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, June 3, 2015

“The MidCoast Sound”
Hunky-Dory MidCoastal Releases of 2015…So Far
+ Connor Leimer Live!

We played representative tracks from some of our favorite MidCoastal full-length or EP releases of 2015 – so far.

Joining us for the entire show are: Marion Merritt and Betse Ellis

Betse Ellis is one of the hardest working musicians in KC, known by many as a founding member of The Wilders. Betse 2nd full-length solo release, the critically aclaimed, “High Moon Order” was one of our Best Recordings of 2013. She also recently did her 20th year at The Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas, and is currently performing with multi instrumentalist Clarke Wyatt. They have a brand new EP, Bird Notes.

Marion Merritt is our most frequent contributor to WMM, sharing her musical discoveries and info from her encyclopedic brain. With 20 years in the music business, in May of 2014, Marion opened her own, independent record store. Records With Merritt, at 1614 Westport Rd. The store specializes in new vinyl releases. Marion Merritt was also just recently elected to The MidCoast Radio Project’s Board of Directors.

Big Thank you to: Vinyl Renaissance, Records With Merritt, Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven, It’s A Beautiful Day, Glassnote Records, Haymaker Records, MudStomp Records, The Record Machine, High Dive Records, Midwest Music Foundation, The Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College, and Lily Tomlin for donating “Thank you Gifts” for our Spring On-Air Fund Drive for Wednesday Midday Medley on 90.1 FM KKFI.

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / Universal / December 20, 1979 [WMM’s theme song]

2. Kodascope – “It’s Alright, It’s Ok”
from: Kodascope [EP] / Independent / May 12, 2015
[Debut release from six-piece KC band. Matthew Hayden on drums, percussion; Justin Skinner on percussion, drums; Michael Tipton on vocals, guitar; Ashleigh Guthrie on keyboards; Brent Jamison on bass; and Andy Kirk on guitar. Also for this song: Megan Zander (Dream Wolf, REN) and Camry Ivory (Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds) sing backing vocals.]

[Kodascope play Californos in Westport Saturday, June 6, at 9:00 with, Anna Cole & the Other Lovers.]

10:13

3. Mikal Shapiro – “Nope”
from: The Musical / Independent / March 22, 2015
[“nope” features Hermon Mehari on Trumpet. 3rd release from: singer, songwriter, artist, filmmaker, puppeteer, ring-leader Mikal Shapiro, who studied Film History, Film, and Writing at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She received her MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago studying Film, Video, New Media, and Animation. Her full length solo releases “The Crow The Lark And The Loon from 2008, and “For Good” from 2010 have been acclaimed by local music writers. Mikal is the creator of the web television project, “Go! Go! Global Girls.” She has also created music videos for Dead Voices and Folkicide. Mikal Shapiro is also a curator, producer and co-host of River Trade Radio. Aside from performing as a solo artist Mikal also performs with Chad Brothers of the band Old Sound, she is a member of the 4-piece band Royalphonic, and with Kasey Rausch as Partners in Glory. Kasey and Mikal are also the co-hosts / co-producers of River Trade Radio airing every Sunday morning 9 to 11:00 on 90.1 FM KKFI.][Mikal writes that The Musical is a collection of stories and characters; an intersection between popular music, classical songwriting and personal mythologies. Tracks jump influences from jazz, folk, and blues to rock, country and psychedelia. The core band includes: Johnny Hamil (Mr. Marco’s V7/The Malachy Papers) on upright and electric bass, Matt Richey (Dead Voices/Grisly Hand) on drums, Chad Brothers (Old Sound/Supermassive Black Holes) on electric guitar / harmony vocals. Emily Tummons also lends her voice to the mix creating lush three part harmonies. Special guests on the album include: Mike Stover (Dead Voices/Grisly Hand) on pedal steel, Hermon Mehari (Diverse/The Buh’s) on trumpet, Betse Ellis (The Wilders/Betse and Clarke) on fiddle, Clarke Wyatt (Trio E/Betse and Clarke) on Wurlitzer, Damon Parker (The MGDs) on Wurly & Rhodes, Erin Bopp AKA Natural E (Royalphonic) on tambourine. Friend & collaborator Rachel Gaither (Tullamore/The Boon) stepped in to sing and play violin on the song “Chimo.” Recorded, mixed & mastered by Joel Nanos at Element Studios.]

4. Scott Hrabko & The Rabbits – “Died & Gone To Heaven”
from: Biscuits and Gravity / Independent / January 24, 2015
[Scott Hrabko on vocals, guitar, keyboards & drums, with Emily Tummons on accordian & vocals, and Josh Arnold on bass & vocals, and Kirk Scott on lead guitar. Kansas City based, singer-songwriter Scott Hrabko has played with Kansas City’s oldest garage band, The Original Sinners, as well as various incarnations of the 1980s bands: The Splinters, and The Andersons. In the 1990s he performed with Iris Dement and Howard Eisberg. Scott Hrabko ‘s critically aclaimed solo release, “Gone Places” is said to be 30 years in the making.]

