Mr. Bonzai’s Music Smarts

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 11/18/2016

I was just wondering about jazz/blues poet laureate Mose Allison lately, because I'd heard he had stopped performing. Back in 1992, I took...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 11/11/2016

I first met Leonard Cohen in 1988, as editor-at-large with Mix magazine, for my monthly “Lunching with Bonzai” column. I appeared at his doorway...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 01/28/2016

With the news that Jefferson Airplane-founder Paul Kantner, 74, died in late January of a heart attack, pro audio raconteur Mr. Bonzai pulled this...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 04/14/2015

This interview with the remarkable Stan Freberg, from the Lunching With Bonzai series of 167 interviews, first appeared in Mix magazine in 1983. I...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 12/10/2014

Join the crew at Ryan Recording—Mr. Bonzai, chief engineer Cart, receptionist and apprentice engineer Layla, and chief tech Smilin’ Deaf Eddie—as they...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 07/06/2014

Grammy-winning alto-saxophonist and flutist Paul Horn, whose career spanned mainstream pop jazz to the New Age genre he pioneered, died June 29 at...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 11/15/2013

SPARS once again hosted speed mentoring sessions at the 135th AES Convention held in New York, October 17-20, 2013. I dropped in to...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 08/06/2013

Sad news to learn of George Duke's untimely death. He was such a warm-hearted guy, so talented, and much loved and trusted by so...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 05/16/2013

It's not every day that Pro Sound News lands a video interview with a world-famous superstar—so today, we're talking with "Weird Al" Yankovic instead....

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 04/13/2013

It was a beautiful memorial gathering on April 9 at Capitol Recording Studios for Phil Ramone, providing a bit of closure. Many of...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 05/14/2012

 A few choice words from Mr. Bonzai's MUSIC SMARTS -- The Inside Truth and Road-Tested Wisdom from the Brightest Minds in the Music Business,...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 02/06/2012

A few choice words from Mr. Bonzai's MUSIC SMARTS -- The Inside Truth and Road-Tested Wisdom from the Brightest Minds in the Music Business,...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 09/04/2011

A few choice words from Mr. Bonzai's MUSIC SMARTS -- The Inside Truth and Road-Tested Wisdom from the Brightest Minds in the Music Business,...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 08/07/2011

For this interview and photo session, I visited Chad Smith at his home in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Although he is active as...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 07/24/2011

For this interview and photo session, I visited Chad Smith at his home in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Although he is active as...

By Mr. Bonzai ⋅ Published: 07/10/2011

For this interview and photo session, I visited Chad Smith at his home in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Although he is active...