Best Wolf Schaefer Podcasts (2025)

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Best of the Soundcheck Podcast 2025, Part 1 37:41

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22h ago37:41

37:41

Hear music by Portuguese fado singer Carminho; Grammy-winning classical quartet Third Coast Percussion performing music written for them by the late Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain; and Ethiopian-born singer and bandleader Meklit’s blend of jazz, pop, and soul. Also, music from Chicago-formed, New York-based American rock band Horsegirl; and the …

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Music for a Fresh Start: Welcoming 2026 with Joey Stuckey, Johnny Schaefer & Anna Karney 1:12:10

2h ago1:12:10

1:12:10

On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Music Talks with Joey Stuckey (airing every 4th Sunday), Joey is joined by award-winning California-based singer-songwriters Johnny Schaefer and Anna Karney for a meaningful conversation centered on Music for a Fresh Start as we welcome the New Year 2026. Together, they explore how music supports healing, gratit…

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Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O, In-Studio (Encore Edition) 35:50

5d ago35:50

35:50

New York-based drummer and educator Matt Wilson has performed with and/or played on many recordings by other musicians - Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, among others - and leads ensembles of his own, but at this time of year, the thing he might be best known for is his Christmas Tree-O. And yes, he went there – putting a pun r…

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Ep 77 - All In & No Pay with Darcie Wolfe 38:49

2d ago38:49

38:49

This week the pod is joined by volunteer extraordinaire Darcie Wolfe. She took a chance on volunteering at Camp Blue Skies with her husband's cousin and has become a fixture of our adult community. Hear just how easy it is to step up and volunteer and maybe you can join her (and many other volunteers) at future WSA events! This episode is brought t…

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Jazz-Leaning Donny McCaslin Band Grooves With Crunch, In-Studio 37:00

8d ago37:00

37:00

Saxophonist and composer Donny McCaslin has been playing with jazz luminaries like Maria Schneider and Dave Douglas, and leading his own band, for a couple of decades. But he’s best known for his work with David Bowie, who basically hired Donny’s whole ensemble to be the band on his final album Blackstar. His latest, Lullaby for the Lost, is a guit…

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One True Song: Anna Karney on The Power of Music and Connection 33:22

6d ago33:22

33:22

In this episode of Big Blend Radio, we welcome back Bay Area singer-songwriter, educator, and activist Anna Karney for a heartfelt conversation about music as a force for connection, healing, and social change. Anna discusses her latest album "One True Song," a powerful collection of soulful folk rock and alternative singer-songwriter music rooted …

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Composer and Producer Kelly Moran's Prepared Piano Meets Electronica, In-Studio 41:51

12d ago41:51

41:51

New York-based classically trained composer and musician Kelly Moran’s music draws on everything from classical to dance to metal, but ends up sounding like none of those. She has become known for her music for prepared piano – a regular piano whose strings have things like metal or wood placed on the strings to alter the sound. Moran has also work…

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Ep 76 - Wired for Connection with Nicole Courtney 34:10

9d ago34:10

34:10

This week the gang welcomes Nicole Courtney for a lively look at what really happens when adults with WS get together at conventions, camps, or other rendezvous. Friendships grow fast, inside jokes spread, and yes, there may be a little extra interest when two people “step out for some fresh air” at the same time. Shop Innersense using this link ht…

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Montreal's Psych-Art Rockers The Besnard Lakes, In-Studio 38:39

15d ago38:39

38:39

The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse. The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night. The Besnard Lakes Are The Last Of The Great Thunderstorm Warnings. The Besnard Lakes are a rock band from Montreal with a knack for intriguing album titles. Their latest is The Besnard Lakes Are The Ghostly Nation, a collection of arty, often psychedelic songs about a so…

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Brooklyn Band Momma Plays Unplugged, In-Studio 32:32

19d ago32:32

32:32

The Brooklyn band called Momma revolves around the singing and songwriting team of Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten who combine gauzy vocal harmonies with walls of roaring guitars. Their 2022 album Household Name was a critical favorite, and their 2025 album, Welcome To My Blue Sky, builds on that success with songs about longing, infidelity, l…

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Ep 75 - Sandwiching with Catherine Warden 48:59

16d ago48:59

48:59

This week, Jen and Brendan welcome Catherine Warden, who has taken over as primary caregiver to her brother Glenn. Catherine gives us and unflinching and honest look at the joys and frustrations of caring for your sibling while also taking care of an aging parent. She also shares how much she and Glenn have changed since discovering other older adu…

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Icelandic Pianist Eydís Evenson Shares Elemental Lessons of LIfe and Nature 37:41

22d ago37:41

37:41

The Icelandic keyboardist and composer Eydís Evensen has released three albums of music that blends classical lyricism with the repeating patterns of post-minimalist music. "Her compositions, guided by emotion, are intimate explorations of mourning, hope, reflection, and renewal—creating a world that invites listeners to feel their way through the …

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Boyish Brings Walls of Guitars to the 'Gun' Show, In-Studio 34:27

26d ago34:27

34:27

The L.A-based, Brooklyn-born band called Boyish is built around the songwriting of India Shore and Claire Altendahl, and while they’ve been releasing music since 2018, they’ve just put out their debut album, called Gun. The album presents a series of scenes and character studies from a fictional American town called Gun, which seems to be haunted –…

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Ep 74 - Riding the Rails with Meg Kidulas 25:09

23d ago25:09

25:09

This week’s guest is Meg Kidulas from Holland, MI! When she isn’t showing her engine-uity in grad school or chugging along at work, she’s blowing off steam and riding the rails every chance she gets. We’ve had guests before who find trains a-track-tive, but Meg takes it to a whole new loco level. She shares her b-rail-liant adventures, her car-load…

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English Singer Patrick Wolf Plays Artful Baroque Pop, In-Studio 40:52

29d ago40:52

40:52

English singer and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wolf built his sizable reputation on a blend of Baroque pop and arty, classically-informed folk-rock. But a series of setbacks kept him from the music scene for a decade, before he returned with an EP in 2023, and in June of 2025, his latest LP called Crying The Neck. Patrick Wolf joins us at the pia…

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Dusty Psych-Soul and Fiery Groove From Black Pumas (Archives) 32:20

1M ago32:20

32:20

Both old and new, Austin-based band Black Pumas is centered around guitarist and producer Adrian Quesada and 27-year-old songwriter Eric Burton. Grammy Award-winning Quesada has played in Grupo Fantasma and Brownout, and accompanied artists from Prince to Daniel Johnston. Burton grew up in church and then got heavily involved in musical theater. He…

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Soundcheck Special - American Musicians Ashley Jackson and Ken Pomeroy 57:44

1M ago57:44

57:44

Listen to music from American musicians, the harpist Ashley Jackson and the Oklahoma-based Cherokee singer and songwriter Ken Pomeroy. Both sets come from our Soundcheck series of live performances and interviews, available as a twice-weekly podcast, wherever you get podcasts. With her clever guitar playing and powerful stories, Oklahoma-based Cher…

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Ep 73 - Let's Include...Carly with Carly Oberle 47:29

1M ago47:29

47:29

This week on the pod we talk to Carly Oberle who founded the organization "Let's Include Landon" with the intent to create opportunities to bring children & teens with and without disabilities together. What started as a way to promote inclusivity in sports (a mission that still goes on) for both Landon (10 WS) and Austen (7), has grown into someth…

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Damage the Pearl: Third of Never’s Creative Leap from Album to Film 43:53

1M ago43:53

43:53

On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Rants, Raves & Rock ‘n Roll" show, we jam with Jon Dawson of Third of Never about their brand new album and soundtrack, “Damage the Pearl.” The project grew from a collection of songs into a full-on road-movie film collaboration with director Brent Clark — a creative leap that celebrates the band’s instinct, in…

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Irish Folk Duo Ye Vagabonds Go Backwards to Look Forwards 38:07

1M ago38:07

38:07

Ye Vagabonds are brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn. They grew up in rural Carlow but moved to Dublin in 2012 and became known on the traditional Irish, blues and folk scenes in the city, playing folk songs as well as their own original material, (Bandcamp). They’re part a wave of bands who’ve remade or extended the folk tradition; they’ve also…

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Mark Storey: Behind His Dark Voodoo Magic Album 1:03:33

1M ago1:03:33

1:03:33

On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Music Talks" Show with Joey Stuckey (airing every 4th Sunday), Joey welcomes his friend and fellow musician Mark Storey, whose debut album “Dark Voodoo Magic” released October 31, 2025. They dive into Mark’s creative process, the emotional storytelling behind his songs, and the unique blend of blues-rock energy…

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Indigenous Latin-Jazz-Ambient-Soul From Cochemea, In-Studio 37:23