5. Good Time Charley – “Drunkards”
from: Cautionary Tales / Good Time Charley/ March 3, 2015
[Debut album from KC based 6-piece with: Barb Corley on vocals & ukulele; Melissa Butler on vocals, guitar, & kazoo; Matt Cathlina on bass; Grant Buell on keyboard & accordion; Shawn Wright (Klaus) on drums.]

10:31 – Underwriting
10:33

6. Betse & Clarke – “Riding on Your High Horse”
from: Bird Notes / Independent / May 28, 2015
[Betse Ellis on fiddle, and Clarke Wyatt on banjo. Arrangements by Betse & Clarke. Betse & Clarke also released Two Forks Acrylic On Cardboard Recorded January 2, 2015. Engineered & produced by Clarke Wyatt.]

[Betse & Clarke play Californo’s, Friday, June 5, at 8:00 pm, with The Philistines and Psychic Heat.]
[Betse & Clarke play Rural Grit Happy Hour, Monday, June 8, at The Brick.]
[Betse & Clarke play Green Acre’s Farmers market, Thursday, June 11, at The Brick.]

7. She’s A Keeper – “Pennsylvania”
rom: Westside Royal / Independent / January 17, 2015
[KC based band includes: Fritz Hutchison – vocals, banjo, percussion; Zac Jurden – vocals, guitar; Colin Nelson – vocals, guitar; Elliott Phillips – bass, mandolin. Recorded and produced by She’s A Keeper and Joel Nanos at Element Recording in KCMO.]

[She’s a Keeper play Knuckleheads, Friday June 19 with Ha Ha Tonka.]

8. Howard Iceberg & The Titanics – “You Broke A Heart Today”
from: Smooth Sailing / Independent / May 9, 2012
[The Titanics are: Gary Paredes on electric and acoustic guitars & vocals, Dan Mesh on electric and acoustic guitars & vocals, Matt Kesler on bass, Pat Tomek on drums & percussion. With contributions from over 15 local artists participating in Howard’s “on going recording project” conducted in Pat Tomek’s Largely Studios, KCMO. Recorded and mixed by Pat Tomek. Scott Easterday on bass, Michelle Gaume Saunders on vocals. ]

9. Mat Shoare – “Friends”
from: Right As Rain / Indep / May 5, 2015
[3rd full length solo release, from KC based Mat Shoare, a singer, guitarist, band leader, and record label founder. As a songwriter he has been nominated for a Pitch Music Award. He is one of our favorite Kansas City based musicians. Mat Shoare joins us to share tracks from his third solo release ‘Right As Rain” that will be officially released on Tuesday, May 5. Mat’s new music video for his song “Murder” premiered on PopMatters.com. Mat has also released several EPs with The Empty Spaces, who won a Pitch Music Award for Best Garage Band. “Murder” the first digital single release from Right As Rain premiered on PopMatters.com]

10:51

10. Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear – “Whole Lotta Problems”
from: Skeleton Crew / Glassnote Entertainment Group / expected May 19, 2015
[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 Kansas City’s Element Recording by Joel Nanos. Wednesday MidDay Medley was the first radio show to play Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear. They have played live on our show 4 times in the last year and a half, and were featured in 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 several months recording their new album in Nashville. Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear will be making their network television debut, this Wednesday Night, Feb. 11, on The Late Show With David Letterman.]

11. Calvin Arsenia – “Aquamarine”
from: Prose / 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.]

12. La Guerre – “Two Sisters”
from: Sapphires / The Record Machine / January 20, 2015
[La Guerre is the French for “war.”Sapphires was produced, engineered by Joshua Browning who also played bass. Percussion: Beau Bruns, Chris Brower. Guitar/Additional Vox: Charles Calhoun, Gavin Snider; Trombone: Joshua Landau; Additional Vox: Will Weinstein. All songs written by Katlyn Conroy. Katlyn Conroy, is a female singer and songwriter from Lawrence, Kansas. She was part of the critically acclaimed band, Cowboy Indian Bear. She was the recipient of the 2013 Pitch Music Award for Best Singer-Songwriter. You can a listen to her music at http://www.katlynconroy.bandcamp.com.]

11:00 – Station ID

11:08 – Interview with Connor Leimer

Musician, singer, songwriter Connor Leimer released his debut EP “Like It’s June” on November 1, 2013. His follow up EP “Coast To The Sea” came out Sept. 24, 2014. He just finished work on new recordings in the studio, now being mastered in New York. Connor Leimer plays The Bottleneck on Friday, June 5, with The Wing Dings and Tall Tales. Connor Leimer is back on stage in Kansas City at recordBar, Thursday,June 11, with Quantum Supply, Nicolette Paige, & Vaughan Noire. Connor joins us live in our 90.1 FM studios with Blair Bryant on bass and Brandon Thomas on keyboards.

