Essential Tremors
A show in which musicians and other creators talk about the songs that shaped who they are. Produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner.
Episodes
Brian Harnetty
Columbus, OH-based composer Brian Harnetty describes himself as an “interdisciplinary artist using sound and listening to foster social change.” While the meaning of such a description may not be immediately apparent, Harnetty’s approach becomes clearer when reading through his CV: he frequently uses archival material such as field and historic recordings to create sound collages
Maria Chavez (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Although turntablist Maria Chavez’s work is often performed in contemporary art museums and other rarefied locations, she herself doesn’t come from a place of abstraction or the aloofness that’s sometimes associated with such venues. On paper a deeply experimental artist, her work comes from a place of pure emotion rather than an ideological stance, and embraces the possibilities
Sir Richard Bishop (Sun City Girls)
Over a career spanning almost five full decades, Sir Richard Bishop has carved out a lasting legacy for himself as a singular, prolific voice. In the early 1980’s he founded Sun City Girls with his brother, Alan, and subsequently released 50 full length albums, 20 hour-long cassettes and 12 7” records. He’s also a co-founder of the far-reaching Sublime Frequencies label. Hear how
Tom Skinner (The Smile, Sons of Kemet) (Live at Big Ears 2026)
In his work with Sons of Kemet, and then in The Smile with Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and as a sought after jazz and session drummer, Tom Skinner is very much a known quantity in music circles in the UK and internationally. Also a solo artist, his newest album, Kaleidoscopic Visions, was released by International Anthem in September 2025. Hear how songs by Ornette Coleman, Federico Mompo
Shahzad Ismaily (w/guest host Fred Frith) (Live at Big Ears 2026)
To try to list all the projects, both solo and group, that Shahzad Ismaily has been a part of would take much more time than we have available, even in this notoriously long-winded medium. Instead, it might be better to offer a small sampling of those with whom he’s collaborated (Sam Smith, Mike Doughty; Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Marc Ribot), and then offer the description of him as a bas
Kramer (Big Ears Festival performer)
For most of his career, Bonner Kramer has been known in underground music circles by only his surname, as his imprint has been deep and wide enough that only that sobriquet has been necessary. Starting in New York City in the late 70’s and into the 80’s, he was a member of several seminal bands of the era including New York Gong and Bongwater, and played in the Butthole Surfers, Ween,
Mary Lattimore (Big Ears Festival performer)
A harpist since childhood–as well as the daughter of one–Mary Lattimore’s choice of instrument reveals the simple beauty it contains, transcending the stereotype of it being strictly for use in classical music or as flourishes in movie soundtracks. Her ability to cut straight to the heart in her compositions works the same trick, not relying on the standard glissandos often emplo
Joe Boyd (Big Ears Festival participant)
Listing Joe Boyd’s most significant accomplishments as a producer, label owner, and music historian is a tall order. A short list of artists he’s worked with includes Nick Drake (heard here), Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, The Incredible String Band, R.E.M., Vashti Bunyan, Billy Bragg, and 10,000 Ma
Tara Clerkin Trio (Big Ears Festival performer)
Bristol, UK’s Tara Clerkin Trio first came to our attention last year when they received an invitation from the Big Ears Festival to play its 2025 edition, and, upon listening to their 2023 EP On the Turning Ground as a means of introduction, we were immediately smitten. Members Tara Clerkin, Pat Benjamin, and Sunny-Joe Paradiso have synthesized elements of minimalism, dub, and more traditio
The Beths
While to the casual observer it might seem as if New Zealand’s The Beths appeared seemingly out of nowhere in or around the summer of 2023, they’ve in fact been making their extremely catchy brand of indie pop for almost ten years now. The Auckland-based quartet’s most recent album, Straight Line is a Lie, was released last year by Anti-. We spoke to founding members Liz Stokes a
Lucrecia Dalt (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Colombia-born singer and musician Lucrecia Dalt began her musical career seemingly suddenly, at least when observed from a distance as a simple biographical factoid: as a civil engineer, she worked in a geotechnical company until giving it up to become a musician. While the exact details of that situation are likely considerably more nuanced, it nevertheless serves as a metaphor for her ambitious
Melvin Gibbs (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Bassist Melvin Gibbs has played on many seminal records you’re very familiar with, and likely many you aren’t, almost 200 in total. Some of his better-known work includes playing with drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, as well as Rollins Band, and Arto Lindsay. Although having played in stylistically varied projects, there is one constant among all them, which is
Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo)
Through his work in Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, Jeff Tweedy has played a significant role in the shaping of Americana and alternative rock since the early 90’s. The title of Uncle Tupelo’s highly influential first album, No Depression, both spawned a resurgence in music more widely described as “Americana,” as well as gave it its name. Later in his career, Tweedy and Wilco coll
Adrian Sherwood (Big Ears Festival performer)
Adrian Sherwood is known for his work as a producer, and while that term brings to mind those who simply put their often-subtle imprint on the recordings in which they’re involved, Sherwood’s approach is distinctive and heavily informed by the Dub music which he worked to distribute and to play as a DJ in London in the 1970’s. He has brought that sensibility primarily, but not ex
Brian Weitz (Geologist of Animal Collective)
Brian Weitz, better known as Geologist from Animal Collective, is, like the other members of that band, a voracious listener of music from a huge span of eras, cultures, and geographical locations. As can be heard in both his contributions to that band as well as his solo work, it’s all left a mark, particularly in his live performances on hurdy-gurdy, which has roots in music from multiple
Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna, Dean & Britta)
As a founding member and lead singer of Galaxie 500, it could be said Dean Wareham was present at the Big Bang of American indie/alternative/college rock in the 80’s. The band spawned both a large fanbase as well as a nascent movement that embraced the same sensibilities of atmospheric-yet-stripped down, heartfelt-but-self-aware, Velvet Underground-inspired music that shaped underground musi
Ian Lynch (Lankum) (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Born and bred in Dublin, Ireland, Ian Lynch is a founding member of traditional Irish cum modernist folk band Lankum. A passionate player and supporter–as well as a keen historian–of traditional Irish music, Lynch, along with his bandmates in Lankum, bring a passionate and renewed sense of spirit to the idiom with rousing performances in which they employ traditional instruments that s
Victoria Shen (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Victoria Shen (also known by her performance alias Evicshen) is a San Francisco–based sound artist, experimental music performer, and instrument-maker whose work blends tactile audioworks with visceral live performance. Her practice engages deeply with the physicality and spatiality of sound, often through custom-built electronics, analog modular synthesizers, and hybrid sculpture-instrument
Jenny Hval
A Norwegian musician, novelist, and interdisciplinary artist whose work defies easy categorization, Jenny Hval has built a reputation for music that blends experimental pop, spoken word, noise, and electronic textures—often paired with provocative lyrics exploring the politics of the body, gender identity, desire, and the intersection of art and intimacy. Her critically acclaimed solo albums
Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has built a rich solo sideline as a soundtrack composer and collaborator with other artists. In this episode, he discusses how pieces by Abdel Halim Hafez, Kraftwerk and Mohamed Abdel Wahab influenced his recent album with Kuwaiti-Israeli musician Dudu Tassa..See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
William Tyler (Live at Big Ears Festival 2025)
William Tyler is an American guitarist and composer known for his unique blend of fingerstyle guitar, ambient, and post-rock influences. Hailing from Nashville, Tyler's music weaves intricate, melodic soundscapes that are often both introspective and expansive. Critics have praised Tyler for his ability to evoke deep emotion through his instrumental work. Pitchfork described Goes West as "a stunni
Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
Keyboardist, songwriter, and founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Benmont Tench has been a cornerstone of one of the most beloved and commercially successful rock bands of the last four and a half decades. Known for his signature organ and piano work, Benmont has played on countless classic tracks not just with Petty, but also as a session musician for artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny
Haley Fohr (Circuit des Yeux)
Haley Fohr, who performs as Circuit des Yeux, is known for her hauntingly powerful voice and immersive, genre-defying sound. As Pitchfork put it, her voice is “a force of nature” that “pulses with raw emotion.” Her album -io, was hailed by The New York Times as “a deeply evocative exploration of loss, identity, and the self.” With a career marked by boundary-pus
Colin Greenwood (Radiohead, Nick Cave)
As a member of Radiohead since its inception over 30 years ago, Colin Greenwood’s contributions to the group, both through his bass playing and songwriting, have helped them reach ever-higher levels of artistic and commercial prominence. A soulful, clever, and inventive bass player, his parts are always noticeable due to being highly composed and carefully considered, but never intrude on th
Darius Jones
Critically-acclaimed composer and saxophonist Darius Jones’s playing has been described using adjectives such as “fearless,” “riveting” and “breath-taking” from publications ranging from Pitchfork, to The Wire, to the New York Times, and has received superlatives from many other publications, as well. Currently an Assistant Professor of Music at Wesleyan U
Ikue Mori (Big Ears Festival performer)
