The Playful Musician

Janis joins The Playful Musician to discuss her quarantine project, Vocal Gumbo, an online vocal group that includes a talk show and music events. She shares about first meeting Ella Fitzgerald, her musical influences, and the ups and downs of starting the Manhattan Transfer. We chat about recording the exceptional Manhattan Transfer album, Vocalese, and some of Janis’s new work including a Yiddish jazz album. Janis shares her teaching techniques, who’d she still love to collaborate with, and the words of wisdom she has for aspiring musicians.

Show Notes

Janis Siegel, a nine-time Grammy winner and a seventeen-time Grammy nominee, has been an undeniable force in The Manhattan Transfer’s diverse musical catalog. Alongside her career as a founding member of this landmark musical group, she has also sustained a solo career that has spawned more than a half dozen finely-crafted solo albums and numerous collaborative projects, amassed a large international fan base, and garnered consistently high critical praise.
Janis joins The Playful Musician to discuss her quarantine project, Vocal Gumbo, an online vocal group that includes a talk show and music events. She shares about first meeting Ella Fitzgerald, her musical influences, and the ups and downs of starting the Manhattan Transfer. We chat about recording the exceptional Manhattan Transfer album, Vocalese, and some of Janis’s new work including a Yiddish jazz album. Janis shares her teaching techniques, who’d she still love to collaborate with, and the words of wisdom she has for aspiring musicians.

What is The Playful Musician?

The Playful Musician dives deep into a musician’s journey, techniques and influences. From the first instrument they played to how they prepare for big concerts or recordings to how they find joy in the long practice hours, this podcast reveals the beautiful, and peculiar, details of an artist’s journey.
Whether you’re an aspiring musician looking for inspiration, a seasoned pro trying to find new techniques, or just a fan of the musical process, you’re going to love this podcast.