In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid cross over with the guys from Blind Duet. Take a listen to this and check out more at the Blind Duet Podcast.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas talks to up and coming artist Gina D'Soto about her career trajectory thus far. Always comfortable and very real, Gina D’Soto graces every stage with her energetic, soulful, and powerful vocals; being widely recognized as a very charming, playful, and passionate human being, unafraid of showing who she is, and fiercely open to connecting with her audience and those around her. Since moving to North America at a young age, 22-year-old singer-songwriter - composer and arranger Gina D’ Soto is one of the first prominent Cuban musicians to emerge out of the late 90’s generation, with a sound best described as the blending of jazz, soul, fusion and Cuban traditions. Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, Gina D’Soto was only 15 years old when she began to develop an interest in singing, then she began to appear in the most important jazz-elated national events and venues of the island such as The International Jazz Plaza Festival and Jazz Clubs like La Zorra y El Cuervo, and started collaborating with acclaimed Cuban musicians such as Yassek Manzano and Dayme Arozena. In her formative years as a vocalist, Gina D’Soto moved to Montreal, Canada where she made a lasting impression on the music scene by performing at the Montreal Jazz Festival and Montreal Folk Festival; winning the Ranee Lee Jazz Voice Scholarship and was one of the finalists in the Slir D'Or Montreal World Music Competition. She also began appearing at venues around the area such as Upstairs Jazz Club, Club Balattou, and Maison de la Culture NDG, as a soloist and with her band The Inner Circle. Since moving to New York City, Gina has shared the stage with world-renowned musicians like Arturo O'Farrill, Antonio Sanchez, Roman Filiu, Ana Tijoux, and Jon Faddis. She also has performed at the Winter Jazz Festival and Exit Zero Jazz Festival while singing throughout the Tri-State area at many venues including Minton's PlayHouse, Shrine, Gin Fizz Harlem, and Zinc Bar. Gina has also participated in the "Fandango at the Wall" Cd release by six times Grammy Winning artist Arturo O'Farrill as well as the CD release of "Duele" by the Lady of Neo-Bolero Maria Bacardi at Joe's Pub. #Podcast #hiphop #theworkingartistproject #neworleans #musiceducation #newyork #marketing #branding #business #art

In this weeks episode of the Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid speak to clarinetist virtuoso, Evan ChristopherEvan Christopher combines virtuosity, immaculate taste, and enthusiasm with a commitment to exploring the full range of possibilities in the New Orleans clarinet tradition.His highly personal brand of “contemporary, early jazz” strives to extend the legacies of early Creole clarinet heroes such as Sidney Bechet, Barney Bigard and Omer Simeon.Critics remarking on Christopher’s dynamic expressiveness have coined his style “close-encounter music” (NEW YORK TIMES) and have called his respect for the music traditions of New Orleans, “a triumph, joining the present seamlessly to a glorious past.” (THE OBSERVER, UK).His journey on Clarinet Road began in 1994, when he left his native California to join the New Orleans music community. Diverse freelance work included gigs with musicians such as Al Hirt and veterans of Preservation Hall to funk and brass bands including the Nightcrawlers and Galactic.But in 1996, he left for San Antonio, Texas to appear nightly for nearly three years with the Jim Cullum Jazz Band and record several of their public radio programs, Riverwalk: Live from the Landing.When Christopher returned to New Orleans in 2001, his published research on the New Orleans clarinet style initiated pursuit of a Master’s degree in Musicology at Tulane University. He began touring internationally and producing his “Clarinet Road” series of CDs (STR Digital).In August 2005, when Federal levees failed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina decimating the city, Christopher left again for Paris at the invitation of the French Embassy’s Cultural Services division, where he formed his group, Django à la Créole. This Europe-based quartet fused Gypsy Swing with Latin-tinged grooves of New Orleans and beyond and was distinguished for an acoustic intimacy paired with driving swing.Critics charmed by the group queried, “Is there a more graceful band at work at the moment?” (THE SUNDAY TIMES UK).Three CDs for Lejazzetal (London), in partnership with Frémeaux & Associés (Paris)—Django à la Créole (2007), Finesse (2010), and LIVE! (2014)—earned the group critical attention worldwide for its elegant character.As a composer, Christopher’s original songs are the high point of acclaimed recordings including Delta Bound (Arbors, 2007) featuring pianist Dick Hyman, The Remembering Song (Arbors, 2010) featuring guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, his clarinet feature on the Grammy-winning New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s Book One (2012) and his latest Clarinet Road CD, Bayou Chant & Other Textures (STR Digital, 2016).In July 2010, he had the honor to debut his Treat It Gentle Suite with the Minnesota Orchestra, which was the first concerto written for clarinet with band in the New Orleans style.Evan Christopher began his musical training on clarinet at age 11. In high school, he received the Louis Armstrong National Jazz Award and was one of the first graduates of the prestigious Idyllwild Arts Academy.He continued studies at the University of Southern California and graduated with honors from California State University, Long Beach. A brief teaching stint at the University of New Orleans saw the creation of a New Orleans music ensemble that performed with guest mentors such as Lucien Barbarin and Marcus Roberts.Since 2008, having returned once again to New Orleans, Christopher actively advocates for the cultural workforce and music education.He frequently tours with and records as a guest with forward-looking artists, while performances under his own name are often complemented by workshops and educational and community outreach.Occasional columns about the music scene and New Orleans culture written for NolaVie.com, evidence Evan's passion for the city’s indigenous traditions.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to up and coming artist Dani Douglas about her sophomore album "Dani's Here."If you like R&B, Neo Soul, or good music, then you are going to love the artist we have on the show today! Her music speaks to the adventure that we call love. As we move through the highlight reels of life we often forget the importance of vulnerability. In this album, Dani leans into the struggles that many women have on the love journey and how being a single mother further complicates things. If you have loved and lost then you will relate to this week's episode.

At 23-years old, fast-rising star Kevin Gullage leads his band of veteran players, The Blues Groovers, with the poise of a seasoned performer. His impressive blend of soulful singing and dazzling blues piano infused with the experience of his bandmates is leaving audiences in awe. The Blues Groovers consist of bassist Tony Gullage (Henry Butler, Dr. John), Hammond B3 Player Brandon Adams (Kenny Neal), Guitarist Carlton Ross (Glenn David Andrews), Saxophonist Roderick Jackson (Kenny Neal), and Drummer Mac Carter (Jon Cleary).Born into a musical family in New Orleans, LA, Kevin Gullage showed prodigious signs of musical talent and followed in his father’s footsteps, embracing his passion for music as an instrumentalist, singer, and writer. Growing up interacting with artists such as Henry Butler, Gary Brown, Carol Fran and others in the New Orleans music scene influenced the development of Kevin’s musicianship and style from a young age. Kevin began his career as a multi-instrumentalist, but eventually turned his musical focus to piano. His passion for piano would lead him to study music at the prestigious New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, The Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp (whose alumni include Jon Batiste, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, and “Big Sam” Williams) and later Loyola University New Orleans.At age 18, Kevin was selected as the pianist for the 2017 Thelonious Monk All-Star Sextet performing alongside jazz legend, Bobby Watson. The same year, he was invited to perform with the multi-Grammy winning band Blues Traveler at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Kevin has appeared in several movies including The Last Laugh starring Chevy Chase and Burning Cane starring Wendell Pierce. His voice was also featured in the 2019 release of Disney’s Lady & The Tramp.In 2019, Kevin & the Blues Groovers became a resident artist at B.B. King’s Blues Club, New Orleans. With a resounding demand from their growing fan-base, Kevin recorded his first EP entitled Blues for the City.Kevin Gullage signed with the Grammy-winning record label Basin Street Records in early 2022. The New Orleans-based powerhouse label is slated to release Kevin & The Blues Groovers first full-length LP, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed Blues, in the Spring of 2022.Kevin Gullage appeared in the 2022 season of ABC’s American Idol where he was one of the select few invited to Hollywood. Lionel Richie’s review of his performance included, “You got so much flavor!” Gullage advanced to the top 60 contestants on the show. While the Covid-19 pandemic has halted Kevin & The Blues Groovers tenure at B.B. King’s Blues Club, Kevin Gullage has forged ahead with his performing career, and spent much of 2022 as a featured performer for Disney Cruise Lines.With an all-star band behind him and bountiful talent of his own, Kevin Gullage is set to soar, as Kevin & The Blues Groovers look ahead to the many opportunities in the future.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to artist-cum-activist Gerald Watkins Candice Hoyes about new music and her unique career path. Candice Hoyes is poised to “shape the artist-cum-activist role." (NPR) In 2020, she released “Zora’s Moon,” the first single of her mostly self-penned upcoming EP. This jaunty retro-soul escapade is her response to this moment: an ode to Black girlhood. Candice brings otherworldly vocalism to her new single, "Waiting for the World (Tired)," which features the 1930 poem "Tired" by Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes set in a lyrical Afro Futuristic soundscape. Candice is a 2020 winner of the inaugural NYC Women’s Fund for Film, Music, and Media. She has performed with, opened for, and recorded with artists ranging from Lin Manuel Miranda to Chaka Khan to Wynton Marsalis. Candice was commissioned by the National Black Theater and Michelle Obama's When We All Vote to co-create a new work to empower Black voters leading into the 2020 US Presidential election. ​Candice returns to Carnegie Hall, Caramoor, and more this summer. Recent performances include 2021 We Out Here Fest (UK), NYC JazzFest, Nublu JazzFest, the Public Theater, and the Blue Note. As an activist, she collaborates with the Feminist Press, Well-Read Black Girl, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in Law, Harlem Arts Alliance, Women in Music, and numerous grassroots organizations. She has produced her feminist performance-lecture series for Jazz at Lincoln Center and CUNY for three consecutive seasons. Candice has written for Shondaland, Blavity, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, and spoken and performed at TED HQ.​​Her brand new project is co-written with GRAMMY-award-winning pianist, Sullivan Fortner (Paul Simon, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Dianne Reeves). The project is produced by GRAMMY-award-winning multi-instrumentalist Casey Benjamin (Anderson . Paak, Robert Glasper, Q-Tip) and features performances by vibraphonist Joel Ross (Marquis Hill, Makaya McCraven), trumpeter Keyon Harrold (Nas), Chiara Fasi (Solange). Candice's family hails from Jamaica, and she is an honors graduate of Harvard University, where she studied Sociology and African American Studies and Columbia Law School.#Podcast #hiphop #theworkingartistproject #neworleans #musiceducation #newyork #marketing #branding #business #art

