Planetary Music Project

Web Series

The Planetary Music Project idea came about when Jefferson Glassie interviewed Tara Linhardt for the Planetary Gig Talk podcast. Tara is a well known Bluegrass musician, who has spent a lot of time in Nepal and co-produced a documentary a few years ago call Mountain Music Project. https://mountainmusicproject.com/ Tara also conducts music, arts, culture, and trekking tours of Nepal.https://www.taralinhardt.com/ 

So, Jefferson and Tara decided to collaborate on a new video series called Planetary Music Project, in which they would traverse the world (Anthony Bourdain-style) and interview musicians about the power of music and talk about the local music and culture.   Please enjoy these fun interviews and music!

Planetary Music Project Episode #26 from Varanasi, India with Sukhdev Prasad Mishra

In this video, Episode #26 of Planetary Music Project, Jefferson Glassie is in the holy city of Varanasi, India on the Ganga River and shows some of the amazing aspects of this ancient city. From traveling on old boats along the Ganga, to the morning and evening Aarti rituals, to the celebration of Holi, the Festival of Colors, and simply walking and riding around the city, Glassie takes viewers on a wonderful excursion. The focus is on the music of the city, especially the music during the Aarti and on Holi. The highlight of the program is a fascinating interview of Sukhdev Prasad Mishra, legendary violin musician, who explains the music of the city, Indian Classical Music, Drupad, and many unique attributes of these beautiful musical forms. Glassie also highlights the amazing colorful silk clothing worn by the women in Varanasi. Planetary Music Project was inspired by the Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown program, but this program is about music, and how our commonalities through music around the world can help us understand one another better and enhance harmony among humans. The program is sponsored by the Planetary Gigs Society, whose mission is Making Connections through Music with the Intention of Creating Peace and Harmony on the planet. Planetary Gigs Society is a nonprofit tax exempt Section 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization in the United States.

EPISODE #25 FROM HONDURAS

In this episode #25 of Planetary Music Project, Mario Sacasa interviews Manu Martinez about the music and culture of Honduras, and importance of music to the people of Honduras. The Planetary Gigs Society is proud to continue this Project to explore the power of music in different countries and demonstrate our commonalities through music.

EPISODE 24 - FLAMENCO FROM SPAIN

This is episode 24 of the Planetary Music Project from Spain, focusing on Flamenco, the treasured music and dance form. Host Jefferson Glassie takes viewers on a brief tour of Madrid, Seville, and the Barcelona, showing some of the highlights and excerpts from a number of Flamenco dances in different locations. The highlight of the program is the interview of fabulous cello player Alba Haro from Spain and her husband Flamenco dancer Marco de Ana. They reveal the basic features of Flamenco, sure to be of interest to musicians and non-musicians alike. The program also includes video of the dance and music called Sardana from Catalonia.

Episode 23 - Sonica from Nicaragua

Host Tinley Gorman interviews musicians Mario Sacasa and Josie Largaespada about the cultural music of Nicaragua called Sonica. This is Tinley’s first Planetary Music Project and she introduces the music to us, unique for its 6/8 time and the use of the distinctive marimba. This music is about 100 years old in Nicaragua and Mario and Josie are well known players.

Episode 22 - Searching for Fado

In this episode of Planetary Music Project, host Jefferson Glassie visits Porto, Portugal to learn about Fado, the Portuguese style of music. It's a beautiful city and the music is fabulous, considered the music that is the heart and soul of the Portuguese people. He interviews a very knowledgeable musician and player Andre Mariano, who provides some really interesting information and insights into this unique stye of music.

Episode 21 - Theresa Bear Fox, wonderful Mohawk singer and musician

In this Planetary Music Project #21, Jefferson Glassie visited the amazing singer and musician Theresa Bear Fox from the Akwesasne area of the Mohawk nation in what is currently upstate New York. Theresa Bear Fox hosted Glassie and his fellow travelers Sandro Shankara from Brazil and Glassie's spouse Julie Littell for an interview about music and Native culture at Theresa's home and then a tour around the Akwesasne area, focusing on Mohawk language schools.

Episode 20 - Aljezur, Portugal 2024

Host Jefferson Glassie visits southern Portugal and talks with his good friends Catarina Silva and Guilherme Granato about their amazing project Nada Journeys, which combines music and yoga. The programs also includes three songs from the Concert for Humanity sponsored by the Planetary Gigs Society on September 1, 2024 in Aljezur, Portugal.

Episode 19 - The Sanctuary Summit 2024 in Summertown, TN

In this Planetary Music Project Episode 19, host Jefferson Glassie of the Planetary Gigs Society visits The Farm in Summertown, TN for the second Sanctuary Summit that took place April 19-21, 2024.

The Summit is a weekend of music, interesting and eclectic programs, and cool people. Musicians and DJs included Nico Moore Speak Free, Driftr, MaMuse, Numatik, Sol Dance, Cortadito, Arouna and Zaz Diarra with Biko Casini, Rising Appalachia, DJ Yohm, and Scott Houston. Programs included an Open Mic and Sacred Fire, Appalachian Dulcimer, Communities Panel, Nest Weaving, Birth Panel, Dances of Universal Peace, Cacao and Movement Medicine, Grief Puppetry, and a Djembe Showcase. Glassie also had a fascinating interview with the founder of the event, Biko Casini, percussionist with Rising Appalachia.

