WMM presents Shaun Crowley & Manor Fest 6

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, April 17, 2024

Shaun Crowley & The Music of Manor Fest 6

Mark spins music from 25 artists and bands playing Manor Fest 6 including: Blackstarkids, Squirrel Flower, Shy Boys, Ebony Tusks, Calvin Arsenia, Paris Williams, Daniel Gum, Frogpond, Honeybee, True Lions, The Creepy Jingles, Liney Blu, Nick Shoulders, Grady Philip Drugg, Kadesh Flow, Pale Tongue, Julia Haile, Wills Van Doorn, Kat King, Pure XTC, Khrystal., Malek Azrael, Jass, The Swallowtails, and ALBER.

At 10:00 AM Shaun Crowley of Manor Records joins us to talk about Manor Fest 6, featuring 60 bands, across 20 venues, in 6 nights, in 6 different neighborhoods of Kanas City. The official dates are May 23, 24, & 25 and May 30, 31, & June 1. Manor Fest is a local music fundraiser festival curated and ran by Manor Records. All profits from this fundraiser go to the “Manor Records Fund” to help with their non-profit’s mission of releasing music from local artists on physical platforms through Manor Records. Manor Fest 6 includes: BLACKSTARKIDS, Squirrel Flower, Shy Boys, Ebony Tusks, Calvin Arsenia, Dylan Earl, Paris Williams, Daniel Gum, Kat King, Scabb, Flooding, Frogpond, Fritz Hutchison, Honeybee, True Lions, Supermoto, The Creepy Jingles, Tidal.wav, Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark, Nick Shoulders, Fullbloods, MC Rue + Mikey, Jass, Grady Drugg, Kadesh Flow, Pale Tongue, Liney Blu, Khrystal., Eggs On Mars, CS Luxem, Brian Bulger, Blanky, The Highwater, Charlotte Bumgarner, THIMASTR, Julia Haile, Teri Quinn, The CAVVES, Wills Van Doorn, Midwestern, Pure XYC, Stephonne, Big Fat Cow, Mason Blaize, Burning Bush, Luke Krutzke, 2W33DY, Collidescope, Shay Lyric, Malek Azrael, Field Daze, They’re Theirs, The Swallowtails, Jolson & The Fear of Snakes, Natalie Prauser, Dalia Kapten, and ALBER. For more information you can visit: http://www.manorrecords.com

On your local radio dial 90.1 FM or
STREAMING LIVE at: kkfi.org

Show #1042

WMM Playlist from March 18, 2015

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

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Calvin Arsenia Live!
+ Matt Kesler & The Pedaljets
+ Patrick Alonzo Conway & Gamelan Genta Kasturi

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980
[Wednesday MidDay Medley’s theme song]

2. TV On The Radio – “Happy Idiot”
from: Seeds / Harvest Records / November 17, 2014
[Formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York. The core lineup has been Tunde Adebimpe (vocals/loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars/keyboards/loops), Kyp Malone (vocals/guitars/bass/loops), Jaleel Bunton (drums/vocals/loops/guitars) and Gerard Smith (bass/keyboards) as official members. Seeds is the 5th studio album. It is the band’s first album since the 2011 death of their bassist, Gerard Smith. Seeds was recorded in LA, at guitarist Dave Sitek’s Federal Prism home studio. Sitek also produced the record. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe explained, “It was nice to be somewhere where you’re not exactly on the clock and worried about how much everything is costing you. It was pretty much the same situation as when we started making music.]

[TV on The Radio play The Midland Theatre, Saturday, March 21, with Nostalghia.]

10:07

3. Ivory Black – “Drive”
from: Drive – Single / CBM Records / March 10, 2015

[A native of Indiana, Ivory Black has lived in Oklahoma & Missouri, and is currently based in Lone Jack and performs solo in open mics and songwriter circles displaying looping techniques, layering rhythms and vocals. Currently working with AweStruck Studios in KC, Ivory released a single through CBM Records and is set to put out a new record this year.]

4. Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds – “Brave and Wreckless”
from: Brave and Wreckless – Single / Independent / February 10, 2015
[Chris Meck on lead guitar & vocals, Michelle Bacon on drums, Calandra Ysquierdo on bass guitar & vocals, Camry Ivory on keys & vocals. The band plans to release an EP in Spring 2015.]

[Chris Meck & The Guilty Birds play The MidCoast Takeover, Saturday, March 21, in Austin Texas.]

