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, February 18, 2015

27th Folk Alliance International Conference & Music Fair
+ Louis Meyers + Johnny Hamil’s GAWD + Megan Slankard

1. Kawehi – “Anthem”
from: Robot Heart / Independent / February 13, 2015
[Hawaiian singer-songwriter, and one-woman band, known for her live looping sets that draw you in with her melody and lyrics. While based in Lawrence, Kansas, she gained national attention for her YouTube cover of Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box” and gained a new fan in Courtney Love. Her newest album, Evolution will be released in March.]

[Kawehi plays the Folk Alliance International – Kick Off Party, Feb. 18, at 9:00 pm in Ballroom C, at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. The Kick Off Party is organized by the KC Music Collective in ALL 10 of the ballrooms at The Westin, featuring over 60 different musical/performer entities! More info at: http://www.folk.org]

2. Dom Flemons – “But They Got it Fixed Right On”
from: Prospect Park / Independent / October 6, 2012
[Dom Flemons, founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops. Flemons told Esquire Magazine, “This is a song that comes from the records of Georgia Tom Dorsey and Tampa Red. I picked up a copy of the Yazoo Records album Come on Mama Do That Dance and was floored by this hokum masterpiece! This track features Pura Fé Crescioni on background vocals and Guy Davis playing Mike Seeger’s six-string banjo.”]

[Dom Flemons will play an Official Showcase at the 27 Annual Folk Alliance International Conference, on Friday, Feb. 20, at 8:30 pm in Century C Ballroom and he will also play The Music Fair on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 7:00 pm in the Empire Ballroom, at The Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City. More info at http://www.folk.org]

3. The Hillbenders – “Blueridge Cutoff”
from: Down To My Last Dollar / Compass Records / January 29, 2013
[The HillBenders came together in late March 2008 after the break-up of a former band (The Arkamo Rangers)left three of it’s members, Mark Cassidy on Banjo, Jim Rea on Guitar, & Gary Rea on Bass) picking up the pieces and looking for a fresh start. Mark Cassidy’s friend from South Plains College, Nolan Lawrence, a mandolin player, moved from Austin, TX to join the yet unnamed HillBenders. Former member of The Arkamo Rangers, Chad Graves returned to his home in Polk County, MO. and began playing Dobro with the band. The HillBander are the recipients of: 2010 National Single Mic Champions, 2009 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest Winners, and 2009 Rockygrass Finalists. More info at: http://www.hillbenders.com]

[The HillBenders will play an Official Showcase at the 27 Annual Folk Alliance International Conference, on Thursday, Feb 19, at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, in Benton’s at 9:00pm. They will also perform at The Music Fairm Friday, February 20, at 12:00 am, in The Empire room at The Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City, where they will premiere music from there new recording of the TOMMY: A Bluegrass Opry. More info at: http://www.folk.org]

10:15 – Interview with Louis Meyers

Louis Meyers, Special Projects Coordinator at Folk Alliance International. Louis will share details about The Music Fair, February 19 – 22, in the Sheraton Crown Center Kansas City Hotel, presenting the winter music camp, concerts, films, jam sessions, art exhibits, spoken word, the exhibit hall, and a special Saturday morning children’s show. Louis Meyers was one of the founders of the SXSW Music Festival. As a musician himself, Louis Meyers was already attending the Folk Alliance International Conference and eventually he became Executive Director of FAI for over 10 years. Louis moved the FAI to Kansas City in 2014 and has worked to build relationships with Kansas City’s music community through partnerships and The FOLK Store, at 509 Delaware, in the River Market. More information at http://www.folk.org

Louis Meyers produced the new upcoming recording of The HillBenders, TOMMY: A Bluegrass Opry.

Louis Meyers was one of the founders of the SXSW Music Festival. As a musician himself, Louis Meyers was already attending the Folk Alliance International Conference and eventually he became Executive Director of FAI for over 10 years.

