The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music

Join us this week as we revisit a previous favorite of Jay Jay's conversations on hi-fi audio; If there are two individuals who know the world of Hi-Fi audio, it's Ken Kessler & Michael Fremer. Ken is a Hi-Fi expert journalist, who joined Hi-Fi News & Record Review in 1983, to which he still contributes. He also writes a column for the website Soundstage UK, is the author of "Quad: The Closest Approach", "McIntosh … ...

This week Jay Jay is joined by legendary audio specialist Randall Messman, also known as the Cheap Audio Man! Jay Jay & Randall explore the intricate world of audio equipment, focusing on the importance of accessibility in audio enjoyment. Randy discusses his mission to demystify audio for everyday listeners, emphasizing that high-quality sound doesn’t need to be associated with high prices. He identifies his audience as ...

Tune into Part II of Jay Jay's conversation with Lenny Florentine, a renowned audio expert and YouTube sensation. They further explore the world of high-end audio equipment, getting into discussion about turntables and the crazy variation in prices that can come with them in modern day. Lenny candidly reflects on the absurdity of some of these prices while acknowledging that for some, these extravagant systems are akin to owning a ...

This week, Jay Jay is joined by audio expert Lenny Florentine! They take a dive deep into the world of audio to discuss the recent AXPONA Conference in 2026 & share their personal journeys through the audio landscape. Lenny is a prominent figure in the YouTube audio community, and shares insights from his extensive experience with high-end audio gear. They chat about everything from the evolution of audio technology to the nost...

This week, tune in for part II of Jay Jay's conversation with distinguished writer and producer Maxim Langstaff! Max is a Grammy- and Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and author whose creative work has reached millions worldwide. Known for his innovative vision and storytelling versatility, Max has collaborated with many of the most influential figures in music and popular culture.

He recently released his first novel Sasq'et, ...

This week, Jay Jay is joined by distinguished writer and producer Maxim Langstaff! Max is a Grammy- and Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and author whose creative work has reached millions worldwide. Known for his innovative vision and storytelling versatility, Max has collaborated with many of the most influential figures in music and popular culture. He recently released his first novel Sasq'et, which is available in stores ...

Join us this week as Jay Jay welcomes legendary tv & radio personality Riki Rachtman! Riki is well known as a long standing host of MTVs Headbanger's Ball, and as the owner of the Hollywood nightclub the Cathouse. He joins Jay Jay at his apartment in New York to discuss all things hard rock & Heavy Metal.

Riki shares some inspiring career insight as to how he made a name for himself in the music industry - sharing stories...

Legendary actor & comedian Richard Kind joins Jay Jay this week for a very special episode! Tune in to hear Jay Jay & Richard get into their deep histories with New York, & discuss all things Upper West Side & its unique character. They share stories of their early career development, getting into the differentiation between actors & movie stars, as with the differences between musicians and rock stars. Richard ...

This week, tune in as Jay Jay welcomes special guest & high end audio expert - Valerio Cora!

The intricacies of high-end audio technology take center stage in this episode, as Jay Jay and Valerio get into the innovative advancements in audio equipment. This discussion is taking place ahead of the Axpona high-end audio show in Chicago this Spring, which they will both be taking part in. Val shares insights into the evolution of ...

Tune in this week for Part II of Jay Jay's conversation with legendary comedian Dean Delray. Dean joins Jay Jay fresh off the release of his new comedy special '5836,' produced by Bill Burr.

This week, Dean & Jay Jay discuss the importance of the nuanced connection between artists and audiences, which leads them to talk about how social media and platforms like Patreon are reshaping artist-fan dynamics. They get into the i...

This week, Jay Jay welcomes back dear friend of the podcast - legendary comedian Dean Delray. Dean joins Jay Jay fresh off the release of his new comedy special '5836,' produced by Bill Burr.

They get into the intricacies of live performance, and discuss the evolving landscape of comedy today. Dean & Jay share the strong belief that when preparation meets opportunity, true magic can happen within one's life & trajectory...

Join us this week as we celebrate 5 years of the podcast! It has already been five years since the inception of The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond the Music, & we've had quite a wonderful run of guests over the years. Today we welcome back the very first guest on the show, the one & only Mike Portnoy! After reflecting on podcast highlights & the years since its beginning, Mike gets into discussing his remarkable...

This week, after the news of Bob Weir, we're revisiting Jay Jay's previous conversation with guests Justin Kreutzmann & Mark Pinkus. This episode is a must listen for all Dead Heads!

Justin is a director, & the son of legendary Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Justin has worked on a large catalogue of projects with music legends such as Pete Townshend and The Who, Motley Crue, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Emmylou Harris, Mav...

2025 has been quite the journey - in this week's episode, Jay Jay is joined by his producer Matthew Mallinger to reflect on the past year. Jay Jay & Matthew discuss milestones & musical highlights - talking about the ups & downs throughout the year; looking back on favorite guests, & some of their favorite performances. Matthew's insights contribute to this retrospective analysis, & he talks about his recently r...

This week, Jay Jay welcomes an old friend of his - special guest Paul McGowan of PS audio. Jay Jay recounts his first encounter with PS Audio equipment, as they get into a broader discussion about the evolution of audio technology over the years. Paul shares his journey from a young engineer to the president of a leading audio company, detailing the challenges he's faced in a market that's constantly evolving. They reflect on ...

Join us this week for an episode that will always be timely to revisit - as we relisten to Jay Jay's conversation with Rickey Medlocke, who's known both as a rock n roll legend and a prominent voice in advocating for Native American rights. Jay Jay & Rickey's history goes as far back as Twisted Sister does - to 1973 - and they've remained friends ever since. Rickey is best known as being the frontman & guitarist ...

Tune in this week for part II of Jay Jay's conversation with audio expert Adrian Low! Adrian is not only a distinguished audio expert and the owner of Audio Excellence in Canada, but also happens to be one of Jay Jay's favorite audio influencers / reviewers. They delve into the disparity between contemporary listening habits and those of previous generations & reflect on how the allure of high-fidelity systems has waned, with c...

Join Jay Jay this week as he welcomes audio expert Adrian Low onto the podcast. Adrian is not only a distinguished audio expert and the owner of Audio Excellence in Canada, but also happens to be one of Jay Jay's favorite audio influencers / reviewers. They delve into the disparity between contemporary listening habits and those of previous generations & reflect on how the allure of high-fidelity systems has wane...

Tune in this week for part two of Jay Jay's conversation with special guest Steve Guttenberg! These 2 dive straight back into the world of audio, & what it really is that makes great sound systems tick. Steve is an audio expert - with an extensive history both as a salesman and a reviewer. Steve & Jay chat about learning to appreciate sound quality through jazz music, and the importance of understanding depth, soundstage&nb...