For 19 years Mark Manning has served as Coordinator of the KCK Organic Teaching Gardens, an Initiative of The University of Kansas School of Medicine, Office of Cultural Enhancement and Diversity, Health Careers Pathways Program, K-12. Each year Mark works with 1000 to 2000 students, between K through 8th grades, with organic, "raised bed" gardens built directly on the school grounds of three Middle Schools and four Elementary Schools in the inner city of the Kansas City, Kansas school district. Mark conducts over 440 workshops annually in classrooms at these schools. He started the project under the guidance of Marcia Pomeroy, in 1999, after working in a literacy program. The KCK Organic Teaching Gardens has been financially supported through grants from The Kauffman Foundation, and The University of Kansas Medical Center. The project has been recognized locally and nationally by The National Gardening Association, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Community Gardens, The Green Bliss Festival, The Urban Farm & Garden Tour, and on the PBS television program America's Harvest. Mark learned about gardening from his grandmother Edna Jacobsen on the family's McCool Junction, Nebraska farm. His grandmother raised a huge garden, chickens, sheep and cattle. She preserved apples, wild berry jams, and beets and virtually everything she grew was canned for consumption in winter months. Edna raised seven children with no running water and as a child lived in a sod house. His passion for the school gardening program has been fueled by the fact that he doesn't see the lessons he learned from his grandmother passed down to kids today. Kids need to know where their food comes from, especially with the rise of diabetes, and over weight Americans. We can all learn from our gardens how to treat ourselves and the world better.
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, October 20, 2021
Effie + Chalis O’Neal + Fred Wickham Caravan + Tillie Hall & MellowPhobia
Mark plays New & MidCoastal Releases from: MellowPhobia, Jake Wells, Effie, Chalis O’Neal, Julia Othmer, Fred Wickham Caravan, Lonnie Fisher and The Funeral, Mikal Shapiro, Marieme, and Pastor T. L. Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir.
The Fred Wickham Caravan
At 10:15 Fred Wickham joins us to share music from the Fred Wickham Caravan debut album, TOWN WITHOUT SOUL. The 10-track album is set to be released on vinyl and digital platforms through Black-Site Records. The band is having a release show on October 29, 2021, at The Ship, 1221 Union Ave, West Bottoms, KCMO with the Grand Marquis’ horn section, and Cowboy Bart Colliver joining the band. The Roseline will open the show. The Caravan includes songwriter Fred Wickham on lead vocals & guitar, Richard Burgess on bass, Marco Pascolini on guitar, Fred Jr. on mandolin, Sweet Matt Brahl on drums, and Lin Buck on keyboards. Co-produced by Grammy-winning engineer Jimmy Nutt at his Nutthouse Recording Studio in legendary Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The album was mastered by Chad Meise at Massive Sound Studios in Shawnee, KS. More info at: http://www.black-sire.org/fred-wickham-caravan
At 10:35 Mark talks with KC based musician and performer Chalis O’Neal about his upcoming debut album, FLIRTING. Chalis picked up the trumpet at the age of eleven and began studying music at Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. Chalis majored in Jazz Studies with a minor in Classical Trumpet under the direction of Jazz legend Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri Kansas City. O’Neal’s eclectic style ranges from jazz venues to theatre work with the New Theatre Restaurant performing and acting in the The Buddy Holly Story. O’Neal also has burlesque experience with Quixotic Cirque Nouveau. Chalis is also the lead trumpeter for the Afro futuristic band, Arquesta Del SolSoul. O’Neal has performed with Bobby Watson, Harold O’Neal, Tivon Pennicott, Marcus Strickland, Lisa Henry, and David Basse.
At 11:00 Tillie Hall of MellowPhobia shares music from the group’s new 4-track EP, IS THIS SEAT TAKEN?, released through Jackal And Hide Records. Music & lyrics by Tillie Hall who also produced the EP, with Justin Mantooth serving as recording engineer, and mastering by Pete Maher.Adam McKee played drums. Formed out of the indie alt-rock scene of Pittsburgh, PA. MellowPhobia is now based in Lawrence & Kansas City. The band revolves around songwriter and guitarist Tillie Hall who during the pandemic went into the studio and recorded 12 new tracks. IS THIS SEAT TAKEN? is the band’s sophomore EP. The band also released the stand alone single, “Jackal” on May 7, 2021. Called “landlocked surf rock” MellowPhobia is inspired by the British sound, socially conscious lyrics, and hook laden tunes. More info at: http://www.mellowphobia.bandcamp.com
Effie
At 11:30 Mark talks with R&B/Hip Hop artist, Effie, originally from the Bronx, New York. Effie says that music saved her life and means everything to her. Effie is Effie Altoro, a songwriter, singer, rapper, producer, and one part of Kansas City’s own Jet Pack Productions. She claims Nina Simone as her biggest influence. Effie writes, “I have been writing for so many years but never shared any of my personal work until last year. I’m working on pacing myself with releases, instead of just putting albums out back to back. My album, Curve My Enthusiasm, is so special to me that I’m going to release a deluxe version in January with 4 additional tracks and videos, including some exciting collaborations.” More info at: http://www.effie.bandcamp.com
On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org
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
WMM’s 33 & 1/3 All Vinyl Fall Fund Drive Show! + Brenton Cook + La Resistencia Press + Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis & Nico Gray
WMM celebrates 90.1 FM – KKFI’s 33 & 1/3 years on the airwaves by spinning recent MidCoastal 33 & 1/3 rpm vinyl releases. We’ll drop the needle on recent (and a few classic) tracks from: HXXS, Expo Seventy, Black Light Animals, The Freedom Affair, Danny Cox, Krystle Warren, Shy Boys, The Black Creatures, Silicone Prairie, Bummer, Knife Crime, Emmaline Twist, Radkey, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, and Jorge Arana Trio. Tracks from KC’s labels: High Dive Records, Black-Site, Center Cut Records, Sunflower Soul, Haymaker Records, Groove King Records, Little Man Records along with Parlour Door Music from Paris, Thrill Jockey Records from Chicago, Polyvinyl Recording Co. from Champaign, Illinois; Feel It Records from Harrisonburg, Virgina; Glassnote Records from NYC and London, and ABC Dunhill Records.
10:00 – Station ID
“Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks” from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979 [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]
The Freedom Affair – “Rise Up” from: Freedom is Love / Sunflower Soul Records / September 25, 2020 [“Freedom Is Love” is the debut album from Kansas City’s newest soul juggernaut, The Freedom Affair. The album explores themes of love, heartache, empowerment, and togetherness through a varying landscape of hard-hitting funk, luscious soul, and everything in between. The Freedom Affair is a unique collective featuring 3 powerhouse female vocalists in front of a dynamic 6-piece band. On “Freedom Is Love”, each of the ladies get their time to shine individually, but the magic is on full display when all 3 come together in unison and harmony, symbolically embodying the messages that they sing about. The album was recorded and produced by Chris Hazelton, utilizing the best of vintage and new recording technologies to create an authentic experience, befitting of a soul record that would have been relevant 50 years ago as much as it will be 50 years from now. The Freedom Affair is: Misha Roberts on vocals; Paula Saunders on vocals; Seyko Groves on vocals; Cole Bales on guitar, sitar (Track 3); Branden Moser on guitar; Chris Hazelton on bass guitar, organ (Tracks 1, 2, 9, & 10), Tambourine (Track 1), Glockenspiel (Track 3), & Chimes (Track 4); Dave Brick on drums; Pete Carroll on trumpet; Brett Jackson on tenor sax, baritone sax (Tracks 1 & 5), & tambourine (Tracks 5, 6, & 8). Additional Musicians: Pat Conway on Congas (Tracks 1, 3, & 6), Alyssa Bell on viola (Tracks 3, 4, & 7), Elizabeth Codd on violin (Tracks 3 & 4), Matt Bennett on violin (Tracks 3 & 7), John Wickersham on timpani (Track 4), Pamela Baskin-Watson on piano (Track 10), Nick Howell on tambourine (Track 10), The Freedom Family Choir (Track 10): Misha Roberts, Erica Hazelton, Seyko Groves, Paula Saunders, Jordyn Saunders, Cole Bales, and Chris Hazelton. All Horn & String Arrangements by Chris Hazelton except: “Heartaches Don’t Come Easy” and “Give A Little Love” by Pete Carroll & Brett Jackson. “Don’t Shoot” by Chris Hazelton & Allyssa Bell. Produced, Recorded, & Mixed by Chris Hazelton. Assistant Produced by Dave Brick. Rhythm Section on Track 10 recorded by Chad Meise. Mastered by JJ Golden. Cover Artwork by Matthew “Mo” Manley. Front cover photograph of civil rights protesters in Kansas City, MO (April 9th, 1968). The Freedom Affair and their track “Rise Up” were selected to be part of Colemine Records 3xLP box set, “Soul Slabs Vol. 2” a Record Store Day Exclusive, released April 13, 2019. Colemine writes: “The Freedom Affair is a freight train of KC soul! Dirty, funky drums, gritty horns, and the combined vocals of Misha Roberts, Seyko Groves, and Paula Saunders to put this band over the top. Politically charged soul music for the dancefloor!” Chris Hazelton joined us on WMM on September 16, 2020.]
Black Light Animals
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 a special Vinyl Release Show at Lemonade Park, Saturday, August 21, with The Freedom Affair. ]
10:07 – Pledge Break #1
Today we celebrate 90.1 FM KKFI’s 33 & 1/3 years on the airwaves. In honor of these 33 & 1/3 years we will feature recent MidCoastal Releases on 33 & 1/3 vinyl LPs. It’s an All Vinyl – Fall Fund Drive Show! With music from: HXXS, Expo 70, Black Light Animals, The Freedom Affair, Danny Cox, Krystle Warren, Shy Boys, The Black Creatures, Silicone Prairie, Bummer, Knife Crime, Emmaline Twist, Radkey, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear and Jorge Arana Trio, With special guests: Brenton Cook sharing details about Outer Reaches at recordBar, Oct. 16 with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy, and HXXS. And MG Salazar & Alex Martinez sharing details about La Resistencia Press and the Alex Martinez Book Release, Sat, Oct. 16, at 3:30 at InterUrban ArtHouse 8001 Newton Street.
We take a break to encourage YOU to support 90.1 FM KKFI. To help us are our Special Co-Hosts:
Betse Ellis
Betse Ellis is originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas, She received her Bachelors of Arts in Music & Bachelors of Arts in English, from the University of Missouri – KC. She has been playing the Violin and fiddle for over 40 years, and also working as a teacher of music. Betse was a founding member of the acclaimed internationally known band, The Wilders. Betse has released two solo records, and records and performs with her partner, multi-instrumentalist Clarke Wyatt, as Betse & Clarke. In 2020 they released their latest 8-song release, WINTER, which was in the Top Ten of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2020
Betse Ellis, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
Marion Merritt
Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM, She grew up in LA, and St. Louis. She went to college in Columbia, Missouri. She studied art & musical engineering, and is a avid lover of classic films and punk rock music. She saw Talking Heads on their first U.S. tour when they played One Block West in 1978. For 17 years she has been sharing her sonic discoveries and information from her musically-encyclopedic brain on WMM. With partner Ann Stewart, Marion is the proprietor of Records With Merritt, a minority owned business at 1614 Westport Rd. in KC, that features new vinyl. More info at: http://www.recordwithmerritt.com
Marion Merritt, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
Niico Gray
Nico Gray is a writer, and has worked as an actor with KC Rep, Gorilla Theatre, 8th St. Cafe Theatre, Actor’s Craft, and Big Bang Buffet. He appeared in HBO’s “Truman” and as a drunken sailor smoking a cigarette stumbling down the hallways of Union Station in the Robert Altman film “Kansas City.” He starred alongside Jason Sedakis in the short film “Where’s Phil” written & directed by John McGraff. Nico has worked for Theatre League, The Midland Theatre and is a marketing & advertising consultant with Union Station and Marketing Director for Fringe Festival KC. Nico Gray was a Guest Producer on 11 shows and contributed to WMM’s Glam Rock, Bowie Tribute, and 700th show.
Nico Gray, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
90.1 FM KKFI Kansas City Community Radio is Non-Commercial, and that means that three times a year, we interrupt our regular programming, to ask our listeners, to help us continue our unique, 24-7 programming. For 33 & 1/3 years 90.1 FM KKFI has been on the air. While the spirit of this station is kept alive by hundreds of volunteers who passionately donate their time and abilities to keep the transmission of our 100,000-watt-signal alive. We are a operated by a not-for-profit organization, incorporated over 40 years ago, called The MidCoast Radio Project. We’re non-profit, but we still have to pay the electric bill, the rent on our fully accessible production studios and offices, insurance, staff, royalties, production expenses. Even though we have hundreds of committed volunteers, who donate thousands of hours every year, producing radio shows, answering phones, creating websites, producing benefits, rewiring the board, setting up our computer system, we still need YOU, our listener, to take a moment and call 888-931-0901 and donate to keep us alive! Our volunteers are waiting to hear from YOU right now.
YOU are the reason we are able to stay alive. Volunteers are waiting to hear from YOU right now. It only takes a few minutes. Call 888-931-0901. You can also visit us at http://www.kkfi.org, or call 888-931-0901 to support Kansas City Community Radio 90.1 FM.
90.1 FM KKFI is “The Voice of the Community” Our Kansas City area Community Speaks Through our Airwaves and this Program
So far in 2021 on WMM we’ve conducted 115 live interviews with 116 special guests:
Sam Wells, Barry Lee, Lily B. Moonflower, Charlotte Bumgarner, Martin Farrell Jr., Mikal Shapiro, D. Rashaan Gilmore, Chritena Graves, Hadiza., Alisa Jefferson, Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis, David Luther, Cuee, Robert Moore, Sarah Magill, Dan Jones, Juliette Frost, Club Sinister, R.I.Peter, Everette The Grey, Nico Gray, Katy Guillen, Rhonda Lyne, Chris Hudson, Jamie Searle, Nan Turner, Stacy Busch, Claire Adams, Allisön Hawkins, Jen Harris, Vanessa Aricco, Rob Rice, Sherman Brennemen, M.G. Salazar, Michael JC Taylor, Matt Weinman & Melissa Weinman, Aaron Rhodes, Judy Mills, Byron Huhmann, Shawn Stewart, Fally Afani, Calvin Arsenia, Greg LaFollette, Erin Keller, Lee Langston, Connor Leimer, Enrique Chi, Alyssa Murray, Jillian Riscoe, Dylan Pyles, Remy Sryrk, Xavier Martin & Jade Green of The Black Creatures, Bob Walkenhorst, Elexa Dawson, Jeremy Ragland, Marisa Butler, Patrick Sprehe, Dave Tanner, Quite Frankly (The Band), Riley The Musician, Florian Arbenz, Clint Hoffmeier, Royce Diamond, Jacob & Danielle Prestidge of Wyndsrfr, Sara Swenson, Justin Randall, Stacy Busch, Jill McKeever, Jeremiah James Gonzales & Brody Lowe of Redder Moon, Taylor Hughes of Pure XTC, Kian Byrne, Jared Bajkowski, Ivory Blue, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, Krystle Warren, Tom Crane, Judy Ancel, Dorothy Hawkins, Ebony Johnson, Catina Taylor, Flare Tha Rebel & Bob Pulliam, Mike Alexander, Ignacio Carvajal, Dedric Moore and Teri Quinn of Monta At Odds, Stephonne Singleton, Geraldine Glen, Cole Bales, Cody Calhoun & Branden Moser of Black Light Animals, Laurel Morgan Parks & Darren Welch of In The Pines, Taylor Avanzpou, Brad Smith of Eggs On Mars, Tucker Slough, Julia Othmer, William Smith of CompanyNoCompany, Whim Grace, Bill Sundahl, Alicia Ellingsworth & Ari Fish, Chuck Whittington & Andrew Sallee of Namelessnumberheadman, Joy Zimmerman, Nathan Reusch, and more to come.
“THANK YOU GIFTS”…with a pledge with: MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover.
Call 888-931-0901 and make your donation to 90.1 FM KKFI’s Fall Fund Drive Show and KKFI will share with you fabulous “Thank You Gifts!”
*** $90.00 ($7.50 Monthly) – KKFI Pint Glass w/ New Design by Nate Hofer (Hoe-fur) *** $120.00 ($10.00 Monthly) – 5 pack of Jude’s Mini Rum Cakes (Limit 100 Mailed Dec.) *** $120.00 ($10.00 Monthly) – 1 Pair Tix Halloween Eve (10/30) Lawrence Arts Center – Alan Murphy’s Space Invaders & Fire Sign Theater Movie – LIMIT 25 Pairs *** $150.00 ($12.50 Monthly) – a “Guest DJ” certificate for a 1-hour music show *** $240.00 ($20.00 Monthly) – KKFI Maroon Pullover Hoodie w/ Design by Nate Hofer *** $1200.00 ($100.00 Monthly)–Day Sponsor Gift (You record 30 sec. spot to play all day)
*** Check our “Prize Closet – On Line Gift Shop” for more items: http://www.kkfi.org/thanks *** Will Mail Koozies, Cups, Cards & Guest DJ Cert. to donors in 4 to 6 Weeks
“Thank You Gifts” availabe at http://www.kkfi.org using MC/Visa/Discover/AMEX.
THANK YOU GIFT FOR EVERY SINGLE DONOR – Every single donor will receive a pack of Native Wild Flowers to plant this fall. Thanks to DeepRoots.ORG for donating this resource. This seed mix provides color from early May into October and attracts many kinds of wildlife. It consists nearly entirely of perennials with a few annuals or biennials that will provide some color while the perennials get established. Deep Roots is a collective impact organization of multi-sector Partners. Together with our Partners, we work to increase native plant landscapes.
THANK YOU GIFT FOR EVERY MONTHLY SUSTAINING DONOR – Every New & Existing Sustaining Donor gets a pair of ticket to the 2021 Sustainers Thank You Party! World Music Showcase – Dec. 3rd, 2021 at Drexel Hall. Featuring: Mundo Nuovo (Latin Dance – Pronounced Mun-Doh New-oh-Vo), Ala Turka (Turkish Jazz), Gamelan Genta Kastura (Balanese). Thanks to Sean Mawhirter (Maw-hurt-ur) of Mundo Nuovo for producing this event for KKFI. Vaccination or Negative Covid-19 Test Mandatory – Must RSVP to Attend. We will Email andMail the RSVP link to everyone after the fund drive.
10:15
The Black Creatures
The Black Creatures – “D’umm” from: “Wild Echoes / Center Cut / Remastered & Reissued on Vinyl August 28, 2020 [Originally digitslly leased on September 30, 2019 – The Black Creatures make a point to blur the lines of genre while maintaining a recognizable cohesion; oftentimes blending contemporary styles of pop, hip-hop, dance, R&B, EDM and soul with cinematic and storytelling sci-fi/fantasy elements and themes. With the complex and creative approach The Black Creatures take to their art, a diverse audience regularly flocks to their gripping and intensely enchanting performances. // Representing the strange land of Kansas City, Missouri, Jade Green and Xavier began working together around the end of 2013 after meeting on-line talking about cosmetics. After Jade stumbled upon Xavier’s SoundCloud, they asked if they could put their vocals on it, and this led to future collaborations with no more than the intention to dabble. They couldn’t stop and eventually dubbed the project The Black Creatures. // Both Jade & Xavier write and perform vocals, with Xavier at the helm of production and composition. Jade Green has a vocal background in opera and a penchant for theatrics, and both are the foundation of their ever-evolving approach to writing and performing in The Black Creatures. While the instrumentals may set the tone for the show, Jade’s voice captivates the audience from beginning to end. Originally a violinist, Xavier unfurled into a producer and vocalist, maintaining the same air of intrigue and mystery throughout his compositions and performances in The Black Creatures. // After releasing Wild Echoes in the fall of 2020, the record received Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine, along with high praise from around the world for the four released singles and accompanying videos. “Wretched (It Goes)” was featured in the NPR Live Sessions “Songs For Change” when The Black Creatures were selected as one of 12 national artists, and included in 90.9 The Bridge’s Top 100 singles along with their song “D’ummm” which was in heavy rotation in the winter. Nuance Magazine wrote, “The Black Creatures take their musical talents and use them in such a way that forces listeners to not only tap their foot to a catchy tune, but pay attention and feel something about what is going on in the world around them. Tackling fascism, police brutality, and the deep-rooted effects of slavery in a rhythmic fashion is one thing. Simultaneously making it a good listen is another. However, The Black Creatures make it happen.”]
[The Black Creatures play Mockingbird Lounge TONIGHT October 13]
[The Black Creatures play Art On Oak w/Kian Byrne at 2nd Presbyterian Church Fri, Oct. 15, 7:PM]
[The Black Creatures play 10/22 The Ship on Friday, October 22, 2021]
[The Black Creatures play 10/23 Charlotte Street Magic Mirror Ball Gala on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021]
Silicone Prairie – “Dance To The Beat” from: My Life on the Silicone Prairie / Feel It Records / February 5, 2021 [Direct from Kansas City and encased in a layer of four-track analog glory comes the debut album from Silicone Prairie. You may have enjoyed Ian Teeple in action with Warm Bodies or The Natural Man Band, though Silicone Prairie is where Teeple has been focusing his solo creative energies over the past couple years, culminating in these 13 tracks. A trebly & jittery, landlocked Midwestern punk sound comes into effect straight out of the gate, much in the lineage of Gulcher’s ‘Red Snerts’ comp or the Dow Jones side of ‘Hoosier Hysteria’ – with a dash of hardcore DEVO or even D.L.I.M.C. thrown in for contemporary spuds. But there’s far more to Silicone Prairie – with quantitatively great songwriting and instrumentation bursting any preconceived sub-subgenre bubbles and occupying a kindred creative plain that made just about any Mould, Kirkwood, or Sage composition of the mid-80’s oh so delightful & memorable. Heck, there’s even a synth-heavy instrumental dedicated to electronic pioneer Patrick Cowley. ‘My Life on the Silicone Prairie’ dances across the sonic spectrum, from bedroom jangle to basement devolution, carrying big guitars, sharp synthesizers, and a hopeful grin into 2021 and beyond. A carefully crafted debut alive with the kind of creative rock’n’roll energy that simply cannot be quarantined, now or ever. ‘My Life on the Silicone Prairie’ comes shrinkwrapped in a reverse board sleeve with risograph insert printed at Oddities Prints and download code. Australian vinyl pressing available from Computer Human Records.
KNIFE CRIME — “Lump Sum” from: Lovely Gary / Black-Site / April 13, 2021 [After spending months at Massive Sounds studio with producer Paul Malinowski in 2019 and then waiting out the worst of the pandemic’s stranglehold, Knife Crime’s debut album, Lovely Gary, is ready. Finally. // Knife Crime is a band of four veterans of Kansas City’s music community. Going back to the early 1990s, founding brothers Byron Huhmann on guitars, piano & lead vocals; Brad Huhmann on bass & vocals, have played with a small legion of bands, including TV Fifty, Onward Crispin Glover, the Dark Circles, Truck Stop Love, Red Kate and Lushbox. Jake Cardwell on drums & percussion came aboard in 2012, and has played drums for Reflector, the Belles, the Caves and the Conquerors. In 2018, multi-instrumentalist Jeremiah James Gonzalez on guitar & vocals joined, bringing along a resume that includes Elevator Division, Monta at Odds, Be/Non, Umberto, Rhunes and Redder Moon. Songs by Knife Crime. Recorded & mixed by Paul Malinowski, at Massive Sound Studios, Shawnee, KS Mastering by Mike Nolte, Eureka Mastering, Portland, Oregon. Additional mastering & lacquer cutting: Chris Muth, Taloowa Corp., Yonkers, NY. Vinyl Manufacturing: Kindercore Vinyl, Athens, GA. // Follow up to their single release “Falcon” on January 8, 2020. Produced by Knife Crime. Mastered by Dave Gaume at Element Recording Studios. Knife Crime is a 4-piece Kansas City based band formed on January 19, 2011. More info at: http://www.black-site.or9
Bill Sundahl
10:25 – Pledge Break #2 – Bill Sundahl – Champions & Challengers
Our WMM Fall Fund Drive Team: Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis, and Nico Gray
Today on WMM we are celebrating KKFI’s 33 & 1/3 Years by playing from new area vinyl albums from area music record labels. So far we’ve hear The Freedom Affair on Sunflower Souls Records, Black Light Animals on Groove King Records, The Black Creatures on Center Cut Records, Silicone Prairie (the solo project of Ian Temple) on Feel It Records, and Knife Crime on Black-Site Records. WMM and KKFI are committed to featuring artists under-represented in other media, and that includes the music community that lives within Kansas City and Lawrence and the area radiance of our 100 watt signal. The story of Kansas City’s Arts and Music Community is our primary objective on WMM, where for 17years we have shined a light on this music and the artist who create it and that story also include the music labels who help get this music out into the community and beyond Kansas City. That story also includes the recording studios where this music is engineered and mastered. That story also includes the venues where this music is played live and the creative ways that venue owners have worked to achieve during these times of the COVID epidemic/ Outdoor shows at The Ship, Lemonade Park, and The Black Box have brought music lovers to the West Bottoms where open spaces have become concert venues. Vaccination and mask mandates have allowed recordBar, The Kauffman Center, The Uptown Theatre and other venues to reopen in a safe way, as we continue to navigate this virus. KKFI has been with you through this entire time, continuing to bring you the music and information you need and want to be I the “know”. Listening to KKFI inspires.
WMM Plays New & MidCoastal Releases. Timothy Finn Kansas City area music writer named WMM “The Best Place to Hear Local Music on the Radio.” and the Best Place to hear area musicians talk about their music.
10:33 – Underwriting
Danny Cox
Danny Cox – “Train Song” from: Danny Cox / Dunhill Records / August 15, 1971 [A live version of this is on the digitally released YOUNG AND HOT (LIVE AT COWTOWN BALLROOM) EP on July 27, 2021. Danny Cox was born in 1942 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a folk singer and songwriter best known for his 1974 LP album Feel So Good. Danny Cox moved to Kansas City, Kansas in 1967. As a youth, he sang in a church choir together with Rudolph Iseley, and in the 1960s he started his professional career performing on a Hootennany Folk Tour. Cox has recorded albums for ABC Dunhill, Casablanca, MGM and others. He also partnered a company called Good Karma Productions, run by the KC based Vanguard Coffee House owner Stan Plesser, who managed the acts of Brewer & Shipley, and The Ozark Mountain Daredevils,]
[Danny Cox played the 17th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, Saturday, Sept 11, at Lemonade Park]
Krystle Warren
Krystle Warren & The Faculty – “Forever Is a Long Time” from: Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace (Love Songs- A Time to Refrain from Embracing) / Parlour Door Music / April 9, 2012 UK] [Originally from KC, Krystle learned to play the guitar by listening to Rubber Soul & Revolver from The Beatles. Krystle graduated from Paseo Arts Academy in 2001 and began her musical career in collaborating with area jazz and pop musicians. After living in San Francisco and NYC, Krystle was signed to a French label, Because Music, and moved to Paris to release “Circles” in 2009. Krystle played French and British television programs, including Later with Jools Holland, garnering critical acclaim and traveling all over the world with Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Norah Jones, and Joan As Police Woman. Krystle created, Parlour Door Music, to release “Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace” a recording from a 13-day session in Brooklyn, where she recorded 24 songs live with 28 musicians including her band, The Faculty, alongside choirs, horn and string sections. // Krystle Warren & The Crew released THE CREW, on September 15, 2020. Through isolation came unity. The Crew is Lakecia Benjamin, Matthew Silberman, Jacob Snider, Joe Blaxx, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Cassorla, Krystle Warren, and Ben Kane. They have recorded unique versions of classic songs with the hope of encouraging the rallying cries of The Moment: the movement of the people. // In the lockdown of their homes, they sewed together their interpretations of “Bein’ Green” (based upon Ray Charles’ rendition); “Gimme Some Truth” (a mighty John Lennon composition); “Dear Landlord” (a scathing indictment from the blistering pen of Bob Dylan); and “Rhythm of Life”, (a timeless statement originally performed by Oleta Adams). // A portion of the proceeds from The Crew. EP will be donated to the various causes and organizations. From Billboard.com: Singer-songwriter Krystle Warren has made a powerful statement about the struggle for Black equality with the help of Kermit the Frog’s iconic song “Bein’ Green” (written by Joe Raposo). // The moving five-minute clip, over which Warren sings her rendition of the 1970 song — since recorded by Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and others — sprang from a covers EP she recorded during the pandemic with a group of musicians known as The Crew. Warren embarked on the project after her forthcoming album with her regular group, The Faculty, was put on hold due to COVID-19. The EP, which tackles themes of racial injustice in the wake of nationwide Black Lives Matter protests this summer, also includes a cover of John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth.” // The “Bein’ Green” video weaves in footage of this year’s Black Lives Matter protests, and also includes a heartbreaking montage of young Black children choosing white dolls over dark-skinned ones. It additionally features archival footage of such transformative Black figures as James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Malcom X, Nina Simone, Marsha P. Johnson and Al Sharpton, as well as victims of police brutality including Sandra Bland, George Floyd and Eric Garner. It ends with a clip from a speech by civil rights activist Ella Baker. // “‘Bein’ Green,’ it’s such a gorgeous song, and it says so, so much,” says Warren. “I began thinking about what I wanted it to express visually before we started [recording the song]. Essentially — it’s not easy being Black. That’s what Ray Charles was saying, and we felt it needed to be said again.” // Warren, who now resides in Paris, began performing in her native Kansas City at the age of 16 before moving to New York City, where she started busking on the streets and later formed her regular band, The Faculty. She and the group have recorded several full-length albums, including 2009’s Circles, 2012’s Love Songs and 2017’s Three the Hard Way. Her next album is slated for release this winter. // A large percentage of proceeds from sales of the EP — which is available for digital downloads via Warren’s website now and released on all streaming platforms next Friday — will be donated to the ACLU. Krystle Warren joined us live on WMM on September 23, 2020. She has appeared as a guest on 14 WMMs.]
