Strong Songs

If an emotion is too big for talking, you sing. If it's too big for singing, you dance. And if it's too big for dancing, well, you just gotta podcast!Author, podcaster, and video essayist Lindsay Ellis knows a thing or two about outsized Broadway emotions—in addition to her many other pursuits, she's created a whole side endeavor talking about them on her musical theater podcast, Musicalsplaining. Ellis guested on last year's Strong Songs episode about Hadestown, and it seemed only natural to have her back for a longer conversation about musical theater.Back in March, she and Kirk hopped on Zoom and chatted about the first musicals they loved, why musicals resonate with teens, how Hadestown's visual design helps tell a story, and just what the deal is with Andrew Lloyd Webber.CHECK OUT LINDSAY'S WORKLindsay's bestselling debut novel Axiom's End is now available, and her second one is on the way. She's a prolific video essayist, and has made some terrific videos about Lord Andy himself. She's also a co-host on the Musicalsplaining podcast.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“All I Ask of You (Reprise),” and “Point of No Return” from The Phantom of the Opera (Original London Cast) by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, 1987“Cool” by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim from West Side Story, New Broadway Cast Recording, 2009“Dead Mom” by Eddie Perfect performed by Sophia Anne Caruso from the Beetlejuice OCR, 2019"Non-Stop” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Hamilton, 2015“Heaven on their Minds” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice from Jesus Christ Superstar, original concept album, 1970“The Club” by Lin-Manuel Mirands from In The Heights, 2008“Any Way the Wind Blows,” “Come Home With Me,” “Chant,” and “Wedding Song” by Anäis Mitchell from Hadestown, 2019An offhand joke about “The Phantom of the Mall” which is an actual 1989 movie“Willkommen” by Kander, Ebb and Masteroff performed by Alan Cumming in the 1998 version of Cabaret"Man of Constant Sorrow,” trad. American Folk first published by Dick Burnett, performed by Dan Tyminski and the Soggy Bottom Boys in O Brother, Where Art Thou, 2000“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd from After Hours, 2020--------------------April 2021 Whole-Note PatronsDonald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiApril 2021 Half-Note PatronsChristopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Thomas König - Kouroth - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Mailbag time! Kirk peruses the Strong Songs inbox to answer your questions about jazz drum solos, practicing with play-a-longs, Tame Impala tunes, saxophones with traffic cones, vocal technique, sidechain compression, and several tricky rhythms.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Tubes” by Moon Hooch from their NPR Tiny Desk live concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwBhxBBa7tE“Strangers” by The Kinks from Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround, Pt. 1, 1970“Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield from Tubular Bells, 1973“In The Moonlight” by Pearl Jam from Last Dogs, 2003“Good Time Boys” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from Mother’s Milk, 1989"One Night in Bangkok" performed by Murray Head from Chess, 1984“Jackson Cannery” by Ben Folds Five from Ben Folds Five, 1995“La Donna È Mobile” by Giuseppe Verdi from Rigoletto, as performed by Luciano Pavarotti with the London PhilharmonicThe excellent documentary Twenty Feet From Stardom"You & Me" by Flume from Flume, 2012“Elephant” by Tame Impala from Lonerism, 2012“Bird Calls” by Charles Mingus from Ah Um, 1959“Giant Steps” by John Coltrane recorded by Jamey Aebersold for Volume 28, John Coltrane, 1983“The Days of Wine and Roses” by Johnny Mercer recorded by Jamey Aebersold from Volume 40, ‘Round Midnight, 1987OUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" EieineCarlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/.--------------------April 2021 Whole-Note PatronsDonald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiApril 2012 Half-Note PatronsChristopher Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah David - Joske Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Thomas König - Kouroth - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Jazz is all about the contrast between the individual and the collective, and few recordings embody that as beautifully as "Stolen Moments," the opening track from Oliver Nelson's 1961 hard-bop record The Blues and the Abstract Truth.On this episode, Kirk dives deep into Nelson's classic tune, starting with his dense horn arrangement, then considering the three improvised horn solos as distinct creations that reflect the at-times wildly different ambitions of each individual player. Also, there's jazz flute.Written by: Oliver NelsonPerformed by: Freddie Hubbard (tpt.), Eric Dolphy (alto/flute), Oliver Nelson (tenor), George Barrow (bari), Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Roy Haynes (drums).Album: The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Moanin” by Bobby Timmons, played by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on Moanin', 1959 (rec. 1958)“So What” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959“Hoe Down” and “Butch and Butch” by Oliver Nelson from The Blues and the Abstract Truth, 1961“Hyperballad” by Björk from Post, 1995“Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard, 1955“Kiss” by Prince from Parade, 1986“Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman from New Beginning, 1995“Blue 7” by Sonny Rollins from Saxophone Colossus, 1956“Giant Steps” by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is the host of Strong Songs. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he likes to play the drums. He thinks he's getting good but he can handle criticism.--------------------April 2021 Whole-Note PatronsDonald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiApril 2021 Half-Note PatronsChristopher Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah David - Joske Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Thomas König - Kouroth - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Open up your heart! Open up your heart! Open up your heart, let Kimbra pull you out!On this episode, Kirk goes for a swim in the extra-buoyant waters of Kimbra's 2011 pop stomper "Cameo Lover." It's an intricate musical narrative told through shifting time-feels, retro drum beats, leaping vocals, and sneaky key changes, and it's just the song to raise our spirits after a long, dark winter.Written by: Kimbra JohnsonAlbum: Vows (2011)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye from Making Mirrors, 2011“Settle Down,” “Plain Gold Ring” and “Sally I Can See You” by Kimbra (Plain Gold Ring by George Stone) from Vows, 2011“In My Bones” by Jacob Collier from Djesse Vol. 3, 2020“Be My Baby” by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector as performed by The Ronettes, 1963OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan NervoThis episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar in the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/--------------------March 2021 Whole-Note PatronsChristopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiMarch 2021 Half-Note PatronsBernard Khoo - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

What's this? An off-week episode of Strong Songs??Indeed it is! For this episode of Strong Conversations (working title), Kirk hopped on a call with New York pianist Carmen Staaf to talk about the fundamental elements of music, learning to sing as an instrumentalist, teaching jazz and ear training, her collaborations with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and drummer Allison Miller, and the similarities between jazz and chess.Learn more about Carmen at her website: https://www.carmenstaaf.com/Check out her music here: https://carmenstaaf.bandcamp.com/REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Blackbird” by Paul McCartney, performed by Carmen Staaf on Eye to Eye, 2020“Saint James Infirmary” by Don Redman/Irving Mills performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater on Dee Dee’s Feathers, 2015Alexander Technique: https://alexandertechnique.com/“Take The ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington sung by Ella Fitzgerald on Ella Fitzgerald Sings: The Duke Ellington Songbook, 1957“I’ve Got The World on a String” by Harold Arlen performed by Sarah Vaughn with the Oscar Peterson Trio on How Long Has This Been Going On, 1978“‘Round Midnight” by Thelonious Monk performed by Betty Carter on ‘Round Midnight, 1963“Weightless” and "MLW" by Carmen Staaf and Allison Miller from Science Fair, 2018“Congratulations and Condolences” by Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom from Glitter Wolf, 2019Kathak dance performed by Meghranjani Medhi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZmCmQjoehwThe Harmonic Experience by W.A. Matthieu: https://www.amazon.com/Harmonic-Experience-Harmony-Natural-Expression/dp/0892815604“Nuclear Fusion” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard from Flying Microtonal Banana, 2017“Does math actually exist?” - a good question tbh“Syl-O-G**m” by Mary Lou Williams from Zoning, 1974“Spain” by Chick Corea and Joaquin Rodrigo from Light as a Feather, 1973“Gentleman” by Féla Kuti from Gentleman, 1973--------------------March 2021 Whole-Note PatronsChristopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiMarch 2021 Half-Note PatronsBernard Khoo - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Heathcliff! It's us, it's Strong Songs, we've come home!The time has come for a deep dive into the music of the great Kate Bush, and what better song to analyze than her breakthrough 1978 hit, "Wuthering Heights." This song has it all - odd phrasing, shifting key centers, soaring vocals, character narration, an epic guitar solo, a red dress, and a celesta.Written by: Kate BushAlbum: The Kick Inside (1978)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“James and the Cold Gun” and “The Man with the Child in His Eyes” by Kate Bush from The Kick Inside, 1978“Sat In Your Lap” and “The Dreaming” by Kate Bush from The Dreaming, 1982“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush from Hounds of Love, 1985Richard Buskin's 2004 Sound on Sound article about the