Best James Newcomb Podcasts (2026)

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The Destination Is Resonance 10:36

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8d ago10:36

10:36

What makes music feel alive? Technical precision and flawless execution are essential, but they do not explain why certain performances linger long after the final note fades. In this solo episode, James Newcomb reflects on the difference between playing notes and creating meaning, exploring how lived experience, embodiment, discipline, and humilit…

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Now THAT'S Real Music. Beyond Technical Proficiency and the Unspoken Language of Music 20:42

19d ago20:42

20:42

Watch on YouTube In this episode, James Newcomb is joined by Brian Neal, longtime trumpeter with the Dallas Brass and Professor of Trumpet at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. Together, they explore what lies beyond technical mastery in music—why virtuosity alone is not enough, and how true musical communication depends on vulnerab…

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Rethinking Poverty: The Surprisingly Rational Logic Behind Extreme Scarcity 8:08

1M ago8:08

8:08

Reference: Banerjee, A. V., & Duflo, E. (2007). The economic lives of the poor. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 21(1), 141–167. The intricate dynamics of poverty, often framed through the lens of chaos and disorder, are meticulously unpacked in this enlightening discourse. The prevailing narrative that portrays the lives of the economically disad…

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The Flawed Narrative: Rethinking the Presidential vs. Parliamentary Dichotomy 8:10

1M ago8:10

8:10

The examination of presidential and parliamentary systems reveals a complex and often contentious debate regarding the inherent stability of these governmental frameworks. Contrary to the prevailing narrative that posits presidential systems as the harbingers of political instability, Donald L. Horowitz presents a compelling counterargument that co…

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Literacy and Liberation: The Missionary Impact on Modern Civil Society 9:23

1M ago9:23

9:23

This episode elucidates a compelling argument that the proliferation of liberal democracy across the globe may owe its most profound impetus to the historical presence of conversionary Protestant missionaries, rather than the commonly acknowledged influences of Enlightenment thinkers, military might, or economic modernization. This assertion, deriv…

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The Social Conditions That Sustain Democracy 5:36

1M ago5:36

5:36

The enduring nature of democracy is fundamentally contingent upon specific social conditions that facilitate its survival. Today, we delve into the seminal work of Seymour Martin Lipset, titled Some Social Requisites of Democracy, which presents a rigorous analysis of the requisite elements for democratic stability. Lipset posits that a nation's we…

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Measuring Democracy: Why the Numbers Don’t Agree 5:59

1M ago5:59

5:59

Democracy is a powerful idea, but measuring it is far more complex than it appears. In this episode, we unpack Kenneth Bollen’s influential 1980 article, which challenged the way political scientists construct democracy indices. Bollen argues that many widely used measures mix unrelated concepts — such as political stability or voter turnout — lead…

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This One Thing Will Make or Break a Free Society 8:58

1M ago8:58

8:58

In this episode, we explore Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel’s groundbreaking research in Modernization, Cultural Change & Democracy. Their central claim is clear: democratic institutions do not stand on laws alone — they stand on culture. While surveys often show widespread “support for democracy,” this metric is shallow and unreliable. What …

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The True Drivers of Prosperity: A Critical Examination of Political Regimes 6:07

1M ago6:07

6:07

Reference: Przeworski, A., & Limongi, F. (1993). Political regimes and economic growth. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 7(3), 51–69. The discourse surrounding economic growth frequently posits a dichotomy between democratic and authoritarian regimes, wherein one is presumed to possess inherent advantages over the other. However, upon meticulous e…

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The Perils of Presidentialism: Why the U.S. Is an Outlier 7:08

1M ago7:08

7:08

We often assume presidential democracy is the most natural form of democratic government. But political scientist Juan Linz offered a stark warning: almost every presidential democracy in history has eventually collapsed. The United States stands virtually alone as the only presidential system with long-term constitutional stability—a point Linz ma…

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Thinking Orthodox & A Primer on that “Other” Way of Christian Discipleship with Dr. Jeannie Constantinou 1:04:38

