Shows
HallwaysAengus FinnanIn January 2020, the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame journeyed to New Orleans for the annual Folk Alliance International Conference. The meeting brought together the artists and supporters who keep storytelling alive and well, and it is a unique opportunity for all musicians of different generations and styles to listen, perform and learn. Over the next 3 months, the Hallways team will bring the meeting to you through music and conversation… starting with Executive Director of the FAI, Aengus Finnan. Since 2014, Aengus has led the Alliance, and he happens to be the first non-American Director – A Dublin-born, Canadian-raised artist...2020-02-2123 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationHallways Episode 002 - Patty GriffinYou’ve hopefully heard us talk about a new project we have in partnership with the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame – a podcast called Hallways. If you haven’t been to the FARHOF, you should check it out. You can visit FolkAmericanaRootsHallofFame.org for information, but basically The Hall is housed in the Wang Theatre in Boston and it celebrates the history of Folk, Americana and Roots music through displays, memorabilia, artifacts, multi-media, lectures and concerts. As much as any city in the country, Boston has been the musical birthplace for the styles and artists...2020-02-2019 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationBestor Cram: JFK - The Last SpeechWe met with Bestor to talk about JFK - The Last Speech – the very last public speech John F. Kennedy gave before he was assassinated three weeks later. We were fortunate to have a special guest Roger Hirschberg join us who was actually present at Amherst College when JFK gave the speech.
It made for a great discussion.
For more episodes, please visit www.abovethebasement.com2020-02-0812 min
HallwaysHallways - An IntroductionThis is an introduction to a new podcast called Hallways - the official podcast of the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame in Boston, Massachusetts. (www.folkamericanarootshalloffame.org)Hosted by Chuck Clough and Ronnie Hirschberg from the Boston based podcast Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation. (www.abovethebasement.com)Music by Honeysuckle (www.honeysuckleband.com)
2019-12-0106 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationICS009 - Circus TreesHere is the long awaited live acoustic set that the wonderful Circus Trees performed for us after their episode back in June of 2019. They played three songs for us - two from their amazing album Sakura and a new one that we hope will be on their next album. Please enjoy, share, and then purchase their music at circustrees.bandcamp.com. You can listen to their great episode at www.abovethebasement.com. Recorded on June 10, 2019 at Woods Hill Table, in Concord Massachusetts. Song List: Song 1: The Theft...2019-07-1617 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationIn Concert Series 009 - A Far CryA performance by A Far Cry - Live at City Winery Boston - February 28, 2019 in Boston, MA. Recorded after our fourth ConcertCast - a conversation and performance in front of a live audience. To listen to the entire conversation, go here: http://abovethwww.abovethebasement.com/131-a-far-cry Johannes Brahms, Viola Quintet in G Major, Op. 111 Antonín Dvorák : The Terzetto in C, Op. 74 (B. 148)
2019-03-2945 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 106 - Chris TrapperOur very first ConcertCast with Brent Shuttleworth was an experiment. Have our guest play a few, sit with us for 20 minutes or so and have a Q&A in front of a live audience followed by a full performance. It was an amazing evening and Brent brought the house down. So we decided to up our game. Back in June we met at the beautiful City Winery in Boston in front of a sold out Haymarket Lounge for our second ConcertCast with prolific Singer-Songwriter and front man for Boston’s own The Push Stars Chris Tr...2018-07-2543 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 102 - James Burton and Will KoffelWe took a trip to beautiful Symphony Hall in early June to sit with Tanglewood Festival Chorus Conductor and Boston Symphony Orchestra Choral Director James Burton. Joining us was choir member by night and Google start-up entrepreneur by day, Will Koffel. We talked the ins and outs of working in a chorus, conducting 250 or so choral members, singing in different languages, the blending of the many different voices in a chorus and the wonders of being onstage with Pete Townsend during the epic production of Quadrephenia. Song List: Song 1: Thompson: Alleluia (James Burton...2018-06-2844 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 101 - Jim OlsenWith a background in radio, Jim Olsen co-founded Signature Sounds with Mark Thayer in Northampton, MA in 1995 and works with some of the finest singer-songwriter, Americana, modern folk and rock musicians around, including Kris Delmhorst, Lake Street Dive, Twisted Pine, Chris Smither, Peter Mulvey, Erin McKeown, Josh Ritter and Lori McKenna - to name just a few. He helped guide Signature Sounds through the internet era while fostering a community