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, September 13, 2023

Spinning Records With Marion Merritt + Betty Berry & KC Blues Society

Today, we welcome back to the show, Marion Merritt as our special “Guest Producer.” Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM. For over 19 years now Marion has been sharing her sonic discoveries and information from her musically encyclopedic brain. Bringing music that is just not played on other radio stations. Marion grew up in Los Angeles & St. Louis. She went to college in Columbia, Missouri. She studied art and musical engineering. After nearly two decades of managing Kansas City’s largest music department store, Marion left the corporate world and went Independent. With her partner Ann Stewart, Marion is the proprietor of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri.

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

2. Dimitri From Paris – “Prologue”
   from: Sacrebleu / Yellow Productions – Atlantic / June 11, 1996
   [Debut studio albumm from Dimitri from Paris was born Dimitrios Yerasimos, on October 27, 1963. He is a French music producer and DJ of Greek descent. His musical influences are rooted in 1970s funk and disco sounds that spawned contemporary house music, as well as original soundtracks from 1950s and 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 and 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 and Disco roots, with Japanese hip hop producer and 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 with longtime partner BBE, a handful of disco classics remixes and other surprises down the line. // 2009 saw the release of the Night Dubbin’, a post-disco R&B compilation remix album.]

3. Platinum 900 – “Koi No Rescue Tai” [Vinyl]
   from: Platinum Airways Flight 900 / Great Tracks / July 27, 2023  
   [Originally released in 1997. Electronic, Jazz, Funk / Soul, Pop band from Japan. Platinum 900 are: Naoko Sakata on vocals, Kazuhiko nishimura on guitar & bass, and Hiroshi Iihoshi on keyboards & programming. Produced by Tatsuya Tsukada. Arranged by Platinum 900, & Satoshi Nakamura]

4. Platinum 900 – “Never Stop” [Vinyl]
   from: Platinum Airways Flight 900 / Great Tracks / July 27 2023  
   [Originally released in 1997. Electronic, Jazz, Funk / Soul, Pop band from Japan. Platinum 900 are: Naoko Sakata on vocals, Kazuhiko nishimura on guitar & bass, and Hiroshi Iihoshi on keyboards & programming. Produced by Tatsuya Tsukada. Arranged by Platinum 900, & Satoshi Nakamura]

5. Bebel Gilberto – “Adeus América”
   from: João / Pias America / August 25, 2023
   [Isabel Buarque de Hollanda Gilberto de Oliveira (born May 12, 1966), known as Bebel Gilberto, is an American-born Brazilian popular singer often associated with bossa nova. She is the daughter of João Gilberto and singer Miúcha. Her uncle is singer/composer Chico Buarque. // Gilberto was born in New York City to Brazilian parents, bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto and singer Miúcha, who were briefly living in the city at the time of her birth. She often traveled with her father when he recorded albums in different countries; she lived in Mexico at age three and moved to Rio de Janeiro at age five. Gilberto’s parents separated when she was seven, and she spent her time between Rio de Janeiro with her mother and New York with her father. Gilberto has been performing since her youth in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. // Gilberto recalls that her childhood was “music nonstop”; when reflecting on her father’s influence, Gilberto states, “He taught me to be a perfectionist. But my mother taught me how to lose it. And you can hear it in my music today, I think.” She grew acquainted with popular artists such as Caetano Veloso, David Byrne, and Stan Getz, who often visited her father’s home to collaborate. She began singing with her mother at a young age and participated in professional musicals such as Saltimbancos and Pirlimpimpim. At the age of seven, she made her recording debut on her mother’s first solo album, Miúcha & Antônio Carlos Jobim (1977). Two years later, she performed at Carnegie Hall with her mother and Stan Getz. // Gilberto was a great friend of Cazuza and composed several songs with him in addition to “Eu preciso dizer que te amo”, including “Amigos de Bar”, “Mais Feliz”, and “Mulher sem Razão”. // Gilberto next participated in the project Red Hot + Rio, joining major music stars such as Everything but the Girl, Maxwell, George Michael, and others for the benefit CD recording. She also collaborated on Towa Tei’s CD Future Listening!, singing on the hits “Technova” and “Batucada,” and also participated in Peeping Tom with Mike Patton (lead singer of Faith No More), singing “Caipirinha”. // Tanto Tempo, an electronic bossa nova album released in 2000, was popular at clubs around the world and positioned Gilberto as one of the best-selling Brazilian artists in the U.S. since the 1960s. With her second album, Bebel Gilberto (2004), she refined her sound to create an acoustic lounge style that showcased her strengths as a Brazilian composer. // With Momento (2007), her third album in seven years, she wanted to do a fusion of both. Mixing the taste of Rio’s Orquestra Imperial with the melting pot of New York’s Brazilian Girls, and following the direction of the English producer Guy Sigsworth (Madonna’s partner in “What It Feels Like for a Girl”), Momento reaffirmed the international character of Gilberto’s music. In 2007, she was a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists’ careers. // Gilberto recorded her fourth studio album, All in One, in New York, Jamaica, and the Brazilian state of Bahia. It was released worldwide on September 29, 2009, on the American jazz label Verve, and was released in Brazil by Universal Music. It is the least electronic-infused of her albums, and brings to the forefront more of Gilberto’s personality and love for organic styles. All in One had a team of accomplished producers including Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen), John King (Dust Brothers, Beck), Daniel Jobim, Carlinhos Brown, Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls) and Mario Caldato Jr (Beastie Boys, Björk, Jack Johnson). Gilberto also provided the voice of the bird Eva in the animated film Rio (2011), an experience she called “amazing”. // Since the launch of Tanto Tempo in 2000, she has sold over 2.5 million records and has been featured on seven film soundtracks including Next Stop Wonderland, The Bubble, Closer and most recently 2010s Eat Pray Love and 2011’s Rio; and seven TV series including Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, and Nip/Tuck. // In 2011, she contributed a track entitled “Acabou Chorare” to the Red Hot Organization’s most recent charitable album, Red Hot+Rio 2. The album is a follow-up to the 1996 Red Hot+Rio. Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues. In 2015, her song “Tudo” was nominated for the 16th Latin Grammy Awards in the Best Brazilian Song category.]

6. Jorge Ben – “Zagueiro”
   from: Solta O Pavão / 2023 Survival Research / 2023 [Orig. Phillips Records / 1975]   
   [Jorge Duílio Lima Menezes (born March 22, 1939) is a Brazilian popular musician, performing under the stage name Jorge Ben Jor since the 1980s, though commonly known by his former stage name Jorge Ben. His characteristic style fuses samba, funk, rock and bossa nova with lyrics that blend humor and satire with often esoteric subject matter. His hits include “Chove Chuva”, “Mas, que Nada!”, “Ive Brussel” and “Balança Pema”, and have been interpreted by artists such as Caetano Veloso, Sérgio Mendes, Miriam Makeba, Soulfly and Marisa Monte. / Ben’s broad-minded and original approach to samba led him through participation in some of Brazilian popular music’s most important musical movements, such as bossa nova, Jovem Guarda, and Tropicália, with the latter period defined by his albums Jorge Ben (1969) and Fôrça Bruta (1970). He has been called “the father of samba rock”, by Billboard magazine. According to American music critic Robert Christgau, Ben and his contemporary Gilberto Gil were “always ready to go further out on a beat than the other samba/bossa geniuses”. // Born Jorge Duílio Lima Menezes in Rio de Janeiro, he first took the stage name Jorge Ben after his mother’s name (Sílvia Saint Ben Lima, Brazilian-born of Ethiopian origin) but in the 1980s changed it to Jorge Ben Jor (commonly written Benjor). // Jorge Ben obtained his first pandeiro (Brazil’s most popular type of tambourine) when he was thirteen, and two years later, was singing in a church choir. He also took part as a pandeiro player in the blocos of Carnaval, and from eighteen years of age, he began performing at parties and nightclubs with the guitar given to him by his mother. He was given the nickname “Babulina” after his enthusiastic pronunciation of rockabilly singer Ronnie Self’s song “Bop-A-Lena”. Was introduced to Tim Maia by Erasmo Carlos. It was in 1963 at one of those clubs in which he performed that Jorge’s musical career took off; he came on stage and sang “Mas, que Nada!” to a small crowd that happened to include an executive from the recording company, Philips. One week later, Jorge Ben’s first single was released. // The hybrid rhythms that Jorge employed brought him some problems at the start of his career, when Brazilian music was split between the rockier sounds of the Jovem Guarda and traditional samba with its complex lyrics. However, as that phase in Brazilian pop music history passed and bossa nova became better known throughout the world, Ben rose to prominence. // Holdings both television programs O Fino da Bossa and Jovem Guarda from Rede Record, after being reprimanded by the production of “O Fino da Bossa”, chose to participate in the Jovem Guarda, soon after, joined the program Divino, Maravilhoso from TV Tupi, presented by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. // Jorge Ben’s first public appearances were in small festivals organised by his friends, where bossa nova and rock and roll predominated. As with most musicians of the time, Ben was initially influenced by João Gilberto even though he was quite innovative in his own right. The aforementioned song, “Mas, que Nada!”, was his first big hit in Brazil, and remains to this day the most played song in the United States sung entirely in Portuguese.[citation needed] Outside of Brazil, the song is better known in cover versions by Sérgio Mendes and the Tamba Trio. The song has also been reinterpreted by prominent jazz artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie and Al Jarreau; as well as other samba artists of the time, such as Elza Soares.// His musical work has been vastly sampled by music producers and DJs, and covered by many bands in a variety of genres such as heavy metal, disco, rock, reggae, jazz, drum and bass, house music and more. // Ben’s 1963 debut album Samba Esquema Novo was met with great acclaim from fans, and encouraged Philips to capitalize on the success with immediate follow-up albums. The label pressured Ben to hastily record songs imitative of his debut, along with cover songs, resulting in the three albums within the span of 18 months and a strain on the singer’s relationship with Philips. He left the label after his 1965 album Big Ben. // In 1969, Jorge Ben released his eponymous album amid the excitement of the cultural and musical Tropicália movement. The album featured Trio Mocotó as his backing band, who would go on to launch a successful career on the back of their association with Ben. The album was noted for “País Tropical”, one of his most famous compositions, although it would be Wilson Simonal who would take his recording of the song to the top of the charts in Brazil that same year. Instead, the song “Charles, Anjo 45”, also from the self-titled album, would become Ben’s biggest self-performed chart hit of the year. // Jorge Ben released his most esoteric and experimental albums in the 1970s, most notably A Tábua de Esmeralda in 1974 and Solta o Pavão in 1975. The following year he released one of his most popular albums, África Brasil, a fusion of funk and samba which relied more on the electric guitar than previous efforts. This album also features a remake of his previously released song “Taj Mahal.” With its commercial success and sustained radio play, the melody made its way into the 1979 hit “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart. Ben sued for plagiarism and Stewart settled the lawsuit and donated the single’s royalties to UNICEF. // In 1989, Jorge changed his recording label as well as his artistic name, becoming Jorge Benjor (or Jorge Ben Jor). At the time, it was said that there were numerous reasons for his change in name; other sources say it was in response to an incident where some of his royalties accidentally went to American guitarist George Benson. // In 2002, Jorge Ben contributed to the critically acclaimed Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, which raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. He collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, and Bilal to remake Fela Kuti’s famous song “Shuffering and Shmiling” for the CD. // Ben was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Recording Academy in 2005. A year later, a remake of Ben’s “Mas, que Nada!” became an international chart hit for Sérgio Mendes with The Black Eyed Peas after being used by Nike in a global TV advertisement during the 2006 FIFA World Cup; this remake (the second time Mendes had covered the track) reached the Top 10 in several European countries, including the UK and Germany, in addition to reaching Number 1 in the Netherlands. // Jorge Ben is also a big fan of Flamengo, a Brazilian football club, located in Rio de Janeiro, which counts Zico, Junior and Leandro among their former star players. Ben’s interest in football carries over to his music, as many of his songs deal with the subject, such as “Flamengo”, “Camisa 10 da Gávea”, “Ponta De Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)”, “Zagueiro”, “Fio Maravilha”, and “A Loba Comeu o Canário”. // On July 7, 2007, he performed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth in Rio de Janeiro.] 

7. Marcos Valle – “Marcos Valle”
   from: Vontade de Rever Você / 2023 Mad About Records / 2023 / [orig. Som Livre / 1980] 
   [Marcos Kostenbader Valle (born 14 September 1943) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has produced works in many musical styles, including bossa nova, samba, and fusions of rock, soul, jazz, and dance music with Brazilian styles. Valle is credited for popularizing bossa nova in the 1960s. // Valle was born as Marcos Kostenbader Valle on 14 September 1943. He and his family lived in an apartment near Copacabana beach. Valle began playing piano at the age of five, studying the instrument and classical music for thirteen years. His parents purchased him a Petrof piano when he was ten years old. Growing up, he became influenced by Marvin Gaye. In 1963, he and his family lived in a house, and Antônio Carlos Jobim had just moved across the street from them. Valle is married to singer Patricia Alví. He previously had a wife named Anamaria. /// Valle began his career with the debut album Samba Demais in 1963. His second album O Compositor e o Cantor (1965) contained the hit single “Samba de Verão”. Walter Wanderly’s rendition of the track entered the US Top 40 in 1966. Warner Brothers records released an album of instrumentals titled Braziliance! in 1967. Fearing he would be drafted for the Vietnam War, he moved back to Brazil. // During this period, Brazil’s military dictatorship had started. He and his brother and lyricist Paulo Sergio Valle, initially refrained from incorporating politically charged lyrics, but once Valle returned to his country, he changed the tone of his music to reflect the situation in Brazil. According to Peter Margasak, Valle’s songs “became increasingly gloomy and baroque, though its foundation never ceased to be samba and bossa nova.” // Garra was released in 1971. Will Hodgkinson of The Times remarked that the track “Jesus Meu Rei”, “sounds so much like Christian devotional pop that you would never guess it’s about how much everyone hates Brazil’s president.” Valle also contributed to the Black Power movement with the track “Black Is Beautiful”. Valle also contributed to the soundtrack for Vila Sésamo, a Brazilian version of Sesame Street. // Valle grew displeased with his life in Brazil. He took a break from performing live in 1975 and relocated to Los Angeles. Devoting more of his time as a composer and in recording studios, it would take years for him to regain confidence in performing, “Maybe it was five years [away from live performance] that time”, as Valle claimed. // Votande De Rever Você was released in 1981. With its tracks written alongside Leon Ware and Peter Cetera, Bush said it “offered an excellent example of boogie-funk samba.” Valle released his second self-titled album Marcos Valle in 1982. He conceived the album as his way to celebrate Brazil’s dissolution of the military government. Its track “Estrelar” was popular in Brazil but especially in Europe. Having written the track with Leon Ware, Valle said, “It’s maybe more important than ‘Samba Summer’. It was so nice that [‘Samba Summer’] was a hit in the world. But ‘Estrelar’ was important to attract the young people from new generations and new cultures.” // After releasing his soul-pop output Tempo do Gente in 1986, he continued his career of composing songs for films and television shows, and collaborating with other artists. The 1990s saw a revival in bossa-nova and an interest in Valle. He released Nova Bossa Nova in 1998. John Bush has seen him embrace “trends in the dance community” at that time, he said that its “production is crunchy and indebted to acid jazz (with even a drum ‘n’ bass breakbeat or two), while the title track and “Bahia Blue” are just as slick and well-produced as his ’80s material.” // In 2010, he released Estática, an album which saw him return to a more organic approach, albeit with the use of some analog synthesisers. The record features expansive horn and string arrangements and has been referred to as a “masterpiece” by some.]

10:28 – Underwriting

8. Raskovich & Braen – “Costa Smeralda”
   from: Tempo libero / Redi Edizion / 2023 [Orig. Panda Records /1975]     
   [Braen & Raskovich is a pseudonym for italian library music maestros Alessandro Alessandroni (Braen) & Giuliano Sorgini (Raskovich).]

9. Michel Gonet – “Moon to Light”
   from: Tele Music: 30 Classics French Music Library, Vol. 1 / BMG Rights Management / 2019
   [Michel Pierre Henri Gonet was a French composer, arranger and conductor. He sometimes used these names: C. Vario, Cecil Wary. He played in groups: Cecil Wary Orchestra, Michel Gonet Et Son Orchestre. This compilation gathers 30 classics of the French Music Library. 70-80’s Pop, Electronic Music, Funk, Jazz, Latin, rarities coming from the mythic French Music library TELEMUSIC.]

10. P.A. Dahan – “Carmel Beach”
    from: Tele Music Continental Pop Sound / Be With Records / 2023 [orig. 1972]
    [Pierre-Alain Dahan was a French drummer, percussionist and composer, born March 1, 1943 in Oran, Algeria. He died December 23, 2013 in Le Thor, France.]

11. Sparklehouse – “It Will Never Stop”
    from: Bird Machine / Anti / 2023
    [The music for Bird Machine was recorded by Sparklehorse prior to Mark Linkous’ 2010 suicide. Linkous’ brother Matt oversaw unreleased music and found the track “It Will Never Stop” in 2022. In June 2023, the full album was announced, made up of older recordings, with additions made by Matt and Melissa Linkous. The initial tracks were recorded with Steve Albini and were intended to be the band’s fifth studio album prior to collaborating with Danger Mouse for Dark Night of the Soul. “Scull of Lucia” was previewed on July 11.// Sparklehorse was an American indie rock band from Richmond, Virginia, led by singer & multi-instrumental-ist Mark Linkous. It was active from 1995 until Linkous’s 2010 death. Before forming Sparklehorse, Linkous fronted local bands Johnson Family and Salt Chunk Mary. Only one song, “Someday I Will Treat You Good”, survived from these earlier bands to be played by Sparklehorse. Linkous said he chose the name Sparklehorse because the two words sounded good together and could be a loose metaphor for a motorcycle. At its incept-ion, members of Sparklehorse included Paul Watson (banjo, cornet, lap steel and electric guitar), Scott Minor (drums, chord organ, banjo), Johnny Hott (Wurlitzer organ, percussion, backing vocals), & Scot Fitzsimmons (standup bass). // Sparklehorse’s first album, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot (1995), produced by Cracker frontman David Lowery (credited as “David Charles” on the record), was a modest college radio success. In 1996, while touring Europe with Radiohead shortly after the album’s release, Linkous consumed a combinat-ion of anti-depressants, valium, alcohol, and heroin in a London hotel room. Unconscious and with his legs pinned beneath him for almost 14 hours, the resulting potassium build-up caused his heart to stop for several minutes after his body was lifted up. The ensuing surgery almost caused him to lose the use of both legs and, as a result, he needed to use a wheelchair for six months and required dialysis for acute kidney failure. // Good Morning Spider (1998) was recorded following this incident. Critics have conjectured that Linkous’s brush with death inspired the album’s somber tone, but Linkous said that much of GMS had already been written. One song that resulted from his affliction is “St. Mary”, which is dedicated to the nurses at the eponymous hospital in Paddington where Linkous recuperated. // In 1999 Sparklehorse performed at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. 2001 saw the release of It’s a Wonderful Life, featuring appearances by Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Bob Rupe, Nina Persson and Dave Fridmann. Much of Vivadixie… and Spider were recorded solely by Linkous on his Virginia farm, but the new album was more collaborative. Linkous expressed his satisfaction with the overall sound of It’s a Wonderful Life, which was engineered by Joel Hamilton, while also saying he would have preferred to include more experimental and instrumental material. // On Sept. 25, 2006, Sparklehorse released its fourth album, Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain, collaborating with Danger Mouse, Christian Fennesz, and Steven Drozd. This album featured the radio release “Don’t Take My Sunshine Away” and a remastered version of “Shade & Honey”, which Linkous originally wrote for Alessandro Nivola to sing in the 2003 movie Laurel Canyon, as well as a virtually unchanged re-release of “Morning Hollow”, the bonus track on It’s a Wonderful Life. // In 2008, Sparklehorse recorded a cover of “Jack’s Obsession” from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas for the official compilation album Nightmare Revisited. // In 2009, Sparklehorse teamed up with Danger Mouse & David Lynch on the project Dark Night of the Soul. Corliss et al. (2010) described Dark Night of the Soul as “spooky, beautiful,… bittersweet…considering Linkous’ untimely death.” // In 2009, Linkous collaborated with electronic ambient-music artist Christian Fennesz to create In the Fishtank 15, an EP of experimentation & dreamy atmospherics. In Oct. 2009, Linkous performed with Fennesz during a European tour. // Linkous committed suicide in Knoxville, TN, Mar. 6, 2010]

12. Sparklehouse – “The Scull of Lucia”
    from: Bird Machine / Anti / 2023

13. The Gaslamp Killer & The Heliocentrics – “She’s Coming”
    from: Legna (Bonus Track Version) / Cuss Records / May 19, 2023
    [The Heliocentrics, the genre-bending UK-based recording and production ensemble led by Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson, have been making waves with their eclectic sound that draws from an impressive array of influences. The group seamlessly blends funk, jazz, library music, psychedelic, electronica, and various world musics to create a sound that defies categorization. // Over the years, they’ve collaborated with the likes of Mulatu Astatke, DJ Shadow, Archie Shepp and Orlando Julius – further cementing their cult status as a pioneering force that has attracted a legion of discerning music heads around the world. // Meanwhile, the enigmatic Gaslamp Killer, born William Bensussen, has been making a name for himself on the other side of the pond with his unconventional approach to music. The Los Angeles-based DJ / producer has a deep well of knowledge when it comes to library music, psychedelic rock, bass-heavy instrumental hip-hop, Middle-Eastern / Indian rare grooves, and the dirtiest drums on earth. // In 2001, GLK dropped his first mixtape, aptly titled “The Gaslamp Killers,” which introduced Malcolm Catto’s first and only solo project, “Popcorn Bubble Fish.” Fast forward to 2009, Stonesthrow asked GLK to record a mix for a new band they were releasing called The Heliocentrics. // The stars would align a few years later, as The Heliocentrics would go on to tour with the GLK Experience as his backing band. This laid the groundwork for a monumental collaboration that was recorded at Quartermass Sound Lab, and would take many years to complete. // The resulting album is a testament to the unique sound and influences of both GLK and The Heliocentrics, and is a prime example of the groups’ experimental approach to music. The partnership showcases the Heliocentrics’ ability to effortlessly blend genres while GLK’s ear for rare and eclectic sounds further cements his status as one of the most innovative producers around. // This limited edition 12″ single LP comes in a deluxe case wrapped hardback outer sleeve with spot UV coating. High quality poly lined inner sleeves to protect the 160g virgin vinyl records.13 tracks including a download card that contains a digital bonus! Mixed by Malcolm Catto & Jake Ferguson at Quartermass Sound Lab. Mastered by Kelly Hibbert at Almachrome. // The cover features photography by Carlos Ximenez + Imaging and Layout by Blacksmith Branding. // A. Owusu – Electric Guitar; A. Yaghmai – Electric Guitar; B. Patkova – Vocals on ‘She’s Coming; J. Yglesias – Percussion; J. Ferguson – Bass, Guitars, Synth, Effects; M. Catto – Drums, Guitars; O. Parfitt – Clavinet, Moog; R. Bush – Strings, Moog, Effects; W. Bensussen – Additional Writing, Arranging, and Editing. String arrangements: J. Ferguson and R. Bush. Additional Writing, Arranging, and Editing: W. Bensussen. Mixing: J. Ferguson and M. Catto. Recorded at: Quatermass Studios, Hackney, London. Mastering: K. Hibbert at Almachrome]

10:59 – Station ID

14. The Gaslamp Killer & The Heliocentrics – “Rumble In the Jungle”
    from: Legna (Bonus Track Version) / Cuss Records / May 19, 2023

15. Blonde Redhead – “Melody Experiment” 
    from: Sit Down for Dinner / Section 1 Records / September 29, 2023
    [Blonde Redhead is an American alternative rock band composed of Kazu Makino (vocals, keys/rhythm guitar) and twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace (drums/keys and lead guitar/bass/keys/vocals, respectively) that formed in New York City in 1993. The band’s earliest albums were noted for their noise rock influences, though their sound evolved by the early 2000s with the releases of Misery is a Butterfly (2004) and 23 (2007), which both incorporated elements of dream pop, shoegaze and other genres. They have released nine regular studio albums and have toured internationally. //Amedeo and Simone Pace were born in Milan, Italy, and grew up in Montreal (Saint-Léonard), but later moved to Boston to study jazz. After earning Bachelor’s degrees, they entered the New York City underground music scene. Blonde Redhead formed in New York in 1993 after Amedeo and Simone met Kazu Makino, an art student at the time, by chance at a local Italian restaurant.[6] The band named themselves after a song on the 1981 EP A Taste of DNA by the no wave group DNA. // Blonde Redhead’s self-titled debut album was released in 1995. Shortly afterwards, fourth member Maki Takahashi left the band and was replaced by her friend Toko Yasuda as bassist. Yasuda played on the band’s second album La Mia Vita Violenta also released in 1995. Both records appeared on the New York label Smells Like. The band continued as a trio. // Their third album, Fake Can Be Just as Good, was released through Touch & Go in 1997. The band enlisted the help of Vern Rumsey of Unwound, who filled the role of guest bassist. Subsequent albums featured Skúli Sverrisson, who the twins knew from their time in Boston. // On their fourth album, In an Expression of the Inexpressible, Guy Picciotto of Fugazi was hired as producer. Picciotto also contributed in the construction to the song “Futurism vs. Passéism Part 2” as well as lending it his vocals to the 1998 release. In 2000 Picciotto also co-produced Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons with Ryan Hadlock, an album about the relationship between Makino and Amedeo Pace. // The four-year delay between Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons and Misery Is a Butterfly is attributed to Makino’s recovery time after being trampled by a horse. Much of the visual and lyrical imagery of Misery Is a Butterfly is reflective of the accident, especially in the music video for “Equus.” It was the last time Picciotto produced the band. // In 2006 Makino recorded vocals for the film Sisters. Alan Moulder mixed the trio’s album 23 which was released on 4AD, in April 2007. // In mid-2008, they wrote and recorded the score of the documentary feature film The Dungeon Masters. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was released on February 12, 2010; a soundtrack album was released in July 2010. In 2009, Blonde Redhead contributed to the AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night produced by the Red Hot Organization. // In March 2010 the band included a demo version of the song “Not Getting There” on a 4AD sampler entitled Fragments From Work In Progress. Their eighth album, Penny Sparkle, was released in September 2010 through 4AD. The album was again mixed by Alan Moulder, and reached 79 in the Billboard 200 chart. For the subsequent tour the band added a key-board player. The band released a six-track remix EP in July 2011. // A year later, the band started the project for their next album but without the support of 4AD. Self-financed, the band embarked on a haphazard recording schedule with producer Drew Brown. Simone Pace noted about Brown’s involvement that “he has so much experience and definitely dictated the direction of the record; the choices of instruments, concept and that it was minimal.” He forced the band to use analogue instruments. // In April 2014 their song “For the Damaged Coda” was used in an episode of the first season of the cartoon Rick and Morty. The use of this song was again repeated in April 2017 in the third season. The use of the song became an important plot device regarding the character “Evil Morty” for the series. Around 2018 this song became an Internet meme expressing the sadness one feels at the worst moments of one’s life. The band released their ninth album, Barragán, on September 2, 2014, through Kobalt. It was preceded by the single “No More Honey” that appeared in June. It was followed by the second single, “Dripping,” which included a video. The band also provided the soundtrack to the Danish film The Commentator. // In June 2016 it was announced that the band would release the box set Masculin Féminin on September 30 through The Numero Group. It contains 37 tracks, which cover the first two albums, associated singles, radio sessions and unreleased demos from the period. In 2017, the band released the EP 3 O’Clock, which comprises four songs and featured contributions from Eyvind Kang, Michael Leonhart, Sam Owens and Mauro Refosco, among others. // In September 2019, Kazu Makino released her first solo album, Adult Baby, which featured Ryuichi Sakamoto (on piano, field recordings, and “organic instruments”), Ian Chang and Greg Saunier (drums), and Mauro Refosco (percussion). // The band toured the US in 2022 on select dates supporting Tool // Current members: Kazu Makino on rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals (1993–present); Amedeo Pace on lead guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals (1993–present); and Simone Pace on drums, keyboards (1993–present).]

16. Slowdive – “chained to a cloud”
    from: everything is alive / Dead Oceans / September 1, 2023
    [Everything Is Alive is the fifth studio album by English rock band Slowdive,. It is their first album in six years and their second since reforming, following their self-titled album released in 2017. // The album received critical acclaim and was commercially successful throughout Europe, reaching the top ten in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. // Slowdive entered the studio in September 2020 to begin recording their fifth album. The band originally booked studio sessions for April 2020 that were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the band suffered the loss of Rachel Goswell’s mother and Simon Scott’s father. Neil Halstead, who wrote all of the album’s songs, said that the music was more of an “escape” from the darkness that the band’s members were going through. Goswell struggled with alcoholism in the wake of her grief before entering sobriety. “I thought it was going to be quite a dark record but once we got together as a band, I think some of that darkness lifted and some of the tunes became a bit lighter,” Halstead said. // The album arose from material that Halstead wrote with modular synthesizers in 2019 for a planned electronic solo record.[4][6] He was unsure of the song “Kisses”, which was ultimately released as the album’s lead single, as it felt “too pop” for him. The instrumental “Prayer Remembered” originated from an arpeggiated synth line before Scott filtered guitar leads through a Max patch system. Halstead flew out to Los Angeles to mix the album with producer Shawn Everett, which resulted in the drums becoming “dirtier sounding” // Slowdive are a British rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell on vocals, guitar and keyboard, Neil Halstead on vocals and guitar, Christian Savill on guitar, Nick Chaplin on bass guitar and Simon Scott on drums, all of whom have played on the band’s debut studio album Just for a Day (1991). Halstead is the band’s primary songwriter. // he band is one of the most prominent within the shoegaze scene, which rose to prominence in England during the early 1990s. While the band’s second studio album Souvlaki (1993) initially received mixed reviews upon release, it has since been recognized as one of the best releases of the 1990s and one of the greatest shoegaze albums of all time. The band broke up soon after the release of their third studio album Pygmalion in 1995, having seen Scott, Savill and Chaplin all depart the band prior. The remaining members continued under a more folk and country-influenced direction as Mojave 3. // Slowdive reunited in 2014 to play the Primavera Sound festival and released a self-titled studio album in 2017, their first in 22 years. The band’s fifth studio album Everything Is Alive was released in 2023 and became Slowdive’s first top ten album in any country, doing so in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the UK.]

17. Sigur Rós – “Glóð”
    from: ÁTTA / BMG Rights Management / June 16, 2023
    [On June 16, 2023, Sigur Rós released “Blóðberg”, the first single from their eighth studio album, Átta (eight in icelandic). The self-produced album was recorded at Sundlaugin Studio, on the rural outskirts of Reykjavik. // Sigur Rós (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈsɪːɣʏrous] is an Icelandic post-rock band that formed in 1994 in Reykjavík. It comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, frontman Jónsi’s falsetto vocals, and their use of bowed guitar, Sigur Rós incorporate classical and minimal aesthetic elements. Jónsi’s vocals are sung in Icelandic and non-linguistic vocalisations the band terms Vonlenska. They have released eight studio albums, and attracted critical and commercial attention with their second album Ágætis byrjun. Current members include: Jón Þór “Jónsi” Birgisson on lead vocals, guitars, bowed guitar, keyboards, harmonica, banjo, bass guitar (1994–present); Georg “Goggi” Hólm on bass guitar, glockenspiel, toy piano, keyboards, backing vocals (1994–present); Kjartan “Kjarri” Sveinsson on synthesizers, keyboards, piano, organ, programming, guitars, flute, tin whistle, oboe, banjo, backing vocals (1998–2013, 2022–present)]

11:23 – Underwriting

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

11:25

17. Bennis Cletin – “Jungle Magic”
    from: AfroMagic Hypnotic Grooves & Estatic Moves /Everland / 2023 [Orig. Oct. 25, 2009]
    [When a passionate DJ and crate digger intuitively selects music for a DJ compilation, without artistic compromise and without the burden of trends, AfroMagic vol.1 emerges from the depths of his soul. Herewith we present the new favorite phonomancer’s tool for all the DJs who experience the dance floor as a sanctuary and a source of freedom and love. // he most fundamental thing that defines African music is that it was created for dancing. In African dance, there is often no clear distinction between ritual celebration and social recreational entertainment – one can seemlessly merge with the other. Because dance and rhythm have more power than gesture and more richness than words, and because they express the deepest experiences of human beings, dance is in itself a complete and self-sufficient language. It is truly an expression of life with all of its emotions – joy, love, sadness and hope – without which there is no African music and dance. For the African people, dance and music are integral parts of the body and soul, thus depicting the expression of life, current emotional states, visions or dreams. Through hypnotic repetitive music and dance, people communicate with each other and with the souls of the dead, the animals, the plants, the stars, the Gods… They free the body and the spirit through ecstatic states, reaching a healing sense of freedom, happiness, and satisfaction. // Throughout history, this transcendental perception of rhythm and dance originating from Africa, influenced popular music worldwide, thus creating new living and breathing forms of musical genres – freeing them from their industrial mold. Funk, disco, soul, boogie, reggae, dancefloor jazz etc., developed in parallel all over the world. It is foolish to perpetually discuss where they originated from and who were the creators of all these fiery dance floor genres – being obvious that they directly or indirectly originate from the African continent and its people who were as well, over the centuries, influenced by disturbing socio-cultural factors of colonialism. However, no one can enslave the soul. The seeds of free and uninhibited dance and rhythm, true to their original form, initially first sprouted onto the USA’s fertile fields of clubbing and popular music while later evolving in other parts of the world. // The disco funk club culture manifested itself as a phenomenal explosion of artists and grooves in the second half of the 70s in the USA. Shortly it spread around the world continually reigning over charts in its various forms – to this day. Clubs emerged where the DJ is an almighty shaman and the dancers are a tribe united under one roof. This urban ritual had and still has a single goal: togetherness, freedom, and love. Clubs have evolved into temples where we free ourselves from the burden of consumerist lifestyle and suppressed emotions – a place where we receive love and give love – to be who we really are. // Disco funk clubbing was such an influential global phenomenon that its influence can be observed in various other genres from the disco funk era i.e. progressive rock, which mutated by layering complex rock arrangements with a disco funk groove resulting in hybrids, highly sought by today’s diggers, producers and collectors. // The profit-hungry music industry of the 80s very quickly commercialized the original disco funk sound by amputating it of its original Afro groove to be able to easily ‘sell’ it globally. So, the original disco funk groove became underground again, and it has remained so until this day. Today, for a DJ to unearth that ravishing groove that will lead the dancers to the stars, he must dig passionately like a true musical archeologist in search of that groove that picks you up after just a few initial beats. That groove which forces the atoms in your body to vibrate, that groove which unites the body and releases the burden. // The selection of songs on the AfroMagic compilation is focused on African club music created in the second half of the 70s and early 80s, when it was at its peak, especially in West Africa. The funk, soul, disco, boogie, RnR, jazz and reggae were entranced at one point by African culture and magic. Considering that, unfortunately, the African continent always lagged in technological progress due to constant colonial weight and theft – new electronic instruments (synths, effects, etc.) were employed rather naively by local musicians who weren’t following default rules dictated by the industrial pop culture. It is in fact this that gives the AfroMagic compilation that special quality and uniqueness – because the music presented here was created without any restrictions or influence of capitalism. // The compilation opener, Jungle Magic by Benis Cletin, hitting us from the start with an acidified loud synth, sounding like a space helicopter mixed in with a slow 4/4 kick, indicates the progressiveness and freedom that forms the basis of the AfroMagic compilation series. Soon after the wackiness of Jungle Magic, Joe Kemfa takes us to the very center of African clubbing with his band Aura. A chorus of chanting female singers, heavy lofi modulation paired with a murky groove and dreamy synths in an unconventional arrangement – bringing forth the smells and images of intoxicated clubbing hedonism of the 70s West Africa. Felix Lebarty finally breaks out of the intoxicated atmosphere of Joe Kemfa and switches back to the original recipe – repetitive funk & afrobeat grooves interspersed with dirty RnR licks and solos that simply make you close your eyes and fly away. Goldfinger Doe & B.M.S. close the A-side in an anthemic manner with synth tribal funk, which at one point polymorphs into a scorching hot Latino groove that enthusiastically rocks the dancefloor. // The B side, with a slightly different progressive concept, is opened by the great Geraldo Pino. // A mutant reggae riddim song based on a fat groove with Geraldo telling us directly and humorously about his ‘problem’ – wife with an insatiable sexual appetite. On B2 Joe Moks raps like a rhythm machine on top of a repetitive psychedelic disco groove. The lyrics, ‘Boys and Girls let’s groove on together’, will stay with you and ring for a long time. A special AfroMagic moment you’ll fall heads over heels instantly is ‘10 years of love’ by Danny Offia and the Friks. This song vividly displays influences from the early House music developments originating from the USA, making this number an authentic representative of the Afro proto house sound from the early 80s. // The last song on the B side by the BLO band, with its pop disco sensibility, ends the first volume of the AfroMagic compilation in style – as per any DJ set of value and significance. // The AfroMagic series of compilations was created with the goal of being used as a tool for real DJs who stick to the aesthetics and essence of clubbing. ]

11:33 – Interview with Betty Berry

Betty Berry Studied Earth and Environmental Science at University of MO-Kansas City

She worked Worked at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from April 26, 1977 to December 31, 2010.

In 2010 she served as Deputy Division Director, Environmental Services Division, USEPA at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 7 (IA, KS, MO, NE)

Betty Berry is a 90.1 FM Volunteer and Active Member. She is also the President of the Kansas City Blues Society.

Betty joins us to share details about The International Blues Challenge on Saturday, September 16 at 12:00 Noon. at Knuckleheads Garage 2715 Rochester St, KCMO. This is a live regional preliminary IBC event, with the winner representing the KC Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN along historic Beale Street.

Betty also talks with us about KC Blues Society Presents Blues in The Bottoms with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Mathias Lattin & Keeshea Pratt and Womanish Girl, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 – 6:30 PM at Knuckleheads 2715 Rochester St, KCMO. More info at http://www.blueskc.org

Betty Berry Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The International Blues Challenge is on Saturday, September 16 at 12:00 Noon. at Knuckleheads Garage 2715 Rochester St, Kansas City, MO. This is a live regional preliminary IBC competition, with the winner representing the KC Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN along historic Beale Street.

This challenge represents the worldwide search for those blues bands and solo/duo blues performers ready for the international stage, yet just needing that extra big break. Each affiliated Blues Society of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band and solo/duo musician(s) to represent its organization at the IBC.

Affiliated Blues Societies are required to stage a live regional preliminary IBC challenge, with the winner of that event representing the organization in the International Blues Challenge held annually in Memphis, TN., along historic Beale Street. While affiliated Blues Societies are encouraged to follow The Blues Foundation’s structure and rules during their local challenges, each organization is free to structure its preliminary rounds as it sees fit, as long as a true challenge between multiple musicians takes place resulting in a single band and/or solo/duo artist(s) being identified. For more information follow this link.

The 2023 Kansas City Blues Society “Road to Memphis” International Blues Challenge entrants are:

Solo/Duo category: Conita & Marty, Drum & Dye, The Elles, Steve Farber & Bill Thompson, Jonny Green

Band category: Big Luke & the Soul Disciples, The HooDoo Brothers, Legerdemain, Sharp Marbles, Velvet Blues Revue

ALSO:

KC Blues Society Presents Blues in The Bottoms with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Mathias Lattin & Keeshea Pratt and Womanish Girl, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 – 6:30 PM at Knuckleheads

Dubbed “blues royalty,” Ronnie Baker Brooks’ style of Chicago blues has been performed on stages around the world.

Mattias Lattin won 1st place at the 2023 International Blues Challenge and was also awarded Best Guitarist.

Keeshea Pratt is a siren featured on the microphone with soaring and soulful lead Mississippi inspired vocals.

Womanish Girl is a Kansas City-based blues rock duo comprised of guitarist and vocalist Katy Guillen and drummer Stephanie Williams

11:43

20. Keeshea Pratt Band – “Have A Good Time Y’All”
    from: Believe / Keeshea Pratt Band / May 29, 2018
    [ Singing since the age of six, Keeshea Pratt has shared the stage with several notable national figures including bluesman Bobby Rush, Eddie Cotton, opera singer Grace Bumbry, soul singer Musiq Soulchild, and gospel icon the late Reverend James Moore. // Pratt has accomplished what few Mississippi based singers before her has ever achieved: The ability to attract fans from all walks of life without ever straying from the intricate roots that nurtured her awarding winning voice in the first place. // Pratt’s impressive musical range and undeniable charisma changed the landscape of local entertainment by displaying the kind of vocal immediacy and vulnerability possessed by few singers and leaving you wanting more. // About Keeshea Pratt – Keeshea face closeup looking directly at cameraDraped with amazing style, class, and sophistication, Pratt takes you on a journey through all genres of music. “I always get asked the same question,” says Pratt, “What type of music do you sing?” My answer has always been the same… “I sing it all.” // There has been an elite array of influences with unique sounds and styles that has cultivated Pratt’s alluring and spirited presentation. She’s an artist that appreciates all genres and refuses to be put in a box, and her connection with her audience allows her to tap into whatever their mood is and render an offering of shear vocal pleasure. // Some of Pratt’s accomplishments include “The Jackson Free Press Artist of the Week 2011”, “The 2012 Female Artist of the Year in the Jackson Music Awards”, and a featured artist the 2010 Chicago Blues Festival. However, her love of music continues to ignite her passion causing her to dig deeper into the depths of her musical soul to give her audience more of what they crave for this dynamic vocalist.// Recently in 2018 Pratt lead her band to a higher elevation when they represented Houston in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis winning by a landslide and “took the blues music world by storm” as stated in the Houston Press. Pratt’s win was the first in Houston’s history earning her the well-deserved honor to be newly crowned “the queen of the blues!”// Believe by The Keeshea Pratt Band Album Cover ArtShe is unique in her own right, her style is all her own, “influence” by the greats, however, this grit and energy can’t be borrowed. Pratt will continue to reach higher and work harder to ensure the purity of her craft is never diluted… because it is the greatest gift to yourself and your fans. // Her road to the top of her musical game has been filled with the type of conviction that now causes a younger generation to look to her as a musical influence. // Having sang, performed, studied her craft, triumphed and failed Pratt now has a story about life to sing about to the world and is spreading her wings to do what so many of her adoring fans have longed for… her… living in their radio! // She is taking her music career to another level and is positioning herself to become a sought after recording artist. She and her band recently released their debut album “Believe” in May 2018. Pratt now resides in Houston, TX with her family. Are you ready for Pratt experience?]

