Legendary Jazz Keyboardist and Arranger Bob James Combines Musical Elements with Partner Dave Koz to Produce One of the Best Albums of ‘25, “Just Us”
By Ryan Vandergriff
Perhaps loyal audiophiles who frequent the corner of the pop culture street known as Vents Magazine may have caught wind of an exciting new album from iconic duo Bob James and Dave Koz entitled Just Us. This aptly titled LP showcases the sweet musical stylings of both icons: Bob is rightly renowned as one of the very best jazz keyboardists to come down the pike, while Dave is equally celebrated as a master saxophonist who never met a note he couldn’t coax into sublime submission. Together, these two gentlemen of music have teamed up to present music lovers with a stripped down to basics Valentine that is all heart and soul. There’s no ‘just’ about Just Us, and we’ve been truly honored to have time with both men, picking their respective gray matter about what precisely went into one of the very best albums you’re likely to hear this or any year...
Vents: We’re pleased as punch to have with us as a very special guest today the nigh legendary jazz keyboardist, arranger, and producer Bob James; greetings and salutations Bob, welcome to the humble digs of Vents Magazine! Before we dive down the Q&A rabbit hole, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
Bob James: This year has been very active, very busy and a highlight was being or having been invited to starting home again...The New Year is really great especially because of this Just Us project coming to fruition.
Vents: Major congratulations to both you and your musical cohort – the iconic and everrascally saxophonist icon Dave Koz - on your eagerly anticipated LP Just Us which is set to light up record charts and put a spring in everyone’s step when it premieres this March 7! Bob, can you talk about what inspired you and Dave to join musical forces on this incredible highwire act of a new LP?
Bob James: I listened to Dave’s responses and of course I agree with all of his enthusiastic comments and the way he described this project definitely reflects my same feelings. We talked a lot about it last year when I went on this very special summation cruise off the coast of Italy and we had come up with the idea of possibly just very casually recording a couple of tunes that we could give away as a gift to the passengers on the cruise. That’s developed into something far more interesting, far more challenging and far more personally rewarding for me. I loved that you referred to it as a highwire act.
Vents: Bob, in listening to the new Just Us album from you and Dave, it feels as if the two of you really pushed one another in ways which I’ve never had the pleasure of listening to before, providing audiophiles with a sound stripped down to beautiful basics –saxophone and piano; congrats! With a slight distance now between the recording and the upcoming March 7 release of the album, how do you feel about the end-results? Would you like to do more albums such as Just Us in the future?
Bob James: Yes, in some ways we absolutely pushed one another because of the fact we’re so vulnerable that in any given performance when there are only two of you making a music with no additional support coming from any place else, if somebody falls off that highwire you have to hope that you could start over again, or somehow salvage your part in it. That danger, that excitement, that challenge is very stimulating to me and as I got to know Dave in a different way. We had been friends for many years but most of the time when we worked together we were both in our own comfort zone. Here we were kind of creating a new situation where neither one of us had much precedent or experience for doing so we literally were trying to figure out what the genre would be.
Would it be jazz?
Would it be classical?
Would it be pop?
Would it be theater music?
Would it be something that would relate to all those things?
So it’s been a very fascinating process.
Vents: Did the both of you sort of push one another creatively to bring out the best for the Just Us LP?
Bob James: Well yes, we both pushed each other. I could learn about David which related to what he described today also being a perfectionist. I think any of us who are serious about what we do have a very, very high standard. Yes, we think about trying to achieve that perfection knowing that we never can. We can get close and sometimes it is the times where we don’t quite achieve perfection or where the result turns out to be different from what we anticipated no matter how hard we try to perfect it. Because that human feeling that gives music its passion and Dave Koz definitely has a very high level of passion in every melodic phrase that he plays which inspires me to try to give him as much support as I can from the piano.
Vents: Bob, you and Dave tackle in wonderful flourish on Just Us, the evergreen tune Sunny Side of the Street which is a bonus track available exclusively on the physical CD release. What’s the secret to successfully reinterpreting a tune such as this which is so highly regarded?
Bob James: Sunny Side of the Street was somewhat of a last-minute addition to give yet another lighthearted stylistic approach to this list of tools that we had. And I was suspicious of whether we could play that kind of traditional jazz groove without the rhythm section supporting us to give it that character. But we had fun doing it and still managed to arrange it in a style where we do a kind of question and answer back and forth. And if he plays his version of one of the melodic riffs from that song, I try to answer it in his style and vice versa.
Vents: We’re big enthusiasts of the beautiful ditty New Hope which can be found on the upcoming Just Us album and which was also selected to be the lead single off the new album; congrats! What inspired this wonderful new tune from you and Dave?
Bob James: From the minute that Dave played me his demo version of New Hope, I knew that it was a masterpiece. I knew that the melody was so strong. And even the purity and simplicity of the title made me aware of the fact that I had the opportunity to be a part of a song which I believe has a very high chance of becoming a standard in the future and it represents what we all are hoping that will help us deal with the complications of the world that we live in today.
Vents: Bob, in the wake of the March 7 release of the Just Us CD, can fans look forward to catching you and Dave together on the touring/performing circuit?
Bob James: Well, we’re just, I’m talking to you on the second day of our tour. And yes, we are hoping that this first kind of short tour will be successful and that it will inspire us to want to do more and to go to places
that we’re not able to visit on this tour. The challenges of it are so different and so exposed and the audience sees us differently than they do in our normal recordings or live performances. It’s that vulnerability that willing us to expose the intimacy of the way we play to an audience that gives it its unique challenge and spirit.
Vents: Who are some of the major influences in the wide world of music?
Bob James: Having to do with influences, I have so many and several of them, the influence on me is so strong that I very often try to ignore or not even listen to the music because I’m afraid it will influence me too much and intimidate me. And artists like Keith Jarrett in the jazz field who’s perhaps the one that has influenced me the most, the way he approaches music, the way he plays music is, it always gives me the same feeling of, wow, I wish I could do that. And that’s the dream of the way I would like to approach music at its best. And that’s not to say that I have it also been very influenced by Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Kel Basie, so many others. All of whom, if I tried to copy them or if I become too influenced, I know that I’m going to lose. The best that I could be due is to come in second place. So along the way, I have more and more realized that if I just try to beat myself, I have a good chance of doing that better than anybody else would. And that is definitely what I’ve tried to do with Dave Cos, when we’re collaborating one on one. I want to show him who I am. I don’t want to try to impress him by playing Keith Jarrett’s style or any other form of virtuosity that’s not within my fingers. I want to give him my best and I feel that coming strongly from him in return.
And I want to leave you with saying that working and collaborating with Dave has been a major highlight in my music career.
Just Us is available right here if you’re computer purchase inclined. Otherwise, head out to your local record shop ASAP and show some love for one of our new favorite LPs!
Legendary Saxophonist Dave Koz Opens Up About New Collaboration with Piano Maestro Bob James on New Duet Album
“Just Us”
By Ryan Vandergriff
Vents Magazine was fortunate recently to sit down with legendary saxophonist Dave Koz on the eve of the release his and iconic keyboardist and producer Bob James’ sensational duet LP Just Us. Filled with crackling originals as well as some of the very best evergreens from the vaunted American Song Book, this album comes crackling with an energy which is, by and large, absent from most contemporary releases. The beauty of it all? This pip of an album is stripped down to the very beautiful basics, piano and saxophone. The end result? Nothing less than unforgettable and modern-day classic!
Vents: We’re very happy to have with us as a special guest today Grammy-Nominated and chart-busting saxophonist Dave Koz who has just teamed up with nigh legendary jazz keyboardist, arranger, and producer Bob James to release a most remarkable and infinitely listenable album Just Us, one of the very best new albums of 2025; greetings and salutations Dave, welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we get the Q&A musical ball a-rollin’, how is the New Year finding you and Bob?
Dave Koz: Thank you very much for having us. And well, the New Year’s off to a good start. Actually, it’s really beautiful to have recorded this album with Bob.
Vents: Major kudos and accolades to the both of you on your eagerly anticipated LP Just Us which is set to light up record charts and put a spring in everyone’s step when it premieres this March 7! Dave, can you talk about what the experience of recording the new LP was like for you and Bob? It truly sounds like the two of you had as much fun recording the album as we did in listening to it!
Dave Koz: We had such an amazing time in the recording process at his beautiful commune in northern Michigan and Traverse City. I was treated like a king at his house by his family, dinners every night and recording during the day. And then getting a chance to do this live. Now we have about half a dozen or so shows that we’re doing across the United States to promote the album. So it’s been really wonderful to take this music and perform it live in front of people and it seems to be really resonating in an emotional way and a very significant way, which is very gratifying. I know for me and I hope for Bob as well.
Vents: How do you feel about the end results of Just Us? And would the two of you ever consider reteaming to do more albums together?
Dave Koz: Well I think absolutely. First of all, this has been a really interesting experience for me. I can only talk about my own experience, but I know in many conversations that Bob and I have had about this project I recognize the fact that it’s somewhat similar for him in that we’ve never in all the years, decades of doing this, we’ve never made an album even remotely like this. We’re so naked, it’s so present, it’s so real. And it’s just piano and just saxophone with no competition. You’ve got no keyboards, no guitar, no bass, no drums, no nothing. So it’s really the beauty and the purity of both of our instruments that can be heard in their full glory. And I think once you hear that and you can feel it and you can hear the nuances, hear all the little mistakes, all the rough spots of music, the imperfections if you will, once you start to hear that in a more significant way on your recordings it’s somewhat intoxicating and it’s kind of funny because you would think it would be the other way that it would make you sort of turned off, but it actually draws you in. And that’s one of the big lessons of this recording project with Bob has been for me getting more comfortable with my own imperfection because I am a total perfectionist. So I welcome the opportunity to do more recording and to do more live work with Bob. He’s one of
the greatest collaborators I’ve ever worked with. He’s a treasure of a human being and of course one of the greatest legends in all of music.