writing and recording of "Wuthering Heights" - https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-kate-bush-wuthering-heightsThe 1886 remake/remix of "Wuthering Heights"Kate Bush's iconic Red Dress music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW3gKKiTvjsNoel Fielding's incredible live reenactment of the Red Dress video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du4uH1fC9B8A demonstration of the bell tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhStPnEcXrk“The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from The Nutcracker Suite, 1892 performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, 1999“Starman” by David Bowie from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra from Out of the Blue, 1977Correction 3/23/21: The glissando in the intro/post-chorus is now correctly identified as being played on a bell tree, rather than a glockenspiel or the celesta.OUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2 - https://www.instagram.com/charlesonsax2--------------------March 2021 Whole-Note PatronsChristopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiMarch 2021 Half-Note PatronsBernard Khoo - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Time for the first Q&A episode of Strong Songs year three!On this episode, Kirk digs into the mailbag for your questions on Jack White's guitar tone, Shabaka Hutchings' sax sound, 70s kitsch jazz, concept albums, drummers learning mallet instruments, Celtic sounds, "saving" jazz, and SOPHIE. Also, a listener shares a song that came to him in a dream.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“O Superman” by Laurie Anderson from Big Science, 1982“Let Down” by Radiohead from OK Computer, 1997“Icky Thump” by The White Stripes from Icky Thump, 2007“Summon the Fire” by The Comet is Coming from Trust In The Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery - 2019“Mrs. Bluebeard” by They Might Be Giants from I Like Fun, 2018“Tank!” by Yoko Kanno from the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack, 1998“The Zodiac” by David Lindup, “Funky Fanfare” and “Party Time” by Keith Mansfield, “Water Sports” by James Clarke, “Organ Mania” by Alan Hawkshaw and Keith Mansfield, all from the KPM 1000 Library Series“Astoria,” “This Means War” and “Burning Up” by Marianas Trench from Astoria, 2015“Mébh’s Tune” by Kíla and “Wolfwalkers Theme” by Bruno Coulais from the Wolfwalkers soundtrack“Song for my Father” by Horace Silver from Song For My Father, 1965“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” by Steely Dan from Prezel Logic, 1974“Layer Cake” by Shoji Meguro from Persona 5, 2016“Sonic 2: Aquatic Ruin Zone” arrangement by Carlos Eiene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC60qFBZSGg“Is it Cold In The Water?” by SOPHIE from Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Sides, 2017OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob ReichThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and has been doing some really cool new stuff during Covid times. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/.--------------------February 2021 Whole-Note PatronsAllison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiFebruary 2021 Half-Note PatronsDavid Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - D. Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Mark Edwards - Randall Browning - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Mark Haberlen - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Here comes that Santa Ana wind again, blowing us right into the slightly skewed world of Steely Dan.It was never a question whether Strong Songs would do a Steely Dan episode, it was more a question of which song to focus on. In the end, Kirk chose "Babylon Sisters," a culmination of the band's incredible 1970s run that exemplifies Fagen and Becker's brand of pristine, laser-focused groove. It's also arguably the definitive recording of Bernard Purdie's signature Purdie Shuffle.Written by: Walter Becker and Donald FagenAlbum: Gaucho (1980)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Sloop John B,” Bahamian folk song as recorded by The Beach Boys on Pet Sounds, 1966“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by The Temptations from Law of the Land, 1972“Cousin Dupree” by Becker/Fagen from Two Against Nature, 2000“Reelin' in the years” by Donald Fagen from Can’t Buy a Thrill, 1972“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” by Fagen/Becker from Prezel Logic, 1974“Black Friday” by Becker/Fagen from Katy Lied, 1975"Peg," "Aja," and "Home at Last" by Becker/Fagen from Aja, 1977“Sing Sing Sing (With a Swing)” by Louis Prima performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra, 1936“Cissy Strut” by The Meters from The Meters, 1969"Rosanna" by David Paich as recorded by Toto on Toto IV, with Jeff Porcaro on drums (and Tom Scott on alto sax!)Rob Brown’s Purdie Shuffle tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g41Ab8iDaD0OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and was also featured on the year three Strong Songs theme msuic. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and check out his latest single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpetto--------------------February 2021 Whole-Note PatronsAllison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiFebruary 2021 Half-Note PatronsDavid Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - John Hargis - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - D. Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Mark Edwards - Randall Browning - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Mark Haberlen - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Where are we? What the hell is going on? Oh right, we're here with our podcast device, listening to an episode of Strong Songs.On this episode, Kirk dives into Imogen Heap's one-woman choral masterwork "Hide and Seek," taking a closer look at the technologies and processes Heap used to get that bewitching sound, her striking use of breath and dynamic contrast, and the many subtle ways she took the oh-so familiar "four chords" and made them sound unique.Written by: Imogen HeapAlbum: Speak for Yourself (2005)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Let Go” by Frou Frou from Details, 2002“Headlock” and “The Moment I Said It” from Speak For Yourself, 2005“Even Better than the Real Thing” by U2 from Achtung Baby, 1991iZotope’s helpful history of the vocoder: https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/a-brief-history-of-the-vocoder.htmlAn excerpt from Heap’s 2015 Tedx talk about the development of her Mi.Mu gloves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oeEQhOmGpgSome more cool demonstrations of the gloves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvyVQqCO8pY&feature=emb_logoOUTRO SOLOIST: Erik ElligersErik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/--------------------January 2021 Whole-Note PatronsPatrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Chad Barnard - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJanuary 2021 Half-Note PatronsAchint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Joel Stevenson - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Mark Edwards - Randall Browning - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Melanie Andrich - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Suellen Moore - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Jenifer Carr - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Robbie Ferrero - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Mark Haberlen - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Forrest Chang - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - Shane DeLeon - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Let the children lose it, let the children use it, and let all the children join in for Strong Songs year three!Kirk kicks off the new year with a pair of classics by the great David Bowie: 1969's melancholy "Space Oddity" and 1972's triumphant "Starman." What goes up, as they say, must come down.Written by: David BowieAlbums: David Bowie (1969), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)Listen/Buy Bowie via Album.LinkListen/Buy Ziggy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:Audio of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, courtesy NASA"A Day in the Life" by Lennon-McCartney, 1967A cool Guardian interview with Rick Wakeman about playing Mellotron on Space OddityOUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" EieineCarlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/.NEW THEME MUSIC!Thanks to BJ Cord, Kyle Molitor, and Carlos Eiene for lending their horn chops to the Strong Songs year three theme. You can watch a video of the whole band playing the tune on Twitter or Instagram.--------------------January 2021 Whole-Note PatronsPatrick Funston - Jamie White - Johanna L. Branson - Thomas König - Angus McKimm - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Matt Butler - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Caleb Rotach - Andre Bremer - Chad Barnard - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJanuary 2021 Half-Note PatronsAchint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Belinda Mcgrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Terron Ishihara - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Joel Stevenson - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Mark Edwards - Randall Browning - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - David Catlett - Joe Laska - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Melanie Andrich - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Jeff Almond - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Suellen Moore - Judy Chapple - Stuart Terry - Mark Perry - Malory - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Judith Stansfield - Jenifer Carr - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - Markus Koester - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Robbie Ferrero - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Brooke Wilford - Cyrus N. White - Chris Brown - Mark Haberlen - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Tom Lauer - Forrest Chang - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - Shane DeLeon - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Justin Liew - Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics