LM25-18. ELLIS HALL is “The Ambassador of Soul,”

May 5, 2025May 4, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

“for the LOVE of Music” with Sara Troy and her guest Ellis Hall, on air from May 6th

ELLIS HALL: A LIFE IN FULL COLOUR, SOUND, AND SOUL

When word got out that a blind kid could play anything, doors opened wide. At 17, Milt Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet invited me to tour—Mama said no, but let me sit in when he played Boston. So I went to school by day, played clubs by night, jammed for 5,000 at Franklin Park, and soon formed The Ellis Hall Group. No label, just soul. We packed venues with “Ellisized” covers, caught J. Geils’ attention, and opened for legends like The Cars, Earth, Wind & Fire, Taj Mahal, The Temptations, and The Spinners—who once had me sub on bass mid-show.

In 1976, opening for Tower of Power changed my life. Seven shows later, Emilio Castillo asked me to join. While still in Boston, I scored film soundtracks—including a sex ed film shown in schools—and played with fellow blind musicians in Project Insight, collaborating with Tom Scott, Rob Mounsey, and The Brecker Brothers.

In ’84, I moved to L.A. to break into commercials, and just as I was boasting about the sunshine, TOP called. Two weeks later, I was onstage freezing in Minnesota. I did 300 shows a year with them, sang, played keys and guitar on the Power album (1987), and earned a Grammy nomination for “Some Days Were Meant for Rain,” which I later revived with George Whitty for our new WHAT!!!! project.

That run led to Kenny G’s Duotones—I was brought in to sing “What Does It Take” in Jr. Walker’s key. The album went 5x platinum and helped launch smooth jazz. Other milestones followed: working with the Muppets, scoring Chicken Run, writing a Michelob jingle sung by pre-fame Luther Vandross, and even performing at a Clinton inaugural ball.

Then came a moment I’ll never forget—Christmas 2001. After performing at Stevie Wonder’s benefit, Ray Charles saw me play and offered to sign me to his Crossover label. “Where the F have you been?” he said. We recorded 15 tracks together before he passed. They’ve never been released, but the experience was priceless.

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Covers have always spoken to me. George Whitty and I close our new album with “I Thank You,” honoring my roots. Even David Bowie heard my version of “Let’s Dance” and loved it.

Since then, I’ve written over 4,000 soul, gospel, blues, and pop songs. I’ve worked with Patti LaBelle, James Taylor, Toby Keith, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Maurice White, George Duke, John Klemmer—you name it. I’ve sung on dozens of film soundtracks, including The Lion King 2, Shrek 2, Invincible, Bruce Almighty, and even sang Louis Armstrong’s voice in Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can.

I also created and toured two symphony shows: Ellis Hall Presents Ray, Motown and Beyond and Ellis Hall Soul Unlimited. George Whitty, a longtime fan, finally connected with me through my project manager Alec Berfeld. George sent me a tribute song for Ukraine called “Hug Me,” and I immediately heard the potential to lift it into something epic. That was the birth of WHAT!!!!.

But beyond all the gigs and glory, what fills me most is watching my four children grow and thrive, inspired by my journey. I am a vessel for the music, a soul ambassador, and after all this time, I’m still just getting started.

FIND THE LAST SHOW ELLIS DID WITH SARA HERE

www.ellishall.com

www.whittyHall.com

https://www.instagram.com/whittyhallartistteam

https://www.facebook.com/WHAT!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeWhittyMusic

@whittyhallartistteam

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IG25-18. Michael Karassowitsch’s Architecture & Spirituality

May 5, 2025May 4, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Ignite Your Heart and Soul with Sara Troy and her guest Michael Karassowitsch, on air from May 6th

(The Architect is) At Two Vast Realms
The architect in practice as a being of the world and spirituality.

I am sharing an approach to making environments, built, planned and intentional, that support human aspiration and springs from the essence of that aspiration to fulfil human life for the individual and as each of our components of the role of being human fills here on earth. There is no separation between the integration of human intelligence, nature’s intelligence, and the intertwined life of anyone, humanity, the planet and beyond. The riches that we might find in that are greater than any that can be deposited in a bank. Finding that and making ourselves able to value that and whole in light of that has two sides: our inner work, which is currently called spirituality, and our outer space, which is called architecture. These are the two original siblings that derive from human consciousness.

I am sharing this because architecture is in the public sphere. On the one hand, to practice it is all about other people, so it must be communicated. On the other, I have driven forward long and hard to develop to the point where I can function at a level that is true according to what I (always already) knew intuitively, and in a way that can serve.

