Episode 122: My Education / Residual Kid / Suzanna Choffel

it's black friday! stay away from the malls!
hello people! i hope you all had a happy thanksgiving. i'm writing this on wednesday morning before i leave for my thanksgiving. we have a big show for you and i wanted to make sure i got things wrapped up in time to put it out. we have three different guests for you today... first, i talk to our very first guest, suzanna choffel about her experience on television's, "the voice", hurricane sandy and how nora jones will not replace me as her friend. second, the band, residual kid pays me a visit. they're a band made up of two 12 year olds and a 14 year old... and they totally rock! i love their music and they are totally funny and cute. finally, i sit down with brian purington from the band, my education and he tells me about the band who is just about to release their 8th album!!! i hope you enjoy these conversations. i did. also, i hope you're having a great thanksgiving holiday!
ciao! -jg

Episode 116: Stefano Intelisano

hello everyone! i want to remind you that the last monkeyshine mondays comedy show is coming up next monday... if you are listening in austin, you should go. it's put on by my good friend and fellow podcaster, charlie hodge. it will take place at 9 pm at the rattle inn. there is no cover, drink specials and very funny comedians. and the best part, sweat and lotion, the house funk band. come get down with charlie and the comics!
my guest for episode 116 is keyboard player, stefano intelisano. stefano is a classically trained piano player who moved to the u.s. from italy around a decade ago. he came to austin, slept in a tool shed at a recording studio, learned how to be session musician and within a few years, he was touring with the likes of jason mraz, charlie robison, patty griffin and many, many more. he's always been a great hang and an inspiration to watch. turns out he's a really great and inspired guy. mett my friend, stefano intelisano.
ciao! -jg

Episode 112: Ralz Mathias

oh baby, you... got what i need.
friday night i saw little joe washington at the continental club in houston. i can't stop thinking about how amazing he was. i talked to him after his show, i got my picture taken with him and of course, i asked him if he would be on my podcast. apparently, podcast are a completely foreign concept to a 74 year old blues man. anyway, i've been watching some of his videos on youtube and geeking out on him. i know a couple of guys that play with him so hopefully, i'll get him on the show before too long. check out his website http://www.littlejoewashington.com/index.html he's fucking awesome!
my guest for episode 112 is my old friend, soul singer, ralz mathias. i've been friends with ralz since the late 80's when we were both lead singers of funk bands in houston. we talk about those days along with ralz's musical journey. from growing up as an artsy kid in baytown to starting a new-wave band, then going into a funk/rock direction showcasing for labels taking a break from music and and getting back in full-force, releasing his first solo album, liar lover sinner saint . so, ralz came by my hotel room when i was in houston last weekend and we sat down and caught-up. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i did.
ciao! -jg

Episode 109: Jesse Murphy (Brazilian Girls) / Catching up with Omar Vallejo

new york city, just like i pictured it...
hello folks! so i woke up at 5 a.m. on tuesday and went to h.a.a.m. benefit day. it started with scrappy jud newcombe at whole foods at 6 a.m.! then i saw vallejo, the trishas and carolyn wonderland. all be fore 10 a.m.! ha! crazy. i was hoping to sit down and have some quick conversations with more folks that morning but it was kinda hectic and noisy. i got a chance to sit down with omar vallejo and catch up with him for a few minutes about the new vallejo album and his new studio. check it out!
my main guest for episode 109 is the extremely talented bass/tuba player and super-cool dude, jesse murphy from brazilian girls, california and is currently on tour with joe jackson. i met jesse  a couple of weeks ago when i played a solo show in new york.his band, california headlined the show. caught up with him a couple of days later outside my hotel in midtown. it was great getting to talk to him for a bit. he's a great a guy who's played some amazing folks. he loves playing and i love what he does. i hope you enjoy my conversation with jesse. i did.
ciao! -jg

Episode 102: Jeff Lofton

a lesson in jazz.
hello everyone! i hope you're doing well this week. i am. i have an announcement to make, i will be playing a solo acoustic show at zirzamin in new york city next thursday, september 20th. i'll be playing with my dear friend and two-time guest on the podcast, joseph king from deadbeat darling. here is a link to the event. http://www.facebook.com/events/416836435039873/ if you live in new york, you'll want to come to this! i'll also be doing some podcast interviews while i'm there and playing a SKYROCKET! show. busy weekend. THIS weekend, i'll be playing a songwriter in the round with two guys that have been on the podcast, ray prim & lang freeman (sounds under radio) at flipnotics in austin, tx. it's saturday, september 15th. here's a link for that show http://www.facebook.com/events/158862854238119/ if you're in austin, come out and hear some songs and stories!!!!
my guest for episode 102 is the phenomenal trumpet player, jeff lofton. i didn't know jeff at all, i got an email from his people, i looked him up and it turns out, he's unbelievable. i was more than happy to have such a great talent on the show. so, he came by last week and i got to know him a bit. also, i got to know more about jazz. jeff is an incredibly insightful guy with a deep knowledge of jazz. he laid it on me, and i loved it. here's my guest, jeff lofton!
ciao! -jg