5. Josh Berwanger Band- “I Want You Bad”
from: Exorcism Rock / Good Land Records / To be released in May 2015
[Recorded at Element Recording with producer Doug Boehm. The current line up includes: Josh Berwanger, Ricky Salthouse, and Brian Klien. Josh Berwanger was previously in The Anniversary, a Kansas band that released, 2000’s Designing a Nervous Breakdown & 2002’s Your Majesty and sold over 100,000 records before breaking up on tour in Japan. Berwanger put together a new band, The Only Children, and released, 2004’s Change of Living & 2007’s Keeper of Youth. When Keeper of Youth ended Josh Berwanger took a break and became a high school basketball coach. In the 2012 Josh formed the Josh Berwanger band. Josh Berwanger recently recorded a 7 ” Split Single with Dwight Twilley for Good Land Records.]

[Josh Berwanger Band play The MidCoast Takeover, TONIGHT, Mar. 18, at Shangri La, in Austin.]
[Josh Berwanger Band play a Saddle Creek Showcase Mar. 19, at Stay Gold, Austin, TX.]
[Josh Berwanger Band play Riot Room, April 5, w/Swearing At Motorists, DTCV, & Schwervon!]
[Josh Berwanger Band play Middle of the Map Fest April 24 at Ernie Biggs.]

10:15

6. Various Blonde – “Scripted Future”
from: Summer High / Independent / July 29, 2014
[Produced By: Isaiah ” Ikey” Owens. Joshua Allen- Guitar/Vocals, Evanjohn Mcintosh- Bass, Mark Lomas- Drums/Percussioon, Eddie Moore- Keyboards/Rhodes. Conceived in 2008 by mutual friends and now the brainchild of Kansas City native Joshua Allen. The band presents a bombastic, dark alternative progressive style. Joshua Allen draws from a wide array of influences such as, Radiohead, Blonde Redhead, Mike Patton, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Led Zepplin, Yes, King Crimson, Can, Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Mars Volta Miles Davis, Mogwai, and Jimi Hendrix. Since 2009 Various Blonde has opened for national acts, Russian Circles, Free Moral Agents, Zechs Marquise, Dead Meadow, Imaad Wasif, Jucifer,The Memorials, Thursday, Matt Pryor, Murder by Death, Fang Island, Bang Camaro, Electric Sixx. They have been described in words such as “sonic devastation” and deliver a show all their own.]

[Various Blonde play The MidCoast Takeover at Shangri La in Austin Sat, March 21.]
[Various Blonde play recordBar Tues, March 24, with Jorge Arana Trio, Dams, & Riala.]

7. Victor & Penny – “Salt (Live)”
from: Live At the Living Room Theatre / Independent / January 10, 2015
[3rd release for Kansas City based duo, and sometimes quartet with and their Loose Change Orchestra. Victor & Penny are Jeff Freling (Blue Man Group, Chicago) who attended Berklee School of Music, and Erin McGrane (George Clooney’s, “Up in the Air” and the cabaret troupe, “Alacartoona”). Erin is a recipient of an Inspiration Grant from the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City as well as a Mid-America Arts Alliance Grant for Professional Development. Victor & Penny have been touring the USA for the last three years and were awarded a 2013 Escape to Create Artist Residency.]

[Victor & Penny and their Loose Change Orchestra play Knuckleheads, TONIGHT, March 18, with Mikal Shapiro & Chad Brothers opening.]

8. Rocky Volotavo – “The Hereafter”
from: Hospital Handshakes / No Sleep Records / April 21, 2015
[Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1977 his mother remarried and moved the family to the Pacific Northwest in 1991. Alienated by his southern roots, the isolation led him to focus all of his attention on learning to play guitar and writing songs. In 1996, Votolato, started playing under the name Waxwing. The band signed with Second Nature Recordings out of Kansas City, MO. The band then released three full-length albums. In 1999, Votolato branched out as a solo artist touring with Damien Jurado, Small Brown Bike, The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams, Owen and The Casket Lottery, members of the latter having provided assistance as backing musicians on occasion. He has been married to his wife, April Votolato, for over 10 years, and they live in Seattle with their two children.]

[Rocky Volotavo plays a Living Room Show in Kansas City Sat, Night, March 21.]

9. Shades of Jade – “Dynasty”
from: Fingerprinted Memories pt. 1 / Independent / September 21, 2013
[Members include conservatory trained artists: Joshua Williams on Trumpet & Flugelhorn, Desmond Mason on Keyboards, Justin McCoy on Percussion, Perry DJStix Holliday on Percussion, Derrick Greenwood on Bass/Guitar, Dominique Sanders on Bass, and Linnaia McKenzie on Vocals.]

[Shades of Jade play The Tank Room on Friday, March 20.]

10:28 – Underwriting

10:30– Interview with Patrick Alonzo Conway

Patrick Alonzo Conway is a Kansas City based composer, performer, educator, and independent musician. He holds a Masters in Music Composition from the UMKC Conservatory of Music. He was a founding member of newEar, and he works with Terrestrial Consort, Peoples Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, Own/Cox Dance Group, Mambo DeLeon, Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, and BCR. He is a 2012 recipient of the Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow Award. Patrick Alonzo Conway is also the Director of Gamelan Genta Kasturi.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi performs Saturday, March 21, 2015, at 7:00 pm, at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, Founder’s Hall, 1415 W. 13th Street, KCMO.

For over 12 years KC’s community Balinese gamelan orchestra, Gamelan Genta Kasturi, has been presenting community concerts.

Founder I Ketút Gedé Asnawa and family is joining the group for their next concert.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi with Balinese Guest Artists under the direction of I Ketút Gedé Asnawa, featuring dancers Putu Oka Mardiani Asnawa, Yunirika Asnawa & Yonitika Asnawa

The group’s founder and family return in a special concert of Balinese Music & Dance featuring original compositions by Mr. Asnawa and traditional classics. Last KC performance was June of 2009!

FREE & Open to the Public -donations accepted-
http://www.gamelangentakasturi.org

Mr. Asnawa will lead the group; his wife Putu Oka Mardiani and two daughters Yunirika and Yonitika will perform several dance numbers. Featured works include three of his original compositions: “Sekar Taman” Dance (Flowers in the Garden), “Gita Genta Kasturi” (written for the group) and “Gilak Walipraja” along with three other Balinese classics: “Siwa Natha” (King Shiva), “Baris Tunggal” Dance depicting a solo warrior, “Margapati” Dance depicting a sleeping lion and “Oleg Tamulilingan” Dance which portrays the interaction of male and female bumblebees. Also included on the program will be current ensemble director Patrick Alonzo Conway’s gamelan arrangement of Sun Ra’s “Angels & Demons at Play”.

Mr. Asnawa has been faculty at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in conjunction with the Robert E. Brown Center For World Music since leaving Kansas City in 2006. He and his family maintain an active schedule performing, teaching and promoting Balinese Cultural Arts.

Gamelan Genta Kasturi, premiered a large scale collaborative work in 2011 featuring his Patrick Alonzo Conway’s original composition Angels & Demons at Play through Urban Culture Project and ArtSounds. Shortly thereafter, Gamelan Genta Kasturi was awarded Studio Space through the Charlotte Street/Urban Culture Project Studio Residency Program.

A gamelan is a traditional musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Java and Bali, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, kendang (drums) & gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed & plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included. For most Indonesians, gamelan music is an integral part of Indonesian culture.

The term refers more to the set of instruments than to the players of those instruments. A gamelan is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together – instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.

Patrick Alonzo Conway plays with other bands including: Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, newEar, BCR, and The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City who have been named as headliners for the 2015 Wichita Jazz Fest.

Kansas City’s community Balinese gamelan orchestra, Gamelan Genta Kasturi performs Saturday, March 21, 2015, at 7:00 pm, at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, Founder’s Hall, 1415 W. 13th Street, KCMO. More info at: http://www.gamelangentakasturi.org.

11:45

10. Ruth Acuff – “Dark Blue Dark Green”
from: To The Moon / Nation of Love / November 22, 2014
[Ruth Acuff sings with an angelic voice. Playing a 34 string lever harp, she is accompanied by her husband Jeff Mueller on upright bass, and her sister, Mary Leibovich on harmony vocals and percussion. Joining the trio for this song is Susan Acuff on harmony vocals, Greg Spillman on Cello, John Shafer on Trumpet.]

[Ruth Acuff plays MidCoast Takeover at Shangri La in Austin Thursday, March 19.]

10:50 – Interview with Matt Kesler

The Pedaljets

The Pedaljets

Matt Kesler is part of the rock and roll foundation of the Kansas City Music Scene. He is one of the founding members of The PedalJets, a band that formed in Lawrence, Kansas in 1984. The Pedaljets 2013 release What’s In Between, was #1 on our The 113 Best Recordings of 2013. What’s In Between also won a Pitch Music Award for Album of the Year. The Pedaljets have been back in the studio and are getting ready to release a new record with their new lead guitarist Cody Wyoming. Mat Kesler also plays with The Doo-Dads, Midtown Quartet, Howard Iceberg & The Titanics, and was proprietor of Midwestern Musical Company. Matt will be taking I-35 South to play with The Pedaljets at Midwestern Music Foundation’s 6th annual MidCoast Takeover, Saturday, March 21, at 10:00 pm, at Shangri La, in Austin, Texas, during SXSW More info at: http://www.thepedaljets.com

On December 12, 2014, The Pedaljets played Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 10 Anniversary Show at Davey’s Uptown with The Philistines and Dolls on Fire.

The Pedaljets also played Apocalypse Meow.

10:56

11. The Pedaljets – “Down To Downtown”
from: a pre-production demo for untitled new album / to be released in 2015
[Recorded at Massive Sound Studio, engineered by Paul Malinowski, copyright 2015]

11:00 – Station ID

The Pedaljets:
Mike Allmayer on lead vocals & guitar,
Cody Wyoming on guitar & vocals,
Mat Kesler on bass & vocals
Rob Morrow on drums & vocals

The Pedaljets sound as good as ever.

The British music press, Uncut and Mojo, are big fans of The Pedaljets.

Matt will be taking I-35 South to play with The Pedaljets at Midwestern Music Foundation’s 6th annual MidCoast Takeover, Saturday, March 21, at 10:00 pm, at Shangri La, in Austin, Texas, during SXSW More info at: http://www.thepedaljets.com

12. The Pedaljets – “Uncounted Heads”
from: a pre-production demo for untitled new album / to be released in 2015
[Recorded at Massive Sound Studio, engineered by Paul Malinowski, copyright 2015]

[The Pedaljets play Midwestern Music Foundation’s 6th annual MidCoast Takeover, Saturday, March 21, at 10:00 pm, at Shangri La, in Austin, Texas, during SXSW]

11:09 – Underwriting
11:10

13. Tycho – “Awake”
from: Awake / Ghostly International / March 17, 2014
[Scott Hansen, born 1976 or 1977, is professionally known as Tycho (Tai-ko), an American ambient music artist and producer from San Francisco, California, who is known as ISO50 for his photographic and design works. His music is a combination of downtempo vintage-style synthesizers and ambient melodies. The style of his music is very organic, typically incorporating clips of the human element into his songs (i.e. weather broadcasts, simple talking, or even breathing).]

[Tycho plays the Granada in Lawrence, KS, Saturday, March 21.]

11:15 – Interview with Calvin Arsenia

24 year old Calvin Arsenia returns to Wednesday MidDay Medley after most recently joining us on October 22, 2014. His 2014 EP, Moments, was in the Top Ten, of our 114 Best Recordings of 2014. Calvin Arsenia recently came home to KC after living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Standing at 6 foot 5 inches, Arsenia’s powerful vocals span a 3.5 octave range, while playing piano, guitar and harp. Calvin Arsenia has written, arranged and produced 5 EPs including Prose, his new 9-song collection, released February 3, 2015. Recorded over the course of three live sessions at Edinburgh’s Napier University.

Calvin Arsenia plays Records with Merritt, 1614 Westport Road, in a special In-Store performance, Saturday, March 21, at 6:00 pm. Calvin Arsenia also plays The Tank Room, Friday, March 27 with musician Jonathan Theobald.

Since we last talked with Calvin Arsenia on the radio he has been very busy, releasing a new EP, playing several showcases at Folk Alliance International Conference, and being accepted into the Artist Inc program.

Calvin’s abilities are playing piano, guitar, harp and working as a songwriter, composer, lyricist, producer, and engineer.

Calvin Arsenia made his debut as a performer in early 2010.

11:21

14. Calvin Arsenia – “Silhouette”
from: Prose / Independent / February 3, 2015
[Recorded over the course of three live sessions at Edinburgh’s Napier University. Produced by Graham Coe. Engineered by David O’Leary. Music and Lyrics: Calvin Arsenia, with Fiona Reid & Liselot Van Oosterom on Vocals, Graham Coe on Cello, Mark Smith on Percussion, Lyle Watt on Guitar Calvin Arsenia on Vocals & Guitar & Piano.]

Calvin Arsenia was recently accepted into the Artist INC professional development program for artists in the Kansas City metro area and across the Mid-America Arts Alliance five state region.

11:30

Calvin Arsenia plays live on the March 18, 2015 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley.

Calvin Arsenia plays live on the March 18, 2015 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley.

15. Calvin Arsenia – “Cardiac” (LIVE)

Calvin Arsenia plays every Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Simply Reinspired in Olathe, KS.

Influences: Bjork, Dirty Projectors, Joanna Newsom, Sufjan Stevens

11:38

16. Calvin Arsenia – “Advocate”
from: Prose / Independent / February 3, 2015

Calvin Arsenia plays Records with Merritt in a special in-store performance, March 21, at 6:00 pm. Calvin Arsenia also plays The Tank Room, Friday, March 27 with musician Jonathan Theobald. More info at: http://www.calvinarsenia.com

11:45

17. Of Montreal – “Virgilian Lots”
from: Aureate Gloom / Polyvinyl / February 27, 2015
[Athens, Georgia based rock band, founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman “of Montreal.” The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective. Of Montreal’s musical style has evolved from vaudeville and Beatles-influenced psychedelic twee pop to a mixture of electronica, funk, glam, and afrobeat music influenced by Prince and David Bowie. Aureate Gloomis the band’s 13th studio album.]

[of Montreal plays The Granada Theatre in Lawrence, KS, Wednesday, April 1, with Yip Receiver.]

