Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

02/12/2025

29/11/2025

Guitarist Ben Garnett has released a beautiful new album, Kite’s Keep, and this episode features clips and insights from the project. The record includes collaborations with acoustic music greats familiar to listeners of this podcast, including fiddlers Darol Anger darol anger's page and Brittany Haas. Ben’s mentor, Chris Eldridge of the Punch Brothers, also appears, and Ben discusses the wisdom he’s gained from other influential musicians in his life, among them his cousin, acclaimed rock guitarist Andy Timmons Guitar, the brilliant Julian Lage, and bandleader Missy Raines. He also talks about how playing tuba was helpful, and how he immersed himself in a range of musical styles—studying jazz in university before finding his way into Nashville’s acoustic bluegrass scene.

https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/ben-garnett

Linked in the show notes, my previous episodes with Darol Anger, Brittany Haas, Marc van Vugt, Tal Yahalom and Alisa Rose!

Photo: Natia Cinco

22/11/2025

Canadian violinist Yolanda Bruno spoke to me about her new album Dear Jeanne and her film The Immortal Serafin, which both honour the late Jeanne Lamon, the renowned baroque violinist, and Music Director of Tafelmusik for 34 years. Yolanda explains how she explores the story of Jeanne’s 1759 Santo Serafin baroque violin, which was generously loaned to Yolanda for one year. You’ll hear a few clips from the album, including Jeanne’s masterful string trio arrangement of Bach’s iconic Ciaccona, as well as a taste of a Leclair duo with Julia Wedman, another important mentor for Yolanda, and a work by Beth Silver honouring Jeanne’s Dutch-Jewish heritage.
Yolanda reflects on what it means to live more sustainably with her partner, Michael Bridge, accordionist, who was previously featured on this podcast. She shared how her her annual project Music for Your Blues has impacted her life, as well as a very memorable experience performing in a high-security penitentiary, which taught her about connection and dignity, and the value of live music. I also wanted to shine a light on Yolanda’s brilliant first ablum, The Wild Swans, featuring 11 women composers,recorded with pianist Isabelle David. You’ll hear short excerpts by Lera Auerbach and Kelly-Marie Murphy. We end the episode with Yolanda’s insights about avoiding burnout by achieving balance in her life using the idea of longer cycles of time, which I loved!
Listen on your podcast app or watch on YouTube, everything linked here:
https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/yolanda-bruno

In the show notes I’ve linked several other episodes for you, with Michael Bridge, accordionist, Katherine Dowling, Jeeyoon Kim, pianist, Clay Zeller-Townson, and Jean Rohe.

Photo of Yolanda: Curtis Perry

15/11/2025

I really enjoyed this opportunity to speak with Mack Hagood, author of Hush: Media and Sonic Self-Control, to explore how we use sound to manage our minds, moods, and modern lives.From white noise apps and noise-cancelling headphones to tinnitus and sound therapy, Mack helped me understand the complex relationship between media, technology, and the human need to tune in (or out). We discuss the surprising cultural history behind everyday sonic tools — from the 1964 Sleep-Mate sound conditioner to Irv Teibel’s visionary Environments recordings, to Dr. Amar Gopal Bose’s 1978 flight epiphany that led to noise-cancelling headphones. Mack reflected on teaching “The Smartphone in Society,” and concerns with both social media and streaming platforms. Towards the end of this conversation he explained why started his podcast PPhantom Powerand how his childhood in New Orleans eventually led him to the new field of sound scholarship.
🎧 Listen now and rethink the sounds you live with. https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mack-hagood

I also want to let you know about some other episodes I’ve linked directly to this one, which I think may interest you, with Joel Styzens, Verna Gillis, Karen Power, Leif Karlstrom, LLawrence English