Close Enough for Jazz

This episode features saxophonist Aaron Burnett to explore his evolution into "Jazztronica," discussing everything from auditioning for Wynton Marsalis over the phone to building a custom digital pedalboard in Ableton. We examine his unique compositional process, which he describes as "downloading" full melodies from his dreams—a method that helped him write his upcoming swinging, nostalgic album Archangel at just 21 years old. Aaron breaks down his boundary-pushing group The Big Machine and details his use of audio-to-MIDI pitch followers to manipulate his saxophone sound. We also discuss his experiences touring with powerhouse vocalists like Esperanza Spalding and Corinne Bailey Rae, including a nightmare scenario where an airline destroyed his baritone saxophone right before a week of gigs. Packed with stories about going viral with drum and bass remixes and shouting out the next generation of killer musicians, this episode covers the cutting edge of modern improvised musicNote: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode.Chapter Timestamps:01:01 - The culture of sitting in on gigs and finding inspiration05:22 - The Big Machine: Fusing modern classical, hard bop, and world music07:11 - Creating "Jazztronica" with Ableton and audio-to-MIDI modules12:19 - Branding the music and the upcoming Quantum Breaks project16:37 - Bringing dance music back into the modern jazz ecosystem17:27 - Taking inspration from Tyshawn Sorey, Morton Feldman, and Steve Coleman21:53 - Going viral on social media with a drum and bass remix of "Countdown"25:51 - Touring with Esperanza Spalding and Corinne Bailey Rae28:43 - "Downloading" melodies from dreams and the upcoming Archangel album31:38 - Auditioning for Wynton Marsalis over the phone with "Cherokee"37:25 - Shouting out the next generation of killer jazz musicians41:07 - Aaron's best gig ever: Roulette with Craig Taborn and Tyshawn Sorey42:17 - The worst gig ever: Playing a European tour with a broken baritone saxophoneBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.AARON BURNETThttps://www.instagram.com/aarondjuan/?hl=enhttps://aarondburnett.bandcamp.com/https://soundcloud.com/aaron-burnett-musichttps://www.youtube.com/@aaronburnett476 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We sit down with highly in-demand bassist Chris Tordini to discuss his unique approach to the instrument, from his early days playing South Jersey bookstores to holding down the bass chair on Broadway. Chris shares the story of how he unexpectedly came to author two instructional books for Mel Bay, and why his early background in piano helped him seamlessly transition between guitar, electric bass, and upright bass. We talk about his formative years building a DIY jazz scene in South Jersey, how he navigates the New York gig economy using his trusty "two out of three" rule, and the realities of playing eight shows a week on Broadway's Hadestown. Chris also shares his strategies for staying grounded when playing with intense drummers—drawing inspiration from veteran bassist Drew Gress—and recounts a disastrous 2022 European tour featuring a flip-phone-wielding bandleader that taught him the ultimate lesson in trusting his gut. Note: Please go find and enjoy the music of Timo Vollbrecht, Marko Churnchetz, Alec Goldfarb, Chris Speed and Angelika Niescier. A few clips of their music were reposted in this episode. Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation.Chapter Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Sweating with certain drummers00:25 - Writing two upright bass books for Mel Bay06:00 - Translating technique between electric and upright bass11:06 - Taking the "rock route" to the upright bass13:08 - Growing up and gigging in the South Jersey music scene18:25 - How to prioritize gigs: The "Two out of Three" rule24:41 - Practicing quarter tones, polyrhythms, and meditative focus28:01 - Keeping calm while playing with intense, complex drummers29:56 - Finding inspiration in Drew Gress's relaxed playing at the Village Vanguard32:00 - Knowing when to step out and when to be the glue36:44 - Taking over the bass chair on Broadway's Hadestown42:32 - The mental challenges of playing repetitive shows eight times a week47:55 - Exploring groove-based improvisation and extreme math jazz51:04 - Storytime: The worst tourBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We open the vault for another installment of our Blind Pig series, traveling back to August 24, 2011, for a rare recording of the Steve Lehman Trio featuring Carlos Homs at The Stone. In this episode, we revisit a blazing set featuring Steve Lehman on alto, Carlos Homs on keys, Chris Tordini on bass, and Damion Reid on drums, listening to a massive wall-of-sound take on Jackie McLean's "Mr. E", a lightning-fast run of Lehman's original "Curse Fraction" and more. Beyond the music, we explore the history and rules of The Stone under John Zorn's direction, including the strict "no bathroom breaks" policy and the origin of its name . We also discuss the 2011 curator scene and note how this unique, one-off quartet served as an early preview for the Sélébéyone project, tracing the group's collaborative roots back to Andrew Carrico's 2008 New School senior recital.Note: Please go find and enjoy the music of Steve Lehman, Carlos Homs, Chris Tordini and Damion Reid. A few clips of their music were reposted in this episode. Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation.Chapter Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Someone has to... 01:15 - The Steve Lehman Trio featuring Carlos Homs at The Stone 08:42 - Listening to a burning take on Jackie McLean's "Mr. E" 10:05 - Discussing the infamous rules and history of The Stone 13:22 - The 2011 curator scene and Karl Berger's CMS workshops 23:06 - Carlos Homs floating over the top of Lehman's dense harmony 24:38 - What Tordini, Reid, and Homs were recording in 2011 27:08 - A preview of Sélébéyone and Andrew Carrico's 2008 senior recital 29:07 - A lightning-fast performance of "Curse Fraction"BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julie Maniscalco sits down to explore the logistical nightmares and creative triumphs of managing an 18-piece jazz orchestra in New York City. We discuss her writing process, contrasting the exposed nature of small group writing to the lush, vibrant colors of a big band, drawing on influences ranging from Tower of Power to Maria Schneider and Arturo O'Farrill. Julie shares the surreal experience of premiering three original pieces at Carnegie Hall—Songbird for Hoyt, Medusa, and Ripple Effect—and explains how writing within strict frameworks actually fuels her creativity. We also shine a spotlight on the often-overlooked Staten Island jazz scene, discussing her Outer Borough Project, the legendary Cargo Cafe, and local artist residencies at Snug Harbor. Finally, we look ahead to her upcoming Chamber Music America grant-funded dectet album, In Flux, slated for release in the summer of 2027. Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: The logistics of managing an 18-piece band02:47 - The compositional process: Why writing for a big band is like mixing a cocktail06:07 - Premiering three original pieces at Carnegie Hall10:46 - Writing for the Susan Wagner High School Wind Ensemble12:28 - Finding creative freedom within traditional musical frameworks18:50 - Major compositional influences: Maria Schneider, Arturo O'Farrill, and Miggy Miyajima23:13 - The Outer Borough Project: A musical tribute to Staten Island29:22 - The history and current state of the Staten Island jazz scene39:29 - Outro: Chamber Music America grant and the upcoming album In FluxBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We sit down with bassist and composer Pascal Niggenkemper to explore his fascinating approach to the "augmented bass" and look back on our early days together in the 2009 Brooklyn loft scene. Pascal explains how he uses external motors and octophonic settings to create an immersive, ASMR-like experience that places the listener directly inside the instrument. We then discuss his recent large-scale project, the Tuvalu Ensemble, commissioned for the SWR NEWJazz Meeting 2024, which featured eight musicians and a 360-degree audience experience surrounded by vibrating sound curtains. We also trace the recurring theme of water in his work, from his Astghik Waterfall Suite recorded in Armenia to his newest groove-heavy quartet album, The Ocean Within Us. Finally, we reflect on the grueling but foundational Brooklyn DIY circuit of the mid-2000s and reminisce about the recording for the upcoming Birch Grove Media release of Face's Fall 2009. Note: The Tuvalu excerpt mentioned in this episode can be found at https://www.swr.de/kultur/musik/swr-newjazz-meeting-2024-mit-bassist-pascal-niggenkemper-102.html. Chapters:00:00 - Intro: The ASMR effect of the augmented bass00:37 - Preparing the bass and using motors for sound03:34 - Pascal's journey into non-standard bass techniques08:14 - The SWR NEWJazz Meeting 2024 and the Tuvalu Ensemble10:59 - Surrounding the audience with vibrating sound curtains14:40 - Exploring the relationship between humans and nature through poetry20:18 - The recurring theme of water in Pascal's compositions23:36 - The Astghik Waterfall Suite and recording in Armenia28:43 - Finding groove and pulse on the new album The Ocean Within Us31:22 - Connecting with Gerald Cleaver, Liz Kosack, and Sakina Abdou36:07 - Looking back on the 2006-2009 Brooklyn loft scene39:50 - Meeting through Dimitri Mikelis and joining Alan's band, Face42:46 - The upcoming Birch Grove Media Fall 2009 vinyl releaseBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We explore the dystopian