Episodes

Wednesday Sep 06, 2017
Wednesday Sep 06, 2017
About Jake Shimabukuro
Jake Shimabukuro can still vividly remember the first time he held a ukulele, at age four. It was an encounter that would shape his destiny and give the world one of the most exceptional and innovative uke players in the history of the instrument—an artist who has drawn comparisons to musical titans such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis.
“My mom played, and I kept bugging her to teach me,” he recalls. “So one day we sat down on the floor and she put her old Kamaka ukulele in my hands. I remember being so nervous. Then she showed me how to strum the strings and taught me my first chord. I fell in love with the ukulele immediately. From that day on, you had to pry the instrument away from me in order to get me to do anything else.”
That first brush with musical fate took place in Honolulu, Hawai’i, where Jake was born and still makes his home. Growing up, he studied and played a number of other musical instruments—drums, piano and guitar. “But none of those instruments spoke to me the way the ukulele did,” he says. “There was something about the uke that was different. Music was my passion, but I had no idea that I could make it as a musician. I always thought that maybe I’d be a school teacher and incorporate music into the classroom, rather than being on a stage performing in front of people.”
Of course, Shimabukuro would end up performing on many of the world’s most renowned stages. Starting his career in Hawai’i, he took his inspiration from some of the islands’ great uke players—Eddie Kamae, Ohta-San and Peter Moon. But he quickly expanded his scope from there, drawing influences from across the musical spectrum.
“As I got older,” he says, “I realized that I could also learn from guitar players, drummers, violinists, pianists, singers and even dancers. And then I started to observe athletes. Athletes are artists too. I was heavily influenced by people like Bruce Lee and Michael Jordan – applying their philosophy and intense, mental focus to music performance.”
As a member of the group Pure Heart, Shimabukuro became a local phenomenon. From Hawai’i, his fame next spread to Japan. He was signed to Epic Records (Sony/Japan) in 2001 as a solo artist. It was the start of what would become a deep catalog of solo albums, noted for their dazzling fretwork, ambitious repertoire and wistful melodicism. And in 2005, Shimabukuro became an international phenomenon when a video of him performing the George Harrison song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube.
“At the time, I didn’t even know what YouTube was,” Jake laughs. “Nobody did, especially in Hawai’i. But I had some friends who were going to college on the mainland and they sent me a link to the video. By the time I saw it, it already had millions of views. My name wasn’t even on it then. All it said was ‘Asian guy shreds on ukulele,’ or something like that. That’s what opened up the doors to touring in North America, Europe, Asia and beyond. It was a big turning point for me.”
By adapting a guitar hero anthem for the ukulele (Eric Clapton had played lead guitar on the Beatles’ original recording) Shimabukuro made a significant statement: The ukulele, with its humble four strings and modest two-octave range, is an instrument limited only by the imagination and creativity of the person playing it. Along with his own original compositions, Jake became noted for his solo uke arrangements of such varied pieces as Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
“A lot of those are just songs that I really love,” he says. “I’d sit at home and work out how to play some of them on the ukulele. A lot of it is for my own curiosity. I always wondered, ‘Man, what would “Bohemian Rhapsody” sound like on a ukulele?’ And then it’s my stubborn nature not to give up until I’d figured out how to do it.”
Widespread acclaim brought high-visibility collaborations with a wide range of artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Tommy Emmanuel, and Marty Friedman. Jake Shimabukuro has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart on numerous occasions, and has sold out prestigious venues and festivals such as the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, Wolf Trap, Bonnaroo, SXSW, and the Playboy Jazz Festival. He even played for Queen Elizabeth II at The Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, England.
Shimabukuro’s busy touring schedule—140 dates a year—is complemented by a rich and varied catalog of albums that capture the many moods of the uke. His most recent CD, Nashville Sessions, is one of his most adventurous, multifaceted and engaging records to date, blending elements of jazz virtuosity with heartfelt melodicism.
