The Bandwich Tapes

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with percussionist, composer, educator, and Sō Percussion member Josh Quillen for a wide-ranging conversation about teaching, ensemble life, steel pan, podcasting, grief, musical history, and the value of listening closely.

Josh joined Sō Percussion in 2006 and has spent nearly two decades helping the ensemble develop its distinctive approach to contemporary chamber music. We talk about how the group has evolved from a model built around four percussionists playing similar setups into one that more openly reflects the individual musical identities of its members. Josh shares how composers such as Steven Mackey helped the group recognize the value of those differences, from steel pan and drum set to marimba, electronics, singing, and synthesizers.

We also spend time discussing the Sō Percussion Summer Institute, which Josh describes as one of the most demanding and rewarding parts of his year. He explains how the institute asks young musicians to learn an enormous amount of music with unfamiliar collaborators, confront insecurity, and discover that missing a note is rarely the most important problem in the room.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as Josh talks about losing his father to ALS, preserving one of the final recordings of his voice, and how that experience helped shape his podcast, Concert Honesty. We discuss the importance of documenting artists as full human beings, the danger of turning musical heroes into myths, and what Josh has learned from speaking with musicians such as Russ Hartenberger, Bob Becker, Joan Tower, Steve Reich, and others.

Along the way, Josh reflects on growing up in rural Ohio, learning discipline from his father’s work at a bottling warehouse, discovering steel band in high school, traveling to Trinidad without a phone, and learning that musical development often comes from curiosity, failure, repetition, and the freedom to make mistakes without having every moment permanently documented.
Key Takeaways
• The Sō Percussion Summer Institute is designed to give young musicians an intensive taste of professional ensemble life, including uncertainty, limited rehearsal time, unfamiliar collaborators, and ambitious repertoire.
• Josh believes strong teaching requires precision, empathy, and the ability to give honest criticism without stripping students of their confidence.
• Sō Percussion’s musical identity has gradually shifted from four players demonstrating similar technical skills toward a model that embraces each member’s individual musical interests.
• Steven Mackey’s It Is Time became an important turning point by highlighting Josh’s steel pan background and the distinct musical personalities of the Sō Percussion members.
• Josh’s approach to Steve Reich’s music is rooted in chamber music precision, shared pulse, groove, and a clearly defined ensemble identity.
• Concert Honesty began partly as a way to preserve the voices, experiences, and humanity of musicians beyond their résumés and major accomplishments.
• Losing his father to ALS shaped Josh’s understanding of memory, grief, recorded sound, and the importance of preserving a person’s voice.
Music from the Episode
Music for Wood and Strings (Part 1) - Bryce Dessner (Sō Percussion)
To the Sky - Caroline Shaw (Sō Percussion)
Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part - Caroline Shaw (Sō Percussion)
Rectangles and Circumstance - Caroline Shaw (Sō Percussion)
About the Podcast
The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about how music gets made and the people who make it. Hosted by musician Brad Williams, the show features thoughtful, musician-to-musician conversations about craft, collaboration, creative process, artistic growth, and life in music.
Connect with the Show
Questions, comments, or guest suggestions:
contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Darin and Brooke Aldridge to talk about Soul Condition, their first full gospel album in nearly two decades. Rooted in the churches and musical traditions of western North Carolina, the record feels both deeply familiar and unmistakably their own.

Darin and Brooke explain how they selected songs they had been saving for years, including material they sang when they first began performing together. We discuss their recording process, the balance between entering the studio with a plan and leaving room for discovery, and their approach to honoring traditional arrangements without simply recreating what another artist has already done.

We also talk about the guests who help bring Soul Condition to life. Darin and Brooke reflect on their long friendship and musical partnership with John Cowan, the confidence he helped draw out of Brooke, and the joy of recording “You Don’t Knock” together. They also discuss singing behind Jason Crabb and the craft involved in becoming an extension of another lead vocalist.

Our conversation returns again and again to harmony—musical and personal. Darin and Brooke share how their backgrounds in gospel, country, and bluegrass helped them develop a sound that feels instinctive, unified, and connected to home.

