#1034 – February 21, 2024 Playlist

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Folk Alliance International + Julia Othmer & James T. Lundie + Flamy Grant

Folk Alliance International Conference is Wednesday, February 21 through Saturday, February 24, 2024 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO. This year’s theme is ALCHEMY A Transformative Force. More information at: http://www.FOLK.org

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

2. Bad Alaskan – “Groove”
from: Red & Black / Bad Alaskan / June 19, 2023
[Bad Alaskan is Lawrence, Kansas based musician, scientist, researcher, speaker, activist, teacher, Alex Kimball Williams who identifies and celebrates her Native Alaskan / Black / Portuguese origins, with the motto: “Music is medicine.” Alex Kimball Williams also played in the band UltraVivid. Band Alaskan released the single “Red & Black” on December 10, 2021 The album also contains a cover of “Strange Fruit” that Bad Alaskan released as a single on August 17, 2019. Bad Alaskan writes: “This cover of ‘Strange Fruit’ is the perfect blend of old school & new school; direct reference & innovation; the blues & electronic. I’ve always loved the song & wanted to put my own indigenous spin on it. My classical & jazz training leaks through with solos & alterations to the lead melody. The 1939 recording featuring Billie Holiday’s vocals is my favorite cut of this classic. My variation alters the melody to fit a minor blues scale. The key is raised just slightly to stimulate discomfort, the tempo is more upbeat. Originally when she sang the song, it was always the end of her set, staff in the venue was instructed not to make any transactions. She would sing the song with eyes closed. Due to that devotional, prayer-like feel, I begin my sets with this song if I’m going to include it. I read somewhere that this song reminded her of her father. It lines up with my thoughts on my own ancestors, from what would have been his time. Instruments used are Korg Minilogue, Microkorg (vocoding) & Novation circuit. I always record all my parts at once (no over-dubbing), so please enjoy the “fruits” of my labor! Audio engineer: Ross Williams.]

[Bad Alaskan plays several Private Showcase at Folk Alliance International Conference including: Thursday, February 22, at 11:00pm in Lawrence Free State Room #609. // Thursday, February 22, at 12:00am in Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) in Room #755. // Saturday February 24, 12:00am in Lawrence Free State Room # 609 of The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Crys Matthews – “Safe”
from: CHANGEMAKERS / Crys Matthews / May 26, 2021
[Winner of the 2022 Folk Alliance International Folk Muaic Award for Song of the Year. Crys Matthews was also an Official Showcase Artist for the 34th Annual Folk Alliance International Conference, May 18, 19, 21, 21, and 22 in Kansas City, at Westin Crown Center Hotel, More info at http://www.folk.org. Already being hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie,” Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. A powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality,” Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation called Matthews’s gift “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.” She is made for these times and, with the release of her new, hope-fueled, love-filled social justice album Changemakers, Matthews hopes to take her place alongside some of her heroes in the world of social-justice music like Sweet Honey in the Rock and Holly Near. Of Matthews, ASCAP VP & Creative Director Eric Philbrook says, “By wrapping honest emotions around her socially conscious messages and dynamically delivering them with a warm heart and a strong voice, she lifts our spirits just when we need it most in these troubled times. // ”Matthews began performing in 2010, but cemented her acclaim at Lincoln Center as the 2017 New Song Music and Performance Competition grand prize winner. That year she also released two new projects—her album of thoughtful songs on love and life called The Imagineers, and her EP called Battle Hymn for an Army of Lovers, which tackles social justice themes. Matthews also won the People’s Music Network’s Social Justice Songs contest at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance. Loyal fans quickly followed as Matthews racked up performances at large music festivals and prestigious venues across the country including the Sundance Film Festival, Kerrville Folk Festival, and locally at venues like The Birchmere, TheHamilton, Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, and Jammin’ Java. In her TedTalk about difficult conversations called “Sing, Don’t Shout—An Alternative Approach” Matthews spoke about being born and raised in a small town in southeastern NorthCarolina by an A.M.E.preacher, and how she witnessed the power of music from an early age. A former drum major and classically-trained clarinetist turned folk singer, Matthews is using her voice to answer Dr. Martin Luther King’s call to be “a drum major for justice.” // “I believe in hope,” Matthews said. “As a social-justice songwriter, it is my duty to keep breathing that hope and encouragement into the people who listen to my music.” And, from the title track to the last track, Changemakers does just that all while tackling some heavy topics like immigration, the opioid crisis, Black Lives Matter, and gun safety to name a few.“ Ani DiFranco said, “People used to make records as in a record of an event,” said Matthews, “so I hope that these songs will serve as a time capsule, a record of the events of the last four years and what it was like to live through them.” Crys Matthews’s thoughtful, realistic and emotional songs speak to the voice of our generation and remind us why music indeed soothes the soul. More info at http://www.crysmatthews.com]

[Crys Matthews plays several private showcases, and is an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Friday, February 23, at 6:45pm in Washington Park Place 3 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Abraham Alexander – “Déja Vu (feat. Mavis Staples)”
from: SEA/SONS / Dualtone Music Group / April 14, 2023
[Abraham Alexander’s debut album SEA/SONS. Born in Greece to parents of Nigerian descent, Alexander moved to Texas with his family at age 11 to escape the racial tensions they faced in his birthplace. Shortly after moving to the states, his birth mother was killed in a car accident with a drunk driver, leading Alexander to be adopted later in his teens. He found solace in sports as a soccer prodigy and later, following a torn ACL that ended his playing career, in music once a friend handed Alexander a guitar and he unexpectedly found songs pouring out of him. // The 11 tracks on SEA/SONS touch on themes of loss, redemption, longing, anguish and joy. And while his lyrics speak to pain, trauma and life-changing loss, he instills his music with a joyful passion and irrepressible spirit, ultimately giving way to songs that radiate undeniable hope.][Abraham Alexander played The Madrid Theater, 3810 Main Street, KCMO on Monday, May 1, at 7:30 PM opening for Wilder Woods / The Fever / Sky Tour. More info at http://www.abrahamalexander.bandcamp.com]

[Folk Alliance International, the foremost global nonprofit for folk music, will present its 36th Annual Conference Feb. 21-25, 2024 in KCMO. The International Folk Music Awards (part of the conference) have announced the finalists for the 2023 Song of the Year and we’re thrilled that 4 of these songs have been in constant rotation on our playlists this year. The finalists are: “Changes” written by Joy Oladokun & Dan Wilson, performed by Joy Oladokun // “Keep It On A Burner” written & performed by Margo Cilker // “The Returner” written by Allison Russell, Drew Lindsay, & JT Nero, performed by Allison Russell // “Workin’ On A World” written & performed by Iris Dement // and “Tears Run Dry” written by Abraham Alexander, Ian Barter, Leo Stannard, performed by Abraham Alexander.]

[Abraham Alexander plays an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 10:30pm in Washington Park Place 3 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

The Swallowtails – “Cocoon”
from: LUCKY PENNY EP / The Swallowtails / February 20, 2024
[The independent acoustic band, experimenting in the rock/pop genres while performing on what are traditionally folk/classical instruments, enter a new era having produced the entirety of this project themselves, with the songwriting matter touching on life’s big changes, challenges, and the realizations that time will heal. // “Since becoming a duo, it was time for us to reinvent our sound again. The songwriting on this EP is split between Rachel and myself, and this is Rachel’s debut release as a writer and singer. We spent all of January 2024 finishing the arrangements, recording and mixing the mini-record. It was a much needed release of energy for both of us, and we are definitely looking forward to adding these songs into our live sets and performing new material.”– Miki P, songwriter, singer and musician in The Swallowtails. // Est. in 2018, The Swallowtails are a Kansas City based musical duo comprised of musicians Miki P on guitar/vocals and Rachel Lovelace on bassoon/vocals. Their vision is to write honest, heartfelt songs that feel like you’re coming home to an old friend. As recording and performance artists, they have been showcased throughout Kansas City, performing at the Folly Theatre, Boulevardia Music Festival, The Kansas City Public Library as part of the 2023 Art in the Loop: Celebrate project, and most recently at Green Guitar Folk House opening for The Wildwoods. Their songwriting was awarded Best Song by a KC Band in 2023 by the Pitch Magazine for their tune “Take it Slow.” // Live video’s will be released on The Swallowtails YouTube page in support of the EP, the live session was filmed at West Bottoms Whiskey Co. // Swallowtails will be featuring the new EP at the Folk Alliance International Conference February 21st-25th. Both Miki & Rachel have earned scholarships to attend the conference. // Swallowtails embark on their 4th year entering NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest featuring a song off the EP, called “I’m on Fire” posted to NPR’s official contest site. // The Swallowtails have recently been approved as part of KCAIC Touring Artists Roster, through the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. // On May 22, 2023 The Swallowtails released their 7-track EP THE WORLD STILL SPINS from Rachel Lovelace on bassoon, Adee Dancy on cello & vocals, and Miki P on guitar & lead vocals. Miki P is a self-taught musician/multi-instrumentalist & songwriter driving the Swallowtails into a creative collaboration like any other. Miki P was born in Kansas City, KS. Miki P started playing guitar in middle school. She taught herself to play the drums, while listening to Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon and Ringo Starr. Miki P performed “She Loves You” at her 7th grade talent show. In 9th grade she joined a teen-band called American Slim as drummer & vocalist, and she wrote songs for their full-length album Irreplaceable released in 2017, followed by a single “Queen of Hearts” released April 11, 2018. Miki P has played Middle of the Map Fest, Crossroads Music Fest, Kauffman Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, and The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art before officially ending in 2018. As a teen she played drums for various groups including American Slim. At 21, Miki P began work on her debut solo-record, DOME OF SWALLOWS, that was released August 2, 2018. She then formed Miki P and the Swallowtails who released their first EP, Swallowtail in 2019, In 2021 Miki P released the 6-song EP, DON’T LOSE HOPE, created in covid isolation, in Miki P’s home space. Sitting & working from Miki’s computer, she composed and recorded 80% of the EP, working through the music like a journal entry, creating each song from her internal hurricane of emotions. All songs written, recorded, played, & mixed by Miki P. Recorded & Mixed with Emma Klien & Jake Hilger. Mastered by Joel Nanos. Miki P released her single “Your Love” on June 24, 2022. Miki P’s released the single “Peter Parker!” on March 18, 2022. // More info at: http://www.mikipmusic.com]

[Miki P plays several Private Showcase at Folk Alliance International Conference including: Thursday, February 22, at 12:00am in Lawrence Free State Room #609 // and Rachel Lovelace on Friday, Feb. 23, at 2:30am in Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) in Room #755 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Calvin Arsenia – “Probation”
from: Paradise / Calvin Arsenia / June 23, 2023
[Paradise is Calvin Arsenia’s new 14 track album. It is only available through http://www.calvinarsenia.com // A new turning point as a songwriter. His most biographical album yet, with songs about Black Lives Matter, Racism, The Police, being on probation, gay love. The album contains collaborations with Cheery, Kadesh Flow and Jametatone. Calvin Arsenia one of our most frequent guests, who first appeared on WMM on July 25, 2012. KC Magazine has hailed Calvin as ‘equal parts opera, symphony, musical theatre, rock show, all built around its creator: a charismatic 6-foot-7-inch harpist with a 3 and ½ octave range, natural stage command and knack for gilding gold and painting lilies.’ Born in Orlando, Florida, Calvin’s creative journey began when he moved to Olathe, Kansas, teaching himself the guitar, piano, banjo. He learned his signature instrument, the harp, at the age of 20. His passion for stretching the boundaries of musical expression saw him transform a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland’s Fringe Festival early in his career into a life-changing music mission, with an Edinburgh church offering him a role as musical liaison between the church and the city that would change his life. Two years and 300 shows later, Calvin returned to KC reborn as a humanistic songwriter / performer where at 24 he released his EP, Moments, in 2014, and his EP Prose in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP Catastrophe in 2016. On February 14, 2017 Calvin released his critically acclaimed full length debut, Catastrophe, with a live show at recordBar in November 2016 that involved a company of 50 people, dancers, stilt walkers. After signing to Center Cut Records, Calvin released the albums: Cantaloupe in 2018, with a sold out gigantic spectical at The Gem Theatre on Saturday, September 15, 2018. He then released, L.A. Sessions in 2019, and the EP HONEY DEW, and the EP Goddess with Quixotic, the Holiday album, ALL IS CALM. In 2020 Calvin collaborated with Mike Dillon on the Soundtrack to “Summer in Hindsight,” a feature-length film created by The West 18th Street Fashion Show that starred Calvin as an actor. Calvin is also the co-creator of the podcast “We Were Christian Kids” created with childhood friend Justin Randall who is a stand up comedian working in New York City and now Los Angeles. Calvin is also the published author of VERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE, a collection of Poetry & Prose published on October 5, 2021, by Andrews McMeel Universal. Calvin was voted KC’s Best Musician in The Pitch 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. He has been featured in Billboard, NPR.org. Charlotte Street Foundation announced that the recipients of the 2022 Generative Performing Artist Awards are The Black Creatures and Calvin Arsenia Scott.] [Calvin Arsenia played a PARADISE Album Release Party, Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24, at 7:00 PM at The Emerald, 1715 West 9th Street, KCMO, WEST BOTTOMS. More info at http://www.calvinarsenia.com][Calvin Arsenia was our guest on WMM on Jan. 18, 2023, June 21, 2023, and our 1000th Show on June 28, 2923.]

[Calvin Arsenia plays several Private Showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Calvin Arsenia Discography

Calvin Arsenia – Moments [EP] / Independent / April 9, 2014
Calvin Arsenia was 24 when he released this EP after returning home to Kansas City after living and performing in Edinburgh, Scotland. Calvin works as a songwriter, composer, lyricist, producer, and engineer. Calvin Arsenia played live on Wednesday MidDay Medley on October 22. 2014.

Calvin Arsenia – Prose [EP] / Independent / February 3, 2015
Recorded over the course of three live sessions at Edinburgh’s Napier University. Produced by Graham Coe. Engineered by David O’Leary. Music and Lyrics: Calvin Arsenia, with Fiona Reid & Liselot Van Oosterom on Vocals, Graham Coe on Cello, Mark Smith on Percussion, Lyle Watt on Guitar Calvin Arsenia on Vocals & Guitar & Piano. Calvin Arsenia joined us on WMM on March 18, August 5, and October 28.

Calvin Arsenia – Catastrophe [EP] / Calvin Arsenia / February 17, 2016
Limited edition EP, produced for Folk Alliance International, contains demo recordings of original gems that are the blueprints for Calvin’s soon to be released full length debut, coming in 2017. Since Calvin Arsenia came home to KC after living in Edinburgh, Scotland, he has released his EP, Moments, in 2014, and his EP Prose in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP Catastrophe in 2016. He has played all over town, including showcases at Folk Alliance International, Kansas City Fringe Fest, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, and collaborations with bands like My Brothers and Sisters. Standing at 6 foot 5 inches, Arsenia’s powerful vocals span a 3.5 octave range, while playing piano, bango, guitar and harp. Calvin Arsenia is getting ready to release a new album in the fall. Calvin teaches music to elementary students. Calvin is also a graduate of Artist INC professional development program for artists in the Kansas City metro area and across the Mid-America Arts Alliance five state region. Calvin Arsenia joined us live on WMM on February 24, July 13, and November 2.

Calvin Arsenia – Catastrophe [Album] / Calvin Arsenia / February 14, 2017
Calvin Arsenia premiered these songs in a live show at recordBar in November 2016 in a stage show that involved a cpmpany of 50 people, dancers, stilt walkers, special lighting, back up singers, guest artists. Since Calvin Arsenia came home to KC after living in Edinburgh, Scotland, he has released his EP, Moments, in 2014, and his EP Prose in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP Catastrophe in 2016. Standing at 6 foot 6 inches, Arsenia’s powerful vocals span a 3.5 octave range, while playing piano, banjo, guitar and harp Calvin teaches music to elementary students. Calvin is also a graduate of Artist INC. Since 2014 we have been celebrating the music of Calvin Arsenia. He has played Folk Alliance International, Kansas City Fringe Fest, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, The Kauffman Center For The Performing Arts, The Middle of the Map Fest., The Folly Theatre. Calvin recently returned home from a three month US/European Outlyre Tour where he has played San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, NYC, Boston, Edinburgh, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Switzerlnd, Lyon and Paris. in over 40 shows, with musician and friend Simon Huntley who plays with Quixotic. Calvin is working to release new music from Calvin’s June 11th, Live Recording at Kansas City’s newly restored Greenwood Social Hall, at 1750 Bellevue Ave. in KC. ] [Calvin Arsenia played Big Bang Buffet’s “Black Sheep Rising,” Tuesday, April 11, at 8:00 at The Buffalo Room. A benefit for 90.1 FM KKFI featuring Ron Megee, Lisa Cordes, Jon “Piggy” Cupit, The Sleazebeats, Kristie Stremel, Jen Harris, Maria Vasquez Boyd, Jen Appell, Bill Belzer, Charlie Colborne, Mark Manning, Susan Cedarquis-Brewington, BJ McBride, Michael McQuary, Janet Henry, Ryan Wilks, and Nico Gray.] [Calvin Arsenia was on WMM on Feb. 15, April 12, Sept. 20, and Oct. 25 , 2017.

Calvin Arsenia – Live at Greenwood Social Hall / Unreleased / June 11, 2017
Solo live performance at Greenwood Social Hall, 1760 Bellevue, KCMO.

Calvin Arsenia – Caviar [EP] / Calvin Arsenia / December 5, 2017
Produced for attendees at Calvin’s “Secret Show,” Tuesday, December 5, at Wickstock West, 1324 West 12th Street, in The West Bottoms, and for supporters of his Outlyre Tour. Words and Music by Calvin Arsenia. Produced by Jametatone, Simon Huntley and Calvin Arsenia. Recorded at The Infoaming Vertex. Since Calvin Arsenia came home to KC after living in Edinburgh, Scotland, he has released his EP, Moments, in 2014, and his EP Prose in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP Catastrophe in 2016. n the late Summer and Fall Calvin went on a three month US/European Outlyre Tour where he has played San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, NYC, Boston, Edinburgh, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Switzerlnd, Lyon and Paris. in over 40 shows, with musician and friend Simon Huntley who plays with Quixotic. Since 2014 we have been celebrating the music of Calvin Arsenia. He has played Folk Alliance International, Kansas City Fringe Fest, The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, The Kauffman Center For The Performing Arts, The Middle of the Map Fest., The Folly Theatre. Standing at 6 foot 6 inches, Arsenia’s powerful vocals span a 3.5 octave range, while playing piano, banjo, guitar and harp. Calvin teaches music. Calvin is a graduate of Artist INC.

Calvin Arsenia – Cantaloupe / Center Cut Records / September 15, 2018
Calvin’s 2018 national debut, Cantaloupe (Center Cut Records), has been acclaimed for melding diverse textures into an alluring signature sound for the adventurous artist.

Calvin Arsenia – L.A. Sessions / Center Cut Records / September 20, 2019
Calvin performed live at L.A.’s The Mint, showcasing songs on LA Sessions with musicians who collaborated on the album. Says Calvin: “It’s such a special experience to play with them. To be able to perform these songs in front of an audience and do this for a living – to have made a career out of something I love is so amazing – it is an honor that I never take for granted.”

Calvin Arsenia – Honeydew / Center Cut Records / June 28, 2019
[On September 15, 2018 Calvin released Cantaloupe on Center Cut Records. This new EP is a remix of three of the songs from Cantaloupe, plus a Talking Heads cover that was performed live in this style at a New Year’s Eve show at The Truman opening for Making Movies who performed the entire Talking Heads album, Remain in Light. The last three songs on Honeydew were from performed in this style at The Nelson Atkins 2019 event “Party Arty.” Honeydew was produced by Jametatone, Simon Huntley, Calvin Arsenia.

Quixotic & Calvin Arsenia – “Goddess – EP / Quixotic / May 17, 2019
[An innovative performance art collective that fuses imagination with technology, dance, projection, mapping & live music to create fully-immersive, multi-sensory experiences. Quixotic harnesses light, rhythm and expressive emotion. Quixotic was given Silicon Valley’s unofficial stamp of genius when they were invited to perform at the global TED Conference in 2012. A unique blend of performance art, technology & emotion. Quixotic fuses all these elements in to what the New York Times branded an “innovative circus performance”.]

Calvin Arsenia – all is calm / Calvin Arsenia. / December 13, 2019
[Arsenia’s dreamlike whimsy shimmering through your favorite Christmas Classics. All proceeds for this album go towards the purchase of Calvin’s first harp. Featuring: Ben Muñoz on Cello, Shane Borth on Violin & Voila, & Luke “Skippy” Harbur on Beatbox. Mastered by Jametatone at the Infoaming Vertex and special thanks to Simon Huntley. Calvin wrote: “I recorded the majority of this album in my bedroom in between flights to and from KC and SF. I had my nephews and friend’s kids in mind and wanted an album of Christmas lullabys. I think it became just a little more sassy than anticipated, but I think you’ll enjoy it regardless.

Calvin Arsenia – Summer in Hindsight / Calvin Arsenia & Mike Dillon / Oct. 16, 2020
Soundtrack by Calvin Arsenia and Mike Dillon for The West 18th Street Fashion Show’s 20th year as a feature-length film. COVID-19 changed everything in 2020. “We are moving it from the street to the screen,” says Peregrine Honig to inkansascitymagazine. “Mike Dillon and Calvin Arsenia will be scoring and performing in the film.” The film premiered October 16, 2020 at The Boulevard Drive-In. Honig wrote,. “We did this during a pandemic and a cultural revolution. I am not sure where else or how else this could happen at this moment in history.” Calvin Arsenia had recently been emotionally and greatly moved by the area and national Black Lives Matter Movement. His own research into his own family revealed that Calvin’s great, great, great grandmother Alice Gilliam Scott, was a former slave who lived to observe her 100th birthday as noted by a regional newspaper Calvin had written. In the summer of 2020 Calvin wrote “Revelation” an unreleased track inspired by Black Lives Matter. Calvin premiered the song on WMM on August 12, 2020. He later shared his other new songs, “Scars and Stripes” and “The Flying Monkees are Coming!” on our October 14, 2020 edition of WMM. Both of those songs ended up on Summer in Hindsight.

Calvin’s Book EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE / Andrews McMeel Universal / Oct. 5, 2021
a collection of Poetry & Prose More info at http://www.calvinarsenia.com

Lady Nade – “My Journey to The Sky”
from: “Lady Nade Cover Song (3-Song) Single / Lady Nade / May 16, 2023
[“My Journey to The Sky” was written by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and originally released in 1949 accompanied by Marie Knight and The Sam Price Trio on 78 RPM by The Decca Recording Company as a B-Side to “Up Above My Head I Hear Music in The Air.” // Sister Rosetta Tharpe was born Rosetta Nubin, on March 20, 1915, She died on October 9, 1973. She was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and electric guitar. She was the first great recording star of gospel music, and was among the first gospel musicians to appeal to rhythm and blues and rock and roll audiences, later being referred to as “the original soul sister” and “the Godmother of rock and roll”. She influenced early rock-and-roll musicians including Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Eric Clapton.// Tharpe was a pioneer in her guitar technique; she was among the first popular recording artists to use heavy distortion on her electric guitar, opening the way to the rise of electric blues. Her guitar-playing technique had a profound influence on the development of British blues in the 1960s. Her European tour with Muddy Waters in 1964, with a stop in Manchester on May 7, is cited by British guitarists such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Keith Richards. // Willing to cross the line between sacred and secular by performing her music of “light” in the “darkness” of nightclubs and concert halls with big bands behind her, Tharpe pushed spiritual music into the mainstream and helped pioneer the rise of pop-gospel, beginning in 1938 with the recording “Rock Me” and with her 1939 hit “This Train”. Her unique music left a lasting mark on more conventional gospel artists such as Ira Tucker Sr., of the Dixie Hummingbirds. While controversial among conservative religious groups due to her forays into the pop world, she never left gospel music. // Tharpe’s 1944 release “Down by the Riverside” was selected for the National Recording Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress in 2004, which noted that it “captures her spirited guitar playing and unique vocal style, demonstrating clearly her influence on early rhythm-and-blues performers” and cited her influence on “many gospel, jazz, and rock artists”. (“Down by the Riverside” was recorded by Tharpe on December 2, 1948, in New York City, and issued as Decca single 48106). Her 1945 hit “Strange Things Happening Every Day”, recorded in late 1944, featured Tharpe’s vocals and resonator guitar, with Sammy Price (piano), bass and drums. It was the first gospel record to cross over, hitting no. 2 on the Billboard “race records” chart, the term then used for what later became the R&B chart, in April 1945. The recording has been cited as a precursor of rock and roll, and alternatively has been called the first rock and roll record. In May 2018, Tharpe was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence. // Lady Nade released the single “Everything is Free” (written by Gillian Welch) on January 20, 2023. She released her third album, the 11 – track, WILLING on June 18, 2021. The title track was released as a single and won ‘UK song of the Year’ in the 2022 UK Americana Awards. Lady Nade started writing poems and songs as a form of healing from grief, performing in venues across her native city of Bristol, her work developed into a calling to connect with her fans on a deeper level and help lead them through life’s complicated tapestry with the healing power of music. She pours creativity into every song, often lavishing them with a recipe to match. // Named one of Bristol’s most influential women of 2022, Lady Nade is continuing her rise as a multi-award winning eclectic Folk and Americana singer-songwriter. Her third album ‘Willing’ entered both the official Folk and Americana charts on its release. With the title track Single winning ‘UK song of the Year’ in the 2022 UK Americana Awards.// Her songs carry messages of love, loss, hope, relationships, friendships and the positive connection between music, well-being. // Lady Nade has learnt that loss and grief isn’t something one can recover from alone and with her music and recipes she creates a communal experience that everyone can enter into on their own terms. // This Bristolian folk / Americana songwriter fills your heart with words and melodies that nourish the mind, body and soul. Her performances are like a reunion. Share a room with her, and she’ll give you her story. All of it. The joys and sorrows. You will love her for it, and she will love you back.]

[Lady Nade plays several Private Showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

OKAN – “Eshu Nigüe”
from: Okantomi / OKAN / November 8, 2023
[Fusing Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, resistance and love, OKAN takes their name from the word for heart in their Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria. With vocals in Spanish, English and Spanglish, OKAN is led by the Cuban-born violinist and vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist and vocalist Magdelys Savigne, both Grammy and Latin-Grammy nominees. They are most noted for their 2020 album Espiral, which won the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2021. They were previously nominated in the same category at the Juno Awards of 2020 for their 2019 debut album Sombras. Rodriguez and Savigne are both former members of Jane Bunnett’s band Maqueque, who left that band in 2017 to form Okan. They perform both as a duo, and as leaders of a larger combo featuring session musicians.]

[OKAN play an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 6:15pm in Century A Room at The Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

10:30 – Underwriting

9. Jon Muq – “Shake Shake”
from: Flying Away / Easy Eye Sound – Concord / May 31, 2024
[For Jon Muq, a singer-songwriter born in Uganda and now living in Austin, Texas, music is part of a larger conversation he’s having with the world and everybody in it. Drawing from African as well as western musical trends and traditions, he devises songs as small gifts, designed to settle into everyday life and provoke reflection and resilience. “These days the world is sad,” he explains, “so I wanted to make happy songs. I wanted to write songs that connected with the listener in a very personal way. When someone listens to my music, it’s not just about me and what I’m singing. It’s about how they understand the songs individually. I think these songs can speak many languages, depending on what you want from them. // Muq’s experiences as a child in Uganda and as a man in America give him a unique perspective on the world he’s addressing. “I grew up in a very different life, where so many people pass through hard times just because they don’t have much. Our biggest issue was food scarcity. Then I came to a different world, which gave me a picture of how to write a song that can find balance with everyone wherever they are, whether they have a lot or not much.” As he completes his debut with producer Dan Auerbach and tours with Billy Joel, Norah Jones, Mavis Staples, Amythyst Kiah, Corinne Bailey Rae, and others, Muq is expanding the scope of his music to speak to more and more people. // He has nursed his obsession with music for as long as he can remember. “When I was 7, I realized there was something about sound that I appreciated. We had a brass band at school that would play the school anthem, and I would sit between the horn players and it was so loud. I loved it. People would ask, Who is this strange boy up there with the band?” Later, he joined the group playing bugle, but was dismayed when he graduated and learned that his new school did not have a band. But it did have voices filling the hallways, which excited him. At night he would lay in his dormitory bed listening to those harmonies, eventually summoning the nerve to sneak out and track them down. He searched the three-story building until he found the choir room, and the group soon adopted the curious child as a mascot, giving him homemade shakers to play. “I joined the choir but didn’t sing. I was just following sound.” // During holidays, he would stay with a cousin in Kampala, cleaning house and working odd jobs to earn extra money. During one of those visits, the teenage Muq saw a CD that caught his attention: We Are the World. “I played it and was astounded. Where are these people singing very differently yet all singing the same song? I’m taking this CD. I didn’t even ask him. I just took it. I listened to it for a long time and I mastered all the vocals and tones of the people who were singing. That was my first exposure to modern western music, and it was fascinating to me.” It was a good lesson for him, as mimicking and mastering the vocals of such a disparate array of artists—from Michael Jackson to Cyndi Lauper to Kenny Rogers—expanded the expressive range of his voice. // It also taught Muq to write songs in English. “Since Uganda has 45 tribes, it has more than 45 languages. People sing in their own languages. My language is Luganda, but I have always sung in English.” In fact, he penned his first song as a love letter in English: “A friend of mine was going through a relationship problem. They were breaking up. He spoke English but could not write it, so I told him, I can write a letter for you to change her mind. And it worked! The girl was so happy, and she kept the letter.” Muq decided to make that his first song, so he asked his friend to steal the letter back so he could copy it. It eventually became “Always as One,” and “it’s still the song I start my shows with.” In addition to pursuing his creative endeavors, Muq has continued to devote time to charitable organizations in both Uganda and the U.S., working with non-profits and community programs that provide education, food, clothing, and support to those in need. // Muq would spend hours walking around the village of Mutungo at night and singing western songs. Residents would peek through fences trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious singer, much as he had done with the school choir, but Muq nervously remained in the shadows. During one of his roaming concerts, he made a discovery that changed his life as much as We Are the World did. “One evening I was walking and singing and I heard someone playing an instrument. It sounded familiar, but also new. Two men were out in their yard performing songs for church, and I just sat there and watched. I was 18 or 19 years old, and this was my first time to see a guitar in my life. I had seen them on TV, of course, but seeing one in person was different. When I saw it, it just made sense to me. When I held it, it just made sense. I knew that this was going to answer so many questions I had about music and the western world. // Muq taught himself to play guitar on his new friend’s instrument, eventually borrowing it for a regular gig at a local hotel. Even after a long shift, he would walk home playing and singing, and a video of him serenading homeless children on the streets of Kampalaled to a stint as an entertainer on Norwegian Cruise Line. That experience not only refined his repertoire but helped him secure a passport and visa. “They saw the vide and asked me if I wanted to sing on a boat. But this like a city on the water. I couldn’t believe it would float. My friends thought the pictures I showed them had been Photoshopped.” He admits there was no grand plan to his career, no strategy or roadmap. “I never expected it to work this way. I never said, I’m going to get a job at a hotel. I’m going to get a job on a cruise line. I’m going to work with Dan Auerbach. Everything happened because I was following sound. I was chasing it. I was just singing.” // On the seas and later in America, he developed a curious approach to writing songs. “I don’t sit down and say, I’m going to write a song now. Most times someone will be talking to me and I’m playing the guitar at the same time. For some reason, my brain can listen to both things at the same time, and I’ll come up with a melody or a phrase, or just an idea. It’s amazing how many songs I’ve written when someone else is talking and I’m just holding my guitar. Even in the studio with Dan, we would be talking about songs or just hanging out, and I would be playing my guitar and coming up with new songs.” That’s how he wrote many of the songs on his upcoming debut, including the plaintive, yet hopeful, “One You Love.” “I wanted to have a relationship with someone but it didn’t work out. This song describes how someone has brought something great into your life, even if they don’t stay in your life. It was not a happy experience, but that didn’t stop me from writing something positive. I wrote it and sang it very slow, but Dans said it could be quick and dancey. It sounds great that way.” // Muq currently calls Austin home, but he’s on the road more than he’s in Texas, touring frequently and bringing his sunny songs to audiences of all kinds. “When I arrived in America, I was coming from a different part of the world, and I was very lost. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t know what was coming tomorrow. I just following instinct. I always thought, If I can communicate with people through music, it will make me feel like I am not alone. I can speak to people very intimately using music.”]

[Jon Muq plays an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 6:15pm in the Pershing Room, at The Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Joy Clark – “Guest”
from: “Guest” – Single / Joy Clark / October 5, 2023
[Joy Clark is a black, queer, folk artist from New Orleans. She is a singer/songwriter, lyrical guitarist, and rising star. Her melodic offerings have been described as a balm for an anxious heart. Each song beckons the listener, welcoming them with open arms—always advocating for truth, authenticity, self-love, and the courage to boldly tell one’s story. Growing up the daughter of a minister, she learned to create an atmosphere ripe for an emotional experience. She believes music is her ministry and intimacy is her superpower. // http://www.countryqueer.com wrote: On June 10, 2022 Joy Clark released the singe “Good Thing.” In December of 2021 Joy Clark met three-time grammy nominee and Folk Music Award winner Allison Russell, at the EXIT/IN. After hearing each other perform, three months later Clark gets a call to perform with Russell in a performance at the iconic Ryman Auditorium. “It was a dream realized.” Clark said. Calling Russell a “generous” and “strategic” artist, Clark said she feels as though Russell is not only about playing a good show, but also building a community. “I love the way she approaches working with other people,” says Clark. But their collaboration didn’t end there. // Just a little over a week ago, a performance of Russell’s “4th Day Prayer” aired on Jimmy Kimmel, featuring Sista Strings, Larissa Maestro, Elizabeth Goodfellow, Mandy Fer, and…Joy Clark. The “Goddesses”, as Russell refers to them, had all played together in various configurations (Sista Strings would accompany Russell for one gig, Elizabeth, Mandy, and Joy on another,) but this was the first time that all seven of them shared the stage.]

[Joy Clark plays several Private Showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference including Wednesday, Feb, 2 at 10:30pm in the Rainbow Room #715 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

The Matchsellers – “Time To Get A Straight Job” from: The Wishful Thinker’s Hall of Game / The Matchsellers / October 28, 2022
[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.On February 12, 2016 they released their album, SONGS WE MADE UP, one of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 116 Best Recordings of 2016.. 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 played Folk Alliance International Conference.]

