Episode 728: Hard Proof

Hello gang! Four time Austin Music Award winners,  Stephen Bidwell and Joe Wollard from Austin Afrobeat band, Hard Proof are my guests for episode 728! Hard Proof is celebrating a decade of being a band and playing next weekend at Waterloo Music Festival here in Austin. You can fnd their music, videos, show dates and more at hardproofmusic.com. We have a great conversation about Afrobeat, how they came together as a band, working with producers Adrian Quesada and Frenchie Smith, touring with a big band and much more. I had a great time getting to know these fine gentlemen. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
Ciao! - JG

Episode 666: John Spiece / Adam Sultan Stops By!

Hello friends! Drummer/percussionist extraordinaire, John Spiece is my guest for episode 666! You might know John from Grupo Fantasma, Brownout, Brown Sabbath, Money Chicha, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Kalu James & The Electric Joint and many, many more. Grupo Fantasma just finished recording new music at Sonic Ranch out in Tornillo, TX, Brownout is playing some dates and Kalu James is about to head out on the road, so John has a busy February. John and i have a great conversation about heading to Denton to learn percussion, touring with Hairy Apes BMX, the magical music scene of North Texas in the early 90's, doing the Brown Sabbath thing for Ozzy himself and much, much more! Plus, Adam Sultan stops by to talk about his brilliant, new podcast, "Friends With Deficits" where he has candid conversations with friends that have rare dideases. Adam's intelligence, big heart and phenomenal sense of humor make this show a great listen. Check it out here friendswithdeficitspodcast.com Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 651: Kalu & The Electric Joint

Hello friends! Kalu James from kalu & The Electric Joint returns to the show today! Kalu has gone through some changes since his last visit to our show. Since his father's passing, he joined forces with his talented guitar playing co-writer, JT Holt and along with co-producer Brett Orrison they've made an amazing album about loss and redemption, Time Undone. Through the process of making the album and healing in life, Kalu ditched the nightly restaurant gigs and focused his energy on making an album with purpose. It's paid off. Kalu and I have a great conversation about comeing together with JT and making music, getting rid of his anger, becoming a U.S. citizen, making Time Undone, his connections to Widespread Panic and more. I always have a great time chatting with Kalu. Enjoy. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 638: Continental Drift Returns!

Hello friends! David Dalton from Afrocentric/Latin/funk/soul/psychedelic nine-piece band, Continental Drift, returns to the show. They're releasing their amazing album, The Tide, next Friday, November 3rd on vinyl. They'll be celebrating with a "vinyl release" party that same night at Cheer Up Charlie's here in Austin with special guests, Hard Proof and Superfonicos. Find out more about their schedule, music and more go to continentaldriftmusic.com David and I have a great conversation about making The Tide and working with Adriend Quesada and Alex Maas, the trials of a nine-piece band, getting into engineering, microphones and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down! 
Ciao! -JG

Episode 632: Ley Line / The Butcher's Ball

I'm gonna miss you, Tom Petty.
Hello friends! Kate Robberson, Emilie Basez, Madeleine Froncek, Lydia Froncek from the world music/folk, multilingual band, Ley Line are my guests for episode 632! Their latest release, Field Notes is available wherever you stream your jams. You can find the album, their tour dates, videos and more at leylinesound.com We have a great conversation about their three month tour of Brazil, learning talking drum in Africa, the influence of folk music from all around the world on the music they make, they perform a gorgeous a cappella song and much, much more! I had a great time getting to know these amazingly talented women. I'm sure you will too. Plus, the founders of The Butcher's Ball check in via Skype. The Butcher's Ball is a food and drink event that highlights local ranchers, farmers and chefs dedicated to ethical and sustainable farming and ranching practices. The Butcher's Ball takes place Sunday, October 15th at Rockin' Star Ranch in Brenham, TX. Go to butchersball.com for tickets and information. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 582: Bourgeois Mystics

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend. I did. I played, spent time with my aunt and my cousins, hung out with my dogs, watched a few movies and chilled out. I'm spending the week organizing and writing some songs for my new band that still has no name. We rehearsed a few times last week and worked on some songs I've written over the last year and a half or so. Stuff sounds good and we'll be ready for our first gig at Pecan Street Festival on May 7th.
My guests for episode 582 are psychedelic art/funk band, Bourgeois Mystics! their debut album, Eureka! comes out this Friday, April 14th and they're celebrating with a release show at The Parish here in Austin on that same night. They're also hitting the road next week for a 3 week tour of the northeast and southeast United States. Go to bourgeoismystics.com to see if they're coming to a town near you. Zaalo, Zach and Trevor from the band came by last week and we had a great conversation about how they came together, making Eureka!, mixing jazz, prog, funk and rock for a unique sound, abstaining from masturbation to be a better musician and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know these dudes. I sure did. Let's get down!
Ciao! -jg

