Vahn Black: Celebrating Gladys Bentley

Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

06/15/24

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67m

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Vahn Black is a vocalist based in Atlanta, and in this episode we focused on her project celebrating Gladys Bentley, including Vahn’s fantastic album Petrichor. Born and raised in Detroit, Vahn grew up in a melting pot of music and this aided her in cultivating her soul-charged, jazz infused sound, marrying her reverence for vocalists like Sarah Vaughn with her love of producers like J Dilla. We talked about her musical education, her career path, her research into Black history and culture, her joy of collecting vinyl and some of her other creative outlets. It was interesting to hear about her contrasting experiences with work, life and music in Detroit, New York and Atlanta.

As a composer Black has lent her artistry to various art mediums from short films to interactive performance art. In 2023 she was selected to perform at NPR's Tiny Desk on the Road Tour stop in Atlanta, and for those listeners who are fans of Vahn Black and those who are discovering her, I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation which is punctuated with her music.

Vahn Black Website: https://www.vahnblack.com/about

Vahn Black's Care Too Much video NPR submission: https://youtu.be/B09NXWSoSWc?si=_f3SeS18fgN_MLB6

The transcript and video version of the podcast are linked here on my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/vahn-black

Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠

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

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

Linktree for social media: ⁠https://linktr.ee/leahroseman⁠

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:36) Gladys Bentley project

(10:58) intro to Too Soon from Petrichor

(12:13) live version Too Soon

(16:33) Detroit, Atlanta, finding her place and people

(20:20) The City from Temporary Colors

(23:20) Detroit, Atlanta, studying Classical music at Detroit School of Arts

(26:16) please support this series and sign up for my newsletter

(26:57) inspiring music teachers Connie Malabed and Cheryl Valentine

(29:08) studying Library Science, AI

(31:46) undergrad experience

(33:43) NPR Tiny Desk Block party

(35:22) Care Too Much

(40:05) Trunino Lowe arrangements, recording spirituals

(41:36) Vinyl collection

(50:55) Gladys Bentley project

(51:45) Lucid Dreams

(55:54) Gladys Bentley project next albums, different inspirations

(59:47) career path choices

(01:02:05) creative outlets crocheting, creative process

Previous Episode

Martha Mooke: Electro-Acoustic Violist, Producer, Composer and Educator

June 8, 2024

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103m

Martha Mooke is a pioneer in the field of the electric five string viola and transcends boundaries as a performer and composer. This episode features insights, stories and music, including from the beautiful album by Carla Patullo So She Howls which just won the GRAMMY® Award for “Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.” as well as from several of Martha’s solo and collaborative albums. You’ll hear about the unique multi-style string program she’s helped launch at New Jersey City University, and about many of her mentors and collaborators from David Bowie to Tenzin Choegyal to Laurie Anderson to Jean-Luc Ponty. Martha is passionate about the breadth and diversity needed in music education for the 21st century, and it was a joy and an inspiration for me to be able to hear about the arc of her multi-faceted career so far.

Like all my episodes, you can also 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/martha-mooke

Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

Martha Mooke Website: https://www.marthamooke.com/

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

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

Linktree for social media: https://linktr.ee/leahroseman

photo of Martha Mooke: Ebru Yildiz

The podcast theme music was commissioned from composer Nick Kold, and you can use the timestamps to navigate the episode:

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:59) electric viola demo with explanation of gear and effects Edmar Castaneda

(09:01) Martha’s creative process

(13:41) clip from Ice 4 from No Ordinary Window

(15:40) Martha’s creative process

(18:42) Multi-Style Strings program New Jersey City University

(35:29) Carla Patullo So She Howls

(38:31) Machine Dreams from Carla Patullo So She Howls

(43:15) Carla Patullo album concert, vocal group Tonality

(43:51) please support this independent podcast!

(44:29) Thru the Walls, Scorchio quartet, Tibet House benefit concerts, Tony Visconti, David Bowie, Philip Glass

(01:01:17) Tenzin Choegyal with clip from Sutras of the Heart

(01:03:50) meditation practice

(01:05:46) different types of electric violins and violas, collaborations with Yamaha

(01:12:17) strings education outreach project in Jamaica

(01:17:18) album Buzz, Metachrosis electronic music production using insect sounds with audio clip, Linsey Pollak, sound design

(01:24:46) Jean-Luc Ponty

(01:33:57) clip from Omotion from No Ordinary Window

(01:34:53) Laurie Anderson

(01:39:09) Martha’s perspectives on her career

Next Episode

Jessica Cottis: Hearing in Colour

June 22, 2024

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86m

Jessica Cottis is an acclaimed orchestral conductor, and in this wide-ranging interview you’ll gain insights into the special world of orchestral conductors and also some of Jessica’s interests in the natural world and the arts. She spoke to me about her musical path, from how she made her first trumpet, to life on a sheep farm, to her transition from a career as a concert organist, to lessons learned from conducting mentors including Colin Davis and Colin Metters. Jessica is such an articulate champion of the value of music and the arts, and I’ve also been privileged to have worked with her in my role as a violinist in Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra.

I have a special interest in synesthesia, so I was interested in hearing her experience of sound through colour, and if you look at the description of this episode, you’ll find detailed timestamps for the many topics covered, inluding some beautiful music from Julie Cooper’s new album Oculus with Jessica Cottis conducting. Jessica also shared her difficult recovery from a concussion and how her senses were further mixed for a period of time.

Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website as well: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/jessica-cottis

Jessica Cottis website: https://www.jessicacottis.com/about

Angel in Dark Green by composer Julie Cooper is featured in this episode from her album Oculus (conducted by Jessica Cottis): https://juliecoopermusic.com/

Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠

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

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

Linktree for social media: ⁠https://linktr.ee/leahroseman⁠

photo of Jessica Cottis: Gerard Collett

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:46) Jessica Cottis transition from organist to conductor

(13:57) the experience of conducting an orchestra

(16:57) Julie Cooper Oculus project, synesthesia, chromesthesia

(20:41) Angel in Dark Green by Julie Cooper from Oculus

(25:45) synesthesia