Wednesday MidDay Medley
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
KC Folk Fest w/ Rachel Christia & Vi Tran + Darin Challacombe + Madeline Marak & Lori Buntin
- “It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / Universal / Dec. 20, 1979
[WMM’s theme]
- Andrew Connor – “Kiss Them For Me”
from: Covers Collection / Pretend Outlaw Music / May 1, 2026
[Andrew Connors new release features 13 covers of songs from family, friends and musical icons including Andrew’s Fathers Band from during /before his early childhood, from Minden lead singer Casey Burge, Siouxsie Sioux & The Banshees, The Bee Gees, Neil Young, Alex Chilton, Yukihiro Takashi and more. // “Kiss Them for Me” by Siouxsie Sioux (Susan Ballion), Steven Severin, Budgie (Peter Edward Clarke), and Martin McCarrick, originally recorded by Siouxsie and the Banshees. // Recorded & Mixed by Andrew Connor. Instruments & Vocals by AC except: Jake Acosta – Drums on “Kiss Them For Me.” Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. // Andrew Connor is a veteran of the Lawrence KS – KC Music Community. Ghosty has released some of our most favorite music of the past 22 years of this radio show. // The Lawrence/KC band GHOSTY is one of our most played and favorite area bands of all time Between 2002 and 2020 GHOSTY has released six EPs, three full length albums, and multiple singles. As a solo project Andrew Connor recently released COLORADO on April 21, 2023. More info at: http://www.ghostysounds.com]
Ghosty / Andrew Connor Discography
Ghosty released the 3-song EP, PRODIGAL SUN on February 28, 2020 with Bill Belzer on drums, percussion / Ross Brown on guitar, keys / Andrew Connor on guitar, keyboards, vocals / Mike Nolte on bass
Ghosty released the self titled album GHOSTY on April 17, 2014. It was there 3rd full length release with Andrew Connor, Mike Nolte and Bill Belzer who recorded their new album themselves over the last couple of years with help from David Wetzel, Josh Adams, Jake Blanton, Konnor Ervin, Ryan Connor, Kirsten Paludan, and Dan Talmadge. The new release was pressed on vinyl and available on LP and digital download.]
Ghosty released the single “Love U 2” on July 15, 2013, recorded June 2013 at Westend, Kansas City, KS. Documentary about the recording of this song by surrounding media vimeo.com/70317712 // with: Mike Nolte on bass, engineering, mastering // Andrew Connor on guitar, keys, vocals / Bill Belzer – drums, & percussion
Ghosty released the 5-track EP, TEAM UP AGAIN on April 13, 2010 with Andrew Connor, Mike Nolte, David Wetzel, Josh Adams, Jake Blanton, Suzannah Johannes, Konnor Ervin, Ryan Johnson // Team Up Again,” “Ocean of Heat (Setting FIres),” and “Quell The Hunger” by Andrew Connor, arranged by Ghosty, Pretend Outlaw Music, ASCAP, 2010. “Virginia Song” by Rev. Howard Finster, arranged by Ghosty. “On A Saturday” by Jake Blanton, arranged by Ghosty. // “Team Up Again,” “Setting Fires,” “Virginia Song,” and “On A Saturday” recorded and mixed at Run Riot / More Famouser Studios, Shawnee, KS, September 2009 through March 2010. Engineered and mixed by Mike Nolte and Ghosty. // “Quell The Hunger” recorded at Mixtape Soundlab, Lawrence, KS, January 2009 additional tracking and mixing and Run Riot / More Famouser studios, Shawnee, KS, and February 2010. Engineered and mixed by Mike Nolte and Ghosty.
Ghosty released the 3-track EP, FOOLISH PRIDE on November 17, 2009 with All songs by Andrew Connor, arranged by Ghosty, Pretend Outlaw Music, ASCAP, 2009 // “Foolish Pride” and “Rose-Colored Glasses” basic tracks recorded at Jack’s House, Merriam, Kansas, Fall 2007. Engineered by Mike Nolte and Ghosty. Additional tracking and mixing at More Famouser Studios, Kansas City, MO, and Run Riot Studios, Shawnee, KS, Fall 2009. // “Hey Bill” basic tracks recorded at Mixtape Soundlab, Lawrence, KS, January 2009. Engineered by Mike Nolte and David Wetzel. Additional tracking and mixing at More Famouser Studios, Kansas City, MO by Mike Nolte and Ghosty, Spring 2009.
Ghosty released the 3-track EP, A MYSTIC’S ROBE on September 15, 2009 with Andrew Connor, David Wetzel, Mike Nolte, Jake Blanton, Josh Adams, Carmen Winters // All Songs by Andrew Connor, arranged by Ghosty, Pretend Outlaw Music, ASCAP, 2009 // “My Girl Is Strong” and “Sunday Morning” basic tracks recorded at Mixtape Soundlab, Lawrence, KS, January 2009. Engineered by Mike Nolte and David Wetzel. Additional tracking & mixing at More Famouser Studios, KCMO by Mike Nolte & Ghosty Spring 2009. // “Secret Language” basic tracks recorded at Jack’s House, Merriam, KS, Fall 2007 Engineered by Mike Nolte & Ghosty. Additional tracking & mixing at More Famouser Studios, by Mike Nolte & Ghosty Spring 2009.
Ghosty released the 11-song album ANSWERS on January 15, 2008 with tracks recorded by Paul Malinowski at Westend and Run Riot Studios, Kansas City, KS, 2006-07. racks 4, 6, 7, and 9 were recorded and mixed by Trent Bell at Bell Labs, Norman, OK, 2006. // Track 8 was recorded by Tim Brandsted at UMKC and Paul Malinowski at Westend. Mixed by Paul Malinowski at Westend, 2007. // Tracks 2 and 10 were recorded by Chris Behmer at the Ferrell home, Overland Park, KS, 2005, and with Trent Bell at Bell Labs. Mixed by Trent Bell at Bell Labs, 2006. // Mastered by Roger Seibel at SAE Masterin // All songs by Andrew Connor, arranged by Ghosty // Pretend Outlaw Music, ASCAP. // Released on Oxblood Records.
Ghosty released the 5-track EP, ME, ME, ME on January 15, 2006 w/ Andrew Connor on guitar & vocals / Jeff Ferrell on guitar & vocals // David Wetzel on keyboards &* vocals // Mike Nolte – bass & vocals // Josh Adams on drums & vocals // Recorded & mixed Fall 2005 by Jeff Ferrell and Ghosty at New York St. house, Lawrence, KS. Artwork by Paul Browning. Songs by Andrew Connor, Pretend Outlaw Music
Ghosty released the 19-track album GROW UP OR SLEEP IN (Deluxe Edition) on August 30, 2005 with Josh Adams, Andrew Connor, Jeff Ferrell, Mike Nolte, David Wetzel// and Alums: Jacob Baum, Richard Gintowt, Mark Hurst, Andrew Sallee, James Duft // Big Surrender, Henry Greene, and Hey! Somebody were recorded by Mike Mogis at Presto! in Lincoln, NE in the summer of 2002 // Jacqueline, Rooms in the Dark, (In a Big World)Little Dreams Count, High on Life, Clouds Solve It, Go to Add/Drop City, and World Travelers were recorded by Trent Bell and Andy Nunez at Bell Labs in Norman, OK in the fall 2003 // Mastered by Doug Van Sloun at Studio B // Design by Patrick Giroux at Blue Collar Press // All songs by Andrew Connor, Copyright 2005 // Pretend Outlaw Music(ASCAP) // Wayne Coyne appears courtesy of Warner Brothers Records // BONUS TRACKS: Primadonna, John Hunter, and Sad Sack recorded Summer 2006? at the Ferrell Home in Overland Park, KS by Chris Behmer and Ghosty // Dust Box Nites and Rok Town Air recorded and mixed with Tom Wagner at Underground Sound in Lawrence Kansas, Winter 2005? James Duft plays bass // Going Home Recorded in the Spring of 2002 at 1225 and 1137 Tennessee in Lawrence, KS by Ghosty, Mixed with Jeff Ferrell.
