A Conversation with Kurt Elling – HuffPost 1.28.11

Mike Ragogna: Let’s talk about your Don Was-produced album The Gate. It covers a lot of territory, what was the process like putting it together? Kurt Elling: I had a number of compositions in mind that I wanted to get to. Don approached me a couple of years ago about wanting to work in a general […]

Kurt Elling – HuffPost 1.28.11

Mike Ragogna: Do you have any advice for new artists? Kurt Elling: I think the only relevant advice anybody could say is that, when you fall in love with something, give everything you have to it. Be smarter and more disciplined and creative and fastidious about becoming a jazz person and relevant artist. Give it […]

A Conversation with Dianne Reeves – HuffPost 1.28.11

Mike Ragogna: Dianne, where are you right now? Dianne Reeves: I’m in Berlin, Germany. MR: What are you up to there? DR: I’m getting ready to start doing some concerts here, I’m only touring in Germany. I’m excited about it because I love it. I’m here with my band and we’re getting ready to do […]

– Mike Ragogna’s 2.0 – 20110127 – David Lowery

David Lowery is the founder of the band Camper Van Beethoven and co-founder of the band Cracker. He has just released his first solo album, The Palace Guards. He discusses his new album, his bands, and his time spent entertaining the troops overseas.

– Mike Ragogna’s 2.0 – 20110126 – James Blunt

Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmins – HuffPost 1.24.11

Mike Ragogna: Do you have any advice for new artists? Michael Timmins: There are lots of different things, it depends on what you’re doing. If you’re doing this for any reason but the fact that you can’t help but doing it, then don’t do it. It’s too tough of a road if it’s not something […]

A Conversation with Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmins – HuffPost 1.24.11

Mike Ragogna: This album seems like a counterpart to your last album Remnin Park. What is going into the process of these works? Michael Timmins: We are in the process of creating a piece called the Nomad Series, which is a series of four albums that we’re recording and releasing over 18 months. So,Remnant Park is volume […]

A Conversation with David Lowery of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven – HuffPost 1.24.11

Mike Ragogna: Your new solo album, The Palace Guards, has been in the making for quite a while. David Lowery: Yeah, though it’s not like I was slaving away in my basement every day. I was collecting up the stuff that wasn’t either Cracker or Camper Van Beethoven, my two bands. It was sort of about […]