HEAR, EAT, HOME
Advent Calendar Musicians
2025 Edition
Gio Moretti
Gio Moretti is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates music, images, videos, and soundtracks. She is an experimental vocalist, using her natural voice to create sound effects, haunting vocals, harmonies, and percussive sounds.
Originally from northern Italy, she lived in Brazil for a couple years and her most notable recordings and performances have been with Brazilian singer and composer Ivan Lins and band Batacotô. She is currently resides in New York City where her popularity continues to grow with the audience and musicians alike.
She has performed with such New York jazz fixtures as guitarist Mike Stern, pianist Dave Kikoski, saxman John Stubblefield, as well as pianist Jason Lindner, bassist Matt Garrison and cellist Dave Eggar, just to name a few.
Gio is also a member (vocal soloist, oboe and percussion ) of 2004 Bessie award-winning vocalist/composer Philip Hamilton's Ensemble, which performs music for theater, dance, and film.
https://giomoretti.reverbnation.com
Michael's mini playlist
This is a beautiful duet in Italian and the lyrics talks about forgiveness and hope to find the warm sun that color the soul.” Featuring Ivan Lins and Dave Eggar on cello.
This is a love song that was recorded at the healing frequency at 432hz.
AFAR…FROM ME
'A song about getting distant, loosing and finding faith."
Soundtracks
where I composed and recorded music for images, videos, digital art installations...
-Gio Moretti
Lisa Maxwell
Lisa Maxwell is a composer, arranger, orchestrater, producer, conductor, and performer. Her most recent recording project, “Shiny! Lisa Maxwell’s Jazz Orchestra” received a 4-star review by DownBeat Magazine. She has been part of the Emmy Award-winning music team for Warner Bros., an orchestrator on all 52 episodes of Histeria! and Animaniacs: Wakko's Wish, and a Netflix and Paramount+ contributor. As a sax player, Lisa not only led the horn sections on tour with Guns 'n' Roses and Spinal Tap and has also performed with Bruce Willis, Carole King, Steven Tyler, Lenny Kravitz, Machito Big Band, Gil Evans Orchestra, Charlie Haden, Hiram Bullock, Will Lee, Chuck Berry, Smokey Hormel, and The Joni Mitchell Project.
Lisa's mini playlist
Shiny!
My writing is often influenced by TV themes of the 1970’s that I grew up with, and Shiny is one of them, with a “car chase” boogaloo groove. It features Smokey Hormel and Oz Noy on guitars, Randy Brecker on wah-wah trumpet, and Dave Taylor on bass trombone.
Ludie is a jazz waltz that was inspired by Lalo Schifrin's theme from "Mannix”, and features Randy Brecker on flugelhorn and Carmen Staaf on piano. It’s a feel-good tune!
Son of Creeper
Written by my friend Hiram Bullock, Son of Creeper is a blues he used to play with his power trio (Jaco Pastorius and Kenwood Dennard). I wanted to write an arrangement for big band that captured Jaco’s arpeggiated bass intro and the unpredicatability of where the tune might go during the solos,reflected in the New Orleans detour. It features Mike Stern on guitar, Alex Foster (SNL) on alto, Paul Shaffer on Organ.
-Lisa Maxwell
Fung Chern Hwei
Entering his 22nd year in NYC, Fung Chern Hwei has been one of the most versatile and sought after violinists in town. As a current member of Sirius Quartet and SEVEN)SUNS, two string quartets focusing on non-classical repertoire, Chern Hwei has also been an active composer and arranger for various contexts. He is fresh off a month-long tour in two continents, including a week in Australia with Japanese piano super star, Hiromi.
Chern Hwei's mini playlist
Tigran Hamasyan - Levitation 21
Between Impulses
BlankFor.ms - A Fleet of Celebrants
One track from friends that I'm proud to call old friends (BlankFor.ms and Remy Le Boeuf), one track from me that I'm proud of (Sirius Quartet), and one from a musician that I admire and respect (Tigran Hamasyan).
