Wednesday MidDay Medley
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
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Wednesday, December 9, 2020

The 120 Best Recordings of 2020
(Part 1 of 4)

Wednesday MidDay Medley presents part-one, of our four-week special: The 120 Best Recordings of 2020. Based on playlists of this little ole radio show, we’ve compiled representative tracks from our favorite full-length albums and EP recordings of 2020. We realize these “Best of” lists can seem subjective, so we ask that you please accept our list as a celebration of the year in music.

In 2020 we’ve broadcast nearly 900 different tracks over our 100,000 watts of 90.1 FM Community Radio Airwaves. Over 500 of these tracks were from New & MidCoastal Releases. We played tracks from 112 National Releases, and 209 MidCoastal Releases. 75 of the representative tracks in our “Best of” list are from MidCoastal Releases. In 2020 we’ve conducted 131 live interviews with 156 special guests. 48 of the bands and artists in our “Best of” list have joined us as guests on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

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

2. (#120.) Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”
   from: Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Rendition Was In / Daptone / Oct. 23, 2020
   [Often, in an effort to save the expense of licensing an original master from a major label, a music supervisor may request a song be re-created as closely as possible. Such was the case when a well-known bank asked the band to cut Stevie Wonder’s classic, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” for a TV commercial, or when Hank Shockley asked for a perfect replay of Bad Medicine’s funky instrumental, “Trespasser” for the American Gangster soundtrack. // Both “Rescue Me” and “In the Bush” were among the outtakes on the cutting room floor of The Wolf of Wall Street motion picture soundtrack, for which the band recorded several unused sides. “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” was not just a remake of the Kenny Rogers’ First Edition hit, but more specifically a near re-play of Bettye Lavette’s 1968 version, and was notably the very first recording done at the Daptone House of Soul studio in 2002. Likewise, the band’s replay of Gladys Knight’s “Giving Up” was specifically requested but unused by a producer who was confident he needed it to sample for a beat on a Dr. Dre album. // “Little by Little,” “Inspiration Information,” “Here I Am Baby,” and “Take Me with U” were cut for tribute projects to Dusty Springfield, Shuggie Otis, The Marvelettes, and Prince, respectively. The latter of which is a perfect example of the way the band was able to take a familiar tune and completely flip it on it’s head. // Of course, there were also many non-contracted covers over the years that the band cut of their own volition, starting with the complete re-invention of Janet Jackson’s “What Have You Done for Me Lately” on the their 2001 debut LP, Dap-Dippin’ with…, which convinced more than a few fans that Sharon’s version was in fact the original after a counterfeit news article surfaced claiming that Jones was suing Jackson for copyright infringement. Sharon’s heart-wrenching take on Bob Marley’s early Wailers ballad “It Hurts to be Alone” is a tender nod to the soul that Jamaica borrowed from the States in the early sixties. // Though the band has mostly built their career on a prolific catalog of originals, these forays into other artists’ compositions lay bare their gift for arrangement and the unmatched studio prowess that earned them their reputation as The Baddest Band in the Land. // In November 2016, Sharon Jones suffered a stroke while watching the 2016 United States presidential election results and another the following day. Jones remained alert and lucid during the initial period of her hospital stay, jokingly claiming that the news of Donald Trump’s victory was responsible for her stroke. She died on November 18, 2016, in Cooperstown, New York, aged 60. Sharon Lafaye Jones was born May 4, 1956 and died this year on November 18, 2016. She was an American soul and funk singer. Although she collaborated with Lou Reed, David Byrne and others, she is best known as lead singer of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, a soul and funk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Jones experienced breakthrough success relatively late in life, releasing her first record when she was 40 years old. In 2014, Jones was nominated for her first Grammy, in the category Best R&B Album, for Give the People What They Want. Jones was born in Augusta, Georgia, the daughter of Ella Mae Price Jones and Charlie Jones, living in adjacent North Augusta, South Carolina. Jones was the youngest of six children; her siblings are Dora, Charles, Ike, Willa and Henry. Jones’s mother raised her deceased sister’s four children as well as her own. She moved the family to New York City when Sharon was a young child. As children, she and her brothers would often imitate the singing and dancing of James Brown. Her mother happened to know Brown, who was also from Augusta.Jones grew up in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. In 1975, she graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. She attended Brooklyn College. A regular gospel singer in church, Jones often entered talent shows backed by local funk bands in the early 1970s. Session work then continued with backing vocals, often credited to Lafaye Jones, but in the absence of any recording contract as a solo singer, she spent many years working as a corrections officer at Rikers Island and as an armored car guard for Wells Fargo, until receiving a mid-life career break in 1996 after she appeared on a session backing the soul and deep funk legend Lee Fields. Sharon Jones was part of the very beginning of Daptone Records Daptone Records’ first release was a full-length album by Sharon Jones. A new band, the Dap-Kings, was formed from the former members of the Soul Providers and the Mighty Imperials. Some of the musicians went on to record for Lehman’s Soul Fire label, while some formed the Budos Band, an Afro-beat band. From the original Soul Providers, Roth (also known as Bosco Mann) on bass, guitarist and emcee Binky Griptite, percussionist Fernando Velez, trumpet player Anda Szilagyi and organist Earl Maxton were joined by original Mighty Imperials saxophonist Leon Michels and drummer Homer Steinweiss, plus Neal Sugarman from Sugarman 3, to form The Dap-Kings. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, the released the album Dap Dippin’ with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings in May of 2002, , for which they received immediate attention and acclaim from enthusiasts, DJs and collectors. Next they released, Naturally (2005), 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007) and I Learned the Hard Way (2010). They are seen by many as the spearhead of a revival of soul and funk.]

