Deep Focus

Small Media Large
  • 4.9 (53)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Host Mitch Goldman and his musician-guest explore rare archival recordings of one of the guest’s favorite artists.

  1. 1D AGO

    2026.01.19 Mazz Swift on Butch Morris - 1 of 3

    mprovisation is considered a high art form for an instrumentalist, but what about for a composer?  Is it even possible to create a piece of music for an ensemble, and to hear it performed in real time?  How would you go about that? You would have to have an entire group imagining together.  Lawrence "Butch" Morris did it by creating a compositional language that allowed him to convey musical ideas using physical gestures.     His system, which he called "Conduction," was immediately transformative.  He created compositions in real time that were shaped by the musical language and the performances of the participating musicians.  It was an unprecedented musical spontaneity.    Butch Morris died in 2013, but Conduction is still making new breakthroughs in the hands of successive generations of musical thinkers.  Violinist/composer Mazz Swift, who worked with Butch Morris, is one of them.  New forms and ideas continually emerge, and Butch Morris endures as a shaping influence.     This Monday (Jan. 19), Mazz Swift joins host Mitch Goldman for a Deep Focus on Butch Morris.  Do the vast WKCR archives contain live, unreleased recordings of Butch Morris?  We certainly hope so!  Tune in to find out.   Deep Focus this Monday (Jan 19) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, sponsor-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: Butch Morris - photo by Anthony Barboza - nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2014.157.7 fair use under Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act.   #WKCR #DeepFocus #ButchMorris #LawrenceButchMorris #MazzSwift #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    1h 6m

  2. FEB 15

    2026.01.05 Jay Rodriguez on Jim Pepper - 3 of 3

    Meet me at Edge City.  Isn't that place where worlds collide the only one where new ideas are ever generated?  Saxophonist Jim Pepper knew all about these cultural collisions. His band Free Spirits was arguably the first to combine rock and jazz elements, and his oft-covered song Witchitai-To is perhaps the only hit to feature an authentic Native American chant in the history of the Billboard pop charts (we sure can't think of another one; can you?).  Yes, this man changed the world, at least twice!   This spirit of discovery and of sharing culture is what this episode of Deep Focus is all about.  Fellow multi-reedman Jay Rodriguez knows.  You know him as a founding member of Groove Collective, but this three-time Grammy nominee has also played with everyone from Prince to Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz to Gil Evans.  He's one of the cats.    Jay Rodriguez joins host Mitch Goldman in the studios of WKCR to explore the soul and the legacy of Jim Pepper through live, unreleased recordings from the archives.  Deep Focus this Monday (Jan 5) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: publishing info not available.   #WKCR #DeepFocus #JimPepper #JayRodriguez #GrooveCollective #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    1h 4m

  3. FEB 8

    2026.01.05 Jay Rodriguez on Jim Pepper - 2 of 3

    Meet me at Edge City.  Isn't that place where worlds collide the only one where new ideas are ever generated?  Saxophonist Jim Pepper knew all about these cultural collisions. His band Free Spirits was arguably the first to combine rock and jazz elements, and his oft-covered song Witchitai-To is perhaps the only hit to feature an authentic Native American chant in the history of the Billboard pop charts (we sure can't think of another one; can you?).  Yes, this man changed the world, at least twice!   This spirit of discovery and of sharing culture is what this episode of Deep Focus is all about.  Fellow multi-reedman Jay Rodriguez-Sierra knows.  You know him as a founding member of Groove Collective, but this three-time Grammy nominee has also played with everyone from Prince to Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz to Gil Evans.  He's one of the cats.    Jay Rodriguez-Sierra joins host Mitch Goldman in the studios of WKCR to explore the soul and the legacy of Jim Pepper through live, unreleased recordings from the archives.  Deep Focus this Monday (Jan 5) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: publishing info not available.   #WKCR #DeepFocus #JimPepper #JayRodriguez #JayRodriguezSierra #GrooveCollective #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    1h 8m

  4. FEB 1

    2026.01.05 Jay Rodriguez on Jim Pepper - 1 of 3

    Meet me at Edge City.  Isn't that place where worlds collide the only one where new ideas are ever generated?  Saxophonist Jim Pepper knew all about these cultural collisions. His band Free Spirits was arguably the first to combine rock and jazz elements, and his oft-covered song Witchitai-To is perhaps the only hit to feature an authentic Native American chant in the history of the Billboard pop charts (we sure can't think of another one; can you?).  Yes, this man changed the world, at least twice!   This spirit of discovery and of sharing culture is what this episode of Deep Focus is all about.  Fellow multi-reedman Jay Rodriguez knows.  You know him as a founding member of Groove Collective, but this three-time Grammy nominee has also played with everyone from Prince to Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz to Gil Evans.  He's one of the cats.    Jay Rodriguez joins host Mitch Goldman in the studios of WKCR to explore the soul and the legacy of Jim Pepper through live, unreleased recordings from the archives.  Deep Focus this Monday (Jan 5) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: publishing info not available.   #WKCR #DeepFocus #JimPepper #JayRodriguez #GrooveCollective #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    1h 6m
  5. 2025.12.22 Will Calhoun on Jack DeJohnette - 3 of 3

