Episode #25 - Megumi Kanda

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Naomi Moon Siegel, trombonist and composer from Mizzoula, Montana. About Naomi Moon Siegel: An award-winning trombonist, improviser, composer and educator, Naomi Moon Siegel is committed to creating a positive, transformative music culture beyond conventional genre norms. She has been an innovative performer and recording artist since graduating from Oberlin Conservatory in 2006. Siegel kicked off her professional career on the West Coast in Oakland, California, and came of age as a composer and bandleader in Seattle's thriving improv scene. Siegel is a staunch advocate for intersectional gender justice in jazz and music settings, leading workshops to build awareness and work towards positive systemic shifts in our music culture. Her third album Shatter The Glass Sanctuary (Slow & Steady Records, 2024) is a collection of adventurous original works that chronicles her adjustment to small-town living in Missoula, Montana, after residing for many years in Seattle, Washington. The music follows her inward journey of emotional highs and lows, propelled ever forward by a stellar sextet of acclaimed Seattle musicians. She is currently touring the new album throughout the Pacific Northwest. Listen and purchase her latest album here!  

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Conrad Herwig, commercial and jazz trombonist from New York City. About Conrad: New York jazz artist CONRAD HERWIG has recorded nearly 30 albums as a leader, receiving four GRAMMY®-nominations for his own projects. His latest CD release is The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner (Savant; 2024). This albums marks 27+ years of the “Latin Side . . .” series, and is a follow-up project to The “Latin Side of ...” tributes to Charles Mingus (Savant 2022), Horace Silver (Savant; 2020), Joe Henderson (Half Note; 2014), Herbie Hancock (Half Note;2010) Wayne Shorter (Half Note; 2008), Miles Davis (Half Note; 2004), and John Coltrane (Astor Place; 1996). These exciting and individualized projects feature an array of special guests including Randy Brecker, Ruben Blades, Michel Camilo, Joe Lovano, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito D’Rivera, Dave Valentin and many of the hottest players on the international scene. Herwig is equally facile in a non-Latin arena. He has been voted #1 Jazz Trombonist in DownBeat Magazine “Jazz Critic’s Poll” and nominated for “Trombonist of the Year” by the JazzJournalists Association on numerous occasions. In constant demand as a sideman, Herwig has performed with Joe Henderson, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, and Joe Lovano (featured as a soloist on Lovano’s GRAMMY® Award winning 52nd St. Themes CD). In the Afro-Caribbean genre he has toured with legends such as Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Paquito D’Rivera, and Michel Camilo. He is a longtime member of the the Mingus Big Band (where he has served as musical director and arranger including on the 2011 GRAMMY®-winning “Live at the Jazz Standard”). In other big band settings Herwig has also performed and recorded with Clark Terry, Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis & Quincy Jones, and the Gil Evans Orchestra. All told Herwig has appeared on more than 200+ albums in what is now a 40 year career. In 2006 Herwig received the Paul Acket Award (formerly the “Bird Award”). The prize, presented at the North Sea Jazz Festival, is intended for an artist who, according to the international jury, deserves the attention of a broader audience. Herwig is also a recipient of performance and teaching grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Conrad was elected to the Board of Advisors of the International Trombone Association and has taught at Mason Gross School of the Arts in the prestigious jazz program at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. where he currently serves as Artistic Director and Chair of Jazz Studies.

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Ed Neumeister, commercial and jazz trombonist from Oakland, California. About Ed: As a trombonist, composer-arranger and bandleader, Ed Neumeister is a musician’s musician. Saxophone star Joe Lovano has valued Neumeister as a colleague for some four decades, praising him as a conductor of “infectious flair” as well as “a soloist of deep expressive passion.” Another renowned saxophonist, Dave Leibman, simply dubbed him “one of the best trombonists in the business.” Neumeister has five decades of experience on both sides of the Atlantic as an artist and an educator. Raised in the Bay Area, he was professional musician by his mid-teens. He backed such iconic vocal stars as Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan there, performed in various symphony orchestras, and collaborated with Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia as well as such jazz notables as Jerry Granelli. Moving to New York City in 1980, Neumeister worked in the Duke Ellington Orchestra as both player and arranger for 15 years; he was simultaneously playing in the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, earning a Grammy nomination in 1992 for his arrangement of “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.” In 2000, Neumeister moved to Austria to serve as a professor for 17 years at the University of Music in Graz. He wrote for various jazz bands while in Europe and performed extensively, along with composing classical chamber pieces and largescale concert works. Following a stint scoring films in Los Angeles, Neumeister returned to the New York area where he has been active as an educator, currently teaching at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School, New York University and City College of New York, as well as William Paterson University in New Jersey. As a leader, Neumeister has recorded nine albums, ranging from large ensembles to small groups to solo trombone. He has released many of them via his own label, MeisteroMusic, including his latest: 3 for the Road, presenting his trio with vocalist Jay Clayton and the late pianist Fritz Pauer. The current version of that trio includes Gary Versace on piano. Another Neumeister gem is Suite Ellington, an album showcasing his arrangements for an all-star sextet of works by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn; recorded in 2010 for Austrian Radio, Suite Ellington was hailed by Jazz Weekly as “a great tribute and intro to the world of Ellingtonia.” Neumeister’s new working small band is a New York quartet featuring the trombonist alongside Versace, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Tom Rainey. 