reality of tech companies destroying physical media to train their AI models and what this terrifying trend could mean for the future of the music industry. In this episode, we discuss the alarming revelation that Anthropic, the company behind Claude, has been purchasing physical books, chopping off their spines, and destroying them to ingest their data. We examine the "first-sale doctrine" loophole, recent reports from 404 Media about bulk-buying pre-2022 literature, and Lindsay compares this aggressive consumption of physical history to the "firemen" in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Shifting to our own industry, we analyze the Capitol Records v. ReDigi case and theorize about a future where tech giants purchase classic music catalogs solely to train AI models to perfectly clone legendary artists. Special Note: All the musical excerpts in this episode are from Smirk's "Not Your Grandfather's Jazz" that can be found at birchgrove.io. Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: A dystopian AI episode00:25 - Staying on top of AI in the music industry01:57 - How Anthropic scanned and destroyed physical books to train Claude03:54 - The "first sale doctrine" and the publishers' lawsuit05:51 - 404 Media's report on ISBNdb and bulk-buying pre-2022 books08:25 - Destroying physical history for AI slop-free data09:36 - Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and AI as the new "firemen"11:45 - Private equity firms buying up music catalogs13:45 - The Capitol Records v. ReDigi case and digital audio files15:03 - The terrifying potential of feeding classic catalogs into AI18:00 - Are there legal loopholes for shredding records like books?21:18 - Treating art and physical media as nothing but data for the machine24:29 - The theoretical scenario of an AI cloning George Clinton's catalog25:34 - Outro: Let us know your thoughts in the commentsBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We record through a tornado warning to explore the global crisis facing live music venues, from the Live Nation antitrust lawsuit to the tragic closure of historic jazz clubs. In this episode, we break down the current state of music venues by analyzing the "ladder" of the live music industry. We discuss the recent Department of Justice antitrust ruling against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, before moving down the ladder to look at the devastating squeeze on mid-sized venues—the "missing middle"—and the recent closures of spaces like the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Highline Ballroom, and Stanhope House. Finally, we discuss the small-cap scene and legendary spots like the 55 Bar, Saint Vitus, and the Cotton Club. We also analyze new data on Gen Z's spending and drinking habits, noting a massive shift toward upscale, hybrid "treat yourself" venues and questioning how touring independent bands will survive without the traditional dive bar circuit.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Recording through a tornado warning 01:25 - Defining the venue size "ladder" and its impact on musicians 03:22 - Large Venues: Madison Square Garden, Terminal 5, and Brooklyn Steel 04:39 - The DOJ antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster 08:08 - The Ticketmaster settlement and what it means for consumers 10:26 - Medium Venues: The "missing middle" and soaring tour costs 12:48 - Tragic closures: Music Hall of Williamsburg, Highline Ballroom, and The Well 16:04 - The end of the Stanhope House in New Jersey 17:21 - Small Venues: Dive bars, DIY spaces, and the end of the 55 Bar 18:46 - What happened to Saint Vitus Bar and Bowery Electric? 22:56 - Jazz Standard and the historic Cotton Club close their doors 25:11 - Debunking data on Gen Z drinking and spending habits 29:03 - The death of the middle class and the rise of upscale hybrid venues 34:25 - Outro: Are festivals like Big Ears the solution for touring bands? BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We open the vault for the second installment of our Blind Pig series, traveling back 14 years to July 23, 2012, for a rare bootleg recording of Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic's Bomb X. Captured on an iPod left on the floor of the Brooklyn venue Sycamore, this unreleased set features an incredible lineup with Michael Attias on saxophone, Art Hirahara on piano, and Tyshawn Sorey on drums. We unpack the context of this performance—which shared a bill with Alan's band, Smirk—and reflect on what these heavyweights were up to in 2012, from Letman-Burtinovic's extended arco techniques to Tyshawn Sorey's prestigious ICE fellowship.Note: Please go find and enjoy the music of Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic, Michael Attias, Art Hirahara and Tyshawn Sorey. A few clips of their music were reposted in this episode. Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: What is a Blind Pig speakeasy?01:48 - Traveling back 14 years to July 23, 201202:17 - Introducing Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic's Bomb X03:22 - Discovering the gig was recorded on an iPod06:53 - Art Hirahara’s unexpected avant-garde piano playing07:18 - Playing a double bill with Smirk at Sycamore in Brooklyn09:45 - Michael Attias and the lost Brown House bootleg tapes16:29 - Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic's extended bass techniques and protest music22:49 - A snapshot of Michael Attias's 2012 album releases23:44 - What Art Hirahara and Tyshawn Sorey were up to in 201229:15 - Outro: Tyshawn Sorey's abrupt endingsBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We step back to the gritty 2009 Brooklyn loft scene to announce the upcoming Birch Grove Media vinyl release of Fall 2009 by Alan's acoustic avant-garde band, Face. In this episode, we explore the origins of the group, tracking their evolution from high school friendships to playing lost Brooklyn venues like Goodbye Blue Monday and Evening Time Place. Alan breaks down the cast of characters, including the late Andrew Carrico, David Schnug, Pascal Niggenkemper, Cody Brown, and vocalist Matt Scollante—whose intense, yelling spoken-word performance at The Stone gave this album an explicit warning. We also take a clinical look at the realities of early DIY recording, with Alan explaining how he salvaged a highly flawed, 44.1kHz session recorded on cheap gear using modern audio plugins. Packed with stories about the "Almost V-Day Suite" and the parallel run of his electric band Smirk, this episode captures a definitive era of Brooklyn music ahead of the album's double vinyl release alongside Bear Skinner later this year.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: A yelling vocalist at The Stone 00:30 - Announcing the release of Face's Fall 2009 album 01:05 - The cast of characters: David Schnug, Pascal Niggenkemper, and more 02:00 - High school connections and moving to a Brooklyn Bedford Avenue apartment 03:45 - How the band's instrumentation evolved from the "Actually Actually" trio 05:27 - Remembering baritone saxophonist Andrew Carrico 06:43 - Recording the album on Halloween 2009 at the "Evening Time Place" loft 08:19 - The thriving 2009-2012 Bushwick loft scene and lost Brooklyn venues 10:00 - Face as a working acoustic band vs. the electric Smirk project 12:58 - Matt Scollante's unique spoken word performance 14:26 - Writing the "Almost V-Day Suite" over four years 16:56 - Salvaging a flawed 44.1kHz DIY recording with modern audio plugins 19:11 - The double vinyl release plan for Face and Bear Skinner 19:57 - Outro: Pick up the Smirk vinyl Podcast Footer:BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We unearth a 41-year-old time capsule from the first edition of OPtion Magazine that accurately predicted the rise of AI in music. We review a 1985 article by computer scientist Eric Mueller, who envisioned "interactive works" where AI reacts to live human improvisation and "distributed works" that use dial-up phone lines to connect musicians and computers in a massive feedback loop. The conversation traces Mueller's impressive background—from developing the DAYDREAMER program at UCLA to his work on IBM's Watson—and contrasts his highly experimental, avant-garde vision of AI with the style-cloning algorithms of today. We also discuss the LISP programming language, Stefon Harris's Harmony Cloud, and the debate over whether software is truly more interesting than hardware. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode.Featured Musical Examples:George Lewis Rainbow Family Premiere: https://youtu.be/i4bS-0tsVEgLaurie Spiegel on Algorithmic Composition: https://youtu.be/aJBDHxyLEHgTimestamps:00:00 - Intro: What happens when the AI freezes up?00:31 - Unearthing a 1985 AI music time capsule from OPtion Magazine01:46 - Eric Mueller's "Entangling Computers and Music"03:23 - The concept of "interactive works" and reactionary AI04:34 - Comparing early AI ideas to Stefon Harris's Harmony Cloud08:43 - Will musicians become programmers and vice versa?10:42 - Feeding the program multiple source elements for complex reactions13:22 - "Distributed works" and the concept of dial-up avant-garde music17:52 - Learning the LISP programming language in 198520:04 - Debating if software is truly more interesting than hardware22:41 - Eric Mueller's background with UCLA, MIT, and IBM's Watson26:41 - Why 1980s AI concepts lend themselves perfectly to avant-garde jazz27:28 - Interactive free improvisation vs. modern AI cloning apps29:14 - The legacy of OPtion Magazine and its focus on experimental musicBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To celebrate America's 250th birthday, we explore the wild stories of three legendary jazz musicians whose time in the