    JAN 25

    2025.12.22 Will Calhoun on Jack DeJohnette - 3 of 3

    Plate tectonics, this idea that the very surface of the earth is not an unyielding solid, but a set of independent segments in a constant state of flow, was not always accepted as truth.  It was only developed in 1967, but once geophysicists saw how accurately it described familiar phenomena, there was no going back.     At the exact same time, Jack DeJohnette was emerging as a new force on drums.  His percussive vigor and complexity were profoundly unsettling to those who relied on the familiar swing beats of the music of previous decades.  But it was a new time; there were new issues to address.  There was no going back.     Had Jack DeJohnette done only that, it would have made him at least a minor legend among the cognoscenti. But the fact that he had a long, fruitful career-- leading many bands, composing, collaborating, bringing younger musicians along-- made him something much, much more.     Will Calhoun is one of those younger musicians.  A storied drummer, as DeJohnette was, Calhoun is best known for driving the band Living Colour, but his curiosity and range of exploration know no bounds.  Let's hear about the doors and windows that DeJohnette opened for him, with freshly unearthed live recordings from the WKCR archives.     This Monday (12/22) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: Jack DeJohnette by Isio Saba - Personal archive photo via jackdejohnette.com. #WKCR #DeepFocus #JackDeJohnette #WillCalhoun #LivingColour #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    57 min
  6. 2025.12.22 Will Calhoun on Jack DeJohnette - 2 of 3

    JAN 18

    2025.12.22 Will Calhoun on Jack DeJohnette - 2 of 3

    Plate tectonics, this idea that the very surface of the earth is not an unyielding solid, but a set of independent segments in a constant state of flow, was not always accepted as truth.  It was only developed in 1967, but once geophysicists saw how accurately it described familiar phenomena, there was no going back.     At the exact same time, Jack DeJohnette was emerging as a new force on drums.  His percussive vigor and complexity were profoundly unsettling to those who relied on the familiar swing beats of the music of previous decades.  But it was a new time; there were new issues to address.  There was no going back.     Had Jack DeJohnette done only that, it would have made him at least a minor legend among the cognoscenti. But the fact that he had a long, fruitful career-- leading many bands, composing, collaborating, bringing younger musicians along-- made him something much, much more.     Will Calhoun is one of those younger musicians.  A storied drummer, as DeJohnette was, Calhoun is best known for driving the band Living Colour, but his curiosity and range of exploration know no bounds.  Let's hear about the doors and windows that DeJohnette opened for him, with freshly unearthed live recordings from the WKCR archives.     This Monday (12/22) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: Jack DeJohnette by Isio Saba - Personal archive photo via jackdejohnette.com. #WKCR #DeepFocus #JackDeJohnette #WillCalhoun #LivingColour #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    1h 10m
  7. 2025.12.22 Will Calhoun on Jack DeJohnette - 1 of 3

    JAN 11

    2025.12.22 Will Calhoun on Jack DeJohnette - 1 of 3

    Plate tectonics, this idea that the very surface of the earth is not an unyielding solid, but a set of independent segments in a constant state of flow, was not always accepted as truth.  It was only developed in 1967, but once geophysicists saw how accurately it described familiar phenomena, there was no going back.     At the exact same time, Jack DeJohnette was emerging as a new force on drums.  His percussive vigor and complexity were profoundly unsettling to those who relied on the familiar swing beats of the music of previous decades.  But it was a new time; there were new issues to address.  There was no going back.     Had Jack DeJohnette done only that, it would have made him at least a minor legend among the cognoscenti. But the fact that he had a long, fruitful career-- leading many bands, composing, collaborating, bringing younger musicians along-- made him something much, much more.     Will Calhoun is one of those younger musicians.  A storied drummer, as DeJohnette was, Calhoun is best known for driving the band Living Colour, but his curiosity and range of exploration know no bounds.  Let's hear about the doors and windows that DeJohnette opened for him, with freshly unearthed live recordings from the WKCR archives.     This Monday (12/22) from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: Jack DeJohnette by Isio Saba - Personal archive photo via jackdejohnette.com. #WKCR #DeepFocus #JackDeJohnette #WillCalhoun #LivingColour #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    1h 2m
  8. 2025.11.24 Henry Threadgill on Ahmad Jamal - 3 of 3

    JAN 4

    2025.11.24 Henry Threadgill on Ahmad Jamal - 3 of 3

    Listen to Henry Threadgill's music.  What a phantasmagoria of splendors and esoterica must animate his mind!  Don't you just want to go to that place?  Maybe for a night out on the town?  Or a picnic in The Secret Garden?  Aren't you curious about where his inspiration comes from?  You could read his autobiography, Easily Slip Into Another World: A Life in Music (in fact, we recommend you do), but why don't you spend some time with Henry, listening to music that he loves?     This Monday (11/24), for Mitch Goldman's Deep Focus, Henry Threadgill has chosen the music of Ahmad Jamal.  Can Mitch find live, unreleased recordings of Ahmad Jamal in the WKCR archives that even his greatest fans have never heard?  He hasn't failed us yet, but this one's a tall order.     Find out Monday from 6p to 9p NYC time on WKCR 89.9FM, WKCR-HD, or wkcr.org.   Or join us when it goes up on the Deep Focus podcast on your favorite podcasting app or at https://mitchgoldman.podbean.com/.  Subscribe right now to get notifications when new episodes are posted.  Just like WKCR, it's ad-free, all free, totally non-commercial.  We won't even ask for your contact info.   Learn more about Deep Focus at https://mitchgoldman.com/about-deep-focus/ or join us on Instagram @deep_focus_podcast.   Photo credit: Henry Threadgill - photo by Alan Nahigian. Courtesy of Pi Recordings. #WKCR #DeepFocus #AhmadJamal #HenryThreadgill #JazzRadio #JazzPodcast #JazzInterview #MitchGoldman   Deep Focus is a production of Small Media Large.

    55 min
See All (200)

4.9
out of 5
53 Ratings

About

Host Mitch Goldman and his musician-guest explore rare archival recordings of one of the guest’s favorite artists.

Information

  • Creator
    Small Media Large
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Deep Focus

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