The Desert Vibe

Phoenix Vs LA For Working Musicians | The Desert Vibe · Ep 34

We catch up with Laura Joy to compare what it really feels like to build a music life in Phoenix and Los Angeles, from getting paid solo gigs to finding your people in a huge scene. We also dig into her percussive acoustic style, the extra pressure women face in the industry, and why DIY infrastructure can be the smartest path forward. Website: www.laurajoymusic.com [https://www.laurajoymusic.com] • comparing Phoenix and LA for access, pay, and day-to-day gigging • where working gigs come from, including private events and agency pipelines • using humor and presence to win loud rooms and mixed crowds • navigating gendered expectations and setting hard boundaries • building a percussive acoustic guitar approach through fingerstyle and classical technique • playing with high-level musicians who listen and leave space • the real cost of touring, including gas prices and travel logistics • why many great songs stay unreleased and how to think about value now Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2565024/support] Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast] Get the Desert Vibe Podcast swag and support the show! https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products] The Desert Vibe Hosts:  • Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com [https://walterrichardson.com]   • Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net [https://glengardner.net]   • Jamirae / The Blindsiders: https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/ [https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/]   The Desert Vibe Marketing & Website Team • Emma & James Mattison : https://emmaandjames.music [https://emmaandjames.music] #TheDesertVibe #ArizonaMusic #LiveMusicArizona #PhoenixMusic #TempeAZ

The Go To Violinist In Arizona | The Desert Vibe · Ep 33

We sit down with Arizona violinist Tim Sadow and dig into how he becomes the rare kind of musician who can jump genres, find the right part, and make a band feel bigger without getting in the way. Along the way, we talk Arizona community, live music authenticity in an AI era, and the choices that separate playing a lot from playing what matters.  Tim's Website: www.timsadow.com [https://www.timsadow.com] • Tim’s early classical training plus learning by ear  • Building a versatile violin style through funk, Irish rock, and constant sitting in  • How we first crossed paths and why the Arizona scene keeps connections alive  • Playing within the music, leaving space, and knowing when not to play  • Why live performance still beats synthetic instruments and AI tracks  • The jump from “classical only” to improvising confidently on stage  • Studio approach, supporting vocals, and elevating original songs  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2565024/support] Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast] Get the Desert Vibe Podcast swag and support the show! https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products] The Desert Vibe Hosts:  • Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com [https://walterrichardson.com]   • Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net [https://glengardner.net]   • Jamirae / The Blindsiders: https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/ [https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/]   The Desert Vibe Marketing & Website Team • Emma & James Mattison : https://emmaandjames.music [https://emmaandjames.music] #TheDesertVibe #ArizonaMusic #LiveMusicArizona #PhoenixMusic #TempeAZ

Sandra Bassett Explains Why Artists Deserve More Pay | The Desert Vibe · Ep 32

We sit down with singer and arts leader Sandra Bassett to trace how a business mindset can protect a creative life and expand opportunity across a whole community. We dig into fair pay, authentic performance, and why the arts are not background noise but real economic power in Arizona.  Website: www.thesandrabassett.com [https://www.thesandrabassett.com] • negotiating a business major while keeping music central  • leaving corporate life and proving herself through a Japan audition  • rebuilding spaces and programs at Phoenix Center for the Arts  • teaching artists the business of being an artist through BIPOC Arts  • calling out stagnant musician pay and defining venue-artist partnership  • moving between Motown, blues, and jazz with authenticity  • using music as ministry and healing in healthcare settings  • making covers personal through key choice, arrangement, and leadership  • reframing Motown history through women’s leadership and civil rights impact  • explaining arts advocacy through economic impact and the “BIPOC dollar”  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2565024/support] Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast] Get the Desert Vibe Podcast swag and support the show! https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products] The Desert Vibe Hosts:  • Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com [https://walterrichardson.com]   • Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net [https://glengardner.net]   • Jamirae / The Blindsiders: https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/ [https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/]   The Desert Vibe Marketing & Website Team • Emma & James Mattison : https://emmaandjames.music [https://emmaandjames.music] #TheDesertVibe #ArizonaMusic #LiveMusicArizona #PhoenixMusic #TempeAZ

How To Steal A Song Without Getting Sued | The Desert Vibe · Ep 31

We talk with guitarist and songwriter Hannes Guevara about friendship, craft, and the quiet skills that make a musician indispensable onstage. The conversation moves from global life stories to concrete songwriting systems, plus the Tempe and Phoenix live music community that keeps pulling great players together.  Website: HannesK.com [https://www.hannesk.com] • Seeing economics and music as the same search for patterns  • Growing up in Iceland, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines before Arizona  • The Phoenix and Tempe music scene as a co-op built on trust  • Favorite gig memories and how family moments cement friendships  • Songwriting approach built on constraints, chords first, and “inside the box” thinking  • Using chord replacement formulas to generate new progressions  • Finding a lyrical cue that turns into a whole song idea  • Home demo workflow using Band-in-a-Box and GarageBand  • “Tears Of Light” and the idea of flushing out excess light  • How to sit in with strangers by watching hands and serving the song  • Building tone with minimal effects and using a looper tastefully  • Family stories, grandkids, and the Phoenix Boys Choir tours  • Long-form song cycles that turn history and philosophy into music  • Remembering Penny and the origin story of a lifelong musical bond  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2565024/support] Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast] Get the Desert Vibe Podcast swag and support the show! https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products] The Desert Vibe Hosts:  • Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com [https://walterrichardson.com]   • Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net [https://glengardner.net]   • Jamirae / The Blindsiders: https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/ [https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/]   The Desert Vibe Marketing & Website Team • Emma & James Mattison : https://emmaandjames.music [https://emmaandjames.music] #TheDesertVibe #ArizonaMusic #LiveMusicArizona #PhoenixMusic #TempeAZ

How A Single Mom Of Six Turns Pain Into Songs | The Desert Vibe · Ep 30

We sit down with Tucson artist Maria Montanini to talk about raising six kids while building a real music business. She shares how pain shaped her songwriting, why discipline matters more than hype, and what authenticity looks like in a filtered industry.  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/5HEzzeNekWSleEuqLQyTYj?utm_source=generator [https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/5HEzzeNekWSleEuqLQyTYj?utm_source=generator] • balancing single motherhood with gigs and rehearsals  • handling cancellations, emergencies, and venue relationships  • turning depression and life upheaval into songwriting fuel  • defining “professional musician” as consistency and daily work  • building an audience through early social posts and community support  • avoiding mediocrity through discipline, follow-through, and good band culture  • choosing authenticity over overprocessed music and curated personas  • comparing Arizona music scenes across Tucson, Phoenix, Bisbee, and Prescott  • local music updates, open mics, and upcoming Arizona events Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2565024/support] Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast] Get the Desert Vibe Podcast swag and support the show! https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products [https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products] The Desert Vibe Hosts:  • Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com [https://walterrichardson.com]   • Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net [https://glengardner.net]   • Jamirae / The Blindsiders: https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/ [https://www.facebook.com/theblindsiders/]   The Desert Vibe Marketing & Website Team • Emma & James Mattison : https://emmaandjames.music [https://emmaandjames.music] #TheDesertVibe #ArizonaMusic #LiveMusicArizona #PhoenixMusic #TempeAZ