EPISODE 110: Monty Ma started his career in the heyday of Internet radio and digital music start-ups in Silicon Valley with such pioneers as Live365 and Project Playlist, where he managed content and programming, product development, and data analytics. The beginnings of his career trace back to his being a radio DJ playing American and European chart toppers on Easy FM at China Radio International in Beijing. He has since worked in data science informing content, product, audience, advertising, subscription, and revenue at such media companies as CBS and NBCUniversal in New York. He now works at Amazon Web Services building cloud solutions in data, analytics, and AI/ML for corporate clients in various industries. linkedin.com/in/montymaContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 109: After years of touring the world with artists such as Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Shakira, Air Supply, and others, veteran LA bass player Derek Frank decided it was time to take a slight detour from the life of a “hired gun” musician and focus on his own instrumental quintet. Described as “Seventies-Inspired Funky Instrumental Jams With Fewer Bass Solos Than You Would Expect”, Derek and his band blend funk, blues, soul, jazz, southern rock, and seventies soundtrack music into a genre all their own. 2020 saw the release of “Eleven Years Later”, Derek’s first solo album since his 2009 debut “Let the Games Begin…”, and his newest album Origin Story was released on March 25th, 2024 on all download and streaming platforms. The 2-disc vinyl version (with bonus live tracks) will be available sometime in May 2024. derekfrank.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 108: Jeffrey Lee Campbell, originally from North Carolina, is a guitarist, composer, and producer. He has been a professional musician for over forty years—thirty and counting in New York City. In addition to touring the world with Sting, he’s performed with artists including Sammy Davis Jr., Aretha Franklin, Michael Bublé, and Jon Bon Jovi. A grateful journeyman, Jeffrey has played guitar on countless recordings, jingles, and Broadway shows, currently performing in "MJ - The Musical".  jeffreyleecampbell.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 107: John Zaika is a Dallas, TX based producer, songwriter and engineer currently working on "Kite On A String: The Bobby Kimball Story" that tells the story of the TOTO front man's life, work, career and struggle with dementia. John was born in Dearborn, MI and has worked on numerous projects with Grammy Award winning producer Jeff Lorber. johnzaikamusic.com Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 106: Tony Pulizzi has been a leading guitarist in the Los Angeles area for over a decade now and enjoys a music career filled with versatility and experience. Within a year after relocating to LA, Tony quickly made his impact on the west coast and became the house guitarist on American Idol. He parlayed that gig into numerous appearances on Dancing With The Stars, The Voice, BET Awards, and other TV network award shows / movie soundtracks. He has performed and/or recorded with top artists such as Smokey Robinson, Robbie Dupree, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Kimball, Dave Koz, Natalie Cole, Tito Jackson, Mickey Thomas, George Benson, Bill Champlin, and Stevie Wonder to name a few. As a bandleader, Tony has released 3 albums of his own including a recent EP.  More studio material including a live album to be released!  See and hear the live footage, guitar studio discography and original music with the links right here at tonypguitar.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 105: Simon Frederick St George Kirke (born 28 July 1949) is an English rock drummer best known as a member of Free and Bad Company, the latter of which he has been the only continuous member since their inception. In addition to his work with Free and Bad Company, Simon has guested on a long list of recordings by other artists over the years, including albums by Wilson Pickett, Faces, Gov’t Mule, Jim Capaldi and Ron Wood, among countless others and he is often found drumming live on tour with acts like Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band. Simon recently toured with Bad Company and The Eagles' Joe Walsh, and recorded a soul-baring solo record, "All Because of You," with Chicago band, The Empty Pockets, released by The End Records/BMG (2017). officialsimonkirke.com Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 104: House of Waters is the confluence of multiple streams. With immersive studies in India, Senegal, Japan, the Americas, and beyond, House of Waters has synthesized a new and unique sound. For sixteen years, Max ZT (hammered dulcimer) and Moto Fukushima (six-string electric bass) have carefully crafted a combined voice. Their rare instrumentation allows for the two prolific composers to create a distinct sound, and a compelling and captivating style. For their brand-new, GRAMMY® nominated album On Becoming, they are joined by the masterful Antonio Sanchez on drums. The trio offer virtuosic performances showcasing their creativity and curiosity both in their six compositions, as well as in three fully improvised additional pieces. With guest appearances by the iconic guitarist Mike Stern, and Grammy-Nominated vocalist Priya Darshini, On Becoming emphasizes the exploration of a sound, of a composition, and of a moment. houseofwaters.