Why Music Matters With Jeff Miers

Hey there, music lovers.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today on the podcast, I’m lucky enough to spend some time with my friend Sam Marabella, a musician, songwriter, local music advocate, and co-owner of the legendary Buffalo, NY, live music venue Nietzsche’s.   A veteran of beloved Buffalo indie-jam band Sweatin’ Like Nixon, and a leading light in Buffalo’s roots music scene, Sam is also a bit of a Dylan-ologist, whose love for Bob Dylan’s music runs deep, and has informed his own work as a songwriter and performer. That work includes a brand new EP, Level 50, which is out now and available wherever you stream music.   Sam is passionate about the Allentown neighborhood that Nietzsche’s calls home, and we talked about the challenges facing that neighborhood following the recent back to back losses of the fabled nightspots Mulligans Brick Bar and the Pink Flamingo. He’s also more than a little about excited about the plans that the new team of owners has for the club’s future as a primary live music destination in Buffalo.  During this episode, we talk about all of the above. And Sam was prescient enough to bring along a guitar, which he duly employed in service of a tune written by the immensely talented Buffalo underground songwriter JeffGoldstein. Welcome to Why Music Matters, Sam Marabella…

Hey there, music lovers.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.   I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today on the podcast, I’m happy to welcome former Congressman and current President of Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY, Brian Higgins.  After growing up in Buffalo, and graduating from Buffalo State College and Harvard University, Brian worked his way from the Buffalo Common Council through the New York State Assembly and finally, to the US House of Representatives, where he served as Democratic representative of New York’s 26th congressional district for more than a decade. Brian left office in early 2024, citing what he called “a growing dysfunction in Congress” as his reason for moving on.   So why is a career politician a guest on a podcast dedicated to the majesty of music? Well, for as long as I’ve known him, Brian has been a passionate supporter of music & the arts. And a career in politics did nothing to dull his deep love for music.  Brian remains a true fan, one who speaks of certain concert experiences in his life as nigh on religious events. His career’s second act , as the President of Shea’s, places him in a position to have significant impact on music and the arts arts in our region’s culture. Brian has turned his passion for music into something tangible.  Welcome to Why Music Matters,  Brian Higgins…

Hey there, music lovers.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. More than a decade back, I hopped on the bus as an embedded reporter, covering a Northeast jaunt for then up-and-coming indie band Aqueous.  I’d never met any of the band members, or their manager, Josh Holtzman, previous to that road trip.  By the end of that mini-tour, I knew that I’d laid the ground work for some friendships that, time has proven, were built to last.  Today, Josh Holtzman and his business partner Grace Vesneske are the driving force behind premier music venue Buffalo Iron Works and independent production company Twenty6 Productions.  Long before pundits were tossing around terms like “the Buffalo Renaissance,” Holtzman and Vesneske were working tirelessly to help resurrect the long-abandoned Cobblestone District of downtown Buffalo through their inventive and forward-looking booking at Iron Works. Their fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude helped them guide their businesses through the pandemic with their integrity intact. That same spirit has the pair excited about what the future holds, and what form their continuing contributions to Buffalo music and culture might take.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, Josh Holtzman and Grace Vesneske.

Hey there, music lovers.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today on the podcast, I’m psyched to welcome a cutting edge artist whose work represents a major step forward for both Buffalo hip-hop in particular, and contemporary national hip-hop in general.  Jae Skeese grew up in Buffalo, and from the get-go, he displayed an indelible talent for the authentic, gritty realism and deft, poetic rhymes that are fast becoming a hallmark of our region’s sound. For the past decade, he’s worked tirelessly to hone his craft, over the course of several albums and collaborations that brought him to the attention of the folks behind Buffalo’s Griselda records - in particular, the renowned rapper and Griselda co-founder, Conway.  Jae’s refusal to give up on his dreams and his unflagging work ethic ultimately earned him a slot as the first signing to  Conway’s recent record label venture, the Drumwork Music Group.  Jae just dropped his latest effort, his 8th mixtape overall, in the form of Ground Level, which UndergroundHipHop.com called “a testament to Jae Skeese's evolution as an artist blending raw emotion & storytelling with cutting-edge production.”  Now, Jae is taking Ground Level on the road, beginning with his first show as a headliner in his hometown, at The Rec Room in Buffalo, on Thursday, November 14. He’ll also be headlining at the legendary Mercury Lounge in New York City, on Wednesday, November 20.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, Jae Skeese.

