Wednesday MidDay Medley
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

The 120 Best Recordings of 2020
(Part 3 of 4)

Wednesday MidDay Medley presents part-three, of our four-week special: The 120 Best Recordings of 2020. Based on playlists of this little ole radio show, we’ve compiled representative tracks from our favorite full-length albums and EP recordings of 2020. We realize these “Best of” lists can seem subjective, so we ask that you please accept our list as a celebration of the year in music.

In 2020 we’ve broadcast nearly 900 different tracks over our 100,000 watts of 90.1 FM Community Radio Airwaves. Over 500 of these tracks were from New & MidCoastal Releases. We played tracks from 112 National Releases, and 209 MidCoastal Releases. 75 of the representative tracks in our “Best of” list are from MidCoastal Releases. In 2020 we’ve conducted 131 live interviews with 156 special guests. 48 of the bands and artists in our “Best of” list have joined us as guests on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
   from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / Dec. 20, 1979
   [WMM’s theme]

2. (#60.) Sylvan Esso – “Ferris Wheel”
   from: Free Love / Loma Vista – Concord / September 25, 2020
   [3rd studio album by indie pop duo Sylvan Esso, from Durham, North Carolina, formed in 2013. The band consists of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. They made their debut with the single “Hey Mami” and released their eponymous debut album on Partisan Records on May 12, 2014, which reached No. 39 on the Billboard 200. They released their second album What Now with Loma Vista Recordings on April 28, 2017, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Lead singer Amelia Meath, who was at the time involved with her trio, Mountain Man, created the vocals to the song called “Play It Right”. She later met electronic music producer Nick Sanborn (who played bass in Megafaun) in Milwaukee at the Cactus Club, performing at the time solo as Made of Oak, and asked him to make a rendering of her single, Play It Right, in his own way. From 2012 to 2013, the band slowly formed. Meath returned from a year-and-a-half tour w/ Feist and was looking for an affordable place to live, landing in Durham with Sanborn and began making their album, with all of their songs being recorded in Sanborn’s apartment bedroom.]

3. (#59.) Sudan Archives – “Glorius”
   from: Athena / Stones Throw Records / November 1, 2019
   [LA based violinist Sudan Archives, combines elements of the modern and ancient. The 23 year-old self-taught violinist draws inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, R&B, West African rhythms, and experimental electronic music. Building records around rhythms and melodies from the strings of her violin and raw vocals, Sudan effortlessly draws the link between traditional African music and contemporary electronic production.]

4. (#58.) The War and Treaty – “Little Boy Blue”
   from: Hearts Town / Rounder Records / September 25, 2020
   [The second full length release and their first on Rounder Records. The War and treaty played Folk Alliance International in Kansas City in February 2018. The War and Treaty released their full length debut album, Healing Tide on August 10, 2018. Prior to that they released their first 7-song EP Down to the Rivder on July 21, 2017. Michael Trotter Jr & Tanya Blount-Trotter are from Albion, Michigan. For Michael Trotter Jr., the journey began in 2004, when he arrived in Iraq, an untested soldier stricken by fear and self-doubt. His captain made it his personal mission to see to Trotter’s survival. The unit was encamped in one of Saddam Hussein’s private palaces, and in a forgotten corner in its basement, they found a black upright piano that once belonged to the dictator himself. When Trotter shared the fact he could sing, he was encouraged to teach himself to play piano on that confiscated keyboard. “I wrote my first song after that captain was killed,” Trotter recalls. “I sang it for his memorial in Iraq.” Soon after it became his mission to sing at the memorial services for those that had fallen. For the next three years, he sang songs that brought solace and comfort to the members of his unit. His efforts eventually garnered wider recognition as well. He came in first place in “Military Idol,” the army’s version of “American Idol,” during a competition held in Baumholder, Germany. Following his discharge, he was featured on the Hope Channel program “My Story, My Song.” Then he met Tanya Blount. Blount’s musically influences include Mahalia Jackson, Sister Odette and Aretha Franklin. The two fell in love, got married and used the experiences they had gained to create a new musical collaboration. The couple then secured the services of musicians whose skills add a distinctive sound to The War and Treaty’s blend of roots music, blue grass, folk, gospel and soul. Their 2017 EP Down to the River was released July 21, 2017. Recorded in Albion, Michigan, Down to the River boasts a sound that’s both stirring and sensual, driven by joy, determination and an unceasing upward gaze. The music is visceral but never morose, flush with emotion but void of despair… a style that touches on a variety of genres, but never finds itself confined to anyone. The arrangements are uncluttered– harmonies, basslines, guitar and mandolin licks, settle drum patterns and keyboards create an immensely moving soundscape — but the sentiments and emotions are fully realized and soar with a steady, chilling assurance. “The recording process wasn’t like anything I ever experienced,” Tanya recalls. “This EP has allowed me to breathe musically. I feel like all I have wanted to express for the past ten years has come forth with what we’ve done. The combination of heart, soul and the overwhelming amount of love that Michael and I have for one another comes across in this record.“ “I was sitting on the banks of the Euphrates River in Baghdad dreaming about one day being able to play and sing professionally for people all around the world,” Michael reflects. “As we recorded our music, I constantly had flashbacks of those desert dreams. I thought to myself that this is actually the perfect ending to usher in a new beginning in my life.” ] [WMM First Played The War and Treaty on February 7, 2018.]

5. (#57.) Charlotte Dos Santos – “Josef”
   from: Harvest Time EP / Because Music / March 13, 2020
   [Charlotte Hall Dos Santos was born in 1990, in Oslo, Norway. She is a Brazilian-Norwegian jazz singer, composer, and arranger, currently based in Berlin. Dos Santos grew up in Bærum with a Norwegian mother and Brazilian father. She attended jazz studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts (2013–16), where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production, and Vocal Jazz Performance. Her music mixes “South-American traditions, jazz, neo soul, and tasty beats, with music history samples in a colorful way“. Dos Santos released her solo EP Cleo in 2017 on the label Fresh Selects. The EP was received positively in Norwegian media. Whilst Dos Santos spent her life in four different countries over three years, her debut project ‘Cleo’ EP took shape ending up functioning as a diary for the Brazilian-Norwegian composer, producer and vocalist. The metamorphosis of womanhood, falling in and out of love, betrayal, self realization and the passion for uplifting female musicians of color are all ideologies behind the restless musician’s 10 track EP. The character Cleo was created whilst Dos Santos studied Flamenco and Mediterranean music in Valencia, Spain. Cleo is a medieval deity, a moorish goddess that represents all women inspiring from Dos Santos lineage of strong women. She represents courage, independence, femininity, royalty and power only settling for success. She’s received recognition from Outkast’s Big Boi, Gilles Peterson, Pitchfork and Bandcamp. NyMag and The Cut, and was a nominee of the Norwegian Grammy Awards “Spellemannsprisen” in 2018.]

6. (#56.) Bill Callahan – “Breakfast”
   from: Gold Record / Drag City Records / September 4, 2020
   [22nd album release from Bill Callahan or Smog. Follow up to his 2019 release, Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest. Bill Callahan (born June 3, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who has also recorded and performed under the band name Smog. Callahan began working in the lo-fi genre of underground rock, with home-made tape-albums recorded on four track tape recorders. Later he began releasing albums with the label Drag City, to which he remains signed today. Callahan started out as a highly experimental artist, using substandard instruments and recording equipment. His early songs often nearly lacked melodic structure and were clumsily played on poorly tuned guitars, resulting in the dissonant sounds on his self-released cassettes and debut album Sewn to the Sky. Much of his early output was instrumental, a stark contrast to the lyrical focus of his later work. Apparently, he used lo-fi techniques not primarily because of an aesthetic preference but because he didn’t have any other possibility to make music. Once he signed a contract with Drag City, he started to use recording studios and a greater variety of instruments for his records. From 1993 to 2000, Callahan’s recordings grew more and more “professional” sounding, with more instruments, and a higher sound quality. In this period he recorded two albums with the influential producer Jim O’Rourke and Tortoise’s John McEntire, and collaborated with Neil Hagerty. Callahan also worked closely with his then-girlfriend Cynthia Dall in his early career, and they contributed vocals to each other’s albums. After 2000’s Dongs of Sevotion, Callahan began moving back to a slightly simpler instrumentation and recording style, while retaining the more consistent songwriting style he had developed over the years. This shift is apparent in albums such as Rain on Lens, Supper, and A River Ain’t Too Much to Love. Smog’s songs are often based on simple, repetitive structures, consisting of a simple chord progression repeated for the duration of the entire song. His singing is characterized by his baritone voice. Melodically and lyrically he tends to eschew the verse-chorus approach favoured by many contemporary songwriters, preferring instead a more free-form approach relying less on melodic and lyrical repetition. Themes in Callahan’s lyrics include relationships, animals, relocation, nature, and more recently, politics. On the subject of voice in his albums, Callahan has said, “It’s usually one character per record. So, the character appears in all or most of the songs on one record and then is gone. Though it makes me feel weird to talk about. Because I don’t really think in clear terms of characters. My albums as a whole could be seen as one character with many voices.” His generally dispassionate delivery of lyrics and dark irony often obfuscate complex emotional and lyrical twists and turns. Critics have generally characterized his music as depressing and intensely introverted, with one critic describing it as “a peep-show view into an insular world of alienation.” Cat Power (Chan Marshall) recorded Callahan’s song “Bathysphere” on her 1996 album What Would the Community Think and also covered another Callahan song, “Red Apples”, on her Covers Record, released in 2000. In 2007, Callahan released Woke on a Whaleheart, his first solo album released under his own name, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle followed in April, 2009. Both recordings were released through Drag City, worldwide. In 2009, Callahan contributed cover songs on four separate tribute albums to Judee Sill, Kath Bloom, Chris Knox, and Merge Records. In 2010, he released his first live album Rough Travel for a Rare Thing, which was recorded in 2007 at The Toff in Melbourne, Australia. Apocalypse, was released in April 2011 to favorable reviews. Critic Sasha Frere-Jones called it “my favorite of Callahan’s albums, not because it has better songs—those are scattered among at least five others — but because it does exactly what he wants it to do: it conveys an album’s coherence.” A tour film chronicling Callahan’s 2011 Apocalypse tour was released in 2012.][Bill Callahan plays the Lawrence Public Library Lawn, Friday, July 5, at 7:00 PM at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St, Lawrence, KS with special guest Heidi Lynne Gluck.]

7. (#55.) Indigo Girls – “K.C. Girl”
   from: Look Long / Rounder Records – Concord / April 24, 2020
   [15th studio album by American folk rock duo Indigo Girls. The Indigo Girls recorded the album with previous collaborator John Reynolds. Tour dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States but the duo performed a series of weekly live-streamed concerts online to raise money for charity as well as promote this release. These events were accompanied by a question and answer session and audience requests for performances. They also performed at a virtual festival of musicians raising money for the United Nations Foundation on Mother’s Day, 2020. Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. They started performing with the name Indigo Girls as students at Emory University, performing weekly at The Dugout, a bar in Emory Village. They released a self-produced, full-length record album entitled Strange Fire in 1987, and contracted with a major record company in 1988. After releasing nine albums with major record labels from 1987 through 2007, they have now resumed self-producing albums with their own IG Recordings company. Outside of working on Indigo Girls–related projects, Ray has released solo albums and founded a non-profit organization that promotes independent musicians, while Saliers is an entrepreneur in the restaurant industry as well as a professional author; she also collaborates with her father, Don Saliers, in performing for special groups and causes. Saliers & Ray are both lesbians and active in political and environmental causes.]

8. (#54.) Lido Pimienta – “Resisto y Ya”
   from: Miss Colombia / Anti / April 17, 2020
   [Lido Pimienta was born in 1986. Originally from Barranquilla, Colombia, she later immigrated to Canada, settling in London, Ontario, before moving to Toronto, where she is currently based. Her father died when she was six years old. She rose to prominence after her 2016 album, La Papessa, won the $50,000 2017 Polaris Music Prize. Her music incorporates a variety of styles and influences, including traditional indigenous and Afro-Colombian musical styles, as well as contemporary synthpop and electronic music. Pimienta released her debut album, Color, in 2010. The album was produced by Michael Ramey, Pimienta’s husband at the time, and was released by Los Angeles based music label KUDETA. After Pimienta and Ramey separated, Pimienta took time to pursue a degree in art criticism, in addition to learning more about music production, before releasing her second album, La Papessa, in 2016. That year, she also collaborated with A Tribe Called Red on several tracks for their 2016 album We Are the Halluci Nation. Following the release of her experimental album La Papessa, which was self-produced by Pimienta, she was awarded the $50,000 2017 Polaris Music Prize, which is considered Canada’s top juried music award. The Globe and Mail called her “the future of Canadian rock and roll”, and dubbed her the “artist of the year”. During her performance at the Halifax Pop Explosion music festival on October 19, 2017, Pimienta, as she often does during her concerts, invited the “brown girls [in the audience] to [come] the front”. According to a statement that was subsequently released by the festival, “the incident involved a white volunteer photographer and several white audience members who reacted negatively” to Pimienta’s request. When the photographer refused to move after ten separate requests, Pimienta said, “you’re cutting into my set time and you’re disrespecting these women, and I don’t have time for this”. The volunteer was removed from the show and the festival organizers later apologized to Pimienta, and said they would increase “anti-oppression and anti-racism training”. In addition to working as a musician, Pimienta is also a visual artist & curator, and her work has been described as exploring “the politics of gender, race, motherhood, identity and the construct of the Canadian landscape in the Latin American”; her work was exhibited in the group exhibition FEMINISTRY IS HERE at Mercer Union gallery in Toronto. Pimienta identifies as queer. She is of mixed Afro-Colombian & Wayuu descent. She is a single mother.]