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 103: Martina Radwan, a German/Syrian, based in New York City more than two decades, is award-winning cinematographer and filmmaker. “Saving Face,” the 2012 Academy Award Winner for Short Documentary and Emmy winner, earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Cinematography in 2013. Her recent work includes Food & Country, Boys State, Inventing Tomorrow, The Final Year and more. Martina has directed two award winning shorts, Spring In Awe and Aliens Among US. Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow is her first feature length film as director. tomorrow3-doc.comRuchi Mital is an independent filmmaker with a creative writing and social justice background. She has been producing documentaries for over a decade and is the Foundress of production company Solani Media. Selected works include Emmy winner We Could Be King; HBO series, The Case Against Adnan Syed; global mental health series, The Me You Can't See (Apple TV+); and hybrid doc This World is Not My Own (SXSW 2023), about which Ruchi also authored an essay in the NYT Critics Pick Really Free: The Radical Art of Nellie Mae Rowe. Most recently she produced the series Encounters for Netflix, and Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow with director Martina Radwan (DOCNYC 2023). Ruchi is a member of DOCNYC’s 40 Under 40 list of emerging non-fiction talents. She has served as a filmmaking mentor through the 2021 Sundance Producer’s Intensive and 2022 DOCNYC Storytelling Incubator. Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 102: Percussionist, Drummer and Vocalist John Mahon has been playing with Sir Elton John since 1997. He has performed over 2000 shows with the superstar,  in over 70 countries in front of millions. John was voted #3 Percussionist by Modern Drummer Magazine 2010 Readers Poll. He has recorded numerous albums with Elton John, achieving both Gold and Platinum Grammy winning success. “Playing and recording with Elton John for 20 years has given me the opportunity to play amazing music night after night all over the world. Elton’s love of music is contagious and showed me that music has no limits. My passion for all things rhythmic and melodic has led me to explore playing percussion, drums and electronics as well as becoming a producer and composer.” johnmahon.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 101: Jonathan Wales is a British born sound designer and re-recording mixer for numerous feature films including Get Out, Memento, Gaga: Five Foot Two and many others. His latest project is the new Netflix series, The Fall of the House of Usher. Born in London he now lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Jonathan Wales is an award winning re-recording mixer based in Los Angeles. After producing records in his native London, Jonathan moved to LA to work in the movie business. Having worked at Universal Studios and other facilities, Jonathan’s passion for sound and technology led to the creation of Sonic Magic - a leading independent facility, where he mixed for over 15 years. Jonathan then made the move to Warner Bros. where he is currently based. With over 250 credits, he is most recently known for his work on the award winning titles “Get Out”, “The Haunting of Hill House”, “The Black Phone” and “Insidious: The Red Door”. Jonathan is also known for his scoring mixing with most recent score mixing credits including “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “Five Nights at Freddys”. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0907391Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 100 SPECIAL: Matt Cusson is a Grammy nominated pianist, singer, writer, producer and arranger known for his work with luminaries such as Christina Aguilera, Brian McKnight, CeeLo Green and many others. mattcusson.comMark Andes started his musical career in the mid 1960s. He was an original member of Canned Heat, formed Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, and Firefall. He was a member of Heart from 1982-1992. Toured with Stevie Nicks, Dan Fogelberg and a host of Texas artists. runrunrundocumentary.comMark Farner is an American musician, best known as the original lead singer and lead guitarist for the hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad, which he co-founded in 1969, and later as a contemporary Christian musician. markfarner.