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, November 30, 2016

2016 – The Year in Music
with: Tim Finn, Marion Merritt, Chris Haghirian, & Fally Afani

We welcomed four special guests who shared from their Favorite Musical Releases of 2016. Guests included: Tim Finn – Pop Music writer for The Kansas City Star and INK, Marion Merritt – owner of Records With Merritt, Chris Haghirian – from Ink and KC Star and host of Eight One Sixty on 90.9 The Bridge, and Fally Afani – founder of I Heart Local Music.

10:00 – Station ID

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

10:04 – Interview with Tim Finn

Originally from Youngstown, New York, Tim Finn studied at University of Missouri in Columbia and received his Masters of Arts, in Journalism from the University of Kansas. Tim is the Pop Music Writer of the KC Star and Ink, and music blog: Back to Rockville.

Tim Finn’s Favorite Musical Releases of 2016

#5. Rachel Mallin & The Wild Type – Degenerate Matters [EP] / Independent / July 30, 2016

2. Rachel Mallin & The Wild Type – “Dance Card”
from: Degenerate Matters [EP] / Independent / releases July 30, 2016
[Indie synthpop from Kansas City based, 5-piece band that includes: Rachel Mallin on lead vocals & guitar, Justin Walker on bass, Austin Edmisten on drums & back-up vocals, Jesse Bartmess on synthesizers & keyboards, Matt Kosinski on lead guitar. Degenerate Matters was recorded, produced, and mastered by Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios. Musical Arrangements written and performed by Rachel Mallin, Justin Walker, Austin Edmisten, Jesse Bartmess, and Matt Kosinski. Lyrics written by Rachel Mallin. Rachel Mallin joined us on the show July 27]

[Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type play the Noise For Tots – Benefit for KC Toys For Tots, Saturday, December 10, at recordBar, with The Noise FM, Me Like Bees, Shadow Rabbits.]

#4. The Conquerors – Wyld Time / High Dive Records / August 26, 2016

3. The Conquerors – “Guess I Was Wrong”
from: Wyld Time / High Dive Records / August 26, 2016
[First full length album from Kansas City based Rock & Roll band. Rory Cameron on guitar & vocals, Vince Lawhon on guitar & vocals, Jim Button on drums, Jake Cardwell on percussion, Quentin Schmidt on bass & vocals. All songs written by Rory Cameron, performed by The Conquerors. Recorded and mixed by Vincent Lawhon with additional help from Adam McGill at Element Recording Studios. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering in Portland, Oregon. More info at: http://theeconquerors.bandcamp.com%5D

#3. Erik Voeks – So The Wind Wont Blow it All Away / Independent / November 11, 2016

4. Erik Voeks – “She Loved Her Jangle Pop”
from: So The Wind Wont Blow it All Away / Independent / November 11, 2016
[Erik Voeks is a KC based singer-songwriter. He has travelled the world as both a solo artist and as an accompanist. All songs written by Erik Voeks. Produced by Erik Voeks & Patrick Hawley. Drums recorded by Matt Meyer at The Thebeaudome. Everything else recorded at Sandusky Sound Co. Drums & percussion played by Patrick Hawley.]

#2. The Grisly Hand – Hearts & Stars / Independent / November Is, 2016

5. The Grisly Hand – “Puerto Penasco”
from: Hearts & Stars / Independent / November 18, 2016
[Follow up full length companion to the Band’s 2015 full length release, Flesh & Gold. The band spent a year with Joel Nanos at Element Recording, and decided to split the songs between two CD/digital releases. The two releases are now together, in a different song order, for a new Double LP, The Grisly Hand, released on vinyl, November 18, 2016. Jimmy Fitzner on guitar & vocals, Lauren Krum on vocals & percussion, Dan Loftus on bass, keyboards & vocals, Matt Richey on drums, Mike Stover on steel guitar, bass & vocals, Ben Summers on guitar, vocals & mandolin.]