9. (#53.) Molly Hammer – “Guess Who I Saw Today”
   from: I’m Feeling Mellow / Molly Hammer / October 27, 2020
   [Molly’s new album is a collaboration between Molly on vocals, Rod Fleeman on guitar and Gerald Spaits on bass. Produced by Jane Monheit who writes: “Please check out this beautiful new album by my beloved friend, Molly Hammer, available on all digital platforms!! A gorgeously sung collection of standards paying tribute to the great Julie London.” Molly Hammer has been performing in the Kansas City area since 2005. With an eclectic vocal background, she has found her home in the world of jazz and blues, drawing inspiration from the likes of Peggy Lee, Dinah Washington, Sara Vaughn, and many others. She has had the privilege of performing with some of the finest jazz musicians in the Kansas City area. You can hear her regularly at The Green Lady Lounge. She can also be seen and heard at one of the many Unity Churches in the area nearly every Sunday. Molly is a graduate of the Artist INC program and has also had the honor of singing the National Anthem for both The Royals and The Chiefs. In 2018 Molly wrote about her cancer diagnosis. “MY STORY IS NOT OVER – It was the fall of 2007 and I happened to brush my hand across my right breast and feel a strange lump. I didn’t just immediately think cancer, I was only thirty-four and it didn’t seem likely to me. I did have my mom and sisters feel it and I remember my sister saying, “That’s too big to be cancer. It wouldn’t have grown that fast.” She had no idea and was certainly trying to comfort me. // Fast forward to February of 2008. I had finally remembered to book myself a mammogram on my lunch break from my day job. I never made it back to work that day. After hours of waiting, three mammograms and a sonogram, a radiologist came in and told me that what they saw was of “dire concern.” To say I was terrified would be an understatement. The next few weeks were almost a blur of appointments. My entire life had changed in the blink of an eye. I had stage 3B Estrogen positive invasive breast cancer. I had one lymph node affected, so chemo and radiation were recommended along with a mastectomy. My oncologist and surgeon recommended a partial mastectomy but I was insistent they take both breasts. The next year and a half was all about cancer. I worked as much as I could and I had a pretty great support in my family and a few friends. I had a boyfriend that I lived with at the time who was good to me but I knew in my heart of hearts that if I didn’t have cancer we wouldn’t be together. I mean, who wants to be that guy that breaks up with their girlfriend while they’re going through chemo? // Well I made it through that crazy intense year and a half of treatments and surgeries. That boyfriend broke up with me and I did my best to move on. I quit that day job because I hated it anyway and life is short. I felt a renewed sense of purpose. I wanted to be a jazz singer and I was going to make it happen. You see, I had been a professional actress for fifteen years already and had always secretly wanted to go my own way. Well over the next eight years I made that happen. I worked hard, got a mentor, listened to everything I could, learned what felt like a million songs, and became successful in my own right. In that time I met a man named Jeremy and we got married. I also had a hysterectomy at the recommendation of my oncologist so I’d never give birth. Jeremy has two children so he didn’t mind and I grew to feel okay about it. I have nieces, nephews, godchildren, and girls I nanny and they all know I love them. It’s enough. // My older sister Ann tragically passed away on Christmas Day in 2014. We were extremely close, so 2015 was a blur of grief for me. Grief is a strange animal and it can make you stop caring about your own well being. I didn’t go in to see my oncologist at all that year and at the beginning of 2016 I knew something was off. My chest was tight and I was having weird pains around my hip and pelvis. I was scared to go in but I knew I had to. I’d been cancer free for eight years and at that point it all felt like a lifetime ago. Well, my worst fears had been confirmed. The cancer was back and it was in my left lung, and several spots in my bones. Stage Four. Those two words used to terrify me….Stage Four. // Life had been turned on its head yet again for me but this time it felt different. I felt more settled, more “me” I guess. I had a husband who cared for me, my amazing family and friends, and this time, a whole community of people who came out of the woodwork to lend their support to me. I felt truly loved and lifted up by this and I felt my heart grow even more. I had a great two years on a brand new drug used for women with exactly my kind of breast cancer. It was a form of hormone therapy that allowed me to continue singing, which I did. I had always wanted to travel and I made sure that happened. I went to Paris, Florence, Rome, Mexico, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Southern California, and I’m not done. Not by a long shot. I recorded my first CD, which was an absolutely amazing experience and I can’t wait to record more. // My career has blossomed and grown. I’ve won some awards, played some great jazz festivals, I sang in New York in the Village, and I continue to sing nearly every weekend in Kansas City. I am blessed beyond measure. My cancer became resistant to that drug three months ago now and I’ve had to start chemotherapy again. It was a big adjustment but I feel supported completely by my husband, who is a saint by the way, and my community here in Kansas City. I’m singing as much as my body will allow. It’s good for my soul. I feel transformed by all this. I think many people who’ve faced their immortality, especially at a young age can relate to this. I have no idea what my future holds. Really, who does? I do know that I’m not afraid. I have my moments but I never stay there. I know that I am loved and I return that love tenfold. I live everyday with an open heart and I know that I can handle whatever comes. There’s a peace in that. My story is not over. (This was written on November 2018). (Updated 2020) Molly requested that proceeds from her music sales go to Midwest Music Foundation. to provide grants to musicians with healthcare needs. Molly has announced she has entered hospice and will be transitioning from this worldly place to the next at home with her family and her beloved husband Jeremy. As transitions go, this one will occur far too soon and will leave behind a multitude of broken hearts. http://www.midwestmusicfoundation.org. Molly Hammer passed away on Nov. 24, 2020. More info at: http://www.mollyhammer.com.]

