Keith Hall, a professional jazz drummer and Western Michigan University music professor, has added another project to his plate: podcast host. The first episode of Real Music Talk will premiere on Sep 1.
In a conversation with Cara Lieurance, Hall says he plans to feature guests - including musicians, educators, and sound technicians - who talk about life-altering experiences on each episode. (Hall is also the host of WMUK's Jazz Currents, an occasional series that mixes interviews, live performances, and historic overviews of important artists and albums.) As an educator, Hall has recently engaged in dialogue with students and peers and renewed his focus on the context and history of jazz music, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. As a result of the pandemic, Hall installed a home recording studio to allow him to record tracks for new projects. With students returning to campus on Sep 2, Hall is preparing to teach private lessons both online and in-person (drummers can wear masks while they play), coach small ensembles in person, and teach a Jazz Appreciation course, among other things.