Wednesday MidDay Medley
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

New & MidCoastal Releases + Arquesta Del SolSoul + AVAZ + Stacy Busch & When/Time

10:00 – White Rabbit!

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks” (PAL ) ( :22)
   from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979
   [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]

2. Julia Othmer – “White Rabbit” from: White Rabbit – Single / Fricken’ Awesome Records / August 29, 2021 (Unreleased)
   [Recorded Live at Kulak’s in North Hollywood with Andy Sanesi (Missing Persons, Eminem, Arturo Sandoval) on drums, Jamie Kime (Dr. John, Zappa Plays Zappa) on guitar, and Chris Roy (Nancy Sinatra, Don Randi) on bass. This year Julia released SEEDS VOLUME 2, her 4th album with live recordings from her 30-day “Songs of September Project”, where Julia covered songs of protest & hope, to inspire people to vote. From those songs Julia’s fans democratically selected their favorite tracks to be released together on “Seeds.” In 2020 Julia released SEEDS VOLUME 1. Julia Othmer released “Sound,” on April 12, 2019, her second album, that took 3 years to complete, and was produced with James Lundie, who also married Julia in January of 2016, during the completion of the record. Julia Othmer, is a graduate of Park Hill High School. Julia moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to record her 1st album, OASIS MOTEL. In 2018 and 2019 Julia toured with The Alarm in U.S. and United Kingdom. More info at: http://www.juliaothmer.com.]

[Julia Othmer plays a Benefit for Ukraine, Friday, June 10, at 6:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Kcmo, West Bottoms, with Ivory Blue, Havilah Bruders, Johnny Hamil, Courtney Collado, spoken word artist José Faus, Poet-on-Demand Elizabeth Howard, and more! Between the live performances, we will be showcasing a curated virtual gallery of visual artists who contributed work that addresses peace, resolution, hope, and healing. Organized to raise humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine and stand in solidarity with peace and resolution. The evening is hosted by Julia Othmer of Frickin’ Awesome Industries and InterUrban ArtHouse and our many artist collaborators.]

10:06 – 10:08 – Folk Alliance Spotlight
(Each week, WMM will feature an artist we talked with and heard play live at the 2022 Folk Alliance International Conference held in Kansas City May 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22.)

3. Allison Russell – “Persephone (Luck Mansion Sessions)”
   from: Persephone (Luck Mansion Sessions) – Single / Fantasy Records / January 20, 2022
   [Winner of the 2022 Folk Alliance International Folk Muaic Award for Album of the Year AND Artist of The Year. We first saw Allison Russell as part of the band/duo with her partner JT Nero as, The Birds of Chicago at the 2014 International Folk Alliance Conference, where they were an Official Showcase Artist . More info at http://www.folk.org. Russell was born in Montreal to a Grenadian student and a Scottish-Canadian teenage single mother. Her mother struggled with postpartum depression and schizophrenia, and Russell was initially placed in foster care. Her mother regained custody of her after marrying a white-supremacist American expatriate. From the ages of 5 to 15, she was physically and sexually abused by her adoptive father. At the age of 15, Russell ran away from home, eventually moving to Vancouver in 1998. She attended Dawson College. // Russell was initially a member of the Vancouver-based Celtic folk band Fear of Drinking. // In 2003, Russell formed the band Po’ Girl with The Be Good Tanyas member Trish Klein. She recorded seven albums with the band: Po’ Girl (2003), Vagabond Lullabies (2004), B-side Recordings (2006), Home to You (2007), Deer in the Night (2008), Live (2009), and Follow Your Bliss (2010). Russell formed the music group Birds of Chicago with JT Nero in 2012. As part of Birds of Chicago, Russell released three studio albums, Birds of Chicago (2012), Real Midnight (2016) and Love in Wartime (2018). With the group, she also released a live album, Live from Space, and an EP titled Amherican Flowers in 2018. In 2018, Russell joined the musical collective Our Native Daughters alongside fellow musicians Riannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kiah In 2019, the group released the album Songs of Our Native Daughters under the Smithsonian Folkways label. Russell was also featured alongside the rest of the group in a Smithsonian Channel documentary titled Reclaiming History: Our Native Daughters. As a single, Russell released covers of the songs “By Your Side” by Sade and “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac in January 2021. She also released a cover of “Everything I Wanted” by Billie Eilish as a single in February 2021. // In March 2021, Russell released “Nightflyer” as the first single from her album Outside Child. She followed this up with the single “Persephone,” released in April of the same year. She also released the singles “Montreal” and “The Runner” ahead of the album’s full release. // On May 21, 2021, Russell released her first solo album Outside Child under Fantasy Records. The album explores her experiences during her youth, including her recovery from the trauma of her childhood abuse. For her work on the album, Russell was nominated for multiple awards, including four Canadian Folk Music Awards, the long list for the Polaris Music Prize, and a nomination for Emerging Act of the Year at the 2021 Americana Honors & Awards. She was nominated for this award both as a solo artist and in the duo/group category as a member of Our Native Daughters. // Russell performed her song “Nightflyer” with guests Brandi Carlile and Brittney Spencer on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired on May 25, 2021. On May 28, 2021, Russell made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry. In the same year, she also performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame. She performed several songs from Outside Child live on CBS This Morning Saturday on July 24, 2021. // On September 25, 2021, Russell performed at the annual Farm Aid event in Hartford, Connecticut. // In November 2021, Russell received 3 Grammy nominations (Best American Roots Performance; Best American Roots Song; Best Americana Album). A month later, she was one of several artists to perform with the Black Opry, a revue focused on black artists in country music. // Russell has been nominated for 4 Canadian Folk Music Awards, 2 Juno Awards and has been named for the Polaris Music Prize. Info: http://www.allisonrussellmusic.com]

4. We The People – “Single Double”
   from: “Single Double” – Single / Eddie Moore Music / June 10, 2021
   [One of WMM’s Favorite 50 Singles of 2021, including: We The People – “We Chillin.” Written & Produced By Eddie Moore with Eddie Moore on keyboards, key bass, & programming; Zach Morrow on drum; Jason Emmond on bass. Recorded at Tribe Studios. Mixed by Rick Carson at make Believe Studios. Album Art by Adrian Truth. Animation by Cody A. Banks. This is a follow-up to We The People’s previous 2021 single, “We Chillin’” released April 9, 2021, written and produced by Eddie Moore with Eddie Moore on piano and Morgan Faw on alto sax. Mixed By Pajmon Porshahi. Eddie Moore’s band We The People released their album MISUNDERSTOOD on September 25, 2020. Eddie Moore is the recipient of the 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performance Award for his genre bending collaborations. Raised in Houston Texas, he began his musical journey at Texas Southern University where he later earned a Bachelors in Arts and immersed himself in the Houston music scene. Eddie relocated to Kansas City to study under Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where he received a M.A in Jazz Studies. 2017’s Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art “Artist in Residence” in collaboration with Rashid Johnson. In 2018 his work with The Outer Circle was nominated for an Indie Music Award for “007”. His music has also been featured commercially for Sprint, Netflix’s “Queer Eye”, and Morgan Cooper’s short film “Room Tone”. Moore’ has shared the stage and record with distinctive artist such as Bobby Watson, Pam, Watson, Logan Richardson, Maurice Brown, Boys II Men, Brian Blade and the Fellowship, John Baptiste, Erykah Badu, Mosdef, Bilal, Ledisi, Chantae Cann, Krystal Warren, Matt Otto, Brandon Draper, Andre Hayward, Tivon Pennicott, Various Blonde, Dominique Sanders, 77 Jefferson, and the Marcus Lewis Big Band. We the People is a genre-defying quartet, comprised of keyboardist Eddie Moore, bassist/producer Jason Emmond, drummer Zach Morrow, and turntablist/producer Kethro. Eddie Moore joined us live on WMM on September 23, 2020.]

