#394: Tom Teasley (Percussionist) (pt. 2 of 2)

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Hi everyone, Nick Petrella here.
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This episode is sponsored by Steve Weiss Music, percussion specialist since 1961.
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Here are your hosts, Andy Heise and Nick Petrella.
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Hi Arts Entrepreneurship Podcast listeners.
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I'm Andy Heise.
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And I'm Nick Petrella.
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Tom Teasley is joining us today.
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He's an internationally acclaimed percussionist, composer, educator, author, and multimedia artist whose work explores the intersection of rhythm, culture, technology, and the human connection.
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Described by the Washington Post as a musical wizard and a multi-instrumental genius, he's built a career that spans jazz, world music, theater, silent film, contemporary performance, education, and immersive sound experiences.
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A former U.S.
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Department of State cultural envoy, Tom has performed and taught throughout the Middle East, Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States, using music as a universal language that bridges cultures and communities.
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Tom has many more awards and accolades that we can cite here, so we'll link to his website so you can learn more about him and hear his eclectic multi-genre music.
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Tom, thanks for coming on the podcast.
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Thank you for having me.
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Delighted to be here.
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Two quick follow-up questions.
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Were you how were you transported from place to place in Iraq?
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Were you in a convoy, in a helicopter?
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Uh it depended where I was going.
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So uh I I did a fair amount of traveling, you know, when I was when I was traveling like from Urbil to Baghdad or Baghdad to Talil.
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I think when I went from Baghdad to Tlilil, that was helicopter.
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And then Talil to Basra, also helicopter.
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So so it was a lot of hell, it was a lot of helicopter travel.
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Uh, and it was also some plane travel.
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Uh, but you know, when I was in Baghdad, I I got out of the green zone more than like State Department people I met that had been there for like three years.
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Yeah.
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You know, because it was it was intense.
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I I mean I you know, because they they were they were it was again, it was these contractors that were taking me out.
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They were we were going out in hard vehicles, and one, and one time they took me out and and something that looked like uh uh like an old beat-up pinto, you know, but but it was a hard it was a hard vehicle that looked like a pinto.
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And uh I I had my kind of you know world music persona dress that I that I usually wear.
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So so they they wanted me not to do that.
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And so, you know, so I mean I had it, but but so they put a flannel shirt on me and like a baseball cap and stuff like that.
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So yeah.
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So it was, you know, the the travel was was was interesting, you know.
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It was it was I I I didn't really feel that that uh that in danger, but it was but it was in the back of my mind.
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But but I mean I've never been on a helicopter, you know, with with with like that door open where the gunners like out there, you know, where you could potentially like fall out of the helicopter.
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You know, I was we were seat belted in.
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But but it's it's it's uh it's it's quite a different uh experience in traveling business class, let's say that.
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Yeah, yeah, you think so translators.
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Did you have translators?
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And if you did, any tips for working with them?
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Yeah, talk slow.
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Uh so when the the times I worked with translators the most was actually when I was in Korea.
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And when I was in the Middle East, that there would be a little bit of that.
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But but I would I would say when you're working with a translator, map map out your thoughts and and I'm I'm telling you what I did not do.
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Uh and and and and and and and and have your have your sentences be in in bite-sized pieces.
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But that that reminds me of of like another another thing that I did where I did have a translator, and this was a cool project that is kind of interested in something that I that I'm gonna build on as well.
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And during the COVID times, uh one of the diplomats that I had worked with actually when I was in Jerusalem was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
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And uh they were interested in having me do a virtual program in Haiti.
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So uh so they they uh uh supported, financially supported me to record some educational video.
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And you guys might be interested in this, and then another another on uh the business of music, you know, the State Department is very interested in in entrepreneurship.
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So I so it was like a 45-minute, you know, you mostly like utilizing social media and stuff like that.
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But but just to show how that, and I was working with a translator that then we we were working via a Zoom thing.
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So then there was the delay where I had to really be careful.
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But but what was so cool about that was and the and this kind of gets into a place where this is something that I'm that I'm looking to develop in the future that was based on an experience I had in the past, and that was during my uh the video educational video that I was preparing, I I prepared a play along.
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So I did a couple of things.
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Like I'm you know, that if you guys know anything about Haitian drumming, it is amazing, and the drummers from Haiti are amazing.
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So I had something that was kind of Haitian funk-ish, and uh, but it but it was meant for them to play along.