10:29 – Underwriting

10. (#52.) Jo MacKenzie – “Want You Want Me”
    from: let me give you what i wish i had. EP / Jo MacKenzie / October 3, 2020
    [One of several new singles from 16 year old, Kansas City based singer songwriter, Jo MacKenzie released this year that were collected together in a 5 -song EP, written, performed and produced by Jo MacKenzie. Mixed by Harper James. Jo MacKenzie released her debut EP, Proud on November 17, 2018. Jo Mackenzie released the single “Just Like Rain” on August 18, 2018; “I Should Come with a Warning Sign” on September 28, 2019; and “Alaska” on November 23, 2019 and the single “Suicide Season” on February 1, 2020, and the single “Lose My Face” on April 24, 2020. More info at http://www.jomackenzie.com]

11. (#51.) Nick Siegel – “No Love of Mine” (CD #11) (2:37)
    from: For You, Dear, Anything: Act Two [EP] / Darling Dear Records / November 27, 2020
    [Nick Siegel, is a KC piano rocker with influences such as Ben Folds, Death Cab for Cutie and the Mars Volta. Nick writes aggressive piano rock music. He grew up playing music in Chicago and moved to Kansas City in 2010 when he joined The Casket Lottery. Now on my own as solo artist, Nick has released his debut solo album, “Awake from the Golden State,” on Aug. 25, 2017. His 8-song EP, “For You Dear, Anything,” was released April 10, 2020. It is the first act, of three-act series, he plans to release. Act One, is a modern take on the vibe of the 1920s. Nick released For You, Dear, Anything: Act Two on November 27, 2020]. The fiorst single from this EP was “No Love of Mine” was released November 13, 2020.]

12. (#50.) Bill Fay – “Love Will Remain” (CD #12) (2:22)
    from: Countless Branches / Dead Oceans / January 17, 2020
    [William Fay was born 1943. He is an English singer, pianist and songwriter whose early releases were made on the Deram label in 1967. Following the release of his second album in 1971, Fay was dropped by the label. His work enjoyed a growing cult status in the 1990s, and his older works were re-issued in 1998 and 2004/2005. Fay’s 2012 album, Life Is People, was his first album of all-new material since 1971. His most recent album, Countless Branches, was released on January 17, 2020.]

13. (#49.) jordana – “Forgetter” (CD #13) (3:21)
    from: Something To Say EP / Grand Jury Music / July 31, 2020
    [Jordana is a girl who makes music in her living room in Kansas. Produced by MELVV & Jordana. Mixed by James Dring and mastered by Dave Trumfio. Follow up to her recent single “I’ll Take It Boring” released May 12, 2020 and her full length album release, Classical Notions of Happiness, March 27, 2020 with all songs written and produced by Jordan except “Crunch” was co written and produced by Jordana and Jeff Melvin aka “Melvv” and “Sway” was written by Jordana and co produced by Jordana and Sage Baptiste.]

14. (#48.) Shiner – “Nothing”
    from: Schadenfreude / Two Black Eyes / May 8, 2020
    [Shiner is an American post-hardcore band from Kansas City, Missouri that was active from 1992 to 2003. Since 2012 Shiner has been playing several shows a year. The band’s new record “Schadenfreude.”The group formed in 1992, and quickly found wide exposure, releasing a vinyl EP in 1993 and touring with acts such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Chore, Jawbox, Season to Risk, The Jesus Lizard, and Girls Against Boys. The group released their first LP, Splay (recorded at Steve Albini’s Chicago studio) in 1996, and a second album, Lula Divinia the next year. Sub Pop took notice, and released a 7” single of the group’s songs “Sleep it Off” and “Half Empty”. Following this the band toured with Hum in 1998. A third full-length, Starless, was released on a label run by members of Descendents, Owned and Operated, in 2000. A fourth LP, The Egg, would follow before the group broke up in 2002. This was recorded and produced at Matt Talbott’s recording studio, Great Western Record Recorders in Tolono IL. Guitarist Josh Newton is the guitar/synth player/mastermind for Sie Lieben Maschinen, Jason Gerken on drums plays in multiple projects, Paul Malinowski on bass. also produces music at Massive Sound Studio, lead singer songwriter Allen Epley is also in The Life and Times. Jason Gerkin was our guest on WMM, May 20, 2020. Paul Malinowski was our guest on WMM, May 27, 2020.]

15. (#47) The Sluts – “King Kong”
    from: Enjoy The Show / The Sluts / May 7, 2020
    [Follow up to last year’s 6-song EP Break Their Heart. The Lawrence based band The Sluts were formed by Ryan Wise & Kristoffer Dover in 2011. Produced recorded, mixed, and mastered by Joel Nanos at Element Recording and Mastering Studios, KCMO. The Sluts released their debut EP Virile on November 14, 2013. The Sluts released The Loser EP on July 8, 2014. They released their 11-song full length album The Sluts on June 17, 2015. The Sluts released their EP Only One on May 25, 2017. Info at http://www.thesluts.bandcamp.com]

16. (#46.) Kadesh Flow – “Accolades”
    from: Motivated / Ryan Davis / January 31, 2020
    [Executive Produced by Kadesh Flow. Mixed by Kadesh Flow. Mastered by Bill Beats. Kadesh calls this EP a “collection of tracks that I made to motivate myself. Hopefully they get you fired up as well.” Kadesh Flow is Ryan Davis is a rapper with an MBA. He is an emcee, producer, & trombonist. At age 11, he began rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another. His music has been featured on network television in multiple countries and territories across Southeast Asia. Kadesh performs as a solo hip hop artist and with his band the Deshtet. He also plays with The Tiki Brawlers, Jessica Paige, Krystle warren and Owen Cox Dance Group, the KC funk juggernaut The Phantastics, and Marcus Lewis Big Band for the Brass and Boujee concerts and recordings. Along with the EP, Motivated released on January 31. Kadesh Flow also released: the single “Now” with They Call Me Sauce, on January 16, the single “I’m A Hero (Bone Bars) on April 9, JoJo’s Jazz-hop 1 (2-Pack) on April 23, the 6-song EP I Hold Onto Heat For Too Long on May 1, “Free People” on June 5, Bleach Anime Lofi Pack 1 on October 8, and “Forget About Me” on December 3. More info at http://www.kadeshflow.com Kadesh Flow was out guest on WMM on March 11 and on October 21, 2020]

17. (#45.) Miss Boating – “Junk Food” (CD #17) (2:59)
    from: The Vhargon Sidestep / Miss Boating / January 1, 2020
    [From the ashes of their former band The Sleazebeats, Charles Colborne & Bill Belzer faced a difficult 2019 when combined with the death of Charlie’s own beloved mother, their friend & bassist Evan Vhargon died. The band wrote that they “were lost when Evan passed.” Through the tough times Bill & Charlie kept playing and wrote that they “were blown away when Phil Dickey wanted to jam with us. The jamming turned into something more and we were going again. We couldn’t be more thankful and humbled.” Phil is part of the bands Dragon Inn 3, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Miss Boating is: Charlie Colborne on keyboards, guitar, vocals; Bill Belzer: drums, vocals; Phil Dickey on bass; Aaron Jones on trombone; Tim Gillespie on saxophone. Ross Brown covered engineering & mixing for The Vhargon Sidestep. Mike Nolte handled all of the mastering. Charles Colborne & Bill Belzer were our guests on WMM on April 1, 2020.]

18. (#44.) Koney – “Buds”
    from: Koney / High Dive Records / October 9, 2020
    [Konnor Ervin is part of the Shy Boys who’ve released three full-length albums and multiple singles. Before Shy Boys, Konnor was the founder of the critically acclaimed band The ACBs who released their self titled debut album in 2007, followed by Stona Rosa in 2011, and Little Leaves in 2013. Konnor’s work on what might have been The ACBs fourth full-length album, got held up, but now five years later it’s seeing the light of day under the name Koney, Konnor’s nickname from Shy Boy’s band mates. From Lucas Wetzel’s Pitch Feature: “To bring the songs to life, Konnor enlisted brothers Collin and Kyle Rausch, his roommates in their ramshackle West Plaza house/practice space and his bandmates in chamber pop group Shy Boys. Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) played synthesizer and helped run sound, and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Little contributed on guitar. Fritz Hutchison and Andrew Connor also contributed on several tracks. Recording engineer Mike Nolte flew in from Portland to run the controls at Westend Recordings, and the group set up camp in the studio over a long snowy weekend.” KonnorEevin was out guest on WMM on June 3, 2020.]

11:00 – Station ID

19. (#43.) KeiyaA – “Do Yourself a Favor” (Single Version)
    from: Forever, Ya Girl / Forever Recordings / March 27, 2020
    [The debut album from KeiyaA originally from Chicago, now based in NYC. Written and produced by keiyaA, featuring additional production from dj blackpower & dj cowriiie. Mixed & mastered by BSTFRND.]

20. (#42) Radkey – “Underground”
    from: Green Room / Little Man Records / November 27, 2020
    [On Green Room the band serve as their own producers. On April 7, 2020 Radkey released a 2 minute cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine” written by Bill Withers who died in 2020. The band released singles “Underground” on November 27, and “Seize” on November 29, 2020. Isaiah, Dee, and Solomon Radke of the critically acclaimed rock trio Radkey joined us live in our 90.1 FM studios on September 5, 2018. Radkey was formed in 2010 in St. Joseph, where the brothers were raised. The family moved to Kansas City. The band has released two full-length recordings — “Dark Black Makeup” in 2015 and “Delicious Rock Noise” in 2016 — plus multiple EPs and singles, and were part of a MasterCard advertising campaign on digital billboards in NYC along with a national television commercial that aired during the 2018 Grammy Awards that brought the band to the attention of Jack White who asked the band to tour with him. In 2018 the band went back on the road with The Damned throughout the United States. In December they went back into the studio to record with producer Bill Stevenson of the California punk rock group Descendents. In early 2019 they played shows in Amsterdam and Stockholm. In 2018 the band released “Basement,” “St. Elwood,” “Rock & Roll Homeschool,” as well as several other singles. On February 22, 2019, Radkey released “No Strange Cats…P.A.W.” a 7-song EP is essentially a collection of the band’s most recent singles. It comes after the January 11, 2019 release of No Strange cats…Spiders – EP a 6 song EP of several new songs mixed with several singles from late 2018.]

21. (#41.) Sam Wells – “Dear Black People”
    from: Black Lives Matter Compilation / French Exit Records / July 6, 2020
    [The Black Lives Matter Compilation captured tracks from 22 acts from the area. On WMM we featured tracks from: Blackstarkids, Daniel Gum, Crystal Rose, UpKeep, Bream, Heavy Surface, Palace Intrigue, Self Harmony, and Sam Wells. All proceeds donated to One Struggle KC’s Liberation Fund, a Black-led coalition of KC activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed communities, locally & globally. French Exit Records launched two years ago and is an independent music label based out of Kansas City, Missouri founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond, and has organized live events. The Black Lives Matter Compilation is available on French Exit Record’s Bandcamp page: http://www.frenchexitrecords.bandcamp.com.] [Earlier this year on April 21, 2020, Sam Wells released her single “Sugar” produced at the Lawrence Kansas Public Library recording studio. It was only a decade ago, Sam Wells sat in her bedroom learning the Corrine Bailey Ray classic “Put Your Records On”. This was all it took to ignite a lifetime love affair with music. Now based in Lawrence KS, the singer-songwriter brings her Folk-Americana sound to the greater Kansas City area. With her smooth and sultry voice and the warm tones of a baritone ukulele, she shares stories of love, loss and everything in between. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Sam Wells is now based in Lawrence, Kansas where she is bringing her music to the greater Kansas City area, in many venues, and now in live stream shows. Folk Americana singer and songwriter Sam Wells joins us to talk about her first two singles, “Lesson Learned” (her debut) and “Sugar” (her latest) that is “full of energy and funk.” These two tracks are leading up to the release of Sam’s first EP, “Not Too Broken,” be released in 2021. More info at: http://www.whoissamwells.com. Sam Wells was on WMM on May 13, 2020.]

22. (#40.) Moses Sumney – “Colouour”
    from: græ / Jagjaguwar / September 22, 2017
    [“Cut Me” was released as the fourth single on February 7, 2020. Sumney made his US television debut with a performance of “Cut Me” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on February 11, 2020. Græ (stylized in all lowercase) is a double album composed of Part 1 and Part 2. The first part was released digitally on February 21, 2020. The second part and the full album was released on May 15, 2020. Græ features a diverse arrangement of musical and technical contributions from Daniel Lopatin, Thundercat, James Blake, Taiye Selasi, John Congleton, Rob Moose, Ezra Miller, Michael Chabon, Adult Jazz, Matthew Otto, Ian Chang, FKJ, Nubya Garcia, Shahzad Ismaily, Jill Scott, Tom Gallo, Shabaka Hutchings, Tunde Jegede, Brandee Younger, Jamie Stewart, and Mac DeMarco. The album was preceded by the singles “Virile”, “Polly”, “Me in 20 Years”, “Cut Me”, and “Bless Me”.Second album and follow up to his debut studio full length album Aromanticism released September 22, 2017 from American singer-songwriter Moses Frimpong Sumney, born May 19, 1990 in San Bernardino, California to Ghanaian parents. He moved with his family back to Ghana at the age of 10. Sumney described his childhood as “Americanized” by this age and had difficulty adjusting to the culture of Ghana. He did not learn to play any instruments until he was older, writing a cappella music for years instead. Sumney did not perform his musical compositions publicly until he was 20. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles. He is based in Los Angeles, California. His self recorded debut EP, Mid-City Island, was released in 2014 and self recorded onto a 4-track recorder given to him by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek. The EP was described by Pitchfork as “primarily composed of first-takes and improvisation; the music is stirring but purposefully incomplete”. Sumney has performed as an opening act for Solange, Sufjan Stevens, and Erykah Badu. Sumney released another 5-song EP in 2016, titled Lamentations which featured a guest appearance from Thundercat.]