[Eddie Moore Trio plays The Majestic, 931 Broadway Blvd, KCMO, TONIGHT, June 1 at 6:30 PM.]

[Eddie Moore and The Outer Circle play Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming KCMO, West Bottoms, Friday, June 3, at 7:00 PM when Center Cut Records presents Summer Soultice with The Black Creatures, Jass, and Flare The Rebel with Woodland Ave.]

5. The Black Creatures – “Loud 4 Nothing”
   rom: “Loud 4 Nothing” – Single / Center Cut Records / Summer, 2022
   [The follow to their last single “True Friends” on September 17, 2021. After being signed to Center Cut Records the label remastered and reissued their album Wild Echoes and began releasing singles. “Wild Echoes” was #2 in WMM’s 119 Favorite Releases of 2019 (Albums & EPs). Since the release of ”Wild Echoes” the band has released seven entirely new songs, nearly one per month, all posted to their bandcamp page. The Black Creatures fuse dark-pop hip-hop, soul, jazz, and electronic music with elements from science fiction to tell inter-dimensional stories of love, community, life, culture, history. Xavier & Jade have made an impression in the KC music community with their live shows in clubs, galleries, record stores, and area music festivals. The Black Creatures released their debut single “Mouth 2 Mouth” June 5, 2016. They released the album, See No Evil, December 6, 2017. The duo released the singles, “Elements” February 14, 2018; “Silver Tears” June 19. 2018; “Dare” a Gorillaz cover August 8, 2019. They released the album “Wild Echoes” September 30, 2019. The Black Creatures released the singles “Turn” October 30, 2019; “Quartz (Twilight)” November 13, 2019; “SHINE” December 11, 2019; Ghost Bustin’ Dead Prezidentz” January 8, 2020; “To Whom It May Concern” January 22, 2020; “Arcade Love” February 5, 2020; and “Run Up” Feb. 19, 2020. The Black Creatures were last on WMM on May 26, 2021 and September 15, 2021.]

[Charlotte Street Foundation announced that the recipients of the 2022 Generative Performing Artist Awards are The Black Creatures and Calvin Arsenia Scott. This year, Charlotte Street’s Visual Artist Awards were given to Andrew Mcilvaine, Harold Smith Jr., and Johanna Winters. Congratulations!]

[The Black Creatures play Center Cut Records Summer Soulstice, Fri, June 3, 2022 at 7:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming KCMO, West Bottoms, w/ Eddie Moore & the Outer Circle, Jass, and Flare Tha Rebel with Woodland Ave.]

[The Black Creatures play Boulevardia on Friday, June 17, 2022]

6. The Phantastics – “All That Fine – Single”
   from: “All That Fine”- Single / Kemet Creative / May 6, 2022
   [8 member band from KC formed in December of 2010. Kemet the Phantom on ead vocals; Leigh Gibbs on lead vocals; JJ Cantrell on lead guitar & vocals; Danny Florez on electric bass; Ashley Thompson on drums, DJ Mitchell on saxophone; Ryan Jamaal Davis on Trombone and rap vocals; Austin Quick on keyboards. The Phantastics specialize in genre-blending dance floor activators. In 2015, the music group was crowned “Kansas City’s best party band” by the Kansas City Star. Musicianship and diversity are at the core of their success. Rock, Rap, Dance, Funk, Jazz and Soul are all incorporated into their music. “The band that can do it all”, according to I Heart Local Music, has shared the stage with some of music’s most legendary acts including George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic. On Oct. 18, 2019 The Phantastics released LIVE AT THE PLAZA ART FAIR. On Aug. 24, 2018 The Phantastics released the EP, LIFE OF THE PARTY. On Dec. 14, 2013 The Phantastics released their debut album THE CLOSER. More info at: http://www.thephantastics.com]

[The Phantastics play Music in the Park, Westwood Park, 4798 Wyoming St, KCMO, Sat, June 11, at 8:00pm with Bob Walkenhorst, Cassie Taylor, Mark Farina, and MID. The West Plaza Neighborhood Association presents Music in the Park a day of music, arts, vendors, food trucks and other activities.]

[The Phantastics play Boulevardia on Fri, June 17 at 7:00 PM, KCMO, at 2395 Grand Blvd, KCMO.]

7. Jo MacKenzie – “Radiator”
   from: Radiator – Single / Jordin MacKenzie / May 27, 2022
   [Written, produced, and performed by Jo MacKenzie, mixed by Jo MacKenzie and Harper James. On March 11, 2022, 18 year old Jo Mackenzie (producer and songwriter) released the EP, TOURIST. Last year, Jo Mackenzie and 19 year old Dia Jane (singer/songwriter) released the EP, BRAINBABY on September 5, 2021. The two met at an open mic in Kansas City, Missouri, when Jo was in 8th grade and Dia was in 10th grade. Three years later, the two reconnected to started a musical project together that eventually turned into Baby and the Brain, a self-produced indie-pop band. In 2020 Kansas City based singer songwriter, Jo MacKenzie released this year now collected together in a 5 -song EP, written, performed and produced by Jo MacKenzie. Mixed by Harper James. Jo MacKenzie released her Debut EP Proud on November 17, 2018. Along with Proud, Jo Mackenzie released the single “Just Like Rain” on August 18, 2018; “I Should Come with a Warning Sign” on September 28, 2019; and “Alaska” on November 23, 2019 and the single “Suicide Season” on February 1, 2020, and the single “Lose My Face” on April 24, 2020. Info at http://www.jomackenzie.com]

