Glenn Alai joins the Stereo Image to trace his lifelong love of variety entertainment — from growing up on TV specials and Atlantic City shows to studying casino entertainment at UNLV and building the Penn & Teller organization into a Las Vegas mainstay.

He shares backstage stories, career-defining moments, and how he helped bring vintage performers and modern magicians like Piff into the mainstream, reflecting on decades of change in show business and the resilience of live performance.

“They didn’t let anyone sit in at Bradley’s unless you were Bill Evans!”

This week we continue our conversation with Judy Carmichael as she recalls leaving Disneyland, moving to New York, and breaking into the jazz world. She shares encounters with legends like Roy Eldridge and Tommy Flanagan, the pivotal "Handful of Keys" moment, and how determination and talent won her respect.

Judy also reflects on career choices—staying true to jazz instead of commercial work—her friendships and supporters, and how a New York Times feature helped launch her wider recognition.

More info on Judy:

Judy Carmichael's Jazz Inspired

Judy on YouTube

"There is a time when you just have to say 'LAYOUT'!"

This week on The Stereo Image, Judy Carmichael, celebrated stride pianist, joins Mike to discuss her musical journey—from discovering vintage player pianos and Count Basie recordings to early gigs, mentors like Dave McKenna, and studying the greats by ear rather than transcription.

They explore performing solo, accompanying herself, the importance of listening and mentorship, experiences playing with top jazz musicians, and how live performance shaped her distinctive style.

More info:

Judy Carmichael's Jazz Inspired

Judy on YouTube

Our latest guest is Céline Peterson, daughter of legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. Céline and Mike talk about the importance of fair treatment and appreciation for artists. Céline shares her experiences managing artists and the impact of social media on music careers, while also reflecting on her upbringing in a musical family.

More info for this episode:

Oscar Peterson's 100th Birthday Celebraion Year

Oscar, With Love

Bassist Dave Young

Drummer Mark McLean

Britney Spears (YouTube)

Sarah Vaughan (YouTube)

John Mayer (YouTube)

Céline Peterson Artist Representation

Vocalist Caity Gyorgy

Capri Records

This week, Mike chats with Randy Pitchford. Randy owns Gearbox Software which produces the Borderlands game series among others. He is incredibly smart and insightful. Mike and Randy talk about the creative music kids are making these days and how it relates to the music earlier generations created. Randy grew up in a musical family and plays the piano himself. But that’s not all! Randy is also an accomplished magician and performer. It’s fascinating to hear his take on music from the perspective of a technical and creative visionary like him.

More info for this episode:

Peacock Theater of Frisco, Texas

Fleetwood Mac

Frank Sinatra

The Black Box

opera singer Timur

Tony Fitzpatrick

Magic Castle

Irma ghost piano player

We are so excited to have Eric Mingus on this week’s episode! In fact, that Mike stammers through the first part of the episode because he’s so excited! Luckily he gets past that and he and Eric have a wonderful discussion about his own recent projects and a little about growing up as a member of jazz royalty with his dad Charles Mingus. Note: Occasionally you hear some dogs in the background. Eric was fostering a bunch of dogs when we talked. Mike's cat, Ella, gave her meow of approval.

Eric talks about his heritage and his experiences with music growing up. He shares his feelings on the experience of live acoustic instruments. He talks about his collaboration with Yoyo Ma. Through it all he’s a lovely guy!

More info for this episode:

The Mill - collaboration between Yoyo Ma and Eric Mingus

Hal Willner

Weird Nightmare (plays in YouTube)

Mingus Mill in North Carolina

Harry Smith Collection of folk music

Illinois Jacquet - Jumpin At Apollo

bassist Red Callender

Dimitri Toimkin

well-known phot with Monk, Charlie Parker, Roy Haines, Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus in the Library of Congress

Beneath the Underdog (Charles Mingus autobiography)

The Ertegun Brothers

bassist Gary Karr

guitarist Hubert Sumlin

pianist Don Pullen

Billy Gibbons guitarist in ZZ Top

Karen Mantler and My Cat Arnold

David Sandborn’s Night Music TV show (YouTube clips)

Michael Brecker

Jeff Friedman - Ellington Effect

Berklee College of Music

Susan Berk

Today we are excited to have Tim Jenison on the podcast. If we were looking for guests who would literally embody the name of this show, Tim would be the perfect guest. He is an inventor, filmmaker, musician, and amazing technician who’s current project is to build a recording studio using only analogue gear. He knows his tech and he knows his music too.

You might have heard of him from his Tim’s Vermeer documentary but I talk with him more about one of his latest projects. He’s building a recording studio near his home but he’s using only analog gear. It’s fascinating to hear about the challenges he’s facing and why people still look for that analog experience in todays digital world.

More info for this episode:

Tim's Vermeer (IMDB)

Monty Alexander

Shure 55 Elivs Mic (Wikipedia)

Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles (YouTube)

Bosendorfer Pianos

Weber Duo-Art Player Piano (YouTube)

Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces (YouTube)

Switched on Bach (YouTube)

In this episode, Mike chats with former Chicago Tribune music critic, Howard Reich. Howard shares his journey from being a jazz critic to becoming an accidental filmmaker and opera writer. He emphasizes the role of music in storytelling and the importance of critics in promoting lesser-known artists. He also reflects on his transition to new artistic mediums like opera and ballet, celebrating the legacy of musicians and the power of music to shape identity and experience.

More Info for this episode:

Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F (YouTube)

An American in Paris trailer (YouTube)

Makoto Ozone - pianist (YouTube)

Patricia Barber - pianist (YouTube)

Kurt Elling (YouTube)

Mike Jones - Duke Ellington Medley (YouTube)

Prisoner of Her Past - Book by Howard Reich

The Art of Inventing Hope - Book by Howard Reich

Kimikos Pearl - Ballet inspired by Howard Reich

For the Left Hand - Documentary by Howard Reich

From Howard’s website: Howard was born in Chicago and at age 10 moved with his family to Skokie, a northern suburb that was a nexus of Holocaust survivors, like his parents. At age 16, Howard happened on the film “An American in Paris” and instantly became obsessed with music. By 18 he was a piano performance major at Northwestern, and at 22 he began freelancing articles on music for the Chicago Daily News. The next year he started contributing arts coverage to the Chicago Tribune, where he was hired full time in 1983 and spent his entire newspaper career. Howard’s stories took him to London, Paris, Warsaw, Vienna, Moscow, Munich, Prague, Havana, Panama and other locales, as well as deep into one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the world: Chicago. Howard served for 32 years as the Tribune’s jazz critic, the last three years doubling as classical/opera critic. He retired from the newspaper in 2021, continues writing for the stage and page, and lives in a Chicago suburb with Pam Becker, his wife, a retired Tribune editor.

Mike Jones bio: Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Jones attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and after college he remained in the city, working with such eminent local players as Herb Pomeroy and Gray Sargent. After significant East Coast performances, appearances at the Floating Jazz Festival on the S.S. Norway and the Queen Elizabeth ll, and a series of recordings that established him as a world-class pianist steeped in the pre-bop jazz tradition, Jones relocated to Las Vegas. There he caught the ear of Penn Jillette who, in 2002, brought Jones onboard for the nightly Penn and Teller show at Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.