The acclaimed mandolinist and composer joins the podcast to discuss the history of his chosen instrument, the philosophy behind his Adhyâropa Records imprint, and the radical chamber music of his ensemble 9 Horses.
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The Spotlight shines On composer, mandolinist, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and label founder Joe Brent.
Joe has worked with artists ranging from Regina Spektor to the Philip Glass Ensemble, but his collaboration with Grammy-nominated violinist Sara Caswell and bassist Andrew Ryan in 9 Horses was the impetus for our time together. 9 Horses creates music between classical precision and folk intimacy with mandolins and violins. On their latest album, Strum, 25 musicians create what Joe calls “identifiably human-made music.”
Joe shares the story behind 9 Horses and much more, including why making deeply human music matters now more than ever.
(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from the 9 Horses album Strum)
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00:01:14 - Studio Setup and Recording Spaces
00:02:16 - The Story of Vinegar Hill Sound Studio
00:02:51 - Brooklyn's Changing Neighborhoods
00:06:06 - Life in Washington Heights' Castle Village
00:07:05 - Joe's Musical Journey and Education
00:07:52 - The History and Evolution of the Mandolin
00:11:11 - Understanding Mandolin Dynamics and Projection
00:15:21 - The Role of Folk Instruments in Classical Music
00:21:35 - Modern Composers and Folk Music Integration
00:23:44 - Joe's Path to the Mandolin
00:26:20 - The Art of Chamber Music and Ensemble Playing
00:33:03 - 9 Horses and the Making of "Strum"
00:37:16 - Film Music Influences and Cinematic Composition
00:44:19 - Approaching Popular Music Covers
00:46:34 - Adhyâropa Records: A New Model for the Music Industry
00:48:42 - Revolutionizing Artist-Label Relationships
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Visit Joe Brent at → http://www.josephbrent.com
and Adhyâropa Records at → https://www.adhyaroparecords.com
Purchase 9 Horses's Strum on Bandcamp → https://9horses.bandcamp.com/album/strum
or Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/strum-9-horses-feat-joe-brent-sara-caswell-andrew-ryan/o9pghkcy201cb
and listen on your streaming platform of choice → https://album.link/i/1734793437
Follow Joe Brent on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/joebrentmandolin
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/JosephBrentMandolinist
Threads → https://www.threads.net/@joebrentmandolin
and YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZkXhZbOxZQChoKdMUs_Y_w
For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to https://www.spotlightonpodcast.com
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