3. (#119.) Róisín Murphy – “Incapable”
   from: Róisín Machine / Mickey Murphy’s Daughter – BMG / October 2, 2020
   [Róisín Machine is the 5th solo studio album from Róisín Murphy, an Irish singer-songwriter and record producer, born July 5, 1973. She became known in the 1990s as one-half of the UK-Irish trip hop duo Moloko with her partner Mark Brydon. After the breakup of Moloko, Murphy embarked on a solo career, releasing her debut solo album, Ruby Blue, written & produced with experimental musician Matthew Herbert, to critical praise in 2005. Her 2nd solo album, Overpowered, was released in 2007. After an 8-year hiatus (which nonetheless included several singles, vocal features, and side projects), her 3rd album Hairless Toys was released in 2015; and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and Ireland’s Choice Music Prize. The following year, she released her 4th album Take Her Up to Monto (2016). In 2018, she released four 12″ releases in collaboration with producer Maurice Fulton to critical praise. In June 2019, Murphy released the disco-inspired single “Incapable”, which although denied at the time, marked the beginning of a new album cycle. Three additional singles were released up until she announced her fifth solo album, Róisín Machine. The album includes previously released singles dating from 2012 until 2020 as well as new material.]

4. (#118.) Yves Tumor – “Identity Trade”
   from: Heaven To a Tortured Mind / Warp Records / April 2, 2020
   [4th album from Sean Bowie, best known by the recording alias Yves Tumor, is an American producer of experimental electronic music, born in Miami, Florida and currently based in Turin, Italy. Raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tumor started making music at age 17 as an outlet away from “dull, conservative surroundings.” They taught themself to play drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards. Describing their experience growing up in Tennessee as unpleasant, they moved at age 20 to San Diego, and after college to Los Angeles, where they met Mykki Blanco in 2012, with whom they later toured for two and a half years throughout Europe and Asia.In the early 2010s, Tumor recorded as Teams, and made music which AllMusic described as “post-chillwave”. They debuted their Yves Tumor project in 2015 with an EP for Berlin’s experimental club label Janus, and another one for Blanco’s label, Dogfood MG. That same year, they self-released their first album, When Man Fails You (which would later be re-released by Apothecary Compositions on April 29, 2016). In September 2016, Tumor signed with PAN Records and released its label debut, Serpent Music. They had worked on the album for three years after moving to Leipzig, Germany. The album was recorded between Miami, Leipzig, Los Angeles and Berlin. In Pitchfork’s review of the album, critic Andy Beta compared Tumor’s musical style to James Ferraro and Dean Blunt, and noted their use of “unsettling percussive loops and field recordings to create a mood as if lost in a strange urban landscape”. In September 2017, Tumor released a compilation album titled Experiencing the Deposit of Faith for free. Later that week, it was revealed through a tour announcement that Tumor had signed to Warp Records. Following the announcement, they embarked on a tour with a new audiovisual show. In September 2018, Tumor released their Warp debut, Safe in the Hands of Love, with no prior announcement. It was preceded by the singles “Noid” on July 24, “Licking an Orchid” featuring James K on August 29, and “Lifetime” on September 3. The album received universal acclaim from music critics. Pitchfork’s Jayson Greene stated in their review that the album “dwarfs everything the artist has released by several orders of magnitude. The leap is so audacious it’s disorienting.” Tumor’s fourth album, Heaven to a Tortured Mind, was released on April 3, 2020, preceded on March 3 by the single “Kerosene” featuring Diana Gordon. Alexis Petridis, reviewing the album for The Guardian, awarded it Album of the Week, describing it as “extraordinary: experimental, capable of any genre, with an internal logic powering its shifts in mood. Tumor has cited Throbbing Gristle as a major influence, saying: “There’s something about their music, like the hypnotic trance vibes, that really influenced me.]

5. (#117.) Holy Fuck – “Deleters (feat. Angus Andrew)”
   from: Deleter / Ef Records / January 17, 2020
   [Holy Fuck is an electronica band from Toronto. They were a part of Dependent Music, a music label & artist collective that began in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 2004 until its closing. They were then a part of the Young Turks label. In 2016 they signed with Innovative Leisure. The band uses live instrumentation & miscellaneous instruments and non-instruments, including a 35 mm film synchronizer, toy keyboards & toy phaser guns, to achieve electronic-sounding effects without the use of laptops or programmed backing tracks. According to Pitchfork Media, “The band formed with the intent of creating the equivalent of modern electronic music without actually using the techniques, looping, splicing, programming and the like, of that music.]

6. (#116.) Dylan Pyles – “Let It Rot”
   from: Evil Music for an Ugly World / Manor Records / February 21, 2020
   [Dylan Pyles, joined us on WMM on March 18, 2020 on the day before we shut down and went into quarantine. Kansas City based musician, singer, songwriter, Dylan Pyles played live in our 90.1 FM Studios. Pyles is a music scholar, record buyer at Mills Record Company, and manager of Wise Blood KC a bookstore in Westport. Dylan Pyles eleased his 15-track album, “Evil Music for an Ugly World” on February 21, 2020. This was the follow up to his 20-track album, “Popular Songs for the Heart,” released September 20, 2019. Dylan also released the 6-song EP, “Solo Acoustic Guitar Vol. 1,” on September 20, 2019. In December 2018 Dylan Pyles released the 19-track, experimental release, “You Have a Problem but You Are Not a Problem.” More info at: http://www.dylanpyles.bandcamp.com.]

7. (#115.) Okkyung Lee – “The Yellow Porcelain Bird” from: Yeo-Neun / Shelter Press / May 8, 2020 [Yeo-Neun is the eighth studio album by South Korean artist Okkyung Lee. Maeve Gilchrist on harp, Okkyung Lee on cello, Eivind Opsvik on bass and Jacob Sacks on piano. Written by Okkyung Lee (born 1975 in Daejeon, South Korea) is a South Korean cellist, improviser, and composer. Lee moved to Boston in 1993, where she received a dual bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Writing and Production and Film Scoring (Berklee College of Music), and a master’s degree in Contemporary Improvisation (New England Conservatory of Music). In 2000, Lee moved to New York and immersed herself in the city’s downtown music scene. Since then, she has collaborated with a wide range of musicians and artists, including Laurie Anderson, Arca, David Behrman, Mark Fell, Douglas Gordon, Jenny Hval, Vijay Iyer, Christian Marclay, Lasse Marhaug, Haroon Mirza, Thurston Moore, Ikue Mori, Stephen O’Malley, Lawrence D “Butch” Morris, Jim O’Rourke, Evan Parker, Marina Rosenfeld, Wadada Leo Smith, Swans, Cecil Taylor, C. Spencer Yeh and John Zorn. In 2013, Lee curated the Music Unlimited festival in Wels, Austria, giving it the title “The most beautiful noise on earth”. Lee received a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grant in 2010. and a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award in 2015. She lives in New York City.]

8. (#114.) Thanya Iyer- “Please Don’t Hold Me Hostage for Who I Am, for Who I Was”
   from: Kind / Topshelf Records / July 31, 2020
   [KIND explores an expansive universe where Iyer and her band examine interpersonal relationships, ideas of home and destination, and our collective responsibilities to one another. To aid in this journey of big, difficult questions, Iyer enlists the help of a huge cast of musicians, with guest features ranging from brass trios, vocal sextets, flautists, and harpists. Underscoring its explorative nature, the constant movement of KIND melds the sounds of experimental pop and improv into a magical amalgam that teems with flashes of jazz and nuanced electronics. Iyer’s rhythm section pulsates with genre-defying palettes of blips and skitters that twist elegantly into the melodic voices of interlocking synth, strings, and piano, all led by Iyer’s enrapturing lilt. The rhythmic direction of bassist Alexander Kasirer-Smibert and percussionist Daniel Gélinas clears a navigable path in an otherwise unnavigable setting, built on the pair’s understated yet intriguing expertise. The most succinct distillation of the album’s themes is perhaps found in KIND’s tracklist. “Please Don’t Hold Me Hostage for Who I Am, Who I Was” and “Bring Back That Which is Kind to You” inspire philosophies of self-care and emergent reconfigurations of justice, calling on listeners to self-reflect and detach from our preconceptions of ourselves and our identity. At the end of its course, KIND arrives at the conclusion of acceptance and resolve: acceptance of our collective circumstance, and the resolve to make the choice to do better. Thanya Iyer on voice, synth, violin, piano; Alex Kasirer-Smibert on Bass, percussion, synth, voice; Daniel Gélinas on Drums, Drum machine, percussion, voice; Shaina Hayes on vocals (tracks 4,5; Simon Millerd on Trumpet; Mawmz Plus Choir [Shelby Cohen, Corey Gulkin, Emilie Kahn, Brigitte Naggar, Sarah Rossy, Tamara Sandor] (tracks 7,9); Emilie Kahn on Harp, Frédérique Roy on Accordion; Devin Brahja Waldman on Saxophone; Felix Del Tredici on Trombone; Anh Phung: on Flute; Scott Bevins on Trumpet + electronics. All songs by Thanya Iyer. Produced by Daniel Gélinas, Alexander Kasirer-Smibert & Thanya Iyer. Recorded and Mixed by Daniel Gélinas at Studio Chocolat Chaud (Ogden, QC), St George’s Anglican Church (Montréal, QC) and Resonance Café (Montréal, QC). Mastered by Elton Chueng at Classick Studios (Chicago, IL) ]

9. (#113.) Remy Styrk – “A Green World”
   from: Of My Own Design / Remy Sryrk / May 4, 2020
   [21-year old musician and film composer Remy Styrk joined us live on the phone on May 27, 2020 to share details about “Of My Own Design” his 9-minute interactive album structured like an “Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.” Remy created pieces of music that all fit together to tell a story both musically and visually. He asked listeners, to imagine and create the visual story. Scene descriptions can be between 2 sentences and 2 paragraphs. More info at: http://www.remystyrk.com/interactive. 21 year old Remy Stryk lives in Leawood Kansas, originally from Newark, New Jersey. This multi instrumentalist has been writing & recording music for several years. Remy Styrk is a scifi and thriller film composer composer living in KC. His work is informed by his life experiences, and his life experiences have been a tragic journey on a compact timeframe.Styrk was born in Newark, NJ to a homeless heroin addict in February 1999. He doesn’t really know who his parents were, because he wound up in a semi-closed adoption. After birth, he was in the hospital for three weeks, clinging to life. At the age of 14 months, he was adopted by a couple, the husband, a fashion photographer and wife, a creative director, Tom & Deborah. When 9/11 happened and the family wanted to get away from the East Coast. Styrk’s adopted father Tom got a job at Hallmark in Kansas City, Misouri and the family relocated here. Sadly, not long after making the move, Remy’s adopted mother Deborah passed away from a sudden brain aneurysm. Tom quit his job at Hallmark to come home and take care of his kids in this terrible time. Remy’s father was pursuing a photography gig full time during this period, and that set the tone for his kids. Push through everything. Never give up. Dedicate yourself to what you love and work towards it each and every day. Remy began pursuing music. His family that supported his goals. At an early age they got him a guitar, and by age six he was already learning the drums. Remy found folk music, thanks to the relocation into KC. Folk music was new to Remy, and based entirely in storytelling. Remy leaned into that hard, because the storytelling allowed him to process his mother’s death, and the series of other traumas in his life. Remy told Brock Wilbur of The Pitch Kansas City, “I grew up black in a predominately white school system,” Styrk says. “I felt like an outcast but it didn’t make me want to give up on who I was. It pushed me to work harder on being who I want to be. I won’t change for anyone.” Styrk started playing with local bands. He moved from the DIY scene into rock and indie, but then found the famous KC blues scene– and his place within it. This series of genre dabbles prepared him perfectly to start scoring for film. In 2019 Remy release “Winter/Summer” In 2018 Remy released “In Too Deep” one of 5 singles Remy has released in the last 2 years. Remy Styrk released the EP Sunday, on Jan 25, 2018 a follow up to the Aug 12, 2015 full length album, Telling Stories Through The Basement Door. Remy also released the single “Boy” on November 5, 2020]