A husband and father of two, Jake balances his stellar career with
family life and community service. He travels to schools around the world spreading positive messages to young people, encouraging them to live drug free and find their passion—just as he did at age four when his mother gave him his first ukulele lesson. In the time since then, he has played a key role in the current revival of interest in the ukulele.
“When I first started touring the mainland,” he recalls, “everybody would say, ‘Oh man, I didn’t know you could play that kind of music on that thing.’ But now there are so many iconic artists playing the ukulele, like Paul McCartney, Eddie Vedder, Train, Jimmy Buffett, Michael McDonald, Dave Mathews and Taylor Swift. Even popular cartoons like ‘Peg + Cat’ and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ have ukulele soundtracks. The popularity of the ukulele keeps growing every year. And I’m constantly discovering new sounds, styles and expressive possibilities within the instrument through projects like the Nashville Sessions album. By the time we finished that recording, I already had tons of ideas for the next album. I can’t wait to get back into the studio and experiment some more.”

Monday Sep 04, 2017
Monday Sep 04, 2017
The Hormone Myth
How Junk Science, Gender Politics, & Lies about PMS, Keep Women Down
by Robyn Stein Deluca
“The Hormone Myth is a bracing, accurate breath of fresh air. It turns conventional wisdom about hormones on its head, and provides a far more liberating view of women’s health than what we’ve all been taught.”
Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom
The myth of the hormone-crazed woman is so firmly entrenched in our culture it can be found everywhere from characters in popular films, to the words of presidential candidates, from business start-ups advertisements to twitter feeds.
But do women really become raving lunatics when their hormones fluctuate? And do they really act “baby-crazy” at a certain age?
Finally The Hormone Myth: How Junk Science, Gender Politics, and Lies about PMS Keep Women Down by Robyn Stein Deluca (New Harbinger Publications, August 1, 2017, paperback, 200 pages, ISBN: 978-1-62625-509-8) explodes the myths around women’s hormones and proves how obsolete, and largely flawed, research combined with pervasive sexism, have perpetuated a hormone myth that lacks any scientific basis.
With a thorough exploration of women’s hormonal lives, from the initiation of menstruation through menopause, and a close look at recent scientific research, The Hormone Myth demands we all reject the negative stereotype of the hormone-crazed woman and embrace women's high functioning reality and true potential, across their lifetime.
About the author
Robyn Stein DeLuca, PhD, is a research assistant professor in the department of psychology at Stony Brook University, and was a core faculty member of the women’s and gender studies program for fifteen years. She has taught a multitude of courses on health, gender, and reproduction, and her research on postpartum depression and childbirth satisfaction has been published in scholarly psychology journals. Her TEDx Talk “The Good News About PMS” has had over one million views and has been translated into twenty-two languages.
“Do hormones make women go a little crazy right before they get their menstrual period? Not really…. Written in a conversational tone, and full of helpful information about hormones (including an appendix primer on what each of them is and another on how to spot junk science), DeLuca’s guide is uplifting and empowering.”—Booklist, June 1, 2017
The Hormone Myth: How Junk Science, Gender Politics, and Lies about PMS Keep Women Down by Robyn Stein DeLuca
New Harbinger Publications, August 1, 2017, paperback

Monday Sep 04, 2017
Monday Sep 04, 2017
Chicago-based Andrew Belle has made a name for himself as one of our more compelling songwriters since releasing his debut album
The Ladder in 2010. Though that album held strong at number one for several weeks on iTunes's singer-songwriter chart and earned dozens of television and film licenses, Belle boldly followed a new muse on the album's electronic, alternative follow-up,
Black Bear. His third and latest album Dive Deep doubles down on the ethereal electronic sound of Black Bear, and sees Belle pushing himself to new depths as a songwriter, a vocalist, and a composer. Soaring choruses and moody arrangements abound on Dive Deep, a thoughtfully crafted and deeply felt album that deserves consideration among peers like James Blake and Bon Iver.
www.andrewbelle.com
https://twitter.com/andrewbelle
LISTEN on i-tunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dive-deep/id1247043030

Monday Sep 04, 2017
Monday Sep 04, 2017
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah Ockwell-Smith is the mother of four children and a highly regarded parenting expert whose work and expertise has been featured in major media including BBC News Magazine, WebMD, Buzzfeed, as well as national television and radio. She has a BSc in Psychology and has also undertaken training in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. A member of the British Sleep Society, Sarah specializes in gentle parenting methods as well as the science and psychology of parenting. She is co-founder of the GentleParenting website (www.gentleparenting.co.uk) and writes a popular parenting blog at sarahockwell-smith.com.
