‘Eric Krasno Plus One’ Podcast
Eric Krasno Plus One is an interview-style series that brings listeners backstage and deep into the lives of incredible musicians.
After 20 years on the road, Eric Krasno has spent time sharing stories with countless artists — and these conversations have become some of his most cherished memories. In Eric Krasno Plus One, the audience is invited to join moments like these in podcast form — topics range from early inspirations to discussions about the state of the music industry, to the challenges of life on the road, backstage shenanigans, and much more.
Be sure to check out the Spotify playlists curated by Eric as a musical journey to accompany each episode.
Questions for Kraz? Contact us at krazplusone@gmail.com and your question may be answered in a future episode!
MOST RECENT EPISODE
Episode 73 - Otis mcdonald
“... when I listened back to “The Man In Me,” I was like okay we created this via “satellite” … but it really felt live, and it had a feel ... It felt like we were a band.” -- Eric Krasno
For the first episode of 2022, Eric Krasno returns to sit down with Otis McDonald to celebrate the release of their new album, Always! In this conversation, you’ll hear an in-depth rundown of the making of the record, including the story of how the two met through Adam Deitch in the beginning of the pandemic, the genesis of the Otis McDonald project, and using demo vocals for final mixes on the album. They also talk about Otis’ home base at Hyde Street Studios, which gave birth to classic albums by artists including the Grateful Dead and Herbie Hancock, using technology to work together remotely, and take a look inside of Kraz's musical headspace when he talks about the writing process for the album.
Joe Bagale, also known as Otis McDonald, lives by the philosophy that there are only two kinds of music; good music and bad music. He was born in upstate New York, but his tenure in San Francisco was where he definitively honed his craft, releasing three albums under his name from 2008 to 2014. Following the success of his early releases, Joe was commissioned by YouTube to write and record 30 new tracks for their audio library, which was the beginning of a new project he calls Otis McDonald. Playing all the instruments, writing, producing, mixing, and mastering 30 songs in a 3 month period, it proves to be his funkiest and most interesting music to date. Joe has shared the stage with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, Mike Gordon, and many other legendary artists, and by the end of this episode, you'll know why he's had the success that he's had in recent years.
HIGHLIGHTS
EPISODE 58 - TALIB KWELI
This week on Eric Krasno Plus One, Kraz talks with a monumental figure of hip hop over the last 20+ years, the one and only Talib Kweli. Kweli earned critical recognition through his work with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def, when they formed the legendary group Black Star in 1997. The duo released one album and a number of singles, and their collaboration helped to propel both of their solo careers. In 2018, 21 years after the group’s formation, Mos Def announced that a long-awaited followup album is in the works, which Kweli and Kraz discuss in the episode.
EPISODE 49 - Blake Mills and Pino Palladino
This week on Eric Krasno Plus One, Kraz is joined by Blake Mills and Pino Palladino, who just released an album together titled Notes With Attachments. Their debut LP as a duo is excitingly unpredictable, colored with unique textures, and touches on rich soundscapes that are only accessible to the most dynamic musicians.
EPISODE 45 - BRANFORD MARSALIS
This week on Eric Krasno Plus One, Eric talks with world-renowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis. Marsalis is a one-of-a-kind musician with a profound understanding of his craft, and in this episode his connection with his art form is on full display. At an early age Marsalis’ talents were recognized by other musicians, and as a result he’s amassed a discography that extends far beyond his own name to include collaborations with fabled superstars such as Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Dizzy Gillespie, Sting, and the Grateful Dead..
EPISODE 38- GEORGE PORTER JR.
On this episode of Plus One Eric talks with George Porter Jr., funk-master and founding member of The Meters. Porter is a New Orleans legend, but his slick playing and deep-pocket grooves have made him a 4-string-fable across the globe. While Porter has touched on many musical styles throughout his career, there is an undeniable hint of Crescent City soul in just about every word he speaks during this colorful conversation.
EPISODE 31 - Béla FLECK
On this episode of Plus One Eric talks with legendary banjo player Béla Fleck, whose innovative style and extensive discography have cemented his legacy in the bluegrass community and beyond. Fleck is best-known for his playing with New Grass Revival and with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, and is widely acknowledged for fusing elements of bluegrass, jazz, and traditional African music.
EPISODE 30 - ANI DIFRANCO
On this episode of Plus One Eric talks with guitarist and folk singer Ani DiFranco, who’s gained critical recognition in the neo-Americana folk world for unaffectedly blending her eclectic sound with socially and politically charged lyrics. She is also widely accredited for mothering the DIY movement in music. DiFranco started her own record label, Righteous Babe, when she was 19 and has since released 22 studio albums. In 2019 she put out a memoir, titled No Walls and the Recurring Dream, in which she details her life as a musician and activist.
EPISODE 24 - ZIGGY MARLEY
On this episode of Plus One Eric talks to reggae great Ziggy Marley, whose album “More Family Time” dropped on September 18th. It’s a follow up to Ziggy’s 2009 “Family Time” record which was inspired by his daughter Judah, and the new release features tracks with Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette and many more..
EPISODE 20 - Phil and Grahame Lesh
In this episode of Plus One Eric speaks with legendary bassist Phil Lesh and his son Grahame in an interview recorded in 2018.Phil Lesh is of course the longtime bassist for the Grateful Dead and has continued the tradition of the Dead by leading bands of younger musicians in playing the Grateful Dead's incredible canon of songs for the past 25 years since the death of Jerry Garcia. Phil's "Friends" have included Eric Krasno on many occasions dating back to 2013. His son Grahame regularly plays guitar and sings with Phil's Terrapin Family Band.
EPISODE 15 - Billy Strings
In Episode 15 Eric talks to bluegrass sensation Billy Strings, whose hard-playing style and high-energy live shows are introducing bluegrass to all types of new fans. The two first met at the RoosterWalk Festival in 2017, when a storm prevented Eric's band from showing up and Billy's band sat in at the last minute. They've been friends ever since, and in those years Billy Strings has gone from releasing their first EP to selling out theaters across the country.
Episode 12 -QuestlovE (Part 2)
In episode 12 of Eric Krasno Plus One, Eric continues his conversation with Questlove, who joins Eric from his home in upstate New York. Ahmir Khalib Thompson aka “Questlove” hails from Philadelphia. He is a drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, designer, New York Times bestselling and James Beard Award-nominated author, and cofounder of Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group, the Roots. He is the musical director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where the Roots serve as the house band, and a four-time Grammy Award-winning musician. He is also an adjunct professor at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
EPISODE 11 - Questlove
In episode 11, Eric welcomes his friend Questlove, part one of a two part episode. Questlove joins Eric from his home in upstate New York to talk about learning to make beats on his computer during the lockdown, dealing with procrastination, and what he’s writing in his new book. Questlove recalls the time that Miles Davis appeared at his high school, what happened when he discovered Prince at the same time his parents discovered Christianity, and how The Roots got started.
EPISODE 10 - Derek Trucks
In episode 10 of Plus One, Kraz talks to guitarist and songwriter Derek Trucks, who he describes as the ‘greatest slide guitar player that’s ever lived’ about the early days of their friendship and the incredible musicians they’ve played with over the years. They talk about how they’re managing through the pandemic, the time that Derek immersed himself in Indian music and how it influenced his playing, and what he took away from working with Eric Clapton.
EPISODE 8 - John Scofield
Kraz welcomes long-time friend and idol, guitar legend John Scofield. John talks about working with Miles Davis, Phil Lesh, and Medeski, Martin & Wood, hearing Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” for the first time on his transistor radio, The Grateful Dead culture & legacy, and his experience of getting into Jazz.
EPISODE 6 - John Mayer
In this episode, Eric chats with singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer John Mayer. They discuss discovering new music, how the role of being a fan has changed, and the importance of writing a hit song. John talks about how his songwriting has changed as he's gotten older, the two get deep on guitar players like Jerry Garcia and Stevie Ray Vaughn, and John tells Kraz about that time he talked to Eric Clapton about The Dead.
EPISODE 4 - Chris Robinson
Eric's Plus One this week is Chris Robinson, frontman for The Black Crowes and the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Chris tells Eric about growing up in Atlanta, forming The Black Crowes with his brother when they were teenagers, and how he ended up in the role of frontman. The two dig deep into their love of music, the artists who first influenced Chris, from Sam & Dave to REM, and how he finally got into The Grateful Dead. They talk about what he’s listening to now, and reflect on their mutual friend and guitarist for Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Neal Casal.
EPISODE 1 - Dave Matthews
Kraz talks with legendary jam folk icon Dave Matthews during the coronavirus pandemic. They talk about how they are getting by in these troubling times, their history together, streaming sites versus radio, and Neil Young.