of musicians who not only have their own projects but have collaborated with other Signature artists to create 'supergroups' like Redbird, Barnstar! and The Pine Hill Project.2018-06-2036 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 099 - Mickey Hart - Part TwoMeet Mickey Hart: part philosopher, scientist, shaman…and passionate drummer. Mickey and The Grateful Dead have offered up the groove and the melody for some of the most iconic themes of our generation. He is a musicologist, a student of polyrhythms and a believer in the connections we all have to rhythm. Mickey has two Grammys and has collaborated with a Nobel Prize in Physics winner, stem-cell researchers and neuroscientists including the late, great Oliver Sacks. He is a true supporter of music therapy and the mechanisms behind the healing power of music for not on...2018-06-1536 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 098 - Mickey Hart - Part OneMeet Mickey Hart: part philosopher, scientist, shaman…and passionate drummer. Mickey and The Grateful Dead have offered up the groove and the melody for some of the most iconic themes of our generation. He is a musicologist, a student of polyrhythms and a believer in the connections we all have to rhythm. Mickey has two Grammys and has collaborated with a Nobel Prize in Physics winner, stem-cell researchers and neuroscientists including the late, great Oliver Sacks. He is a true supporter of music therapy and the mechanisms behind the healing power of music fo...2018-06-1332 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationOn Your Feet with Above The Basement - Take 5 Tuesday - A New BroadwayLadies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet! Here is our final installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. We are pleased to share with you portions of that conversation with our Take 5 Tuesday episodes.2018-06-1107 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 097 - Tony and Angela DiTerlizziIllustrator and author Tony Diterlizzi got his start drawing for Dungeons & Dragons but soon began "worldbuilding" though his books that include Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure, The Spider and Fly and with writer Holly Black The Spiderwick Chronicles to name only a few of his wonderful books. Angela has worked as a make-up artist in film and TV including Saturday Night Live and MTV and musicians including Dave Matthews Band, Duran Duran and Depeche Mode and is the author of several award winning children's books that include Say What, Some Bugs and Baby Love. ...2018-06-0641 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationOn Your Feet with Above The Basement - Take 5 Tuesday - Crash and RecoveryLadies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet! Here is our fourth installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. We are pleased to share with you portions of that conversation with our Take 5 Tuesday episodes.2018-06-0406 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 096 - Ashe GordonViolist and holistic educator, Ashe has played all over the world with a number orchestras and ensembles, and has collaborated with many living composers including Thomas Adès, Steve Reich, and Jeffrey Mumford to name just a few. She has become a voice for social change through her work as Artistic Director of Castle of our Skins – a Boston-based concert and educational series devoted to celebrating Black Artistry through music and is currently working with the Cross Cultural Collective a Black arts collaborative that elevates, celebrates, and promotes African diasporic arts and their creators in Boston and bey...2018-05-3040 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationOn Your Feet with Above The Basement - Take 5 Tuesday - Conga TimeLadies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet! Here is our third installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. Every Tuesday for the next 3 weeks, we are pleased to share with you portions of that...2018-05-2806 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationOn Your Feet with Above The Basement - Take 5 Tuesday - The CrossoverLadies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet!: Here is our second installment of Take 5 Tuesday where we offer you a snippet of the conversation with On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to the Broadway stage. Every Tuesday for the next 3 weeks, we are pleased to share with you portions of that...2018-05-2108 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 94 - Town MeetingWe sat with Luke, Russ and Brendan Condon - three brothers from the Boston band Town Meeting a few weeks ago and it quickly went off the rails. In between several simultaneous conversations we talked tipping, harmonies, Lavar Burton, acoustic music, playing live for a guy and his dog, the meaning of the word Cajon, podcasts…we were all over the place. But it was certainly a hoot. These guys sound great and are amazing live. Enjoy! Song List: Song 1: Dirty Ol' Demon Song 2: Till I Die Song 3: In Th...2018-05-1646 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationOn Your Feet with Above The Basement - Take 5 Tuesday - New MachineLadies