The Third Story podcast features long-form interviews with musicians and members of the creative class, hosted by me, Leo Sidran.
Their stories of discovery, loss, ambition, identity, improvisation, risk, and reward are deeply moving and compelling for all of us as we embark on our own creative journeys.
Most recent episode: Shabaka
Singer Jose James on his new record 1978, his professional and personal journey, the unique demands of being a jazz singer today, why he believes good art should be transformative, how he stays healthy, the creative challenges brought on by happiness and whether or not one needs to suffer in order to make good art.
Vocal group säje on their journey - from a weekend retreat in Palm Springs to the release of their first full length album and its subsequent Grammy nomination for Best Arrangement Instruments and Vocals with Jacob Collier for “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning”, collective lyric writing, managing logistics and juggling four schedules, the emotional space that feminine energy allows, and discovering who they are in public.
Bassist Will Lee was featured in episode 1 of The Third Story back in 2014. For this tenth anniversary episode, he returns to talk about his career since leaving The Late Show with David Letterman (he was the bass player on both of Letterman’s TV shows starting in 1982), why “music is our boss”, and how he likes to keep things exciting.
Also featured: Amanda Sidran on living with a podcaster.
Shabaka Hutchings on growing up between England and Barbados, his shift away from saxophone to wooden flutes, his new record Perceive its beauty, Acknowledge its Grace, the job of the artist, and why this is the right moment to make more patient music.