In this episode I sat down with Grammy winning tenor saxophonist, composer and educator Darryl Yokley. Born to an African-American father and a first generation Mexican mother, Yokley draws deeply from his diverse cultural roots. During our conversation we hear about him playing multiple instruments at an early age, his exposure to jazz and classical music and the influence of John Coltrane. The conversation moves into a deep dive of his new album, which is dedicated to the great novelist and father of magical realism, Gabriel Garcia Marquez - "Un Mundo En Soledad." We also dive into the daunting task of studying the author's memoirs and rereading his novels to do a proper tribute. He also touches on being part of Alicia Keys' Grammy winning Broadway show, "Hell's Kitchen."

https://www.darrylyokley.com

During my recent trip to South Africa, I was honored to be invited to a rehearsal of Cape Town’s own Thanda Choir. Afterwards, I sat down with two choir members, Iva Sogiba and Siyasanga Mhlekwa, and two managers, Asavela Mpayipeli and Zikhona Mapisa. We discussed the choir’s founding and the importance of recognizing and bringing awareness to Khayelitsha Township. Our conversation encompassed the church music that has inspired them and the passion and hopes for healing that Mhlekwa and Sogiba, along with their fellow choir members, bring to their songs. Traumas experienced by choir members and the larger community both are attended to with care, through the mentorship of Mpayipeli and the strong mothering of Mapisa, a well-known gospel artist in her own right.

https://thandachoir.co.za

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with the Ugandan-born, UK-raised runner Deo Kato—a man who, doing what had never been done, ran from Cape Town to London to raise awareness of social injustices and human migration. It all started in 2020, when he first connected running with activism. For 381 days in a row, he ran a 10k, to honor the Montgomery Bus Boycott and its duration. During our conversation, he considers the ways his childhood in Uganda developed his deep appreciation for community, a sustaining value throughout the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, he has faced. His running has, in profound ways, reflected that, taking place in all terrains and weathers. He once ran through Egypt when the temperature approached 125 degrees Fahrenheit. He talks about his biggest setback—being imprisoned for three weeks in South Sudan for so-called improper paperwork. The support he received from his fellow prisoners gave him a new motivation to continue when he was considering quitting. We end with his final, solo journey into London from Greece, arriving at 10 Downing Street—home to the UK prime minister—where he took a knee with hundreds of supporters behind him.