The Bandwich Tapes

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with guitarist, composer, and producer Matthew Stevens for a conversation about identity, collaboration, and the kind of artistic clarity that only seems to come through real-life change. I’ve been a fan of Matthew’s playing for a long time, so getting to talk with him about his new self-titled record felt especially meaningful.

We start with the album itself, and one of the first things I ask him is why this record carries his name. Matthew shares that the years leading up to it brought major shifts, moving from New York to Boston, beginning to teach at Berklee, going through divorce, and eventually finding a new sense of grounding in his personal life. What comes through clearly is that this album feels like his most complete expression of himself so far. It’s not self-titled as a branding move. It’s self-titled because it sounds like who he is now.

We also talk in depth about collaboration, how Matthew brought in trusted co-producers Josh Johnson and Eric Doob, and how their presence helped him let go of control in a healthy way. That thread runs through the whole conversation: surrounding yourself with people you trust, writing with specific musicians in mind, and allowing the music to become a real conversation. We get into the sound of the record too, its grounding rhythm section, the feel of tracks like “Take Heart”, and the way so much of the album was captured live in the room over just a few days.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is hearing Matthew talk about influence, producing, and teaching. We talk about working with heroes like Jeff Parker and Terri Lyne Carrington, producing the beautiful Doc Watson tribute project, and what it’s like to return to Berklee now as a faculty member after being deeply shaped by that school as a student. We also get into the pressures younger musicians face now, especially around social media and self-promotion—and Matthew offers a really grounded perspective on what it means to use that time instead to build actual musicianship.

This is a thoughtful conversation about sound, feel, growth, and what it means to become more fully yourself as an artist.

Key Takeaways

A self-titled album can be a personal statement — for Matthew, this record reflects the clearest version of who he is right now.
Life changes can deepen artistic identity — moving, teaching, heartbreak, and rebuilding all shaped this music.
Trusting collaborators can open the music up — working with Josh Johnson and Eric Doob helped Matthew let go of some control and go deeper.
Sound and feel are at the center of everything — even simple musical ideas come alive when the players are deeply connected.
Producing is about meeting artists where they are — Matthew’s work on the Doc Watson tribute shows how great producers guide without forcing.
Community is one of music school’s greatest gifts — the relationships built there often matter as much as the training itself.
Young musicians face new pressures — Matthew is thoughtful about how social media can compete with the slower work of building real craft.
Music from the Episode
Take Heart - Matthew Stevens (ft. Joel Ross)
Who Does She Hope to Be - Matthew Stevens (ft. Terri Lynne Carrington & Jeff Parker)
Hazy -Matthew Stevens (ft. Josh Johnson)
Alberta - Matthew Stevens (ft. Anna B Savage & Josh Johnson)
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast hosted by Brad Williams, featuring conversations with musicians, composers, producers, and creative thinkers about their musical journeys. Each episode explores the influences, decisions, and experiences that shape a life in music—one conversation at a time.

Connect with the Show

Email: [email protected]

About the Episode
On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with singer and songwriter Aubrie Sellers for a conversation about her remarkable new album Attachment Theory, and the deeper creative world she built around it. I had already been listening to the record ahead of our talk, and what struck me immediately was how singular it feels: cinematic, emotionally sharp, and sonically timeless in a way that somehow feels both old and futuristic at once.

We talk about how Attachment Theory became a true concept record. Aubrie explains that she did not start with a concept and then write toward it. Instead, the songs gradually revealed a shared emotional center, all circling relationship patterns, vulnerability, and the psychology of connection. That realization eventually led to one of the most interesting parts of the project: a companion podcast, with one episode tied to each song, exploring attachment theory and relationship dynamics in a more direct and concrete way.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is hearing Aubrie talk honestly about performance anxiety, introversion, and learning how to shape a music career around who she actually is as a person. She shares how severe stage fright marked her early touring years, how working on her general anxiety changed things more than simple repetition ever did, and how she has become more intentional about saying yes only to the kinds of opportunities that actually fit her life and temperament.

We also dig into the sound of the record, her longtime collaboration with Ethan Ballinger, the atmospheric textures and vocal treatments, the  influence that shows up in places, and why the album feels so cinematic. Aubrie talks about the value of leaving room for experimentation in the studio, letting musicians bring their own voice into the process, and making something polished without sanding off all the soul.

Along the way, we also talk about Nashville, bluegrass, rawness in music, social media, and the freedom that comes from creating on your own terms. This is a thoughtful conversation about identity, vulnerability, artistry, and building a creative life that feels honest.

Key Takeaways
Attachment Theory grew into a concept record naturally — the songs revealed a shared emotional thread before the full concept came into focus.
The companion podcast adds another layer — each episode expands on the emotional themes of a song through relationship psychology and personal reflection.
Introversion and artistry can coexist — Aubrie has worked to build a career structure that actually fits who she is.
Performance anxiety does not always disappear on its own — mindset and emotional work can matter as much as experience.
A polished record can still feel raw — the goal is clarity and atmosphere without losing soul or imperfection.
Social media can be used with intention — Aubrie has found ways to connect authentically without treating it as empty content churn.
Honesty is the through line — whether it is country, bluegrass, rock, or something in between, the music that moves her comes from a real place.
Music from the Episode
Subatomic - Aubrie Sellers
Trigger Happy - Aubrie Sellers
Delusional - Aubrie Sellers
Little Rooms - Aubrie Sellers
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast hosted by Brad Williams, featuring conversations with musicians, composers, producers, and creative thinkers about their musical journeys. Each episode explores the stories, influences, and experiences that shape a life in music—one conversation at a time.

Connect with the Show

Email: [email protected]

About the Episode

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with keyboardist, arranger, bandleader, and all-around musical Swiss Army knife Jeff Babko. Jeff is one of those musicians whose career quietly spans an incredible range of musical worlds, from television and touring to studio work and bandleading, and our conversation ends up feeling like a masterclass in how to build a life in music while staying curious and grounded.

We start in the present, where Jeff has recently stepped into a larger leadership role on Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the passing of longtime music director Cleto Escobedo. Jeff reflects on what that responsibility means to him and how leading a band in that environment requires both musical preparation and a deep sense of trust and respect for the musicians around you.

From there we rewind to an important musical turning point. Jeff tells the story of seeing James Taylor live in college, backed by a band that included Don Grolnick, Jimmy Johnson, Mike Landau, and Carlos Vega. For Jeff, that moment crystallized what “grown-up musicianship” could look like—players serving the music with taste, humility, and deep craft.

We also talk about Jeff’s time at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and the lifelong community that came out of those years. That theme of musical community carries into his long-running collaboration with Steve Martin and Martin Short, where Jeff has learned firsthand how musical timing and comedic timing often work the same way. Playing for comedians, it turns out, requires the same instincts as great improvisation.

Toward the end of the conversation, we zoom out to bigger questions: legacy, awards, AI, and what actually lasts in a musical life. Jeff shares a perspective I really love: the most meaningful musical moments often aren’t the ones captured online. They’re the warm-up before a taping, the look between bandmates, or the feeling of someone in the audience connecting with the music in real time.

Key Takeaways
Versatility is a career advantage — Jeff’s work spans television, touring, arranging, and bandleading.
Leadership grows from trust and preparation — especially in environments like Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Seeing great musicians early can shape a path — Jeff’s experience watching James Taylor’s band left a lasting impression.
Musical communities matter — relationships formed in school and early careers often last decades.
Comedy and music share timing instincts — playing for comedians requires the same listening and responsiveness as improvisation.
Humility sustains a career — serving the music and the band keeps the work meaningful.
The most powerful musical moments are human ones — often unseen and impossible to capture online.
Music from the Episode
Head Trauma - Mondo Trio (Jeff Babko, Jeff Coffin, & Vinnie Colauita)
International Client - Jeff Babko
Franklin - Jeff Babko
Nostalgia is For Suckas - Jeff Babko
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast hosted by Brad Williams, featuring conversations with musicians, composers, producers, and creative thinkers about their musical journeys. Each episode explores the influences, decisions, and experiences that shape a life in music—one conversation at a time.

Connect with the Show

Email: [email protected]

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with singer and songwriter Tenille Townes for a conversation about truth, freedom, and the long road back to yourself. I’ve admired Tenille’s writing and singing for a long time, and one of the first things I tell her in this conversation is simple: when she sings, I believe her. That kind of authenticity sits at the center of everything we talk about.

We spend a lot of time on her new independent album and what it means to release music on her own terms. Tenille shares how the record began in a deeply personal way—just her, a guitar, and a room at home, trying to find the truth in the songs again after stepping away from the major label system. What started as demos turned into the record itself, and in that process she found something bigger than a new batch of songs. She found her voice again.

One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is our discussion of “Enabling,” a song that speaks directly to love, boundaries, self-abandonment, and the complicated emotional patterns we carry through relationships. Tenille talks about writing it after a real-life moment that forced her to look honestly at her own habits—especially the way people-pleasing can blur into losing yourself. It’s one of those songs that says something difficult with incredible clarity.

