Episode 43: Cody Blackbird

Now we're talking.  Camille Sledge is, for starters, an amazing singer, songwriter and entertainer, as proven in her outstanding work with the wildly entertaining and popular Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra.  She is also a force for good in the music industry through her founding of the non profit School of HipHop PHX.  Through this school she is helping young African American/Black and minority youth access art education through the elements of HipHop and instrumentation including dance, public speaking, engineering, visual arts and financial literacy.  She has released a solo album called Streetlights and Lullabies which highlights even more talent.  And if that's not enough for you, she tours with her mother and aunts' in a band, which you may have heard of, Sister Sledge.  Camille has generously given us some time to discuss these and a bunch of other topics so don't miss this glimpse into an extraordinary person living an extraordinary life.

Where to even start with this renaissancewoman.  Jeremy “Bacpac” Franko is an Architect, acoustician, writer, poet, DJ, dancer, prolific mural artist and instigator.  She played guitar with the European punk band the Raincoats in the 70’s. And now she is making video art too.  A powerhouse of energy and creativity and an inspiration for how to live a long, interesting, and exciting life.  Come on in for some great stories and a healthy dose of warm energy from this amazing artistic soul.

Ali Hedrick has been booking bands since the 90’s and has the experiences and stories we all wish we could have been there for.  From interning at Touch and Go Records to starting one of the largest independent booking agencies in the country she has been working hard to get your favorite bands into the places where they can blow you away with their performances.  She has worked with an impressive roster of bands.  From Nick Cave to Mumford and Sons to Bon Iver to Death Cab for Cutie to Arcade Fire she has provided the essential support that these acts need to grow their audiences and realize their full potential.  She’s also a joy to hang out with and a great story teller, so grab a download and prepare to be both wildly entertained and educated about the life and business of booking.

Here's a great story!  Cody Blackbird was drawn to the Native American flute at 8 years old.  He took that early inspiration and honed it into his own Alter-Native genre incorporating rock, R & B and funk with, of course, a heavy dose of soulful flute magic.  Here we discuss the wildly improbable way his band got started in Alaska, years of touring, his inspiring activism and a wide variety of other stuff just for fun.  

With a smile a mile wide, Mean Gene has transcended his physical limitations and proved that a fired-up soul is the main requirement for making great music.  He's been writing and performing his grungy desert alt country songs for years now as a solo artist, as Mean Gene and the Soul Scorchers, Rockin' Chair, The Blinding Suns, and Mean Gene and the Green Sardines.  And he's just getting started.  Big goals, big dreams, and a big heart will no doubt take him far.  Come on in for a glimpse into the life and times of this inspiring human, great songwriter and all around lovely man.

From poor farmer to guitar shop owner to Chief Luthier at Gretsch, to setting up guitar factories in Asia, Donnie Wade has had a very, very interesting life.  His passion for music started at a very young age where he risked severe punishment to sneak out and get just a glimpse of the happenings at the strictly forbidden local underground (black) music hall where Freddie King was driving 'em wild.  His stories are wide ranging and wildly entertaining with a sharp wit and a lovable disposition.  Get in here and learn something!

When you're good, and you're cool, everybody wants you.  Max Crawford has been charming his way into playing with loads of great bands with his warmth, ripping sense of humor and adventurous attitude.  He came by and shared generously  a few of his adventures in this realm of  music.  Not only is he a founder of an in-demand horn section called Total Pro Horns, he's played with Wilco, Poi Dog Pondering, and the Mekons just to name a few.  Come on in and be amazed and wildly entertained by this champion of a human and teller of great tales.

Here's a treat!  Arizona's preeminent music historian, archivist and scholar came up for a rollicking, laugh-filled, wildly informative discussion about Arizona music history, becoming a DJ as a kid, his wide ranging career in the music business and his tireless efforts to preserve and document the music of Arizona.  His Audio Ranch podcast is absolutely filled with interesting, well-curated song selections  that will keep scratch your musical itch for a very long time.  He's been deep in the music scene for a very long time and has the stories to prove it!  Get in here and get some.

Head slammin.  Feet shakin.  That's how you do it.  Meliza Jackson plays guitar for the Darts (US) and is having a blast doing it.  Their new album is on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label and is on the verge of release into the wild.  Come on in for a lively discussion about life on the road and making shit happen in the music biz.

The more you look, the more you love.  There is a mountain to discover where this man is involved.  An influential writer, creative director of Hello Merch, overseer of the world of WASTOIDS, neck deep in Aquarium Drunkard and Transmissions, and pushing great music on Range and Basin.  Look them all up.  You'll like them.  He's also a musician under the moniker JPW with a recent solo release called Something Happening/Always Happening on Fort Lowell Records.  And he's in the band Kitimoto taboot.  Damn.  Drop in for a wide ranging chat with this stalwart of the desert cultural experience.