Gabriel Jonas is a jazz guitarist from the city of Bordeaux, France. He is currently enrolled in the Berklee College of Music, as a double major in both Film & Media Scoring and Performance. He has already played in some large venues in Boston including the House of Blues, and at MGM Fenway Hall as lead guitar player for the Singers Showcase “Girl On Fire-The Music of Alicia Keys” where he got to play alongside the Berklee Alumni and Alto Sax star Grace Kelly. As part of a Snarky Puppy Berklee ensemble, he has also been mentored by Marty Walsh (formerly a session guitarist player for Donna Summer, Supertramp, Christopher Cross, Randy Crawford amongst others). As a performance major at Berklee, he is actively a part of a variety of student bands playing on a weekly basis, sharing the stage at Berklee campus studios. He is in the process of composing his first selections of original music and continuing to perform live in and around the Boston area.
Pavle Zvekic is a classically trained, Serbian jazz pianist and composer. He is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston with a bachelor's degree in music performance, and is now currently enrolled in the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. In November of 2023 he released an album entitled Small Hours. He is also Managing Director of the Youth Jazz & Rock Festival in Serbia.
Guitarist Mike Mele graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1990 (Cum Laude). Mike is a prominent educator, and has taught guitar lessons through The Music Emporium in Lexington, Massachusetts for over twenty-five years. He has also taught at Berklee College of Music, Tufts University, Sharon Music Academy and Bentley College. He is currently an instructor in music at Phillip Exeter Academy. Mike has spent the last thirty years performing with many jazz and blues greats, including Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Tony Monaco, Bill Pierce, Joe Hunt, Barry Ries, Marty Rowen, Melvin Sparks & Myanna. Mike has been a member of the Ken Clark Organ Trio, and recorded the albums Eternal Funk and Mutual Respect for the distinguished Severn Records label. Mike was also a long-standing member of Michelle Willson’s Evil Gal Festival Orchestra, toured North America and Europe, and released the critically acclaimed album Wake-Up Call for Rounder Records.
Jennifer Wharton is a low brass specialist based in New York City. Though getting her start classically, Jen has deep roots in jazz, commercial, chamber and Broadway music. Jennifer leads the trombone-forward ensemble, Bonegasm, commissioning works from jazz heavyweights and newcomers. She was awarded a 2020 grant by the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theater to continue to bring trombone music to the masses. The result was Bonegasm’s sophomore album, Not A Novelty (2021), a follow up to their debut Bonegasm (2019). Downbeat Magazine called the most recent album “Trombone Ecstasy”. http://www.bonegasm.com/
Ana Petrova is a Kazakhstan-born, American jazz pianist/organist and a graduate of Berklee College of Music in professional music and performance, and holds a master’s degree from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, and is now an assistant professor at Berklee. Ana has studied with and/or performed with Danilo Perez, Dave Liebman, Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Ben Street, and Adam Cruz. She has participated in international festivals such as Umbria Jazz Festival 2013 (Italy), Wave of Ideas 2015 (Bulgaria), Panama Jazz Festival 2020, 2021 (Panama), Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival 2018 (Boston, MA), Monterey Jazz Festival 2018 (Monterey, CA), Soular Jazz Festival 2021 (MA), and Arlington Jazz Festival 2022 (MA). In 2019 she was awarded with a DownBeat Student Music Award for the Best Graduate Arrangement. In 2021 received a grand-prix at the International Jazz Bridge Competition as a pianist, composer, and arranger, and became the finalist at Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. In 2022 Petrova received a prestigious New Jazz Legacy Grant, which will let her perform alongside the renowned jazz saxophonist Chris Potter and get creative mentorship with Kris Davis. She is currently working on her debut album and is a principal pianist and organist for Champion: An Opera in Jazz written by Terence Blanchard as a part of Boston Lyric Opera.
A Multi-genre vocalist, composer and educator, Gabriela, holds a bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music. In addition, Gabriela has a master's degree from New England Conservatory, where she studied under Jason Moran, Miguel Zenon and Ken Schaphorst. Her current release is "Homage to Gramlis" and she has received numerous awards both nationally and internationally including the LABgrant from Boston Foundation.
Veronica Leahy is a saxophonist, multi-woodwind player, and pianist. A recent graduate of the Harvard-Berklee College of Music dual degree program, she was specifically enrolled in the Jazz & Gender Justice Group. Veronica has performed & mentored under founder and director Terri Lyne Carrington,(Multi Grammy Award-winning drummer and educator). Veronica is now planning to establish her post-graduate performance career in New York City.
Doug interviews well-known and highly regarded jazz percussionist Phil Haynes (https://philhaynesmusic.bandcamp.com) from Wikipedia: "A veteran artist based in New York for 25 years, Phil Haynes is featured on more than 85 LP, CD, and DVD releases by numerous American and European record labels. Haynes’ debut, The Paul Smoker Trio’s QB with Anthony Braxton, was named the #1 recording of 1985 by esteemed critic Kevin Whitehead. The international media have compared his drumming to masters Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes, + Elvin Jones, and his compositions to Duke Ellington, Charles Ives, Charles Mingus and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Haynes' performances were recently noted to be “The perfect middle between tradition and avant-garde, between power and sophistication, between accessibility and adventure. . . standards with a new sense of drama, dynamics, and true moments of fun.”
Conversations with jazz artists in Belmont, Boston & beyond conducted by Doug Hall.
Guest: Ken Gable, who is a music instructor at Belmont Middle School.
Todd speaks with BHS Marauders Football Head Coach Brian McCray for the first time about the team's progress so far and the upcoming game vs Burlington at home.
TOST ToddCast 09/08/21 Patriots Season Preview w/Howie McClallen & Chris Mason, MassLive.com by Belmont Media Podcast Network
In our first episode of Meet A Marauder we dive into many topics with Senior Class Secretary Phoebe Gray. Enjoy as we talk about many topics including what it’s like to be a 2021 Senior, ICONIC memories from when we were younger, and a lot more as we share many laughs!
In this finale episode, we interview, Sarah Freiberg Ellison, Powers Music School cello teacher, co-chair of the string department and daughter of one of the community music school founder. This episode was edited by Komako Akai Whitelaw.
Seventh episode of BMC podcast "Power of Music" produced by Frederique Rigoulot with Komako Akai Whitelaw about Powers Music School faculty teachers. This episode " Right on the Spot" features Pianist and Concert Performer, Kyra Xuerong Zhao, NEC & Powers Music School Pianist Teacher. She shares what that takes to be a solo piano performer on the international music scene. Episode edited by Frederique Rigoulot
Sixth episode of BMC podcast "Power of Music" produced by Frederique Rigoulot with Komako Akai Whitelaw about how Powers Music School faculty teachers live their music. This episode features Jazz Pianist Jose Soto, Powers Music School Pianist Teacher. Episode edited by Komako Akai Whitelaw.
In this episode, "Emotionally Connected" Ryan Noe, Director of Chamber Music and Trumpet Faculty at Belmont Powers Music School, shares how the mindset is important to play great music. Episode edited by Frederique Rigoulot.
In episode #4 of Power of Music, a podcast created by BMC News Director, Frederique Rigoulot, with volunteer, Komako Akai Whitelaw, and in partnership with Powers Music School, Marie Cicconetti shares how music is at the core of her being. Episode edited by Komako Akai Whitelaw.
Episode #3 of Power of Music, a podcast produced by BMC News Director Frederique Rigoulot and volunteer Komako Akai-Whitelaw in partnership with Powers Music School. This episode features Violin Faculty Member and Youth Orchestra Director, Job Salazar Fonseca, for whom music is life. Episode edited by Frederique Rigoulot.
Episode #2 of Power of Music - a podcast produced by Belmont Media Center (Frederique Rigoulot & Komako Akai Whitelaw) in partnership with Powers Music School. This episode features, Viola de Gamba teacher, James Perretta, who explores music from the early age to the most recent video game music. Episode edited by Komako Akai Whitelaw.
First episode of the new BMC podcast "Power of Music" produced by Frederique Rigoulot with Komako Akai Whitelaw about how Powers Music School faculty teachers live their music. This first episode features Gavin Farrell, Powers Music School Executive Director and Drumming Teacher, Nurudafina Pili Abena. Episode edited by Frederique Rigoulot.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from February 2. 2021.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from January 26, 2021.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from December 29, 2020.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from December 22, 2020.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from December 15, 2020.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from December 8, 2020.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from December 1, 2020.
News articles and stories from the Belmont Citizen-Herald as read by volunteers from Belmont Council on Aging from November 24, 2020.