Taking this on in one’s life has started with small steps as we are all already on the path. How do we make it real? I would like people to better utilize their potential in making their life space more supportive of their health and aspirations in light of this. I cannot do it alone.

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I was born and raised in the Greater Vancouver area, studied at BCIT, the University of Oregon, Columbia’s GSAPP, and earned my doctorate at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. I’m licensed to practice architecture in New York State and India.

Shaped by my parents’ WWII experiences and my family’s life under Russian occupation, I spent my teens between Vancouver and Austria, drawn equally to the arts and the sea — even co-founding the Jericho Sailing Centre Association (JSCA). For 30 years, I’ve practiced rajayoga through Heartfulness, weaving spirituality into my life’s movements across North America, Europe, and India.

Early work in Vancouver led me to studies in Oregon and Columbia, and from there to Vienna, working with icons like Hans Hollein and Coop Himmelblau. My spiritual journey began alongside my architectural one. Returning to New York, I joined Ralph Appelbaum Associates, designing museums, then moved through Venice, Hamburg, Nelson, and frequent travels to India.

Twice I tried to settle; twice the call for deeper alignment pulled me onward. An invitation to the Heartfulness Research Institute in Bengaluru became my second life — a conscious choice to merge spiritual practice with architectural purpose. This work evolved into doctoral research under Dr. Elisabeth von Samsonow.

After six years teaching architecture in India, I have returned to Vancouver Island, with a mission: to evolve architecture that lives in harmony with nature, rooted in spiritual practice, biosphere stewardship, and integrated knowledge systems like yoga and v?stu.

Today, through my business ENVHA (Environments for Health and Advancement) and my Substack platform Office for Presencing Architecture (OPA), I offer low-threshold planning services and reflections on architecture’s unfolding future. Re-entering project work feels like living two lives at once — but both now guided by a unified vision.

A free two hour consultation that derives from this podcast. The client may go to my website and use a keyword that is presented at the end of the podcast to get the freebee.

www.karassowitsch.ca

michael@envha.ca

www.linkedin.com/in/karassowitsch

https://www.opa.earth

https://vit.academia.edu/MichaelKarassowitsch

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C25-17. Ivana Chubbuck. “Power of the Actor”.

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Ivana Chubbuck, on air from April 29th

Renowned acting teacher and bestselling author Ivana Chubbuck. The updated edition of her book, THE POWER OF THE ACTOR(Avery/Penguin Random House), was published on April 29th. Ivana speaks to anyone who is serious about overcoming hurdles, hardships, and inner demons to achieve their goals. Ivana will share with your listeners tools and exercises to turn conflicts, traumas, insecurities, fears and shame into positive forces to fuel achievement, with a focus on winning.

What do Halle Berry, Beyoncé, Gal Gadot, Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, Sylvester Stallone, Eva Mendes and Shia LaBeouf have in common besides fame and fortune? They can all credit a significant part of their skills to acting teacher Ivana Chubbuck.

THE POWER OF THE ACTOR is a revolutionary guide that unlocks the secrets of her transformative Chubbuck Technique. In addition to star-studded stories, The Power of the Actor offers a panoramic map for anyone serious about professional transformation. Her dynamic 12-step approach shows, actors, writers and directors how to unlock emotional depth and create performances that ring with authenticity. It’s also for anyone who is serious about overcoming hurdles, hardships, and inner demons to achieve their goals.

Drawing on psychology, behavioural science, cultural anthropology and examples of real-life heroes, Ivana takes the search for rich inner emotional information to the next level by focusing on winning. Ivana teaches people how to access their emotions to not just feel them, but also use them with dimension and power.

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IVANA CHUBBUCK is the creator of the widely adopted Chubbuck Technique, an acting method taught in universities and in accredited studios all over the world. Her students — Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Gal Gadot, Sylvester Stallone, Eva Mendes and Shia LaBeouf, among thousands, have gone on to win major awards, including Oscars, Emmys and Tonys. She lives in Los Angeles, where she runs the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Her daughter, Claire Chubbuck, an award-winning filmmaker and Chubbuck teacher, is the legacy for furthering Ivana’s mission of empowerment through the arts.

AMAZON

https://www.ivanachubbuck.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/IvanaChubbuckOfficial

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C25-17. Nick Marshall “Try Again”

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Nick Marshall, on air from April 29th

Nick Marshall, New York City-based writer, actor, director, producer and author of the new book, Try Again: An Ex-Con’s Path from Prison to Prosperity. This is about the struggle, hope (both loss of and holding on to), grit and perseverance. It’s a story about working hard and trying again, even when we feel the odds are stacked against us — and about the desire to be a person of humility and integrity.

