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B-Side Morning Brew with Bij & Niles is a unique radio show broadcasted on 91.5FM KUNV Jazz & More in Las Vegas, pairing music and lifestyle through tasteful consciousness. Live the Lifestyle™. Shows air the first Sunday of each month.
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Good morning and welcome. You're listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Beej and Niles. Hot coffee, cool chatting, chilling on the corner of Lifestyle Lab and Music Street on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and More.
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Did you hear that? Mm-hmm.
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Got it. So I guess we're recording. I guess so. Yeah, it says recording on the, uh... Oh, yeah. I can see our mic....the red line. Okay. Cool. All right, let's do it. Let's just start with a good morning. All right. Good morning, everybody. You're listening to... Morning. Hey, hey, oh, oh, oh. Because we've already done... Well, we've already done the intro, so we'll... Okay, so we're gonna do... Okay, gotcha, gotcha. Yeah. Good morning, my man. Good morning, man.
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How you doing? Good. Let's start with our sip of coffee.
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There you go, yeah.
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Ah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
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That's it. We're back baby. Top of the morning to you my man.
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Right? I love this whole thing that we're doing, the whole new morning. It's a morning show. It was the morning show before, but now it's a morning show. Right? I think, you know, it reflects our lifestyle of, you know, getting up, starting the day, being productive. You were telling me that story some time ago, like when you were a kid, like your dad would be up early and reading the paper on a Sunday, like you know, these shows are airing Sunday mornings now, right? So you'd walk down, see your dad at the paper and have, who was he listening to? It was...
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Alan Watts, the philosopher on public radio, had the show come on every morning, coffee, he'd have a cup of coffee, a piece of paper, you know, Alan Watts' main thing was you create your own reality.
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Yeah, well he was one of the first to bring over Eastern philosophy at that time. That's right. He was a professor up in Northern California, right?
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Anyway. Probably Berkeley or something like that.
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Yeah, I still listen to him every now and again.
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Oh yeah, it's timeless.
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Oh yeah, very, very cool. So how you been, man? I mean, here we are, how's our listeners been? How you cats been out there? Did you miss us? Or not? And for those of us who are just joining, welcome. Yeah. No, we're glad to be back. I mean, you know, just out here winning Grammys, you know. I love how you pluralize that. You
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know, because once you get the first one, then you gotta get another one. Now you got the itch. You got the itch. No, it's been really great to kind of get caught up creatively on stuff, on projects that we want to do. You know, we have such a long history together of making music together. And during that time, we always had our own projects that we were doing. So it's important to be able to get to do those things and then come back and with a newfound sense of
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creative collaboration so it's been great. I agree yeah I mean I think you know look we talked about this we had to put things on ice for a little bit including the radio show just to kind of just dream it all up again to try to figure out what could we do better or different that keeps us excited which hopefully keeps you know our listeners and our music fans excited as well and that's a that's a big thing for us I know for us as well, you know.
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And it's important to reflect, you know, on the positives. So easy to look at the things you haven't accomplished yet and not take stock of the things that we have accomplished. So it's been exciting. We know we closed off our performance season with a great show at the Smith Center. Really well attended and great energy. You know, got the people on their feet, moving and moving and got to share some new music and that's what it's about.
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Well speaking of change and just things that we've been doing, I mean I started to, you know, the older that we get. I prefer mature. Yeah, no, we're aging like flying white. You know, I'm not a gym person but I started Orange Theory, which is not, I don't look at it as a gym, I mean. No, I would not classify you as a gym rat, no. No, I'm even recording now this show, I just you know came from my Orange Theory class, which has been amazing because you go back and forth from from a treadmill to the rowing machine and then to do floor work, which is you know whether you're doing the TRX bands to I mean, I love it. What I also love is before I did this, doing some exercise, I did something to hurt my back really bad. I was down for a bit.
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I mean, it was scary.
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Yeah, I remember that. It was scary, man. But having a coach there to make sure, you know, you're doing things properly, I mean, I love it. I love it. The rowing machine is a save.
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Well, yeah, we're looking into that too. Are you? Averon, it's a brand that is able to be stored upright, you know, when you're not using it. It's got interactive, you know, rowing programs, working on your form, your technique, which is huge on a rowing machine, right? Well, any machine, it's important to use the proper form. But yeah, so we're looking forward to adding that to our arsenal. We're already Peloton people, which I know for you as a cyclist is kind of like,
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I'm cheating.
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It's not that, you know what it is?
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It's a different, it's completely different. Cause you're not dealing with the elements.
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Right.
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So, um, and also when you're trying to, you know, climb a hill on a bike, you know, you're, you're climbing with your weight, you know, it's a different, it's a different animal, but yeah, but it's a great exercise nonetheless. Even if you're on stationary, I mean, there's no doubt.
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Movement.
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I'm not looking to get ripped up, you know, that's not my...
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Well, you say that now, but you might get the bug.
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Right. Well, when you see me on Instagram with my shirt off, then start to worry.
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Then we know.
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Then we know.
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Start to worry about it.
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Oh my gosh.
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Man, what else has been going on? I mean, I've been doing some reading. How about you? You know, we're avid readers.
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And you know, what we want to talk, and we want to tell the listeners is like we want this to be an opportunity for Really to the fusion of a lifestyle as of creatives. We consider ourselves creatives I guess that's the term for what we do musically and artistically, you know There has to be a balance to that this thought that you know, you have to be you know You're not successful as an artist if if you're not doing that 200% I think is a misnomer. I think we're influenced by so many other things in our lifestyle whether it's you know food or clothing or you know home DIY projects or athletic endeavors you know skiing, golf, swimming, cycling. I think it's important to and travel in general traveling around the world and absolutely so we want to share you know the premise of this show is really to to share the lifestyle and and get some ideas from you the listeners of what how you approach your day and how you approach you're being creative you know and
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that's one of those things I know you know when we're coming back to recreate the show is talking about how can we start engaging more with our listeners and the fans and Because you know as our tagline says on the corner of lifestyle av and music Street It's that where lifestyle obviously and music mean for us for instance I know we're because you and I are avid readers, but we want to be able to share that and at some point here soon create some sort of a Our version of a book club if you will and start having listeners get involved and share the books that they're reading and vice versa. We're excited about that which is cool. It's funny going back to the Orange Theory thing I purposely do the 6 o'clock 615 class a.m. so I'm up at 5. I'm up at 5 anyway right because you and I were reading the 5 a.m. Club by Robin Sharma which is a great book.
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Great book. Yeah. Great book. A lot of anecdotal things in there, but also it provides, you see there's a great deal of balance in the lifestyle of living and getting up early and starting your day and getting into a consistent routine. And really a attitude of gratitude about, hey, I have this day, let's make the most of it in whatever you endeavor to do.
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It is, for me, I know a lot of people, especially here in Vegas, you know, vampires, you know, doing stuff late at night, which is, I used to do that, which is great.
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And we still do it on occasion.
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Yeah, of course. Yeah. But as you know, I mean, and especially since we read this book, The 5 AM Club, I mean, it changed my world, there's no doubt. I've read it three times already. Getting up at that time just to start your day, to have your me time before your day begins, I mean, man, it has changed my whole everything. And you know, look, on the weekends or, you know, I definitely sleep in, but my sleeping in is I'll be up at 630, you know. It's a relative
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thing. Yeah, yeah. If I'm up at there sleeping till 7 then I like oh my goodness. Yeah, where'd those two hours go? I'm having lunch already, bro
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Man so what what?
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So during this time off, I know you and I have been listening to some new some new cats
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Getting in touch with some new music and things, you know, I know for me personally. I'm trying to Expand and see what's out there. I mean who you got? Well, you know, I mean listen, uh, there's so much music out there.
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So, you know, I have a Latin jazz project and I'm finally gonna bring my Latin jazz group into the studio. Yeah. So I have a lot of artists that I've been influenced by and one of them was this pianist, Michel Camilo, and he's been around for a long time. One of the, kind of the, I went through a fusion phase, right? So, Michel Camilo has this big band album that he did, which has Dave Weckl on drums.
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Oh yeah, okay, cool.
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John Faddis, who's a lead trumpet player, who was one of my mentors. So they came together, we were the full big band, and did this album called One More Once. And there's a tune on there called Just Kidding.
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You're listening to it here on B-Side Morning Brew with Beejah Niles, the 91.5 KUNV.
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so Oh, yeah So Oh, yeah So So Oh, Alright, welcome back. back you're listening to B-side Morning Brew with Beej and Niles on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and more. That was a killing track man. Very uplifting like you. Or the perception of you. The persona. Yeah. You know you're a man of mystery and I have a slightly different persona, which is pretty much the
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opposite of mysterious. We won't get into that. A little more outgoing and gregarious.
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We won't go into my dark clouds right now.
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It's okay, man. You've been good about that, man. I've got to give you credit, man. I wouldn't call it dark. You're not brooding or dark.
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No, it's... I think you're just introspective.
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Yeah.
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You take it all in.
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That's the one.
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Take it all in. I like it. Well speaking of Big Ben, I don't know since we've been off air, I don't know how many people knew that you won the Grammy. Go on. Oh yeah, for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, thank you. Yeah, the Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra. Yeah.
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I co-lead with my young compadre, Steven Feithke, who, hence the name Generation Gap. He's in his 30s, and I'm a little longer in the tooth than that.
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Are you hitting double nickels right now?
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Are you double nickels?
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Well, we're not gonna really discuss that.
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You know, a gentleman never tells his age.
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Right.
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But let's just say, perhaps. But yeah, it was a great experience, and we're really proud of the project. And so yes one of gray. I got the I got the hardware finally came in the mail Where's where's the trophy? Well? I have to redo my office first You know the listeners you know I don't have the same OCD about organization that my brother Niles does yeah, I'm getting there. I'm working on it It's a place to be man. It is a great place to be there's definitely more upside than downside.