Ghosty released the 6-track EP THE FIVE SHORT MINUTES on February 2, 2002 with Andrew Connor: Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards / Jacob Baum: Bass, Organ, Percussion, Guitar / Richard Gintowt: Drums, Percussion / Jeff Jackson: Pedal Steel Guitar on Track 5 // Recorded Fall 2001 at the haunted house by Jacob Baum / Produced by Ghosty / Mastered by Boyd Bristow
Andrew Connor – In Colorado / Pretend Outlaw Music / April 21, 2021
[Darien Williams on drums, Justin Fernando on bass guitar, Joseph Murphy on synth, Ryan Connor on guitar & lap steel, Andrew Connor on guitar, keys, & bass guitar. // Engineered by Doug Malone at Jamdek, Chicago // additional tracking by Andrew Connor. // Mixed by Mike Nolte and Andrew Connor in Portland, OR // Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering // Songs by Andrew Connor, Pretend Outlaw Music ASCAP
Except “Misery” by Ryan Connor and Andrew Connor.]
Andrew Connor – 2015 / Pretend Outlaw Music / August 10, 2024
[These 2015 Demos Andrew just posted have this effect: When they start, they are subtle, and through glints of metal and woozy guitars evoke some future summer. But by the end the listener comes to understand that this future environment could map onto our present. The music then positions the listener to inhabit that world, to accept Andrew’s contention that the griefs and disappointments of today are wholly contained in a breezy, becalmed futurenow.” Eugene Booth, 2024.]
- Swamp Dogg – “Acid Tongue (Jenny Lewis Cover)”
from: Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife / S-Curve Records / June 19, 2026
[The B-Side of the First single from new album. // Veteran soul/R&B/funk/rock/Americana icon Swamp Dogg celebrates his 84th birthday this summer; this milestone is to be preceded by the release of his 27th full length Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife. The new album, set for release by S-Curve Records on June 19, in recognition of Black Music Month, was produced by the artist, né Jerry Williams, Jr., along with S-Curve founder Steve Greenberg, Mike Mangini and Sam Hollander, Grammy winners who’ve individually and collectively produced artists including Joss Stone, Tom Jones, the O’Jays, Betty Wright & the Roots, Andy Grammer, Jonas Brothers, Hanson, Digable Planets and Public Enemy. // Two advance tracks from the album will be released on April 24 – the digital equivalent of a double A-sided 45. The self-penned “Searching For Heaven” encapsulates the album’s overriding themes of life lived and one’s mortality. The other track is a cover of “Acid Tongue,” written and originally recorded in 2008 by Jenny Lewis. Swamp Dogg and Lewis are friends and Lewis collaborated with Swamp on his much-celebrated 2024 album Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St. // “This record didn’t start out as a concept album but, apparently, it is,” Swamp Dogg relates. Except for unique takes on “Acid Tongue” and John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me,” the rest of the album’s selections are Swamp Dogg originals, including “Waka Waka Waka,” featuring guest vocalist Gary U.S. Bonds, who’d been a close collaborator and friend of Swamp since adolescence before an unfortunate falling out decades ago, now remedied by this appearance. // One of the few first-generation soul artists still recording and touring, Swamp Dogg’s music being has been embraced by successive generations who are taken with his musical mastery and iconoclastic approach to both his craft and life writ large. Testimony to his ecumenism is found in the fact that he’s been warmly embraced within the Americana world, and in his recent headlining appearance aboard the SiriusXM Outlaw Country Cruise. He has also made waves of late with the release of the critically lauded documentary film Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted, currently streaming. // Of special note is the album art, conceived by Grammy-winner David Gorman, depicting Swamp Dogg, surrounded by tomes dealing with mortality, examining a comic book in the style of a Renaissance illuminated manuscript.]
- Stephonne – “Papa John”
from: “Papa John (radio edit)” – Single / Glory Blue Music / May 20, 2025
[“Stephonne is reimagining what it means to be a Black musician in Kansas City, disrupting outdated narratives with music that celebrates fluidity, theatricality, and freedom. Their art is multidimensional, relentless, and ambitious, drawing inspiration from other pockets of pop music.” – Lyrical Odyssey // May 20th, 2026 (New York, NY): Fearless alternative/genrequeer singersongwriter, producer and multi-disciplinary artist Stephonne has debuted their new single, “Papa John”. A funky pop art joyride of sexual liberation, they delivers us a sonic smorgasbord. Innuendo laden and cheeky, Parliament meets Doja Cat on a Studio 54 dance floor. Over a percolating beat and playful bass synth, grit, guts and go-go simmer. “Papa John” is inimitably Stephonne. Their artistic voice here is singular, however lushly layered, and the freest we’ve heard it yet.// “In the age of A.I. it’s more important than ever to show up as perfectly imperfect and as fully as possible. Listening to this song is like freebasing me. You’re experiencing me at my purest, loosest, most raw, and in full-on play mode. Every part of creating this song was fun. It felt like a celebration and still does. I’m excited to party with everybody. Right now, we need humor and joy. We need to dance and free ourselves. Revolution can be sexy. It may even be necessary. In the midst of so much pain, it’s easy to forget about pleasure. We aren’t just here to procreate. Please be safe and get tested, but don’t forget to spice up your life. Food is not the only thing that’s better with seasoning, sis. That goes for all of us, no matter the countless ways we separate ourselves. We have more in common than we don’t. God and sex are two of the biggest things we do. God used it to create my gay ass just like He used it to create you. Can we move on to something important? You know, like stopping WWIII and A.I. armageddon? Persecuting LGBTQ people won’t stop either of those or those in power from coming for you next. Unclench, folks. Life is so much more enjoyable. The gays can show you how, honey! We can also show you how to survive, thrive, and persevere because we continue to through it all.” – Stephonne // Stephonne takes the helm as songwriter, producer, and artist again. Recent collaborator, Joseph Price (Third Son) adds his assist to amplify the Kansas City native’s potent lyricism and musical instincts. We’ve stepped into an electronic era, but “Papa John” is still punk. Full of humor and audacity, it also recalls and reimagines funk and disco. “Papa John” will live rent free in your head, long after first listen and leave you hungry for Stephonne’s next delivery .// On February 13, 2026 Stephonne released “Bloody Mary” Written, Produced, and Engineered by Stephonne Singleton, Co-Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Joseph T Price. // On August 15, 2025 Stephonne released “Worship at the Chappell: Co-written with Shawn M. Stewart and produced with Patrick Meagher, the song is a declaration of power, pleasure, and pride—a sonic celebration of being fully and freely oneself. “Worship at the Chappell” is a bold, genre-bending anthem from Kansas City artist Stephonne—an electrifying fusion of disco, pop, and gospel spirit. Inspired by fellow Missouri native Chappell Roan, the track transforms the dance floor into a sanctuary for queer joy, spiritual liberation, and unapologetic self-love. With soaring vocals, provocative lyrics, and infectious grooves, Stephonne delivers a soulful sermon for the marginalized. // Stephonne describes himself as the lovechild of Prince & Billie Holiday. He grew up in KCK and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Benedictine College, and Masters in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. Stephonne is a 2023 winner of the Charlotte Street Generative Performing Arts Fellows. // Stephonne is an Alternative/Genrequeer singer-songwriter, cultural producer, and generative performing artist from Kansas City, MO. They synthesize music, written/spoken word, performance and visual art/media into an inimitable art. They share their struggles, triumphs, and journey to self-love through multidisciplinary performance and have sent audiences on visceral and experiential journeys through a multitude of music and video releases since 2015. Bold new 2025 singles and videos continue to push boundaries! New experiences, both sonic and visual, await us from the upcoming sophomore LP, STEPHONNE. // Singer, songwriter, actor, model, artist, activist – Stephonne Singleton keeps very busy, serving as a board member of KC Folk Fest, organizing tribute shows, playing: music festivals, Charlotte Street Foundation, Lemonade Park, Lawrence Pride, Manor Records, Midwest Music Foundation, The AIDS Service Foundation of KC, InterUrban ArtHouse, Crossroads Music Fest, The Black Box, The Folly Theatre, and West 18th Street Fashion Show. Stephonne released his EP SIS: Side B on June 24, 2022. Stephonne released the single “I” on August 21, 2024. Stephonne released the single “I think its Gonna Be Alright” I April 2025. Stephonne released the single, Forgive Me, Father (Sinead O’Connor) on May 21, 2025. // More info at: http://www.stephonne.com]
[Stephonne joins us on WMM on June 3, 2026]
- Angélique Kidjo – “Bando (feat. Pharrell Williams & Quavo)
from: Hope / Parlophone Records / April 24, 2026
[Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo is a Beninese musician, actress, and activist. Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards and a Polar Music Prize. She has collaborated with artists including Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, John Legend, Philip Glass, Bono, Yo-Yo Ma, and Burna Boy. She is the first Black African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.She performed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on July 23, 2021. In 2021, Time magazine included her in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Kidjo is fluent in five languages: Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen (Mina) and English. She sings in all of them, and she also has her own personal language, which includes words that serve as song titles such as “Batonga”. Kidjo often uses Benin’s traditional Zilin vocal technique and vocalese. // Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo was born in Ouidah, French Dahomey, in what became Benin. Her father is from the Fon people of Ouidah and her mother from the Yoruba people. Her father was a musician, and her mother worked as a choreographer and theatre director. She grew up listening to Yoruba and Beninese traditional music, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, James Brown, Manu Dibango, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, Osibisa and Santana. By the time she was six years old, Kidjo was performing with her mother’s theatre troupe. // She started singing in her school band, Les Sphinx, and found success as a teenager with her adaptation of Miriam Makeba’s “Les Trois Z”, which was played on national radio. Kidjo recorded the album Pretty with Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs “Ninive”, “Gbe Agossi”, and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris in 1983. // After moving to France, Kidjo initially planned to become a human rights lawyer, but ended up studying music. While working various day jobs to pay for her tuition, Kidjo studied music at the CIM, a jazz school in Paris, where she met musician and producer Jean Hebrail, with whom she has composed most of her music and whom she married in 1987. She started out as a backup singer in local bands. In 1985, she became the front singer of Jasper van ‘t Hof’s Euro-African jazz/rock band Pili Pili. Three Pili Pili studio albums followed: Jakko (1987), Be In Two Minds (1988, produced by Marlon Klein) and Hotel Babo (1990). By the end of the 1980s, she had become one of the most popular live performers in Paris and recorded a solo album called Parakou for the Open Jazz Label. She met Island Records founder Chris Blackwell in Paris; Blackwell signed her to a record deal in 1991. She recorded four albums for Island until Blackwell’s departure from the label. In 2000, she was signed in New York by Columbia Records, for whom she recorded two albums.]
