Music & Mental Health + Jazz for Peace with Rick DellaRatta

If you’ve ever used music to get through a tough time, felt overwhelmed by anxiety, or just want to hear how creativity and compassion can change lives, this episode is for you.

More info, resources & ways to connect - https://www.tacosfallapart.com/podcast-live-show/podcast-guests/rick-dellaratta

In this episode, MommaFoxFire sits down with Rick DellaRatta—musician, mental health advocate, and founder of Jazz for Peace—to talk about the powerful connection between music and mental health. Rick shares his personal story of navigating life’s challenges, and how music, especially jazz, became a healing force not just for him, but for people around the world.

Rick opens up about his early years, where music was both an escape and a lifeline. He talks about experiencing anxiety and feeling misunderstood, and how improvisation through jazz allowed him to express emotions he couldn’t always put into words. Music became a tool for survival and connection—especially when things got overwhelming.

He explains how this passion led to the creation of Jazz for Peace, a global organization that brings people together across boundaries of race, religion, and politics through music. What started as a concert in response to 9/11 turned into a movement that now supports nonprofit organizations worldwide. Rick shares that Jazz for Peace helps groups raise awareness and funding by organizing benefit concerts that feature his performances and draw attention to important causes.

The conversation shifts to how music can be used as a tool for mental health. Rick emphasizes that music gives people permission to feel—whether that’s joy, sadness, grief, or hope. He talks about the science behind it too, referencing how rhythm and melody can literally rewire the brain and reduce stress. According to Rick, even five minutes of music can be a powerful reset for the mind.

MommaFoxFire and Rick get real about how isolating it can feel to struggle with mental health and how creative outlets—like music, art, or writing—can be vital lifelines. Rick encourages listeners not to worry about being perfect or trained. Just make noise, he says. Pick up an instrument, sing in the shower, or dance around your kitchen. The act of expression matters more than the result.

They also talk about how our culture sometimes pushes productivity over emotional well-being, and how important it is to push back on that. Rick stresses the importance of finding your own rhythm in life and making space for joy and expression, especially when times are hard.

Throughout the interview, Rick shares stories of the people and communities he’s connected with through Jazz for Peace—from refugees to students to families facing crises—and how music became a shared language of healing.

The episode wraps with a message of hope and encouragement. Rick reminds listeners that they don’t need to be professional musicians to experience the benefits of music. The key is to show up for yourself, to find even small ways to stay grounded, and to use creativity as a reminder that we’re never truly alone in what we’re feeling.