MFM SPEAKS OUT

Legendary Afrobeat guitarist Leon "Kaleta" Ligan-Majekodunmi joins "MFM Speaks Out" to share his 50-year journey through music, activism, and survival. From growing up in Benin and Lagos to touring with Fela Kuti, King Sunny Adé, Shina Peters, and Lauryn Hill, Kaleta reflects on Afrobeat as both a musical language and a political force. The conversation explores Kaleta’s firsthand experiences inside Fela’s world, and what it means to carry cultural responsibility as an artist in diaspora. Along the way, Kaleta reflects on immigration, artistic survival, gun violence in America, and why music must always carry a message. This is a powerful, unfiltered look at Afrobeat’s past, present, and future — told by someone who lived it.

September 4th, 2025, at 7 pm, Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (MUSICIANS FOR MUSICIANS President, musician and band leader) and Roger Blanc (MFMSenior Board member) were invited by WKCR FM radio host Sharif Abdus Salaam (Jazz Alternatives) to announce MFM's 10th Anniversary Event at NY's THE CUTTING ROOM, which happened the next day on September 5th. In this interview, they talked about MFM's 10-year history of music activism. In between, Sharif played music by MFM senior members Joe Lovano and Arturo O'Farrill, and at the end, by Sohrab, also known as SoSaLa, "Enough Is Enough."

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle and Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi discuss the 10th Anniversary of the Founding of MFM.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle comes out of retirement to present a 2023 retrospective.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews guitarist, and Live Skull co-founder Mark Chimples, a.k.a. Mark C.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Flutist, saxophonist, guitarist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator, inventor Sylvain Leroux

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Australian flautist, pianist, composer, and music educator Keyna Wilkins.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Adam Reifsteck; composer, electronic music artist, producer, entrepreneur, and music activist.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle interviews Haana Thiem (professionally known as Haana); vocalist, violinist, electronic music artist, and visual performer.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle offers a summary of our progress as a podcast and of MFM as a whole during the year 2022, and shares music from our guests.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle interviews April Centrone, a multi-instrumentalist (specializing in the riqq, darbuka, frame drum, trap drum, and oud), co-founder of the New York Arabic Orchestra, teacher, composer, film producer and director, and music therapist based in NY / NJ.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle interviews NY's composer and music educator Hubert Howe.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle interviews Jeff Slatnick, owner and operator of Music Inn NYC.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Bruce Lee Gallanter, the owner and proprietor of Downtown Music Gallery.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews William Parker; bassist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser, performer, and music educator.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Baba Don Eaton. Eaton is a percussionist and master of African Drumming, performer, and music educator.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Banning Eyre. Banning is a writer, guitarist and producer, and the senior editor and producer of the public radio program Afropop Worldwide.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle interviews Neel Murgai. Neel is a sitarist, overtone singer, percussionist, composer, teacher, and Co-Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, a raga inspired musician's collective.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle interviews Ariel Hyatt. Ariel is a digital marketer, writer, and teacher who assists independent musicians in career development.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Ken Butler; musician, experimental musical instrument builder, and visual artist.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Dawoud Kringle offers a summary of our progress as a podcast and of MFM as a whole during the year 2021, and shares music from our guests.

In this episode of the "MFM Speaks Out," Adam Reifsteck interviews Brooklyn-based producer and powerhouse performer Anne Wichman about immigrating to the United States from Germany and finding a home in the New York underground Indie Electronica music scene.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Jeffrey Green, a professional sales engineer, musician, composer, and theorist with Sweetwater, the world’s largest online musical instrument retailer, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Michael Harrison, composer, pianist, music educator, and retailer.

In this episode of the "MFM Speaks Out," Adam Reifsteck interviews singer-songwriter, DJ, and producer Flaviyake (aka Duck The Bass) about the importance of combining multiple musical skills to achieve lasting success, immigrating to the United States, the issue of gender inequality in the music industry, and the biggest challenges musicians and DJs face in the current digital landscape.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Alina Bloomgarden, founder and producer of Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Lincoln Center Reel to Real series, and Music on the Inside.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews German saxophonist and composer Axel Mueller about his work as a musician and activist which led to co-founding a new union in Germany called Pro Musik that supports freelance musicians.

This episode of MFM Speaks Out will be different from our usual format. Dawoud Kringle will be interviewing an anonymous professional musician (referred to as Dave) who is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic. Our discussion will center around alcoholism, drug abuse, and substance abuse recovery among musicians.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews conductor and pianist Geraldine Anello about immigrating to the United States from France in her early 20s which ultimately led to a career as a Broadway musician.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Royal Bayyan. Royal is a songwriter, guitarist, producer, Music Supervisor, Personal Manager, Executive Brand Consultant, a former member of Kool & the Gang, concert and tour producer, and artist mentor.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews composer, guitarist, and MFM Board member Roger Blanc about navigating today's music industry landscape, adapting and finding ways to work as a musician during the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of music rights advocacy, and his involvement with MFM.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (a.k.a. SoSaLa). Ladjevardi is a saxophonist, composer, improviser, producer, entrepreneur, activist, and the founder and president of Musicians For Musicians.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews multi-instrumentalist Chris Reza about his work in the Broadway music scene and activism while serving as vice-chair of the Broadway Theatre Committee, the liaison between the Broadway Musicians Community and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Oakland, California based guitarist Karl Evangelista is among the new wave of 21st century experimental / improvisational musicians. His work blends contemporary improvised music with popular song, 20th century composition, psychedelic rock, free jazz, and multicultural concepts.

