The Tune-In
From Ben Tyree, 10 interviews about the music industry illuminating and humanizing artists’ everyday triumphs and struggles
David’s album, Journey To Love, released September 30, 2020, with a debut on iTunes’ top 100 R&B albums, at #3. Journey To Love was preceded by two singles entitled “Laugh” and “Let Me Know,” featuring rapper Lyteral.
V. Jeffrey Smith has been on major hit records as a recording musician, most notably playing the sax solo on Billy Ocean’s #1 hit record, Caribbean Queen. He plays with The Soul Folk Experience, The Black Rock Coalition, and The Burnt Sugar Arkestra Chamber and often makes guest appearances alongside countless artists.
Famed keyboardist John Medeski is not easily contained to a single project or genre. He is credited on over 300 works to date, most notably as one-third of the groundbreaking trio Medeski, Martin & Wood.
Native New Yorker Sophia Ramos began as a rock singer/songwriter for the 90s NYC hard rock outfit SOPHIA’S TOY signed to Epic/Sony Records. Sophia has toured around the globe, helping break barriers for women of color in Rock.
Tom Newman is a well sought after guitarist from the Washington, D.C. area. His company, New Mu Production, houses all of his comprehensive musical services which include educational services, talent consulting, and much more.
Vernon Reid is probably best known for leading Living Colour. He founded Living Colour in New York City circa 1985 and piloted the band through a successful career that continues to this day. He also has a prolific session output in a variety of contexts.
Moist Paula, so named for her legendary turn of the century instrumental rock trio Moisturizer, is an Australian saxophonist and composer who has been based in NYC since the mid-90s.
Shelley Nicole—the mainspring behind Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe—is simultaneously a product, a witness and architect of Black-on-Black love, a calling that has informed all of her work as a singer, writer, composer, actor, poet, musician and a healer.
Born on the Mothership of Parliament-Funkadelic’s rise to fame in 1978, Garrett Shider came out of the womb wailing for the hand-me-down diaper of his parent’s legacy.
Sameer Gupta is known as one of the few percussionists simultaneously representing the traditions of American jazz on drumset and Indian classical music on tabla.