11:50

18. Adriana Nikole – “Vibration”
from: Vibration – Single / Polyvinyl / February 27, 2015
[Originally from Detroit, Adriana Nikole was born and raised in Michigan. She loved singing but was too shy to share her voice until her mid 20’s when she started playing ukulele & writing songs. She moved to Nashville and started playing guitar. In Sept 2012 she moved to KC where she found a welcoming home in the local music community. She is currently recording music with Saunders Street Records, has released a single on iTunes, and is recording new music. Adriana is performs a solo artist and now also with a band. She also sings with Anna Cole and the Other Lovers.]

[Adriana Nikole presents The Adriana Nikole Show, Tomorrow night, Thurs, Mar. 19 at 7pm at Coda.]

11:55

19. Sylvan Esso -“Coffee”
from: Sylvan Esso / Partisan / May 13, 2014
[Indie folk band formed in Durham, North Carolina with singer Amelia Meath (of Mountain Man) and producer Nick Sanborn (of Megafaun). On July 9, 2014, they made their network television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing the single “Coffee.”]

[Slyvan Esso play The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS, Friday, March 20, with Flock of Dimes.]

11:59:30

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

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

Next week on March 25, Phil Neal of Phil Neal and The Wornalls returns to the show, we’ll also talk with Nathan Reusch about Middle of The Map Fest, and Steve Tulipana will join us to talk about his new musical adventure Sie lieben Machinen.

90.1 FM’s crystal clear, 100,000 watt signal, delivers some of the best quality of sound you will hear in the metro radio airwaves.

Guests of Wednesday MidDay Medley meet guests of ARTSPEAK RADIO, with Calvin Arsenia, Renee Cinderhouse, Hector Casanova Cinderhouse, and ARTSPEAK RADIO host/producer - Maria Vasquez Boyd.

Guests of Wednesday MidDay Medley meet guests of ARTSPEAK RADIO, with Calvin Arsenia, Renee Cinderhouse, Hector Casanova Cinderhouse, and ARTSPEAK RADIO host/producer – Maria Vasquez Boyd.

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #569

WMM Playlist from March 11, 2015

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

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Black Pearl Sings + The Waspmen & The Cave Girls
+ The Record Machine + Psychic Heat

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980
[Wednesday MidDay Medley’s theme song]

2. Viet Cong – “Silhouettes”
from: Viet Cong / Jagjaguar Records / January 20, 2015
[Canadian indie rock band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 2012. The group consists of two ex-members of the rock band Women, vocalist/bassist Matt Flegel and drummer Mike Wallace, as well as guitarists Scott Munro and Daniel Christiansen. The group’s musical style has been described as “labyrinthine post-punk.”]

[Viet Cong play recordBar TONIGHT, March 11, with Muscle Worship.]

10:07

3. The Philistines – “Twitch of the Death Nerve”
from: New Single from The Philistines forthcoming debut LP / To be released this summer
[KC based rock ‘n roll/pop band with a psychedelic bent, made up of: Kimmie Queen on lead vocals; Cody Wyoming on lead guitar and vocals; Rod Peal on guitar; Michelle Bacon on bass; Josh Mobley on keyboard, Steve Gardels on drums. Recorded and mixed with Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound, mastered by Dave Gaume.]

[The Philistines play Austin at MidCoast Takeover on Friday, March 20. Their next KC show is April 25 at Middle of the Map Fest at The Riot Room.]

4. Wyatt West – “Voiles Chatoyantes”
from: Voiles Chatoyantes – Single / Independent / February 10, 2015
[Andi Fredrickson: vocals, Aaron Simcox: tenor sax, Wyatt West: piano, Max Berry: guitar, James Albright: bass, Scotty McBee: drums. Recorded at LA Audio, Lynn Allred, engineer. Mixed and mastered by Joel Nanos at Element Recording.]

10:15 – Interview with Walter Coppage and Nedra Dixon

IMG_7304_2

Spinning Tree Theatre is presenting the Kansas City premiere of “Black Pearl Sings,” on stage through March 22, at Just Off Broadway Theatre, 3051 Penn Valley Drive, KCMO. Written by Frank Higgins, directed by Walter Coppage, this acclaimed play features Nedra Dixon as Pearl, an African-American woman with a powerful voice in a Texas prison, and Vanessa Severo as Susannah, an ambitious song collector for the Library of Congress. More info at: http://www.spinningtreetheatre.com

Walter Coppage has appeared with The Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, The Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre, The Coterie, KC Actors Theatre and The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, and has played principal roles in feature films and television. He is a founding member of KC Actors Theatre, an Advisory Board member for The KC FilmFest and KC Jubilee and is The Unicorn Theatre’s Actor Ambassador for the National New Play Network. You may recognize his voice from his broadcasting and voice over work.

Nedra Dixon is a professional actress, and singer who has performed at the White House, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Madison Square Garden, on Broadway, Off Broadway, national tours, regional theaters, and in Kansas City at The Unicorn, The Coterie, American Heartland Theatre, and many others. She is a featured vocalist on 12th Street Jump, the locally-produced jazz radio show that is broadcast on 110 NPR stations nationwide, and is a proud member of the Kansas City vocal jazz trio, Book of Gaia, with Angela Hagenbach and Pamela Baskin-Watson.

