Inspiring Excerpts with Roddy Ellias: Flow, Martial Arts, and Rock bands!
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
11/12/22
•8m
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This is a short bonus episode in my "Inspiring Excerpts" series, with the wonderful jazz guitarist and composer Roddy Ellias.
The full episode is here, both video and podcast: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e12-s1-roddy-ellias-guitarist-and-composer
You'll get to hear some great stories from Roddy's early career in touring rock bands, connections between martial arts and music, and how he teaches students to get into the feel of flow. Guitar enthusiasts, you’ll be happy to know that this series will soon be featuring quite a few more guitarists and also specialists in other plucked instruments. . I hope you enjoy these in-depth and wide-ranging conversations, and that your curiosity is stimulated for music that may be new to you. Please support this podcast with a tip! https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
Roddy Ellias website: https://www.roddyellias.com/
photo: Evan Shaw
Previous Episode
Marc van Vugt: guitarist and composer
November 5, 2022
•85m
Marc van Vugt is a wonderful award-winning composer and jazz guitarist from the Netherlands. In this episode you’ll be introduced to several beautiful guitars in his collection that are featured in his new solo album, “The Lonely Coyote” and you’ll also get to hear stories from his travels and his perspectives about different musical scenes, composing, and some of the biggest challenges now for musicians worldwide.
Please buy me a coffee! (and get access to unique perks) https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
The video version of this is linked here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/marc-van-vugt-guitarist-and-composer
https://baiximrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-lonely-coyote
photo: Jiri Büller
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:39) “Simiane” intro and performance
(08:01)influence of Latin American music, growing up in a small Dutch town
(10:49) Paris, Theo van Doesburg house in Meudon, composing the Vandoesburg Suite
(15:28) album “The Lonely Coyote”, collection of guitars, touring challenges with a guitar
(21:21) baritone guitar
(21:22) Martin guitar, technique of playing with a mix of nails and pick
(28:20) harp zither
(33:44) more about “The Lonely Coyote” ablum, living in the desert, influences of Alberto Gismonti, Ralph Towner, Leo Kottke
(40:19) creative process of composing, Kenny Wheeler
(48:36) HKU University for the Arts in Utrecht, Hans Kox, Eef Albers, creating the jazz and improvised music department with Bert van der Brink
(51:17) Banff, categories of music, the free improvised music scene in the Netherlands
(56:03) experience of growing up in a place and time with limited access to music and different musicians in contrast to now with the challenges of exposure YouTube and social media in general
(01:01:48) touring and collaborating with local musicians, trips to Indonesia and playing with gamelan players
(01:05:06) trip to Brazil
(01:07:31) teaching composition
(01:12:46) Rogier van Otterloo
(01:15:16) writing music for films of Georges Méliès
(01:19:12) archtop guitar
Next Episode
Derek Gripper
November 19, 2022
•82m
The internationally renowned guitarist Derek Gripper is famous for his groundbreaking technique for evoking the West African kora on the guitar. During this episode you’ll get to hear Derek play quite a bit and you will hear his wonderful insights on how we listen to and learn music, the influence of Montessori and Alexander Technique in his life, his reflections on important collaborations in his career and his perspectives on changes that have been imposed on creators and performers.
Please help me keep this podcast going: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
The video and transcript are linked here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/derek-gripper
Timestamps:
(00:00:00) Introduction (00:01:45) Bach guitar music with intro (00:04:00) carnatic music studies, album with tabla player Udai Mazumdar (00:06:12) structural improvisation, Bach (00:08:18) Alexander Technique (00:15:28) violin studies (00:16:24) Derek's recording approach (00:20:30) “Billly Goes to Durban” (00:21:28) kora music, Toumani Diabaté (00:25:18) “Tubaka” guitar music (00:26:36) Derek’s transcriptions, Zoom classes (00:30:12) online music economy, Derek’s experiences with selling albums, Platoon label (00:35:35) Montessori method and teaching guitar (00:39:38) "A Year of Swimming" (00:41:34) Alex Van Heerden, “Sagtevlei”, Steve Reich, Bryan Bolton (00:45:36) Guy Buttery and different collaborations (00:48:12) South Africa and COVID’s economic ramifications (00:49:43) Madosini (00:52:06) World Music as a genre and marketing tool (00:58:23) Derek’s style of performing (01:00:31) mental health, touring, mindset with Alexander Technique inhibition and internal resistance (01:04:42) "Seeing Nobody" guitar music (01:07:00) reflections on Derek’s career, being South African, John Williams, Lucy Duran (01:11:30) Derek’s guitars, Paul Galbraith Brahms guitar, “Bloomdorns”, Hermann Hauser, just intonation and bending notes, oud, lute, veena, (01:17:36) Derek’s advice and reflections on too much input
photo: Luke Young
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