10:29 – Underwriting

8. Stacy Busch – “Anger”
   from: “When/Time” / Stacy Busch / June 1, 2022
   [“When/Time” was originally presented in Charlotte Street Foundation’s Black Box Theater, 3333 Wyoming St., KCMO, on June 25 & 26, 2021. Busch was named a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist. This project, intended for 2020, was delayed due to the pandemic. “When/Time,” will now go on tours to health centers, behavioral health/addiction centers, and schools.. “What is certain is that Busch is an important emerging compositional voice, fearless in its vulnerability, and able to pull disparate musical genres into a cohesive whole without artifice.” -KC METROPOLIS. Stacy Busch is a composer and performer. Her concerts and productions are designed to be provocative yet accessible in order to cultivate broader artistic interest and, in particular, reach under-served and/or misrepresented communities. Stacy is the founder and president of No Divide KC, an arts and social justice non-profit that creates artistic events for social causes. Artistically, her work deals with internal conflicts that are often taken abstractly from her personal experiences with addiction and bipolar disorder. These experiences of duality both in the mind and body are universal and her work expresses this underlying human vulnerability. Stacy’s work has been performed nationally as well as in France and Iceland. In 2020, Stacy’s non-profit No Divide KC is producd the 1st Annual Queer Narratives Festival. Also in 2020 Stacy worked on composing the new music and theater production, When/Time in partnership with Charlotte Street Foundation. COVID-19 has changed the dated of this performance. Stacy also has collaborative projects in the works with The Mid America Freedom Band. Recently, Stacy released a new project and subsequent album, titled Mass, which she premiered at MTH Theater. Stacy has performed at Splice Electroacoustic Music Festival, she scored the documentary “The Ordinance Project” which premiered at the Kansas City LGBTQ Film festival, she partnered with Gilda’s Club KC, Owen/Cox Dance Group and Charlotte Street Foundation to compose and perform the music for “Collective: Our Stories of Cancer,” other service with No Divide KC includes partnerships with the Kansas City Ballet School and the Johnson County Library. In addition to Kansas City, Stacy’s work has been featured at the University of Colorado-Boulder, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, Western Michigan University and Central Michigan University. It has also been performed by ensembles including: loadbang, Bent Frequency and the Beo String Quartet. She is a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow. Stacy has received grants from ArtsKC, ArtSounds, Charlotte Street Foundation and the UMKC Women’s Council. Stacy received her MM In composition from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her BM in composition from Western Michigan University. Her teachers include Rome Prize winners Paul Rudy and James Mobberley as well as Pulitzer Prize winners Zhou Long and Chen Yi. Other influential teachers include Guggenheim Fellow Curtis Curtis-Smith, Christopher Biggs and Lisa Coons. Prior to studying music, Stacy studied print journalism at Boston University.]

[“When/Time” is presented on The Main Stage at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd, KCMO, on June 7,8,9 at 7:00 PM (Medical Industry Nights), and June 10,11 at 8:00 PM and June 12, at 2:00 PM (Public Performances) Info at: http://www.nodividekc.org]

10:35 – Interview with Stacy Busch & Kalli Siringas

Stacy Busch is a queer composer and performer who utilizes her voice with electronics to build unique sound worlds. Her work is a meeting point between art pop, avant-classical and singer-songwriter. Stacy’s work has been performed nationally and internationally. She has received grants from ArtsKC, ArtSounds, Charlotte Street Foundation and the UMKC Women’s Council. Stacy is a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Artist Fellow. Stacy is the cofounder and President of No Divide KC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that uses the arts as a vehicle for stimulating social awareness, participation and community building. No Divide KC partners with Kansas City-based organizations and artists to create artistic events that are focused on the stories of underserved and misrepresented communities in Kansas City.

Kalli Siringas is a writer and performer from Detroit living and working in NYC. She is a graduate of Hunter College. Her work is centered around diet culture, responsible fashion, and most recently ecosystems in the Aegean Sea—as part of a fellowship with The Pulitzer Center. She has performed in spaces like Carnegie Hall, 92Y, and as a Moth StorySlam finalist. She is a weekly contributor to the podcast Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso.

Stacy Busch and Kalli Siringas join us to share details about “When/Time” a new music with theatre performance that weaves together stories of young people dealing with addiction. Presented on The Main Stage at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd, KCMO, on June 7,8,9 at 7:00 PM (Medical Industry Nights), and June 10,11 at 8:00 PM and June 12, at 2:00 PM (Public Performances).

Stacy Busch and Kalli Siringas, thank you for being with us on WMM

“When/Time,” a newer, funnier and fuller view of addiction, presented by NO DIVIDE KC. The show runs from June 7th-12th, with medical industry nights offering free tickets to those in recovery, June 7th-9th. Midwest Music Foundation is sponsoring the performance on June 9th at 7pm!

When/Time
The Main Stage | Crown Center
2450 Grand Blvd STE 301
Kansas City, MO 64108

JUNE 7-9 | 7PM | Medical Industry Nights – Reserved for our medical partners and people in recovery. Free to attend.
JUNE 10, 11 | 8PM | Public Performances
JUNE 12 | 2PM | Public Performance

“When/Time” is a new music with theatre performance. The performance is a coming of age journey that weaves together individual stories of young people dealing with addiction.

The portrayals of 12-Step programs and those who participate in them are primary goals for this project. Composer Stacy Busch says, “I got sober when I was 22 through 12-Step programs and have spent the last 9 years in these spaces. Stigma and misinterpretation of addiction – particularly the portrayals in film, TV and performance – are especially harmful because they can have a more significant impact on young people. These reductive portrayals that are overly dramatic and heavy-handed firmly implant in young people’s minds that addiction is the end of the road. The ‘degenerate’ stereotype is almost impossible to break down and we are losing lives because of it.”

Created/Composed by Stacy Busch

Written/Directed by Kalli Siringas

Choreography by Oscar Trujillo

Musicians: Stacy Busch, J.J. Pearse, Sascha Groschang, Michelle Bacon

Actors: Casey Jane, Courtney Hittle, Vaughan Harrison, Un Joo Christopher

The 3rd Annual Queer Narratives Festival, August 1-6 2022,
at The Black Box 1060 Union Ave, West Bottoms, KCMO.

Info at: http://www.nodividekc.org

Queer Narratives Festival, August 1-6, 2022

The 3rd Annual Queer Narratives Festival is a week-long festival that includes performances, vendors, craftspeople, food trucks, a visual exhibit along with artist-led workshops, talkbacks, meetups and open mics.

When: August 1-6, 2022

Weekly programming: August 1-4, 2022

Main Festival: August 5 and 6, 2022

Where: The Black Box in the West Bottoms, 1060 Union Ave..KCMO 6414

For questions and inquiries, please contact: info@nodividekc.org

Are you an artisan, craftsperson, maker, organizer or business? Sign up through our Vendor Registration!

Would you like to help out at the festival, meet great people and enjoy yourself? Sign up through our Volunteer Registration!

Stacy’s work has been performed nationally and in France and Iceland. The Mid America Freedom Band is premiered her double concerto piece for two drag queens. No Divide KC is produced “Stories from Under the Stars” a storytelling event focusing on homelessness in Kansas City as well as the 1st Annual Queer Narratives Festival.

