Songscapes: Music and Nature

Ep. 25 - Dimitri Mugianis - Punk Rock and Self-Love

Dimitri Mugianis fronted the New York based punk band, Leisure Class, known for their highly energetic shows and ‘Beat’ poetry inspired lyrics. After spending years wrestling with drug addiction Dimitri found his way to recovery and was inspired to create an organization that provided others with an opportunity to be a part of a support network. Cardea, draws upon Dimitri’s experiences in Gabon to visit a group that practices Bwiti. Drawing upon these traditions, Dimitri guides others through recovery and provides a place for self-love and personal growth. Thanks for listening and don’t forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast! Learn more about nonprofit Sustain Music and Nature’s work to make music a force for nature at: www.sustainmusicandnature.org [http://www.sustainmusicandnature.org] You can find Dimitri on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dimitrimugianis/ [https://www.instagram.com/dimitrimugianis/] and more information on Cardea at https://www.instagram.com/dimitrimugianis/ [https://www.instagram.com/dimitrimugianis/] Find Charles on his Twitter at https://twitter.com/coplincharles [https://twitter.com/coplincharles] Host: Charles Coplin Producer: Sustain Music & Nature Editor: Harrison Goodale Media Researcher: Lindsay Johnson Theme Music: Harrison Goodale Featured music: Joy, I Love You More, Ready to Receive

Ep. 24 – Adam Gardner – Guster and the Green Music Movement

Adam Gardner knows how to bring a vision to life. As alt/rock band Guster’s guitarist and vocalist, and co-founder of the nonprofit Reverb, he has a passion for sharing the messages he believes in through music. Reverb’s mission is to use the cultural power of music to influence related industries, concert tours, and fans to make sustainable change happen. They do this by collaborating with artists – for example, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, or the Dave Matthews Band – to create amazing ‘EcoVillages’ at their shows. Tune in to learn more about these EcoVillages and other cool projects of Adam’s, like Quarantine Kitchen with musicians and the different ways Guster stays close with their loyal fanbase, only on !Songscapes Thanks for listening and don’t forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast! Learn more about nonprofit Sustain Music and Nature’s work to make music a force for nature at: www.sustainmusicandnature.org [http://www.sustainmusicandnature.org] You can find Adam on Guster’s Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/guster/ [https://www.instagram.com/guster/] or on Reverb’s website at https://reverb.org/ [https://reverb.org/] Find Charles on his Twitter at https://twitter.com/coplincharles [https://twitter.com/coplincharles] Host: Charles Coplin Producer: Sustain Music & Nature Editor: Lindsay Johnson Media Researcher: Lindsay Johnson Theme Music: Harrison Goodale Featured music: Hard Times, Hello Mister Sun, and Overexcited

Ep. 23 – Sierra Hull – From Being an 8-year-old Virtuoso To 25 Trips (Around the Sun)

This week on Songscapes, Charles takes us to Nashville, Tennessee to talk with singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Sierra Hull. Having picked up the mandolin at age 8, been mentored by Alison Krauss at 11, and debuted at Carnegie Hall at 12, the bluegrass virtuoso has long since been certain that the musician’s lifestyle was the one for her. Sierra talks about the strong community of musicians she’s always been surrounded by, working alongside her heroes like Sturgil Simpson and Béla Fleck, and how her approach to making music has changed and melded over time. She also dives into her latest album, 25 Trips, and its themes of hope for the future and savoring the moment. Her deep appreciation of traditional bluegrass and bright personality make for a charming episode of Songscapes! Thanks for listening and don’t forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast! Learn more about nonprofit Sustain Music and Nature’s work to make music a force for nature at: www.sustainmusicandnature.org [http://www.sustainmusicandnature.org/] You can find Sierra on her Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sierradawnhull/ [https://www.instagram.com/sierradawnhull/] or on her website at https://www.sierrahull.com/ [https://www.sierrahull.com/] Find Charles on his Twitter at https://twitter.com/coplincharles [https://twitter.com/coplincharles] Host: Charles Coplin Producer: Sustain Music & Nature Editor: Lindsay Johnson Media Researcher: Harrison Goodale Theme Music: Harrison Goodale Featured music: 25 Trips, Beautifully Out of Place, and Middle of the Woods

Ep. 22 – Keb’ Mo’ – Trusting Your Purpose

This week, host Charles Coplin interviews five-time Grammy-award winner and American Blues musician Keb’ Mo’! He discusses his views on environmental and social activism, concerns about plastic overflow, and the idea of finding other planets to colonize. He cares deeply about preservation, and points out that we cannot escape our consumptive lifestyles, so we must become aware of the impact of our daily choices. Despite how bad things can look, though, he remains an optimist about our collective future by sharing messages of hope and light in his songwriting. Keb’ Mo’ also dives into his musical journey, how he kept pursuing his dreams in the face of failure, and talks about collaborations with artists like Taj Mahal, Roseanne Cash, and Robert Randolph. Make sure to check out Keb’ Mo’s latest album, Good To Be, out now! Thanks for listening and don’t forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast! Learn more about nonprofit Sustain Music and Nature’s work to make music a force for nature at: www.sustainmusicandnature.org [http://www.sustainmusicandnature.org] You can find Keb’ Mo’ on his Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kebmomusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/kebmomusic/] or on his website at https://www.kebmo.com/ [https://www.kebmo.com/] Find Charles on his Twitter at https://twitter.com/coplincharles [https://twitter.com/coplincharles] Host: Charles Coplin Producer: Sustain Music & Nature Editor: Harrison Goodale Media Researcher: Lindsay Johnson Theme Music: Harrison Goodale Featured music: Good Strong Woman, Sunny and Warm, and Medicine Man.

Ep. 21: Matthew Nelson – On Transformation in the Grand Canyon and the Great-Grandfather of Percussion

Today, travel with Arizona Trails executive director Matthew Nelson along the Arizona trail, which spans 800 miles from the Mexico/U.S. border to Utah. Matthew helped complete the last 100 miles of the trail in his youth, which he credits as a turning point in his connection with the Southwestern landscape. In his early 20’s, he was launched into a career in Grand Canyon National Park. He tells the story of his transformative first experience with the Grand Canyon, and how that connection led him to create music with his group, Ongtupqa. If you’re curious to learn about clay percussion, ancient flutes and how he and his group invoke Earth, Spirit and Sky, don’t miss this episode of Songscapes! Thanks for listening and don’t forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast! Learn more about nonprofit Sustain Music and Nature’s work to make music a force for nature at: www.sustainmusicandnature.org [http://www.sustainmusicandnature.org] You can find out more about Matthew on his “about” page at https://www.americantrails.org/presenters-and-authors/matthew-j-nelson [https://www.americantrails.org/presenters-and-authors/matthew-j-nelson], or on his musical group’s page at https://www.ongtupqa.com/media [https://www.ongtupqa.com/media]. Find Charles on his Twitter at https://twitter.com/coplincharles [https://twitter.com/coplincharles] Host: Charles Coplin Producer: Sustain Music & Nature Editor: Harrison Goodale Media Researcher: Lauren Myli Theme Music: Harrison Goodale Featured music: Rain of Life, Vasey's Paradise, Rolling Thunder