1M ago1:04:38

1:04:38

Show notes: https://jamesdnewcomb.com/jeannie We welcome biblical scholar and author Dr. Jeannie Constantinou for a sweeping, heartfelt, and clarifying conversation on phronema—the ancient Christian mindset preserved in the Orthodox Church. I open the conversation by sharing my own journey of transitioning into Orthodoxy, reflecting on how Western …

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The Legacy of Institutions: How History Shapes Political Choices 6:39

1M ago6:39

6:39

Today we explore the question of why nations facing analogous challenges often opt for disparate solutions, suggesting that the answer may lie not in individual agency but in the institutional frameworks that guide our actions. We examine the persistence of outdated policies and the dynamics that dictate why certain ideas proliferate while others l…

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How Small Decisions Shape Generations: A Study of Path Dependence 6:26

1M ago6:26

6:26

Political decisions often exhibit an astonishing resilience to change, persisting long after their initial rationale has dissipated. This phenomenon, known as path dependence, reveals that seemingly trivial choices made during moments of crisis can have profound and enduring consequences, shaping our political landscape for generations. In this dis…

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Resilience, Adaptation, and the Invisible Battle With Mind and Body feat. Juan Berrios. 1:06:06

1M ago1:06:06

1:06:06

Watch on YouTube In this episode, host James Newcomb welcomes French hornist and educator Juan Berrios, a longtime member of the acclaimed Dallas Brass and professor at Virginia Tech. Juan’s story is not simply about craft—it’s about resilience, self-reinvention, and learning to navigate a challenge that touches the smallest, most ordinary motions …

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One Love. One Voice. One Church. 9:11

2M ago9:11

9:11

TLDR: Bob Marley got it wrong. Modern Christians often speak as if unity is a polite ideal—nice to have, but unnecessary. Yet Scripture, the Apostles, and two thousand years of Christian witness paint a very different picture. St. Paul calls the Church to one mind, one judgment, and a communion without division. Christ did not found a spiritual dem…

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The Pendulum Swings: Post-Liberalism, Tradition, and the Dance Between Change and Permanence 7:32

2M ago7:32

7:32

For nearly a century, the Western world has been running a grand experiment, one of dubious origins, and built on the conviction that innovation alone can sustain a flourishing society. From technology to education to spirituality, we’ve embraced a “move fast, break things, rebuild, repeat” mentality. Yet as the dust settles from decades of unrestr…

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Man v. Bureaucracy: How "The System" Has the Power to Make or Break the Human Spirit. 8:22

2M ago8:22

8:22

Bureaucracy shapes far more of daily life than most people realize. For those dependent on welfare assistance, a single denial can mean the difference between stability and crisis. What’s striking, however, is how rarely people challenge those adverse decisions, even when nearly half of all appeals are ultimately overturned. In this episode, we exa…

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Hypomonē, and The Quiet Courage of Ordered Love 5:32

2M ago5:32

5:32

We often think of courage as the stuff of grand gestures and dramatic rescues, but ancient wisdom traditions tell a different story. In Eastern Orthodox theology, courage—or fortitude—isn’t about fearlessness or adrenaline-fueled bravery. It’s a divine partnership, a patient endurance known as hypomonē, that helps us stand firm in love and integrit…

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So A Mouse Enters A Beehive... 10:02

2M ago10:02

10:02

Sometimes wisdom doesn’t speak, it simply acts. In the secret chambers of a beehive, a tiny tragedy unfolds: a mouse, drawn by sweetness and warmth, meets its end. Yet what follows is not decay, but divine order in motion. The bees, guided by an unseen hand, seal the body in layers of propolis, transforming death into preservation. It’s a story of …

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The Beauty of Imperfection: When Music Becomes Human 6:32

2M ago6:32

6:32

Musicians often chase perfection, believing that a flawless performance is the measure of mastery. Yet, as one father reminded his son before a piano recital, it’s often our imperfections that create the deepest connections. When a note cracks or timing falters, the audience doesn’t recoil—they lean in. Vulnerability awakens something in all of us:…

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From Fear to Focus: Insights on Turning Performance Anxiety Into Peak Performance. 4:08

2M ago4:08

4:08

Everyone knows the feeling — the trembling hands, the shallow breath, the sense that every eye is fixed on you. Whether it’s a stage, a boardroom, or a moment of truth, fear seems to stalk the edge of every performance. Yet what if the goal isn’t to eliminate fear, but to understand it? What if that nervous surge is actually energy in disguise — th…

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The Simple Feast 6:39

2M ago6:39

6:39

If you journey to the northeastern edge of Greece, you’ll find a rugged peninsula reaching into the Aegean Sea — a place called Mount Athos, known for over a thousand years as the “Holy Mountain.” It’s a living sanctuary where time feels suspended, where the rhythm of life is marked not by clocks, but by prayer and silence. For the monks who live t…

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Thugocracy 101: How Modern Politics Mirror Organized Crime 15:22

2M ago15:22

15:22

Charles Tilly once called war-making and state-making “the greatest protection rackets in history.” In this episode, we explore how the modern state — and eventually alliances like NATO — evolved from centuries of organized coercion. From medieval kings to modern diplomats, the pattern remains: those who control violence define legitimacy. Governme…

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The Pencil-Shaped Miracle 7:09

2M ago7:09

7:09

https://youtu.be/teo_C3FGeug A pencil seems ordinary — a tool so simple we scarcely notice it. Yet hidden within this little stick of cedar and graphite is the labor of thousands: miners, loggers, chemists, sailors, merchants, and dreamers who will never meet, yet cooperate in perfect harmony. No single mind designed it, and no one person could mak…

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The Divine Nature of Work: Ancient Perspectives in Modern Careers 5:52

2M ago5:52

5:52

Our discourse today revolves around the profound implications of ancient perceptions of work, which were intrinsically linked to divine creation, contrasting sharply with contemporary views that often disconnect labor from any spiritual significance. Ultimately, we assert that reclaiming these ancient paradigms may provide a pathway to a more fulfi…

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The Secret to A Happy Life. 9:07

2M ago9:07

9:07

https://youtu.be/eU4yk7X7YDk From the way we rise each morning to how we treat others, joy is formed in the daily act of showing up—with honesty, humility, and gratitude. It’s found in companionship rooted in shared values, in the patience to raise others well, and in the courage to let sorrow deepen rather than harden the heart. Episode Highlights…

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Is Divorce Ever God's Will? 8:10

2M ago8:10

8:10

TLDR: Divorce is never God’s will, but there are times it is unavoidable and the only path to peace. We often wonder what the right way is when a marriage begins to unravel. We pray, we wait, we plead for restoration—yet sometimes things only get worse. A simple question posted online, “Is it ever God’s will to divorce?” unleashed a storm of respon…

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Inside the Meaning-Achievement Gap 7:39

2M ago7:39

7:39

We often treat success and fulfillment as interchangeable, but they’re not. In fact, research shows that more than 70% of high-achieving professionals feel deeply unfulfilled—even after reaching their career goals. In this episode, we explore why achievement alone so often leaves us empty, and how meaning, rhythm, and authenticity can restore what …

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The Long Way Around: What ASEAN Teaches the West About Cooperation 6:18

2M ago6:18

6:18

We often assume that global cooperation should look like NATO — efficient, decisive, and backed by hard power. But the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, takes a completely different path — one that prizes harmony, consensus, and cultural nuance over confrontation. Western analysts often call it inefficient, yet ASEAN’s slow and stea…

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Waves of Power: How Disaster Relief Became a Diplomatic Chess Match in Asia 8:12

2M ago8:12

8:12

https://youtu.be/BdkIQSCzWZY When the Indian Ocean tsunami struck Indonesia in 2004, it was one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history. But beneath the humanitarian tragedy lay another story — one of global power projection, soft diplomacy, and strategic influence. As nations raced to deliver aid, they weren’t just saving lives; they …

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Where Have You Gone, Ms. Pac Man? How and Why We Stopped Caring About Tragedy. 9:02

2M ago9:02

9:02

Once, tragedy had the power to stop the world. When a mass school shooting occurred in 1998, it wasn’t just another headline — it was a collective wound, one that rippled through schools, families, and communities across the nation. Today, events of similar horror come and go with barely a pause. In this episode, we explore what happens when sorrow…

