Singing as a calling: A Conversation with opera singer and Cantor, Colman Reaboi

"Anything humans make of an artistic nature has to be literally brought into some kind of physical existence. Even if it is a lone person talking outside there has to be some kind of preparation of sorts, both the internal preparation of the one speaking, as well as how the physical setting is to be negotiated, the question of audience, if that is to be planned at all, the start and stop times of the speaking and so on. Interestingly we are very well aware of this when it comes to life outside the arts, the most prosaic or necessary things in life like housing or buildings in general. I believe we lose sight of this fact when its comes to the arts. 

That is, we tend to regard the arts as magically falling out of the sky and not a humanly made thing in the world like anything else, and one of the many missions of our podcast is to bring such matters into focus.

I think Jaimee Wriston makes a wonderful representative of this principle, both because she has come out with a brand new novel, with a new publisher and we could discuss one of the most important aspects of being artist: getting a particular work out there. She also is so very articulate about such matters and that is important. It has been most interesting to follow the work of one particular writer like Jaimee Wriston. 

When first I encountered her novel Shark Girls on a long Amtrak ride alongside the Easter regional in a sleeper car I certainly had no idea about ever having a podcast or having its author on an episode. I am thankful for this opportunity and hope you enjoy hearing her discuss this aspect of being a writer in the world as much as you do reading her." 

Jaimee's Bio,links to her beautiful worksJaimee Wriston Colbert is the author of seven books of fiction: How Not to Drown (2021), Vanishing Acts, Wild Things, Shark Girls, Dream Lives of Butterflies, Climbing the God Tree, and Sex, Salvation, and the Automobile. Her books won the 2021 and 2018 International Book Awards, CNY 2017 Fiction Award, Willa Cather Fiction Prize, Zephyr Prize, IPPY Gold Medal, Ian MacMillan Fiction Award, and more. Her stories have appeared in The Gettysburg Review, Prairie Schooner, New Letters, and many other venues. She is a recipient of the 2019 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities and delivered the 2020-2021 Harpur Dean's Distinguished Lecture. Originally from Hawaii, she lives in upstate New York, where she is Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at SUNY Binghamton University. When you reference How Not to Drown in any promo, this is a good way to introduce it:  Winner of the 2021 International Book Award in General Fiction!  My website link: www.jaimeewristoncolbert.com   New novel links: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/653401/how-not-to-drown-by-jaimee-wriston/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1643855573?tag=randohouseinc7986-20 It's available at a large number of online venues but I don't want to "drown" you in links—the Penguin-Random House link has tabs for a bunch of others, and of course Amazon….  

My other Books (Amazon Links): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1604890444/ref=cm_sw_su_dp Shark Girls https://www.amazon.com/Vanishing-Acts-Jaimee-Wriston-Colbert/dp/1944388257 Vanishing Acts https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Things-Jaimee-Wriston-Colbert/dp/1943491054 Wild Things https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Butterflies-Jaimee-Wriston-Colbert/dp/1886157596/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=1886157596&psc=1 Dream Lives of Butterflies  Two interviews about How Not to Drown, one in Hypertext Magazine the other on a premier website for eco-fiction: Sirens & Selkies – An Interview with Jaimee Wriston about her new book, How Not to Drown. Anita Gill, Hypertext Magazine. May 2021. https://www.hypertextmag.com/sirens-and-selkies-an-in

"From the outset of our episode with Ellen Burstyn you will hear her beloved puppy make their presence known and would continue to "chime in" a couple of times for the duration. In many respects this was more welcome than not, if only because it is in the very nature of the podcast form itself to be at least partially intimate and homey. In a podcast you get to experience a person discuss their accomplishments but they will do so often in settings that are more relaxed or casual than would be the case in a traditional t.v. talk show or radio spot. 

I like to think that is one of the beautiful features of the podcast as a form

Ellen Burstyn might be one of the most famous guests we have ever had on our show. 

That fact alone, however, might not be nearly as remarkable as the further fact that in her case the fame is completely deserved. 

In her case fame and recognition form a one-to-one perfect match with merit. 

Burstyn, of course, is one of the greatest actors and, as I explain probably a little too profusely in the episode, I have had the greatest fortune to watch her performances over many decades, in some cases in live theatre.

I can't or won't be able to do a summary of Ellen Burstyn in the space here except to say that, in keeping with the in depth nature of the podcast I had the opportunity to ask her about some of my personal favorite performances that have meant a lot to me over the years. 

Of course another host might have done a more comprehensive or less personal episode - one that focuses less on certain movies and plays or on some other facets of an extraordinary biography. I like to think that our ability to have taken the time to go into individual projects might be more rewarding than to hastily gloss over such projects.

As I admitted at the outset of this interview, I was very nervous. 

But hopefully over the course of the hour you can listen to someone who is a master at the art of acting and hear her articulation of her ongoing life and career with all of the excitement and enjoyment I had in being so blessed and fortunate to have Ms. Burstyn as a guest."

Ms. Burstyn's Biography

Ellen Burstyn's sixty year acting career encompasses film, stage and television. In 1975, she became the third woman in history to win both a Tony Award and an Academy Award in the same year for her work in Same Time, Next Year on Broadway and in the film Alice Doesn't Live H as a guest.for which she also received a Golden Globe nomination and a British Academy Award for Best Actress. She became a "triple crown winner" when she received her first Emmy for a guest appearance on Law & Order: SVU (2009). She won her second Emmy for her role in Political Animals (2013). Additionally, she has received six Emmy nominations and five Academy Award nominations, including her nomination for Best Actress in The Exorcist (1973). Her most recent films include Pieces of a Woman (2021) and Queen Bees (2021). Her past work includes The Last Picture Show (1971), Resurrection (1981) and Requiem for a Dream (2000). She most recently starred in 33 Variations in Melbourne. Ellen is currently co-president of the Actors Studio alongside Al Pacino and Alec Baldwin. In 2006, she became a national best-selling author with the publication of her memoir, Lessons in Becoming Myself.

Links to Ms. Busrstyn's stunning body of work: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000995/

"Robin Mahaffey comes to as guest courtesy of our producer, Laurie Strickland.

I must say that every time Laurie has recommended someone she knows personally for a guest, whether Kerry Lilly or Joey Romer, it has turned out to be a most memorable episode experience. 

Robin is no exception.

Also, like some of our other guests, she has lived several lives, artistically and otherwise.

I was in awe of Robin, not only her many accomplishments but also in her attitude towards life itself.

She has made dolls and sculptures can knit and sew all sorts of creations, has been a seamstress and even worked in an assembly line for General Motors.

Her work is no stranger to whimsy - one of the pieces was inspired by Shel Silverstein - and she has used her artwork to help others in her community.

As I said to her she is one of those artists uniquely gifted in creating visually within physical space, and most importantly, being able to see how to create with their own hands for that space, something I have observed to be essential in certain kinds of visual artwork and is little remarked upon or even taken for granted by many.

Of course at our podcast we make note of this feature and I can't think of any better representative of this gift than our guest."

Robin's Biography

People often ask me where I get my ideas.

I have no real answer for that- they just seem to pop up in my head. Sometimes they come to me in a dream, or in the shower. Never any rhyme or reason, ideas just have their own minds, and come to visit when they feel like it. The key is to be aware of when and how they visit- and- to pay attention. I keep note pads everywhere- so when an idea does show up-I need to be able to write it down- or, it quickly leaves my brain- and goes to live in never-never land.

I grew up in Delaware in the sixties on a small farm. My grandparents had 100 acres and gave my parents 1 acre on which my father and mother built the house I shared with a sister and two brothers.

It was a wonderful childhood.

There was an adjoining farm of 100 acres I was allowed to play on, so my playground consisted of 200 acres of pasture woods, a croc, and ponies.

Ah….. The ponies.

My grandmother put me up on the first ( which was actually a mule) when I was two.

I was smitten by the horse bug- and have been addicted ever since.I rode almost every day- and when I wasn't riding horses- I was reading about horses- or braiding binder twine into leads, halters, and harnesses for them. When I was inducted into the honor society in school- I received a special award ( a box of quaker oats) for reading every book in the library that had a horse in it.

Growing up on a farm made me be resilient.

I learned how to amuse myself, make do with what I had, and to be creative with my surroundings and materials available.

My grandmother and mother made most of my clothes. They usually had some type of hand work going on at all times- knitting, crochet, rug working. It seemed very natural to be able to create things with my hands. This is a skill I have honed for many years.

It is just an inherent part of my makeup, rooted in my DNA. I usually have many different projects going on simultaneously. That way if I hit a snag on one, I hop over to another. When I least expect it, as in the shower, or 3am- the answer to fixing the snag shows up. Sometimes those pesky little ideas have their own mind-and show up hone they are good and ready.

One of my favorite sayings I live by and share with others is, is "Sit up straight and pay attention".

More details here: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthetepodcast/?ref=pages_you_manage

"Of course there are many learnings that are little else but a mechanical skill, and in such cases there may well be a best way. But to become a different person because of something you have learned - to appropriate an insight, a concept, a vision, so that your world is altered - that is a different matter. For that to happen you need a reason. And this is the metaphysical problem I speak of."  Neil Postman

" It is a rare thing to encounter somebody with the character and spirit of our guest Dr. Michael Bennett.

This episode occurs at a time when society has never been more obsessed with the question of education and what it is for. Bennett came recommended by our producer Laurie Strickland.

Like some of our other guests he has had more than a single career in one lifetime; listening to him speak felt as if he were also recounting more than one life- time! 

Bennett loves teaching high school as much I believe as any teacher possibly could. 

He also has a scholarly side as he is working on his dissertation. 

Now I must confess I could easily listen to him discuss his sales career with as much interest as when he is discussing teaching high school English and if you think about it, the fact that he had a rich, working life prior to becoming his calling, a teacher, might be one of the reasons why he is a good teacher. 

One of the main themes I took from our fascinating episode (Bennett is one of those great talkers who you never want to shut up, admittedly rarer than the alternative) is the impor- tance of passion in a human life and identity in the special sense he appears to use that word. I don't want to say too much in these notes because I really don't want to spoil the effect of him telling his own story which, as I am sure he would say, is what education is all about." 

Mike's Bio 

"It's a known fact that we don't get to choose the circumstances of our birth. 

Born a long time ago, Dr. Bennett grew up in a home that was full of darkness and resentment. As the years passed, Dr. Bennett escaped into the pages of lit- erature. While he thought it was escaping his reality, in fact, the escape was the beginning of his journey. 

After a stint as a Combat Medic in the Army, Dr. Bennett went to school, earned his first degree, and join the treadmill of corporate America. 

After selling his soul for too many years, he walked away from the wealth and the expense account to enter the classroom and embrace what Dr. Bennett calls, "the voice." 

Along the way, Dr. Bennett has earned four more degrees and taught in a variety of settings. He's married, enjoys travel, ultramarathons, cycling, kayaking, and of course, reading. 

Links to Michael's beautiful body of work:

Dr. Michael Bennett Ed.D , Allatoona High School Honors 9th Literature & Honors British Literature, AHS Travel Coordinator JV Girls' Soccer Coach 

Links to Dr. Bennet''s Dissertation: 

Vocational Identity: What Makes a Teacher and Why Do They Teach? A Qualitative Narrative Study https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/cgi/viewcon- tent.cgi?article=1030&context=seceddoc_etd 
 


"My first encounter with Bruce Schulman was, of course, through his book on The Seventies. 

This would have been in 2003, just a couple of years after September 11th in fact, and I think I first saw the book and was compelled to gaze at its cover on account of its title. I may have bought it at one of those mass market bookstores then in abundance at the time, possibly at a Barnes And No- ble. I bought the book and read it in its entirety in one night, an- nounced to the paper for which I was then writing, Organica (and of which there exist no digitally archived copies whatsoev- er, for all sorts of complicated reasons I won't get into here) that I was determined to find the man behind the box in person and do a story on him. 

This wasn't difficult to do since I was living about a mile away from where he was teaching then at Boston University. I found him to be an unusually warm and open man, utterly without pretensions, and beautifully, more than once during the interview a student and then a student's parent stopped by to say him and tell him how inspirational his class was. I hope that his book continues to be the major text on the sub- ject of that era for the foreseeable future. 

People often ask me why I am so interested in 1970s. 

Part of it is my love for the underrepresented, the orphaned, and the, for lack of a better word, "unloved." 

I am always drawn to that which society considers undramatic, which of course relates to my love of the quotidian. Now we are discussing perception here not facts.

 Often something initially thought of as completely irrelevant or a waste of time emerges in hindsight to be the most important thing in the world: one era's costume/period drama is another era's kitchen sink drama". It continues to be the case that the 70s are sandwiched, like a middle child, hell like out entire "generation X" be- tween these other incredibly dramatic and huge in demo- graphic eras. I believe "the 60s" continues to be more popular an unreflective catch phrase far more than "the 70s". 

I further believe that when you get past the 60s branding as "cool" or "revolutionary" you realize that not everything im- portant happened within its confines. People often say that not everything can be explained by a gen- eration or an era. 

Of course that is true, but neither is it the case that generations or eras are unimportant. Since I look at the present with the eyes of Chuck Klosterman in his, in my view, master- piece of non-fiction, But What If We're Wrong? Thinking about the present as if it were the past, I see contempo- rary things with some critical distance and this makes me keenly at- tuned to how much of the contemporary is in a highly specific style unique to our age, and not ultimately better nor worse than earlier styles, but still a style all the same. 

Style is that which you can't ignore and never shuts up. 

Bruce Schulman is one of those innovative historians who regards popular culture and the arts as central to history, as im- portant if not more decisive than the actions of politicians. gras roots political campaigns or what generally gets counted in the history books. 

Speaking to him was a delight from beginning to end and I hope you share in that enjoyment as you listen. " 

Links to Bruce's Published Works: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Bruce-Schulman/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ABruce+Schulman 

For Bruce's extended bio , visit our show Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthetepodcast

"Sanifu Hall never does things in a predictable way. 

When last we met him it was in the very beginning stages of our podcast, in 2019, in fact. ( click to listen to that episode).

Since then he has composed a great body of music. Not only that, but he has assembled world class musicians who happen to be in his home base of Jacksonville, Florida , to perform it and, most of all, a gem of a recording studio in which to record it. 

And he has told me he is going to go to California for a reunion of sort with Henry The Skipper Franklin , one of the giants of bass in the West Coast, who will be part of Sanifu's project. Sanifu has had the longest association with Henry Franklin going back at least to the 1970s and their Black Jazz Records label. 

A wonderful NPR segment about the label can be found here: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/22/915323876/rediscovering-the-enormous-social-and-spiritual-legacy-of-black-jazz-records 

Such is the nature of his musical journeys. I will be talking to him about the Los Angeles of the 70s, a personal favorite topic, and he will remark in passing that he was on the same bill as both singers Carmen MaCrae and Dinah Washington at the club Donte's! 

Now these were two of the greatest female vocalists of their generation and Sanifu shared the stage with them. That is the kind of career he has had and the kind of man that he is that he is more than willing to discuss it with vivid detail but sees is it but one stop on the journey. 

Not all musicians or even artists are as articulate as is Sanifu, which of course makes him a perfect guest. He speaks in a way that I think connects even with non-musicians,  and when he does get a little technical it is never off putting and always engaging. 

I always enjoy speaking with him as much as I do his music." 

Sanifu's new Promo Video for his upcoming album he speaks about in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFEbT5hRZ8k

"Although the music is based with a Jazz  foundation, it is also infused with elements of other music genres." Sanifu Al Hall Jr. 

