The Keyboard Chronicles David Holloway

Roger Joseph Manning Jr. is a US-based keyboardist, singer, and songwriter renowned for co-founding the bands Jellyfish, the Moog Cookbook, and Imperial Drag. He also happens to be a long-time member of Beck’s backing band, is a member of The Lickerish Quartet and has also collaborated with artists such as Air, Jay-Z, Blink 182, and Johnny Cash. We cover a lot of this amazing territory in our chat with Roger.

To listen / watch:



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Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Roger’s past 12 months

Approach to working on music for sleep and/or meditation

Roger’s musical upbringing

Developing a career as a musician: the early days and catching the songwriting bug

Beatnik Beatch in action

The formation of Jellyfish and developing as a musician and an arranger

Learning how to be a successful live band

Roger in action with Jellyfish on Later with Jools Holland – The Ghost at Number One

Jellyfish live on Letterman

Jellyfish – The King is Half Undressed

Love for Burt Bacharach

Roger’s solo albums

Wish it Would Rain – Roger J Manning

Operator – Roger J Manning

Joining Beck’s band

An amazing YouTube playlist for Moog Cookbook

Roger in action with Imperial Drag

Roger playing with Beck – Paisley Park Sessions – Up All Night

Roger with Beck on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert – Colors

Roger’s ever-changing keyboard rig with Beck

Roger playing live with Beck 2023

Tag a Keyboard Player: Thomas Dolby and Jeff Babko

Desert Island Discs: Black Sea – XTC, Imperial Bedroom – Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Steve McQueen – Prefab Sprout, Deceptive Bends – 10CC, The Black Album – The Damned

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Bob Fridzema has had quite the career already, marked by collaborations with a wide array of artists, including Glenn Hughes, Walter Trout, Bernie Marsden, and King King, among others. We cover a lot of this plus delve into other aspects of Bob’s work, including a quick studio tour that features some great vintage gear.

To listen / watch:



* Audio-only: click on the play button in the audio player above, or:

* Video: watch the embedded video below or check it and previous episodes out on our YouTube Channel





Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Bob’s musical childhood

Early love for boogie woogie piano

Bob in action with Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake)

First exposure to Hammond organs

Hammond L100 organ

Bob in action with Glenn Hughes at the Whisky A Go Go in 2024

Bob Fridzema, Mike Mangan and Lachy Doley – the Glenn Hughes keyboard player ‘secret society’

Getting the gig with Glenn Hughes

Learning Glenn’s setlist and the first rehearsal

Bob in action with Walter Trout

Bob’s Blues inspirations

Bob with Joanne Shaw Taylor 2018

Working with Bernie Marsden

Bob with Bernie Marden

Bob on Hammond B3 with Christine Baird – Alone Tonight

Bob’s approach as a teacher of skilled, motivated students

Bob in action with King King at Wembley Arena

Bob with Glenn Hughes – Might Just Take Your Life

Tag a Keyboard Player: Mike Hicks, Michael Bluestein

Desert Island Discs: Love Me Papa – Luther Allison, Plays Mac Rebennack – Dr John, Live at Berkeley – Jimi Hendrix, Bad Influence – Robert Cray, In Session – Koko Taylor (bootleg)

Cover photo via Bob’s Instagram and the amazing Philip Verhaege

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It’s hard to overstate Eric Mouquet’s impact on music during the 1990s, and he’s still going strong. We cover Eric’s seminal work with Deep Forest but also his extensive recording, performing and collaboration with everyone from Peter Gabriel to David Foster and Herbie Hancock.

To listen / watch:



* Audio-only: click on the play button in the audio player above, or:

* Video: watch the embedded video below or check it and previous episodes out on our YouTube Channel





Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Eric’s introduction to music (thank you Deep Purple!)

Welson electric organs

The Farfisa VIP 500 organ

Commencing studio work and learning from the pros

Joe Hammer and Eric Mouquet

Computers and MIDI lead to Deep Forest

The formation of Deep Forest with Michel Sanchez

Electronic music inspirations

Approach to recording the first Deep Forest album

The iconic Akai s900 sampler

Erics go-to synths on the first album

The Roland JD-800

How Australia kicked off Deep Forest’s wider success

Taking a different approach to the second Deep Forest album (Boheme)

Deep Forest’s third album Comparsa

The passion for musical exploration 30 years later

Eric’s work with Japanese artist Mell: repeat – Deep Forest Remix

Eric’s work with Japanese artist Chitose Hajime on the album Music Detected – Will You Be Ready

Working with Chinese artist Sa Dingding 

The joy of improvising and creating with a singer

Working with Josh Groban and David Foster – Remember When It Rained

Josh Groban – Awake

Josh Groban – Machine (with Herbie Hancock)

Collaboration with Peter Gabriel – While The Earth Sleeps

Admiration for Joe Zawinul

The technology Eric uses to create albums now

Why the Expressive E Osmose is the keyboard Eric had been waiting for

Desert Island Discs: Black Market – Weather Report, Piano Concerto in G – Ravel, Close to the Edge – Yes, A Love Supreme – John Coltrane, Blue Lines – Massive Attack

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Phillip Golub is a Brooklyn-based pianist, improviser, and composer. We talk on Phillip’s career and his work in transcribing Wayne Shorter’s work, as well as some thoughts on the increasing challenges musicians face industrially. All in all a fascinating chat!

To listen / watch:



* Audio-only: click on the play button in the audio player above, or:

* Video: watch the embedded video below or check it and previous episodes out on our YouTube Channel





Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Phillip’s musical upbringing

Establishing a career in music

Phillip playing with Layale Chaker and the Sarafand Ensemble

Tropos – Fronk

Breaking down the binary of composition and improvisation

Approaching transcription and realising the work of others

Steinberg Dorico

Why Phillip prefers Dorico over Sibelius

How Phillip came to be the transcriber of Wayne Shorter’s works

Esperanza Spalding

Attempting to assess Wayne Shorter’s impact on music

Phillip Golub – It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Phillip’s approach to creating music the past decade

The importance of working with other people and sustained collaboration

Phillip’s work with the Music Worker’s Alliance and the industrial challenges musicians face

Session pay versus recording for ‘pizza and beer’

Artificial intelligence and keeping music human

Phillip’s favourite non-piano keyboards

Phillip’s Pianoteq inspired instrument, the Flexichord

How lower quality key beds can be a creative opportunity

Tag a Keyboard Player: Dana Saul

Desert Island Discs: Junk Magic – Craig Taborn, Silent Tongues – Cecil Taylor, Autotrophs – Cory Smythe, Dusk – Andrew Hill, Open, To Love – Paul Bley, Largo – Brad Mehldau

Key links:

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Anna Lapwood is a British organist, conductor, and broadcaster. Currently Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, Anna has a full schedule as both organist and conductor. We go in-depth in relation to some of the amazing instruments Anna has performed on, as well as a wide-ranging discussion on Anna’s career and the challenges of classical music in the modern era more broadly.

To listen / watch:



* Audio-only: click on the play button in the audio player above, or:

* Video: watch the embedded video below or check it and previous episodes out on our YouTube Channel





Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Anna’s musical upbringing

First exposure to the organ

The approach to intensive practice of up to 8 hours per day

Becoming Director of Music at Pembroke College at 21

How teaching music works at Cambridge

A week in the life of Anna Lapwood and Pembroke College

Developing as a conductor

Releasing one’s own work

Insights into performance anxiety and ‘getting out of one’s head’

Anna’s love for film music and re-interpreting film music for the organ

Anna performs ‘Cornfield Chase’ from the movie Interstellar 

The power of film music as a ‘gateway’ to classical music

Anna explores the Royal Albert Hall Organ

The largest organ in the world in Atlantic City USA

Macy’s Philadelphia Wanamaker Organ

Comparing thoughts on the organ as an instrument now, to when Anna was first introduced to the instrument

Anna and Bonobo perform together

Thoughts on keeping classical music fresh in the 21st Century and beyond

A discussion on organist footwear – Organ Master shoes

The Cambridge Organ Experience

Bachathon for Zambia

A tip for young players wanting to work in the music industry

Three emerging artists Anna calls out: Toril Azzalini-Machecler, Lucy Walker, Jess Gillam

Desert Island Discs: My One and Only Thrill – Melody Gardot, Soundtrack – Pirates of the Caribbean, Metamorphosen – Strauss, Bring Us, O Lord God – Sir William Harris, Intermezzo in A Major – Brahms

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Jim Sheridan is a hard keyboard player to quantify, as his career has been incredibly diverse. That said, it’s fair  to say he’s a TV production expert from a musical viewpoint, and it’s given him some fascinating perspectives on composition, production and musicianship.

To listen / watch:



* Audio-only: click on the play button in the audio player above, or:

* Video: watch the embedded video below or check it and previous episodes out on our YouTube Channel





Discussion topics covered during the show (links will open in new tab):  

Name That Tune – Fox Network

The process of refining 1400+ songs for a season of the show

The joy of working with Randy Jackson

The intensity of workflow during production of a season of Name That Tune

Jim on the Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy

Jim’s (non)  musical upbringing, teaching himself to play and his unexpected first audition

The iconic Roland D50 Digital Native Dance

Spyder Simpson – He’s a Businessman

Jim performing with Linda Martin in 1995

Why Jim won’t have a bad word said against pop stars Jedward

Jim on The Lyrics Board

Jedward go acoustic on the Late Late Show

Moving into TV work 

Learning and doing TV composition, and what killed it as a viable career

Becoming a TV house band musical director

Jim and his house band on Tubridy Tonight

Michael Fassbender singing Twist and Shout

Guns, late nights and a train wreck performance worthy of nightmares

Russell Crowe performs on the Late Late Show

Jim with Sinead O’Connor – For One Night Only

Desert Island Discs: Trevor Horn Reimagines The Eighties – Trevor Horn, The Nightfly – Donald Fagen, Hejira- Joni Mitchell, West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein, Film Music Collection – Ennio Morricone

Key links:

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