10:28 – Underwriting

10. (#112.) Shamir– “I Wonder”
    from: Shamir / Shamir / October 2, 2020
    [Second full length release from Shamir this year with Shamir Bailey on vocals, bass, Guitar, Synth; Kyle Pully on production, mixing, bass, synth; Grant Pavol on production; Matty Beatson production; Justin Tailor on mixing; Zack Hanni on engineering; Danny Murillo on drums, production; Mike Brenner on Lap Steel; Molly Germer on violin, Viola, string arrangement; and Ryan Schwabe on mastering. // Shamir Bailey, born November 7, 1994, known by his stage name Shamir, a singer and songwriter from Las Vegas, Nevada, released his debut EP, Northtown, on June 2014 to positive reviews. In October 2014 Shamir signed to XL Recordings and released the single “On the Regular.” and his debut full length album, Ratchet on XL records on May 19, 2015. On April 17, 2017, Shamir released his second album, Hope. He revealed he was dropped from XL Recordings and self-released the album. // After Hope was released, Shamir broke with his management team and again considered quitting his music career. After a psychotic episode, he spent time in a psychiatric hospital, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He returned to Las Vegas, where he wrote and recorded most of his third album, Revelations, in two weeks. Noting that the style of the album differed significantly from his previous work, he told a journalist: “A lot of people think I’m crazy. I guess I kind of am. But I also know what’s best for me, and that’s more important than fame and money”. Revelations was released November 3, 2017.// Shamir was featured on Wussy Magazine’s “Sex Issue” in 2018. On March 9, 2018, Shamir released his fourth album, Resolution on March 9, 2018 without any prior announcement. Resolution marks a continuation of Shamir’s indie rock style, similar to Hope and Revelations. // On April 19, 2019 Shamir released his fifth album, Be the Yee, Here Comes the Haw, with all songs written, recorded, and performed by Shamir. // On March 18, 2020 Shamoore released his sixth album, Cataclysm, containing nine spongs written, performed and produced by Shamir Bailey. // Shamir is known for his androgynous countertenor voice. Radio.com wrote that his singing voice, “like Joplin’s, stops you in your tracks.” Shamir has said that he does not mind having his voice described as androgynous, but notes that “countertenor” is the correct term: “It’s not feminine, it’s not masculine. It’s a happy medium … I feel like if the world was more like that, our problems would be gone.” We saw Shamir play The Tank Room, in Kansas City on Oct 5, 2015.]

11. (#111.) X.WILSON – “Nobody Safe”
    from: Troost Story / Intelligent Sound / June 19, 2020
    [X.Wilson is a non-binary composer, producer, DJ, and story teller. Troost Story was mastered by JPINO of Intelligent Sound. Troost Story is available at http://www.xwilson.bandcamp.com. 100% of the proceeds from the sales of this recording are being donated to NAACP legal defense fund.]

12. (#110.) Chuck Prophet – “Get Off the Stage”
    from: The Land That Time Forgot / Yep Roc / August 21, 2020
    [Charles William “Chuck” Prophet is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. A Californian, Prophet first achieved notice in the American psychedelic/desert rock group Green on Red, with whom he toured and recorded in the 1980s. He has also recorded a number of solo records, and gained prominence as a musician and songwriter. Chuck Prophet was born in Whittier, California, United States and calls San Francisco home. After recording one E.P. and eight albums with rock group Green on Red, he released his first solo record Brother Aldo on Fire Records in 1990. It was not released in the U.S. until 1997. He records and tours with his wife Stephanie Finch, who is a singer, keyboardist and guitarist. Prophet was signed to New West Records by Peter Jesperson in 2002. He made two records for New West: No Other Love and Age of Miracles. After years of mostly European and UK success, 2002’s No Other Love was a breakthrough record for Prophet stateside due to the success of the summer single “Summertime Thing” and endorsements from Lucinda Williams, who gave him the opening slot for her summer tour. Prophet was signed to Yep Roc Records in 2007. Since 1990 he has released 15 solo albums.]

13. (#109.) Lucinda Williams – “When the Way Gets Dark”
    from: Good Souls Better Angels / Highway 20 records – Thirty Tigers / April 24, 2020
    [15th album since 1979 from Lucinda Williams. The release of this album was preceded by the track “Man Without a Soul”, a critique of Donald Trump. Lucinda Gayle Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American rock, folk and country music singer, songwriter and musician. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album, Lucinda Williams. This release featured “Passionate Kisses,” a song later recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter, which garnered Williams her first Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994. Known for working slowly, Williams recorded and released only one other album in the next several years, Sweet Old World, in 1992. Her commercial breakthrough came in 1998 with Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, an album presenting a broader scope of songs that fused rock, blues, country and Americana into a distinctive style that remained consistent and commercial in sound. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, which includes the Grammy nominated track “Can’t Let Go”, became Williams’ greatest commercial success to date. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA and earned Williams a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album, while being universally acclaimed by critics. Williams released the critically acclaimed Essence three years later, and the album also became a commercial success. One of the album’s tracks, “Get Right with God,” earned Williams the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 2002. Williams has released a string of albums since that have earned her more critical acclaim and commercial success. She has won three Grammy Awards, from 15 nominations, and received two Americana Awards, from 12 nominations. Additionally, Williams ranked No. 97 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women in Rock & Roll in 1998, she was named “America’s best songwriter” by Time magazine in 2002, and was chosen by Rolling Stone as the 79th greatest songwriter of all time. Williams was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the daughter of poet and literature professor Miller Williams and an amateur pianist, Lucille Fern Day. Her parents divorced in the mid-1960s. Williams’s father gained custody of her and her younger brother, Robert Miller, and sister, Karyn Elizabeth. Like her father, she has spina bifida. Her father worked as a visiting professor in Mexico and different parts of the United States, including Baton Rouge; New Orleans; Jackson, Mississippi; and Utah before settling at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Williams never graduated from high school but was accepted into the University of Arkansas. Williams started writing when she was 6 years old. She showed an affinity for music at an early age, and was playing guitar at 12. Williams’s first live performance was in Mexico City at 17, as part of a duo with her friend, a banjo player named Clark Jones.]

