I AM Podcast I AM Podcast

Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, Composer, Musical Director, Arranger, Producer, Conductor, Performer Cheche Alara was Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  He moved to the U.S. after receiving a talent scholarship from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he obtained a B.A. in orchestration.  This was followed by a telnet scholarship from the University of Southern California, where he obtained his Masters Degree in Jazz Studies.  As well as being a Grammy award winner, he has been Musical Director/ Conductor for the Grammy Awards Premiere Show, “American Idol” tours, Chrstina Aguilera (Asst. Director), Disne’s “High School Musical” Tour, Latin Grammy’s “Person of the Year” concerts, “The Alma Awards” and a number of tv shows including “To Tell The Truth”, “Titan Games” and “Death by Magic”.  Cheche’s arranging and performance credits are extensive and include artist and shows such as Lady Gaga, Cristina Aguilera, Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, Dionne Warwick, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Alejandro Sanz, Ricky Martin, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Andrea Bocelli, Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Marc Anthony, David Foster, Mya, Destiny’s Child, Eric Benet, Patti Austin, The Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony with the Oslo Symphony Orchestra, The Latin Billboard Awards, Enriqu Iglsias and the Los Angeles Philharmonic under conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

What you will hear


Creative stamp and freedom.

Different styles and roles.

Humility within fortune.

Family, experience and influence.

Linda Ronstadt and Maluma.

Growing, stretching, challenging and learning through different genres.

Love of food and adventure

Work and play.  Adventures on tour

Communication: transmission of emotion through performance

Formal and technical vs depth and feel in music.

Upcoming projects.


Quotes

“There’s a lot of people from which I learn and I get to experience different things.”

“I’ve been very fortunate to work with people that I admire a lot, and that on it’s own makes you become a better artist.”

“I truly feel that I’m expressing myself through the projects that I’m working on.”

“I look at music like food, I feel like I’m in a beautiful, super high quality buffet.”

“My ambition is to elevate.”

“Let’s aim for greatness and then let’s have a party.”

“I expand into new things but I don’t necessarily let go of the things that I’ve been doing.

Mentioned

Maluma

Mike Patton

Enyo Morricone


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Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, Composer, Musical Director, Arranger, Producer, Conductor, Performer Cheche Alara was Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  He moved to the U.S. after receiving a talent scholarship from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he obtained a B.A. in orchestration.  This was followed by a telnet scholarship from the University of Southern California, where he obtained hes Masters Degree in Jazz Studies.  As well as being a Grammy award winner, he has been Musical Director/ Conductor for the Grammy Awards Premiere Show, “American Idol” tours, Christina Aguilera (Asst. Director), Disne’s “High School Musical” Tour, Latin Grammy’s “Person of the Year” concerts, “The Alma Awards” and a number of tv shows including “To Tell The Truth”, “Titan Games” and “Death by Magic”.  Cheche’s arranging and performance credits are extensive and include artist and shows such as Lady Gaga, Cristina Aguilera, Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, Dionne Warwick, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Alejandro Sanz, Ricky Martin, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Andrea Bocelli, Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Marc Anthony, David Foster, Mya, Destiny’s Child, Eric Benet, Patti Austin, The Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony with the Oslo Symphony Orchestra, The Latin Billboard Awards, Enrique Iglesias and the Los Angeles Philharmonic under conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

What you will hear


Cheche’s musical inspiration and early studies

Working in the music industry

Disposition

Business vs art and finding ways to be happy over making money.

Cheche’s parents and the exposure to art.  Absorbing the concept of art.

Appreciating other art forms as an artist.

Cheche’s piano teacher, their relationship and his method of teaching.

Early musical experiences and Cheche’s first big gig.

Musician vs. Musical Director roles


Quotes

“Business is definitely one of the links of the chain of what we do but it doesn’t define what we do and if it becomes the defining factor I think we are missing the huge picture of what we are supposed to be doing with the art.”

“Anyone who goes into music to make money has made a terrible decision.”

“I have to keep constantly learning and adapting.”