Stacy released the project and album, titled Mass, which she premiered at MTH Theater. She performed at Splice Electroacoustic Music Festival, she scored the documentary “The Ordinance Project” which premiered at the Kansas City LGBTQ Film festival, she partnered with Gilda’s Club KC, Owen/Cox Dance Group and Charlotte Street Foundation to compose and perform the music for “Collective: Our Stories of Cancer,” other service with No Divide KC includes partnerships with the Kansas City Ballet School and the Johnson County Library.
In addition to Kansas City, Stacy’s work has been featured at the University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, Western Michigan University and Central Michigan University. It has also been performed by ensembles including: loadbang, Bent Frequency and the Beo String Quartet.
She is a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow. Stacy has received grants from ArtsKC, ArtSounds, Charlotte Street Foundation and the UMKC Women’s Council. Stacy received her MM in composition from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her BM in composition from Western Michigan University.
Stacy’s teachers include Rome Prize winners Paul Rudy and James Mobberley as well as Pulitzer Prize winners Zhou Long and Chen Yi. Other influential teachers include Guggenheim Fellow Curtis Curtis-Smith, Christopher Biggs and Lisa Coons. Prior to studying music, Stacy studied print journalism at Boston University.

Stacy Busch and Kalli Siringas, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

When/Time” a new music with theatre performance that weaves together stories of young people dealing with addiction. Presented on The Main Stage at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd, KCMO, on June 7,8,9 at 7:00 PM (Medical Industry Nights), and June 10,11 at 8:00 PM and June 12, at 2:00 PM (Public Performances). Info at: http://www.nodividekc.org

The 3rd Annual Queer Narratives Festival, August 1-6 2022, at The Black Box 1060 Union Ave, West Bottoms, KCMO. Info at: http://www.nodividekc.or2

10:53

9. Stacy Busch – “We’ve Tried” from: “When/Time” / Stacy Busch / June 1, 2022
[“When/Time” was originally presented in Charlotte Street Foundation’s Black Box Theater, 3333 Wyoming St., KCMO, on June 25 & 26, 2021. Busch was named a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist. This project, intended for 2020, was delayed due to the pandemic. “When/Time,” will now go on tours to health centers, behavioral health/addiction centers, and schools.. “What is certain is that Busch is an important emerging compositional voice, fearless in its vulnerability, and able to pull disparate musical genres into a cohesive whole without artifice.” -KC METROPOLIS. Stacy Busch is a composer and performer. Her concerts and productions are designed to be provocative yet accessible in order to cultivate broader artistic interest and, in particular, reach under-served and/or misrepresented communities. Stacy is the founder and president of No Divide KC, an arts and social justice non-profit that creates artistic events for social causes. Artistically, her work deals with internal conflicts that are often taken abstractly from her personal experiences with addiction and bipolar disorder. These experiences of duality both in the mind and body are universal and her work expresses this underlying human vulnerability. Stacy’s work has been performed nationally as well as in France and Iceland. In 2020, Stacy’s non-profit No Divide KC is producd the 1st Annual Queer Narratives Festival. Also in 2020 Stacy worked on composing the new music and theater production, When/Time in partnership with Charlotte Street Foundation. COVID-19 has changed the dated of this performance. Stacy also has collaborative projects in the works with The Mid America Freedom Band. Recently, Stacy released a new project and subsequent album, titled Mass, which she premiered at MTH Theater. Stacy has performed at Splice Electroacoustic Music Festival, she scored the documentary “The Ordinance Project” which premiered at the Kansas City LGBTQ Film festival, she partnered with Gilda’s Club KC, Owen/Cox Dance Group and Charlotte Street Foundation to compose and perform the music for “Collective: Our Stories of Cancer,” other service with No Divide KC includes partnerships with the Kansas City Ballet School and the Johnson County Library. In addition to Kansas City, Stacy’s work has been featured at the University of Colorado-Boulder, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, Western Michigan University and Central Michigan University. It has also been performed by ensembles including: loadbang, Bent Frequency and the Beo String Quartet. She is a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow. Stacy has received grants from ArtsKC, ArtSounds, Charlotte Street Foundation and the UMKC Women’s Council. Stacy received her MM In composition from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and her BM in composition from Western Michigan University. Her teachers include Rome Prize winners Paul Rudy and James Mobberley as well as Pulitzer Prize winners Zhou Long and Chen Yi. Other influential teachers include Guggenheim Fellow Curtis Curtis-Smith, Christopher Biggs and Lisa Coons. Prior to studying music, Stacy studied print journalism at Boston University.]

[“When/Time” is presented on The Main Stage at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd, KCMO, on June 7,8,9 at 7:00 PM (Medical Industry Nights), and June 10,11 at 8:00 PM and June 12, at 2:00 PM (Public Performances) Info at: http://www.nodividekc.org]

10. Birdie – “Riptide”
    from: WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO COOL? / Birdie / May 27, 2022
    [This is Birdie’s new 8-song album. Birdie is the musical project of n birdiesound.com. Power pop, punk, and echoes of the girl groups of our time intersect in Kansas City-based band Birdie. This energetic collaboration of local talent brings a fresh take on classic sounds. Birdie released the single “You Can’t Stop Her” on June 13, 2021. Birdie released the 7-track EP, CELLOPHANE HEART on June 4, 2021. Birdie is the musical project of Betsy Schwartze who lives in Stilwell KS. Info at: http://www.birdiesound.com]

11:00 – Station ID

11. Zava – “H.O.E”
    from: “H.O.E.” – Single / Taylor Avazpour / June 1, 2021
    [Zava is the musical project, of Taylor Avazpour. Zava ‘s last single “Wrong” was released August 13, 2021 and was added to the “New Queer Friday Playlist” on Spotify. “Wrong” is the 5th single Zava has released in 2021, including: “Electric” on June 4, “I Could Get used To This” on May 14, “Attitude” on April 23, and “Lightyears” on February 12. Since 2017 Taylor has been releasing music videos, has worked at Starlight Theatre, lived in New York City and Boston. Zava was a featured performer at the 2021 Show-Me Kansas City Pride Festival (Aug. 21-22) in Theis Park, KCMO, as presented by KC Pride Community Alliance. Taylor Avazpour is Senior Operations Analyst at Netsmart and Assistant Director at Music Theatre Kansas City. More information at: http://solo.to/thisiszava%5D

[ZAVA plays 2022 Kansas City PrideFest Saturday, June 11, in Theis Park, 522 Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, KCMO.]

11:03 – Interview with ZAVA (Taylor Avazpour)

Singer, songwriter, actor, dancer – ZAVA joins us to talk about his new single “H.O.E.” that is being released TODAY June 1, 2022. We just heard the radio premiere of this new song. Zava writes: “In a world shrouded in darkness, ZAVA pierces through like lightning. Between soaring vocals, infectious grooves, and celestial production, ZAVA blends all of the music that inspired him to create, what he likes to call, ‘Empowerment Pop’ music. Through this energy, ZAVA hopes to inspire people to discover and cultivate their own light and power from within themselves. Our world depends on it.”