Key Takeaways
Soul Condition is Darin and Brooke’s first all-gospel album since their debut project, I’ll Go With You.
Several selections had been saved for years, while others reach back to the music they sang when they first started performing together.
They enter the studio with an arrangement in mind but remain open to ideas that emerge once the musicians begin playing.
Darin’s experience singing with Charlie Waller and The Country Gentlemen shaped the way he supports Brooke as a harmony vocalist.
Performing with John Cowan helped Brooke gain confidence and become less afraid to use the full power of her voice.
When inviting established artists onto a record, they provide guidance but allow each guest to retain an individual musical identity.
Darin approaches an album sequence much like a live set, considering tempo, key, energy, and the story created by the song order.
Music from the Episode
Darin & Brooke Aldridge — Soul Condition
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about music, creativity, and the people who devote their lives to making sound. I sit down with musicians, singers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and other creative artists to explore their work, their influences, and the experiences that continue to shape them.

Connect with the Show

Questions, comments, or guest suggestions:
contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Tropidelic drummer Rex Larkman to talk about the band’s new album, First Light, and the musical evolution behind it. Rex joined the Cleveland group in 2018, bringing the intensity of his punk and metal background into Tropidelic’s blend of reggae, rock, ska, funk, and hip-hop.

We dig into Rex’s growth as a drummer—from wanting to play everything to recognizing the beauty and difficulty of playing exactly what a song needs. He explains why pocket, restraint, and a strong connection with the bass player matter so much in rhythm-driven music, and why listeners often move more when the drummer leaves space.

Rex also takes us inside the making of First Light. Ideas emerged at soundchecks and on the road before being developed with producer Craig Broadhead in Cleveland. Live performances, programmed beats, layered snares, keyboards, and studio experimentation all became part of an album in which every song was allowed to find its own sound.

We talk about the danger of quantizing the life out of a drum performance and the importance of allowing music to breathe. Rex describes how Tropidelic transforms its studio recordings for the stage by changing tempos, rearranging sections, adding horn solos, and adjusting set lists from one night to the next.

We also discuss Tropidelic’s touring community, the band’s Everwild festival, and the positive message running through the new music. For Rex, the goal is straightforward: work hard, connect with the audience, support the people around you, and give every room a high-energy show that still feels human.

Key Takeaways
Rex joined Tropidelic in 2018 after becoming part of Cleveland’s local punk and independent music community.
His early influences included classic rock, Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, punk, metal, ska, Sublime, Streetlight Manifesto, and Less Than Jake.
Playing with Tropidelic taught Rex that restraint can be more challenging—and more musical—than filling every available space.
Much of First Light began with short ideas created at soundchecks and developed later with producer Craig Broadhead.
The album combines live drums, programmed elements, layered snare sounds, keyboards, effects, and production created in several locations.
Rex believes precise editing can remove the natural movement from a performance; everything should feel in time without necessarily sitting perfectly on a grid.
Tropidelic regularly reshapes its songs for the stage, changing tempos, shortening arrangements, adding solos, and responding to each audience.
Music from the Episode
Signals - Tropidelic
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about music, the people who make it, and the experiences that shape their creative lives. Hosted by musician Brad Williams, each episode offers an honest, thoughtful conversation with artists, producers, engineers, and other members of the musical community.

Connect with the Show

Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Ruthie Foster to talk about her new album, Just Say Yes, and the musical journey that gave her such a powerful connection to songs, audiences, and the spirit inside a performance.

Ruthie takes me into the making of the record with co-writer and producer Tyler Bryant. We talk about the importance of a great rhythm section, how different drummers can reshape a singer’s phrasing, and why Ruthie prefers to step aside and let musicians bring their own interpretations to her songs. She also introduces us to her self-created background vocal group, affectionately known as the “Cheap Inspirations.”