Vents: Dave in your humble opinion, what differentiates the Just Us LP from the distinguished competition on the 2025 music scene.?
Dave Koz: Well, that’s just it. It sort of stands alone because of its simplicity. And that’s not to say that it’s a simple album because there’s music on here that’s very challenging. And for me personally pushed me, especially the compositions that Bob wrote, what I call the anchors of this album, he wrote three compositions that really ground this album as being very different musically from anything that we’ve ever put out before. And I think it stands apart from all the smooth jazz and contemporary jazz simply because of its instrumentation. It’s just piano and saxophone. And so because there’s not a lot of competition it really gives the listener a chance whether you’re hearing it on the album or you’re coming to a show and hearing it live, getting a chance to really marinate in the sounds, the beautiful sounds that these two instruments make together when they’re played together. And of course saxophone, it’s a combination that’s been around for many, many years and so many wonderful albums that have been made in this vein. But I think this one is really different and I really am very, very proud of the collaboration of the communication, how we breathe together, how we recorded this album completely live, mostly in Bob’s living room overlooking this gorgeous long lake in northern Michigan. And we had these takes where we would just look at each other and go, okay, I guess that’s it. So it really is spontaneous and real and it’s just a very present album like you’re almost in a living room listening to two people play together. And that’s the way we recorded it and that’s the listening experience that we want the listener to have.
Vents: Dave, we’re big admirers of the gem of a ditty New Hope which can be found standing front-and-center on the upcoming Just Us album and which was also selected to be the lead single off the new album; kudos! What inspired this wonderful new tune from you and Bob?
Dave Koz: Well this is a song that I wrote with a friend of mine, a good songwriter named Todd Schroder and we were actually in, we were traveling very, very far away in Saudi Arabia for a show and I had been working on this little ditty and I couldn’t finish it. For some reason I just hit this roadblock. So we were waiting around one day for rehearsal while we were in Saudi Arabia and I asked Todd, ‘Do you mind just playing this through with me and maybe helping me finish this song?’ And we went down to the hotel lobby and this was our first time in Saudi Arabia and that country is just exploding with hope and new opportunity. So it really imbued this piece of music with the location that it was written in and he helped me finish the song and it sort of looked in that way as sort of a symbolism of the hope not only just for that country but for the world to come together. I mean we’re dealing
with a lot of pessimism and a lot of very strange feelings and it’s a very strange time for a lot of people so one thing that never goes out of style is hope and that’s what Todd and I as composers of this song wanted to convey with this melody. But then turning it over to the ten fingers of Bob James he took it to another place completely and imbued that melody with so much hopefulness and so much love and support and beauty and really brought the whole experience home.
Vents: Who inspires your own unique and indelible musical stylings?
Dave Koz: Well Bob and I both were collaborators if you will with David Sanborn. Bob of course made the seminal contemporary jazz album Double Vision with David Sanborn. David was my 100% north star when it came to playing the alto saxophone. I worshiped him as a kid. I learned every lick and every song and every melody. Eventually I got a chance to know him and we became colleagues and we did tour together and we wrote songs together and we became very good friends and that really meant so much to me because not only was he a saxophone idol but we became one of my main mentors in life and how to live a beautiful life. Till the very end he was committed to music and I admired that so much. So he’s a huge symbol in my life even though he passed last year it was very sad...He will always be my north star when it comes to the saxophone.
As far as music is concerned, Stevie wonders hugely important. All the great horn bands like Tower of Power and Earth Wind and Fire and Cool in the Gang and Chicago and Bletz-Witten Tears and those kinds of bands that was my era and what made me want to be a saxophone player. And my parents were always listening to the crooners, people like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis Jarell. So all of that music, the great American Song Book is a big part of my musical upbringing that will always stay with me.
Vents: Any final thoughts you might want to leave our readers with?
Dave Koz: Well I hope that you get a chance to sample the Just Us album and as Bob and I have talked about with anybody who listen we hope that the listener will give us 40 minutes of their time and sit down in an old-fashioned kind of way and put this album on and not have any distractions. Just listen to it all the way through from top to bottom. If you have the CD version, there are 11 songs because it has a bonus version. If you’re streaming it, it’s 10 songs, it’s about 40 minutes of your time and we hope that the listening experience of really listening to the album because it does tell a story from start to finish. It has a beginning, middle, and end and we hope that the listener will go on this journey with us. Almost as if they’re living, listening to it in their living room like we made it in our living room. Thank you so much. Appreciate all the support. All the best.
Ton Scherpenzeel
We’re super-excited to be speaking today with acclaimed musician, composer, lyricist and one heck of a nice fellow to boot, Ton Scherpenzeel; greetings and salutations Ton and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we dive down the Q&A musical rabbit hole, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
Thank you. The beginning of this year is pretty exciting. Every month there’s a new solo release of mine via Bandcamp, and of course, the latest Kayak live album is on its way which certainly dominates my agenda the last couple of weeks.
Major kudos and accolades on the freshly-minted new Kayak two CD and DVD release, Back To Shore -The
2022 Farewell Tour which is set to light up record charts around the ever-lovin’ globe beginning this February 28! Starting at the top, can you talk about what inspired this release and, more importantly perhaps, will this truly be the final Kayak album as it is being billed?
Two concerts were recorded and filmed during the Farewell Tour, with the intention of releasing it as a live DVD, or at least as a live album. Our guitarist Marcel Singor edited and mixed the audio and John Vis recorded the video. All n all it took a while, but there was no time pressure so we could work on it as long as we needed to (and had time to). I personally took much pleasure in designing the cover art, which has become a new sort of creative outlet for me.
And as for ‘Back To Shore’ really being the final Kayak album, yes, I believe so. My decision to stop wasn’t taken lightly, because I knew it would not only affect me, but also a lot of other people, first of all the band members that would have liked to continue. And as with many important choices, it really was a combination of several factors that forced me (or helped me) to make the inevitable one. Basically it comes down to the fact that the acceptable balance between the joy of playing and the consequences and stress connected to keeping a band like Kayak going, was gone for me. Let me be clear: it has nothing to do with the band, the guys are all great musicians and a joy to play and hang out with.
But I found that nothing has really changed for the better since I made this decision, and as I can not see that happening in the nearby future too, I think it’s pretty safe to say this will be the last Kayak album.
As Kayak’s, Back To Shore double CD and DVD prepares to roll out to music aficionados beginning this February 28th, does it feel at all surreal to be closing out a major chapter in your professional and personal life?
Of course it does. Kayak has formed me, and vice versa. Through Kayak I could do what I loved most: creating music. It must be like losing an arm or a leg, though I am happy to tell you that I still have all four of them. But you know, everything must pass. Even the Stones, mark my words. And on a rational level: I’d rather stop too early than too late. I wouldn’t ever want the band to be a sorry reflection of ourselves.
Word ‘round industry campfire has it that a release party Meet & Greet with Kayak band members for the new release will take place on March 2; congrats! Can you fill our everinquisitive readers in on where this event will be held and what they can expect and look forward to?
It’s gonna be held in a nice and cosy club called Azotod, conveniently located in the centre of Holland (De Meern, to be exact). The fans can see the world premiere of the video which will be shown there, meet & greet the band members and mingle with old colleaguefans they may not have seen in years. It will all be very casual.
Speaking specifically of the Kayak double CD/DVD Back To Shore, can you give fans a hint or three as to what will greet them? Wil there be some surprises for longtime fans?
It’s an overview of our musical history, but of course it has been impossible to have all albums divided equally over the setlist. We tried to balance it all out so many older fans will be pleased, but it’s always arbitrary and we easily could have done an almost completely different setlist. Also, because I am not one for nostalgia, there’s a fair amount of new work because this line up represents that.
You hail from the Netherlands. How do those very specific roots inspire you not only as a person, but as an artist?
I don’t know really, there’s very little in the Netherlands that inspires me when we talk about being an artist here. Make no mistake, I love my country, and it
shaped me as a person, but I think we could have been more successful as a band, if we had been based in England or America. We’ve always been limited by the modest tour circuit here, and by budgets- and possibly the language barrier. There’s only so many people living in Holland, so your potential ‘market’ is much smaller, while you still have to ‘compete’ with acts abroad and will be compared to them. But these limitations also make you more inventive, perhaps, because you have to. That may be the upside of it. We’ve done incredible things with our three rock operas, on a budget that would have made any serious production company laugh.
Last year you released your incredible acoustic solo album Achter De Schermen; congrats again! Were you pleased with how well the album was received from both fans and critics, and can we look forward to more music from you as ‘25 rolls on?
Thanks. I was pleased by its reception, especially because it was not exactly what people expected from me as a keyboard player in a so called prog rock band. Anyway, it was a document I needed to make because my work in theatre has been very important to me and it showed a different side of my work, that I felt was not well known. But I have always had several different musical lives, and they often had very little to do with each other. I wrote like 30 musicals for youth theatre, which adds up to more music than I ever write for Kayak. No one (except the audiences who were there) ever heard that.
