Irene joined us in the studio today to talk about her work and life in Warsaw. Originally from Santander, Cantabria, she has called Warsaw home for the past 4 years. 

What Keeps You Here?

Irene Arredondo, Sustainability Specialist (Oriflame Cosmetics)

Richard Washington is presently the Director of Communications and Recruitment of the Natolin Campus of the College of Europe (Warsaw). A graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, he worked for nine years as a professional actor. He is also a graduate in History and Social Sciences (Oxford University, Birkbeck College and the College of Europe) and an occasional lecturer and media commentator in politics, the EU and international relations. He is an experienced master of ceremonies, public speaker and workshop leader. With the British Alumni Society in Poland he regularly chairs a current affairs discussion group, The Ladies and Gentlemen’s Club. He was a member of Islington Borough Council (1998 – 2002) and, before moving to Poland in 2010, was frequently involved in political campaigns in the UK. He is also an authorised Lay Preacher in the European Diocese of the Church of England.

Richard Washington - Director of Communications and Recruitment of the Natolin Campus of the College of Europe

Matiwane D Mathews II ( born Dec. 28, 1990 ), better known as Blu Mantic, is an American poet, songwriter, actor, teacher, and contemporary sacred hip-hop artist.Originally from Killeen, Texas, he moved to Brooklyn, NY to pursue the dreams of being an entertainer. After finishing his acting school in 2013, Blu quite his job in Times Sq, was homeless for 3 months and traveled to Warsaw, Poland. Since 2009, he has been writing lyrically driven tracks. They are meant to spark the mind, heal the heart, and move the soul.After the release of his first EP The Yesod EP ,he was invited by Popkiller to be the first American artist to feature on the XXL freshman type collaboration, M?ode Wilki 5 . He has opened for well known artist such as Smif-n-Wessun, Afu-Ra, and even featured on Media Kraft as an Ebonics language tutor. Upon the release of his new single “Legacy” in Aug 2017, he has begin to finalize a project with a Soul/Jazz/Funk/HipHop band called The Haarpagans.Soundcloud.com/theblumantichttps://www.facebook.com/BluManticMusic/

The Blu Mantic - Contemporary Sacred Hip Hop Artist

Brian Fentress is an international conductor, vocalist, vocal coach, songwriter and producer. As an active performer and music instructor throughout America and Europe, it is his desire to share the knowledge and skills he has acquired with all who are willing to receive. Brian has over 20 years of experience as a performer and educator. He has dedicated the majority of his life to creating life changing musical experiences and providing quality instruction for a diverse  demographic of singers, from amateur to professional.Brian, haling from Detroit, MI., was born into a family of singers and musicians. At a very young age his family began to notice his natural music ability. Growing up in church, Brian began directing choirs and singing solos at the age of 5. As a child prodigy in gospel conducting, he took advantage of the opportunities around him and began learning from gospel greats such as Commissioned/Fred Hammond, James Hall, O'landa Draper, and Donald Lawrence. Simultaneously, he began accumulating influences from many other musical genres as well. In high school Brian was introduced to classical music and developed a passion for singing in the bel canto style. With only two years of classical training, Brian received a full music scholarship to Alabama A&M University. He graduated with honors in 2003 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Business. In 2005, Brian began traveling throughout Europe conducting gospel music workshops. He is credited for being an instructor for the largest workshop in Poland history with 1020 participants. During the same time he went on to continue his education at the University of Phoenix, where he graduated with a Master's degree in Secondary Education in 2006. Brian increased his singing and conducting skills by participating in professional classical and gospel choirs. In 2014, Brian completed his doctoral degree at the Academy of Music in Gda?sk, Poland in Artistic Conducting. Accordingly, Brian continues travel through Europe and North America working as a professional conductor, vocalist, vocal coach and consultant for choirs looking to add gospel music to their repertoire. A part of Brian's performance experience includes work as a background vocalist (live and in studio sessions) with many artists such as: Aretha Franklin, Lyle Lovett, Cece Winans, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Israel Houghton, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker, and Kim Burrell to name a few. In addition to participating in many recording sessions, Brian has spent countless hours learning production skills during his internship with Fred Hammond for Face to Face Productions. As a result, the compositions and vocal production skills of Brian Fentress are comparable to none. He has become an anomaly by successfully combining his gospel music origins, classical and jazz education, composition abilities, vocal productions skills, and years of experience as a solo artist and conductor. Brian is known for his captivating charisma, powerful vocal ability, phenomenal conducting skills, his infectious openness, and inspiring positivity. You can be sure that you will receive a high quality and uplifting music experience whenever Brian is present!

Brian Fentress - Vocalist, Songwriter, Producer

Vergil and guest host Stevenson Grammot shoot the s&#t with John Beauchamp. John is a half-British, half-Polish journalist, communications specialist and translator based in Warsaw. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of Culture.pl, a website run by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute which promotes Polish culture abroad. He also runs Homegrown Media, a boutique content marketing and podcast production agency. John has over a decade’s experience in radio broadcast production and journalism, and has worked for Polskie Radio, Radio Netherlands, Radio Prague, Austrian Radio (ORF FM4) and the BBC. John has also worked for a European think-tank in Brussels, where he lived for a year, and a venture capital fund in Warsaw. Believe it or not, he provides the English-language “voice” on Warsaw transport, including the Metro.

John Beauchamp, Communications Specialist: Editor-in-Chief at Culture.pl and Owner at Homegrown Media

Vergil and guest host Stevenson Grammot are spend time talking to Donnell Know, owner of Sonic Mind (www.sonic-mind.com). Detroit-area techno producer Donnell Knox arose in the wake of the initial mid-'90s Chicago and Detroit movements. He produced tracks for other major labels after starting his own label, Sonic-mind, and establishing a worldwide fan base and in his hometown of Kalamazoo, a city halfway between Detroit and Chicago. Growing up in Kalamazoo, MI, D-knox developed an interest in music as a kid, learning to play piano and drums. However, when he heard a tape of Chicago's Hot Mix radio show in the early '80s, he suddenly became interested in dance music and wanted to learn more. He use to spend his summer vacations staying with family in Detroit and Chicago, while on those vacations he would listen to Chicago hot mix radio show, and the wizard aka Jeff mills on W J L B in Detroit. When Jay Denham who is D-knox's cousin returned to Kalamazoo in the early 90's the two began making dance tracks together, and later Denham introduced D-knox to Derrick May, and all of the early Detroit techno producers. Now residing in Warsaw, Poland, the D-knox sound continues to develop.

Donnell Knox, Techno producer

Vergil  and  Daedalus  have a light-hearted interview with Gary Lycett, producer of  LUNATEQUE. LUNATEQUE  is DJs playing an ecclectic range of music to suit the therapeutic needs of all manner of flailing Loons. This includes, but isn't limited to, lashings of the flail-soothing liniment 'Brit-Pop / Rock' (and its intravenously injected Indie offshoots...), an unction of New Wave followed by ECT shocks of Electro Pop and regular doses of Punk, Ska, Northern Soul, Glam Rock and whatever else does the trick.  

Gary Lycett

Joaquin came through our show today and performed live! Have a listen to this talented up and coming singer/songwriter.

Joaquin Anton, Singer/Songwriter

Ravi Kumar is a stand-up comedian from India now calling Warsaw, Poland, his home.

Special Guest - Ravi Kumar

Our first show! Vergil and Daedalus interview each other.

Inaugural Episode

Vergil Smith hosts a podcast.. Special guests from a variety of industries (musicians, writers, engineers, marketers, politicians, etc.) are interviewed each week.

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What Keeps You Here?

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