Hey there, music lovers.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m joined by three musicians whose work has intrigued me for decades, from the first time I heard them - while studying at the State University of New York at Fredonia in the late 80s - through to the present day.   Mary Ramsey, John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniak of 10,000 Maniacs are all significant names in the world of indie and alternative music, and were prime movers in the College Radio-fueled alternative explosion of the late 80s and early 90s.  Over the past few years, 10,000 Maniacs have been touring, playing a setlist that covers 40 years of material to an audience composed of many people who have been following the band from the beginning. These days, some of those people are attending these concerts with their children, signifying the band’s cross generational appeal.  The band plays its first Buffalo show in many years on Saturday, October 19, when they return to the Center for the Arts on the University at Buffalo’s North Campus at 8 pm.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, Mary Ramsey, John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniak of 10,000 Maniacs…

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today’s episode is a special one for me. Way back in 2002, I watched the renowned drummer, composer and Western New York native Bobby Previte lead a hand-picked band of musicians through the tumultuous and strangely beautiful terrain of Miles Davis’ game-changing 1970 album Bitches Brew, at the former Tralf, in Buffalo. That performance changed my life, and taught me in a deep and lasting way what the concept off freedom in music truly means. In the time since that fateful evening, I’ve followed Bobby’s richly diverse career, and gotten to know the man a bit. As a drummer and composer, he has been guided by a singular musical wanderlust, one that seeks to live in that dangerous space where form and chaos meet and commingle. “If it’s not balancing on the edge of chaos, then it’s no good, and I’m not interested,” Bobby once told me. I’m honored that Bobby is joining me here today on Why Music Matters, and it’s fitting that we centered our conversation on Miles Davis and his enduringly influential Bitches Brew album - which, by the way, Bobby will perform with a curated band of top-tier Buffalo musicians at the Sportsmen’s Tavern on Monday, October 7 at 7 pm, as part of the Classic Vinyl Live with Jeff Miers concert series. Welcome to Why Music Matters, Bobby Previte!

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, we’ve got a special edition of the podcast, featuring a roundtable discussion with three diversely talented musicians and music educators, who also happen to be movers and shakers in the Buffalo and Western New York music scene.  Damone Jackson, Eric Crittenden and David Cloyd are three very different people with varied musical outlooks and a broad spectrum of life experiences. But all three are bound by their deep belief that music elevates all of us, musicians and listeners alike.  Recently, Crittenden and Cloyd - who are co-founders of the Buffalo Music Club music education collective - teamed with the Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation and the Borderland Festival to create the Borderland Band Camp. The Camp offered an opportunity for young musicians in the area to create a set of music to be performed as part of this year’s Borderland Festival, which takes place September 13 - 15 at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora. Jackson is one of 7 professional instructors who took part in the camp.  Our conversation ran the gamut, from raw comedic asides, to deep and intensely personal reflections on what it means to be a musician, and why music matters more and more, the deeper you dig into it.  Thanks for listening, and we hope to see you at the Borderland Festival!

Hello, music lovers!  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m pleased to welcome a young singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has been making devoted fans of original music connoisseurs in Western New York over the past few years -  including yours truly.  Michael Delano may be young in the chronological sense, but one listen to his singing, his songwriting, and his elegant use of sophisticated open guitar tunings makes it plan that he’s an old soul.  I’ve come to know Michael through his work with the bands 77 Stone, Sunday Reign and Five Round Bout, all unique projects that pushed the envelope of modern alternative rock music. Lately, Michael has been stretching his wings, sitting in with various regional bands and artists, performing solo gigs, and working on new material.  Our chat covered a lot of ground, including music’s therapeutic role in Michael’s own life, his ongoing quest to fine-tune his vision as a songwriter, and his enduring belief that “art is everything, and everything is art.”  Welcome to Why Music Matters, Michael Delano!

