Although I’ve spent more than a decade doing news/talk radio, my favorite jobs were on the music side of radio! As the times we’re living in grow more uncertain and frankly frightening, I find myself taking more and more comfort from music.
So many artists have been sharing their talents and creativity over the interwebs during this strange time of staying safely at home to avoid contracting or spreading the coronavirus that’s plaguing our world.
On Monday, May 18, 2020, I officially brought a musical showcase back to the Nicole Sandler Show when I welcomed Michael McDermott on for a conversation and to play a few songs for us. It went so well that Dan Navarro delighted us the following week.
I invited my old friend Michele Clark- the woman behind the Sunset Sessions events with whom I’ve been working on a few projects- to join in. Hopefully this partnership will lead to some amazing artists joining us and lots more down the line.
I keep tweaking my studio to hopefully make the sound better for these musical excursions. I’m posting the sessions here, in reverse chronological order. So join us live Monday afternoons, or come here to listen and watch any time.
COMING UP on Monday Music Sunset Sessions:
Monday August 3 – Kevin Montgomery
Monday Music #11 with Judith Owen
Today’s session was extra special. Judith Owen has been doing as most of the rest of us, sheltering at home to be safe from the global pandemic.
Just last week, Judith released a new EP filled with six songs about what’s happening called The Here and Now. She performs a few of these songs for us on today’s show.
She does twice weekly live performances on Facebook called For Fuck’s Sake, Wednesdays and Sundays at 5ET/2PT.
Monday Music #10 with Dan Bern
We’re joined today by a troubadour for our times, Dan Bern. We get the added bonus of a special appearance by his daughter Lulu!
Find Dan on Facebook Live where he streams his “Hunkered in the Bunker” series. And visit danbern.com.
Monday Music #9 with James McMurtry
We’re thrilled to welcome singer-songwriter James McMurtry to this week’s Monday Music Sunset Sessions. Unfortunately, the internet gods weren’t very cooperative so the video is limited. But we had a nice conversation, and James graced us with a couple of songs. Find more at http://jamesmcmurtry.com
Monday Music #8 with Peter Himmelman
Today’s guest is the amazing Peter Himmelman! What a treat this was for me. We first met 26 years ago this month, on the day we launched KSCA (Southern California’s Album Alternative). He played the same song he played for us that morning, one of my favorites, ‘Impermanent Things’ and two others, along with a delightful conversation. Check him out at peterhimmelman.com.
Monday Music #7 with NOLA Resistance
NOLA Resistance is a band I was not familiar with, though the players have graced many recordings we’ve heard through the years from New Orleans musicians. They came to my attention because of their new, reworked for 2020 version of Gil Scott-Heron’s brilliant ‘The Revolution will not be Televised”. Check them out in this session and at NOLAResistance.com
Monday Music #6 with The Immediate Family
What a treat this was. Well, aside from the fact that my studio is still a work in progress and we were having terrible audio issues this day. The band was amazing… they were troopers and dealt with it. But my audio would go haywire on their end so at times during the show, they were unable to understand me because the sound coming to them was distorted. Thankfully it all still sounded great on the air.
You may not know the name “The Immediate Family,” but you certainly know the band and their songs. The band is comprised of some of the best, most prolific and in-demand studio musicians in the industry for decades… They are Danny Kortchmar, Waddy Wachtel, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel and Steve Postell.
Monday Music#5 with Jonatha Brooke
Our fifth Monday Music outing was a treat with the wonderful Jonatha Brooke!
She’s been doing weekly “Kitchen Covid Concerts” every Monday afternoon on Facebook Live, so do check her out.
Jonatha is a Sunset Sessions alumnus … I dug out this video gem from almost 10 years ago (it was February of 2001)
Monday Music with #4 Lili Haydn
Today, we welcome Lili Haydn to the show. She’s a Grammy award winning violinist/singer/songwriter/recording artist/film composer. She’s also a progressive activist who graduated from Brown University with a Political Science degree. She’s collaborated with amazing artists including Herbie Hancock, Roger Waters, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, and George Clinton (who called Lili the Jimi Hendrix of the violin!). Check out her website at lilihaydn.com and find her @lilihaydn on all the usual social media places…
Monday Music #3 with Sara Hickman
Today, we welcome Austin-based singer/songwriter Sara Hickman for some musical medicine for what ails us. Unfortunately, what ails us is a very sick country, still battling the COVID-19 pandemic and topped with a hefty serving of white supremacy, police brutality, and institutionalized racism. Good thing Sara Hickman will can help ground us.
Check out Sara’s Facebook page, where she performs a song each day at 2:30 Austin TX time, and a full hour-long concert on Fridays!
Monday Music #2 — Dan Navarro
For the second installment of Monday Music, I invited my old friend Dan Navarro! He’s back with Shed My Skin, his first solo studio album after more than 20 years and 14 albums with his former partner Eric Lowen, who died in 2012 from ALS, officially marking the end of Lowen & Navarro.
Monday Music #1 — Michael McDermott
We kicked off the series with Michael McDermott, conversation, a few live songs, and the debut of the video for the title track of his new album, “What in the World”- available June 5, 2020!