-Fung Chern Hwei
Rachael Sage
NYC-based folk-pop artist Rachael Sage has steadily released a slew of vibrant, dynamic albums. She has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Rufus Wainwright, Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Howard Jones, and Grammy® winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins – with whom she also recorded a critically-acclaimed duet of Neil Young’s "Helpless." In addition to being a six-time Independent Music Award-winning musician and producer, Sage is also a John Lennon Contest Grand Prize winner who has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, SXSW, and toured globally from Japan to Berlin. Sage is also a visual artist and former ballet dancer who performed with the New York City Ballet. A self-described "cancer thriver," she is a philanthropic advocate who has raised money for a wide range of causes, including Foundation For Women's Cancer, WHY Hunger, American Refugee Committee/Alight, National Network For Youth (NN4Y), The Trevor Project, and Rainbow Mind (UK).
Rachael's mini playlist
I selected these three songs because they reflect aspects of unconditional love, which is what I think the holiday season – including the emphasis on togetherness, gathering and reflection – is all about. "Belong To You" is a gospel-ballad that expresses devotion and loyalty, whether it be to one's family, friends or even to oneself.
"Home" is an anthem about the concept of home and the comfort and groundedness that being in a place (or among people) one truly loves provides. "Live It Up", likewise, expresses the unconditional love that necessarily defines the desire for equality and inclusivity, and the ability to come together and celebrate our collective humanity in spite of our differences. All of these songs certainly express the type of warm and welcoming home–in the broadest sense–that I want to live in, now and every season!
-Rachael Sage
Max ZT
Max ZT, hailed by NPR as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Hammered Dulcimer,” has redefined the instrument through a lifetime of global study and innovation. From Chicago to Brooklyn, he has absorbed diverse traditions, apprenticing with Senegal’s revered Cissoko Griot family and studying under the legendary Pandit Shivkumar Sharma in India. A founding member of House of Waters, Max has scored an Emmy-winning ESPN documentary and released eight albums on Snarky Puppy’s GroundUP Music label. His latest album, On Becoming, was nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards. Described by New Sounds as “Cloud-bursting, ear-opening hammered dulcimer,” Max’s artistry expands the horizons of modern creative music.
Max's mini playlist
Manu Delago & Max ZT - Inhale (live)
House of Waters - Avaloch
Max ZT - Daybreak
I put together this playlist to show how improvisation sits at the core of my work. The duo with Manu Delago stemmed from improvisation eventually finding its way into composition. The House of Waters piece reflects the same instinctive approach inside a larger collective setting. The final piece is a fully improvised recording shaped by my studies with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Together, these tracks show the different ways I use improvisation as a guide for my sound.
-Max ZT
Alex Pryrodny
Alex Pryrodny is a Ukraine born NYC based pianist known for his expressive sound and improvisational skills derived from lifelong study of classical, jazz, and world music. After making his debut at an international jazz festival at the age of 6, Alex has performed in concerts in Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States and has won 2nd place at the Montreux Jazz Solo Piano Competition in 2012. He has recorded several piano albums, and his work as an arranger has received nominations for Golden Melody Awards in Asia. In 2023, Alex’s life and work were featured in a short documentary, “The Other Side of the Sea.” Since 2025, Alex has been working as a jazz piano faculty member at Long Island University.
Alex's mini playlist
Ukrainian "Shchedryk" at the New York Cathedral
You probably know this tune as one of the songs usually heard around Christmastime – it sounds haunting and different from other holiday songs, almost exotic in its simplicity. But do you know the real story of this tune?
It comes from an ancient Ukrainian chant celebrating the arrival of the New Year and Spring. Why Spring, you ask? Oh yes, in pre-Christian Ukraine the New Year was celebrated in April - that's why the original Ukrainian lyrics center about the return of the swallows to their nesting place after a long winter migration; the key word "shchedryk", repeated and modified into various forms throughout the song, derives from the word "generous" to signify good news of a bountiful year ahead.
The other part of the story is much more recent – in the early 20th century, during the times of a short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic, the Ukrainian National Chorus went on a grand world tour with the aim of promoting Ukrainian culture in the West and asked composer Mykola Leontovich to create an unique version of "Shchedryk", which resulted in a classic arrangement we know today. As it happens, the choir and the music has far outlived the government that sent them - most of the musicians chose not to come back to the Soviet-occupied Ukraine and the song "Schedryk," also known as "Carol of the Bells," took life of its own.