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Yeah.
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I mean, you're going to have to strategically put that behind you in your Zoom office.
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Yeah, it will be behind me prominently placed along with the medallion that I received.
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Yeah. That's cool. It's all good, man.
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Well, while you've been doing that, I went back to record, right, a new EP. Great music, too, by the way, man. Thank you, brother.
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Really great music.
0:18:04
I appreciate that I'll go into that in a minute, but I've also you know you know me and skiing right. It's like a yeah I'm all about snow skiing your ski bum. Yeah, but I started getting it into sailing Oh my gosh. I know it's the all right Christopher cross, right? I'll say man. It is the coolest thing when you're out there, and it's just so much fun It's absolutely gorgeous. You know part again with the lifestyle just kind of, um, sure. Needing those, we were talking earlier in the show about balance, that these kind of things I have to have for balance in order to, and that was the thing going back to the music, because I know you and I had a tough time when we recorded our new album, which we haven't even released, we realized that your songs needed to be on their own in mind, because unfortunately, we couldn't capture that lightning in the bottle, like we did our first album in terms of, you know, the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, how they just really worked together. And as a result of that, I know I was frustrated with that, you know, in the studio mixing those tunes.
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Well, even in the mixing process, it's difficult because they had to be kind of approached differently.
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Yeah, and which was probably good that that happened the way that it did because you were focused on Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra. And then I was, I didn't need to put everything on ice. I mean, after listening to those songs a thousand times, I was tired. But oddly enough, it inspired me with between skiing and then learning, starting to learn to sail, it inspired me to write brand new songs. It's just a brand new collection. You never know where that inspiration is coming from, right?
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And that's the point, I think. Whether it's a new book or whether it's new experiences, new travel. I know one of our goals is to record in France
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a collaborative album. I think we do that next year. I think we can figure that out. It's funny, speaking of travel, because when I was on one of the ski trips, our friend Nick Kittle, here in town, drummer, he used to be in Blue Man Group, for those who may not know. But we were traveling to, I think we were going to Big Bear actually. He turned me on because I didn't know what I wanted to do musically. I mean, I know me, but I wasn't inspired by anything or anyone. And he goes, man, you gotta listen to this cat named Matthew Halsall, this trumpeter out of Manchester. And it just hit me, this guy, this trumpet player. And I think you'll appreciate this. It's, it's for me, what hit me about this guy, because it is very moody. You know me, I love the more the darker kind of style if you will or it's very landscape like. Yeah, he creates a tapestry, a musical tapestry
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with this and what I like about when I you know after you hipped me to him yeah I realized I probably heard him play before but not realizing it was him.
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I'd love to hip the people to this cat so this is Matthew Halsall with his song Canopy and Stars on B-side Morning Brew, Beej and Niles on 91.5 KUNV.
0:20:57
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, the the the the the the so so so Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, so the the the the the the the the the the and welcome back everybody you're listening to b-side morning brew with vision niles on ninety one point five k u n b jazz and more man of the killing two you know i got a good practice you know as a fact that you know you'd be picking up the trumpet player I know I'm a little jelly.
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I will say I see Rashaun Ross who is your buddy who you've introduced me to he's a trumpeter for for Dave Matthews I see him practicing a lot bro well you know my theory on that is if you have to post it. We'll see next time we all meet having a glass of wine we'll see if you say that same thing.
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I know I will.
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I know. Rashawn is a great friend and an amazing talent. You've met him. He's just a great cat.
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He's great, man.
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Super humble. He's the best. I'm just busting chops.
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Yeah, busting chops. That's right.
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Well, man, it's great to be back home here at KUNV. I'd like to thank KUNV and all the staff that help us out. It's great to be back with the listeners and our music fans.
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Absolutely. And we're really looking forward to sharing more with all of you in our journey. And a lot of phenomenal things coming up, Pike, for both of us and then together, collaborative, that we're looking forward to sharing.
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Well, that's the thing, too. I know we're talking about some of our fans may ask when the next concert is. But we're dreaming that up again as well. We want to come back with something a bit new and refreshing and exciting for the people. I think we've done what we were going to do with that volume one, if you will, of our shows, and so we're just figuring that out now, which is exciting. In the meantime, you and I are focusing on our own projects.
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Absolutely. Yeah. And we'll look forward to sharing those with the listeners as well.
0:27:56
Yeah. And for our fans, if you'd like to take a listen to what we are doing, www.bijohnwatson.com and nilesthomas.com but we are excited to get Jazz Republic back in action. Absolutely, absolutely.
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Yeah man, I, you know, shall we have a closing?
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Our closing coffee toast.
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That's right. Thank you for sharing the morning with us and spending some time and we look forward to connecting with you all in the coming weeks, months, etc.
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Good morning everybody.
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You've been listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Bij and Niles, chillin' on the corner You've been listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Bij and Niles, chillin' on the corner
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of Lifestyle App and Music Street on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and More.