Why Music Matters With Jeff Miers

Songwriter Sam Marabella on Bob Dylan, Nietzsche’s, and Buffalo’s Allentown neighborhood

Hey there, music lovers. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
Today on the podcast, I’m lucky enough to spend some time with my friend Sam Marabella, a musician, songwriter, local music advocate, and co-owner of the legendary Buffalo, NY, live music venue Nietzsche’s.  
A veteran of beloved Buffalo indie-jam band Sweatin’ Like Nixon, and a leading light in Buffalo’s roots music scene, Sam is also a bit of a Dylan-ologist, whose love for Bob Dylan’s music runs deep, and has informed his own work as a songwriter and performer. That work includes a brand new EP, Level 50, which is out now and available wherever you stream music.  
Sam is passionate about the Allentown neighborhood that Nietzsche’s calls home, and we talked about the challenges facing that neighborhood following the recent back to back losses of the fabled nightspots Mulligans Brick Bar and the Pink Flamingo. He’s also more than a little about excited about the plans that the new team of owners has for the club’s future as a primary live music destination in Buffalo. 
During this episode, we talk about all of the above. And Sam was prescient enough to bring along a guitar, which he duly employed in service of a tune written by the immensely talented Buffalo underground songwriter JeffGoldstein.
Welcome to Why Music Matters, Sam Marabella…

Brian Higgins: Politics, passion, and the power of music

Hey there, music lovers. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
 I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
Today on the podcast, I’m happy to welcome former Congressman and current President of Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY, Brian Higgins. 
After growing up in Buffalo, and graduating from Buffalo State College and Harvard University, Brian worked his way from the Buffalo Common Council through the New York State Assembly and finally, to the US House of Representatives, where he served as Democratic representative of New York’s 26th congressional district for more than a decade. Brian left office in early 2024, citing what he called “a growing dysfunction in Congress” as his reason for moving on.  
So why is a career politician a guest on a podcast dedicated to the majesty of music? Well, for as long as I’ve known him, Brian has been a passionate supporter of music & the arts. And a career in politics did nothing to dull his deep love for music. 
Brian remains a true fan, one who speaks of certain concert experiences in his life as nigh on religious events. His career’s second act , as the President of Shea’s, places him in a position to have significant impact on music and the arts arts in our region’s culture. Brian has turned his passion for music into something tangible. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters,  Brian Higgins…

Josh Holtzman & Grace Vesneske: Buffalo Iron Works and the future of live music in WNY

Hey there, music lovers. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
More than a decade back, I hopped on the bus as an embedded reporter, covering a Northeast jaunt for then up-and-coming indie band Aqueous. 
I’d never met any of the band members, or their manager, Josh Holtzman, previous to that road trip. 
By the end of that mini-tour, I knew that I’d laid the ground work for some friendships that, time has proven, were built to last. 
Today, Josh Holtzman and his business partner Grace Vesneske are the driving force behind premier music venue Buffalo Iron Works and independent production company Twenty6 Productions. 
Long before pundits were tossing around terms like “the Buffalo Renaissance,” Holtzman and Vesneske were working tirelessly to help resurrect the long-abandoned Cobblestone District of downtown Buffalo through their inventive and forward-looking booking at Iron Works. Their fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude helped them guide their businesses through the pandemic with their integrity intact. That same spirit has the pair excited about what the future holds, and what form their continuing contributions to Buffalo music and culture might take. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, Josh Holtzman and Grace Vesneske. 

Jae Skeese: Putting Buffalo Hip-Hop on the Map

Hey there, music lovers. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
Today on the podcast, I’m psyched to welcome a cutting edge artist whose work represents a major step forward for both Buffalo hip-hop in particular, and contemporary national hip-hop in general. 
Jae Skeese grew up in Buffalo, and from the get-go, he displayed an indelible talent for the authentic, gritty realism and deft, poetic rhymes that are fast becoming a hallmark of our region’s sound. For the past decade, he’s worked tirelessly to hone his craft, over the course of several albums and collaborations that brought him to the attention of the folks behind Buffalo’s Griselda records - in particular, the renowned rapper and Griselda co-founder, Conway. 
Jae’s refusal to give up on his dreams and his unflagging work ethic ultimately earned him a slot as the first signing to  Conway’s recent record label venture, the Drumwork Music Group. 
Jae just dropped his latest effort, his 8th mixtape overall, in the form of Ground Level, which UndergroundHipHop.com called “a testament to Jae Skeese's evolution as an artist blending raw emotion & storytelling with cutting-edge production.” 
Now, Jae is taking Ground Level on the road, beginning with his first show as a headliner in his hometown, at The Rec Room in Buffalo, on Thursday, November 14. He’ll also be headlining at the legendary Mercury Lounge in New York City, on Wednesday, November 20. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, Jae Skeese. 

