Friday Arts October 2017: Paul Jost: Finding Your Voice, Rodale Institute: The Birthplace of Organic Farming in the U.S., Ben Warfield

Paul Jost: Finding Your Voice
Producer: Karen Smyles

Paul Jost is an eclectic artist with great skill as a drummer, vocalist, arranger and composer in genres that range from jazz to country and more. Over the years, his musical talents extended to guitar and harmonica, but it’s his voice that truly makes him a standout. His vocals are so soulful that music journalist Buster Maxwell wrote … “he nearly single-handedly reclaims the male voice as a valid and critically important jazz instrument.” Peter McLaren in Jazz in Europe wrote Paul is … “is a force to be reckoned with and an artist that deserves to be seen on all great festival stages worldwide”. Michael Barbiero, producer/engineer/songwriter, who has worked on projects for such legends as John Lennon, Whitney Houston and Metallica, thinks that Paul Jost brings vocal styling to a new level. “Once in a great while an artist comes along whose talent and vision allow all that we knew to be viewed through a new facet. Paul is such an artist.”

A highly respected arranger as well, in 2015 Paul was commissioned by Producer Michael Kline to re-imagine Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” album and headline with that project at Exit Zero International Jazz Festival in Cape May, NJ. Paul collaborated with Barry Miles on the arrangements and assembled a band of great artists and friends that include Jim Ridl-piano, John Swana-E.V.I., Chico Huff-bass, Anwar Marshall-drums, and vibraphonist Tony Miceli. Paul performed this music in a Live Recording concert at The Bitter End in New York in the fall of 2016.

Paul has had two recordings released by Dot Time Records. In August, 2013, The Jost Project released, Can’t Find My Way Home, presenting classic rock in a jazz format. They continue to build their fan base by connecting with younger generations who are already familiar with the original songs. The Jost Project has performed in Ireland, South Korea and in the United States, specifically at Iridium and 55 Bar in New York, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, World Café Live, Chris’ Jazz Café and many other venues.
Their recently released CD is titled Peace and Love TJP.

A frequent guest lecturer and teacher presenting classes on “Finding Your Voice”, Paul’s personality works with all ages – from elementary through adults. He has worked at such colleges as the University of the Arts, West Chester University, Stockton College and others. He also leads an interactive scatting and body percussion workshop.
Friday Arts travels with Paul Jost to a workshop with talented young musicians at the West Chester University Jazz Camp and watch him create at his Vineland, NJ home-studio.

Rodale Institute: The Birthplace of Organic Farming in the US.
Producer: Monica Rogozinski

Rodale Institute is the birthplace of organic agriculture in North America. For more than 60 years it has scientifically researched, documented and shared the benefits of organic food for human and environmental health. Set on 333 acres in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, the nonprofit farm offers comprehensive programs serving a range of people, from farmers to educators to community leaders to gardeners to children.

The Rodale Institute is a research farm, conducting carefully monitored experiments to determine the best growing practices for organic agriculture. It is an educational institution, sharing its findings with people around the globe. It is a certified organic farm, demonstrating that its research results work on a
Commercial scale.

The origins of the Rodale Institute go back to the work done J.I. Rodale and his personal struggle with his own health. Rodale bought a 63-acre farm in Emmaus, Pennsylvania to grow food organically in 1941 and in 1942 decided to share with the world his experiences and published the Organic Farming and Gardening Magazine. He later changed the name to Organic Gardening. In 1947 Rodale founded the Soil and Health Foundation (known today at the Rodale Institute). J.I. understood even then that healthy soil is the foundation for growing healthy food. In fact, the Rodale Institute’s motto, Healthy Soil= Healthy Food=Healthy People, was first chalked onto a blackboard by J.I. in 1947. After J.I. died in 1971, his son and daughter-in-law Robert and Ardath Rodale continued to expand on the work he had begun. In 1972 they bought the 333 acre farm on which the Institute now resides and began a new era of research to develop a regenerative system of agriculture that would enhance and improve every aspect of growing and eating food. The Institute’s detailed research helped launch today’s global organic movement and continues to provide rigorous, credible scientific data to promote organics in mainstream markets in the United States and throughout the world.

Ben Warfield
Producer: Michael O’Reilly

Ben Warfield is a sound artist and researcher – creating and performing music for films, installations and new media while contributing to the scientific research and operations of an academic neuroscience laboratory engaged in the study of the biological effects of light on humans. In this center city Philadelphia lab, they essentially discovered a new photo-receptor in the eye. This novel class of photoreceptors is responsible for the neurobehavioral effects of light in humans, specifically, the blue wavelength often emitted by smart phones and other electronic devices with screens. Through this work at the lab, Warfield has developed a practice that merges his music with the power of candlelight, educating consumers on the healthy aspects of the warm golden light produced by beeswax candles.