Ethan Teaches You Music Podcast

Ethan Hein
  • 4.8 (5)
  • MUSIC

Ethan teaches you music ethanhein.substack.com

  1. FEB 12

    In A Silent Way, side B: "In A Silent Way/It's About That Time"

    Music in this episode: Miles Davis - “In a Silent Way/It’s About That Time” (1969) Joe Zawinul - “In A Silent Way” (1971) Miles Davis - “Directions I” (1968) Frankie HI-NRG MC - “Faccio La Mia Cosa” (1993) Les Sages Poètes de la Rue - “Ne Cours Pas” (1995) Neffa e I Messaggeri Della Dopa - “Dopamina” (1996) Akotcha - “Sound Burger” (1997) Miles Davis - “It’s About That Time” (1970) Miles Davis - “Sivad” (1971) Miles Davis - “Blow” (1992) Jazz Transcript Authority has a chart that Miles wrote for “Shhh/Peaceful,” which have been intended as a sketch of the entire album. Few of the ideas on this chart made the final cut, but check out measures 28, 29 and 30: they show a simplified version of groove 2 from “It’s About That Time.” I quote a passage from Daniel Grimley’s chapter on form in The Oxford Handbook of Critical Concepts in Music Theory. A commenter on the last episode pointed me to this review by Martin Booth of every recording Miles Davis made in his first electric period, it’s an excellent guide to this music. See also the previous episode on the album’s side A: Learn more about fourths chords. Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    40 min

  2. FEB 5

    In A Silent Way, side A: "Shhh/Peaceful"

    Music in this episode: Miles Davis - “Shhh/Peaceful” (1969) Charlie Parker - “Donna Lee” (1947) Miles Davis - “Four” (1954) Miles Davis - “Milestones” (1958) Miles Davis - “Freedom Jazz Dance” (1967) Mahavishnu Orchestra - “Birds Of Fire” (1973) Donald Byrd - “Fufu” (1969) Miles Davis - “Shhh/Peaceful (Early Version)” (1969) Subterra - “Celestial” (2009) Lala Sinephro - “Space 1” (2021) Here’s a transcription of Miles’ trumpet solo from “Shhh/Peaceful”. For more background on the album, I recommend Paul Tingen’s book Miles Beyond: The Electric Explorations of Miles Davis, 1967-1991. A commenter also pointed me to this review by Martin Booth of every recording Miles Davis made in his first electric period, it’s an excellent guide to this music. Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    33 min

  3. JAN 30

    Inside the Beautiful Jam

    Music in this episode: Grateful Dead - “Beautiful Jam (Live in Port Chester, February 18, 1971)” Update: after recording this, David Gans informed me that he named the Beautiful Jam, and also recommended its inclusion on the So Many Roads box set. You can hear David play the recording for Phil Lesh on the Grateful Dead Hour in 1997; it was the first time Phil had heard it since performing it. Hear more of Bob Weir’s finest moments: Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    16 min

  4. JAN 27

    The two-chord shuttle

    Music in this episode: Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - “Dancing In The Street” (1964) The Beatles - “The End” (1969) Santana - “Oye Como Va” (1970) Pink Floyd - “The Great Gig In The Sky” (1973) The JBs - “Doing It To Death” (1973) Bob Marley - “Lively Up Yourself” (1974) Stevie Wonder - “I Wish” (1976) Grateful Dead - “Fire On The Mountain” (1977) Parliament - “Flashlight” (1978) Michael Jackson - “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979) Frankie Beverley & Maze - “Before I Let Go” (1981) Janet Jackson - “When I Think Of You” (1986) A Tribe Called Quest - “Can I Kick It?” (1990) Deee-Lite - “Groove is in the Heart” (1990) Lauryn Hill - “Everything Is Everything” (1998) Mary J Blige - “Family Affair” (2001) Migos - “Versace” (2013) Tom Tom Club - “Genius of Love” (1981) Related: More about “Genius of Love” and nonsensical chord loops Andrea La Rose - Two Chords Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    42 min

  5. JAN 10

    Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?