Shy Boys – TALK LOUD (Polyvinyl Recording Co.)
Shy Boys – “In Gloves” from: Talk Loud / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 25, 2020 [3rd album from Shy Boys. Shy Boys are brothers Collin Rausch & Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Collin & Kyle come from a family of musicians. Their cousin is Kasey Rausch, their father Kent Rausch is a jazz musician and was the music teacher and band director at their High School. Their mother was a choir director. Their father was from a family of 7 brothers (Greg, Terry, Brad), many who are musicians and recording artists, including their Grandfather Dean Rausch. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were band mates in The ACBs. Collin had been playing for years in the KC area including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. In June 2014, the band recorded and released two more singles and one of them, “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum. Musician Kyle Little and Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) joined Shy Boys to make the band a 5-piece. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced that Shy Boys had signed to Polyvinyl Recording Co. an independent record label based in Champaign, Illinois and home to the band STRFKR, Xiu Xiu, The Get Up Kids, of Montreal, and others. Shy Boys released their Polyvinyl debut album, the autobiographical, Bell House, on August. 3, 2018. They immediately went out on an extended national tour. On February 15, 2019, Shy Boys released their singles, “Dim The Light” and “Brick By Brick” signaling new sounds from the band. Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch and Ross Brown joined us live on WMM on November 11, 2020.]
10:45 – Pledge Break #3
Our WMM Fall Fund Drive Team: Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis, and Nico Gray
Krystle Warren
Our most played artist last year was Krystle Warren. Mark first interviewed Krystle on KKFI in early 2002. During a winter snow storm, at a party where Krystle played with longtime friend Solomon Dorsey on bass, in a packed, smoke filled apartment, near Community Christian Church, Mark waited hours for a 2 song demo, that contained a song called “Chanel #5.” Krystle has since gone on to tour all over the world, but maintains contact with her hometown of KC. Krystle’s critically acclaimed album, Three The Hard Way was #1 on WMM’s 117 Best Recordings of 2017. WMM was the first to play tracks from Krystle’s album. Last month Krystle released the new 4-song EP The Crew, with unique versions of classic songs with the hope of encouraging the rallying cries of The Moment: the movement of the people. Krystle has been a guest on 14 WMM Shows.
YOU are the reason we are able to stay alive. Volunteers are waiting to hear from YOU right now. Call 888-931-0901. You can also visit us at http://www.kkfi.org, or call 888-931-0901 to support Kansas City Community Radio 90.1 FM. It only takes a few minutes, and we have “thank you gifts.” The number is 888-931-0901 to support KC Community Radio 90.1 FM
Donating to 90.1 FM KKFI is investing in your community.
KKFI’s Mission Statement: KKFI is the Kansas City area’s independent, noncommercial community radio station. We seek to stimulate, educate and entertain our audience, to reflect the diversity of the local and world community, and to provide a channel for individuals and groups, issues and music that have been overlooked, suppressed or under-represented by other media.
KKFI’s Philosophy Statement: KKFI is committed to diversity in programming and discourse and seeks to create a climate of mutual respect and collaboration among volunteers and staff.
10:52
HXXS – HOW THE WEST WAS WON (High Dive Record)s
HXXS – “Little Fear of Lightning” from: How the West Was Won / High Dive Records / June 18. 2021 [Originally released digitally on Jue 4, 2020, after HXXS was signed to High Dive Records this was released onvinyl on June 18, 2021. HXXS then went on to release the latest 17-track album CHANNELER (digitally) on August 6, 2021. Jeannie Colleene and Gavin Neves make up the duo known as HXXS. Cutting their teeth in this harsh reality, HXXS has formed a strange mix of noise and deteriorating rebellion. Armed with a combination of drum machines, loopers, electric guitar, and banshee like squalls from both vocalists, HXXS brings the mania of electronic-noise, combines it with jazz-like swordsmanship and incantory spell craft. Taking pride in making things increasingly difficult on themselves by performing live cuts with ritual-like fever, while maintaining the unstable improvisation and manic haywire you might get from free-jazz which makes their live sets unpredictable. “Too unsettling and vivid to dismiss” HXXS “paints a picture of grievances that fester like open wounds.” The KC-based duo has toured extensively in venues the size of living rooms to concert halls with acts like Liars, ADULT., and Kyp Malone.]
[HXXS play Outer Reaches presents: HXXS / Expo Seventy / WE Are the Asteroid / Jorge Arana Trio at recordBar, 1520 Grand Aveneue in KCMO, on October 16 at 7:00 PM with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy. More info at http://www.outerreachesfest.com]
Expo 70 – Center of the Earth
Expo 70 – “IV” from: Center of the Earth / Aquarius Records / June 6. 2006 [Very early release from Expo ’70 the musical project of Justin Wright. He began producing this otherworldly music in 2003 while living in Los Angeles. Residing in Kansas City, Missouri now, Wright produces music that is sought after by people all over the world. Wright has toured extensively over the last several years. More recently Wright has added a drummer and bassist to the mix which has started release albums and touring. Justin has released 56 separate releases as Expo ’70 and eight released at Expo Seventy including the 6-track release Evolution o June 9, 2021 that was recorded and mixed by Chad Meise at Massive Sound and included Justin Wright on guitar & synthesizers, Aaron Osborne on bass & auxiliary percussion, Mike Vera on drums. Chris Fugitt on drums, and Sam Hughes on saxophone. More info at: wwwexposeventy.com]
[Expo Seventy play Outer Reaches presents: HXXS / Expo Seventy / WE Are the Asteroid / Jorge Arana Trio at recordBar, 1520 Grand Aveneue in KCMO, on October 16 at 7:00 PM with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy. More info at http://www.outerreachesfest.com]
11:00 – Station ID
Brenton and son
11:00 – Interview with Brenton Cook
Brenton Cook studied Computer Science at Missouri University of Science and Technology, in Rolla, Missouri, where he also had his own college radio show. Brenton has produced extensive compilations of area music for the Midwest Music Foundation. He formed the Kansas City independent music label, Haymaker Records in January 2014. The label has released multiple full length albums, for Monta At Odds, HMPH!, Be/Non, Jorge Arana Trio, Riala, Mysterious Clouds, Sie Lieben Maschinen, Schwervon!, and others on vinyl, cassette, CD, and 7 “. He has also produced two Haymaker compilation releases, called Fairgrounds. For the last 9 years, Brenton has been a co-curator of the Outer Reaches Fest shows. And during all of this Brenton has gotten married and recently he and his wife welcomed their baby boy into their world. Brenton joins us today to share details about: Outer Reaches presents: HXXS / Expo Seventy / WE Are the Asteroid / Jorge Arana Trio at recordBar, 1520 Grand Aveneue in KCMO, on October 16 at 7:00 PM with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy. More info at http://www.outerreachesfest.com
Brenton Cook, Thanks for being with us today on WMM
Originally called KC Psych Fest, Outer Reaches started in 2012 to bring together outsider musical acts and celebrate experimental music in Kansas City. While still very psychedelic, the Outer Reaches Fest has grown to emphasize musical acts pushing boundaries.
Dedric Moore launched this festival in 2012. The idea grew out of the music he was creating with his Brother Delaney Moore at the HQ Artspace in KCK. Dedric is a member of the bands Monta At Odds, Mysterious Clouds, and Gemini Revolution.
The full Outer Reaches Fest is taking another year off but they still want to bring you a night’s worth of outsider artists pushing the limits of rock and roll, jazz & electronic music.
HXXS : aka Jeannie Colleene and Gavin Neves return to our stage w/ their noisy electronic visual and aural freak-outs.
EXPO SEVENTY : Justin Wright’s solo experimental drone band Expo ’70 fleshed out to a rock n roll trio blasting out cosmic doom space riffs.
WE Are the Asteroid : Austin freak-rockers comprised of former members of Ed Hall, Butthole Surfers and Pain Teens. Blowing minds from the arid hills of Texas to the crowded streets of Japan. Do not miss this band!
Jorge Arana Trio : It’s been nearly 10 years since Jorge Arana started melting minds with his trio of musical madmen. Inspired avant-rock cum jazz madness.
XO Blackwater‘s video projections enhance your experience.
Proof of vax / neg test required for entry. The show is 18+ (Under 18 with a guardian)
Brenton Cook, Thanks for being with us today on WMM
Outer Reaches presents: HXXS / Expo Seventy / WE Are the Asteroid / Jorge Arana Trio at recordBar, 1520 Grand Aveneue in KCMO, on October 16 at 7:00 PM with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy. More info at http://www.outerreachesfest.com
11:10
Jorge Arana Trio – “Overworld Map” from: Mammoth / Haymaker Records / September 23, 2016 [Recorded in early 2016 by Justin Wilson at Sound 81 Productions. Jorge Arana Trio is: Jorge Arana, Josh Enyart, & Jason Nash. Formed in 2011. Mammoth is the 3rd album and 2nd full length release. Jorge Arana Trio played their first album release concert at recordBar, September 2 with 34 and Riala. The Jorge Arana Trio joined us live on WMM on August 31, 2016]
[Expo Seventy play Outer Reaches presents: HXXS / Expo Seventy / WE Are the Asteroid / Jorge Arana Trio at recordBar, 1520 Grand Aveneue in KCMO, on October 16 at 7:00 PM with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy. More info at http://www.outerreachesfest.com]
11:12 – Pledge Break #4 – Bill Sundahl – Champions & Challengers
This is WMM’s Fall Fund Drive Show with Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis, and Nico Gray
KKFI is an Independent, non-commercial radio station!
Now, more than ever, Independent, Community Media is important for our world. We are here to listen to you, to share your concerns, and offer resources and information. Along with our National Public Affairs shows like Democracy Now, and Alternative Radio we also offer more locally produced public affairs programs than anywhere else on the dial.
We offer programs specifically produced for the LGBTQIA Community, Women’s Issues, Native American News and Culture, Middle Eastern Music and Information, Latino Programming, African American Public Affairs and Community News, Labor and Worker’s Unions, our prison population and justice system, environmental programming, Visual and Literary Arts, and Performing Arts.
Just remember what you don’t have to hear when you are tuned to 90.1 FM KKFI! No commercials, we do have brief underwriting announcements, recognizing those who financially contribute to support non-profit community radio.
No automated robot playing the same 40 to 80 songs in a “rotation,” based on a formula, created by a programmer of the robot. KKFI is the opposite of a robot. There is always human being on the other end of the phone line anytime you call.
90.1 offers 104 different radio programs. About 86 of these programs are locally, produced, hosted, engineered and written by over 100 different people, who create content, and personally handcraft each show, each week. There are 55 local music shows and 21 locally produce News, Public Affairs, Arts & Talk shows.
There are 140 hours each week of locally produced handcrafted programs.
You will not find this kind of representative diversity anywhere else on your radio dial. Or from any singular source on your computer. It is very special. It needs to be nourished and kept alive in a world of corporate, nationally owned, commercial or religious broadcasting.
Not only do we bring the most diverse and unfiltered news and information, but our musical playlists are deep, and comprehensive. In one week you can hear over 2000 different songs played, in Blues, Jazz, Folk, Hip Hop, Reggae, Classical, World, Americana, Southern Soul, Fusion, Soul, Rock, New Wave, Electronic, Native, Local, Old Timey, Rockabilly, Women’s, Children’s, Gospel, and Experimental.
With all of this, you hear the voices from the hundreds of KKFI volunteers, and thousands of guests from the community, who share their stories, broadcast live from our non-commercial, midtown studios, at 39th & Main, in the center of our metro, across two states, a collective of communities, and thousands of listeners. What is this worth to you?
11:20
Bummer – “E1M1” from: Dead Horse / Thrill Jockey Records / October 1, 2021 [Matt Perrin on guitar & vocals, Mike Gustafson on bass, and Sam Hutchinson on drums. Produced by BUMMER and Justin Mantooth. Engineered and Mixed by Justin Mantooth at Westend Recording Studios in Kansas City, KS. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering in Portland, Oregon. Painting “Sense Titol” is an original work by Joan LaLucat Vehil and is licensed for use. // Kansas City trio BUMMER mirror the absurdity of modern life with a balance of dark humor, dejected nihilism and righteous fury. Their music spills out in torrents of skull-crushing riffs, gargantuan bass and caustic howls delivered at breakneck speed with gleeful abandon. Following their split 7” with longtime friends The Body which teased a more focused, lean sound for the group, Dead Horse hones BUMMER’s auditory desolation and scathing gaze to laser-point precision. In eleven short vignettes the trio lay waste to everything in their path, penning a vitriolic overview of life in the American Midwest, a surprising blend of one-star Trip Advisor review and insightful cultural critique. // BUMMER’s searing music and self-deprecating sense of humor are steeped in their surroundings. Born and raised in Kansas City, vocalist/guitarist Matt Perrin elaborates: “These songs are influenced by how empty and miniscule life in Kansas can be and the stories that come from it.” From the opioid epidemic to the dust bowl and extraterrestrial encounters, themes recur of entrapment and failed escapes. On the aptly titled “Barn Burner (You Boys Quit Whippin’ Those Whips),” Perrin grapples with a deep-set disillusionment with his hometown atop blistering, splintered riffs. The wreckingball groove of “I Want To Punch Bruce Springsteen in the Dick”s lurches and swings like a pendulum of pure contempt, lamenting environmental devastation ravaged upon Kansas from years of over-farming and overproduction (alongside less subtle messages about their feelings towards The Boss). “Quadruple ZZ Top” repurposes FDR’s infamous quote about the Dust Bowl’s destruction “What the sun left, the grasshoppers took” in a corrosive whirlpool that thrashes in every direction. “E1M1” turns the group’s gaze skyward, inspired by the alleged repeated UFO sightings reported by a 19th century mill worker, while “Kid Spock” draws from Tom Goldwin’s science fiction short “The Cold Equations”. Finding little respite even in the usual escape of space and science fiction, Dead Horse’s relentless bludgeon brings into focus the harsh realities of the American dream and the places left behind by the ravages of capitalism. // In spite of its often weighty subject material and darker textures, Dead Horse is unapologetically fun. Written during lockdown in the trio’s practice space and recorded with Justin Mantooth at Westend Recording Studios in Kansas City, Dead Horse was written as a more collective endeavor than the band’s previous outings. It captures the sheer ecstasy and blunt force of the group’s live shows in greater clarity than ever before. The immediately intoxicating “JFK Speedwagon” sets the tempo for the album, hurtling through Mike Gustafson’s thundering bass breaks and guest vocals from Sean Ingram of Coalesce (who also features on “Juice Pig”), providing a perfect counterpoint to Perrin’s acidic guitar and desperate shout. “I Want To Punch…” and “E1M1” take the foot of the pedal for a split second, cruising through caveman mosh and pummelling sludge. On “Donkey Punch”, drummer Sam Hutchinson’s hypnotic groove and Perrin’s freewheeling guitars threaten to spiral out of control at any moment, pushing up to fever pitch as Perrin trades tortured howls with Portrayal of Guilt’s Matt King. “Magic Cruel Bus” lulls the listener into a false sense of security with a lilting blues guitar opening before erupting into rolling waves of distortion. // Dead Horse is a decisive statement from a band at the height of their powers, a masterclass in eviscerating hooks and incisive takedowns. With their Thrill Jockey debut album, BUMMER’s unflinching reminder of just how gruelling life can be is coupled with a cathartic riff driven explosion of energy. BUMMER offers an escape and a solution: headbang through the bad times. More info at: https://bummerkc.bandcamp.com%5D
Emmaline Twist – DISSIMULATION (Black-Site)
Emmaline Twist – “Oblivion” from: Dissimulation / Black Site / August 24, 2018 [Debut LP from Emmaline Twist, Kansas City’s Darkwave / Post-Punk / Shoegaze project. In 2017 the band released “Dissimulation 1,” four songs in digital format, their first since 2016’s single release of “Vega” b/w “Moon Eyes.” The band is Meredith McGrade on vocals & guitar, Kristin Conkright on bass, Jonathan Knecht on drums, and Krysztof Nemeth on baritone guitar. Recorded, Mixed, and Produced at Massive Sound by Paul Malinowski, and Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Matched with compelling cover-art created by Amy Abshier. Alex Alexander recently joined the band on synthesizers & guitar.]
11:28 – Underwriting
11:30 – Interview with MG Salazar & Alex Martinez
MG Salazar (they/them) is a poet, writer, performer, curator, business owner, chef, civil rights activist, assistant to Antoni Porowski for Season 3 & 4 of Netflix’s acclaimed television program – Queer Eye, cultural reporter & music reviewer for KCUR 89.3 FM, subject of the HBO documentary, Abortion: Stories Women Tell, and former member of the team of Hosts & Producers on 90.1 FM’s The Tenth Voice. A lifelong activist for equality & justice, MG Salazar twice traveled to Standing Rock during the winter of 2016-2017 to stand as a water protector at the [Oh-CHET-tee Shh-COW-wee(n)] Oceti Sakowin Camp. In 2020 MG Salazar ran as a Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, challenging 8-term, incumbent Emanuel Cleaver II. MG’s latest book, Little Bits of Flesh was published by La Resistencia in 2019; their book, Striking the Black Snake: Poems from Standing Rock, was published by 39 West Press in 2017; and MG’s debut, If You See My Ghosts Like I Do, was published by Spartan Press in 2016.
MG Salazar, thanks for being with us on WMM.
Alex Martínez (they/them) is a poet, badass organizer, and an overall beautiful queen. Born in Mexico, Alex started writing poetry at a very early age as a symptom of displacement. Alex was an artist in residence for 18 months at Charlotte Street Foundation in 2018 with funding for the program provided by a National Endowment for the Arts – Our Town grant. Some of Alex’s pieces have appeared in Harbor-Review, New City Community Press, Hawaii Review, and About A Place Journal. Alex published their first book Disclosure: Confessions of a Queer in Crisis in April of 2018. Alex performs with Resistencia, a brown & queer group of poets. Alex often writes about trauma and social issues that affect them and their immigrant, brown, and queer communities. Alex lives in Arizona, attending Prescott College. This is their second book
Alex Martínez, thanks for being with us on WMM.
MG Salazar and Alex Martinez are here to share details about La Resistencia Press and their third book release with “Concealment” by La Resistencia member, Alex Martinez.
La Resistencia: Alex Martinez Book Release is Saturday, October 16, at 3:30 PM at InterUrbanArtHouse, 8001 Newton Street, Overland Park, KS
We will gather at the InterUrban ArtHouse starting at 3:30pm to pick up books. 4pm we will open, and we will be done by 5pm!
MG Salazar and Alex Martinez are cofounders of La Resistencia, a collective of LGBTQ creatives of color in the KC with: Jessica Ayala, Lucky Garcia, and Miguel M. Morales. Sharing their words, art, voices, & bodies with community and to live the pride of their people. Sharing & celebrate the lived experiences of QTPOC and amplifying voices.
La Resistencia Press removes the biggest barrier from publishing: The Gatekeeper. – Too often, non-white folks are at the mercy of begging for a chance from someone who does not look like them, have the same cultural experience, or does not care to hear artists from outside their realm. So La Resistencia Press thier our own press.
La Resistencia Press Books: Concealment – Alex Martinez Allow: A Litany – Ignacio Carvajal Tiny Bits of Flesh (2018) – MG Salazar
MG Salazar’s recent book, Little Bits of Flesh was published by La Resistencia (2019)
MG Salazar ran as a Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, challenging 8-term, incumbent Emanuel Cleaver II. When running for Congress MG ran openly as a non-binary candidate. They / Them
From MG Salazar’s Campaign bio, MG wrote: “I can’t ask you to vote for me because I am Non-Binary. Or based solely on any of the identities I hold as a marginalized person. There are plenty of people who exploit their identities for political gain and do nothing to actually impact the community they claim to represent, or only represent the most privileged of their community. I do, however, promise to Queer Congress.”
What does that mean? “It means challenging the status quo. Agitate Cisgender & Hetero-sexual Peers to reflect on their values. Make it clear that Queer & Trans people are not going anywhere without a fight. In many Indigenous Cultures, like the ones of my ancestors, Transgender & Gender Variant people were REVERED and CELEBRATED.”
MG Salazar aka Maite has had a passion for making change that started when they were very young. Their first time “organizing” was when they were a little kid, advocating for animal rights with plans to send a “Barbie Jeep” to save endangered animals from poachers. As they grew up, they got involved in the Anti-War movement during the Bush Administration, at the age of 17 going as far as participating in a direct action when President Bush was in town, that was powerful enough that he thought it was best to run from his car to the building of the event, rather than confront the protest. This was the start of Maite putting themselves on the front lines of movements seeking justice.
One of the most memorable movements they were a part of was the North Dakota Pipeline Shutdown protests facilitated by the Water Protects. During the protests, Maite raised thousands of dollars to support Water Protectors on the front lines, and even joined the front lines themselves, witnessing/experiencing first hand the full barrage of human rights violations and police brutality facilitated by the United States Government, North Dakota and Private Police forces on their fellow peaceful protesters.
As far as their adult life, Maite has worked Service Industry jobs for over 17 years, at restaurants, bars, call centers and more. Customer Service is one of their greatest skills.
They also have spoken at almost every University in the Kansas City area, including some guest lecturing for The Art Institute and Park University, as well as worked as a cultural reporter and music reviewer for KCUR.
MG writes that they are no a millionaire. Not groomed by any party. Not from a political family. Just a regular working class person with some powerful experiences who saw an opportunity to make a difference for the people of 5th district and the took it.
In 2020 MG Salazar ran as a Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, challenging 8-term, incumbent Emanuel Cleaver II. Why Challenge an Incumbent Democrat? MG believes in direct democratic representation, and that reaching your representative should be EASY and NORMAL. That a representatives responsibility is to be an ACTIVE member of community, not just a public figure who shows up for photo ops and fancy closed door fundraisers and events. MG supports Progressive Polices her opponent doesn’t believe in. They here to stay, and they are gonna keep challenging incumbents until they are replaced by people who understand what being a representative is REALLY about.
MG Salazar worked as an assistant to Antoni Porowski for Season 3 & 4 of Netflix’s Emmy winning TV program – Queer Eye. MG Salazar talked about how Antoni is just as beautiful on the inside as he looks on the outside. MG set up all of food demos on the show.
Alex Martínez is a poet, badass organizer, and an overall beautiful queen living in Kansas City. Born in Mexico, Alex started writing poetry at a very early age. After migrating to the United States as an undocumented minor in 2005 their primary language became English. Alex often writes about trauma and social issues that affect them and their immigrant, brown, and queer communities.
Alex was an artist in residence for 18 months at Charlotte Street Foundation in 2018 with funding for the program provided by a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant. Some of Alex’s pieces have appeared in Harbor Review, New City Community Press, Hawai‘i Review, and About A Place Journal. Alex published their first book Disclosure: Confessions of a Queer in Crisis in April of 2018.
Alex performs with Resistencia, a brown & queer group of poets and occasionally does community radio. Be sure to follow Alex on social media and subscribe to their newsletter for continuous updates. More info at http://www.poetalex.com
MG Salazar and Alex Martinez, thanks for being with us on WMM.
Alex Martinez’s new chapbook, Concealment, is the most recent release from La Resistencia Press who’ll host a Book Release, Saturday, Oct 16, at 3:30 PM at InterUrban ArtHouse, 8001 Newton Street, OP KS, More info at: http://www.laresistenciapress.com
11:40
Radkey
Radkey – “Seize” 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 Desendents. In early 2019 they played shows in Amsterdam and Stockholm. In 2018 the band released “Basement,” “St. Elwood,” “Rock & Roll Home-school,” as well as several other singles. On Feb. 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.]
11:43 – Pledge Break #5
KKFI and WMM offer loads and loads of information about what is going on in the community. Not only does this show interview 150 guest each year, not only do we play nearly 900 different songs with more than half of those being locally produced, but we also shine a light on area not-for-profit theatre companies, art museums & galleries, area festivals, service organizations, area record labels and record stores, the area music scene, arts scene, theatre scene, literary arts scene, political action scene.
In just this past year, we’ve featured segments shining a light on:, The Kauffman Center for The Performing Arts, UMKC Conservatory of Music, MidCoast Takeover, Spinning Tree Theatre, The Pitch Kansas City, Owen Cox Dance Group, Bandwaggin KC, KC Bands Together, The Green Line Initiative, Black Lives Matter, The Queer Narratives Festival, KC Bass Workshop, Kansas City Syzygy, The Record Machine, Mills Record Company, Records With Merritt, High Dive Records, Center Cut Records, Manor Records, Polyvinyl Records, Lost Cowgirl Records, Sunflower Soul Records, KC Irish Fest, The Crossroads Music fest, MixMaster Music Conference, Too Much Rock, Midwest Music Foundation, Apocalypse Meow, filmmaker Morgan Cooper, Charlotte Street Foundation, Inter Urban Arthouse, Lemonade Park, Weights and Measure Sound Lab.
11:50
Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear
Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear – “Childhood Goodbye” from: Radio Winners – EP / Glassnote Records / July 27. 2018 [Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear have garnered international acclaim, and new fans from all over the world. They signed with Glassnote Records and recorded their debut full length album in Nashville with acclaimed producer Jim Abiss. They performed their debut single “Silent Movies” on The Late Show with David Letterman, they’ve toured across the United States, and Europe, more than once. They were featured on CBS Sunday Morning, NBC’s The Today Show, and “Later With Jools Holland and played Bonnaroo, Pilgramage, and the Newport Folk Festival, and the Ryman Theatre, in Nashville. Ruth Ward has continually performed throughout her life, mostly in coffee shops and open mics, for over 30 years, even recording a solo record. In the midst of this she got married and became a mom, and was busy raising a family. Madisen Ward was born in Oklahoma, and grew up in the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from William Chrisman High School in 2007. Madisen’s journey to become a musician, was “melodically passed down” through the songs of his mother, where Madisen grew up watching his mom perform at local coffee shops. Eventually he began to learn to play the guitar, and poured his talent for writing into the music to create original songs. They began playing Madisen’s original songs along with the occassional cover of a classic track, reinterpreted in their own incredibly beautiful performance of two voices and two guitars in harmony and orchestration. Their debut album, The Skeleton Crew, was released May 9, 2015 and was our most played record that year and was #1 on WMM’s The 115 Best Recordings of 2015.]
11:53 – Pledge Break #6
This is WMM’s Fall Fund Drive Show with Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis, and Nico Gray
KKFI offers 24-7 programming, and YOU (the listener), basically get all of this amazing programming for “free.” I, for one, love that I can turn on my radio, or computer device, and tune into the 90.1 FM’s 100, 000 watt, crystal-clear signal, and hear the music, information, news, entertainment, events, and stories, that I really cannot find anywhere else. 90.1 is my comfort, my special companion, my interesting friend, introducing me to all kinds of new & local music, as well as the news & information without the intrusion of commercials. It is radio brought to YOU by real people, who create these shows out of love, and are guided by KKFI’s noble mission that “seeks to stimulate, educate and entertain our audience, to reflect the diversity of the local and world community, and to provide a channel for individuals and groups, issues and music that have been overlooked, suppressed or under-represented by other media.”
Driving in your car, at the office, at the gym, in your garage, in your cubicle, in your artspace, on your iPod, at your construction site, in your kitchen, in your barn, YOU can take 90.1 with you, as your companion. 90.1 FM is generally a good date. Good for a few laughs, fun to dance with, always interested in good conversation. Isn’t 90.1 FM KKFI worth a few dollars a day, or a week? So many people tune in to http://www.kkfi.org everyday, but studies show, that less than 1 percent actually donate to keep this miracle of broadcasting alive. Your support means that you will help bring this programming to folks who could not donate at this time, for whatever the reason.
This is your chance to put your money where your ears are. Please help keep this part of our public airwaves alive for our community to enjoy, free from commercials, free from religious sermonizing, free from extremely conservative and slanted right wing “talk radio,” and free from corporately “owned and cloned” robotic affiliates that play the same 15 songs everyday at the same time. YOU deserve better. YOU deserve radio that really reflects our great city, and tells the story of our great music scene, and performing arts scene, and labor rights, and women’s issues, and LBGT information, and programming specifically produced for Latinos and African Americans, working people, Jazz lovers. Support the free-form spirit that is 90.1 FM KKFI!
11:57:30
Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now” from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
Next week on Wednesday MidDay Medley, on October 20 we talk with Fred Wickham about his new album from the Fred Wickham Caravan called, TOWN WITHOUT SOUL to be released October 29 through Black-Site Records. We also talk with musician Chalis O’Neal about his new album and talk with Chalis and Geraldine Glen. Also next week Til Hall shares new music from their band MellowPhobia. AND with talk with Kansas City based singer songwriter Effie about her fabulous 2021 album CURVE MY ENTHUSIASM. Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information. Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
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
WMM’s 33 & 1/3 All Vinyl Fall Fund Drive Show! + Brenton Cook + La Resistencia Press + Marion Merritt, Betse Ellis & Nico Gray
WMM celebrates KKFI’s 33 & 1/3 years on the airwaves by spinning recent MidCoastal 33 & 1/3 rpm vinyl releases. We’ll drop the needle on recent (and a few classic) tracks from: HXXS, Expo Seventy, Black Light Animals, The Freedom Affair, Danny Cox, Krystle Warren, Shy Boys, The Black Creatures, Silicone Prairie, Bummer, Knife Crime, Emmaline Twist, Radkey, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, and Jorge Arana Trio. Tracks from KC’s labels: High Dive Records, Black-Site, Center Cut Records, Sunflower Soul, Haymaker Records, Groove King Records, along with Parlour Door Music from Paris, Thrill Jockey Records from Chicago, Polyvinyl Recording Co. from Champaign, Illinois; Feel It Records from Harrisonburg, Virgina; Glassnote Records from NYC and London, and ABC Dunhill Records.
At 11:00 Mark talks with Brenton Cook about Outer Reaches presents: HXXS / Expo Seventy / WE Are the Asteroid / Jorge Arana Trio at recordBar, 1520 Grand Avenue in KCMO, on October 16 at 7:00 PM. Brenton formed the Kansas City independent music label, Haymaker Records in January 2014. The label has released multiple full length albums, for Monta At Odds, HMPH!, Be/Non, Jorge Arana Trio, Riala, Mysterious Clouds, Sie Lieben Maschinen, Schwervon! For the last 9 years, Brenton has been a co-curator of the Outer Reaches shows. More info at http://www.outereachesfest.com
MG SalazarAlex Martinez
At 11:30 MG Salazar & Alex Martinez share details about La Resistencia Press and Alex Martinez’s new book, Concealment , and the Book Release on Saturday, October 16, at 3:30 PM at InterUrban ArtHouse 8001 Newton St., Overland Park, Kansas. MG Salazar is a poet, writer, performer, curator/business owner, chef, civil rights activist. MG’s book, Little Bits of Flesh was published by La Resistencia in 2019; her book, Striking the Black Snake: Poems from Standing Rock, was published by 39 West Press in 2017; and her debut book, If You See My Ghosts Like I Do, was published by Spartan Press in 2016. Alex Martínez is a poet, badass organizer, and an overall beautiful queen. Born in Mexico, Alex started writing poetry at a very early age. After migrating to the United States as an undocumented minor in 2005 their primary language became English. Alex often writes about trauma and social issues that affect them and their immigrant, brown, and queer communities. Alex was an artist in residence for 18 months at Charlotte Street Foundation in 2018 with funding for the program provided by a National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant. Alex published their first book Disclosure: Confessions of a Queer in Crisis in April of 2018. More info at: http://www.laresistenciapress.com
Marion MerrittBetse EllisNico Gray
One of WMM’s longtime contributors, Marion Merritt of Records With Merritt, a minority owned business in KCMO, joins us as our special guest co-host. We also welcome Betse Ellis, critically acclaimed fiddler, singer, songwriter, and one half of Betse & Clarke who also joins us as special guest co-host. Rounding our our team is actor, writer and marketing & advertising consultant with Union Station, Nico Gray. Marion, Betse and Nico will encourage our listeners to call 888-931-0901, or visit http://www.kkfi.org to support 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio during our Fall Fund Drive Show.
On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org
Wednesday MidDay Medley Produced andHosted by Mark Manning 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Spinning Records With Marion Merritt + Shawn Stewart’s POP
Today, we welcome back to the show, Marion Merritt as our special “Guest Producer.” Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM. For over 17 years now Marion has been sharing her sonic discoveries and information from her musically encyclopedic brain. Bringing music that is just not played on other radio stations. Marion grew up in Los Angeles, and St. Louis. She went to college in Columbia, Missouri. She studied art and musical engineering. After nearly two decades of managing Kansas City’s largest music department store, Marion left the corporate world and went Independent. With her partner Ann Stewart, Marion is the proprietor of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport R in Kansas City, Missouri. More info at: http://www.recordswithmerritt.com.
Marion Merritt
Marion Merritt, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medle
“Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks” from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979 [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]
Dimitri From Paris – “Prologue” from: Sacrebleu / Atlantic / 2001
The Orb featuring Lee “Scratch” Perry – “Hold Me Upsetter” from: The Observer in the Star House / Cooking Vinyl / Aug. 28, 2012 [The 11th studio album from the English electronic music group known for spawning the genre of ambient house music, The Orb. Founded in 1988. This new release was recorded in Berlin over a period of several months and featured dub musician/producer Lee “Scratch” Perry.]
Lee “Scratch” Perry & The Upsetters – “Soul Fire” from: “Lee Perry “”the Upsetter” Presents Roast Fish Collie Weed & Corn Bread / VP Music Group, Inc. / 1978 [Reissued on vinyl on Music On Vinyl / 2021] [Roast Fish Collie Weed & Corn Bread is a studio album by Lee Perry, released in 1978. Although Perry had been in the Jamaican music business for a long time by 1978, this album, produced by himself at his Black Ark studio, was the first to consist entirely of songs sung by himself. The album is very experimental. Island Records, that had released earlier Lee Perry productions like Super Ape and War Ina Babylon, rejected the album. This angered Perry and his relationship with the record company got worse. Lee “Scratch” Perry was born Rainford Hugh Perry on March 20, 1936 and passed away on August 29, 2021. He was a Jamaican record producer and singer noted for his innovative studio techniques and production style. Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s development of dub music with his early adoption of remixing and studio effects to create new instrumental or vocal versions of existing reggae tracks. He worked with and produced for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Murvin, The Congos, Max Romeo, Adrian Sherwood, Beastie Boys, Ari Up, The Clash, The Orb, and many others.]
Aldous Harding – “Fixture Picture” from: Designer / 4AD / April 26, 2019 [Designer is the third studio album by singer-songwriter Aldous Harding, released on April 26, 2019 by 4AD. The song “The Barrel” won the 2019 APRA Silver Scroll award. Hannah Sian Topp was born in 1990. She is known professionally as Aldous Harding, is a New Zealand folk singer-songwriter, based in Cardiff, Wales. // Topp comes from a musical family in Lyttelton, New Zealand: her mother is folk singer Lorina Harding.[3] One of the first musicians who came across her was New Zealand folk-pop singer/songwriter Anika Moa. Moa asked Harding to play support for her that night after finding her busking outside the venue she was about to play at. // She has released music through independent record labels Flying Nun, Spunk, and 4AD. She has collaborated with Marlon Williams, John Parish, Mike Hadreas and Fenne Lily. // 4AD announced Harding as a new signing in early 2017 just prior to the release of her second album, Party. Party was nominated for IMPALA’s European Album of the Year Award. // As of 2020, she is based in Cardiff, Wales, where she had previously lived with partner and collaborator H. Hawkline.]
Sandro Galileo & Eraserhood Sound – “Ribelle di Mare” from: Ribelle di Mare / Eraserhood Sound / August 27, 2021 [In the fateful year of 2020, Vincent John and Maxwell Perla of Eraserhood Sound were fortunate enough to stumble upon the score to the long lost, never completed 1974 Italian film Riblle Di Mare. It was not long before they realized they had discovered an opus, written by legendary film composer Sandro Galileo in what was to be his final soundtrack. Only it never came to pass. The film was abandoned before it could be completed, and the ashes of Galileo’s final work were swept aside and forgotten. Until today. Eraserhood Sound is proud to present Ribelle Di Mare in all its glory, produced and performed by house band Fantasy 15 in their signature “Synth & Soul” sound. Enjoy the nine stunning tracks that follow, which range in style from dramatic Philly Soul balladry, Spaghetti Western r&b, and Italian library funk.]
Sandro Galileo & Eraserhood Sound – “Cliffdiver” from: Ribelle di Mare / Eraserhood Sound / August 27, 2021 [In the fateful year of 2020, Vincent John and Maxwell Perla of Eraserhood Sound were fortunate enough to stumble upon the score to the long lost, never completed 1974 Italian film Riblle Di Mare. It was not long before they realized they had discovered an opus, written by legendary film composer Sandro Galileo in what was to be his final soundtrack. Only it never came to pass. The film was abandoned before it could be completed, and the ashes of Galileo’s final work were swept aside and forgotten. Until today. Eraserhood Sound is proud to present Ribelle Di Mare in all its glory, produced and performed by house band Fantasy 15 in their signature “Synth & Soul” sound. Enjoy the nine stunning tracks that follow, which range in style from dramatic Philly Soul balladry, Spaghetti Western r&b, and Italian library funk.]
10:30 – Underwriting
Low – “Disappearing” from: Hey What / Sub Pop Records / September 10, 2021 [Focusing on their craft, staying out of the fray, and holding fast their faith to find new ways to express the discord and delight of being alive, to turn the duality of existence into hymns we can share, Low present HEY WHAT. These ten pieces—each built around their own instantaneous, undeniable hook—are turbocharged by the vivid textures that surround them. The ineffable, familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker break through the chaos like a life raft. Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse – building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn vow only whispered. There will be time to unravel and attribute meaning to the music and art of these times, but the creative moment looks FORWARD, with teeth. HEY WHAT is Low’s thirteenth full-length release in twenty-seven years, and their third with producer BJ Burton.
Low – “Hey” from: Hey What / Sub Pop Records / September 10, 2021 [Focusing on their craft, staying out of the fray, and holding fast their faith to find new ways to express the discord and delight of being alive, to turn the duality of existence into hymns we can share, Low present HEY WHAT. These ten pieces—each built around their own instantaneous, undeniable hook—are turbocharged by the vivid textures that surround them. The ineffable, familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker break through the chaos like a life raft. Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse – building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn vow only whispered. There will be time to unravel and attribute meaning to the music and art of these times, but the creative moment looks FORWARD, with teeth. HEY WHAT is Low’s thirteenth full-length release in twenty-seven years, and their third with producer BJ Burton.
Katsuhisa Hattori – “Edo No Kaze (Main Theme)” from: 江戸の旋風 Edo No Kaze / Light in The Attic / 2021 [Katsuhisa Hattori was born November 1, 1936 and died June 11, 2020. Hattori was a Japanese classical composer who also wrote music for anime films, television series and OVAs. Hattori was a respected composer in Japan; his style was classical, although he was experienced and respected in many other genres, such as New Age, Jazz, etc. He was the son of Ryoichi Hattori and the father of Takayuki Hattori, both musical composers as well.// Besides being a composer, he was a producer and music supervisor for many years and had his own publishing company, Hattori Music Publishing. He was also a pianist, judge and chairman for the Tokyo music festivals. // Hattori was born in Tokyo, Japan. In 2000, his life and musical works were honored in an hour-long Japanese television special. He has conducted many famous orchestras, but most of his own compositions are performed by the acclaimed Tokyo Pops Orchestra. // In 1989, Katsuhisa Hattori and his son, Takayuki Hattori, who is also a composer, produced the first orchestrated Final Fantasy music CD for critically acclaimed video game music composer Nobuo Uematsu. The CD was performed by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and entitled “Symphonic Suite Final Fantasy”. In 1991, again at Nobuo Uematsu’s request, he produced three Final Fantasy tracks for the first “Orchestral Game Concert” CD (tracks 13, 14 and 15) and two for the second Orchestral Game Concert. // In September 2002, the Tokyo High Court ordered Hattori to pay 9.4 million yen in damages, ruling that there was a strong similarity between his song, “Kinenju” (記念樹, “Memorial Tree”), and Asei Kobayashi’s song “Dokomademo Iko” (どこまでも行こう, “Let’s Go To Eternity Together”). Asei Kobayashi’s music publisher, the Kanai Ongaku Shuppan company, who gave JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers) permission to manage the song “Dokomademo Iko” in 1967, claimed that JASRAC had illegally allowed the use of the sound-alike song. In December 2003, the Tokyo District Court ordered JASRAC to pay 1.8 million yen in damages, for allowing the publishing, broadcast and sale in CD form of Hattori’s song. This decision was overturned by the Tokyo High Court in 2005. // Hattori died on June 11, 2020, at the age of 83. He became one of eight recipients of the Special Lifetime Achievement Award at the 62nd Japan Record Awards.]
Katsuhisa Hattori – “Dark Night” from: 江戸の旋風 Edo No Kaze / Light in The Attic / 2021 [Hattori was a Japanese classical composer who also wrote music for anime films, television series and OVAs. Hattori was a respected composer in Japan; his style was classical, although he was experienced and respected in many other genres, such as New Age, Jazz, etc. He was the son of Ryoichi Hattori and the father of Takayuki Hattori, both musical composers as well.]
José Gonzaléz – “El Invento” from: Local Valley / City Slang – Mute / September 17, 2021 [José Gabriel González (born 31 July 1978) is a Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg. González is also a member of the band Junip, along with Tobias Winterkorn. Local Valley is the 4th studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter José González. It succeeds González’s third studio album Vestiges and Claws, which was released in 2015, as well as the live album Live in Europe. Three singles have preceded Local Valley, including “El Invento”, “Visions” “Head On”, and “Swing”. Local Valley was recorded and produced by José González at Studio Koltrast in Hakefjorden and Studio Koltrast in Linné, Sweden. “Line of Fire” is a re-recording of the 2013 song of the same name by González’s band, Junip. In 1976, the González family – made up of González’s father, a National University of San Luis psychology student, González’s mother, a fellow student studying biochemistry, both of whom were politically active, and González’s older sister, then an infant – fled Argentina after a right-wing military coup (military junta) seized power in March 1976, the beginning of the “Dirty War”. José was born two years later, in 1978, in a suburb of Gothenburg, Sweden. He has a younger sibling. He commented, “It’s a very small town. It has about a half-million people living there. It’s a pretty good music city by the ocean. It rains a lot there, but it’s beautiful in the summertime.” González grew up listening to Latin folk and pop music and has named Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez as a favourite artist. He said the first concert he went to was The Wailers. “I got their autographs and everything,” he said in an interview. “I was about 12 or so. At the time, my favourite music was Bob Marley and Michael Jackson.” González was in a PhD program for biochemistry at the University of Gothenburg. In 2003, he stopped working on the PhD, as his musical career became a new focus. The first band he played in was Back Against the Wall, a Gothenburg hardcore punk band influenced by Black Flag, The Misfits and the Dead Kennedys. He later played bass guitar in another hardcore band, Renascence, between 1993 and 1998. Between 1997 and 1998 José played guitar with rock band Only if You Call Me Jonathan. In June 2003 González released his debut solo release, a two-track 7″ single. The single was discovered by Joakim Gävert, co-founder of the then fledgling label Imperial Records who then signed González as their first official artist. In October he released his debut album, Veneer, in Europe. The album was subsequently released in the UK on 25 April 2005, and in the United States on 6 September 2005. The album was made while González was a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg. González’ trademark sound is solo classical guitar with soft vocal melody. His work, although mostly original, also includes acoustic covers of such hits as “Heartbeats” by his fellow Swedes The Knife, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division, “Born in the U.S.A.” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen, “Hand on Your Heart” by Kylie Minogue, “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat, “Teardrop” by Massive Attack and “Last Snowstorm of the Year” by Low. His second album, In Our Nature, was released internationally on 22 September 2007. The album’s lyrical content was in part influenced by his reading of books like The God Delusion by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Practical Ethics by ethicist Peter Singer. In 2007, González won a European Border Breakers Award Award. Every year the European Border Breakers Awards (EBBA) recognize the success of ten emerging artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year. In 2010, a documentary about González called The Extraordinary Ordinary Life Of Jose Gonzalez was released. In December 2014, González performed at the sustainable lifestyle festival, Wonderfruit in Thailand.]
Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine – “Reach Out” from: A Beginner’s Mind / Asthmatic Kitty / September 24, 2021 [A Beginner’s Mind is a collaborative album by American musicians Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine. After being teased by Asthmatic Kitty for several days, the album was formally announced on July 7, 2021, along with its track listing and two singles, “Reach Out” and “Olympus”. Daniel Anum Jasper created the album’s cover artwork. The album was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. A Beginner’s Mind was created in a cabin in upstate New York. There, Stevens and Augustine watched movies every day for inspiration. // Angelo De Augustine is an American musician residing in Thousand Oaks, California. De Augustine has collaborated with and opened for musician Sufjan Stevens. His parents were both close to music. When he was 5 years old, his father left home. Angelo wanted to be a professional soccer player in his teens years, but after an accident, he wasn’t able to continue his dream, but replaced the soccer for the music later, becoming his biggest passion. Angelo De Augustine self-released his first album in 2014, titled Spirals of Silence. In 2017, Angelo De Augustine released his second full-length album and first with Asthmatic Kitty Records, titled Swim Inside The Moon. In a 2018 review of the artist’s “Carcassonne,” National Public Radio (NPR) said that De Augustine wrote it for people who dream of visiting small villages and towns in France. NPR characterized the album’s mood as being “like waves rushing onto the shore.” In 2019, Angelo De Augustine released his third full-length album and second with Asthmatic Kitty Records titled Tomb. The Irish Times described the artist’s Tomb album as “his first bona fide studio album” that followed “a series of low-key releases recorded in a bathtub on a reel-to-reel tape machine and a single microphone.” The artist’s “Time” single was performed as a duo with musician Sufjan Stevens.// Sufjan Stevens (/ˈsuːfjɑːn/ SOOF-yahn; was born July 1, 1975. He is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released nine solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nominations. His debut album, A Sun Came, was released in 2000 on the Asthmatic Kitty label, which he co-founded with his stepfather. He received wide recognition for his 2005 album Illinois, which hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, and for the single “Chicago” from that album. Stevens later contributed to the soundtrack of the 2017 film Call Me by Your Name. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media for the soundtrack’s lead single, “Mystery of Love”. Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas. He employs various instruments, often playing many of them himself on the same recording. Stevens’ music is also known for exploring various themes, particularly religion and spirituality. Stevens’ ninth and latest studio album, Convocations, was released in 2021.]
11:00 – Station ID
The Pro-Teens – “I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly” from: I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly / College of Knowledge/ June 10, 2021 [Mr. Bongo/2021] [Within Melbourne’s burgeoning cinematic-soul scene, which includes breakout acts Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo, mysteriously sit The Pro-Teens. Helmed by prolific drummer and percussionist Hudson Whitlock, who also plays in both aforementioned bands, this breakaway studio project involves an interchangeable collective of incognito, Melbourne-based, esteemed instrumentalists playing under outlandish pseudonyms such as “‘Dead Honest’ Dean Amazing” and “Libby Clique-Baite”. Symbolically led by keyboardist “Snooch Dodd”, new album ‘I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly’ is the latest musical concoction from Whitlock’s eccentric brain, marrying the soul/funk roots of sample culture with the principles of boom-bap hip hop. // Incorporating the colourful comic book stylings of MF DOOM and Kool Keith, or the dark and exotic flavours of Gravediggaz and The Wu-Tang Clan, The Pro-Teens also take cues from their composing heroes Galt MacDermot, Richard Evans and Marc Moulin. The Pro-Teens bop, zip, whip and fling on this phantasmagorical journey – an unorthodox patchwork of cinematic soul, hip hop-guided funk breaks, vivid instrumental textures and film score-esque moods. // The Pro-Teens work on the same analogue recording model adopted by the tight-knit College Of Knowledge label, self-recorded and produced with the rag-tag crew of musicians putting tracks down live to tape in crammed attic studios and sharehouse recording spaces. The first limited pressing of ‘I Flip My Life Every Time I Fly’ was released on the ‘College Of Knowledge’ imprint in late 2020. It was one of the highlights of the year at Mr Bongo HQ who loved the concept and felt this tripped out masterpiece from Melbourne needed to be heard well beyond those lucky enough to have bagged those limited first copies. // This album was made on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We acknowledge them as the traditional custodians of the land and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land. // All songs written by Snooch Dodd and performed by the Pro-Teens. Recorded at the College Of Knowledge in the year 2019. Produced by a very lovely friend. xoxo. Thanks to every one who made this album what it is. Special thanks to the College Of Knowledge and Baby Huey the cat. More info at http://www.thepro-teens.bandcamp.com]
The Rugged Nuggets – “Rugged Walk” from: Odds & Ends / Colemine Records / September 24, 2021 [“Cinematic soul” ensemble formed by Judson McDaniel, comprised of members of Orgone and Jungle Fire: David Moyer, Jake Najor, Joey Reina, Judson McDaniel, Michael Duffy, Patrick Bailey, Sam Halterma. Group For Fans of Menahan Street Band, El Michels Affair, Khruangbin, BadBadNotGood. Recorded in the San Fernando Valley just a stones throw away from the infamous Van Nuys Blvd. cruising scene, it’s no wonder from the debut long player from The Rugged Nuggets hits hard and demands to be turned up loud with the windows rolled down. Delivering west-coast cool at it’s finest. With swooning strings, breezy guitars and tough as nails drums, Odds & Ends epitomizes a mellow vibe, but is undeniably cool.]
Elephant Wrecking Ball – “Stone Poem (feat. Mike Dillon)” from: Joy Front / Elephant Wreckords / October 10, 2019 [Issued on Vinyl on Color Red / 2021] [Elephant Wrecking Ball brings an inimitable brand of experimental groove jazz in their latest track “Stone Poem” featuring Mike Dillon on vibraphone and tabla. Spurred from an odd time signature bass line, the unconventional form reads like a poem with three different parts in succession as the initial motif is followed by variations in different time signatures. The track is off of the group’s latest album ‘Joy Front’ released in October 2019. // Artist Statement: “I’m very pleased with how this track came out. It follows a very unconventional song form that reads like a poem, hence the name, having three distinctly different parts that happen in succession. In this case the time signature changes between the three sections. I took the idea from some punk rock songs that I grew up loving in which it seems like the ideas flow like stream of consciousness without the need for recapitulation. Mike Dillon really put it over the top with the addition of tabla and vibraphone on the drum-set feature section. It’s now got a very playful energy between those three instruments in the middle section that I think take the song to a new level.” – Dan Africano // Released October 28, 2019. Producer Dan Africano. Credits: Dan Africano on bass guitar, Neal Evans on drums, Scott Flynn on trombone, Mike Dillon on vibraphone & tabla. Tracking Engineer – Josh Fairman, Scanhope Sound. Mixing Engineer – Doug Krebs, Doug Krebs Mastering. Mastering Engineer – Doug Krebs, Doug Krebs Mastering.]
Dave Okumu – “Son of Emmerson” from: Knopperz / Transgressive / September 24, 2021 [Already one of the most sought-after songwriters, producers and musicians around, Dave Okumu has collaborated with; Arlo Parks, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, St Vincent, Jessie Ware, Grace Jones, Adele, and also Joan As A Policewoman and the late Tony Allen on a forthcoming and recently announced collaborative album. He is also the singer and guitarist of Mercury nominated band The Invisible. // Okumu is now stepping in to the spotlight by himself with debut solo project, Knopperz, out 24th September on Transgressive Records. The instrumental release – which unites hip-hop, jazz and experimental electronic music – is part homage to J Dilla’s Donuts and inspired by, and uses elements of, pianist Duval Timothy’s album, Sen Am.]
Papi Churro & FLKS – “Libertad” from: El Clásico / We Run This – Groove Attack / August 13, 2021 [After the great success with their last song “El Barrio” Richard Holzmann & The Breed aka “Papi Churro” are back with their next groovy single. “Libertad” is breathing the spirit of freedom and fenceless boarders with the help of a very atypical meter of 13/4 and a groovy bassline by FLKS the next signing on “we run this records”. Jazzsaxophonist Claudius Stallbaum and Pianist Johann Fritsche round off the whole thing.]
Ricardo Marrero & The Group – “Tiny” from: A Taste (Remastered) / P-Vine Records / 2021 [originally recorded in 1976] [Jazzman Holy Grail Series notes: The third in our HOLY GRAIL series of Rare LP reissues – ALL vinyl copies of previous issues are now SOLD OUT Just in time for summer and here’s a mouth-watering taste of super latin soul! With the ingredients ranging from spicy hot funk to cool refreshing salsa, Ricardo Marrero’s A Taste sets the scene for an exciting summer awash with soulful latin rhythms over a tropical breeze… an album of wonderful music – an album that very nearly never happened! The story of this album begins in New York during the mid ’70s. It’s a story of stolen master tapes, shady deals and records deliberately made NOT to be sold. // It’s the story of the musical obsession of one man who has devoted his life to music and how he was sold down the river by unscrupulous record industry moguls. It’s also the story of one of the rarest, most in demand and expensive records the world has ever known, with only a handful of copies of this super LP ever being found. Demand for the solid music within has led to a bidding frenzy whenever a copy has surfaced – the latest one on eBay fetched an amazing $4000! Records don’t get much more collectable than that, and so we have no hesitation of awarding a coveted Holy Grail status to this LP, the third in our acclaimed series. Why so rare? // We spoke to Ricardo himself to find out, and his remarkable story is revealed in the CD liners for the first time ever. He speaks about the recording of the album and his disappointment at the stolen tapes, his ill-fated association with boxing legend Don King, and the making of the legendary latin funk anthem Babalonia, which underwent no less than 4 pressings. We’ve also included a rare picture of the band, and two alternate takes of songs previously only obtainable on 7 vinyl. // Released January 1, 2009 – The LP is a repro of the original, and is numbered and limited to 1000 copies only and will NOT be repressed.]
Joy Orbison – “w/ dad & frankie” from: still slipping vol. 1 / Hinge Finger – XL Recordings / August 13, 2021 [Peter O’Grady, better known as Joy Orbison or Joy O, is an English electronic musician. His style is a coalescence of house, dubstep, UK funky, UK garage and oldschool jungle. O’Grady achieved underground success with his debut single “Hyph Mngo”, released via Hotflush Recordings in September 2009. He is also known for his collaborations with Boddika. // O’Grady credits his uncle Ray Keith for introducing him to jungle and UK garage at a young age. At 13, he took up DJing and eventually moved into production in his 20s, using Fruity Loops to create 8-bar grime loops before developing his sound combining house, disco and dubstep. He cites influences as diverse as J Dilla, My Bloody Valentine, GG Allin, Josef K and The Beach Boys. // His debut single “Hyph Mngo” was called the most forward-thinking dubstep track of 2009 and received airplay and floorplay worldwide. This was followed by “Brkln Clln” on O’Grady’s own label Doldrums, which he ran in tandem with partner Impey. In 2010, O’Grady released “The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow” on Aus Music, an eclectic record label founded by Will Saul and Fink. // “Hyph Mngo” was voted #23 in the Resident Advisor top 100 tracks of the 2000s and #1 in Fact Magazine’s top tracks of 2009. He was named number 18 in NME’s New Music Tips of 2010 and voted 19th in the Resident Advisor ‘Top DJs of 2012’ poll. // In 2012, O’Grady began residencies at his own London based club night ‘Just For You’ and at Manchester’s ‘meandyou’ party. He also launched a record label called Hinge Finger which is co-run by artist Will Bankhead.]
Marion Merritt thanks for being out Guest Producer on Wednesday MidDay Medley.
Records With Merritt, is a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in KCMO. More info at: http://www.recordswithmerritt.com
11:32 – Underwriting
Shawn M. Stewart-“Basic Ass Bro (feat. Miki P & They Call Me Sauce)” from: “Basic Ass Bro(feat. Miki P & They Call Me Sauce)”-Single / Shawn M Stewart / May 1 2021 [Shawn M. Stewart has already written and recorded his next full length album titled POP, in the spring of 2021 but wanted to hold it for an October 2021 release. He is releasing the first single from POP, “Basic Ass Bro,”. The single features Miki P and They Call Me Sauce. Singer songwriter Shawn M. Stewart is owner of Stewart 360. Shawn M. Stewart released his album 2020: THE MUSICAL in November 2020. From that album the single “Cameras” was voted the #4 favorite song of the year, by Bridge 90.9 listeners and has received over 20,495 streams on Spotify and 1,500,000 streams on Soundcloud.]
[The Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers.]
11:37 – Interview with Shawn M. Stewart
Shawn M. Stewart joins us to share the details about his new album POP and the Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers. Shawn released the first single from POP, “Basic Ass Bro” on May 1, 2021. The single features Miki P and They Call Me Sauce. Shawn released his latest single, “Annie Oakley” last week and it already has over 2,000 streams on Spotify. Shawn M. Stewart is working like a music factory writing in multiple genres of music, for radio, television, film, and for indie punk bands. More info at: http://www.ShawnMStewart.com
Shawn M. Stewart thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
We just heard the first single from POP, “Basic Ass Bro” released on May 1, 2021. The single features Miki P and They Call Me Sauce.
December and January were slow with social justice initiatives because of Covid and the cold, so Shawn knocked out the next album, “Pop”. He is going to wait and release it in July, october, however he is released “Basic Ass Bro”, the first single, everywhere on May 1, 2021.
“Pop” is 100% radio pop. Many songs are better suited to Mix 93 than KKFI or The Bridge. Some songs use auto tune and were produced in Europe. It will not be for everybody. Other facts and stats:
“Bad-Hippie Girl (Modern Mix) is the only song written before December which will be on the album. On pre-release via soundcloud, it has amassed 1,500,000 streams. “Average Joe” has 1,100,000 on soundcloud’s pre-release.
“Lorem Ipsum” has 1,000,000 streams and 22,000 TikTok views.
Pop comes out October 8, via a live show at Lemonade Park. It has Dick Daniels’ character T-Shirts, 4 gig thumb-drives and 10 hand-made CDs which can be acquired at the show as well as at Records With Merritt, It’s a Beautiful Day and Prosperos. The vinyl will arrive in December.
Fun Facts about Pop. The songs were written after an exercise in which Shawn only listened to brand new music for 12 months, mostly top 40. After that immersive experience, Shawn found the ideas that were coming to him sounded more like “Basic Ass Bro” than 2020’s “Poppies and Puppies.” shawn wrote most of the songs (8 of 10) last December in a Pop-flurry.
The current single which has a couple thousand Spotify streams since being released last week is “Annie Oakley”.
Writing process: Shawn started like most do, grabbing an instrument and sitting down for a writing session, alone or with others. He’d plink and plunk around until he had a chord progression he liked. He’d hum melodies to the chords until they morphed into consonants and vowels which sounded like words and spend a day or two finishing the song: adding verses, creating a chorus. He wrote actively.
After learning to meditate, it occurred to Shawn that the same inspirations and voices which would come to you in that state were also there to transmit music. Now he writes almost exclusively passively. He simply makes himself a receiver of the ethernet and the music is always there, always transmitting. Writing is just a matter of tuning in being ready to receive and interpret the signals.
Shawn M. Stewart’s POP Album Release Show, is Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers.
11:45
Shawn M. Stewart – “Buy Me” from: “POP / Shawn M. Stewart / October 8, 2021 [Shawn M. Stewart has already written and recorded POP in spring of 2021 but held off for an October 2021 release. Shawn M. Stewart released his album 2020: THE MUSICAL in November 2020. From that album the single “Cameras” was voted the #4 favorite song of the year, by Bridge 90.9 listeners and has received over 20,495 streams on Spotify and 1,500,000 streams on Soundcloud.
[The Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers.]
10:48 – More Interview with Shawn Stewart
We are talking with Shawn M. Stewart about his new album POP and the Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers. More info at: http://www.ShawnMStewart.com
Shawn M. Stewart thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
We just heard ‘Buy Me’ from POP. Shawn M. Stewart is working like a music factory writing in multiple genres of music, for radio, television, film, and for indie punk bands.
Congratulations on the new album and all of the attention your music is getting on Spotify, Soundcloud and TikTok.
On TikTok Shawn calls himself, “A Wes Anderson character, socially unhinged.”
On Soundcloud Shawn describes his sound as Psych-Americana-Alternative-Country-Rap.
On Spotify Shawn wrote that he just got a website in January 2021. And that he never took promotion seriously prior, but with help from a friend, they are going at 2021 with a vengeance and averaging nearly 700,000 weekly combined streams.
On Facebook Shawn identifies as a songwriter with published TV/Film material, a Top % finish in “Song of The Year” and that you play live…very infrequently
Shawn has previously been known as “Johnny Super Colossal” but he has decided to go forward with his real name.
He is actually maintaining a site now: http://www.ShawnMStewart.com. He is stressing the “M” because a guy with a markedly different sound has the .com and is all over the music channels.
Shawn M Stewart is also part of the band, Helkat 1-1/2 years after their last show. 2 years after their last recording, their pages still gets lot of views, so, Shawn will be recording with Helcat vocalist Helen Proctor between her exams in Minneapolis, working on the first Helkat single since 2019 and hope to record it when she is in town for Thanksgiving.
Shawn M. Stewart released his album 2020: THE MUSICAL last November 13, 2020
“I Fell For You” featuring NY rock goddess, Debra Devi has 12,650 Spotify and 660,600 streams on Soundcloud.
“Cameras”, the other single from “2020” has 20,495 and 1,500,000 on SoundCloud. It was the listener’s Poll #4 of 2020 on The Bridge.
“Jesus Came Down” was never released but somehow caught on, with 4,605 Spotify and 375,700 on SoundCloud
“I Drink Therefore I Am” was released on Soundcloud only and got 844,100 streams. It features Marco Pascolini.
Shawn M. Stewart thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
The Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers.
Shawn released his latest single, “Annie Oakley” last week and it already has over 2,000 streams on Spotify. More info at: http://www.ShawnMStewart.com
11:55
Shawn M. Stewart – “Annie Oakley” from:“POP / Shawn M. Stewart / October 8, 2021 [Shawn M. Stewart has already written and recorded POP in spring of 2021 but held off for an October 2021 release. Shawn M. Stewart released his album 2020: THE MUSICAL in November 2020. From that album the single “Cameras” was voted the #4 favorite song of the year, by Bridge 90.9 listeners and has received over 20,495 streams on Spotify and 1,500,000 streams on Soundcloud.
[The Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers.]
Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now” from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
Next week on Wednesday MidDay Medley, on October 13, Marion Merritt will be back with Betse Ellis and Nico Gray as our Guest Co-Hosts for: 33 & 1/3 WMM’s Fall Fund Drive Show for 90.1 FM KKFI Celebrating 33 and 1/3 years with New MidCoastal Releases on 33 & 1/3 vinyl albums. It’s an All Vinyl Fund Drive Show!!! With special guests: Brenton Cook sharing details about Outer Reaches at recordBar, October 16 with We Are The Astroid, Jorge Arana Trio, Expo Seventy, and HXXS. Also Next Week MG Salazar and Alex Martinez of La Resistencia Press join us to share details about La Resistencia: Alex Martinez Book Release, Saturday, October 16, at 3:30 at InterUrban ArtHouse 8001 Newton Street.
Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information. Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
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, October 6, 2021
Spinning Records With Marion Merritt + Shawn Stewart’s POP
Marion Merritt
Mark welcomes Marion Merritt, of Records With Merritt, who joins us as “Guest Producer” to share sonic discoveries and information from her musically-encyclopedic-brain. Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM. She grew up in Los Angeles, and St. Louis. She went to college in Columbia, Missouri. She studied art and musical engineering. She saw Talking Heads on their first U.S. tour when they played One Block West, in KCK, in 1978. For 17 years Marion has joined us on WMM. Marion is also the proprietor of Records With Merritt, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri. More info at: http://www.recordswithmerritt.com.
Marion will play tracks from: The Orb Ft. Lee “Scratch” Perry, Aldous Harding, Sandro Galileo & Eraserhood Sound, Low, Katsuhisa Hattori, José González, Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine, The Pro-Teens, The Rugged Nuggets, Elephant Wrecking Ball feat. Mike Dillon, Dave Okumu, Papi Churro & FLKS, Ricardo Marrero & The Group A Taste, Joy Orbison, and Dimitri from Paris.
Shawn Stewart
At 11:30 Mark talks with singer songwriter, Shawn M. Stewart about his new album POP and the Shawn M. Stewart POP Album Release Show, Friday, October 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, West Bottoms, KCMO, with Miki P, and Timbers. Shawn released the first single from POP, “Basic Ass Bro” on May 1, 2021. The single features Miki P and They Call Me Sauce. Shawn released his latest single, “Annie Oakley” last week and it already has over 2,000 streams on Spotify. Shawn M. Stewart is working like a music factory writing in multiple genres of music, for radio, television, film, and for indie punk bands. More info at: http://www.ShawnMStewart.com.
Shawn Stewart’s POP artwork was created by Dick Daniels
On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org
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, September 29, 2021
Nico Gray Celebrates Art d’Ecco
10:00 – Station ID
“Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks” from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979 [WMM’s adopted Theme Song – We are proud members of the church of Fosse]
Joni Mitchell — “A Bird That Whistles” from: Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm / Geffen Records / January 1, 1988 [Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm is the 13th studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1988. It was her third for Geffen Records. The album features various duets with guest artists such as Peter Gabriel on “My Secret Place”, Willie Nelson on “Cool Water”, Don Henley on “Snakes and Ladders”, Billy Idol and Tom Petty on the track “Dancin’ Clown”. Henley also performs backing vocals on “Lakota”, and Wendy and Lisa perform backing vocals on “The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms)”. // In early 1986, Mitchell and Larry Klein visited Peter Gabriel’s Ashcombe House recording studio near Bath, England. Since Gabriel had mostly finished his album So by that time, he offered Mitchell and Klein the use of his studio if they wanted to record. They did, and the result was the track “My Secret Place” which was a duet between Mitchell and Gabriel. Mitchell told Musician magazine about this song: “It’s a love beginning song. The song’s about the threshold of intimacy. It’s a shared thing so I wanted it to be like the Song of Solomon, where you can’t tell what gender it is. It’s the uniting spirit of two people at the beginning of a relationship”. // In February 1987, Mitchell saw Billy Idol performing his hit version of the William Bell R&B ballad, “To Be a Lover” on the Grammy Awards show. She felt he captured the original spirit of rock’n’roll along with a new spark of energy, and would be perfect for a cameo on her song “Dancin’ Clown”. Idol came over to Mitchell’s studio one evening a few days after the Grammys and recorded his part, complete with yelps and howls. Mitchell told Macleans magazine about this pairing up: “It was for the contrast he provided. It’s a great little cameo for him, and he brings real life to the part.” Later, Tom Petty recorded his cameo on the same song. // About Chalk Mark, Mitchell told interviewer Kristine McKenna: “I’ve discovered that with your focus no longer on finding a mate, you get a heightened sense of community, and I’ve become a bit more political – not too political though”. // Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm was released in March 1988, and the song “Snakes and Ladders” (featuring Don Henley) was issued as a pre-release single to radio stations in January 1988.]
Cosmo Sheldrake — “Cuckoo Song” from: Wake Up Calls / Tardigrade Records / September 18, 2020 [Cosmo Sheldrake was born December 16, 1989. He is an English musician, composer, and producer. He is the son of parapsychologist Rupert Sheldrake and voice teacher Jill Purce, and the brother of biologist Merlin Sheldrake. He released his first single, “The Moss”/”Solar”, in 2014 and followed it up with the Pelicans We EP in 2015. He is associated with Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit, Mr Jukes, Sam Lee, The Gentle Mystics, Bernie Krause, and Matthew Herbert. // Described as a “musical visionary” by The Telegraph, Sheldrake has been releasing music since 2014. // His debut single, “The Moss”, was released on 25 March 2014, followed by a debut EP, Pelicans We, on 6 April 2015, and a debut album, The Much Much How How and I, on 6 April 2018. // Much of Sheldrake’s work is concerned with improvisation, nonsense, and the sonorous environment. He has provided music for film and theatre, including the score for a series of Samuel Beckett plays at the Young Vic in London. Sheldrake also performs solo and with several bands including Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit and the Gentle Mystics. His song “Come Along” was featured in an advertisement for Apple’s iPhone XR in the US and UK. The song subsequently charted at number 39 on the US Digital Songs chart dated 26 January 2019.]
Love and Rockets — “An American Dream” from: Express / Beggars Banquet Records / September 15, 1986 [Express is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Love and Rockets. It was released on 15 September 1986 on Beggars Banquet Records. An even greater departure from the band members’ previous work as Bauhaus, the album’s fusion of underground rock with pop stylings can be seen as an early example of alternative rock music, a genre that reached mainstream popularity in the early 1990s.”Kundalini Express” was featured in the 1986 Italian horror film Demons 2 and appeared on an episode of the T.V. show Miami Vice.]
10:13 – Nico (& Mark) Live Intro
Nico: THE GREAT AFRICAN AMERICAN POET, SOCIAL ACTIVIST, NOVELIST AND PLAYWRIGHT LANGSTON HUGHES WROTE “HOLD FAST TO DREAMS, FOR IF DREAMS DIE- LIFE IS A BROKEN-WINGED BIRD THAT CANNOT FLY.” WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY MIDDAY MEDLEY. YOU JUST HEARD THE SONG “AN AMERICAN DREAM” FROM THE ENGLISH BAND LOVE AND ROCKETS FROM THEIR 1986 LP EXPRESS. WE OPENED THE SHOW WITH “A BIRD THAT WHISTLES” FROM THE PROLIFIC CANADIAN SINGER-SONGWRITER JONI MITCHELL FROM HER 13TH STUDIO ALBUM IN 1988 “CHALK MARK IN A RAIN STORM” AND WE FOLLOWED THAT WITH “CUCKOO SONG” BY BRITISH MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER COSMO SHELDRAKE FROM HIS 2020 ALBUM ‘WAKE UP CALLS.”
MY NAME IS NICO GRAY AND I’M YOUR GUEST PRODUCER FOR TODAY’S SHOW ALONG WITH YOUR HOST, MARK MANNING.
Nico Gray Portrait by: Jan McNiel
MARK: Wednesday MidDay Medley welcomes back to the show, Nico Gray, as “Guest Producer.” Nico is a writer, performance artist, and has worked as an actor with KC Rep, Gorilla Theatre, 8th St. Cafe Theatre, Actor’s Craft, and Big Bang Buffet. He appeared in HBO’s Truman and you can see him as a drunken sailor smoking a cigarette stumbling down the hallways of Union Station in the Robert Altman film Kansas City. He starred alongside Jason Sedakis in the short film “Where’s Phil” written and directed by local film maker John McGraff. Nico has worked for Theatre League, The Midland Theatre and is currently a marketing & advertising consultant with Union Station and the Marketing Director for Fringe Festival KC. For WMM Nico Gray has co-hosted several of fund drive shows, Glam Rock show, Bowie Tribute Shows, and our 700th show. Today is his 11th appearance as Guest Producer.
Nico: TODAY WE CELEBRATE, DISCOVER, ENGAGE, AND DIVE DEEP INTO THE MUSIC AND INNOVATIVE MIND OF CANADIAN INDIE-GLAM ROCKER, SINGER-SONGWRITER AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, ART D’ECCO. I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH THE HUMBLE ARTIST AND I’LL SHARE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ALONG WITH TRACKS FROM HIS LATEST ALBUM “IN STANDARD DEFINITION.” RELEASED IN APRIL, HIS SPELLBINDING 2018 LP TRESPASSER, AND WE’LL BE SPINNING SOME VINYL TRACKS FROM HIS SOLO DEBUT LP FROM 2016 “DAY FEVERS”,
GRAB YOUR PLATFORM SHOES, YOUR LIPSTICK, ROUGE, EYE SHADOW, FEATHER BOA, AND WANDERING EAR- IN JUST A FEW MINUTES WE’LL TAKE A CANDID GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD OF ART D’ECCO’S MUSICAL MIND.
WE’LL START BY PLAYING THE TITLE TRACK TO HIS LATEST ALBUM IN STANDARD DEFINITION AND THE INSTRUMENTAL INTRO “CHANNEL 7 (PILOT SEASON).”
BUT FIRST AS AUTUNM HAS ARRIVED, LET US WELCOME OCTOBER AND THE NEW YEAR IT BRINGS. FROM THEIR 2ND STUDIO RECORDED ALBUM RELEASED 30 YEARS AGO THIS OCTOBER, THIS IS U2 AND THE TITLE TRACK “OCTOBER.”
10:16
U2 – “October” from: October / Island Records / October 12,1981 [October is the second studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 12 October 1981 by Island Records, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite. The album was lyrically inspired by the memberships of Bono, the Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr. in a Christian group called the “Shalom Fellowship”, and consequently it contains spiritual and religious themes. Their involvement with Shalom Fellowship led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the “rock and roll” lifestyle, and threatened to break up the band. // After completing the third leg of the Boy Tour in February 1981, U2 began to write new material for October, entering the recording studio in July 1981. Just as they did for their 1980 debut Boy the band recorded at Windmill Lane Studios with Lillywhite producing. The recording sessions were complicated by Bono’s loss of a briefcase containing in-progress lyrics for the new songs, forcing a hurried, improvisational approach to completing the album on time. // October was preceded by the lead single “Fire” in July 1981, while its second single “Gloria” coincided with its release. The album received mixed reviews and limited radio play. In 2008, a remastered edition of October was released.]
David Bowie — “Sound and Vision 2013” from: Sound and Vision 2013 – Single / Parophone UK / October 3, 2013 [A stripped-down remix was created by Sonjay Prabhakar in 2013 for a Sony commercial. Titled “Sound and Vision 2013”, it was solely included on a CD-R promo. An extended version of the remix was released later the same year. // “Sound and Vision” is a song by English musician David Bowie. It was released in January 1977 on side one of his 11th studio album Low. RCA Records later chose it as the first single from the album. Co-produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti, the song was recorded at the Château d’Hérouville in Hérouville in September 1976, continuing at Hansa Studios in West Berlin from October to November. The song began as a simple G major chord progression, which Bowie gave to the backing musicians, writing and recording his vocals later on. It features backing vocals from Brian Eno and Visconti’s then-wife Mary Hopkin. // Regarded by biographers as the closest to a “conventional pop song” on Low, “Sound and Vision” is oddly structured. It begins as an instrumental, with elements building throughout its runtime; Bowie’s vocals don’t appear for over a minute and a half into the song. The song’s lyrics are dark and introspective, reflecting Bowie’s mental state after years of drug addiction. They further continue the lyrical themes of other tracks on Low’s first side. The lyrics provide a stark contrast to the music itself, which is more joyous and upbeat. Like other Low tracks, the song’s drum sound was achieved through the use of Visconti’s Eventide H910 Harmonizer. // Released as a single on 11 February 1977, “Sound and Vision” was a commercial success, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart, aided by its appearance in BBC television commercials. It nevertheless signaled Bowie’s commercial downturn until 1983 in the US, where it peaked at number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100. Music critics and biographers have regarded “Sound and Vision” as one of Bowie’s greatest songs. Bowie performed the song only once on his 1978 Isolar II world tour, but performed it frequently on later tours. Remixes of the song have been created in subsequent decades and it has appeared on numerous compilation albums.]
Art d’Ecco – “Channel 7 (Pilot Season)” from: In Standard Definition / Paper Bag Records Records / April 23, 2021 [Art d’Ecco is based in British Columbia, “There’s more than a little David Bowie in both the sonic and fashion leanings of Art d’Ecco, a performer who fluidly crosses musical and gender lines, creating highly memorable tracks — and sporting an unforgettable look. Often labelled “neo glam,” the music boasts hints of everything from ’50s pop to psychedelics, from Velvet Underground-era art rock to Grimes-inspired electronics.” – CBC Music Art d’Ecco released the album Trespasser on Paper Bag Records on October 12, 2018. When d’Ecco moved into his grandmother’s cottage on one of the islands, he hadn’t planned on creating a new project. But, as it often does, circumstance charted his course. His grandmother, living with Alzheimer’s, suffered a related phenomenon called ‘sundowning,’ which triggers increased agitation and anxiety around sunset. “The only way to calm this lady down was to sit down at the piano,” says d’Ecco. He would play “Bohemian Rhapsody,” passing it off as Beethoven. After she was relocated, d’Ecco remained in the empty house where he had played as a child. Draped in memory, he gravitated toward the piano, spending the long, lonesome, quiet nights on the bench before the instrument. This is where Art d’Ecco was created. He relocated to a new cottage, built a studio and barricaded himself with copies of Deerhunter’s Cryptograms, Bowie’s Low, and choice krautrock records. In this solitude, d’Ecco would chase tones for hours. The result is a richly-realized confluence of the ferocious spark of those trailblazers and a distinct sadness, with d’Ecco as mad scientist, stitching together these delicious fragments and animating them.]
Art d’Ecco – “In Standard Definition” from: In Standard Definition / Paper Bag Records Records / April 23, 2021
10:25 – Underwriting
Art d’Ecco – “Never Tell” from: Trespasser / Paper Bag Records Records / October 12, 2018 [“From beneath dark bobbed hair and charismatic maquillaged eyes, Art d’Ecco conveys the look of a person born out of time. But Art, it seems, has found his niche – a modernity, a beguiling look and a musical style that reflect his obsessions. On stage the character of Art d’Ecco takes a stance and steps into a theatrical role with total conviction.” – Princess Julia]
10:30 – Nico Live Read
THAT’S THE FIRST TRACK FOUND ON THE 2018 ALBUM “TRESPASSER” THAT WAS “NEVER TELL”.
BUT TODAY THE INDIE SINGER-SONGWRITER ART D’ECCO DOES TELL. WE’RE CELEBRATING HIS MUSIC AND THE MAN BEHIND IT ALL.
KKFI 90.1 FM KANSAS CITY COMMUNITY RADIO COMPLIES WITH THE DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT – BUT IN THE CASE OF THIS SHOW WE’VE RECEIVED SPECIAL WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE ARTIST AND RECORD COMPANY TO PLAY MORE THAN 4 SONGS IN THIS TWO-HOUR PROGRAM.
A NOTE FROM ART D’ECCO (MARCH 21, 2016 GULF ISLANDS, BRITISH COLUMBIA) FROM HIS 1ST RECORDING LP “DAY FEVERS”
IN 2013 I TURNED MY BACK ON THE CITY THAT RAISED ME. I WAS FINISHED WITH MUSIC – TIRED OF THE CRUSHING LOWS, THE ENDLESS DISAPPOINTMENTS, AND THE COMPOUNDING FAILURES THAT FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONLESS SOULS WHO LONG FOR ITS ACCEPTANCE.
THE GREENER PASTURES I FLED TO WERE INDEED MUCH GREENER – AND ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT. IT WAS IN THIS NEW HOME – OVERLOOKING AN ORCHARD SURROUNDED BY FORESTED LAKES AND CANADIAN WILDLIFE; THAT I FOUND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT CLUTTERED MY BUSY MIND: “WHO IS ART D’ECCO? WHERE DOES HE BELONG?
10:31
Art d’Ecco – “Sunrise” (Vinyl) from: Day Fevers / Your Face Records / 2016 [No longer Available] [When d’Ecco moved into his grandmother’s cottage on one of the islands, he hadn’t planned on creating a new project. But, as it often does, circumstance charted his course. His grandmother, living with Alzheimer’s, suffered a related phenomenon called ‘sundowning,’ which triggers increased agitation and anxiety around sunset. “The only way to calm this lady down was to sit down at the piano,” says d’Ecco. He would play “Bohemian Rhapsody,” passing it off as Beethoven. After she was relocated, d’Ecco remained in the empty house where he had played as a child. Draped in memory, he gravitated toward the piano, spending the long, lonesome, quiet nights on the bench before the instrument. This is where Art d’Ecco was created. He relocated to a new cottage, built a studio and barricaded himself with copies of Deerhunter’s Cryptograms, Bowie’s Low, and choice krautrock records. In this solitude, d’Ecco would chase tones for hours. The result is a richly-realized confluence of the ferocious spark of those trailblazers and a distinct sadness, with d’Ecco as mad scientist, stitching together these delicious fragments and animating them.]
10:32 – Nico Live Read
THAT WAS “SUNRISE” THE FIRST TRACK ON ART D’ECCOS SOLO DEBUT LP CALLED “DAY FEVERS” RELEASED IN 2016.
BORN IN OTTOWA, CANADA THE SAME YEAR THAT DAVID BOWIE’S “LET’S DANCE” WAS NUMBER ONE ON A WORLDWIDE STAGE, ART D’ECCO IN HIS EARLY YEARS WOULD BOUNCE BACK BETWEEN OTTAWA, CANADA AND IOWA, USA, THEN BACK TO OTTOWA AND EVENTUALLY LAND IN VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA. AS A CHILD HIS PROPENSITY FOR MUSIC, ESPECIALLY THE PIANO WOULD TAKE HIM TO STUDY UNDER ONE OF CANADA’S GREATEST JAZZ MUSICIANS, (THE ECCENTRIC GEORGE ESSELHOFF). I ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF MUSIC AND HIS CHILDHOOD DAYS ON THE PIANO.
10:33
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Early life of Music learning to play Piano & Guitar”
Art d’Ecco – “Joy” from: Trespasser / Paper Bag Records Records / October 12, 2018 [“From beneath dark bobbed hair and charismatic maquillaged eyes, Art d’Ecco conveys the look of a person born out of time. But Art, it seems, has found his niche – a modernity, a beguiling look and a musical style that reflect his obsessions. On stage the character of Art d’Ecco takes a stance and steps into a theatrical role with total conviction.” – Princess Julia]
10:40 – Nico Live Read
THE SONG TITLED ‘JOY’ FROM 2018’S TRESPASSER.
FROM THE AGES OF 16 – 20 ART D’ECCO HAD TRADED ONE OBSESSION, PLAYING CLASSICAL PIANO FOR ANOTHER, DIVING DEEP INTO LEARNING TO PLAY THE GUITAR. EAGER TO FORM A BAND AS HE WAS FINE-TUNING HIS OWN MUSICAL TASTES, HE DECIDED IN 2003, AT THE AGE OF 20 TO MOVE TO VANCOUVER IN HOPES OF FINDING LIKE-MINDED MUSICIANS. HE SAYS VANCOUVER AT THE TIME IN THE EARLY AUTS FELT LIKE A MICRO CARBON COPY OF WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE MUSIC SCENE IN NEW YORK CITY AND SIMILAR CITIES. BUT AS JOHN LENNON WROTE IN HIS SONG “BEAUTIFUL BOY (DARLING BOY)” , “LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHEN YOU’RE BUSY MAKING OTHER PLANS.” BY THE YEAR 2012, ART FELT THAT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HIS 20’S WERE WASTED, PARTYING TO MUCH, -HE FELT ANXIETY, AND WAS BURNT OUT FROM THE MUSIC SCENE IN VANCOUVER- A BROKEN-WINGED BIRD THAT COULD NOT FLY.
BUT A CHANGE WOULD SOON BE ON THE HORIZON. A LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH HIS FATHER LED HIM TO RELOCATE FROM VANCOUVER TO THE SERENE AND BREATHTAKING SURROUNDINGS OF THE GULF ISLANDS TO ASSIST WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER’S FAILING HEALTH SUFFERING FROM ALZHEIMER’S. THIS MOVE WOULD BE THE CATALYST FOR REVAMPING HIS MUSICAL DREAMS AND EVENTUALLY IT WOULD PROPEL AND INFLUENCE HIS FIRST TWO ALBUM RECORDINGS, DAY FEVERS AND TRESPASSER. HERE, ART TALKS ABOUT HIS RELOCATION AND THAT PERIOD IN HIS LIFE:
10:42
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Gulf Islands Day Fever”
Art d’Ecco – “I’ll Never Give You Up” (Vinyl) from: Day Fevers / Your Face Records / 2016 [Based in British Columbia, “There’s more than a little David Bowie in both the sonic and fashion leanings of Art d’Ecco, a performer who fluidly crosses musical and gender lines, creating highly memorable tracks — and sporting an unforgettable look. Often labelled “neo glam,” the music boasts hints of everything from ’50s pop to psychedelics, from Velvet Underground-era art rock to Grimes-inspired electronics.” – CBC Music Art d’Ecco released the album Trespasser on Paper Bag Records on October 12, 2018.]
Art d’Ecco – “Trespasser” from: Trespasser / Paper Bag Records Records / October 12, 2018
10:50 – Mark talks with Nico about Art d’Ecco
10:58
Art d’Ecco – “Station ID”
10:58 – Nico Live Read
THAT WAS THE TITLE TRACK TO ART D’ECCO’S 2ND STUDIO LP “TRESPASSER” RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2018.
THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE SECOND HOUR OF WEDNESDAY MIDDAY MEDLEY. MY NAME IS NICO GRAY AND I’M YOUR GUEST PRODUCER AND WE’RE PROFILING THE TALENT OF ONE OF CANADA’S RISING STARS- INDIE NEO-GLAM ROCK ARTIST – ART D’ECCO.
HIS DEBUT RECORD DAY FEVERS WAS RELEASED IN THE SUMMER OF 2016 AND A TOUR WOULD SOON FOLLOW. WHILE IN VICTORIA BEFORE THEIR SECOND SHOW OF THE TOUR, AFTER FINISHING A SOUND CHECK AND BEFORE STEPPING ONTO STAGE HE MATERIALIZED BEFORE HIS BAND MATES WEARING A COSTUME AND A HUMAN HAIR BOB-CUT WIG THAT HE’D PURCHASED EARLIER AT A WIG SHOP IN A MALL. HIS BAND MATES JAWS DROPPED WITH MOUTHS’ WIDE-OPEN, ASKING, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING??” A REACTION HE WAS LOOKING FOR AND THE GENESIS OF THE GLAM ROCKER LOOK LOCKED INTO PLACE AS SEEN ON HIS SECOND ALBUM COVER, TRESPASSER. RETURNING FROM THE TOUR AND STILL LIVING IN THE GULF ISLANDS, ISOLATION, LONELINESS, SELF-DOUBT AND REFLECTION WOULD PECK ON THE DOOR OF RELEASE. WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT TIME IN 2017, A YEAR AFTER DAY FEVERS WAS RELEASED AND THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WOULD BECOME HIS SONIC SUPER STAR ALBUM “TRESPASSER.”
11:00
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Gulf Islands The Hunted”
Art d’Ecco – “The Hunted” from: Trespasser / Paper Bag Records Records / October 12, 2018
11:09 – Nico Live Read
THERE ARE TEN TRACKS ON TRESPASSER, THAT IS TRACK #10, THE HUNTED. RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2018.
LADY’S MISUNDERSTOOD- SHY AND DEMURE HE LET THE ENGINE RUN – SHE’S WIDOWED FOR GOOD THESE EMPTY HALLS WE SHARED FOR YEARS – IT’S TOUGH TO HEAR YOU CRYING THROUGH THE WALLS.
HOLLOWED-OUT ROCKING CHAIR SCRATCHING THE WOOD QUIETLY SITTING THERE – SHE’S WAITING HER TURN THESE EMPTY HALLS WE SHARED FOR YEARS NIGHT TIME WITHDRAWAL – I’VE BEEN HERE THRU IT ALL.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE LYRICS FROM “LADY NEXT DOOR” A HAUNTING MELODIC SONG WITH AIRY VOCALS BACKED WITH STRINGS THAT SUBTLY PARADES TO A SARGENT-PEPPER-ESQUE ENDING.
THERE IS SOMETHING SO SWEET ABOUT THE SADNESS, SOME COMFORT TO TAKE IN THE ISOLATION THAT IS PURVEYED IN SOME OF THE SONGS ON TRESPASSER. CONNECTING WITH AND REPLAYING THIS SONG OFTEN FOR ITS POETIC RHYME AND SOFT MEMORIES IT EVOKES. SO, I ASKED ART ABOUT HIS WRITING TECHNIQUE AND BACKGROUND ON SOME OF THE SONGS IN THIS ABLUM BUT SPECIFICALLY I ASKED THE QUESTION, WHO IS THE LADY NEXT DOOR?
11:11
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Lady Next Door”
Art d’Ecco – “Lady Next Door” from: Trespasser / Paper Bag Records Records / October 12, 2018
11:17 – Nico Live Read
LADY NEXT DOOR – A ROCKING CHAIR MELODY FOR THE UBER GLAM LISTENER.
SUPPORTING HIS RELEASE AND THE SUCCESS OF 2018’S TRESPASSER, ART D’ECCO TOURED IN BOTH CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES IN THE SPRING OF 2019 AND ANOTHER IN THE FALL OF THAT SAME YEAR – PLAYING IN SMALL CHIC VENUES.
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2019 I FOUND MYSELF ON AN JET-PLANE AFTER PURCHASING A TICKET TO HIS SEPTEMBER 19TH SHOW AT THE HI-DIVE BAR IN DENVER, COLORADO. A SMALL BAR/VENUE REMINISCENT OF KANSAS CITY’S FAMOUS GRAND EMPORIUM.
BY THIS TIME, ART HAD RELEASED A SINGLE RECORD- A VERY UNIQUE AND POIGNANT CHOICE AS HE COVERED THE SONG “THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT” FROM THE ICONIC JONI MITCHELL ALBUM “BLUE”. I DOWNLOADED THE SONG BEFORE I LEFT FOR THE AIRPORT AND ADDED IT TO MY ART D’ECCO PLAYLIST- WHICH AT THE TIME CONSISTED OF THE ENTIRE TRESPASSER ALBUM, AND NOW THIS JONI MITCHELL COVER. I’D WAIT TO LISTEN TO IT ON MY IPOD AS A MEANS TO PASS TIME DURING THE FLIGHT.
I’M A HUGE JONI MITCHELL FAN. TODAY’S SHOW WAS OPENED WITH HER VOICE. MY OLDER SISTER WOULD SING HER SONGS TO ME AS A CHILD, SO IN A WAY HER MUSIC IS “FAMILIA” TO ME. ESPECIALLY HER ALBUM BLUE. THE PLANE TOOK OFF FROM KCI AND AS WE SOARED INTO THE PINKISH-BLUE EVENING WESTERN SKY- I PUSHED PLAY ON THE COVER TRACK AND WAS ABRUPTLY ABDUCTED INTO A FRESH ORB. IF JONI’S VERSION WAS LIKE FAMILY, THEN ART D’ECCO’S COVER WAS LIKE LOOKING IN A MIRROR AND SEEING SOMEONE ELSE. SUDDENLY, I BECAME UNSURE ABOUT GETTING ON THE FLIGHT…HAVING DOUBTS ABOUT FLYING, SHOULD I HAVE STAYED HOME….IS THE AIRPLANE ENGINE OK- – SHOULD I HAVE GOTTEN ON THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT?…THE LURING AND HYPNOTIC DRUMBEAT, MESMERIZING VOCAL ARRANGEMENTS, THE 80’S HUMAN LEAGUE POINTED SYNTHESIZERS TOUCH ON EVERY WORD THAT NOW GIVES THIS CLASSIC SONG A CRISP AND CLEARER MEANING WITH HITCHCOCK UNDERTONES. QUITE SIMPLY- HE COMPLETELY “D’ECCO-‘D” IT! GIVING IT HIS OWN PERSONAL STAMP FROM HIS INSPIRED APPROACH. I REPLAYED THE SONG OFTEN DURING THE FLIGHT UNTIL WE LANDED SAFELY ON THE TWINKLE-BLUE DIM-LIT DENVER AIRPORT TARMAC. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT HIS DECISION TO COVER A VERY SPECIFIC JONI MITCHELL SONG. ONE THAT NOW HAS SO MANY PLAYS ON MY PLAYLIST. I WAS CERTAIN IT WAS A SEXY STORY.
11:19
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Joni Mitchell”
Art d’Ecco – “This Flight Tonight” from: This Flight Tonight – Single / Paper Bag / July 23, 2019 [Written by Joni Mitchell and originally recorded for her 1971 album “Blue.” Special thanks to our friend Nico Gray for turning us onto Art D’Ecco. Based in British Columbia, “There’s more than a little David Bowie in both the sonic and fashion leanings of Art d’Ecco, a performer who fluidly crosses musical and gender lines, creating highly memorable tracks — and sporting an unforgettable look. Often labelled “neo glam,” the music boasts hints of everything from ’50s pop to psychedelics, from Velvet Underground-era art rock to Grimes-inspired electronics.” – CBC Music]
11:24 – Underwriting
10:25 – Nico Live Read
“THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT” A CAPTIVATING COVER BY ART D’ECCO- WRITTEN BY JONI MITCHEL FROM HER 1971 ALBUM BLUE.
AS ART’S TOUR CONCLUDED BY THE END SEPTEMBER 2019, HE WENT INTO THE STUDIO IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER TO RECORD WHAT WOULD TECHNICALLY BE HIS 3RD STUDIO ALBUM, IN STANDARD DEFINITION. AN ALBUM WRITTEN LATE AT NIGHT WITH THE TV ON- IN VARIOUS HOTEL ROOMS WHILE ON THE ROAD DURING HIS TRESPASSER TOUR.
THEN IN JANUARY OF 2020, HE JOINED AND OPENED FOR THE ENGLISH ROCK BAND TEMPLES ON THEIR NORTH AMERICAN TOUR. THIS IS WHERE I CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AGAIN- IN MINNEAPOLIS AT THE FAMOUS FIRST AVENUE VENUE. ART AND TEMPLES WERE PLAYING THE 7TH ST. ENTRY, AN INTIMATE STAGE IN THE SAME BUILDING AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE. THIS WAS THE EPICENTER OF MUSIC ROYALTY WHERE PRINCE, ON A WHIM WOULD OFTEN SHOW UP AND PLAY IN THIS INTIMATE SETTING. THE SHOW WAS SOLD OUT. 250 CAPACITY- TIGHT QUARTERS- WHERE YOU CAN SMELL EVERYONE’S COLOGNE, HAIR PRODUCT, BOOZE ON A BREATH- IT WAS A PERFECT PRE-COVID EXPERIENCE AS HE TOOK THE STAGE TO A PACKED, EAGER AND WILLING ROCK-N-ROLL AUDIENCE WHO WOULD HAVE NO IDEA THAT THESE EXPERIENCES INSIDE NIGHTCLUBS WOULD BE FOREVER CHANGED DUE TO A PANDEMIC. ALMOST APPEARING TO BEAM HIMSELF ON STAGE WEARING A BLACK LEATHER ONE PIECE SUIT HE ROCKED THE CROWD AND ENLIVENED THE STILL BODIES DURING HIS STAR PERFORMANCE. AT ONE POINT HE DRANK WATER FROM A PLATIC BOTTLE – TILTING HIS HEAD BACKWARD AND SPRAYING IT OUT OF HIS MOUTH LIKE A VENETIAN FOUNTAIN -LIKE IGGY POP SWINGING SHIRTLESS FROM AN IMAGINARY VINE, FLIPPING OFF AN AUDIENCE DURING A STOOGES CONCERT- IT WAS GLAM – RELENTLESS- IT WAS ROCK WITH A THRUSTFUL ROLL. HE HAS A LOOK YES- AN IMAGE- YES- STAGE CHARISMA- YES- BUT IT IS THE MUSIC- THE LYRICS- AND MOSTLY THE UNIQUELY FAMILIAR VOICE THAT WE SO WANT TO ASSOCIATE WITH GLAM ICONS, OR 70’S AND 80’S PUNK ROCKERS. YET HIS VOICE IS HIS OWN.
THE TEMPLES TOUR ENDED ON FEBRUARY 7TH AT CROCODILE CAFÉ IN SEATTLE. LIKE THEATRE ACTORS IN A LONG-RUN PLAY, IT WAS A TOUR THAT FELT LIKE FAMILY. IT WOULD BE THE END OF THE BEGINNING AND THE BEGINNING OF THE END AS CONCERT SCENES EVAPORATED, FUTURE TOURING PLANS HALTED, AND THE PRODUCTION AND MIXING OF IN STANDARD DEFINITION WOULD BE POSTPONED.
BUT ON APRIL 23RD 2021 ART D’ECCO’S ALBUM WOULD FINALLY BE RELEASED; A 12 TRACK LP -RECORDED IN ANALOGUE ON A 50 YEAR-OLD CONSOLE. HE HIRED A VIOLIN AND CELLO PLAYER FROM THE VANCOUVER VICTORIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND HOSTS AN ARRANGEMENT OF TALENTED MUSICIANS – FROM DRUMMERS, GUITARISTS, TROMBONE, TRUMPET, AND SAXOPHONE PLAYERS – TO BLUES AND JAZZ STYLE BACKUP VOCALIST. HE PLAYS THE ELECTRIC AND ACOUSTIC GUITAR, BASS, DRUM MACHINE, ANALOGUE SYNTHESIZER, FM SYNTHESIS, CLAVINET, MELLOTRON, PIANO, PROCEEDED HORNS AND ADDITIONAL STRINGS. BUT IT’S HIS MAIN AND MOST IMPORTANT INSTRUMENT THAT PIQUED MY CURIOSITY. SO, I ASKED HIM ABOUT FINDING AND FINE-TUNING HIS VOICE.
11:29
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Vocals”
Art d’Ecco – “Bird Of Prey” from: In Standard Definition / Paper Bag Records Records / April 23, 2016
11:36 – Nico Live Read
“BIRD OF PREY” A BEAUTIFUL LOVE SONG WRITTEN FOR HIS THEN GIRLFRIEND AND SOON TO BE BRIDE, FROM THE CONCEPTUAL ALBUM IN STANDARD DEFINITION RELEASED THIS PAST APRIL ON PAPER BAG RECORDS. WE’LL HEAR FROM ART ONE MORE TIME AS WE NEAR THE END OF THIS SPECIAL TWO-HOUR PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY MIDDAY MEDLEY.
“ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE, AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN MERELY PLAYERS’ “(ACT 2, SCENE 7) FROM, SHAKESPEARE’S AS YOU LIKE IT.
THE ALBUM IS A STAGE AND IN ART D’ECCO’S IMAGINATIVE WORLD OF IN STANDARD DEFINITION HE IS THE ACTOR. IT’S UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT’S BEEN HEARD BEFORE AND ANOTHER OUT OF THIS WORLD AUDIO EXPERIENCE. THE GLAM ROCK ENERGY IS HEARD ON EVEN SOME OF ITS SLOWER TRACKS. THERE ARE TWO INSTRUMENTAL SONGS WITH ENO-ESQUE VIBES AND HE ONCE AGAIN TRANSPORTS US AWAY FROM OUR REALITY – THIS TIME INTO THE LIVES OF TV CHARACTERS AND THEIR AUDIENCES. THE CROWD IS GOING WILD AGAIN AS D’ECCO BROADCASTS HIS THOUGHTS ON THIS ALBUM AND A SONG THAT PERSONALLY RESONATES WITH ME.
11:40
Art d’Ecco Interview – “Actor”
Art d’Ecco – “I Remember” from: In Standard Definition / Paper Bag Records Records / April 23, 2021
11:48 – Nico Live Read
Nico: “I REMEMBER” THE LAST TRACK FROM THE LATEST ART D’ECCO ALBUM IN STANDARD DEFINTION. FITTING, AS OUR CREDITS WILL NOW START ROLLING.
Nico: THANK YOU CHAD BROTHERS: THANKS TO BRENDAN MCCARNEY AT DOUBLE DENIM MGMT; PAPER BAG RECORDS AND TO OUR STAR OF THE DAY, ART D’ECCO FOR SHARING YOUR STORIES, YOUR MUSIC, YOUR WORLDS OF TALENT. WE WELCOME YOU TO KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI AND WE LOOK FORWARD SEEING YOU SOON!
THANKS TO EVERYONE OUT THERE LISTENING, AND A MILLION THANKS TO MARK MANNING.
WE’LL END OUR GLAM ROCK DAY TRIP WITH SPINNING A TRACK ON VINYL FROM DAY FEVERS. “UNTIL IT IS OVER”.
11:50
Art d’Ecco – “Until It’s Over” (Vinyl) from: Day Fevers / Your Face Records / 2016 [Art d’Ecco has been compared to David Bowie, The Cure, and Sparks. Born in Ottawa, Ontario and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, d’Ecco’s father put him up at a family home in the Gulf Islands to care for his grandmother, then ailing with Alzheimer’s disease. It was during this time that d’Ecco wrote the songs that would make up his solo debut, DAY FEVERS, recorded with a piano and an iPhone. After touring with DAY FEVERS, d’Ecco began to experiment with his image. Inspired by his fascination with Iggy Pop and Deerhunter he had arrived at his signature glam-androgynous look, just as he released his second album, Trespasser. In 2021 d’Ecco released his third album, IN STANDARD DEFINITION, recorded in analog on a 50-year-old console. More info at: http://www.artdeccomusic.ca]
Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now” from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
11:58 – ArtsKCGO – Arts Calendar
12:00 – Station I.D.
Next week on Wednesday MidDay Medley, on October 6 – Marion Merritt returns as guest producer with music from The Orb, ft. Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine, Jose Gonzalez, The Pro-Teens, Odds & Ends, Elephant Wrecking Ball, Dave Okumu, Low, Sandro Galileo, Katsuhisa Hattori, Papi Churro, Joy Orbison, and Aldous Harding.
Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information. Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
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, September 29, 2021
Nico Gray Celebrates Art d’Ecco
Nico Gray Portrait by: Jan McNiel
Mark welcomes back Nico Gray as “Guest Producer”. Nico is a writer, performance artist, and actor who has performed with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Gorilla Theatre, 8th St. Cafe Theatre, Actor’s Craft, and Big Bang Buffet. Nico has worked for Theatre League, The Midland Theatre, and is currently a marketing & advertising consultant with Union Station, KC Fringe, and KC Creates. Nico grew up in KC but has lived in Chicago, New York, and Marseille.
Nico Gray Celebrates Art d’Ecco with selected musical tracks from his albums: DAY FEVERS (2016), TRESPASSER (2018), IN STANDARD DEFINITION (2021) and singles. Mixed with the music, Nico shares multiple short segments from a 2-hour interview he recently conducted with Art d’Ecco on the phone from Victoria, British Columbia. Nico also plays music from Art d’Ecco’s influences: David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, U2, Love and Rockets, and Cosmo Sheldrake.
Art d’Ecco has been compared to David Bowie, The Cure, and Sparks. Born in Ottawa, Ontario and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, d’Ecco’s father put him up at a family home in the Gulf Islands to care for his grandmother, then ailing with Alzheimer’s disease. It was during this time that d’Ecco wrote the songs that would make up his solo debut, DAY FEVERS, recorded with a piano and an iPhone. After touring with DAY FEVERS, d’Ecco began to experiment with his image. Inspired by his fascination with Iggy Pop and Deerhunter he had arrived at his signature glam-androgynous look, just as he released his second album, Trespasser. In 2021 d’Ecco released his third album, IN STANDARD DEFINITION, recorded in analog on a 50-year-old console. More info at: http://www.artdeccomusic.ca
Nico Gray Portrait by: Jan McNiel
Tune in on 90.1 FM KKFI or streaming live at kkfi.org
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, September 22, 2021
Joy Zimmerman + Chris Hudson and the Bard Owls + Nathan Reusch of The Record Machine
“Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks” from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979 [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]
Sarah Magill is Quiet Takes
Quiet Takes – “Guess Who Showed Up Again” from: “Guess Who Showed Up Again”- Single / Sarah Magill / September 28, 2021 [Follow up single to “Ghosty Was Here” released August 27, 2021. This new single will be included in Sarah’s upcoming EP, WEEKLY, WEAKLY, coming out November 5, 2021, the third collaboration between Magill and producer/multi-instrumentalist David Bennett. About “Guess Who Showed Up Again” Sarah writes, “I took the first draft of these lyrics straight from my dream journal notes. I have a recurring dream character who will pop up in these kind of swoony, heartening vignettes, usually during periods of creative risk-taking. I’m grateful to whatever subconscious magic is happening in these dreams, and this song is a little love letter to those moments of much-needed, unexpected encouragement, whether they come in REM or real-life.“ Written by Sarah Magill. Produced by David Bennett. Vocals and keys by Sarah Magill. Guitars, bass and percussion by David Bennett. Drums by Jared Bond. Engineered and mixed by David Bennett at Aorist Studios in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Zach Hanson” Sarah writes about her new upcoming EP, “I made the WEEKLY, WEAKLY EP exactly as titled: During weekly Friday sessions at Aorist Studios with my producer, David Bennett, while feeling extremely weak. I was living alone during the pandemic and (like many of us) coping with isolation, depression and anxiety. Making this EP was my lifeboat. Both the process of making music — refining lyrics, experimenting with new textures, collaborating on harmonies — and the commitment to the weekly process kept me relatively grounded and connected. This project tethered me to human-ness when I was afraid I was going to float off into some kind of feral, disconnected netherworld of pandemic loneliness. I’ll forever be grateful to David and his wife, Kayla, for creating a safe space to continue working at Aorist during such a dangerous time.” This recording follows the release of Sarah Magill’s EP under her moniker, Quiet Takes. Written by Sarah Magill. Produced by David Bennett and Sarah Magill. Vocals and keys by Sarah Magill on vocals & keyboards, David Bennett on guitars and bass, Ian Thompson on additional keyboards & synthesizers, Kyle Rausch on drums, and Bryan Koehler on percussion. Engineered and mixed by David Bennett at Aorist Studios in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Zach Hanson. Cover image by Shawn Brackbill. Sarah Magill released her single “Wanted (The Dirty Windshield Version)” on May 1, 2020. . Sarah Magill released Ahem, a 4-song EP, on December 11, 2020. The songs were originally released under her old project name MYRY, in November 2018. Quiet Takes (formerly MYRY) is an on-going collaborative music project by Sarah Magill a writer & musician based in KC. She performs with a rotating cast of friends—although these stay-at-home days, she is playing solo. In KC, she is known for hosting house shows and co-founding Rubix, a performance art collective. MYRY’s first EP, AHEM, was released in 2018. Sarah released four of MYRY’s songs from that 2018 EP release as Quiet Takes singles in 2020. Sarah Magill was a guest on WMM on May 13, 2020. We interviewed Sarah Magill on March 10, 2021. More info at: https://quiettakes.com ]
10:06
Summer In Hindsight
The West 18th Fashion Show has been an annual event for decades, but when COVID hit in 2020 organizers decided to be as safe as possible and they creatively turning the entire Fashion Show into a feature film, titled SUMMER IN HINDSIGHT. Directed by Khitam Jabr, with Jeremy Osbern serving as Director of Photography, and with a screenplay written by Peregrine Honig and staring Calvin Arsenia who also co-created the soundtrack with Mike Dillon and also served as editor. The film made it’s world premiere on October 16, 2020 at Boulevard Drive-In Theatre. After that premiere the film traveled on a successful international film festival circuit, where it has received critical acclaimed world wide. If you have wondered if you would ever be able to see this film, your opportunity is now!!! The film arrives for public viewing in Kansas City at Union Station on the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre on Thursday, September 23 at 6:00 PM. The film is 57 minutes long and following the sreeening, a panel discussion and Q&A will feature Calvin Arsenia, Peregrine Honig, Missy Isamore, Brooklyn Love, and Celeste Lupercio. You can go to https://unionstation.org/event/summer-in-hindsight/
From the film’s soundtrack created by Calvin Arsenio and Mike Dillon, here is Calvin Arsenia with his Black Lives Matter inspired song “Scars and Stripes” that Calvin shared on WMM before the film was officially released.
Calvin Arsenia in Summer in Hindsight
Calvin Arsenia – “Scars & Stripes” from: Summer in Hindsight / Calvin Arsenia & Mike Dillon / October 16, 2020 [Soundtrack 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, and May 5, 2021. 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.]
[Calvin Arsenia plays a special Porch Concert TONIGHT – Wednesday, September 22, at 8:08 PM at Second Presbyterian, 318 E. 55th St, Kansas City, MO]
[Calvin Arsenia plays with Quixotic Presents: Terra Luna, Friday, September 24 at 7:30 PM at Overland Park Arboretum, 8909 W 179th St, Bucyrus, KS]
José Gonzaléz – “El Invento” from: Local Valley / City Slang – Mute / September 17, 2021 [José Gabriel González (born 31 July 1978) is a Swedish indie folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg. González is also a member of the band Junip, along with Tobias Winterkorn. Local Valley is the 4th studio album by Swedish singer-songwriter José González. It succeeds González’s third studio album Vestiges and Claws, which was released in 2015, as well as the live album Live in Europe. Three singles have preceded Local Valley, including “El Invento”, “Visions” “Head On”, and “Swing”. Local Valley was recorded and produced by José González at Studio Koltrast in Hakefjorden and Studio Koltrast in Linné, Sweden. “Line of Fire” is a re-recording of the 2013 song of the same name by González’s band, Junip. In 1976, the González family – made up of González’s father, a National University of San Luis psychology student, González’s mother, a fellow student studying biochemistry, both of whom were politically active, and González’s older sister, then an infant – fled Argentina after a right-wing military coup (military junta) seized power in March 1976, the beginning of the “Dirty War”. José was born two years later, in 1978, in a suburb of Gothenburg, Sweden. He has a younger sibling. He commented, “It’s a very small town. It has about a half-million people living there. It’s a pretty good music city by the ocean. It rains a lot there, but it’s beautiful in the summertime.” González grew up listening to Latin folk and pop music and has named Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez as a favourite artist. He said the first concert he went to was The Wailers. “I got their autographs and everything,” he said in an interview. “I was about 12 or so. At the time, my favorite music was Bob Marley and Michael Jackson.” González was in a PhD program for biochemistry at the University of Gothenburg. In 2003, he stopped working on the PhD, as his musical career became a new focus. The first band he played in was Back Against the Wall, a Gothenburg hardcore punk band influenced by Black Flag, The Misfits and the Dead Kennedys. He later played bass guitar in another hardcore band, Renascence, between 1993 and 1998. Between 1997 and 1998 José played guitar with rock band Only if You Call Me Jonathan. In June 2003 González released his debut solo release, a two-track 7″ single. The single was discovered by Joakim Gävert, co-founder of the then fledgling label Imperial Records who then signed González as their first official artist. In October he released his debut album, Veneer, in Europe. The album was subsequently released in the UK on 25 April 2005, and in the United States on 6 September 2005. The album was made while González was a PhD student at the University of Gothenburg. González’ trademark sound is solo classical guitar with soft vocal melody. His work, although mostly original, also includes acoustic covers of such hits as “Heartbeats” by his fellow Swedes The Knife, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division, “Born in the U.S.A.” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen, “Hand on Your Heart” by Kylie Minogue, “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat, “Teardrop” by Massive Attack and “Last Snowstorm of the Year” by Low. His second album, In Our Nature, was released internationally on 22 September 2007. The album’s lyrical content was in part influenced by his reading of books like The God Delusion by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Practical Ethics by ethicist Peter Singer. In 2007, González won a European Border Breakers Award Award. Every year the European Border Breakers Awards (EBBA) recognize the success of ten emerging artists or groups who reached audiences outside their own countries with their first internationally released album in the past year. In 2010, a documentary about González called The Extraordinary Ordinary Life Of Jose Gonzalez was released.[14][15] In December 2014, González performed at the sustainable lifestyle festival, Wonderfruit in Thailand.]