“I’m proudly eclectic.”

Mentioned

Manuel Fraga

Heitor Pereira

Ramon Stagnaro

Vinnie Colaiuta


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Musical director, arranger-composer, artist, producer and world renown guitarist, Greg Poree,was influenced by a lot of great music growing up.  Falling in love with the guitar, he started playing seriously at the age of 15 years old.  At 23 he received the first break in his career, as musical director for Sonny & Cher. In 1970 he became the musical director for Gladys Knight and the Pips and soon was working with many of the Motown acts, serving as musical director and guitarist for Diana Ross, Thelma Houston, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, the Four Tops, and The Jackson 5.  By the late 1980s  he was becoming more active as a composer and producer, writing music for the Martin Lawrence Show and arranging for the National Symphony Orchestra and making significant contributions to the music of dozens of musical legends including Paul Anka, Sammy Davis Jr, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Joan Baez,  Al Green, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.  Greg is the music director for the California Jazz Foundation and organization dedicated to helping  California jazz musicians in financial and medical crisis.

What you will hear:

Sonic Tonic podcast

Confronting yourself

Music and business

Recording arts vs performing arts

Stevie Wonder, harmony and intelligent music

Composition and inspiration

Staying true to your authentic self

Self doubt

Curiosity and growth

Horseback riding

Quotes:

“That’s the beauty of life, it’s not about our differences, it’s (about) where we can find common ground.”

“Humans are messy, but It’s that messiness that makes the art grow.”

“99% of what we hear is processed music.”

“No one can take away your knowledge.”

“Either your going to deal with your art or your art will deal with you.”

“The common thread for me still is curiosity and a love of life and learning.  I have no real love for people who are proud of being stupid.”

“Having ego is a good thing…...to impose it on other people, that’s what’s wrong.”

Mentioned

Bill Hughes

Johann Sebastian Bach

Jacob Collier

IG@ AnitaPoree

Gregporee.com

Sonic Tonic Spotify

Sonic Tonic Google


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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/iammusicgrouppodcast/support

Musical director, arranger-composer, artist, producer and world renown guitarist, Greg Poree,was influenced by a lot of great music growing up.  Falling in love with the guitar, he started playing seriously at the age of 15 years old.  At 23 he received the first break in his career, as musical director for Sonny & Cher. In 1970 he became the musical director for Gladys Knight and the Pips and soon was working with many of the Motown acts, serving as musical director and guitarist for Diana Ross, Thelma Houston, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, the Four Tops, and The Jackson 5.  By the late 1980s  he was becoming more active as a composer and producer, writing music for the Martin Lawrence Show and arranging for the National Symphony Orchestra and making significant contributions to the music of dozens of musical legends including Paul Anka, Sammy Davis Jr, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Joan Baez,  Al Green, Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.  Greg is the music director for the California Jazz Foundation and organization dedicated to helping  California jazz musicians in financial and medical crisis.

What you will hear:


Loving what you do.  Setting yourself on a path.

Greg’s early discovery of music and love of creating.

Applying experience and knowledge to your true passion

Musical influences.  Classical and folk music.

Theory and the importance of how it’s viewed and learned.

Youtube university and misinformation.

Classical musicians: what is and isn’t taught.

Hip Hop vs Music vs Poetry

Music education and how it’s taught.

Parenting and familial influence.

Greg’s sister Anita Poree

California Jazz Foundation

Sonic Tonic Podcast


Quotes:

“My life’s journey has been to get back to my original self.”

“Any artist that buys into a fad will not survive.”

“Everything before 50 is practice.”

“I’ve always considered the piano the novel and the guitar the short story.”

“You’re only a half step away from the right note.”

“We’re always chasing melody.”

“Learning should be a mixture of curiosity and fun.”

“A good teacher and a parent should inspire.”

“To be true artists they had to find their own voice.”

