Episodes 23
Avg. Duration 1h 12m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 5.0 (8)
Since Mar 2022
Latest Episode Feb 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Every 2 Months
Format
Episodic
Hosting
feeds.castos.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

Wide-ranging discussions with and about musicians and the lives they lead, both in and out of their professions. The opposite of 'shut up and play', this podcast's mission is to explore the lives of musicians (or this musician) in ways that are surprising, revealing, funny (because, believe or not, musicians can be funny. . . except for trombone players, but everyone knows that!), truthful, and, inevitably, sensationally commercial.

Podcasting 2.0 Features

chapters

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Recent Episodes

S3E23 Sandra Donatelle

Feb 13, 2026 1h 29m

French horn player, Sandra Donatelle, has crossed genres, borders and continents in her long career. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Sandra has played with symphonies in Toronto, Hamilton and…

S3E22 2025: What the . . ?

Jan 01, 2026 1h 11m

2025 was a helluva year. Let's look back, with trepidation. And some joy. I'll give you a short (for me) travelogue of my trip to New Zealand and Australia. I attended some good concerts. There is a…

S3E21 Tom Mendel

Dec 22, 2024 1h 46m

Bassist Tom Mendel has had a long and storied career as a bass player. He has been ‘based’ (pardon the pun) in Chicago for decades. He’s played in the pit for long running shows like ‘Lion King’,…

S3E20 BJ Levy

Sep 15, 2024 1h 4m

CFM president, BJ Levy is my blockbuster guest to kick off Season 3 on Chicago Musician. BJ had a long career as a professional trumpet player. He studied at Indiana University and then DePaul…

S2E19 Mumbai Bye

Jul 05, 2024 1h 26m

A visit to Mumbai is on tap for Part 3 of my Indian adventure, Mumbai Bye. Part 2 ended with us still in Jammu & Kashmir. We flew out of Srinagar, in view of the Himalayas and all their glory.…

S2E18 Still India

May 24, 2024 1h 6m

‘Still India’ picks up where I left off after the ‘So I went to India. . .’ episode (Cadenza #5). My Indian adventure continues with a full hot day back in New Delhi. Then we go exploring a little…

S2E17 So, I went to India. . .

May 10, 2024 1h 9m

I went to India with my cousin Gisele for the first two weeks of April. We were planning to visit and travel with our cousin Joan who teaches in New Delhi, but that didn't work out exactly as we had…

S2E16 Infield Fly: Ruhl #2

Oct 04, 2023 1h 10m

More with Malcolm Ruhl. At the end of Part I (last episode), Malcolm was just about to make his Broadway debut. So yes, there is more discussion of ‘Pump Boys and Dinettes’, but it’s a pretty…

S2E15 Malcolm Ruhl #1

Sep 17, 2023 1h 15m

Malcolm Ruhl is a versatile musician. Growing up in Brooklyn, he played guitar, cello, sang and wrote his own songs. And that was just Junior High!!! Listen as he and his high school friends venture…

S2E14 Cadenza #4: Summer of '23

Aug 03, 2023 38m

Host Shawn Stengel gives views and reviews of some Chicago theatre, binge-worthy TV series, concerts in Millennium Park, and even touches on ‘Barbenheimer’! He talks about everything that’s hip to…

S2E13 Luke Nelson

Jul 19, 2023 1h 31m

Luke Nelson wears many hats. Many are metaphorical. But not all. He is a prolific songwriter, composer, arranger. He’s a multi-instrumentalist. Sometimes he’s an actor. Other times he’s a singer. He…

S2E12 Bill Harrison

May 25, 2023 1h 30m

Bill Harrison had a 40 year career as a working bass player. He played with jazz heavyweights and wedding bands. In Broadway musical pits and dive bars. Then one day he woke up and decided to get a…

S1E11 Home-Part 2

Aug 10, 2022 1h 41m

Continuing my family home farewell, I talk to my siblings and their spouses. Then I chat with my parents. . . my parents as they are now. My dad has advanced speech dysplasia so he has huge struggles…

S1E10 Cadenza #3: 'The Devil' & Me

Jul 27, 2022 36m

After nearly 2 1/2 years out of work due to the pandemic, I’ve recently returned to work. And it’s a really good job. I’m playing in the pit for the pre-Broadway production of a new musical, ‘The…

S1E9 Home-Part I

Jun 30, 2022 1h 22m

Selling your family home after 50 years can be traumatic. It can also be a logistical nightmare and an emotional minefield. As my family prepares for the inevitable, since my parents are now in…

S1E8 Steve Roberts

May 06, 2022 1h 35m

Guitarist Steve Roberts is an interesting ‘cat’. AND a dog person. He plays a multitude of stringed instruments. From acoustic guitar to mandolin to banjo to electric guitars with 52 foot pedals.…

S1E7 Cadenza #2: Who Made Me

Apr 30, 2022 1h 8m

Who are our artistic influences? How do the performances and the performers we witness in our youth help to form and inform us as artists? Host Shawn Stengel takes a look back. He ponders the…

S1E6 Florence Schwartz; Hollis Resnik Remembrance

Apr 20, 2022 1h 17m

Violinist Florence Schwartz has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years. Her tenure spans the eras of Solti, Barenboim, and Muti. She began her training at a very young age. It…

S1E5 Cadenza #1: The Tour From Hell

Apr 02, 2022 38m

Host Shawn Stengel revisits a colorful early-career adventure. He toured with a D level production of The Phantom of the Opera: The Play: With Music. A producer with possible ‘family’ connections, a…

S1E4 Jeremy Kahn

Mar 27, 2022 59m

Jeremy Kahn talks piano jazz, Cubs, winter sports, movies, and so much more. He’s one deep cat! Jeremy is an in-demand pianist with incredible jazz chops. He also has a great sense of humor, and a…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Chicago Musician have?

Chicago Musician has published 23 episodes since March 2022, covering topics in Arts, Comedy.

Is Chicago Musician still active?

Chicago Musician is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 months. Average episode length is 1h 12m.

How do I contact Chicago Musician for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Chicago Musician, including email and social media links.

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