ZAVA plays 2022 Kansas City PrideFest Saturday, June 11, in Theis Park, 522 Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, KCMO.

ZAVA, Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

For “H.O.E.” Zava has created a music video

Zava writes:

“At the dawn of the 21st century, the world is shrouded in darkness. Humans, the only conscious beings on Earth, have become prisoners in their own minds. Hate has become the weapon of the ego. Love has become a feeling of the past. Souls yearn for connection and imagination only to be forgotten through the conditioning of society.

In a moment when all hope seems lost, the soul remembers. Even buried beneath the layers of conditioning, the soul remembers. The love, the connection, the imagination. The reason we are here. As the great awakening emerges, souls from around the world will remember who they are. Not the roles they play, not the identities to which they attach themselves, not even the body in which their souls rest. This is a remembering that peace, joy, and love is who we are. The only way to unlock this treasure is to surrender the ego and dive into the universe that lies within.

Like all things in the universe, there is balance. When darkness reigns, light rises to meet it. Now is the time to awaken, to fight for the light, and to remember who we are.

Are you ready?”

In March Zava held auditions for dancers in the video. The video as shot on Saturday, May 7,2022 and Sunday May 8, 2022.

In making the “H.O.E.” video ZAVA wrote: “That’s a wrap on my first video shoot. I had a moment today where I looked around and genuinely felt a sense of pride in how far I’ve come. Not just as an artist, not just as a human, but as a gay man. All of the struggle, confusion, internalized homophobia I had to survive to get here is making this moment so precious to me. To be able to share all sides of myself – the masculine, the feminine, and everything in between – is what I’m most excited about. It’s time for our society, and especially gay men, to embrace all parts of our humanity. Wear makeup if you want, dance however it feels best for your body, sing as high as the heavens if your soul tells you to. We are not hiding anymore. We are not judging anymore. We are not competing anymore. We are loving ourselves and sharing that love with other members of our community. We are uplifting. We are inspiring. We are supporting. That, more than anything, is what this song and music video represent to me. I am the pop star I always wanted when I was younger. A gay man singing about other men, feeling sexy asf, moving how I wanna to move, singing how I wanna sing, wearing a dress, dancing shirtless, expressing my true self. This one is for the LGBTQIA+ community and I can’t wait for you all to see and hear it when it drops June 1st. I’m so proud of our hard work and I hope this song makes you feel proud of yourself too. You’re worthy of that

Zava has been making music, worked at Starlight Theatre, and lived in NYC and Boston.

Since 2017 Taylor has been releasing music videos, has worked at Starlight Theatre, lived in New York City and Boston. Taylor Avazpour is Senior Operations Analyst at Netsmart and Assistant Director at Music Theatre Kansas City. Info at: http://solo.to/thisiszava/

ZAVA plays 2022 Kansas City PrideFest Saturday, June 11, in Theis Park, 522 Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, KCMO. Zava played KCPride last Year too,

Zava’s “Wrong” was released Aug. 13, 2021, and added to the “New Queer Friday Playlist” on Spotify. In 2021 Zava also released the singles: “Electric” on June 4, “I Could Get Used To This” on May 14, “Attitude” on April 23, and “Lightyears” on February 12.

11:20

ZAVA (Taylor Avazpour), Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

ZAVA joins us to talk about his new single “H.O.E.” that is being released TODAY June 1, 2022. ZAVA plays 2022 Kansas City PrideFest Saturday, June 11, in Theis Park, 522 Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, KCMO. More info at: @thisiszava

12. Zava – “Altitude”
    from: “Alitude” – Single / Taylor Avazpour / April 23 2021
    [Zava is the musical project, of Taylor Avazpour. Zava ‘s new single “H.O.E.” was just released today, June 1, 2022. Zava’s single”Wrong” was released August 13, 2021, and added to the “New Queer Friday Playlist” on Spotify. “Wrong” is the 5th single Zava released in 2021, including: “Electric” on June 4, “I Could Get used To This” on May 14, “Altitude” on April 23, and “Lightyears” on February 12. Since 2017 Taylor has been releasing music videos, has worked at Starlight Theatre, lived in New York City and Boston. Zava was a featured performer at this year’s Show-Me Kansas City Pride Festival (Aug. 21-22) in Theis Park, KCMO, as presented by KC Pride Community Alliance. Taylor Avazpour is Senior Operations Analyst at Netsmart and Assistant Director at Music Theatre Kansas City. More information at: http://solo.to/thisiszava%5D

[ZAVA plays KC PrideFest Sat, June 11, in Theis Park, 522 Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard, KCMO.]

Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode just recently died on May 26, 2022.

13. Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough”
    from: The Best of Depeche Mode, Vol 1 (Deluxe Edition) / Sire Records / Nov. 8, 2006
    [The third single, released in UK on Sept. 7, 1981, a month before their debut studio album, Speak & Spell. It was recorded during the summer of that year at Blackwing Studios, and was the band’s first single to be released in the United States, on February 18, 1982. and it was the final single to be written by founding member Vince Clarke, who left the band in November 1981.][Andrew John Leonard Fletcher was born July 8, 1961 and just recently died on May 26, 2022. Fletcher was an English keyboard player, DJ, and founding member of the electronic band Depeche Mode. In 2020, he and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. // Fletcher was the eldest of four siblings born to Joy and John Fletcher. The family moved to Basildon from Nottingham when he was two years old. He was active in the local Boys’ Brigade from an early age, primarily to play football. // Fletcher was 15 in 1976 when punk arrived on the music scene. He said this was “obviously the perfect age to experience it … we were very lucky in life”. He was then influenced by bands such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Cure, Kraftwerk, early Human League, and early OMD. Fletcher and schoolmate Vince Clarke formed the band No Romance in China, in which Fletcher played bass guitar. In 1980, Fletcher, Martin Gore and Clarke, the trio now all on synthesizer, formed another group called Composition of Sound. Clarke served as chief songwriter and also provided lead vocals until singer Dave Gahan was recruited into the band later that year, after which they adopted the name Depeche Mode at Gahan’s suggestion. Clarke left the group in late 1981, shortly after the release of their debut album Speak & Spell. // Their 1982 follow-up album, A Broken Frame, was recorded as a trio, with Gore taking over primary songwriting duties. Musician and producer Alan Wilder joined the band in late 1982 and the group continued as a quartet until Wilder’s departure in 1995. From then on, the core trio of Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher remained active, up to the release of their 2017 album Spirit and ensuing world tour. // Fletcher’s role within Depeche Mode was often a topic of speculation. In early incarnations of the band, he played (electric and later synth) bass. As the band evolved after Vince Clarke’s departure in 1981, Fletcher’s role changed as each of the band members took to the areas that suited them and benefited the band collectively. In a key scene in D.A. Pennebaker’s 1989 film about the band, Fletcher clarified: “Martin’s the songwriter, Alan’s the good musician, Dave’s the vocalist, and I bum around.” In his review of 2005’s Playing the Angel, long after Wilder’s departure from the band, Rolling Stone writer Gavin Edwards riffed upon Fletcher’s statement with the opening line: “Depeche Mode’s unique division of labor has been long established, with each of the three remaining members having a distinct role: Martin Gore writes the songs, Dave Gahan sings them and Andy Fletcher shows up for photo shoots and cashes the checks.” Fletcher was the only member of the band who did not receive a songwriting credit. // With the band having not always employed a full-time manager, Fletcher handled many of the band’s business, legal, and other non-musical interests over the years. In the press kit for Songs of Faith and Devotion, he discussed being genuinely interested in many of the business aspects of the music industry that other performing musicians shy away from, and as such, he took over a lot of the business management aspects of the band. In later years, this included acting as the band’s “spokesperson”, with Fletcher often being the one to announce Depeche Mode news (such as record album and tour details). // He was also said to be the member who was “the tiebreaker” and the one that “brings the band together”. According to interviews, Fletcher built the compromise between Gahan and Gore that settled their serious dispute following 2001’s Exciter album and tour over future songwriting duties within Depeche Mode. // In the studio and during live shows, Fletcher contributed a variety of supporting synthesizer parts, including bass parts, strings, and drone sounds, and various samples. Fletcher was the only member of Depeche Mode who did not sing. Although he can be seen singing in videos of Depeche’s past live performances, usually Fletcher’s vocals were either mixed very low or heard only through his own stage monitors. Fletcher sang on the interlude “Crucified” on Violator. According to Alan Wilder, every band member participated in the choir on the song “Condemnation” from Songs of Faith and Devotion and Wilder confirms this on the press kit of the same album. // In 2002, Fletcher launched his own record label, a Mute Records imprint called Toast Hawaii (named after the dish), and signed the band CLIEИT. He coordinated the recording of their eponymous 2003 debut and 2004’s City, while also producing “extended remixes” for their subsequent singles “Price of Love”, “Rock and Roll Machine”, “Here and Now”, “In It for the Money”, “Radio”, and “Pornography” (featuring Carl Barât of the Libertines). // Initially to support CLIEИT’s live shows, Fletcher began touring as a DJ. Whenever he was on hiatus from Depeche Mode, Fletcher played occasional festivals and club gigs, and was known to include various exclusive Depeche remixes in his sets. In late 2015, Fletcher embarked on a small tour of European clubs. // Fletcher was married to Gráinne Fletcher (née Mullan) for almost 30 years. The couple had two children. // While Depeche Mode were touring with the band Blancmange in the early 1980s, Fletcher was renowned for his skill at chess. Neil Arthur of Blancmange has mentioned in interviews “never winning a game of chess with Andy Fletcher!” During the 1990s, Fletcher owned a restaurant called Gascogne located on Blenheim Terrace in St. John’s Wood, London. He made a series of bad investments in the mid-1990s that led to a number of financial settlements involving Lloyd’s of London and Daniel Miller. // Of the widely-covered 1993 Devotional Tour, Ken Scrudato of BlackBook said: “… Depeche were a band that went through periods of devastating strife, their by-now-legendary 1993 Devotional Tour ending with Gahan and Gore in the throes of what could only be described as epic substance abuse issues, Fletch on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and former member Alan Wilder quitting in disgust and exasperation.” Fletcher himself commented in a 1997 interview with MTV that the Devotional Tour “nearly destroyed the band.” // Fletcher died from natural causes at his home on 26 May 2022, aged 60. His fellow bandmates Gahan and Gore stated “we are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member and bandmate Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher”. Former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder stated that it was “a real bolt from the blue to hear” about the passing of Andy Fletcher. // Pet Shop Boys, Alison Moyet and the Smashing Pumpkins were among many who paid tribute to Fletcher. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark dedicated the song “Almost” to Fletcher during their show at the Greek Theatre on the day of his death. The song had inspired former Depeche Mode bandmate Vince Clarke to pursue electronic music.]

11:28 – Underwriting

14. Arquesta Del SolSoul – “Six Second Sunz”
    from: “Six Secomd Sunz” – Single / Arquesta Del SolSoul / June 1, 2022
    [They call themselves, “African Futurist Genre Killerz from the Middle of the Map bringing an innovative multidimensional sound inspired by our founding musical ancestors to decolonize and time bend indigenous sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America, West, Central, and Southern Africa.” Members include Les Izmore, Jessica Ayala, Brad Williams, Chalis O’Neal, Jade Green, & Hadiza. http://www.instagram.com/arquestadelsolsoul%5D

[Arquesta Del SolSoul play Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, KCMO, West Bottoms, on Saturday, June 11, at 7:00 PM with Black Light Animals, SoulTru, and Illphonics.]

[Arquesta Del SolSoul play The Granada Theatre, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS, on June 16, opening for Femi Kuti & The Positive Force featuring Mádé Kuti.]

[Les Izmore and The Goats play recordBar, 1020 Grand, KCMO, on June 17 with Steddy P & DJ MAHF, Various Blonde, Stylez & Busty the Drummer, and Jordan Baumstark.]

11:38 – Interview with Jessica Ayala and Les Izmore

Jessica Ayala is an Indigenous Colombian Two-Spirit multi discipline artist. They are a spoken word poet, musician, published author, cultural worker, light worker, activist, public speaker, and writer-in-residence alumni of Charlotte Street Foundation. Their work is a fusion of her heritage merging oral tradition, storytelling, poetry, song, and native percussion; creating spaces to explore concepts of internalized oppression and decolonization.Ayala immigrated to the United States at the age of three, publishing her first series of poems for the Young Authors Conference at the age of eight. Her current poetry has been published in two anthologies winning an Honorable Medal in the 2017 International Latino Book Awards. Additionally, Miss Ayala is the recipient of the 2018 Best Kansas City Spoken Word Artist Award and was awarded the 2020 Civil & Human Rights Award by National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Les Izmore is highly trained in Middle Of The Map Music. His tribal connection is Octavia E. Butler’s SUN, which was spawned in the inner sanctum of African Futurity. He’s been performing through existing channels for 1000’s of years. Known for his work fronting the legendary Kansas City collective Hearts of Darkness and the influential hip hop band Heartfelt Anarchy with Conductor Williams aka d/will, and many other projects, including his solo work and with Les Izmore and the GOATs. Les is a culture builder, continually pushing the bouudaries to create music that honors his ancestors amd gets everyone dancing. Les is also a farmer and gardener growing food in the city and teaching others about food, music, history, and poetry.

Jessica Ayala and Les Izmore are founding members of Arquesta Del SolSoul a six-piece Kansas City based music collective of African futurists. Their sound brings an innovative multidimensional eclectic fusion of Soul, Hip-Hop, R&B, Afro-Latin percussion, and Spoken Word. Inspired by their founding musical ancestors, they decolonize and time bend indigenous sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America, West, Central, and Southern Africa. Members include Les Izmore, Jessica Ayala, Brad Williams, Chalis O’Neal, Jade Green, and Hadiza.