14. (#108.) Ingrid Ingram – “Just Joking”
    from: Worried / Ingrid Ingram / March 8, 2020
    [Ingrid Ingram joined us live on our March 18, 2020 WMM. Ingrid Ingram is a trans-femme musician who uses samples and traditional instruments to create erratic and dreamy soundscapes. On March 8, 2020 Ingrid released her debut full length album, “Worried,” where she explores glam-punk, touching on themes of paranoia, addiction, narcissism and commodified identity in a capitalist society. Ingrid Ingram also plays bass in the KC based band The Creepy Jingles. Prior to “Worried,” 26 year old Ingrid Ingram released three singles from “Worried,” plus her EP “Inside Outside” from January 2017, and “Noises And People” from February 2016. Many of the sounds used in these earlier two releases were recorded on a phone during a two-year period of travel around the United States and stitched together on friends laptops. Our first question to Ingrid was, are you worried? She immediately, and bravely identified herself as having BDP, Borderline Personality Disorder. About 1.6% of people have BPD in a given year, with some estimates as high as 6%. Women are diagnosed about three times as often as men. It appears to become less common among older people. Up to half of people improve over a ten-year period. There is an ongoing debate about the naming of the disorder, especially the suitability of the word borderline. The disorder is often stigmatized in both the media and the psychiatric field. When we asked Ingrid Ingram about her musical influences and she told us about Micachu and the Shapes. The UK band was formed by Mica Levi, born February 2, 1987, also known by her stage name Micachu. She is an English singer, songwriter, composer and producer. Micachu and the Shapes includes Raisa Khan on keyboards and Marc Pell on drums. The band signed to Accidental Records. With the Shapes, Levi’s focus has been on experimental pop music. Most of this music prominently features an acoustic half-guitar with various non-standard tunings, extensive distortion, and use of noise and found-object elements, as well as occasionally unusual time signatures. Despite these experimental leanings, the artist categorizes her output with the Shapes as pop music. Ingrid Ingram met Jocelyn Olivia Nixin of The Creepy Jingles when she was working at Succotash, Beth Barden’s restaurant at 2601 Holmes, in KCMO. Ingrid told us about jumping into an already established band that have been playing together for several years and that is was especially fun because Ingrid was a big fan. On WMM, over the past 7 years, we’ve been watching the growing number of brave trans-artists opening us and coming out in the collective Kansas City music communities. Ivory Blue, Eve Sheldon, Ada Brumback, The Creepy Jingles, Mazzy Mann, Cuee, HellKat, True Lions, Chase The Horseman, are many of the artists we’ve had as guests on Wednesday MidDay Medley and have featured their recordings. Ingrid said that she has found acceptance in the KC music community, especially in early DIY spaces, that we can’t mention on the radio. Ingrid grew up in Raytown, Missouri and was home-schooled. She talked about the irony of being home-schooled in relationship to her current job, as the “lunch lady” at an elementary school in Gladstone. Ingrid Ingram is a trans-femme musician who uses samples and traditional instruments to create erratic and dreamy soundscapes. On”Worried,” she explores glam-punk, touching on themes of paranoia, addiction, narcissism and commodified identity in a capitalist society.]

15. (#107.) Crystal Rose – “Renegade”
    from: Arena EP / Crystal Rose / September 18, 2020
    [Crystal Rose is a singer song-writer based in heart of Kansas City. Last year she was featured on the nationally televised NBC reality – competition program The Voice. At a young age she was Influenced by powerhouse vocals like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera. She has since drawn much inspiration from blusey and folk centered artist like James Bay, James Vincent Mcmorrow and Johnnyswim. Crystal Rose released her debut single “Come Alive” on May 6, 2016. Earlier this year Crystal released the single “Not Leaving (Stripped)” on January 30, 2020.Crystal is a Kansas City based singer songwriter and UMKC journalism student who has played solo and also with Paige Turner on guitar. To listen to more Crystal Rose please visit: http://www.crystalro.se]

16. (#106.) Stephonne Singleton – “Deep”
    from: SIS: Side A / Stephonne Singleton / August 7, 2020
    [Co-produced by, Justin Mantooth, and recorded at Westend Recording Studios. Johnny Hamil on bass, Ben Byard on guitar and Adam McKee on drums. Stephonne grew up in KCK. He released his debut album, “Caged Bird Sings Songs About Red Beard.” The album was one of WMM’s 118 Best Recordings of 2018. Stephonne was born and raised in Wyandotte County, Kansas. He has performed in multiple shows for Late Night Theatre. Stephonne told John Long of Camp Magazine “I was surrounded by records, and my parents always had music on.” A special video for “Want Me” was released in 2020. Stephonne joined us on WMM on July 15, 2020 just before his show at Lemonade Park August 7 with Lava Dreams.]

11:00 – Station ID

17. (#105.) Soultru – “We”
    from: The Truth: An Acoustic EP / The Record Machine / October 10, 2020
    [This song was first released as part of several singles Soultru has released this year.. Vocals by Terrance Banks. Singer, songwriter, poet and emcee Terrance A Banks aka Soultru is a native of Davenport, Iowa and is currently based out of the Quad Cities area of NW Illinois/NE Iowa. Combining his poetic and lyrical talents with a soulful voice, Soultru has forged his own unique sound. Soultru credits a wide range of influences, including Gavin Degraw, John Legend, Yelawolf and Son Little. More info at: http://www.soultrumusic.com]