In this episode of "MFM Speaks Out," Adam Reifsteck interviews an electronic musician and founder of sampling record label Illegal Art who goes by the alias Philo Farnsworth about the use of samples in recorded music and its legal implications as well as his latest collaboration with the improvisatory ensemble the Shoshin Trio.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Cecile DeLaurentis, commonly known as DeLaurentis. DeLaurentis is a French innovative electronic musician and producer. She studied music at the Perpignan Conservatory and Jazz Musicology at the University of Mirail in Toulouse. Her work has been described as electro-cinematic music and stands out from most other electronic music artists as having an emotional and beautiful quality. She developed a unique style and technique for performance and voice manipulation with innovative use of Ableton software and hardware.

In this episode of the MFM Podcast, Adam Reifsteck interviews leading arts and culture critic and New York Times bestselling author William Deresiewicz about his new book that explores how artists are managing to make a living today in this digital era and how exploitation and instant gratification have changed our perceptions of art.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Sal Cataldi a guitarist, composer, improviser, producer, a contributor to nysmusic.com, MFM member, and founder of Cataldi Public Relations Inc

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews trumpeter and producer Donald Malloy, aka Wave Magnetik, on livestreaming and other creative ways to monetize your music online.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews LaRonda Davis, National President of the Black Rock Coalition, co-founder and CCO of Flaming Voni Productions, and Group Creative Director of Publicis.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews percussionist and composer Ed Hartman. The topics discussed include the evolution of Hartman's music career, the challenges musicians continue to face during the coronavirus pandemic, and how to get started in the world of sync licensing as a lucrative income stream.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews master pianist, composer, producer, music educator, music activist, and MFM Advisory Committee Member Arturo O'Farrill. The topics discussed include the evolution of Latin Jazz, O'Farrill's work as a composer, his recent CD release and collaboration with Dr. Cornel West "Four Questions," his involvement with Musicians For Musicians, music activism, and his spiritual philosophies on music.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews Broadway music director Keith Levenson about the evolution of his music career over the years, how the pandemic has affected the livelihood of professional musicians, and the importance of coming together as a community to be advocates for change. "85% of people are more scared of financial ruin than dying of COVID." - Keith Levenson

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Austin TX based guitarist, singer, songwriter & producer Jackie Venson. The topics discussed include Venson’s beginnings, her stylistic development, her approach to music video, her business model, her experiences as a professional musician during the COVID-19 pandemic, and racism & sexism in the music business.

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out podcast, Adam Reifsteck interviews composer and pianist Peter Wetzler about the evolution of his music career over the years, how current events are affecting the livelihood of professional musicians, and the importance of coming together as a community to become advocates for change.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews Mark Deutsch. Deutsch is a California based composer, improviser, classically trained contrabassist and sitarist, and the inventor of the Bazantar; one of the most beautiful and unique instruments in the world. The topics discussed include Deutsch’s beginnings, his experiences and insights as a professional musician, the inspiration behind the Bazantar, and his experiences as a professional musician during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews DJ and producer Jeannie Hopper about the evolution of the underground club scene in New York, the issue of gender inequality in the music industry, and the biggest problems musicians and DJs face in the current digital landscape.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Dawoud Kringle interviews guitarist Stephen Johnson about the changes in the music scene in Johnson's native Staffordshire (UK), Cork County (Ireland), and the US, the issues facing musicians today (especially in the pandemic), the need for community and solidarity, and the founding of the MFM Hudson Valley Chapter, which is MFM's first chapter outside New York City.

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out podcast, Chris St. Hilaire and host Adam Reifsteck discuss the importance of coming together as a music community to support each other especially during times of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of the "MFM Speaks Out" podcast, Dawoud Kringle interviews Jeffrey James, founder of Jeffery James Arts Consulting. The topics discussed included the founding and mission of Jeffery James Arts Consulting and the future of contemporary classical music.

In this episode of the "MFM Speaks Out" podcast, Adam Reifsteck interviews Mario Guarneri, trumpeter and founder of Jazz in the Neighborhood about how the enactment of California's Assembly Bill 5 is affecting musicians.

In this episode of the MFM Speaks Out  podcast, Dawoud Kringle interviewed pianist, singer, songwriter, composer, music educator, and music rights activist Lyndol Descant.

In this episode of MFM Speaks Out podcast, co-host Adam Reifsteck interviews guitarist, composer, and music rights activist Ken Hatfield on the topic of Music Copyright Issues and What Musicians Need to Know.

In the debut episode of the MFM SPEAKS OUT podcast series, host Dawoud Kringle interviews saxophonist, composer, music educator, and music rights activist Dave Liebman.