This week on Reflections on Interpretation, Bill Gwaltney and Tim Merriman interview a musical performer and instructor who consistently receives rave reviews. Scott brings a wealth of musical and historical experience with him to the stage and the classroom.

Coming of age during the Civil Rights era and the protests against the Vietnam War, Scott has a deep reverence for cross-cultural exchange and a strong commitment to social justice.

He is the author of Robert Johnson/At The Crossroads and video teacher on the instructional DVD, Robert Johnson: Signature Licks. In 2010, Acoustic Guitar featured Scott’s lesson on Robert Johnson’s music in its November issue. The article with TAB, transcription of Johnson’s Crossroads Blues, and sixteen minutes of video instruction is archived on their website at: http://acousticguitar.com.

With six solo recordings to his credit, Scott’s award-winning The Last Shot Got Him has garnered strong reviews here and in Europe.

Join Tim Merriman and Bill Gwaltney as they talk story with Greg Gnesios about his diverse career in NPS, BLM and Orbridge Travel. For 27 years Greg was a ranger/naturalist with the National Park Service in places such as Pinnacles National Park and Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California; and Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico. In the late 1970s he was a ranger in Canyonlands National Park. He moved to Grand Junction, Colorado in 2001 as the first manager of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area.

He has since served as Chairman of the Board for the Colorado National Monument Association and Byway Coordinator for the Dinosaur Diamond National Scenic Byway. During the summer season, he leads tours throughout the west for various travel organizations. His award-winning photography has appeared in numerous journals, magazines, museum exhibits, calendars and books.

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Alan Alex Marti is more than a safari guide, he is a cultural bridge and storyteller shaped by the landscapes and traditions of northern Tanzania. Of Maasai and Iraqwi heritage, Alan represents just two of the country’s 127 tribes, diverse communities united by a shared national language, Swahili, while each maintains its own rich linguistic and cultural identity.

Fluent in Swahili, English, and Maa, Alan moves easily between worlds, welcoming guests from across the globe while remaining deeply rooted in his own. As a freelance guide working with multiple safari companies, he navigates not only vast distances, across a country larger than Texas, but also the expectations, curiosities, and emotions of every traveler he hosts.

Behind the wheel of his Toyota Land Cruiser, Alan carries more than six guests at a time, he carries responsibility. He is a driver on rugged terrain, a mechanic when challenges arise, a naturalist interpreting wildlife behavior, a historian giving voice to the land, and a host creating a sense of belonging in unfamiliar places.

What truly sets Alan apart, however, is his presence. His warm, congenial nature invites connection, transforming a safari from a sightseeing trip into a shared human experience. Through his guidance, guests don’t just see Tanzania, they begin to understand it, feel it, and carry a piece of it with them long after the journey ends.

#timmerriman #InterpretationMatters #HEARTApproach #InterpretiveConnections #VoicesOfInterpretation #nationalpark #Tanzania #Serengeti #VisitTanzania #GreatMigration #SerengetiMigration #AfricanWildlife #SafariExperience