18. (#104.) Blanky – “I Never Thought I’d Be The One”
    from: No Summertime / Manor Records / October 9, 2020
    [Anthony Cunard of Blanky joined us on the show on November 4 to talk about Blanky his band that has moved for North Carolina, to KCK, and then to Lawrence Kansas where they are based. Blanky embodies the languor left of a perfect day gone past. The always evolving musical project has thus far successfully mirrored the tumultuous transition of an agnostic adolescence to a freeing acceptance of life’s unapologetic inhumanity. The result is a dark happiness; simultaneously baffling and enticing. Incubated in a Black Mountain basement and left in the fields ’til full maturity. Blanky has settled in Lawrence, KS by way of Asheville, North Carolina. Southern origins and midwestern sentimentality are bound together in the timeless mindscape provoked by the broad assortment of compositions and styles performed and produced by the band. The ongoing experimentations of Blanky are a testament to their commitment to combining the culture of sharing and adaptation of 60’s folk and the do-it-yourself ethos of contemporary underground music. Blanky’s poignantly devitalized interpretations of rock’n’roll sound both new and familiar. The sense of desolation induced by their work is all so appropriate for an era marked by post-fact disenfranchisement. Recorded in 2019 at El Rancho Morbido in Black Mountain, NC, and Lakehouse Sudios in Asbury Park, NJ. Engineered by Nick Semanchik & Anthony Cunard. Mixed by Anthony Cunard and Kevin Drew. Anthony Cunard on guitar & vocals, Santo Rizzolo on drums, Joseph Makoviecki on bass, Edward Madill on pedal steel.]

19. (#103.) Parade – “North/South”
    from: Mend Melodies / Parade / March 1, 2020
    [Parade calls their music “genre fluid.” The band is based in KC, with Seth Props on guitar, Claire Monroe on guitar, and Patrick Sanders on bass guitar. Seth who writes and produces most of their music also plays in the band Stary with Adam Stary and Marisa Tejeda. Parade released (Solo Demos) on August 20, 2019. Parade released the 13-song, self titled Parade on, September 2, 2019. Parade released the 13-track Mend Melodies on March 1, 2020. Just as we were getting into Mend Melodies we were amazed to discover that through the quarantine and pandemic Seth has released an additonal nine albums in 2020, totaling 110 songs. After Mend Melodies in March, Seth followed with the 13-track release Quarantine Demos on March 31, the 7-song release You Know I Care on April 12, the 12-song release Automatic Envelopes on May 5, the 7-song release Strawberry Legs on May 30. the 10-song album Spraint on June 10, the 15-song album Greenvalley on June 25, the 12-song Upward on September 17, the 12-song album Make Your Brain Your Home on October 12, and the 9-song Cicada released November 25. More information at: http://www.paradekc.bandcamp.com]

20. (#102.) Timbers – “River”
    from: Wasting Time EP / Timbers / May 2, 2020
    [Aaron Mitchum on vocals & guitars, Devon Teran on guitar & pedal steel, Riley Taylor on bass & BGV, Nathan Lewis on drums, cover art, Jilliann De Jong on vocals. All songs written by Timbers. Engineering, Mixing, Mastering by Joel Nanos. Recorded at Element Studio in Kansas City, MO. Timbers was formed in 2013, their uplifting music is blend of rock and roll, country and soul. Follow up to the band’s self titled 2018 EP Timbers.]

21. (#101.) Silver Girl – “Sweet Like An Apple”
    from: silver girl / Silver Girl / August 14, 2020
    [Silver Girl released three singles released from their self titled debut 7-song EP. Silver Girl is the collaboration between producer and musician Jared Logan and singer songwriter Chloe Jacobson. ]

22. (#100.) Jake Wells – “Habit”
    from: Sunday Morning – EP / Jake Wells Music / February 29, 2020
    [Second EP from Kansas City based indie folk singer songwriter. Jake Wells was born in Florida grew up in Colorado. Jake studied Music Composition at University of Northern Colorado. “Jake’s sound evokes an emotionality and maturity much deeper than his age of 22 would imply.” He was named one of Spotify’s top 20. He has performed on stages since he was a teenager. His single releases are currently gaining radio play in the Midwest on several FM stations. In 2018 he was featured on the nationally televised NBC reality – competition program The Voice.]

23. (#99.) Bright Eyes – “Tilt-A-Whirl” from: Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was / Dead Oceans / August 21, 2020 [After being on a hiatus since their last performance on November 21, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Bright Eyes is back! Bright Eyes is an American indie rock band founded by singer-songwriter and guitarist Conor Oberst. It consists of Oberst, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mike Mogis, arranger, composer and trumpet and piano player Nate Walcott, and a rotating line-up of collaborators drawn primarily from Omaha’s indie music scene. Between 1998 and 2011, the band’s albums were released through Saddle Creek Records, a Nebraska-based label founded by Justin Oberst (Conor’s brother) and Mogis. In January 2020, the band announced their return, having signed with Dead Oceans. In January 2020, Bright Eyes launched an Instagram page and teased a 2020 return. As of January 21, 2020 Bright Eyes have signed with Dead Oceans and are working on a new studio album. They released their first new song in 9 years – “Persona Non Grata” – on March 24. NME’s Luke Morgan Britton wrote of the track: “[A] dual sense of societal dystopia and inner turmoil collide and intertwine on the quietly poignant ‘Persona Non Grata’… [It] sees the band maintain the sage-like, cryptic feel of their latter-day records. Yet it also returns to the intimacy and immediacy of their early material.]

24. (#98.) Misha Roberts – “Glass”
    from: Exposed – EP / Misha Roberts / January 2020 (Unreleased)
    [Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Misha Roberts has worked extensively in Kansas City as a vocalist for over 10 years. Misha is currently in the studio working on her solo album. She recently released this song as a you Tube Video. Misha plays with the band The Freedom Affair.]

11:28 – Underwriting

25. (#97.) Various Blonde – “Dirty Martini”
    from: 3s 1 / The Record Machine / January 10, 2020
    [New three song release from Various Blonde. Kansas City based experimental, rock, pop, and funk band originally formed in 2008 and currently served by founder Joshua Allen on guitar, synthesizers, and vocals; and Mark Lomas on drums. The band has been described by Mills Record Company as, “Having all the sex appeal of The Weeknd and all the grit of Rage Against the Machine–the combination makes for a performance that is explosive.”]

