166: The Magic of Collaboration Part One

It is not a unique observation to note that bandleader Duke Ellington and The Beatles shared some commonalities, creativity-wise. They were unclassifiable musically, and a great deal of what made their art magic came from the collaborative process, hardwired into their working method. My guest, musicologist Thomas Brothers, has written a terrific new book – Help: The Beatles, Duke Ellington and the Magic of Collaboration. This conversation provides an overview of his thesis (to be followed up with a deeper exploration soon…).

0 thoughts on “166: The Magic of Collaboration Part One”

  1. Always a good day when there’s a new episode of SATB to listen to. 🙂 LOVED this so much, and eagerly await the next installment with Thomas.

  2. Sorry but Lennon was a fantastic melodist.

    I have to agree with Dr Brothers about Hey Jude though. As many zillions of times as I’ve heard it it’s still a transcendent listening experience. …until the coda. 🙂 I think that one of the main reasons it stays so fresh is because of the relative rawness of the performance.

    It’s good to have you back!

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