- Cola – “Forced Position”
from: Cost of Living Adjustments / Firetalk Records / May 8, 2026
[C.O.L.A. is sort of a self-titled album. It’s an acronym for Cost of Living Adjustment, a fitting conceptual framework for Cola’s third record. C.O.L.A. is the band’s most maximalist work to date, full of the eerie and sweet pangs that nostalgia can provoke. It is the band’s most refined offering. A perfection of carefully honed aesthetic impulses. One of the goals with the album was to have the melody guide the lyrics. Here, the vocal melodies are on the same level as all of the other melodies on the record, but the lyrics are no less poetic. Sounds do not blur, even when they are expansive. The record is full of clarifying moments: where a whole swirl of feelings becomes so clear that it almost hurts a little bit. It is abstract, oblique, sometimes strange, whatever you want to call it. But it is also beautiful, in the classic sense. Beautiful like a painting can be beautiful. / Cola is a post-punk band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band consists of Tim Darcy (vocals, guitar), Ben Stidworthy (bass), and Evan Cartwright (drums). // The band’s roots trace back to late 2019, when members of Ought, Tim Darcy and Ben Stidworthy, began writing music with Evan Cartwright of U.S. Girls. Darcy and Sidworthy were in Montreal at the time, while Cartwright was in Toronto. After informal writing and music sessions, the members began exchanging lyrics and song ideas into 2020 and 2021. In November 2021, the band Ought announced their disbandment, and announced the band, Cola the same day. With the announcement of the band was the release of their debut single, “Blank Curtain”. The song was met with critical praise, with Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone describing the song having a “gorgeously obsessive guitar groove”. The band told Destroy Exist that the song, “is a quarter note kick drum pushing 240 bpm, a drone-like chord progression, and declarative vocals cutting through the haze. If you could invert the color of the Blank Curtain, you might have something like a Chicago house track that sounds like a band in a room.” // On February 22, 2022, the band announced their debut studio album, Deep in View. The album was released on May 20, 2022. // In April 2024, Cola announced their sophomore record, The Gloss, and released the record on June 14, 2024, through Fire Talk Records. // On February 18, 2026, the band announced their third record, Cost of Living Adjustment, alongside the first single “Hedgesitting.” Cost of Living Adjustment released on May 8 on Fire Talk Records. Discography: Deep in View (2022), The Gloss (2024), and Cost of Living Adjustment (2026)]
- Hovvdy – “Try Try Try”
from: Big World / Arts & Crafts / August 14, 2026
[Hovvdy the project of Will Taylor and Charlie Martin, announce Big World, their sixth full-length album, due August 14th via Arts & Crafts. Alongside the album announcement, the band has its propulsive lead single “Try Try Try” with a Michael Rees-directed video. // The songs of Big World find Hovvdy trading in overt emotional directness for subject matter that leans enigmatic, contemplating their place in the world through a mosaic of songs that sees the band at their most secure and self-aware. // Since 2024’s Hovvdy, the band’s most expansive album to date, which earned them the coveted Best New Album distinction from Pitchfork, both Martin and Taylor have become published songwriters in their new home of Nashville – a career development that heavily informed their approach to making Big World. “The last record felt like such a generous offering: a double-album, deeply personal, you can literally hear me crying on some songs,” says Martin. “With this one, we wanted to take on the challenge of making something more concise and to the point, and give the fans something that feels like a shorter but more exciting ride.” // Over a handful of recording sessions between Nashville and Asheville in fall 2025, Martin and Taylor adopted a recording approach that was new for them as a band: coming to the sessions only with instrumentals rather than fully-drafted demos, choosing to write and respond to the songs in real time. “When it comes to the music, there’s literally never questions between Charlie and me, only answers,” says Taylor. “We can always show up and not have to worry about the music, and that continues to amaze me.” They viewed this as a fun, new challenge for them and, with the backing of their longtime collaborator Ben Littlejohn who serves as producer on Big World, felt less pressured and more empowered to make a record that was more sonically immediate, but emotionally ambiguous. Each song holds up a mirror to the band, both looking back at where they’ve come from and forward towards where they might be heading, sometimes proud, sometimes defeated, but always humbled by the enormity of the world and their place in it. // Additionally, Hovvdy announced a fall tour in support of Big World that traverses the US and Canada. Before then, they will be supporting Bleachers (US) and Wilco (EU) this summer.]
[Hovvdy plays The Bottleneck In Lawrence Kansas. on October 9, 2026 with Bleachers.]
10:28 – Underwriting
10:30 – Interview with Darin Challacombe
Darin Challacombe is host & producer of KKFI’s All That Class and Jazz, broadcast Saturday mornings 2:00am to 5:00am. Darin, holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Northcentral University. He also holds a degree in Specialization in Human Resources Management – Certified Practitioner, and is Director of Talent Development at a medical records company. With 20+ years in education and deep roots in the health information field, Darren serves on several professional boards and associations. When he’s not in the office, Darin is DJ Darin — the voice behind All That Class and Jazz on KKFI. A trained vocalist and enthusiast of jazz, blues, swing, and classical music, he’s lived in a half-dozen states and several countries, and recently returned to Kansas City from South America.
Darin Challacombe , thank you for being with us on WMM
He also holds a degree in Specialization in Human Resources Management – Certified Practitioner, and is Director of Talent Development at a medical records company.
With 20+ years in education and deep roots in the health information field, Darren serves on several professional boards and associations.
Darin is DJ Darin — the voice behind All That Class and Jazz on KKFI. A trained vocalist and enthusiast of jazz, blues, swing, and classical music,
Darin has lived in a half-dozen states and several countries, and recently returned to Kansas City from South America.
90.1 FM KKFI Kansas City
All That Class And Jazz – 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM
Music With DJ Darin
This show’s core philosophy is to break down the perceived barriers between “high art” and “street soul” weaving together Classical, Jazz, Blues, & Swing, the program aims to:
Demonstrate Musical Lineage: Show how the complex harmonies of classical music directly influenced the birth of jazz and blues.
Promote Accessibility: Make genres that are often viewed as exclusive or “academic” approachable and entertaining for a broad audience.
Champion Diversity: Focus on underrepresented composers and performers in each genre, highlighting the contributions of women and people of color to the classical and jazz canons.
Foster Discovery: Provide a space where a fan of swing might discover a new favorite classical suite, and vice-versa, through thoughtful, thematic curation.
“All That Class and Jazz” track’s with our mission statement, especially to “stimulate, educate, and entertain our audience” and to showcase “music that have been overlooked, suppressed or under-represented by other media.”.
DJ Darin is the voice behind “All that Class and Jazz,” KKFI’s Saturday early morning show. He is a jazz, blues, swing, and classical music enthusiast. He is trained in vocal performance. Originally from Topeka, he has lived in a half-dozen states and several countries. He recently just returned to KC from South America.