Episode 96: Sarah Sharp

don't forget to vote for "how did i get here?" for best podcast in the best of austin 2012 austin chronicle readers poll!
http://www.austinchronicle.com/feedback/bestof/12/
hello everyone! i hope you're taking summer's denouement in stride. i'm definitely feeling some "end of summer sadness". one way to get rid of the summer blues is to come see me and my friend joseph king play at the volstead lounge this sunday, august 26th. the volstead lounge is located at 1500 e. 6th st in austin texas. the show starts at 9. i'll play a set, joseph will play a set and then we'll play a set together. so come out to the volstead lounge on sunday and celebrate summer's end with the johnny and joseph show!
my guest for episode 96 is singer and songwriter, sarah sharp. i'vc know sarah for a few years but i have never really had the chnce to sit down and hear her story. when i was talking to my friend, todd the other day, he suggested i get her on the show. i'm glad i did. she is a really lovely and interesting person. her bands, jitterbug vipers and kaliyo are both extremely different, but both are incredible. learn how sarah balances being a wife and mother, a great jazz singer, a great songwriter, and a music supervisor. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i did.
ciao! -johnny

Episode 94: Ulrich Ellison

someone please stop the clown!
hey everyone! my voice has been messed up for the last couple of days. i think i just sang a lot, talked too much and didn't sleep enough. anyway, it's back. i'm back. i missed all kinds of pool parties and such on sunday. i'm going to have to make up for it this weekend. what's going on out there? i'm wearing my bathing suit...
my guest for episode 94 is austrian guitar viruoso, ulrich ellison. i just ulrich about a month ago and i've seen him play with my friend, nakia. anyway, i didn't really know anything about ulrich until he came over and we got to sit down and have a conversation. well, it turns out he's a classically trained musician who studied in the music conservatory in vienna then came to texas on a fulbright scholarship and got his masters in jazz guitar at the university of texas. his journey is an interesting one and i hope you enjoy our conversation. i did.
ciao! -jg

Episode 72: Rob Hooper-Carolyn Wonderland and many more

hello my friends! i am back home after a few harrowing/fun/sweet/anxiety ridden days in houston. my car broke down as i was leaving town on monday. i had it towed back to houston to my cousin, brian's shop. i waited a round a few days and then it looked like the part wasn't going to come in in time for me to make it home for my gig tonight. so, i just rented a car and came home. brian's gonna take care of the offending issues and my car will be badass! the power of positive thinking.
my guest for episode 72 is the great drummer and my old friend, rob hooper. i met rob in the early 90's. we were in bands that did a lot of shows together and our bands were friends. after those bands ran their course, we didn't see each other much over the years except at a club here and there. during that time rob played a ton of artists including jon dee graham, guy forsyth and eliza gilkyson to name a few. when rob came over, he was hungry so i made him breakfast tacos while i interviewed him. it was great to catch-up with my old friend and have some laughs and share some memories. rob is a sweetheart and a monster drummer. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i did.
ciao! -jg

Episode 67: David' Garza

hi people!
as i sit down to write this paragraph about this interview, i am realizing all of the things i never talked to my guest about. he's opened for and toured as a sideman with fiona apple, alejandro escovedo and more. writing and working with the hanson brothers and so many more... oh well, this can be my excuse to have him on again in a year.
my guest for episode 67 is my dear friend, david' garza! david' and i played our first show together in 1991 at fitzgerald's in houston and have been friends ever since. david' was a tough guy to nail down for this. he is not one that's comfortable in these situations without making music, so i was so ecstatic that after months of asking, he finally agreed to come and talk to me on the record. david' is my favorite musician. when he picks up an instrument, wether it's my ukelele at a party and playing a hawaiian version of "the stroke" by billy squier or sitting at a piano in a random restaurant and playing for hours, i love to hear him make music. david' is an extremely versatile and prolific musician. if you don't own any of his music or have never seen him play live, i urge you to go to www.davidgarza.com immediately and buy some music and find out when he's playing near you!  i really hope you enjoy our conversation. i did!
ciao! -jg

Episode 62: Lauren Gurgiolo: Okkervil River, The Dead Left, The Dialtones

"how did i get here?", along with over 5,000 other podcasts, is available on stitcher smart radio. check stitcher.com or look for stitcher in your app store.
my guest for episode 62 is guitar player, lauren gurgiolo from okkervil river, the dead left and the dialtones. i had never met lauren until she came to my apartment yesterday for the interview. i had heard about her from a few of my friends and they say she's a bad ass and so did jessica when she booked her. of course, neal kassanoff from the dead left sang her praises when he was a guest on episode 49 of this podcast. anyway, i spent time listening to her and watching some stuff on youtube and i realized everyone was right. lauren gurgiolo is a bad ass! i was glad she was able to come by the apartment and talk to me, (even though i was feeling pretty shitty and exhausted) and we talked about growing up in dallas, discovering jazz and embarking on a musical journey that would bring her to austin and get even more into jazz, country and eventually, rock. she has her own band the she fronts called, the dialtones and they are about to embark on a gigantic musical journey of their own. you can see lauren play with the dead left on thursday, april 19th at 10pm at hotel vegas in austin, tx. i really enjoyed meeting and talking to lauren. i hope you do too!
ciao! -jg