Bassist, songwriter, and composer Esperanza Spalding sits with Bruce Headlam to discuss her latest work and the opera she’s writing with the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter. They also discuss why Esperanza shies away from being labeled a prodigy, what it’s like jamming at Joni Mitchell's house, and how, despite her improvisational approach, she’s so much more than just a jazz musician.

 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Bassist, songwriter, and composer Esperanza Spalding sits with Bruce Headlam to discuss her latest work and the opera she’s writing with the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter. They also discuss why Esperanza shies away from being labeled a prodigy, what it’s like jamming at Joni Mitchell's house, and how, despite her improvisational approach, she’s so much more than just a jazz musician. Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Music and storytelling meet on Broken Record, where artists across genres and generations sit down to explore the joy, chaos, and vulnerability of creating—and what it means to devote a life to music. From legendary icons to groundbreaking new voices, each episode captures artists in conversation sharing the inspirations and experiences that shape their craft.

Music and storytelling meet on Broken Record, where artists across genres and generations sit down to explore the joy, chaos, and vulnerability of creating&mdash;and what it means to devote a life to music. From legendary icons to groundbreaking new voices, each episode captures artists in conversation sharing the inspirations and experiences that shape their craft.

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

Esperanza Spalding

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e7f420eb-40fb-4554-854e-ae320090b3fd/transcript

John Legend has a new album out. This is his eleventh but he hasn’t made anything quite like it before. It’s called Muse and it’s a 16-track record produced in full by Pharrell Williams, who also helped co-wrote and appears on six songs. The two have been friends for more than twenty years, but this is their first full-length collaboration. The project took shape after Legend appeared on Clipse’s comeback album, Let God Sort Em Out last year which Pharell also produced. The result trades the straightforward love-song approach for more of a concept album feel: a narrative story driven by dramatic strings, big horns, and cinematic soundscapes layered over contemporary beats. All the while, Legend has also been working on the theater side of his career. He wrote the music for Imitation of Life, a new musical at The Shed in co-production with the National Black Theatre, starring Tony winner Adrienne Warren.

On today’s episode, Justin Richmond talks to John Legend about making Muse with Pharrell, what it meant to make something a little out of his oeuvre and how writing for the stage on Imitation of Life differs from writing for his own repertoire.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from John Legend HERE.

John Legend has a new album out. This is his eleventh but he hasn&rsquo;t made anything quite like it before. It&rsquo;s called Muse and it&rsquo;s a 16-track record produced in full by Pharrell Williams, who also helped co-wrote and appears on six songs. The two have been friends for more than twenty years, but this is their first full-length collaboration. The project took shape after Legend appeared on Clipse&rsquo;s comeback album, Let God Sort Em Out last year which Pharell also produced. The result trades the straightforward love-song approach for more of a concept album feel: a narrative story driven by dramatic strings, big horns, and cinematic soundscapes layered over contemporary beats. All the while, Legend has also been working on the theater side of his career. He wrote the music for Imitation of Life, a new musical at The Shed in co-production with the National Black Theatre, starring Tony winner Adrienne Warren. On today&rsquo;s episode, Justin Richmond talks to John Legend about making Muse with Pharrell, what it meant to make something a little out of his oeuvre and how writing for the stage on Imitation of Life differs from writing for his own repertoire.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from John Legend <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0rW1zT0tc7gKYWgCfX09Ev?si=acac79b83f084f92">HERE</a>.

John Legend

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/75afeee3-cb1c-4fec-9fa9-b4f6016816bb/transcript

To close out the year we’ve been revisiting some favorite conversations from over the years. We started a couple of weeks ago with Patti Smith and Raphael Saadiq. This week we’re revisiting a conversation with English pop singer/songwriter RAYE. RAYE just won the Mercury Prize over the weekend for her sophomore release, THIS ALBUM MAY CONTAIN HOPE. that featured the huge single Where Is My Husband?

But this conversation covers her debut album, MY 21ST CENTURY BLUES which won Album of the Year and a historic total six wins at the 2024 Brit Awards. In our chat we discuss how a quote from Nina Simone gave her the courage to take control of her career and she explains the inspiration behind her sprawling multi-part single, “Genesis.”

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

To close out the year we&rsquo;ve been revisiting some favorite conversations from over the years. We started a couple of weeks ago with Patti Smith and Raphael Saadiq. This week we&rsquo;re revisiting a conversation with English pop singer/songwriter RAYE. RAYE just won the Mercury Prize over the weekend for her sophomore release, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3ZN01xzenGMhWHdC5kfAe9?si=TmvxrF4RTOiQ9z-zFn-Q5w">THIS ALBUM MAY CONTAIN HOPE.</a> that featured the huge single Where Is My Husband? But this conversation covers her debut album, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3U8n8LzBx2o9gYXvvNq4uH?si=cSNzbvXXRuOUg2r90phxmw">MY 21ST CENTURY BLUES</a> which won Album of the Year and a historic total six wins at the 2024 Brit Awards. In our chat we discuss how a quote from Nina Simone gave her the courage to take control of her career and she explains the inspiration behind her sprawling multi-part single, &ldquo;Genesis.&rdquo;
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite RAYE songs&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6XveZHtftXzV6GesAjKqdx?si=fc37cb348ac54146">HERE</a>.

Revisiting: RAYE

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8fcda43d-26cb-4f27-97d8-b4f1010f1aa0/transcript

For more than 20 years, Rhiannon Giddens has explored the musical traditions that shaped American culture, often bringing overlooked Black musicians and their contributions into focus. On her new album, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers, she brings together collaborators from throughout her career for a collection of songs deeply rooted in her native North Carolina.

In this conversation with Bruce Headlam, Rhiannon talks about the making of the album, how Emily Dickinson’s poetry inspired the title track, and why preserving the human element of music is more important to her than ever. She also discusses her new book, Go Back and Fetch It, which explores the early history of Black music in America and the Caribbean, and the influence of musicians like Elizabeth Cotten and Ola Belle Reed. Along the way, Rhiannon reflects on the importance of making music with other people, the traditions we've lost along the way, and the creative process behind her Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, Omar.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Rhiannon Giddens HERE.

For more than 20 years, Rhiannon Giddens has explored the musical traditions that shaped American culture, often bringing overlooked Black musicians and their contributions into focus. On her new album, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers, she brings together collaborators from throughout her career for a collection of songs deeply rooted in her native North Carolina.
In this conversation with Bruce Headlam, Rhiannon talks about the making of the album, how Emily Dickinson&rsquo;s poetry inspired the title track, and why preserving the human element of music is more important to her than ever. She also discusses her new book, Go Back and Fetch It, which explores the early history of Black music in America and the Caribbean, and the influence of musicians like Elizabeth Cotten and Ola Belle Reed. Along the way, Rhiannon reflects on the importance of making music with other people, the traditions we've lost along the way, and the creative process behind her Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, Omar.
You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite songs from Rhiannon Giddens <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1qKfRIRIAL1ZXN9cjPQVK9?si=c5f23554941b40df">HERE</a>.

Rhiannon Giddens

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b2f03ec8-12e8-423c-accb-b4ef00fe5fbe/transcript

Esperanza Spalding

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

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