US military permanently altered their musical paths. We start the conversation with Albert Ayler, who spent his Cold War deployment in France testing out his early free-jazz concepts on GI’s and civilians alike, eventually carrying those twisted military marches into his own quintets. Next, we look at John Coltrane’s strategic enlistment into the Navy to avoid the Army infantry, a move that led to his first public recordings at Pearl Harbor. Finally, we recount Henry Threadgill’s harrowing experience in Vietnam, where a controversial arrangement of "America the Beautiful" resulted in a front-line deployment, surviving the Tet Offensive, and returning home with a reshaped perspective that ultimately defined his compositional voice. Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode.Timestamps:00:00 - Celebrating America's 250th with jazz and military history00:42 - Albert Ayler joins the Army during the Cold War01:46 - Testing avant-garde solos in Parisian cafes and barracks04:01 - Weaponizing military marches in his later music05:14 - Listening to Ayler's 1959 Army band recordings08:23 - John Coltrane’s strategic enlistment in the US Navy11:17 - Kitchen patrol and the segregated military band at Pearl Harbor12:53 - Listening to Coltrane's first-ever recording in Honolulu16:47 - Henry Threadgill gets drafted out of Chicago17:48 - An avant-garde arrangement gets Threadgill sent to Vietnam18:46 - Trading a saxophone for an M-16 during the Tet Offensive20:31 - How surviving the war shaped Threadgill's compositionsBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We open the vault to launch "The Blind Pig," a new ongoing series featuring rare, unreleased bootleg recordings of legendary live performances. To kick things off, we go back exactly 22 years to June 25, 2004, at the Village Vanguard for the JVC Jazz Festival. The featured recording captures Uri Caine’s "Blue Wail" project, featuring Greg Osby, Drew Gress, and Ben Perowsky. We explore the context of the 2004 jazz scene while listening to the MiniDisc audio capture, and reflect on the era. Note: Please go find and enjoy the music of Uri Caine, Greg Osby, Drew Gress, and Ben Perowsky. A few clips of their music were reposted in this episode. Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Launching the Blind Pig bootleg series01:17 - Traveling back 22 years to June 25, 200401:46 - Uri Caine's Blue Wail at the JVC Jazz Festival03:35 - Cheesy Vanguard marketing and Uri Caine's legendary week-long run07:40 - The impressive audio quality of 2000s MiniDisc recorders10:08 - Disclaimer: Birch Grove Media makes zero money on these recordings10:36 - Listening to the trio swing and Ben Perowsky’s deep feel18:22 - Where Uri Caine, Greg Osby, and Drew Gress were in 200421:04 - Alan reflects on his sophomore year at William Paterson27:43 - Giving bass players generous solos and listening to Drew Gress32:03 - Listening to Greg Osby's original composition "Equalatogram"33:57 - Playing Osby charts in James Weidman's ensemble36:09 - OutroBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we take a step back to reintroduce the mission of Birch Grove Media and provide a behind the scenes tour of the studio driving the podcast. They detail their decade of experience in the industry, explaining the technical workflow of their sister company, Podfuel. The conversation transitions into a critique of AI editing tools, detailing why algorithmic cuts destroy conversational nuance and why human editors remain essential for quality short-form content. They also explore the podcast's role as a scene-building tool to support upcoming record releases and avant-garde musicians.Timestamps:00:00 - Reintroducing Birch Grove Media and Podfuel02:04 - A decade of podcasting experience turning into a business02:50 - Behind the scenes of the studio and camera setup04:34 - Timecode syncing and the technical workflow05:40 - Why Riverside beats Zoom for remote podcast recording06:53 - Using a teleprompter setup for direct eye contact07:27 - The documentary style of the show and skipping cheesy intros08:58 - Why AI ruins podcast edits and short-form content11:32 - Using AI strictly as an administrative tool for audio cleanup13:41 - A tour of the control room and audio gear14:45 - The human-led quality assurance process for Podfuel16:24 - Using the podcast to build the Birch Grove Media community18:33 - Calling for future guest recommendationsPodcast Footer:BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keyboardist and producer Carlos Homs sits down with Lindsay to trace his journey from the highly intellectual avant-garde jazz scene back to his roots in hip-hop production. Carlos shares stories from his time in the NJPAC Jazz for Teens program, watching a young Tyshawn Sorey play out-of-this-world piano, and cutting his teeth with heavyweights like Peter Evans and Steve