AC23+ - Artist Legacy Series of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge

Mike Esneault speaks with performer, music educator in the community for over 30 years, Jennifer Ellis. They talk about Jennifer's early development in music as well as her career in music education, music performance and her more recent role as a member of the board for the Red Magnolia Theatre Company. She has been heavily involved in their upcoming production of “Men on Boats”…. a true-(ish) story of an 1869 expedition, when a one-armed captain and a crew of insane, yet loyal volunteers set out to chart the course of the Colorado River.

Mike Esneault speaks with trombonist, band leader, K-12 education administrator, and former band director, Andy Pizzo. We talked about his formative years learning to play music in New Orleans, his professional performance career as well as his career in K-12 education.

Mike Esneault speaks with author, playwright, creative consultant, Julie Gerdes Becnel, illustrator Cullen Bernard, and jazz vocalist and ukulele artist, Ashley Orlando. They discuss the recent publication of Julie’s children’s book “Roux’s First Day”. This is a story of Roux, a baby Rougaroux, and her first day of school in the swamp and how she discovers what makes us different is also what makes us shine. Mike’s guests discuss the process of creating this publication as well as creating the music to accompany the story.

Mike speaks with photographer, photojournalist, graphic designer, independent publisher, and event producer, Charlie Champagne. He is currently the Communications Director for the Baton Rouge Gallery Center for Contemporary Art. Charlie is also the founder and President of Leur Maison, a Baton Rouge nonprofit establish to help build a sense of home, community and belonging for Southern LGBTQIA+ creatives. They discussed his career in photography, particularly within the journalism and art world as well as his new role at the Baton Rouge Gallery.

Mike Esneault speaks and plays music with sensational blues guitarist, vocalist, composer and band leader, DK Harrell. Fresh off his 2026 Blues Music Award wins in two categories, “Contemporary Blues Album” as well as “Album of the Year”, DK and Mike had a great time playing some of his songs and discussing his incredible rise in the blues world, his formative years growing up in Louisiana, and life as a successful touring artist.

Mike Esneault speaks with former New York Broadway actress veteran of 25 years, jewelry artist, business coach and Baton Rouge Arts Market manager Ana Andricain. They conversed about many things including her amazing performing career as well as her successful jewelry business, Jewel of Havana. Additionally, they discussed her role as manager of the BR Arts Market for the Arts Council of GBR and the challenges artist face while making a life in the arts.

Mike Esneault speaks with John Wirt. John is a music, arts and entertainment journalist and critic, author of the book “Huey “Piano” Smith and the Rocking Pneumonia Blues” and a guitarist. John has written thousands of music and movie stories and reviews for newspapers and magazines — mostly in Louisiana, Florida and Virginia. He was a staff writer at The (Baton Rouge) Advocate for 23 years and freelance writer for multiple publications. They talked about his accomplished career as a writer and touched on other subjects along the way. John also performs two solo guitar pieces.

Mike Esneault speaks with multi-disciplinary artists Sariah Sizemore and Taylor Matherne about “Honey Gold”. This is an immersive audiovisual and sound healing experience that blends live vocals, gongs, crystal singing bowls, and string instruments with projection-mapped visuals to create a restorative, contemplative journey Mike discusses with the artists various topics including the pre-production challenges of creating this experience as well as the live production itself.

Mike Esneault speaks and plays music with international bassist, Louisiana native, and long time friend Roland Guerin. They talk about Roland’s incredible career touring and recording with jazz legends such as Marcus Roberts, Brian Blade, Mark Whitfield, Ellis Marsalis, etc. as well as New Orleans legends Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack, Allen Toussaint and rock guitarist Paul Gilbert, to name just a few. Roland’s command of both the acoustic bass and electric bass have made him one of the most versatile bassist living today. They touched on his formative years as well as various other topics.

Mike Esneault speaks and plays music with New Orleans guitar legend Steve Masakowski. The two discuss Steve’s brilliant career as a guitarist, composer, inventor and educator at the university level. In addition, they talk about Steve’s formative years, growing up in the rich cultural environment of New Orleans and the city’s influence on him musically.

Mike Esneault interviews poet, author, and president of the Poetry Society of Louisiana, Ed Ruzicka today. They discuss the release of Ed's new book "The Invention of Dreaming" and the inspirations for writing this new collection of poetry. They also touch on various subjects as they relate to the creative process and the arts industry.

Mike Esneault speaks and plays music with NOLA legendary bassist Mark Brooks. They talked about his upbringing in a musically rich New Orleans family. Mike asked him about many things including the importance of his early deep grounding in Gospel music and the impact it has had on his musical life working in all genres of music. They touched as well on various aspects of being a professional freelance performing artist today.

Mike Esneault talks with Grammy award winning drummer, composer, arts administrator, educator and producer, Adonis Rose. They talk about his extensive touring career with jazz greats including Terence Blanchard, Wynton Marsalis, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, and many more. They also talk about his rich musical upbringing in New Orleans as well as his tenure as Artistic Director for the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, and over topics.

Mike Esneault talks and plays music with musician and entrepreneur Jim Odom. In addition to being the guitarist for Louisiana’s iconic band LeRoux, Jim is an audio engineer, composer and entrepreneur best known for co-founding PreSonus Audio Electronics with Brian Smith in 1995, a company that became a global leader in affordable digital audio recording equipment for home studios and professionals. The two discuss Jim’s amazing multi-faceted career and also have fun playing a couple of impromptu original compositions/jams.

Mike Esneault converses with New York City premiere bassist and long time friend, John Hébert. He and John talked about his formative years growing up and learning music in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and then New York City. John has worked with some of the premiere jazz artists of our time including Fred Hersch, Andrew Hill, Lee Konitz, Paul Bley, John Abercrombie, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Motian, and many more. In their conversation, they were able to touch on different aspects of learning the jazz art form as well as different components of working as a professional musician today.

Mike Esneault converses with Dr. Stephen Futrell, Director of Choral Activities and Associate Professor of Music at Elon University in North Carolina. They discuss his extensive career not only as a collegiate professor, but also his versatile career as a studio musician and live performer in multiple genres of music including jazz, R&B, etc.

Mike Esneault converses with legendary New Orleans drummer Johnny Vidacovich. Johnny has worked with such luminaries as Bobby McFerrin, Mose Allison, James Booker, Professor Longhair, John Scofield and many many more. Vidacovich is also an original member of the iconic New Orleans jazz group Astral Project. As an educator, former students include Brian Blade, Stanton Moore just to name a few. I asked Johnny about his formative years growing up in New Orleans as well as many other topics related to his extensive career as a top level, international artist.

Mike Esneault talks with composer Clint English “Monoblack”, visual artist Nathaniel A.J. Landry, and curator Keidrick “Sensei” Alford about the multi sensory exhibit “The Monsters We Sometimes Become”. This exhibit is to be featured at the Manship Theatre Gallery in June 2026. They discuss the blending of Landry’s visual art with Monoblack’s original compositions written for each art piece. They also discuss aspects of being an artist in today’s landscape. More information/Link for the event: https://ellemnop.art/monster/

Mike Esneault talks with Founder and Artistic Director of 225 Theatre Collective, Stephanie Calero. They discuss the many programs the organization is producing including Live Painting Events, Improv Performances, Comedy Shows, Louisiana Theatre Festival and many other programs.

Mike Esneault talks with New Orleans/Baton Rouge native and New York based visual artist, David Bruner. They discuss his current exhibit at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center as well as his work process and concepts when creating collage, pencil/graphite, stain glass, photography as well as painting. In addition, they touch on various aspects of teaching, the value of mentorships, and also David's long friendship with the late Cary Saurage.

Mike Esneault plays music and talks with Tower of Power tenor saxophonist Tom Politzer. They talk about his musical upbringing in a family of opera lovers, starting on clarinet, and then his life in music including touring with Tower of Power for 22 years.

Mike Esneault talks and plays music with Baton Rouge music icon Henry Turner Jr. They talk about his long career as a touring performer in the blues genre as well as other genres. They also discuss the many other ventures he has been involved in within the music business community and Baton Rouge community.

Mike Esneault plays music and talks with internationally renowned drummer, composer, educator and clinician, Leon Anderson. In addition to playing a couple of tunes (with Bill Grimes on bass), they talk about his formative years learning to play music and then his very active career as a performing artist throughout the world with artists such as Ellis Marsalis, Marcus Roberts and more, as well as his long career as a Professor of Jazz Studies at Florida State University. Enjoy!

Mike Esneault talks with Executive Director of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Marshall Carby. They discuss many different topics including Marshall's upbringing in Texas, his deep Louisiana roots, as well as the many different components of leading the BRSO and continuing its rich legacy in the Baton Rouge community.

Mike Esneault converses with long time friend and colleague Jeff Ford. Jeff has worked in audio post-production as a producer, song writer, film composer, and audio engineer for over 30 years, producing audio for commercials, films, live productions, studio albums, etc. They discuss the nature of working in the industry and also how this landscape has changed over the years.

Mike Esneault interviews and plays music with blues legend Kenny Neal for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s “AC23+ Artist Legacy Series”. Kenny and Mike talked about his extensive international solo career as well as his work with Buddy Guy, Big Mamma Thornton, BB King, and many more. They also talked about the legacy of his father, blues legend Raful Neal, growing up in the talented Neal family, and the legacy of Baton Rouge blues and its impact worldwide.

Mike Esneault converses with saxophonist, composer/arranger, band leader and music industry business owner, Russ Bryant for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Artist Legacy Series podcast. They discussed his formative years as a developing musician as well as the multifaceted career he has had as a professional in the music industry. In addition, They played some of Russ's original music as well as original music by D.K. Harrell.

Original Air Date 9/24/2025: Mike Esneault talks with Andreasen about his long standing tenure as Baton Rouge Gallery President/CEO and all of the outstanding programing the gallery has consistently offered the Baton Rouge community. They also touch on various aspects of arts administration and many of the different challenges for artists in today's landscape.

Mike Esneault talks and plays with legendary saxophonist Bob Sheppard about his extensive career as a touring musician with such artists as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, and many more. They also discuss his career as a session musician on countless Los Angeles film scoring sessions along with other topics related to his development and life in music.

Mike Esneault converses with James Fogle, for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Artist Legacy Series podcast. James is the owner of Mid City Ballroom, Baton Rouge Music Exchange and Pop Shop Records. Through these ventures as well as his work as a musician/performer, James has greatly enriched the Baton Rouge arts community. They discussed this as well as other topics related to being an artist in the Greater Baton Rouge area for over the last 40+ years.

Original air date 9/2/2025 Mike Esneault talks and plays music with Louisiana Music Hall of Fame performer and song writer Chris LeBlanc. They discuss Chris' formative years growing up in a musical family in South Louisiana as well as being influenced by the blues and many other genres of music that he heard and played in his home town of Baton Rouge. In addition, they play three of Chris' original songs.

Original air date 8/28/2025: Mike Esneault talks with radio personality, educator and musician, Rob Payer. They discuss Rob's history in radio, particularly as it relates to Baton Rouge Magnet High School and their long-standing radio educational program and his role as program director. In addition, they discuss many other topics including the rich musical heritage of South Louisiana, preserving that heritage through education, as well as Rob's work as a performing musician.

Original air date 8/15/2025: Mike Esneault converses with East Baton Rouge- Director of Fine Arts, Dr. Sean Joffrion. They discuss the artistic environment and support of Joffrion's formative years and how this helped instill his deep love of the arts moving forward. They also converse on various topics including the importance of arts education as well as arts integration and the role it can play in a person's artistic and academic development.

Original air date 8//1/2025: Mike Esneault talks and performs with Baton Rouge music icon David Hinson. They discuss his extensive career as a performer and educator in the greater Baton Rouge area. They touch on his experiences working in a wide array of musical genres, including orchestral music, jazz and rock, etc. as well as his thoughts and techniques on educating music students of all ages, including students in his long-running Adult Music Club.

Mike Esneault talks with dance artist and owner of "For the Love of Dance", Shamira Cummings. They talk about her formative years learning the art of dance, the education of students at her dance studio, her work with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge as well as various dance programs that she has created over the years for the Greater Baton Rouge community.

Original Air Date 7/21/2025: The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's Mike Esneault plays music and talks with guitarist, composer and music educator, Patrick Bordelon. The two discuss Patrick's love of Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz as well as many other topics including life as a working professional musician and educator.