Darin Challacombe , thank you for being with us on WMM
KKFI’s All That Class and Jazz, broadcast Saturday mornings 2:00am to 5:00am.
On a recent show we heard Darin play: Charlie Parker, Robert Johnson, Aaron Copeland, W.C. Handy, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald. Count Basie, Muddy Waters, and Tervor Turla
10:49
- Trevor Turla – “Let Go”
from: As We Continue / Trevor Turla / April 21, 2022..
[Trevor Turla composed all of the music on this EP that included Trevor Turla on trombone, Daniel Dissmore on trumpet, Aryana Nemati on saxophone, Fritz Hutchison on guitar & banjo, Miki P on guitar & vocals, John O’Keefe on bass, Nik Douglas on drums, Carmen Dieker on fiddle, Jake Keegan on dobro, and Chris Hazelton on organ. “Let Go” was the second single released on February 17, 2022. We first played Trevor Turla on WMM on July 29, 2020. His track “Busted” was released on a compilation titled KANSAS CITY SYZYGY that featured over 25 Kansas City-based musicians who came together to create a compilation of music created during the shutdown of the world in the Spring of 2020. // Originally from Wichita, Kansas, Trevor Turla is now lives in Kansas City. Trevor defines himself as a musician. He started playing his first instrument, the bagpipes, at the age of 8 and hasn’t stopped the pursuit of music since. He received his Bachelor’s in Jazz Studies for trombone from the UMKC Conservatory of Music. Trevor now creates music full time by playing, recording, and holding clinics around the United States. Trevor plays & sings in numerous bands, including Jake Wells, Grand Marquis, Miki P, Fritz Hutchison, & LA Jones. He was also the founder, lead singer & trombonist for the band Sulu Moon. Info at http://www.trevorturla.com.]
[Trevor Turla plays the KC Folk Fest on KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Flutienastieness & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more!]
- Flutienastiness – “Go Get It”
from: This Is Me / Flutienastiness Entertainment / October 28, 2020
[Jazz flutist, educator, band director, and band leader, Amber Underwood is a native of Kansas City and has been entertaining and performing music since the tender age of 8. Beginning her musical journey on the piano and soon after began playing classical flute. / While in college, Amber discovered Jazz and became intrigued with the art form inspired by musical influences of Bobbi Humphrey, Hubert Laws, Frank Wess, Herbie Mann, and Nestor Torres and found a love for the art form. At age 20, Amber graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance and by 23 she completed a Masters of Arts in Arts Administration and Music Business from the University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory and continued her education with a second Master’s degree in Education and Teaching Music from Pittsburgh State University. / In the beginning of 2014, the Amber Underwood Project and later transformed into Flutienastiness and the SoulPatrol with the mission to showcase an instrument that is normally used as an auxiliary instrument in jazz but now as a solo instrument. Flutienastiness and the SoulPatrol is a modern and fresh take on smooth jazz and R&B sounds with a touch of Latin, Funk and Gospel. Flutienastiness and the SoulPatrol uses the rich tones and colors of the flute to interpret the various styles and genres of jazz. Amber has been a presence in the Kansas City jazz scene making a place and a voice for her instrument. Amber has opened for Kirk Whalum and has performed alongside a host of other artist. / Amber is our modern-day soul and contemporary jazz flautist and a force to be reckoned with. Her debut album, ‘This Is Me’ has gained International recognition and was name one of the Top 25 Jazz Albums of Kansas City in 2020. Amber has also appeared on jazz playlists and featured on various recordings from all genres. Amber ‘Flutienastiness’ Underwood is the future of contemporary soul jazz flute! // On October 28, 2020 Flutienastiness released the album THIS IS ME (part of WMM 120 Best recordngs of 2020). The album was produced, mixed, & mastered by Desmond “D. Professor” Mason for Out D. Park Productions. All flutes by Amber Underwood. All tracks were composed collaboratively between Amber & Desmond. Amber writes: “This is album is a touch of all my feelings, life journeys and a inside look into Amber ‘Flutienastiness’ Underwood as a person beyond the stage. More info at:www.flutienastiness.com.]
[Flutienastiness plays the KC Folk Fest on KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Trevor Turla & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more!]
- Julia Haile – “Keep It Comin’ [feat. Les Izmore]”
from: EP/ Julia Haile / October 31, 2025
[New 7-track recording collection of Julia’s most recent songs. “Keep It Comin’” offers a mini reunion with Julia’s former band mate Les Izmore from the KC super-group The Buhs. Julia Haile on vocals; Tim Braun on guitar & bass; Fritz Hutchison on drums; Chase Horseman on keyboards, & synthesizers. // Julia Haile is an Indie Soul singer-songwriter with a voice that balances power and elegance. Her music pairs sweet and stirring vocals with driving guitar and funky beats, taking the listener on a genre-mixing journey of conscious baring offerings. Julia has carved out a unique sound that blends elements of Jazz, R&B, Pop and Rock. Along with musical partner Tim Braun, the pair have crafted songs with rich melodies and authentic storytelling, reflecting themes of love, self-discovery, and resilience. // Drawing inspiration from classic greats like Ella Fitzgerald all the way to the modern sounds of Erykah Badu and H.E.R, Julia continues to create music that marries instinct and raw ability. Her single Up Late is a Disco and Soul soaked party with heavy, dance inspiring guitar. Set Out begs you to leave behind what you know and venture into new depths. Each a view into the singer’s perspective on living life in this evolving day and age. // Haile studied Vocal Performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. // She has been a featured artist in bands such The Buhs and Hi-Lux. She has collaborated with musicians around the country and world. // Julia’s work with Hi-Lux included Tim Braun on guitar, Nick Howell on keys, Dan Loftus on bass, (and prior to that Pete Leibert on bass) and Kian Bryne on drums. Hi-Lux was a Modern-Soul band that blends and bends the boundaries between soul, rock n roll, reggae, and funk. This group aims to create music that pays tribute to their myriad of influences (Amy Winehouse, The Meters, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings). but also claims a spotlight of its own in the musical world. Hi-Lux released the singles, “Revolution” and “Get What You Give” on February 28, 2020, through The Record Machine. Hi-Lux released the single. “Don’t Blame Lee” (featuring Lee Scratch Perry) on April 20, 2018. Hi-Lux released the 7” vinyl single, “”Dance With My Baby” b/w “Don’t Blame Me” on January 5, 2018 through Sunflower Soul Records. Hi-Lux released their 6-track, self-titled EP, Hi-Lux on January 2, 2018. The band brings together elements of soul, reggae and funk for a unique and dance inspiring sound. More info at: http://www.juliaHaile.com]
[Julia Haile plays the KC Folk Fest on KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Trevor Turla & The Soul Patrol, Flutienastiness , Reach, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more!]
11:00 – Station ID
11:00 – Interview with Rachel Christia, and Vi Tran
Rachel Christia a Kansas City born tech-girl, afro-futurist, vocalist, actress and landlocked mermaid. She has performed with notable MidCoast bands such as Hearts of Darkness; an eclectic collective influenced by 70s afrobeat, and the Denver based powerhouse Pink Hawks; pulling funky polyrhythms from West Africa and South America. More recently, she enjoys collaborating with her favorite Kansas Music legends or concocting fully improvised audience led musicals with The Maestro’s – Kansas City. She is perfectly aligned as a Kansas City Folk Fest Board member as her primary directive is to build community by lovingly blurring the lines between art and activism.
Rachel Christia, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
Vi Tran is an event producer, interdisciplinary storyteller, performer, and arts entrepreneur. Vi is best known as the creator of The Butcher’s Son, a folk musical memoir chronicling his family’s journey from Vietnam to the meatpacking country of southwestern Kansas. Past festival goers might recognize him as the Main Stage Manager and MC for the 2023 KC Folk Fest! Vi was also the founding owner and managing curator of The Buffalo Room, an artists’ salon and performance space in Westport. In its span, The Buffalo Room hosted over 800 events, collaborating with scores of producers and mentoring hundreds of performers over its six years of operation.
