Send us a text Join us for a nostalgic journey through the decades with Ken Talve, a gifted guitarist and my bandmate in the Ken Talve Trio. Ken opens up about his musical evolution, starting from his high school days when he was mesmerized by the blues and iconic bands like the Allman Brothers. Together, we reminisce about our days in the city lof…

Send us a text Reconnecting with an old friend can be a heartwarming and enlightening experience. Imagine being separated for 15 years and then finding yourselves together again, not just as friends but as musicians who once shared the stage. This episode brings you the remarkable story of how I, John Simeone, reunited with the talented Al Quinn, o…

Send us a text What happens when a love for music meets the classroom? Join me and my longtime friend, Joel Levy, as we reminisce about our musical adventures from the 1980s and dive into Joel's incredible journey from Syracuse to the stage. You'll hear about Joel's early days playing the clarinet in fourth grade, his switch to the saxophone, and t…

Send us a text What happens when a high school jazz band drummer from Vermont decides to take a spontaneous leap of faith and move to New York City? Join us as we chat with Sam Merrick, the talented drummer for the Broadway show "And Juliet," who shares his incredible journey. From local gigs in Boston while pursuing a communications degree at Bost…

Send us a text They say time flies when you're having fun, but never so quickly as when you're jamming with an old friend like Mark Newman. Our laughter echoed through the studio as Mark recanted the time he salvaged a guitar from the trash—a fitting prelude to his remarkable journey from a wide-eyed kid enthralled by '50s rock 'n' roll, to the sea…

Send us a text Have you ever found yourself caught between the steady beat of work life and the syncopated rhythms of a musical passion? My friend Don Olsen, a savvy electronics manufacturing business owner, joins me for a stroll down memory lane to chat about our earlier days, the laugh-filled experiences with jazz musicians, and the art of juggli…

Send us a text When Lee Finkelstein lays down a beat, it's not just rhythm—he's telling a story, painting a landscape. It's a philosophy I, John Simeone, share wholeheartedly. Our recent conversation took us on a tour through the world of drumming, where we unpacked the essence of what it means to truly play for the music. Lee, with his wealth of e…

Send us a text As a young drummer, tapping rhythms on school desks and dreaming of the big stage, I never imagined I'd be trading stories with a Broadway legend like Bill Lanham. Yet, here we are in a heart-to-heart, delving into the thrills and spills of his career, from the electrifying beats of Les Misérables to the high-stakes world of live the…

Send us a text Embark on an auditory expedition with me, John Simeone, as I sit down with the inimitable saxophonist Jeff Lange, whose musical tales are as rich and varied as the notes that flow from his sax. Picture, if you will, a young Jeff grappling with the strings of a guitar and the keys of an accordion before the saxophone’s siren call capt…

Send us a text Remember the time our mate Chris snuck in a shrimp cocktail on stage, despite explicit instructions to the contrary? Yep, that’s the kind of deliciously eccentric characters you’ll meet as we take a nostalgic journey down music industry memory lane. Join us and our special guest, Ben Phillip, as we reminisce about our band days, our …

Send us a text Ever dreamed of jamming with some of the music industry’s most celebrated icons? Picture yourself backing up the likes of Chaka Khan and Patty LaBelle? Brian Dunne, a renowned drummer, is living that dream, and he's here to share his incredible journey. As he walks us through his early days of jamming with his brother to his experien…

Send us a text Fasten your seatbelts as we embark on a journey into the past with Sal Randazzo, a renowned trombone player who shares with us not only the nostalgia of the early days in an assortment of bands, but also his sage insights and hilarious tales from a fulfilling career in the music industry. We present you with an episode that promises …

Send us a text Catching up with Ozzie Melendez, our second trombone player, is like being teleported into the heart of the music industry. From his musical beginnings in fourth grade to landing the big gig with Willie Colon's band, Ozzie shares the essence of a musician's journey, and why it’s crucial to seize every opportunity to prove oneself. We…

Send us a text Ready to step into the life of a professional musician? This episode with Terry Nigrelli , a trombone player with Broadway experience, brings you right into the heart of the music world. We journey through Terry's musical upbringing and his dedication to the trombone, a passion that took him from private lessons and music summer camp…

Send us a text In this episode me and one of my longtime musician friends, Dave Clark, discuss the triumphs and hardships of the music industry. Dave is a well known keyboard player/Singer/writer from the Long Island area originally, where he became the replacement for Billy Joel on the "Lords of 52nd Street" band. That band featured all the origin…

Send us a text In this episode I talk with my old friend John Scarpulla. John has done extensive touring with many well known artists, Tower of Power and Diana Ross to name a few! I've done many gigs with John and he always brings professionalism and integrity to each one, big or small - a talented seasoned musician for sure. This was my first "zoo…

Send us a text In this episode I chat with my longtime friend, Greg Schleich. Greg is a masterful keyboard player and producer, and has played with many prominent NY metro area bands- Funk Philharmonic, Bump City to name a few. A great listen! Greg brought some beer so it got a little funny.... Support the show…

Send us a text In this episode I catch up with my good friend Billy Heller, a well known and respected keyboard player/writer from Long Island. Billy and I have done many gigs together, and Bill has performed with a great deal of outstanding artists such as The Rippingtons, Smokey Robinson, Sara Bareilles, Take Six and Michael McDonald to name just…

Send us a text Dave Segal is a well known bass player in the New York metro area, as well as a very successful builder of custom basses for musicians such as Gary Foote and Richard Bona. Dave has played many large venues with a diverse number of bands, notably Blood, Sweat and Tears. Dave is a great friend and a funny guy! We share plenty of music …

Send us a text In this episode I chat with a longtime drummer friend, Steve Klein. Steve and I have known each other for years, and have traveled in some of the same circuits in the Long Island band business. Steve has also written a great book for beginning drummers! It's available at the Long Island Drum Center and at Barnes and Noble books- chec…

Send us a text In this episode I catch up with my old friend, Joel Rosenblatt. Joel and I attended the University of Bridgeport back in 1979, and we have remained friends throughout the years. Joel has an extensive playing and recording resume, and he shares some stories from his career with my listeners. Some funny stuff in here! Support the show…

Send us a text In this episode I catch up (literally) with my friend of 45 years, Dan Miranda. Danny has an unbelievable resume which includes such artists as Blue Oyster Cult and Queen, among others. Dan and I discuss various aspects of local and road gigs and share stories about both! Support the show…

Send us a text John and Frank discuss funny stories about the many bands we have endured over the past 4 decades. We also discuss some of the good and bad things with regard to belonging to a band, musically and otherwise. Many drummer gripes in this one! Support the showDi Johnny and Frankie on DRUMS