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, February 5, 2025

WMM presents Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning on James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep + Daniel Gum + Diana Watts, Trish Price, & Kevin King of Whim Productions

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

2. Fontaines D.C. – “Starburster (Radio Edit)”
   from: Romance / XL Recordings / August 23, 2024
   [4th studio album by Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. “Starburster” was the lead single. It also features the singles “Favourite”, “Here’s the Thing”, “In the Modern World” and “Bug”. It is their 1st release on XL Recordings, after the band left Partisan Records, and was produced by James Ford. // Fontaines D.C. are an Irish post-punk band formed in Dublin in 2014. The band consists of Grian Chatten (vocals), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), Tom Coll (drums) and Carlos O’Connell (guitar). // The band members met while attending music college and bonded over a common love of poetry. They began self-releasing singles and performing live regularly, signing to Partisan Records in 2018. The band’s debut album, Dogrel, was released on April 12, 2019 to widespread critical acclaim. It was listed as Album of the Year on record store Rough Trade’s website, voted Album of the Year by presenters on BBC Radio 6 Music, and nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize. // The band’s second studio album, A Hero’s Death, written and recorded in the midst of touring to promote their debut album, was released on 31 July 2020. A Hero’s Death was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Their third album, Skinty Fia, released in 2022, was the band’s first to reach number one on the Irish Albums Chart and UK Albums Chart and contributed to their winning the Brit Award for International Group. The band’s fourth album, Romance, was released on August 23, 2024. Romance won The Album Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards 2024.]

3. Kadesh Flow – “Thesis Statement (Radio Edit)”
   from: “Thesis Statement (Radio Edit)” – Single / Kadesh Flow / January 31, 2025
   [Instrumental Production: D. Professor; Lyrics & Vocal Performance: Kadesh Flow; Mixing: Kadesh Flow; Mastering: Kadesh Flow; and Single Art: Kadesh Flow // Kadesh writes: “I started writing this during my flight to Belfast on November 5, 2024. Just reflecting on how 2024 was my redo of 2019, and how pivotal 2019 was for me. I hit rock bottom and rose to great success from it. Lost everything in 2020, mostly due to COVID shut downs, and spent 3 years rebuilding from 2021-2024. Aside from the personal reflection, this song is a recognition that there could be hard times coming, but there’s hope as long as we’re alive, so we have to keep fighting to win. Community is immensely important, especially now.” // 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. He also plays with The Phantastics, Marcus Lewis Big Band, Deshica Rage (w/ Jessica Paige). Info at: http://www.kadeshflow.com]

Kadesh Flow Discography
“Thesis Statement (Radio Edit)” – Single – January 31, 2025
“Our Christmas Town (feat. Mix Williams & Oricadia)” – Single – Dec. 24, 2024
“All Day” – Single – October 14, 2024
“Vader Choke Freestyle” – Single – May 3, 2024
‘Level Up” – Single – April 22, 2024
“I Can (Mahito) -Kadesh Flow x Gr3ys0n x Shwabadi” – Single – April 5, 2024
“Stand on Business (feat. Mega Ran)” – Single – January 19, 2024
“Overcome (Nanami)” – Single – January 1, 2024
“Stakes” – Single – November 17, 2023
“Switch Up” – Single – January 6, 2023
“Heaters” _ Singles – November 11, 2022
”Chill (feat. Mir Blackwell).” – Single – October 21, 2022
“Dream For Me” – Single – October 10, 2022
“You’re Very Special (feat. Kemet Coleman, Kadesh Flow & Kevin Church Johnson) – Marcus Lewis Big Band – single – September 30, 2022
“Away From You” – Single – July 1, 2022
“Future Ex (feat. Vincent Orsolini & DJ Skittlez)” – Single – Feb. 14, 2022
“Move Different (feat. Gr3s0n)” – Single – January 21, 2022
“Part of The Plan” – Single – January 7, 2022
“Beast Mode (feat. Mega Ran)” – Single – Dec. 31, 2021
“Choice (The Cost)” – Single – December 17, 2021
“Gardens Out The Gutter” – Single – Dec. 3, 2021
“No Options (feat. Jamar Rose)” – Single – Nov. 12, 2021
“Fiend” – Single – Sept. 4, 2021
“Easy” – Single – August 27, 2021
“Coming For Your Neck” – Single – August 20, 2021
ROOM SERVICE 2 – 13-track album – July 19, 2021
“Elegant” – Single – May 21, 2021
”Lighten Up” – Single – May 7, 2021
“On Target” – Single – April 30, 2021
“So Far” – Single – April 23, 2021
“That Way” – Single – April 16, 2021
“I Don’t Care” – Single – April 9, 2021
“Take Backs (feat. Ryan Heinlein)” – Single – March 26, 2021
“But Hope” – Single – March 26, 2021
“Forgot About Me” – Single – March 14, 2021
“Your Dream Isn’t Always Yours” – Single – March 12, 2021
“No Doubts” – Single –
“Not on My Watch” – Single – February 19, 2021
“Cry For Me 2” – Single – February 12, 2021
“Frosty” – Single – February 12, 2021
“Assumptions feat. Shubzilla,” – Single – Jan. 29, 2021
“Soft Side” – Kadesh Flow & The Enclave – Single – Jan. 21, 2021
“Lit For The Holidays (feat. Andrew The Only)” – Single – Dec. 22, 2020
Bleach Anime Lofi Pack 1 – 2-track Single – October 8, 2020
“Too Soon” / “Free People” – 2-Pack Single – June 5, 2020
JoJo’s Jazz-hop 1 (2-Pack) Single – April 23, 2020
“I’m A Hero (Bone Bars)” – Single – April 9, 2020
MOTIVATED – 6-track EP – January 31, 2020
“Something Now (feat. Richie Branson & Atlas)” – Single – September 14, 2018
ROOM SERVICE – 6-track EP – March 30, 2018
“Headmaster” – Single – December 9, 2016
WE ARE FAITHFUL – 8-track album – October 9, 2015
GATEWAYS – 15-track Album – October 2, 2014
NerdKrunk Volume 3 – 10-track Album – April 18, 2013
NerdKrunk Volume 2 – 10-track Album – November 28, 2012
NerdKrunk Volume 1 – 10-track Album – September 5, 2012
THE BANKAI FLOW MIXTAPE – 11-track Album – July 27, 2012

4. Cymande – “Chasing An Empty Dream (Radio Edit)”
   from: Renascence / BMG / January 31, 2025
   [Legendary British band Cymande release their highly anticipated new album, Renascence, via BMG. // Cymande (pronounced /sɪˈmɑːndeɪ/ sih-MAHN-day) are a British funk group that was originally active in the early 1970s. The band name derives from a calypso word for “dove”, which symbolises peace and love;[2] “Dove” is also the title of one of their best-known songs. With a membership deriving from several Caribbean nations, Cymande were noted for an eclectic mix of funk, soul, reggae, rock, African music, calypso, and jazz that they called “nyah-rock”.[3][4][5] The band formed in 1971 and released three albums before disbanding in 1974. After gaining newfound popularity when their music was sampled by many notable rap artists, Cymande reformed in the 2010s. Their most recent album Renascence was released in January 2025. // A true return to form and jewel in the crown of their iconic discography, Renascence picks up where their 1974 album Promised Heights left off – a spiritual and sonic follow-up, bringing a fresh modern edge to their iconic sound, which remains foundational to early hip-hop and funk scenes in the United States and UK. Renascence tells the story of a band that never fully got its due back in the day; but are back to take the crown by remaining true to themselves – politically aware, and spiritually positive with infectious grooves. // “Chasing An Empty Dream,” the first track on Renascence, beckons you back into the world of Cymande with an unforgettable grizzly bassline hook – as is their way – addictive percussion, global rhythms inspired by their diasporic origins, layered horns and a powerful message for the world. // Their new album, Renascence is a true return to form and jewel in the crown of their iconic discography and picks up where their 1974 album Promised Heights left off – a spiritual and sonic follow-up, bringing a fresh modern edge to their iconic sound, which remains foundational to early hip-hop and funk scenes in the United States and UK. Renascence tells the story of a band that never fully got its due back in the day, but are back to take the crown by remaining true to themselves – politically aware, and spiritually positive with infectious grooves. // Last year, Cymande’s unique story was told on the on big screen for the first time in the UK (via BFI) and in cinemas around the world (via Abramorama) with Getting It Back: The Story Of Cymande (Directed by award winning director Tim Mackenzie-Smith). This empowering and thought-provoking documentary shows the band’s depth of influence across decades and features interviews with Mark Ronson, Laura Lee and Mark Speer (Khruangbin), DJ Maseo (De La Soul), Jazzie B (Soul II Soul), Cut Chemist, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Louie Vega, Kool DJ Red Alert, and so many others. Directed by Tim Mackenzie-Smith, the film debuted at SXSW in 2022 and has now traveled the world twice over. // As Total Film said in their review of the documentary ‘Tim Mackenzie-Smith’s joyous doc offers some Searching for Sugar Man-style reappraisal // Cymande (pronounced /sɪˈmɑːndeɪ/ sih-MAHN-day) are a British funk group that was originally active in the early 1970s. The band name derives from a calypso word for “dove”, which symbolises peace and love; “Dove” is also the title of one of their best-known songs. With a membership deriving from several Caribbean nations, Cymande were noted for an eclectic mix of funk, soul, reggae, rock, African music, calypso, and jazz that they called “nyah-rock”. The band formed in 1971 and released three albums before disbanding in 1974. After gaining newfound popularity when their music was sampled by many notable rap artists, Cymande reformed in the 2010s] Their most recent album Renascence was released in January 2025.]

5. Dandelion Lakewood – “Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen”
   from: Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen / Fire Next Time Records / January 29, 2025
   [Dandelion Lakewood, the psychedelic artist known for blending multiple genres of folk music. “Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen” is a 6/8 minor key blues ballad telling the tale of a magical adventure in County Kerry, Ireland. // “Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen” is a bluesy folk song with a full arrangement of guitars, Irish penny whistle, Turkish banjo, hand drums and tambourine. and vocal layers. Lakewood’s characteristic singing blends all these ingredients into a captivating mixture of sounds and rhythms. // Dandelion writes: “Years ago, I was backpacking and busking across Ireland with barely a penny to my name. I had some inspirational moments during that time and decided to pen a ballad in homage to my time absorbing the traditions of the Green Isle.” // Dandelion Lakewood is a bard, multi-instrumentalist, composer, audio engineer, and video maker born in Kansas City. He is the founding member of the band Bowl of Dust & Co. and host of the podcast “Voice Seeker”. He integrates various styles into his eclectic blend of Folk, Blues, Americana, Balkan, Middle Eastern and Psychedelic sounds. // Dandy became a wandering bard unexpectedly in 2014. It was then that he abandoned his life in Chicago and went on a musical journey spanning Hawai’i, Europe, Ireland, North Africa, The Balkans, and Turkiye to absorb musical traditions and play music for countless people in festivals, bars, cafes, living rooms, barns, streets, and forests. He has been based in Kansas City since 2022 and has music available on streaming platforms everywhere.]

6. Religion of Heartbreak – “Dream Reflection (EP Mix)”
   from: Dream Reflection – EP / Religion of Heartbreak / February 3, 2025
   [Dedric Moore on vocals, guitar, synths, programming; Mikal Shapiro on vocals
   Krysztof Nemeth: baritone guitar, electronic percussion; Alexander Thomas on electronic percussion on MGGG, Dream Reflection, Skeptic; Regan Moore on electronic percussion on Dark Hour of Meditation // Dream Reflection EP carries forward the motorized heartbeat of classic darkwave while forging its own metallic path. Drawing from EBM and Synth Pop traditions, this five-track release sees the Monta At Odds offshoot strip away unnecessary embellishments, leaving only the essential elements and textural remnants that speak to our collective digital malaise. // The EP’s centerpiece and title track emerges like a ghost in the machine, with Mikal Shapiro’s coolly delivered vocals floating above Dedric Moore’s gritty synth programming and precision-guided guitar along with Krysztof Nemeth’s synth pad percussion. Each track builds upon this foundation, from the robot-dance urgency of “Forget About You” to the beautiful desolation of “Skeptic,” creating a cohesive statement about modern isolation and the personas we construct. The result feels familiar and alien—like catching your reflection in a black mirror and seeing someone else staring back. // Religion of Heartbreak, an offshoot of Monta At Odds, dives deep into darkwave and EBM territories, crafting a sound that’s nostalgic and cutting-edge with Dedric Moore on vocals, guitar, synths, programming; Mikal Shapiro on vocals; and Krysztof Nemeth on baritone guitar and electronic percussion.]

7. Jamie xx & Nia Archives– “Waited All Night (ft. Romy, Oliver Sim & The xx)”
   from: In Waves / Young / September 20, 2024
   [One of multiple singles from In Waves, the second studio album by English producer Jamie xx. It was preceded by the singles “Baddy on the Floor” featuring Honey Dijon and “Treat Each Other Right”, and will be his first album in nine years, following In Colour (2015). The album also includes collaborations with Jamie xx’s xx bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim, Kelsey Lu, John Glacier, Panda Bear, Robyn, the Avalanches, and Oona Doherty. An additional collaboration with Erykah Badu will feature on the deluxe vinyl. // The album was recorded over a period of four years. In a statement, Jamie xx likened his experiences since releasing his previous album to “waves that we have all experienced together and alone”, and said that he wanted to “make something fun, joyful and introspective all at once” as “the best moments on a dance floor are usually that” for him. From 2022 to early 2024, Jamie xx released the standalone singles “Let’s Do It Again”, “Kill Dem”, and “It’s So Good”, which are included on the deluxe vinyl edition of the album. // James Thomas Smith (born 28 October 1988), known professionally as Jamie xx, is an English musician, DJ, record producer, and remixer. He is known for both his solo work and as a member of the indie pop band the xx. // He has been described as a “driving force” behind the xx, contributing to the group’s significant commercial and critical success. As a solo artist, he has been recognised with a 2015 Mercury Prize nomination, and a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination for In Colour. // Smith was born in London on October 28, 1988. His musical career began in 2006 when he joined the xx accompanying old schoolmates Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Baria Qureshi of the Elliott School in London, notable for alumni including Hot Chip, Burial, and Four Tet. He first used the stage name Jamie xx in July 2009 in a promotional mix for the band’s debut album xx released on the FACT magazine mix series. The mixtape was compiled by Jamie Smith and featured, amongst others, four tracks credited to Jamie xx – one self-production and three remixes. The xx album went on to become platinum in the UK. Afterward, Jamie Smith went on to do more remix work for artists like Florence + The Machine, Adele, Jack Peñate and Glasser. // In late 2010, a Jamie xx remix of the song “NY Is Killing Me” from Gil Scott-Heron’s last album I’m New Here aired on radio stations across the UK and Europe. The remix of “I’ll Take Care of U” followed in January 2011. Both singles drew the attention of the general public and the critics. They set the way for a 13-track remix album entitled We’re New Here, produced entirely by Jamie xx and credited to “Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx”. The album was released on February 21, 2011 on the XL Recordings label, but a full-album preview could be streamed on the website of The Guardian as early as 14 February. We’re New Here received critical acclaim and was named “a cohesive, considered masterpiece in its own right” by BBC’s Ele Beattie. // On June 6, 2011, the two-track self-produced single “Far Nearer / Beat For” was released. The song “Far Nearer” was selected Best New Track by Pitchfork, and the double A-side single charted at number 128 on the UK Singles Chart. Later the same year, Smith produced the title track off Drake’s second album, Take Care, which features Rihanna. In addition, Smith helped create several reworks for Radiohead’s song “Bloom” which were released on a remix album entitled TKOL RMX 1234567. He also co-produced the song “When It’s All Over” with Alicia Keys on her Girl on Fire album. In 2014, he announced an upcoming collaboration with John Talabot on Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space online radio show. In 2014, he released the singles “Girl/Sleep Sound” and “All Under One Roof Raving”. // On 27 March 2015, he released two singles: “Loud Places”, featuring the xx’s Romy Madley Croft, and “Gosh”. On the same day he also announced that his debut album, In Colour, would be out on 1 June 2015. Ahead of its release, In Colour was streamed on iTunes as a preview with album-spanning visuals that ‘reacted’ to each sound.[14] It was ultimately released on 29 May 2015 to widespread critical acclaim, debuting at number three on the UK Albums Chart and receiving nominations for the 2015 Mercury Prize and for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 58th Grammy Awards. // Jamie xx composed the score for a ballet, Tree of Codes, commissioned by Manchester International Festival for its 2015 edition. Based on a novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer, the ballet was choreographed by Wayne McGregor and had a set created by Olafur Eliasson. // In 2020, he released his first single in five years, “Idontknow”, which received positive to lukewarm reception from critics. He was credited on Tyler, the Creator’s 2021 album Call Me If You Get Lost as a co-producer on the track “RISE!”. // Jamie xx has worked on each of his The xx bandmates’ respective solo albums: he produced Oliver Sim’s Hideous Bastard (2022), and co-produced Romy’s Mid Air (2023).]

10:29 – Underwriting

10:30 – Interview with Diana Watts, Trish Price & Kevin King of Whim Productions

Diana Watts is originally from Manhattan, Kansas. She received her Bachelors in Science degree in Theatre at Kansas State University in 2013. Diana is a writer, director, actress, and organizer. Diana works as Marketing Copywriter & Editor for Centene Corporation. Diana served as Social Media Manager and Writer at Improv Nerd in Chicago, and has also worked at Indikon Media, United Airlines, Quantum Assembly, and The Fishtank Theatre in Kansas City. Diana volunteers for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Diana also serves as a Board Members for Whim Productions, where she is making her directorial debut or Kissing in the Grocery Store. Her Whim Productions acting appearances include Boxed, Playing on the Periphery, Marriage Play, and Lesbians Definitely Not Lost in Space.

Diana Watts welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Kevin King is originally from Topeka, Kansas. He studied at The University of Kansas, In 2011 Kevin founded Whim Productions where he serves as Producing Artistic Director of Whim Productions. He is a queer playwright based in KCMO and is a playwright-in-residence at the Midwest Dramatists Center, former playwright-in-residence in the Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Residency program, and a member of the Dramatists Guild. His short play The Swallows was selected for the 2019 William Inge Theater Festival New Play Lab. King’s work has also appeared in the Kansas City Fringe Festival,zaz (Whim Productions, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019,2020), The Barn Players’ 6×10 Short Play festival (2018, 2019), Midwest Dramatists Conference (2018, 2019), One-Minute Play Festival (2016), a’s 12 Plays of Christmas (2014), and other festivals. His work ranges from campy to slice-of-life realism, portrayed through a quirky, queer lens. Kevin serves as intimacy coach and sound designer for Kissing in the Grocery Store.

Kevin King welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Trish Price is making their Kansas City stage debut with 𝙆𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚! Trish graduated from Missouri State University’s BFA Acting program. After moving and working as an actor in New York City, Trish is back in Kansas City and the KC theater community. Previous work includes 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵, and national commercials (Swiffer, Etsy, YouTube Official). Trish is represented by Long Island Models

Trish Price welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Diana Watts & Kevin King & Trish Price are joining us to share details about of Whim Productions about the world premiere of Claire Carson’s, KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE, a multimedia theater experience exploring queer identity, love, loss, and the quest for courage to live authentically. KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

Diana Watts is the Director of this show and Kevin King is Artistic Director of Whim Production.

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE by Claire Carson (she/they) is a multimedia experience told through time shifts and movement. The story reminds us that coming out is often scary, even if your family is liberal. Carson describes the play as a “mix of humor, movement, magic, and poetry.” It is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.”

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

Meet the Playwright! Claire Carson (she/they) is a Denver-based playwright, poet, and theatermaker. Previously produced work includes Hypochondria (Margo Jones Theatre), Shadow Woman (The Bathhouse Cultural Center), and Michelle with Wet Eyeballs, self-produced with friends in a transformed garage.

Claire’s work emphasizes collaboration, visual metaphor, and the strangeness of being alive. Claire describes Kissing in the Grocery Store as a “mix of humor, movement, magic and poetry.” This play is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.”

Whim Productions is excited to present the world premiere of Claire Carson’s Kissing in the Grocery Store, a multimedia theater experience about love, loss, and the quest for courage to live authentically.

ABOUT THE SHOW: The moon is in conjunction or something. You miss your ex-girlfriend, and you’re afraid to come out to your parents. You can read a self-help book, talk to a trusted friend, or be like Q and look to a YouTube Witch for a “letting go” spell.
Quinn, or Q, is a 20-something lesbian struggling to move on from their first queer relationship. Their ex ended the relationship because she couldn’t be with someone who hides their true self from their family. The breakup ignites a comical and poignant battle between Q’s inner voices, leading them to seek solace in a YouTube magic influencer.