11:09

13. Connor Leimer – “Driving” (Live)
also available on “Like It’s June” / Independent / November 1, 2015
[With Blair Bryant on bass and Brandon Thomas on keyboards.]

11:13

Connor Leimer just graduated from High School this spring. He is talking a “gap year” to pursue music with a new full length release, and getting his music out there for more people to hear.

11:18

14. Connor Leimer – “Postcard” (Live)
This song will be on the upcoming September 2015 full-length release called Postcard currently being mastered in NYC.
[With Blair Bryant on bass and Brandon Thomas on keyboards.]

Connor Leimer plays The Bottleneck, Friday, June 5, 2015 at 8:00pm. Connor Leimer also plays recordBar, Thursday, June 11, at 10:00 pm. More info at: http://connorleimer.com/

11:31 – Underwriting
11:33

15. The Fog – “Evol”
from: Darkness USA / High Dive Records / December 11, 2014
[Ian Teeple on guitar & voice, Brendan Dulohery on bass, Frazier Krohn on drums. Featuring Fritz Hutchison on backup on Evol. Recorded in 2014 with J Ashley Miller & Jonathan Kraft at Infoaming Vertex in KCMO.]

16. Dolls On Fire – “My Emily”
from: Synesthesia / Independent / February 13, 2015
[Recorded by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures studio. Zach Hodson on lead vocals & guitar, Rachel Jaggard on lead vocals & keys, Michelle Bacon on bass, Ben Byard on guitar and Mark Johnson on drums.]

[Dolls on Fire play The Brick, Saturday, June 6 with The Blackbird Revue.]

15. Digital Leather – “Face to the Wall”
from: All Faded / FDH Records / Expected June 23, 2015
[Omaha, Nebraska based Synth punk, New Wave, pop, lo-fi, and psychedelic musical project led by multi-instrumentalist Shawn Foree. Originally from Yuma, Arizona, Foree began calling his project Digital Leather when he moved to Tucson, where he studied American Literature at University of Arizona. He used student loan money to buy equipment. He managed to release his first three albums after recording them in his bedroom on labels such as Tic Tac Totally, Jay Reatard’s Shattered Records imprint, and FDH Records. He supported this “bedroom project” with several nationwide and European tours. Sorcerer, released on Goner Records in 2008, is a half-live, half-studio record. In 2009, Foree began working on a collection of songs in a fully operational studio. Released in September 2009 by Fat Possum Records, Warm Brother garnered positive reviews. After relocating to Omaha, Nebraska, a 5-piece band formed. They toured around and as a band Digital Leather recorded All Faded. The record sounds huge in comparison to the earlier efforts. Big drums,thick bass, great guitars, and of course biting synth-leads courtesy of The Faint’s Todd Fink. [Digital Leather play NYC on June 3 at Cake Shop.]

16. Sie Lieben Maschinen – “Should’ve Looked in the Mirror”
from: June Gloom / Independent / January 1, 2015
[Steve Tulipana on vocals; Josh Newton on guitar, bass, synth; Chris Bolig on drums. Recorded and mixed by Scott Evans at Sharkbite Studios and Antisleep Audio. Vocals for “The Man Laughs”, “Postcards” and “Public Image” recorded by John Bersuch at Innerhorse. All other vocals recorded by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Sound Lab in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Carl Saff.]

11:49

17. the author and the illustrator – “Paper Faces”
from: A Minor Component to a Cold November / Independent / January 6, 2015
[Alternative dreamo indie rock midwest post punk shoegaze from Kansas City based The Author and The Illustrator: Schuyler Bates – Bass, Ian Dobyns – Drums, Zack Hames – Vocals / Guitar, Josh Legler – Guitar. Recorded Live at BRC Audio Productions in Kansas City, Kansas October-November 2014. Recorded/Mixed/Mastered by The Author and The Illusrator and Chris Schmidt.]

11:55:30

18. Pink Royal – “Taste of Meaning”
from: Taps / Silly Goose Records / April 11, 2015
[alt-electro-rock-pop from Lawrence, Kansas, with Dylan James Guthrie on vocals, Steven LaCour on guitar, Josh Dorrell on guitar, Alex Hartmann on drums, Nick Carswell on bass guitar & keyboards, and Zak Pischnotte on Saxophones. Originally founded by Henry Burling (drums), Steve LaCour and John Killeen (bass) and the addition of Chad “Mustard” Smith of the band Dumptruck Butterlips on vocals. When Henry returned to England, and Chad Smith went on the road with his other musical projects, Pink Royal journeyed through various concoctions, eventually settling on the current line up.]

11:59:30

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

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

Next week on Wed, June 10, Special guests include Lily Tomlin, David Luby, Tyson Leslie, and Ian Teeple of The Fog.

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Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
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Show #580