10,000 Maniacs: 40 Years of Indie Excellence

Hey there, music lovers. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
Today, I’m joined by three musicians whose work has intrigued me for decades, from the first time I heard them - while studying at the State University of New York at Fredonia in the late 80s - through to the present day.  
Mary Ramsey, John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniak of 10,000 Maniacs are all significant names in the world of indie and alternative music, and were prime movers in the College Radio-fueled alternative explosion of the late 80s and early 90s. 
Over the past few years, 10,000 Maniacs have been touring, playing a setlist that covers 40 years of material to an audience composed of many people who have been following the band from the beginning. These days, some of those people are attending these concerts with their children, signifying the band’s cross generational appeal. 
The band plays its first Buffalo show in many years on Saturday, October 19, when they return to the Center for the Arts on the University at Buffalo’s North Campus at 8 pm. 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, Mary Ramsey, John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniak of 10,000 Maniacs… 

Bobby Previte on Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and The Thrill of Living in The Musical Moment

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today’s episode is a special one for me. Way back in 2002, I watched the renowned drummer, composer and Western New York native Bobby Previte lead a hand-picked band of musicians through the tumultuous and strangely beautiful terrain of Miles Davis’ game-changing 1970 album Bitches Brew, at the former Tralf, in Buffalo. That performance changed my life, and taught me in a deep and lasting way what the concept off freedom in music truly means. In the time since that fateful evening, I’ve followed Bobby’s richly diverse career, and gotten to know the man a bit. As a drummer and composer, he has been guided by a singular musical wanderlust, one that seeks to live in that dangerous space where form and chaos meet and commingle. “If it’s not balancing on the edge of chaos, then it’s no good, and I’m not interested,” Bobby once told me. I’m honored that Bobby is joining me here today on Why Music Matters, and it’s fitting that we centered our conversation on Miles Davis and his enduringly influential Bitches Brew album - which, by the way, Bobby will perform with a curated band of top-tier Buffalo musicians at the Sportsmen’s Tavern on Monday, October 7 at 7 pm, as part of the Classic Vinyl Live with Jeff Miers concert series. Welcome to Why Music Matters, Bobby Previte!

Eric Crittenden, David Cloyd and Damone Jackson Roundtable

Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
Today, we’ve got a special edition of the podcast, featuring a roundtable discussion with three diversely talented musicians and music educators, who also happen to be movers and shakers in the Buffalo and Western New York music scene. 
Damone Jackson, Eric Crittenden and David Cloyd are three very different people with varied musical outlooks and a broad spectrum of life experiences. But all three are bound by their deep belief that music elevates all of us, musicians and listeners alike. 
Recently, Crittenden and Cloyd - who are co-founders of the Buffalo Music Club music education collective - teamed with the Sportsmen’s Americana Music Foundation and the Borderland Festival to create the Borderland Band Camp. The Camp offered an opportunity for young musicians in the area to create a set of music to be performed as part of this year’s Borderland Festival, which takes place September 13 - 15 at Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora. Jackson is one of 7 professional instructors who took part in the camp. 
Our conversation ran the gamut, from raw comedic asides, to deep and intensely personal reflections on what it means to be a musician, and why music matters more and more, the deeper you dig into it. 
Thanks for listening, and we hope to see you at the Borderland Festival! 

Singer, Songwriter, and “Old Soul,” Michael DeLano

Hello, music lovers! 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. 
I’m your host, Jeff Miers.
Today, I’m pleased to welcome a young singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has been making devoted fans of original music connoisseurs in Western New York over the past few years -  including yours truly. 
Michael Delano may be young in the chronological sense, but one listen to his singing, his songwriting, and his elegant use of sophisticated open guitar tunings makes it plan that he’s an old soul. 
I’ve come to know Michael through his work with the bands 77 Stone, Sunday Reign and Five Round Bout, all unique projects that pushed the envelope of modern alternative rock music. Lately, Michael has been stretching his wings, sitting in with various regional bands and artists, performing solo gigs, and working on new material. 
Our chat covered a lot of ground, including music’s therapeutic role in Michael’s own life, his ongoing quest to fine-tune his vision as a songwriter, and his enduring belief that “art is everything, and everything is art.” 
Welcome to Why Music Matters, Michael Delano! 

Music Advocate, Club Owner and Musician, Josh Mullin

Hey there, music lovers. Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, my guest is Buffalo music advocate, club owner and musician Josh Mullin. As owner of both Jack Rabbit and Riff City, Josh has worked tirelessly to boost the Buffalo Music scene, by providing artist-friendly spaces that act as hubs for the region’s music-loving community. Josh is also a fighter, and he never backs down from his principles, whether that means pushing back against the city of Buffalo’s proposed “Amusement License” fees, or pointing out the negative influence of certain concert venues that seem intent on disturbing our delicate live music ecosystem. Throughout our conversation, Josh pulled no punches, and his love for the Buffalo music scene was wholly evident. Listen in…

Live Music Curator and Lifelong Music Lover, Dave Wedekindt

Hello, music lovers! Welcome to Why Music Matters, a podcast where we examine the power and influence that music can wield in our lives. I’m your host, Jeff Miers. Today, I’m excited to welcome an old friend to the podcast. Dave Wedekindt has been working behind the scenes to enrich the lives of music fans throughout the Western New York region for several decades. A tireless advocate for the arts in general and music in particular, Dave is currently the interim President of Artpark, in Lewiston, NY, where he’s worked to curate live music programming that appeals across generational lines, ranging from indie and alternative rock to the evergreen classics, boasting a broad appeal while maintaining a cutting edge. Dave is also a musician and a lifelong music-lover who, whenever he isn’t hard at work behind the scenes, can be found near the front of the stage, basking in everything from modern indie music to the blues and back again. Join us as we talk about Dave’s long and impactful career, and his enduring love for music…