Mentioned

Sydney Bechet

Count Basie

Duke Ellington

Nick Bonnie

IG@ AnitaPoree

Sonic Tonic Spotify

Sonic Tonic Google


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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/iammusicgrouppodcast/support

Recording Artist, Composer, Pianist, Songwriter, Musical Director, Music Educator and TrailblazerPatrice Rushen has spent a lifetime honing the skills that makes her one of the music industry’ss most versatile and sought after artists.  She has performed with and produced with such esteemed artists such as as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Tom Jones, Carlos Santana, Boys II Men, George Benson, Nancy Wilson Micheal Jackson, Sheena Easton and many more.  An award winning composer and songwriter, she has performed with and composed works for Philharmonic Orchestras, Film and Television.  She constantly receives requests to sample her music, one of the most notable uses being Will Smith’s “Men in Black” which samples her 1982 Grammy Nominated recording “Forget me Nots”.  As an advocate for music education she holds the position of Ambassador of Artistry and Education at the Berklee College of Music as well as the chair of the Popular Music Program at USC’s Thorton School of Music.  She holds an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music for her “outstanding contribution to music and culture.”

What you will hear:

Breaking glass ceiling.

Black excellence .

Moments of self doubt.

Meeting and working with Prince.

Inspiring young and upcoming musicians.

Future opportunities.

Unconventional strings

Quotes:

“You pick your battles and you pick your statements and you find your ways to do it but you don’t compromise the end game.”

“One of the things I’ve always learned to appreciate is being honest and being upfront.”

“When you are trying to make a difference or do something differently or you are trying to change an old habit you have to do it with intention at first until it becomes natural.”

“Set your eyes on that prize, set your eyes on that goal and your don’t sacrifice that intention.”

“We are now the gatekeepers we have to keep the level high.”


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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/iammusicgrouppodcast/support

Recording Artist, Composer, Pianist, Songwriter, Musical Director, Music Educator and Trailblazer Patrice Rushen has spent a lifetime honing the skills that makes her one of the music industry’ss most versatile and sought after artists.  She has performed with and produced with such esteemed artists such as as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Prince, Tom Jones, Carlos Santana, Boys II Men, George Benson, Nancy Wilson Micheal Jackson, Sheena Easton and many more.  An award winning composer and songwriter, she has performed with and composed works for Philharmonic Orchestras, Film and Television.  She constantly receives requests to sample her music, one of the most notable uses being Will Smith’s “Men in Black” which samples her 1982 Grammy Nominated recording “Forget me Nots”.  As an advocate for music education she holds the position of Ambassador of Artistry and Education at the Berklee College of Music as well as the chair of the Popular Music Program at USC’s Thorton School of Music.  She holds an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music for her “outstanding contribution to music and culture.”

What you will hear:


Patrice’s early exposure to music.

USC preparatory school

How learning to play the flute influenced Patrice’s perception and application of music.

High School and the expectation of excellence.

Earth, Wind and Fire.

Work ethic through service.

The joy and the power of music creation.

Learning that there are no limitations through experience and example.

Exposure, opportunity and expectation.

Genre crossover and evolution of Patrice’s music making.

Forward thinking teaching and early opportunities to write and arrange.

Conceptual knowledge and transferable knowledge.

Commercial music and the evolution of music education.

Dancing on Soul Train.

Keeping aspirations and setting a high bar.


Quotes:

“In the arts, there is an effort that is being made to the larger picture than just your own excellence.  It calls for personal responsibility but also calls to the responsibility to the collective.”

“I was a music ed major, with a minor in classical piano, with the intention of doing neither one.”

“Whatever your gonna do you need to be really good at it and you need to love it.”

“While you may not initially get to do the thing that you are aspiring to do, there’s 15 other things that will lead you to that same place, and to have multiple options to get to where you are trying to go is what it’s all about.”

“The 21st century musician is a musician who can weep at Brahms,  James Brown and Hip Hop all at the same time.”

“We were all training to be so bad we could play with anybody.”

Mentioned:

Mary Clay

The Colburn School

Reggie Andrews

Donald Dustin

Frank Harris

Soul Train

Melba Liston


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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/iammusicgrouppodcast/support