Joy Zimmerman
Joy Zimmerman – “Mosaic” from: The Canvas Before Us / Cultivate Joy Records / August 2, 2021 [The Canvas Before Us was produced, recorded and mastered by Gary Gordon of Inside-Out Studio, Sparta, IL. Additional vocal mixing was done by David Travers-Smith of Found Sound, Toronto, Canada. Along with vocals, Joy played guitar, fiddle, ukulele and typewriter on the album. The stellar contributing musicians are Robert Bowlin, Ryan Dugan, Polly Lanuay, Ross Sermons, Gary Gordon, Monty Jackson, and Roberta Gordon. Joy Zimmerman’s songwriting has been recognized nationally with an American Songwriter Lyric Contest Honorable Mention and ten Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Showcase wins. “We’ll Hold the Light”, Joy’s single honoring health care workers during the pandemic, was a Top 20 Song of the Month on the Folk DJ Chart.]
[Joy Zimmerman plays Fresh Songs & Fresh Air Overland Park on Thursday, September 23, at 6:30 PM]
[Joy Zimmerman plays the Lenexa Farmers Market, Saturday, September 25, at 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM in Lenexa KS.]
[Joy Zimmerman plays Songs With Stories – Joy Zimmerman & Mike Ward, Tuesday, September 28, at 6:30 PM in Prairie Village, KS.]
Joy Zimmerman
10:17 – Interview with Joy Zimmerman
Singer songwriter Joy Zimmerman joins us live in our 90.1 FM Studios to share music and details about her fabulous new album, THE CANVAS BEFORE US, released August 2, 2021. Joy’s new album reached the Top Ten on the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart. Bob McWilliams, radio host & producer of “Trail Mix” on Kansas Public Radio writes, “Joy Zimmerman has taken her music to a new level on THE CANVAS BEFORE US which not only showcases her lovely voice but also an array of new songs speaking eloquently and emotionally to the human condition.” More information at http://www.joyzimmerman.com
Joy Zimmerman, Thanks for being with us as today on Wednesday MidDay Medley
The Canvas Before Us was produced, recorded and mastered by Gary Gordon of Inside-Out Studio, Sparta, IL. Additional vocal mixing was done by David Travers-Smith of Found Sound, Toronto, Canada.
Along with vocals, Joy played guitar, fiddle, ukulele and typewriter on the album.
The stellar contributing musicians are Robert Bowlin, Ryan Dugan, Polly Lanuay, Ross Sermons, Gary Gordon, Monty Jackson, and Roberta Gordon.
Ryan Dugan is Joy’s son who lives and makes music in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Joy Zimmerman’s songwriting has been recognized nationally with an American Songwriter Lyric Contest Honorable Mention and ten Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Showcase wins. “We’ll Hold the Light”, Joy’s single honoring health care workers during the pandemic, was a Top 20 Song of the Month on the Folk DJ Chart.]
Joy Zimmerman, a soulful singer/songwriter, explores the everyday and the extraordinary with a captivating voice. Her songs resonate with humor, triumph and humanity. Joy’s seventh studio album, The Canvas Before Us, is an acoustic reinvention set for release in August 2021.
Born with a lucky tooth on Shakespeare’s 400th birthday, it’s no wonder Joy is a natural writer. Her songwriting has been recognized nationally with an American Songwriter Lyric Contest Honorable Mention and ten Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Showcase wins. Her music has been described as “vivid and alive, tender and poignant, and altogether a gift for the listener.” (Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, former Kansas Poet Laureate)
You might say Joy’s emergence as a dynamic singer/songwriter is surprising. She didn’t pick up a guitar, sing a solo or write her first song until her sons were in elementary school. But all the elements were there…a voice of honey waiting to be discovered, insights to write about for days, and a lifelong love of music beginning with violin lessons before kindergarten.
A touring musician based in Kansas City, Joy’s performances are engaging, thought-provoking and full of opportunities to laugh and reflect. She leaves you wishing you had heard her sooner and trying to figure out how to be her friend.
Joy has recorded three albums of original music in Nashville, one live and three studio albums in Kansas City, and a forthcoming studio album in Sparta, Illinois.
Joy performs solo or in a duo or band. Past venues include Louisville Arts Center (CO), Green Guitar Folk House (KS), Knuckleheads (MO), Stone Room Concerts (DC), InterUrban ArtHouse (KS), The Warming House (MN), InterContinental Hotel (MO), Chateau Chantal Winery (MI), Taos Inn (NM), and McMenamins (OR).
An accomplished violinist on her albums, Joy was once in the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony, Concordia College Orchestra, and Kansas City Civic Orchestra. She was also Assistant Music Director at Saint Andrew Christian Church, Director of No Strings Attached, and Music Leader at Crittenton Children’s Center.
Combining her background in music and social work, Joy has led interactive workshops and retreats on creativity, resilience, gratitude, grief, songwriting, and the power of music. Settings have included conference centers, hospitals, festivals, retirement centers and numerous nonprofit organizations.
Joy Zimmerman
“Joy has a wonderfully unique way of connecting to her audience that I have seen no other performer do…she engages every audience and wraps everyone in a velvet blanket of beautiful music.” –- Peggy Kelly, Open Range Concert Series
“Joy Zimmerman’s “To the Girl” has a heart, to paraphrase the title of one of her songs, as big and wide as the sky. The music here is vivid and alive, tender and poignant, and altogether a gift for the listener.” –- Caryn Mirriam Goldberg, former Kansas Poet Laureate
“I’ve been on the road….and listening to Joy Zimmerman’s very cool music from her latest CD, To the Girl! The production is SO smooth and well suited for her voice and songs. A couple of standouts: Why Be Normal has a “world music” feel to it and a super cool vibe. What Next could be a calling card song! Both set the table for another dimension for Joy as a writer/performer. Truly, they make me want to know “what’s next” from JZ.” –- David G Smith, Nashville singer/songwriter, First Place Winner 2008 International Song Contest
“Joy Zimmerman’s “To the Girl” is for all of us. Joy Zimmerman has been a prolific singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist touring and recording for the past 10 years. This is Joy’s sixth album and her most eclectic and engaging yet. Recorded at Weights and Measures in Kansas City, ‘To the Girl” is a must listen. Not just once but over and over again.
Joy’s lyrics take on a new depth with each listen. The combination of her voice and poignant lyrics are like advice from a trusted friend. “To the Girl” by Joy Zimmerman is a powerful musical experience for us all.” – Kathy Forste, Music Director KC Café Radio
“Cultivate Joy” and “Amplify Hope” logos adorn Joy’s merchandise.
“The Canvas Before Us” is a lyrical gift from a kind, thoughtful and fully formed artist. The tableau set for each song is complemented with superb instrumentation; each cut has a stringed “star.” It is apparent from Joy’s work on this album she is well read, a student of history and the human condition. Her voice is crystal clear. The words indicate her “antenna” was up and she is now ready to broadcast these songs that paint beautiful sonic pictures. ~Diana Linn Ennis, DJ/Podcaster of Tasty Brew Music and Co-Founder/Director of Heartland Song Network, Inc.
Joy Zimmerman and the Gordons have long been two of our favorites. We were thrilled when we learned that Gary Gordon was producing this CD and it is truly a match made in heaven. This is a poignant concept album and there is a brush stroke of lyrics running through every song, reminding us that we are the creators of our lives. The title fits this project perfectly and the palette of instruments and Joy’s crystal clear voice have added just the right colors in just the right places. This CD is a WORK OF ART! ~ Donna and Kelly Mulhollan aka Still on the Hill
“The Canvas Before Us” is a warm and beautiful album about hope, reflection and the loving humor that only Joy Zimmerman can infuse. I love this album! Inspiring women, love, our future, the state of the world—so many unique stories accompanied by music that is both original and comforting. Joy Zimmerman gives us both in this lovely and thoughtful new release. Lucky us. ~Dani Goodband, Lakeside Music
“A Canvas Before Us” brings Joy’s beautiful soprano to us in a way that allows her voice to ring in its clear, clean truth as never before. The instrumentation creates buoyant liquid for her to float in the center and carry the listener along. Even the songs I am very familiar with were a new and wonderful listening experience. The world gets to celebrate the true Joy in this CD. It leaves us wanting for more! ~ Peggy Kelly, Open Range Concerts – up north
Earlier this year we played Joy’s single, “We’ll Hold The Light” that was released on January 25, 2021 with Music & Lyrics by Joy Zimmerman. Recorded, Mixed & Mastered: Duane Trower, Weights and Measures Soundlab, Kansas City, MO. Joy Zimmerman on vocals, guitar & violin, Ryan Dugan on guitar, bass, & harmony vocals; Beau Bledsoe on dobro; and Christine Broxterman on cello. Joy Zimmerman writes: “We’ll Hold the Light is a song of gratitude for the brave, selfless work of health care workers and first responders every day and especially during this pandemic. Facing unprecedented and life-threatening conditions, they have provided steadfast care for us all. I was inspired to write this song from my front row seat to heroism. My spouse, Linda, is an anesthesiologist at a Level 1 Trauma Center, safety net hospital, so I have witnessed the toll of long, stressful shifts within an overtaxed medical system.” // “Working all night at the hospital is like time out of time. The outside world, which includes your loved ones and friends, goes on without you. You miss dinner, bedtime, gatherings of friends, special events. And you are immersed in trauma, illness, grief, loneliness that those outside your work life will never know. The chasm between the two parts of your life sometimes feels immense…” ~Dr. Linda Dill // Joy Zimmerman continues: “How do health care workers and first responders handle the sights and sounds they experience, the vicarious trauma, the grief? Let’s make sure our gratitude is backed by a strong commitment to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), mental health services and other support. I encourage you to join me in making a donation to your local YMCA Covid-19 Emergency Child Care Services for Essential Workers. These program offer child care and other services at 1,000 sites nationwide for families of medical personnel, essential employees and first responders. https://www.ymca.net/emergency-child-care-services. We’ll Hold the Light is available for download at joyzimmermanmusic.com.
10:30
Joy Zimmerman, Thanks for being with us as today on Wednesday MidDay Medley
Joy Zimmerman released her new album, THE CANVAS BEFORE US, on August 2, 2021.
Joy Zimmerman plays Fresh Songs & Fresh Air Overland Park on Thurs, Sept. 23, at 6:30 PM
Joy Zimmerman plays the Lenexa Farmers Market, Sat, Sept. 25, 9:30 – 11:30 AM in Lenexa KS.
Joy Zimmerman plays Songs With Stories – Joy Zimmerman & Mike Ward, Tuesday, September 28, at 6:30 PM in Prairie Village, KS.
Joy Zimmerman – “Not Enough Time” from: The Canvas Before Us / Cultivate Joy Records / August 2, 2021 [The Canvas Before Us was produced, recorded and mastered by Gary Gordon of Inside-Out Studio, Sparta, IL. Additional vocal mixing was done by David Travers-Smith of Found Sound, Toronto, Canada. Along with vocals, Joy played guitar, fiddle, ukulele and typewriter on the album. The stellar contributing musicians are Robert Bowlin, Ryan Dugan, Polly Lanuay, Ross Sermons, Gary Gordon, Monty Jackson, and Roberta Gordon. Joy Zimmerman’s songwriting has been recognized nationally with an American Songwriter Lyric Contest Honorable Mention and ten Walnut Valley Festival NewSong Showcase wins. “We’ll Hold the Light”, Joy’s single honoring health care workers during the pandemic, was a Top 20 Song of the Month on the Folk DJ Chart.]
10:33 – Underwriting
Joy Zimmerman & Chris Hudson
Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls – “The Easing” from: The Easing / Chris Hudson / September 29, 2021 [Recorded as sort of grand finale to the Isolation Tracks Home Studio Compilation from 2020’s Covid shut down. The Easing was recorded between December 2020 and February 2021. Chris sings, plays bass, keys, mandolin, tenor guitar, banjo, classical guitar, electric guitar and drums thru out the songs with internet collaborations featuring local Kc music artists Jason Beers, Chad Brothers, Jeremy Clark, Travis Feldman, Kristin Hamilton, Devon Teran and Sam Wright. Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Studio. The Easing takes the listener thru the many emotions of living inside with ones significant other trying to live an honest, balanced, sheltered, and loving life of resilience while watching the bad news of the outside world that unfolds slowly into uncertainty and chaos into a future of unknowns. More info at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com]
[Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls play a CD Release Party 5:00 to 7:00 , Oct. 3, 2021, at Here’s To The Roots at PH Coffee, 2200 Lexington Ave. KCMO in the Pendelton Heights neighborhood in the Historic Northeast.]
Chris Hudson
10:39 – Interview with Chris Hudson
Professional musician and teacher Chris Hudson joins us to share music and details about his new released from Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls called, THE EASING to be released September 29, 2021. Chris Hudson is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, musician, visual artist, and teacher at Kansas City Young Audiences. The Bard Owls are a Kansas City based acoustic band created and named by Chris Hudson and Sam Wright. Some of the guests on their new album include: Jason Beers, Jeremy Clack, and Kristin Hamilton. Chris Hudson plays as a solo artist and is part of several other bands including: The Multiverse with Julie Bennett Hume, and Gullywasher with Sam Wright and Matt Cathlina. More information at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com
Chris Hudson thanks for being with us on WMM.
Chris Hudson a Kansas City Native, Classical Guitarist, Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist, and Visual Artist… he’s a Member of three bands: Gullywasher, The Multiverse and The Bard Owls.
Chris Hudson has been playing and creating songs for decades in the KC – Lawrence area. We last talked with him on the radio show on March 31, 2021 when Chris joined us to share news about HOLDING THE DAWNING released on March 15, 2021 – The first studio release from the KC based Gullywasher, that includes: Matt Cathlina on upright bass & vocals, Chris Hudson on guitar & vocals, and Sam Wright on banjo & vocals. Formed in 2018 the band started recording demos, rehearsing and performing these songs at multiple venues, including a trip to SXSW in Austin in early March 2020 just before the COVID-19 Pandemic shut down and quarantine. In the early months of the pandemic they continued to rehearse and write more songs and do live streaming shows.. Chris Hudson wrote the majority of the songs. Sam Wright wrote the song “Eastward Facing Road.” The band writes that their songs are” a mix of Americana, Folk, ProgRock, Emo and Jazz.” HOLDING THE DAWNING was recorded between September and November 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, at Weights and Measures Soundlab in KCMO with Duane Trower. Gullywasher brought in special guest performers for several tracks local Chad Brothers of the band Old Sound on guitar, Devan Teran of The Timbers Devon Teran on pedal steel, and Mark Hamblin on Trumpet. More info at: http://www.gullywasherkc.com]
Prior to that we talked with Chris Hudson on November 4, 2020, when he and Julie Bennett Hume joined us to share details about their release SONGS FOR LATTER DAYS. Chris Hudson and Julie Bennett Hume have been playing and creating songs for decades in the KC – Lawrence area. Their new musical project The Multiverse, released the album, Songs Of Latter Days, on November 1, 2020. They play on all songs together with help from the Kansas City acclaimed alternative string duo The Wires with Laurel Morgan parks on violin and Sascha Groschang on cello. Also contributing to the recording was Jason Beers. More info at: http://www.themultiverse.com
10:49
Chris Hudson
Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls – “Heartshape Stone” (LIVE) also available on: The Easing / Chris Hudson / September 29, 2021 [Recorded as sort of grand finale to the Isolation Tracks Home Studio Compilation from 2020’s Covid shut down. The Easing was recorded between December 2020 and February 2021. Chris sings, plays bass, keys, mandolin, tenor guitar, banjo, classical guitar, electric guitar and drums thru out the songs with internet collaborations featuring local Kc music artists Jason Beers, Chad Brothers, Jeremy Clark, Travis Feldman, Kristin Hamilton, Devon Teran and Sam Wright. Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Studio. The Easing takes the listener thru the many emotions of living inside with ones significant other trying to live an honest, balanced, sheltered, and loving life of resilience while watching the bad news of the outside world that unfolds slowly into uncertainty and chaos into a future of unknowns. More info at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com]
[Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls play a CD Release Party 5:00 to 7:00 , October 3, 2021, at Here’s To The Roots at PH Coffee, 2200 Lexington Ave. KCMO in the Pendleton Heights in the Historic Northeast.]
10:49 – More Interview with Chris Hudson
We are talking with professional musician and teacher Chris Hudson who joins us to share music and details about his new released from Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls called, THE EASING to be released September 29, 2021. Chris Hudson is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, musician, visual artist, and teacher at Kansas City Young Audiences. The Bard Owls are a Kansas City based acoustic band created and named by Chris Hudson and Sam Wright. More information at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com
Chris Hudson thanks for being with us on WMM.
THE EASING was recorded as sort of grand finale to the Isolation Tracks Home Studio Compilation from 2020’s Covid shut down. The Easing was recorded between December 2020 and February 2021.
Chris sings, plays bass, keys, mandolin, tenor guitar, banjo, classical guitar, electric guitar and drums thru out the songs with internet collaborations featuring local KC artists Jason Beers, Chad Brothers, Jeremy Clark, Travis Feldman, Kristin Hamilton, Devon Teran and Sam Wright.
Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Studio.
The Easing takes the listener thru the emotions of living inside with ones significant other trying to live an honest, balanced, sheltered, and loving life of resilience while watching the bad news of the outside world that unfolds slowly into uncertainty and chaos into a future of unknowns.
Chris Hudson thanks for being with us on WMM.
Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls new album, THE EASING will be released September 29, 2021. Chris Hudson and The bard owls play a CD Release Party 5:00 to 7:00 , October 3, 2021, at Here’s To The Roots at PH Coffee, 2200 Lexington Ave. KCMO in the Pendelton Heights neighborhood in the historic Northeast. More information at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com
10:55
Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls – “everything” from: The Easing / Chris Hudson / September 29, 2021 [Recorded as sort of grand finale to the Isolation Tracks Home Studio Compilation from 2020’s Covid shut down. The Easing was recorded between December 2020 and February 2021. Chris sings, plays bass, keys, mandolin, tenor guitar, banjo, classical guitar, electric guitar and drums thru out the songs with internet collaborations featuring local Kc music artists Jason Beers, Chad Brothers, Jeremy Clark, Travis Feldman, Kristin Hamilton, Devon Teran and Sam Wright. Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Studio. The Easing takes the listener thru the many emotions of living inside with ones significant other trying to live an honest, balanced, sheltered, and loving life of resilience while watching the bad news of the outside world that unfolds slowly into uncertainty and chaos into a future of unknowns. More info at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com]
[Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls play a CD Release Party 5 to 7:00 , October 3, 2021, at Here’s To The Roots at PH Coffee, 2200 Lexington Ave. KCMO in the Pendelton Heights neighborhood in the historic Northeast.]
11:00 – Station ID
Black Hippie
Blvck Hippie – “If You Feel Alone At Parties” from: “If You Feel Alone At Parties” – Single / The Record Machine / August 6, 2021 [“If you listen through If You Feel Alone At Parties you’ll hear a restlessness woven into the fabric of the songs. From the angular, affected guitar to the pensive vocals, Josh Shaw invites us into a Sad Boy Indie Rock world that feels nostalgic and pioneering at the same time. It’s a search for home in musical form, led by Shaw’s acute lyrics and ardent playing.” -Davy Haynes. Blvck Hippie is a Sad Boy Indie Rock Band from Memphis, Tennessee, tryna show Black kids that they can be weird too. More info at: blvckhippie.com]
Nathan Reusch
11:04 – Interview with Nathan Reusch
Nathan Reusch co-founder of The Record Machine joins us for the entire second hour to talk about the 18th Anniversary of The Record Machine and to share music from artists on the label and bands playing the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social Friday, September 24, with The Fey, Black Light Animals, Jass, Indoor Creature, and Saturday, September 25, with The Republic Tigers, Monta At Odds, and Brent Windler, at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyandotte, in the West Bottoms of Kansas City. More details at http://www.therecordmachine.co
Nathan Reusch thanks for being with us on WMM.
Blvck Hippie is Josh Shaw doing sad boy indie boyfrom Memphis Tennessee, tryna show Black kids that they can be weird too. http://www.blvckhippie.com
From http://www.therecordmachine.co: If you listen through If You Feel Alone At Parties you’ll hear a restlessness woven into the fabric of the songs. From the angular, affected guitar to the pensive vocals, Josh Shaw (he/him) invites us into a Sad Boy Indie Rock world that feels nostalgic and pioneering at the same time. It’s a search for a home in musical form, led by Shaw’s acute lyrics and ardent playing.
It’s funny we study hard just to come up last The world hits you hard when you don’t run fast If we are the same but I’m empty and alone The least you could do is answer your phone
from “Art School”
Tracked over a three-day weekend in Memphis, If You Feel Alone At Parties showcases Shaw’s conversational, intuitive songwriting. Blvck Hippie has been recommended “if you’re a fan of The Strokes but like your songs a little more moody” (From The Strait). However, there’s a vast array of influences that flow through the songs on If You Feel Alone At Parties. Crediting Kanye West and Kid Cudi for inspiring him as a Black artist to always make something different, Shaw has pushed himself forward with this record. And this artistic growth is audible in the mix. With a rotating cast of bandmates, Blvck Hippie crafts a sound bigger and brasher than the sum of its parts. The guitar tones reinvent 80s dream-pop sounds, while the rhythms are infused with an R&B consciousness. It’s a balancing act that Shaw & Co perform with aplomb. Never sounding derivative, the band delivers a fully-formed indie rock sound on its first full length.
You say these parties are all the same While you’re too drunk to know my name You wish he’d still pick up his phone I’m way to drunk and so alone
from “If You Feel Alone At Parties”
Since the first Blvck Hippie single released in 2018, Shaw has invited listeners into his inner world. The lyrics on this record are reminiscent of the afterparty conversations and menthol-infused musings that dominate DIY scenes across America. But, these are not merely drunken sentences strung together in post-show afterglow. Shaw offers us insights into his mind and his life, looking to make a true, emotional connection with the listener. Escapism, loneliness, grief – it’s all here in Shaw’s vulnerable couplets. On “Bunkbed,” he sings, “I guess we’re all grown up we’re grown up now / Two dumb kids too poor to pay rent / So promise me we won’t change in a year or two and promise me I won’t stop missing you / Missing you.” Shaw is a dreamer, always looking for sparks. The characters that inhabit his songs feel real, as if he is bringing scenes from his life into the songs. You can almost smell the PBR and the cigarette smoke as Shaw recounts the details of his life.
In tears you watched me drink until my demons appear Keep your voice low this time I care what they hear I’m still stumbling down the hallway I swear it felt like home To be angry at myself for feeling oh so alone
from “Technicolor”
Shaw takes the audience on a “VHS-inspired” journey through his mind. Searching for catharsis, Shaw’s off-kilter guitar playing and honest songwriting coalesce into the Sad Boy Indie Rock songs of your dreams. With the world slowly opening back up after an isolated year, Blvck Hippie have plans to take these songs on the road in the fall. Great things are on the horizon for Shaw & Co. Are you listening?
Nathan Reusch grew up in KC hanging out at Recycled Sounds with Anne Winter & Billy Smith.
This weekend’s Lemonade Socials on Friday and Saturday Nights are in celebration of The Record Machine’s 18 year Anniversary
The Record Machine started back in in 2003. The Record Machine started as a homegrown, pioneering independent record label and expanded to events in Kansas City, MO. We initially established the label to promote and release music from our hometown, but as time went on, we began releasing records from all across the country. We aim to work with a diverse group of hardworking, dedicated, and stand out on their own accord. Our catalog is an eclectic mix; we are proud that we don’t fit into any single genre and a unifying, uplifting quality to our releases. We hope to nurture musicians and connect them with a broader audience. Tim Finn of The Kansas City Star remarked about The Record Machine’s output “[They] have assembled a stable of diverse artists who are making music that deserves national attention.”
In 2011 we\The record Machine founded Middle of the Map Fest as a joint venture between KC’s Ink magazine(Part of the KC Star) and The Record Machine. In the years since, the festival has grown to encompass Music, Speakers, and Film. Bands that we love like Spoon, Grizzly Bear, Iron and Wine, Fred Armisen, OK Go, Lord Huron, Vince Staples, Cold War Kids, Charles Bradley, Aimee Mann, Atmosphere, The Get Up Kids, Daniel Johnston, Of Montreal, Kate Nash, The Joy Formidable, Two Door Cinema Club and many more have shared the same stage as Record Machine artists.
“It’s a great way for KC to show off and, more specifically, showcase our flourishing arts and culture scene,” KC Mayor Sly James said in a KC Biz Journal article earlier that year. “Events like Middle of the Map Fest bring crowds of people to our city who oftentimes leave in awe of everything Kansas City has to offer.”
The Record Machine is the collective sum of individuals, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, and talent; our artists represent a significant part of not only our culture but our company’s reputation and achievements. We embrace and encourage our artist’s differences in race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, religion, sexual orientation, and other characteristics that make our community unique.
11:09
The Fey
The Fey – “Wolf Of The Wild” from: “Palm Tree Shade / The Record Machine / June 4, 2021 [We played The Fey’s February 12, 2021 single, “Wolf of The Wild” on March 3 and “Blind to the Signs (feat. Hakim)”June 2, 2021. those singles followed their single, “Tear It off” released August 7, 2020, and “Lost In My Head” on August 2, 2019, All of these singles are from The Fey’s newest album, PALM TREE SHADE that followed the band’s July 13, 2018 EP, Strawberry Lemonade. The Fey is a Rock/Soul sextet based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The band has created 3 EP’s under the alias “AZP”, but have recently made a name change to The Fey. Charles Hull, Founder and Managing Director, Silver Street Records writes, The Fey is: Zach Watkins on lead/backup vocals, keys, percussion; Ishma Valenti on rap vocals; Trey Shotkoske on drums; Michael Rogers on guitars; John Fucinaro on bass, and Ludwing Siebenhor. Additional Backup vocals by Jasmin Ondap and Aly Millanes. Engineered and mixed by James Fleege at Silver St. Mastered by Doug Van Sloun at Focus Mastering. Produced by Zach Watkins & James Fleege at Silver Str Info at http://www.therecordmachine.co]
[The Fey play the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social – Day 1, Friday, September 24, at 7:00 PM at Lemonaide Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO, in the West Bottoms with Jass, Black Light Animals and Indoor Creature]
Indoor Creature
Indoor Creature – “American Dream” from: Living In Darkness / The Record Machine / May 28, 2021 [3rd album Formed in 2015, Indoor Creature has grown from a duo to a pack of six, and together the Austin-based band has played over 100 shows and two national tours. Their distinctly dreamy, jazz-inspired sound artfully contrasts lyrics that tackle topics most pop songs don’t dare to wrestle with. They explore feelings associated with growing up and up, respond to current events, and delve into their dreams, all things you’d do with a good friend while lying on the floor, staring upward. In this room, the floor and the ceiling are Indoor Creature, grounding you to reality while simultaneously inviting you to think of what could be.]
