#461 – February 20, 2013 Playlist | Wednesday MidDay Medley

Wednesday MidDay Medley
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
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Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Marion Merritt’s Musical Discoveries
+ Laurel Morgan & Sascha Groschang of The Wires

Marion Merritt joined us to share information from her musically-encyclopedic-brain. Marion Merritt is the co-creator of the blog: a2-m3.com providing information about: Music, Film, Art, Books, Television, Technology, with links, downloads, and articles keeping us current with the latest musical and film news.

1. Dimitri From Paris – “Prologue, Sacreblu”

2. Follakzoid – “9”
from: 2 / Sacred Bones / Jan. 22, 2010
[Föllakzoid began in Santiago, Chile from what they describe as the result of “a product of a trance experience between friends, sort of a soul abduction in which they’ve been living since 2008.” The band is made up of multi-faceted artists: Juan Pablo (bass, vocals) is a producer of the Sangre Fresca Music Festival in Santiago, Diego (drums) is a photographer, Alfredo (synth) is an architect and Domingo (guitar) is also a filmmaker credited with long length movie “Partir to Live.”]

3. The Bryan Ferry Orchestra – “Love is the Drug”
from: The Jazz Age / BMG / February 12, 2013

4. Mac Demarco – “Cooking Up Something Good”
from: Mac Demarco 2 / Captured Tracks / Oct. 16, 2012

5. Mac Demarco – “Annie”
from: Mac Demarco 2 / Captured Tracks / Oct. 16, 2012

6. Junip – “Line of Fire”
from: Single Release / Mute US Corporation / Jan. 15, 2013

7. Matthew E. White – “Will You Love Me”
from: Big Inner / HOMETAPES / Aug. 21, 2012

10:33 – Underwriting

10:34

8. Foxygen – “In The Darkness”
from: We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic / Jagjaguar / Jan. 18, 2013
[Second full-length album by Californian experimental rock duo of Sam France, 22 year old vocalist and songwriter, originally from Olympia, Washington, and Jonathan Rado, also 22, who is a songwriter, guitarist, and keyboard player, originally form NYC. Formed in 2005, the band self-released several EPs between 2007 and 2011. In 2012 the group was signed to Jagjaguwar Records. This album was produced by Richard Swift and recorded at his National Freedom studio.]

9. Foxygen – “Shuggie”
from: We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic / Jagjaguar / Jan. 18, 2013

10. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “So Good at Being in Trouble”
from: II / Jagjaguar / Feb. 5, 2013

11. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”
from: II / Jagjaguar / Feb. 5, 2013

10:48

12. Pantha du Prince & The Bell Laboratory- “Photon”
from: Elements of Light / Rough Trade US / Jan. 15, 2013

13. Pantha du Prince – “Bohemian Forrest”
from: Black Noise / Rough Trade / Feb. 9, 2010

11:00 – Station I.D.

14. Alfonso Lovo – “Firebird Feathers”
from: La Gigantona / Numero Group / Sept. 2012
[Alfonso Noel Lovo (Born August 12, 1951 in León, Nicaragua) Nicaraguan composer and guitarist. He started playing with Ricardo Palma founder of Los Rockets in 1963 and then co-founded Los Juniors, with Emilio Ortega, in 1965. Both were among the top guitar players of the Nicaragua rock movement in the 60’s. He also played with Edmundo Guerrero, a local guitar master of the Bossa Nova Brazilian jazz style. Lovo was hijacked on a Lanica airline flight out of Miami, where he almost lost his left hand due to bullet wounds. Lovo survived and later regained the use of his hand. He was one of the original exponents of Nicaraguan Latin Rock. He recorded an album, Terremoto Richter 6.3 in 1973, in New Orleans. It is a fusion of Nicaraguan-style classic Spanish guitar with New Orleans Jazz and Gospel. He collaborated in his home town with Chepito Areas, the original percussionist with Santana Band. This connected him with that band. Together they produced the Managua Earthequake Relief concert featuring Mario Moreno and ‘Cantinflas’ in October 1972. After the Nicaraguan Revolution, Lovo moved to the USA. In New Orleans, he got deeper into the Blues Guitar, influenced by New Orleans musicians and Louisiana bluesmen. In Miami, in the late 80’s he recorded the song Freedom Fighters with his band “Wolf and The Pack”. This song, is a mixture of rock and politics, earned him an invitation to perform at the White House. The Miami Herald front-paged the band, then known as Alfonso Lobo and Wolf and The Pack, which led to TV interviews with CBS, NBC, ABC and Univision. The Miami PBS channel dedicated a documentary program directed by Don Webb, to a Lovo interview and featured clips from the network coverage. In Patrick Carr’s book Sunshine States, the author titled chapter 7 ‘The King of Contra Rock’ and dedicated it to Lovo. Lovo recorded La Gigantona, originally in 1976, featuring acid Latin jazz music, with an all-star Nicaraguan band, including percussion by Areas. The Chicago-based record label The Numero Group reissued Lovo’s La Gigantona album in the fall of 2012. The reissue was sourced from a rare acetate and includes extensive liner notes on Alfonso Lovo, including historical photos of his musical background. Since its re-release, La Gigantona has been a success and Lovo has been the subject of many reviews and interviews worldwide, including praises from BBC music critic Gilles Peterson, radio, Relix Magazine, Dusted Magazine, and many more international stations, and several TV shows. La Gigantona has become a well known name, and in November 14 , it reached # 4 in Billboard, Tropical music category. A new version of Wolf and The Pack has been formed in Miami, with Latin jazz players, and new performances have been seen up to the end of 2012, of La Gigantona, considered a dormant hit record, that has been awakened by Numero Group, the reissue label from Chicago.]