“Black Pearl Sings” has been produced all over, Washington DC, Portland, San Jose, Chicago, bit this is the Kansas City premiere of a play written by Kansas City based playwright Frank Higgins, perhaps Kansas City’s most famous playwright, this seems like perfect choice for Spinning Tree Theatre, one of KC newest Equity Theatres.

Walter Coppage talked about how he learned about this play and how it became the show where he made his directorial debut.

Nedra Dixon plays Alberta “Pearl” Johnson, described in one review as, “doing hard time in a Texas prison after visiting Lorena Bobbitt–style vengeance on a man with the devil in his hands.”

This is not a musical, by definition, however there are a lot of songs in this show, making it a play with music.

“Playwright Frank Higgins was inspired by the real-life relationship between legendary singer/guitarist Huddie William Ledbetter, Lead Belly) and Harvard folk musicologist John Lomax, who helped petition for Ledbetter’s release from prison, and later became his manager. Lomax figured, rightly, that African Americans in prison were more likely to be unaffected by popular music of the time, thus retaining early musical influences.”

Vanessa Severo plays Susannah, a song collector for the Library of Congress. “People with good voices tend to know a lot of songs,” Susannah observes, hoping Pearl will offer up an unknown song to help further her academic career. Pearl makes the decision to share her songs and voice when Susannah offers to help search for Pearl’s 22-year-old daughter, who is missing from her Houston neighborhood.

So much about this play depends on the two actress, who alone bring this play and these characters to life each night on stage.

Spinning Tree Theatre presents the KC premiere of “Black Pearl Sings,” on stage through March 22, at Just Off Broadway Theatre, 3051 Penn Valley Drive, KCMO. Written by Frank Higgins, directed by Walter Coppage, this acclaimed play features Nedra Dixon as Pearl, and Vanessa Severo as Susannah. More info at: http://www.spinningtreetheatre.com

10:29 – Underwriting
10:30

5. The Thunderclaps – “7 Doos, No Donts”
from: The Thunderclaps / Independent / August 17, 2014
[Colin Blunt – Drums and Bryce Jones – vocals and Guitar. Bryce works as an English teacher in Salina, KS.]

[The Thunderclaps play MidCoast Takeover Fundraiser at The Brick, Saturday, March 14, with Bottle Breakers, Federation of Horsepower, and Dsodean.]

6. The Waspmen – “Again”
from: First Stings First / Independent / March 14, 2015
[Ian Griggs on vocals, Elan Portnoy on guitar, Jim McCormack on bass, and Dave Storms on drums.]

[The Waspmen play a CD Release show Sat, March 14, at 7:00 pm at recordBar, with The Cave Girls.]

10:35 – Interview with Elan Portnoy, Jim McCormack, & Robin Campbell

IMG_7305_2

Members of the bands: The Waspmen and The Cave Girls joined us in our 90.1 FM Studios to give us all the details about The Waspmen’s CD release show at recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd, this Saturday night, March 14, at 7:00 pm.
Congratulations on the new CD, First Stings First, recorded at Destiny Audio in Independence.

The Waspmen’s new song “Again,” is getting play on Sirius Radio.

In the 1980s, Elan Portney, was a lead guitarist of the New York City band The Fuzztones and played in shows alongside The Clash, The Damned, The Cramps, R.E.M. and Midnight Oil. In the late 1980s, Elan played with the NYC based band, The Headless Horsemen. The band reunited in 2013.

Elan Portnoy – lead guitar, and Jim McCormack, bassist, discussed how The Waspmen originally formed.

Robin Campbell, talked about how The Cave Girls and The Waspmen were brought together for this show, in a perfect pairing of celebrated “garage bands.”

10:44

7. The Waspmen – “You’re Gonna Miss Me”
from: First Stings First / Independent / March 14, 2015
[Ian Griggs on vocals, Elan Portnoy on guitar, Jim McCormack on bass, and Dave Storms on drums.]

First Stings First, was recorded at Destiny Audio and produced by The Waspmen.

The Cave Girls are: Robin Campbell on voice and guitar, Stone Age Sara (Teasley) on vocals and drums, and Lizz Weiler on vocals and bass. The Cave Girls have been recording new songs, and have plans for an upcoming release.

The Cave Girls have been invited to be a part of a new compilation Tribute album celebrating the songs of the band The Pandoras.

11:55

8. The Cave Girls – “Let’s Do Right”
from: A Tribute to The Pandoras / Independent / 2015
[The Cave Girls are: Robin Campbell on voice and guitar, Stone Age Sara Teasley on vocals & drums, and Lizz Weiler on vocals & bass.]

[The Cave Girls will open for The Waspmen CD Release show Sat, March 14, at 7:00 pm at recordBar, 1020 Westport Rd.]

10:58 – Station ID

9. Ghastly Menace – “Ain’t Gonna Cry”
from: Songs of Ghastly Menace / The Record Machine / January 27, 2015
[6-piece band made up of: Andy Schroeder, Chris Geick, Pat Lawlor, Kody Nixon, Michael Heringhaus, and Clint Weber. Formed in Chicago, IL. in 2010, initially the group started as a recording project between two friends. Songs of Ghastly Menace, marks the group’s first full band effort. Recorded in collaboration with songwriter/producer Nigel Dennis, the album expands greatly upon the experimentation and stylistic range of 2010’s Pitcairn EP. ]

[Ghastly Menace will play The Middle of The Map Fest, April 25]

11:02 – Interview with Nathan Reusch and Alex Ellis

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Now in it’s 5th year, Ink’s Middle of the Map Fest, curated by The Record Machine, returns to Kansas City, with an extra day, running April 22-25, featuring local, national, international and emerging talent. Ink’s Middle of the Map Fest is the brainchild of Nathan Reusch co-founder of The Record Machine now in their 11th year.

Alex Ellis, a multi-instrumentalist originally from Seattle, and now based in Kansas City. Alex has been writing songs for the past 17 years, and works as AE|Beats, as a songwriter/composer, audio engineer and producer. Alex received a masters in music business from Berkley School of Music, and is working with The Record Machine.

Ghastly Menace, is one of The Record Machine’s newest bands whom will be playing Middle of the Map Fest – April 22-25

MOTM

Wednesday, April 22 at The Uptown – OK GO / The Republic Tigers

Thursday, April 23 at The Uptown
– Iron & Wine / Strand of Oaks / Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear / Sean Rowe

Friday, April 24 in Various Venues in Westport

Saturday, April 25 in Various Venues in Westport …100+ bands

VENUES
Uptown Theater (Wed/Thurs)
Outdoor Stage (Fri/Sat) ALL AGES – parking lot in Westport /
Ernie Biggs 4115 Mill Street / recordBar 1020 Westport Road /
Riot Room (inside) 4048 Broadway / Riot Room (outside) 4048 Broadway /
Westport Saloon 4112 Pennsylvania / Mills Record Company (Sat) 314 Westport Road

DAY PARTIES AND SHOWCASES
90.9 The Bridge Day Party w/ Jon Hart (Saturday at rB)

Eight One Sixty from 90.9 The Bridge Day Party w/ Sarah Bradshaw
(Saturday at Riot outside)

90.1 FM – Wednesday MidDay Medley KKFI Day Party w/ Mark Manning
(Sat. at Westport Saloon)
with: Not A Planet, The Big Iron, The Project H, She’s A Keeper, and The Lucky

I Heart Local Music and 90.9 KJHK Day Party (Saturday at Riot inside)

The Record Machine Day Party (Saturday at the Outdoor Stage)

Tim Finn’s Back To Rockville Singer-Songwriter Showcase (Sat at Mills Record Company)

The festival has also grown to include Ink’s Middle of the Map Forum (a civic minded arts, tech, culture conference) and Ink’s Middle of the Map Film Fest (5 days of films at Alamo Drafthouse).

Many of The Record Machine bands: La Guerre, The Noise FM, The Westerners, are also playing The 6th Annual MidCoast Takeover, next week, at The Shangri La, in Austin Texas, Wednesday March 18 through Saturday, March 21.

Nathan, will be with us again in 2 weeks and on March 25, and on April 15 for our special 120 minutes of Music from The Middle of The Map with Chris Haghirian.

For more information about The Record Machine, The MidCoast Takeover, and The Middle of The Map Fest, April 22-25. More info at: http://www.therecordmachine.net, http://www.midwestmusicfound.org, and http://www.middleofthemapfest.com

11:15

10. The Noise FM – “Every Other Word”
from: Attraction / The Record Machine / January 28, 2014
[Formed in 2005 by Fort Scott, KS. brothers Alex Ward on vocals, keyboard, guitar & Austin Ward on drums, vocals. In 2007 the band moved to Lawrence. In 2010 they relocated to Chicago. The band performs live as a trio with Barry Kidd playing bass.]

[The Noise FM, play recordBar, Sat, Mar 14, at 10pm w/ Me Like Bees, Archie Powell & The Exports.]

[The Noise FM play Austin at MidCoast Takeover on Friday, March 20. Their next KC show is April 25 at Middle of the Map Fest at Riot Room.]

11:18 – Underwriting

11:20 – Interview with Steve/Evan Herd, Tanner Spreer, Sam Boatright, and Joel Kuhn and Rolf Peterman.