Hey there, music lovers. Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, my guest is Buffalo music advocate, club owner and musician Josh Mullin. As owner of both Jack Rabbit and Riff City, Josh has worked tirelessly to boost the Buffalo Music scene, by providing artist-friendly spaces that act as hubs for the region’s music-loving community. Josh is also a fighter, and he never backs down from his principles, whether that means pushing back against the city of Buffalo’s proposed “Amusement License” fees, or pointing out the negative influence of certain concert venues that seem intent on disturbing our delicate live music ecosystem. Throughout our conversation, Josh pulled no punches, and his love for the Buffalo music scene was wholly evident. Listen in…

Hello, music lovers! Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m excited to welcome an old friend to the podcast. Dave Wedekindt has been working behind the scenes to enrich the lives of music fans throughout the Western New York region for several decades. A tireless advocate for the arts in general and music in particular, Dave is currently the interim President of Artpark, in Lewiston, NY, where he’s worked to curate live music programming that appeals across generational lines, ranging from indie and alternative rock to the evergreen classics, boasting a broad appeal while maintaining a cutting edge. Dave is also a musician and a lifelong music-lover who, whenever he isn’t hard at work behind the scenes, can be found near the front of the stage, basking in everything from modern indie music to the blues and back again. Join us as we talk about Dave’s long and impactful career, and his enduring love for music…

Hello, music lovers! Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m pleased to welcome my friend, the singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and bandleader David Michael Miller. Lovers of live music in Western New York know David as leader of the searing southern soul band Miller & the Other Sinners; the former co-guitarist and vocalist with the great Dive House Union; through his work with the Campbell Brothers; and as the man behind such stellar albums as Poisons Sipped and Rise. I also know him as a deeply talented and thoughtful man who is a generous musical mentor, a guy with a serious work ethic, and a true seeker who views his life in music as a quest with spiritual aspects. Miller & the Other Sinners have just released a new album, Thieves in the Breadline, and I chatted with David about the album’s significance in his ongoing musical journey, about his belief that engaging the imagination plants the seeds for empathy, and why music continues to matter so much to him in his life. Thanks for joining us!

Hello, music lovers! Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, we’ve got a very special guest - legendary progressive and hard rock musician, son of western New York, and virtuoso bassist Billy Sheehan. We know Billy from his groundbreaking work with Talas, David Lee Roth’s band, Niacin, Mr. Big, Sons of Apollo, and many more. Currently in the midst of a farewell tour with Mr. Big, which includes a homecoming gig at Electric City in Buffalo on June 6, Billy chatted with me from the road, where he’s been enjoying a string of sold-out dates with his bandmates. I started things off by asking Billy if he recalled that fateful night night in December of 1980, when a then-unknown band called U2 opened for Talas at Stage One in Buffalo - on what turned out to be the night that John Lennon was murdered, in New York City. Billy and his Talas bandmates reacted by performing a set of the Beatles tunes they’d grown up revering, as a tribute to Lennon…

Hello, music lovers!  Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives.  I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today’s guests are two of my favorite musicians in all of the Western New York area, and they also happen to be two-thirds of one of my favorite bands - the postmodern, jam-based trio Organ Fairchild.  Guitarist Dave Ruch and drummer Corey Kertzie have been playing in bands together since meeting as high school students. They’ve been a major part of the Buffalo-area music scene for decades, but instead of sliding into complacency and plucking the low-hanging fruit, they challenged themselves and their audience by forming Organ Fairchild five years back, employing the deep musical bond they’ve been nurturing for years as a springboard to a fresh, forward-looking instrumental sound.  With their latest effort, Songs We Didn’t Write, about to drop, and a long summer of local, regional and festival appearances about to kick off, Dave and Corey took some time to chat with me about the role that music has played in their lives and their friendship, and about why music continues to matter so much to them at this stage of their careers. Welcome to Why Music Matters, guys…

Today’s guest is Chris ‘Bulldog’ Parker, the voice of Buffalo Sports radio, co-host of the afternoon show on WGR 550, and our conduit to all things Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres for as long as most of us can remember. Bulldog knows sports, and his passion for our Buffalo teams knows no limits. But he’s just as passionate about music, and the role it has played in his own life, the lives of his kids, and in the broader community. Whether he’s talking about the boundless athleticism of Bills quarterback Josh Allen, or extolling the virtues of bands like Wilco and the Clash, Bulldog wears his heart on his sleeve. And that’s why we love him.

Hello music lovers! Welcome to Why Music matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today’s guest is an old friend of mine, a veteran of the Western New York Music Scene, and a 2016 inductee into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. Alison Pipitone has been writing songs, playing gigs and releasing albums since she formed her first band, as a teenager in the late 80s. Over that time, she’s fine-tuned an astute blend of rock ’n’ roll, roots music, and raw Americana influences. She recently released “Best Things,” her 10th album with the Alison Pipitone Band, and our conversation touched on the writing and recording of that album, Alison’s earliest musical experiences, what being an educator has taught her about songwriting, and what continues to inspire all these years into her career. Thanks for joining us!

Hello music lovers, and welcome to another edition of Why Music Matters. I’m your host, music journalist and musician Jeff Miers. Today, my guest is the jazz musician, bandleader and educator Walter Kemp. Walter just released an astounding new album, called Black Whole Live, a fiery, dynamic live set featuring a band that includes saxophonist Brent Birkhead, violinist Scott Tixler, bassist Rishon Odel and drummer Allan Mednard. Kemp describes the sound this ensemble makes as “Afro-Terrestrial Sonic Interplay,’ and he’s right - in this mix, you can easily hear the jagged edges of forward-looking improvisation milestones from jazz history, and the sounds of the music of the future. As a performer, composer, producer, touring musician and educator, Walter Kemp has crystallized the positive force that music can be in our lives. He’s got a lot to say about why music matters, in his life and in the culture as a whole. Let’s get to it!

My guest today is the bassist, songwriter, bandleader and all around awesome human being Karina Rykman.  A self-taught bassist and guitarist, Karina started playing in bands in and around New York City when she was barely a teenager, and was touring as a member of legendary keyboardist Marco Benevento’s band while still attending college.  The stint in Benevento’s band prepared Karina for forming her own trio and hitting the road, a period during which she caught the eyes and ears of some major players, among them Phish guitarist and band-leader Trey Anastasio.  Last year, she released her debut album, ‘Joyride,’ a dizzying collection of psychedelic indie, alternative and jam-based tunes that made my top 10 list of rock albums for 2023. Anastasio co-produced the album, and lent his inimitable guitar stylings to half of the tracks.  Throughout ‘Joyride,’, Karina’s bass playing reveals the depth and breadth of her musical influences, and her always vibrant, sometimes playful, and occasionally dreamy vocals lead the listener on a journey through her colorful imagination.  Listeners in the Buffalo, NY area will be able to catch Karina and her trio as part of the Rail Rider Jamboree Festival on Saturday, March 23, at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville. Learn more and grab your tickets at railriderjam.com.  Welcome to Why Music Matters, Karina Rykman!

My guest is cellist, creator and collaborator Alex Cousins.    A classically trained musician and Peabody Conservatory graduate, Alex has performed as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, played with a variety of original alternative bands, and been seen and heard in venues from Western New York to Italy.    But what sets Alex apart is his passion for the electric cello, a unique instrument that he employs in his quest to stretch the envelope and challenge the notion of what a 21st century musician can be.    Alex is a musical seeker whose tastes run from Bach to Alternative rock, and so many genres in between. Today, he’ll tell us his story, and introduce us to the magical world of the electric cello.   Take it away, Alex!

Today on Why Music Matters, my guest is musician and DJ Chelsea O’Donnell. Chelsea began her career in radio as host of the local show on 107.7 FM Alternative Buffalo, where she helped that station celebrate the rich variety of local and regional indie rock from Western New York. These days, you can hear Chelsea on WBFO The Bridge, where she hosts The Scene, a show focusing on original independent music from Western New York and Southern Ontario, every Sunday. Concurrent with all of this, Chelsea writes, records, performs and tours with her indie rock band, Stress Dolls. This immersion in independent music has granted Chelsea a unique perspective on Why Music Matters - to cities, to scenes, and to each of us individually.  Join us!

Today on Why Music Matters, I have a conversation with Ray Wawrzyniak. Ray is a devout music lover. Musicologist, author and collector whose main passion in life aside from his family, of course, is the Canadian progressive rock trio RUSH. Ray joined me to chat about our shared love for that band, about RUSH co-founder Geddy Lee's new memoir, and about why All music matters but in Ray's world, RUSH music matters most.