and Gentlemen and all fans of On Your Feet!: We would like to introduce you to the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan as told in the Broadway national tour of ON YOUR FEET! The Musical. You can now hear about it from the perspective of On Your Feet! band members Jorge Casas (bass) and Clay Ostwald (music director/keyboards), two of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine. Our friends at Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation podcast sat down with these fine musicians who helped bring their iconic songs to t...2018-05-1306 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationIn Concert Series 006 - Brent Shuttleworth - Live at RapscallionsA performance by Brent Shuttleworth - Live at Rapscallions - April 11, 2018 in Acton MA. Recorded after our first ConcertCast - a conversation and performance in front of a live audience. To listen to the entire conversation, go here: http://abovetheb.libsyn.com/episode-093-brent-shuttleworth Song List: Song 1: Black Swan Song 2: Doc Brown Song 3: This Must Be Love Song 4: Just You and Me Song 5: Where We Begin Song 6: She Was A Dancer Song 7: Money Ain't Everything Join us at Above The Basement! Go to www.patreon.com/abovethebasement f...2018-05-1246 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 093 - Brent ShuttleworthWhen we got word that Brent Shuttleworth was coming to town, we saw it as an opportunity to celebrate the Nashville / Boston connection, new and old friends, and experience a fresh unique style of songwriting and performing. We wanted to do something new so we gathered some ATB friends and fans together at Rapscallions Table and Tap in Acton, MA and did our first LIVE episode that we are calling a ConcertCast. Brent immersed himself into the audience with his music and strong spirit. He worked his craft of combining a classic singer-songwriter vibe along...2018-05-0937 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 092 - Dutch ReBelleHip-Hop artist and proud "Queen of the Bean", Dutch ReBelle has earned national attention for her lyrical punch and powerful performances. In 2014 she was named the Boston Music Awards “Best Hip-Hop Artist” and continues to make her mark in the fantastic Boston Hip-Hop scene. We talk about her Haitian roots, food, her experience in the Congo and her foray from pre-law into a hip-hop force to be reckoned with. Song List: Song 1: I Can't Song 2: Sunday Morning (feat. Amandi) Song 3: No Less (ReBelle Diaries) Song 4: Stripper (feat. 6ixlayne & Prince Smooth) 2018-05-0244 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 091 - On Your FeetON YOUR FEET! The musical is a story of rhythm and resilience. It covers the lives of Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio Estefan to and through success, and tells a story of setbacks and love. The foundation is built upon music and at its core is the legendary Miami Sound Machine. We sat down with Jorge Casas and Clay Ostwald of the original members of the Miami Sound Machine, who help bring all these iconic songs to the Broadway stage. We talk about the tour and the transition of pop-Latin-jazz to theater, the accident...2018-04-2349 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 090 - Cambridge Rindge & Latin HSWhat is the first song that comes right to your mind? When you think of the world around us, or a social issue - why does this song resonate? These are the kinds of questions we asked the students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School as part of a music and society discussion. While we always look try to raise these important questions during our conversations, we can’t take credit for this one... it was senior Natalia Ruiz who spotted an ATB sticker somewhere in Cambridge, looked us up and proposed a c...2018-04-2047 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 089 - Ryan MontbleauWe first saw Ryan Montbleau back in 2012 in Boston on a Rock and Blues Cruise that featured the Ryan Montbleau Band. It was a full boat and was packed with Ryan Montbleau fans and the band totally rocked the house. Or rather the boat. The singer-songwriter and bandleader has been a relentless road warrior. His last album called I Was Just Leaving is a bit more introspective than his previous but certainly shows off his songwriting chops. His most recent project is a duo with the wonderful Hayley Jane called Yes Darling. Our occasional co-host...2018-04-1154 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 088 - Wu ManInternationally acclaimed soloist, composer and educator, Wu Man is a master of the Pipa, an instrument that dates back almost 2000 years. Wu Man co-founded The Silkroad Project with Yo-Yo Ma and has collaborated with many illustrious composers including Phillip Glass, Tan Dun and Terry Riley and has written for The Kronos Quartet. In 1998 she was awarded The Bunting Fellowship at Harvard University and was the first Chinese traditional musician to receive The United States Artist Fellowship in 2008. We caught up with her on tour with the Huayin Shadow Puppet Band at New England Conservatory's Jordan...2018-04-0439 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 087 - Jonatha BrookeJonatha Brooke's first