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01/01/2024

Best of Coffeeshop Conversations @ Artichoke Music 2023 / Four of them

By TOM D'ANTONI // I gave up trying to pick one so I picked four and regretted that I limited myself to only four. There were dozens. The four are: (alphabetically) Dennis Caiazza, China Forbes, Tina Granzo and Jetty Swart.

It was impossible to pick one Best-of-2023. So many were outstanding. I say that every year.  Here are four of my favorites.

One I left out was last week’s with Sydney Lewis, OMN’s 11 year-old photographer. I mean, it was just up last week.

So here we go in alphabetical order:

1. Dennis Caizza on the bass and braciole. May 4 #384: If you like to hear two East-Coast Italians bullshit about music and food.
2. China Forbes: Singing with the Symphony, a new album and (well) Pink Martini. April 14,#379:  For obvious reasons
3. Tina Granzo on collaboration with Ryan Meagher on AftEarth June 1 #389:  She illustrated the booklet and caught the zeitgeist of the era.
4. Jetty Swart aka Jet Black Pearl #362: A singular personality aka Jet Black Pearl who uses the accordion as a co(s)mic tool and a weapon of mass delights.

Thanks to all who came to the Artichoke Café and talked with me. I loved every minute of every one. I could just as well put 50 episodes here for Best-of, but you know where to find the rest.

Thanks to Artichoke Community Music for providing a space to let it happen, not to mention the coffee.

Thanks to Gary Houston, Shelly Garrett, Bob Howard and Paul K. Ward and the crew at Artichoke.

And thanks once again to Keith Schreiner and Derek Sims for the use of Ghost Jazz, from their album Jazztronica for our theme music.

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