Happy New Year!
Bijon
0:00:00
Good morning and welcome.
Bijon
0:00:08
You're listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Gies and Niles. Hot coffee, cool chatting, chilling on the corner of Lifestyle Lab and Music Street on
Niles
0:00:19
91.5 KUNV, Jazz and more.
Chipmunk Voice
0:00:22
Good morning, my man.
Chipmunk Voice
0:00:23
Good morning, man.
Niles
0:00:24
Good.
Chipmunk Voice
0:00:25
Let's start with our sip of coffee.
Niles
0:00:27
There you go. Oh yeah, oh yeah. That's it. Alright. It's that time of year. It's that time of year, brother.
Niles
0:00:34
It is that time of year. We are now officially in 2024, my friend. What do you think of that, sir? I'm digging it. I love that life just continues to fly right by. It's amazing. At light speed. At light speed. It's fantastic
Bijon
0:00:51
And we are all trying to catch up. Yeah
Niles
0:00:54
Well, especially look holidays. We just went through this whole New Year's of festivities and now We just went through our birthdays. All right, our birthdays are two days apart Well, I mean, I guess I haven't given you an official. Happy New Year. Happy New Year Happy New Year and happy New Year to our all our listeners.
Niles
0:01:14
Absolutely. What is the statute of limitations on how long you can say Happy New Year to people
Bijon
0:01:21
when you see them?
Niles
0:01:23
I think, well, yeah, I think because you're saying what, like if you haven't seen, like if you see someone two weeks from now, do you say Happy New Year to them?
Bijon
0:01:31
Exactly.
Niles
0:01:32
That's a good question. I mean, I'm going to say a week.
Bijon
0:01:35
See, man, I go late. Do you? It's been like late January, if I haven't seen somebody, you know?
Niles
0:01:42
Yeah.
Bijon
0:01:43
Yeah, I don't know what the rule is on that. But if I haven't seen them for a while, or if they, you know, like we have friends that come in and out of our lives that are our great friends, but we just don't necessarily keep in touch with them all the time. Unlike you and I, we talk extensively. But you know, we have great friends that, you know, maybe we don't talk to them, but
Bijon
0:02:01
once a month or we run into them on different Situations, I think the latest I've gone is February. Whoa. Oh, yeah. Well, that's happy Valentine's season
Niles
0:02:11
You're way past Let's do it this way let's do this
Bijon
0:02:15
Let's make a decree right here on B-side morning brew that the statute of limitations for Happy New Year is up until Martin Luther King's birthday weekend, which is the middle of January, two weeks.
Niles
0:02:34
Yeah, I can dig that.
Bijon
0:02:36
All right, we cool with that? Yeah, yeah. So then we switch gears from New Year's to leading into Black History Month, which is February, which then leads into Valentine's Day.
Niles
0:02:52
Well like we said on one of our episodes every month there's like it's coffee day, it's Valentine's Day, it's you know it's get your hair done day, it's just it's gotten out of control. It's out of control. That's my yeah don't get me started on this whole thing. Triggers. It's like just stick with the basics.
Niles
0:03:11
You know I mean there was like maybe what eight ten events per year, right? Big ones. Now it's just gotten out of control. There's like eight per month. Triggered. I know. Sorry everybody. Sorry. It's early. I just got back from working out. I'm a little flustered. Right. I saw Ashley over at Arch Theory there. I did. Yeah. She's so great. She's such a great coach, man. I mean, she really kicks your tail at 615am.
Bijon
0:03:43
It's just, I mean, hey, man, guidance is, especially when it comes to your health. And yeah, and it doesn't have to be a whole bunch of, you know, lifting weights or whatever, although I like to do that in addition to stretching and things. Yeah. You know, we're a little longer in the tooth. Yeah, we're a little longer in the tooth. So, you got to be careful. You know, speaking of which, I'm going to be going snowboarding in about a week and a half.
Niles
0:04:15
I know. Dude, I'm glad you're getting back on the mountain. That's really great to hear.
Bijon
0:04:20
Yeah.
Niles
0:04:21
Means you haven't done that in a long, long time, right?
Bijon
0:04:24
A long, long time. Hence the stretching and the core strengthening.
Bijon
0:04:29
And...
Niles
0:04:30
You better wear some, get those padded pants, man, because you're gonna be on your tail.
Bijon
0:04:34
I'm gonna have knee pads on, wrist guards, I'm gonna have wrist guards. Yep. Because, yeah, shortly after, so we're taking my daughter, who's 12, Vivian, her first ski trip. Now she has the luxury of having a day-long camp that she can do.
Bijon
0:04:56
So it's a group lesson. She's skiing though, right? Not boarding. She's learning how to ski. Okay, good. I like it. My wife and I agreed. That's how I learned how to ski. Yeah, you know me. I'm a purist though. I know, yes you are.