[The Matchsellers play is an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 6:00pm in Washington Park Place 3, at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]
[The Matchsellers play several Private Showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference including: Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 12:00am in Heartland Song Network Room #742 // Thursday, Feb. 22, at 1:00am in Maven’s Henhouse Room 617 // Thursday, Feb. 22, at 2:30am in Whiskey Mash Room #550 // Friday, Feb. 23 at 11:00pm in Big Tent Room #629 // Friday, Feb. 23 at 2:20am in Whiskey Mash Room #550 // Saturday, Feb. 24 at 12:30am in Kerry Blech Traditional Room #723]

True Lions – “Blackberry Blossom”
from: Cold Gravy Bowl / Manor Records / March 1, 2024
[Alison “Al” Hawkins is a queer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music teacher, and leader of True Lions, a band consisting of Al and whoever is playing music with them, which often includes Fritz Hutchison—a drummer, singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, bandmate, bandleader, friend, sibling, Gemini, and Kansas Citian who just wants to do a good job and keep it fun for everybody. Last year, True Lions and Fritz Hutchison released a homemade split cassette tape via Manor Records. When their drummer Eli Kosko moved to the desert, Al, Fritz and bassist Carly Atwood started performing acoustically. When Carly was sometimes unavailable, Al and Fritz explored amplified fiddle, synth, and drums, through old-time tunes. Their noise art creation COLD GRAVY BOWL is scheduled for cassette release Friday, March 1 via Manor Records. // COLD GRAVY BOWL is the demon music baby of Kansas City duo Al Hawkins and Fritz Hutchison, blending amplified fiddle distortion, heavy drums, and bass synth through Ozark old-time. The album artwork was drawn by local queer artist Spade Nine. // True Lions released the True Lions- Fritz Hutchison Split Cassette through Manor Records on April 26, 2023. True Lions released their debut full length album, “The Fempire Strikes Back,” on Manor Records on April 9, 2021 with Alisön Hawkins on keytar & vocals; Adee Rocket Dancy on cello & vocals; Claire Adams on guitar, Elizabeth Kosko on drums & percussion; Iona DeWalt on synthesizers; Miki P on guitar & vocals, and Teri Quinn on bass & vocals. Recorded at Deep Space Co-op. Tracking & engineering by Ross Brown at Escape Pod Audio. Mixing and mastering by Joel Nanos at Element Recording. In 2019 True Lions released their EP debut, “Cute at Best,” on February 5, 2019. They followed up with a second EP called. You’re Not Invited, released on November 9, 2019. For these recordings True Lions was: Alison Hawkins on guitar, synth, and vocals; Elizabeth Kosko on percussion, vocals; Mikala Petillo on bass, vocals; Claire Adams on guitar, vocals; Leslie Butsch on saxophone, Ezgi Karakus on cello; and Teri Quinn on vocals. All songs written by True Lions and produced by Claire Adams and Alison Hawkins. Tracking & Engineering by Claire Adams. Mixing and Mastering by Ian Dobyns and Chase Horseman. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com .] [True Lions joi us nest week on WMM.]

[True Lions play a Cold Gravy Bowl, Album Release show Saturday, March 2, 2024 with The Matchsellers, at The Emerald, (second floor) 1717 W. 9th Street, KCMO [West Bottoms]. Witness the theatrical punk drag rock and roll folk event.]

[True Lions play several Private Showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference including: Thursday, February 22, at 12:30am in Lawrence Free State Room #609at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Willi Carlisle – “Critterland”
from: Critterland / Signature Sounds Recordings / January 26, 2024
[For folksinger Willi Carlisle, singing is healing. And by singing together, he believes we can begin to reckon with the inevitability of human suffering and grow in love. On his latest album, Critterland, Carlisle invites audiences to join him: “If we allow ourselves to sing together, there’s a release of sadness, maybe even a communal one. And so for me personally, singing, like the literal act of thinking through suffering, is really freeing,” he says. // Rooted in the eclectic and collective world of his live shows, Carlisle’s third album, Critterland takes up where his sophomore album, Peculiar, Missouri left off, transforming Peculiar’s big tent into a Critterland menagerie and letting loose the weirdos he gathered together. The album is a wild romp through the backwaters of his mind and America, lingering in the odd corners of human nature to visit obscure oddballs, dark secrets and complicated truths about the beauty and pain of life and love. // Produced by the GRAMMY Award-nominated Darrell Scott and to be released Jan. 26, 2024 by Signature Sounds, Critterland considers where we come from and where we are going. On the album, he takes on human suffering through stories about forbidden love, loss, generational trauma, addiction, and suicide, believing that by processing the traits and trauma we inherit, he can reach a deeper understanding of what it means to succeed and to exist. // “[Critterland] is another brilliant composition from Carlisle, who has quickly established himself as one of country music’s most important and unmistakable voices.” -PASTE MAGAZINE // “One of the Top 10 “Best Things We Saw at Newport Folk Festival 2023” – Rolling Stone // Willi Carlisle is an absolute force of nature. From the moment he walks on stage you can’t take your eyes off of him and the minute he opens his mouth you can’t help but hang on every word. Even if the songs weren’t there, the showmanship alone would be worth the price of admission, but the scary part is the songs are just as good as the stories.” -BJ Barham .// Willi Carlisle released the album Peculiar, Missouri through Free Dirt Records on July 15, 2022. It was one of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. // Willi Carlisle is an “Ozark renaissance folklorist” who writes “brilliant, slice of life Americana.” (Sing Out!Magazine) A theatre artist, folksinger, poet, and square-dance caller, Willi received a BA from Knox College in Creative Writing and Performance Studies, and an MFA in Poetry at the University of Arkansas. His work has appeared in The Journal of American Folklore, The Midwest Review, and elsewhere. Willi is a co-leader of the Fayetteville Old-time Music and Dance Society and a company member with the Artist’s Laboratory Theater. His debut EP, “Too Nice to Mean Much,” is available at http://www.willicarlisle.com ]

[Willi Carlisle plays an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 6:45pm in Benton’s 20th Floor, at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

Mireya & The Poor Choices – “Blue Bayou (feat. The Burney Sisters & Teevor Turla)”
from: Sin Fronteras / Mireya Ramos / September 15, 2023
[from mireyaramos.com: The U.S. border with Mexico has always been a fault line where cultural and political forces clash and meld with one another in a close embrace that is centuries old. The monumental musical project, Sin Fronteras, out September 2023, by Latin Grammy winner Mireya Ramos and the Poor Choices proves this 5,525-mile-long expanse that physically bisects the two countries and cultures doesn’t spiritually separate them. It is a ranchera and country dialogue that could only happen in Kansas City, Missouri which has become a second home for the New York City-based Mireya. // “La Frontera showcases the similarities between styles of music and traditions that on the surface may seem very different. I like that this album sparks a conversation—that’s always been important to me as an artist,” – Mireya Ramos // Mireya is a vocalist, violinist, composer, and arranger, and the founder of Flor de Toloache, NYC’s first and only all-women mariachi band. She co-produced Sin Fronteras with Beau Bledsoe, founder/director of classical chamber Ensemble Iberica. The 10-song album features 25 musicians, including Latin Grammy winners Texmaniacs, Ensemble Iberica, and western band Slim Hanson and the Poor Choices. Though this community spans different genres, generations, and cultures, it coalesced around an album of original and traditional songs that meld influences from both sides of the border. // “The parallels between the music on both sides of the border became obvious to me years ago—you can see that in the traditions of cowboys in the U.S. and Mexico,” says Beau, who grew up in Arkansas but spent summers in the early 1990s studying ranchera in a tiny town in Mexico near KCMO. // Mireya might be best known for her pioneering work with her two-time Latin Grammy-winning group Flor de Toloache, and her acclaimed solo career. Flor de Toloache has toured nationally and internationally, and performed on NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert,” The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and BBC 2’s Later with Jools Holland. The mariachi quartet has garnered critical-acclaim from Rolling Stone, Billboard Magazine, The New Yorker, GQ Magazine, and The New York Times. // Mireya was born in California to proud Dominican and Mexican parents, and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her earliest connection to county music was through Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. When her family relocated from Puerto Rico to New York City, the Suzuki method, classically-trained violinist began to connect with bluegrass musicians and see firsthand the connections between the music of her Latin heritage and country music. Meeting Beau a decade ago and working with him for an internationally-themed seasonal performance series he curated in Kansas City only deepened the ranchera-country conversation for Mireya. // The shows documented a uniquely KCMO musical expression. Because of the city’s proximity to Interstate 35, a main tree branch for immigration to Mexico, Kansas City has had a long history of both traditional country and Latin music. “When I first moved here, I would study classical music at the conservatory, and play two-chord ranchera’s at night on the historic Southwest Blvd,” Beau recalls. // Latin-Grammy-winning, multiple Latin Grammy nominated and Grammy-nominated vocalist, violinist, Guitarron player, composer, producer, arranger and founder of Flor de Toloache – NY’s only all-women mariachi. She embodies all of her musical influences whether classical, mariachi, salsa, merengue or hip-hop, always creating a unique and refreshing sound. Her versatility, natural improvisational skills and beautiful tone has made her one of the top Latin artists in New York City and has landed her features on legendary albums by Latin Grammy Winner percussionist Luisito Quintero, Bobbito & Stretch, Len Smythe, Chicano Batman, Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas) and many more. As a big advocate of empowering the next generation and promoting the importance of representation, she has been an integral part of educational projects like México Beyond Mariachi, Lincoln Center, and Mariachi Academy NY. She continues to share her experience and knowledge through workshops, educational programs and performances. Apart from touring with her band, she is proudly involved in She is the Music, the Recording Academy as a serving governor of the NY Chapter, a SAG-Aftra member and promoting her debut solo album self titled “Mireya” which include collaborations with Flor de Toloache, Gaby Moreno, Haydée Milanés, Camilo Lara, Adrian Quesada, Velcro and the legendary Mike Garson. Originally for San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mireya Ramos, has an exciting new album coming out that was recorded here in Kansas City titled, Sin Fronteras, co-produced with Beau Bledsoe and the KC-based super-group, Slim Hanson and the Poor Choices. Sin Fronteras will be officially released on September 15, 2023. Mireya Ramos was on WMM on March 15 and August 23 ]

[Mireya Ramos plays an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 8:15pm in Century C, at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

The Trials of Cato – “I Thought You Were My Friend”
from: Gog Magog / The Trials of Cato / November 25, 2022
[The remarkable rise of BBC Radio 2 award winning trio The Trials of Cato on the UK folk-scene has been the subject of massive critical attention. Dubbed “the Sex Pistols of folk,” (J Davis) they pay clear homage to the tradition whilst twisting old bones into something febrile and modern, with stomping tunes and captivating stories. // Notably formed in Beirut, Lebanon, The Trials of Cato have blazed a trail like no other since returning to the UK in 2016. Memorable performances across Britain, Europe, and North America led to Mark Radcliffe hailing the band ‘one of the real discoveries on the folk circuit in recent times,’ with their 2018 debut Hide and Hair going on to win the BBC Radio 2 ‘Best Album’ Folk Award. With their latest offering Gog Magog, The Trials of Cato present their most daring music to date. // 2019 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Best Album Winners // Tomos on guitars / Polly on mandolin / Robin on bouzouki.]

[The Trials of Cato plays an official Showcase at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Friday, Feb. 23, at 6:00pm in Century C, at Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

11:00 – Station ID

Julia Othmer – “Hungry Days (Make Me Feel) (Radio Edit)”
from: Sound / Frickin Awesome Records / April 12, 2019
[Julia’s second album took three years to complete and was produced with James Lundie, who married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record. Julia Othmer, is a graduate of Park Hill High School and studied at Columbia University in NYC. She moved to LA in 2006 to record her first album, “Oasis Motel.”]

[Julia Othmer will be at a Folk Alliance International Conference in a panel discussion, Maximizing Your Revenue, Thursday, Feb. 22, at 3:00pm in the Pershing Room, at Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Rd, KCMO]

[Julia Othmer & James T Lundie’s new project, The Forcefields will present Transmission, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 at 7:30pm in the Stern Theater at Charlotte Street Foundation, 3333 Wyoming St, KCMO.]

[Julia Othmer plays Folk Alliance International Conference Private Showcase at Cantina Navarro Room, on Sat. Feb. 24, 11:20pm in Room 537 of The Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Rd, KCMO]

11:04 – Interview with Julia Othmer, & James Lundie

James T. Lundie and Julia Othmer on the Wednesday, February 21, 2024 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

Julia Othmer & James T Lundie join us LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios to share detrails about their new project, The Forcefields. In a few minutes we will play The Forcefields new single “Slip Away.” Julia & James are debuting The Forcefields with a multi-media, live music experience called Transmission, Friday, February 23, 2024 at 7:30pm in the Stern Theater at Charlotte Street Foundation, 3333 Wyoming St, KCMO. The Forcefields will be the first of a new quarterly series offered by Charlotte Street called In(Site) highlighting local, regional, & national acts at pivotal points in their practices.

Julia Othmer, & James Lundie, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Julia Othmer will be at the Folk Alliance International Conference as part of a panel discussion called Maximizing Your Revenue, Thursday, February 22, at 3:00pm in the Pershing Room, at Folk Alliance International Conference.

Julia Othmer plays Folk Alliance International Conference Private Showcase at Cantina Navarro Room, on Saturday February 24, 11:20pm in Room 537 of The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO

Julia Othmer grew up in Kansas City. Julia Othmer, is a graduate of Park Hill High School and studied at Columbia University in New York City. The child of European refugees, she draws from a broad and richly cultured palette of experience to create her intensely human yet otherworldly songs. Her piano-driven performances are a mesmerizing and superconscious fusion of raw power, vocal artistry and joy.

Julia Othmer moved to LA in 2006 to record her 1st album, OASIS MOTEL.

On a dark night in North London, singer-songwriter Julia Othmer landed on the front steps of producer-composer James T Lundie. She had been introduced to his music production and fell so deeply in love with his sonic architecture, she transported herself across the proverbial pond from LA to the UK, and refused to leave until he listened to her songs.

Julia released “Sound,” on April 12, 2019, her second album, that took 3 years to complete, and was produced with James T. Lundie who married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record. This began a deeply creative and inspired partnership both in music and in life. Together they have released (under Julia’s name) studio recordings, live recordings, short films to accompany their work, a multi-media performance experience, and multiple social and environmental justice initiatives.

Julia Othmer & James T. Lunde released Seeds (Vol. 1) on November 13, 2020. “Seeds” was Julia Othmer’s 3rd full length album and contained 10 live songs selected from her 30-day Songs of September Project, where Julia performed a different live cover of her favorite songs and broadcast the performance throughout the streaming social media platforms to inspire people to register and vote on November 3. From those songs Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite tracks to be released together on “Seeds.”

In 2021 Julia and her husband James relocated to Kansas City.

In March 20, 2022 Julia Othmer released SEEDS VOLUME 2, her 4th album of live recordings from her 30-day “Songs of September Project“, where Julia covered songs of protest & hope, to inspire people to vote in 2020.

11:13

James T. Lundie, Chad Brothers & Julia Othmer on the Wednesday, February 21, 2024 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

Julia Othmer – “Russians”
from: SEEDS, Volume 2 (LIVE) / Frickin’ Awesome Records / March 20, 2021
[This is Julia’s 4th full length and contains 10 live songs selected from her 30-day Songs of September Project, where Julia performed live covers of her favorite songs of protest and hope, broadcast through streaming social platforms to inspire people to vote on November 3. Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite tracks to be included on SEEDS. Julia Othmer released “Sound,” on April 12, 2019, her second album, that took 3 years to complete, and was produced with James Lundie, who also married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record.. She moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to record her 1st full-length album, “Oasis Motel.” In 2018 to 2019 Julia Othmer toured with and opened for The Alarm in US show and shows in the United Kingdom. When Julia Othmer is in Kansas City she plays with Johnny Hamil on bass, Chris Tady on guitar, John Floyd Whitaker on drums. More info at http://www.juliaothmer.com. Julia Othmer was our guest on WMM on September 1, 2021 and March 9, 2022.]

[Julia Othmer will be at the Folk Alliance International Conference as part of a panel discussion called Maximizing Your Revenue, Thursday, February 22, at 3:00pm in the Pershing Room, at Folk Alliance.]

[Julia Othmer plays Folk Alliance International Conference Private Showcase at Cantina Navarro Room, on Sat. Feb. 24, 11:20pm in Room 537 of The Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Rd, KCMO. More info at http://www.folk.org]

11:16 – More Interview with Julia Othmer, & James T. Lundie

Julia Othmer & James T Lundie join us LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios to share detrails about their new project, The Forcefields. In a few minutes we will play The Forcefields new single “Slip Away.”

Julia & James are debuting The Forcefields with a multi-media, live music experience called Transmission, Friday, February 23, 2024 at 7:30pm in the Stern Theater at Charlotte Street Foundation, 3333 Wyoming St, KCMO.

The Forcefields will be the first of a new quarterly series offered by Charlotte Street called In(Site) highlighting local, regional, & national acts at pivotal points in their practices.

Julia Othmer, & James Lundie, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Inspired to take their collaboration to the next level, they are creating a new expanding sonic and visual aesthetic with their project: THE FORCEFIELDS.

Their sound is evolving into what is described as Annie Lennox hosting a full moon party with The Beach Boys and Portishead gathered round the fire. Their studio recordings feature James’ unique sonic tools, reimagined vintage synthesizers, audio gear and rebuilt, one-of-a-kind instruments, heard nowhere else in the world.

The Forcefields debut EP, BRIDGE, will be released in spring 2024. It is a sonic bridge between their previous work together and this new trajectory. Reinterpreting and distilling the essence of two of Julia’s previous songs, BRIDGE is a rhythmic, multi-layered and richly textured exploration of letting go and positive self realization.

7:30pm with an Artist Q&A Feedback Session to follow.

The Forcefields are featuring collaborations with these local and regional artists:
Simon Huntley – musician – https://simonhuntley.studio/
Sarah Hearn – artist researcher – https://www.sarahhearn.art/
Mikal Shapiro – shadow puppetry visual art – https://www.mikalshapiro.com/
Ian VanDusen – lighting design

The Forcefields will be the first of a new quarterly series offered by Charlotte Street called In(Site) highlighting local, regional, & national acts at pivotal points in their practices.

Julia & James are debuting The Forcefields with the release of their first single “Slip Away” on February 27.

Julia Othmer, & James Lundie, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Julia Othmer & James T Lundie’s new project, The Forcefields will present Transmission, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 at 7:30pm in the Stern Theater at Charlotte Street Foundation, 3333 Wyoming St, KCMO.

Julia Othmer plays Folk Alliance International Conference Private Showcase at Cantina Navarro Room, on Sat. Feb. 24, 11:20pm in Room 537 of The Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Rd, KCMO. More info at http://www.folk.org

The Forcefields play the Volland Foundation on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 2:00pm at theVolland Foundation, 24098 Volland Rd, Alma, KS in Collaboration with Sarah Hearn: Microbial Multiverse

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

11:25

The Forcefields – “Slip Away”
from: “Slip Away” – Single / Frickin’ Awesome Records / February 27, 2024
[THE FORCEFIELDS is a brand new project, a new cosmosonic collaboration between Julia Othmer and James T Lundie AKA Aayama & Max Forcefield. The Forcefields present TRANSMISSION where they will be the debuting performers for Charlotte Street’s new series, In(SITE), highlighting local, regional, and national acts at pivotal points in their practices. In a multidisciplinary collaboration with artists Simon Huntley, Sarah Hearn, and Mikal Shapiro, Transmission is an exploration of cosmic vibrations and soundscapes in a stunning one-night-only production.]

11:28 – Underwriting

19. Flamy Grant – “Fortune Teller”
from: “Fortune Teller” – Single / Glam & Glory Records / October 24, 2023
[Produced by Ben Grace. Sound engineer and electric guitars by Daniel Shearin. // Flamy Grant is winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. With influences from gospel and blues to folk and rock, this Americana showcase shines a spotlight on queerness, faith, and overcoming the spiritual trauma so often endured by LGBTQ+ people and others who grow up in conservative religious spaces. // Flamy’s iconic roots-rock sound is influenced by singer/songwriters like Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Over the Rhine, and — of course — Amy Grant. Her art shines a spotlight on the queer spiritual journey, telling stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma. With a bold lip, a big lash, and a blistering voice, Flamy is here to rewrite the rules when it comes to faith-based entertainment, demanding a reckoning for an industry that for too long has silenced and shut out its LGBTQ+ artists and fans. // Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart. More information at: http://www.flamyfrant.com]

[Flamy Grant plays an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 7:30pm in Brookside Room at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. http://www.folk.org]

11:33 – Interview with Flamy Grant

Flamy Grant, is the winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and is a 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music album recorded by a drag performer. With influences from gospel and blues to folk and rock, this Americana showcase, shines a spotlight on queerness, faith, and overcoming the spiritual trauma so often endured by LGBTQ+ people and others who grow up in conservative religious spaces.

Flamy’s iconic roots-rock sound is influenced by singer/songwriters like Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Over the Rhine, and — of course — Amy Grant. Her art shines a spotlight on the queer spiritual journey, telling stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma. With a bold lip, a big lash, and a blistering voice, Flamy is here to rewrite the rules when it comes to faith-based entertainment, demanding a reckoning for an industry that for too long has silenced and shut out its LGBTQ+ artists and fans.

Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart.

Flamy Grant plays several private showcases, and is an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 7:30pm in Brookside Room at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.

Flamy Grant, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

About “Fortune Teller” Flamy Grant writes: “There are some things queer people will always know more about — things you can only learn by navigating the often unwelcoming world as a queer person. If you let us, we can be a trustworthy guide: a fortune teller, a scientist, a time traveler, a prophet.”

Fortune Teller (Lyrics)

I’m a medium, I’m a fortune teller
I know every word you’re gonna say
I’m a headstrong, lifelong city dweller
I can take you where you’re going by the fastest way
It’s gonna be okay

I traveled time, I’m here from the future
I can show you how this all turns out
I can save you with the data in my computer
We can flourish in the flood and avoid the drought
Yeah, we’re gonna make it out

You feel it in your bones
But your head is moving slow

I’m a scientist, I got a method and a measure
For observable, reliable, repeatable fact
I’m a decorated educator in the field of pleasure
I’ve learned a lot of lessons I can reenact
Yeah, I been keeping track

You sense that I am true
But your heart is split in two

I’m a prophetess, singing my story
A dressed-up, effervescent, ethical fraud
But this world ain’t ready for an allegory, no
We’re still waiting on a literal god
I just smile and nod

You have intuition
And it’s telling you the story isn’t done

Flamy Grant’s Hometown is Asheville, NC. Raised fundamentalist evangelical herself, much of Flamy’s music centers on the queer spiritual journey. She tells stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma in a world where LGBTQ+ people are frequently ignored by, harmed in, or ejected from religious spaces.

With a bold lip, a big lash, and a blistering voice, Flamy takes audiences to a soulful, uplifting church of her own making.

After growing up as a “deeply fundamentalist evangelical” in western North Carolina, Grant (whose real name is Matthew Blake) spent decades dedicated to church before coming out in her young adulthood and launching into drag in 2020. She built a fanbase on TikTok before releasing Bible Belt BabY, completely unaware of the bump in success it’d later receive.

1 Album “Bible Belt Baby,” iTunes Christian Chart (July 27-August 4, 2023)

1 Single “Good Day,” iTunes Christian Chart (July 27, 2023)

20 Single “Good Day,” Billboard Christian Digital Sales Chart (July 2023)

2 Single “Fortune Teller,” iTunes Christian Chart (October 24, 2023)

Top Ten Best Queer Country Albums of 2023 – Rainbow Rodeo Magazine
Nominee: Best Pop Album – San Diego Music Awards

Flamy Grant is a powerhouse vocalist, intrepid songwriter, and acclaimed drag queen from western North Carolina who blends folk, gospel, and roots, transporting audiences with therapeutic, theatrical storytelling and song. Her 2022 debut record, Bible Belt Baby, garnered international attention when it reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Christian Charts after a self-proclaimed MAGA preacher disparaged her online. The story was covered by Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, People, Newsweek, Today, Paste, Them, Queerty, Instinct, and more. She was again featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, and others after a Grammy Awards screening committee disqualified her record from the Contemporary Christian Music category due to adult language.

Bible Belt Baby was nominated for Best Pop Album at San Diego Music Awards & named one of the Top 10 Queer Country Albums of 2023 by Rainbow Rodeo Magazine. Flamy is a winner of the 2023 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition, a 2023 QueerX Award nominee for Best Drag Artist, and 2024 Queerty Award nominee for Drag Royalty.

Flamy told Entertainment Weekly: “I’m here in all of my draggy audacity to demand they reckon with reality,” Flamy tells EW after her Bible Belt Baby topped the Christian charts amid a feud with Sean Feucht.

The North Carolina native saw a massive spike in sales after the former conservative political candidate Sean Feucht, who criticized Flamy for putting Caedmon’s Call band member Derek Webb into drag for the pair’s “Boys Will Be Girls” music video. Feucht, a fellow performer, shared a clip of Grant’s “Boys Will Be Girls” to social media. Utilizing harmful rhetoric that’s fueled recent anti-LGBTQ+ legislation throughout the United States, Feucht called the video “sick” and “twisted.”

Flamy says Feucht subsequently slammed the duo’s work, and attempted to downplay her career prospects — and it backfired, as Flamy’s 2022 album Bible Belt Baby shot to No. 1 on the Christian iTunes charts, with the tune “Good Day” also topping the platform’s Christian songs ranking.

Flamy recalls “shame and fear” governing most of her early life, and says she found solace in Christian music, as secular pop was banned in her home. Flamy told Entertainment Weekly: “For me, drag started out as inner child work — reparenting myself and giving myself the opportunity to explore who I was becoming before my conservative upbringing forced me into a box that was never going to hold me,” she says. “The songs that I started writing in Flamy’s voice were all about recovery from the religious trauma I’d endured. I found myself writing about spirituality through the lens of a drag queen.”

She explains, “To me, Bible Belt Baby is a Christian album because it tells the story of someone who grew up trying to be the best Christian ever because they knew they were queer and had to work twice as hard to belong in a place that hated queerness, and despite their attempts to kick her out, she decided to plant her stiletto in sacred space.”

Now, just under four years into her drag career, Flamy has cut ties from evangelicalism and moved into “progressive and inclusive” sects of Christianity. She even assisted with her church’s digital services during the pandemic, delivering sermons in drag and performing in churches around the country. Though she boldly carries it, lifting that torch isn’t easy.

“I think it was actually really great that it took a minute for this moment to happen because I was ready,” Grant tells PEOPLE. “I had already chosen to release a record in the Christian genre. It was sitting there, just literally waiting for someone like Sean Feucht to give it a golden platter to fly off on.”

Flamy Grant Tour Reviews
“A cheeky, country-disco track guaranteed to smear a smile across you face as bold as a heavy lip.” —Rachel Cholst, TheBoot.com

“Her vocals are not post-production magic… her strong voice helps carry sincere lyrics.” —Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune

Flamy Grant On Tour – Over 70 dates booked, including:

End of Days Tour with Derek Webb, 17 cities
Official Showcase, Folk Alliance International Conferenc
Off-Broadway Solo Cabaret Show at Laurie Beechman Theatre
Kerrville Folk Festival opening weekend
Opening for Adeem the Artist’s album release shows
Cambridge Folk Festival, UK
Greenbelt Festival, UK (not yet announced)
Graceland Festival, Netherlands (not yet announced)

2023: 55+ dates played, including:

Winter Magic Tour with Rebecca Loebe & Crys Matthews
A Million Ways to Cry in the West Tour with Story & Tune
Official showcases at SWRFA & NERFA
Theology Beer Camp & QCF Conference

Flamy Grant is currently working on her second album. In December 2023, Flamy raised $56,608 from 559 backers on Kickstarter to fund her second studio album. She is recording it in March 2024 in Nashville at Forty-one Fifteen Studios. It is planned for a September 2024 release.

10:41

Flamy Grant on the Wednesday, February 21, 2024 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

20. Flamy Grant – “What Did You Drag Me Into?” (LIVE)
This song is from: BIBLE BELT BABY / Glam & Glory Records / October 6, 2022
[Produced by Ben Grace. // Flamy Grant is winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. With influences from gospel and blues to folk and rock, this Americana showcase shines a spotlight on queerness, faith, and overcoming the spiritual trauma so often endured by LGBTQ+ people and others who grow up in conservative religious spaces. // Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart.]

11:44 – More Interview with Flamy Grant

We are talking with Flamy Grant, the winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and is a 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music album recorded by a drag performer. Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart.

A shame-slaying, hip-swaying drag artist with Appalachian roots. Flamy Grant bring a roots-rock sound influenced by gospel and Americana. Her music shines a spotlight on the queer spiritual journey, telling stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma. “With a bold lip and a big lash, Flamy is here to rewrite the rules when it comes to religious music.”

Flamy Grant, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Flamy Grant plays multiple Private Showcases:
Wednesday, February 21, at 11:25pm Midwood Entertainment Room # 714
Thursday February 22, at 11:30pm Mammoth Bookings Room # 614
Thursday February 22, at 2:10am TRO Essex Room # 740
Friday, February 23, at 10:30 Big Tent Room # 629
Friday, February 23, at 1:30am Rainbow Room # 715
Friday, February 23, at Kerrville New Folk Room # 635
Saturday, February 24, at 12:00am House of Pancakes Room # 546

On Tour:
Mar 16 – Laurie Beechman Theatre – New York (NYC), NY
Mar 17 – Laurie Beechman Theatre – New York (NYC), NY
Mar 27 – Ugly Mug – Soquel, CA
Mar 28 – Community Congregational United Church of Christ – Los Alamitos, CA
Apr 04 – The Ringwald Theatre – Ferndale, MI
Apr 22 – Hammond United Church Hall – Maple Ridge, BC

After many years of living in San Diego, last Spring, Fkamy and her partner Chris moved to North Carolina. That move was the inspiration for the single, “I Think I See the Island.”

About the song “I Think I See the Island” Flamy Grant writes:

A few months ago, my spouse turned to me and said, “Let’s do it. Let’s go to North Carolina.”

For a long time, we had been vacillating between options for the next chapter of our life together. Chicago, Nashville, Vermont, Portland and Bend were all on the table, along with my hometown of Asheville, NC — or simply staying in San Diego.

I once moved halfway across the country for a relationship… to disastrous results. So while my gut was pulling me back toward the southeast, closer to my family and the music scene I felt would suit me best, I was feeling very sensitive to the idea of asking my partner to abandon his life in America’s Finest City and start fresh with me somewhere smaller, greener, and far less politically advantageous.

“Your career is building some real momentum,” Chris said. “It makes sense for us to be where Flamy can thrive. Plus, I’m kind of excited about the idea of exploring the east coast.”

That’s the kind of partner I am lucky enough to have.

I wrote this song for Chris, & am releasing it as a surprise on his birthday – the second time I’ve surprised him with a song (the 1st was for our wedding weekend and I’ve included it as a bonus track on this release). I’m probably going to have to retire this trick soon & think of other ways to mark special occasions. But with this being his last birthday as a California resident, I wanted to suspend time for a moment the way only music can.

“I Think I See The Island” is about the morning walks we’ve taken to the top of our neighborhood hill over the past 3.5 years. On the rare clear day, you can see the tiny Isla Coronado in the distance, way off the coast of Mexico. At some point, we got into the habit of pointing it out to each other, and this initially made me laugh when I first realized we were doing it.

“We’re becoming one of those couples who say the same things to each other every day,” I chuckled one morning after he’d pointed out the island’s silhouette emerging through the coastal haze.

I imagined us in our seventies shuffling to the top of that hill every morning, peering across the canyons with failing eyes, checking to see if the island would make an appearance today. And rather than feeling predictable or boring, I found the idea very, very comforting. The song came to me in one simple writing session, and I knew I wanted to gift it to Chris as a way to mark this season of our lives — pandemic dog walks; navigating our first years as a married couple in the suburbs; the tiny, recurring thrill of a silly game we played every morning.

To me, it feels holy.

Soon we’ll be searching for new paths to climb with our dog in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and no matter how clear the day, there will be no islands to look for. But new rituals will replace the old, and we’ll invent new things to say to each other every morning.

Still, I hope one day when we’re much older, we’re able to visit our old neighborhood in San Diego, climb to the top of the hill, and see the island that inspired this song.

Happy birthday, Christopher. I’m so grateful for the holy little moments anchoring our lives.

(I owe an extraordinary debt of gratitude to my producer Ben Grace, who brought this entire track to life in a few hours, and to Karyn Thurston, who magicked gorgeous background vocals after listening through approximately twice. Superstars.)

11:51

Flamy Grant, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

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

11:53

James T. Lundie, Flamy Grant, and Julia Othmer on the Wednesday, February 21, 2024 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

Flamy Grant – “I Think I See The Island”
from: “I hink I See The Island” – Single / Glam & Glory Records / July 4, 2023
[Produced by Ben Grace. Sound engineer and electric guitars by Daniel Shearin. // Flamy Grant is winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. With influences from gospel and blues to folk and rock, this Americana showcase shines a spotlight on queerness, faith, and overcoming the spiritual trauma so often endured by LGBTQ+ people and others who grow up in conservative religious spaces. // Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart.]

[Flamy Grant plays an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thurs, Feb. 22, at 7:30pm in Brookside Room at The Westin Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.]

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

Next week on Wednesday, February 28 we talk with Malek Azrael and premiere his new single, “in ur mind” to be released on March 1, 2024.

We also welcome Alison “Al” Hawkins & Fritz Hutchison of True Lions about their new recording, Cold Gravy Bowl, and their Album Release show Sat, March 2, 2024 with The Matchsellers, at The Emerald, (2nd floor) 1717 W. 9th Street, KCMO [West Bottoms].

Also next week I will be joined by Marion Merritt and Betse Ellis for our Winter Fund Drive Show. We want to hear from all of our listeners to call us up at 888-931-3901

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers.

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

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

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

Show #1034

WMM presents Julia Othmer & James T. Lundie + Flamy Grant + Music of Folk Alliance International

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Folk Alliance International + Julia Othmer & James T. Lundie + Flamy Grant

Mark plays Music of Folk Alliance International from: Abraham Alexander, Lady Nade, Calvin Arsenia, Jon Muq, Crystal Matthews, OKAN, Joy Clark, The Trials of Cato, Bad Alaskan, Willi Carlisle, True Lions, Mireya Ramos, The Swallowtails, The Matchsellers, Julia Othmer, and Flamy Grant. We will also play new music from The Forcefields.

Folk Alliance International Conference is Wednesday, February 21 through Saturday, February 24, 2024 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO. This year’s theme is ALCHEMY A Transformative Force. More information at: http://www.FOLK.org

At 11:00 Mark talks with Julia Othmer & James T Lundie about their new project, The Forcefields. We’ll play The Forcefields new single “Slip Away.” Julia & James are debuting The Forcefields with a multi-media, live music experience called Transmission, featuring collaborations with musician – Simon Huntley, artist researcher – Sarah Hearn visual artist and shadow puppeteer – Mikal Shapiro, and lighting design – Ian VanDusen, Transmission is Friday, February 23, 2024 at 7:30pm in the Stern Theater at Charlotte Street Foundation, 3333 Wyoming St, KCMO. The Forcefields will be the first of a new quarterly series offered by Charlotte Street called In(Site) highlighting local, regional, & national acts at pivotal points in their practices. // Julia Othmer will be at the Folk Alliance International Conference as part of a panel discussion called Maximizing Your Revenue, Thursday, February 22, at 3:00pm in the Pershing Room, at Folk Alliance International Conference. Julia Othmer plays Folk Alliance International Conference Private Showcase at Cantina Navarro Room, on Saturday February 24, 11:20pm in Room 537 of The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO

At 11:30 Mark welcomes Flamy Grant, winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart. Flamy Grant plays several private showcases, and is an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thursday, February 22, at 7:30pm in Brookside Room at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO.

