Rainiere Martin, creator and star of Forever Donna, joins Joe Kelley for a conversation about celebrating the music and legacy of Donna Summer.

Rainiere shares the remarkable story of walking away from singing for 20 years before an unexpected opportunity with Legends in Concert launched her professional performing career at age 42. She discusses building Forever Donna, assembling her band, creating the show's costumes and performing Donna Summer classics for audiences around the world. Pasted text

Rainiere also talks about performing on the Ultimate Disco Cruise, meeting The Jacksons and other music legends, singing with Joe Esposito, tackling the demanding “MacArthur Park,” and winning over some of Donna Summer's most devoted fans. Pasted text Pasted text

Hosted by Joe Kelley on Musicians Reveal: Beyond.

Chicago blues guitarist and singer Nick Moss joins Joe Kelley for an archival conversation from Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Moss traces his journey from sneaking into Chicago blues clubs as a young musician to playing bass and guitar alongside some of the genre’s greats. He recalls working with Jimmy Dawkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Jimmie Rogers, and explains what he learned from the veteran musicians who helped shape his approach to the blues.

Nick also discusses leading the Flip Tops, his album Got a New Plan, life on the road, his love of Gibson guitars, learning by ear, becoming a bandleader and the responsibility of carrying the Chicago blues tradition forward.

Originally recorded in 2001 for Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut.

From the Musicians Reveal: Beyond archives.

Musician, songwriter and producer Bobbi “Funkee Boy” Tammaro joins Joe Kelley for an inspiring conversation about music, perseverance and returning to his career following a serious battle with cancer.

Tammaro discusses “Triumph,” featuring saxophonist Michael Lington, his first release following his illness and a song carrying special meaning for his return to music. He also reflects on the treatment and recovery period and the support of his wife, Layla.

The conversation goes deeper into Funkee Boy's musical life: growing up on Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Prince, The Time and Kool & the Gang; his R&B and smooth-jazz roots; songwriting and producing for other artists; creating a compelling live show; and his upcoming Life Sign project.

Tammaro also shares how attending a Los Angeles songwriting conference unexpectedly changed his life when he met his future wife, Layla, and discusses how the two collaborate creatively.

Originally recorded for Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut in 2017, this archival conversation is now presented as part of Musicians Reveal: Beyond.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond explores conversations with musicians, songwriters, producers and creative artists across jazz, blues, rock, R&B and beyond.

Jazz guitar legend John Scofield joins Joe Kelley for a 2002 edition of Upper Room with Joe Kelley, originally heard on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Recorded around the release of the John Scofield Band's Überjam, the conversation explores the collaborative approach behind the album and Scofield's ability to move naturally between jazz, funk, R&B and improvisational music.

Scofield talks about assembling the band with rhythm guitarist Avi Bortnick, bassist Jesse Murphy and drummer Adam Deitch, along with contributions from John Medeski and Karl Denson. He explains how ideas developed organically during jams and soundchecks and why musical chemistry matters more to him than a traditional audition.

Scofield also looks back on performing at Gathering of the Vibes at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, discusses touring and the Montreal Jazz Festival, and shares a great piece of Connecticut history: playing live on the radio with his band the Skylarks in a 1966 WICC talent showcase.

For guitar players, Scofield discusses his longtime Ibanez AS200, Matchless amp, Mesa/Boogie amps and touring pedalboard.

Überjam was released by Verve in January 2002. Scofield's official discography credits Avi Bortnick, Jesse Murphy and Adam Deitch as the core band, with John Medeski and Karl Denson appearing on the record.

Originally recorded in 2002 for Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

This conversation is preserved as part of the Musicians Reveal: Beyond Radio Archives.

For video interviews and more archival conversations, find Musicians Reveal: Beyond on YouTube.

Saxophonist, composer and arranger Shawn Loescher joins Joe Kelley for an archival conversation from The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM.

Loescher traces an unconventional musical journey that began with professional gigs as a teenager in San Diego and eventually led to work as a transcriptionist and arranger for Tom Waits. After studying at Berklee College of Music, he headed to Europe, where he helped establish a jazz education program in Czechoslovakia before developing his own career as a performing musician.

Shawn discusses the story behind the Loescher Trio album Distance: Collector's Edition, originally recorded in Czechoslovakia and released in Europe before being remastered and reissued with additional material.

The conversation explores his approach to composition and improvisation, including “The Mass Waltz,” which grew from a work commissioned for the European Sacred Music Festival. Shawn explains how he incorporated traditional contrapuntal writing into an unconventional setting for saxophone, bass, drums and reader.

He also reflects on the changing music business and how emerging Internet technology was giving independent musicians a more direct connection with listeners while reducing some of the traditional power of major record companies.

Shawn talks about making Montreal his home, the city's deep jazz tradition and the musical freedom he found working in a trio format. He also shares the unlikely story of becoming musical director for acclaimed jazz vocalist Mark Murphy and the songwriting relationship that followed.

It's a revealing look at the life of a working jazz musician whose path took him from California and Boston to Eastern Europe and Montreal — while continually searching for new ways to compose, collaborate and express himself.

Originally recorded in 2001 for The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM.

A video presentation of this radio archive is also available on the Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley YouTube channel.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, folk, singer-songwriter traditions and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Singer-songwriter Dar Williams joins Joe Kelley for an archival conversation from The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM.

Touring behind her album Promised Land, Dar reflects on life on the road, songwriting, creativity and the experiences that continued to shape her music.

Dar takes Joe inside Pete Seeger’s remarkable 90th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden. She recalls being invited by Seeger’s grandson Tao, rehearsing backstage with Billy Bragg and seeing Bruce Springsteen arrive before a night that brought together generations of musicians and fans. For Dar, the significance of the event became clearest when she walked onstage and experienced the audience singing together.

She also discusses Promised Land and her interpretation of Fountains of Wayne’s “Troubled Times,” explaining why the song’s mixture of humor, vulnerability and optimism appealed to her.

The conversation explores the changing relationship between musicians and their audiences, the emerging world of social media, and Dar’s need to balance technology with the quiet and focus required for songwriting. She also reflects on her years at Wesleyan University and how those experiences influenced her view of education, creativity and the wider world.

Dar also explains the inspiration behind “Buzzer,” a song influenced by Stanley Milgram’s famous obedience experiments and her later thoughts about power, authority and why people find themselves in positions of obedience.

Originally recorded for The Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM.

A video presentation of this radio archive is also available on the Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley YouTube channel.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, folk, singer-songwriter traditions and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley’s decades of interviews and music broadcasting.

Saxophonist Grady Nichols joins Joe Kelley for a wide-ranging conversation about finding his own musical voice, learning from his heroes and building a lasting career in contemporary jazz.

Grady looks back on the enormous influence of David Sanborn and recalls meeting his musical hero as a young college student. Rather than rushing off after his concert, Sanborn spent time talking with Grady about music and encouraged the ambitious young saxophonist to be patient with his career.

Grady also shares the remarkable path that eventually connected him with Ricky Peterson and Paul Peterson. A longtime fan of Prince and The Family, Grady remembers recognizing “St. Paul” backstage at a David Sanborn concert years before he would eventually collaborate with members of the Peterson family.

That connection comes full circle with “Night Music,” which grew from one of Paul Peterson's Funk Friday sessions. Grady explains how the track was reshaped and developed with an impressive group of musicians including Paul Peterson, Ricky Peterson, Lenny Castro and Carl Burnett.

The conversation also covers working with Jeff Lorber, sitting in with The Beach Boys on “Kokomo,” advice from Tony Bennett that influenced Grady's approach to playing saxophone, his Concrete Jungle EP and the importance of collaboration, improvisation and developing an individual sound.

Grady also reflects on the changing music business, his longtime band, performing original music and why the spontaneous moments onstage can be some of the most rewarding parts of being a musician.

Originally recorded for Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley.

Watch the video presentation of this interview on the Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley YouTube channel.

Musicians Reveal: Beyond with Joe Kelley features revealing conversations with acclaimed musicians and artists from jazz, blues, rock, soul and beyond — drawn from Joe Kelley's decades of interviews and music broadcasting.