Lehman. The conversation unpacks how Lehman’s Sélébéyone project and the psychotic work ethic of super-producer Cirkut pushed Carlos to team up with bassist Brady Watt and eventually work out of DJ Premier’s studio. They also tackle the debt traps of jazz education, the esoteric nature of channeling music, the 440Hz conspiracies behind his 2020 trio album, and the realities of collaborating with his wife, vocalist Jamie Homs.Please go find and enjoy the music of Aaron Burnett, Brady Watt and Steve Lehman. A few clips of their music was reposted in this episode, Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Couples working together & transitioning to hip-hop00:49 - Growing up on 90s hip-hop and discovering sampling02:03 - Entering the NJ jazz scene and meeting Tyshawn Sorey & Alan Bjorklund04:51 - The intense contrast between playing with Peter Evans and Steve Lehman06:26 - How Steve Lehman’s Sélébéyone brought Carlos back to hip-hop09:27 - Classical piano lessons and the unique New Jersey jazz ecosystem11:12 - NJPAC Jazz for Teens and Tyshawn Sorey's lunchtime concerts15:33 - Berklee dropouts, the problem with jazz education, and college debt22:57 - The Berklee networker who never paid tuition24:12 - Reconnecting with Brady Watt and working out of DJ Premier’s studio27:49 - Learning a "psychotic work ethic" from super-producer Cirkut34:07 - Treating music like entrepreneurship and overcoming the fear of failure37:22 - Is improvisation creating or channeling?45:21 - The Theory Conspiracy: Lizard people, 440Hz, and spontaneous studio albums52:39 - Navigating the industry and keeping collaborations organic with his wife, Jamie HomsBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drummer and composer Danny Sher sits down to discuss the tug-of-war between highly intellectualized composition and raw emotion. Danny breaks down his desire to dodge "accounting jazz" and write music that forces the audience to feel the rhythm before they can analyze it. Tracing his wild musical evolution, Danny shares hilarious early memories of acting as a "Dog Star Commander" mascot for Manchild, getting humbled at early sessions, and watching a young Tyshawn Sorey casually drum in 15. Danny explains his strategy for writing "jazz disguised as rock" with Horse Torso, navigating the brutal polyrhythms of Atomic Pigeons, and pivoting from insane technical compositions to the catchy verse-chorus songs that got Crippling Alcoholism signed to The Flenser.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Feeling the rhythm before judging the music00:38 - The "Dog Star Commander" mascot in Manchild05:10 - A humbling session07:06 - Sitting behind a young Tyshawn Sorey playing in 1508:48 - Forming Horse Torso and blending dissonance with relatable grooves13:42 - Discovering the Mathcore Index Podcast and playing Saint Vitus17:15 - Pivoting from insane technical music to catchy verse-chorus songs20:39 - Getting signed to The Flenser with Crippling Alcoholism24:42 - Dodging "accounting jazz" and focusing on emotion26:10 - Navigating the otherworldly polyrhythms of Atomic Pigeons & Shardik28:07 - Recording with legendary no-wave producer Martin Bisi30:33 - Peter Apfelbaum's early funk days with Les Claypool32:36 - Disguising jazz as rock: Writing for Travis Reuter and Andrew Smiley38:51 - Writing cliches head-on for the hardcore band Unsee40:04 - Outro: Keeping up with @HorseTorsoBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Special Edition episode, Lindsay and Alan tackle the massive disruption of Artificial Intelligence in music. They break down the controversy surrounding the first AI-generated Billboard charting artist, the fierce pushback from working musicians, and the surreal "uncanny valley" of algorithmic audio. Shifting to the jazz ecosystem, they analyze new tech like Neural Audio Synthesis and Stefon Harris’s Harmony Cloud, before subjecting themselves to some truly horrific Suno AI generations attempting to mimic modern jazz artists.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Going in blind on AI01:13 - Meet Xania Monet: The first AI artist on the Billboard R&B charts05:11 - Alan reacts to the cookie-cutter AI pop track in real-time09:45 - The Gayle King interview and the ethics of "putting in the work"16:18 - Kehlani’s backlash: AI stealing the spotlight from real musicians24:00 - The "Uncanny Valley" effect of perfectly tuned AI audio25:26 - Transitioning to the reality of AI in the Jazz ecosystem27:22 - Neural Audio Synthesis and improvising live with AI models31:40 - Stefon Harris’s Harmony Cloud ear-training app36:39 - Suno AI Experiments: Prompting an Eric Dolphy jazz standard43:24 - Forcing AI to simulate Tyshawn Sorey drumming for Steve Lehman46:30 - Why jazz audiences won't tolerate fake, algorithm-generated music49:09 - The Gen-Z analog revival and getting away from technology50:09 - Birch Grove Media's official anti-AI label stance51:04 - Outro: Podfuel and supporting human-made musicBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guitarist and composer Josh Lopes opens up about the intersection of classical chamber music discipline and underground experimentation. He walks through the collaborative history of Dither, the psychology of working directly under John Zorn, translating Laurie Spiegel’s planetary orbit tracking data to fretted instruments, and how an iPad mechanical failure turned a performance at the Stone into a living nightmare.