[Indoor Creature play the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social – Day 1, Friday, September 24, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO, in the West Bottoms with Jass, Black Light Animals and The Fey.]
11:16 – Interview with Nathan Reusch
We are talking with Nathan Reusch co-founder of The Record Machine who joins us for the entire second hour to talk about the 18th Anniversary of The Record Machine and to share music from artists on the label and bands playing the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social Friday, September 24, with The Fey, Black Light Animals, Jass, Indoor Creature, and Saturday, September 25, with The Republic Tigers, Monta At Odds, and Brent Windler, at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyandotte, in the West Bottoms of Kansas City. More details at http://www.therecordmachine.co
Nathan Reusch thanks for being with us on WMM.
We just heard: The Fey from Lincoln, Nebraska and Indoor Creature from Memphis, Tennessee.
Lemonade Social – Sept. 24 + 25 at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyandotte, West Bottoms KCMO. Friday, September 24, 7:00 PM The Fey, Black Light Animals, Jass, and Indoor Creature. Saturday, September 25, at 7:00 PM The Republic Tigers, Monta At Odds, Brent Windler. Tickets Available From Lemonade Park Sponsors: Lemonade Park, The Record Machine, Kosmic City, recordBar, Voltaire. Flyer Design: Chris Meier. Website Design: The Record Machine
11:20
Dinner Time
Dinner Time – “What’s The Deal” from: Halfway Down / The Record Machine / To be released: October 15, 2021 [Atlanta, Georgia based 5-piece band with Alejandro Uribe on guitar, Andrew Joyce on guitar & keyboards, Chad Miller on drums, Ian Buford on guitar & vocals, and London Cameron on bass. DINNER TIME returns from their slumber with “Halfway Down”, the follow-up LP to their debut self-titled record. Coming hot off the heels of 3 tracks self-recorded in lockdown, and the success of their breakout single “Walden Park”, the band’s sophomore album promises a new level of production quality and maturity from the Atlanta-based 5-piece. “We wanted to create a cohesive experience” bassist London Cameron explains. Melodic motifs appear and reappear throughout the record to reinforce the universe of “Halfway Down”. Overarching themes of loneliness, anxiety, and disillusionment give a loose structure that the band tackles with a psych-rock bent and a tongue-in-cheek wit. DINNER TIME’s 2nd album “Halfway Down” will be released in Fall 2021 by the Record Machine.]
Pala Zolo
Pala Zolo– “Sycophant” from: “Sycophant” – Single / The Record Machine / April 9, 2021 [Pala Zolo released the single “You Can’t” on April 17, 2020. Pala Zolo released the single “Up Northern” on February 8, 2019 on The Record Machine. Pala Zolo is the instrumental electronic project of Lawrence, KS musician Eric Davis. In Pala Zolo, Davis blends synthesizers and drum machines with live instruments to create his blend of cinematic pop music. He chose the name to pay homage to his Sicilian heritage by naming the project after a small Sicilian village he spent time in while studying abroad in Italy. Pala Zolo allows Davis the full freedom to experiment in ways that are a departure from his main gig as the keyboard player in buzzy up-and-coming rock band Hembree (Thirty Tigers, Oread Records). // The inspiration for Pala Zolo came from a chance meeting with fellow electronic musician, Tycho’s Scott Hansen. One day while working at The Granada Theater in Lawrence, Davis was given the job of being Hansen’s driver. For years Davis had been writing and recording his own demos and was completely unsure of what to do with them. After spending the entire day with Hansen and seeing him perform, Davis realized he could bring his incomplete ideas to life in his own unique way. Seeing an instrumental band perform such an emotionally charged set inspired Davis to finish his songs without traditional vocals and to begin creating his own sound in that genre. // Soon after, Davis set forth to finalize the recordings with his good friend and producer Joel Martin (Y god Y). The two of them spent countless hours experimenting with synthetic and acoustic textures to create perfect soundscapes to compliment Davis’ intricately arranged compositions. In 2018, Davis self-released singles House Plant & 40K, and continued to take Pala Zolo to another level by performing live with drummer Gerardo Rojas. The duo brings the songs to life with live synths, guitars and drums and has been resonating with audiences.]
11:28 – Underwriting
Soultru
Soultru – “Must Be” from: The Truth: An Acoustic EP / The Record Machine / October 10, 2020 [This song was first released as part of several singles Soultru has released this year.. Vocals by Terrance Banks. Singer, songwriter, poet and emcee Terrance A Banks aka Soultru is a native of Davenport, Iowa and is currently based out of the Quad Cities area of NW Illinois/NE Iowa. Combining his poetic and lyrical talents with a soulful voice, Soultru has forged his own unique sound. Soultru credits a wide range of influences, including Gavin Degraw, John Legend, Yelawolf and Son Little. More info at: http://www.soultrumusic.com]
Progeny – “Caves of Darkness” from: W A T E R F R U I T / The Record Machine / March 26, 2021, [This new ep is called W A T E R F R U I T Its consisted of gritty, grimey Lo-fi & 90’s boombap chill beats. Still I bring in the sadbangers as well. It has a really nice tropical mood in between each song so let the waves take you on an adventure to where you ended up once before in another lifetime you were in! All these beats were made on a ZOOM Sample Trak 224. All beats were made at my job when the pandemic hit. It Felt like a ghost town where I was at (Im sure that was for everybody though) and so i heard some records and ended up catching these soundscapes of how I felt each day.This will be available on all streaming services. There will only be a limited run of 25 cassette tapes on my bandcamp. ]
11:38 – More Interview with Nathan Reusch
We are talking with Nathan Reusch co-founder of The Record Machine who joins us for the entire second hour to talk about the 18th Anniversary of The Record Machine and to share music from artists on the label and bands playing the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social. More details at http://www.therecordmachine.co
Nathan Reusch thanks for being with us on WMM.
Lemonade Social – September 24 + 25 at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyandotte, West Bottoms KCMO. Friday, September 24, 7:00 PM The Fey, Black Light Animals, Jass, and Indoor Creature. Saturday, September 25, at 7:00 PM The Republic Tigers, Monta At Odds, Brent Windler. Tickets Availabe From Lemonade Park Sponsors: Lemonade Park, The Record Machine, Kosmic City, recordBar, Voltaire. Flyer Design: Chris Meier. Website Design: The Record Machine
11:43
Pageant Boys – “Past Life” from: “Past Life” – Single / The Record Machine / September 17, 2021 [From the upcoming Pageant Boys release Haunted. Alexander Sheppard is the musician behind the name Pageant Boys. In this new slow-burner he gets honest about heartbreak, the fallout of a failed relationship, and the relatable emotions that follow. This single will be part of the new 10-track albun from pageant BoysMore info at: http://www.therecordmachine.co]
Monta At Odds – “Other Side of Yesterday (feat. Your Friend)” from: Peak of Eternal Light / The Record Machine / August 20, 2021 [This is the third single from Monta At Odds upcoming new album, PEAK OF ETERNAL LIGHT due on July 24, 2021, through The Record Machine. For this song, the Kansas City-based band once again collaborated with Taryn Blake Miller, AKA Domino Record Co. artist Your Friend. Follow up single to the Republic Tigers remix of Monta At Odds’ “When I’m Gone” with Kenn Jankowski joining with Teri Quinn on vocals. The two bands are label mates on The Record Machine. Band leader Dedric Moore tells us that after this album Teri Quinn is leaving the band and Kenn Jankowski is joining the band. Monta At Odds released the single, “When I’m Gone. (feat. Teri Quinn)” on March 5, 2021. Monta At Odds has traced its adventure from its inception to vocalist Teri Quinn’s addition to their sleek, indie-Tronic cascade of the band’s latest recording. An electric drum punch and layers of buzzing synths anchor Quinn’s pleading words, depositing the fact that “we both know you’ll feel better when I’m gone.” It’s the hard choice of ending a relationship and hanging on for dear life. // Monta At Odds is a Kansas City combo led by the brothers Dedric and Delaney Moore. The two have played music together all their lives and have been exploring the Monta At Odds sound since the band’s debut in 2000. Dedric’s pulsing, melodic bass and Delaney’s artfully unhinged synthesizers frame the band’s central character, which is fleshed out by a talented cast of musicians and collaborators. The result is a heady sonic pool that has been inscrutably referred to as ‘Ummagumma meets Arthur Russell’s mutant disco at Vangelis’s house.’ // 2020 finds the addition of acclaimed vocalists, guitarists, and songwriters Mikal Shapiro and Teri Quinn to the band’s lineup. With Mikal and Teri’s otherworldly vocal contributions, Monta At Odds continues to push their alternate reality into streamlined consciousness. Lucas Behrens on guitar and synth and Matthew Heinrich on drums both rounds out the stellar lineup. The group released Zen Diagram in May of 2020 as a more post-punk leaning follow-up to Argentum Dreams. Expect minimal rhythms set to maximum noise, shoegazed guitar signals, slo-mo psychedelic darkwave, endless dub echo, and extended-cut warped disco. Live musicians manipulating time and space via knob turning, cymbal cracking, and pedal pushing as they interlock into hypnotic moments of heavenly bliss that seem to hold forever, captivating the mind. // This single is a follow-up to the December 18, 2020 released A GREAT CONJUNCTION their 5-song EP released just in to coincide with the ‘double-planet’ convergence of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21 which last occurred in 1226. These tunes form a soundtrack to the planetary event, five songs linked together by the vastness of space and as a meditation on our infinitesimal place in the universe. The EP featured Krystof Nemeth, Teri Quinn, Alexander Thomas, Dedric Moore and Matthew Heinrich. Monta At Odds released their 4-song EP Zen Diagram last year on May 1, 2020. Monta At Odd’s seventh full-length album, Peak of Eternal Light, is to be released in 2021 on The Record Machine. In late 2020 Monta At Odds released the single “When Stars Grow Old.” Monta At Odds released their 6th full length album Argentum Dreams on Oct 19, 2018. More info at: http://www.facebook.com/montaatodds%5D
[Monta At Odds play the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social – Day 2, Sat,, Sept.25, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO, in the West Bottoms with The Republic Tiger and Brent Windler]
The Republic Tigers – “Risky Business” from: Risky Business – Single / The Record Machine / November 13, 2020 [This single followed the band release of their album MIND OVER MATTER.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. The Record Machine released Mind Over Matter on June 5, 2020]
[Monta At Odds play the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social – Day 2, Sat,, Sept.25, at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO, in the West Bottoms with The Republic Tiger and Brent Windler]
Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now” from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
Next week on Wednesday MidDay Medley, on September 29 we welcome Nico Gray who will be our Guest Producer for a show celebrating the music of Art d’Ecco including excerpts of Nico’s special interview with Art d’Ecco.
Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information. Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
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, September 22, 2021
Joy Zimmerman + Chris Hudson and the Bard Owls + Nathan Reusch of The Record Machine
Jass
Mark plays New & MidCoastal Releases from: Joy Zimmerman, Blvck Hippie, Calvin Arsenia, The Fey, Jass, Indoor Creature, Chris Hudson and the Bard Owls, Dinner Time, Pala Zolo, Soultru, Progeny, Pageant Boys, Monta At Odds, The Republic Tigers, and Josê González.
Joy Zimmerman
At 10:15 singer songwriter Joy Zimmerman joins us live in our 90.1 FM Studios to share music and details about her fabulous new album, THE CANVAS BEFORE US. Joy’s new album reached the Top Ten on the Folk Alliance International Folk Chart. Bob McWilliams, radio host & producer of “Trail Mix” on Kansas Public Radio writes, “Joy Zimmerman has taken her music to a new level on THE CANVAS BEFORE US, which not only showcases her lovely voice but also an array of new songs speaking eloquently and emotionally to the human condition.” More information at http://www.joyzimmerman.com
At 10:35 Mark talks with professional musician and teacher Chris Hudson about his band The Bard Owls and their new album called, THE EASING to be released September 29, 2021. Chris Hudson is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, musician, visual artist, and teacher at Kansas City Young Audiences. The Bard Owls are a Kansas City based acoustic band created and named by Chris Hudson and Sam Wright. Some of the guests on their new album include: Jason Beers, Jeremy Clack, and Kristin Hamilton. Chris Hudson plays as a solo artist and is part of several other bands including: The Multiverse with Julie Bennett Hume, and Gullywasher with Sam Wright and Matt Cathlina. More information at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com
At 11:00 Nathan Reusch co-founder of The Record Machine joins us for the entire second hour to talk about the 18th Anniversary of The Record Machine and to share music from artists on the label and bands playing the 2nd Annual Lemonade Social Friday, September 24, with The Fey, Black Light Animals, Jass, Indoor Creature, and Saturday, September 25, with The Republic Tigers, Monta At Odds and Brent Windler, at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyandotte, in the West Bottoms of Kansas City. More details at http://www.therecordmachine.co
Tune in on 90.1 FM KKFI or streaming live at kkfi.org
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, September 15, 2021
Ivory Blue + The Black Creatures + namelessnunmberheadman + Ari Fish & Alicia Ellingsworth
“Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks” from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979 [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]
Flare Tha Rebel
Flare Tha Rebel & Bob Pulliam – “The Revolution Will Not Be Hashtagged” from: The Revolution Will Not Be Hashtagged / Shafer / July 9, 2021 [Inspired by Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 single, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”. Career and love brought hip-hop MC Flare Tha Rebel back to his hometown of Kansas City, MO, which created a second wind of new music. Noted by The Pitch, “As a member of hip-hop collective Anti-Crew, Flare Tha Rebel made quite an impact on the Kansas City hip-hop scene. After making the leap from KC to Chicago in the late ‘00s, he’s now back…” Known for a highly energetic live performance, Flare has shared the stage with artists such as Chance the Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. Although hip-hop at the core, Flare Tha Rebel’s versatility remains as he balances music with socially progressive themes that are still enjoyable enough to raise a glass to at a party. There’s also a duality to Flare’s approach. Many of his songs are connected to his Art to Empower initiative, raising awareness and funds for a variety of social justice causes and nonprofits. Info at: http://www.flaretharebel.com
Daniel Gum – “The Wolverine (ft. Rachel Cion)” from: The Wolverine (ft. Rachel Cion) – Single / Manor Records / September 10, 2021 [Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS who has been active since 2017—releasing a messy, 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.]
Frogpond – “It’s Not Over” from: “It’s Not Over” – Single / Black-Site Records / September 3, 2021 [Newly reformed KC indie rock band, Frogpond, will release TimeThief, its first album in over twenty years on November 19, 2021, on the KC record label cooperative Black Site. Frogpond is: singer/guitarist and founder Heidi Phillips, long-time bassist, Justine Volpe, with Kristin Conkright on rhythm guitar, and Michelle Bacon on drums. More info at: http://black-site.org/frogpond // Frogpond digitally reissued their Au 1996 vinyl and cassette release Count To Ten on March 12, 2021, 25 years after its original release on August 9, 1996 on Columbia Records. Frogpond was formed in Warrensburg, Missouri. The band existed from 1994-2000, primarily performing in Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas. COUNT TO TEN was the band’s 12-track national debut full length released on Tristar Music – Columbia on CD and vinyl in 1996 with songs written by Heidi Phillips, with Heidi Phillips on vocals & guitar, Justine Volpe on bass, Megan Hamilton on drums, Kristie Stemel on guitar and backing vocals. Art Alexakis (of the band Everclear) served as producer and contributed backing vocals. // In 1999 Frogpond released the 13-track second album, SAFE RIDE HOME on C2 Records – Columbia, on CD and vinyl with songs written by Heidi Phillips, and with Heidi Phillips on vocals & guitar, Justine Volpe on bass & backing vocals, and Billy Johnson on drums. The album was recorded by Doug McBride at Gravity Studios in Chicago who also served as producer and contributed electric piano and piano. // In 1994 Frogpond self released their 8-song cassette release 2%. 2% was produced, engineered, and mixed at Red House Recording, Lawrence, Kansas, October 1994. All songs written by Heidi Phillips, with heidi Phillips on vocals & guitar, Megan Hamilton on drums, Tawni Freeland on guitar, and Annie on bass. Produced, Engineered, and Mixed By E.J. Rose.]
Ivory Blue
Ivory Blue – “Family Tables” from: “Family Tables” – Single / Sound Ballistics Muaic & Publishing / September 7, 2021 [KC based singer songwriter and rock & roller, Ivory Blue is currently in the studio putting together a new full length 10-song album called “Compound Love” for release in 2021. Ivory Blue’s debut EP, Ready Get Set was released in June 2015 and had wide radio airplay on this show and multiple radio and television stations in Kansas City and across the country. In 2017 Ivory was among 1800 bands that competed in neXt2Rock. Ivory won local & regional challenges and advanced to nationals in Los Angeles to win the top prize. Ivøry Blue has played Crossroads Music festival, The Middle of the Map Festival, The Westport Roots Festival, the KCPT Screening of “Real Boy” at The Kansas City Public Library. Ivøry Black plays the Kauffman Stadium, July 1, Royals home game. Born in 1986 in Peoria Illinois, and given up for adoption at the age of four, it was difficult to find trust in people after living with eight different foster families. Running away at 15, Ivøry moved from Indiana to Oklahoma and eventually ended up in Seattle. In 2011 Ivøry moved to Kansas City, and has became a part of new family.]
Klaartje Van Lue & Ivory Blue
10:16 – Interview with Ivory Blue & Klaartje Van Lue
Ivory Blue & manager Klaartje Van Lue join us to talk about Ivory’s new album, COMPOUND LOVE to be released this year, and the new video for Ivory’s song “Family Tables” directed by Mikal Shapiro that features Ivory, and a “family” cast that includes Klaartje and her husband Dan. On August 18, 2021 Ivory Blue signed a publishing deal with Sound Ballistics Music & Publishing of Atlanta GA. This company will manage Ivory with Klaartje and handle all of their publishing. Ivory Blue released the “FAMILY TABLES” music video on August 21, 2021 and the single was released digitally on September 7. Along with finishing Ivory Blue’s first full-length album COMPOUND LOVE, Ivory will also release a new EP, RED LIGHT in 2022. More info at: http://www.ivorybluemusic.com
Ivory Blue & Klaartje Van Lue, thanks for being with us on WMM.
IVORY BLUE lived a nomadic existence until settling in Kansas City MO and becoming part of the local musical community. After winning a nationwide talent contest in 2017 Ivory Blue started having success with some national and international radio play which continues today.
Ivory Blue was born in 1986 in Peoria Illinois, as Devin James Miclettet. Ivory’s birth mother put them up for adoption at the age of four. Ivory speaks about how it was difficult to find trust in people offering their home to someone denied it for so long, Ivory lived with eight different families. before running away at 15.
Ivory has talked with us about how in their life they have turned to music to express pain. Ivory spent most of their childhood looking for a family. In 2010 Klaartje Van Lue saw Ivory performing in a YouTube video and contacted them, flying them Ivory KC, and adopting Ivory into the Van Lue family. During the past 10 years Ivory came out as “Non-Binary Transgender.
As a multi-instrumentalist, Ivory began refining their performance style, using digital looping pedals to stack harmonies and guitar parts live on stage, giving their solo shows the feel of a full band. In 2011, Ivory settled in Kansas City, MO and quickly began attracting an intense regional following for their strong vocals and incisive, deeply personal lyrics.
By 2013, IVORY BLUE was playing regularly in and around Kansas City and the first EP ‘Ready Get Set’ was released. in 2015. While the EP helped spread the word and got much attention from regional radio and TV stations, a big break would come in 2017. Ivory entered NeXt2Rock, a nationwide talent search with over 1800 artists/bands who applied to find fresh and promising rock artists.
The top 5 national bands battled it off for the win in Los Angeles CA at the legendary Viper Room, with judges Scott Borchetta (BMLG), John Varvatos (fashion designer), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols Guitarist and Host of “Jonesy’s Jukebox”), Desmond Child (Musician, producer), Chris Lord-Alge (producer), Ivory Blue won over the judges and became the grand prize winner! Ivory
Ivory won the contest and a one-year record deal with BMLG who re-released the song Ready Get Set from the 2015 EP. Ivory’s 2018 re-release of ‘Ready Get Set’ undauntedly received National and International airplay within weeks.
NeXt2Rock Judges Comments about Ivory Blue:
“You got star quality and a lot of potential” by Steve Jones (Sex Pistols Guitarist and Host of “Jonesy’s Jukebox” on KLOS (95.5) Los Angeles, CA, USA)
“Giving us the diamond in the rough we can only dream of, the foundation that’s built underneath it, that’s what music is made from. by Chris Lord-Alge (Engineer/Mixer).
“I love everything about you, you sing what you live, you’re fantastic” by Desmond Child (Musician \ Songwriter and Producer).
“We’ve been waiting for the WOW, and you are the WOW”, “You’re a true artist” by John Varvatos (Fashion Designer and Record Label Head)
“You exude artistry from the minute you step on that stage” by Scott Borchetta – Big Machine Label Group president and CEO.
“There’s something special about you”, “You’re a true artist” by Gavin Rossdale (British musician, singer, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rock band BUSH).
Ivory Blue
Ivory Blue has played Crossroads Music festival, The Middle of the Map Festival, The Westport Roots Festival, Kansas City Public Library, and Kauffman Stadium.
We are talking with KC based singer songwriter and rock & roller, Ivory Blue has been busy in the studio putting together new music for upcoming releases of a new album COMPOUND LOVE and several EPs. In 2020 Ivory released the singles “Elite Dreamland,” (Feb. 17, 2021), “Half a Life” (Sept. 20, 2021), and “Family Tables” on September 7, 2021.
In February 2020 and after studying the craft of recording and self-producing, this amazing singer-songwriter with soaring vocals, passionate love for everyone struggling through life, released ‘Elite Dreamland’. There are no words to describe the incredible artistry behind this song. a single that hits your heart about understanding how it feels to be misunderstood in a world of people that seem to know what they are doing.
On the new album IVORY BLUE produced all the tracks with the exception of Drums and Bass. Ivory is currently working with Lester Estelle (Drummer for Kelly Clarkson), Craig Kew (Bass) KC, Kurt Festge (Mastering | Citizen Kane & Vilent Femmes) NC. and Nick Poortman (LA based Los Angeles based Producer, Engineer, Mixer, and Songwriter) Nick has worked alongside producers including Justin Gray, Gil Norton, Big Tank, and Greg Haver on sessions throughout the USA, UK, Europe, and New Zealand.
On August 18th 2021 Ivory Blue signed a publishing deal with Sound Ballistics Music & Publishing out of Atlanta GA.
Ivory Blue & Klaartje Van Lue
Ivory Blue released the video of ‘FAMILY TABLES’ on August 21, 2021 and the track was released on September 7, 2021. Ivory Blue is currently finishing the first full length CD/Album ‘Compound Love’ to be released in 2021 as well as the Red Light EP for 2022.
“Family Tables” hit #1 on Banks Radio in Australia the first week of the release. 23 countries have listed on Ivory’s Spotify reports and that after just 1 week released.
Kayden Gorden from The Kayden Gordon Radio Show has asked for a radio interview. The Kayden Gordon show is heard on 60+ stations (FM & Online) across the world.
IVORY BLUE signed with Sound Ballistics Music & Publishing on Aug 18th, 2021. This is a new Publishing Company out of the Atlanta GA area. They have big plans for IVORY BLUE. Ben Baeumert. Founder and CEO is an artist himself with many years of experience in the music industry. He’s already been contacted by a large music supervisor company who said that IVORY BLUE’s music is amazing and that they love everything about the artist and wants to pitch the music to Music Licensees for potential TV, Film, commercials etc. That’s exciting news knowing that this will push music to a lot of listeners.
They were going to take over management for IVORY BLUE per my request, but instead partnered up with us to help the business grow and keep me as sole manager for IVORY BLUE and at their request other artists as well. I am therefore going to continue as Devin’s manager (she actually didn’t want me to hand over to another manager so was so happy about that decision) As far as the other artists, I haven’t made a final decision yet.
Multiple national & international radio stations have shown interest to play Family Tables
The music video for “Family Tables” was shown during the 17th Annual Crossroads Music Festival. IVORY wrote the plot for the music video and Mikal Shapiro produced and captured IVORY’s vision perfectly.
Ivory Blue
Ivory Blue has been on the WMM 11 times since 2015.
Ivory Blue & Klaartje Van Lue, thanks for being with us on WMM.
Ivory Blue’s new album, COMPOUND LOVE to be released this year, and the new video for Ivory’s song “Family Tables” directed by Mikal Shapiro was released on August 21, 2021 and the single was released digitally on September 7. On August 18, 2021 Ivory Blue signed a publishing deal with Sound Ballistics Music & Publishing of Atlanta GA. Along with finishing Ivory Blue’s first full-length album COMPOUND LOVE, Ivory will also release a new EP, RED LIGHT in 2022. More info at: http://www.ivorybluemusic.com
10:29
Ivory Blue
Ivory Blue – “Elite Dreamland” from: “Elite Dreamland” – Single / Sound Ballistics Muaic & Publishing / September 20, 2020 [KC based singer songwriter and rock & roller, Ivory Blue is currently in the studio putting together a new full length 10-song album called “Compound Love” for release in 2021. Ivory Blue’s debut EP, Ready Get Set was released in June 2015 and had wide radio airplay on this show and multiple radio and television stations in Kansas City and across the country. In 2017 Ivory was among 1800 bands that competed in neXt2Rock. Ivory won local & regional challenges and advanced to nationals in Los Angeles to win the top prize. Ivøry Blue has played Crossroads Music festival, The Middle of the Map Festival, The Westport Roots Festival, the KCPT Screening of “Real Boy” at The Kansas City Public Library. Ivøry Black plays the Kauffman Stadium, July 1, Royals home game. Born in 1986 in Peoria Illinois, and given up for adoption at the age of four, it was difficult to find trust in people after living with eight different foster families. Running away at 15, Ivøry moved from Indiana to Oklahoma and eventually ended up in Seattle. In 2011 Ivøry moved to Kansas City, and has became a part of new family.]
10:33 – Underwriting
Arquesta Del SolSoul – “GROW SOMETHING (Fela Minded KC)” from: GROW SOMETHING (Fela Minded KC) – Single / unreleased [Arquesta Del SolSoul is a Kansas City-based music collective featuring 3 musicians who worked together in Hearts of Darkness. They call themselves, “African Futurist Genre Killerz from the Middle of the Map bringing an innovative multidimensional sound inspired by our founding musical ancestors to decolonize and time bend indigenous sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America, West, Central, and Southern Africa.” Members include (but not limited to) Les Izmore, Jessica Ayala, Brad Williams, Jade Green, Chalis O’Neal, Irving Graham, Ernest Melton, Andres Ramirez, Fabian Prado.]
Alicia Ellingsworth & Ari Fish
10:36 – Interview with Alicia Ellingsworth & Ari Fish
Alicia Ellingsworth
Alicia Ellingsworth is Executive Director and Co-Founder of The KC Farm School at Gibbs Road. Alicia has always fed people. She waited tables in high school and through college at Ohio State, and after across the country. She apprenticed with biodynamic farmer Mark Trela at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana for several years before coming to Gibbs Road Farm in 2009. It was there she found home and for six years demonstrated how much food can be grown on one urban acre utilizing six high tunnels for year-round production with sales topping $135,000. Her farm crews were apprentice farmers and over the course of those years she mentored 40+ young growers at Gibbs Farm and at the Juniper Gardens Training Farm‘s New Roots For Refugees program. She’s a Robert Wood Johnson Fellow, serves on the Growing Growers Organizing Committee, Johnson County Community College Sustainable Ag Advisory Board, and was the 2019 recipient of the John Kaiahua Mentorship Award. For Alicia this farm grows possibility and a place where hope lives.
Alicia Ellingsworth thank you for being with us today on WMM.