This recording was made in the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, NY in December 2022. There is a 2nd theme that comes in the middle of my improvisation: another Ukrainian holiday song called "Dobryj vechir tobi, pane hospodaryu" ("Good evening to you, hospitable master") that draws on the same themes of generosity, goodness and hope for the future. Just like 100 years ago when "Shchedryk" was first introduced to the world, Ukraine is fighting a tragic war for its existence – but I truly believe that against all odds goodness and hope will prevail. I hope you enjoy my music and I wish peaceful holidays to you and your family!
-Alex Pryrodny
Rino Aise
Rino Aise, born and raised in Japan, is currently based in New York. She performs in theatrical pieces and music performances, particularly for peace.
Rino's mini playlist
The lyrics of this song sing about the social ties and the spirit of cherishing people in Okinawa. I chose this song because I resonated with the importance of bonds and local communities.
-Rino Aise
Hadi Eldebek
Hadi Eldebek is an oudist, singer, and composer based in New York City. Charting and exploring the world of contemporary Arabic music, Hadi has been actively collaborating with programs and projects for Yo-Yo Ma's Silkroad Ensemble, Harvard Graduate School of Education, The Kennedy Center, TED, Disney World Imagineering, and others. He is the active voice of many artists.
Hadi's mini playlist
The Poet: Ibn al-Khatib Lisan al-Din ibn al-Khatib (1313–1374) was a prominent Arab Andalusian polymath, poet, writer, historian, philosopher, physician and statesman from the Emirate of Granada 1. He served as vizier (chief minister) to the sultans of Granada, and his prolific writings provide invaluable insights into the history and culture of Al-Andalus. "Jādaka al-Ghayth" is one of his most celebrated poems.
The Singer: Fairuz Nouhad Wadie Haddad (born 1934 or 1935), known professionally as Fairuz, is a Lebanese singer who is one of the most widely admired and influential vocalists in the Arab world 2. Her career began in the 1950s, and she quickly rose to prominence through her collaboration with the Rahbani Brothers.
The Composer: The Rahbani Brothers Assi and Mansour Rahbani, known as the Rahbani Brothers, were Lebanese composers, musicians, and playwrights who were instrumental in shaping modern Arabic music 3. They composed most of Fairuz's songs and were the architects of her musical style. While the poem "Jādaka al-Ghayth" was written by Ibn al-Khatib in the 14th century, the musical arrangement for Fairuz's iconic performance was composed by Mansour Rahbani 4.
The Song: "Jādaka al-Ghayth" Historical Context "Jādaka al-Ghayth" was written as a madīḥ (panegyric) in praise of Sultan Muhammad V of Granada. It is believed to have been composed around 1367-1368 CE, following the Sultan's victories over the Crown of Castile 1. The poem is filled with nostalgia for the golden age of Al-Andalus, a recurring theme in Ibn al-Khatib's work.
Musical Form and Mode The poem is a muwashshah, a strophic form of poetry that originated in Al-Andalus. Muwashshahat are characterized by their complex rhyme schemes and are often set to music. Fairuz's version of "Jādaka al-Ghayth" is performed in Maqam Huzam (a variation of Maqam Sikah), a musical mode that evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing 5.
-Hadi Eldebek
Hsinwei Chiang
Hsinwei Chiang is a Taiwanese violinist, composer, and educator in both jazz and classical. She has studied classical violin since she was six, and has toured with symphony orchestras in Malaysia, Italy, California, Hong Kong, and Berlin. After graduating from Taipei University of Art (BA), she discovered her interest in improvisation and collaborated with different artists (jazz, world music, dance, theater, fine art) in major art scenes in Taiwan. Graduated from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in 2015, she has studied with Antonio Hart and received the Jimmy Heath Jazz Award. She has participated in the Blue Note Jazz Festival, the New York Winter Jazz Festival, and the Interlochen Summer Art Camp. Chiang has been a member of New Muse 4tet since 2018. During the years in New York, she has performed with Marc Cary (the Harlem Sessions), Mimi Jones (the DOME Project), Daniel Carter, Ingrid Jenson, Dick Oats, and Mem Nahadr. She has worked with several nonprofit organizations in the Bronx, such as Mind-Builders and Bronx Art Ensemble. She has produced a series of online workshops called Taiwan Digs Jazz, and hosted The Jazz Sideman Podcast and the U Jazz Festival. She now resides on the east coast of Taiwan.
