The Bandwich Tapes

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Sarah Anderson and Paul DeHaven of Heavy Diamond Ring for a conversation about a musical partnership that has lasted more than two decades, the evolution of their approach to making records, and the band’s new EP, Let Love Be Enough.

Sarah and Paul first met when they were young musicians in Colorado and quickly began making music together. Their partnership eventually...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with mandolinist, singer, and recording engineer Ethan Setiawan to talk about his new album, Little Storms, and the musical relationships that have shaped the band behind it. Ethan talks about meeting his bandmates during his years in Boston and why chemistry, listening, and simply getting along can be every bit as important as technical ability when putting a group together.

We ...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with drummer, recording engineer, and educator Joel Rosenblatt for a conversation that goes well beyond drumming. Joel has spent his career moving between remarkably different musical environments, including Michel Camilo, Spyro Gyra, Pure Prairie League, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Broadway productions including In the Heights and Hamilton, and countless recording sessions.

We tal...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with keyboardist, composer, producer, and bandleader David Garfield for a conversation that quickly turns into a history lesson, a rhythm-section master class, and a look at what it actually means to spend a lifetime making music with other people.

David takes me back to his formative years in St. Louis, where he started on drums, discovered jazz through his high school stage ban...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Brian Sachs, drummer, songwriter, and co-founder of Mynd Reader, for a conversation about returning to music, discovering songwriting later in life, and learning to approach creativity with a different set of priorities.

Brian’s first musical life took place in New York City with The Authority, a band that came up alongside the Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, and Joan Os...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with singer-songwriter Coyle Girelli for a conversation about melody, singing, collaboration, and the experiences that have shaped his songwriting. We spend a lot of time talking about his album Out of This Town and its deluxe edition, a collection with an unusual history that stretches back roughly a decade and grew out of his remarkable songwriting partnership with the late Mac Da...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with South Carolina country artist Kile Antone for a conversation about music, songwriting, faith, identity, and finding your way back to something you thought you had left behind.

Kile’s path to country music has been anything but conventional. He began playing guitar as a teenager, but life eventually took him into law enforcement, ministry, and work as a paramedic. For n...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with James Woods for a conversation centered on a part of his creative life that may surprise people who primarily know him as an actor: songwriting.

James talks about the remarkable burst of creativity that has produced more than 75 songs and a series of concept albums created alongside Shooter Jennings and Bob Wayne. We dig into his upcoming album, The Killer’s Wife, the ...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with drummer and educator Nate Morton for a wide-ranging conversation about musicianship, preparation, versatility, listening, and the skills that build a career long after you leave the practice room.

Nate is best known to many listeners as the drummer for NBC’s The Voice, a gig that requires him to move effortlessly between rock, pop, country, R&B, blues, and just abo...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with legendary drummer Joey Baron for one of the most thoughtful conversations I’ve ever had about what it truly means to make music. Rather than talking about chops or technique, Joey takes us deep into the ideas of touch, tone, sound production, and why a musician’s relationship with space is just as important as the notes they choose to play.

We explore Joey’...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with acclaimed percussionist Joby Burgess for a fascinating conversation about life as one of the world’s most in-demand recording musicians. From film scores and orchestral performances to contemporary classical music and solo projects, Joby shares what it really means to build a career grounded in versatility, collaboration, and an endless curiosity about sound.

We talk a...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with singer-songwriter Aubory Bugg for a conversation about songwriting, collaboration, musical identity, and the experiences that shaped her forthcoming album, I Think I Had Something Once.

Aubory grew up in Granite City, Illinois, just outside of St. Louis, and we talk about how that small-town perspective continues to find its way into her writing. She explains how songs like ...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer, and engineer Giulio Carmassi for a conversation about instinct, perseverance, and the unexpected turns that shape a life in music.

Giulio takes me back to his childhood in Pisa, Italy, where he began on drums before discovering jazz harmony at the piano. By his teens, he was improvising on multiple instruments and learning...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with drummer Pat Steward for a wide-ranging conversation about groove, feel, listening, and the experiences that shape a musician over a lifetime. Pat has spent decades behind the kit, including a long history with Bryan Adams, and I had the chance to see him perform in St. Louis shortly before we recorded this conversation. Watching him play reinforced something I have always admir...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with SAVNT, lead singer of Ghost Hounds, for a conversation about the band’s new album Justified, vocal interpretation, storytelling, musical identity, and the unexpected path that brought him into the group.

We spend a lot of time talking about SAVNT’s approach as a singer. Sam Cooke was one of his earliest and most important influences, but his musical upbringing wa...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Italian guitarist, composer, producer, and sound engineer Emanuele Naima. Our conversation begins with Steve Reich's music and expands into a thoughtful exploration of sound, collaboration, and the freedom to pursue more than one creative path.

Emanuele tells me how his interest in minimalist music and academic research led him to reimagine all three movements of Reich&rsquo...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with multi-instrumentalist and recording artist Erik Hall to talk about his evolving relationship with minimalist music. We begin with his large-ensemble interpretation of Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato, created in collaboration with Metropolis Ensemble and Sandbox Percussion following a performance at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Erik takes me inside the challenges of mo...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Chris Malpass of The Malpass Brothers for a conversation about traditional country music, brother harmony, gospel, and the music that Chris and his brother Taylor have carried with them since they were kids.

A big part of our conversation centers on their gospel project Satisfied and why making the album felt less like exploring new territory and more like coming home. Chris...

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Jeff Bush, director of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, for a conversation about swing music, leadership, ensemble playing, education, and the responsibility that comes with carrying one of American music’s great band traditions forward.

Jeff first joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra more than two decades ago when Buddy Morrow was leading the band, and after years spent pursuing ...