The Mendeleyev Podcast

Mitchell has been a student of music his entire life. Classically trained on piano from an early age, Mitchell has always maintained a keen awareness for the emotional subtleties that only music is truly capable of communicating. It wasn't long before Mitchell picked up guitar and found The Blues, R&B, Funk and Rock, which were the musical styles that cemented his resolve to pursue music with his entire spirit. In his pursuit to understand music as holistically as possible, Mitchell was directed to Berklee College of Music, which he attended for further studies in Music Production, Engineering, Arrangement, and Performance. Mitchell graduated Berklee in 2012, and relocated to Los Angeles, where he began an assistant position at the esteemed Village Recorder. His experience at the Village included opportunities to contribute his expertise to major industry artists, such as Coldplay, Ziggy Marley, Weezer, and Miguel. It was from these invaluable experiences that Mitchell was able to draw a mature understanding of the diverse array of approaches to producing music and art, as well as standards of professionalism that are inherent in the most prestigious environments for music creation. HAUS Music has operated as an independent entity for ten years, and in that time, Mitchell has collaborated with a colorful array of musicians and artists, all with their own unique musicality. Mitchell's insatiable search for growth has guided him to develop a compassionate approach to creating, which inspires him to think critically and respectfully about an artist's true voice and intentions. His primary concern is always to maintain and nurture an artist's emotional and creative integrity; and he has successfully navigated the process with many very different musicians for a multitude of different styles and platforms, @hausmusicproduction

Lito Hernandez is a multifaceted instrumentalist, and has graced the stage with musicians like Kanye West, Shadmehr Aghili and Surfaces. Lito studied at the Berklee School of Music with a major in Saxophone. He is currently on tour with The Midnight, a synth-wave band based out of Atlanta, GA. The band's motto is "mono no aware" (物の哀れ), a Japanese phrase that loosely translates to "a sense of nostalgic wistfulness and the awareness that nothing lasts forever. Their "Monsters" album was released in 2020 and is a huge hit!

sebastian/basti/baz is a person with a bio - a bio that details his pinnacles and most notable contributions in his fields of toil. this bio omits all the efforts that weren’t fully realized (though they are at least alluded to here). most of the time: he plays with and is played by music; he prays with and is prayed by life, he embraces and is embraced by love’s countless forms.

Camille Harris is a composer, performer and playwright born in Boulder, CO and based in Brooklyn, NY. She recently completed her Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology at BerkleeNYC specializing in Songwriting and Production. Her compositions have been featured on projects and commercials for clients such as Nickelodeon, Adobe, Merrill Lynch, and more. She has mixed and mastered multiple singles for clients around the country. She has performed at The Whitney Museum, The Dramatists Guild Foundation, The New Dramatists and The Center for Ballet and the Arts at NYU. Her musical Muffin Man is published by and available for licensing by Samuel French Inc. and has been performed around the country. Camille has released five albums: Where I Go, Silly Jazz, Beneath the Moon, Three Loves: The Acoustic Session and Baby on the Subway (available on all streaming services). Her cover of the Standard "The Nearness of You," recorded with pianist David Linard has more than 1.4 million streams and is featured on multiple Spotify editorial playlists. ​ Her project, The Silly Jazz Band released a critically acclaimed children's album, Baby on the Subway, which won both the Parents' Choice Awards and the Tillywig Toy Awards. Its title track was featured in IFC/College Humor's Comedy Music Hall of Fame. The Silly Jazz Band has performed with the Brooklyn Public Library’s “Stomp Clap and Sing” program for five years and has enjoyed three residencies at the Park Slope Library.

Singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist Will Breman has made a name for himself as a dynamic, musical performer who is excites his fans at shows from coast to coast. Will came into national prominence when he auditioned for NBC’s The Voice season 17 and chose to be on Team John Legend. During his audition he even got to sing “Ordinary People” with John. He stayed on the show for several episodes ending up as a semifinalist. Will kept himself busy during Covid by writing, doing virtual performances, graduating from Cal State Northridge with a degree in music and working on his new EP. Although being on the spectrum has been a challenge, Will feels extremely fortunate to have found a creative outlet through music. He continues to grow teaching himself to play multiple instruments, writing new material, and trying to be true to himself through his songs.

