The lads are joined by writer, director, comic book artist and creator Christian Gossett.

Christian is on the show to champion the groundbreaking Akira Kurosawa film, Seven Samurai (1954). But first, because it's near the holidays, they discuss their favorite Christmas movies.

Christian got an early chance to design for the Star Wars universe Old Republic, and, as part of that process, created the double-bladed lightsaber. As he did this work, he did a deep dive into George Lucas's influences. One of those was Seven Samurai. The movie has had a huge influence on Christian's work.

Christian is more than a fan of Kurosawa -- he's deeply engaged with the director's process and history and is knowledgeable about both.

If you enjoy the Star Wars universe, the work of Kurosawa, and how those two worlds tie together, don't miss this episode!

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Spencer Evans is a working musician in Kingston, Ontario. He joins Mark and Joe to discuss the influence that Ray Charles had on him as piano player and entertainer, as well as the impact that Charles had on the history of music in America and the world.

Spencer is an old pal of Mark’s, back from their days at Queen’s University (in Kingston, ON), when they were both members of the cabaret group, Queen’s Players.

“I know for a fact that Spencer can play the hell out of a Ray Charles song. And sing the hell out of it too!” Mark says of Spencer’s choice of musical pick.

“He embodies everything that music is to me. The passion, the artistry, the individuality, the fighting against chaos,” Spencer says. He talks about how many facts of Ray Charles’ early life were stacked against him, yet did not prevent him from becoming an incredibly influential figure in American music.

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Singer, podcaster and producer Lauren LoGrasso drops by to talk about one of her favorite pieces of music, Vienna, by Billy Joel.

The song is having a bit of a renaissance for its age-positive message and it's had a huge influence on Lauren's own work in music.

The Michigan State grad is a creative best known for her work as a singer/songwriter, public speaker, actor, and Webby Award Winning podcast host. She also interned on the Ellen DeGeneres show.

The three have a great conversation about her work on some of Joe's favorite podcasts, she dispenses some advice for young podcasters, and shares her hopes for her music.

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Joe and Mark are joined by Cathi Bond, Canadian writer, broadcaster and novelist.

Joe and Cathi used to work together at the CBC, where Cathi was the “Video Diva.” She had a great gig, watching movies and talking about them on air.

Music is another huge passion in Cathi's life, and informs her choice of art. It’s also an integral part of her writing process. She says her writing sessions often start with building a play list that she’d play while writing.

Cathi is the author of the Woman of Good Standing Trilogy.

It's a fun conversation about music, singing, and the joy of being creative!

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Ruth Abernethy, sculptor of some of the most iconic public art in Canada, joins the podcast to discuss her work.

Ruth has been a sculptor for more than thirty years, documenting in bronze many quintessential Canadian figures, such as Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, and Margaret Atwood.

Her connection to the theatre world goes quite deep. She began her career at Stratford, creating the sets and decorations that helps the festival bring Shakespeare to life.

Her commissions can be found across Canada, including at Queen's Park, Ontario's legislature, where visitors can see her rendition of Queen Elisabeth II, near Queen Victoria.

Mark, Joe and Ruth have a fascinating conversation about Ruth's work, her passion for creation, and her recent book.

For fans of art, this is an episode not to be missed!

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Independent filmmaker Jen Prince joins Mark and Joe to discuss one of her favorite shows, Veronica Mars.

As an indie filmmaker, Jen has had to wear a lot of different hats, including producer and director. She did acting in her undergrad, but soon discovered a talent for producing theatre. She then went to USC for film school, where she did a graduate degree. She’s worked in television, including reality TV shows such as The Amazing Race. Eventually, she landed on producing indie movies and teaching when she’s not making films.

Jen picked Veronica Mars because of the strong female character. It’s also a coming of age story, which Jen loves. She loved the cinematography. She loved the fact that it was a noir set in a high school and that it was coming of age story. She loved the acting, particularly Kristen Bell’s, who came of age as an actor during the show.

If you haven’t watched Veronica Mars before hearing Jen, you’ll want to after!

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Author Peter Darbyshire joins the lads to champion the classic Roger Zelazny fantasy series, The Chronicles of Amber.

A writer of fantasy and literary fiction himself, Peter encountered the series when he was in elementary school.

This is the second time that Zelazny has come up on the podcast.

“For me, Roger Zelazny is one of the reasons I wanted to become a writer,” says Peter. “It was coming across The Chronicles of Amber that changed everything that a book could be. They’re the best noir-fantasy-scifi-horror-political-thriller-family-drama-literary-fiction-metaphysical-inquiry that I’ve read,” Peter quips.

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com

Joe and Mark are joined by Christopher Guerin, poet and music aficionado, who is on the podcast to champion the work of classical Indian musician Ravi Shankar.

Christopher spent twenty-six years in the symphony orchestra business, including twenty as President of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. After that he went on to work for Sweetwater ("the world's leading music technology and instrument retailer") as a VP.

Since retiring, he's been putting his English degrees to work as a writer. He started out writing short stories and has become a poet, focused on ekphrastic sonnets. (In his case, poems that describe, or are influenced by, specific images.)

The trio take a deep dive into the history and current state of poetry before discussing the music of Ravi Shankar.

Shankar's sitar music was in the background as Christopher wrote his sonnet sequence, My Human Disguise.

"Ravi Shankar's music is so overwhelmingly complex and free that when I have it in the background I can concentrate on the poems and rhymes in a way that I can't with any other music," Christopher explains.

He's also a huge fan of Shankar's daughter, Anoushka, in particular a piece called Jannah. [clip below]

"You can hear the same piece over and over again and you'll think it's brand new because of the complexity of the music," he says.

Christopher makes a great case for authors to listen to raga while they write.

For more information, check out the show notes for this episode.

Re-Creative is produced by Donovan Street Press Inc. in association with MonkeyJoy Press.

Contact us at joemahoney@donovanstreetpress.com