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So here I am on my on my uh my my Zoom setup at back in Studio A, not where I am now, and uh and uh with my rig around me, they're showing the video of of my of my pre-recorded performance.
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The guys in Haiti, the drummers in Haiti are playing along with it, and of course it's in real time because they're showing the video.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And then and then I'm playing along with it.
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You know, that that they're that's not being recorded, but I but I'm hearing it in real time too.
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And then somebody in Haiti is is videoing the totality of that.
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In other words, videoing the the Haitian drummers playing on the ground, me on the screen with my pre-recorded, and then me uh me on the Zoom session as well.
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So, so you know, uh that's to say, like, like, you know, and that was a that was a long time ago.
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So the technology has only improved.
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Oh, yeah.
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And and what I'm looking to do now is to develop more of an online element with with my bio-rhythms.
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Uh, I I've been doing a fair amount of lecturing at universities, uh, where, you know, where where I do demonstrations.
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And I and I want to I want to start bringing in like my art of the duo with with another with another collaborator and then and then broadcasting that out into the you know all over the world.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Certainly negates some travel.
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Yeah.
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Um let's talk about the uh cultural envoy, because you're the first person we've had who's who's been a cultural envoy for the uh Department of State.
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How did that transpire and what was the onboarding process like?
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Well, yeah, I I kind of talked about it a little bit.
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So so uh yeah, I I'm I'm I'm a little bit of a stream of consciousness, so so if I'm not exactly aligning with the questions.
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But but uh but just to backtrack, uh when when I was in uh Bahrain, that that that was that was where I was invited to uh to to play this World Music Festival.
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And that was where I went to the producer of the festival and said, I want to I want to play with the Bahraini drummers.
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So that went well enough where uh the like the cultural minister was was was very, very happy.
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Uh the US Embassy, who was my sponsor, was was ecstatic because they they'd never they'd never had uh uh one of one of the cultural envoy people actually on stage with with with the indigenous culture.
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So so the next thing I knew, so so so the next thing I knew, I I was back in Bahrain, and then I was uh and then I was while when I went to Bahrain, then they said, oh, you might while you're there, you might as well go across the causeway into Saudi Arabia.
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And then I came back and then and then there there was that Jerusalem trip that I talked about.
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And then what happens with State Department, not unlike military, is is they get transferred, right?
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So I had nice relationships with with with these people.
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So uh somebody I worked with in uh Saudi Arabia said, hey, you know, what why don't you know I'm I'm in South Korea now, you know, and so you know I I traveled all over South Korea.
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And then uh and then the the guy that that I worked with in Jerusalem, you know, was was then in Haiti.
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So so that's to say that this is was something where I just kind of allowed an opportunity to unfold.
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And I don't mean this to sound too new agey or anything, but but it was it what it wasn't something that I pursued.
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Right.
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And and and uh an opportunity arose, and when I wanted I went to the producer of the festival and I said, I want to play with these guys, it wasn't because I thought, oh, maybe this will open up you know a whole cultural end.
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It was because I thought this would be really cool, you know, you know, and and and as it and so if if I I and this is something else I would pass on, if if you are always able to maintain enthusiasm and curiosity, then that's something that will carry you forward uh well, you know, and and and and all and always serve you well because that that's what you can't that's what you can't fake, you know.
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For sure.
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So if something's comes I was just gonna say I think that goes back to something you said a long time ago, is finding that thread throughout your mus your whatever this artistic career.
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It seems like curiosity is is is is a is a pretty common thread between a lot of things that you've pursued and done uh over your career.
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Yeah, I I I would say, and and and I'm I'm fortunate that that that that hasn't dwindled at all.
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You know, and in fact, in fact, I I'm I'm more curious now.
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Yeah, exactly.
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Yeah, yeah.
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So if somebody's listening to this and hearing what you've done, they think that's really cool.
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They might want to see if they can do this.
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Did they just go to the Department of State website or you could do that.
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Uh and and and so there there are elements, there are programs called the Rhythm Road, uh, or at least there were.
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Uh I think I'm gonna leave that one there.
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But uh but but that that would be something where you could you could find out what opportunities, if any, are are currently available.
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Perfect.
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Great.
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Yeah.
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And you touched on this a little bit um when you were describing your collaborations with the um, you know, with the local musicians.
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How do you how do you approach putting on a performance with someone you don't speak a language with?
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You I mean, yeah, how do you how do you do that?
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How do you decide what to play?
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You start playing.
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Okay, you know, and and and and so and so that that kind of brings back to this art of the duo thing, which which is built on that same concept.
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So uh, you know, you you you you just start playing, and and you know, and and maybe maybe you people are are hearing you, you know, and and you go, yeah, that'll work.
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You know, that this like like uh this is a dialogue that that we can continue to explore.
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Or uh no, maybe that we'll wait until until we know each other a little bit better before we we go here.
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So so it it it really does become the sound, the and the music and the rhythm, if it's another percussionist, uh become become the way of to communicate, you know, and that be that bec and and and when you when you take ownership of that, that becomes very, very powerful.
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Yeah.
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And people and and audiences see that immediately.
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They ex when I say see it, that they they experience it immediately.
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Right.
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Yeah, I love and I that I love what you said earlier, how how music, you know, uh uh uh goes beyond just the aesthetic value that's being created through the performance, right?
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Communication is one of those things, right?
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Yeah, communication and and yeah, exactly.
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And and I and I I'd say even with the bio rhythms work, it you're still communicating.
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And and and when I do, you know, most I I consider myself an improvisational artist.
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So so all of pretty much unless I'm working for somebody else.
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Uh and they tend to frown upon that, yeah.
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And then and then that and then it becomes it's still the same, but but it becomes a surprise to them.
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But uh but but but what's interesting about that is the audience is then a part of that.
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Because their energy, their energy becomes very much a totality of what happens.
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You know, if it's a very set performance, then it then it's then it's like, okay, this is the performance.
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We start at A and we end at Z.
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Um we start on the first page, we end at the last page.
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Uh but but when it's communication between musicians, you're also seeing how the audience is is is is reacting to that too.
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So so that's why that that has become yeah, that's that's become the thing that really kind of is is very much of a motivational factor for me at this point.
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Yeah.
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Tom, when we were talking a few weeks ago, you mentioned that you're doing a lot of live music with silent films.
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How's the uh response been?
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And are you using films that are in public domain or are you licensing or both?
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Mostly using public domain.
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So uh I've got uh yeah, I probably have like 10 at least uh films that are in repertoire now.
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I started with well, actually, one film is is not public domain, and that is Lot to Renegar's The Adventures of Prince Ahmed, which is an amazing film.
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And that was the first one that I did, and it was uh, if you haven't seen it, it's just beautiful cutout animation.
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And it's so it's it's like the quintessential perfect thing for me because it's it's the Aladdin's Lamp story, and it just allows me to tap into all the Middle Eastern stuff.
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So that led me to a variety of other like German expressionistic films.
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So I do the cabinet of Dr.
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Caligari, Nosfratu, uh Metropolis, a couple of others.
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And then recently I started uh doing these Charlie Chaplin movies.
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And uh so I've got uh in fact, I've had five Charlie Chaplin and one Buster Keaton, uh the um Sherlock Jr.
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recorded with with my images embedded into the performances.
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So the the first one of the Chaplin ones that I did was uh Modern Times, which actually is in public domain.
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However, uh when when a presenter was going to uh when I was going to play it, the presenter got a bit of a nasty gram from uh the Chaplin Foundation in Paris saying, you know, you may not know this, but there's a stipulation uh in Chaplin's state that even though the the films are in public domain, they cannot be shown without his music when he started composing music for it.
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Uh, you know, the the actual composition he did is is is somewhat debatable.
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But uh but regardless, that that was so uh so anyway, I opened a dialogue with this guy and and he said it was that I had recorded this, or somebody come film filmed a little snippet of it someplace else.
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And he says, I saw what he did, and it was really cool.
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And I said, So it turns out I'm uh I'm an amateur percussionist.
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And I said, Well, it was it was it was an honest mistake.
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Do you have any ideas of which ones I could do?
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Yes, I do.
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Uh so so so he, you know, he sent me uh like there's probably 10.
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And of those, uh, I chose the the the fireman, the adventurer, the immigrant, the cue, and the cure.
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Uh they're all great.
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So uh so I I have I have these ready to go.
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And I I I think uh you might have had a question with like what's the process for doing that?
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Yeah, the next question was like what the the balance of improvis you call yourself an improvisational artist, but the movie is what it is, right?