With roots in the Bay Area, Santa Barbara, The Netherlands and even Germany; Filipino-American filmmaker Ralph Torrefranca has a unique upbringing under his belt when it comes to storytelling. Most known for his work as the singer/guitarist of the post punk band Cuffed Up (KCRW, KEXP), the art form of great storytelling has been an obsession for Ralph. Over the summer of his Sophomore year of High School, an intro to film class taught by Santa Barbara International Film Festival founder Roger Durling left a long lasting impression on 15 year old Ralph and subsequently his ongoing love for cinema. Armed with a Mini DV Sony Handycam, he went spent his early years filming DIY music videos and short films with his friends in Santa Barbara, CA. With more than 15 years in the entertainment industry, Ralph has worked in Film, TV Production, Music and most recently wrote + directed the award winning dramatic short film “Champagne Social”.

Sachi Oasis Rodriguez almost too literally found her “voice” in music at a young age, having to undergo intense speech therapy due to a speech impediment and being unable to communicate as a child. Because of this, Sachi became a listener; hearing everyone and everything around her. Realizing people speak way more than they should, she chooses her words carefully and often doesn't say more than is necessary. Due to this experience, she constantly tries to help others consolidate their intentions and words by co writing and producing other artists.Sachi attended Berklee College of Music where she studied Songwriting and Music Production. Some notable professors include Pat Pattison(John Mayer, Amy Allen), Kara Dioguardi(Jon Bellion, Ingrid Andress), Swagg Harris(H.E.R, Kehlani), Bonnie Hayes(Bonnie Raitt), and Paula Cole. Whilst living in Boston, she also interned and became assistant engineer at the legendary Q Division Studios. Here she worked with the likes of Dropkick Murphys, Don Was, Yo-yo Ma, and many more.She is currently an AWAL artist based out of NYC, where she is studying for her Masters in Songwriting and Production at BerkleeNYC. She also frequents to LA where she consistently collaborates with creatives like those from Kobalt, Universal, and Warner. Although she mainly works in the commercial pop area of the industry, she also writes for film/tv with multiple production companies and sync reps. Sachi is also faculty for Berklee Online and intermittently at the Berklee campus in Boston.

In college, during the pandemic, Vinny got his start posting videos to TikTok showing off his unique countertenor style of singing. What initially was solely opera music, quickly branched out into numerous genres from folk music to RNB. Vinny studied both music technology and vocal performance at Duquesne University and has been able to combine the skills he acquired into his music career of producing and singing online. He has amassed a total following of over 1.5 millions followers across Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook, (which still hasn’t quite sunk in yet). In 2021 he wrote, produced, and released his debut album, Sugar and Stars. Vinny has been regularly releasing music since, incorporating his unique singing voice and has garnered over 4 millions streams. In October 2022 Vinny moved to New York to bring his work to live audiences!

After years in the making, singer-songwriter Conner Cherland is releasing his first full-length album, LAKE, in October of this year. Cherland’s newest project is equal parts rapturous and refined, its main objective being to plumb the depths of human feeling while showcasing how he’s honed his craft. “I want music to be more of an unconscious act. I don’t just want to be a clever writer — I want these songs to cost me something,” he admits. And certainly, this album is proof of the lengths Cherland has traveled for his music career. After quitting his tech job to go all-in, he released his first independent, self-funded EP and moved to Los Angeles in 2022. When contemplating what would come next, he kept returning to one of his biggest sources of inspiration: the score of the cartoon series Over the Garden Wall. He casually shot a message to the show’s team, not expecting an answer. Since then, they’ve offered him their mentorship by teaching him music theory and song composition, and their band, The Blasting Company, will be featured on LAKE. Cherland spent four months taking the concepts he learned from The Blasting Company and tucking them into the folds of fifty songs, an experience he described as borderline religious: “The routine did feel special, because I called the process what it was: writing an entire album. Having a vision helped me settle into the act day after day, and the whole time I just believed there was going to be something there.” At the same time, he was facing the extensive costs that go into recording and producing an album. Cherland made a case to his fanbase for crowdfunding, and the response blew him away. Within a matter of weeks, he was able to meet his funding goal. What resulted is an album that honors the playfulness of Cherland’s signature acoustic style, while incorporating refined technical music components that create rich sonic landscapes. He decided to release three singles prior to the entire album: “Drugs,” “Rocket,” and “Happy.” Each of these songs explore the power of dreams, the journey of personal loss, and the weighty, ever-present souvenirs of love. When asked how he approached this project, Cherland thoughtfully muses, “You don’t really get to pick what an album is about, do you?” After experiencing the death of a close family friend, much of his music composition was informed by the process of navigating grief, faith dynamics, and human intimacy. “People almost get to that point of sharing their burden and then won’t let it out. They don’t understand that it’s an honor to bear their pain with them. That’s what life is about — being in it together.” That’s the ultimate project of LAKE. To give listeners brief moments of presence. To help them break through barriers. To share the weight. A self-described former volleyball jock, Cherland began writing songs while still studying at UCSB. Early inspirations included Sufjan Stevens, City and Colour, Ed Sheeran, and something of an epiphany while watching his favorite movie, High School Musical. “I felt like I was seeing myself for the first time,” Cherland said. “I still love being athletic, but I’m very artistic as well. I really enjoy being a blend of the two.”

Megan Graney launched her musical career in 2021 with debut single “Borrowed Time". The Bay Area native is known for her stylistic approach using healing lyrics and colorful production to create masterful sounds. Her ability of bringing sonically-rich melodies to the listener shines through, bringing nostalgic memories and lived experiences that champion mental health stigmas and overcoming addiction. Her latest release, “So It Goes” was recently heard on KCRW! It also landed her very first sync on BET’s second season of, Sacrifice. She is often compared to Sade and Diana Krall with clear influences of jazz and soul. Her music evokes different themes of healing, and how that process is a nonlinear journey. Previous performances include The Mint, Hotel Cafe, Feinstein's at the Nikko (San Francisco), and the Durango Songwriters Expo. Prior to her artist career, Megan earned credits on major films including Despicable Me 3 and The Nut Job 2 for composer Heitor Pereira, located at Hans Zimmer’s company - Remote Control Productions. She continued to further earn credits assisting Canadian-based composer, Andrew Lockington for the last 4 years. Credits include the Emmy Award-winning series Delhi Crime, Mayor of Kingstown, Daybreak, American Gods, V-Wars, Frontier, & The Kindness of Strangers. Her versatility in performing a variety of genres from jazz, gospel, neo soul, and choral music has earned her the opportunity to gain accolades including the following: Sang background vocals for Rita Ora (VH-1’s Trailblazer Honors) Performed choral originals at Capitol Studios, and singer-songwriter originals at The Village Studios. Performed the National Anthem for the LA Rams in 2018 with Angel City Chorale. Performed with Broadway veterans - Andy Mientus & Shoshana Bean for his tribute to Joni Mitchell.

Kevin Ervin is a highly accomplished and versatile talent, known as a producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Growing up in a musical environment, he was heavily influenced by the church, but his musical upbringing was shaped by the timeless tunes of Bennie and the Jets, as well as the enchanting melodies of My Cherie Amour and Piano Man. From an early age, Kevin displayed remarkable skills in production and songwriting, leading him to create music and perform on various stages worldwide even before reaching the age of 18. During his formative years, he further honed his craft while playing in church, benefiting from the guidance of mentors like Ron Grant and David Dove. His dedication to musical excellence led him to train under accomplished musicians such as Fabio Witkowski and Alan Simon, enhancing his proficiency on the piano in studio settings. Kevin's passion for music has taken him to prestigious positions in the industry. Presently, he serves as the associate music director for the esteemed Heisman Trophy Awards and holds the role of music supervisor for prominent entities like Fedex QDM and the National Urban League. Additionally, his global expertise in music has earned him the title of global music director for IR Magazine. Despite his already impressive achievements, Kevin continues to nurture emerging talent, working on new projects with up-and-coming artists. Remarkably, when he's not immersed in the music world, he dedicates his time and skills to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the YMCA of Fort Worth as the Chief Innovation and Operations Officer. Kevin Ervin's story is one of remarkable success and unwavering dedication to music and community, making him a shining example of a true artist and humanitarian.

Calvin Rezen (artist/comedian/writer/bad website designer) plays guitar and sings the vocals. He rites the songs and sings the songs. These songs have been called "witty and clever" by everyone from our biggest fans to our smallest enemies. He said "I started Thesaurus Rex so that it would exist and it would stop not existing. It might be too soon to say it but, "the plan is to keep existing but in a big way. A way that makes many people smile and dance at the music made by urs trueLy""

KATIE KADAN CAME INTO THIS WORLD SINGING, AND BY GOD, SHE WILL LEAVE SINGING! From the time she could talk she could sing. Since the age of three Katie sang not only melody lines but three and four-part harmonies. Katie began performing with her mom and sisters in church, touching people’s hearts and inviting them to the place where music takes us all - looking in the mirror to see who we are and realizing what we are meant for. Katie was classically trained in piano and voice, but it was her love for a combination of music and people that brought her to the place where she is musically, professionally and relationally. People and life experiences speak to her soul and that’s where her compositions come from - Love! With her soulful style, her jazzy flare, her broken and longing heart, she will captivate you! On the 17th season of NBC’a The Voice Katie made it to the top 4 finale and became global crowd-favorite. While on The Voice, country-music icon Blake Shelton admitted after Katie received a standing ovation from Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, John Legend and Shelton, “I was like, this can’t be real. This can’t be really happening on this show right now. She can’t be that good. This is a set-up deal. There’s no way somebody is this good who hasn’t already made it in the music industry.”

