WMM Playlist from February 19, 2025

Posted on February 19, 2025 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, February 19, 2025

WMM welcomes Les Izmore as Guest Producer

Mark welcomes Les Izmore, who joins us as Guest Producer. Les Izmore is a Africanfurist, a multi-disciplinary artist, a lover of music. Les Izmore is a musician, spoken word artist, producer, director, curator, poet, DJ, writer, percussionist, songwriter, music composer, beat maker, emcee and vocalist. Les Izmore is a creative centered around experimentation and love. His current project is now known as Les Izmore & The GOATS, it is a project that opens a portal to decolonized worlds using the technology of live looping, hand percussion, vocalization, collaboration and improvisation based off lyricism and heartfelt structured vibrations. Les is part of Arquesta Del SolSoul, a Kansas City-based, cosmic music collective, teleporting through indigeneity, decolonization, love and freedom.

Les Izmore will spin tracks from: Santigold, Lady Wray, Combo Chimbita, Adeta Marie, MFR Souls, Canalón de Timbiquí, The Black Creatures, serpentwithfeet with Ambré, & Alex Isley, Kelela, keiyaA, Amaarae, Bikini Kill, Death, Sweeping Promises, Tierra Whack, Gloria Jones, Lilblackkids, Georgia Anne Muldrow & Keith Rice, Los Rakas & Big Klef, AKU, The Roots, Outkast with Cee-Lo, Mach-Hommy, and Teedra Moses.

Les Izmore has shared the stage with such acts as: Kendrick Lamar, Shabazz Palaces, Public Enemy, Seun Kuti and the Egypt 80, Tank and the Bangas, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force ft. Mádé Kuti, KRS-ONE, dead prez, SOUL GLO, Lupe Fiasco, Mobb Deep, Reflection Eternal (Hi-Tek & Talib Kweli), Sadat X, Slick Rick, Snoop Dogg, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Tef Poe, Hermon Mehari, Joc Max, Deejay Platinum, Emcee Reach, The Roots, Chance the Rapper, Del the Funky Homosapien, Combo Chimbita, Earthgang, Fashawn, Exile, Bahamadia, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Clipping, Mobb Deep, Radkey, Ozomatli, Making Movies, Las Cafeteras, Gio Chamba, Busdriver, Milo, Nocando, Open Mike Eagle (Hellfyre club), and The BUHS.

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

2. Santigold – “L.E.S. Artistes”
from: Santigold / Downtown Music / April 29, 2008
[]Santogold is the debut studio album by musician and singer Santigold (who performed as Santogold at the time of the album’s release). The album was recorded within eight weeks in New York City at Schoolhouse and Pitch Black Studios. It was written and produced primarily by Santigold and former Stiffed bandmate John Hill, alongside contributions from other producers, including Diplo, Switch and Disco D, and vocal appearances from Spank Rock and Trouble Andrew. // This album incorporates a variety of musical styles, such as new wave, punk, electro, reggae and dub, with the aim of defying boundaries and genre classification. This genre-defying approach awarded the album with praise from music critics. It earned multiple spots on music publications’ year-end lists of the best albums of the year, as well as on several decade-end lists. The record charted in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, France and Belgium, and spawned the singles “Creator”, “L.E.S. Artistes”, “Lights Out”, and “Say Aha” // Santi White was born September 25, 1976 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Ron White, an advisor to mayor John F. Street and Aruby Odom-White, a psychiatrist. She attended Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, and later attended college at Wesleyan University, where she double-majored in music and African-American studies. Santi has described herself as “super-social and a connector of people” in her youth, growing up in Philadelphia. // She is known professionally as Santigold (formerly Santogold). She obtained her pseudonym in the 1990s after a friend gave it to her as a nickname. She worked for Epic Records as an A&R representative but left the position to co-write and executive produce How I Do, the singer Res’s debut album. // She was the singer of Philadelphia-based punk rock band Stiffed, which released the EP Sex Sells (2003) and the album Burned Again (2005). Both records were produced by Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer. While in the band, White was offered a solo contract by Martin Heath of London-based independent label Lizard King Records. // Her debut studio album, Santogold (2008), was released by Atlantic Records and met with widespread critical praise for its cross-genre blending of dub, new wave, and hip hop music. Its second single, “L.E.S. Artistes”, peaked within the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. // Her second album, Master of My Make-Believe (2012), was met with continued positive reception and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200. It spawned the single “Disparate Youth”, which entered the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and moderately entered charts in several countries. Her third album, 99¢ (2016), her second mixtape, I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions (2018), and her fourth album, Spirituals (2022), were each met with continued praise. The latter was described by The Guardian as a “whirlwind album full of feeling and fervour”. // Additionally, Santigold has collaborated with artists including Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Kanye West, David Byrne, Mark Ronson, Karen O, ASAP Rocky, and Diplo. Her awards include “Best Breakthrough Artist” at the 2008 NME Awards, and the Vanguard Award at 2009 ASCAP Awards.]

Lady Wray – “Under The Sun”
from: Piece of Me Big Crown Records / January 28, 2022
[Lady Wray’s 2022 album Piece Of Me is one of my favorite releases for the year. Incredible vintage, sounding heartfelt R&B/ Soul music. With modernized takes on classic love songs. / Virginia-born singer/songwriter Nicole Wray has everything you’d want in a singer: an infectious Jackson-5-family-member flare, a range like Aretha’s, and a church upbringing that’s brought a pure, healing texture to her voice.]

Combo Chimbita – “Babalawo”
from: IRE / Anti / January 26, 2022
[Continuing their mystical saga, Combo Chimbita roar back onto the global stage with their cathartic new album, IRÉ, channeling the fear, rage and empathy of a world in flames into an urgent spirit of musical dissidence. The album’s evocative title is forged upon double-edged meaning: on one hand embracing the divinely inspired blessings and prosperity foretold by our spiritual elders, and on the other a brazen, propulsive affirmation of revolutionary futures in the making. Afro-Caribbean transcendance, bewildering chants, booming drums and psychedelic distortion lay the rhythmic foundation for IRÉ; a testament to the ever expanding scope of Combo Chimbita’s sonic palette and their modes of resistance in realms both spiritual and terrestrial. // Described by NPR’s Alt.Latino as an “otherworldly presence,” Combo Chimbita is the creative unity of Carolina Oliveros (vocals, guacharaca), Niño Lento es Fuego (guitar), Prince of Queens (bass, synthesizers) and Dilemastronauta (drums), who together transcend common concepts of time and nationality. As self-described Abya-yalistas seeking meaning beyond a Latin American framework, they carry the burning torch of an unbroken, insubmissive people, unshackling their essence from the cruelty of conquest throughout Abya Yala. “Music is a tool of connection across time, territory and generations,” says Prince of Queens, echoing the visual metamorphosis for single “Memoria” and Combo Chimbita’s own decolonial shedding of skin.]

Adeta Marie – “Community Ties”
from: Passionfruit Flowers / Adeta Marie / June 28, 2023
[Adeta Marie is a Kansas City based music maker and vocalist. She started playing out in 2019. She told Voyage KC magazine in September 9, 2021 that “Creating was a way to heal from life trauma and speak gently to myself and my experiences. Music was a way for me to feel and validate my struggle. My very first songs are very somber and talk a lot about sad things. If you follow my songs, they tell a story of how I feel and how much I’ve grown from my loneliest times. It took a while for me to feel comfortable expressing my art freely and openly, but I felt like the burden of judgment was lifted when I did. Ever since then, I’ve loved performing my art as much as I love creating it.” // Adeta Marie is also a licensed esthetician and self-taught MUA. She got her license in 2019, and has worked for Sephora and Lancôme. More info at: https://linktr.ee/AdetaMarie%5D

MFR Souls – “Love You Tonight (feat. DJ Maphorisa, Sha Sha & Kabza De Small)”
from: The Beginning / South Africa – Sony / October 25, 2019
[MFR Souls is a South African amapiano music duo founded in 2012 by Tumelo Nedondwe and Tumelo Mabe, both of whom are DJ and music producers from Katlehong in the East Rand of Johannesburg. They are regarded as being part of the pioneers of the ama piano sound, alongside Kabza de small, Jazzidiciples. Their hit single “Love You Tonight” was commercial success certified platinum in South Africa. // They met in 2009 at an event in Tokoza and eventually formed their group in 2013, Ma-Ero & Force Reloaded and later was named MFR Souls. // In December 2015, their 5 tracks Extended Play Bless The Souls was released. // In 2016 they released ama piano mixtapes. // On October 4, 2019, they released a single “Love You Tonight” featuring Sha Sha, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa. The song was certified platinum in South Africa. At the 26th ceremony of South African Music Awards “Love You Tonight” was nominated for Best Collaboration and Best Music Video. Their collaborative album Scorpion Kings with Kabza De Small, Virgo Deep and DJ Maphorisa won Best Produced Album of the Year at SAMA 26 awards. On November 8, 2019, their Extended Play The beginning was released. // In early 2020, their single “Amanikiniki” featuring Kamo Mphela and Bontle Smith was released. The song debuted number 3 on RAM charts and was certified platinum with sales of 50 000 units. “Amanikiniki” was nominated for Record of the Year (fan-voted) and Music Video of The Year at 27th South African Music Awards and Song Of the Year at MAMA awards. On August 14, 2020, their second studio album Musical Kings was released. The album features Bontle Smith, Tshego, Zano, J’Something and Manu Worldstar. // On May 14, 2021, they released a single “Abahambayo” featuring Mzulu Kakhulu, Khobzn Kiavalla and DJ T-Man SA. // In October 12, they teased their second studio album Healers Of The Soul, released on November 12, 2021. In November 4, album pre-order were made available. // On April 1, 2022, their EP T-squared was released in South Africa. // In early May 2022, they were featured on Freedom Sounds: From Kwaito to Amapiano documentary by Spotify. // On May 5, 2023, the duo released their long-awaited single, “Bawo” featuring Russell Zuma, Shane907 & Locco MusiQ.]

Canalón de Timbiquí – “Qué Pena”
from: Arrullando / Canalón de Timbiquí / January 30, 2016
[The sweetly exuberant chanting of 5 female voices, the marimba, the drums & guasa percussion surrounding Nidia Góngora, Canalón embody the rich musical mix of African and Latin- American traditions unique to Colombia’s Pacific coast. // Canalon’s music echoes the ancestral sounds of the Afro-Colombian Pacific Coast, recreating the power and rhythm with the chonta marimba, the percussion instrument guasa and the bombs drum. The melodies of the marimba and voice reflect the sounds of the pacific coast, and the lyrics are about the jungles, rivers, miners and all of their surroundings in the town they are from – Timbiqui. Timbiqui, located in the Cauca state on the Pacific Coast, is where the group hails from. The group of female singers are led by Nidia Góngora (long-time Quantic collaborator) and are supported by a band using a range of traditional percussive instruments such as the tambora drum and the xylophone-style marimba with its unique, light sound. // With international interest in this traditional ‘pacifico’ music, Nidia Góngora has worked with producer, band leader, and DJ Quantic for the past five years in collaborations and tours across Europe. In 2012, Sofrito Records included in its compilation record the song LA ZORRA Y EL PEROL, one of Canalón’s classic songs. In the same year, the group made a cover of La Jeanne from renowed and beloved French artist George Brassens. // More info at: https://canalondetimbiqui.wixsite.com.%5D

10:33 – Underwriting

The Black Creatures – “TRUE FRIENDS”
from: “TRUE FRIENDS” – Single / The Black creatures / September 17, 2021
[The Black Creatures followed this single with their last full length record, By Thy Hand / from Center Cut Records on August 12, 2022. By Thy Hand was #1 on WMM’s 120 Best Rercordning of 2022. This new album follows their singles: “Criminal” on June 24, 2022, “Loud For Nothin” on May 27, 2022, and “True Friends” on September 17, 2021. After being signed to Center Cut Records the label remastered and reissued their album WILD ECHOES in 2020 and was named Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine. the original 2019 release of WILD ECHOES was #2 in WMM’s 119 Favorite Releases of 2019 (Albums & EPs). The Black Creatures fuse dark-pop hip-hop, soul, jazz, and electronic music with elements from science fiction to tell inter-dimensional stories of love, community, life, culture, history. Xavier & Jade have made an impression in the KC music community with their live shows in clubs, galleries, record stores, and area music festivals. The Black Creatures released their debut single “Mouth 2 Mouth” June 5, 2016. // Jade Green & Xavier Martin of The Black Creatures began working together in 2013. The Black Creatures blur the boundaries of hip-hop, dance, R&B, soul, and EDM, telling stories of real life, and the struggle for equality. Jade’s incredible vocals reveal their background in opera, and their honest lyrics are both personal and political. Jade can interpret soul, jazz, hiphop, and pop. Xavier Martin started music as a violinist, and has transitioned into a co-songwriter, producer, beat-maker, keyboardist, vocalist, engineer, and style maker. // From Center Cut Records Promo Materials: The Black Creatures blend contemporary styles of pop, hip-hop, dance, R&B, EDM and soul with cinematic and storytelling sci-fi/fantasy elements and themes. With the complex and creative approach The Black Creatures take to their art, a diverse audience regularly flocks to their gripping and intensely enchanting performances. // Representing the strange land of Kansas City, Missouri, Jade Green and Xavier began working together around the end of 2013 after meeting on-line talking about cosmetics. After Jade stumbled upon Xavier’s SoundCloud, they asked if they could put their vocals on it, and this led to future collaborations with no more than the intention to dabble. They couldn’t stop and eventually dubbed the project The Black Creatures. // Both Jade & Xavier write and perform vocals, with Xavier at the helm of production and composition. Jade Green has a vocal background in opera and a penchant for theatrics, and both are the foundation of their ever-evolving approach to writing and performing in The Black Creatures. While the instrumentals may set the tone for the show, Jade’s voice captivates the audience from beginning to end. Originally a violinist, Xavier unfurled into a producer and vocalist, maintaining the same air of intrigue and mystery throughout his compositions and performances in The Black Creatures. // After releasing Wild Echoes in the fall of 2020, and receiving Album Of The Year from The Pitch Magazine, high praise came from around the world for the four released singles and accompanying videos. “Wretched (It Goes)” was featured in the NPR Live Sessions “Songs For Change” when The Black Creatures were selected as one of 12 national artists, and included in 90.9 The Bridge’s Top 100 singles along with their song “D’ummm” which was in heavy rotation in the winter. Nuance Magazine wrote, “The Black Creatures take their musical talents and use them in such a way that forces listeners to not only tap their foot to a catchy tune, but pay attention and feel something about what is going on in the world around them. Tackling fascism, police brutality, and the deep-rooted effects of slavery in a rhythmic fashion is one thing. Simultaneously making it a good listen is another. However, The Black Creatures make it happen.” // Mark’s brief review: “Being named “Album of The Year” from The Pitch Kansas City was the recognition this young band deserved, because there is really no other band in Kansas City creating incredibly beautiful and painful protest songs in multi genre styles of beats, vocal styles, textures. The immediate personal and poetic lyrics of Jade Green and tribal, dance floor and soulful beats and melodies of Xavier bring the listener into a multicultural, mixed, gender fluid, soul celebration of life and an honest indictment of the racist, homophobic, and sexist world they are navigating through to survive. Listen carefully to these young music makers, they are wise beyond their years. They sound beautiful and speak the truth to power. They are beautiful. They are The Black Creatures.” Charlotte Street Foundation announced that the recipients of the 2022 Generative Performing Artist Awards are The Black Creatures and Calvin Arsenia Scott. Jade and Xavier completed performances in the world premiere of Christian A. Walker’s “What Came With Spring” for the Owen/Cox Dance Group October 7, 8, and 9 at City Stage Theatre, Union Station, 30 W Pershing Rd, KCMO ]

The Black Creatures Discography
The Black Creatures “Mouth 2 Mouth” – Single, June 5, 2016.
The Black Creatures released their debut album, See No Evil, Dec. 6, 2017.
The Black Creatures “Elements” – Single, February 14, 2018
The Black Creatures “Silver Tears” – Single, June 19, 2018 w/ additional voices from: AniMal (Ana Marcela Maldonado Morales) , Barbara Solomon , Kassidee, Quaranta , Adres Va Cortas
The Black Creatures “Dare” (Gorillaz Cover)” – Single, August 8, 2019
The Black Creature – Wild Echoes – September 30, 2019
The Black Creatures – “Turn” – Single, October 30, 2019
The Black Creatures – “Quartz (Twilight)” – Single, November 13, 2019
The Black Creatures – “SHINE” – Single, December 11, 2019
The Black Creatures- “Ghost Bustin’ Dead Prezidentz” – Single, January 8, 2020
The Black Creatures – “To Whom It May Concern” – Single, January 22, 2020
The Black Creatures – “Arcade Love” – Single, February 5, 2020
The Black Creatures – “Run Up” – Single, February 19, 2020.
The Black Creature – Wild Echoes – September 30, 2019
The Black Creatures – “wretched (it goes)”- Single [Center Cut], July 17, 2020 [remastered]
The Black Creature – Wild Echoes – Album (Remastered] August 28, 2020 [Center Cut]
The Black Creatures – “Negative Zero” – Single/Video [Center Cut]
The Black Creatures – “FRIENDS” – Single/Video [Center Cut]
The Black Creatures – BY THY HAND – album August 12, 2022

serpentwithfeet, Ambré, & Alex Isley – “Fellowship (Remix) ft. Ambré & Alex Isley (feat. Ambré & Alex Isley)”
from: DEACON’S Grove – EP / Secretly Canadian / November 5, 2021
[Jonathan Josiah Wise was born July 9, 1988 and is known as serpentwithfeet, is an R&B singer based in Brooklyn, NYC. Wise signed with the English record label Tri Angle to release his debut EP, Blisters (2016). He entered a joint venture with Secretly Canadian to release his debut studio album, soil (2018), which was met with critical acclaim. His second EP, Apparition (2020), and his second and third albums, Deacon (2021) and Grip (2024), were each met with continued critical praise. // Wise was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in a religious family; his father owned a Christian bookstore and his mother was a choir director. Wise joined the church choir as a child and grew up with classical and gospel music as a primary influence. // When he was 11 years old his mother asked him if he wanted to audition for the Maryland State Boychoir and, ignoring his refusal, she signed him up anyway and he ended up loving it. This was his introduction to classical vocal music. He realized from this experience that there was a lack of diversity in the choir and there was “not much room for the black voice.” // He attended high school at Baltimore City College, a school for gifted and talented students that was known for their internationally competitive choir. At the age of 14, he competed in choir competitions with his school choir in Europe and won trophies. He said in an interview with Loud and Quiet: “It was all black kids, but our repertoire was predominantly classical. And that blew my mind.” After this, Wise decided that he wanted to become a world-class performer and he started taking vocal lessons to become a classically trained opera singer. // He later moved to Philadelphia, where he attended the University of the Arts. Although Wise was initially interested in becoming a classical opera singer, he was rejected from conservatories he applied to. // After leaving the University of the Arts, Wise spent time in Paris and in Philadelphia’s neo-soul scene. However, his voice was seen as closer in tone to opera than to his peers in neo-soul. Wise then moved to New York, where he released his first single “Curiosity of Other Men” in 2014. // The song led to Wise’s eventual signing with Tri Angle in 2015 and the release of Wise’s debut EP, Blisters, in 2016. The EP featured production from the Haxan Cloak, who has worked with artists including Björk and the Body. Blisters debuted to extremely positive reviews from critics. // Wise began work on his debut studio album Soil in 2017 with producers including Clams Casino, Katie Gately, and Adele collaborator Paul Epworth. The album was released on June 8, 2018, to positive reviews from critics.AllMusic observed that serpentwithfeet brought avant-garde elements into his usual mix of R&B, gospel and classical sounds to create a sense of aching sadness. // In 2017, Wise went on tour with the band Grizzly Bear as their opener. On the Brockhampton album Iridescence (2018), Serpent-withfeet features on the song “Tonya”, which was first performed live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He appeared on a remix of Björk’s “Blissing Me” (2017), and performed in concert with Björk on her 2019 Cornucopia tour. In 2019, he also served as the opening act in selected dates of Rosalía’s El Mal Querer Tour. // On June 26, 2019, he released a song “Receipts”, which featured Ty Dolla Sign. In 2020, Wise was featured in a track titled “Start” in Ellie Goulding’s fourth studio album Brightest Blue, and collaborated with Ty Dolla Sign again by singing background vocals and writing on Ty Dolla Sign’s song “Ego Death”, a collaborative track with Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex, and additionally appeared on an interlude on Ty Dolla Sign’s 2020 album, Featuring Ty Dolla Sign. // He also announced his upcoming EP Apparition, via Secretly Canadian. Apparition was released on April 29, 2020. Made up of three songs, it includes the single “A Comma”, “This Hill”, and “Psychic”. // On January 8, 2021, he was featured in Virgil Abloh’s single titled “Delicate Limbs”. // In January 2021, Serpentwithfeet announced his second studio album Deacon, and release the lead single “Fellowship”, co-produced with Sampha and Lil Silva. The album released on March 26. In August 2022, Serpentwithfeet released “On Air”, a collaboration with Moby, released on the Always Centered at Night label. On September 30, 2022, he was featured on “Fungal City”, one of the songs on Björk’s album Fossora, marking their second collaboration. //Wise is gay and from a young age used gospel music to express his sexuality.]

Kelela – “LMK”
from: Take Me Apart / Warp Records / October 6, 2017
[Kelela Mizanekristos (Amharic: ከለላ ሚዛነክርስቶስ, käläla mizanäkərəsətosə, [kələla mizanəkrɨstos]) was born June 4, 1983. She is an American singer. She made her debut in the music industry with the release of her 2013 mixtape Cut 4 Me. In 2015, she released Hallucinogen, an EP which deals with the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship in reverse chronological order. Her debut studio album, Take Me Apart, was released in 2017 to critical acclaim. After a nearly 5-year hiatus, Kelela released her second album, Raven, in February of 2023. // A second-generation Ethiopian American and an only child, Mizanekristos was born in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 1983. Growing up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, she learned to play the violin in fourth grade and sang in her school’s choir. In 2001, she graduated from Magruder High School. After transferring from Montgomery College to the American University, Mizanekristos began singing jazz standards at cafés. In 2008, she joined an indie band called Dizzy Spells and sang progressive metal after meeting Tosin Abasi, whom she later dated. In 2010, she moved to Los Angeles, where she currently lives, in addition to London. // In November 2012, Mizanekristos began work on her debut mixtape with already two recorded songs. She later quit her job as a telemarketer to fully pursue her career as a musician. Having moved to Los Angeles, Mizanekristos connected with Teengirl Fantasy and contributed to the group’s 2013 album Tracer on the song “EFX”, which led her to meet Prince William from the label Fade to Mind. He introduced her to the sound of the record label and its sister imprint from London, Night Slugs. In May 2013, she appeared on Kingdom’s “Bank Head”, and five months later released her mixtape Cut 4 Me for free. Harriet Gisbone of The Guardian described the mixtape as “an experiment for the production team, the first time the production crew had used vocals on their club tracks.” Her track “Go All Night” was included on Saint Heron, a multi-artist compilation album released by Solange Knowles. The mixtape was heavily influenced by grime music, a popular electronic genre based in the UK, and helped revive the subgenre known as rhythm & grime. // In December 2013, DJ Kitty Cash released her Love the Free mixtape, which featured her song “The High”. Mizanekristos later released the track herself on February 4, 2014, on her SoundCloud.She also featured on Bok Bok’s song “Melba’s Call”, which was released on March 5. On March 3, 2015, Mizanekristos announced the release of her first EP, Hallucinogen, alongside the release of the lead single, “A Message”, and its accompanying music video. The second single, “Rewind”, was released on September 2. The EP covers the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship in reverse chronological order, and includes the previously shared “The High”. // In 2016, Mizanekristos was featured on “A Breath Away” from Clams Casino’s 32 Levels, “From the Ground” from Danny Brown’s Atrocity Exhibition, and “Scales” from Solange’s A Seat at the Table. In February 2017, she took part in Red Bull Sound Select’s 3 Days in Miami. Later that year, she was featured on the track “Submission” alongside rapper Danny Brown and provided additional vocals on the track “Busted and Blue” from Gorillaz’s album Humanz. // On July 14, 2017, Mizanekristos announced her debut studio album, Take Me Apart. It was made available for pre-order on August 1 alongside the release of the lead single, “LMK”. Three more singles preceded the album, “Frontline”, “Waitin” and “Blue Light”, before it was released on October 6, 2017. The album received widespread acclaim from music critics and featured on various year-end lists. It was also included in the 2018 edition of the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The music critic Craig Jenkins noted heavy electronic instrumentation on the album with “deconstructed dubstep wubs in ‘Blue Light’ and used the Roland synth that gave ‘Jupiter’ its name—an instrument famous for its blaring leads—to play sultry chiptune instead.” // On June 13, 2018, Mizanekristos was featured on the Girl Unit remix of the song “WYWD”, which served as the lead single from his upcoming album, Song Feel. The two have previously worked together on Cut 4 Me’s “Floor Show” and Hallucinogen’s “Rewind”. // On September 12, 2018, Mizanekristos announced Take Me a_Part, the Remixes, a remix album consisting of remixes from her debut album, and shared a remix for “LMK” featuring Princess Nokia, Junglepussy, Cupcakke and Ms. Boogie. The album features contributions from Kaytranada, Rare Essence, Serpentwithfeet and others. On September 26, Mizanekristos shared Kaytranada’s “Waitin” remix as the second single from the album. The album was released on October 5, 2018, making it a year since the release of Take Me Apart. // On September 13, 2022, Mizanekristos released “Washed Away”, her first single in five years along with a music video. On November 15, 2022, Mizanekristos announced her second studio album, Raven, would be released in early 2023. “Happy Ending”, “On the Run”, “Contact”, and “Enough for Love” were also released as singles prior to the release of the album. // On February 10, 2023, Raven was released. She performed “Enough for Love” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon the same day. // Raven includes collaborators such as Asmara from Fade to Mind’s NGUZUNGUZU, Philadelphia-based DJ and producer LSDXOXO, German ambient duo OCA, and Toronto DJ BAMBII. The album showcases Black futurist art and electronic music sharing inspiration with Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and Sun Ra to Janelle Monáe, Solange, Beyoncé, Drexciya and Aaliyah. // On November 10, 2023, Mizanekristos was featured on PinkPantheress’ debut album, Heaven Knows, on the song “Bury Me”. // On December 6, 2023, Mizanekristos announced the release of her second remix album Rave:N, the Remixes, a compilation of remixes from her album Raven released earlier that year. The album was released on February 9, 2024. “Contact (Karen Nyame KG Remix)”, “Closure (Flexulant x BAMBII Remix feat. RahRah Gabor & Brazy)”, “Happy Ending (A.G. Remix)”, and “Holier (JD. Reid Remix) [feat. Shygirl]” were singles leading up to the release of Rave:N, the Remixes. A music video was released for “Closure (Flexulant x BAMBII Remix feat. RahRah Gabor & Brazy)” along with vignettes for the other singles. // Kelela openly identifies as queer. In 2020, the artist made a reading primer that contained essays and literature, podcasts and videos, and documentaries as reference material for her friends, family and business partners. Resources included Reader on Misogynoir by Kandis Williams, The will to change by bell hooks and Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Umoja Noble; the Seeing White podcast and IGTV videos from Sonya Renee Taylor about Black labour called Are you stealing from Black folks? and More on Stealing from Black People: Right Relationship Beyond Capitalism; and The Last Angel of History (1996), which features interviews from the late Octavia E Butler and Greg Tate. The material inspired similar primers created and shared during the George Floyd protests and uprisings in 2020.]

KeiyaA – “Do Yourself a Favor”
from: Forever, Ya Girl / Forever Recordings / March 27, 2020
[This album was part of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2020. The debut album from KeiyaA originally from Chicago, now based in NYC. Written and produced by keiyaA, featuring additional production from dj blackpower & dj cowriiie. Mixed & mastered by BSTFRND. // Chakeiya Camille Richmond was born July 28, 1992. She is known professionally as Keiyaa (stylized as KeiyaA), is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and a record producer. She independently released her debut album Forever, Ya Girl in 2020. // Chakeiya Camille Richmond was born and raised in Chicago on the city’s south side. During childhood she sang in the Chicago Children’s Choir until switching to the alto saxophone in seventh grade. She cited soul artists including Chaka Khan, Patrice Rushen, jazz musicians like John Coltrane and Miles Davis and R&B groups such as SWV as early musical influences. She also finds inspiration in goth and post-punk/alternative rock artists like Nirvana and Siouxsie and the Banshees. // Richmond attended University of Illinois at Chicago and Columbia College to study jazz and play alto sax before leaving due to disillusionment with the program’s hierarchical nature, as well difficulty balancing school with working full-time. Shortly after she decided to pursue music professionally. // While still playing and performing on alto sax, she collaborated with Chicago musicians including Noname and Vic Mensa. She decided to switch her focus to solo work producing and singing R&B and electronic music. Perform-ing under the name Keiya, she released her debut EP, WORK, in July 2015. It was described as “emotional, sleepy, and yet strikingly optimistic” by These Days magazine. Shortly after its release she moved to New York. She added an additional “A” to her name (KeiyaA) in order to differentiate herself from other performers on streaming sites. // KeiyaA’s debut album Forever, Ya Girl was released in March 2020 and self-produced under her personal label Forever Recordings. It was reviewed by Olivia Ovendon for KEXP as featuring “powerful mantra-esque lyrics, and woozy, heady, immersive beats in captivating fashion.” Esquire described the sound as “downcast grime and smooth R&B.” Pitchfork writer Clare Lobenfeld rated the album an 8.2/10 and praised its “resolute realness that can only happen outside the major label gaze.” Forever, Ya Girl was named to Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian’s “Best Albums of 2020” lists. // She performed an NPR Tiny Desk concert at her home on February 11, 2021. // Keiyaa resides in Brooklyn.]

Amaarae – “Sex, Violence, Suicide”
from: Fountain Baby / Golden Angel LLC – Interscope / June 9, 2023
[Ama Serwah Genfi was born July 4, 1994. She is formerly known as Petrah and currently known as Amaarae, an American-Ghanaian singer & songwriter. She is known for her fusion of pop, R&B, afrobeats, and alté, as well as her fluid representation of gender and sexuality. After collaborating with local artists and putting out a few singles, she released her debut EP, Passionfruit Summers, in 2017. // In 2020, Amaarae released her debut album The Angel You Don’t Know to critical acclaim. The song “Sad Girlz Luv Money” featuring Moliy gained popularity on TikTok. In 2021 the song was remixed with a feature from Kali Uchis and charted globally. Pitchfork labeled the album “Best New Music” and named it the 19th best album of 2020. // On June 9, 2023, she released her highly anticipated second album Fountain Baby to rave reviews. // Amaarae was born in the Bronx, New York to Ama Bawuah and Kwadwo Boateng Genfi and was raised between Atlanta, United States and Accra, Ghana. She is the eldest of two children. Amaarae wrote her first song at the age of 13. During her teenage years, she enjoyed watching music videos and said that one of her most vivid memories was watching the music video for the Kelis song “Young, Fresh n’ New”. She recalls Kelis’ unique expression being an inspiration for her. // During high school, she started making mixtapes. By the age of 17, she took up an internship at a music studio. At a tertiary institution, she undertook voice training and honed her songwrit-ing skills while studying English literature. She returned to Ghana in June 2017. // Amaarae released her debut project Passionfruit Summers in 2017. The album features the song “Fluid”, which was complemented by a music video. // Amaarae was named one of Apple Music Africa’s Favourite New Artists in April 2018 and later that year became an Apple Music Beats 1 featured artist[16] for her debut project Passionfruit Summers which she released through her independent record label, Golden Child LLC on November 30, 2017. In Nov. 2018 she performed with Teni, BOJ and Odunsi (The Engine) at ART X Lagos, an art fair in Lagos, Nigeria. // Amaarae has also been acknowledged for her style and fashion sense. In 2018, she was featured in Vogue online in an article on four women across the globe with buzz haircuts and was mentioned as one of Vogue online’s Top 100 Style Influencers of 2018. She was nominated as Artist of the Year at the Glitz Style Awards in Ghana. She has also patronized Ghanaian fashion brand Free The Youth. On March 23, 2019, Amaarae was chosen to perform at the first Boiler Room event in Accra alongside La Meme Gang (A Collective comprising Nxwrth, RJZ, KwakuBS, Darkovibes, Kiddblack and $pacely) and rapper Kwesi Arthur. // Amaarae has since collaborated with Stonebwoy, Kojey Radical, M3NSA, Santi, Blaqbonez, Buju, Odunsi, B4bonah. In 2019, she collaborated with the Nigerian singer-songwriter Wande Coal. // On Nov. 12, 2020, Amaarae released her debut studio album, The Angel You Don’t Know. Owen Myers of Pitchfork wrote that it “crackles with innovation, a pacesetter at a time when industry bigwigs are waking up to the long-held truth that Africa is setting the global tempo for pop music.” // In May 2022, Amaarae, with Black Sherif, Stonebwoy and Smallgod met Kendrick Lamar when he visited Ghana and held a album listening party in Accra for his album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. // On June 9, 2023, she released her 2nd album Fountain Baby. The release also came with the news that she’d become the first Ghanaian to appear on NPR Tiny Desk.]

11:00 – Station ID

Bikini Kill – “Rebel Girl”
from: The Singles / Bikini Kill Records / June 23, 1998
[Bikini Kill is an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990. The group originally consisted of singer and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. // The band pioneered the riot grrrl movement, with feminist lyrics and fiery performances. Their music is characteristically abrasive and hardcore-influenced. // After two full-length albums, several EPs and two compilations, they disbanded in 1997. The band reunited for tours in 2019 and 2022, with Erica Dawn Lyle on guitar in place of Karren. // Bikini Kill formed in Olympia, Washington, in October 1990, by Kathleen Hanna (vocals), Billy Karren (guitar), Kathi Wilcox (bass), and Tobi Vail (drums). Hanna, Vail, and Wilcox met while attending The Evergreen State College in Washington. Hanna also published a fanzine called Bikini Kill for their first tours in 1991. The band wrote songs together and encouraged a female-centric environment at their shows, urging women to come to the front of the stage and handing out lyric sheets to them. Hanna would also dive into the crowd to personally remove male hecklers. Such male concertgoers would often verbally and physically assault Hanna during shows when the tickets were still inexpensive and easily procured. However, the band’s reach included large male audiences as well as young women. // Fellow riot grrrl musician Lois Maffeo originally adopted Bikini Kill as a band name, inspired by the 1967 B-movie The Million Eyes of Sumuru. She and her friend Margaret Doherty used the name for a one-off performance in the late 1980s where they donned faux fur punk cave girl costumes. Vail liked the name and appropriated it after Maffeo settled on the band name Cradle Robbers. // After an independent demo cassette, Revolution Girl Style Now, Bikini Kill released the Bikini Kill EP on the indie label Kill Rock Stars. Produced by Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi, the released help establish the band’s audience. The band’s debut album, Pussy Whipped, was released in September 1993. Bikini Kill toured in London, England to begin working with Huggy Bear, releasing a split album, Our Troubled Youth / Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah, and touring the UK. The tour was the subject of a documentary film by Lucy Thane titled It Changed My Life: Bikini Kill in the U.K. Upon their return to the United States, the band began working with Joan Jett of the Runaways, whose music Hanna described as an early example of the Riot Grrrl aesthetic. Jett produced the single “New Radio”/”Rebel Girl” for the band, and Hanna co-wrote several songs on Jett’s Pure and Simple album. // By the following year, Riot Grrrl was receiving constant attention in the media, and Bikini Kill were increasingly referred to as pioneers of the movement. Hanna called for a “media blackout” amongst Riot Grrrls, as they felt the band and the movement were being misrepresented by the media. The pioneer reputation endures but, as Hanna recalls, “[Bikini Kill was] very vilified during the ’90s by so many people, and hated by so many people, and I think that that’s been kind of written out of the history. People were throwing chains at our heads – people hated us – and it was really, really hard to be in that band.” // The band’s final album, Reject All American, was released in 1996. After the band’s breakup in 1997, a compilation of singles recorded between 1993 and 1995 was released in 1998 under the name The Singles. // During the summer of 1992, Karren, Wilcox, and Vail, along with Molly Neuman of Bratmobile, formed The Frumpies, touring as late as the early 2000s along with a similar Italian punk rock band Dada Swing. // Vail, notorious for her numerous side projects and being in several bands at a time, later resurfaced in a band called Spider and the Webs, and played with the Old Haunts until the band broke up in 2009. Kathi Wilcox played in the Casual Dots, who released albums in 2004 and 2022, and Billy Karren played in Ghost Mom. Hanna first contributed to an LP called Real Fiction as a member of the Fakes, and then turned to more dance-based new wave music (with similar feminist lyrical themes) on her solo debut, Julie Ruin. She then became a member of the political new wave outfit Le Tigre. After Le Tigre broke up, Hanna became the front woman of a band named after her solo project, The Julie Ruin, for which Wilcox plays bass. // In February 2016, a pro-Hillary Clinton clip utilizing the Bikini Kill song “Rebel Girl” began to go viral, but was taken down by Vail (who supported Bernie Sanders in the primary). // In 2017, Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox and Tobi Vail reunited to play one song at a book-release concert for Jenn Pelly’s book about the Raincoats. On January 15, 2019, Bikini Kill announced four U.S. shows, in New York and Los Angeles. The lineup for these shows included Hanna, Wilcox, Tobi Vail and touring guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle, who replaced Billy Karren in the lineup. The first show was April 25 at the Hollywood Palladium with Alice Bag as opener. In June the band played two European dates, in London at Brixton Academy, supported by Big Joanie, and with the Tuts and Child’s Pose opening. On September 15, they headlined the third day of the Riot Fest event in Chicago. /// On November 6, 2019, Bikini Kill announced a 13-date North American Tour for 2020, beginning in Olympia, Washington. The lineup for these shows was the same for the previous dates in 2019, and was scheduled to start March 13, 2020 at Olympia’s Capitol Theater. The remainder of the West Coast tour included shows in Victoria, B.C., where they were to be supported by Mecca Normal, and in Portland supported by the Lithics. The tour also included some European dates in June & August, including Oslo’s Øya Festival. The tour was rescheduled to 2022 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. // In Oct. 2022 the band announced an Australian tour for March 2023, their first Australian shows in 26 years, touring to Hobart, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, the Golden Plains Festival in country Victoria, Perth and at the Sydney Opera House. Hanna, Wilcox and Vail were joined by touring guitarist Sara Landeau, who played with both Hanna and Wilcox in The Julie Ruin. Vail also fell ill for part of the tour, leaving the band’s Australian drum tech Lauren Hammel (also of Tropical Fuck Storm) to fill in on drums for the Victorian shows. // Early in 2020, in an interview with Pitchfork, Hanna stated that the band had no plans at the time to create new material. // Current members: Kathleen Hanna – lead vocals, bass, Tobi Vail – drums, occasional lead vocals; and Kathi Wilcox – bass guitar, backing vocals, guitar, occasional drums.]

Death – “Politicians In My Eyes”
from: …For The Whole World To See / Drag City Records / February 17, 2009
[…For the Whole World to See is a studio album by the Detroit band Death, released in 2009 and consisting of various demos originally recorded in the mid 1970s. // In 1975 the band entered a studio to record a 12-song album. After refusing to change their group’s name, Death was turned away by Clive Davis of Columbia Records. Only seven songs were completed and the album was never released. The surviving songs were released as …For the Whole World to See in 2009 by Drag City. // Just prior to and right after the record’s release, the songs on …For the Whole World to See were performed live by Rough Francis, a band formed by the three sons of Death’s original bassist. With the record’s critical acclaim and praise from many other musicians, the two surviving members of Death reformed the band with a new guitarist to promote the record themselves. // Death is an American musical group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1971 by brothers Bobby (bass, vocals), David (March 19, 1952 – October 9, 2000) (guitar), and Dannis Hackney (drums, percussion). // The trio initially started as a funk group but quickly switched their style to rock after seeing concerts by the Who and Alice Cooper. Music critic Peter Margasak retrospectively wrote that David “pushed the group in a hard-rock direction that presaged punk, and while this certainly didn’t help them find a following in the mid-70s, today it makes them look like visionaries” – David himself having been called “the visionary of the group”. Publications such as Gawker have named them as one of the first punk rock bands. The band broke up in 1977, but unexpected interest in their music resulted in independent record label Drag City releasing their unreleased recordings from 1975 in 2009, and the band reforming. // In 1964, the three young Hackney brothers (David, Bobby and Dannis) watched the Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show with their father. The following day, David found a discarded guitar in an alley and used it to start learning to play. Brothers Bobby and Dannis soon followed suit and they began playing music together. Later, the young trio purchased the best instruments that they could afford with the money that their mother won in a car accident settlement. // The brothers practiced and recorded early demos in a room in the family home and performed their earliest gigs from their garage. Forming in 1971 and originally calling themselves Rock Fire Funk Express, guitarist David convinced his brothers to change the band’s name to Death in 1973 after their father died in an accident. David wanted to change the meaning of the word: “His concept was spinning death from the negative to the positive. It was a hard sell”, Bobby Hackney recalled in 2010. The name distinguished them from other all-black bands; their musical style, an innovation on an already evident musical approach in Detroit, further demarcated Death, “no doubt” the first all-black punk band. // On February 18, 1975, Death recorded seven songs written by David and Bobby at Detroit’s United Sound Studios with engineer Jim Vitti. According to the Hackney family, Columbia Records president Clive Davis funded the recording sessions but implored the band to change its name to something more commercially palatable. When the Hackneys refused, Davis ceased his support. Bobby and Dannis were tentative about this decision, ultimately prioritizing the brotherly relationship. The band only recorded seven songs instead of the planned dozen. The following year they self-released a single taken from these sessions on their label Tryangle Records. The single “Politicians in My Eyes” b/w “Keep On Knocking” saw a run of only 500 copies. // The Hackney brothers ended the band in 1977. The brothers then moved to Burlington, Vermont, and released two albums of gospel rock as The 4th Movement in the early 1980s. David moved back to Detroit in 1982 and died of lung cancer in 2000. Bobby & Dannis still reside in Vermont and lead the reggae band Lambsbread. Dannis is currently the drummer for the Vermont-based rock/funk band The Aerolites. // Copies of the “Politicians in My Eyes” 7″, and the story of Death continued to circulate in collector’s circles, with some copies selling for $800 due to their extreme rarity; one source of them was Don Schwenk, a friend of the Hackneys who was originally commissioned to create the album art for the upcoming LP, and was given a box of the singles in exchange. MP3s of the two songs from the single eventually found their way to Chunklet in 2008; around this time Bobby Hackney’s son Julian moved to California and heard the Death songs after a recommendation of a roommate and immediately recognized his father’s voice. Once the news of the discovery and the story of Death began to spread, it eventually reached Drag City Records, who contacted the Hackneys about the possible release of the album, who provided the label with the original master tape: In 2009, Drag City released all seven Death songs from their 1975 United Sound sessions on CD and LP under the title …For the Whole World to See. // In the meantime, the sons of Bobby Hackney (Julian, Urian, & Bobby Jr.), wanting to get the word out more, started a band called Rough Francis (named after a nickname occasionally used by their uncle David), covering the songs of Death after discovering the old recordings online. A March 2009 article in The New York Times by Mike Rubin, covering one of Rough Francis’ live shows and the history of Death introduced the band to an even wider audience. The popularity eventually reached Mickey Leigh, who invited both bands to play Joey Ramone’s birthday party. In September 2009, a reformed Death played three shows with original members Bobby and Dannis Hackney, with Lambsbread guitarist Bobbie Duncan taking the place of the late David Hackney. During a 2010 performance at the Boomslang Festival in Lexington, Kentucky, the band announced that Drag City would release a new album with demos and rough cuts that predate the 1975 sessions. The album Spiritual • Mental • Physical was released in January 2011. In 2014, Death released their third studio album III, and in 2015 their most recent record, entitled N.E.W. was released. // David was integral to the band’s style, that of mysticism and “eccentric spirituality”. // Members: Bobby Hackney, Sr. on vocals, bass (1964–1977, 2009–present); Dannis Hackney on drums (1964–1977, 2009–present); Julian Hackney on guitar (2023–present); Urian Hackney on guitar (2023–present). Past members: David Hackney on guitars (1964–1977, died 2000) and Bobbie Duncan – on guitars (2009–2023).]

Sweeping Promises – “Cross Me Out”
from: Hunger for a Way Out / Feel It Records / August 14, 2020
[“For more than a half century, underground music revolutionaries have taken a whack at the mundane mainstream like a piñata. England punks spat “NO FUTURE” at germ-free adolescents. Ohio new wavers devolutionized mankind with whips. Athens art school students chomped at hero worship. MetroCard-carrying riot grrrls rebirthed the bomp with a gasoline gut. In 2020, Sweeping Promises read our pandemic minds with Hunger for a Way Out. In 2023, they return with a new message: Good Living Is Coming For You. At first glance, this nouveau wave slogan offers hope wrapped around relief. At first listen, we realize this may actually be a warning. Darker still, a threat. // A band famous for their unfussy, monolithic anthems, Sweeping Promises elegantly ravage us again with another future classic. They return as a fist of velvet rose petals roaring inside a compact wrecking ball. Gone is the Boston brutalist ambience of their subterranean concrete laboratory and the revelatory single mic recording technique. In its place, a retired and resplendent nude painting studio in Lawrence, Kansas, bathed in light with high ceilings and hardwood floors. Guided once again by their surrounding architecture, a reverb-rich space remains the defining element at the heart of their highly stylized sound. A watery ghost from the golden age of art-punk now wields sharper knives and more microphones. // If the mood of HFAWO was hungry, GLICFY is RAVENOUS. In 2023, appetite is addressed in new ways: Power struggles are aired in “Eraser,” restraints are broken in “You Shatter,” anguished exclamations sting in “Good Living Is Coming for You.” The taboo subject of aging is (s)heroically dragged out into the open. Every line is delivered with such joyous, soaring layers that each punch lands like a chef’s kiss. // Sweeping Promises are Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug. A chance meeting in Arkansas led to a decade of playing in an eclectic assortment of projects together. Their relentless practice made perfect. Bass playing Lira is an emotive bolt of thunderous energy with the iconic blast of a girl group rolled into one robust throat. Caufield is an intentional guitar player and drummer. No note or hit is extraneous. Together they are meticulous sound engineers, using space as a key ingredient to their distinct sound. Controlling every aspect of their craft, from the first note they write together, all the way through to the final mastering process, each record is an unspoiled fingerprint unique to their dynamic chemistry. // Written before the pandemic, Hunger for a Way Out was released on Feel It Records in the summer of 2020. These songs drip with the anxious urgency of a commanding live performance yet their gauzy production transports us like the fading memory of a favorite song. This distorted sense of time resonated with thousands of quarantined listeners who turned the album into a life-saving floatation device and most beloved album of the year. This is when Feel It Records (North America) and Sub Pop (everywhere else) joined forces to divide/unite and conquer; beginning with the 2021 single “Pain Without a Touch” and now carrying through to Good Living Is Coming For You. // The pandemic went on to trigger an absurd chain of events for Sweeping Promises. Under financial strain, Mondal and Schnug uprooted their lives. They surrendered their studio in Cambridge to take refuge with family in Texas. They completed over 50 demos between their Austin bathroom and a Marfa abode, but feeling unsatisfied, they sought another fresh start. When a disused church in Ohio proved too difficult to rehab, they ultimately found lasting inspiration in Kansas. With their home and studio all under one roof, life is music and music is life. //Good Living Is Coming For You ultimately reflects being thrust into a severely unpredictable world. A capsized boat isn’t entirely bad. In fact, it can be the necessary push toward finding solid ground.” -Tracy Wilson (Courtesy Desk). Sweeping Promises played Outer Reaches Fest, on Sat, October 14 at recordBar, On the Les BonsBons Electrique stage w/, Keo & Them, Static Phantoms.]

Tierra Whack – “SHOWER SONG”
from: WORLD WIDE WHACK / Interscope Records / March 15, 2024
[Tierra Helena Whack was born August 11, 1995. She is an American rapper and singer. She originally performed as “Dizzle Dizz” as a teenager but reverted to her birth name in 2017. Her debut mixtape, Whack World, was released in May 2018 and received widespread critical acclaim. Her song “Mumbo Jumbo” was nominated at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Music Video. Whack has since collaborated with Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Tyler, the Creator, Chief Keef, and Melanie Martinez. // Whack was born in 1995 and grew up living with two younger siblings and their mother in North Philadelphia. In a 2018 interview with The Fader, Whack mentioned that she and her father are estranged. She was an introverted child who wrote to help herself deal with insecurities. As a child, Whack loved the author Dr. Seuss to the extent that she would rhyme the sentences together in her homework assignments. // Whack pinpointed the exact moment when her love for rhyming began. She had to rhyme for a homework assignment for class and after receiving positive feedback, she continued with it. She later asked her mother for composition books to fill with rhymes and lyrics before she eventually started recording herself. // Whack attended The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush in Philadelphia for three years before finishing high school in Atlanta. At Benjamin Rush, she was a vocal major and was one of the few black students in a predominantly white graduating class. With some difficulty, she and her friends persuaded their principal to let them perform the finale from Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit for the school vocal showcase; Whack performed a rap verse in the song. Later in Whack’s career, she toured with Lauryn Hill, who starred in the 1993 film. // At around fifteen, Whack who went by the moniker “Dizzle Dizz” appeared in a 2011 freestyle video produced by Philadelphia’s underground music collective We Run the Streets. Her mother drove past the group of men freestyling and encouraged her to join. She released several tracks as Dizzle Dizz including “Dizzy Rascvls”, but struggled with depression in the months afterwards. Despite being a teenager, Whack gained notoriety in the streets of Philadelphia as “Dizzle Dizz.”[14] Although she had growing fame, Whack grew bored. There was no way to make money in freestyling and no way to creatively grow. She claimed there was little experimentation and growth beyond battle rapping if she were to stay in Philadelphia. Her mother elected to move out of Philadelphia so Whack could finish school. After going to Atlanta with her mother, Whack began working at a Mister Car Wash allowing her to save for a Mac laptop and start recording her music. She was often the only woman working on the line at the car wash, and her former manager said she was a memorable person with an impressive drive, which Whack credits to her mother. // In Atlanta, Whack kept a low profile, having felt the effects of fame back home. She wanted to keep to herself to have a chance to solely focus on her music. By the time she returned to Philadelphia, she had a laptop full of two years’ worth of music, which she never ended up sharing with anyone. She left her family behind in Atlanta. During that time she was homeless for three months and hopped around staying at friends’ homes but refused to return to Atlanta. She believed staying in Philadelphia would be best for her music career. // By 2015, Whack was in Philadelphia and she reconnected with Kenete Simms, a sound engineer and music producer whom she knew from her teenage years. Whack credits Simms as being her collaborator. After she returned to working with Simms she learned how to properly mix her own music. Simms helped her use equipment in order to help her make music more easily. In 2017, she signed with Interscope Records; Johnny Montina is her manager. // In March 2017, Whack made her debut as Tierra Whack with three tracks, including “Toe Jam” and “Sh_ Happens”. In October 2017, she released “Mumbo Jumbo”, a hip-hop single and accompanying music video which featured the young rapper performing while wearing a mouth prop. Most of the lyrics to the track are purposefully unintelligible. She also toured with Flying Lotus in 2017. // Whack’s debut fifteen-track mixtape, Whack World, was released on May 30, 2018 and received a “Best New Music” accolade from Pitchfork. Critics praised the unusual format of the album—each song lasting precisely one minute. She released each short track on Instagram, each accompanied by a short film directed by Thibaut Duverneix and Mathieu Léger. The multimedia project received widespread critical acclaim. Robert Christgau gave the album an A-minus and reported in Vice that his wife, fellow critic Carola Dibbell, loved the video, saying, “it gave me reason for living”. // Often referred to as the “Missy Elliott” of this generation, Whack has gained a great amount of acclaim for the creativity and eccentricity of her music videos. The track “Mumbo Jumbo” received a nomination for Best Music Video for the 2019 Grammy Awards. In October 2018, Whack traveled to Tokyo for a long-term artistic sabbatical. // In an episode of Genius’ The Cosign series on YouTube in which current artists who have been in the industry have the opportunity to watch videos of newer artists, rapper Remy Ma chose to cosign Whack. Even though she mentioned seeing potential in each of the artists, Remy said, “I pick(ed) her because I feel like she brought the entire package as far as the song, the delivery, the vocals, and the actual visual. I feel like she did something that was super out of the ordinary, and I enjoyed it… I wanna watch it again.” In the episode of The Cosign, Whack’s music video for her single “Unemployed” was put in a group with music videos from other female MCs including Kash Doll, CupcakKe, Mulatto, Tay Money, and That Girl Lay Lay. // She has recorded as-yet-unreleased music with Meek Mill and Childish Gambino. In 2018, she toured with 6lack on his world tour, From East Atlanta with Love. Briana Younger, the writer for The Fader, wrote that “popular and mainstream rap hasn’t championed a darker-skinned woman since Missy Elliot…and Whack seems poised to be the one.” Whack acknowledged that women in the music industry often aren’t afforded the privilege to make art for art’s sake, but she refuses to let that inhibit her. Beginning February 19, 2019, Whack released one single per week for five weeks in a series she called “#whackhistorymonth.” These singles included “Only Child”, “Clones”, “Gloria”, “Wasteland”, and “Unemployed”. Whether these tracks will be released under a full-length album has not yet been revealed. Whack has said that she is not thinking about a timeline for a new album, saying “I’m not gonna drive myself crazy. I’m having fun creating what I’m creating.” Whack collaborated with Flying Lotus on the song “Yellow Belly” for his 2019 album Flamagra and she was later named as one of the members of XXL’s “2019 Freshman Class” on June 20, 2019. She appeared at many festivals in the 2019 festival season including Coachella, Primavera Sound, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Camp Flog Gnaw, Osheaga, and Austin City Limits. Her song “Unemployed” is featured in the football game FIFA 20. // Whack co-wrote and was featured in Melanie Martinez’s single “Copy Cat”, which was released on February 10, 2020. It marks the first time that Whack has worked in a professional capacity with Melanie Martinez.[29] In May 2020, Whack appeared alongside American rapper Lil Yachty on the song “T.D” which features rappers ASAP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator. The song was #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Whack’s first entry on the chart. She featured on the song “Me x 7” by Alicia Keys, taken from her seventh studio album, Alicia, in September 2020. Her 2017 single, “Mumbo Jumbo”, had an accompanying music video that garnered a Best Music Video nomination for the 2019 Grammy Awards. // In October 2020, Whack released her first solo single of the year titled “Dora”. In November 2020, she appeared in the 2020 Apple holiday commercial “The Magic of Mini” which featured the new singles, “Peppers and Onions” and “feel good” which were released coinciding with the introduction of the commercial. In April 2021, she released a single titled “Link”. The music video, created in partnership with the LEGO Group, had Whack sit with a group of schoolchildren as part of Lego’s “Rebuild the World” campaign, using their ideas as inspiration for the video. In December 2021, she released three EPs, Rap?, Pop? and R&B?. // March 15, 2024, Whack released her 2nd studio album “World Wide Whack” under Interscope Records, it received a 7.3 on the Pitchfork web site. In June 2024, she performed a Tiny Desk Concert featuring some songs from her new album; “Mood Swing”,”Accessible”, “Ms. Behave”, “Imaginary Friends”, “Moovies”, “27 Club” and “Shower Song” as well as earlier favorites: “Flea Market”, “Pretty Ugly”, and “Hungry Hippo”. The concert featured the mascot Phillie Phanatic as a proud supporter of her birth city quoting “anything Philly is all me”. // Whack’s beginnings in rap started with battle rapping and it is something she looks upon fondly. While she appreciates the foundation which it gave her for her music, she wanted to aim higher than just rap battles. Seeing artists such as Lauryn Hill, Andre 3000, and Eminem had inspired her to become a true artist. In doing so, she would be seen as something more serious than just a battle rapper. // Whack cites Outkast, Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, and Kelis as some of her musical influences. Whack claims there are many different things which inspire and motivate her and she wants to be able to portray those to her fans in her music. She credits Sesame Street and the children’s book No! David as some of her influences; that is clearly seen through her visuals from her album’s music video. Her inspirations come from everything, from her relationships to people to inanimate objects. Her single, “Only Child”, for example, was created after dating a man whose behavior she aligned with that of someone who grew up an only child. // Whack’s mother is often credited as one of if not the biggest inspirations for her music. She recalls her mother playing gangster rap during car rides. For her single “Unemployed”, her mother helped her create the key musical hook. // Whack has written poetry since she was a child. Writing was a way for her to deal with her shyness and insecurities. She is also an accomplished spoken word performer. // She lives in Philadelphia with her mother and her two siblings. She is still “Philly-based,” saying that Philadelphia is her home and where she feels grounded. She owns a cat, whom she named Starkey after the Whole Foods brand of sparkling water. She does not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. She is severely allergic to insects, a condition she satirizes in the music video for her 2018 track, “Bugs Life”.]

Gloria Jones – “Tainted Love (Single Version)”
from: Tainted Love: The Original Single / UMG / January 1, 1982 (Originally released in 1964)
[“Tainted Love” is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. Renowned session musician and virtuoso guitarist Glen Campbell played lead guitar. A version by Impedance reached #14 on the Canadian Dance charts, April 14, 1990. // American artist Gloria Jones made the first recording of “Tainted Love” in 1964, with renowned session guitarist Glen Campbell on lead guitar. The song was written and produced by Ed Cobb and arranged by Lincoln Mayorga. It was the B-side of her 1965 single “My Bad Boy’s Comin’ Home”, which was a commercial flop, failing to chart in either the US or the UK. According to Nick Talevski, before Jones recorded the song, Cobb had offered it to the Standells, whom he managed and produced, but they rejected it. The Standells say that the song was never offered to them, and that they were not signed to Cobb’s company Greengrass Productions until 1966, some two years after Jones’s recording. // In 1973, British club DJ Richard Searling purchased a copy of the almost decade-old single while on a trip to the United States. The track’s Motown-influenced sound (featuring a fast tempo, horns, electric rhythm guitar and female backing vocals) fit in perfectly with the music favoured by those involved in the UK’s Northern soul club scene of the early 1970s, and Searling popularised the song at the Northern soul club Va Va’s in Bolton, and later, at Wigan Casino. // Owing to the new-found underground popularity of the song, Jones re-recorded “Tainted Love” in 1976 and released it as a single, but it also failed to chart. This version was released on her album Vixen and was produced by her boyfriend Marc Bolan. // It attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell in 1981 and has since been covered by numerous groups and artists. // In 2014, NME ranked it number 305 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.// Gloria Richetta Jones (born October 19, 1945) is an American singer and songwriter who first found success in the United Kingdom, being recognized there as “The Queen of Northern Soul”.She recorded the 1965 hit song “Tainted Love” and has worked in multiple genres as a Motown songwriter and recording artist, backing vocalist, and as a performer in musicals such as Hair. In the 1970s, she was a keyboardist and vocalist in Marc Bolan’s glam rock band T. Rex. She and Bolan were also in a committed romantic relationship and had a son together. // Jones first met Marc Bolan of T. Rex in 1969 while performing in Hair (Los Angeles cast). While touring in Europe, Bolan and Jones met for the second time at the Speakeasy in London. In 1972, she was recommended by Warner Brothers’ Bob Regehr to sing backing vocals behind T. Rex at Winterland in San Francisco. // Soon after joining T. Rex, Jones and Bolan became romantically involved. They had a son, Rolan Bolan (b. September 26, 1975). She sang backing vocals and played clavinet with T. Rex from 1973 to 1977. Her rendition of “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” appears as a bonus track on T. Rex’s album Bolan’s Zip Gun. Jones released an album in 1976, called Vixen, which featured several songs written by Bolan, and he also was the producer for the album. // In 1977, Jones worked with the group Gonzalez, producing several of their singles, and also penning the disco hit, “Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet” for the group. She toured the UK with Gonzalez, first on the Bob Marley tour, and then with Osibisa. // She was the driver of the car, a Mini 1275 GT, that struck a tree near Barnes Common, killing Bolan at 4:00am on September 16, 1977, on the way back to Bolan’s Richmond property. They had been returning from an evening at a restaurant in Mayfair where they had both been drinking wine. Jones was found by her brother Richard with her foot trapped beneath the clutch by the engine. Bolan was found unconscious in the passenger seat, which had been dislodged and landed in the rear of the vehicle. Jones was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Bolan was not wearing a seat belt. Jones was conscious after the crash. Bolan, who was a passenger in the car that slammed into the tree, was pronounced dead at the scene on the arrival of paramedics. Jones survived the crash but was critically injured. She sustained a broken jaw in the crash. When she recovered sufficiently to leave hospital, she was informed that Bolan’s fans had looted most of their possessions from their house. She was later scheduled to appear in court in London on charges of being unfit to drive and of driving a car in a dangerous condition. However, she left the UK with her son and returned to the US before the court date so the Coroner’s Court recorded a verdict of accidental death. // Having lost her possessions, Jones moved with her son back to Los Angeles, where they stayed with Jones’s family. // In 1978, she released the album Windstorm, which she dedicated to the memory of Bolan: the back cover reads, “Special dedication in memory of my son’s father, Marc Bolan, whom we miss very much.” Her single “Bring on the Love” was a success on the American R&B chart. // Jones stayed in the music industry for several years after, releasing an album produced by Ed Cobb, titled Reunited in 1981. She also collaborated again with Billy Preston and other Cogic Singers for a 1984 reunion album The Cogic’s. She has since worked as a musical supervisor for films. // On her 1982 album Reunited, she was proclaimed “Northern Queen of Soul”. // In 2010, together with her son Rolan, she established the Marc Bolan School of Music & Film in Makeni, Sierra Leone. / She is featured in the film 20 Feet from Stadium.]

Lilblackkids, Georgia Anne Muldrow & Keith Rice – “The Wait” \
from: Planet Of The Blues: Part Two / Epistrophik Peach Sound / October 22, 2023
[Following their release of the original “Planet Of The Blues” EP in early 2022, Singer, Producer “Georgia Anne Muldrow” and Producer,Songwriter, Instumentalist “Keith Rice” collaborate again as “LilBLACKKIDS” for their Sequel EP “Planet Of The Blues Part Two” now available on dsps.]

Los Rakas & Big Klef – “Candela”
from: “Candela” – Single / WSAMG / August 26, 2022
[Los Rakas was born in the youth centers of Oakland, CA in 2006. This duo are of Panamanian descent and raised in both cultures. Los Rakas are known for rocking any party – from youth events to world wide festivals, they hype the crowd and get the party all the way live! What is a raka? a person who is proud of who they are. ore info at: losrakas.com]

AKU – “FALASTINI PIANO”
from: “FALASTINI PIANO” – Single / Records DK / January 12, 2024

11:34 – Underwriting

The Roots – “Somebody’s Gotta Do It (feat. Jean Grae)”
from: The Tipping Point / Geffen Records / January 1, 2004
[The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by singer Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, having served in the same role on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 to 2014. Current regular members of The Roots on The Tonight Show are Captain Kirk Douglas (guitar), Mark Kelley (bass), James Poyser (keyboards), Ian Hendrickson-Smith (saxophone), Damon “Tuba Gooding Jr.” Bryson (sousaphone), Stro Elliot (keyboards and drums), Dave Guy (trumpet), Kamal Gray (keyboards), and Raymond Angry (keyboards). // The Roots are known for a jazzy and eclectic approach to hip hop featuring live musical instruments and the group’s work has consistently been met with critical acclaim. ThoughtCo ranked the band #7 on its list of the 25 Best Hip-Hop Groups of All-Time, calling them “Hip-hop’s first legitimate band.” // In addition to the band’s music, several members of the Roots are involved in side projects, including record production, acting, and regularly serving as guests on other musicians’ albums and live shows. // Black Thought with the Roots in 1999: “The Roots originated in Philadelphia with Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter while they were both attending the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.] They would busk out on the street corners with Questlove playing bucket drums and Black Thought rapping over his rhythms. Their first organized gig was a talent show in 1989 at the school where they used the name Radio Activity, which began a series of name changes that progressed through Black to the Future and then The Square Roots. Another MC, Malik B., and a permanent bass player, Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, were added to the band before the release of their first album. In 1992, they dropped the “Square” from “Square Roots” because a local folk group had claim to the name.” // Unable to break through in their native Philadelphia, the band briefly moved to London, where they would release their 1993 debut, Organix. The album was released and sold independently. In the span of a year, the band developed a cult following in Europe, boosted by touring. The Roots would receive offers from music labels, and the band eventually signed with DGC/Geffen. // Several members, including longtime member Malik B., left the group. In December 2001, the Roots backed Jay-Z for his MTV Unplugged concert. With heightened popularity came mounting pressure. The Roots released Phrenology (named after the pseudoscience of the same name) in 2002. Despite not charting as high as Things Fall Apart, reaching a peak of No. 28 on the charts, Phrenology was commercially successful, being certified gold, and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. At the time, however, there came rumors that the Roots were losing interest in their signing with MCA. During this time, the band backed Jay-Z for his 2003 farewell concert in Madison Square Garden and appeared in the accompanying Fade to Black concert film. // After Phrenology, Ben Kenney and Scratch both left the group; Kenney joined the rock band Incubus. This culminated with the release of 2004’s The Tipping Point, the byproduct of several jam sessions. The album earned two more Grammy nominations: one for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the track “Star/Pointro” and another for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for the track “Don’t Say Nuthin’.” The Tipping Point peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard album chart. In 2005, Home Grown! The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Roots, Volumes 1 & 2, a two-disc compilation album, was released. The Roots were among several performers on the 2006 film Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, whose event took place on September 18, 2004, and was released on film two years later.]

Outkast – “In Due Time (with Cee-Lo) – Single”
from: “”In Due Time” – Single / RCA Records / September 16, 1997
[A single from the Soundtrack to Soul Food the soundtrack to the 1997 film of the same name. It was released on September 16, 1997, through LaFace Records and mainly consisted of R&B music with some hip hop music. The soundtrack was a success, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certified double Multi-Platinum on February 17, 1998. Four singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100: “I Care ‘Bout You” , “What About Us?” by Total, “We’re Not Making Love No More” by Dru Hill, and “A Song for Mama” by Boyz II Men, the latter of which was a number 1 R&B single. The soundtrack was also noted for the fictional quintet group Milestone, consisting of K-Ci & JoJo (of Jodeci), Babyface and his brothers, Kevon and Melvin Edmonds (of After 7), who all came together once for their single and cameo appearance in the film. // Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop acts of all time, the duo achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, helping to popularize Southern hip hop with their intricate lyricism, memorable melodies, and positive themes, while experimenting with a diverse range of genres such as funk, psychedelia, jazz, and techno. // Patton and Benjamin formed Outkast as high school students. They released their debut studio album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik in 1994, which gained popularity after its single “Player’s Ball” peaked atop the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. The duo further experimented and honed their sound with their second and third albums ATLiens (1996) and Aquemini (1998), both of which were met with critical acclaim. They then achieved mainstream recognition and continued acclaim with their fourth album Stankonia (2000), which was supported by the singles “B.O.B.” and “Ms. Jackson”, the latter of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. // The duo then released the double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003), their only album to debut atop the Billboard 200. It received Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), was supported by their second and third number one singles: “The Way You Move” (performed by Big Boi) and “Hey Ya!” (performed by André 3000), respectively, and won Album of the Year at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. Outkast starred in the 2006 musical film Idlewild and recorded the film’s accompanying soundtrack, which was released as their final album three days before the film’s release. The duo split the following year, and both members have pursued solo careers. Outkast temporarily reunited in 2014 to celebrate their debut album’s 20th anniversary with performances at more than 40 festivals worldwide, beginning at the Coachella Festival in April 2014. // Along with being one of hip hop’s most influential acts, Outkast is also one of the most successful, having certified sales of 20 million records between six studio albums and a compilation album, as well as having earned six Grammy Awards. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked them No. 7 on its list of the “20 Greatest Duos of All Time”, while publications such as it and Pitchfork have listed their albums among the best in all of hip hop and of all time.]

Mach-Hommy – “Self Luh”
from: Balens Cho (Hot Candles) / Mach-Hommy, Inc. / December 4, 2021
[Mach-Hommy is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for concealing his real name and face in all public appearances, a practice that has led him to be described as “one of hip-hop’s most elusive artists”. // Mach-Hommy has gained a cult following as a result of his work ethic and sense of mystery. His lyrics are often heavily related to the social and political history of his Haitian heritage. Though he predominantly raps in English, he also frequently incorporates Haitian Kreyòl into his lyrics. He disallows his lyrics from being posted on lyric sites, describing such republishing as the sites “monetizing” his work,[3] and he charges hundreds and even thousands of dollars for his releases, many of which are not available on streaming services. // Mach-Hommy was raised predominantly in Newark, New Jersey, but also spent much of his childhood in Port-au-Prince. His father was a folk guitarist, and Mach credits his father’s musical style as an influence on his own. The first music Mach recorded was at the age of 13, when he performed a freestyle over the beat to Raekwon’s “Verbal Intercourse”. // In his early career, Mach found the music recording process to be an “unhealthy” environment and sought to take up filmmaking instead. However, at the encouragement of several Griselda members, he performed a verse for the song “Beloved”, which motivated him to begin rapping again. // Mach-Hommy first received widespread attention after the release of his 2016 album, H.B.O. (Haitian Body Odor), which he sold via Instagram. Mach pressed only 187 copies of the H.B.O. CD and sold them for $300 apiece, before eventually uploading the album to SoundCloud in 2017. He released numerous other albums in the following years, many of which were sold at high prices through services like Bandcamp and never released on streaming services. // In 2021, Mach-Hommy released his album Pray for Haiti on most streaming services. Mach stated that he would donate his share of profits from the album to the Pray for Haiti Trust Fund, a charity he established to fund educational services and institutions in Haiti. Pray for Haiti also brought Mach a greater level of attention from the music press, with Pitchfork honoring the album with a “Best New Music” award and Rolling Stone describing it as “a modern hip-hop classic”. // Mach-Hommy has intermittently associated with the Griselda Records label. Though Mach was once considered part of the Griselda collective, he separated from them after a falling-out with Westside Gunn, and as of 2017 Mach-Hommy was unaffiliated with the label.[6][7] Mach and Gunn eventually reconciled in late 2020, as Westside Gunn served as an executive producer of Pray for Haiti. // On May 17, 2024, Mach-Hommy independently released #Richaxxhaitian. The album contained features from Kaytranada, 03 Greedo, Roc Marciano, and Black Thought, among others. The album received positive reviews from critics. // In an interview with Billboard, Mach stated that he speaks every Romance language. He is also an avid fisher and hunter. // Mach-Hommy cites a wide range of writers as influential upon him, including William Shakespeare, Chinua Achebe, George Orwell, Lorraine Hansberry, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Dante. He also cites political and philosophical thinkers such as Malcolm X, C. L. R. James, Thomas Aquinas, and Friedrich Nietzsche. He cites Prodigy and Mobb Deep as musical influences.]

Teedra Moses – “BE YOUR GIRL (KAYTRANADA REMIX)”
from: BE YOUR GIRL (KAYTRANADA REMIX) – Single / Back Moses Ent. / May 4, 2018
[Teedra Shenita Moses was born December 17, 1976. She is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter. // Moses was born and raised in New Orleans. She later moved to Los Angeles with her mother and three siblings after her parents separated.// Her childhood has been a direct influence on her musical style, her mother was a gospel singer and she was raised on gospel, jazz, zydeco and blues. // Moses recalls wanting to listen to the music that was then being played on the radio, but her mother made her listen to gospel. The final song on her debut album, “I Think of You (Shirley’s Song)”, is dedicated to her late mother. // Prior to becoming a recording artist, Moses worked as an assistant wardrobe stylist alongside her best friend Nonja McKenzie for artists such as Will Smith, Kelis, R. Kelly and No Doubt. But after breaking her leg on a video set, Moses decided to follow her heart and make music. // Moses teamed up with producer Paul Poli and signed with the Indie Record Label, TVT Records to release her debut album Complex Simplicity in August 2004. Complex Simplicity included fourteen tracks penned by Moses, with dominant production handled by Poli; the two would share a deserved executive production credit. The album underperformed on the major U.S. chart, debuting and peaking at number one hundred and sixty-eight on the Billboard 200. However, the album was critically acclaimed, otherwise finding success on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, the Top Independent Albums, and the Top Heatseekers charts, reaching number twenty, number eleven, and number ten, respectively. It is now considered a cult classic. // In addition to executive producing and penning all the lyrics on her own project, Moses has written songs for other artists including Nivea, Christina Milian, Mary J. Blige and others. She was featured on and co-wrote two songs from Raphael Saadiq’s 2004 album Ray Ray, “Chic” and “I Want You Back”. Her songs have been showcased in the Logo series Noah’s Arc as well as in the HBO hit show Entourage, and in movies such as Never Die Alone, Beauty Shop, and Be Cool. // Though Moses had not released a studio album in several years, she could be found touring and doing live shows on a regular basis. From March to November 2010 Moses was a spokesmodel on the Lady Hennessy Tour. In addition, Moses continued to release underground, all-original mixtapes for her fans to enjoy while she awaited a new label deal that was necessitated by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed by the now defunct TVT Records in 2008. //On March 25, 2011, it was announced that Moses had signed to rapper Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group via Warner Bros. Records as its first female artist. In 2011, Moses released the Luxurious Undergrind mixtape. // In February 2014, Moses released the single “All I Ever Wanted,” which samples Dynasty’s 1980 song “Adventures in the Land of Music”. The song was released as the lead single from her EP Cognac & Conversation, which is co-executive produced by Rick Ross and Raphael Saadiq. // In December 2014, it was reported that Moses signed to Shanachie Records after the ill-fated alliance with Maybach Music Group. Moses revealed singer Avery Sunshine was the reason why she signed with the label, due to the success that Sunshine is having while being on Shanachie’s roster. On August 8, 2015, finally second album Cognac & Conversation was released. // When writing songs, Moses prefers to do so alone in her own space. Commenting on this Moses said; “I hate to admit it because it sounds so weird, but I don’t like other energies around me. I need to be alone, in my own space, with just me and my music so I can be honest with whatever I feel from the music; otherwise I’m just giving something from the surface.” Moses also tries to always be honest with her lyrical content noting it as important to her, expanding on this Moses commented saying “If I’m honest with people, then people will feel that. And that’s been my experience so far, just being frank about my feelings about life, and my experiences in life and love. I think me being honest like that is why I’ve gained sincere fans. From here to America, sincere people who really dig me, that can quote lyrics.”]

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

NEXT WEEK, on February 26 – Just Angel and T.A. Rell join us to share new music, plus Bill Belzer & Charlie Colborne of Miss Boating will be here, and we’ll also talk with Dylan Pease and members of the band, 4 Dimensional Flowers.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

This radio station is more than the individual hosts of each individual radio show. Instead it is about a collective spirit of hundreds of hardworking people, unselfishly setting aside ego, to work for the greater good of community building and the gigantic goal of keeping our airwaves free, non-commercial, and open to all! Congratulations and thank you to all programmers & volunteers who went the 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

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Show #1083

WMM Playlist from February 12, 2025

Posted on February 13, 2025 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, February 12, 2025

WMM presents: Ross Brown of Fullbloods + Run With It + Nathan Reusch & Zach Laman of KC Synthesizer Collective

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

Lady Blackbird – “Like A Woman”
from: Slang Spirituals / Foundation Music Production / September 13, 2024
[Marley Munroe was born January 18, 1985. known professionally as Lady Blackbird, is an American-born jazz and soul singer-songwriter, working primarily in the United Kingdom. She has been described as “the Grace Jones of jazz”. // Munroe was raised in Farmington, New Mexico by a religious family and was encouraged by her parents to sing from a young age, first performing the national anthem at local basketball games and in church. By 12, she signed with a Christian record label based in Nashville, which resulted in work with the rap and rock trio DC Talk. This contract was in place until Munroe was aged 18 in around 2003, but she had realised by 16 that she did not identify fully with the Christian music world and decided to leave at the contract’s end. Munroe then became an independent musician, touring with DC Talk’s TobyMac and appearing on his first four solo albums, and doing sessions in New York City and Los Angeles. This included collaborations with notable artists such as Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Sam Watters, Tricky Stewart and Louis Biancaniello. // Her next record deal was signed with Epic Records in 2013. Munroe released two pop-soul singles on the label, but left relatively soon afterward due to creative differences, as “Epic wanted more of an R&B direction.” Around this time, Munroe wrote and sang backing vocals for Anastacia’s 2014 single “Staring at the Sun”. // Following the end of her contract with Epic, Munroe began working with friend and Grammy-nominated producer Chris Seefried. In his LA studio, they experimented with jazz ballads, and recorded an original song called “Nobody’s Sweetheart” and an interpretation of the 1966 song “Blackbird” by Nina Simone, using a cappella vocals and then building the music around Munroe’s voice. The song inspired Munroe to take up the stage name Lady Blackbird, rather than using her real name as she had previously planned. // “Blackbird” was released in May 2020 as Munroe’s debut single under the Lady Blackbird moniker, bringing her to mainstream critical attention. Despite having been recorded a year earlier, its release coincided with the Black Lives Matter movement in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, bringing a sombre contemporary context to the song about Black womanhood. // Munroe signed to BMG Rights Management in July 2021. Her debut album, Black Acid Soul, a further collaboration with Seefried, was released on September 3, 2021, with physical editions released on January 28, 2022. The album bears a strong jazz influence and emphasis on pared-back vocals, with a number of covers and reinterpretations of songs from the 1960s and 70s. These include “Collage” by The James Gang, “It’ll Never Happen Again” by Tim Hardin, and “Wanted Dead or Alive” by The Voices of East Harlem. The title was coined by Seefried as a made-up sub-genre, and is also the name of the final track. // The album peaked at number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. It also entered the Official Jazz chart at Number One, as well as number 20 on the Vinyl chart. Three songs also hit number one on the UK Indie Breakers Chart through 2022 and 2023. A two-disc deluxe edition, containing five bonus tracks and some remixes, was released in October 2022. The singles “Feel It Comin” and “Woman” peaked at number 39 and 35, respectively, on the Official UK Top 40. // Black Acid Soul received a five-star review in The Guardian, with Alexis Petridis describing it as “musically understated, stark and rooted in jazz”. Petridis was “struck by the sense of an artist who’s finally found her calling” and noted, “these are songs and performances that burn deep into you.” // Following the album’s release, Munroe performed on a number of television shows, including The Graham Norton Show, The Jonathan Ross Show, and Radio 2’s Piano Room, as well as at numerous jazz festivals and supporting Gregory Porter on tour. //Munroe has said her second album Slang Spirituals is “about women’s empowerment”. // In 2023, producer Trevor Horn recorded a remake of Grace Jones’ “Slave to the Rhythm”, which he co-wrote, with Lady Blackbird on lead vocals. It was released on September 25 as the lead single from Horn’s album Echoes: Ancient & Modern.]

10:10 – TRAИƧA and otherwise

One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. This 6-LP Box Set spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working in music today. Many of the artists in this collective we have been featuring on WMM since our inception as a radio show. More info at: https://redhot.org/ From this new collection we are going to hear Lauren Auder + Wendy & Lisa – “I Would Die 4 U”

But first. a track that also quotes the lyrics of Prince, the new single is from Moses Sumney, Syd & Meshell Ndegeocello – “Hey Girl(s)”is a new version of “Hey Girl” from Moses Sumney’s 2024 EP Sophcore. “Hey Girl(s),” features Syd (of the Internet) and Meshell Ndegeocello. Ndegeocello said, “I was excited when Moses thought of me for this song because I love his voice, it’s just otherworldly, and this song spoke to me because of the way he pushes a romantic narrative into the future. It was a pleasure to get a glimpse into his process and an honor to be part of it.” // This year Meshell Ndegeocello won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Jazz Album for – No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin. She’s the only artist ever to win the category, as she took home the trophy in 2024, too, for The Omnichord Real Book, when Best Alternative Jazz Album was handed out for the first time.