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So how do you balance it?
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Exactly.
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The movie is what it is.
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So uh I I think of it like the movie is a big band chart, kind of.
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And uh, you know, so so there's gonna be a chase scene, somebody's gonna get kicked in the butt, somebody's gonna uh get thrown in the water.
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So so so there are these elements that one thing I can do when when I'm playing live is like catch that stuff like right, you know, if I'm on it, like like right, like right there, uh, which which is very cool.
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Uh but the in between, you know, I I know basically what I'm going to do.
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So so so the the challenge becomes if there's if there's uh let's say a Buster Keaton, uh he's he's right, he's you know on this chase scene in Sherlock Jr.
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He's he's he's on the bicycle and you know, and he's going and there's and there's trains coming in and he's in the traffic and everything.
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So I've got this kind of samba thing going.
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I'm triggering uh horn sounds on my electronic pad.
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But but I know I know for a fact that the guy on the bicycle behind him is going to fall in the water.
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So so so I want that to be I want that to be in time.
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So so the the the craft is how do I set that tempo, how do I adjust it slightly so that so that when he when he falls in, that it's like it's like right on a beat or or or an offbeat or some something that that sounds like like like it's in time.
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So when I when I do these, I want the I want it to be such that somebody could listen to it without seeing it and it set and it feel like it's a complete piece of work.
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Got it.
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That it's that it's that it stands on its own with that without the video.
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Got it.
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So so you're really thinking about sort of the the the tempo map or something that that takes place over over the yeah.
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Yeah, and and there and and certain and certain, you know, some sometimes it's an emotive thing.
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Like maybe that maybe there's a tear that falls that I that I want to catch with a Glockenspiel or something.
00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:52.960
But but uh but so so there are some very specific things I want to catch, and then and then there is a lot that that will never happen the same way twice.
00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.079
And that's by design.
00:20:54.079 --> 00:21:02.480
But when I first started doing it, you know, I was kind of I was that that was a it seemed like a natural uh extension of my work in the theater.
00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:10.799
So when I'm doing the theater stuff, you know, I I don't write out any music unless I'm writing music for somebody else to sing or something.
00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:18.960
So so I'm just working from a score and I just have like notes, and maybe I'll I'll write like a two-measure phrase or something in this in that.
00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:29.680
So so I started trying to do that with the movies, and and it became apparent very quickly that that just wasn't gonna work because it's just if if in a theater, you know, you're not playing all the time in it in it.
00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.839
Yeah, but but in the movie, playing most of the time.
00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:33.920
So so there's just not time to read that stuff.
00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:36.640
So so you pretty much have to memorize it.
00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:45.200
And and I and my process is I'll start with just uh maybe I'll just I'll just watch the movie and have a Jimbe drum.
00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:52.559
You know, so so so so I I'm I'm just I'm just going for vibe and pacing and like where where where where do things fall?
00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:55.440
And then I s and then I start adding elements coming up.
00:21:55.440 --> 00:22:02.640
Like I've got next in a couple of weeks, I'm going on the road and I'm doing uh The cure and uh the immigrant.
00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:06.160
So so I'm just starting to kind of put those back into rotation.
00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:07.279
Yeah, cool.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:08.880
And who hires you for those?
00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:11.759
Are you playing those community centers?
00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:19.759
Uh frequently so that this is actually a theater, you know, where I'm going that that that that shows old movies.
00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:24.319
Uh but frequently it's it's universities.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:38.160
And and it's not unusual at all for me to be in a situation where I'll in I'll be, in fact, in October I'll be doing this, uh, where I'll go and I'll do I'll do a workshop for some music students.
00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:47.200
Uh I have this this this PowerPoint uh presentation lecture called uh music is diplomacy, which is the State Department stuff.
00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:52.880
So I do that, and then uh I'll probably do some biorhythms and then I'll do a movie.
00:22:52.880 --> 00:23:07.359
So so my goal, and it's kind of built on some of the State Department work uh template, is the goal is is that I reach as many different demographics as possible with with my work.
00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:08.079
Yeah.
00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:11.920
You know, it kind of touches on the next question here about revenue streams.
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:17.119
I think it's helpful for emerging artists to hear how professionals like yourself are earning a living.
00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:24.640
So would you mind listing five revenue streams or some revenue streams you had over the past few years?