15. Samuel Yirga – “Abet Abet (Punt Mix)”
from: Guzo / Real World / Sept. 25, 2012
[Ethiopian pianist who was introduced to Real World through his work with Ethio-fusion collective Dub Colossus. Influenced by Keith Jarrett & Herbie Hancock, he nonetheless creates his own highly unique style, experimenting with the music of his ethnic roots, American jazz, soul & r&b, Latin & classical music. Despite being in his early 20s and a recent alumnus of Addis Ababa’s Yared School of Music, he’s developed at a remarkable pace as both player and composer, and is already being heralded as one of his country’s most promising young musicians. GUZO, means “journey” in Sam’s native Amharic. Recorded partly in Addis and partly at England’s Real World Studios. Produced by Dubulah — aka Nick Page, the UK musician/producer behind TransGlobal Underground, Dub Colossus and Temple of Sound — it explores both the traditional musical history of Ethiopia and the modern Ethiojazz that has brought the country’s music to international attention. The album also ventures into bigband brass ensembles, soul and funk, and simmers with deeply impassioned piano solos that clearly mark Samuel Yirga as a major emerging talent.]

11:15 – Underwriting

11:16 – Interview with Laurel Morgan & Sascha Groschang of The Wires

Laurel Morgan grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. A classically trained, she has been playing the violin for 25 years. Laurel graduated from the UMKC Conservatory of Music in 2005. She has also performed with the Des Moines Symphony, Quixotic fusion ensemble, Musical Theatre Heritage at the Off-Center Theatre and as a member of folk-rock band, ‘In the Pines” that won several Pitch music awards. As a composer, arranger, and musician Laurel Morgan has traveled to Germany, Austria, and throughout the United States, but is based here in Kansas City. Laurel Morgan is currently on faculty at the Cottey College department of music.

Sascha Groschang graduated from Paseo Academy of Performing Arts in 2000, UMKC Conservatory of Music in 2004, and Mannes College – The New School For Music in 2008. She had her solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall’s recital hall, Weill Hall in February 2009. Sascha has recorded or performed with Peter Gabriel, Joanna Newsom, Ashanti, Adina Menzel, Clay Walker, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. She has also worked for NBC and Rhino Records. She is currently working with Juniper String Ensemble, Saint Joesph Symphony, and is part of the faculty at Missouri Western State University. She also teaches out of her Midtown KC home studio. You can learn more at: cellolady.com

Together, Laurel Morgan & Sascha Groschang are The Wires, an alternative exploration in string sound from Kansas City, Missouri. They compose & perform original music for violin & cello. The Wires play in concert at the recordBar, Sat, Mar. 9, at 7:00 PM, for their CD Release, accompanied by a video-installation by multi-media artist Ben Parks.

Laurel Morgan on violin & Sascha Groschang on cello live next to each other in homes they purchased with their husbands in the Hyde Park area of Kansas City.

Both of Laurel and Sascha have spent a lifetime of collaboration with orchestras, bands, trios, ensembles. The Wires offer a diversion from the concert recital hall, bringing original music for strings to clubs like the recordBar.

16. The Wires – “Native” (LIVE)
also available on: The Wires – Alternative Strings / Independent / March 9, 2013

Sascha moved back to Kansas City in 2010, after living in NYC for 3 years. She and her husband were married in Brooklyn.

Many people are familiar with Laurel’s work in the acclaimed band, In The Pines. Laurel told us that the band is working on a new recording to be released soon.