Tourganic

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

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

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