I began the Pullin from the Stacks podcast just over 10 years ago, publishing my first episode on October 19, 2014. The name is from the classic Digable Planets cut "Pacifics," a song which has a lot of meaning to me. I think I actually messed up and called it "Pullin from the Crates" for that first episode. The first record I played was a cover of Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" by the Jazz Piano Quartet. 

The first record I play on this episode is a different "Maiden Voyage" cover, this time by the Dalton Jazz Ensemble, a school band record I found at Recollect Records in Denver years ago. One of my favorite songs, I still search out any version I can. The next record is the first record I ever put on my Discogs "want list," Michael Sardaby's "Gail," after hearing a soundclip on Youtube one day. Even back then it was going for more money than I'd ever spent on a piece of wax. A few years later, I sold my old copy of Eminem's first 12" for a couple hundred, and immediately went to see if there were any copies of "Gail" available at the same price - and there were! I feel so lucky to have snagged one. The next record is from one of my favorite jazz compilations, this one out of Hungary in the early 70s. I highly recommend it, the whole record is gorgeous, it's called "Modern Jazz Anthology X" and folks are sleeping on it! Staying in the same part of the world, I was introduced to Romanian jazz legend Johnny Cretu Raducanu after hearing a few Electrecord releases he had played on. The cover of this 10" and his own cover of Charles Mingus's "Haitian Fight Song" drove me to track down a copy online. The whole record is stunning. Speaking of stunning it is hard to find words to describe the beauty of this masterpiece by Winston Mankunku Ngozi, often referred to as South Africa's John Coltrane. It is a desert island record. The following tune, from the Roy Haynes Trio, is one I heard on Karriem Riggins masterful mix, "Music Kaleidoscope," and had to track down. I found it one weekend in a super random record store deep in Long Island. The Chucho Valdes represents my love of Cuban jazz; while I didn't find this record during my time in Havana, I did get hip to Mr. Valdes and months afterword dug this out of a crate on the floor under a table at the WMFU record fair. The Milton Banana cut I play here is from the first record of his I bought, I think at Human Head back in the day. He's killing it on the drums!! I don't remember when I first heard this RF 45 - maybe Junior played it? - but it's a gem, had to track one down. And Green Caterpillar man...I first heard this when Rev Shines played it YEARS ago on KBOO during Jumbo's "Beat Jeopardy" show. I remember being like "wtf is this?!?!?" - took many years to find a copy. I bought this off a dude in Colorado on Amazon.com in like 2015 for about $80. Clean. No regrets on that. The Soul Surfers cut here is just crazy to me, I think someone posted it on IG and I took notice. And finally, this beautiful cover of Kendrick Lamar by my guy Sly 5th Ave released by my people DJ Center and Footlong Development is a stone cold classic. I can't count all the DJ gigs I end with this 45 or all the people coming up to the turntables to see what it is.  

This is not the end of the podcast. There will be more episodes, though probably less often, as has been the case for much of 2024. Hoping to get back on a schedule of 1-2 episodes a month, possibly with some special guests. Speaking of guests, I want to thank everyone who's contributed a guest set these past ten years! Alex Stange, DO77, Duiji Mshinda, John Morrison, DJ Center, J. Rawls, Bruce Phillips, Evolve-One, LateBloomer and dflush, Daniel Littlewood, the DadBodRapPod, and Waffles Hidalgo. Much respect! And the biggest thank you goes out to everyone who's tuned in once or a hundred times, downloaded, subscribed, told their friends, or talked shit. It's all appreciated.

Subscribe on Apple

Pullin from the Stacks - 10 Years of PFTS!

In Between Revisited: Jazzanova Live

Days to Come (Little Big Beat Studio Live Session)

Another New Day (Little Big Beat Studio Live Session)

website

Late Seating 263: Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Veteran and entrepreneur Chad Grills of National Capital League discusses his experience with Big Tech and how building anything meaningful and lasting will likely not come out of Silicon Valley or places like California. He explains how Silicon Valley was seeded by DOD, the Intelligence Community, and DARPA. The culture of Silicon Valley and most major cities will not allow anything original or good for humanity to emerge. He argues we have neither communism nor capitalism, but a monopolistic system that keeps the little guy out. He stresses a need for better governance, creating good culture, maintaining personal integrity, and is optimistic about the ability of America to reinvent itself.

*Support Geopolitics & Empire!
Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com
Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations
Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation

**Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors!
Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopolitics
easyDNS (15% off with GEOPOLITICS) https://easydns.com
Escape Technocracy course (15% off with GEOPOLITICS) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopolitics
PassVult https://passvult.com
Sociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.com
Wise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics

Websites
National Capital League https://www.nclhq.com
X https://x.com/ChadJGrills
Short Stories: Veterans after War https://www.amazon.com/Short-Stories-Veterans-after-War-ebook/dp/B0127DN39M
Dustin Chambers: DOGE & America’s Chance to Cut the Government Down to Size https://geopoliticsandempire.com/2025/01/02/dustin-chambers-doge-americas-chance-to-cut-the-government-down-to-size

About Chad Grills
Chad is the former founder and CEO of a company backed by Founders Fund and Sequoia.

His previous clients include companies like: Salesforce (6x business units), Dell, Splunk, Twilio, and Government entities like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

He was selected “Best of Year” by Apple for two podcasts he hosted. He has spoken at places like the Defense Foreign Language Institute, Coast Guard Academy, Salesforce World Tour, and the Spartan Up Podcast.