Japanese musician and composer Ikue Mori is widely known for her innovative work in experimental electronic music. Having initially gained recognition as a drummer for the avant-garde rock band DNA with Arto Lindsay in the late 1970s, she helped define the band's distinct sound. As her career evolved, Mori transitioned to using electronics and computers, exploring sound manipulation and producing
Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo) (Big Ears Festival performer)
As close to indie rock royalty as may exist, Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo–a band nearing its 40th year in existence that he founded with his partner, drummer Georgia Hubley in the mid-1980’s–has recorded 17 records under that name and influenced more bands than could be named here. Simultaneously considered critics’ darlings but also having established a wide, loyal, and susta
Laraaji (Big Ears Festival performer)
First coming to international attention after Brian Eno heard him playing in Washington Square Park in New York City in 1979, Laraaji’s calm, meditative, and deeply spiritual work was widely heard for the first time when his Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, record was released by Eno in 1980 as the third in his “Ambient” series. A collection of his early, previously unreleased wo
Jules Reidy (Big Ears Festival performer)
Berlin-based avant-guitarist Jules Reidy is known for creating elaborate, beautiful textures with their instrument, often in large washes of disorienting sound. As evidenced in several collaborations with previous guest of the show Oren Ambarchi, Reidy’s heavily-layered and highly-spiritual work–particularly on their newest release, Ghost/Spirit, which is out soon on Thrill Jockey–is also transfix
Susanna
Norwegian singer Susanna, whose full name is Susanna Karolina Wallumrød, first grew to fame for her work in her group Susanna and the Magical Orchestra. Her warm, soulful, and at times ethereal voice lends both her original compositions and beautifully-rendered covers a deep source of vulnerability and humanity. First recommended to us by previous guest, and guest host, Will Oldham, Susanna’s albu
Brighde Chaimbeul (Big Ears Festival performer)
Scottish piper Brìghde Chaimbeul has quickly vaulted from the traditional-music scene to an international profile, in part thanks to her recent collaboration with saxophonist/composer Colin Stetson. In this episode, she discusses how music by Allan Macdonald, the Rhodopea Kaba Trio, and Steve Reich guided her own work. She'll appear at the Big Ears Festival in March 2025.See omnystudio.com/listene
Gregg Turkington (Neil Hamburger)
Gregg Turkington, arguably more widely known from his guise as comedian Neil Hamburger, is possibly best described as a comic himself, but also as a cultural critic and commentator. Having spent his younger years as a zine publisher, a musician in multiple bands, and running a label, he has since risen to greater prominence as a collaborator with Tim Heidecker in On Cinema at the Cinema, a web ser
Nate Cross (Water Damage/Astral Spirits) (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Nate Cross has become a powerful force behind the scenes of contemporary American music, onstage and on record as one of the key members of drone-rock ensemble Water Damage and as the proprietor of the respected creative-music label Astral Spirits. He discusses how music by Oneida, Jim O’Rourke, and The Necks shaped his course. Water Damage will be perform at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville in
Fred Frith (Live at Big Ears Festival)
A household name for many decades amongst those with an interest in challenging, forward-thinking music, Fred Frith initially gained an audience through his work as the guitarist with 60’s group Henry Cow, and has since had a prolific career as a player on many recordings under his own name as well as collaborations with players ranging from Henry Kaiser, to The Residents, to Richard Thompson, to
billy woods (Guest Host Claire Rousay), Live at Big Ears Festival
New York City-based underground hip-hop artist Billy Woods might be best known as half of duo Armand Hammer, but is also well known as a solo artist. His 2024 releaseMaps, in which he worked with beatmaker and producer Kenny Segal, earned a “Best New Music” designation from Pitchfork. On this episode, in which Woods was interviewed before a live audience by guest host and former guest of the show
Jim O’Rourke (Gastr del Sol)
As one half of influential band Gastr del Sol along with David Grubbs, Jim O’Rourke’s work has reached many through that project alone. However, his additional work as an esteemed solo artist and producer as well as a guitarist in Sonic Youth have extended his reach even further, solidifying him as one of the most prominent artists to emerge from the American underground. On this episode, he talks
David Grubbs (Gastr del Sol)
David Grubbs, who along with Jim O'Rourke comprised Gastr del Sol, ushered in a new, cerebral strain of post-rock upon their appearance in the 90's. Owing more to modern classical composers than what was being played on college radio, the duo toured extensively and put out eight releases, most of which were on esteemed Chicago label Drag City. Their newest release is a box set of their work named
Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
Having co-written many of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' greatest hits as the lead guitarist in the band, Mike Campbell's work has been heard by millions of listeners and still resonates today. In this episode, hear how songs by Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys shaped his musical perspective. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Stud
