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

10:00 – Station ID

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980 [WMM’s theme song]

2. Seth Bogart – “Club With Me”
from: Seth Bogart / Burger Records / February 19, 2016
[Seth Bogart is know for his San Francisco based punk band Hunx and His Punx that he started in 2008 after years of performing in a gay pop group called Gravy Train, and before that Panty Raid. In February 2012, Hunx released a solo album titled “Hairdresser Blues” on Hardly Art. After relocating to Los Angeles and he came interested in creating his own web variety series and art installations, and in 2016, he released his second solo album Seth Bogart, featuring collaborations from Kathleen Hanna and Tavi Gevinson.]

3. The Fever – “Sinkin'”
from: Dirty Hot EP / Independent / September 9, 2015
[Berlin based rock/synth-punk/new wave 2-piece band. THE FEVER is a guy, a girl, a guitar, a synthesizer and a drum machine.]

[The Fever play miniBar, tomorrow night, Thursday, March 24, at 10:00 pm]

4. Field Music – “Disappointed”
from: Commontime / Memphis Industries / February 5, 2016
[6th full-length studio album by English band Field Music,formed in 2004 by brothers David and Peter Brewis (who at one time played drums for fellow Sunderland band The Futureheads), with Andrew Moore as keyboardist along several others.. Their style has been dubbed ‘prog-pop’ by the British music press, reflecting both the experimental and traditional elements of their compositional style. Common time was recorded in their Sunderland studio. The album marks a shift towards the R&B and funk-like style earlier exhibited on David Brewis’s second solo record as School of Language. The album’s lyrics were heavily inspired by the brothers’ children, and it was Peter’s son’s love of Hall & Oates and American number-one singles that shaped the less fractured, more accessible structure and style of the album. Lead single, “The Noisy Days Are Over”, received a brief endorsement by musician Prince on Twitter. The album was well received by most critics, at various times being compared favorably to comparisons to XTC, Genesis, 10cc, ELO, The Neptunes, Todd Rundgren, Talking Heads, Lambchop and Hot Chip. All songs written & composed by David & Peter Brewis.]

5. Bibio – “Town & Country (Radio Edit)”
from: A Mineral Love / Warp Records / April 1, 2016
[8th studio album from pop mastermind Bibio who is Stephen James Wilkinson an English music producer. His music is primarily electronic and experimental in nature. Bibio is a resident of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, England, Wilkinson developed a passion for experimental music during his time at Middlesex University in London, where he studied “sonic arts”. He developed his own style of music, drawing from contemporary experimental electronica bands such as Boards of Canada, and incorporating field recordings and found sounds. Electronically modified guitar melodies and droning synthesizer sounds are a recurring theme in his pieces, causing many people to label his music as a hybrid of electronica or intelligent dance music and folk music. Wilkinson adopted the alias Bibio from the name of a small black and red fly his father used on childhood fishing trips in Wales. He has said to be influenced lyrically by foreign languages, phonemes, Daft Punk, Boards of Canada, Madlib, J Dilla and Elizabeth Fraser. Influences on his guitar playing include The Incredible String Band, Nick Drake, Tortoise and João Gilberto. “Town & Country” is the first single from upcoming album. The song hearkens back not only to warm ’60s textures, but also to the gentle guitar work of his crucial 2009 album Ambivalence Avenue. Great for new and old Bibio fans alike.]

6. Betse & Clarke – “Fair And Tender Ladies”
from: Bird Notes EP / Independent / June 4, 2015
[Betse Ellis on fiddle, and Clarke Wyatt on banjo. Recorded at home by Clarke Wyatt, mixed by Clarke Wyatt, and produced by Clarke Wyatt and Betse Ellis. Includes the traditional “Give the Fiddler a Dram” with Btese’s original song “Pig on a Stone.” ]

[Betse & Clarke play Halfway to Winfield at Knuckleheads, Sat, March 26, at 6:00 pm w/ The Ben Miller Band, Fast Food Junkies, Loaded Goat, Jr. Soapbox, Konza Swamp Band /w special guest Jimmy Campbell, Sugar Britches, The John Brown Boys, Whiskey for the Lady, and Good Time Charley.]

7. Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – “Meticulous Bird”
from: A Man Alive / Ribbon Music / 2016
[4th studio album from San Francisco, California-based (formerly Falls Church, Virginia) alternative folk rock music group. It consists of Thao Nguyen on vocals & guitar) and Adam Thompson on vocals, bass guitar & keyboards. Produced by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs. Thao Nguyen was born in Virginia in 1984, and raised in Falls Church, Nguyen began playing guitar and writing songs at the age of twelve while helping out at her mother’s laundromat. She began performing in high school as part of a pop-country duo with friend Brenna Clerkin. She attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County and studied at the College of William & Mary, where she double majored in Sociology and Women’s studies. After recording an EP that differed from her initial style, she began performing as a soloist with her acoustic guitar. With her fellow college students Adam and Willis Thompson she formed Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down. After graduating she toured extensively, both with the band and as a solo artist. She moved to San Francisco around 2009, and has been based there since.]

8. Esperanza Spalding – “One”
from: Emily’s D+Evolution (Deluxe Edition) / Concord Music Group / March 4, 2016
[5th album from an American jazz bassist, cellist and singer, Esperanza Emily Spalding, born October 18, 1984, who draws upon many genres in her own compositions. A concept album revolving around a central character named Emily (Spalding’s middle name), Emily’s D+Evolution is not a jazz album — though jazz does inform much of the music here. Instead, Spalding — who also co-produced the album alongside legendary producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie) — builds the release largely around angular, electric guitar-rich prog rock, kinetic, rhythmically rich jazz fusion, and lyrically poetic pop. Spalding was raised in Portland, Oregon and was a musical prodigy, playing violin in the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at age five. She was later both self-taught and trained on a number of instruments, including guitar and bass. Her proficiency earned her scholarships to Portland State University and the Berklee College of Music. She has won four Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, making her the first jazz artist to win the award. Of her new album Pitchfork writes, “These are exuberant, confrontational songs, amplified in the same sort of rock/funk hybrid style that brings Prince and Janelle Monae to mind. Gone is the Afro, replaced with long braids, wide-rimmed glasses, and ornate outfits.”.]

10:28 – Underwriting

10:30– Interview with Patrick Alonzo Conway

Patrick Alonzo Conway is a Kansas City based composer, performer, educator, and independent musician. He holds a Masters in Music Composition from the UMKC Conservatory of Music. He was a founding member of newEar, and he works with Terrestrial Consort, People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, Owen/Cox Dance Group, Mambo DeLeon, Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, and BCR. He is a 2012 recipient of the Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow Award. Patrick Alonzo Conway is also the Director of Gamelan Genta Kasturi.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi performs with founder I Ketút Gedé Asnawa & Family, Sat, Mar. 26, at 7:30 pm, at Quixotic School of Performing Arts, 1616 Broadway Blvd, KCMO.

For over 13 years KC’s community Balinese gamelan orchestra, Gamelan Genta Kasturi, has been presenting community concerts.

The group’s founder and family return in a special concert of Balinese Music & Dance featuring original compositions by Mr. Asnawa and traditional classics.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi with Balinese Guest Artists, under the direction of I Ketút Gedé Asnawa, featuring his wife Putu Oka Mardiani Asnawa, and two daughters Yunirika Asnawa & Yonitika Asnawa performing several dances with the music.

FREE & Open to the Public -donations accepted-

http://www.gamelangentakasturi.org

Last year featured works included three of his original compositions: “Sekar Taman” Dance (Flowers in the Garden), “Gita Genta Kasturi” (written for the group) and “Gilak Walipraja” along with three other Balinese classics: “Siwa Natha” (King Shiva), “Baris Tunggal” Dance depicting a solo warrior, “Margapati” Dance depicting a sleeping lion and “Oleg Tamulilingan” Dance which portrays the interaction of male and female bumblebees.

10:38

9. Gamelan Genta Kasturi – “Oleg Tamulilingan”
from: Recorded live from, Gamelan Genta Kasturi with I Ketút Gedé Asnawa & Family at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral – Founders Hall KCMO / March 21, 2015

Mr. Asnawa has been faculty at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in conjunction with the Robert E. Brown Center For World Music since leaving Kansas City in 2006. He and his family maintain an active schedule performing, teaching and promoting Balinese Cultural Arts.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi have been Studio Residents as part of the Charlotte Street Foundation/Urban Culture Project Studio Residency Program since 2011.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi, premiered a large scale collaborative work in 2011 featuring his Patrick Alonzo Conway’s original composition Angels & Demons at Play through Urban Culture Project and ArtSounds. Shortly thereafter, Gamelan Genta Kasturi was awarded Studio Space through the Charlotte Street/Urban Culture Project Studio Residency Program.

A gamelan is a traditional musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Java and Bali, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, kendang (drums) & gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed & plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included. For most Indonesians, gamelan music is an integral part of Indonesian culture.

The term refers more to the set of instruments than to the players of those instruments. A gamelan is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together – instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.

Bali is a province of Indonesia. The province covers a few small neighbouring islands as well as the isle of Bali. The main island is located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country’s 34 provinces w/ the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the S. of the island.
Patrick Alonzo Conway went to Bali.

With a population recorded as 3,891,428 in the 2010 census, and currently 4.22 million, the island is home to most of Indonesia’s Hindu minority. In the 2000 census about 92.29% of Bali’s population adhered to Balinese Hinduism while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including traditional and modern dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music. A tourist haven for decades, Bali has seen a further surge in tourist numbers in recent years.

Patrick Alonzo Conway plays with others including: Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, newEar, and The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City who have been names as headliner for the 2015 Wichita Jazz Fest.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi plays with founder I Ketút Gedé Asnawa and Family, Sat, Mar. 26, at 7:30 pm, at Quixotic School of Performing Arts, 1616 Broadway Blvd, KCMO. More information: http://www.gamelangentakasturi.org

11:48

10. Gamelan Genta Kasturi – “Margapati”
from: Recorded live from, Gamelan Genta Kasturi with I Ketút Gedé Asnawa & Family at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral – Founders Hall KCMO / March 21, 2015

11. TEMP TATS – “Asteroid Rage”
from: IONS / Independent / December 14, 2015
[Debut EP from Kansas City based 4-piece rock/R&B/Math/Space band made up of: Eric Schuman on vocals & guitar, Joel Schuman on vocals & keyboards, Luke Waye on drums, and Chris Paul on bass. Half of the Ep was recorded by Mike McDonough at Clockwork Audio. The other half was recorded by Jorge Arana. All songs mastered by Mike McDonough. Artwork by Brit Waye. Music by Eric Schuman, Joel Schuman, Chris Paul, and Luke Waye. More information at: http://www.temptats.bandcamp.com/%5D

[TEMP TATS play miniBar, Tonight, March 23, at 10:00 pm, for the 4th week of the Various Blonde’s residency on Wednesdays though March, at miniBar, 3810 Broadway, Blvd, KCMO, organized by Joshua Allen and featuring along with TEMP TATS, Various Blonde, and Frieght Train Rabbit Killer.]

12. Mavis Staples – “High Note”
from: Livin’ on a High Note / Anti / February 19, 2016
[14th studio solo album from American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist, born in Chicago, Illinois on July 10, 1939. She has recorded and performed with her family’s band The Staple Singers. She began her career with her family group in 1950. Initially singing locally at churches, appearing on a weekly radio show, the Staples scored a hit in 1956 with “Uncloudy Day” for the Vee-Jay label. When Mavis graduated from what is now Paul Robeson High School in 1957, The Staple Singers took their music on the road. Led by family patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples on guitar and including the voices of Mavis and her siblings Cleotha, Yvonne, and Purvis, the Staples were called “God’s Greatest Hitmakers.” With Mavis’ voice and Pops’ songs, singing, and guitar playing, the Staples evolved from enormously popular gospel singers (with recordings on United and Riverside as well as Vee-Jay) to become the most spectacular and influential spirituality-based group in America. By the mid-1960s The Staple Singers, inspired by Pops’ close friendship with Martin Luther King, Jr., became the spiritual and musical voices of the civil rights movement. They covered contemporary pop hits with positive messages, including Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” and a version of Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth”. Livin’ on a High Note was produced by M. Ward the album features songs written specifically for Staples by Nick Cave, Justin Vernon, tUnE-yArds, Neko Case, Aloe Blacc, and others. Mavis!, the first feature documentary about Staples and the Staple Singers, directed by Jessica Edwards, had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2015. Mavis! will screened in theaters and on HBO in February 2016. Staples was briefly married to Spencer Leak in 1964; they divorced when Staples would not end her music career to stay home. She has no children. In the 2015 documentary Mavis! she reveals that Bob Dylan once proposed to her, and she turned him down.]

11:00 – Station ID

13. The Grisly Hand – “Regrets on Parting
from: Flesh & Gold / Independent / October 2, 2015
[The songs on Flesh & Gold are part of a double LP to be released in 2016. The band spent a year with Joel Nanos at Element Recording, and decided to split the songs between two CD/digital releases. The second half will be released in 2016, along with the LP. The album is the first with the newest member, Dan Loftus on bass, keyboards & vocals, joining Jimmy Fitzner on guitar & vocals, Lauren Krum on vocals & percussion, Matt Richey on drums, Mike Stover on steel guitar, bass & vocals, Ben Summers on guitar, vocals & mandolin. “Regrets On Parting” features: Rich Wheeler on tenor saxophone, Nick Howell on trumpet, and Mike Walker on trombone.]

[The Grisly Hand play The Tank Room Saturday, March 26, with The Philistines.]

14. Nicholas St. James – “Go Anywhere”
from: THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016
[Debut album from Lawrence based, vaudeville-folk-troubadour, Nicholas St. James, who is more a throwback to Vaudeville than the Dust Bowl. Blogger Brian Clifton writes, “Nicholas St. James blends together old and new to create a sound as distinct as its stage show. St. James mixes folk, blues, vaudevillian drama, and country together.” Based in Lawrence, Kansas, by way of St. Louis, Missouri, Nicholas is an authentic Midwestern folk musician, and credits Tom Waits as the missing link in his own musical formation. More information at: http://www.nicholasstjames.com.%5D

[Nicholas St. James plays The Lied Center at The University of Kansas In Lawrence on Tues, Mar. 29]

15. Katy Guillen & The Girls – “If You Were Gone”
from: If You Were Gone – Single / Independent / September 6, 2014
[Katy Guillen (guitar, vocals), Claire Adams (bass, vocals) & Stephanie Williams (drums). Part of a group of songs that band is recording for an acoustic album with producer Joel Nanos at Element Recording]

[Katy Guillen & the Girls play The FISH FRY’S 30th Anniversary, tomorrow night, Thursday, March 24, at Knuckleheads, with Danielle Nicole Band.]

16. Pinegrove – “Visting”
from: Cardinal / Run For Cover Records / February 12, 2016
[Montclair, New Jersey based band centered around the lyrics of Evan Stephens Hall on lead vocals and guitar, with brothers Zack Levine on drums and Nick Levine on guitar, and Sam Skinner on bass]

[Pinegrove plays The Granada in Lawrence, Thurs, March 24, w/ The Sidekicks, and Into IT Over It]

11:14 – Underwriting

11:16 – Interview with Adriana Nikole

Adriana Nikole

Kansas City based singer-songwriter, Adriana Nikole is originally from the Detroit, Michigan area and started performing and writing songs in her early 20’s. She moved to Knoxville, and then Nashville, TN, performing on the street for a few months, and then finally settled in Kansas City. Her music is rooted in Motown, 1950’s doo wop, and old school country, however she also loves to experiment with electronic music. Adriana Nikole has been in Kansas City for three years and is working on her first record.

More information at: http://Reverbnation.com/adriananikole

11:26

17. Adriana Nikole – “Untitled” (a new song) (LIVE)

Adriana Nikole – released the single “Vibration” on February 27, 2015

Originally from Detroit, Adriana Nikole was born and raised in Michigan. She loved singing but was too shy to share her voice until her mid 20’s when she started playing ukulele & writing songs. She moved to Nashville and started playing guitar. In Sept 2012 she moved to KC where she found a welcoming home in the local music community. She recording music with Saunders Street Records, and released a single.

Adriana is recording new music for an upcoming EP release. Adriana is performs a solo artist and also with a band. She also sings with Anna Cole and the Other Lovers.

11:36

18. Adriana Nikole – “Overboard” (LIVE)

More information at: http://Reverbnation.com/adriananikole

11:41

19. TEEN – “Tokyo”
from: Love Yes / Carpark Records / February 12, 2016
[3rd full length album from an American alternative rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2010. The group consists of Kristina “Teeny” Lieberson (former keyboardist for the Brooklyn band Here We Go Magic) on guitar, keyboards & vocals; her two sisters Katherine Lieberson on drums & vocals; and Lizzie Lieberson on keyboards & vocals; and Boshra AlSaadi on bass & Vocals. The Lieberson sisters, are daughters of noted composer Peter Lieberson, and they all hail originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia.]

20. Ra Ra Riot – “Water”
from: Need Your Light / Barsuk Records / February 19, 2016
[4th studio album from American indie rock band from Syracuse, New York, formed in January 2006consisting of vocalist Wes Miles, bassist Mathieu Santos, guitarist Milo Bonacci, violinist Rebecca Zeller, and drummer Kenny Bernard.]

[Ra Ra Riot play The Riot Room, Wed, April 6,at 7:30 pm w/ guests PWR BTTM, and And The Kids]

21. Sneaky Creeps – “Gossip Renaissance”
from: Negative Space / Big Urges / March 12, 2014
[Recorded, mixed, and Mastered by Joel Nanos of Element Recording, KC, MO. with Isaac Ahloe on bass, Max Crutcher on drums and yell/talk, and Andy Erdrich on guitar, loops/noises, and yell/talk.]

[The Sneaky Creeps play The Replay Lounge in Lawrence, Thurs. March 24, at 10:00 pm.]

22. The Besnard Lakes -“Golden Lion”
from: A Coliseum Complex Museum / Jagjaguar / January 22, 2016
[5th studio album from Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Formed in 2003 by the husband and wife team of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, the band also includes Kevin Laing (drums), Richard White on guitar, Sheenah Ko on keyboards) and Robbie MacArthur (guitar).]

[The Besnard Lakes play Middle of The Map Fest.]

11:59:30

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

Next week on March 30, singer songwriter Rick Malsick join us to share music from his latest CD with Evan Smalley, Philodendron. In our second hour, musician Andrew Foshee returns to share information and music from his new EP , ‘Corvair’, to be released April 1, and recorded with Joel Nanos at Element Recording and featuring a handful of talented Kansas City musicians.

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

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:

www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM,
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #622

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

Patrick Alonzo Conway & Gamelan Genta Kasturi
+ Adriana Nikole

Mark plays New & MidCoastal releases from: Nicholas St. James, Sneaky Creeps, TEMP TATS, Katy Guillen & The Girls, The Grisly Hand, Betse & Clarke, Pinegrove, The Fever, Bibio, Seth Bogart, Field Music, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Esperanza Spalding, Mavis Staples, TEEN, The Besnard Lakes, and Ra Ra Riot.

I Ketút Gedé Asnawa and Family

At 10:30, Patrick Alonzo Conway returns to share details about Gamelan Genta Kasturi‘s upcoming special performance with I Ketút Gedé Asnawa and Family, Saturday March 26, at 7:30 pm, at Quixotic School of Performing Arts, 1616 Broadway Blvd, KCMO. Patrick is Director of the community Balinese gamelan orchestra Gamelan Genta Kasturi and is also also a recipient of the Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow Award for 2012. Gamelan Genta Kasturi was awarded Studio Space through the Charlotte Street/ Urban Culture Project Studio Residency Program from 2011-16. More information at: http://www.gamelangentakasturi.org

Kansas City based singer-songwriter, Adriana Nikole

At 11:15 Mark welcomes Kansas City based singer-songwriter, Adriana Nikole who will play live in our 90.1 FM Studios. Adriana is originally from the Detroit, Michigan area and started performing and writing songs in her early 20’s. She moved to Knoxville, and then Nashville, TN, performing on the street for a few months, and then finally settled in Kansas City. Her music is rooted in Motown, 1950’s doo wop, and old school country, however she also loves to experiment with electronic music. Adriana Nikole has been in Kansas City for three years and is working on her first record. More information at: http://Reverbnation.com/adriananikole

Tune in on 90.1 FM KKFI
or streaming live at kkfi.org

Show #622

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

The Ovaries-eez + Guest Producer – Nico Gray

Johni Lacore, Monica George, Amber Hansen, studio guest, and Nico Gray

10:00 – Station ID

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980 [WMM’s theme song]

2. Labelle – “I Believe I Finally Made it Home”
rom: Something Silver / Warner Archives / Feb. 11, 1997 [orig, from Moon Shawdow, 1972]
[Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles made a fantastic transformation into LaBelle, a band that reinterpreted many rock classics, and also wrote many of their own best songs. This one was written by LaBelle member Nona Hendrix Sarah Dash, and patti laBelle taing turns with the verses.]

3. Charles Bradley – “Ain’t It a Sin”
from: Changes / Daptone / April 1, 2016
[Release almost three years after his criticallty acclamed, Victim of Love from April 2013, one of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 113 Best Recordings of 2013. Charles Bradley was born Nov 5, 1948, Charles Bradley was raised by his maternal grandmother in Gainesville, Florida until the age of eight when his mother, who had abandoned him at 8 months of age, took him to live with her in Brooklyn, New York. In 1962, his sister took him to the Apollo Theater to see James Brown perform. Bradley was so inspired by the performance that he began to practice mimicking Brown’s style of singing and stage mannerisms at home. When he was fourteen, Bradley ran away from home due to his poor living conditions — his bedroom was in a basement with a sand floor — and lived on the streets during the day and slept nights in subway cars for two years. Later, he enlisted in Job Corps which eventually led him to Bar Harbor, Maine to train as a chef. One time while working, a co-worker told him he looked like James Brown. When asked if he could sing, he was at first shy but eventually admitted that he could. He overcame his stage fright (when a crew member pushed him through the curtains onto the stage) and performed five or six times with a band. After his band mates were drafted into the Vietnam War, the act never re-formed. Bradley worked in Maine as a cook for ten years until deciding to head west, hitchhiking across the country. He lived in upstate New York, Seattle, Canada and Alaska before settling in California in 1977. There, Bradley worked odd jobs and played small shows for 20 years. In 1996, Bradley’s mother called him and asked him to move back in with her in Brooklyn so she could get to know him. It was there he began making a living moonlighting as a James Brown impersonator in local clubs under the name “Black Velvet.” During this time, Bradley experienced more hard times, including almost dying in a hospital after being given penicillin (to which he has an allergy) and waking to the police arriving to the scene of his brother’s murder just down the road from his mother’s house. While performing as “Black Velvet,” he was eventually discovered by Gabriel Roth, co-founder of Daptone Records. Roth introduced Bradley to Daptone artist and his future producer Tom Brenneck, then the songwriter and guitarist for The Bullets, and later for Menahan Street Band, who invited Bradley to his band’s rehearsal. Bradley asked that the band simply perform while he made up lyrics on the spot. After writing several songs, with Daptone releasing some of them on vinyl starting in 2002, ten were chosen and released as Bradley’s debut album No Time For Dreaming in 2011.]

[Charles Bradley will play Middle of the Map Fest, Saturday May 7, at The Midland w/ Aimee Mann.]

4. The Quivers – “Sugar Tease”
from: Sugar Tease / Domino Records / released March 4, 2016
[Follow up to the band’s full length debul recording, Hot Young Mess, from March, 2014. The band has also released to EPs. The Quivers are: Terra Skaggs on vocals & bass, Todd Grantham on vocals & organ, Bernie Dugan on drums, and Gary Parades on guitar. The album also features special guests: Kyle Dahlquist on trumpet & trombone, and Jesse Howes on saxophone. Recorded, mixed & mastered at Weights and Measures Soundlab by Duane Trower.]

[The Quivers play Ollie’s Local, Sat, Mar 19, at 5:00 pm w/ Timbers, presented by Money Wolf Music.]

5. La Sera – “High Notes”
from: Music for Listening to Music To / Polyvinyl Records / March 4, 2016
[4th full length record from band formed by Katy Goodman (former bassist of Vivian Girls) in 2010.]

[La Sera will play Middle of the Map Fest.]

6. Maria The Mexican – “Carried Away”
rom: South Of The Border Moonlight / Independent / March 11, 2016
[Follow up to their Oct. 2013 debut full length, Moon Colored Jade. Influenced by traditional Mariachi music, Maria The Mexican is a hybrid of Mexican folklore and Rock. For over ten years, Teresa and Maria Elena Cuevas have performed with Marachi Estrella founded by their grandmother Teresa Cuevas in 1970. As one of the first all female mariachi bands in the country, Maria Teresa Alonzo Cuevas is a pioneer in the Hispanic musical community. Her band flourished in the 80s but was struck by tragedy when four of the seven members were killed in the Hyatt Skywalk collapse in 1981. Once Teresa recovered she began teaching her grandchildren Mariachi music. In 2000, Teresa and Maria began exploring other genres of music while simultaneously co-directing Mariachi Estrella. Today the fusion of Maria The Mexican is mixed with a touch of blues, soul, funk, and rock n’ roll enhanced by the musical knowledge and sounds of Garrett Nordstrom.]

[Maria The Mexican Play a special CD Release show on Friday, March 25, at 8:00 PM zt Uncle Bo’s in Topeka w/ special guest Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds]

[Maria The Mexican Play a special CD Release show on Friday, April 8. at 8:00 pm, at Knuckleheads]

7. Fullbloods – “Money”
from: Mild West / High Dive Records / February 26, 2016
[Second full length release from Fullbloods: Ross Brown; Jared Tomasino; David Seume; and Bill Pollock. Recorded at Westend Studios in Kansas City, Kansas by Mike Nolte. Mixed by Fullbloods. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. (Starfucker, Of Montreal).]

[Fullbloods play Riot Room, Thur, March 17, w/ See Through Dresses, The Author and The Illustrator.]

10:28 – Underwriting

10:30 – Interview with Amber Hansen, Johni Lacore & Monica George

The Ovaries-eez: Johni Lacore, Monica George, and Amber Hansen

The Ovaries-eez debut full length, I Saw You in My Dream, was recorded & mastered by John Griffin at Sound + Vision Studio at Lawrence Public Library and released on Whatever Forever. The Ovaries-eez play a special Album Release show, Friday, March 18, at 7:00 pm, at Revolution Records, 1830 Locust St, KCMO with Jametone, and Teri Quinn.

8. The Ovaries-eez – “ Blue Screen” (Live)
a new song written by Monica George, with guitar and vocals by Monica George and Johni Lacore and Amber Hansen on vocals

9. The Ovaries-eez – “Backbreaking” (Live)
a new song written by Monica George, with guitar and vocals by Monica George and Johni Lacore and Amber Hansen on vocals

10. The Ovaries-eez – “Don’t Take Your Guns To Town” (Live)
a new version of the Johnny Cash song, with lyrical arrangements by Nicholas Ward and musical arrangements by Amber Hansen on guitar & vocals and Monica George and Johni Lacore on vocals.

The Ovaries-eez new debut full length, I Saw You in My Dream, was recorded and mastered by John Griffin at Sound + Vision Studio at Lawrence Public Library and released on Whatever Forever.