band - the critically acclaimed The Story with the talented Jennifer Kimball was the beginning of an impressive run of beautifully written songs that today culminate in her latest project – a Broadway musical play called My Mother Has 4 Noses. Currently touring the US, this musical play explores her relationship with her mother who suffered the devastating effects of Alzheimer's. We caught up with her just before she played a fantastic concert at City Winery Boston and talked first kisses (don’t worry we bleeped out names to protect the innocent), alternate tunings, Wood...2018-03-2844 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 086 - David Minehan - Part TwoThis is part two of a two part episode. We met Sir David Minehan when we walked up the stairs to the wonderful rooms of his recording studio Woolly Mammoth Sound to begin recording our Butler Frog EP. David is in the seminal Boston band The Neighborhoods that won the very first WBCN Rock 'N' Roll Rumble in 1979 and has toured with David Bowie, The Ramones and Cheap Trick among others. He has since been running Woolly Mammoth Sound for 20 years while also taking time to tour with Paul Westerberg and The Replacements...2018-03-2333 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 085 - David Minehan - Part OneWe met Sir David Minehan when we walked up the stairs to the wonderful rooms of his recording studio Woolly Mammoth Sound to begin recording our Butler Frog EP. David is in the seminal Boston band The Neighborhoods that won the very first WBCN Rock 'N' Roll Rumble in 1979 and has toured with David Bowie, The Ramones and Cheap Trick among others. He has since been running Woolly Mammoth Sound for 20 years while also taking time to tour with Paul Westerberg and The Replacements as their lead guitarist. The Neighborhoods just completed recording...2018-03-2132 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 084 - RIPE - Part TwoThis is part two of our conversation with RIPE so if you haven’t heard the first, go to abovethebasement.com/episodes to listen. Coming out of Berklee College of Music, RIPE has been called many things - from neo-soul to funk/pop to jam band - but whatever genre they fall into, their infectious licks, lyrical grooves and high energy performances made us immediate fans. We sat with 3/7ths of the band out in Allston, MA a week or so after seeing blow away the crowd a The Paradise. Singer Robbie Wulfsohn and guitarists To...2018-03-1630 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 083 - RIPE - Part OneComing out of Berklee College of Music, RIPE has been called many things - from neo-soul to funk/pop to jam band - but whatever genre they fall into, their infectious licks, lyrical grooves and high energy performances made us immediate fans. We sat with 3/7ths of the band out in Allston, MA a week or so after seeing them blow away the crowd at The Paradise. Singer Robbie Wulfsohn and guitarists Tory Geismar and Jon Becker joined us for a conversation about their roots, vision, and the love they have for the fans - which is...2018-03-1439 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 013 - Ali McGuirkSinger-songwriter Ali McGuirk has made quite a name for herself this past year or so with her amazing singing voice and fabulous band backing her up. Steve Morse in The Boston Globe named her one of sixteen artists to look forward to hearing in 2016. She just finished her first self-titled EP. See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. Join us! Learn more at www.patreon.com/abovethebasement.
2016-10-0939 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 012 - Bruce MarshallBruce is a New England institution and has been in various bands including Bruce Marshall and The Clue and was a member of the Toy Caldwell Band. He has opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Daniels, The Outlaws, The Beach Boys...the list goes on and on. His current bands include The Bruce Marshall Group as well as The Nor'easters and he is also half of the Montgomery and Marshall acoustic duo with bluesman James Montgomery. See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. Join us! Learn more at www.patreon.com/abovethebasement.
2016-10-0652 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 011 - David G. MooreDavid G. Moore, also known across the pond as Malin, is a prolific singer and songwriter and the talented lead guitarist in the band The Butler Frogs. David recently released a new album called High Tide Adventures. Ron and I are proud to call David our friend and we can’t say enough about his talents. We had a nice conversation where we talked about his history and thoughts on recording and we were fortunate to have him play a song at the conclusion of our conversation from his earlier album Never The First To Jump called Goo...2016-09-2243 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 010 - State of the Conversation with Chuck Clough and Ronnie HirschbergThe State of the Conversation with hosts Chuck Clough and Ronnie Hirschberg. We discuss how things are going, what we hope to do and our current projects. See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. Join us! Learn more at www.patreon.com/abovethebasement.
2016-09-1514 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 009 - Will DaviesDrummer, guitarist, singer and songwriter extraordinaire Will Davies joins us this time around. Will is currently with the band Big Giant but has been in numerous other bands you may have heard of including New Million Box, The Elderly and Kingsley Flood. Mr. Davies is also a pretty smart guy and he is currently getting his masters in psychotherapy. We had a great conversation with Will and we were also fortunate enough to have singer Andrea Kremer join us. Andrea is also the proprietor of a music-marketing agency called Shake and Howdy. See more of...2016-09-0840 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 008 - Perry BakalosGuitarist Perry Bakalos heads The Perry Bakalos Group and is a member of the award winning band Atlas Soul. Perry is also an electrical engineer and has his own recording studio called Erudite Effects.Mr. Bakalos has been a great help to Ronnie and I trying to get our recording rig up to speed but his improvisational skills on the guitar are what really blow us away.You can check out his music and all his other projects at www.perrybakalos.com.You will hear a cut off of his Essential Hazzard album...2016-08-2444 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 007 - Britt ConnorsBritt Connors is a fantastic singer-songwriter and guitarist. She came out with her first solo album in 2010 called The Bad Side of Good. She is now playing with her “yall-ternative” band comprised of some of Boston's most in-demand musicians called Bourbon Renewal. Their most recent album is called Warmer Season and was released to a sold out crowd at the venerable Club Passim. Check her out at www.brittconnors.com. See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. Join us! Learn more at www.patreon.com/abovethebasement.
2016-07-2641 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 006 - Jen KearneyJen is a talented singer-songwriter and pianist who combines funk, jazz, latin and pop. We sat with her to talk about what makes her songwriting come together, her influences, baking skills and mutual affinity for all things bovine... See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. Join us! Learn more at www.patreon.com/abovethebasement.
2016-07-2544 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 005 - Siri SmedvigArtist and violinist, Siri grew up in an artistic family in Seattle and has played the violin since the age of 7. She has played with the Boston Pops and many other Boston freelance orchestras and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center with the American Symphony. Our friend and sometime drummer Jonathan Beakley fills in for Ronnie Hirschberg this time around as Ronnie is in the studio working on a documentary soundtrack. As you will soon hear, we met Siri under somewhat unusual circumstances at a Butler Frog gig. Our conversation covers a lot of groun...2016-07-1441 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 004 - Samantha DeSuzeRadio DJ and Renaissance woman, Sam is a seasoned radio vet and has been on the radio dial all over New England and is currently on WCTK Cat Country at 98.1 FM and also at WATD on the South Shore at 95.9 FM. Chuck Clough and guest host Jonathan Beakley (sitting in for Ronnie Hirschberg) spoke with Sam at Woods Hill Table in Concord Massachusetts to talk about her radio heritage, the state of terrestrial radio and other projects she plans on beginning this year. See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. ...2016-06-3035 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 003 - Flynn CohenFlynn Cohen is an acoustic guitarist from the American folk band Low Lily – formerly called Annalivia. Flynn has performed all over the world with many notable acts in traditional and contemporary acoustic music including legendary Irish accordion player John Whelan, as well as solo and duo shows playing music from his four solo albums. We sat with Flynn at Woods Hill Table in Concord, Massachusetts and discussed how he came to Boston, how he approaches writing and his many musical travels from Cleveland to Boston to Brattleboro, Vermont. See more of who we are at www.a...2016-06-1641 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 002 - Alison KeslowPerformer, composer, session bassist and the leader of The Alison Keslow Group, she has shared the stage as well as recording credits with many artists, including Joan Armatrading, Jerry Marotta, Tony Levin, John Sebastian and Mindi Abair. Alison has two solo albums - "Between Earth and Sky" released in 2003 more recently in 2014 "Bass Dharma". Alison is currently on the summer faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is co-owner with her husband of Sudbury School of Music in Sudbury, Massachusetts. When we began discussing who to have on as our first gu...2016-06-1543 min
Above The Basement - Boston Music and ConversationEpisode 001 - Chuck Clough & Ronnie HirschbergThe first conversation with hosts Chuck Clough and Ronnie Hirschberg. They discuss how Above the Basement came to be, what they hope to do and their current projects. See more of who we are at www.abovethebasement.com. Join us! Learn more at www.patreon.com/abovethebasement.
2016-06-1514 min