Episode 578: Raul Midon

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. I was back at work with SKYROCKET!. We played Friday in San Antonio and Saturday in Austin. They were great shows. This week we're back at it on the private party scene. we're playing 5 shows this week, so that should be interesting. I got to play with some of my new band on Saturday! That was really, really fun. We'll be playing our first show at Pecan Street Festival here in Austin in May. I'll let you know when it's happening.
My guest for episode 578 is the amazing Raul Midon! His brand new album, Bad Ass and Blind just came out last Friday and he is embarking on a U.S. and European tour as we speak. Go to Raulmidon.com to find out when he's coming to town near you. Raul came by when he was in town for SXSW a couple of weeks ago and we had a fantatsic conversation about making Bad Ass And Blind, his time at The University of Miami Music Program, being in the jingle scene, playing with Shakira for two years, teh New York jazz scene and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Raul. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 553: Cure For Paranoia

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great holiday weekend! I hope your Christmas was a great success. I had a great Christmas! I got to spend time with my family. Everyone enjoyed each other's company. The dinner was a success and i think we all did well with the presents. There are kids ther now so that adds a whole new level of joy and celebration. We drank a lot of vodka and had a lot of laughs. Happy holidays everyone!
My guests for episode 553 are Dallas hip-hop/soul/funk band, Cure For Paranoia! They've only been around a year and in that short time they've released two singles with their response to the Dallas shootings, "We Matter" which was featured on the Huffington Post Blog, they opened for Ludacris, they played Erikah Badu's birthday party, they've played all around Texas and won "Best New Act" in The Dallas Observer Music Awards just a few weeks ago. We have a great conversation about their incredible journey. Find out when they're coming to a town near you at cureforparanoia.com. I hope you enjoy getting to know these guys as much as I did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 550: Ty Richards

Hello friends! I hope all is well in your world. I finished the new Phil Collins austobiography this week. It's really good. It sent me down a Genesis worm hole. I've been listening to all kinds of Genesis except for the Invisible Touch album and beyond. It dawned on me that wether you like them or not, they are easily one of the most unique bands ever. you know their music by its melody and even their two singers have similar voices and melodic sensibilties. Do you agree? Am I crazy? Maybe I am.
My guest for epsiode 550 is the incredibly talented, Ty Richards! Ty's new album, Zillion comes out Friday February 3rd 2017. His music has been described as "Beck Zeppelin". The album is a very celebratory psychedelic/guitar/dance album. The first single, "Spaceman" is available now on all digital and streaming mediums. You can also find him at tyrichards.com. we have a great conversation about making music alone, moving to Austin, his wife's influence on Zillion and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 521: The Nightowls / Jaimee Harris Stops By!

Hello friends! i hope you had a great Labor Day weekend. i did. i played a couple of shows with Skyrocket, went to an awesome benefit for my friend, George Reiff at C-boys on Sunday night. It was a good time and i think they raised some good money for George. If you would like to contribute, here's a link to George's Gofundme page He could use al the help he can.
My guest for episode 521 is Ryan Harkrider from The Nightowls! They've just released a new e.p. called, The Royal Sessions recorded at the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, TN and are about to embark on a midwest. east coast tour at the end of September. You can find if they're coming to a town near you at wearethenightowls.com Ryan and i have a great conversation about recording in legendary studios, keeping a 10-piece band together and going, finding your own voice playing funk music, touring with the full-band and much, much more. Plus, Jaimee Harris stopped by a couple of weeks ago to talk about her show coming up this Saturday Sept. 10th at Strange Brew here in Austin and her new album that's due out in a few months. Big show. Great conversations. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 517: Money Chicha

Hello friends! I hope you're all surviving the end of summer heat and floods. It's crazy out there, right?
I got to see Alice Cooper on Sunday night! I was amazing. I want to thank my friend, AJ Vallejo for inviting me. I had a blast seeing AJ's band, BANG before the Alice show. It was a great night all around. Alice's show is an onslaught of costume changes, snakes, giant frankenstein monsters and heavy metal. Plus, he's super old and still rocking like a champ. it was inspiring.
My Guest for episode 517 is Greg Gonzalez, the bass player from Money Chicha, Brownout and the Grammy winning, Grupo Fantasma! Money Chicha has a fantastic new album out, Echo En Mexico. I've been a fan of Money Chicha for a few years now and I've gotten to see them a few times during their residency at The Continental Club Gallery here in Austin and i'm a big fan. Greg and i have a conversation about balancing, touring and making music with three high-profile bands, growing up in Laredo, teaching composition, making Echo En Mexico, the history of Chicha music, playing with Prince and much, much more. i hope you enjoy getting to know Greg. I sure did. Let's get down!
Ciao! jg

Episode 512: Those Poor Serfs / The Eric Bee

hello friends. i hope this episode finds you well. i need to make an important announcement about a dear friend and very important part of the music community, bass player/producer, george reiff. george has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. he had a brain tumor removed on friday and is recovering. he has a long road ahead of him and that road is going to be very expensive. his family has started a gofundme page so that we can all help out. please go to gofundme.com/georgereiff and give what you can. let's help this beautiful man and his family get through this. let's do it for george.
episode 512 is a double-header featuring two new austin bands, the soul-infused americana band, those poor serfs and garage-rockers, the eric bee! first up, those poor serfs frontman, derek kinsaul stops by and we have a great conversation about working with the afore mentioned, george reiff on their new e.p., city view. if you live in austin, you can see those poor serfs tonight, friday, august 5th at lambert's. go to thosepoorserfs.com to get their music and find out where they're playing next. the second part of this double-header is eric bee from the band, the eric bee! their brilliant, new self-titled album recorded live in just two days at public hi-fi studios is available now! see them live in austin on saturday, august 20th at the one-2-one bar. find their music and show schedule at theericbee.com i hope you enjoy getting to know these two new bands. don't forget to get get out and support local music where ever you are! let's get down!
ciao! jg

Episode 499 Part One: The Music

hello friends! i want to remind you that we are recording our 500th podcast live this coming monday, june 20th at 8 pm at the townsend here in austin, tx. my guests will be nakia, kathy valentine, taylor muse (quiet company), suzanna choffel and aj vallejo! come out and celebrate with us! enjoy fine cocktails, delicious snacks and a great conversation with some of he most entertaining musicians around. plus, there's no cover!!!
episode 499 part one: the music is a playlist i put together out of some of the music i've been turned on to by guests over the last hundred episodes. part two will be excerpts of conversations from soem of the last hundred episodes. look for that on tuesday. here's the track listing for episode 499 part one: the music...
 1. "baby when i close my eyes" - sweet spirit
 2. "stop the world" - mike flanigin w/ gary clark jr.
 3. "echo of whoos" - calliope musicals
 4. "no one gonna give you love" - my jerusalem
 5. "down to the ocean" - jeremy nail
 6. "atta blues" - emily wolfe
 7. "withdrawal" - max frost
 8. "september in your eyes" - bruce sudano
 9. "summer samaritan" - los coast
10. "ready for war" - love & chaos
11. "work" - tank washington
12. "heartbreak bugaloo" - the midnight stroll
13. "sweet dreaming" - daniel eyes and the vibes
14. "southern suburbian" - sally allen
15. "one" - moving panoramas
16. "polyester" - john evans
17. "i don't wanna have to lie" - lolo

Episode 493: Shinyribs

hello friends! are you feeling that TGIF feeling you get on the friday of a three-day holiday weekend? me neither. but some people really do feel that feeling. i've felt it before... the last time was probably in the 80's, but i remember it well. having plans that involved a beach or some kind of backyard bbq with booze, bathing suits and a pool. anyway, i'm going to be staying at my ex's house with my dogs. that'll be fun. i'll be playing a couple of shows with skyrocket and hanging out with my girlfriend, zuri. i hope you have a good weekend. 
my guest for episode 493 is the amazing singer/songwriter/performer, kevin russell from the band, shinyribs! i have been watching kevin play since 1989 when he was in the shreveport, la band, the picket line coyotes. kevin moved to austin with that band and when the coyotes ran their course, they split up and kevin started the gourds and went on to play with them for 18 years. the gourds career is covered in the amazing documentary, "all the labor". anyway, as the gourds were fading, kevin started shinyribs and three brilliant albums later, shinyribs is touring and going full-steam bringing their funky/soul/honky tonk happiness to thousands of people a year. i had a great time getting to know kevin. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!
ciao! jg

Episode 492: Los Coast

hello friends! i hope you all had a good weekend. i did. i played a high school graduation party in houston on friday. coincidentally, one of our guests today graduated from the same high school. anyway, the party was great the show was really fun. the young crowd had such a powerful energy that night that it really made us up our energy and it was on. we were locked in a thing with this young crowd and it wore me out. for the rest of the weekend i was tired and kinda out of it. also, here is a link to the event page for our episode 500 live recording on monday, june 20th at the townsend in austin, tx.
my guests for episode are trey privott and john courtney from the funk soul band, los coast! i met and saw these guys during sxsw when they played a showcase i was hosting. i thought they were a fantastic live band. so good in fact, they'll be playing at the acl festival this fall, they'll be playing the free press summe fest in houston on june 5th and they'll be playing c-boys heart & soul here in austin every thursday in june. i have a great conversation with trey and john about being a young band making some big strides. there's some real talent in this band plus, trey and john are really gracious and and a great hang. we even went to lunch afterwards. check out los coast at loscoast.com! let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 477: Bruce Sudano

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well out there in the world. i'm good. i have a busy day of running errands, laundry, writing two songs and of course, this podcast. i'm headed to vegas tomorrow to play a show with skyrocket. should be fun. i'm bringing my recording gear just in case i can interview donny osmond or an elvis impersonator. i hope you guys have a good weekend. 
my guest for episode 477 is legendary singer/songwriter, bruce sudano. i caught up with bruce when he was in town for sxsw promoting his gorgeous new album, the burbank sessions. his illustrious career spans five decades starting with the band, alive n kickin' in the late 60's, then his r&b band in the early 70's, brooklyn dreams hooked up with donna summer and wrote and performed, "heaven knows" with the disco star. he ended up marrying donna summer and going on to write "bad girls" with her among many other songs. he work on and in films like, "thank god it's friday", "american hot wax" and "hollywood knights". his latest album, the burbank sessions is absolutely gorgeous. he's still making music that is relevant because it's honest, the expression is raw and real and he is just a bad-ass songwriter. check him out at brucesudano.com he'll be on tour in may. i hope enjoy getting to know this amazning artist/person. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg