WMM Playlist from July 28, 2026

Posted on August 1, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, July 29, 2026

New & MidCoastal Releases + Angela & James Ward + Joel Kraft

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

Fullbloods – “No Hesitation”
from: Playing It Safe / High Dive Records / March 7, 2025
[Fullbloods released double single: Magic Machine with “Who’s Left” on January 9, 2026. Both songs written by Ross Brown (Bargain Hunt Music / ASCAP). Recorded (mostly) live at BRC Audio Productions. Engineered by Zack Hames with assistant engineers Tremain Hunter, Karlton Kinley, Ian McCaslin, and Nathan Gonzales. // Artwork by Sam Hrabko. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. // The first single, “No Hesitation” was released on December 7, 2024. – Fullbloods is a studio project of songwriter and producer Ross Brown (Shy Boys, Koney, Snacky). Live he is joined by his friends and the music is probably better that way. Thanks for listening! // Fullbloods released their 3rd full-length album Soft and Virtual Touch on High Dive Records on April 3, 2020. All songs written, performed, recorded, mixed by Ross Brown (℗© 2019 Bargain Hunt Music / ASCAP) in Kansas City, MO. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Artwork by Nika Winn. Kyle Rausch played drums on 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9, sang on 9. Bill Pollock Played drums on 3 and 5. David Seume played bass on 5. Jerad Tomasino played synth on 9 and 10, sang on 9. Jenni Kornfeld played cello on 4. Leslie Butsch played sax on 10. // Fullbloods is a studio project of songwriter and producer Ross Brown who is also in the bands: Shy Boys, Koney, and Snacky. When Fullbloods play live, Ross is joined on stage by his friends. N writing about Ross Browms previous Fullbloods album, Soft and Virtual Touch , Lionell Williams aka “Vinyl Williams” of PRIVATE PLAYLIST on KCRW calls “Ross Brown a frickin’ genius. He’s the modern day Brian Wilson of America. His whole album, the entire way through, is one of those albums [where] every microsecond, every quantum moment, is wow. He’s just a straight-up genius.” Info: www.fullbloods.com.][Fullbloods played The Ship on February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show. ][Fullbloods played Hillsiders in KCK on March 7 at 8:00 PM for their own PLAYING IT SAFE Album Release Show with Schemada, and 2w33dy.]

[Pearl & The Oysters, and Fullbloods play recordBar 1520 Grand Ave., KCMO, Thurs, July 30, 2026.]

Pearl and The Oysters – “Wide Awake”
from: Monkey Mind / Stones Throw Records / June 26, 2026
[6th studio album from P&TO’s engineered, produced, and mixed by Jonathan Rado. // Pearl & the Oysters is a French-American indie pop duo formed by Juliette Pearl Davis and Joachim Polack. // Juliette and Joachim write: We wrote Monkey Mind in the span of a few weeks at the top of 2025, in the wake of the LA fires and Trump’s inauguration. Our purpose was twofold. On the one hand, these songs were meant as a way of processing and exorcising the apocalyptic visions of devastation and the lingering sense of restlessness (hence the title) that followed this most un-natural disaster. On the other, we were looking to tap into the social function of music-making and art as a way to further human connection in a time of heightened alienation and dread. We’d never written an album this quickly before. In doing so we were intending to make an urgent poetic statement, one that could encompass both the objectivity of a snapshot and the subjectivity of a scream. After debating how best to make the recording process match the lyrical themes and ambitions of these songs, we thought « what better way to do so than by recording all of it on tape with Jonathan Rado producing? // In May 2025, we set out to track for 8 days at Rado’s studio in the Valley and deliberately threw ourselves off-balance by eliminating a lot of the typical steps and recording gadgetry on which we’d come to rely in previous albums. When we stepped into the studio, we immediately realized that this new (to us) no-demo, no-click, live-to-tape approach was actually mirroring the rawness and immediacy of the writing process itself—despite our rhythm sections being well-rehearsed, and the arrangements for the most part locked in before we began tracking. We both had the feeling that working with Rado would be a fun and rewarding experience since we already knew that we shared a lot of the same musical obsessions (Todd Rundgren, The Beach Boys, Steely Dan, and early-tronic sonorities), but what we didn’t anticipate was how perfect of a match it would be for this album, specifically. Working with analog technology prescribed a particular workflow that often forced us to make quick, intuitive decisions, ultimately yielding some of our most direct and honest delivery yet captured on a record. Surprisingly, we managed to get there while never sacrificing—and in some instances dialing up—our own experimental impulses, thanks in great part to what can only be described as Rado’s sheer studio wizardry. The result felt like a reinvention of P&TO’s musical grammar and our most sincere record to date. // Thanks to Amy Spencer and everyone else at Stones Throw for giving our vision a platform, and constantly plotting new ways in which to saturate the internet with Monkey Mind content. All joking aside, we’re forever grateful to Peanut Butter Wolf and ST for taking a chance on us three albums ago, and making our analog recording fantasy a reality. On that note, we also want to thank Dan Asip and George Seay for their guidance, advocacy, and support at the very beginning of the Monkey Mind adventure. // We hope you’ll enjoy this album as much as we’ve enjoyed making it, and that these songs could be a balm (in the absence of a magic elixir) for these endlessly puzzling times. // The group originated in Paris, later relocating to Gainesville, Florida, and then to Los Angeles. Their music blends elements of indie pop, synth-pop, dream pop, and 1960s/1970s-inspired sounds. // Davis and Polack met during high school in Paris and began collaborating musically. They later moved to the United States, where they became part of Gainesville’s independent music scene. After moving to the U.S., Polack earned a master’s in musicology focused on Brazilian popular music and began a Ph.D. at the University of Florida School of Music. In 2020, they relocated to Los Angeles. // The band’s musical style is often described as an eclectic fusion of space-age pop, soft rock, and jazz influences, characterized by lush arrangements and a dreamy atmosphere. Their songwriting often evokes nostalgic moods while maintaining a contemporary indie sensibility. // Juliette and Joachim met on their first day of high school in Paris, sharing a passion for music and artists like Burt Bacharach, Kurt Weill, and Antônio Carlos. // Also American band such as The Beach Boys to the Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra. // Their self-titled debut album was released in 2017. Subsequent releases include Canned Music (2018), Flowerland (2021), Coast 2 Coast (2023), and Planet Pearl (2024). They have released music under labels such as Feeltrip Records and Stones Throw Records. // The duo has collaborated with musicians including Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab and Riley Geare of Unknown Mortal Orchestra. These collaborations have been noted in critical discussions of their evolving sound.]

[Pearl & The Oysters, and Fullbloods play recordBar 1520 Grand Ave., KCMO, Thurs, July 30, 2026.]

Kirstie Lynn – “Blazing Prairie Star”
from: Blazing Prairie Star / Plaid Dog Studios / July 24, 2026
[Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark released Lost River Sound on August 9, 2024. Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark released Cindergarden (A Sides) on May 22, 2022. They released Cindergarden (B Sides) on June 21, 2023. Kirstie Lynn is a classically trained soprano with a passion for songwriting, always looking to marry poetry and melody. Though Kirstie’s voice has been compared to that of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, her sound is uniquely her own. Kirstie Lynn is a folk singer-songwriter originally from the fingerlakes region of upstate, NY. She began her professional music studies at the age of 15, and has since received both a Bachelor’s degree from Shenandoah University and a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University in voice and opera performance. Her vocal training lends her the freedom to paint her nature inspired lyrics with a wide range and a beautiful and effortless sound. // Kirstie Lynn brings elements of all the places she has called home into her songwriting. From the lilacs of Rochester, the bridges of London, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Appalachia, and the sweeping prairies of the Midwest, you can find melodies and words accompanied by her finger-picking on guitar reminiscent of the many lives she has lived so far. // Kirstie Lynn’s music is inherently emotional, providing a story-teller perspective to the trials and triumphs of life. As an aspiring conservationist and naturalist as well, her lyrics are deeply saturated in the outdoors and her experiences and adventures in nature. // You can find Kirstie Lynn playing either solo or with long-time friend and music partner, Galen Clark, in the Kansas City area. If you’re interested in bringing her or the duo to a stage near you, be sure to submit a message below!// Kirstie Lynn played IN THE ROUND with Calvin Arsenia, Julia Othmer, and Christena Graves at The Bauer, 115 West 18th St., in KCMO’s West Crossroads, Oct. 17, 2025.]

AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival – Saturday, August 1, 3:00pm to 9:30pm
at The Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd, KCMO.

Now in its 4th year, Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival is Sat, August 1, 3:00pm to 9:30pm at The Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd, KCMO. Celebrate Americana is a celebration of the myriad backgrounds, cultures, languages, and sounds that have shaped American music, bringing Grammy-winning artists to KC to perform at the FREE festival alongside youth performers from Art as Mentorship’s year-round mentorship programs. // Main Stage headliners include: Making Movies, RADKEY, Gina Chavez, Rosie Flores, The Freedom Threedom, The Salvation Choir, Audri Page, and Teri Quinn & Landon Hambright. // The Stars Out youth band takes the Main Stage for the 2nd time, performing a set of famous songs co-created by KC artists. // Community performers include youth from The Rebel Song Academy and base academy of music, dance groups, and more multicultural and multimedia performances. // Sample the food of the world with multicultural food and drink options. // Artmaking tents and music activities for all ages. // Physical activities including yard games, an obstacle course, and Copa de Calla soccer with Rygoku Soccer. // Interactive experiences including a bring-your-own-instrument parade with @sass.a.brass.band, drum circles with @drumsafari, a community art project, water toys. // MERCADO international open-air marketplace offering global goods, crafts, resources, and cuisine.// “AMERI’KANA is our living love letter to the Black, indigenous, immigrant and Latino heroes of American music. We want kids like us to know that they come from heroes.” –Making Movies // The AMERI’KANA project grew alongside Art as Mentorship, and its reach has brought Art as Mentorship into the national spotlight. Art as Mentorship is the only organization in the Midwest building a network of GRAMMY award-winning and world-class musicians to serve as mentors to young, Black, Indigenous, immigrant and Latino artists. As mentors, these professional musicians inspire youth to, like themselves, raise their voices and create original music that is grounded in their culture and personal experience. // The AMERI’KANA project’s ability to attract high level collaborators benefits Art as Mentorship greatly, providing mentoring and exposure from nationally-touring, Grammy-level artists. The events and content creation associated with AMERI’KANA provide opportunities for young artists in the programs to gain real world performing experience and develop transferable digital skills, as both performers and producers of its output. // Celebrate AMERI’KANA serves as a “graduation” for young artists in Art as Mentorship’s programs. The opportunity to play alongside historically significant NEA heritage award-winning musicians is the punctuation mark on the learning and success the young artists have achieved. // The AMERI’KANA brand is leveraged as a fundraising mechanism for Art as Mentorship. // AMERI’KANA highlights the influence of the Black and Brown musicians that created and continue to carry the legacy of American music, honoring lineage and legacy while exploring its impact. // AMERI’KANA is a response to intolerance and division, and a step toward healing the deep fissures in American society, reminding us of the connections we share. // AMERI’KANA engages underserved, immigrant and Latinx communities in a retelling of the American music story; inviting students, audiences, and performers to reassess their own sense of identity through an exploration of music history. // AMERI’KANA fills a gap in education, particularly for immigrant and BIPOC students, engaging and empowering young people through music, mentorship and performing opportunities.

10:17

Radkey – “Ready To Burn”
from: Bedroom Sand / Little Man Records / July 14, 2026
[Most recent EP from Radkey. // Radkey released the EP Victory on July 30, 2025. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2025. // single “Falling Out of Grace” on October 24, 2025. Radkey released the single “Victory” on March 28, 2025. On September 23, 2022 Radkey released the single “Better Than This.” The band released “Games (Tonight)”: on January 28, 2022 on Little Man Records. Isaiah, Dee, and Solomon Radke of the critically acclaimed rock trio Radkey joined us live in our 90.1 FM studios on September 5, 2018. Radkey was formed in 2010 in St. Joseph, where the brothers were raised. The family moved to Kansas City. The band has released multiple full-length recordings. In 2021 Radkey was featured in Dave Grohl’s van-touring documentary film, WHAT DRIVES US. Radkey released GREEN ROOM on Little Man Records on November 27, 2020. On Green Room the band serve as their own producers. Radkey released DARK BLACK MAKE UP in 2015 and DELICIOUS ROCK NOISE in 2016 — plus multiple EPs and singles, and were part of a MasterCard advertising campaign on digital billboards in NYC along with a national television commercial that aired during the 2018 Grammy Awards that brought the band to the attention of Jack White who asked the band to tour with him. In 2018 the band went back on the road with The Damned throughout the United States. In December they went back into the studio to record with producer Bill Stevenson of the California punk rock group Descendents. In early 2019 they played shows in Amsterdam and Stockholm. In 2018 the band released “Basement,” “St. Elwood,” “Rock & Roll Homeschool,” as well as several other singles. On February 22, 2019, Radkey released “No Strange Cats…P.A.W.” a 7-song EP is essentially a collection of the band’s most recent singles. It comes after the January 11, 2019 release of No Strange cats…Spiders – EP a 6 song EP of several new songs mixed with several singles from late 2018.]

[Radkey plays Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival 2026, Saturday, August 1, at 3:00pm at The Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd. KCMO with Making Movies, Gina Chavez, Rosie Flores, The Freedom Threedom, The Salvation Choir, Audri Page, Teri Quinn & Landon Hambright.]

SEYKO – “So Wonderful”
from: “So Wonderful” – Single / Groove King Records – Fat Beats / June 5, 2026
[“So Wonderful” wass written by Seyko. She told Michelle Bacon at The Bridge, that itstarted out as a possible Freedom Affair song (Seyko is one of the band’s three lead vocalists), but ultimately didn’t fit their second album thematically. So, she brought the song to a few bandmates Cole Bales for recording and production, Dave Brick on drums and Branden Moser on bass to release this as a solo single. // Seyko released the single “Anybody High: on Cecember 2, 2023 also through Groove King Re cords. And also Produced by Colby Bales of the band Black Light Animals and also a bandmate of SEYKO’s in The Freedom Affair. // Seyko released the single “What I Want” on June 23, 2023. //From www.seykomusic.com: Seyko has always found music to be a reflection of her innermost thoughts and feelings, a way of self-expression but even deeper than that. Music was always a life-giving, constant companion from the happiest moments to the darkest days. Music continues to be Seyko’s way of communicating with the world around her. // Seyko developed her musical talent during her formative years through church and school choirs, friendships that evolved into singing groups, and professional training through voice lessons and songwriting. Opportunities presented themselves, but Seyko also created opportunities for herself as she chased her dream to create and perform her own music. // The Freedom Affair and SUNU, two Kansas City bands Seyko performs and writes with, have solidified her place in the music scene and provide a solid foundation for beginning her solo career. Seyko’s singing and songwriting career has spanned twenty years, and it shows! Her creative growth has led to her being a well-respected artist in Kansas City, allowing her to participate in recording projects for fellow musicians and even singing background vocals for Michael Bublé at a live concert in 2022.]

[Seyko with The Freedom Threedom plays Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival 2026, Sat., August 1, at 3:00pm at The Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd. KCMO with Making Movies, Radkey, Gina Chavez, Rosie Flores, The Salvation Choir, Audri Page, Teri Quinn & Landon Hambright.]

Gina Chavez – “Pitaya Roja (feat. Mexican Institute of Sound)”
from: Pitaya Roja (feat. Mexican Institute of Sound) – Single / Gina Chavez / April 14, 2021
[Gina Chavez (born May 24, 1982) is an American bilingual Latin-folk singer and songwriter who has been performing since 2004, releasing her first recording in 2007. Chavez’s parents are of Mexican and Swiss-German descent. Chavez’s father, Gene Chavez, is a second generation Mexican-American from the south side of San Antonio, Texas. Chavez holds a unique style of mixing the content of her music and visuals and is an eight-time Austin Music Award winner. She was named Austin Musician of the Year in 2015. A review by Sonicbids describes the style in her songs containing traversings of cumbia, bossa nova, vintage pop, reggaeton, and folk combined with dynamic vocals and sharp social commentary. Chavez does not work alone, she is teamed with a band of six members. Her recent major album is titled Up.Rooted, and the work that she has compiled together, has earned her various awards, such as Best Latin Band. // Chavez was born in Austin, Texas. She began songwriting and performing at the University of Texas at Austin at the age of 18. Growing up, Chavez’s musical interests included Lyle Lovett, Little Richard, and Michael Jackson. She did not grow up listening to Latino music. It wasn’t until her first year of college when she began writing music while studying in Buenos Aires, Argentina that she discovered a love for folk music and dance. Ever since her time in Argentina, Chavez has incorporated Spanish lyrics as well as rhythms of Latin into her music. Her genre is mainly considered Latin-folk. Chavez’s vocal styling ranges from yearning to sensual to wailing. // On January 1, 2007, Chavez released her debut solo independent album, Hanging Spoons. On December 6, 2014, Chavez released Gina Chavez Live at the Music Club under The Good Music Club that contained five total tracks.[8] Chavez released her first independent studio album, Up.Rooted, on February 11, 2016, online to iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, with physical copies available on CD Baby. // Chavez highly promoted her single Siete-D which takes a stand against gang violence in Central America was published on her YouTube channel March 8, 2016. The visual was filmed in El Salvador in October 2015. // As of April 2016, Chavez is touring solo, and with her full six-person band. // She’s made her presence known with her work in El Salvador, being named one of 11 southern iconic women who have left a beautiful footprint across the south” by Southern Living and Olay. Her work in El Salvador continues to make a worldwide difference outside of music. In an interview with The Austin Chronicle, Chavez is described as “no stranger to the benefit rounds. She routinely puts on productions of her own to support the nonprofit she started after an eight-month mission trip to El Salvador.” // The Austin native has made such an impact and influence in the music scene that in 2015, Austin, Texas mayor, Steve Adler, announced that April 2 is officially known as “Gina Chavez Day.” // While living in El Salvador in 2009, Chavez and her wife Jodi, who also acts as her booking agent, spent eight months educating teenage girls who were surrounded by poverty in gang-dominated barrios.]

[Gina Chavez plays Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival 2026, Sat., August 1, at 3:00pm at The Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd. KCMO with Making Movies, Radkey, Rosie Flores, The Salvation Choir, Audri Page, Teri Quinn & Landon Hambright.]

Roșie Flores & The Talismen – “Oh Yea Do You Love Me?”
from: “Oh Yea Do You Love Me?”- Single / Mule Kick Records / July 31, 2026
[The unstoppable Rosie Flores – known widely as the Rockabilly Filly – is coming at you this week with a new single “Oh Yea Do Ya Love Me?” co-written by firebrand Ruby James. // Weeks before her continuing tour with Robert Plant and Saving Grace, Rosie’s single offering is a tongue in cheek, reggae styled jaunt with her own unique spin. // Rosie Flores (born Rosalie Flores; September 10, 1950) is an American rockabilly, blues and country musician who has been writing and performing since the 1970s. She currently resides in Austin, Texas, where August 31 was declared Rosie Flores Day by the Austin City Council in 2006. // Rosie Flores was born in San Antonio, Texas, United States,[2] where she lived until the age of twelve, when her family moved to San Diego.[2] In interviews, Flores has recalled that growing up, she loved to watch musical television shows like The Dick Clark Show and Hit Parade. She began singing as a young child, picking up a guitar at age 6, and eventually learning how to play rhythm guitar from her older brother, Roger. // Flores formed her first band, Penelope’s Children, while still in high school in California. In the 1970s, Flores played the San Diego nightclub circuit and was the namesake of the alt country/cowpunk band Rosie and the Screamers. By 21, she was in Los Angeles at her first recording session, though her first EP, Hit City L.A., wouldn’t be released until 1982, possibly after leaving the Screamers. // In 1983, after the Screamers disbanded, she joined a cowpunk all-female band called Screamin’ Sirens. The latter band produced a series of 7-inch singles and tracks for compilation albums before releasing an album in 1984, Fiesta, produced by Brian Ahern, Michael Reid and Greg Humphries. // Flores’s debut album Rosie Flores came out on Warner Bros./Reprise in 1987. The single, “Crying Over You,” put her on the Billboard chart for the first time. Since then, Flores has recorded 13 additional solo albums. // Flores has toured widely, appearing in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. and also performing frequently in Austin, continuing into 2024. In 1995, she organized a tour with Wanda Jackson on a coast-to-coast North American tour, and she toured for eight months as a member of Asleep at the Wheel in 1997. She has also traveled with a concert tribute she created to honor Janis Martin, who she cites as a major influence early on in her career. She also performed the tribute concert’s program at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, where, in 2012, she was also part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s tribute to Chuck Berry. Her media appearances include Austin City Limits and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and she had a cameo role in the 1993 film The Thing Called Love featuring River Phoenix and Sandra Bullock. // In addition to her work as a performer and songwriter, Flores has helped to revive the careers of female rockabilly musicians from previous generations and to create new interest in their music. Her album Rockabilly Filly, released on Hightone Records in 1995, included vocals from early rock and roll musicians Janis Martin and Wanda Jackson. In 2007, Flores brought Janis Martin to a recording studio in Blanco, Texas, to procuce with Bobby Trimble a record that would be both Martin’s first solo album in thirty years as well as her last before her death of cancer. After the project was turned down by a number of record labels, Flores raised more than $16,000 on Kickstarter to release the album, which was titled Janis Martin: The Blanco Sessions. Flores is credited as a producer. // Flores’s current (as of 2013–2018) guitar of choice is her James Trussart SteelTopCaster. She uses Fender amplifiers, and has also played Fender Telecasters, Gretsch electrics, Gibson Les Pauls, and various acoustic guitars. // In 2019, Flores released her album, Simple Case of the Blues in the UK. // Flores has revealed that, under pressure from her manager, she had an abortion in 1986, shortly after signing with Warner Bros. She later regretted the decision. She has never been married, and has said that her lifestyle, which involves frequent touring, makes it difficult to maintain long-term relationships.]

[Rosie Flores plays Celebrate AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival 2026, Sat., August 1, at 3:00pm at The Concourse Park, 200 Benton Blvd. KCMO with Making Movies, Radkey, Gina Chavez , Freedom Threedom, The Salvation Choir, Audri Page, Teri Quinn & Landon Hambright.]

10:29 – Underwriting

Joel Kraft – “Start It Over”
from: The End / Joel Kraft / March 1, 2026
[Joel Kraft on voice, guitar, drums, bass, synth, production, programming, writing, dishwashing, slide flute & guitar; Nick Baker on drums on Awakening, Queen of Kings & The Foundness; Stephen Flanery on vocals on Awakening; Ross McLeron on synthesizers on Start It Over; Marty Kraft on vocals on Awakening; Adam Selzer -on mixing & mastering; Shane Ogren on album art; Philip Cheaney on graphic design. // The End is the fourth album from Kansas City–based singer-songwriter and producer Joel Kraft. It’s a layered indie pop record with roots in folk and a twist of art pop—featuring toy pianos, disco bass lines, square wave synths, and field recordings stitched together by hand. Ten years in the making, it’s the first album Kraft fully produced himself after years of learning from collaborators and experimenting with tape, MIDI, and microphones. // Kraft’s songs are rich with impressionistic lyrics, unconventional structures, and sonic textures that reward repeated listening. His songwriting blends the personal and surreal, moving between vivid imagery and quiet emotional weight without ever settling into one mode for long. // The result is a dreamy, bittersweet, and slightly eccentric pop record built on “slow-release architecture,” as Kraft calls it. The End doesn’t sound like goodbye—it sounds like waking up with a new sense of clarity. All songs written by Joel Kraft ℗ & © 2026 Joel Kraft (BMI). All rights reserved. License all rights reserved.]

[Joel Kraft plays an Album release show on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 6:00pm, Matinee Show with Miss Boating at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO West Bottoms.]

10:35 – Interview with Joel Kraft

Joel Kraft joins us to share details about his new album, THE END released March 1, 2026. Joel Kraft is a curious animal that grew up among the rolling hills of Missouri. Climbing trees and walking through tunnels of Brush Creek, his head swam with all kinds of notions he could only just pin down and understand by singing them out loud over and over again. At first he sang them to himself, then into microphones he found at coffee shops and bars around the US. The End is the fourth album from Kansas City–based singer-songwriter and producer Joel Kraft. It’s a layered indie pop record with roots in folk and a twist of art pop—featuring toy pianos, disco bass lines, square wave synths, and field recordings stitched together by hand. Ten years in the making, it’s the first album Kraft fully produced himself after years of learning from collaborators and experimenting with tape, MIDI, and microphones. Joel Kraft plays an Album release show on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 6:00pm, Matinee Show with Miss Boating at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO West Bottoms.

Joel Kraft thanks for being with us on Wednesday Midday Medley

We just heard “Start it Over”

This one was nearly lost on a failed hard drive. Joel actually did some soldering and borrowed a recovery rig to bring it back from oblivion.

“Start it Over” – lyrics

Let us all look at your fuzzy crumpled little mess
Is that the broken project you’ve been polishing to death
Whenever you are naked out in public, it’s just a dream
But this is definitely happening

Try to play it cool but the spasms won’t subside
You’re in charge of something that keeps turning into light
When you get to hold it, try to love it but it’s hot
And it’s never going to be the way you thought
It’s just not

You thought what you thought
You thought and it’s never gonna be the way

There’s a place in the sky
That is passing you by
Feel yourself start to cry
But it’s over
Yes the moment goes by
In the blink of of an eye
It’s ok, say goodbye
And start it over

Ross McLeron: Moog
Joel Kraft: everything else

Joel Kraft is a curious animal that grew up among the rolling hills of Missouri. Climbing trees and walking through tunnels of Brush Creek, his head swam with all kinds of notions he could only just pin down and understand by singing them out loud over and over again. At first he sang them to himself, then into microphones he found at coffee shops and bars around the US. There were other people then, who would listen while sitting, or dance or sometimes sing along.

What were those songs about? I don’t think Joel himself knew all the way. Were they about someone in particular? About an event? His songs are built with impressions, one stacked upon another to arrive at something new, perhaps the same way each letter in our alphabet was once a symbol for a thing or action, but now can be arranged in strings to mean all kinds of different things.

This fascination with language and experience begins every moment of Joel’s performance, which often feels more like a series of discoveries than a broadcast. He likes people very much (especially singing people), and his favorite part of performing is discovering new moments with them.

Joel Kraft Album release show w/ Miss Boating Matinee Show Friday, August 7, 2026 at 6 PM – 9 PM at The Ship 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO, Doors 6 // Show 7-9pm

The End credits: Joel Kraft – Voice, Guitar, Drums, Bass, Synth, Production, Programming, Writing, Dishwashing, Slide Flute & Guitar; Nick Baker – Drums on Awakening, Queen of Kings & The Foundness; Stephen Flanery – Vocals on Awakening; Ross McLeron – Synth on Start It Over; Marty Kraft – Vocals on Awakening; Adam Selzer – Mixing & Mastering; Shane Ogren – Album Art; Philip Cheaney – Graphic Design

Joel Kraft Discography

Gold in the Bargain Bin – released October 25, 2003

All songs by Joel Kraft. Lisa Donald played cello on Alien Phoneline, Gone, Ocean Song, and she sang harmony on Flowerpatch. Recorded by Joel Kraft, Pete Minda & Dan Balsinger. Mastered by Justin Mathews

The Country Song 02:58
Lionsong 03:35
Alien Phoneline 04:59
Gold in the Bargain Bin 02:18
Scared 06:29
Gone 02:30
Rubix Heart 04:18
Breathe 02:05
Ocean Song 04:31
Freefallin Cowboy 02:24
Gold in the Bargain Bin (Icecream Truck Remix) 03:25
Birthplace 06:18

Born in Midwestern U.S., Joel first learned the word ‘ocean’ from an orange Speak ‘n’ Spell one cold Christmas day in the ’80s. The angled glow-green letters with the queer, patient voice of the toy sent him into a kind of wondering dream. Ocean. It was something he had heard of before, he thought. Maybe from television where one could sometimes find broadcasted pictures of California. He didn’t know it yet, but he was going to meet an ocean in person one day, and write a song about it.

As Joel grew up his teachers frequently observed he had a tendency to stare out the window and daydream. When at last he graduated from a University he continued to follow his dreams right to the edge of North America where there lay an island city called Manhattan. He took what work he could find among the lights and edifices on the crowded little island, first in offices of the financial district downtown, and then on the fashionable floor of a bistro in the East Village. Somewhere between the wordless waiting at 3 am for home-bound subway trains and the din of car alarms set off by thunderstorms, Joel lost the thread of his dreams.

And he didn’t even notice until a day when fate dropped a postcard into his mailbox. Sent from a dear friend on holiday in Amsterdam, the postcard–suspended by hand comfortably within Joel’s gaze–began to resemble a window, or perhaps a door into another world, the world of dreams. Upon stepping through the door. (Stepping through that door was not quite as simple as putting his foot or even head through the postcard, but required a series of banal steps involving ticket offices, bus rides and other fossil fuel consumption, lots of waiting in non-descript rooms. The door which opened upon the world of dreams, however, was quite real.)

Joel found himself in the city of Galway, Ireland holding all his posessions in his two hands and having an acute panic attack. Five minutes later he was uttering a seamless stream of words into the receiver of a public telephone, describing his helplessness to his mother, who listened patiently a half a world away. Suddenly he ran out of words, his voice stopped, leaving only the silence of oblivion. ‘Well, I guess that’s why you went,’ she said simply over the hiss on the receiver. There seemed to be nothing more to say, so they hung up.

Turning away from the telephone to face the green of Eyre Square, Joel stood a moment before separating one of his feet from the concrete and placing it out in front of him. Shifting his weight forward, he then repeated this procedure with his other foot. Thus he discovered–for the first time, it seemed to him–how to walk. The more he employed this new discovery, the more beautiful people and places came into his experience. He stayed on a small island called Inis Mor in the hospitality of a wonderful friend, playing guitar, writing songs, reading books, singing. He walked into the ocean and out again. He walked through Paris, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Wales, and in Liverpool he used walking to board an orange and white aircraft that took him to Barcelona, Spain.

He walked across Spain, getting up early before the sun and watching mist roll off of distant mountains like silken broth boiling over the side of a pot. His pilgrimage–particularly in Spain–taught him confidence in playing music for others. In the eveningtime he would sit in a common area, singing songs with his guitar, and people would gather around, and listen. Never particularly good at making friends, suddenly he seemed to be making many of them. He went south and studied Flamenco technique with a teacher in Seville, and wrote several songs as well.

Joel returned to Ireland again, and there realized that he wanted to learn how to record his songs. He bought a ticket back to Kansas City where he got to work performing and recording. It took him a year and a half, but he has finally released his debut album, titled Gold in the Bargain Bin. The album contains work written from 1998-2003 in a variety of settings, from his childhood bedroom to apartments in Seville, Queens, Ireland, Illinois etc. One was written in Loose Park. They deal with love, alienation, fear, joy, but most of all dreams and the strange sense of humor life seems so often to require. Joel sings his little heart out.

Big Ideas – released April 25, 2006

Something’s Got to Break 02:40
Teacher Showed Up to Learn 04:49
Raisins 02:39
Light in My Mind 02:03
EOW 04:49
Catalpas 02:27
Rainsong 06:35
Big Ideas 02:38
Blessed Be the Name 04:28
Hymn for Sal 04:08
Gone 02:37

All songs written by Joel Kraft except “Blessed Be the Name,” by Joel Kraft & Bill Belzer. Joel Kraft: lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitars, accordion, glockenspiel and electric guitar on “Big Ideas”; Nick Baker: drums; Brandon Curtis: trumpet; Jeremy Harman: cello, electric guitars; Rachel Gaither: backing vocals, violin; Adam Greene: bass on “Raisins”; Justin Mathews: backing vocals; Devin McCollum: bass; Matt Wilber: trombone; Strings on “Big Ideas” arranged by Rachel Gaither

Produced, mixed and engineered by Justin Mathews, Intone Creative
Mastered by Paul Wickliffe at Skyline Productions, Warren, NJ
Cover photography and concept: Joshua Hoffine
Sleeve drawings, paintings and design: Shane Ogren
Layout Design: Kalyn Mathews
Pizza and other kindnesses: Jodi Mathews
Muse, amused, bemusing: Bill Belzer

Big Thank Yous: Nick Baker for your huge heart. Justin Mathews for clarity, perseverance and ingenuity – Love and Respect: Rachel Gaither, Jeremy Harman, Bill Belzer, Shane Ogren Lollipop Barbershop, Duane and Nancy Benton, Kasey Rausch, Kaya Rausch-Santee, Mikal Shapiro, David and Cathy Basse, Adam Greene, Eudora, Mollie Fisher, Marwan Chebaro, Mica Stumpf, Desmond Poirier, Caleb Hawley, Jodi Mathews, Mom, Chris Wells, Joshua Hoffine, S. J. Bushman for drawings curious and wonder, Heather, Dad, Jane Gotch, Greg Ansley, Annette (hineighbor!), Felix, Ellyn Herr, Beth Sarver, Whitney Fell, Quinton Mathews, Bassam Helwani, Cindy Woolf, Crystal Hansen, Bonnie Bailey, Trace, Arinna, Shiva, Chloe, Sadie, Jordan Whitney Smith, Las familias Tarrida, Brennan, Pattison, Gibbs, Harrington, McDermott, Linhardt, Potter, Poirier, Lisa Donald, Kalyn Mathews, Prospero’s Bookshop, UG, Shining Heart Community, Annie MacGill, Café Rumi, Cristina Heeren, Regina Basse, Bill Wright, Emily Pattison, Rahima, all of the musicians, my family, my friends—met and not—thank you.

All Songs © 2005 Joel Kraft except “Blessed be the Name” ©1998 W. F. Belzer/J. Kraft.
All Songs published by Joel Kraft (BMI), except “Blessed be the Name,” published by Joel Kraft (BMI) and Nihill Song Music (ASCAP). Made in the U.S.A. Re-recording of this material is a violation of applicable copyright laws. © 2006 Joel Kraft All Rights Reserved.

The Lighting Project – released December 25, 2021

Queen of Kings 03:41
Heart of Candy 03:09
Even in the Darkness 03:30

Joel Kraft – guitars, percussion, slide whistles, vocals, keyboards; Nick Baker – drums. Recorded, engineered & produced by Joel Kraft; Mixed & mastered by Adam Selzer; Cover art and design by Shane Ogren; Thank you Emily Mentzel for making this possible.

Thank you to so many of my friends for all the inspiration and conversations about music: Israel Nebeker, Shane Ogren, Simone Sharda, Shelby Sifers, Kevin Dolan, Luke Ydstie, Ellen Osborn, Kati Claborn, Jonas Jenkins, Graham Harriman, Skyler Butenshon, Mikal Shapiro, Peter Murray, Konnor Ervin, Bill Belzer, Nick Baker, Nikolos Ray, Ross McLeron, Natasha Ria El-Scari, Nathan Wade Carter, Ama Bentley

The End – released March 1, 2026

Wooden Castle 03:27
Natural Wonder 03:50
Start it Over 04:18
Heart of Candy 03:05
Awakening 04:11
Queen of Kings 03:42
The Foundness 04:04
Even in the Darkness 03:07
Can’t Go Back 01:02

Nick Baker – Drums on Awakening, Queen of Kings & The Foundness; Stephen Flanery – Vocals on Awakening; Ross McLeron – Synth on Start It Over; Marty Kraft – Vocals on Awakening; Joel Kraft – Voice, Guitar, Drums, Bass, Synth, Production, Programming, Writing, Dishwashing, Slide Flute & Guitar; Adam Selzer – Mixing & Mastering; Shane Ogren – Album Art; Philip Cheaney – Graphic Design

The End is the fourth album from Kansas City–based singer-songwriter and producer Joel Kraft. It’s a layered indie pop record with roots in folk and a twist of art pop—featuring toy pianos, disco bass lines, square wave synths, and field recordings stitched together by hand. Ten years in the making, it’s the first album Kraft fully produced himself after years of learning from collaborators and experimenting with tape, MIDI, and microphones.

Kraft’s songs are rich with impressionistic lyrics, unconventional structures, and sonic textures that reward repeated listening. His songwriting blends the personal and surreal, moving between vivid imagery and quiet emotional weight without ever settling into one mode for long.

The result is a dreamy, bittersweet, and slightly eccentric pop record built on “slow-release architecture,” as Kraft calls it. The End doesn’t sound like goodbye—it sounds like waking up with a new sense of clarity.

www.joelkraft.bandcamp.com

Queen of Kings – Lyrics

You’re a magic wish with sparkle power
Half a sandwich in the morning shower
Write a letter on a ragged apron
Throw a bottle in the flooded basement

You and I we swam troubled water
All the doubts that we refused to slaughter
Now we know what crazy means
Now we know who killed the childhood queen
We’re on the inside now, o my
Don’t cry

We’re the oracles of paste and makeup
All the love notes we get paid to rake up
After all the crowds have gone
After the killing in the Colosseum

It’s a tragedy of tiny portions
Lose your strength in spite of your contortions
Through your whiskers you detect a change
The queen of kindergarten pushes you on stage
You better give it all away
You may still save the day

10:54

Joel Kraft – “Queen of Kings”
from: The End / Joel Kraft / March 1, 2026
[Joel Kraft on voice, guitar, drums, bass, synth, production, programming, writing, dishwashing, slide flute & guitar; Nick Baker on drums on Awakening, Queen of Kings & The Foundness; Stephen Flanery on vocals on Awakening; Ross McLeron on synthesizers on Start It Over; Marty Kraft on vocals on Awakening; Adam Selzer -on mixing & mastering; Shane Ogren on album art; Philip Cheaney on graphic design. // The End is the fourth album from Kansas City–based singer-songwriter and producer Joel Kraft. It’s a layered indie pop record with roots in folk and a twist of art pop—featuring toy pianos, disco bass lines, square wave synths, and field recordings stitched together by hand. Ten years in the making, it’s the first album Kraft fully produced himself after years of learning from collaborators and experimenting with tape, MIDI, and microphones. // Kraft’s songs are rich with impressionistic lyrics, unconventional structures, and sonic textures that reward repeated listening. His songwriting blends the personal and surreal, moving between vivid imagery and quiet emotional weight without ever settling into one mode for long. // The result is a dreamy, bittersweet, and slightly eccentric pop record built on “slow-release architecture,” as Kraft calls it. The End doesn’t sound like goodbye—it sounds like waking up with a new sense of clarity. All songs written by Joel Kraft ℗ & © 2026 Joel Kraft (BMI). All rights reserved. License all rights reserved.]

[Joel Kraft plays an Album release show on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 6:00pm, Matinee Show with Miss Boating at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO West Bottoms.]

Miss Boating – “Not My Life”
from: Jewel In The Trash / High Dive Records / June 29, 2024
[Miss Boating is a KC based, five-piece with multi-instrumentalist & lead singer Charlie Coleborne, drummer Bill Belzer, Aaron Jones on trombone, Tom Gillespie on Saxophone, and Bryan McGuire on bass. (Phil Dickey played bass on the album.) Charlie and Bill met in the late 1980s. In the beginning they were called The Sympathetic Fringe, and then The Sleazebeats. In recent years Charlie & Bill added Aaron, Tim and Bryan. Described by one local radio host as “the perfect house band for a John Waters After Party.” One of their songs is about a friend’s mom’s dynamic relationship with prescription medication. Another is a tribute to the late Evan Jolly, their former bassist. All of the songs are written by Charlie Colborne. // From the ashes of their former band The Sleazebeats, Charles Colborne and Bill Belzer faced a difficult 2019 when combined with the death of Charlie’s own beloved mother, their friend and bassist Evan Vhargon died. The band wrote that they “were lost when Evan passed.” Through the tough times Bill and Charlie kept playing and wrote that they “were blown away when Phil Dickey wanted to jam with us… the jamming turned into something more and we were going again. We couldn’t be more thankful and humbled.” Phil is part of the bands Dragon Inn 3, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. // On Jan 1, 2020 Miss Boating released The Vhargon Sidestep with: Charlie Colborne on keyboards, guitar, vocals; Bill Belzer: drums, vocals; Phil Dickey on bass; Aaron Jones on trombone; Tim Gillespie on saxophone. Ross Brown served as engineering, did all of the mixing for The Vhargon Sidestep and Mike Nolte handled all of the mastering.]

[Miss Boating plays the Joel Kraft Album release show on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 6:00pm, Matinee Show with Miss Boating at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO West Bottoms.]

11:00 – Station ID

The JWB – “MidDay”
from: In Perspective / James Ward Band / January 18, 2010
[James Ward and Angela Ward of The James Ward Trio and James Ward Band also known as The JWB. The JWB is a Jazz Fusion band formed over 20 years ago that combines Jazz, R&B, Funk, and Gospel. The Wards consist of Angela Ward on keyboards, James Ward on bass, and Jaylen Ward on drums. In addition to performing, they also run a Music School where they facilitate Music Education Programs in the community. Their goal is to offer the gift of music to all. The Wards perform regularly at The Blue Room located on the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. They also perform individually in various bands in the Kansas City Music Scene.]
[Angela Ward will be performing with Lee Langston at 1587 Prime, Thurs, July 30, at 6:30pm.]
[The James Ward Band will be performing at the Blue Room on Friday, July 31, at 8:30pm.]
[James Ward will be at Eddie V’s on Wednesday, August 12, at 6:30pm.]
[Angela Ward plays with Lee Langston at 1587 Prime Friday, on August 7, at 6:30pm.]
[The James Ward Trio play Jazz by the River on Saturday, August 8, in Leavenworth, Kansas.]

11:04 – Interview with James Ward and Angela Ward

James Ward and Angela Ward of The James Ward Trio and James Ward Band also known as The JWB. The JWB is a Jazz Fusion band formed over 20 years ago that combines Jazz, R&B, Funk, and Gospel. The Wards consist of Angela Ward on keyboards, James Ward on bass, and Jaylen Ward on drums. In addition to performing, they also run a Music School where they facilitate Music Education Programs in the community. Their goal is to offer the gift of music to all. The Wards perform regularly at The Blue Room located on the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. They also perform individually in various bands in the Kansas City Music Scene.
James Ward and Angela Ward thanks for being with us on Wednesday Midday Medley
[Angela Ward will be performing with Lee Langston at 1587 Prime, Thurs, July 30, at 6:30pm.]
[The James Ward Band will be performing at the Blue Room on Friday, July 31, at 8:30pm.]
[James Ward will be at Eddie V’s on Wednesday, August 12, at 6:30pm.]
[Angela Ward plays with Lee Langston at 1587 Prime Friday, on August 7, at 6:30pm.]
[The James Ward Trio play Jazz by the River on Saturday, August 8, in Leavenworth, Kansas.]

Angela is originally from Florida, and went to Florida A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida. It was there that she met James Ward.

Later Angela came to Kansas City for work and eventually married James

James and Angela created the Comprehensive Arts Institute – with a mission is to equip and develop our youth with active and creative minds.

The Wards perform regularly at The Blue Room located on the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. They also perform individually in various bands in the Kansas City Music Scene.

James Ward and Angela Ward collaborate with many musicians, One such project was Erin Keller’s SONGS FOR TIMES LIKE THESE, with the James Ward Band doing original songs written & produced by Erin Keller and recorded by Chad Meise. Erin Keller & the James Ward Band played an Album Release Dinner Matinee Show, Friday, January 26, 2024, at 6:00pm, at The Ship, 1221 Union Avenue, KCMO.

Songs For Times Like These features Erin Keller on vocals, with the James Ward Band

James Ward on electric bass,
Jaylen Ward on drums & cymbals,
Angela Ward on keyboard,

Along with Chad Meise on electric guitar.
Recorded & mixed by Chad Meise. Mastered by Collin Jordan.
Artwork by David Ford. Photos & Graphics by Kayla Haskins.

Erin Keller and The JWB latest album “Songs for Times Like These” is political, funny, groovy, and thought-provoking. If you feel like the world is making you crazy, you might feel very seen and heard at this show! The songs are about humanity coming together in unity and love to make the world a better place. The JWB featuring James, Angela, and Jaylen Ward always lay down a funky groove you can dance and/or relax to.

Erin Keller also presents The Golden Spirit Fundraising Event, a performance of critically acclaimed Joni Mitchell album “Mingus,” with Patrick Ketter on saxophone, Angela Ward on keyboards, Adam Schlozman on guitar, Matt Leifer on drums, and Forest Stewart on bass, on Saturday, May 25, at Unity Temple on the Plaza,West 47th, KCMO.

James Ward and Angela Ward thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

11:22

The JWB – “Groove Axis”
from: Groove Axis / James Ward Band / January 10, 2010
[James Ward and Angela Ward of The James Ward Trio and James Ward Band also known as The JWB. The JWB is a Jazz Fusion band formed over 20 years ago that combines Jazz, R&B, Funk, and Gospel. The Wards consist of Angela Ward on keyboards, James Ward on bass, and Jaylen Ward on drums. In addition to performing, they also run a Music School where they facilitate Music Education Programs in the community. Their goal is to offer the gift of music to all. The Wards perform regularly at The Blue Room located on the Historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. They also perform individually in various bands in the Kansas City Music Scene.]
[Angela Ward will be performing with Lee Langston at 1587 Prime, Thurs, July 30, at 6:30pm.]
[The James Ward Band will be performing at the Blue Room on Friday, July 31, at 8:30pm.]
[James Ward will be at Eddie V’s on Wednesday, August 12, at 6:30pm.]
[Angela Ward plays with Lee Langston at 1587 Prime Friday, on August 7, at 6:30pm.]
[The James Ward Trio play Jazz by the River on Saturday, August 8, in Leavenworth, Kansas.]

Malek Azrael & The Vibez – “Anxiety (feat. Mike Dillon)”
from: Live At Greenwood Social Hall with Mike Dillon / MAZ.EL Records / May 15, 2026
[Along with 12 track album recorded LIVE at Greenwood Social Hall with Malek Azrael, Josh Luke, Calvin Haverkamp, Quinn Cosgrove, and Mike Dillon. With Kaydee Gabel, Katie Benyo, Victor Daniel Diaz-Sanchez, and Madi Tozier // Malek Azrael also has a new single, “ANNOY MY FRIENDS” released July 17, 2026 one of three singles he has released this year. // Malek Azrael /]released the EP FEELS LIKE on March 1, 2025. // On February 28, 2025, Malek Azrael released the single “Room 4U”. // On March 1, 2024 Malek Azrael released his single, “in ur mind.” On October 15, 2021 Malek Azrael released his 10-track album “Waves” which first featured members of his live band “The Vibez”. Since then, they have grown their fanbase in KC and surrounding areas through live concerts land appearances at Boulevardia Festival, Ameri’Kana, and the 18th and Vine Gumbo Fest, and shows at RecordBar, The Truman, Grinders, and Knuckleheads and collaborated with larger acts such as Making Movies, The Greeting Committee, and D Smoke debut. Male Azrael lives in KCMO. He has worked for Boys Grow, and Art As Mentorship (Making Movies non-profit organization). He sometimes plays with Making Movies and played the Ameri-Kana Fest. Malek Azrael played KKFI’s 18th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, on Aug. 27, at The Black Box, in West Bottoms. Malek & The Vibez played Boulevardia Festival at Crown Center, on June 16, 2024.]

11:30 – Underwriting

Mumford & Sons – “Here (with Chris Stapleton)”
from: Prizefighter / Glassnote Records / February 20, 2026
[Prizefighter is the sixth studio album by the British folk rock band Mumford & Sons, released on 20 February 2026 via Island Records and the group’s label Gentlemen of the Road. Produced by the band with Aaron Dessner, the group began writing songs for Prizefighter before the release of their previous album Rushmere (2025), and recorded the entire album in ten days at Dessner’s studio in New York. It was accompanied by four singles: “Rubber Band Man” (with Hozier), “Prizefighter”, “The Banjo Song”, and “Here” (with Chris Stapleton). In addition, the album features collaborations with Gigi Perez, and Gracie Abrams. // After completing their fifth album Rushmere (2025), Mumford & Sons continued to write and record music. During one of their sessions at Electric Lady Studios, the group ran into Aaron Dessner, who previously worked on their 2015 album Wilder Mind. They shared demo recordings with him while he played them songs he had written with Justin Vernon and Jon Bellion. Frontman Marcus Mumford travelled with Dessner to various parts of the world to write songs, including “Rubber Band Man”. The album was recorded in ten days at Dessner’s Long Pond Studios in New York, with the group writing “more songs than [they] had in the last seven years combined”. // Unlike previous Mumford & Sons albums, Prizefighter features several featured collaborations with other artists, including Chris Stapleton, Hozier, Gigi Perez, and Gracie Abrams; group member Ben Lovett attributed their desire to work with other musicians to “a place of security that was formed through the work with Pharrell [on 2024’s ‘Good People’] and with Dave Cobb on Rushmere.” The group sent a rough version of the album to Hozier, a longtime friend, and he asked to sing on “Rubber Band Man” after it “jumped out to him”. Abrams’ involvement began when she heard a version of “The Banjo Song”, which was not originally written by the group, and encouraged Mumford to record it. She became “a sounding board for the entire album”, providing feedback on lyrics throughout its production. She was offered to appear on any track and selected “Badlands”, which she “envisaged that song as a duet” and lead to the group approaching it as “a Bonnie and Clyde-style getaway song”. Mumford sent a demo of “Here” to Stapleton, his “favourite vocalist in the world right now”, and asked him to feature on the track he described as their “Brokeback moment”. Justin Vernon, Brandi Carlile, and Finneas also contributed to the album. // Mumford & Sons are an English folk rock band formed in Greater London. The band consists of Marcus Mumford (lead vocals, guitar, drums), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards), and Ted Dwane (vocals, bass, guitar). // Mumford & Sons have released six studio albums: Sigh No More (2009), Babel (2012), Wilder Mind (2015), Delta (2018), Rushmere (2025), and Prizefighter (2026). Their debut, Sigh No More, peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart and the Billboard 200 in the US, with Babel, Wilder Mind, and Delta all debuting at number one in the US, the former becoming the fastest-selling rock album of the decade and leading to a headline performance at Glastonbury Festival in 2013. // The band has won music awards throughout their career, with Sigh No More earning the band the Brit Award for Best British Album in 2011, a Mercury Prize nomination and six overall Grammy Award nominations. The live performance at the 2011 Grammy ceremony with Bob Dylan and The Avett Brothers led to a surge in popularity for the band in the US. The band received eight total Grammy nominations for Babel and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The band also won the Brit Award for Best British Group in 2013 and an Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement in 2014. // Mumford & Sons was formed in December 2007 by multi-instrumentalists Marcus Mumford, Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, and Winston Marshall. Band members play acoustic guitar, drums, keyboard instruments, bass guitar, and traditional folk instruments such as banjo, mandolin and resonator guitar. The band name originates from Marcus Mumford being the most visible member, organising the band and their performances. Lovett indicated that the name was meant to evoke the sense of an “antiquated family business name”. // Mumford and Sons were amongst a handful of similar southern English bands who were increasing their visibility in West London around the same time, giving rise to the label “West London folk scene”. Mumford downplays that characterisation as an exaggeration—Mumford & Sons and a few other folk acts just happened to be operating in the same general area at the time. In an interview with the Herald Sun, Marcus Mumford said, “It’s not folk really. Well, some of it is, and it’s certainly not a scene. Someone got over-excited about a few bands who live in a hundred-mile radius and put it in a box to sell it as a package. It’s a community, not a scene. It’s not exclusive.” Having developed in the same musical and cultural environment, Mumford & Sons’ sound has been compared to that of artists such as Noah and the Whale, Johnny Flynn or Laura Marling, whose backing band had included Marshall, Mumford, and Dwane.]

[Mumford and Sons play The Morton Amphitheater Sunday, August 2, 2026 at 8:00pm]

Jamogi – “HOLLABACK (feat. Les Izmore)”
from: J’DAY / Jam Tunes / June 12, 2026
[J’Day is a celebration of growth, creativity, and self discovery. Three years in the making, the album represents the culmination of Jamogi’s journey through a wide range of genres, influences, and sonic landscapes. The result is a body of work that not only showcases his musical versatility but also reveals the many facets of his personality. // Produced alongside OceanLife Gianni, J’Day captures the energy, emotion, and moments that make life memorable. From the horn driven fanfare of “Go Big or Go Home” to the flirtatious blend of West Coast, Midwest, and Southern influences on “Back N’ Forth,” Jamogi demonstrates a clear understanding of both his sound and his audience. Tracks like “Do It to Me” transport listeners through different eras and musical inspirations, while songs such as “Storybook,” “Treasure,” and “Georgia Peach” reveal his romantic side through storytelling, heartfelt lyricism, and poetic imagery. // The album also features collaborations with a talented lineup of friends and fellow artists on tracks including “What’s It Gonna Be?” and “HOLLABACK,” adding even more personality and perspective to the project. // More than just a collection of songs, J’Day marks a defining moment in Jamogi’s artistic journey. It is a bold statement of who he is today and a testament to the creative vision he has spent years refining. Rich with personality, versatility, and heart, the project positions Jamogi for his next era and leaves listeners wondering where he’ll take them next. // Jamogi is also know as Byron Hyde a Kanas City based singer, songwriter, MC, producer, originally from Los Angeles, California.// Jamogi released the single “Georgia Peach (feat. Burgandy)” on September 5, 2025. Jamogi released Jamogi & The Jammers: Live at Flew The Coop Sessions (Flew The Coop Live) through Jam Tunes on April 11, 2025. // Jamogi released the single “Do It To Me” on March 28, 2025. // Jamogi released the single “Go Big or Go Home” on August 30, 2024, Jamogi released the single “Hot Block” on May 30, 2024. Jamogi released the EP, Star-Crossed Lover on March 3, 2023. Jamogi then released a “Star-Crossed Lover GALACTIC REMIX (feat. Watchman)” single on June 9, 2023.Jamogi previously released the AGE OF AQUARIUS EP on March 3, 2023, and the single “Celebration” on Dec. 9, 2022, and the single “Anymore” on May 6, 2022. // Jamogi played the ROCK IS BLACK—a celebration of Black artists in rock music, happening February 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the Zhou B Art Center, 1801 E 18th Street, KCMO. Rock is Black features: Malek Azrael & The Vibez, Jamogi and The Jammers, Stephonne, and Frankie Shorez & Mercy Fire. Kamogi and the Jammers played Boulevardia 2025]

[Les Izmore & The Goats plays The Brick, McGee St., KCMO, Friday, July 31 with Super Massive Blackholes and Phaze II.]

Mavis Staples – “Human Mind”
from: Sad And Beautiful World / Anti / June 10, 2025
[Sad And Beautiful World contains covers of songs by Tom Waits, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Frank Ocean, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen, and Kevin Morby’s including ”Human Mind” written especially for the album by Hozier & Allison Russell. // Lead Vocals – Mavis Staples; Background Vocals – Anjimile; Acoustic Guitar – Brad Cook, Phil Cook; Electric Guitar – Rick Holmstrom, Phil Cook; Bass – Brad Cook; Drums – Matt McCaughan; Drum Programming – Matt McCaughan, Brad Cook; Wurlitzer – Phil Cook; Piano – Phil Cook; Organ – Phil Cook; Saxophone- Matt Douglas // A legendary performer who turned 86 next month on July 10, Mavis Staples continues to be a tour-de-force in music and a voice for the voiceless in today’s divided society. Well known for her work in the gospel and Americana space, Staples is also an R&B icon who famously worked with the one and only Prince in his 80’s heyday. // Hailed by NPR as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace,” Staples is the kind of once-in-a-generation artist whose impact on music and culture would be difficult to overstate. She’s both a Blues and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer; a civil rights icon; a GRAMMY Award-winner; a chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer; a National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient; and a Kennedy Center honoree. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and sang in Barack Obama’s White House. // At a time when most artists begin to wind down, Staples ramped things up, releasing a trio of critically acclaimed albums in her 70’s with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy that prompted Pitchfork to rave that “her voice has only gained texture and power over the years” and People to proclaim that she “provides the comfort of a higher power.” “I sing because I want to leave people feeling better than I found them,” Staples says. “I want them to walk away with a positive message in their hearts, feeling stronger than they felt before. I’m singing to myself for those same reasons, too.” // On July 9, Staples and award-winning children’s poet Carol Boston Weatherford will release the new children’s book ‘Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples’, a vibrant and poetic new picture book that introduces young readers to Staples’ life story, who began singing at age 8 and ever since has used her voice as a rallying cry to the country at numerous civil rights protests and continues to sing and share her message of love, faith and justice in front of large audiences today. // Staples recently celebrated her upcoming birthday early in stellar fashion at Los Angeles’s YouTube Theater this past April, gracing the stage alongside a star-studded lineup including Hozier, Chris Stapleton, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Black Pumas, and more. Currently on tour in Europe, Staples will return to the US and perform at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July picnic on the nation’s birthday. The next day she begins a run of dates with Norah Jones, who she affectionally calls “my baby sister.” All upcoming dates are listed below. // Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer and civil rights activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family’s band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving member. During her time in the group, she recorded the hit singles “I’ll Take You There” and “Let’s Do It Again”. In 1969, Staples released her self-titled debut solo album. // Staples continued to release solo albums throughout the following decades and collaborated with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Prince, Arcade Fire, Nona Hendryx, Ry Cooder, and David Byrne. Her eighth studio album You Are Not Alone (2010), earned critical acclaim, and became her first album as a soloist to reach number one on a Billboard chart, peaking atop the Top Gospel Albums chart. It also earned Staples her first Grammy Award win. Following this, she released the albums One True Vine (2013), Livin’ on a High Note (2016), If All I Was Was Black (2017), and We Get By (2019); she is also featured on the single “Nina Cried Power” by Hozier. // Staples is the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and has won three Grammy Awards, including one for Album of the Year as a featured artist on We Are by Jon Batiste.[6] Named one of the ‘100 Greatest Singers of all Time’ by Rolling Stone in 2008; Staples was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, and in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2018, as a member of The Staple Singers. Additionally, she was made a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2016. The following year, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a soloist. In 2019, she received the inaugural Rock Hall Honors Award from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a soloist. // Staples was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 10, 1939. She began her career with her family group in 1950. Initially singing locally at churches and appearing on a weekly radio show, the Staples scored a hit in 1956 with “Uncloudy Day” for the Vee-Jay label. When Mavis graduated from what is now Paul Robeson High School in 1957, The Staple Singers took their music on the road. Led by family patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples on guitar and including the voices of Mavis and her siblings Cleotha, Yvonne, and Pervis, the Staples were called “God’s Greatest Hitmakers”. // With Mavis’ voice and Pops’ songs, singing, and guitar playing, the Staples evolved from enormously popular gospel singers (with recordings on United and Riverside as well as Vee-Jay) to become the most spectacular and influential spirituality-based group in America. By the mid-1960s The Staple Singers, inspired by Pops’ close friendship with Martin Luther King Jr., became the spiritual and musical voices of the civil rights movement. They covered contemporary pop hits with positive messages, including Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” and a version of Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth”. // During a December 20, 2008, appearance on National Public Radio’s news show Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, when Staples was asked about her past personal relationship with Dylan, she admitted that they “were good friends, yes indeed” and that he had asked her father for her hand in marriage. // The Staples sang “message” songs like “Long Walk to D.C.” and “When Will We Be Paid?,” bringing their moving and articulate music to a huge number of young people. The group signed to Stax Records in 1968, joining their gospel harmonies and deep faith with musical accompaniment from members of Booker T. and the MGs. The Staple Singers hit the Top 40 eight times between 1971 and 1975, including two No. 1 singles, “I’ll Take You There”, produced by Al Bell and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning, “Let’s Do It Again,” and a No. 2 single “Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas?” // Mavis made her first solo foray while at Epic Records with The Staple Singers, releasing a lone single “Crying in the Chapel” to little fanfare in the late 1960s. The single was finally re-released on the 1994 Sony Music collection Lost Soul. Her first solo album would not come until a 1969 self-titled release for the Stax label. After another Stax release, Only for the Lonely, in 1970, she released a soundtrack album, A Piece of the Action, on Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom label. A 1984 album (also self-titled) preceded two albums under the direction of rock star Prince; 1989’s Time Waits for No One, followed by 1993’s The Voice, which People magazine named one of the Top Ten Albums of 1993. Her 1996 release, Spirituals & Gospels: A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson, was recorded with keyboardist Lucky Peterson. The recording honors Mahalia Jackson, a close family friend and a significant influence on Mavis Staples’s life. // Staples singing during the 2006 NEA National Heritage Fellows concert. // Staples made a major national return with the release of the album Have a Little Faith on Chicago’s Alligator Records, produced by Jim Tullio, in 2004. The album featured spiritual music, some of it semi-acoustic. // In 2004, Staples contributed to a Verve release by legendary jazz-rock guitarist, John Scofield. The album, entitled That’s What I Say, was a tribute to the great Ray Charles and led to a live tour featuring Staples, John Scofield, pianist Gary Versace, drummer Steve Hass, and bassist Rueben Rodriguez. A new album for Anti- Records entitled We’ll Never Turn Back was released on April 24, 2007. The Ry Cooder-produced concept album focuses on gospel songs of the civil rights movement and also included two new original songs by Cooder. // Her voice has been sampled by some of the biggest selling artists, including Salt ‘N’ Pepa, Ice Cube, Ludacris, and Hozier. Staples has recorded with a wide variety of musicians, from her friend, Bob Dylan (with whom she was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award in the “Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals” category for their duet on “Gonna Change My Way of Thinking”, from the album Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan) to The Band, Ray Charles, Prince, Nona Hendryx, George Jones, Natalie Merchant, Ann Peebles, and Delbert McClinton. She has provided vocals on current albums by Los Lobos and Dr. John, and she appears on tribute albums to such artists as Johnny Paycheck, Stephen Foster and Bob Dylan. // In 2003, Staples performed in Memphis at the Orpheum Theater alongside a cadre of her fellow former Stax Records stars during “Soul Comes Home,” a concert held in conjunction with the grand opening of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music at the original site of Stax Records, and appears on the CD & DVD that were recorded and filmed during the event. In 2004, she returned as guest artist for the Stax Music Academy’s SNAP! Summer Music Camp and performed again at the Orpheum with 225 of the academy’s students. In June 2007, she again returned to the venue to perform at the Stax 50th Anniversary Concert to Benefit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, produced by Concord Records, who now owns and has revived the Stax Records label. // In 2009, Staples, along with Patty Griffin and The Tri-City Singers, released a version of the song “Waiting For My Child To Come Home” on the compilation album Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration. // On October 30, 2010, Staples performed at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear alongside singer Jeff Tweedy. In 2011 she was joined on-stage at the Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival by Arcade Fire singer Win Butler. The two performed a version of “The Weight” by The Band. // Staples also performed at the 33rd Kennedy Center Honors, singing in a tribute to honoree Paul McCartney. // Staples headlined on June 10, 2012, at Chicago’s Annual Blues Festival in Grant Park. // On June 27, 2015, Staples performed on the Park Stage of Glastonbury Somerset UK. On October 31, 2015, Staples performed with Joan Osborne in Washington, D.C. at The George Washington // University’s Lisner Auditorium as part of their Solid Soul Tour. // In February 2016, Staples’s album Livin’ on a High Note was released. Produced by M. Ward, the album features songs written specifically for Staples by Nick Cave, Justin Vernon, tUnE-yArds, Neko Case, Aloe Blacc, and others. Discussing the album Staples said: “I’ve been singing my freedom songs and I wanted to stretch out and sing some songs that were new. I told the writers I was looking for some joyful songs. I want to leave something to lift people up; I’m so busy making people cry, not from sadness, but I’m always telling a part of history that brought us down and I’m trying to bring us back up. These songwriters gave me a challenge. They gave me that feeling of, ‘Hey, I can hang! I can still do this!’ There’s a variety, and it makes me feel refreshed and brand new. Just like Benjamin Booker wrote on the opening track, ‘I got friends and I got love around me, I got people, the people who love me.’ I’m living on a high note, I’m above the clouds. I’m just so grateful. I must be the happiest old girl in the world. Yes, indeed.” // In January 2017, Staples was featured as a guest vocalist on “I Give You Power”, a single from Arcade Fire benefiting the American Civil Liberties Union. In February 2017, Staples appeared on NPR’s Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me! in the “Not My Job” segment, answering questions about the rock band The Shaggs. In April 2017, “Let Me Out”, a single from the fifth studio album by Gorillaz, Humanz, was released, featuring Staples and rapper Pusha T. // Staples’s sixteenth album If All I Was Was Black was released on November 17, 2017. The record was again produced by Jeff Tweedy and contains all original songs cowritten by Mavis and Tweedy. Following the release, Staples toured with Bob Dylan. She also appeared on the 2017/18 Hootenanny. In 2018, she sang on Hozier’s single “Nina Cried Power”. // In May 2019, Staples celebrated her 80th birthday with a concert at the Apollo Theater, 63 years after first appearing at the theater as a teenager with her family band, the Staple Singers, in 1956. The show, which featured special guest artists, including David Byrne & Norah Jones, is one of a series of collaborative concerts she staged in May to commemorate her 80th birthday. She performed at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival. // In 2022, Staples released Carry Me Home, a collaboration with Levon Helm, recorded at Helm’s Midnight Ramble in 2011. // She released the single “Worthy” on June 18, 2024. // On May 13, 2022 Kevin Morby released THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH on Dead Oceans. It was #7 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. It was Kevin Morby’s 7th album as a solo artist. From www.rollingstone.com: “In January 2020, songwriter Kevin Morby witnessed his father collapse from a medical event while visiting his childhood home in Kansas. In a state of shock, the singer spent the evening looking at old family photos and fixated on an image of his father as a young man, looking, as Morby states, ‘full of confidence.’ The experience forced Morby to confront both the idea of mortality and the passage of time — and, after an extended sojourn in Tennessee, these reflections came together in the form of his upcoming album, This Is a Photograph. To mark the announcement, the singer released the record’s eponymous single, accompanied by a music video directed by Chantal Anderson. Produced by frequent Morby collaborator Sam Cohen, This Is a Photograph was primarily written in Memphis’ historic Peabody Hotel, where the singer-songwriter holed up in search of inspiration and self-realization amongst the city’s dark past.” // On October 16, 2020 Kevin Morby released SUNDOWNER, ranked #20 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2020 and was his 6th release. Kevin Robert Morby was born April 2, 1988. SUNDOWNER was the follow up to his 2019 release OH MY GOD. Kevin Morby released CITY MUSIC in 2017. Kevin learned to play guitar when he was 10. In his teens he formed the band Creepy Aliens. 17-year-old Morby dropped out of Blue Valley Northwest High School, got his GED, and moved from his native KC to Brooklyn in the mid-2000s, supporting himself by working bike delivery and café jobs. He later joined the noise-folk group Woods on bass. While living in Brooklyn, he became close friends and roommates with Cassie Ramone of the punk trio Vivian Girls, and the two formed a side project together called The Babies, who released albums in 2011 & 2012. He began a solo career in 2013 releasing his debut HARLEM RIVER. His 2nd album STILL LIFE was released in 2014. SINGING SAW was in WMM’s 116 Best Recordings of 2016. CITY MUSIC was in WMM’s 118 Best Recordings of 2018.]

Lucy Dacus – “Planting Tomatoes”
from: “Planting Tomatoes” – Single / Interscope / April 18, 2026
[Lucy Dacus released “Plantong Tomatoes” as a Record Store Day “ 7” vinyl release. Dacus explains “I wrote most of the song on tour in Europe last year and walking around my neighborhood. It’s about trying to stay present and grateful when you know that life ends, for yourself and everyone you love, and how to avoid disenchantment by seeing through as many of your little ideas as possible.” // Lucy Dacus released Forever is a Feeling on February 21, 2015, part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2025. Lucy Elizabeth Dacus was born May 2, 1995. She is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Dacus first gained fame following the release of her debut album, No Burden (2016), which led to a deal with Matador Records. Historian, her second album, was released in 2018 to critical acclaim. Home Video, her third studio album, was released in 2021. Forever is a Feeling, her fourth album, was released in 2025. // In addition to her solo work, Dacus is also a member of the indie supergroup Boygenius, with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers. The band has released one studio album and two EPs to critical acclaim and widespread touring. The band won 3 Grammy Awards in 2024, including Best Alternative Music Album. They also became the first all-female band to win Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. // In October 2023, Rolling Stone named Dacus the 213th-greatest guitarist of all time, noting: “[her] guitar is as essential an instrument as her voice”. // Lucy Elizabeth Dacus was adopted as an infant and grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia, a suburb of Richmond. She is of Uzbek and Irish descent.[8] Her adoptive mother is a professional pianist and music teacher, and her adoptive father is a graphic designer. Dacus had an early interest in music, and bought her first guitar, an Ibanez, from Craigslist when she was in middle school. After graduating from Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in 2013, she began studying film at Virginia Commonwealth University, but left to avoid student debt and the “feeling of being misunderstood” in her university program. Prior to becoming a full-time musician, she was employed by Richmond Camera as an editor for children’s school photos. During this time, she wrote approximately 30 songs, nine of which would make up the tracklist of No Burden.] [Lucy Dacus brought her a Forever is a Feeling Tour to The Midland Theatre on May 7]

Den amerikanske artisten Kevin Morby på scenen på John Dee i Oslo 30. juni 2019.

Kevin Morby – “100,000”
from: Little Wide Open / Dead Oceans / May 15, 2026
[Kevin Morby’s 8th studio album. // From Kevin’s Bandcamp page: For Kevin Morby, the “little wide open” is the big sky, the small lives, it’s his origins in the Midwest, and every duty and modesty and familiarity and isolation: the land, the people, and the parts of that inside him. “There’s something unintentionally musical about the Midwest; cicadas chirping in the trees, a train passing, a tornado siren going off,” explains Morby. “If you listen, there are these almost ominous sounds taking place beneath the wide-open sky—its ugliness and its beauty and how the two are often working together simultaneously. And while the Midwest isn’t technically the badlands, it’s my badlands.” // Little Wide Open is the title of Kevin Morby’s eighth studio album, produced by Aaron Dessner. In the summer of 2024, Dessner had asked Morby to support The National at their London show in Crystal Palace Park. Shortly after, Dessner—who was on a hot streak, having produced albums for Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Gracie Abrams—reached out to Morby to say he’d love to produce his next album. They began recording at Aaron’s Long Pond Studio in Stuyvesant, NY, early in 2025 and finished in September of that year. // The album, which features a host of contributors such as Dessner—who plays multiple instruments across it—Amelia Meath, Andrew Barr, Justin Vernon, Katie Gavin, Lucinda Williams, Meg Duffy, and more, has been described by Morby as the third in a trilogy of releases, following 2020’s Sundowner and 2022’s This Is a Photograph, which catalogued his time in the Midwest after moving back to Kansas City. This time out, Dessner’s production elevates Morby’s recordings while never losing focus of the songs themselves. There’s a newfound confidence and clarity in both Morby’s writing and Dessner’s production that recalls Tom Petty’s 1994 classic Wildflowers. // Now primarily living in LA, the atmosphere that runs through Little Wide Open has changed somewhat from its predecessors. As Rachel Kushner writes of Morby in the album’s accompanying essay: “It’s about time, about feeling like he has shifted from nostalgia and the losing game, losing but beautiful, of holding onto the past. He has accepted that time is ceaselessly flowing, and you can’t stop it. Instead, he feels like he’s riding it. He’s riding passenger with time.” // Kevin Morby’s single “Beautiful Strangers’ was recently recorded by Mavis Staples for her 2025 album SAD AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD. Mavis Staples won a Grammy at the 68th Annual Grammys for Best American Roots Performance for her interpretation of Kevin’s song. Kevin released this song only as a single in 2016 in tribute to the victims of the Orlando Pulse shooting. Kevin Morby is pretty bowled over by the existence of this cover. Morby says. “It isn’t easy to put into words what it feels like having one of the best, most important vocalists and cultural figures of both the 20th and 21st century sing one of my songs.” // Kevin Robert Morby was born April 2, 1988. Kevin learned to play guitar when he was 10. In his teens he formed the band Creepy Aliens. 17-year-old Morby dropped out of Blue Valley Northwest High School, got his GED, and moved from his native KC to Brooklyn in the mid-2000s, supporting himself by working bike delivery and café jobs. He later joined the noise-folk group Woods on bass. While living in Brooklyn, he became close friends and roommates with Cassie Ramone of the punk trio Vivian Girls, and the two formed a side project together called The Babies, who released albums in 2011 and 2012. Kevin Morby began a solo career in 2013 releasing his debut album HARLEM RIVER on November 26, 2013. STILL LIFE, his 2nd album, was released in October 14, 2014. SINGING SAW his 3rd album was released April 15, 2016 and was in WMM’s 116 Best Recordings of 2016. His 4th album CITY MUSIC was released June 16, 2017 and was in WMM’s 118 Best Recordings of 2018. Kevin Morby released his 5th album OH MY GOD on April 26, 2019. On October 16, 2020 Kevin Morby released SUNDOWNER, his 6th release, #20 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2020. On October 8, 2021 Kevin Morby released A NIGHT AT the LITTLE LOS ANGELES (Sundowner 4-Track Demos) on Dead Oceans Records. On May 13, 2022 Kevin Morby released THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH his 7th album as a solo artist, on Dead Oceans. It was #7 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. From www.rollingstone.com: “In January 2020, songwriter Kevin Morby witnessed his father collapse from a medical event while visiting his childhood home in Kansas. In a state of shock, the singer spent the evening looking at old family photos and fixated on an image of his father as a young man, looking, as Morby states, ‘full of confidence.’ The experience forced Morby to confront both the idea of mortality and the passage of time — and, after an extended sojourn in Tennessee, these reflections came together in the form of, This Is a Photograph. Produced by frequent Morby collaborator Sam Cohen, This Is a Photograph was primarily written in Memphis’ historic Peabody Hotel, where the singer-songwriter holed up in search of inspiration and self-realization amongst the city’s dark past.” On January 25, 2023 Kevin Morby released MUSIC FROM MONTANA STORY a 13 track film soundtrack. On May 26, 2023 Kevin Morby released MORE PHOTO-GRAPHS (A Continuum) on Dead Oceans Records. Throughout his 10 album releases Kevin has also released 25 singles. Kevin Morby played The Uptown Theater, 3700 Broadway,May 29, at 7:00 with Liam Kazar.]

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:55

The Creepy Jingles – “Vow Down”
from: Washed Up / Enigmatic Brunch Records / May 22, 2026
[WASHED UP was written by Jocelyn Nixon, and recorded, engineered, and mixed by Paul Malinowski at Massive Sounds Studios in Shawnee, Kansas, with Jocelyn Olivia Nixon on lead vocals, piano, rhythm guitar; Andrew Woody on bass; Nick Robertson on drums; and Wills Van Doorn on lead guitars. // The Creepy Jingles line up originally included “Drummer Nick Robertson charges the group forward with a fiery fueled obsidian backbeat. Andrew Woody on bass guitar; Rounding out the band is Guitarist Travis McKenzie who generously spins a holographic spectrum of color that lift the catchy Brit pop melodies that effortlessly dance about the rapidly changing landscapes of New York Garage Rock and 60s/70s folk music.“ // Earlier this year Jocelyn Olivia Nixon shared with us the unreleased single “fight for your say” for our March 4, 2026 radio show. // Last year Jocelyn Olivia Nixon released the single, “YOU AIN’T RIGHT! YOU MUST BE WRONG!” on May 2, 2025. Jocelyn Olivia Nixon is lead singer of the band The Creepy Jungles. The Creepy Jingles are getting ready to release a new alum called WASHED UP coming this spring. Jocelyn told Nick Spacek of The Pitch, “that the songs she presents to her bandmates in The Jingles’ songs are poppier stuff, typically, while solo songs are more folky, mellow, weird, and lyrical. Solo work also gives her the opportunity to work with others outside the group. As Nixon explains, “It’s basically a tongue-in-cheek song making fun of hard right conservatives and social cliques who think only their way is ‘right.’” She said, “I felt like I needed something where I can be a bit more vulnerable and naked, I suppose,” the musician says. “I think because Jingles do rock n roll pop songs well, I think I’m kinda boxed in as an artist and singer. This is my way of saying I have many sides to myself as an individual and as an artist, and I can forge my own path and defy expectations.” Jocelyn Nixon’s next single, “Real Deal,” is due later this summer . // The Creepy Jingles released a series of 4 new singles in 2024 including “When Things Go Wrong” on February 23, 2024. // The Creepy Jingles are a Kansas City based, rock and roll band that both honors and defies convention. Led by singer / song-writer Jocelyn Olivia Nixon, a transgender wordsmith who charms with razor wit and dazzles with her lyrical acrobatics. The Creepy Jingles released their album, TAKE ME AT MY WORDPLAY on March 25, 2022 through High Dive Records. Paired up with lyrics centering on themes of identity, strained relationships, social media madness, meme magic, pandemic paranoia, paid off political pundits, backyard bullies and barking up the wrong tree. Everything and the kitchen sink or swim. No stoner left unturned. The Creepy Jingles released their Debut EP on High Dive Records on May 3, 2019. The release was in the top ten of WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. ]

[The Creepy Jingles play Hillsiders in KCK Fri, July 31, at 8:00 w/ Eggs On Mars, and Shared Walls]

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

Next week, on Wednesday, August 5 we welcome very special guest: D Rashaan Gilmore who hosts UNBOSSED and UNBOTHERED Saturdays at 5:00pm on KKFI; and BOSCO who is playing The Folly Theatre August 11 at 8:00pm.]

You can find our playlists at: www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & www.kkfi.org
www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein-Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Office Manager Book Keeper – Shaina Littler.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’s Summer Fund Drive during WMM we had a total of 33 people donate a total of $3513.50. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

This radio station is more than the individual hosts of each individual radio show. It is a collective spirit of hundreds of people, setting aside ego, to work for the greater good of community building and the goal of keeping our airwaves, non-commercial, and open! Thank you to programmers who create content for over 85 locally produced radio shows & volunteers who made extra effort to keep our station alive.

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

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

Show #1158

WMM Playlist from July 8, 2026

Posted on July 11, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, July 8, 2026

Chris Garibaldi & Suneaters + KC Fringe + Kimmie Queen & Theresa Scott + Nicki White

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

MorMor– “Like Heaven (feat. Celeste)”
from: Like Heaven – Single / Promised Land Recordings / May 15, 2026
[Toronto artist MorMor marks his return with new single, ‘Like Heaven’, featuring Celeste. MorMor’s reintroduction comes four years after the release of his pandemic-era collection ‘Semblance’ – a personal collection that pursued difficult truths about love and growth. // Unlike his past era which surveyed the effects of solitude, ‘Like Heaven’ abounds in the warmth and intimacy that comes with synergy and collaboration. Built around a breakbeat, lilting keys, melodic guitar lines and woozy harmonic interplay between MorMor and Celeste, ‘Like Heaven’ searches for hope in faithless times. // On Celeste’s involvement, MorMor shares: “She came to [Rick Rubin’s Malibu studio] Shangri-La simply to hang out, but ended up jumping on the mix. Her vocal was recorded in that first session and it remains in the final version. She captured a raw, immediate energy that couldn’t be recreated.” // ‘Like Heaven’ is lifted from the artist’s full-length due later this year.]

The Roseline – “Wild As The Weather”
from: 86 Gumption / The Roseline / August 7, 2026
[First single from the band’s upcoming album, 86 Gumption. The single was released July 3, 2026. // Colin Halliburton – acoustic guitar, vocals; Bradley McKellip – electric guitar. Heidi Gluck – bass, keys, vocals. Jim Piller – drums, percussion. Recorded by Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios, Jim Piller, Heidi Gluck, and Bradley McKellip. Mixed by Jim Piller. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering // The Roseline (pronounced ‘rose’ like the flower, ‘line’ like a straight line) is a band from Lawrence, Kansas USA. They have released eight LPs and one live album, to date. They started out as a fairly delicate little acoustic trio and have since evolved into the heartland rock five-piece behemoth of their current state. // Good luck trying to coax any braggadocious one-sheet “high-lights” out of these humble Kansans. It will require some serious finesse. But, if you insist…they have had four records chart in the TOP TEN in the wildly niche Euro Americana Chart. Some very sweet words have been written about them in such esteemed publications and websites as NPR, Bandcamp, American Song-writer, No Depression, Glide, Pop Matters, and The Bluegrass Situation. They have had their songs featured (*barely audible as source music in the background of bar scenes) in ABC’s ‘Nashville’ & ‘Resurrection’, CBS’s ‘Marshals’, USA’s ‘Queen of the South’, Netflix’s ‘Virgin River’, and MTV’s own Sistine Chapel, ‘Teen Mom’. They have toured in the US, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the UK, Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. // The band made their UK debut as an Official Showcase act at 2025’s UK Americana Music Week in London. However, they have not been accepted to showcase at the stateside Americana Fest for a record-breaking 17 consecutive years. Impressive stuff. // Today, they arrive with their ninth LP “86 Gumption”. Ironically, it called for quite a bit of collective gumption to get this thing across the finish line. Recorded over a year (with a big breather in the middle) in myriad studios and homes, “86 Gumption” is perhaps the band’s most diverse musical offering yet. Indie rock, honky tonk, heartland rock, folk and alt-country occupy the sonic spectrum of the album. Primary singer and songwriter, Colin Halliburton, is found exploring the nuances of marriage, middle-age, grief, geopolitics, acts of creation, hedonism, sobriety, and everything in between. There is darkness. There is a sliver of light. Play it loud.]

UPCOMING LIVE DATES (all dates are Colin solo/acoustic)
Thursday, August 13 — The Grafton Arms; Manchester, UK
Friday, August 14 — The Vinyl Tap; Preston, UK
Saturday, August 15 — Northern Guitars; Leeds, UK
Sunday, August 16 — Oxted Sessions @ The Ginistry; Oxted, UK
Monday, August 17 — St James Wine Vaults; Bath, UK
Tuesday, August 18 — Kingsmeade House Concerts; High Wycombe, UK
Wednesday, August 19 — The Grove; Nottingham, UK
Thursday, August 20 — Biddle Bros; London, UK
Saturday, August 22 — Rootsy Summer Fest; Falkenberg, SE
Sunday, August 23 – Stockholm Roots (@ Debaser); Stockholm, SE
Lawrence and KC full-band album release shows TBD

10:12 – Interview with Audrey Crabtree

Audrey Crabtree is the Executive Director of the KC Fringe Festival. She grew up in Kansas City and went to Raytown South Senior High and Truman State University. She is an award-winning producer, actor and director. She is the Artistic Director and cofounder with Lynn Berg of Ten Directions, a theatre and film creative team. Audrey founded and ran the international NY Clown Theatre Festival for 10 years. She worked as a performance coach for Circus Harmony in St. Louis. She worked for 5 years as a clown at Clowns Without Borders in based out of Blue Lake California. Audrey is Co-Founder & Director of NY Clown Theatre Festival. She also worked for the Big Apple Circus. Audrey Crabtree is a longtime Fringe participant herself, as performer, producer and patron in New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco and St. Louis Fringe Festivals. Her work has also been featured in the Dublin and Perth Fringe Festivals. Audrey Crabtree told Libby Hanson of KC Studio Magazine, “I’m inspired every time I see a show. I love to watch artists in their career and their growth,” said Crabtree “I love to go to museums, listen to music. I’m inspired every single day by nature. I’m really excited to meet everyone and dig in and get to meet all the artists who are coming to our festival.”

Audrey Crabtree joins us to share details about the 22nd annual KC Fringe Festival, July 16-26, 2026, 11 days of bold, original, and unforgettable performances exploring theater, dance, music, comedy, visual art, and more as artists from Kansas City and beyond take the stage.

Audrey Crabtree thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

A $5 KC Fringe Festival Button is required for entry to all Fringe performances and events and is valid for the entire festival.

KC Fringe Festival presents a special preview Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 5:30pm at Kansas City Central Library – Helzberg Auditorium, 14 West 10th Street, KCMO.

Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 1:00pm at The Borough KC, 8026 The Paseo, KCMO.

KC Fringe FLASH Preview Night, Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 8:00pm at City Stage at Union Station a special free, sneak peek of family-friendly performances. Tickets, buttons and Free Programs will be available.

More info at www.kcfringe.org

The stage is set, the curtains ready to rise, as the KC Fringe Festival returns for its milestone 22nd season from July 16-26, 2026, 11 days of bold, original, and unforgettable performances exploring theater, dance, music, comedy, visual art, and more as artists from Kansas City and beyond take the stage. Embracing the spirit of creativity and diversity, the KC Fringe Festival stands as the largest celebration of arts and culture in the vibrant Kansas City metropolitan area.

Since its inception in July 2004, the KC Fringe Festival has been a beacon for artists and audiences alike, offering a platform for innovation, experimentation, and expression. This year, the festival promises a two-week explosion of performance, film, visual arts exhibitions, and events, showcasing the rich tapestry of talent from both local and international artists.
Festival Highlights:

36 Productions: Immerse yourself in 36 captivating productions, ranging from cutting-edge theater to exhilarating dance performances.

450+ Artists: Witness the collective brilliance of 364 artists, coming together to ignite the stage with their passion and creativity.

Special Events/After Parties: Extend the celebration beyond the stage with 6 special events and after-parties, promising unforgettable moments of camaraderie

The stage is set! KC Fringe Festival is taking over Kansas City July 16 – 26 with theater, circus, comedy, surprises, and the kind of creativity you can’t quite explain to your coworkers. This year there are two new Fringe venues: Kansas City Young Audiences and MOD Gallery! More spaces means more artists, more performances, and even more chances to experience something unexpected.

West Crossroads, East Crossroads, East KC, Union Station, Volker Neighborhood, and midtown

The official 2026 KC Fringe venues:
Bird Comedy Theater – 103 West 19th St. KCMO
Center for Spiritual Living – 1014 West 39th St. KCMO
City Stage at Union Station – 30 West Pershing Rd. KCMO
Kansas City Oasis – 1717 West 41st St. KCMO
Kansas City Young Audiences – NEW venue! 3732 Main St. KCMO
MOD Gallery – NEW venue! – 1809 McGee St.KCM
Whim Space – 415 Prospect, KCMO

From Midtown to the Crossroads and beyond, Fringe artists will be popping up all across KC with art without limits.

“Join us in celebrating uncurated independent performance, visual art, here in Kansas City with KC Fringe,” says Audrey Crabtree/KC Fringe Executive Director. “We’ve cultivated not just a platform, but a vibrant community where local, regional, and international artists converge. Here, every artistic voice is valued and celebrated. It’s a journey I’m truly proud to be a part of.”

For more information about the KC Fringe Festival 2026, including the lineup of events and how to participate, visit us at kcfringe.org.

About KC Fringe Festival: KC Fringe Festival is the largest celebration of arts and culture in the KC metropolitan area. Established in July 2004, the festival is a mostly volunteer-run organization dedicated to supporting artists, cultivating creators, and attracting adventurous audiences. With its non-juried & non-censored approach, the KC Fringe Festival provides a platform for artists to showcase their work and connect with diverse audiences.

22nd annual KC Fringe Festival, July 16-26, 2026, 11 days of bold, original, and unforgettable performances exploring theater, dance, music, comedy, visual art, and more as artists from Kansas City and beyond take the stage.

Audrey Crabtree thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

A $5 KC Fringe Festival Button is required for entry to all Fringe performances and events and is valid for the entire festival.

KC Fringe Festival presents a special preview Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 5:30pm at Kansas City Central Library – Helzberg Auditorium, 14 West 10th Street, KCMO.

Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 1:00pm at The Borough KC, 8026 The Paseo, KCMO.

More info at www.kcfringe.org

10:27 – Underwriting

Heidi Lynne Gluck – “Severance (Remix)”
from: “Severance (Remix)” – Single / Dynamite Red / March 11, 2024
[Heidi Lynne Gluck is a Canadian-born artist who calls Lawrence, Kansas home. Heidi is every musician’s dream to play with, given her impeccable ear for nuance and detail. She is a versatile singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, playing bass, keys, vocals, guitar, accordion and lap steel. // Heidi has collaborated live and in studio with dozens of musicians, including Tom Brousseau, John C Reilly, Juliana Hatfield, Margo and the Nuclear So and So’s, The Roseline, Lily and Madeleine, Frogpond, and 95 Sweetbird. Heidi’s music channels 70’s folk rock with a groovy Wurlitzer laying the bed for her warm, matter-of-fact delivery. Subtle acoustic guitar lines snake around crunchy electrics, embellished with ethereal pedal steel guitar. // She’s been featured on The Moth, The Great American Folk Show, The Mystery Hour and NPR live sessions. Her songs have been placed in The Listeners documentary and Tig Notaro’s hit show, ‘One Mississippi’.// She has recorded three albums, including her just released, ‘Migrate Or Die’. Heidi recorded and produced the majority of these albums at home. // Her message is uplifting and nurturing without being cloying, encouraging you to acknowledge your pain and face the unknown with strength and grace.Heidi Lynne Gluck released the album, MIGRATE OR DIE on July 7, 2023. She released the singles: “All I See Is Magic” on May 25, 2023, “I’m Not Free” on June 2, 2023 and “Skyscraper” on June 7, 2023 Heidi released two singles with Tom Brosseau, “Under African Skies” on Feb. 17, 2023 ang “Sunflower” on Dec. 15, 2022. Heidi Lynne Gluck released the 8th edition of the Too Much Rock, limited edition, 7” vinyl Single Series on Aug. 3, 2018, featuring her original song, “Party Line.” and the B-side, “Good Guys and Bad Guys” a new version of Camper Van Beethoven song. Heidi Lynne Gluck released her critically acclaimed album, PONY SHOW through Lawrence based Lotuspool Records on Aug. 26, 2016. This was the follow-up to her critically acclaimed release THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ROOM, released April 28, 2015. Heidi Lynne Gluck also plays with the band the Roseline and was a featured vocalist on “Beauty in the Distance” with Asterales..] [Heidi Lynne Gluck joined us live on WMM on June 8, and Aug. 24, 2016, and July 12, 2023]

Suneaters – “Home”
from: Suneaters V: Heroic Dose / Lotuspool Records / June 19, 2026
[9th album release. Suneaters are: Scott Free on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer; Chris Lost on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion; Mike Judd on guitar, electric piano; Nick Carroll on vocals, guitar, drums, percussion; Sam Goodell on piano, organ, & synthesizer. // Produced by Chris Cosgrove and Suneaters. Engineered and mixed by Chris Cosgrove. Additional Engineering by Matt Allen on Women Get The Shaft. Mastering by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Vinyl Mastering by Jeff Powell at TAKE OUT VINYL. Album illustrations by Michael McMillian. Layout and design by Michael Legleighter. // All songs written and performed by Suneaters except “Rock Me Baby” written by Bump Funk and J. Scott. // Even while their last studio album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers was listed as one of the best albums of 2022, it’s ambitious to make the next studio album a double. In their defense, Suneaters V: Heroic Dose (Available June 19, 2026 Digital and Double LP), organically grew to its eventual size, and like fingerless gloves, gets the job done with minimal fuss. // Can you call a double LP with a scattershot array of tastes/flavors, themes, and styles at all “minimal”? Mostly it’s a four-sided hunting blind. Peak your head through the flaps to see what waits for you. Beauty – a sunset. Creation – a sunrise. Destruction – thunder and lightning. // Targeting ears and attitudes. Targeting hearts and minds. ]

[Suneaters play an Album Release show on Friday, July 10, at 6:00pm, at Replay Lounge, 80 East 10th Street, Lawrence, KS, with Heidi Lynne Gluck, and The Harrisonics.]

10:37 – Interview with Chris Lost, Scott Free, and Nick Carroll of Suneaters

Suneaters are: Scott Free on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer; Chris Lost on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion; Mike Judd on guitar, electric piano; Nick Carroll on vocals, guitar, drums, percussion; Sam Goodell on piano, organ, & synthesizer. Suneaters V: Heroic Dose is their 9th release on Lotuspool Records. Produced by Chris Cosgrove and Suneaters. Engineered and mixed by Chris Cosgrove. Additional Engineering by Matt Allen on Women Get The Shaft. Mastering by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Vinyl Mastering by Jeff Powell at TAKE OUT VINYL. Album illustrations by Michael McMillian. Layout and design by Michael Legleighter. // All songs written and performed by Suneaters except “Rock Me Baby” written by Bump Funk and J. Scott. // Even while their last studio album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers was listed as one of the best albums of 2022, it’s ambitious to make the next studio album a double. In their defense, Suneaters V: Heroic Dose (Available June 19, 2026 Digital and Double LP), organically grew to its eventual size, and like fingerless gloves, gets the job done with minimal fuss.

Scott Free, Chris Lost, Suneaters thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

We just heard “Home.”

Last week we played Suneaters: “Boulevard Of Joy And Love (feat. Rhiannon Birdsall)”, from Suneaters V: Heroic Dose on Lotuspool Records released June 19, 2026. One of several tracks with guest artists including “Rock Me Baby” written by Bump Funk and J. Scott.

Scott Free writes about The Suneaters new album:

Even while their last studio album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers was listed as one of the best albums of 2022, it’s ambitious to make the next studio album a double. In their defense, Suneaters V: Heroic Dose (Available June 19, 2026 Digital and Double LP), organically grew to its eventual size, and like fingerless gloves, gets the job done with minimal fuss.

Can you call a double LP with a scattershot array of tastes/flavors, themes, and styles at all “minimal”? Mostly it’s a four-sided hunting blind. Peak your head through the flaps to see what waits for you. Beauty – a sunset. Creation – a sunrise. Destruction – thunder and lightning.

Targeting ears and attitudes. Targeting hearts and minds. Stories about precise moments captured that are to be endured or celebrated. Precise moments of heart ache, rejection, or disappointment, ecstasy, transcendence, power, aggression or love. A heroic dose of these things that cripple or teach.

All on four sides. A square.

Enlarged subset to show greater detail:
Bedhead – From the annals of a social anxiety digest
Home – Where you’re happy?
Johatsu – The ultimate French exit
Obliteration – A controlled burn
Greater Than… – A depressed Richard Alpert discovers ketamine
Mr. Sullivan – Hat tip to those who formed us
Give the Mind… – A political song for Kid Rock to sing
Come Apart – Unlucky charms and an unhappy meal
Rock Me Baby – Didn’t see that coming
Big Dancer – Body movin’
Boulevard of Joy and Love – That which sustains us
Morning Face – Non-diegetic score for a cup of coffee
Revenge of the Children – What variety of a shithole do we leave?

A jump off a low bridge. A baby sip of poison. A super soaker to the head. A butter knife to the wrist. Heroic Dose runs over the speed bump of broken bands with sheer genuineness in this dumbest of all timelines. // There’s no such thing as a straight line said the geometer and the Suneater. A parallelogram with one line pleased as punch and another filled with something approaching sorrow. Calculated together, you get your prescription, a Heroic Dose. // Suneaters collectively thank, Matt Ku, Rhiannon Birdsall, Bump Funk, J. Scott, Michael McMillian, Mark Silverberg, Chris Cardwell, W. Dave Keith, David Saab, Matt Nalbach, Larry Glasscock, and Mike Horvath.]

10:46

Suneaters – “Come Apart”
Suneaters V: Heroic Dose / Lotuspool Records / June 19, 2026
[9th album release. Suneaters are: Scott Free on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer; Chris Lost on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion; Mike Judd on guitar, electric piano; Nick Carroll on vocals, guitar, drums, percussion; Sam Goodell on piano, organ, & synthesizer. // Produced by Chris Cosgrove and Suneaters. Engineered and mixed by Chris Cosgrove. Additional Engineering by Matt Allen on Women Get The Shaft. Mastering by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Vinyl Mastering by Jeff Powell at TAKE OUT VINYL. Album illustrations by Michael McMillian. Layout and design by Michael Legleighter. // All songs written and performed by Suneaters except “Rock Me Baby” written by Bump Funk and J. Scott. // Even while their last studio album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers was listed as one of the best albums of 2022, it’s ambitious to make the next studio album a double. In their defense, Suneaters V: Heroic Dose (Available June 19, 2026 Digital and Double LP), organically grew to its eventual size, and like fingerless gloves, gets the job done with minimal fuss. // Can you call a double LP with a scattershot array of tastes/flavors, themes, and styles at all “minimal”? Mostly it’s a four-sided hunting blind. Peak your head through the flaps to see what waits for you. Beauty – a sunset. Creation – a sunrise. Destruction – thunder and lightning. // Targeting ears and attitudes. Targeting hearts and minds. ]

[Suneaters play an Album Release show on Friday, July 10, at 6:00pm, at Replay Lounge, 80 East 10th Street, Lawrence, KS, with Heidi Lynne Gluck, and The Harrisonics.]

10:49 – More Interview with with Chris Lost, Scott Free, and Nick Carroll of Suneaters

Suneaters are: Scott Free on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer; Chris Lost on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion; Mike Judd on guitar, electric piano; Nick Carroll on vocals, guitar, drums, percussion; Sam Goodell on piano, organ, & synthesizer. Suneaters V: Heroic Dose is their 9th release on Lotuspool Records. Produced by Chris Cosgrove and Suneaters. Engineered and mixed by Chris Cosgrove. Additional Engineering by Matt Allen on Women Get The Shaft. Mastering by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Vinyl Mastering by Jeff Powell at TAKE OUT VINYL. Album illustrations by Michael McMillian. Layout and design by Michael Legleighter. // All songs written and performed by Suneaters except “Rock Me Baby” written by Bump Funk and J. Scott. // Even while their last studio album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers was listed as one of the best albums of 2022, it’s ambitious to make the next studio album a double. In their defense, Suneaters V: Heroic Dose (Available June 19, 2026 Digital and Double LP), organically grew to its eventual size, and like fingerless gloves, gets the job done with minimal fuss.

Suneaters thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

We just heard “Come Apart”

Scott Free on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer;
Chris Lost on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion;
Mike Judd on guitar, electric piano;
Nick Carroll on vocals, guitar, drums, percussion;
Sam Goodell on piano, organ, & synthesizer.

Suneaters thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Suneaters play an Album Release show on Friday, July 10, at 6:00pm, at Replay Lounge, 80 East 10th Street, Lawrence, KS, with Heidi Lynne Gluck, and The Harrisonics.

10:58

Suneaters – “Obliteration”
from: Suneaters V: Heroic Dose / Lotuspool Records / June 19, 2026
[9th album release. Suneaters are: Scott Free on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer; Chris Lost on vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizer, percussion; Mike Judd on guitar, electric piano; Nick Carroll on vocals, guitar, drums, percussion; Sam Goodell on piano, organ, & synthesizer. // Produced by Chris Cosgrove and Suneaters. Engineered and mixed by Chris Cosgrove. Additional Engineering by Matt Allen on Women Get The Shaft. Mastering by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Vinyl Mastering by Jeff Powell at TAKE OUT VINYL. Album illustrations by Michael McMillian. Layout and design by Michael Legleighter. // All songs written and performed by Suneaters except “Rock Me Baby” written by Bump Funk and J. Scott. // Even while their last studio album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers was listed as one of the best albums of 2022, it’s ambitious to make the next studio album a double. In their defense, Suneaters V: Heroic Dose (Available June 19, 2026 Digital and Double LP), organically grew to its eventual size, and like fingerless gloves, gets the job done with minimal fuss. // Can you call a double LP with a scattershot array of tastes/flavors, themes, and styles at all “minimal”? Mostly it’s a four-sided hunting blind. Peak your head through the flaps to see what waits for you. Beauty – a sunset. Creation – a sunrise. Destruction – thunder and lightning. // Targeting ears and attitudes. Targeting hearts and minds. ]

[Suneaters play an Album Release show on Friday, July 10, at 6:00pm, at Replay Lounge, 80 East 10th Street, Lawrence, KS, with Heidi Lynne Gluck, and The Harrisonics.]

11:00 – Station ID

Pamper The Madman – “Columbia”
from: Muter EP / Pamper The Madman / 1998
[Alternative/punk band from Kansas City.“ The band released their debut album, PAMPER THE MADMAN on Stress records in 1995. with Vocals – Theresa Schloegel, Drums – Chris Fugitt, Guitar – Rob Wagner, Bass – Marshall Strong. Songs Written-By –Rob Wagner and Theresa Schloegel. Producer – Barry Poynter & Brian Hardin. Engineer, Mixed By – Brian Hardin. Mastered By – John Matousek. // The band followed that up with a 4-song EP called MUTER in 1998. // The band initially existed in the mid-late ’90s, but after a handful of reunion shows between 2014-2016, decided to get back together and record some new material. // Current members of the reformed Kansas City band Pamper The Madman include: Johnny Hamil, Theresa Scott, Chris Fugitt & Chris Tady. Theresa Scott is formerly known Theresa Schloegel. She is one of the original members of Pamper the Madman. Tim Finn in the KC Star wrote: “Clever songs made Pamper the Madman one of the area’s biggest bands 20 years ago.” The band released their self titled debut on Stress Records in 1995. The band stopped playing in 1998 but after a handful of reunion shows between 2014-2016, the band decided to get back together and is recording new material. Theresa Schloegel was born in Kansas City on November 07, 1970. A while back with her husband and family she left town on a boat going south on the river. She also lives in Santa Cruz. Theresa Scott’s family has owned and operated Woodyard BBQue for generations. Members of Pamper the Madman have included Theresa Scott, Chris Fugitt, Robbie Wagner, Marshall Strong, Johnny Hamil and Chris Tady.]

[Pamper The Madman plays BIRTHDAZE, this Friday, July 10, at 8:00pm at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO., featuring the bands: Bloodthrust, The Philistines, and Pamper The Madman – celebrating the birthdays of Rod Peal and Chris Fugitt, with a video presentation by Syd Peal.]

11:05 – Interview with Kimmie Queen and Theresa Scott

We are very happy to welcome back to the WMM, Kimmie Queen of the band, The Philistines, and Theresa Scott of the band Pamper The Madman. Kimmie and Theresa share all of the details of BIRTHDAZE, this Friday, July 10, at 8:00pm at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, Kansas City, MO., featuring the bands: Bloodthrust, The Philistines, and Pamper The Madman – celebrating the birthdays of Rod Peal and Chris Fugitt, with a video presentation by Syd Peal. Bloodthrust is a new three piece band made up of Rod Peal, Steve Gianello and Paul Guinto! The Philistines triumphantly return from the void, to shower us with space rocks old and new from Cody Wyoming, Kimmie Queen, Rod Peal, Steve Gardels, Josh Mobley, and Ben Ruth on bass. The legendary Pamper The Madman is Theresa Scott, Chris Fugitt, Johnny Hamill, and Chris Tady. More information at www.lemonadeparkkc.com

Kimmie Queen and Theresa Scott, Thanks for being with us on WMM

BIRTHDAZE, this Friday, July 10, at 8:00pm at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, Kansas City, MO., featuring the bands: Bloodthrust, The Philistines, and Pamper The Madman – celebrating the birthdays of Rod Peal and Chris Fugitt, with a video presentation by Syd Peal.

Bloodthrust is a new 3-piece band made up of Rod Peal, Steve Gianello and Paul Guinto!

The Philistines triumphantly return from the void, to shower us with space rocks old and new from Cody Wyoming, Kimmie Queen, Rod Peal, Steve Gardels, Josh Mobley, and Ben Ruth on bass.

The legendary Pamper The Madman is Theresa Scott, Chris Fugitt, Johnny Hamill, and Chris Tady

Theresa Scott, Tim Finn in the KC Star wrote: “Clever songs made Pamper the Madman one of the area’s biggest bands 20 years ago.”

The band released their self titled debut on Stress Records in 1995. The band stopped playing in 1998 but after a handful of reunion shows between 2014-2016, the band decided to get back together and is recording new material.

Theresa Schloegel was born in Kansas City on November 07, 1970. A while back with her husband and family she left town on a boat going south on the river. She also lives in Santa Cruz. Theresa Scott’s family has owned and operated Woodyard BBQue for generations.

Members of Pamper the Madman have included Theresa Scott, Chris Fugitt, Robbie Wagner, Marshall Strong, Johnny Hamil and Chris Tady.

Theresa Scott is also a member of the band The Utilitarians

Kimme Queen is also a DK and also a member of The Guillotine Choir

Kimmie Queen is also proprietor of Planet Queen Records & Vintage, at 209 West Mapel Ave, in Independence MO

Kimmie Queen and Theresa Scott, Thanks for being with us on WMM

Pamper The Madman plays BIRTHDAZE, this Friday, July 10, at 8:00pm at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO., featuring the bands: Bloodthrust, The Philistines, and Pamper The Madman – celebrating the birthdays of Rod Peal and Chris Fugitt, with a video presentation by Syd Peal.

11:22

The Philistines – “A Twitch of The Death Nerve”
from: The Backbone of Night / The Record Machine / June 4, 2016
[KC based rock band with a psychedelic bent, for this recording the band was made up of: Kimmie Queen on lead vocals; Cody Wyoming on lead guitar & vocals; Rod Peal on guitar; Michelle Bacon on bass & vocals, Josh Mobley on keyboard, Steve Gardels on drums. Recorded & mixed with Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound Studios and mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering.]

[The Philistines, play BIRTHDAZE, this Friday, July 10, at 8:00pm at Lemonade Park, 1628 Wyoming Street, KCMO., featuring the bands: Bloodthrust, The Philistines, and Pamper The Madman – celebrating the birthdays of Rod Peal and Chris Fugitt, with a video presentation by Syd Peal.]

11:25

Stephonne – “All Souls ft. Victoriano Cárdenas”
from: “All Souls ft. Victoriano Cárdenas” – Single / Glory Blue Music / March 15, 2026
[Stephonne – Performer, Composer & Lyricist, Producer, Engineer (Recording, Mixing, Mastering); Victoriano Cárdenas – Featured Performer/Poet.Stephonne writes: I received and created All Souls during my time at the Ragdale Artist Residency in Lake Forest, IL over the past 3 weeks. Everything you hear was done by me. This is a special song that started the first day I stepped foot in my studio that’s about endings, new beginnings, growth, awareness and true love for ourselves and those we say goodbye to. It is a special collaboration with Victoriano Cárdenas who I had the pleasure to meet during our residency and to be able to record. He wrote poetry for All Souls and performs it! Check out his beautiful work (IG: sheepishw0lf).“Stephonne is reimagining what it means to be a Black musician in Kansas City, disrupting outdated narratives with music that celebrates fluidity, theatricality, and freedom. Their art is multidimensional, relentless, and ambitious, drawing inspiration from other pockets of pop music.” – Lyrical Odyssey. // On May 20, 2026 Stephonne released “Papa John” through Glory Blue Music. A funky pop art joyride of sexual liberation, they delivers us a sonic smorgasbord. Innuendo laden and cheeky, Parliament meets Doja Cat on a Studio 54 dance floor. Over a percolating beat and playful bass synth, grit, guts and go-go simmer. “Papa John” is inimitably Stephonne. Their artistic voice here is singular, however lushly layered, and the freest we’ve heard it yet.// “In the age of A.I. it’s more important than ever to show up as perfectly imperfect and as fully as possible. Listening to this song is like freebasing me. You’re experiencing me at my purest, loosest, most raw, and in full-on play mode. Every part of creating this song was fun. It felt like a celebration and still does. I’m excited to party with everybody. Right now, we need humor and joy. We need to dance and free ourselves. Revolution can be sexy. It may even be necessary. In the midst of so much pain, it’s easy to forget about pleasure. We aren’t just here to procreate. Please be safe and get tested, but don’t forget to spice up your life. Food is not the only thing that’s better with seasoning, sis. That goes for all of us, no matter the countless ways we separate ourselves. We have more in common than we don’t. God and sex are two of the biggest things we do. God used it to create my gay ass just like He used it to create you. Can wemove on to something important? You know, like stopping WWIII and A.I. armageddon? Persecuting LGBTQ people won’t stop either of those or those in power from coming for you next. Unclench, folks. Life is so much more enjoyable. The gays can show you how, honey! We can also show you how to survive, thrive, and persevere because we continue to through it all.” – Stephonne // Stephonne takes the helm as songwriter, producer, and artist again. Recent collaborator, Joseph Price (Third Son) adds his assist to amplify the Kansas City native’s potent lyricism and musical instincts. We’ve stepped into an electronic era, but “Papa John” is still punk. Full of humor and audacity, it also recalls and reimagines funk and disco. “Papa John” will live rent free in your head, long after first listen and leave you hungry for Stephonne’s next delivery. // On February 13, 2026 Stephonne released “Bloody Mary” Written, Produced, and Engineered by Stephonne Singleton, Co-Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Joseph T Price. // On August 15, 2025 Stephonne released “Worship at the Chappell: Co-written with Shawn M. Stewart and produced with Patrick Meagher, the song is a declaration of power, pleasure, and pride—a sonic celebration of being fully and freely oneself. “Worship at the Chappell” is a bold, genre-bending anthem from Kansas City artist Stephonne—an electrifying fusion of disco, pop, and gospel spirit. Inspired by fellow Missouri native Chappell Roan, the track transforms the dance floor into a sanctuary for queer joy, spiritual liberation, and unapologetic self-love. With soaring vocals, provocative lyrics, and infectious grooves, Stephonne delivers a soulful sermon for the marginalized. // Stephonne describes himself as the lovechild of Prince & Billie Holiday. He grew up in KCK and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Benedictine College, and Masters in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. Stephonne is a 2023 winner of the Charlotte Street Generative Performing Arts Fellows. // Stephonne is an Alternative/Genrequeer singer-songwriter, cultural producer, and generative performing artist from Kansas City, MO. They synthesize music, written/spoken word, performance and visual art/media into an inimitable art. They share their struggles, triumphs, and journey to self-love through multidisciplinary performance and have sent audiences on visceral and experiential journeys through a multitude of music and video releases since 2015. Bold new 2025 singles and videos continue to push boundaries! New experiences, both sonic and visual, await us from the upcoming sophomore LP, STEPHONNE. // Singer, songwriter, actor, model, artist, activist – Stephonne Singleton keeps very busy, serving as a board member of KC Folk Fest, organizing tribute shows, playing: music festivals, Charlotte Street Foundation, Lemonade Park, Lawrence Pride, Manor Records, Midwest Music Foundation, The AIDS Service Foundation of KC, InterUrban ArtHouse, Crossroads Music Fest, The Black Box, The Folly Theatre, and West 18th Street Fashion Show. Stephonne released his EP SIS: Side B on June 24, 2022. Stephonne released the single “I” on August 21, 2024. Stephonne released the single “I think its Gonna Be Alright” I April 2025. Stephonne released the single, Forgive Me, Father (Sinead O’Connor) on May 21, 2025. // More info at: www.stephonne.com] [Stephonne joins us on WMM on June 3, 2026]

11:29 – Underwriting

Nicki White – “Turquoise”
from: Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine / Anscestors Records / May 1, 2026
[Nicki White KC based a singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for blending soulful vocals, expressive guitar work, and a wide-ranging repertoire spanning country, rock, pop, blues, and Americana. She performs as a solo artist, is a member of the all-female band Flat Susan, and also performs with Big Time Grain Co. Her original album, Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine, showcases her artistic depth through intimate songwriting and atmospheric soundscapes. Nicki has performed for corporate events, festivals, and major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.]

[Nicki White plays O’Dowds on Saturday, July 11 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.]

[Nicki White plays Red Rock Canyon Grill on Saturday, July 25 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.]

[Nicki White plays Tipsy Taco, Friday, July 31, 7:00pm – 10:00pm.]

[Nicki White plays Unity Southeast Service at Loose Park with Flat Susan on Sunday, August 2, at 11:00am.]

[Nicki White plays Kansas City Country Music & Arts Festival with Big Time Grain Co.
September 5, at Theatre in The Park, Lenexa – Shawnee, KS.]

11:36 – Interview with Nicki White

Nicki White KC based a singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for blending soulful vocals, expressive guitar work, and a wide-ranging repertoire spanning country, rock, pop, blues, and Americana. She performs as a solo artist, is a member of the all-female band Flat Susan, and also performs with Big Time Grain Co. Her original album, Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine, showcases her artistic depth through intimate songwriting and atmospheric soundscapes. Nicki has performed for corporate events, festivals, and major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nicki White thanks for being with us on Wednesday Midday Medley

Her original album, Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine, showcases her artistic depth through intimate songwriting and atmospheric soundscapes. It was recorded with artist and musician Allan Winkler who created special percussion instruments for the record. It was released on May 1, 2026. The album is a raw, home-recorded meditation on presence—poetic soundscapes shaped by imperfection, subtle nature, and handmade sound.

Nicki White performs as a solo artist, is a member of the all-female band Flat Susan, and also performs with Big Time Grain Co.

Nicki White Discography
Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine (Album) May 1, 2026
Angel of Inner Strength (EP) January 27, 2026
Like Me – (Single) 2021
Merry F******g Christmas (Single) 2020
420 Queen (Single) 2020

Nicki White plays O’Dowds on Saturday, July 11 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.

Nicki White plays Red Rock Canyon Grill on Saturday, July 25 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.

Nicki White plays Tipsy Taco, Friday, July 31, 7:00pm – 10:00pm.

Nicki White plays Unity Southeast Service at Loose Park with Flat Susan on Sunday, August 2, at 11:00am.

Nicki White plays Kansas City Country Music & Arts Festival with Big Time Grain Co.
September 5, at Theatre in The Park, Lenexa – Shawnee, KS.

Nicki White thanks for being with us on Wednesday Midday Medley

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:51

Nicki White – “Singing River”
from: Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine / Anscestors Records / May 1, 2026
[Nicki White KC based a singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for blending soulful vocals, expressive guitar work, and a wide-ranging repertoire spanning country, rock, pop, blues, and Americana. She performs as a solo artist, is a member of the all-female band Flat Susan, and also performs with Big Time Grain Co. Her original album, Shadow Work in the Omnipresence of the Divine, showcases her artistic depth through intimate songwriting and atmospheric soundscapes. Nicki has performed for corporate events, festivals, and major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.]

[Nicki White plays O’Dowds on Saturday, July 11 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.]

[Nicki White plays Red Rock Canyon Grill on Saturday, July 25 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm.]

[Nicki White plays Tipsy Taco, Friday, July 31, 7:00pm – 10:00pm.]

[Nicki White plays Unity Southeast Service at Loose Park with Flat Susan on Sunday, August 2, at 11:00am.]

[Nicki White plays Kansas City Country Music & Arts Festival with Big Time Grain Co.
September 5, at Theatre in The Park, Lenexa – Shawnee, KS.]

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

Next week, on Wednesday, July 15 – Rev. Dwight Frizzell takes over the entire show as GUEST PRODUCER.

You can find our playlists at: www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & www.kkfi.org
www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’s Summer Fund Drive during WMM we had a total of 36 people donate a total of $3513.50. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

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

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

Show #1155

WMM presents: The Swallowtails + Aaron Rhodes & UNITY TICKET + Brook Tuley + IVORY BLUE

Posted on June 19, 2026 by Mark Manning

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

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

The Swallowtails + Aaron Rhodes & UNITY TICKET + Brook Tuley + IVORY BLUE

At 10:10 Mark talks with Miki P (guitar and vocals) and Rachel Lovelace (bassoon and vocals) of The Swallowtails. Established in 2018, the band has released 2 full-length albums: Right Where We Are (2020) and The World Still Spins (2023). In 2024, the band wrote, produced, and self recorded their 5-song EP Lucky Penny (2024). The duo received the award Best Local Band in Kansas City by The Pitch Awards. In 2025 The Swallowtails were featured at Ozark Mountain Music Fest, Smoky Hill River Festival, and Boulevardia. They collaborated on a re-release of their single “Lucky Penny” with acclaimed Nashville-based fiddle player John Mailander, and they completed writing and recording their third full length album, PERSPECTIVE, backed and funded for over $21,000 by a Kickstarter campaign, and produced in collaboration with Heidi Gluck. The album represents The Swallowtails’ most refined and intentional work to date. PERSPECTIVE was released on May 23, 2026. The Swallowtails play a PERSPECTIVE – Album Release Show on Friday, July 31, 2026, at 7:30pm at 714 Main Street, Grandview, Missouri. More info at http://www.theswallowtails.com

At 10:35 Aaron Rhodes joins us to share new music from his band UNITY TICKET, and their new self titled EP released May 29, 2026. The new 5-piece band is made of: Aaron Rhodes on vocals, Cameron Birdsall on guitar, Keg Gross on Guitar, Booker Rohlf on bass, and Hayden Jensen on drums. UNITY TICKET was recorded at Soundstructure Rehearsal Studios in KCMO, and at at Flora House in KCMO. Lyrics written by Aaron Rhodes. Music written by Cameron Birdsall, Keego Gross, Booker Rohlf, Hayden Jensen. UNITY TICKET play a benefit for the Midwest Innocence Project at Howdy, 6523 Stadium Drive, KCMO, on Thursday, June 25 with Perfume USA, Teazers, and Wheat State. More info at: https://linktr.ee/unityticketusa

At 11:00 Mark talks with Brooke Tuley about her most recent release CHASE ME from Brooke Tuley and the Moon Travelers. Chase Me was officially was released on May 7, 2024. Brooke writes, “Chase Me had a quiet release in 2024 and, at the time, it felt a bit too personal to share more broadly. Since then, I’ve had some distance from it and feel ready to open it up and talk about it further. The project is very much a reflection of my process. It’s not a traditional album or release, but it’s honest, and that feels worth sharing. Alongside it, I’ve been working on a show at The Temple, and the release also includes an art and poetry book with a listening card. That format came together as a way to present the work in a more tangible, exploratory way.” Recorded and produced by Mike Tuley in the Tuley home studio, in Kansas City. Brooke Tuley on vocals, guitar, songwriting; Mike Tuley on guitar, keys, percussion, engineering; Jimmy Fitzner on guitar; John Nichols on bass, Jon Kraft on drums; Mike Stover on pedal steel; Betse Ellis on fiddle; Rich Wheeler on saxophone. Cameos by Anna St. Louis, Kevin Morby, and Suzannah Johannes. Mixed and mastered by John Golden. Info at: brooketuleymusic.com

At 11:30 we welcome back IVORY BLUE who after releasing multiple singles over the last two years has just released a new 10-song album titled, ECHO on May 22, 2026. ECHO is her third full length album. IVORY BLUE has a tendency of breaking through barriers that keep her from saying what needs to be said, regardless of style. IVORY BLUE released her 2nd full length album, STARLIT LOVE CHILD, on Nov. 17, 2023. The 10-track album was in the top five of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2023, and in the “Best of” lists at 90.9 The Bridge and stations around the world. IVORY BLUE released her debut album, COMPOUND LOVE on February 25, 2022. IVORY’s debut EP, Ready Get Set was released in June 2015. The EP helped give IVORY BLUE attention from regional radio and TV stations. In 2017 Ivory was among 1800 artists/bands that competed in neXt2Rock. Ivory won local & regional challenges and advanced to nationals in Los Angeles to win the top prize. IVORY BLUE has played with The Band That Fell to Earth, Boulevardia, Crossroads Music Festival, and Englewood Arts Center. More info at: http://www.ivorybluemusic.com

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

Show #1153

WMM Playlist from May 27, 2026

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, May 27, 2026

WMM presents: Margaret Cho + FlareThaRebel + Brodie Rush & Cody Calhoun of An Evening of Pink Floyd

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

Radkey – “Ready To Burn”
from: “Ready To Burn” – Single / Little Man Records / May 22, 2026
[To single from upcoming New Album Bedroom Sand to be released on July 14, 2026Radkey released the EP Victory on July 30, 2025. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2025. // single “Falling Out of Grace” on October 24, 2025. Radkey released the single “Victory” on March 28, 2025. On September 23, 2022 Radkey released the single “Better Than This.” The band released “Games (Tonight)”: on January 28, 2022 on Little Man Records. Isaiah, Dee, and Solomon Radke of the critically acclaimed rock trio Radkey joined us live in our 90.1 FM studios on September 5, 2018. Radkey was formed in 2010 in St. Joseph, where the brothers were raised. The family moved to Kansas City. The band has released multiple full-length recordings. In 2021 Radkey was featured in Dave Grohl’s van-touring documentary film, WHAT DRIVES US. Radkey released GREEN ROOM on Little Man Records on November 27, 2020. On Green Room the band serve as their own producers. Radkey released DARK BLACK MAKE UP in 2015 and DELICIOUS ROCK NOISE in 2016 — plus multiple EPs and singles, and were part of a MasterCard advertising campaign on digital billboards in NYC along with a national television commercial that aired during the 2018 Grammy Awards that brought the band to the attention of Jack White who asked the band to tour with him. In 2018 the band went back on the road with The Damned throughout the United States. In December they went back into the studio to record with producer Bill Stevenson of the California punk rock group Descendents. In early 2019 they played shows in Amsterdam and Stockholm. In 2018 the band released “Basement,” “St. Elwood,” “Rock & Roll Homeschool,” as well as several other singles. On February 22, 2019, Radkey released “No Strange Cats…P.A.W.” a 7-song EP is essentially a collection of the band’s most recent singles. It comes after the January 11, 2019 release of No Strange cats…Spiders – EP a 6 song EP of several new songs mixed with several singles from late 2018.]

[Radkey plays Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS. On Friday, June 12, with Godzillionaire.]

Sweeping Promises – “Shooting Shadows”
from: You Say I Romanticize / Feel It Records – Sub Pop / August 14, 2026
[From bandcamp page: Sweeping Promises’ introduction to the global punk underground was their debut album, Hunger for a Way Out, one of the breakout successes in music during 2020’s pandemic lockdown. In 2023, they followed up with the acclaimed Good Living Is Coming for You, which made Album of the Year lists for Pitchfork, NPR, Paste, and BBC, just to name a few. The album found guitarist/producer Caufield Schnug and bassist/vocalist Lira Mondal testing the limits of their home-recording resourcefulness as freshly minted Kansans – new place, new space. Now, the band is back with a frenetic new offering: You Say I Romanticize. // Recorded over an 18-month period, largely prepared and periodically interrupted by Schnug’s non-SP production work, You Say I Romanticize is a tribute to the chaos of creation and collaboration under shifting circumstances. For years now, Schnug and Mondal have embedded themselves in their combination tour house and recording studio in Kansas, annually working on dozens of albums from other bands, hosting tour stops, planning shows, and the like. After an immersive process of tracking and whittling down YSIR demos and carving out an idiosyncratic chamber recording method for the album’s intentional wall-of-sound, the duo brought in touring drummer Spenser Gralla to play the songs like the band would on stage. // The album’s frenzied execution, akin to the group’s renowned live show, prevails most of all in Mondal’s vocals. Whereas previously, you might have heard a growl here and there on certain Sweeping Promises tracks, the band’s formidable singer shouts, roars, hits all sorts of tricky notes, and shreds her throat all over the record, notably on the pummeling opener “Shooting Shadows” and the smoldering “Cocoon.” // A shadow side exists along with Sweeping Promises’ love of their artistic community—borne of weirdos channeling their misfit status into vibrant art and punk rock music, often passing through the revolving door that is their home studio. You Say I Romanticize takes the art-by-any-means-necessary ethos Mondal and Schnug have developed over the years and turns the prompt upside-down, landing on a personality epidemic manifesting across all ten tracks. // A big theme of You Say I Romanticize is hinted at in its title. Taken from a lyric sung on driving album closer “Write Lightly”—a narrative about the importance of self-expression in writing being scrubbed away by “professional” concerns—many of the characters Mondal fleshed out here are outcasts, marginalized by society and morphed into longing fanatics. The personalities depicted on You Say I Romanticize are often writerly types; as writing is, by and large, an art of obsession. To wit, “Last Man,” by equal turns musically nervous and cathartic, loosely takes after Mary Shelley’s literary work of the same name, The Last Man—a dystopian 19th Century novel written in wake of a cholera outbreak. Similarly, “My Anchoress” resonantes in its portrayal of 15th Century author Julian of Norwich—centered around her enduring Revelations of Divine Love (one of the earliest English-written works by a woman), which details her eccentric, sensuous religious visions. // Sweeping Promises have long been progenitors of concept-forward art-punk music that is remarkably immediate and irresistible. For being largely about personalities boxed in by isolation, You Say I Romanticize is carried by an outright soaring energy. —Martin Douglas ]

[On September 9 through November 18 Sweeping Promises go on a 32 City U.S. Tour that include: St. Paul, Denver, and even Omaha, but not KC. Local promoters passed, because it’s not a tribute show.]

Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy – “Come Up High”
from: Art, Luck and Architecture – EP / Til Willis / May 8, 2026
[Til Willis on vocals & guitar; Bradley McKellip on guitar; Eric Binkley on bass; and Austin Sinkler on drums. With Randy Wills on Organ on December’s Clover and East Bijou. Recorded and Mixed by Randy Wills at Exceptions Studios (Topeka, KS). All songs written by Til Willis. (c) 2026 Lemon Zephyr Music BMI. // Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy released Glass Cactus on March 27, 2025 with Til Willis on vocals, guitar, percussion, mixing, & production; Bradley McKellip om guitars & lap steel; Eric Binkley on bass, and Austin Sinkler on grums with Nate Holt on keyboards for: Ten Miles of Days, Horizon, Smells Like Honey, Recovering Sunday; Chance Dibben on Sonic Manipulations on Homecoming, Recovering Sunday, Natural Law; and Steve Faceman on backup vocals on Lost. Recorded in The Barn in Tecumseh, Kansas. Mixed in The Cabin in Ouray, Colorado, and at 1509 Recording Service in Lawrence, Kansas. // Til Willis, born in the heat of 1980, has been making music for a long time. Currently, when not performing solo, he makes noise with Erratic Cowboy. The style of music is lyric driven rock, that draws influence from many sources. Some have described it as Tin-Roof-Rain-Water-Bop. Til has had the pleasure to have performed with Pete Seeger.]

youbet – “Ground Kiss”
from: youbet / Hardly Art / May 1, 2026
[From Bandcamp page: The best teachers never stop learning. They listen closely, stay curious, and let what they discover shape how they guide others. On their new self-titled album as youbet (due May 1st 2026, via Hardly Art), longtime music educators Nick Llobet (he/they) and Micah Prussack (she/her) proudly act as both explorer and guide, sharing three-dimensional musical sculptures so confidently and esoterically their own that they couldn’t have been released under any other name but youbet. Created in motion and shaped between long stretches of touring, the album reflects a moment of ecstatic possibility and grit. Both sharpened and expansive, youbet grows from the confines of home recording and “bedroom pop” into something sturdier, louder, and unmistakably their own. // “I myself am a constant student of life, of creating,” Llobet says. “I see people’s creative anxieties because I have lived them. It’s very therapeutic because I can tell that I’m giving people strong advice based on all my failures.” Llobet relocated to New York from Denver in 2013 and forged initial connections in the local scene, while creating youbet and writing two albums, but it wasn’t until meeting Prussack in 2022 that they discovered a different level of musical connection. When the duo started playing together, they quickly realized their uniquely shared musical language and eagerness to learn from everything, connecting over a vast array of musical influence and their own practice of teaching. “Early in our friendship, Nick and I were playing guitar in the park and we decided that the Beatles were so good because they learned how to play hundreds of songs together,” Prussack says. “So we began our quest to learn 1,000 songs. Nick started compiling a massive playlist called ‘Learn Me’ filled with music that we habitually study and generate new ideas from.” // The duo began experimenting musically, and their subsequent year of touring led to a new, more refined sound. “We had a huge opportunity for reinvention,” Prussack says. “Nick will never play the chord that you expect, and is always pushing me outside of my creative box. Their compositions are so exciting to explore, and on tour we began to reconsider and transform the kernel of each song to match our new environment.” // That depth of surprise and expansive warmth radiates from album opener “Ground Kiss”, a late-night existential query written when Llobet found themselves adjusting to living alone after the end of an 11-year relationship. “The song represents an endless search for that something and the rebuilding that goes along with trial and failure,” they say. The song unites the spectrum between clouds of plucked Big Thief-esque glow and bursts of distorted frustration. To that end, youbet demonstrates Llobet and Prussack’s ability to weave beguiling musical and lyrical expression, pushing and pulling at the resulting mesh. // Developing their finely tuned fusion between complex musicality and deeply felt emotion required more than hoping inspiration would strike. Instead, the process of creating youbet involved countless hours of precise engineering, meticulous craft, and gritty dedication. The duo were consistently listening, learning, and writing. But that hard work boils down into every facet of their work, including bringing a set of dumbbells on tour so they could keep active and stay disciplined. For their part, Llobet sees the resulting album as a statement of that hard work and the opening of a new chapter. “It’s the beginning of a new era for youbet,” they say. “The band started as a sort of bedroom project for myself, but it has transformed into something expansive since working with Micah. It’s like we’re running a family business.” // The broiling “Undefined” draws from that personal soul-searching, a musical mosaic of life before and after a complicated breakup. Llobet first worked out the verses while waiting for a guitar student, a fitting backdrop for the song’s balance of wizardly art pop experimentalism and diligent power pop hookiness. Co-producers Katie Von Schleicher and Julian Fader help round out the mix, the former adding synth glisten and the latter a drum backbone hammered into place by Prussack’s bass. // The concussive “See Thru” rushes headlong through heavy alt rock chop, moments of gentler curve, and even bubbly electronics—a track Llobet notes began when they were toying with a Debussy piano part on guitar and then stamped in the harmonics and energy of Japanese hard rock band Boris. Elsewhere, “Receive” finds Llobet carving away at generational conflict, tethering propulsive bursts of guitar reverie with raw emotional vigor in the vein of Pile. “On the verse, the bass is playing variations on the vocal melody,” Prussack says. “Throughout the album, there’s unique interplay and variation that you can only get from a lot of hard work together.”// Echoing their strengths as educators, the ability to voraciously learn from a breadth of influences informs youbet—from the dizzying score to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo to dazzling flamenco—but their ability to recognize meaning beyond signposts and find connections to emotional experience pushes everything into a topographical realism. “Having respect for the canon doesn’t mean we’re ever limited by revivalism. There’s a whole universe of musical vocabulary that we can borrow from and translate into our language,” Prussack says. // That willingness to learn from the past while building the future is something tied deeply to the band’s New York City roots, with so many visionary artists having previously built new worlds within the city’s confines. “For years, I was too intimidated to step into the scene. It’s been such a breath of fresh air to build this new craft, this new philosophy of songwriting in a scene I respect and feel in community with,” says Llobet. / Compelling art requires an unimaginable burst of new life, a shift from two-dimensional ideas to viscous, sinewy reality. As much as the hard work bolsters the music, it’s truly the resounding spirit of Llobet and Prussack’s relationship at the core of youbet. “Micah has brought a lot of order to my chaotic neurodivergence,” Llobet reflects. “I consider her my musical confidant. She can be cleverly critical and extremely encouraging. She’s probably the most opinionated person I know. Together we build this musical balance.” What emerges is an album that doesn’t just break free of its former constraints, but reconfigures them into something sturdier: a collaborative language capable of holding contradiction, growth, and connection all at once.]

Yaya Bey – “Blue”
from: Fidelty / drink sum wtr / April 17, 2026
[When Queens-born Yaya Bey released her 3rd album, do it afraid, in 2025, she yearned to move past the topic of grief after feeling her work was increasingly viewed through the narrow lens of loss. That said, there was plenty to mourn, from the death of her father, the acclaimed Juice Crew MC, Grand Daddy I.U. as well as a creeping sense that a particular Black American experience, the one she grew up in, was disappearing. The week the album dropped, despite the critical acclaim, she found herself on the road in a Miami hotel room, crying uncontrollably. She wasn’t just tired, but also coming to the realization “there was no place for that grief to exist that would not become a spectacle. I had been holding it in. Maybe, to protect myself. Maybe to prove the onlookers wrong. Whatever the case, it was spilling over now.” // What Bey was pondering was “what part of that ache is specifically Black?” and clarity followed. Yaya quickly returned to the studio after last summer and crafted a new body of work, an album that works as an accomp-anying piece to do it afraid, called Fidelity, the result of that breaking point. It is a record born from a summer of reflection on what it means to be a Black artist when your grief becomes a commodity, another sob story for onlookers to feast upon. Fidelity is a bold step forward, and in this new act, Bey moves past the surface-level labels to examine what she calls the “Three Deaths”: the personal, the communal, and the loss of innocence. // The album confronts Personal Death through the passing of her father in 2022. Bey questions why the life expectancy of Black musicians is so short as we continue to lose consequential artists, only to receive their flowers too late, too far after the fact. “Why are we more interesting as ghosts?” she asks, looking at the mid-career mark where so many artists are left to die by a system that prioritizes the “shiny & new.” // On Fidelity, the social and the personal are inseparable. Bey explores the Death of Home & community, charting the displacement of native New Yorkers and the fracture of the Black diaspora. She critiques the rise of Black capitalism, or the “individualism and tribalism” that have replaced community solidarity. From the gentrifi-cation of her native Queens or Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy to the “diaspora wars” online, Bey navigates the ways we’ve been pulled apart, weaponizing our differences instead of addressing the collective ache of being “made new” in a world that demands our constant adaptation. // Finally, the record addresses the Death of Innocence—the crash back to reality for a generation raised on the empty promises of the 90s and Y2K eras. Bey reflects on the transition from the “Golden Era” of Black media to a landscape of global pandemics, state violence, and an industry that exploits and disposes of Black artists that were once held in high esteem. // The songs show-case Bey’s range as a performer from lead-off single “Blue” which opens like a breath of fresh air to the project. Yaya says: “Blue” is the first song I wrote for the album. I wrote it when I was rock bottom coming off the heels of do it afraid. When I realized I had to make a big shift mentally and emotionally or I was gonna drown. The production is really reminiscent of early 2000’s Pop/R&B like something red-haired Kelly Rowland would sing over on one of her solo projects. The nostalgia drew me to it. Almost like I’m coaching my young-er self through something. Which I guess ultimately I am.” // Equally bright & effusive, “Forty Days” glim-mers with clarity, a song with a heavy theme about a phase transfer that is unexpectedly buoyed with a Disco-Funk confidence. “There’s a belief that after a loved one dies you give them 40 days to pass over into the ancestral realm and that got me thinking about what is the time frame for the grieving to transition into a new life that is absent of the lost one’s physical presence. How do both accli-mate to new conditions of the relation-ship?” // Fellow Queens native NESTA drops in for “Egyptian Musk”, a surprise chance moment turning into a key moment in the album. “I ran into NESTA at an event the night before and invited him to a session. We had this really dreamy reggae track that sounds like something old with a fresh spin. I named it Egyptian Musk ‘cause it reminds me of the scent. Rich, sweet and comforting.” // The core of the album is indeed found in its title. For Bey, Fidelity is the ultimate Black skill. It is the ability to fall down and get back up, to be “religious-ly joyful” even while the world is on fire. It is a grand pivot away from a yearning for mainstream accessibi-lity, and toward a radical faithfulness to self and community. Fidelity is not just a foil to do it afraid; it’s a re-clamation. She puts it, the veil is lifting, the work is being done, she’s still here. Cheers to hers, & our fidelity.]

Lee Walter Redding – “It Should Be Ours” (CD #7) (4:02)
from: “It Should Be Ours” – Single / Lee Walter Redding / February 4, 2025
[Lee Walter Redding released the EP Student Loan Forgiveness Program – EP on July 18, 2025. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2025. // Lee Walter Redding released the single “All My Text Messages Are Verification Codes” on July 11, 2025. Lee Walter Redding released the single “It Should Be Ours” on February 24, 2025. // On July 15, 2022 Lee Walter Redding released the EP live From The Argyle Wallpaper. Lee Walter Redding on vocals, guitar; Justin Rogers on bass; Andy Kirk on guitar/synth and Justin Skinner on drums. // Lee Walter Redding released “Elephant Man (feat. Stephonne)” on April 9, 2021. Lee told us that he learned about Stephonne Singleton from listening to Wednesday MidDay Medley and hearing Stephonne for the first time. WMM bringing musical collaborations together since 2004. // Kansas City based Lee Walter Redding was raised on 60s rock, steeped in 90s Britpop ennui, and guided by contemporary neo-soul, Lee Walter Redding weaves dry humor into vibrant sonic textures that sway from wistful to chaotic. Think 2010s Nick Lowe fronting The Velvet Underground. On warped vinyl. More info at: http://www.leewalterredding.bandcamp.com] [Lee Walter Redding was our guest on WMM on July 13, 2022]

10:24 – Underwriting

Black Light Animals – “sleeptalking”
from: LAST CALL FOR LOVE SONGS / The Record Machine / March 28, 2025
[Black Light Animals are: Cole Bales on lead vocals, background vocals, guitar, keyboards; Cody Calhoun on lead guitar & percussion; Branden Moser on bass, guitar, keyboards, drums & percussion; and Alex Hartmann on drums & percussion. All songs written and produced by Black Light Animals. Lyrics by Cole Bales, Cody Calhoun, Branden Moser. Mixed and engineered by Cole Bales. Mastered by Adam Boose. Featuring Nate Hubert on keyboards & background vocals; spoken word intro and outro by Jass. Seyko Groves & Paula Saunders on additional background vocals and vocal arrangements. Brett Jackson on saxophone. Recorded at Groove King Studios in KCMO. // Formed from the ashes of their last band, Instant Karma the new record contains lush pop vocals crooned over spaghetti western riffs, psychedelic synth, and hip hop drums. Playboys of the Western World is a sprawling, decadent examination of what it means to be a human being through the lens of horror movie organs, spaghetti western guitars, hip hop grooves, psychedelic sojourns, and ballads crooned to lovers in the night. More info at: http://www.blacklightanimalsband.bandcamp.com]

Be/Non – “Over The Moon”
rom: A Valley of No: The Alternative A Mountain of Yeses / Haymaker Records / Apr. 8, 2020
[Originally released May 12, 2009, A Mountain of Yeses was made by: Brodie Rush on vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards; Ben Ruth on bass guitar; Ryan Shank on drums & percussion, and Jeremiah James on guitar, Moog & Vocals. Brodie writes: “This album is a journey into the sculpting process of creating “A Mountain of Yeses”. In contrast to the original release, this compilation contains alternate mixes, isolated tracks and demo versions. Be/Non presents a bizarro-like version of the AMOY album, showing an alternate universe what could have been if the creation of the album went on a divergent path. Behold the paradoxical serendipity of Be/Non’s unique take on constructing a space-themed story/album.]

Pink Floyd – “The Great Gig In The Sky”
from: The Dark Side of the Moon / Capitol / March 1, 1973
[Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals) and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals), with David Gilmour (guitar, vocals). The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released March 1, 1973 by Capitol Records in the US, and March 16, 1973 by Harvest Records in the UK. Developed during live performances before recording began, it was conceived as a concept album that would focus on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and also deal with the mental health problems of former band member Syd Barrett, who had departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. // The group employed multitrack recording, tape loops, and analogue synthesisers, including experimentation. The engineer Alan Parsons was responsible for many aspects of the recording, and for the recruitment of the session singer Clare Torry, who appears on “The Great Gig in the Sky”. // The Dark Side of the Moon explores themes such as conflict, greed, time, death, and mental illness. Snippets from interviews with the band’s road crew and others are featured alongside philosophical quotations. The sleeve, which depicts a prismatic spectrum, was designed by Storm Thorgerson in response to the keyboardist Richard Wright’s request for a “simple and bold” design which would represent the band’s lighting and the album’s themes. // The Dark Side of the Moon has received widespread critical acclaim and is often featured in publication listings of the greatest albums of all time. It brought international fame and wealth to all four band members. As a blockbuster release of the album era, it also propelled record sales throughout the music industry during the 1970s. The Dark Side of the Moon is certified 14× platinum in the United Kingdom, and topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, where it has charted for 996 weeks. By 2013, The Dark Side of the Moon had sold over 45 million copies worldwide, making it the band’s best-selling release, the best-selling album of the 1970s, and the fourth-best-selling album in history. In 2012, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. // Waters conceived an album that dealt with things that “make people mad”, focusing on the pressures associated with the band’s arduous lifestyle, and dealing with the mental health problems suffered by the former band member Syd Barrett. // The band approved of Waters’ concept for an album unified by a single theme. Waters created demo tracks in a small studio in a garden shed at his home in Islington. Parts of the album were taken from previously unused material; the opening line of “Breathe” came from an earlier work by Waters and Ron Geesin, written for the soundtrack of The Body, and the basic structure of “Us and Them” was borrowed from an original composition, “The Violent Sequence”, by the keyboardist, Richard Wright, for Zabriskie Point. The band rehearsed at a warehouse in London owned by the Rolling Stones and at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, London. They also purchased extra equipment, which included new speakers, a PA system, a 28-track mixing desk with a four channel quadraphonic output, and a custom-built lighting rig. Nine tonnes of kit was transported in three lorries. This would be the first time the band had taken an entire album on tour. // The album had been given the provisional title of Dark Side of the Moon (an allusion to lunacy, rather than astronomy). // Pink Floyd’s lengthy tour through Europe and North America gave them the opportunity to make improvements to the scale and quality of their performances. After more concerts in Europe and North America, the band returned to London on January 9, 1973 to complete the album. // Each side of the vinyl album is a continuous piece of music. The five tracks on each side reflect various stages of human life, beginning and ending with a heartbeat, exploring the nature of the human experience and, according to Waters, “empathy”. “Speak to Me” and “Breathe” together highlight the mundane and futile elements of life that accompany the ever-present threat of madness, and the importance of living one’s own life – “Don’t be afraid to care”. By shifting the scene to an airport, the synthesiser-driven instrumental “On the Run” evokes the stress and anxiety of modern travel, in particular Wright’s fear of flying. “Time” examines the manner in which its passage can control one’s life and offers a stark warning to those who remain focused on mundane pursuits; it is concluded with a retreat into solitude and withdrawal in the reprise of “Breathe”. The first side of the album ends with Wright and Clare Torry’s soulful metaphor for death, “The Great Gig in the Sky”. // “Money”, the first track on side two, opens with the sound of cash registers and rhythmically jingling coins. The song mocks greed and consumerism with sarcastic lyrics and cash-related sound effects. “Money” became the band’s most commercially successful track and was covered by other artists. “Us and Them” addresses the senseless nature of war, the ignorance of modern-day humans who have been taken over by materialism, and the isolation of the depressed with the use of simple dichotomies to describe personal relationships. “Any Colour You Like” tackles the illusion of choice one has in society. “Brain Damage” looks at mental illness resulting from the elevation of fame and success above the needs of the self; in particular, the line “and if the band you’re in starts playing different tunes” reflects the mental breakdown of Syd Barrett. The album ends with “Eclipse”, which espouses the concepts of otherness and unity while encouraging the listener to recognise the common traits shared by humanity. // The Dark Side of the Moon was recorded at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in approximately 60 days between May 31, 1972 and February 9, 1973. Pink Floyd were assigned staff engineer Alan Parsons, who had worked as the assistant tape operator on their fifth album, Atom Heart Mother (1970), and had gained experience as a recording engineer on the Beatles albums Abbey Road and Let It Be. // The Dark Side of the Moon sessions made use of advanced studio techniques, especially the Studer A80 16-track recorders, an appreciable advantage over the eight- or four-track recordings they’d previously made, although the band often used so many tracks that second-generation copies were still needed to make more space available on the tape. The mix supervisor Chris Thomas recalled later, “There were only two or three tracks of drums when we came to mixing it. Depending on the song, there would be one or two tracks of guitar, and these would include the solo and the rhythm guitar parts. One track for keyboard, one track for bass, and one or two sound effects tracks. They had been very, very efficient in the way they’d worked.” // “The Great Gig in the Sky” features Richard Wright’s piano composition accompanied by improvised vocals from Clare Torry, a session singer and songwriter and a regular at Abbey Road. Parsons liked her voice, and when the band decided to use a female vocalist he suggested that she could sing on the track. The band explained the album concept to her, but they were unable to tell her exactly what she should do, and Gilmour, who was in charge of the session, asked her to try to express emotions rather than sing words. In a few takes on a Sunday night, Torry improvised a wordless melody to accompany Wright’s emotive piano solo. She was initially embarrassed by her exuberance in the recording booth and wanted to apologize to the band, who were impressed with her performance but did not tell her so. Her takes were edited to produce the version used on the track. She left the studio under the impression that her vocals would not make the final cut, and she only became aware that she had been included in the final mix when she picked up the album at a local record store and saw her name in the credits. For her contribution she was paid her standard session fee of £30, equivalent to about £360 in 2025. // In 2004, Torry sued EMI and Pink Floyd for 50% of the songwriting royalties, arguing that her contribution to “The Great Gig in the Sky” was substantial enough to be considered co-authorship. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, with all post-2005 pressings crediting Wright and Torry jointly. // The Dark Side of the Moon became one of the best-selling albums of all time and is in the top 25 of a list of best-selling albums in the United States. Although it held the number one spot in the US for only a week, on the week of May 5, 2006 The Dark Side of the Moon achieved a combined total of 1,716 weeks on the Billboard 200 and Pop Catalog charts. // In 2007, one in every 14 people in the US under the age of 50 was estimated to have owned a copy.]

Nate Hubert, Liam Sumnich, Cody Calhoun, Tim Jenkins, and Brodie Rush

10:36 – Interview with Brodie Rush, Cody Calhoun, Liam Sumnich, Nate Hubert, and Tim Jenkins

Brodie Rush is a musician, songwriter, band leader, graphic artist, actor, father and survivor. He has served as the Director of Animation & Motion Graphics at Crush Media. He is the creative genius behind Be/Non, a Kansas City band that has been making music for over 25 years. In October 2019, Brodie Rush survived having an Aortic Dissection, and after being in a coma, and after months of therapy, recovery, and healing through two dangerous years of Covid-19, Brodie returned to the studio to create new music and bring Be/Non back to life on stage, after a six year hiatus. Brodie Rush is considered a musical genius from his musical peers, including Haymaker Records Founder – Brenton Cook and many area music radio DJs. Be/Non has continued to move the boundaries of music and performance with special live shows at the Scottish Rite Temple, creating film and video to be presented wit h lie concerts, opening for Thomas Dolby. In the summer of 2008 Brodie was part of a Kansas City Theatre production of Pink Floyd’s The Wall, produced at at the former La Esquina Gallery, where Brodie played the “psychologically disintegrating” character of Pink, the role Bob Geldof played in the 1982 Alan Parker film version

We came to know Cody Calhoun as lead guitarist for the Kansas City based band Instant Karma. Cody immediately charmed our radio listeners with his clever sense of humor, and impecable musical taste. When Instant Karma went through their identity shift and became Black Light Animals we all followed awith Cole Bales, Branden Moser. And now Nate Hubert and Liam Sumnicht . The band members have recorded and performed lives with fantastic collaborations with Jass, Seyko Groves, Paula Saunders and others. Through their own Groove King Studios in KCMO. // Black Light Animals debut album, Playboys of the Western World was their own sprawling, decadent examination of what it means to be a human being through the lens of horror movie, organs, spaghetti western guitars, hip hop grooves, psychedelic sojourns, and ballads crooned to lovers in the night. Last year Black Light Animals released LAST CALL FOR LOVE SONGS on The Record Machine on March 28, 2025. It was in the Top Ten of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2025.

Also with us are: Liam Sumnicht (Black Light Animals, Not A Planet), Nate Hubert (Black Light Animals), and Tim Jenkins (Ramona Clay).

These guys join us to share details about An Evening of Pink Floyd, Friday, May 29, doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm, at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway, KCMO. The night will feature, The Dark Side of the Moon, performed in its entirety along with many more of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits and deep cuts. The band features some of Kansas City’s finest Rock, Soul, and Psychedelic musicians: Brodie Rush (Be/Non), Cody Calhoun (Black Light Animals), Liam Sumnicht (Black Light Animals, Not A Planet), Nate Hubert (Black Light Animals), SEYKO (The Freedom Affair and SUNU), and Tim Jenkins (Ramona Clay). With special guest performances by Aryana Nemanti and Michael Tipton (Found A Job, Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels) among others! For more information you can visit: https://warehouseonbroadway.com/

Brodie Rush, Cody Calhoun, Liam Sumnich, Nate Hubert, and Tim Jenkins thank you for being with us on WMM. An Evening of Pink Floyd, Friday, May 29, doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm, at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway, KCMO.

The night will feature, The Dark Side of the Moon, performed in its entirety along with many more of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits and deep cuts.

Pink Floyd:
Nick Mason (drums)
Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals)
Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals),
David Gilmour (guitar, vocals).

The band features some of Kansas City’s finest Rock, Soul, and Psychedelic musicians:
Brodie Rush (Be/Non) – bass & Vocals
Cody Calhoun (Black Light Animals) – Guitar
Liam Sumnicht (Black Light Animals, Not A Planet) – Drums & vocals
Nate Hubert (Black Light Animals) – Keyboards & Vocals
SEYKO (The Freedom Affair and SUNU) – Vocals
Tim Jenkins (Ramona Clay) – Guitar

With special guest performances by Aryana Nemanti and Michael Tipton (Found A Job, Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels) among others!

For more information you can visit: https://warehouseonbroadway.com/

The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released March 1, 1973 by Capitol Records in the US, and March 16, 1973 by Harvest Records in the UK.

Developed during live performances before recording began, it was conceived as a concept album that would focus on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and also deal with the mental health problems of former band member Syd Barrett, who had departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. The group employed multitrack recording, tape loops, and analogue synthesizers, including experimentation.

The engineer Alan Parsons was responsible for many aspects of the recording, and for the recruitment of the session singer Clare Torry, who appears on “The Great Gig in the Sky”.

The Dark Side of the Moon explores themes such as conflict, greed, time, death, and mental illness. Snippets from interviews with the band’s road crew and others are featured alongside philosophical quotations.

10:46

Pink Floyd – “Breathe (In the Air)”
from: The Dark Side of the Moon / Capitol / March 1, 1973
[Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals) and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals), with David Gilmour (guitar, vocals). The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released March 1, 1973 by Capitol Records in the US, and March 16, 1973 by Harvest Records in the UK. Developed during live performances before recording began, it was conceived as a concept album that would focus on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and also deal with the mental health problems of former band member Syd Barrett, who had departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road) in London.]

10:49 – More Interview with Brodie Rush, Cody Calhoun, Liam Sumnich, Nate Hubert, Tim Jenkins

Brodie Rush & Cody Calhoun & Company join us to share details about An Evening of Pink Floyd, Friday, May 29, doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm, at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway, KCMO. The night will feature, The Dark Side of the Moon, performed in its entirety along with many more of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits and deep cuts. The band features some of Kansas City’s finest Rock, Soul, and Psychedelic musicians: Brodie Rush (Be/Non), Cody Calhoun (Black Light Animals), Liam Sumnicht (Black Light Animals, Not A Planet), Nate Hubert (Black Light Animals), SEYKO (The Freedom Affair and SUNU), and Tim Jenkins (Ramona Clay). With special guest performances by Aryana Nemanti and Michael Tipton (Found A Job, Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels) among others! For more information you can visit: https://warehouseonbroadway.com/

Brodie Rush & Cody Calhoun, thank you for being with us on WMM

The sleeve, which depicts a prismatic spectrum, was designed by Storm Thorgerson in response to the keyboardist Richard Wright’s request for a “simple and bold” design which would represent the band’s lighting and the album’s themes.

The Dark Side of the Moon has received widespread critical acclaim and is often featured in publication listings of the greatest albums of all time. It brought international fame and wealth to all four band members. As a blockbuster release of the album era, it also propelled record sales throughout the music industry during the 1970s.

The Dark Side of the Moon is certified 14× platinum in the United Kingdom, and topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, where it has charted for 996 weeks.

By 2013, The Dark Side of the Moon had sold over 45 million copies worldwide, making it the band’s best-selling release, the best-selling album of the 1970s, and the fourth-best-selling album in history.

In 2012, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

An Evening of Pink Floyd, Friday, May 29, doors at 8:00pm, at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway, KCMO. The night will feature, The Dark Side of the Moon, performed in its entirety along with many more of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits and deep cuts. The band features some of Kansas City’s finest Rock, Soul, and Psychedelic musicians: Brodie Rush (Be/Non), Cody Calhoun (Black Light Animals), Liam Sumnicht (Black Light Animals, Not A Planet), Nate Hubert (Black Light Animals), SEYKO (The Freedom Affair and SUNU), and Tim Jenkins (Ramona Clay). With special guest performances by Aryana Nemanti and Michael Tipton (Found A Job, Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels) among others! For more information you can visit: https://warehouseonbroadway.com/

Brodie Rush, Cody Calhoun, Liam Sumnich, Nate Hubert, Tim Jenkins thank you for being with us on WMM – An Evening of Pink Floyd, Friday, May 29, doors at 7:00pm, show at 8:00pm, at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway, KCMO. For info you can visit: https://warehouseonbroadway.com/

10:58

Pink Floyd – “Eclipse”
rom: The Dark Side of the Moon / Capitol / March 1, 1973
[Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar, vocals) and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals), with David Gilmour (guitar, vocals). The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released March 1, 1973 by Capitol Records in the US, and March 16, 1973 by Harvest Records in the UK. Developed during live performances before recording began, it was conceived as a concept album that would focus on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and also deal with the mental health problems of former band member Syd Barrett, who had departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road) in London.

Be/Non – “Journey”
from: A Valley of No: The Alternative A Mountain of Yeses / Haymaker Records / Apr. 8, 2020
[Originally released May 12, 2009, A Mountain of Yeses was made by: Brodie Rush on vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards; Ben Ruth on bass guitar; Ryan Shank on drums & percussion, and Jeremiah James on guitar, Moog & Vocals. Brodie writes: “This album is a journey into the sculpting process of creating “A Mountain of Yeses”. In contrast to the original release, this compilation contains alternate mixes, isolated tracks and demo versions. Be/Non presents a bizarro-like version of the AMOY album, showing an alternate universe what could have been if the creation of the album went on a divergent path. Behold the paradoxical serendipity of Be/Non’s unique take on constructing a space-themed story/album.]

11:00 – Station ID

FlareThaRebel – “Dear City”
from: Dear City / Shafer Publishing / May 1, 2026
[Amplifying the tension between having love for one’s city while not dismissing its inequities, Dear City is a lyrical reflection of truth-telling and hometown pride. The album highlights commonalities experienced by many urbanites regardless of where they call home.  // In the weeks leading up to the album release concert, Flare has been releasing music video reels on social media featuring snippets of the new songs from Dear City. Filmed by Flaming Heart Productions, each reel features only the first verse or at most the first verse and chorus of each song, giving fans a taste of what’s to come and building hype for the album’s release. // Elevating the concoction further, Flare collaborated with bar owner, Bryan Ari, to film the music video reel of “Mixology” at Fern Bar. Flare turned the filming into a “fishbowl experience” inviting guests to watch him create the reel live while sipping cocktails of their own. Flare landed the scene, which involved rapping while mixing a cocktail and flaming an orange rind a precise moment within the song’s verse. The outcome? Confidently smooth – after about six takes and some hands-on coaching from Bryan Ari.// Career and love brought hip-hop MC Flare Tha Rebel™ back to his hometown of Kansas City, MO, which sparked a creative renaissance. As The Pitch noted, “As a member of hip-hop collective Anti-Crew, Flare Tha Rebel made quite an impact on the Kansas City hip-hop scene. After making the leap from KC to Chicago in the late ’00s, he’s now back…” His homecoming has proved fruitful – his track “Playground” was voted the Number 1 Song of 2022 by listeners of 90.9 FM The Bridge. Throughout his career, Flare has shared stages with heavyweights including Chance The Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. His most recent release is the locally acclaimed EP, “Summer You, Summer Me”, followed by his feature on the Kemet Coleman song “Android”. // Flare Tha Rebel aka Jeff Shafer is Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This was the job that brought Jeff back to KC, where he became Executive Director. ]

[FlareThaRebel plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 1:00pm at The Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd., KCMO with\Kadesh Flow and True Lions.]

11:02:30 – Interview with FlareThaRebel

FlareThaRebel returns to Wednesday MidDay Medley to share details about his new, epic full length album, DEAR CITY that was released May 1, 2026. Dear City is an incredible testimony of life as an artist in Kansas City making Hip Hop music. Dear City features 12 tracks with guest appearances from Jazlyn, Kemet Coleman, Ryan Marquez, Edie Moore, Kadesh Flow, The Epitome, The Royal Chief, Shay Lyriq, Joey Cool, and Paula Sunders, Shon Ruffin and SEYKO of The Freedom Affair. FlareThaRebel has just returned from special performance in Ireland with Kemet Coleman and Kadesh Flow. FlareThaRebel plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8, on Saturday, May 30 at 1:00pm at The Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd, KCMO, with Kadesh Flow and True Lions. FlareThaRebel is also known as Jeff Shafer who serves as Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This was the job that brought Jeff back to KC. More info at: http://www.cityyear.org

FlareThaRebel, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

FlareThaRebel has just returned from special performance in Ireland with Kemet Coleman and Kadesh Flow.

FlareThaRebel plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8, on Saturday, May 30 at 1:00pm at The Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd, KCMO, with Kadesh Flow and True Lions.

DEAR CITY that was released May 1, 2026. Dear City is an incredible testimony of life as an artist in Kansas City making Hip Hop music. Dear City features 12 tracks with guest appearances from Jazlyn, Kemet Coleman, Ryan Marquez, Edie Moore, Kadesh Flow, The Epitome, The Royal Chief, Shay Lyriq, Joey Cool, and Paula Sunders, Shon Ruffin and SEYKO of The Freedom Affai

Career and love brought hip-hop MC FlareThaRebel back to his hometown of Kansas City, MO, which sparked a creative renaissance. As The Pitch noted, “As a member of hip-hop collective Anti-Crew, FlareThaRebel made quite an impact on the KC hip-hop scene.

After making the leap from KC to Chicago in the late ’00s, he’s now back…” His homecoming has proved fruitful – his track “Playground” was voted the Number 1 Song of 2022 by listeners of 90.9 FM The Bridge. Throughout his career, Flare has shared stages with heavyweights including Chance The Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. His most recent release is the locally acclaimed EP, “Summer You, Summer Me”, followed by his feature on the Kemet Coleman song “Android”.

FlareThaRebel last joined us on WMM on February 11, 20926 to talk about Music Maker Mondays presented by Manor Records Foundation, & Brewery Emperial on the First Monday of every month, 5:00pm-7:00pm (through August) at Brewery Emperial, 1829 Oak St. KCMO, to provide local music makers of all types – any genre, a laid-back, non-gig environment to connect, organize, and build community through a new monthly happy hour occurring on the first Monday of each month.

Flare Tha Rebel aka Jeff Shafer is Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This job brought Jeff back to KC, where he became Executive Director.

11:11

FlareThaRebel – “A City Called Killah (Remix)”
from: Dear City / Shafer Publishing / May 1, 2026
[Amplifying the tension between having love for one’s city while not dismissing its inequities, Dear City is a lyrical reflection of truth-telling and hometown pride. The album highlights commonalities experienced by many urbanites regardless of where they call home.  // In the weeks leading up to the album release concert, Flare has been releasing music video reels on social media featuring snippets of the new songs from Dear City. Filmed by Flaming Heart Productions, each reel features only the first verse or at most the first verse and chorus of each song, giving fans a taste of what’s to come and building hype for the album’s release. // Elevating the concoction further, Flare collaborated with bar owner, Bryan Ari, to film the music video reel of “Mixology” at Fern Bar. Flare turned the filming into a “fishbowl experience” inviting guests to watch him create the reel live while sipping cocktails of their own. Flare landed the scene, which involved rapping while mixing a cocktail and flaming an orange rind a precise moment within the song’s verse. The outcome? Confidently smooth – after about six takes and some hands-on coaching from Bryan Ari.// Career and love brought hip-hop MC Flare Tha Rebel™ back to his hometown of Kansas City, MO, which sparked a creative renaissance. As The Pitch noted, “As a member of hip-hop collective Anti-Crew, Flare Tha Rebel made quite an impact on the Kansas City hip-hop scene. After making the leap from KC to Chicago in the late ’00s, he’s now back…” His homecoming has proved fruitful – his track “Playground” was voted the Number 1 Song of 2022 by listeners of 90.9 FM The Bridge. Throughout his career, Flare has shared stages with heavyweights including Chance The Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. His most recent release is the locally acclaimed EP, “Summer You, Summer Me”, followed by his feature on the Kemet Coleman song “Android”. // Flare Tha Rebel aka Jeff Shafer is Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This was the job that brought Jeff back to KC, where he became Executive Director. ]

[FlareThaRebel plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 1:00pm at The Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd., KCMO with\Kadesh Flow and True Lions.]

11:14 – More Interview with FlareThaRebel

FlareThaRebel, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Flare has shared stages with heavyweights including Chance The Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. His most recent release is the locally acclaimed EP, “Summer You, Summer Me”, followed by his feature on the Kemet Coleman song “Android”. FlareThaRebel is also known as Jeff Shafer who serves as Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This was the job that brought Jeff back to KC. More info at: http://www.cityyear.org

The DEAR CITY album was connected to DEAR CITY Reels – filmed by Lava Dreams, Directed by FlareThaRebel. Each Reel showcases verses and chorus of songs from DEAR CITY album.

Jeff Shafer is Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate.

FlareTheRebel wants to encourage Kansas City to form a music office of MUSIC OFFICE AND MEETING IN OCTOBER WITH DALLAS MUSIC OFFICE

Flare’s brother Sike is known for his pristine community murals’s located all over Kansas City. Sike’s time at Recycled Sounds was memorable for Jeff as a young kid and as he developed into a DJ and graphic designer and got heavily into the scene with The Guild, CES Cru, Sounds Good, Brother of Moses, etc. This influenced Jeff and Anti-Crew to start releasing music and performing as well.

Many of Flare’s songs are connected to his Art to Empower initiative, raising awareness and funds for a variety of social justice causes and nonprofits, such as his Royalty EP poster designed by muralists JT Daniels, which raises funds for the Equal Justice Initiative. Flare’s Art to Empower initiative, and about merchandise that was designed by your brother muralist Sike Style to raise funds and awareness for BLOC (Brothers Liberating our Communities).

As Flare explains, in our country Black men are being mistreated, demonized, killed, and not given the same structures that they need to be successful.

Flare writes: “We have to pull together ourselves as a community,… that’s something that I’m very passionate about. I can’t just talk about it. I got to walk the walk and, if I can use art to promote and raise funds for nonprofits and social justice causes that are making difference on the front lines, then that’s what I want to do.”

“You can’t do this without being empathetic, in my opinion,” Flare concurs. “I might be bringing up topics that are hard for people to swallow, but I hope I do so in a way that’s still motivating. Music is supposed to make you feel an emotion and hopefully, the emotion that people feel from this music is motivation to make a change, to make a stand, or–at the very least–to educate themselves about the realities of our country.”

“I’m motivated by my ancestors,” states Flare emphatically. “I’m motivated by the revolutionaries and civil rights activists that have come before me and I’m motivated by the ones that exist today. I’m learning from them and when I’m creating art, I’m interweaving what I’ve learned from them into what I’m addressing. It was a way to create a lyrical pro-Black narrative that I felt was very relevant.”

Flare Tha Rebel & Bob Pulliam joined us live in our 90.1 FM studios on August 11, 2021. the year his EP, THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE HASHTAGGED, was released (on July 9, 2021). This was the 50th anniversary of Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”

FlareThaRebel thanks for being with us on WMM

FlareThaRebel hosts Music Maker Mondays presented by Manor Records Foundation, & Brewery Emperial on the First Monday of every month, 5:00pm-7:00pm (through August) at Brewery Emperial, 1829 Oak St. KCMO, to provide local music makers of all types – any genre, a laid-back, non-gig environment to connect, organize, and build community through a new monthly happy hour occurring on the first Monday of each month

11:22

Kansas City, MO USA – November 02, 2024: Flare Tha Rebel Plays APOCALYPSE MEOW 17 at recordBar

FlareThaRebel – “Powder Blue”
from: Dear City / Shafer Publishing / May 1, 2026
[Amplifying the tension between having love for one’s city while not dismissing its inequities, Dear City is a lyrical reflection of truth-telling and hometown pride. The album highlights commonalities experienced by many urbanites regardless of where they call home.  // In the weeks leading up to the album release concert, Flare has been releasing music video reels on social media featuring snippets of the new songs from Dear City. Filmed by Flaming Heart Productions, each reel features only the first verse or at most the first verse and chorus of each song, giving fans a taste of what’s to come and building hype for the album’s release. // Elevating the concoction further, Flare collaborated with bar owner, Bryan Ari, to film the music video reel of “Mixology” at Fern Bar. Flare turned the filming into a “fishbowl experience” inviting guests to watch him create the reel live while sipping cocktails of their own. Flare landed the scene, which involved rapping while mixing a cocktail and flaming an orange rind a precise moment within the song’s verse. The outcome? Confidently smooth – after about six takes and some hands-on coaching from Bryan Ari.// Career and love brought hip-hop MC Flare Tha Rebel™ back to his hometown of Kansas City, MO, which sparked a creative renaissance. As The Pitch noted, “As a member of hip-hop collective Anti-Crew, Flare Tha Rebel made quite an impact on the Kansas City hip-hop scene. After making the leap from KC to Chicago in the late ’00s, he’s now back…” His homecoming has proved fruitful – his track “Playground” was voted the Number 1 Song of 2022 by listeners of 90.9 FM The Bridge. Throughout his career, Flare has shared stages with heavyweights including Chance The Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. His most recent release is the locally acclaimed EP, “Summer You, Summer Me”, followed by his feature on the Kemet Coleman song “Android”. // Flare Tha Rebel aka Jeff Shafer is Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This was the job that brought Jeff back to KC, where he became Executive Director. ]

[FlareThaRebel plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 1:00pm at The Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd., KCMO with\Kadesh Flow and True Lions.]

11:28 – Underwriting

Margaret Cho – “Lucky Gift”
from: Lucky Gift / Clownery Records / February 14, 2025
[Margaret Cho’s 3rd music album. She released In Transistion in 2013, and American Myth in 2016. // Produced and co-written with Garrison Starr and Roger Rocha. Acoustic Guitar Garrison Starr and Margaret Cho. Backround Vocals Kate Willett. // Stef Rubino, Feb 18, 2025, http://www.autostraddle.com – In her over 30-year queer career, Margaret Cho has managed to leave her mark on just about every mainstream creative endeavor we have available to us as artists. Since beginning her career as a stand-up comedian in the early 1990s, Cho has grown to be one of our most prolific multi-hyphenate artists, constantly working across genres and willing to share her creative pursuits with her fans and the general public. Over the last 30 years, she’s gone on several comedy tours and recorded many comedy specials and albums; she’s been in films and on TV; she’s co-produced podcasts, written books, and recorded and written her own music. She has also collaborated with other musicians like Fiona Apple, Grant Lee Phillips, Ben Lee, Andrew Bird, Ani DiFranco, Tegan and Sara, and Patty Griffin. // Her first two albums of original songs, Cho Dependent and American Myth, were released to critical acclaim in 2010 and 2016 with the former earning her a Grammy nomination in 2011 for Best Comedy Album. Both of those albums featured Cho’s signature style of finding ways to laugh at the more traumatizing aspects of her life while also finding new phenomena to poke fun at and lambast a little, hence being labelled as musical comedy albums. After a nearly nine year hiatus from music production, she released her newest album Lucky Gift last week on Valentine’s Day. // Cho, a self-proclaimed music lover, collaborated with musicians Roger Rocha and Garrison Starr to both write most of the tracks and produce and compose the album, which is less comedia than the previous two albums and more of an interesting examination of the last few years of Cho’s life, her personal losses, the political atmosphere in the U.S., and the kinds of music that move her the most. // The album’s opening title track, “Lucky Gift,” is undoubtedly the biggest song on the record in terms of composition and the places Cho has to take her voice in order to match the power-pop energy of the fast-paced drums, stomping electric acoustic guitar and double-neck mandolin, and celebratory background harmonies. Although the song is brand new, its structure, rises and falls, and ever-present tambourine feel especially reminiscent of late-1990s and early-2000s pop hits. In it, Cho sings to her lover, “Thought I’d lose you but I haven’t / The worst thing I been through never happened / I could look at you and live / You are such a lucky gift.” // Then, in what feels like one of the hallmark qualities of Cho’s sense of humor, just a few songs later, we get this one’s companion in “90s Sisyphus,” a song about breaking up with the lover in “Lucky Gift.” The composition of “90s Sisyphus” feels equally nostalgic, only its led by the fuzzy power chords of an electric guitar and punchy drums with a jangly, gleaming synthesizer just above it, all rounding out the late-1990s rom-com feel of the song. Whereas “Lucky Gift” was an ode to new love, “90s Sisyphus” gives us her feelings after the fall: “You got me so unbound / And I hate you now / Love’s most bitter refrain / Spit it up and taste it again.” / Two tracks on the album, “Funny Man” and “Baked Bread,” serve as informal eulogies for two of Cho’s friends who passed away since the recording and release of her last album. The first, “Funny Man,” is a crisp, percussive piano- and horn-section-driven track about the late, great Robin Williams and the difficulty of being the kind of comedian who uses humor as a coping mechanism for the trauma they’ve experienced, Cho singing at the chorus, “Weren’t we lonely / Weren’t we sad / Weren’t we beautiful / Weren’t we bad.” “Baked Bread” was written to honor Cho’s friend Gerri Lawlor, and its composition plays with the conventions of both pop-rock and country through its thumping bassline and twangy guitar hooks. This song is not quite as straightforward as “Funny Man” is. Instead, it is imbued in metaphor and what seems like very personal recollections of Cho’s life with Lawlor. That doesn’t make it difficult to listen to by any means, but it does feel a little less accessible than many of the other tracks on the album. // Another pair of tracks, “Wheels of Gold” and “Melinda,” address Cho’s 10-year struggle to finally get sober from opiate addiction, though the positionalities of the speaker on both of the tracks are completely different, with “Wheels of Gold” focusing on the feelings of being “in love” with drugs while “Melinda” sets its sights on the experience of recovery. The compositions of each track also help set the tone for their speakers: “Wheels of Gold” rivals that of “Lucky Gift” with the soaring orchestral swell of the electric organ leading the track whereas “Melinda” is much more lowkey, instead featuring slow, glassy acoustic guitars and some subtlely emotive violin. // Being that the long-out Cho has always fearlessly and publicly stood up for queer and trans people, it’s no surprise there’s a track on the album written specifically for queer and trans youth and dedicated to Nex Benedict. Through brightly composed acoustic guitars and glittering keyboards, Cho delivers an uncomplicated anthem for queer and trans youth reminding them that they’re free to be who they are even if the world tells them they’re wrong. Cho sings, “All I know is I’ve had enough / So I’m sending this message up / And you can be you / You can be you / You can be you / And that’s what’s true.” In a recent interview about the album, Cho said “You Can Be You” is one of her favorite tracks on the album explaining that “it’s an opportunity to establish a ‘queer elder’ understanding and a relationship to the younger community.” // While her first two music albums take the opportunity to incorporate more of Cho’s humor, Lucky Gift is an album of serious writing and musical composition that occasionally has some glimmers of Cho’s humor poking through. Although it is starkly different from a lot of the work she’s done, the album serves as yet another example of Cho’s talent. Where many artists this far into their careers might feel comfortable resting on the signatures and routines they’ve built, Cho proves once again that she’s consistently and successfully evolving, not just to keep up with the times but to show how vital it is to keep uncovering new parts of yourself as time goes on. In that way, Lucky Gift is just helping us get to know Cho in a completely different way than we’re used to and is a fun, welcome addition to Cho’s incredible repertoire.

[Margaret Cho brings her new show, “Choligarchy” to The Folly Theater, 300 West 12th, KCMO, on Saturday, June 16, at 7:30pm. ]

11:33 – Interview with Margaret Cho

Comedian. Actor. Musician. Advocate. Entrepreneur. Artist. Margaret Cho is smart, she’s funny, she’s courageous, she’s outrageous, she’s charming, she’s provocative, she’s fearless, she’s raw, she’s honest, she roots for the underdog. She is the underdog. Margaret Cho the five-time Grammy and Emmy nominated comedian-actress was recently included in VOGUE Magazine’s “9 best female comedians of all-time’ alongside Joan Rivers, Gilda Radner and Wanda Sykes. Margaret Cho is the author of two memoirs, has done 12 national comedy tours including “True Colors” with Cyndi Lauper. Margaret has been in 48 films, including Fire Island, a portrayal of the LGBTQ Asian American experience on Fire Island. She has been in 72 television shows, including 19 episodes of All American Girl, 72 episodes of Drop Dead Diva, 21 episodes of Fashion Police with Joan Rivers, and 3 episodes of 30 Rock, where her portrayal of Kim Jong II was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Margaret Cho has also created 8 television comedy specials, recorded 9 comedy albums, 3 full length musical albums, 11 musical singles and 23 music videos. Margaret Cho was the recipient of the Victory Fund’s Leadership Award, the first-ever Best Comedy Performance Award at the Asian Excellence Awards, the First Amendment Award from the ACLU of Southern California, and the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women (NOW). She has been honored by GLAAD, American Women in Radio and Television, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force(NGLTF), the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), PFLAG, She Rocks Awards and LA Pride.

Margaret Cho brings her new “blistering and brutally honest” show, “Choligarchy” to The Folly Theater, 300 West 12th, KCMO, on Saturday, June 16, at 7:30pm. For more information you can visit: http://www.follytheater.org

Margaret Cho Thanks for being with us on WMM

First off – We LOVE Margaret Cho! Her stand up shows have made me laugh so hard we’ve cried. Mark writes, “as a queer person living I the United States her performance work has made her a hero to me and the queer people everywhere.”

We just played “Lucky Gift,” the title track for Margaret’s last music full length release. She worked with Garrison Starr in writing and producing. This is Margaret’s power pop anthem and the first song she wrote on her mandotar (a double neck mandolin-guitar).She writes, “It is giving gay pop in the best way and it’s my favorite song I’ve ever written.”

Margaret will be participating in the Jillith Fair Tribute concerts for Jill Sobule.

David Bowie is a big influence to Margaret.

Margaret was born and raised in San Francisco, an experience that helped to shape her worldview. She knew she was funny enough to try stand-up at age 14. Soon after, Margaret won a contest to open for Jerry Seinfeld, prompting a move to Los Angeles and work on the college comedy circuit. She performed over 300 concerts within two years. Arsenio Hall introduced her to late night audiences, Bob Hope put her on a prime time special and justlikethat, Margaret Cho became a household name

Cho was born on December 5, 1968, to a family of Korean descent. Her paternal grandfather Myung-sook Cho, a Christian minister, worked for the Japanese as a station master during their occupation of Korea. When Japan withdrew from Korea at the end of World War II, he was denounced as a chinilpa, a traitor, by North Korea and forced to move with his family, including his son, Margaret’s father Seung-hoon Cho, to South Korea. During the Korean War, Myung-sook ran an orphanage in Seoul.

According to Margaret, she was raised in “a very Christian family.” Cho grew up in a racially diverse neighborhood near the Ocean Beach section of San Francisco, which she described as “old hippies, ex-druggies, burn-outs from the 1960s, drag queens, Chinese people and Koreans. To say it was a melting pot – that’s the least of it. It was a really confusing, enlightening, wonderful time.” Cho’s parents, Young-Hie and Seung-Hoon Cho, ran Paperback Traffic, a bookstore on Polk Street at California Street in San Francisco. Her father writes joke books and a newspaper column published in Seoul, South Korea.

At school, Cho was bullied, saying that “I was hurt because I was different and so sharing my experience of being beaten and hated and called fat and queer and foreign and perverse and gluttonous and lazy and filthy and dishonest and yet all the while remaining invisible heals me, and heals others when they hear it – those who are suffering right now.”

Choligarchy continues Margaret’s mission of speaking truth to power. We are living in such crazy times, when reality is seemling so absurd already, is it harder to find the jokes?

“My new show Choligarchy is bringing me back to my roots as a political comedian. I’m so frustrated with the state of the union and I know the only weapon I have is humor. We are being taken over by the richest people in the world but the one thing they cannot afford is jokes at their expense. I want to fight fascism with everything I have. This will be my most blistering and brutally honest show yet! Let’s tear down racism, homophobia and sexism with all that we have. We have to fight for what we have now, because if we wait any longer, it might be too late to save ourselves” says Margaret.

Cho goes on to share –“Not only do we need more than impeachment. We need a full cabinet removal. Gavin Newsom has to go in with California Closets and redo the whole thing.”

“I will fight Kristi Noem at the med spa of her choosing. We would both have to dissolve our filler beforehand to ensure a fair fight.”

Margaret Cho writes a joke everyday.

Margaret started doing television when she was 24

Margaret is in Gregg Araki’s next film, “I Want Your Sex” w/ Olivia Wilde & Charli XCX

Margaret is featured alongside Sandra Bernhard & Kristen Schaal in Disney’s season 2 of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians”

Like other comedians of the time, she was soon offered a network show. Her groundbreaking ABC sitcom, All-American Girl premiered in 1994, and while producers said they wanted to work with her because she was a non-conformist Korean American woman with liberal views, they also wanted her to tone it down for television. “For fear of being too “ethnic,” the show got so watered down that by the end, it was completely lacking in the essence of what I wanted to accomplish.”

In 1999, her groundbreaking Off-Broadway one-woman show, I’m The One That I Want, toured to national acclaim and was turned into both a best-selling book and feature film of the same name. After her experience with All-American Girl, Margaret made sure she would only have to answer to herself, staying in charge of the distribution and sales of her film, an unusual move at the time. In 2001, Margaret launched Notorious C.H.O., a smash-hit 37-city national tour that culminated in a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall.

In 2003, Margaret began her 3rd sold-out national tour, Revolution, heralded as “Her strongest show yet” by Chicago Sun Times and earning her a Grammy nomination for Comedy Album of the Year. In 2005, she released the live comedy film Assassin, which premiered in select theatres and on the LGBT premium channel, Here! TV.

Margaret returned to television in 2008 with the VH1 series, The Cho Show. Describing it as a ‘reality sitcom,’ Margaret said at the time, “It’s the closest I’ve been able to come to what I do as a comic on TV.” The aptly titled Beautiful tour followed, exploring the good, bad and ugly in the world of beauty and the marketers who try to shape our world-view.

In 2009, Margaret nabbed a co-starring role in the dramedy series Drop Dead Diva, which aired for six seasons on Lifetime. Margaret memorably participated in 2010’s Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars, performing a dance number in a gay-pride-supporting rainbow dress during a time when there was a rise in suicides among gay youth due to bullying.

2010 culminated in another high, a second Comedy Album of the Year Grammy Award nomination for Cho Dependent, her incredibly funny music album. Featuring collaborations with Fiona Apple, Andrew Bird, Grant Lee Phillips, Tegan & Sara, Ben Lee and more, the album received critical acclaim, not only for the topics tackled, but also for Margaret’s musicianship. In 2011, Margaret released the live concert film of Cho Dependent, shot at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA.

Margaret spent whatever free time she had crafting a new stand-up show, MOTHER, which she took across America and Europe in 2012. According to Margaret, “MOTHER offered an untraditional look at motherhood and how we view maternal figures and strong women in queer culture.”

Margaret’s creative side moved full speed ahead with an Outstanding Guest Actress Emmy nomination for playing Kim Jong II on 30 Rock. 2015 also brought Margaret back to the stand-up stage, where she filmed PSYCHO at the historic Gramercy Theatre in NYC

Margaret put out her second studio album, American Myth, in 2016 on her Clownery label, earning her a third Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album. In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the 50 Best Stand-Up Comics, calling her “the sort of funny, sex-positive feminist and LGBT activist younger comics continue to look up to.”

Her 2018 Fresh off the Bloat tour was shuttered by Covid, but as soon as she was able to get back out on stage, she did. Margaret kicked off 2019 as the Poodle on the first season of The Masked Singer on FOX, appeared in an episode Law & Order: SVU and was in an episode of HBO’s critically acclaimed series High Maintenance. In 2020, Margaret appeared in three films –Faith Based, also starring Seinfeldalum Jason Alexander, Friendsgiving, with Kat Dennings and Malin Akerman, and in Netflix’s first major animated film, the acclaimed Over the Moon.

In June of 2021, Netflix released the hit rom-com Good on Paper, starring Iliza Shlesinger with Margaret co-starring as her best friend. Her 2022 appearances included guest starring roles on Season 2 of The Flight Attendant (HBO Max), Season 2 of Hacks (HBO Max) and two Netflix is a Joke comedy specials: Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration and Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin: Ladies Night Live. Probably the biggest splash of that year was her role as “Erin” in HULU’s smash Fire Island with Bowen Yang & Joel Kim Booster.

2023/24 has found Margaret, well, everywhere. She guested on Amy Schumer’s Life with Beth as well as the Ryan Murphy hit Doctor Odyssey and was part of the ensemble cast of the Netflix doc Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution. A who’s who of incredible comedians, the documentary shares the history of LGBTQ+ stand-up and its importance as an instrument for social change over the past five decades.

Margaret’s latest film, All That We Love, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, with Margaret earning rave reviews. The Hollywood Reporter called the film “poignant and lovely.” Margaret was also named the Vanguard Artist-in-Residence for Manhattan’s famed Joe’s Pub. This prestigious recognition singles out “an iconic artist who has significantly influenced the artistic community of Joeʼs Pub & American culture at large.”

Remarkably, she also managed to film a series and another movie. Margaret stars as “Wasp,” one of the “Gray Sisters” (alongside Sandra Bernhard and Kristen Schaal) in Season 2 of Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians as well as in Gregg Araki’s thriller I Want Your Sex, also starring Olivia Wilde and Charli XCX.

Margaret has also developed a new solo show, Mommy, A One Woman Cho, which is noted for being her first work of fiction. “My new show, Mommy, is a completely fictional autobiography of my mother I have written for the stage. You can lie in plays but not standup comedy, so I’m super excited for my Mommy fan fiction era.” The play debuted in July 2024 to a sold-out audience at Marist College.

If that wasn’t enough, the end of 2024 brings new music from Margaret. The first single, Lucky Gift – also the album’s title – gives a taste of things to come before the February 14, 2025, release on her Clownery Records label.

Margaret continues to staunchly support the causes that are important to her: anti-racism, anti-bullying and gay rights. She was the recipient of the Victory Fund’s Leadership Award, the first-ever Best Comedy Performance Award at the Asian Excellence Awards, the First Amendment Award from the ACLU of Southern California, and the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women (NOW). Margaret has been honored by GLAAD, American Women in Radio and Television, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force(NGLTF), the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), PFLAG, She Rocks Awards and LA Pride.

“Margaret Cho is my soul sister, we see the world through the same lens trying our damndest to make things just a little groovier, mellower & a lot more fun. I admire her deeply. You’ve got to experience her live to get the whole picture so get up & make it happen! She is one of a kind” – Sandra Bernhard

Margaret was also part of Netflix’s “Stand Out Comedy Special” and “Over The Moon” film with Ken Jeong & Sandra Oh which was nominated for an Academy Award & Golden Globe Award.

Margaret has been working on a 10 year project – a new one-woman show about her mother and two sisters, where Margaret plays all of the characters – hoping to eventually take the show to Broadway.

A pioneer amongst women in comedy, Margaret doesn’t take anything for granted as she continues to tackle difficult subjects with sensitivity and her razor sharp insight with her takes on addiction, abuse, activism and Asianness. It’s all about the politics of disgust and what is disgusting about politics. Margaret has received many rave reviews for her live shows with the Chicago Tribune saying “Be it on-screen (“30 Rock,” “Drop Dead Diva”) or on stage, Margaret Cho has been one of the most exciting, unpredictable stand-up comics working for some time, and that hasn’t changed. If anything, the Asian-American female comedian’s voice has become more valuable than ever, given today’s social climate, and Cho’s material remains just as compelling, thanks in part to—and sometimes in spite of—her unapologetic delivery.”

“Margaret Cho inspired me since I was a kid. She was someone who was queer, Asian and doing something that you did not immediately associate with an Asian person. There’s a dearth of representation when it comes to queer people or Asian people, but I have to give credit to the people who have been out here doing it, and that’s definitely Margaret.” – Bowen Yang

“The Notoroius C.H.O.! Margaret is a jack of all trades and master of many. Whether conjuring the spirits of George Carlin, Joan Rivers or Lenny Bruce, she is committed to navigating the world of comedy and uniquely making it her own. Completely unapologetic about the life experiences that have shaped her path and journey to where she is today. These are just some of the reasons I love Margaret.” – Wanda Sykes

“Margaret Cho is a pioneering, trailblazing, genre-busting badass. She also happens to be extremely amusing.” – Shirley Manson of Garbage

“Margaret doesn’t just kick the door down. She lights it on fire.” – Atsuko Okatsuka

“I’ve said it before but it bares repeating: I would not be doing what I do without Margaret Cho. Her comedy was daring and bawdy and incisive when I first discovered her early work and seeing her now it’s remarkable how she’s been able to evolve, stay relevant and remain one of the funniest comics working today.” – Joel Kim Booster

Margaret Cho Thanks for being with us on WMM

11:50

Margaret Cho – “Wheels of Gold”
from: Lucky Gift / Clownery Records / February 14, 2025
[Margaret Cho’s 3rd music album. She released In Transistion in 2013, and American Myth in 2016. // Produced and co-written with Garrison Starr and Roger Rocha. Acoustic Guitar Garrison Starr and Margaret Cho. Backround Vocals Kate Willett. ]

[Margaret Cho brings her new show, “Choligarchy” to The Folly Theater, 300 West 12th, KCMO, on Saturday, June 16, at 7:30pm. ]

Mitski – “I’ll Change For You”
from: Nothings About to Happen to Me / Dead Oceans / February 27, 2026
[Nothing’s About to Happen to Me is the eighth studio album by Mitski. Continuing the musical through line established with The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, the album features live instrumentation by The Land touring band and ensemble arrangements. The album finds Mitski immersing herself in a rich narrative whose main character is a reclusive woman in an unkempt house. Outside of her home, she is a deviant; inside of her home, she is free.]

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

Next week, on Wednesday, June 3 we talk with David Brighton of David Brighton’s SPACE ODDITY, The Quintessential David Bowie Tribute Experience, presented by The Folly Theater, Friday, June 5, at 7:30. We also welcome back to the show Stephonne, AND Jocelyn Olivia Nixon of The Creepy Jingles joins us to talk about her band’s new album WASHED UP.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wednesday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals donated $3924.00 going way over our show goal!

Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

You can find our playlists at: http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

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

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

Show #1149

WMM Playlist from May 13, 2026

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, May 13, 2026

Shaun Crowley & Music of Manor Fest 8

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

Ernest Melton – “Waves”
from: “Waves” – Single / Music By Melton / April 21, 2025
[Ernest Melton is a saxophonist, composer, and band leader currently residing in Kansas City, MO by way of Goldsboro, North Carolina. He relocated to his mother’s hometown of Kansas City, Missouri at the age of ten where he picked up his first saxophone at Longfellow Academy of the Arts. Bored with the classical curriculum of the music department, Ernest studied more contemporary genres of music and the guitar until the age of fourteen when he joined his first jazz program through the American Jazz Museum of KC. Playing mostly tenor sax by the age of fourteen, Ernest joined Lincoln High School jazz band and many other musical programs. Melton left school at the age of sixteen to study music on his own. With kind neighbors and a supportive mother, Ernest was free to practice the saxophone, study albums, and write compositions at any hour of the day. It was during this time he found his first major influences in jazz like Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Kenny Garrett, and Pharoah Sanders. Pharoah’s polyphony were like echoes of Melton’s father, a Primitive Baptist preacher, and became a large influence of his playing. An avid composer as well, Ernest studied with tutors in classical orchestration, big band arranging, and Afro-Cuban drumming. He cites Charles Mingus, Igor Stravinsky, and Wayne Shorter as his favorite all around composers and still tries to implement their techniques in his music today. After being accepted into Berklee College of Music he decided not to attend and began his career playing music in bands of every genre around the Greater Kansas City area. In 2018 Ernest release his first full length album entitled, “The Time Of The Slave Is Over”, which received raved reviews at home and abroad by media such as Plastic Sax, Quest TV, and JAZIZZ to name a few. Ernest Melton has played all over the country and plans to continue to travel abroad. // Melton released the singles “Waves” on April 21, 2025, “Sonnet for Sanity”on December 18, 2020 and, “Chronicles of Conception” on April 21, 2020, and “Narrative for Natives” on March 9, 2020. Ernest Melton released the album “The Standard Imperfections” on September 1, 2019. Ernest Melton is also featured on the BodaciousThang singles, “Drank!” on August 7, 2019 and “Say Hi” released Sept. 2, 2020 on Juicy Burrito Records.]

[Ernest Melton plays Night One of Manor Fest 8 Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00pm at Greenwood Social Hall 1750 Belleview Ave, KCMO, with Kapten and Lauren Lovell & The Midnight Spliffs.]

Dalima Kapten – “Feel the Beat, Bud”
from: “Feel the Beat, Bud’ – Single / Dalima Kapten / September 27, 2024
[Dalima Kapten released the single “Scrappy Rose” Sept. 27, 2024. // She is currently working on her debut album. She is a second-generation Kenyan-American pursuing a Master of Arts in Music Technology at the University of Central Missouri. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies, Theater Minor, and a specialization in Architectural Acoustics from the University of Kansas. // As a theater performer & artist, Dalima is deeply moved by a passion for storytelling and worked at Music Theater Heritage as the Manager of Artistic Operations. Additionally, she presented her self-published chapbook “Native Anomaly” for Columbia University’s HOME: Symposium.]

[Dalima Kapten plays Night One of Manor Fest 8 Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00pm at Greenwood Social Hall 1750 Belleview Ave, KCMO, with Ernest Melton and Lauren Lovell & The Midnight Spliffs.]

10:06 – Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Today we spin music from 22 artists & bands playing Manor Fest 8 including: The Greeting Committee, Calvin Arsenia, Jass, Nightosphere, Paris Williams, Hailes, Jamogi & The Jammers, The Babe Gabe, The Matchsellers, Field Daze, Spy World, Alber, Malek Azrael, Kirstie Lynn, Flare The Rebel, Kemet Coleman, toasterbath, Ernest Melton, Tidal.wav, Dalia Kapten, Maddie Lai, and Jack Summer.

We welcome Shaun Crowley the Founder & Executive Director of Manor Records, a non-profit organization that functions as a record label to support KC musicians. Shaun shares details about Manor Fest 8, featuring 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and a KC Street Car. May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28 29, & 30. This festival directly supports local artists. Money raised from the festival supports the non profit mission of releasing music from local artists on physical platforms and other resources for musicians.

We also welcome Valorie Mersman who does Press and Public Relations for Manor Records

Manor Fest 8 includes: The Greeting Committee, Bobby Watson, Calvin Arsenia, Fritz & Sons, Jass, Nightosphere, Paris Williams, Sass-A-Brass, Hailes, Jamogi & The Jammers, Eddie Moore, True Lions, The Royal Chief, Brian Gerald Bulger, Kissin, The Babe Gabe, Scabb, The Matchsellers, Kadesh Flow, Miki P, Aigerue + Mikey, Teri Quinn, Field Daze, Spy World, FK Menace, Apricot Glow, Alber & I Maledetti, Malek Azrael & The Vibes, Dom Chronicles, Kirstie Lynn, Flare The Rebel, Kemet Coleman, Rebel Song Academy Ft. Base Academy of Music, Pure XTC, Nina Cherry, Henry Scamurra, Charmaine, Mosaic, Toasterbath, Ernest Melton, Jolson & The Fear of Snakes, Silvee, Freia, Natalie Prauser, Jazlyn Epps, Gracie Caggiano, Dandelion Lakewood’s Bowl of Dust, Tidal.wav, Kapten, Sammy Sheets, Maddie Lai, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Jack Summers, Lauren Lovelle & The Midnight Spliffs, Isaiah Petrie, Ronnie Ze’Bo, Jacob E Chord Grüp, and The Soul Agenda. For more info: http://www.manorrecords.com

Shaun Crowley is a classically trained guitarist, and studied at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory. Shaun is the Founder & Executive Director of Manor Records, a music label that grew out of Manor Fest, the first festival sized “house show” Shaun and friends produced in their basement featuring 12 bands. We first met Shaun as part of the band Rev Gusto, originally formed in high school with friends at Saint James Academy.

Shaun Crowley thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Crowley started playing in the KC when he was 17 in band Rev Gusto and Momma’s Boy. Shaun Crowley started Manor Records in 2017. The organization was born from the special concerts produced in the basement of the Rev. Gusto / Momma’s Boy band house, where Shaun and his band mates were living at the time. Named “The Manor” this house was located in the suburbs of Shawnee, Kansas. An almost anonymous venue, where the band invited other up and coming area bands to play a musical festival held in a basement. Even national artists joined in the show. From Glass Animals to Shy Boys, the underground venue hosted numerous local acts, and some national touring acts. Founder Shaun Crowley created the first Manor Fest with 10 bands in one night, then grew to a two night event featuring 20 local bands.

Eventually band members moved out of The Manor, and went into different directions, some starting solo projects, through Manor Records, some getting married, some moving away from Kansas City. Shaun carried on, collaborating with actual public venues in Strawberry Hill to create a record store, creating monthly and weekly music events, and creating a non-for profit, called Manor Records.

Shaun was working full time, while also teaching himself how to run a non-for profit. When spaces in Strawberry Hill became unavailable Manor Records moved to the West Bottoms, and then later moved again to a Troost storefront retail space, continuing the Record Store-Record Label-Music Venue idea, and also providing music classes. Moving over state lines meant reapplying as a non-profit now under Missouri guidance.

Retail space, and rental cost challenges pushed Manor Records out of their Troost physical space, but gave Manor Records a geographical history of relationships with multiple neighborhoods, neighborhood small businesses, and the people and artists who inhabit these neighborhoods. This geographical history and identity is the spirit behind Manor Fest – a Music Fest unlike any other. A progressive Fest, featuring 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and a Kansas City Street Car, held May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28 29, & 30.

Manor Fest is a multi-day music festival in Kansas City that goes back to the group’s early days in that Shawnee basement. The foundation’s mission is to provide resources and support to local musicians, and Manor Fest is now a cornerstone of their fundraising efforts. More information at: http://www.manorrecords.com

Manor Records Board
Khrystal Johnson – President
Danielle Krakenberg – Secretary
Tyler Fowler – Board Treasurer
Talon Ice – Board Member
Droo Long – Board Member

Record Label Operations Team
Our record label team is a mix of our core operations staff and dedicated volunteers who work hands-on with the artists on our roster each year. Beyond supporting our musicians, we’re committed to developing the next generation of music industry professionals—giving them real experience in booking, press, and other key roles. Our long-term goal is to grow Kansas City’s music industry by turning these positions into paid, part-time roles and creating sustainable career pathways right here at home.
Also with us today is Valorie Mersman – who does Press a& Public Relations for Manor

Shaun Crowley – Founder & Executive Director
Skylar Rochelle – Record Label Lead
Kayla Jarrett – Physical & Digital Distribution
Betsie Yeomans – Booking
Abigail Elwart – Social Media
Kate Whitefield – Press / PR
Valorie Mersman – Press / PR
Enrique Guiterrez – Graphic Design
Randee Wisdom – Blog Editor

Manor Records Event Volunteers & Manor Fest 8 Team
Dorian Allen – Manor Fest Sound Lead
Sarai Vega – Manor Fest Photo Lead
James Miller -Events Volunteer
Evan Herd – Manor Fest Lead Volunteer

From Manor Records Website:

Mission – Manor Records Foundation’s mission is to strengthen Kansas City’s music community by providing equitable funding and artist development to uplift and advance emerging independent artists.

Manor Records Story – Manor Records Foundation’s mission is to provide equitable funding and artist development to uplift and advance emerging independent artists in Kansas City. Manor Records Foundation is a Kansas City based nonprofit record label dedicated to sustaining and developing our local music community through direct artist funding, development programs, and community events. Our roots trace back to The Shawnee Manor, a basement venue that became a launching pad for local and touring talent, featuring early shows from bands like Glass Animals and Hinds. From these grassroots beginnings and much learning along the way – we have grown into a fully operational nonprofit label supporting local artists.

Today, Manor Records Foundation has supported more than 60 digital releases and over 30 physical albums from emerging Kansas City musicians — helping artists fund projects, build sustainable careers, and reach wider audiences. Through initiatives like our annual Manor Fest, showcasing over 60 local acts, and year-round programs like Songbird Sessions, we provide platforms that celebrate and reinvest in the creative heartbeat of our city. By combining the spirit of community with structured artist development, Manor Records Foundation ensures that KC’s vibrant music scene continues to thrive and grow.

Manor Records Record Label Program – Each year, Manor Records raises $2,000 in direct project funding for 10 local artists, helping them bring their work to life through physical releases, music videos, touring support, and whatever resources they need as they grow.

Manor Records 2026 Roster of Artists:
ALBER
CHLOE JACOBSON
FRANKIE SHOREZ & MERCY FIRE
FRITZ HUTCHISON
JAMOGI
JASS
KIRSTIE LYNN
MC RUE
PARIS WILLIAMS
TRUE LIONS

Artists Manor Records have worked with in the past:
BLANKY
CATTY CLINE
CHARLOTTE BUMGARNER
DANIEL GUM
DYLAN PYLES
FLOODING
FOREST PORRIDGE
JAIRY
KAT KING
KHRYSTAL.
MINT FATIGUES
MOMMA’S BOY
PALE TONGUE
R.I.PETER
SCABB
SUPERMOTO
THE WILD TYPE

Manor Fest 8, 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and a KC Street Car

WEEKEND ONE – May 20, 21, 22, & 23

Night One : Wednesday, May 20 – Westside

Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, KCMO, (7-10 PM)

Ernest Melton
Kapten
Lauren Lovell & The Midnight Spliffs

Night Two: Thursday May 21 – Strawberry Hill

Venue One: Flagship Books, 600 Ohio Ave., KCK (5:00pm -7 PM) all ages

Nina Cherry
Dandelion Lakewood’s Bowl of Dust & Co.
The Matchsellers

Venue Two: Hillsiders, 403 N. 5th, KCK (7:00pm -10 PM) *21+

Silvee
Scabb
Tidal.wav

10:11

The Matchsellers – “What Am I Gonna Do Now? [ft. Kelly Hunt]”
from: Psychobiography / Streichholz Records / August 2, 2025
[Julie Bates is a classically trained violinist from Kansas City. Andrew Morris is a Chicago blues guitarist from Warsaw, Indiana. They met in Leipzig, Germany, during their year of living in the former East Germany, the pair began reanalyzing the songs of their homeland, and developed a tight yet gritty bluegrass style. In the summer of 2013 they left their jobs to hit the road and haven’t looked back. // In the band’s most recent iteration, mandolinist Brian McCarty brings an invaluable lifetime of experience in the Bluegrass tradition, while Brandon Day thrills audiences with his intricate bass solos. // On Feb 14, 2025, the band released “I Can’t Believe We’re Still In Love.” // On May 3, 2024 The Matchsellers released LIVE AT THE WAREHOUSE. // On Oct. 28, 2022 The Matchsellers released the album, SONGS WE MADE UP, one of WMM’s 116 Best Recordings of 2016.. In late 2014 they released their debut full length recording, “Kosciusko County,” one of WMM’s 115 Best Recordings of 2015. The Matchsellers have toured 3 European countries and 25 US States, performing 180 shows a year, including last year for the KC Fringe Festival, Bluegrass Bazaar in Flint, Michigan, Norman Music Festival in Norman, OK, and a 1st place win at the Eddie Owen Presents songwriting competition in Atlanta, GA.]

[The Matchsellers plays Night Two of Manor Fest 8 on Thursday, May 21 at 5:00pm at Flagship Books, 600 Ohio Ave., KCK with Nina Cherry, and Dandelion Lakewood’s Bowl of Dust & Co. All ages.]

Tidal.wav – “Whiplash”
from: Whiplash – EP / Landlocked Recordings / October 11, 2024
[Alex Smith on vocals & rhythm guitar; Alex Lewis on guitar & producer/beatmaker; Josh Gomez on bass & guitar & producer/engineer; Aj Ruiz Dechavez on drums & producer/beat maker/engineer. In summer of 2022 Alex Smith moved to Kansas City from Georgia. Alex met Aj and Josh working at a local music store. After several months Aj brought in lead guitarist Alex Lewis to make the band an official 4 piece. // Tidal.wav started playing shows through the support of local independent record label, Manor Records as well as networking with other artists and bands. / The band says they specialize in a more unique brand of indie rock, being more rhythm & harmony focused stemming from influences like jazz, rock, hip hop.]

[Tidal.wav play Night Two of Manor Fest 8 on Thurs, May 21 at 7:00pm at Hillsiders, 403 N. 5th, KCK with Silvee and Scaab.]

10:17 – More Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

We welcome Shaun Crowley the Founder & Executive Director of Manor Records, a non-profit organization that functions as a record label to support KC musicians. Shaun shares details about Manor Fest 8, featuring 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and a KC Street Car. May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28 29, & 30. This festival directly supports local artists. Money raised from the festival supports the non profit mission of releasing music from local artists on physical platforms and other resources for musicians.

WEEKEND ONE – May 20, 21, 22, & 23

Night Three : Friday May 22 – West Bottoms

Venue One: Blip Roasters 1301 Woodswether Rd.. KCMO (5:00pm -7 PM) all ages

Danielle Ate The Sandwich
Toaster Bath
Mosaic

Venue Two: Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, KCMO (7:00pm -10 PM)

The Soul Agenda
The Babe Gabe
Hailes

Venue Three: The Ship, 1221 Union Ave. KCMO (10:00pm – 12 AM) *21+

MC Rue + Mikey
Freia
Dom Chronicles

10:22

toasterbath – “East 46th Street (edit)”
from: Past, Present, Future Readings / toasterbath / July 21, 2025
[Debut release from Kansas City 5-piece band. Recording, Mixing, Mastering by Eric Hargis.
Graphic Design by Grace Westbrook. Featuring vocals by Bella Parker.]

[toasterbath plays Night Three of Manor Fest 8 on Fri, May 22 at 5:00pm at Blip Roasters 1301 Woodswether Rd.. KCMO with Danielle Ate The Sandwich, and Mosaic]

TheBabeGabe X The Human – “FUTURISTIC LOVERS”
from: HONEYPOP / Seven Rings Media / March 5, 2025
[One of two full length albums released in 2025 by TheBabeGabe, the other being HONEYPOP Reloaded on Seven Rings Media released August 8, 2025. March 5, 2025, both with production by The Human // After years of being the girl in the band, TheBabeGabe is stepping out, and standing ten toes down. As she dives into her solo career, Gabe brings the same sugary raps and addicting energy that she did as 1/3 of the alt-rap trio BLACKSTARKIDS. This time though, she’s telling her story, and forging a fresh start. The debut mixtape HONEY POP introduces the world to a young black girl from Kansas City that’s hungry for better things for herself and everyone who looks like her. Her energy is infectious, and you won’t want to be the one standing in her way, which becomes clear from the rowdy hook of the project’s lead single PSA. “It’s in my DNA, killing shit like every day, take this as a PSA, don’t give a fuck ‘bout what you say.” // With BLACKSTARKIDS, Gabe gained experience crushing a stage, opening on tour with The 1975, beabadoobee, Glass Animals, & more. That confidence shines through on braggadocios tracks like Only See Me, Pulse, and Pep Rally where she raps, “hoe shut the fuck up when I’m talking, got a pretty face but this mouth repulsive.” Pulling inspiration from future peers like Doja Cat & Tyler, The Creator, Gabe is quick to prove she isn’t restricted to one sound. There’s no shortage of variety with sticky hooks, soulful ballads, Janelle Monáe -esque pop hits, somber reflective cuts, and boomy west-coast kickbacks. // No song boasts this genre-bending ability better than the double track RIOT GRRL//DRAMA QUEEN. Starting with an inspirational pop-punk banger that could make any Olivia Rodrigo fan nod in approval, it soon turns to the emotional DRAMA QUEEN, seeing Gabe grapple with difficult changes and struggle to find the best way forward. Listening to Gabe can often feel like hanging with your bestie in that you’re getting both the yap sessions about the everyday as well as the venting about life’s drama and all its uncertainties. // These confessions, boasts, hooks, croons, screams, beats, and sounds all come together to create an extraordinary portrait of a young artist figuring it out. It’s an unfiltered showcase that sees Gabe pull back the curtain and step forward so you can meet her where she’s at. So when you listen, you’re seeing her for who she really is. And for many, that’s someone you can see yourself in. That’s TheBabeGabe. // TheBabeGabe was one-third of the Kansas City based BLACKSTARKIDZ Gen-Z upstarts BLACKSTARKIDS have released their sixth studio album Saturn Dayz on Sept. 20, 2024 through Dirty Hit Records and immediately followed with an 8-track 7th studio album HEAVEN ON URF, on Oct. 25, 2024 on Dirty Hit Records. Music writer Bill Brownlee talked with us about how the band created a double album, but the record company decided to release as two separate albums. The music from both albums relate to each other. Before the release of Saturn Dayz the band released their single and video “SOULMATEZ!” on August 30, 2024. “SOULMATEZ!,” is a magnetic, blissed-out bop that brings together pop, indie, and alt-rap, reminiscent of Dev Hynes-era Solange mixed with De La Soul. // The follow up to BLACKSTARKIDS’ acclaimed 2022 album CYBERKISS* which featured standout singles “CYBERKISS 2 U* ft. beabadoobee” and “SEX APPEAL,” SATURN DAYZ is an otherworldly, genre-crossing testament to their unrelenting artistry and is their most impressive work to date. PRESS HERE to pre-save SATURN DAYZ. // Putting out music at a prolific rate and making waves for their formidable songwriting and producing talents, as well as their endless energy and truly limitless sound, BLACKSTARKIDS have received critical acclaim from New York Times, MTV, UPROXX, Billboard, Alternative Press, SPIN, Ones To Watch, Rolling Stone France, The Line Of Best Fit, DIY, Coup De Main, and more. Blending garage rock with synth-punk and hip-hop to usher in a new surge of indie, such as on their beloved album Puppies Forever which features anthemic singles “ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS,” “JUNO,” and “FIGHT CLUB,” BLACKSTARKIDS are well on their way to indie stardom and have previously toured with the likes of The 1975, COIN, Glass Animals, beabadoobee, Christian Leave, GroupLove. // Incorporating each member’s wide-ranging influences into their blissful DIY sound, such as Toro Y Moi, NERD*, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Outkast, Odd Future, and A Tribe Called Quest, BLACKSTARKIDS first captivated the internet with their “black coming of age trilogy” of projects Let’s Play Sports, Surf, and Whatever, Man that feature critically acclaimed singles including “BRITNEY BITCH” and “FRANKIE MUNIZ.” // Blackstarkids are phenomenon who came out of KC in 2020 became the soundtrack for the summer. Members include: TheBabeGabe, Deiondre, and TyFaizon (of the Drop Dead XX collective). The members have known each other since high school in Raytown, Missouri. Members met at Raytown South High School and formed the band in 2019. The group released its first album, Let’s Play Sports, on August 1, 2019. Blackstarkids then released their second album SURF through their own label Bedroom Records on February 28, 2020. Blackstarkids caught the attention of The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy and were then signed to The 1975’s management company and UK-based label Dirty Hit Records. They were featured in Clash Magazine. Blackstarkids then released, Surf Basement Demos on Dirty Hit Records on March 5, 2020. On Oct. 29, 2020, Blackstarkids released Whatever, Man on Dirty Hit Records, their third album release of 2020. Gabe, of Blackstarkids recently described the KC Music community to an interviewer, “The music scene here is really nice. There are a lot of bands who are super talented and do all types of genres. The jazz music here is really great as well. KC is honestly a hidden gem when it comes to music. I feel like you can meet an artist anywhere and anyplace in this city.”]

[The Babe Gabe plays Night Three of Manor Fest 8 on Fri, May 22 at 7:00pm at Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, KCMO with The Soul Agenda, and Hailes.]

HAILES – “Time” (CD #8) (2:12)
from: FIVE (EP) / Magic Mango Music / September 29, 2025
[Debut EP from KC based R&B artist HAILES. After graduating from Blue Valley West High School and briefly attending college, Hailes spent two years in the U.S. tour of The Wizard of Oz before moving to New York in 2017 to continue her acting career. COVID-19 shut down theatre and HAILES turned her energies toward writing music. When Broadway came back to life, HAILES returned to theatre and joined the Hadestown Broadway Tour for three years. While on tour Hailes continued writing music. // The music on her debut EP FIVE came from her time attending a writing camp in Austin, Texas. // HAILES told Cameron Castaldi of KJHK “On the road, I always had my recording equipment, so in every hotel that we got to, I would set up my little studio and write sporadically throughout the week.” // After living in New York City for the last seven years, R&B artist, songwriter, and actress Hailes is back home in Kansas City. She had her first concert in Kansas City on August 5, 2025 at The Blue Room. / More info at:www.hailes.komi.io/.]

[Hailes plays Night Three of Manor Fest 8 on Fri, May 22 at 7:00pm at Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, KCMO with The Soul Agenda, and The Babe Gabe.]

10:30 – Underwriting

10:32 – More Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Manor Fest 8, features 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and a KC Street Car. The official dates are May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28, 29, & 30.

West Side / Strawberry Hill / West Bottoms / Crossroads / East Stadium Drive / Historic Northeast / East KC / 18th & Vine Jazz District / Midtown / Downtown / River Park

Manor Fest is a fundraiser curated and ran by Manor Records. This festival is not just about the music — it’s about building community and directly supporting local artists. Money raised from the festival supports the non profit mission of releasing music from local artists on physical platforms and other resources for musicians at no cost to them. More information at; http://www.manorrecords.com

WEEKEND ONE – May 20, 21, 22, & 23.

Night Four: Saturday May 23 – Crossroads

Venue One: Pitchside Coffee, 1819 Grand Blvd., KCMO (3-5 PM)

Pure XTC
Gracie Caggiano
Field Daze

Venue Two: Brewery Emperial 1829 Oak St. KCMO (5-7 PM) *21+

Jack Summers
Natalie Prauser
Teri Quinn

Venue Three: recordBar, 1527 Grand Blvd. KCMO (7:00pm -10 PM)

Miki P
The Royal Chief
Nightosphere

Venue Four: Lifted Spirits. 1734 Cherry St., KCMO (10:00pm – 12 AM) *21+

Sammy Sheets
Charmaine
FK Menace

10:37

Field Daze – “Shade of Blue”
from: “Shade Blue – Single / Field Daze / April 3, 2026
[Produced, mixed, and mastered by Ian Dobyns at Element Recording Studios. Earlier this year Field Daze released the singles: “Hula Girl” on March 3, 2026, “Hate Me” on March 9, 2026, “Melona 99” on March 8, 2026. // Field Daze, is an Indie Rock/Dreampop band, originated in KCMO when Rodd Fenton & Dan Camino responded to a Facebook call to start a Dreampop band. Their collaboration led to the creation of early demos. Shortly after, they were joined by Tracer Cauy, Kyer Lasswell, & Beau Harris, solidifying the band’s lineup. // Their magnetic sound quickly found a home in the KC music community, playing The Rino, The Ship, and The Bottleneck. Field Daze’s live performances became synonymous with an immersive musical experience, drawing in crowds with their captivating melodies. // Currently, the band channels their creativity by recording homegrown tracks within Rodd Fenton’s personal studio, honing their craft and evolving their unique sound. More Info at: http://www.fielddazekc.com

[Field Daze play Night Four of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 23 at 3:00pm Pitchside Coffee, 1819 Grand Blvd., KCMO with Pure XTC and Gracie Caggiano.]

[Field Daze play The Ship at 1221 Union Ave., KCMO in Historic West Bottoms, Friday, June 5, 2025]

Jack Summers – “Lost Dog”
from: Konza Prairie Hymnal / Psychic Sousa Records / April 10, 2026
[Jack Summers is an award-winning songwriter from Weston, Missouri. He found his musical roots in trips to the Walnut Valley Music Festival and Bob Dylan lyrics repurposed as bedtime stories. Jack embraces these influences and is motivated by the challenge of making them resonate with a modern audience. // In 2021, Jack released his debut album, ‘No Longer and Not Yet’ // In 2023, Jack won the Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Contest. Since then, he’s played everywhere from a honkey tonk in Austin, to the backwoods of Awendaw, SC, to Iowa’s oldest barn. In 2026, Jack released his second album, Konza Prairie Hymnal. // 2022: Walnut Valley Songs for a Better World Contest Winner // 2023: Kerrville Folk Festival Grassy Hill New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters Winner // 2024: Walnut Valley ‘Sweet Memories’ Contest Winner 2025. Walnut Valley ‘Love Songs’ Contest Winner // 2025: Ozark Folk Festival Songwriting Contest Finalist ]

[Jack Summers plays Night Four of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 23 at 5:00pm at Brewery Emperial 1829 Oak St. KCMO with Natalie Prauser and Teri Quinn.]

Nightosphere– “Poverty Policy”
from: “Poverty Policy” – single / Nightosphere / February 21, 2025]
[Brittany Sawtelle on guitar; Claire Hannah on bass & vocals, Dekota Trogdon on drums. Recorded at BRC Audio Productions by Zack Hames. Mixed + mastered by Mario Quintero. Nick Spacek in The Pitch writes, “their new single sees the band leaning into pure Goth territory, courtesy of a bassline that feels like the most ominous thing ever, plodding along in the best possible way before the song explodes in its final minute as though they can’t possibly hold it in any longer, and then returning to the slow march of what was a eulogy, now becoming the funeral.”//Nightosphere released their own 6-minute version of Echo and the Bunnymen’s “The Killing Moon” on Jan. 31, 2025 // After early single releases and an excellent 3-way split with Abandoncy and Flooding, Nightosphere developed their heavy slowcore sound into a fully realized, extremely imposing full length. On April 14, 2023 Nightosphere released their 7-track album Katabasis. Katabasis was recorded & mixed by Morgan Reed Greenwood & mastered by Greg Obis at Chicago Mastering Service.]

[Nightosphere play Night Four of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 23 at 7:00pm at recordBar, 1527 Grand Blvd. KCMO with Miki P., and The Royal Chief.]

10:47 Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman of Manor Records joins us to talk about Manor Fest 8,

Manor Fest 8, features 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and a KC Street Car. The official dates are May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28, 29, & 30.

West Side / Strawberry Hill / West Bottoms / Crossroads / East Stadium Drive / Historic Northeast / East KC / 18th & Vine Jazz District / Midtown / Downtown / River Park

WEEKEND TWO – May 27, 28, 29, & 30

Night One (five) : Wednesday May 27 – Stadium Drive

Venue One: Farewell, 6523 Stadium Drive, KCMO with (7-10 PM)

Spyworld
Kissin
Apricot Glow

Night Two : Thursday May 29 – Historic Northeast

Venue One: PH Coffee, 2200 Lexington Ave,, KCMO (5:00pm -7 PM) all ages

Maddie Lai
Henry Scamurra
Jacob E. Chord Grüp

Venue Two : J. Rieger & Co. 2700 Guinotte Ave, KCMO (7:00pm -10 PM)

Brian Gerald Bulger
Eddie Moore
Paris Williams

10:53

Spy World – “Follow Me (Ft. KONEY)”
rom: World Music Vol. 1 / Enigmatic Brunch / February 1, 2026
[11-track debut album from Spy World, the new music project of Kyle Little who played keyboards and vocals as a member of Shy Boys. Konner Ervin (also of Shy Boys and ACBs and KONEY) joins in on three tracks with lyrics and vocals. Ross Brown (also of Shy Boys and Fullbloods) offers production assistance.]

[Spy World plays Night Five of Manor Fest 8 on Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00pm at Farewell, 6523 Stadium Drive, KCMO with Kissin’ and Apricot Glow]

Shy Boys / The ACBs / Ghosty / The I’ms / Fullbloods / Koney – Discography

The ACB’s / The ACB’s / July 10, 2007
[Debut from KC based 4-piece with Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, Bryan McGuire on bass, Matt Saladino on guitar, Corey Egan on drums & vocals. Written by, and arranged by Konnor Ervin. Produced by Tim Suttle. Recorded & mixed at Underdog Studio in Desoto, KS. Mastered at Euphonic Masters in Memphis, TN.]

The Abracadabras – Be Still, Be Cool / The Abracadabras / January 1, 2008
[5-piece KC band formed in the spring of 2007, with Jocelyn Olivia (John) Nixon on keyboards & vocals, Travis Mckenzie on lead guitar, Bobby (Wayne Hutcherson) Topaz on guitar & vocals, Collin Rausch on bass & vocals, and Kyle Rausch on drums & vocals.]

The ACBs – Stona Rosa / The ACBs / January 1, 2011
[After half of the band left to move to LA, Konnor Ervin and Bryan McGuire got help from: Andrew Connor of Ghosty, and Beau Bruns of Cowboy Indian Bear. All songs written by, and arranged, lead vocals & guitar by Konnor Ervin. Mike Nolte on bass, Bryan McGuire on bass & vocals, Andrew Connor on guitar & vocals, Beau Brus on drums. Kyle Rausch on vocals. Produced by Mike Nolte. Mastered by Roger Seibel Recorded at More Famouser Studios. Mixed at More Famouser Studios. Mastered at SAE Mastering.]

The I’ms – Second MIXES / Independent / 2011
[Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch. Kyle Rausch also plays with The ACB’s. In 2011 on WMM we started playing songs from The I’ms, a duo made of up Collin and Kyle, who posted 6 of their self recorded songs on their facebook page. We included this informal release in our Top Ten of The 111 Best Recordings of 2011. 3 of the songs from The I’ms ended up being rerecorded for Shy Boys.]

Ghosty – GHOSTY / More Famouser Records – High Dive Records / April 17, 2012
[3rd full length release from Lawrence and KC area band. Ghosty is Andrew Connor, Mike Nolte an Bill Belzer who recorded their new album themselves over the last couple of years with help from David Wetzel, Josh Adams, Jake Blanton, Konnor Ervin, Ryan Connor, Kirsten Paludan, and Dan Talmadge. The new release was pressed on vinyl and available on LP and digital download. More info at ghostysounds.com.]

The ACBs – Little Leaves / High Dive Records / March 5, 2013.
[Konnor Ervin on lead vocals, & guitar; Bryan McGuire on bass, Andrew Connor on guitar; Kyle Rausch on drums. Their songs have been featured on MTV’s The Inbetweeners, and Daytrotter. The title “Little Leaves” is a nod to Konnor Ervin’s landscaping day job. The lead single, “Ocean” was released as a free download in late 2012, prompting Popmatters to declare the ACBs as one of its “Best Hopes to Break Out in 2013.”]

Shy Boys – Shy Boys / High Dive Records / January 17, 2014
[Debut release. Brothers Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch, and friend and roommate Konnor Ervin, are members of this KC based trio. Collin and Kyle’s father was a High School band director and music teacher. Konnor Ervin is the lead singer and songwriter of The ACBs, where Kyle also plays drums. The 10 song release had two singles premiered by Stereogum. “Keeps Me On My Toes” was a song Collin wrote in 15 minutes while his girlfriend was in the shower. The album was recorded at West End Studio, over two-weekends.]

Shy Boys – “Life is Peachy” – Single Release / High Dive Records / July 15, 2014
[Stereogum has premiered the band’s new song, “Life Is Peachy”, the A-side to their new 45 rpm, 7″ single coming from High Dive Records. Brothers Collin Rausch, Kyle Rausch, and roommate Konnor Ervin, are members of the Kansas City based band, Shy Boys. ]

Fullbloods – Mild West / High Dive Records / February 26, 2016
[Second full length release from Fullbloods: Ross Brown; Jared Tomasino; David Seume; and Bill Pollock. Recorded at Westend Studios in Kansas City, Kansas by Mike Nolte. Mixed by Fullbloods. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. (Starfucker, Of Montreal).]

Shy Boys – Bell House / Polyvinyl Record Co. / August 3, 2018
[Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. The group formed shortly after the trio became roommates in 2012. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were already band mates in the indie-pop band The ACBs and Collin had been playing for years in the Kansas City area in various bands. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The album received generally positive reviews and the single “Bully Fight” was featured on Spin.com

Shy Boys – Dim The Light / Brick By Brick – Singles / Polyvinyl Record Co. / Feb. 15, 2019
[Single release follow up to band’s 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were already band mates in the indie-pop band The ACBs and Collin had been playing for years in the Kansas City area in various bands. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records. The album received generally positive reviews and the single “Bully Fight” was featured on Spin.com. In June 2014 the band recorded and released two more singles and one of them, “Life Is Peachy,” was featured on Stereogum. On April 4th, 2018, it was announced that the band had signed to Polyvinyl Record Co.]

Fullbloods – Soft and Virtual Touch / High Dive Records / April 3, 2020
[3rd full-length. All songs written, performed, recorded, mixed by Ross Brown in KCMO. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Artwork by Nika Winn. Kyle Rausch played drums on 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, & 9, sang on 9. Bill Pollock Played drums on 3 & 5. David Seume played bass on 5. Jerad Tomasino played synth on 9 & 10, sang on 9. Jenni Kornfeld played cello on 4. Leslie Butsch played sax on 10. More info at: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

Shy Boys – Talk Loud / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 25, 2020
[3rd album from the KC band Shy Boys. New music follow up to the Dim The Light / Brick By Brick, singles released February 15, 2019. Shy Boys released their 2nd album and Polyvinyl debut, Bell House on August 3, 2018. Shy Boys line-up consists of brothers Collin Rausch and Kyle Rausch, Konnor Ervin, Kyle Little and Ross Brown. Kyle Rausch and Konnor Ervin were already band mates in the indie-pop band The ACBs and Collin had been playing for years in the Kansas City area in various bands including The Abracadabras, and The I’ms with brother Kyle. The three shared a love for 1960s era pop rock and soon started writing their own music. In 2014 they released the self-titled Shy Boys on High Dive Records.]

Koney – Koney / High Dive Records / October 9, 2020

[from Lucas Wetzel’s Pitch Feature: “To bring the songs to life, Konnor enlisted brothers Collin and Kyle Rausch, his roommates in their ramshackle West Plaza house/practice space and his bandmates in chamber pop group Shy Boys. Ross Brown (of Fullbloods) played synthesizer and helped run sound, and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Little contributed on guitar. Fritz Hutchison and Andrew Connor also contributed on several tracks. Recording engineer Mike Nolte flew in from Portland to run the controls at Westend Recordings, and the group set up camp in the studio over a long snowy weekend in 2015.” ]

Shy Boys – Upperclassmen – Single / Polyvinyl Record Co. / September 16, 2025
[New single surprise!]

Fullbloods – Magic Machine – Single / Fullbloods / January 9, 2026
[New single surprise!]

Maddie Lai – “Target”
from: “Target” – Demo Single / Maddie Lai / May 13, 2026
[Maddie Lai – Vocals & Guitar, Written and Recorded by Maddie Lai for thjs radio show!]

[Maddie Lai plays Night Six of Manor Fest 8 on Thursday, May 28 at 5:00 at PH Coffee, 2200 Lexington Ave,, KCMO with Henry Scamurra & Jacob E. Chord Grüp]

11:00 – Station ID

Paris Williams & Bloom Allen – “Truthfully” (radio edit)
from: Give Em Hell, Truthfully – Single / BitterSweet Sound / August 12, 2025
[Paris Williams is a 26-year old artist from Muskegon, Michigan in the midst of redefining the bedroom pop label. Employing his own sound that he’s dubbed, “bittersweet,” Williams never shuts away from his DIY aesthetic – producing his own work to maintain full creative flexibility. Premiering in December of 2019 with his debut album, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, Paris is a believer in hitting the ground running and then just never letting off the gas. This mentality was shaped by the inspiration he’s pulled from other famously out-of-the-box artists: such as Kanye West, Pharrell, and Toro y Moi. // Fueled by the multi-faceted artists, Williams believes heavily in pulling from all creative mediums as a way to add layers and texture to his music. This approach has led to Williams seeing support from larger than life musical pillars, like Iggy Pop himself – who showed love to Williams’ song of the same name by spinning it on his BBC radio show in 2018. Williams reshapes the musical landscape around him as his burgeoning career continues to solidify its own form more and more each day by bringing in a breath of fresh air with him everywhere since he wrote his first bars in elementary school. Paris Williams previously released the EP COCOA on December 10, 2020 . // He released the single , “Austin”on February 18, 2021. // Paris Williams released the single, “Sweeter” on July 9, 2021. // He released the single, “Sunsets & Solariums (feat. Bloom Allen)” on October 21, 2021 through Bittersweet Sounds. // He released the single ,“Chunky”on April 20, 2022. // He released the single, “Hopscotch” on June 21, 2022. // Paris Williams released the EP REBEL HEART on January 31, 2023. This release was part of WMM ‘s 120 Best Recordings of 2023. // Paris Williams released the single, “Pack Light” on July 25, 2023. // Paris Williams with Globetrotters & Kaleab Samuel released the single, “C’est La Vie” on September 14, 2024, // Paris Williams with Globetrotters & Kaleab Samuel released the single, “Ayo (Feat TyFaison)” on September 18, 2024. // Paris Williams & The Human released the 10-track album, A Paris Williams Joint through Bitter Sweet Sound on November 19, 2024. This release was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024. // Paris Williams & TheBabeGabe released the single “Me Again” on April 28, 2025, // More info at: allmylinks.com/popstarparis]

[Paris Williams play Night Six of Manor Fest 8 on Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 at J. Rieger & Co. 2700 Guinotte Ave, KCMO with Brian Gerald Bulger, and Eddie Moore.]

11:03 – More Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman of Manor Records joins us to talk about Manor Fest 8,

Manor Fest 8, features 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues & KC Street Car. The official dates are May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28, 29, & 30.

West Side / Strawberry Hill / West Bottoms / Crossroads / East Stadium Drive / Historic Northeast / East KC / 18th & Vine Jazz District / Midtown / Downtown / River Park

WEEKEND TWO – May 37 28, 29, & 30

Night Seven: Friday May 29 – East KC / 18th & Vine

Venue One: Ruby Jean’s Juicery 3000 Troost KCMO. (5:00pm -7 PM) all ages

Ronnie Ze’bo
Jolson & The Fear of Snakes
Kemet Coleman

Venue Two: Zhou B. Arts Center, 18901 E. 18th St. KCMO (7:00pm-10 PM) all ages

BAM & Rebel Song Academy Students
Malek Azrael & The Vibe
Bobby Watson

Venue Three: Vine Street Brewing, 2010 Vine, KCMO (10-12 AM) *21+

Jazlyn Epps
Isaiah Petrie
Alber & I Maledetti

11:11

Kemet Coleman – “What You Want From Me”
from: Two Ships in the Night – EP / Kemet Creative (Vine Street Brewing) / March 6, 2026
[Kemet Coleman is a KC based musicians and is a member of the Hip-Hop duo COA (Center of Attention) and is the lead singer of the Funk/Rap/Soul band The Phantastics. Kemet is also a core element of The Marcus Lewis Big Band for Brass & Boujee. Kemet is a two time Pitch Music Award nominee for “Best Hip-Hop Act.” Kemet is known for his unprecedented collaborations with UMKC, KC Streetcar and The Kansas City Royals. He is also highly regarded for his impresario role within the Sly James for Mayor Campaign in the 2010-2011 where he created the first ever KC mayoral candidate rap song. A UMKC alumnus, Kemet, created “Gold and Blue” for UMKC’s sports teams, which has garnered thousands of plays on YouTube and has been featured on prime-time television commercials for the university. In 2020 Coleman contributed his song, “The Virus” to the compilation, Kansas City Syzygy, music created by over 25 KC-based musicians in the middle of the map of a pandemic. All proceeds donated to KC Tenants, a local nonprofit organized to ensure that everyone has a safe, accessible, affordable home. Kemet Coleman released, BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL on Aug. 1, 2020. Kenet Coleman released the single “Eyes On The Street” on May 21, 2021.] [The Phantastics released their single “All That Fine”on May 6, 2022. The Phantastics are an 8 member band from KC formed in December of 2010. Kemet the Phantom on lead vocals; Kimology 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 KC Star. Musicianship and diversity are at the core of their success. Rock, Rap, Dance, Funk, Jazz & 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. ]

[Kemet Coleman plays Night Seven of Manor Fest 8 on Friday, May 29 at 5:00pm at Ruby Jean’s Juicery 3000 Troost Ave, KCMO, with Ronnie Ze’bo and Jolson & The Fear of Snakes.(All ages)]

Malek Azrael – “You”
from: “You” – Single / Malek Azrael / February 27, 2026
[Malek recently wrote to me about this new single, saying,”This record means a lot to me. “YOU” lives in that pop/indie pop space with smooth R&B vocals and textures, blending traditional pop sensibility with the singer songwriter honesty I always try to bring. It’s about that unexpected moment of falling in love and choosing to be fully open — even when it feels a little scary. Very warm, very intentional.” // On March 1, 2025 Malek Azrael released the EP, FEELS LIKE. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2025. On February 28, 2025, Malek Azrael released the single “Room 4U”. // On March 1, 2024 Malek Azrael released his single, “in ur mind.” On October 15, 2021 Malek Azrael released his 10-track album “Waves” which first featured members of his live band “The Vibez”. Since then, they have grown their fanbase in KC and surrounding areas through live concerts land appearances at Boulevardia Festival, Ameri’Kana, and the 18th and Vine Gumbo Fest, and shows at RecordBar, The Truman, Grinders, and Knuckleheads and collaborated with larger acts such as Making Movies, The Greeting Committee, and D Smoke debut. Male Azrael lives in KCMO. He has worked for Boys Grow, and Art As Mentorship (Making Movies non-profit organization). He sometimes plays with Making Movies and played the Ameri-Kana Fest. Malek Azrael played KKFI’s 18th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, on Aug. 27, at The Black Box, in West Bottoms. Malek & The Vibez played Boulevardia Festival at Crown Center, on June 16, 2024.]

[Malek Azrael play Night Seven of Manor Fest 8 on Friday, May 29 at 7:00 Zhou B. Arts Center, 18901 E. 18th St. KCMO with BAM & Rebel Song Academy Students, & Bobby Watson.]

ALBER – “Caldo”
from: Lento / Locale Records / April 12, 2024
[Alberto Racanati is a genre-bending musician originally from Bari, Italy, now established in Kansas City. His musical journey started at age 11 when he learned to play his first notes on the trumpet. At age 14 Alberto enrolled in the Bari Conservatory to pursue his performance degree in the academy, while living a parallel musical existence in the rich musical underground in Southern Italy, playing drums and trumpet in a plethora of bands across all genres. His musical studies then took him to the National Music Academy in Gdansk, Poland, where he lived from 2011 to 2014, discovering the multicultural nature of the arts. In 2014 Alberto moved to the United States to work as a Graduate Assistant at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In 2016 Alberto continued on to Kansas City to pursue a Doctoral Degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he became enamored with the local music scene. 2018 saw the start of Alberto’s journey with electronic music, writing material for trumpet and electronics. This is where the project Alber starts, especially using social media as an interactive, open sketchbook for his sonic excursions. Alberto’s first self-titled album was released in 2020, followed by significant live performing presence in 2021 in Kansas and Missouri. His second album Journey, was then released in 2021. At the same time, Alberto ramped up his touring of the Midwest region and collaboration with a variety of other artists. Most recently in 2023 Alberto was awarded the ArtsKC Inspiration Grant for his multimedia installation “Born at Sea”, a project centered on the idyllic sea scenery of his hometown, debuting in 2024. Additionally he became one of the Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Residents, a program that features some of the most brilliant up and coming artists in the Kansas City region. Still in 2023, Alberto toured the East Coast of the US and his native Italy, in a much welcome reconnection with his musical roots. Currently, Alberto is about to release his third full length album Lento and finalizing his upcoming 2024 tours to the East Coast and Southern Italy.]

[ALBER plays Night Seven: of Manor Fest 8, Friday May 29, at Vne Street Brewing, 2010 Vine, KCMO with Jazlyn Epps, Isaiah Petrie, and Alber & I Maledetti.]

11:21 – Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

West Side / Strawberry Hill / West Bottoms / Crossroads / East Stadium Drive / Historic Northeast / East KC / 18th & Vine Jazz District / Midtown / Downtown / River Park

Manor Fest 8, features 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues & KC Street Car.

WEEKEND TWO – May 27, 28, 29, & 30.

Night Eight: Saturday May 30 – Street Car

Venue One: Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd., KCMO (1:00pm) all ages

Kadesh Flow
True Lions
Flare Tha Rebel

3:00pm – KC Street Car
Sass-a-Brass Band

Venue Two: Kansas City Publc Library 14 W, 10th St., KCMO – 3:30pm

Kirstie Lynn
Fritz & Sons
Calvin Arsenia

6:00pm – KC Street Car
Sass-a-Brass Band

Venue Three: KC Current Landing, 1460 E. Front St.,KCMO – 6:30pm

Jamogi & The Jammers
Jass
The Greeting Committee

11:28 – Underwriting

FlareThaRebel – “Mixology”
from: “Mixology” – Single / Shafer / May 1, 2026
[“Mixology” from his upcoming full length album DEAR CITY. // Flare Tha Rebel’s lead single “Mixology” is a confidently smooth record that uses the art of the cocktail as a metaphor for ambition, drive, and balance. The song is produced by longtime collaborator, Bob Pulliam (“Happy Clouds (Bob Ross Flow)”, “Rose’ All Day”, “Royalty Pt.1/2”). The single precedes the release of Flare’s upcoming album, Dear City, which drops Friday, May 1st. // Amplifying the tension between having love for one’s city while not dismissing its inequities, Dear City is a lyrical reflection of truth-telling and hometown pride. The album highlights commonalities experienced by many urbanites regardless of where they call home.  // In the weeks leading up to the album release concert, Flare has been releasing music video reels on social media featuring snippets of the new songs from Dear City. Filmed by Flaming Heart Productions, each reel features only the first verse or at most the first verse and chorus of each song, giving fans a taste of what’s to come and building hype for the album’s release. // Elevating the concoction further, Flare collaborated with bar owner, Bryan Ari, to film the music video reel of “Mixology” at Fern Bar. Flare turned the filming into a “fishbowl experience” inviting guests to watch him create the reel live while sipping cocktails of their own. Flare landed the scene, which involved rapping while mixing a cocktail and flaming an orange rind a precise moment within the song’s verse. The outcome? Confidently smooth – after about six takes and some hands-on coaching from Bryan Ari.// Career and love brought hip-hop MC Flare Tha Rebel™ back to his hometown of Kansas City, MO, which sparked a creative renaissance. As The Pitch noted, “As a member of hip-hop collective Anti-Crew, Flare Tha Rebel made quite an impact on the Kansas City hip-hop scene. After making the leap from KC to Chicago in the late ’00s, he’s now back…” His homecoming has proved fruitful – his track “Playground” was voted the Number 1 Song of 2022 by listeners of 90.9 FM The Bridge. Throughout his career, Flare has shared stages with heavyweights including Chance The Rapper, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Mac Lethal, Nappy Roots, and CES Cru. His most recent release is the locally acclaimed EP, “Summer You, Summer Me”, followed by his feature on the Kemet Coleman song “Android”. // Flare Tha Rebel aka Jeff Shafer is Executive Director for City Year Kansas City, an educational-equity nonprofit that places mentors/tutors in schools to keep kids on track to graduate. This was the job that brought Jeff back to KC, where he became Executive Director. ]

[FlareThaRebel plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 1:00pm at The Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd., KCMO with\Kadesh Flow and True Lions.]

Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark – “Soft Landing”
from: Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark / Lost River Sound / August 9, 2024
[Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark released Cindergarden (A Sides) on May 22, 2022. They released Cindergarden (B Sidesd) on June 21, 2023. Kirstie Lynn is a classically trained soprano with a passion for songwriting, always looking to marry poetry and melody. Though Kirstie’s voice has been compared to that of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez, her sound is uniquely her own. Kirstie Lynn is a folk singer-songwriter originally from the fingerlakes region of upstate, NY. She began her professional music studies at the age of 15, and has since received both a Bachelor’s degree from Shenandoah University and a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University in voice and opera performance. Her vocal training lends her the freedom to paint her nature inspired lyrics with a wide range and a beautiful and effortless sound. Kirstie Lynn is one half of the duo Kirstie Lynn and Galen Clark. // Galen Clark introduces an alternative perspective and approach to music that contains multitudes. Migratory melodies, multi-instrumental fluency, and mysterious texture all outline the stylings of the newly transplanted Cuyahoga Valley songwriter, producer, and musician. // Born into an Air Force family, Clark grew up in many places with family anchors in Vermont and Colorado. At the age of 9 following many failed piano lessons, Clark’s grandparents gifted him a Harmony parlor guitar from a Shelburne flea market, starting a journey that would span almost 2 decades of stylistic development, a plethora of ephemeral bands, a degree in music production and recording technology, and a refined take on songwriting. .. Sharing songs spanning the stoic mountains of Idaho’s lost river range to the ancient hum of the Shenandoah Valley, Galen draws upon energy strewn between varied time and place, a broader quest for belonging, and rejuvenation beyond the front door. Clark’s previous records, Providence (2018) and The Well (2020) offer a contemplative portrait of moods in natural ambiguity, collective consciousness, and introspection. His most recent collaboration with Kansas City – based artist, Kirstie Lynn is a reckoning that is to be heard live and will transport you elsewhere if not in mind than in spirit.][Kirstie Lynn & Galen Clark joined us live on WMM on June 21. // Kirstie Lynn played IN THE ROUND with Calvin Arsenia, Julia Othmer, and Christena Graves at The Bauer, 115 West 18th St., in KCMO’s West Crossroads, Oct. 17, 2025.]

[Kirstie Lynn plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 3:30pm at Kansas City Publc Library 14 W, 10th St., KCMO with Fritz & Sons and Calvin Arsenia]

Calvin Arsenia – “Rose Petals”
from: Paradise / Calvin Arsenia / June 23, 2023
[Paradise is Calvin Arsenia’s 14 track album. Available through http://www.calvinarsenia.com // A new turning point as a songwriter. His most biographical album yet, with songs about Black Lives Matter, Racism, The Police, being on probation, gay love. The album contains collaborations with Cheery, Kadesh Flow and Jametatone. Calvin Arsenia one of our most frequent guests, who first appeared on WMM on July 25, 2012. KC Magazine has hailed Calvin as ‘equal parts opera, symphony, musical theatre, rock show, all built around its creator: a charismatic 6-foot-7-inch harpist with a 3 and ½ octave range, natural stage command and knack for gilding gold and painting lilies.’ Born in Orlando, Florida, Calvin’s creative journey began when he moved to Olathe, Kansas, teaching himself the guitar, piano, banjo. He learned his signature instrument, the harp, at the age of 20. His passion for stretching the boundaries of musical expression saw him transform a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland’s Fringe Festival early in his career into a life-changing music mission, with an Edinburgh church offering him a role as musical liaison between the church and the city that would change his life. Two years and 300 shows later, Calvin returned to KC reborn as a humanistic songwriter / performer where at 24 he released his EP, Moments, in 2014, and his EP Prose in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP Catastrophe in 2016. On February 14, 2017 Calvin released his critically acclaimed full length debut, Catastrophe, with a live show at recordBar in November 2016 that involved a company of 50 people, dancers, stilt walkers. After signing to Center Cut Records, Calvin released the albums: Cantaloupe in 2018, with a sold out gigantic spectical at The Gem Theatre on Saturday, September 15, 2018. He then released, L.A. Sessions in 2019, and the EP HONEY DEW, and the EP Goddess with Quixotic, the Holiday album, ALL IS CALM. In 2020 Calvin collaborated with Mike Dillon on the Soundtrack to “Summer in Hindsight,” a feature-length film created by The West 18th Street Fashion Show that starred Calvin as an actor. Calvin is also the co-creator of the podcast “We Were Christian Kids” created with childhood friend Justin Randall who is a stand up comedian working in New York City and now Los Angeles. Calvin is also the published author of VERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE, a collection of Poetry & Prose published on October 5, 2021, by Andrews McMeel Universal. Calvin was voted KC’s Best Musician in The Pitch 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. He has been featured in Billboard, NPR.org. Charlotte Street Foundation announced that the recipients of the 2022 Generative Performing Artist Awards are The Black Creatures and Calvin Arsenia Scott.] [Calvin Arsenia played a PARADISE Album Release Party, Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24, at 7:00 PM at The Emerald, 1715 West 9th Street, KCMO, WEST BOTTOMS. More info at http://www.calvinarsenia.com][Calvin Arsenia was our guest on WMM on Jan. 18, 2023, June 21, 2023, and our 1000th Show on June 28, 2923.]

[Calvin Arsenia plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 3:30pm at Kansas City Public Library 14 W, 10th St., KCMO with Fritz & Sons and Kirstie Lynn]

11:40 – More Interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Manor Fest 8, features 60 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues & KC Street Car. The official dates are May 20, 21, 22, & 23 and May 27, 28, 29, & 30.

West Side / Strawberry Hill / West Bottoms / Crossroads / East Stadium Drive / Historic Northeast / East KC / 18th & Vine Jazz District / Midtown / Downtown / River Park

Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

WEEKEND TWO – May 27, 28, 29, & 30.

Night Eight: Saturday May 30 – Street Car

Venue One: Kemper Museum 4420 Warwick Blvd., KCMO (1:00pm) all ages

Kadesh Flow
True Lions
Flare Tha Rebel

3:00pm – KC Street Car
Sass-a-Brass Band

Venue Two: Kansas City Publc Library 14 W, 10th St., KCMO – 3:30pm

Kirstie Lynn
Fritz & Sons
Calvin Arsenia

6:00pm – KC Street Car
Sass-a-Brass Band

Venue Three: KC Current Landing, 1460 E. Front St.,KCMO – 6:30pm

Jamogi & The Jammers
Jass
The Greeting Committee

11:45

Jamogi – “HOLLABACK (feat. Les Izmore)”
from: “HOLLABACK (feat. Les Izmore)” / Jam Tunes / May 15, 2026
[Jamogi is also know as Byron Hyde a Kanas City based singer, songwriter, MC, producer, originally from Los Angeles, California.// Jamogi released the single “Georgia Peach (feat. Burgandy)” on September 5, 2025. Jamogi released Jamogi & The Jammers: Live at Flew The Coop Sessions (Flew The Coop Live) through Jam Tunes on April 11, 2025. // Jamogi released the single “Do It To Me” on March 28, 2025. // Jamogi released the single “Go Big or Go Home” on August 30, 2024, Jamogi released the single “Hot Block” on May 30, 2024. Jamogi released the EP, Star-Crossed Lover on March 3, 2023. Jamogi then released a “Star-Crossed Lover GALACTIC REMIX (feat. Watchman)” single on June 9, 2023.Jamogi previously released the AGE OF AQUARIUS EP on March 3, 2023, and the single “Celebration” on Dec. 9, 2022, and the single “Anymore” on May 6, 2022. // Jamogi played the ROCK IS BLACK—a celebration of Black artists in rock music, happening February 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the Zhou B Art Center, 1801 E 18th Street, KCMO. Rock is Black features: Malek Azrael & The Vibez, Jamogi and The Jammers, Stephonne, and Frankie Shorez & Mercy Fire. Kamogi and the Jammers played Boulevardia 2025]

[Jamogi plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 6:30pm at KC Current Landing, 1460 E. Front St., KCMO with Jass and The Greeting Committee]

Jass – “Where You Are”
from: APRIL SHOWERS – EP / Jass / April 27, 2025.
[Jass is Jasmine “Jass” Couch. Jass is currently working with her band Jass and the ConrtraBand.. Jass recently released the single, Autumn in The City” on September 22, 2025 This release captures Jass’s dynamic sound in a live band recording, tracked and recorded by bandmate Clarence Copridge. The smooth vocals from Jass and instrumentals of vibes and upright bass in this track are the perfect end of summer/welcome to fall track. // Jass writes, “My new single ‘Autumn in the City” s close to my heart—paying homage to my hometown and the fall season that inspires so much love and reflection. Huge thanks to everyone who came out and supported us.” // Jass released the EP APRIL SHOWERS on April 27, 2025. // Jass released the single “Hope.wav” on February 29, 2024. // Jass and The Boys released the single, “Daydream Girl” on August 25, 2023. // Jass and The Boys released the single “Gvn2u” on July 14, 2023. // Jass released the single, “Time&Space” on July 14, 2023. n// Jass released the single, “Eye Contact.” // Jass released the single, “Lifetime” on January 6, 2023 // Jass and The Boys released the single “Love U Like I Love U” on December 2, 2022. Jass released the single “grow” on November 26, 2022. Jass released the EP, OFF KEY: TOO HIGH on September 23, 2022. Jass released the single “Higher Ground” on August 16, 2022. It was #1 on WMM’s 50 Favorite Singles of 2022. Jass released her single, “Him” on February 23, 2022. Jass released At the Close of a Decade on November 26, 2022. It was part of WMM’s 121 Best Recordings of 2021. She wrote, “After years of writing and recording in voice memos .. I decided to grab my iPad and began recording something that I am very proud of. I named it, At the Close of A Decade, and released it in November 2019. With my iPhone/iPad, some apple headphones, I created this project. The amazing people around me told me it was worth it, even when I didn’t believe it myself. I convinced myself I would be the only one that liked my songs. If you decide to listen you’ll hear sound clips of shows and movies that made a difference in the way I saw the world, the way I saw myself, and the way I overcame my experiences. I remember asking my grandma and my son if I should release what I’ve been writing and they both said very simply to do it, so I’ve done it. I want to thank all of my wonderful friends who have been my soundboards during this process, all of the people that have asked me when it’s coming, the people that have kept me accountable, and believed that this time it was for real. My story is so very triumphant and beautiful because I have overcome experiences and shunned the fear I had to do what I love. It’s crazy how you can talk your way out of some amazing things and also how you can talk yourself into making some amazing things happen. If you partake, I hope you enjoy.” // Jass has opened for Thundercat sat GRINDERS, headlined a show at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, and she opened up for The New Respects at The Uptown, and sang the Negro National Anthem at BLAQUE to School Night at the KC Monarchs game. Info: http://www.jassrcouch.com]

[Jass plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 6:30pm at KC Current Landing, 1460 E. Front St., KCMO with Jamogi & The Jammers and The Greeting Committee]

11:51 – More interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Thank you Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:53

11:51 – More interview with Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

Thank you Shaun Crowley & Valorie Mersman

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:53

The Greeting Committee – “What I Wouldn’t Give?”
from: “What I Wouldn’t Give?” / Harvest Records / October 10, 2025
[Formed in KC in 2015 with Addie Sartino, Brandon Yangmi, Austin Fraser, & Pierce Turcotte. This EP waOn September 24, 2021 The Greeting Committee released their album Dandelion, ,which was part of WMM’s 120 Best recordins of 2021. hat release was a follow up to their Oct. 17, 2019 EP, I’m Afraid I’m Not Angry, and their October 26, 2018, full length vinyl release “This Is It.” The band has previously released the EP “Meeting People is Easy” in 2017, and “It’s Not All That Bad” in 2015.The Greeting Committee released their single “Ada” on August 27, 2021, through Harvest Records / UMG Recordings. Addie wrote about her song “Ada” explaining it was a queer narrative inspired by lived experience of a dear friend. i knew this wasn’t my story to tell, but instead the story of someone i fiercely admire. to our garden, you are loved. you are loved.]

[The Greeting Committee plays Day Eight of Manor Fest 8 on Saturday, May 30 at 6:30pm at KC Current Landing, 1460 E. Front St.,KCMO with Jamogi & The Jammers and Jass]

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

Next week, on Wednesday, May 20 – Rachel Christia & Vi Tran share info about the Kansas City Folk Fest, Saturday, May 30, 11:00am to 7:00pm at Washington Square Park with The Freedom Affair, Kaia Kater, Flutienastieness & The Soul Patrol, Julia Haile, Reach, Trevor Turla, Sisterbot, Bad Alaskan, and more! // Also Next Week Artist Madeline Marek joins us to talk about a special show at Kansas City Artists Coalition. AND KKFI radio host and producer Darin Challacombe talks about his late night radio show, All That Class and Jazz, heard late Friday Nights – Saturday Mornings 2:00am to 5:00am om 90.1 FM KKFI.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wedneday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals doante $3924.00 ngoing way over our show goal!
Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

You can find our playlists at: http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

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

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

Show #1147

WMM Playlist from May 6, 2026

Posted on May 7, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, May 6, 2026

WMM presents: Diane Scott + Reviser + NED’s Friend-Hole Cabaret LIVE + Sinple

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

Metric – “Victim Of Luck (Radio Edit)”
from: Romanticize The Dive / Metric Music – Thirty Tigers / April 24, 2026
[10th album from Toromto based band.“Victim Of Luck” the album opener doubles as a mission statement, tracing the band back to their early days and reexamining the tension, vulnerability, and hunger of youth. Through the lens of hindsight, Metric revisit where it all began, with lead singer Emily Haines singing:, “let me take you back, it was the start of something. I was there not long before all the stardom. Now I’m in front of you and all I’m seeing is all my flaws. I was a starving artist but I was fearless. Now I don’t know what we are, frightened of heights we knew, scared to go too far, how I might look to you. Now who have I become, trash that mirror let my black mascara run.” // For the new album, the four-piece went back to the source: New York City at the height of its indie-rock explosion. Living and working in the city, recording once again at Electric Lady, Metric reunited with Fantasies producer Gavin Brown, joined by co-producers Jimmy Shaw, Liam O’Neil, and John O’Mahoney. The reunion feels fitting for a record that reexamines the thrill of the band’s earliest ascent and the chaos and possibility of the early-2000s music scene. // Metric is a Canadian indie rock band founded in 1998 in Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Emily Haines (lead vocals, synthesizers, guitar, tambourine, harmonica, piano), James Shaw (guitar, synthesizers, theremin, backing vocals), Joshua Winstead (bass, synthesizers, backing vocals), and Joules Scott-Key (drums, percussion). The band started in 1998 as a duo formed by Haines and Shaw with the name “Mainstream”. After releasing an EP titled Mainstream EP, they changed the band’s name to Metric. // The band’s first studio album, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?, was released in 2003. Live It Out, released in 2005, was nominated for the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the “Canadian Album of the Year” and for the 2006 Juno Awards for “Best Alternative Album”. Their third studio album, Grow Up and Blow Away, was recorded in 2001; it was initially planned as their debut album, but was delayed for many years and finally released, with some changes, in 2007. // Metric’s fourth album Fantasies was released in 2009. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for “Canadian Album of the Year”, and won the “Alternative Album of the Year” at the 2010 Juno Awards. Metric also won the 2010 “Group of the Year”. The fifth Metric studio album, Synthetica, was released in 2012. The band won two awards at 2013 Juno Awards: “Alternative Album of the Year” for Synthetica and “Producer of the Year” for Shaw. The art director/designer/photographer Justin Broadbent also won an award for “Recording Package of the Year” for Synthetica. Metric’s sixth album, Pagans in Vegas, was released in 2015, and their seventh album, Art of Doubt, was released in 2018. Their eighth and ninth full-length records, Formentera and Formentera II, were released in 2022 and 2023 respectively. This was followed by their tenth album, Romanticize the Dive, in 2026. // In 2023, Metric ranked 41st on Rolling Stone’s The 50 Greatest Canadian Artists of All Time]

Angelo De Augustine – “Mirror Mirror”
from: Angel in Plainclothes / Asthmatic Kitty Records / April 24, 2026
[Angelo De Augustine is an American musician residing in Thousand Oaks, California.[1] He has collaborated with and opened for musician Sufjan Stevens. // His parents were both close to music. When he was 5 years old, his father left home. Angelo wanted to be a professional soccer player in his teens, but an injury altered his trajectory. He began playing and writing music after receiving a guitar from a family friend. // Angelo De Augustine self-released his first album in 2014, titled Spirals of Silence. In 2017, Angelo De Augustine released his second full-length album and first with Asthmatic Kitty Records, titled Swim Inside The Moon. In a 2018 review of the artist’s “Carcassonne,” NPR said that De Augustine wrote it for people who dream of visiting small villages and towns in France. NPR characterized the album’s mood as being “like waves rushing onto the shore.” In 2019, Angelo De Augustine released his third full-length album and second with Asthmatic Kitty Records titled Tomb. The Irish Times described the artist’s Tomb album as “his first bona fide studio album” that followed “a series of low-key releases recorded in a bathtub on a reel-to-reel tape machine and a single microphone.” // The artist’s “Time” single was performed as a duo with musician Sufjan Stevens. // On September 24, 2021, Augustine and Stevens released a collaborative album titled A Beginner’s Mind. They worked on the record together in an upstate New York cabin and watched movies every day for inspiration.]

10:11 – Interview with Diane Scott

Diane R. Scott The Director of Artist Services at the Regional Arts Organization Mid-America Arts Alliance, Scott is the founding director and principal designer of the Artist INC professional development program. Now in its 17th year, Artist INC programs have been completed by more than 3,500 artists. Diane is also a noted professor winning numerous teaching awards. Combining her experiences in both non-profit artist services and higher education, Diane operates as a liaison between collegiate arts entrepreneurship education and artist professional development in the field. She specializes in creative entrepreneurship and has worked with thousands of artists of all disciplines in traditional classrooms and professional development settings to improve their strategic planning, marketing, project planning, financial, fundraising, leadership, and communication skills. Scott’s book Artist Entrepreneurship for Life: Making Art Work for You was released by Routledge in 2025. More info at http://www.maaa.org

Diane joins us to talk about the Status of Artists in Kansas City survey which will be open through May 31.

Diane Scott Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Status of Artists in Kansas City 2026 – Survey closes May 30, 2026. Mid-America Arts Alliance invites you to help share the Status of Artists in Kansas City 2026 survey with Kansas City artists in your network. Go to http://www.maaa.org to take the survey. This survey gathers information needed to advocate for funding, policies, and programs that reflect the real living and working conditions of Kansas City artists today.

We encourage you to email the survey to your artist network, in whatever way feels most appropriate to you. Your outreach to artists and artist-serving organizations will help ensure the survey reaches artists across disciplines, communities, identities, and career stages. Feel free to customize the emails as you see fit for your audience.

If artists don’t tell their own story, someone else will. And without the full picture.

That idea is at the heart of a new survey, the Status of Artists in Kansas City 2026.
Kansas City’s creative community is dynamic and diverse, and yet there is limited current, localized data reflecting the real experiences of artists living and working in our region. Decisions about funding, policy, space, professional development, and long-term sustainability often rely on incomplete information.

This survey provides an opportunity for artists themselves to shape the narrative, about their work and their livelihoods.

The Status of Artists in Kansas City 2026 survey closes May 30, 2026.

Building on a landmark 2008 study that examined the status of artists in Kansas City, this survey will assess the current living and working conditions of artists across the greater Kansas City metro area. The original research, commissioned by ArtsKC and Charlotte Street, informed initiatives including M-AAA’s Artist INC™ professional development program. Seventeen years later, Artist INC has served more than 3,100 artists across 49 communities in 10 states, including more than 450 local artists in Kansas City alone.

The 2026 survey will build on that data to help: A clearer understanding of the current demographic, economic, and professional realities of KC artists. Insight into how artists’ experiences have evolved over time. Data that can inform future programs, advocacy efforts, and regional strategies that affect artists across the metro

This survey is about listening to artists, not evaluating them. Who Should Take the Survey? The Status of Artists in Kansas City 2026 survey relies on artists’ voices to help bring accurate, artist-centered data to conversations about funding, policy, space, sustainability, and professional development. The survey is open to: Artists 18 years and older. Those who live and/or work in Jackson, Johnson, Cass, Clay, Wyandotte, or Platte counties. Artists at any stage: Full-time, part-time, emerging, established, and hybrid practitioners

Artists across all disciplines, including, but not limited to creative workers, cultural workers, visual artists, performers, writers, music creators, culture bearers, makers, artisans, filmmakers, storytellers, social conveners, idea purveyors, imaginaries, visionaries, change makers, teaching artists, and organizers
Add your voice by May 30, 2026: Take the survey.

The Status of Artists in Kansas City 2026 survey is led by Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA), which is serving as the lead organization for outreach and recruitment. As the US regional arts organization that supports artists and arts organizations across our six-state region, including Kansas and Missouri, M-AAA brings longstanding relationships and deep engagement throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The survey was developed in partnership with the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC), Department of Urban Planning and Design, ensuring a rigorous, research-based approach to understanding the current status and needs of artists in our region.
Local arts organizations across the metro area are collaborating to help share the survey and ensure participation from artists across disciplines, communities, and career stages.

Strong participation will result in better data and a clearer understanding of how to support Kansas City artists.

Described by artists she’s worked with as a “goal fairy,” Diane Scott uses the power of artists’ stories, artists community and “exponentialization” EXPO-NENT-SHAL-IZATION to take the magic out of the business of art for the next generation of artists. Passionate about the need to give undergraduate arts students the ability to create balanced and thriving lives that include enduring arts practices, Diane creates processes, systems, networks, and carefully curated experiences to help arts faculty employ these skills in their own practices and mentor them with their students. As the founder and designer of the nationally recognized Artist INC artist professional development program, Diane brings her experience as a professor of arts management and a practitioner working directly with thousands of artists in the field into the undergraduate arts arena through her writing, research, speaking engagements, workshops, and curricular consulting.

Diane Studied Communication/Speech/Theatre at Wichita State University where she graduated in 1991. She Studied Management at Wichita State University and graduated in 1996. She served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts from July 2014 – May 2022. She served as Director of Professional Development and Adjunct Assistant Professor at UMKC Conservatory from 2013 – July 2014. From 2008 through 2014 she served as Director of Artist INC Professional Development Programming at Artist INC, a program she created. AND TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY!

Diane Scott thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

10:26

Angélique Kidjo – “Oyaya (feat. Nile Rodgers & Iza)”
from: Hope / Parlophone Records / April 24, 2026
[Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo is a Beninese musician, actress, and activist. Kidjo has won five Grammy Awards and a Polar Music Prize. She has collaborated with artists including Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, John Legend, Philip Glass, Bono, Yo-Yo Ma, and Burna Boy.[10] She is the first Black African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.She performed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on July 23, 2021. In 2021, Time magazine included her in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Kidjo is fluent in five languages: Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen (Mina) and English. She sings in all of them, and she also has her own personal language, which includes words that serve as song titles such as “Batonga”. Kidjo often uses Benin’s traditional Zilin vocal technique and vocalese. // Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo was born in Ouidah, French Dahomey, in what became Benin. Her father is from the Fon people of Ouidah and her mother from the Yoruba people. Her father was a musician, and her mother worked as a choreographer and theatre director. She grew up listening to Yoruba and Beninese traditional music, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, James Brown, Manu Dibango, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, Osibisa and Santana. By the time she was six years old, Kidjo was performing with her mother’s theatre troupe. // She started singing in her school band, Les Sphinx, and found success as a teenager with her adaptation of Miriam Makeba’s “Les Trois Z”, which was played on national radio. Kidjo recorded the album Pretty with Cameroonian producer Ekambi Brilliant and her brother Oscar. It featured the songs “Ninive”, “Gbe Agossi”, and a tribute to the singer Bella Bellow, one of her role models. The success of the album allowed her to tour all over West Africa. Continuing political conflicts in Benin prevented her from being an independent artist in her own country and led her to relocate to Paris in 1983. // After moving to France, Kidjo initially planned to become a human rights lawyer, but ended up studying music. While working various day jobs to pay for her tuition, Kidjo studied music at the CIM, a jazz school in Paris, where she met musician and producer Jean Hebrail, with whom she has composed most of her music and whom she married in 1987. She started out as a backup singer in local bands. In 1985, she became the front singer of Jasper van ‘t Hof’s Euro-African jazz/rock band Pili Pili. Three Pili Pili studio albums followed: Jakko (1987), Be In Two Minds (1988, produced by Marlon Klein) and Hotel Babo (1990). By the end of the 1980s, she had become one of the most popular live performers in Paris and recorded a solo album called Parakou for the Open Jazz Label. She met Island Records founder Chris Blackwell in Paris; Blackwell signed her to a record deal in 1991.[27] She recorded four albums for Island until Blackwell’s departure from the label. In 2000, she was signed in New York by Columbia Records, for whom she recorded two albums.]

10:29 – Underwriting

REVISER – “The Flames”
from: DOLOROSO / REVISER / March 1, 2026
[“THE FLAMES” is the first single from REVISER’s new album “DOLOROSO” released digitally on all streaming platforms own March 1, 2026. Released on Vinyl via Bandcamp on May 20, 2026. “THE FLAMES” is a post-punk / goth-rock anthem., presented as a clarion call in these dark times. The song is energetic, driving, and intense, with insistent bass and drum machines, guitars that weave around each other, buzzing keyboards, and lyrics sung intensely that question whether the listener will be joining this call to justice with them. The song calls to mind “In Shreds” by The Chameleons or “Dark Entries” by Bauhaus, and lets plenty of REVISER’s own smoldering snarl and fiery energy carry this torch forward. REVISER is: Dawn Don on backing vocals, Dedric Moore on standard guitar, and Krysztof Nemeth on lead vocals & baritone guitar. As part of the Kosmic City collective of regional post-punk, goth, darkwave acts, REVISER spent 2025 successfully cementing itself as a black beacon of dark musical energy. // 2026 sees REVISER release their new album “DOLOROSO”; 8 songs as a digital and vinyl release, showcasing what the band has become over it’s journey to now. Sometimes dark and brooding, sometimes romantic and longing, REVISER’s sound on collects the classic vibes of 80’s post-punk, goth-rock, and darkwave into something both familiar and foreign, a sound that is dark, deep, and danceable. Calling to mind legendary acts such as Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, The Chameleons, and Echo & the Bunnymen, REVISER sounds complimentary to such contemporaries as Actors, House of Harm, Drab Majesty, and Traitrs. Considering this moment in time, REVISER emphasizes standing strong with our communities to support inclusivity and equality and is absolutely against Fascism, Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Transphobia. // REVISER released their singles “DEAD EYES” on October 16, 2025, “CELESTINE” on February 28, 2025, “DARKSIDERS” on October 18, 2024, and “ASSASINS” and “BURN IT OUT” on March 15, 2024. These previously five singles, individually released, have all been remixed and remastered for their new album DOLOROSO, and include Dawn’s vocals on them, now. REVISER is a continuation of the musical collaboration from Static Phantoms, Religion of Heartbreak (with Mikal Shapiro) and Monta At Odds.] [REVISER opened for Lene Lovich at recordBar, on Nov. 5, 2025. Info: http://www.reviser.bandcamp.com / http://www.instagram.com / http://www.kosmiccity.com]

[Reviser plays A Vinyl release party for Doloroso, Saturday, May 16 at miniBar with Reddr Moon, Silent WVLF (Fayetteville), and Brave Boy (Wichita)]

[Reviser plays The Coven! 3530 Leavenworth St. Omaha, on Friday, June 19 with Vempire and Dead Poets for a Goth/Darkwave/Synthpop show.]

[Reviser plays 56 Brewing in NorthEast Minneapolis, Saturday, June 20 at 6:00pm with Dead-Poets, Stranger Gallery, and Spectres of Desire.]

10:35 – Interview with Dedric Moore and Krysztof Nemeth

Members of the iconic KC band REVISER join us live in our 90.1 FM Studios to share details about their new album “DOLOROSO” featuring the four previous singles REVISER released in 2025, all newly remixed and re-produced with 4 new songs, including their newest single, “THE FLAMES”.

Dedric Moore, Krysztof Nemeth, thank you for being with us on WMM

Krysztof Nemeth on lead vocals & baritone guitar;
Dedric Moore on standard guitar, and
Breaka Dawn on backing vocals

As part of the Kosmic City collective of regional post-punk, goth, darkwave acts, REVISER spent 2025 successfully cementing itself as a black beacon of dark musical energy.

REVISER’s album DOLOROSO was released digitally on March 1, 2026, and will have a special vinyl release on May 20, 2026, on Bandcamp.

Reviser plays A Vinyl release party for Doloroso, Saturday, May 16 at miniBar with Reddr Moon, Silent WVLF (Fayetteville), and Brave Boy (Wichita)

Re:vis:er opened for ]]

Krysztof Nemeth is of the bands: Emmaline Twist, The Latenight Callers, Abandoned Belles, and with Dedrick Religion of Heartbreak, Static Phantoms, Monta, The Rebublic Tigers )(Sinforosa, Die Waiting, Abney Park) And a Cure tribute cands.

Dedric Moore is of the bands: on standard guitar, and Monta At Odds, Monta, Religion of Heartbreak, Static Phantoms, Gemini Revolution, Mysterious Clouds, The Republic Tigers, (Lolo, Piercing Eyes)

Breaka Dawn is of the bands: The Bad Ideas, Nan & The One Night Stands

Shows:

Reviser plays A Vinyl release party for Doloroso, Saturday, May 16 at miniBar with Reddr Moon, Silent WVLF (Fayetteville), and Brave Boy (Wichita)

Reviser plays The Coven! 3530 Leavenworth St. Omaha, on Friday, June 19 with Vempire and Dead Poets for a Goth/Darkwave/Synthpop show.

Reviser plays 56 Brewing in NorthEast Minneapolis, Saturday, June 20 at 6:00pm with Dead-Poets, Stranger Gallery, and Spectres of Desire.

Digital Release: All Streaming Platforms – 03/01/2026
Vinyl Release: Via Bandcamp – 05/20/2026

As part of the Kosmic City collective of regional post-punk, goth, darkwave acts,
REVISER spent 2025 successfully cementing itself as a black beacon of dark
musical energy. 2026 sees REVISER release their new album “DOLOROSO”; 8
songs as a digital and vinyl release, showcasing what the band has become over
it’s journey to now.

Sometimes dark and brooding, sometimes romantic and longing, REVISER’s sound
on “DOLOROSO” captures the classic vibes of 80’s post-punk, goth-rock, and
darkwave into something both familiar and foreign, a sound that is dark, deep, and
danceable.

“DOLOROSO” features the 4 previous singles released in 2025, remixed and re-produced with 4 new songs, including their newest single, “THE FLAMES”.

REVISER is available for local, regional, and festival dates.
“We’ll break it down, and start it all over again…”

Contact : reviser.mgmt@gmail.com
Bandcamp : https://reviser.bandcamp.com/album/doloroso
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/re.vis.er/
Website : https://www.kosmiccity.com/reviser

Dedric Moore, Krysztof Nemeth and Breaka Dawn , thank you for being with us on WMM

10:54

REVISER – “1000 Lashes”
from: DOLOROSO / REVISER / March 1, 2026
[“1000 Lashes” is the newest single from REVISER’s new album, “DOLOROSO” released digitally on all streaming platforms own March 1, 2026. Released on Vinyl via Bandcamp on May 20, 2026. “THE FLAMES” is a post-punk / goth-rock anthem., presented as a clarion call in these dark times. The song is energetic, driving, and intense, with insistent bass and drum machines, guitars that weave around each other, buzzing keyboards, and lyrics sung intensely that question whether the listener will be joining this call to justice with them. The song calls to mind “In Shreds” by The Chameleons or “Dark Entries” by Bauhaus, and lets plenty of REVISER’s own smoldering snarl and fiery energy carry this torch forward. REVISER is: Dawn Don on backing vocals, Dedric Moore on standard guitar, and Krysztof Nemeth on lead vocals & baritone guitar. As part of the Kosmic City collective of regional post-punk, goth, darkwave acts, REVISER spent 2025 successfully cementing itself as a black beacon of dark musical energy. // 2026 sees REVISER release their new album “DOLOROSO”; 8 songs as a digital and vinyl release, showcasing what the band has become over it’s journey to now. Sometimes dark and brooding, sometimes romantic and longing, REVISER’s sound on collects the classic vibes of 80’s post-punk, goth-rock, and darkwave into something both familiar and foreign, a sound that is dark, deep, and danceable. Calling to mind legendary acts such as Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, The Chameleons, and Echo & the Bunnymen, REVISER sounds complimentary to such contemporaries as Actors, House of Harm, Drab Majesty, and Traitrs. Considering this moment in time, REVISER emphasizes standing strong with our communities to support inclusivity and equality and is absolutely against Fascism, Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Transphobia. // REVISER released their singles “DEAD EYES” on October 16, 2025, “CELESTINE” on February 28, 2025, “DARKSIDERS” on October 18, 2024, and “ASSASINS” and “BURN IT OUT” on March 15, 2024. These previously five singles, individually released, have all been remixed and remastered for their new album DOLOROSO, and include Dawn’s vocals on them, now. REVISER is a continuation of the musical collaboration from Static Phantoms, Religion of Heartbreak (with Mikal Shapiro) and Monta At Odds.] [REVISER opened for Lene Lovich at recordBar, on Nov. 5, 2025. Info: http://www.reviser.bandcamp.com / http://www.instagram.com / http://www.kosmiccity.com]

[Reviser plays A Vinyl release party for Doloroso, Saturday, May 16 at miniBar with Reddr Moon, Silent WVLF (Fayetteville), and Brave Boy (Wichita)]

[Reviser plays The Coven! 3530 Leavenworth St. Omaha, on Friday, June 19 with Vempire and Dead Poets for a Goth/Darkwave/Synthpop show.]

[Reviser plays 56 Brewing in NorthEast Minneapolis, Saturday, June 20 at 6:00pm with Dead-Poets, Stranger Gallery, and Spectres of Desire.]

11:00 – Station ID

Angine de Poitrine – “Sarniezz”
from: Vol.II / Angine de Poitrine / April 3, 2026
[Angine de Poitrine is a Canadian rock duo formed in the Chicoutimi borough of Saguenay, Quebec, in 2019. It is composed of two anonymous musicians performing under pseudonyms as guitarist Khn de Poitrine and drummer Klek de Poitrine. They are known for complex, microtonal compositions in the style of math rock and experimental rock, and an absurdist public image, featuring oversized papier-mâché masks and black-and-white polka-dotted costumes. // Conceived initially as a disguise to retain audiences across back-to-back sets at a local venue, the project became the duo’s primary focus. Following their debut album, Vol. 1 (2024), the band gained traction on the Quebec festival circuit, culminating in an Artist of the Year win at the 2025 GAMIQ awards. They achieved viral recognition in February 2026 when a live session recorded for US radio station KEXP accumulated millions of views. This preceded the release of their second album, Vol. II (2026), and supporting international tours. // Angine de Poitrine formed in the Chicoutimi borough of Saguenay, Quebec, in 2019. The group’s name is the French term for angina pectoris (“angina [lit. strangling] of the chest”), and was initially suggested as a joke; this later became a reflection of the band’s sound, characterized by the members as “dissonance-induced cardiac malfunction”, and conveying a “sense of urgency” in their music. The duo performs anonymously as guitarist Khn de Poitrine and drummer Klek de Poitrine; the two have been musical collaborators for two decades, having performed together in various projects since the age of 13. // The project began as a gag after the pair were booked to perform twice in one week at the same local Saguenay venue; concerned that audiences would not attend the second show, they decided to play the latter set as anonymous, costumed performers under a different name. To complete what the duo later likened to an “Andy Kaufman-esque joke”, they constructed oversized papier-mâché masks with giant noses and During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, with live opportunities limited, the members took up construction jobs. // On 14 June 2024, Angine de Poitrine released their debut album, Vol. 1. Throughout 2025, the duo attracted increasing attention on the Quebec festival circuit, including appearances at Le Festif!, M for Montreal, the Montreal Jazz Festival and Pop Montreal. In December 2025, the duo won “Artist of the Year” at the 20th annual GAMIQ awards. That same month, they performed at Trans Musicales in Rennes, France; footage from the set was later released by Seattle radio station KEXP on 5 February 2026. The video became an immediate viral success, accumulating over two million views within its first week of release. By April 2026, the video’s view count had increased to over nine million. The band released their second studio album, Vol. II, on 3 April 2026.// In March 2026, Angine de Poitrine made an appearance on the popular Quebec talk show Tout le monde en parle, which has an average viewership of nearly one million people. During an interview for the Logan Sounds Off podcast, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl praised the band, saying they “absolutely blew [his] mind” and describing them as “completely bonkers.” Sean Lennon commented on them via his X account, stating: “I have never seen a weird instrumental band go viral like Angine de Poitrine. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s totally wild. For the last three months, everyone I know has sent me their video at least once.” // Following the viral success of their KEXP session, Angine de Poitrine embarked on an international tour in support of the album. The 2026 tour began on March 28 at the Tremor Festival in the Azores, Portugal, preceding a sold-out April and May leg across Quebec. In April, the duo secured physical media distribution rights outside of Quebec, with ATO Records releasing their music in the United States, F>A>B in the rest of Canada, and Republic of Music in Europe. In May, the band is The tour is additionally scheduled to include the band’s first performances in the United States in September. // Angine de Poitrine’s musical style has been described as math rock and experimental rock, with additional influences from microtonal music and progressive rock. The group describes itself as a “mantra-rock Dada Pythago-Cubist orchestra” composed of “space-time voyagers”, reflecting their fusion of technical complexity, hypnotic repetition, and absurdist aesthetics The band has cited a wide range of musical influences, with individual artists including King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Frank Zappa, Leo Brouwer, John SThe band employs complex rhythms, and largely instrumental compositions. Their live performances feature the musicians performing in oversized papier-mâché masks with proboscis monkey-like noses alongside black and white polka dot stylized costumes and staging. The band’s music includes vocals only sparsely, and the ones that are there are distorted and difficult to understand. In between songs during live performances they do not speak to the audience. Instead, they perform gestures to themselves in a ritualistic manner – most notably forming a triangle shape with their hands, which the audience will often do in tandem. The use of triangles and pyramids in their imagery may be inspired by the Ha! Ha! Pyramid in their home city of Saguenay, Quebec. // Khn de Poitrine plays a double-necked hybrid instrument consisting of a Fender-Stratocaster-like guitar and bass, separately wired, and each with additional microtonal frets. It was custom-built by a Saguenay-based luthier, which reportedly took over 150 hours of work to complete. The instrument includes oversized, phosphorescent fret markers on the side and top of the necks to compensate for Khn’s impaired vision due to the mask. A second backup instrument for upcoming tours is planned. // More info at: http://www.anginedepoitrine.com]

11:04 – Interview with Ned Stacie, Francois, and Peter Pain

Direct from sold out shows at The Emerald, and The Black Box in the West Bottoms, KC Fringe Fest, and Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, shows in Los Angeles and New York City, – Ned Stacie of Ned’s Nighthole LIVE! along with Ned Stacie, Francois, Peter Pain and Mandy join us to share details of their new show: NED’s Friend-Hole Cabaret LIVE– a brilliantly bizarre live fever dream of comedy, chaos, clown logic, clever stupidity, and sincere nonsense, Saturday, May 16, 8:00, at The Warwick Theater, 3827 Main St, KCMO. More info at: https://linktr.ee/theemeraldkc

Ned Stacie, Francois, Peter Pain thanks for being with us on WMM.

Francois – Sound Engineer

Peter Pain – health a safety supervisor

Ned was inspired after he stumbled upon a Ted Talk. – NED takes the stage with TED Talk confidence and one desperate goal: to speak so profoundly that the audience is moved to tears. As his quest for emotional transcendence intensifies, logic collapses, surreal guests appear, and the presentation unravels into a deranged hour of wolves, Werner Herzog, tech decks, mouse traps, and existential nonsense.

WHAT THE SHOW ENTAILS: The bulk of the show features two characters: NED and his sidekick/AV technician Francois who is located side stage running audio/light cues. Together they fumble through a presentation that neither of them seem to fully grasp but they confidently navigate the presentation even when it seems to have a mind of its own.

At times NED and Francois need help from the health a safety supervisor, “Peter Pain” who’s heart in is in the right place but continues to injure himself.

After each attempt to move the audience to tears fails, NED greatly misinterprets advice from the ghost of Werner Herzog and sends the show down a chaotic and comedic crashout spiral.

NED’S NIGHT-HOLE LIVE: A brilliantly bizarre live fever dream of comedy, chaos, clown logic, clever stupidity, and sincere nonsense. NED takes the stage with TED Talk confidence and one desperate goal: to speak so profoundly that the audience is moved to tears. As his quest for emotional transcendence intensifies, logic collapses, surreal guests appear, and the presentation unravels into a deranged hour of wolves, Werner Herzog, tech decks, mouse traps, and existential nonsense.

Ned Stacie, Francois, andPeter Pain thanks for being with us on WMM.

NED’s Friend-Hole Cabaret LIVE Saturday, May 16, at 8:00, at The Warwick Theater, 3827 Main Street, KCMO. More info at: https://linktr.ee/theemeraldkc

11:25

Pupol Vuh – “Als lebten die engel auf erden”
from: Fitzcarraldo (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) / Edition Pupol Vuh / January 1, 1982
[Popol Vuh were a German musical collective founded by keyboardist Florian Fricke in 1969 together with Frank Fiedler (sound design), Holger Trülzsch (percussion), and Bettina Fricke (tablas and production). The band took its name from the Mayan manuscript containing the mythology of highland Guatemala’s K’iche’ people. During the next two decades the membership often alternated, most notably including Djong Yun, Renate Knaup, Conny Veit, Daniel Fichelscher, Klaus Wiese, and Robert Eliscu. // Popol Vuh began as an electronic music project, but under Fricke’s leadership they soon abandoned synthesizers for organic instrumentation and world music influences. They developed a productive working partnership with director Werner Herzog, contributing scores to films such as Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), and Fitzcarraldo (1982). The group are associated with West Germany’s 1970s krautrock movement and are considered progenitors of new-age and ambient music.// Fitzcarraldo (/fɪtskəˈrældoʊ/) is a 1982 epic adventure-drama film written, produced, and directed by Werner Herzog. The film stars Klaus Kinski as Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an Irish would-be rubber baron known in Peru as “Fitzcarraldo”, who is determined to transport a steamship over a mountain in the Amazon rainforest and thereby access a rich rubber territory, with the ultimate goal of using the wealth to build an opera house in the area. The character was inspired by Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald, who once had a disassembled steamboat transported over the Isthmus of Fitzcarrald by natives. // The film had a troubled production, chronicled in the documentary by Les Blank Burden of Dreams (1982). Herzog had his crew attempt to manually haul the 320-ton steamship up a steep hill, leading to three injuries. The film’s original star Jason Robards became sick halfway through filming, so Herzog hired Kinski, with whom he had previously clashed violently during production of Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), and Woyzeck (1979). Their fourth collaboration fared no better. When shooting was nearly complete, the chief of the Machiguenga tribe, whose members were used extensively as extras, asked Herzog if they should kill Kinski for him, though Herzog declined. // At the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, Herzog won the Best Director Award and the film was nominated for the Palme d’Or. Fitzcarraldo received widespread positive reviews from critics, with Roger Ebert describing it as “imperfect, but transcendent”. // In the early part of the 20th century, Iquitos, Peru, a small city on the Upper Amazon, is experiencing rapid growth due to a rubber boom. One incomer, an Irishman named Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (known locally as “Fitzcarraldo”), is a lover of opera and a great fan of the internationally renowned Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. He dreams of building an opera house in Iquitos, but, although he has an indomitable spirit, he has little capital. The Peruvian government has parceled up the areas in the Amazon basin known to contain rubber trees. However, the best parcels having already been leased to private companies for exploitation, Fitzcarraldo has been trying and failing to make the money to bring opera to Iquitos by various other means, including an ambitious attempt to construct a Trans-Andean Railway. // A rubber baron shows Fitzcarraldo a map and explains that, while the only remaining unclaimed parcel in the area is on the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon, it is cut off from the Amazon (and access to Atlantic ports) by a lengthy section of rapids. Fitzcarraldo notices that the Pachitea River, another Amazon tributary, comes within several hundred meters of the Ucayali upstream of the parcel. He leases the inaccessible parcel from the government, and his paramour, Molly, a successful brothel owner, funds his purchase of an old steamship, which he christens the SS Molly Aida, from the rubber baron. After fixing up the boat, Fitzcarraldo recruits a crew and takes off up the Pachitea, which is largely unexplored because of the hostile Indians who live on its banks. // Fitzcarraldo intends to go to the closest point between the Pachitea and the Ucayali, pull his three-deck, 320-ton steamship up the muddy 40° hillside, and portage it from one river to the next. He plans to use the ship to collect rubber harvested along the Ucayali and then transport the rubber over to the Pachitea and, on different ships, down to market at Atlantic ports. // Soon after they enter Indian territory, the majority of Fitzcarraldo’s crew, who are unaware of his full plan, abandon the expedition, leaving only the captain, engineer, and cook. The natives are impressed by the steamship and, once they make contact, agree to help Fitzcarraldo without asking many questions. After months of work and great struggles, they successfully pull the ship over the mountain using a complex system of pulleys aided by the ship’s anchor windlass. The crew falls asleep after a drunken celebration, and the chief of the natives severs the rope securing the ship to the shore. Fitzcarraldo awakens as the boat is entering the rapids, and is unable to stop it. The ship does not sustain any major damage, but Fitzcarraldo is forced to abandon his quest. Before returning to Iquitos, he learns that the natives helped him move the ship in the belief that sending it over the Ucayali rapids would appease the spirits dwelling there. // Despondent, Fitzcarraldo sells the steamship back to the rubber baron, but there is time before the title changes hands for him to send for a European opera company that he hears is in Manaus. Lacking an opera house, they construct their sets on the deck of the ship, and the entire city of Iquitos comes down to the riverbank to watch as Fitzcarraldo floats it by, managing to bring opera to the city after all.]

11:27 – Underwriting

Sinple – “Aluminum Moon”
from: Aluminum Moon / Sinple / May 4, 2026
[Since his debut release Us in 2014 he has released 16 albums and 24 music videos. Many of his recordings were inspired by Brian Eno. In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left KC and moved to Los Angeles, California where he continued recording and playing in bands. Last September Jesse moved back to KC. As a live performer he has opened for Phantogram, The Soft Moon, EMA and Class Actress. Jesse played keyboards for Bad Dreamer with Joe Stanziola, and The Wild Type. He has also played in the bands: High Tatras, and Boy Detective. His music can be found at: http://www.sinple.bandcamp.com.]

11:32:30 – Interview with Jesse Bartmess

Jesse Bartmess records and performs as Sinple. Jesse’s new album, ALUMINUM MOON was just released on May 4, 2026. Their last album, MUSIC FOR MACHINES Vol. 4, was released February 26, 2026. At the core of the music, you’ll find vulnerable moments transcribed through analog synths & samplers. They began recording demos around 2010 and by 2012 Sinple was performing at local venues, diy spaces and house shows. Since their debut release Us in 2014, Sinple has released 16 albums and 25 music videos. Many of their recordings were inspired by Brian Eno. In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left KC and moved to Los Angeles, California where they continued recording and playing in bands. Last September Jesse moved back to KC. As a live performer they have opened for Phantogram, The Soft Moon, EMA and Class Actress. Jesse played keyboards for Bad Dreamer with Joe Stanziola, and also the band, The Wild Type. Jesse has also played in the bands: High Tatras, and Boy Detective.

Jesse Bartmess Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Jesse Bartmess was born March 28, 1988. He graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School 2006. He performs and records under the moniker: Sinple. Musically, it’s a very specific void that Jesse (Sinple) fills. His music conveys emotion and evokes nostalgia like a collage of shadowy mist, but there’s triumph lurking in those hazy memories of both trauma and beauty. Vulnerable to the core, Sinple displays his darkest moments through his recordings.

In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left Kansas City and moved to Los Angeles, California where he continued recording and playing in bands. After 7 years in Los Angeles Jesse moved back to KC.

Their music can be found at: http://www.sinple.bandcamp.com

On October 13, 2023 Jesse Bartmess wrote this: “Lachrymose is out today on bandcamp, link also in bio. The word “Lachrymose” means to evoke sadness which sums up the last year for me. I spent the last year getting clean from opiates and I just hit the 1 year mark today actually. I also went through a life changing breakup that shook me to my very core. I hit a rock bottom 1 year ago and I’m much stronger having been through much suffering. I went through hell head first and this album documents my experience. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and these songs I wrote. It’s a f*cked up world but maybe this music will take you away from it all even just for an hour. 2 songs feature my good friend @pwrstrngr on vocals. I hope you like it – Jesse Lee “

On October 11, 2024, Jesse Bartmess wrote this: “2 years clean from Opiates today. I shouldn’t be here but I am, life is a gift even when it’s fucked. If you’re trapped in that private hell and trying to escape it, I believe in you.

On December 23, 2025, Jesse Bartmess wrote: “As this beautiful and brutal year ticks It’s way to It’s dying day I’ll be continuing my solo journey of reflection. I’m processing so much and finally feeling things again. I can cry and laugh again but I am admittedly depressed every single day. I can barely function other than eat sleep shower smoke. When that ball drops and that glorious high or awful low that midnight on new years eve brings, I’ll be listening to this. My epic non-radio friendly non-traditional album “Contretemps” will be gifted to the world again 12am NYE. Contretemps is my most challenging piece, challenging to create and challenging for the listener. It’s really fucking long at 2.5 hrs it’s not for the impatient. It’s also my most emotional & emotive work though and in my opinion my best work. I feel that this album is from a past life and also really ahead of it’s time. My music career has proven that I’m in it for the long haul and hopefully I can pull a George Clooney and become successful in my late 30s”

11:42

Sinple – “Broadway Exit”
from: Music For Machines (Vol. 4) / Sinple / February 26, 2026
[Since his debut release Us in 2014 he has released 16 albums and 24 music videos. Many of his recordings were inspired by Brian Eno. In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left KC and moved to Los Angeles, California where he continued recording and playing in bands. Last September Jesse moved back to KC. As a live performer he has opened for Phantogram, The Soft Moon, EMA and Class Actress. Jesse played keyboards for Bad Dreamer with Joe Stanziola, and The Wild Type. He has also played in the bands: High Tatras, and Boy Detective. His music can be found at: http://www.sinple.bandcamp.com.]

11:45 – More Interview with Jesse Bartmess

Jesse Bartmess records and performs as Sinple. Jesse’s new album, ALUMINUM MOON was just released on May 4, 2026. Their last album, MUSIC FOR MACHINES Vol. 4, was released February 26, 2026. At the core of the music, you’ll find vulnerable moments transcribed through analog synths & samplers. They began recording demos around 2010 and by 2012 Sinple was performing at local venues, diy spaces and house shows. Since their debut release Us in 2014, Sinple has released 16 albums and 25 music videos. Many of their recordings were inspired by Brian Eno. In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left KC and moved to Los Angeles, California where they continued recording and playing in bands. Last September Jesse moved back to KC. As a live performer they have opened for Phantogram, The Soft Moon, EMA and Class Actress. Jesse played keyboards for Bad Dreamer with Joe Stanziola, and also the band, The Wild Type. Jesse has also played in the bands: High Tatras, and Boy Detective.

Jesse Bartmess Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left Kansas City and moved to Los Angeles, California where he continued recording and playing in bands. After 7 years in Los Angeles Jesse moved back to KC.

Jesse’s music can be found at: http://www.sinple.bandcamp.com

Sinple Discography

Sinple – Us (9-track album) March 6, 2014
Sinple – O (9-track album) June 26, 2015
This album tells the story of 0, a machine more than a man. It’s about the Industrial downfall of our time and what it’s done to us.
Synths, Samples, Vocals, Guitar, MP7, Xylophone: Jesse Bartmess
Vocals: Allan Jones, Penny Keys, Second Hand King
Violin: Natasha Derakhshanian
Drums: Kelsey Cook
Guitar, Drum Production: David Bennett
Produced by David Bennett
Mastered by Joel Nanos at Element Recording Studios KCMO
Artwork by Jenine Casson
Sinple – Orange President (9-track album) December 18, 2016
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS AN ANTI-trump ALBUM. IT IS A PARODY ALBUM BLENDING COMEDY, HIP-HOP & SYNTHWAVE. trump IS A CLOWN..
“I DID’NT VOTE FOR AN ORANGE PRESIDENT”
Sinple – Music For Machines (8-track album) May 1, 2017
Ambient Album Inspired by Brian Eno’s “Music for Airports”
Music for Machines: Written and Recorded by Sinple @ Moldy Basement
Sinple – Music For Machines Vol. 2 (15-track album) March 9, 2018
Sinple – Gold & Blue (16-track album) May 30, 2018
Sinple – Weird Network (15-track album) March 21, 2020
Sinple – Forgotten (11-track album) May 23, 2023
“Forgotten” is an evocative, sonic exploration of mental psychosis, offering a therapeutic release and an artistic expression of trauma and fear. Through its mesmerizing soundscapes, the album delves into the darkest corners of the human psyche, transforming pain into a hauntingly beautiful auditory experience.
Sinple – Lachrymose (7-track album) August 5, 2023
Sinple – Music For Machines Vol. 3 (15-track album) February 22, 2024
Sinple – Neo Noir (10-track album) April 5, 2024
“Neo Noir draws inspiration from Brian Eno’s “Music for Films” and various ’80s film scores, seamlessly blending synths, piano loops, and vocal samples with sparse textures and spacious tones. This lush and beautiful album of ambient instrumentals is a must-listen for fans of Philip Glass, John Carpenter, and Tangerine Dream, offering a modern take on classic cinematic soundscapes.”
Sinple – CONTRETEMPS (13-track album) September 13, 2024
“Contretemps” is an entirely instrumental and experimental album, marking the longest and most prolific release from Sinple at 2.5 hours. The songs were born out of an intense, immersive love and finished during the heart-wrenching, soul-crushing ending of a relationship. This album is a beautiful yet dark journey, both haunting and harrowing in its emotional depth. It showcases Sinple’s finest and most reflective work to date, exploring a world of melodic melancholia and the untamed wilderness of the human heart. 💔
Sinple – Dark Paradise (13-track album) June 13, 2025
All songs written by Jesse Keys (Sinple), Bass Guitar on Track 6* & Track 11* by Brock Walker (pwrstrngr). Instruments featured include: Roland JX-3P (synthesizer), Roland 404 sx (sampler), EM-U MP7 (drum machine), Novation Mini-Nova (synthesizer), Steinway & Sons (piano), Boss VE-20 (vocal processor). Recorded on Tascam DP-008 Multitrack Recorder Mixed in Audacity® Cross-Platform Sound Editor // “Dark Paradise” is a vibrant sonic tapestry, a lush rainstorm of soundscapes that envelops the listener in a technicolor dream. Through a psychedelic kaleidoscope of tones, this album delves into synth-pop, avant-garde, and dark ambient sketches, showcasing the artist’s impressive range and depth. Across 13 cohesive and captivating songs, not a second is wasted in exploring the diverse sonic terrain. // While the artist, Jesse, hasn’t achieved perfection in any particular field, it’s the spirit of exploration and experimentation that truly sets this work apart. Each track is a testament to their unique vision, as they seamlessly don many hats and masks throughout the album. “Dark Paradise” defies categorization in today’s music landscape, yet its familiarity is eerily poignant, touching on something deeply human and universal. // The recordings are at once strangely frightening and deeply moving, evoking a sense of unease while simultaneously fostering an emotional resonance that lingers long after the music has ceased. In this atmospheric journey, Jesse has created a world that is both dark and enchanting, a testament to their artistic prowess and creative vision.
Sinple – A woman is dragging her shadow in a circle 6-track album) January 11, 2026
Half this album was made in late summer Los Angeles and two months in Kansas. It is a document of my exit from life in LA and my humbling return to my childhood home. The emotional upheaval of my chaotic life affected my entire world and I felt that true blues in my soul. These 5 songs are so important to me. This piece serves as a direct link between my vivid memories & my desires to change & process the traumas in time
This album was recorded using: Roland JX-3P, Steinway Acoustic Piano, Tascam DP-01
Sinple – Music For Machines Vol. 4 (17-track album) February 26, 2026
Sinple – Aluminum Moon May 4, 2026

Jesse Bartmess thanks for being with us on WMM.

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:53

Sinple – “Luv Goes”
from: Music For Machines (Vol. 4) / Sinple / February 26, 2026
[Since his debut release Us in 2014 he has released 16 albums and 24 music videos. Many of his recordings were inspired by Brian Eno. In June 2018 Jesse Bartmess left KC and moved to Los Angeles, California where he continued recording and playing in bands. Last September Jesse moved back to KC. As a live performer he has opened for Phantogram, The Soft Moon, EMA and Class Actress. Jesse played keyboards for Bad Dreamer with Joe Stanziola, and The Wild Type. He has also played in the bands: High Tatras, and Boy Detective. His music can be found at: http://www.sinple.bandcamp.com.]

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

Next week, on Wednesday, May 13 we welcome back to the show, Shaun Crowley the Founder & Executive Director of Manor Records, a non-profit organization that functions as a record label to support Kansas City musicians. Shaun Crowley joins us to discuss MANOR FEST 8, happening: May 20-23 and May 27-30, with: 58 Bands, 8 Nights, 11 Neighborhoods, 20 venues, and one KC Street Car. We’ll hear tracks from many of the artists playing Manor Fest 8: The Greeting Committee, Bobby Watson, Calvin Arsenia, Kadesh Flow, Fritz & Sons, Jass, Flare The Rebel, Nightosphere, Paris Williams, Hailes, Jamogi & The Jammers, Eddie Moore, True Lions, The Royal Chief, Kissin, The Babe Gabe, Field Daze, Kemet Coleman, Malek Azrael & The Vibes, Brian Gerald Bulger, Scabb, The Matchsellers, Miki P, Aigerue + Mikey, Teri Quinn, Spy World, FK Menace, Apricot Glow, 2w33dy, Alber & I Maledetti, Dom Chronicles, Kirstie Lynn, LyMerrick, Kapten, Pure XTC, Nina Cherry, Toasterbath, Ernest Melton, Sass-A-Brass Info: http://www.manorrecords.com

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wedneday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals donated $3924.00 going way over our show goal!
Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

You can find our playlists at: http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

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

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

Show #1146

WMM Playlist from April 22, 2026

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, April 22, 2026

Scott Moreau plays Johnny Cash + BCR celebrates 50 Years! + Rosie O’Brien leads Sass-a-Brass

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

10:00 – Three Musical Artists inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2026

We start the show with three legendary musical entities: Fela Kuti and Arika 70, Joy Division, and Celia Cruz. These artists were recently announced to be inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The 2026 inductees include: Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan. In addition to the performer inductees, Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Gram Parsons will be honored with the Early Influence Award. Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin will receive the Musical Excellence Award. The annual Ahmet Ertegun Award will remember Ed Sullivan.

Fela Kuti, Afrika 70 & Ginger Baker – “Let’s Start (Edit with Intro)”
from: “Let’s Start (Edit with Intro)” – Single from LIVE! / EMI London / August 30, 1971
[In 2026, Kuti was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early/musical influence after two previous nominations. // “Let’s Start” is a single edited version of opening track from Live! – a live in-studio album by Fela Kuti’s band Africa ’70, with the addition of former Cream drummer Ginger Baker on two songs. It was released on August 30, 1971 by EMI in Africa and Europe and by Capitol/EMI in the United States and Canada. It was reissued on CD by Celluloid in 1987 and was reissued on CD in remastered form by Barclay with a bonus track from 1978. LIVE! was one of five albums Fele released in 1971 including FELA’S LONDON SCENE, WHY BLACK MEN DEY SUFFER, NA POI, and OPEN & CLOSE. // The album was recorded on July 25, 1971, at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. The British-American rock band Wings was recording their album Wild Life at the same time in the adjacent studio. // Baker travelled with Kuti into Africa in a Land Rover to learn about the continent’s rhythms, as documented in Tony Palmer’s film Ginger Baker in Africa (1971). The bonus track on the Barclay CD reissue features a 16-minute drum duet between Baker and Africa ’70’s drummer Tony Allen recorded at the 1978 Berlin Jazz Festival. The album is on Rolling Stone’s list of the 50 greatest live albums of all time. The album is also included in Robert Dimery’s 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. // Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti on October 15, 1938 – died 2 August 2, 1997. He was a Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that combines West African music with American funk and jazz. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa’s most “challenging and charismatic music performers”. AllMusic described him as “a musical and sociopolitical voice” of international significance. // Kuti was the son of Nigerian women’s rights activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. After early experiences abroad, he and his band Africa ’70 (featuring drummer and musical director Tony Allen) shot to stardom in Nigeria during the 1970s, during which Kuti was an outspoken critic and target of Nigeria’s military juntas. In 1970, he founded the Kalakuta Republic commune, which declared itself independent from military rule. The commune was destroyed in a 1977 army raid that injured Kuti and his mother, the latter fatally. He was jailed by the government of Muhammadu Buhari in 1984, but released after 20 months. Kuti continued to record and perform through the 1980s and 1990s. Since his death in 1997, reissues and compilations of his music have been overseen by his son, Femi Kuti. // Kuti was born into the Ransome-Kuti family, an upper-middle-class family, on October 15, 1938, in Abeokuta, Colonial Nigeria. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was an anti-colonial feminist, and his father, Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti was an Anglican minister, school principal, and the first president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers. Kuti’s parents both played active roles in the anti-colonial movement in Nigeria, most notably the Abeokuta Women’s Riots which were led by his mother in 1946. His brothers Beko Ransome-Kuti and Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, both medical doctors, were well known nationally. Kuti is a cousin to the writer and fellow activist Wole Soyinka, a Nobel Prize for Literature winner. They are both descendants of Josiah Ransome-Kuti, an Anglican clergyman and musical pioneer, who is Kuti’s paternal grandfather and Soyinka’s maternal great-grandfather. // Kuti attended Abeokuta Grammar School. In 1958, he was invited to London by his younger brother Beko (a medical student at the time), to study music at the Trinity College of Music, with the trumpet being his preferred instrument. While there, he formed the band Koola Lobitos and played a fusion of jazz and highlife. The ensemble would include as members Bayo Martins on drums and Wole Bucknor on piano. In 1960, Kuti married his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor with whom he had three children (Yeni, Femi, and Sola). In 1963, Kuti moved back to the newly independent Federation of Nigeria, re-formed Koola Lobitos, and trained as a radio producer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. He played for some time with Victor Olaiya and his All-Stars. // He called his style Afrobeat, a combination of Apala, funk, jazz, highlife, salsa, calypso and traditional Yoruba music. In 1969, Kuti took the band to the United States and spent ten months in Los Angeles. While there, he discovered the Black Power movement through Sandra Smith (now known as Sandra Izsadore or Sandra Akanke Isidore), a partisan of the Black Panther Party. This experience heavily influenced his music and political views. He renamed the band Nigeria 70. Soon after, the Immigration and Naturalization Service was tipped off by a promoter that Kuti and his band were in the US without work permits. The band performed a quick recording session in Los Angeles that would later be released as The ’69 Los Angeles Sessions.]

[Afrobeats To The World – Friday, April 24, at 9:00pm at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway Blvd KCMO, An immersive experience, with dancers and DJs, where pulsating African rhythms and music collide, creating a transformative celebration and vibrant showcase of African culture.]

Joy Division – “Transmission”
from: “Transmission” – 7” single / Factory / October 7, 1979
[In 2026, both Joy Division and New Order were inducted as one act into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. // “Transmission” is a song by English post-punk band Joy Division. Originally recorded in 1978 for the band’s aborted self-titled album, it was later re-recorded the following year at a faster tempo and released by record label Factory as the band’s debut single. // “Transmission” was released on 7″ vinyl on October 7, 1979 by record label Factory. It was re-released as a 12″ single with a different sleeve on February 20, 1981. The single charted twice in New Zealand, debuting at number 2 in September 1981 and re-appearing again at number 24 in July 1984. // The song was performed once by the band on television, for the BBC Something Else programme. Twenty seconds of the song is shown in the movie Control (2007), directed by Anton Corbijn, a film based on the biography of Ian’s wife, Deborah Curtis’s Touching from a Distance. // Greil Marcus has a chapter on this song in his book The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Ten Songs. According to Marcus, “‘Transmission’ is not an argument. It’s a dramatization of the realization that the act of listening to the radio is a suicidal gesture. It will kill your mind. It will rob your soul.” Marcus also quotes the band’s bassist Peter Hook about the importance of this song: “We were doing a soundcheck at the Mayflower, in May, and we played ‘Transmission’: people had been moving around, and they all stopped to listen. I realized that was our first great song.” // In May 2007, NME magazine placed “Transmission” at number 20 in its list of the 50 “Greatest Indie Anthems Ever”, one place below “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. In 2016, Pitchfork placed “Transmission” at number 10 in its list of “The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s”. // Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. // Sumner and Hook formed the band after attending a June 1976 Sex Pistols concert. While Joy Division’s first recordings were heavily influenced by early punk rock, they soon developed a sparse sound and style that made them one of the pioneering groups of the post-punk genre. Their self-released 1978 debut EP An Ideal for Living drew the attention of the Manchester television personality Tony Wilson, who signed them to his independent label Factory Records. Their debut album Unknown Pleasures, recorded with producer Martin Hannett, was released in 1979. // Curtis struggled with personal problems, including a failing marriage, depression, and epilepsy. As the band’s popularity grew, Curtis’s health condition made it increasingly difficult for him to perform; he occasionally experienced seizures on stage. He died by suicide on the eve of what would have been the band’s first North American tour in May 1980, aged 23. Joy Division’s second and final album, Closer, was released two months later; it and the single “Love Will Tear Us Apart” became their highest-charting releases. // Between July and October 1980, the remaining members, with the addition of keyboardist and guitarist Gillian Gilbert, regrouped under the name New Order. They were successful throughout the next decade, blending post-punk with electronic and dance music influences. Joy Division would remain a prominent influence on subsequent generations of alternative acts, particularly within the gothic rock genre. In 2026, both Joy Division and New Order were inducted as one act into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.]

Celia Cruz – “Yemayá”
from: Homenaje a los Santos / Seeco Records / 1964
[Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso, born, October 21, 1925 – died, July 16, 2003. Known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban singer and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname La Guarachera de Cuba. In the following decades, she became known internationally as the “Queen of Salsa” due to her contributions to Latin music. She had sold over 30 million records, making her one of the best-selling Latin music artists. // The artist began her career in her home country Cuba, earning recognition as a vocalist of the popular musical group Sonora Matancera, a musical association that lasted 15 years (1950–1965). Cruz mastered a wide variety of Afro-Cuban music styles including guaracha, rumba, afro, son and bolero, recording numerous singles in these styles for Seeco Records. // In 1960, after the Cuban Revolution caused the nationalization of the music industry, Cruz left her native country, becoming one of the symbols and spokespersons of the Cuban community in exile. Cruz continued her career, first in Mexico, and then in the United States, the country that she took as her definitive residence. In the 1960s, she collaborated with Tito Puente, recording her signature tune “Bemba colorá”. In the 1970s, she signed for Fania Records and became strongly associated with the salsa genre, releasing hits such as “Quimbara”. She often appeared live with Fania All-Stars and collaborated with Johnny Pacheco and Willie Colón. During the last years of her career, Cruz continued to release successful songs such as “La vida es un carnaval” and “La negra tiene tumbao”. // Her musical legacy is made up of a total of 37 studio albums, as well as numerous live albums and collaborations. Throughout her career, she was awarded numerous prizes and distinctions, including two Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards. In addition to her prolific career in music, Cruz also made several appearances as an actress in movies and telenovelas. Her catchphrase “¡Azúcar!” (“Sugar!”) has become one of the most recognizable symbols of salsa music. // In 2026, Cruz was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early/musical influence. She is the first artist who performed in Spanish to be inducted. // Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born on 21 October 1925, at 47 Serrano Street in the Santos Suárez neighborhood of Havana, Cuba. Her father, Simón Cruz, was a railway stoker, and her mother, Catalina Alfonso Ramos, a housewife who took care of an extended family. Celia was one of the eldest among fourteen children living in the house, including cousins and her three siblings, Dolores, Gladys, and Bárbaro, and she used to sing cradle songs to put them to sleep. According to her mother, she began singing as a child at 9 or 10 months of age, often in the middle of the night. She also sang in school during the Fridays’ actos cívicos and in her neighborhood ensemble, Botón de oro. // While growing up in Cuba’s diverse 1930s musical climate, Cruz listened to many musicians who influenced her adult career, including Fernando Collazo, Abelardo Barroso, Pablo Quevedo, Antonio Arcaño and Arsenio Rodríguez. Despite her father’s opposition and the fact that she was Catholic, as a child Cruz learned Santería songs from her neighbor who practiced Santería. Cruz also studied the words to Yoruba songs with colleague Merceditas Valdés (an akpwon, a Santería singer) from Cuba and later made various recordings of this religious genre, even singing backup for other akpwons like Candita Batista. // As a teenager, her aunt took her and her cousin to cabarets to sing, but her father encouraged her to attend school in the hope she would become a teacher. After high school, she attended the Normal School for Teachers in Havana with the intent of becoming a literature teacher. At the time being a singer was not viewed as an entirely respectable career. However, one of her teachers told her that, as an entertainer, she could earn in one day what most Cuban teachers earned in a month. From 1947, Cruz studied music theory, voice, and piano at Havana’s National Conservatory of Music. // One day, her cousin took her to Havana’s radio station Radio García-Serra, where she became a contestant in the Hora del té (“Tea Time”) amateur radio program. It was her first time using a microphone and she sang the tango “Nostalgia” (as a tribute to Paulina Álvarez), winning a cake as the first prize for her performance. On other occasions she won silver chains, as well as opportunities to participate in more contests. She also sang in other amateur radio programs such as La suprema corte del arte, broadcast by CMQ, always winning first prize. The only exception was when she competed against Vilma Valle, having to split their earnings: 25 dollars each. // In 2004, the Miami Herald revealed from partially declassified US State Department papers that Cruz had been linked to Cuba’s pre-Revolution communist party, the Popular Socialist Party (PSP), as early as the 1940s] The article was written by Herald journalist Carol Rosenberg from Freedom of Information Act requests. It made several revelations, among them that the US Embassy in Havana denied Cruz a US visa in 1952 and 1955 because of suspected communist affiliations. The article also states that Cruz had joined the youth wing of the PSP at age 20 and had used a concert to arrange a secret meeting with communists in South America on behalf of its then general secretary, Blas Roca Calderío, who had also founded the party in 1925. Cruz had also signed a public letter in support of one of the Party’s front groups, the Pro-Peace Congress. The article states that Cruz’s surviving husband, Pedro Knight, was asked about this, and is quoted he knew nothing about it. “She never told me about that. She never talked about politics,” the article quotes Knight.]

St. George & The Dragons – “Waiting For The World To End”
from: “Waiting For The World To End” – Single / Grand Central Bell Records / April 21, 2026
[The new single features vocals by Skeet Hanks, written by David George and Skeet Hanks. Giving 80’s Elvis Costello vibes, the song makes a statement about how we all seem to be waiting for something to happen in our current political environment. If you haven’t seen the band recently, Scott Mize from the band She Said, and formerly of the Pedal Jets is playing guitar. Also joining the band on keys is the legend Chris Hazelton of The Freedom Affair. // On August 30, 2024, St. George and The Dragons released their debut album, KING OF KANSAS CITY with David George on vocals/guitar, Mike Greene on guitar, Skeet Hanks on vocals & guitar, Matt Kesler on vocals & bass, and Pat Tomek on drums. With Guest Players: Lin Buck on piano & organ, and Ken Lovern on organ. // Produced by David George. Recorded and Engineered by Pat Tomek at Largely Studios – KCMO. Mastered by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlabs – KCMO. Artwork by Jud Kite – Killer Kite Productions // King Of Kansas City is a ten-song album of pure rock and roll influenced by late 70s rock like the Stones and Tom Petty. // The album’s theme comes from a time when Rock ‘n’ Roll ruled the airwaves. It’s about letting go and raising your hand high into the air with your middle finger out to the world as you move on to the next big thing in your life. // Lead singer David George (Moaning Lisa, John Fogerty band) has been working with drummer/engineer Pat Tomek (The Rainmakers) since 2018 when they recorded three solo EPs for George. They found it easy to work together and had similar tastes which led them to produced and engineer an album for Kansas City artist David Luther. In the studio with Luther, they enlisted the help of Matt Kesler (The Pedaljets, She Said, The Doo Dads) on bass with Tomek on drums and George on guitars and keys. // George, Tomek, and Kesler hit it off and started working on material of their own, eventually bringing in guitarist Mike Greene (The Front/Bakers Pink) and vocalist/guitarist Skeet Hanks (Beatin’ Path) to round out the sound. Greene was the lead guitarist in the Front, a band known for their searing guitar and power rock sound. Hanks, from New Orleans fronted the band Beatin’ Path, tearing up the Bayou country with their progressive rock sound and soaring melodies. // Influenced by the works of The Stones, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, and many other classic rock bands from the 70s and the 80s, St. George & The Dragons came together during the Global Pandemic, giving them time to develop their sound. George, Greene, Hanks, Kesler, and Tomek have all had their share of greatness, from the collective albums they’ve released on major and indie labels to sharing the stage with legends like Paul McCartney, The Replacements, Soul Asylum, Doobie Brothers, The Black Crowes, Derek Trucks Band, Lumineers, Aerosmith, Smithereens, Mother Love Bone, and a list that could fill up a book! // More information at: http://www.stgeorgeandthedragonsband.com

[St. George & The Dragons play recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., KCMO on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 8:00pm with Kamera9.]

The Soul Agenda – “Hot Honey”
from: “Hot Honey” – Single / The Soul Agenda / February 15, 2026
[The Soul Agenda are Olivet on vocals, Zahara Ness on back-up vocals Charles on trumpet, Noah on guitar. The Soul Agenda were the winners of the 32nd annual 2026 KJHK Farmers Ball, a two week competition held at Liberty Hall in Lawrence Kansas]

[The Soul Agenda play Manor Fest 8 on Friday, May 22.]

[The Soul Agenda play MOD Gallery, 1809 McGee St. KCMO, on Friday June 5, 2026.]

Field Daze – “Shade of Blue”
from: “Shade Blue – Single / Field Daze / April 3, 2026
[Produced, mixed, and mastered by Ian Dobyns at Element Recording Studios. Earlier this year Field Daze released the singles: “Hula Girl” on March 3, 2026, “Hate Me” on March 9, 2026, “Melona 99” on March 8, 2026. // Field Daze, is an Indie Rock/Dreampop band, originated in KCMO when Rodd Fenton & Dan Camino responded to a Facebook call to start a Dreampop band. Their collaboration led to the creation of early demos. Shortly after, they were joined by Tracer Cauy, Kyer Lasswell, & Beau Harris, solidifying the band’s lineup. // Their magnetic sound quickly found a home in the KC music community, playing The Rino, The Ship, and The Bottleneck. Field Daze’s live performances became synonymous with an immersive musical experience, drawing in crowds with their captivating melodies. // Currently, the band channels their creativity by recording homegrown tracks within Rodd Fenton’s personal studio, honing their craft and evolving their unique sound. More Info at: http://www.fielddazekc.com

[Field Daze play Manor Fest 8]

[Field Daze play The Ship at 1221 Union Ave., KCMO in Historic West Bottoms, Friday, June 5, 2025[

TV Star – “Reality Cheque (Album version)”
from: Music For Heads / Father/ Daughter Records / April24, 2026
[On Thursday, March 19, 2026, TV Star released their single, “Reality Cheque” along with the official music video starring bassist and Supercrush vocalist/guitarist, Mark Palm. // Music For Heads, is the debut album from the Seattle/Tacoma, WA band, out April 24, 2026. Ash Nagelon on lead vocals, Che Hise-Gattone on guitar. “This is also the song that everyone was crying in the studio when Ash was recording vocals. // “Reality Cheque” distills TV Star at their sharpest – punchy, clear-eyed, and effortlessly catchy. The song captures the moment you realize love has tipped into imbalance: all projection and performance. Rather than over-explaining, the band lets the hook do the work, locking into a crisp pop pocket where jangling guitars and buoyant rhythm carry the emotional weight. It’s a deceptively bright track with a hard truth at its center, proof of TV Star’s knack for turning quiet realizations into something that lingers. Music For Heads, is the debut album from the Seattle/Tacoma, WA band, out April 24, 2026. Ash Nagelon on lead vocals, Che Hise-Gattone on guitar. “This is also the song that everyone was crying in the studio when Ash was recording vocals. “Reality Cheque” follows “Out Of My Bag,” the bands’ homage to 80’s Madchester, and “Texas Relation” which saw support from Stereogum, Post-Trash and Under The Radar.

10:28 – Underwriting

Scott Moreau – “I Walk The Line”
from: Home of the Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash at Sun Studio – EP / July 2, 2013
[Scott Moreau has been performing as Johnny Cash worldwide for nearly two decades. He was on the 1st National Broadway Tour of Million Dollar Quartet, playing 310 American cities as well as Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. He has reprised his role in countless regional theatres throughout the country over 1,200 times. In 2012 he created his first tribute to Johnny, Walkin’ The Line, which he has performed throughout the Americas from Celine Dion’s Les Mirage in Montreal, Les Imperial Belle in Quebec City and the M Casino in Las Vegas. His tribute to Johnny and June Carter, Darlin’ Companion has played to crowds all over the Phoenix Valley, his home state of Maine and enjoyed a 2 month sold-out run in Kansas City. His true solo show, Late And Alone made its World Premiere New York City’s famed Feinstein’s/54 Below and has sold out at The Blue Strawberry in St. Louis and countless venues in New England and the Midwest. His tribute album Home Of The Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash at Sun Studio was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, in the very place Johnny once stood. It is available for purchase on CD and to stream on Apple Music and Spotify. Scott is a native of Maine and currently lives in New York City. http://www.ultimatejohnnycash.com @ultimatejohnnycash]

[Scott Moreau brings Walkin The Line A Tribute to Johnny Cash to Quality Hill Playhouse at 303 West 10th St. KCMO, for four performances only: Thursday, April 23 through Sunday April 26. Foe Ticket info: 816-421-1700 and http://www.qualityhillplayhouse.com.]

10:32 – Interview with Scott Moreau

Scott Moreau has been performing as Johnny Cash worldwide for nearly two decades. He was on the 1st National Broadway Tour of Million Dollar Quartet, playing 310 American cities as well as Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. He has reprised his role in countless regional theatres throughout the country over 1,200 times. In 2012 he created his first tribute to Johnny, Walkin’ The Line, which he has performed throughout the Americas from Celine Dion’s Les Mirage in Montreal, Les Imperial Belle in Quebec City and the M Casino in Las Vegas. His tribute to Johnny and June Carter, Darlin’ Companion has played to crowds all over the Phoenix Valley, his home state of Maine and enjoyed a 2 month sold-out run in Kansas City. His true solo show, Late And Alone made its World Premiere New York City’s famed Feinstein’s/54 Below and has sold out at The Blue Strawberry in St. Louis and countless venues in New England and the Midwest. His tribute album Home Of The Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash at Sun Studio was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, in the very place Johnny once stood. It is available for purchase on CD and to stream on Apple Music and Spotify. Scott is a native of Maine and currently lives in New York City. http://www.ultimatejohnnycash.com @ultimatejohnnycash

Scott Moreau brings Walkin The Line A Tribute to Johnny Cash to Quality Hill Playhouse at 303 West 10th St. KCMO, for four performances only: Thursday, April 23 through Sunday April 26. Ticket info: 816-421-1700 and http://www.qualityhillplayhouse.com.

Scott Moreau thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

We just heard, I Walk The Line, Scott Moreau’s Johnny Cash tribute album Home Of The Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash at Sun Studio was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, in the very place Johnny once stood.

Scott was born in Bath, ME and raised in the small town of Litchfield, ME. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2001, he began honing his craft in theatre around the country in various regional theatres. He is most known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Johnny Cash on the 1st National Tour of the Tony Award winning musical Million Dollar Quartet, and for his work on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire (Eldorado, series finale). Scott currently resides in New York City.

From the Portland Press Herald (August 1, 2021)

Singing the songs of Johnny Cash the way Johnny Cash sang them requires practice and repetition. For Scott Moreau, whose natural voice is a lyrical baritone with a sweet, bright quality, finding the rugged bottom end that’s required to effectively sing the songs of Johnny Cash does not come naturally or without effort.

“I am sure people assume I open my mouth and it just comes out, but a lot of trial and error – and a lot of time – goes into it,” said Moreau, 41, who grew up in Litchfield and whose uncanny ability to sing like Johnny Cash has taken him from Maine to stages across the country and around the world.

“It is still a work in progress, and something I have to work at all the time. To do a lot of the lower stuff, it’s not necessarily in my voice’s nature. I think about it exactly the way I look at working out – you have work up to it. If I haven’t sung Johnny Cash music in six weeks and I try to sing an entire show, my voice does not understand what I am trying to do.”

Moreau grew up listening to Cash. He talks about how when he was little, his parents would play their favorite records and dance in the living room. He would do his best to sing along with such artists as Cash, the Everly Brothers and the Beach Boys.

WALKIN’ THE LINE – A Tribute to Johnny Cash
Starring Scott Moreau April 23 – 26

Filled with anecdotes, stories, and history pulled from Johnny’s many biographies, concerts, and live interviews, you will truly feel as though you are the watching The Man In Black in his heyday. Featuring songs from Johnny’s nearly 50 years in the music business including “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues” and many more!

10:43

Scott Moreau – “Rock Island line” (LIVE)
[Scott Moreau brings Walkin The Line A Tribute to Johnny Cash to Quality Hill Playhouse at 303 West 10th St. KCMO, for four performances only: Thursday, April 23 through Sunday April 26. Ticket info: 816-421-1700 and http://www.qualityhillplayhouse.com.]

10:46 – More Interview with Scott Moreau

Scott Moreau has been performing as Johnny Cash worldwide for nearly two decades. He was on the 1st National Broadway Tour of Million Dollar Quartet, playing 310 American cities as well as Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. He has reprised his role in countless regional theatres throughout the country over 1,200 times. In 2012 he created his first tribute to Johnny, Walkin’ The Line, which he has performed throughout the Americas from Celine Dion’s Les Mirage in Montreal, Les Imperial Belle in Quebec City and the M Casino in Las Vegas. His tribute to Johnny and June Carter, Darlin’ Companion has played to crowds all over the Phoenix Valley, his home state of Maine and enjoyed a 2 month sold-out run in Kansas City. His true solo show, Late And Alone made its World Premiere New York City’s famed Feinstein’s/54 Below and has sold out at The Blue Strawberry in St. Louis and countless venues in New England and the Midwest. His tribute album Home Of The Blues: A Tribute To Johnny Cash at Sun Studio was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, in the very place Johnny once stood. It is available for purchase on CD and to stream on Apple Music and Spotify. Scott is a native of Maine and currently lives in New York City. http://www.ultimatejohnnycash.com @ultimatejohnnycash

From Phoenix.org By Bridgette M. Redman | January 22, 2021

In his early 20s, he was introduced to the music Cash was making toward the end of his life, and it transformed his career.

“That’s when I started to get obsessed, buying everything and reading everything, and wouldn’t let him go,” Moreau says. “It has just kind of continued. Luckily it wasn’t just fandom; it was a large part of my career. Johnny’s music and his message and life have had an immeasurable impact on my life.”

Moreau says performing as Cash has taken him all over the country and to Japan. He’s met members of the Cash family, been able to wear his clothes and play Cash’s guitars.

Moreau spent years on tour playing Cash in “The Million Dollar Quartet,” a musical about the December 4, 1956, afternoon Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins got together for an impromptu jam session. Moreau says he has met some of the best people from his life while doing that musical. “I can’t be more thankful for his life and legacy,”

Exploring Cash’s life – In “Walkin’ the Line,” Moreau speaks as Cash the entire time. While he sings many of Cash’s greatest hits, he also tries to give insight into Cash’s life, his friendships, and why and how he wrote certain songs.

“One thing I try to capture a good amount that the average fan doesn’t know about or understand — he had an extremely good sense of humor,” Moreau says. “He was large and imposing and sometimes a dark person. He had an extremely outgoing personality and was a cutup. I really try to bring that into a lot of my stage banter.”

In prep for creating the musical, Moreau spends a lot of time watching and analyzing his concerts so he can replicate who Cash was as a performer. He says he tries to be as close to Cash as humanly possible, leaving any semblance of his own personality behind.

“The performances of his songs and his songwriting is a major part of his performances, but so is his sense of humor and his authenticity,” Moreau says. “The people who come to these shows want to remember what it was like to see him on television or live.”

Scott Moreau thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

10:56

10:56

Just Angel – “Selfish”
from: Just Angel: Pt. 2 / Distro Kid Records / December 25, 2021
[Just Angel is a Kansas City based, singer, musician, songwriter, dancer. and creative artist. She released the single “Dumb” through T.A.P. OUT MUSIC on August 9, 2024. Just Angle contributed vocals to the Sisterbot debut record. // Just Angel: Pt. 2 is a followup to Just Angel Pt.1 – EP released on December 24, 2020 Just Angel is a musician, songwriter, dancer, and creative artist. Just Angel, has been seen on stages of The Barn Players Community Theatre, at Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center in BEAUTIFUL, The Carole King Musical,, The Music Theater Heritage: Ruby Room performance of “Piece of My Heart” in 2023, The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City “After Midnight” in 2022, and playing Osceola Mays in “Texas in Paris” in 2021. Her band, The Wades, can be found playing eclectic takes on pop music, and Just Angel‘s originals, from Part 1 & 2. Her single “Dumb”, was released August 9, 2024. More at https://linktr.ee/JustAngel%5D

[Just Angel & The Wades play The Phoenix, 302 West 8th St., KCMO, Wed, April 29, 7pm to 11:00pm.]

10:59 – Station ID

BCR – “Teenie Boppers in Atlantis”
from: Which Earth Are We On? / Fifth Street Records / 1987
[Thomas Aber on Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet [Contra-alto]; Rev. Dwight Frizzell on Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Performer [Duck Call]; Vocals; Bill Dyeon Guitar, Steel Guitar, Bouzouki; Bird Ellington Fleming on Congas, Shekere, Drums [Talking Drum], Berimbau, Tambourine, Agogô, Percussion; Dean Allaudin Ottinger on Drums, Berimbau, Bells [Tibetan Bell], Vocals, Percussion; Jeff Rendlen on Bass, Chapman Stick, Vocals; Randy Weinstein on Harmonica [Chromatic And Diatonic], Keyboards, Vocals; Ed Herrmann on Synthesizer [Serge]; Stan Kessler on Trumpet. // BCR – Producer; Dave Brock – Co-producer, Engineer; Denis McFarling – Art Direction, Layout; Archer Prewitt – Artwork [Front Cover Woodcut]; Sandra Summers – Artwork [Back Cover Illustrations]; Jay Mandeville – Liner Notes; Mary Bodine – Typography]

[BCR presents Teenie Boppers in Atlantis, on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm, (doors at 6:00pm) at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO, in the historic West Bottoms.]

Which Earth Are We On?
Track List:
Mokele Mbembe Special
Robot Lips
Teenie Boppers In Atlantis
Which Earth Are We On?
Horror Story
Breakfast Atiphonal
Olmec Heads
Krankenhaus Juju
The World Is A Monkey
The Uncertainty Principle
Saints In The Trees
The Final Frontier

11:02 – Interview with Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler

Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler join us to talk about the 50th anniversary of The Rev. Dwight Frizzell’s first album Black Crack And The Sole Survivors – BEYOND THE BLACK CRACK, released in 1976. The limited edition 200 LP release inspired the formation of BCR in 1982. Since then the Afro-Nuclear Wavabilly Funk Swing Reggae Turska band has shared the stage with media-Medusoids like Sun Ra, played live concerts with the Kronos Quartet, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Wavy Gravy, and Ziggy Marley’s band. BCR has held satellite uplinks with Don Cherry and Alvin Curran, and delighted the ears of Dementians tuning in to the Dr. Demento Radio Show. BCR has remained true to their roots in swirling black holes, time-travel of the Outer World, and the endless dance of cosmo-love. The Columbia Daily Tribune called them, “Duke Ellington meets Sun Ra.” Current BCR players include: Thomas Aber, Dwight Frizzell, Patrick Alonzo Conway, Kat Nechlebová, Allaudin Ottinger, Mark Thies, Julia Thro, and Allan Winkler. Special Guests include: Ken Beck, Samantha Weber, and Greg Mackender, when BCR presents Teenie Boppers in Atlantis, on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm, (doors at 6:00pm) at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO, in the historic West Bottoms. More info at http://www.myth-scienc.com and http://www.theship.com

Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler, Thanks for being with us on WMM.

We just heard BCR’s studio version of “Teenie Boppers in Atlantis” from 1986- Ken Beck co-composed it in 1983 will be a special guest from Chicago with BCR on April 25–and there’s a wild story about it’s origin.

The beginnings of BCR – Beyond The Black Crack

Beyond The Black Crack (LP, Limited Ed.) Cavern Custom Recordings US 1976

Beyond the Black Crack is one of the most unique listening experiences in modern experimental music. It was recorded 1974-1976 in locations as diverse as factories, the pyramid opposite Harry Truman’s grave site as well as more conventional concert settings. It is a dark, dizzying and exhilarating journey through free jazz, electronics and environmental sound, all shattered by Frizzell’s radical tape editing. It was originally released in an edition of 200 LPs by Cavern Custom to commemorate the First Annual End of the World Celebration, November 18 1976.

—Clive Graham

The Performance
The original Beyond the Black Crack Sole Survivors recordings were made at the Kansas City Art Institute in the Foundation studio in 1975 and the Epperson Auditorium in 1976. I was in Foundation studying with Tommy Gomersal, Carl Kurtz and Shirley Schnell. Black Crack was entirely extra-curricular, and the administration provided the auditorium space and other support to make the 24-hour ritual possible.

A metronome set the event in motion, along with several analog reel-to-reel tape recorders with double-feedback loops, and longer tape loops between multiple machines—spread out across the stage, with audience and performers mixing in the auditorium. Nearly everyone who came interacted with the enfolding rhythms and tones.

Thirty-nine years later, we have readied our time-shifting devices for activation in the very same auditorium—the metronome, multiple delay units, electric dischargers, and group of young (and young-at-heart) artists dedicated to the same goal–to diffuse time-space boundaries and initiate eroto-cosmic passage to out alter-destiny where, as Sun Ra put it, “There’s no limit to the things you can be. There’s no limit to the things you can do. Your thoughts are free, and life is worthwhile.”

–Dwight Frizzell

*From the Black Crack and the Sole Survivors First 5 Hour Recording Session – 1975*

How to Avoid Simultaneity was on Black Crack & the Sole Survivors- Beyond the Black Crack LP (1976), This was a 1997 remix–sonifying the time-shifting effects of black holes.

11:16

Black Crack & the Sole Survivors – “How to Avoid Simultaneity”
from: Beyond The Black Crack (LP, Limited Ed.) / Cavern Custom Recordings / 1976
[Electronic, Jazz, Experimental, Free Improvisation // Rush Rankin on Clarinet, Other [Imagistic Inspiration]; Mike Roach on Clarinet, Vocals [With Laughs], Tenor Saxophone, Other [Dancing]; Kurt Eckhardt on Flute [Mouth], Percussion, Performer [Pins, Soy, Alteration]; Radio Rich Dalton on Guitar; Sylvia Thomas on Harmonica; Rev. Jim Rogers on Kazoo; Rich on Other [Lights], Percussion; Bill Scanlan on Percussion, Tape [Tape Machine]; Rev. Tommy Gomersall on Performer [Tin Cans], Piano, Vocals; Bill Jones on Sousaphone; Rev. Dwight Frizzell on Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Electronics [Audio Oscillator], Performer [Chair, Trash Can, Pins, Soybeans]. // Beyond The Black Crack was originally released in mono in an edition of 200 copies by Cavern Custom in 1976 (cat.no. 6104-12). // Tracks 1-9 were originally released to commemorate the First Annual End of the World Celebration, November 18th, 1976. // Track 1 recorded live in concert at the Kansas City Art Institute Foundation Studio, November 18th, 1975, and in the KCAI Epperson Auditorium, December 4th through December 5th, 1975. ]

[BCR presents Teenie Boppers in Atlantis, on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm, (doors at 6:00pm) at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO, in the historic West Bottoms.]

Beyond The Black Crack

Beyond The Black Crack (LP, Limited Ed.) Cavern Custom Recordings US 1976
Beyond The Black Crack (LP, #ed, Sp. Ed, Comm. Ed.) Cavern Custom Records US 1990
Beyond The Black Crack (CD, LP, Album, Ltd. Ed., #ed, Reissue) Paradigm UK 1998

Electronic, Jazz, Experimental, Free Improvisation

Black Crack And The Sole Survivors (12:36)
Rush Rankin on Clarinet, Other [Imagistic Inspiration];
Mike Roach on Clarinet, Vocals [With Laughs], Tenor Saxophone, Other [Dancing];
Kurt Eckhardt on Flute [Mouth], Percussion, Performer [Pins, Soy, Alteration];
Radio Rich Dalton on Guitar;
Sylvia Thomas on Harmonica; Rev. Jim Rogers on Kazoo;
Rich on Other [Lights], Percussion; Bill Scanlan on Percussion, Tape [Tape Machine];
Rev. Tommy Gomersall on Performer [Tin Cans], Piano, Vocals; Bill Jones on Sousaphone;
Rev. Dwight Frizzell on Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Electronics [Audio Oscillator], Performer [Chair, Trash Can, Pins, Soybeans]

Fredrik’s Cosmic Spaced Out Blues Band And Orchestra

Hot Fudge (1:11)
Get It Out Of Your System (6:18)
Chili Supper Polka (2:20)

Turtle Music

Journey Of Turtles (6:31)
Percussion – Bill Scanlan; Percussion, Clarinet [Reduced Speed] – Rev. Dwight Frizzell
Pre-Transformation Of Turtle To Bird (5:27)
Rev. Dwight Frizzell on Percussion, Flute
Nocturnal (2:04)
Fly By Night (7:50)
Rev. Dwight Frizzell on Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Electronics;
John Scanlan on Electric Guitar; Bill Scanlan – Engineer
O What Joy It Is To Know You Have A Turtle Heart (4:11)
Bill Scanlan – Engineer; Rev. Dwight Frizzell on enor Saxophone

Scenes From The Wandering Madness Of Basilea, The Great Mother

Embryonic Music (3:34)
Copulation Of Basilea And Hyperion (4:50)
Family, Birth Of Helio And Selene (6:47)
Performer [Musicians]: Arnie Young*, Jack Blackett, Jim Miller, John Crain, John Thies, Mike Temple, Rob Beckner, Tommy Gomersall
Destruction – Slaying Of Hyperion, Drowning Of Helio, Suicide Of Selene And The Wandering Madness Of Basilea (2:24)

Black Crack And The Sole Survivors (1997 Remix)

“How To Avoid Simultaneity” (2:54)
Rev. Dwight Frizzell – Producer, Remix.

Pressed By PMDC, UK – Mike Davies – Co-producer
Larry Schuermann, Sharon – Design [Assisted With Original Cover Design]
Kurt Eckhardt – Design [Poster & Cover Design],
Rev. Dwight Frizzell – Photography By [Cover Photos];
Engineer [Digital Transfer] – Scott Middleton
Engineer [Remix] – Bill Scanlan, Rev. Dwight Frizzell
Photography By [Black Crack Courtesy] – Robyn Nichols
Photography By [Original Poster Photos] – Beth Van Cleave, Rev. Dwight Frizzell
Recorded By, Mixed By, Remix – Rev. Dwight Frizzell (tracks: 10 to 13)
Tape [Source Tapes] – Rev. Dwight Frizzell
Technician [Reassembly Of The Lp], Producer, Artwork By Clive Graham
Comes with 12 page booklet.

Beyond The Black Crack was originally released in mono in an edition of 200 copies by Cavern Custom in 1976 (cat.no. 6104-12).

Tracks 1-9 were originally released to commemorate the First Annual End of the World Celebration, November 18, 1976.

Track 1 recorded live in concert at the Kansas City Art Institute Foundation Studio, November 18, 1975, and in the KCAI Epperson Auditorium, December 4 through December 5, 1975.
Tracks 2 to 4 recorded live at the 2nd RLDS Church chili supper March 24, 1974 in Independence, Missouri.

11:14 – More Interview with Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler

Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler join us to talk about the 50th anniversary of The Rev. Dwight Frizzell’s first album from BEYOND THE BLACK CRACK, released in 1976. The LP release inspired the formation of BCR in 1982.

Rev Dwight Frizzell is a Professor & Sound Head, at Kansas City Art Institute, – Photography & Filmmaking Dept. with a Terminal Degree in Sound Design. Dwight is an internationally recognized artist whose work combines video, performance, installation, music, audio art, and writing. Frizzell’s work about his boyhood neighbor, Harry S. Truman, was featured in the Peabody-awarded “Lost and Found Sound” series broadcast on National Public Radio. Frizzell has produced an opera based on the life of Charles Darwin. In addition to his B.F.A. degree from KCAI, he holds a terminal fine arts degree in Sound Design from the UMKC. Dwight Frizzell, is a founder of the “groovy polyphonic jazz/dance” band, Black Crack Revue, now in their 43rd year. Dwight Frizzell is also an Arif, with Moorish Orthodox Church, and served at First Editor, The Pitch, he is a founding member of the newEar contemporary chamber ensemble, and is host & producer of “From Arc To Microchip” heard on the fifth Thursday of each month on KKFI’s Thursday Night Special at 7:00pm on 90.1 FM.

Allan Winkler is a nationally acclaimed artist from the Kansas City area. Boasting a multi-disciplinary career creating various ceramic sculptures, paintings, paper cutouts, metal cutouts, and fabrics. Allan Winkler creates intricate paper cuts and metal cuts. Winkler also renovated three old houses in Kansas City’s West Side neighborhood and lives in one of them. A Chicago native, while in high school a teacher noticed his talent and found him his first studio. That led to a scholarship at the Kansas City Art Institute, where he studied ceramics with Ken Ferguson and then spent a year at The Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. Winkler earned a B.F.A. degree from the Kansas City Art Institute, in 1980. In 1976, Allan was a visual artist for BCR creating their T shirts and their performance visual stuff About 15 yeas ago he joined the band as a percussionist

Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler, Thanks for being with us on WMM

The Afro-Nuclear Wavabilly Funk Swing Reggae Turska band has shared the stage with media-Medusoids like Sun Ra, played live concerts with the Kronos Quartet, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Wavy Gravy, and Ziggy Marley’s band. BCR has held satellite uplinks with Don Cherry and Alvin Curran, and delighted the ears of Dementians tuning in to the Dr. Demento Radio Show. BCR has remained true to their roots in swirling black holes, time-travel of the Outer World, and the endless dance of cosmo-love. The Columbia Daily Tribune called them, “Duke Ellington meets Sun Ra.” Current BCR players include: Thomas Aber, Dwight Frizzell, Patrick Alonzo Conway, Kat Nechlebová, Allaudin Ottinger, Mark Thies, Julia Thro, and Allan Winkler. Special Guests include: Ken Beck, Samantha Weber, and Greg Mackender, when BCR presents Teenie Boppers in Atlantis, on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm, (doors at 6:00pm) at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO, in the historic West Bottoms. More info at http://www.myth-scienc.com and http://www.theship.com

Dwight’s boyhood neighbor in Independence, Missouri was Harry S. Truman, who appears in Dwight’s work as a pianist, Atlantean King and time-traveler. Dwight released the “Beyond the Black Crack” LP in 1976, studied video art with Douglas Davis (1977), clarinet with Raymond Luedeke (1979) and metaphysics with Sun Ra (1980-1990). His work was exhibited at Biennale de Paris, World-Wide Video Festival (Amsterdam), and broadcast on NPR.

Dwight’s collaborative third-mind creations with writer Jay Mandeville includes plays, essays, and Ark scripts. Their work was published in “Semiotext(e) Radiotext(e)” and “Experimental Sound and Radio” (MIT Press). They edited The Pitch in the early ‘80s.

Dwight’s music is available on Paradigm discs (England). He plays Buffet clarinets and Yamaha saxophones and wind controllers. His collaborations with Michael Henry include “Sonic Force,” where AFR A10 Warthog Attack Planes were used as musical instruments. Frizzell is a founding member of the Black Crack Revue, the newEar contemporary chamber ensemble, and the National Audio Theatre Festivals. He performed recently with David Ossman and Phil Proctor of the Firesign Theatre.

Current BCR players include: Thomas Aber, Dwight Frizzell, Patrick Alonzo Conway, Kat Nechlebová, Allaudin Ottinger, Mark Thies, Julia Thro, and Allan Winkler. Special Guests include: Ken Beck, Samantha Weber, and Greg Mackender, when BCR presents Teenie Boppers in Atlantis, on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm, (doors at 6:00pm) at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO, in the historic West Bottoms. More info at http://www.myth-scienc.com and http://www.theship.com

The last time Rev. Dwight Frizzell was on our show was January 28, 2026 to talk about: SOUND IN RADIO ART to be broadcast on KKFI 90.1 FM on Thursday January 29, at 7:00pm. SOUND IN RADIO ART features new sound pieces created by young audio-visual artists working in radio space for the first time.

Dwight was on our show was June 12, 2019 to share details about details about Heliophonie (Sun Sound) a midday Solstice concert, Friday, June 21, 2019 11:00 AM to Noon at KC Art Institute’s Vanderslice Reception Patio (behind historically restored Vanderslice Hall) performed in-sync to the sun’s harmonic tones. The solar sphere oscillates like a bell ringing every 4 minutes 48 seconds (as heard on a large gong). Overtones pulse in quadra-pole rotation (realized by the instruments & electronics). Solar storms moving vigorously through the resonating convection-zone are performed by instrumental duets.

Dwight Frizzell is an internationally recognized artist whose interdisciplinary work combines video, performance, installation, music, audio art and writing. He has been producing the “From Ark to Microchip” series with Jay Mandeville since 1984. “Ark 2 Microchip” radio can be heard currently on KKFI (www.kkfi.org) 90.1FM, and on KOPN, KCUR, KGNU, RESONANCE FM (London), RADIO NOVA (Paris), and WKCR (NYC).

The Turtle Music themes in from BEYOND THE BLACK CRACK are continued in a new piece Dwight recorded with Folk Music Icon, Marideth Scisco and the Wellspring Song– it’s part of Dwight’s April 30, 2026 From Ark to Microchip broadcast called Journey of Turtles, and will be performed at Pringle Fest for the National Audio Theater this summer.

Rev. Dwight Frizzell and Allan Winkler, Thanks for being with us on WMM

11:21

Marideth Sisco & Dwight Frizzell – “Wellspring Song”
from: From Ark to Microchip / April 30, 2026 Episode / To Be Broadcast on KKFI April 30, 2026
[Marideth Ann Sisco (born June 15, 1943) is an American storyteller, folklorist, singer-songwriter, author and retired journalist. Her work largely focuses on folklore related to her native Ozark Mountains. Sisco and her music were featured in the Oscar-nominated film Winter’s Bone. In 2023 she was a featured artist at the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, where she performed both in song and as a storyteller. // Sisco was born in Missouri to Marguerite Elenor (Gentry) Sisco (1920–1966) and Paul Holtz Sisco (1923–1966). Her interest in music started when she was three and a great uncle taught and encouraged her to sing. Her family moved frequently when she was young, including time spent in Kansas, Washington state, Montana and California. As she grew older she became tired of moving around and returned to live with her grandmother in Butterfield, graduating from high school in Cassville, Missouri in 1961. //After high school, Sisco attended Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State College) in Springfield, MO, where she studied performance & orchestration. But she left before finishing a degree after being told that as a woman she would not be successful in the field and was instead encouraged to switch to music education. // In 1965, Sisco left the Ozarks and moved to California, where she hoped to break into the music business as a singer, but lack of success and a hand injury that left her unable to play guitar derailed that goal. In 1976 she left California, helping her aunt and ailing uncle return to Missouri, but with the intention of moving back west, which she never did. // After returning to Missouri, Sisco received a BFA from Missouri State University and later an MA from Antioch University. She also began a 20-year career as a journalist at the West Plains Quill in West Plains, Missouri, where she worked as an investigative and environmental writer. She also authored the “Crosspatch” gardening column. // Upon her retirement from journalism in 2005, she returned to song-writing. // Currently, Sisco hosts “These Ozark Hills,” a local culture and folklore radio program on Ozarks Public Radio at KSMU-FM, which is based out of Missouri State University. As a singer, she performs both solo and with The Blackberry Winter Band. // Through a chance encounter at a singing party, Sisco was involved in the Oscar-nominated 2010 film Winter’s Bone, based on the book by Daniel Woodrell. In the film’s production she served as a musical consultant and singer, as well as appearing in the film as a singer. Her scene in the film was written specifically to feature her singing. // She also contributed to the movie by singing “The Missouri Waltz” for its opening scenes, though she reworked it to remove racist language from the song.Following the release of the film she toured with the Blackberry Winter Band to promote the soundtrack, referring to it as Amazing Geriatric Hillbilly tour. They played in 27 cities in the U.S.A. and Canada. // In 2018, Sisco received the Quill Award for lifetime achievement from the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame and Missouri Folk Arts Program has also designated her a Missouri Master Storyteller. //Sisco is lesbian & active in LGBTQ+ causes.]

11:28 – Underwriting

11:30 – Interview with Rosie O’Brien of Sass-a-Brass

Rosie O’Brien is a musician and organizer originally from Lawrence, KS. She studied Political Science, Studio Art, and Mandarin Chinese at Grinnell College in Iowa and pursued a career in political and environmental activism before transitioning into music full-time. Rosie returned to Kansas in 2017, where she studied traditional drumming with Prof. Dylan Bassett via the KU West African Drumming Ensemble; she also joined Lawrence’s annual Mardi Gras parade community as a trombonist, simultaneously founding her own Mardi Gras-style street parade brass ensemble, Sass-a-Brass. Rosie moved to Kansas City in 2021 to expand the project, which has received grants from both the Charlotte Street Foundation and ArtsKC to increase accessibility within community brass bands for women and queer musicians. Sass-a-Brass Kansas City’s only queer street parade brass band, bringing the party with a mix of street activism, street band energy, and New Orleans Mardi Gras and second-line tradition. Since its inception Sass-a-Brass has involved a wide variety of instrumentalists, encompassing many genders and sexualities. More info at: http://www.sassabrassband.com

Rosie O’Brien thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Taylor Babb plays drums and percussion with Sass-a-Brass band, but today he’s going to play guitar for a couple of live songs Rosie has in planned for us today.

Sass-A-Brass came together in 2018 to lead the first-ever Pride parade in downtown Lawrence. Co-leaders Kimberly (snare) and Rosie (trombone & Sousaphone) first connected at Lawrence’s annual Mardi Gras parade and were called upon by Lawrence journalist and organizer Fally Afani to form a femme-fronted, queer & nonbinary-inclusive band to play second-line and funk tunes for the community.

During her undergraduate studies, Rosie sang and toured annually with the Grinnell Singers, where she debuted and recorded the original compositions of her mentor and director, Dr. John Rommereim, in both Iowa and Taiwan.

Rosie returned to Kansas in 2017, where she studied traditional djembe & dunun with Prof. Dylan Bassett via the KU West African Drumming Ensemble; she also joined Lawrence’s annual Mardi Gras parade community as a trombonist, simultaneously founding her own Mardi Gras-style street parade brass ensemble, Sass-a-Brass. Rosie moved to KC in 2021 to expand the project, eceiving grants from Charlotte Street Foundation & ArtsKC to increase accessibility within community brass bands for women and queer musicians.

Rosie joined the KC Ballet School as an accompanist in 2023 and plays traditional djembe for modern dance classes and the ROAD program. In 2025, Rosie will enter her second season as a soprano with professional choral ensemble Te Deum; she is in her third season as a Choral Associate with Country Club Christian Church, and enjoys performing locally as a vocalist and percussionist with her 8-piece free-improvisation band Apricot Glow.

Sass-a-Brass is KC’s only queer street parade brass band, bringing the party with a mix of HONK-style activist street band energy and borrowing from the New Orleans Mardi Gras and second-line tradition. Our mission is to bring queer musical joy to the public, and provide a welcoming space where underrepresented groups experience a sense of belonging and sustained growth as musicians. As a community-minded band, we intentionally recruit amateur, multi-generational and non-traditional players to join. Since its inception in 2018, Sass-a-Brass has involved a variety of instrumentalists, of many genders and sexualities.

11:37 – Rosie O’Brien & Taylor Babb Sing Acoustic Antifascist Tunes for Earth Day!

Rosie O’Brien with Taylor Babb – “The Hammer Song” (LIVE)
“If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)” is a protest song written by Pete Seeger & Lee Hays, in 1949 in support of the Progressive movement, and first recorded by the Weavers, a folk music quartet composed of Seeger, Hays, Ronnie Gilbert, & Fred Hellerman. It was a No. 10 hit for Peter, Paul & Mary in 1962 and then went No. 3 in 1963 when recorded by Trini Lopez. A May 1963 interview on Folk Music World-wide, Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary characterized the song as “a young national anthem for the United States”.
The Weavers released the song under the title “The Hammer Song” as a 78 rpm single in March 1950 on Hootenanny Records, 101-A, backed with “Banks of Marble”.]

11:40 – More Interview with Rosie O’Brien & Taylor Babb

Sass-A-Brass came together in 2018 to lead the first-ever Pride parade in downtown Lawrence, Kansas. Co-leaders Kimberly (snare) and Rosie (trombone & Sousaphone) first connected at Lawrence’s annual Mardi Gras parade and were called upon by Lawrence journalist and organizer Fally Afani to form a femme-fronted, queer and nonbinary-inclusive band to play second-line and funk tunes for the community.

Over the years, Sass-A-Brass has benefited from the participation of many incredible musicians from the Lawrence and KC area; has involved wide-ranging instrumentation including keytar, amplified flute, and washboard; and has led musical celebrations for a diverse range of events (most notably an underground cave party and a Solstice parade ending in a public fountain).

11:48 – Rosie O’Brien & Taylor Babb Sing Acoustic Antifascist Tunes for Earth Day!

Rosie O’Brien with Taylor Babb – “All Those Fascists Are Bound To Lose” (LIVE)
[Words by Woody Guthrie (1943). Music by Billy Bragg (1997) for Mermaid Avenue Vol. II, a 2000 album of previously unheard lyrics written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie, put to music written and performed by British singer Billy Bragg and American band Wilco. It continues the project originally conceived by Guthrie’s daughter, Nora Guthrie which resulted in the release of Mermaid Avenue in 1998. Both volumes were collected in a 2012 box set along with volume three as Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions.]

11:52– More Interview with Rosie O’Brien & Taylor Babb

Rosie O’Brien of the Sass-a-Brass Queer Marching Band – Kansas City’s only queer street parade brass band, bringing the party with a mix of street activism, street band energy, and New Orleans Mardi Gras and second-line tradition. Rosie returns to play a fews songs live, discuss queer street activism, and share details on Sass-a-Brass shows: Saturday, May 9, 11:00am to 3:00pm for the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art – Block Party; Friday, May 15, at 5:00pm for Open Studios at the Livestock Exchange, 1600 Genessee St., KCMO in the historic West Bottoms; Saturday, May 30 for ManorFest 8; Saturday & Sunday June 27 & 28 for PEOPLE’s PRIDE.

Sass-a-Brass Shows:

Saturday, May 9, at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 4200 Warwick Blvd., KCMO

Friday, May 15, at Stockyards Brewing Company, 1600 Genessee, St. Ste 100, KCMO, Historic West Bottoms, as part of the Open Studios Show.

Saturday, May 30, – ManorFest 8 (final night) – Leading two parades

Saturday, June 6 – Lawrence Pride

Sunday, June 28, The People’s Pride – organized by Sass-a-Brass (Summer Solstice)

Rosie O’Brien & Taylor Babb, thanks for being with us on WMM

More info at: http://www.sassabrassband.com

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:54

Jamogi – “Georgia Peach (feat. Burgandy)”
from: “Georgia Peach (feat. Burgandy)” / Jam Tunes / September 5, 2025.
[ Jamogi is also know as Byron Hyde a Kanas City based singer, songwriter, MC, producer, originally from Los Angeles, California.// Jamogi & The Jammers: Live at Flew The Coop Sessions (Flew The Coop Live) through Jam Tunes on April 11, 2025. // Jamogi released the single “Do It To Me” on March 28, 2025. // Jamogi released the single “Go Big or Go Home” on August 30, 2024, Jamogi released the single “Hot Block” on May 30, 2024. Jamogi released the EP, Star-Crossed Lover on March 3, 2023. Jamogi then released a “Star-Crossed Lover GALACTIC REMIX (feat. Watchman)” single on June 9, 2023.Jamogi previously released the AGE OF AQUARIUS EP on March 3, 2023, and the single “Celebration” on Dec. 9, 2022, and the single “Anymore” on May 6, 2022. // Jamogi played the ROCK IS BLACK—a celebration of Black artists in rock music, happening February 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the Zhou B Art Center, 1801 E 18th Street, KCMO. Rock is Black features: Malek Azrael & The Vibez, Jamogi and The Jammers, Stephonne, and Frankie Shorez & Mercy Fire. Kamogi and the Jammers played Boulevardia 2025]

[Jamogi plays KKFI’s Band Auction Sat, April 25, at 12:20pm You can bid on Jamogi for your party]

[Jamogi plays Manor Fest 8]

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

NEXT WEEK on April 29 we’ll talk with Julie Bennet Hume about the Women of Rebellion Showcase presented by Heartland Song Network, KKFI, Folk Alliance & Missouri Arts Council, Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 6:30pm at recordBar 1520 Grand Ave., KCMO featuring Seyko & Carolina Mendoza, with Julie Bennett Hume, Gracie Caggiano, and Emma Jo. A benefit for Heartland Song Network.; ALSO Amelia Rose Korte share details about a UMKC Civil Rights History Project she is working on, AND, Janice Wasserman and Alan Wasserman join us to talk about moving to Kansas City form M]NYC, Alan serving on the KKFI Board of Directors, and disco dancing., AND Lava Dreams shares new music.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wedneday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals doante $3924.00 ngoing way over our show goal!

Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

You can find our playlists at: http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

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

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

Show #1144

WMM Playlist from April 8, 2026

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, April 8, 2026

Jennifer Owen, Brad Cox & Krystle Warren + Michael B. Tipton + Shaun Crowley

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

Ziggy Marley – “Racism Is A Killa (Radio edit)”
from: Brightside / Tuff Gong Records / April 18, 2026 Vinyl & CD – RSD / May 1, 2026 Digital
[Nine-time GRAMMY Award-winning icon Ziggy Marley has released his newest song “Racism Is A Killa,” off his recently announced upcoming album Brightside. A timely call to action, “Racism Is A Killa” likens the injustice of inequality to a deadly disease in need of eradication. Responding with hope and resiliency, Marley offers the antidote of love in his lyrical messaging. “Racism we gon beat ya/Racism we’ll defeat ya,” he affirms. // Marley also recently announced his upcoming summer tour across North America. Kicking off on June 19th at Fox Tucson Theatre in Tucson, AZ, the 20-date tour will make stops in major markets all around the country before concluding on July 22nd in Nantucket, MA. J Boog is set to appear as Special Guest on select dates throughout the tour. // The upcoming shows include a night at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA on June 21st, as well as a performance at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre as part of Stephen Marley’s Kaya Fest. The special festival will include a joint set between the brothers, performing both their own songs and collaborating on selections from their father, Bob Marley’s, discography. Kaya Fest will feature support from Buju Banton, Karl Denson’s Tribute to Jimmy Cliff, J Boo and Mike Love. // Earlier this year, Marley also released a brand-new track, “Many Mourn For Bob,” a powerful tribute to the legacy of his father, the legendary Bob Marley. The new song came alongside the announcement of Ziggy’s Brightside studio album. Brightside will be released exclusively on vinyl on April 18th at independent record stores as part of the celebration of Record Store Day, and digitally wide on May 1st. // Marley crafted Brightside, his 9th solo studio album, via a creative process entirely different than anything he’s done to date, from both a songwriting and technical standpoint. The album’s eight songs were co-produced by Ziggy and his brother Stephen and recorded at his newly built Rebel Lion Studio in Los Angeles alongside a myriad of longtime collaborators, including vocalist Nikka Costa, Trombone Shorty, Sheila E. and Jake Shimaburkuro. Most uniquely, the project was recorded using 432Hz, a soothing sonic frequency regularly employed for meditation and other mindful practices. With songs that delve into wellness and mental health, Marley shares “You see what’s happening in the world, what’s happening to people, and it really brings me down sometimes. I realized the album was going to have an introspective side to it. [The music] became my therapy.” Brightside not only embodies messages of resilience and strength but was also intentionally crafted to include healing elements that drive a therapeutic listening experience.]

Anjimile – “Afarin”
from: You’re Free To Go / 4AD / March 13, 2026
[Anjimile also released the singles “Waits For Me on March 13, 2026 and “Like You Really Mean It” earlier this year. Today North Carolina based singer-songwriter Anjimile announces plans to release the full-length album You’re Free to Go, due out March 13, 2026 on 4AD. The announcement comes with the luminous lead single “Like You Really Mean It” which overflows with tenderness and vulnerability, accompanied by a beautiful video directed by Caity Arthur. // Anjimile shares: “I wrote this to make my girlfriend want to give me a kiss. We live about an hour apart, and I was just by myself thinking about her. Thinking about wanting a kiss. What could I do to get a kiss from my sweetheart? Write a song about it! Anyway, it worked.” // “Like You Really Mean It” comes after the November single “Auld Lang Syne II,” a tender note-to-self on resilience and hard-fought freedom, characterized by delicate finger-plucked strings, charming horn passages, and intimate vocal delivery, which Stereogum called “stunning” upon its release; a song Anjimile says was: “originally intended as something of a wedding present for my best friend, who got married a few years back.” // Contrasting the intricacy and complexity of The King, You’re Free to Go unfolds organically under the intuitive direction of producer Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Mavis Staples). The album’s songs bloom naturally, grounded in warm acoustic guitars, subtle synth textures, lush string arrangements, and delicate rhythmic layers. Collaborative efforts with musicians Nathan Stocker (Hippo Campus), Matt McCaughan (Bon Iver), and guest vocalist Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) – a personal hero of Anjimile whose music deeply influenced the album even before his involvement – cultivate an exploratory yet intimate atmosphere, perfectly aligned with Anjimile’s nuanced storytelling. // Anjimile (ann-JIM-uh-lee) Chithambo has forged a distinctive musical path characterised by unflinching introspection and deep honesty. Emerging from Boston’s vibrant indie scene while studying at Northeastern University, Anjimile captivated audiences with earnest songwriting, delicate sonic textures, and performances that felt like prayer and celebration. // Critical acclaim quickly followed; 2020’s Giver Taker, hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the year’s best albums, positioned him as a compelling voice exploring enduring themes of spirituality, identity, and liberation. With The King(2023), Anjimile intensified his examination of Black and trans existence amid personal and societal turbulence, reaffirming his courageous commitment to navigating discomfort as a means of liberation. // You’re Free to Go picks up where The King left off, but with its hands open wide – a central question being: what happens when you let go and let love in? // Crafted over years marked by transformation, the album traces vividly the profound complexities of change – from breakups to new love; deep grief and loss to renewal and rediscovery. “The past two years have been a deeply transitional point in my life,” Anjimile explains. On You’re Free to Go, he learns to trust life again. The album’s title symbolises Anjimile’s expansive perspective on love and personal freedom, influenced profoundly by his relationship with his partner and their joyful embrace of non-monogamy. He describes this dynamic playfully: “I view non-monogamy as setting out milk every night on your porch for the cats; they can come if they want,” – a reminder that connection thrives when it’s truly chosen and not confined and restricted by normatively. This same playfulness runs through “Rust & Wire” which captures the exhilaration of falling in love again and again (“ripen in the heat like wine”). // Elsewhere, You’re Free to Go explores heavier, darker truths; ‘Exquisite Skeleton’ hauntingly portrays the ache of familial estrangement and ‘Ready or Not’ the exhaustion of facing transphobia. “When I was a little girl, I wanted to be free… When I was a little boy, I wanted to be real.”, he disarmingly reflects on “Waits For Me,” a powerful reckoning on childhood identity. But even in its most searching moments, the record radiates light. // Each song holds space for healing – for turning pain into something tender, communal, and free. // Spirituality remains the heartbeat of Anjmile’s work. “Songwriting feels like a prayer, a plea, or a question,” he says. Across You’re Free to Go, sacredness feels alive and imperfect — a practice of breathing, wondering, forgiving. The album hums with that same sacred energy: messy and full of grace. // Throughout You’re Free to Go, Anjimile skillfully integrates a variety of musical inspirations to heighten the album’s emotional impact. Tracks such as “Turning Away” and “The Store” channel the raw and unadorned authenticity reminiscent of early Modest Mouse. The collaboration with Sam Beam on “Destroying You” adds a gentle warmth that beautifully complements Anjimile’s refined vocal expression. Melodically, the album evokes a subtle nostalgia for late-’90s alternative pop, seamlessly blending folk sensibilities into inviting, memorable hooks. Anjimile has notably evolved, adopting a more relaxed and expressive approach to his singing, partly due to his ongoing hormonal therapy – a transformative journey he embraces gladly. This newfound vocal depth amplifies the album’s emotional resonance, allowing him to express himself with greater authenticity. // As Anjimile prepares to share You’re Free to Go live, he envisions intimate performances that reinterpret rather than replicate the album’s recordings. He aims for the authenticity and vulnerability embedded in these songs to resonate deeply, emphasizing, “This record feels very authentic to my life experiences. It’s about as close to getting to know me as you could ever get with a record.” // You’re Free to Go is a portrait of transformation — not as a wound, but as an opening. Richly textured, this collection of songs is an honest reflection of life’s fluctuations. It holds space for contradiction and finds liberation in tenderness. As Anjimile beautifully articulates, the album embodies “breathing into the question,” acknowledging that life’s most profound moments often come without clear answers, but rather exist in the gentle tension of uncertainty and discovery. In every note, Anjimile provides space for each listener to reflect and uncover their own truths, while gently reminding us that freedom isn’t the absence of pain, but the courage to love, to ask, to keep beginning again.]

Sara Swenson – “Your Town” [Video released April 7, 2026]
from: TALLER / Sara Swenson / February, 28, 2026
[Sara Swenson and more than 20 beloved KC singer-songwriters, instrumentalists, radio DJs and promoters sing “Your Town”. Includes live footage from Swenson’s performances at KC music venues – the Gospel Lounge at Knuckleheads, recordBar and Crossroads Music Fest at Stockyards Brewing Co. Sara Swenson has released some of our most played and favorite recordings of the last 7 years. Her self titled debut ended up at the top of our list of The 100 Best Recordings of 2009. In 2010 Sara Swenson released her second full length recording, “All Things Big and Small” again working with Don Chaffer in Nashville who added new layers to Sara’s great songs and voice. In November of 2011, Sara released her 5 song EP called “Never Left My Mind,” featuring her band at the time, The Pearl Snaps. In that time frame, she also had picked up two KC Singer-Songwriter of the Year awards, performed with Sarah McLachlan’s Lilith Fair, and placed a song on the season finale of ABC’s “Private Practice.” Then after the school year ended in 2012, Sara Swenson left her job as a High School English & Journalism Teacher in Platte County High School, and left KC, and she flew off to the United Kingdom, where she got married. In the spring of 2014, Sara returned and performed for the Folk Alliance International Conference. On July 18, 2014 she released her 4th album, RUNWAY LIGHTS that captures snapshots of her 18-month experience of living abroad, moving from dating to marriage and sorting through the accompanying transitions. Produced by Don Chaffer in Nashville. On March 26, 2021 Sara Swenson released, “I Wont Let You Feel Alone”a song from husband Michael Price’s film “The Hidden Pandemic” that premiered on KCPBS that also features Mark Lowrey’s piano. Info: saraswenson.com.]

Warren Burns – “High As Lightning”
from: Burn Again / Warren Burns / April 10, 2026
[Warren Burns on vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica; Brad Highnam on bass, backing vocals, piano; Marco Pascolini on pedal steel; Jon Kraft on drums, w/ Mark Cohick on pipes, Marvin Gruenbaum & Tony DeMarco & Kent Brauninger on violin; Steve Molloy & Danny Fischer on trumpet; Kari Agosti & Suzanne Hogan & on backing vocals. Recorded by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab. Mastered by Carl Saff]

[Warren Burns plays a Vinyl release show will be at The Ship, 1221 Union Ave. KCMO in Historic West Bottoms on Sunday April 12, at 6:00pm, with Lodestones.]

Warren Burns Tour
04.23.2026-fayetteville ar-@ artemis w/ noah richmond
04.24.2026-Little rock ar-@ white water tavern w/ numb chunks, william blackart
04.25.2026-memphis-@ dkdc w/ Aquarian blood
04.26.2026-new orleans-@ The Okay bar w/ cry baby’s, dirty rotten snake in the grass
04.28.202-austin tx-@ crow bar w/ Cooper moon
04.29.2025-oklahoma city-@ flora bodega
05.19.2026-st louis mo-@ The hi dive w ace of spit
05.20.2026-berea ky-@rebel rebel
05.21.2026-detroit mi-@the painted lady w/ old fashioned aces
05.22.2026-kalamozoo mi-@glow hall
05.23.2026-green bay wi-@ the razz
05.24.2026-minniapolis mn-@eagles club
05.25.2026-iowa city-@tbd

10:21- New TV Theme Songs

Michael Stipe & Andrew Watt – “I Played the Fool (Main Title Theme from “Rooster”)”
from: I Played the Fool (Main Title Theme from “Rooster”) – Single / Watertower Music – Warner Bros. Entertainment / March 8, 2026
[“I Played The Fool (Main Title Theme)”, the official main title theme from the brand-new HBO Original series Rooster created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses. The song is performed by Michael Stipe & Andrew Watt and is available now on all major digital streaming platforms. “I Played The Fool (Main Title Theme)” brings together two Grammy Award-winning artists for the first time, pairing one of the most sought-after producers and collaborators in modern music, Andrew Watt, with Michael Stipe, the legendary former frontman of the iconic band R.E.M. // “I Played The Fool” marks Stipe’s first new song in three years, making the track a highly anticipated return for the acclaimed artist. The track showcases Stipe’s unmistakable voice paired with Watt’s bold contemporary production, creating a striking and memorable introduction to the series. // Produced and co-performed by Watt, the song also features Travis Barker (Blink-182) on drums and Josh Klinghoffer on guitar and piano. Anchored by Barker’s driving percussion and Klinghoffer’s atmospheric instrumentation, the track delivers a striking and cinematic opening to Rooster, establishing the tone for the HBO series with a blend of raw emotion, modern rock energy and timeless songwriting. // Michael Stipe shares: “I’m thrilled to lend my voice to Rooster – as a giant fan of everyone involved, it’s a real honor to be included with ‘I Played The Fool’. // Andrew Watt adds: “Michael Stipe is a hero of mine. A chance to write a song with him was that of a dream…He is one of the true great songwriters of this lifetime and he did what only he could do on this song. He sets “Rooster” off to the moon by making you laugh and cry at the same time with the best clapping tv theme song since Friends.” // Bill Lawrence Shares: Recently I’ve watched Andrew join some of the most accomplished artists from my era (The Stones, Pearl Jam, etc, etc) and make music that somehow feels nostalgic and simultaneously of the moment. The fact that he was able to partner with one of my favorite songwriter/singers of all time, Michael Stipe, turned this into a career highlight for me. And it’s flat out a great song.” // On having the song created, Matt Tarses added: “Our plan had always been to use music from our own time in college in the 80s. No band was more important to me then than REM. When Andrew Watt told us he thought he could get Michael Stipe to write and record a new song for us, we said, “Cool, good luck with that.” We knew this would never happen. But a few months later, Andrew sent an early demo of “I Played the Fool.” And when I listened to it on my phone, I cried. I really did. Saying we are excited to have this great song and this iconic voice on our main title is a huge understatement. // ABOUT ROOSTER – A comedy set on a college campus centering on an author’s (Steve Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Charly Clive). From co-show runners Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, is executive produced by Bill Lawrence, Jeff Ingold, and Liza Katzer for Doozer, Matt Tarses, Jonathan Krisel, Barbie Adler, Annie Mebane, David Stassen, Anthony King, David Hyman, and Steve Carell. The series stars Steve Carell, Charly Clive, Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai. // The HBO Original comedy series ROOSTER debuted Sunday, March 8 on HBO and is available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes of the 10-episode season, from Warner Bros. Television, will debut weekly through Sunday, May 10. // ABOUT MICHAEL STIPE – Michael Stipe is an artist, producer and singer/songwriter. He fronted the band R.E.M. for 31 years, selling over 100 million records and touring the world. For the past decade, his personal focus has been cross-medium visual art, incorporating video, soundscape, sculpture, and photographic and digital imagery. He has released four recent photography books through Damiani out of Bologna, Italy. His first institution show was at ICA Milan in December 2023. He is currently completing his first solo album. Michael lives in New York City and Berlin. // ABOUT ANDREW WATT – Multi-GRAMMY-winning producer Andrew Watt has become synonymous with one undeniable truth: he is the music industry’s not-so-secret weapon. Known for his genre-spanning versatility, Watt has collaborated with some of the most groundbreaking artists of the past decade, crafting chart-topping hits and award-winning albums across pop and rock. In 2021, he earned his first GRAMMY for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, recognized for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, and Miley Cyrus. He followed with a Best Rock Album win for producing Osbourne’s Patient Number 9, and in 2023 earned another Best Rock Album GRAMMY for Hackney Diamonds by The Rolling Stones. Among his recent high-profile projects, Watt co-produced the global smash “Die With a Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga. The single became a worldwide phenomenon, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, amassing over a billion global streams, topping charts internationally, and emerging as one of the fastest-rising pop collaborations of the decade. He also co-produced Gaga’s No. 1, critically acclaimed album Mayhem, including its hit “Abracadabra.” His work on the album earned a GRAMMY for Best Dance Pop Recording, while Mayhem also won Best Pop Vocal Album. He additionally received nominations for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year for his contributions to the project. Recent credits include work with Brandi Carlile and Elton John on their collaborative album Who Believes in Angels?, KATSEYE’s “Gabriela,” nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Carlile’s Returning to Myself, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Watt also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 2025 for “Never Too Late,” written for the 2024 documentary Elton John: Never Too Late directed by RJ Cutler.]

Benjamin Gibbard & Tom Howe – “Frightening Fishes (Main Title Theme from “Shrinking”)”
from: Shrinking: Season 1 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack) / Watertower Music – Warner Bros Entertainment / March 24, 2023
[The track is written by Death Cab for Cutie lead singer Benjamin Gibbard & the show’s composer Tom Howe (Ted Lasso, Early Man, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon. Shrinking is created by Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother), Bill Lawrence & Brett Goldstein (both Ted Lasso) and stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford about a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tells his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives…including his own. Emmy® winners Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein and Segel co-write and serve as executive producers. The show also stars: Jessica Williams, Michael Urie, Christa Miller, Luke Tennie and Lukita Maxwell. The comedy is on Apple TV+ // Benjamin Gibbard and Tom Howe are Winners of Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Main Title Theme – TV Show/Limited Series in 2023 for Apple TV+ show Shrinking. Benjamin Gibbard (born August 11, 1976) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, with whom he has recorded ten studio albums, and as a member of the indie pop supergroup The Postal Service. Gibbard released his debut solo album, Former Lives (2012), and a collaborative studio album, One Fast Move or I’m Gone (2009), with Jay Farrar.]

The Creepy Jingles – “Vow Down”
from: “Vow Down” – Single / Supe Brill Records / April 3, 2026
[Earlier this year Jocelyn Olivia Nixon shared with us the unreleased single “fight for your say” for our March 4, 2026 radio show. // Last year Jocelyn Olivia Nixon released the single, “YOU AIN’T RIGHT! YOU MUST BE WRONG!” on May 2, 2025. Jocelyn Olivia Nixon is lead singer of the band The Creepy Jungles. The Creepy Jingles are getting ready to release a new alum called WASHED UP coming this spring. Jocelyn told Nick Spacek of The Pitch, “that the songs she presents to her bandmates in The Jingles’ songs are poppier stuff, typically, while solo songs are more folky, mellow, weird, and lyrical. Solo work also gives her the opportunity to work with others outside the group. As Nixon explains, “It’s basically a tongue-in-cheek song making fun of hard right conservatives and social cliques who think only their way is ‘right.’” She said, “I felt like I needed something where I can be a bit more vulnerable and naked, I suppose,” the musician says. “I think because Jingles do rock n roll pop songs well, I think I’m kinda boxed in as an artist and singer. This is my way of saying I have many sides to myself as an individual and as an artist, and I can forge my own path and defy expectations.” Jocelyn Nixon’s next single, “Real Deal,” is due later this summer . // The Creepy Jingles released a series of 4 new singles in 2024 including “When Things Go Wrong” on February 23, 2024. // The Creepy Jingles are a Kansas City based, rock and roll band that both honors and defies convention. Led by singer / song-writer Jocelyn Olivia Nixon, a transgender wordsmith who charms with razor wit and dazzles with her lyrical acrobatics. The Creepy Jingles released their album, TAKE ME AT MY WORDPLAY on March 25, 2022 through High Dive Records. Paired up with lyrics centering on themes of identity, strained relationships, social media madness, meme magic, pandemic paranoia, paid off political pundits, backyard bullies and barking up the wrong tree. Everything and the kitchen sink or swim. No stoner left unturned. The Creepy Jingles released their Debut EP on High Dive Records on May 3, 2019. The release was in the top ten of WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. ]

[The Creepy Jingles open for Hello Biplane for their KC Album Release show at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, on Friday, April 10 with The Kansas City Bear Fighters.]

10:30 – Underwriting

Michael B. Tipton – “Hot Headed Lover”
from: “Hot Headed Lover” – Single / Micheal B. Tipton / April , 2025
[One of 5+ new singles Michael B. Tipton released in 2025. This single was recorded at Weights & Measures Soundlab here in KC. Performers on the track are Nate Holt- organ, Aaron Lewis- bass, Jace Hughes- electric guitar, Sam Shoemaker-pedal steel guitar, Justin Danner-drums, Ashleigh Guthrie-backing vocals, and myself on acoustic and vocals. Written by Michael B. Tipton. // Along with the country singles Michael recently teamed up with vocalist Seyko of The Freedom Affair member Seyko to release a Christmas collab they co-wrote called “Better To Believe” in early December. This song features performances by The Freedom Affair, members of Found A Job and Michael’s country band The Scoundrels, and Seyko’s daughter Reiko. // Michael B. Tipton has been working with Nashville songwriters and studios this past year and recently recorded an original song “Favorite Place in Town” (written about Strawberry Hill’s Hillsiders), at County Q Studios in Nashville. This song will be released TBA in 2026 and distributed to FM and AM Country stations across the country. Michael B. Tipton was signed to Stone Bridge Entertainment in July 2025. His debut solo album, Out of the Woods, was released on October 13, 2023. With his band The Scoundrels, Michael has shared stages with Bronwyn Keith Hynes and Jason Isbell. // Michael Tipton was one of the first musical guests we ever interviewed on WMM when he was in the band Tabla Rasa. We also played almost everything they recorded when Michael was part of the band, Molly Picture Club. Michael’s band Found a Job has been rocking venues in Kansas City for over 10 years playing Talking Heads tracks. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to The Band That Fell to Earth proving he can serve and deliver with the lyrics of David Byrne and David Bowie. // More info at: http://www.michaelbtiptonmusic.com/shows.%5D

10:35 – Interview with Michael B. Tipton

Michael B. Tipton joins us live in our 90.1 FM Studios to share his new single, “Hot Headed Lover.” Michael released multiple five new singles in 2025 and in addition he teamed up with Seyko of The Freedom Affair to release a Christmas collaboration that they co-wrote together called “Better To Believe.” Michael was last on our show was on August 9, 2023 to talk about his single “Scoundrel” from his debut solo album, Out of the Woods, released on October 13, 2023. Michael Tipton was one of the first musical guests ever interviewed on Wednesday MidDay Medley when he was in the band Tabla Rasa. We also played almost everything Michael’s bands Molly Picture Club and Kodascope ever recorded. Michael’s band, Found a Job has been rocking venues in Kansas City for nearly 15 years playing Talking Heads tracks to full houses of audiences dancing and singling along. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to The Band That Fell to Earth KC proving he can serve and deliver with the lyrics of David Bowie as well as David Byrne. Info at: http://www.michaelbtiptonmusic.com

Michael B.Tipton thanks for being with us on WMM

We just heard your new single: “Hot Headed Lover”

Michael B. Tipton who was one of our very first guests on Wednesday MidDay Medley back in 2004 the year this show first went on the air, and when Michale was 20 years old, he joined us to talk about his band Tabla Rasa. Michael has been a part of some of our most played Kansas City area bands including Molly Picture Club and Kodascope.

Michael B Tipton is a seasoned singer-songwriter who has performed for audiences nationwide for over 26 years. With a remarkable versatility across genres like folk, country, electronic, indie rock, and hard rock, his compositions are written to be adapted to various musical styles. Michael made his mark as a member of acclaimed bands: Tabla Rasa (1999-2005), 5 Defy (2006-2008), Molly Picture Club with Aniko Adany, and Kodascope (2013-2016).

He is also the driving force behind Found A Job, a popular 8-piece tribute to Talking Heads since 2012, where he embodies David Byrne’s essence.

In addition to his live performances, Michael’s songwriting prowess has earned him placements on notable TV shows like “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and various Discovery Channel segments. With an extraordinary ability to connect through heartfelt lyrics, captivating melodies, and a solid beat, Michael B Tipton continues to enchant audiences with his music. Stay tuned as this artist ventures into new musical horizons.

After enduring a prolonged songwriting drought, Tipton found solace in the music of his upbringing—Asleep At The Wheel, Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, Ernest Tubb, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and George Jones. This rediscovery sparked a creative surge, resulting in a collection of heartfelt songs. Released in the fall of 2023, “Out of The Woods” captures Tipton’s revival and showcases his storytelling. As Tipton explains, it’s the most personal and coherent set of songs he’s written to date.

“The title ‘Out of the Woods,’ has a double meaning for me. It’s both a recurring theme for the lyrics and it speaks to an acoustic-heavy instrumentation, which is the literal meaning because the music is coming out of the woods.” Tipton pulled in long-time collaborators and newfound friends from the KC music scene to help him bring his album to life. This was Tipton’s first album under his name, even though he had released 7 albums and 6 EPs over the years.

Recorded & Produced by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab, KC, MO

Michael B.Tipton Shows:

APR. 15, 2026 – Kansas City, MO
Found A Job @ Boulevard Beer Hall

APR. 24, 2026 – Excelsior Springs, MO
Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels At Warbird Whiskey

APR. 25, 2026 – Kansas City, MO
Knuckleheads Presents Found A Job

APR. 29, 2026 – Lawrence, KS
Western Wednesday At Northside Social Presents Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels

MAY 29, 2026 – Kansas City, MO
An Evening Of Pink Floyd at The Warehouse on Broadway

10:44

Michael B. Tipton – “Walking The Wire”
from: “Walking The Wire” – Single / Micheal B. Tipton / August 19, 2025
[One of 5 singles Michael B. Tipton released in 2025. This single was recorded at Weights & Measures Soundlab here in KC. Performers on the track are Nate Holt- organ, Aaron Lewis- bass, Jace Hughes- electric guitar, Sam Shoemaker-pedal steel guitar, Justin Danner-drums, Ashleigh Guthrie-backing vocals, and myself on acoustic and vocals. Written by Michael B. Tipton. // Along with the country singles Michael recently teamed up with vocalist Seyko of The Freedom Affair member Seyko to release a Christmas collab they co-wrote called “Better To Believe” in early December. This song features performances by The Freedom Affair, members of Found A Job and Michael’s country band The Scoundrels, and Seyko’s daughter Reiko. // Michael B. Tipton has been working with Nashville songwriters and studios this past year and recently recorded an original song “Favorite Place in Town” (written about Strawberry Hill’s Hillsiders), at County Q Studios in Nashville. This song will be released TBA in 2026 and distributed to FM and AM Country stations across the country. Michael B. Tipton was signed to Stone Bridge Entertainment in July 2025. His debut solo album, Out of the Woods, was released on October 13, 2023. With his band The Scoundrels, Michael has shared stages with Bronwyn Keith Hynes and Jason Isbell. // Michael Tipton was one of the first musical guests we ever interviewed on WMM when he was in the band Tabla Rasa. We also played almost everything they recorded when Michael was part of the band, Molly Picture Club. Michael’s band Found a Job has been rocking venues in Kansas City for over 10 years playing Talking Heads tracks. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to The Band That Fell to Earth proving he can serve and deliver with the lyrics of David Byrne and David Bowie. // More info at: http://www.michaelbtiptonmusic.com/shows.%5D

10:47 – More Interview with Michael B. Tipton

Michael B. Tipton joins us live in our 90.1 FM Studios to share his new single, “Hot Headed Lover.” Michael released multiple five new singles in 2025 and in addition he teamed up with Seyko of The Freedom Affair to release a Christmas collaboration that they co-wrote together called “Better To Believe.” Michael was last on our show was on August 9, 2023 to talk about his single “Scoundrel” from his debut solo album, Out of the Woods, released on October 13, 2023. Michael Tipton was one of the first musical guests ever interviewed on Wednesday MidDay Medley when he was in the band Tabla Rasa. We also played almost everything Michael’s bands Molly Picture Club and Kodascope ever recorded. Michael’s band, Found a Job has been rocking venues in Kansas City for nearly 15 years playing Talking Heads tracks to full houses of audiences dancing and singing along. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to The Band That Fell to Earth KC proving he can serve and deliver with the lyrics of David Bowie as well as David Byrne. Info at: http://www.michaelbtiptonmusic.com

Michael B. Tipton thanks for being with us on WMM

Michael’s band, Found a Job has been rocking venues in Kansas City for nearly 15 years playing Talking Heads tracks to full houses of audiences dancing and singing along.

Found A Job play Boulevard Beer Hall on Wednesday April 15, 2026 – Kansas City, MO

Michael has also been a frequent contributor to The Band That Fell to Earth KC proving he can serve and deliver with the lyrics of David Bowie as well as David Byrne.

On May 29, with Be Non, Back Light Animals, and Seyko you are putting on a Pink Floyd tribute at The Warehouse on Broadway. Seyko from The Freedom Affair and Sunu will be performing background vocals & lead vocal duties on various songs throughout the set.

Michael made his mark as a member of acclaimed bands:
Tabla Rasa (1999-2005),
5 Defy (2006-2008),
Molly Picture Club (2009-2013),
Kodascope (2013-2016).

Michael B Tipton is a dad. He has four kids.

Michael Tipton just launched his own branding consultancy called True Yarn Branding and would love your help in anyway to help him make some connections to small businesses in the Kansas City region. His focus is on helping growing companies develop their brand story for better market positioning and relationship building with their customers. https://www.tybranding.com/

Michael B.Tipton Shows:

APR. 15, 2026 – Kansas City, MO – Found A Job @ Boulevard Beer Hall

APR. 24, 2026-Excelsior Springs, MO-Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels Warbird Whiskey

APR. 25, 2026 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads Presents Found A Job

APR. 29, 2026 – Lawrence, KS – Western Wednesday At Northside Social Presents Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels

MAY 29, 2026 – Kansas City, MO – An Evening Of Pink Floyd – Warehouse on Broadway

Michael B.Tipton thanks for being with us on WMM

10:56

Michael B. Tipton – “Back to the Farm”
from: “Back to The Farm” – Single / Micheal B. Tipton / October 21, 2025
[One of 5+ new singles Michael B. Tipton released in 2025. This single was recorded at Weights & Measures Soundlab here in KC. Performers on the track are Nate Holt- organ, Aaron Lewis- bass, Jace Hughes- electric guitar, Sam Shoemaker-pedal steel guitar, Justin Danner-drums, Ashleigh Guthrie-backing vocals, and myself on acoustic and vocals. Written by Michael B. Tipton. // Along with the country singles Michael recently teamed up with vocalist Seyko of The Freedom Affair member Seyko to release a Christmas collab they co-wrote called “Better To Believe” in early December. This song features performances by The Freedom Affair, members of Found A Job and Michael’s country band The Scoundrels, and Seyko’s daughter Reiko. // Michael B. Tipton has been working with Nashville songwriters and studios this past year and recently recorded an original song “Favorite Place in Town” (written about Strawberry Hill’s Hillsiders), at County Q Studios in Nashville. This song will be released TBA in 2026 and distributed to FM and AM Country stations across the country. Michael B. Tipton was signed to Stone Bridge Entertainment in July 2025. His debut solo album, Out of the Woods, was released on October 13, 2023. With his band The Scoundrels, Michael has shared stages with Bronwyn Keith Hynes and Jason Isbell. // Michael Tipton was one of the first musical guests we ever interviewed on WMM when he was in the band Tabla Rasa. We also played almost everything they recorded when Michael was part of the band, Molly Picture Club. Michael’s band Found a Job has been rocking venues in Kansas City for over 10 years playing Talking Heads tracks. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to The Band That Fell to Earth proving he can serve and deliver with the lyrics of David Byrne and David Bowie. // More info at: http://www.michaelbtiptonmusic.com/shows.%5D

11:00 – Station ID

The Greeting Committee – “What I Wouldn’t Give?” (CD #12) (3:41)
from: “What I Wouldn’t Give?” / Harvest Records / October 10, 2025
[Formed in KC in 2015 with Addie Sartino, Brandon Yangmi, Austin Fraser, & Pierce Turcotte. This EP waOn September 24, 2021 The Greeting Committee released their album Dandelion, ,which was part of WMM’s 120 Best recordins of 2021. hat release was a follow up to their Oct. 17, 2019 EP, I’m Afraid I’m Not Angry, and their October 26, 2018, full length vinyl release “This Is It.” The band has previously released the EP “Meeting People is Easy” in 2017, and “It’s Not All That Bad” in 2015.The Greeting Committee released their single “Ada” on August 27, 2021, through Harvest Records / UMG Recordings. Addie wrote about her song “Ada” explaining it was a queer narrative inspired by lived experience of a dear friend. i knew this wasn’t my story to tell, but instead the story of someone i fiercely admire. to our garden, you are loved. you are loved.]

[The Greeting Committee play Manor Fest 8]

11:05 – Interview with Shaun Crowley

Shaun Crowley is a classically trained guitarist, and has studied at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory. Crowley started playing in the Kansas City music community when he was 17 in band Rev Gusto who released their debut album on High Dive Records. Rev. Gusto then transformed into the band Momma’s Boy.

Shaun Crowley is the Founder & Executive Director of Manor Records, a non-profit organization that functions as a record store and record label to support Kansas City musicians. Crowley started the nonprofit in 2017. Manor Records has expanded the idea of what a music label can be, by creating multiple record store locations, hosting Songbird Sessions every Sunday at ARTSKC, Music Maker Mondays on the First Monday of every month, 5:00pm-7:00pm (through August) at Brewery Emperial, 1829 Oak St. KCMO

One of Manor Records biggest events is: Manor Fest an eight day, music festival held progressively in eight different neighborhoods in Kansas City in May. From a basement in Shawnee, Kansas, to neighborhoods like the Crossroads to the Northeast, and now a KC Streetcar Day – Manor Fest has become a citywide celebration of the music community that makes this place special. Shaun Crowley joins us to discuss MANOR FEST 8, happening on two weekends: May 20-23 and May 27-30.

Shaun Crowley Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

MANOR FEST 8, happening on two weekends: Wednesday May 20 through Saturday May 23 and Wednesday May 27 through Saturday May 30.

The Greeting Committee, Bobby Watson, Calvin Arsenia, Fritz & Sons, Jass, Nightosphere, Paris Williams, Sass-A-Brass, Hailes, Jamogi & The Jammers, Eddie Moore, True Lions, The Royal Chief, Brian Gerald Bulger, Kissin, The Babe Gabe, Scabb, The Matchsellers, Kadesh Flow, Miki P, Aigerue + Mikey, Teri Quinn, Field Daze, Spy World, FK Menace, Apricot Glow, 2w33dy, Alber & I Maledetti, Malek Azrael & The Vibes, Dom Chronicles, Kirstie Lynn, Flare The Rebel, LyMerrick, Kemet Coleman, Rebel Song Academy Ft. Base Academy of Music, Pure XTC, Nina Cherry, Henry Scamurra, Charmaine, Mosaic, Toasterbath, Ernest Melton, Jolson & The Fear of Snakes, Silvee, Freia, Natalie Prauser, Jazlyn Epps, Gracie Caggiano, Dandelion Lakewood’s Bowl of Dust, Tidal.wav, Kapten, Sammy Sheets, Maddie Lai, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Jack Summers, Lauren Lovelle & The Midnight Spliffs, Isaiah Petrie, The Soul Agenda Info: http://www.manorrecords.com

11:14

The Yadda Yadda – “30 Minutes (feat.TyFaison, Paris Williams, and Monogram)” (Radio Edit)”
from: UNTIL THE WAR IS WON / Seven Rings Media / September 26, 2025
[TyFaison released his solo album Until The War Is Won through Seven Rings Media on September 25, 2025. Every song produced by Medici & TyFaizon as The Human. // Every song mixed & mastered by Medici. // Executive produced by Alex Guapo & Medici. // Album art by Trey Hyde & Daniel Ruiz. // TyFaizon aka Mango Marai is a rapper previously in the groups Drop Dead XX & Blackstarkids. He is now 1/2 of production duo The Human. TyFaizon is a multi faceted musical artist, writer, producer, composer, TyFaison is also known as Mango Marai. TyFaison is a rapper previously in the groups Drop Dead XX & Blackstarkids. TyFaison rose to international acclaim with BLACKSTARKIDS. // Mark: When we first heard BLACKSTARKIDS – “Sounds Like Fun!” from their album: SURF on Bedroom Records, released Feb. 28, 2020, we lost our minds. It was one of our most played song on the radio show that year and landed at #2 in WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2020. Blackstarkids were a phenomenon who came out of Raytown Missouri and SURF became the soundtrack for the summer of 2020. // Blackstarkids were a pop/R&B/hip-hop trio that include: TheBabeGabe, Deiondre, and TyFaizon (of the Drop Dead XX collective). The members have known each other since high school meeting at Raytown South High School and formed the band in 2019. The group released its first album, Let’s Play Sports, on Aug. 1, 2019. Blackstarkids then released their second album SURF through their own label Bedroom Records on February 28, 2020. // Blackstarkids caught the attention of The 1975’s frontman Matty Healy and were then signed to The 1975’s management company and UK-based label Dirty Hit Records. They were featured in Clash Magazine. Blackstarkids then released, Surf Basement Demos on Dirty Hit Records on March 5, 2020. On Oct. 29, 2020. // Blackstarkids released Whatever, Man on Dirty Hit Records, their 3rd album on October 22, 2020, followed by Puppies Forever on Oct. 15, 2021, and Cyberkiss on Sept. 23, 2022. Blackstarkids released their last two albums Saturn Dayz on Sept. 20, 2024, and Heaven on Urf on Oct. 25, 2024. // With BLACKSTARKIDS, Ty gained experience, opening on tour with The 1975, beabadoobee, and Glass Animals. // In Sept. 20, 2024. After the break-up of BlackStarKids last year, TyFaison with Medici formed the production company “The Human” and then produced Paris Williams 2024 album A PARIS WILLIAMS JOINT (released Nov. 19, 2024) and then the full length album MANGO MARAI & SATURN STAR, (released in Dec. 2024). Ty then lent his talent to collaborating with BlackStarKids bandmate and close friend TheBabeGabe in launching her solo career. Her debut mixtape HONEY POP, was released on March 5, 2025 and five months later, HONEYPOP: RELOADED was released on Aug. 8, 2025. Both albums were produced by The Human.] [Paris Williams rleased A Paris Williams Joint through Bitter Sweet Sound on November 19, 2024 // Paris Williams is a 26-year old artist from Muskegon, Michigan in the midst of redefining the bedroom pop label. Employing his own sound that he’s dubbed, “bittersweet,” Williams never shuts away from his DIY aesthetic – producing his own work to maintain full creative flexibility. Premiering in December of 2019 with his debut album, DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, Paris is a believer in hitting the ground running and then just never letting off the gas. This mentality was shaped by the inspiration he’s pulled from other famously out-of-the-box artists: such as Kanye West, Pharrell, and Toro y Moi. // Fueled by the multi-faceted artists, Williams believes heavily in pulling from all creative mediums as a way to add layers and texture to his music. This approach has led to Williams seeing support from larger than life musical pillars, like Iggy Pop himself – who showed love to Williams’ song of the same name by spinning it on his BBC radio show in 2018. Williams reshapes the musical landscape around him as his burgeoning career continues to solidify its own form more and more each day by bringing in a breath of fresh air with him everywhere since he wrote his first bars in elementary school. Paris Williams previously released the EP COCOA on December 10, 2020 . // He released the single , “Austin”on February 18, 2021. // Paris Williams released the single, “Sweeter” on July 9, 2021. // He released the single, “Sunsets & Solariums (feat. Bloom Allen)” on October 21, 2021 through Bittersweet Sounds. // He released the single ,“Chunky”on April 20, 2022. // He released the single, “Hopscotch” on June 21, 2022. // Paris Williams released the EP REBEL HEART on January 31, 2023. This release was part of WMM ‘s 120 Best Recordings of 2023. // Paris Williams released the single, “Pack Light” on July 25, 2023. // Paris Williams with Globetrotters & Kaleab Samuel released the single, “C.est La Vie” on September 14, 2024, // Paris Williams with Globetrotters & Kaleab Samuel released the single, “Ayo (Feat TyFaison)” on September 18, 2024. // Paris Williams & The Human released the 10-track album, A Paris Williams Joint through Bitter Sweet Sound on November 19, 2024. This release was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024. // Paris Williams & TheBabeGabe released the single “Me Again” on April 28, 2025. // Paris Williams & Bloom Allen released the single “Truthfully” (radio edit) through BitterSweet Sound on August 12, 2025. // allmylinks.com/popstarparis]

[Paris Williams and TyFaison both play Manor Fest 8]

11:17 – More Interview with Shaun Crowley

Shaun Crowley is the Founder & Executive Director of Manor Records, a non-profit organization created to support Kansas City musicians. Crowley started the nonprofit in 2017.

Manor Records has expanded the idea of what a music label can be, by creating multiple record store locations, hosting Songbird Sessions every Sunday at ARTSKC, Music Maker Mondays on the First Monday of every month, 5:00pm-7:00pm (through August) at Brewery Emperial, 1829 Oak St. KCMO

One of Manor Records biggest events is: Manor Fest an eight day, music festival held progressively in eight different neighborhoods in Kansas City in May. From a basement in Shawnee, Kansas, to neighborhoods like the Crossroads to the Northeast, and now a KC Streetcar Day – Manor Fest has become a citywide celebration of the music community that makes this place special.

Shaun Crowley joins us to discuss MANOR FEST 8, happening on two weekends: May 20-23 and May 27-30.

Shaun Crowley Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

MANOR FEST 8, happening on two weekends: Wednesday May 20 through Saturday May 23 and Wednesday May 27 through Saturday May 30.

The Greeting Committee, Bobby Watson, Calvin Arsenia, Fritz & Sons, Jass, Nightosphere, Paris Williams, Sass-A-Brass, Hailes, Jamogi & The Jammers, Eddie Moore, True Lions, The Royal Chief, Brian Gerald Bulger, Kissin, The Babe Gabe, Scabb, The Matchsellers, Kadesh Flow, Miki P, Aigerue + Mikey, Teri Quinn, Field Daze, Spy World, FK Menace, Apricot Glow, 2w33dy, Alber & I Maledetti, Malek Azrael & The Vibes, Dom Chronicles, Kirstie Lynn, Flare The Rebel, LyMerrick, Kemet Coleman, Rebel Song Academy Ft. Base Academy of Music, Pure XTC, Nina Cherry, Henry Scamurra, Charmaine, Mosaic, Toasterbath, Ernest Melton, Jolson & The Fear of Snakes, Silvee, Freia, Natalie Prauser, Jazlyn Epps, Gracie Caggiano, Dandelion Lakewood’s Bowl of Dust, Tidal.wav, Kapten, Sammy Sheets, Maddie Lai, Danielle Ate Ghe Sandwich, Jack Summers, Lauren Lovelle & The Midnight Spliffs, Isaiah Petrie, The Soul Agenda Info: http://www.manorrecords.com

Music Maker Mondays at Brewery Emperial on the First Monday of every month, 5:00pm-7:00pm (through August) at Brewery Emperial, 1829 Oak St. KCMO, to provide local music makers of all types – any genre, a laid-back, non-gig environment to connect, organize, and build community through a new monthly happy hour occurring on the first Monday of each month.

Songbird Sessions every Sunday at ARTSKC

Shaun Crowley Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley.

MANOR FEST 8, happening on two weekends: Wednesday May 20 through Saturday May 23 and Wednesday May 27 through Saturday May 30. Info: http://www.manorrecords.com

11:25

HAILES – “Not Perfect”
from: FIVE (EP) / Magic Mango Music / September 29, 2025
[Debut EP from KC based R&B artist HAILES. After graduating from Blue Valley West High School and briefly attending college, Hailes spent two years in the U.S. tour of The Wizard of Oz before moving to New York in 2017 to continue her acting career. COVID-19 shut down theatre and HAILES turned her energies toward writing music. When Broadway came back to life, HAILES returned to theatre and joined the Hadestown Broadway Tour for three years. While on tour Hailes continued writing music. // The music on her debut EP FIVE came from her time attending a writing camp in Austin, Texas. // HAILES told Cameron Castaldi of KJHK “On the road, I always had my recording equipment, so in every hotel that we got to, I would set up my little studio and write sporadically throughout the week.” // After living in New York City for the last seven years, R&B artist, songwriter, and actress Hailes is back home in Kansas City. She had her first concert in Kansas City on August 5, 2025 at The Blue Room. / More info at:www.hailes.komi.io/.]

[Hailes plays Manor Fest 8]

11:27 – Underwriting

Krystle Warren & The Faculty – “I’ve Seen Days”
from: Diary [Remastered] – EP / Parlour Door Music 2025 / March 10, 2005
[Krystle Warren & The Faculty’s first official release, ‘Diary’, has been remastered by chief-inspector, Ben Kane, who not only recorded those clandestine sessions at Electric Lady Studios; he also co-produced and mixed their conclusion with his then mentor, the legendary Russell Elevado. With KW and The Faculty at the time ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-three, ‘Diary’ is a snapshot of youth and discovery; a “baby-band” finding their sound, and pushing their creativity into uncharted territory. // On November 1, 2024 Krystle Warren & The Faculty released EXTENDED PLAY which was #1 on WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024. Krystle Warren & The Faculty are: Krystle Warren, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Mike Riddleberger, and Jonathan Anderson. Following their double album LOVE SONGS (2012) Krystle Warren & The Faculty were involved in many musical projects. Krystle Warren & The Faculty, released the single “Macca” on May 22, 2023. They released and their single “Rising” released May 31, 2019, and written especially for Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed television mini series WHEN THEY SEE US. When Covid delayed the upcoming release of Extended Play, Krystle and members of The Faculty along with some of their frequent collaborators formed The Crew to release the 4-song CREW EP on September 15, 2020. Through isolation came unity. The Crew was made up of: Lakecia Benjamin, Matthew Silberman, Jacob Snider, Joe Blaxx, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Cassorla, Krystle Warren, and Ben Kane. They recorded unique versions of classic songs with the hope of encouraging the rallying cries of The Moment: the movement of the people. // In the lockdown of their homes, they sewed together their interpretations of “Bein’ Green” (based upon Ray Charles’ rendition); “Gimme Some Truth” (a mighty John Lennon composition); “Dear Landlord” (a scathing indictment from the blistering pen of Bob Dylan); and “Rhythm of Life”, (a timeless statement originally performed by Oleta Adams). // A portion of the proceeds from The Crew. EP were donated to the various causes and organizations //// The Faculty was formed with Krystle Warren, Solomon Dorsey, Zach Djanikian, Mike Riddleberger, and Dave Moore. While the four boys had classes and gigs, Krystle floated around New York and made a lot of friends. She busked and wrote songs, and, with the help of her band members and Ben Kane, who had an internship at Electric Lady Studios and was sneaking them in at odd hours, Krystle turned those songs into an e.p. called Diary. // Diary led to Circles, which Ben Kane co-produced with Voodoo engineer Russell “The Dragon” Elevado. Circles was bought by Because Music in France, but Krystle still recorded Love Songs in New York, a double album that invokes a Blakean duality with its two subtitles, ‘A Time to Refrain from Embracing’ and ‘A Time You May Embrace’. // Love Songs was produced with most of the Faculty (Zach was on tour with Amos Lee) and a slew of guest musicians in Brian Bender’s Brooklyn studio, The Motherbrain. Bender’s assistant, Jonathan Anderson, would later go on to replace Dave Moore on keys. // The Faculty has always been a tenuous project for everyone involved because of the distance and the schedules. While everyone remains close friends, the band members are spread across the globe. Krystle in France. Riddleberger in New York and Zach in Woodstock. Jonathan in Los Angeles. And then they are all working musicians, touring, recording, and collaborating with an impressive list of artists. Musicians like, in no particular order: D’Angelo, Hercules and Love Affair, Donald Fagen and the Nightfliers, Joan As Police Woman, Jonathan Wilson, Emily King, Janet Jackson, Ron Sexsmith, Amy Helm, Taylor Swift, Rufus Wainwright, Natalie Merchant, Graham Nash, The Knights, Bleachers, Emmylou Harris, Amos Lee, Mayra Andrade, Lana Del Rey, Broken Social Scene, Teddy Thompson, Lakecia Benjamin, and honestly that’s less than the half of it. // So they have been busy, and they have gained a lot of experience since the days of sneaking into ElectricLady late night or playing for meager pay and free wine at an East Village Italian resto. And while Diary, Circles, and Love Songs were recorded with everyone in the same room (Three the Hard Way, Krystle’s solo album, was pared down to her and Kane collectively), Extended Play was recorded disparately and assembled together by the steady hands and ears of Kane and Krystle. There is distance between the musicians in the recording process, but there is still a close emotional connection that can be heard in these songs. // The songs that make up Extended Play are songs of experience—the lyrics reflect on a crush from high school, a departed musical hero, and others who live in memory. There is nostalgia in Extended Play, and a forlornness. // Krystle describes “When I Look Back,” the last song of the album, as “an apology to my teenage self.” Twenty years ago she was writing songs about what happened day-of because being young is about immediacy and living in the present tense. Now the songs are about years past because life slows down, and we are allowed the time to “look back.”// But as Krystle sings in “Rising,” “Future lingers while past is present.” She’s writing about the past because we are all our collected histories—or as she puts it in “When I Look Back”: “there’s still something of her that stays.” The future, of course, still lingers, always there waiting for us, for the next move. The album ends with a recording of Audre Lorde’s gravelly voice. She says, // I’m going on to something else, the shape of which, I have no idea. ‘Only thing I know is, it’s going to be quite different. What I leave behind has a life of its own – I’ve said this about poetry … Well in a sense, I’m saying it about the very artifact of who I have been. // Krystle Warren & The Faculty still have more to come. They have built twenty years of memories, experiences, recordings, and shows, and with the release of Extended Play, they continue to show a commitment to growing as musicians together, even if apart. The Extended Play bio written by Phil Anderson]

[Owen/Cox Dance Group join internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Krystle Warren for AND WONDER their exciting new collaboration with performances: Fri & Sat, April 10 & 11 at 8:00pm and Sun, April 12, at 2:00pm, at the City Stage Theatre at Union Station. 30 West Pershing Road, KCMO.]

11:33 – Interview with Krystle Warren, Jennifer Owen, & Brad Cox

Jennifer Owen and Brad Cox of Owen/Cox Dance Group join internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Krystle Warren to share details of AND WONDER their exciting new collaboration with performances: Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, at 8:00pm and Sunday, April 12, at 2:00pm, at the City Stage Theatre at Union Station. 30 West Pershing Road, KCMO. This world premiere will feature songs selected from Warren’s expansive catalog, including previously unreleased material, in an evening of intimate and powerful music and dance. Krystle Warren will be joined by a stellar ensemble of musicians and dancers for this unforgettable performance. Info at: http://www.owencoxdance.or

Krystle Warren, Jennifer Owen & Brad Cox thanks for being with us on WMM

And we are so excited to welcome back to the show, KC born and internationally known singer songwriter Krystle Warren who is back in KC from her home in France. Krystle is one of our most played artists of all time on the radio show. Krystle is also one of our most frequent guests. Krystle Warren began performing in her native KC at the age of 16. Krystle graduated from Paseo Arts Academy and in 2001 began her musical career collaborating with area jazz and pop musicians. After moving to New York City, she started busking on the streets and later formed her regular band, The Faculty.

Krystle Warren & The Faculty’s first official release, ‘Diary’, has been remastered by chief-inspector, Ben Kane, who not only recorded those clandestine sessions at Electric Lady Studios; he also co-produced and mixed their conclusion with his then mentor, the legendary Russell Elevado. With KW and The Faculty at the time ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-three, ‘Diary’ is a snapshot of youth and discovery; a “baby-band” finding their sound, and pushing their creativity into uncharted territory.

After DIARY was released Krystle was signed to Paris based music label Because Music who sent her a one-way ticket. Krystle Warren & The Faculty released the album CIRCLES in 2009. Their epic sophomore release, LOVE SONGS… followed in 2011, and contained twenty-four songs about love and was recorded in New York City over the span of two weeks, with close to thirty musicians. Around this time, Krystle joined forces with one of her musical idols, Rufus Wainwright, on his world tour as opener and bandmate. Krystle Warren then released her solo album THREE THE HARD WAY, in 2017 where Krystle played every instrument. On May 31, 2019 Krystle Warren & The Faculty released heir single “Rising” written especially for Ava DuVernay’s critically acclaimed television mini series WHEN THEY SEE US. When her band’s full length album was put on hold, Krystle released the 4-song EP THE CREW on September 15, 2020. Krustle released the single “Macca” on May 22, 2023, and the single “La Dolce Vita” on March 1, 2024. // On November 1, 2024 Krystle Warren & The Faculty release EXTENDED PLAY which was #1 on WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2024. // Krystle Warren played the 21st Annual Crossroads Music Fest, Sat, September 6, at 9:30pm at Lemonade Park, West Bottoms

Composer and arranger Brad Cox is co-founder of Owen/Cox Dance Group and founder and director of The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, a musicians’ collective dedicated to the performance of new large ensemble jazz music. Cox’s musical influences range from liturgical chant and traditional folkloric music to popular music and free jazz, with a particular interest in the communal aspects of music making. A composer in the uniquely American Ellington tradition, he has dedicated his work to forming creative collaborative relationships with musicians and to writing music for those musicians. Cox studied composition at UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance under James Mobberley and Gerald Kemner and is a recipient of the 2010 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Award and the 2009 Tanne Foundation Award.

Jennifer Owen is Artistic Director of Owen/Cox Dance Group, an ensemble she co-founded with composer Brad Cox in 2007. She has choreographed over fifty new works for Owen/Cox Dance Group, including two commissions by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and works commissioned by Island Moving Co. of Newport, RI, Kansas City Dance Festival, Kansas City Baroque Consortium, and Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. She has also created nine new works for Kansas City Ballet’s In the Wings choreographic workshop, and a winning entry for the 2006 Columbus Choreography Project. Owen is the recipient of a 2000 Princess Grace Honorarium. Prior to founding Owen/Cox Dance Group, Owen enjoyed a 13-year international ballet career. After training with Pacific Northwest Ballet School, San Francisco Ballet School, School of American Ballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, she went on to dance with the Russian State Ballet, Moscow Renaissance Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, BalletMet, and was a guest artist with the National Ballet of Turkmenistan. She has performed principal roles in Giselle, Don Quixote, George Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and Donizetti Variations, and the central pas de deux in Todd Bolender’s Arena.

Owen/Cox Dance Group is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit corporation with a mission is to create new music and dance collaborations, to present high-quality contemporary dance performances with live music, and to engage as wide an audience as possible through affordable live performance, education and outreach programs

And Wonder is a powerful new collaboration with internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Krystle Warren. // Blending Warren’s deeply expressive songwriting with dynamic choreography, And Wonder explores the essential relationship between music and movement. The performance features selections from Warren’s expansive catalog—including previously unreleased material—performed live alongside an ensemble of musicians and dancers. // Born and raised in Kansas City and now based in France, Warren returns to her hometown for this special premiere. Known for her genre-defying sound that blends jazz, folk, blues, and country influences, Warren has performed internationally and collaborated with celebrated artists including Rufus Wainwright, Joan As Police Woman, Hercules and Love Affair, and Robyn Hitchcock. // For And Wonder, Warren will be joined by an exceptional group of musicians: Brad Cox, Mike Stover, Jonathan Anderson, David Dawda, and Jaylen Ward. The performance also features dancers Winston Dynamite Brown, Emara Neymour Jackson, Jeremy Hanson, Sam McReynolds, Quentin Sledge, and Laura Wallner with choreography by Jennifer Owen.

And Wonder highlights the company’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and the unique immediacy of live performance. Through music and movement, And Wonder invites audiences into a shared artistic experience where sound and motion unfold together in real time.

Performances are April 10-12, Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, Sunday at 2

We started this segment with a song from The Faculty’s first 2005 official EP release, DIARY, just recently re-released and remastered by Ben Kane, who originally recorded those sessions at Electric Lady Studios, where he also co-produced and mixed the tracks with his then mentor, the legendary Russell Elevado. Krystle Warren is one of our most played artists and most frequent guests. Krystle Warren began performing in her native Kansas City at the age of 16. She graduated from Paseo Arts Academy in 2001 and began her musical career collaborating with area jazz and pop musicians. Krystle Warren & The Faculty released the full length album CIRCLES in 2009. Their epic sophomore release, LOVE SONGS followed in 2011, and contained 24 songs about love, recorded in New York City over the span of two weeks, with close to thirty musicians. Around this time, Krystle also joined forces with one of her musical idols, Rufus Wainwright, on his world tour as opener and bandmate. Krystle Warren released her solo album THREE THE HARD WAY, co-produced with Ben Kane in 2017. Krystle will also be sharing details of , Krystle Warren & The Faculty’s released EXTENDED PLAY in November of 2024. EXTENDED PLAY was #1 on WMM’s 120 Beast Recordings of 2024. Info at: http://www.krystlewarren.com

Seven Years ago Krystle Warren, Jen Owens (& Brad Cox) join us to talk about the world premiere dance work by the Owen/Cox Dance Group set to a live performance of singer/songwriter Krystle Warren’s acclaimed double album, “Love Songs” Saturday, October 19, at 8:00 PM and Sunday, October 20, at 2:00 PM, at The Polsky Theatre at Carlsen Center at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd, OPKS.

The world premiere dance work by the Owen/Cox Dance Group set to a live performance of singer/songwriter Krystle Warren’s acclaimed double album, “Love Songs” on Saturday, October 19, at 8:00 PM and Sunday, October 20, at 2:00 PM, at Polsky Theatre at Carlsen Center at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd, OPKS.
For more info you can contact: http://www.owencoxdance.org

Krystle Warren & The Faculty Discography

Krystle Warren & The Faculty has released the EP “Diary” on May 1, 2007 ccccc

Krystle Warren released “The Up Series – EP” on November 10, 2008

Krystle Warren releases the 13-song Album CIRCLES on March 13, 2009

Krystle Warren & The Faculty released “A Time To Keep – Love Songs EP”, Aug. 12, 2011

Krystle Warren & The Faculty released the double album 24-song “Love Songs” released on vinyl in Europe on April 9, 2012 as “Love Songs: A Time to Embrace,” and “Love Songs: A Time to Refrain from Embracing. ” And released on separate digital and CD albums in the United States as: “Love Songs: A Time to Embrace,” on March 13, 2012 and “Love Songs: A Time to Refrain from Embracing” on February 27, 2015

Krystle Warren released the album THREE THE HARDWAY on August 18, 2017

Krystle Warren & The Faculty released the single “Rising” on May 31, 2019

Krystle Warren & The Crew released the 4-song EP, THE CREW on September 15, 2020

Krystle Warren & The Faculty released the single “Macca”on May 22, 2023
Krystle Warren & The Faculty released the single “LA DOLCE VITA” on March 1, 2024

Krystle Warren & The Faculty released EXTENDED PLAY on November 1, 2024

Krystle Warren and 90.1 FM KKFI

Mark first interviewed Krystle Warren for The Tenth Voice, back 2002. Mark first interviewed Krystle Warren for The Tenth Voice, back 2002. Mark waited several hours, during a winter snow storm, at a huge party, where Krystle played with her band including her longtime friend Solomon Dorsey on bass, in a packed, smoke filled apartment near Community Christian Church across the hall from where Solomon lived, to be given a 2 song demo CD, that contained Krystle’s first recorded music, including a song called “Chanel #5.” Krystle has since gone on to be known all over the world, but still maintains contact with her hometown of Kansas City.

Krystle was on WMM on June 29, 2016 as “Guest Producer” to share inspirations for her new record, THREE THE HARDWAY playing early gospel recordings, that crossed over into Jazz from: Pharoah Sanders, Edwin Hawkins, and The Swan Silvertones. Krystle’s critically acclaimed album, Three The Hard Way was #1 on WMM’s 117 Best Recordings of 2017. Wednesday MidDay Medley was the first to play tracks from Krystle’s album, before it was released. Krystle came on the show months before the release, to share music that was the inspiration for the recording. Released on Parlour Door Music, on August 18, 2017 and Produced by Krystle Warren and Ben Kane. Recorded, engineered, and mixed by Ben Kane. Written & performed by Krystle Warren. Mixed at The Garden, Brooklyn. Mastered & cut by Alex DeTurk at Masterdisk. In 2015 in Krystle Warren premiered new songs from this album at the Middle of the Map Fest in a packed room at Californos in Westport and later at The Polsky Theatre for the Performing Arts Series of Johnsons County Community College. For this record Krystle decided to play every instrument and vocals & back up vocals, “playing bass, drums, lap steel, piano, guitar, and vocals directly to analog tape. She and Ben Kane recorded in Villetaneuse, France, a small town on the outskirts of Paris in a vintage 70s era studio that offered just the right, rich sound to suggest the musical foundation for the record, and to do justice to the duo’s carefully balanced arrangements.” On the Wednesday MidDay Medley radio show in 2016 Krystle shared inspirations for this record, early gospel recordings, that crossed over into Jazz from: Pharoah Sanders, Edwin Hawkins, and The Swan Silvertones.

Krystle was on the show on Oct. 16, 2019 with Brad Cox when she was in KC to present LoveSongs with Owen/Cox Dance Group at Oct 19 & 20, 2019 at Polsky Theatre at JCCC.

We talked with Krystle on September 23, 2020 about The Crew EP where Krystle and friends recorded unique versions of four classic songs with the hope of encouraging the rallying cries of the moment: the movement of the people. Warren embarked on the project after her newest album, with her band The Faculty, was stalled due to COVID-19

Krystle Warren, Jennifer Owen & Brad Cox thanks for being with us on WMM

Owen/Cox Dance Group join internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Krystle Warren to share details of AND WONDER their exciting new collaboration with performances: Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, at 8:00pm and Sunday, April 12, at 2:00pm, at the City Stage Theatre at Union Station. 30 West Pershing Road, KCMO. This world premiere will feature songs selected from Warren’s expansive catalog, including previously unreleased material, in an evening of intimate and powerful music and dance. Krystle Warren will be joined by a stellar ensemble of musicians and dancers for this unforgettable performance. Info at: http://www.owencoxdance.org

Krystle Warren – “Current Events”
from: Circles / Because Music / March 13, 2009
[krystle Warren was on June 13, 1981 in Kansas City. A 2000 graduate Paseo Academy of Fine and Perfoming Arts. Krystle learned to play the guitar by listening to Rubber Soul & Revolver from The Beatles. Krystle graduated from Paseo Arts Academy in 2001 and began her musical career in collaborating with area jazz and pop musicians. After living in San Francisco and NYC, Krystle was signed to a French label, Because Music, and moved to Paris to release “Circles” in 2009. Krystle played French and British television programs, including Later with Jools Holland, garnering critical acclaim and traveling all over the world with Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Norah Jones, and Joan As Police Woman.]

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

NEXT WEEK on April 15 – Kasey Rausch joins us to share new music from The Country Duo her musical project with Marco Pascolini. Also… percussionist and musician Marcus Rattler joins us to talk about his music and band Legerdemain, AND acclaimed vocalist and Broadway actress Hailes joins us to talk about her new original music and touring in big Broadways shows like Hadestown.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wedneday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals doante $3924.00 ngoing way over our show goal!

Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

You can find our playlists at: http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

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

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

Show #1142

WMM Playlist from March 25, 2026

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Mark Manning

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 25, 2026

New & MidCoastal Releases + Chris Hudson & Sam Wright + Hello Biplane + Brent Kinder

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

Tank and the Bangas – “Move (feat. Lucky Daye)”
from: The Last Balloon / Verve Forecast / May 15, 2026
[Tank and the Bangas are Tarriona “Tank” Ball on lead vocal, Norman Spencer II on multi-
instrumentals, with new accompanying members: CJ Knowles Jr on drums, Matthew MSkillz on bass, Rob Kellner on keyboards, and Etienne Stoufflet on saxophone. // GRAMMY-Award winning band Tank and the Bangas confirm their new album, The Last Balloon, is set for release May 15 on Verve Forecast. The Last Balloon follows acclaimed albums Green Balloon (2019) and Red Balloon (2022), and marks both the closing chapter of the trilogy, and the beginning of a bold new era for Tank and the Bangas. // “I called the album The Last Balloon because I didn’t want anyone asking us, ‘When’s Purple Balloon coming?’” says Tarriona “Tank” Ball. “It’s the end of the balloons; we’re moving into a new space now.” // Executive-produced by frequent collaborator Austin Brown and recorded primarily at The Complex Studios in Los Angeles, the album features collaborations including the multi-faceted musician Iman Omari, pianist/producer Tane Runo and soul singers Ledisi and Jelly Joseph. The Last Balloon finds the band expanding their sound and exploring themes of frustration, resilience and self-realization. Balancing moments of raw vulnerability with bursts of joyful energy, the album moves between emotional catharsis and communal uplift, designed with the group’s dynamic live performances in mind. // “We’re working with new people and cultivating new sounds, and it feels like we’re more open than we’ve ever been,” Ball details on stepping into this new chapter. “What we’ve learned over the years is that even though people can’t always categorize our sound, they’re always able to describe how the music makes them feel. So, we’re gonna keep on changing and evolving, but we’re always gonna give you that same feeling of joy.” // Additionally, the band is expanding their summer and fall tour dates, including stops in New York, Asheville, Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and more. See below for a complete list of dates. // In 2024, Tank and the Bangas released their three-part spoken word project, The Heart, The Mind, The Soul, which won the band a GRAMMY Award for “Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.” Each chapter of the album found Tank working with a different producer: The Soul with Robert Glasper as well as Austin Brown and Brian London, The Heart with James Poyser and The Mind with Iman Omari. // New Orleans-based Tank and the Bangas rose to prominence in 2017 following their unanimous NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest victory. Bringing their blend of poetry, R&B, gospel, and pop to a worldwide stage, Tank and the Bangas have been praised as one of the “best live bands in America” by NPR Music. In 2019, the band released their major label debut, Green Balloon, on Verve Forecast to widespread critical praise earning the band a Best New Artist nomination at that years, GRAMMY Awards. Their latest third studio album Red Balloon received a nomination for “Best Progressive R&B Album” at the 2023 GRAMMY Awards. Throughout their career the group has performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Austin City Limits,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “The Today Show.” They have consistently sold-out venues both stateside and abroad, with festival appearances at Coachella, Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and the Newport Jazz Festival.]

Roman Numerals – “Can We Trust Your Architect?”
from: Roman Numerals / Anodyne Records / September 5, 2006
[#1 on our list of The 60 Best Recordings of 2006. William Smith on vocals, guitar, stylophone; Steven Tulipana on vocals, bass, guitars, synth; Shawn Sherrill on synth, bass; Pete LaPorte on drums, electronics. Music by Roman Numerals. Lyrics by William Smith and Steve Tulipana. Produced by Paul Malinowski and Roman Numerals. Recorded and Mixed by Paul Malinowski. Recorded at Great Western Record Recorders. Mixed at Rax Trax Studios, Chicago, IL and Westend Studios. Mastered by Doug Henderson. “Deep Loft:” vocals by Matthew Dunehoo. Backing vocals on “Known” by Kenneth Earl Jankowski Jr.] // [Bill Brownlee wrote about Roman Numerals on October 18, 2017 for KCUR Radio. // One of the region’s most notable indie-rock bands a decade ago, Roman Numerals were Shawn Sherrill on keyboards and bass, Billy Smith on guitars and vocals, and Steve Tulipana on bass, guitars and vocals, (Pete LaPorte on drums replaced by Ryan Shank, and now Jason Gerken.) // Tulipana and Sherrill went on to open the highly successful RecordBar in Westport. Their band’s last recent performance was the penultimate show at the venue’s original site on January 1, 2016. RecordBar has since re-opened at 1520 Grand Boulevard, which is where Roman Numerals reunited on Saturday, September 27, 2026 Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of recordBar. // Roman Numerals peaked at a time when like-minded bands including Interpol were also mining the new wave and post-punk sounds of the 1980s. The revivalist aesthetic was an appealing exercise in wistfulness when its self-titled album was released in 2006, a conceit that makes Saturday’s reunion a double-dip of nostalgia. // The band describes its approach as a “high-powered hybrid” that “forms a sturdy bridge between indie-rock’s angular approach and the underground club scene’s throbbing tempos.” A good example is “Rule of Five,” a gloom-laden blend of synth-pop and post-punk from that 2006 record: // “‘Rule of Five’ was recorded in Chicago the week we signed our lease on the original RecordBar via fax-machine,” Tulipana says. “We somehow managed to get the club open and do several U.S. tours that same year of 2005. We like to get together every year or so these days to revisit these old songs to help inspire us on the other newer projects we stay involved with.” // Roman Numerals, played the grand opening at RecordBar, 1520 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City on Saturday, October 21, 2017 with Olympic Size, opening. // Bill Brownlee blogs about Kansas City’s jazz scene at Plastic Sax.]

[Roman Numerals celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their debut album and the one year Anniversary of The Warehouse on Broadway, 3951 Broadway Blvd., KCMO, in a special show on Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 (doors at 6:30) with Emmaline Twist, The Sluts, and Pimp Magic Guts.]

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio – “Chicken Leg”
from: “Chicken Leg” – Single / Colemine / May 29, 2026
[Colemine is proud to present the first new music from the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio in over four years. These tunes were taken from the I Told You So sessions and from a forthcoming full length LP. The super funky “Chicken Leg” on the A-side and the slow burn “If I Could” on the flip. The personnel on this features Lamarr on Organ, the incomparable Jimmy James (Parlor Greens, True Loves) on guitar, and the deep pocket of Grant Schroff (Polyrhythmics, Champagne Bubblebath) on drums. I Told You So was one of DLO3’s best selling and performing albums, so the forthcoming LP is surely one not to be missed! // Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio released Cold As Weiss on Colemine Records on February 11, 2022. // Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio have established themselves as the world’s premier funky organ trio. The organ trio, along with founder and manager Amy Novo, continues to devise the perfect blend of raw, passionate music and engaging industry practices. Through a firm partnership with label Colemine Records, the trio has garnered Billboard charting albums, sold out shows, tens of thousands of albums sold, and millions of streams. Lofty accomplishments for an instrumental organ trio. // Now, with permanent drummer Dan Weiss behind the kit, DLO3 is proud to present Cold As Weiss, their third studio album to date that finds them tighter than ever, and continuing to push funky instrumental music to a new generation of fans.. // The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play a multitude of instruments. On guitar is the dynamo Jimmy James who eases through Steve Cropper-style chanking guitar, volcanic acid-rock freak-out lead playing, and slinky Grant Green style jazz. From Reno, Nevada is drummer Dan Weiss (also of the powerhouse soul and funk collective The Sextones). Dan’s smoldering pocket-groove drumming locks in the trio’s explosive chemistry. // Founded by Lamarr’s wife and manager Amy Novo, the trio started from humble beginnings in 2015, but since then has released two Billboard charting albums and toured the world to sold out venues.]

José González – “A Perfect Storm”
from: Against the Dying Of The Light / Imperial Recordings – Mute / March 27, 2026
[Against The Dying Of The Light is the fifth studio album from José González and his first new collection of original songs in more than four years. As a concerned world citizen, he wrote these songs as a reflection of our times. Times of amazing progress, but also worrying backslides to dogmatic tribal ideologies and an extremely uncertain future. These are songs about how we can navigate humanity towards flourishing on an individual and a collective level. // José Gabriel González was born on July 31, 1978 in the Haga district of Gothenburg, Sweden, to Argentine parents. His politically active parents were students at the National University of San Luis before fleeing Argentina after the 1976 Argentine coup d’état. Escaping to Brazil with González’s older sister, they were granted asylum by the Swedish consulate in Rio de Janeiro and relocated to Gothenburg in 1977. // González grew up listening to Latin folk and pop music and has named Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez as a favorite artist. He said that the first concert he went to was the Wailers. In an interview with Time Out magazine he stated, “I got their autographs and everything. I was about 12 or so. At the time, my favorite music was Bob Marley and Michael Jackson”. // González earned a master’s degree in molecular biology from the University of Gothenburg and was in a PhD program for biochemistry before dropping out and focusing on music. // The first band González played in was Back Against the Wall, a Gothenburg hardcore punk group influenced by Black Flag, Misfits, and Dead Kennedys. He later played bass guitar in another hardcore band, Renascence, between 1993 and 1998. Between 1997 and 1998, he played guitar with the rock band Only If You Call Me Jonathan. // In June 2003, González issued his debut solo release, a two-track 7 in (180 mm) single. It was discovered by Joakim Gävert, co-founder of the then-fledgling label Imperial Records, who signed González as their first official artist. In October, González released his debut album, Veneer, in Europe. The record was subsequently released in the UK on 25 April 2005 and in the United States on 6 September 2005. González had begun working on the material while still a PhD student. // González’ trademark sound is solo classical guitar with soft vocal melody. His work, although mostly original, also includes acoustic covers of such hits as “Heartbeats” by his fellow Swedes the Knife, “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division, “Born in the U.S.A.” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen, “Hand on Your Heart” by Kylie Minogue, “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat, “Teardrop” by Massive Attack, and “Last Snowstorm of the Year” by Low. // His second album, In Our Nature, was released internationally on September 22, 2007. Its lyrical content was in part influenced by books like The God Delusion by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Practical Ethics by ethicist Peter Singer. In 2007, González won a European Border Breakers Award. // In 2010, a documentary about him, called The Extraordinary Ordinary Life of Jose Gonzalez, was released. // His third album, Vestiges & Claws, was released in February 2015. It was critically acclaimed and received the IMPALA Album of the Year Award. // On 17 February 2021, González released a single with Spanish lyrics, “El Invento”. In April, he issued “Visions”, the second single from his next album, Local Valley, which came out on 17 September. // In 2023, González appeared in the feature film A Tiger in Paradise, which is a fictionalized depiction of his own life.]

Dagmar Zuniga – “A Car With No Lights On”
from: in filth your mystery is kingdom / far smile peasant in yellow music/AD 93/April 10, 2026
[Dagmar Zuniga makes music that feels both intimate and expansive: songs drift like disrupted signals, carried by harmony, tape hiss, and a strong sense of touch. Her debut solo album in filth your mystery is kingdom / far smile peasant in yellow music — written and recorded in New York, Norway, and Athens, Georgia over a period of five years on her longtime companion, the Tascam 424 — was uploaded to Bandcamp and YouTube in January 2025 through Dagmar’s friends People’s Coalition of Tandy. The project quickly garnering over two hundred thousand views and the attention of artists such as Mount Eerie, who invited her to tour with them that summer. This year, what was once a jewel of tapped-in algorithms and message boards will meet the world at large, with in filth arriving digitally on March 4, and physically on April 10, via AD 93. All songs written, performed, and recorded by Dagmar Zuniga. Tracks 5, 6, 11 written by Dagmar Zuniga & Hayes Hoe]

Flora Hibberd – “Lucky You (Radio Edit)”
from: Swirl (Deluxe) / 22Twenty / February 6, 2026
[Critically acclaimed 2025 debut Swirl returns to radio with “Lucky You (Radio Edit)”, a focused, radio-friendly track leading into a deluxe edition and a new full-length album later this year. Flora Hibberd returns with “Lucky You (Radio Edit)”, a new focus track taken from the deluxe edition of her acclaimed 2025 debut album Swirl, with a new full-length album arriving later this year. riginally released in 2025, Swirl quickly established Hibberd as one of the most quietly celebrated voices in modern indie-pop, earning widespread year-end recognition. “Lucky You (Radio Edit)” offers a clean, radio-friendly entry point into the Swirl world while setting the stage for Flora Hibberd’s next chapter later this year. // from Bandcamp: Flora Hibberd’s debut album Swirl is a rich tapestry of sound and meaning, influenced by her background as a translator. The Paris-based British songwriter uses her experience to explore the nuances of language, decoding the slippages where English and French intertwine. These linguistic intersections become moments of strange poetry, revealing hidden threads of life and deepening our understanding. Hibberd’s songwriting process involves searching for jarring words and natural language breaks, mirroring the framework she uses as a translator to understand how symbols and meanings shift. Swirl’s 11 tracks are infused with secret codes, non-verbal signifiers, and intricate musical layers. Produced by Shane Leonard in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the album features contributions from a versatile group of musicians, including JT Bates, Ben Lester, Pat Keen, and JE Sunde. Leonard’s production subtly integrates morse-code-like synths and pedal steel riffs, enhancing the album’s thematic depth. Musically, Swirl is a blend of influences ranging from Jason Molina’s straightforward indie rock to Josephine Foster’s mystical folk and the surrealist lyrics of Bertrand Belin. The album’s first single, “Auto Icon,” echoes the art-rock stylings of Cate Le Bon, while “Code” marries lyrics inspired by textile artist Anni Albers with delicate guitar lines. “Baby” offers a Lou Reed moment, with Hibberd reflecting on vulnerability, while “Canopy” appeals to Big Thief fans with its country-tinged sound. The album closes with “Ticket,” a mesmerizing mix of fingerstyle guitars, galloping snares, and shimmering synths. Hibberd sees Swirl as a meditation on communication, particularly the transmission of songs as ephemeral, time-specific art. It’s an exploration of how music democratizes voices, capturing fleeting moments that might never occur again.]

Arima Ederra – “Hope is a Muscle”
from: A Rush To Nowhere / RCA – Arima’s Lab / March 6, 2026
[Arima Ederra’s Rush to Nowhere is the follow-up to her 2022 debut, An Orange Colored Day. The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter continues that earlier record’s soulful meditations, cycling through psychedelic funk à la Tame Impala, hazy guitar pop, and R&B with the larger-than-life orchestral swells of Childish Gambino’s later work. Ederra’s gauzy vocals are transfixing, flitting from grief to hope. Whatever life swings at her, this is an artist that knows how to find the softness in it all.]

10:27 – Underwriting

The Ratboys – “Penny In The Lake”
from: Singin’ to an Empty Chair / New West Records /February 6, 2026
[Singin’ to an Empty Chair is their sixth and best album… These songs have the clarified rush of an emotional pressure change, like the sensation of removing foam earplugs.” – Pitchfork // Chicago’s beloved Ratboys release their fourth studio album, The Window, via Topshelf Records on august 25, 2023. It was #30 in WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2023. After more than ten years and four studio albums, The Window finally captures Ratboys as they were always meant to be heard—expansive while still intimate, audacious while still tender—the sound of four friends operating as a single, cohesive unit. The album is sonically diverse, shifting wildly from track to track and flexing everything from fuzzy power pop choruses to warm country twang to mournful folk.// Lyrically, The Window sees Julia Steiner at her most personal, reflecting on love and grief with occasional humor and levity. She frequently leans on windows as a theme—the idea of an interrupted connection, the feeling of being near someone without being fully present—like on the pounding lead single, “It’s Alive!” Opening with Steiner’s honeyed vocals, “Outside my window the birds dance alone // I sit back and take it in // Like some sort of medicine,” it’s a bright and vivacious track that, in Steiner’s words, captures “the overarching feeling of the world spinning on beneath you while you’re stuck in one place.” In the video, directed by John TerEick, Ratboys play in an empty house, as its owners slowly start to move in. // The Window marks a number of firsts for the band. Throughout the last few years, Sean Neumann (bass) and Marcus Nuccio (drums) became full-time members alongside Julia Steiner (vocals, guitar) and Dave Sagan (guitars), making The Window the first album Ratboys have written collaboratively from start to finish. It was also the first time they’d ever traveled outside their home base of Chicago to record an album, journeying to Seattle to work with producer Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Foxing) for three weeks. The group worked on the arrangements together over the course of a year and half, so by the time the band showed up to the Hall of Justice Recording Studio in February 2022, The Window’s songs were well rehearsed and airtight. “We spent 2020 demoing the songs, and spent 2021 practicing them,” says Steiner. “We practiced twice a week for six months, exploring the songs and developing them. We’d send early versions to Chris and he’d give us notes. It went like that for weeks. It was such a dedicated and intentional process.”]

[Ratboys play recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave., KCMO TONIGHT, Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 7:00pm with villagerrr.]

Gullywasher – “These Aches”
from: Rustbelt Revelations II / Chris Hudson / March 27, 2026
[Gullywasher is a trio, with Chris Hudson on guitar & vocals, Sam Wright on banjo & vocals, and Matt Cathlina on bass. // Chris Hudson a Kansas City Native, Classical Guitarist, Guitarist, Musician, Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist, SingerSongwriter, Teacher and Visual Artist. He is in the bands: Gullywasher, Hudson Electric, the Cruelest Months and The Bard Owls. More info at: http://www.gullywasherkc.com]

[Gullywasher plays a Rustbelt Revelations II Release Show at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, on Fri, March 27, at 7:00pm with Cee Dee Vee, Primrose Junction, Beth & Brandon, and Natalie Prauser.]

10:37 – Interview with Chris Hudson and Sam Wright

Chris Hudson a classically trained guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, teacher and visual artist. Chris is part of the bands: Gullywasher, Hudson Electric, the Cruelest Months and The Bard Owls. Chris received his Bachelor of Music in 1996 from the UMKC Conservatory of Music. In 2007, Chris received the Lighton Prize for Excellence as a Music Teaching Artist for his work with children, inspiring their love of guitar and musical collaboration when forming Garage Bands at KCYA. Chris has released multiple full length recordings and continues to collaborate and experiment with new forms, instruments, electronic synth and music genres, including experimental video soundscapes.

Sam Wright is a KC-based actor turned playwright who studied Theatre at Emporia State University. His professional acting credits incude Hamlet, to Judas in Godspell, a lizard in Seascape. His writing includes The SlaughterHouse Opera, a one-hour rock opera set in a zombie apocalypse featuring 13 original songs. It has appeared at bars and clubs in the KC area under the guise of a rock band. His play, Crazy Horse: A Dream of Thunder, took the form of a one-man show about the iconic Lakota chief and has appeared at festivals in the U.S., England, and Scotland. Sam is also the brainchild of the musical Prejudice & Pride a modern, gender-flipped take on the Jane Austen novel. Prejudice & Pride played the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Aug. 5-27, 2022 and played off broadway in New York City. Sam’s creative focus is on distilling obscure or under-represented historical narratives into economic, character-driven pieces of portable theatre.

Chris & Sam share music from his new Gullywasher album, Rustbelt Revelations II.

Gullywasher play a Rustbelt Revelations II Release at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, Fri, Mar. 27, 7pm w/ Cee Dee Vee, Primrose Junction, Beth & Brandon, and Natalie Prauser.

Chris Hudson and Sam Wright thanks for being with us on WMM

Gullywasher is a trio, with Chris Hudson on guitar & vocals, Sam Wright on banjo & vocals, and Matt Cathlina on bass.

Chris Hudson has been playing and creating songs for decades in the KC – Lawrence area.

We last talked with Chris Hudson on January 28, 2026 about the new music Chris has been making as Hudson Electric – and the single “Maelstrom” – released January 20, 2026 and Recorded at Northern Sky Recording in November 2025 by Danny McGaw featuring Alexis Barclay on bass, Matt Davis drums and Danny McGaw on keys/backing vocals.

Gullywasher played The RINO, 314 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, MO on Jan. 29, 2026, at 7:00pm with Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo, Mikal Shapiro & The Musical.

Chris recently played 38th annual Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans.

Chris joined us on October 19, 2022 to talk about Gullywasher’s album COME TOMORROW YOU’LL FALL.

Chris joined us on September 22, 2021 upon the released of Chris Hudson and The Bard Owls album THE ERASING released on September 29, 2021.

Chris joined us on March 31, 2021 to share news about HOLDING THE DAWNING released on March 15, 2021. HOLDING THE DAWNING was recorded between September and November 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, at Weights & Measures Soundlab in KCMO with Duane Trower. Gullywasher brought in guest performers for several tracks: Chad Brothers of the band Old Sound on guitar, Devan Teran of The Timbers on pedal steel, and Mark Hamblin on Trumpet. Info at: http://www.gullywasherkc.com

Gullywashwer was formed in 2018 the band started recording demos, rehearsing and performing these songs at multiple venues, including a trip to SXSW in Austin in early March 2020 just before the COVID-19 Pandemic shut down and quarantine. In the early months of the pandemic they continued to rehearse and write more songs and do live streaming shows. Chris Hudson wrote the majority of the songs. Sam Wright wrote the song “Eastward Facing Road.” The band writes that their songs are” a mix of Americana, Folk, ProgRock, Emo and Jazz.”

We talked with Chris Hudson on Nov. 4, 2020, with Julie Bennett to share details about SONGS FOR LATTER DAYS. Their musical project The Multiverse. Songs Of Latter Days, was released Nov. 1, 2020. They played on all songs with help from the KC acclaimed alternative string duo The Wires with Laurel Morgan Parks on violin & Sascha Groschang on cello. Also contributing to the recording was Jason Beers. http://www.themultiverse.com

10:45

Chris Hudson & Sam Wright – “Maelstrom” (LIVE)
This song will appear on Rustbelt Revelations III

10:49 – More Interview with Chris Hudson & Sam Wright

Chris Hudson a classically trained guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, teacher and visual artist. Chris is part of the bands: Gullywasher, Hudson Electric, the Cruelest Months and The Bard Owls. Chris received his Bachelor of Music in 1996 from the UMKC Conservatory of Music.

Sam Wright is a KC-based actor turned playwright who studied Theatre at Emporia State University. His professional acting credits incude Hamlet, to Judas in Godspell, a lizard in Seascape. His writing includes The SlaughterHouse Opera, Crazy Horse: A Dream of Thunder, and the musical Prejudice & Pride.

Chris & Sam share music from the new Gullywasher album, Rustbelt Revelations II.

Gullywasher plays a Rustbelt Revelations II Release Show at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, on Friday, March 27, at 7:00pm with Cee Dee Vee, Primrose Junction, Beth & Brandon, and Natalie Prauser.

Chris Hudson and Sam Wright thanks for being with us on WMM

Gullywasher is a trio, with Chris Hudson on guitar & vocals, Sam Wright on banjo & vocals, and Matt Cathlina on bass.

Gullywasher plays a Rustbelt Revelations II Release Show at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, on Friday, March 27, at 7:00pm with Cee Dee Vee, Primrose Junction, Beth & Brandon, and Natalie Prauser.

More information at http://www.chrishudson.bandcamp.com http://www.gullywasherkc.com

10:56

Gullywasher – “Damnation”
from: Rustbelt Revelations II / Chris Hudson / March 27, 2026
[Gullywasher is a trio, with Chris Hudson on guitar & vocals, Sam Wright on banjo & vocals, and Matt Cathlina on bass. // Chris Hudson a Kansas City Native, Classical Guitarist, Guitarist, Musician, Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist, SingerSongwriter, Teacher and Visual Artist. He is in the bands: Gullywasher, Hudson Electric, the Cruelest Months and The Bard Owls. More info at: http://www.gullywasherkc.com]

11:00 – Station ID

Hello Biplane – “Don’t Let Go”
from: how to hold a bug / Hello Biplane / March 27, 2026
[Spencer Goertz-Giffen – vocals, guitar, charango; Braden Young – vocals, electric, acoustic, baritone guitar; Jeff Jackson – bass; Austin Sinkler – drums; Hugh Naughtin – cello, synth; Nate Holt – piano, accordion, organ. // Engineered by Jim Piller and Braden Young. Produced by Braden Young, Spencer Goertz-Giffen, and Jim Piller. Mastered by Winston Goertz-Giffen at Pulp Arts Studio. All songs written by Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young. // Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young of Hello Biplane also have the band, Alien Hellbop who released the EP, After The Quake on October 25, 2021. // Alien Hellbop is a maximalist rock duo from Lawrence, KS combining guitar, drums, sample pad bass and vocal harmonies to create a sonic duo larger than the sum of its parts. Attendees of shows past have been hypnotized and dumbfounded by how the sound is pulled off. Originally formed in Chico, CA members Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young set out to create a full band sound with only two members. After a flurry of positive feedback from shows played in northern California, Alien Hellbop managed to drive cross country with their two small children to Gainesville, FL and record a five song EP at PULP studios with the help of engineer and producer Winston Goertz-Giffen. Alien Hellbop is now based out of Lawrence, KS. Spencer and Braden have been involved in many other bands over the years including: Hospital Ships, The Kinetiks, The Willnots, Accursed Wound, The Magentlemen, Saything, and Old and Gray. The duo also fronts another group called Hello Biplane, a six-piece dream-folk-pop band with focus on songwriting and male/female harmonies.]

[Hello Biplane play an Album Release show at the Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS on Saturday, March 28 with The Roseline and Thimastr. Hello Biplane play an Album Release show at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, on Friday, April 10 with The Kansas City Bear Fighters and The Creepy Jingles.]

11:05 – Interview with Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young

We are so happy to welcome to our KKFI Studios Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young of the band Hello Biplane who are getting ready to release their new album, “how to hold a bug” coming out on March 27, 2026. Hello Biplane is a Lawrence, Kansas based futuracana [alt/indie/folk-pop] band centered around the songwriting of Spencer & Braden who are partners both in music and in life. The couple’s thoughtful compositions set the mood for honest lyrics that touch on themes of raising family, relationships, and finding meaning in the ordinary day-to-day life. Hello Biplane’s wide sonic range is driven by dynamic, vocal harmonies, finger-style guitar leads, and an experienced band that features drums, bass, cello, synthesizers, and accordion. Like their name suggests, Hello Biplane’s songs nod to life’s fleeting moments – passing quickly but leaving something lasting in their wake. Hello Biplane play an Album Release show at the Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS on Saturday, March 28 with The Roseline and Thimastr. Hello Biplane play an Album Release show at The Brick, 1727 McGee St., KCMO, on Friday, April 10 with The Kansas City Bear Fighters and The Creepy Jingles. More info at: http://www.hellobiplane.com

Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young thanks for being with us on WMM

Hello Biplane
Spencer Goertz-Giffen – vocals, guitar, charango
Braden Young – vocals, electric, acoustic, baritone guitar
Jeff Jackson – bass
Austin Sinkler – drums
Hugh Naughtin – cello, synth
Nate Holt – piano, accordion, organ.

Engineered by Jim Piller and Braden Young. Produced by Braden Young, Spencer Goertz-Giffen, and Jim Piller. Mastered by Winston Goertz-Giffen at Pulp Arts Studio. All songs written by Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young.

Hello Biplane is a Lawrence, Kansas based futuracana [alt/indie/folk-pop] band centered around the songwriting of Spencer & Braden who are partners both in music and in life.

The couple’s thoughtful compositions set the mood for honest lyrics that touch on themes of raising family, relationships, and finding meaning in the ordinary day-to-day life. Hello Biplane’s wide sonic range is driven by dynamic, vocal harmonies, finger-style guitar leads, and an experienced band that features drums, bass, cello, synthesizers, and accordion. Like their name suggests, Hello Biplane’s songs nod to life’s fleeting moments – passing quickly but leaving something lasting in their wake.

Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young of Hello Biplane also have the band, Alien Hellbop who released the EP, After The Quake on October 25, 2021.

Hello Biplane -Discography

how to hold a bug / album / May 27, 2026
“Balloon” / Single / March 13, 2026
“Fetch” / Single / February 13, 2026
“Spotlight” / Single / January 13, 2026

LINE / 7-song EP / March 26, 2014
HELLO BIPLANE / 6-song EP / Fdecember 17, 2010

Alien Hellbop – Discography

AFTER THE QUAKE / 5-song EP / October 25, 2021

11:14

Hello Biplane – “Fetch”
from: how to hold a bug / Hello Biplane / March 27, 2026
[Treleased as a Single on February 13, 2026. Spencer Goertz-Giffen – vocals, guitar, charango; Braden Young – vocals, electric, acoustic, baritone guitar; Jeff Jackson – bass; Austin Sinkler – drums; Hugh Naughtin – cello, synth; Nate Holt – piano, accordion, organ. // Engineered by Jim Piller and Braden Young. Produced by Braden Young, Spencer Goertz-Giffen, and Jim Piller. Mastered by Winston Goertz-Giffen at Pulp Arts Studio. All songs written by Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young. // Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young of Hello Biplane also have the band, Alien Hellbop who released the EP, After The Quake on October 25, 2021. // Alien Hellbop is a maximalist rock duo from Lawrence, KS combining guitar, drums, sample pad bass and vocal harmonies to create a sonic duo larger than the sum of its parts. Attendees of shows past have been hypnotized and dumbfounded by how the sound is pulled off. Originally formed in Chico, CA members Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young set out to create a full band sound with only two members. After a flurry of positive feedback from shows played in northern California, Alien Hellbop managed to drive cross country with their two small children to Gainesville, FL and record a five song EP at PULP studios with the help of engineer and producer Winston Goertz-Giffen. Alien Hellbop is now based out of Lawrence, KS. Spencer and Braden have been involved in many other bands over the years including: Hospital Ships, The Kinetiks, The Willnots, Accursed Wound, The Magentlemen, Saything, and Old and Gray. The duo also fronts another group called Hello Biplane, a six-piece dream-folk-pop band with focus on songwriting and male/female harmonies.]

Hello Biplane – “Fetch”
from: how to hold a bug / Hello Biplane / March 27, 2026
[Treleased as a Single on February 13, 2026. Spencer Goertz-Giffen – vocals, guitar, charango; Braden Young – vocals, electric, acoustic, baritone guitar; Jeff Jackson – bass; Austin Sinkler – drums; Hugh Naughtin – cello, synth; Nate Holt – piano, accordion, organ. // Engineered by Jim Piller and Braden Young. Produced by Braden Young, Spencer Goertz-Giffen, and Jim Piller. Mastered by Winston Goertz-Giffen at Pulp Arts Studio. All songs written by Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young. // Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young of Hello Biplane also have the band, Alien Hellbop who released the EP, After The Quake on October 25, 2021. // Alien Hellbop is a maximalist rock duo from Lawrence, KS combining guitar, drums, sample pad bass and vocal harmonies to create a sonic duo larger than the sum of its parts. Attendees of shows past have been hypnotized and dumbfounded by how the sound is pulled off. Originally formed in Chico, CA members Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young set out to create a full band sound with only two members. After a flurry of positive feedback from shows played in northern California, Alien Hellbop managed to drive cross country with their two small children to Gainesville, FL and record a five song EP at PULP studios with the help of engineer and producer Winston Goertz-Giffen. Alien Hellbop is now based out of Lawrence, KS. Spencer and Braden have been involved in many other bands over the years including: Hospital Ships, The Kinetiks, The Willnots, Accursed Wound, The Magentlemen, Saything, and Old and Gray. The duo also fronts another group called Hello Biplane, a six-piece dream-folk-pop band with focus on songwriting and male/female harmonies.]

Hello Biplane – “Balloon”
from: how to hold a bug / Hello Biplane / March 27, 2026
[Treleased as a Single on February 13, 2026. Spencer Goertz-Giffen – vocals, guitar, charango; Braden Young – vocals, electric, acoustic, baritone guitar; Jeff Jackson – bass; Austin Sinkler – drums; Hugh Naughtin – cello, synth; Nate Holt – piano, accordion, organ. // Engineered by Jim Piller and Braden Young. Produced by Braden Young, Spencer Goertz-Giffen, and Jim Piller. Mastered by Winston Goertz-Giffen at Pulp Arts Studio. All songs written by Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young. // Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young of Hello Biplane also have the band, Alien Hellbop who released the EP, After The Quake on October 25, 2021. // Alien Hellbop is a maximalist rock duo from Lawrence, KS combining guitar, drums, sample pad bass and vocal harmonies to create a sonic duo larger than the sum of its parts. Attendees of shows past have been hypnotized and dumbfounded by how the sound is pulled off. Originally formed in Chico, CA members Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young set out to create a full band sound with only two members. After a flurry of positive feedback from shows played in northern California, Alien Hellbop managed to drive cross country with their two small children to Gainesville, FL and record a five song EP at PULP studios with the help of engineer and producer Winston Goertz-Giffen. Alien Hellbop is now based out of Lawrence, KS. Spencer and Braden have been involved in many other bands over the years including: Hospital Ships, The Kinetiks, The Willnots, Accursed Wound, The Magentlemen, Saything, and Old and Gray. The duo also fronts another group called Hello Biplane, a six-piece dream-folk-pop band with focus on songwriting and male/female harmonies.]

11:30 – Underwriting

Angie Fights Crime – “Between the Mountain and the Sea”
from: To Be Beautiful / Angie Fights Crime / February 14, 2026
[Written and recorded in Kansas City Missouri. Ash Reynolds on vocals on all songs except; Tess Savigear & Bethan Mathis on “To Be Beautiful”; Nikki Goodson on “Tiny Lies”; Keith Howell on Drums. Production & Mastering by Robert Rebeck. Album Art by KD Grant, Album Design Jeff Irvine. Angie Fights Crime is the brainchild of Brent Kinder, a musician, poet, songwriter of unlimited passion and a desire to create music and share it with the world. Angie Fights Crime often features collaborations with musicians from around the world. Angie Fights Crime released the album SAVIOR OF THE WORLD on March 1, 2025. Savior of The World features Daniel Jordan on vocals, and Keith Howell on drums; with artwork by Tyson Schroeder, and J. Irvine. Mixing and mastering by Robert Rebeck. // Brent Kinder is also in the band sMallWaves where he plays bass. With 46 albums, and 461 tracks, Angie Fights Crime is the musical project of one guy who couldn’t stop writing songs. Part I 1995-2015 (The Alphabet Series) Part II 2016 – ? (The Greyscale Series). More information at: https://alonetone.com/angiefightscrime.%5D

[Angie Fights Crime play the KJHK 90.7 annual Farmer’s Ball on Friday, March 27 and Friday April 3 at 8:00pm at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St., Lawrence, KS., with Corners of The Sky, Foxlin, Gold on Television, The Fun Guy, The Soul Agenda, The Sounds of Many, and The State of Everything]

11:36 – Interview with Brent Kinder

Brent Kinder a musician, poet, and songwriter of unlimited passion and a desire to create music and share it with the world. Brent is the brainchild of Angie Fights Crime a musical project that often features collaborations with musicians from around the world. With 46 albums, and 461 tracks, Angie Fights Crime is the musical project of one guy who couldn’t stop writing songs. The Angie Fights Crime discography is divided into two parts: Part I 1995-2015 (The Alphabet Series) and Part II 2016 – ? (The Greyscale Series). Angie Fights Crime released their newest album, To Be Beautiful on February 14, 2026. Brent Kinder is also in the band sMallWaves where he plays bass.

Angie Fights Crime play the KJHK 90.7 annual Farmer’s Ball on Friday, March 27 and Friday April 3 at 8:00pm at Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St., Lawrence, KS., with Corners of The Sky, Foxlin, Gold on Television, The Fun Guy, The Soul Agenda, The Sounds of Many, and The State of Everything. More info at: https://alonetone.com/angiefightscrime.

Brent Kinder thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Brent is the brainchild of Angie Fights Crime a musical project that often features collaborations with musicians from around the world. With 49 albums, and 461 tracks, Angie Fights Crime is the musical project of one guy who couldn’t stop writing songs. The Angie Fights Crime discography is divided into two parts: Part I 1995-2015 (The Alphabet Series) and Part II 2016 – ? (The Greyscale Series). Angie Fights Crime released their newest album, To Be Beautiful on February 14, 2026

11:44

Angie Fights Crime – “All My Breath”
from: To Be Beautiful / Angie Fights Crime / February 14, 2026
[Written and recorded in Kansas City Missouri. Ash Reynolds on vocals on all songs except; Tess Savigear & Bethan Mathis on “To Be Beautiful”; Nikki Goodson on “Tiny Lies”; Keith Howell on Drums. Production & Mastering by Robert Rebeck. Album Art by KD Grant, Album Design Jeff Irvine. Angie Fights Crime is the brainchild of Brent Kinder, a musician, poet, songwriter of unlimited passion and a desire to create music and share it with the world. Angie Fights Crime often features collaborations with musicians from around the world. Angie Fights Crime released the album SAVIOR OF THE WORLD on March 1, 2025. Savior of The World features Daniel Jordan on vocals, and Keith Howell on drums; with artwork by Tyson Schroeder, and J. Irvine. Mixing and mastering by Robert Rebeck. // Brent Kinder is also in the band sMallWaves where he plays bass. With 46 albums, and 461 tracks, Angie Fights Crime is the musical project of one guy who couldn’t stop writing songs. Part I 1995-2015 (The Alphabet Series) Part II 2016 – ? (The Greyscale Series). More information at: https://alonetone.com/angiefightscrime.%5D

11:47 – More Interview with Brent Kinder

Brent Kinder thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Brent Kinder, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!

11:53:00

Angie Fights Crime – “To Be Beautiful”
from: To Be Beautiful / Angie Fights Crime / February 14, 2026
[Written and recorded in Kansas City Missouri. Ash Reynolds on vocals on all songs except; Tess Savigear & Bethan Mathis on “To Be Beautiful”; Nikki Goodson on “Tiny Lies”; Keith Howell on Drums. Production & Mastering by Robert Rebeck. Album Art by KD Grant, Album Design Jeff Irvine. Angie Fights Crime is the brainchild of Brent Kinder, a musician, poet, songwriter of unlimited passion and a desire to create music and share it with the world. Angie Fights Crime often features collaborations with musicians from around the world. Angie Fights Crime released the album SAVIOR OF THE WORLD on March 1, 2025. Savior of The World features Daniel Jordan on vocals, and Keith Howell on drums; with artwork by Tyson Schroeder, and J. Irvine. Mixing and mastering by Robert Rebeck. // Brent Kinder is also in the band sMallWaves where he plays bass. With 46 albums, and 461 tracks, Angie Fights Crime is the musical project of one guy who couldn’t stop writing songs. Part I 1995-2015 (The Alphabet Series) Part II 2016 – ? (The Greyscale Series). More information at: https://alonetone.com/angiefightscrime.%5D

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

NEXT WEEK on April Fool’s Day we welcome The Elders who premiere new music, plus A.M. Merker joins us, AND in our first hour we welcome Guest DJ who will present an April Fool’s Day Sing-a-long with the X-Word Rabbit.

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to KKFI’a Winter Fund Drive during Wednesday MidDay Medley we had a total of 49 individuals donated $3924.00 going way over our show goal!

Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

Stay tuned at 12:00 Noon for Learning To Wiggle with Steve Stemmerman, at 2:00pm it’s Jazz Afternoon with Jeff Harshbarger. At 4:00pm we bring you, Dub’s Groove with Warren, at 6:00pm it’s: ON AIR with Nikki Brooks. At 7:00pm it’s Alternative Radio

You can find our playlists at: http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

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

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

Show #1140

WMM PLAYLIST from March 11, 2026

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Mark Manning

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, 2026

New & MidCoastal Releases + Outer Reaches Fest + Calvin Arsenia & Cera Impala + Diane Scott & Jade Osborne

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

Jill Scott – “Norfside (feat. Tiarra Whack)”
from: To Whom This May Concern / Blues Bade Records / February 12, 2026
[To Whom This May Concern is the sixth studio album by the American singer Jill Scott. It was released on February 13, 2026, by Blues Babe, Human Re Sources, and The Orchard. The album is Jill Scott’s first full-length project in ten years. The album features collaborations from Ab-Soul, JID, Tierra Whack, and Too Short, along with production from from longtime collaborator Andre Harris, Adam Blackstone, Camper, DJ Premier, and Trombone Shorty. // Throughout the 2020s, Jill Scott made appearances on various artists’ tracks, notably Alicia Keys, Camper, Kehlani, Sir, Teyana Taylor, Ty Dolla Sign and Tyla. She also embarked on multiple tours throughout the early 2020s to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut studio album Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 (2000). On June 1, 2024, Scott headlined the Roots Picnic music festival and performed an unreleased song with rapper Tierra Whack, which she also previewed prior to announcing her album in 2025. // Jill Heather Scott (born April 4, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter, model, poet, and actress. Her 2000 debut album, Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1, went platinum and the follow-ups Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 (2004) and The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 (2007) both achieved gold status. // Scott made her film debut in 2007 in Hounddog and Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?. In 2008, she starred in the BBC/HBO series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, based on the novels of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith. After a four-year hiatus from music, Scott released her fourth album, The Light of the Sun, in 2011. In 2014, she starred in the film Get on Up as Deidre “Dee Dee” Jenkins, the second wife of James Brown. In 2015, she released her fifth album, Woman. Beginning in 2018, Scott appeared in The CW DC Comics superhero series Black Lightning as Lady Eve. She released her sixth album, To Whom This May Concern, in February 2026. // Scott was born on April 4, 1972, in Philadelphia. She grew up an only child in a North Philadelphia neighborhood, raised by her mother, Joyce Scott, and her grandmother. She recalls her happy childhood, saying she was “very much a loved child”. Jill Scott’s maternal ancestry has been traced to the Jola people of Guinea-Bissau. She was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. // After graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Girls, Scott attended Temple University. While working two jobs she studied secondary education. She planned to become a high school English teacher. However, after three years of study and then working as a teacher’s aide, Scott became disillusioned with a teaching career and she dropped out of college. // Scott began her performing career as a spoken word artist, appearing at live poetry readings to perform her work. She was eventually discovered by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of the Roots. Questlove invited her to join the band in the studio. The collaboration resulted in a co-writing credit for Scott on the song, “You Got Me”. In 2000, Erykah Badu and the Roots won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “You Got Me”, and Scott debuted as an artist during a Roots live show, singing as original artist/singer of the song. Afterwards Scott collaborated with Eric Benet, Will Smith, and Common; she broadened her performing experience by touring Canada in a production of the Broadway musical Rent. // Scott was the first artist signed to Steve McKeever’s Hidden Beach Recordings label. Her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 was released in 2000. She experienced some notice and chart success with the single “A Long Walk”, eventually earning a Grammy nomination in early 2003 for Best Female Vocal Performance. Scott lost that award, but won a 2005 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative R&B Performance for “Cross My Mind”. The live album, Experience: Jill Scott 826+, was released November 2001. Scott’s second full-length album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2, followed in 2004. // Scott continues to write poetry; a compilation volume of her poems, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours, was published and released by St. Martin’s Press in April 2005. // In early 2007, Scott was featured on the George Benson and Al Jarreau collaboration single “God Bless The Child” (written by Billie Holiday), which earned Scott her second Grammy (for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance) at the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony. Scott shared the win with Benson and Jarreau. In 2006, Scott was prominently featured on hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco’s single “Daydreaming”, which won a 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance and also appeared on a new Scott collection called Collaborations on January 30, 2007. // The Collaborations collection served as “an appetizer” for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 released September 25, 2007. A clip of the title track was released on a bonus disc from Hidden Beach Records and included with Collaborations. The lead single “Hate on Me” gained airplay in May 2007, with a video released in mid-July. In advance of the album’s release, Hidden Beach released a 17-minute album sampler through their forums. Interspersed between the dozen songs previewed on the sampler was a personal explanation from Jill for the inspiration behind some of her songs. //In 2008, Scott released her second live album, Live in Paris+, which consists of 8 songs recorded during her set list of the “Big Beautiful Tour” in Europe. The bonus DVD contains the same concert, plus some live cuts from The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3. In the same year, “Whenever You’re Around”, a single from The Real Thing, which features George Duke was a moderate hit on urban radio.]

The Swallowtails – “Perspective”
from: Perspective – Single / The Swallowtails / March 3, 2026
[Baroque Pop band The Swallowtails shares First Single from New Album. The rock/folk duo defines new sound with “Perspective.” The Swallowtails announce the release of their single titled “Perspective” out exclusively on YouTube and Bandcamp March 4th, 2026. This is the first of 5 singles that will be released over the next four months leading up to the release of The Swallowtails junior album “Perspective” May 2026. The title track Perspective is a song that tells the story of The Swallowtails. One of friendship, trust, belonging, and stability in the foundation this band has so diligently curated. // About The Swallowtails: At the heart of The Swallowtails are two musicians drawn together by curiosity, connection, and a shared desire to be understood. Kansas City–based duo Miki P and Rachel Lovelace craft genre-bending songs that blend harmonious folk with impassioned pop, pairing steady rhythmic guitar and bassoon with heartfelt, melodic storytelling. Formed in 2018, The Swallowtails have released two full-length albums—Right Where We Are (2020) and The World Still Spins (2023)—and a self-produced EP, Lucky Penny (2024), which marked a bold evolution into a fully collaborative songwriting partnership. NPR’s 90.9 The Bridge praised the EP as “a lovely confluence of pastoral folk and baroque pop.” Voted Best Band of Kansas City by The Pitch Awards in 2024, the duo is preparing to release their third album, Perspective, in May 2026. This record represents their most expansive and intentional work to date; songs shaped both onstage and in community with their listeners. // Live video recording of the single “Perspective” has been released on The Swallowtails YouTube channel as their official submission to the 2026 NPR Tiny Desk Contest. // Lawrence, KS based singer/songwriter Heidi Gluck produced their new album. // The singles and upcoming album release will be available on YouTube, Bandcamp, and physical copy. The Swallowtails are choosing not to release music on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc., because of their exploitative nature, lack of transparency, and unwillingness to create a fair market for artists to be compensated. // Miki P, songwriter, singer and musician in The Swallowtails says about the upcoming single release, “I wrote Perspective during an unpredictable time in my life. I was experiencing regular panic attacks on stage that made me question if I could continue performing full time to support myself at the capacity I had been for nearly a decade. At the end of this illogical tunnel, was the Swallowtails. More particularly writing and playing music with my longtime bandmate and confidant, Rachel. It’s about our friendship.” // Est. in 2018, The Swallowtails are a Kansas City based musical duo comprised of musicians Miki P on guitar/vocals and Rachel Lovelace on bassoon/vocals. Their vision is to write honest, heartfelt songs that feel like you’re coming home to an old friend. As recording and performance artists, they have been showcased throughout Kansas City, performing at the Folly Theatre, Boulevardia Music Festival, The Kansas City Public Library as part of the 2023 Art in the Loop: Celebrate project, and most recently at Green Guitar Folk House opening for The Wildwoods. Their songwriting was awarded Best Song by a KC Band in 2023 by the Pitch Magazine for their tune “Take it Slow.” // Swallowtails embarked on their 4th year entering NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest featuring a song off the EP, called “I’m on Fire” posted to NPR’s official contest site. // The Swallowtails hwere recently approved as part of KCAIC Touring Artists Roster, through the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. // Historically, on May 22, 2023 The Swallowtails released their 7-track EP THE WORLD STILL SPINS with Rachel Lovelace on bassoon, Adee Dancy on cello & vocals, and Miki P on guitar & lead vocals. // Miki P is a self-taught musician/multi-instrumentalist & songwriter driving the Swallowtails into a creative collaboration like any other. Miki P was born in Kansas City, KS. Miki P started playing guitar in middle school. She taught herself to play the drums, while listening to Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon and Ringo Starr. Miki P performed “She Loves You” at her 7th grade talent show. In 9th grade she joined a teen-band called American Slim as drummer & vocalist, and she wrote songs for their full-length album Irreplaceable released in 2017, followed by a single “Queen of Hearts” released April 11, 2018. Miki P has played Middle of the Map Fest, Crossroads Music Fest, Kauffman Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, and The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art before officially ending in 2018. As a teen she played drums for various groups including American Slim. At 21, Miki P began work on her debut solo-record, DOME OF SWALLOWS, that was released August 2, 2018. She then formed Miki P and the Swallowtails who released their first EP, Swallowtail in 2019, In 2021 Miki P released the 6-song EP, DON’T LOSE HOPE, created in covid isolation, in Miki P’s home space. Sitting & working from Miki’s computer, she composed and recorded 80% of the EP, working through the music like a journal entry, creating each song from her internal hurricane of emotions. All songs written, recorded, played, & mixed by Miki P. Recorded & Mixed with Emma Klien & Jake Hilger. Mastered by Joel Nanos. Miki P released her single “Your Love” on June 24, 2022. Miki P’s released the single “Peter Parker!” on March 18, 2022. // The Swallowtails played the 20th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, Aug. 24, 2024 on the Stockyards Brewing Stage with: Howard Mahan & Friends, The Canterberries, Danielle Ate The Sandwich, Beth Watts Nelson, Rural Grit All Stars, and Les Ismore & The Goats. // More info at: http://www.mikipmusic.com]

[The Swallowtails play The Boulevard Brewing Co., 2501 Southwest Blvd., KCMO on Thursday March 24, 2026, at 7:00pm]

They’re Theirs – “Weird Christians (Radio Edit)”
from: “Weird Christians” – Single / Chase The Horseman / March 11, 2026
[As a live band They’re Theirs consists of Chase Horseman on vocals and guitars, Sky Cowdry on bass and Ian Dobyns on drums. // They’re Theirs released their single “Midland Empire” on February 18, 2025. “Midland Empire” was produced by They’re Theirs, engineered by Ian Dobyns, mixed by Ian Dobyns, Chase Horseman, and Sky Cowdry. Mastered by Justin Perkins/Mystery Room Mastering. Recorded at Element Recording. // Chase The Horseman released the single “Silver Liner” on October 25, 2024. Drums and additional engineering by Ian Dobyns, Additional vocals by Heidi Gluck. Mastered by Anthony Puglisi. Written, produced, performed and mixed by Chase Horseman at Element Recording. // Chase Horseman has composed music for over 40 films and as musician and producer collaborated with Clairaudients, Teri Quinn, Heidi Lynne Gluck, KD Kuro, The Roseline, Nan Turner and more. Chase Horseman is a film composer, band leader, multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer, & producer. // On April 2, 2024 Chase released the 22 track Original Sound Track for Headcount, a feature film from the Burghart Brothers, produced by Continuance Pictures, Method Media, and Shout Factory. Chase created the music for two feature-length episodes of the Blum House Films and Hulu original series, “Into the Dark.” // In February 2020 Chase released “Poor Song,” a cover of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs track by Karen O. Chase played Sequential Circuits Prophet 600, Dave Smith MiniMopho, Korg Minilogue Xd, Moog Grandmother, Roland Alpha Juno 2, Mellotron, Guitar, Drums, Vocals all performed by Chase Horseman. Recorded at Element Recording Studios and Winky World. Mixed by Chase Horseman. Mastered by Joel Nanos. // On May 1, 2020 Chase released, a quarantine cover of “Midnight, The Stars and You” written by Harry M. Woods, Jimmy Campbell & Reg Connelly Stanley. The most famous version was recorded in 1934 by Ray Noble & his Orchestra with an uncredited Al Bowley on vocals. This was used in the ballroom scene and closing of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror film The Shining based on the novel by Stephen King. All of the profits of the Chase Horseman single were donated directly to service industry workers in Kansas City and Midwest Music Foundation on a 50/50 basis. // Chase The Horseman released the Disinformation Blues EP on July 12, 2019. One of WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. Chase released the single “U Martyr U” June 19, 2018, and the single “Modern Ruins” on Oct 4, 2018. // More info at: http://www.chasethehorseman.bandcamp.com.] [They’re Theirs played the Play Loud Fest Thurs, Sept. 25 for the Pre-Party on the recordBar Main Stage with Post Sex Nachos, and Malek Azrael & The Vibes at 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO.]

[Chase Horseman celebrates their birthday when their band, They’re Theirs playing Hillsiders, 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Thursday, March 12, 2026 with special guests Heidi Gluck, Teri Quinn, Nan Turner, & Aud Whitson. – Chase will also be part of GoodBye Horses Karaoke on Thursday, March 19 at Hillsiders. Chase is having a Moving Sale at Hillsiders on Sumday March 22 at 2:00pm]

Keo & Them – “Who is There?”
from: “Who is There?” – Single / Midtopia / March 14, 2025
[The new single marks a sonic departure from previous Keo & Them releases, something bandleader Keo notes is by design and a welcome change from previous material from the group. // Keo & Them released their single “Fire”on March 15, 2024. // Keo & Them released their 7-track album, THIS TIME AROUND on October 28, 2023. // When Neo-soul meets funk, meets R&B, meets pop, meets hip hop & even rock sometimes. Keo & Them released the single “Fool Me Once” on October 6, 2023 on Midtopia. Leo & Them released the three song single “Don’t Say” with “Be Still” and “Money Grooves (feat. Greg Spero)” on June 2, 2023 on Midtopia. And earlier “Money Grooves (feat. Greg Spero)” was release by itself on March 2, 2023. For Wichita-based, Texas-raised singer/songwriter Keo, making music is as much about the one creates and the songs one writes as it is about making deeper connections with the other people partaking in an artistic journey. From the unique flavors, perspectives, and performances they each contribute, Keo finds the “Them” that brings her project Keo & Them full circle. // First formed and conceptualized by Keo in 2018, the collective consists of Keo and a revolving door of musicians and collaborators, each of whose contributions would leave an indelible mark on the project’s ever-adapting sound that merges the worlds of 70’s pop and R&B with the moody glow of contemporary neo-soul and beyond. For Keo, the project’s sole constant member, the fluid line-up allowed her to become immersed and acquainted with a Wichita music scene she was completely new to and overwhelmed by. Through meeting, jamming, and performing with the Kansas town’s tight-knit and eclectic music scene in which Keo found something akin to a family. More info at: https://linktr.ee/keoandthem [Keo & Them played Outer Reaches Fest, on Sat, Oct. 14 at recordBar.]

10:15 – Interview with Diane Scott & Jade Osborne

Diane R. Scott (she/her) is an arts administrator, educator, and writer specializing in the development of resources and programming to support artists in the management of enduring artistic practices. The Director of Artist Services at the Regional Arts Organization Mid-America Arts Alliance, Scott is the founding director and principal designer of the Artist INC professional development program. Now in its 17th year, Artist INC programs have been completed by more than 3,500 artists. Diane is also a noted professor winning numerous teaching awards. Combining her experiences in both non-profit artist services and higher education, Diane operates as a liaison between collegiate arts entrepreneurship education and artist professional development in the field. She specializes in creative entrepreneurship and has worked with thousands of artists of all disciplines in traditional classrooms and professional development settings to improve their strategic planning, marketing, project planning, financial, fundraising, leadership, and communication skills. Scott’s book Artist Entrepreneurship for Life: Making Art Work for You was released by Routledge in 2025. AND TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY!

Diane Scott Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Jade Osborne (she/her/we/us) is an arts administrator and an innovative creative person who is passionate about the arts and community. Jade is an multidisciplinary artist and experiential curator. She explores the space in between the self, the other, and the living art that is created when we are together. Jade has performed and presented on stages in fourteen countries interlacing social practice/community outreach with each of her appearances. She is an award winner and grantee of ArtsKC, KC & Chicago Fringe Festivals, Afest, Missouri Arts Council, COMBAT among others. She served as Artist Advisor for the New Airport in Kansas City and is currently serving as Performing Arts Director for Art in the Loop Public Arts Project, the Program Director for the Summer in the City Public Arts Project and as Program Officer for the Artist Services Division at Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Jade Osborne Thanks for being with us on WMM

Diane Scott and Jade Osborne join us to talk about ARTISTS THRIVE 2026 Summit in Kansas City, on March 24, 25, and 26. The 2026 summit venue has been provided with generous support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, with lead local partner Mid-America Arts Alliance. Artists, arts leaders, educators, and funders can expand their creative circle. This unique event offers a powerful networking hub, connecting art communities with passionate colleagues from across the country. For more information on the 2026 Artists Thrive Summit you can visit: http://www.artiststhrive.org

2026 Artists Thrive Summit is coming to 6 locations across the country!

A six-city, national summit designed to unite and ignite artists and arts leaders

Artists Thrive is a national initiative dedicated to improving the conditions for artists to thrive, is excited to announce the expansion of the annual Artists Thrive Summit for 2026. The Summit will take place concurrently across six vibrant host cities on March 24-26, 2026, and offers a unique format that blends shared national sessions with deep, locally-focused programming.

The 2026 Summit is a rare gathering open to artists, arts administrators, educators, and funders across all disciplines and levels of expertise. All sites are open for registration to participants from across the country.

Unlike a traditional single-location conference, the Artists Thrive Summit will be held in six distinct communities, each hosting a unique local theme while uniting for key shared sessions:

Lowell, MA: Spatial Justice
Nashville, TN: Community Partnerships & Collaborations
Kansas City, MO: Artists-Led Organizations
San Antonio, TX: Arts and Mental Health & Wellbeing
Billings, MT: Rooted in Place: Arts and Community in Conversation
Las Vegas, NV: 3rd Spaces: Community & Connection

This innovative multi-site structure ensures a rich, diverse program that keeps the in-person experience intimate yet encourages networking across the country through the Summit app.

A national committee includes representatives from Creative West, Montana Arts Council, Mid-America Arts Alliance, South Arts, Arts + Business Council of Greater Nashville, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, Western Avenue Studios and Lofts, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.

In addition, each location has a host committee that is entrusted with developing the local theme content and curating the overall attendee experience. This collaboration provides a vital bridge between national perspectives and local community insights.

Registration for the 2026 Artists Thrive Summit is now open. Interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to visit the official Artists Thrive website for more details on registration, local host site schedules, and accommodation information.

The national Summit is funded by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation in partnership with the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA). Sponsorships from City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture and others help make the Summit accessible to all.

“The Artists Thrive Summit was a goldmine for networking. I made invaluable connections that have propelled my career forward.” – Past Artist Thrive Attendee

Artists Thrive Summit, Kansas City 2026 (March 24-26, 2026)
Location: Kauffman Foundation Conference Center, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110

Described by artists she’s worked with as a “goal fairy,” Diane Scott uses the power of artists’ stories, artists community and “exponentialization” to take the magic out of the business of art for the next generation of artists. Passionate about the need to give undergraduate arts students the ability to create balanced and thriving lives that include enduring arts practices, Diane creates processes, systems, networks, and carefully curated experiences to help arts faculty employ these skills in their own practices and mentor them with their students. As the founder and designer of the nationally recognized Artist INC artist professional development program, Diane brings her experience as a professor of arts management and a practitioner working directly with thousands of artists in the field into the undergraduate arts arena through her writing, research, speaking engagements, workshops, and curricular consulting.

Diane Studied Communication/Speech/Theatre at Wichita State University where she graduated in 1991. She Studied Management at Wichita State University and graduated in 1996. She served as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts from July 2014 – May 2022. She served as Director of Professional Development and Adjunct Assistant Professor at UMKC Conservatory from 2013 – July 2014. From 2008 through 2014 she served as Director of Artist INC Professional Development Programming at Artist INC, a program she created. AND TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY!

Jade Osborne is a Program Officer (Catalyze & Interchange) for MidAmerica Arts Alliance. She is an International performance artist, arts activist, facilitator, mentor and speaker. She began working in Non-Profit Education, served in AmeriCorps and have been a Poet in Residence, Artist in Residence, and Performer (Capoeira & Aerialist) in Residence. She was the first female Capoeira performer in the U.S. and in Hong Kong. She has have studied philosophies, ethics and spiritual integration techniques with Masters in Brazil and in the U.S. Jade has Produced/Directed and performed in a number of theatrical shows. She is a dancer, a writer, a poet, an aerialist, an actress, an artist, an activist, an activator, an alchemist, and an art administrator. She has worked for KC Friends of Alvin Ailey, Aquarius, Youthfriends, The Boys and Girls Club, KCK Public Schools, Storytellers Inc. Charlotte Street Foundation, She is a founder of Voler Thieves of Flight, a graduate of Artist Inc., a performer/producer with multiple KC Fringe shows under her dance belt, as well as collaborative work with Quixotic Fusion, Dance in The Park, JAZZOO, ArtsKC, Latenight Callers, Monta, Lawrence Busker Festival, ACLU, KC Renassance Festival, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, and Big Bang Buffet just to name a few. Jade has served as Director for Art In The Loop.

Artists Thrive is a growing initiative offering activities, practices, language, visions and values of what it means to succeed and thrive as an artist – and what it means to have a thriving arts sector and, eventually, thriving communities. It is a set of free interconnected and holistic resources that can guide us in improving our performance and, ultimately, the conditions in which artists can thrive. Artists Thrive is funded by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. Learn more at http://www.artiststhrive.org.

Diane Scott & Jade Osborne, thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The ARTISTS THRIVE 2026 Summit in Kansas City, is on March 24, 25, and 26, at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation For more information on the 2026 Artists Thrive Summit you can visit: http://www.artiststhrive.org

10:35 – Underwriting

10:37 – Music from OUTER REACHES

Nite – “Sleepless Through The Nite”
from: Sleepless / wearethenite / August 26, 2021
[NITE is an alternative band inspired by the sounds of Darkwave, Synthpop, and Post-Punk. Based in Texas, twin brothers Myles and Kyle Mendes, along with drummer Phil Helms, craft music that bridges the gap between dark nostalgia and modern electronic pop. // Big, dark, dance music. Guitars, synthesizers, and dueling twin vocalist combine to make the songs you’ll dance to for the next thirty years. // Their recent singles — “All Your Pain,” “Have Mercy,” “Price For Heaven,” and “Our Light Will Never Die” — showcase their ability to blend haunting melodies with driving beats. “All Your Pain” gained viral attention through Facebook and Instagram nostalgia posts, earning a spot on Spotify’s Dark and Gothic playlist and solidifying NITE’s reputation as a band to watch. // Fresh off tours with Dead on a Sunday, The Funeral Portrait, Small Black, Empathy Test, and The New Division, NITE has captivated audiences across the country with their magnetic live performances. Whether crafting songs about love, loss, or resilience, NITE continues to illuminate the darker corners of the human experience.]

[Nite plays Outer Reaches Fest on Saturday, March 14, at 7:00pm, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, with Panic Priest, Reviser, Redder Moon, and Juliette Frost. Info: http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

REVISER – “Dead Eyes”
from: DOLOROSO / REVISER / March 1, 2026
[Reviser recently released “THE FLAMES” is the first single from REVISER’s new album “DOLOROSO” released digitally on all streaming platforms own March 1, 2026. Released on Vinyl via Bandcamp on May 1, 2026. “THE FLAMES” is a post-punk / goth-rock anthem., presented as a clarion call in these dark times. The song is energetic, driving, and intense, with insistent bass and drum machines, guitars that weave around each other, buzzing keyboards, and lyrics sung intensely that question whether the listener will be joining this call to justice with them. The song calls to mind “In Shreds” by The Chameleons or “Dark Entries” by Bauhaus, and lets plenty of REVISER’s own smoldering snarl and fiery energy carry this torch forward. REVISER is: Dawn Don on backing vocals, Dedric Moore on standard guitar, and Krysztof Nemeth on lead vocals & baritone guitar. As part of the Kosmic City collective of regional post-punk, goth, darkwave acts, REVISER spent 2025 successfully cementing itself as a black beacon of dark musical energy. // 2026 sees REVISER release their new album “DOLOROSO”; 8 songs as a digital and vinyl release, showcasing what the band has become over it’s journey to now. Sometimes dark and brooding, sometimes romantic and longing, REVISER’s sound on collects the classic vibes of 80’s post-punk, goth-rock, and darkwave into something both familiar and foreign, a sound that is dark, deep, and danceable. Calling to mind legendary acts such as Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, The Chameleons, and Echo & the Bunnymen, REVISER sounds complimentary to such contemporaries as Actors, House of Harm, Drab Majesty, and Traitrs. Considering this moment in time, REVISER emphasizes standing strong with our communities to support inclusivity and equality and is absolutely against Fascism, Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Transphobia. // REVISER released their singles “DEAD EYES” on October 16, 2025, “CELESTINE” on February 28, 2025, “DARKSIDERS” on October 18, 2024, and “ASSASINS” and “BURN IT OUT” on March 15, 2024. These previously five singles, individually released, have all been remixed and remastered for their new album DOLOROSO, and include Dawn’s vocals on them, now. REVISER is a continuation of the musical collaboration from Static Phantoms, Religion of Heartbreak (with Mikal Shapiro) and Monta At Odds.] [REVISER opened for Lene Lovich at recordBar, on Nov. 5, 2025. Info: http://www.reviser.bandcamp.com / http://www.instagram.com / http://www.kosmiccity.com]

[Reviser plays Outer Reaches Fest on Saturday, March 14, at 7:00pm, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, with Panic Priest, Nite, Redder Moon, Juliette Frost. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

[Reviser plays a Kosmic City Goth Night at miniBar, 3810 Broadway Boulevard, KCMO, Monday, April 20 at 7:00pm with Feyleux, and Stranger Gallery.[

10:45 – Interview with Steve Tulipana, Dedric Moore, and Nathan Reusch

Dedric Moore is a Kansas City, Kansas, based musician, producer, songwriter, vocalist, videographer, Audio Specialist. For over 20 years Dedric has been manager of Monta at Odds renamed Monta and currently Religion of Heartbreak. Dedric is also the co-founder of the bands: Reviser, Static Phantoms, Gemini Revolution, Mysterious Clouds and founder of Kosmic City Records. Dedric started the KC Psych Fest in 2012. Over the years KC Psych Fest has evolved to become Outer Reaches Fest. For nearly 13 years Dedric worked as Audio support contractor for Sporting Kansas City. More information at http://www.kosmiccity.com

Steve Tulipana is best known as the lead singer of the band Season to Risk, which formed in 1989 and is recognized for its noise rock and indie rock style. Tulipana has a captivating stage presence, drawing comparisons to iconic performers like Iggy Pop and Nick Cave. In addition to his music career, he is involved in the local music scene as a venue owner, contributing significantly to the cultural landscape of Kansas City, Steve is also a member of the bands: Roman Numerals, Violenteers, Thee Water Mocassins, Men of Men, The Band That Fell To Earth, and Dan Jones and The Squids. Steve is also co-owner and Manager of recordBar, miniBar, and Lemonade Park along with business partner Shawn Sherrill.

Nathan Reusch is co-founder of The Record Machine an area music label that next month is celebrating 23 years! Nathan Reusch first started making electronic music under the name Bobcat Attack influenced by emo/punk in the early 2000s. In 2003, he started his indie label, The Record Machine, and in 2011, he founded KC’s Middle of the Map Fest. Under Nathan’s leadership The Record Machine has been the label for Static Phantoms, Monta, Various Blonde, Cowboy Indian Bear, LaGuerre, The Philistines, and Black Light Animals and many more. Nathan is also a DJ. Bobcat Attack released The Year of The Bobcat on Les Bon Bons Electriques – The Record Machine on August 1, 2025. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2025

Nathan Reusch thanks for being with us on WMM.

Dedric Moore, Steve Tulipana, and Nathan Reusch join us to discuss Kansas City’s Outer Reaches Fest taking over recordBar & miniBar on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14 — two nights of psych, shoegaze, electronic, darkwave, and beautifully out there, left-of-center, and under-the-radar artists. The March 13th show at recordBar features Doubledrag, Violenteer, Modeling, Bobcat Attack, and RxGhost. The March 13th show at miniBar features: Hashtronaut, Momovudu, and Buzzard Fight. And the March 14th show at recordBar features: Nite, Panic Priest, Reviser, Redder Moon, and Juliette Frost. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com

Outer Reaches is a music festival based in Kansas City that showcases ‘out there’, left-of-center artists pushing boundaries in their respective genre. Regional acts as well as national and international touring acts are a part of the festival’s spirit, celebrating the variety of freethinking music around the globe.

Originally called KC Psych Fest, Outer Reaches started in 2012 to bring together outsider musical acts and celebrate experimental music in Kansas City. While still very psychedelic, the Outer Reaches Fest has grown to emphasize musical acts pushing boundaries.

Dedric Moore launched this festival in 2012. The idea grew out of the music he was creating with his brother Delaney Moore at the HQ Artspace in KCK. Dedric is a member of the bands Monta At Odds, Mysterious Clouds, and Gemini Revolution.

The Record Machine is the collective sum of individuals, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, and talent; our artists represent a significant part of not only our culture but our company’s reputation and achievements. We embrace and encourage our artist’s differences in race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, religion, sexual orientation, and other characteristics that make our community unique.

Kansas City’s Outer Reaches Fest taking over recordBar & miniBar on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14 — two nights of psych, shoegaze, electronic, darkwave, and beautifully out there, left-of-center, and under-the-radar artists. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com

10:55 – Music from OUTER REACHES

Modeling – “at Variance”
from: “at Variance” – Single / Modeling Music / August 12.2025
[Written and Recorded by Modeling. Produced and Mixed by Modeling. Mastered by Robin Schmidt. Modeling is a three -piece band of Connor, Ryan, and Cuinn whoo are based in Fayeteville, Arkansas.]

[Modeling plays Outer Reaches Fest on Friday, March 13, at 7:00pm, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, with Doubledrag, Violenteer, Bobcat Attack, and RxGhost. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

11:00 – Station ID

Redder Moon – “In The Darkest Night”
from: “In The Darkest Night” – Single / Redder Moon / December 21, 2025
[Released for Winter Solstice. Performed by Jeremiah James Gonzales and Jason Scott. Jeremiah James Gonzales is originally from in rural Idaho. After a couple years spinning his wheels at community college he discovered an outlet playing top 40 rock tunes with a non-profit organization that led him to spend months touring places like Brazil, India, Poland, as well as in the United States, from 1998 to 2001. Making many friends around the world, Jeremiah kept in touch with a drummer friend from Nigeria who had somehow landed in Kansas City. In March of 2001 Jeremiah James accepted what was supposed to be a 3-month tour of the Midwest playing bass in a hard rock band. One thing led to another and now it’s been 20 years in KC. Redder Moon is a Kansas City based band led by Jeremiah James Gonzales using analog synths, dark dance beats, dreamy guitars, we create Mono No Aware music. The band began as one of Gonzales’ many music projects, although more electronic than his other work with Knife Crime, Be/Non, Rhunes, Elevator Division, Umberto. The band released their EP, LAND OF THE BLIND on June 13, followed by the album, HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE, on November 5, 2021, and If Your Falling Dive on August 28, 2025.]

[Redder Moon plays Outer Reaches Fest on Saturday, March 14, at 7:00pm, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, with Panic Priest, Nite, Reviser, and Juliette Frost. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

11:04 – More Interview with Steve Tulipana, Dedric Moore, Steven Tulipana, and Nathan Reusch

Steve Tulipana, Dedric Moore, and Nathan Reusch join us to discuss Kansas City’s Outer Reaches Fest taking over recordBar & miniBar on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14 — two nights of psych, shoegaze, electronic, darkwave, and beautifully out there, left-of-center, and under-the-radar artists. The March 13th show at recordBar features Doubledrag, Violenteer, Modeling, Bobcat Attack, and RxGhost. The March 13th show at at miniBar features: Hashtronaut, Momovudu, and Buzzard Fight. And the March 14th show at recordBar features: Nite, Panic Priest, Reviser, Redder Moon, and Juliette Frost. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com

The organizers of Outer Reaches, an annual live music festival operating since 2012, have announced the official date for the 2026 events. Fri. March 13 at recordBar (1520 Grand Blvd) and miniBar (3810 Broadway Blvd) and Sat. March 14 at recordBar in KCMO.

Outer Reaches is a music festival based in Kansas City that showcases the ‘out there’, left-of-center, under-the-radar artists experimenting within and pushing boundaries in their respective genre. Regional acts as well as national and international touring acts are a part of the festival’s spirit, celebrating the variety of experimental music around the globe. There has always a strong tie to music that would fit into the realm of psychedelic music, but the festival has since opened up to more genres with a goal of promoting all music that is adventurous and mind expanding.

The concept for Outer Reaches was started in 2012 as KC Psych Fest by Dedric Moore, owner of recording space HQ and member of Kansas City experimental groups Monta at Odds, Gemini Revolution, and Mysterious Clouds. Before this festival, there often wasn’t a venue or forum for left-of-center music in Kansas City and these acts would often be stuck on one-off underground shows. He pitched the idea of a festival specifically for psychedelic music to the Kansas City, Kansas arts space FOKL and an all-night planning session was held with the assistance of Justin Wright of Expo ’70.

The first KC Psych Fest took place at FOKL arts space in Kansas City, Kansas over three days in mid-May 2012. Utilizing the upstairs and downstairs of the space and projecting video onto 3D sculptures (courtesy of VJDN8 and Sam F), it created a wild backdrop of visuals to go along with the mind-bending music. Highlights of that first year include sets by Be/Non, Mr. Marco’s V7, Umberto, Gemini Revolution, Monta at Odds, Expo ’70, Metatone, The Conquerors, and Jorge Arana Trio.

Year two of the festival shifted to a multiple venue event in Kansas City, Kansas. Once again the festival was held in May and coordinated by Dedric Moore and FOKL. Early shows happened at the Dedric’s recording studio HQ and late shows in the downstairs space of FOKL. Several of the mainstays from year one performed for year two, with some exciting up-and-coming acts such as Your Friend, Stacian, Aaron Martin, and Bloodbirds peppered in.

After hosting 25+ bands each of the first two years, the FOKL art space shifted focus in 2013. Steve Tulipana, longtime appreciator of experimental music and the owner of Kansas City, Missouri music venue The recordBar, offered up the venue as a future home for the KC Psych Fest. The event was moved to recordBar (and Missouri) for a three day festival and changed to a fall event in early October. Brenton Cook, the owner of Kansas City cerebral indie music record label Haymaker Records, also jumped on board to help in the planning for the event. KC Psych Fest 2014 continued to feature the great local Kansas City experimental / psych acts, but the additional space and established venue environment allowed for some touring national acts to join the festival. Magic Castles, Gringo Star, White Mystery, Bailiff, and Darsombra joined the lineup of the twenty local bands already on board.

KC Psych Fest 2015 saw yet more changes to the configuration. Rather than a having the event as a fixed weekend festival, the event was broken out into multiple events over the course of the year. The first event was held at Kansas City rock club The Riot Room and featured UK / Austin psychedelic rock band Ancient River, joined by local backing bands HMPH!, Mysterious Clouds, and Drugs & Attics. The second event for 2015 was held at MOD Gallery in the Crossroads Art District as part of the 11th annual Crossroads Music Fest. Local acts Dark Satellites, Riala, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, The Philistines, Janet the Planet, and 3 Son Green played a Haymaker Records / KC Psych Fest curated stage at the Kansas City music festival. The main two-day KC Psych Fest 2015 was held October 2nd and 3rd at recordBar once again, being a tie-in with the 10-year anniversary of the recordBar venue. The line-up featured some staples of the Kansas City music scene like Jorge Arana Trio, The Philistines, and Be/Non as well as some new arrivals like Via Luna and Merlin Some great touring acts were lined up for the 2015 festival with Holy Gallows, The Van Allen Belt, Crushed Out, Wet Socks, and DFA Records’ own Slim Twig.

2016 saw a lot of changes for the festival. First off, the official festival was rebranded from KC Psych Fest to Outer Reaches. This included new organization, a new website, a new logo, and new marketing campaign. Two events were held in early 2016, the first was a show in collaboration with the Charlotte Street Foundation and held at La Esquina, showcasing the artwork of Kevin Harris from St. Louis and showcased live sound and visual collaboration performances from Expo ’70 and Eric Hall. The second event was in support of Canadian band Living Hour and featured support from Kansas City bands Rachel Mallin + The Wild Type and New Baboons. The first event under the Outer Reaches name is the official 2-day festival on September 30th and October 1st, 2016. Outer Reaches 2016 was held at the newly located recordBar location at 1520 Grand Blvd. For the first time since the first year of KC Psych Fest, the festival had a multiple stage setup for a near non-stop barrage of adventurous music. Day 1 featured nine acts featuring 7 bands from Kansas City / Lawrence area and national touring acts Open Fields and L.A. Witch. Kansas City’s only Balinese Gamelan group, Gamelan Genta Kasturi, will make a notable first appearance this day. Day 2 features 7 bands from Kansas City / Lawrence and features national touring acts Gramps the Vamp and Magic Sword. Kansas City native Michael Angelo performed as Michael Angelo’s Dreamfeast, marking the first time that any of his songs from his infamous self-titled (and critically acclaimed re-release) album from 1977 have been played outside of his Pop Montreal performance the week before. With the new rebranding of the festival, it allowed for the fest to branch out from being an exclusive “psych” music event to a fest that better embraces all genres of music with an emphasis on the acts that are really pushing the boundaries of their representative genre. Shoegaze, folk, blues, punk rock, and funk groups are notably making appearances on the 2016 Outer Reaches bill.

2017, with a year under the name Outer Reaches brand, the festival went bigger than it had ever gone before. Efforts were focused on only doing a single event with a single stage, but working with bigger national acts than ever before. Work began in February to book the two-day fall Outer Reaches 2017 festival. There was also a considerable effort made to upgrade the stage presence, utilizing video production group XO Blackwater to incorporate live video mapping to printed Outer Reaches logo elements on stage. Once again the event was held at the new recordBar location at 1520 Grand Blvd. Night 1 on Friday, September 29, 2017 featured five acts featuring including national touring acts Deerhoof (San Francisco, CA), Lily and Horn Horse (New York City, NY), and Matches (Chicago, IL) as well as Kansas City acts Various Blonde and Mysterious Clouds. Night 2 on Saturday, September 30th featured national touring acts El Ten Eleven (Los Angeles, CA), Dead Rider (Chicago, IL), and Sego (LA, CA). KC was represented on Saturday with Pageant Boys and a special rare appearance of KC supergroup The Hearers.

2018 will feature two events on the year. The first event is a one-day festival at recordBar on Friday, April 20th called Outer Reaches Explores the World. This is a new format with an emphasis on artists inspired by rhythms and traditional instruments of the world, who have incorporated this sound in creative ways to construct new boundary-pushing music. This isn’t a “world music” event per se and will still feature the familiar format of left-of-center music, it just has more of a worldly feel to it. This special event has been made possible through a grant from the Kansas City Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund and will function as a benefit for Midwest Music Foundation. Artists performing at this event include SUNU, Enrique Javier Chi (of Making Movies), Harptasia feat. Calvin Arsenia, Teri Quinn, and Brandon Draper‘s interactive lecture and world percussion workshop Drum Safari.

As the festival continues to grow and changes, we maintain our gaze forward – embracing those musical acts that push the Outer Reaches.

Dedric Moore, Steve Tulipana, and Nathan Reusch, thank you for being with us on WMM

Kansas City’s Outer Reaches Fest taking over recordBar & miniBar on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14 — two nights of psych, shoegaze, electronic, darkwave, and beautifully out there, left-of-center, and under-the-radar artists. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com

11:14 – Music from OUTER REACHES

Juliette Frost – “Drowning in a Glass of Water “
from: Drowning in a Glass of Water – Single / Juliette Frost / September 5, 2025
[Juliette Frost released the EP personal logs on March 3, 2024. It was part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024. personal logs was a small collection of personal notes and feelings collaged into 3 tracks which have been sliced and diced like curry ingredients. // Juliette Frost released the single “Carbon Copy (radio edit). On March 22, 2024. // Juliette Frost released the single “Wizard Trance” with Not Nymph Yet, on December 20, 2023, // Juliette Frost released the single “UeyuAau,” on December 13, 2023. // Juliette Frost released the single “Night Owl,” on April 13, 2023. // Juliette Frost released the single “Fruits of Our Tree,” on December 11, 2022. // Juliette Frost also released the single “Sylvrface,” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost also released the single “Parallel,” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost also released the17 track album, “Lepidoptera” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost also released the single “Streetwalker,” on February 8, 2021. // Juliette Frost recorded a 6-song EP HUSH on May 5, 2021, that was created in a 5-day recording session, in December 2020 in Los Angeles, with musician, bassist, & producer Dominique Sanders. The songs, written by Juliette, feature her vocals layered in harmonies, beats and soundscapes. // Juliette Frost also released the single “burd,” on February 8, 2021. // On April 18, 2020 Juliette released Subterranean.Egyptian.Sea.Monkeys, her 19-track, debut, recorded in her bedroom, when she was 16, sampling sounds from her own cats meowing and purring, among others. When Juliette was making the music for, Subterranean.Egyptian.Sea.Monkeys, she really wasn’t thinking of putting out an album. She was just creating music, and before she knew it she had all of these songs. // Juliette has had the opportunity to see the recording process from two very different perspectives: in a recording studio in LA, and in her own private bedroom, working by herself. Juliette says that she prefers the alone time, in her bedroom process, because she can translate her ideas into reality, much faster. Juliette says she realized her musical passion, and that she had the abilities to create music and songs when she was in middle school. // Juliette Frost went to Shawnee Mission North High School. Juliette is not only a songwriter and producer of music but she is also a visual artist who created amazing collage art, and is also a painter and fine artist. // Juliette grew up surrounded by music in her home, Juliette is the daughter of opera and jazz vocalist Emily Frost and nationally known Hip Hop Beatboxer Adrian “A-Train” Frost] [Juliette Frost played minibar, on October 23, 2024, with Belgium-based Ultra Sunn and Religion of Heartbreak.] [Juliette Frost played the Play Loud Fest celebrating 20 years of recordBar, at 1520 Grand Boulevard, KCMO on Saturday, September 27 , 2025.]

[Juliette Frost plays Outer Reaches Fest on Saturday, March 14, at 7:00pm, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, with Panic Priest, Nite, Redder Moon, and Reviser. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

momovudu – “Azrael Divine”
from: momovudu II / momovudu / February 23, 2026
[Three piece, Stoner Rock band proudly representing Kansas City, MO. Working class psychedelic response to the failures of human governance, the war between freedom vs control and self destruction vs universal love. Matt Watkins on guitar & vocals, Nate Keirsey on bass & vocals, and Matt Tidwell on drums & vocals. Psychedelic Groove Band – momovudu supports diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural exchange and free speech. More info at: http://www.momovudi.com and http://www.momovudu.bandcamp.com]

[momovudu plays Outer Reaches Fest on Friday, March 13, at 7:00pm, at miniBar 3810 Broadway Blvd. KCMO, with Hashtronaut, Momovudu, and Buzzard Fight.. More info at: http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

RxGhost – “Undersaid”
from: “Anytime But Now” / “Undersaid” – Singles / Celery Wolf / March 14, 2025
[RxGhost also released the single“Sponsored Content”on July 10, 2025. RxGhost is: Josh Thomas on vocals & guitar, Justin Brooks on drums, James Capps on guitar, Chris Smead on bass, and Jeremiah James Gonzales. Scaffolding was produced by RxGhost, recorded and mixed by Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound Studios and Recording engineer by Josh Thomas. Music by RxGhost and Lyrics by Josh Thomas. RxGhost released their single “Anytime But Now” / “Undersaid” on March 14, 2025. RxGhost released their album Scaffolding on April 11, 2024, part of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2024. More info at: rxghost.bandcamp.com]

[RxGhost plays Outer Reaches Fest on Fri, March 13, at 7:00pm, at recordBar, 1520 Grand Ave, KCMO, w/ Doubledrag, Violenteer, Bobcat Attack, Modeling. RxGhost. http://www.outerreachesfest.com]

11:22 – More New & MidCoastal Releases

LyMerrick – “XO Freestyle (Rafio Edit)”
from: “Medicine” – Single / LyMerrick / October 1, 2024
[LyMerrick is a solo artist and lead singer of Supermoto. LyMerrick released the singles: “Medicine” on October 1, 2025, “Broadway” with Ikey Suave feat. TOP MEECH; Ephemeral”- EP on October 1, 2024; Singles: “Lost and Sedated” on March 26, 2024; “Runaway” on August 24, 2020; “Look at You (feat. Sleepwalker) on May 13, 2020; “Early Days” on March 7, 2020; “Reminiscing to the Future” on April 5, 2019; “Lay Me Down” on February 8, 2018; “Moves (feat. Latenitee)” on January 31, 2019; “First Thing (feat. Latenitee)”; “Queen” on December 15, 2018; “Baggage” on December 9, 2018; “Pipe Down” on September 5, 2018; “Not Another Love Song” on June 27, 2018; and “Not Good Enough” on May 17, 2018. // LyMerrick is also lead singer of Supermoto who released ther self titled debut album, Supermoto /through Manor Records on September 30, 2024. Hailing from Kansas City, this 5-piece group started meeting in the pre covid winter of 2020. April of 2021 they released their first two songs “Moonlight” & “Polarized” which led to a run of energetic & successful live performances – all the while building up many catchy originals drawing on their inspirations of jazz, funk, r&b, city pop and disco.]

Kemet Coleman – “What You Want From Me”
from: Two Ships in the Night – EP / Kemet Creative (Vine Street Brewing) / March 6, 2026
[Kemet Coleman is a Kansas City based musicians and is a member of the Hip-Hop duo COA (Center of Attention) and is the lead singer of the Funk/Rap/Soul band The Phantastics. Kemet is also a core element of The Marcus Lewis Big Band for Brass & Boujee. Kemet is a two time Pitch Music Award nominee for “Best Hip-Hop Act.” Kemet is known for his unprecedented collaborations with UMKC, KC Streetcar and The Kansas City Royals. He is also highly regarded for his impresario role within the Sly James for Mayor Campaign in the 2010-2011 where he created the first ever KC mayoral candidate rap song. A UMKC alumnus, Kemet, created “Gold and Blue” for UMKC’s sports teams, which has garnered thousands of plays on YouTube and has been featured on prime-time television commercials for the university. In 2020 Coleman contributed his song, “The Virus” to the compilation, Kansas City Syzygy, music created by over 25 KC-based musicians in the middle of the map of a pandemic. All proceeds donated to KC Tenants, a local nonprofit organized to ensure that everyone has a safe, accessible, affordable home. Kemet Coleman released, BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL on Aug. 1, 2020. Kemet Coleman released the single “Eyes On The Street” on May 21, 2021.] [The Phantastics released their single “All That Fine”on May 6, 2022. The Phantastics are an 8 member band from KC formed in December of 2010. Kemet the Phantom on lead vocals; Kimology 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 KC Star. Musicianship and diversity are at the core of their success. Rock, Rap, Dance, Funk, Jazz & 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. Info at: http://www.thephantastics.com]

Sara Bellum and the Brainwaves –”Outside”
from: Outside” – Single / Sara Bellum and the Brainwaves / March 11, 2026
[Sara Bellum and the Brainwaves are a 7-piece dance punk band based in Kansas City, Missouri. Their music combines danceable rhythms, rockin’ guitar riffs, and upbeat melodies paired with the uncommon instrumentation of viola, keytar, and foley art. The band’s inception began in theatre school where lead vocalist Sara Bellum first met guitarist MC Burnie Beta, sound designer Theo Theta, and vocalist/keytarist Zesty Zeta. Although it took many years for the band to fully form, these friendships developed the ground-work of what the group would become. After meeting violist Gemma Gamma, drummer Delma Delta, and bassist Athen Alpha, the band was fully assembled in late 2024, began performing live in January 2025, and started recording in April 2025. With the departure of Athen Alpha to attend college at the end of 2025, the Brainwaves welcomed bassist/keys player Spencer Synapse to join the group. Just as their name emphasizes the brain, much of the Brainwaves’ music and art focuses on mental health and healing. With the belief that mental health is just as important as physical health, they wish to build a loving community with their art.

[Sara Bellum and the Brainwaves play a single release show at The RINO 314 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, Friday, March 13, at 8:00pm with The 58 Overhead, and Katie & Michael.]

11:29 – Underwriting

Cera Impala – “Gypsy Babe”
from: Wildest Dreams / Cera Impala / November 18, 2022
[Cera Impala is prolific songwriter and powerhouse multi-instrumentalist. Cera has toured internationally with The New Prohibition. Cera released her 5th album, “Wildest Dreams’, on November 18, 2022. She is currently recording a double album, Demeter’s Daughter (Part I), followed by Persephone (part II). “For lovers of Norah Jones, Billie Holliday, and Lana Del Rey, Impala’s charm, wit, and prowess are undeniable. It takes a songwriter with deep and clear understanding of theory and multiple technical disciples to make music this complex and nuanced sound utterly effortless. Run, don’t walk to bless your ears and soul with this delicious nectar.” – Calvin Arsenia. The banjo is the Swiss army knife of the dark side. http://www.ceraimpala.com

[Cera Impala plays Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, Kansas City, on Sunday, March 15 at 7:00PM. More info at: http://www.greenwoodsocialhall.com]

11:33 – Interview with Calvin Arsenia & Cera Impala

Calvin Arsenia a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, teacher, writer, actor, model, designer, and artist. Calvin is also the curator at the Greenwood Social Hall. Calvin Arsenia was born in Orlando, Florida. His creative journey began when he moved to Olathe, Kansas, teaching himself guitar, piano, banjo. He learned the harp, at the age of 20. Calvin Arsenia first appeared on WMM on July 25, 2012. His passion for stretching the boundaries saw him transformed after a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland’s Fringe Festival early in his career. An Edinburgh church offering him a role as musical liaison between the church and the city that would change his life. Two years and 300 shows later, Calvin returned to KC reborn as a humanistic songwriter / performer where at 24 he released his EP, MOMENTS, in 2014, his EP, PROSE in 2015, and his Folk Alliance exclusive EP, CATASTROPHE in 2016. On February 14, 2017 Calvin released his full length debut, CATASTROPHE, with a live show at recordBar in November 2016, involving 50 people: dancers, body painting, stilt walkers. After signing to Center Cut Records, Calvin released the albums: CANTALOUPE in 2018, with a sold out show at The Gem Theatre on September 15, 2018. He then released, L.A. SESSIONS in 2019, along with the EP, HONEY DEW, the EP, GODDESS with Quixotic, and the holiday album, ALL IS CALM. In 2020 Calvin collaborated with Mike Dillon on the Soundtrack to “SUMMER IN HINDSIGHT,” a feature-length film created by The West 18th Street Fashion Show that starred Calvin as an actor. Calvin Arsenia released his 14 track album PARADISE to fans on June 23, 2023. His most biographical album yet, with songs about Black Lives Matter, racism, probation, gay love, and collaborations with Cheery, Kadesh Flow & Jametatone. KC Magazine hailed Calvin as “equal parts opera, symphony, musical theatre, rock show, all built around its creator, a charismatic 6-foot-7-inch harpist with a 3 and ½ octave range, natural stage command and knack for gilding gold and painting lilies.” Calvin Arsenia was voted KC’s Best Musician in The Pitch in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He has been featured in Billboard, NPR.org. Calvin is the recipient of the Charlotte Street Foundation 2022 Generative Performing Artist Award, along with The Black Creatures. Calvin is also the co-creator of the podcast, “We Were Christian Kids” created with childhood friend Justin Randall who is a stand up comedian working in New York City and Los Angeles. Calvin is also the published author of EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE, a collection of Poetry & Prose published on October 5, 2021, by Andrews McMeel Universal. More info at: http://www.calvinarsenia.com

Calvin Arsenia thanks for being with us on WMM.

Cera Impala is prolific spell-casting songwriter who creates compositions that feel instantly familiar. A whiskey-honeyed voice and intimately crafted pieces take her audiences to another time and place, one of dreams and magic – sensual as they are savage. `Armed with a sound like an audio-hug’, this powerhouse multi-instrumentalist has been heard all over the world; toured internationally with her handpicked band, The New Prohibition. She is in currently recording a much anticipated double album, Demeter’s Daughter (Part I), followed by Persephone (part II). // Cera released her 5th album of beautifully reviewed original work, “Wildest Dreams”, available on all digital platforms, CD and Vinyl. Impala is an accomplished recording artist and session musician, having performed on recordings for Bella Hardy, Jellyman’s Daughter, and notable others. In 2019, Cera debuted a new duet project, Delightful Squalor (currently on pause), and is a member of the Dance bandits ‘psychedelic comedy ceilidh band’, and has been a previous imbedded touring and recording member of The Blackberry Bushes, Dark Green Tree, and the infamous queens of sass and harmony for years, The Bevvy Sisters.

Cera Impala, thanks for being with us on WMM.

Calvin Writes about Cera Impala: “For lovers of Norah Jones, Billie Holliday, and Lana Del Rey, Impala’s charm, wit, and prowess are undeniable. It takes a songwriter with deep and clear understanding of theory and multiple technical disciples to make music this complex and nuanced sound utterly effortless. Run, don’t walk to bless your ears and soul with this delicious nectar.” -Calvin Arsenia

Cera Impala leads a writing workshop Thursday, March 12, 4;00 to 6:30pm at Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, Kansas City, on Sunday, March 15 at 7:00PM. More info at: http://www.greenwoodsocialhall.com

Cera Impala’s art will be presented in a special show titled: The Living World of Girls Friday, March 13, at the Rejoy Gallery, third floor of The Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, 2012 Baltimore Ave., KCMO.

Cera Impala plays Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, Kansas City, on Sunday, March 15 at 7:00PM. More info at: http://www.greenwoodsocialhall.com

Cera Impala’s Half Moon Medicine: Impala hosts, curates and performs monthly at the Peoples Leisure Club in (previously held at the Jazz bar) in Edinburgh and curates annually for both Knockengorroch festival and Kelburn Garden party (festival) . Cera is passionate about supporting minority voices and helping the untold story get told and providing ‘The Cure For Wot Ails Ye’ via a regular heroic dose of her brand of ‘Half Moon Medicine’ and teaching her method of writing, collage and music in her bespoke workshop “The Distillary”

Greenwood Social Hall – Long term collaborator, ally, and friend of Calvin Arsenia, Peregrine Honig began hosting performing arts events in the Spring of 2017 at Greenwood Social Hall – the gently renovated historically Black Baptist Church formerly known as Greenwood Baptist Church. Over the years, Calvin Arsenia had filmed multiple projects in the space: Toxic music video, Convert Kit music video, and Live at Greenwood. As her season came to close near the end of 2023, Honig asked Arsenia if he would like to take the helm and make the place his own. He said yes and the rest, as they say, is history.

Monarch String Trio: Pop Queens on Strings play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, Kansas City, MO Wednesday, March 11, 2026, Doors at 6:30 pm Music at 7:00 pm

Cera Impala plays Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, Kansas City, on Sunday, March 15 at 7:00PM. More info at: http://www.greenwoodsocialhall.com

Cera Impala and Calvin Arsenia thanks for being with us on WMM.

11:55

Cera Impala – “Nothing”
from: Wildest Dreams / Cera Impala / November 18, 2022
[Cera Impala is prolific songwriter and powerhouse multi-instrumentalist. Cera has toured internationally with The New Prohibition. Cera released her 5th album, “Wildest Dreams’, on November 18, 2022. She is currently recording a double album, Demeter’s Daughter (Part I), followed by Persephone (part II). “For lovers of Norah Jones, Billie Holliday, and Lana Del Rey, Impala’s charm, wit, and prowess are undeniable. It takes a songwriter with deep and clear understanding of theory and multiple technical disciples to make music this complex and nuanced sound utterly effortless. Run, don’t walk to bless your ears and soul with this delicious nectar.” – Calvin Arsenia. The banjo is the Swiss army knife of the dark side. http://www.ceraimpala.com

[Cera Impala plays Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, Kansas City, on Sunday, March 15 at 7:00PM. More info at: http://www.greenwoodsocialhall.com]

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

NEXT WEEK, on Wednesday, March 18 we have a packed show with Singer songwriter Christena Graves. We also welcome our friend Ivory Blue. Also Dandelion Lakewood joins us LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios. AND members of the Sass-a-Brass band also join us on the show!!!!

Some of the hundreds of guests who have appeared on Wednesday MidDay Medley

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to our special Wednesday MidDay Medley Listeners who donated to 90.1 FM KKFI‘s On-Air Winter Fund Drive! From our listening audience, 49 individuals stepped up to donate a total of $3,924.00!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can find our playlists at:
http://www.wednesdaymiddaymedley.org & http://www.kkfi.org
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
http://www.instagram.wednesday_midday_medley

Thank you to KKFI Staff: Executive Director – Bess Wallerstein Huff, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers, Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

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

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

Show #1138

Wednesday MidDay Medley

Wednesdays, 10 – Noon, on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

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