Episodes
!llmind: Filipino-American Multi-Platinum Music Producer and Innovator
!llmind World Music Foundation Podcast | Season 1, Episode 19 "Sometimes we can cheat the universe a little bit." About this Episode Many articles, films, and interviews have been made about Illmind’s extraordinary career producing many albums for several of the top names in hip-hop today. This isn’t one of those interviews. In this week’s episode, John digs deep into the early experiences and upbringing that shaped Ramon Ibanga Jr - AKA !llmind - as a musician and planted the seeds of what has become a life’s quest towards community building. After years of [...]
Daniel Nebiat: Krar Master and Founding Member Of The Juno Award Winning Okavango African Orchestra
Daniel Nebiat World Music Foundation Podcast | Season 1, Episode 18 "The music is like the water body, like Okavango" About this Episode World-renowned, Juno award-winning, Eritrian krar player, Daniel Nebiat joins John to talk about his journey playing the krar. From growing up in the midst of a war for independence to working with African legends, Daniel Nebiat shares the ways he had to persevere, adapt, and innovate to continue pursuing his passion for music. Currently based in Toronto, he is a founding member of the Okavango African Orchestra, where he and African [...]
Rhymefest: American Rapper, Writer, Community Organizer, and Explorer
Che "Rhymefest" Smith World Music Foundation Podcast | Season 1, Episode 17 "Hip Hop is an alien way of communicating." About this Episode In this week’s episode John meets with high-powered, prolific creator, Che “Rhymefest” Smith to discuss Hip-Hop, his upcoming album, and Hollywood acting debut, along with topics ranging from Chicago’s youth, spirituality, various life changing trips around the world, and much more. Rhymefest's upcoming album is titled Love Lessons Part 1, and as you'll hear in this conversation, Love is a topic at front of mind right now for Che. This episode also includes [...]
Wu Fei: Genre-bending Composer, Guzheng Virtuoso & Vocalist From Beijing
Wu Fei World Music Foundation Podcast | Season 1, Episode 16 "I had been craving for freedom." About this Episode Wu Fei describes herself as an ancient soul trapped in a feisty woman's body. Hailing from Beijing, China, Wu Fei is a multi-talented musician and composer known for playing and improvising on the traditional Chinese guzheng as well as improvisational singing and piano. Fei talks to John about her life as a child prodigy, transitioning from China to the U.S., how both countries have influenced her and her music, and what it was like [...]
Louis York: American Griots, Weirdo Workshop Founders, and Multi-GRAMMY Nominated Musicians
Louis York World Music Foundation Podcast | Season 1, Episode 15 "We felt like music should be inspirational and aspirational." About this Episode This week's episode takes us to Nashville, TN, USA where John visits Weirdo Workshop, the music label and creative headquarters for our guests, Louis York, to speak with them about their new album and everything that's brought them to this point in their careers. Louis York is the powerful duo and creation of multi-GRAMMY nominated songwriting and production team, Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony. Kelly, a 4x Grammy Award nominee, and [...]
Roberto Fonseca: Cuban Pianist, Composer, Producer and Bandleader
Roberto Fonseca World Music Foundation Podcast | Season 1, Episode 14 "Yesun, the name of the album, is a word I made up." About this Episode Self-proclaimed "crazy, romantic musician", Roberto Fonseca, speaks with John about his recently released 9th solo album, Yesun, along with the life experiences and musical training that have brought him to this point in his musical journey. Roberto is a GRAMMY nominated, Cuban pianist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and bandleader, and on this album he experiments with a wide range of musical forms, from jazz and classical music to rap, [...]