The Ovaries-eez play a special Album Release show, Friday, March 18, at 7:00 pm, at Revolution Records, 1830 Locust St, KCMO with Jametone, and Teri Quinn.
More info at: http://www.theovarieseez.bandcamp.com

11:00 Station ID

11:00 – Guest Producer – Nico Gray

We welcome back to the show, our friend Nico Gray, who joins us as “Guest Producer” for our second hour. Nico is a former theatre actor, performance artist, writer, and is currently a marketing and advertising consultant. He once worked at Limelight in Chicago, and once won a Mick Jagger look-a-like contest. Rooted in KC, Nico grew with radio, learning to communicate through music and lyrical expression. Nico writes that, “Music has always served as the ‘passport’ through spiritual journeys that have transplanted him to the brownstones of Chicago, the rooftops of Paris, the sea-side of Marseille and the balconies of NYC. ”

11. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orch – “2001: A Space Odyssey
from: 2001: Music from the Films of Stanley Kubrick / Silva Screen America / 2005

12. Bran Van 3000 — “Rainshine”
from: Glee / Audiogram Records / 1998

10:08 – Nico Gray

The Best Sex I Never Had was on a dance floor!

They were a Polish couple in their early 30’s named Reba and Bogusla- or BOGIE as we called him. They were patrons at a downtown Chicago nightclub where I worked in the 80s. They lived just outside the city limits and would take the El train to town, and always a taxi home. Her Polish accent was thick as was her Chanel No. 5- and she was as strikingly beautiful and sexy as he was tenderly shy and classically handsome. Reba and Bogie were always well dressed, she in designer dresses and he in tailor made suits. They wore a different outfit with every visit as I never saw them in the same set of clothing. Fashion was a high priority, and being seen by others- even higher. On those cold windy nights when Reba checked-in her fur coat at coat check, we would ask for her last name – to sign for insurance purposes. She always replied, “Just Reba, darlink’- NO LAST NAME- just Reba.”

Occasionally, I would see Reba and Bogie at other nightclubs, bouncing from club to club. Depending on the night’s theme and the DJ that was spinning- they made their rounds and were well known. They always arrived together, and they always left together. But we knew that Bogie was gay. However, Reba once told me, “Darlink’ I can turn any man straight! I know you watch me on the dance floor.” She made a valid point. She moved like a fox. Slick, smooth, svelte and alluring. Her body- full breasted and curvy demanded attention, and easily given by suitors and admirers – male and female alike. She would be the attention of any dance floor with sometimes hundreds of people watching. Eventually she would dance her way off the floor and pave her way to the bar, where a napkin taken to her forehead would blot her facial and underarm sweat- and she would slyly turn to me and say, “I am sexy, no?”

More than a few times Bogie would see me on the dance floor and dance next to me. Sometimes he would dance by himself, or with Reba- but any time they saw me dancing alone, they would join me. We’d dance very close to each other’s bodies; and like a scratch-n-sniff, the pheromones would be released. Pungent- mixed with Chanel No. 5 from Reba, the smell of Bogie’s musky underarms, and my illegal late teenage body. Chemistry was in the making. At some point I’d have to stop, catch my breath and wipe the sweat from my body and drink water. Only to go at it for another round. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat.

There was a bartender who would always say to his patrons who he thought were getting too sexual at his bar or on the dance floor “I don’t drink in your bedroom, so please don’t have sex at my bar!”

Well, these next two songs are suitable for doing BOTH as I had done with Reba and Bogie!

13. Lords of Acid — “Am I Sexy”
from: Private Parts / Fingerlicking Good Records / 2001

14. Liz Phair — “Supernova” (special LIVE radio edit)
from: Whip-Smart / Capitol Records / 1994

11:18 – Nico Gray

All that I need to know about love, I learned from my mother. When asked by any of her seven children growing up ‘which one of us do you love more?” She always replied the same, “OH HONEY, I don’t DIVIDE my love, I MULTIPLY it!”

And for her birthdays, when asked, “What would you like for your birthday, Momma?” She’d say, “All I want is for all my kids to get along!” Her role as a mother was relentless, and the virtue of patience a necessity.

Six weeks ago my partner and I adopted a 12-week-old kitten. His 2 ½ pound frame and aqua colored eyes already found his way into our hearts. We had watched him grow through internet pictures from the day he was born last November. He came from a litter of seven, but now separated from his littermates and in search of his new home with us.

For SIX days and FIVE nights, I kept the new little one separated from our other two Adult Cats that we’ve raised. I wanted to build their curiosity, but allow them play with each other’s feet and smell each other under the door. We could only hope that this NEW kitten would eventually be welcomed with playful paws by ‘his NEW playmates’. It was early on that I knew this kitten was VERY playful, EXTREMELY loving and affectionate, and INCREDIBLY curious about his new life.

Last weekend, I went to a ‘SIP and SEE’ party for a newborn baby. While there, I held an 18-month-old baby in my arms for at least half an hour and then minutes later the 8-week-old infant. If it weren’t for others in the room waiting in anticipation to do the same, holding the newborn, then I might have overstayed my welcome and held them all night. There is something beyond what words can convey when I feel this type of love that I speak of; babies, kittens and puppy love. Instead I’ll let these next two songs sing the same type of sentiment.

15. Jim James — “A New Life”
from: Regions of Light and Sound of God / ATO Records / 2013

16. Delaney and Bonnie — “Never Ending Song of Love”
from: Motel Shot / ATCO/Atlantic / 1971

11:28 – Underwriting

11:31 – Nico Gray

I am not a member of any religious congregation. However, I will attend services on Sunday morning with my partner, as he is a member of a ‘diversity celebrated’ congregation on The Plaza.

On those Sunday’s, we take Southwest Traffic Way Southbound -always passing by the historical Old Westport Wagon that sits on the corner of Westport road. The wagon is a symbol to me from a memory that’s been embedded since the spring of 1991.

At the time, I was living off 39th St and working at The Nelson Museum. It was a long and fun Saturday evening with my friend and colleague, Blake. And a full night of drinking and dancing at a popular club in Westport called Shadow. It was 1:30 in the morning, now and we were walking back to my apartment when we passed by the Old Westport Wagon. He was wearing a shirt and tie; I had on my blue shark skin vintage suit. We somehow talked ourselves into ‘a slumber party’ in the Wagon. We easily untied a few of the strings that were holding the canvas to the top part of the wagon, and we both squeezed our youthful lanky bodies inside and laid down with our heads positioned on both ends. It was a very narrow fit, but like sardines, we managed comfortably, and I was surprised how serene that would be. It would not take but 15 minutes before the both of us fell asleep.

Hours later, now 10am Sunday morning, we awoke to the tapping sound of a misty morning and the sound of cars passing by. Like bats out of cave, our eyes were squinting from lack of any light. And as our eyes slowly opened we noticed some of the expressions from those passing by in their cars as they watched us brush each other off in our suits from the cobwebs, dust and dirt.

The funny thing is, we didn’t think it to be funny. We were like boy scouts on a journey; or at least on a mission to make a unique memory our own. For obvious reasons, this one comes without a merit badge.

17. Johnny Cash — “Sunday Morning Coming Down”
from: The Johnny Cash Show / Columbia Records / 1970

18. Loretta Lynn with Willie Nelson — “Lay Me Down”
from: Full Circle / Loretta Lynn Enterprises / 2016

11:40 – Nico Gray

Leonardo Da Vinci was quoted as saying, “ONCE YOU HAVE TASTED FLIGHT, YOU WILL FOREVER WALK THE EARTH WITH YOUR EYES TURNED SKYWARD, FOR THERE YOU HAVE BEEN, AND THERE YOU WILL ALWAYS LONG TO RETURN.”

It is no surprise my fondness and attraction to France. Aside from heritage, family and friends, there are certain places and experiences that I’ve had in France – that a piece of my heart will forever be alive.

However, it is with GREAT influence, that a large part of these threads, these memories, have been woven by the African, Spanish and Catalan cultures that exist in France, especially in the South where either the architecture, food, clothes or the people made significant imprints on what many consider to be French. A wide variety of cultural French music on their radio waves are Spanish and West African based. I’ve chosen two songs that reflect the quote from Da Vinci that transports me back to a place where I will always long to be.

19. Baaba Maal — “Traveller”
from: The Traveller / Palm Recording / 2016

20. Ages and Ages — “Divisionary (Do the Right Thing)”
from: Divisionary / Ages and Ages / Partisan Records / 2014

21. Pavement — “Billie”
from: Terror Twilight / Matador Records / 1999

11:54 – Nico Gray

Thank you Mark for having me on today. Happy Early Spring to you and the listeners of MidDay Medley!

This last song I first heard with when I was with you, Mark at our friend, Karen Errington’s memorial service five years ago. Flogging Molly, performed this song live as the closing song to the ceremony. It was one of the most spiritually moving memorial services I’ve encountered- and never to be forgotten.

In honor of those who are celebrating their Irish heritage, and in honor in keeping the memory alive of those who taught us well, – here is Flogging Molly and “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”

22. Flogging Molly — “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”
from: Drunken Lullabies / SideOneDummy Records/ 2002

11:59:30

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

Next week on March 23 we welcome back Patrick Alonzo Conway who joins us to talk about the Gamelan Genta Kasturi.

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

Nico Gray’s stories were written by Nico Gray

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:

www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM,
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #621

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, March 16, 2016

Mark plays New & MidCoastal releases from: The Quivers, Fullbloods, Maria The Mexican, Charles Bradley, La Sera, and we’ll also play one of our favorite songs from LaBelle.

The Ovaries-eez

At 10:30, Lawrence based, 3-piece ethereal folk trio, The Ovaries-eez join us live in our 90.1 FM Studios. The Ovaries-eez began in 2012 by founding members, Amber Hansen and Johni Lacore and were joined by Monica George in 2013. The Ovaries-eez released their debut full length, I Saw You in My Dream, on February 6, 2016. It was recorded and mastered by John Griffin at Sound + Vision Studio at Lawrence Public Library and released on Whatever Forever. The Ovaries-eez play a special Album Release show, Friday, March 18, at 7:00 pm, at Revolution Records, 1830 Locust St, KCMO with Jametone, and Teri Quinn. More info at: http://www.theovarieseez.bandcamp.com

At 11:00 Mark welcomes back to the show our friend Nico Gray who is a Marketing Specialist for Union Station. Nico returns as “Guest Producer” of our second hour to share music from: Loretta Lynn with Willie Nelson, Ages and Ages, Pavement, The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Bran Van 3000, Lords of Acid, Liz Phair, Jim James, Delaney and Bonnie, Johnny Cash, Baaba Maal, Gipsy Kings, and Flogging Molly.

Tune in on 90.1 FM KKFI
or streaming live at kkfi.org

Show #621

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

Spinning Records With Merritt
+ Chris Haghirian & Nathan Reusch on Middle of The Map
+ The AJ Young Band

Marion Merritt

Mark welcomes Marion Merritt, of Records With Merritt, 1614 Westport Road, KCMO. Marion joins us as “Guest Producer” to share sonic discoveries and information from her musically-encyclopedic-brain. Marion will spin tracks from: Love, Charlie Hilton, lnzndrf, Cavern of Anti-Matter, Epic Soundtracks, This Heat, African Head Charge, CocoRosie, The Baby Grandmothers, and Rev. Edna Isaac and the Greene Sisters, and Pastor T.L. Barrett from “Christians Catch Hell” and more.

At 11:00 we’ll talk with our friends Nathan Reusch and Chris Haghirian about this year’s Middle of the Map Fest, April 27 through May 7, 2016. A production of Ink Magazine and The Record Machine. Middle of the Map Ideas: April 27- May 3 w/ Fred Armisen on April 27. Middle of the Map Film Fest: April 28 – May 1. Middle of the Map Music Fest: Wednesday, May 4 to Saturday, May 7, 4 days of music, 115 + bands in Westport, Downtown KC and The Crossroads Arts District. Tickets available at http://www.middleofthemapfest.com/tickets.

AJ Young

At 11:15 AJ Young and his band join us to play live in our 90.1 FM studios. AJ Young is a singer songwriter, guitarist based in Kansas City. Last fall he released, ”Into The Wild” the first of four EP’s he is planning to release. On Friday, April 15, The AJ Young Band play Prohibition Hall, 1118 McGee, KCMO with Golden Groves, and Atlas. More information at http://www.ajyoungmusic.com.

Tune in on 90.1 FM KKFI
or streaming live at kkfi.org

Show #620

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 MidDay Medley Celebrates David Bowie

From Mick Rock’s photograph from 1973

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980
[WMM’s theme song]

2. James Murphy – “Golden Years”
from: While We’re Young (Original Soundtrack) / Power Elite / March 23, 2015
[Born February 4, 1970. James Murphy is a musician, producer, DJ, and co-founder of record label DFA Records. His most well-known musical project is LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy was influenced by Bowie and remixed songs for Bowie’s The Next Day Extras, and is credited as a percussionist on Bowie’s Backstar.] [“Golden Years” was written and recorded by David Bowie in 1975, and originally released in a shortened form as a single in November 1975, and in its full-length version in January the following year on, Station to Station. It was the first track completed during the Station to Station sessions, a period when Bowie’s cocaine addiction was at its peak. “Golden Years” was more similar in style to the Young Americans funk/soul material from earlier in 1975 than the rest of Station to Station, that foreshadowed the Kraftwerk-influenced Euro-centric and electronic music that Bowie would move into with his ‘Berlin Trilogy’.]

3. Chris Hadfield – “Space Oddity”
from: Space Sessions: Songs From a Tin Can / Chris Hadfield / October 9, 2015
[The video has had over 27,000,000 views on YouTube. The performance was the subject of a piece by Glenn Fleishman in The Economist on 22 May 2013 analyzing the legal implications of publicly performing a copyrighted work of music while in earth orbit. The song is the only one of Bowie’s for which Bowie did not own the copyright. Bowie’s publisher granted Hadfield a license to the song for only one year. Due to the expiry of the one year licence, the official video was taken offline on 13 May 2014, despite Bowie’s explicit wishes that the publisher grant Hadfield a license at no charge to record the song and produce the video. Following a period of negotiations, the video was restored to YouTube on November 2, 2014 with a two-year licence agreement in place.]