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:25 - From Rhode Island to the Avant-Garde Scene01:46 - Euphoniums, Marching Band, and Transferring Schools03:44 - William Paterson University and the "Bossa Nova" Trap05:44 - Unlearning Jazz Robot Habits and Developing Soft Skills06:39 - Getting Academic Probation for Breaking Into Shea09:25 - The Difference Between Chamber Musicians and Jazz Players11:47 - Forming the Electric Guitar Quartet14:22 - The Intensity of Performing John Zorn's Game Pieces18:39 - A Shattered iPad During a Solo Bagatelle20:09 - A Weird Mother's Day Encounter with John Zorn22:23 - Playing "Rugby" at The Kitchen23:22 - Translating Laurie Spiegel's Electronic Scores26:50 - The Pretentious Venice Biennale Concert28:37 - Blasting White Noise for Sensory Deprivation Music33:03 - The $100 Vintage Japanese Guitar Project35:15 - Learning Tuvan Throat Singing in a Trader Joe's Milk Cooler37:37 - Discovering "Genghis Blues" and Ham Radio Harmonics41:56 - Teaching Music in Newark to Kids Who Don't Listen to Music44:29 - Replacing Standard Notation with YouTube QR Codes49:49 - Why Good Guitarists Secretly Have Mental Disorders51:13 - Missing the Grit of the Old StoneBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drummer Sam Ospovat discusses his technical evolution and the historical weight of performing with masters like Cecil Taylor. He breaks down the differences between the New York and Nordic music communities, the creation of his project Blight Music in a Brooklyn warehouse, and the discipline required to maintain a creative voice across different continents.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: The difficulty of moving to New York01:13 - Formative years at UC Santa Cruz04:16 - Mills College: An incubator for the avant-garde05:32 - Two weeks with Cecil Taylor: Focus and improvisation08:12 - Moving to NYC and the influence of mentors11:46 - Relocating to Finland and the Nordic scene19:07 - Classical music as a Finnish national identity26:19 - Rhythmic ratios: Composing with prime numbers29:39 - Virtuosity and the feeling of total abandon32:11 - The "Blight Music" concept and the warehouse scene39:51 - Writing for non-specialists in complex structures44:19 - Timbre and the intellectual component of music50:13 - The Brooklyn warehouse and the Blight Music festival56:10 - Identifying the true originals in the current era1:03:59 - How to find Sam Ospovat’s musicBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan and Lindsay Bjorklund explore the decade-long journey of the album Not Your Grandfather’s Jazz featuring Tyshawn Sorey, Matt Mitchell, Jeremy Viner, Travis Reuter, and Kim Cass. They break down the band history of Smirk, the process of recording world-class improvisers at GSI Studios, and why they chose to build an independent platform for creative music.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: Reflecting on the label’s first release01:00 - The origins of Smirk (2011 at Ibeam)02:00 - Smirk vs. Face: Electric and Acoustic quintets04:14 - Expanding to a sextet with Matt Mitchell09:29 - Personnel rotations and sub-players11:44 - Writing specifically for the 5-string electric bass12:04 - Bass chemistry with Tyshawn Sorey15:28 - Meeting Tyshawn Sorey and early collaborations19:51 - Inside the 2017 GSI recording session22:38 - The decision to fund a project and start a label25:58 - Interconnectedness: The Merry Poppins session30:05 - The Nublu release gig and the live energy31:14 - Tyshawn’s perfectly timed stick drop32:39 - Nostalgia for the 55 Bar and intimate spacesBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bassist Kevin Scott shares lessons from the road and the technical secrets of playing "out" while keeping the pocket. From touring with Gov't Mule to the manifestation stories that led to playing with his idols, Kevin discusses the necessity of artistic sacrifice and the "Dancing Poodle" analogy that defines the industry landscape.Timestamps:00:00 - The reality of the professional music environment00:26 - Touring with a "Raccoon Ambassador"03:49 - Tour Hacks: Bus etiquette and sideman logistics08:34 - Maintaining health and gym routines on the road09:53 - Resonant Paths: Hiring Greg Osby and Ryan Clackner13:42 - Manifestation: Joining Warren Haynes’ solo band20:46 - Handling nerves when playing when being a “fanboy”28:09 - The 55 Bar legacy and the 2026 NYC scene35:36 - Building collaborative communities through sacrifice44:19 - Playing "out" while maintaining the pocket49:31 - The "Abusive Partner" analogy: Double Bass vs. Electric53:14 - Electric Bass: The history of the "Ultimate Bastard" instrument56:26 - The Mythic Pursuit: Col. Bruce Hampton and moving to Atlanta01:06:16 - The Dancing Poodle Analogy: Why it always wins01:10:19 - Upcoming records with Matt Chamberlain and Ryan ClacknerBIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan and Lindsay Bjorklund join Matt Scollante to explore the intensive process of recording the new Bear Skinner album, Unobtainium. They discuss the technical challenge of live tracking during a snowstorm, the discipline of creating original audio patches, and the infrastructure required to document high-level creative music.BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keyboardist Trevor Lagrange joins the show to discuss the evolution of his creative voice and the necessity of visual entertainment in live music. He breaks down the history of the Brooklyn loft scene, the influence of his classical training, and the mental tools he uses to master the advanced rhythms of the Bear Skinner project.BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website at birchgrove.io Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Scollante interviews Alan Bjorklund on the technical and philosophical evolution of the producer's role in creative music. Alan breaks down the high-level vision for Birch Grove Media, his specific audio choices for the band Smirk, and the expansive influences that shape the label's identity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan & Lindsay Bjorklund and Ryan Clackner gather in Knoxville to review a weekend of live performance. They discuss the importance of "play" in improvised sets, the local venues that support the scene, and the long-awaited reunion duo of Ryan Clackner and Tyshawn Sorey.BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bassist Nick Jost joins Lindsay to discuss his "prepped-for-anything" mindset and the reality of the creative music scene. He breaks down his roots in St. Louis, his technical tools for learning odd meters, and why the best music comes from leaving your ego at the door.BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan and Lindsay break down the move from New York City to their new headquarters in Blairstown, NJ. They discuss the "obsessive" process of building a professional-grade home studio, the difficulty of booking bands in the city post-2022, and the local history of the Delaware Water Gap.BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaGet the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guitarist Ryan Clackner joins the show to discuss why jazz guitar often fails to harness the true power of the electric instrument. From the "incestuous" habits of guitar players to the soul-crushing influence of academia, Ryan breaks down what’s wrong with the scene today—and why he had to move to the "Bermuda Triangle of Appalachia" to find his own voice.Timestamps:01:30 - The "Sound Riddle": From Holdsworth to Scofield 03:49 - The hurdle of "straight-ahead" proficiency 11:10 - How the "classical sickness" infected jazz 16:46 - From eighth-grade Metallica to jazz band 22:03 - The cultural importance of the Garwood Crossroads scene 28:31 - Why Nashville actually "hates musicians" 37:43 - Details on the upcoming Big Ears Festival duo performance BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch the episodes: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaSupport the music: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Visit our site to shop our latest physical media and vinyl releases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the debut episode, founders Alan and Lindsay discuss why they decided to "choose themselves" and launch Birch Grove Media. They break down the importance of physical media, the roles of a creative director versus a label manager, and why their podcast won't sound like your typical "soothing" NPR jazz show. Timestamps:01:15 - Looking back at the first release: Smirk 02:37 - What makes a Birch Grove Media project? 09:00 - The philosophy of independent publishing 10:47 - Why we insist on 180g vinyl and gatefold packaging 14:45 - Building a label from scratch (literally, including the fonts) 20:54 - Introducing the quartet: Bear Skinner BIRCH GROVE MEDIAWeb: birchgrove.ioFollow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.Watch the episodes: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMediaSupport the music: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Visit our site to shop our latest physical media and vinyl releases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.