Additional links to Sanifu Al Hall Jr.'s beautiful body of work: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMCJax Twitter: https://twitter.com/sanifu 

Link to our previous episode with Al in 2019: https://anchor.fm/mitch-hampton/episodes/Sanifu-Al-Hall-Jr-The-Consummate-Musician-e54c75/a-alpl1o Links to 

Al's Blogs: https://alhalljr.wordpress.com/author/sanifualhalljr/  https://sanifu.blogspot.com/ 

More links: https://www.discogs.com/artist/480312-Al-Hall-2?page=1 https://www.discogs.com/artist/7222344-Sanifu-Al-Hall-Jr https://www.jamendo.com/artist/360061/sanifu https://cosmosdwellerzarkestra.bandcamp.com/ https://www.reverbnation.com/aljonimusic

For an extended look inside the episode with Sanifu, visit us here: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthetepodcast

"The decision to approach Elizabeth Williams has a long journey; indeed one connected initially more to prose, rather than drawing or visual art, and going back a couple of decades. In 1984 the writer/journalist and film and t.v. producer Dominck Dunne wrote an extraordinary essay for Vanity Fair magazine that had much influence upon me. 

Titled "Justice: A Father's Account of the Trial of his Daughter's Killer", the piece, including the aesthetic details and judgements of, say, the judge, the jury and the defendant's demeanor, as well as the psychological dimensions of Dunne's experience ranks for me as among the best writing of that decade at least (and of course launched him as a major crime reporter on O.J. Simpson and others). 

The connections between the many episodes on our show is immense. 

Dunne's daughter who was murdered was, of course, Dominque Dunne who at the time of her murder was not only featured in an episode of Hill Street Blues, the plot of which was precisely the subject of domestic violence, but was also prominent in a number of t.v. movies that Amanda Reyes and I discussed. (I had offered on my latest episode with her to do a whole show on The Day The Loving Stopped.)  (Link to listen to the episode with Amanda Reyes mentioned can be found here:https://anchor.fm/mitch-hampton/episodes/INTIMATE-STRANGERS-episode-with-Amanda-Reyes-eoipb4/a-a49a1c5) Dominck Dunne's son, Griffin Dunne, is also quite accomplished. But that one essay had a long lasting effect on me. It made me most conscious of the plight of crime victims and their families and loved ones, and thus, the victim's rights movement. And this was further complicated still by my then anti-death penalty activism, as these two communities, both of which I have great sympathies, often have come into conflict. So the daughter Dominique Dunne was on track to be a major star in Hollywood and you can observe her work on Hill Street Blues as well as other productions. In turn this one essay caused me to be a moderate "true crime" buff. 

I should mention the late Michelle MacNamara in this regard, probably the best or most representative of this kind of interest. And all the while I was haunted not just by Dominck Dunne's written account but all of these high profile criminal cases. They are almost always used not only in televised news reports but in so many prominent documentaries. 

Of course one of the themes of this podcast is calling into question the boundaries around fine art, utilitarian art, and the commercial and obscure and so on. So you could say that this episode is very much in keeping with the spirit of our podcast. I was excited to discuss the things we did on this episode and I should note, not a moment too soon that the nature of our discussion is unconventional given the subject matter. We are discussing the the nature of the worst crimes that have been committed by men in the past forty plus years; you could say the nature of evil comes into play. But we are also discussing them in the terms of public service: Williams' illustrations of these perpetrators or predators are essential for the legal system as well as basic, everyday journalism, yet they also keep alive the tradition of portraiture and illustration, which is fundamental to the history of art. Also, speaking more generally, Williams' story is the story of anybody who endeavors to become good at something; meeting mentors or masters in the chosen field, and all the stops in the journey along the way. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did creating it! "

Links to Elizabeth's beautiful work: http://www.elizabethwilliamstudio.com

For a deeper look into Elizabeth's work, this episode, visit our show Facebook page, here:  https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthetepodcast

*Please note: Henry's work is so comprehensive and gorgeous, we have only selected a few images to highlight. Visit https://horenstein.com to dig deeper and truly appreciate the scope of his work. From Mitch's Notebook about this episode: "I must immediately mention a film in which I played a role in its kickstarter funding that Henry Horesntein made called Partners , if only because we failed to get to that stage of Henry's career on the show, so prodigious has been his output. The film is an unusual portrait of these couples, whose lifestyles are contrary to the "mainstream" of society, talking about their romantic and sexual lives in a most immersive and direct fashion, using a single backdrop. When I watch it I am reminded above all of Shirley Clarke's masterpiece Portrait Of Jason, though that is black and white and of a single person talking rather than a diverse group of individuals speaking intimately of their lives. All of this of course only confirms why Henry Horenstein is a perfect guest for our podcast. That I wanted to spend some time discussing his study with the great E. P. Thompson - perhaps the premier socialist British historian of his generation (in a way the Howard Zinn of England) as well as our mutual friend and, like Henry, RISD instructor Richard Merkin is all testament to the wide and highly diverse career Henry has had. As for Merkin, he remains a major influence on my own dress and I am fortunate to own a signed painting of his which I proudly hang in my living room. Henry describes his art in terms of history and documentary. One of the things that is most important to me on this show is hearing how a creator talks about their own work. Of course when I look at any of Henry's photographs I am seeing photographs I love to look at and can return to again and again without ever losing interest in them. 

I certainly am not thinking of any of the more pulitosophic terrain that we were fortunate enough to get into in this episode. Still less do I ever really know what was behind or went into making an artwork; only the actual author can know that. And I know that we always want to hear as much about that as the artist is willing to express. I enjoyed the hour we spent in this episode immensely and certainly learned a lot from it." Henry's Biography: Henry Horenstein has been a professional photographer, filmmaker, teacher, and author since the 1970s. He studied history at the University of Chicago and earned his BFA and MFA at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he studied with Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind. Henry's work is collected and exhibited internationally and he has published over 30 books, including several monographs of his own work such as Honky Tonk, Shoot What You Love (a memoir), Histories, Show, Animalia, Humans, Racing Days, Close Relations, and many others. He has also authored Black & White Photography, Digital Photography, and Beyond Basic Photography, used by hundreds of thousands of college, university, high-school, and art school students as their introduction to photography. His Shoot What You Love serves both a memoir and a personal history of photography over the past 50 years. In recent years, Henry has been making films: Preacher, Murray, Spoke, Partners, and Blitto Underground, which will premier in 2021. Henry is professor of photography at RISD and lives in Boston. Additional Links to Henry's beautiful body of work: Henry's Books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Henry+horenstein&ref=nb_sb_noss Website: https://horenstein.com/partners Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/HorensteinPhotography/ Visit our show Facebook page for a more in depth look at Henry's maginifent body of work: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthetepodcast

Hello there!

We are SO excited to share that Skillshare is our new show sponsor!!!! Here is more about the new partnership from our show host, Mitch Hampton about this relationship and how Skillshare reflects so beautifully what our podcast is all about. 

This is Mitch Hampton , the host of the podcast Journey Of An Aesthete.

I'm not much for multitasking.

You'll notice I played a little piano - the theme song to our show in fact - and then I started talking. I didn't try to do them together. 

And I never went into that style of music where you sing while you accompany yourself on the piano. 

But just because you decide to do one thing at a time doesn't mean you can't do it at your very best and even improve on what you already have. 

And that's where an organization that has something in common with our podcast, SkillShare comes in.

In Skillshare the sky is the limit, There are thousands of courses on every subject imaginable. Just give you a small examples here. Dani Shapiro teaches personal prose- writing from your own biography, Gia Graham is teaching the art of handcrafted lettering and stationary. If you want to redesign your entire home you could take a course with Emily Henderson. 

If you want to leave your house and do art in the woods - watercolor - you could take a course from Rosalie Hazlitt. And you can photograph from your own home - Sean Dalton will teach you how to do that. 

That's just a handful of the people you will encounter when you get involved with SkillShare. 

I should say that I am a big believer in "lifelong learning" that learning isn't something just for kids; it doesn't end when you get into middle age or older age. It's lifelong. 

