Another venue is exploring music this fall. The barn at the Stonebreaker on Markham Hill in Fayetteville will host the Lantern Sessions beginning Thursday, Aug. 27. The idea: bring together acclaimed Arkansas artists and guests across genres for a unique evening of music and conversation. First up on the 27th, Arkansas singer-songwriters Avery Lee and Paul Boatright, with Arkansas musician and songwriter Big Piph guiding the conversation. We asked Big Piph about his role for the evening and about a series that's devoted to erasing genre boundaries.
Big Piph: Yeah, I think a lot of it has been torn down amongst artists a long time ago in the sense of not only for artists respecting the other person's craft, because they see, even though it's a different genre, you can recognize the amount of talent and skill and craftsmanship a person puts into it. So I think it's now become a little bit more digestible to audiences. You know what I'm saying? And then just in general, I think sometimes, like before, when we didn't do it, people already listening across different genres and different music. It's just that still it was like, this is this type of show or this is this type show and this is this type show. When people's like playlist or jump from one to the other all the time.
Kellams: Yeah. I mean, people with record collections have Miles Davis and they have Run-D.M.C. and they have Bruce Springsteen.
Big Piph: Yeah. And it wasn't like it was a problem for all to coexist. Like it was just, oh, I like this music. And it might be different pockets of time. Like you might be in a Springsteen mode versus a Run-D.M.C. mode. But it was like, still, it wasn't weird for you to run across the gambit like that.
Kellams: So this is more of a, you were talking about the difference between being a performer and audience, and you've got this show. This is spontaneous. You like that. That's part A of this question. Part B is, are you a spontaneous person or are you meticulous and you like to have things set and strategized?
Big Piph: Yeah. So I mean, I'm taking it from the approach of a little bit of both. So I'm still like looking at it from as an entertainer, I'm still wanting to execute for the audience. Right? So it's like, even though the audience is there for more storytelling mixed with the music, I'm still looking at it like, what's a cohesive flow for the experience? So whenever I design something, I'm like, you enter a point and it's cool because the audience member is basically like giving you trust. So if I look at it like it's a black box before they enter the black box. Audience members like, I trust you to take me on a journey worthwhile that I'll give you my time and energy for. And so I'm still designing it to a degree of when they come out, the other side is like, oh, that was worthwhile. I'm glad I had a chance to experience that.
Kellams: I've talked to you once before and you're about positivity. You're a realist, but you're about positivity. Do you think an event like this can, how would I put this, have an impact on the audience and make them feel better or make them feel better about what's happening?
Big Piph: So I think just because I've had a chance to dabble into other artists' works and see their approach for it. And also, I know people putting together, including like Travis, I know the perspective they always come from. And so one of the perspective I always come from. It's interesting. So I always say I'm a realist, but I believe in progression, right? So I think that's where the positivity comes from because I think sometimes to get to the progression, you have to go through some more harder to chew through things, some problematic things. So as far as this, the way I'm approaching it is like this should ease. Wait for whenever what you gotta do next is refreshing, right? So it's not like I'm not necessarily, in other work I do, it's like I'm trying to give pragmatic tools that work. And this is less of that because it's still entertainment, but it's like sometimes a pragmatic tool is having a relaxation or being in an environment that actually eases you a bit. So when you go back outside to face the more difficult times, it's a little bit better. And you refresh.
Kellams: You mentioned you've delved into the artist's work. Have you talked with them? Do you guys have an idea of what you're going to talk about, or are you just going to kind of get up there and go with the flow?
Big Piph: Nah. So the thing is, so like, I will, so I'm also, I think hosting will be a lot more flow. Whatever people give me type thing. Yeah. So I haven't had a chance to talk to them yet. I probably will before, probably like next week, but I'm still kind of like, I kind of have an idea of the journey I want the people to come on. Right. And so I chose music that more. So some is what I normally do, but also some is like, hey, this piece helps tell the journey better, even if I've never performed it in years, you know what I'm saying?
Kellams: Where can people find out more about you?
Big Piph: Everything I have is just Big Piph, B-I-G-P-I-P-H, and yeah, I'm just around.
Kellams: All right. I look forward to when you're up here. Thank you so much for your time.
Big Piph: Cool. I appreciate you. Have a good one.
Big Piph will serve as the host for the inaugural night of the Lantern Sessions in the barn at the Stonebreaker on Markham Hill in Fayetteville, Thursday, Aug. 27. Doors will open at 6. The program is scheduled to begin at 7. The event is part of Arkansas Music Week that's taking place from the 23rd through the 30th. Ticket prices for the evening begin at $25. More information here.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline and edited for length and clarity. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review work. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue. The audio version is the authoritative record of KUAF programming.