Louis moved the FAI to Kansas City in 2014 and has worked to build relationships with Kansas City’s music community through partnerships.

Tonight is The Kick Off Party is organized by the KC Music Collective in ALL of the ballrooms at The Westin, featuring over 60 different musical/performer entities!

Performances from: The Phantastics, Victor & Penny, John Velghe & The Prodigal Sons, Barclay Martin, The Grisly Hand, Kawehi, Carswell & Hope, Hembree, Calvin Arsenia, Mikal Shapiro, Dollar Fox, AY Musik, The Latenight Callers, Schwervon!, The Thunderclaps, Miry Wild, Expassionates, The Project H, Old Sound, Betse & Clarke, Gracie Schram, Ruddy Swain, Cowgirl’s Train Set, Destroy Nate Allen, The Hardship Letters, The Blackbird Revue, Maria The Mexican, Rural Grit All Stars, and MORE!!!!

The Music Fair, February 19 – 22, in the Sheraton Crown Center Kansas City Hotel, presenting the winter music camp, concerts, films, jam sessions, art exhibits, spoken word, the exhibit hall, and a special Saturday morning children’s show.

The FOLK Store, at 509 Delaware, in the River Market. More information at http://www.folk.org

Folk Alliance International Conference begins today, February 18 through Sunday, February 22, at the Westin Crown Center. The Music Fair, runs Friday, February 19 – 22, in the Sheraton Crown Center Kansas City Hotel with the winter music camp, concerts, films, jam sessions, art exhibits, spoken word, the exhibit hall, and a special Saturday morning children’s show. More information at http://www.folk.org

10:34 – Underwriting

10:36

4. Victor & Penny – “The Privilege”
from: The Gawd Project – Singer/Songwriter / Independent / unreleased mixed track
[Inspired by Anne Winter. Produced by Chad Meise. Written and arranged by Johnny Hamil]

[Victor & Penny have been selected to play an Official Showcase at the Folk Alliance International Conference Thurs, Feb 19, at 8:30 pm in Century C of The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. They will be sharing multiple performances at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, and Folk Alliance Music Fair Feb 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center & Sheraton Crown Center.]

10:34 – Interview with Johnny Hamil

Musician and composer Johnny Hamil is a teacher, a bass player who collaborates with jazz combos, theatre productions, The Malachy Papers, and many musicians in Kansas City. Johnny is one of the founding members of the band Mr. Marco’s V7, a band that has reinvented themselves with each new release, and changed and evolved with different line-ups. Known for their experimental, instrumental music, Johnny told us that for ALL of the music he has composed for the band came to him in his dreams. 4 years ago Johnny’s dream compositions included lyrics for the first time, and this set him on a new path to create, the GAWD project, which is not Mr. Marco’s V7 proper, but it is members of the V7 from throughout the long history of the the band. The concept was to collaborate a vocal version of a composition with musical friends and then have various lineups of the V7 family interpret the material in different ways. Selections from the GAWD project that will premiere at the Folk Alliance International – Kick Off Party, Feb. 18, at 8:00 pm in the Penn Valley Room, at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, TONIGHT!

Johnny Hamil is giving audiences their first glimpse into The GAWD Project TONIGHT at the Folk Alliance International Conference Kick Off Party.

Also with us is Kyle Dahlquist.

Also joining us in the studio is Mark Stevenson a veteran of the Kansas City music scene, Mark Stevenson, talked about the inspirations for the song “Don’t Call Me Mr. Smartie Pants.”

10:45

5. Mark Stevenson – “Don’t Call Me Mr. Smartie Pants” (LIVE)
from: The Gawd Project – Singer/Songwriter
[Johnny Hamil on guitar. Written and arranged by Johnny Hamil]

10:50

Along with Mark Stevenson, there will be vocal performances by Kasey Rausch, Jason Beers, Elaine McMillian, David Regnier, Cody Wyoming, Matt Tady, Howard Iceberg, Erin Bopp, Steve Tulipana and Anna Cole.

The core band includes: Hamil on bass, Mark Southerland on saxophone, Beau Bledsoe on oud, Kent Burnham on drums, Mike Stover on mantar and lap steel and Kyle Dahlquist on trombone and accordion. Guests will include guitarists Mikal Shapiro, Jeff Freling, Nick Howell, Kent Burnham, Chris Tady, and Marco Pascolini, as the band will transform into a five-piece Punk Funk Polka Band; a Noir Cartoon Jazz Band, and a Free Exotica Middle Eastern Band.

Songs include: “Eastwood Got Skinny, Travolta Got Fat,” “Polyester Rehab Scenario,” “Study Chemical Emotional Physical Realignment,” “Don’t Call Me Mr. Smartie Pants,” “The Difference Between Art and Sadness” and “For Those Who Breathe.”

10:53

6. Anna Cole, Steve Tulipana and 25 others – “For Those Who Breathe”
from: The Gawd Project – Singer/Songwriter / Independent / unreleased mixed track
[Inspired by Abigail Henderson. Produced by Chad Meise. Written and arranged by Johnny Hamil]

Johnny Hamil’s the GAWD project that will premiere at the Folk Alliance International – Kick Off Party, Feb. 18, at 8:00 pm in the Penn Valley Room, at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. The Kick Off Party is organized by the KC Music Collective in ALL of the ballrooms at The Westin, featuring over 60 different musical/performer entities!

11:03 – Station ID

7. Betse & Clarke – “Possum Walk”
from: Two Forks Acrylic On Cardboard / Independent / February 2, 2015
[Song written by Clarke Wyatt. Betse Ellis on fiddle, and Clarke Wyatt on banjo. Recorded January 2, 2015. Arrangements by Betse & Clarke. Engineered and produced by Clarke Wyatt.]

[Betse & Clark have been selected to play an Official Showcase at the Folk Alliance International Conference Thurs, Feb 19, at 6:30 pm in Pershing South of The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Betse Ellis & Clarke Wyatt will be sharing multiple performances at the Conference, and Folk Alliance Music Fair February 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center and Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City.]

8. Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear – “Amazing Grace”
from: Celebration of Pete Seeger Unity Temple / Recorded Live / May 3, 2014
[Singer songwriter, Madisen Ward graduated from William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri in 2007. He plays live and records with his mother, Ruth Ward, both on guitar, with Mama Bear harmonizing with her son. Their debut EP was recorded in KC’s Element Recording by Joel Nanos. Wednesday MidDay Medley was the first radio show to play Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. on May 8, 2013. They played LIVE on our show on: July 10, 2013 / Nov. 20, 2013 / July 9, 2014 / and Sept. 24, 2014. They have played live at 90.1 FM’s Tribute to Pete Seeger at Unity Temple, and The Crossroads Music Fest. They played the Americana Music Fest in Nashville, last fall, where the national music press fell in love with their music. They were signed to Glassnote Records and have spent the last several months recording their new album in Nashville. Last week Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear made their network television debut, on Wed, Feb. 11, on The Late Show With David Letterman. Their new record is expected in April.]

[Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, have all been selected to play an Official Showcase at the Folk Alliance International Conference, on Fri, Feb 20, in The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, In the Century A Ballroom, at 8:30pm.] [Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear will be opening for Iron & Wine at The Uptown Theater, Thurs, April 23rd, for the 5th annual Middle of the Map Fest. More info at: middleofthemapfest.com] [Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear will play the Newport Folk Festival.]

