Saxophonist, composer, singer, and events tastemaker Yunie Mojica stopped The Sit-Down Podcast to share her origin story in her own words. While coming from a family immersed in both educational athletic endeavors Yunie was exposed to the many flavors of music through her home listening culture that she credits her dad with. Growing up the city of Hartford, Connecticut Yunie shares how she made peace with identity politics via the Transatlantic Slave Trade route by self-identifying as Black, Dominican, Puerto Rican, and a New York cultured individual. This reconing has taken Yunie on several twists and turns on the road to becoming a musician steeped in the Jazz tradition as taught through the Jackie McLean Institute in addition to all of the electronic music subsets of the time as heard as a young child from Celia Cruz to early Disco Latin Salsa-Soul (Salsoul), and ultimately leading her ear to Sonny Stitt and a willingness to capture that 'feeling' know and often referred to as 'Jazz'-the great American art form. With a Bachelors degree in both Jazz studies and Music Management Mojica has been contributor for such events as Summer Stage and Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzie's Club Coca Cola. Yunie continues to amaze with her duo project co-led with brother, DJ Acemo who are currently carving out a sonic space in the world of creative experimental electronica. Yunie also served as co-host of the podcast "Make Music Trill Again" with vocalist Melanie Charles. Background music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2025 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Carole Alexis, Choreographer and Director of Ballet Des Ameriques, takes time out of her busy and active schedule to stop by the Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt and discuss her origin story in her own words. Having had multiple levels of training and expertise in several disciplines Carole takes the listener on a journey that begins in her homeland of the French-Caribbean territory of Martinique, early formal training in Africa (with primary focus on Dakar, Senegal), France, through the ultimate choice to relocate to the United States (settling in New York City's Harlem) in search the common thread of the human experience-beauty through artistic expression. The conversation also highlights the contributions of activism through an artistic lens and such pioneers from the Négritude movement poets such as Aimé Césaire, Léopold Sédar Senghor, and Léon-Gontran Damas. The notion of circularity as an integral part of the diaspora was extensively utilized to compliment the notion of linearity as it relates to art and culture. Gender roles and how they began to expand the boundaries to include women in dance as recently as the 17th Century were also discussed as one of the earliest forms of the 'constraint-freedom' dance (pun intended) towards transcendence in search of beauty and perfection however untenable. Background music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2025 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Sound Chemist, drummer, percussionist, and turntablist, Val Jeanty stops by The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to share an origin story which begins in her native land-The Republic of Haiti. From immersion in ceremonies of drum and dance as a young child, exposure arts across multiple disciplines, the shift towards instability and the decision to migrate to the USA, to an awareness of the different levels of social metrics to include race as a leading determinant of 'how' one moves through such a system labeled as a Democracy yet structured as a Republic, becoming drawn to the new sounds of urban youth's unique voice through the music of Hip-Hop, utilizing electronic instruments such as turntables and samplers as an extension of both sonic-creativity and cultural-preservation, navigating the journey of sound healing as a Sound Chemist, and offering a word of encouragement to aspiring sonic explorers and the like. This episode is dedicated the continued struggle and enduring spirit of the people of Haiti. Background music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2025 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Visual artist, educator, and spontaneously-creative drummer Chad Anderson stops by the Sit-Down Podcast to share both his origin story and musical journey in his own words. This episode takes us to the state of Mississippi and into the city of Starkville. Chad recounts his first interests in art and music in particular, coming from a family of educators, radio as a first instrument, earliest drum rivalry, the legacy of John Reese, Alvin Fielder's impact on his drum philosophy, visual artist Bart Galloway, I-95-from Jackson to Memphis, meeting Kelley and Chris Parker, and working with the trans-generational creative music visionary Chad Fowler. This episode is dedicated to the memory, legacy, and impact of the musical advocacy of violinist, creative thinker, and creator of the Black Arts Music Society (BAMS), John Reese. Background music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2025 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Creative Vocalists and songwriters Heidi Martin and Kim Lake stop by The Sit-Down Podcast to share their latest musings on the craft of songwriting, the mystique surrounding the 'magic' behind a great song, and gaining access to the Abbey Lincoln estate. This one promises to be a thriller with lots of twists and turns relative one of the most under-discussed aspects of creative music-the song as a vehicle for imagination. The time that they spent together dates back to 1993-94 when there were literally thousands of artists across several disciplines descending onto the Metropolis with big visions and a willingness to bring their visions forward. Martin and Lake recount all of the pivotal periods leading up to the discovery of the journals of Abbey and share how they inform future endeavors moving forward relative song structure, imagination, and creative permission. Background music performed and composed by James Hurt.

© 2025 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Drummer and storyteller George Sluppick stops by the Sit-Down Podcast to share his origin story in his own words. In addition Sluppick gives the listener a glimpse into his long and fruitful relationship relationship with the road and his love for music has taken around the world. His journey begins with a keen curiosity that was rather organic and involved a box of animal krackers. The rest, as they say, is history. George hold distinction as one of a handful of several so-called child prodigies that were peppered throughout Memphis in either family bands or as featured individuals and has played on streets and stages with some of the most revered Blues, Gospel, Country, Rock and Roll, Jazz, and Singer-Songwriter bands throughout the United States and Europe. The Memphis Bluffs, with it's steam-paddle-boats, electric street trolleys, the world famous Beale Street, The National Civil Rights Museum, "The Museum of Rock 'N' Soul", and the sweet smell of summer Barbeque in the air, birthed such art and cultural festivals as "Africa in April" and "Memphis in May" while also filling the atmosphere with music of varying styles all while maintaining an identity as the "Home of the Blues" and "Birthplace of Rock and Roll". This episode is dedicated to the legacy of all of the neighborhoods, churches, universities, contributing artists, recording studios, mentors, schools, teachers, club owners, street and club musicians, parks and recreation, The Blues Foundation and 'Big George'-Slupp's Dad, Staxx Academy, the Memphis Arts Council, the Memphis Empowerment Initiative of Memphis, with distinction given to Rev. Sonja Walker and Family, the Lee Sisters Family of Civil Rights Activists, Dr. Lulah McEwen Hedgeman-Choral Director-Overton High School of the Performing Arts (and the best music theory instructor who changed my life introducing me to key signatures and ultimately piano), Judy Peiser-The Center for Southern Folklore, the "Queen of Beale Street"-Ruby Wilson, the undisputed "Queen of Jazz"-Joyce Cobb, (of whom I had the pleasure of performing with at her venue on historic Beale Street), Dr. Bill Hurd, Errol Thomas, and Tom Lonardo (for allowing me to solo way too long on modal tunes), Isaac Hayes and Cybill Shepherd for stopping in to hear us during 'Happy-hour-Fridays', Jazz Vocalist and Entrepreneur Debra Sweeney and her "Sunset Jazz at Court Square Square" series, The Fieldstones, Candice Ivory-"Queen of Avant Soul" and her latest-When the Levee Breaks: The Music of Memphis Minnie-featuring Charlie Hunter (with George Sluppick), Black Radio-WDIA and WLOK, Rufus Thomas, Herman Green, Bill Tyus, "Flying Calvin" and Phineas of the Newborn Family (for allowing 'Junior' to bless both the world and our home piano), Gerard Harris (with whom drove with to New York City in 1993 in a Datsun 280z! Love to you big Brother), Sal Crocker, Scott Thompson, Anthony Reedus-RIP (who told me to get to New York ASAP), everyone who doubted me, and most notably Mrs. Edith Hurt (Mom), who showed Kelley, Frederick, and I this great city with style and grace, Sue and "The Little Tea Shop" for it's excellence throughout the years, and the city we call the "Bluff City", aka "1-Town", aka "Memphis-10", the place more and people are calling home from around the world. Music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2024 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Drummer and 'Sound Ambassador' Lamy Istrefi stops by the Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt to discuss his musical journey in which he recounts the early years as the son of an academic family of scholars in the occupied territory of his homeland Kosovo, earliest experiences with a musically gifted older brother who encourages his music curiosities, experimenting with several instruments before settling on the drums, meeting saxophonist and clinician David Leibman and trailblazing drummer Cindy Blackman, seeing Miles Davis' Tutu music video as a catalyst of artistry, traveling to the Austrian Jazz Festival of Music that afforded him the opportunity to see drummers Peter Erskine, Al Foster, Vinnie Colaiuta and fortified and long and fruitful relationship with drummer Idris Mohammed, bassist Dennis Erwin, saxophonists Joe Lovano and George Garzone. Lamy endures coming to the US on a recommendation, leaves, and returns with a newfound commitment to get from Chicago to New York City where his musical maturation develops for his artistic vision as a bandleader. This episode is dedicated to memory of the beautiful artists bassist and mentor Dennis Irwin and drummer and Detroit native Lawrence Leathers. Background music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2024 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

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Career Creative and Experimental Artist David Servoss stops by the Sit-Down Podcast to discuss sensibilities, sensitivities, and the quest for creativity. Though it could be aptly titled "The Case for Creativity" it seemed the natural way to go with 'quest' as it more represents an ongoing occurrence rather a thing that may come to some sort of conclusionary end. David shares his unique origin story beginning with his multi-ethnic origins and the first instances of an awareness of the creative environment within solitude which would inform his artistic identity and philosophical perspective as an only child and 'Latch-key Kid'. David also offers a deep dive into usefulness of one's ability (as a non-creative) to develop sensibilities and sensitivities becomes a catalyst for how to relate to one another at the human level in addition to how it helps in a creative environment. Background music composed and performed by James Hurt.

© 2024 James Hurt. All rights reserved.

The Sit-Down Podcast with James Hurt would like to thank you for listening. Please share links to episodes in the highlights section and don't forget to follow us on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/james36963/?hl=en

Website:
https://musicjameshurt.com/