Grainger Brothers: Masters of Bass and Drums

The Grainger Brothers’ talent and prowess in the world of music and rhythm is unparalleled.  Between the two of them, Gary Grainger on bass and Greg on drums have recorded or performed with the likes of Whitney Houston and John Scofield, and together opened up for Earth Wind And Fire while on tour with their band, Pockets, all while keeping their musical roots and strong brotherhood bond at the forefront of their work. The brothers took many separate paths in their musical careers, as well as some similar ones too, that led them both to finding musical success from the late 70s to present day.

Today Andy, Gary, and Greg explore the brothers’ fascinating and ever-changing journey to becoming recognized as one of the best rhythm section duos in today’s music. They also share stories on the dynamics of what it’s like to perform and create together as brothers and as colleagues, how they keep their skills so versatile, and what it’s like to perform in venues as small as a one room club to as large as Madison Square Garden. Nowadays, the brothers are still busy touring, recording, and have even helped developed The Musicianship, a non-profit aimed at bringing music to youth to empower, educate , and inspire them.  Music lovers and those who appreciate the story of rising stars won’t want to miss this episode. Check out the full interview, only on Extraordinary Ordinary People.

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Robert Kraft: Former President of Music, 20th Century Fox Film

To play this episode, please visit it on The Music Makers Podcast!

Robert Kraft’s list of accomplishments is nothing short of incredible. He was the President of 20th Century Fox Music for 18 years, supervising the music and film scores for blockbusters like Titanic, Avatar, and Slumdog Millionaire as well as for hit television shows like The X-Files and The Simpsons. Under his leadership, Fox Music garnered numerous Academy Award nominations and awards, Emmys, Golden Globes, and Grammys. He is also an award-winning songwriter, film composer, recording artist, and record producer. His talent is multifaceted and far-reaching, as is evident in today’s interview.

Andy and Robert delve into the journey he went on to achieve these great moments in his career, starting with his love of all things musical as a young child. Robert’s story is all about jumping at the chance to try something you’ve never done before, and knowing that your own passion and determination will inform the task ahead of you. The pair also discuss how his role at 20th Century Fox fit him like a glove, what the process is like to supervise the music on a big budget movie, and Robert’s interesting view on how music and movies intertwine.  And with his current venture Kraftbox Entertainment, he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Anyone looking to hear about the inner workings of music production and how the cogs of a Hollywood film work will find today’s Extraordinary Ordinary People episode deeply enjoyable.

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Paul Cloutier: Master of Collography

Paul Cloutier is considered to be one of the great masters of callography, an art form that involves materials being placed onto a printing plate, then varnished so it can be painted with acrylics, and then later pressed onto paper to produce a print. His technique and skill is both as intricate and detailed as it is fascinating to see the final product. Paul grew up in Quebec City with a particular inclination for the arts. His great love of classical music and painting were on display from a young age, and helped define his techniques in collography later in life. Today, he works and lives in his Montreal studio doing what he loves six days a week. Paul’s story of taking his passion to amazing heights is one full of inspiration and wisdom.

In this week’s Extraordinary Ordinary People episode, Paul and Andy discuss the technical and creative process of his callography work, and the challenges he faces working within such a niche medium. The two also delve into what a typical day for Paul looks like, the struggles he and many other artists continue to face, and how his life as a younger artist compares to life nowadays. The full interview is available now.

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