Rachel Eckroth and John Hadfield

Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

03/02/25

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62m

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Rachel Eckroth and John Hadfield are wonderfully inventive musicians who have formed a duo. This podcast episode is shining a light on their recently released album “Speaking in Tongues”and you’ll hear some of this textured and dynamic music that really pushes the boundaries of a duo, along with insights into their creative process and their varied career paths.

John Hadfield is a phenomenal percussionist, drummer, and composer, for many years based in New York and now based in Paris. He’s collaborated on over 100 recordings including Grammy-award winning albums. He talked to me about performing with Kenny Werner, with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silkroad Ensemble, as well as John’s Paris Quartet.

Rachel Eckroth was nominated for a GRAMMY for her album “The Garden” and she is very active as a keyboardist, vocalist, composer, producer and arranger. She tours currently with St. Vincent, and she talked to me about her keyboards, and some of her formative experiences.

Both Rachel and John love to explore new sound colours both acoustically and with electronic instruments and this album is a powerful, inventive and immersive listening experience. You’ll find this project linked in the show notes, and hopefully some of you can attend their live shows on one of their tours.

Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website

Speaking in Tongues album Rachel Eckroth website John Hadfield website

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I wanted to let you know about some other episodes I’ve linked directly to this one, which I think may interest you, with:

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:45) duo project, Speaking in Tongues album

(07:45) clip from Speaking in Tongues

(08:27) Gamelan strips, John’s Gamelan studies in Indonesia

(10:50) Phase and Libration Part 1 from album Speaking in Tongues

(14:18) formative experiences Rachel and John

(19:54) God Particle, creative process of the album

(22:13) clip from God Particle

(23:24) Rachel’s album One improvised piano music, her creative practice and challenges of touring

(26:35) Light Sleeper from Rachel Eckroth’s album One

(28:59) Paris, Dennis Rowland, Rachel’s keyboards, John’s collaborations Sara Caswell

(34:17) other linked episodes you’ll like and ways to support this series

(35:06) John’s Drum of Stories album, Collin Walcott, John’s use of electronics with acoustic

(38:25) Rachel’s touring career

(41:20) Kenny Werner, different performance experiences

(44:10) Women’s March 2017, life-changing opportunities

(48:19) clip from Andromeda from Speaking in Tongues

(49:53) New York City early career

(52:34)Silkroad ensemble, Yo-Yo Ma

(55:35) projects toge

Previous Episode

Fern Lindzon

February 25, 2025

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81m

Fern Lindzon is a Canadian multi-style pianist, vocalist, composer and improvisor. She recently released a great album with her newjazz trio project Tryptique with Colleen Allen and George Koller ,and we’re featuring music from that album as well as some of her other work, including her Juno-nominated album Two Kites. We talked about her mother, the artist Rose Lindzon, many mentors and influences including Don Thompson, Alan Bern and Marilyn Lerner, and several of Fern’s projects including creating silent film music, Klezmer with the Sisters of Sheynville, and her new project of learning the expressive electronic instrument the Haken Continuum. In fact, what really struck me about talking to Fern was her thirst to continuously expand her knowledge, skills, and creativity. Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to mywebsite.Fern Lindzon websiteCould youbuy me a coffeeto support this series? Thanks! Another way to support this podcast and channel is to ordermy merchandise. Sign up formy newsletter to get access to information about upcoming guests! Some other episodes I’ve linked directly to this one, which I think may interest you: Colleen Allen Matt Zimbel Polina Shepherd Marilyn Lerner Kellylee Evans Kait DuntonTimestamps:(00:00) Intro (03:08)Fern’s mother the artist Rose Lindzon(07:02) Tryptique, decision to focus on piano playing(12:29) studying jazz with Don Thompson, Fred Hersch(17:04) excerpt of Eucalyptus from Tryptique(18:45) creativity prompts, silent film music(22:28) clip from the Windmills of Your Mind from album Like a Circle in a Spiral(23:52) Tryptique, Bach chorale inspiration(25:37) clip from Do Look from Tryptique(26:53) Las Meninas project, Canarios, inspiration from visual art, Gaspar Sanz (29:50) clip from Canarios from Tryptique (30:39) how to get support for projects, Marilyn Lerner(32:46) Doug Wilde(34:19)clip from Wondering from Tryptique(35:24)silent films, musical evolution and education(42:24) Klezmer, Sisters of Sheynville, Alan Bern(45:49) other episodes you’ll like and different ways to support this series(46:42) Tryptique, George Koller(48:10) clip from Compassion Blues from Tryptique(50:23) Toronto jazz scene(54:27) Two Kites album(57:00) clip from Two Kites(57:59)singing, lyrics(1:04:19) To See Through Infant Eyes from Moments Like These(1:08:38)A Circle in a Spiral, Peter Bragg photographer(01:11:22) teaching, Fern’s childhood, listening parties(01:16:45) Haken continuum

Next Episode

Tal Yahalom: Jazz guitarist and composer

March 9, 2025

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86m

Tal Yahalom is an award-winning jazz guitarist and composer and you’ll be getting a preview of his compelling quintet album Mirror Image with refreshingly unique instrumentation: violin, cello, percussion, sax and flute and both nylon-string and electric guitar. You’ll be hearing excerpts from the album and hear about Tal’s creative process and collaborators including percussioninst Rogerio Boccato and David Leon on sax and flute. Tal told me about some great advice he got from Pat Metheny, whom he met when Tal won the Detroit Jazz Festival National Guitar Competition, and the invaluable guidance of key mentors throughout his education and career. Tal recently came back from musically immersive travels in Brazil and Argentina, and it was inspiring to hear about his experiences their as well as hear about several of his collaborators, including his band KADAWA, and we’re featuring a track from their new album as well. Towards the end of this interview, Tal shared some personal reflections on his new duo with vocalist Danielle Wertz, and some very wise insights into student-centered learning, which I think apply quite broadly, not just to music. Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/tal-yahalom

Tal Yahalom Website Mirror Image Album (pre-order link; releasing March 21, 2025)

KADAWA band

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:49) album Mirror Image

(07:00) clip of KIM from Mirror Image

(07:29) about Prelude, use of strings

(09:30) clip of Prelude from Mirror Image