[KC Blues Society Presents Blues in The Bottoms with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Mathias Lattin & Keeshea Pratt and Womanish Girl, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 – 6:30 PM at Knuckleheads 2715 Rochester St, KCMO. More info at http://www.blueskc.org]

11:47 – More Interview with Betty Berry

Betty Berry is a 90.1 FM KKFI Volunteer and Active Member. She is also the President of the Kansas City Blues Society.

The Kansas City Blues Society is a non-profit organization that is passionate about promoting and preserving the blues music and community in Kansas City. Our main focus is to expand the presence and life of the blues through various community events as well as educational programs. The Blues Society works to strengthen the links between community and local musicians in an effort to bring value to its members’ musicians and the surrounding community.

The Kansas City Blues Society has the mission of increased awareness, understanding, and appreciation of blues music.

Kansas City Blues Society are ALWAYS looking for helpful volunteers to assist with events and tasks behind-the-scenes. Please contact Dennis Nelson at 913-233-6969 or email him through our Contact page. More info at http://www.blueskc.org]

Board Members:
Betty J. Berry, President
Donna Lunnon, Treasurer
Dennis Nelson, Monthly Jams/Volunteers
Charles “Dutch” Metzker, Merchandise
Cory Bryars, Monthly Newsletter
Craig Smith, Membership

Betty joins us to share details about The International Blues Challenge on Saturday, September 16 at 12:00 Noon, at Knuckleheads Garage 2715 Rochester St, KCMO. This is a live regional preliminary IBC challenge, with the winner representing the KC Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN., along historic Beale Street.

Betty also talks with us about KC Blues Society Presents Blues in The Bottoms with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Mathias Lattin & Keeshea Pratt and Womanish Girl, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 – 6:30 PM at Knuckleheads 2715 Rochester St, KCMO. More info at http://www.blueskc.org

Betty Berry Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

11:54

20. Ronnie Baker Brooks – “Pick Powder”
    from: Take Me Witcha / Watchdog Records / May 22, 2001
    [Ronnie Baker Brooks (born January 23, 1967) is an American Chicago blues and soul blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a respected club performer in Chicago, even before recording three solo albums for Watchdog Records. The son of fellow Chicago blues musician Lonnie Brooks, he is the brother of another blues guitarist, Wayne Baker Brooks. // AllMusic journalist, Andy Whitman, described Brooks as “… a better than average soul singer, a fine blues interpreter, and a monster guitarist with an ample supply of technique and passion.” // He was born Rodney Dion Baker in Chicago, Illinois, United States. // At the age of nine, he first appeared on stage playing guitar alongside his father. In 1985, he graduated from Hales Franciscan High School. He learned to play bass guitar and joined his father’s band in 1986. He played guitar on his father’s live album, Live from Chicago: Bayou Lightning Strikes, released by Alligator Records in 1988. He was then part of Alligator Records’ 20th Anniversary Tour, performing alongside Koko Taylor, Elvin Bishop, and Lil’ Ed Williams. // By 1998, Brooks was pursuing a solo career. His debut album, Golddigger, was released the same year by the Watchdog label. It was produced by Janet Jackson. He was nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2000 for Best New Artist. His second album, Take Me Witcha, was released in May 2001. // Brooks next album was The Torch (2006). The Boston Herald described it as “ferocious and unrelenting, The Torch may be the year’s best blues album.” The album included contributions from Lonnie Brooks, Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Johnson, Willie Kent, and Al Kapone and was produced by Jellybean Johnson. From 2007 to 2010, Brooks toured with band members Carlton Armstrong, C.J. Anthony Tucker, and Steve Nixon, to support The Torch. On occasions when his younger brother, Wayne Baker Brooks, joined him and his father on stage, they were billed as the Brooks Family Band. // Brooks played at the Notodden Blues Festival in 2007 and at Memphis in May and the Musikfest in 2009. In August 2010, he co-wrote three tracks with Chris Beard for the latter’s Who I Am and What I Do, released by Electro Glide Records. // In 2012, the blues journalist David Brais declared Brooks “blues royalty”, stating that “his particular style of Chicago blues has been performed on stages around the world. It honors the true torch bearers of this unique sound which includes Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Luther Allison and his father.” // Times Have Changed is Brooks most recent album, and was released in January 2017. // Brooks lives in Dolton, Illinois, and is a regular at Artis’s Lounge on Chicago’s South Side.]

[KC Blues Society Presents Blues in The Bottoms with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Mathias Lattin & Keeshea Pratt and Womanish Girl, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 – 6:30 PM at Knuckleheads 2715 Rochester St, KCMO. More info at http://www.blueskc.org]

21. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
    from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
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Next week on Sept 20 we talk with Alyssa Murray about her new album SCROLLIN’ released September 1, 2023. We also talk with Mica Elgin Vi and members of the band Mondern Day Fitzgerald about their new concept Rock Oprea Album MEET ME ON ARMOUR ROAD. Also joining us is Shawn Crowley of Manor Records. And we talk with Jeffery Stoltz of Frightened Stag about their new Theatrical Stage Production

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 #1011