Episode
Episode 637: A Musical Immigration Story (with Felipe Salles)
- Podcast
- The Bittersweet Life
- Published
- Jul 13, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3035
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Summary
As hard as it is to succeed and thrive as a professional jazz musician, how much more challenging is it when the journey leads you to a new country—with new laws, new social customs, and a system that creates roadblocks nearly every step of the way? Today we sit down with jazz saxophonist and music professor Felipe Salles to talk about his journey from an international student at a major conservatory in Boston "fresh off the boat" (as he puts it) from Brazil, to a working musician living in New York on a so-called "genius visa" to a music professor and naturalized American citizen living in Western Massachusetts with his Finnish wife and multi-cultural (and tri-lingual) kids. Find Felipe at his website or on Instagram . ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: Our 4th annual Bittersweet Life Roman Adventure is taking place this year from 1 to 7 November 2026! If you'd like to be part of an intimate group of listeners on a magical and unforgettable journey to Rome, discovering the city with us as your guides, find out more here . AD-FREE LISTENING: After well over 10 years on the air with little-to-no advertising, in 2026 we have finally made the difficult decision that this completely independent and self-funded show is no longer sustainable without it. HOWEVER! If you join us on Patreon , for as little as $3 per month, you will have access to all new episodes completely ad-free! ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. GET TWO BONUS EPISODES PER MONTH: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life at the $5 per month level or above, and you will have access to two all-new (and sometimes wacky) bonus episodes every single month. As well as ad-free listeni…