Welcome back to When Words Fail, Music Speaks, the show that explores how music can lift us out of the valleys of depression and anxiety and into brighter emotional terrain. In today’s episode, host James sits down with pianist, composer, educator, and prolific writer Kurt Ellenberger for a deep‑dive into the world of jazz, its pedagogy, and its power to heal.

We’ll hear Kurt recount his path from a performing career in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to a long‑standing faculty role at Grand Valley State University where he teaches everything from “Jazz in the Culture” to a beloved interdisciplinary course, “Music, Culture, and Aesthetics.” He shares practical advice for newcomers who feel intimidated by jazz—starting with the universally‑accessible Miles Davis classic Kind of Blue—and explains why jazz demands full, focused listening in the way classical music does, unlike the background‑friendly nature of pop or country.

Kurt also opens up about his parallel life as a writer and managing editor of the Journal of the International Association of Jazz Educators. From a blog that caught the eye of the Huffington Post to a series of essays that demystify everything from why Christmas music feels “jazzy” to the emotional weight of minor chords, his mission is simple: turn scholarly insight into stories anyone can enjoy.

We’ll explore how jazz varies across continents, why European and Australian approaches sound distinct yet remain unmistakably jazz, and why the genre is less a fixed style and more an improvisational mindset. Kurt even reveals a surprising non‑musical talent—his knack for home‑repair and hammer‑work—that keeps him grounded when the academic world gets heavy.

Finally, we close with Kurt’s personal “Rushmore” of musical heroes—Genesis, pianist John Taylor, composer Paul Hindemith, and David Bowie—plus a secret, deeply moving piece that leaves him speechless every time he hears it.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get into jazz, why it’s sometimes dismissed as “wrong notes,” or simply want a heartfelt conversation about music’s therapeutic power, you’re in the right place. Grab your headphones, set aside the background noise, and let’s tune into the conversation that proves—once again—when words fail, music truly speaks.

Welcome back to When Words Fail Music Streaks, the podcast where we battle depression with the transformative power of music. I’m your host, James Cox—your “handicapped” guide through the stories that keep us moving when life gets heavy.

In today’s episode we sit down with award‑winning writer, filmmaker, playwright, and cultural documentarian Alan Govnar (who kindly corrects us on the title of his newest novel, Come Round Right). Alan’s career spans more than three decades of preserving the music of everyday people: from his landmark 1984 Living Texas Blues project for the Dallas Museum of Art, to an intimate portrait of blues scene in Deepum, to his groundbreaking documentaries that put disability‑rights narratives front‑and‑center.

We’ll explore hotly debated questions like: Where did the blues really begin? — Texas, the Mississippi Delta, or Memphis? — and hear Alan’s compelling argument that blues emerged from the African diaspora and found early written references in Texas.

Beyond blues, Alan reveals how his personal hearing of Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and New Orleans R&B as a four‑year‑old sparked a lifelong quest to document music that speaks to the soul, no matter how “un‑virtuosic” it may seem. His stories range from a hunchback dwarf tattoo artist in a wheelchair to the polio‑stricken African drummer Siddiqui Conde, whose student Aaron Phillips (now a trans Vogue cover model) turned a Tumblr following into the inspiring memoir This Kid Can Fly.

We’ll also get a sneak peek at Alan’s newest feature, Quiet Voices in a Noisy World: The Struggle for Change in Jasper, Texas, premiering at Cinema Village in New York this November—a powerful look at a community healing from the trauma of a 1998 lynching.

If you’re a fan of music history, social justice, or simply crave stories that turn hardship into hope stay tuned.

Grab your headphones, let the rhythm lift you, and get ready for a conversation that proves music can indeed speak louder than depression. 🎙️✨

Welcome back to When Words Fail, Music Speaks – the podcast that battles depression one riff at a time. In today’s episode, host James Cox sits down with the charismatic front‑man of the 80s‑metal‑infused outfit All Singers (aka Mike Golarz) for a deep‑dive into the healing power of music, the quirks of self‑teaching, and the raw joy of live performance.

We kick off with Mike’s origin story: a childhood of backyard jam sessions, a classically trained girlfriend who nudged his vocal chops, and a love‑letter to the acoustic guitar that still shapes his songwriting today. He shares practical tips for aspiring guitarists—why Tom Petty’s simple chords are the perfect launchpad, how to survive sore fingertips, and the surprisingly effective “belly‑rub” superstition he uses to keep his airflow in check while recording.

From there, we trace the band’s unlikely formation during the pandemic—how an 80s hair‑metal cover group morphed into All Singers, the serendipitous connections that landed them opening for legends like Ace Frehley, L.A. Guns, Queensryche, and even two versions of Queensryche. Mike reflects on the thrill of sharing the stage with his childhood heroes and the humility that keeps those icons grounded.

The conversation then shifts to their upcoming record “We Own the Night,” slated for a November 14, 2025 release, and the quirky rituals that fuel Mike’s creative process. He also reveals his “unskippable” album list — from Soundgarden’s Bad Motorfinger to James' pick "Black Sabbath’s Dehumanizer" — and the one record that still moves him to tears: Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Texas Flood.

Whether you’re a budding musician, a metalhead, or simply seeking a soundtrack for life’s ups and downs, this episode delivers a hearty mix of humor, honesty, and hard‑earned wisdom. Grab your headphones, turn up the volume, and let the music speak. 🎸✨