music_is_inspiration Episode 8: Kelly Armor Preserving, Teaching, and Performing Folk Music from around the World Kelly Armor is from Erie, Pennsylvania and has devoted much of her life to preserving, teaching, and performing folk music from around the world. Having studied in Kenya and Tanzania during her college years, Kelly lived in rural villages and immersed herself in the countries’ culture and music. Since those days, Kelly has returned to Africa to capture over 40 hours of field recordings from the countries' musicians, in order to assist in preserving East Africa’s songs. Kelly’s also studied folk music in the United States, traveling around the country while interpreting and performing American tunes. In addition, she’s even spent a number of weeks on the the USS Brig Niagara, the vessel that served as a flagship during the war of 1812, while learning maritime instruments and music. Kelly now serves as Folk Art and Education Director at the Erie Art Museum. As part of her initiatives there, she's established 'Old Songs New Opportunities,' or OSNO, with a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Her work with OSNO has created educational opportunities for Erie refugees. She’s trained over 60 former refugee women thus far about US education standards, enabling them to acquire jobs in Pennsylvania's education system. The program also places a strong emphasis on encouraging trainees to share their home culture with students in the classroom via their traditional songs. With over 10,000 former refugees now living in Erie, Kelly has done incredible work with individuals from Bhutan, Iraq, Sudan, Ukraine, and more, supporting them to continue spreading their traditional music and art. Listen to the full interview with Kelly and download for FREE above. Then, hear additional audio from Kelly's interview on the m_i_i Soundcloud page. Visit www.soundcloud.com/kelly-armor to hear more music from Old Songs New Opportunities and connect with Kelly and OSNO on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/oldsongsnewopportunities?fref=ts and Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK5lP1nChSHJivfCyNthPog. Read more about Kelly and the Erie Art Museum online at www.erieartmuseum.org/folkart/

music_is_inspiration Episode 7: Frank Singer Keeping Jazz ‘Alive and Well’ in Smalltown America It’s Friday night in Erie, PA and Frank Singer and Joe Dorris are entertaining guests at the Anchor In as part of their weekly jazz set that runs throughout the fall and spring season. The duo plays to a packed house filled with jazz lovers, both young and old, all eager to enjoy another night of quality music. Initially, one might not think of Erie and Erie County, an area with a population of a little less than 300,000 people, as a hot spot for jazz. However, Erie proves to be an oasis for such music. Much of this can be credited to Frank and Joe’s hard work and dedication to Erie’s jazz scene. After arriving in Erie in the late 80s following years of studying, performing, and building their reputation and skill as musicians in Boston, the two arrived with their band ‘Cat’s a Bear’ and decided to call it home. The duo had a common goal in mind: tap into Erie’s jazz community and expand the city's jazz scene. The Anchor In sits in the basement of Oasis Pub on West Lake Road in Erie, but feels like a venue right out of the West Village. Guests walk down a staircase in the back of the club to reach the cozy, classy, and intimate spot that guarantees weekly jazz sets from Frank and Joe, frequently accompanied by other talented local and nationally known artists, who have grown to love and recognize Erie's outstanding jazz scene. At the Anchor In, Frank and Joe have established a popular spot for jazz lovers to spend their Friday and Saturday nights. As a musician, Frank Singer is at the top of his game. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Frank has studied and composed 20th century music, performed in countless jazz bands, and established himself as a skilled jazz guitarist, though he also plays piano, drums, saxophone, and bass. Frank’s also a teacher and the co-founder of ‘Cat’s a Bear’, a band that himself and Joe Dorris began in 1982, during their time in Boston together. Cat’s a Bear was founded with an important purpose in mind: to always write challenging music that pushed the musicians’ skills to new levels. Frank’s hard work and devotion to his instrument is certainly apparent, as he “speaks” to guests with his personal, energetic, and phenomenal performances. He’s devoted to his craft like none other and provides residents of Erie, PA with the opportunity to hear the highest quality jazz right in their home town. Listen to the full interview with Frank and download for FREE above. Then, hear additional audio from Frank's interview on the m_i_i Soundcloud page. Visit www.franksinger.com to learn more about Frank, review a list of his upcoming performances, purchase his CDs, and receive more information about online and in-person lessons with Frank.

music_is_inspiration Episode 6: Sam Hyman Singer-songwriter, Guitarist, Drummer, and 'Almost James Taylor' It’s Wednesday evening at Alto Cucina in Erie, PA and Sam Hyman is entertaining the restaurant's dinner guests with a variety of originals and cover tunes. Hyman is a well known singer, songwriter, guitarist, and drummer around Northwestern Pennsylvania and New York. However, his influence doesn’t stop there. One of Sam’s original tunes was included as an episode's theme in the famous soap opera, ‘The Young and Restless’, while many others have been featured in film, television, and radio around the world. Sam has released music on Warner Music Group and Northstar Music in the UK and recently released a new CD on iTunes titled ‘Play it Again Sam’, containing 17 of his original tracks. In addition to writing his own tunes, Sam covers popular songs from audiences’ favorite artists, including Irving Mills, Neil Young, the Beatles, Willie Nelson, and so many more. Sam has become known for adding his own personal sound and ‘flavor’ to these classics. In fact, Sam was often told that he sounds so much like James Taylor, that he organized a successful series called ‘Almost J.T.’ where himself, drummer Mark Clement, and bass player Mike Miller covered entire evenings of James Taylor's music. Hyman performs frequently, and has entertained audiences at over 70 venues around PA and NY alone, from major festivals on Lake Erie, to his ‘Almost J.T.’ series at a local theater, to gigs in New York City, and at numerous popular clubs and dinner venues, like Alto Cucina. Sam has performed at Alto Cucina on Wednesday evening for years. Tonight, he’s accompanied by talented drummer, Mark Clement. Mark plays drums in Sam’s trio, but also plays conga when the two are a duo. Sam’s a truly inspiring musician. His passion for his craft is apparent with each live performance and throughout his original music. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with Sam following his gig. Hear the full interview with Sam and download this episode for FREE above. Learn more about Sam at www.musicisinspiration.com. Visit www.samhyman.com for Sam's upcoming performances dates and to purchase his newest CD, 'Play It Again Sam,' on iTunes. Photo by Ed Bernik (www.bernikphotography.com)

music_is_inspiration Episode 5: Daniel Paul Spreading Good Vibrations of Kirtan Across the Globe Daniel Paul has performed the tabla since he was 19 years old and has devoted his life to perfecting his technique on the instrument following nine years of study at the Ali Akbar College of Music in California and a trip on a US Fulbright to India. Tabla is a pitched drum instrument used traditionally throughout Eastern music and is most often found in Indian classical music and Kirtan, Hindi spiritual music. Though he was trained in classical Eastern music performance, Daniel has dedicated much of his career to Kirtan, a spiritual call-and-response music traditional to India, but now popular worldwide. Daniel has spent many years collaborating with internationally recognized Kirtan artist, Jai Uttal, while traveling the world and also performing with other top Kirtan and Eastern classical musicians. He is recognized as a true table master and vocalist and is recognized for his outstanding work as a solo artist. I was grateful to have the opportunity to meet with Daniel at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY during a weekend of Ecstatic Chant, a sort of "music festival" for Kirtan and Eastern Classical music. Learn more at www.musicisinspiration.com.