23. (#39.) Kemet Coleman – “Black Is Beautiful”
    from: Black Is Beautiful / Kemet Coleman / August 1, 2020
    [Crane Brewing, partnered with rap artist, urbanist and beer lover, Kemet Coleman for their latest brew, Black is Beautiful, highlighted by a musical release, also called Black is Beautiful, written and performed by Coleman. The new Imperial Stout, part of the Black Is Beautiful initiative created by Weathered Soul’s Brewing, will be released in cans and sold at liquor stores in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska starting August 1, 2020. All proceeds will be donated to G.I.F.T (Generating Income for Tomorrow), a Kansas City-based non-profit with a goal to provide grants to Black owned businesses in Kansas City, with a specific interest in businesses that operate in low income areas. Music written, composed and produced by Kemet Coleman except for COLLECTION PLATE which is produced by Sharif Thomas. Kemet Coleman is a Kansas City based musicians and is a member of the Hip-Hop duo COA (Center of Attention) and is the lead singer of the Funk/Rap/Soul band The Phantastics. Kemet is also a core element of The Marcus Lewis Big Band for Brass & Boujee. Kemet is a two time Pitch Music Award nominee for “Best Hip-Hop Act.” Kemet is known for his unprecedented collaborations with UMKC, KC Streetcar and The Kansas City Royals. He is also highly regarded for his impresario role within the Sly James for Mayor Campaign in the 2010-2011 where he created the first ever KC mayoral candidate rap song. A University of Missouri – Kansas City alumnus, Kemet, created “Gold and Blue” for UMKC’s sports teams, which has garnered thousands of plays on YouTube and has been featured on prime-time television commercials for the university. Earlier this year Coleman contributed his song, “The Virus” to the compilation, Kansas City Syzygy, music created by over 25 Kansas City-based musicians in the middle of the map of a pandemic. “The Virus” is his comment on the impact of the coronavirus, as well as the virus that is racial injustice in America that has received global attention during the past months. All proceeds donated to KC Tenants, a local nonprofit organized to ensure that everyone in KC has a safe, accessible, and truly affordable home came together. Kemet Coleman was out guest onWMM on August 26, and October 21, 2020. More info at: http://www.kemetcoleman.com]

24. (#38.) Gregory Porter – “Revival Song”
    from: All Rise / Blue Note Records / August 28, 2020
    [Sixth studio album from Gregory Porter, born November 4, 1971. He is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2014 for Liquid Spirit and in 2017 for Take Me to the Alley. Gregory Porter was born in Sacramento, California, and was raised in Bakersfield, California, where his mother Ruth was a minister. Porter has seven siblings. His mother was a large influence on his life, having encouraged him to sing in church at an early age. His father, Rufus, was largely absent from his life. Says Porter, “Everybody had some issues with their father, even if he was in the house. He may have been emotionally absent. My father was just straight-up absent. I hung out with him just a few days in my life. And it wasn’t a long time. He just didn’t seem to be completely interested in being there. Maybe he was, I don’t know.” // A 1989 graduate of Highland High School, he received a full athletic scholarship as a football lineman to San Diego State University (SDSU Aztecs), but a shoulder injury during his junior year cut short his football career. // Porter’s mother died from cancer when he was 21 years old. From her death bed, she entreated him: “Sing, baby, sing!” // Porter moved to the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn in 2004, along with his brother Lloyd. He worked as a chef at Lloyd’s restaurant Bread-Stuy (now defunct), where he also performed. Porter performed at other neighborhood venues including Sista’s Place and Solomon’s Porch, and moved on to Harlem club St. Nick’s Pub, where he maintained a weekly residency. Out of this residency evolved what would become Porter’s touring band. // Porter released two albums on the Motéma label together with Membran Entertainment Group, 2010’s Water and 2012’s Be Good, before signing with Blue Note Records (under Universal Music Group) on May 17, 2013. His third album, Liquid Spirit, was released on September 2, 2013, in Europe and on September 17, 2013, in the US. The album was produced by Brian Bacchus. The album won the 2014 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. // Liquid Spirit enjoyed commercial success rarely achieved by albums in the jazz genre, reaching the top 10 on the UK album charts. It was certified gold by the BPI, selling over 100,000 units in the UK. // In August 2014, Porter released “The ‘In’ Crowd” as a single. On May 9, 2015, Porter participated in VE Day 70: A Party to Remember, a televised commemorative concert from Horse Guards Parade in London, singing “As Time Goes By”. //His fourth album, Take Me to the Alley, was released on May 6, 2016. In UK’s The Guardian it was Alexis Petridis’s album of the week. // On June 26, 2016, Porter performed on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival 2016. Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick said, “The portly middle-aged jazzer may be the oddest pop star on the planet but he is a refreshing testament to the notion that the most important organ for musical appreciation should always be our ears. And Porter has one of the most easy-on-the-ear voices in popular music, a creamy baritone that flows thick and smooth across a rich gateaux of juicy melody. It’s a voice that makes you want to lick your lips and dive right in.” // In September 2016, Porter performed at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park from Hyde Park, London. He would go on to perform in the annual BBC Children in Need show in November, a night dedicated to Sir Terry Wogan, who hosted it in previous years and was a fan of Porter. // In January 2017, Porter performed the song “Holding On” on BBC One’s The Graham Norton Show. In September 2017 he performed as part of the Later… with Jools Holland: Later 25 concert at the Royal Albert Hall. In October 2017, he performed the song “Mona Lisa” on BBC One’s The Graham Norton Show with Jeff Goldblum on piano. // His debut album, Water, was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. He was also a member of the original Broadway cast of It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues. His second album, Be Good, which contains many of Porter’s compositions, garnered critical acclaim for both his distinctive singing and his compositions, such as “Be Good (Lion’s Song)”, “Real Good Hands”, and “On My Way to Harlem”. The title track was also nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. In his review of Water, Kevin Le Gendre of the BBC wrote that “Gregory Porter has a voice and musicality to be reckoned with.” // The New York Times described Porter as “a jazz singer of thrilling presence, a booming baritone with a gift for earthy refinement and soaring uplift” in its review of Liquid Spirit. // Michael G. Nastos of AllMusic wrote a mixed review of Water, stating: “In hard bop trim, Shorter’s ‘Black Nile’ has Porter shouting out a lyric line that was done many years ago by Chicago’s Luba Raashiek, but Porter’s voice is strained and breaks up. While on every track Porter sings with great conviction, he’s more effective on lower-key compositions”, but went on to say that “he’s right up there with José James as the next big male vocal jazz star.” // Porter is married to Victoria and they have a son, Demyan. Their home is in Bakersfield, California. // For public appearances, Porter always wears a hat reminiscent of a deerstalker incorporating fabric that covers his ears and chin. In a 2012 interview with Jazzweekly.com, when asked: “What’s with the weird and wonderful hat?” Porter replied: “I’ve had some surgery on my skin, so this has been my look for a little while and will continue to be for a while longer. People recognize me by it now. It is what it is.” In an interview with The Daily Telegraph in 2016, he divulged that he received some facial scars when he was “seven or eight”, but declined to go into the specifics of how they were sustained. He said: “I just saw it one day (The hat) and said ‘I’m gonna put this on, I like it.’ It was before the music career. The cap is a Kangol Summer Spitfire]