Vi Tran, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
Rachel Christia and Vi Tran join us to share all the details about Kansas City Folk Festival, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Flutienastieness & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Trevor Turla, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more! KC Folk Fest boasts three stages, delicious food trucks, bike valet and an extensive craft market chock full of local vendors. Heralded as a grassroots “people’s fest,” organized by a local community-led board. KC Folk Fest continues its legacy as an all-ages, admission-free city festival whose mission is “to celebrate the music and arts of our neighborhoods, region and beyond.” Originally founded as a public outreach event for Folk Alliance International’s annual industry conference in 2016, FAI transitioned the fest over to local stakeholders in 2019. “Kansas City Folk Festival” incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2021 and produced their first outdoor folk festival in 2022 in Washington Square Park, KCMO. For more information: http://www.kcfolkfest.org
KC FOLK FEST IS ADMISSION-FREE
Where to park?
Carpools, Buses and Bikes, OH MY – We encourage everyone to carpool or take our mass transit including our RideKC buses and the free KC Street Car. Bikes also welcome! We have a FREE BIKE VALET thanks in part to our pardners at Midwest Cyclery!
What to bring? – Lawn chairs and blankets * sun protection * reusable shopping bags * reusable water bottles to refill at the KC water bar * cash for the craft market * frisbee * friends and framily * bag for trash
We are a “PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT!” event.
Keep our fest trash-free. Take your belongings and trash with you when you go 🙂
KC Folk Fest Board
Chair – Les Izmore is an AfricanFuturist multi-disciplinary artist. Izmore, centered around experimentation and Black sonic creations, is a spoken word artist, poet, writer, songwriter, music composer, beat maker and vocal performer. A Black farmer, historian and OutKast, Les Izmore is also the curator of KCulture Building. Izmore’s work takes a critical look at the sociopolitical injustices of the world creating spaces for conversation, edutainment, healing, and action.
Vice Chair – Rachel Christia is a Kansas City born techgirl, afrofuturist, vocalist, actress and landlocked mermaid. She has performed with notable MidCoast bands such as Hearts of Darkness; an eclectic collective influenced by 70s afrobeat and Denver based powerhouse Pink Hawks; pulling funky polyrhythms from West Africa and South America. More recently, she enjoys collaborating with her favorite Kansas Music legends or concocting fully improvised audience led musicals with The Maestro’s – Kansas City. She is perfectly aligned as a Kansas City Folk Fest Board member as her primary directive is to build community by lovingly blurring the lines between art and activism.
Secretary – Mikal Shapiro In 2021, Mikal facilitated the successful transition of Kansas City Folk Festival from an event hosted by Folk Alliance International into its own nonprofit. She continues to help organize. Her experience includes: Recruiting a dedicated board of local stakeholders, building and sustaining a volunteer base, producing the festival program, designing a budget, securing funding and independently coordinating the event from 2022-2025. Prior administrative experience includes serving on the Board of Directors of the Midcoast Radio Project / KKFI Kansas City Community Radio in her roles as Membership Committee Chair and Programmer Representative. Mikal is also a Kansas City based musician, artist and filmmaker.
Treasurer – Rachael Cady is a freelance lighting and video designer and an adjunct professor at UMKC. She primarily works on live events like theatre, concerts, cruise ships and large corporate meetings. Rachael’s work has been seen all over the world. Locally her designs have been seen at the Kansas City Rep, Unicorn, Coterie, New Theatre, Actors Theatre and MTH. She works regularly for Virgin Voyages primarily as a video engineer and programmer but has also done design work on all the ships in the fleet. She has toured with Pit Bull, Imagine Dragons, J Lo, Paula Abdual, and several others. When she is not working Rachael enjoys music, she is primarily a drummer, but also dabbles with keyboards, synths, drum machines and sequencers. Rachael is an avid pickleball player and has won several medals in local, and regional tournaments. Rachael is also the producer and one of the hosts of Siren Song, as well as the cohost of The Darkest Hours on KKFI 90.1FM in Kansas City. She lives with her partner Margaret and their 2 dogs Cassie and Harley.
Member – Dan Calderon. In 2021, as treasurer he helped to facilitate the formation of the Kansas City Folk Festival as a separate 501(c)3 after the transition away from its ownership by Folk Alliance International. Duties in that endeavor included the formation of the organization as a non-profit entity with the State of Missouri, as well as drafting the organization’s governing documents and bylaws. Calderon also provides much of the logistical planning and permitting for the yearly event, working closely with the city of Kansas City and the Parks Department to ensure that the festival operates within city guidelines and policies. He also coordinates the many vendors that provide the festival’s crucial infrastructure – including staging, attendee comfort, and sheltering. Calderon is an attorney (currently inactive status), and received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law. In his previous employment as an attorney, some of Calderon’s practice centered around contract law, corporate law, entertainment law, and commercial litigation. Dan is also a musician and music writer.
Festival Coordinator – Vi Nhan Tran An event producer, interdisciplinary storyteller, performer, and arts entrepreneur, Vi (he/him) is best known as the creator of The Butcher’s Son, a folk musical memoir chronicling his family’s journey from Vietnam to the meatpacking country of southwestern Kansas. Vi was also the founding owner and managing curator of The Buffalo Room, an artists’ salon and performance space in Westport. In its span, The Buffalo Room hosted over 800 events, collaborating with scores of producers and mentoring hundreds of performers over its six years of operation.Past festival goers might recognize him as the Main Stage Manager and MC for the 2023 KC Folk Fest!
11:07
- The Freedom Affair – “The Water”
from: The Freedom Affair / Sunflower Soul Records / May 9, 2025
[Shon Ruffin on vocals, Paula Saunders on vocals, Seyko Groves on vocals, Cole Bales on guitar, Branden Moser on bass & Acoustic Guitar, Chris Hazelton on Hammond B3 Organ, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Piano, Bass (Track 4), Vocals; Dave Brick on drums; Pete Carroll on trumpet & flugelhorn; Brett Jackson on tenor sax, baritone sax, tambourine. Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, TN. Recording Engineer: Boo Mitchell. Tape Operator: Wesley Graham. Produced by: Chris Hazelton, Dave Brick, and The Freedom Affair. Mixed by: Vince Chiarito. Mastered by: JJ Golden at Golden Mastering. Horn Arrangements by: Hazelton, Carroll, Jackson, and Bales. Design and Layout: Tracy Lenihan // The Freedom Affair has planted deep roots in soul music from their start, but after nearly a decade together, the group’s self-titled sophomore album focuses their sound squarely where Muscle Shoals meets Memphis Soul. It’s a masterstroke of impassioned message-music exploring ageless themes of inequity, love, and togetherness. // A fateful February 2023 encounter with Grammy Award-winning recording engineer Boo Mitchell (Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars, Al Green) at Royal Studios created a spark that sent the band back to Kansas City with new musical conviction. By November, the band had returned to record all-new Southern Soul-inspired songs in the legendary Memphis studio. // The ever-powerful female trio fronting the band–Paula Saunders, Seyko Groves, and Shon Ruffin–has been the hallmark of The Freedom Affair’s sound and identity, and their collective vocal prowess is on full display ranging from tough to tender, touching on heartache and hope. The experience at Royal studios convinced the band that there isn’t a better room to record horns. The “one take” horns of Pete Carroll on trumpet and Brett Jackson on saxophone prove their years together as a unit have paid off with their precision and lines written to meet the vibe perfectly. With rhythm section personnel remaining the same from their debut album Freedom is Love, a shift in instrumentation moves Chris Hazelton from bass to his primary instrument of the Hammond B3 organ along with various keyboards. Branden Moser swaps in the bass, which also happens to be his primary instrument, from his former rhythm guitar. Cole Bales continues to dig into timeless riffs on lead guitar, and Dave Brick maintains the backbone with the heavy boom-bap on drums. This album has cemented The Freedom Affair’s sound: enduring melodies with rich arrangements, backed by a gritty pulse. // Royal was the perfect site for this album, and the band took full advantage of the studio’s history by incorporating studio tools and relics throughout the process. With only four days to fully track the ten-song album, the band insisted on using the same Ampex 1” tape recorder that produced all the Hi Record hits from 1974 and prior to preserve authenticity. It was the first time the machine had been used for an album since 1974. The limitations and quirks of using vintage, analog gear made way for magic moments that shape the album’s charm. The record calls fresh attention to classic Southern Soul with all the coziness and warmth you’d expect from listening to Al Green or Ann Peebles, captured in the very same room. Mixed by Vince Chiarito (Hive Mind, Jalen Ngonda, Charles Bradley) and mastered by JJ Golden (Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, The James Hunter Six, Antibalas), this album is a truly an all-killer, no-filler lesson in soul music.]
[The Freedom Affair, play KC Folk Fest on KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with Kaia Kater, Julia Haile, Trevor Turla & The Soul Patrol, Flutienastiness, Reach, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more!]
