Music

Grammy Award nominated harpist and composer Brandee Younger joins host John Floridis by phone from Harlem to discuss her most recent recording "Unrest" inspired by the outpouring of concerns about social justice following the murder of George Floyd.

Oliver Wood of the Grammy-nominated Americana band The Wood Brothers returns to Musician's Spotlight to talk with host John Floridis about his first solo recording "Always Smilin'," as well as the most recent band recording "Kingdom In My Mind."

Assembled and led by Cuban vocalist José “Pepito” Gómez, Orquesta Akokán is a big band collective of the finest musicians on the island, both young and old. It features all-original music and was cut live to tape over a three-day session at Havana’s hallowed state-run Estudios Areito. Trés guitar player and band producer Jacob Plasse joins host John Floridis on this episode of Musician's Spotlight.

Multiple Grammy Award winning multi-instrumentalist and singer songwriter Sarah Jarosz returns to Spotlight by phone to visit with host John Floridis. Sarah digs into the story behind "Blue Heron Suite," her 2021 song cycle release as well as her Grammy winning project "World On The Ground."

Legendary Irish-American multi-instrumentalist, folklorist and historian Mick Moloney joins host John Floridis by phone from Bangkok! Mick has devoted his life to bringing music to as many people as possible including work with impoverished youth in Thailand. That's in addition to his multi-decade career of recording and performing, leading the Green Fields of America, a group that has included some of the biggest names in Irish music including Seamus Egan, Eileen Ivers, John Doyle, Athena Tergis and Michael Flately to name a few.

Together they're The Growling Old Men, individually they are Ben Winship and John Lowell, and they're two first rate musicians in every sense of the word. Host John Floridis visited with both musicians separately for this special program featuring both artists.

Pianist and composer Danaë Vlasse brings her unique French-Greek heritage full circle after the award winning recording "Poeme" with her newest project "Mythologies" which has been nominated for a Grammy Award in 2022.

Multiple Grammy Award nominee and multiple winner of several Blues Music Award Awards, singer songwriter Ruthie Foster visits with host John Floridis to discuss the evolution of her unique career. Ruthie's musical path includes a heavy dose of gospel from her early church days, a tour of duty in the US Navy band Pride and a multi-genre solo career for over three decades.

World renowned Nouveau Flamenco guitarist and multiple Grammy Award nominated recording artist Ottmar Liebert joins host John Floridis to discuss his career and three new albums he has recorded since the lockdown of 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Grammy award-winning songwriter and musician Aoife O'Donovan is one of the most sought-after singers and songwriters of her generation. She has released 3 critically-acclaimed solo albums, is co-founder of the bands I’m With Her and Crooked Still, is the featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile, and spent a decade contributing to the radio variety shows "Live From Here” and “A Prairie Home Companion”. Aoife joined host John Floridis in conversation from her home in central Florida to talk about her career and upcoming album release “Age of Apathy.” This was a “welcome back” interview, as Aoife was featured on Musician’s Spotlight in 2018 as part of the group I’m With Her along with Sara Joaroz and Sarah Watkins.