25. (#37.) Calvin Arsenia – “Scars & Stripes”
    from: Summer in Hindsight / Calvin Arsenia & Mike Dillon / October 16, 2020
    [Summer in Hindsight is the soundtrack created by Calvin Arsenia and Mike Dillon for The West 18th Street Fashion Show’s 20th year as a feature-length film. COVID-19 changed everything in 2020. “We are moving it from the street to the screen,” says Peregrine Honig to inkansascitymagazine. “Mike Dillon and Calvin Arsenia will be scoring and performing in the film.” The film premiered October 16, 2020 at The Boulevard Drive-In. Honig wrote,. “We did this during a pandemic and a cultural revolution. I am not sure where else or how else this could happen at this moment in history.” Calvin Arsenia had recently been emotionally and greatly moved by the area and national Black Lives Matter Movement. His own research into his own family revealed that Calvin’s great, great, great grandmother Alice Gilliam Scott, was a former slave who lived to observe her 100th birthday as noted by a regional newspaper Calvin had written. In the summer of 2020 Calvin wrote “Revelation” an unreleased track inspired by Black Lives Matter. Calvin premiered the song on WMM on August 12, 2020. He later shared his other new songs, “Scars and Stripes” and “The Flying Monkees are Coming!” on our October 14, 2020 edition of WMM. Both of those songs ended up on Summer in Hindsight. Calvin Arsenia was our guest on WMM on August 12 and October 14, 2020. Born in Orlando, Florida, Calvin’s creative journey really began when he moved to the KC suburb of Olathe, teaching himself the guitar, and eventually the harp. He learned his signature instrument at the age of 20 after he couldn’t find a harpist as determined as him to meld folk, rock, classical, rap and R&B into the irresistible fusion which has become his calling card in KC and beyond. His passion for stretching the boundaries of musical expression saw him transform a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland’s Fringe Festival early in his career into a life-changing music mission, with an Edinburgh church offering him a role as musical liaison between the church and the city that would change his life. Two years and 300 shows later, Calvin returned to KC reborn as a humanistic songwriter / performer whose impassioned and conceptual stage shows (regularly sold-out in Kansas City, currently catching fire on the West Coast with a diverse following across Europe), are collaborative, costumed-culture-bridging spectacles which In KC Magazine has hailed as ‘equal parts opera, symphony, musical theatre, rock show, all built around its creator: a charismatic 6-foot-6-inch harpist with a natural stage command and knack for gilding gold and painting lilies.’ Calvin’s 2018 national debut, Cantaloupe, September 15, 2018 on Center Cut Records, has been acclaimed for melding diverse textures into an alluring signature sound for the adventurous artist. On June 28, 2019 Calvin released Honeydew, an EP including a remix of three songs from Cantaloupe. On Dec. 13, 2019 Calvin released his full length Christmas album “all is calm.” Congratulations to Calvin & his fantastic team of co-conspirators & creators: Khitam Jabr, John P. Beatty, Ignacio Galarza III, Ashlee Fairchild Jones, production assistants, & crew. The Toxic music video earned its sixth set of laurels as an official selection of the L.A. Music Video Awards, where they were nominated for Best Music Video, Best Cover Song & Best Male Vocalist. More info at: http://www.calvinarsenia.com]

26. (#36.) Phylshawn – “Change the World”
    from: Soul Heart / Nation of Love / September 25, 2020
    [Columbia, MO based Phylshawn Johnson is a singer, songwriter, drummer with the band Violet and the Undercurrents. She is also a teacher, producer, engineer, label manager for The Nation of Love Records. In 2009, Johnson started an independent label, The Nation of Love, as a way to give artists such as herself, Violet Vonder Haar, Ruth Acuff, and other songwriters a place to create freely and have the support of a musical community. With her partner Violet Vonder Haar, Phylshawn Johnson is also a cofounder of the band Violet and the Undercurrents who last year released the critically acclaimed album The Captain, on March 1, 2019. Phylshawn also previously released the EP Across The Tracks on August 9, 2014. ]

11:33 – Underwriting

27. (#35.) Lomelda – “Hannah Sun”
    from: Hannah / Double Double Whammy / September 4, 2020
    [Written by Hannah Read. Produced by Tommy Read & Hannah Read. Recorded in March 2019, July 2019 & February 2020 at Lazybones Studio in Silsbee, TX. And Mixed & mastered by Tommy Read. Performed by Hannah Read, Tommy Read, Andrew Hulett, Charlie Martin, Andrew Stevens, Zachary Daniel, Adan Carlo and Cody Green. Album artwork by T. Colantuono. Published by Double Double WhammyFollow up to 2019’s M for Empathy, released March 1, 2019. Lomelda is the stage name of musician Hannah Read. According to Read, Lomelda is a made up word that means “echo of the stars.” Hannah Read was raised in Silsbee, Texas. She began her music career playing in bands with her brother as well as her high school friends. Read’s first full-length album, Forever, was released in 2015. In 2017, Read released her second full-length album, Thx, with the independent record label Double Double Whammy. The album was co-produced with the assistance of Read’s brother, Tommy. It was primarily written over a few months while Read was sleeping in her car.]