I released several solo albums the last couple of years through OOB Records and Friendly Folk Records that were quite eclectic in style as well. Compare ‘Velvet Armour’ with ‘Virgin Ground’s and you’ll find it hard to believe that they are from the same artist. Now I am working on a solo project with a new track being released every month as ‘Various Singles’, for now only available via Bandcamp (www.tonscherpenzeel. bandcamp.com) . I chose to do it this way because I wasn’t sure which direction to take. I have lots of finished and unfinished material on the shelves that hasn’t seen the light of day yet, so this is how I’m going to find out where it’s leading me. And it helps me keep focus and momentum.
Who are some of the chief musical influences on you? Are there any specific artists – living or passed from the scene – who you hold up as your own personal ‘Green Light’?
Many, almost too many to mention. I listened extensively to pop and rock music from the 60s, an unbelievable explosion of creativity that has not been repeated since. Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, but also American bands like the Beach Boys, the Rascals, the Turtles and so on. Then in the early 70s I heard a singer called Judee Sill, who had a very deep influence on my songwriting, especially her melodic and lyrical strength. My favorite classical composers are Bach and Lully, and the renaissance/baroque era that can be seen as a harmonic blueprint for my work. But I hesitate to name these guys, because compared to these architects I feel like a toddler with a block box. But still, a unique toddler, I should add.
Any final thoughts you might like to share with fans regarding the upcoming February 28th double CD/DVD of Kayak’s, Back To Shore - The 2022 Farewell Tour – Back To Shore or anything else that you might have a-brewing?
First of all I’d like to thank all those fans who stayed loyal to the band throughout all line up changes. I know I’ve asked a lot of you- there’ve been so many personal changes, so many vocalists. But those who stayed, understood the essence of Kayak. I especially hope you like the two new songs, because the rest is known territory for most. Even though Kayak is history from now on, musically I feel I haven’t finished yet, because that wretched creativity doesn’t seem to stop flowing. And it will always need to find a way out, one way or another.
https://www.kayakonline.info/www.oobrecords.cominfo@oob-records.com
CLOE WILDER
Photo Credit : Jesse DeFlorio
We’re super-excited to have some time today with acclaimed folk, Americana and pop artist Cloe Wilder; greetings and salutations Cloe and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we meander down the proverbial Q&A musical pathway, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
I love this introduction so much. I am doing really well, thank you for asking!
Major kudos and accolades on your freshlyminted new single “Tallahassee,” which is lighting up record charts around the ever-lovin’ globe! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about what inspired this gem of a ditty from you and fellow wordsmiths Theo Kandel and Jack Klein?
This is so sweet. That was actually my first session with Theo and Jack, so our day together was pretty magical. I had just decided to make my official move to LA and I was sort of testing it out. Moving away from Florida was already starting to change a lot of my relationships back home. I was grieving it in this really new way. I told Theo that I was worried I could never go back to Tallahassee again since everything was so different. He was like, “We have to write a song called ‘Tallahassee.’”
Who did the production-end of things on the “Tallahassee” single and what did the in-studio collaboration between artist and producer look like while fashioning and refining the new tune?
Theo tracked all of the guitar parts and Jack tracked me. It was really fun for us all to work out those intricate harmonies on the bridge. We wrote that song so easily and it was one of those perfect collaborative days.
In your humble opinion, what differentiates “Tallahassee” from the distinguished competition on the 2025 music scene?
It’s so hard to say! I really love a lot of the new music right now. I’m also hoping my music has a little bit of an edge to it that people can appreciate. I think it’s a cool representation of new folk.
Word ‘round industry campfire has it that your eagerly anticipated new EP, Life’s A Bitch, will officially drop this March 21st; major congratulations! Can you tell fans what they can expect and look forward to with this third EP from you?
Thank you so much. I love this for me! This EP is
pretty bitchy, I will say. It’s a little sarcastic at times, but I think it’s all really self-aware. Every song felt like it had to be written. It’s almost selfish how much I enjoyed making it.
You originally hailed from Florida and now you hang your fedora in the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California! How do these seemingly disparate roots inform you as both a person and as a singer and songwriter?
I am constantly writing about Florida. I’m so grateful for it. There’s some similarities between the two coasts; I’m never far from the water. I think there are so many aesthetics to reference when it comes to Clearwater, but Los Angeles gave me the life I was looking for. It’s hard to not be inspired by Hollywood in some form or another. It’s timeless in that way.
We understand that you’ve got some major touring and performing ahead of you for ‘25; congrats! Can you give fans some of the highlights coming up for you on the touring circuit?
I’ve been on tour for most of the year already! I played a bunch of shows in Europe earlier this year, which was absolutely mind blowing. I’ve been opening for my friend Spencer Sutherland and we’ve got about 17 shows left in this run. I’ll be touring as much as I possibly can this year.
As a singer and songwriter, which generally comes first for you – the lyrics or the music?
It depends on the day for me. I’ve become pretty comfortable with the fact that I don’t have much of a process anymore. I’m so open to whatever ideas come my way. I can sit down at the piano and write a whole song. I can also spend hours in the backyard with my guitar and get nowhere. I think it’s exciting.
Who do you count as some of your chief musical influences?
Lana Del Rey is my number one. I literally have her handwriting tattooed on my body.
Any final thoughts you might like to share with our ever-inquisitive readers about your beautiful new single “Tallahassee” as well as the upcoming March 21st release of your brand-new EP, Life’s A Bitch?
I hope they love it! Thank you so much. I really appreciate this.
Brad Meslin
We’re very excited to have some time today with highly respected diligence adviser, investor and, most recently, a freshly-minted and rightly acclaimed novelist, Brad Meslin; greetings and salutations Brad and welcome to our humble pages! Before we dive down the Q&A literary rabbit hole, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
Thanks for the opportunity, and it’s great to connect with you today! The New Year is off to a good start, though sending positive thoughts to everyone impacted by the recent Los Angeles-area wildfires. Reality can sometimes be more unimaginable than fiction…
Major congratulations on your nothing short of amazing geopolitical thriller The Moldavian Gambit! Getting the proverbial ball rolling, can you talk about what inspired you to write one of the most engaging thrillers that we’ve read in donkey’s years?
I’m glad you liked the book! The idea for The Moldavian Gambit actually started to come together back in the late-1990s, when I sketched out a partial draft of a manuscript that then gathered dust for a quarter of a century, before I rediscovered it.
As a young graduate student in Boston, I had studied two topics that, fortunately, to that point were not related to each other: nuclear weapons strategy and terrorism. I went on to found the first advisory firm to perform due diligence on companies in the aerospace, defense, and government technology sectors, on behalf of private equity investment firms and corporate buyers. Over the intervening years I’ve had the opportunity to interact with literally hundreds of companies and government customers that develop, build and operate the military and intelligence capabilities deployed by the US and its NATO allies.
Those experiences provided me with insights that could probably inspire several political thrillers – and which in this case helped to make the plot lines and technical details in The Moldavian Gambit authentic and the story more realistic. But it was the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that persuaded me to resurrect my very incomplete manuscript and finish a story that has clear parallels with events in eastern Europe and Ukraine today.
The Moldavian Gambit is set during the early 1990s when the Soviet Union was very much on its last legs. You were very much on the scene and active during the time which the book covers. How much research did you have to do in order to make sure everything passed the so-called ‘smell-test’? And how much was drawn from your own memories and experiences during that time?
From our inaugural read – and having been around and breathed the air and seen the sights and sounds of that era which you write so deftly about – we gotta say that you really nailed that time!
My goal was to tell a fast-paced, suspenseful story that would be viewed as authentic by avid readers of political thrillers and national security professionals, alike. To me, authenticity is all about accuracy and realism. As someone who, for more than thirty years, was hired to help sophisticated investors decide whether to buy an aerospace or defense company, ‘getting it right’ mattered. The stakes may not be quite so high when it comes to writing a novel, but I tried to bring that same attention to detail to The Moldavian Gambit.
Since the ‘backbone’ of the book was written in the late1990s, it was easier to ensure that locations, military and intelligence capabilities, and descriptions of how government agencies operated then, were accurate. I’ve also visited most of the locations featured in the book, which is invaluable when it comes to describing those small details that make a story that much more credible. And many aspects of the book are drawn from my personal experiences, including several of the important characters who are composites of people I have known and worked with over the years.
But I was still my own worst critic: constantly reviewing and revising scenes, subplots, and technical details to get them right – all while remaining focused on creating that ‘edge of your seat’ tension that hopefully makes readers want to keep turning the page!
Speaking of authenticity, no less of an expert than James Stavridis, USN (Retired) and Former Supreme Allied Commander at Nato and a NY Times best-selling author in his own right has a prominent blurb on the cover of The Moldavian Gambit praising its utter authenticity; WOW and congrats! How does it feel to receive that level of a Seal of Approval from such a respected figure in world affairs?
I have tremendous respect for Admiral Stavridis and was honored when he agreed to review the manuscript and provide such a glowing endorsement. As a former Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, a true military-intellectual, and a bestselling author himself, if he thought The Moldavian Gambit hit the mark, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do!
The Moldavian Gambit is your very first novel; major kudos and accolades! What made you decide to undertake this wonderfully ambitious thriller of a story for your freshman outing as a writer versus something quieter and more intimate? (For the record: We’re HAPPY you went the international thriller route!)
I was always a big fan of Tom Clancy and the techno-thriller genre he created, devouring all of his novels. At some point I realized that my own professional experiences gave me firsthand perspectives that could provide the raw material for at least one geopolitical thriller of my own. The question was: could I write the kind of taut, sophisticated, and credible story that readers would enjoy?
The idea of a stolen nuclear weapon being used for political blackmail was appealing to me, as it is a threat that – with all of its catastrophic implications – remains with us to this day. The undercurrent of political deception, or disinformation, is also a theme that resonates today, and added a layer of mystery and complexity to the story.
