A conversation with Charles Lloyd feels like a veritable interaction with the pages of history. I was continuously surprised throughout my conversation with Charles, along with Don Was, about the depth of his experiences…and the wisdom too.

Charles is an inordinately beautiful tenor player from Memphis, Tennessee - who grew up at a time where the region was brimming with talent… Elvis Presley, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Parker, Billy Lee Riley, B.B. King and so many more were from there or made their careers there. It was also a popular destination for touring artists giving a young Charles an incredible musical education.

On today’s episode of Broken Record, another in our series celebrating the 85th anniversary of Blue Note Records… I have Don Was as my co-host and we talk to Charles Lloyd about his colorful upbringing in Memphis and about the early Los Angeles jazz scene he became a part of after moving to California to attend USC. This conversation goes a lot of places… from Elvis to Quincy Jones to the Beach Boys and far beyond. And please be sure to check out his wonderful new album out on Blue Note, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Charles Lloyd songs HERE.

A conversation with Charles Lloyd feels like a veritable interaction with the pages of history. I was continuously surprised throughout my conversation with Charles, along with Don Was, about the depth of his experiences…and the wisdom too.
Charles is an inordinately beautiful tenor player from Memphis, Tennessee - who grew up at a time where the region was brimming with talent… Elvis Presley, Howlin' Wolf, Junior Parker, Billy Lee Riley, B.B. King and so many more were from there or made their careers there. It was also a popular destination for touring artists giving a young Charles an incredible musical education.
On today’s episode of Broken Record, another in our series celebrating the 85th anniversary of Blue Note Records… I have Don Was as my co-host and we talk to Charles Lloyd about his colorful upbringing in Memphis and about the early Los Angeles jazz scene he became a part of after moving to California to attend USC. This conversation goes a lot of places… from Elvis to Quincy Jones to the Beach Boys and far beyond. And please be sure to check out his wonderful new album out on Blue Note, The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Charles Lloyd songs <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/05HZ1018SNvB1xsdb3SHqx?si=FXwWLCmDQ1GVuI-7etLasg">HERE</a>.

From Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam, and Justin Richmond. The musicians you love talk about their life, inspiration, and craft. Then play. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

Charles Lloyd/Don Was

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8123ff9c-8fca-43a2-96fc-b213000d0190/transcript

Meshell Ndegeocello doesn’t fit neatly into any “jazz” label - or any label of any kind for that matter. She’s a phenomenal bass player, deep songwriter, beautiful interpreter of song, wonderful band leader and has had one bad ass career. It’s fitting that after a circuitous journey through the industry that started as one of the premiere artists on the Madonna helmed Maverick Records in the early 90s, that she’s now released two albums on Blue Note Records under Don Was.

The first was last year’s The Omnichord Real Book — a project with a fascinating origin we’ll be discussing on today’s episode. The latest is 2024’s No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin … a tribute to two of the great Black American writers and thinkers of the last century: James Baldwin and Audre Lorde.

That might sound heady but consider the source: Meshell is the product of a Washington DC upbringing … a city awash in culture like Go-Go Music and also politics, think tanks and the like. Like her DC home, Meshell’s a great synthesizer of music and ideas.

Joining Meshell, Don Was and myself in our chat is Abe Rounds … an in-demand drummer and musician who’s been playing with Meshell since she picked him out of Berklee College of Music. And has also worked closely with Andrew Bird, Nick Hakim, Blake Mills and many more. In today’s episode he helps us gain some valuable insight into what it’s like to be a close collaborator of Meshell Ndgeocello’s.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Meshell Ndegeocello songs HERE.

Meshell Ndegeocello doesn’t fit neatly into any “jazz” label - or any label of any kind for that matter. She’s a phenomenal bass player, deep songwriter, beautiful interpreter of song, wonderful band leader and has had one bad ass career. It’s fitting that after a circuitous journey through the industry that started as one of the premiere artists on the Madonna helmed Maverick Records in the early 90s, that she’s now released two albums on Blue Note Records under Don Was.
The first was last year’s The Omnichord Real Book — a project with a fascinating origin we’ll be discussing on today’s episode. The latest is 2024’s No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin … a tribute to two of the great Black American writers and thinkers of the last century: James Baldwin and Audre Lorde.
That might sound heady but consider the source: Meshell is the product of a Washington DC upbringing … a city awash in culture like Go-Go Music and also politics, think tanks and the like. Like her DC home, Meshell’s a great synthesizer of music and ideas.
Joining Meshell, Don Was and myself in our chat is Abe Rounds … an in-demand drummer and musician who’s been playing with Meshell since she picked him out of Berklee College of Music. And has also worked closely with Andrew Bird, Nick Hakim, Blake Mills and many more. In today’s episode he helps us gain some valuable insight into what it’s like to be a close collaborator of Meshell Ndgeocello’s.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Meshell Ndegeocello songs <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14OffKWk3TvVJzv0QBKAwG?si=NJ9sFnL0SIGYfjdteKxPQQ">HERE</a>.