Ari Fish
Ari Fish is a 4th-generation gardener with over 16 years of experience as an educator. Ari is a professional artist specializing in large-scale, multimedia installation, the winner of the prestigious Charlotte Street Visual Artist Award, and a two-time recipient of the ArtsKC Inspiration Grant. Her passion is in community engagement and cultivating curiosity and a love of learning at all ages. When she is not teaching or making art, Fish can be found working in her garden with her two daughters, Iko and Ona, cooking from her own recipes, and researching music history. To see some of Ari’s art you can visit: http://www.arifish.com
Ari Fish thank you for being with us today on WMM.
Alicia Ellingsworth & Ari Fish about The KC Farm School at Gibbs Road and the FALL FEST AT COMMON GROUND, Saturday, October 2, at 3:00 PM, 4223 Gibbs Rd, Kansas City, KS 66106, an on-farm community celebration to enjoy, explore and imagine with farm tours, live music, interactive agricultural demonstrations, storytelling, and more. More info at: http://www.kcfarmschool.org/fall-fest.
Alicia Ellingsworth & Ari Fish tell us about The KC Farm School at Gibbs Road 4223 Gibbs Rd, Kansas City, KS 66106
KC Farm School at Gibbs Road empowers individuals of all ages, abilities, and ancestries through on-farm, hands-on experiences connecting them to opportunity and their community.
The center of its community, the farm generates an inspiring environment transforming the individual and society through community-wide, multi-generational, participatory, and collaborative food projects and while it provides vocational training, job opportunities, healing, and fun.
KC Farm School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Every Wednesday from 3:00 to 6:00 PM the Farmer’s Market at KC Farm School at Gibbs Road, 4223 Gibbs Road, KCK 66106 is open and with an online store, where customers can order online by 2:00 PM and then pick up produce during market hours from 3 to 6. Featuring organically grown veggie, herbs and floweres along with products from farmers and producers including: Circle 7 Fuller Farms, Doña Fina Family Farmed Coffee, Van Eden Garden, Ferments Fair Share Farm, The Kansas City Food Hub, Skyview Farm and Creamery, and others. Pay-what-you’re-able. Www.kcfarmschool.org
Common Ground: KC Farm School is thrilled to announce their purchase of an additional eleven acres of raw, rolling land just east of our current farm site. It will be a gathering and growing space with wild and shared places, and room for orchards, animals, composting, and more. KC Farm School imagines Common Ground as a safe space for critical conversations that seed action. KC farm School believes in the power of this community to join in to create a tomorrow better than today, right here, right now.
It is time to gather on Common Ground. KC Farm School feels able to accomplish a lot because they invite the community to join in the effort. If you feel inclined to learn more about growing Common Ground, please reach out. Contact Lydia Nebel, Farm Director at Common Ground, lydia@kcfarmschool.org
FALL FEST AT COMMON GROUND, Saturday, October 2, at 3:00 PM, 4223 Gibbs Rd, Kansas City, KS 66106, an on-farm community celebration to enjoy, explore and imagine.
Fall Fest is a community celebration at Common Ground, KC Farm School’s eleven-acre addition. KC Farm School invites the community to visit the farm to enjoy, explore, and imagine what we might do on this rolling land just east of our beloved Gibbs Road Farm. Admission is free. Donations appreciated. There will be: Farm Tours, Fun and Games, Placemaking Activities, Interactive ag demos, Geocaching, Bouncy Houses!, Storytelling, Live Music, Online Silent Auction, Community Resources, and Free COVID Testing & Vaccines More info at: http://www.kcfarmschool.org/fall-fest.
Alicia Ellingsworth and Ari Fish thank you for being with us today on WMM.
FALL FEST AT COMMON GROUND, Saturday, October 2, at 3:00 PM, 4223 Gibbs Rd, Kansas City, KS 66106, an on-farm community celebration to enjoy, explore and imagine with farm tours, live music, interactive agricultural demonstrations, storytelling, and more. More info at: http://www.kcfarmschool.org/fall-fest.
10:48
7B. Arquesta Del SolSoul – “GROW SOMETHING (Fela Minded KC)” from: GROW SOMETHING (Fela Minded KC) – Single / unreleased [Arquesta Del SolSoul is a Kansas City-based music collective featuring 3 musicians who worked together in Hearts of Darkness. They call themselves “:African Futurist Genre Killerz from the Middle of the Map bringing an innovative multidimensional sound inspired by our founding musical ancestors to decolonize and time bend indigenous sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America, West, Central, and Southern Africa.” Members include (but not limited to) Les Izmore, Jessica Ayala, Brad Williams, Jade Green, Chalis O’Neal, Irving Graham, Ernest Melton, Andres Ramirez, Fabian Prado.]
Jade Gree, Xavier Martin, Alicia Ellingsworth, and Ari Fish
10:50
Melissa Mayhew – “Mountain” from: Mountain – Single / Melissa Mayhew / August 18, 2021 [Produced by Eric Davis of the band Hembre. Originally from Lawrence, Kansas now living in Nashville.Melissa graduated from Lawrence Free State High School in 2008. Melissa studied at Belmont University. More info at: http://www.melissa-mayhew.com]
Baby and the Brian – “PT Cruiser” from: BrainBaby / Baby and the Brian / September 3, 2021 [Baby and the Brain is comprised of 18 year old Jo Mackenzie (producer and songwriter) and 19 year old Dia Jane (singer/songwriter), who met at an open mic in Kansas City, Missouri, when Jo was in 8th grade and Dia was in 10th grade. Three years later, the two reconnected to started a musical project together that eventually turned into Baby and the Brain, a self-produced indie-pop band. Baby and the Brain also released the 8-track, BrainBaby with BONUS TRACKS on September 5, 2021. Info at: http://www.babybrainband.bandcamp.com]
Blvck Hippie – “If You Feel Alone At Parties” from: “If You Feel Alone At Parties” – Single / The Record Machine / August 6, 2021 [“If you listen through If You Feel Alone At Parties you’ll hear a restlessness woven into the fabric of the songs. From the angular, affected guitar to the pensive vocals, Josh Shaw invites us into a Sad Boy Indie Rock world that feels nostalgic and pioneering at the same time. It’s a search for home in musical form, led by Shaw’s acute lyrics and ardent playing.” -Davy Haynes. Blvck Hippie is a Sad Boy Indie Rock Band from Memphis, Tennessee, tryna show Black kids that they can be weird too. More info at: blvckhippie.com]
11:00 – Station ID
The Black Creatures
The Black Creatures – “Negative Zero” from: “Negative Zero” – Single / Center Cut Records / April 2, 2021 [remixed, remastered][All proceeds from this track go to the Tamir Rice Foundation. Info at: http://www.tamirericefoundation.org. The Black Creatures are Jade Green & Xavier Martin. This song was originally on their December 6, 2017 release, SEE NO EVIL The song was recently re-recorded. Band member Xavier Martin told us that, “Everything was done from the ground up. Remixing, rerecording, mastering, etc.” The Black Creatures wanted to released this as a single and video as a “part-two” to their earlier single and video release for: “wretched (it goes)”, which was originally released on The Black Creatures 2019/2020 album Wild Echoes. The video for “Negative Zero” picks up where the video for “Wretched (It Goes)” left off, “so there is a conceptual thread between the two,” says Patrick Sprehe of Center Cut Records. All music produced, arranged, recorded, and performed by The Black Creatures. Engineering and Mastering by J. Ashley Miller aka Jametatone. The Black Creatures write, “We talk about it all the time, but ‘Negative Zero’ is the best example of this phenomenon; sometimes we come together with pieces of a song that fit together so perfectly the results surprise even us. So, conceiving a video that acutely paralleled the direness of the message was a huge deal for us. The process happened in a similarly fluid stride that furthered our awareness of the unfortunate necessity of art, media, and dialogue that exist in the same sphere. With that in mind, there’s some positivity we hope fans of The Black Creatures can also takeaway from this music video. // We had been sitting on this video for a while, already finished filming and that whole process was very fun and literally nourishing (because we got Fannie’s West African Cuisine to celebrate after filming). Like past music video releases, we worked with Rondevu Productions on this video—and it was a careful little gathering! We all got our ‘negative’ COVID test results within 48 hours of each other and said, ‘Okay, let’s go to the lake like a family,’ and we did. We spent two days filming on a freezing cold lake, dancing on cryptic constructions, and being outside way late at night. // We have set up this release to directly fund The Tamir Rice Foundation, founded by mother Samaria Rice. We also encourage others who can, to give to something that is centered around Black life.” // After being signed to Center Cut Records the label remastered and reissued Wild Echoes and began releasing singles. “Wild Echoes” was #2 in WMM’s 119 Favorite Releases of 2019 (Albums & EPs). The Black Creatures fuse dark-pop hip-hop, soul, jazz, and electronic music with elements from science fiction to tell inter-dimensional stories of love, community, life, culture, history. Xavier & Jade have made an impression in the KC music community with their live shows in clubs, galleries, record stores, and area music festivals.]
[The Black Creatures play Pints On The Patio at The KC Irish Center, Drexel Hall, September 16, 2021] [The Black Creatures play Plaza Art Fair, September 24, 2021] [The Black Creatures play AMERI’KANA at Grinders, September 25, 2021] [The Black Creatures play Raj Mahal with Stephonne on September 25, 2021 [The Black Creatures play Troostapalooza on October 2, 2021]
The Black Creatures
11:05 – Interview with Jade Green & Xavier Martin
Jade Green & Xavier Martin of The Black Creatures recently played The 17th Annual Crossroads Music Fest last weekend and coming up will play Pints On The Patio at The KC Irish Center, at Drexel Hall, September 16, 2021; the Plaza Art Fair, September 24, 2021; AMERI’KANA at Grinders, September 25, 2021; the Raj Mahal with Stephonne on September 25, 2021; and Troostapalooza on October 2, 2021.
The Black Creatures, return to WMM to share their new single, “True Friends” to be released this Friday, September 17, 2021 through Center Cut Records. The single is the first from their upcoming album, BY THY HAND produced by Xavier, and written by Jade and Xavier, and mastered by Collin Jordan (Xiu Xiu, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco). The single features the hallmark vocals and beats from their previous album, WILD ECHOES, that was re-released and re-mastered by Center Cut in 2020 and named Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine. The Black Creatures will be releasing more singles and videos leading up to the release of BY THY HAND next year. You can find more info at: http://www.theblackcreatures.com or http://www.centercutrecords.com
Jade Green & Xavier Martin welcome back to Wednesday MidDay Medley.
The Black Creatures recently released their single “Negative Zero” on April 2, 2021, with a music video that was the continuation of a story from their earlier single and video release for “wretched (it goes),” (originally released on The Black Creatures 2019/2020 album Wild Echoes.) Wild Echoes landed at #2 on WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019, after being remastered and reissued by CenterCut Records in 2020.
Mark’s brief review: “Being named “Album of The Year” from The Pitch Kansas City was the recognition this young band deserved, because there is really no other band in Kansas City creating incredibly beautiful and painful protest songs in multi genre styles of beats, vocal styles, textures. The immediate personal and poetic lyrics of Jade Green and tribal, dance floor and soulful beats and melodies of Xavier bring the listener into a multicultural, mixed, gender fluid, soul celebration of life and an honest indictment of the racist, homophobic, and sexist world they are navigating through to survive. Listen carefully to these young music makers, they are wise beyond their years. They sound beautiful and speak the truth to power. They are beautiful. They are The Black Creatures.”
From Center Cut Records Promo Materials: The Black Creatures make a point to blur the lines of genre while maintaining a recognizable cohesion; oftentimes blending contemporary styles of pop, hip-hop, dance, R&B, EDM and soul with cinematic and storytelling sci-fi/fantasy elements and themes. With the complex and creative approach The Black Creatures take to their art, a diverse audience regularly flocks to their gripping and intensely enchanting performances.
Representing the strange land of Kansas City, Missouri, Jade Green and Xavier began working together around the end of 2013 after meeting on-line talking about cosmetics. After Jade stumbled upon Xavier’s SoundCloud, they asked if they could put their vocals on it, and this led to future collaborations with no more than the intention to dabble. They couldn’t stop and eventually dubbed the project The Black Creatures.
Both Jade & Xavier write and perform vocals, with Xavier at the helm of production and composition. Jade Green has a vocal background in opera and a penchant for theatrics, and both are the foundation of their ever-evolving approach to writing and performing in The Black Creatures. While the instrumentals may set the tone for the show, Jade’s voice captivates the audience from beginning to end. Originally a violinist, Xavier unfurled into a producer and vocalist, maintaining the same air of intrigue and mystery throughout his compositions and performances in The Black Creatures.
After releasing Wild Echoes in the fall of 2020, the record received Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine, along with high praise from around the world for the four released singles and accompanying videos. “Wretched (It Goes)” was featured in the NPR Live Sessions “Songs For Change” when The Black Creatures were selected as one of 12 national artists, and included in 90.9 The Bridge’s Top 100 singles along with their song “D’ummm” which was in heavy rotation in the winter. Nuance Magazine wrote, “The Black Creatures take their musical talents and use them in such a way that forces listeners to not only tap their foot to a catchy tune, but pay attention and feel something about what is going on in the world around them. Tackling fascism, police brutality, and the deep-rooted effects of slavery in a rhythmic fashion is one thing. Simultaneously making it a good listen is another. However, The Black Creatures make it happen.”
The Black Creatures will be releasing more singles and videos leading up to the release of By Thy Hand, and they have a full plate of performances in the coming months, so keep your antennae up!
The Black Creatures have new single “True Friends” coming out Friday
11:13
The Black Creatures – “True Friends” from: “True Friends” – Single / Center Cut Records / September 17, 2021 [The single is the first from their upcoming album, BY THY HAND produced by Xavier, and written by Jade and Xavier, and mastered by Collin Jordan (Xiu Xiu, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco). The single features the hallmark vocals and beats from their previous album, WILD ECHOES, that was re-released and re-mastered by Center Cut in 2020 and named Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine.]
We are talking with Jade Green & Xavier Martin of The Black Creatures who played The 17th Annual Crossroads Music Fest last weekend and will play Pints On The Patio at The KC Irish Center, at Drexel Hall, September 16, 2021; the Plaza Art Fair, September 24, 2021; AMERI’KANA at Grinders, September 25, 2021; the Raj Mahal with Stephonne on September 25, 2021; and Troostapalooza on October 2, 2021. The Black Creatures’ new single, “True Friends” will be released this Friday, September 17, 2021 through Center Cut Records.
Jade Green & Xavier Martin welcome back to Wednesday MidDay Medley.
The single is the first from their upcoming album By Thy Hand produced by Xavier, and written by Jade Green and Xavier.
Mastered by Collin Jordan (Xiu Xiu, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco).
The Black Creatures will be releasing more singles and videos leading up to the release of BY THY HAND next year.
Per Jade, “This song is not only a celebration, but an offering of gratitude to the support system that I’ve been lucky to have in my life. Especially during this time where everybody feels so isolated, so far removed from community and from collaboration, this song is a cheeky way of telling listeners ‘you deserve loyalty, you deserve love – did you forget who the F you are?!'”
Xavier Martin is DJ/Writer/Producer/Rapper/Singer at The Black Creatures
Jade Green performs with: Arquesta Del SolSoul. a Kansas City-based music collective featuring 3 musicians who worked together in Hearts of Darkness. They call themselves: African Futurist Genre Killerz from the Middle of the Map bringing an innovative multidimensional sound inspired by our founding musical ancestors to decolonize and time bend indigenous sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America, West, Central, and Southern Africa.” Members include Les Izmore, Jessica Ayala, Brad Williams, Jade Green, Chalis O’Neal, Irving Graham, Ernest Melton, Andres Ramirez, Fabian Prado.
9/10 Wildstock — K-State Student Union (Manhattan, KS) 9/11 Crossroads Music Fest — Parlor 9/16 Pints On The Patio — The KC Irish Center, Drexel Hall 9/24 Plaza Art Fair 9/25 AMERI’KANA — Grinders 9/25 Raj Mahal w/Stephonne 10/2 Troostapalooza 10/9 miniBar w/Nan + The One Nite Stands And Stay Outside 10/13 Mockingbird Lounge 10/15 Art On Oak w/Kian Byrne — Second Presbyterian Church 10/22 The Ship 10/23 Charlotte Street Magic Mirror Ball Gala
Congratulations on being signed to Center Cut Records
All proceeds from The Black Creatures single “Negative Zero” go to the Tamir Rice Foundation. Info at: http://www.tamirericefoundation.org. This song was originally released on the December 6, 2017 album, SEE NO EVIL The song was re-recorded. Band member Xavier Martin told us that, “Everything was done from the ground up. Remixing, rerecording, mastering, etc.”
The Black Creatures write, “We talk about it all the time, but ‘Negative Zero’ is the best example of this phenomenon; sometimes we come together with pieces of a song that fit together so perfectly the results surprise even us. So, conceiving a video that acutely paralleled the direness of the message was a huge deal for us. The process happened in a similarly fluid stride that furthered our awareness of the unfortunate necessity of art, media, and dialogue that exist in the same sphere. With that in mind, there’s some positivity we hope fans of The Black Creatures can also takeaway from this music video. // We had been sitting on this video for a while, already finished filming and that whole process was very fun and literally nourishing (because we got Fannie’s West African Cuisine to celebrate after filming). Like past music video releases, we worked with Rondevu Productions on this video—and it was a careful little gathering! We all got our ‘negative’ COVID test results within 48 hours of each other and said, ‘Okay, let’s go to the lake like a family,’ and we did. We spent two days filming on a freezing cold lake, dancing on cryptic constructions, and being outside way late at night. // We have set up this release to directly fund The Tamir Rice Foundation, founded by mother Samaria Rice. We also encourage others who can, to give to something that is centered around Black life.”
The Black Creatures “Mouth 2 Mouth” – Single, June 5, 2016. The Black Creatures released their debut album, See No Evil, Dec. 6, 2017. The Black Creatures “Elements” – Single, February 14, 2018 The Black Creatures “Silver Tears” – Single, June 19, 2018 with additional voices provided by AniMal (Ana Marcela Maldonado Morales) , Barbara Solomon , Kassidee, Quaranta , Adres Va Cortas The Black Creatures “Dare” (Gorillaz Cover)” – Single, August 8, 2019 The Black Creature – Wild Echoes – September 30, 2019 The Black Creatures – “Turn” – Single, October 30, 2019 The Black Creatures – “Quartz (Twilight)” – Single, November 13, 2019 The Black Creatures – “SHINE” – Single, December 11, 2019 The Black Creatures- “Ghost Bustin’ Dead Prezidentz” – Single, January 8, 2020 The Black Creatures – “To Whom It May Concern” – Single, January 22, 2020 The Black Creatures – “Arcade Love” – Single, February 5, 2020 The Black Creatures – “Run Up” – Single, February 19, 2020. The Black Creature – Wild Echoes – September 30, 2019 The Black Creatures – “wretched (it goes)”- Single [Center Cut], July 17, 2020 [remastered] The Black Creature – Wild Echoes – Album (Remastered] August 28, 2020 [Center Cut] The Black Creatures – “Negative Zero” – Single/Video [Center Cut] April 2, 2021 [remixed, remastered] The Black Creatures – “True Friends” – Single [Center Cut] Sept. 17, 2021
Jade Green & Xavier Martin, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
The Black Creatures play Pints On The Patio at The KC Irish Center, Drexel Hall, September 16, 2021 the Plaza Art Fair, September 24, 2021, AMERI’KANA at Grinders, September 25, 2021, the Raj Mahal with Stephonne on September 25, 2021 and Troostapalooza on October 2, 2021, More info at: http://www.centercutrecords.com
We go out with, “wretched (it goes)” originally released on The Black Creatures 2019 album Wild Echoes. In 2020 Center Cut Records remixed and remastered and reissued a the album and released “Wild Echoes” as one of 4 singles from the album. In 2020 The Pitch named Wild Echoes “Album of the Year”.
11:25
Chuck Wittington, Andrew Sallee. Xavier Marting, and Jade Green
The Black Creatures – “wretched (it goes)” from: “wretched (it goes)” – Single / Center Cut Records / July 17, 2020 [remastered] [“wretched (it goes)” was originally released on The Black Creatures 2019 album Wild Echoes. Recently released as a single in collaboration with Center Cut Records who remixed a few of the songs, and added some new vocals, and remastered the album. Center Cut Records released the full remastered album on August 28 2020. The Black Creatures are Jade Green & Xavier Martin. “Wild Echoes” was #2 in WMM’s 119 Favorite Releases of 2019 (Albums & EPs). Since the release of ”Wild Echoes” the band has released seven entirely new songs, nearly one per month, all posted to their bandcamp page. The Black Creatures fuse dark-pop hip-hop, soul, jazz, and electronic music with elements from science fiction to tell inter-dimensional stories of love, community, life, culture, history. Xavier & Jade have made an impression in the KC music community with their live shows in clubs, galleries, record stores, and area music festivals.]
[The Black Creatures play Pints On The Patio at The KC Irish Center, Drexel Hall, September 16, 2021] [The Black Creatures play Plaza Art Fair, September 24, 2021] [The Black Creatures play AMERI’KANA at Grinders, September 25, 2021] [The Black Creatures play Raj Mahal with Stephonne on September 25, 2021 [The Black Creatures play Troostapalooza on October 2, 2021]
11:28 – Underwriting
Namelessnumberhadmand
namelessnumberheadman – “Mt Analogue St” from: Mt. Analogue St.- Single / Namelessnumberheadman / August 13, 2021 [1st single, from their upcoming album, PLOT THE POINTS. Info at: https://soundcloud.com/nnhm. Mt Analogue St – Rene Daumal wrote a moving, amusing, and confusing book, Mount Analogue, in which there is an expedition to find a mountain that is so tall that the top can’t be seen. Why might someone want to take the journey up the mountain? Step after step plodding up the mountain, trusting that even though no one has seen the peak, that it’s actually there. Namelessnumberheadman is: Chuck Whittington, Jason Lewis, and Andrew Sallee. Plot the Points will be released on Friday, September 2, 2021. Back in 2019 Namelessnumberheadman released three instrumental records (The Ground, Current, and Meditations) which we were very proud of. But during the shutdown in 2020 we decided to dive back into our classic way of working: melding catchy rock/folk songs with sonic panoramas.]
11:33:30 – Interview with Chuck Whittington & Andrew Sallee
Chuck Whittington & Andrew Sallee, who with Jason Lewis, make up the alternative trio, Namelessnumberheadman. The band is releasing their new album, PLOT THE POINTS, on September 24, 2021. Originally from small-town Oklahoma, but now Kansas City-based with one member in Boston, the band crafts recordings and live performances that are part lab-experiment and part indie rock band. In 2019 Namelessnumberheadman released three instrumental albums of experimental sounds, and ambience. When the shutdown of 2020 happened, the band took the opportunity to focus on recording the collection of pop songs and ambitious soundscapes that make up 2021’s PLOT RHE POINTS, which includes recent singles: “Mt Analogue St” and “From Up Above.” Namelessnumberheadman play recordBar, 1520 Grand, KCMO on Friday, October. 1, with Elevator Division. Namelessnumberheadman play Replay Lounge, October 23.
Chuck Whittington & Andrew Sallee thanks for being with us on WMM.
We first discovered the music of namelessnumberheadman on the 2007 OxBlood First Blood Compilation that featured the band’s song “Unchopping Our First Tree” with somgs fro, Olympic Size, The Republic Tigers, Ghosty, In The Pines, Roman Numerals, The Pedaljets, Ssion, American Catastrophe, Architects, Lovers in Transet, Be/Non, and Softee. That compilation was an early roadmap to the area music community for the early years of WMM.
In 2009 the band’s song “Lesser Fates” was included in 72 Musicians the film and soundtrack.
“Namelessnumberheadman is a band that holds polar opposites together: Acoustic guitar with synthesizer. Human voices with sound glitches. The organic with the synthetic. The ground with the stars.”
The guitar and vocal work is always perfection. The music crosses through genre like an an olympic ice skater, I’m hearing the production quality of an Air album, from a band presenting the,selve not unlike late 1980s DEVO, with folk, country, progressive guitar, and harmonic, clear vocals that remind me of my humanity, while tumble traveling through space and time in a cluttered world this music takes me into a different space.
Originally from small-town Oklahoma, but now Kansas City-based with one member in Boston, the band crafts recordings and live performances that are part lab-experiment and part indie rock band.
In 2019 Namelessnumberheadman released three instrumental albums of experimental sounds, and ambience.
When the shutdown of 2020 happened, the band took the opportunity to focus on recording the collection of pop songs and ambitious soundscapes that make up 2021’s PLOT RHE POINTS, which includes recent singles: “Mt Analogue St” and “From Up Above.”
Namelessnumberheadman (Recent Discography)
When We Leave, We Will Know Where We’ve Been – 10-track album – January 1, 2002 (Scatterplot Sounds) Your Voice Repeating – 11-track album – 2003 (Scatterplot Sounds) Wires Reply – 11 track album – April 24, 2004 (St. Ives) “Unchopping Our First Tree” – Single Track on First Blood Compilation – May 8, 2007 (Oxblood Records) The Ground – 9-track album – January 25, 2019 Current – 5-track album – September 6, 2019 Meditations – 5-track album – December 27, 2019 “Mt. Analogue St.” – Single – August 13, 2021 “From Up Above” – Single – September 10, 2021 Plot The Points – 7-track album – September 24, 2021
Chuck Whittington also plays in the band Summer Breeze: a tribute to Yacht Rock with Billy Brimblecom and Greg LaFollette and others.
Chuck Whittington also plays in the “house band” for ThunderGong! also with Billy Brimblecom and Greg LaFollette and others.
Chuck Whittington & Andrew Sallee thanks for being with us on WMM.
Namelessnumberheadman releasing their new album, PLOT THE POINTS, on September 24, 2021. Namelessnumberheadman play recordBar, 1520 Grand, KCMO on Friday, Oct. 1, with Elevator Division. Namelessnumberheadman play Replay Lounge, October 23.
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15.namelessnumberheadman – “From Up Above” from: From Up Above – Single / Namelessnumberheadman / September 10, 2021 2nd single, from the new upcoming album, PLOT THE POINTS. Namelessnumberheadman is: Chuck Whittington, Jason Lewis, and Andrew Sallee. Plot the Points will be released on Friday, September 2, 2021. Back in 2019 Namelessnumberheadman released three instrumental records (The Ground, Current, and Meditations) which we were very proud of. But during the shutdown in 2020 we decided to dive back into our classic way of working: melding catchy rock/folk songs with sonic panoramas.]
[Namelessnumberheadman play recordBar, 1520 Grand, KCMO on Fri, Oct. 1, with Elevator Division] [Namelessnumberheadman play Replay Lounge, October 23]
Low – “More” from: Hey What / Sub Pop Records / September 10, 2021 [Focusing on their craft, staying out of the fray, and holding fast their faith to find new ways to express the discord and delight of being alive, to turn the duality of existence into hymns we can share, Low present HEY WHAT. These ten pieces—each built around their own instantaneous, undeniable hook—are turbocharged by the vivid textures that surround them. The ineffable, familiar harmonies of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker break through the chaos like a life raft. Layers of distorted sound accrete with each new verse – building, breaking, colossal then restrained, a solemn vow only whispered. There will be time to unravel and attribute meaning to the music and art of these times, but the creative moment looks FORWARD, with teeth. HEY WHAT is Low’s thirteenth full-length release in twenty-seven years, and their third with producer BJ Burton.
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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 fabulous 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.]
Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now” from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
Next week on Wednesday MidDay Medley, on September 22 we talk with singer songwriter Joy Zimmererman about her fabulous new album THE CANVAS BEFORE US. Chris Hudsonalso joins us to share music from his new release with his band the Bard Owls called THE EASING being released September 29. And in our second hour Nathan Reusch joins us to share music from The Record Machine and bands playing the Lemonade Social September 24 and September 25 at Lemonade Park including The Republic Tigers, Monta At Odds, The Fey, Indoor Creature, Brent Windler, Jass, Black Light Animals celebrating the 18th Anniversary of The Record Machine!
Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information. Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
Wednesday MidDay Medley 