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: 20 years of “Al otro lado del rio”
Legendary singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega on early hits, enduring legacy, and her new album Flying with Angels — a conversation about songwriting, truth-telling, and staying true to your voice.
Pianist, composer, bandleader, and activist Arturo O’Farrill in a wide-ranging conversation that is both personal and political. The son of legendary Cuban composer Chico O’Farrill and father to musicians Adam and Zack O’Farrill, Arturo reflects on growing up between cultures, rejecting and then rediscovering his Latin roots, and how the search for artistic honesty has shaped his life.
Dancer, singer and band leader Max Pollak on the remarkable story of how he taught himself to dance in a place where no formal tap training existed. Early on, improvisation wasn’t just part of his style — it was the only way forward. That instinctive relationship with rhythm would become the foundation of his unique voice as an artist.
Twenty years ago, “Al otro lado del río” became the first Spanish-language song to win an Oscar. Here we revisit that historic night with the song’s composer Jorge Drexler and the people in the immediate circle who watched it go down. They explore the song’s unexpected journey, the impact of its win, and how memory shapes our understanding of the past.