Hsinwei's mini playlist
Glare
Melt
With global climate change and my migration to a tropical area, I have missed the winter days in NY and NJ. My album Black Stream: Winter is my memory of Snowy Winter. It was the awe of the first experience of snow season for a child, as well as the loneliness and helplessness in the middle of a blizzard for a grown-up.
-Hsinwei Chiang
John McDowell
Musician and film composer John McDowell gained international acclaim with his evocative soundtrack for the Academy Award–winning documentary Born Into Brothels, followed by celebrated scores for Salam, Higher Love, and Jimmy In Saigon.
But McDowell’s artistry reaches far beyond his 25+ film scores. A dynamic pianist, percussionist, producer, commissioned composer, and conductor, he has toured and recorded with Rusted Root and Krishna Das, and produced several albums—including his inventive solo release Speaking the Mamma Tongue. Blending formal training with global musical fluency, McDowell has become a uniquely seasoned ethnomusicologist with a truly expansive musical vision.
After earning composition degrees from DePaul and Northwestern Universities, McDowell lived and worked across Europe and Africa. He pursued musical threads that led him through Senegal, Gambia, India, and into creative partnerships with Native American drummers and singers from the Tuscarora and Oglala Nations. His dance scores have energized major European festivals such as the Brussels Dance Festival, the Holland Festival, and the Berlin–Amsterdam Festival. Over the course of his prolific career, he has composed more than 500 works—from intimate solo flute pieces to large-scale dance scores, a stirring requiem, and pieces for world music ensemble and orchestra.
As David Bowie remarked:
“John’s doing some quite brave things. It’s hard to mix cultural strains together and have continuity. He does that wonderfully.”
John's mini playlist
“Overture” — Born Into Brothels
Born Into Brothels was the first major film I scored. It went on to win the 2005 Academy Award for Best Documentary, Best Documentary at Sundance, and over 30 additional best documentary awards.
The project was one of those rare synchronistic collaborations where the right people and the right timing aligned. The film’s many montages offered space for prominent, expressive scoring. At the time, I had been working closely with several Indian classical musicians, studying ragas, and also with Krishna Das, who performed in the score.
This film also marked my first collaboration with the extraordinary vocalist Sabina Sciubba, formerly of the Brazilian Girls. Musically, my goal for the opening was to create an exciting build while staying true to Indian culture by using specific ragas and text excerpts from the Bhagavad Gita.
Orgasmic Birth is a deeply touching film with a provocative title that emphasizes how birth can be a pleasurable—and even ecstatic—experience rather than solely a painful medical event.
The track “Fluid” features solo piano and vocals by Sabina Sciubba. I composed a theme and pattern loosely inspired by J.S. Bach, shaped through a minimalist lens, with Sabina singing long, evocative melodic lines over it.
“Let the Sun Shine In” — Jimmy in Saigon
Jimmy in Saigon is a powerful documentary exploring the mysterious death and radical life of Jimmy McDowell, a 24-year-old American Vietnam veteran who died as a civilian in Saigon in 1972. Directed by my brother, Peter McDowell, the film blends personal discovery with historical investigation. https://jimmyinsaigon.com
I selected the track “Let the Sun Shine In,” a reinterpretation of the original song, because of its completely fresh and unexpected arrangement. Once again, Sabina Sciubba delivers an ethereal vocal performance.
-John McDowell
Zach Brock
Zach Brock is a Grammy Award–winning violinist, composer, and educator, and a longtime member of Snarky Puppy. His featured work with the band includes Culcha Vulcha, Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Empire Central, and Somni, the orchestral collaboration between Snarky Puppy and the Metropole Orkest with conductor Jules Buckley. A classically trained violinist, Brock earned his degree at Northwestern University and later developed his improvisational language in Chicago before relocating to New York. He has performed at Carnegie Hall at the invitation of Dave Douglas and toured internationally as a member of Stanley Clarke’s band. As a leader, he has released several albums, and he currently appears with Ahn Trio and in a range of collaborative ensembles. Brock has held teaching positions at Temple University and The New School.
https://www.zachbrock.com/
Zach's mini playlist
Zach's Playlist for HEAR, EAT, HOME!
These pieces feel like home to me in different ways. “Exist(essential)” and “Ad Idem” carry the stillness and undercurrent I return to when I need to reset. “Almost Never Was” holds that quiet pulse of both reflection and forward motion. Together they trace a space where memory, contemplation, and intimacy lean toward each other, if only for a brief moment.
-Zach Brock