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE by Claire Carson is a multimedia experience told through time shifts and movement. The story reminds us that coming out is often scary, even if your family is liberal. Carson describes the play as a “mix of humor, movement, magic, and poetry.” It is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.”

Directed by Diana Watts (she/her), the production features Trish Price (they/them), Sandy Osborn (she/her), Adriana Randall (they/them), and Megan Reynolds (she/her). Lighting design is by Austin VanWinkle (he/him), scenic design by Austin Cecil (he/him), costumes by Marian McClellan (she/her) and Patricia Reed (she/her), sound design and intimacy choreography by Kevin King (he/him).

Kissing in the Grocery Store is presented at Whim Space (415 Prospect Ave, Kansas City, MO) in historic Pendleton Heights. For full details, visit whimproductions.org.

Dates: February 6-16
Ticket Information: https://our.show/whimproductions/kissing
General Admission – Advanced Tickets: $25 / Walk-Up: $28
Pay What You Whim pricing is available for some performances
Premium Seating: $30
VIP Seating: $40
.
Run Time: 90 minutes without intermission

Appropriate for Ages 16+
Contains some adult language and conversation about sex

Performance Details: Venue: Whim Space, 415 Prospect, Kansas City, MO 64124

Dates and Times:
Thursday, Feb 6th, 7:30 pm – “Pay What You Whim”
Friday, Feb 7th, 7:30 pm – “Pay What You Whim”
Saturday, Feb 8th, 7:30 pm
Sunday, Feb 9th, 3:00 pm
Monday, Feb 10th, 7:30 pm – “Pay What You Whim”
Thursday, Feb 13th, 7:30 pm
Friday, Feb 14th, 7:30 pm
Saturday, Feb 15th, 7:30 pm
Sunday, Feb 16th, 3:00 pm

Whim Productions, founded in 2011, creates challenging and evocative queer theater. Whim focuses on providing opportunities for LGBTQ+ theater artists to tell their own stories and share the diversity of queer experiences with Kansas City audiences.

Queer theater. Whimsical edge.

Meet the Director! Kissing in the Grocery Store marks Diana Watts’ (she/her) directorial debut, stepping outside her roles as an actor and Whim board member. Her Whim Productions acting appearances include Boxed, Playing on the Periphery, Marriage Play, and Lesbians Definitely Not Lost in Space.

Meet the Team! Artistic Director 𝗞𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 founded Whim Productions in 2011 and has directed, written, and choreographed intimacy in many of our productions. He’s currently tackling the sound design and intimacy choreography for the world premiere of Kissing in the Grocery Store! Kevin’s passion for creating safe, evocative, and inclusive theatre shines in this production.

Diana Watts, Trish Price, and Kevin King thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

10:49

We now sing more tracks from a new project from the non-profit Red Hot Organization, it is called, TRAИƧA a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. TRAИƧA reintroduces Sade Adu to the world with a loving song dedicated to her son, Izaak, a trans man. The culture-shifting ballad “Young Lion” debuts on this collection alongside Sam Smith and Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s historic reimagining of “Ever New.” More info at: https://redhot.org/

10:49

8. Sade Adu – “Young Lion”
   from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
   [In 2016, on National Coming Out Day, Sade’s child, Izaak Theo Adu, came out as a transgender man. In September 2019, Izaak posted a message online, thanking his mother for her support through his transition. In the fall of 2024, Sade and the Red Hot Organization’s TRANSA project released “Young Lion”, a song dedicated to her son. // One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. // Dust Reid, who led production on Red Hot’s 2014 tribute to Arthur Russell, and Massima Bell, an artist and activist based in Los Angeles, began tracing the contours of what would become TRAИƧA together in 2021. The two producers originally met at a video shoot in upstate New York, and immediately bonded over their shared love of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music, as well as a common devotional connection to nature. // The passing of SOPHIE, the pathbreaking electronic producer who died in January 2021, galvanized the producers and focused their work. “We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts,” says Reid. “We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or non-binary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.” // Bell and Reid began conceiving of the album as a spiritual journey in eight chapters, a mirror of the original eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. The narrative begins at the earliest awareness of consciousness; moves through awakening, trauma, and grief; and arrives at liberation and continual reinvention. “One thing trans people do all the time is turn grief into possibility,” says Bell. “Living under the ongoing Western binary system, trans people reveal maps of possibility for everyone. It’s something that we can all learn from – expanding the possibility of human life.” Each chapter begins with a “chapter track,” kicking off a collection of songs that speak to that chapter’s theme. // As the producers began inviting musicians to contribute to TRAИƧA, the political climate in the United States and across the world started to foment an acute reactionary streak. Legislation denying trans people the hard-won right to medically transition proliferated across the country. Book bans rained down on libraries, stamping shut crucial apertures into trans and queer lives. The necessity of TRAИƧA’s presence in the world started to crystallize. // “The stakes have never been higher,” notes Bell. “We’re seeing a rise in anti-trans hate and vitriol that is particularly being spewed in the United States. I am a trans person from Iowa, one of the states that signed into law a bill that prohibits access to gender-affirming care. It is clearly, materially, a terrifying time.” // TRAИƧA FEATURED ARTISTS:Adrianne Lenker * Ahya Simone * Alan Sparhawk (Low) * Allison Russell * Am Taylor * Anajah * Ana Roxanne * André 3000 * Anjimile * Arthur Baker * Asher White * AV María * Babehoven * Bartees Strange * Belina Rose * Benét * Beverly Glenn-Copeland * Bill Callahan * Blake Mills * Bloomsday * Calvin Lauber * Caroline Rose * Cassandra Croft * Cassandra Jenkins * Christian Lee Hutson * claire rousay * Clairo * CLARITY * Cole Pulice * Dave Longstreth * Devendra Banhart * Eileen Myles * Eli Winter * Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland * Ezra Furman * Faye Webster * Fleet Foxes * Frankie Cosmos * Gary Gunn * Gia Margaret * Green-House * Grouper * Hand Habits * Heart Shaped * Helado Negro * Hunter Schafer * Jamal Shakeri * Jay Dee Daugherty * Jayne County * Jeff Tweedy * Jlin * Joy Guidry * Julianna Barwick * Julie Byrne * Julien Baker * Kara Jackson * Kathi Wilcox * KB Brookins * Kelela * Laraaji * Laura Jane Grace * Lauren Auder * Lee Ranaldo * Lightning Bug * Lomelda * Lucy Liyou * Lynn Avery * Lyra Pramuk * L’Rain * Mary Lattimore * MIZU * Moor Mother * More Eaze * Moses Sumney * Nico Georis * Niecy Blues * Nina Keith * Nsámbu Za Suékama * NYC Trans Oral History Project * Pepper MaShay * Perfume Genius * Pharoah Sanders * Quinn Christopherson * Rachika Nayar * Sade Adu * Sam Smith * Sharon Van Etten * SKY * SOAK * Soft Rōnin * Sparkle Division * Taryn Blake Miller * Teddy Geiger * Time Wharp * Wendy & Lisa of the Revolution * Yaeji * Yaya Bey // Helen Folasade Adu was born on January 16, 1959 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Her middle name, Folasade, means “crowned with wealth” in Yoruba. Her parents are Adebisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer in economics of Yoruba background, and Anne Hayes, an English district nurse; they met in London, married in 1955, and moved to Nigeria. Sade was four years old when her parents separated. Hayes returned to England with Sade and her elder brother, Banji, to live with their maternal grandparents near Colchester, Essex. At age 11, Sade moved to Holland-on-Sea, Essex with her mother and brother. After completing her education at Clacton County High School and Colchester Institute at the age of 18, she moved to London and studied fashion design at Saint Martin’s School of Art. // Sade is a Nigerian-British singer, known as the lead vocalist of her band Sade. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music. Her success in the music industry was recognised with the honour Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2002, and she was made Commander in the 2017 Birthday Honours. // She studied at Saint Martin’s School of Art in London and gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model before joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983. // A year later, the band released the album Diamond Life, which became one of the era’s best-selling albums and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. In July 1985, Sade was among the performers at the Live Aid charity concert at Wembley Stadium, and the next year, she appeared in the film Absolute Beginners. The band released their third album (Stronger Than Pride) in 1988, and a fourth album (Love Deluxe) in 1992. The band went on hiatus in 1996 after the birth of Sade’s child. // In 2005, Sade moved out to the British countryside, where she bought a run-down cottage to renovate. Sade rarely grants interviews.]