Moses Sumney, Syd & Meshell Ndegeocello – “Hey Girl(s)”
from: Hey Girl (s) – Single / TUNTUN Records / February 5, 2025
[Moses Sumney has released a new version of his Sophcore song “Hey Girl.” The new song, called “Hey Girl(s),” features Syd (of the Internet) and Meshell Ndegeocello. In a statement, Ndegeocello said, “I was excited when Moses thought of me for this song because I love his voice, it’s just otherworldly, and this song spoke to me because of the way he pushes a romantic narrative into the future. It was a pleasure to get a glimpse into his process and an honor to be part of it.” // This year Meshell Ndegeocello won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Jazz Album for No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin. She’s the only artist ever to win the category, as she took home the trophy in 2024, too, when it was handed out for the first time. // Written by Moses Sumney, Syd, Meshell Ndegeocello, Zach Cooper, Vic Dimotsis. Produced by Zach Cooper, Moses Sumney, King Garbage. Rhodes and Synths by Zach Cooper; Drums by Vic Dimotsis, Graham Jonson; Piano by Moses Sumney; Horns/Woodwinds by Hailey Niswanger; Guitar and Bass by Zach Cooper; and Percussion by Abe Rounds. Vocal Engineering by Beatriz Artola (Electric Lady Studios), Moses Sumney (Blackalachia Studios); Horn Engineering by Hailey Niswanger. Mixed by Ben Baptie and Chris Tabron. Mastered by Joe LaPorta (Sterling Sound) // Moses Sumney (born May 19, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter. His self-recorded EP, Mid-City Island, was released in 2014. He released another five-song EP in 2016, titled Lamentations. His first full-length album, Aromanticism, was released in September 2017. His second studio album, Græ, was released in 2020. Sumney has performed as an opening act for James Blake, Solange Knowles, and Sufjan Stevens. // Born in California, Sumney was raised by pastor parents, and moved with his family back to Ghana at the age of 10. He described his childhood as “Americanized” by this age and had difficulty adjusting to the culture of Ghana, especially the rural nature of his new environment. There he grew up on a goat farm in Accra and commuted by public bus to school. His family returned to Southern California when Sumney was 16, settling in Riverside. // He did not learn to play any instruments until he was older, writing a cappella music for years instead. Sumney did not perform his musical compositions publicly until he was 20. // >>> After high school, he moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to attend the University of California, Los Angeles. He majored in creative writing and studied poetry, which helped him improve his songwriting. // A singer, songwriter, and producer working in a variety of pop and folks styles, Syd was born Erin Sidney in Burlington, Vermont, where he started out first as a drummer before picking up the guitar at the age of 15. He began posting his music online and, gaining a fan base through his efforts, he moved to Boston and met drummer Jason Gardner while attending college. They decided to work together, and the two began recording Week Days, Weak Knees in Gardner’s apartment. Self-released, the record sold respectably and Syd began to up his performance schedule to promote the album. Many of his live performance recordings were traded by fans, which in turn helped spread his music even further. With his music career gathering momentum, Syd released his sophomore album, Fault Lines, in 2004, followed by The Way We Found It in 2007 and the Upswing EP in 2009. Syd has also been active as a producer and drummer, contributing to albums by Mia Dyson as well as performing and recording with Hotels & Highways, the Pullmen, and Radio Skies. In 2016, following a seven-year gap, Syd began issuing songs, one at a time, which eventually culminated in the 2017 full-length album, Easy Magic. ~ Bradley Torreano // >>> Meshell Ndegeocello is an unassuming colossus whose body of work extends far beyond the early hits and virtuosic bass playing with which she is most associated. “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night),” her taunting and funky breakout single, immediately set her apart as an instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer. Less than a year after the song entered Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop, dance, and pop charts, Ndegeocello was nominated for four Grammys, including Best R&B Album for Plantation Lullabies (1993) and Best Pop Vocal Collaboration for “Wild Night,” her Top Ten hit duet with John Mellencamp. Ndegeocello has remained impossible to typecast ever since. A preternatural synthesist, she has mixed and moved across jazz, blues, soul, funk, and reggae, as well as folk and rock. As a leader, she has alternated just as freely between small combos and large ensembles, and as a session musician and featured artist has written and recorded across an even wider spectrum of styles. In addition to her lithe and melodic primary instrument and vocals encompassing authoritative raps, pensive spoken word, and ethereal choruses, Ndegeocello has played keyboards, drums, and guitar, among other instruments. Foremost among the many highlights in her catalog are three additional Grammy-nominated albums: the oft-pointed and probing Peace Beyond Passion (1996), the imaginative covers set Ventriloquism (2018), and the wide-scoped Omnichord Real Book (2023), the latter of which marked her Blue Note debut and took the first Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album. The following year, Ndegeocello was behind the Sun Ra tribute Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City and No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin. // Michelle Lynn Johnson was born in Berlin and raised primarily in Washington, D.C. Her father Jacques Johnson was a U.S. Army sergeant major, educator, and tenor saxophonist who played extensively in army bands and recorded several albums. Interested in a wide range of music, the younger Johnson began to play bass in and around D.C. in her teens, performing with go-go bands such as Rare Essence, Prophecy, and Little Benny & the Masters. She graduated from Duke Ellington School of the Arts and studied music at Howard University before moving to Harlem. In New York, she played in clubs, auditioned for Living Colour (the role went to Doug Wimbish), and contributed to 1991-1993 recordings by the Lenny White-produced group Voyceboxing, saxophonist Steve Coleman, and singers Toshi Kubota and Caron Wheeler. During this period, Johnson was on the brink of quitting music and had enrolled in barber college when her otherwise ignored solo demo attracted a deal with Maverick, the Warner-distributed label launched by Madonna. // Having been credited for her session work under Me’Shelle, Meshell Johnson, and Me’Shell NdegéOcello, Johnson settled on the latter with the Swahili word for “free like a bird” as her last name. Her solo album debut was made in October 1993 with Plantation Lullabies. From the start, Ndegeocello showed a natural disinclination for conforming to industry genre designations, freely blending funk, jazz, and hip-hop with mature contemporary R&B. Ndegeocello produced the entirety of the album with David Gamson (Scritti Politti), André Betts (Madonna’s “Justify My Love”), and Bob Power (A Tribe Called Quest) alternating as co-producers. Veteran musicians such as Wah Wah Watson, Geri Allen, and Bill Summers were involved as much as younger contributors like Joshua Redman and DJ Premier. In addition to her fluid and melodic basslines, Plantation Lullabies displayed Ndegeocello’s aptitude for both singing and rapping and ease with switching from confrontational to seductive modes. It also showed Ndegeocello as a lyrical firebrand confronting racism and related issues such as beauty standards and the faults of capitalism. “If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night),” its most attitudinal and energetic single, reached number 23 on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart, number 20 on the dance chart, and cracked the Hot 100, peaking at number 73. While that song was taking hold, John Mellencamp released his cover of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night” with Ndegeocello on bass and co-lead vocals. The duet went to number three on the Hot 100. Ndegeocello was subsequently nominated for four Grammys: Best R&B Album, Best Rhythm & Blues Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (both for “If That’s Your Boyfriend”), and Best Pop Vocal Collaboration (for “Wild Night”). // Almost three years passed between the release of Ndegeocello’s first and second albums. During the interim, she was heard on albums by Madonna, Marcus Miller, and Guru, among others, and appeared on soundtracks and compilations ranging from Higher Learning and Panther to the Red Hot Organization project Stolen Moments, joined on the latter by Herbie Hancock. Peace Beyond Passion, Ndegeocello’s second full-length, was produced by main Plantation Lullabies collaborator David Gamson and made with many of the same associates. Leaner and more atmospheric qualities distinguished it from the debut. The set, which added Gene Lake (drums), Wendy Melvoin (guitar), Billy Preston (organ), and Bennie Maupin (bass clarinet) to the Ndegeocello collaborative mix, saw release in June 1996 and peaked on the Billboard 200 at number 63, considerably higher than the debut. Along with originals as provocative as their titles indicated — “Deuteronomy: Nggerman,” “Leviticus: Fggot,” and so forth — Peace Beyond Passion contained a cover of Bill Withers’ “Who Is He (And What Is He to You?)” that topped Billboard’s dance chart. At the 39th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, Peace Beyond Passion was up for Best R&B Album, and Chaka Khan’s November 1996 single “Never Miss the Water,” featuring Ndegeocello on bass and secondary vocals, was nominated in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. // Busying herself with more soundtrack and session activity, Ndegeocello again took three years to deliver another album. In addition to appearances on Batman & Robin and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, she recorded with an assortment of artists including the Rolling Stones, Queen Pen, and Scritti Politti. Bitter, on which she was billed as Meshell Ndegéocello, arrived in August 1999. Downcast, reflective, and organic with sympathetic production from Craig Street, Ndegeocello’s third album was bolstered by instrumental support from the likes of Wendy & Lisa, along with guitarists Ronny Drayton, David Torn, and Doyle Bramhall II. It was also notable for setting off a long-term association with bassist and guitarist Chris Bruce. While only “Grace” was promoted as a single, “Beautiful” and “Fool of Me,” and a version of Jimi Hendrix’s “May This Be Love” draped with strings, became some of Ndegeocello’s best-known ballads. Bitter’s release was trailed by more soundtracks and collaborations. Albums from Indigo Girls, John Mellencamp, Ledisi, Joe Henry, and Lamb arrived from late 1999 through the first half of 2002 with Ndegeocello the common factor. // After a few delays, Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape, recorded in mid-2001 with Ndegeocello and Allen Cato as co-producers, landed in June 2002. It marked the simplification of the musician’s name with the dropping of the accent from Ndegéocello. Threaded with sampled spoken passages from the likes of Dick Gregory, Gil Scott-Heron, and Angela Davis, Cookie was also packed with similarly sharp, often rapped critiques from Ndegeocello herself, leading with “Dead N*gga Blvd.,” a song targeting hollow gestures and the perpetuation of racist stereotypes, among other issues, with a call to “redefine what it means to be free.” Caron Wheeler and Lalah Hathaway supplied some of the LP’s additional vocals, while the single “Pocketbook” was remixed by Rockwilder and Missy Elliott with appearances from Redman and Tweet. Cookie became Ndegeocello’s second album to crack the upper half of the Billboard 200, and it was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Contemporary R&B Album. The following October, Ndegeocello closed out the Maverick era with the sensual Comfort Woman. Its liquid funk and reggae grooves, anchored by Ndegeocello’s bass and Chris Dave’s drums, were co-produced by Cato. // Setting up temporarily with the Shanachie label, Ndegeocello moved forward with The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel. A significant departure, the exploratory and entirely self-composed set was rooted in jazz and primarily instrumental. Ndegeocello opted to not sing, leaving its few vocal turns to Cassandra Wilson, Lalah Hathaway, and Sabina Sciubba, and shared bass duties with Matthew Garrison. Also among the shifting personnel was drummer Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist Oliver Lake, and clarinetist Don Byron. Dance of the Infidel was the leader’s first album to register on Billboard’s jazz chart, reaching number nine upon release in June 2005, and was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Instead of remaining in that stylistic mode, Ndegeocello continued to keep listeners on their toes with album seven, The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams. Had it not been preceded by a rumbling cover of Radiohead’s “The National Anthem” and a Grammy-nominated radical reworking of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Fantasy,” it would have likely surprised her entire fanbase. The fruit of another one-album label affiliation — this time with Decca — The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams ranged in approach from the confrontational and driving rock of “The Sloganeer” to the lovelorn folk of “Shirk,” featuring Pat Metheny and Hervé Samb on guitar, and a secondary vocal from Oumou Sangare. // Ndegeocello capped the 2000s in October 2009 with Devil’s Halo, recorded for Downtown Music subsidiary Mercer Street. One of her tightest and most rock-oriented albums, it was made with a core backing band of Deantoni Parks (drums), Chris Bruce (guitar), and Keefus Ciancia (keyboards), and was filled with candid songwriting, as well as a longing cover of Ready for the World’s “Love You Down.” She then settled in with the Paris-based Naïve label for four projects. The same trio of players backed her for the first of these, Weather, a collaboration with Joe Henry that arrived in November 2011. Along with the fraught “Dirty World” and strutting “Petite Mort” were spare readings of Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel” and Soul Children’s deep Stax gem “Don’t Take My Kindness for Weakness.” Next, in October 2012, Ndegeocello detoured again with Pour Une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone, interpretations of songs Nina Simone either wrote or covered herself, from Simone and Weldon Irvine’s “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black” to Cohen’s “Suzanne.” Parks, Bruce, and keyboardist Jebin Bruni backed Ndegeocello, who shared lead vocals with the likes of Sinéad O’Connor, Toshi Reagon, Lizz Wright, and Valerie June. Comet, Come to Me followed in June 2014. Drummer Earl Harvin joined Bruni and Bruce as primary support, and Doyle Bramhall II contributed vocals and guitar to two songs. Stylistically, Comet, Come to Me picked up where Weather left off, highlighted by probing soul-blues-rock hybrids like “Conviction,” the rootsier “Good Day Bad,” and a creative update of Whodini’s “Friends.” It was the eighth album Ndegeocello placed on the Billboard 200, and her tenth on the R&B/hip-hop chart. The Naïve phase concluded in March 2018 with Ventriloquism. An imaginative all-covers set with Abe Rounds on drums, it refreshed songs dating mostly from the ’80s, including Prince and Wendy & Lisa’s “Sometimes It Snows in April,” Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam’s “I Wonder If I Take You Home,” and the System’s “Don’t Disturb the Groove.” Ventriloquism was up for a Grammy in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album. // During the years Ndegeocello was on Naïve, she contributed to a wide assortment of additional sessions led by the likes of Victor Wooton, Robert Glasper, Chris Connelly, Ibeyi, and Marc Ribot. Moreover, she produced Jason Moran’s All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller and Marcus Strickland’s Nihil Novi, a pair of Blue Note dates. That activity continued in 2020, throughout which Ndegeocello factored in material from Joan as Police Woman, Pat Metheny, and Lakecia Benjamin, and also Glasper. “Better Than I Imagined,” pairing Ndegeocello with H.E.R. for Glasper’s Black Radio III, was the winner of that year’s Grammy for Best R&B Song. Additional Ndegeocello collaborations from 2021 to 2023 occurred on projects from Antonio Sanchez, Brandee Younger, and Sam Gendel. During this period, Ndegeocello covered “Fantastic Voyage” for the David Bowie tribute album Modern Love. // Tightening her association with Blue Note, Ndegeocello signed with the historic label for her 13th album. The Omnichord Real Book, a double-length set of genre-spanning work on which she was joined by the likes of Moran, Younger, and Jeff Parker, with Josh Johnson as producer, was released in June 2023. It was her first set of primarily original material in almost a decade. It won the inaugural Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album eight months after arrival. The Red Hot Organization recruited Ndegeocello to curate the 2024 benefit project Red Hot & Ra: The Magic City. The nine-song benefit set — featuring all originals by the curator and her collaborators inspired by Sun Ra — was released that April. Its cast included jazz luminaries such as nonagenarian saxophonist Marshall Allen (current leader of the Sun Ra Arkestra), drummer Deantoni Parks, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, and saxophonist/vocalist Darius Jones. Ndegeocello then returned on Blue Note with No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin, an extension of a theatrical production she presented at Harlem Stage in 2016. The August 2024 release of No More Water coincided with writer/activist Baldwin’s 100th birthday. ~ Andy Kellman]

Lauren Auder + Wendy & Lisa – “I Would Die 4 U”
from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
[One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. // Dust Reid, who led production on Red Hot’s 2014 tribute to Arthur Russell, and Massima Bell, an artist and activist based in Los Angeles, began tracing the contours of what would become TRAИƧA together in 2021. The two producers originally met at a video shoot in upstate New York, and immediately bonded over their shared love of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music, as well as a common devotional connection to nature. // The passing of SOPHIE, the pathbreaking electronic producer who died in January 2021, galvanized the producers and focused their work. “We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts,” says Reid. “We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or non-binary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.” // Bell and Reid began conceiving of the album as a spiritual journey in eight chapters, a mirror of the original eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. The narrative begins at the earliest awareness of consciousness; moves through awakening, trauma, and grief; and arrives at liberation and continual reinvention. “One thing trans people do all the time is turn grief into possibility,” says Bell. “Living under the ongoing Western binary system, trans people reveal maps of possibility for everyone. It’s something that we can all learn from – expanding the possibility of human life.” Each chapter begins with a “chapter track,” kicking off a collection of songs that speak to that chapter’s theme. // As the producers began inviting musicians to contribute to TRAИƧA, the political climate in the United States and across the world started to foment an acute reactionary streak. Legislation denying trans people the hard-won right to medically transition proliferated across the country. Book bans rained down on libraries, stamping shut crucial apertures into trans and queer lives. The necessity of TRAИƧA’s presence in the world started to crystallize. // “The stakes have never been higher,” notes Bell. “We’re seeing a rise in anti-trans hate and vitriol that is particularly being spewed in the United States. I am a trans person from Iowa, one of the states that signed into law a bill that prohibits access to gender-affirming care. It is clearly, materially, a terrifying time.” // TRAИƧA FEATURED ARTISTS:Adrianne Lenker * Ahya Simone * Alan Sparhawk (Low) * Allison Russell * Am Taylor * Anajah * Ana Roxanne * André 3000 * Anjimile * Arthur Baker * Asher White * AV María * Babehoven * Bartees Strange * Belina Rose * Benét * Beverly Glenn-Copeland * Bill Callahan * Blake Mills * Bloomsday * Calvin Lauber * Caroline Rose * Cassandra Croft * Cassandra Jenkins * Christian Lee Hutson * claire rousay * Clairo * CLARITY * Cole Pulice * Dave Longstreth * Devendra Banhart * Eileen Myles * Eli Winter * Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland * Ezra Furman * Faye Webster * Fleet Foxes * Frankie Cosmos * Gary Gunn * Gia Margaret * Green-House * Grouper * Hand Habits * Heart Shaped * Helado Negro * Hunter Schafer * Jamal Shakeri * Jay Dee Daugherty * Jayne County * Jeff Tweedy * Jlin * Joy Guidry * Julianna Barwick * Julie Byrne * Julien Baker * Kara Jackson * Kathi Wilcox * KB Brookins * Kelela * Laraaji * Laura Jane Grace * Lauren Auder * Lee Ranaldo * Lightning Bug * Lomelda * Lucy Liyou * Lynn Avery * Lyra Pramuk * L’Rain * Mary Lattimore * MIZU * Moor Mother * More Eaze * Moses Sumney * Nico Georis * Niecy Blues * Nina Keith * Nsámbu Za Suékama * NYC Trans Oral History Project * Pepper MaShay * Perfume Genius * Pharoah Sanders * Quinn Christopherson * Rachika Nayar * Sade Adu * Sam Smith * Sharon Van Etten * SKY * SOAK * Soft Rōnin * Sparkle Division * Taryn Blake Miller * Teddy Geiger * Time Wharp * Wendy & Lisa of the Revolution * Yaeji * Yaya Bey // >>> Lauren Auder was born in 1998. She is a British-French singer-songwriter and record producer. Born in Watford and raised in the French town of Albi, she began her career producing for underground French and English rap artists. Auder signed to True Panther Sounds and made her solo debut in 2018 with the EP Who Carry’s You, which was followed by the EP Two Caves In in 2020. Her debut album, The Infinite Spine, was released on 18 July 2023. // Auder was born in Watford, near London, where she lived until the age of seven when she moved with her music journalist parents to Albi, France to avoid the “hectic and expensive lifestyle” of London. At the time of their migration, her mother worked at NME, while her father worked at Kerrang!. She revealed in 2015, at the age of seventeen, that she was doing literary studies in Albi. In 2015, Auder began working with artists in the London underground hip hop scene such as Lord Pusswhip, Jeshi and Slowthai, while also self-publishing content onto SoundCloud on the side. During this period of her early career, Daisy Jones of Dazed wrote, “With [her] woozy, far-away vocals and dreamy, half-baked beats, the 17-year-old French-English producer sounds like King Krule if [she] got heavily into hip hop and pushed [her] music through a coedine-coated seive.” After graduating from high school in September 2016, she returned to London shortly after signing to independent record label True Panther Sounds. // In December 2017, Auder made her professional solo debut under True Panther Sounds with the single “The Baptist” which was inspired by Maurice Duruflé and received acclaim from Pitchfork. This was followed by her second single “These Broken Limbs Again Into One Body” in February 2018. Both singles would feature on her debut EP Who Carry’s You, which was released in March 2018. In October 2018, she accompanied Christine and the Queens on their tour of Europe supporting the album Chris (2018). // Supported by the singles “June 14th” and “Meek”, Auder’s second EP Two Caves In was released in March 2020. In September 2020, Auder and Boston-based producer Mmph provided American band Haim a remix version of the song “Summer Girl” by for their titular remix EP. In December 2020, Auder and American singer-songwriter Caroline Polachek released a cover version of the song “Some Small Hope” by Virginia Astley.// Auder released her third EP, 5 Songs for the Dysphoric, in February 2021. Her first album The Infinite Spine was released on July 18, 2023. // Auder is a baritone vocalist. Daisy Jones of Noisey described her musical style as orchestral pop. Steve Janes of WithGuitars.com wrote that she “adopt[s] the ethos of classic era baroque pop to fuse elements of post-rock and soul with modern classical, ambient and experimental electronics.” Auder cites French composer Maurice Duruflé and California rap duo Main Attrakionz as some of her biggest musical influences, while also being inspired by romantic poets such as William Blake. // In September 2019, Auder came out as transgender. She used the pronouns up until August 2020 when she began publicly identifying as a woman. She told i-D: “In a lot of ways I’ve known forever, and in other ways I’ve known since I was 12, and in other ways I’m only just figuring it out, but I’m way more in touch with myself and how I feel and who I want to be […] I think it’s made me more confident and aware of myself. That transition in my life, and becoming an adult, has gone hand in hand with the way I present my work.” // As of October 2020, Auder resides in Bermondsey in England. // Wendy & Lisa (briefly known as Girl Bros.) is a music duo consisting of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. They began working with Prince in the early 1980s and were part of his band the Revolution, before branching out on their own and releasing their eponymous debut studio album in 1987. In recent years they have turned their attention to writing music for film and television and have won an Emmy Award. // They have released five studio albums, with their most recent album being 2008’s White Flags of Winter Chimneys. // In 1980, Lisa Coleman replaced Gayle Chapman in Prince’s touring band on keyboards and piano. Coleman was asked to contribute vocals to several tracks over his next few albums. In 1983, guitarist Dez Dickerson left the band over religious conflicts. Prince invited Wendy Melvoin (Lisa’s girlfriend at the time) into the band as they began to record Purple Rain (1984). The film and album turned Prince and the newly named Revolution into superstars. Prince’s personal life also became intertwined with Melvoin’s when he began dating her twin sister Susannah. // After Purple Rain (1984), Prince and the Revolution recorded Around the World in a Day (1985) and then Parade (1986), the soundtrack to Prince’s film Under the Cherry Moon (1986). In interviews, the two reported they felt they were not getting the recognition and credit they deserved despite their growing contributions to his work. During 1986, Melvoin and Coleman became increasingly disillusioned with Prince’s decision to expand the Revolution with non-musicians, such as Wally Safford and Greg Brooks, and Prince’s increasing machismo that these new members brought with them. Unhappy and vocal about their feelings, they were eventually convinced to remain with the band through the end of the Hit N Run – Parade Tour. However, Prince felt spurned and as a result he had already decided he would dissolve the Revolution once the tour was complete. Hence, by October 1986, Melvoin and Coleman (along with Bobby Z.) were dismissed by Prince, disrupting the Dream Factory album that was already completed and effectively dissolving The Revolution. // In 1987 the duo released an album simply titled Wendy and Lisa on Columbia Records in the US and on Virgin Records in the UK. The singles released were “Honeymoon Express”, “Waterfall” and “Sideshow” but none hit the top 40 on either side of the Atlantic. The follow-up album, Fruit at the Bottom, was released in 1989. The singles released were “Are You My Baby?”, “Lolly Lolly” (remixed by Prince) and “Satisfaction”, which gave them a top 40 single in the UK. “Waterfall ’89” failed to capitalize on the success of “Satisfaction” and reached another minor placing. // In 1990, the duo signed with Virgin Records in the US (which was already their label in Europe) and released Eroica. However, this too met only minor chart success. In 1991, Virgin UK released the remix album Re-mix-In-a-Carnation, a selection of club mixes from the first three albums as remixed by producers like the Orb, William Orbit, and Nellee Hooper. // In the mid-1990s, Wendy & Lisa worked on several movie projects with record producer Trevor Horn. They recorded an album with him as producer, but had a falling out (according to them, due to Horn and his wife Jill Sinclair’s alleged homophobia) and the project was shelved, leaving the master tapes in Horn’s hands and acrimony between the parties involved. // Their next solo effort – the 1998 album Girl Bros. – was the first to be independently released, with all subsequent releases also self-released. // In 2004, the duo reached a rapprochement with Prince and contributed to several tracks on his Planet Earth (2007) album. // In December 2008, White Flags of Winter Chimneys was released. The title is taken from a line in the Joni Mitchell song “Hejira”. 2011 saw the release of the Snapshots EP, which came with limited edition artwork, autographs and a photo book. It is a 6-track collection of songs that were recorded over the preceding 20 years of their careers but had previously never been released. // Melvoin and Coleman have done session work and/or written songs with Seal, k.d. lang, Joni Mitchell, Meshell Ndegeocello, Pearl Jam, Terence Trent D’Arby, Lisa Germano, Lisa Marie Presley, Liz Phair, Michael Penn, Grace Jones, Tricky, the Three O’Clock, Uh Huh Her, Sheryl Crow, Victoria Williams, Rob Thomas, Gwen Stefani, Skye Edwards, Scritti Politti, Nerina Pallot, OK Go, Madonna, The Like, Nina Gordon, fDeluxe, the Family, Doyle Bramhall II, Nikka Costa, André Cymone, Kate Earl, Eric Clapton, Bettye LaVette, Ilse DeLange, Mac Miller, and Walk the Moon. Their vocals were featured on the soundtrack for Toys (1992). // Their first scoring project was for Dangerous Minds (1995). The team has scored numerous TV shows and films, including popular TV shows like Crossing Jordan, Heroes, Nurse Jackie and Firefly Lane. // Wendy & Lisa technically share the honor of winners of a Grammy and Oscar for being part of the Revolution, as Purple Rain (1984) won two Grammys, and the Oscar for Best Original Score. In 2010, they received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for their work on Nurse Jackie. They received the ASCAP award for Composers of the Year for their work on Dangerous Minds (1995), the theme to HBO’s Carnivàle, Crossing Jordan and Heroes. They were nominated for an Emmy in 2012 for the main title theme for the Fox show Touch. // Melvoin and Coleman have made numerous contributions to television themes. They wrote theme music and background scores for TV shows such as Shades of Blue, Crossing Jordan, Bionic Woman, Carnivàle, Heroes, Mercy and Showtime’s Nurse Jackie. // In 2001 they worked with Neil Finn on his second solo album, One Nil. // They have also been featured on several film scores and soundtracks, including Dangerous Minds (1995), Hav Plenty (1997), Something New (2006), and Wine Country (2019). The film Toys (1992) featured their song “The Closing of the Year” as its main theme, and they also produced the full-length Heroes: Original Score, released in April 2009, composed entirely of their full-length compositions for each of the show’s characters. They scored the TV series Touch created by Crossing Jordan and Heroes creator, Tim Kring. // Melvoin and Coleman collaborated with Grace Jones for her 2008 album Hurricane.]

Benjamin Booker – “SLOW DANCE IN A GAY BAR”
from: Lower / Fire Next Time Records / January 24, 2025
[Third full length album from Benjamin Booker was born Benjamin Roderick Evans on June 14, 1989. He is an American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He cites The Gun Club, Blind Willie Johnson and T. Rex as influences. His music was described by the Chicago Tribune as “a raw brand of blues/boogie/soul,” by The Independent as “frenzied guitar-strumming and raw, soulful vocals that are hair-raising in intensity” and by Spin as “bright, furious, explosive garage rock.” // Benjamin Booker was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His family relocated to Tampa, Florida, where he attended all-ages DIY punk shows as a teenager. He attended Orange Grove Middle School, a magnet school for the performing arts, followed by Hillsborough High School, where he studied in the International Baccalaureate Program. He then attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, studying journalism with intentions of going into music journalism. After college, he moved to New Orleans to work for a non-profit organization and began playing shows. He self-released the four-track EP Waiting Ones in 2012, a collection of “low-fi blues-influenced folk-punk recordings and handclap percussion” that gained the attention of music blog Aquarium Drunkard. The track “Have You Seen My Son” eventually landed on Sirius XM satellite radio. In 2013, he began touring as an electric duo and signed with ATO Records to produce his debut album.

beabadoobee – “Coming Home”
from: This is How Tomorrow Moves / Dirty Hit / August 9, 2024
[This Is How Tomorrow Moves is the third studio album by the Filipino-English singer and songwriter Beabadoobee. It was released by English independent label Dirty Hit on 9 August 2024.[1] It features the singles “Take a Bite”, “Coming Home”, “Ever Seen”, and “Beaches”. “Real Man” was later released as the album’s fifth single. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, making it her first to do so. // Beabadoobee had released two studio albums since 2020. With the release of This Is How Tomorrow Moves at age 24, critics started calling it her first “adult” album. The singer pivoted to new themes, moving away from the teenage angst on her previous records. It is primarily an indie rock record which incorporates dream pop and indie-pop heavily influenced by the early 2000s. // Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus[a] was born June 3, 2000. She is known professionally as Beabadoobee (/biːbəˈduːbiː/; bee-bə-DOO-bee), is a Filipino-British singer-songwriter. From 2018 to 2021, she released five extended plays (EPs) under the independent label Dirty Hit: Lice (2018), Patched Up (2018), Loveworm (2019), Space Cadet (2019) and Our Extended Play (2021). Her debut studio album Fake It Flowers was released in October 2020, and received critical acclaim. Her second studio album, Beatopia, was released on 15 July 2022, which spawned the hit “The Perfect Pair”. Her third studio album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, was released on 9 August 2024; it became her first album to peak atop the UK Albums Chart. // Beabadoobee served as a supporting act for labelmates the 1975 during several legs of their Music for Cars Tour, as well as American singer Clairo during her Immunity Tour. She was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2020 Brit Awards, and was presented with the Radar Award at the 2020 NME Awards. Beabadoobee was also predicted as a breakthrough act for 2020 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2020. In 2023, Beabadoobee was an opening act for Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour. // Laus was born in Iloilo City in the Philippines on 3 June 2000 and moved to the United Kingdom with her parents at the age of three. She grew up in West London listening to original Pinoy music as well as pop and rock music from the 1990s. While she was a teenager, she listened to indie rock artists including Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Florist and Alex G. // She studied at Sacred Heart High School, an all-girls Catholic school, before completing her thirteenth year at Hammersmith Academy. Laus spent seven years learning to play the violin, before getting her first guitar second-hand at the age of 17. She also learned through watching YouTube tutorials produced by other accomplished guitarists. She was inspired by Kimya Dawson and the Juno soundtrack to start making music. She identifies as bisexual. Laus says that she can understand the Philippine languages Hiligaynon and Tagalog fluently, but cannot speak them. // The first song Beabadoobee wrote on her guitar was “Coffee”.[20] She took her professional name as a joke when her friend and producer Oscar Lang was preparing to upload “Coffee” and suggested she release her music under an artist name. Beabadoobee was a name she had invented for her finsta account because none of her names were being accepted by Instagram. // She released “Coffee” as well as a cover of Karen O’s “The Moon Song” in September 2017. “Coffee” gained over 300,000 views on YouTube, as well as the attention of Dirty Hit Records. She signed to the label in April 2018. This was followed by the release of her debut EP Lice in March 2018 and her second EP Patched Up in December 2018. In January 2019, Beabadoobee was placed with Billie Eilish on NME’s annual list of “essential new artists”, the “NME 100”. She subsequently released her third EP titled Loveworm. Beabadoobee released an acoustic version of this EP titled Loveworm (Bedroom Sessions) in July 2019. // In September 2019, Beabadoobee embarked on her first tour supporting Clairo on her Immunity Tour, before releasing her fourth EP, Space Cadet, in October 2019. Beabadoobee subsequently made the front cover of NME on 25 October 2019.[14] She was shortlisted for the Rising Star Award at the 2020 Brit Awards in December 2019.[34] In November 2019, Beabadoobee released a pair of Spotify Singles, one being a cover of “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds as well as a version of “She Plays Bass” recorded in Abbey Road Studios in London. In December 2019, Beabadoobee was longlisted in the annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2020. // In February 2020, Beabadoobee performed at the 2020 NME Awards after winning the Radar Award. She supported labelmates the 1975 on their Music for Cars Tour for both the U.K. leg in February 2020. She was scheduled to also support the band during the North American leg of this tour in April 2020,[39] however it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. // A sample of Beabadoobee’s 2017 debut single “Coffee” was used on Canadian rapper Powfu’s 2019 single, “Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)”. The song became a massively successful sleeper hit after going viral on the app TikTok in early 2020, becoming Beabadoobee’s first official chart entry in her career, both locally and internationally. By April 2020, it had entered the Top 5 in several countries including the U.K., Australia and New Zealand. It earned gold certification status in Belgium, Canada, France, Mexico and New Zealand, as well as Platinum or higher in the U.S. and the U.K. among several other countries. Speaking about her reaction to the popularization of “Death Bed”, Beabadoobee said, “I’m not going to lie, it was overwhelming… I kinda hated it. I hated more people knowing about the first song I’d ever written and not my others. I was so stubborn but I grew into it and accepted that’s just how life works. I was extremely grateful for its existence and it’s only given me more opportunities.” // Beabadoobee announced her debut studio album, Fake It Flowers, and released its lead single “Care” on 14 July 2020. In early August 2020, she released the album’s second single, “Sorry”, and revealed the album’s track listing, cover art and official release date. Beabadoobee released “Worth It” as the third single, “How Was Your Day?” as the fourth single, and “Together” as the fifth and final single of Fake It Flowers. The album was released on 16 October 2020 to critical acclaim and spent one week in the UK Albums Chart at number 8. According to sales in the United States, Billboard ranked Beabadoobee as the Top New Rock Artist of 2020. In 2021, she embarked on a headlining tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland to support the album. // Beabadoobee released the single “Last Day on Earth” on 24 March, produced and co-written by Matty Healy and George Daniel of the 1975. The musician announced that the single is taken from her EP Our Extended Play, which she said that she wrote with her labelmates “on the countryside”. // Her second album, Beatopia, was announced on 23 March 2022. It was released on 15 July 2022 through Dirty Hit and spawned the R.I.A.A. Gold certified song “The Perfect Pair.” // In January 2023, Beabadoobee posted the snippet of an unreleased song on TikTok, which soon went viral across the website due to its popularity with couples and the approach of the upcoming holiday. “Glue Song” was later released on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2023, with another version featuring Clairo released on 17 April 2023 which charted in several countries. The collaboration gained significant attention and marked a continued evolution in her sound, blending chamber pop with heartfelt lyrics inspired by her personal experiences. // Starting in March 2023, Beabadoobee toured in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. Beabadoobee also performed as an opening act on twelve shows of the US leg of Taylor Swift’s 2023 The Eras Tour. // On June 29, 2023, Beabadoobee announced that she would cancel her European tour due to an unspecified illness. She then announced a new single on July 11, 2023, called “The Way Things Go”, which was released on July 19, was released on October 20, 2023. // Her third studio album, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, was released on August 9, 2024, which went on to debut at number 1 in the UK, making it her first number-one album. // Laus has cited Elliott Smith, Mac DeMarco, the Moldy Peaches, Pavement, Mazzy Star, the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, and Daniel Johnston as her musical influences.[4][15] She has a tattoo of Johnston’s artwork from the cover of his album Continued Story with Texas Instruments. In a 2018 interview with Vice, she expressed plans to make film soundtracks in the future as they heavily inspired her to make music. Laus’ musical style is also deeply influenced by 90s alternative rock and shoegaze bands like The Cure, The Smiths, My Bloody Valentine, and The Smashing Pumpkins.]

FKA Twigs – “Eusexua”
from: EUSEXUA / Young Recordings / January 24, 2025
[EUSEXUA is the third studio album from FKA twigs and follow up to CAPRISONGS which was part of WMM 120 Best Recordings of 2022. CAPRISONGS was the follow up to FKA Twigs November 8, 2019 album MAGDALENE, which was #29 on WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. // Tahliah Debrett Barnett was born on January 16, 1988. She is known professionally as FKA Twigs. She is a British singer and songwriter, raised in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. She became a backup dancer after moving to South London when she was 17 years old. She made her musical debut with the extended plays EP1 (2012) and EP2 (2013). Her debut studio album, LP1, was released in August 2014 to critical acclaim, peaking at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and number 30 on the US Billboard 200. It was later nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize. She released the M3LL155X EP in 2015 to further critical praise, as well as her second studio album Magdalene four years later. Her work has been described as “genre-bending”, drawing on various genres including electronic music, trip hop, R&B, and avant-garde. Her work has been compared to the work of Tricky as well as Kate Bush, Janet Jackson, The xx, and Massive Attack, while Slate described her work as distinctive in a way that rises above her influences. The Wall Street Journal described her as “an heir to futuristic R&B muses like Aaliyah, Missy Elliott and others under the progressive sway of producer Timbaland.” Describing her artistry, she said: “I am not restricted by any musical genre. I like to experiment with sounds, generating emotions while putting my voice on certain atmospheres […] I found my own way of playing punk. I like industrial sounds and incorporating everyday life’s sounds like a car alarm.” FKA Twigs has been associated with the alternative R&B tag, though she herself has rejected the R&B label as related to her race: “It’s just because I’m mixed race. When I first released music and no one knew what I looked like, I would read comments like: ‘I’ve never heard anything like this before, it’s not in a genre.’ And then my picture came out six months later, now she’s an R&B singer. I share certain sonic threads with classical music; my song ‘Preface’ is like a hymn. So let’s talk about that. If I was white and blonde and said I went to church all the time, you’d be talking about the ‘choral aspect’. But you’re not talking about that because I’m a mixed-race girl from south London.” The first singers who influenced FKA Twigs were Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Marvin Gaye. When she started composing songs, she wanted to reproduce music she liked: “every bit of music that I made sounded like a pastiche of Siouxsie and the Banshees or Adam Ant. But through that I discovered myself”. In an interview after being shortlisted for the 2014 Mercury Prize, Twigs cited GERMFREE ADOLESCENTS by X-Ray Spex as her favorite album of all time.]

10:30 – Underwriting

Fullbloods – “Fish in a Bowl”
from: Playing It Safe / High Dive Records / March 7, 2025
[Third Single from the 4th studio album of Fullbloods released February 7, 2025. The 2nd Single was released January 10, 2025. 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. More information at: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

[Fullbloods play The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO on Friday February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show. ]

[Fullbloods play Hillsiders 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Friday, March 7 at 8:00 PM for their own PLAYING IT SAFE Album Release Show with Schemada, and 2w33dy.]

10:35 – Interview with Ross Brown

Ross Brown joins us live in our 90.1 FM studios to talk about “Playing It Safe” the new studio album from Fullbloods, released both digitally and on vinyl through High Dive Records on March 7, 2025.

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.

In writing about Ross Brown’s 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.”

Fullbloods play The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO on Friday February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show.

Fullbloods play Hillsiders 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Friday, March 7 at 8:00 PM for their own PLAYING IT SAFE Album Release Show with Schemada, and 2w33dy.

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

Ross Brown welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Past releases from Fullbloods:

Fullbloods – Soft and Virtual Touch – 10 Track Album – 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. http://www.fullbloods.com // 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 – Mild West – 11 track album – March 1, 2016
Engineered by Mike Nolte at Westend Studios in Kansas City, KS. Additional tracking by Ross Brown at the Reservation in Kansas City, MO. Mixed by Fullbloods at Westend Studios. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. //All songs written by Ross Brown (Bargain Hunt Music / ASCAP) // Artwork by Shelby Keierleber, photographed by Chris Daharsh //Back cover and insert photographs by Stacey Schmitz //Special thanks to Jerad Tomasino, Mike Nolte, David Seume, The ACBs, and friends + families

10:44

Fullbloods – “White House Dot Com (Blue Websites)”
from: Playing It Safe / High Dive Records / March 7, 2025
[2nd Single from the 4th studio album of Fullbloods released January 10, 2025. 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. More information at: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

10:48 – More Interview with Ross Brown

Ross Brown joins us live in our 90.1 FM studios to talk about “Playing It Safe” the new studio album from Fullbloods, released both digitally and on vinyl through High Dive Records on March 7, 2025. Fullbloods is a studio project of songwriter and producer Ross Brown.

Fullbloods play The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO on Friday February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show.

Fullbloods play Hillsiders 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Friday, March 7 at 8:00 PM for their own PLAYING IT SAFE Album Release Show with Schemada, and 2w33dy. More info at: http://www.fullbloods.com

Ross Brown welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

When Fullbloods play live, Ross is joined by his friends: Konner Ervin on guitar, Kyle Little on keyboards, Kyle Rausch on bass, Fritz Hutchison on drums.

Ross Brown is also in: Shy Boys, Koney, Snacky, and Ghosty

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.” ]

Ross Brown welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Fullbloods play The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO on Friday February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show.

Fullbloods play Hillsiders 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Friday, March 7 at 8:00 PM for their own PLAYING IT SAFE Album Release Show with Schemada, and 2w33dy.

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

10:57

Fullbloods – “No Hesitation”
from: Playing It Safe / High Dive Records / March 7, 2025
[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. Info: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

[Fullbloods play The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO on Friday February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show. ]

[Fullbloods play Hillsiders 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Friday, March 7 at 8:00 PM for their own PLAYING IT SAFE Album Release Show with Schemada, and 2w33dy.]

11:00 – Station ID

Run With It – “Night Watch”
from: “Night Watch” – Single / Run With It / August 21, 2024
[Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar. Daniel Cole on drums, Paul Seiz on keyboards. Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar, and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar // “Night Watch” is a pulsating anthem of the nocturnal world, vividly capturing the allure and chaos of nightlife. It plunges into a city where nights stretch endlessly, illuminated by flashing lights and electric energy, evoking both an invitation and a warning. The song’s chorus, “I’m on the night watch, baby,” symbolizes a restless vigilance amidst the thrilling uncertainties of the night. // The band has always been known for their energetic live shows, leaving it all on the stage, and working their musical assets to make their audiences happy. The band has toured extensively. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, and more. With backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, stylish R&B. // Miguel Carabello was born June 11, 1980 originally from Junction City, Kansas, Married. Daniel Cole was born April 8, 1991 and graduated from Lee’s Summit West HS in 2009. Paul Seiz Paul graduated from Millikin University with a degree in Commercial Music and began his professional career as the Resident Music Director of Playhouse On The Square, a professional theater in Memphis, TN. Paul has been the regional entertainment director for Howl At The Moon for nearly eight years. And also plays with Songwheels and works as a DJ. Paul lives in Overland Park KS and has three kids. Cody Ryan Stapleton lives in KCK he has played with several bands including The Dear Misses. Matt Muckenthaler studied at Missouri Western State University and has played in several bands. // Run With it were last on WMM on October 23, 2024, before that is was nearly eight years ago on March 22, 2017 when the band was aa three-piece with Miguel Caraballo on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on Drums, and Ben Byard on bass & vocals. promoting their EP How To Start A Fire release March 24, 2017. The band put together 60 songs before going into the studio. They sifted through the songs with producer Josh Gleave and found the six best songs to record. // // More information at: http://www.runwithitband.com]

[Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, February 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio.]

11:03 – Interview with Run With It

Run With It return to WMM. Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on drums & percussion, Paul Seiz on keyboards, Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar; and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar collectively are one of the hardest working bands in Kansas City. For nearly a decade, Run With It has been touring across the country, from college campus showcases to corporate galas. Their high-octane performances leave an indelible mark. Run With It combine their exceptional original songs with skillful covers of artists like Kings of Leon and Ed Sheeran. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, OneRepublic, and Imagine Dragons with backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, and stylish R&B. Their alternative rock vibe creates an electrifying atmosphere. Run With It released their recent singles: “Ghost Like You” on September 13, 2024; “Nightwatch” on August 21, 2024; and “It’s Not Over (feat. The Royal Chief) on April 10, 2024.

Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, February 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. More info at: linktr.ee/runwithitband

Miguel Antonio , Daniel Cole, Paul Seiz, Cody Ryan Stapleton, and Matt Muckenthaler thanks for being with us again on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Run With It released their newest singles:
“It’s Not Over (feat. The Royal Chief) on April 10, 2024;
“Nightwatch” on August 21, 2024; and
“Ghost Like You” on September 13, 2024.

Run With It offers a diverse musical experience tailored to various events. From campus showcases to corporate galas, their high-octane performances leave an indelible mark. With influences ranging from OneRepublic to Imagine Dragons, their alternative rock vibe creates an electrifying atmosphere. Combining exceptional originals with skillful covers of artists like Kings of Leon and Ed Sheeran, Run With It ensures a night of non-stop.

Run With it were last on WMM on October 23, 2024. Before that is was eight years ago on March 22, 2017 when the band was a 3-piece. They have now expanded to be a 5-piece band. More info at: linktr.ee/runwithitband

Miguel Antonio – Lead Singer / Guitar – was born June 11, 1980 originally from Junction City, Kansas, Married.

Daniel Cole – Drummer – was born April 8, 1991 and graduated from Lee’s Summit West HS in 2009 Damniel also plays with Kat King

Paul Seiz – Keyboardist – graduated from Millikin University with a degree in Commercial Music and began his professional career as the Resident Music Director of Playhouse On The Square, a professional theater in Memphis, TN. Paul has been the regional entertainment director for Howl At The Moon for nearly eight years. And also plays with Songwheels and works as a DJ. Paul lives in Overland Park KS and has three kids

Cody Ryan Stapleton – Lead Guitar – lives in KCK he has played with several bands including The Dear Misses.

Matt Muckenthaler – Bass Guitar – studied at Missouri Western State University and has played in several bands

“Night Watch” is a pulsating anthem of the nocturnal world, vividly capturing the allure and chaos of nightlife. It plunges into a city where nights stretch endlessly, illuminated by flashing lights and electric energy, evoking both an invitation and a warning. The song’s chorus, “I’m on the night watch, baby,” symbolizes a restless vigilance amidst the thrilling uncertainties of the night.

Nightwatch – Run With It
V1
Late nights
Losing time
The cars
The trains
The flashing lights
Fit right
In the line
When they let me in
I dance all night
PC
Just one taste (gonna kill the pain) eh eh eh
Just one taste
Just one taste (all it’s gonna take) eh eheh
Just one taste
CH
I’m on the night watch baby
Run and tell the sun
I’ll run until the sun.
Comes up
V2
Lost in the bathroom stall
Spin around until I make it out
Her lips said it all
If this is lost
I don’t want to be found
PC
Just one taste (gonna kill the pain) eh eh eh
Just one taste
Just one taste (all it’s gonna take) eh eheh
Just one taste
CH
I’m on the night watch baby
Run and tell the sun
I’ll run until the sun.
Comes up

Run With it were last on WMM on October 23, 2024, before that is was nearly eight years ago on March 22, 2017 when the band was aa three-piece with Miguel Caraballo on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on Drums, and Ben Byard on bass & vocals. promoting their EP How To Start A Fire release March 24, 2017. The band put together 60 songs before going into the studio. They sifted through the songs with producer Josh Gleave and found the six best songs to record.

11:13

Run With It – “It’s Not Over (feat. The Royal Chief)”
from: “It’s Not Over (feat. The Royal Chief)” – Single / Run With It / April 10, 2024
[Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar. Daniel Cole on drums, Paul Seiz on keyboards. Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar, and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar // “Night Watch” is a pulsating anthem of the nocturnal world, vividly capturing the allure and chaos of nightlife. It plunges into a city where nights stretch endlessly, illuminated by flashing lights and electric energy, evoking both an invitation and a warning. The song’s chorus, “I’m on the night watch, baby,” symbolizes a restless vigilance amidst the thrilling uncertainties of the night. // The band has always been known for their energetic live shows, leaving it all on the stage, and working their musical assets to make their audiences happy. The band has toured extensively. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, and more. With backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, stylish R&B. // Miguel Carabello was born June 11, 1980 originally from Junction City, Kansas, Married. Daniel Cole was born April 8, 1991 and graduated from Lee’s Summit West HS in 2009. Paul Seiz Paul graduated from Millikin University with a degree in Commercial Music and began his professional career as the Resident Music Director of Playhouse On The Square, a professional theater in Memphis, TN. Paul has been the regional entertainment director for Howl At The Moon for nearly eight years. And also plays with Songwheels and works as a DJ. Paul lives in Overland Park KS and has three kids. Cody Ryan Stapleton lives in KCK he has played with several bands including The Dear Misses. Matt Muckenthaler studied at Missouri Western State University and has played in several bands. // Run With it were last on WMM on October 23, 2024, before that is was nearly eight years ago on March 22, 2017 when the band was aa three-piece with Miguel Caraballo on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on Drums, and Ben Byard on bass & vocals. promoting their EP How To Start A Fire release March 24, 2017. The band put together 60 songs before going into the studio. They sifted through the songs with producer Josh Gleave and found the six best songs to record. // // More information at: http://www.runwithitband.com]

[Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, February 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio.]

11:16 – More Interview with Run With It

Run With It return to WMM. Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on drums & percussion, Paul Seiz on keyboards, Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar; and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar collectively are one of the hardest working bands in Kansas City. For nearly a decade, Run With It has been touring across the country, from college campus showcases to corporate galas. Their high-octane performances leave an indelible mark. Run With It combine their exceptional original songs with skillful covers of artists like Kings of Leon and Ed Sheeran. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, OneRepublic, and Imagine Dragons with backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, and stylish R&B. Their alternative rock vibe creates an electrifying atmosphere. Run With It released their recent singles: “Ghost Like You” on September 13, 2024; “Nightwatch” on August 21, 2024; and “It’s Not Over (feat. The Royal Chief) on April 10, 2024.

Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, Feb. 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. More info at: linktr.ee/runwithitband

Miguel Antonio , Daniel Cole, Paul Seiz, Cody Ryan Stapleton , and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar thanks for being with us again on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Step into the world of Run With It, where every performance feels like a journey through indie-pop bliss. With their infectious energy and captivating stage presence, this band effortlessly weaves together indie rock vibes with irresistible pop hooks, drawing inspiration from acts like The Killers, Walk the Moon, and Kings Of Leon.

Their music journey has been a passion-fueled ride, resonating deeply with listeners through infectious melodies and high-energy anthems. Each track showcases their creativity and profound connection with their audience. Memorable shows at venues like Al Udeid Air Force Base in Doha, Qatar, touring college campuses, and sharing stages with Candlebox and Jake Clemons are propelling them into a bright future.

Whether lighting up a festival stage or creating an intimate vibe in a local venue, Run With It brings a personal touch that turns every performance into a shared experience. Join their musical journey and discover why their sound is making waves.

Main contact – Miguel Antonio – 816-582-2056 – booking@runwithitband.net

Booking for Public/Private Events – lauren@redbeatentertainment.com

College Booking – libby@metropolismanagement.com

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/runwithitband/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Runwithitbandoffical

Snap Chat – https://www.snapchat.com/add/runwithitband?share_id=NUYzOTBG&locale=en_UShttps://www.snapchat.com/add/runwithitband?share_id=NUYzOTBG&locale=en_US

Tiktok – https://www.tiktok.com/@runwithitband

Twitter – https://twitter.com/runwithitband

The band is known for their energetic live shows, leaving it all on the stage, and working their musical assets to make their audiences happy. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, and more. With backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, stylish R&B.

Ghost Like You delves into the intoxicating pull of a toxic love, where the protagonist is entranced by a ghostly presence that blurs the line between pleasure and pain. The lyrics explore the conflict between desire and self-destruction, as the protagonist grapples with the consuming nature of this almost supernatural connection.

Ghost LIke You
V1:
I’ve been waiting for a ghost like you
I’ve got these walls that you can walk on through
Your voice it echos down these empty halls
Your touch is soft come and break my fall
I’ve been sleeping when the suns comes up
The days are torture without your touch
Wake up again to the light of the moon
I’ve been waiting for a ghost like you
CH;
You haunt me, i’m fadin i gotta let go
Come and save me take control
Are you my demon or my angel of gold
Is there a heaven you know
is there a heaven you know
V2:
You take my hands tie me to the bed
Give me a drink the room starts to spin
You whisper words that I can’t forgive
You bite my chest and make me want to live
You’re a demon played me for a fool
You’re a angel only speak truth
Say your prayers and make me new
I’ve been waiting for a ghost like you
CH;
You haunt me, i’m fadin i gotta let go
Come and save me take control
Are you my demon or my angel of gold
Is there a heaven you know
is there a heaven you know

Miguel Antonio , Daniel Cole, Paul Seiz, Cody Ryan Stapleton , and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar thanks for being with us again on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, February 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. Info at: linktr.ee/runwithitband

11:25

Run With It – “Ghost Like You”
from: “Ghost Like You” – Single / Run With It / September 13, 2024.
[Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar. Daniel Cole on drums, Paul Seiz on keyboards. Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar, and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar // “Night Watch” is a pulsating anthem of the nocturnal world, vividly capturing the allure and chaos of nightlife. It plunges into a city where nights stretch endlessly, illuminated by flashing lights and electric energy, evoking both an invitation and a warning. The song’s chorus, “I’m on the night watch, baby,” symbolizes a restless vigilance amidst the thrilling uncertainties of the night. // The band has always been known for their energetic live shows, leaving it all on the stage, and working their musical assets to make their audiences happy. The band has toured extensively. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, and more. With backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, stylish R&B. // Miguel Carabello was born June 11, 1980 originally from Junction City, Kansas, Married. Daniel Cole was born April 8, 1991 and graduated from Lee’s Summit West HS in 2009. Paul Seiz Paul graduated from Millikin University with a degree in Commercial Music and began his professional career as the Resident Music Director of Playhouse On The Square, a professional theater in Memphis, TN. Paul has been the regional entertainment director for Howl At The Moon for nearly eight years. And also plays with Songwheels and works as a DJ. Paul lives in Overland Park KS and has three kids. Cody Ryan Stapleton lives in KCK he has played with several bands including The Dear Misses. Matt Muckenthaler studied at Missouri Western State University and has played in several bands. // Run With it were last on WMM on October 23, 2024, before that is was nearly eight years ago on March 22, 2017 when the band was aa three-piece with Miguel Caraballo on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on Drums, and Ben Byard on bass & vocals. promoting their EP How To Start A Fire release March 24, 2017. The band put together 60 songs before going into the studio. They sifted through the songs with producer Josh Gleave and found the six best songs to record. // // More information at: http://www.runwithitband.com]

[Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, February 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio.]

11:28 – Underwriting

Bobcat Attack – “Bird of Prey”
from: “Bird of Prey” – Single / Les Bon Bons Electriques – The Record Machine / Jan. 10, 2025
[Bobcat Attack is the alter ego of electronic musician Nathan Reusch. Reusch has a passion for blending dub, techno, and ambient electronica into his own improvised vision. His compositions, crafted with synthesizers, drum machines, and modular synths, create a pulsing soundscape that is both intimate and lush, setting him apart in the electronic music scene. // Reusch first started making electronic music influenced by emo/punk in the early 2000s, opening for acts like Taking Back Sunday, Mewihoutyou, Coheed and Cambria, to more fitting artists like Joy Electric, Atom & His Package, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Yacht. In 2003, he started his indie label, The Record Machine, and in 2011, he founded KC’s Middle of the Map Fest; his time and focus on making his music came to a halt. The pandemic inspired Reusch to dust off his Bobcat Attack moniker and renewed his interest in making music. After a few months of waywardly trying to figure out patches and midi cables, he joined KC’s Synth Collective and found a group of similarly-minded electronic musicians. // After a year of playing and organizing shows with the KC Synth Collective, he is regaining his footing; Reusch is ready to release his first new material in nearly two decades. Bobcat Attack bridges the gap between ambient, dub-techno, and house music. The result is a rich textural environment of blooming melodies, entrancing techno beats, and ambient soundscapes that immerses the listener in a vibrant, flooding forest of electronica. His arrangements are patient and complete, and there’s always a discovery bubbling underneath the surface. // Bobcat Attack’s debut single release, “Pallas,” (Sept. 20, 2024) was the inaugural release on Les Bon Bons Electriques – The Record Machine imprint. This collaboration between fellow electronic musician and collaborator Mark Ronning (Mr. Golden Sun/Pool Culure) and Reusch’s label, The Record Machine,]

[Bobcat Attack plays The Kansas City Synthesizer Collective third anniversary special show, Friday, February 21, at 7:00pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co, 1600 Genessee St, Ste 100, KCMO.]

11:33 – Interview with Nathan Reusch and Zac Laman

Nathan Reusch is co-founder of The Record Machine an area music label that is celebrating 22 years! Nathan Reusch first started making electronic music under the name Bobcat Attack influenced by emo/punk in the early 2000s, opening for acts like Taking Back Sunday, Mewihoutyou, Coheed and Cambria, to more fitting artists like Joy Electric, Atom & His Package, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Yacht. In 2003, he started his indie label, The Record Machine, and in 2011, he founded KC’s Middle of the Map Fest; his time and focus on making his music came to a halt. 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. The pandemic inspired Reusch to dust off his Bobcat Attack moniker and renewed his interest in making music. After a few months of waywardly trying to figure out patches and midi cables, he joined KC’s Synth Collective and found a group of similarly-minded electronic musicians. His debut track, Pallas, released September 18, 2024 was the inaugural release on Les Bon Bons Electriques imprint on The Record Machine label. This collaboration between fellow electronic musician and collaborator Mark Ronning (Mr. Golden Sun/Pool Culure) and Reusch’s label, The Record Machine,

Nathan Reusch thanks for being with us on WMM.

Kansas City based musician Zac Laman records music as Wrker_. Wrker_ is an electronic music producer who has been pushing the boundaries of jungle and drum and bass since 1996. Growing up in Bentonville, AR, his early days were steeped in a passion for underground sounds that would later find new expression through the innovative capabilities of the Polyend Tracker. In 2004, a move to Kansas City, MO marked a turning point, offering fresh perspectives and a vibrant new scene to fuel his creative journey. // Drawing inspiration from influential forces like the pioneering UK label Metal Headz, as well as the experimental realms of Aphex Twin, Venetian Snares, and Squarepusher, wrker_ crafts complex, high-energy soundscapes that blend intricate breakbeats with futuristic electronic textures. His work is a seamless fusion of classic jungle/drum and bass rhythms and contemporary production techniques, resulting in a sound that is both a nod to the genre’s storied past and a bold step into its future. // Today, Wrker_ continues to explore and expand his sonic palette, delivering tracks that captivate audiences with their technical precision, relentless energy, and unmistakable creative vision. // We first played Wrker_ on WMM on October 4, 2023.

Zac Laman thanks for being with us on WMM.

Nathan Reusch (Bobcat) Attack & Zac Laman (Wrker_s) share details about the KC Synthesizer Collective, a group of electronic musicians working to build platforms for experimental & emerging artists. The KC Synthesizer Collective is cultivating a community centered around creativity & self-expression in the electronic music scene. The collective meets on the 1st & 3rd Tues. from 6 to 10:00 pm at Stockyards Brewing Co.

The Kansas City Synthesizer Collective will celebrate their third anniversary with a special show, Friday, February 21, at 7:00pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co, 1600 Genessee St, Ste 100, KCMO. More info at: http://www.kcsynthcollective.com

The new Bobcat Attack single “Bird of Prey” is Bobcat Attack’s debut single release, “Pallas,” (Sept. 20, 2024) was the inaugural release on Les Bon Bons Electriques – The Record Machine imprint. This collaboration between fellow electronic musician and collaborator Mark Ronning (Mr. Golden Sun/Pool Culure) and Reusch’s label, The Record Machine..

Zach Laman grew up in Bentonville, AR, his early days were steeped in a passion for underground sounds that would later find new expression through the innovative capabilities of the Polyend Tracker. In 2004, a move to Kansas City, MO marked a turning point, offering fresh perspectives and a vibrant new scene to fuel his creative journey.

The new single from Wrker_ is “ICE” from an upcoming EP to be released soon. Earlier this year on January 7, 2025 Wrker_ released the 5-track EP – HEAR THIS.

11:40

Wrker_ – “ICE”
from: “Ice” / Wrker_ / January 14, 2025, 2023
[“ICE” is from an upcoming EP to be released soon. Earlier this year on January 7, 2025 Wrker_ released the 5-track EP – HEAR THIS. On July 18, 2024 Wrker_ released the single “5”. On November 22, 2023 Wrker_ released the singe, “Berserk Earth.” // Kansas City based Wrker is Zachary Laman. Zach Laman records music as Wrker_. Wrker_ is an electronic music producer who has been pushing the boundaries of jungle and drum and bass since 1996. Growing up in Bentonville, AR, his early days were steeped in a passion for underground sounds that would later find new expression through the innovative capabilities of the Polyend Tracker. In 2004, a move to Kansas City, MO marked a turning point, offering fresh perspectives and a vibrant new scene to fuel his creative journey. / Drawing inspiration from influential forces like the pioneering UK label Metal Headz, as well as the experimental realms of Aphex Twin, Venetian Snares, and Squarepusher, wrker_ crafts complex, high-energy soundscapes that blend intricate breakbeats with futuristic electronic textures. His work is a seamless fusion of classic jungle/drum and bass rhythms and contemporary production techniques, resulting in a sound that is both a nod to the genre’s storied past and a bold step into its future. // Today, wrker_ continues to explore and expand his sonic palette, delivering tracks that captivate audiences with their technical precision, relentless energy, and unmistakable creative vision. We first played Wrker_ on WMM on October 4, 2023 wehen we played the track “Champion Soun” where Wrker_ who Chopped, sampled, tickled, and keyed. Made on the Polyend tracker.]

[Wrker_ plays The Kansas City Synthesizer Collective third anniversary special show, Friday, February 21, at 7:00pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co, 1600 Genessee St, Ste 100, KCMO.]

11:45 – More Interview with with Nathan Reusch and Zac Laman

Nathan Reusch is co-founder of The Record Machine an area music label that is celebrating 22 years! Nathan Reusch first started making electronic music under the name Bobcat Attack influenced by emo/punk in the early 2000s, opening for acts like Taking Back Sunday, Mewihoutyou, Coheed and Cambria, to more fitting artists like Joy Electric, Atom & His Package, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Yacht. In 2003, he started his indie label, The Record Machine, and in 2011, he founded KC’s Middle of the Map Fest; his time and focus on making his music came to a halt. 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. The pandemic inspired Reusch to dust off his Bobcat Attack moniker and renewed his interest in making music. After a few months of waywardly trying to figure out patches and midi cables, he joined KC’s Synth Collective and found a group of similarly-minded electronic musicians. His debut track, Pallas, released September 18, 2024 was the inaugural release on Les Bon Bons Electriques imprint on The Record Machine label. This collaboration between fellow electronic musician and collaborator Mark Ronning (Mr. Golden Sun/Pool Culure) and Reusch’s label, The Record Machine,

Nathan Reusch thanks for being with us on WMM.

Kansas City based musician Zac Laman records music as Wrker_. Wrker_ is an electronic music producer who has been pushing the boundaries of jungle and drum and bass since 1996. Growing up in Bentonville, AR, his early days were steeped in a passion for underground sounds that would later find new expression through the innovative capabilities of the Polyend Tracker. In 2004, a move to Kansas City, MO marked a turning point, offering fresh perspectives and a vibrant new scene to fuel his creative journey. // Drawing inspiration from influential forces like the pioneering UK label Metal Headz, as well as the experimental realms of Aphex Twin, Venetian Snares, and Squarepusher, wrker_ crafts complex, high-energy soundscapes that blend intricate breakbeats with futuristic electronic textures. His work is a seamless fusion of classic jungle/drum and bass rhythms and contemporary production techniques, resulting in a sound that is both a nod to the genre’s storied past and a bold step into its future. // Today, wrker_ continues to explore and expand his sonic palette, delivering tracks that captivate audiences with their technical precision, relentless energy, and unmistakable creative vision. // We first played Wrker_ on WMM on October 4, 2023.

Zac Laman thanks for being with us on WMM.

Nathan Reusch aka Bobcat Attack and Zac Laman aka Wrker_share details about the Kansas City Synthesizer Collective, a group of electronic musicians working to build platforms for experimental & emerging artists. The KC Synthesizer Collective is cultivating a community centered around creativity & self-expression in the electronic music scene. The collective meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 6:00pm to 10:00 pm at Stockyards Brewing Co.

Nathan Reusch aka Bobcat Attack & Zach Laman aka Wrker_ Thanks for being on WMM

Dusk Runner – “Stranger Danger”
from: “Stranger Danger” – Single / Dusk Runner / 2025
[Dusk Runner is Jesse Jones]

[Dusk Runner plays The Kansas City Synthesizer Collective third anniversary special show, Friday, February 21, at 7:00pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co, 1600 Genessee St, Ste 100, KCMO.]

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

NEXT WEEK, Feb 19 – MC, Band Leader, Activist, Les Izmore joins us as Guest Producer.

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 #1082

WMM presents: Ross Brown of Fullbloods + Run With It + Nathan Reusch & Zach Laman of KC Synthesizer Collective

Posted on February 10, 2025 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, February 12, 2025

WMM presents: Ross Brown of Fullbloods + Run With It + Nathan Reusch & Zach Laman of KC Synthesizer Collective

Mark spins more New & MidCoastal Releases from: Fullbloods, Run With It, Bobcat Attack, wrker, Dusk Runner, Lady Blackbird, Moses Sumney with Syd + Meshell Ndegeocello, Lauren Auder + Wendy & Lisa, Benjamin Booker, Beabadoobee, and FKA twigs.

We’ll also play more tracks from a new project from the non-profit Red Hot Organization. TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing and collaborating with this incredible collection. This 6-LP Box Set spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working in music today. Many of the artists in this collective we have been featuring on WMM since our inception as a radio show. More info at: https://redhot.org/

At 10:30 we’ll talk with Ross Brown about “Playing It Safe” the new studio album from Fullbloods released both digitally and on vinyl through High Dive Records on March 7, 2025. 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: Konner Ervin on guitar, Kyle Little on keyboards, Kyle Rausch on bass, Fritz Hutchison on drums. 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.” // Fullbloods play The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO on Friday February 21, at 9:00 pm with Fake Italian for Daniel Gum’s The Great Conjunction Album Release Show. // Fullbloods play their own Album Release Show at Hillsiders 403 N. 5th Street, KCK on Friday, March 7 at 8:00 PM with Schemada, and 2w33dy. More info at: http://www.fullbloods.com

At 11:00am members of Run With It return to WMM. Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar, Daniel Cole on drums & percussion, Paul Seiz on keyboards, Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar; and Matt Muckenthaler on bass guitar collectively are one of the hardest working bands in Kansas City. For nearly a decade, Run With It has been touring across the country, from college campus showcases to corporate galas. Their high-octane performances leave an indelible mark. Run With It combine their exceptional original songs with skillful covers of artists like Kings of Leon and Ed Sheeran. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, OneRepublic, and Imagine Dragons with backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, and stylish R&B. Their alternative rock vibe creates an electrifying atmosphere. Run With It released their recent singles: “Ghost Like You” on September 13, 2024; “Nightwatch” on August 21, 2024; and “It’s Not Over (feat. The Royal Chief) on April 10, 2024. // Run With It play a 60-minute concert on MidCoast LIVE! Friday, February 14, at 12:00 noon on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio. More info at: linktr.ee/runwithitband

At 11:30 Nathan Reusch and Zach Laman share details about the Kansas City Synthesizer Collective, a group of electronic musicians working to build platforms for experimental & emerging artists. The KC Synthesizer Collective is cultivating a community centered around creativity & self-expression in the electronic music scene. The collective meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 6:00pm to 10:00 pm at Stockyards Brewing Co. Nathan is co-founder of indie label, The Record Machine and is also a DJ. The pandemic inspired Reusch to dust off his Bobcat Attack moniker and renewed his interest in making music. He joined KC’s Synth Collective and found a group of similarly-minded electronic musicians. Zach Laman records as wrker. We feature wrker’s newest single “Ice” from wrker’s upcoming EP. // The Kansas City Synthesizer Collective will celebrate their third anniversary with a special show, Friday, February 21, at 7:00pm, at Stockyards Brewing Co, 1600 Genessee St, Ste 100, KCMO. More info at: http://www.kcsynthcollective.com

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

Show #1082

WMM Playlist from February 5, 2025

Posted on February 6, 2025 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, February 5, 2025

WMM presents Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning on James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep + Daniel Gum + Diana Watts, Trish Price, & Kevin King of Whim Productions

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

Fontaines D.C. – “Starburster (Radio Edit)”
from: Romance / XL Recordings / August 23, 2024
[4th studio album by Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. “Starburster” was the lead single. It also features the singles “Favourite”, “Here’s the Thing”, “In the Modern World” and “Bug”. It is their 1st release on XL Recordings, after the band left Partisan Records, and was produced by James Ford. // Fontaines D.C. are an Irish post-punk band formed in Dublin in 2014. The band consists of Grian Chatten (vocals), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), Tom Coll (drums) and Carlos O’Connell (guitar). // The band members met while attending music college and bonded over a common love of poetry. They began self-releasing singles and performing live regularly, signing to Partisan Records in 2018. The band’s debut album, Dogrel, was released on April 12, 2019 to widespread critical acclaim. It was listed as Album of the Year on record store Rough Trade’s website, voted Album of the Year by presenters on BBC Radio 6 Music, and nominated for the Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize. // The band’s second studio album, A Hero’s Death, written and recorded in the midst of touring to promote their debut album, was released on 31 July 2020. A Hero’s Death was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Their third album, Skinty Fia, released in 2022, was the band’s first to reach number one on the Irish Albums Chart and UK Albums Chart and contributed to their winning the Brit Award for International Group. The band’s fourth album, Romance, was released on August 23, 2024. Romance won The Album Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards 2024.]

Kadesh Flow – “Thesis Statement (Radio Edit)”
from: “Thesis Statement (Radio Edit)” – Single / Kadesh Flow / January 31, 2025
[Instrumental Production: D. Professor; Lyrics & Vocal Performance: Kadesh Flow; Mixing: Kadesh Flow; Mastering: Kadesh Flow; and Single Art: Kadesh Flow // Kadesh writes: “I started writing this during my flight to Belfast on November 5, 2024. Just reflecting on how 2024 was my redo of 2019, and how pivotal 2019 was for me. I hit rock bottom and rose to great success from it. Lost everything in 2020, mostly due to COVID shut downs, and spent 3 years rebuilding from 2021-2024. Aside from the personal reflection, this song is a recognition that there could be hard times coming, but there’s hope as long as we’re alive, so we have to keep fighting to win. Community is immensely important, especially now.” // Kadesh Flow is Ryan Davis is a rapper with an MBA. He is an emcee, producer, & trombonist. At age 11, he began rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another. His music has been featured on network television in multiple countries and territories across Southeast Asia. Kadesh performs as a solo hip hop artist. He also plays with The Phantastics, Marcus Lewis Big Band, Deshica Rage (w/ Jessica Paige). Info at: http://www.kadeshflow.com]

Kadesh Flow Discography
“Thesis Statement (Radio Edit)” – Single – January 31, 2025
“Our Christmas Town (feat. Mix Williams & Oricadia)” – Single – Dec. 24, 2024
“All Day” – Single – October 14, 2024
“Vader Choke Freestyle” – Single – May 3, 2024
‘Level Up” – Single – April 22, 2024
“I Can (Mahito) -Kadesh Flow x Gr3ys0n x Shwabadi” – Single – April 5, 2024
“Stand on Business (feat. Mega Ran)” – Single – January 19, 2024
“Overcome (Nanami)” – Single – January 1, 2024
“Stakes” – Single – November 17, 2023
“Switch Up” – Single – January 6, 2023
“Heaters” _ Singles – November 11, 2022
”Chill (feat. Mir Blackwell).” – Single – October 21, 2022
“Dream For Me” – Single – October 10, 2022
“You’re Very Special (feat. Kemet Coleman, Kadesh Flow & Kevin Church Johnson) – Marcus Lewis Big Band – single – September 30, 2022
“Away From You” – Single – July 1, 2022
“Future Ex (feat. Vincent Orsolini & DJ Skittlez)” – Single – Feb. 14, 2022
“Move Different (feat. Gr3s0n)” – Single – January 21, 2022
“Part of The Plan” – Single – January 7, 2022
“Beast Mode (feat. Mega Ran)” – Single – Dec. 31, 2021
“Choice (The Cost)” – Single – December 17, 2021
“Gardens Out The Gutter” – Single – Dec. 3, 2021
“No Options (feat. Jamar Rose)” – Single – Nov. 12, 2021
“Fiend” – Single – Sept. 4, 2021
“Easy” – Single – August 27, 2021
“Coming For Your Neck” – Single – August 20, 2021
ROOM SERVICE 2 – 13-track album – July 19, 2021
“Elegant” – Single – May 21, 2021
”Lighten Up” – Single – May 7, 2021
“On Target” – Single – April 30, 2021
“So Far” – Single – April 23, 2021
“That Way” – Single – April 16, 2021
“I Don’t Care” – Single – April 9, 2021
“Take Backs (feat. Ryan Heinlein)” – Single – March 26, 2021
“But Hope” – Single – March 26, 2021
“Forgot About Me” – Single – March 14, 2021
“Your Dream Isn’t Always Yours” – Single – March 12, 2021
“No Doubts” – Single –
“Not on My Watch” – Single – February 19, 2021
“Cry For Me 2” – Single – February 12, 2021
“Frosty” – Single – February 12, 2021
“Assumptions feat. Shubzilla,” – Single – Jan. 29, 2021
“Soft Side” – Kadesh Flow & The Enclave – Single – Jan. 21, 2021
“Lit For The Holidays (feat. Andrew The Only)” – Single – Dec. 22, 2020
Bleach Anime Lofi Pack 1 – 2-track Single – October 8, 2020
“Too Soon” / “Free People” – 2-Pack Single – June 5, 2020
JoJo’s Jazz-hop 1 (2-Pack) Single – April 23, 2020
“I’m A Hero (Bone Bars)” – Single – April 9, 2020
MOTIVATED – 6-track EP – January 31, 2020
“Something Now (feat. Richie Branson & Atlas)” – Single – September 14, 2018
ROOM SERVICE – 6-track EP – March 30, 2018
“Headmaster” – Single – December 9, 2016
WE ARE FAITHFUL – 8-track album – October 9, 2015
GATEWAYS – 15-track Album – October 2, 2014
NerdKrunk Volume 3 – 10-track Album – April 18, 2013
NerdKrunk Volume 2 – 10-track Album – November 28, 2012
NerdKrunk Volume 1 – 10-track Album – September 5, 2012
THE BANKAI FLOW MIXTAPE – 11-track Album – July 27, 2012

Cymande – “Chasing An Empty Dream (Radio Edit)”
from: Renascence / BMG / January 31, 2025
[Legendary British band Cymande release their highly anticipated new album, Renascence, via BMG. // Cymande (pronounced /sɪˈmɑːndeɪ/ sih-MAHN-day) are a British funk group that was originally active in the early 1970s. The band name derives from a calypso word for “dove”, which symbolises peace and love;[2] “Dove” is also the title of one of their best-known songs. With a membership deriving from several Caribbean nations, Cymande were noted for an eclectic mix of funk, soul, reggae, rock, African music, calypso, and jazz that they called “nyah-rock”.[3][4][5] The band formed in 1971 and released three albums before disbanding in 1974. After gaining newfound popularity when their music was sampled by many notable rap artists, Cymande reformed in the 2010s. Their most recent album Renascence was released in January 2025. // A true return to form and jewel in the crown of their iconic discography, Renascence picks up where their 1974 album Promised Heights left off – a spiritual and sonic follow-up, bringing a fresh modern edge to their iconic sound, which remains foundational to early hip-hop and funk scenes in the United States and UK. Renascence tells the story of a band that never fully got its due back in the day; but are back to take the crown by remaining true to themselves – politically aware, and spiritually positive with infectious grooves. // “Chasing An Empty Dream,” the first track on Renascence, beckons you back into the world of Cymande with an unforgettable grizzly bassline hook – as is their way – addictive percussion, global rhythms inspired by their diasporic origins, layered horns and a powerful message for the world. // Their new album, Renascence is a true return to form and jewel in the crown of their iconic discography and picks up where their 1974 album Promised Heights left off – a spiritual and sonic follow-up, bringing a fresh modern edge to their iconic sound, which remains foundational to early hip-hop and funk scenes in the United States and UK. Renascence tells the story of a band that never fully got its due back in the day, but are back to take the crown by remaining true to themselves – politically aware, and spiritually positive with infectious grooves. // Last year, Cymande’s unique story was told on the on big screen for the first time in the UK (via BFI) and in cinemas around the world (via Abramorama) with Getting It Back: The Story Of Cymande (Directed by award winning director Tim Mackenzie-Smith). This empowering and thought-provoking documentary shows the band’s depth of influence across decades and features interviews with Mark Ronson, Laura Lee and Mark Speer (Khruangbin), DJ Maseo (De La Soul), Jazzie B (Soul II Soul), Cut Chemist, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Louie Vega, Kool DJ Red Alert, and so many others. Directed by Tim Mackenzie-Smith, the film debuted at SXSW in 2022 and has now traveled the world twice over. // As Total Film said in their review of the documentary ‘Tim Mackenzie-Smith’s joyous doc offers some Searching for Sugar Man-style reappraisal // Cymande (pronounced /sɪˈmɑːndeɪ/ sih-MAHN-day) are a British funk group that was originally active in the early 1970s. The band name derives from a calypso word for “dove”, which symbolises peace and love; “Dove” is also the title of one of their best-known songs. With a membership deriving from several Caribbean nations, Cymande were noted for an eclectic mix of funk, soul, reggae, rock, African music, calypso, and jazz that they called “nyah-rock”. The band formed in 1971 and released three albums before disbanding in 1974. After gaining newfound popularity when their music was sampled by many notable rap artists, Cymande reformed in the 2010s] Their most recent album Renascence was released in January 2025.]

Dandelion Lakewood – “Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen”
from: Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen / Fire Next Time Records / January 29, 2025
[Dandelion Lakewood, the psychedelic artist known for blending multiple genres of folk music. “Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen” is a 6/8 minor key blues ballad telling the tale of a magical adventure in County Kerry, Ireland. // “Faerie Queen from Cahersiveen” is a bluesy folk song with a full arrangement of guitars, Irish penny whistle, Turkish banjo, hand drums and tambourine. and vocal layers. Lakewood’s characteristic singing blends all these ingredients into a captivating mixture of sounds and rhythms. // Dandelion writes: “Years ago, I was backpacking and busking across Ireland with barely a penny to my name. I had some inspirational moments during that time and decided to pen a ballad in homage to my time absorbing the traditions of the Green Isle.” // Dandelion Lakewood is a bard, multi-instrumentalist, composer, audio engineer, and video maker born in Kansas City. He is the founding member of the band Bowl of Dust & Co. and host of the podcast “Voice Seeker”. He integrates various styles into his eclectic blend of Folk, Blues, Americana, Balkan, Middle Eastern and Psychedelic sounds. // Dandy became a wandering bard unexpectedly in 2014. It was then that he abandoned his life in Chicago and went on a musical journey spanning Hawai’i, Europe, Ireland, North Africa, The Balkans, and Turkiye to absorb musical traditions and play music for countless people in festivals, bars, cafes, living rooms, barns, streets, and forests. He has been based in Kansas City since 2022 and has music available on streaming platforms everywhere.]

Religion of Heartbreak – “Dream Reflection (EP Mix)”
from: Dream Reflection – EP / Religion of Heartbreak / February 3, 2025
[Dedric Moore on vocals, guitar, synths, programming; Mikal Shapiro on vocals
Krysztof Nemeth: baritone guitar, electronic percussion; Alexander Thomas on electronic percussion on MGGG, Dream Reflection, Skeptic; Regan Moore on electronic percussion on Dark Hour of Meditation // Dream Reflection EP carries forward the motorized heartbeat of classic darkwave while forging its own metallic path. Drawing from EBM and Synth Pop traditions, this five-track release sees the Monta At Odds offshoot strip away unnecessary embellishments, leaving only the essential elements and textural remnants that speak to our collective digital malaise. // The EP’s centerpiece and title track emerges like a ghost in the machine, with Mikal Shapiro’s coolly delivered vocals floating above Dedric Moore’s gritty synth programming and precision-guided guitar along with Krysztof Nemeth’s synth pad percussion. Each track builds upon this foundation, from the robot-dance urgency of “Forget About You” to the beautiful desolation of “Skeptic,” creating a cohesive statement about modern isolation and the personas we construct. The result feels familiar and alien—like catching your reflection in a black mirror and seeing someone else staring back. // Religion of Heartbreak, an offshoot of Monta At Odds, dives deep into darkwave and EBM territories, crafting a sound that’s nostalgic and cutting-edge with Dedric Moore on vocals, guitar, synths, programming; Mikal Shapiro on vocals; and Krysztof Nemeth on baritone guitar and electronic percussion.]

Jamie xx & Nia Archives– “Waited All Night (ft. Romy, Oliver Sim & The xx)”
from: In Waves / Young / September 20, 2024
[One of multiple singles from In Waves, the second studio album by English producer Jamie xx. It was preceded by the singles “Baddy on the Floor” featuring Honey Dijon and “Treat Each Other Right”, and will be his first album in nine years, following In Colour (2015). The album also includes collaborations with Jamie xx’s xx bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim, Kelsey Lu, John Glacier, Panda Bear, Robyn, the Avalanches, and Oona Doherty. An additional collaboration with Erykah Badu will feature on the deluxe vinyl. // The album was recorded over a period of four years. In a statement, Jamie xx likened his experiences since releasing his previous album to “waves that we have all experienced together and alone”, and said that he wanted to “make something fun, joyful and introspective all at once” as “the best moments on a dance floor are usually that” for him. From 2022 to early 2024, Jamie xx released the standalone singles “Let’s Do It Again”, “Kill Dem”, and “It’s So Good”, which are included on the deluxe vinyl edition of the album. // James Thomas Smith (born 28 October 1988), known professionally as Jamie xx, is an English musician, DJ, record producer, and remixer. He is known for both his solo work and as a member of the indie pop band the xx. // He has been described as a “driving force” behind the xx, contributing to the group’s significant commercial and critical success. As a solo artist, he has been recognised with a 2015 Mercury Prize nomination, and a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination for In Colour. // Smith was born in London on October 28, 1988. His musical career began in 2006 when he joined the xx accompanying old schoolmates Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Baria Qureshi of the Elliott School in London, notable for alumni including Hot Chip, Burial, and Four Tet. He first used the stage name Jamie xx in July 2009 in a promotional mix for the band’s debut album xx released on the FACT magazine mix series. The mixtape was compiled by Jamie Smith and featured, amongst others, four tracks credited to Jamie xx – one self-production and three remixes. The xx album went on to become platinum in the UK. Afterward, Jamie Smith went on to do more remix work for artists like Florence + The Machine, Adele, Jack Peñate and Glasser. // In late 2010, a Jamie xx remix of the song “NY Is Killing Me” from Gil Scott-Heron’s last album I’m New Here aired on radio stations across the UK and Europe. The remix of “I’ll Take Care of U” followed in January 2011. Both singles drew the attention of the general public and the critics. They set the way for a 13-track remix album entitled We’re New Here, produced entirely by Jamie xx and credited to “Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx”. The album was released on February 21, 2011 on the XL Recordings label, but a full-album preview could be streamed on the website of The Guardian as early as 14 February. We’re New Here received critical acclaim and was named “a cohesive, considered masterpiece in its own right” by BBC’s Ele Beattie. // On June 6, 2011, the two-track self-produced single “Far Nearer / Beat For” was released. The song “Far Nearer” was selected Best New Track by Pitchfork, and the double A-side single charted at number 128 on the UK Singles Chart. Later the same year, Smith produced the title track off Drake’s second album, Take Care, which features Rihanna. In addition, Smith helped create several reworks for Radiohead’s song “Bloom” which were released on a remix album entitled TKOL RMX 1234567. He also co-produced the song “When It’s All Over” with Alicia Keys on her Girl on Fire album. In 2014, he announced an upcoming collaboration with John Talabot on Tim Sweeney’s Beats in Space online radio show. In 2014, he released the singles “Girl/Sleep Sound” and “All Under One Roof Raving”. // On 27 March 2015, he released two singles: “Loud Places”, featuring the xx’s Romy Madley Croft, and “Gosh”. On the same day he also announced that his debut album, In Colour, would be out on 1 June 2015. Ahead of its release, In Colour was streamed on iTunes as a preview with album-spanning visuals that ‘reacted’ to each sound.[14] It was ultimately released on 29 May 2015 to widespread critical acclaim, debuting at number three on the UK Albums Chart and receiving nominations for the 2015 Mercury Prize and for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 58th Grammy Awards. // Jamie xx composed the score for a ballet, Tree of Codes, commissioned by Manchester International Festival for its 2015 edition. Based on a novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer, the ballet was choreographed by Wayne McGregor and had a set created by Olafur Eliasson. // In 2020, he released his first single in five years, “Idontknow”, which received positive to lukewarm reception from critics. He was credited on Tyler, the Creator’s 2021 album Call Me If You Get Lost as a co-producer on the track “RISE!”. // Jamie xx has worked on each of his The xx bandmates’ respective solo albums: he produced Oliver Sim’s Hideous Bastard (2022), and co-produced Romy’s Mid Air (2023).]