1M ago37:23

37:23

Cochemea is a sax player, composer and arranger who spent some years playing vintage-style soul with Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, as well as stints with Amy Winehouse, David Byrne, hip hop duo Run The Jewels and dozens more. Born Cochemea Gastelum into an Indigenous Yaqui family in California, he’s found time over the past few years to release thr…

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Ep 72 - Unlearning the Norms with Renie Zitomer 35:07

1M ago35:07

35:07

This week, Jen and Brendan are joined by Renie Zitomer. She is the younger sister to Stu Zitomer (WS) and gives us a wonderfully frank look at what it's like to live with (and be primary caregiver to) your brother. From romantic relationships to private time to realizing that things just might be okay, Renie is a fantastic guide in seeing what it i…

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Polish Pianist and Composer Hania Rani Expands Her Sonic Palette with 'Non Fiction' 34:38

1M ago34:38

34:38

The now London-based Polish pianist and composer Hania Rani quickly attracted fans with her 2019 album of solo piano works in the post-classical style, a blend of classical lyricism and minimalist patterns. Her later albums expanded to include electronics, and her voice; she is equally versed in the music of composers like Philip Glass and bands li…

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Master Violinist, Vocalist, and Composer L. Shankar, In-Studio 34:47

2M ago34:47

34:47

Master violinist/vocalist/composer L. Shankar (aka Shenkar) has spent the past four decades developing a personal style that ranges from strict Indian classical music to Western instrumental pop although usually he lands somewhere in the middle. Since playing his first solo concert at the age of seven, he has gone on to accompany many of South Indi…

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Ep 71 - Kitty Kat Katie Boland 33:33

1M ago33:33

33:33

This week Jen and Brendan are joined by Katie Boland. Along with her brother, Sam, Katie is a usual fixture at WSA Camp working with kiddos and foster a love of music! In addition to camp and music, Katie also talks about her experience going to college and some of the aspirations she has as she continues into adulthood. This episode is sponsored b…

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Tommy Emmanuel, C.G.P., Chases the Ecstatic Via Guitar Instrumentals, In-Studio 37:06

2M ago37:06

37:06

The Australian-born musician and songwriter Tommy Emmanuel is a virtuoso guitarist and Grammy winner who has played with everyone from the legendary Chet Atkins to younger guitarists like Jason Isbell and Billy Strings. Long based in Nashville, he’s been releasing solo albums pretty regularly since 1979. His new record is called Living In The Light…

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Guitarist and Songwriter Brad Barr Stretches Out In a Trio, In-Studio 43:01

2M ago43:01

43:01

The Barr Brothers, the indie-folk-rock band from Montreal, have just released their first album in eight years called Let It Hiss. Brad Barr, the band’s singer, guitarist and songwriter is a versatile collaborator and risk-taker who revels in making unusual sounds. The latest songs can be folk-leaning, or may draw from the blues and American songwr…

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Ep 70 - Convention's Coming! with Sarah Schaefer 34:17

2M ago34:17

34:17

Joining the show is Sarah Schaefer, WSA Executive Director, to talk about the upcoming WSA International Convention in July 2026! UPDATE: We know many of you planning to attend the 2026 WSA Convention in Buffalo are eager to book your hotel rooms. We had hoped to receive final clearance from our hotel partners by November 5, but uncertainties about…

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Portuguese Singer Carminho Distills the Fatal Romanticism of Fado 31:31

2M ago31:31

31:31

The Portuguese singer and songwriter Carminho is one of the leading singers in the style known as fado – the deeply soulful, melancholy music that is somewhat akin to Spanish flamenco or American blues. She has collaborated with the iconic Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso, performed for the late Pope Francis, recorded with Steve Albini, and made a…

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Mexican Songwriter and Producer Silvana Estrada Shares Her Heart And Finds Joyful Melodies 35:02

2M ago35:02

35:02

The Mexican singer Silvana Estrada made an immediate impression with her debut LP Marchita back in 2022. Quickly hailed as a unique voice in Latin music for her blend of jazz, chamber music, and traditional folk, Estrada took her time making her follow-up album, and it appears to have been time well-spent: Vendrán Suaves Lluvias, or “there will com…

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Legendary Bassist Greg T. Walker: The Rise of Two Wolf 52:28

2M ago52:28

52:28

In this engaging episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Rants, Raves & Rock ‘n Roll” podcast, legendary bassist Greg T. Walker — founding member of Blackfoot and former member of Lynyrd Skynyrd — joins the show to talk about his latest musical adventure: Two Wolf. The band’s debut self-titled album, out June 6, 2025 through Cleopatra Records, delivers a fer…

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Singer-Songwriter Meklit Embeds Ethiopian Traditions and Connects Cultures, In-Studio 38:01

2M ago38:01

38:01

The singer Meklit, born Meklit Hadero in Ethiopia, is based in the Bay Area, where she has released a number of albums that blend jazz, pop, and soul with the echoes of Ethiopian pop. Her latest album, A Piece of Infinity, finds Meklit singing mostly in Amharic, and looking back to what is sometimes called the Golden Age of Ethiopian music – the ti…

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The Art of Performance Preparing for Gigs and Connecting Through Music 1:08:25

2M ago1:08:25

1:08:25

On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Music Talks with Joey Stuckey (airing every 4th Sunday), we celebrate Arts & Humanities Month with an insightful conversation about the art and craft of live performance. Joey and Lisa dive into what it takes to prepare for gigs, the importance of rehearsals, and how musicians can build confidence, adaptability,…

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Guy Fawkes and Legendary Rebels and Rebellions 48:37

2M ago48:37

48:37

Airing on National Make a Difference Day, this thought-provoking episode of Big Blend Radio’s "English Connection" Show features historian and tour guide Glynn Burrows of Norfolk Tours, who explores rebellion through the ages — from Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot to Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement. Inspired by Guy Fawkes / Bonfire Night…

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Canadian Singer and Composer Patrick Watson Features Other Voices, While Recovering His Own 42:54

2M ago42:54

42:54

Canadian singer and composer Patrick Watson has been making records for almost a quarter century – with a cinematic blend of indie rock, cabaret pop, and chamber music that has made him a favorite of film directors and music supervisors. His latest record, Uh Oh, is the result of a pretty big uh-oh moment for a singer: Watson lost his voice. He tho…

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Ep 69 - More Feelings and International Waters with Nick Doris (Part 2), Holly Griffin, Dagmar Hakonandottir, and Nathan Carlton 44:55

2M ago44:55

44:55

We're back with more Nick Doris, who is leading the WSA's Wellness programming! This week he guides Jen and Brendan through some exercises and discusses the joyous energy that comes from working with a roomful of people with Williams syndrome. Then it's back to the sea with a couple international travelers: Holly Griffin from Western Canada and Dag…

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The Antlers Consider Nature Under Siege in New Song Cycle, In-Studio 33:59

2M ago33:59

33:59

American indie rock band The Antlers began almost 20 years ago as a solo project from singer and songwriter Peter Silberman. While the previous album, Green To Gold, was a pastoral, almost folky affair, the new album, Blight, is almost like a classical song cycle, and is a musical warning about nature under siege. “The consequences of accelerating …

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Bell Jazz Award Winner Sullivan Fortner's Joyful Piano Adventures, In-Studio 42:48

2M ago42:48

42:48

GRAMMY-winning musical omnivore Sullivan Fortner merges New Orleans grit and spice with invention (and not just J.S. Bach), for an alchemical jazz that is wise, feisty, mischievous, and dynamic. His exposure to R&B, soul, and gospel at home; his time at Oberlin and the influence of various teachers in jazz and classical disciplines; and his longtim…

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Corey Schenck of Pangaea - The Reckoning Album 29:59

3M ago29:59

29:59

In celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio features Corey Schenck, co-founder of the progressive rock band PANGAEA. Corey talks about the band’s rich history, their creative evolution, and their long-awaited fourth album, “The Reckoning.” Recorded over several years, The Reckoning captures the authenticity a…

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Spanish-born Pablopablo, Bending Latin Music Traditions 32:09

3M ago32:09

32:09

The Spanish-born singer, songwriter and producer Pablopablo recently released his debut LP, but he’d already built up an impressive array of writing and producing credits, winning Latin Grammys back in 2022 under his given name, Pablo Drexler. Those awards were for his work on a collaboration between his father, the popular Uruguayan-born musician …

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The Sensational Blues Guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, At Last, In-Studio 31:38

3M ago31:38

31:38

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has been steeped in the Blues since he was eight years old, when he visited the Delta Blues Museum as a student in Clarksdale, Mississippi (Jackson Advocate). He played drums, bass, and GUITAR and was recognized at a young age for his exceptional musical talent with his debut album Kingfish, in 2019 on Alligator Records.…