Niles
0:05:06
I've got to say I'm a bat and cycling.
Bijon
0:05:16
But my wife skis too. We both haven't, I mean, it's been a long time. So we're going to go, my daughter's going to be doing like a group lesson type thing, beginner camp type thing. So that'll be good for her.
Bijon
0:05:29
That's great.
Bijon
0:05:30
And I think Shannon and I are going to actually do a lesson too. We're going to do like a semi-private lesson.
Niles
0:05:35
Good.
Bijon
0:05:36
For like an hour or two just to you
Niles
0:05:40
should man it's oh I'm not here I'm not too proud yeah I'm kind of worried I mean here it's like our local mountain hasn't even I mean there's one run open which is like the bunny run and mammoth is open but and then VIP our bass
Niles
0:06:14
player Nick Schmidt he sent me a video the other day because he was up in 28 30 days last season so you were pretty consistent. Yeah, I was amazing amazing Yeah, but like now. I mean, it's just we're into January I mean I'm kind of I mean I think it's just gonna be a late season here, and even you know we ski in Arizona and such at Snow Bowl
Niles
0:06:20
But mm-hmm like I've already last time at this year. I already got in three or four days I remember that. I'm hoping I'm trying to do the snow dance over here and see if we can get... well you know just like
Bijon
0:06:34
the rain came in a big dump for you guys
Niles
0:06:36
snow could come the same way. That's why Lee Canyon was able to open up for a bit or is open now but again they have one run open
Bijon
0:06:43
which is... right, right. That's cool man. So yeah we're doing that I'll have my wrist guards because right after we come back from the trip I head on the jazz cruise So I can't be I can't be hurting myself Behind some snowboard. I'll be busting your lips, bro
Niles
0:06:55
We'll wear a full-face mask a retainer and everything Occupational hazard, but now you're we're gonna do a day of skiing. Yeah, tubing. They have a tubing park there nice
Bijon
0:07:04
I haven't done that in years. Real chill, you know. Lots of hot chocolate. Oh yeah. Put any Baileys in there?
Niles
0:07:11
Oh yes.
Bijon
0:07:12
There will be some Baileys.
Niles
0:07:13
But it will be great, man.
Bijon
0:07:14
It will be great. That's great, man.
Niles
0:07:16
I'm happy for you.
Bijon
0:07:17
That's going to be a fun little weekend.
Niles
0:07:18
But before all that begins, I've got to head to New Orleans.
Niles
0:07:19
Nolans. Playing with three bands.
Bijon
0:07:21
Doing the glad handing with other educators. I'm going to be there.
Bijon
0:07:23
I'm going to be there. I'm going to be there.
Bijon
0:07:33
three bands doing the glad handing with other educators. They're trying to build their programs, you know, pretty cool experience. So yeah, good to have done that. I love that town, man. I mean, who doesn't one, but I used to,
Niles
0:07:47
I performed there on about four or five times. And last time I performed, I was in, it was quite a while ago, was in this rock trio. And I'll leave it at this. We broke in late at night to the big shopping mall. There. Literally, literally broke into the shopping like a shopping mall Macy's and we broke in. You know, Chris
Niles
0:08:19
Mackin, right guitar player. I do. He he went up upstairs. I didn't know where he went. I was playing piano, you know, the big pianos they have in the middle of the mall. I've got pictures of this, by the way. I don't know.
Niles
0:08:33
Well, anyway, he went up, he decided he wanted to go to Orange Julius. He wanted an Orange Julius, so he went up, hopped the counter in Orange Julius, and then the whole shopping mall alarms went off, and all of a sudden I just heard him running, running over and running downstairs and
Niles
0:08:52
we just like bolted out and we were in there for like a half hour not to steal anything we didn't steal anything but it was just like broke in it was it was yeah man you're right though should I be telling this story but we didn't steal anything I mean he tried to get an Orange Julius it didn't happen I was just playing piano trying to carry you loose. I think that goes under petty theft. He didn't get anything though. No, no cuz the alarms went off so the machine didn't work
Niles
0:09:18
You know, I was just trying to be that's a hot tub time machine stuff, right? Oh, man Yeah, so I think that was the last time I was in New Orleans. So that was a few hurricanes in so yeah I wouldn't be doing that at this time in my life. But yeah, I was This season of your life, it's a fun hang. Well, I mean just in general, that's a great place to be. You know what I mean? I think so. For a couple days anyway, you're like, okay, food's great, right? You're gonna have some
Bijon
0:09:43
gumbo, some nice gumbo, something spicy. Speaking of gumbo, you know, which is like kind of the melange of flavors and such, we've embarked on our collaborative project that we've been threatening you all with for many months now, and it's becoming a reality. We want to play a little something that kind of is going to suggest the vibe that we're going down. Kind of hints at where we're going? A little hint, a little musical hint, a little musical breadcrumbs for you. This is a song I wrote also with my long time collaborator Carlos Sordiano entitled Searching. You're listening to B-Side Morning Brew with
Bijon
0:10:30
Beej and Niles on 91.5 KUINV, Jazz and More.