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to rapper Dear Silas about his career and hip hop. Dear Silas is a singer, rapper, and trumpeter from Jackson, Mississippi. He has been co-signed by the likes of Missy Elliott, T-Pain, and many more. An unorthodox delivery has helped Dear Silas to birth viral records one after another. He recently charted on billboard alongside Cookiee Kawaii on new single "Violin". #Podcast #hiphop #theworkingartistproject #neworleans #musiceducation #newyork #marketing #branding #business #art

Gerald T. Watkins Jr is a drummer/percussionist originally from Norfolk, Va and is now residing in New Orleans, LA. He has degrees in music from both Norfolk State University (B.S) and Florida State University (M.M). He performs locally with many of the areas finest musicians and also tours abroad. He has performed with members of Marsalis family (Ellis, Delfeayo, and Jason), The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Eric Benét, Ledisi and many others. Aside from performing, Gerald loves to teach and mentor many of New Orleans young creative minds.

Russell Kranes is the consummate professional musician. Born in Queens and raised in Connecticut, Russell studied jazz piano under the late, great master, Geri Allen. Upon graduating college, Russell worked in pastry arts for two years before ultimately deciding to tenaciously pursue music. He moved to NYC in June of 2013 and began performing immediately. Nine years later, Russell currently works seven days per week as a ballet accompanist, a church musical director and a freelance jazz pianist. He is a ballet accompanist for Hunter College's Dance department and at the Mark Morris Dance Group. He is the musical director for Corona United Congregational Church and co-director for The Worship Center at Second Canaan Baptist Church. Russell freelances with a vast array of incredible musicians throughout New York and beyond, performing a multitude of styles and venues. He is honored to be featured on this week's edition of The Working Artist Project.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian and Greg chat with fellow podcaster Tanner Guss.

Meet Juan Tigre, the bilingual alt-rock alter-ego of guitarist/vocalist John Maestas. Inspired by the iconic high desert imagery of New Mexico and imbued with the expansive folklore of the southwest. Psychedelic distorted guitars float over a video game sound palette with rhythms & melodies that draw upon influences from J Dilla, Jimi Hendrix, Pixies and Thundercat. Based in New Orleans, Maestas has become well known locally for his guitar and production talents through his work with Nicholas Payton, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, Alex Ebert, Papa Jon Gros, Fiend, Elzhi, and Nesby Phips. Juan Tigre’s debut album ‘The Dream Catcher’ was released April 17th, 2020 and established the band as a new voice in the alt-rock scene. The upcoming album ‘Azúl Arriba, Blue Below’ is a collection of ambient instrumental songs set for release on May 13th, 2022.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to master percussionist Kofi Hunter about working with folks like Robert Glasper and creating Righteous Rebel Education. Art can transform lives. As an in-demand multi-percussionist Kofi has been given the opportunity to support some of the biggest names in music, from The Robert Glasper Experiment Saxophonist Casey Benjamin to Hip Hop Superstar GolDLink. Kofi along with his brother established an Afro-diasporic Neo-Folk Percussion and Vocal Group named ‘Akoko Nante Ensemble. ‘ Akoko Nante has performed at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Concert Series and has been featured as a musical guest on VICE’s The Untitled Action Bronson Show. Their debut album ‘Nkrabea: Destiny” is available on all streaming platforms. When he’s not on the bandstand he’s either in a classroom as a teaching artist with his Arts Education initiative, Righteous Rebel Education, or at the helm of his partnership with Brooklyn music venue and non-for-profit National Sawdust, the modern spin on a traditional Kwanzaa Celebration, music festival Kwanzaa Fest BK. Kofi recently released his debut album NATION TIME via his Righteous Rebel Music label. #Podcast #theworkingartistproject #neworleans #musiceducation #newyork #marketing #branding #business #art

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to Amina Scott. Amina Scott, born and raised in Oakland, CA, is an upright and electric bassist, composer, and arranger. Her interest in music began at an early age when her grandmother began giving her piano lessons. From then, her love and passion for music has yet to cease, playing electric bass at the age of twelve and was soon playing gigs with local bands in Oakland. In 2012, Amina relocated to New Orleans, LA where she studied with Allen Nisbet, Roland Guerin, and Ed Wise. In 2017, Amina began her studies at Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) studying with Rodney Jordan, Leon Anderson, Marcus Roberts, and Bill Peterson. In 2019, she obtained her Masters in Music in jazz studies. In 2017, Amina joined the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra led by Adonis Rose.Now based in New Orleans, Amina has performed with various artists including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Steve Turre, Wessell “Warm Daddy” Anderson, Nicholas Payton, David Murray, Jamison Ross, Joanne Brackeen, Herlin Riley, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, and more. She has also performed with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra (Tallahassee, FL) and the Albany Symphony Orchestra (Albany, GA) and is the current bassist for Dee Dee Bridgewater’s DDB Big Band which is an all women big band featuring women from all across the United States.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to Ricio FrugeRicio is a fiercely soulful and versatile musician from Jacksonville, FL based in New Orleans. Currently performing with Karl Denson and the Tiny Universe, John Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and Soul Brass Band. A graduate of Michigan State University(M.M.), Florida State University(BA) and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts Ricio wears many hats. Trumpeter, Composer, Arranger, Band Leader, YouTuber as well as a few others.At leisure, Ricio enjoys watching football, enjoying some fitness and cooking by a fire.

Svetlana is a New York-based acclaimed chart-topping vocalist, composer, band leader, educator, and a Manhattan School of Music MA and Columbia PhD graduate. She is on a mission to uplift, connect, and spread the joy of music. Svetlana is a recipient of a grant from Jazz Road/South Arts and Chamber Music America Digital Residency Grant funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Andrew Mellon Foundation. She is a Finalist of the Paul Carr's 2019 Discovery Act Competition and a finalist of the American Music Abroad program. Svetlana has performed professionally since 2011 after reaching success as a management consultant and associate professor at Columbia University - and has toured with her various bands nationally and internationally, headlining hundreds of sold-out shows in the US and abroad. Svetlana's last record Night At The Movies debuted #1 on Billboard Traditional Jazz Charts. She is a founder of Swing Makes You Sing - a project which brings interactive virtual and in-person jazz performances and jazz education workshops to youth in Grades PreK-12, focusing on kids who are starved for hope and joy associated with music-making and meaningful high-quality music programming.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to Jocelyn Gould about her career, and touring in a post covid world. Jocelyn Gould has been called “a leader in the next generation of great mainstream jazz guitarists” by Howard Paul, CEO of Benedetto Guitars. Her joyful energy has captivated audiences around the world and her passion for music is infectious. She has absorbed the influences of the jazz guitar greats and has woven them into an exciting personal sound. Her unique ability to connect with audiences always leaves them wanting more.Jocelyn Gould has performed internationally in the groups of Grammy nominated vocalist Freddy Cole, Trumpeter Etienne Charles and DownBeat Rising Star trombonist Michael Dease. She can be heard on albums lead by Michael Dease, Jon Gordon, Diego Rivera, Randy Napoleon and Will Bonness. She is the 1st place winner of the 2018 Wilson Centre International Jazz Guitar competition.Jocelyn's debut release as a leader, 'Elegant Traveler', won a 2021 JUNO for “Jazz Album of the Year” in the 2021 JUNO awards. Elegant Traveler showcases Jocelyn's warm and inviting sound and melodic compositions with an all star band.Jocelyn is a full time music professor and Head of Guitar Department at Humber College in Toronto.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to Curtis Nowosad about his career, "jazz fame" and immigration. 100 years after the Harlem Renaissance shook the world, there’s a whole new cultural and spiritual awakening in that corner of the jazz world. A key player in galvanizing this fresh and dynamic sense of cultural awareness, drummer/composer Curtis Nowosad has been a major force in The Harlem Sessions, organized by renowned pianist Marc Cary. Having made his home in Harlem since 2013, the Canadian native emerges as a powerful musical force for social justice on a groundbreaking self-titled jazz and blues-driven collection that illuminates past and present history while creating some profound history of its own. Co-produced with Cary, it is his first collection to feature the explosive and intuitive chemistry of his NY-based ensemble that has held court in NYC everywhere from Smalls to The Jazz Standard to The Blue Note and full week residencies at Dizzy’s Club at JALC.Curtis laid the foundation for this current release with two previous critically acclaimed collections, his debut The Skeptic & the Cynic and the WCMA-winning and JUNO-nominated Dialectics, which made DownBeat Magazine’s “Best of 2015” list. A remix project, titled CNRMXD, will be released in late 2022.Curtis has played in the bands of trumpeter Philip Harper, trombonist Craig Harris, saxophonist and vocalist Braxton Cook and Cary (who both make major contributions to the album) while headlining major jazz festivals in the U.S., Canada and Europe. He has also played with five NEA Jazz Masters: Candido Camero, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Owens, Ron Carter and Kenny Barron. He is an endorser of Canopus Drums.