Original Air Date 7/9/2025: Mike Esneault talks with Southern University Professors Harry Anderson and Darrell Roberson about the launch of SU's Digital Media Arts Program. This new degree program features the following concentration tracks: Digital Screen Arts Production, Digital Performance Fusion, Visual Arts and Motion Graphics, Digital Sports Production and Recording Arts. They discuss the origins and the vision of this exciting new degree program!

Mike Esneault talks with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's Artist in Residence and Artist Liaison, Mike Weary. They discuss various aspects of being a professional freelance visual artist as well as Mike's experiences working as an arts administrator, educator and gallery curator.

Original Air Date: 6/27/2025 -Mike Esneault speaks with visual artist BJ Smith, and his mother Kim Smith, about BJ's 20-year ongoing journey surviving a severe brain injury accident. They discuss the power of the arts as healer and how BJ's passion for being a visual artist has had a profound impact on his positive development.

Mike Esneault talks and plays music with New Orleans bassist, arranger, composer and band leader, Brian Quezergue, for the Arts Council of Greater Baton's "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast! Listen to them discuss Brian's life in music from his formative years growing up under the tutelage of his famous father Wardell Quezergue (arranger for The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Allen Touissant and many more), to later studies with the great Alvin Batiste, and his current life as a performer and composer.

Mike Esneault talks and performs with jazz saxophonist Don Evans about his performance and teaching career. Don reflects on growing up in the New Orleans and learning music in that rich environment and being part of the blues and jazz music scene for many years in South Louisiana.

Orignal Ari Date 4/11/2025: Mike Esneault talks and plays music with Fort Worth tenor saxophonist, Quamon Fowler for the Arts Council of Greater Baton's "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast! Listen to them discuss Quamon's life in music from his formative years playing in church, later studies with the great Alvin Batiste, and his current life as a performer, educator and author.

Original Air Date 4/4/2025: Mike Esneault talks and plays music with 5-Time Grammy nominee, Zydeco musician, Sean Ardoin for the Arts Council of Greater Baton's "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast! Listen to them discuss his roots to the father of Zydeco, Amédé Ardoin, along with his music career, impactful work with the Grammy Recording Academy and so many other endeavors he is involved in.

Original Air Date: 04/2/2025 Mike Esneault talks with renowned drummer, Ricky Sebastian about his extensive performance career in music with artists such as Harry Belafonte, Tania Maria, John Scofield and many others as well as his long tenure as a music educator.

Original Air Date: 03/19/2025 Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge's Mike Esneault talks with Bob Mintzer and Russell Ferrante of the legendary two-time Grammy winning jazz fusion group Yellowjackets. Listen to them discuss the inner workings of the ensemble including recording and touring, amongst other topics.

Original Air Date: 02/25/2025 Mike Esneault talks and plays music with tuba/bass player, educator, and band leader Mike Foster for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform duets discuss Foster's influences along with his career and life in music.

Original Air Date: 02/27/2025 - Mike Esneault hosts a panel discussion on music development, careers in jazz, and jazz education with Mike Williams (lead trumpeter of the Count Basie band for 31 years), saxophonist Cully Joyce and trumpeter Jason Smith of the United States Air Force Big Band at Southern Arkansas University.

Original Air Date: 11/23/2024 - Mike Esneault talks with drummer Herman Jackson, bassist Reggie Richards, and guitarist Lil' Ray Neal about their experiences with the blues legend BB King for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Artist Legacy Podcast Series. Listen to Herman and Reggie talk about their touring experiences with BB King and work with him on his final performances. Also, listen to Lil' Ray discuss his long history with the "King of the Blues" and the special connection he and his family had with BB King.

Original Air Date: 11/19/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with trumpeter and Capital Area United Way President/CEO, George Bell, for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s AC23+ Podcast Series. Listen to them discuss George’s influences along with his 30-plus-year career and life as a thriving community leader and musician.

Original Air Date: 11/07/2024 - Mike Esneault talks and plays music with New Orleans bassist, educator, and band leader Peter Harris for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s "AC23+ Artist Legacy Series" podcast. Listen to them perform duets on original jazz compositions and discuss Peter’s influences along with his career and life in music.