11:11 – More Interview Rachel Christia & Vi Tran
We are talking with Rachel Christia & Vi Tran share info about KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Flutienastieness & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Trevor Turla, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more! KC Folk Fest boasts three stages, delicious food trucks, bike valet and an extensive craft market chock full of local vendors. Heralded as a grassroots “people’s fest,” organized by a local community-led board. KC Folk Fest continues its legacy as an all-ages, admission-free city festival whose mission is “to celebrate the music and arts of our neighborhoods, region and beyond.” Originally founded as a public outreach event for Folk Alliance International’s annual industry conference in 2016, FAI transitioned the fest over to local stakeholders in 2019. “Kansas City Folk Festival” incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2021 and produced their first outdoor folk festival in 2022 in Washington Square Park, KCMO. For more information: http://www.kcfolkfest.org
Rachel Christia &Vi Tran & Les Izmore thanks for being with us on WMM
KC Folk Fest boasts four stages, delicious food trucks, bike valet and an extensive craft market chock full of local vendors.
Programming by community partners include an open mic, youth songwriter contest by Heartland Song Network, and showcases by No Divide KC.
Supported by grassroots campaigns such as as our “Dandelion Donor” campaign ($100×100 “Seed” Donors), “Fun Raisers” such as FolkyOkie Karaoke and community outreach events like Pickball – a jam-friendly brand of kickball – alongside local sponsors, community partners and arts grants such at Missouri Arts Council’s Folk Arts Grant, KC Folk Fest continues its legacy as an all-ages, admission-free city festival whose mission is “to celebrate the music and arts of our neighborhoods, region and beyond” – all while paying its artists a living wage. As a zero-waste event with recycling and composting available on-site, KCFF encourages visitors to follow the National Parks mottos “Pack it in, pack it out” and “Leave it better than you found it.”
HISTORY OF THE FEST: Originally founded as a public outreach event for Folk Alliance International’s annual industry conference in 2016, FAI transitioned the fest over to local stakeholders in 2019. “Kansas City Folk Festival” incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2021 and produced their first outdoor folk festival on Saturday, May 22, 2022 in Washington Square Park, KCMO.
KC Folk Festival at Washington Square Park on Sat, May 30, 2026 from 11 to 8:00pm.
For lineup: http://www.kcfolkfest.org.
11:18
- Kaia Kater – “The Witch (Feat. Aoife O’Donovan)”
from: Strange Medicine / Kaia Kater – Free Dirt Records / May 17, 2024
[Kaia Kater’s album, Strange Medicine, opens with a haunting vision. Accompanied by Aoife O’Donovan, Kater sings of the women burned at the stake as witches in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts and their wish to strike back: “I dreamt I moved through you and / Burned my name into your chest”. It’s an opening salvo from an album that celebrates the power of women and oppressed people throughout history as they rise up and turn the poison of centuries of oppression into a strange kind of medicine. Kater’s songs are dialogues with these historical figures and meditations on her own modern life as well. In the years since her 2018 album, Grenades, on Smithsonian Folkways, Kater has taken time to reinvent herself and hone her skills, first attending film school to learn composition, then diving deeper into her songwriting to come up with her most personal album yet. Feeling the pressure as a talented young songwriter, banjo player, and bandleader with three successful albums and an NPR Tiny Desk Concert under her belt, Kater struggled initially with the expectations of her adopted genre, Americana. “I was factoring everybody else’s perception into my songwriting,” she says. “Would I write more honestly if I knew that no one would ever hear this?” With that in mind, Kater retreated to her apartment in Montréal. Sitting at home with her banjo, the songs unfolded in personal intimacy, revealing windows into the perspective of women and revolutionaries through history. Co-producing with Joe Grass (Elisapie, The Barr Brothers), Kater invited close friends and colleagues O’Donovan and Allison Russell to sing on the album, along with longtime hero and American legend Taj Mahal. With lush arrangements and unexpected musical ideas drawn from genres as surprising as minimalist composition, jazz drumming, and film scores, Strange Medicine is the bold next step in Kater’s career. It’s an album made beyond the white gaze of Americana, unbeholden to a music industry that so often tokenizes and silences marginalized voices, a Black Feminist perspective on a genre that refuses to cede power to Black women. // Kaia Kate writes: “I specifically wanted to write about the way men historically have branded women as temptresses, harlots, sirens and shrews, and then sought to reflect this visually – the letter A for adulteress, the burning of flesh to symbolize evil. The first woman labeled a witch in Salem was a Black woman by the name of Tituba. Usually these women died nameless and scorned. In my narrative, the woman who is branded a witch and burned at the stake survives her pilgrim’s punishment, and now seeks her revenge on those who sought to destroy her.” // “One of Americana’s most thoughtful and inventive artists returns after six years with a meditation on those who’ve survived and thrived against marginalization and oppression.” – Ann Powers, NPR Music]
[Kaia Kater plays KC Folk Fest on KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Julia Haile, Trevor Turla & The Soul Patrol, Flutienastiness , Reach, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more!]
11:22 – More Interview Rachel Christia & Vi Tran
We are talking with Rachel Christia & Vi Tran share info about KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Flutienastieness & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Trevor Turla, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more! KC Folk Fest boasts four stages, delicious food trucks, bike valet and an extensive craft market chock full of local vendors. Heralded as a grassroots “people’s fest,” organized by a local community-led board. For more information: http://www.kcfolkfest.org
KC Folk Fest boasts three stages, delicious food trucks, bike valet and an extensive craft market chock full of local vendors.
The 2026 Folk Fest Poster was created by artist, Kai Johnson (they/them), an illustrator and designer based in Kansas City, Missouri, with a deep passion for mental health advocacy and creative self-expression. With eight years of freelance experience, Kai has brought countless projects to life, including patches for KC Current’s Pride Collection, a tifo and hand-painted banner for the Google Pixel X NWSL Championship in 2024, a mental health journal for children, wrestling merchandise and uniforms, a flower press, and portraits.
Kai’s work is a commitment to mental health, self-awareness, and community healing. Their current artistic focus is on developing Mark Making: an art curriculum that pairs somatic experiences with creative exercises, empowering individuals to explore, understand, and transform emotions through art.
In their spare time, Kai loves to indulge in early 2000s cartoons and roller skating. For more about Kai, visit: kaistoodios.com/ or catch them on the Insta @kaistoodios
Rachel Christia &Vi Tran & Les Izmore thanks for being with us on WMM
KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Flutienastieness & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Trevor Turla, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more! For more information: http://www.kcfolkfest.org
11:28 – Underwriting
- Sisterbot – “Feel The Color”
from: Truth House / Sisterbot / July 10, 2021
[Sisterbot is a performing artist dedicated to breaking genre boundaries, creating cosmic musical and theatrical experiences. The 9-piece Sisterbot Band is a “punk pop chamber orchestra” complete with electric guitar, drums, piano, strings and horn. “Truth House (2021) is a concept album written over the span of three years, encapsulating a chapter of my life that I spent in a house alone, dealing with the aftermath of trauma and rebirth.”- Sisterbot (Adee Dancy). Written by Sisterbot. Produced by Jametatone and Sisterbot. Engineered, Mixed, Mastered by Jametatone, except “Approval” which was Produced, Engineered, & Mixed by Andrew Bonci Jr. at Magnolia Tree Studios, with AJ Bonci on guitar, Just Angel and Sisterbot on vocals. Cover Art by Mazzy Mann. Adee Rocket Dancy released the single “Hello Moon (feat. The Swallowtails)” on April 26, 2021. (This song is also on the Sisterbot album.) Produced by Jametatone & Adee Rocket Dancy. Adee Rocket Dancy on piano & vocals & cello; Rachel Lovelace on bassoon; Mikala Petillo on guitar & background vocals, Mixing and Mastering by Jametatone, (J. Asley Miller). Adee Rocket Dancy writes, “This is a song about my life-long love for the moon, featuring The Swallowtails (Rachel Lovelace & Miki P). Adee chose the date April 26, 2021, as their release date, to honor the full moon called “The Pink Moon.” // Adee Dancy (Sisterbot), is a performing artist born and raised in the KC area. Adee is a student of many teachers and disciplines, attempting to amalgamate all they have learned and loved, into their artistic life. Adorning many different hats, Adee has stepped into a multitude of roles in their career such as professional cellist, music director, vocalist, composer, actor, and more. With dynamic string writing and theatrical rock at the helm of their work, Adee captains a project and alter-ego called Sisterbot, that fuses their multiple disciplines. Adee feels extremely lucky to have music, art, & theater as means of expression and livelihood! Adee has collaborated with many groups including Owen Cox Dance Group, No Divide KC, and The Swallowtails. More info at http://sisterbotmusic.com%5D
[Sisterbot recently announced that as of this July, they will be joining the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s ECHO as a cellist and lead singer!!! Cirque put out a casting call back in late February that so many people tagged Adee and texted so they decided to submit an audition. Adee found out last week that they officially got the job- and that I’ll be going on an 18-month international tour. Aee will leave for Montreal, Québec, about mid-way through July for training, rehearsals, and their first shows with the company. Then I’ll spend the rest of 2026 in three different cities in Mexico!]