Hailed by the New York Times as “a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and harddriving style,” JD Allen is a bright light on today’s international jazz scene. His unique and compelling voice on the instrument – the result of a patient and painstaking confrontation with the fundamentals of the art – has earned Allen years of critical attention signaling his ascension to the upper ranks of the contemporary jazz world.Originally from Detroit, Allen’s apprenticeship, anchored by his lengthy tenure with Betty Carter, occurred largely in New York, where he worked with legends Lester Bowie, George Cables, Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Frank Foster Big Band, Winard Harper, Dave Douglas, Cindy Blackman, Butch Morris, David Murray, Wallace Roney, Rufus Reid and Geri Allen.

Courtney Bryan, a native of New Orleans, La, is “a pianist and composer of panoramic interests” (New York Times). Her music is in conversation with various musical genres, including jazz and other types of experimental music, as well as traditional gospel, spirituals, and hymns. Focusing on bridging the sacred and the secular, Bryan's compositions explore human emotions through sound, confronting the challenge of notating the feeling of improvisation. Bryan has academic degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (BM), Rutgers University (MM), and Columbia University (DMA) with advisor George Lewis, and completed postdoctoral studies in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. Bryan is the Albert and Linda Mintz Professor of Music at Newcomb College in the School of Liberal Arts, Tulane University and a Creative Partner with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. She was the 2018 music recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, a 2018 Hermitage Fellow, a 2019 Bard College Freehand Fellow, a 2019-20 recipient of the Samuel Barber Rome Prize in Music Composition, a 2020 United States Artists Fellow, and a 2020-21 Civitella Ranieri Fellowship recipient.

In this episode of The Working Artist Project, Darrian Douglas and Gregory Agid talk to Joshua Gouzy about his booking agency Magnolia Music and growing as a musician, producer, and writer. A New Orleans native, Joshua Gouzy was raised in a family with four generations of musical heritage. He has played a variety of instruments throughout his life and cultivated his early musical skills while playing "by ear" in his church band. Joshua is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans with a Bachelor’s in Music Education and a minor in Jazz Studies. He also has a Master’s Degree in Music from the University of New Orleans. In his sixteen years of performing professionally, he was the regular bassist with more than fourteen New Orleans-based bands and has been featured on over 30 albums. He also established his own music booking agency, Magnolia Entertainment, offering authentic New Orleans music for corporate and social events. For most people, that would have been enough achievement to last a lifetime, but Joshua knew that there was more to his evolution as a musical artist, producer, and composer. A global pandemic, a chance connection in the Bay Area, and a deep dive into the Sound for Picture and Games program at the Pyramind Music and Audio Production Institute opened the doors to his passion for composition and sound design. Lauded by his professors for coming to the program with such extensive musical experience and skill, Joshua is clearly on his way to becoming one of the most in-demand production talents in the industry. #Podcast #theworkingartistproject #neworleans #musiceducation #newyork #marketing #branding #business #art