26. (#96.) Phoebe Bridgers – “Kyoto”
    from: Punisher / Dead Oceans / June 18, 2020
    [Second album from Phoebe Bridgers who was born August 17, 1994, and is from Los Angeles, California. Bridgers released her major label debut 7″ on Ryan Adams record label, PAX AM. In early 2016, Bridgers supported Julien Baker on her 2016 East Coast tour. On September 22, 2017 Bridgers released her debut album, Stranger in the Alps. Followed by last year’s self titled, Better Oblivion Community Center, her musical project with Conor Oberst who made a cameo appearance for her Kansas City show at recordBar. Bridgers is a graduate of Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. In 2014 she was featured in a commercial for the Apple iPhone singing a cover of “Gigantic” by the Pixies. In June 2017, Phoebe Bridgers signed to Dead Oceans. The Alps was produced by Tony Berg and Ethan Gruska.]

27. (#95.) The Innocence Mission —“On Your Side”
    from: See You Tomorrow / Thérèse Records / January 17, 2020
    [12th studio album from The Innocence Mission, an indie folk band with: Karen Peris (née McCullough), her husband (and fellow guitarist) Don Peris, and Mike Bitts (on bass guitar). The band was formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when the members met during a Catholic school production of Godspell. Although all members of the band have contributed to their music, Karen Peris is their main writer. Before being signed to a record label, the band originally played local clubs, events and at Lancaster Catholic High School (the alma mater of the band members).Their self-titled debut album was released in 1989 on A&M Records and was produced by Larry Klein, then-husband of Joni Mitchell. Recorded in Mitchell’s Los Angeles studio, the album spent 10 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaking at #167 in 1990. Klein also produced their 1991 follow up, Umbrella. Their third A&M album, Glow (1995), was produced by Dennis Herring, who had previously produced two records for Camper Van Beethoven. This album is a departure from Klein’s heavier production style. Herring’s lighter touch gave more emphasis to the group’s guitar work and to Karen’s vocals and lyrics. Glow contains songs that appear on the soundtracks of the films Empire Records and Dream for an Insomniac, as well as the television series Party of Five. The album’s second track, “Bright as Yellow,” peaked at #33 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks. After the band completed the recording of a follow-up album to Glow, A&M Records was bought by Universal Music Group. The group decided to mutually part ways with the label, shortly before it was merged with other companies to form Interscope-Geffen-A&M. 1999’s Birds of My Neighborhood inaugurated The Innocence Mission as they are today, following three albums as a quartet that drew comparisons to The Sundays and 10,000 Maniacs. When drummer Steve Brown left to become a chef, Karen Peris (guitars, piano, pump organ, accordion, voice), Don Peris (guitars, drums, voice) and Mike Bitts (upright bass) forged ahead with an orchestral and sometimes cinematic folk-pop sound, which they felt was truer to their real nature – in any case, a sound rich in atmosphere, innately sad, but ultimately hopeful. The album was followed by the release of The Lakes of Canada EP, which contains a remix of “Snow” by Icelandic electronic group GusGus, the band’s only remix thus far. The 2000 release, Christ Is My Hope, featuring folk songs and hymns that had inspired them over the years, was independently distributed by their own label, LAMP, with all proceeds from sales of the record being donated to hunger relief charities. An exclusive one-album deal signed with independent label WhatAreRecords? saw Small Planes following a year later. Their first album on Badman Records in the US and Agenda in Europe, Befriended, was released in 2003 and was followed a year later by a collection of lullabies, standards, traditional and classical songs called Now the Day Is Over. Recorded over two weeks in Aug. 2004, the album contained their well-known cover of Henry Mancini’s “Moon River.” Badman Records acquired license to re-master and re-issue the then-out-of-print Birds of My Neighborhood album in 2006. We Walked in Song was released in 2007 and included the song “Brotherhood of Man”, which appeared in two acclaimed films: the documentary The Human Experience and the short film Weathered, starring Tony Hale and Nicole Parker, which also featured a new version of the song “Our Harry”. Also on this album are “Happy Birthday” and closing song “Over the Moon”, both of which are featured in the Julia Roberts film Fireflies in the Garden. On June 6, 2008, “Bright as Yellow” was played as the official NASA wake-up call for the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-124 on flight day 7. Street Map was released in December 2008 and was the second record to be distributed independently on their own LAMP label, while their eighth studio album, My Room in the Trees, was released on July 13, 2010. Their ninth studio album, Hello I Feel the Same, was released on October 17, 2015, followed by Sun on the Square in 2018. Their next studio album, See You Tomorrow, is due for release on January 17, 2020. Don Peris has recorded four solo albums: Ten Silver Slide Trombones (2001), the mostly instrumental Go When the Morning Shineth (2006), which features a vocal contribution from Karen Peris on “North Atlantic Sand”, and an instrumental solo guitar album, Brighter Visions Beam Afar (2007), which raised money for local food banks. His fourth studio album, The Old Century, was released on May 7, 2013. Karen Peris released her first solo album, Violet, on Dec. 3, 2012. The 10-song album was performed mainly on piano, and features six instrumental compositions. Don Peris appears as guitarist on two songs, while the couple’s two children performed violin and viola on a further two songs. A version of the album containing two bonus tracks, “First Days in the City” and “Getting Here”, was released in Japan through P-Vine Records on May 15, 2013. Sufjan Stevens calls The Innocence Mission “moving and profound”, adding, “What makes Karen Peris’ lyrics so remarkable is the economy of words, sensory language, concrete nouns – everyday objects take on tremendous meaning.]