We also talk about what independence has given her creatively. Tenille describes this season as a return to the fearless spirit she had when she first moved to Nashville—a feeling of having everything to prove, nothing to lose, and joy at the center of the process. That freedom shows up not only in the songs, but in the way she’s choosing to release and share the record now.

Along the way, we get into her early love of music, the voices and records that shaped her, growing up in the wide-open landscape of Grande Prairie, Alberta, the courage it took to send a CD to Bryan Adams and ask him to sing on a song, and the incredible heart behind her long-running Big Hearts for Big Kids fundraiser. This is a conversation about songwriting, healing, home, and having the nerve to leap when something matters.

Key Takeaways
Authenticity is everything — when Tenille sings, the emotional truth of the song comes through immediately.
Independence can bring creative freedom — releasing this record on her own terms helped her reconnect with her artistic instincts.
Sometimes the demo is the record — simple guitar-and-vocal recordings became the emotional core of this project.
“Enabling” is about more than one relationship — it also reflects patterns of self-abandonment and people-pleasing.
Home shapes the writing — the open skies and emotional landscape of northern Alberta remain part of her creative fingerprint.
Taking the shot matters — whether calling a promoter at age 10 or mailing a CD to Bryan Adams, Tenille keeps acting on bold instincts.
Music can be a force for real change — her Big Hearts for Big Kids work shows how songs and community can directly support people in need.
Music from the Episode
Ordinary Love Song - Tenille Townes
Enabling - Tenille Townes
The Acrobat - Tenille Townes with Lori McKenna
The Thing That Wrecks You - Tenille Townes & Bryan Adams
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast hosted by Brad Williams, featuring conversations with musicians, composers, producers, and creative thinkers about their musical journeys. Each episode explores the stories, influences, and experiences that shape a life in music—one conversation at a time.

Connect with the Show

Email: [email protected]

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with guitarist and composer Bob Lanzetti, best known as one of the founding members of Snarky Puppy. I’ve admired Bob’s playing for a long time, so getting the chance to talk with him felt especially meaningful. We begin with something many musicians quietly carry with them: the fear of hand issues and how that concern evolves over the course of a career. Bob reflects honestly on how he thinks about it now compared to earlier years.

From there, we rewind to the beginning—growing up around his dad’s guitar, discovering The Beatles, and the simple invitation that changed everything: “Learn this song and you can sit in with my band.” That moment set Bob firmly on the path toward becoming a guitarist. He traces his journey through early mentors, jazz studies, and eventually to the University of North Texas, where he found a musical community that would change his life—and where Snarky Puppy first came together.

We spend time talking about the musical ecosystem around North Texas as well, especially the gospel and R&B scenes that shaped Bob’s ear in ways the classroom couldn’t. Bob shares how Snarky Puppy actually learns and rehearses music—often through oral tradition, demos, and Logic sessions—and how the band’s three-guitar setup works without stepping on each other’s sonic space. Along the way, he reflects on something younger musicians often overlook: the importance of restraint, listening, and self-balancing within a band.

One of my favorite parts of the conversation centers on Bob’s Nosferatu project, where he composed and performed an original score for the classic silent film during the COVID years. That project opened the door to exploring 20th-century classical textures, string writing, layered guitars, and production techniques. We wrap up by talking about the wide range of influences that shape Bob’s music—from Charlie Christian and Jim Hall to Sonic Youth and Derek Bailey—and what’s ahead in 2026, including GroundUP Festival, touring with Snarky Puppy alongside the Metropole Orchestra, his trio work, and the growing role of producing in his creative life.

Key Takeaways
Musicians confront physical concerns over time — long careers require resilience and perspective.
Early invitations can shape a life path — a simple opportunity to sit in with a band set Bob on the guitar journey.
Community matters — the University of North Texas and the surrounding Dallas scene were foundational for Snarky Puppy.
Listening and restraint define great band playing — especially in complex ensemble settings like a three-guitar lineup.
Musical learning often happens by ear — oral tradition and demos play a huge role in how bands develop material.
Creative side projects expand the palette — Bob’s Nosferatu score opened the door to new textures and production ideas.
Producing can become another creative outlet — shaping the sound of recordings scratches the same itch as performing.
Music from the Episode
B - Bob Lanzetti
Anonymous - Bob Lanzetti
The Seven Deadly Sins (from Nosferatu) - Bob Lanzetti
Jenny is a Donkey - Bob Lanzetti
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast hosted by Brad Williams, featuring conversations with musicians, composers, producers, and creative thinkers about their musical journeys. Each episode explores the influences, decisions, and experiences that shape a life in music—one conversation at a time.

Connect with the Show

Email: [email protected]