TTP #13- Bassist Pete Shand: Purveyor of Heavy Low Frequency in a Groovy Style

New Tourganic Podcast episode!

This episode's guest is bassist Pete Shand from the New Mastersounds. Pete is a road warrior and has been through the hard partying cycle of touring and now is striving to create a more sustainable way of life on the road through a plant-based diet and daily stretching routines. Physical issues with his back also forced Pete to take a hard look at touring lifestyle and search for answers on how to continue to keep bringing his talents to the world.

In this conversation:

• His daughters influence on going vegetarian and finding a healthy way to maintain on the road

• Making the most of your time offstage while on tour to improve your show performance 

• The importance of stretching for his back problems and physical issues

• Daily plantbased protein shake w flax/chia seeds coconut water and garden of life greens

• Avoiding burnout over years on the road

• Getting back to show ready before tours

• Discipline of being in the military and transferring those skills after discharge

• Perspective gained from traveling

• Link of simplicity and vegetarian diet

• Preparation for gigs and constantly feeling like you have to work harder than the next guy 

• The role of the bass player

New Podcast Episode with Rapper Kuf Knotz!

This episode's guest is Rapper Kuf Knotz. Kuf has been putting out killer records and touring all over for years and does so while maintaining a vegan lifestyle and sharing his positive message throughout the world.

In this conversation:

• Not having phone for a year and the freedom he gained from that experience

• Personal crisis and tragedy leading to growth

• Kuf’s spiritual path and exploration

• His path to veganism, stemming from his fathers death and learning from his family medical history

• Dr. Malachi York

• Importance of fasting

• 3 to 4 month cycle of diet: Fasting/Cleanse>Raw foods>Strict Vegan>Vegan

• His record Positive Light and making a positive album in the current culture of hiphop and how that record was a direct result of a raw diet. The effect that had on writing, lyrics, message

• Touring plant based vegan as a band and what that brought to the band as a whole, the performances and the value of eating together/building together

• XPN- Community outreach through music

• The importance of belief in your self and how that connects with health and maximizing your performance

  Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcasts app and visit www.tourganic.com for more info on this episode and living healthy on the road

  Tourganic Podcast Theme song 'The Path' written by David Bailis and this episode's musical interludes by Kuf Knotz

New Podcast Episode feat. Kalmia Traver

This episode's guest is Kalmia Traver- singer, saxophone player, songwriter, band leader and completely inspiring individual Kalmia Traver from the bands Rubblebucket and Kalbells. We cover a lot of territory in this episode from her transformation as a sax player in the horn section to front woman of an successful touring band. Her battle with cancer and the amazing story of touring while undergoing treatment and what helped her get through that time to her current state of living cancer free. We talk about how that experience affected her diet and the discipline to maintain that level of nutrition on the road. We also get into how mindfulness and meditation was a crucial factor in her survival and ability to thrive in the face of adversity. Kalmia's story is an inspiration to all of us who face tough challenges in our lives and how to look those straight in the face and beat them back. Her ability to thrive in the toughest of moments is incredible.

In this conversation:

• Transformation from section sax player to frontwoman

• ‘Cancer Tour’- How that reality shaped her growth as a performer and transcended to a mindfulness practice

• Inspiration sources- Tara Brock Podcast, Power of Now- Eckhart Tolle, Kelly Brogan- Melding eastern and Western healing techniques

• Touring with Cancer and the affect on diet and nutrition. Whole foods, organic, No sugar, No meat, minimal grains/seeds must be sprouted, sour dough bread, goat milk but no dairy, greens and veggies, lots of fats, fermented foods

• Salad Backpack!! And touring with a Nutribullet

• Playing shows and performing while fighting cancer causes a shift in perspective and elevated the connection with fans

• Sowing the seeds of self love and working to eliminate insecurities

• "The best career is the one that combines your greatest strengths with fulfilling what the world needs the most"

• Breaking through exhaustion and physical ’barriers’ on tour

• Rising above our perceived capabilities

• The healing process of creativity and Kalmia's goal of not only healing herself but others through music

  Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes and 

  Tourganic Podcast Theme song 'The Path' written by David Bailis and this episode's musical interludes by Kalbells

TTP #10- Wenzl McGowen on his Spiritual Journey and its Impact on his Life and his Saxophone Playing

Wenzl McGowen is an incredible force on the saxophone and member of the band Moon Hooch. This episode includes practical life advice for the touring musician, why the band went vegan together, the depth of the impact that meditation has had on his life as a musician and well constructed concepts about the nature of the universe and cosmos. We cover lots of ground in this episode from his upbringing on a completely isolated commune in Portugal to his touring life with Moon Hooch. In this conversation:

• The dynamics of touring with a band and concepts of conflict/resolution

• Playing in the moment and striving for freedom with his instrument and the tools he is using to achieve the 'flow state'

• Wenzl's path of Meditation. How he got into it, what it means and how it has manifested on his life including how meditation has transformed his stage experience

• Upbringing in a commune in Portugal. Lessons learned from his father who created and ran the commune and turning negative experiences into positive lessons in life

• Making the transition from living completely isolated on a commune with no outside influence to coming to NYC at age 18 for school

• How and why Wenzl became vegan. The significance of the band doing it together

• How Moon Hooch tours maintaining health on the road. Bringing a portable kitchen, cooking in the green room, foraging for wild plants and supporting co-ops

