Anthology

An Interview with Sweet Baby J’ai

By Casey Pukl

Oh, Sweet Baby J’ai! You’re all in for a great treat today! All of the incredibly talented artists involved in Thursday night’s “Shaken Not Stirred: The Music of James Bond” have more than their talent in common— they’re all incredibly energetic and fun people to chat with!

Read on to find out how Sweet Baby J’ai came to be a part of the show, why her musical background makes her so unique, and just what she loves most about San Diego!

CP: Tell me a little bit about the show you’re doing, “Shaken Not Stirred”? Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer

By Casey Pukl

Grammy award-winning vocalist, Cheryl Bentyne, is one of jazz’s most accomplished vocalists. Logging over 200 performances per year on average with the Transfer, it’s amazing that she finds the time to work on not only her solo projects, but also additional collaborations. 2012 has certainly been an interesting year for Bentyne, as she battled Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for the first half. But she’s now got her health back, and is picking up where she left off. This Thursday, she returns to Anthology as part of a special tribute to the music of James Bond titled, “Shaken Not Stirred”. Read on to learn about Cheryl’s collaboration with Ted Howe and Sweet Baby J’ai, her battle with Hodgkin’s, and just why Anthology holds a special place in her heart. Read the rest of this entry »

From Top to Blossom

By Casey Pukl

Squash is the budget friendly chef’s best friend. They’re easily available year round, filling, and versatile! With so many different varieties, there are endless possibilities from making squash chips to faux spaghetti. My personal favorite (until I tried Executive Chef Kristen Burman’s dish for this week) is half of a roasted butternut squash with cinnamon for breakfast.

But today, we’re talking about summer squash! What is summer squash exactly? I’m glad you asked! While both summer and winter squash are available year-round, summer squash varieties are classified as those that spoil faster, therefore cannot be kept for quite as long. For instance, butternut squash is considered a winter squash because it can be stored for up to a month. Summer squashes are similar to zucchini.

Read on to find out what delicious pairing our culinary team has in store this week!

Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Barry Goldberg of the Chicago Blues Reunion

By Casey Pukl

Oh, loyal blog readers, today you are in for a serious treat. I’m not going to lie here, I’m usually pretty prepared for my interviews  and know how to keep my composure. However, this was one of those exceptions where I found myself pretty speechless and struggling to find questions instead of praise.

It’s no secret that I’m a songwriting junkie. If there’s one topic I could talk about day in and day out, it’s the writing process. What inspires a songwriter? What do they focus on? How much editing do they do? What song forms are their favorites? The list goes on and on.

Ladies and gents, Barry Goldberg did not disappoint. From talking about his early days of listening to a who’s who of Hammond organ players to his years of writing with legend Gerry Goffin, this man is a treasure chest of music history. Did I mention that he’s also played with Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin? Goldberg also has writing credits for Rod Stewart, Gladys Knight, Steve Miller, Joe Cocker, Percy Sledge… you get the picture. Without further preface and fanfare, I’ll just invite you to read what well may be one of my favorite and most memorable interviews thus far. Read the rest of this entry »

An Interview with Karlos Paez of the B-Side Players

By Casey Pukl

One of San Diego’s favorite local acts can be described as War meets Lenny Kravitz. The B-Side Players are going into their 18th year as a band, and are releasing their 10th record. With influences ranging from Earth, Wind and Fire to Carlos Santana, the group’s eclectic background spans Latin rock, funk, and good old American rock and roll. Band leader, Karlos Paez, took some time out to give us a little background on the group and some insight into the latest record and their CD release show tomorrow night!

CP: I know you guys have a new album coming out. Can you tell me a little bit about that? Read the rest of this entry »