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

Show #1034

WMM Playlist from February 14, 2024

Posted on February 16, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Janice Woolery + David Luther & Kelly Dougherty + Buck Moon

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

Adrianne Lenker – “Sadness As A Gift (Radio Edit)”
from: Bright Future / 4AD / March 22, 2024
[Adrianne Lenker writes: ““bright future” was made with everything in my heart, and it will be yours march 22nd. for today, i’m sharing the second song from it called ”sadness as a gift”. “sadness as a gift” was co-produced by Philip Weinrobe, with contributions from Mat Davidson, Nick Hakim, and Josefin Runsteen. // Mat, Nick and Josefin, y’all brought this whole thing to life in a way i never could’ve even imagined being possible. my heart broke open during those weeks together. your love makes it what it is and i am endlessly grateful for the presence you gave to our time together and to this music. Phil you inspire me endlessly, you ignite my curiosity and remind me to enjoy being alive. i learn so much from working and existing with you, thank you for going one thousand percent in with me, all the way through the shadows and the light. // mastered with care by the incredible Josh Bonati. // Adrianne Elizabeth Lenker was born July 9, 1991. She is an American musician. She is the lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of the band Big Thief. // Lenker was born in Indianapolis and was raised in a Christian cult until the age of four, but primarily grew up in Minnesota. Her parents rented homes in Coon Rapids, Nisswa, and Bloomington, Minnesota, before settling down in Plymouth, Minnesota, where she lived for 10 years, excluding a brief time spent in Santa Cruz, California. She spent a summer traveling throughout the midwest and living out of a Ford cargo van. // Lenker wrote her first song at the age of eight, and recorded her first album at age 13. Her other interests included studying martial arts, and she was the state karate champion three years in a row.[citation needed] She moved to Santa Cruz for a year and a half, living with a family friend and working at a local McDonalds. She dropped out of Santa Cruz High School halfway into her sophomore year, moved back to Plymouth, and got her GED at the age of 16. She attended the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship provided by Susan Tedeschi of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. // On February 28, 2006, when Lenker was 14, she released her first solo album, Stages of the Sun. On January 9, 2014, Lenker released her second solo album, Hours Were the Birds. // On May 1, 2014, Lenker, together with future bandmate Buck Meek, released the LP records a-sides and b-sides. In 2015, Lenker and Meek, alongside Max Oleartchik and James Krivchenia, formed the band Big Thief, whose first album was released in 2016. // Lenker released her third solo album, Abysskiss, on October 5, 2018. // On October 23, 2020, Lenker released her two most recent albums, Songs and Instrumentals. // Lenker met the future Big Thief co-founder Buck Meek at a concert when she lived in Boston, and then she encountered him again in a bodega the day she moved to New York. The pair began to play together, and married when Lenker was 24. They divorced in 2018, remaining in Big Thief as “deep friends”. In 2019, Lenker was in a relationship with the artist Indigo Sparke, and the two separated sometime in 2020. // While Lenker is comfortable with the label “queer”, she has expressed a desire not to define her sexual orientation beyond that. Her lyrics often contain discussions of gender and the gender binary. In an interview with The Brag, Lenker said of those lyrics, “I feel within myself a constant dialogue between my masculinity, my femininity and the part of me that is neither of those things. I’m just trying to talk about it because I feel like I’m something that is very ambiguous.”]

The Whips – “Begin Again”
from: “Begin Again” – Single / Draft Crew Records / February 2, 2024
[The Whips are Miles Patterson on drums, Quinn Cosgrove on bass, Max Indiveri on guitar, and Coop on piano. The Whips are a funk/soul band based in Kansas City. The Whips released their 12 track debut album HOW TO HOLD A GRUDGE on Lotuspool Records on September 1, 2023, Recorded with Audio Engineer Chris Cosgrove. the album features an array of their favorite local musicians guest in various tracks including: Malek Azrael, Anna Duntz, Atomic Blonde, Die Jane, Tre’ Mutava, Lymerrick & Lucy Brock. The Whips released their 6-track Debut EP, NEVER CHANGE, OR DO on August 20, 2021 on Draft Crew Records. The Whips released multiple singles in 2021. The Whips are currently on the road, they play Nashville onFriday, St. Louis on Saturday, Ames Iowa next week. More info at: ww.thewhipsband.com]

[The Whips opening for Landon Conrath at The Uptown Theatre next week on February 21.]

The Roseline – “Hot Dice”
from: Keystone of the Heart / RPH Records / February 2, 2024
[Keystone of the Heart is the eighth album from the Lawrence, Kansas based band. The Roseline features: Colin Halliburton on lead vocals, Bradley McKellip on guitar, Heidi Gluck on Keyboards & backing vocals, Colin Jones on bass, Jim Piller on drums, and Chase Horseman on Mellotron. Engineered, produced, and mixed by Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios in Kansas City, KS Mastered by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering in Chicago, IL. // Keystone of the Heart, is arguably their most distilled, elegant, and emotionally resonant album of their career. Halliburton describes it as “a protest record which protests the dissolution of a marriage, the slog of existence in late stage capitalism, and grotesque hatred and violence.” While this certainly sounds clunky and heavy-handed, Halliburton knows when to inject some levity and humor. Songs which appear dour and grim in the early verses always seem to find some hope and light by their end. Keystone of the Heart offers pure aural aloe for troubled times. // The Roseline played an Album Release Show at The Bottleneck con February 2, 2024 with Suzannah Johannes and Empty Moon. The band will be traveling back to Scandinavia in March. // The Roseline’s 7th album CONSTANCY was released November 5, 2021, was #1 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2021. // The Roseline are a Lawrence, KS, based alt-country, Americana, rock band, formed by Colin Halliburton with friends in 2005. The Roseline released their 6th album GOOD / GRIEF on April 3, 2020. The Roseline released BLOOD on September 29, 2017; and TOWNIE on June 19, 2015. The band has toured the US and parts of Europe. Halliburton has completed two European solo tours thus far, taking him through Poland, Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands. // . The Roseline founder and principal songwriter, Colin Halliburton, began the project as an acoustic folk trio. It has since evolved into the five-piece heartland rock band of its current form. // Kind foreign press and high charting on the Euro Americana Chart (“Lust for Luster,” “Blood,” “GOOD/GRIEF” and “Constancy” all charted in the top 10) led to a deal in the Benelux with Dutch label King Forward Records. The band also released “Vast as Sky” in 2012 with the Bay Area label Ninth Street Opus (home to Sarah Lee Guthrie and Carrie Rodriguez). Aside from those, the project has largely been a truly DIY, independent venture. // The Roseline has had the good fortune of landing placements in indie movies and major network television shows such as ABC’s “Nashville” and “Resurrection,” as well as USA’s “Queen of the South,” Netflix’s “Virgin River” and MTV’s “Teen Mom.” The band’s work has been featured on NPR, “Pop Matters,” “American Songwriter,” “The Bluegrass Situation” and “No Depression,” among others. Colin Halliburton joined us on WMM on March 25, 2020. More info at: https://roselinemusic.com/%5D

[The Roseline will tour throughout Sweden and Norway in March.]

Elexa Dawson & Stanley Hotel – “Lot of Life”
from: Wanderlust / Turns Out Records / February 2, 2024
[WANDERLUST was recorded at: Remote Studios. Engineered and Mixed: Isaac Nelson, Adam Stanley. Mastered by: Brody Wellman. Produced by: Elexa Dawson, Isaac Nelson, Adam Stanley, Doug Swindell. Published By: Turns Out Records. Dawson Elexa creates community-focused Americana music with soulful vocals and connection to land. Oklahoma Native, Elexa now calls Kansas her home. Wanderlust is Elexa’s sophomore release (Feb 2024) collaboration with Stanley Hotel. Elexa Dawson also fronts the bands: Heyleon and Weda Skirts. Alexa is a Potawatomi activist and educator. Elexa facilitates songwriting workshops, talking circles, and relational plant education. // Mikal Shapiro, of Siren Song, on 90.1 FM KKFI writes, “Dear Music Lovers, do yourself a favor and put this honey in your ears. Elexa Dawson delivers yet another stunning collection of heartfelt songs in her sophomore release. // A collaboration with indie folk rockers Stanley Hotel, the chemistry is palpable and the production sparkles with Dawson’s clear and powerful voice sitting comfortably in the full-spectrum arrangements. // A soul-stirring journey through earth and sky, “Wanderlust” provides the perfect soundtrack to that road-trip you’ve been dreaming about… and you don’t have to burn any gas to get there.” // More on WANDERLUST: Nestled within the red dirt country hills of Oklahoma, Elexa Dawson and the acclaimed Stanley Hotel embarked on a visionary collaboration, crafting what can only be described as a sonic spaceship named “Wanderlust.” Reviewed as “a soul-stirring journey through earth and sky,” the album invites listeners to explore uncharted realms through its captivating songs. // From the inaugural track’s exploration of the outer limits of human experience to the final guided meditation conveying a message from the ancestors, “Wanderlust” stands as an epic odyssey worthy of the finest traveling shoes. Each song serves as a unique stop on this musical tour, gathering sentiments of loneliness, love, connection, and completion. Whether dancing with the transient and the lovers in “Rainbows,” getting “High on the Street,” or contemplating life under the southwestern sky with the poignant “Lonely Coyote,” every moment resonates with the depth of the human experience. // Elexa Dawson’s return to her Oklahoma roots for recording at Remote Records, the experimental laboratory of Stanley Hotel members Adam Stanley, Isaac Nelson, and Doug Swindell, underscores the organic collaboration between the artists. With mutual admiration at the core of their sonic choices, Stanley Hotel’s earthy soundscape perfectly supports Elexa’s vocal prowess. As both parties contribute astute compositions, the album maintains its cohesion by invoking nature’s spirits while playfully exploring the ether and always grounding itself back in the dirt. // “Wanderlust” marks Elexa’s sophomore release following her debut album, “Music is Medicine,” in 2019. The collaboration with Stanley Hotel showcases their multi-genre style and eclectic musicality, evident in releases such as “Samson Mammoth” and “The Wolf Told Me.” Elexa’s vocal quality, described by Raye Zaragoza as cutting right to the soul, blends seamlessly with Stanley Hotel’s unique style, creating a magical and expansive listening experience.More info at: http://www.elexadawson.com]

[Elexa Dawson plays Thelma’s Peach, 2008 East Admiral Blvd in Tulsa, OK on Friday, February 9, at 9:00pm with Amber Watson, and Joey Henry’s Dirty Sunshine Club.]

Keelon Vann – “Take Our Time”
from: Tales of the Gypsy / KeelonVann / January 1, 2024
[Keelon Vann is a 25 year old singer-songwriter and guitarist. Keelon Vann plays an eclectic fusion of Rock & Roll, Pop, R&B, and Funk. He looks to break barriers by paying tribute to the classics and finding inspiration in modern productions alike. The Kansas born artist doesn’t believe in genre. “It’s pretty hard to put you in a box,” said Steve Kraske of KCUR 89.3 Radio. It is, however, to Vann’s dismay, that such fusion of music may result in quite an unorthodox niche. Nonetheless, music is art, and according to Vann, art is not meant to be superficial within genre. Art exists spiritually to inspire and to heal. Keelon studied at William Jewell College. He went to Wyandotte High School, Blue Valley Southwest High School, and Piper High School in Kansas.

[Keelon Vann and his trio play The Ship, 1217 Union Avenue KCMO – WEST BOTTOMS on February 15, 2024, at 8:00pm. Vann is joined by drummer Thomas Pribyl and bass guitarist Tommy OHalloran for an eclectic evening of original music.]

[Keelon Vann plays recordBar at 1520 Grand Blvd. on friday, February 23, at 7:00pm]

[Keelon Vann plays Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak Street, KCMO on Friday, February 23, at 10:00pm]

[Keelon Vann plays Society on March 14, at 8:00pm.]

[Keelon Vann plays The Rino, 314 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, on Thursday, March 28, at 8:00PM with Lady Revel, and IVORY BLUE]

Erin Eades – “The Lesser of Two Evils”
from: “The Lesser of Two Evils” – Single / Erin Eades / January 26, 2024
[Erin Eades is an Americana singer-songwriter and solo acoustic performer from Kansas City, drawing influence from indie rock, alternative, and country music. Through her music, she weaves a narrative of resilience and transformation, inviting listeners to embrace the bittersweet complexities of the human experience. Erin frequently performs in Missouri and Kansas, and plans to release her sophomore effort, a full studio project, in 2024. More info at: http://www.erineadesmusic.com]

[Erin Eades will be playing multiple Private Showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference February 21 through 24, 2024 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. http://www.folk.org]

10:29 – Underwriting

The Eurythmics – “Do You Want To Break Up?”
from: Savage / RCA / November 9, 1987
[Savage is the sixth studio album by British pop duo Eurythmics. Following the much more mainstream commercial content of their previous two albums, Savage saw Eurythmics “turn sharp left” (as band member Dave Stewart put it), returning to the much more experimental sound that their early albums incorporated. Produced in France (recorded at Chateau de Dangu in Normandy and mixed at Grande Armée Studios in Paris), the album made heavy use of the NED Synclavier digital sampling keyboard. The only other musician working on the recordings with Stewart and Annie Lennox was drummer Olle Romo, who handled much of the Synclavier programming. Lennox brought more of a feminist focus to her lyrics which was made more evident by the accompanying video album, which featured a video for each song. // Although the album was not as commercially successful as the duo’s previous two albums, it reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom, spawned three UK top-30 singles, and has been certified Platinum. It was less successful in the United States, where it peaked at number 41. // Eurythmics were a British pop duo formed in 1980, consisting of Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox and English musician and producer Dave Stewart. They were both previously in the Tourists, a band that broke up in 1980. They released their first studio album, In the Garden, in 1981 to little success, but achieved global acclaim with their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983). The title track became a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the UK Singles Chart, and number one in Canada and the US Billboard Hot 100. Eurythmics went on to release a string of hit singles and albums, including “Love Is a Stranger”, “There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)” and “Here Comes the Rain Again”, before splitting in 1990.= // Stewart became a sought-after record producer, while Lennox began a solo recording career in 1992 with her debut album Diva. After almost a decade apart, Eurythmics reunited to record their ninth album, Peace, released 1999. They reunited again in 2005 to release the single “I’ve Got a Life”, as part of a new compilation album, Ultimate Collection. // Eurythmics have sold an estimated 75 million records worldwide. Their awards include the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1984, the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1987, and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 1999. They were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.]

10:32 – Interview with Janice Woolery

Janice Woolery is a visual artist, writer, performer, and comedian. She co-founded Big Bang Buffet in 1990 where she wrote, produced, and performed in over 100 productions. Janice also organized and wrote for many LGBTQ+ organizations, the ACLU, and Planned Parenthood. In 1996 she wrote & produced a one woman show. In 2019, as a self taught artist, she began creating visual art. That year Janice was asked by Momentum Studio in Des Moines, Iowa, to create an Earth Day solo show. She won “Best in Sculpture” in the Momentum 15th Anniversary Works of Growth & Recovery, and Best in Show in their 16th Anniversary show in 2020. In 2021 Janice returned home to KC. Her visual work was featured in Tangled Roots, and the 12×12 Member Artist Showcase at the InterUrban ArtHouse in 2022, and in Art for All at the KC Artists Coalition. In 2023, her works were included in Her Art/Their Art, and Queer Experience at the InterUrban ArtHouse. In 2023 Janice appeared with Big Bang Buffet in Queer Narratives Festival.

Janice Woolery joins us to share details about: Her Art – Their Art, on Friday, Feb 16, 5:00pm to 8:00pm at InterUrban ArtHouse, 8001 Newton St., Overland Park, KS. This exhibition showcases nearly 60 artists. More info at: http://www.interurbanarthouse.org

Janice Woolery thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Janice did a few stand up comedy gigs during the early 1980s, and in the late 1980s she did stand up at The Spoken Word at Cafe Lulu. Her work was warmly received and she soon became a regular performer.

In 1990 she became a co-founder of Big Bang Buffet, a performance collective. During her tenure with Big Bang Buffet, Janice wrote, produced, performed, marched, and protested. She wrote and performed works for many LGBTQ+ organizations, the ACLU, and Planned Parenthood.

Janice wrote and produced her one woman show in 1996.

In 1998 Janice retired from performing.

In 2019, as a self taught artist, Janice began seriously creating visual art. That same year Janice was asked by Momentum Studio in Des Moines, Iowa to create an Earth Day solo show. Later that year, she received an award for Best in Sculpture in the Momentum 15th Anniversary Works of Growth & Recovery; and in 2020 an award for Best in Show in the 16th Anniversary show.

In 2021, after six years in Des Moines, Janice returned home to Kansas City.

In 2022, Janice’s visual work was featured in Tangled Roots and the 12×12 Member Artist Showcase at the Interurban Arthouse; as well as work in Art for All at the Kansas City Artists Coalition.

In 2023, she had works in Her Art/Their Art and Queer Experience at the Interurban Arthouse.

Janice has also returned to performing. She appeared with Big Bang Buffet at the Queer Narratives Festival 2023.

Janice’s early works are held in the Gay & Lesbian Archive of Middle America (GLAMA) at UMKC Miller Nichols Library.

Janice Woolery thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Janice Woolery is part of the art Exhibit/Show: Her Art – Their Art, on Friday, Feb 16, 5:00pm to 8:00pm at InterUrban ArtHouse, 8001 Newton St., Overland Park, KS. This exhibition showcases nearly 60 artists. More info at: http://www.interurbanarthouse.org

10:47

June Henry – “sega dreamcast”
from: “sega dreamcast” – Single / June Henry Nation / January 5, 2024
[June Henry is a Lawrence KS. based musical artist. June Henry will be releasing her album, THE EXHUMATION OF PRINCESS PAVEMENT today on February 14, 2024. // June Henry released the single “method act” on December 16, 2023. // June Henry released the single “fall into” on December 2, 2023. // June Henry released the 3-track EP “the light I SPIT OUT” on November 14, 2023. // June Henry released the single “vampire song” on November 3, 3023. // June Henry released the 5-song EP “flat earth romcom” on September 22, 2023. //June Henry released the 11-track album “something friend” on June 20, 2022. // June Henry released the 15-track album “class pet” on March 15, 2022. // June Henry released the 7-track album, “SOUTH RAMP” through Lotuspool Records when she was “a gay boy in high school (released as August Henry.) // June Henry has been posting a bunch of tunes on bandcamp! These are official releases along with things that have been archived from streaming platforms, AND many demos and voice memos from long ago. Her personal favorite is “the trouble i made”, which features five tracks written and recorded in high school. The first one, “straight boys, was recorded when June was fourteen. Check http://www.junehen.bandcamp.com for even more releases from June Henry.]

[June Henry plays recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO on March 12 opening for Chase Petra]

Kadesh Flow & Mega Ran– “Stand on Business (feat. Mega Ran)” (CD #10) (4:03)
from: “Stand on Business (feat. Mega Ran)” – Single / Ryan Jamaal Davis / January 19, 2024
[Inspired by Gojo Satoru from Jujutsu Kaisen. Instrumental: DDotProfessor, Lyrics & Vocal Performance: Kadesh Flow, Mega Ran. Mixing: Kadesh Flow. Mastering: Kadesh Flow. //On January 1, 2024 Kadesh Flow released the single, “Overcome (Nanami)” with Instrumental /Verses / Hook / Trombone /Mixed / Mastered by Kadesh Flow. On Friday, January 19, 2024 Kadesh Flow releases another new single “Stand on Business”. On November 17, 2023 Kadesh Flow released “Stakes” produced by Dominique Sanders (who received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year for his work on Janelle Monae’s “AGE OF PLEASURE album.) // On January 6, 2023 Kadesh Flow released “Switch Up” with Instrumental Production by Dominique Sanders, Written & Performed by: Kadesh Flow, Mixed by: Kadesh Flow, Mastered by: Kadesh Flow. // In 2022 Kadesh Flow released 6 singles starting with “Move Different (feat. Gr3s0n)” on January 21, 2022, with lyrics by Kadesh Flow & Gr3ys0n. Music by Kadesh Flow. Mixing: Kadesh Flow. Mastering: Kadesh Flow and was released on January 21, 2022. :Move Different” was part of WMM’s 50 Favorite Singles of 2022. On October 21, 2022 Kadesh Flow released the single ”Chill (feat. Mir Blackwell).” On October 10, 2022 Kadesh Flow released “Dream For Me.” On September 30, 2022 Marcus Lewis Big Band released the single, “You’re Very Special (feat. Kemet Coleman, Kadesh Flow & Kevin Church Johnson).” On July 1, 2022 Kadesh Flow released the single “Away From You.”About that single Kadesh told us “I’ve been a little quiet from a release standpoint because I’ve been scoring a feature length film.” “This song is… inspired by Eren Yeager and his tragic, brutal journey in Attack on Titan but is also deeply personal to me. There’s a lot of current world problem glazing that I’m doing on it as well.” “Also, June 30, 2022, marks five years since I left my financial tech career to pursue my performing and recording artist career full time. I’m releasing this on July 1, partially in celebration of that milestone.” This was one of over nearly 30 new singles Kadesh Flow released in 24 months: In 2021 Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “Soft Side,” on Jan. 21, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released, “Assumptions feat. Shubzilla,” on Jan. 29, 2021. Kadesh Flow released, “Frosty,” on February 12, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “Cry For Me 2,” February 12, 2021. Kadesh Flow released, “Not on My Watch,” on February 19, 2021, Inspired by Lord Beerus (Dragonball Super). Kadesh Flow released, “Held Me Longer,” on Marc written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released, “Your Dream Isn’t Always Yours,” on March 12, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “Forgot About Me,” on March 14, 2021. Kadesh Flow released, “Take Backs (feat. Ryan Heinlein),” on March 26, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “But Hope” on March 26, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single, “I Don’t Care” on April 9, 2021, written, performed, mixed and mastered by Kadesh Flow. Produced by D. Professor. Kadesh Flow released the single, “That Way” on April 16, 2021, written, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow, and produced by Dominique “Bassman” Saunders. Kadesh Flow released the new single, “So Far” on April 23, 2021, written, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow and produced by Dominique “Bassman” Sanders. Kadesh Flow released the single, “On Target” on April 30, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed and mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single ”Lighten Up”on May 7, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single “Elegant” on May 21, 2021. Written, Produced, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the 13-track album ROOM SERVICE 2, on July 19, 2021. Kadesh Flow released the single “Coming For Your Neck” on August 20, 2021. Written, Produced, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single “Easy” on August 27, 2021. Written, Produced, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. This is his 18th single the year. Kadesh Flow released the single “Fiend” on Sept. 4, 2021. Written, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. Produced by Dominique Sanders. This is his 19th single the year. le, “Gardens Out The Gutter” on Dec. 3, 2021. Written, Performed, Mixed & Mastered: Kadesh Flow. Instrumental: Dominique Sanders. Kadesh Flow released the single, “CHOICE (The Cost)” on December 17, 2021. Written, Performed, Mixed & Mastered: Kadesh Flow. Instrumental: Dominique Sanders. Kadesh Flow is Ryan Davis is a rapper with an MBA. He is an emcee, producer, & trombonist. At age 11, he began rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another. His music has been featured on network television in multiple countries and territories across Southeast Asia. Kadesh performs as a solo hip hop artist. He also plays with The Phantastics, Marcus Lewis Big Band, and Deshica Rage (with Jessica Paige). More info at: http://www.kadeshflow.com]

[Kadesh Flow plays Replay Lounge 946 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, KS on Friday, February 16, at 10:00pm with special guests The Royal Chief & OG-1]

[Kadesh Flow plays Vine Street Brewing Co. 2010 Vine St Building 2A, Kansas City, MO on Friday, Feb 23, doors at 6:00pm.]

[Kadesh Flow & The Deshtet play Nighthawk 1228 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City, MO on Thursday, March 7, doors at 9:00pm. A Planet Comic Con Pre-Party.]

Brittany Howard – “Prove It to You”
from: What Now / Island Records / February 9, 2024
[Brittany Howard, the 5-time Grammy Award®-winning powerhouse released the single and video of “What Now?” on Ocober 13, 2023 off her forthcoming solo album, WHAT NOW. WHAT NOW is a thriller of a title track offering a taste of what to expect on the full-length. Written & produced by Brittany with co-production from Shawn Everett (Kacey Musgraves, SZA), with whom she has a longstanding creative relationship since Alabama Shakes. Recorded at the legendary Sound Emporium and historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, Brittany’s hometown. The accompanying cinematic & action-packed video was directed by Danilo Parra (known for his work with A$AP Rocky) & produced by Adam Braun (070 Shake, P!NK). //“What Now” takes on a potent urgency fueled by its syncopated grooves, blistering guitar riffs, & fiercely honest lyrics (“I’ve been making plans that don’t include you anymore/My heart wants to stay but I don’t know what for”). “‘What Now’ is maybe the truest & bluest of all the songs,” says Howard. “It’s never my design to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I needed to say what was on my mind without editing myself. I like how it’s a song that makes you want to dance, but at the same time the lyrics are brutal.”// Brittany Howard released the album Jaime on ATO Records on September 20, 2019.]

YESSI – “Love Yoself”
from: “Love Yoself” – Single / ParallelState / December 20, 2023
[YESSI is the musical project of Kansas City, Kansas based musical atist Jessica Lynette Walker. “Loce Yoself” is their debut single release.]

11:00 – Station ID

Kelly Dougherty – “Black Is the Color”
from: Dair / Kelly Dougherty / November 14, 2022
[“Black Is the Color (of My True Love’s Hair)” (Roud 3103) is a traditional ballad folk song known in the US as associated with colonial and later music in the Appalachian Mountains. It is believed to have originated in Scotland, as it refers to the River Clyde in the lyrics. American musicologist Alan Lomax supported the thesis of Scottish origin, saying that the song was an American “re-make of British materials.” Kelly Dougherty started performing in beauty pageants at the age of seven. She started doing mime, and then began singing. Her dad had a country and western band in Cheyenne Wyoming and encouraged his young daughter to join him on stage in song. Cheyenne was the hime of The Frontier Days Music Festival where Kelly met many country sngers including Johnny Cash. Kelly also sing in the duo Distant Cousins. // Kelly Dougherty serves as Director of Development & Communications at KKFI. Kelly joined KKFI 90.1 FM in September of 2022. Most recently, she was the Marketing Manager at the Folly Theatre. Having navigated and successfully marketed the Folly and its shows during a major pandemic, Kelly brings a sense of community, inclusion and thoughtfulness to the Director of Development position at KKFI. Before joining the Folly, she was the Communications Manager for Folk Alliance International, where she worked with local, national, and international artists, arts agencies, and governments, as well as Irish radio and TV RTE, the BBC, WWOZ in New Orleans, and other radio and television organizations. Kelly’s work experience also includes the private sector, working in the advertising world with Bernstein-Rein, VML, and the Intouch Group. // Kelly also works with local nonprofits in Kansas City, including being a founding member of the Kansas City Irish Festival, where she remains steadfast on the entertainment team. She is also an emeritus board member of the Kansas City Irish Center and was instrumental in purchasing Drexel Hall. Kelly is also an advisory board member for the Heartland Song Network and continues volunteering for causes close to her civic-minded heart. // She has a Master’s in Liberal Arts from Baker University and a Bachelor’s in Science majoring in Economics from Emporia State. More info at http://www.kellydougherety.bandcamp.com]

11:04 – Interview with Kelly Dougherty & David Luther

Kelly Dougherty is a musician & singer. Kelly Dougherty started performing in beauty pageants at the age of seven doing mime, and then singing. Her dad encouraged his young daughter to get onstage with bands in bars in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Cheyenne was the home of The Frontier Days The Music Festival of Wyoming, where Kelly met many country singers, including Johnny Cash. Kelly records and sings as a solo artist, has been in bands, and also sinsg in the duo Distant Cousins. By day, Kelly serves as Director of Development & Communications at KKFI 90.1 FM. She formerly was Marketing Manager at the Folly Theatre, and was Communications Manager for Folk Alliance International. Kelly is a founding member of the KC Irish Festival and an emeritus board member of the KC Irish Center and was instrumental in purchasing Drexel Hall.

Kelly Dougherty, Thank you for being with us on WMM.

David Luther is a full time artist whose current influences include Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Ryan Adams and many others. David is also a recovering alcoholic and this road has led him up the path of service to others. This journey is expressed through his songs. He says “My experience in recovery and 15 years of serving in social work have helped me to understand there is so much more work to be done and that people deserve respect, honesty, and kindness. I hope my music will help others find their way out of sorrow. I hope it exemplifies what my true heart is and as a father of 2 boys it will give them the framework that will extend into their own dreams.” David recorded his self-titled EP with Neilson Hubbard in Nashville that included the backing vocals of Americana artist, Garrison Starr. David released his 7-track album, TAKE ME HOME on March 23, 2022. The album was produced by David George and engineered by Pat Tomek, and includes the song, “World’s Gonna Change” written with Academy Award & Golden Globe winning songwriter, Tom Whitlock who wrote “Take My Breath Away” for the film “Top Gun.”

David Luther, Thank you for being with us on WMM.

David Luther & Kelly Dougherty join us today on Valentine’s Day to share details about The Love Hangover, happening tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:00pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO with True Lions, Mouthstuff, Dan Jones & Matt Ronan, Marty Bush & Natalie Prauser.

David Luther & Kelly Dougherty met when she started working as his manager.

David Luther you also started singing in High School.

Kelly serves as Director of Development & Communications at KKFI 90.1 FM. She formerly was Marketing Manager at the Folly Theatre, and was Communications Manager for Folk Alliance International.

Kelly is a founding member of the KC Irish Festival and an emeritus board member of the KC Irish Center and was instrumental in purchasing Drexel Hall.

11:12

David Luther & Kelly Dougherty – “Love You ‘Till the End” (Pogues) (LIVE)

11:16 – More Interview with Kelly Dougherty & David Luther

David Luther & Kelly Dougherty join us today on Valentine’s Day to share details about The Love Hangover, happening tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:00pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO with True Lions, Mouthstuff, Dan Jones & Matt Ronan, Marty Bush & Natalie Prauser. Www.therecordbar.com

David Luther worked full time in social work for 15 years, with the last five working in foster care and adoption.

David has been courageously honest about being a recovering alcoholic and this road has led him up the path of service to others. This journey is expressed through his songs.

David is a father of 2 boys 14 and 16.
Kelly Dougherty, & David Luther, Thank you for being with us on WMM.

David Luther & Kelly Dougherty play The Love Hangover, happening tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:00pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO with True Lions, Mouthstuff, Dan Jones & Matt Ronan, Marty Bush & Natalie Prauser.

11:24

David Luther – “Good To You”
from: Take Me Home / David Luther / March 11, 2022
[David Luther released the 7-track album TAKE ME HOME on March 11, 2022, also produced by David George. Engineered by Pat Tomek at Largely Studios. Horns engineered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Soundlabs. Mastered by Duane Trower – Weights and Measures Soundlabs. The album includes the song, “World’s Gonna Change” written with Academy Award & Golden Globe winning songwriter, Tom Whitlock who wrote “Take My Breath Away” for the film “Top Gun.” // David’s first release in 2009 was a self titled EP produced by Nashville based Neilson Hubbard, featuring Garrison Starr. David released the single, “Home To Kansas City” on February 3, 2021 that was produced by David Goerge. More Info at: http://www.thedavidluther.com]
[David Luther plays The Love Hangover, with Kelly Dougherty, happening tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:00pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO with True Lions, Mouthstuff, Dan Jones & Matt Ronan, Marty Bush & Natalie Prauser. ]

11:27 – Underwriting

Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream – “Shangri La”
from: Shangri La / myowndamnrecords / July 8, 2023
[Debut album from Nathan Corsi’s new rock band featuring Kansas City veterans Chris Meck, Tom Hudson, and Benjamin Hart. Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream released their second single, “Hits You Twice” on September 28, 2022. Nathan Corsi has one of the best voices in Kansas City music. With Steve Tulipana he fronts The Band That Fell To Earth paying tribute to David Bowie in this annual project created by Michelle Bacon. Nathan toured for nearly a decade with his band Not A Planet who released critically acclaimed EP, NAP on December 1, 2011; the album, THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE STRANGE on May 10, 2013; SMOKE BOMBS & CIGARETTES: THE HISTORY OF NOW (EP) on September 9, 2016.] [Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream play recordBar, at 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO, on Saturday, July 8, at 7:00 PM for their Record Release Party, w/ The Philistines and Friendly Thieves.]

[Tonight Wednesday, Feb 14, at 8:00om, ULAH Live Sessions presents Nathan Corsi and Chris Meck of My Atomic Daydream, at ULAH, 4707 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood, KS. More info at: http://www.ulahkc.com]

11:32 – Interview with Buck Moon

Buck Wimberly who performs as Buck Moon is an LGBTQ artist & singer-songwriter who started his life in rural Texas growing up Southern Baptist. Being raised in smaller communities brought challenges for a young, creative, closeted gay kid, pushing Buck to hide parts of himself to minimize bullying, be accepted by his church community, and feel loved by family and friends. Buck eventually came out at 33 after overcoming depression and has since been on a journey of self-discovery. Now in his forties, having raised two boys, and happily living with his life partner, he has been working on healing past traumas through shamanic experiences, expanded consciousness, and discovering the power of the medicine found within music. Buck’s first single “Indigo Night” was released on January 23, 2024. Buck and his partner Joey Mendez are the owners of ULAH Men’s Apparel & Lifestyle Store, and LUNA by ULAH, and ULAH Home furnishings + Design. Every Month they host ULAH Live Sessions with You Found Music in an intimate performance with limited seating for 30 people.

Tonight, Wednesday, February 14, at 8:00pm, ULAH Live Sessions presents Nathan Corsi and Chris Meck of My Atomic Daydream, at ULAH, 4707 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood, KS. More info at: http://www.ulahkc.com and http://www.buckmoonmusic.com

Buck Moon Thank you for being with us on WMM.

Buck grew up in a small town in Texas and was raised in the Southern Baptist faith.

Buck gat married early and raised two boys, who are now in their early 20s.

Buck came out at 33 years old. Since coming Our Buck has created new businesses: retail businesses, and a design company.

Buck writes about his music having “universally human themes of self-discovery, personal identity, love, struggle, mental health, growth, questioning one’s purpose, redemption, and self-actualization.” “Indigo Night” is representative of your own personal journey.

Buck writes about “Indigo Night” being “a sonic painting of your own transformative and spiritual rites of passage experience in the mountains of North Carolina.”

11:40

Buck Moon – “Indigo Night”
from: Indigo Night / Buck Moon / January 25, 2024
[Produced by Ivory Blue. Buck Wimberly performs as “Buck Moon” an LGBTQ artist and singer-songwriter who started his life in rural Texas growing up Southern Baptist. Being raised in smaller communities brought challenges for a young, creative, closeted gay kid, pushing Buck to hide parts of himself to minimize bullying, be accepted by his church community, and feel loved by family and friends. // Buck eventually came out at 33 after overcoming depression and has since been on a journey of self-discovery. Now in his forties, having raised two boys, and happily living with his life partner, he has been working on healing past traumas through shamanic experiences, expanded consciousness, and discovering the power of the medicine found within. // Believing that healing the world begins by healing oneself, Buck’s music aims to challenge the listener to learn self-love, connect with the Earth and the world around them, and discover the medicine within themselves. Buck weaves together genres of folk, roots, Americana, country, indie, and electronic to share personal stories and empathy-driven messages that are mindful, conscious, motivational, and self-empowering. // In Buck’s coming music, you’ll find the universally human themes of self-discovery, personal identity, love, struggle, mental health, growth, questioning one’s purpose, redemption, and self-actualization. Buck’s first single “Indigo Night” is a sonic painting of his transformative and spiritual rites of passage experience in the mountains of North Carolina. // More information at: http://www.buckmoonmusic.com]

10:45 – More Interview with Buck Moon

Buck with partner Joey Mendez are the owners of ULAH Men’s Apparel & Lifestyle Store at Woodside Village, as well as LUNA by ULAH, and ULAH Home furnishings + Design.