Episode 18 - cuba

The music of Cuba is amazing! Jefferson Glassie visited Cuba in January of 2024 and, while traveling this beautiful island meeting so many amazing and nice people, had the great fortune to be able to interview a local guitar player Javier Ernesto Sariol Medinilla, who plays with his partner Leonides Leon Vera in the city of Trinidad in the south of Cuba. Enjoy the wonderful sights, sounds, and music of this enchanting island! And please understand that we in the United States should do more to help with remarkable country and its people.

Episode 17 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with Ilka Villardo and Maria Clara Barbosa

Episode 17 of Planetary Music Project finds host Jefferson Glassie, chief spiritual dude of the Planetary Gigs Society, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil interviewing singer Ilka Villardo with musician Maria Clara Barbosa, who played segments of a number of songs reflective of the history of the distinctive and melodic music of Rio. Ilka and Maria play from these songs by the artists noted:

Ó Abre Alas by Chiquinha Gonzaga

Carinhoso by Pixinguinha e João de Barro

Com Que Roupa? by Noel Rosa

Futuros Amantes by Chico Buarque

Samba de Uma Nota Só by Tom Jobim e Newton Mendonça

Letra em inglês by Tom Jobim

O Amanhã by Didi e João Sérgio

Episode 16 - Ravi Khugshal in India

This episode of Planetary Music Project has our host Jefferson Glassie in India and going on a road trip with Raj Sagonahka of the Devi Music Ashram to visit the family village of pianist Ravi Khugsal. Ravi's village is nearly abandoned, like many others in India, and he talks about his music in the context of the social implications of how difficult it is for so many people, including musicians, to return to the villages. They also visit some local traditional musicians along the way.

Episode 15 - in Thessaloniki, Greece

Jefferson Glassie, JD Gorman, and their friend Devi visit Thessaloniki, Greece and talk with the luthiers at Pi Guitars, Yannis Pavezas and Giorgios Papazoglou.

Episode 14 - Kostas Kalafatis from Skopelos, Greece

Jefferson Glassie and JD Gorman traveled to Greece in May 2020 as part of the Planetary Gigs Society video program Planetary Music Project, and this is the third of four interviews they conducted there. This features the amazing musician Kostas Kalafatis, who discusses the traditional music of Greece, specifically rebetico (also known as rembetico). Kostas plays songs and also, as a special feature, a song with famous Indian signer Devi, who was traveling with Jefferson and JD through Greece for these interviews.

Episode 13 - John Angelatos from Athens, Greece

This is the second of four Planetary Music Project video visits to Greece that occurred in 2022 when Jefferson Glassie, accompanied by fabulous musician Jon David Gorman who did the video and audio, interviewed John Angelatos in Athens. John has been a music aficionado and organizer of bands in Greece, introduced to Jefferson by blues woman Gaye Adegbalola. Listen to John describe rembetika music, the blues of Greece. Two more interviews are forthcoming soon.

Episode 12 - Vasia Vougioukli in Greece

Jefferson Glassie traveled to Greece and interviewed a number of musicians about the power of music and musical communities around the world. This is the first of a four part series in which Glassie interviews fabulous oud player Vasia Vougioukli in Athens.
Sound and video by Jon David Gorman, editing by Camilo Montoya. Glassie is chief spiritual dude of the Planetary Gigs Society, which sponsors this program. Glassie and co-host Tara Linhardt of Music Arts Adventures have collaborated on this Planetary Music Project and will continue their trek around the world to discover our commonalities and shared musical heritage.

Episode 11 - Music City San Francisco

Jefferson Glassie took a trip to visit Rudy Colombini (of the Unauthorized Rolling Stones) and stay at the amazing Music City San Francisco - the incredible hub hosting the Music City Hotel, Music City Rehearsal, SF Music Hall of Fame, Bar & Restaurant, Music City Artist Experience education program, and Emporium. Official Music City Tour Guide Blandina Farley also gives us a brief history of the importance of the city and the vision of Music City.

Episode 10 - Grassy Strings (Kolkata, India)

In this episode, Tara Linhardt travels to Kolkata, India to meet and play some bluegrass with the Grassy Strings, Souvik Hazra on guitar and Subhankar Dhar on mandolin!

Episode 9 - Verdell Primeaux

Jefferson Glassie visited two time Grammy winner Verdell Primeaux and his wife Perlene Wilson in the Navajo territory in April 2022 and talked about the power of music from the Native American Church perspective.

Episode 8 - Santa Fe, Part II

Enjoy a visit to the amazing musical community in Sante Fe, New Mexico! Jefferson Glassie visits Michael Kott, who introduces us to Robin Oxley, Westin McDowell, Laurianne Fiorentino, and the folks at Frogville Studios.

Episode 8 - Santa Fe

Enjoy a visit to the amazing musical community in Sante Fe, New Mexico! Jefferson Glassie visits Michael Kott, who introduces us to Robin Oxley, Westin McDowell, Laurianne Fiorentino, and the folks at Frogville Studios.

Episode 7 - ANDREW SMALL

In early November of 2021 Tara Linhardt and Ian Poole went down to Floyd, Virginia with the Planetary Music Project to investigate the music scene of that region of the famous Crooked Road area of Virginia. Ian Poole ran the cameras and sound and Tara Linhardt set up and conducted the interviews making an effective team for the three-part series on musicians of Floyd, Virginia. This episode features Andrew Small, an award winning musician, performer, instructor, and the Artist in Residence of the Crooked Road of Virginia. Jefferson Glassie and Tara Linhardt give us the introduction and conclusion at the beginning and end of the video from the Planetary Music Project helping us put it all in context.

Episode 6 - Fiddlin’ Earl White

This episode features Fiddlin’ Earl White, who was an original Green Grass Clogger, has a lifetime of tune collecting and playing and dancing, and is now also teaching and opening his own music camps. Earl discusses how he started into the music and the music scene as well as discussing some of the history of African American musicians in Old Time and Bluegrass Music. Tara and Earl begin and end the interview with an impromptu and unrehearsed tune as they get to know each other. Jefferson Glassie and Tara Linhardt give us the introduction and conclusion at the beginning and end of the video from the Planetary Music Project helping us put it all in context.

Episode 5 - Dylan Locke

This episode focuses on Dylan Locke, who owns the Floyd Country Store, The Handmade Music School, and County Sales. The Floyd Country Store is a hopping music venue, as well as a restaurant, ice cream parlor, and meeting place. The Handmade Music School is a powerful force in passing on the traditions of traditional music of the region. County Sales is a gem, still selling actual records and CDs of contemporary artists as well as ones who may have left this earthly plane long ago but live on through their music. Jefferson Glassie and Tara Linhardt give us the introduction and conclusion at the beginning and end of the video from the Planetary Music Project helping us put it all in context.

Episode 4 - Devi Music Ashram, with Singer Devi and also Raj Sagonakha

Still unable to travel because of the pandemic, our intrepid hosts Tara Linhardt and Jefferson Glassie decided to virtually visit the Devi Music Ashram in Rishikesh, India. They were greeted there by famous singer in India Devi, and sitar player Raj Sagonakha, and had a wonderful conversation and tour of the Ashram.

Jefferson Glassie had somehow wandered into the Devi Music Ashram when he was in India in 2020 prior to lockdown. The Devi Music Ashram is a beautiful yellow building in Rishikesh just a few blocks from the holy Ganges River. The Devi Music Ashram has no guru or master, but it relies on music, nature, and freedom to spread and teach music. The Music Ashram has 15 rooms for guests, other rooms for music education, and a Music Hall for concerts, such as sound meditations, Indian classical music, yoga, and other gatherings. Please join us and learn about the Devi Music Ashram!

Episode 3 - Archie's Barbershop w/ Phil Wiggins, Rick Franklin, and Eleanor Ellis

Planetary Music Project Episode 3 happened during the pandemic; the initial idea was to film the show at the ‘Barbershop,’ the headquarters of the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation outside Washington, DC. The Barbershop is an iconic treasure in the world of acoustic blues. Archie Edwards actually had his Barbershop in operation from the late 1950’s in Washington, DC, and every Saturday, he would stop cutting hair in the afternoon and they’d get out their guitars and drinks and jam some blues! The Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization and still has jams almost every Saturday and sponsors music education and performances too.

So, since Tara Linhardt and Jefferson Glassie, co-hosts of Planetary Music Project, could not get to the Barbershop physically, they decided to go virtual. This episode features an interview with three legendary musicians who visited the Barbershop regularly over the years, Phil Wiggins, Eleanor Ellis, and Rick Franklin. In this episode, they talk about the acoustic blues community in the Washington, DC area, and the importance of the Barbershop to that community. Thanks also to Willie Leebel, president of the Foundation, who assisted with production of this episode.

Episode 2 - Kiran Nepali 

Here is episode 2 of Planetary Music Project, Exploring the Power of Music. Your hosts Tara Linhardt and Jefferson Glassie meet up in Kathmandu, Nepal to talk with a great local musician, Kiran Nepali. They meet in his studio and talk about Nepalese music and instruments, like the sarangi, and play a few tunes. This episode features authentic background noise from Kathmandu! Kiran is also director of Project Sarangi in Nepal. Please check it out as they continue their exploration of our global commonalities through music!

Episode 1 - Jack & Buddy dunlop

The first episode has Tara and Jefferson visiting extraordinary bluegrass musicians, brothers Jack and Buddy Dunlap, in Wardensville, West Virginia. Please check out the video, in which Jack and Buddy talking about the bond music created for them as brothers and listen to Buddy’s amazing song, “I’m Sorry.” Show Notes: https://budscollectiveband.com/ https://www.jacksmandolin.com/ https://caponcrossing.com/