00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:41.519
Yeah, so uh you know, and and I you're bringing up a very important element, Nick, because uh you want to you want to have a diversified portfolio of revenue streams.
00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:48.799
And uh so one of them for me uh is my contracted teaching.
00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:55.279
Now that's a much smaller revenue stream that than it was like 15, 20 years ago when I was teaching.
00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:59.920
Uh, you know, I was chairing a percussion department, I was teaching at three universities.
00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:03.759
But but so that that that that's one very, very real one.
00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:08.640
Uh and then my my private teaching is another one.
00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:12.799
Uh I'm starting to do more and more lecturing now.
00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:16.559
Uh, so that is yet another one.
00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:29.279
And then this bio-rhythms thing is is an entirely different demographic that hires me for that, you know, that than like the people that are hiring me for world music things.
00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:37.680
Uh and then I have an online presence that this is this is one that's kind of developing.
00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:50.319
But uh, so there is uh of course my teaching, but but I'm but I'm finding myself doing a a variety of lecture slash performances at universities.
00:24:50.319 --> 00:25:04.319
I just did something a little while ago for this Encore uh uh creative learning, which is like a 55 plus uh learning element, uh where they have you know, they they zoom in from all over the country.
00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:07.759
So there might be 75 people who come in for that.
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:19.759
And then uh and then I'm I'm I'm I'm starting now to uh I'm I'm I'm working on developing like maybe a home concert series.
00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:28.079
So and then and then this home concert series that will then be uh broadcast, you know, via Zoom.
00:25:28.079 --> 00:26:05.839
So so so I've got you know, and then this is you know kind of tangential from that, but from the time I was like, you know, 20 years old when when I was uh you know, I took one of one of my one of my times off from uh my my long career in college, you know, I I was uh I was I was saving money, you know, so so I was I was putting together uh an amount of money that ultimately led to some kind of financial independence, uh which led to me not having to be reliant on this.
00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:12.880
You know, what what one one thing that we totally skipped over in all this was it was I was in the Navy band for eight years.
00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:21.039
So so during during that time, uh I I because I was already from Washington, I had an incredibly busy freelance thing.
00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:33.039
So uh so I was able to save a lot of money, you know, and then that allowed me to kind of create my own little re small but but uh real retirement in that in that amount of time.
00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:50.480
So uh I'd say diversify your income streams that you that you have on your plate, always look for new ones, and then and then while you're while know that that you are that no nobody else is gonna take care of you, you know.
00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:52.799
I mean, assuming you're living in the freelance world.
00:26:52.799 --> 00:27:03.519
So, so you know, so so so be responsible, you know, uh say save money, learn learn a little bit about investing, you know, you know, get started on that earlier than later.
00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:04.160
Yeah.
00:27:04.160 --> 00:27:05.680
Great advice.
00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:07.039
Great advice.
00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:13.839
Um, so you've built some endorsements and residency programs, those sorts of things into your career.
00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:26.079
Was there a point or an opportunity that came up came up where um you had to weigh sort of your creative freedoms versus the support that was being offered through some of those uh programs?
00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:30.079
State Department might be another op another example of that.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:32.960
Uh I'd say no is the answer to that.
00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:38.880
Uh um and and and and the reason is because I was always curious.
00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:46.000
I was just I was uh you know, I I wasn't coming with like that this is my I wasn't coming to the table with like this is my agenda.
00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:48.079
Right, and what what can you do for me?
00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:48.319
Yeah.
00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:51.440
Yeah, it was it was like okay, this is what it is.
00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:53.440
How how can we how can we make this cool?
00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:54.960
How can we make this fun?
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.880
How can we make this interesting?
00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:00.319
How can we make this something that makes the world a little bit better?
00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:08.799
Uh and as far as my professional work goes, yeah, I I'll I'll I'll say this.
00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:17.920
When I got out of the Navy, as you might imagine, uh, you know, I just wanted to make money, you know.
00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:26.720
So so so at that point I was I was the local at one of the local, whatever you need percussions that I can do.
00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:32.400
You know, if if it's an orchestra thing, if it's playing at a wedding, if it's it's blah, blah, blah.
00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:35.359
Whatever it is, I'm I'm there for you.
00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:49.279
Uh and then I I did do this program in Canada that that Glenn Valez was teaching at, Trisha Shankaran, the great Indian Kenchera player, and a few other guys that was all world music focused.
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.880
So I already had this interest from from New Orleans that I was talking about.
00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:59.759
And as it turned out, uh technically and physically, it was like I I could do it.
00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:06.240
You know, it was like I would have been very happy to do it, like if it was Marimba or, you know, being Tony Williams on the drum set.
00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:08.799
But but that was that wasn't that wasn't the case.
00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:16.400
But this other stuff, I I could, I could do at a very high level pretty quickly, uh, technically.
00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:21.680
So that that opened up a lot of opportunities for me.
00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:36.880
And uh I think it was it was during that kind of time that that I came into contact with Nick, but because I started getting I started getting a little press and modern drummer, and I was doing PASICs and you know, local days of percussion and and things like that.
00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:41.279
So so I but but I I I felt like, oh, this is cool, this is my interest.
00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:46.000
You know, so I did not feel like, oh God, here you know, I gotta do another one of these things.
00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:50.880
It was, it was, it was like that this is my interest, this this is where the opportunity is.
00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.279
Uh, let's let's let's go there.
00:29:53.279 --> 00:30:14.160
So uh so I I think that the more you can turn loose of predetermined goals that you have and open yourself to the possibilities that are in front of you or maybe come in front of you, the better that's gonna serve you.
00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:16.079
Yeah, it's great.
00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:23.839
So before Andy kicks off the final three questions, other than the book you mentioned earlier, do you have any fun projects on the horizon?
00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:24.960
Yeah, I do.
00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:27.039
Well, I I kind of I kind of touched on them.
00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:43.759
So uh I you know I've got I've got this, I've got this, uh, I think um it's a working title, but it's it's uh it's gonna be something like uh Rhythm Without Borders, which is gonna be my my online course, and I'm probably gonna shop it around as well.
00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:45.359
So so that's happening.
00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:51.279
The the bio-rhythms thing is something I'm gonna start digging into deeper and deeper.
00:30:51.279 --> 00:31:00.240
Uh I've got a I I well I currently have uh a record out with Dave Balu called Interplay that's just trumpet and percussion.
00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:03.519
I think everybody should stream it and buy tons of copies.
00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:08.960
Well we'll we'll link to your site, make sure they see it.
00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:22.480
And then uh, you know, so so and then and then the next recording that that's set to come out, uh it's it's it's done, is is a hand pan feature that that's gonna be very closely related to to my bio-rhythms work.
00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:39.680
And then, and then the next pieces that I'm that I'm working on that are also going to be uh are uh closely related, are something where I'm gonna be exploring a lot of the um those rhythmic structures I was talking about that that will be connected with breathing.
00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:45.359
Uh, I've got another recording coming out with uh Shell Falk, who's a Celtic fiddler.
00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:52.240
Uh so it's gonna be like uh Celtic uh fiddle combined with African and Middle Eastern percussion.
00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:59.759
Uh I'm really interested in developing the this new uh this new series from my studio.
00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:11.200
And uh yeah, and then I'm open to whatever, you know, what wherever these whatever whatever path these lead me down, there's gonna be something else.
00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:22.960
You know, so so uh I I'm I'm not really I don't have a predetermined idea of what it is, but but I'm open to it and curious as to what it will be and will embrace it when it comes.
00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:24.160
It's wonderful.
00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:25.279
It's awesome.
00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:30.400
Well, Tom, we've reached the point of the interview where we ask all of our interviewees the same three questions.
00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:35.440
And the first question is what advice would you give to others wanting to become an arts entrepreneur?
00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:44.240
Well, I think that uh it's important to do two things.
00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:51.599
And and we we touched on this earlier, but but you got you gotta think of yourself as a business, you know.
00:32:51.599 --> 00:33:01.839
And and and when I say that, I mean you yourself, not not your not your expertise in whatever art that you have.
00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:10.000
You and so so that what you're doing is you develop a branding that can't be replaced by AI.
00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:20.960
Uh it's not a generic form that that that uh it's not an excerpt, it's not a it's not a lick, it's not, it's not, it's not a pattern that you learn if you're a musician.
00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:24.400
It it's something that defines your identity.
00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:32.000
And then once you've done that, I think you've got to connect that with like, why is it important?
00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:33.759
Why is it important for you to do it?
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:34.720
Why is it important?
00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:38.240
What do you what contribution are you making by doing that?
00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:54.799
And I think if you're able to reconcile those two parts of the scale where where, yeah, you you you you're you are a business, but you are also uh you are also a contributor to to the global good.
00:33:54.799 --> 00:34:07.200
And if you if you're able to reconcile those, I I think that puts you, certainly not a guarantee for success, but I think it puts you in a good a good position to to accept opportunities when they occur.
00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:13.039
What can we do to ensure the arts are more accessible and reaching the widest possible audience?
00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:15.199
Yeah, I I saw that.
00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:18.960
So next.
00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:19.360
No.
00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:34.719
So, you know, well, yeah, I I mean, so so this is this is a time, actually, when uh I don't have an answer for that, but but this this is a time when uh when the arts are are under duress.
00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:37.679
You know, let let's not let's not mince words.
00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:47.679
Uh but uh that but whatever is happening on a national scale need not affect what is happening in your world.
00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:56.320
So for example, uh somebody came to my uh I just did I did one of my biorhythms and and they loved it.
00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:59.119
And so it turns out that they're they're a neighbor.
00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:10.400
So uh she told me that, you know, uh her husband had been following, who's a uh an amateur musician, had been following my music for for years, but he had a stroke.
00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:19.920
So uh I said, you know, why don't uh would you like for me to come by your place sometime and and just play some hand pan for him?
00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:32.159
You know, so so so again, it's it's like don't you don't always have to have a codified opportunity to bring the arts out into the public.
00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:32.960
Do it.
00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:49.760
You know, uh the the one of one of my neighbors, you know, he's a he's a retired government worker, unfortunately, and and he used to uh he used to set up his harmonica and and play out on the street, you know, but he didn't need the money, you know, he he he he he loved music.
00:35:49.760 --> 00:35:58.000
So so so again it kind of it kind of circles back to how committed are you to this stuff?
00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:07.280
You know, and and the more that your commitment is and the more opportunities that you make for yourself, the more opportunities then will find you.
00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:09.119
You said you didn't have an answer.
00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:10.079
That was a great answer.
00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:11.920
Oh, there you go.
00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:22.000
Lastly, Tom, what's the best artistic or entrepreneurial advice you've been given?
00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:38.079
Well, I'll have to say that I don't know that I really you know when when I was when I was learning this stuff like that, I I didn't there wasn't this podcast to access.
00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:42.559
So so you guys are providing you know wonderful opportunity.
00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:56.800
Um but but I would say that the advice probably did not come from one source, nor was it directed to one to one aspect.
00:36:56.800 --> 00:37:11.280
So for for for example, uh um Joe Morello got me kind of thinking in terms of of like thinking thinking broad about what I could do with my music.
00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:23.599
Because he he knew I was interested in all these different aspects, and you know, Nick knows him, knew him, so uh, and knows he was he was quite uh astute thinker about all things percussion.
00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:38.559
And and so he instilled in me that that that uh ability, desire to take to take big bunches of information and codify that into a specific form.
00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:53.280
And then uh and then my dad, you know, got me interested when I when I was, you know, when I was telling you, when I was 20 years old and I was I was on the road, you know, playing in hotels and had no expenses.
00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:55.840
He said, Tom, you need you need to save some money.
00:37:55.840 --> 00:38:01.920
You know, so uh that's that's something that left to my own devices probably wouldn't have done.
00:38:01.920 --> 00:38:36.159
So so so I'd I'd say that thinking of yourself as a business, thinking of of of of creating your own uh your own income stream that is not necessarily uh directly tied to your business, via investments or you know, mailbox money from you know publications or whatever, and then and then having a very clear idea of how is your work how and why is your work important, then I I think I think that puts you in a pretty good position.
00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:37.519
Well, that's great.
00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:38.800
It's a great way to end.
00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:41.679
Thanks for coming on the podcast, uh Tom.
00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:50.239
It's uh it's great for our listeners to hear from a business-minded musician who's always open to opportunities and of course living in the world of what if.
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:58.320
Well, I'm I'm I'm delighted to be, and it's wonderful to reconnect with with you, Nick, and uh Andy, it's great to meet you as well.
00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:01.199
So I hope we can stay in touch and do more of these.
00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:02.079
Absolutely.
00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:03.039
Would love to.
00:39:03.039 --> 00:39:03.920
Thanks, Tom.
00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:07.519
Thanks for listening.
00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:09.840
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00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:17.840
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