• Daily and pre-show rituals on tour

• Goals with his saxophone playing: Strategies to break out of preconceived patterns and musical ‘vocabularies’ and evolve to a system more based on numbers and shapes. How he is implementing this concept

• Influential books and documentaries in his life

  Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes and visit www.tourganic.com for more info on this episode and living healthy on the road

  Tourganic Podcast Theme song 'The Path' written by David Bailis and this episode's musical interludes by Moon Hooch

Photo Credit: Matthew Dimas

TTP #9- Drummer and Animal Rights Activist Tom Garrington on the Power of Questioning the Status Quo as a Musician and Vegan Advocate

Tom Garrington is not only a great drummer but also a committed vegan, animal rights activist and outspoken advocate for the plant-based movement. In this conversation:

• The "Best Speech You'll Ever Hear" and the moment where Tom's life changed direction and he became a strict vegan
• How Tom has been able to positively affect so many others and help them make the transition to a vegan diet
• The concept of voting with your dollar and the power we possess as consumers
• Developing the skills to face adversary and see difficult moments as oppurtunities for growth
• Specific documentaries, Vlogs, websites, activists and books that have been influential in Tom's path to veganism
• How important keeping an open mind has been in Tom's success as a musician and in his learning about the impacts of veganism 

  Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes

TTP #7- Trumpet Player Eric Benny Bloom on the Importance of Gaining Knowledge and Taking Chances

Eric Benny Bloom is the trumpet player extraordinaire from the bands Lettuce, Pretty Lights and his group Sonic Bloom. Eric is both hilarious and insightful when it comes to discussing health on the road.

In this conversation:

• What factors contributed to Eric making the transition to being vegan and how that affected his life overall and as a musician on the road
• What making the transition to a plant-based diet did for Eric’s trumpet playing
• Making the move to New Orleans and what continues to inspire him about being a part of the musicians community in NOLA
• Living as a vegan in New Orleans, a city traditionally characterized with a diet rich in animal products
• Show preparation, his diet on show days and eating before performances
• The importance of being truly educated about your endeavors and taking chances in life

Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes and 

Tourganic Podcast Theme song 'The Path' written by David Bailis and this episode's musical interludes by Eric Benny Bloom

TTP #4- Saxophonist Johnny 'Bones" from The California Honeydrops- Drops Some Knowledge About his Vegan Diet, Life on the Road and Staying "Aligned" with Mind, Body and Spirit on Tour

My guest this week is saxophone player Johnny 'Bones'. Johnny has been touring with The California Honeydrops for close to decade and he displays some serious skills on the sax. His solos are memorable to anyone attending a Honeydrops show. Johnny's approach to touring, his diet and his focus on health of mind, body and soul are an inspiration.

In this conversation:

• Johnny's path and why/how he went plant-based and how that decision has affected his ability to thrive on the road, overall wellbeing and happiness. 
• Thee crucial role that meditation, mindfulness and yoga have played in his life.
• When Johnny began to feel that classic 'run down' feeling after years on the road and how living a plant-based diet helped to turn that around.
• Connections between musicians and athletes as performance based mindsets where you must be at your highest level night after night and the discipline that it takes to maintain that consistency
• Books, Documentaries and other sources that have significantly changed Johnny's life and provided inspiration along the way

Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes 

TTP #3- Garrett Sayers on Music, the Evolution of his Healthy Diet and Living a Gluten Free Plant-based Diet on the Road

Virtuoso bass player Garrett Sayers has been laying down killer bass lines for his band the Motet for over a decade. As the band continues to tour nonstop, he has been a consistent example of how living healthy on the road is possible. Throughout his great career, Garrett has performed alongside a host of amazing artists and leads his own trio as well.

In this conversation:

• Garrett's path and why/how he went plant-based and how that decision has affected his ability to thrive on the road, overall wellbeing and happiness. 
• The point in which Garrett had reached his limit with physical pain and discomfort and cured his ailments through the process of an Elimination Diet.
• The revelation of living a gluten free, plant-based vegan diet and the benefits that brought for him.
• Connections between the discipline of health and music and how there is really no difference in his approach to both of these essential aspects of his life

Please take a moment to rate and review the podcast in iTunes

The Tourganic Podcast: Episode #2- Bass Player Jordan Scannella's Path to Healthy Living

Bass player Jordan Scannella is a force to be reckoned with. Jordan constantly tours internationally with the group Tortured Soul and manages to do this while living a plant-based lifestyle focused on health and maintaining wellness. Years ago, Jordan had a crazy experience of a 3 month prison stint in Japan for a minor offense and during that time he wrote all the lyrics for his first solo album, which grew to him fronting his own hiphop/funk band- Jorscan. In this conversation:

• Jordan's path and why/how he went plant-based and how that decision has affected his overall wellbeing and ability to thrive on the road. 
• How a juice fast propelled Jordan into a higher state of awareness of diet and how that transcended into his musicality and all aspects of his life.
• Jordan's run in with the law and incarceration for possession of a tiny amount of pot in Japan. How he took something that could have shook his psyche and derailed his career and turned it into a truly positive force in his life that continues to affect him daily. 

Beyond being a extremely gifted bass player and overall musician, Jordan is great human being with much wisdom to offer to the world. His path is an inspiration and I hope you enjoy the second episode of the Tourganic podcast. 

Please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast in iTunes- https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/tourganic-healthy-living-on-the-road/id1249586072