Bijon
0:10:37
So so Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, I'm going to be doing a lot of this. the the
Bijon
0:11:37
the so so I'm going to be doing a lot of this stuff. so Welcome back to B-Side Morning Brew with B.J. Niles here on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and More.
Niles
0:15:17
You were just listening to Bijan's tune called Searching. That was recorded, when did you record that? That was a year ago now we were in the studio and you guys did that song?
Bijon
0:15:27
Two years ago.
Niles
0:15:28
Was it two years ago? Man, time, time is going. But yes, that was such a great tune, man, and really does hint at where we're, our direction, where we're going with the new album, or collection of songs, kind of down a R&B flavored
Niles
0:15:44
with some jazz integration, you know, hints of Motown, you know, some of that Marvin Gaye, for me, Sade as well, those kinds of artists and Maxwell. And for you, what are you tapping into?
Bijon
0:15:56
I mean, definitely some George Duke, Roy Ayers, Freddie Hubbard, ECM years. Really just music that you can get immersed into. I want to say meditative because it's not all slow.
Niles
0:16:17
I think it creates a vibe. If you're walking into a room, it's going to create a certain kind of vibe, you know, as soon as you walk into it, as soon as you start listening to it.
Bijon
0:16:29
It sets the mood.
Niles
0:16:30
Yeah, it really does.
Bijon
0:16:32
And one of the things that we realize through our collaborative efforts and through our music making is we always like to set a vibe. Whatever our show is, you're going to know what the vibe is based on the music we're playing. You're not going to come out of there wondering where we're going with this. Yeah. It's personal, it's intimate, and it has motion. It has motion that has momentum, if you will.
Bijon
0:17:00
It has that type of motion that contemplated, if you will. You know, you can sit in it and get into it. So, we're looking forward to
Niles
0:17:09
doing that. It's going to be one of those albums where you're definitely going to put some candles on while
Bijon
0:17:18
you're listening to it. There's gonna be some candles being yeah and maybe
Niles
0:17:31
that's gonna be one of our with our album swag bags. Maybe we'll have to have some some custom candles. Yeah, they'll go with the album. I'm digging that. Well the other thing, that'll be, I mean you know
Bijon
0:17:37
That's what we call winning.
Niles
0:17:38
Yeah.
Niles
0:17:38
Well, I think the cool thing is, with you and I have been discussing this album and really the direction and where we want to go, not just musically, but even even within the collaboration themselves, you know, having other artists on this album, like having a collection, you know, having some different drummers on different tunes to different piano players, keyboard players, singers, guest singers, guest vocalists, some female friends of ours that we'll have jump
Niles
0:18:05
in on this.
Bijon
0:18:06
You realize, you realize as we perform and make music, I mean over the several decades that we've known each other and performed together, that there's several influences that we both have. Yeah. And influences by, not just in artists, but in people that we've had now. They've been in the scene for a long time, made a lot of great music, and we want to bring those people in. One
Bijon
0:18:35
of the missions of Jazz Republic has always been to bring people to our musical table. And this is one of the ways we accomplish that, by really introducing the listeners to the whole host of people that have created the music that all of us love to listen to. So we're looking forward to bringing them into the fold. I know we've spoken to a few people, special guests that will be involved, and it's going to be really something exciting and maybe a slight departure from what we've done in the past,
Bijon
0:19:07
but I think it speaks to the community that we are building.
Niles
0:19:12
And it keeps it fresh for us musically too. I mean when you're playing with different players It ups our game in different ways or you know, we might have the songs written but we approaches Can be can they can be approached slightly differently based on the player we have that's gonna put their twist to the tune
Bijon
0:19:28
Exactly, and that's the certain level of trust. Yeah, the certain level of trust that we have with those musicians Yeah, but they're gonna bring something fresh. Yep to what we've written taking it to a place we've never even thought. Exactly. That's what's exciting about making music and that's what's exciting about collaborating. Yeah. We look forward to sharing all that with you. There may be certain things we're gonna, certain opportunities you'll have, especially when it comes to recording, that you, the listener, can be involved in
Niles
0:19:55
and we'll talk about that. Yeah, we'll roll all that out as soon as we have dates lined up with, you know, recording sessions and such obviously and then with that in mind for all of our local fans We're currently in discussions with Smith Center to to bring you a couple of New shows this year. We're looking at you know April as I like a spring series and it's probably be able to introduce a couple of the new tunes We're working on that. We're discussing right now. And yeah, we're excited about getting back getting back on to the Smith Center stage. Even if you're not local make a road trip. Come on out. We welcome you
Niles
0:20:30
true for all our LA peeps, that's right in LA
Bijon
0:20:34
Northwestern peeps Come on come on down come on down So, you know you realize that in working with these artists we have had so many musical influences throughout our life and it's kind of like you have to shift gears
Niles
0:20:57
yeah you know uh... when you're doing the big band thing you're thinking in big band mode right it's like you gotta switch that gear absolutely over
Bijon
0:21:06
it's like you have several loves in your life right and it's okay
Bijon
0:21:10
careful you know
Bijon
0:21:11
a handful. Some of us have only had a few, some of us have had more. But especially musically,
Bijon
0:21:15
I mean there's so many, you know, I can go through a phase where I'm listening to, you know, Cameo and P-Funk and that type of stuff and I can go through a phase where if I'm preparing for a show, I'm digging into Freddie Hubbard and, you know, those cats. Or I'm going, if I'm preparing for something else, or I'm just in a listening mood, I could be listening to gospel.
Bijon
0:21:46
You know, so.
Niles
0:21:47
Well, that's the cool thing about being an artist, right? I mean, you can explore different genres within, let's say, your umbrella genre, right? All these kind of sub-genres within it. And yeah, as artists, we have different influences. I know that when we were talking about doing this new collaboration
Niles
0:22:03
The idea was fantastic, but we didn't have a direction like what do we want to do musically right now? I even brought up something like wait. Hey, man, maybe we should do a Guitar swing, you know orchestra big orchestra thing. That's an idea. Where do we want to go? And but that's great to have those conversations as an artist because we're not limited by a certain style, right? I mean and why would you want to be as an artist? I know having a fan base and having your listeners they do expect a certain something from you once you
Niles
0:22:32
gain that trust which is great but I don't know I think it's important to us and artists it's important to to try different things and that's that's the
Bijon
0:22:41
point of it and I know that well you hope that through your music you hope that through the music that you perform yeah that your audience does understand that you do have different influences. And it won't be, it'll be as though we're introducing them to another side of us.
Niles
0:22:58
And it's still us. So there's the through line.
Bijon
0:23:01
Oh yeah.
Niles
0:23:01
You know, it's still going to sound like us. We could do a big band swing thing and it would still be us. You know, it's yeah.
Bijon
0:23:09
I mean, we're going to have those Niles Thomas sus twos in there and what not.
Niles
0:23:16
But yeah, I mean, that was the big breakthrough for us, is finally realizing the direction we want to go musically. And it's cool. So now, to your point, like now I'll start listening to those artists again and kind of digging into that stuff that I haven't listened to in a while, because I've been on, I've been listening to a lot of rockabilly and that kind of old school stuff.
Niles
0:23:35
I'm looking forward to that, because now I get my mind immersed in that and then I can start writing based on it just kind of get into that that that zone that music zone. Speaking of which let's move on to our second song of the show. So this is a song that that we had on our first record. It's a crossover thing and without further ado this song is called Wait to Cross Fourth Street. You're listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Beej and Niles here on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and More.
Bijon
0:24:07
It's a cold and lonely night As I wander through the back streets of my Mistress Moon will be my guide
Niles
0:24:36
Hands in my jacket, I wait to cross Forbes How cold her heart tonight My stranger, become a stranger in her eyes I miss your scent, your loving charms All the flowers of love are wilting in my arms I wake to cross Falls Street, I wake to cross Falls Street, I wake to cross Falls Street,
Niles
0:25:46
I wake to cross Falls, I wake to cross Falls Street, I wake to cross Falls Street, I wake to cross Falls Street, I wake to cross Falls Street, I wake to cross Falls, I wake to cross Falls, I wake to cross Falls, I wake to cross Falls, I wake to cross Falls, I wake to cross I woke up in the morning, found my life's been rearranged Where did everything go wrong? When did everything start to change?
Niles
0:26:16
Who's the stranger in the mirror?
Bijon
0:26:19
I don't recognize my face The message getting clearer My life's become a strange so so I've run, standing still Now I'm standing at the corner
Bijon
0:27:14
and welcome back you're listening to b-side morning brew with Beej and Niles on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and More. That last song you just heard was tune written by Niles Thomas entitled wait to cross fourth street great tune man I mean that's timeless you know. Thank you man. As always like to thank the listeners as as well as KUNV 91.5 jazz and more for being our amazing partners media partners and
Bijon
0:27:53
high note roasters You know for bringing that amazing coffee, you know, happy new year everyone Thank you for for listening and for your continued support pushing a great Sunday. Good morning You've been listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Bij and Niles, chillin' on the corner You've been listening to B-Side Morning Brew with Bij and Niles, chillin' on the corner of Lifestyle App and Music Stream on 91.5 KUNV Jazz and More.