“That’s the beauty of Ockwell-Smith’s guidance: she’s low on judgment and high on helpful insights into why your kid can go from angel to monster in 10 seconds flat. But what’s truly thought-provoking is Ockwell-Smith’s view that most common discipline methods don’t work. This is a handbook for end-of-their-rope parents looking for a fresh approach to discipline.” —BookPage
If you do a quick google search of “discipline” relative to children in the news, you’ll see recent studies show that punishment such as spanking has no benefits, and can lead to negative outcomes such as aggression, social issues, and mental health problems. Conventional approaches to discipline such as rewards & praise, punishment for bad behavior, etc. often don’t work and can even lead to more frustration, resentment, and power struggles at home and in the classroom. In her new release GENTLE DISCIPLINE: Using Emotional Connection – Not Punishment – to Raise Confident, Capable Kids (On Sale August 29, 2017), popular parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith helps parents (and educators) first understand why children misbehave so they can then address the root of the problem, and how to respond in a way that is effective, gentle, and conscious (view the complete press kit here for more info & suggested talking points). Among other things, Ockwell-Smith is available to discuss:
· The science of why and how children behave and learn, including common psychological and physiological behavior triggers to look for;
· Why modern-day methods in childcare and education, such as motivating kids to do better or punishing bad behavior, are often off the mark and ultimately ineffective;
· How to overcome our own parenting demons and manage our emotions, particularly anger and rage;
· Why low self-esteem might be the root of your child’s undesirable behavior and how to help.
Gentle Discipline focuses upon teaching and learning – for both the child and the guardian – in a compassionate, respectful, and mindful way. Whether looking to explore how discipline methods are often at odds with the way our children’s brains develop, how best to reinforce gentle discipline at home when school discipline tends to undermine parent efforts, or coping strategies for dealing with parenting anger, frustration, or despair, Sarah Ockwell-Smith can address it all.

Monday Aug 28, 2017
Monday Aug 28, 2017
‘THE CLOSER’ PRESENTS FIRST FEMALE CEO IN SPORTS INDUSTRY, FORMER NIKE & LUCY EXECUTIVE SHAZ KAHNG’S WRITING INSPIRED BY TRUE LIFE
SAN FRANCISCO, CA.
Sometimes the best man for a job is a strong woman. In the first book in her Ceiling Smasher series focusing on positive powerful female leaders, senior executive Shaz Kahng fictionalizes her decades of top business experience to create a thrilling story of the first female CEO in the sports industry. Kahng’s vast experience working in male-dominated boardrooms enables her to provide a behind the scenes look at what it’s like to work in the sports sector as a woman and what it takes to shatter the glass ceiling.
ABOUT SHAZ
Shaz Kahng is a visionary leader and inventive thinker adept at turning around and scaling businesses in the retail, sports/active apparel, and footwear industries. From Global Women’s Director at Nike, to CEO/President of Lucy Activewear, she has led teams to achieve success in very male-dominated industries. She has previously worked as a research scientist, a global consulting partner, a builder of e-businesses, and a brand strategist. She graduated from Cornell University and has an MBA from the Wharton School. Shaz currently works as a global startup mentor and advisor to PE and VC firms. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and twin daughters.
THE CLOSER
In The Closer, we meet Vivien Lee who has spent her entire consulting career helping CEOs look good. When she finally has the chance to go after her dream of running a business, she grabs it. A lifelong athlete, Vivien arrives at the Smart Sports campus in Portland, Oregon and is introduced as the first female president over the women’s apparel business. It’s one of the highest-profile jobs in an industry inhospitable to women. Principled but slightly naïve, Vivien believes her male peers will give her a fair shot.
Vivien stumbles early on, making a series of rookie mistakes. With guidance from the Ceiling Smashers, a secret society of successful professional women, Vivien learns to navigate the treacherous business terrain. A tight-knit group of male sports executives is determined to show that an industry outsider cannot prevail. The challenge is all too clear: will Vivien triumph in the sports industry against impossible odds? The Closer is a fresh, riveting tale about a strong woman endeavoring to succeed with smarts, scruples, and style.
Fans of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In will love this book for its strong, talented, and likeable female characters and the supportive environment they foster through their secret society, the Ceiling Smashers. The Closer sends a message of hope and positivity to all workingwomen out there striving to achieve more.
In an interview, Shaz Kahng can discuss:
· Growing up first generation American and how that influenced her work ethic
· Her educational path toward big business success
· Being one of the first females to head a global business at Nike
· Balancing motherhood (and infant twins) with an enormous executive position at Lucy Activewear
· Her successes in fast company turnarounds—both at Nike and Lucy, Ms. Kahng lead her teams toward profitability in a fraction of the time requested of her
· Female business leadership—how to embody the characteristics needed for success as well as inspire other women to pursue executive careers
· Women supporting other women, and real life “Ceiling Smashers”
· The Super Powers of Ceiling Smashers—what qualities do these women embody?
· Her writing process, from concept to manuscript in just 10 months
· Real life anecdotes from her career and the adversity she had overcome to achieve her goals

Monday Aug 28, 2017
Monday Aug 28, 2017
NBF Producer/Creator Bill Grisolia will give you the inside scoop on the up-coming New Blues Festival Labor Day weekend! Plus, we will be giving away a pair of tickets and listening to Bill's band New Blues Revolution. Bill Grisolia's band will be performing at the new Blues Festival 4.
WOMEN RULE THE MAIN STAGE AT NEW BLUES FESTIVAL IV, LABOR DAY WEEKEND, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 & 3; HEADLINING SETS BY 2017 GRAMMY NOMINEE JANIVA MAGNESS,
QUEEN OF BLUES GUITAR ANA POPOVIC, PLUS LONG BEACH BLUES LEGEND GUITAR SHORTY, GUITAR ACE CHRIS CAIN, AND MORE GREAT SOCAL BLUES BANDS ON THE "GOLDEN GROOVE STAGE"
~In Conjunction with the New Long Beach Blues Society~
WOMEN RULE THE MAIN STAGE AT NEW BLUES FESTIVAL IV,
LABOR DAY WEEKEND, SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 & 3; HEADLINING SETS BY 2017 GRAMMY NOMINEE JANIVA MAGNESS,
QUEEN OF BLUES GUITAR ANA POPOVIC, PLUS LONG BEACH BLUES LEGEND GUITAR SHORTY, GUITAR ACE CHRIS CAIN, AND MORE GREAT SOCAL BLUES BANDS ON THE "GOLDEN GROOVE STAGE"
~In Conjunction with the New Long Beach Blues Society~
http://www.newbluesfestival. com.
Direct link for purchasing tickets: http://www.newbluesfestival. com/tickets/.
This year's festival is presented in conjunction with the new Long Beach Blues Society "Preserve the Past, Promote the Future."
newbluesfestival.com
facebook.com/ theNewBluesFestival
http://www. longbeachbluessociety.org/

Monday Aug 28, 2017
Monday Aug 28, 2017
Sports Legends Nadia Comaneci, Jack Nicklaus, Martina Navratilova, Edwin Moses Appear in New Documentary WINNING
See Winning during our World Theatrical Premiere in NYC opening September 8th at Cinépolis!
WATCH THE TRAILER!