    RIP Bob Weir, who sang the Grateful Dead’s cover of this song. Music appearing in this episode: Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - “Dancing in the Street” (1964) Sly & the Family Stone - “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (1969) Grateful Dead - “Dancing in the Street” (1977) David Bowie & Mick Jagger - “Dancing In The Street” (1985) Ramsey Lewis Trio - “Dancing in the Street” (1967) For background on Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and on Motown generally, see Andrew Hickey’s excellent 500 Songs podcast episode on “Heatwave.” For the story of the song’s role in the 1960s civil rights movement, see Ready for a Brand New Beat”—“How ‘Dancing in the Street’ Became the Anthem for a Changing America by Mark Kurlansky. You can also read a review of it here. Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min

  6. 10/28/2025

    Four songs by D'Angelo

    Correction: the trumpet on “Playa Playa” is by Roy Hargrove, not Ray. Also, I said that the song samples “Players Balling” by the Ohio Players, but it really interpolates it. Music in this episode: D’Angelo - “Brown Sugar” (1995) A Tribe Called Quest - “Buggin’ Out” (1991) J Dilla - “Kamaal” (2003) D’Angelo - “Playa Playa” (2000) Jimi Hendrix - “Foxy Lady” (1967) D’Angelo - “The Root” (2000) Charlie Hunter Trio - “Bullethead” (1995) D’Angelo and The Vanguard - “Really Love” (2014) Cannonball Adderley - “Autumn Leaves” (1958) References Dan Charnas, Dilla Time Loren Kajikawa, “D’Angelo’s Voodoo Technology: African Cultural Memory and the Ritual of Popular Music Consumption” Charlie Hunter Breaks Down His Most Iconic Guitar Parts: Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    37 min

  7. 10/10/2025

    My daughter Bernadetta reviews David Byrne at Radio City Music Hall

    This is the first episode to include a guest, namely, my nine year old daughter, who is the world’s biggest David Byrne fan. Music in this episode: Talking Heads - “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” (1983) Talking Heads - “Houses In Motion” (1980) David Byrne - “Everybody Laughs” (2025) David Byrne - “Everybody’s Coming to My House” (2020) David Byrne - “Burning Down the House” (2020) David Byrne - “Slippery People” (2020) David Byrne - “My Apartment Is My Friend” (2025) David Byrne - “I Know Sometimes a Man is Wrong/Don’t Worry About the Government” (2020) David Byrne - “Psycho Killer” (1997) Talking Heads - “Once in a Lifetime” (1980) Here’s the costume from the poster for the Who Is The Sky tour that reminded my kids of Björk. Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    34 min

  8. 09/20/2025

    Remixing the Bach Chaconne

    Music in this episode: JS Bach - Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004, 5. Chaconne (c. 1717-1720) performed by Viktoria Mullova Juan Arañés - Una sarao de la chacona, “A la vida bona" (1624) performed by Piffaro Francesca Caccini - "Ciaccona" (c. 1620) performed by Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angiolini & Gian Luca Lastraioli Andrea Falconieri - "Ciaccona" (c. 1650) performed by Josetxu Obregón & La Ritirata Alessandro Piccinini - "Passacaglia" (1639) performed by Ronn McFarlane Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger - "Passacaglia" (1640) performed by Luca Pianca Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber - "Passacaglia" (1674) performed by Matthew Wadsworth Ethan Hein - Bach Chaconne Afro Rock Mix Claude Debussy - Preludes, Book 1 No. 1. Danseuses de Delphes (1913) Robert Schumann - Bach Chaconne with piano accompaniment (1853) performed by Daniel Sepec and Andreas Staier Leopold Stokowski - Bach Chaconne orchestration (1950) Christoph Poppen & the Hilliard Ensemble - Morimur (2001) References: Lydia Goehr, The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works: An Essay in the Philosophy of Music. Oxford University Press, 1994. Michael Markham, “Bach Anxiety: A Meditation on the Future of the Past.” In Rethinking Bach, edited by Bettina Varwig, Oxford University Press, 2021. Alex Ross, Listen To This. Picador, 2011. Alexander Silbiger, “Bach and the Chaconne.” The Journal of Musicology, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Summer, 1999), pp. 358-385 Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 7m
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