This is the 3rd part in a series of interviews, done every couple of years, with Brent Birckhead, an award-winning artist who writes, composes, and performs on a variety of woodwinds, mostly alto saxophone. Educated at Howard University, Brent was named best blues/pop/rock soloist and outstanding instrumental jazz soloist by Downbeat Magazine as part of the annual Student Music Awards. Since then, he’s received various other awards. He’s also had the honor of performing and touring with legendary artists including Lauryn Hill, Wale, Eric Benet, Larry Graham, George Duke and many more. Brent was also the professor of saxophone at Morgan State University. If you haven’t checked it out, listen to his debut album, Birckhead, and be on the lookout for his followup release.  And be sure to listen to parts 1 and 2, episodes 5 and 6, on The Music Makers.

Mentioned:
Toni Menage 
Nathan East 
Steve Ferrone 

Episode 5 Brent Birckhead/Saxophonist: A Musician's Journey Part 1
Episode 6 Brent Birckhead/Saxophonist: A Musician's Journey Part 2

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The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection: Elliot Jefferson, Lamonte Silver, Keith Hammond, Roy Lambert, Joe Herrera, and Craig Alston.

Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment

Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz

I first interviewed Ina Forsman in September of 2020, the year after she had released an absolutely stellar album, Been Meaning To Tell You. We were five and a half months into the pandemic and public performances had temporarily come to a halt. We went through her journey including her process as a singer, songwriter, and performer as well as some of the songs on her last album. I highly recommend listening to that episode, which was #25. In today’s episode, we talk about what Ina’s been doing since then and get into the recording process and the behind-the-scenes of some of the songs of her upcoming new album release, All There Is. 

LINKS & RESOURCES

Ina Forsman:

Ina’s Website: https://www.inaforsman.com/ 

Ina on Facebook

Ina on Instagram

Ina on YouTube

Mentioned:

Episode 19 Scottie Baldwin: Award-Winning FOH Sound Engineer for Prince And Other Superstars

Songs discussed during the interview:

Be My Home:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y1gXGsnJzQ

Get Mine:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BpP-Rzud8o 

Hanging Loose:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRtxc3G3O8 

Follow The Music Makers: 

The Music Makers on Instagram

The Music Makers podcast theme song was written and produced by Andy Kushner with help from the rhythm section and horn players of the band, SoundConnection: Elliot Jefferson, Lamonte Silver, Keith Hammond, Roy Lambert, Joe Herrera, and Craig Alston.

Sponsor: Kushner Entertainment

Check out Andy's Other Podcast: The Wedding Biz

Benny Pough, CEO of D. Verse Media, is one of today’s successful and innovative business leaders and has helped shape the sound and culture of music worldwide, having been instrumental in delivering radio hits for superstar artists such as Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, Future, and 21 Savage. He held executive positions at powerhouse labels from Motown Records and Def Jam to Epic Records and Roc Nation Music. He has since formed D. Verse Media, a full service global music distribution and publishing company. Some of the awards, he’s received, are In 2019, he was awarded Record Executive of the Year by Power of Influence Awards. In 2018, he was awarded Record Exec of the Year by Urban One Honors. And the title Hitmaker, in 2017, by Variety Magazine. We go deep in this conversation and be sure to look out for his Book, On Impact, which will be published in the middle of 2022.  

Ryan Lerman has toured the world as a bassist for Ben Folds, guitarist for Michael Buble, and guitarist/string arranger/musical director for John Legend. He’s also toured with Vanessa Carlton, Joshua Radin, Tallest Man On Earth, and more as guitarist, bassist, singer, music director and arranger. As a songwriter, his compositions have been recorded by Vulfpeck, Buble, and others. He’s also one half of the creative team behind YouTube sensations Scary Pockets, with over 230 million views!  He has released three solo records under his own name with Pinstripes, The Sky (2012), Friends (2017), and Noisy Feelings (2019). We talk about all that and also the struggle that all or most artists go through in terms of feeling and retaining a comfortable sense of well-being and self-confidence. It’s a great conversation!