ICW
a.k.a. In Conversation With
-
In conversation with Billy Carrión: pushing toward ‘Higher Standards’
Billy Carrión grew up in a family of singers. With his father being a salsa singer, Carrión was constantly surrounded by music; not just Latin, but a little bit of everything. This allowed him to become well-rounded, to fall in love with Jazz through passion. Jazz holds a universal conversation on the stage and is…
-
In conversation with Chris Messineo: bringing ‘The Strange Dark’ to light
Before movies ever felt like a career path, they felt like a kind of magic for Chris Messineo. Growing up, Messineo believed the people who made films lived somewhere far away on the West Coast, in a world that felt unreachable. It wasn’t until his twenties, as independent film began flourishing outside of Hollywood, that…
-
In conversation with Ron Gallo: honesty over expectation
Ron Gallo never set out to be a musician. In fact, picking up a guitar came without much intention at all. “I can’t say there really was much of a passion to play guitar,” he admits. “I kind of just thought it was a thing I should have.” “I think the thing I was most…
-
In conversation with Michael Klam: an inside look at the San Diego Poetry Annual
San Diego, known for its weather, tourist attractions, and beaches, is also the home of a vibrant and creative community: San Diego Poetry Annual. Bill Harding, an author, novelist, and poet, started the San Diego Poetry Annual in 2005. The first publication invited poets and writers from all around San Diego, serving as a community effort to publish as many writers as possible in the annual. “Bill Harding is really the driving force; he put together a team of editors over the…
-
In conversation with Ricky Byrd: bringing stories of rock ’n’ roll and recovery to RiverJAM Music
Like many musicians of his generation, Ricky Byrd’s relationship with music shifted the moment he watched The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. “There was a lot of music in my house,” Byrd recalled. “My parents were divorced at that point, so we were living with my grandparents, and there was always music playing—but…
-
In conversation with Uchenna Agbu: educating future artists
Uchenna Agbu wears many hats: director, writer, arts manager, HR consultant, just to name a few. But her most important hat, one that encompasses her fullest passion and career, is educator. In 2024, Uchenna made her Broadway debut as a management fellow in the revival of Our Town while freelance directing. Most recently, she created…
