CFM president, BJ Levy is my blockbuster guest to kick off Season 3 on Chicago Musician. BJ had a long career as a professional trumpet player. He studied at Indiana University and then DePaul University where he received his Master's in Jazz Studies. But the majority of his career was spent playing in the pit for Broadway musicals. We talk about the unforgiving nature of being a lead trumpet player, plus the physical demands of playing 8 shows a week. Like many of us, BJ started off playing in his high school band, but his unique journey has some interesting twists and turns.

The biggest shift in BJ's career started with a phone call. He was asked to run for the musicians union board of directors. As it turned out, that call was just the first stepping stone on his path to greater things. First, he was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Then, after a bumpy transition and contentious election, BJ won the contest for president. I was really interested in what being the president of a large union actually entails. Some of his duties are fairly predictable, but others are more nuanced and even surprising. We get into the weeds a little bit about negotiating contracts and the art of negotiating. BJ calls it coalition building. He also calls this 'the best job he's ever had'.

But it's not all union talk. We check in on some of our favorite streaming shows and other things the Prez does to relax in his down time. There might be a surprise or two in there, so stick around till the end!

If you'd like more information about the Chicago Federation of Musicians, here's a link to their website: cfm10208.com
For photos of BJ and more, click on Shawn's Photos on the bestshawnstengel.com website or follow this link: https://sksyphotos.smugmug.com/Music/Chicago-Musician-Podcast-Pix