And Skillshare is a big part of that. 

These are folks that are good at what they do, that excel at what they do and they try to impart wisdom, and help you realize your potential. And if you do the premium of course, the choices are totally unlimited. 

Unlimited access.

So everyday is important. 

Decide what it is you want to learn and get good. 

So checkout Skillshare to realize that potential. 

And click here is a Free Trial , on us !!!!!!!!

Thank you.

Mitch and the Journey of an Aesthete Podcast Team!

"I never know how I am going to connect with a guest. Some- times the guest comes to me and there was no instance of this more welcome than when Dr. Philander Ratliff introduced himself on the fb. While I was ensconced on a feed from the fb, I received the fol- lowing song: https://www.reverbnation.com/philandervanratliffI knew next to nothing about who was being this music, but I loved what I was hearing, everything about it. I have always been a fan of popular rhythm and blues and soul and this cut was deeply rooted in all of that. It was only later that I learned that one of the people behind the cut also had a career as a nurse and, finally, a doctor. 

Dr. Ratliff has deep roots in the music scene of Chicago. Indeed the choir director of the church he had grown up in was no less than Ramsey Lewis' father. All artistic creation is rooted in various traditions and styles, these can come from literally anywhere and Chicago , of course has always been at the forefront of such contribution. I found my conversation with Dr. Ratliff nothing short of a de- light. As in all of my episodes I learn so much from the guest. In this case I learned that, much like Joey Romer or Kerry Lil- ly, Dr. Ratliff has seemed to have lived more than one lifetime with a single life; I was always learning of many accomplish- ments. Someday, when we turn a corner in this moment we all find ourselves in, I look forward to meeting with him in person, hopefully with a piano alongside us. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did recording it." This clip of a news story about Dr. Ratliff's work, says it all: https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-proud-philan- der-ratliff-guitar-impact-family-center/2111120/ 

Phil's Bio Dr. Philander Van Ratliff FB: Philander Van Ratliff Tatemusicgroup.- com Philander Van Ratliff/Reverb na- tion Amazon.com, I tunes, Spotify, SoundCloud Dr. Philander Van Ratliff Professional Guitarist/Singer/Writer/RN/Medical School Graduate 2018 from IUHS School of Medicine Raised in Chicago ,Il Projects in The 1960's-1970 Graduated from Proviso East High School, May- wood, Il. 1979. Studied Classical Music at Triton College, River Grove ,Il. Graduated From Triton College in 1990 ADN Nursing (RN) Became a Trauma/ER Nurse at Cook County Hospital in 1992-2017 Sworn State Certified Part-time Police Officer -Bellwood ,Il 2001-2016( Retired) Guitar Instructor/ THE IMPACT FAMILY CENTER ,CHICAGO, IL. -Founder Marsha Eaglan Appearances on Chan- nel 5, 7, Telemundo television on Teen De- pression and Suicide Prevention. Discussed Violence in the Com- munity at large and po- tential solutions with teens and their peers. "Well I was raised in the City of Chicago. In 1972 we moved from the projects to Maywood , Il . I was an avid member of Friendship Baptist Church, on Chicago's Westside. There I sang Soprano in The Angelic Choir! In 1973 I had Cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma! The Docs didn't expect me to live ; but God made the final de- cision. Forty eight years later I'm still here!! I always had my Guitar with me for comfort through my De- pression during Chemotherapy/Radiation and My Celebration of Survival! I've always been a positive individual and reflect that in my Music. It's Amazing to watch those children learn music and poetry at THE IMPACT FAMILY CENTER of Chicago. At THE IM- PACT CENTER of Chicago the Children were able to Dis- miss the Violence in the Streets and relax and focus on Poetry, music, computers and most of all, be- ing them- selves! Lastly, when my Residency in Psychia-try complete, I will Center my focus on PTSD in Children and Violence Prevention in the Community!! I love to save lives and My Heart is in My Music"! Additional links and an expanded view of Dr. Philander Ratliff's beautiful life, legacy and work can be found on our show Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/journeyofanaesthetepodcast