Reading The Moldavian Gambit, I was completely swept up in the delightful cocktail of fact baked into the fiction and was reminded of another great author who plied his craft in a similar vein – Herman Wouk in his masterful blending of fact with fiction for The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. Was Wouk at all an inspiration for your own intermingling of history with fancy, or would you point to other writers as being points of inspiration?
I’m humbled by the comparison but could not put my novel in the same category as Herman Wouk’s. I was inspired by Tom Clancy, as I mentioned, but also by Frederick Forsyth and his captivating books The Day of the Jackal, and The Odessa File, and by novels like The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon, or Seven Days in May, a fictional attempt by the US military to overthrow the President. Weaving a fictional account into a story filled with historical context makes a novel that much more authentic and compelling. The Moldavian Gambit not only combines fact and fiction, but as the cover says, is inspired by the actual events described in the preface.
Was it always your intention to tell the story in The Moldavian Gambit through multiple points of view? It’s a truly masterful storytelling tact, in our humble opinions!
Thank you, and you’ve hit on a key point here. Many political thrillers are told mainly from the perspective of the protagonist. Without getting too technical, in national security terms, that is a ‘tactical’ view. But when true geopolitical stakes are involved – like the risk of a nuclear conflict between the superpowers, which features in The Moldavian Gambit – the story takes on an obvious ‘strategic’ dimension, as well.
I thought it would be more interesting and suspenseful to tell the story from both tactical and strategic perspectives – weaving together the espionage, the action, and the superpower diplomacy – in the way a true geopolitical crisis would unfold. And do it in a slightly unconventional way, with Israeli, Russian and American protagonists, each bringing their own unique experience in attempting to locate the stolen weapon and uncover the true intent of those behind the theft.
To do that in a novel that takes place over a brief period of time – in this case, seven days – in nearly a dozen locations across three continents, also involved a larger cast of characters than one might typically find in a political thriller. I won’t lie: it was quite challenging to tie multiple sub-plots and characters together in a way that would build the suspense, keep the reader engaged, and not leave any ‘loose ends’. I hope that readers of The Moldavian Gambit will agree!
Reading The Moldavian Gambit, I had absolutely no problem envisioning this smart and suspenseful novel as a full-fledged major motion picture or miniseries. What are the chances that fans of the novel might one day be gifted with a big or small screen adaptation?
More than one reviewer has described The Moldavian Gambit as ‘cinematic’, in terms of the rapid pacing, the many interesting locations, the action sequences, character development, and the suspenseful way the story unfolds. As I wrote the book, scenes would often spool through my mind as though I was watching them on-screen. My job was to faithfully capture in words what I saw in my mind’s eye. I hope there will be a screen adaptation of the book, and if there is you’ll be one of the first to know!
What’s next for you after The Moldavian Gambit? Should eagle-eyed readers keep a look out for your sophomore novel sooner rather than later?
As I mentioned earlier, my career has provided plenty of raw material for at least one more geopolitical thriller. And in fact, I’ve started to develop a second novel, not a sequel, but another ‘Gambit’. Without revealing the story, I’ll just say it takes place more recently and features locations, technology, and a plot line that I hope future readers will find as authentic as The Moldavian Gambit.
Any final thoughts you might like to share with readers about your masterful first novel The Moldavian Gambit?
I don’t want to provide a spoiler alert for those who haven’t yet read the book, but having the story tie in to present-day events is meant as a warning. A novel is a more accessible way to write about national security and geopolitical threats, like the theft of a nuclear weapon by terrorists, or how a disinformation campaign can bring the world to the brink of a nuclear catastrophe. But mainly, of course, it’s meant to be entertaining!
My website, www.bradmeslin.com, has more info on me and the book. And if your readers enjoy The Moldavian Gambit, please drop a review on Amazon!
Conni Miu
We’re delighted to have acclaimed actress Conni Miu with us today— welcome to Vents Magazine! To kick things off, how has the New Year been treating you so far?
Amazing! I’m so lucky, I’ve gotten to travel to two amazing cities, London and Los Angeles, and I’ve been having the best time. Hope the New Year has been bringing great moments for everyone else as well!
Congratulations on your fantastic performance in Doc! For those who may not be familiar, can you share what the series is about and how your character, Nurse Liz Kwon, fits into the story?
I appreciate you saying that! DOC is a new medical drama about Dr. Amy Larsen, who suffers a brain injury and loses 8 years of her memory after getting into a terrible car accident. This season has been about her rebuilding her life and career, and rediscovering who she is. As Dr. Amy recovers, Nurse Liz is there to support, but also plays a major part in the storyline, as she holds some information that Amy needs from the past.
When you first read the script for Doc, did you immediately know this was a project you wanted to be part of? What drew you to the role?
I’ve always wanted to do a medical drama, so absolutely yes! I love learning and the medical field was something I was eager to have an excuse to explore. Also, I was so charmed by the way Liz was written - I loved her! I was really crossing my fingers when I sent my audition in.
You’re working alongside an incredible ensemble cast, including Molly Parker, Omar Metwally, Amirah Vann, JonMichael Ecker, and Scott Wolf. What has it been like collaborating with them, and how has it shaped your experience on the show?
It was a pleasure to work alongside these pros! I learned a lot from them, through observation, but also in scenes. They are very inspiring actors! In episode 8 especially, I got to work closely with Jon Ecker, and had one of my favourite shooting days of the season. He’s got great energy, and he made a long day into a really fun day.
Doc is also helmed by some fantastic directors, including Rebecca Thomas. What has your experience been like
working with Rebecca and the other directors? Do you find them to be particularly actor-focused in their approach?
Rebecca was an amazing first director to have. I was incredibly nervous the first couple days of set, but she made me feel so comfortable and welcomed to the team. Also big shout out to Michael Goi, who shot our season finale! When he gives you a direction, it’s so clear and visceral, he knows exactly how to communicate and put you right into the emotion of that scene. With him, acting and directing feel like a contact sport.
Congratulations on Doc getting renewed for a second season! Are you excited to return as Liz Kwon? What aspects of her story would you love to explore further?
So excited! Personally, I would love to see Liz fall in love! As evidenced by our episode 8, life is a rom com in Liz’s world and we are all just living in it. She clearly loves love, and I would love to see her have a moment of love herself.
We hear you have an exciting film project coming up—Lucky Star! Can you tell us a little about the film and your role in it?
Lucky Star is a grounded, family drama about Lucky who falls back into his old gambling habits to make ends meet. I play Grace, his daughter, and as Lucky struggles with his addiction, Grace is challenged with her own moral dilemmas. She will have to face balancing her ambitions with helping out her dad and family.
Your first credited role was in the 2017 short film Hunger. Looking back, what stands out to you about that experience?
Without question, it would be the very uncomfortable scene where my character is upset and eats her own “heart”. In reality, this was actually a real lamb’s heart that was boiled in rosemary and covered in a red, sticky sweet syrup. Worst combo ever! I will say the acting challenge of getting to the emotional place of someone who is distraught enough to metaphorically and literally eat their own “heart” was very fun!
Final fun question: Do you have a favorite movie about the film industry? (The Player, Swimming With Sharks, Living In Oblivion, or Ed Wood—or maybe something else entirely?)
I think for me it’s gotta be La La Land! Thank you for the questions!
Photo Credit : Vita Cooper
Writer-Director
Jonathan L. Bowen Hits a Homerun with Witty, Incisive and Heartfelt New Motion Picture “The
Comic Shop”
By Ryan Vandergriff
Sophomore film efforts can sometimes feel too studied, with a sense of too much preoccupation –or is that anxiety? - from the encoring filmmakers that they’ve actually been invited back to the game to repeat that freak lightning in a bottle moment which was their inaugural movie work. No pressure, right? Veteran filmmaker Kevin Smith may be the best example of a director who was rightly lauded for his first work – the raucous and messy 1994 blue collar masterpiece, Clerks – only to return for second helpings with the nigh universally panned Mallrats. Though time has been more than kind and forgiving to what was at first blush considered artistic hara-kiri, it took Smith manya-moon to shake the stigma of that second film jinx. Fortunately, journeyman writer and director Jonathan L. Bowen has managed to successfully avoid the mistakes visited upon second-time directors with his latest cinematic masterpiece The Comic Shop, a virtual Master Class on how to properly put on a follow-up sophomore movie.
Following the existential angst of comic shop owner Mike (Jesse Metcalfe in a drop-the-mic performance) as he struggles to keep his head above water in the crazy games known as life and comic book stores, The Comic Shop veers into exciting and heartfelt waters as it mulls within its one hour and thirty-nine-minute runtime both the themes of friendship and protecting those things which are closest to our secret hearts; oh, and there’s comic books, too!
Vents Magazine was fortunate to sit down recently with acclaimed filmmaker Jonathan L. Bowen and chew the four colored fat with him regarding one of the very best movies you’re likely to see this or any year, The Comic Shop!
Vents: Greetings and salutations Jonathan and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we snorkel through the Action Comics-fettered waters and talk about your second feature indie film The Comic Shop, how is 2025 finding you and yours?
Jonathan L. Bowen: We’re doing good; thanks for taking time to talk with me about something which is very near and dear to me!
Vents Magazine: Thank you for taking the time to make such a great movie! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about what inspired this gem of a movie?
Jonathan L. Bowen: Coming off my first film, The Comic Shop was deeply personal story which I was excited to share with audiences. When I was a kid, comics were a real important thing in my life, and I have such warm memories of going at least once about every week or so to a comic shop. It was from such a personal childhood memory that the story came to me for the film. I became quite close with the owner of one of those shops who served as the basis for the Mike character in the film. And part of that relationship was in me noticing that, as the years went on, he would spend more and more time at a nearby bar, leaving the shop to be run by his workers while he was out tying one on. His behavior to me when I was a kid was a mystery. How could anyone who worked in as cool and awesome of a place as a comic book shop not want to be there every single waking moment, right? At any rate, he eventually wound up working with the Post Office and I was off to the races and running with my template for the shop owner in my film, Mike. It just fascinated me as I grew older the notion of a man who was not living his best life and was sort of stuck in this shop as life passed him by from his store window.
Vents: They always say that a writer should write what they know. In a deeper sense other than basing the character of Mike off an actual comic store proprietor, were there elements of Mike which you saw in yourself?
Jonathan L. Bowen: I feel that, more than anything, Mike represented to me not just a memory of being young and reading comics, but also almost as a cautionary. And, of course, I used some of my own struggles in life to inform not just the character of Mike, but also that of the other lead character, Brandon. But yeah, getting back to your point, there were parts of what ultimately became Mike which I felt as if I had gone through myself. For example, I have a corporate video production company called JLB Media Productions which has engaged in a whole lot of very successful shoots for marketing and senior living videos. We’re the best at what we do, but I’ve never fully intended as a dream to do this very important line of work. I always dreamed of exclusively shooting my own movies. And more than anything, The Comic Shop was my declaration that this is still very much my dream and what I love doing with all my heart. Ten years removed from my first movie Amy Alyson Fans, I’m happy to be back with something which I feel equally as passionate about!
Vents Magazine: So if parts of you are Mike, does Brandon represent in some ways a younger and more idealistic version of yourself in The Comic Shop?
Jonathan L. Bowen: Oh yeah, absolutely. Obviously, I’ve more than fictionalized a lot of the details. For example, my father was never not supportive of my loves and passions and what I wanted to do with my life, even going as far as taking the time to sit down and listen to me and give me some invaluable pointers which I’ve turned around and used very successfully in my life. However, with film a lot of times a shorthand is needed to get to the heart of a matter with a limited amount of screen time. So in The Comic Shop, Brandon’s dad is a little more of the traditional school of movie fathers who disapprove of what their sons are eyeing for their future.
Vents Magazine: Growing up, you said comic books were an important part of your life. Can you give us an example?
Jonathan L. Bowen: One of my favorite memories as a kid growing up had to do with the phenomenal artist Todd McFarlane. I was a huge fan of his artwork, and my parents actually got to meet the man while looking at houses. One of my biggest regrets that I still look back on was that I wasn’t with them at the time. They really had no clue who Todd was or what he did until I clued them in. From that unwitting visit from my parents to one of the biggest comic book artists in the galaxy, I scored a handful of autographed Spawn comics which were my pride and joys!
Vents: Watching The Comic Shop, one gets the real sense of love and affection you have for the comic book medium, but the shop also feels incidental, as if Mike could just as easily have had his bouts of self-doubt just as easily in a record shop or even a car dealership; the comic books, in that sense, are mere bright and shiny stepping stones to the actual plot of the film, which is Mike and Brandon and figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Would that be a fair assessment?
Jonathan L. Bowen: Yes, totally. I loved comics as a kid, and I still really enjoy them. However, the fact of the matter is that regardless of which profession you land in, you’re always going to see that cocktail of reality meeting the fantasy. I like the fact that the film takes place in a comic book store, yet comics are incidental to what’s going on inside of Mike.
That said, I’m also proud of the addition of comic books into our story. It makes it more personal for me and it also allowed me the opportunity to work with some of the people in the independent sector of comics who I know and am friends with such as Mike Richardson who founded Dark Horse Comics.
Vents: Speaking of Mike and Dark Horse, The Comic Shop doesn’t feel beholden to ‘The Big Two’, i.e. Marvel and D.C. Was this a deliberate choice on your part, to steer away from the companies such as DC and Marvel which always get the publicity and, instead, focus more on the independent scene?
Jonathan L. Bowen: As a kid, I was a Marvel nerd. And then McFarlane and Leifeld and all of those guys jumped ship to found Image, and I went right along with them. That really led me to try different and off-brand titles which the other two big guys weren’t offering at all. And you know, that’s probably fed into my tastes for independent cinema versus big budget Hollywood blockbuster movies. There’s nothing wrong with those sorts of movies, but if I want a three-course meal I’m only going to find that in the world of indie films, nine times out of ten.
Vents Magazine: The Comic Shop features such an amazing ensemble of actors, led by the ever-amazing Jesse Metcalfe and Micah Giovanni. What was it like for you to be at the helm of such a good and solid cast?
Jonathan L. Bowen: When I got the call that we had landed Jesse for the role of Mike, I was already a huge fan of his. Once he was officially on board, I did my due diligence and just attempted to watch anything I could that he had been in up to that point. And there was a lot, and he was always amazing. So I get very excited about his contributions to the movie, because he is such a consummate pro.
For Brandon, I had some real anxiety about who could possibly play this role. Because in the wrong hands, it can be a tricky part. So it was important to me that we cast more of an unknown into that part, someone who could show up on screen and for whom viewers would not have any expectations of, good or bad. Luckily, I have an amazing casting director by the name of Cynthia Huffman who found Micah. And even more fortunately for all concerned, both Jesse and Micah had incredible chemistry. This film lives or dies on whether you believe in these two guys.
Vents: You also landed the brilliant acting of none other than the legendary Oscar-nominated Eric Roberts. What was it like working with Eric on The Comic Shop, as well as another surprise guest-star actor Scott Thompson who might best be known by his far-famed nom de plume of ‘Carrot Top’?
Jonathan L. Bowen: What can I say? Doing this film with Eric and Scotty was easily one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in making film. A lot of people don’t realize that Eric is a very funny person with an offbeat sense of humor. And of course, so is Scotty, whose scene-stealing bit was all improvised and totally on page with what I had been imagining for the role.
Vents: Final – SILLY! - Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies – The Player, Barton Fink, Hollywood Shuffle or Living in Oblivion?
Jonathan L. Bowen: Hands-down, Altman’s The Player.
Jonathan L. Bowen’s The Comic Shop will premiere via digital on April 11!
Acclaimed Filmmaker José María Cabral Tackles Fertile Dominican La 42 in New Documentary “42nd Street” Host of the Month
It’s not every day that you get to speak with a legend. And for many folks who have come to admire director, writer and producer José María Cabral, this Dominican Republic visionary is a legend, and so much more. Hitting the ground running at the age of 16 with his first attempts at making short films, it wasn’t long until the rest of the world woke up and began to take notice of his talents. Channeling his energies, Cabral electrified everyone around the world with his 2008 effort Excexos which garnered him a national distribution deal; the budding auteur was barely out of his teens at the time. Seven feature films later, Cabral is still jolting audiences both in his native Santo Domingo and throughout the world with such passion project and audience favorites as Jaque Mate,
Perejil, Arrobá, Detective Willy, and Carpinteros (the latter which saw him make history as the first Dominican filmmaker at the vaunted Sundance Film Festival). Adept at weaving both a compelling fictional narrative and just as at home in the world of documentaries, Cabral is one of our very finest living directors.
Cabral’s newest documentary offering La 42 – or 42nd Street - finds him smack dab in the middle of La 42, or 42nd Street, in the city of Santo Domingo, his once and forever stomping grounds in the Dominican Republic. Over the years, 42nd Street has cultivated a legend and a legacy all its own as being a hot spot for artistic expression as well as a desperate and dangerous place which draws some of
the most creative and unique individuals in that part of the world; art and survival walk hand-in-hand on La 42. Now, through Cabral’s efforts, audiences will have the opportunity to get to know some of the very colorful dancers and artists who make that stretch of street their own.
Check out the official trailer for 42nd Street right here.
On the eve of the debut of his new documentary 42nd Street at this year’s SXSW in Austin, Texas, the award-winning Cabral took some time out of a busy schedule to speak with Vents Magazine.
Vents: We’re very honored to have some time today with acclaimed filmmaker José María Cabral who is poised to debut his feature documentary 42nd Street at SXSX 2025; welcome to Vents Magazine José and congratulations on your eagerly awaited documentary 42nd Street! Starting at the very top, can you talk about what inspired you to choose the amazing 42nd Street as your latest project?
José María Cabral: For me it comes down to the research, first and foremost. Knowing the facts and the truth of a place is essential for any film or documentary. But that same research can only take you so far. At some point, you need to experience the sights and smells and sensations which give any place its local flavor and personality. So, for this new film I finally packed my suitcases and went to 42nd Street so that I could have the experience of the day-to-day living. It was critical that I could experience the highs and the lows of the area such as sunrises, the love and care which so many people there put towards their music and art, and then reconcile all of that with the other side which are bursts of violence, parties which brings out a heavy police presence and gunfights. I wanted to turn an eye on all of this, with a real underlining of what makes this place as unique and special.
Vents: Was that especially important for you with 42nd Street, to give a voice to the creatives and dreamers of the area who are sometimes overshadowed because of some of the more dangerous people who also reside there?
José María Cabral: Yes. There is something undeniably beautiful and special about this
location. It can be a trying and difficult life there and yet it’s incredibly beautiful to witness these artists using their unique talents and skills to battle such a hostile environment. And it’s not easy for them to do so a lot of the time. Every day they are out there fighting against a system which ignores their voices, using the tools of their art and their community. All of this I could see with my eyes, and it fueled and inspired me as I was making this film. And listen, yes, there are problems there and troubles and crime such as drug trafficking. What I’m attempting to do is say that this is not all there is to La 42. There are multiple realities at play and there are many people there who are good, who are on a correct and creative path.
Vents: To what end, ultimately did you want to make this documentary?
José María Cabral: To inspire not just me, but also because it was important for me that audiences who see this movie are also moved and inspired. I want them to experience viscerally that authenticity of these noble people as they went about the business of living their lives. Through that, hopefully there will be new understanding.
Vents: You spoke earlier about the many, many good people who can be found on 42nd Street. Was this also motivation to bring to the world the story of this street?
José María Cabral: Yes, absolutely. I wanted to introduce audiences to a face to the many faceless of La 42. These are people just like you or me who spend their waking lives in a very dangerous environment. The beauty and miracle of their collective stories is that, despite the obstacles, they have a resolute will to carry on with creating their art. That they do this without any real structure or vast amounts of money is a part of the story, and part of the hope and beauty of La 42.
Vents: What does it mean for you as one of the most important filmmakers to emerge from the Dominican Republic to have 42nd Street make its world premiere at such a distinguished venue as SXSW?
José María Cabral: It’s an honor to have the film begin its life in the eyes of the public in Austin, Texas at SXSW, just as it was a distinct pleasure to receive such a wonderful welcome from the Sundance Film Festival for Carpinteros. As filmmakers, we work tirelessly to put our work in front of as many people as we possibly can; SXSW 2025 is an amazing example of that very thing.
By Ryan Vandergriff
JOSÉ MARÍA CABRAL’S “42ND STREET” TAKES VIEWERS ON A HARROWING AND MESMERIZING RIDE
By Ryan Vandergriff
There are few filmmakers on the scene today who consistently operate on the substantive and eye-opening level as Dominican Republic director, writer and producer José María Cabral. Right out of the gate in his career he wowed audiences the world over with his inimitable voice, successfully straddling the worlds of both traditional narrative film structure (2017’s Woodpeckers) alongside his forays into the world of documentary (Tumba y quema). Cabral has an ear for great dialogue in his films, whether natural or scripted, and his eye is unerring and unflinching in conveying both the beauty and the tumult of everyday living. Is it any wonder that he’s garnered such an ardent fanbase among discerning cinephiles who like a little substance to their filmgoing experiences?
Now José María Cabral is back once again with an original documentary entitled 42nd Street which is one-part celebration of the temerity and resilience of the human condition, and one-part unflinching descent into the rough and tumble landscape of La 42. This worldrenowned stretch of street (spawning grounds of the absolutely unforgettable musical stylings of Dominican dembow) has given to the world-at-large a swath
of eclectic characters which includes, but is not limited to, musicians, poets, dancers, colorful miscreants and lowlifes, and dreamers. It’s an artistic world on the edge of ferment where gunfire and questionable police tactics exists side-by-side with a counterculture intent on showcasing the beauty which can only spring forth from such seemingly disparate ideologies. And, in the hands of a master storyteller such as Cabral, it’s all revealed to be connected in such an intricate manner that it borders on poetry. This is one auteur whose world vision is wide enough to capture the details and intricacies which, in lesser hands, might be all but lost.
In its one-hour and thirty-one-minute runtime, 42nd Street introduces viewers to generations of artists of all stripes, all existing side-by-side, as they attempt to pluck beauty from the veritable stifling air of this stretch of street and put it under glass to preserve it for all time. Some succeed in this endeavor, while others frustratingly do not. However, that’s not the point of the matter. In Cabral’s firm and steady hands, we realize as we watch 42nd Street and become something of honorary citizens of that iconic and confusing street, that
it’s all about the attempt rather than the actual end-results.
No review of 42nd Street could be complete without singing the praises not just of Cabral, but also that of his longtime collaborator, cinematographer Hernan Herrera. Herrera’s stunning capture of the great and beating heart of La 42 is breathtaking in its intimate scope. We see, we hear, we feel the experience of walking those well-traversed grounds.
Sans booking passage to 42nd Street itself, this is as close as viewers can possibly come to fully realizing and understanding this ofttimes misrepresented locale.
With 42nd Street, José María Cabral has once again proven why he’s working at the very top of his creative game and why he is also one of the most empathetic directors to ever have graced the world of filmmaking.
Braden Bales
We’re very excited to be speaking today with acclaimed Capitol Records singer and songwriter Braden Bales; greetings and salutations Braden and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we meander down the Q&A music pathway, how is the New Year treating you and yours?
The new year is treating me and mine well! I’m still new to LA so I’ve been acclimating nicely and fully establishing myself in the scene here in this new year.
Major kudos and accolades on your freshly-minted new single I Don’t (But I Do) which is lighting up record charts and hearts of music aficionados all around the everlovin’ globe! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about what inspired this gem of a ditty?
Thank you! This song was inspired by the act of processing a relationship of mine that ended. I was visiting my family back in Canada and was taking a hard look at my past. I wasn’t in a great mental state at the time and I grouped my failed romantic relationship in with the rest of the failures in my personal life. I felt like I was the common denominator in all of these failures and since my ex was everything I had been looking for, it was really hard to reconcile that loss.
As an artist who is known for his skills in the producing booth, is it safe to assume that you did the producing honors on I Don’t (But I Do)? And, if so, what are the pros to serving as your own producer?
I did do most of the instrumental before bringing it in to clean up/finalize with Whakaio Taahi. I think the pros of producing your own song are that you can add more emotion into the song, and you’re free to take it wherever you want it to go. I find when I’m in the producer chair on my own music I’m more comfortable taking risks and trying new ideas i wouldn’t have otherwise out of respect for the producer’s time. I think producing my own music has added a lot of soul to it and gives it a certain emotional feel you can’t get from someone else.
How is I Don’t (But I Do) similar tonally to your freshman single, 2023’s Chronically Cautious? How is it different?
It’s similar because of the songwriting and the energy. Both songs are written about very specific pieces of my life that I was passionate about at the time, and are written as a way of me working through something in the studio. I think they’re different because the sound choices I’m more drawn to these days are more natural and organic compared to my taste in 2023. I think I DON’T (BUT I DO) is a song that is a couple steps past CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS in the journey of my songwriting path and taste evolution.
Word ‘round industry campfire has it that the new single I Don’t (But I Do) is meant to the inaugural track off your eagerly-anticipated and upcoming EP; congrats! Can you give readers and fans alike a hint or three as to what they can expect and look forward to with the new EP?
Absolutely! This EP is called 5 STAGES OF GRIEF (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). Each song on the ep captures a different stage of grief that I went through while grieving my past relationship and the person I lost. I DON’T (BUT I DO) is track #2 and it deals with my anger about the situation (most of which being pointed at myself). What they can expect are more songs that guided me through the journey of my heartbreak. They can also expect the rest of the songs on this EP to be in the same
sonic world as I DON’T (BUT I DO), in the way that the sound selection is very organic and natural.
What does your touring/performing dance card look like in the wake of the February 14th release of the new single I Don’t (But I Do)?
I’m setting out on my first headline tour in March! I’ll be playing 5 shows across the US and playing through the whole EP a little bit early to give the folks a taste for what’s to come.
Who are some of the chief folks both in and out of the world of music who have inspired you?
In music my biggest inspirations have been Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler, Brakence, Passenger, Ed Sheeran, Bon Iver, and xxxtentacion. I really look up to artists who I feel like are creatively free and unafraid to push the boundaries in terms of their sound. Outside of music my biggest inspiration has been my Dad. Seeing his work ethic over the years and how he balances the complexities of his life has always inspired me to find more in the gas tank. His intentionality about what his priorities are on professional, personal, and moral levels has shown me the importance of setting goals and having the discipline to stay on the course I’ve set for myself.
With the new single now out and about and the EP very much on the horizon, can fans look forward to a possible LP release from you before the end of ‘25?
That isn’t in the cards right now but I will say anything is possible. Depending on how the rollout of this EP goes and what the tour ends up looking like it could be time for an album or it could be time to make another EP. I’m not really sure yet and am taking it one step at a time.
You were born in the beautiful country of Canada and now hang your fedora in the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California. How do those seemingly disparate roots inform you as both an artist and as a person?
I think a wide range of life experience helps to make art in kind of an inexplicable way. I think the more I experience, the more I have to write about and the same goes for gaining wisdom as a person. I do feel like between going from Toronto, to Nashville, to LA and going from being independent, to Geffen Records to now Capitol Records I’ve gained a lot of life experience. I’m not really sure how that affects my art but I think it’s seasoned me a little bit and given me a perspective that is more mature than it would have been if I had stayed in my parents’ house in Toronto
Any final thoughts you might like to share with fans and readers regarding your incredible new single I Don’t (But I Do)?
This song is less of a direct story about what happened in my breakup and is more of a journey through the act of processing it. I want to urge my listeners to view the song as a snapshot of my mind in a moment where it wasn’t well and learn from it. It’s my goal to put my flaws, mistakes and tribulations out in the open for others to see and use it to find peace and understanding in their own struggles.
Aspen Martinez
Photo Credit : Audrey Derell
We’re very happy to have some time today with acclaimed young actress Aspen Martinez; welcome to Vents Magazine Aspen and thank you for the time you’re giving us today! Before we get too far down the interview pathway, how is the New Year treating you and your family so far?
Thank you so much for having me, I’m very grateful for the opportunity. 2025 is going great! It’s off to an exciting start and I have more fun things coming up that I’m looking forward to.
Major congratulations on all the exciting work which you have coming up! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about your big screen debut in the A24 Sundance smash Opus which is set to premiere on March 14, 2025? What is the story about and how does your character of Maude figure into the proceedings?
Thank you! First, I have to say this was so much fun to be a part of. I really enjoyed my character, the cast, being on set, everything! The story is about a writer that is invited to a famous pop star’s compound. The writer finds herself in the middle of a cult and weird things start to happen. My character is Maude, she lives on the compound. She befriends the writer and is very cute and sweet. Maude is also manipulative and surprising.
In real life, how are you similar to your character of Maude in Opus? How are you different?
Well, Maude is cute and sweet, and I think I can be cute and sweet too. I wouldn’t say I’m manipulative. I will admit I like a good prank. For example, I enjoy hiding around a corner and jumping out at my older sister or placing a soda can under my mom’s tire.
What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside such amazing actors as John Malkovich and Ayo Edebiri in Opus?
They are both amazing and I loved working with them. They really had my back and helped me with different things on set. Ayo gave me some great advice on memorizing lines. I learned a lot from them, and I am grateful for the experience.
Speaking of collaborations, what was it like collaborating with Opus director Mark Anthony Green? Is he what some actors might call ‘an actor’s director’?
Mark Anthony is just awesome! He is supportive, encouraging, and fun. There was one scene where he decided in the moment to add some lines to my character. I’m thinking wow this is great, and I need to learn these lines quickly. Ayo
ran the lines with me and a while later we got the scene. Mark Anthony, and the entire team were clapping. I was proud, and I will never forget that moment, or those lines. I really hope to work with him again.
Along with the March 14 premiere of the major motion picture Opus, you also make a triumphant return to the small screen for the AMC drama Dark Winds; congrats! For anyone not in the know, can you explain what Dark Winds is about? And can you introduce the character you play in the series, Carmelita? What is her backstory in the show?
Thank you. Dark Winds takes place in 1970’s. It’s about Navajo Tribal Police solving crimes and mysteries. My character is Carmelita. Carmelita and her family are in the middle of a bad situation and the police officers investigate it.
You have a couple of other extremely intriguing-sounding productions in the works: A Monkey for Christmas and Night of the Starlings; kudos and accolades! What are these two new films about?
That’s a great question. A Monkey for Christmas is about a boy who gets adopted and struggles to fit in. When his Christmas gift of a puppy gets swapped in the mail with a monkey, he and his new siblings must work together to save the monkey from animal traffickers.
Night of the Starlings is about a teenage girl who is dealing with her own issues and trying to save a young mother and baby. It ties into a ghost story I’ve grown up with- the famous story of La Llarona. This was a special project for me because my sister and I play sisters in the film, and we got to work together for the first time on set.
Your first credited onscreen work comes in the form of a 2022 episode of Big Sky! Any special memories of that freshman production?
Yes, I was 9 when I played Madelynn in Big Sky. This was a fun project for me because I got to do something I enjoy which is acting in a very emotional scene. My character was scared and crying, and I like performing these emotional moments.
Also, Jensen Ackles is one of the nicest people I’ve met. He helped me with cues, and I had fun talking with him.
What do you like the most about acting? What do you like the least?
I like the stories and becoming the character. My favorite things are emotional scenes and comedy. For what I like the
least, I’d have to say memorizing lines. Once I have them memorized the fun begins.
Word ‘round industry campfire has it that, when not knocking us all out with your out-of-this-world acting, you can more than like be found tending to and riding horses! Can you talk about this other passion you have for animals? And is working with animals something which you might like to do more of in the future?
Yes, that’s right! I absolutely love riding horses. I’ve grown up ranching and spend a lot of time outdoors tending to my animals. My family has not only horses but also cattle, chickens, dogs, and cats. I also go to a summer camp every year where I work with young service dogs. I love working with and having animals. Animals will always be a big part of my life
L. Eskaye
We’re very happy to have some time today with Canadian Pop singer and songwriter L. Eskaye; greetings and salutations L. and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we dive into the Q&A mosh-pit, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
Honestly, 2025 has been fantastic—I’ve been laser-focused on my release and manifesting all the good vibes. No complaints, just excited for what’s ahead (fingers crossed)!
Major kudos and accolades on your freshlyminted new single “Gucci Body” which is set to light up record charts around the ever-lovin’ globe when it premieres this March 14! Starting at the tip-top, could you talk about what inspired you to write this hypnotic and altogether very beautiful ditty?
I wanted to create a song that makes you feel amazing, no matter where you are on your journey. Here, “Gucci” isn’t about luxury—it’s a mindset, a reminder to know your worth, carry yourself with confidence, and put in the work to be your best self. I’ve experienced moments of self-doubt, and I know many struggle with self-worth. Listening to Sexy by Rae Sremmurd and Rude Girl by Bantu, both of which radiate unstoppable confidence, inspired me to capture that energy. Both songs mention Luxury brands and I wanted to step away from the luxury part defining our worth but illustrating giving yourself the absolute best. “Gucci Body” is an anthem for empowerment: it’s about walking with your head held high and stepping into your main character moment.
The rightly lauded Deep Jandu did the producing honours on “Gucci Body”. What did that collaboration look like between artist and producer while in-studio fashioning and shaping the new single?
I’ve always been drawn to music that makes you move but also makes you feel something. With “Gucci Body”, I envisioned a track that’s high-energy, sexy, and effortlessly cool—a pop vibe layered over a deep hip-hop beat. Deep Jandu completely brought that vision to life. He understood exactly what I was aiming for, adding signature touches like a crisp clap before the chorus and an intro piano that really made the song come alive. His production gives the track an infectious energy that has you hyped even before the lyrics kick in. I wanted it to be a song that lingers in your head long after you’ve heard it!
In your humble opinion, what differentiates “Gucci Body” from the distinguished competition on the 2025 music scene?
I don’t really compare art, but as a new artist, it’s important to carve out my own space. Growing up, I was immersed in everything from dancehall and soca to pop and dance music. That eclectic mix taught me never to feel boxed in by one genre—my sound is a true reflection of that vibrant tapestry. I believe “Gucci Body” stands out because it’s an unapologetic, empowering anthem with a unique blend of influences and a vibe that’s distinctly me.
In the wake of the March 14 release of your super-cool new single “Gucci Body”, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit?
Not just yet, but that’s definitely in the works. I have two more singles lined up later this year, and then I’m planning on dropping an EP—or maybe even an album, depending on how things evolve. I’ve got plenty of music written, enough for multiple albums, so I’m just riding this wave and seeing where it takes me. Touring is definitely on my radar as I continue to grow.
With the new single set to dazzle audiences beginning this March 14, should music aficionados keep eyes and ears on the lookout for even more amazing music from you in ‘25?
Absolutely! “Gucci Body” is just the beginning—it’s the perfect launchpad for my career, embodying empowerment, self-love, and confidence. My second single, Down, is a love song with a sexier, more chilled vibe and smooth R&B influences. I can’t wait to share that side of my music with you all.
Who are some of the major influences on you and your music both in and out of the world of music?
Hands down my biggest influence in life is my dad. He’s always been this calming, fun, and non-judgmental presence—a real-life teddy bear who taught me about unconditional love and self-respect. When it comes to music, I draw inspiration from an eclectic mix of artists—Aaliyah, Monica, Brandy, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, SZA, and J. Cole. Each one has helped shape my sound in unique ways.
How do your rich Canadian roots inform your unique and indelible music stylings? Does your cultural heritage have a hand in some of the music which you create?
While I’m proudly Canadian—born and raised in Malvern, a suburb of Toronto, with both of my parents hailing from Guyana—my music isn’t directly driven by any particular culture. Instead, my sound is shaped by personal experiences and the diverse music I grew up with, some of which is Caribbean. I aim to create songs that resonate on a universal level, celebrating self-love, empowerment, and confidence. Toronto’s vibrant music scene has played a huge role in shaping my musical tastes.
Though we described your music at the top as being of the pop genre, we can also hear sweet refrains of R&B, too! Have you given any thought to one day cutting a strictly R&B album?
I have quite a few R&B songs, but I’m not sure I’d ever do a strictly R&B album—unless I collaborated with some incredible artists from that genre. My music is influenced by many styles, but at its core, it’s pop, and I kind of love that I’m not limited by one sound.
At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-listen to your infectious new single “Gucci Body”?
I hope that when listeners finish “Gucci Body”, they feel empowered and uplifted—a reminder that they’re worth celebrating and capable of owning their moment. I want the song to be a boost of confidence, an anthem that makes you stand tall and feel unstoppable.
@leskayemusic
www.leskayemusic.com
SEX-O-RAMA
We’re super-excited to have some time today with the two acclaimed maestros of Porn-Funk band extraordinaire, Sex-O-Rama; greetings and salutations you two and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we dive into the Q&A mosh-pit, could you both say ‘hi’ and introduce yourselves and the other talented Euripides of music who make up the sights and sounds of Sex-O-Rama?
Adam: Hello, this is Adam a.k.a. Fingers. Or is Fingers a.k.a. Adam? Who really knows?
Carvin: Hi, this is Carvin. Since we all work in character when we record Sex-O-Rama jams, I’m just going to be myself for this one to avoid confusing myself.
Major kudos and accolades on the brand-spankin’ new Sex-O-Rama double album Invaders from the Pleasure Planet which officially dropped on March 7! Carvin, can you talk about what inspired this raw frenzy of 1980’s vinyl decadence which is lighting up record charts across the ever-lovin’ world?
Carvin: Over the years, we had done a few 80s style tracks but most of ‘em never got released. Then I kept hearing remixes of ‘80s jams and how much love people have for them. There was something fresh and fun about 80s music. The sense of exploration was in everything. So I began to wonder “how would Sex-O-Rama have reacted to living in the 1980s?” The whole band was immediately down for a new time-travel destination.
