We sit down with scat singer and physicist Lorin Benedict to explore his highly unique vocal improvisations and what it’s like to start a serious music career at age 31. Lorin explains the extra-musical origins of his nonsense-syllable language and why he treats his voice like a horn, drawing inspiration from instrumental giants. He shares hilarious insights into his own self-awareness, discussing why he proudly displays a negative Jazz Times review on his website, and reflects on how his intense listening habits were shaped by a childhood surrounded by Cleveland Orchestra musicians. We also dive into how Steve Coleman convinced him to jump into the scene, his collaborations with Kim Cass and Louis Cole's Knower, the parallels between physics and music, and his upcoming duo albums with Anthony Fung and Caroline Davis.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro: The advantages of starting a music career later in life
• 00:49 - Developing a unique language of syllables and nonsense words
• 02:40 - Approaching the voice as an instrument rather than a traditional singer
• 06:01 - Recording in the bathroom and analyzing his own syllabic phrasing
• 08:44 - Agreeing with a negative review from Jazz Times ("annoying wordless vocals")
• 19:28 - Growing up with classical musicians in the Cleveland Orchestra
• 23:35 - Going to physics grad school at UC Berkeley and meeting Vijay Iyer
• 25:54 - How Steve Coleman convinced Lorin to become a musician at 31
• 45:13 - Forming a standards duo with bassist Kim Cass
• 48:19 - Connecting with Louis Cole and sitting in with Knower
• 56:22 - The dual life of a condensed matter physicist and avant-garde scat singer
• 01:02:36 - Upcoming duo albums with Anthony Fung and Caroline Davis

BIRCH GROVE MEDIA

• Web: birchgrove.io
• Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.
• Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia
• Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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We take a break from our regular programming for a deep exploration into the fascinating world of Swiss pianist, composer, and "cultural entrepreneur" Nik Bärtsch. In this episode, Lindsay reviews his conceptual book, Listening: Music, Movement, Mind, co-authored with his wife Andrea Pfisterer (a fourth Dan Aikido teacher and biologist). We explore the profound intersections between music, martial arts, and nature, breaking down Bärtsch’s concept of "Ritual Groove Music" and how he translates the "Zen beginner's mind" into his compositional process. We also look at the history of his long-running Swiss ensembles, Mobile and Ronin, and his dedication to building community through open-house Monday hangs and the long-running "Montags" concert series in Zurich.

You can purchase Nik Bärtsch's book directly at: https://www.nikbaertsch.com/

*Note: Birch Grove Media is not sponsored by the artist or their book sales- we just really like their work and want to share!

Chapter Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Finding books at the Berklee College of Music and Big Ears Festival

01:08 - Reviewing Nik Bärtsch's Listening: Music, Movement, Mind

08:56 - Who is Nik Bärtsch? (Ronin, Mobile, and "Cultural Entrepreneurship")

14:06 - "Ritual Groove Music": Stravinsky, Morton Feldman, and James Brown

18:02 - The "Zen Beginner's Mind" and the concept of Effortless Mastery

19:17 - How Aikido relates to live musical performance

33:02 - Listening vs. Hearing and Joe Zawinul's boxing routine

36:23 - Treating musical practice and rhythm like martial arts katas

41:50 - Community building: Open house Mondays, the Montags series, and EXIL

BIRCH GROVE MEDIA

• Web: birchgrove.io
• Follow us: @birch.grove.media on Instagram.
• Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BirchGroveMedia
• Get the Record: Shop our current 180g LP and digital releases on our website. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We open the vault for another installment of our Blind Pig series, traveling back to October 16, 2014, for a rare bootleg of Matt Brewer's group Mythology live at ShapeShifter Lab in Gowanus, Brooklyn. In this episode, we revisit the night of Brewer's record release gig and analyze how the live quintet lineup—featuring Brewer on bass, Steve Lehman on alto, Mark Shim on tenor, David Virelles on piano, and Gerald Cleaver on drums—delivered a raw, guitar-less take on the compositions from his debut album as a leader. We explore the unique acoustic environment of ShapeShifter Lab, founded by Matthew Garrison and Fortuna Sung, and break down the enduring musical rapport between Lehman and Shim. We also unpack what the band members were releasing in 2014, including Steve Lehman's Mise en Abîme, David Virelles' Mbókò, and Gerald Cleaver's work with Farmers by Nature.

Note: Birch Grove Media does not claim ownership of these performances or musical works, and is not monetizing this episode. This is shared purely for educational and archival appreciation.

Chapter Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Intro: "Jump Scare" dynamics in Matt Brewer's Mythology
• 00:48 - Live at ShapeShifter Lab on October 16, 2014
• 01:15 - Live quintet personnel vs. the studio album lineup
• 18:19 - "Tubby" acoustics and the warehouse sound of ShapeShifter Lab
• 20:35 - The history of ShapeShifter Lab and Matthew Garrison
• 21:26 - Releasing Mythology on Criss Cross and alternate band configurations
• 35:53 - Track 2: The dissonant trill and history between Steve Lehman and Mark Shim
• 37:41 - 2014 in Review: Matt Brewer's debut as a leader and sideman work
• 39:31 - Steve Lehman's Mise en Abîme and NPR's #1 Jazz Album of the Year
• 40:50 - David Virelles (Mbókò) and Gerald Cleaver (Farmers by Nature)
• 51:08 - How bootlegs evoke memories: An uncut 62-minute recording

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