THE MUSIC LOUNGE PODCAST

Happy summer. So......I'll be 50 on July 17th. LET'S CELEBRATE!!! This episode is all about my original music. I've been composing since I was 16 years old. It was difficult to choose which pieces to feature, but I've chosen both vocal and instrumental pieces that I think represent what I'm all about. I grew up loving jazz piano and listening to Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. I also have been influenced by Pat Metheny, Toto, The Beatles, Billy Joel, and even Ludacris. I'm all over the place, but this is what makes me a well rounded musician.  At the young age of 4 years old, I started to pick out songs on the piano. I haven't stopped ever since. I was doing gigs before I could drive. My dad would drive me to the gig, wait and take me home. I finished 1st in the New Jersey All State jazz piano competition in 1988. I was privileged to study jazz piano at Manhattan School of Music with world-renowned jazz pianists Harold Danko and Gary Dial. I have performed with such headliners as Natalie Cole, Jimmy Buffet, and John Scofield. I am currently the music director for South Florida’s Heatwave Band. My first CD “Ready Steady Go” was released in 2007 to rave reviews. It's still available. Just send me an email at [email protected] So join me in the milestone birthday. Send me a email. Follow me on Instagram. I hope to hear from all of you. 

We're going country in this episode. My guest this week is singer songwriter Samantha Leigh Click her name to go to her website. With her bluesy-rock vocals and sexy, funky style, Samantha Leigh is a musical force to be reckoned with. Originally from the home of rock and roll, Cleveland, Ohio, Samantha grew up with a heavy rock and country influence. Her latest single "90 years" is a tribute to her grandmother who is one of the biggest influences in her life. Her 2019 EP Perfect Ground has a high energy collection of amazing songs that featured the hit singles "Too Scared" and "Devil in Red Shoes" She made her debut stage appearance at the age of 3 singing "Crazy" by Patsy Cline with her mother's country band Buckshot. From then on, singing continued to be her passion. She entered vocal competitions and talent shows and in 2004, won first place in her city's Tri-School Idol. Since her move to Tampa, Florida in 2005, Samantha has hit the ground running, expanding her singing career in the Sunshine State. She has been lucky enough to make performing her full time job, working with numerous corporate bands and in shows all over the country. In 2007, Samantha was hand picked to compete in "Hollywood's Best New Talent" in Los Angeles, California where she placed top 10 in both country and contemporary categories. ​Within the last 10 years, Samantha has had the privilege of singing in bands who shared the stage with artists such as Andy Grammar, Josh Turner, REO Speedwagon, Kenny Loggins, Rick Springfield and Brandie Carlile, Paul McCartney, Jonathan Cain of Journey, and sang back up for artists such as Mary J Blige and Josh Groban. Samantha continues to pursue her goals of becoming a successful artist and is constantly looking for new ways to showcase her talents. With catchy melodies, strong lyrics and a powerhouse voice, you will not be able to resist singing along and joining the rest of us as fans of Samantha Leigh.

My guest this week is singer songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Amanda Gunnels. Her website is https://www.mydearwendy.com/ Born and raised in an Atlanta suburb, Amanda always had a passion for music. She began taking classical piano lessons in elementary school, and quickly evolved into a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter by the end of high school. Though piano is still her main instrument, Amanda is proficient on bass guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, and vocals. After moving to Los Angeles and attending Musician's Institute, Amanda decided to upgrade her music and create My Dear Wendy, a songwriting project that continues to be the focus of her musical career. Her latest album, THE APPLE FALLS FAR PART 1, is available on Spotify, Apple Music. Amazon Music, and all other streaming platforms In 2018, she relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to continue songwriting and record her next album in Music City. It was there that she landed a sweet endorsement with Warm Audio. You can also hear her songs "Man Down" and "Enough (Single Version) on a few episodes of The Young and the Restless. Amanda has followed her dream all around the country, and now has settled back in her favorite state of California. My Dear Wendy continues to release new music, and is starting to perform live again this summer at a venue near you. You can follow her all over the internet. Just type in My Dear Wendy.

My guest this week is John Massey. His website is http://www.johnmasseyonline.com/about.html John is a Southern California based actor, singer, and musician. John’s 25 years of acting credits includes such iconic roles as: Max Bialystock in THE PRODUCERS, John Hancock in the Award winning production of 1776; The Cowardly Lion in THE WIZARD OF OZ, Pseudolus in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM; Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF; and the title role in SWEENEY TODD. John created the role of the Genie in DISNEY'S BELIEVE aboard the cruise ship, the Disney Dream. He also toured North America as Howard Cunningham in Garry Marshall and Paul Williams' HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical. John received the 2018 Broadway World San Diego Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his work as Edna Turnblad in HAIRSPRAY for the San Diego Musical Theatre, and LA Ovation Award nominations for his work as Dave Bukatinsky in THE FULL MONTY. A bit of a theatrical renaissance man, John is also an accomplished director, musical director, pianist, conductor and vocal arranger; having staged and/or conducted over 75 productions. Some of his favorites include productions of : ASSASSINS, A CHORUS LINE, SEUSSICAL, SWEENEY TODD, THE SECRET GARDEN, CHESS, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, BEEHIVE and RUTHLESS! John has also composed incidental music for several plays and is researching ideas for a new musical. John dedicates every performance to the memory of his parents, John & Donna Massey.

If you love great songs and great stories, this episode is for you. My guest is the Chanteuse; The Lover of vintage pop music; the one and only CAROLE J. BUFFORD (Click her name for her website) Carole has become one of the most sought-after young performers in the international cabaret & jazz scene. Her recent shows, “Speak Easy.” (featuring the Grammy Award-winning Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks) and her show “Body & Soul” earned her rave reviews across the board, including a stunning review in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Carole is the recipient of a Nightlife, Bistro and Broadway World Award for Outstanding Vocalist. She has traveled all over the United States performing at such prestigious venues as The Colony Hotel’s Royal Room in Palm Beach; The Venetian Room in Dallas; Cabaret 313 in Detroit; Broadway By The Bay in San Mateo; and The Upright Cabaret in Los Angeles, She recently made her London Debut at Crazy Coqs to great critical acclaim. Recently, Carole was featured in Michael Feinstein’s Great American Songbook series at Jazz at Lincoln Center. She has been spotlighted in numerous “Broadway By The Year” concerts, both at the famous Town Hall in New York City and in California. Carole recently starred in Scott Siegel’s “11 O’Clock Numbers at 11 O’Clock” at Feinstein’s at The Loews Regency Hotel along with Christina Bianco and Scott Coulter. The show played every Thursday and enjoyed an eight-month run, one of the longest in Feinstein’s history. Carole originally hails from Lincolnton, Georgia where she grew up on healthy doses of Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Dinah Washington, & Bessie Smith. She attended Ithaca College where she majored in Musical Theater. She is a firm believer in honoring, celebrating, & teaching the Great American Songbook. She has 2 full length albums to her credit. The critically acclaimed ALL BY MYSELF and her newest record COME TOGETHER- THE MUSIC OF THE 1960’S AND 1970’S She has an amazing You Tube channel when you can see her videos for such classic hits as “Suzanne” by Randy Newman and “California Dreaming” By The Mamas and The Papas. https://www.youtube.com/user/carolejbufford She’d also like someone playing a nasty slide trombone to follow her around punctuating her daily activities. But then again…who wouldn’t

We're going down to Arkansas this week and getting a little bit country Cliff & Susan are a married international touring duo armed with a piano, fiddle, and guitar based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their high energy, all-request, interactive show keeps crowds entertained for 4+ hours in venues worldwide.  With over 1,000 songs in their arsenal, they bring a great mix of Country, Blues, Rock, Pop and Oldies to crowds of all ages. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Cliff Prowse has been producing his own music and other artists for over a decade and performed and recorded in Nashville, TN.  Singer, songwriter, and pianist, Susan Erwin Prowse has launched a successful music career now for two decades with 2 albums released out of Nashville. Susan has been performing primarily in high-energy international piano bars since 2003. Cliff joined her in 2016 and they tour with over 200 dates a year! A typical tour year includes Arkansas, Santa Barbara, Vegas, Amsterdam, Norway, St. Maarten (Caribbean), cruise ships, and more! The duo released their debut single, Drivin' Me Crazy on April 11, 2020. It is available on all music platforms In January 2021, they launched a podcast, the Cliff & Susan Podcast, where they give a glimpse into their lives and educate, entertain and inspire. They are owners of Big Red Dog Productions, a Music Production and Artist Development company located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Susan is the Entertainment Director for Willy D's Rock & Roll Piano Bar in the Little Rock River Market.  They have launched their own merch store, branded Rainy Ray, where you can find their handmade jewelry, apparel, and artwork.  Their inaugural Yadaloo Music & Arts Festival in September 2019 was a success and won Arkansas's Best New Festival of the Year, and 2021 Best Virtual Event & Best Promotional Video. Check them out at https://susanerwin.com/