11:14 – Underwriting

11:16

9. Megan Slankard – “If I Knew (Feat. Jeff Campbell)”
from: Running on Machinery / Independent / Expected in May, 2015
[Fifth album from San Francisco indie alt-rock musician Megan Slankard. She calls her new release “…a healthy mix of stories about the end of the world, bank robberies, prison escapes, failed relationships, and other adventures.” More info at: http://www.meganslankard.com]

11:20 – Interview with Megan Slankard

San Francisco indie alt-rock musician Megan Slankard joined us to share new music from “We Will Fail” her 5th album that she calls “…a healthy mix of stories about the end of the world, bank robberies, prison escapes, failed relationships, and other adventures.” Megan Slankard will be playing multiple performances at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, February 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center and Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City. More info at http://www.meganslankard.com or http://www.folk.org

Megan Slankard is doing 6 different Private Showcases at this year’s Folk Alliance International.

Megan Slankard performed in a special “House Concert” on Sunday night.

11:25

10. Megan Slankard – “Like Always, Alex” (LIVE)
Also available on: Running on Machinery / Independent / Expected in May, 2015

11:29

San Francisco indie alt-rock musician Megan Slankard is also an actress in a web series called: InDIYe. More info at http://www.meganslankard.com

11:35

11. Megan Slankard – “Can’t Keep It In” (LIVE)
Also available on: Running on Machinery / Independent / Expected in May, 2015

Megan Slankard will be playing multiple performances at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, February 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center and Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City. More info at http://www.meganslankard.com or http://www.folk.org

11:43

12. The Milk Carton Kids – “Honey, Honey”
from: The Ash & Clay / / January 23, 2013
[Indie folk duo from Eagle Rock, California, comprised of singers and guitarists Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, who formed the group in early 2011. The Grammy-nominated, flat-picking harmony duo have since emerged as a powerful voice defining the continuing folk tradition. The band has recorded and released three albums: Retrospect, Prologue, and The Ash & Clay. The forewords to both “Prologue” and “The Ash & Clay” were written by singer-songwriter and producer Joe Henry. The band is noted for releasing their albums for free and for playing their vintage guitars with Ryan playing a 1951 Gibson J-45 and Pattengale on a 1954 Martin 0-15. ]

[The Milk Carton Kids have been selected to play an Official Showcase at the Folk Alliance International Conference Friday, February 20, at 10:30 pm in Pershing East of The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. They will be sharing multiple performances at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, and Folk Alliance Music Fair February 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center and Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City. More info at http://www.folk.org]

13. Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn – “Railroad”
from: Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn / Rounder Records / October 7, 2014
[This husband and wife duo, set aside time in 2013 to do a tour and celebrate the birth of their son Juno. They followed this up with this new recording with voice and banjo recordings in the Appalachian tradition, and by using seven different types of banjos in the recording process.]

[Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn will share multiple performances at Folk Alliance International Conference and Music Fair Feb 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center & Sheraton Crown Center.]

14. Tommy Donoho – “No Accord”
from: The Weekender / Money Wolf Music / March 3, 2012
[Recorded in 2012, from a live performance in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Tommy Donoho & Justin Penney in a stripped down acoustic version of the Dollar Fox songs: “No Accord” and “I Don’t Remember Names.” ]

[Tommy Donoho will be sharing multiple performances at this year’s Folk Alliance International Conference, and Folk Alliance Music Fair February 18 – 22 at the Westin Crown Center and Sheraton Crown Center, in Kansas City. More info at http://www.folk.org]

11:59:30

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

Next week on February 25 we have very special in studio interviews with Shy Boys who will play Harlings Upstairs Sat. Feb. 28 before embarking on a new tour, The Brannock Device will be with us to talk about their 20 years as a band, and their show, Friday, Feb. 27 at The Brick, and J. Ashley Miller who will share information about R v B March 7 & 8, la Esquina Gallery, 1000 W. 25th Street, KCMO presented by Charlotte Street, with performances of, a new operetta composed and produced by inter-media performance company Quadrigarum. Featuring six actors and an octet of curated musicians. The performance will prominently feature two agile drone instruments, known as ‘Chariots’, designed and built by founder and conductor of Quadrigarum, J. Ashley Miller.

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
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Show #565