Jlin (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Electronic-music producer Jlin works in the space where beatmaking and modern composition collide. In this episode, recorded live at the 2024 Big Ears Festival, she discusses how music by Luther Vandross, Missy Elliott and Al Jarreau shaped her work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio
Mark Robinson & Bridget Cross (Air Miami/Unrest)
DC indie-scene veterans Mark Robinson and Bridget Cross formed the spine of two of the city's finest pop bands, Unrest and the still-undersung Air Miami. In this episode, they discuss how '70s dance music, musicals, the Shaggs, the Captain and Tennille, and '80s punk and indie shaped their course. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.Se
Seventh Stanine Festival Preview
Our sixth annual Seventh Stanine Festival is taking place Saturday, June 15 from 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. This episode previews this year's event and features segments on Water Damage, Geologist of Animal Collective, Tongue Depressor, Susan Alcorn, The Caribbean, Small Sur, Turner Williams, Jr. and Jon Camp. More information can be found at www.rhizomedc.org or www.essentialpodcast.com. Essential Trem
Jessica Pratt
Los Angeles-based folk troubadour Jessica Pratt's intimate, moody, carefully-crafted songs have helped her reach an ever-growing audience over the course of her four studio albums, the most recent of which is Here in the Pitch, which was released in May of 2024. In this episode, she talks about how songs by The Slits, Laura Nyro and Sly and the Family Stone helped her forge her musical path. Essen
Bruce Hornsby
Singer/songwriter Bruce Hornsby may be best known for his rootsy hits (and a few subsequent hip-hop samples of same), but his restless creativity has kept him experimenting into the 21st century. In this episode, he discusses how songs by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Paul Brady shaped his own work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.S
Arnold Dreyblatt
Composer Arnold Dreyblatt has carved a unique course through contemporary music, combining just intonation with a vigorous self-devised approach to 20th-century minimalism. In this episode, he discusses how Mexican folk music, Tony Conrad and Robert Ashley shaped his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener
Beth Orton (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Guitarist/singer/songwriter Beth Orton’s work in the mid-1990’s helped usher in a new era for both electronic and folk music by melding electronic sounds with acoustic instruments to achieve a warm and personal, but also boundary-pushing, sound that still feels modern almost 30 years later. In this episode she talks about how songs by Sinead O'Connor, Sons of Kemet and Father John Misty shaped he
Sleater-Kinney
Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein form the two-voice, two-guitar core of Sleater-Kinney, one of the most revered and long-lived rock bands of the past 30 years. In this episode, they discuss how music by Sinead O'Connor, the Pointer Sisters, Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly, Kate Bush and the Wipers influenced their work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your
Sarah Jarosz
Although clearly born out of the folk and Americana tradition, guitarist and singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz brings a modern pop sensibility to her work, while also remaining true to the American songbook that values the tenets of both simple harmonies as well as strong melody. In this episode, she talks about how songs by Nickel Creek, James McMurtry and Paul Simon shaped her work. Essential Tremo
Marc Ribot (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Guitarist Marc Ribot possesses one of the most distinctive six-string sounds in American music, audible both in his work with collaborators like Tom Waits and John Zorn and in his own projects, such as his band Ceramic Dog. In this episode, he discusses pieces by Frantz Casseus, Ornette Coleman and Chocolate Genius. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by You
Kassa Overall (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Drummer Kassa Overall is steeped in jazz and has played with some of the greats, but he also came of age with hip-hop, and his polyglot solo work reflects a mix of those traditions. In this episode, he discusses how music by Ahmad Jamal, Digable Planets, and John Coltrane guided his art. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystud
Kurt Vile (Big Ears Festival performer)
Kurt Vile's loose, melodic style of indie rock has won him many friends and admirers over the past 15 years. On this episode, he talks about how tunes by Lou Reed, the Pixies and Thelonious Monk shaped his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for priva
John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats)
Over the course of three decades and 22 studio albums, John Darnielle's band The Mountain Goats have blazed a fiercely independent, lo-fi trail that has since been followed by many indie bands. In this episode, Darnielle discusses how songs by Stockholm Monsters, Digital Underground and Ava Gabriel shaped his creative process. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distrib
Colleen (Big Ears Festival performer)