ULAH has become more than a clothing store, it is also a music venue. ULAH collaborates with James Carter and You Found Music.

Every Month ULAH hosts ULAH Live Sessions with You Found Music in an intimate performance with limited seating for 30 people. On Wednesday, February 14, at 8:00om, ULAH Live Sessions presents Nathan Corsi and Chris Meck of My Atomic Daydream.

One of the artists who has played ULAH is IVORY BLUE who Buck asked to produce “Indigo Night”

Buck Moon thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Ivory Blue – “Howl”
from: “Howl” – Single / IVORY BLUE / February 16, 2024
[IVORY BLUE released their second full length album, STARLIT LOVE CHILD, on November 17, 2023. The 10-track album was in the top five of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 120 Best Recordings of 2023, and in the “Best of” lists at 90.9 The Bridge and other radio stations around the world. For STARLIT LOVE CHILD, IVORY BLUE served as songwriter, producer, and vocalist. IVORY BLUE lights up the airwaves once again with her latest rock pop song “Howl” set for release on February 16, 2024. // On October 27, 2023 IVORY BLUE released the sIngle “Ghost of Life.” This single followed IVORY’s previous releases,”In A World Like This” from September 22, 2023, ”The Best of Life” from August 4, 2023 and “Control” from May 26, 2023. IVORY released the single “All Outta Love” on February 24, 2023. IVORY BLUE released their full length debut album COMPOUND LOVE on February 25, 2022. COMPOUND LOVE was in the Top Ten of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2022. For COMPOUND LOVE, IVORY BLUE served as songwriter, producer, vocalist and played all instruments with the exception of: Lester Estelle on drums, Klaartje Van Lue on piano, Craig Kew on bass, Lennon Bone on drums, and Marco Pascolini on pedal steel guitar. Nick Poortman served in mixing, with Kurt Festge who also served in mixing & Mastering. IVORY BLUE’s debut EP, Ready Get Set was released in June 2015. While the EP helped spread the word and give IVORY BLUE attention from regional radio and TV stations, a big break would come in 2017. In 2017 Ivory was among 1800 artists/bands that competed in neXt2Rock. Ivory won local & regional challenges and advanced to nationals in Los Angeles to win the top prize. // IVORY BLUE has played Crossroads Music Festival, The Middle of the Map Festival, The Westport Roots Festival, the KCPT Screening of “Real Boy” at The Kansas City Public Library, and Kauffman Stadium. // Ivory Blue was born in 1986 in Peoria Illinois, as Devin James Miclettet. Ivory’s birth mother put them up for adoption at the age of four. Ivory speaks about how it was difficult to find trust in people offering their home to someone denied it for so long, Ivory lived with eight different families, before running away at 15. // Ivory has talked with us about how in their life they have turned to music to express pain. Ivory spent most of their childhood looking for a family. In 2010 Klaartje Van Lue saw Ivory performing in a YouTube video and contacted them, flying Ivory to Kansas City, and adopting Ivory into the Van Lue family. During the past 10 years Ivory came out as “Non-Binary Transgender”. // As a multi-instrumentalist, Ivory began refining their performance style, using digital looping pedals to stack harmonies and guitar parts live on stage, giving their solo shows the feel of a full band. In 2011, Ivory settled in Kansas City, MO and quickly began attracting an intense regional following for their strong vocals and incisive, deeply personal lyrics. // By 2013, IVORY BLUE was playing regularly in and around Kansas City and the first EP ‘Ready Get Set’ was released. in 2015. IVORY BLUE released the video of “Family Table” directed by Mikal Shapiro, on August 21, 2021 and the audio track was released on September 7, 2021. IVORY BLUE released the single “Good Changes” on Oct 26, 2021. Ivory Blue released the singles: “Heavy,” “Bad Weather,” “It Must Have Been Me,” “Compound Love,” and “The Start” on December 14, 2021. IVORY BLUE released their debut album COMPOUND LOVE on February 25, 2022. IVORY BLUE released the single “Red Light” on July 29, 2022. IVORY BLUE released the single “Starlit Love Child” on October 28, 2022. IVORY BLUE released the single “All Outta Love” on February 24, 2023. More info at: https://linktr.ee/ivorybluemusic%5D [Ivory Blue was our guest on WMM on: March 8, 2023, June 7, 2023, our 1000th show on June 28, 2023, and September 27, 2023.]

[IVORY BLUE plays The Rino, 314 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, on Thursday, March 28, at 8:00PM with Lady Revel, and Keelon Vann]

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

Next week on Wednesday, February 21 we welcome back to WMM ….Julia Othmer.

And we welcome Flamy Grant, winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. / Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart. Flamy Grant plays an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Thurs, Feb 22, at 7:30pm in Brookside Room at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, KCMO http://www.folk.org]

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers.

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

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

Show #1033

WMM presents: Janice Woolery + David Luther & Kelly Dougherty + Buck Moon

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Janice Woolery + David Luther & Kelly Dougherty + Buck Moon

Mark plays more New & MidCoastal Music from: Keelon Vann, YESSI, The Whips, The Roseline, Elexa Dawson & Stanley Hotel, June Henry, Kadesh Flow & Mega Ran, IVORY BLUE, Erin Eades, Buck Moon, Kelly Dougherty, David Luther, Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream, Brittany Howard, and Adrianne Lenker.

At 10:30 Janice Woolery shares details about: Her Art – Their Art, on Friday, Feb 16, 5:00pm to 8:00pm at InterUrban ArtHouse, 8001 Newton St., Overland Park, KS. This exhibition showcases nearly 60 artists. Janice Woolery is a visual artist, writer, performer, and comedian. She co-founded Big Bang Buffet in 1990 where she wrote, produced, and performed in over 100 productions. Janice also organized and wrote for many LGBTQ+ organizations, the ACLU, and Planned Parenthood. In 1996 she wrote & produced a one woman show. In 2019, as a self taught artist, she began creating visual art. That year Janice was asked by Momentum Studio in Des Moines, Iowa, to create an Earth Day solo show. She won “Best in Sculpture” in the Momentum 15th Anniversary Works of Growth & Recovery, and Best in Show in their 16th Anniversary show in 2020. In 2021 Janice returned home to KC. Her visual work was featured in Tangled Roots, and the 12×12 Member Artist Showcase at the InterUrban ArtHouse in 2022, and in Art for All at the KC Artists Coalition. In 2023, her works were included in Her Art/Their Art, and Queer Experience at the Interurban Arthouse. In 2023 Janice appeared with Big Bang Buffet in Queer Narratives Festival.

At 11:00 Mark talks with David Luther & Kelly Dougherty about The Love Hangover, Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:00pm at recordBar, 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO with True Lions, Mouthstuff, Dan Jones & Matt Ronan, Marty Bush & Natalie Prauser. // Kelly Dougherty is a musician & singer. Kelly serves as Director of Development & Communications at KKFI 90.1 FM. She formerly was Marketing Manager at the Folly Theatre, and was Communications Manager for Folk Alliance International. Kelly is a founding member of the KC Irish Festival and an emeritus board member of the KC Irish Center and was instrumental in purchasing Drexel Hall. // David Luther started playing music in high school. He would go on to develop his music as he worked for ten year in social work and five years in foster care & adoption. During that time David recorded his self-titled EP with Neilson Hubbard in Nashville that included the backing vocals of Americana artist, Garrison Starr. David released his 7-track album, TAKE ME HOME on March 23, 2022. The album was produced by David George and engineered by Pat Tomek, and includes the song, “World’s Gonna Change” written with Academy Award & Golden Globe winning songwriter, Tom Whitlock who wrote “Take My Breath Away” for the film “Top Gun.”

At 11:30 Mark welcomes Buck Wimberly who performs as Buck Moon an LGBTQ artist & singer-songwriter who started his life in rural Texas growing up Southern Baptist. Being raised in smaller communities brought challenges for a young, creative, closeted gay kid, pushing Buck to hide parts of himself to minimize bullying, be accepted by his church community, and feel loved by family and friends. Buck eventually came out at 33 after overcoming depression and has since been on a journey of self-discovery. Now in his forties, having raised two boys, and happily living with his life partner, he has been working on healing past traumas through shamanic experiences, expanded consciousness, and discovering the power of the medicine found within music. Buck’s first single “Indigo Night” was released on January 23, 2024. Buck and his partner Joey Mendez are the owners of ULAH Men’s Apparel & Lifestyle Store, and LUNA by ULAH, and ULAH Home furnishings + Design. Every Month they host ULAH Live Sessions with You Found Music in an intimate performance with limited seating for 30 people. On Wednesday, February 14, at 8:00pm, ULAH Live Sessions presents Nathan Corsi and My Atomic Daydream, at ULAH, 4707 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood, KS. More info at: http://www.ulahkc.com and http://www.buckmoonmusic.com

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

Show #1033

WMM Playlist from February 7, 2024

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks

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

High Fade – “Sharpen Up! (Live)”
from Live in London / RPN Records / October 6, 2023
[High Fade is launching a U.S. Tour in March. They will be playing Portland, Oregon on March 30. Here is what Polaris Hall in Portland wrote about the band: “On a three-man crusade to set dance floors alight with their inimitable brand of razor-sharp funk and disco, Edinburgh’s High Fade captured the attention of a global audience with their music amassing over 30 million views and streams within six months of their first release and, in the process, gaining recognition from music heavyweights including Jack Black, Cypress Hill, Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes, and Brad Wilk from Rage Against The MachineFor a band that only started mid-2018, to already have the support of artists including Emeli Sandé, David Paitch and even Peter Andre is a testament to not only their raw musical talent but also the relentless drive and ambition that has seen the band play over 1000 gigs in the last four years. With a forward-thinking approach to grassroots promotion, High Fade have been able to capture the magic of their live performances with a proactive presence on social media and create multiple viral moments for their tracks “Sharpen Up”, “Burnin”, and “Burnt Toast and Coffee”that feed the appetite of new fans across the world.With a more traditional offline approach towards learning their craft and perfecting the HighFade sound, Harry Valentino (guitar/vocals), Oliver Sentance (bass) and Calvin Davidson(drums/vocals) developed their infectious style whilst feeding off the unpredictable crowd inter-actions that come with street shows and busking. It’s this unmatched live energy that sets their performances apart and results in the impressive musical display that comes from just three musicians working together. Indeed, with other acts in the same genre often having upwards of six members, being a three-piece could be a limiting factor for many, but for HighFade it has become an integral part of the band’s DNA, allowing them to put on a show that supersedes anything their fans have experienced before.]

10:06 – Intro / Interview with Rod Parks

Thanks for tuning into WMM on 90.1 FM. I’m Mark Manning. Today, we present special edition of WMM as we bring you… “The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks.” (Part Duex)

Rod Parks is owner of Retro Inferno. He serves on the board of directors for Owen Cox Dance Group and he is a long-time supporter of area artists and musicians. Rod lives in the Bruce Goff “Nicol House” commissioned by Jim & Betty Nicol in 1964, where Rod hosts fundraisers and house concerts. Rod Parks grew up in Smithville, Missouri, and started playing drums when he was 11. Rod graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in marketing education and completed master’s degrees in education in 1993. Throughout these years Rod played drums in bands, worked in the grocery store business, and taught high school for ten years. Rod was accepted into the UMKC doctoral program in counseling psychology, and finished coursework for the PhD in 1996. Rod started buying mid-century modern furniture in the mid 1990s. In 1998, Rod opened his first store at 1712 Main, and in 2004, Retro Inferno moved to its current beautiful location at 1500 Grand Boulevard, just a few doors north of recordBar.

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

We just heard High Fade, a band 3-piece powerhouse band from Edinburgh

We’ll also spin tracks from: (more) High Fade, John Zorn, Patricia Brennan, Tony Allen & Adrian Young, and Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela, Ceramic Dog & Marc Ribot & Mark Bibot & Tom Waits.

Rod Parks Grew up in Smithville. His dad had a grocery store there. Rod played sports and got into music at a young age.

Rod Parks graduated High School 1975. Went to MU in Columbia.

10:11

Hide Fade – ‘Burnt Toast and Coffee”
from: ‘Burnt Toast and Coffee” (Single) / RPN Records / July 7, 2023

Hide Fade – “Burnin’ (Live)
from: ‘Burnt Toast and Coffee” (Single) / RPN Records / July 7, 2023

10:19 – Underwriting

0:21 – Interview with Rod Parks

Today, we present special edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley as we bring you… “The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks.” Rod Parks is owner of Retro Inferno.

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Rod Parks bought his first drum set for $40 when he was 11 years old.

Rod got his first “good” drum kit at 15 and he still has it (and others). Rod played in bands in his teens and then not again until he was in his 30’s.

10:26

NEWPORT, RI – AUGUST 1: The 60th edition of the Newport Jazz Festival kicks off with a full day of programming, with John Zorn’s Masada Marathon being the highlight of the day. Other acts include Mostly Other People Do The Killing, the world premiere of Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Charlie Parker Project, Jon Batista & Stay Human, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and the URI Jazz Festival Big Band. Shot on Friday, August 1, 2014.

John Zorn – “Totem and Taboo”
from: Incerto / Tzadik / September 16, 2022
[Incerto is the birth of an exciting new modern jazz ensemble featuring the remarkable trio from Suite for Piano (Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith) joined by the brilliant guitarist Julian Lage. A quartet capable of anything, this is the perfect group to realize Zorn’s quirky compositional twists and turns. The music is wildly varied—maddeningly complex, powerfully driving, heartbreakingly beautiful—and embraces complex meter changes, atonal melodies, unusual harmonies, and bizarre structural complexity. Inspired by Freud, Sartre, and the Uncertainty Principle, the music explores possibilities, probabilities, inevitabilities, and impossibilities. // John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who “deliberately resists category”. His avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jazz, rock, hardcore, classical, contemporary, surf, metal, soundtrack, ambient, and world music. In 2013, Down Beat described Zorn as “one of our most important composers” and in 2020 Rolling Stone noted that “[alt]hough Zorn has operated almost entirely outside the mainstream, he’s gradually asserted himself as one of the most influential musicians of our time”. // Zorn entered New York City’s downtown music scene in the mid-1970s, collaborating with improvising artists while developing new methods of composing experimental music. Over the next decade he performed throughout Europe and Japan and recorded on independent US and European labels. In 1986, he received acclaim with the release of his radical reworking of the film scores of Ennio Morricone, The Big Gundown, followed by Spillane, an album featuring his collage-like experimental compositions. Spy vs Spy (1989) and Naked City (1990) both demonstrated Zorn’s ability to merge and blend musical styles in new and challenging formats. // Zorn spent significant time in Japan in the late 1980s and early ’90s but returned to Lower East Side Manhattan to establish the Tzadik record label in 1995. Tzadik enabled Zorn to establish independence, maintain creative control, and ensure the availability of his growing catalog of recordings. He prolifically recorded and released new material for the label, issuing several new albums each year, along with recordings by many other artists. // Zorn performs on saxophone with Naked City, Painkiller, and Masada, conducts Moonchild, Simulacrum, and several Masada-related ensembles or encourages musicians toward their own interpretations of his work. He has composed concert music for classical ensembles and orchestras, and produced music for opera, sound installations, film and documentary. Tours of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East have been extensive, usually at festivals with musicians and ensembles that perform his repertoire.]

John Zorn – “Splendid Soils”
from: 444 / Tzadik / March 17, 2023
[From Free Jazz Collective, by Gary Chapin (8/7/23): Brian Marsella (electric piano), John Medeski (organ), Matt Hollenberg (electric guitar), Kenny Grohowski (drums & percussion) form a group for the ages. The electric piano always sends me back to Bitches Brew, and you might consider that a limitation for me, but its ability to float between shimmering elegy and wild abandon is unmatched. You can do things on the electric piano you can’t do anywhere else (as Sun Ra taught us), and Marsella does so many of those things on 444. // I spotlight Marsella because his voice drew my attention first. The four musicians are the quartet Chaos Magic, which started as Marsella+Simulacrum (a “heavy metal organ trio”). They are bound by the expectations of heavy metal or organ trios. “In Sulphur and in Flame” is a thrashy speed fest with the guitar sounding like an ax counting time. “Astral Projection” sounds like it could live behind a montage of Audrey Hepburn and a bombed-out city in France, just as the plants are starting to grow back. Shifting time signatures and jump scares are par for the course, as are evocations of beauty. The electric piano arpeggios that open “Tayy al-Ard,” with the shimmering cymbals underneath, are poetically powerful, pensive & filled with curiosity. The guitar & organ come in to lay a field, but the tune relies on persistence & repetition to say what it needs to say.

John Zorn – “Ne’eman”
from: New Masada Quartet Vol 2 / Tzadik / January 20, 2023
[from http://www.tzadik.com: John Zorn’s newest and most exciting ensemble, New Masada Quartet, was one of Tzadik’s best selling and most popular recent releases. Here the quartet returns to perform seven more classic compositions from the Masada songbooks. One of the best ensembles Zorn has ever had, they are tighter than ever, and the performances are filled with burning solos, telepathic group interaction, heartfelt lyricism, and hypnotic grooves. Spontaneously structured by Zorn’s ever-surprising conducting techniques, a crackling live energy brings the Masada music to life like never before. Masada at its passionate best. Personnel: Kenny Wollesen on Drums, John Zorn on Alto Sax, Julian Lage on Guitar, and Jorge Roeder on Bass.]

10:46 – Interview with Rod Parks

Today, our special guest is Rod Parks is owner of Retro Inferno at 1500 Grand Boulevard.

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

We just heard three different recordings from the mind of John Zorn

10:51

Patricia Brennan – “Unquiet Respect”
from: More Touch / Pyroclastic Records / November 18, 2022
[Vibraphonist, marimbist, improviser and composer Patricia Brennan “has been widely feted as one of the instrument’s newer leaders.” observed The New York City Jazz Record. She has performed in venues such as Newport Jazz Festival, SF JAZZ, and Carnegie Hall, as well as international venues such as Wiener Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria, and Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. // Marcus Gilmore on drums, Mauricio Herrera on percussion. Kim Cass on bass, and Patricia Brennan on vibraphone with electronics, marimba. All compositions by Patricia Brennan (Maquishti Music, BMI) Patricia Brennan and Pyroclastic Records © ℗ 2022 Produced by David Breskin. Recorded by Ron Saint Germain & Ryan Streber
on March 31 & April 1, 2022 at Oktaven Audio, Mt Vernon, NY. Mixed by Ron Saint Germain at Saint’s Place. Mastered by Scott Hull, Masterdisk, Peekskill, NY. Band photography by Frank Heath. Design & layout by Spotswood Erving and July Creek for Janky Defense. Carbon offsets to neutralize the carbon emissions associated with the production and distribution of this album have been purchased through carbonfund.org

Patricia Brennan – “Sizigia (Syzygy)”
from: More Touch / Pyroclastic Records / November 18, 2022

11:02 – Station ID

11:02 – Interview with Rod Parks

Today, we present special edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley as we bring you… “The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks.” Rod Parks is owner of Retro Inferno.

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Rod Parks Graduated High School 1975. Went to MU in Columbia. Rod majored in Marketing Education. Coordinated a Marketing Education program in Versailles MO 1979-81. Was in the Grocery business 81-86 in Smithville. Taught school again from 1988-98. Moved to Brookside in ’93 when I got into the UMKC Doctoral program in Counseling Psychology (Rod completed Masters and Ed Specialist degrees from 90-93).

11:07

Tony Allen, Adrian Younge – “Ebun (feat. Tony Allen”
from: Jazz is Dead 18 / Jazz Is Dead / July 7, 2023
[With each subsequent release, Jazz Is Dead continues to exalt the legacies of iconic musicians who have shaped the fabric of Jazz across generations, genres, and continents. For their latest installment, the label connected with the late great Tony Allen, best known for his foundational work as the drummer for Fela Kuti’s Africa 70, and later Egypt 80. Over the course of Allen’s recording career, he defined the Afrobeat sound, meshing Funk & Jazz influences with Nigerian Highlife to create a cross-cultural dialogue that has gone global. It was no small honor to welcome Mr. Allen for a very special recording session at Linear Labs Studio, and we could not be more thrilled to share these crucial and downright funky cuts with you. // On album opener “Ebun”, guitars and horns build off of Allen’s instantly recognizable drum patterns, stretching and warping time signatures as they cross paths. It instantly recalls the seminal Africa 70 recordings which Allen was a driving force on. Psychedelic keyboards and percussion clash on “Steady Tremble”, a heavy stomper tailor-made for dancefloors in every corner of the world. Just as funky is the kinetic and expressive “Oladipo”. Built between a tense call and response between the horns, the track is filled with drama, and Allen steadily keeps each element in balance. As soon as the flute struts in alongside fiery horns and guitar on “Don’t Believe the Dancers”, the groove plunges further, propelled by an acerbic saxophone solo that animates Allen’s percussion. “Makoko” is a moody, mid-tempo jam that evokes classic Fela Kuti recordings such as “Open & Close” and “Gentleman”, slowly constructing an elaborate orchestra of polyrhythm, all keeping step with Allen’s rhythm. “Lagos” points towards the spiritual and literal home of Allen and Afrobeat, the capital of Nigeria, and homes in on a yearning keyboard. // Similar to on his excellent Art Blakey tribute record, Tony Allen is a revelatory jazz drummer, as heard on “No Beginning”, a mid-tempo tune that sits at the nexus of Spiritual Jazz and Afrobeat, which perfectly transitions into album closer, the aptly titled “No End”, a poignant number that combines all of the passion and precision of the previous tracks, and let’s Allen guide listeners yet again as only he so effortlessly could. // Despite the finite time that Allen had on this planet, as do all of us, his contributions to music are timeless and untouchable, and will continue to inform and inspire generations to come. Jazz Is Dead is honored to have played a part in the legacy of Tony Allen and invites you to discover the unparalleled genius that shifted the entire world’s conception of time, a magician who alchemized the past with the future and influenced countless listeners, currently and to come. – Tony Allen JID018 Liner Notes // All music composed by Tony Allen and Adrian Younge unless otherwise noted; produced and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs Studios, Los Angeles, CA. Mastered by Dave Cooley for Elysian Masters. Executive Produced by Andrew Lojero. Associate Produced by Adam Block. All songs published by Adrian Younge, Linear Labs Crew (GMR). Graphic Design by Julian Montague Photography by The Artform Studio. // For “Ebun” Musicians: Tony Allen on Drums; Adrian Younge on Electric bass guitar, Electric guitars, Acetone electric organ, Marimba, Percussion; Marcus Gray, Jazmin Hicks, Loren Oden on Additional percussion; Scott Mayo on Flute; Phillip Whack on Alto saxophone; Jaman Laws on Tenor saxophone; David Urquidi on Baritone saxophone; Jacob Scesney on Baritone saxophone; Emile Martinez: on Trumpet; Tatiana Tate on Trumpet; Lasim Richards on Trombone.]

Tony Allen opptrer på Rockefeller under Oslo Jazzfestival 2015

Tony Allen, Adrian Younge – “Steady Tremble”
from: Jazz is Dead 18 / Jazz Is Dead / July 7, 2023
[ For “Steady Tremble” Musicians: Tony Allen on Drums; Adrian Younge on Electric bass guitar, Electric guitars, Acetone electric organ, Marimba, Percussion; Marcus Gray, Jazmin Hicks, Loren Oden on Additional percussion; Scott Mayo on Flute; Phillip Whack on Alto saxophone; Jaman Laws on Tenor saxophone; David Urquidi on Baritone saxophone; Jacob Scesney on Baritone saxophone; Emile Martinez: on Trumpet; Tatiana Tate on Trumpet; Lasim Richards on Trombone

11:16 – Underwriting

11:18 – Interview with Rod Parks

Today, we present special edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley as we bring you… “The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks.” Rod Parks is owner of Retro Inferno.

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Mid-Century Modern – Rod Parks happened upon an estate sale while furnishing the Brookside house and started buying 50’s-60’s stuff and people would come over, say it was cool, so I started trusting my eye and researching designers etc.

Rod started buying and selling: garage and basement full turned into storage lockers then warehouse floors. Finished the coursework for the PhD in ’96.

11:23

Tony Allen – “Secret Agent”
from: Secret Agent / World Circuit Ltd. – BMG / Sept. 9, 2009 / remastered 2022
[Tony Oladipo Allen (20 July 1940 – 30 April 2020) was a Nigerian and French drummer, composer, and songwriter who lived and worked in Paris, France. Allen was the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti’s band Africa ’70 from 1968 to 1979, and was one of the founders of the Afrobeat genre. Fela once stated that “without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat”. He was described by Brian Eno as “perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived”. // Later in life, Allen collaborated with Damon Albarn on several projects, including Gorillaz, the Good, the Bad & the Queen and Rocket Juice & the Moon.[5] Allen’s career and life were documented in his 2013 autobiography Tony Allen: Master Drummer of Afrobeat, co-written with Michael E. Veal, who previously wrote a comprehensive biography of Fela Kuti. // Tony Allen’s 2009 World Circuit debut, the raw and uncut Secret Agent, has all the ingredients that combine to make Afrobeat so special – fat, full-throated, hard-riffing horns; nagging tenor guitars; jazz- and funk-informed saxophone and trumpet workouts; effervescent chicken-shack keyboards; lyrics rich in folk metaphors and proverbs, some of which confront state corruption and oppression (Kuti’s most frequent targets); deep-soul call and response vocals; and, of course, energizing everything around it, Allen’s majestic drumming.]

Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela – Robbers, Thugs & Muggers
from: Rejoice / World Circuit Ltd. – BMG / March 20, 2020
[The original sessions were recorded in London in 2010 by World Circuit’s Nick Gold, who was eager to document the first recorded meeting of the two African music legends when their touring schedules coincided. After Masekela’s death in 2018, additional tracks were recorded, again in London’s Livingston Studios, in summer 2019. The album was released on 20 March 2020. In addition to serving as the final studio album for Masekela, it also became Tony Allen’s final studio album before his death on April 30, 2020. The album contains eight tracks written by Allen and Masekela. // The track “Never (Lagos Never Gonna Be the Same)” is a tribute to Fela Kuti, through whom Allen and Masekela first met in the 1970s. // Rejoice was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 82, based on eight reviews, which indicates “universal acclaim”. Album of the Year assessed the critical consensus as 81 out of 100 based on four reviews. // In reviewing the album, Nigel Williamson for Uncut wrote: “Warm, uplifting and fizzing with both passion and virtuosity, Rejoice is not only a fitting last will and testament from Masekela, but a glorious affirmation of music at its most potent and universal.” Jazz Journal’s Bruce Lindsay commented: “Ten years in the making, Rejoice was worth the wait. It’s a celebratory, groove-laden, thoughtful, danceable, collection from two of the great figures in music.” Joel Campbell of The Voice wrote: “‘Rejoice’ can be seen as the long-overdue confluence of two mighty African musical rivers – a union of two free-flowing souls for whom borders, whether physical or stylistic, are things to pass through or ignore completely.” In his review for PopMatters, George De Stefano noted: “If you need something to get your socially isolated ass off the couch and up and shaking, Rejoice is the album. Even if you have to dance alone, some polyrhythmic pleasure during a pandemic is no little thing. With its deep grooves and virtuosic playing, the pairing of Allen and Masekela—overdue and sadly not to be repeated—Rejoice is a posthumous reminder of what Hugh Masekela at his best could deliver and of the now 80-year-old Allen’s amazing vitality.”]

Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela-“Never(Legos Never Gonna Be The Same)
from: Rejoice / World Circuit Ltd. – BMG / March 20, 2020

11:37 – Interview with Rod Parks (Retro Inferno)

Today, we present special edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley as we bring you… “The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks.” Rod Parks is owner of Retro Inferno.

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Rod resigned from teaching in 1998 and opened Retro Inferno in June 1998 at 1712 Main from 1998-2004 (having accumulated a warehouse full of stuff).

In March 2004, Retro Inferno moved to its current location at 1500 Grand Boulevard.

Ceramic Dog & Marc Ribot – “Connection”
from: Connection / Knockwurst Records / July 14, 2023
[Ceramic Dog: Marc Ribot on guitars, tres, dobro, bass, vocals; Shahzad Ismaily on bass, electronics, vocals; Ches Smith on drums, percussion, electronics, vocals. // On their 5th studio album, Connection, Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog have pushed their long-brewing tension between traditional pop songcraft and avantgarde improvisational music to the breaking point, bridging their customary genre-agnostic approach with elements of glam boogie, minimalist disco, psychedelic boogaloo, garage-punk-against-the-machine agitprop, and so much more. Recorded at Figure 8 Recording in Brooklyn, NY and mixed by Ben Greenberg (Danny Elfman, Depeche Mode, Lamb of God) the album sees Ribot – whose prodigious, impossible-to-categorize body of work as bandleader and musician spans no wave and jazz, Brazilian and Cuban music, roots and avant-garde and protest songs (often at the same time) alongside legendary collaborations with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, The Lounge Lizards, John Zorn, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Caetano Veloso, and Laurie Anderson (to name but a few) – continuing to utilize Ceramic Dog as the vessel for his distinctive stream-of-consciousness songwriting, penning three out of the album’s four vocal tracks including the groove-infected “Ecstasy” (showcasing Anthony Coleman’s slinky Farfisa and longtime friend and associate Syd Straw behind the mic). From the anthemic manifesto “Soldiers in the Army of Love” to the unhinged ranting of “Heart Attack” and indescribable “No Name,” Ceramic Dog unleash a fury of complex time signatures, blues abstraction, and free-blowing energy to create their most unapologetically audacious collection thus far, their one-of-a-kind daring evidenced by the unlikely cover of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz’s “That’s Entertainment,” written especially for the 1953 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film The Band Wagon but here, in Ribot and Co’s hands, deconstructs Hollywood cliches while simultaneously winking at both the post-punk and post-Cultural Revolution iterations of the Gang of Four. Fueled by what Ribot calls “several bolts of creative lightning,” Connections stands as a vibrant, odd, and in many ways definitive milestone in what is truly a singular creative journey for Marc Ribot and Ceramic Dog, its zeitgeist-busting sound and vision not only affirming their place in the musical universe but raising the stakes for whatever comes next. // Lyrics by Marc Ribot (Knockwurst Music, ASCAP). Music by Ceramic Dog (Knockwurst Music (ASCAP, Preposterous Bee (ASCAP), Wazir & Malika Music (BMI). Recorded at Figure 8 Recording, Brooklyn, NY by Vishal Nayak, Engineer. Mixed by Ben Greenberg at Circular Ruin, Brooklyn, NY. Mastering by Scott Hull at Masterdisk]

Ceramic Dog & Marc Ribot – “Bertha the Cool”
from: Hope / Northern Spy Records / June 25, 2021
[Ceramic Dog: Marc Ribot on guitars, vocals; Shahzad Ismaily on bass, keyboards, backing vocals; Ches Smith on drums, percussion, electronics, vocals. / /When these recording sessions began in the last week of May 2020, I hadn’t left my house to go anywhere other than the grocery store in over two months. I hadn’t taken a cab or subway. I’d lost several friends to COVID-19, and was afraid I’d also lose more thanks to the non-response of our would-be dictator/“president”, whose deliberate embrace of untruth fed tens of thousands of lives to the pandemic, and also reduced what little hope was left for avoiding global warming catastrophe. // I hadn’t seen my partner since February (our plans to fly to each other’s countries shut down) and it would be July before we finally got together. Our difficulties were nothing compared with others. When me and fellow Ceramic Dogs Ches and Shahzad figured out a way to record, we entered the studio separately, sat in separate, isolated rooms from which we couldn’t see each other, communicating through mics and headphones. We were careful to wash our hands: one of us has respiratory issues, so fuck-ups could’ve been bad. We wound up with two record’s worth of material, some released on Bandcamp in October on the EP What I Did on My Long Vacation, and the majority of the music here on this full CD-length recording. // If/when people look back on these times, maybe they’ll seem unreal… foreign, alien: the way I, as a child in the 1960’s, looked at the faded footage of the 1930’s as impossibly ancient, even though the family members who had survived those newsreels sat next to me at breakfast. In fact, my 9 year old self was closer to the burning of the Reichstag than we are now to the release of Nevermind. // Anyway, when we went into the studio, I thought we’d come up with something that spoke to our times… a message in a bottle to our equally shipwrecked (imaginary) listeners. But once we started, it was so much fun to jam that we forgot the disasters outside. So instead, we “spoke” to each other. And to other times that we couldn’t yet see: like the day, 5 months later, when people all over Brooklyn would dance in the streets for joy. // t’s almost December now. Things are shutting down again, and I’m quarantined in Europe writing liner notes for a record that will be released in the new year–once more, speaking to another time… perhaps a future? // Mixed by Randall Dunn at Aleph Recording Company, Brooklyn, NY. Engineered by Shahzad Ismaily at Figure 8 Recordings, Brooklyn, NY. Mastering by Gregory Obis at Chicago Mastering Service. Creative Direction by Bryan Abdul Collins. Management: Mary Ho / Noise Inc.]

11:51 – Interview with Rod Parks

Today, we present special edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley as we bring you… “The Sound & Vision of Rod Parks.”

Rod Parks, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Retro Inferno is at 1500 Grand Boulevard, a few doors north of recordBar. http://www.retroinferno.com

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:54

Marc Ribot & Tom Waits -“Bella Ciao”
from: Songs of Resistance / Noise Inc. – Anti / September 14, 2018
[Traditional/Italian Partisan; Arranged by Marc Ribot & Tom Waits; Translated by Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot on Banjo, Harmonica, Guitars; Tom Waits on Acoustic guitar. With Songs of Resistance 1948 – 2018, Ribot—one of the world’s most accomplished and acclaimed guitar players—set out to assemble a set of songs that spoke to this political moment with appropriate ambition, passion, and fury. The eleven songs on the record are drawn from the World War II anti-Fascist Italian partisans, the U.S. civil rights movement, and Mexican protest ballads, as well as original compositions, and feature a wide range of guest vocalists, including Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Meshell Ndegeocello, Justin Vivian Bond, Fay Victor, Sam Amidon, and Ohene Cornelius. Ribot began working on the project at the end of 2016, responding not just to the American elections, but to the political trends he was seeing around the world. “I am alarmed by Trump and the movement he’s part of,” he says. “I’ve spent a good chunk of my life running around the world on tour—I’m kind of an accidental internationalist—and I see that he’s not an isolated phenomenon. And if we don’t deal with what is going on, it is going to deal with us.” Ribot was born in Newark,NJ in 1954. As a teen, he played guitar in garage bands while studying with his mentor, Haitian classical guitarist and composer Frantz Casseus. He moved to New York City in 1978. He was a member of the soul/punk Realtones, and John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards. Ribot also worked with Brother Jack McDuff, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Chuck Berry, and many others. Fay Victor was born July 26, 1965. She is an American musician, composer, lyricist and educator. Originally a singer in the traditional jazz field, she has been working in jazz, blues, opera, free improvising, avant-garde, modern classical music, and occasional acting since re-settling in New York in 2003. PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT: THE INDIVISIBLE PROJECT (501c4) http://www.indivisible.org ]

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

Next week on Wednesday, February 14 we welcome Janice Woolery, who shares details about Her Art – Their Art, Friday, Feb 16, 2024, 5:00pm to 8:00pm at InterUrban ArtHouse, 8001 Newton St , Overland Park, KS. This exhibition will showcase the work of nearly 60 artists.

We will also talk with musicians David Luther & Kelly Dougherty about The Love Hangover, Thurs, Feb. 15, 2024 at 7:00pm at recordBar 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO with True Lions, Mouthstuff, Dan Jones & Matt Ronan, Marty Bush & Natalie Prauser.

AND…we talk with LGBTQ artist & singer-songwriter Buck Moon about his debut single “Indigo Night” that was just recently released on Jan. 25, 2024.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers.

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

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

Show #1032

WMM Playlist from January 31, 2024

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Spinning Records With Marion Merritt + Jennifer Roe of Folk Alliance International

Today, we welcome back to the show, Marion Merritt as our special “Guest Producer.” Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM. For nearly 20 years, Marion has been sharing her sonic discoveries and information from her musically encyclopedic brain, spinning music that is just not played on other radio stations. Marion grew up in Los Angeles & St. Louis. She went to college in Columbia, Missouri. She studied art and musical engineering. After nearly two decades of managing KC’s largest music department store, Marion left the corporate world and went Independent. Now nearly 10 years later, with her partner Ann Stewart, Marion is the proprietor of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri.

At 11:30 we will talk with Jennifer Roe, the Interim Executive Director of Folk Alliance International.

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

Dimitri From Paris – “Prologue”
from: Sacrebleu / Yellow Productions – Atlantic / June 11, 1996
[Debut studio album. Dimitri from Paris was born Dimitrios Yerasimos, on Oct. 27, 1963. He is a French music producer and DJ of Greek descent. His musical influences are rooted in 1970s funk & disco sounds that spawned contemporary house music, as well as original soundtracks from 1950s & 1960s movies such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, La Dolce Vita and The Party, which were sampled in his album Sacrebleu. Dimitri fused these sounds with electro and block party hip hop he discovered in the 1980s. // Contrary to his musical pseudonym, Dimitri was born not in Paris but born in Peckham, South London, to Rûm parents (Greeks of Turkey), Dimitri grew up in France where he discovered DJing at home, using whatever he could find to “cut and paste” samples from disco hits or in to montages heard on the radio, blending them together to make tapes. This early experimentation helped him launch his DJ career. // He started out by DJing at the French station Radio 7, before moving on to Skyrock and finally to Radio NRJ, Europe’s largest FM radio network, in 1986. There, he introduced the first ever house music show to be broadcast in France, while simultaneously producing under the direction of sound designer Michel Gaubert, runway soundtracks for fashion houses such as Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and Yves Saint-Laurent. He also released two solo EPs from 1993 to 1994 and contributed to the Yellow Productions compilation La Yellow 357. // In 1996, Dimitri gained worldwide recognition with the release of his first full album, Sacrebleu, released on Yellow Productions. A blend of diverse influences including jazz, original film soundtracks, samba, and organic house, Sacrebleu sold 300,000 copies worldwide and was named Album of the Year by UK’s Mixmag magazine. // In 2000, Dimitri followed Sacrebleu up with A Night at the Playboy Mansion (Virgin) and Disco Forever (BBE), followed by My Salsoul in 2001, After the Playboy Mansion in 2002. In 2003, Cruising Attitude was released, to be closely followed by his first outing on UK’s premier dance music label Defected: Dimitri from Paris In the House. // He has followed a somewhat glamorous musical path by recording soundtracks and advertising campaigns for fashion houses Chanel, Jean-Paul Gautier & Yves Saint Laurent and remixing hundreds of artists as diverse as Björk, The Cardigans, James Brown, Michael Jackson, New Order and Quincy Jones. He also did the music for the anime Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase and mixed the soundtrack for the French luxury dessin animé Jet Groove produced by Method Films. // 2005 saw Dimitri go back to his Funk & Disco roots, with Japanese hip hop producer & über collector DJ Muro for Super Disco Friends a double CD mixdown. In 2006 he offered his House of Love outing to Valentine’s Day’s lovers. Later on Dimitri produced Los Amigos Invisibles “Super Pop Venezuela” album which grabbed a nomination for a Grammy Award. // 2007 saw the release of the Cocktail Disco project w/ longtime partner BBE, a handful of disco classics remixes & other surprises down the line. // 2009 saw the release of the Night Dubbin’, a post-disco R&B comp. remix album.]

André 3000 – “Ants To You, Gods To Who?” (CD #3) (4:56)
from: New Blue Sun / Epic Records / November 17, 2023 (3-LP Vinyl Release Mar. 22, 2024)
Debut solo album by American musician André 3000. It features instrumental contributions by an ensemble including Benjamin on various flutes, percussionist and producer Carlos Niño, keyboardist Surya Botofasina, guitarist Nate Mercereau, and keyboardist Diego Gaeta; as well as Leaving Records musicians V.C.R and Matthewdavid. The album represents an end to the musicians’s 17-year hiatus of new material. // In the years leading up to the release of New Blue Sun, Benjamin made media appearances playing flute in public settings; this was especially amplified online by his appearance as a flautist on the score for the Daniels’ 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once. He would later meet with jazz musician Carlos Niño in Los Angeles, where the two agreed to create a studio album. Ahead of its announcement, fellow rapper Killer Mike teased an impending release by André 3000. // As his first solo studio release, and the first studio material of his in a significant period of time, the 87-minute album largely consists of “experimental flute music” with both acoustic and electronic instrumentation, influenced by spiritual jazz musicians and minimalist composers. It features “a myriad” of different flutes performed by Benjamin in various styles across eight instrumental pieces. // When announcing the album on November 14, 2023, Benjamin emphasized that the project is not “a rap record”, with the packaging displaying a lighthearted disclaimer that it contains “no bars”;[6] he has additionally dismissed rumors that he was “sitting around on rap albums” that he has been characterized as refusing to release, saying instead that he felt more comfortable with the direction indicated by New Blue Sun. //The album was originally titled Everything Is Too Loud, but was renamed because André 3000 felt that it put out negative energy. // André Lauren Benjamin was born May 27, 1975, and better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he is best known for being one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Outkast, alongside fellow Atlanta-based rapper Big Boi. Benjamin is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. // As part of Outkast, the duo released six successful studio albums which contained hit singles including “Ms. Jackson”, “Roses”, “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Elevators (Me & You)”, among others. The duo’s fifth release, a double album titled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003), contained a solo single performed by Benjamin: “Hey Ya!”, which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. After the duo split in 2007, Benjamin became less active as a solo act compared to Big Boi, although he had a number of highly-acclaimed guest appearances on songs and albums by numerous artists. Such activity earned him an additional Grammy Award among seven nominations as a solo artist. In 2023, Benjamin released his debut studio album New Blue Sun, an instrumental recording showcasing his performances on flute. // Outside of music, Benjamin has acted in films and television series such as Families, The Shield, Be Cool, Revolver, Semi-Pro, High Life, Four Brothers, and in the lead role of Jimi Hendrix in All Is by My Side. He further played Fredwynn on the AMC series Dispatches from Elsewhere, and was featured in the 2022 adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel of White Noise.]

[Mark note: I saw OutKast when they opened for Lauryn Hill on her Miseducation Tour at The Midland Theatre in Kansas City on February 26, 1999. 30 feet above the main floor seating area of The Midland was a giant cloud that remained thoughout OutKast’s set that featured new songs that would end up on Stankonia, OutKast’s 4th studio album, including the song “Ms. Jackson.” ]

Hermanos Gutiérrez – “El Bueno Y El Malo”
from: El Bueno Y El Malo / Easy Eye Sound / October 28, 2022
[Hermanos Gutiérrez (Spanish for “Gutiérrez Brothers”) is a Latin instrumental band formed in 2015 in Zürich by Ecuadorian-Swiss brothers Alejandro Gutiérrez (guitar and lap steel) and Estevan Gutiérrez (guitar and percussion). In 2022, the US label Easy Eye Sound released the band’s fifth album, El Bueno y el Malo. // Alejandro and Estevan Gutiérrez, two of four siblings, were raised by an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father in Switzerland, and often visited family in Playas, Ecuador. Around age nine, Estevan learned to play classical guitar in Latin styles such as milonga and salsa, and as a surfer was later inspired by surf rocker Jack Johnson. Alejandro, who is eight years younger, taught himself guitar by watching tutorial videos on YouTube. The Hermanos Gutiérrez band traces its origins to a jam session in Alejandro’s apartment in Zürich during a visit from Estevan in 2015. // The band’s first three albums (8 Años, El Camino de mi Alma, and Hoy Como Ayer) drew broadly from the world of Latin music. A visit to Mexico and the Southwest US in February 2020 inspired their fourth album, Hijos del Sol, which incorporated more Western sounds. An eight-minute music video for the title track came out in advance of the album’s release on 25 September 2020. // El Bueno y el Malo, the band’s first non-indie project, was recorded in Nashville in collaboration with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and released by his label Easy Eye Sound on October 28, 2022. The album (and its title) were inspired by Ennio Morricone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly soundtrack. The album was critically acclaimed and has been described as mentally transporting listeners to Spaghetti Western landscapes. Songs from El Bueno y el Malo comprised Hermanos Gutiérrez’s set list in an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in January 2023. That year, Auerbach was nominated for the Grammy Award for Non-Classical Producer of the Year in part for his work with Hermanos Gutiérrez.]
Hermanos Gutiérrez – “Tres Hermanos (feat. Dan Auerbach)”
from: El Bueno Y El Malo / Easy Eye Sound / October 28, 2022

Danielle Nicole – “Make Love”
from: The Love You Bleed / Forty Below Records / January 26, 2024
[Danielle Nicole is one of the finest singers and bassists in roots music today. Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, she has spent her life making music and pleasing fans, both domestically and abroad. Her stunning new album, The Love You Bleed, includes twelve heartfelt tracks exploring themes of love, loss, and perseverance. It will be released this Friday, January 26 on Forty Below Records. // The Love You Bleed was co-produced by Tony Braunagel (Taj Mahal, Eric Burdon, Robert Cray) and Nicole, with John Porter (B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bryan Ferry) mixing. The tight-knit group on the album features Danielle on bass guitar and vocals; Brandon Miller (electric, acoustic, pedal steel, mandolin, and 12-string guitar), Damon Parker (keyboards); Go-Go Ray (drums), and Stevie Blacke (violin and cello). // Nicole was inducted into the Kansas City Hall of Fame and has been the recipient of seven Blues Music Awards. Her last release Cry No More was nominated for a Grammy in the Contemporary Blues category, debuted at number one on the Billboard Blues Charts and boasts over 10 million streams on Spotify. // Danielle Nicole’s last release, CRY NO MORE, released February 23, 2018, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.. Her self-titled solo debut EP was released March 10, 2015 on Concord Records. The self-titled EP features Grammy Award-winning producer-guitarist Anders Osborne, Galactic’s co-founding drummer Stanton Moore and keyboardist Mike Sedovic. On February 25, 2015, American Blues Scene premiered the track “Didn’t Do You No Good” off the new EP. Danielle Nicole was previously in the band Trampled Under Foot with her brothers Kris and Nick Schnebelen. At the 2014 Blues Music Awards, Trampled Under Foot’s album, Badlands, won the ‘Contemporary Blues Album of the Year’ category. At the same ceremony, Danielle Nicole, under the name of Danielle Schnebelen, triumphed in the ‘Best Instrumentalist – Bass’ category. The band was also nominated in the ‘Band of the Year’ category. In September 2015, her debut album, Wolf Den, was released on Concord Records. It reached number 2 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart in October that year. Danielle Nicole’s second solo album, Cry No More, peaked at # 1 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. Bill Withers wrote one of the tracks on the new album.]

[Danielle Nicole plays Records With Merritt, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri, on Saturday, March 2, 2024.]

Danielle Nicole – “How Did We Get To Goodbye”
from: The Love You Bleed / Forty Below Records / January 26, 2024

10:33 – Underwriting

Fantasy 15 – “Blast Off!!!”
from: Zoltandia / Eraserhood Sound / September 22, 2023
[Eraserhood Sound’s mysterious, intergalactic house band Fantasy 15 are finally ready to unleash their debut LP, Zoltandia. After years of rising anticipation which saw the group release a handful of now-sold out, highly sought-after 45s, Fantasy 15 have delivered a modern synth-funk opus. The album, named after the group’s remote home planet, is a dazzling display, and features an audacious blend of soul, funk, disco, boogie, house, hip hop, New Wave, and much more. Zoltandia is a true sonic journey, a concept album that tells the fantastical tale of the beloved freedom fighters Fantasy 15. The group, whose true identity has always been a mystery, push the limits of their musical experimentation further than ever. // Leading single “Interplanetary Lover” features the show-stopping Kendra Morris on lead vocals, and serves as the group’s first proper love song. Elsewhere, the title track “Zoltandia” features chanting group vocals and a disco-boogie groove that nods to legends like William Onyeabor and Kiki Gyan. As always, the group’s material was recorded and produced at Eraserhood Sound’s in-house analog recording studio in Philadelphia. Words can only do so much, however, to fully describe the scale and beauty of Fantasy 15’s story. Pick up a copy of their debut LP today, and prepare to enjoy the journey of a lifetime. // Maxwell Perla – Drums, Synthesizer, Vocals, Percussion, Conga; Vincent John – Drums, Bass, Synthesizer, Pianos, Guitar, Vocals; Christopher Alrutz – Synthesizer, Piano; Kendra Morris – Lead Vocals, Interplanetary Lover; Turquoise Cobb – Vocals
Widow Winslow – Vocals; Ky – Vocals; Shernorva – Spoken Word (A.I.); Mike Buckley – Flute
Andrew Torre – Conga; All songs written by Fantasy 15. Recorded and Produced by Eraserhood Sound. Mixed by Andrew Torre. Mastered by Ryan Schwabe. Artwork Illustration by Anthony Carranza. Album Layout by SWIVS. Art Direction by Eraserhood Sound. An Eraserhood Sound Production.]
Fantasy 15 – “Journey Back to Earth”
from: Zoltandia / Eraserhood Sound / September 22, 2023

Roy Hargrove Presents The RH Factor
from: Hard Groove / Verve Records / 2003
[Hard Groove is an album by the American musician Roy Hargrove, released in 2003. It was credited to his group, the RH Factor. // The album peaked at No. 185 on the Billboard 200. “I’ll Stay” was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the “Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals” category. // Produced by Hargrove, the album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios. Hargrove used a 10-piece band on the album. He considered it to be a tribute to his childhood love of hip hop; he also wanted to impart a gospel or spiritual element to the music. Reggie Washington and Pino Palladino were among the musicians on the album. // D’Angelo appears on the cover of Funkadelic’s “I’ll Stay”. Renee Neufville sang on “Juicy”. Q-Tip rapped on “Poetry”; Meshell Ndegeocello and Erykah Badu also appeared on the track. Anthony Hamilton sang on “Kwah/Home”. // The album cover was designed by Rudy Gutierrez, who was inspired by the art for Abraxas. // Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved worldwide acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles of jazz in 1998 and 2002. Hargrove primarily played in the hard bop style for the majority of his albums, but also had a penchant for genre-crossing exploration and collaboration with a variety of hip hop, soul, R&B and alternative rock artists. As Hargrove told one reporter, “I’ve been around all kinds of musicians, and if a cat can play, a cat can play. If it’s gospel, funk, R&B, jazz or hip-hop, if it’s something that gets in your ear and it’s good, that’s what matters.” // Hargrove was born in Waco, Texas, to Roy Allan Hargrove and Jacklyn Hargrove. When he was 9, his family moved to Dallas, Texas. He took lessons at school initially on cornet before turning to trumpet. One of Hargrove’s most profound early influences was a visit to his junior high school by saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman, who performed as a sideman in Ray Charles’s Band. Hargrove’s junior high music teacher, Dean Hill, whom Hargrove called his “musical father,” taught him to improvise and solo. He was discovered by Wynton Marsalis when Marsalis visited the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. Hargrove credited trumpeter Freddie Hubbard as having the greatest influence on his sound. // Hargrove spent a year (1988–1989) studying at Boston’s Berklee College of Music but could more often be found playing in New York City jam sessions; he eventually transferred to the New School in New York. His first studio recording there was with saxophonist Bobby Watson for Watson’s album No Question About It. Shortly thereafter, Hargrove recorded with the band Superblue featuring Watson, Mulgrew Miller, Frank Lacy, Don Sickler and Kenny Washington. // In 1990, Hargrove released his debut solo album, Diamond in the Rough, on the Novus/RCA label. This album, and the three succeeding recordings Hargrove made for Novus with his quintet, were among the most commercially successful jazz recordings of the early 1990s and made him one of jazz’s in-demand players. // As a side project to his solo and quintet recordings, Hargrove also was the leader of The Jazz Networks, an ensemble of American and Japanese musicians which released 5 albums between 1992 and 1996 and featured other notable jazz artists, including Antonio Hart, Rodney Whitaker and Joshua Redman. (These albums were originally released only in Japan and Europe, but after Hargrove’s death, his estate arranged for release on streaming platforms in the U.S.) // Hargrove topped the category “Rising Star–Trumpet” in the DownBeat Critics Poll in 1991, 1992 and 1993. During this time in his early career, Hargrove was known as one of the “Young Lions,” a group of rising jazz musicians — including, among others, Marcus Roberts, Mark Whitfield and Christian McBride — who, embracing the foundations of jazz, played principally bebop, hard bop and the Great American Songbook standards. Hargrove, along with other of the “Young Lions,” formed an all-star band in 1991 called The Jazz Futures, which released one critically acclaimed album Live in Concert before going their separate ways. // In 1993, Jazz at Lincoln Center commissioned Hargrove to compose an original jazz suite, and he premiered The Love Suite: In Mahogany at Lincoln Center with his sextet that year. // In 1994, Hargrove signed with Verve and recorded With the Tenors of Our Time featuring Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman, and Branford Marsalis. Also that year, Hargrove appeared on the eponymous debut album of Buckshot LeFonque, a jazz-funk band led by Branford Marsalis. // In 1995, Hargrove released his next album, Family, and experimented with a trio format that same year on Parker’s Mood, an album recorded with bassist Christian McBride and pianist Stephen Scott. The Penguin Jazz Guide identifies Parker’s Mood as one of the “1001 Best Albums” in the history of the genre. // Also in 1995, Hargrove formed the Roy Hargrove Big Band to perform at the Panasonic Jazz Festival in New York. The band would go on to perform worldwide and feature big band arrangements of Hargrove’s own compositions as well as his favorite songs by respected contemporaries. // In 1998, Hargrove won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for Habana with Roy Hargrove’s Crisol, an ensemble of Cuban and American musicians which included Chucho Valdés, Russell Malone, Frank Lacy and Miguel “Anga” Diaz, among others. He won his second Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album in 2002 for Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall with co-leaders Herbie Hancock and Michael Brecker. Hargrove was nominated for four other Grammy Awards during his career. // During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hargrove was also a member of the Soulquarians, a collective of experimental jazz, hip hop and soul artists that included Questlove, D’Angelo, Common and others. // In 2000, Hargrove added jazz and funk-influenced horns in support of D’Angelo on his Grammy-winning album Voodoo. He also supported D’Angelo on tour that year as a member of the Soultronics, a backing “supergroup” featuring Questlove and Pino Palladino, among others. // Also in 2000, Hargrove performed the music of Louis Armstrong in Roz Nixon’s musical production “Dedicated To Louis Armstrong” as part of the Verizon Jazz Festival. // In 2002, Hargrove collaborated with D’Angelo, Macy Gray, the Soultronics, and Nile Rodgers, on two tracks for Red Hot & Riot, a compilation album in tribute to the music of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. He also acted as sideman for jazz pianist Shirley Horn and spoken-word artist Common on the album Like Water for Chocolate and with singer Erykah Badu on Worldwide Underground. // From 2003 to 2006, he released three albums as the leader of Roy Hargrove’s The RH Factor, a group that blended jazz, soul, hip hop and funk idioms. The band’s debut album, Hard Groove, was hailed as “genre-busting” by critics and ushered in a new era of hip hop-accented jazz. The band’s second album, “Strength,” was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album.” // After signing with Universal/EmArcy in 2008, Hargrove released “Earfood,” a quintet recording “steeped in tradition and sophistication,” which Jazziz selected as one of the 5 “essential albums” of that year. He followed in 2009 with “Emergence,” an album recorded with the Roy Hargrove Big Band; he received a Grammy nomination for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo” for his performance on the track “Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey” on that record. In 2010, Hargrove released “Live at the New Morning,” a DVD of an intimate club performance with his quintet in Paris. Thereafter, until his death in 2018, Hargrove toured extensively and appeared as a sideman on recordings by Jimmy Cobb, Roy Haynes, Cyrille Aimée, The 1975, D’Angelo, Kandace Springs and others. // Hargrove topped the trumpet category in the 2019 DownBeat Readers’ Poll. // In addition to the accolades he garnered on trumpet, music critics also praised Hargrove’s tone on flugelhorn and gifted ways with a ballad. As the Chicago Tribune observed in 2010, “it’s Hargrove’s ballad playing that tends to win hearts, which is what happened every time he picked up his flugelhorn. We’ve been hearing Hargrove spin silk on this instrument for a couple of decades now, yet one still marvels at the poetry of his tone, the incredible slowness of his vibrato and the arching lyricism of his phrases.” // Over his 30-year career, Hargrove composed and recorded several original compositions, one of which, “Strasbourg-St. Denis”, has been characterized as reaching the status of a jazz standard. // In July 2021, Hargrove’s estate released posthumously via Resonance Records the double-album In Harmony, a live duet recording made in 2006 and 2007 with pianist Mulgrew Miller that returned Hargrove to the Top 5 of the Billboard jazz chart. Slate selected In Harmony as one of the best jazz albums of 2021. The Académie du Jazz awarded In Harmony its prize for “Best Reissue or Best Unpublished” album of 2021. // Hargrove was posthumously elected to the DownBeat Magazine “Jazz Hall of Fame” in November 2021. // In June 2022, the documentary Hargrove, filmed during the final year of his life, debuted at the Tribeca Festival. Hargrove’s estate issued a statement objecting to the film as not what he had envisioned when agreeing to participate. // Celebrating the 30th anniversary of its performance, in October 2023, Jazz at Lincoln Center released a live recording of Hargrove’s original composition “The Love Suite: In Mahogany,” a five-movement piece which he did not play again live after that debut performance. Jazziz Magazine called the album an “unearthed gem” that “showcases the much-missed trumpeter’s virtuosity and soulful songwriting ….” Jazz critic Nate Chinen of NPR applauded the album as “a flat-out marvel — maybe the most vivid example we have of Roy’s ability to marshal hard-bop fire in a new form, steeped in swinging tradition but sparking and crackling right now.” // A quiet and retiring person in life, Hargrove struggled with kidney failure. He died at the age of 49 of cardiac arrest brought on by kidney disease on November 2, 2018, while hospitalized in New Jersey. According to his long-time manager, Larry Clothier, Hargrove had been on dialysis for the last 14 years of his life. He is survived by his wife, Aida Brandes-Hargrove, and daughter, Kamala Hargrove, who in 2020 launched the company Roy Hargrove Legacy LLC to preserve and extend his legacy. In 2022, Roy Hargrove Legacy re-launched the Roy Hargrove Big Band, which gives live performances featuring original band members and other musicians who supported Hargrove in his various ensembles.]

Jalen Ngonda – “Come Around and Love Me”
from: Come Around and Love Me / Daptone Records / September 8, 2023
[Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Jalen perform live
knows that he is one of the most captivating performers on today’s soul scene. His voice, equal parts raw feeling and elegance, exudes confidence and charm—disarming packed rooms of rowdy concert goers, leaving them silent as they hold fast to every syllable sung. Plans for the album were struck just months before the COVID 19 pandemic shut the world down. Notwithstanding, Jalen eventually made it to Hive Mind Studios in Brooklyn, NY where he began writing and recording with the help of producer/arrangers Mike Buckley and Vincent Chiarito (both members of Charles Bradley’s Extraordinaires) and a crack team of a-list musicians from the Daptone family. The team skillfully blends heavy arrangements and introspective lyrics with motown sophistication, leaving the listener in a blissful wash of wonderment.]

10:59 – Station ID

Mary Halvorson – “The Gate”
from: Cloudward / Nonesuch Records / 2024
Mary Halvorson (born October 16, 1980) is an American avant-garde jazz composer and guitarist from Brookline, Massachusetts. // Among her many collaborations, she has: led a trio with John Hébert [de] and Ches Smith, and a quintet with the addition of Jon Irabagon and Jonathan Finlayson; recorded duo albums with violist Jessica Pavone; and recorded several albums with bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara [de] under the band name Thumbscrew. // In 2017, 2018, and 2019 Halvorson won Best Guitar in DownBeat’s International Critics Poll. In 2019, she was awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Grant for music. // Halvorson is on faculty at the School of Jazz (The New School). // Halvorson began her musical education on violin but was enthralled with the idea of playing guitar after discovering Jimi Hendrix. She first picked up electric guitar at the age of 11 in seventh grade. Her first guitar teacher was Issi Rozen. // She initially enrolled in Wesleyan University to study biology, but dropped her prospective major after sitting in on one of saxophonist Anthony Braxton’s music classes. She quickly connected with him and he heavily encouraged her to find her own expression on guitar. // Halvorson’s 2008 recording Dragon’s Head was as the leader of a trio containing bassist John Hébert and drummer Ches Smith Her later album, Saturn Sings, added saxophonist Jon Irabagon and trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson. In 2012, she played with trumpeter Peter Evans and drummer Weasel Walter on the trio album Mechanical Malfunction. // In 2013, the trio of Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara [de] recorded the first of several albums as the band Thumbscrew. NPR called Halvorson’s 2015 solo album Meltframe “category-exploding”, and its 2015 Jazz Critics Poll named the record 7th-best of the year. // Her album Away With You features pedal steel player Susan Alcorn (later described in Something Else! as “the Mary Halvorson of the pedal steel guitar”), cellist Tomeka Reid and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock. The album Code Girl was Halvorson’s first attempt at writing lyrics for her original works, which are sung by Amirtha Kidambi and inspired by the songwriting of Robert Wyatt and Elliot Smith. The album also features drummer Tomas Fujiwara, bassist Michael Formanek and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. The album received an 8.1 rating from a Pitchfork review, explaining, “The pleasure of this kind of text comes from the way it invites active listening as a means of interpretation.” Code Girl is named after an offhand remark by Braxton, who used the phrase in conversation while on a European tour with Halvorson. Later, she settled on the phrase as an album title, because “at that point I’d written a lot of the lyrics… and they seemed a little bit coded and strange.” Halvorson has also worked with John Dieterich of Deerhoof. Halvorson had previously performed some of her lyrics in collaboration with violinist Jessica Pavone, with whom she also recorded duo albums. As of 2018, Halvorson was an instructor at The New School’s College of Performing Arts. // Halvorson won Best Guitar in DownBeat’s International Critics Poll between 2017 and 2019. In 2019, she was awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Grant for music. // Although Halvorson is often categorized as a jazz guitarist, her music includes elements of many other genres, such as flamenco, rock, noise, and psychedelia. In speaking with PostGenre, Halvorson noted that she’s “never really felt like I had to stick with a particular style or idea… From [Anthony Braxton], I learned that it was normal to take such a broad approach. You would respect traditions but at the same time, you would push the boundaries of those traditions. You would break the traditions apart and do whatever you wanted. That approach has always come naturally to me…”. In a 2018 interview with Jazz Times, Halvorson described the guitar as a “neutral vessel”, saying “The cool thing about the guitar is it’s not associated as much with a particular genre… it could be classical, it could be rock and roll, it could be jazz, it could be folk.”. // In 2012, Troy Collins of All About Jazz called Halvorson “the most impressive guitarist of her generation”, and wrote, “The future of jazz guitar starts here.” Jon Garelick of The Phoenix identified Halvorson’s search for her own sound as a key component of her success as a musician and composer

The Comet is Coming – “Birth of Creation”
from: Trust In The Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery / Impulse! Records / Afrodisia / Sept. 23, 2022
[London-based band who incorporate elements of jazz, electronica, funk and psychedelic rock. // The band originally recorded for The Leaf Label, on which their debut EP Prophecy was released, on limited edition 12″ vinyl, on November 13, 2015, with the full-length album Channel the Spirits following on April 1, 2016. The album was nominated for the 2016 Mercury Prize, and in 2018 the band signed with Impulse!. // The members of the band use the pseudonyms “King Shabaka”, “Danalogue”, and “Betamax” to respectively refer to saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, keyboardist Dan Leavers, and drummer Max Hallett. // In a 2013 interview, Hutchings explained the name of the band thus: “The name of the group comes from a BBC Radiophonic Workshop piece of the same name. Once we heard this piece, with its allusions to sci-fi, cosmic remembrances and general space, it instantly struck a chord. We’re exploring new sound worlds and aiming to destroy all musical ideals which are unfit for our purposes so the name stuck.” // In an interview with M magazine, Betamax spoke of the band’s genesis: Me and Danalogue the Conqueror play as a psychedelic electro synths and live drums duo called Soccer96. We began to notice a tall shadowy figure present at some of our gigs. At some point he appeared at the side of the stage with his sax in hand. When he got up on stage to play with us it created an explosive shockwave of energy that stunned us all. A couple of weeks later King Shabaka rang me up and said ‘hey let’s make a record’ so we booked three days in Total Refreshment Centre studios. It all came together at an incredible speed. We played and recorded to 1/4 tape with no pre-written material. By the end of three days we had recorded hours of music. // The imagery associated with the band is based around outer space, science fiction and B-movies, as can be seen in the music videos for their singles “Neon Baby” and “Do the Milky Way”, as well as in song titles and artwork. “Do the Milky Way” premiered on The Quietus. In a feature in The Guardian in April 2016, the group were described as the “true heirs” of cosmic jazz pioneer Sun Ra, and praised for their “fusion of jazz, Afrobeat and electronica in an improvisational, intergalactic mash-up”. The Quietus wrote that although the band is “intrinsically linked to funk…and spiritually linked to all manner of cosmic music via their imagery (and love of space-creating echo and reverb effects), The Comet Is Coming has the feel of an utterly fresh sort of project”. // King Shabaka elaborates on the cosmic side of the band and the connection to Sun Ra in the same article, when describing the crystal that dominates the cover of their Prophecy EP. He says, “The other thing about the crystal, metaphorically speaking, is the whole Sun Ra thing of creating your own myths. The thing I like that Sun Ra says a lot is the fact that societies that can create their own mythological structures are the ones that have their own agency. To the point at which you can dictate the terms of what’s real and what’s not real. The crystal in the hand forces you to create your own myth”. // In August 2016, the band was nominated for the Mercury Prize for their debut album, Channel the Spirits. // In January 2017 the band was one of the recipients of the Momentum Music Fund through PRS for Music and in April 2017 the band released the Death to the Planet EP through The Leaf Label as part of Record Store Day. // Their second full-length album, Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery, was released in March 2019 and received critical acclaim, with The Quietus noting the importance of Sun Ra and Alice Coltrane on their sound while acknowledging that “rather than being weighed down by those legacies, The Comet Is Coming have turned them into fuel, accelerating their sound, and with it, the sound of jazz today.” Pitchfork gave the album a score of 7.8 out of 10 and wrote, “Mostly low- to mid-tempo, the band skillfully integrates bleak and radiant tones, leading to an impressive nine-track suite of ambient, spoken-word and grime-infused compositions.” The album currently holds a score of 83 on review aggregator Metacritic, indicating “Universal acclaim.” // They played the 22nd Coachella Valley Music & Arts Fest in April 2023.]

Irakere – “Chequere Son”
from: Groupo Irakere / 1976 Areito Records / 1976 [Reissued on Mr Bongo / 2024]
[Irakere (faux-Yoruba for ‘forest’) is a Cuban band founded by pianist Chucho Valdés (son of Bebo Valdés) in 1973. They won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording in 1980 with their album Irakere. Irakere was a seminal musical laboratory, where historic innovations in both Afro-Cuban jazz and Cuban popular dance music were created. The group used a wide array of percussion instruments like batá, abakuá and arará drums, chequerés, erikundis, maracas, claves, cencerros, bongó, tumbadoras (congas), and güiro. // “Jazz bands” began forming in Cuba as early as the 1920s. These bands often included both Cuban popular music and popular North American jazz, and show tunes in their repertoires. Despite this musical versatility, the movement of blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz was not strong in Cuba itself for decades. As Leonardo Acosta observes: “Afro-Cuban jazz developed simultaneously in New York and Havana, with the difference that in Cuba it was a silent and almost natural process, practically imperceptible” (2003: 59). Cuba’s significant contribution to the genre came relatively late. However, when it did come, the Cubans exhibited a level of Cuban-jazz integration that went far beyond most of what had come before. The first Cuban band of this new wave was Irakere. // With Irakere, a new era in Cuban jazz begins in 1973, one that will extend all the way to the present. At the same time, this period represents the culmination of a series of individual and collective efforts from our so-called transition period, which will end with the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna. Irakere was in part a product of the Moderna, as its founding members completed their musical training in that orchestra and also played jazz in the different quartets and quintets that were created with the OCMM. Among the founders of Irakere were pianist Chucho Valdés, its director since the beginning; saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, who acted as assistant director; trumpet player Jorge Varona; guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales; bassist Carlos del Puerto; drummer Bernardo García; and percussionist Oscar Valdés II, also a singer—Acosta (2003: 211). // That was a time where jazz music was a four-letter word in Cuba – literally! After many years of that thought, in 1967, they decided to create the Orquesta [Cubana de Música Moderna]. There were a lot of left wing people going to Cuba, attending congresses and visiting. So the government decided to create an image that jazz was not forbidden and that nothing was forbidden there. So they created the Orquesta to play American music – that is incredible. It was to create a different image than what they had created all those years. So they created the Orquesta. I directed the band for two years. . . . When I decided that I wanted to play only jazz in the Orquesta, then I got fired . . . . and after a while, the Orquesta ceased to achieve the function that it was created for and it disappeared—D’Rivera (2011: web). // Irakere, which was founded by members of the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, has always been an eclectic band. From the beginning, the group showcased the scope of their uniquely Cuban music education: Afro-Cuban folkloric music, Cuban popular dance music, funk, jazz, and even classical music. The early years saw a lot of experimenting, with the mixing these different genres in original ways. From the vantage point of today, some of Irakere’s early experiments sound awkward and don’t mesh. On the other hand, some early experiments by the group were musical landmarks, that began entirely new traditions. // “Chékere-son” (1976) for example, introduced a style of “Cubanized” bebop-flavored lines, that departed from the more “angular” guajeo-based lines typical of Cuban popular music. // “Chékere-son” is an extremely interesting one. It’s based on a 1945 Charlie Parker bebop composition called “Billie’s Bounce.” Almost every phrase of the Parker song can be found in “Chékere-son” but it’s all jumbled together in a very clever and compelling way. David Peñalosa sees the track as a pivotal one – perhaps the first really satisfying fusion of clave and bebop horn lines—Moore (2011: web). // The horn line style introduced in “Chékere-son” is heard today in Afro-Cuban jazz, and the contemporary popular dance genre known as timba. // Another important Irakere contribution is their use of batá and other Afro-Cuban folkloric drums. “Bacalao con pan” is the first song recorded by Irakere to use batá. The tune combines the folkloric drums, jazzy dance music, and distorted electric guitar with wah-wah pedal. According to UC Irvine musicologist and Irakere expert Raúl A. Fernández, the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna members would not have been allowed by the orquesta to record the unconventional song. The musicians travelled to Santiago to record it. “somehow the tune made it from Santiago to radio stations in Havana where it became a hit; Irakere was formally organized a little bit later” (2011: web). // Ironically, several of the founding members did not always appreciate Irakere’s fusion of jazz and Afro-Cuban elements. They saw the Cuban folk elements as a type of nationalistic “fig leaf,” cover for their true love—jazz. They were obsessed with jazz. The fusing of Afro-Cuban elements with jazz in Irakere is a direct consequence of the poor relations between the Cuban and United States governments. Cuba’s Ministry of Culture is said to have viewed jazz as the music of “imperialist America.” Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval states: “We wanted to play bebop, but we were told that our drummer couldn’t even use cymbals, because they sounded ‘too jazzy.’ We eventually used congas and cowbells instead, and in the end, it helped us to come up with something new and creative” (2007: web). Pablo Menéndez, founder of Mezcla, recalls: “Irakere were jazz musicians who played stuff like ‘Bacalao con pan’ with a bit of a tongue in cheek attitude—’for the masses.’ I remember Paquito d’Rivera thought it was pretty funny stuff (as opposed to ‘serious’ stuff)” (2011: web). In spite of the ambivalence by some members towards Irakere’s Afro-Cuban folkloric/jazz fusion, their experiments forever changed Cuban popular music, Latin jazz, and salsa. As D’Rivera states: “We didn’t know that we were going to have such an impact in jazz & Latin music around the world. We were just working to do something good”

Ty Segall – “Void”
from: Three Bells / Drag City Records / January 26, 2024
[A fifteen song cycle that takes a journey to the center of the self. Ty’s been on this kind of trip before, so he’s souped up a vehicle that’s all his own – a sophisticated machine – to take us there this time. The conception of Three Bells arcs, rainbow-like, into a land nearly beyond songs – but inside of them, Ty relentlessly pushes the walls further and further in his writing and playing to cast light into the most opaque depths.Produced by Ty Segall and Cooper Crain.]

The Smile – “Wall of Eyes”
from: Wall of Eyes / XL Recordings / September 1, 2023
[The Smile are an English rock band comprising the Radiohead members Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, bass, keys) and Jonny Greenwood (guitar, bass, keys) with Tom Skinner (drums). They incorporate elements of post-punk, progressive rock, Afrobeat and electronic music. // The Smile worked during the COVID-19 lockdowns and made their surprise debut in a performance streamed by Glastonbury Festival in May 2021. In early 2022, they released six singles and performed to an audience for the first time at three shows in London, which were livestreamed. In May, the Smile released their debut album, A Light for Attracting Attention, to acclaim. It was produced by Nigel Godrich, Radiohead’s longtime producer. / /The Smile toured Europe and North America in 2022 and 2023. They have released two live EPs: The Smile (Live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 2022) and Europe: Live Recordings 2022. Their second album, Wall of Eyes, was released in January 2024. // The Smile are composed of the Radiohead members Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke with the drummer Tom Skinner. Skinner, who had played with acts including the jazz band Sons of Kemet, first worked with Greenwood when he played on his soundtrack to the 2012 film The Master. The Smile members agreed not to give interviews about the project. They take their name from the title of a poem by Ted Hughes. Yorke said it was “not the smile as in ‘ahh’, more the smile as in the guy who lies to you every day”. // The Smile’s first record was produced by Nigel Godrich, Radiohead’s longtime producer. Godrich said the project emerged from Greenwood “writing all these riffs, waiting for something to happen” during the COVID-19 lockdown. He cited the pandemic and the unavailability of the Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien, who was busy with his debut solo album, Earth (2020), as motivating factors. Greenwood said: “We didn’t have much time, but we just wanted to finish some songs together. It’s been very stop-start, but it’s felt a happy way to make music.” Radiohead’s drummer, Philip Selway, said it was healthy for the members to explore different projects and “see what these other musical voices can do with your ideas”]

Marion Merritt is founder of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd., in KCMO. More info at: http://www.recordswithmerritt.com

Marion Merritt thank you for being out Guest Producer on WMM

11:30 – Underwriting

Lilli Lewis – “If You Really Mattered”
from: All Is Forgiven / Lilli Lewis / December 1, 2023
[As the story goes, Lilli Lewis should never have been. Before she was born, Lewis’ mother was told her baby probably wouldn’t survive due to lung trouble, so the fact that Lewis now makes a living singing with those same lungs is a gift she never takes for granted. Lewis uses her voice to bring what she calls sacred songs into profane spaces, and though she’s abandoned trying to define her sound, she hopes her audiences leave shows knowing two things: that they are brilliant as they are, and that they have the ability to use that brilliance to make a better world. // Trained as an opera singer and classical pianist, Georgia native Lewis has been a composer, producer and performer for over two decades. After carving out space as an African American queer woman of size, Lewis’ career has culminated in her album Americana being a top pick everywhere from NPR’s All Songs Considered to Rolling Stone. // The FolkRockDiva is a musical polyglot who glides easily between folk, roots, country soul, gospel, and jazz, and has integrated New Orleans traditions by singing lead for Dirty Dozen Brass Band founding member Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove. Lewis’ Louisiana Red Hot Records releases include The Henderson Sessions, We Belong, and Americana. // For her 2022 tour, Lilli Lewis iplayed the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Folk Alliance International Conference, and The Kennedy Center which has called her: “A powerhouse performer adding her unique voice and talent to the national discussion of the state of social justice in America.”.]

[Lilli Lewis is the creator of The Black American Music Summit – Grounded and Growing: Deepening Roots and Reaching Higher. The Black American Music Summit (BAMS) is the second annual gathering of Black artists in the music industry, especially in folk, Americana, blues, bluegrass, roots, and rap/hip-hop (though all genres are welcome)! The summit takes place February 21 – 24 at the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. // This year’s theme, Grounded and Growing: Deepening Roots and Reaching Higher, will guide conversations around challenging narratives, emphasizing inclusion, breaking out of narrow definitions, and sharing best practices for growth and success. Each day will focus on a different topic, starting with an expert-led panel, followed by a community discussion. // Conceived by Lilli Lewis, a dedicated folk artist, BAMS emerged from a passion for inclusivity, empowerment, and transformative dialogue. With a mission to amplify Black voices, challenge industry norms, and prioritize the well-being of Black artists, it stands as a testament to the resilience, creativity, uniqueness, and cultural richness of Black artists in the global music landscape. // To attend the Black American Music Summit, please fill out the interest form below. This event, similar to Folk Alliance International Affinity Groups, is a gathering exclusively for those who identify as Black, African American, a part of the African Diaspora, or of African ancestry. More information at: https://folk.org/programs/conference/blackamericanmusicsummit/%5D

11:35 – Interview with Jennifer Roe

Jennifer Roe is the Interim Executive Director of Folk Alliance International (FAI), a nonprofit organization established in 1989 to connect leaders in folk music and sustain the community and genre.

Jennifer joined the FAI team in 2013 igniting a passion for folk music. With over a decade of private sector experience, she assumed a pivotal role in leading FAI’s staff and contractors and overseeing the day-to-day operations. She plays a key role in orchestrating the international conference, a hallmark event attracting over 2,000 attendees annually.

Jennifer’s journey began in Washington, DC, where she worked on Capitol Hill for the Majority Leader of the Senate before transitioning to serve on a Presidential campaign. Jennifer channels her political background to advocate for arts and culture at both federal and state levels through her position at FAI.

Folk Alliance International, the foremost global nonprofit for folk music, will present its 36th Annual Conference Feb. 21-25, 2024 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. http://www.folk.org

Jennifer Roe Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Nine Stages of Music Every Night at FAI 2024! – Folk Alliance International is proud to partner with Mammoth Promotions to provide special access to the Official Showcases featuring 163 acts from across the globe on nine stages. Come listen to the finest talents in the folk genre and more! // This ticket gives entry to the Official Showcases between 6 pm – 10:45 pm in the ballrooms of the Westin Kansas City Crown Center Hotel but does not give access to keynotes, panels, or private showcases.

Folk Alliance International’s 2024 Conference theme is Alchemy: A Transformative Force explores how changes in culture alter the ways we make and share music, which, in turn, transforms lives and changes the world. The power of alchemy can manifest, for example, when an artist processes their individual pain into words and vibrations that connect and comfort listeners. The alchemy theme invites us to lean into processes of discovery and experimentation and to think about how we nurture the sparks of creativity that light fires of change. The conference will explore the idea of alchemy and transformation as it relates to:

the power and transformative force of the creative process, and its cultural influence, to alter the world and effectuate meaningful change
new frontiers in technology to provide a path to transformation
resilience and innovation in business
the important chemistry between artist and audience

FAI has confirmed keynote presenters at its 2024 annual conference: Five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary; Two-time GRAMMY Award-winner and Latin Grammy nominee, Lucy Kalantari; and President and CEO of the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), David Israelite.

FAI will present three full days of thought leadership, interactive discussion, and best practices related to the alchemic power and transformative force of music to create meaningful change in the world, connecting artists with worldwide listenership. Among Folk Alliance International Conference firsts this year are a Wellness Summit, and a Legal Summit. The Black American Music Summit (BAMS) and a summit with partner International Indigenous Music Summit is also set.

Other confirmed speakers include:

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Tom Paxton

Two-time Grammy Award nominee, Country Music Association Award winner, and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, Beth Nielsen Chapman

Anna Canoni, granddaughter of Woody Guthrie and Vice President, Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc.

Multi-Juno Award nominee, Shakura S’Adia

Tony Award Winner John Gallagher, Jr.

Richard James Burgess, President & CEO, American Association of Independent Music (A2IM)

Stephen Parker, Executive Director, National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and named to Billboard Magazine 40 Under 40 in 2023

Brandi Waller Pace, Founder/Executive Director, Decolonizing the Music Room

Entertainment attorney powerhouses Peter Strand, Matthew Wilson, Brian Rosenblatt, and Janine Small

Clinical Associate Professor at New York University Judy Tint

Ashley Shabankareh, Director of Operations and Programs, Trombone Shorty Foundation

Elizabeth Stookey Sunde, Founder and Executive Director, Music to Life

Marah Czap, of Yep Roc Records

The Tennessean’s Marcus K. Dowling

Michelle Solomon of Pandora

Songwriter Livingston Taylor

Professor of Environmental Justice at the Yale School of the Environment, Gerald Torres

For complete conference programming, click here: https://folk.org/programs/conference/2024-schedule/

Jennifer Roe Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

11:54

Rainbow Girls – “City Slickers”
from: Welcome To Whatever / Rainbow Girls / December 4, 2023
[6th album from the Rainbow Girls a three-piece singing group made up of Erin Chapin, Caitlin Gowdey, and Vanessa Wilbourn from the North Bay area of California. // Rainbow Girls formed in the fall of 2010, when a group of friends began performing together at an underground open mic in UC Santa Barbara’s neighboring college town, Isla Vista. Though other musicians would frequently perform alongside them, the original core members of Rainbow Girls consisted of Erin Chapin, Caitlin Gowdey, Vanessa Wilbourn, and Cheyenne Methmann. // The Rainbow Girls spent the following summer (2011) busking and couch-surfing around Europe, while also putting out self-recorded demos. When they returned to California in the fall, they began playing with drummer Savannah Hughes. The band busked at Farmers Markets in the Santa Barbara area, playing venues like SoHo and Cold Spring Tavern and performing at local festivals like Earth Day and Summer Solstice. // In April 2013, the band left Santa Barbara and moved to the countryside north of San Francisco’s Bay Area. That same year, Rainbow Girls released their crowdfunded debut album, The Sound of Light. Rainbow Girls continued to tour the West Coast incessantly during the year, as well as Europe and the UK every summer. // At the end of 2014, Cheyenne Methmann parted ways with the band. The remaining four members – Chapin, Gowdey, Wilbourn, and Hughes – recorded their sophomore album, Perceptronium, that winter and released it the following summer (June 2015). // In the spring of 2016, Hughes announced she could no longer tour with the band full-time, so the remaining three members of the band – Chapin, Gowdey, and Wilbourn – began performing as a trio. They then landed on opening spots for artists like John Craigie and The Brothers Comatose. // On November 8, 2017, Rainbow Girls released their third album, American Dream, with their more acoustic sound. // In the fall of 2018, one of their Facebook cover videos meant to promote a local show garnered nearly 7 million views. They immediately went into the studio to record a cover album, Give the People What They Want, which was released on February 22, 2019. Their viral video for the song “Down Home Girl” (originally performed by Alvin Robinson; other notable versions by The Rolling Stones, The Coasters, and Old Crow Medicine Show) also led them to be discovered by Madison House booking agency, as well as by manager Hannah Spero.]

[Rainbow Girls play an Official Showcase the 2024 Folk Alliance International Conference on Friday, February 23, at 7:15pm in Century C BallRoom at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. http://www.folk.org]

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

Next week on Wednesday, Next week on February 7, Rod Parks of Retro Inferno returns to Wednesday MidDay Medley to be our Guest Producer.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers.

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

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

Show #1031

WMM is Spinning Records With Marion Merritt + Jennifer Roe of Folk Alliance International

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Spinning Records With Marion Merritt + Jennifer Roe of Folk Alliance International

Marion Merritt will spin tracks from: André 3000, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Danielle Nicole, Fantasy 15, Roy Hargrove Rh Factor, Jalen Ngonda, Mary Halvorson, The Comet Is Coming, Irakere, Ty Segall, The Smile, and Dimitri from Paris. We’ll also play Lilli Lewis and The Rainbow Girls.

Mark welcomes Marion Merritt, of Records With Merritt, who joins us as “Guest Producer” to share sonic discoveries and information from her musically-encyclopedic-brain. Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM. For nearly 20 years, Marion has been sharing her sonic discoveries and information from her musically encyclopedic brain, spinning music that is just not played on other radio stations. Marion grew up in Los Angeles & St. Louis. She went to college in Columbia, Missouri. She studied art and musical engineering. After nearly two decades of managing KC’s largest music department store, Marion left the corporate world and went Independent. Now nearly 10 years later, with her partner Ann Stewart, Marion is the proprietor of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri. More info at: http://www.recordswithmerritt.com.

At 11:30, Mark will talk with Jennifer Roe, the Interim Executive Director of Folk Alliance International (FAI), a nonprofit organization established in 1989 to connect leaders in folk music and sustain the community and genre. Jennifer joined the FAI team in 2013 igniting a passion for folk music. With over a decade of private sector experience, she assumed a pivotal role in leading FAI’s staff and contractors and overseeing the day-to-day operations. She plays a key role in orchestrating the international conference, a hallmark event attracting over 2,000 attendees annually. Jennifer’s journey began in Washington, DC, where she worked on Capitol Hill for the Majority Leader of the Senate before transitioning to serve on a Presidential campaign. Jennifer channels her political background to advocate for arts and culture at both federal and state levels through her position at FAI. Folk Alliance International, the foremost global nonprofit for folk music, will present its 36th Annual Conference Feb. 21-25, 2024 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. http://www.folk.org

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

Show #1031

WMM Playlist from January 24, 2024

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Mark Manning

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, January 24, 2024

Katie Gilchrist + Erin Keller + Mitzi McKee

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

Flamy Grant – “Fortune Teller”
from: “Fortune Teller” – Single / Glam & Glory Records / October 24, 2023
[Produced by Ben Grace. Sound engineer and electric guitars by Daniel Shearin. // Flamy Grant is winner of 2023 Kerrville New Folk Competition; and the 2023 San Diego Music Award nominee for Best Pop Album for BIBLE BELT BABY, the world’s first contemporary Christian music record by a drag performer. With influences from gospel and blues to folk and rock, this Americana showcase shines a spotlight on queerness, faith, and overcoming the spiritual trauma so often endured by LGBTQ+ people and others who grow up in conservative religious spaces. // Flamy’s iconic roots-rock sound is influenced by singer/songwriters like Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Over the Rhine, and — of course — Amy Grant. Her art shines a spotlight on the queer spiritual journey, telling stories of resilience and recovery from religious trauma. With a bold lip, a big lash, and a blistering voice, Flamy is here to rewrite the rules when it comes to faith-based entertainment, demanding a reckoning for an industry that for too long has silenced and shut out its LGBTQ+ artists and fans. // Flamy Grant’s single “Good Day” was released September 6, 2023 and is the first song by a drag performer to reach #1 on the iTunes Christian charts. It also debuted at #20 on Billboard’s Christian digital sales chart. About “Fortune Teller” Flamy Grant writes: “There are some things queer people will always know more about — things you can only learn by navigating the often unwelcoming world as a queer person. If you let us, we can be a trustworthy guide: a fortune teller, a scientist, a time traveler, a prophet.” More information at: http://www.flamyfrant.com]

Fortune Teller (Lyrics)

I’m a medium, I’m a fortune teller
I know every word you’re gonna say
I’m a headstrong, lifelong city dweller
I can take you where you’re going by the fastest way
It’s gonna be okay

You feel it in your bones
But your head is moving slow

You sense that I am true
But your heart is split in two

I’m a prophetess, singing my story
A dressed-up, effervescent, ethical fraud
But this world ain’t ready for an allegory, no
We’re still waiting on a literal god
I just smile and nod

You have intuition
And it’s telling you the story isn’t done

[Flamy Grant plays the Songwriter Round on Monday, February 19 at 7:00pm, in Lawrence, KS, with Siena Christie, and Jack Summers]

Abraham Alexander – “Tears Run Dry”
from: SEA/SONS / Dualtone Music Group / April 14, 2023
[Abraham Alexander’s debut album SEA/SONS. Born in Greece to parents of Nigerian descent, Alexander moved to Texas with his family at age 11 to escape the racial tensions they faced in his birthplace. Shortly after moving to the states, his birth mother was killed in a car accident with a drunk driver, leading Alexander to be adopted later in his teens. He found solace in sports as a soccer prodigy and later, following a torn ACL that ended his playing career, in music once a friend handed Alexander a guitar and he unexpectedly found songs pouring out of him. // The 11 tracks on SEA/SONS touch on themes of loss, redemption, longing, anguish and joy. And while his lyrics speak to pain, trauma and life-changing loss, he instills his music with a joyful passion and irrepressible spirit, ultimately giving way to songs that radiate undeniable hope.][Abraham Alexander played The Madrid Theater, 3810 Main Street, KCMO on Monday, May 1, at 7:30 PM opening for Wilder Woods / The Fever / Sky Tour. More info at http://www.abrahamalexander.bandcamp.com]

Tracy Chapman – “Why?”
from: Tracy Chapman / Elektra / April 5, 1988
[Debut album by Tracy Chapman was recorded at the Powertrax studio in Hollywood, California. In 1987, Chapman was discovered by fellow Tufts University student Brian Koppelman. He offered to show her work to his father, who owned a successful publishing company; however, she did not consider the offer to be serious. After multiple performances, however, Koppelman found a demo tape of her singing her single “Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution”, which he promoted to radio stations, and she was eventually signed to Elektra Records. // In early attempts to produce the first album, many producers turned down Chapman as they did not favor her musical direction. David Kershenbaum, however, decided to produce it as he wanted to record an acoustic music album. It was recorded in Hollywood, California, in eight weeks. Most of the writing is based on political and social causes. // Tracy Chapman gained critical acclaim from a wide majority of music critics, praising the simplicity, Chapman’s vocal ability and her political and social lyrical content. The album received commercial success in most of the countries it was released, making it to the top of the charts in many countries, including Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. It peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding over six million copies in the United States alone. // Three singles were released from the album, with the most commercially successful single being “Fast Car”. The song was performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. It rose to the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also did well in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. Tracy Chapman is one of the best-selling albums of all time with sales of over 20 million copies worldwide. // Chapman started writing songs when she was immediately signed to Elektra Records. Koppelman started finding producers for the album with the demo tape of her single “Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution”. However, she was turned down due to the popularity of dance-pop and synthpop at the time. They then found David Kershenbaum, who recalled later: “I’d been looking for something acoustic to do for some time . . . There was a sense in the industry of a slight boredom with everything out there and that people might be willing to listen again to lyrics and to someone who made statements.” // Chapman’s greatest concern during her meetings with Kershenbaum was that the integrity of her songs remain intact, because she wanted to record “real simple”. Kershenbaum said, “I wanted to make sure that she was in front, vocally and thematically, and that everything was built around her.” Every song that was featured on the result of the studio album was featured on her demo tape, except for “Fast Car”, which resulted as one of the last songs recorded on the album. Kershenbaum recalled that the first time she sang and performed it for him, he “loved it the minute I [he] heard it.” // The album was, in total, recorded in eight weeks at Powertrax, Kershenbaum’s Hollywood studio. Interviewed in 2002 by The Guardian, Kershenbaum stated that a lot of the public wanted “what she had” and said, “And they weren’t getting it. She got there at the right moment with stuff that was good.” Chapman was also interviewed and talked about the background of the album. She said, “The first record [Tracy Chapman] is seen as being more social commentary . . . more political. But I think that’s just all about perspective.” // In an interview with The Guardian in 2008, Chapman said: “My first record was almost not my first record.” The proposed producer for the studio album was killed in a car accident and the record company called in someone far less experienced to take over. // “Fast Car” was later recorded by country music singer Luke Combs for his 2023 album Gettin’ Old, from which it was released as the second single. Combs’ rendition of the song reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Chapman the first black woman to solely write a country number one. Additionally, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than Chapman’s original version.]

[Folk Alliance International will present its 36th Annual Conference February 21-25, 2024 in Kansas City, MO. FAI has confirmed the International Folk Music Awards will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to four-time GRAMMY Award-winner, thirteen-time GRAMMY nominee, Tracy Chapman!]

Joni Mitchell – “A Bird That Whistles”
from: Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm / Geffen / March 23, 1988
[13th studio album by oni Mitchell. Her third release on Geffen. The album features duets with artists such as Peter Gabriel on “My Secret Place,” Willie Nelson on “Cool Water,” Don Henley on “Snakes and Ladders,” and Billy Idol and Tom Petty on the track “Dancin’ Clown.” Henley also performs backing vocals on “Lakota,” and Wendy and Lisa perform backing vocals on “The Tea Leaf Prophecy (Lay Down Your Arms).” // In early 1986, Mitchell and Larry Klein visited Peter Gabriel’s Ashcombe House recording studio near Bath, England. Since Gabriel had mostly finished his album So by that time, he offered Mitchell and Klein the use of his studio if they wanted to record. They did, and the result was the track “My Secret Place” which was a duet between Mitchell and Gabriel. Mitchell told Musician magazine about this song: “It’s a love beginning song. The song’s about the threshold of intimacy. It’s a shared thing so I wanted it to be like the Song of Solomon, where you can’t tell what gender it is. It’s the uniting spirit of two people at the beginning of a relationship”. // In February 1987, Mitchell saw Billy Idol performing his hit version of the William Bell R&B ballad, “To Be a Lover” on the Grammy Awards show. She felt he captured the original spirit of rock’n’roll along with a new spark of energy, and would be perfect for a cameo on her song “Dancin’ Clown”. Idol came over to Mitchell’s studio one evening a few days after the Grammys and recorded his part, complete with yelps and howls. Mitchell told Macleans magazine about this pairing up: “It was for the contrast he provided. It’s a great little cameo for him, and he brings real life to the part.” Later, Tom Petty recorded his cameo on the same song. // While reminiscing about her friendship with saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Mitchell recalled their unusual style of collaboration, explaining that since both she and he were painters, they possessed a “visual” understanding of music, where she could abstractly describe an emotion or a scene for him that he would translate in to his playing, an attribute she claimed was unique to him as a saxophone player. Before recording “A Bird That Whistles (Corrina, Corrina)”, Mitchell gave Shorter the simple direction that he was “the bird on [the song],” and from there, “the first lick he made was so bird-like, it was perfect.” He immediately requested the opportunity to record a second take after finishing his first, but Joni refused, being happy with what she just heard him play. She later said that in that moment Shorter had “slept through his own magic.” // About Chalk Mark, Mitchell told interviewer Kristine McKenna: “I’ve discovered that with your focus no longer on finding a mate, you get a heightened sense of community, and I’ve become a bit more political – not too political though”. The song “Snakes and Ladders” (featuring Don Henley) was issued as a pre-release single to radio stations in January 1988.]

[Joni Mitchell (at the age of 80) was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for AT NEWPORT released on Rhino on July 28, 2023.]

Buck Moon – “Indigo Night”
from: Indigo Night / Buck Moon / January 25, 2024 (Full Moon)
[Produced by Ivory Blue. Buck Wimberly performs as “Buck Moon” an LGBTQ artist and singer-songwriter who started his life in rural Texas growing up Southern Baptist. Being raised in smaller communities brought challenges for a young, creative, closeted gay kid, pushing Buck to hide parts of himself to minimize bullying, be accepted by his church community, and feel loved by family and friends. // Buck eventually came out at 33 after overcoming depression and has since been on a journey of self-discovery. Now in his forties, having raised two boys, and happily living with his life partner, he has been working on healing past traumas through shamanic experiences, expanded consciousness, and discovering the power of the medicine found within. // Believing that healing the world begins by healing oneself, Buck’s music aims to challenge the listener to learn self-love, connect with the Earth and the world around them, and discover the medicine within themselves. Buck weaves together genres of folk, roots, Americana, country, indie, and electronic to share personal stories and empathy-driven messages that are mindful, conscious, motivational, and self-empowering. // In Buck’s coming music, you’ll find the universally human themes of self-discovery, personal identity, love, struggle, mental health, growth, questioning one’s purpose, redemption, and self-actualization. Buck’s first single “Indigo Night” is a sonic painting of his transformative and spiritual rites of passage experience in the mountains of North Carolina. // More information at: http://www.buckmoonmusic.com]

[Buck Moon will be our guest on WMM on Valentine’s Day February 14]

[Buck and his partner Joey Mendez are the owners of ULAH Men’s Apparel & Lifestyle Store at Woodside Village, as well as LUNA by ULAH, and ULAH Home furnishings + Design. Every Month they host ULAH Live Sessions with You Found Music in an intimate performance with limited seating for 30 people. On Wednesday, February 14, at 8:00om, ULAH Live Sessions presents Nathan Corsi and My Atominc Daydream, at ULAH, 4707 Rainbow Blvd., Westwood, KS. More info at: http://www.ulahkc.com]

The Shangri-Las – “Radio Spot: Good Taste Tip – Gift Receiving”
from: Remember (Hits and Rarities from the Bad Girls of 60S Pop) / Charly / 2011(UK Release)
The Shangri-Las – “Give Him A Great Big Kiss”
from: 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Shangri-Las / Def Jam / 2002
[Written anfd produced by Shadow Morton. It debuted at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late December 1964, and peaked at #18 for two weeks in late January/early February 1965. It was featured on their 1965 album Leader of the Pack. The New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders does a solo version of the song on his 1978 album So Alone. A version by the New York Dolls also appears on their 1985 compilation album Night of the Living Dolls. Also, on the band’s 1973 self-titled album, lead singer David Johansen quotes the “Give Him a Great Big Kiss” line, “you’d best believe I’m in love L-U-V”, in the opening of “Looking for a Kiss”. “Looking for a Kiss” tells the story of adolescent romantic desire hampered by peers who use drugs. // The Shangri-Las were an American girl group of the 1960s, consisting of Mary Weiss, Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, Marguerite “Marge” Ganser, and Mary Ann Ganser. Between 1964 and 1966 several hit pop songs of theirs documented teen tragedies and melodramas. They continue to be known for their hits “Remember (Walking in the Sand)”, “Give Him a Great Big Kiss”, and in particular, “Leader of the Pack” which went to #1 in the US in late 1964. // The group was formed at Andrew Jackson High School in Cambria Heights, a neighborhood in Queens, New York City, in 1963. The group was two pairs of sisters: Mary Weiss (lead singer) and Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, and identical twins Marguerite “Marge”/”Margie” Ganser & Mary Ann Ganser. // They began playing school shows, talent shows, and teen hops; Artie Ripp heard about them and arranged the group’s first record deal with Kama Sutra. Their first recording in December 1963 was “Simon Says”, later issued on the Smash label, on which Betty Weiss sang lead. They also recorded “Wishing Well” / “Hate to Say I Told You So”, which became their first release in early 1964 when leased to the small Spokane, Washington label. // They called themselves the Shangri-Las, after a restaurant in Queens. // Mary Weiss was the main lead singer; Betty, however, took lead on “Maybe” (the LP version), “Shout”, “Twist and Shout”, “Wishing Well”, and a number of B-sides and album tracks. Mary Ann Ganser took lead on most of “I’m Blue”, which is a cover of the Ikettes’ biggest hit at the time, and was included on their 1965 album Shangri-Las 65!. // The group appeared on several TV shows and continued to tour the US, but in 1966, two of three releases on Red Bird failed to crack the U.S. top 50, though the group remained popular in England & Japan. Mary Ann Ganser left, but returned early in 1967 when Marge – the most outspoken member, sometimes considered the leader – left. Red Bird Records had folded. The group recorded more tracks with Shadow Morton producing (some of which remain unreleased) and signed with Mercury Records. However, Morton had begun working with Janis Ian and Vanilla Fudge, and Mercury had little enthusiasm for the group. During their Mercury stint, the Shangri-Las had no further hits; in 1968, they disbanded, amid litigation. // All the Shangri-Las withdrew from the spotlight. Morton said, “The Shangri-Las vacated, they vanished”. Reportedly they were angry that they had received few royalties despite the millions of records they had sold. // Mary Weiss moved to NYCs Greenwich Village and then San Francisco. Returning to Manhattan a few years later and prevented from recording because of lawsuits, she worked as a secretary while taking college classes. She then went into the architectural industry, working in the accounting department of a New York architectural firm. Weiss moved up to be the chief purchasing agent and later ran a commercial furniture dealership. In the late 1980s she managed a furniture store and was an interior designer. By 2001, she was a furniture consultant to New York businesses. She married in 1974, but the marriage ended in 1988; she married again several years later, and her second husband managed her music career. // Following the successful re-issue of “Leader of the Pack” in the UK in 1976, which renewed interest in the group, Mary and Betty Weiss and Marge Ganser reunited. Contacting Seymour Stein of Sire Records, they spent summer 1977 in NYC with producer Andy Paley. Paley said the sessions went well, but they weren’t satisfied with all the material, and declined to release the record. The tapes are now owned by the Warner Music Group. They did, however, give a live performance at CBGB; Paley put together a band, including Lenny Kaye, and after two hours of rehearsal, the Shangri-Las returned to the stage for the first time in a decade. Although the Sire sessions came to naught, the group toyed with signing to another label; however, they were put off by the insistence of record executives that they be a disco vocal group, the musical trend of the day. Mary said she envisioned the Shangri-Las like punk singer Patti Smith. Eventually, the Shangri-Las split up again. // In March 2007, Norton Records released a solo album by Mary Weiss (backed by garage rockers The Reigning Sound) titled Dangerous Game. She performed in the United States, Spain, and France. // Mary Weiss died on January 19, 2024, at age 75. Betty Weiss is the last living member of the group. // She influenced The New York Dolls, Ramones, Amy Winehouse, Blondie, Sonic Youth, Black Lips, Superchunk, Le Tigre.]

Sleater-Kinney – “Say it Like You Mean It”
from: Little Rope / Loma Vista – Concord / January 19, 2024
[Little Rope is the eleventh studio album from Sleater-Kinney produced by John Congleton, the album was preceded by the singles: “Hell”, “Say It Like You Mean It”, and “Untidy Creature”. // Released to critical acclaim, Little Rope was completed in the aftermath of a deadly car accident involving Brownstein’s mother and stepfather in late 2022. Dealing with this event, the duo had to face up to questions surrounding “how we navigate grief, who we navigate it with, and the ways it transforms us” during the recording process. // The duo were joined in the studio by touring member Angie Boylan, who recorded the album’s drum parts, Death Cab for Cutie’s Dave Depper and Outer Orbit’s Galen Clark. // The idea of another Sleater-Kinney album was initially “up in the air”, as an introduction video of their previous album Path of Wellness (2021) resulted in a vague answer as to whether the duo would ever record another album. However, after the release of their tenth studio album they turned to John Congleton to produce their next record. They had planned to work with Congleton “for a long time” but had to wait for “the stars” to align. Recording took place at Flora Recording & Playback in Portland, Oregon. // Half of the record had been written prior to Brownstein’s mother’s death, with the remaining tracks “approached with grief hanging heavy”. As a result, Little Rope deals with topics including “global crisis and personal tragedy”. Described as “one of the finest, most delicately layered” within their discography, the record is enriched through “complex, ambitious instrumentation”. // r Sleater-Kinney were formed in early 1994 in Olympia, Washington, by Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein. The group’s name is derived from Sleater Kinney Road, Interstate 5 exit number 108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. Tucker was formerly in the influential riot grrrl band Heavens to Betsy, while Brownstein was formerly in the queercore band Excuse 17. They often played at gigs together and formed Sleater-Kinney as a side-project from their respective bands. When Heavens to Betsy and Excuse 17 disbanded, Sleater-Kinney became their primary focus. Janet Weiss of Quasi is the band’s longest lasting and final drummer, though Sleater-Kinney has had other drummers, including Lora Macfarlane, Misty Farrell, and Toni Gogin. Upon Tucker’s graduation from The Evergreen State College (where Brownstein remained a student for three more years), she and then-girlfriend Brownstein took a trip to Australia in early 1994. Their last day there, they stayed up all night recording what would become their self-titled debut album. It was released the following spring. They followed this with Call the Doctor (1996) and Dig Me Out (1997), and became critical darlings. The lineup features: Corin Tucker (vocals and guitar), Carrie Brownstein (guitar and vocals), and Janet Weiss (drums). We saw Sleater-Kinney when they played The Uptown on April 26, 2015]

[Sleater-Kinney play The Truman, 601 East Truman Road, KCMO, on Monday, March 25, 2024, at 8:00pm with Palehound.]

10:35 – Underwriting

Veruca Salt – “Seether”
from: American Thighs / Minty Fresh – DCG Records / September 37, 1994
[Seether” is a 1994 single by American alternative rock band Veruca Salt. // The song was written by Veruca Salt singer-guitarist Nina Gordon. “Seether” was more pop-sounding compared to the rest of the band’s material. In a 1994 interview with MuchMusic, an interviewer suggested that “Seether” could either be about female “animalistic instincts” or bouts of rage. Gordon agreed that her songs’ meanings often changed during and after the writing process. “You write a song, think it’s about one thing for five minutes….and discover that it’s about many different things and working on many different levels.” In Veruca Salt’s 1997 hit single “Volcano Girls,” the seether was identified as “Louise,” which presumably refers to Veruca Salt singer-guitarist Louise Post. // Veruca Salt recorded the song in early 1994, with production by Brad Wood. They then released “Seether”/”All Hail Me” as their debut single on the independent label Minty Fresh. “Seether” quickly became popular on college and alternative radio stations. Its success led the band to record and release their debut album American Thighs, which included “Seether”, later that year. Shortly thereafter, the band signed with the major label Geffen Records, which re-released the album. “Seether” peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, became a hit on MTV, and launched the band into fame. // In 1994, the song was number 3 in British Radio One DJ John Peel’s Festive Fifty. In a 2014 retrospective, music magazine Paste listed “Seether” at number 10 on their list of the 50 greatest grunge songs of all time. //Pitchfork called it, “bubblegrunge at its finest, all guitar fuzz and pop stickiness and crackling angst animating a personification of anger that just can’t be leashed. ‘I try to cram her back in my mouth,’ co-frontwoman Nina Gordon sings in the verse, but she didn’t really try that hard. // Veruca Salt is an American alternative rock band founded in Chicago in 1992 by vocalist-guitarists Nina Gordon and Louise Post, drummer Jim Shapiro, and bassist Steve Lack. They are best known for their first single, “Seether”, which was released on the 1994 album American Thighs. That success was followed up with 1997’s Eight Arms to Hold You. By 1998, Post was the only original member still in the band and continued on with other musicians. Veruca Salt released the album Resolver in 2000 and the album IV in 2006. After a hiatus in 2012, the band reformed with its original lineup. Their fifth studio album, Ghost Notes, was released in 2015.]

