Why Music Matters With Jeff Miers

Why Music Matters With Jeff Miers

Welcome to the Why Music Matters podcast. I’m your host, music journalist and musician Jeff Miers. Throughout my life in and around music, I’ve often asked myself the question - Why does music matter? This podcast attempts to answer that question, with the help of musicians, members of the music industry, and music-lovers like you. Join us!

Episodes

January 16, 2025 64 mins

Hey there, music lovers. 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today on the podcast, I’m lucky enough to spend some time with my friend Sam Marabella, a musician, songwriter, local music advocate, and co-owner of the legendary Buffalo, NY, live mus...

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Hey there, music lovers. 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

 I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today on the podcast, I’m happy to welcome former Congressman and current President of Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY, Brian Higgins. 

After growing up in Buffalo, and graduating from Buffalo State College and Harvard University, Brian worked his way...

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Hey there, music lovers. 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

More than a decade back, I hopped on the bus as an embedded reporter, covering a Northeast jaunt for then up-and-coming indie band Aqueous. 

I’d never met any of the...

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Hey there, music lovers. 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today on the podcast, I’m psyched to welcome a cutting edge artist whose work represents a major step forward for both Buffalo hip-hop in particular, and contemporary national hip-hop i...

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Hey there, music lovers. 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today, I’m joined by three musicians whose work has intrigued me for decades, from the first time I heard them - while studying at the State University of New York at Fredonia in the la...

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Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today’s episode is a special one for me. Way back in 2002, I watched the renowned drummer, composer and Western New York native Bobby Previte lead a hand-picked band of musicians through the tumultuous and strangely beautiful terrain of Miles Davis’ game-changing 1970 album Bitches Brew, at ...

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Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today, we’ve got a special edition of the podcast, featuring a roundtable discussion with three diversely talented musicians and music educators, who also happen to be movers and shakers in the Buffalo and Western New York music sc...

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Hello, music lovers! 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today, I’m pleased to welcome a young singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has been making devoted fans of original music connoisseurs in Western New York over the past few years -  includ...

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Hey there, music lovers. Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, my guest is Buffalo music advocate, club owner and musician Josh Mullin. As owner of both Jack Rabbit and Riff City, Josh has worked tirelessly to boost the Buffalo Music scene, by providing artist-friendly spaces that act as hubs for the region’s music-loving...

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Hello, music lovers! Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m excited to welcome an old friend to the podcast. Dave Wedekindt has been working behind the scenes to enrich the lives of music fans throughout the Western New York region for several decades. A tireless advocate for the arts in general and music in particular...

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Hello, music lovers! Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m pleased to welcome my friend, the singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and bandleader David Michael Miller. Lovers of live music in Western New York know David as leader of the searing southern soul band Miller & the Other Sinners; the former co-guitari...

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Hello, music lovers!

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today, we’ve got a very special guest - legendary progressive and hard rock musician, son of western New York, and virtuoso bassist Billy Sheehan. We know Billy from his groundbreaking work with Talas, David Lee Roth’s band, Niacin, Mr. Big, Sons of Apollo, and many more...

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Hello, music lovers! 

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 

I’m your host, Jeff Miers.

Today’s guests are two of my favorite musicians in all of the Western New York area, and they also happen to be two-thirds of one of my favorite bands - the postmodern, jam-based trio Organ...

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Today’s guest is Chris ‘Bulldog’ Parker, the voice of Buffalo Sports radio, co-host of the afternoon show on WGR 550, and our conduit to all things Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres for as long as most of us can remember. Bulldog knows sports, and his passion for our Buffalo teams knows no limits. But he’s just as passionate about music, and the role it has played in his own life, the lives of his kids, and in the broader community....

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Hello music lovers! Welcome to Why Music matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today’s guest is an old friend of mine, a veteran of the Western New York Music Scene, and a 2016 inductee into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. Alison Pipitone has been writing songs, playing gigs and releasing albums since she formed her first band, as a teenager in the ...

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Hello music lovers, and welcome to another edition of Why Music Matters. I’m your host, music journalist and musician Jeff Miers. Today, my guest is the jazz musician, bandleader and educator Walter Kemp. Walter just released an astounding new album, called Black Whole Live, a fiery, dynamic live set featuring a band that includes saxophonist Brent Birkhead, violinist Scott Tixler, bassist Rishon Odel and drummer Allan Mednard. Kem...

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My guest today is the bassist, songwriter, bandleader and all around awesome human being Karina Rykman. 

A self-taught bassist and guitarist, Karina started playing in bands in and around New York City when she was barely a teenager, and was touring as a member of legendary keyboardist Marco Benevento’s band while still attending college. 

The stint in Benevento’s band pre...

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My guest is cellist, creator and collaborator Alex Cousins.    A classically trained musician and Peabody Conservatory graduate, Alex has performed as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, played with a variety of original alternative bands, and been seen and heard in venues from Western New York to Italy.    But what sets Alex apart is his passion for the electric cello, a unique instrument that he employs in his ques...

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February 15, 2024 46 mins

Today on Why Music Matters, my guest is musician and DJ Chelsea O’Donnell. Chelsea began her career in radio as host of the local show on 107.7 FM Alternative Buffalo, where she helped that station celebrate the rich variety of local and regional indie rock from Western New York. These days, you can hear Chelsea on WBFO The Bridge, where she hosts The Scene, a show focusing on original inde...

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Today on Why Music Matters, I have a conversation with Ray Wawrzyniak. Ray is a devout music lover. Musicologist, author and collector whose main passion in life aside from his family, of course, is the Canadian progressive rock trio RUSH. Ray joined me to chat about our shared love for that band, about RUSH co-founder Geddy Lee's new memoir, and about why All music matters but in Ray's world, RUSH music matters most.

 

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