French musician Cécile Schott, who records as Colleen, has spent the past 20 years building a fantastic sound world from samples and loops, with albums on the esteemed Leaf and Thrill Jockey labels. In this episode, she talks about how music by Lee "Scratch" Perry, the Beatles and This Heat changed her life. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public
Kim Deal (The Breeders)
Kim Deal has amassed a staggering body of beguiling pop songs over the past three decades with her bands the Breeders and the Amps. On this episode, she talks about how songs by Hank Williams, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd shaped her course. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omny
Henry Threadgill (Big Ears performer)
Reeds player Henry Threadgill has capped a storied 50-plus-year career as a bandleader and composer with a superb new memoir of his life and thoughts about music entitled Easily Slip Into Another World. In this episode, he discusses how music by Howlin' Wolf, Thelonious Monk and James Brown shaped his course. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Publi
Dudu Tassa
Kuwaiti-Israeli musician Dudu Tassa's latest record, a collaboration with Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, is a love letter of sorts to a variety of favorite, but potentially lost-to-the-ages songs of the Middle East. Titled Jarak Qaribak, which translates to "Your neighbors are your friends," the Nigel Godrich-mixed record features guest vocalists from across the region taking on songs dear to Tassa
Alasdair MacLean (The Clientele)
British trio the Clientele make guitar pop as literate as it is melodic. In this episode, frontman Alasdair MacLean discusses how music by Boards of Canada, Love and Michael Jon Fink influenced him. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio
Oren Ambarchi
Australian experimentalist Oren Ambarchi has charted a course that crosses modern composition, post-rock and electronic music without ever lingering long in any genre. In this episode, he talks about how music by Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis and Alvin Lucier shaped his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener
Nate Amos (Water From Your Eyes)
Art-pop duo Water From Your Eyes specializes in a hazy blend of beats, bites, luxe melodies and wry lyrics. Nate Amos discusses how music by Scott Walker, Jute Gyte and Ben Johnston shaped the group's sound. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i
Stephen O'Malley of Sunn0))) (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Stephen O'Malley is best known as a guitarist for drone-metal band Sunn0))), but his musical practice spans composing, collaborations with a host of contemporary artists and a span of other groups, such as electronic duo KTL and dirge-metal legend Khanate. In this episode, recorded live at the Big Ears Festival, he discusses how music by Fugazi, Pita and Iancu Dumitrescu influenced his work. Essen
Brandee Younger (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Harpist Brandee Younger is blazing a trail for her instrument across jazz, soul, and many stops in between. In this episode, she discusses how music by Alice Coltrane, Tank and the Bangas, and Dorothy Ashby shaped her work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listen
June Tabor (Guest Host: Will Oldham)
Singer/songwriter and former Essential Tremors guest Will Oldham guest hosts this episode featuring a conversation with June Tabor, whose long career belies the simple label "folk singer." They discuss Danny Kaye, Anne Briggs, learning to sing, Frank Sinatra and Robert Plant. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/liste
William Parker (Live at Big Ears Festival)
Bassist William Parker has spent 50 years at the heart of jazz, as a collaborator with many of the music's greats and as a composer and bandleader in his own right. In this episode, recorded live at the Big Ears Festival in 2023, he discusses how Duke Ellington, Don Cherry and Cecil Taylor shaped his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public S
Green Gartside (Scritti Politti)
Under the name Scritti Politti, Green Gartside has been making smart, cutting-edge pop for decades, on his own terms and his own schedule. On this episode, he discusses how tracks by the Paragons, Robert Wyatt, and the Albion Country Band shaped his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor
Bill Orcutt (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Guitarist Bill Orcutt has gone from noise artist to an iconoclastic solo guitarist who redefined his own relationship with the instrument, deconstructs American standards, and now composes music for larger groups. In this episode, he discusses how music by Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland, and Joseph Spence shaped his course. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by
James Brandon Lewis (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Saxophonist James Brandon Lewis has carved out a career as an instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, and collaborator who has played with a spread of artists within and beyond the jazz world, including instrumental power trio Messthetics. In this episode, he discusses how tunes by Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp and Abdullah Ibrahim, and Sonny Rollins influenced his playing. Essential Tremors is pro
Mary Halvorson (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Mary Halvorson is often classified as a jazz guitarist, but her work — fluid, soulful and inventive — pushes boundaries, having been described as "the most future-seeking guitarist working right now" by NPR and "an unflinching original who has revealed new possibilities within the music" by The New York Times. Hear how songs by Jimi Hendrix, Yusef Lateef and Robert Wyatt guided her musical develop
caroline (Big Ears Festival Performers)
Outsized British group caroline has grabbed attention with an expansive sound that mixes elements of folk, postpunk, and choral music to create a surging, emotional effect. In this episode, members Jasper Llewellyn and Mike O’Malley discuss the music that shaped the band’s sound. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/l
Billy Bragg
Even after over four decades-long career, English songwriter and working class provocateur Billy Bragg still stands as one of the most influential artists of the era of U.K. punk. Hear how songs by Smokey Robinson, Little Feat, and The Who have played significant roles in his life. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com
Kali Malone (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Composer Kali Malone transforms the spartan musical language of minimalism through unusual tunings and reframing sacred sounds like pipe organ and choir. In this episode, she discusses how My Bloody Valentine, Hindustani classical music, and Josquin des Prez shaped her art. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listene
Carl Stone (Big Ears Festival Performer)
Composer/performer Carl Stone has built a body of work out of reimagining a world of existing sounds and music into sometimes witty, often beautiful electronic music of his own. In this episode, he discusses how music by Thomas Tallis, Captain Beefheart, and Sheik Chinna Moulana influenced his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.
Ashley Capps (Big Ears Festival Founder)
Ashley Capps helped reinvent the music festival with Bonnaroo, then did it again with Big Ears, the eclectic annual celebration of jazz, folk, electronic music, and other flavors of music he mounts each spring in Knoxville, TN. In this episode, he discusses how encounters with the music of Steve Reich, Julius Hemphill, and the Ramones shaped his course. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars
Daniel Kessler of Interpol
As a founding member of New York City's Interpol, guitarist Daniel Kessler has been integral in the shaping of their sound. Hear how songs by Fugazi, Tappa Zukie, and Aphex Twin helped put him on his creative path. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for pr
Brendan Canty
Drummer Brendan Canty powered the seminal D.C. post-punk band Fugazi and continues to blaze a trail in the instrumental trio The Messthetics. In this episode, he discusses how songs by Parliament, Scritti Politti, and King Crimson shaped his music. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Claire Rousay
Claire Rousay's music combines field recordings, Auto-Tuned vocals, conventional instruments, spoken word, and other elements with a subtlety that both attracts and subverts terms like "ambient" and "sound art." In this episode, she discusses how tracks by Ryu Hankil, Elliott Smith, and K. Mulhern shaped her work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for p
the RZA
Producer, MC, actor, director—the RZA has expanded his leadership of hip-hop legends Wu-Tang Clan into a decade-spanning, multi-hyphenate creative career. On this episode, the RZA discusses how Isaac Hayes, the theme from Love Story, and a famous hip-hop break shaped his work. Essential Tremors is produced by Matt Byars and Lee Gardner and distributed by Your Public Studios.See omnystudio.co
Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy)
Singer/songwriter Will Oldham has created a vast and beguiling body of work under his own name, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and Palace and its variations, as well as through numerous collaborations. In this episode, he discusses how songs by Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, Al Jarreau, and the Mekons influenced his music. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/li
Geordie Greep
Geordie Greep's guitar and idiosyncratic vocals have helped make uncategorizable London band Black Midi into an international sensation. In this episode, he discusses how songs by Warren Zevon, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Frank Zappa influenced his music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jon Hopkins
Electronic musician Jon Hopkins is well-known in certain circles as the creator of numerous thoughtful, yet in many cases danceable, records. He's also had his hand in some enormously commercially successful records, however, as a producer and guest musician, such as Coldplay's "Viva la Vida," as well as in several co-productions with Brian Eno. In this episode, he discusses the effect songs by En
Jaimie Branch
Brooklyn-based jazz trumpeter Jaimie Branch has established a significant following and accumulated many critical accolades, both here in America and abroad. In this episode, she talks about how songs by Nirvana, Sun Ra, and Eric Dolphy made her the artist she is today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods
As frontman for Sleaford Mods, Jason Williamson has brought working-class anger and surly wit to the duo's bumping minimalist tracks. On this episode, he talks about how second-wave UK punk, Raekwon, and Two Lone Swordsmen shaped his music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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