[Sisterbot plays KC Folk Fest on KC Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Julia Haile, Trevor Turla & The Soul Patrol, Flutienastiness , Reach, Bad Alaskan, and more!]
11:35 – Interview with Madelin Marak & Lori Buntin
Madeline Marak is a visual artist that makes paintings inspired by the urban environment. She received her Masters of Fine Art from the Sam Fox School of Art and Design at Washington University in St. Louis and her Bachelors of Fine Art from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She has exhibited in notable galleries and museums including Kiosk Gallery, Smalter Gallery, Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Meadows Museum, Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis, UNO Gallery in New Orleans, and more. She has been an artist in residence at several international residency programs and a commissioned public artist in St. Louis and Kansas City. Aside from her art practice, Marak has been dedicated to serving her community in non-profit and arts leadership roles. She moved to Kansas City in 2022 from North Louisiana to join the vibrant arts community and continue working as a practicing artist.
Lori Buntin has lived in the Kansas City area since 2001, moving here after having taught drawing and painting courses at Wichita State University where she received her MFA in painting. Her current studio in the Livestock Exchange Building, located in the West Bottoms of Kansas City, puts her in the heart of the urban industrial surroundings that so often are the subjects of her paintings. Lori’s paintings and other artworks are in homes and collections across the country.
Lori is inspired by urban spaces, lit by cloudless, blue skies. Walking about the city, observing color, light, and form informs the subjects and compositions of her work. The finished work is sometimes a combination of the representation of a particular space, along with technical references to color mixing, sections roughed in/not “finished”, and design details. Other times the work is a singular composition of an observed space. And sometimes, a particular detail of a larger space becomes the focus of the piece.
Madeline Marak & Lori Buntin joins us to talk about a group show at Kansas City Artists Coalition curated by Madeline Marak called (un) Focused – a show of women artists who create images within lived experiences, which explore the relationship between urban and suburban, personal spaces, belonging, and a collective uncertain future. Marak brings together artists whose work intends to prompt the viewer to re-consider, re-connect, and re-examine ordinary spaces and familiar, yet uncharted spaces. Opening Reception Friday, June 5, 5:00pm. Closing Reception Friday, July 5, 5:00pm. On View: May 15 – July 3, 2026 at Kansas City Artists Coalition, 3200 Gillham Road, KCMO. http://www.kansascityartistscoalition.org
Madeline Marak & Lori Buntin thanks for being with us on WMM
Artists include: Lori Buntin, Hannah Chalew, Nicole Fry, Jessica Heikes, Kaitlyn B. Jones, Jessica Kincaid, Madeline Marak, Caroline Minchew, Yuxiao Mu, Katelyn Patton, Mandy Pedigo, Whitney Lea Sage, Carley Schmidt, Francesca Simonite, Tiffany J. Sutton, Gala Reneaum Tello, Chanel Thomas, Katherine Toler, Carolyn Wiedeman, and Arin Yoon.
Kansas City Artists Coalition
exhibitions@kansascityartistscoalition.org | http://www.kansascityartistscoalition.org
20+ artists in 2 exhibitions explore lived experience, and contentious relationships in KCAC’s Early Summer series.
Kansas City, MO — This spring, KCAC presents two group exhibitions exploring relationships and the everyday.
Main Gallery: (un) Focused, curated by Madeline Marak
Curator and artist Madeline Marak curates a show of women artists who create images within lived experiences, which explore the relationship between urban and suburban, personal spaces, belonging, and a collective uncertain future. Marak brings together artists whose work intends to prompt the viewer to re-consider, re-connect, and re-examine ordinary spaces and familiar, yet uncharted spaces.
Artists include: Lori Buntin, Hannah Chalew, Nicole Fry, Jessica Heikes, Kaitlyn B. Jones, Jessica Kincaid, Madeline Marak, Caroline Minchew, Yuxiao Mu, Katelyn Patton, Mandy Pedigo, Whitney Lea Sage, Carley Schmidt, Francesca Simonite, Tiffany J. Sutton, Gala Reneaum Tello, Chanel Thomas, Katherine Toler, Carolyn Wiedeman, and Arin Yoon.
Snap Space: The Unearthing of Cavities Through Meditative Rituals of Intimate and
Quiet Practice, a two person exhibition by Eve Krahn and Moe Leady
In the Snap Space, Painter Moe Leady and Ceramicist Eve Krahn investigate relationships
between individuals and vessels. The proximity of forms and bodies in their works prompt
us to reflect on relationships and stories that emerge from these interactions. The media of
each artist are quite different, yet both create work that directs the viewer towards both
contemplating and feeling larger ideas about identity, memory, and connection.
Moe Leady is an artist who works and resides in Kansas City. Her work has been recently
exhibited at Zhou B Art Center in Kansas City, Visionary Projects in Manhattan, and Awita
Studio in Brooklyn.
Eve Krahn is a practicing pediatrician and Fine Artist in Kansas City, focusing on a
abstract, hand-built sculptures that feature organic forms. She Shows regularly around
Kansas CIty, on both sides of State Line.
Exhibition Details
Opening Reception: First Friday, June 5, 2026, from 5:00 – 9:00 PM
Closing Reception: First Friday – July 5 , 2026, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
On View: May 15 – July 3, 2026
Location: Kansas City Artists Coalition, 3200 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64109
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, Noon – 5:00 PM
More Information: Visit http://www.kansascityartistscoalition.org
About the Kansas City Artists Coalition: The Kansas City Artists Coalition (KCAC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting More Information: Email Thayer, Exhibitions
Madeline Marak & Lori Buntin thanks for being with us on WMM
Kansas City Artists Coalition curated by Madeline Marak called (un) Focused – a show of women artists who create images within lived experiences, On View: May 15 – July 3, 2026 Opening Reception Friday, June 5, 5:00pm, at Kansas City Artists Coalition, 3200 Gillham Road, KCMO. http://www.kansascityartistscoalition.org
11:49
- Allison Russell – “Cold April”
from: “Cold April” – Single / Birds of Chicago LLC – Fantasy Records – Concord/ May 8, 2026
[4x GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter, poet, activist, and multi-instrumentalist Allison Russell has announced her third studio album, In The Hour of Chaos, produced by Russell and Dim Star and arriving on July 10th via Fantasy Records. To mark the occasion she has shared her single “Cold April” featuring her tourmate Kara Jackson, Denitia and the Explore! Pop Choir. // Allison Russell just completed her second run on Broadway as Persephone in the 8x Tony Award winning musical Hadestown. She took over the role in November 2024 initially, after spending much of that year opening for Hozier on his Unreal Unearth Tour supporting his arena run on all US dates and throughout Europe. She made her Billboard Hot 100 debut thanks to their duet “Wildflower & Barley.” // Russell recently took the stage at the JUNO Awards to pay tribute to fellow Canadian, Joni Mitchell. The performance was a duet between her and Sarah McLachan who she will tour with throughout the summer. Dates kick off on July 1st in Franklin, TN. A full list of tour dates is below. // The accolades for Russell have been immense. Last year she was nominated for the Polaris Prize and named Billboard Women In Music Canada’s “Breakthrough Artist of the Year.” She has had 8 GRAMMY nominations and one win, earned three 2022 Americana Award nominations and a win for Album of the Year with subsequent nominations in 2023 and 2024, two International Folk Music Award wins, a 2022 Juno nomination for ‘Songwriter of the Year,’ and her first-ever Juno Award win for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. Russell won three Canadian Folk Music Awards, two UK Americana Music Awards, and more. // Allison Russell on “Cold April” – Things are rough. Things have been rough before. “Cold April” is not laying out the grim facts of the moment. “Cold April” asks if we can let the music itself restore and recharge us. The act of singing with my sisters, Kara Jackson and Denitia, is a balm for my soul, and a wind at my back to keep on. And my daughter Ida’s Explore! Pop Choir?! Let them tell it: “Calling all birds from across the nation yeah we got a brand new murmuration we don’t have to fly in that old formation, no” Youth – and Love – will be served! // Kara Jackson recently collaborated with Gorillaz and was previously the US National, Youth Poet Laureate Denitia part of CMT Next Women Of Country series, member of Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country program, and featured in Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony concert. // // Allison Russell released The Returner, on September 8, 2023. The album was written and co-produced by Allison along with dim star (her partner JT Nero and Drew Lindsay) and