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Where American Music Began with John Michael Rouchell (G-Eazy, Avery*Sunshine, Galactic)
Metadata
- title
- Where American Music Began with John Michael Rouchell (G-Eazy, Avery*Sunshine, Galactic)
- description
- New Orleans is a special place. Just ask Grammy Award-winning John Michael Rouchell. He’s from there and made incredible music with the legends. We talk the history, the prestige, the joy, and the energy of New Orleans. It’s that passion and dedication that led Disney to work with John on Tiana's Bayou Adventure, the ride that updated Splash Mountain at Disneyland. When you’re on a ride, with the music spilling over just like the water itself, now THAT’S a compositional challenge!
- status
- complete
- date
- 2025-08-19
- kind
- guest
- guestSlugs
- john-michael-rouchell
- listenUrl
- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/Where-American-Music-Began-with-John-Michael-Rouchell-G-Eazy--AverySunshine--Galactic-e36v52i
- lmwUrl
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rTc7nMDsSg
- appleUrl
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-american-music-began-with-john-michael-rouchell/id1567355195?i=1000722620356&uo=4
- spotifyUrl
- https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OUp33ybnSwXItLvqbvPyJ
- youtubeUrl
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRWoo7V_J7U
- topicsDiscussed
- Collaboration
- Jazz
- New Orleans musical history
- Collaborative music creation
- Disney's *Tiana's Bayou Adventure*
- Impact of culture on music
- Recording techniques in music
- Influence of Latin rhythms on New Orleans music
- The significance of community in music creation
- Understanding American music roots
- Musical partnerships and mentorship
- hostNote
- **John Michael Rouchell** is from New Orleans, has worked with G-Eazy, Avery*Sunshine, and Galactic, and composed the music for Disney’s *Tiana’s Bayou Adventure*, the reimagined ride that replaced Splash Mountain at Disneyland. "It was daunting because everybody knows Splash Mountain. Everybody loves Splash Mountain. Everybody has their opinion about Splash Mountain. And generally speaking, people don’t like change." That tension, honoring a source while making it yours, connects his New Orleans roots to the Disney commission. We get into what actually makes New Orleans music sound the way it does (the emphasis "on the ‘and’ after four"), the mixing-pot history that produced it, and what he means when he says music has to reflect "the place and space that it’s being created in." The broader argument is about roots as a working resource, not just a legacy.
- selectedMoments
- label
- New Orleans as a birthplace of music
- startSec
- 121
- note
- John Michael discusses how New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz and the rich cultural heritage that informs American music.
- label
- The uniqueness of New Orleans rhythms
- startSec
- 262
- note
- A fascinating discussion about how New Orleans drummers create a complex sound that feels like multiple players.
- label
- Swing's unique interpretation in New Orleans
- startSec
- 362
- note
- John explains how New Orleans swing differs from other musical interpretations, emphasizing cultural influences.
- label
- Composing for Disney
- startSec
- 852
- note
- John shares how he got involved in composing for Disney's reimagined ride and the importance of authenticity.
- label
- The recording process with top musicians
- startSec
- 1166
- note
- He recalls working with Terrence Blanchard and other high-profile musicians in creating authentic sounds.
- label
- Community and collaboration in music
- startSec
- 1667
- note
- A heartfelt moment where John reflects on the importance of collaboration and community in the music industry.
- label
- Creating a musical reflection of culture
- startSec
- 2182
- note
- Discussion on how music should reflect the environment and culture it's created in.
- label
- Mentorship in the music industry
- startSec
- 2895
- note
- John talks about the significance of mentorship and how it impacts the journey of artists.
- excerptQuotes
- text
- New Orleans is very much rooted in that beautiful mixing pot, the place that so many different cultures came together and created music that is unlike anywhere else on the face of the earth.
- startSec
- 97
- reviewed
- true
- text
- It's important to talk about where we put the emphasis ... In New Orleans music, we put emphasis on the 'and' after four. So one and two and three and four and.
- startSec
- 439
- reviewed
- true
- text
- It was daunting because everybody knows Splash Mountain. Everybody loves Splash Mountain. Everybody has their opinion about Splash Mountain. And generally speaking, people don't like change.
- startSec
- 854
- reviewed
- true
- text
- At the end of the day, the thing that we're talking about is a hundred-year-old medium and it really comes down to getting together, drinking ambrosia, listening to lutes, and trying to have a good time.
- startSec
- 1765
- reviewed
- true
- text
- Music is to be played to exist within the confines of where it is being created. It has to reflect the place and space that it's being created in.
- startSec
- 2061
- reviewed
- true
- text
- That's where music is supposed to be, in community, together. That's where good things happen.
- startSec
- 2385
- reviewed
- true
- faq
- question
- What is John Michael Rouchell known for in music?
- answer
- John Michael Rouchell is a Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter known for his work with artists like G-Eazy, Avery*Sunshine, and Galactic, and for his role in composing music for Disney's *Tiana's Bayou Adventure*.
- question
- How does New Orleans influence American music?
- answer
- New Orleans is recognized as the birthplace of jazz and has a unique blend of cultural influences that have shaped many American music genres, making it a significant place in music history.
- question
- What are the key elements of swing in New Orleans music?
- answer
- In New Orleans, swing emphasizes the 'and' after four, creating a unique rhythmic feel that reflects the local culture and environment.
- transcriptPublished
- false
- draft
- false
Content
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