Nick’s journey back into society has been anything but easy. With a criminal record shadowing his every step, finding steady work and forming new relationships meant constantly confronting and disclosing his past. Despite these barriers, he poured himself into the hospitality industry, relentlessly climbing the ranks until he found himself at the center of New York City’s elite nightlife, working at iconic clubs like Avenue, The Darby, 1OAK, and Up&Down. But the path from suburban New Jersey kid to state prison inmate sentenced for armed robbery taught him hard, humbling lessons. Immersed in the glitz of A-list celebrity culture, Nick eventually lost himself in the illusion, costing him not only his career but his mental health and sense of stability. Through it all, his grounding force has always been storytelling, reading, and writing became his anchors, offering clarity amid chaos. Now pursuing his lifelong dream of being an artist, actor, director, and writer, Nick channels his pain into purpose. He co-founded The Collective NY, a not-for-profit theatre and film company dedicated to the authentic creative expression. His directorial debut, A Long Road, currently in pre-production, reflects his journey, a testament to the resilience, redemption, and the long path to healing. Nick continues to face challenges tied to PTSD, anxiety, OCD, and addiction, but through art, he finds strength, meaning, and a connection.

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Nick Marshall’s story is one of grit, reinvention, and the price of chasing dreams. At just 21, he walked out of prison after serving three years for armed robbery, carrying the weight of his past and the uncertainty of a future as an ex-con. Though he had a steady job, a roof over his head, and the basics for survival, something deeper called to him, his need to create, to express, to be more than his record.

Willing to risk stability for purpose, Nick started at the bottom of the hospitality industry, eventually climbing his way into New York City’s high-end nightlife. From bartending to brand ambassador, he moved through the velvet ropes of celebrity-studded clubs like Avenue, The Darby, 1OAK, and Up&Down. Surrounded by fame, luxury, and endless access, Nick looked like he had made it. But beneath the surface, the fast life took its toll on his mental health, his identity, and the very dream that started it all.

Try Again: An Ex-Con’s Path from Prison to Prosperity is Nick’s raw, inspiring account of rebuilding a life against the odds. It’s about losing everything, more than once, and still choosing to rise. Today, he’s a writer, actor, director, and co-founder of The Collective NY, a not-for-profit theater and film company where he brings stories to life—his own and others’. His journey isn’t just for those who’ve been incarcerated, it’s for anyone who’s ever had to start over, question their worth, or fight to become who they were always meant to be. He is currently in pre-production for his first directorial feature, A Long Road, based on his experience as an ex-convict trying to reintegrate into society, and a scripted series based on his experience in a New Jersey state prison. Try Again is his first book.

AMAZON

ALSO BUY HERE

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-marshall

https://www.instagram.com/thenickmarshall

https://vivaeditions.com/book

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TSM25-17. Chiara Barbera, Assaggio Traditions

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Their Story Matters with Sara Troy and her guest Chaiara Barbera, on air from April 29th

The importance of maintaining traditions and celebrating the people who continue them, through recopies from the past.

Chiara Barbera is on a mission to continue Italian traditions. Assaggio is her heartfelt project dedicated to preserving Italian traditions by bringing the warmth, wisdom, and traditions of Italian grandparents (Nonni) to life through engaging online experiences. Born in Brisbane to four Italian grandparents, Chiara was raised on stories and the deep values that define Italian culture. Her grandparents’ courage to leave Italy for a better life laid the foundation for her own path—one that now brings her back to their homeland with a mission to give something meaningful in return. More recently, her work has extended to the motherland with Vera Italia, a platform that offers travellers the chance to engage with Italy’s living heritage through in-person encounters with artisans, farmers, and families. Together, these projects form a love letter to her roots—a calling she believes was guided by faith, and a legacy that she is determined to honour, preserve, and pass on.

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Chiara Barbera is the founder of Vera Italia, a mission-driven platform connecting travelers with the true spirit of Italy through cultural and culinary experiences. Born in Brisbane to four Italian grandparents, Chiara grew up surrounded by stories, recipes, and values deeply rooted in her heritage. Her grandparents’ courage to leave Italy in search of a better life laid the foundation for her own journey—a return to the homeland they once left, with the hope of giving something back.

Now dividing her time between Italy and Australia, Chiara begins this journey in Calabria, Italy’s hidden gem, to connect with the Culture Creators—artisans, farmers, cooks, and families—who keep the spirit of Italy alive. Through Vera Italia, she helps others discover the beauty of these traditions, not only to experience them but to ensure they continue for generations to come.

Her work is a love letter to her roots, a calling she believes was guided by faith, and a legacy that she is determined to honour, preserve, and pass on.