Paul and Chris meet with Justin Ross, Executive VP of Bohemia Group to talk about where we are with Nine Lives, and what to look forward to----both the challenges and opportunities.

About Justin:  Justin Ross began his film career as a screenwriter.  Mr. Ross’ script, THE ANSWER, was made into a short by Nebula Films in 2007.  

In 2008, he joined Intrinsic Value Films as a Creative Executive.  During his tenure at Intrinsic, he secured relationships with top talent, including Scott Free Productions and the estates of two of his favorite authors Ray Bradbury and Philip K. Dick.  

Mr. Ross joined Bohemia Group Originals as Director of Production in 2015 and was promoted to Executive Vice President of Development and Production in 2016 where he championed the company’s first feature, A DARK PLACE (distributed by Gravitas Ventures); winner of “Best Thriller” at the Manhattan Film Festival.  Further credits include Associate Producer on the Spike Lee Executive Produced SON OF THE SOUTH.  Justin is a gay witch (Basque meaning, "one who makes his own fate), a teacher of archetypes and Tarot and continues to write.  He currently resides in Sin City itself: Las Vegas.

Musician, composer and arranger Matt Perrine of New Orleans joins the podcast to talk about his huge role in getting Nine Lives recorded for the 39-song CD, and also to discuss his major contributions to bringing the piece to the stage. Matt also talks about the recent awards for one of his band, the New Orleans Nightcrawlers---both a Grammy and a Best of the Beat Award. And---spoiler alert---a new album from the Nightcrawlers is coming soon!

Matt Perrine is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger from New Orleans. He has performed in venues from The Sydney Opera House, BBC Studios, Jazz at Lincoln Center to The Bottom Line, Ronnie Scott's, Snug Harbor and The North Sea Jazz Festival . He has been seen around the world performing with Ray Anderson's Pocket Brass Band, The Tin Men, Bonerama, Jon Cleary, The United States Navy Band, Erika Stucky, Susan Cowsill, and all-star group, the Midnite Disturbers. Recording credits include Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt,  Willie Nelson, Dr. John, Ani DiFranco, Florence and the Machine,  Alex McMurray, Jerry Douglas, Maryanne Faithful, Bruce Hornsby, Better Than Ezra, Bonerama, Leigh Harris, ok go and Stanton Moore. He has composed and written arrangements for acts as varied as The Boston Pops, Kevin Clark's BOSE Big Band, The Pfister Sisters, The New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Bonerama and Tony Award-winner, Michael Cerveris. His compositions have been featured on HBO's critically acclaimed series, TREME, syndicated NPR series, The Reading Life, and as the program theme for Comic Relief 4. Matt is the musical director and orchestrator for Nine Lives - the Musical. Matt can be seen locally performing with The Tin Men, Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show, The Midnite Disturbers, Debbie Davis, The Klezmer All-Stars, John Gros, Alex McMurray, Bonerama, Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses, the Panorama Jazz Band and the Last Waltz tribute with Warren Haynes and Don Was.

Paul Sanchez and Johnny Sanchez join the podcast to talk about the origins of Nine Lives (the book, the CDs and the live shows), the audacity to be able to film the first two shows at Le Petit theater in New Orleans, and a teaser of what's in store for Nine Lives moving forward.

The Le Petit 2011 shows can be found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0tR2d7plTGus2d5GVILJqH8Xkf_rByx4

"Fine in the Lower Nine" is the first song on the 2-CD, 39 song set that comprises Nine Lives: A Musical Story of New Orleans. The song summary and musician credits are as follows:

"Now, of all the city’s neighborhoods, none is more maligned than the Lower Ninth Ward. It lies as far downriver as you can go without leaving the parish. It’s out across the Industrial Canal. And on the eve of Hurricane Betsy, it is poor, full of people fresh in from the country. Hell, it’s an embarrassment -- to everybody, that is, except those who live here and love it.

Ronald Lewis is one of those who loves it most. He’s a son of sharecroppers who migrated in the 1940s from the virtual

slavery of Louisiana’s sugarcane fields. They have no idea they’re poor. All they know is, there’s plenty of work on the waterfront, plenty of time for family and friends, and they’re living their own Lower Ninth Ward version of the American dream."

FINE IN THE LOWER NINE 4:42

(Paul Sanchez BMI/Colman deKay BMI)

Paul Sanchez Music BMI/Namloc Music BMI

John Boutté - vocal; Wendell Pierce - vocal; Tom McDermott - piano; Detroit Brooks - guitar; Herman Roscoe Ernest III - drums; Matt Perrine - bass; Rick Trolsen - trombone; Jason Mingledorff - saxophone; Kevin Clark - trumpet; Tim Laughlin - clarinet;

Skinny Parcheesi - additional piano

Backing Vocals: Vance Vaucresson, Tara Brewer, Debbie Davis, Arséne DeLay, The Dixie Cups (Barbara Hawkins, Rosa Hawkins, Athelgra Neville)

Speaking Voice: Lillian Boutté

A preview of the upcoming Nine Lives podcast. Join host Chris Joseph as he dives into each song, and talks about future plans for this wonderful project.