We just played the radio premiere of Arquesta Del SolSoul’s new eight and a half minute single, “Six Second Sunz.”

Arquesta Del SolSoul play Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, KCMO, West Bottoms, on Saturday, June 11, at 7:00 PM with Black Light Animals, SoulTru, and Illphonics.

Arquesta Del SolSoul play The Granada Theatre, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS, on June 16, opening for Femi Kuti & The Positive Force featuring Mádé Kuti.

Les Izmore and The Goats play recordBar, 1020 Grand, KCMO, on June 17 with Steddy P & DJ MAHF, Various Blonde, Stylez & Busty the Drummer, and Jordan Baumstark.

More info at: http://www.instagram.com/arquestadelsolsoul

Jessica Ayala and Les Izmore Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

Arquesta Del SolSoul call themselves, “African Futurist Genre Killerz from the Middle of the Map bringing an innovative multidimensional sound inspired by our founding musical ancestors to decolonize and time bend indigenous sounds of the Caribbean, Latin America, West, Central, and Southern Africa.”

Arquesta Del SolSoul members include:Les Izmore, Jessica Ayala, Brad Williams, Chalis O’Neal, Jade Green, and Hadiza.

Jessica Ayala is an Indigenous Colombian Two-Spirit multi discipline artist. Miss Ayala is a spoken word poet, musician, published author, cultural worker, light worker, activist, public speaker, and writer-in-residence alumni of Charlotte Street Foundation. Their work is a fusion of her heritage merging oral tradition, storytelling, poetry, song, and native percussion; creating spaces to explore concepts of internalized oppression and decolonization. Ayala immigrated to the United States at the age of three, publishing her first series of poems for the Young Authors Conference at the age of eight. Her current poetry has been published in two anthologies winning an Honorable Medal in the 2017 International Latino Book Awards. Additionally, Miss Ayala is the recipient of the 2018 Best Kansas City Spoken Word Artist Award and was recently awarded the 2020 Civil and Human Rights Award by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Les Izmore is highly trained in Middle Of The Map Music. His tribal connection is Octavia E. Butler’s SUN, which was spawned in the inner sanctum of African Futurity. He’s been performing through existing channels for 1000’s of years. Known for his work fronting the legendary Kansas City collective Hearts of Darkness and the influential hip hop band Heartfelt Anarchy with Conductor Williams aka d/will, and many other projects, including his solo work and with Les Izmore and the GOATs. Les is a culture builder, continually pushing the bouudaries to create music that honors his ancestors amd gets everyone dancing. Les is also a farmer and gardener growing food in the city and teachong others about food, music, history, and poetry.

Brad Wiiliams is a Native to Kansas City, this percussionist takes no issue with referencing his blues, gospel, jazz and folk roots while leaving room for spontaneous, in the moment expression. Brad has been playing in Kansas City’s arts scene for nearly 20 years building style and techniques that have garnered a sound all his own. He has been fortunate to share creative space with a myriad of artists and looks forward to cultivating new opportunities for growth and collaboration. Brad has also taken time to offer what he has learned to new up and coming musicians through private instruction and by hosting concept sessions. Brad has played with everyone including Hearts of Darkness, and Krystle Warren.

Chalis O’Neal released his debut solo album Flirting on November 15, 2021. The track “La Tienda de Regalos” features spoken word poet Jessica Ayala. Musician and performer Chalis O’Neal about his upcoming debut album, FLIRTING. Chalis picked up the trumpet at the age of eleven and began studying music at Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. Chalis majored in Jazz Studies with a minor in Classical Trumpet under the direction of Jazz legend Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri Kansas City. O’Neal’s eclectic style ranges from jazz venues to theatre work with the New Theatre Restaurant performing and acting in the The Buddy Holly Story. O’Neal also has burlesque experience with Quixotic Cirque Nouveau. Chalis is also the lead trumpeter for the Afro futuristic band, Arquesta Del SolSoul. O’Neal has performed with Bobby Watson, Harold O’Neal, Tivon Pennicott, Marcus Strickland, Lisa Henry, and David Basse. // Chalis O’Neal is the youngest brother of Harold Mujahid O’Neal who was born March 27, 1981, and is an American pianist, composer, record producer, public speaker, dancer, and storyteller. He has recorded and performed with artists in a variety of musical genres (U2, Lupe Fiasco, Busta Rhymes, Damien Rice, Aloe Blacc, and Jay Z). O’Neal has been profiled and featured in numerous publications and programs including Forbes, NPR’s All Things Considered, Fortune, Studio 360, and the 92Y, with The New York Times comparing him to Duke Ellington, Kenny Kirkland, and Maurice Ravel. He is considered to be of this generation’s greatest pianists and composers. O’Neal has been awarded fellowship to the Royal Society of the Arts, with the Patron being Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and recently played a role as a creative expert for the Academy Award winning Pixar film, Soul. // Harold O’Neal was born in Arusha, Tanzania, and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. His great-grandfather, Ollie Harold Pennington, was a jazz pianist and composer for silent film in Kansas City, where his grandmother walked to school with Charlie Parker. O’Neal began playing the piano by ear at age four on his father’s miniature keyboard. He found his earliest inspirations in the music of Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, and Disney. While growing up, he spent a considerable amount of time with his grandmother exploring various creative outlets, before eventually becoming a pianist. Having spent much of his youth living in the projects (Public Housing) and surviving near-death experiences, he credits music with saving his life. O’Neal attended the Paseo Academy Of Fine And Performing Arts, with classmates Logan Richardson, Lil’ Ronnie, and Brian Kennedy, where he began his jazz piano studies while being mentored by Ahmad Alaadeen. He studied classical piano and composition with Margie Cameron-Jarrett, whose musical lineage can be traced back to Franz Liszt.

Jade Green is half of the critically acclaimed band The Black Creatures. The Black Creatures make a point to blur the lines of genre while maintaining a recognizable cohesion; oftentimes blending contemporary styles of pop, hip-hop, dance, R&B, EDM and soul with cinematic and storytelling sci-fi/fantasy elements and themes. With the complex and creative approach The Black Creatures take to their art, a diverse audience regularly flocks to their gripping and intensely enchanting performances. // Representing the strange land of Kansas City, Missouri, Jade Green and Xavier began working together around the end of 2013 after meeting on-line talking about cosmetics. After Jade stumbled upon Xavier’s SoundCloud, they asked if they could put their vocals on it, and this led to future collaborations with no more than the intention to dabble. They couldn’t stop and eventually dubbed the project The Black Creatures. // Both Jade & Xavier write and perform vocals, with Xavier at the helm of production and composition. Jade Green has a vocal background in opera and a penchant for theatrics, and both are the foundation of their ever-evolving approach to writing and performing in The Black Creatures. While the instrumentals may set the tone for the show, Jade’s voice captivates the audience from beginning to end. Originally a violinist, Xavier unfurled into a producer and vocalist, maintaining the same air of intrigue and mystery throughout his compositions and performances in The Black Creatures. // After releasing Wild Echoes in the fall of 2020, the record received Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine, along with high praise from around the world for the four released singles and accompanying videos. “Wretched (It Goes)” was featured in the NPR Live Sessions “Songs For Change” when The Black Creatures were selected as one of 12 national artists, and included in 90.9 The Bridge’s Top 100 singles along with their song “D’ummm” which was in heavy rotation in the winter. Nuance Magazine wrote, “The Black Creatures take their musical talents and use them in such a way that forces listeners to not only tap their foot to a catchy tune, but pay attention and feel something about what is going on in the world around them. Tackling fascism, police brutality, and the deep-rooted effects of slavery in a rhythmic fashion is one thing. Simultaneously making it a good listen is another. However, The Black Creatures make it happen.”