Adam, we’re absolutely wild about the jam Virtual Reality Vixens which can be found front-and-center on the new Invaders from the Pleasure Planet double LP! What’s the VH1-Behind the Music origin story on this rockin’ track?
Adam: Well, I think the title is all you need to know to get what we’re “driving” at. But in full disclose, I didn’t play on that track. You’d do better to ask Carvin about it. I’m sure it has something to do with that V.R. headset he got for his birthday.
Carvin: Hey that thing is for educational purposes only! But if you really need to know, there was a crazy sci-fi fad in the late 80s of virtual reality, starting with the movie “Mindstorm.” The porno industry seized on the idea and there were dozens of adult films about virtual reality and dream research. So we wanted to write something that sounded like theme music from one of those.
Carvin, who handled the producing duties on the Invaders from the Pleasure Planet LP and what did the in-studio collaboration between band and producer look like while fashioning and shaping this double album masterpiece?
Carvin: Most of the time, I was driving the bus. But since we live in two different countries now, Adam handled all the Los Angeles sessions and I handled the New Zealand sessions. I had both of the sax players here in Auckland. And Haywood had come to New Zealand before COVID, so he got stuck here during the lockdowns.
During production we all stayed in character, so we only ever used our porn-names when talking to each other. The actual collaboration grew out of all those characters. Each musician’s mindset was that they weren’t playing the instruments themselves. They were playing the characters who played those instruments. So each performance was consciously channelling something outside of ourselves. It was very liberating! We didn’t have to be ourselves. We could be somebody else.
I suppose that means it was all about role-playing, so this project was even kinkier than we thought it was. Because of that role-playing, we used almost every performance that the guys played. As long as it was in character, it was right. And you can hear it in the recording. The characters all jump out at you, even though most of the music is instrumental. Or just mental.
Adam, with Invaders from the Pleasure Planet, Sex-O-Rama dutifully and beautifully pays homage to all that was awesome about the 1980’s! With that in mind, can fans expect to one day catch a followup LP that celebrates that kooky era known as the 1990’s?
Adam: I’d think Yes. But you never know. One of us may suffocate between a woman’s breasts someday.
Carvin, in your humble opinion, what differentiates Sex-O-Rama’s Invaders from the Pleasure Planet from the Distinguished Competition on the 2025 music landscape?
Carvin: I don’t know if there’s any real competition for what we do anymore but of the Porn-Funk bands that came after we started this, none of them has time-travelled to the 1980s before. This album could be the most authentically 80s sounding music that wasn’t made in the 80s, but I suppose the biggest difference between “Invaders From The Pleasure Planet” and all the other releases out there is that ours is the only one that encourages you to play it while having sex.
A question for the both of you: Who are the people both in and out of the world of music who have influenced and informed the sounds of Sex-ORama?
Adam: Certainly, the Hollywood hair bands of the 80’s. The sounds of debauchery, of the “grinding” overly distorted guitars. Also, the clear, chorusy guitars of Brit pop of the day. Think Andy Summers of The Police. Ya know, blokes like that.
Carvin: Add to that George Duke, Quincy Jones, Cameo, Whodini. And back in the day it was always Isaac Hayes and the funk giants of the 70s but once we moved into the 80s, it was an all-out binge on every 80s artist we could find.
Adam, in the wake of the March 7 release of the freshly-minted double LP Invaders from the Pleasure Planet, can fans look forward to catching Sex-ORama on the touring/performing circuit?
Adam: Absolutely not! There’s no amount of drugs and prostitutes in the world that could quench our desires. Besides, mothers would never let their daughters go the show. And that’s really the point, innit?
Carvin, at the end of the day what do you hope music aficionados walk away with after giving Invaders from the Pleasure Planet many-a-spin on their trusty turntables?
Carvin: We want people to carry around some of the rhythm of sex. I think that’s the thing we kept finding in those original scores for Adult Films. There was a particularly suggestive rhythm that you instinctively know comes from gettin’ it on. I want you to dance to it, then try it out with someone you love.
Final – SILLY! - Question (for the both of you): Favorite 1980’s movie about the music scene – Sid and Nancy, This Is Spinal Tap, La Bamba or Sweet Dreams?
Adam: I often suffer imposters syndrome so, for me, it would be Spinal Tap.
Carvin: Absolutely Spinal Tap. They were a big rolemodel for Sex-O-Rama.
MikelParis
We’re super-excited to have some 2me today with acclaimed O.A.R. keyboardist, Stomp veteran, artist, live-streamer and filmmaker extraordinaire MikelParis; greetings and salutations and welcome to the ever-humble pages of Vents Magazine MikelParis! Before we dive into the Q&A mosh-pit, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
2025 has started off great! Music musicmusic. Been touring and playing shows with O.A.R. , recording and filming solo projects, and keeping healthy.
Major kudos and accolades on your freshly-minted fourth release GuitarDrumming 0I, which is set to light up record charts across the ever-lovin’ globe when it drops this March 28! Starting at the tip-top, could you talk about what inspired one of the best new releases of ’25? Thank you for the compliments! The GuitarDrumming(GD) project has been a long time coming.
I was looking through my back catalogue of songs that needed to be released into the world and I realized that many of the songs were grounded in the GD style. This lead to 3 albums worth of songs that feature this new sound and I can’t wait for everyone to hear and be inspired.
Can you introduce our ever-inquisitive readers to the phenomenal music ar2sts who contributed their indelible wares into making GuitarDrumming 0I a flesh and blood reality?
I am so thankful for the musician friends in my life. I’ve fully embraced having featured guests and collab songs on my releases and GD 0I has some great people. My Charlotte friends Of Good Nature collabed on Down2me and brought a fresh perspective on a song that has been with me since my Stomp days. For the song HitMe, I hit up G. Love who had just been on tour with O.A.R. He brought incredible energy and tone with his harmonica playing.
For the song Good 2 Go, I reached out to another long 2me musician friend Vernon Reid of Living Colour. This was 20 years in the making! G2G was another song that has been with me for quite some time and Vernon uplifted the track to heights I never imagined.
The new mini album GuitarDrumming 0I showcases your out-of-thisworld GuitarDrumming style of guitar picking! For the unini2ated out there, can you explain what differentiates this unique guitar playing from the Distinguished Competition?
GuitarDrumming is a style of playing the acoustic guitar I’ve been developing and honing for 20+ years. Messing around at home one night in Connecticut, I used devil sticks to drum across acoustic guitar strings, creating an intriguing sound; a sound I later refined in New York with inspiration attained as a cast member of STOMP. It was here that I realized that rhythm could be found everywhere, and anything could be used as an instrument. It’s also where I received encouragement to explore and discover my own unique sound. Blending the styles of drumming, bass, percussion, keys, and guitar into a rich tapestry of sound and rhythm, GuitarDrummingcreates a perfect synergy with my soulful vocals, honest lyrics, stomping techniques, and keys virtuoso.
We’re big admirers of the tune Grove which can be found front-andcenter on the new GuitarDrumming 0I release! What’s the VH1-Behind the Music origin story on this gem of a ditty?
Grove was one of the first songs I began experimenting with sounds, tones, and 2mbres that support and compliment the GD sound. I wanted to have the GD sound be as big and full as possible which led me to integrating my vocal percussion, stomping, and distorted mouth bone. The theme is about feeling despair and finding a place to go that brings happiness and relief from the everyday stress and pressures. For me, nature has always been one of those places. A grove in the middle of nowhere that feeds the soul.
You did the producing honors yourself on GuitarDrumming 0I; congrats! In your opinion, what are the pros to serving as your own producer?
Producing GD 0I was exci2ng and all consuming. I’ve been producing all of my albums and releases both out of necessity and keeping true to my vision. Musicians, song choices, recording sessions, mixing and mastering are all aspects that I’ve felt strongly about overseeing and bringing to fruition. I do hope to connect with a producer at some point who shares my vision.
In the wake of the March 28 release of GuitarDrumming 0I, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit? I am currently booking and routing solo shows for 2025. I’ve got a bunch of solo shows lined up (https://www.mikelparis.com/tour) and am looking to open for some of my artist friends. The world needs to see and hear GuitarDrumming in person and it’s my mission to share to the world.
Who are some of the key people both in and out of the world of music who have served as inspirations for your own music?
So many. I take inspiration from all things, everyday. I’ve been doing a deep dive into my favorite music and educa2ng myself about my influences. Here’s some musical influences. Prince. Peter Gabriel. Tear for Fears. James Brown. James Taylor. Talking Heads. DMB. O.A.R. Bobby McFerrin. Billy Joel. Elton John. Michael Jackson. Sting. The Police. Sly & the Family Stone. Smokey. Stomp. Star Wars. Lord of the Rings. Steven King.
Outside of the upcoming release of your eagerly-anticipatedGuitarDrumming 0I, what else do you have coming up?
GuitarDrumming 02 drops end of summer with singles starting late May. Lots of great collabs and features. Music videos. Lots of great shows with O.A.R., Of Good Nature, Simplified, and more.
At the end of the day, what do you hope listeners walk away with after giving many-a-listen to your beautiful new release GuitarDrumming 0I?
MY hope is to inspire listeners to pursue any and all dreams and ideas that come to mind. Pursue to fruition and believe in oneself as a creative. GD 0I is about the joy of exploration and presenting something new in an accessible format. I hope to inspire people to look at the world and this existence as something unique and special and to appreciate and embrace every moment and experience.
