The Guest List
Thursday May 9th, 2024 with Joe Reilly
Interviews with Luca Ortolani and Joe Lally (of The Messthetics)

We open the program today in conversation with local oboist, Luca Ortolani. He tells us about how excited he is to participate in the National Arts Centre Orchestra's Mentorship Program and how he recently won some prestigious bursaries offered by the NAC. We hear how he was exposed to classical music from a young age and was drawn to the oboe because of the instrument's use in some movie soundtracks that he loved growing up. He also tells us how the oboe is used in Mahler's Fifth Symphony and how he will be performing with the National Arts Centre Orchestra tonight (May 9) and next week when they play that symphony. I also couldn't help but explore some pop artists who have used the oboe very effectively in their music. It's a fun and engaging interview and we cover a lot of musical ground in the first half of the show today with Luca Ortolani. For more information about Luca Ortolani check out his bio on the NAC's website: https://nac-cna.ca/en/bio/luca-ortolani And here is where you can watch his performance of Marina Dranishnikova's Poem for Oboe and Piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azBBz7sbAjQ The National Arts Centre Orchestra has some great programming happening this week and next week. Here are the links to those performances and tickets (although the Mahler concerts next week are sold out... but maybe check in with the NAC box office the days of these performances as you never know ... they may release some tickets just prior to the concerts.) https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/33673 https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/33726 And by the way, you can live stream the performance tonight (May 9th) for free using the link below: https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/36309 For the second half of the show, we engage in conversation with bassist Joe Lally. You may know him from his days with the Washington punk group Fugazi, but he is coming to Ottawa performing with a jazz quartet - The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis appearing at Club SAW on Wednesday, May 15th.. We talk to Joe about how making jazz music is linked to his long history of creating music without boundaries . He tells us how the Messthetics connected with saxophonist James Brandon Lewis and have worked together to create one of the most exciting jazz releases of 2024. The album includes some fantastic pieces that feature vibrant musical exchanges between James Brandon Lewis's sax and Anthony Pirog's guitar. It's a thoughtful and insightful conversation with this veteran bassist. For tickets to see The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis on Wednesday, May 15th at Club SAW use the link below: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-messthetics-and-james-brandon-lewis-lsd-trio-tickets-807434607647?aff=ebdsoporgprofile For more information and music by the Messthetics: https://themessthetics.bandcamp.com/album/the-messthetics-and-james-brandon-lewis https://dischord.com/band/messthetics Thanks for listening to the Guest List today. Get out and see some live music and support independent music in any way that you can!!