Sarah Rogo is an artist, composer, and guitar player residing in Los Angeles, CA. With her haunting and unique slide guitar work, she defies genres and reshapes how the guitar can be used in composition and songwriting. You can find her as one of the hosts of the world famous Normans Rare Guitars channel and sharing the stage with guitar greats such as Joe Bonamassa, Jimmy Vaguan, and Jimmy Vivino. Claiming the title as "Soulful Roots" she blends old blues, soul, and folk styles with a youthful twist- picture Dolly Parton and Robert Johnson walking into a Tarantino film. She captivates audiences with her haunting slide guitar work and unique genre-defying style. A captivating dance between grit, beauty, and skill. Sarah Rogo is a young, and gifted artist and it’s all reflected in her infectious live performances, where her energy is contagious. Steeped in the eclectic mixes of traditional music like blues, jazz, ragtime, klezmer, and classical, Rogo finds new ways to express timeless emotions and feels. “People ask me what I’m influenced by and I laugh because the answers feel so random to them but so special to me" Rogo says. "I spent my childhood in the public library, where stacks of CDs came home with me and opened my mind to a world outside my small hometown. I also spent a lot of time with a neighborhood family from India. I quickly fell in love with the culture and the music which influenced my style and writing." @rogothewild - https://sarahrogo.com

FORMED BY NYC MUSICIAN ADAM BONOMO, INDIE ACOUSTIC OUTFIT BONOMO IS A PROJECT THAT PULLS AT THE HEART STRINGS WITH SYMPHONIC RESONANCE AND A DISTINCT TAKE ON INDIE-FOLK MUSIC. INFLUENCED BY THE SOUNDS OF FOLK, JAZZ, GOSPEL, AND CLASSICAL MUSIC, BONOMO IS A MELTING POT OF TRUE ARTISTRY AND THE FINEST PIONEERING GENRES OF ALL TIME. ON A MISSION TO UNIFY MUSICAL TRADITIONS AND AUDIENCES ALIKE, THE ENSEMBLE IS SET OF VISIONARIES INSPIRED BY THE SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CRAFTING A RESONANCE ALL THEIR OWN. BONOMO IS A WINNER OF THE JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING COMPETITION AND THE CASC SONGWRITING COMPETITION. BONOMO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR THEIR VIDEO “WATER” BY DIRECTOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER MARIAN SELL. THEY HAVE ALSO WON SPOTS IN THE TOP 5 AT THE INDIE INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION, THE TOP 3 AT THE NEW SONG MUSIC COMPETITION, AND THIRD PLACE IN THE NASHVILLE FILM FESTIVAL.

Matt Goldstein (he/him) is an award-winning vocal arranger, facilitator, singer/songwriter, music director, and educator who is dedicated to building community through collaborative musical creation. After earning acclaim for the emotive, innovative arrangements he crafted for The Vassar Devils and Hyannis Sound, Matt has gone on craft over 200 custom vocal arrangements for ensembles around the world. He has earned numerous CARA awards, and his arranging work has garnered him accolades at a cappella festivals such as the ICCA, BOSS, and SoJam. Most recently, Matt founded Gaia Music Collective, a community arts organization and performance collective that emerged in New York City in 2021. Through Gaia, Matt leads weekly circle singing sessions, open mic nights, drop-in choirs, and house shows that seek to break down the barriers between performer & audience. Matt’s mission with Gaia is to facilitate experiences that allow singers to express themselves freely, build community with artistic peers, and connect with the powerful currents of music that flow in and around us all.

Lucy Clearwater was born in a bathtub in a cookie factory in Northern California. This "sweet" 25 year old is an acoustic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2016, she's released a beautiful range of singles, as well as her 6 track EP "Feel Again", and sold out shows at some of LA's most beloved venues such as The Hotel Cafe, and School Night at Bardot. During her first of three solo international tours, Lucy developed an affinity for the German language, and when the world shut down in 2020, she decided to pick it up as a quarantine hobby. Fast forward one year, and the songstress had written a dozen songs in German, self-produced them, and plans to release an entire EP in German, while spending some significant time in Berlin. In addition to these adventures, she is 1/2 of indie-folk duo "LININ" who made their debut in April 2022. A lover of all things nature, an old soul and world traveler, her songs are incredibly emotive, vulnerable and move people from all walks of life. Hot tip: when attending a Lucy Clearwater concert, don't forget tissues ;) Check out her latest, self-produced single "We're Not Happy" out now on all platforms!

"Americana Queen" (Vice Noisey) Mary Bragg, heralded by Rolling Stone and NPR for her “gorgeously crafted and executed songs,” just released her self-titled album, which No Depression hailed as a “personal and powerful set featuring a courageous plumb line.” Originally from Swainsboro, Georgia, the singer-songwriter-producer has produced albums for Grace Pettis, Natalie Price, Jackson Emmer, and Alicia Stockman, among others, in addition to her own recent effort. Praised by the World Café for her “refined, sumptuously melancholy take on Southern storytelling,” Bragg’s been exploring love and its complications for much of her career now, wrestling with longing, desire, heartbreak, and insecurity across a string of widely lauded albums. NPR dubbed her breakout 2017 release, Lucky Strike, one of the year’s best, while her 2019 follow-up, Violets as Camouflage, earned similar raves, with the Nashville Scene calling it “magnificent” and Rolling Stone hailing its mix of “classic country twang and “gentle chamber-pop.” Bragg toured the records extensively, playing headline and festival dates to ever-growing audiences across the US and Europe. @marybragg

Although Ro studied classical cello and spent most of their youth in orchestras, they have brought their rich tone and non-traditional techniques to a vast landscape of genres within the Los Angeles, Boston, and New York music scene since 2002. Ro has worked with Billie Eilish, Adele, Lorde, The Weeknd, Kanye West, Hans Zimmer, deadmau5, John Legend, Sting, Mike Posner, Hozier, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Shirley Manson, Willie Nelson, Annie Lennox, The Boston Pops, Deepak Chopra, Dream Theater, Alan Silvestri, and Christopher Lennertz. Their cello can be heard on hundreds of albums, film scores, television shows, documentaries, commercials, trailers, video games, and sound libraries. Ro is currently in Los Angeles freelancing as a cellist, composer, songwriter, and sound designer. They are a foundational member of the Los Angeles-based ensemble Sonic Open Orchestra which recently released their performance of The Sinking of the Titanic by Gavin Bryars. They also occasionally work with Output as a preset and content designer. Most recently Ro played on Avatar: The Way of Water, Top Gun: Maverick, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. @rorowan - http://www.rorowan.com

Tariqh Akoni has managed to pack an impressive and diverse array of experiences in his 25 years in the music industry. A perpetual student of the art, Tariqh has been a composer, producer, songwriter, studio musician, educator, musical director, multi-instrumentalist and clinician. A native of Santa Barbara, Tariqh studied contemporary classical composition at the University of California at San Diego before pursuing a performance degree at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. A highlight of his experience at Berklee was his private studies with Jazz luminaries Jerry Bergonzi and Rick Peckham. While Berklee occupied Tariqh’s days, his nights were spent earning his “10,000 hours” playing in the jazz clubs typically four sets a night, five days a week. During this period Tariqh first began touring internationally, living in Thailand, Indonesia and Korea before being introduced to legendary saxophonist Walter Beasley. Walter no only mentored Tariqh but encouraged him to expand his horizons and move out West to pursue his career. Since moving to Los Angeles in 1997, Tariqh has amassed an extensive and eclectic resume. He has worked with such distinguished artists as: country singers LeAnn Rimes and Lee Ann Womack; jazz icons George Duke, Tom Scott, and Bobby Watson; pop artists Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys; and classical artist Josh Groban. He has also appeared with a host of greats including Babyface, Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock, Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle, Natalie Cole, Huey Lewis and the News, Nick Lachey, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire and many others. Most recently, Tariqh worked as Musical Director for Rock Superstars Weezer and Josh Groban and completed highly successful tours with Bette Midler, Stevie Wonder (including a performance at the Silver Jubilee concert for the Queen of England) and super producer David Foster (appearing in his DVD “Hit Man Returns”). As an educator and clinician, Tariqh served as Chairman of the Guitar Department at the LA College of Music for 5 years where he wrote 10 books including their pedagogical series ‘String Theory’. In addition, he has conducted master classes and clinics internationally at the Guildhall Academy in London, Fermatta Music Academy in Mexico, USC, CSUN and the Berklee College of Music. After living in Pasadena for 15 years, Tariqh returned to Santa Barbara in 2011 and while still a sought after Musical Director, studio musician and accompanist Tariqh has began focusing his energy on production, composition and artist development. @Tariqhakoni https://www.tariqh.com/