Meshell Ndegeocello/Don Was

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d7ec7db9-03d9-4b9b-ae66-b21000ea88cc/transcript

We’re continuing our celebration of Blue Note Records’ 85th Anniversary this week with a conversation with a certified living legend: Ron Carter. For starters Ron Carter was a key member of a group that’s on the shortlist for greatest band of all time: The Second Great Miles Davis Quintet featuring Mr. Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams and, naturally, Miles Davis.

And although many conversations with Ron start and end with that period of his life from 1964 to 1968, at 87 years of age and as a life long seeker, there’s a lot more to the Ron Carter story.

Blue Note president Don Was and Justin Richmond interviewed Ron Carter on stage at the Blue Note club in NYC. They set out to learn about his life growing up in Detroit, and his classical aspirations. Maestro Carter delivered an emotional stream of consciousness response as well as insights into a few key people from the Blue Note's esteemed history.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Ron Carter songs HERE.

We’re continuing our celebration of Blue Note Records’ 85th Anniversary this week with a conversation with a certified living legend: Ron Carter. For starters Ron Carter was a key member of a group that’s on the shortlist for greatest band of all time: The Second Great Miles Davis Quintet featuring Mr. Carter, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams and, naturally, Miles Davis.
And although many conversations with Ron start and end with that period of his life from 1964 to 1968, at 87 years of age and as a life long seeker, there’s a lot more to the Ron Carter story.
Blue Note president Don Was and Justin Richmond interviewed Ron Carter on stage at the Blue Note club in NYC. They set out to learn about his life growing up in Detroit, and his classical aspirations. Maestro Carter delivered an emotional stream of consciousness response as well as insights into a few key people from the Blue Note's esteemed history.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Ron Carter songs <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1cV60lDWnvia3viU12tpCe?si=4vr1jxasQ6-2ksdgH_vltA">HERE</a>.

Ron Carter/Don Was

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f94b7edf-d855-44ac-a24f-b20a00fcffc6/transcript

Blue Note is one of the first and longest standing institutions of Jazz music. Since its formation in 1939 the label has put out albums by Robert Glasper, Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Gergory Porter, Bobby McFerrin, and so many more.

To celebrate 85 years of music from this iconic label, Justin Richmond and Blue Note’s current President Don Was recorded a series of interviews with the label’s past present and future: Ron Carter, Meshell Ndegeocello, Charles Lloyd, Julian Lage and today, Norah Jones.

Norah has been with Blue Note Records since releasing her juggernaut 2002 debut album, Come Away With Me. Her latest album, Visions, wascreated with New York’s Leon Michels of El Michel’s Affair. Their two distinctive sounds blend beautifully to make an album that stands out not only as a new texture in her discography, but some of her strongest work to date.

On today's episode, Norah Jones details her musical upbringing and what it was like striking it big with her debut album. She also performs for us, and talks about the musical freedom she's found as part of the Blue Note family.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Norah Jones songs HERE.

Blue Note is one of the first and longest standing institutions of Jazz music. Since its formation in 1939 the label has put out albums by Robert Glasper, Lee Morgan, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Gergory Porter, Bobby McFerrin, and so many more.
To celebrate 85 years of music from this iconic label, Justin Richmond and Blue Note’s current President Don Was recorded a series of interviews with the label’s past present and future: Ron Carter, Meshell Ndegeocello, Charles Lloyd, Julian Lage and today, Norah Jones.
Norah has been with Blue Note Records since releasing her juggernaut 2002 debut album, Come Away With Me. Her latest album, Visions, was created with New York’s Leon Michels of El Michel’s Affair. Their two distinctive sounds blend beautifully to make an album that stands out not only as a new texture in her discography, but some of her strongest work to date.
On today's episode, Norah Jones details her musical upbringing and what it was like striking it big with her debut album. She also performs for us, and talks about the musical freedom she's found as part of the Blue Note family.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Norah Jones songs <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2BxDNDuIjCpElLCzp0oZGV?si=65b9429b50274d1e&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=a885fdb686624351">HERE</a>.

Norah Jones/Don Was

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ecf212e9-633c-4cd8-9040-b208012deadc/transcript

Charles Lloyd/Don Was

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Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

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