was recorded over Solstice week in December 2022 at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, CA. It features Russell’s “Rainbow Coalition” band of all female musicians along with special guest appearances from the legendary Wendy & Lisa, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, and Hozier. Allison Russell on The Returner: “My goal with The Returner – sonically, poetically, and spiritually – is a radical reclamation of the present tense, a real time union of body, mind, and soul. This album is a much deeper articulation of rhythm, groove, and syncopation. Groove as it heralds the self back into the body, groove as it celebrates sensual and sexual agency and flowering, groove as an urgent call to action and political activism. // In just a word, it’s funkier. But as is the history of anything funky, it’s never just a party. It is a multiverse of energies that merges the celebration and the battle cry. For while an embrace of the present tense is a celebration, it is equally an unquestioning leap into battle – cultural, political, environmental.” // Since the release of her debut solo LP two years ago Outside Child, Russell’s often devastating, deeply moving, cathartic celebration of survivor’s joy has become one of the most acclaimed albums of the past 10 years. Now comes the second chapter in her story, The Returner, a body-shaking, mind-expanding, soulful expression of liberation, love, and self-respect that serves as a fierce declaration of joy for all survivors that have made it to the other side. Allison, JT, and Drew built The Returner from the bottom up with a rhythm-first, genre-fluid approach. The improvisational energy of great female artists sparked the album’s fierce joy, and provided a wider canvas for Allison’s immense, unlimited talent. In all, the new album doesn’t just deliver on the promise of the last two years, it exceeds all reasonable (and unreasonable) expectations and affirms Allison Russell’s place among music’s most vital artists and The Returner, as one of 2023’s most essential recordings. // Allison Russell has spent her career in multiple bands, including Po’ Girl, Our Native Daughters, and Birds of Chicago. After a career spent as a gifted multi-instrumentalist, backing numerous other artists, she finally dared to release her solo project in 2021. “It’s an album of strength and affirmation, not victimization,” said The New York Times in their profile on Russell and Outside Child. Following the album’s release, Russell performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ellen, Late Night With Stephen Colbert, CBS Saturday Morning, Austin City Limits, The Kelly Clarkson Show made her Opry debut and appeared at the Country Music Hall of Fame and performed at the 2022 GRAMMY’s Premiere Ceremony. // The accolades for Russell have been immense. In addition to her four GRAMMY nominations, she has earned three 2022 Americana Award nominations and a win for Album of the Year, two International Folk Music Award wins, a 2022 Juno nomination for ‘Songwriter of the Year,’ and her first-ever Juno Award win for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. Russell received two 2021 Americana Awards nominations, won three Canadian Folk Music Awards, two UK Americana Music Awards, and more. She was recently nominated for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year for the 2023 Americana Awards. In addition, Russell has consistently used her newfound platform to elevate, educate and inspire; curating the history making Once And Future Sounds: Roots and Revolution set for the Newport Folk Festival in 2021 and mobilizing this year’s triumphant Love Rising All-Star benefit concert in support of LGBTQIA+ causes in Nashville – raising over $550,000 and calling national attention to Tennessee’s dangerous anti/trans and anti/drag laws. Russell has also announced a book deal with Flatiron/MacMillan for her debut novel, a memoir based on her life and the material that inspired Outside Child and The Returner. // All songs written by Allison Russell, JT Nero, and Drew Lindsay // Co-Producers: Dim Star and Allison Russell // Recorded by Brandon Bell at Henson Recording Studios (Los Angeles, CA) Assistant Engineer: Kelsey Porter. Mixed by Brandon Bell at The Cabin Studio (Nashville, TN). Mastered by Kim Rosen at Knack Mastering (Ringwood, NJ) // Allison Russell (vocals, banjo, clarinet), Elenna Canlas (keyboards/synth, backing vocals), Elizabeth Pupo-Walker (percussion), Chauntee Ross (violin, backing vocals) & Monique Ross (cello, backing vocals) aka SistaStrings, Ganessa James (bass, backing vocals), Joy Clark (guitar), Kerenza Peacock (violin), Larissa Maestro (cello, backing vocals), Lisa Coleman (piano), Mandy Fer (guitar, backing vocals), Meg Coleman (drums), Meg McCormick (guitar), Wendy Melvoin (guitar, bass), and Wiktoria Bialic (drums). Special guests Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, and Hozier provide backing vocals on “Requiem”. //We first saw Allison Russell as part of the band/duo with her partner JT Nero as, The Birds of Chicago at the 2014 International Folk Alliance Conference, where they were an Official Showcase Artist . More info at http://www.folk.org. Russell was born in Montreal to a Grenadian student and a Scottish-Canadian teenage single mother. Her mother struggled with postpartum depression and schizophrenia, and Russell was initially placed in foster care. Her mother regained custody of her after marrying a white-supremacist American expatriate. From the ages of 5 to 15, she was physically and sexually abused by her adoptive father. At the age of 15, Russell ran away from home, eventually moving to Vancouver in 1998. She attended Dawson College. // Russell was initially a member of the Vancouver-based Celtic folk band Fear of Drinking. // In 2003, Russell formed the band Po’ Girl with The Be Good Tanyas member Trish Klein. She recorded seven albums with the band: Po’ Girl (2003), Vagabond Lullabies (2004), B-side Recordings (2006), Home to You (2007), Deer in the Night (2008), Live (2009), and Follow Your Bliss (2010). Russell formed the music group Birds of Chicago with JT Nero in 2012. As part of Birds of Chicago, Russell released three studio albums, Birds of Chicago (2012), Real Midnight (2016) and Love in Wartime (2018). With the group, she also released a live album, Live from Space, and an EP titled American Flowers in 2018. In 2018, Russell joined the musical collective Our Native Daughters alongside fellow musicians Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kiah In 2019, the group released the album Songs of Our Native Daughters under the Smithsonian Folkways label. Russell was also featured alongside the rest of the group in a Smithsonian Channel documentary titled Reclaiming History: Our Native Daughters. Info: http://www.allisonrussellmusic.com]
- Aldous Harding – “Venis in Zinnia (feat. H. Hawkline)”
from: Train on the Island / 4AD / May 8, 2026
[Aldous Harding is New Zealand based singer songwriter. Her Lyrics are brilliantly expressive and surreal. Her minimalist Indie rock 2022 album Warm Chris was released March 25, 2022. // Hannah Sian Topp was born in 1990. She is known professionally as Aldous Harding, is based in Cardiff, Wales. // Topp comes from a musical family in Lyttelton, New Zealand: her mother is folk singer Lorina Harding. One of the first musicians who came across her was New Zealand folk-pop singer/songwriter Anika Moa. Moa asked Harding to play support for her that night after finding her busking outside the venue she was about to play at. // She has released music through independent record labels Flying Nun, Spunk, and 4AD. She has collaborated with Marlon Williams, John Parish, Mike Hadreas and Fenne Lily. // 4AD announced Harding as a new signing in early 2017 just prior to the release of her second album, Party. Party was nominated for IMPALA’s European Album of the Year Award. Singer-songwriter Aldous Harding, released Designer is the third studio album on April 26, 2019 by 4AD. The song “The Barrel” won the 2019 APRA Silver Scroll award. // As of 2020, she is based in Cardiff, Wales, where she had previously lived with partner and collaborator H. Hawkline. Aldous Harding played The Granada Theatre, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence, on Saturday, July 2.]
- Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
Next week, on Wednesday, May 27 we talk with comedian Margaret Cho who plays The Folly Theatre on Saturday, June 13 at 7:30PM. Plus we talk with FlareThaRebel fresh from his trip to Ireland with Kadesh Flow and Kemet Coleman. AND Cody Calhoun and Brodie Rush share all the details of the Pink Floyd Tribute show they’ve put together featuring Dark Side of The Moon in it’s entirety along with other hits on Friday, May 29 at 8:00pm at Warehouse on Broadway, 3951 Broadway Blvd, KCMO
THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wednesday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals donated $3924.00 going way over our show goal!
Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper
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Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
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Show #1148
Wednesday MidDay Medley 