PFT Media

No doubt the biggest thrill about producing The Major Scale is in interacting with living legends and heroes of the music world, which we’ve been blessed to do on a number of occasions. This episode we proudly welcome Abdullah Ibrahim, the man, the maestro, an artist with no need for an introduction. For decades he’s dazzled music lovers and critics alike, from his native South Africa to the world at large. He’s prolific with a gift for inventive composition. His unique way with the piano leaves the soul in warm delight and the eardrums in awe. We talk with him about The Balance, Jedi knights, love, and other matters of the spiritual heart.

Jazz is America’s native art form, but its heartland is in Africa. Abdullah Ibrahim reinforced this fact in our chat and it got us thinking about the cycle of influence that the two continents have had on one another. We came up with a playlist that hails from Cape Town, South Africa to Accra, Ghana, the Sahara regions of Mali and Mauritania to the Congo. The music grooves marvelously with a bluesy grit that reminds us that it all began in Africa.

Featuring Hugh Masekela, Noura Mint Seymali, Osibisa, the Rail Band, Chris MacGregor, and more!

ABOUT THE MAJOR SCALE:

Your attention please to a new program that celebrates and takes a fresh and bold look at the great American art form- JAZZ!!!

The Major Scale is the title, the motto and the mission are, Jazz- past, present, future, and everything in between. A lot of focus will be on new and fresh sounds, deep cuts, closer looks at underrated artists, taking a different look at some of the titans of the genre, and getting the two cents worth from a number of surprise guests and sources.

The Major Scale can boast amongst it’s guests- legends like Herbie Hancock, Tom Scott, and Ahmad Jamal. The up and coming and the underrated-Kamasi Washington, Mia Doi Todd, Michael Blake. Fresh perspectives and commentary from the likes of Rock legend Al Kooper, who weighed in on the gospel. From The New Yorker, Amanda Petrusich expounds on her article about the movement to rename the Williamsburg Bridge in honor of Sonny Rollins. We explore the Soul-Jazz experiments of the Rascals. Grace Kelly from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert talks about her pop-up/flash mob concerts. Plus Thundercat, Henry Mancini, Ghostface Killah, Jaimie Branch, Nels Cline, Badbadnotgood, Cecil Taylor, and more get pick up on the Major Scale radar.

Produced in Central Florida, this program seeks to become one of the defining voices of this Native American art form, and everything else that finds itself under it’s umbrella. Think about programming and content found on the likes of World Cafe, Philadelphia, PA. Tiny Desk from Washington D.C., and KEXP Live from Seattle, WA. and that’s what the Major Scale strives to do.

For the curious, and lovers of music who like the details in between.

ABOUT KYLE EAGLE (Host):

Kyle Eagle has been a contributing writer and producer for the NPR-WBGO, WUCF, WPRK, Wax Poetics, The Orlando Weekly, Artbourne, and The Fiscal Times, as well as several music and film releases- Light in the Attic’s documentary “This Is Gary McFarland”, and an upcoming film on composer Jack Nietzsche. Recordings- Call Me-Jack Wilson, Live at the Penthouse, Grachan Moncur III, Chico Hamilton, and Andy Bey.

ABOUT CHRIS BARANYI (Producer):

Chris Baranyi is a sound engineer and music producer. He splits his time between designing AV systems for theme parks and recording music. Chris has worked with many Orlando area musicians with backgrounds in jazz, fusion, hip-hop, funk, new age, and classical. Some of which have been featured on NPR’s Echoes. His passion includes jazz, vintage microphones, and hot sauce.