Strong Songs

Strong Songs

Kirk Hamilton

Music: it's good. On each episode of Strong Songs, host Kirk Hamilton takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.

All Episodes

"Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple

"Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple

🄴 Strong Songs

Kirk digs into Fiona Apple's breakneck 1999 single "Fast As You Can," a cornerstone in her late 90s collaborations with Jon Brion, as well as her work with drummer Matt Chamberlain.Written by: Fiona AppleProduced by: Jon BrionAlbum: When The Pawn..., 1999Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:- Jon Brion in Performing Songwriter Magazine, 2000- "Criminal" by Fiona Apple from Tidal, 1996- "Tymps (The Sick in the Head Song) by Fiona Apple from Extraordinary Machine, 2005- "Monday" by Jon Brion from I Heart Huckabees, 2004- "Epistrophy" by Thelonious Monk recorded w/ Milt Jackson in 1948- Sound Space Studios demonstrating a Chamberlin keyboard----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STORE (NEW STUFF JUST IN!)store.strongsongspodcast.comKIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENT LISTkirkhamilton.com/gearSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.comKIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicSHOW ARTTom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------MARCH 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAndyLisa CrottyElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneySami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyMARCH 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRachelAruni JayatillekeRyan GillenTerry AuvenshineTBDaniel KaberonWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanBeaClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral EnsembleKevin MarceloSamantha CoatesJamesMark NadasdiJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Callum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKellen SteffenKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyAlan MaassNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonTim SheehanCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldDave SharpeNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderAdam GeorgandisChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo

"Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You" by U2

"Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You" by U2

🄴 Strong Songs

Strong Songs Season Seven kicks off with two of the most famous songs ever recorded, from one of the biggest bands in the world. U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With or Without You" make up two-thirds of the three-song "suite" of hit singles that kicked off their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. As it turns out, the two songs have a lot to say to one another! They also have a lot to say about how U2 wrote music, and about the beautiful, messy human process of collaborative creativity.Written by: U2Produced by: Brian Eno and Daniel LanoisAlbum: The Joshua Tree, 1987Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:- Classic Albums: The Joshua Tree, 1999, dir. Philip King, Nuala O'Connor- Strong Songs episodes "Rhythm + Harmony = Music," "The Four Electric Guitars," "'In Your Eyes' by Peter Gabriel," and "Wichita Lineman' by Jimmy Webb and Glen Campbell----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STORE (NEW STUFF JUST IN!)store.strongsongspodcast.comKIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENT LISTkirkhamilton.com/gearSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.comKIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicSHOW ARTTom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------FEBRUARY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneySami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyFEBRUARY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanBeaClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattleTransAndNonbinary ChoralEnsembleKevin MarceloSamantha CoatesJamesMark NadasdiJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Callum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyAlan MaassNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldDave SharpeNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderAdam GeorgandisChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo

Season Seven Announcement!

Season Seven Announcement!

🄴 Strong Songs

Strong Songs Season Seven is now underway! You can listen to the season premiere right now on Patreon, or here in the main feed in two weeks, on March 7.For those next two weeks, sign up to become a patron of the show and use the code "STRONG" and you'll get 80% off your first month. So basically, you can listen to the premiere right now for one dollar. Or just wait, that's fine too. The promo ends on March 7.----LINKS-----MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: "Up From A Dream" by HAIM from Women in Music, Pt. IIISUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsKIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENT LISTkirkhamilton.com/gearSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.comKIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicSHOW ARTTom Deja, Bossman Graphics

A Bunch of Great Music Recommendations

A Bunch of Great Music Recommendations

🄴 Strong Songs

In between seasons, Kirk re-ran a bunch of old episodes and prefaced each one with a new music recommendation. He's taking those down recasts in preparation for season seven, but it seemed like a good idea to put all the music recommendations in one place. So that's what this episode is!DISCUSSED AND RECOMMENDED:- "The Meadow" by Nickel Creek from Celebrants, 2023- "Chip Monkey" by Kick the Cat from Weirdo, 2002- "Fade to Black" by Howard Levy and Chris Siebold from Art + Adrenaline, 2018- "Disco Snails" and "Hit the Target" by Vulfmon and Theo Katz from Dot, 2024- Various tracks from Delicious in Dungeon, composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and Shunsuke Tsuchiya- "Party" by Ryokushoku Shakai from Party! EP, 2024- Sumika - "Unmei" from Unmei EP, 2024- "Duck Ankles" by David Sanborn from Taking Off, 1975- "Young Americans' by David Bowie (feat. Sanborn) from Young Americans, 1975- "The Night Owl" by Anat Cohen from Quartetinho: Bloom, 2024- "Stranded" by Sierra Hull from Weighted Mind, 2016- "Samba Party" and "Drop D" by Matteo Mancuso from The Journey, 2023- "Nite Crawler" by Larry Carlton from Larry Carlton, 1978----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAInsta: @Kirk_Hamilton | Bluesky: @Kirkhamilton.comNEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.comJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicSHOW ARTTom Deja, Bossman GraphicsJANUARY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneyDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyJANUARY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattleTransAndNonbinary ChoralEnsembleKevin MarceloSamantha CoatesJamesMark NadasdiJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Chris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongAlan MaassNick GallowayHeather Jjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo

Remembering Janis Stockhouse, The Great Band Director

Remembering Janis Stockhouse, The Great Band Director

🄴 Strong Songs

In light of Janis Stockhouse's unexpected death at the tail end of 2024, we're re-posting Kirk's 2019 interview with her for anyone who might want to listen to it.Janis started teaching at North high school in Bloomington, Indiana, in the early 1980s. It was a time when "jazz education" as a concept was still a relatively new thing. She retired 38 years later, having grown the North band program into a well-known Midwest institution, winning countless awards at festivals around the world and regularly turning out graduates who would go on to become professional musicians, as well as many others who would simply have a lifelong love of music.On this episode she tells the story of starting out at North and developing the program, along with her thoughts on how to get students to practice, which composers she prefers for student groups, women in jazz, funding for the arts, and some good old-fashioned album recommendations.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:Janis's 2004 book Jazzwomen: Conversations With Twenty-One Musicians, which she co-wrote with Wayne Enstice - there are used copies on Amazon, and you should really track down a copy and read itThe late great jazz legend David Baker, whose NYT obituary captured at least some of his legacy: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/arts/music/david-baker-who-helped-bring-jazz-studies-into-the-academy-dies-at-84.htmlMUSIC ON THIS EPISODE:- "IU Swing Machine" by David Baker as played by the 2016 IU Celebration Big Band- "Don't Get Sassy" by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band- "Hang Gliding" by Maria Schneider from Alegresse- "Bright Eyes" as played by the Bill Holman big band- "Take the 'A' Train" by Billy Strayhorn as performed by the Duke Ellington orchestra- "Vol. 6: All 'Bird' - Now's The Time" Play-A-Long by Jamey Aebersold (featuring Kenny Barron and Ron Carter(!!))- "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" by Abbey Lincoln from Abbey Is Blue, 1959- "Song Patrol" by Jane Ira Bloom from Early Americans, 2016- "Lingala" by the SF Jazz Collective from their 2005 self-titled album- "So What" and "Flamenco Sketches" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959- "My Favorite Things" as performed by John Coltrane on My Favorite Things, 1966- "Mercy Mercy Mercy" by Josef Zawinul as performed by the Cannonball Adderley quintet on Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, 1966OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CORDThis episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fellow Bloomington North graduate and fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets