Milestones: Celebrating the Culture | Deep Dive Conversations with Angélika Beener Angelika Beener

Pianist, composer, educator and advocate Bertha Hope-Booker, joins us to discuss her fascinating musical
journey -- including her recording career and her legacy and preservation work. With a career spanning over six decades, we take a deep dive into the early years that brought her
from Los Angeles to New York City, the keys to developing her own sound, the best advice she received from Philly Joe Jones and Johnny Griffin, and her thoughts on being an inspiration to women in jazz.

Legendary pianist, composer, arranger, and contemporary jazz giant Bob James joins Milestones as we delve into his experimental CTI debut, One, for its 50th anniversary. A groundbreaking amalgamation of jazz, funk, classical and
orchestral elements produced hits like “Night On Bald Mountain,” “Feel Like Making Love,” and the classic that would later shape hip hop –  but almost never happened – “Nautilus.” We discuss his beginnings, working with legends like Quincy Jones and Sarah Vaughan, the impact of Creed Taylor, and his pioneering use of the Fender Rhodes piano.
James shares stories behind his famous tracks, his classic contribution to the TV show 'Taxi,' and his thoughts on the evolving nature of jazz. We also highlight his cross-genre collaborations and his influence in hip-hop through the extensive sampling of his music.

Legendary keyboardist, songwriter and one half of one of the most important duos of our time, Brian Jackson joins us to reflect on his extraordinary career with music partner Gil Scott-Heron and their landmark album, Winter in America, which illustrates both the joys and plights of black life at a time when America was in the throes of political and social turmoil. The influential musician helps unpack the group’s biggest selling album and its significance 50 years later.

In Part Two of our special Isley Brothers celebration, award winning vocalist, instrumentalist, producer, composer, and cultural historian TL Cross is back to help unpack the genius of The Isley Brothers' 1973 classic 3+3. On its 50th anniversary, we delve into the pivotal album that transformed the Isleys from a group to one of the greatest bands of the 20th century, with the official addition of younger brothers Ernie and Marvin and brother-in-law Chris Jasper. With songs like "That Lady," which hints at a future rock guitar icon in Ernie Isley and "Summer Breeze," which broadened the breadth of what could be called black music and offered a master class in reinterpretation, 3+3 is an album deserving of deep reflection and reverence. 

Rock 'n Roll Hall of Famer Rudolph Isley of the legendary Isley Brothers passed away on October 11 at the age of 84. In honor of  the co-founding member, who helped pen some of the biggest popular classics of the 20th century, including “Shout,” “That Lady” and “It's Your Thing," award winning vocalist, instrumentalist, producer, composer, and cultural historian TL Cross joins us on this special two-part episode. In Part One will dive into the astounding six-decade career of The Isley Brothers and celebrate their milestone 1973 album 3 + 3, which turns 50 this year, in Part Two.

When thinking about harmonizing the subjects of music and astrology, there may be no more interesting of an artist to examine than John Coltrane. An avid student of philosophy, religion, and metaphysics, Coltrane entwined astrology with his innovative music more transparently than any other artist. Over the course of his life, his quest for a deeper knowledge of self and the universe became increasingly central to his music. In honor of Coltrane's 97th birthday, renowned astrologer Sam Reynolds (Ebony magazine, New York Magazine, Netflix's Explained) joins Milestones to explore the inner journey of John Coltrane through the lens of astrology, examining his birth chart and the ways key periods of his life are seen within it. We'll also break down some of Coltrane's astro-themed song titles. Want to know the backstory of a song like "Equinox" or "Fifth House"? We've got you covered. This and so much more!