28. (#94) The Multiverse – “Sahara Winds”
    from: Songs Of Latter Days / The Multiverse / November 1, 2020
    [The Multiverse is Chris Hudson & Julie Bennett Hume have been playing and creating songs for decades in the KC – Lawrence area. Prolific songwriters with a love of poetry and prose, their music is an eclectic mix of folk, blues and country. For this recording of 13 songs Chris wrote 6 and Julie wrote 6 and they wrote one song together. They play on all songs together with help from the Kansas City acclaimed alternative string duo The Wires with Laurel Morgan parks on violin and Sascha Groschang on cello. Also contributing to the recording was Jason Beers. Chris Hudson also plays solo and with the bands “Gullywasher” and “The Bard Owls”. Julie Bennett Hume plays in the folk duo “The Stray Grays” with Leslie Giggler. Julie and Chris also perform in the group “Lost Cowgirl Revue”. Chris and Julie joined us live o WMM on November 4, 2020. More info at: http://www.themultiverse.com]

29. (#93.) Flutienastiness – “AlterEgo”
    from: This Is Me / Flutienastiness Entertainment / October 28, 2020
    [Flutienastiness is the music and educational project of Amber Underwood who works as a band director in KC Public Schools and is a private flute instructor at REW Band & Instruments. Her style falls on the R&B, Pop, and Soul side of jazz, Amber Underwood is a vivid performer. Amber studied Education at Pittsburgh State University from 2010 to 2012. Amber lives in Shawnee, KS. The album was produced, mixed, & mastered by Desmond “D. Professor” Mason for Out D. Park Productions. All flutes by Amber Underwood. All tracks were composed collaboratively between Amber & Desmond. Amber writes: “This is album is a touch of all my feelings, life journeys and a inside look into Amber ‘Flutienastiness’ Underwood as a person beyond the stage. This album is for all the female artists & musicians who have been criticized or not excepted when it comes to their work, art or music and felt like they didn’t belong. ‘This Is Me’ is my testimony that all things are possible and not be scared to create your OWN lane.” More info at:www.flutienastiness.com.]

30. (#92.) Mikal Shapiro & The Musical – “The Distance of Elements”
    from: Kansas City Syzygy / Kansas City Syzygy / July 17, 2020
    [Kansas City Syzygy is a glimpse into the music created in the middle of the map in the middle of a pandemic. Mastered by J Ashley Miller, designed by JC Franco, with compilation direction by Robert Castillo. Over 25 Kansas City-based musicians came together to create “Kansas City Syzygy,” a compilation of music created during the shutdown of the world in April of 2020. From this amazing compilation we played 8 brand new original songs from: Miki P, Trevor Turla, Kemet Coleman, Calvin Arsenia, We The People, Rob Rice & The Devils Threesome, Johnny Hamil & Jeff Harshbarger as part of the GAV7D Project, and The Musical. The album can be purchased from Bandcamp. All proceeds will be donated to KC Tenants, a local nonprofit organized to ensure that everyone in KC has a safe, accessible, and truly affordable home.] {The Musical is Mikal Shapiro, on vocals & guitar, Chad Brothers on vocals & guitar, Johnny Hamil on bass, and Matt Richey on drums. Recorded separately and with social distancing. Mikal Shapiro released her critically acclaimed album The Musical II on May 26, 2018 which included “Everybody’s Baby” her pop song she wrote that got a lot of radio play, but all the songs on The Musical 11 are great. The Musical II is the sequel to Shapiro’s 2015 concept album, “The Musical.” Along with Mikal Shapiro, Chad Brothers, Johnny Hamil and Matt Richey, special guests include: Hermon Mehari on trumpet, Tina Bilberry on viola & violin, Damon Parker on keyboards, and Lauren Hughes on vocals. Engineered and co-produced by Joel Nanos at Element Recording & Mastering Studios. Mikal Shapiro is a KC songwriter whose musical influences span popular songs, psych rock, lounge, classic country and old time spirituals. She has toured extensively across the U.S. and has recorded five critically acclaimed albums. KC Star and Tim Finn declared her album “The Musical” to be one of his top five releases of 2015. A third generation storyteller, she draws inspiration from her travels, love life, and the state of the Union.]

31. (#91) The MGDs – “Tomorrow Comes Soon”
    from: Midtown / The MGDs / March 26, 2020
    [Midtown is the MGDs fourth full length release following, Somos Como Somos, from November 4, 2017. The band includes: Matt Davis on drums, percussion & vocals; Greg Bush on bass; Damon Parker on keyboards & vocals; Scott “Snoof” Middleton on guitar; Rudy Vasquez on saxophones; and Eric Martens on trumpet. This Kansas City based 6-piece band that mixes piano and brass with a dynamic rhythm section that adds a unique flavor to the iconic Kansas City music culture, blending of funk and blues with soulful stylings. In what started as a 3-piece between longtime friends Matt, Greg and Damon in 2008, the MGDs have evolved into a potent powerhouse, high-energy ensemble with regular monthly appearances at the Phoenix, and appearances at the Sunset Music Fest, the City Market Crawfish Fest, the 6th annual Phoenix Fest, Crossroads Music Fest, Middle of The Map Fest, Boulevardia, The Plaza Art Fair, Kauffman Stadium before two Kansas City Royals games. In 2016 the band released, “Wake Up” their 2nd full length studio album.]

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

Next week, December 16, Wednesday MidDay Medley continues with part two of our 4-week series: The 120 Best Recordings of 2020, we’ll count down from #90 through #61 of our list, with music from: Howard Iceberg & The Titanics, Eems, Hermon Mehari, Mike Dillon, Page 7, Scott Hrabko & The Rabbits, Thighmaster, LK Ultra!, Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy, Black Stacey, Rae Fitzgerald, Ondist, Saint Sé, Sam Prekop, Gemini Revolution, Ondist, Scabb, Ondara, Kris Delmhorst, The Magnetic Fields, SPECIAL INTEREST, Deerhoof, Free Nationals, Les Amazones d’Afrique, Lyra Pramuk, X, This Is The Kit, Julianna Barwick. Eliza Gilkyson, and Nubya Garcia.

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

Black Lives Matter

Show #867