer: GRAMMY-nominated trailblazing organist

April 27, 2024

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96m

Dr. Gail Archer is a GRAMMY-nominated internationally touring concert organist and trail-blazer for women organists. She has fantastic advice on not only approaching a career in music, but in living life to it’s fullest. We talked about learning languages, some fascinating history, the magic of choirs and much more. This episode features music from several of her acclaimed recordings, and we discuss women composers, and the challenges facing women organists. We also speak about Musforum the international network for wormen organists that she founed. Gail’s work highlighting composers from many Eastern European countries including Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Russia was a big part of this conversation and you’ll hear some of this music as well as that of Fanny Mendelssohn, a discussion of the Bach revival and interesting details about J.S. Bach himself, and one of Gail’s recordings of one of his sublime Chorale preludes. I learned a lot about the history of the pipe organ and gained not only a better understanding of the instrument and it’s vast repertoire, but I also gained important insights into the work of choir directors. One of the main topics Gail addressed was how to build a robust career and live a full life, with sensivity, curiosity, intelligence and determination.

Gail Archer website: http://www.gailarcher.com/ Musforum network for women organists: https://musforum.org/ This is also available on YouTube, and the transcript is linked there as well: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/gail-archer

I really do need the help of my listeners to keep this project going; please consider buying me a coffee through my support page which is linked to Paypal: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman photo: Stephanie Berger

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:32) playing on different organs

(05:55) J.S. Bach Chorale preludes, Fritz organ

(08:30) Chorale Prelude An Wasserflüssen Babylon, By the Waters of Babylon, from Gail Archer’s album "J. S. Bach The Transcendent Genius"

(13:02) history of the organ

(26:17)Fanny Mendelssohn Prelude in G major from Gail Archer’s album “Mendelssohn in the Romantic Century”

(28:36) Musforum and sexist challenges facing women organists

(36:47) please support this series!

(38:23) scene in England and Europe for women organists

(39:25) Eastern European organs, Chernivsti

(45:22) Chacona by Svitlana Osgtrova from album Chernivsti