Business Jazz - 5th October 2012 - Lists

Welcome to episode two of the BusinessJazz podcast, or as Paul would say: the second pilot.

We’re making progress. This week we have an intro. We also have a producer.

Our producer is Mark Cotton, and he is so much more than that. He is a sound engineer, sounding board, musician, “stunt guitarist” (we haven’t asked), composer, wrangler, adviser and all-round solid human being. We don’t know where or how to start thanking Mark, whom serendipity placed in our path. Please check him out on his About.me page. On twitter he’s @mcfontaine.

We also have to say a big thank you to Sarah Langston, Mark’s partner, who has stepped in to record an intro while our voice artist recovers from an ill-fated encounter with some food. (Get well Jane). Sarah recorded our current voiceover with grace and elegance at short notice. You can find her on Twitter under the handle @misspheric.

Sarah and Mark bring the band of people associated with the production of this podcast to five, not counting ourselves. The others are Chris Brogan (our inspiration), Jane Boyd (our cheerleader, our rock), and James Macolgan (the man who thought of the podcast in the first place). We hope to add to this troupe.

Of course, there is a second group without whom we couldn’t do this. You. Thank you for letting us into your lives.

By the way, if you want your own copy of the emails written by Chris that we discuss in this podcast, please go to his website and sign up. He’s also at Human Business Works.

We’re working on some artwork for the podcast. Once we have it, we’ll push the programme to iTunes and the Blackberry and Zune libraries. You’ll be able to find us easier that way.

If you’d like to get in touch, we’d welcome feedback. You can reach us via Marketing Write Now (Paul) and The Digital Storyteller (Roger).

Thank you for listening.


The Business Jazz Band

PS - In the podcast, Paul mentions the Cluetrain Manifesto. You can find out more here: The Cluetrain Manifesto.

PPS - Would you like to hear more? We sometimes record an afters session on Audioboo. This is this week's:

listen to ‘Review of the podcast #businessjazz with @rogeroverall ’ on Audioboo

The Business October 10th 2012, The "SUPER BURRITO" Edition

The San Francisco Comedy and Burrito Festival is NOW! We plan to spend the weekend celebrating our two favorite things to indulge in late at night in the dark, COMEDY AND BURRITOS. This week, The Business has wrapped up some of the best guests of the fest into a super warm, spicy, delicious comedy experience.
 

From Seattle, Wash., Barbara Holm has performed at the San Francisco Sketchfest, the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Bumbershoot Arts festival, and the Women in Comedy Festival in Boston. Her comedy has been described as clever, unique, idiosyncratic, and exuberant. Seattle City Arts Magazine called her a “comedy wizard.” The Bay Area’s Spinning Platters says, “She’s noted for her wit, one-liners and off-center humor.” Seattle Stranger newspaper described her as an “adorable wunderkind” and Barbara describes herself as “running away from this question to hide under the desk right now.”

Andy Haynes was raised on salmon and caffeine, in the shadows of Mt. Rainier in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. He now lives in Los Angeles, where he is a comedian, though he looks like he should be skippering a sailing regatta. With performances on Conan, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and the New Faces showcase at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, Andy is becoming a must see performer.

 

George Peyton Gordon III (yes that is his real name) is a comedian from Dale City, VA, (or as he likes to call it, the great state of Virginia). He currently lives in New York City where you can see his stand-up almost every night, then argue with him about things like which is the better Weezer album—Pinkerton or Blue (definitely Pinkerton)—or why Alien is better than Aliens (because it just is). He has been in the New York Underground Festival, The Bridgetown Comedy Festival in Portland, OR, The Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Austin, TX and his writing has been included in the blog Rock Bottom. (Read it.) He has an unhealthy obsession with using parentheses.

For 3 years and counting, Alice “Pretty-in-a-Not-Shitty-Way” Wetterlund has performed her non-yelling brand of comedy all over, at such clubs as Comix and Broadway Comedy Club, UCBNY and San Francisco’s Punchline, and on such critically-acclaimed shows as College Humor Live, Big Terrific, and Tigerlily, as well as at Bridgetown and Women in Comedy Festivals. She’s appeared in numerous sketches for shows like “Meatsteak is Dead” at Webster Hall, “Mad Men Jumps the Shark” for Landline TV, and the web series “It Gets Betterish” from Eliot Glazer and Brent Sullivan. She’s also starred in TV commercials for AT&T, Budweiser, BMW and Maxwell House, because she’s a real artist! She’s written for Slate Magazine and Night Of The Living with Kurth Braunholer, and the rest of the time she was caring for her special-needs cat, Sparkles (R.I.P.)
We miss you, Sparkles.