10:07

In May of 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, commander of Expedition 35 to the International Space Station, recorded a video of “Space Oddity” while on board the space station. This was the first music video ever shot in space. The lyrics were slightly changed to reflect Hadfield’s imminent return from his final mission. Hadfield announced the video on Twitter, writing, “With deference to the genius of David Bowie, here’s Space Oddity, recorded on board the Station. A last glimpse of the World.” Bowie responded to the video, tweeting back to Hadfield, “Hallo Spaceboy”.

Bowie seemed to be from another world. I thought he was immortal. His art kept coming. His influence so vast. He was a guide. So much of my journey as a queer kid finding my way in the world was influenced by Bowie.

David Bowie’s death in New York City, on January 10, 2016 sent shock waves of grief across the world. Bowie made music for those of us who felt left out.

Bowie was a gateway to other discoveries: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, Iggy Pop, Glam Rock, Electronica, Brian Eno, William S. Burroughs, Beat Poetry, Mick Ronson, Tony Visconti, T-Rex, Kraftwerk, Klaus Nomi, Bauhaus, Gender Expression, and so much more.

Thanks for tuning into Wednesday MidDay Medley, here on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. 
I’m Mark Manning. Today we Celebrate David Bowie with selected songs from some of David Bowie’s 27 studio albums, and recordings that Bowie wrote and produced for other artists: Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople, and Mick Ronson.

Plus, we’ll play some of our favorite Bowie songs performed by musicians he influenced: Joan As Police Woman, Soft Reeds, Nile Rodgers, Tackhead, OK Go & Bonerama, Icehouse, and The Dambuilders. We started with James Murphy and Chris Hadfield.

And into this mix of original songs and covers, we will also feature short stories about David Bowie, from nine of his biggest fans: Michelle Bacon, Barry Lee, Ben Grimes, Cody Wyoming, Krystle Warren, Jesse Bartmess, Marion Merritt, Ian Michael Flanagan Johnson, and Nico Gray.

Our first story comes from musican and director, Cody Wyoming, lead guitarist, singer, and founder of the Kansas City band, The Philistines, who will be releasing their debut full length album, “The Backbone of The Night” on May 27, through The Record Machine.

10:10

4. Cody Wyoming’s Bowie Story – “You’re Wonderful” (3:56)
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 27, 2016

10:14

5. OK Go & Bonerama – “Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide”
from: You’re Not Alone – EP / Capital / November 7, 2006
[Collaboration by rock band OK Go and brass funk rock band Bonerama, recorded to raise money for New Orleans musicians displaced in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. The EP was recorded in August 2007 in New Orleans, Bonerama’s home city.] [“Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” by David Bowie, was originally released as the closing track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in June 1972. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine found it to have “a grand sense of staged drama previously unheard of in rock & roll”. The exhortation “Oh no, love, you’re not alone” references the Jacques Brel song “You’re Not Alone” (“Jef”) that appeared in the musical Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Bowie covered Brel’s “My Death” during some Ziggy Stardust live shows. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”, recorded on February 4, 1972, was one of the last songs recorded for Ziggy Stardust, along with “Suffragette City”, which would immediately precede it in the album track list. As the final song on the album and climax to the Ziggy Stardust live shows throughout 1972-73, it soon became a slogan, appearing on many fans’ jackets.]

10:17

6. Jesse Bartmess’ Bowie Story – “Changes in my 4-year old ears” (3:53)
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 27, 2016

10:21

7. David Bowie – “Changes”
from: Hunky Dory / RCA – (Rykodisk – Virgin – Sony – EMI – Columbia ISO) / Dec. 17, 1971
[Written by David Bowie, originally released on Hunky Dory and as a single in January 1972. “Changes” became one of Bowie’s best-known songs. The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, the frequent change of the world today, and frequent reinventions of his musical style throughout the 1970s. This single is cited as David Bowie’s official North American debut, despite the fact that the song “The Man Who Sold the World” was released in North America two years prior. This was the last song Bowie performed live on stage before his retirement from live performances at the end of 2006.]

10:25

8. Nico Gray’s Bowie Story – “Dude, he looks like David Bowie!” (3:09)
recorded by Nico Gray, Sunday, February 28, 2016

10:28

9. Mott The Hoople – “All The Young Dudes”
from: All The Young Dudes / Columbia / September 8, 1972
[The album was written and produced by David Bowie, during the same year he recorded and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Regarded as one of glam rock’s anthems, the song originated after Bowie came into contact with Mott the Hoople’s bassist Peter Watts and learned that the band was ready to split due to continued lack of commercial success. When Mott rejected his first offer of a composition, “Suffragette City” (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars), Bowie wrote “All the Young Dudes” specially for them, allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street, London, in front of the band’s lead singer, Ian Hunter. With its dirge-like music, youth suicide references and calls to an imaginary audience, the song bore similarities to Bowie’s own “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”, the final track from Ziggy Stardust. Described as being to glam rock what “All You Need Is Love” was to the hippie era, the lyrics name-checked contemporary star T. Rex and contained references to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Bowie himself once claimed that the song was not intended to be an anthem for glam, that it actually carried a darker message of apocalypse. According to an interview Bowie gave to Rolling Stone magazine in 1973, the boys are carrying the same news that the newscaster was carrying in the song “Five Years” from Ziggy Stardust; the news being the fact that the Earth had only five years left to live. Bowie explains: “All the Young Dudes’ is a song about this news. It’s no hymn to the youth, as people thought. It is completely the opposite.” “All the Young Dudes” is also thought of as a gay anthem. Lou Reed said “It’s a Gay Anthem! A rallying call to the young dudes to come out in the streets and show that they were beautiful and gay and proud of it.

10:31 – Underwriting

10:33

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM

1972 was an amazing year for the 25 year old David Bowie

Starting with Bowie’s third album, The Man Who Sold The World, in 1970, through Hunky Dory in ’71, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars in ’72, Alladdin Sane and Pin Ups in ’73, Bowie records were built around a 4-piece band that included the great Mick Ronson on lead guitar, backing vocals, piano, and arrangements.

Mott The Hoople‘s “All The Young Dudes” was written and produced by Bowie, in 1972, the same year he recorded and released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. “All the Young Dudes” was written specially for the band to keep them from breaking up, with Bowie allegedly sitting cross-legged on the floor of a room in Regent Street Hotel, in London, in front of the band’s lead singer, Ian Hunter.

During the year that saw the recording, and release, of two of rock music’s most important albums, David Bowie and Mick Ronson also served as producers on Lou Reed‘s second album, the classic, Transformer, released on Bowie’s label RCA, in November of 1972.

In many ways Bowie was giving back to one of his biggest influences. Six years earlier, David Bowie’s manager Ken Pitt, returned from a trip to New York City, where he had met with artist Andy Warhol about the possibilities of representing an new, unknown group called The Velvet Underground. Ken Pitt didn’t much care for their music, so he gave the Andy Warhol signed acetate, of The Velvet Underground & Nico, the band’s unreleased debut, to the 19-year old Bowie. Bowie said that receiving this acetate was “life changing.” He immediately learned the songs, and encouraged his band to perform, “I’m Waiting for the Man” in live shows, long before the album had been officially released. The Velvet Underground would mark the start of Bowie’s love affair with New York City.

I was able to view up close, this holy grail of glam rock music, the very special acetate, from Bowie’s own personal collection, as part of the internationally touring exhibition, David Bowie Is, at the The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, in September 2014.

This next set features a reworked track, originally recorded as “Soul Love” from the Ziggy Stardust album, renamed “Stone Love” for Mick Ronson’s second solo record, Play Don’t Worry. This will be followed by a rare, previously unreleased track from the recording sessions of Lou Reed’s, Transformer” produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, from the incredible year of 1972.

10:36

10. Mick Ronson – “Stone Love (Soul Love)”
from: Play Don’t Worry / RCA / January, 1975
[Second album by former member of The Spiders From Mars, Mick Ronson. It contains mainly covers arranged by Ronson for his own sound, covering everyone from Pure Prairie League, The Velvet Underground and Little Richard. The backing track to “White Light/White Heat” was salvaged from David Bowie’s Pinups sessions. Michael “Mick” Ronson was born May 26, 1946 and died April 29, 1993. Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as one of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session musician who recorded with Bowie and Morrissey, as well as a sideman in touring bands with Van Morrison and Bob Dylan. In 1992 he produced Morrissey’s album, Your Arsenal.]

10:40

11. Lou Reed – “Take A Walk on The Wild Side”
from: Monitor This / Monitor This / June-July 2003 (Transformer / RCA / Nov. 8, 1972)
[ Produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson. A previously unreleased version found during remastering sessions for Transformer release – different from version found on the BMG album NYC Man: The Collection. A Lou Reed song from his 1972 second solo album Transformer. It was produced by David Bowie. The song received wide radio coverage, despite its touching on taboo topics such as transsexuality, drugs, male prostitution and oral sex. In the United States, RCA released the single using an edited version of the song without the reference to oral sex. The lyrics, describing a series of individuals and their journeys to NYC, refer to several of the regular “superstars” at Andy Warhol’s New York studio, The Factory, namely Holly Woodlawn, Candy Darling, Joe Dallesandro, Jackie Curtis and Joe Campbell (referred to in the song by his nickname Sugar Plum Fairy). Candy Darling was also the subject of Reed’s earlier song for The Velvet Underground, “Candy Says”. Mick Ronson (who was at the time the lead guitarist with Bowie’s band, the Spiders from Mars) played a major role in the recording of the album at Trident Studios, serving as the co-producer and primary session musician (contributing guitar, piano, recorder and backing vocals), as well as arranger, notably contributing the lush string arrangement for “Perfect Day”. Reed lauded Ronson’s contribution in the Transformer episode of the documentary series Classic Albums, praising the beauty of his work and keeping down the vocal to highlight the strings. The songs on the LP are now among Reed’s best-known works, including “Walk on the Wild Side”, “Perfect Day” and “Satellite of Love”, and the album’s commercial success elevated him from cult status to become an international star.]

10:43

Marion Merritt grew up in St. Louis and used to sing the lyrics to David Bowie’s “We Are The Dead,” at her family reunions, when she was just a kid. Marion is creator of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business. Along with Judy Mills of Mills Record Company, Marion is keeping the tradition of, female-owned, independent record stores, on Westport Rd., alive, in Kansas City, Missouri. Here is Marion’s story…

10:44

12. Marion Merritt’s Bowie Story – “My Own Strange Scary Bowie” (2:22)
recorded by Mark Manning, Monday, February 22, 2016

10:46

13. Joan As Police Woman – “Sweet Thing”
from: Real Life (B Sides) – EP / Cheap Lullaby Records / June 12, 2007
[Extra tracks from the solo debut recording of Joan Wasser, born July 26, 1970, known by her stage name, Joan As Police Woman. She is an American musician and singer-songwriter. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders. Throughout her career, she has regularly collaborated with other artists as a writer, performer and arranger. Kansas City artist Krystle Warren has toured around the world with her.] [“Sweet Thing” or “Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)” is a suite of songs written by David Bowie for the album Diamond Dogs. Recorded in January 1974, the piece comprises the songs “Sweet Thing” and “Candidate” and a one-verse reprise of “Sweet Thing.” In the opening line, “Sweet Thing” contains the lowest note Bowie had recorded in a studio album (C2) until “I Took a Trip on a Gemini Spacecraft” for the album “Heathen” (2002), where he growled the word “Well” (G1) towards the end of the song. Diamond Dogs was the 8th studio album from Bowie, was released May 24, 1974, after the ‘retirement’ of Bowies’s Ziggy Stardust, character. Diamond Dogs featured a new lead character named Halloween Jack, “a real cool cat,” who lives in the decaying “Hunger City”. Bowie, however, still wore the Ziggy haircut on the cover of Diamond Dogs, and the first single, “Rebel Rebel” continues his glam rock sound. However, with the rest of the album, music writers noticed a new Bowie. For his song “Sweet Thing” / “Candidate”/ “Sweet Thing (Reprise)” Bowie first used the William S. Burroughs’ cut-up style of writing. The song “1984” reflected the “plastic soul” sound of Bowie’s next release, Young Americans, from 1975. The Diamond Dogs Tour of 1974 was one of the first huge Rock and Roll, bus and truck tours. Bowie produced the show with a giant set, like a big Broadway production.]

10:49

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM

For his song “Sweet Thing” Bowie first used the William S. Burroughs’ cut-up style of writing. Sweet Thing was from Diamond Dogs, Bowie’s 8th studio album, released May 24, 1974. The first single from Diamond Dogs was “Rebel Rebel” which continued Bowie’s glam rock sound, but the rest of Diamond Dogs was different, Mick Ronson was gone, Bowie was on lead guitar, music writers noticed a new Bowie, and songs like “1984” reflected the “plastic soul” sound of Bowie’s next release, Young Americans, from 1975. Bowie released his 10th album, Station to Station in 1976. It’s first single “Golden Years” was completed during a period when Bowie’s cocaine addiction was at its peak. “Golden Years” was more similar in style to his previous album Young Americans, but the rest of the songs on Station to Station were all foreshadowing of the Kraftwerk-influenced and electronic music of Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy of 1977’s Low, Heroes, and 1979’s Lodger.

Our next story, about Bowie, comes from one of Bowie’s biggest fans, Ben Grimes, founder of two influential KC bands: Soft Reeds and The Golden Republic. Ben Grimes now lives with his family in Los Angeles, where he recorded this story for us, along with sharing a special track, written by Bowie, during that Berlin Trilogy, and recorded by Ben’s band Soft Reeds.

10:51

14. Ben Grimes Bowie Story – “You are Never Stuck In One Thing” (5:05)
recorded by Ben Grimes, Sunday, February 28, 2016

10:56

15. Soft Reeds – “Sound and Vision”
from: unreleased track recorded during the sessions for Soft Reeds album ‘Blank City’
[Blank City was Soft Reeds second album, released by The Record Machine on April 23, 2013. Produced at Element Recording with Joel Nanos. Soft Reeds is the brainchild of Ben Grimes (formerly of Astralwerks’ The Golden Republic), a Chicago native whose roots grip firmly in the ’77 Berlin sounds of Brian Eno, David Bowie and Iggy Pop, with Austin, TX native Josh Wiedenfeld on drums, Beckie Trost, a fellow Chicagoan and childhood friend of Grimes on bass, and KC native John Mitchell on guitar, saxophone, keys.]