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Jeff Reynolds, the Bass Trombone of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1969-2006. About Jeff: Jeffrey Reynolds was born in Ohio, but spent most of his life in Southern California. A graduate of California State University at Long Beach, he was the bass trombonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic starting in 1969.  His major teachers were Robert Simmergren and Roger Bobo, with help from Robert Marsteller, Tommy Johnson, and Byron Peebles. His orchestra experience includes the symphonies of Long Beach, Downey, Debut, American Youth, Orange County, San Francisco Ballet, San Diego, and Saint Louis. Chamber music experience includes the Summit Brass, the California Brass Quintet, L.A. Brass Society, the Los Angeles Brass, the Hollywood Trombones, L.A. Philharmonic Institute, and the Ojai Festivals.    

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Nicholas Daley, a freelance and session trombonist in Los Angeles. Originally from St. Paul, MN, Nicholas Daley is an active freelance trombonist in the greater Los Angeles area where he regularly performs with a diverse collection of ensembles ranging from orchestras to jazz, salsa and pop bands, while playing recording sessions for video game, television and movie scores. Noted performances include playing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band, Broad Stage Celebrity Opera Recitals, MUSE/IQUE, Pasadena Master Chorale, Pete Myers Orchestra, Frank Stallone, Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, Buddy Rich Band, Disneyland Band and early music ensembles Tesserae, San Diego Bach Collegium,Tenet and Dark Horse Consort. Nicholas attended Oberlin Conservatory to study with James DeSano, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. Subsequently, he moved to Los Angeles, attending the University of Southern California for a Master of Music degree. He maintains a private teaching studio in addition to work with the Oakwood Brass Outreach Project, Harmony Project, and Idyllwild Arts Academy.

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Jim Nova, 2nd trombonist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. About Jim Nova James Nova joined the Grammy award-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 2009 as second/utility trombone. In 2012, Nova made his solo debut with the PSO, performing Henri Tomasi’s Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra. Prior to that, he was a member of the Utah Symphony Orchestra where he served eight seasons as assistant principal/second trombone.  Since 2012, James Nova has found a new passion in multitrack recording, also known as "overdubbing." Overdubbing is a process by which a musician records all the parts of a piece of music one by one and layers the recordings on top of each other to create a full ensemble. Nova has released dozens of stunning and virtuosic tracks of his own challenging arrangements of exciting repertoire for trombone choir. The arrangements employ many different trombones: contra bass, bass, tenor, small tenor, alto, and even soprano trombones! James Nova has had a lifelong love of John Williams’ film scores and in December of 2017, he released a new overdub album for trombone choir, A Fall from Light to Dark. Through the chosen moments of John Williams’ masterful scores, this album musically chronicles the rise and descent of Anakin Skywalker as he transforms into Darth Vader. Truly a one-man show, this album’s transcriptions, playing, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering were all done by Nova himself. James Nova has always been passionate about music education. When not on stage at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony, he can be found at the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University where he is adjunct trombone faculty, as well as the brass coach of the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras. Given their widespread popularity, Nova’s recordings are playing an impactful role in inspiring the next generation of musicians and budding recording artists and he is frequently invited to teach outside the region. Since 2012, he has completed more than 85 visits to prominent festivals (such as the International Trombone Festival, American Trombone Workshop, and the Korea Trombone Festival, among others) and reputable educational institutions (such as the Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard School of Music, and New England Conservatory, among others) as the featured artist and educator in concerts, masterclasses, and clinics. James Nova studied with Glenn Dodson at the Curtis Institute of Music followed by study with Norman Bolter at the New England Conservatory of Music. While in Boston, Nova played regularly with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra, including recordings and television broadcasts as both principal and second trombone.  James Nova is an S.E. Shires Artist and performs on his signature line of Greg Black Mouthpieces. For more info, visit jimnova.com or hear his recordings at soundcloud.com/jimnova