Psychic Heat photo by: Chelsea Donoho Photography

Psychic Heat photo by: Chelsea Donoho Photography

11. Psychic Heat – “Stargazer” (LIVE)
also available on: Lighter and Brighter / Whatever Forever Tapes / March 13, 2015
[Cassette reissue of 2013 EP Lighter and Higher on side A with Live Performances of those songs on Side B. Steve/Evan Herd on guitar and vocals, Tanner Spreer on guitar, Sam Boatright on bass and vocals, and Ricky Barkosky on drums. You can learn about their music at: http://www.psychicheat.bandcamp.com]

[Psychic Heat play The Bottleneck, Friday, March 13, at 9:00 pm with Gnarly Davidson, and The Sluts. The show celebrates the reissue of their EP, Lighter and Brighter’s new cassette release, through Whatever Forever Tapes.]

[Psychic Heat also plays The MidCaost Takeover, Saturday, March 21, in Austin Texas.]

Members of Psychic Heat include: Steve/Evan Herd on guitar and vocals, Tanner Spreer on guitar, Sam Boatright on bass and vocals, and Ricky Barkosky on drums. For today’s show for the next few weeks, Joel Kuhn will be filling in on drums for Ricky Barkosky (who is currently in Europe.)

I Heart Local Music of Lawrence wrote that Psychic Heat, “like to color outside the lines” this is in reference to the band’s live shows. Evan has been know to leave the stage completely to deliver vocals from somewhere in the audience.

Evan Herd, Tanner Spreer, and others work at the Mercantile Cooperative grocery store in Lawrence.

Evan Herd told Natalie Gallagher in an interview with The Pitch last year, “I think we all struggle from anxiety, and Psychic Heat has been a great outlet for us to destroy that. It’s this anxiety-killing way to express ourselves.”

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11:32

12. Psychic Heat – “Mortal Concept” (LIVE)
also available on: Lighter and Brighter / Whatever Forever Tapes / March 13, 2015
[Cassette reissue of 2013 EP Lighter and Higher on side A with Live Performances of those songs on Side B. Steve/Evan Herd on guitar and vocals, Tanner Spreer on guitar, Sam Boatright on bass and vocals, and Ricky Barkosky on drums.]

Evan Herd, is son of artist Stan Herd.

11:44

13. Psychic Heat – “Ambience” (LIVE)
also available on: Lighter and Brighter / Whatever Forever Tapes / March 13, 2015
[Cassette reissue of 2013 EP Lighter and Higher on side A with Live Performances of those songs on Side B. Steve/Evan Herd on guitar and vocals, Tanner Spreer on guitar, Sam Boatright on bass and vocals, and Ricky Barkosky on drums.]

Psychic Heat play The Bottleneck, Friday, March 13, at 9:00 pm with Gnarly Davidson, and The Sluts. The show celebrates the reissue of their EP, Lighter and Brighter’s new cassette release, through Whatever Forever Tapes.

11:50

14. Hudson Falcons – “Soul Salvation”
from: Peace of Mind / East Grand Record Co. / March 10, 2015
[New Jersey band formed by Mark Linsky recording and touring for over 15 years. Known for their rock & roll and punk political songs for the working class. Music writers have compared their sound to both The Ramones and The Replacements.]

[Hudson Falcons play Davey’s Uptown, Sat, Mar 14, 2015, w/ Red Kate, Dressed For The Occasion, and The Uncouth.]

11:55:30

15. Nicholas St. James – “The Good Kind”
from: Honeysuckle / Independent / July 26, 2014
[Bio from www:nicholasstjames.com: Nicholas St. James is a folk troubadour who is more a throwback to Vaudeville than the Dust Bowl; a master of both acoustic and electric performance. The dedication and ferociousness with which he performs is worth the price of admission alone, but then there are the songs… His songs tell tales of deceased mothers, down-on-their-luck working men, drunks and encounters with strangers. Nicholas’ sound is one-part gypsy and one-part blues while honoring and expanding on the genre Americana. …and he helped me push my stalled Toyota Land Cruiser out of the middle of Main Street and into a parking lot nearby.]

[Nicholas St. James plays The Bottleneck, Tuesday, March 17, in an early show at 2:00 pm with Carswell & Hope, and Dr. Cotton.]

11:59:30

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

Next week on March 18, Patrick Alonzo Conway joins us to discuss Gamelan Genta Kasturi and their upcoming show, Saturday, March 21, 2015, at 7:00 pm, at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, Founder’s Hall, 1415 W. 13th Street, KCMO. More info at: http://www.gamelangentakasturi.org. Also, Matt Kesler joins us to play a brand new tracks from The Pedaljets. In 2nd hour, Calvin Arsenia plays LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios.

90.1 FM’s crystal clear, 100,000 watt signal, delivers some of the best quality of sound you will hear in the metro’s radio airwaves.

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.kkfi.org

Show #568