As always, it’s a $5 show, and you can bring a friend for FREE!!! if you bring one of our 2-for-1 coupons. That’s $5 more you have to spend on burritos.

The Business has always been BYOBurrito, but this time, WE MEAN IT. BRING BURRITOS. EAT DELICIOUS BURRITOS AND WATCH COMEDY. YOLO BITCHES.

The Business October 3rd 2012, The "Cool Hand Joe" Edition

Though The Business does not endorse any criminal act, we definitely endorse badass stories about robbing banks.

The truly thrilling part about Joe Loya’s story is his own transformation, but along the way… he robs banks. ROBS BANKS. I mean, we’ve all thought about it if we get into a bank line too soon after seeing Point Break, but this guy DID IT. A BUNCH. It’s a pleasure to welcome him to The Business.

Joe’s essays and book reviews have been published in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, UTNE Reader, Washington Post and other national newspapers and magazines. In 2002 he wrote and performed his one-man show, The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell, at the Thick House in San Francisco. He has appeared on CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, FOX’s O’Relly Factor, and other TV shows to comment on cultural events. In 2007 the documentary Protagonist featured the story of his radical life change. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell: Confessions of a Bank Robber (the New Yorker called it “…genuinely thrilling…”). He regularly speaks at universities, conferences, and to business groups, to talk about the creative power we can unleash in our lives when we own our story. In 2009, with national award-winning editor and writer Kerry Tremain, he co-founded Own Your Story to help folks find illumination and change in their lives through the transformative power of writing one’s life story.

We are also pleased to have friend of The Business, Kevin O’Shea joining us this week.

Kevin O’Shea is a comedian. He is large and covered in hair. He no longer wears glasses. He has been described as dark, dry, sharp, oaky and full of tannins. He might have read that off a bottle of wine. He has been featured on IFC and Comedycentral.com. He has appeared at the 2010 & 2011 SF Sketchfest and the 2010 Bridgetown Comedy Festival.

We SELL OUT! So if you want a seat, make sure you’re there before 8. BYOBurrito and remember, mild salsa is for sissies.

The Business September 26th 2012, The "The Business is Back in Business" Edition

The Business has been Chris-less for some time now. NOT THIS WEEK! We’ve got not just one, but TWO! Both Garcia and Thayer have been in the land of dreams (and in LA) but they’re back and better than ever and they’re gonna be at the Business this week! Also, Alex has returned from being a road warrior Max Rockatansky-style and will be back in his business saddle again. That means all the regulars are assembling, forming a Voltron-esqe defender of the humorverse!

Chris, Chris, Sean, Alex, Bucky, Caitlin and Mike have made room for only one guest this week. Luckily, he’s a doozy.

“Jarrod Harris‘ act is an oddly comfortable mix of trailer-park filth, comic angst and hipster irony. While his style may fit into several categories along the comedy spectrum, his clever writing only fits into one: funny.” Noah Gardenswartz – Creative Loafing.

Over 20 million people have seen Jarrod’s popular Action Figure Therapy characters and most recently the series was named LA Weekly’s “Top Comic To Watch in 2012″. His character Jungle was also featured on the front page of the Huffington Post Comedy section in 2011. Jarrod has also been seen on TBS’ Lopez Tonight and Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. Campus Activities Magazine named him as one of the Hot Comics of 2009 and Top Comics to Watch in 2010. In 2009 Jarrod was final 4 at the San Francisco Comedy Competition and in 2010 was invited back for Detroit Comedy Festival’s “Best of Fest” as well as host of 2010/2011 Laughing Skull Festival. Jarrod spends his time in LA and is a regular performer at independent shows as well as the Improvs, Comedy Store, Laugh Factory, and in 2010 had the pleasure of hosting a Comedy Death Ray show.

It is a pleasure to welcome him back to The Business.

Come join us! We SELL OUT, so get there before 8 and nab a seat. BYOBurrito. (Bring 8 more to share with us.)

The Business September 19th 2012, The "Lil Rascals in the City" Edition

This week at The Business, Our Gang is welcoming a few Lil Rascals to San Francisco.

Cameron Buchholtz is a stand up comedian based in Austin, TX. He is a regular at comedy clubs across the country, has done theater shows with the likes of Doug Benson and Todd Barry, rock clubs with Michael Ian Black and Neil Hamburger, and festivals such as FunFunFunFest and the Norman Music Festival. He is also the host of the laid back interview podcast 'CB Radio', where every week he sits down with some of the biggest

names in comedy and pop culture. He is proudly from Oklahoma. He is SO totally an Alfalfa.