10:59 – Station ID

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio,

1977 was another big year for the 30 year old David Bowie. He released the first two albums of his “Berlin Trilogy” Low and Heroes, recording with longtime friend and producer Tony Visconti, and collaborating with musician Brian Eno.

Low came from the creative energy of Bowie’s previous album Station to Station, and music he had intended for the soundtrack to he film The Man Who Fell to Earth. When Bowie presented his material to Nicolas Roeg, the director decided that it wasn’t suitable. Elements from these pieces were incorporated into Low instead. The album’s cover, like Station to Station, is a photographic still from “The Man Who Fell To Earth.”

As a recovering cocaine addict, Bowie’s songwriting on Low dealt with difficult issues. Visconti contended that the title was partly a reference to Bowie’s “low” moods during the album’s writing and recording. Bowie said, “There’s oodles of pain in the Low album. That was my first attempt to kick cocaine, so that was an awful lot of pain.” Bowie and Iggy Pop went to Berlin together to try to kick their drug habit. Bowie said “And I moved to Berlin to do it. I moved out of the coke center of the world, Los Angeles, where Station to Station was recorded, into the smack center of the world, Berlin”.

Woven around and in between the albums Low and Heroes, Bowie also wrote music and produced Iggy Pop’s debut solo album, The Idiot, and it’s follow up, Lust for Life, both released in 1977. Iggy Pop called The Idiot his “album of freedom”. The album has been cited as a major influence on post-punk, electronic and industrial artists, including Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and Joy Division, whose lead singer Ian Curtis was found hanged in 1980 with the record still spinning on his turntable.

Bowie went on tour with Iggy Pop, playing keyboards, to promote The Idiot and returned to quickly record Lust For Life. Iggy Pop said, “David and I had determined that we would record that album very quickly, which we wrote, recorded, and mixed in eight days, and because we had done it so quickly, we had a lot of money left over from the advance, which we split.”

Iggy Pop slept very little during those 8 days of making Lust For Life, commenting “See, Bowie’s a hell of a fast guy… I realized I had to be quicker than him, otherwise whose album was it gonna be?” Pop’s spontaneous lyrical method inspired Bowie to improvise his own words on his next project, “Heroes”. The recording was made at Hansa Studio by the Wall in Berlin where Low and Heroes were also recorded.

From 1977, here is a song written and produced by David Bowie, from Iggy Pop’s second solo album, the title track, Lust For Life…

11:03

16. Iggy Pop – “Lust For Life”
from: Lust For Life / RCA / August 29, 1977
[Lust for Life is a 1977 album by Iggy Pop, his second solo release and his second collaboration with David Bowie, following The Idiot earlier in the year. As well as achieving critical success, it was Pop’s most commercially popular album to date, and remains his highest-charting release in the UK.]

11:08

17. Ian Johnson’s Bowie Story – “My Dad Tim” (3:07)
recorded by Mark Manning Sunday, February 13, 2016

11:11

18. David Bowie – “Heroes” (Single Version)
from: Heroes / RCA / October 14, 1977
[Twelfth studio album by David Bowie, released in 1977. The second installment of his Berlin Trilogy with Brian Eno – the other releases being Low and Lodger – “Heroes” developed the sound of Low and featured the contributions of guitarist Robert Fripp, who flew in from the US to record his parts in one day. Of the three albums, it was the only one wholly recorded in Berlin. The title track remains one of Bowie’s best known, and the song has received lasting critical acclaim and is continually mentioned as one of the greatest songs of all time. Recorded at Hansa studio in what was then West Berlin, “Heroes” reflected the zeitgeist of the Cold War, symbolized by the divided city. Co-producer Tony Visconti considered it “one of my last great adventures in making albums. The studio was about 500 yards from the Berlin Wall. Red Guards would look into our control-room window with powerful binoculars.” Earlier in 1977, Kraftwerk had name-checked Bowie on the title track of Trans-Europe Express, and he again paid tribute to his Kraut Rock influences: the title is a nod to the track “Hero” on the album Neu! ’75 by the German band Neu! – whose guitarist Michael Rother had originally been approached to play on the album – while “V-2 Schneider” is inspired by and named after Kraftwerk’s Florian Schneider.]

11:15

“Heroes” was part of the Berlin Trilogy, and the only one entirely recorded in Berlin, at Hansa studio by the wall, in West Berlin. Co-producer Tony Visconti considered it “one of my last great adventures in making albums. The studio was about 500 yards from the Berlin Wall. Red Guards would look into our control-room window with powerful binoculars.”

Our next story about Bowie comes from another one of Bowie’s biggest fans, musician and writer, Michelle Bacon, is Editor of the Deli Magazine KC, a freelance writer and Social Media Assistant for Midwest Music Foundation. Michelle plays bass for The Philistines and drums for, Chris Meck and The Guilty Birds. On Sunday, January 31, at The Uptown, Theatre, Michelle Bacon presented, The Band That Fell To Earth – a Tribute to David Bowie. With an all-star band of some of Kansas City’s best musicians. 900 people showed up to share in the love of Bowie, and his music. Here is Michelle Bacon.

11:16

19. Michelle Bacon’s Bowie Story – “Putting together a perfect band” (4:03)
recorded by Mark Manning, Saturday, February 27, 2016

11:20

20. The Dambuilders – “Boys Keep Swinging”
from: Crash Course For The Ravers: A Tribute To David Bowie / Undercover / Jan 1, 1996
[The Dambuilders was an indie rock band that began in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, in 1989 and later relocated to Boston. They released seven LPs (six studio albums & one compilation) and a number of EPs before breaking up in 1998. Members have gone on with other musical projects, most notably the band’s violinist/vocalist, Joan Wasser, as Joan as Police Woman.] [“Boys Keep Swinging” was written by David Bowie. It was released as a single from the album Lodger on April 27, 1979. Lodger is the 13th studio album by David Bowie, released May 18, 1979. The last of the ‘Berlin Trilogy’ recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno, it was produced in Switzerland and New York City, and was more accessible than its immediate predecessors Low and “Heroes”, having no instrumentals and being somewhat lighter and more pop-oriented. It was still an experimental record in many ways and was not, by Bowie’s standards, a major commercial success. Indifferently received by critics on its initial release, it is now widely considered to be among Bowie’s most underrated albums. During the Lodger recording sessions, Bowie had wanted to capture a garage band style for the track, and agreed with Brian Eno that the best way to achieve this sound was to get the band to swap instruments after this was ‘suggested’ by Eno’s deck of ‘Oblique Strategies’ cards which supplied the suggestion “Reverse Roles”. Guitarist Carlos Alomar played drums and drummer Dennis Davis played bass. RCA decided against releasing the single in the US, choosing “Look Back in Anger” instead. Bowie performed the track with a puppet body special effect on Saturday Night Live on 15 December 1979, joined by Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias as backing singers. During the broadcast NBC censors muted the “other boys check you out” line, but failed to notice the puppet’s bouncing phallus at the close of the song. Interviewed in 2000, Bowie said the following about the song: “I do not feel that there is anything remotely glorious about being either male or female. I was merely playing on the idea of the colonization of gender.”]
11:23

21. Nile Rodgers talks about making “Let’s Dance”

11:27

22. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Single Version)
from: Let’s Dance / Undercover / April 14, 1983
[Let’s Dance was co-produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers, the album contained three of his most successful singles; the title track, “Let’s Dance”, reached No. 1 in the US, “Modern Love” and “China Girl” both reached No. 2 in the UK. “China Girl” was a new version of a song which Bowie had co-written with Iggy Pop for the 1977 album The Idiot. The album also contains a re-recorded version of the song “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” which had been a minor hit for Bowie a year earlier. Let’s Dance was a stepping stone for the career of the Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who played on it. Let’s Dance has sold over 10.7 million copies worldwide, making it Bowie’s best-selling album. Let’s Dance is Bowie’s 18th official album release since his debut in 1967, including two live albums, one covers album (Pin Ups, 1973), and a collaboration with the Philadelphia Orchestra (1977). The success of the album surprised Bowie, who felt he had to continue to pander to the new pop audience he acquired with the album. This led to Bowie releasing two further solo albums in 1984 and 1987 that, despite their relative commercial success, did not sell as well as Let’s Dance, were poorly received by critics at the time and subsequently dismissed by Bowie himself as his “Phil Collins years”. Bowie would form the hard rock and grunge-predecessor band Tin Machine in 1989 in an effort to rejuvenate himself artistically. David Bowie had planned to use producer Tony Visconti on the album, as the two had worked together on Bowie’s previous four studio albums. However, he chose Nile Rodgers for the project, a move that came as a surprise to Visconti, who had set time aside to work on Let’s Dance. Visconti called [Bowie’s personal assistant] Coco and she said: “Well, you might as well know – he’s been in the studio for the past two weeks with someone else. It’s working out well and we won’t be needing you. He’s very sorry.” The move damaged the two men’s relationship and Visconti did not work with Bowie again for nearly 20 years (until 2002’s Heathen). Rodgers later recalled that Bowie approached him to produce his album so that Bowie could have hit singles. Rodgers reported that Bowie came into his apartment one day and showed him a photograph of Little Richard in a red suit getting into a bright red Cadillac, saying “Nile, darling, that’s what I want my album to sound like.”]

11:31 – Underwriting

11:33

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM. Our next story comes from our talented friend, singer, songwriter, Krystle Warren, who has worked with some of the musical artists we’ve played today, including Joan As Police Woman. Krystle sent us her story from France, where she now lives. This Spring, Krystle Warren returns to Kansas City to play the Middle of The Map Fest.

23. Krystle Warren’s Bowie Story – “Always be genuine in your expression” (1:50)

11:35

24. Icehouse – “Loving the Alien”
from: The Berlin Tapes / Diva Records / October 12, 1995
[Icehouse is an Australian rock band, formed as Flowers in 1977 in Sydney. The Berlin Tapes is a covers / soundtrack album by Australian rock musician Iva Davies and his band Icehouse. The record was a collaboration between Davies and classical music composer Max Lambert to accompany the Sydney Dance Company’s production of the ballet “Berlin”, for which Icehouse performed live on stage.] [“Loving the Alien” is a track from the album Tonight, released September 1, 1984. One of two tracks on the album written solely by Bowie, the song was released as a single in May 1985, nine months after the release of “Blue Jean” as a single, and eight months after the release of the album. Bowie said “‘Alien’ came about because of my feeling that so much history is wrong – as is being rediscovered all the time – and that we base so much on the wrong knowledge that we’ve gleaned.” He recorded the demo in Montreux, Switzerland. He would later comment that the production on the song undid the power of the lyric, saying he preferred the demo version. Bowie performed the song on his 1987 Glass Spider Tour. On the Reality Tour in 2003 and 2004.]

11:41

You are listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley’s Tribute to David Bowie on 90.1 FM.

We just heard the Australian band Icehouse performing the song “Loving The Alien,” originally from Bowie’s 1984 album Tonight, his 16th studio album, of 27 studio albums, 8 live albums, over 50 compilation albums, 119 singles, 58 music videos, over 25 films. He was a working artist. He was always working, always creating, always studying, always interested in how it could be put together. He inspired me to stand in front of a live band and sing lyrics over the booming bass and drums and electric guitar. Bowie inspired multiple generations of people with his beautiful catalog of song.

I would like to thank all of our contributors for sharing their stories: Cody Wyoming, Jesse Bartmess, Nico Gray, Marion Merritt, Ben Grimes, Ian Johnson, Michelle Bacon, Krystle Warren, and Barry Lee, who we will hear from in just a few moments.

Next, we’ll play the song, “I am Afraid of Americans” performed by the band Tackhead. This song was released on Bowie’s 20th studio album, Earthling, released February 3, 1997.

And we’ll close with “Lazarus” the final single from David Bowie, released on his 27th and final studio album, Blackstar on January 8, 2016, Bowie’s 69th birthday. Bowie died two days later. Co-producer Tony Visconti described the album as Bowie’s intended swan song and a “parting gift” for his fans before his death.

For Wednesday MidDay Medley I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:44

25. Tackhead – “I’m Afraid of Americans”
from: For The Love Of Money / Dude Records / January 10, 2014
[Tackhead are an industrial hip-hop group that were most active during the 1980s and early 1990s, and briefly reformed in 2004 for a tour. Their music occupies the territory where funk, dub, industrial music and electronica intersect. The core members are Doug Wimbish (bass), Keith Leblanc (percussion) and Skip McDonald (guitar) and producer (sometimes credited as “mixologist”) Adrian Sherwood. For the Love of Money is the fourth album by the industrial hip hop group Tackhead, released on January 10, 2014 by Dude Records It marks their first full-length release of studio material since Strange Things, released twenty-four years prior. It comprises covers of musical acts that have proven influential to the group over the years, along with an extended cut of their original song “Stealing” from Friendly as a Hand Grenade.]

[I’m Afraid of Americans” is a single by David Bowie from the 1997 album Earthling. The song, co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno, was originally written during Bowie’s studio sessions for the 1995 album Outside but was not released until a rough mix appeared on the soundtrack to the film Showgirls, and was subsequently remade for Earthling.]

11:49

26. Barry Lee’s Bowie Story – “It was during the Live Aid Concert” (3:24)

11:53

27. David Bowie – “Lazarus”
from: Blackstar / ISO Records – Columbia / January 8, 2016
[Lazarus features David Bowie on vocals, acoustic guitar, and Fender guitar; Donny McCaslin on saxophone, flute, and woodwind; Jason Linder on piano, Wurlitzer organ and keyboards; Tim Lefebvre on bass; Mark Guiliana on drums. McCaslin and the rest of the jazz group recorded their parts in the studio over a period of about one week a month from January to March 2015, and until later in recording were unaware of Bowie’s declining health. The song “Lazarus” is part of Bowie’s Off-Broadway musical of the same name. The album has received universal critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the number one spot in a number of countries in the wake of Bowie’s death and becoming his first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S. Blackstar is the twenty-fifth and final studio album by musician, writer, actor, chameleon, David Bowie. It is the 27th when you count the Tin Machine records, which you should. The album was released worldwide on January 8, 2016, on Bowie’s 69th birthday, and just two days later David Robert Jones passed away at home surrounded by his wife Iman, and his son Duncan Jones from his marriage to Angela Bowie, and daughter Alexandria from his marriage to Iman.]

11:59:30

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

Next week on March 9, Marion Merritt returns, plus we’ll talk about the Middle of the Map Fest with special guest Chris Haghirian, plus, AJ Young plays live.

Our script is a cut and paste of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:

www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM,
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #619

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 MidDay Medley Celebrates David Bowie

David Bowie’s death in New York City, on January 10, 2016 sent shock waves of grief across the world. Bowie made music for those of us who felt left out. Bowie taught us how to be ourselves, to celebrate being different. Bowie understood the theatre of rock and roll. Bowie was a gateway for his fans to other important discoveries like: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, John Cale, Andy Warhol and The Factory, Iggy Pop, Glam Rock, New Wave, Electronica, Brian Eno, Roxy Music, William S. Burroughs, Beat Poetry, Mick Ronson, Luther Vandross, Tony Visconti, Carlos Alomar, Robert Fripp, T-Rex, Kraftwerk, Klaus Nomi, Bauhaus, Gender Expression, Independent film, Arcade Fire, TV on The Radio, and so much more.

Wednesday MidDay Medley presents our first in a series of tributes to David Bowie, featuring short stories about David Bowie from nine of his biggest fans: Michelle Bacon, Barry Lee, Ben Grimes, Cody Wyoming, Krystle Warren, Jesse Bartmess, Marion Merritt, Ian Michael Flanagan Johnson, and Nico Gray.

We’ll feature selected songs from, and representing, some of David Bowie’s 27 studio albums, and recordings David Bowie wrote and produced for other artists, including: Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople, and Mick Ronson, and Bowie songs performed by: Joan As Police Woman, Soft Reeds, Col. Chris Hadfield, Nile Rodgers, Tackhead, Icehouse, The Dambuilders and James Murphy.

On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or
STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org

Show #619

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

Be/Non + Poet Jen Harris + Sondra Freeman & The MidCoast Takeover
+ Freebo + The Jellyman’s Daughter

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980 [WMM’s theme song]

2. Electric Orchids – “Five”
from: Anything You Want – EP / Independent / August 30, 2014
[Kansas City based New Wave, Surf with just enough Garage 4-piece band, Electric Orchids is: Matt Mitchell on guitar, Chris Hutchings on bass, Derek Hatch on drums, and Val Engholm on keys, guitar, and vocals. Produced by Electric Orchids and Paul Malinowski. Written and performed by Electric Orchids. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Paul Malinowski. Recorded at Massive Sound, Shawnee, KS.]

[Electric Orchids play Uptown Arts Bar, Friday, February 26, with Bane Union, and Drew Black and Dirty Electric.]

10:06 – Underwriting

3. Fullbloods – “Money”
from: Mild West / High Dive Records / February 26, 2016
[Second full length release from Fullbloods: Ross Brown; Jared Tomasino; David Seume; and Bill Pollock. Recorded at Westend Studios in Kansas City, Kansas by Mike Nolte. Mixed by Fullbloods. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. (Starfucker, Of Montreal).]

[Fullbloods play an album release show, at The Brick, Friday, Feb 26, w/ Shy Boys]

[Fullbloods play an album release show at Mills Record Company, Sat, February 27, w/ Momma’s Boy]

4. Jen Harris – “Fortress feat. Mirina Landry”
from: Flaunting Her Mediocrity / Independent / To Be Released in Summer 2016

10:13 – Interview with Jen Harris

Poet Jen Harris at Prospero’s Books, Saturday, February 27, 2016

Kansas City based poet & spoken word artist, Jen Harris, joins us to talk about her first book of original poetry, SLAMMED, released through Prospero’s Books and Spartan Press as part of the POP POETRY series, #12poetsin12months. This is the second book of this series. Jen Harris will also share selected tracks from her new studio recordings for her debut CD to be released later this year.

Jen Harris will read from her book for the SLAMMED, POP POETRY Book Release, Saturday, February 27, at Prospero’s Books, 1800 W. 39th St, KCMO, with the PIT Poetry Open Mic hosted by Jason Ryberg from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. At 8:30 pm, Jen Harris takes the stage for a special reading with guests performers. More info at: https://www.facebook.com/poetjenharris.

Jen Harris recorded her new CD at Element Recording with Joel Nanos

10:23

5. Jen Harris – “Education feat. Ryan Wilks”
from: Flaunting Her Mediocrity / Independent / To Be Released in Summer 2016

Jen Harris will have a special release for her new book of poetry, SLAMMED, is Saturday, February 27, at Prospero’s Books, 1800 W. 39th St, KCMO, with the PIT Poetry Open Mic hosted by Jason Ryberg from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. At 8:30 pm, Jen Harris takes the stage for a special reading with guests performers. More info at: https://www.facebook.com/poetjenharris.

John Huff, Brodie Rush, Jen Harris, Brenton Cook on the February 24, 2016 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley.

10:35 – Interview with Brodie Rush, John Huff, and Brenton Cook

6. Be / Non – “Orbit”
from: Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic / Haymaker Records / February 29, 2016
[Brodie Rush on vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards; Ben Ruth on bass, keyboards, synths, John Huff on synths; Mike Cochran on drums. Engineered, mixed and produced at the Goldroom in Kansas City, between March 2010 and July 2015. Produced by Brodie Rush. Mastered for digital release by Kliph Scurlock, July 2015 in Lawrence. Master for vinyl by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures with Kliph Scurlock and Brodie Rush.]

Kansas City-based Haymaker Records releases the album Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic by space rock group Be/Non on vinyl LP and digital media on leap day February 29, 2016. Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic is the sixth album for Be/Non and will be celebrated with an album release concert entitled MEDITATION: A Live Presentation of Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic by Be/Non in the temple of the Kansas City Scottish Rite, 1330 Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO, on Sunday February 28th 6-10PM.

Joining us with more information is founder of Be/Non Brodie Rush, and longtime member of the band, John Huff, and founder of Haymaker Records, Brenton Cook.

In 1996, Brodie Rush and his rock band Be/Non recorded two sets of songs in a small home studio in Lawrence, Kansas – material that would become their first two EPs released on cassette. 20 years later and with a rotating cast of band members, Be/Non is still at it and proud to present the release Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic. Recorded over the course of six years in Brodie Rush’s home studio, the album features Be/Non family old and new performing compelling songs that incorporate pop elements into synth-drenched space rock.

Haymaker Records released Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic on cassette for International Cassette Store Day October 17, 2015.

Be/Non a band founded by Brodie Rush, a songwriter, musician, singer, organizer, artist, film maker, music video creator. Over 20 years ago KC native, Brodie Rush formed the experimental, psychedelic, prog-pop band, Be/Non, The band has had more members than Spinal Tap, but Brodie has remained the only consistent member, songwriter and producer. The current line up of the band includes: Ben Ruth, Brodie Rush, Nathan Burian, John Huff, Nanci Ayala, Mike Cochran.

10:46

7. Be / Non – “She Kondel”
from: Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic / Haymaker Records / February 29, 2016
[Music written by Brodie Rush, Ben Ruth, Jeremiah James & Ryan Shank. Lyrics by Brodie Rush, Jeremiah James. Brodie Rush on vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards; Ben Ruth on bass, keyboards, synths; Ryan Shank on drums; Jeremiah James on synths. Engineered, mixed and produced at the Goldroom in Kansas City, between March 2010 and July 2015. Produed by Brodie Rush. Mastered for digital release by Kliph Scurlock, July 2015 in Lawrence. Master for vinyl by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures with Kliph Scurlock and Brodie Rush.]

A musical direction unlike all previous endeavors, Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic is a meditative album based on deep thought and cosmic oneness. It’s a one-two punch into the unknown with intuitive trajectory, a must-listen for those with a bucket-list for the bizarre.

The vinyl is pressed in limited edition purple blob vinyl with digital download included. It is the fifth vinyl release for Haymaker Records.

The show on February 28th will feature Be/Non playing the new album in its entirety, rotating in musicians who assisted in its creation.

The Kansas City Scottish Rite was chosen as a location for the event out of a curiosity surrounding the Masonic temple itself that will undoubtedly compliment the music and viewing experience. Built in 1928 and featuring classic Greek design inspired by the ancient mausoleum at Halicarnassus in Caria, the temple has a rich history in Kansas City but little in the way of public music performances.

Christian Hankel will be handling stage production for the event and Kansas City catering company Cool Guy Foods will provide catered small bites. Copies of the new vinyl record will be available to the public for the first time at this event. Advanced tickets may be purchased online at haymakerrecords.net

Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic is the sixth album for Be/Non and will be celebrated with an album release concert entitled MEDITATION: A Live Presentation of Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic by Be/Non in the temple of the Kansas City Scottish Rite, 1330 Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO, on Sunday February 28th 6-10PM.

10:58

8. Be / Non – “Sunset Magic”
from: Mystic Sunrise / Sunset Magic / Haymaker Records / February 29, 2016
[Music written by Brodie Rush, Devon Brown, Ben Ruth, Jeremiah James & Ryan Shank. Lyrics by Brodie Rush. Brodie Rush on vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards, glockenspiel; Ben Ruth on bass, keyboards, synths, glockenspiel; Ryan Shank on glockenspiel, Mike Cochran on percussion, Jeremiah James on glockenspiel. Engineered, mixed and produced at the Goldroom in Kansas City, between March 2010 and July 2015. Produced by Brodie Rush. Mastered for digital release by Kliph Scurlock, July 2015 in Lawrence. Master for vinyl by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures with Kliph Scurlock and Brodie Rush.]

11:00 – Station ID

9. Katy Guillen & The Girls – “If You Were Gone”
from: If You Were Gone – Single / Independent / September 6, 2014
[Katy Guillen (guitar, vocals), Claire Adams (bass, vocals) & Stephanie Williams (drums). ]

[Katy Guillen & the Girls play Knuckleheads on Friday, February 26 with The Grisly Hand]

10. Golden Groves – “Stranger”
from: Golden Groves / Independent / April 20, 2013
[Debut EP fron Kansas City baed 5-piece: Isaac Hodges on vocals & guitar, Dylan Nelson on lead guitar, Max Kmeck on bass, Andrew Lewis on drums. Recorded in Lawrence, KS with Jim Barnes producing and engineering the project. Additional mixing done by Ryan Cork. Mastering done by John McCaig of Panic Studios, Seattle, WA. More info at: http://www.goldengrovesmusic.com%5D

[Golden Groves play an “Album Release Party” on Friday, February 26, at 6:00 PM, at The Riot Room, 4048 Broadway St, KCMO. with Lauren Anderson Band, and Mime Game.]

11. Berwanger – “Her Crystal Room”
from: Demonios [EP] / High Dive Records / December 11, 2015
[On September 2, 2015 it was announced that Josh Berwanger band was signed to High Dive Records. Recorded at Element Recording with producer Doug Boehm. The current line up includes: Josh Berwanger, Ricky Salthouse, and Brian Klien. Josh Berwanger was previously in The Anniversary, a Kansas band that released, 2000’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown & 2002’s Your Majesty and sold over 100,000 records before breaking up on tour in Japan. Berwanger put together a new band, The Only Children, and released, 2004’s Change of Living & 2007’s Keeper of Youth. When Keeper of Touth ended Josh Berwanger took a break and became a high school basketball coach. In the 2012 Josh formed the Josh Berwanger band. Josh Berwanger recently recorded a 7 ” Split Single with Dwight Twilley for Good Land Records. In September the band went on the road as Berwanger, opening for Get Up Kids, and in October opening for Boys Life.]

[Berwanger plays MidCoast Takeover Fundraiser #2, at The Tank Room, Saturday, February 27, with : Chris Meck & the Guilty Birds, Pink Royal, and Violet & the Undercurrents]

12. Violet and the Undercurrents – “Move Me”
from: Waves / Nation of Love / April 22, 2014
[Columbia, Missouri based, four-piece, all-female band. Violet and the Undercurrents have been described as “..Sophisticated folk-rockers ..” Members include: Violet Vonder Haar on Lead Vocals and Guitar; Linda Bott on Bass Guitar; Caitlin Lukin on Cello; Phylshawn Johnson on Drums.] [Violet and the Undercurrents played Folk Alliance International Conference, we saw them in The KC Music Collective Showcase Room 739, Saturday night at 1:00 am.]

[Violet & the Undercurrents plays MidCoast Takeover Fundraiser #2, at The Tank Room, Saturday, February 27, with : Chris Meck & the Guilty Birds, Pink Royal, and Berwanger.]

11:15 – Interview with Sondra Freeman

Sondra Freeman is Director of Promotions and Artist Relations for Midwest Music Foundation, a nonprofit created to support music and musicians in Kansas City and the surrounding areas, founded in 2008 by a collective of musicians and music lovers. The Midwest Music Foundation (MMF) unites and empowers the greater Kansas City music community by providing programs and resources to area musicians through outreach, support, education, and health care opportunities. Sondra is instrumental in MMF’s annual events: Apocalypse Meow, MidCoast Takeover and the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, as well as many other collaborative musical events and fundraisers.

Sondra joined us to share all the details about MidCoast Takeover Fundraisers

February 27, at The Tank Room, with Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds, Berwanger, Violet & the Undercurrents, and TBA.

March 12, at The Brick with Amy Farrand & The Like, Kangaroo Knife Fight, Kodascope, and The Invisible World.

More info at http://www.midwestmusicfound.org

Sondra Freeman is also the Host & Producer of Busker’s Banquet, a monthly event, on Tuesday nights, 8:00 pm to Midnight, at The Buffalo Room, 817 Westport Rd. (Located in the back, south entrance of The Westport Flea Market.) The weekly show features “two open mic sessions snuggled around a featured artist.” Email: sistrumenterprises@gmail.com

11:27 – Underwriting

11:28 – Notes on Folk Alliance International Conference 2016

In 5 days, and 27 hours, I witnessed 41 bands, with a combined total of 116 different musicians, in 16 different venues, presenting their sets of music, to loving audiences, at the Folk Alliance International Conference at The Westin Crown Center. The conference was a very special place, where people of all ages and backgrounds, are sharing space with musicians, musical legends, and music lovers from all over the world. I had the opportunity to talk with musicians and folk from Montreal, New Zealand, New Orleans, Toronto, Tulsa, Columbus, Edinburgh, Pennsylvania, Kyoto, Boston, San Francisco, Nashville, Baltimore and beyond. It is glorious gift of music and great spirit.

You can see our photos at: http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM/

David Amram at Folk Alliance International, Friday, February 19, 2016

On Friday night of the Folk Alliance International, I was in the Rural Grit presents Here’s to The Roots Private Showcase Room 655, I had just watched Betse & Clarke perform their set, and then watched musical legend David Amram play his hour of jamming with an unknown accordion player, 10 year old Noah, and bassist Rick Willoughby. Just when it seemed he was ready to jam with Victor & Penny, David Amram called folk singer Freebo out of the crowd to sing his song about Dogs from his latest album “If Not Now When.”

11:28

13. Freebo – “She Loves My Dog More Than Me”
from: If Not Now When / Independent / April 21, 2015

11:29 – Interview with Freebo

Our friend, Pat Fischer interviewed Freebo, in a conversation recorded on Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Freebo is Daniel Friedberg is a bass and tuba player, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer noted primarily for his work with Bonnie Raitt. He is also a session musician who has recorded and performed with Ringo Starr, John Mayall, John Hall, Aaron Neville, Dr. John, Willy DeVille, Crosby, Stills & Nash. His long collaboration with Raitt began when he attracted Raitt’s attention as a member of Philadelphia’s Edison Electric Band in the 1960s. In recent years, he has recorded four solo albums: The End Of The Beginning (1999), Dog People (2002), Before The Separation (2006), and Something to Believe (2011)]

[Freebo returns to Kansas City for a special concert on Sunday, February 28, at 1:30 pm, at Unity Village Chapel, 1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, Missouri]

11:41 – Interview with The Jellyman’s Daughter

The Jellyman’s Daughter and Calvin Arsenia

Another band that I had the chance to hear and meet at Folk Alliance International was The Jellyman’s Daughter. A duo of Graham Coe on cello and vocals, and Emily Kelly on vocals, mandolin, and guitar, The duo released their debut full length on on September 24, 2014. The Jellyman’s Daughter came to Kansas City from Edinburgh Scotland, to play Folk Alliance International Conference, and the Kansas City Folk Fest. We’ve been featuring their music on our last two weeks. The Jellyman’s Daughter played the Saturday Afternoon Stomp that Celebrates International Folk Music, Saturday, February 20, at 3:00 pm, at Coda, 1744 Broadway, KCMO, with Delaney Davidson from Christchurch, New Zealand.

Graham Coe also produced Calvin Arsenia’s most recent EP release, PROSE, that was produced and recorded in Edinburgh.

More info at: http://www.thejellymansdaughter.com/

On the tragic news of David Bowie’s death, January 11, 2016, our friends in the duo The Jellyman’s Daughter, in Edinburgh, Scotland, called up 21 of their friends, and in an all night session, recorded a tribute to Bowie, with a special version of the Bowie classic, “Young Americans.”

14. The Jellyman’s Daughter – “Young Americans”
from: The Jellyman’s Daughter / The Jellyman’s Daughter / January 16, 2016
[Recording, mixing & mastering: David O’Leary & Graham Coe , Produced by Emily Kelly & Graham Coe. Recorded at Edinburgh Napier University Studio. Verse 1: Chris Willatt; Verse 2: Jessie Bates; Verse 3: Rebecca Shearing; Verse 4: Toby Mottershead; Verse 5: Emily Kelly; Verse 6: Angus Munro. Additional vocals: Kirsten Adamson, Lissa Robertson, Rushee Morton-Teng, Graham Coe. Drums: Scott Jamieson; Percussion: Alastair Hutchison; Bass: Doug Kemp; Piano: Jack Nissan. Acoustic guitar: Dan Crichton; Electric guitar: Fraser Allan ; Violins: Lissa Robertson & Lewis Rumney; Cello: Graham Coe; Horns: The Katet Horns: Tenor saxophone: Tom Pickles, Trumpet: Charles Dearness, Trombone: Matt Hawke. Filming: Vocals: Andrew Perry. Filming: Backline & Horns: Camille Murray. Filming: Piano & Percussion: Graham Coe. Video editing: Graham Coe

11:59:30

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

Next week on March 2, Wednesday MidDay Medley presents a very special Tribute to David Bowie, featuring short stories about Bowie, from nine of his biggest fans: Michelle Bacon, Robert Moore, Ben Grimes, Cody Wyoming, Krystle Warren, Jesse Bartmess, Marion Merritt, Ian Michael Flanagan Johnson, and Nico Gray. Plus, we’ll feature 4 of our favorite songs from Bowie (in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1996). Plus, we’ll play special recordings Bowie wrote and produced from, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Mott the Hoople, and Bowie music performed by, Joan As Police Woman, Soft Reeds, Au Revoir Simone, Col. Chris Hadfield and Nile Rodgers.

Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

Show #618

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

Music from Folk Alliance International Conference with:
Megan Slankard + Kristen Ford + SONiA disappear fear + Betse & Clarke + Nicholas St. James

10:00

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980
[WMM’s theme song]

2. The Jellyman’s Daughter – “Anna”
from: The Jellyman’s Daughter / The Jellyman’s Daughter / September 24, 2014
[The debut full length album from Edinburgh, Scotland based alt.acoustic duo of Graham Coe on cello & vocals; and Emily Kelly on guitar & vocals. Written and arranged by The Jellyman’s Daughter. Mixed by Garry Boyle at The Depot, Edinburgh Mastered by Andrew Mitchell at Audio Bay.]

[The Jellyman’s Daughter play Folk Alliance International Conference, including The MudStomp Records Showcase, Saturday, February 20.]

[The Jellyman’s Daughter play the Kansas City Folk Fest, Sunday, February 21, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, at Westin Crown Center.]

10:06

3. Birds of Chicago – “Dim Star of the Palisades”
from: Real Midnight / Five Head Entertainment / February 19, 2016
[2nd full length release from Birds of Chicago, “This year’s biggest roots surprise” says L.A. Times. The band is a collective built around the husband and wife duo of JT Nero from Chicago, and Allison Russell from Montreal, Quebec. Since forming in 2012, they’ve toured internationally 10+ months of the year. Russell and Nero are most at home on the road, zigzagging across North America and Europe in their family band van, with their new baby daughter, Ida Maeve]

[Birds of Chicago play an Official Showcase of Folk Alliance International Conference, Thursday, February 18, at 10:15 pm in the Shawnee Mission Ballroom at The Westin Crown Center.]

4. The Matchsellers – “The Gohlis Waltz”
from: Songs We Made Up / Independent / February 12, 2016
[Julie Bates is a classically trained violinist from Kansas City. Andrew Morris is a Chicago blues guitarist from Warsaw, Indiana. They met in Leipzig, Germany. During their year of living in the former East Germany, the pair began reanalyzing the songs of their homeland, and developed a tight yet gritty bluegrass style. In the summer of 2013 they left their jobs to hit the road and haven’t looked back. In late 2014 they released their debut full length recording, “Kosciusko County,” one of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 115 Best Recordings of 2015. The Matchsellers have toured 3 European countries and 25 US States, performing 180 shows a year, including last year for the KC Fringe Festival, Bluegrass Bazaar in Flint, Michigan, Norman Music Festival in Norman, OK, and a 1st place win at the Eddie Owen Presents songwriting competition in Atlanta, GA.]

[The Matchsellers will be playing the upcoming Folk Alliance International Conference, including The MudStomp Records Showcase Tonight at 12:30 am in Room 722, and The Rural Grit presents The Murder Ballad Ball Showcase Thurs night at 11:00 in Room 655, and The KC Music Collective Showcase Room 739, Thursday night at Midnight.]

Leyla McCalla at Folk Alliance International, Fridy, February 19, 2016

5. Leyla McCalla – “Heart of Gold”
from: Vari-Colored Songs / Music Maker Recordings / February 4, 2014
[Leyla Sarah McCalla was born October 3, 1985. She is a classical and folk musician. She has been a cellist with the Grammy-winning string band Carolina Chocolate Drops but left that group to focus on her solo career. Both of McCalla’s parents were born in Haiti. Her father Jocelyn McCalla was the Executive Director of the New York-based National Coalition for Haitian Rights from 1988 to 2006 and is credited as translator on Vari-Colored Songs. Her mother Régine Dupuy arrived in the United States at age 5, is the daughter of Ben Dupuy who ran Haiti Progrès, a New York based Haitian socialist newspaper. McCalla’s mother went on to found Dwa Fanm, an anti-domestic violence human rights organization. McCalla was born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. She lived in Accra, Ghana for two years as a teen. After a year at Smith College, she transferred to New York University to study cello performance and chamber music. She then moved to New Orleans where she played music on the streets. Her critically acclaimed album Vari-Colored Songs is a tribute to Langston Hughes which includes adaptations of his poems, Haitian folk songs sung in Haitian Creole and original compositions. McCalla says the first song she wrote for the album was Heart of Gold because it provided “a window into Hughes’ thinking”.McCalla chose to dedicate this work to Hughes because she says “reading his work made me want to be an artist.” McCalla started working on the album 5 years prior to its release. Commentators have noted the influence of Louisiana musical traditions such as old Cajun fiddle melodies and trad-jazz banjo on the album. Members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops appear on the album.]

[Leyla McCalla plays an Official Showcase of Folk Alliance International Conference, Friday, February 19, at 8:00 pm in the Century C Ballroom at The Westin Crown Center.]

10:15

6. The Sea The Sea – “In the Altogether”
from: In the Altogether – EP / The Sea The Sea / February 26, 2016
[2nd full length album from Chuck e. Costa and Mira Stanley who met at a songwriting contest that Mira had volunteered to stage-manage. Five years they reconnected to form THE SEA THE SEA. “We had both just gone through major upheavals in our lives,” says Mira, “And we were ready to test our faith in what was possible – in our art and in the world.” They borrowed their name from Xenophon’s Anabasis, the ancient tale of Greek soldiers returning to their coastal home after a long arduous battle inland. “The Sea! The Sea!” is a cry of joy. They accompany each other with electric/acoustic guitars, the occasional banjo, piano, and percussion, but it is Chuck and Mira’s rich harmonies that provide the depth to their songwriting.]

[The Sea The Sea play an Official Showcase of Folk Alliance International Conference, Saturday, February 20, at 6:15 pm in the Brookside Ballroom at The Westin Crown Center.]

7. Violet and the Undercurrents – “Anything You Want”
from: Waves / Nation of Love / April 22, 2014
[Columbia, Missouri based, four-piece, all-female band. Violet and the Undercurrents have been described as “..Sophisticated folk-rockers ..” Members include: Violet Vonder Haar on Lead Vocals and Guitar; Linda Bott on Bass Guitar; Caitlin Lukin on Cello; Phylshawn Johnson on Drums.]

[Violet and the Undercurrents will be playing the upcoming Folk Alliance International Conference, including The MudStomp Records Showcase Thursday night at 2:00 am in Room 722, and The KC Music Collective Showcase Room 739, Saturday night at 1:00 am.]

8. Under The Big Oak Tree – “Stars Songs Faces (After Sandburg)”
from: Local Honey / Mudstomp Records / January 22, 2016
[Acoustic Folk – Country Roots from Saint Joseph, Missouri based band formed by: Kristin Hamilton, Doug “Sluggo” Ward, and Simon Fink. More info at: http://www.UnderTheBigOakTree.net/%5D

[Under The Big Oak Tree play multiple showcases at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, including The MudStomp Records Friday, Febraury 19.]

[Under The Big Oak Tree play the Kansas City Folk Fest, Sunday, February 21, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, at Westin Crown Center.]

9. The Suitcase Junket – “Dying Star”
from: Dying Star – EP / Signature Sounds / March 4, 2016
[The Suitcase Junket is Matt Lorenz, a Vermont born musician, and visual artist. Currently based in Amherst, Massachusetts The Suitcase Junket’s artistic vision is one of salvaged and repurposed objects, images and emotions. Matt Lorenz sings, plays guitars, and plays up to four instruments including a suitcase drum, with his feet, in a lo-fi, one-man-band triumph of sound and spirit..]

[The Suitcase Junket play an Official Showcase of Folk Alliance International Conference, Friday, February 19, at 6:15 pm in the Liberty Ballroom at The Westin Crown Center.]

10:31 – Interview with Megan Slankard and Kristen Ford

Kristen Ford and Megan Slankard on the February 17, 2016 Wednesday MidDay Medley

San Francisco indie-alt-rocker Megan Slankard, has sold over 35,000 copies of her four previous independently released CDs, and she is currently touring across the US to support her fifth album, “Running on Machinery”, which was recorded with the help of Nashville producer, Alex Wong who has worked with, Vienna Teng, and Delta Rae. Megan calls “Running on Machinery”…a healthy mix of stories about the end of the world, bank robberies, prison escapes, failed relationships, and other adventures.”

Nashville based indie-folk-rocker Kristen Ford performs over 200 shows a year, fusing indie, folk, country, blues & rock and roll. Her one-woman band performance includes guitar, percussion and variety of effects pedals, creating a unique musical experience. Kristen released her Live Video album, Tighten it Up, on March 19, 2015. Her critically acclaimed album Dinosaur was released the year before on May 24, 2014.

