John Floridis
Host and ProducerJohn Floridis, the host and producer of Musician's Spotlight, has been with Montana Public Radio since 1997. He has interviewed over 200 musicians during that time from household names like B.B. King, Alison Krauss and Lyle Lovett, to Montana musicians such as Eden Atwood, Darko Butarac and Tom Catmull. He is also an independent recording and performing artist in his own right and a former registered music therapist.
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In this episode, songwriter Joe Purdy discusses his new album, "Coyote," and shares his process and overall musical journey with host John Floridis. -
Julia Tai, Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia Northwest conductor and musical director, and the Co-Artistic Director of the Seattle Modern Orchestra visits with host John Floridis to discuss her musical journey from violinist to vocalist to conductor, her early childhood in Taipei and what it was like to take over the MSO at the dawn of a worldwide pandemic.
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Violinist, guitarist, mandolinist and composer Mark O'Connor returns to Musician's Spotlight to visit with host John Floridis and reflect on his forty plus year career which includes dozens of albums under his own name, countless collaborations with acclaimed musicians across many genres and multiple Grammy Award nominations and wins.
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