10:40 – Interview with Katie Gilchrist

Katie Gilchrist is a graduate of UMKC MFA Acting/Directing program and has worked as an Actor and Director professionally for over 20 years. Voted by Broadway World as Best Director of a play for last year’s “Steel Magnolias” she has directed at The Unicorn, UMKC, The Living Room, The Fishtank, and will direct “Dial M for Murder” for KC Actors Theatre this summer. Katie has appeared on almost every stage in KC. She is a member of the UMKC Conservatory Alumni Board, the AIDS Service Foundation Steering Committee, Artistic Director of KC Strips, and sings with Lost Wax.

Katie Gilchrist joins us to share details about The 1994 Project, a year-long 30th Anniversary tribute to the films & music of 1994, of which she is the creator/curator. The Black Box & The 1994 Project present “THE AUDIENCE MIXTAPE”, a tribute series featuring iconic albums or singles from 1994 on January 27, 2024, at 7:30pm at The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, WEST BOTTOMS, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theblackboxkc.com

Katie Gilchrist, Thank you for being with us on WMM.

The 1994 Project, a year-long 30th Anniversary tribute to the films & music of 1994, of which she is the creator/curator.

Katie Gilchrist, Thank you for being with us on WMM.

The Black Box & The 1994 Project present “THE AUDIENCE MIXTAPE”, a tribute series featuring iconic albums or singles from 1994 on January 27, at 7:30pm at The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, WEST BOTTOMS, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theblackboxkc.com

10:55

Jeff Buckley – “Last Goodbye”
from: Grace (Legacy Edition) / Columbia – Sony / August 23, 1994
[Grace is the only studio album by American singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, released on August 23, 1994, by Columbia Records. The album had poor sales and received mixed reviews at the time of its release. However, in recent years it has dramatically risen in critical reputation. An extended version of the album (subtitled “Legacy Edition”), celebrating its tenth anniversary, was released on August 23, 2004. Grace is currently certified 8× platinum in Australia. The album has been cited by critics and listeners as one of the greatest albums of all time. // Buckley’s version of “Corpus Christi Carol” was based on a version by Janet Baker. A childhood friend introduced him to the song, and Buckley sang a version on the album as a way of thanking him. // Grace won appreciation from a host of revered musicians and artists, including members of Buckley’s biggest influence, Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page considered Grace close to being his “favorite album of the decade”. Robert Plant was also complimentary, as was Brad Pitt, saying of Buckley’s work, “There’s an undercurrent to his music, there’s something you can’t pinpoint. Like the best of films, or the best of art, there’s something going on underneath, and there’s a truth there. And I find his stuff absolutely haunting. It just… it’s under my skin.” Others who had influenced Buckley’s music lauded him: Bob Dylan named Buckley “one of the great songwriters of this decade”, and David Bowie considered Grace to be the best album ever made, and had said it would be one of his ten “Desert Island Records.” // In 2006, British Hit Singles & Albums and NME organized a poll of which, 40,000 people worldwide voted for the 100 best albums ever and Grace was placed at No. 23 on the list. // On April 2, 2014 it was announced that Buckley’s version of “Hallelujah” would be inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry (the entire album hasn’t yet been inducted). // Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scott Moorhead, was an American musician. // Born in Anaheim, California,[1] Buckley was the only son of Mary (née Guibert) and Tim Buckley. His mother was a Zonian of mixed Greek, French, and Panamanian descent, while his father was the son of an Irish American father and an Italian American mother. Buckley was raised by his mother and stepfather, Ron Moorhead, in Southern California, and had a half-brother, Corey Moorhead. Buckley moved many times in and around Orange County while growing up, an upbringing Buckley called “rootless trailer trash”. As a child, Buckley was known as Scott “Scottie” Moorhead, based on his middle name and his stepfather’s surname. // His biological father, Tim Buckley, was a singer-songwriter who released a series of folk and jazz albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and who he said he only met once, at the age of eight. After his biological father died of a drug overdose in 1975, he chose to go by Buckley and his real first name, which he found on his birth certificate. To members of his family he remained “Scottie”. // Buckley was brought up around music; his mother was a classically trained pianist and cellist, and his stepfather introduced him to Led Zeppelin, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, and Pink Floyd at an early age. Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti was the first album he owned, and he has noted hard rock band Kiss as an early favorite. He grew up singing around the house and in harmony with his mother, and later noted that all his family sang. He began playing guitar at the age of five after discovering an acoustic guitar in his grandmother’s closet. At age 12, he decided to become a musician[19] and received his first electric guitar, a black Les Paul, at age 13. He attended Loara High School and played in the school jazz band; during this time, he developed an affinity for progressive rock bands Rush, Genesis, and Yes, as well as jazz fusion guitarist Al Di Meola. // After graduating from high school, he moved to Hollywood to attend the Musicians Institute, completing a one-year course at age 19. Buckley later told Rolling Stone the school was “the biggest waste of time”, but noted in an interview with DoubleTake Magazine that he appreciated studying music theory there, saying, “I was attracted to really interesting harmonies, stuff that I would hear in Ravel, Ellington, Bartók.”// After a decade as a session guitarist in Los Angeles, Buckley amassed a following in the early 1990s by performing cover songs at venues in East Village, Manhattan, such as Sin-é, while gradually focusing more on his own material. After rebuffing interest from record labels and Herb Cohen—the manager of his father, singer Tim Buckley—he signed with Columbia, recruited a band, and recorded what would be his only studio album, Grace, in 1994. // Over the following three years, the band toured extensively to promote Grace, including concerts in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia. In 1996, they stopped touring and made sporadic attempts to record Buckley’s second album in New York City with Tom Verlaine as the producer. // On the evening of May 29, 1997, Buckley’s band flew to Memphis to join him in his studio to work on his new material. The same evening, Buckley went swimming fully dressed in Wolf River Harbor, a slack water channel of the Mississippi River, singing the chorus of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” while swimming under the Memphis Suspension Railway. Keith Foti, a roadie in Buckley’s band, remained on shore. After moving a radio and guitar out of reach from the wake from a passing tugboat, Foti looked up to see Buckley had vanished; the wake of the tugboat had swept him away from shore and under water. A rescue effort that night and the next morning by scuba teams and police failed to discover Buckley’s body. On June 4, passengers on the American Queen riverboat spotted his body in the Wolf River, caught in some branches. // Buckley’s autopsy showed no signs of drugs or alcohol in his system, and the death was ruled an accidental drowning. The official Jeff Buckley website published a statement saying his death was neither mysterious nor a suicide.]

11:00 – Station ID

11:00 – Interview with Mitzi McKee

Mitzi McKee grew up in Phoenix, Arizona in a musical theatre household, and performed in nearly 40 stage productions in Phoenix and played in punk & hardcore bands for over 10 years. Mitzi has lived in KC since 2011 where she began singing in the jazz fusion band Valency. Mitzi has also played drums, keyboards, and sang backup in the KC proto-punk Iggy & The Stooges cover band, No Fun, and the New York Dolls cover band, Trashed with Britt Adair. Mitzi played her first solo show in 2022 at the Pairing, where she also works the front-of-house. Mitzi holds a standing residency on first Saturdays, at Chartreuse Saloon in the Crossroads. Mitzi’s band, Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo, call them-selves a “spacey KC rock & roll trio” w/ Mitzi on guitar, piano, & vocals; Brendan Bennett on bass, and Caleb Robertson on drums. Mitzi McKee plays LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios.

Mitzi McKee plays LIVE at Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak Street, KCMO on Saturday, February 3, at 10:00pm. More info at: http://www.chartreusesaloon.com

Mitzi McKee, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

11:08

Mitzi McKee – “Your Scream & Your Shout” (LIVE)
original song from Mitzi McKee

11:10 – More Interview with Mitzi McKee

Mitzi’s band, Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo, call them-selves a “spacey KC rock & roll trio” w/ Mitzi on guitar, piano, & vocals; Brendan Bennett on bass, and Caleb Robertson on drums. Mitzi McKee plays LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios.

Mitzi McKee plays LIVE at Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak Street, KCMO on Saturday, February 3, at 10:00pm. More info at: http://www.chartreusesaloon.com

11:16

Mitzi McKee – “Sugarspoon” (LIVE)
original song from Mitzi McKee

11:18 – More Interview with Mitzi McKee

Mitzi has lived in KC since 2011 where she began singing in the jazz fusion band Valency. Mitzi has also played drums, keyboards, and sang backup in the KC proto-punk Iggy & The Stooges cover band, No Fun, and the New York Dolls cover band, Trashed with Britt Adair.

Mitzi played her first solo show in 2022 at The Pairing, where she also works the front-of-house. Mitzi holds a standing residency on first Saturdays, at Chartreuse Saloon in the Crossroads.

11:24

Mitzi McKee – “Inverted Shadows” (LIVE)
original song from Mitzi McKee

Mitzi McKee, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Mitzi McKee plays LIVE at Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak Street, KCMO on Saturday, February 3, at 10:00pm. More info at: http://www.chartreusesaloon.com

11:30 – Underwriting

Erin Keller & The James Ward Band – “You Can Feel It In The Air” (CD #13) (6:29)
from: Songs For Times Like These / Erin Keller / January 26, 2024
[Erin Keller on vocals, James Ward on electric bass, Jaylen Ward on drums & cymbals, Angela Ward on keyboard, Chad Meise on electric guitar. Recorded & mixed by Chad Meise. Mastered by Collin Jordan. Artwork by David Ford. Photos & Graphic design by Kayla Haskins. // On May 9, 2016 Erin Keller released her debut solo album, DISTRACTED. // Erin Keller is originally from Waukee, Iowa. She was born in 1980. Erin has been singing on a professional level for 30 years. Erin sang with the internationally competitive Des Moines Children’s Choir for 5 years, and 3 years in All-State choir in high school, which helped her earn a voice performance degree from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, in 2002. Erin peforms with the Grammy-Award winning Kansas City Chorale. Erin has also worked as a featured soloist with Owen Cox Dance Ensemble, New Ear, KC jazz musicians, the big band at University of Colorado, a West African Highlife Ensemble, the Balkan brass band Gora Gora Orkestar. Erin also has experience writing her own music, singing in rock, folk, and free improv settings and she more recently earned a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In Colorado she worked for two years in public schools teaching music and moved back to KC to continue her career as musician and educator.]

[Erin Keller & the James Ward Band play an Album Release Dinner Matinee Show, Friday, January 26, 2024, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theshipkc.com]

10:38 – Interview with Erin Keller

Erin Keller has performed in the Grammy Award–winning KC Chorale for 16 years, KC Civic Opera, New Ear, OwenCox Dance Group, the band Blackout Gorgeous, the folk/free improvisational ensemble, Prometheus Io, a West African High Life Ensemble, and the Balkan brass band, Gora Gora Orkestar, all the while doing solo & collaborative projects performing jazz standards & improvisation works with top musicians in KC & Denver. Erin’s voice is born out of an uncommon musical perspective, with a huge range of not only pitch, but also in execution of style and expression. Six and a half years ago, Erin was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. She has been on chemo since her diagnosis, constantly fighting all the symptoms that come with being on chemo. During the Covid pandemic, Erin worked to create safe outdoor concerts for local performers & audiences. Since then, she has worked on multiple music projects including the upcoming release of her new recording, SONGS FOR TIMES LIKE THESE, with the James Ward Band doing original songs written & produced by Erin Keller and recorded by Chad Meise. Erin Keller & the James Ward Band play an Album Release Dinner Matinee Show, Friday, January 26, 2024, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theshipkc.com

Erin Keller thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Songs For Times Like These features Erin Keller on vocals, with the James Ward Band

James Ward on electric bass,
Jaylen Ward on drums & cymbals,
Angela Ward on keyboard,

Along with Chad Meise on electric guitar.
Recorded & mixed by Chad Meise. Mastered by Collin Jordan.
Artwork by David Ford. Photos & Graphics by Kayla Haskins.

Erin Keller & the James Ward Band play an Album Release Dinner Matinee, Fri, Jan. 26, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theshipkc.com

At The Ship on January 26, Erin Keller and The JWB will be performing Erin’s latest album “Songs for Times Like These” along with earlier original material, standards, and improvisations. Her latest release is political, funny, groovy, and thought-provoking. If you feel like the world is making you crazy, you might feel very seen and heard at this show! The songs are about humanity coming together in unity and love to make the world a better place. The JWB featuring James, Angela, and Jaylen Ward always lay down a funky groove you can dance and/or relax to. It will be a very special night!

Six and a half years ago, Erin was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. She has been on chemo since her diagnosis, constantly fighting all the symptoms that come with being on chemo.

During the Covid pandemic, Erin worked to create safe outdoor concerts for local performers & audiences. Erin organizing shows for Raj Ma Hall and World Culture KC, a COVID SAFE outdoor series featuring world class musicians from right here in Kansas City. Raj Ma Hall and Kansas City Institution for the Arts located at the homeport/studio of artist Roger “Capt. RamJet” MacBride-Guibor. Learn more at http://www.rajmahall.org

Erin Keller is originally from Waukee, Iowa. She was born in 1980. Erin has been singing on a professional level for 30+ years. Erin sang with the internationally competitive Des Moines Children’s Choir for 5 years, and 3 years in All-State choir in high school, which helped her earn a voice performance degree from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, in 2002.

UMKC Conservatory of Music brought Erin to Kansas City, where she made friends and built collaborations with KC Civic Opera, KC Choral, Own Cox Dance Ensemble…

…but then Erin decided to get her Masters Degree and she left KC for Boulder, Colorado The University of Colorado and then later Denver where she worked for two years in public schools teaching music and moved back to KC to continue her career as musician and educator. After Colorado, Erin returned to KC.

In April 2016 Erin released her solo album, “Distracted,” and has been playing live shows while also being upfront and honest about her cancer diagnosis where she has received multiple rounds of chemo treatments. Distracted was also recorded with Chad Meise.

Erin Keller thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Erin Keller & James Ward Band – “Gotta Get The White Stuff Out”
from: Songs For Times Like These / Erin Keller / January 26, 2024
[Erin Keller on vocals, James Ward on electric bass, Jaylen Ward on drums & cymbals, Angela Ward on keyboard, Chad Meise on electric guitar. Recorded & mixed by Chad Meise. Mastered by Collin Jordan. Artwork by David Ford. Photos & Graphic design by Kayla Haskins. // On May 9, 2016 Erin Keller released her debut solo album, DISTRACTED. // Erin Keller is originally from Waukee, Iowa. She was born in 1980. Erin has been singing on a professional level for 30 years. Erin sang with the internationally competitive Des Moines Children’s Choir for 5 years, and 3 years in All-State choir in high school, which helped her earn a voice performance degree from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, in 2002. Erin peforms with the Grammy-Award winning Kansas City Chorale. Erin has also worked as a featured soloist with Owen Cox Dance Ensemble, New Ear, KC jazz musicians, the big band at University of Colorado, a West African Highlife Ensemble, the Balkan brass band Gora Gora Orkestar. Erin also has experience writing her own music, singing in rock, folk, and free improv settings and she more recently earned a Master’s in Music Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In Colorado she worked for two years in public schools teaching music and moved back to KC to continue her career as musician and educator.]

[Erin Keller & the James Ward Band play an Album Release Dinner Matinee Show, Friday, January 26, 2024, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theshipkc.com]

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

Next week on Wednesday, January 31 we welcome back our WMM Co-Producer Marion Merritt of Records With Merritt who will share her latest sonic discoveries and information from her musically encyclopedic brain.

We will also talk with Jennifer Roe, Interim Executive Director of Folk Aliance International, based here in Kansas City, who are gearing up for the 36th Annual Conference Feb. 21-25, 2024 at The Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center 1 East Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. http://www.folk.org.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers.

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

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

Show #1030

WMM presents: Katie Gilchrist + Erin Keller + Mitzi McKee

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Mark Manning

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, January 24, 2024

Katie Gilchrist + Erin Keller + Mitzi McKee

Mark spins New & MidCoastal Releases from: Erin Keller & the James Ward Band, Buck Moon, Flamy Grant, Abraham Alexander, Sleater-Kinney, and also: Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, The Shangri-Las, Veruca Salt, and Jeff Buckley.

At 10:30 Katie Gilchrist shares details about The 1994 Project, a year-long 30th Anniversary tribute to the films & music of 1994, of which she is the creator/curator. Katie Gilchrist is a graduate of UMKC MFA Acting/Directing program and has worked professionally for over 20 years. Voted by Broadway World as Best Director of a play for last year’s “Steel Magnolias” she has directed at The Unicorn, UMKC, The Living Room, The Fishtank, and will direct “Dial M for Murder” for KC Actors Theatre this summer. Katie has appeared on almost every stage in KC. She is a member of the UMKC Conservatory Alumni Board, the AIDS Service Foundation Steering Committee, Artistic Director of KC Strips, and sings with Lost Wax. The Black Box & The 1994 Project present “THE AUDIENCE MIXTAPE”, a tribute series featuring iconic albums or singles from 1994 on January 27, 2024, at 7:30pm at The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, WEST BOTTOMS, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theblackboxkc.com

At 11:00 Mitzi McKee plays LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios. Mitzi McKee grew up in Phoenix, Arizona in a musical theatre household, and performed in nearly 40 stage productions in Phoenix and played in punk & hardcore bands for over 10 years. Mitzi has lived in KC since 2011 where she began singing in the jazz fusion band Valency. Mitzi has also played drums, keyboards, and sang backup in the KC proto-punk Iggy & The Stooges cover band, No Fun, and the New York Dolls cover band, Trashed with Britt Adair. Mitzi played her first solo show in 2022 at The Pairing, where she also works the front-of-house. Mitzi holds a standing residency on first Saturdays, at Chartreuse Saloon in the Crossroads. Mitzi’s band, Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo, call themselves a “spacey KC rock & roll trio” with Mitzi on guitar, piano, & vocals; Brendan Bennett on bass, and Caleb Robertson on drums. Mitzi McKee plays LIVE at Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak Street, KCMO on Saturday, February 3, at 10:00pm. More info at: http://www.chartreusesaloon.com

At 11:30 we talk with Erin Keller who has performed in the Grammy Award–winning KC Chorale for 16 years, KC Civic Opera, New Ear, OwenCox Dance Group, the band Blackout Gorgeous, the folk/free improvisational ensemble, Prometheus Io, a West African High Life Ensemble, and the Balkan brass band, Gora Gora Orkestar, all the while doing solo & collaborative projects performing jazz standards & improvisation works with top musicians in KC & Denver. Erin’s voice is born out of an uncommon musical perspective, with a huge range of not only pitch, but also in execution of style and expression. Six and a half years ago, Erin was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. She has been on chemo since her diagnosis, constantly fighting all the symptoms that come with being on chemo. During the Covid pandemic, Erin worked to create safe outdoor concerts for local performers & audiences. Since then, she has worked on multiple music projects including the upcoming release of her new recording, SONGS FOR TIMES LIKE THESE, with the James Ward Band doing original songs written & produced by Erin Keller and recorded by Chad Meise. Erin Keller & the James Ward Band play an Album Release Dinner Matinee Show, Friday, January 26, 2024, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO. More info at: http://www.theshipkc.com

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

Show #1030

WMM Playlist from January 17, 2024

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Mark Manning

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, January 17, 2024

Michelle Bacon + Adee Dancy + Lonnie Fisher

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

Katy Guillen & The Drive – “Discoloration”
from: ANOTHER ONE GAINED / Katy Guillen / August 19, 2022
[Produced by Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Heartless Bastards, Ray LaMontagne) at Invisible Creature Studio in Los Angeles. This is brimming with vibrant textures, fuzzy electric guitars, and warm vocals. “Set In Stone” marked the beginning of a major life transition for Katy Guillen (pronounced Ghee-En). Written shortly after her longtime band announced their final show, she was struggling to find the next step in her career and personal life, while longing for a past sense of stability. “The song’s vigorous structure and deliberate rhythms convey that feeling of defeat and darkness, but with a sense of resolution and surrender through the guitar solo – a favorite moment on the record for me,” explains Katy. “While it started on shaky ground, coming out on the other side meant starting over and building something new.” ANOTHER ONE GAINED is a memoir of growth and reawakening by way of heart-wrenching transition and change – loss of her long-time band, end of a romantic relationship and finding herself amidst it all. “Set In Stone” premiered earlier on Guitar Girl Magazine. Katy Guillen & The Drive – Katy Gillen (drums) and Stephanie William (drums) – dropped their first EP, Dream Girl, right before the 2020 lockdown, leaving them without opportunities to perform live. In their basement rehearsal space, they spent the year learning home recording and pre-production techniques, gradually crafting a collection of songs from the ground up. The following April, they took the demos to producer/engineer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Heartless Bastards, Ray LaMontagne) at Invisible Creature Studio in Los Angeles. From their work with Ratterman emerged a batch of 15 songs. At the end of 2021, the band released the four-track Battles EP, offering listeners a darker, more simmering edge to their impelling indie-rock sound. Ten more would comprise Another One Gained, the full-length debut due August 19, 2022. Previously Katy Guillen & The Drive released BATTLES EP on December 17, 2021, Recorded at Invisible Creature Studio in Los Angeles, CA. Engineered and mixed by Kevin Ratterman. Produced by Kevin Ratterman, Katy Guillen, and Stephanie Williams. Mastered by Shelley Anderson at Black Lab Mastering in Louisville, KY. All songs written by Katy Guillen and Stephanie Williams. Katy Guillen on vocals, guitar, bass, & keyboarda. Stephanie Williams on drums & percussion. Additional keys and programming by Kevin Ratterman. Album design and photography by Morgan Jones. This is a follow up to Katy Guillen & The Drive’s 7-song EP, DREAM GIRL, released March 20, 2020. Katy Guillen & The Drive, is a project dedicated to Guillen’s songwriting that is founded on the creative spark and chemistry between Katy Guillen & Stephanie Williams. With Guillen on guitar & vocals and Williams on drums, the two sculpt a sound that recalls bands like Led Zeppelin, The Bangles, and Band of Skulls. In 2012, Guillen & Williams formed Katy Guillen and The Girls, and began to build a foundation of touring and recording that carried them through six years and produced three full-length albums: Katy Guillen & the Girls, Heavy Days, and Remember What You Knew Before. Between 2012 and 2018, they traveled the United States extensively, performed at the International Montreal Jazz Festival, toured Sweden, and supported major acts like The Doobie Brothers, Robin Trower, and Heartless Bastards. In these 6 years playing together, Guillen & Williams created a dynamic, sound informed by Guillen’s mesmerizing, emotive guitar style and poignant arrangements, and an equally captivating live show that showcased Williams’ technical, melodic style, resulting in a powerful on-stage chemistry. In addition to the compelling synergy formed by years of playing together, the two developed a method of working together on Guillen’s songs that only deepened their artistic connection, propelling them to forge a path to a new plateau in their music. KG & The Drive push ahead with a melodic, heavy, and soulful sound while maintaining the edge of the artist’s rock ‘n’ roll and blues roots. Katy Guillen joined us on WMM on March 18, 2020. Katy Guillen & The Drive opened for FANNY for their one-night-only reunion concert from Fanny+ (June Millington, Brie Howard-Darling, Patti Quatro, and Mia Huggins) at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, on October 5, 2022. http://www.katyguillenmusic.com]

[Katy Guillen and Stephanie Williams perform as Womanish Girl, their Blues music project play Nighthawk, below Hotel Kansas City at 1228 Baltimore avenue, KCMO on Friday, January 19, 2024.]

Kali Uchis – “Perdiste”
from: ORQUIDEAS / Geffen Records / January 12, 2024
[The fourth studio album and second Spanish-language album by American singer-songwriter Kali Uchis, who was born Karly-Marina Loaiza on July 17, 1994. Kali Uchis is an American singer and songwriter. After releasing her debut mixtape Drunken Babble (2012), she released her debut EP Por Vida (2015). She released her debut studio album Isolation (2018) to widespread acclaim. Her second studio album and first Spanish-language project Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) (2021) spawned the single “Telepatía”, which became her first solo charting hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her third studio album Red Moon in Venus (2023) became her first to debut within the top 5 on the Billboard 200. // Uchis was featured on Kaytranada’s 2019 single “10%”, which won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording. Her other accolades include an American Music Award, two Billboard Music Awards, and a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award. // Uchis was born Karly-Marina Loaiza in Alexandria, Virginia, on July 17, 1994, the daughter of a Colombian family. Her parents met during the late 1980s, and her father moved back to Colombia when Uchis was in high school. She subsequently spent summers in Colombia with her father, uncles, and aunts. During the school year, she lived with her mother and older siblings. In high school, she learned to play the piano and saxophone. She participated in a jazz band, and graduated from Alexandria City High School (then called T. C. Williams High School). She often skipped class to spend time at the photo lab, making experimental short films. Her interest in photography led to her creating mixtape cover art. Skipping class and breaking the curfew set by her parents led to her being kicked out of her home. During this time, she lived in her car and wrote songs on her keyboard which would later appear on her debut mixtape Drunken Babble (2012). She also wrote poetry and did not initially intend to sing, being more interested in directing films than being in the spotlight. She was given the nickname “Kali Uchis” by her father and adopted it as her stage name.]

Quiet Takes – “Meri Said”
from: Regrets Only / Sarah Magill / February 15, 2024
[Songwriter Sarah Magill makes music for feelers as Quiet Takes. A writer and wanderer, Magill is currently establishing a nomadic creative practice and will be releasing her first full-length solo album (recorded in Eau Claire, Wisconsin) in early 2024. Written by Sarah Michelle Magill. Produced, engineered & mixed by Zach Hanson. Mastered by Huntley Miller. Recorded at The Hive in Eau Claire, WI. Environmental sound recorded by Sarah Michelle Magill in various locations, except 2, recorded by Redditor @roffels. // On November 5, 2021 Quiet Takes released the EP, Weekly, Weakly with music written by Sarah Magill, produced by David Bennett, with vocals & keyboards by Sarah Magill. Guitars, bass and percussion by David Bennett. Drums by Jared Bond. Engineered and mixed by David Bennett at Aorist Studios in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Zach. Weekly, Weakly the third collaboration between Magill and producer/multi-instrumentalist David Bennett. “Ghosty…” was inspired by pandemic-era panic attacks and social unease. This song was one way I tried to process the new, very anxious voice inhabiting my brain, which I nicknamed Ghosty. Sarah writes, “I made the WEEKLY, WEAKLY EP exactly as titled: During weekly Friday sessions at Aorist Studios with my producer, David Bennett, while feeling extremely weak. I was living alone during the pandemic and (like many of us) coping with isolation, depression and anxiety. Making this EP was my lifeboat. Both the process of making music — refining lyrics, experimenting with new textures, collaborating on harmonies — and the commitment to the weekly process kept me relatively grounded and connected. This project tethered me to human-ness when I was afraid I was going to float off into some kind of feral, disconnected netherworld of pandemic loneliness. I’ll forever be grateful to David and his wife, Kayla, for creating a safe space to continue working at Aorist during such a dangerous time.” WEEKLY, WEAKLY followed the release of Sarah Magill’s EP, SAN FIDEL under her moniker, Quiet Takes. Released March 5, 2021. Written by Sarah Magill. Produced by David Bennett and Sarah Magill. Vocals and keys by Sarah Magill on vocals & keyboards, David Bennett on guitars and bass, Ian Thompson on additional keyboards & synthesizers, Kyle Rausch on drums, and Bryan Koehler on percussion. Engineered and mixed by David Bennett at Aorist Studios in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Zach Hanson. Cover image by Shawn Brackbill. Sarah Magill released her single “Wanted (The Dirty Windshield Version)” on May 1, 2020. . Sarah Magill released AHEM, a 4-song EP, on December 11, 2020. The songs were originally released under her old project name MYRY, in November 2018. Quiet Takes (formerly MYRY) is an on-going collaborative music project by Sarah Magill a writer & musician based in KC. She performs with a rotating cast of friends—although these stay-at-home days, she is playing solo. In KC, she is known for hosting house shows and co-founding Rubix, a performance art collective. MYRY’s first EP, AHEM, was released in 2018. Sarah released four of MYRY’s songs from that 2018 EP release as Quiet Takes singles in 2020. Sarah Magill was a guest on WMM on May 13, 2020. We interviewed Sarah Magill on WMM on March 10, 2021 and Nov. 2, 2021. Info at: https://quiettakes.com%5D

[Quiet Takes plays Knuckleheads Gospel Lounge, Saturday, February 24, with 8:30pm doors 9:00pm show. Quiet Takes is opening for Sara Swenson. The 6:30pm show is Sold Out.]

Kadesh Flow – “Overcome (Nanami)”
from: “Overcome (Nanami)” – Single / Ryan Jamaal Davis / January 1, 2024
[Instrumental/Verses/Hook/Trombone/Mixed/Mastered by Kadesh Flow≥ On Friday, January 19, 2024 Kadesh Flow releases another new single “Stand on Business”. On November 17, 2023 Kadesh Flow released “Stakes” produced by Dominique Sanders (who received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year for his work on Janelle Monae’s “AGE OF PLEASURE album.) // On January 6, 2023 Kadesh Flow released “Switch Up” with Instrumental Production by Dominique Sanders, Written & Performed by: Kadesh Flow, Mixed by: Kadesh Flow, Mastered by: Kadesh Flow. // In 2022 Kadesh Flow released 6 singles starting with “Move Different (feat. Gr3s0n)” on January 21, 2022, with lyrics by Kadesh Flow & Gr3ys0n. Music by Kadesh Flow. Mixing: Kadesh Flow. Mastering: Kadesh Flow and was released on January 21, 2022. :Move Different” was part of WMM’s 50 Favorite Singles of 2022. On October 21, 2022 Kadesh Flow released the single ”Chill (feat. Mir Blackwell).” On October 10, 2022 Kadesh Flow released “Dream For Me.” On September 30, 2022 Marcus Lewis Big Band released the single, “You’re Very Special (feat. Kemet Coleman, Kadesh Flow & Kevin Church Johnson).” On July 1, 2022 Kadesh Flow released the single “Away From You.”About that single Kadesh told us “I’ve been a little quiet from a release standpoint because I’ve been scoring a feature length film.” “This song is… inspired by Eren Yeager and his tragic, brutal journey in Attack on Titan but is also deeply personal to me. There’s a lot of current world problem glazing that I’m doing on it as well.” “Also, June 30, 2022, marks five years since I left my financial tech career to pursue my performing and recording artist career full time. I’m releasing this on July 1, partially in celebration of that milestone.” This was one of over nearly 30 new singles Kadesh Flow released in 24 months: In 2021 Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “Soft Side,” on Jan. 21, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released, “Assumptions feat. Shubzilla,” on Jan. 29, 2021. Kadesh Flow released, “Frosty,” on February 12, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “Cry For Me 2,” February 12, 2021. Kadesh Flow released, “Not on My Watch,” on February 19, 2021, Inspired by Lord Beerus (Dragonball Super). Kadesh Flow released, “Held Me Longer,” on Marc written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released, “Your Dream Isn’t Always Yours,” on March 12, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “Forgot About Me,” on March 14, 2021. Kadesh Flow released, “Take Backs (feat. Ryan Heinlein),” on March 26, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow & The Enclave released, “But Hope” on March 26, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single, “I Don’t Care” on April 9, 2021, written, performed, mixed and mastered by Kadesh Flow. Produced by D. Professor. Kadesh Flow released the single, “That Way” on April 16, 2021, written, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow, and produced by Dominique “Bassman” Saunders. Kadesh Flow released the new single, “So Far” on April 23, 2021, written, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow and produced by Dominique “Bassman” Sanders. Kadesh Flow released the single, “On Target” on April 30, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed and mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single ”Lighten Up”on May 7, 2021, written, produced, performed, mixed & mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single “Elegant” on May 21, 2021. Written, Produced, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the 13-track album ROOM SERVICE 2, on July 19, 2021. Kadesh Flow released the single “Coming For Your Neck” on August 20, 2021. Written, Produced, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. Kadesh Flow released the single “Easy” on August 27, 2021. Written, Produced, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. This is his 18th single the year. Kadesh Flow released the single “Fiend” on Sept. 4, 2021. Written, Performed, Mixed & Mastered by Kadesh Flow. Produced by Dominique Sanders. This is his 19th single the year. le, “Gardens Out The Gutter” on Dec. 3, 2021. Written, Performed, Mixed & Mastered: Kadesh Flow. Instrumental: Dominique Sanders. Kadesh Flow released the single, “CHOICE (The Cost)” on December 17, 2021. Written, Performed, Mixed & Mastered: Kadesh Flow. Instrumental: Dominique Sanders. Kadesh Flow is Ryan Davis is a rapper with an MBA. He is an emcee, producer, & trombonist. At age 11, he began rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another. His music has been featured on network television in multiple countries and territories across Southeast Asia. Kadesh performs as a solo hip hop artist. He also plays with The Phantastics, Marcus Lewis Big Band, and Deshica Rage (with Jessica Paige). More info at: http://www.kadeshflow.com]

Waxahatchee – “Right Back To It”
from: Tiger’s Blood / Merge Records / March 22, 2024
[Kansas City based Katie Crutchfield’s southern roots are undeniable. The name of her solo musical project Waxahatchee comes from a creek not far from her childhood home in Alabama and seems to represent both where she came from and where she’s going. // Tiger’s Blood was produced by Brad Cook. Engineered & mixed by Gerardo “Jerry” Ordonez. Assistant engineering by Natalia Chernitsky. Mastered by Emily Lazar. Recorded and Mixed at Sonic Ranch Recording Studios. // On March 27, 2020 Waxahatchee released SAINT CLOUD which was in the TOP 20 of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2020. On Saint Cloud all songs were written by Katie Crutchfield. Recorded & mixed at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, TX & Long Pond in Stuyvesant, NY. Produced by Brad Cook. Engineered by Jerry Ordonez. Additional engineering by Jon Low. Mixed by Jon Low. Mastered by Brent Lambert at The Kitchen. KATIE CRUTCHFIELD on vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, keys; BRAD COOK on bass, acoustic guitar, piano, keys, synth; BOBBY COLOMBO on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys; BILL LENNOX on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys, percussion; NICK KINSEY on drums, percussion; JOSH KAUFMAN on electric guitars, piano, organ, percussion. More info at: http://www.waxahatchee.com.]

[Waxahatchee plays the Uptown Theatre on April 18, 2024]

Beth Watts Nelson – “Too Far Gone”
from: “Too Far Gone” – Single / Beth Watts Nelson / January 3, 2024
[Beth Watts Nelson is an award-winning Kansas City based singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and lifelong student of music. Solo performer and member of Konza Swamp Band, CATGUT, and Little Miss Dynamite. Founder and director of Notorious Chorus. // Music and lyrics by Beth Watts Nelson. Beth Watts Nelson on guitar, vocals; Caleb Garder on guitar, vocals; Jason Beers on keyboard; and Brandon Day on bass. Recorded and mixed by Scott Hrabko. More info at: http://www.bethwatsonnelson.com]

[Beth Watts Nelson and Brandon Day play The Whiskey Snug, at 404 Main Street, Weston, MO. On Friday, January 19, 2024. ]

10:29 – Underwriting

Lonnie Fisher – “Mojo Misfit”
from: Seeds EP / Lonnie Fisher / July 27, 2023
[Indie Roots and Gothic Rock – Deep from the grave. For most of hei recent recordings Lonnie Fisher works with musicians: Chris Nunez, Tim Jenkins, Brodie Rush, Julia Reynolds, and Autumn Hayes, and recording engineers: Ed Rose. And Duane Trower. Lonnie Fisher released the 8 track album BEAUTIFUL STAR on February 9, 2023. Lonnie Fisher released his 8-song, solo album FAMOUS GIRL on January 19, 2022. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. FAMOUS GIRL was engineered by Ed Rose and Duane Trower with contributions from: Chris Nunez. Tim Jenkins, Tim Manning, and Julia Reynolds. On October 22, 2021 with his band Lonnie Fisher And The Funeral released HAUNTED with Lonnie Fisher on lead vocals, 5 String Guitar & Keyboards; Tim Jenkins on guitars; Chris Nunez on drums, Tim Manning on bass, & Julia Reynolds on vocals & keyboards.More information at: http://www.lonniefisher.bandcamp.com.]

10:35 – Interview with Lonnie Fisher

10:35 – Interview with Lonnie Fisher

Lonnie Fisher studied music at Kansas State University, graduating in 1992. By 1999 he was touring with his band, Sturgeon Mill. After the band broke up Lonnie embarked on a solo career while also pursuing a career as a chef. After the loss of his girlfriend to cancer in 2005 Lonnie began to struggle with alcoholism. In 2008 Lonnie suffered a major stroke followed by a second stroke two years later. His life as a chef and musician stopped as Lonnie struggled to relearn everything and rehabilitate. Against all odds, Lonnie returned to the studio and stage in 2018. He couldn’t return to the kitchen due to the inability to move fast enough, but started his own business as a personal chef. Lonnie Fisher and The Funeral released the album, HAUNTED on Oct. 22, 2021; his solo album FAMOUS GIRL on Jan. 19, 2022; his solo album, BEAUTIFUL STAR on February 9, 2023; and his EP, SEEDS on July 28, 2023. Lonnie is working on a new record, FLOATING PALACE, with Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab. Info at: http://www.lonniefisher.bandcamp.com.

Lonnie Fisher Thank you for being with us on WMM.

Lonnie Fisher studied music at Kansas State University, graduating in 1992.

By 1999 he was touring with his band, Sturgeon Mill. After the band broke up Lonnie embarked on a solo career while also pursuing a career as a chef.

Lonnie: Going on tour with my group Sturgeon Mill from Lawrence, Kansas, in 1999 was one of the greatest times of my life, and we were supporting an international hit song called Kill Yourself or I Will.

Then the band broke up, and I started my solo career working with famous engineer Ed Rose and produced the Famous Girl album, which is a fan favorite and continuously in my live sets. During this time, I also was developing my culinary skills, which would lead to being able to make enough money to support my music.

Tough times hit in 2005 when I lost my girlfriend to brain cancer, and I started to struggle with alcoholism.

I continued till 2008 and then suffered a major stroke followed by another one two years later. Both of my careers stopped while I tried to rehabilitate and relearn everything.

It looked like my life was destroyed, but I worked very hard and, against all odds, returned to the studio and stage in 2018. I couldn’t return to the kitchen due to cognitive decline and inability to move fast enough, but I have been able to start my own business as a chef.

Now 6 years sober from alcohol, Lonnie Fisher had his best year in 2023, receiving numerous airplay in KC on 90.9 The Bridge and KKFI 90.1, playing multiple tracks from my albums Beautiful Star and Seeds. Lonnie Fisher played almost 50 shows in 2023 in KC, Lawrence, and several other Midwest towns.

Lonnie: “I’m so grateful to be back, and I have so many people to thank for their kindness and support. Most importantly, my wife Tara, who was with me through all the dark moments, deserves real credit for my being alive.” Sheri at The Brick in KCMO, Steve Tulipana at Record Bar KCMO, Duane Trower Weights and Measures Soundlab KCMO, Lawrence venues The Replay Lounge, Bottleneck, Gaslight Gardens, Northside Social, all of these people and places gave me a second chance to resurrect my career. I love them very much.

2024 looks to be my biggest year yet, and I have Julia Reynolds helping me in the studio and live performances on keys and vocals and Autumn Hayes on bass and vocals after looking back at it all. Life is truly a gift. Work hard. Play harder. Take care of your body and mental health. When everything is working together in harmony, there’s nothing you can’t do.

10:43

Lonnie Fisher – “Shiver Hotel” (LIVE) this song can also be found on: BEAUTIFUL STAR / Lonnie Fisher / February 9, 2022
[Beautiful Star was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2023. / On July 27, 2023 Lonnie Fisher released the EP SEEDS. / On January 19, 2022, Lonnie Fisher released the 8-song, solo album FAMOUS GIRL which was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. FAMOUS GIRL was engineered by Ed Rose and Duane Trower with contributions from: Chris Nunez. Tim Jenkins, Tim Manning, and Julia Reynolds. On October 22, 2021 with his band, Lonnie Fisher And The Funeral released, HAUNTED with Lonnie Fisher on lead vocals, 5 String Guitar & Keyboards; Tim Jenkins on guitars; Chris Nunez on drums, Tim Manning on bass, & Julia Reynolds on vocals & keyboards. Lonnie Fischer played a solo album release show for his new album BEAUTIFUL STAR at The Brick, 1727 McGeee Street, KCMO, on Friday, December 23, at 8:00 PM with The Criterz and Killer City. More information at: http://www.lonniefisher.bandcamp.com.]

10:48 – Interview with Lonnie Fisher

After college at Kansas State University as a music major, Lonnie Fisher started as a singer in a rock band and worked restaurant jobs. Little did he know at the time that one day I would become a professional recording artist, singer/songwriter, and a personal chef. It’s been a journey of many extreme highs and lows.

Lonnie Fisher is currently working on a new recording “Floating Palace”
with Duane Trower at Weights and Measures.

Lonnie Fisher former band The Funeral included:
Lonnie Fisher on lead vocals, 5 String Guitar & Keyboards
Tim Jenkins on guitars
Chris Nunez on drums
Tim Manning on bass
Julia Reynolds on vocals & keyboards.

Lonnie Fisher works as a Personal Chef creates weekly meals for busy professionals and seniors who need help. I record artists and write songs about life’s struggles and our world.

Lonnie Fisher talked about how music has helped keep him alive, along with his wife Tara and his two stepchildren have made the difference in his life.

Website: https://lonniefisher.bandcamp.com/album/seeds
Instagram: Lonnie Fisher official
Facebook: Lonnie Fisher singer/songwriter
Youtube: Lonnie Fisher

Lonnie Fisher Thank you for being with us on WMM.

10:56

Lonnie Fisher – “If I Could Live Forever”
from: BEAUTIFUL STAR / Lonnie Fisher / February 9, 2022
[Beautiful Star was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2023. / On July 27, 2023 Lonnie Fisher released the EP SEEDS. / On January 19, 2022, Lonnie Fisher released the 8-song, solo album FAMOUS GIRL which was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. FAMOUS GIRL was engineered by Ed Rose and Duane Trower with contributions from: Chris Nunez. Tim Jenkins, Tim Manning, and Julia Reynolds. On October 22, 2021 with his band, Lonnie Fisher And The Funeral released, HAUNTED with Lonnie Fisher on lead vocals, 5 String Guitar & Keyboards; Tim Jenkins on guitars; Chris Nunez on drums, Tim Manning on bass, & Julia Reynolds on vocals & keyboards.Lonnie Fischer played a solo album release show for his new album BEAUTIFUL STAR at The Brick, 1727 McGeee Street, KCMO, on Friday, December 23, at 8:00 PM with The Criterz and Killer City. More information at: http://www.lonniefisher.bandcamp.com.]

11:00 – Station ID

David Bowie – “Oh You Pretty Things”
from: Hunky Dory / RCA – (Rykodisk – Virgin – Sony – EMI – Columbia ISO) / Dec. 17, 1971
[“Oh! You Pretty Things” is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie from his 1971 album Hunky Dory. It was the first song he wrote for the album. Bowie recorded the song as a demo before giving it to singer Peter Noone, lead singer of Herman’s Hermits, who decided to release it as his debut solo single. Featuring Bowie on piano, Noone’s recording was produced by Mickie Most and featured structural and lyrical differences from Bowie’s later version. Released by RAK Records in April 1971 under the title “Oh! You Pretty Thing”, the single peaked at number 12 in the UK, becoming Bowie’s biggest success as a songwriter since his own single “Space Oddity” two years earlier. // Bowie recorded his own version at Trident Studios in London during the sessions for Hunky Dory between June and July 1971. Co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, it featured the musicians who would later become known as the Spiders from Mars: guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Mick Woodmansey. Bowie played piano, although Rick Wakeman, who played piano on the rest of the album, contended in 2017 that he contributed. Similar to other tracks on the album, the themes of “Oh! You Pretty Things” are dark, reflecting ideals of the occultist Aleister Crowley and philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, while making literary references to Arthur C. Clarke’s 1953 novel Childhood’s End and Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1871 novel The Coming Race. // “Oh! You Pretty Things” is considered by music critics as one of the best songs on Hunky Dory and by some publications as one of Bowie’s best songs. Bowie performed the track multiple times for BBC radio programmes between 1971 and 1972 and once on the Ziggy Stardust Tour in 1973. Bowie’s version has appeared on numerous compilation albums, while Noone’s was included on a 2006 compilation named after the track. Other covers have been recorded by Seu Jorge and Au Revoir Simone. // Upon completing a promotional tour of America in early 1971, David Bowie returned to his home at Haddon Hall in Beckenham, London. After Tony Visconti moved out of Haddon, Bowie acquired a piano for the building, which he used to write songs. It was a first for Bowie, who previously composed songs primarily on acoustic guitar. In total, he composed over three-dozen songs at Haddon, many of which would appear on his next album Hunky Dory and its follow-up The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. // The first song Bowie wrote for Hunky Dory was “Oh! You Pretty Things”. The song came to him in the early hours of a morning in January 1971. He recalled: “I couldn’t sleep … this song was going ’round in my head. I had to get out of bed and just play it … so that I could get back to sleep again.”[b] He requested studio time from his music publisher Chrysalis, whose partner Bob Grace booked time at London’s Radio Luxembourg Studios to record a demo. Bowie recorded the demo sometime between February and March 1971. Paul Trynka states that it featured him on solo piano, his only accompaniment being “the jangling of the bracelets he was wearing”. According to biographer Marc Spitz, Bowie’s demos of “Oh! You Pretty Things” and other Hunky Dory tracks “Life on Mars?” and “Andy Warhol” inspired Bowie’s new manager, Tony Defries, to look into securing a new record contract for Bowie, eventually signing him with RCA Records. // After recording its demo, Bowie gave the tape to Grace, who showed it to producer Mickie Most, the most well-known independent producer in the UK at the time. He chose Most due to his popularity, having produced numerous hits for bands such as the Animals and Herman’s Hermits, telling Record Collector magazine years later: “The most sure-fire way of getting a hit in those days was if you got Mickie Most to produce your song.” Most liked the song and contacted Herman’s Hermits’ singer Peter Noone, who believed the song would be Noone’s first solo hit. Noone recalled, “[Most] only played the intro and I said, ‘That’s it, it’s perfect!'”]

11:03 – Interview with Michelle Bacon

Multi-talented musician and writer, Michelle Bacon, is Content Manager at 90.9 The Bridge, where she helps to shine a light on area musicians, causes, and events. Michelle has written for The Kansas City Star, The Deli Magazine KC, and Folk Alliance International. Michelle plays drums in the band Frogpond who released their critically acclaimed album, TIME THIEF on Black-Site Records on November 19, 2021. Michelle has also played bass with Other Americans who released the album LAST DANCE on October 10 2022. Over the last decade Michelle Bacon has played drums or bass with, and Deco Auto, Heidi Lynne Gluck, Erica Joy, Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds, The Blackbird Revue, John L. Johnson, the Nathan Corsi Band, The Philistines, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Katy Guillen & The Drive and several others. And for the past 8 years Michelle has served as the founder and producer as well as bass player for The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie. This year The Band That Fell To Earth will perform David Bowie‘s album, Hunky Dory, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 25 at 8:00 at at recordBar. The Band That Fell To Earth will continue with Bowie Tribute shows on Friday & Saturday, Jan. 26 & 27, at 8:00 PM at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO. Tickets available at: https://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Michelle Bacon is the producer of The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie,

The Band That Fell To Earth KC’s 8th annual tribute to David Bowie with three nights of music at recordBar – Thurs, January 25, and Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.

ALL tix available at http://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo

From wikipedia: After Bowie’s third studio album, The Man Who Sold the World was released in the United States through Mercury Records in November 1970. The album sold poorly but fared better both critically and commercially in the US than in the UK. It was played on American radio stations frequently and its “heavy rock content” increased interest in Bowie. The critical success of the album prompted Mercury to send Bowie on a promotional radio tour of the US in February 1971. The trip inspired him to write tribute songs for three American icons: artist Andy Warhol, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and the rock band the Velvet Underground, more specifically their singer Lou Reed. After the tour, Bowie returned to his apartment in Haddon Hall, Beckenham, where he recorded many of his early 1970s demos, and began writing. According to his then-wife Angela, Bowie had spent time composing songs on piano rather than acoustic guitar, which would “infuse the flavour of the new album”. In total, he composed over three-dozen songs there, many of which would appear on Hunky Dory and its follow-up album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

Hunky Dory is the fourth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released in the United Kingdom on 17 December 1971 through RCA Records. Following the release of his 1970 album, The Man Who Sold the World, Bowie took time off from recording and touring. He settled down to write new songs, composing on piano rather than guitar as on earlier tracks. Following a tour of the United States, Bowie assembled a new backing band consisting of guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Mick Woodmansey, and began to record a new album in mid-1971 at Trident Studios in London. Future Yes member Rick Wakeman contributed on piano. Bowie co-produced the album with Ken Scott, who had engineered Bowie’s previous two records.

Compared to the guitar-driven hard rock sound of The Man Who Sold the World, Bowie opted for a warmer, more melodic piano-based pop rock and art pop style on Hunky Dory. His lyrical concerns on the record range from the compulsive nature of artistic reinvention on “Changes”, to occultism and Nietzschean philosophy on “Oh! You Pretty Things” and “Quicksand”; several songs make cultural and literary references. He was also inspired by his stateside tour to write songs dedicated to three American icons: Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and Lou Reed. The song “Kooks” was dedicated to Bowie’s newborn son Duncan. The album’s cover artwork, photographed in monochrome and subsequently recoloured, features Bowie in a pose inspired by actresses of the Hollywood Golden Age.

Upon release, Hunky Dory and its lead single “Changes” received little promotion from RCA who were wary that Bowie would transform his image shortly. Thus, despite very positive reviews from the British and American music press, the album initially sold poorly and failed to chart. It was only after the commercial breakthrough of Bowie’s 1972 follow-up album Ziggy Stardust that Hunky Dory itself became a commercial success, peaking at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Retrospectively, Hunky Dory has been critically acclaimed as one of Bowie’s best works, and features on several lists of the greatest albums of all time. Within the context of his career, it is considered to be the album where “Bowie starts to become Bowie”, definitively discovering his voice and style.

This is the 8th year The Band That Fell To Earth is celebrating the music of Bowie with a “Super Group” of KC’s finest musicians organized and led by Michelle Bacon.

Each night will contain a different set list, and special guests.

Special guests:
Thursday January 25: Julia Othmer, Kris Bruders & Haviland Bruders
Friday, January 26: Seyko, Cole Bales
Saturday, January 27: Lava Dreams, Rachel Christia

This year, The Band That Fell To Earth is raising money for the Midwest Innocence Project, a nonprofit dedicated to the investigation, litigation, exoneration, and re-entry support for wrongfully convicted people in the five-state region of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Tickets information available at: https://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo.

7:00pm VIP doors
7:30pm GA doors
8:00pm show starts

18+ / minors allowed with guardian

11:12

David Bowie – “Kooks”
from: Hunky Dory / RCA – (Rykodisk – Virgin – Sony – EMI – Columbia ISO) / Dec. 17, 1971
[Written by David Bowie, for his newborn son Duncan Jones. The song was a pastiche of early 1970s Neil Young because Bowie was listening to a Neil Young record at home on May 30, 1971 when he got the news of the arrival of his son. Before the studio recording of the song was made, it was recorded for the BBC In Concert radio show with John Peel, on June 3, 1971 (broadcast on June 20, 1971). In 2000 this recording was released on the Bowie at the Beeb album. The song was recorded again for the BBC “Sounds of the 70s” radio show with Bob Harris on September 21, 1971 (broadcast on October 4, 1971). // David Bowie: lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, alto sax; Mick Ronson: string arrangement, Trevor Bolder: bass, trumpet; Mick Woodmansey: drums; Rick Wakeman: piano. // The first three lines of the song (“Will you stay in our lovers’ story / If you stay, you won’t be sorry / ‘Cause we believe in you”) are used as a repeated motif in Miranda July’s 2015 novel The First Bad Man. The British indie band The Kooks named themselves after the song. The song appears in the Futurama episode “Children of a Lesser Bog”.]

11:15 – More Interview with Michelle Bacon

Kansas City, MO USA – January 20, 2023: the BAND THAT FELL TO EARTH at recordBar

Michelle Bacon joins us today to share details about The Band That Fell To Earth who’ll perform David Bowie‘s album, Hunky Dory, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 25 at 8:00 at at recordBar. The Band That Fell To Earth will continue with Bowie Tribute shows on Friday & Saturday, Jan. 26 & 27, at 8:00 PM at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO.

This is the 8th year The Band That Fell To Earth is celebrating the music of Bowie with a “Super Group” of KC’s finest musicians organized and led by Michelle Bacon. This year, The Band That Fell To Earth is raising money for the Midwest Innocence Project, a nonprofit dedicated to the investigation, litigation, exoneration, and re-entry support for wrongfully convicted people in the five-state region of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Tickets available at: https://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The band was curated by musician/writer Michelle Bacon to pay homage to the groundbreaking artist while showcasing talent across Kansas City’s vast musical spectrum.

Michelle Bacon – bass
Alex Alexander – guitar
Nathan Corsi – vocals/guitar
Kyle Dahlquist – keys
Katy Guillen – guitar
Steve Tulipana – vocals
Stephanie Williams – drums
Havilah Bruders – backing vocals
Julia Haile – backing vocals
Christine Broxterman – cello
Laurel Morgan-Parks – violin
Rich Wheeler – saxophone
Matt Ronan – percussion

A portion of ticket sales to benefit the Midwest Innocence Project, a nonprofit dedicated to the investigation, litigation, exoneration, and re-entry support for wrongfully convicted people in the five-state region of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

http://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo

Michelle Bacon thanks for being with us on WMM.

The Band That Fell To Earth who’ll perform David Bowie’s album, Hunky Dory, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 25 at 8:00 at at recordBar. The Band That Fell To Earth will continue with Bowie Tribute shows on Friday & Saturday, Jan. 26 & 27, at 8:00 PM at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO. Tickets at http://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo

11:24

David Bowie – “Andy Warhol”
from: Hunky Dory / RCA – (Rykodisk – Virgin – Sony – EMI – Columbia ISO) / Dec. 17, 1971
[Written by David Bowie. It is an acoustic song about one of Bowie’s early artist inspirations, the American pop artist Andy Warhol. The album track opens with a series of strange electronic tones which fades into studio chatter in which producer Ken Scott mispronounces Warhol’s name and Bowie repeatedly corrects him. Scott then solemnly reintroduces the take with the correct pronunciation, and Bowie asks if the tape is rolling. Upon realising he is indeed being recorded, Bowie bursts into laughter and the song proper begins. The song is memorable for a distinctive repeated riff played by Mick Ronson on acoustic guitar. Originally the song was written for Dana Gillespie, who recorded it in 1971, but her version of the song was not released until 1973 on her album Weren’t Born a Man. Bowie produced Gillespie’s version and Ronson also plays guitar. Gillespie performed the song in 1974 on the Dutch television programme TopPop. // Bowie, an admirer of Warhol, sent him a copy of Hunky Dory and performed “Andy Warhol” for him in person at Warhol’s studio the Factory in New York in September 1971, before the album was released. But due to Warhol’s typically minimal reaction, Bowie was never sure if he liked it. Tony Zanetta, who had brought Bowie to the Factory and later portrayed Warhol in Warhol’s first play, Pork (1971), maintained that Warhol “didn’t say anything but absolutely hated it”. // The song was released as the B-side of the single “Changes” in January 1972. It also appeared on the Japanese compilation The Best of David Bowie from 1974. An edited version, with the dialogue in the introduction cut, as it was on the US single version, is included on Re:Call 1, part of the 2015 boxed set Five Years (1969–1973). // A performance sung by Dana Gillespie was recorded for BBC Radio’s In Concert strand on 3 June 1971, presented by John Peel and first broadcast on June 20 that year. Bowie played this song at BBC’s Sounds of the 70s with Bob Harris on May 23, 1972. This was broadcast on June 19, 1972, and in 2000 was released on the Bowie at the Beeb album. A performance recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on October 20, 1972 has been released on Santa Monica ’72 and Live Santa Monica ’72. The song was a 1972 regular performance, but it was not played again until the 1995 Outside Tour with Nine Inch Nails. // One live performance from 1995 was released in 2020 on the live album Ouvre le Chien (Live Dallas 95). A November 1996 tour rehearsal recording of the song, which originally aired on a BBC radio broadcast in 1997, was released in 2020 on the album ChangesNowBowie. //
David Bowie on lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar; Mick Ronson on acoustic guitar, percussion; Ken Scott on ARP synthesiser. // A riff from “Andy Warhol” (at 0:48) is quoted in Metallica’s song Master of Puppets (at 6:19). It is an homage made by Cliff Burton and Kirk Hammett to whom Bowie was a huge influence. Stone Temple Pilots covered the song in their MTV Unplugged performance in 1993.]

11:27 – Underwriting

Sisterbot – “You Won’t Play Me”
from: “You Won’t Play Me” – Single/ Aletheia Maison Records / January 16, 2023
[Written and Composed by Sisterbot. Engineered and Produced by Brandon Yangmi. Lead vocals: Sisterbot. Drums: Bailey Keling. Electric Guitar: Benjamin Hart. Violin: Laurel Morgan Parks, Kaydee Gabel. Viola: Victor Diaz. Cello: Sascha Groschang, Sisterbot. Cello Solo: Sisterbot. Bass Guitar: Madison Monroe. Background Vocals: Hadiza. and Logan Smalley. // Adee Rocket Dancy writes, “Three years ago, I wrote a song called “You Won’t Play Me.” I had been cleaning my apartment when I found an old pile of letters that brought back difficult memories… they were from someone who had spun many webs of lies and manipulations to gain my attention and affection. I hadn’t realized the extent of this mind-molding until my mid-20’s, after nearly a decade of experiences with this person. Holding the letters in my hand, I felt anger, embarrassment, protective of my younger self, but also, freedom. The knowledge that this person had no hold over me today, or ever again, gave me a sense of triumph. In a rush of catharsis, I ripped up all of the letters, tossing them into the air with relief. Immediately, this song came to me. I sat down at the keyboard, and out it poured. // Though it came nearly completely formed as a song, there were pieces missing that took me three years to finish. The composition, the arrangement for the band, and the recording process came slowly. During that time, I also collaborated with the amazing Marísa Adame Grady to write and film a music video for the song. The story portrays the long-term manipulation I faced, particularly on the internet, with dramatized scenes of common control and grooming tactics that I and many others have experienced. We hoped that this song and this music video would bring light to an all-too-common pattern in the dawn of the internet, empowering those who listen or watch to end patterns of manipulation in their own lives. I hope you enjoy this song and music video, “You Won’t Play Me” available now on all platforms!” More info at: sisterbotmusic.com // Sisterbot.bandcamp.com]

[Sisterbot (full band) plays The Rino, 314 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Friday, February 9, 2024 with Amy Elizabeth Queen, and Foxlin.]

11:33 – Interview with Adee Dancy

Adee Dancy (Sisterbot) Photo by Willym Brown (@strawberry_hive on socials)

Adee Dancy (Sisterbot), a performing artist born and raised in the KC area. Adee is a student of many teachers and disciplines, attempting to amalgamate all they have learned and loved into their artistic life. Adorning many different hats, Adee has stepped into a multitude of roles in their career such as professional cellist, music director, vocalist, composer, actor, and more. With dynamic string writing and theatrical rock at the helm of their work, Adee captains a project and alter-ego called Sisterbot, that fuses their multiple disciplines. Adee feels extremely lucky to have music, art, and theater as means of expression and livelihood! Adee has collaborated with many groups including Owen Cox Dance Group, No Divide KC, and also is part of the trio, The Swallowtails. Sisterbot (full band) plays The Rino, 314 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Friday, February 9, 2024 with Amy Elizabeth Queen, and Foxlin. More information at http://sisterbotmusic.com

Adee Dancy (Sisterbot), thanks for being with us on WMM.

Adee Dancy identifies with the pronouns: They/Them

“You Won’t Play Me” was written and Composed by Sisterbot. Engineered and Produced by Brandon Yangmi. Lead vocals: Sisterbot. Drums: Bailey Keling. Electric Guitar: Benjamin Hart. Violin: Laurel Morgan Parks, Kaydee Gabel. Viola: Victor Diaz. Cello: Sascha Groschang, Sisterbot. Cello Solo: Sisterbot. Bass Guitar: Madison Monroe
Background Vocals: Hadiza. and Logan Smalley.

Adee Rocket Dancy writes, “Three years ago, I wrote a song called “You Won’t Play Me.” I had been cleaning my apartment when I found an old pile of letters that brought back difficult memories… they were from someone who had spun many webs of lies and manipulations to gain my attention and affection. I hadn’t realized the extent of this mind-molding until my mid-20’s, after nearly a decade of experiences with this person. Holding the letters in my hand, I felt anger, embarrassment, protective of my younger self, but also, freedom. The knowledge that this person had no hold over me today, or ever again, gave me a sense of triumph. In a rush of catharsis, I ripped up all of the letters, tossing them into the air with relief. Immediately, this song came to me. I sat down at the keyboard, and out it poured.

Though it came nearly completely formed as a song, there were pieces missing that took me three years to finish. The composition, the arrangement for the band, and the recording process came slowly. During that time, I also collaborated with the amazing Marísa Adame Grady to write and film a music video for the song. The story portrays the long-term manipulation I faced, particularly on the internet, with dramatized scenes of common control and grooming tactics that I and many others have experienced. We hoped that this song and this music video would bring light to an all-too-common pattern in the dawn of the internet, empowering those who listen or watch to end patterns of manipulation in their own lives. I hope you enjoy this song and music video, “You Won’t Play Me” available now on all platforms!” More info at: sisterbotmusic.com // Sisterbot.bandcamp.com

Sisterbot is a performing artist and composer dedicated to breaking genre and disciplinary boundaries in order to create musical and theatrical experiences. Each piece is episodic, cathartic, and gives an internal look into the beauty and the bizarre of the human experience through epic theatrical and musical storytelling. The 7-to-14-piece Sisterbot Ensemble is described as a “punk pop chamber orchestra,” with a full rock rhythm section and the addition of strings and background vocals. Sisterbot connects and communicates about love, community, gratitude, queerness, the preciousness of life, the preservation of our planet, and our place in this vast universe.

Adee Dancy / Sisterbot told Voyage magazine: As a kid, I was mesmerized by outer space. I was sure that I was going to be an astronaut, so much so that I begged my mom to let me go to Space Camp 6 times (the one from all the commercials in Huntsville, Alabama). At the same time that my space obsession began, I also started playing the cello, which I frequently refer to as my first love (besides my amazing parents and sisters!). My love for music was very deeply rooted, with a very musical mom who always played piano, and guitar, and sang harmonies with me, a dad with an ear for hit melodies and great albums, and a stepdad with mega rock guitar skills. And of course, I had some of the greatest and most supportive music educators I could ask for.

Fast-forward to high school- I was still on the path of becoming something within the field of astronomy, engineering, robotics, or science in general. But then, my world turned upside down when I got the chance to see the world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, in concert with the Kansas City Symphony at the brand new, state-of-the-art Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It was an experience that I truly will never forget. I remember being so completely engaged and involved in the performance, watching Yo-Yo Ma play the Dvorâk Cello Concerto. I had a truly out-of-body experience for the first and only time in my life, and I awakened in the middle of the piece with tears streaming down my face and the resounding, undeniable calling in my mind and heart: I have to pursue music!

From that moment forward, I changed my entire career path, switched all of my engineering classes to music classes, and went on to pursue music in college. I have a background in both classical cello and classical voice, with a degree in cello and an enthusiasm/private study of the other. I realized towards the end of my Bachelor’s degree that classical music was a love of mine, but not an avenue I wanted to truly pursue. My first few years of college were extremely difficult, with an unforgiving private teacher, being in the closet, experiencing the death of a person I loved, and a general feeling of inadequacy as a classical cellist. I realized through music directing my first musical that I had a passion for theater and popular music, and it brought me to write my own music!\

I officially began the venture of my own musical project, which was originally called “Adee Rocket Dancy.” I picked this name as a tribute to my childhood dreams- astronomy and rocket science have always been fascinating and mesmerizing to me, and I knew that I wanted to incorporate those themes into my musical journey. I released 3 singles under that name until I realized at a coffee shop with my bandmates that “Sisterbot” had a great ring to it. It was originally a joke that we laughed really hard about, but then it stuck! Two weeks before my first album, “Truth House” came out into the world, my mom, stepdad, and I were all sitting together finalizing album artwork, and we decided at that moment to make the change.

10:40

Sisterbot – “Time Lapse”
from: Truth House / Sisterbot / July 10, 2021
[Sisterbot is a performing artist dedicated to breaking genre boundaries, creating cosmic musical and theatrical experiences. The 9-piece Sisterbot Band is a “punk pop chamber orchestra” complete with electric guitar, drums, piano, strings and horn. “Truth House (2021) is a concept album written over the span of three years, encapsulating a chapter of my life that I spent in a house alone, dealing with the aftermath of trauma and rebirth.”- Sisterbot (Adee Dancy). Written by Sisterbot. Produced by Jametatone and Sisterbot. Engineered, Mixed, Mastered by Jametatone, except “Approval” which was Produced, Engineered, & Mixed by Andrew Bonci Jr. at Magnolia Tree Studios, with AJ Bonci on guitar, Just Angel and Sisterbot on vocals. Cover Art by Mazzy Mann. Adee Rocket Dancy released the single “Hello Moon (feat. The Swallowtails)” on April 26, 2021. (This song is also on the Sisterbot album.) Produced by Jametatone & Adee Rocket Dancy. Adee Rocket Dancy on piano & vocals & cello; Rachel Lovelace on bassoon; Mikala Petillo on guitar & background vocals, Mixing and Mastering by Jametatone, (J. Asley Miller). Adee Rocket Dancy writes, “This is a song about my life-long love for the moon, featuring The Swallowtails (Rachel Lovelace and Miki P). Adee chose the date April 26, 2021, as their release date, to honor the full moon called “The Pink Moon.” More info at: Sisterbot.bandcamp.com]

[Sisterbot (full band) plays The Rino, 314 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Friday, February 9, 2024 with Amy Elizabeth Queen, and Foxlin.]

10:45 – More Interview with Adee Dancy (Sisterbot)

Adee Dancy thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Adee Dancy / Sisterbot told Voyage magazine: Sisterbot, is a really big project. At any given time, we’ve had 7-14 members on stage. Many times, I’ve called it a “pop punk chamber orchestra,” complete with a full rhythm section (drums, bass, electric guitar, keyboard), background vocalists, and a string section (violin, viola, cello). It’s still a rock band- but with elements of all genres and disciplines. It is such an exciting ensemble to work with and write for because there are endless possibilities. I find my mind writing orchestrations all the time for this group. We make a blend of theatrical, orchestral, singer-songwriter, story-telling pop rock. I am so proud of what it’s become and how it continues to grow. With the music that I write, I try to be as truthful and honest as possible, with a central theme of authenticity, self-love, and awareness. I have very few true love songs, but I write of my deep feelings and thoughts. I want to encourage audiences to love themselves fully, wherever they’re at.
I’ve experienced a lot of trauma that I try to process through music, with empowering messages that I say for myself but also that I hope people can find within themselves. I hope to inspire and meet people where they’re at when they hear my music- I hope that people of all age ranges and backgrounds can relate to my words.

Adee Dancy, thanks for being with on WMM.

Sisterbot (full band) plays The Rino, 314 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Friday, February 9, 2024 with Amy Elizabeth Queen, and Foxlin. More info at: http://www.sisterbotmusic.com and Sisterbot.bandcamp.com

11:53

Adee Dancy (Sisterbot) Photo by Willym Brown (@strawberry_hive on socials)

Sisterbot – “Lost To The Cosmos”
from: Truth House / Sisterbot / July 10, 2021
[Sisterbot is a performing artist dedicated to breaking genre boundaries, creating cosmic musical and theatrical experiences. The 9-piece Sisterbot Band is a “punk pop chamber orchestra” complete with electric guitar, drums, piano, strings and horn. “Truth House (2021) is a concept album written over the span of three years, encapsulating a chapter of my life that I spent in a house alone, dealing with the aftermath of trauma and rebirth.”- Sisterbot (Adee Dancy). Written by Sisterbot. Produced by Jametatone and Sisterbot. Engineered, Mixed, Mastered by Jametatone, except “Approval” which was Produced, Engineered, & Mixed by Andrew Bonci Jr. at Magnolia Tree Studios, with AJ Bonci on guitar, Just Angel and Sisterbot on vocals. Cover Art by Mazzy Mann. Adee Rocket Dancy released the single “Hello Moon (feat. The Swallowtails)” on April 26, 2021. (This song is alon on the Sisterbot album.) Produced by Jametatone & Adee Rocket Dancy. Adee Rocket Dancy on piano & vocals & cello; Rachel Lovelace on bassoon; Mikala Petillo on guitar & background vocals, Mixing and Mastering by Jametatone, (J. Asley Miller). Adee Rocket Dancy writes, “This is a song about my life-long love for the moon, featuring The Swallowtails (Rachel Lovelace and Miki P). Adee chose the date April 26, 2021, as their release date, to honor the full moon called “The Pink Moon.” More info at: Sisterbot.bandcamp.com]

[Sisterbot (full band) plays The Rino, 314 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Friday, February 9, 2024 with Amy Elizabeth Queen, and Foxlin.]

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

Next week on January 24, 2024 we welcome special guests: Katie Gilchrist, Mitzi McKee, and Erin Keller.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers.

Adee Dancy (Sisterbot) Photo by Willym Brown (@strawberry_hive on socials)

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

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

Show #1029