Music is the Magic of a Secret World

Author: David Ellenbogen

I am a musician, producer, educator and NYC radio host. View all posts by David Ellenbogen

BRM’s Coltrane Raga Tribute – Podcast 234

Brooklyn Raga Massive’s Coltrane Raga Tribute are about to drop their New Album – and the release party will be a free concert in Prospect Park at Celebrate Brooklyn June 23rd with Pharoah Sanders headlining! We hang with Sameer Gupta, the tabla upstart, drummer and musical director of the project and listen to a live performance from Pioneer Works. […]

Barbes – Podcast 233

Barbès is a small Brooklyn club which has been presenting music on a daily basis for now 15 years. Started on a shoestring budget in a former barber shop in the South Slope, Barbès has for years acted as a kind of laboratory for all different kinds of new projects and become a true community […]

Chico Freeman – Podcast 232

For Chico Freeman, Jazz is the family business. His father played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Ella Fitzgerald and his grandfather was an associate of Louis Armstrong. Chico has had an amazing career playing with the likes of Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Sun Ra, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Celia Cruz, Charles […]

Jay Gandhi – Podcast 231

The day after a moving performance with Ravi Coltrane, Reggie Workman, Jeff Tain Watts an other giants of Jazz, we hung out at home with Jay Gandhi! After our short conversation he shares a special live performance. Jay is an artist who dedicated to the Hindustani tradition and is also bringing his instrument, the bansuri, into new territory.

Samarth Nagarkar and Meghashyam Keshav – Podcast 230

The nineteenth set of the historic, Ragas Live Festival 2016, live at Pioneer Works. Samarth Nagarkar (vocal), Meghashyam Keshav (tabla), Rohan Prabhudesai (harmonium). This is a great to chance to experience music created for the sunrise. It was performed as the first rays broke through the evening sky. Samarth Nagarkar is a Hindustani classical vocalist, known […]

Sebitiyin: Innov Gnawa perform the Jewish songs of Gnawa – Podcast 230

In this incredible episode we capture Innov Gnawa performing the “Sebatayin” repetoire, Gnawa music performed traditionally in Morrocco for the Jewish Community. They performed this for the end of Passover at Greenwich House Music School as part of the UNCHARTED concert series. The Jewish presence in Morocco dates back to over 2,500 years ago and […]

Cosmas Magaya Podcast 229

This was one of my favorite early episodes. Cosmas Magya is a master of the Mbira ( a type of thumb piano) from the Shona tribe in Zimbabwe. Here he performs and explains the way the instrument is used in ceremonies to contact ancestors. We’ll also hear a track he recorded with another powerful Mbira […]

LADAMA Podcast 228

We get to hang at home with LADAMA! We recorded some songs and chat with Mafer Bandola (bandola llanera), Lara Klaus (percussion, drums), Daniela Serna (percussion) Sara Lucas (voice, guitar) and Pat Swoboda (bass). LADAMA is an ensemble of women musicians (joined by Pat for this session) who combine the rhythms and traditional instrumentation of frevo […]

Vieux Farka Toure Returns: Podcast 228

We’re psyched to see that one of one of our favorite groups in NYC Innov Gnawa is combining forces with the great Vieux Farka Tourre this Thursday at BRIC. Last September, we got sit down and hang with Vieux Farka Toure, talk to him and record a little acoustic music…AND record his entire live set at […]

Miramar Podcast 227

With stirring vocal harmonies and luscious arrangements, Miramar breathe life into the classic bolero tradition. We got to sit down with their music director and keyboardist, Marlyse Simmons and learn about the history of boleros and hear and learn about the muse of their new album Sylvia Rexach.

Gnaoua Fest is coming to NYC Podcast 226

The world-renowned Moroccan Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du MondeEssaouira celebrates its 20th anniversary with a debut NYC collaboration. Great Maalems (masters) and all-stars of the festival trace a musical journey of the ancient music of Gnawa during a night of trance and tradition. There will be events all week in NYC. In this WKCR broadcast […]

Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik Podcast_225

Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik (vocal), Meghashyam Keshav (tabla), Ramachandra Joshi (harmonium) perform Raag Miyan Ki Malhar from 5-6pm at the Ragas Live Festival 2016 in Pioneer Works.

Women’s Raga Massive -Podcast 224

The talented violinist Trina Basu of Karavika joined us on WKCR to present an entire month of women led ensembles at the Brooklyn Raga Massive…we’ll hear from Roshni Samlal, Yalini Dream, Ganavya Doraiswamy, Morely, Karavika, Alif Leila, The Epichorus and much more.

Thanya Iyer Live at WKCR – Podcast 223

Montreal based Thanya Iyer, creates a compelling mix of Carnatic influenced vocals, impressionist classical composition and electronica. She brought her voice and keys to WKCR for a live set with Daniel Gelinas on Drums/Synths and Alex Kasirer-Smibert on bass/synths. The new album is called “Do you Dream”

Brooklyn Raga Massive’s Unstruck Sound Live on WKCR -Podcast 222

Last night at WKCR 89.9 FM-NY, Brooklyn Raga Massive members created a sea of drones for raga based improvisation, based on the calls coming into the station it seemed to be just what the city needed! The group “Unstruck Sound” will be performing this Friday Feb 24th at the Rubin Museum of Art.. Followed by […]