The Shadow People Ep12 - Jazz Fest, Dumpstaphunk & No Covers w/ Alex Wasily

It’s Jazz Fest season in New Orleans, and The Shadow People are back with a heavy-hitting episode featuring trombonist, arranger, and all-around musical badass Alex Wasily—best known for his work with Dumpstaphunk, Earth Wind & Power, and the Very Good Mondays series.Alex joins Nigel Hall, Derrick Freeman, and Danny Abel for a full-on hang in the Brown Hound Sounds studio, talking everything from the importance of rehearsal, the legacy of horn sections, and learning to lead from within, and the deeper meaning of “no covers.”🔥 Key Topics in this Episode: How Wasily got called up to join Dumpstaphunk The origins of Very Good Mondays, an original jam night with no covers allowed The jazz school mindf*ck and finding your way back to music Shoutouts to Earth Wind & Power, Natalie Cressman, Brad Walker, and Stevie Wonder What it means to truly listen on a gig How music can still be spiritual in an industry that often isn’t Why Alex considers a “monetary loss a spiritual win”Recorded deep in Jazz Fest madness, this episode is a love letter to New Orleans music, community, tradition, and transformation.🎷 Produced at Brown Hound Sounds📢 Like, share, and hit that subscribe button to support real musicians having real conversations.📸 Follow us @ShadowPeoplePodcast for new episodes, behind-the-scenes, and Shorts.❤️ Much love to Crescent Canna for the delicious seltzers and waters📩 Email [email protected] for any concerns, comments, questions, or confrontations. 👇 Drop a comment below—especially if you’ve caught a Very Good Monday, a Dumpstaphunk set, or for whatever⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 – Intro & guest reveal: Alex Wasily joins the show1:36 – Jazz Fest rehearsal stories & the importance of preparation4:00 – Alex breaks down what a horn section leader really does6:14 – Alex’s origin story: Egypt → Savannah → Dumpsterfunk7:43 – First gig with Dumpsterfunk and getting invited to Jazz Fest9:31 – Horn sections, arrangements, and the New Orleans tradition13:10 – Cover bands vs. precision musicianship14:42 – Earth, Wind & Power tribute: origins and chart arranging16:04 – Jam Cruise memories & Earth Wind & Fire-level praise18:33 – Artistic competition, social media, and the death of gratitude21:47 – Nigel’s mantra: “I am unavailable for that project”27:25 – Very Good Mondays: how the jam session series began30:28 – No covers rule & the problem with jamfluencers34:06 – How to move to New Orleans the right way36:57 – Ivan Neville’s 5-word masterclass on restraint38:43 – Social media clout vs. real musical chemistry40:12 – Sampling vs. stealing — and calling out content thieves44:08 – The reset button: jazz jams as workouts for musicians46:04 – Mondays in New Orleans: a deep tradition revived48:35 – Dungeons & Dragons? No—Do Not Disturb50:51 – The Pope is dead? Political absurdity & betting on the next one54:54 – Nigel holds back—for now: racial and social frustration builds59:01 – Why the podcast exists: connection, healing, and brotherhood1:02:25 – Final shoutouts: vintage Rhodes, Crescent 9, and Very Good Mondays#ShadowPeoplePodcast #JazzFest2025 #AlexWasily #dumpstaphunk #VeryGoodMondays #neworleansmusic #TromboneTalk #HornSections #NoCovers #RehearsalFest #Crescent9 #thcseltzer #EarthWindAndPower #DannyAbel #nigelhall #derrickfreeman #brownhoundsounds #podcaststudio #MusicianPodcast #LiveMusicCulture