Today’s guest is American avant-garde jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader Matthew Shipp. Prolific and critically adored, Shipp has been praised by eclectic musicians ranging from David Bowie to Henry Rollins, and has recorded with virtually every significant contemporary jazz musician. Matthew joined me to talk about his new book Black Mystery School Pianists and Other Writings, which covers decades of his writing on subjects ranging from jazz icons, his own influences, and his voracious appetite for art and culture of all kinds. Matthew has many opinions, all of them deeply held and informed, and he shared his thoughts on everything from authenticity, discipline, community, and how to cultivate a creative existence. We also reminisced about the New York City scene of the mid 1980s, which was a much dirtier, diverse, and nurturing place; Matthew was part of a world where one might bump into anyone from John Zorn to Jean-Michel Basquiat. Matthew also talks about his discography, which is wide-ranging—from solo to trio and quartet work, as well as his cross-genre experimentations (some of which, from the early 2000’s, are among my favorite albums, particularly his collaborations with geniuses such as David S. Ware, William Parker, and DJ Spooky). This conversation, like Matthew’s music, went in many different directions, and anyone can learn a great deal from the trail Shipp has blazed.

Buy Black Mystery School Pianists and Other Writings on Amazon

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is Jacob Silverman, who is an independent journalist and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud. He writes often about the politics of technology, the media, and is a contributing editor for The Baffler and The New Republic. Jacob and I compare notes on how we saw the 2024 election unfold (including predictions and assumptions we—and most journalists—made), and some of the myriad things that are different with Trump 2.0. One particular topic we go deep on is the unsettling, recent development of MAGA-supporting tech oligarchs, and how that money and influence has virtually reshaped our culture. We also take a crack at a personal obsession, which is why—and how—the Democrats have historically been so inept at crafting compelling or effective messaging. We also cover the ways technology is impacting everything from politics and academia to the arts. Jacob also has long been an astute observer of social media (in general) and the ways it at once connects and disrupts a global audience. Check out why I’ve been a big fan of Jacob, and see why you should begin following him, and look forward to his next book, coming later in 2025!

You can learn more about Jacob at https://www.jacobsilverman.com

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41

Today’s guest is Jane Friedman who, if you have even casually followed anything to do with book publishing and the state of the literary industry during the last two decades, you already know—and appreciate. Jane has been the consensus go-to for insights on trends, developments, and how to build a platform in the 21st Century. Named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023, Jane has been featured across countless media outlets, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, CNN, BBC, NPR, and many others. Her guide The Business of Being a Writer is the book I most often recommend to anyone looking to get a handle on an industry that, while always evolving, is primarily driven by the same people: those writing and those seeking good writing. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Jane on many occasions, dating back to when I was an analyst for the technology industry (and we chatted about such new-fangled developments as eReaders and blogs!). Every time I speak with Jane, I learn new things about a world I’m deeply involved—and invested—in, so I can’t overstate how invaluable her perspective is. In this episode of Some Things Considered we cover what to be excited and/or concerned about (hint: people are still buying books!), how writers can and should balance their priorities as they relate to writing vs. marketing, we assess the health of lit mags, and inevitably, we talk a bit about AI. This conversation will, in sum, illustrate why Jane is my annual MVP of all-things literary.

Learn more about Jane's work at janefriedman.com

Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression.

Website: seanmurphy.net
Substack: seanmurphy.live
Twitter: @bullmurph
Instagram: @bullmurph
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41