Listening with Leckrone
Welcome to Listening with Leckrone, a new podcast in collaboration with Four Seasons Theatre! In each episode, our host, Mike Leckrone, legendary music educator and former director of the University of Wisconsin-Marching Band, will explore moments in popular music history, pairing musical samples with historical context and anecdotes.
Episodes
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Les Paul - The Wizard of Waukesha
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
In this episode, Mike explores the career and music of Wisconsin's own Les Paul, legendary guitarist and inventor. In addition to having an impact on the industry through his musicianship, he also greatly influenced physical guitar models and recording techniques through his own inventions and explorations. Whether you are listening to his early jazz trio, his collaborations with Mary Ford or Chet Atkins, or his country roots, Les Paul's personality and love for his instrument always shines through.
For a transcript of this episode, along with a podcast guide, visit fourseasonstheatre.com.
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Jack Teagarden
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
Tuesday Jul 18, 2023
In today's episode we explore the music of Jack Teagarden, a trombonist and vocalist whose superior technique and relaxed singing style found him playing with the biggest band leaders of the day. Check out fourseasonstheatre.com for more info and a transcript of this episode.
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Fats Waller
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Friday Feb 24, 2023
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike focuses in on one of Jazz's most charismatic and skillful pianists, Fats Waller. From his infamous playing styleto his renowned compositions, there was something for all to enjoy when Fats Waller took the stage. Enjoy.
Friday Feb 03, 2023
The Boswell Sisters
Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike showcases the unique style and talents of The Boswell Sisters, a highly influential vocal group that helped popularize swing for a larger audience.
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Bing Crosby
Friday Jan 06, 2023
Friday Jan 06, 2023
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, Mike details the career of Bing Crosby, one of the world's first multimedia stars. From radio to television to movies, Bing's voice reached an unprecedented audience and his influence on music and culture is still felt to this day.
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Duke’s Men
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
In Episode 5 of "Listening with Leckrone," Mike unpacks how the "Duke Ellington Sound" wasn't simply the doing of the legendary pianist and composer, but largely due to the talents and contributions of his many bandmates, folks like Johnny Hodges, Bubber Miley, and Tricky Sam Nanton. This show is all about them.
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Venuti & Lang: Stringing The Blues
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
In today’s episode, Mike takes us through the life and music of two jazz giants, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lane. This duo revolutionized their instruments and shaped the sound of jazz guitar and violin playing for decades to come.
Thursday Jul 21, 2022
Stardust: Hoagy’s Hit
Thursday Jul 21, 2022
Thursday Jul 21, 2022
In this episode of Listening with Leckrone, we focus on a single song, Hoagy Carmichael's legendary "Stardust." With over 1,500 recordings, "Stardust" lends itself to a wide range of musical styles and interpretations. Mike guides us through a handful of these renditions, exploring how each artist put their own spin on the iconic song.
Meet Mike Leckrone
Recently retired after 50 years at the helm of the University of Wisconsin Marching Band, Mike is a legendary performer and educator whose musical arrangements, halftime shows, UW Varsity Band Spring Concerts, and popular music history courses have been enjoyed by thousands. His many accolades include the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music in 2007, the “Spencer Tracy Award for Distinction in the Performing Arts” from the Wisconsin Historical Society in 2010, and the Michael St. John Lifetime Achievement Award from the Madison Area Music Association in 2013.
Meet Sam Taylor
Sam Taylor is a Madison-based performer, teaching artist, and podcast producer. His involvement with Four Seasons Theatre spans over 15 years, from joining their early youth theatre productions, to sitting in on bass for the orchestra of She Loves Me, to performing on-stage in Spamalot (Prince Herbert, Not Dead Fred, et. al) and both productions of All is Calm. In addition to Four Seasons Theatre, Sam often collaborates with Children's Theater of Madison as a performer, music director, and teaching artist. Outside of theater, he serves as a songwriter/teaching artist for Overture Center's Lullaby Project, in which he helps new or expecting mothers compose original lullabies. Sam received a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI.