What happens when the timeless music of Duke Ellington meets the sounds of James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and Pharrell Williams?

In this 2015 radio archive interview, acclaimed bassist, composer, bandleader, and educator Brian Torff joins Joe Kelley to discuss New Duke, his adventurous eight-piece ensemble that reimagines Duke Ellington's music through jazz, funk, rock, reggae, and contemporary influences.

Torff takes listeners inside the creative process, explaining how classic Ellington compositions can connect with modern audiences without losing their original spirit.

The conversation also explores:

• The origins of New Duke and its unconventional musical arrangements
• Influences ranging from the Beatles and James Brown to Blood, Sweat & Tears and Frank Zappa
• The challenges of arranging and rehearsing an eight-piece ensemble
• Why musical boundaries and rigid genre definitions can limit creativity
• The growing financial challenges facing professional musicians in the digital era
• His work as an educator and plans for his book Between the Beats
• A heartfelt remembrance of New Duke's original drummer, Don Mulvaney

Originally broadcast in 2015 on The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut, this conversation captures a musician dedicated to honoring tradition while pushing music in unexpected directions.

About Musicians Reveal: Beyond

Hosted by Joe Kelley, a broadcaster interviewing musicians since 1983, Musicians Reveal: Beyond features revealing conversations with extraordinary artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul, and beyond. Discover rare radio archives, personal stories, and creative insights from musicians whose work deserves to be heard.

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From the Musicians Reveal radio archives.

Minneapolis musician and artist Brooke R. Calder joins Joe Kelley for a revealing 2016 radio conversation about music, loss, creativity, and finding a new purpose through art.

Following the deaths of Prince and David Bowie, Brooke reflects on a difficult year that inspired her to return to music after believing she had left that chapter of her life behind.

She introduces AOA, a Minneapolis-based musical collective that recorded a powerful interpretation of David Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans," created in support of the Standing Rock movement and opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Brooke discusses the musicians behind the project, the remarkable creativity of the Minneapolis music community, her personal reaction to Prince's passing, and the importance of artists speaking out about issues that matter to them.

The conversation also explores her writing project In Praise of Men, her musical history with Lollipop and Glean, and her longstanding relationship with Joe Kelley's radio program, which premiered several of her recordings.

Originally broadcast in 2016, this interview captures an unforgettable moment in Minneapolis music history.

Hosted by Joe Kelley

Musicians Reveal: Beyond

Discover more interviews and rare radio archives at https://musiciansreveal.com

Acclaimed jazz violinist Regina Carter joins host Joe Kelley for a radio archive edition of Musicians Reveal: Beyond, originally recorded in 2001 for The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut.

One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz, Carter has expanded the expressive possibilities of the violin through her adventurous musicianship, improvisational approach and ability to connect jazz with a wide range of musical traditions.

Revisit this archival conversation with an extraordinary artist whose creativity and musical vision have helped redefine the role of the violin in modern jazz.

Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley has been celebrating musicians and their stories since 1982, featuring conversations with influential artists across jazz, funk, soul, blues, rock and beyond.

Explore more interviews and archival recordings at www.musiciansreveal.com.