What do anime, jazz trombone, and a sold-out national tour have in common?

In this episode of Making It with Chris G, we sit down with musician, creative director, and founder of Cowboy Bebop Live — Corey Paul — for a high-energy, deeply honest conversation about the real journey of building a music career from scratch.

🎷 From growing up on classical and jazz in Orlando to turning his anime fandom into a full-blown multimedia concert experience, Corey shares the behind-the-scenes of how he built a career in live music — from local jam sessions to performing with David Foster and Ariana Grande, to selling out venues with his anime-jazz tribute band.

🎧 In this episode, we dive into:

• Corey's early days playing trombone and switching from classical to jazz

• Why UCF's location (not ranking) helped launch his music career

• The importance of community, the "hang," and showing up like a pro

• A breakdown of Orlando's gigging ecosystem: weddings, parks, corporate gigs & more

• How Cowboy Bebop Live went from dive bar to nationwide phenomenon

• What it's really like to tour for 9 weeks straight with 13 people

• Financial realities: health insurance, taxes, unions, and planning for retirement as a freelance musician

• Corey's advice for new musicians navigating the road, logistics, and creative fulfillment

Plus: anime fans, this one's for you — hear how Corey reverse-engineered a dream show for fans and newcomers, and how he landed partnerships with Crunchyroll, Bandai, and Live Nation.

🔗 Connect with Corey Paul: Instagram: @cowboybeboplive Website: https://www.cowboybeboplive.com

🔗 Connect with the Making It Academy Network 🎓 Website + Courses: makingitwithchrisg.com 📺 YouTube: @chrisgoyzueta 💼 LinkedIn: Making It Academy 💥 Patreon (Bonus Content + Live Workshops): patreon.com/makingitacademy