It's a rock and roll piano show week. My guest this week is international dueling pianist, vocalist, and world traveler Ben Michaels. Ben is a veteran of the music industry. He has been entertaining audiences worldwide for over 30 years. Originally from Miami, Florida, Ben has performed for international crowds from Las Vegas to Rio de Janeiro, New York City to Barcelona, just to name a few. Ben brings a unique audience interactive show to the stage, taking requests from all musical genres and getting the crowd involved in every song. Ben began playing the Dueling Pianos concept in 1993, and since then has worked and lived in half a dozen countries. He did a 2 year residency at the world famous NY NY Dueling Piano Bar on the famous Las Vegas strip. He has traveled the globe performing on Norwegian Cruise Lines "Howl at The Moon" Dueling Piano shows for the past 8 years; and most recently has been performing to sold out audiences in Helsinki Finland Ben is known for his extensive repertoire, which covers all genres and several languages and spans the decades. From classic sing-a-long songs of the 1950’s and 60’s, through classic rock and heavy metal of the 70’s, to pop music from the 80’s through today. Follow Ben on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rockpianoguy/

My guest this week is the multi-talented Rachel Solomon. Rachel is a pianist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, studio musician, touring artist, and international piano bar entertainer. Penned “The female Billy Joel” by her Berklee College of Music songwriting teacher, she released her debut solo record in January of 2013 entitled “Love Ourselves”, and a 2nd EP entitled “Right On Time” in the spring of 2017, which was re-released digitally as “Right On Time DELUXE” with bonus tracks in 2018. The song “Baltimore” from “Right On Time” was recognized as a Top 5 Winner in the Folk/Americana category of the 17th Annual Great American Song Contest. Rachel has also performed with notable names such as Laura Bell Bundy, Ruby Amanfu, Love and Theft, Krystal Keith, Heidi Newfield (of the country group Trick Pony), and Texas country/Americana artist Adam Hood. She has performed on The Today Show, Toby Keith’s “Shut Up and Hold On” tour, and has had a song placed on MTV’s “16 & Pregnant”. Rachel's website is https://rachelsolo.com/ Her Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/RachelSoloMusic/ Her You Tube is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf8hHnWpOuLGSZ1H2zegnFg Her Spotify is HERE Her Apple Music is HERE

I am really excited for this interview. My guest this week is Peter Eldridge. Peter has remained at the forefront of both the singer-songwriter and jazz realms as a vocalist, pianist, composer, and arranger. His new album MY MUSEUM was released on March 15 and is available on his website petereldridge.com Peter is a founding member of internationally acclaimed vocal group, NEW YORK VOICES. The current line up of New York Voices is Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian, Darmon Meader, and Lauren Kinhan. The group continues to tour internationally and has performed in some of the world's most preeminent venues and festivals, including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, The North Sea Jazz Festival and the Kennedy Center. They have also been involved in two Grammy-award winning projects with Paquito D'Rivera and the Count Basie Orchestra. Some of Peter's notable collaborations include Bobby McFerrin, Fred Hersch, George Benson, Michael Brecker, and David Byrne. Peter was head of the Manhattan School of Music's jazz voice department for eighteen years and is now part of the voice faculty at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is regularly in demand for workshops and masterclasses both domestically and internationally, in topics ranging from vocal technique and song interpretation to songwriting and arranging. Peter is also involved in a vocal super group called MOSS. The members are Theo Bleckmann, Peter Eldridge, Lauren Kinhan and Kate McGarry Follow Peter on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/petereldridge/ Follow New York Voices at https://www.instagram.com/newyorkvoices/

It's Episode 15. WOW! My Guest this week is Broadway and Television Actor/singer songwriter Jordan Siwek Jordan started acting and singing as a child and appeared on such television shows as Saturday Night Live and Conan O'Brien. He worked along such starts as Will Ferrell, Martin Short, Alec Baldwin, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.  Jordan played the role of Gavroche in Les Miserables on Broadway in 1997 in the 10th anniversary company Jordan then became a singer songwriter and release his critically acclaimed album Sun Inside You to rave reviews. Download his music here on Spotify. Jordan also has a great Tik Tok page where people from all over the world can sing duets with him. Click HERE to sing with him So let’s raise a glass and welcome him into the music lounge His website is https://jordansiwekmusic.com/ His Instagram is https://www.instagram.com/pianojordan/ His You Tube Page is HERE