Episode 525: Rattletree

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I'm recovering from a pretty fun Sunday. I went to the Reckless Kelly Sunset Motel listening party at Arlyn Studios here in Austin yesterday. The album is great. The party was awesome. Lots of old friends and new friends all celebrating one of our own and their new album. It reminds me how lucky I am to be a part of this scene. Sunset Motel comes out this Friday, September 23rd. You'll be hearing from them on this show very soon.
My guest for episode 525 is Joel Laviolette from the electronica/marimba band, Rattletree! This weekend Rattletree will be hosting "The Rattletree Glow Party" with all kinds of activities, musical projects, food and more.The party takes place this Friday, Sept 23rd, Saturday, Sept 24th and Sunday Sept 25th. For tickets and more information, simply go to rattletree.com Joel and i have a great conversation about learning marimba and living in Africa, teaching marimba, incorporating electronic music and traditional African music, the glow party, African chord changes and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 473: Tailor

hello friends! i hope you're having the time of your life. sxsw 2016 is in full-swing. i know this because i'm really, really tired. most people at sxsw usually are. i got to host the first day of the south by san jose' showcase on wednesday. it was a fantastic show that featured some of my favorites like ian moore & the lossy coils, the bluebonnets, dan dyer and the amazing sweet spirit. the whole day benefitted the SIMS foundation and i think we raised some good money for the cause. today i get back to playing with skyrocket at hanover's in pflugerville and tomorrow, the house of blues in houston. 
my guest for episode 473 is south african musical powerhouse, tailor! tailor was in austin last month making her third album. she was working with my friend, zak loy as producer and he suggested she come by and do the show. we totally hit it off and had an extremely honest conversation about making music, her career, her love life, what makes her tick and sooo much more. i hope you enjoy getting to know tailor. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 401: Continental Drift

hello friends!  hope you're all doing well and taking the last weeks of summer in stride. i'm trying to. i'm getting my shit together after a couple of whirlwind weeks of podcasts, shows, the beach, new york, connecticut and the 400th podcast... whew! i had a great time doing everything, but it was utterly exhausting. hey! if you live in austin or not, i'll be on 93.7 KLBJ tonight at 11. i'll be on "local licks" with loris lowe talking about the podcast and stuff. check it out at www.klbjfm.com. also, tomorrow, wednesday, august 5th, i will be moderating a panel for the austin music foundation's, "the music business is dead" panel. we'll be discussing the implications of the austin music census findings with a great panel of musicians and music business folks. you can find out more and rsvp here http://austinmusicfoundation.org/. come out and find out where this community is headed and what you can do to sustain a career in this day and age.my guests for episode 401 are jedidiah and david from the ten piece, afro beat/psych band, continental drift. these guys are about to release their debut ep in a few weeks. i had the pleasure of sitting down with these cats yesterday and chatting about west african music, what is psychedelic music, maintaining order in a 10-peice band, recording live, working out songs at shows and much, much more. these guys are amazing musicians with a great vision and i really enjoyed getting to know them. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!ciao! jg

Episode 390: Kalu James Returns!

hello friends! i hope you are living life like an angel of love and happiness. i am well. i am working on some guitar stuff for a gig i'm playing next friday with amy edwards. it's really fun to just play electric guitar and be loud and not even have to sing. i'm looking forward to it. also, i wanted to let you guys know that i'll be playing some songs with the bluebonnets next thursday at the grand opening for the townsend which is a new, swanky club opening here in austin. also, while we're on the subject of gigs.. i'm playing song swap with william harries graham on sunday, july 5th at the continental club gallery. come out and say hi!my guest for episode 390 is talented singer/songwriter, kalu james! this is kalu's second time on the show. he's had a couple of life changing years since he was last on the show a couple of years ago. i saw him play a month or so ago and was reminded what a great artist he is and what a genuine and nice person he is. so, we did it again. we have a great conversation about, the magic in the continental club gallery, becoming the man of the family, re-prioritizing life, writing songs about nothing, über adventures, american racism, a live album in the can and much, much more! i want to thank kalu for coming in and being so honest and real about where he is in his life. kalu is a great artist and a great guy. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i did. let's get down! ciao! -jg