Hadiza. released her solo EP Gone on December 29, 2018, and he 10 song, full-length album called, Shadow Weight, on November 22, 2019. Born in Iowa City, Iowa, she has lived in Bushwick, and Atlanta, and worked in corporate America in the New York Finance District. Since relocating to Kansas City, Hadiza. has been slowly carving out her place as a solo artist and also as lead vocalist and lyricist for the experimental electronic duo Collidescope that recently released their new 7-track album, DEEP TAPE, on December 31, 2020. Collidescope is essentially a duo that includes: Hadiza. on vocals, beats, & synthesizers; and Madison Monroe on guitar, bass, beats, synthesizers, mixing and vocals. DEEP TAPE is a follow up the the band’s debut EP Systemic released December 16, 2017. More info at: http://www.hadizaisnothere.bandcamp.com or http://www.acollidescope.bandcamp.com

Previous Members include:
Irving Graham, Ernest Melton, Andres Ramirez, Fabian Prado.

3 of the current musicians in Arquesta Del SolSoul worked together in Hearts of Darkness.

Hearts of Darkness was a band whose original material absorbs influences from 1970s afrobeat to hip hop, 1960s and 1970s soul and funk, as well as reaching back to 1920s big band . The sound evokes memories of Count Basie, James Brown, and Fela Kuti Jamming with Nina Simone, Erykah Badu and Sun Ra.

Les Izmore: Vocals, Shekere
Erica Townsend: Vocals
Rachel Christia: Vocals
Leena Will: Vocals
Erin Bopp: Vocals
Brad “Bad Brad” Williams: Kit, Percussion
Miko Spears: Congas
Dominique Sanders: Bass Guitar
Lucas Parker: Rhythm Guitar
Sam Goodell: Keys
Chalis O’neal: Trumpet
Ernest Melton: Saxophones
Jolan Smith: Tenor Sax – Vocals

Discography

Albums: Hearts of Darkness (2010) // Shelf Life (2012)
EPs: Numeration (2012)
We just played the radio premiere of Arquesta Del SolSoul’s new eight and a half minute single, “Six Second Sunz.”

Arquesta Del SolSoul play Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming, KCMO, West Bottoms, on Saturday, June 11, at 7:00 PM with Black Light Animals, SoulTru, and Illphonics.

Arquesta Del SolSoul play The Granada Theatre, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS, on June 16, opening for Femi Kuti & The Positive Force featuring Mádé Kuti.

Les Izmore and The Goats play recordBar, 1020 Grand, KCMO, on June 17 with Steddy P & DJ MAHF, Various Blonde, Stylez & Busty the Drummer, and Jordan Baumstark.

More info at: http://www.instagram.com/arquestadelsolsoul

Jessica Ayala and Les Izmore Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

11:54

15. Femi Kuti and Mádé Kuti – “Pà Pá Pà”
    from: Legacy + / Patisan Records / February 5,. 2021
    [Legacy+ is a 2021 double album by Femi Kuti and Made Kuti. The album is made up of Femi Kuti’s Stop the Hate and Made Kuti’s For(e)ward. It was released on February 5, 2021. // The title represents a tribute to Fela Kuti as the pioneering afrobeat musician and also to the future of afrobeat music in general. It has also been referred to as an immortalisation of Fela Kuti and the afrobeat genre. Femi Kuti’s Stop the Hate album occupies the first 10 tracks of the album while Made Kuti’s For(e)ward album occupies the last 8 tracks. The cover art is a portrait art of Femi Kuti and Made Kuti by Delphine Desane. // Femi Kuti’s 10th studio album, Stop the Hate is described as a sociopolitical recording which proffers solutions to perennial problems highlighted in his previous recordings. He encourages youth participation in politics and urges a quick resolution to problems. // Made Kuti’s For(e)ward adresses national unity, sexual harassment as well as issues relating to police brutality and End SARS. // He also chronicles how Nigeria’s problems have remained the same since the 1970s. // The music video for Femi Kuti’s “As We Struggle Everyday” was released on the same day as the album release. The video was filmed by Optimus Dammy, edited by Audrey Hurtis, and illustrated by Kiki Picasso. // The album was produced by Sodi Marciszewer who had worked with Fela Kuti in the past and was released under Partisan Records. All the instrumentals on For(e)ward were composed, arranged and played by Made Kuti. // Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (born June 16, 1962), popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos. He is the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and a grandchild of political campaigner, women’s rights activist and traditional aristocrat Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. // Femi Kuti began his musical career playing in his father’s band, Egypt 80. In 1986, Femi started his own band, Positive Force, establishing himself as an artist independent of his father’s legacy. // Omorinmade Kuti (born 26 September 1995) known professionally as Made Kuti, is a Nigerian afrobeat singer, songwriter and instrumentalist. He released his debut album titled For(e)ward in 2021.// the New Afrika Shrine. He learned to play multiple musical instruments including the trumpet, alto, sax, piano and drums in his childhood and started playing the trumpet at age 3. He attended Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London which was Fela Kuti’s alma mater.]

[Femi Kuti & The Positive Force featuring Mádé Kuti. play The Granada Theatre, 1020 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS, on June 16, Arquesta Del SolSoul will open.]

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

Next week on Wednesday, June 8 we feature our favorite MidCoastal releases of 2022 So Far! Plus, Julia Othmer returns to the show to share details about the Benefit for Ukraine, Friday, June 10, at 6:00 PM at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Kcmo, West Bottoms, with Ivory Blue, Havilah Bruders, Johnny Hamil, Courtney Collado, spoken word artist José Faus, Poet-on-Demand Elizabeth Howard, and more! Also next week, Marion Merritt, and Betse Ellis will join us again as our special Co-Hosts for WMM’s Spring Fund Drive Show for 90.1 FM KKFI.

Allison Russell Photo by Frankie Cepero

Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

Find our playlists for the past 10 years at: http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org

Wednesday MidDay Medley is all over social media and on the web at:
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley
http://www.soundcloud.com/wednesdaymiddaymedley
http://www.bandcamp.com/wednesdaymiddaymedley
http://www.twitter.com/MarkTManning
or http://www.kkfi.org

Show #944

s