Velu Ochoa – A Masterful Fusion
Velu Ochoa is the lead vocalist for DeSanguashington, a Colombian American band from Washington D.C, that fuses traditional Colombian folk music with rock and pop. The band likes to create opportunities for fans to experience the music and learn more about the culture of Latin music. She talks about her transition from Colombia to the United States, joining DeSanguashington, and contributing to the continued growth of the band which would provide opportunities to perform at The Kennedy Center, Howard Theater, and with The Smithsonian. The band would also be the recipient of the 2021 Washington Area Music Award (or Wammie) for Best Latin Artist/Group.
Velu shares DeSanguashington’s collaborative songwriting process with fellow band members Richard and Dan, recording music at American University. She shares how the band prioritizes lyrics, melody, and percussion to achieve a modern vibe blended with sounds that are rooted in Salsa, Champeta, and Merengue. Velu joins Andy for another edition of “This or That” and why coffee is preferred over Red Bull, shares her personal musical influences, and what it means to her to be a musician representing the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia region.
Arvind Venugopal – Fire and Ice
Arvind Venugopal of Carnatic Fusion band TVAMEVA (meaning ‘You Are’ in Sanskrit) and host of the “Empathy Speak with Arvind Venugopal” podcast joins the Alchemicast: with Andy Reed to explore Arvind’s music influences ranging from the traditional music of India to modern American electronic and pop music, and how TVAMEVA brings them together to achieve the band’s unique offering to the World Music genre providing them the opportunity to perform on BBC, be featured on Art Across America presented by The Kennedy Center, and their full-length studio album, “Upakrama – The Beginning”, having been a finalist in the 2020 Washington Music Association Awards (WAMMIES).
When not diving into Arvind’s songwriting & composition process and production style, how his band was formed, and his experiences as an artist representing the Washington DC metropolitan area, he talks about producing a number of music videos for the band and participates in another segment of “This or That” where we find why Arvind chooses a basketball game with LeBron James over a workout with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Butch Dawson Is Getting Money
More to Watch The Alchemist “Butch Dawson has long been at the forefront of Baltimore’s eclectic DIY rap scene,” DJBooth published. With a catchy anthem for Baltimore, West Baltimore model-meets-rapper, Butch Dawson releases a music video for single, “Get Money,” ahead of his first major-label project on Asylum Records (Atlantic/Warner), “Stardust” EP. “‘Get Money’ was […]
Josh Finver of Black Dog Prowl: The Heart of Creative Culture
Josh Finver of Black Dog Prowl joins the Alchemicast: with Andy Reed to discuss his May 2021 heart attack caused by a massive blood clot that seemed to have formed without any explanation. Aside from celebrating that Josh is still among the living to enjoy his family, band, and continue to explore his creative endeavors, his appearance as a guest on the show is an opportunity for Josh to catch fans up on what Black Dog Prowl has been working on since their last live show with Candlebox and Jimmie’s Chicken Shack at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD on October 19, 2020. The largest undertaking was a reimagining of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band through collaboration with Crossover.TV and over forty musicians from the Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia region.
Jon Richie Gives It To Us
Recent Articles The Alchemist As U.S. Army Captain and indie recording artist Jon Richie has discovered these past few years, one of the advantages to developing a musical career while serving in the military is the down time it has afforded him to cultivate his craft while being deployed in foreign territories. Raised in Mountain […]
Look for Trouble with Gary
Recent Articles The Alchemist Gary is a music collaboration between long-time friends, Jayson Gerycz (Cloud Nothings) on the drums and Gary Spolarich (vocals, guitar, bass). While Jayson was on a break from touring and Gary was living in Washington D.C, “Ideas Riding” was recorded. According to Gary, an album’s worth of songs were written in […]
Ting Lin – International Influences and Expressions
Ting Lin is a multilingual multigenre experimental pop-fusion artist with a passion for fashion and Zumba. A trained pianist and vocalist, she enjoys exploring blending international influences both musically and lyrically, with broad influences which began with exploring her Chinese heritage along with her time living on both coasts of the United States.
Ting joins the Alchemicast: with Andy Reed to talk about the inspirations and songwriting methodology behind songs like “Te Quiero” (“I Love You”) about a long-distance relationship with Spanish guitar instrumentation and lyrics that remind you of a classic Latin love song. She also has written songs in Cantonese (“Dream Chaser) and in Mandarin (“NvWoRen”).
Go Back to Summer Nights with The Jared Stout Band
Recent Articles The Alchemist When Jared Stout moved to Denver, Colorado to start his songwriting career in 2018, the Jared Stout Band was formed. After receiving an overwhelming amount of attention and support for his single “Home” from his home town of Roanoke, Virginia, he moved back home to gather the best musicians he could […]
Dior Ashley Brown – The Pinnacle of DC Music on Alchemicast
Without a doubt, Dior Ashley Brown’s is one of Washington D.C.’s driving creative forces. Her accomplishments as a solo artist alone would be enough to cover in one episode of Alchemicast: with Andy Reed. However, this member of DC area super group, Iza Flo, is also the founder of local music business education platform, DC Music Summit, a local nonprofit hosting an annual event put together by an incredible team of volunteers and hoping to offer more value to DMV musicians in 2021.
Join this multifaceted artist and entrepreneur as she discusses influences, Hollywood, food, Nipsey Hussle, why she prefers wine over beer, how some indoor concert venues have been opening up their parking lots for outdoor events to keep business alive, and so much more…including another installment of “This or That?” Tune in as she so beautifully describes what it is like to be an artist and represent the DMV area.
The Frontier Writes Song About Recent Break Up, “Shattered”
The Frontier is a one man indie/acoustic project emerging from the D.C. area that combines indie rock and acoustic pop to make a unique sound of it’s own. Formed in 2016, the band has already garnered the likes of producer Austin Bello (Universal Records and Forever the Sickest Kids). Together they have released 3 ep’s along with 2 singles and amassed fans from all over the world just from digital releases alone. You can expect a lot more music as well as performances coming soon from the band.