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 99: Tormod Ringnes is the supervising sound editor, re-recording mixer and sound designer for TIFF '23 feature Songs of Earth. He is based in Oslo, Norway. Songs of Earth is a documentary guided by the director's 84-year-old father and his relations to his Norwegian mountain home. The film travels high and wide for both majestic scenery, symphony, and story, and was recently selected as Norway’s entry into the International Feature category for the Oscars. His past projects also include Pirates of the Caribbean, Maleficent, Academy Award Winning Animated Feature Flee, partnerships with German filmmakers Thomas Aslan and Wim Wenders, video games like Battlefield 2042, Tribeca 2023 selection  Laroy (Steve Zahn). instagram.com/tringnesContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 98: Italian-born Erene Mastrangeli, a dynamic pop/folk artist, mastered classical guitar in Italy before relocating to NYC. Her music blends American and Italian styles, earning her the moniker the Italian Joni Mitchell. Erene has graced iconic venues worldwide and has collaborated with Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies) on her upcoming album, Loveshine, due out on November 17, 2023. erenemusic.com Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 97: Raul Midón is a blind singer songwriter guitarist with an international following. He has received numerous accolades, highlights which include the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Miami & the Disability Rights Advocate Award. He has collaborated with artists from Bill Withers to Jason Mraz.  In 2020 he decided to forgo the traditional record label relationship to create his own label ReKondite ReKords.  His first release on Reko Reko is “Eclectic Adventurist” which is also his first instrumental album of guitar duets with the likes of Mike Stern, Dean Parks, Romero Lubambo, Julia Bailen to name a few.  He is also an aspiring novelist. raulmidon.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 96: Nicole Zuraitis is a GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and arranger, vocalist for the Birdland Big Band and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. Her newest jazz vocal album How Love Begins, co-produced with eight-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride, released July 7th, 2023 featuring all original music.  She has headlined iconic jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, Birdland, The Carlyle (with Darren Criss) and guest starred with orchestras such as the Savannah Philharmonic and Asheville Symphony. Proud voice faculty at NYU and SUNY Purchase.  For more info, head to www.nicolezmusic.com or follow along @nicoleZmusic for goofy antics, tour dates and joyful noise. Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 95: Kevin So has garnered the attention and respect of 5-time Grammy award winner Keb' Mo', singer/activist Billy Bragg and Tony Award winning playwright David Henry Hwang, and has built a loyal fan base around the world for the past 30 years. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as Hollywood Bowl, Wiltern Theatre, and The Ryman in Nashville. In 2007, Kevin was proud recipient of the NYC International Fringe Festival Award (Best Music & Lyrics) for “Great Wall” – a musical loosely based on his life and times. Kevin has also served as multi-instrumentalist (keyboards, guitar, harmonica, mandolin) in the Keb’ Mo’ Band for the past 15 years. His songs have been recorded by India Arie (“Crush On You”), Keb' Mo' ("Talk”), Crystal Bowersox (“I Got Angels”), Ana Popovic (“Slow Dance”), Ronnie Baker Brooks (“Wham Bam Thank You Sam”) and Shemekia Copeland ("Sounds Like The Devil”).  Kevin resides in Massachusetts. He is currently completing his next album, titled "TERESA” - an interpretation and musical exploration of the songs of legendary singer Teresa Teng.  He is Americana, soul and blues in its finest blend. kevinso.com/Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 94: Butterflies symbolize change, hope and transformation. They also represent pure joy. Through all his musical journeys, Felix Cavaliere has never lost that same delight. It wasn’t the structured, precise sounds his piano teacher taught him so long ago – for Cavaliere, one of the founders of GRAMMY winning and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees The Rascals - he can still recall the moment he heard rock and roll for the first time. Ensconced by its loose, soulful sound, Cavaliere still infuses that same enthusiasm when he’s talking about a language beyond words: music. His work has never been bolder as it is in his new album “Then And Now.”  