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Charlie Kirk: Master of Persuasion 6:30

2M ago6:30

6:30

In a world where the loudest voices often dominate public discourse, the late Charlie Kirk stood out for doing the opposite. His approach to persuasion was rooted not in volume, but in virtue — a calm strength grounded in authenticity, composure, and moral clarity. This episode explores how Kirk’s manner of communication—especially his ability to r…

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The Wealth of Nations—and the Cost of Freedom 7:04

2M ago7:04

7:04

Does wealth inevitably lead to freedom? Or does it quietly breed complacency? For decades, political theorists like Seymour Martin Lipset have argued that prosperity is the soil in which democracy grows. When people rise above poverty, they gain both the time and capacity to participate meaningfully in politics. But the modern world complicates tha…

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The Art of Control: How China Perfected Authoritarian Adaptation 10:03

3M ago10:03

10:03

https://youtu.be/svvBEbSSXvU While nearly every communist regime crumbled after the Cold War, China’s Communist Party defied history. Rather than collapse like the Soviet Union, it transformed—fusing capitalist efficiency with centralized political power. This conversation explores how the CCP mastered the balance between control and flexibility, d…

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Research as Sacred Work 8:03

3M ago8:03

8:03

https://youtu.be/Va3gnfRKees In this episode, we explore the sacred side of scholarship—where faith and intellect unite, and truth becomes a living encounter with God. Because the pure in heart don’t just see clearly—they see God in every honest question. What if research itself were an act of worship? Well, That's A Deep Subject, isn't it. #FaithA…

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Stability Over Ideology: Why SE Asia May Hold the Key to the 21st Century Global Order 7:33

3M ago7:33

7:33

https://youtu.be/rLQy0COh2S0 Southeast Asia’s story over the past fifty years is nothing short of extraordinary. Once a fragmented region marked by colonial legacies and Cold War rivalries, it has emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic centers of economic growth and political balance. Across 11 nations and nearly 700 million people, Southeast A…

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Myth Informs Reality: How East and West Manage Int’l Affairs & Keep the Peace 6:07

3M ago6:07

6:07

https://youtu.be/q_vhZJmP5xU This AI-generated conversation was based off this paper I wrote. Beneath the surface of geopolitics lie the deeper stories civilizations tell themselves — their myths. The West builds alliances through reason, contracts, and law, seeing order as something constructed. The East, shaped by Confucian harmony, sees order as…

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Peace Sans Paperwork: Why Asia Just Said “No” to Entangling Alliances 6:18

3M ago6:18

6:18

https://youtu.be/s1fL4F5iOEs While Europe built NATO and a web of formal defense treaties after World War II, Asia took a very different path. Despite the absence of a NATO-style alliance, the region has experienced decades of relative peace and prosperity. Why? In this conversation, we explore how history, culture, and worldview shaped two distinc…

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The Quest for Relevance: America’s Real Strategy in the Indian Ocean 5:32

3M ago5:32

5:32

https://youtu.be/nZt708h11LA For decades, America has justified its military presence around the world in the name of national security. But in the Indian Ocean, the truth runs deeper. This vast, unpredictable region—where the ambitions of China and India converge—has become a stage not just for strength, but for significance. The U.S. isn’t fighti…

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Reinventing a Civilization: China’s Journey Through Chaos 4:56

3M ago4:56

4:56

https://youtu.be/_nDcqkVeTXA Imagine a civilization that ruled for over four thousand years — confident in its culture, traditions, and worldview — suddenly realizing that its entire way of life had become obsolete. That’s exactly what happened to China in the 19th and early 20th centuries. When the British Empire forced China into the Opium Wars, …

5M ago8:06

8:06

When duty and conscience collide, one soldier makes a choice that will cost him dearly — yet lead to a deeper freedom. Quote Used: "To lag in the fight at the very outset of the struggle and thereby to furnish proof of our coming defeat, there is a very hateful and dangerous thing. A firm beginning will certainly be useful for us when we grow slack…