Kristen and Megan are in KC, along with thousands of musicians from around the world, to play at Folk Alliance International Conference.

Megan Slankard began learning the guitar when she was 10 years old. At the age of 17 Megan Slankard produced and recorded her first album, “Lady is a Pirate” with her brother at home on her computer.

Slankard was nominated for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Folk/Singer Songwriter Song of the year for her song “The Happy Birthday”. Megan Slankard won the 8th annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop award in the Best Cover Song category for her rendering of the song “America”.

Slankard appeared on an episode of TLC’s What Not to Wear in July 2004 and in a follow up episode a year later.

10:38

10. Megan Slankard – “Best In Me “(LIVE) (4:00)

a brand new song that might be on her next release

During her childhood, Kristen Ford, moved around a lot, growing up in 6 different states. She began working as a dishwasher at 14 to save up enough money for her first guitar.

Being left-handed, she soon discovered that the south paw guitars were too expensive and went with a right handed guitar. This perhaps explains her dynamic and expressive rhythm hand, which she uses to drive her band forward and push acoustic songs into a new realm of dance, rock and reggae music.

Kristen’s parents supplied an interesting musical upbringing. Her father sang in a barbershop quartet, and now conducts vocal groups and takes Gospel solos at church. Her mother is a folkie of the 60s and 70s, playing guitar and spinning the likes of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Simon and Garfunkel records around the house.

Her love of touring has led her through 47 states and 6 countries, spending at least a third of each year on the road. Her solo performance of beat-boxing, playing percussion with her feet, looping guitar riffs and hushing the crowd for intimate finger-picking songs.

10:49

11. Kristen Ford – “February Song”(LIVE)

Kristen Ford plays multiple showcases at Folk Alliance International

Thursday, February 18, at Access Film Music- Blue Room
Thursday, February 18, at Bliss Happy Room
Friday, February 19, at Folk Alliance International First Timers Room
w/ Suitcase Junket, Derek…
Saturday, February 20, at Access Film Music- Blue Room
Saturday, February 20, at Access Film Music- Yellow Room

Megan Slankard’s Schedule of performances during Folk Alliance International

Wed February 17, at 10:30pm: Pushing Chain/Kingswood Records – #612
Wed February 17, at 12:30am: Momentary Love Management – #601
Wed February 17, at 1:30am: Jared Ingersol Music Management – #701
Thurs February 18 at 2:30pm: Wisconsin Room – #543
Thurs February 18 at 10:30pm: MPress – #542
Thurs February 18 at 12:30am: High Sierra Music Festival – #745
Thurs February 18 at 1:30am: ISC/Unsigned Only – #756
Friday, February 19, at 1:30am: Comboplate Booking – #652

More info at: http://www.meganslankard.com http://www.kristenfordmusic.com

10:57

12. Kristen Ford – “El Camino” (LIVE)
Also available on Dinosaur / Independent / 2014

11:00 – Station ID

13. SONiA & disappear fear – “Call me SONiA”
from: Blood, Bones & Baltimore / disappear fear records / March 9, 2010
[The album was recorded on November 11 and 12, 2009. The majority of which was mixed on December 16 and 17, 2009 at The Deep End Studio located in Baltimore, MD ]

[SONiA disappear fear plays multiple showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference.]

11:03 – Interview with Betse & Clarke and SONiA disappear fear

disappear fear is an influencial and groundbreaking indie pop-folk-Americana-world beat band formed in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1987, by visual artist Sonia Rutstein with her sister Cindy Frank. The band has sold more than half a million copies of disappear fear records. In 1996 after 6 albums, Cindy stopped performing to focus on her family, and Sonia continue making and releasing 4 solo albums, touring all over the world, and performing on stages with Pete Seeger, and Bruce Springsteen. Since 2005 Sonia has been releasing her music as Sonia & disappear fear, working with a regular collective of band members, and most recently releasing 2013’s Broken Films.

Betse & Clarke seem to be everywhere… onstage at the Rural Grit Happy Hour, on Mondays at The Brick, supplying the strings for “The Band That Fell To Earth a Tribute To David Bowie “on January 31 at The Uptown,, performing in multiple showcases at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, including instructing at the Folk Alliance International Music Camp. The duo released their EP Bird Notes, last year on June 4, 2015.

SONiA has participated either alone or with the band in events including the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation and the Concert for Peace at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC with Peter, Paul and Mary (March 2003). Her performing destinations have taken her as far away as Jerusalem (where she toured bomb shelters), Fiji, and Australia’s Sydney Opera House.

disappear fear’s eponymous album won the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Award for Best Album in 1994. Both No Bomb Is Smart and Tango garnered multiple Grammy Award nominations for SONia Rutstein in the pop and folk categories.

In 2002, Santa Cruz Guitar Co created its “SONiA” model guitar in Rutstein’s honor.

Betse & Clarke’s schedule for the camp at Sheraton Hotel:

Thurs 18th 2:45-4:15pm in Van Horn C – Betse: Hands On Theory for Fiddlers & Friends

Thurs 18th. 2:45-4:15 Empire A – Clarke: Intermediate Old Time Banjo – Playing Melody

Fri 19th, 10:00-11:30am, Empire A – Betse: Singing with the Fiddle

Fri 19th, 2:45-4:15pm Fremont – Clarke: Intermediate Old Time Banjo – Three Shapes

Sat 20th, 10:00-11:30am, Van Horn A – Betse & Clarke – Old Time Fiddle/Banjo Duets

Betse & Clarke’s late night schedule:

Thurs 18, 10:30pm, Rm 655 Rural Grit presents Murder Ballad Ball

Fri 19, 11pm, Rm 655 Rural Grit presents Here’s to the Roots

Fri 19, 11:30pm, Rm 655 Rural Grit, a special set w/ David Amram!

Fri 19, 1:30am, Rm 739, KC Music Collective

Sat 20, 1:00pm, Rm 645 The Jean Ritchie Traditional Room hosted by Andy Cohen

Sat 20, 1:00 am, Rm 722, MudStomp Records

Sat 20, 2:30am, Rm 655, Rural Grit presents Jubilee

SUN 21, 1 pm, Foyer of Westin Square Dance! Kristin Andreassen, Brushy Creek playing

In 2016 Betse & Clarke will be performing and teaching at Montana Fiddle Camp, Earful of Fiddle Camp, and Grand Targhee Music Camp.

Both Betse & Clarke are 2015 fellows of Artist, INC.

11:10

14. SONiA disappear fear with Betse & Clarke– ” “(Live)

Rutstein’s 2006 Middle East tour led to the founding of Guitars for Peace, a non-profit foundation that delivers instruments to children in impoverished or war-torn nations.

SONiA of disappear fear’s schedule at Folk Alliance

Tonight, Wednesday, February 17, SONiA disappear fear plays Shubb Capos, Cabana Room 541, Westin Crown Centre

Friday February 19, SONiA disappear fear at Shubb Capo Cabana Room 541, Folk Alliance, Westin Crown Centre,

11:19

15. Betse & Clarke – “Shelven Rock” (LIVE)
From upcoming new release

Betse & Clarke upcoming shows:

FEB 17 WED Folk Alliance Music Camp

FEB 18 THU – Ollie’s Old Time Sessions and Beefsteak Banquet

MAR 1 TUE – Tuesday Tunes with Betse at Olathe Public Library

MAR 17 THU – Ollie’s Old Time Sessions and Beefsteak Banquet

MAR 26 SAT – Halfway To Winfield!

APR 2 SAT – Kitchen Session Fiddle Workshop, Lunch, & Jam at Culinary Center of Kansas City! Music By Betse Ellis, Overland Park, KS

More info at:
http://www.betseandclarke.com/fai-2016
http://www.soniadisappearfear.com

More info on the camp, conference, music fair at http://www.folk.org/

Betse & Clarke, SONiA disappear fear, and Nicholas St. James on the February 17, 2016, Wednesday MidDay Medley

11:33

15. Nicholas St. James – “Something Better”
from: THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016
[Debut album for Lawrence based vaudeville-folk-troubadour.]

11:36 – Interview with Nicholas St. James

At 11:30, Lawrence based, vaudeville-folk-troubadour, Nicholas St. James, joins us to share new music from his debut full-length album, THEATRES to be available with a special Album Release Show, Monday, February 22, at 7:30 pm at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, Kansas with the Jazz Cigarettes. The evening will also feature performances from Lawrence’s own folk-singer-songwriter, Tyler Gregory and Gadjos-Chapeaux member of the Jazz Manouche Quartet. More information at: http://www.nicholasstjames.com

From Nicholas St. James Bio:

Nicholas St. James is a folk troubadour who is more a throwback to Vaudeville than the Dust Bowl. Blogger Brian Clifton writes, “Nicholas St. James blends together old and new to create a sound as distinct as its stage show. St. James mixes folk, blues, vaudevillian drama, and country together.” Based in Lawrence, Kansas, by way of St. Louis, Missouri, Nicholas is an authentic Midwestern folk musician, and credits Tom Waits as the missing link in his own musical formation.

2016 looks to be a big year for the up-and-coming songwriter; his debut LP, Theatres, scheduled for release February 22, is just the first in a line of releases scheduled for the year. The consummate performer, 2016 also looks to be Nicholas’ busiest year on the stage with an expected 200+ live dates. No one has ever called his act or his music “traditional,” and Nicholas looks to continue to defy expectations with collaborations and projects as the year progresses.

11:43

16. Nicholas St. James – ” Misery” (LIVE)
Also available on: THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016

From Nicholas St. James Bio:

Nicholas St. James, joins us to share new music from his debut full-length album, THEATRES to be available with a special Album Release Show, Monday, February 22, at 7:30 pm at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, Kansas with the Jazz Cigarettes. The evening will also feature performances from Lawrence’s own folk-singer-songwriter, Tyler Gregory and Gadjos-Chapeaux member of the Jazz Manouche Quartet.

In addition to performing alongside a number of larger touring acts (Split Lip Rayfield, Old Man Markley), Nicholas is recognized as a national touring artists in his own right. His songs and electric live show have opened many doors for the full-time musician, including invites to perform at intimate house concerts, all the way up-to more public events, like SXSW and Folk Alliance International; however, it’s not always Nicholas’ own music that brings positive attention his way. In a display of true versatility, Nicholas has also written and arranged music for theatrical productions, acted on screen when called to do so, and runs a recording studio, Yellow Ribbon Studio, from his home, where he continues to record acclaimed, honest folk records for himself and other artists. Recently, Nicholas was chosen as one of five songwriters for the 2015 Kansas City Acoustic Guitar Project, again recognizing his skill as a true-born songwriter.

Ed Danger, of American Roots Magazine, took notice of Nicholas and wrote, “If Bob Dylan and Tom Waits were the same person, t

More information at: http://www.nicholasstjames.com

11:56

17. Nicholas St. James – “Sewer Service”
from: THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016
[Debut album for Lawrence based vaudeville-folk-troubadour.]

[Nicholas St. James plays a special Album Release Show, Monday, February 22, at 7:30 pm at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, Kansas with the Jazz Cigarettes. Tyler Gregory and Gadjos-Chapeaux member of the Jazz Manouche Quartet.]

11:59:30

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


Next week, on Wednesday, February 24, members of the KC based band Be/Non join us live in our 90.1 FM Studios. Also joining is Rachel Mallin from Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type. Plus Poet Jen Harris jons us to share information about her book release, and Sondra Freeman of Midwest Music Foundation joins us to talk about the upcoming MidCoast Takeover Fundraisers.

Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org 


Show #617

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

Music from Folk Alliance International Conference
+ Betse & Clarke + Kristen Ford + Megan Slankard
+ Nicholas St. James

In celebration of, Folk Alliance International Conference, Wednesday MidDay Medley features music from: The Jellyman’s Daughter, Leyla McCalla, The Suitcase Junket, Birds of Chicago, The Sea the Sea, Megan Slankard, Kristen Ford, Betse & Clarke, The Matchsellers, Under The Big Oak Tree, and Violet & The Undercurrents. We’ll also feature brand new music from Nicholas St. James.

At 10:30 Mark welcomes San Francisco indie-alt-rocker Megan Slankard, and Nashville based indie-folk-rocker Kristen Ford to our 90.1 FM Studios. Both women are in KC, along with hundreds of musicians from around the world, to play at Folk Alliance International Conference. Megan and Kristen tour individually all over the country in support of their releases. Kristen performs over 200 shows a year, fusing indie, folk, country, blues & rock and roll. Her one-woman band performance includes guitar, percussion and variety of effects pedals, creating a unique musical experience. Megan Slankard calls her latest release “…a healthy mix of stories about the end of the world, bank robberies, prison escapes, failed relationships, and other adventures.” More info at: http://www.meganslankard.com and http://www.kristenfordmusic.com

At 11:00, Betse & Clarke join us live in our 90.1 FM Studios. Betse & Clarke will be performing at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, including instructing at the Folk Alliance International Music Camp. In 2016 Betse & Clarke will be performing and teaching at Montana Fiddle Camp, Earful of Fiddle Camp, and Grand Targhee Music Camp. Both Betse & Clarke are 2015 fellows of Artist, INC. The duo released their EP Bird Notes, on June 4, 2015. Betse Ellis, Clarke Wyatt and Brett Hodges perform on the third Thursday each month, for “Old Time at Ollie’s,” at Ollie’s Local, at 3044 Gillham Rd. On February 18 they will welcome special guest Adam Tanner, who will be in town for the Folk Alliance Camp and Conference! More info at http://www.betseandclarke.com and http://www.folk.org

At 11:30, Lawrence based, vaudeville-folk-troubadour, Nicholas St. James, joins us to share new music from his debut full-length album, THEATRES to be available with a special Album Release Show, Monday, February 22, at 7:30 pm at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, Kansas with the Jazz Cigarettes. The evening will also feature performances from Lawrence’s own folk-singer-songwriter, Tyler Gregory and Gadjos-Chapeaux member of the Jazz Manouche Quartet. More information at: http://www.nicholasstjames.com

On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or
STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org

Show #617