9. Sam Smith & Beverly Glenn-Copeland – “Ever New”
   from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
   [Beverly Glenn-Copeland was born January 1944, and is an American-born Canadian singer-songwriter. His albums include Keyboard Fantasies (1986). Glenn-Copeland began publicly identifying as a trans man in 2002. // Glenn-Copeland was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a musical family. As a child, Glenn-Copeland listened to his father play the music of Bach, Chopin, and Mozart on the piano, and heard his mother occasionally sing spirituals. // In 1961, Glenn-Copeland was one of the first black students to study at McGill University in Montreal. // Glenn-Copeland started his career as a folk singer incorporating jazz, classical, and blues elements. He also performed on albums by Ken Friesen, Bruce Cockburn, Gene Murtynec, Bob Disalle, and Kathryn Moses, and was a writer on Sesame Street. He spent twenty-five years entertaining children as a regular actor on Canadian children’s television show Mr. Dressup. // Glenn-Copeland’s 1986 electronic album Keyboard Fantasies, recorded using equipment including a Yamaha DX7 and a Roland TR-707, and other recordings were rediscovered and promoted by Japanese record collector Ryota Masuko in 2015. Before Glenn-Copeland’s gender transition was made public, Keyboard Fantasies was selected as one of the 70 greatest recordings by women by The Stranger. The album was named as the public vote winner of the Polaris Heritage Prize at the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. Keyboard Fantasies was remastered and reissued in February 2017 as Copeland Keyboard Fantasies by Invisible City Edition and re-released again on vinyl that same year on Séance Centre. // Other albums by Glenn-Copeland include Beverly Copeland (1970), Beverly Glenn-Copeland (1971), At Last! (1980), Primal Prayer (released under the pseudonym Phynix in 2004), and the career-spanning compilation Transmissions (2020). // Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story, a documentary directed by Posy Dixon, was released in 2019. // Planned 2020 international tours to Australia, the United Kingdom, and other European destinations were rescheduled to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A fundraising campaign was initiated to help Glenn-Copeland and his wife after the loss of their house that resulted from these changes; the campaign raised over $90,000. In the same year, Glenn-Copeland created a prerecorded video performance of his song “Courage” for Buddies in Bad Times and CBC Gem’s online Queer Pride Inside show. // His 2023 album The Ones Ahead was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize. // In 2024 Glenn was awarded an honorary doctorate from University of Toronto, and won the Joyce Warshow Lifetime Achievement Award from SAGE, an organization that focuses on advocacy and services for LGBTQ+ elders. // In 1973, while in Los Angeles, Glenn fell in love with the chanting at a local Soka Gakkai International meeting and has been a practicing Buddhist since the mid-1970s. // In September 2024, Glenn-Copeland shared that he has been diagnosed with dementia. // Samuel Frederick Smith was born May 19, 1992. Sam is an English singer and songwriter. In 2012, they[a] rose to prominence when they featured on Disclosure’s breakthrough single “Latch”, which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. The following year, they featured on Naughty Boy’s single “La La La”, which became a number one single in the UK. // Smith’s debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour (2014), was released through Capitol Records UK and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album’s lead single, “Lay Me Down”, was released prior to “La La La”. The album’s second single, “Money on My Mind”, became their second number one single in the UK. Its third single, “Stay with Me”, was internationally successful, reaching number one in the UK and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, while subsequent singles “I’m Not the Only One” and “Like I Can” reached the top ten in the UK. The album won four awards at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album, Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. // Smith’s song “Writing’s on the Wall” served as the theme for the James Bond film Spectre (2015), and won Smith a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Smith’s second studio album, The Thrill of It All (2017), debuted atop the UK and US album charts. The album’s lead single, “Too Good at Goodbyes”, reached number one in the UK and Australia and number four in the US. Following the 2018 single “Promises” (with Calvin Harris), which peaked at number one in the UK, Smith released “Dancing with a Stranger” (with Normani) in 2019, which peaked within the top ten in the UK and the US, also receiving a nomination for Song of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards. The singles, along with “How Do You Sleep?”, would precede the release of their third studio album, Love Goes (2020). In 2022, Smith’s single “Unholy” (with Kim Petras), would become their first number one single in the US and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The song would precede their fourth album, Gloria (2023). // Smith’s numerous accolades include five Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, and an American Music Award, as well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. On the UK Albums Chart, In the Lonely Hour was the best-selling debut album of the 2010s and the sixth best-selling album of the decade, while collectively Smith’s albums spent the fourth-most weeks at number one in the 2010s, behind Ed Sheeran, Adele and Eminem. Smith is the first openly non-binary musician to both release a song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to win a Grammy Award.]

10:58 – Station ID

10. James Grauerholz – “Be That Way”
    from: Life’s Too Good To Keep / Lotuspool Records / November 1, 2024
    [Written in 1993. Recorded by Brad Koehler, at Hairball IV Studio, Lawrence, Kansas. / James Grauerholz writes: “I wrote this for Matt Schepis, who was my boyfriend in 1993. He is now almost fifty and we’re good friends. Other players: Mark Henning of Zoom, guitar fills and vocal; Scott Lovern of the Lonesome Wranglers on keyboards; Bill Belzer of Mongol Beach Party on drums; Darren Welch of Dracomagnet on bass guitar. For this one session we were Draco Zoom Mongol Ramblers. The song was first released on Tim/Ker records out of Portland, Oregon on the “Cough It Up: The Hairball Story” compilation.” // Mark Henning writes in the album’s liner notes: To anyone in the Art, Literary & Music world, James has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James has handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. // James set out to be a singer-songwriter before fate led to his calling with William S. Burroughs and despite the demands of his literary responsibilities, he continued to write music as a creative outlet. Over the years James witnessed and has been an important figure in many extraordinary musical eras. He was referred to as the ‘Zelig of Punk Rock’, having been part of a small coterie who helped kick-start the CBGBs scene in NYC from 1974 through the end of the decade. If you haven’t read the book ‘Please Kill Me’ by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, do yourself a favor and pick it up. James’ stories are among the best in it. His ‘mates’ during that time were the likes of Lester Bangs, Howard Brookner, Robert Palmer and Robert Quine -to name only a few. // The Zelig comparison is dead accurate, but it goes far beyond Punk Rock. James was there for the Midwestern Country-Rock explosion of the early 1970s. The legendary oral history ‘Cows Are Freaky When They Look At You’ paints a hilariously warped picture of the people in James orbit during those K.C./Lawrence years prior to him moving to NYC. He was there for the AOR singer-songwriter movement of the late 1970s, mixing his songs with Boz Skaggs in San Francisco. He was at the Hacienda in Manchester when Factory Records ruled the scene and where New Order, The Smiths and The Fall took the world by storm. He was around when New Wave and Hardcore emerged AND he was a steadfast contributor to the evolution of underground music of the early 1990s. In Lawrence, KS where James has lived since the early 1980s, and where Zoom and Lotuspool Records evolved, James lent his opinions, his studio, his gear, his chops and his time, unselfishly on innumerable occasions to help fledgling bands get a leg up. // Through all of these eras, James’ voice as a songwriter has held its own piece of real estate. Each of the twenty-two tracks represented on this double album bear a style that is distinctly his own, both lyrically and compositionally. It is worth adding that James is one hell of an accomplished guitar player too. Assembling this collection was no easy task, despite James’ impeccable documentation of his own catalog. Tapes were baked, no stone was left unturned and several ‘new’ discoveries were made that hadn’t made their way into the master list. // What you have here is a collection of songs that span thirty years, or as James so aptly puts it ‘My Life In Four Acts’ -with each side of the two LPs representing an Act. Though much of the material could easily be considered Great American Songbook in style (hooks everywhere, turns of phrase that remain stuck in your head, broad themes of love, loss & loneliness…), there is also a deeply personal and distinctly Queer element to the songs. One must not forget that back in the 1970s hardly anyone was doing this. In fact, James may have created his very own lane. There were Queer outsider artists like Tom Wilson doing more ‘camp’ numbers, but NO ONE was doing pop-type radio songs represented here. Some of the songs could even qualify as a new genre: Gay Yacht Rock. One must also wonder whether, despite the appeal factor, maybe James just wanted to keep the songs for himself as a log of his own personal journey? // You, the listener can decide for yourself. We hope you enjoy these four acts as much as we did while assembling them. For me they just keep getting better the more I listen.” – Mark Henning (Zoom, National Trust, Voice of Action)]

11:01 – Interview with Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning

Mark Henning was born on South Side of Chicago in 1970 into a musical family. His Grandfather was a Music Educator and Big Band Leader of the Leo Henning Orchestra. Mark was initiated into his music and started playing guitar at the age of 8 and then saxophone and electric guitar and started his first band The Locals. Mark met Chris Garibaldi when he moved to his neighborhood. In high school Mark discovered the underground music in Chicago, and played basement Hardcore shows. Mark went to University Of Kansas in 1988 where he majored in Advertising and got my undergrad B.S.J. from the William Allen White School Of Journalism. With Chris Cosgrove and Steve Tubbart and Jeremy Sidener the band Zoom was created. Mark met James Grauerholz and William Burroughs in 1992. They were label-mates on T/K Records out of Portland but all lived in Lawrence. Mark played and recorded with James. Mark moved back to Chicago in 1995, ad started playing in The National Trust, recording two albums on Thrill Jockey. Mark worked at Reckless Records in Chicago from 1996-2000 and also Dusty Groove Records. Mark started a successful D.J. night at Danny’s in Chicago that continued for 20 years until 2017. Mark moved to Brooklyn in 2000 and managed Dubway Recording Studios in Manhattan, worked and lived in New Orleans and eventually moved back to Chicago in 2006 to focus on music with the National Trust. Mark toured Europe, bought a bungalow on the West Side Chicago, worked for a commercial photography house, had a son name Leo in 2008. Mark continuea to write. He put out a 45” with Fred Schneider and Elvira on Jack White’s Third Man label in 2013-14. Started a three piece called VoA and released an album on Lotuspool in 2018. On 2019 he started work on the James Grauerholz Album until it was released in November of 2024.

Mark Henning thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Chris Garibaldi is the co-founder of Lotuspool Records. He also is lead singer, guitarist and occasional trombonist for the band Suneaters who released their 7th album, the 13 track album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers, on September 23, 2022. Lotuspool Records, was born in 1992. Chris writes “We started the label when we were very young, and the bands that were on it were very young, too,” he tells me. “Back then, you could put out an indie record and get a lot of attention and press. At that time, there was a lot of support for indie music. Around 2000, Lotuspool went on an unofficial hiatus. The label was never inactive, but Garibaldi spent most of 2000s working for companies in Los Angeles. In 2011, a Garibaldi relocated to Parkville, he and Scott Hartley — bassist in the Suneaters — brought a new vision for Lotuspool Records. He label has been the moe for releases for Heidi Lynne Gluck, The Bump Band, Bully Pulpit, The Whips, Poster Children, Zoom, Voice of Action, June Henry, Hollow Body, Chris Cardwel, and many others This year the label is celebrating 33 years!

Chris Garibaldi, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning join us to share details about the new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz. Grauerholz has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning, thanks for being with us on WMM

Lotus Pool Records presents…James Grauerholz Life’s Too Good To Keep Album liners notes fro, Mark Henning:

Mark Henning first met James in 1992 when his band Zoom was being courted by Tim Kerr Records of Portland, Oregon. Zoom had been introduced to the label through Greg Sage of Wipers fame, who was Producing what would be our final record, Helium Octipede.

Coincidentally James and William Burroughs were both signed to Tim Kerr Records and we all happened to live in Lawrence, KS. James and I met up at a Mexican restaurant near 19th & Mass St. and discussed the music biz over enchiladas. James was incredibly supportive of our move to join the label, gave me a boatload of wise advice and a long friendship ensued.

To anyone in the Art, Literary & Music world, James has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James has handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion.

James Grauerholz was referred to as the ‘Zelig of Punk Rock’

James set out to be a singer-songwriter before fate led to his calling with William S. Burroughs and despite the demands of his literary responsibilities, he continued to write music as a creative outlet. Over the years James witnessed and has been an important figure in many extraordinary musical eras. He was referred to as the ‘Zelig of Punk Rock’, having been part of a small coterie who helped kick-start the CBGBs scene in NYC from 1974 through the end of the decade. If you haven’t read the book ‘Please Kill Me’ by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, do yourself a favor and pick it up. James’ stories are among the best in it. His ‘mates’ during that time were the likes of Lester Bangs, Howard Brookner, Robert Palmer and Robert Quine -to name only a few.

