The Upful LIFE Podcast 095 : OTIS McDONALD, DERRICK ‘Smoker’ FREEMAN [SOUL Brass Band, Shadow People Pod], PIET DALMOLEN

January 19, 2026January 19, 2026 B.Getz aloe blacc, atta kid, bassist, Bay Area, bob weir, derrick freeman, derrick smoker, drummer, eric krasno, eric krasno always, eric krasno and the assembly, eric krasno otis mcdonald, Hyde Street Studio, jazz mafia, joe cohen, king canyon, mickey hart band, music podcast, musician interview, New Orleans, nicholas payton, otis mcdonald, Piet Dalmolen, producer, san francisco, soul brass band, wil blades

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095: OTIS McDONALD, DERRICK FREEMAN [Soul Brass Band, Shadow People Pod], PIET DALMOLEN

Your boy is back from paternity hiatus with another banger! Preposterously prolific San Francisco composer, producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist OTIS McDONALD is finally here. Hallelujah! Gov’t name Joe Bagale, Otis has turned Hyde Street’s Studio D — a hallowed sacred ground in the annals of funk/rock/hip-hop history — into a potent personal laboratory where he generates/facilitates a steady flow of ridiculously dope records. The in-demand music man slides through episode 095 for a lengthy, illuminating upful discussion; BG also checks back in with Derrick ‘Smoker’ Freeman [SOUL Brass Band, Shadow People Podcast]; and later introduces rising NorCal guitarist/solo artist Piet Dalmolen.

0:00 – ep.095 preview
3:00 – SOUL Brass Band – NorCal run late January
4:00 – BISS List – Bay Area fan hub/newsletter
5:45 – The UPFUL Update
12:00 – introducing OTIS McDONALD
15:15 – INTERVIEW – Otis [117m]
2:12:15 – DERRICK ‘Smoker’ FREEMAN
2:28:00 – Introducing/Interview: PIET DALMOLEN [30m]
2:58:15 – Afterglow x ViBE Junkie Jam

Otis McDonald released an original track every Friday for three years during the pandemic, though he since pumped the brakes to every third week. In addition, the gifted producer/engineer and sideman has delivered assorted crucial collabs with the likes of Eric Krasno, Nicholas Payton, Aloe Blacc, Wil Blades, Charlie Hunter, among others. Across two-plus decades in the Bay Area, he’s worked extensively with scene stalwarts Jazz Mafia, Atta Kid, and their various spinoffs/side trips; Bagale even logged a couple years fronting an iteration of Mickey Hart Band on keys, guitar, and lead vocals.

Long before he moved into Hyde Street Studio D (the site of famed Wally Heider Studio in SF, where so many classic records were brought to life), Otis McDonald had become a ubiquitous presence online. He was repeatedly commissioned by YouTube and Facebook for free audio libraries offering copyright-free music to help video creators enhance their work. The dude has recorded hundreds of tunes that have been soundtracked in tens of millions of videos streamed into the billions!

A Bay Area underground hero, multi-instrumentalist & all-world producer, keeper of the legendary Hyde Street Studio in SF, a streaming-era pioneer, & erstwhile music culture/industry philosopher: episode 095 welcomes OTIS McDONALD!

Episode 095 checks back with Derrick “Smoker” Freeman of SOUL Brass Band [Episode 008 circa 2018!] to discuss their imminent NorCal run at the end of January. We also reflect on the success of The Shadow People Podcast, his entertaining/education program co-hosted with (friend of the pod) Nigel Hall.

The NorCal vibes continue: a short, sweet chat with singer/songwriter & guitar troubadour PIET DALMOLEN way up in Humboldt County. His debut solo LP ‘Time Stands Still’ was profiled among Upful LIFE’s annual favorite records in 2025’s feature.