For our second host-answer episode for our Songwriting Challenge 2023, Phil shared the process behind his answer to the challenge to write a song in the Lydian mode. Our good friend Susan Cattaneo joined in. We talked about: How Phil experimented with various scales before landing on Lydian for his song How working in Lydian …
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Neel gets all nostalgic for his songwriting challenge answer
For our first host-answer episode for our Songwriting Challenge 2023, Neel shared the process behind his answer to the challenge to write a song in a mode. Our good friend Susan Cattaneo joined in – thanks Susan for your awesome insights! Download the lyrics to follow along. We talked about: SummerSongs songwriting retreat The Number …
Finding her own voice in Jazz: Nicky Schrire
Nicky Schrire is a British-South African vocalist and composer based in Toronto, Canada. Her work has seen her likened to vocalists Joni Mitchell and Esperanza Spalding with The Boston Globe’s Jon Garelick noting that “though her approach has earned her comparisons to Gretchen Parlato and Becca Stevens, the similarities are superficial. She’s got her own …
Being open to new collaborations with Jeremy Voltz
Burned-out mathematician turned indie-soul artist, Jeremy Voltz’s music is inspired by thinking deeply about the people in his life and what he’d love to have the courage to say to them. Reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, Hozier, and Stevie Wonder, he has a voice that is powerful and haunting. As a vocalist, Voltz has toured the …
Revisiting a song ten years later with Neel Modi
On this special episode, our very own Neel Modi shared his process of revisiting a song he first wrote over 10 years ago. We were privileged and happy to have singer-songwriter Jacob Moon join us for the conversation. Thanks Jacob! We talked about: Canadian folk music icon Gordon Lightfoot dead at 84 | CBC News …
Exploring Dorian and Lydian Modes
Our 2023 songwriting challenge is to write a song using an unusual mode, or a mode you don’t normally use. For our first episode on this subject, composer and songwriter Jeff Alan Greenway joined us to talk about two specific modes – Dorian and Lydian. Jeff Alan Greenway is a film composer, singer-songwriter, and pianist …
Susan Cattaneo and two of her favourite songs
Award-winning singer-songwriter and music educator Susan Cattaneo joined us to talk about two of her favourite songs and why they’re so great. Sherry Jacoby filled in for Phil Emery as co-host – thanks Sherry! Susan’s choices were Little Green by Joni Mitchell and The River by Bruce Springsteen. We talked about: The differences between classic …
Writing in a rock band with Billy Lunn of The Subways
Billy Lunn is the singer, guitarist, songwriter, and producer of the UK-based rock band The Subways. The Subways released their debut album Young for Eternity in 2005, and they’ve just released their fifth album, Uncertain Joys, on January 13, 2023. Billy grew up on a swirling mix of Motown, rock, disco, dance, hip-hop, and pop, …