The Bandwich Tapes

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]

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with guitarist and composer Stash Wyslouch for a conversation that moves easily between music, teaching, parenthood, and the deeper question of how artists actually learn. Stash has built a unique musical voice that draws from bluegrass, jazz, metal, and avant-garde traditions, and hearing how those influences intersect in his life and work makes for a fascinating conversation.

We begin with a big life moment: Stash recently welcomed a newborn into the world. He reflects on how becoming a parent shifts perspective—not just personally, but creatively. Themes like humility, empathy, patience, and time suddenly carry new weight, and those ideas show up in how he approaches collaboration, teaching, and the creative process itself.

From there, we trace his musical path—from early experiences in heavy metal to discovering bluegrass, jazz, and experimental music. Growing up in New England, studying at Berklee College of Music, and being part of a tight-knit musical community all helped shape his artistic voice. We also talk about the complicated role of labels like “avant-garde”—how they can be useful shorthand while also limiting how audiences hear the music.

We spend real time on influences—Charles Ives, Arnold Schoenberg, Lennie Tristano, and Anthony Braxton—and how ideas from those composers intersect with improvisation, ear training, and creative freedom. And finally, Stash shares details about his upcoming duo record Matty and Debbie with drummer Sean Trischka, a project that pulls together bluegrass, jazz, metal, hymnody, and pure curiosity into one cohesive musical statement.

Key Takeaways
Parenthood reshapes perspective — becoming a parent can influence creativity, collaboration, and priorities.
Musical identity can span genres — Stash’s work draws from metal, bluegrass, jazz, and experimental music.
Labels can both help and hinder — terms like “avant-garde” describe music but can also narrow how people hear it.
Community shapes artists — New England roots and Berklee connections helped shape Stash’s musical path.
Learning the process matters more than chasing results — growth comes from patience and curiosity.
Rhythm and feel take time — some musical skills simply can’t be rushed.
Creative projects thrive on curiosity — his upcoming duo record with Sean Trischka explores multiple traditions at once.
Music from the Episode
Acoustic Metal Party - Stash Wyslouch
Stash's Turkey in the Straw - Stash Wyslouch
Over in the Gloryland - Stash Wyslouch
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 pedal steel guitarist Travis Toy for a wide-ranging conversation about craft, longevity, and what it really takes to build a career on the road. Travis has spent decades shaping the sound of modern country music—from his long run with Rascal Flatts to his current role touring with Luke Bryan—and his perspective comes from thousands of nights onstage.

We start by tracing his musical roots in Kentucky, where Travis grew up surrounded by music and developed an early obsession with the pedal steel guitar. Those early years of practice and curiosity laid the foundation for the disciplined approach he still brings to every gig today.

From there, we talk about the realities of the Nashville scene: arriving in town, finding opportunities, and slowly building a reputation that leads to bigger stages and long-term touring gigs. Travis shares stories from his early days in Nashville and reflects on what it meant to spend years touring with Rascal Flatts before stepping into a new chapter with Luke Bryan.

We also dig into his solo instrumental record and why writing original music was important to him. Along the way, Travis talks about how his background as a drummer and his love of fusion music still influence his phrasing and groove on pedal steel. It’s a thoughtful look at touring culture, social media, and the mindset required to stay grounded in a career that lives on the road.

Key Takeaways
Mastery starts early — Travis’s obsessive practice as a young musician shaped the discipline he brings to every gig.
Pedal steel continues to evolve — modern players are expanding the instrument beyond traditional roles.
Reputation matters in Nashville — professionalism and reliability open doors to long-term touring work.
Touring is a long game — sustaining a career on the road requires balance, perspective, and resilience.
Musical influences cross genres — Travis’s background as a drummer and fusion fan shapes his approach to steel guitar.
Writing original music can deepen your voice — his solo record gave him space to explore the instrument in new ways.
Longevity comes from staying grounded — focusing on the music and the people around it keeps the career moving forward.

Music from the Episode
Entry Point (Travis Toy)
JDT (Travis Toy)
Wingman (Travis Toy)
Alabama Jubilee (Travis Toy)
Hot Button (Travis Toy)
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.

Connect with the Show

Email: [email protected]