He’s a U.S. Army veteran with deployments to Iraq, Egypt, and has provided security for the 56th Presidential Inauguration.

He’s the author of three books. His upcoming book is on the Texas Miracle and the economic destiny of Texas.

He founded the National Capital League as a studios and labs to build media and technology products.

*Podcast intro music is from the song "The Queens Jig" by "Musicke & Mirth" from their album "Music for Two Lyra Viols": http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

Chad Grills: Is a 'Golden Age' Possible for America? #537

n an ever-expanding musical universe, Azymuth have long existed as a celestial giant, drawing countless artists, musicians and followers into their orbit. Marking fifty years since their 1975 debut album Azimuth, their new album Marca Passo proves that the band’s alchemic brew of Brazilian jazz-funk and cosmic samba soul remains as vital as ever, as the group honours the profound legacy of their departed founders.

Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Marca Passo is the first full-length release since the passing of founding drummer Ivan "Mamão" Conti in 2023, following the earlier loss of keyboardist José Roberto Bertrami in 2012. Alex Malheiros, the sole remaining original member, sees his stewardship of the band’s musical legacy as his spiritual duty. He is joined by the equally devoted Kiko Continentino (Milton Nascimento, Djavan) on keyboards, who has been with the group since 2016, and new recruit Renato Massa (Marcos Valle, Ed Motta) on drums.

Yet since their earliest recorded music, Azymuth have always been far greater than the sum of their parts. The "three-man orchestra’s" unmistakable sound is rooted in Brazil's MPB studio scene of the 1970s and early 1980s—a time when artists blended traditional Brazilian rhythms with global jazz, rock, and emerging psychedelic and progressive elements. Marca Passo continues this legacy, seamlessly fusing Brazilian musical traditions with global influences while showcasing the exceptional musicianship that powers Azymuth's distinctive, multi-dimensional sound.

The album is produced by studio mastermind Daniel Maunick, responsible for Azymuth’s two previous studio albums, Fênix in 2016 and Aurora in 2011. Daniel’s credits also include albums by Marcos Valle, Sabrina Malheiros and Terry Callier. Azymuth also invited Daniel’s father, British jazz-funk royalty Jean Paul “Bluey” Maunick, of Incognito, to play guitar on a new version of Azymuth’s eighties classic “Last Summer In Rio”, in tribute to the song’s composer, José Roberto Bertrami. Equally, “Samba Pro Mamao” is a new composition dedicated to Azymuth’s beloved original drummer, Ivan “Mamão” Conti.

Marca Passo releases on limited edition blue, red & black vinyl LP editions, CD and digitally on the 6th June 2025, via Far Out Recordings, supported by European and North American tours.

Azymuth - Arabutã

Historian and author Greg Grandin joins us to discuss his new book America, América: A New History of the New World, which looks at the five century history of colonization & conquest of the New World, and how North & South America developed their distinct identities through a long history of mutual interaction and opposition.  We also catch up with Greg for his takes on the death of Pope Francis, the state of American empire at the start of the second Trump term, the U.S.’s lack of a forward-looking political horizon, and what possibilities we might see in the future of Latin America. 

Buy America, América: A New History of the New World online here, or wherever you get books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747326/america-america-by-greg-grandin/

927 - Americas, The Beautiful feat. Greg Grandin (4/21/25)

Brazilian 7" singles (compactos) are often the source of hidden treasures. Those special obscure nuggets that tend to be overlooked and flicked past in shops and flea markets. Carlos Bivar's 'Amargo Amar' is one such find, nestled as a B2 on the end of a four-track 7" EP on Esquema Records from 1978. This seldom-seen slice of Brazilian sunshine is the second single taken from miche’s third With Love compilation on Mr Bongo.

The ZBETO EP is one of only two 7” singles that we are aware of, released by the pianist, singer, and songwriter Carlos Bivar. 'Amargo Amar' starts with the swagger of a ‘70s Blaxploitation soundtrack, transitioning into a loose Brazilian MPB-funk. Floaty keys, uplifting horns, and backing vocals elevate the energy, as Carlos' lyrics ride the groove. This song is a sheer delight and an example of the talented output of independent Brazilian musicians, as equally great and bold as their major label contemporaries.


Amargo Amar

Utopia Presents - 09 July 2025

Counter Culture: The BBE Store presents Jeff Higgins and Johnny Reckless - 12 July 2025

Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair - Richard & Linda Thompson 
Long Haired Lady- Paul & Linda McCartney 
8:05 - Moby Grape 
Diamonds In The Mine - Leonard Cohen 
Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You - The Bee Gees 
Johnny Thunder - The Kinks 
Tia Maria - Michael Hurley 
Baby Lemonade - Syd Barrett 
The Good Mr. Square/She Was Tall, She Was High - The Pretty Things 
My Fairy King - Queen 

 

Archivalesque #15 :: Diamonds In The Mine

The Geopolitics & Empire Podcast conducts interviews with prominent international experts on a wide-range of topics.

Past guests have included diplomats, government officials, whistleblowers, soldiers, spies, economists, academics, scientists, wealthy investors, dissidents, journalists, and musicians.

The broadcast seeks to gain insight from guests who come from the left, right, and beyond. It should go without saying that the host does not always agree with beliefs espoused by podcast invitees, but maintains an open mind, and believes it important to respectfully listen to a multitude of voices and let listeners come to their own conclusions.

*Music used in podcast intro is from the song "The Queens Jig" by "Musicke & Mirth" from their album "Music for Two Lyra Viols": http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)