With No. 1 songs like “Good Lovin’”, “Groovin’”, “A Beautiful Morning”, “I’ve Been Lonely Too Long”, “People Got To Be Free” and “How Can I Be Sure”, The Rascals are considered the best ‘blue-eyed soul’ group to come out of the 1960s. For Cavaliere, The King of Blue-Eyed Soul©, making people feel good is fundamental to his illustrious career that includes the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame and Musicians Hall of Fame. felixcavalieremusic.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 93: Jim Caruso made his Broadway debut singing Kay Thompson arrangements alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza’s At The Palace.  He has performed at The Carlyle and Algonquin Hotels, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the United Nations, and the White House, winning numerous MAC, Nightlife and Bistro Awards. For the past twenty years, he has produced the Broadway at Birdland concert series and celebrated talent at "Jim Caruso’s Cast Party" at Birdland in New York City, as well as in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, London, San Francisco, Dallas and on the high seas.  His recordings include “Live and In Person,” “The Swing Set,” “Christmas at Birdland,” and “The Sunday Set.”   jim-caruso.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 92: Says former chairman and CEO of Mercury Records, Danny Goldberg in his book Bumping into Geniuses, Bloom’s “interest in rock and roll had more to do with the study of mass psychology in action than furthering the aggrandizement of spoiled rock stars. He approached PR as an applied science.” In fact, Bloom used his science to invent simple correlational techniques and no-cost market research tools.  He joined the resulting data to what he calls “tuned empathy” and “saturated intuition” to help build or sustain the careers of figures like Michael Jackson, Prince, Bob Marley, Bette Midler, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Billy Idol, Peter Gabriel, David Byrne, John Mellencamp, Joan Jett, Queen, Kiss, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Kool and the Gang, Chaka Khan, Run DMC, and roughly 100 others.  He contributed to the success of films like The Great Gatsby, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Outrageous Fortune, and Purple Rain.   In the process, he helped generate $28 billion in revenues (more than the gross domestic product of Oman or Luxembourg) for companies like Sony, Disney, Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola, and Warner Brothers.  And he did it by focusing not on profits but on soul.  The result?  Sterling Whitaker, author of The Grand Delusion: The Unauthorized True Story of Styx, calls Bloom, “probably the greatest press agent that rock and roll has ever known.” howardbloom.net/about-howard-bloom/Contact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!

EPISODE 91: Kara Talve is an in-demand composer and multi-instrumentalist for film and television and, as a leading composer at Bleeding Fingers Music, has strengthened a variety of projects through her extraordinary talent and keen collaboration abilities. Most recently, she scored Apple TV+’s Prehistoric Planet alongside Hans Zimmer and  Anže Rozman, which was narrated by David Attenborough and produced by Jon Favreau in conjunction with BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit. The score, which features custom-built, otherworldly instruments blended with an 80-piece orchestra has received global acclaim, including a win for Best Original Score for a Documentary Series at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMAs) and a nomination for the 2022 Bulldog Television Broadcast Awards. The soundtrack of Prehistoric Planet has, to date, claimed over 80 million streams. Captivated by music from a young age, Anze was improvising and composing his own tunes on the piano at just nine years old. After earning a degree in composition and music theory from the Academy of Music in Ljubljana (graduating summa cum laude) and going on to pursue a master's degree in scoring music for film, TV, and video games at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain, Anže’s final project at Berklee (a 3-minute orchestral piece recorded at Air Studios in London) caught the attention of Hans Zimmer and led to an invitation to join Bleeding Fingers Music as a full-time composer in 2018. He currently resides in Los Angeles. karatalve.com | archestralmusic.comContact us: makingsoundpodcast.comFollow on Instagram: @makingsoundpodcastFollow on Threads: @jannkloseJoin our Facebook GroupPlease support the show with a donation, thank you for listening!