Dave Child started his career as a senior officer of Emerson College's acclaimed sketch troupe: Chocolate Cake City. Dave co-wrote the screenplay: Will Triumph Fights Alone, which won the Film Artist Network’s Boston Screenplay Competition, was represented at The Cannes Film Festival and was later adapted into a comic book, illustrated by Death of Superman artist: Jon Bogdanove. Since then, Will Triumph has been optioned to ABC Family Channel as a one-hour drama. Dave came to Los Angeles to make comedy videos and web series for Warner Brothers Studios. He currently performs stand up all the country for the nation’s top clubs (The Comedy Store, The Comedy Studio, The Improv, etc.) and most popular alternative comedy shows: HOLY FUCK! (“One of the best alternative comedy shows in Los Angeles.”- LA Weekly), One-Two-Punch (a featured show in the LA Times), and What's Up Tiger Lily? (The Onion's "Comedy Pick"). He’s SUCH a Spanky.

Jono Zalay grew up in beautiful San Diego, where upon becoming a stand-up comic, he quickly grew tired of good weather and happy times. So he packed all his belongings and boarded a plane to Boston. His belongings boarded a plane to Philadelphia and were never seen again. In 2010-11, he became a staple at comedy festivals around the country, winning all of them in the “most fun” category that he made up. His unique and informed background brings a perspective to stand-up comedy unequaled by almost any PhD in Neuroscience. What a total Waldo!

Join our guests and the regulars, Caitlin Gill (total Darla), Bucky Sinsiter (BUTCH), Mike Drucker (like, completely Woim) and Sean Keane (man, wish the only two left weren’t Porky and Buckwheat… Can I just say Sean possesses Buckwheat’s impeccable comedic timing and Porky’s irrisitable charm? I DIDN’T JUST SAY SOMETHING RACIST OR CALL SEAN FAT, DID I?!?)

This whole darn show is just $5 measly dollars.  Remember! We sell out! Get there by 8 if you want a seat.

The Business September 12th 2012, The "TV’S Erin Judge Judy and Foxmeat News" Edition

New Business Logo courtesy of Dr. Foxmeat

Last week’s Members Only show was great fun, but it’s time we got some guests back in the Business. This week we have two of our favorites with their funnies.

Dr. Foxmeat began his comedy career with a soaring howl under a full moon. He has the sharp jokes of a seasoned comedian, and a furry beard that looks like it may contain fallen seasonings. He looks like he knows the value of a set of human teeth on an unsettled prairie, but also looks like he could roll you a doobie without using his thumbs. He has wandered down to SF from the wilds of Humboldt County for your entertainment. He is a doctor, he is a fox, he is meat.

Erin Judge began her career at the Comedy Studio in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and now she lives in New York and performs all over the world. Erin's first stand-up album, So Many Choices, was released by Rooftop Comedy in 2012. She travels with the Pink Collar Comedy Tour and co-produces The Afterlife, a weekly comedy showcase in New York City. Erin has appeared on Comedy Central, in Time Out New York as Joke of the Week, and in the pages of the New York Times.

(Any resemblance to Fox News or Judge Judy is purely coincidental.)

This is a $5 show. (JUST $5!!!) BYOBurrito, and remember, WE SELL OUT. Get there by 8 if you want a seat. No one turned away without a high five.

The Business September 5th 2012, The "LONG SETS WOLFGANG KILL THEM ALL" Edition

This week, the Business has called a private meeting of our Board of Directors. It’s all regulars this week, including our latest, greatest hire, Mike Drucker.

Sean Keane has the mind of a genius and the face of a newborn. His cheeks are like tea leaves, stare into them deeply and you will know your future. You’ll love him so much you will want to take his jokes home in your pocket, but don’t! They’re his.

Alex Koll is Awesome. The Awesome. Air Guitar HERO. And an impossibly talented filmmaker.

And a top notch writer. And a member of the legendary sketch group Boomtime, which means he can be appropriately described as the Bomb.

Caitlin Gill will make your dreams come true. Especially if you dream of really funny stand-up comedy. Or if you dream of homemade Twinkies. She can do that too.

Bucky Sinister is an irrepressible talent. A poet, author, and comedian who can also swing, snatch, clean, and jerk a kettlebell that weighs more than you do. Even though his arms could crush you, and one of them has a panther and a snake fighting on it, you will still want a hug.

Mike Drucker has written for SNL and the Onion, which are things of which you have totally heard. His jokes give comedians boners. Even the comedians with vaginas. BONERS. We are very pleased he has joined our fine organization.

Please keep in mind, this show sells out. Get there on time if you want a seat!