#1. Berwanger – Exorcism Rock / Doghouse Records / November 4, 2016

6. Berwanger – “Exorcism Rock”
from: Exorcism Rock / Doghouse Records / November 4, 2016
[Josh Berwanger was in The Anniversary, a Kansas band that released, 2000’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown & 2002’s Your Majesty and sold over 100,000 records before breaking up on tour in Japan. The band recently reunited for new shows and a tour this year. Berwanger was also in the band, The Only Children, and released, 2004’s Change of Living & 2007’s Keeper of Youth. When Keeper of Touth ended Josh Berwanger took a break and became a high school basketball coach. In the 2012 Josh formed the Josh Berwanger band. Berwanger released their EP Demonios November 11, 2015.]

We talked with Tim Finn about how 2016 seems to have been an emotionally exhausting year, starting with the closing of recordBar, the death of Bowie, the death of Prince, the crazy Presidential campaign, the election of Donald Trump.

10:30 – Underwriting

Please tune into Wednesday MidDay Medley throughout December as we present our 4-week special: The 116 Best Recordings of 2016 on December 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th.

10:32 – Interview with Marion Merritt

For more than 12 years Marion Merritt has been sharing her musical discoveries and information from her encyclopedic brain. Marion is the creator of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri. Keeping alive the tradition of female-owned, independent record stores on Westport Road. Our area independent record stores make available midcoastal releases from independent KC music artists and labels, while also hosting multiple weekly in-store shows featuring area and touring bands.

Marion Merritt’s Favorite Musical Releases of 2016

#5. – Vivien Goldman – Resolutionary (Songs 1979-1982) /Staubgold Germany/May 20, 2016

7. Vivien Goldman – “P. A. Dub”
from: Resolutionary (Songs 1979-1982) / Staubgold Germany / May 20, 2016
[British journalist, writer and musician. She was born in London, August 25, 1954, the child of two German-Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. Goldman wrote for the music magazines NME, Sounds and Melody Maker about reggae, punk and post-punk. She was a member of The Flying Lizards, shared a flat with fellow NME journalist and The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde. Goldman lived in Paris for a year and a half, where she was a member of new wave duo Chantage, which gained modest fame in France. She released the “Dirty Washing EP” in 1981, with tracks produced by John Lydon and Adrian Sherwood. The EP appeared first on Ed Bahlman’s iconic 99 Records imprint on June 3, 1981. In August 1981, two of the tracks from the EP, “Launderette” and “Private Armies,” were issued as a 7″ single in the UK. Later the song “Launderette” was included on Gomma Records’ “Anti NY” compilation and the Chicks On Speed-produced Girl Monster collection. In that year she also contributed vocals (on the track “Private Armies,” which is actually “Private Armies Dub,” or “P.A. Dub,” from the EP) to the New Age Steppers’ self-titled debut.]

#4. Betty Harris – Soul Jazz Records Presents Betty Harris: The Lost Queen of New Orleans Soul / Soul Jazz Records / 2016

8. Betty Harris – “What’d I Do Wrong”
from: Soul Jazz Records Presents Betty Harris: The Lost Queen of New Orleans Soul / Soul Jazz Records / 2016
[In 1963, after being in the music business for a few years, Betty Harris recorded a slowed down version of Solomon Burke’s hit of the year before, “Cry to Me”, produced by the original record’s producer, Bert Berns, and released on the Jubilee record label. Taken at a slower pace, Harris’ rendition turned the song into a Billboard Hot 100 number 23 hit, with a corresponding number 10 listing on the R&B chart, and it became a deep soul classic. A total of three further singles including a reissue of “Cry to Me” were released on Jubilee, also produced by Bert Berns, with “His Kiss”, which was released on January 4, 1964, another deep soul ballad, reaching the lower part of the Billboard Pop and R&B charts. In 1964, Betty Harris switched record labels to Sansu, a New Orleans label, where she was produced by Allen Toussaint. Her recording with Sansu produced ten singles. Of those, only “Nearer to You”, an atmospheric, dramatic soul ballad, now considered one of the milestones of deep soul, achieved U.S. national chart success (Billboard number 85). However, practically all of her recordings for Sansu, uptempo tunes and ballads alike, featuring Toussaint’s raw yet sophisticated Southern soul arrangements behind Harris’ rich, distinctive vocal, are considered prime specimens of the classic soul era; some notable recordings were “I’m Evil Tonight”, a beat ballad favored in Northern soul circles; “I Don’t Want to Hear It”, “Show it” and “Twelve Red Roses”, stirring up-tempo tracks; “Can’t Last Much Longer” and “What’d I Do Wrong”, emotive deep soul ballads]

#3. Lee Moses – Time and Place / Maple Records/ 1971 [Light In The Attic / 2016]

9. Lee Moses – “Hey Joe”
from: Time and Place / Maple Records/ 1971 [Light In The Attic / 2016]
[Lee Moses was born March 13, 1941, in Atlanta, Georgia, and attended Booker T. Washington High School. In the late 1950s he formed his first band, the Showstoppers. They became a popular live act in the Atlanta area, and were at one time the house band at the Royal Peacock club. Moses moved to New York City in the mid-1960s, where he worked as a session musician as well as recording with Johnny Brantley, who co-wrote and produced his first single, “My Adorable One”, in 1965. In 1967 he recorded three singles – all commercially unsuccessful – for the Musicor label, including “Bad Girl” and an instrumental version of The Four Tops’ “Reach Out, I’ll Be There”. He also recorded a version of “Dark End of the Street”, issued by Gates Records probably in 1969. Moses’ guitar style has been described as “funky” and likened to that of Jimi Hendrix, a contemporary of his on the club scene of the mid-1960s. He has also been praised for his “rough and powerful deep soul singing style”. In 1970, he released a single, “Time and Place”, on the Maple label, a subsidiary of All Platinum Records. This was followed by a nine-track LP of the same name, again produced by Brantley, which contained his versions of several classic songs of the period including “Hey Joe”. The album featured several members of The Ohio Players, as well as Moses’ own band, the Diciples (sic). Although the album has since been described as “a revered and highly sought-after lost treasure for deep soul fans and collectors”, it was a commercial failure at the time. Moses also worked with fellow Atlanta native The Mighty Hannibal on his 1973 album, Truth.[1] He returned to Atlanta in the early 1970s, and continued to perform locally, but did not record again. He died there from lung cancer in 1997.]

#2. Charlie Hilton – Palana / Captured Tracks / 2016

10. Charlie Hilton – “WHY”
from: Palana / Captured Tracks / 2016
[Charlie Hilton, is known for her work in the band Blouse, and has now forged a new one with her debut solo album, Palana. The album’s title itself is a nod to Hilton’s given Sanskrit name, an identity she shed completely after high school in favor of the androgynous “Charlie,” and Palana’s overarching theme can be summed up by a quote from Hermann Hesse’s Steppenwolf, a phrase Hilton cites as a personal mantra: “Man is not by any means of fixed and enduring form…he is much more an experiment and a transition….”]

#1. Fantastic Negrito – The Last Days of Oakland / Blackball Universe / 2016

11. Fantastic Negrito – “In the Pines”
from: The Last Days of Oakland / Blackball Universe / 2016
[Fantastic Negrito was raised in an orthodox Muslim household. His father was a Somali-Caribbean immigrant who mostly played traditional African music. When, at the age of 12, Negrito’s family moved from Massachusetts to Oakland, California. Oakland in 1970s was a million miles from Negrito’s conservative childhood. He went from Arab chants to Funkadelic in one day. By the time he was 20, Negrito had taught himself to play every instrument he could get his hands on. He was recording music, and after some difficulties on the streets he packed his bags and headed to LA, armed with a demo on cassette. Negrito signed with a million dollar deal at Interscope. The record deal was a disaster. Gangsta rap was ruling the airwaves and Negrito was in the wrong place at the wrong era. Negrito came out of the deal with a failed album and his confidence gutted. In 2000, Negrito was in a near fatal car accident that put him in a coma. For four weeks it was touch and go. Because his muscles atrophied while bedridden, he had to go through months of frustrating physical therapy to regain use of his legs. Rods were placed throughout his body. And worst of all, his playing hand was mutilated. Back in Oakland, Negrito forgot about life as a musician. He got married, he planted vegetables, raised his own chickens, and made money growing weed. He also settled into being a man, on his own, clear of the distractions of wanting to be a star. And then his son Kyu was born. He began recording without the hindrances that come with chasing trends. Negrito turned to the original DNA of all American music, the Blues. The beating life had given him primed him to channel his literal and musical forefathers: the Blues musicians of the Delta]

Please tune into Wednesday MidDay Medley throughout December as we present our 4-week special: The 116 Best Recordings of 2016 on December 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th.

11:00 – Station ID

11:00 – Interview with Chris Haghirian

Chris Haghirian

Chris Haghirian has worked for The KC Star for 17 years and helped launch INK in April of 2008 where he puts together music promotions, and organizes music at, Boulevardia, The Plaza Art Fair, and Wednesday “Winsday” home game concerts at Kauffman Stadium for the Kansas City Royals. With Nathan Reusch of The Record Machine, Chris makes The Middle of The Map Fest happen each year. Chris is the host, with Sarah Bradshaw, of Eight One Sixty, heard Tuesday nights at 6:00 pm, on 90.9 The Bridge.

Chris Haghirian’s Favorite Musical Releases of 2016

#5. Hembree – “Holy Water” – Single / Independent / August 11, 2016

12. Hembree – “Holy Water”
from: Holy Water – Single / Independent / November 15, 2016
[Hembree is sIaac Flynn, Garrett Childers, and Eric Davis with: Vincent Williams and Joel Martin who join the band for live performances. Produced by Hembree and Eric Hillman. Mixed by Joe Visciano. Mastered by John McCaig.]

[Hembree play The Bottleneck in Lawrence, Kansas on December 30]

#4. The Kemps – The Kemps EP / Independent / August 4, 2016

13. The Kemps – Rank Stranger
from: The Kemps EP / Independent / August 4, 2016 on SoundCloud
[Longtime KC based band, The Kemps are Mark Stevenson and Archie Gobber, a vocal duet with guitar, singing original material, old timey standards and pretty much whatever we feel we can pull off. On August 4, 2016, The Kemps have put up four new tracks on SoundCloud, from their recent recording session in my Archie Gobber’s living room with Peter Eddins.]

#3. LION – “Miss Me” – Single / Intelligent Sound / July 11, 2016

14. LION – “Miss Me”
from: Miss Me- Single / Intelligent Sound / July 11, 2016
[LION is Brian Rogers an Electronic Hip Hop multi-instrumentalist and producer from Lawrence, Kansas. More info at https://soundcloud.com/thereallion.%5D

#2. Me Like Bees – There Will Be Time [EP] / Loveway Records / April 8, 2016

15. Me Like Bees – “Changes”
from: There Will Be Time [EP] / Loveway Records / April 8, 2016
[Formed in Joplin in 2009 by Luke Sheafer, Nick Bynum, Pete Burton, Tim Cote. In 2015 after completing a leg in Van’s Warped Tour, Me Like Bees finished their new EP with award-winning producer, John Feldmann (Five Seconds of Summer, The Used, Panic! at the Disco, Goldfinger, Good Charlotte, Plain White T’s)]

[Me Like Bees will play the Noise For Tots – Benefit for KC Toys For Tots, Saturday, December 10, at recordBar, with The Noise FM, Rachel Mallin and the Wild Type, Shadow Rabbits.]

#1. Katy Guillen and The Girls – Heavy Days / VizzTone Label Group / KG&G Records / June 24, 2016

16. Katy Guillen and The Girls – “Waking Up From You”
from: Heavy Days / VizzTone Label Group and KG&G Records / June 24, 2016
[Katy Guillen on guitar & vocals, Claire Adams on bass & vocals, Stephanie Williams on drums. Recorded at Weights and Measures Soundlab w/ Duane Trower. Pianist Mike “Shinetop” Sedovic, & trombonist Ryan Heinlein of The Project H contribute. Production from Paul Malinowski. Mastered at Black Lab in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to their touring schedule, they were finalists at the 2014 International Blues Challenge; they appeared at Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping the Blues Alive At Sea Cruise, International Montreal Jazz Fest.]

[Katy Guillen and The Girls play Knuckleheads on December 30.]

11:28 – Underwriting

10:30 – Interview with Fally Afani

Fally Afani

Fally Afani is an award-winning journalist with a career spanning more than 15 years in media. She has worked extensively in radio, television, newspapers, and magazines. She has received several Kansas Association of Broadcasters awards as well as an Edward R. Murrow award for her online work in journalism. Fally lives in Lawrence, Kansas, where she reports on local and touring musicians and where she is the founder of, I Heart Local Music a comprehensive website providing info about Lawrence music events & bands.

Fally Afani’s Favorite Musical Releases of 2016

#7. Bonzo Madrid – Worry / Independent / November 4, 2016

17. Bonzo Madrid – “All You Got”
from: Worry / Independent / November 4, 2016
[Bonzo Madrid the new musical project of CJ Calhoun, formerly of Cowboy Indian Bear. All songs written & played by CJ Calhoun. Some tracks were also graced by his wonderful friends Beau Bruns on drums, Danny Bowersox on guitar. Recording comes with bonus EP featuring a remix by LION and La Guerre (Katlyn Conroy). Engineered and Produced by Danny Bowersox & CJ Calhoun ]

(We did not have time to play this track on today’s show. However please stay tuned as we will be playing this as part of our 116 Best Recordings of 2016)

#6. Toughies – Sweet Dream EP/ Independent / March 5, 2016

18. Toughies – “Stone Cold”
from: Sweet Dream EP/ Independent / March 5, 2016
[All songs written and performed by Toughies. Mixing and mastering: Brad Girard. Trumpet on “Closer to Heaven”: Sam Stephan. 5-piece, Lawrence, band formed in 2015 by, Brad Girard, Joe Gronniger, Caroline Lohrenz and Carl Smith.]

#5. Nicholas St. James – THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016

19. Nicholas St. James – “Sewer Service”
from: THEATRES / Independent / February 22, 2016
[Debut album for Lawrence based vaudeville-folk-troubadour who is more a throwback to Vaudeville than the Dust Bowl. Blogger Brian Clifton writes, “Nicholas St. James blends together old and new to create a sound as distinct as its stage show. St. James mixes folk, blues, vaudevillian drama, and country together.” Based in Lawrence, Kansas, by way of St. Louis, Missouri, Nicholas is an authentic Midwestern folk musician, and credits Tom Waits as the missing link in his own musical formation.]

#4. The Philistines – The Backbone of Night / The Record Machine / June 4, 2016

20. The Philistines – “A Twitch of the Death Nerve”
from: The Backbone of Night / The Record Machine / June 4, 2016
[Kimmie Queen on lead vocals, Cody Wyoming on lead guitar & vocals, Rod Peal on guitar; Michelle Bacon on bass & vocals, Josh Mobley on keyboard, Steve Gardels on drums. Recorded & mixed w/ Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound Studios & mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering.]

[The Philistines play the I Heart Local Music XMAS Special, Friday, December 9, at 10:00 PM, at Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, Kansas with Jade Archetype and Joel Bonner.]

#3. Psychic Heat – Sunshower / High Dive Records / May 27, 2016

21. Psychic Heat – “In Two”
from: Sunshower / High Dive Records / May 27, 2016
[Psychic Heat was created by Evan Herd & Tanner Spreer. After releasing their EP Lighter and Brighter in 2015 they quickly turned their attention to their first full length Sunshower being released through High Dive Records. Sunshower is Engineered by Ron Miller (Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds) & mixed/mastered by Kliph Scurlock (previously of the Flaming Lips). Psychic Heat is: Steve/Evan Herd on guitar & vocals, Tanner Spreer on guitar & vocals, James Thomblison on bass, and Mark Rockwell on drums.]

#2. Wendy Moira – Punx Don’t Pay – Single / Independent / September 10, 2016

22. Wendy Moira – “Punx Don’t Pay” [Radio edit]
from: Punx Don’t Pay – Single / Independent / September 10, 2016
[Punk slop punk trash pop from Lawrence, Kansas. Recorded & Produced by Eric Johnson for Groundhum Productions.]

#1. Lincoln Marshall – Water / Datura Records / June 3, 2016

23. Lincoln Marshall – “Mo Spins (featuring Dominique Sanders)”
from: Water / Datura Records / June 3, 2016
[Written By: Approach & MilkDrop Produced, Recorded, Mixed & Mastered By: Aikido Bray. Additional Keys & Scoring By: Etan T’loh. Bass By: Dominique Sanders. Photos By: Fally Afani fallyafaniphotography.com. Layout & Design By: MilkDrop.]

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

Next week, on December 7, we present part-one, of our annual 4-week celebration of the year in music: The 116 Best Recordings of 2016, which continues December, 16, 23, and 28th.

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.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM,
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #658