Baltimore Underground Radio Podcast

BURP host Bronson Hoover interviews Baltimore local and soulfully talented multi-instrumentalist Jason Butcher. Learn about his musical styles and the long road to redemption crawling out of the depths of depression and substance abuse. 

Burp host Bronson Hoover interviews Nikki Lerner, a nationally recognized artist, culture coach, author and speaker. Lerner empowers others to be "reconcilers" through music, love, and conversation. She has released four studio music projects, authored two books, and is the host of the Culture Coach Podcast.

Piper Greenbaum interviews rapper, singer/songwriter and activist Eze Jackson, a staple in the Baltimore Music Scene for over  15 years. As frontman of the band Soul Cannon as well as a solo artist,  he brings high energy and authentic Baltimore to any performance.  Jackson is also CEO of newly established Indie Label “EPIC  FAM”.

Marc  Cary has been a leader in jazz for decades. As a band leader he’s  released over ten albums pushing boundaries in jazz. He’s worked with  legends like Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, Dizzy Gillespie, and Wynton  Marsalis. He’s performed and recorded with modern chanteuses like  Ndegeocello, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Ani Di Franco. In recent years  he’s collaborated with Stephon Harris and Roy Hargrove on a weekly  series called the Harlem Sessions. Visit www.marccary.com for his complete bio and discography. Tinku Bhattacharyya is a powerful advocate for artist rights management  with a PhD from Glasgow University. Raised in Scotland, Tinku rose  quickly in artist management in Glasgow and London. In addition to  managing her husband Marc’s career, she’s currently the manager for  legendary saxophonist Gary Bartz. She’s overseen the careers of dozens  of artists including Grammy nominated group KING, Shuggie Otis, Amp  Fiddler, and Incognito. She speaks passionately about how artists can  navigate through the current music business world by controlling their  metadata and understanding mechanical licensing. Every musician needs to hear what Tinku has to say. Find out more about her agency Intrinsic Artists on their website: www.intrinsicartists.com. Marc and Tinku moved to Baltimore a  few months ago to get away from the pandemic in New York. Together they  make the ultimate music power couple. Smarts and talents to spare. This  is a conversation with something for everyone on the scene.

Letitia VanSant’s lyrics are as personal as they are political, tracing questions of power into the human heart. With sparse indie folk arrangements fortifying a distinctly intimate vocal style, her down-to-earth stage presence has been described as vibrant and approachable. Paste Magazine named her among 10 Artists to Watch in 2020, BBC Radio says she is “a fascinating new artist,” and PopMatters called her “a consummate reflection of a rising Americana star.” Her latest release, Circadian, is available on Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music and more.

For Episode 10, Host Piper Greenbaum interviews sound engineer and music producer Wendel Patrick. Wendel  Patrick has been referred to as "David Foster Wallace reincarnated as a sound engineer" by Urbanite Magazine and as "wildly talented" by the  Baltimore Sun. He has been referred to by XLR8R magazine as "a hip-hop  producer that could easily make any fan of Squarepusher, Boards of  Canada, or Madlib flip out." The alter-ego of classical and jazz pianist  Kevin Gift, Wendel Patrick is rapidly making a name for himself as a  producer to be recognized. His five albums, Sound:, Forthcoming, JDWP, Passage, and Travel were all produced without the use of sampling, with Patrick playing  every note of every instrument. What is perhaps most astounding and  perplexing to listeners is that there are actually no instruments...he  crafts all of the instruments, and every note, electronically. Learn more about Wendel Patrick at wendelpatrick.com

This week BURP host Bronson Hoover interviews the lighting director for RatDog and Gogol Bordello: Groove. Don’t miss it, it’s a wild ride! (photo courtesy the great Jay Blakesberg)

In an upcoming interview, Host Piper Greenbaum interviews Alex Petropulos, the drummer for the high-energy, psychedelic rock band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong out of  Baltimore, MD. He has been touring nationally with Pigeons for the last 5  years, and they recently released their fifth studio album, “Presto”,  available on all major streaming platforms. To learn more about the band, visit Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.  If you enjoyed this episode and would like to hear more, support the Burp Media Undergraound Radio Podcast on Patreon. 

BURP Host Pete Strobl interviews drummer, engineer and producer Nick Bertling of Bertling Noise Laboratories.  Nick Bertling established himself as a drummer for hire in the Baltimore  area in the late 90's, and worked in tons of cover and original bands  until leaving the area 5 years ago. He's also been working as a solo  artist since 2012 as the sole member of "bertling noise laboratories"  acting as the writer, musician, singer and engineer. He's also branched  out into remote drum recording and mixing services since relocating to  Indiana in 2019. His sound is likened to the sloppy 60's combined with cocaine-fueled 1980's with slick production values, influenced by Todd Rundgren, Paul McCartney, Frank Zappa, Emitt Rhodes, Kevin Gilbert, and 10CC.

In Episode 6, host Bronson Hoover sits down with his old friend Scott Paynter to talk about religion, politics, and surviving the COVID-era.  Jah Works began at Loyola University as a Bob Marley tribute band with a  bunch of college buddies who loved reggae. They cut their teeth on the  streets of Europe during a study abroad program, and then almost  overnight became a Baltimore staple. They’ve played in Jamaica, Europe,  the Middle East and Asia. They’ve traveled together to the North Pole  and been in the presence of the Pope. Their on-stage chemistry is not an  act, and after nearly 30 years together their love for each other is  still strong. Scott and Bronson tackle the troubles of the world in this  episode. Don’t miss it. Learn more about Scott and Jah Works, visit www.jahworks.com Enjoyed it? Take a second to support our work on Patreon. Supporters have access to early release episodes and bonus content. 

Guitarist, Educator, administrator  Charles Simon was kind enough to sit down with Pete Strobl for a  conversation exploring the role of music education in today’s world of  accelerating technology. Charles, a Berklee-educated guitarist deep in the local recording and  performance scene, stands at the helm of Stages Music Arts, the state  of the art  music education, performance and recording complex in  Cockeysville, Maryland. As the facility’s General Manager, he has been  instrumental in making music education and performance an important  element in the area Listen in as Pete and Charles discuss how Stages is using cutting  edge technology to get young musicians off on the path to success. Learn more about Stages at https://www.stagesmusicarts.com/ Learn more about Charles and his band at https://www.facebook.com/mitchandaccomplices Enjoyed it? Take a second to support our work on Patreon. Supporters have access to early release episodes and bonus content.

In Episode 3, Piper Greenbaum Interviews Darius  Christian.    One word describes Darius Christian as a musician: VERSATILE. Producer, songwriter, trombone and bass player,  Darius delivers creatively crafted songwriting, featuring eclectic  storytelling, spoken word, soaring vocals, punchy brass instruments,  synth colors, and a pulsating steady groove. His music is edgy and laid  back, crunchy indie rock meets 90’s hip hop and RnB, colorings of jazz  influence and harmony.  As an independent artist/producer Darius’s music has been synced on Vice  and has landed numerous TV placements with clients including  Vice/HBO/Showtime & Cheerios. Baltimore-raised, and Brooklyn reborn, Darius earned a master’s  degree from NYU in jazz studies.  His credits include extensive touring  and recording work with Gwen Stefani, Macklemore, The Jonas Brothers,  Leslie Odom Jr, Thomas Rhett, Trombone Shorty, Solange, Adele, Bastille,  and Ricky Martin.   TV appearances include Saturday Night Live, Seth Meyers, Tonight show  Steven Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, CMT Music Awards, Good Morning America,  MTV VMAS, Dick Clark New Year’s Eve, NBC’s Song-land, and a number of  international televised events. Learn more about Darius at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/66jXqW0BTJEH14cra11OtM Enjoyed it? Take a second to support our work on Patreon. Supporters have access to early release episodes and bonus content. 

In this bonus episode, Nan and Pete discuss their setup for recording this podcast. Enjoyed it? Take a second to support our work on Patreon. Supporters have access to early release episodes and bonus content.

In Episode 2, host Pete Strobl interviews Clutch drummer Jean-Paul Gaster. “I first became aware of Jean Paul Gaster when I watched a video of  the band Clutch. Neil Fallon had contacted me about doing some vocal  work and my first move was to watch him sing to see what I might have in  store. About halfway through Electric Worry, I found my focus being  drawn to the drum kit. “Who is THIS guy?” I asked myself. There was a  whole lot of drumming going on here and all of it was interesting as  hell. In working with singers around town, I learned that “This Guy” was  called Jean Paul Gaster, or J.P. and that he was sitting behind the kit  on a host of very diverse recording and performance projects. It doesn’t  seem to matter if it is Blues, Progressive Rock, traditional R&B,  Funk—J.P. is not only at home in every genre, he makes his presence felt  with authority and a feel that is unmistakably his alone Listening to J.P. Gaster play drums is an all-you-can-eat  rhythmic buffet. His signature voice keeps you getting up to fill your  plate again and again. I think you’ll find that listening to J.P. talk  about his influences, his goals and his musical choices will be every  bit as rewarding as seeing him with Clutch as well as his many side  projects. Tune in as J.P. and I explore his musical roots, how he  chooses drums and what goes through his mind in the studio and on the  concert stage.” —Pete Strobl To learn more about Jean-Paul Gaster, visit Clutch online. Enjoyed it? Take a second to support our work on Patreon. Supporters have access to early release episodes and bonus content.

In our first episode, Mary Prankster joins BURP host Bronson Hoover in an intimate conversation inside the making of her latest album  “Thickly Settled.” They delve into Mary’s writing process, eponymous  freedom, rabid fans, and sanity in the COVID era.Mary Prankster is the  epitome of Baltimore talent. She’s edgy and funky. Her lyrics ping-pong  between filth and innocence in a celebration of Baltimore’s Ravens,  Natty Boh, and Cal Ripkin. Mary went into semi-retirement a decade ago.  But when she pops her head up, her loyal fans fill every venue. Her live  show is a collaborative experience with her audience … a Cabaret with  Mary as the Master of Ceremonies.Her 2019 album Thickly Settled is a  genre-bending journey that flexes all of Mary’s songwriting muscles. She  brought in some of the area’s top talent and covered a lot of  ground.You can hear her album or watch the recently released “Live at  the Ottobar” video online at www.maryprankster.com. Mary requested any fans wanting to give back to please donate to Black Lives Matter. Enjoyed it? Take a second to support our work on Patreon. Supporters have access to early release episodes and bonus content.