It has been a long and glorious summer so far here in the Pacific Northwest HQ of Spotlight On. I know that has not been the case for many of our listeners, especially those impacted by the extreme weather - and its perils - in North America and Europe. As such, I count myself lucky while wishing you all comfort, respite and hopefully room for some Summer Fun. 

I am incredibly lucky not only to be in the new Summer Weather Capital of the Western World, but to be surrounded by so much creativity and so many creative people. In addition to all of the amazing people I get to speak with in my duties as podcast host, I get to enjoy the creative endeavors of my family, friends, significant other and larger community. Life is good, and manifested creativity makes it good-er still. 

The Farmer's Almanac tells us that today, August 7, is the "official midpoint of summer." Sort of implies an unofficial midpoint, doesn't it? We will tell you more about that below, but first, let's talk about what's been going on with Spotlight On.

Right Between the Ears

Some of the most recent episodes of Spotlight On have featured the electro-acoustic trio LILAMORS, event producer and executive David Rodriguez, saxophonist and composer Brian McCarthy, Dan Mackta, an executive with the audiophile music service Qobuz, Downtempo music pioneer Peter Kruder and his latest musical partner Roberto Di Gioia, and Brandon Seabrook, who joined us to talk about his "merciless clusterfuck of banjo torture". The most recent episode, our own little midsummer celebration, features the Spotlight On team in conversation. Have a listen - and if you don't already, please subscribe to us on your podcast platform of choice.

A Barrel Full of Bonus Tracks

The scribes over at Bonus Tracks, the official blog of Spotlight On have been busy this summer, too. I have published several new entries in my A Life in Music series, which so far have mostly been reflections on some of the 1,000 or so concerts I've seen over the last 40 years. We also have the latest entry from my son, Henry, and, just published today, an intriguing guest feature about Kendrick Lamar. If any of these pieces appeal to you, please join the comment threads or share a link with a friend. 

Spotlight On YOU

If you like what we are up to at Spotlight On, there are several ways you can actively participate. Just start with these three easy steps:

  1. Follow us on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. We are everywhere
  2. After you follow us, leave a 5-star review so the algorithm knows how much you love us
  3. Share your favorite episode with a friend or on your social media account(s)
Now that you've mastered the basics, you're ready for the advanced stuff:
  1. Get in touch. Tell us what you like, don't like, even suggest a guest. Or just say, "hi"
  2. Become a contributor. We are looking for Bonus Tracks writers - maybe you are our next one? 
  3. Make a donation. Help us cover our (not insignificant) operating costs. We'd like to avoid the advertising trap and you can help 
Most of all, please keep listening and reading. We appreciate you. 

The Callback

Now about that whole unofficial midpoint of summer thing I was telling you about...August 1 - not the 7th - is commemorated as the midpoint of summer in much of the Christian world, where it is known as Lammas, or "Loaf Mass" Day. Turning again to the Farmer's Almanac: "The name is derived from the Old English 'loaf-mass,' because it was once observed as a harvest festival...Celebrations of Lammas Day include baking of bread, and enjoying a feast with friends and family." Sounds lovely, but that's only part of the story. Read all about the true Pagan history of Lammas. 
 

See You in the Feed

We are heading into the home stretch of Season Nine of the podcast and have some terrific guests on tap. We look forward to sharing these conversations and a whole lot more with you in the coming weeks. Along those lines, we have a very interesting guest lined up this week, Gabriel Jacob Luansing, who creates under the name Mr. Master. I enthusiastically encourage you to check out his ongoing, multiyear project Ultra before the episode airs. It provides a great intro to and context for our talk. 

Thanks for reading and listening, be safe, and stay in touch, 

Lawrence Peryer
Host, Spotlight On