We trace Ruthie’s story from learning piano and guitar in small-town Texas to studying music in Waco and working as a session singer during her time with Atlantic Records in New York. She reflects on the education she received in studios, songwriter circles, church services, and nearly empty clubs—and how each setting taught her something different about craft, versatility, and connecting with a room.

At the center of our conversation is the idea behind Just Say Yes. What began as a reminder to accept professional opportunities has grown into something more personal: saying yes to herself, her family, and what truly matters. We also discuss parenthood, the emotional life of a song, and why Ruthie is still waiting for these new songs to reveal everything they have to teach her.

Key Takeaways
Ruthie gives the musicians on her albums room to interpret each song and contribute their own musical personalities.
Her background as a New York session singer taught her versatility, efficiency, and how to change the timbre of her voice for different projects.
Studying music in Waco exposed her to arranging, publishing, copyright, big-band instrumentation, and the business behind a musical career.
Growing up in the church taught Ruthie that music begins with feeling and with the ability to change the atmosphere in a room.
Songs continue to evolve for her over time, sometimes revealing their full emotional meaning only after years of performance.
Just Say Yes looks forward, while her previous album, Mileage, invited her to look back over her life.
The album’s title has grown from a professional reminder into a commitment to say yes to herself, her family, and the things that matter most.
Music from the Episode
Doubling Back - Ruthie Foster
Thank You - Ruthie Foster
Yes - Ruthie Foster
Hold On - Ruthie Foster
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about music, creativity, and the people who devote their lives to making sound. I sit down with musicians, singers, songwriters, composers, producers, engineers, and other creative artists to explore their work, their influences, and the experiences that continue to shape them.

Connect with the Show

Questions, comments, or guest suggestions:
contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with country music legend Moe Bandy for a conversation that spans more than five decades of country music history. We talk about his latest album, Songs I Missed, a collection of classic country songs that he loved for years before finally having the opportunity to record them. Moe shares why revisiting these songs felt fresh all over again and reflects on what it means to honor the originals while making them his own.

Our conversation explores the importance of paying your dues in smoky Texas honky tonks, where playing four-hour sets night after night became an education that no classroom could ever provide. Moe explains why those years shaped him as both a singer and performer, and why he still encourages young artists to earn their experience the same way.

We also dive into some of the remarkable stories behind his biggest recordings, including how Lefty Frizzell and Whitey Shafer delivered “Bandy the Rodeo Clown,” Conway Twitty’s role in bringing “Hey Joe, Hey Moe” back to life, and the lasting impact of “Till I’m Too Old to Die Young.” 
Along the way, we discuss songwriting, recording with legendary producer Jimmy Capps, and the emotional weight that certain songs continue to carry decades after they were first released.

Finally, Moe reflects on a career that has taken him from South Texas dance halls to the Grand Ole Opry, sharing memories of seeing his heroes waiting in the wings and why, after more than fifty years in country music, performing live still brings him as much joy as ever.
Key Takeaways
Moe discusses the inspiration behind his new album Songs I Missed and why these longtime favorite songs finally felt right to record.
He shares the unforgettable story of Lefty Frizzell calling him in the middle of the night to sing “Bandy the Rodeo Clown” over the telephone.
We talk about how years spent playing Texas honky tonks shaped his musicianship and prepared him for a recording career.
Moe reflects on the emotional legacy of “Till I’m Too Old to Die Young” and the deeply personal stories fans continue to share with him.
He remembers recording with legendary guitarist and producer Jimmy Capps, including their plans for a gospel album that became Thank You Lord.
We discuss how Conway Twitty helped inspire the recording of “Hey Joe, Hey Moe.”
Moe reflects on more than fifty years in country music and why performing at the Grand Ole Opry remains one of the greatest honors of his career.
Songs from the Episode
Heartaches By the Number - Moe Bandy
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is a long-form interview podcast where I sit down with musicians, songwriters, producers, and music industry veterans to explore the stories behind their careers, creative process, collaborations, and the music they’ve made. Each episode goes beyond the headlines to uncover the experiences, philosophies, and moments that shape an artist’s life and work.
Connect with the Show

Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com