Ideas Adrift Chad & Jeff

Here is an older episode that we recorded back in the late Summer of 2019, featuring singer/songwriter, visual artist, and marijuana activist Ana Gomulka. She’s the lead singer and guitarist for the band Honey Monsoon, and she tells us about meeting Taylor Greenshields a handful of years ago, and how that led to the formation of this multifaceted funk/soul/dance ensemble. Everyone in the band are visual artists, and that informs the specific energies that they are intent on conjuring at their live shows for their audiences. Gomulka’s work can be seen on the album covers of both of Honey Monsoon’s recent album’s, including Opal Soul, from March of 2019.

We cover a lot of ground here, especially when it comes to bands and the types of music that are often associated with partaking of marijuana. I make a dig at some 70’s bands, and Chad stands up for his love of hair metal, and we talk about the J-word: “jam…” But on a serious note, Gomulka’s art is incredible, her voice is amazing, and the band’s music has this supernatural holistic healing energy. We also talk about Gomulka’s poetry, and how that informs her songwriting.

Currently, Honey Monsoon are in the studio working on two new tracks, also finishing up a remix project of a track from Opal Soul with Detroit-area electronic artists. We also talk about the power of allowing yourself to be vulnerable, whenever possible.

***Important show note, though: my intention was to sample one of their songs, "Who You Are," but I definitely sent the wrong song to Chad when he was producing this... NEVERTHELESS :) You get to hear a bit of one of my very favorite songs by Honey Monsoon, "Cloud!" You can click the bandcamp link below to hear more songs, including "Who You Are."

https://www.facebook.com/honeymonsoon/

https://honeymonsoon.bandcamp.com/releases

Photo by Allen Zhang

We’re chatting with veteran hip-hop artist Leaf Erikson about his latest album, Canvas Of Hope. We cover a lot of ground, actually, going back to his formative years, as early as 4th grade, through the mid and late 90’s, as well as the influence that his time working as a Free Press reporter had on the way he crafts his lyrics. Erikson has been putting out music for well over a decade and has collaborated with several artists over that time.

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Erikson belongs to the Butter Made Records label (Unapologetic, Progressive Music). He credits jazz as his favorite genre and has been curating the Jazzadelic music series at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe for almost 8 months now, featuring artists like Guilty Simpson, Boog Brown, Miz Korona, and Ilajide (of Clear Soul Forces—who, we should mention, comes up in our conversation). Erikson talks about what he’s working on next, but you should also know that, along with Canvas of Hope, he was also featured on the Apollo Brown album, ‘Sincerely Yours.

https://leaferikson.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/leaf-erikson

In our second tour-chat with the podcast’s co-host, Chad, we’re continuing recounting his time in Stef Chura’s band last year, but this time, the story takes us across the pond: to Europe. Chad also talks about the close bonds forged with Chura as well as the ways in which his experience performing and touring with her inspired him.

This episode opens up with an incredible Silver Jews cover that Chura recorded late last year, after the passing of David Berman (recorded by Stocker, with him on the bass). https://stefchuraband.bandcamp.com/track/how-to-rent-a-room

http://stefchura.com/

There's also some more from the live set that Chura and the band performed at KEXP at the end of this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEFlbuod0Lk

and more from the band Chad’s currently recording with: https://thehighstrungmusic.com/

Ideas Adrift Cohost & Engineer Chad Stocker had quite a first run when he went back out on the road. He was the bassist for singer/songwriter Stef Chura's band for the past year and in this episode, he recounts his first leg (both the East Coast and the West Coast), of a major tour, wherein he particularly quantifies his perspectives on the experience of touring today, versus 12-15 years ago when he was hitting the road rather intensely with The High Strung.

This episode opens with a live recording of Stef Chura's band with Chad on bass, performing for KEXP in Seattle. https://www.kexp.org/sessions/archive/stef-chura-live-on-kexp-recorded-august-1-2019/ / http://stefchura.com/

https://thehighstrungmusic.com/