28. (#34.) Julia Othmer – “Born In The USA”
    from: Seeds (Volume 1) / Julia Othmer & James Lundie / November 13, 2020
    [Born In The USA was written by Bruce Springsteen (1984). “Seeds” is Julia Othmer’s 3rd full length album and contains 10 live songs selected from her 30-day Songs of September Project, where Julia performed a different live cover of her favorite songs and broadcast the performance throughout the streaming social media platforms to inspire people to register and vote on November 3. From those songs Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite tracks to be released together on “Seeds.” Julia Othmer released “Sound,” on April 12, 2019, her second album, that took 3 years to complete, and was produced with James Lundie, who also married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record. Julia Othmer, is a graduate of Park Hill High School. She moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to record her 1st full-length album, “Oasis Motel.” In 2018 to 2019 Julia Othmer toured with and opened for The Alarm in US show and shows in the United Kingdom. When Julia Othmer is in Kansas City she plays with Johnny Hamil on bass, Chris Tady on guitar, John Floyd Whitaker on drums. More info at http://www.juliaothmer.com. Julia Othmer joined us onWMM on Nov. 11, 2020.]

29. (#33.) Monta At Odds – “Two Lanes Two Paths”
    from: Zen Diagram EP / Cosmic City / May 1, 2020
    [Conceptual Kansas City art-rock combo Monta At Odds continue their experimentation in sound with an expanded line-up and a new EP, Zen Diagram. Led by Dedric Moore and fueled from 2020’s angst and uncertainty, the band adopts a darker, grittier direction that coincides with a post-punk indulgence. The result is an evocative four-song tableau, showcasing the veteran project’s drive to explore sonic territory as they lay down some mesmerizing jams. The title track opens the EP as a voyage into soundtrack dreams and sonic imagery. It’s a fully-packed production, featuring twin vocals from Mikal Shapiro and Teri Quinn, Krystof Nemeth of Emmaline Twist on epic baritone guitar, Lucas Behrens on Moog, and Delaney Moore on slide guitar. The song builds and builds over 10 minutes, introducing a bevy of interplaying elements and melodies. There’s a complexity that grooves. Monta At Odds embraces the grayer shades of these sessions with a faithful but otherworldly cover of “Movement of Fear,” the classic cut from Tones On Tail. Mikal leans into the vocals with gentle whispers as Lucas plucks the atmosphere. Meanwhile, Matthew Heinrich merges live drums with the programmed ones until he is one with the machines. The result is multi-textured and dubbed-out, exposing the bloodline of Monta’s aesthetic. “Two Lanes Two Paths” is frenetically powered by the jazzy drum drive of Alexander Thomas. Dedric’s relentless bassline, Delaney’s freeform synthesizer soloing, and Krystof’s expressive guitar tones conspire to form a congealed essence. It’s a spaced-out instrumental that could be from another time, floating defiantly into the present. Zen Diagram ends with “I Count The Steps To A New Sunrise.” The previous cut’s path takes us to a crest on a hill with a view of the damage below. The combo is locked-in, as skittering drums, cosmic synths, spacious noise guitars, and a pensive bass riff promise a way out. Dedric’s vocals are pure 2020, overcome with the zeitgeist of isolation and yearning to reach for something, anything. The diagram becomes a map, and this is how we find an escape. Dedric Moore was our guest on WMM on May 27.]

30. (#32.) The Republic Tigers – “Trust Fall”
    from: Mind Over Matter / The Record Machine / June 5, 2020
    [Hailing from Kansas City, MO, The Republic Tigers spike their lushly orchestrated indie rock with organic and synthetic elements. Founder Kenn Jankowski originally moved to Kansas City in 1999 and began playing guitar for The People, a band that later changed its name to The Golden Republic (Astralwerks Records). He also made fast friends with local musicians Ryan Pinkston and Adam McGill; and when The Golden Republic disbanded seven years later, he opted to launch his pop-based project with the other two multi-instrumentalists. Taking their name from Jankowski’s high school mascot, The Republic Tigers expanded their lineup with bassist Marc Pepperman and drummer Justin Tricomi. Electronic structures remained to play an important role in their music (via convenience/sensible creation-farming/forming), and the band issued a self-titled EP in late 2007 before putting the finishing touches on Keep Color, which arrived in 2008. Then there was a cool EP in 2011 titled “No Land’s Man” which featured the emo smash hit “The Infidel” and the extremely fun “Merrymake It With Me”. And then a second concept LP was concocted, “Mind Over Matter” – written from the year 2008 to the year 2011. Mixed and mastered in the year 2012. But then it was sadly shelved by the original labels. Which leads us to now, the year is 2020. Something new is going to happen. Kenn Jankowski joined us on WMM on June 3, 2020.]

31. (#31.) Black Light Animals – “Halo”
    from: Playboys of The Western World / Groove King Records / July 3, 2020
    [Formed from the ashes of their last band, Instant Karma the new record contains lush pop vocals crooned over spaghetti western riffs, psychedelic synth, and hip hop drums. Playboys of the Western World is a sprawling, decadent examination of what it means to be a human being through the lens of horror movie organs, spaghetti western guitars, hip hop grooves, psychedelic sojourns, and ballads crooned to lovers in the night. Members include: Cole Bales on vocals & guitar, Cody Calhoun on guitar, Branden Moser on bass, and Zach Harris on drums. More info at: http://www.blacklightanimalsband.bandcamp.com][Black Light Animals played Lemonad(e) Park, 1628 Wyoming (NW corner of Wyoming & 17th St.), behind Voltaire, on Friday, August 14, at 7:00 PM, with The Fey, and The Freedom Affair. ]

32. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
    from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]

Next week, December 30, Wednesday MidDay Medley continues with part 4 of our 4-week series: The 120 Best Recordings of 2020, we’ll count down from #30 through #1 of our list, with music from: Betse & Clarke, Krystle Warren, The Roseline, Blackstarkids, Shy Boys, Ebony Tusks, Fritz Hutchison, We The People, Una Walkenhorst, Fullbloods, Katy Guillen & The Drive, Pedaljets, Daniel Gum, The Freedom Affair, Miki P and The Swallowtails, Old Sound, Lava Dreams, Aaron Alexander, Kevin Morby, Waxahatchee, Fiona Apple, Bettye Lavette, Fantastic Negrito, Perfume Genius, Lianne La Havas, Adrianne Lenker, Anjimile, The Heliocentrics, Dirty Projectors, and Beverly Glenn-Copeland.

Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
http://www.kkfi.org,
http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM

Black Lives Matter

Show #869