The Zelig comparison is dead accurate, but it goes far beyond Punk Rock. James was there for the Midwestern Country-Rock explosion of the early 1970s. The legendary oral history ‘Cows Are Freaky When They Look At You’ paints a hilariously warped picture of the people in James orbit during those K.C./Lawrence years prior to him moving to NYC. He was there for the AOR singer-songwriter movement of the late 1970s, mixing his songs with Boz Skaggs in San Francisco. He was at the Hacienda in Manchester when Factory Records ruled the scene and where New Order, The Smiths and The Fall took the world by storm. He was around when New Wave and Hardcore emerged AND he was a steadfast contributor to the evolution of underground music of the early 1990s. In Lawrence, KS where James has lived since the early 1980s, and where Zoom and Lotuspool Records evolved, James lent his opinions, his studio, his gear, his chops and his time, unselfishly on innumerable occasions to help fledgling bands get a leg up.

“New York City Lullabye “ – Written in 1974. Recorded by James Grauerholz on stereo cassette tape in Aprik 1974 while William slept – late one night at 452 Broadway, New York City. / James Grauerholz writes: “William S. Burroughs, my father and lover for 23 years until his death on August 2, 1997. He had been my favorite writer since 1966, and when I finally met William, I immediately decided ‘Life’s to good to keep.’”

11:13

11. James Grauerholz – “New York City Lullabye”
    from: Life’s Too Good To Keep / Lotuspool Records / November 1, 2024
    [Written in 1974. Recorded by James Grauerholz on stereo cassette tape in Aprik 1974 while William slept – late one night at 452 Broadway, New York City.. / James Grauerholz writes: “William S. Burroughs, my father and lover for 23 years until his death on August 2, 1997. He had been my favorite writer since 1966, and when I finally met William, I immediately decided ‘Life’s to good to keep.’”]

11:16

11:16 – More Interview with Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning

We are talking with Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning about the new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz. Released Noveber 1, 2024. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning, thanks for being with us on WMM

Single Release Dates:
10/4/24: Be That Way
10/11/24: New York City Lullabye
10/18/24: Heaven’s Radio
10/25/24: The Intersection Of You And Me

Grauerholz has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs.

What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

Through all of these eras, James’ voice as a songwriter has held its own piece of real estate. Each of the twenty-two tracks represented on this double album bear a style that is distinctly his own, both lyrically and compositionally. It is worth adding that James is one hell of an accomplished guitar player too. Assembling this collection was no easy task, despite James’ impeccable documentation of his own catalog. Tapes were baked, no stone was left unturned and several ‘new’ discoveries were made that hadn’t made their way into the master list.

What you have here is a collection of songs that span thirty years, or as James so aptly puts it ‘My Life In Four Acts’ -with each side of the two LPs representing an Act. Though much of the material could easily be considered Great American Songbook in style (hooks everywhere, turns of phrase that remain stuck in your head, broad themes of love, loss & loneliness…), there is also a deeply personal and distinctly Queer element to the songs. One must not forget that back in the 1970s hardly anyone was doing this. In fact, James may have created his very own lane. There were Queer outsider artists like Tom Wilson doing more ‘camp’ numbers, but NO ONE was doing pop-type radio songs represented here. Some of the songs could even qualify as a new genre: Gay Yacht Rock. One must also wonder whether, despite the appeal factor, maybe James just wanted to keep the songs for himself as a log of his own personal journey?
You, the listener can decide for yourself. We hope you enjoy these four acts as much as we did while assembling them. For me they just keep getting better the more I listen.

Mark Henning (Zoom, National Trust, Voice of Action)

Chris: “One of the mistakes we made as kids running the label was that we made a lot of short-term decisions,” Garibaldi says. “We didn’t have foresight. We were too concerned about paychecks and debt. And now it’s like, ‘Let’s take the thing that we do well, which is to foster interesting music, and not worry about the little things.’ Let’s see if we might be able to figure out something that might make the music bigger. That’s the goal.”

“Spring is Just Around the Corner ” – Written in 1998. Recorded by James Grauerholz, solo piano and vocal demo to eight-track ADAT master at hairball IV Studios in Lawrence. / James Grauerholz writes: “ From my demos for my unfinished TATTOOS musical theatre piece, 1998-2005

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning, thanks for being with us on WMM

The new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz was released November 1, 2024 More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

11:27

12. James Grauerholz – “Spring is Just Around the Corner “
    from: Life’s Too Good To Keep / Lotuspool Records / November 1, 2024
    [Written in 1998. Recorded by James Grauerholz, solo piano and vocal demo to eight-track ADAT master at hairball IV Studios in Lawrence. / James Grauerholz writes: “ From my demos for my unfinished TATTOOS musical theatre piece, 1998-2005]

11:30 – Underwriting

13. Daniel Gum – “Silvergirl”
    from: The Great Conjunction / Manor Records / February 7, 2025
    [All songs written/performed by Daniel Gum (BMI), production/engineering: Mike Crawford & Daniel Gum, mixing: Daniel Gum, bass: Joel Stratton, drums/percussion: Micah Ritchie. With Joel Stratton (piano on 1, baritone guitar on 2), Wills Van Doorn (slide guitar on 3), Brandon Bray (lead guitar on 6), Cole Crawford (piano on 10), Devon Teran (pedal steel on 2), Evan Herd (writing for drums on 7), Rachel Cionitti (bgvs on 1-6, 8), mastering: Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, artwork/lettering: Daniel Gum]

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

11:35 – Interview with Daniel Gum

Daniel Gum joins us to share details about his new 10-track album THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs. He released his 10-song album REORIENT on July 31, 2015. He released his electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017, and released the acoustic, 3-track EP, MOON on December 7 2018. Daniel Gum was signed to Manor Records in the spring of 2020. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith and Andy Shauf he released his 12-track album, THIRTEEN on October 30, 2020, co-produced with Mike Crawford. On September 10, 2021 Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine” with Rachel Cionitti on vocals & Peter Beatty on lap steel. On October 21, 2022 Daniel released a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” and on December 9, 2022 he released a cover of The Beatles “Julia” both with Joel Stratton on bass, Micah Ritchie on drums, and Evan Herd on drums. On January 24, 2024, Daniel Gum released “Sophia” / “Don’t I Know”. On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON. On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG. Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.

Daniel Gum Thanks for being with us on WMM

Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS.

Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs.

THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records.

The Great Conjunction on Manor Records released February 7, 2025. All songs written/performed by Daniel Gum (BMI), production/engineering: Mike Crawford & Daniel Gum, mixing: Daniel Gum, mastering: Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, artwork/lettering: Daniel Gum

bass: Joel Stratton,
drums/percussion: Micah Ritchie
with Joel Stratton (piano on 1, baritone guitar on 2),
Wills Van Doorn (slide guitar on 3)
Brandon Bray (lead guitar on 6)
Cole Crawford (piano on 10)
Devon Teran (pedal steel on 2)
Evan Herd (writing for drums on 7)
Rachel Cionitti (bgvs on 1-6, 8),]
He released his 10-song album REORIENT on July 31, 2015.

He released his electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017,

and released the acoustic, 3-track EP, MOON on December 7 2018.

Daniel Gum was signed to Manor Records in the spring of 2020.

Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith and Andy Shauf he released his 12-track album, THIRTEEN on October 30, 2020, co-produced with Mike Crawford.

On September 10, 2021 Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine” with Rachel Cionitti on vocals & Peter Beatty on lap steel.

On October 21, 2022 Daniel released a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” and on December 9, 2022 he released a cover of The Beatles “Julia” both with Joel Stratton on bass, Micah Ritchie on drums, and Evan Herd on drums.

On January 24, 2024, Daniel Gum released “Sophia” / “Don’t I Know”.

On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON.

On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON. On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG.

Here’s what Daniel had to say about this track: “This song was written reflecting on a past relationship—thinking things probably could have worked out if we met 5 years later than we did. Or maybe they wouldn’t have.. but I’ll never know. This song is a part of a series of singles leading up to my second album. I hope you enjoy the chord progressions and slide guitar especially”.

11:43

16. Daniel Gum – “Met You Too Soon”
    from: Met You Too Soon – EP / Manor Records / December 13, 2024
    [Here’s what Daniel had to say about this track: “This song was written reflecting on a past relationship—thinking things probably could have worked out if we met 5 years later than we did. Or maybe they wouldn’t have.. but I’ll never know. This song is a part of a series of singles leading up to my second album. I hope you enjoy the chord progressions and slide guitar especially”. // Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS who has been active since 2017. Daniel Gum released the single “Julia” on December 9, 2022. Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine (ft. Rachel Cion)” on September 19, 2921. Daniel Gu, released the electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD in 2017 and an acoustic EP, MOON in 2018. In addition to working on his own solo project, Daniel has been working with other local groups—playing bass and engineering for his band Pillow (a post-punk/shoegaze group) and playing drums behind singer-songwriter Chloe Jacobson, also doing some recording for her. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith & Andy Shauf, he co-produced his new record THIRTEEN with Mike Crawford, playing almost everything you hear on the album and mixing it himself. Signing to Manor Records in the spring of 2020, he officially released THIRTEEN on cassette & CD on October 30, 2020. All songs written, performed, and.mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Daniel Gum is a 24 year old singer-songwriter . Since the age of 12, he has spent the majority of his time writing and recording songs by himself in his room. The Moon EP was released December 7, 2019. It was engineered by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum and mixed by Daniel Gum with piano and accordion by Cole Crawford. Daniel Gun released his EPI’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017, and his 10-song album Reorient on July 31, 2015, with all songs written, recorded and mixed by Daniel Gum who also performed all vocals guitars, drums, piano, bass. harmonica, and programming. The first single from Daniel Gum’s album, Thirteen “Ruin Your Life” was released on September 4, The second single, “In The Worst Ways” was released September 28, 2020. ] [On our July 22, 2020, WMM show we played Daniel Gum’s track, “Tired Saint” from French Exit Records – Black Lives Matter Compilation, released July 6, 2020. French Exit Records was launched two years ago as an independent music label in KCMO, founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond,. BLM Compilation is 22 acts from the area, with 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. Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020]

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

11:46 – More Interview with Daniel Gum

Daniel Gum joins us to share details about his new 10-track album THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

Daniel Gum Thanks for being with us on WMM

Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS who has been active since 2017—releasing a couple EPs before putting out his debut album ‘Thirteen’ in 2020. In 2021 he released a one-off single and music video for his song “The Wolverine”, and in 2022 a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen” and The Beatles’ “Julia”. In addition to working with his band on his solo projects, Daniel has worked with other local groups—playing bass and engineering for the band Pillow (a post-punk/shoegaze group) and playing drums behind singer-songwriter Chloe Jacobson—as well as producing some of her music. Although Gum has been writing songs since he was 12, he has doubled down on songwriting in the last couple of years—most notably writing over 60 songs in preparation for his LP debut. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith & Andy Shauf, he co-produced his new record Thirteen with Mike Crawford, playing almost everything you hear on the album and mixing it himself. He is currently working on writing and recording his next 2 albums.

Daniel had great response from his album ‘Thirteen’—being featured on multiple Spotify Playlists such as Spotify Fresh Finds, Fresh Finds Indie & Fresh Finds Rock. And he was named artist of the week in November 2020 by Kansas City radio station and NPR affiliate 90.9 The Bridge. In 2022, his cover of “Thirteen” by Big Star was placed on New Commute’s Spotify Playlist.

Here’s what reviewers had to say about Daniel’s album ‘Thirteen’:

“Gum has an obvious knack for turning his pain into something elegant, drifting from cautious sparseness to subdued urgency — with a folk backbeat, twinkling pedal steel and reverb-drenched undertones. It’s reminiscent of Elliott Smith, whose music Gum found a close kinship with.” – Michelle Bacon of 90.9 the Bridge (NPR)

“Daniel Gum’s Thirteen feels like the soundtrack to figuring out life in your twenties– a portrait of transition, reflection, and gratefulness (with a hint of cynicism). The album shifts back and forth from optimism to mellow reflection, finding a sweet spot for introspection somewhere between despondence and joy . . . While the record is full of deeply personal and honest reflections of Gum’s young adult life, I think everyone who listens can create their own internal universe based around the Andrews, Marys, and Sarahs of their own life.” – Coco Lashar, Manor Records blog

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs.

Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020.

11:54

15. Daniel Gum – “Cowboy Song”
    from: The Great Conjunction / Manor Records / February 7, 2025
    [All songs written/performed by Daniel Gum (BMI), production/engineering: Mike Crawford & Daniel Gum, mixing: Daniel Gum, bass: Joel Stratton, drums/percussion: Micah Ritchie. With Joel Stratton (piano on 1, baritone guitar on 2), Wills Van Doorn (slide guitar on 3), Brandon Bray (lead guitar on 6), Cole Crawford (piano on 10), Devon Teran (pedal steel on 2), Evan Herd (writing for drums on 7), Rachel Cionitti (bgvs on 1-6, 8), mastering: Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, artwork/lettering: Daniel Gum]

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

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

NEXT WEEK, on February 12 we play more New & MidCoastal Releases. At 10:30am we welcome Ross Brown who shares all the details about the new Fullbloods album PLAYING IT SAFE, to be released March 7, 2025. At 11:00am the band Run With It returns to WMM, just before their LIVE on-air concert on MidCoast LIVE on Friday, February 14 at NOON, AND at 11:30 Nathan Reusch joins us to talk about the KC Synth collective.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

This radio station is more than the individual hosts of each individual radio show. Instead it is about a collective spirit of hundreds of hardworking people, unselfishly setting aside ego, to work for the greater good of community building and the gigantic goal of keeping our airwaves free, non-commercial, and open to all! Congratulations and thank you to all programmers & volunteers who went the extra effort to keep our station alive.

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

Show #1081