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview John Sebastian Vera and Nick Schwartz, trombonists and podcast hosts of The Trombone Retreat.  After you listen to this episode, head on over to The Trombone Retreat feed for the second half of this episode.  You can come see us at Booth #271 at the TMEA Convention, February 8th thru 10th, 2024 in San Antonio Texas.   About John Sebastian Vera John Sebastian Vera, a native of Texas, became the principal trombonist of the Pittsburgh Opera in 2010 and also joined the River City Brass as principal Trombone in 2015. He is also professor of trombone at Duquesne University and faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music where he teaches a course on Music Entrepreneurship and Digital Media as well as coach chamber music. In addition to the Pittsburgh Opera, Mr. Vera has played with the symphonies of Dallas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Buffalo, Kennedy Center Opera House, Malaysian Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Vermont, Harrisburg, Charleston, American Ballet Theatre, and Orquesta Sinaloa de las Artes in Mexico amongst others.  He began his studies with Jon Bohls in Texas and continued his education at Southern Methodist University where he studied with John Kitzman of the Dallas Symphony. He then spent a year studying with Ed Zadrozny as a graduate assistant at the University of Akron, and finished his graduate work in New York City at the Mannes College of Music studying with David Finlayson and James Markey of the New York Philharmonic.     In 2011, he spent the summer in Haiti volunteer teaching and performing in the Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinite as well as the Ecole de Musique Dessaix Baptiste which became one of the more profound experiences of his life.   A dedicated chamber musician, he also was a founding member of the critically acclaimed Guidonian Hand Trombone Quartet in which he played from 2008-2014. With the quartet, John performed over 100 concerts and gave master classes all over the country. Heralded by the New York Times for their "expertly played performances" they have been recipients of numerous national grants which have enabled them to commission countless composers to create new and innovative works for four trombones.  In 2014 was the premiere of River of Fundament, a movie by film artist Matthew Barney, in which John recorded for and acted in along with the quartet.  Mr. Vera can also be heard on the HBO documentary The Words that Built America as well as on euphonium in the PBS documentary Abraham and Mary Lincoln, A House Divided as well as many commercial and video game soundtracks as well as James Markey’s solo release, “On Base”. John is an Artist for Edwards Instruments and resides in Pittsburgh.  His favorite musicians include Sigur Ros, Radiohead, the Books, and Efterklang. When he can get away from the trombone he most enjoys basketball, traveling and reading about psychology and social science.  Check out his podcast he hosts with Nick Schwartz called the Trombone Retreat available everywhere you download your podcasts. Follow him on Instagram @js.vera.   About Nicholas Schwartz Nicholas Schwartz has a diverse career performing across North America, Europe, and Asia. After studying at The Juilliard School with then New York Philharmonic bass trombonist Don Harwood, he moved to San Francisco where he began freelancing throughout the Bay Area.  Since 2010, he has been the principal bass trombonist of the New York City Ballet Orchestra. He has also performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, The Metropolitan Opera, The Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Ballet, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, St. Lukes Chamber Orchestra, the New York City Opera,  Atlanta Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, The Malaysia Philharmonic, Mostly Mozart Festival, and Classical Tahoe.  Follow him on instagram @basstrombone444   About Third Coast Retreat The Third Coast Trombone Retreat is an 7-day trombone immersion welcoming talented college, high school, and amateur trombonists from across the country to the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan.   The Retreat takes place in the charming small town of Montague, MI. Truly an escape from the distractions of everyday life, the festival is nestled in a dense forest along the coast where happening across roaming deer is a common occurrence. The Retreat utilizes facilities all over the town from churches to coffee houses to historic barns to the beach.  We will perform not only for ourselves, but for the community. A fulfilling life of being a musician does not simply begin and end with winning an orchestral or teaching position. Mastering the instrument is only the first step.  Being an artist in the 21st century requires discovering one's unique voice and finding new ways to present the art-form to communicate and contribute to society.   Core to the retreat will be guest artist and faculty recitals, topical master classes including personal finance, performance anxiety and wellness as well as private lessons, orchestral section seminar, ensemble coachings, a trombone choir, a mock orchestral audition, and much more. In addition to the performance elements, the curriculum is expanded to include a talks about career-building, faculty bonfire Q&A, discussions on the mental approach to auditions and performances, wellness, meditation, and more.    

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Adam Woolf, trombonist and sackbut specialist from the UK. Meet us at the SoCal Trombone Day on January 20th, 2024 at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut CA, or see us at Booth #271 at the TMEA Convention, February 8th thru 10th, 2024 in San Antonio Texas. About Adam Woolf For many years Adam Woolf enjoyed a full-time career as a performing musician working with the very best classical music ensembles, festivals and orchestras around the globe. He complemented this by teaching at world-leading institutions around Europe. as professor of Historical Performance and Baroque Trombone at London's Royal Academy of Music, The Conservatoire of Utrecht, Royal Conservatoire of Brussels and the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Adam is proud to have had a part in the development of many fantastic musicians in today's classical music scene. As a performer, Adam played with top orchestras in the world of period-instrument performance, notably as first trombone with Sir John Eliot Gardiner's English Baroque Soloists, a member of His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, and the Caecilia-Concert. Alongside this, he continued playing the modern instrument with London-based ensemble Mardi Brass and other groups. His love of jazz and contemporary music led to the creation of new compositions and experimental projects. Adam has recorded over 100 CDs and DVDs, among which he am proud to count two solo projects, Songs Without Words and The Food of Love. Songs Without Words was the first full length CD to focus on the trombone as a solo instrument exclusively in music from the 16th and 17th centuries. Alongside his output of recordings, some of which are available via this website, he also published various books which focus on historical performance practise on the trombone, also available here.

The Trombone Corner Podcast is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass and The Brass Ark.  Join hosts Noah and John as they interview Megumi Kanda, Principal Trombone of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.  About Megumi Kanda Megumi Kanda, Principal Trombone of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra since 2002, is an internationally acclaimed performer, teacher, and author.    Megumi has performed as a soloist across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Pershing’s Own Army Band, the US Army Field Band, and the Prague Chamber Orchestra. She has been a featured guest artist at many trombone workshops and festivals, including the International Trombone Festival and the American Trombone Workshop. Megumi has appeared as guest faculty at numerous music institutions, including the New World Symphony, National Youth Orchestra of the USA, and Interlochen Arts Academy, and has given master classes and recitals across the US, Europe, and Asia. In April 2006, Megumi was recognized by the Arion Foundation in Tokyo, Japan as one of the most influential Japanese classical artists. She has also received a Certificate of Commendation from the Consul General of Japan at Chicago in recognition for distinguished service contributing to the friendship between the United States and Japan. Megumi was named a 2017 Woman of Influence in the category of education by the Milwaukee Business Journal. In 2020, she was named the recipient of the International Trombone Association Award, which recognizes the highest level of creative and artistic output. Megumi’s first book, The One Hundred, a collection of orchestral trombone excerpts with accompanying commentary, was published in August 2015 and is a resource widely used by aspiring young trombonists around the world. Her second book, Trombone Unlimited, a comprehensive method book, was published in 2020. As a JVC/Victor Entertainment artist, Megumi recorded three solo albums: Amazing Grace, Gloria, and Mona Lisa. She also can be heard on Magnifique Live, a live recording of Megumi and other JVC artists in the August 2005 performance at Takemitsu Hall in Tokyo’s Opera City. Megumi is proud to be a Greenhoe performing artist. Podcast Credits Theme Music: The Trombone Choir Arrangements of Jay Friedman, Vol. 1 Audio Engineer – Preston Shepard  Cover Art – Frank Gladstone Podcast Hosts - Noah Gladstone & John Snell

This episode of the Trombone Corner is brought to you by The Brass Ark and by Bob Reeves Brass. Join hosts Noah Gladstone and John Snell as they talk with trombonist Dr. Brett Baker. Brett Baker is viewed internationally as a leading performer and educator. He is passionate about encouraging composers to write pioneering new repertoire and is one of the most recorded brass soloists.  Previously Brett was Programme Leader of the Musical Arts Degree at the University of Salford, and is now Marketing Lead for Denis Wick Products, and continues as an Ambassador for Michael Rath Brass Instruments, as well as long serving soloist and Principal Trombone of the Black Dyke Band.  He is a Past Chair and Past President of the British Trombone Society and increasingly works as a conductor and adjudicator in festivals and competitions.  Brett has commissioned many trombone solos with both wind and brass band accompaniment. In 2020 he won the ITA Presidents Award for services to the International Trombone Association were he has featured regularly as a soloist.