During the pandemic one of my frequent sources for inspiration and comfort has been checking out podcasts. The subject matter of my listening is diverse but hearing the stories of others as they try to navigate this odd season truly make me feel as if I was not alone dealing with fear, sadness, anxiety and life.

Interviews with musicians are especially inspiring. Countless artists have found themselves stuck at home as clubs and venues are closed to public performances. As I write this – things have definitely improved but I know of more than a few tours that are still being cancelled or cut short due to safety concerns. I won’t call any of this a silver lining because it truly is not. We need the healing energy live music provides now more than ever. That said, this time has presented more opportunities to schedule interviews to talk music and life with many of these talented human beings.

I could fill this post with countless links of podcast interviews I’ve enjoyed (if there is interest in that let me know and I’ll post another entry with my favorites) but this one in particular is pure gold. Steve Swallow is pioneer of the bass guitar in jazz/improvised music. In this podcast with pianist Pablo Held (who himself is an amazing musician and his knowledge of guest’s body of work makes conversations much more special), Steve shares his fascinating story as well as many inspiring thoughts on music, practice, his creative process and experiences of jazz legends like Roy Haynes, Thelonious Monk and many others. It runs just over two hours in length and for me – the time flew by quickly. I’ve listened to it in it’s entirety too many times to count. As someone hoping to find a home in improvised music with electric bass it is a must listen.