Mark talks to vocalist and songwriter April Hall, about her history of music-making, from her days at Berklee (eventually singing with Billy Joel, Rosemary Clooney, and Chaka Khan), to her solo records in the folk/pop and jazz idioms.  They talk about their awkward meeting, and Mark confesses some deep-seated resentment.  Music includes selections from April's CDs "Something Like That," "Fun out of Life," and the soon-to-be-released "Room for Two," which is comprised solely of DUO performances, and which will enjoy a CD release party at the Regattabar on June 2, 2012.

Mark has the distinct honor to interview the vocal group New York Voices!  Following in the footsteps of such groups as Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross, and the Manhattan Transfer, NYV serves up a blend of tight jazz harmonies, scat singing, and displays of virtuosity, emulating big bands and other instruments, along with an embrace of Pop, Soul, and Latin music.  Mark discusses the group's inception, some humorous and profound milestones in their career, changes in line-up and musical direction, and the group's present and future, including new projects and the opportunity for vocal students and educators to study with them this summer at the NYV vocal jazz camp at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.  Musical selections include "Darn that Dream", "Giant Steps," "The World Keeps You Waiting," "Loves Me Like a Rock," "Cecilia," and "Answered Prayers."  Check out more by the New York Voices on itunes and Amazon, and at their website http://www.newyorkvoices.com

Lisa Thorson is a wonderful jazz singer and voice teacher and basically a Boston institution.  You need to hang with her and hear her perform to experience the true magnitude of her greatness, but satisfy yourself for now with this interview, where we talk about jazz pedagogy, our shared history, her journey through living with a debilitating injury, and much more.  Music includes Her Eyes - M.S. (James Pisano) from "Other Voices", Falling in Love with Love - Loesser (performance by Sheila Jordan), Do Nothin' til You Hear From Me - Ellington/Russell, arr. Shilansky, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - Arlen/Kohler, arr. Tim Ray, The Nearness of You - Washington/Carmichael, Resonance - Thorson/Bill Coon, Out to Sea - Harrell/Pyle (Lisa and Cho Yoon Seung), I Mean You - Monk, arr. Shilansky

We're BACK!  We did a live podcast interview/performance at the Lilypad, one of the area's best small performing venues, with one of the best pianos in town.  We interviewed my friend David Thorne Scott about his hometowns and his new CD.  We talked and jammed with the lovely and talented singer/songwriter Sarah Brindell.  We shared stories with bassist and composer Mark Poniatowski.  And we talked briefly but memorably with drummer (and recording engineer... he recorded the concert for this one!) Dave Jamrog about his new project Junktronique.

Adrian Sicam is a singer/songwriter/keyboardist who joins Mark in a car conversation en route to a function gig with their sometime musical home: the Hip Pocket Orchestra.  Ade and Mark discuss Ade's time at Syracuse University, the world of musical theatre, the legendary funk/spoken word band Neon Grandma (of which Adrian was a founding member), Star Island, Adrian's solo record "Hey Stranger," and the trials and tribulations of the living as an artist.  Music: "You Behave" (Shilansky), "Skylark" (Carmichael/Mercer, arr. Sicam/Shilansky), "I Cover the Waterfront", "Funky Lover" (Sicam, perf. by Neon Grandma), "So Low" (Sicam), "Jazz and Sushi" (Sicam), and "Change Your Mind" (Sicam)

Christine Fawson plays trumpet and sings on her own projects and as the Alto in the group Syncopation.  She speaks her mind honestly, and doesn't tolerate B.S. from anyone, including her friends.  We discuss the Mormon faith (quite controversially, I might add), Women in Jazz, Berklee, and much more.  Visit her at http://www.christinefawson.net  Episode Music: "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" (U2, as performed by Syncopation), Don't Fence Me in (Berlin, performed by Fawson), Invisible War (Julia Fordham, by Syncopation), Avalon (Fawson), Wonderful You (by Syncopation, music by Hiromi Uehara, Lyrics by Fawson), and "Betcha By Golly Wow" (Syncopation, words and music by Linda Creed and Thom Bell).

Mark talks to singer/songwriter/guitarist Kate Schutt.  Originally from Pennsylvania, Kate spent time in Boston and then many years in Guelph, Ontario before settling in her current locale of NYC.  A slew of great recordings make up her body of work, including "No Love Lost" (the one Shilansky is on, also Shilansky-pal Dave Jamrog, w/string arrangements by Jeff Louie and a special appearance by Toni Lynn Washington), and "The Telephone Game," (featuring Orrin Evans, Terri Lynn Carrington, John Ellis) a project made in conjunction with the innovative Artistshare label.  Kate and Mark talk about all this, as well as studying Chinese, why someone would bail on Harvard to go to Berklee (!!?), the life of a self-managing/producing artist, and much more.  If you've heard other interviews with Kate (she has been making some major waves in the industry, including being featured on NPR's "Song of the Day"), this one is different, because in this one Kate addresses how she "left it all behind" and dropped out of the biz for a significant period of time, to do volunteer work, and she discusses this in moving detail.  Songs include: "The Moon Got Broken", "Our Legs are Burning," "Glamorous Life" (a Sheila E cover!), "You Can Have the Sky," and "Raining."

Mark talks at LENGTH to trumpeter/composer Taylor Haskins.  It's a long one, but DEAL WITH IT!! We had a lot of ground to cover as we've known each other for about 22 years or so.  Listen to it on a long drive or across a couple different commutes... We discuss our shared history, Taylor's original music and sideman work with people like Dave Holland, Richard Bona, and Guillermo Klein.  Musical selections: "Lovefool" from my Join the Club CD, Taylor's "You Have Everything You Need" (from Wake Up Call), "Biorhythm" (from Metaview), "Here is the Big Sky" (from the brand new Recombination), and Tay's cover of Tom Waits' "Johnsburg, Illinois" (from American Dream).  Caution: We talk some politics, musical and otherwise, throughout... please comment and converse; we respect your opinion if it differs from ours, and we may wind up agreeing to disagree.  Enjoy the music, in any case.

Mark talks with jazz singer Kate McGarry about her journey through the world of music, from Cape Cod to L.A. to NYC to North Carolina.  Nominated for a Grammy award for her CD "If Less is More, then Nothing is Everything," Kate performs her heartfelt original music and profoundly personal renditions of songs from the "Great American Songbook" as well as covers of music by Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, and the Cars (!).  Music excerpts: "Chelsea Morning" (Joni Mitchell) from the CD "Show Me," "You Don't Have to Cry" (Steven Stills) from "If Less is More...", "The Target (Kate McGarry) from the CD of the same name, and "Gypsy in My Soul" (Jaffe/Bolland).