Episode 15: Carlos Homs and the Psychotic Work Ethic Behind Music Production

Keyboardist and producer Carlos Homs sits down with Lindsay to trace his journey from the highly intellectual avant-garde jazz scene back to his roots in hip-hop production. Carlos shares stories from his time in the NJPAC Jazz for Teens program, watching a young Tyshawn Sorey play out-of-this-world piano, and cutting his teeth with heavyweights like Peter Evans and Steve Lehman. The conversation unpacks how Lehman’s Sélébéyone project and the psychotic work ethic of super-producer Cirkut pushed Carlos to team up with bassist Brady Watt and eventually work out of DJ Premier’s studio. They also tackle the debt traps of jazz education, the esoteric nature of channeling music, the 440Hz conspiracies behind his 2020 trio album, and the realities of collaborating with his wife, vocalist Jamie Homs.