One film. Five legendary athletes. The compelling and inspiring story of the journeys of tennis champion Martina Navratilova, golf great Jack Nicklaus, Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci, track and field star Edwin Moses, and Dutch Paralympian Esther Vergeer. Through candid interviews and footage of their most exciting championship moments, WINNING reveals their dreams, challenges and triumphs and explores why some athletes achieve greatness.
Get notified about future screenings: http://bit.ly/WINScreen
Synopsis
One film. Five legendary athletes. The compelling and inspiring story of the journeys of tennis champion Martina Navratilova, golf great Jack Nicklaus, Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci, track and field star Edwin Moses, and Dutch Paralympian Esther Vergeer.
Through candid interviews and footage of their most exciting championship moments, WINNING reveals their dreams, challenges, triumphs and explores why some athletes achieve greatness. As they reminisce about the highs and lows of their careers, these iconic athletes share a unique and intimate window into their lives.
WINNING features rare archival footage of the athletes’ childhoods, as well as some of their most memorable and historic moments at the Olympics, Wimbledon, The Masters, US Open, British Open, French Open/Roland Garros, PGA Tour and The Paralympics.
The film features interviews with the athletes' families, coaches, agents and competitors including Olympic Gold Medalists, Bart Conner and Derrick Adkins, track and field Olympians, Benn Fields and Herb Douglas, tennis star, Pam Shriver, legendary coaches, Sven Groeneveld and Robert Lansdorp, Duke University Professor of Sports Psychology, Greg Dale, Barbara Nicklaus, Jana Navratilova and former Olympic gymnastics coach, Paul Ziert.
The story is both timeless in its appeal and global in its reach.
Website / Social Media
www.thewinningfilm.com
www.facebook.com/thewinningfilm
www.twitter.com/thewinningfilm
www.instagram.com/thewinningfilm
Press Contact
Adam J. Segal • The 2050 Group – Publicity
212.642.4317 (Office) • 202.422.4673 (Cell)
adam@the2050group.com • www.the2050group.com

Wednesday Aug 23, 2017
Wednesday Aug 23, 2017
ELIZABETH BLUE
STARRING ANNA SCHAFER, RYAN VINCENT,
KATHLEEN QUINLAN AND ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE
OPENING THEATRICALLY ON SEPTEMBER 22
Recently released from a psychiatric hospital, Elizabeth (Anna Schafer) returns to her Los Angeles apartment where she lives with her fiancé, Grant (Ryan Vincent).
With the guidance of her new psychiatrist, Dr. Bowman (AdewaleAkinnuoye-Agbaje), and the unfaltering support of Grant, Elizabeth works at regaining control of her mental stability and her life as she begins to plan their wedding.
Struggling to navigate daily voices, hallucinations, anxiety, failing medications and her judgmental, unsupportive mother, Carol (Kathleen Quinlan), Elizabeth fears that Grant will leave her as she clings to hope that love will truly conquer all - even mental illness.
ELIZABETH BLUE was written and directed by first-time filmmaker Vincent Sabella. Sabella is a diagnosed schizophrenic and the film is loosely based on a time in his life when all of his medications failed.
Global Digital Releasing will release ELIZABETH BLUE in NY, LA, and an additional 10 markets on September 22. The film has a running time of 94 minutes and is rated PG-13 by the MPAA.
The filmmakers and GDR have partnered with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and ELIZABETH BLUE is scheduled to screen at multiple NAMI Affiliate locations across the country during the film's opening weekend. NAMI is the largest grass roots mental health organization in the country and works with celebrities and filmmakers as part of their ongoing efforts to raise awareness and combat stigmas associated with mental illness. NAMI will also be receiving a portion of the film's proceeds.
To view the trailer, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faXEc87xsks

Wednesday Aug 23, 2017
Wednesday Aug 23, 2017
IN THEATERS STARTING AUGUST 18, AT THE RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK CITY, "WALK WITH ME - A CINEMATIC JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF THICH NHAT HANH." Host Janeane Bernstein speaks with Director/Producer Max Pugh on KUCI 88.9fm.
A Gathr Films and Kino Lorber Release
IN THEATERS STARTING AUGUST 18 AT THE RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK CITY, "WALK WITH ME - A CINEMATIC JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF THICH NHAT HANH."
FILMMAKERS AND 70 MONASTICS IN-PERSON OPENING WEEKEND
WALK WITH ME TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/179167579
There will be a weekend of special event screenings at the Rubin Museum as part of a one week run of the film starting August 18. Jo Confino, Executive Editor of Impact & Innovation at “Huffington Post” will introduce selected screenings throughout the weekend with monastics opening each film inviting viewers to breathe and relax with the sounds of a meditation bell. Q&A’s with filmmakers and monastics from Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village monastic community will follow each screening and meet and greets with monastics will be held throughout the weekend.
Filmmakers' Statement - Marc J. Francis and Max Pugh
“Taking our time with the film process has allowed for the chance to develop a cinematic ‘language’ capable of communicating the actual practice of a life lived differently and mindfully. We have worked to create an immersive film to plunge the audience deep into the poetry of the present moment, a feeling so elusive in the reality of the daily grind. If you can allow yourself to breathe with the rhythm of Walk With Me, let go, and relax, you can experience the film as a meditation. Movie theaters offer the best conditions for this experience; where the big screen, surround sound and the collective energy of the community can come together in one moment in time.”
Synopsis
With unprecedented access, Walk With Me goes deep inside a Zen Buddhist community who practice the art of mindfulness with their world-famous teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.
Filmed over three years in their monastery in rural France and on the road in the USA, this visceral film is a meditation on a community grappling with existential questions and the everyday routine of monastic life.
As the seasons come and go, the monastics’ pursuit for a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them is amplified by insights from Thich Nhat Hanh’s early journals, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.
About Thich Nhat Hanh
Widely acknowledged for introducing mindfulness to millions of people in the western world is 90 year old Buddhist Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Today, he is avidly followed by world leaders in politics and business, particularly by CEOs in Silicon Valley, and by stars of stage and screen, including Oprah Winfrey who has twice invited him on her show.
Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by his friend Martin Luther King Jr., Thich Nhat Hanh is also a human rights activist, poet and successful author. His books have become worldwide bestsellers and he has over a million followers on Facebook.
In 1982, Thich Nhat Hanh set up Plum Village - a monastery in rural France for monks and nuns to live, and for lay people from across the world to engage in mindful practice. His community is one of the single largest Buddhist monastic communities in the world.
WALK WITH ME
2017, United Kingdom, Unrated
Runtime: 94 min.
In English, Vietnamese, and French with English subtitles.
A Gathr Films and Kino Lorber Release
Directed and produced by Max Pugh and Marc J. Francis
Featuring Thich Nhat Hanh
Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch
Press Contact
Adam J. Segal • The 2050 Group – Publicity
(212) 642-4317 • (202) 422-4673
adam@the2050group.com • www.the2050group.com

Monday Aug 21, 2017
Monday Aug 21, 2017
ABOUT KALIFORNIA KARL DETKEN
"Kalifornia Karl" went from Star Search winner to playing a singer in the movie Duets with Gwyneth Paltrow to marketing executive at Pioneer Electronics who's DJ division went on to become a half billion dollar a year division. Now, he sings to the elderly for a fraction of what corporate exec life used to pay but he is 1000% more fulfilled professionally and personally from the joy that it brings the people that need it most.
There is research about the effects of music on patients. The Wall Street journal just ran a story on these important findings.
It’s no secret that music can help you feel better seniors and hospital patients. "From a massive library of 30,000+ songs from every decade and style; from Bing Crosby to Bruno Mars, we bring live performance & interactivity to those that need it most" says Kalifornia Karl Detken. "Engaging & entertaining activities which I call 'Engagetainment'".
Since 1975, Kalifornia Karl has performed over 10,400 shows and is one of the most sought after music providers for health care facilities.
JoyfulNoiseTherapy@gmail.com
www.Facebook.com/JoyfulNoiseMusicTherapy
www.Instagram.com/JoyfulNoiseMusicTherapy