10:29 – Underwriting

10:30 – Interview with Diana Watts, Trish Price & Kevin King of Whim Productions

Diana Watts is originally from Manhattan, Kansas. She received her Bachelors in Science degree in Theatre at Kansas State University in 2013. Diana is a writer, director, actress, and organizer. Diana works as Marketing Copywriter & Editor for Centene Corporation. Diana served as Social Media Manager and Writer at Improv Nerd in Chicago, and has also worked at Indikon Media, United Airlines, Quantum Assembly, and The Fishtank Theatre in Kansas City. Diana volunteers for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Diana also serves as a Board Members for Whim Productions, where she is making her directorial debut or Kissing in the Grocery Store. Her Whim Productions acting appearances include Boxed, Playing on the Periphery, Marriage Play, and Lesbians Definitely Not Lost in Space.

Diana Watts welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Kevin King is originally from Topeka, Kansas. He studied at The University of Kansas, In 2011 Kevin founded Whim Productions where he serves as Producing Artistic Director of Whim Productions. He is a queer playwright based in KCMO and is a playwright-in-residence at the Midwest Dramatists Center, former playwright-in-residence in the Charlotte Street Foundation Studio Residency program, and a member of the Dramatists Guild. His short play The Swallows was selected for the 2019 William Inge Theater Festival New Play Lab. King’s work has also appeared in the Kansas City Fringe Festival,zaz (Whim Productions, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019,2020), The Barn Players’ 6×10 Short Play festival (2018, 2019), Midwest Dramatists Conference (2018, 2019), One-Minute Play Festival (2016), a’s 12 Plays of Christmas (2014), and other festivals. His work ranges from campy to slice-of-life realism, portrayed through a quirky, queer lens. Kevin serves as intimacy coach and sound designer for Kissing in the Grocery Store.

Kevin King welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Trish Price is making their Kansas City stage debut with 𝙆𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚! Trish graduated from Missouri State University’s BFA Acting program. After moving and working as an actor in New York City, Trish is back in Kansas City and the KC theater community. Previous work includes 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘳, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵, and national commercials (Swiffer, Etsy, YouTube Official). Trish is represented by Long Island Models

Trish Price welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

Diana Watts & Kevin King & Trish Price are joining us to share details about of Whim Productions about the world premiere of Claire Carson’s, KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE, a multimedia theater experience exploring queer identity, love, loss, and the quest for courage to live authentically. KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

Diana Watts is the Director of this show and Kevin King is Artistic Director of Whim Production.

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE by Claire Carson (she/they) is a multimedia experience told through time shifts and movement. The story reminds us that coming out is often scary, even if your family is liberal. Carson describes the play as a “mix of humor, movement, magic, and poetry.” It is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.”

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

Meet the Playwright! Claire Carson (she/they) is a Denver-based playwright, poet, and theatermaker. Previously produced work includes Hypochondria (Margo Jones Theatre), Shadow Woman (The Bathhouse Cultural Center), and Michelle with Wet Eyeballs, self-produced with friends in a transformed garage.

Claire’s work emphasizes collaboration, visual metaphor, and the strangeness of being alive. Claire describes Kissing in the Grocery Store as a “mix of humor, movement, magic and poetry.” This play is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.”

Whim Productions is excited to present the world premiere of Claire Carson’s Kissing in the Grocery Store, a multimedia theater experience about love, loss, and the quest for courage to live authentically.

ABOUT THE SHOW: The moon is in conjunction or something. You miss your ex-girlfriend, and you’re afraid to come out to your parents. You can read a self-help book, talk to a trusted friend, or be like Q and look to a YouTube Witch for a “letting go” spell.
Quinn, or Q, is a 20-something lesbian struggling to move on from their first queer relationship. Their ex ended the relationship because she couldn’t be with someone who hides their true self from their family. The breakup ignites a comical and poignant battle between Q’s inner voices, leading them to seek solace in a YouTube magic influencer.

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE by Claire Carson is a multimedia experience told through time shifts and movement. The story reminds us that coming out is often scary, even if your family is liberal. Carson describes the play as a “mix of humor, movement, magic, and poetry.” It is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.”

Directed by Diana Watts (she/her), the production features Trish Price (they/them), Sandy Osborn (she/her), Adriana Randall (they/them), and Megan Reynolds (she/her). Lighting design is by Austin VanWinkle (he/him), scenic design by Austin Cecil (he/him), costumes by Marian McClellan (she/her) and Patricia Reed (she/her), sound design and intimacy choreography by Kevin King (he/him).

Kissing in the Grocery Store is presented at Whim Space (415 Prospect Ave, Kansas City, MO) in historic Pendleton Heights. For full details, visit whimproductions.org.

Dates: February 6-16
Ticket Information: https://our.show/whimproductions/kissing
General Admission – Advanced Tickets: $25 / Walk-Up: $28
Pay What You Whim pricing is available for some performances
Premium Seating: $30
VIP Seating: $40
.
Run Time: 90 minutes without intermission

Appropriate for Ages 16+
Contains some adult language and conversation about sex

Performance Details: Venue: Whim Space, 415 Prospect, Kansas City, MO 64124

Dates and Times:
Thursday, Feb 6th, 7:30 pm – “Pay What You Whim”
Friday, Feb 7th, 7:30 pm – “Pay What You Whim”
Saturday, Feb 8th, 7:30 pm
Sunday, Feb 9th, 3:00 pm
Monday, Feb 10th, 7:30 pm – “Pay What You Whim”
Thursday, Feb 13th, 7:30 pm
Friday, Feb 14th, 7:30 pm
Saturday, Feb 15th, 7:30 pm
Sunday, Feb 16th, 3:00 pm

Whim Productions, founded in 2011, creates challenging and evocative queer theater. Whim focuses on providing opportunities for LGBTQ+ theater artists to tell their own stories and share the diversity of queer experiences with Kansas City audiences.

Queer theater. Whimsical edge.

Meet the Director! Kissing in the Grocery Store marks Diana Watts’ (she/her) directorial debut, stepping outside her roles as an actor and Whim board member. Her Whim Productions acting appearances include Boxed, Playing on the Periphery, Marriage Play, and Lesbians Definitely Not Lost in Space.

Meet the Team! Artistic Director 𝗞𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 founded Whim Productions in 2011 and has directed, written, and choreographed intimacy in many of our productions. He’s currently tackling the sound design and intimacy choreography for the world premiere of Kissing in the Grocery Store! Kevin’s passion for creating safe, evocative, and inclusive theatre shines in this production.

Diana Watts, Trish Price, and Kevin King thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

10:49

We now sing more tracks from a new project from the non-profit Red Hot Organization, it is called, TRAИƧA a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. TRAИƧA reintroduces Sade Adu to the world with a loving song dedicated to her son, Izaak, a trans man. The culture-shifting ballad “Young Lion” debuts on this collection alongside Sam Smith and Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s historic reimagining of “Ever New.” More info at: https://redhot.org/

10:49

Sade Adu – “Young Lion”
from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
[In 2016, on National Coming Out Day, Sade’s child, Izaak Theo Adu, came out as a transgender man. In September 2019, Izaak posted a message online, thanking his mother for her support through his transition. In the fall of 2024, Sade and the Red Hot Organization’s TRANSA project released “Young Lion”, a song dedicated to her son. // One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. // Dust Reid, who led production on Red Hot’s 2014 tribute to Arthur Russell, and Massima Bell, an artist and activist based in Los Angeles, began tracing the contours of what would become TRAИƧA together in 2021. The two producers originally met at a video shoot in upstate New York, and immediately bonded over their shared love of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music, as well as a common devotional connection to nature. // The passing of SOPHIE, the pathbreaking electronic producer who died in January 2021, galvanized the producers and focused their work. “We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts,” says Reid. “We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or non-binary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.” // Bell and Reid began conceiving of the album as a spiritual journey in eight chapters, a mirror of the original eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. The narrative begins at the earliest awareness of consciousness; moves through awakening, trauma, and grief; and arrives at liberation and continual reinvention. “One thing trans people do all the time is turn grief into possibility,” says Bell. “Living under the ongoing Western binary system, trans people reveal maps of possibility for everyone. It’s something that we can all learn from – expanding the possibility of human life.” Each chapter begins with a “chapter track,” kicking off a collection of songs that speak to that chapter’s theme. // As the producers began inviting musicians to contribute to TRAИƧA, the political climate in the United States and across the world started to foment an acute reactionary streak. Legislation denying trans people the hard-won right to medically transition proliferated across the country. Book bans rained down on libraries, stamping shut crucial apertures into trans and queer lives. The necessity of TRAИƧA’s presence in the world started to crystallize. // “The stakes have never been higher,” notes Bell. “We’re seeing a rise in anti-trans hate and vitriol that is particularly being spewed in the United States. I am a trans person from Iowa, one of the states that signed into law a bill that prohibits access to gender-affirming care. It is clearly, materially, a terrifying time.” // TRAИƧA FEATURED ARTISTS:Adrianne Lenker * Ahya Simone * Alan Sparhawk (Low) * Allison Russell * Am Taylor * Anajah * Ana Roxanne * André 3000 * Anjimile * Arthur Baker * Asher White * AV María * Babehoven * Bartees Strange * Belina Rose * Benét * Beverly Glenn-Copeland * Bill Callahan * Blake Mills * Bloomsday * Calvin Lauber * Caroline Rose * Cassandra Croft * Cassandra Jenkins * Christian Lee Hutson * claire rousay * Clairo * CLARITY * Cole Pulice * Dave Longstreth * Devendra Banhart * Eileen Myles * Eli Winter * Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland * Ezra Furman * Faye Webster * Fleet Foxes * Frankie Cosmos * Gary Gunn * Gia Margaret * Green-House * Grouper * Hand Habits * Heart Shaped * Helado Negro * Hunter Schafer * Jamal Shakeri * Jay Dee Daugherty * Jayne County * Jeff Tweedy * Jlin * Joy Guidry * Julianna Barwick * Julie Byrne * Julien Baker * Kara Jackson * Kathi Wilcox * KB Brookins * Kelela * Laraaji * Laura Jane Grace * Lauren Auder * Lee Ranaldo * Lightning Bug * Lomelda * Lucy Liyou * Lynn Avery * Lyra Pramuk * L’Rain * Mary Lattimore * MIZU * Moor Mother * More Eaze * Moses Sumney * Nico Georis * Niecy Blues * Nina Keith * Nsámbu Za Suékama * NYC Trans Oral History Project * Pepper MaShay * Perfume Genius * Pharoah Sanders * Quinn Christopherson * Rachika Nayar * Sade Adu * Sam Smith * Sharon Van Etten * SKY * SOAK * Soft Rōnin * Sparkle Division * Taryn Blake Miller * Teddy Geiger * Time Wharp * Wendy & Lisa of the Revolution * Yaeji * Yaya Bey // Helen Folasade Adu was born on January 16, 1959 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Her middle name, Folasade, means “crowned with wealth” in Yoruba. Her parents are Adebisi Adu, a Nigerian lecturer in economics of Yoruba background, and Anne Hayes, an English district nurse; they met in London, married in 1955, and moved to Nigeria. Sade was four years old when her parents separated. Hayes returned to England with Sade and her elder brother, Banji, to live with their maternal grandparents near Colchester, Essex. At age 11, Sade moved to Holland-on-Sea, Essex with her mother and brother. After completing her education at Clacton County High School and Colchester Institute at the age of 18, she moved to London and studied fashion design at Saint Martin’s School of Art. // Sade is a Nigerian-British singer, known as the lead vocalist of her band Sade. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music. Her success in the music industry was recognised with the honour Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2002, and she was made Commander in the 2017 Birthday Honours. // She studied at Saint Martin’s School of Art in London and gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model before joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983. // A year later, the band released the album Diamond Life, which became one of the era’s best-selling albums and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. In July 1985, Sade was among the performers at the Live Aid charity concert at Wembley Stadium, and the next year, she appeared in the film Absolute Beginners. The band released their third album (Stronger Than Pride) in 1988, and a fourth album (Love Deluxe) in 1992. The band went on hiatus in 1996 after the birth of Sade’s child. // In 2005, Sade moved out to the British countryside, where she bought a run-down cottage to renovate. Sade rarely grants interviews.]

Sam Smith & Beverly Glenn-Copeland – “Ever New”
from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
[Beverly Glenn-Copeland was born January 1944, and is an American-born Canadian singer-songwriter. His albums include Keyboard Fantasies (1986). Glenn-Copeland began publicly identifying as a trans man in 2002. // Glenn-Copeland was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a musical family. As a child, Glenn-Copeland listened to his father play the music of Bach, Chopin, and Mozart on the piano, and heard his mother occasionally sing spirituals. // In 1961, Glenn-Copeland was one of the first black students to study at McGill University in Montreal. // Glenn-Copeland started his career as a folk singer incorporating jazz, classical, and blues elements. He also performed on albums by Ken Friesen, Bruce Cockburn, Gene Murtynec, Bob Disalle, and Kathryn Moses, and was a writer on Sesame Street. He spent twenty-five years entertaining children as a regular actor on Canadian children’s television show Mr. Dressup. // Glenn-Copeland’s 1986 electronic album Keyboard Fantasies, recorded using equipment including a Yamaha DX7 and a Roland TR-707, and other recordings were rediscovered and promoted by Japanese record collector Ryota Masuko in 2015. Before Glenn-Copeland’s gender transition was made public, Keyboard Fantasies was selected as one of the 70 greatest recordings by women by The Stranger. The album was named as the public vote winner of the Polaris Heritage Prize at the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. Keyboard Fantasies was remastered and reissued in February 2017 as Copeland Keyboard Fantasies by Invisible City Edition and re-released again on vinyl that same year on Séance Centre. // Other albums by Glenn-Copeland include Beverly Copeland (1970), Beverly Glenn-Copeland (1971), At Last! (1980), Primal Prayer (released under the pseudonym Phynix in 2004), and the career-spanning compilation Transmissions (2020). // Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story, a documentary directed by Posy Dixon, was released in 2019. // Planned 2020 international tours to Australia, the United Kingdom, and other European destinations were rescheduled to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A fundraising campaign was initiated to help Glenn-Copeland and his wife after the loss of their house that resulted from these changes; the campaign raised over $90,000. In the same year, Glenn-Copeland created a prerecorded video performance of his song “Courage” for Buddies in Bad Times and CBC Gem’s online Queer Pride Inside show. // His 2023 album The Ones Ahead was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize. // In 2024 Glenn was awarded an honorary doctorate from University of Toronto, and won the Joyce Warshow Lifetime Achievement Award from SAGE, an organization that focuses on advocacy and services for LGBTQ+ elders. // In 1973, while in Los Angeles, Glenn fell in love with the chanting at a local Soka Gakkai International meeting and has been a practicing Buddhist since the mid-1970s. // In September 2024, Glenn-Copeland shared that he has been diagnosed with dementia. // Samuel Frederick Smith was born May 19, 1992. Sam is an English singer and songwriter. In 2012, they[a] rose to prominence when they featured on Disclosure’s breakthrough single “Latch”, which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. The following year, they featured on Naughty Boy’s single “La La La”, which became a number one single in the UK. // Smith’s debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour (2014), was released through Capitol Records UK and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album’s lead single, “Lay Me Down”, was released prior to “La La La”. The album’s second single, “Money on My Mind”, became their second number one single in the UK. Its third single, “Stay with Me”, was internationally successful, reaching number one in the UK and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, while subsequent singles “I’m Not the Only One” and “Like I Can” reached the top ten in the UK. The album won four awards at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album, Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. // Smith’s song “Writing’s on the Wall” served as the theme for the James Bond film Spectre (2015), and won Smith a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Smith’s second studio album, The Thrill of It All (2017), debuted atop the UK and US album charts. The album’s lead single, “Too Good at Goodbyes”, reached number one in the UK and Australia and number four in the US. Following the 2018 single “Promises” (with Calvin Harris), which peaked at number one in the UK, Smith released “Dancing with a Stranger” (with Normani) in 2019, which peaked within the top ten in the UK and the US, also receiving a nomination for Song of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards. The singles, along with “How Do You Sleep?”, would precede the release of their third studio album, Love Goes (2020). In 2022, Smith’s single “Unholy” (with Kim Petras), would become their first number one single in the US and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The song would precede their fourth album, Gloria (2023). // Smith’s numerous accolades include five Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, and an American Music Award, as well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. On the UK Albums Chart, In the Lonely Hour was the best-selling debut album of the 2010s and the sixth best-selling album of the decade, while collectively Smith’s albums spent the fourth-most weeks at number one in the 2010s, behind Ed Sheeran, Adele and Eminem. Smith is the first openly non-binary musician to both release a song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to win a Grammy Award.]

10:58 – Station ID

James Grauerholz – “Be That Way”
from: Life’s Too Good To Keep / Lotuspool Records / November 1, 2024
[Written in 1993. Recorded by Brad Koehler, at Hairball IV Studio, Lawrence, Kansas. / James Grauerholz writes: “I wrote this for Matt Schepis, who was my boyfriend in 1993. He is now almost fifty and we’re good friends. Other players: Mark Henning of Zoom, guitar fills and vocal; Scott Lovern of the Lonesome Wranglers on keyboards; Bill Belzer of Mongol Beach Party on drums; Darren Welch of Dracomagnet on bass guitar. For this one session we were Draco Zoom Mongol Ramblers. The song was first released on Tim/Ker records out of Portland, Oregon on the “Cough It Up: The Hairball Story” compilation.” // Mark Henning writes in the album’s liner notes: To anyone in the Art, Literary & Music world, James has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James has handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. // James set out to be a singer-songwriter before fate led to his calling with William S. Burroughs and despite the demands of his literary responsibilities, he continued to write music as a creative outlet. Over the years James witnessed and has been an important figure in many extraordinary musical eras. He was referred to as the ‘Zelig of Punk Rock’, having been part of a small coterie who helped kick-start the CBGBs scene in NYC from 1974 through the end of the decade. If you haven’t read the book ‘Please Kill Me’ by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, do yourself a favor and pick it up. James’ stories are among the best in it. His ‘mates’ during that time were the likes of Lester Bangs, Howard Brookner, Robert Palmer and Robert Quine -to name only a few. // The Zelig comparison is dead accurate, but it goes far beyond Punk Rock. James was there for the Midwestern Country-Rock explosion of the early 1970s. The legendary oral history ‘Cows Are Freaky When They Look At You’ paints a hilariously warped picture of the people in James orbit during those K.C./Lawrence years prior to him moving to NYC. He was there for the AOR singer-songwriter movement of the late 1970s, mixing his songs with Boz Skaggs in San Francisco. He was at the Hacienda in Manchester when Factory Records ruled the scene and where New Order, The Smiths and The Fall took the world by storm. He was around when New Wave and Hardcore emerged AND he was a steadfast contributor to the evolution of underground music of the early 1990s. In Lawrence, KS where James has lived since the early 1980s, and where Zoom and Lotuspool Records evolved, James lent his opinions, his studio, his gear, his chops and his time, unselfishly on innumerable occasions to help fledgling bands get a leg up. // Through all of these eras, James’ voice as a songwriter has held its own piece of real estate. Each of the twenty-two tracks represented on this double album bear a style that is distinctly his own, both lyrically and compositionally. It is worth adding that James is one hell of an accomplished guitar player too. Assembling this collection was no easy task, despite James’ impeccable documentation of his own catalog. Tapes were baked, no stone was left unturned and several ‘new’ discoveries were made that hadn’t made their way into the master list. // What you have here is a collection of songs that span thirty years, or as James so aptly puts it ‘My Life In Four Acts’ -with each side of the two LPs representing an Act. Though much of the material could easily be considered Great American Songbook in style (hooks everywhere, turns of phrase that remain stuck in your head, broad themes of love, loss & loneliness…), there is also a deeply personal and distinctly Queer element to the songs. One must not forget that back in the 1970s hardly anyone was doing this. In fact, James may have created his very own lane. There were Queer outsider artists like Tom Wilson doing more ‘camp’ numbers, but NO ONE was doing pop-type radio songs represented here. Some of the songs could even qualify as a new genre: Gay Yacht Rock. One must also wonder whether, despite the appeal factor, maybe James just wanted to keep the songs for himself as a log of his own personal journey? // You, the listener can decide for yourself. We hope you enjoy these four acts as much as we did while assembling them. For me they just keep getting better the more I listen.” – Mark Henning (Zoom, National Trust, Voice of Action)]

11:01 – Interview with Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning

Mark Henning was born on South Side of Chicago in 1970 into a musical family. His Grandfather was a Music Educator and Big Band Leader of the Leo Henning Orchestra. Mark was initiated into his music and started playing guitar at the age of 8 and then saxophone and electric guitar and started his first band The Locals. Mark met Chris Garibaldi when he moved to his neighborhood. In high school Mark discovered the underground music in Chicago, and played basement Hardcore shows. Mark went to University Of Kansas in 1988 where he majored in Advertising and got my undergrad B.S.J. from the William Allen White School Of Journalism. With Chris Cosgrove and Steve Tubbart and Jeremy Sidener the band Zoom was created. Mark met James Grauerholz and William Burroughs in 1992. They were label-mates on T/K Records out of Portland but all lived in Lawrence. Mark played and recorded with James. Mark moved back to Chicago in 1995, ad started playing in The National Trust, recording two albums on Thrill Jockey. Mark worked at Reckless Records in Chicago from 1996-2000 and also Dusty Groove Records. Mark started a successful D.J. night at Danny’s in Chicago that continued for 20 years until 2017. Mark moved to Brooklyn in 2000 and managed Dubway Recording Studios in Manhattan, worked and lived in New Orleans and eventually moved back to Chicago in 2006 to focus on music with the National Trust. Mark toured Europe, bought a bungalow on the West Side Chicago, worked for a commercial photography house, had a son name Leo in 2008. Mark continuea to write. He put out a 45” with Fred Schneider and Elvira on Jack White’s Third Man label in 2013-14. Started a three piece called VoA and released an album on Lotuspool in 2018. On 2019 he started work on the James Grauerholz Album until it was released in November of 2024.

Mark Henning thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Chris Garibaldi is the co-founder of Lotuspool Records. He also is lead singer, guitarist and occasional trombonist for the band Suneaters who released their 7th album, the 13 track album, Suneaters IV: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers, on September 23, 2022. Lotuspool Records, was born in 1992. Chris writes “We started the label when we were very young, and the bands that were on it were very young, too,” he tells me. “Back then, you could put out an indie record and get a lot of attention and press. At that time, there was a lot of support for indie music. Around 2000, Lotuspool went on an unofficial hiatus. The label was never inactive, but Garibaldi spent most of 2000s working for companies in Los Angeles. In 2011, a Garibaldi relocated to Parkville, he and Scott Hartley — bassist in the Suneaters — brought a new vision for Lotuspool Records. He label has been the moe for releases for Heidi Lynne Gluck, The Bump Band, Bully Pulpit, The Whips, Poster Children, Zoom, Voice of Action, June Henry, Hollow Body, Chris Cardwel, and many others This year the label is celebrating 33 years!

Chris Garibaldi, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning join us to share details about the new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz. Grauerholz has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning, thanks for being with us on WMM

Lotus Pool Records presents…James Grauerholz Life’s Too Good To Keep Album liners notes fro, Mark Henning:

Mark Henning first met James in 1992 when his band Zoom was being courted by Tim Kerr Records of Portland, Oregon. Zoom had been introduced to the label through Greg Sage of Wipers fame, who was Producing what would be our final record, Helium Octipede.

Coincidentally James and William Burroughs were both signed to Tim Kerr Records and we all happened to live in Lawrence, KS. James and I met up at a Mexican restaurant near 19th & Mass St. and discussed the music biz over enchiladas. James was incredibly supportive of our move to join the label, gave me a boatload of wise advice and a long friendship ensued.

To anyone in the Art, Literary & Music world, James has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James has handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion.

James Grauerholz was referred to as the ‘Zelig of Punk Rock’

James set out to be a singer-songwriter before fate led to his calling with William S. Burroughs and despite the demands of his literary responsibilities, he continued to write music as a creative outlet. Over the years James witnessed and has been an important figure in many extraordinary musical eras. He was referred to as the ‘Zelig of Punk Rock’, having been part of a small coterie who helped kick-start the CBGBs scene in NYC from 1974 through the end of the decade. If you haven’t read the book ‘Please Kill Me’ by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, do yourself a favor and pick it up. James’ stories are among the best in it. His ‘mates’ during that time were the likes of Lester Bangs, Howard Brookner, Robert Palmer and Robert Quine -to name only a few.

The Zelig comparison is dead accurate, but it goes far beyond Punk Rock. James was there for the Midwestern Country-Rock explosion of the early 1970s. The legendary oral history ‘Cows Are Freaky When They Look At You’ paints a hilariously warped picture of the people in James orbit during those K.C./Lawrence years prior to him moving to NYC. He was there for the AOR singer-songwriter movement of the late 1970s, mixing his songs with Boz Skaggs in San Francisco. He was at the Hacienda in Manchester when Factory Records ruled the scene and where New Order, The Smiths and The Fall took the world by storm. He was around when New Wave and Hardcore emerged AND he was a steadfast contributor to the evolution of underground music of the early 1990s. In Lawrence, KS where James has lived since the early 1980s, and where Zoom and Lotuspool Records evolved, James lent his opinions, his studio, his gear, his chops and his time, unselfishly on innumerable occasions to help fledgling bands get a leg up.

“New York City Lullabye “ – Written in 1974. Recorded by James Grauerholz on stereo cassette tape in Aprik 1974 while William slept – late one night at 452 Broadway, New York City. / James Grauerholz writes: “William S. Burroughs, my father and lover for 23 years until his death on August 2, 1997. He had been my favorite writer since 1966, and when I finally met William, I immediately decided ‘Life’s to good to keep.’”

11:13

James Grauerholz – “New York City Lullabye”
from: Life’s Too Good To Keep / Lotuspool Records / November 1, 2024
[Written in 1974. Recorded by James Grauerholz on stereo cassette tape in Aprik 1974 while William slept – late one night at 452 Broadway, New York City.. / James Grauerholz writes: “William S. Burroughs, my father and lover for 23 years until his death on August 2, 1997. He had been my favorite writer since 1966, and when I finally met William, I immediately decided ‘Life’s to good to keep.’”]

11:16

11:16 – More Interview with Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning

We are talking with Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning about the new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz. Released Noveber 1, 2024. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning, thanks for being with us on WMM

Single Release Dates:
10/4/24: Be That Way
10/11/24: New York City Lullabye
10/18/24: Heaven’s Radio
10/25/24: The Intersection Of You And Me

Grauerholz has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs.

What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

Through all of these eras, James’ voice as a songwriter has held its own piece of real estate. Each of the twenty-two tracks represented on this double album bear a style that is distinctly his own, both lyrically and compositionally. It is worth adding that James is one hell of an accomplished guitar player too. Assembling this collection was no easy task, despite James’ impeccable documentation of his own catalog. Tapes were baked, no stone was left unturned and several ‘new’ discoveries were made that hadn’t made their way into the master list.

What you have here is a collection of songs that span thirty years, or as James so aptly puts it ‘My Life In Four Acts’ -with each side of the two LPs representing an Act. Though much of the material could easily be considered Great American Songbook in style (hooks everywhere, turns of phrase that remain stuck in your head, broad themes of love, loss & loneliness…), there is also a deeply personal and distinctly Queer element to the songs. One must not forget that back in the 1970s hardly anyone was doing this. In fact, James may have created his very own lane. There were Queer outsider artists like Tom Wilson doing more ‘camp’ numbers, but NO ONE was doing pop-type radio songs represented here. Some of the songs could even qualify as a new genre: Gay Yacht Rock. One must also wonder whether, despite the appeal factor, maybe James just wanted to keep the songs for himself as a log of his own personal journey?
You, the listener can decide for yourself. We hope you enjoy these four acts as much as we did while assembling them. For me they just keep getting better the more I listen.

Mark Henning (Zoom, National Trust, Voice of Action)

Chris: “One of the mistakes we made as kids running the label was that we made a lot of short-term decisions,” Garibaldi says. “We didn’t have foresight. We were too concerned about paychecks and debt. And now it’s like, ‘Let’s take the thing that we do well, which is to foster interesting music, and not worry about the little things.’ Let’s see if we might be able to figure out something that might make the music bigger. That’s the goal.”

“Spring is Just Around the Corner ” – Written in 1998. Recorded by James Grauerholz, solo piano and vocal demo to eight-track ADAT master at hairball IV Studios in Lawrence. / James Grauerholz writes: “ From my demos for my unfinished TATTOOS musical theatre piece, 1998-2005

Chris Garibaldi and Mark Henning, thanks for being with us on WMM

The new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz was released November 1, 2024 More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

11:27

James Grauerholz – “Spring is Just Around the Corner “
from: Life’s Too Good To Keep / Lotuspool Records / November 1, 2024
[Written in 1998. Recorded by James Grauerholz, solo piano and vocal demo to eight-track ADAT master at hairball IV Studios in Lawrence. / James Grauerholz writes: “ From my demos for my unfinished TATTOOS musical theatre piece, 1998-2005]

11:30 – Underwriting

Daniel Gum – “Silvergirl”
from: The Great Conjunction / Manor Records / February 7, 2025
[All songs written/performed by Daniel Gum (BMI), production/engineering: Mike Crawford & Daniel Gum, mixing: Daniel Gum, bass: Joel Stratton, drums/percussion: Micah Ritchie. With Joel Stratton (piano on 1, baritone guitar on 2), Wills Van Doorn (slide guitar on 3), Brandon Bray (lead guitar on 6), Cole Crawford (piano on 10), Devon Teran (pedal steel on 2), Evan Herd (writing for drums on 7), Rachel Cionitti (bgvs on 1-6, 8), mastering: Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, artwork/lettering: Daniel Gum]

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

11:35 – Interview with Daniel Gum

Daniel Gum joins us to share details about his new 10-track album THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs. He released his 10-song album REORIENT on July 31, 2015. He released his electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017, and released the acoustic, 3-track EP, MOON on December 7 2018. Daniel Gum was signed to Manor Records in the spring of 2020. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith and Andy Shauf he released his 12-track album, THIRTEEN on October 30, 2020, co-produced with Mike Crawford. On September 10, 2021 Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine” with Rachel Cionitti on vocals & Peter Beatty on lap steel. On October 21, 2022 Daniel released a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” and on December 9, 2022 he released a cover of The Beatles “Julia” both with Joel Stratton on bass, Micah Ritchie on drums, and Evan Herd on drums. On January 24, 2024, Daniel Gum released “Sophia” / “Don’t I Know”. On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON. On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG. Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.

Daniel Gum Thanks for being with us on WMM

Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS.

Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs.

THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records.

The Great Conjunction on Manor Records released February 7, 2025. All songs written/performed by Daniel Gum (BMI), production/engineering: Mike Crawford & Daniel Gum, mixing: Daniel Gum, mastering: Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, artwork/lettering: Daniel Gum

bass: Joel Stratton,
drums/percussion: Micah Ritchie
with Joel Stratton (piano on 1, baritone guitar on 2),
Wills Van Doorn (slide guitar on 3)
Brandon Bray (lead guitar on 6)
Cole Crawford (piano on 10)
Devon Teran (pedal steel on 2)
Evan Herd (writing for drums on 7)
Rachel Cionitti (bgvs on 1-6, 8),]
He released his 10-song album REORIENT on July 31, 2015.

He released his electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017,

and released the acoustic, 3-track EP, MOON on December 7 2018.

Daniel Gum was signed to Manor Records in the spring of 2020.

Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith and Andy Shauf he released his 12-track album, THIRTEEN on October 30, 2020, co-produced with Mike Crawford.

On September 10, 2021 Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine” with Rachel Cionitti on vocals & Peter Beatty on lap steel.

On October 21, 2022 Daniel released a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” and on December 9, 2022 he released a cover of The Beatles “Julia” both with Joel Stratton on bass, Micah Ritchie on drums, and Evan Herd on drums.

On January 24, 2024, Daniel Gum released “Sophia” / “Don’t I Know”.

On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON.

On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON. On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG.

Here’s what Daniel had to say about this track: “This song was written reflecting on a past relationship—thinking things probably could have worked out if we met 5 years later than we did. Or maybe they wouldn’t have.. but I’ll never know. This song is a part of a series of singles leading up to my second album. I hope you enjoy the chord progressions and slide guitar especially”.

11:43

Daniel Gum – “Met You Too Soon”
from: Met You Too Soon – EP / Manor Records / December 13, 2024
[Here’s what Daniel had to say about this track: “This song was written reflecting on a past relationship—thinking things probably could have worked out if we met 5 years later than we did. Or maybe they wouldn’t have.. but I’ll never know. This song is a part of a series of singles leading up to my second album. I hope you enjoy the chord progressions and slide guitar especially”. // Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS who has been active since 2017. Daniel Gum released the single “Julia” on December 9, 2022. Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine (ft. Rachel Cion)” on September 19, 2921. Daniel Gu, released the electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD in 2017 and an acoustic EP, MOON in 2018. In addition to working on his own solo project, Daniel has been working with other local groups—playing bass and engineering for his band Pillow (a post-punk/shoegaze group) and playing drums behind singer-songwriter Chloe Jacobson, also doing some recording for her. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith & Andy Shauf, he co-produced his new record THIRTEEN with Mike Crawford, playing almost everything you hear on the album and mixing it himself. Signing to Manor Records in the spring of 2020, he officially released THIRTEEN on cassette & CD on October 30, 2020. All songs written, performed, and.mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Daniel Gum is a 24 year old singer-songwriter . Since the age of 12, he has spent the majority of his time writing and recording songs by himself in his room. The Moon EP was released December 7, 2019. It was engineered by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum and mixed by Daniel Gum with piano and accordion by Cole Crawford. Daniel Gun released his EPI’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017, and his 10-song album Reorient on July 31, 2015, with all songs written, recorded and mixed by Daniel Gum who also performed all vocals guitars, drums, piano, bass. harmonica, and programming. The first single from Daniel Gum’s album, Thirteen “Ruin Your Life” was released on September 4, The second single, “In The Worst Ways” was released September 28, 2020. ] [On our July 22, 2020, WMM show we played Daniel Gum’s track, “Tired Saint” from French Exit Records – Black Lives Matter Compilation, released July 6, 2020. French Exit Records was launched two years ago as an independent music label in KCMO, founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond,. BLM Compilation is 22 acts from the area, with all proceeds donated to One Struggle KC’s Liberation Fund, a Black-led coalition of KC activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed communities, locally & globally. Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020]

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

11:46 – More Interview with Daniel Gum

Daniel Gum joins us to share details about his new 10-track album THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

Daniel Gum Thanks for being with us on WMM

Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS who has been active since 2017—releasing a couple EPs before putting out his debut album ‘Thirteen’ in 2020. In 2021 he released a one-off single and music video for his song “The Wolverine”, and in 2022 a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen” and The Beatles’ “Julia”. In addition to working with his band on his solo projects, Daniel has worked with other local groups—playing bass and engineering for the band Pillow (a post-punk/shoegaze group) and playing drums behind singer-songwriter Chloe Jacobson—as well as producing some of her music. Although Gum has been writing songs since he was 12, he has doubled down on songwriting in the last couple of years—most notably writing over 60 songs in preparation for his LP debut. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith & Andy Shauf, he co-produced his new record Thirteen with Mike Crawford, playing almost everything you hear on the album and mixing it himself. He is currently working on writing and recording his next 2 albums.

Daniel had great response from his album ‘Thirteen’—being featured on multiple Spotify Playlists such as Spotify Fresh Finds, Fresh Finds Indie & Fresh Finds Rock. And he was named artist of the week in November 2020 by Kansas City radio station and NPR affiliate 90.9 The Bridge. In 2022, his cover of “Thirteen” by Big Star was placed on New Commute’s Spotify Playlist.

Here’s what reviewers had to say about Daniel’s album ‘Thirteen’:

“Gum has an obvious knack for turning his pain into something elegant, drifting from cautious sparseness to subdued urgency — with a folk backbeat, twinkling pedal steel and reverb-drenched undertones. It’s reminiscent of Elliott Smith, whose music Gum found a close kinship with.” – Michelle Bacon of 90.9 the Bridge (NPR)

“Daniel Gum’s Thirteen feels like the soundtrack to figuring out life in your twenties– a portrait of transition, reflection, and gratefulness (with a hint of cynicism). The album shifts back and forth from optimism to mellow reflection, finding a sweet spot for introspection somewhere between despondence and joy . . . While the record is full of deeply personal and honest reflections of Gum’s young adult life, I think everyone who listens can create their own internal universe based around the Andrews, Marys, and Sarahs of their own life.” – Coco Lashar, Manor Records blog

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs.

Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020.

11:54

Daniel Gum – “Cowboy Song”
from: The Great Conjunction / Manor Records / February 7, 2025
[All songs written/performed by Daniel Gum (BMI), production/engineering: Mike Crawford & Daniel Gum, mixing: Daniel Gum, bass: Joel Stratton, drums/percussion: Micah Ritchie. With Joel Stratton (piano on 1, baritone guitar on 2), Wills Van Doorn (slide guitar on 3), Brandon Bray (lead guitar on 6), Cole Crawford (piano on 10), Devon Teran (pedal steel on 2), Evan Herd (writing for drums on 7), Rachel Cionitti (bgvs on 1-6, 8), mastering: Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering, artwork/lettering: Daniel Gum]

[Daniel Gum plays an Album Release show for The Great Conjunction on Friday February 21, ay 9:00 pm at The Ship 1221 Union Ave, KCMO with Fullbloods and Fake Italian.]

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

NEXT WEEK, on February 12 we play more New & MidCoastal Releases. At 10:30am we welcome Ross Brown who shares all the details about the new Fullbloods album PLAYING IT SAFE, to be released March 7, 2025. At 11:00am the band Run With It returns to WMM, just before their LIVE on-air concert on MidCoast LIVE on Friday, February 14 at NOON, AND at 11:30 Nathan Reusch joins us to talk about the KC Synth collective.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers 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 #1081

WMM presents Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning on James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep + Daniel Gum + Diana Watts & Kevin King of Whim Productions

Posted on February 1, 2025 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, February 5, 2025

WMM presents Chris Garibaldi & Mark Henning on James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep + Daniel Gum + Diana Watts & Kevin King of Whim Productions

Mark spins more New & MidCoastal Releases from: James Grauerholz, Kadesh Flow, Religion of Heartbreak, Dandelion Lakewood, Daniel Gum, Jamie xx & Nia Archives, Fontaines D.C., and Cymande. We’ll also play more tracks from a new project from the non-profit Red Hot, and TRAИƧA a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. TRAИƧA reintroduces Sade Adu to the world with a loving song dedicated to her son, Izaak, a trans man. The culture-shifting ballad “Young Lion” debuts on this collection alongside Sam Smith and Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s historic reimagining of “Ever New.” More info at: https://redhot.org/

At 10:30 we’ll talk with Diana Watts & Kevin King of Whim Productions about the world premiere of Claire Carson’s, KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE, a multimedia theater experience exploring queer identity, love, loss, and the quest for courage to live authentically. Diana Watts is the Director of this show and Kevin King is Artistic Director of Whim Production. KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE by Claire Carson (she/they) is a multimedia experience told through time shifts and movement. The story reminds us that coming out is often scary, even if your family is liberal. Carson describes the play as a “mix of humor, movement, magic, and poetry.” It is “for anyone who has ever battled themselves, grappled with their past, or yearned for a life filled with more joy, more honesty, and more room to grow.” KISSING IN THE GROCERY STORE runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect Ave, KCMO, in historic Pendleton Heights. For info visit: http://www.whimproductions.org.

At 11:00am Chris Garibaldi co-founder of Lotuspool Records and Mark Henning of the bands Zoom, National Trust, Voice of Action, share details about the new Lotuspool release: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album of the recorded songs of James Grauerholz. Grauerholz has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion. This new collection of songs span thirty years, or as James so aptly puts it ‘My Life In Four Acts’ – with each side of the two lps representing an Act. Though much of the material could easily be considered Great American Songbook, there is also a deeply personal and distinctly Queer element to the songs. One must not forget that back in the 1970s hardly anyone was doing this. In fact, James may have created his very own lane. More info at: http://www.lotuspool.com

At 11:30 Daniel Gum shares details about his new 10-track album THE GREAT CONJUNCTION to be released on February 7, 2025 on Manor Records. Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS. Since the age of 12, Daniel has been writing and recording songs. He released his 10-song album REORIENT on July 31, 2015. He released his electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017, and released the acoustic, 3-track EP, MOON on December 7 2018. Daniel Gum was signed to Manor Records in the spring of 2020. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith and Andy Shauf he released his 12-track album, THIRTEEN on October 30, 2020, co-produced with Mike Crawford. On September 10, 2021 Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine” with Rachel Cionitti on vocals & Peter Beatty on lap steel. On October 21, 2022 Daniel released a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” and on December 9, 2022 he released a cover of The Beatles “Julia” both with Joel Stratton on bass, Micah Ritchie on drums, and Evan Herd on drums. On January 24, 2024, Daniel Gum released “Sophia” / “Don’t I Know”. On December 13, 2024, he released the 4-track EP, MET YOU TOO SOON. On January 10, 2025 he released the 5-track EP, COWBOY SONG. Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020. More info at: http://www.manorrecords.com

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

Show #1081

WMM Playlist from January 29, 2025

Posted on January 30, 2025 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, January 29, 2025

WMM presents Malek Azrael & Rock is Black + Julie Bennett Hume + Doug Hitchcock

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

Σtella – “Adagio”
from: Adagio / Sub Pop Records / March 7, 2025
[On April 4th, Greek Artist Σtella (pronounced Stella) will release her mesmerizing new record Adagio from Sub Pop. Adagio is a pop record that feels like a warm blanket; it swaddles its listeners with nylon-string guitars, featherlight percussion, psychedelic keyboards, and staccato drums. Written and recorded over the span of five years with a consortium of international collaborators, including !!!’s Rafael Cohen and British songwriter Gabriel Stebbing, Adagio is a 27-minute meditation on love and desire, rest, and time. The album was produced by Σtella and mixed by Edmund Irwin-Singer. Though the bulk of it is sung in English, as all her records have been, Σtella also delivers her first two songs in Greek, “Omorfo Mou,” and a cover of a 1969 cult classic of the Greek New Wave, Litsa Sakellariou’s “Ta Vimata.”]

Ivory Blue – “Rhythm of the Radio”
from: “Rhythm of the Radio” – Single / IVORY BLUE / January 31, 2025
[Written and dedicated to RADIO STATIONS, DJs all over the world. What IVORY says about this song: “I really wanted a song to express how scared I was for the future. But I also wanted a positive message to lift myself up. I realized in the process of writing it that this song was getting me through my emotions and I felt that all music really does just that. It helps us in our darkest times. This song is officially dedicated to all the radio stations that continually change people’s lives through the power of music and to the artists that continue to write out their deepest personal experiences through their own ideas. Let’s make the future a unifying happy place for all!” // IVORY BLUE released the single “Exiled” on November 29, 2024. IVORY BLUE released the single “Olé!” on October 4, 2024, Breathing Underwater” on August 9, 2024, “Bad Dreams”on June 7, 2024, “Batter Up” on April 22, 2024, “Flashback” on March 15, 2024, “Howl” on Feb. 16, 2024. // IVORY BLUE released their second 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 other radio stations around the world. For STARLIT LOVE CHILD, IVORY BLUE served as songwriter, producer, & vocalist. // On October 27, 2023 IVORY BLUE released the single “Ghost of Life.” This single followed IVORY’s previous releases,”In A World Like This” from September 22, 2023, ”The Best of Life” from August 4, 2023 and “Control” from May 26, 2023. IVORY released the single “All Outta Love” on February 24, 2023. // IVORY BLUE released the single “Starlit Love Child” on Oct. 28, 2022, “Red Light” on July 29, 2022. // IVORY BLUE released their full length debut album COMPOUND LOVE on Feb. 25, 2022. COMPOUND LOVE was in the Top 10 of WMM’s 120 Best Recordings of 2022. For COMPOUND LOVE, IVORY BLUE served as songwriter, producer, vocalist and played all instruments with the exception of: Lester Estelle on drums, Klaartje Van Lue on piano, Craig Kew on bass, Lennon Bone on drums, and Marco Pascolini on pedal steel guitar. Nick Poortman served in mixing, with Kurt Festge who also served in mixing & Mastering. // IVORY BLUE released the single “Good Changes” on Oct 26, 2021. Ivory Blue released the singles: “Heavy,” “Bad Weather,” “It Must Have Been Me,” “Compound Love,” and “The Start” on December 14, 2021. // IVORY BLUE’s debut EP, Ready Get Set was released in June 2015. While the EP helped spread the word and give IVORY BLUE attention from regional radio and TV stations, a big break would come in 2017. 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, The Middle of the Map Festival, The Westport Roots Festival, the KCPT Screening of “Real Boy” at The KC Public Library, and Kauffman Stadium. // Ivory Blue was born in 1986 in Peoria Illinois, as Devin James Miclettet. Ivory’s birth mother put them up for adoption at the age of four. Ivory speaks about how it was difficult to find trust in people offering their home to someone denied it for so long, Ivory lived with eight different families, before running away at 15. // Ivory has talked with us about how in their life they have turned to music to express pain. Ivory spent most of their childhood looking for a family. In 2010 Klaartje Van Lue saw Ivory performing in a YouTube video and contacted them, flying Ivory to Kansas City, and adopting Ivory into the Van Lue family. In 2011, Ivory settled in the Kansas City, MO area. During the past 10 years Ivory came out as “Non-Binary Transgender”, and then later as Trans-Female. // As a multi-instrumentalist, Ivory began refining their performance style, using digital looping pedals to stack harmonies and guitar parts live on stage, giving their solo shows the feel of a full band. More info at: http://www.ivorybluemusic.com]

Heath Church – “Sacred Talks”
from: “Sacred Talks” – Single / Heath Church / January 3, 2025
[Heath Church writes that, “Sacred Talks reflects on the fading art of deep, meaningful conversation. I wrote this song because I wanted to encourage connection in a disconnected world. You know that moment when you put yourself out there in a friendship for the first time and open up about something really personal? This song is about that moment and vulnerable, healing, conversations.” // Heath Church is an American singer-songwriter from KC who primarily plays indie-folk music. Heath Church grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri and performs all over the metropolitan area. His style is inspired by Elliott Smith, John Prine, Rivers Cuomo, and The Smiths. Many of his songs include intimate vocals, poetic lyrics, and warm acoustic guitar tracks. His lyrics speak poetically about his own life, losses, struggles and intimate moments. Heath enjoys playing music in smaller, intimate venues and interacting with his audiences. In the last four years Heath has released four 5-song EPs and eleven singles. More info at: http://www.heathchurchmusic.com]

Heath Church Discography

Keep the Pretty Ones Away – Single – March 29, 2024
Magic Hangover Cure – 5-Song EP – October 28, 2022
Kamikaze – Single – October 28, 2022
Mystery to Me – Single – February 5, 2021
Freefall – Single – November 27, 2020
Cosmic Love – 5-Song EP – September 18, 2020
Back to Brazil – Single – August 14, 2020
The Stranger – Single – July 10, 2020
Echoes of You – Single – May 8, 2020
Extra Pain – Single – November 18, 2019
Chemical Optometry – 5-song EP – June 14, 2019
All Messed Up – Single – December 7, 2018
Breaking Even – Single – April 6, 2018
The Things I’ve Tried – 5-song EP – December 23, 2017

Benjamin Booker – “SHOW AND TELL”
from: Lower / Fire Next Time Records / January 24, 2025
[Third full length album from Benjamin Booker was born Benjamin Roderick Evans on June 14, 1989. He is an American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He cites The Gun Club, Blind Willie Johnson and T. Rex as influences. His music was described by the Chicago Tribune as “a raw brand of blues/boogie/soul,” by The Independent as “frenzied guitar-strumming and raw, soulful vocals that are hair-raising in intensity” and by Spin as “bright, furious, explosive garage rock.” // Benjamin Booker was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His family relocated to Tampa, Florida, where he attended all-ages DIY punk shows as a teenager. He attended Orange Grove Middle School, a magnet school for the performing arts, followed by Hillsborough High School, where he studied in the International Baccalaureate Program. He then attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, studying journalism with intentions of going into music journalism. After college, he moved to New Orleans to work for a non-profit organization and began playing shows. He self-released the four-track EP Waiting Ones in 2012, a collection of “low-fi blues-influenced folk-punk recordings and handclap percussion” that gained the attention of music blog Aquarium Drunkard. The track “Have You Seen My Son” eventually landed on Sirius XM satellite radio. In 2013, he began touring as an electric duo and signed with ATO Records to produce his debut album.]

Ayron Alexander – “Lucky”
from: “Lucky” – Single / Ayron Plummer Music / January 19, 2025
[Originally from Virginia, Ayron was born from the flames of sultry sound and raised in the warm arms of the treble clef.// In his younger years, Ayron started off in Church like all great singers do before soon moving to choirs outside of the general praise spectrum; from Show to Chamber Choir! // Later, after leaving his hometown and moving to Columbia, MO, Ayron became a member of a Christian Rock band and one of five singers of Just the Five of Us. // It wasn’t until the departure from the band that Ayron realized the sound and style he was looking for and wanting was something completely different from what he had been giving the crowds. // Now, considered a Neo-Soul Artist and living right in the heart of KC, Ayron wows his audience with his smooth voice and awesome stage presence. Ayron believes that music, no matter the genre, can heal a soul and bring love and life to anyone, which is why he sings everything! // Quotes: “Music is the gateway to the soul, living it is the key that unlocks the gate.” // “Give me a note and I’ll compose you a song. Give me a song and I’ll sing with you till my vocal chords are burning with agony.”]

The MGDs – “Hold On”
from: Hold On / The MGDs / January 11, 2025
[1st single (released Jan. 6, 2025) from the band’s 5th album. The MGDs released their 4th album, Midtown on Nov. 22, 2029. This followed, Somos Como Somos, from Nov. 4, 2017. The band is: Matt Davis on drums, percussion & vocals; Greg Bush on bass; Damon Parker on keyboards & vocals; Scott “Snoof” Middleton on guitar; Rudy Vasquez on saxophones; and Eric Martens on trumpet. This KC based 6-piece band that mixes piano and brass with a dynamic rhythm section that adds a unique flavor to the iconic KC music culture, blending of funk & blues with soulful stylings. In what started as a 3-piece between longtime friends Matt, Greg & Damon in 2008, the MGDs have evolved into a potent powerhouse, high-energy ensemble with regular monthly appearances at the Phoenix, and athe Sunset Music Fest, the City Market Crawfish Fest, the Phoenix Fest, Crossroads Music Fest, Middle of The Map Fest, Boulevardia, The Plaza Art Fair, Kauffman Stadium before two KC Royals games. In 2016 the band released, “Wake Up” their 2nd album.]

10:29 – Underwriting

Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom – “His Hat”
from: BURST / Bad Egg Records / September 6, 2024
[D. Hitchcock on drums, synths, production. Sal Cataldi on guitars/guitar synth. Percy Jones on fretless bass, with Malcolm Smart on bass. Bob Madiou, Hannes DeKassian, Jim Houghton on guitars. Po Gyzer on keys, Jim Seely on trumpet, Richard Brinka, Kenny Conti, Jim Ollin on saxes. // Mick Cantarella on Engineering, co-producer. Sal Cataldi on Mastering. // New 5-Track EP Spans Electro-Funk to Free Jazz with an All-Star Lineup Including Fretless Bass Master Percy Jones (Eno, Brand X) // BURST, the new instrumental EP from the critically acclaimed Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom, was released via iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Bandcamp, and other platforms. The curiously named duo’s five-track, 26-minute collection continues their explorations of funky, experimental, post-rock, dub and free jazz in the company of special guests, including Percy Jones, the fretless bass innovator best known for his work on Brian Eno’s Another Green World and his fusion band, Brand X. // The leaders of the oddly named duo, Kansas City-based percussionist D. Hitchcock and New York City & Hudson Valley-based guitarist Sal Cataldi, first outlined their recombinant genre research on the 1998 cult smash Escape Velocity, a jazz-inflected/noise & dub fueled flight for the chill-out room featuring another star by Percy Jones. The duo followed this with the even more adventurous and acclaimed 2012 release, Geolago. These albums garnered raves from all edges of the cognoscenti universe, including The Village Voice (“truly excellent… where Miles meets Midi”), Jazz Times (“an interesting potpourri of styles and spacious ambiance”), Alternative Press , Aquarian Weekly (techie gorks, a free-funk direction reminiscent of Last Exit or Sonny Sharrock’s soundtrack to ‘Space Ghost’), CMJ, Fantastic Voyage System (“marvelous head candy, an all-out trip fest”) and Fact Sheet Five (“part jazz, dub, funk, industrial and experimental, way more exciting than 99% of the music being released these days”). // BURST pre-dates Hari Karaoke’s first two album releases. It was recorded in 1992-93 when Hitchcock and Cataldi lived in Brooklyn. Hitchcock was the driving force behind this collection—as its producer, the solo composer of four of the five tracks, and supervisor, along with engineer and co-producer Mick Cantarella of Grampa Studios, of the outrageous dub-and-electronica-flavored mix. Cataldi supervised the mastering and sequencing in July 2024 at his Sonic Garden Studios in Woodstock, NY. The cover art is from Sonja Hitchcock. //“In the early ‘90s, eclecticism was the order of the day,” says Hitchcock. “Eno, Tackhead, Bill Laswell, ‘70s Miles and King Tubby were the soundtracks in our houses, the guideposts for what would become Hari Karaoke. The project began with me laying down five solo drum tracks, complete improvisations, at Mick’s studio. I returned to generate harmonic parts with Mick’s early triggering devices and effects. // “The next step was bringing in my musical friends to build these into songs. I was playing with Sal in a rock band, and he was also deep into jazz and experimentation, so he was an obvious choice and played a major role, especially as we partnered up to co-produce and compose the two following albums. We had Bob Madiou, Hannes DeKassian, and Jim Houghton adding some guitar. Po Gyser offered up some keys, along with Cynthia Harden. Jim Seely and Kenny Rampton played trumpet, and we had sax players Sam Brooks, Richard Brinka, Jimmy Ollen, and Jeff Zelnick. Malcolm Smart, who played in the rock band with Sal and me, is featured on the EP’s opener. Why these tracks were never released then is still a mystery to me. I’m glad Sal lit a fire under me to get this stuff out there.” // HK Trio previewed this new archival release by dropping the EP’s opening track as a single earlier this month: the feedback- and deep groove-drenched “Tropical Depression.” The tune opens with 28 seconds of wailing feedback guitar from Cataldi before bassist Smart lays down a rootsy, repetitive bottom groove, accented by Hitchcock’s phased drums and cut-up vocal samples. // The remaining four tracks are a virtuosic tour-de-force, especially from bassist Jones. “Denatured” begins with the quiet ambiance of temple bells before a prominent drum beat kicks in. Jones is the lead instrumental here, deploying chordal slurs, bell-like harmonics, percussive beats and scratches on his bass. The track concludes with the bassist and guitarist Cataldi trading eights, with the latter on nylon string guitar. “His Hat” once again kicks off with feedback and whammy bar abuse from Cataldi before heading into a deep funk groove. Jones again runs rampant, and the track boasts solos from trumpeter Jim Seely and guitarists Madiou and Cataldi. “Limo Ride to the Moon” has a world music flavor, underpinned with kalimba melodies and samples of Muslim prayers. The EP’s closer and longest track, “Hit List,” is a nine-plus-minute free jazz marathon of harmolodic interplay between the players, with multiple guitars, reeds, and brass going full bore – a taste of the authentic flavor of Knitting Factory-styled downtown jazz of New York City in the ‘90s, a venue where Hari Karaoke often performed.

10:34 – Interview with Doug Hitchcock

Doug Hitchcock has been working as a musician since the mid-1980s. He played with Freedy Johnston on demo recordings that got Freedy his first recording deal. Doug also played with the Lawrence Kansas bizarre-core outfit Near-Death Experience and others. Doug moved to New York in the late 1980s and wound up drumming for a number of bands in the so-called Brooklyn Beat Scene, including The Original Rays, Frank’s Museum, Bite the Wax Godhead, The X-Rays, and Medicine Sunday. Doug’s Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom began in that period as a series of studio experiments that morphed into a working band gigging at The Knitting Factory and other NYC venues. Since returning to KC in the late 1990s, Doug becomes a mainstay on the Blues and Jazz scene, performing with Everette DeVan, TooBig2Fail, The Midtown Quartet, The Old Crows. A rocker at heart, Doug has also kept busy over the years with The Douglas County Quintet, Ricky Dean Sinatra, The Mad Kings, and his “home band,” SHE SAID.

Doug Hitchcock Thank you for being with us on WMM.

He played with Freedy Johnston on demo recordings that got Freedy his first recording deal. Doug also played with the Lawrence Kansas bizarre-core outfit Near-Death Experience and others.

Doug moved to New York in the late 1980s and wound up drumming for a number of bands in the so-called Brooklyn Beat Scene, including The Original Rays, Frank’s Museum, Bite the Wax Godhead, The X-Rays, and Medicine Sunday.

Doug’s Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom began in that period as a series of studio experiments that morphed into a working band gigging at The Knitting Factory and other NYC venues.

The leaders of the oddly named duo, Kansas City-based percussionist D. Hitchcock and New York City & Hudson Valley-based guitarist Sal Cataldi, first outlined their recombinant genre research on the 1998 cult smash Escape Velocity, a jazz-inflected/noise & dub fueled flight for the chill-out room featuring another star by Percy Jones. The duo followed this with the even more adventurous and acclaimed 2012 release, Geolago. These albums garnered raves from all edges of the cognoscenti universe, including The Village Voice (“truly excellent… where Miles meets Midi”), Jazz Times (“an interesting potpourri of styles and spacious ambiance”), Alternative Press , Aquarian Weekly (techie gorks, a free-funk direction reminiscent of Last Exit or Sonny Sharrock’s soundtrack to ‘Space Ghost’), CMJ, Fantastic Voyage System (“marvelous head candy, an all-out trip fest”) and Fact Sheet Five (“part jazz, dub, funk, industrial and experimental, way more exciting than 99% of the music being released these days”).

BURST pre-dates Hari Karaoke’s first 2 album releases. Recorded in 1992-93 when Hitchcock & Cataldi lived in Brooklyn. Hitchcock was the driving force behind this collection—as producer, solo composer of 4 of the 5 tracks, and supervisor, along with engineer and co-producer Mick Cantarella of Grampa Studios, of the outrageous dub-and-electronica-flavored mix. Cataldi supervised the mastering and sequencing in July 2024 at his Sonic Garden Studios in Woodstock, NY. The cover art is from Sonja Hitchcock.

“In the early ‘90s, eclecticism was the order of the day,” says Hitchcock. “Eno, Tackhead, Bill Laswell, ‘70s Miles and King Tubby were the soundtracks in our houses, the guideposts for what would become Hari Karaoke. The project began with me laying down five solo drum tracks, complete improvisations, at Mick’s studio. I returned to generate harmonic parts with Mick’s early triggering devices and effects.

“The next step was bringing in my musical friends to build these into songs. I was playing with Sal in a rock band, and he was also deep into jazz and experimentation, so he was an obvious choice and played a major role, especially as we partnered up to co-produce and compose the two following albums. We had Bob Madiou, Hannes DeKassian, and Jim Houghton adding some guitar. Po Gyser offered up some keys, along with Cynthia Harden. Jim Seely & Kenny Rampton played trumpet, and sax players Sam Brooks, Richard Brinka, Jimmy Ollen, and Jeff Zelnick. Malcolm Smart, who played in the rock band with Sal and me, is featured on the EP’s opener. Why these tracks were never released then is still a mystery to me. I’m glad Sal lit a fire under me to get this stuff out there.

10:43

Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom– “Tropical Depression”
from: BURST / Bad Egg Records / September 6, 2024
[D. Hitchcock on drums, synths, production. Sal Cataldi on guitars/guitar synth. Percy Jones on fretless bass, with Malcolm Smart on bass. Bob Madiou, Hannes DeKassian, Jim Houghton on guitars. Po Gyzer on keys, Jim Seely on trumpet, Richard Brinka, Kenny Conti, Jim Ollin on saxes. // Mick Cantarella on Engineering, co-producer. Sal Cataldi on Mastering. // New 5-Track EP Spans Electro-Funk to Free Jazz with an All-Star Lineup Including Fretless Bass Master Percy Jones (Eno, Brand X) // BURST, the new instrumental EP from the critically acclaimed Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom, was released via iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Bandcamp, and other platforms. The curiously named duo’s five-track, 26-minute collection continues their explorations of funky, experimental, post-rock, dub and free jazz in the company of special guests, including Percy Jones, the fretless bass innovator best known for his work on Brian Eno’s Another Green World and his fusion band, Brand X.]

10:47 – More Interview with Doug Hitchcock

Drummer Doug Hitchcock has been gigging and recording since the mid-1980s. Played with Freedy Johnston on the demo recordings that got him his first records deal; with Moved to New York late ’80s and wound up drumming for a number of bands in the so-called Brooklyn Beat Scene, including The Original Rays, Frank’s Museum, Bite the Wax Godhead, The X-Rays, and Medicine Sunday. Doug’s Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom began in that period as a series of studio experiments that morphed into a working band gigging at The Knitting Factory and other NYC venues.

Doug Hitchcock Thank you for being with us on WMM.

Since returning to Kansas City in the late ’90s, Doug is a mainstay on the Blues and Jazz scene, performing with Everette DeVan, TooBig2Fail, The Midtown Quartet, and The Old Crows.

The Douglas County Quintet and Ricky Dean Sinatra, The Mad Kings, and his “home band,” so to speak, SHE SAID.

The KC based, 4-piece band, SHE SAID, is made up of Jennie Ferguson on vocals & guitar, Scott Mize on guitar, Doug Hitchcock on drums, and Matt Kesler on bass & vocals.

Matt Kesler and Scott Mize used to be in a band called Sylvan Grove. Jennie Ferguson and Scott Mize used to play in a band called Shotgun Solution. This was after the time of Jennie’s all-girl psych/pop band PMS.

Doug Hitchcock has played with Matt Kesler in the Midtown Jazz Quartet. Doug has played with Freedy Johnston, and the band Near Death Experience. Matt Kesler also plays in the famous bands The Pedajets and The Doo Dads.

Doug Hitchcock Thank you for being with us on WMM.

10:56

She Said – “These Are The Days”
from: What! / She Said / April 2025
[Jennie Ferguson on vocals & guitar, Scott Mize on guitar, Doug Hitchcock on drums, and Matt Kesler, on bass. From the upcoming 12-track album/vinyl release What! Produced by She Said, Recorded & Engineered by Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound Studios. Mixed by Paul Malinowski and She Said. Mastered by Mike Nolte, Eureka Mastering.Lyrics by: Jennie Ferguson. Music by Jennie Ferguson and She Said. Matt Kesler and Scott Mize used to be in a band called Sylvan Grove. Jennie Ferguson and Scott Mize used to play in a band called Shotgun Solution. This was after the time of Jennie’s all-girl psych/pop band PMS. Doug Hitchcock has played with Matt Kesler in the Midtown Jazz Quartet. Doug has played with Freedie Johston, and the band Near Death Experience. Matt Kesler also plays in the famous bands The Pedajets and The Doo Dads.]

11:00 – Station ID

Julie Bennett Hume – “John Lewis”
from: The Lorelei / Julie Bennett Hume / February 9, 2025
[4 years in the making, “The Lorelei” was produced by Chad Brothers and includes musicians: Chad Brothers, Marco Pascolini, Brandon Day, Scotch Hollow, Mark Montgomery, and Ernest James. // Julie Bennett Hume has been playing and writing music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/KC area. She has played and sung in various ensembles including a blues trio, an Afro-Cuban ensemble, various string bands, a Cajun ensemble and folk/Americana duos and ensembles. Her music shows a strong Cajun, Old-time and Blues influence with a nod to some of her favorite songwriters such as Stephen Stills, Maggie Roche and Gillian Welch. Julie has released four CD’s of original music including “Late Bloomer” in 2017, “Vinegar” in 2019, “Songs of Latter Days” in 2021 with the Multiverse and “The Lorelei” coming in February of 2025. The title track of “The Lorelei” is based on the poem of the same name by the German poet Heinrich Heine and revisits the theme of the dangerous siren. Songs deal with politics, family dynamics, love and loss. http://www.juliebennetthume.com]

11:05 – Interview with Julie Bennett Hume

Julie Bennett Hume is a singer-songwriter from Lee’s Summit, MO. She has been playing folk music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/KC area. She has played bass, guitar, banjo and performed as a vocalist in folk ensembles such as The Alferd Packer Memorial String Band, The KC Cajun Band, The All Night Fiddlers, the Afro- Cuban ensemble Manos, The Euphoria String Band, Table for Three, and Lost Cowgirl Revue which toured Germany and the Netherlands. She performs solo and with the duo The Stray Grays (with Leslie Giggler). Julie is also a High School teacher. Julie also works in radio, recently serving as producer and host of the KKFI program “River City Chautauqua“. She is currently getting ready to return to Community Radio with a new Women’s focused Public Affairs show starting in April. Julie served as a board member of the “Heartland Song Network”. Julie has released four solo albums of original music including “Late Bloomer” in 2017, “Vinegar,” in November of 2019, Songs Of Latter Days With Chris Hudson as The Multiverse, on November 1, 2020, and “The Lorelei” coming February 9, 2025.

Julie Bennett Hume welcome to Wednesday MidDay Medley

“The Lorelei” was four years in the making, “The Lorelei” was produced by Chad Brothers and includes musicians: Chad Brothers, Marco Pascolini, Brandon Day, Scotch Hollow, Mark Montgomery, and Ernest James.

Julie Bennett Hume is a singer-songwriter from Stilwell, Kansas. She has plays bass, guitar, and banjo. The title track of “The Lorelei” is based on the poem of the same name by the German poet Heinrich Heine and revisits the theme of the dangerous siren. Songs on her latest project deal with politics, family dynamics, love and loss .

Julie plays in the folk duo “The Stray Grays” with Leslie Giggler. Julie and Chris also perform in the group “Lost Cowgirl Revue”.

11:12

Julie Bennett Hume – “One Man”
from: The Lorelei / Julie Bennett Hume / February 9, 2025
[4 years in the making, “The Lorelei” was produced by Chad Brothers and includes musicians: Chad Brothers, Marco Pascolini, Brandon Day, Scotch Hollow, Mark Montgomery, and Ernest James. // Julie Bennett Hume has been playing and writing music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/KC area. She has played and sung in various ensembles including a blues trio, an Afro-Cuban ensemble, various string bands, a Cajun ensemble and folk/Americana duos and ensembles. Her music shows a strong Cajun, Old-time and Blues influence with a nod to some of her favorite songwriters such as Stephen Stills, Maggie Roche and Gillian Welch. Julie has released four CD’s of original music including “Late Bloomer” in 2017, “Vinegar” in 2019, “Songs of Latter Days” in 2021 with the Multiverse and “The Lorelei” coming in February of 2025. The title track of “The Lorelei” is based on the poem of the same name by the German poet Heinrich Heine and revisits the theme of the dangerous siren. Songs deal with politics, family dynamics, love and loss. http://www.juliebennetthume.com]

11:16 – More Interview with Julie Bennett Hume

Julie Bennett Hume is a singer-songwriter from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. She has been playing folk music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/Kansas City area. She has played bass, guitar, banjo and performed as a vocalist in numerous folk ensembles such as The Alferd Packer Memorial String Band, The Kansas City Cajun Band, The All Night Fiddlers, the Afro- Cuban ensemble Manos, The Euphoria String Band and Table for Three, and Lost Cowgirl Revue which toured Germany and the Netherlands. She performs solo and with the duo The Stray Grays (with Leslie Giggler). Julie is also a High School teacher who teaches German in public schools. Julie also works in radio, recently serving as producer and host of the KKFI program “River City Chautauqua“. She is currently getting ready to return to Community Radio with a new Women’s focused Public Affairs show starting in April. Julie has also served as a board member of the “Heartland Song Network”. Julie has released four solo albums of original music including “Late Bloomer” in 2017, “Vinegar,” in November of 2019, Songs Of Latter Days With Chris Hudson as The Multiverse, on November 1, 2020, and “The Lorelei” coming in February of 2025.

Julie Bennett Hume thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

“The Lorelei”. The title track of “The Lorelei” is based on the poem of the same name by the German poet Heinrich Heine and revisits the theme of the dangerous siren. Songs on her latest project deal with politics, family dynamics, love and loss.

Julie Bennett Hume – “Vinegar / Lost Cowgirl Records / November 1, 2019 . Julie Bennett Hume is a singer-songwriter from Stilwell, Kansas. She has been playing folk music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/Kansas City area. She has played bass, guitar, banjo and sung in numerous folk ensembles such as The Alferd Packer Memorial String Band, The Kansas City Cajun Band, The All Night Fiddlers, the Afro- Cuban ensemble Manos , The Euphoria String Band and Table for Three. She currently performs solo and with the duos The Stray Grays (with Leslie Giggler), The Multiverse (with Chris Hudson), the string band Wolves a’ Howlin’ and the group Lost Cowgirl Revue, which recently toured Germany and the Netherlands. Julie also teaches German part-time at a local high school and is the producer and host of the KKFI program “River City Chautauqua”. Her newest CD, Vinegar, was released in November of 2019.]

The Multiverse is Chris Hudson & Julie Bennett Hume have been playing and creating songs for decades in the KC – Lawrence area. Prolific songwriters with a love of poetry and prose, their music is an eclectic mix of folk, blues and country. For this recording of 13 songs Chris wrote 6 and Julie wrote 6 and they wrote one song together. They play on all songs together with help from the Kansas City acclaimed alternative string duo The Wires with Laurel Morgan parks on violin and Sascha Groschang on cello. Also contributing to the recording was Jason Beers. Chris Hudson also plays solo and with the bands “Gullywasher” and “The Bard Owls”. More info at: http://www.themultiversekc.com

Julie is also a High School teacher who teaches German in public schools.

Julie also works in radio, recently serving as producer and host of the KKFI program “River City Chautauqua“.

She is currently getting ready to return to Community Radio with a new Women’s focused Public Affairs show starting in April.

Julie Bennett Hume thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Julie Bennett Hume’s new album “The Lorelei” will be released on February 9, 2025
More info at: http://www.juliebennetthume.com

11:25

Julie Bennett Hume – “I Feel A Chill”
from: The Lorelei / Julie Bennett Hume / February 9, 2025
[4 years in the making, “The Lorelei” was produced by Chad Brothers and includes musicians: Chad Brothers, Marco Pascolini, Brandon Day, Scotch Hollow, Mark Montgomery, and Ernest James. // Julie Bennett Hume has been playing and writing music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/KC area. She has played and sung in various ensembles including a blues trio, an Afro-Cuban ensemble, various string bands, a Cajun ensemble and folk/Americana duos and ensembles. Her music shows a strong Cajun, Old-time and Blues influence with a nod to some of her favorite songwriters such as Stephen Stills, Maggie Roche and Gillian Welch. Julie has released four CD’s of original music including “Late Bloomer” in 2017, “Vinegar” in 2019, “Songs of Latter Days” in 2021 with the Multiverse and “The Lorelei” coming in February of 2025. The title track of “The Lorelei” is based on the poem of the same name by the German poet Heinrich Heine and revisits the theme of the dangerous siren. Songs deal with politics, family dynamics, love and loss. http://www.juliebennetthume.com]

11:29 – Underwriting

Malek Azrael – “in ur mind”
from: “in ur mind” – Single / Malek Azrael / March 1, 2024
[On October 15, 2021 Makek Azrael released his 10-track album debut. Male Azrael lives in KCMO. He has worked for Boys Grow, and is currently working with touring. Malek Azrael has been involved with Making Movies non-profit organization Art As Mentorship. 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 plays Manor Records Songbird Sessions, Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 6:00pm, at Manor Records, 5540 Troost Ave., KCMO. This is the Heartland Song Network Takeover as Malek Azrael is their Artist of The Month.]

[Malek Azrael & The Vibez plays 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: Jamogi and The Jammers, Stephonne and Frankie Shorez & Mercy Fire.]

11:34 – Interview with Malek Azrael, Izzy Vivas, and Josh Luke

Malek Azrael is a Kansas City-based singer, songwriter, and producer whose music effortlessly blends elements of Indie Rock and R&B Pop. Born and raised in the heart of the Midwest, Malek’s music is a reflection of his upbringing and his experiences, which he translates into honest, heartfelt lyrics and infectious melodies. // In October of 2021, Malek Azrael released his first album “Waves” which first featured members of his live band “The Vibez”. Upon the release of the debut project, The band hosted a sold-out release concert with 110 tickets sold. 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. // Malek and The Vibez are set to release their new EP on February 28, 2025.

Izzy Vivas is Art Director at the Zhou B Art Center. Izzy Vivas received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Arts (BA), and Social Practice Minor, from the Kansas City Art Institute. Izzy has honed her skills in curating immersive art experiences and pushing creative boundaries. She has worked at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Doo Good KC, and is a visionary behind the West 18th Street Fashion Show, Izzy leads the creative direction of this iconic event, uniting designers, artists, and performers to showcase cutting-edge designs and celebrate Kansas City’s cultural richness. Izzy’s expertise lies in her ability to merge art and fashion seamlessly, provoking thought and inspiring change through her innovative storytelling and visionary leadership.

Joshua Luke is the drummer for Malek Azrael & The Vibez. Josh Luke is a Kansas City-based audio engineer with a wide variety of skills and is the sole owner of Josh Luke Music and Audio LLC. He has a wide range of experiences in audio and the entertainment industry due to his passion, work ethic, easygoing attitude, ability to troubleshoot, and a degree in audio engineering. One of Josh’s greatest strengths is his constant desire to learn. Regarding live events, Josh has worked as an audio specialist or stagehand for MJH Media Group, Crossroads Sound, City Light Orchestra, The Levee Bar and Grill, and a handful and churches in the area. Through these opportunities, he has mixed at the Midland and Truman event spaces and set up and run audio for corporate events and weddings in hotels and venues all over town and the Midwest. He’s recently partnered with Prosperoes Bookstore by live recording and mixing a diverse range of local bands and artists for their Bell Tower concert series. Josh is also an energetic wedding and event DJ/MC. He will ensure your wedding or event flows smoothly and the music perfectly captures the mood. A few of the places he has DJ’d at include Gather at Red Cedar, Museum at Prairiefire, the Deleware, Beck Event Space, and Eltron KC. More info at: joshlukemusicandaudiollc.com

Malek Azrael, Izzy Vivas, and Joshua Luke joins us to share details about 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.

Malek Azrael, Izzy Vivas, and Joshua Luke thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Rock is Black is dedicated to uplifting and showcasing under-represented Black artists in the rock music genre, and celebrate the rich, yet often overlooked, contributions Black artists have made to rock music throughout history. From blues rock to pop punk, this unique occasion serves as the release concert for the highly anticipated indie rock EP by Malek Azrael & the Vibez, a band committed to redefining the landscape of music through a Black lens. Malek Azrael is a KC-based singer, songwriter, & producer whose music effortlessly blends Indie Rock & R&B Pop.

Malek and The Vibez are set to release their new EP on February 28, 2025., diving into and Indie Rock souind with a Y2k essence inspired by bands like Weezer, Wheatus, Lenny Kravitz, Smash Mouth, and Paramour.

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.

11:41

Frankie Shorez – “Wanna Be Bad”
from: “Wanna Be Bad” – Single / Mercy Fire LLC / January 3, 2024
[Frankie B. Shorez is a 22 year old singer, Songwriter, Model, actress, and clothing designer and Small Business owner from Kansas city MO. From Rags to Riches chasing the dream..]

[Frankie Shorez & Mercy Fire plays 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, and Stephonne.]

11:45 – Interview with Malek Azrael, Izzy Vivas, and Joshua Luke

Malek Azrael returns to WMM to talk about 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.

Malek Azrael, Izzy Vivas, and Joshua Luke, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

Malek Azrael plays Manor Records Songbird Sessions, Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 6:00pm, at Manor Records, 5540 Troost Ave., KCMO. This is the Heartland Song Network Takeover as Malek Azrael is their Artist of The Month.

Rock is Black is dedicated to uplifting and showcasing under-represented Black artists in the rock music genre, and celebrate the rich, yet often overlooked, contributions Black artists have made to rock music throughout history. From blues rock to pop punk, this unique occasion serves as the release concert for the highly anticipated indie rock EP by Malek Azrael & the Vibez, a band committed to redefining the landscape of music through a Black lens. Malek Azrael is a KC-based singer, songwriter, & producer whose music effortlessly blends Indie Rock & R&B Pop

Malek Azrael grew up in Kansas City. Malek Azrael was part of Making Movies non-profit organization Art As Mentorship, and sometimes plays with Making Movies. Makek Azrael released his 10-track debut album on October 15, 2021. Malek Azrael released the singles “22” on January 13, 2023, and “Anxiety” on April 30, 2023. Malek is the lead singer and songwriter of his band, Malek & The Vibez.

Malek has played the Folk Alliance International Conference, and has played the Ameri-Kana Fest, KKFI’s Crossroads Music Fest, Boulevardia Festival, and The Greenwood Social Hall. Malek Azrael’s new single will be officially released on Friday, March 1, 2024. More info at: http://www.mavband.us . More info at: http://www.mavband.us

Malek & The Vibez is a band that includes lead singer songwriter Malek Azrael, drummer Josh Luke, bassist Jack Roberts, and guitarist Calvin Haverkamp. Malek Azrael grew up in Kansas City. He has worked for Boys Grow, and is currently working with touring. Malek Azrael was part of Making Movies non-profit organization Art As Mentorship, and sometimes plays with Making Movies. Malek played the Ameri-Kana Fest, and KKFI’s 18th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, on Aug. 27, 2022. Makek Azrael released his 10-track debut album on October 15, 2021. Malek Azrael released the single “22” on January 13, 2023, and the newest single, “Anxiety” on April 30, 2023. More info at: http://www.mavband.us

Malek Azrael’s debut album “Waves” was compared to the likes of D’angelo, Stevie Wonder, and Prince with a voice that rivals the greatest RnB singers of our generation. Malek then added ‘The Vibez” as a live band to support the record and the combination of Drummer Josh Luke, bassist Jack Roberts, and guitarist Calvin “CLAV” Haverkamp created a groove that would make even a geriatric shake their hips.

Malek’s autobiographical single “22” featured Malek’s experience of growing pains and learning lessons in your 20’s. Turning 20 and 21 during the Covid epidemic where you’re not out making mistakes and living life. So when I turned 22 and I was finally able to leave my house, I found that it was toxic overload tbh. Malek says, “Your 20’s are toxic and hard and so my 2022 year was exhausting trying to be a young adult and learning to be a social human again.”

Malek’s band, The Vibez are total Taylor Swift fans but we realized after naming the song 22, that our song was in direct opposition of hers’. She was selling the awesome party, hipster version of being 20 and made us believe that we were going to be these cool adults drinking and laughing with our friends and we are all looking at each other like “this shit sucks” but we’ve got to keep going cause maybe it gets better… hopefully. So we love TAY SWIZZLE, we just wanna know when we can say “It feels like a perfect night to dress up like hipsters and make fun of our exes” cause its not feeling that way just y

Malek talks about having a particularly hard time with being told what music and sound was expected of him because he was a black male R&B singer and it made it extremely hard to create. Malek writes, “I started writing because I loved telling a story no matter the genre, and I actually grew up with a huge appreciation for rock thanks to my dad and his obsession with most of the soundtrack from guitar hero. I decided to say fuck expectations and make music thats fun and that me and my band align with right now in this part of our journey. I’m not saying goodbye to my roots at all, I’m just saying “ hey i’m an artist, not a genre” and creating freely, that is what i think music should be. I want to remind others that black rock stars still exist!”

Malek’s transition from a solo artist to a band wasn’t easy because a lot of it dealt with trust. It was a challenge of trusting the growth, the process, and others to care for the something that you nurtured by yourself for so long. It was extremely new navigating being a man who spoke for himself to be a front man who now has a band of skilled artists who bring their own style and point of views to this project. Honestly, I have to thank my band mates Josh Luke, Jack Roberts, and Calvin “CLAV” Haverkamp, along with our producer and friend Brandon Yangmi because they allowed me to be able to speak my truth and actually helped me elevate my recording technique and see the potential in my work. I dream bigger when I write now, which I didn’t even know was possible until we started this project.

Malek Azrael, Izzy Vivas, and Joshua Luke, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

ROCK IS BLACK—a celebration of Black artists in rock music, February 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the Zhou B Art Center, 1801 E 18th St, KCMO. Rock is Black features: Malek Azrael & The Vibez, Jamogi & The Jammers, Stephonne, Frankie Shorez & Mercy Fire

11:53

Jamogi – “Hot Block”
from: “Hot Block” – Single / Jam Tunes / May 30, 2024
[Jamogi is also know as Byron Hyde a Kanas City based singer, songwriter, MC, producer, originally from Los Angeles, California. 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 December 9, 2022, and the single “Anymore” on May 6, 2022.]

[Jamogi plays 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.]

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

NEXT WEEK, on February 5

At 10:30 we’ll talk with Diana Watts of Whim Productions about the world premiere of Claire Carson’s, Kissing in the Grocery Store, a multimedia theater experience exploring queer identity, love, loss, and the quest for courage to live authentically. Also joining us is Kevin King Whim Production’s Artistic Director. Kissing in the Grocery Store runs Thursday, February 6 through Sunday, Feb 16, 2025 at Whim Space, 415 Prospect, KCMO 64124. //

At 11:00am we’ll talk with Chris Garibaldi co-founder of Lotus Pool Records and Mark Henning of the bands Zoom, National Trust, Voice of Action. Chris and Mark will share all the details about the newest Lotus Pool release titled: James Grauerholz – Life’s Too Good To Keep, a 21-track, double vinyl album compilation of the recorded songs of Grauerholz. James Grauerholz has long been known as ‘The Burroughs Guy’. From 1974 until William Burroughs death in 1997, James has handled the business of William S. Burroughs Communications, acting as his manager, bibliographer, editor, literary executor and companion. To this day he continues to helm the business of Burroughs. What has been little-known up until now is that James has led a double life as an accomplished musician and songwriter with an extensive body of work stretching back from the late 1960s to the present. In fact, music was his first passion.

At 11:30 we’ll talk with Daniel Gum about his new EP Met You Too Soon released on Manor Records on December 13, 2024.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers 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 #1080

WMM presents Malek Azrael & Rock is Black + Julie Bennett Hume + Doug Hitchcock

Posted on January 26, 2025 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, January 29, 2025

WMM presents Malek Azrael & Rock is Black + Julie Bennett Hume + Doug Hitchcock

Mark spins New & MidCoastal Releases from: Ivory Blue, The MGDs, Ayron Alexander, Jamogi, Frankie Shorez, Heath Church, Julie Bennett Hume, Malek Azrael, She Said, Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom, Benjamin Booker and Σtella.

At 10:30 we talk with veteran musician, Doug Hitchcock about the recently released BURST from Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom. The recording was from sessions from 1993 in New York. Doug Hitchcock has been working as a musician since the mid-1980s. He played with Freedy Johnston on demo recordings that got his first recording deal. Doug moved to New York in the late 1980s and played with bands in the Brooklyn Beat Scene, including The Original Rays, Frank’s Museum, Bite the Wax Godhead, The X-Rays, and Medicine Sunday. Doug’s Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom began in that period as a series of studio experiments that morphed into a working band gigging at The Knitting Factory and other NYC venues. Since returing to KC in the late 1990s, Doug is has performed with Everette DeVan, TooBig2Fail, The Midtown Quartet, The Old Crows, The Douglas County Quintet, Ricky Dean Sinatra, The Mad Kings, and his “home band,” SHE SAID.

At 11:00 Mark welcomes Julie Bennett Hume who has been playing and writing music for over 35 years in the Lawrence/Kansas City area. She has played and sung in various ensembles including a blues trio, an Afro-Cuban ensemble, various string bands, a Cajun ensemble and folk/Americana duos and ensembles. Her music shows a strong Cajun, Old-time and Blues influence with a nod to some of her favorite songwriters such as Stephen Stills, Maggie Roche and Gillian Welch. Julie has released four CD’s of original music including “Late Bloomer” in 2017, “Vinegar” in 2019, “Songs of Latter Days” in 2021 with the Multiverse and in February of 2025, “The Lorelei”. The title track of “The Lorelei” is based on the poem of the same name by the German poet Heinrich Heine and revisits the theme of the dangerous siren. Songs on her latest project deal with politics, family dynamics, love and loss. More info at: http://www.juliebennetthume.com

At 11:30, 25 year old musician & vocalist Malek Azrael joins us to share details about 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. Rock is Black is dedicated to uplifting and showcasing underrepresented Black artists in the rock music genre, and celebrate the rich, yet often overlooked, contributions Black artists have made to rock music throughout history. From blues rock to pop punk, this unique occasion serves as the release concert for the highly anticipated indie rock EP by Malek Azrael and the Vibez, a band committed to redefining the landscape of music through a Black lens. Malek Azrael is a Kansas City-based singer, songwriter, and producer whose music effortlessly blends elements of Indie Rock and R&B Pop.

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

Show #1080

WMM Playlist from January 22, 2025

Posted on January 23, 2025 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, January 22, 2025

Michelle Bacon & The Band That Fell To Earth + Mike Dillon + Music from TRAИƧA

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

Fullbloods – “White House Dot Com (Blue Websites)”
from: Playing It Safe / High Dive Records / March 7, 2025
[Second Single from the 4th studio album of Fullbloods. 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. More information at: http://www.fullbloods.com.]

Tunde Adebimpe – “Magnetic”
from: ”Magnetic” – Single / Sub Pop / October 29, 2024
[Tunde Adebimpe, the multi-hyphenate talent and enigmatic frontman for TV on the Radio, shared the single “Magnetic”, both his solo debut and first release at his new label home Sub Pop Records. “Magnetic” will be featured on his debut solo album coming in 2025. Accompanying the single is the official video, directed by Adebimpe. // The label’s co-founder Jonathan Poneman says of the signing, “We heartily welcome Tunde Adebimpe to Sub Pop’s roster of artists. His inclusion makes the whole lot better – and a whole lot classier! We’ve waited 20-plus years for Sub Pop to earn the chance to be Tunde Adebimpe’s label.” Sub Pop Records is home to celebrated artists such as Suki Waterhouse, Father John Misty, Weyes Blood, and Beach House // Outside of TV on the Radio, Tunde Adebimpe is a musician, actor (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Rachel Getting Married, Twisters), animator, director and visual artist (A Warm Weather Ghost, Plague Heroes). His prior solo work has been in collaborations with artists such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Massive Attack, and Run The Jewels, plus contributions to Grand Theft Auto V, Sleater Kinney’s covers album, and more. // TV on the Radio is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, with a string of sold-out shows this November and December in New York, Los Angeles, and London.]

Moses Sumney – “Is It Cold In The Water (feat. ANOHNI)”
from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
[One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. // Dust Reid, who led production on Red Hot’s 2014 tribute to Arthur Russell, and Massima Bell, an artist and activist based in Los Angeles, began tracing the contours of what would become TRAИƧA together in 2021. The two producers originally met at a video shoot in upstate New York, and immediately bonded over their shared love of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music, as well as a common devotional connection to nature.
The passing of SOPHIE, the pathbreaking electronic producer who died in January 2021, galvanized the producers and focused their work. “We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts,” says Reid. “We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or non-binary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.” // Bell and Reid began conceiving of the album as a spiritual journey in eight chapters, a mirror of the original eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. The narrative begins at the earliest awareness of consciousness; moves through awakening, trauma, and grief; and arrives at liberation and continual reinvention. “One thing trans people do all the time is turn grief into possibility,” says Bell. “Living under the ongoing Western binary system, trans people reveal maps of possibility for everyone. It’s something that we can all learn from – expanding the possibility of human life.” Each chapter begins with a “chapter track,” kicking off a collection of songs that speak to that chapter’s theme. // As the producers began inviting musicians to contribute to TRAИƧA, the political climate in the United States and across the world started to foment an acute reactionary streak. Legislation denying trans people the hard-won right to medically transition proliferated across the country. Book bans rained down on libraries, stamping shut crucial apertures into trans and queer lives. The necessity of TRAИƧA’s presence in the world started to crystallize. // “The stakes have never been higher,” notes Bell. “We’re seeing a rise in anti-trans hate and vitriol that is particularly being spewed in the United States. I am a trans person from Iowa, one of the states that signed into law a bill that prohibits access to gender-affirming care. It is clearly, materially, a terrifying time.” // TRAИƧA FEATURED ARTISTS:Adrianne Lenker * Ahya Simone * Alan Sparhawk (Low) * Allison Russell * Am Taylor * Anajah * Ana Roxanne * André 3000 * Anjimile * Arthur Baker * Asher White * AV María * Babehoven * Bartees Strange * Belina Rose * Benét * Beverly Glenn-Copeland * Bill Callahan * Blake Mills * Bloomsday * Calvin Lauber * Caroline Rose * Cassandra Croft * Cassandra Jenkins * Christian Lee Hutson * claire rousay * Clairo * CLARITY * Cole Pulice * Dave Longstreth * Devendra Banhart * Eileen Myles * Eli Winter * Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland * Ezra Furman * Faye Webster * Fleet Foxes * Frankie Cosmos * Gary Gunn * Gia Margaret * Green-House * Grouper * Hand Habits * Heart Shaped * Helado Negro * Hunter Schafer * Jamal Shakeri * Jay Dee Daugherty * Jayne County * Jeff Tweedy * Jlin * Joy Guidry * Julianna Barwick * Julie Byrne * Julien Baker * Kara Jackson * Kathi Wilcox * KB Brookins * Kelela * Laraaji * Laura Jane Grace * Lauren Auder * Lee Ranaldo * Lightning Bug * Lomelda * Lucy Liyou * Lynn Avery * Lyra Pramuk * L’Rain * Mary Lattimore * MIZU * Moor Mother * More Eaze * Moses Sumney * Nico Georis * Niecy Blues * Nina Keith * Nsámbu Za Suékama * NYC Trans Oral History Project * Pepper MaShay * Perfume Genius * Pharoah Sanders * Quinn Christopherson * Rachika Nayar * Sade Adu * Sam Smith * Sharon Van Etten * SKY * SOAK * Soft Rōnin * Sparkle Division * Taryn Blake Miller * Teddy Geiger * Time Wharp * Wendy & Lisa of the Revolution * Yaeji * Yaya Bey // Moses Sumney (born May 19, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter. His self-recorded EP, Mid-City Island, was released in 2014. He released another five-song EP in 2016, titled Lamentations. His first full-length album, Aromanticism, was released in September 2017. His second studio album, Græ, was released in 2020. Sumney has performed as an opening act for James Blake, Solange Knowles, and Sufjan Stevens. // Born in California, Sumney was raised by pastor parents, and moved with his family back to Ghana at the age of 10. He described his childhood as “Americanized” by this age and had difficulty adjusting to the culture of Ghana, especially the rural nature of his new environment. There he grew up on a goat farm in Accra and commuted by public bus to school. His family returned to Southern California when Sumney was 16, settling in Riverside. // He did not learn to play any instruments until he was older, writing a cappella music for years instead. Sumney did not perform his musical compositions publicly until he was 20. // After high school, he moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to attend the University of California, Los Angeles. He majored in creative writing and studied poetry, which helped him improve his songwriting. // Anohni Hegarty (formerly Antony Hegarty, born 1971), styled as ANOHNI, is a British-born American singer, songwriter, and visual artist. She has presented solo work and as the lead singer of the band Anohni and the Johnsons, formerly known as Antony and the Johnsons.// She started her musical career performing with an ensemble of New York musicians as Antony and the Johnsons. Their self-titled first album was released in 2000 on David Tibet’s label Durtro. Their second album, I Am a Bird Now (2005), was a commercial and critical success, earning her the Mercury Music Prize. // In 2016, Anohni became the first openly transgender performer nominated for an Academy Award;[5] she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, along with J. Ralph, for the song “Manta Ray” in the film Racing Extinction. Her debut solo album, Hopelessness, was released in May 2016 to wide critical acclaim, including another nomination for the Mercury Music Prize and a Brit Award. In 2023, as Anohni and the Johnsons, the artist released her sixth album, My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross. // Anohni was born in 1971 in Chichester, England. She identified as transgender from an early age. In 1977, her family moved to Amsterdam for a year, and then, in 1981, they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area of California, settling in San Jose, where Anohni attended Lincoln High School and studied music and was an avid record collector. She told The Telegraph in 2005, “I was listening to OMD, Kate Bush, Culture Club, Alison Moyet and especially Marc and the Mambas, which was this incredibly dark and emotional side project for Marc Almond.” Anohni also recalled how she “saw [her] reflection” in Boy George, the lead singer of Culture Club. // In 1990, Anohni moved to Manhattan to attend Experimental Theater Wing at New York University. In 1992 she founded the performance collective Blacklips, later known as Blacklips Performance Cult, with creative partner Johanna Constantine, and she spent the next several years singing in after-hours bars and clubs using pre-recorded cassettes as self-accompaniment as well as writing and directing late-night theatre productions]

Claire Adams – “Westerlies (feat. Lyndsay Pruett)”
from: “Westerlies (feat. Lyndsay Pruett)” – Single / Claire Adams / December 21, 2024
[Claire Adams writes to tell us that, Westerlies is a contemplation on life and death, beginnings, cycles, endings, joy and depression, friendship and connection. With: Claire Adams on vocals and bass. Featuring Lyndsay Pruett (of Jon Stickley Trio) on fiddle, Fritz Hutchison on mandolin, Abraham Villaseñor on guitar. Recorded at Rio Verde in Guadalajara, Mex. Additional recording, mixing, mastering by Duane Trower at Weights+Measures Soundlab in Kansas City, Missouri // Last year Clair released the 3-song EP Words of Love on April 2, 2024 with Claire Adams-vocals, bass; Daniel Dissmore on trumpet; Fritz Hutchison on drums; Jackie Myers on piano; Trevor Turla on trombone; Abraham Villaseñor on guitar. // Recorded, mixed and mastered by Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab, KCMO. Additional recording by Odin Parada at Rec4 Studios, GDL. // Musically curious and multifaceted, Claire Adams is dedicated to collaborating, recording and songwriting to hone her melodic instincts and vision. A bassist, guitarist, singer and songwriter, Adams has lent a discerning ear and versatility to a number of projects. Claire founded the eight-piece genre-jumping collective Claire and the Crowded Stage – a project that united her pop sensibilities with non-traditional instrumentation. This project teamed her up with guitarist Katy Guillen and drummer Stephanie Williams, leading them to form the nationally touring blues-rock trio Katy Guillen & the Girls in 2012, with Adams on bass and backing vocals. In recent years Adams has been performing solo, collaborating with the KC based string quartet Rewound, and in a trio featuring pianist Alyssa Murray.[Claire Adams played The Ship, 1221 Union Ave, KCMO West Bottoms on April 11 opening for Fritz Hutchison & His Honky Tonk Band] [Claire Adams played The Gospel Lounge at Knuckleheads 2715 Rochester Ave. KCMO on April 14 with Jackie Myers and Fritz Hutchison. More info at: claireadamsmusic.com]

Daniel Gum – “Met You Too Soon”
from: Met You Too Soon – EP / Manor Records / December 13, 2024
[Here’s what Daniel had to say about this track: “This song was written reflecting on a past relationship—thinking things probably could have worked out if we met 5 years later than we did. Or maybe they wouldn’t have.. but I’ll never know. This song is a part of a series of singles leading up to my second album. I hope you enjoy the chord progressions and slide guitar especially”. // Daniel Gum is a singer-songwriter based out of Kansas City, KS who has been active since 2017. Daniel Gum released the single “Julia” on December 9, 2022. Daniel Gum released the single “Wolverine (ft. Rachel Cion)” on September 19, 2921. Daniel Gu, released the electronic pop EP, I’M NOT DEAD in 2017 and an acoustic EP, MOON in 2018. In addition to working on his own solo project, Daniel has been working with other local groups—playing bass and engineering for his band Pillow (a post-punk/shoegaze group) and playing drums behind singer-songwriter Chloe Jacobson, also doing some recording for her. Channeling the likes of Elliott Smith & Andy Shauf, he co-produced his new record THIRTEEN with Mike Crawford, playing almost everything you hear on the album and mixing it himself. Signing to Manor Records in the spring of 2020, he officially released THIRTEEN on cassette & CD on October 30, 2020. All songs written, performed, and.mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Daniel Gum is a 24 year old singer-songwriter . Since the age of 12, he has spent the majority of his time writing and recording songs by himself in his room. The Moon EP was released December 7, 2019. It was engineered by Mike Crawford and Daniel Gum and mixed by Daniel Gum with piano and accordion by Cole Crawford. Daniel Gun released his EPI’M NOT DEAD on October 25, 2017, and his 10-song album Reorient on July 31, 2015, with all songs written, recorded and mixed by Daniel Gum who also performed all vocals guitars, drums, piano, bass. harmonica, and programming. The first single from Daniel Gum’s album, Thirteen “Ruin Your Life” was released on September 4, The second single, “In The Worst Ways” was released September 28, 2020. ] [On our July 22, 2020, WMM show we played Daniel Gum’s track, “Tired Saint” from French Exit Records – Black Lives Matter Compilation, released July 6, 2020. French Exit Records was launched two years ago as an independent music label in KCMO, founded by Brad Girard. French Exit Records has released albums for No Magic and Raymond,. BLM Compilation is 22 acts from the area, with all proceeds donated to One Struggle KC’s Liberation Fund, a Black-led coalition of KC activists seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed communities, locally & globally. Daniel Gum joined us on WMM on November 11, 2020]

Kim Deal – “Coast”
from: Nobody Loves You More / 4AD / November 22, 2024
[Debut solo album by the American musician Kim Deal. It was released by 4AD, and promoted with the singles “Coast”, “Crystal Breath”, “A Good Time Pushed” and “Nobody Loves You More”. // Nobody Loves You More is Deal’s first solo album. It includes contributions from her sister Kelley Deal and other former Breeders collaborators, such as Jim MacPherson and Mando Lopez, as well as Savages’ Fay Milton and Ayse Hassan, Raymond McGinley of Teenage Fanclub, and the Raconteurs’ Jack Lawrence. // The album includes over a decade’s work, with its earliest songs dating back to 2011, shortly after Deal’s departure from the Pixies following their Lost Cities Tour. “Are You Mine?” and “Wish I Was” were written in 2011 and released in 2013 as part of a self-released seven-inch vinyl series in 2013. Steve Albini, a frequent collaborator, recorded “A Good Time Pushed” in the final sessions at Electrical Audio in Chicago before his death in May 2024. // Musically, Nobody Loves You More blends familiar Breeders-esque rock with surprising stylistic choices, such as bossa nova and brass instrumentation, as heard in the title track. Songs like “Disobedience” and “Big Ben Beat” evoke the energy of Breeders’ classics, while others, like “Wish I Was,” reimagine earlier material with fresh arrangements. Despite its eclectic nature, the album retains Deal’s style, offering both familiarity and innovation. // The album’s themes range from the deeply personal to whimsical inspirations. For instance, the poignant track “Are You Mine?” is inspired by a moment with Deal’s mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Conversely, “Crystal Breath” arose from Deal’s admiration for actress Rose Byrne, though the song’s intended purpose as a TV theme was ultimately declined. // Upon its release, Nobody Loves You More was well received by music critics. According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Nobody Loves You More received “universal acclaim” based on a weighted average score of 89 out of 100 from 11 critic scores. // The Quietus highlighted the range, from the vibrant, brass-infused bossa nova of the title track to the raw vulnerability of songs like “Are You Mine?” AllMusic added their ‘Editor’s Choice’ tag to the collection and stated “Nobody Loves You More is some of her finest music yet, and while any of these songs would’ve been a standout with one of her other projects, it’s all the sweeter that they’re hers alone”.]

Florist – “Have Heaven”
from: “Jellywish / Double Double Whammy / April 4, 2025
[“Have Heaven” is the first single from Florist’s upcoming album. // “Jellywish is billed as an exercise in imagining a world where magic is a daily companion, possibility is everywhere, and asking the difficult questions is rewarding.” – PITCHFORK // “Sprague’s gossamer vocals float atop a soft wash of hypnotic acoustic guitar strums—which sound almost harp-like—as effortlessly graceful as leaves skimming the top of a pond.” – PASTE // With their new album, New York minimalist folk quartet Florist invite listeners to question everything — to imagine a world where magic, surrealism, and the supernatural are our companions in day-to-day life. Jellywish, due April 4th on Double Double Whammy, dares to present a realm of possibility and imagination in a time that feels evermore prescriptive, limiting, and awful. // On Jellywish, Florist explores life’s big questions without offering silver linings, morals, or definitive answers. Instead, the band asks perhaps the most difficult of questions: Is it possible to break free from our ingrained thought cycles and pedestrian way of life? That, Florist posits, may be the only way to be truly happy, fulfilled, and free. // Singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter Emily Sprague says that the record is purposely complicated. “It’s a gentle delivery of something that is really chaotic, confusing, and multifaceted,” she explains. “It has this technicolor that’s inspired by our world and also fantasy elements that we can use to escape our world.” The album’s lead single “Have Heaven,” released today alongside a music video made by animator Kohana Wilson, is a perfect example of this cosmic alchemy the band conjures on Jellywish. // “We enter an observational fever dream about floating through liminal space between lifetimes, individual perceptions. There is reflection on our connectedness in joy and suffering through the wish for a peaceful place for our spirits to live and land,” Sprague explains. “‘Have Heaven’ establishes the world of the album to be not quite always lucid, but rather a perspective that is blended into the worlds of the magic and death realms swirling around us. The chorus is a chant that pleads for a better symbiosis between these worlds, and between our earthly forms trying to survive alongside each other, bound to the systems we must exist within.” // Jellywish is an exercise in multidimensional world building. The album’s panoramic cover art, which looks like something out of a Henry Darger volume, wraps the music in a collage of color that presents as science fiction-adjacent, hinting at something mysterious, fantastical, and mythological. Inside the album’s jacket, however, are tender and catchy sonic meditations on life’s most knotty subjects: life, death, earth, reality, relationships, joy, and pain. Taken together, Florist offers an acute sense of the band at this moment, one that worries about the world and its place in it. In contrast, it also presents an alternative to the doldrums of day-to-day life, and the necessary suggestion that very different things may be true at the same time. // With Jellywish, Florist offers a complex album in a time that is anything but simple. In mining the chaos and wonder of physical and spiritual worlds, the band holds a mirror to itself to the great benefit of all. It tells us that we are not alone, and challenges us to believe in magic.]

10:30 – Underwriting

Mike Dillon & Punkadelic – “Pandas”
from: Inflorescence / Royal Potato Family / January 27, 2023
[Punkadelick: Mike Dillon – Vibraphone, Marimba, Prophet 6, Congas, Bongo; Brain Haas – Fender Rhodes, Piano, Bass Moog, Melodica; Nikki Glaspie – Drums, Cymbals, Vocals. Mixed and Recorded by Chad Meise. Mastered by Collin Jordan / Boiler Room Mastering. Cover Art: Peregrine Honig. // From Bandcamp notes: Mike Dillon & Punkadelick makes its recorded debut with Inflorescence, an album of heady, instrumental rock highlighting a band deep in the throes of creative freedom, road tested and wild. Consisting of 10 tracks in 42-minutes, it’s an expansive, focused and fearless collection, representing a world where Duke Ellington and Augustus Pablo rub shoulders with crate-digger exotica, the freak-funk of Parliament and the ‘anything fits’ outsider ethos of acid-fried punks like The Meat Puppets. // A trio featuring Mike Dillon (Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco, Les Claypool) on vibraphone, marimba, Prophet 6, congas, and bongos, Brian Haas (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog and melodica and Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce) on drums, cymbals and vocals, Punkadelick is the unified vision of six hands creating a world that often sounds like the work of an ensemble three times the size. // During 2020 and 2021, while many music venues were still shuttered, the group began touring, sweating their way through cuts Dillon and Haas had composed during quarantine writing sessions. Locking in on stage, it quickly became clear the band was functioning at a level that made the hair on their arms stand at attention—even for three live music veterans accustomed to life on the road. // “It became obvious to let this become a collaboration,” Dillon says. “This is really something all three of us are doing because we have so much love for one another and a love for the music that we started creating.” // “There’s only three of us, but we move together like a big, nasty school of fish,” Haas adds, laughing. // During the tail end of a 2021 tour, the band booked time to record with engineer—and functioning fourth band member—Chad Meise, and Inflorescence sprouted. Opener “Desert Monsoon,” sets the stage with a spiritual-jazz intro of organ, vibraphone, percussion and wordless vocal coos before crackling to life as a swaggering funk strut. The title track, and “Pandas,” dig into thick dub textures built around Glaspie’s drumming and Haas’s subwoofer-straining bass synths. // “Apocalypse Daydream,” which appeared as an exotic head-nodder on 2020’s Shoot the Moon (titled “Apocalyptic Daydreams”) is reborn as a meatier jazz-rock slab where Dillon and Haas circle each other like Television performing as a lounge act on a cruise ship sailing seas of psilocybin. // Bending ears and surprising audiences has long been part of Dillon’s MO and Glaspie and Haas act as perfect foils for forays into the weird. While Dillon bristles at the “punk jazz” tag, punk rock and jazz remain core influences to the band, in sound and spirit. // “We’re students of the titans of music. We grew up listening to punk and rock ’n’ roll but we also love instrumental music—particularly the forefathers of Black American Music. In our minds, Led Zeppelin and Milt Jackson, Parliament-Funkadelic and The Minutemen, The Bad Brains and Frank Zappa are interconnected influences,” explains Dillon. “All that comes together in how we approach instrumental creative music. Both punk rock and jazz are not prefab things, they’re about the freedom. We have no genre restriction in this band, and people who get it really respect that.” // Maybe the greatest example of the band’s punk-steeped sonic free-for-all is “Slowly But Surely,” a track Dillon told Haas to compose as if he were “writing for Queens of the Stone Age.” The song plays like QOTSA translated to piano runs, vibes and deeply swinging drums—big-riff stoner rock upended and played with huge smiles by America’s premier proponents of the unclassifiable. // “We try to challenge our listeners. We’re touching a nerve with people who maybe don’t want to see the same songs done in the same variations all night long,” continues Dillon. “Part of my mission is taking these instruments that are primarily designed for the orchestral or jazz world and taking them to the rock world, the club world, running them through pedals and effects. We’re not afraid to be soft, or to surprise. That’s what we all do in this band — get beyond our own conceptions of what music is supposed to be.” // “We are so blessed and lucky to do what we do for a living — it’s apparent in the music,” Glaspie chimes in. “It doesn’t matter how the day is going, but we get to the club, set up and crush the gig, all the other stuff doesn’t matter. We’re likeminded individuals who love life, love people and want to spread happiness.”

10:35 – Interview with Mike Dillon

Mike Dillon was born in San Antonio, Texas. He is a percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader, and vocalist. Mike has released over 12 solo records, and multiple albums with his other bands, many singles, and collaborations with Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco and others. He is a member of Mike Dillon & Punkadelick, Les Claypool’s Fancy Band and Garage A Trois. He has performed with Galactic, Brave Combo, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Marco Benevento, Clutch, Claude Coleman Jr., and New Orleans musicians Kevin O’Day, Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton. In the 1990s he led Dallas-based Billy Goat, after Billy Goat disbanded and he performed in the KC-based Malachy Papers and the Austin-based Hairy Apes BMX (HABMX). In 2006, Dillon started Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle with members of Billy Goat, drummer Go-Go Ray, and bassist, J.J. Jungle. Dillon also performs with The Dead Kenny G’s, and The Fancy Trio. Dillon is married to artist Peregrine Honig. His current project, Mike Dillon & Punkadelic features Mike on vibraphone, ma-rimba, Prophet 6, congas, & bongos; Brian Haas (of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog & melodica; and Nikki Glaspie (of Beyonce) on drums, cymbals & vocals. Punkadelick released their 10-track instrumental rock, debut album, INFLORESCENCE on Royal Potato Family Records, on January 30, 2023. The album was produced with Chad Meise. More information at http://www.mikedillonvibes.com

Mike Dillon Thank you for being with us on WMM.

Mike Dillon is an American percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader, and vocalist born in San Antonio, Texas. He is a member of Critters Buggin, Les Claypool’s Fancy Band and Garage A Trois.

In 2023 Mike Dillon called into our show from the road, where he was touring as a member of Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, with Les on vocals & guitar, Sean Lennon on guitar, Harry Waters on keyboards, Paulo Baldi on drums, Skerik on saxophone, and Mike Dillon on percussion. Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade played Grinders KC, on Friday, May 26.

Mike Dillon is based in New Orleans and Kansas City

Mike has produced albums for others including Rickie Lee Jones album Kicks.

He has performed with many musicians including Ani DiFranco, Galactic, Brave Combo, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Marco Benevento, Clutch (band), Claude Coleman Jr., and New Orleans musicians Kevin O’Day, Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton.

Dillon’s love of playing percussion was born out of his love for the band Rush as a teenager. He originally performed in the 1980s with local Dallas and Denton favorites Ten Hands.

In the 1990s he led Dallas-based Billy Goat, In the late 1990s, Billy Goat disbanded and he performed in the Kansas City-based Malachy Papers and the Austin-based Hairy Apes BMX (HABMX).

In 2006, Dillon started a project “Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle” which included members of Billy Goat, drummer Go-Go Ray, and bassist, J.J. Jungle.

The live Go-Go Jungle also performs songs from Dillon’s prior projects. They released their second CD entitled Rock Star Bench Press in 2009.

Dillon contributed the majority of compositions to Garage A Trois’ Power Patriot CD released in 2009.

Dillon and saxophonist Skerik perform as a trio called “The Dead Kenny G’s” with alternate third members. National tours have included keyboardist Brian Haas and bassist Brad Houser. With Houser they have also toured as “Critters Buggin Trio”. They released a CD entitled Bewildered Herd in 2009. As a trio with bassist James Singleton, Dillon and Skerik have toured as “Illuminasti” and as a trio with Les Claypool they have been billed as “The Fancy Trio”.

Dillon is married to artist Peregrine Honig, whom he resides with in Kansas City and New Orleans, but a busy touring schedule keeps him on the road much of the time.

Discography
Black Frames Solarallergy (2002)
Mike Dillon (2003)
Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle Battery Milk (2007)
The Dead Kenny G’s Bewildered Herd (2009)
Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle Rock Star Bench Press (2009)
Mike Dillon and Earl Harvin People Gardens (2010 – recorded 2005)
The Dead Kenny G’s Operation Long Leash (2011)
Mike Dillon Urn (2012)
The Dead Kenny G’s Gorelick (2012)
DVS [Mike Dillon, Johnny Vidacovich, James Singleton] “Bones”
Mike Dillon Band of Outsider (2014)
Nolatet “Dogs” (2016)
Mike Dillon Functioning Broke (2016)
Mike Dillon Life is Not a Football (2017)
Nolatet No Revenge Necessary (2018)
Mike Dillon Bonobo (2018)
Mike Dillon Rosewood (2020)
Mike Dillon & Punkadelic Shoot the Moon (2021)
Mike Dillon & The Bad Decisions Suitcase Man (2021 )
Mike Dillon 1918 (2021)
Mike Dillon & Punkadelick Featuring Nikkie Glaspie and Brian Haas ‘’Inflorescence’’ (2023)

See also discographies
Billy Goat
Hairy Apes BMX
Malachy Papers
Critters Buggin
Garage A Trois
With others
Ten Hands Kung Fu … That’s What I Like (1988)
Ten Hands The Big One Is Coming (1989)
MC 900 Ft Jesus One Step Ahead of the Spider (1994)
Ten Hands The Big One That Got Away (1996)
Pigface The Best of Pigface: Preaching to the Perverted (2001)
Karl Denson The Bridge (2002)
Les Claypool Purple Onion (2002)
Les Claypool Of Whales and Woe (2006)
Ani DiFranco Canon (2007)
Marco Benevento Live at Tonic (2007)
Ani DiFranco Red Letter Year (2008)
Santogold Santogold (2008)
Les Claypool Of Fungi and Foe (2009)
Ani Difranco “Which Side Are You On” (2012)
Wavves “Afraid of Heights” (2013)
Secret Chiefs 3 (Ishraqiyun) Perichoresis (2014)
Primus Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble (2014)
Karl Denson New Ammo (2014)
The Revivalist Men Amongst Mountains (2015)
Stanton Moore “With You in Mind” (2017)
Robert Walter’s 20th Congress Spacesuit (2018)
Clutch Book of Bad Decisions (2018)
The Dean Ween Group rock2 (2018)
Rickie Lee Jones Kicks 2019
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Gnomes and Badgers (2019)
The Iceman Special Circular Purple Circus (2021)

Mike Dillon & Punkadelic– “Run White Boy Run (feat. Calvin Arsenia)”
from: Run White Boy Run / Royal Potato Family / February 14, 2025
[Run White Boy Run presents Mike Dillon with his ever fierce and subversive trio Punkadelick, featuring keyboardist Brian Haas and drummer Nikki Glaspie. This time around the fearless vibraphonist/percussionist — whose resume runs from Les Claypool to Garage A Trois, Ani DiFranco to Rickie Lee Jones — takes on Cumbia, a Latin American style of music that originated in Colombia in the 1800s, and injects it with his own patented no-holds-barred, punk jazz vision. He’s joined along the way on this provocative musical rollercoaster ride by special guests including David Shaw (The Revivalist), Tiff Lampson (Givers), Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) and Shane Theriot (Hall & Oates). All songs written by Mike Dillon, Brian Haas, and Peregrine Honig. (except for “I Want To Be Your Dog” – The Stooges) Mixed and Recorded by Chad Meise]

10:48 – More interview with Mike Dillon

Mike Dillon has released over 12 solo records, multiple albums with his other bands, many singles, and collaborations with Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco and others. More information at http://www.mikedillonvibes.com

Mike’s band, Mike Dillon & Punkadelic features Mike on vibraphone, ma-rimba, Prophet 6, congas, & bongos; Brian Haas (of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog & melodica; and Nikki Glaspie (of Beyonce) on drums, cymbals & vocals.

Punkadelick released their 10-track instrumental rock, debut album, INFLORESCENCE on Royal Potato Family Records, on January 30, 2023.

The album was produced with Chad Meise.

A trio featuring Mike Dillon (Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco, Les Claypool) on vibraphone, marimba, Prophet 6, congas, and bongos, Brian Haas (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog and melodica and Nikki Glaspie (Beyonce) on drums, cymbals and vocals, Punkadelick is the unified vision of six hands creating a world that often sounds like the work of an ensemble three times the size.

Mike Dillon on The Road

JAN 18 SAT
The Maple Leaf- The New Fuck Yeahs @ 10:00 PM
New Orleans, LA, United States

FEB 22 SAT
No So Super Hero Ball- The New Fuck Yeahs- Carrolton Station @ 9:00 PM
New Orleans, LA, United States

FEB 28 FRI
Mike Dillon, Brian Haas, Otto Schrang @ 9:00 PM
New Orleans, LA, United States

MAR 4 TUE
The New Fuck Yeahs- The Blue Nile mardi Gras Day @ 7:00 PM
New Orleans, LA, United States

MAR 21 FRI
Punkadelick- Jack London Revue- Brian Haas, Nikki Glaspie, Mike D Portland, Or @ 9:00 PM
Brian HaasNikki Glaspie Fan Page
Portland, OR, United States

MAR 21 FRI
Punkadelick- Jack London Revue- Brian haas, Nikki Glaspie, Mike D Portland, Or @ 9:00 PM
Brian Haas
Portland, OR, United States

MAR 22 SAT
Punkadelick and OG McTuff- High Dive Settle @ 8:00 PM
Brian HaasNikki Glaspie Fan Page
Seattle, WA, United States

More information at http://www.mikedillonvibes.com

During 2020 and 2021, while many music venues were still shuttered, the group began touring, sweating their way through cuts Dillon and Haas had composed during quarantine writing sessions. Locking in on stage, it quickly became clear the band was functioning at a level that made the hair on their arms stand at attention—even for three live music veterans accustomed to life on the road.

“It became obvious to let this become a collaboration,” Dillon says. “This is really something all three of us are doing because we have so much love for one another and a love for the music that we started creating.” // “There’s only three of us, but we move together like a big, nasty school of fish,” Haas adds, laughing.

During the tail end of a 2021 tour, the band booked time to record with engineer—and functioning fourth band member—Chad Meise, and Inflorescence sprouted. Opener The title track, and “Pandas,” dig into thick dub textures built around Glaspie’s drumming and Haas’s subwoofer-straining bass synths.

Bending ears and surprising audiences has long been part of Dillon’s MO and Glaspie and Haas act as perfect foils for forays into the weird. While Dillon bristles at the “punk jazz” tag, punk rock and jazz remain core influences to the band, in sound and spirit. // “We’re students of the titans of music. We grew up listening to punk and rock ’n’ roll but we also love instrumental music—particularly the forefathers of Black American Music. In our minds, Led Zeppelin and Milt Jackson, Parliament-Funkadelic and The Minutemen, The Bad Brains and Frank Zappa are interconnected influences,” explains Dillon. “All that comes together in how we approach instrumental creative music. Both punk rock and jazz are not prefab things, they’re about the freedom. We have no genre restriction in this band, and people who get it really respect that.”

Maybe the greatest example of the band’s punk-steeped sonic free-for-all is “Slowly But Surely,” a track Dillon told Haas to compose as if he were “writing for Queens of the Stone Age.” The song plays like QOTSA translated to piano runs, vibes and deeply swinging drums—big-riff stoner rock upended and played with huge smiles by America’s premier proponents of the unclassifiable.

“We try to challenge our listeners. We’re touching a nerve with people who maybe don’t want to see the same songs done in the same variations all night long,” continues Dillon. “Part of my mission is taking these instruments that are primarily designed for the orchestral or jazz world and taking them to the rock world, the club world, running them through pedals and effects. We’re not afraid to be soft, or to surprise. That’s what we all do in this band — get beyond our own conceptions of what music is supposed to be.”

Mike Dillon was a percussionist with Billy Goat, and was one third of influential and acclaimed band, The Malachi Papers.

Mike Dillon Thank you for being with us on WMM.

More information at http://www.mikedillonvibes.com

10:57

Malachi Papers – “Jane and Brad”
from: Backbelly / reapandsow, Inc / January 1, 2003
[Mike Dillon on Percussion, Vibraphone, Mark Southerland on Saxophone, Brad Houser, Johnny Hamil on bass, E Clarke Wyatt on keyboards, Joe Max on Turntables, Earl Harvin o drums. Recorded by Chad Meise, Mastered by E Clarke Wyatt, Cover art by Peregrine Honig

11:00 – Station ID

We play two more tracks from a new project from music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today.

Mary Lattimore, MIZU & Jamal Shakeri– “I. Midnight Moon Pool (Womb Of The Soul) [feat. Laraaji]”
from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
[One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. // Dust Reid, who led production on Red Hot’s 2014 tribute to Arthur Russell, and Massima Bell, an artist and activist based in Los Angeles, began tracing the contours of what would become TRAИƧA together in 2021. The two producers originally met at a video shoot in upstate New York, and immediately bonded over their shared love of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music, as well as a common devotional connection to nature. // The passing of SOPHIE, the pathbreaking electronic producer who died in January 2021, galvanized the producers and focused their work. “We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts,” says Reid. “We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or non-binary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.” // Bell and Reid began conceiving of the album as a spiritual journey in eight chapters, a mirror of the original eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. The narrative begins at the earliest awareness of consciousness; moves through awakening, trauma, and grief; and arrives at liberation and continual reinvention. “One thing trans people do all the time is turn grief into possibility,” says Bell. “Living under the ongoing Western binary system, trans people reveal maps of possibility for everyone. It’s something that we can all learn from – expanding the possibility of human life.” Each chapter begins with a “chapter track,” kicking off a collection of songs that speak to that chapter’s theme. // As the producers began inviting musicians to contribute to TRAИƧA, the political climate in the United States and across the world started to foment an acute reactionary streak. Legislation denying trans people the hard-won right to medically transition proliferated across the country. Book bans rained down on libraries, stamping shut crucial apertures into trans and queer lives. The necessity of TRAИƧA’s presence in the world started to crystallize. // “The stakes have never been higher,” notes Bell. “We’re seeing a rise in anti-trans hate and vitriol that is particularly being spewed in the United States. I am a trans person from Iowa, one of the states that signed into law a bill that prohibits access to gender-affirming care. It is clearly, materially, a terrifying time.” // TRAИƧA FEATURED ARTISTS:Adrianne Lenker * Ahya Simone * Alan Sparhawk (Low) * Allison Russell * Am Taylor * Anajah * Ana Roxanne * André 3000 * Anjimile * Arthur Baker * Asher White * AV María * Babehoven * Bartees Strange * Belina Rose * Benét * Beverly Glenn-Copeland * Bill Callahan * Blake Mills * Bloomsday * Calvin Lauber * Caroline Rose * Cassandra Croft * Cassandra Jenkins * Christian Lee Hutson * claire rousay * Clairo * CLARITY * Cole Pulice * Dave Longstreth * Devendra Banhart * Eileen Myles * Eli Winter * Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland * Ezra Furman * Faye Webster * Fleet Foxes * Frankie Cosmos * Gary Gunn * Gia Margaret * Green-House * Grouper * Hand Habits * Heart Shaped * Helado Negro * Hunter Schafer * Jamal Shakeri * Jay Dee Daugherty * Jayne County * Jeff Tweedy * Jlin * Joy Guidry * Julianna Barwick * Julie Byrne * Julien Baker * Kara Jackson * Kathi Wilcox * KB Brookins * Kelela * Laraaji * Laura Jane Grace * Lauren Auder * Lee Ranaldo * Lightning Bug * Lomelda * Lucy Liyou * Lynn Avery * Lyra Pramuk * L’Rain * Mary Lattimore * MIZU * Moor Mother * More Eaze * Moses Sumney * Nico Georis * Niecy Blues * Nina Keith * Nsámbu Za Suékama * NYC Trans Oral History Project * Pepper MaShay * Perfume Genius * Pharoah Sanders * Quinn Christopherson * Rachika Nayar * Sade Adu * Sam Smith * Sharon Van Etten * SKY * SOAK * Soft Rōnin * Sparkle Division * Taryn Blake Miller * Teddy Geiger * Time Wharp * Wendy & Lisa of the Revolution * Yaeji * Yaya Bey]

Yaya Bey – “A Survivor’s Guilt”
from: TRAИƧA / Red Hot / November 22, 2024
[Hidaiyah “Yaya” Bey is an American rhythm and blues musician from Brooklyn. // Bey released her first album in 2020 titled Madison Tapes. Bey released an EP titled The Things I Can’t Take With Me the following year, through Big Dada. Bey released her second full-length album on June 16, 2022. The album received “Best New Music” from Pitchfork upon release. // Bey is the daughter of hip hop artist, Grand Daddy I.U.]

Discography
Studio albums
The Many Alter-Egos of Trill’eta Brown (2016, Elevated)
This Too… (2019, Elevated)
Madison Tapes (2020, Elevated)
Remember Your North Star (2022, Big Dada)
Ten Fold (2024, Big Dada)

EPs
The Things I Can’t Take with Me (2021, Big Dada)
Exodus the North Star (2023, Big Dada)

Piney Gir – “Show Me The Lightning”
from: “Show Me The Lightning” – Single / No Distance Records / September 20, 2024
[Written by Piney Gir. Piney Gir on vocals, percussion; Garo Nahoulakian on guitars, bass, percussion, key; Mike Monaghan on drums, percussion; Tomas Greenhalf on keys, saxophone. Produced and Mixed by Tomas Greenhalf at Direktorenhaus. Mastered by Kevin Tuffy at Manmade Mastering. Artwork by Tim Benton.. // Piney Gir (pronounced “gear”), often shortened to Piney, is an American musician and singer, born in Kansas but based in London, England since 1998. She has released seven studio albums. // Piney’s musical style is predominately edgy indie-pop, although she has been described both as a musical “chameleon” and as “the indie Dolly Parton” and “Transatlantic Pop Guru” . // Piney was raised in the Bible Belt of Midwest America and was sheltered from most secular music and culture growing up. She took piano lessons from the age of four and sang every week in church. As a teenager, Piney rebelled against this upbringing embracing all types of music, which may later explain her ability to write and create all genres of music. She then went to UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance where she majored in music, firstly playing drums and pitched percussion, but then changing her major to voice. When she moved to London, she went to Central Saint Martins and took some night classes while doing temp jobs by day; working in bars and clubs at night, she then joined synth pop duo Vic Twenty. Vic Twenty released a single on Mute records sub label Credible Sexy Units and toured the UK and Europe with Erasure. It was at Truck Festival that Truck Records saw Piney play the Trailer Park Stage and offered her a record deal in 2003, the start of her prolific career as a solo artist. // Piney is an established figure on the London music scene, and has toured the UK, Europe and America extensively. Among others, she has supported Gaz Coombes, Ride, Erasure, Wanda Jackson, The Hidden Cameras and The Research and she’s played many festivals around the UK, US and Europe including appearances at Glastonbury festival on the Park Stage and South by Southwest. She has collaborated with many successful artists, including Andy Ramsay of Stereolab; Rob Campanella from The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Eamon Hamilton from the band Brakes and British Sea Power; Sweet Baboo, Willie J Healey, Angela Correa of Correatown, The Real Tuesday Weld, and Simple Kid. // Piney sings in Gaz Coombes’s band and is a singer with Noel Gallagher. She has also sung with Garth Hudson from The Band and regularly sings with Dream Themes and Ralfe Band (both live and on their records). She also sang on the Corona Virus themed Disco album “Stayin’ Alive” with Rhodri Marsden. Piney is a backing singer on Danny Goffey’s forthcoming solo album as well as singing on Lawrence’s new Go-Kart Mozart (album release date TBC).]

Art d’Ecco – “True Believer”
from: Serene Demom / Paper Bag Records/ July 23, 2019
[Serene Demon may be Art d’Ecco’s most ambitious album to date, but fans won’t struggle to recognize his handiwork. For all its hints of mystery, opener “True Believer” picks up the thread of last summer’s non-album single “I Feel Alive.” The push-and-pull of “Tree of Life” could’ve easily propelled it into heavy MTV rotation in the heyday of the Psychedelic Furs, while the slinky “Shell Shock” and its Roland SH-2000 synth grooves evokes memories of Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle.” Even the audacious title tune is carefully sequenced between a moody instrumental (“Meursault’s Walk,” a nod to Camus’ The Stranger) and an upbeat pop tune (“Honeycomb”) embellished with steel drum. // Like Bowie and Björk, Miles Davis and Kate Bush, Art d’Ecco intends to keep nudging his listeners forward, prompting them to explore – and accept – unfamiliar ideas. “Once you’ve trained the ear of the audience, it establishes a new precedent,” he concludes. Tastes change and evolve, and outliers mature into icons. “That moves pop music forward in the most beautiful, organic way, and I’m constantly trying to exist within that paradigm. How do I challenge myself and throw the rule book out, but still make this the catchiest, quirkiest piece of music possible? I like existing between those two worlds.” // Great pop music accommodates big ideas and simple truths with equal finesse, but don’t expect a record – even one as ambitious as Serene Demon – to solve all life’s mysteries. “If you’re constantly searching for answers or hope to bestow any relevance to the existence that you’re living, then take a pause and realize that life is happening right now,” concludes Art. “You don’t need to constantly defer happiness. Just exist in the moment.” // Based in British Columbia, “There’s more than a little David Bowie in both the sonic and fashion leanings of Art d’Ecco, a performer who fluidly crosses musical and gender lines, creating highly memorable tracks — and sporting an unforgettable look. Often labelled “neo glam,” the music boasts hints of everything from ’50s pop to psychedelics, from Velvet Underground-era art rock to Grimes-inspired electronics.” – CBC Music Art d’Ecco freleased the album Trespasser on Paper Bag Records on October 12, 2018. When d’Ecco moved into his grandmother’s cottage on one of the islands, he hadn’t planned on creating a new project. But, as it often does, circumstance charted his course. His grandmother, living with Alzheimer’s, suffered a related phenomenon called ‘sundowning,’ which triggers increased agitation and anxiety around sunset. “The only way to calm this lady down was to sit down at the piano,” says d’Ecco. He would play “Bohemian Rhapsody,” passing it off as Beethoven. After she was relocated, d’Ecco remained in the empty house where he had played as a child. Draped in memory, he gravitated toward the piano, spending the long, lonesome, quiet nights on the bench before the instrument. This is where Art d’Ecco was created. He relocated to a new cottage, built a studio and barricaded himself with copies of Deerhunter’s Cryptograms, Bowie’s Low, and choice krautrock records. In this solitude, d’Ecco would chase tones for hours. The result is a richly-realized confluence of the ferocious spark of those trailblazers and a distinct sadness, with d’Ecco as mad scientist, stitching together these delicious fragments and animating them.]

11:15 – Tribute to Nile Rodgers

Michelle Bacon joins us in a few minutes to share details about The Band That Fell To Earth who’ll perform David Bowie’s album, Let’s Dance, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 23 at 8:00 at at recordBar. As we focus on David Bowie’s biggest selling album “Let’s Dance” we have to recognize the contribution of Nile Rodgers.

Nile Rodgers Jr. who was born September 19, 1952 The co-founder of Chic, he has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide.

He produced David Bowie‘s biggest selling album, Let’s Dance, which yielded the hit singles “Let’s Dance”, “China Girl”, and “Modern Love”. He produced the single “Original Sin” by INXS, and in 1984, he produced Madonna‘s album Like a Virgin, which scored four hit singles including its title track, “Material Girl”, and “Dress You Up”. He worked extensively with Duran Duran, remixing their biggest-selling single, “The Reflex”, producing “Wild Boys” on their 1984 live album, Arena, and co-producing the album Notorious. Rodgers produced albums for Sheena Easton, Jeff Beck, Thompson Twins, Mick Jagger, and others, and performed at Live Aid with Madonna and the Thompson Twins. At the end of the decade, he produced albums for Grace Jones, Al Jarreau, Earth Wind and Fire’s vocalist Philip Bailey, and performed on “Higher Love” with Steve Winwood, as well as on records for Cyndi Lauper, and others. In 1989, he co-produced the B-52’s multi-platinum album Cosmic Thing; it reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and yielded the singles “Love Shack”, and “Roam”. He produced Workin’ Overtime, Diana Ross‘ return to Motown, and the soundtracks for Alphabet City, Gremlins, White Nights, and The Fly. He later composed an orchestral soundtrack, his first, for the film Coming to America.

Bowie met Nile Rodgers of the American band Chic in the after-hours New York nightclub Continental, where the two developed a rapport over industry acquaintances and shared musical interests; he eventually asked him to produce his next record. // “Let’s Dance” was the first song recorded for the album. The sessions, co-produced by Bowie and Rodgers, took place at the Power Station in New York City during the first three weeks of December 1982. Engineered by Bob Clearmountain, the song was completed in one or two takes and set the tone for the rest of the project. The rest of the album was recorded quickly, completed in just 17 days. Contributing additional guitar overdubs towards the end of the sessions was Stevie Ray Vaughan, a then-unknown 28-year-old Texas blues guitarist, whom Bowie hired after seeing him play at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival. Bowie praised his guitar playing, saying: “He’s got a whole other thing going on.” He used a Fender Stratocaster plugged into an old Fender amplifier.

11:18

Laurie Anderson – “Language is a Virus”
from: Home of The Brave / Warners Brothers / May 26, 1986
[Produced by Nile Rodgers. Home of the Brave is the third studio album and first soundtrack album by avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson, released in 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. The album is a soundtrack of her concert film of the same name. // Three of the eight tracks on the album were recorded in the studio and thus differ considerably from the filmed versions. A music video for “Language Is a Virus” was produced, using the soundtrack studio recording but footage of the live performance. // Two songs on the album were remakes of earlier works: “Language Is a Virus” was originally titled “Language is a virus from outer space – William S. Burroughs” and was performed on Anderson’s earlier United States Live (the soundtrack album omits the song’s spoken word introduction, “Difficult Listening Hour”, which had appeared on United States Live and which was also performed in the film). “Sharkey’s Night” is a song from Anderson’s previous album, Mister Heartbreak. However this rendition is performed by Anderson herself (the original was vocalized by William S. Burroughs) as it is in the film. Burroughs’ voice is heard on the track “Late Show,” however. The soundtrack album omits the other live performances of songs from Mister Heartbreak that were featured in the movie. // An alternate, faster-paced version of “Smoke Rings” was recorded for release as a possible single, but there is no indication it was ever issued; it can be heard during Anderson’s made-for-TV short film What You Mean We? // Laura Phillips “Laurie” Anderson (born June 5, 1947) is an American avant-garde artist, musician and filmmaker whose work spans performance art, pop music, and multimedia projects. Initially trained in violin and sculpting, Anderson pursued a variety of performance art projects in New York City during the 1970s, focusing particularly on language, technology, and visual imagery. She achieved unexpected commercial success when her song “O Superman” reached number two on the UK singles chart in 1981. // Anderson’s debut studio album Big Science was released in 1982 and has since been followed by a number of studio and live albums. She starred in and directed the 1986 concert film Home of the Brave. Anderson’s creative output has also included theatrical and documentary works, voice acting, art installations, and a CD-ROM. She is a pioneer in electronic music and has invented several musical devices that she has used in her recordings and performance art shows. // Laura Phillips Anderson was born in Chicago on June 5, 1947, and grew up in the nearby suburb of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, one of eight children born to Mary Louise (née Rowland) and Arthur T. Anderson. Growing up, she spent weekends studying painting at the Art Institute of Chicago and played with the Chicago Youth Symphony. // She graduated from Glenbard West High School. She attended Mills College in California, and after moving to New York in 1966, graduated in 1969 from Barnard College with a B.A. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, studying art history. In 1972, she obtained an M.F.A. in sculpture from Columbia University. // Her first performance-art piece — a symphony played on automobile horns — was performed in 1969. In 1970, she drew the underground comix Baloney Moccasins, which was published by George DiCaprio. In the early 1970s, she worked as an art instructor, as an art critic for magazines such as Artforum, and illustrated children’s books—the first of which was titled The Package, a mystery story in pictures alone.]

Nile Rodgers talks about making “Lets Dance”

David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Single Version)
from: Let’s Dance / EMI America / April 14, 1983
[Let’s Dance was co-produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers, the album contained three of his most successful singles; the title track, “Let’s Dance”, reached No. 1 in the US, “Modern Love” and “China Girl” both reached No. 2 in the UK. “China Girl” was a new version of a song which Bowie had co-written with Iggy Pop for the 1977 album The Idiot. The album also contains a re-recorded version of the song “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” which had been a minor hit for Bowie a year earlier. Let’s Dance was a stepping stone for the career of the Texas blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, who played on it. Let’s Dance has sold over 10.7 million copies worldwide, making it Bowie’s best-selling album. Let’s Dance is Bowie’s 18th official album release since his debut in 1967, including two live albums, one covers album (Pin Ups, 1973), and a collaboration with the Philadelphia Orchestra (1977). The success of the album surprised Bowie, who felt he had to continue to pander to the new pop audience he acquired with the album. This led to Bowie releasing two further solo albums in 1984 and 1987 that, despite their relative commercial success, did not sell as well as Let’s Dance, were poorly received by critics at the time and subsequently dismissed by Bowie himself as his “Phil Collins years”. Bowie would form the hard rock and grunge-predecessor band Tin Machine in 1989 in an effort to rejuvenate himself artistically. David Bowie had planned to use producer Tony Visconti on the album, as the two had worked together on Bowie’s previous four studio albums. However, he chose Nile Rodgers for the project, a move that came as a surprise to Visconti, who had set time aside to work on Let’s Dance. Visconti called [Bowie’s personal assistant] Coco and she said: “Well, you might as well know – he’s been in the studio for the past two weeks with someone else. It’s working out well and we won’t be needing you. He’s very sorry.” The move damaged the two men’s relationship and Visconti did not work with Bowie again for nearly 20 years (until 2002’s Heathen). Rodgers later recalled that Bowie approached him to produce his album so that Bowie could have hit singles. Rodgers reported that Bowie came into his apartment one day and showed him a photograph of Little Richard in a red suit getting into a bright red Cadillac, saying “Nile, darling, that’s what I want my album to sound like.”]

11:30 – Underwriting

David Bowie – “Without You”
from: Let’s Dance / EMI America / April 14, 1983
[Let’s Dance was co-produced by Chic’s Nile Rodgers, the album contained three of his most successful singles; the title track, “Let’s Dance”, reached No. 1 in the US, “Modern Love” and “China Girl” both reached No. 2 in the UK. “China Girl” was a new version of a song which Bowie had co-written with Iggy Pop for the 1977 album The Idiot. The album also contains a re-recorded version of the song “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” which had been a minor hit for Bowie a year earlier.

11:04 – Interview with Michelle Bacon

Multi-talented musician and writer, Michelle Bacon, Content Manager at 90.9 The Bridge, where she shines a light on musicians & events. Michelle has written for KC Options Magazine, The KC Star, Deli Magazine, and Folk Alliance Int. Michelle plays drums in the band Frogpond, and plays bass & drums in many other bands Other Americans, Katy Guillen & The Drive, The Philistines, Heidi Lynne Gluck, Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds, The Blackbird Revue, Dolls on Fire, John L. Johnson, the Nathan Corsi Band, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Erica Joy, Deco Auto, and several others.

Michelle is also the leader of The Band That Fell To Earth who will present the 9th Annual 3-day Tribute to Davie Bowie. The Band That Fell To Earth will perform David Bowie’s album, Let’s Dance, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 23 at 8:00 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., KCMO.

The Band That Fell To Earth will continue with Bowie Tribute shows on Friday & Saturday, January 24 & 25, at 8:00 PM at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO.

A portion of each ticket sale will go to MOCSA, as well as proceeds from a live charity auction held at the final show. But it’s never too late to donate — visit http://www.mocsa.org.
Tickets available at: https://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

This is the 9th year The Band That Fell To Earth is celebrating the music of Bowie with a “Super Group” of KC’s finest musicians organized and led by Michelle Bacon.

The Band That Fell To Earth KC is KC’s premier annual David Bowie tribute event

Michelle Bacon is the producer of The Band That Fell To Earth: A Tribute to David Bowie.

The Band That Fell To Earth KC

Michelle Bacon – bass
Alex Alexander – guitar
Nathan Corsi – vocals/guitar
Kyle Dahlquist – keys
Katy Guillen – guitar
Steve Tulipana – vocals
Stephanie Williams – drums
Havilah Bruders – backing vocals
Seyko Groves – backing vocals
Christine Broxterman – cello
Laurel Morgan – Parks – violin
Rich Wheeler – saxophone
Matt Ronan – percussion

This year, The Band That Fell To Earth is raising money for Metropolitan Organization Countering Sexual Assault Kansas City! For nearly 50 years, MOCSA KC has been a vital resource in the metro that offers support, healing and hope to those impacted by sexual violence. A portion of each ticket sale from our concerts goes to MOCSA, as well as proceeds from a live charity auction held at the final show. But it’s never too late to donate — visit http://www.mocsa.org.

ALL tix available at http://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo

18+ / minors allowed with guardian

7 pm VIP doors
7:30 pm GA doors
8:00 pm show starts

Each night will contain a different set list, and special guests,.

Special guests:
Friday, Jan. 26 – Chase The Horseman, Cassie Taylor, Steddy P
Saturday, Jan, 27 – Ivory Blue, Katie Gilchrist, Jordan Smith

This is the 9th year The Band That Fell To Earth is celebrating the music of Bowie with a “Super Group” of KC’s finest musicians organized and led by Michelle Bacon.

Michelle Bacon, thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The Band That Fell To Earth who will present the 9th Annual 3-day Tribute to Davie Bowie. The Band That Fell To Earth will perform David Bowie’s album, Let’s Dance, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 23 at 8:00 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., KCMO.

The Band That Fell To Earth will continue with Bowie Tribute shows on Friday & Saturday, January 24 & 25, at 8:00 PM at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO.

David Bowie – “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)”
from: Let’s Dance / EMI America / April 14, 1983
[Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” is a song recorded by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie as the title track of the 1982 erotic horror film Cat People. Bowie became involved with the track after director Paul Schrader reached out to him about collaborating. The song was recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland in July 1981. Bowie wrote the lyrics, which reflected the film, while the Italian producer Giorgio Moroder composed the music. // The song was released as a single by Moroder’s label MCA Records in March 1982, appearing in different edits between the 7″ and 12″ releases, alongside edits for other countries. It also appeared on the accompanying soundtrack album. The single was a commercial success, charting in the UK and the US, and topping the charts in New Zealand, Sweden, Norway and Finland. It is considered one of Bowie’s finest recordings of the 1980s. The song has since appeared on numerous compilation albums and was remastered in 2017 for inclusion on the A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982) box set. // Unhappy with the original recording, Bowie remade the track for his 15th studio album Let’s Dance (1983), recording it at the Power Station in New York City in December 1982. Featuring production by Chic member Nile Rodgers and lead guitar by blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, the remake is more aggressive. Despite the remake being the more well-known version due to its parent album’s success, some critics have expressed a preference for the original recording. The remake was remastered in 2018 as part of the Loving the Alien (1983–1988) box set. // Director Paul Schrader reached out to David Bowie in 1980 to collaborate for the theme song of his remake of the Jacques Tourneur horror film Cat People (1942). Biographer Chris O’Leary describes the original film as “a subtle exploration of sexual repression and xenophobia”, while he calls the remake a “gory fashion spread”. Italian producer Giorgio Moroder had already recorded most of the music at Carla Ridge Camp in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, so Bowie was approached to write the lyrics to the main theme. Bowie met with Moroder in July 1981 at Mountain Studios in Montreaux, Switzerland to record “Cat People”.During the same session, Bowie ran into the English rock band Queen, who were recording their 1982 album Hot Space. After recording backing vocals for their song “Cool Cat”, the session resulted in the collaboration “Under Pressure”. // Musically, “Cat People” has been described as new wave. In keeping with the dark tone of the film, the song has some goth rock influences, with Bowie singing in a deep baritone croon while being backed up by a female chorus. Bowie’s octave leap on the word “gasoline” has been called “a magnificent moment” and “among the most thrilling moments he ever committed to tape”. Moroder’s music is built around several chord changes, including C minor. Bowie’s lyrics reflect the film’s pretensions, taking influence from his prior songs “Sound and Vision” (1977) and “It’s No Game” (1980), such as the line “those who feel me near / pull the blinds and change their minds”. Regarding the film, Bowie said: “It works on a dream state, it feels like the kind of thing you go through at night. That’s the way I look at it lyrically”. // “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” was released as a single on 12 March 1982. Because of Moroder’s contract, the single was issued by MCA Records. The B-side was “Paul’s Theme (Jogging Chase)”, a Moroder composition from the Cat People soundtrack. The single appeared in numerous different edits. The full-length 6:45 version appeared on the soundtrack album and the 12″ single, while a 4:08 edited version was made for the 7″ release. In Australia, a 9:20 edit, featuring additional saxophone and synthesiser, was released on a 12″ single. Other edits made included a 3:18 edit for American and German promos and a 3:08 edit for Dutch promos. A 4:55 mix appears in the Cat People film itself, with additional panther roars. // Upon release, the single was a commercial success. The 7″ single reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart, remaining on the chart for six weeks, and at number 13 in Canada. In the US, the 7″ single charted on three different Billboard charts: it peaked at number 67 on the Pop Singles chart, remaining there for 10 weeks; at number 9 on the Mainstream Rock chart, remaining there for 20 weeks; and at number 14 on the Club Play Singles chart, remaining there for 16 weeks. In other countries, it peaked at number 1 in New Zealand, remaining there for three weeks, as well as in Sweden for four weeks. It was also number 1 in Norway for seven consecutive weeks, and then returned to the top for a further week. The single also peaked at number 1 in Finland. // An RCA executive believed that the collaboration would result in a more “user-friendly” album like Young Americans (1975). The executive told a colleague: “If it isn’t too much trouble, it would be nice if DB went into the studio and recorded a real album”. He did not, instead acting in the Alan Clarke play Baal and appeared in more films, including The Hunger and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, both released in 1983. // Alongside appearing on the accompanying soundtrack album in 1982, “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” has been released on various compilation albums. The full-length version appeared on the US release Bowie: The Singles 1969–1993 in 1993, on the 2003 edition of Bowie’s Sound + Vision collection, and on Re:Call 3, part of the A New Career in a New Town (1977–1982) boxed set, in 2017. The shorter 7″ single edit has appeared on some versions of Best of Bowie (2002) and on The Platinum Collection (2005). // After leaving RCA Records and signing a new deal with EMI America Records in late 1982, Bowie wanted to start fresh with a new producer. Wanting a commercial sound, he chose Nile Rodgers of the rock band Chic, one of the most commercially successful bands of the late 1970s. After demoing tracks in Montreux, Switzerland, recording for Let’s Dance began at the Power Station in New York City during the first three weeks of December 1982. // Bowie had been unhappy with Moroder’s backing track for “Cat People”, telling Rodgers that he wanted to remake it. Rodgers stated in 1984: “The way ‘Cat People’ came out on the soundtrack really bothered him. He didn’t like it at all. He played me his original demo and I said, ‘Wow, that’s the way ‘Cat People’ goes?'” For the re-recording, Rodgers made it cut time “but kept the same tempo so [Bowie] could sing the vocal the same way and the band could keep the pocket”. Bowie claimed in 1983: “I took the instruments away. They don’t weave quite such a magic spell over the construction of the lyrics…they get the chords right and that’s about all I wanted to do”. // The re-recording is described by Pegg and O’Leary as more “aggressive”. The synthesisers of the original are replaced by keyboards, the verses are “halved” and the backing vocals are run through an Eventide Harmonizer with the pitch raised a minor third. Like the rest of the album, then-unknown blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan plays lead guitar on the song. // The remake of “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” was released on 14 April 1983 as the seventh and penultimate track on Bowie’s 15th studio album Let’s Dance, sequenced between the cover of “Criminal World” and “Shake It”. The remake was also released as the B-side to the title track’s single release on 14 March. It was subsequently performed throughout the Serious Moonlight Tour. At the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, “Cat People” was nominated for the Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, losing the award to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”. // The remake was remastered, along with the rest of its parent album, in 2018 as part of the box set Loving the Alien (1983–1988) and released separately the following year. A concert performance recorded on 12 September 1983 may be heard on the live album Serious Moonlight (Live ’83), which was included in Loving the Alien (1983–1988) and released separately in 2019. The performance was filmed and appears on the concert video Serious Moonlight and the DVD version of Best of Bowie.]

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

NEXT WEEK, on January 29, 2025, we welcome special guests: veteran musician and drummer Doug Hitchcock and music from his release from Hari Karaoke Trio of Doom. Se also welcome KC based siner songwriter Julie Bennet Hume, and Malek Azreal joins us to share details about ROCK IS BLACK – Friday, February 28 at Zhou B Art Center, 1801 East 18th street, KCMO with Frankie Shorez and Mercy Fire, Jamogi and the Jammers, Stephonne, Malek Azrael and the Vibez. Plus we’ll play new music from The MGDs, Ivory Blue, Heath Church, Benjamin Booker and more

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers 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 #1079

WMM presents Michelle Bacon & The Band That Fell To Earth + Mike Dillon + Music from TRAИƧA

Posted on January 17, 2025 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, January 22, 2025

Michelle Bacon & The Band That Fell To Earth + Mike Dillon + Music from TRAИƧA

Mark spins New & MidCoastal Releases from: Fullbloods, Daniel Gum, Claire Adams, Mike Dillon & Punkadelic, Malachy Papers, Mike Dillon’s Go Go Jungle, Piney Gir, Florist, Tunde Adebimpe, Art D’Ecco, Kim Deal, and from Yaya Bey, Moses Sumney + ANOHNI, Mary Lattimore + Laraaji + MIZU, + Jamal Shakeri, in tracks from a new project from music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. We’ll also play a story about “Let’s Dance” from Nile Rodgers, and we’ll play David Bowie, and Laurie Anderson.

At 10:30 we talk with KC based musician Mike Dillon. Mike Dillon was born in San Antonio, Texas. He is a percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader, and vocalist. Mike has released over 12 solo records, and multiple albums with his other bands, many singles, and collaborations with Ricki Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco and others. He is a member of Mike Dillon & Punkadelick, Les Claypool’s Fancy Band and Garage A Trois. He has performed with Galactic, Brave Combo, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Marco Benevento, Clutch, Claude Coleman Jr., and New Orleans musicians Kevin O’Day, Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton. In the 1990s he led Dallas-based Billy Goat, after Billy Goat disbanded and he performed in the KC-based Malachy Papers and the Austin-based Hairy Apes BMX (HABMX). In 2006, Dillon started Mike Dillon’s Go-Go Jungle with members of Billy Goat, drummer Go-Go Ray, and bassist, J.J. Jungle. Dillon also performs with The Dead Kenny G’s, and The Fancy Trio. Dillon is married to artist Peregrine Honig. His current project, Mike Dillon & Punkadelic features Mike on vibraphone, ma-rimba, Prophet 6, congas, & bongos; Brian Haas (of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey) on Fender Rhodes, piano, bass Moog & melodica; and Nikki Glaspie (of Beyonce) on drums, cymbals & vocals. Punkadelick released their 10-track instrumental rock, debut album, INFLORESCENCE on Royal Potato Family Records, on January 30, 2023. The album was produced with Chad Meise. More information at http://www.mikedillonvibes.com

At 11:30, Michelle Bacon joins us to share details about The Band That Fell To Earth who’ll perform David Bowie‘s album, Let’s Dance, as a Special VIP Benefit, on Thursday, January 23 at 8:00 at at recordBar. The Band That Fell To Earth will continue with Bowie Tribute shows on Friday & Saturday, January 24 & 25, at 8:00 PM at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd. KCMO. This is the 9th year The Band That Fell To Earth is celebrating the music of Bowie with a “Super Group” of KC’s finest musicians organized and led by Michelle Bacon. This year, The Band That Fell To Earth is raising money for Metropolitan Organization Countering Sexual Assault Kansas City! For nearly 50 years, MOCSA KC has been a vital resource in the metro that offers support, healing and hope to those impacted by sexual violence. A portion of each ticket sale from our concerts goes to MOCSA, as well as proceeds from a live charity auction held at the final show. But it’s never too late to donate — visit http://www.mocsa.org. Tickets available at: https://linktr.ee/bowiekcmo.

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

Show #1079

WMM Playlist from January 15, 2025

Posted on January 15, 2025 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, January 15, 2025

WMM is “Remembering MLK”

Wednesday MidDay Medley celebrates the life of human rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born Jan. 15, 1929.

MLK led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, was a cofounder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, and served as it’s first president. His efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his, “I Have a Dream” speech. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination thru civil disobedience and non-violent means.

By the time of his death in 1968, Dr. King had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and opposing the Vietnam War. King was assassinated, April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977, and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. national holiday in 198I. Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday is Friday, January 15, 2021 The Dr. Martin Luther King Day – National Holiday is Monday January 15, 2024.

As Pete Seeger wrote: “Songs gave them the courage to believe they would not fail.”

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

Soweto Gospel Choir – “Pride (In The Name of Love)”
from: In the Name of Love – Africa Celebrates U2 / Shout! Factory Records / 2008
[Formed in Soweto, South Africa, by David Mulovhedzi & Beverly Bryer, two choir directors. The 30-member ensemble blends African gospel, Negro spirituals, reggae and American popular music. The group performed at the first of the 46664 concerts for Nelson Mandela and has toured internationally. Their albums Blessed and African Spirit won Grammy Awards for Best Traditional World Music Album in 2007 and 2008.]

International Noise Conspiracy / MLK Jr. – “The First Conspiracy / Let Freedom Ring”
from: Adbusters – Live Without Dead Time / Adbusters / 2003
[The (International) Noise Conspiracy (abbreviated T(I)NC) were a Swedish rock band formed in Sweden in the late months of 1998. The line-up consists of Dennis Lyxzén (vocals), Inge Johansson (bass), Lars Strömberg (guitar), and Ludwig Dahlberg (drums). The band is known for its punk and garage rock musical influences, and its impassioned left-wing political stance. Influenced by a quote from 1960’s folk singer Phil Ochs, according to lead singer Lyxzén, the band wanted to achieve an ideal blend of music and politics that was, “a cross between Elvis Presley and Che Guevara.”]

Labelle – “Something in The Air / The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
from: Something Silver / Warner Archives / 1997

[orig. Pressure Cookin’ / 1973, 3rd album from the funk/soul trio of: Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash who each shared a rap on “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” a poem and song by Gil Scott-Heron. It was the B-side to Scott-Heron’s first single, “Home Is Where the Hatred Is”, from his album Pieces of a Man (1971). “Something in the Air” is a song orig. recorded by Thunderclap Newman, a band created by Pete Townshend for The Who’s former roadie John ‘Speedy’ Keen who wrote and sang the song. It was a UK #1 single for three weeks in July 1969.]

10:14 – Soul Brother…

MLK said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

MLK said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”

Curtis Mayfield – “Beautiful Brother of Mine”
from: Roots / Curtom-Buddah / October, 1971
[2nd solo release from Curtis Mayfield, born in Chicago, June 3, 1942. One of the most influential musicians behind soul & politically conscious African-American music. Mayfield started his musical career in a gospel choir. Moving to the North Side of Chicago he met Jerry Butler in 1956 at the age of 14, and joined vocal group The Impressions. As a songwriter, Mayfield became noted as one of the first musicians to bring more prevalent themes of social awareness into soul music. In 1965, he wrote “People Get Ready” for The Impressions, which displayed his more politically charged songwriting. After leaving The Impressions in 1970, Mayfield released several albums, including the soundtrack for the blaxploitation film Super Fly in 1972. The soundtrack was noted for its socially conscious themes, mostly addressing problems surrounding inner city minorities such as crime, poverty and drug abuse. Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down after lighting equipment fell on him during a live performance at Wingate Field in Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, on August 13, 1990. Despite this, he continued his career as a recording artist, releasing his final album, New World Order, in 1996. Mayfield won a Grammy Legend Award in 1994 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995, and was a double inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of the Impressions in 1991, and again in 1999 as a solo artist. He was also a 2-time Grammy Hall of Fame inductee. He died from complications of type 2 diabetes, Dec 26, 1999, at 57.]

Maceo & The Macks – “Soul Power ’74”
from: James Brown’s Funky People, Pt. 2 / People Records / 1988
[This record is sampled more than crackers and cheese at Costco, it contains samples itself in the form of tape overlays of civil rights rallies, a Dr. King speech, and an announcement of King’s assassination. Maceo Parker played saxophone with James Brown, Parliament, Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell and Prince.]

Sweet Honey in The Rock, Aaron Neville, Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise -“Ella’s Song”
from: Soundtrack to Boycott / HBO / 2001
[Critically acclaimed 2001 film staring Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Terrence Howard as Ralph Abernathy, and CCH Pounder as Jo Ann Robinson.]

10:26 – Underwriting

10:30 – King’s Life, Death, and Spirit…

MLK said, “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

Mahalia Jackson – “How I Got Over”
from: The Original Apollo Sessions / Couch & Madison Partners / May 25, 2013
[Gospel hymn composed & published in 1951 by Clara Ward (1924-1973). It was performed by Mahalia Jackson at the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963 before 250,000 people. Mahalia Jackson (Oct. 26, 1911 – Jan. 27, 1972) was referred to as “The Queen of Gospel”. She became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world, heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She was described by entertainer Harry Belafonte as “the single most powerful black woman in the United States”. She recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her career, and her 45 rpm records included a dozen “golds”—million-sellers. “I sing God’s music because it makes me feel free,” Jackson once said about her choice of gospel, adding, “It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues.”]

Martin Luther King Jr. – “MLK – I Have A Dream 1963 (excerpt)”
from: Inspirational Speeches, Vo. 3 / Orange Leisure / May 16, 2011
[American civil rights leader/activist and Baptist minister, born Jan. 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. King’s speeches have been issued on numerous releases – his most well-known and influential address being “I Have a Dream”, which was held during “The March on Washington” in 1963. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.]

Marian Anderson – “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”
from: He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands / BMG / Orig. 1961 [Reissued 1991]
[Marian Anderson (Feb 27, 1897 – Apr. 8, 1993) was one of the most celebrated singers of the 20th century. In 1939, the (DAR) refused to let Anderson sing in Constitution Hall. With the aid of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Anderson performed a critically acclaimed open-air concert on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. before a crowd of more than 75,000 people and a radio audience in the millions. Anderson became the first black person, to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC on Jan. 7, 1955. Anderson worked as a delegate to the UN Human Rights Committee and “goodwill ambassadress” for the U.S. Dept. of State, giving concerts all over the world. She participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, singing at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Anderson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1978, the National Medal of Arts in 1986, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.]

Tramaine Hawkins, Ella Mitchell, Billy Porter & Chorus -“Rocka My Soul”
from: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre “Revelations” / V2 / 1998
[Revelations is the signature choreographic work of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It was first produced by Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in New York City, New York on January 31, 1960. Revelations tells the story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through a suite of dances set to spirituals and blues music. It’s been performed in over 70 countries in the half century since then and has been described as “the most widely seen modern dance work in the world.” The finale song of the three part “Revelations” is “Rocka My Soul In The Bosom Of Abraham” and it has been described by writer Juliana Lewis-Ferguson as a, “spiritually powerful conclusion to the suite and a purely physical release of emotion.”]

The Swan Silvertones – “Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep”
from: Platinum Gospel: The Swan Silvertones / Sonorous Entertainment / 2012 (1959)
[“Mary Don’t You Weep” (alternately titled “O Mary Don’t You Weep”, “Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep, Don’t You Mourn”, or variations thereof) is a Negro spiritual that originates from before the American Civil War – thus it is what scholars call a “slave song,” “a label that describes their origins among the enslaved,” and it contains “coded messages of hope and resistance.” It is one of the most important of Negro spirituals. The song tells the Biblical story of Mary of Bethany and her distraught pleas to Jesus to raise her brother Lazarus from the dead. Other narratives relate to The Exodus and the Passage of the Red Sea, with the chorus proclaiming Pharaoh’s army got drown-ded!, and to God’s rainbow covenant to Noah after the Great Flood. With liberation thus one of its themes, the song again become popular during the Civil Rights Movement. Additionally, a song that explicitly chronicles the victories of the Civil Rights Movement, “If You Miss Me from the Back of the Bus”, written by Charles Neblett of The Freedom Singers, was sung to this tune and became one of the most well-known songs of that movement. In 2015 it was announced that The Swan Silvertones’s version of the song will be inducted into the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry for the song’s “cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation’s audio legacy”. The first recording of the song was by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1915. The best known recordings were made by the vocal gospel group The Caravans in 1958, with Inez Andrews as the lead singer, and The Swan Silvertones in 1959. “Mary Don’t You Weep” became The Swan Silvertones’ greatest hit, and lead singer Claude Jeter’s interpolation “I’ll be a bridge over deep water if you trust in my name” served as Paul Simon’s inspiration to write his 1970 song “Bridge over Troubled Water”.The spiritual’s lyric God gave Noah the rainbow sign, no more water the fire next time inspired the title for The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin’s 1963 account of race relations in America.]

Krystle Warren – “Red Clay”
from: Three The Hard Way / Parlour Door Music / August 18, 2017
[Inspired by the domestic terrorism and racist massacre and destruction of the Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 31, 1921, that was one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism in the history of the United States, in which more than 35 square blocks were destroyed by a wave of racial terrorism, fire bombs dropped for airplane, and sniper fire from shot guns of those trying to escape that left hundreds of Black residents dead, and more than 1,000 houses burned and destroyed. Produced by Krystle Warren and Ben Kane (D’Angelo, Emily King, PJ Morton). Recorded, engineered, and mixed by Ben Kane. Written & performed by Krystle Warren. Mixed at The Garden, Brooklyn. Mastered & cut by Alex DeTurk at Masterdisk. Krystle Warren premiered this song and her other 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 radio show last year Krystle shared inspirations for this record, early gospel recordings, that crossed over into Jazz from Pharoah Sanders, Edwin Hawkins, and The Swan Silvertones. Originally from KC, 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. Krystle created, Parlour Door Music, to release “Love Songs: A Time You May Embrace” a recording from a 13-day session in Brooklyn, where she recorded 24 songs live with 28 musicians including her band, The Faculty, alongside choirs, horn and string sections.]

10:47 – Freedom…

MLK said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

Nina Simone -“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free”
from: Silk and Soul / RCA / 1967
[Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933. She died on April 21, 2003. Nina Simone was a singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist who worked in a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. Born in North Carolina, the sixth child of a preacher, Simone aspired to be a concert pianist. With the help of the few supporters in her hometown of Tryon, North Carolina, she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in NYC. Simone recorded more than 40 albums. “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” is a gospel/jazz song written by Billy Taylor & “Dick Dallas.”]

Solomon Burke – “None Of Us Are Free”
from: Don’t Give Up On Me / Fat Possum / 2002
[Back up singers: The Blind Boys of Alabama. Born James Solomon McDonald, March 21, 1940, Solomon Burke died October 10, 2010. He was an American preacher & singer, who shaped the sound of rhythm & blues as one of the founding fathers of soul music in the 1960s and a “key transitional figure in the development of soul music from rhythm & blues. During the 55 years that he performed professionally, Burke released 38 studio albums on at least 17 record labels and had 35 singles that charted in the US, including 26 singles that made the Billboard R&B charts. In 2001, Burke was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a performer. His album Don’t Give Up on Me won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 45th Grammy Awards in 2003. By 2005 Burke was credited with selling 17 million albums.]

Nina Simone – “I Shall Be Released”
from: To Love Somebody / RCA / 1967
[1 of 3 Bob Dylan songs Nina Simone performed for this album. Written by Dylan in 1967. The Band recorded the first officially-released version of the song for their 1968 debut album, Music from Big Pink, with Richard Manuel singing lead vocals, and Rick Danko & Levon Helm harmonizing in the chorus. The song was also performed near the end of the Band’s 1976 farewell concert, The Last Waltz, in which all the night’s performers (except of Muddy Waters) plus Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood appeared on the same stage.]

11:00 – Station I.D.

11:00 – The Staple Singers & Bobby Watson and “Unpaid Bills”

MLK said, “In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, as ‘right-to-work.’ It provides no ‘rights’ and no ‘works.’ Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining… We demand this fraud be stopped.”

Pops Staples – “You Gotta Serve Somebody”
from: e-town live volume 3 / e-town / December 18, 2002
[Recorded Sept. 16, 1994, Live in Boulder]
[Originally written by Bob Dylan. Roebuck “Pops” Staples was born on a cotton plantation near Winona, Mississippi, on Dec. 28, 1914, the youngest of 14 children. When growing up he heard, and began to play with, local blues guitarists such as Charlie Patton, who lived on the nearby Dockery Plantation, Robert Johnson, and Son House. He dropped out of school after the eighth grade, and sang with a gospel group before marrying and moving to Chicago in 1935. A “pivotal figure in gospel in the 1960s and 70s,” and an accomplished songwriter, guitarist and singer. Patriarch of The Staple Singers, which included his son Pervis and daughters Mavis, Yvonne, and Cleotha.]

Mavis Staples – “Down in Mississippi”
from: Live – Hope At The Hideout / Anti / 2008 [Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Mavis Staples, of The Staple Singers, is a celebrated equal rights activist. She’s performed at inaugural parties for Presidents Kennedy, Carter and Clinton, Recorded in June, 2008, in the run up to the Presidential election of Barrack Obama. Recorded live in the intimate bar The Hideout, in her hometown of Chicago. Mavis Staples, marched, sang & protested alongside Dr. Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.]

The Staple Singers – “When Will We Be Paid”
from: Single / Stax (Fantasy / Ace) / 1967
[The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group from Chicago who signed their first professional contract in 1952. Roebuck “Pops” Staples (1914–2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (1934–2013), Pervis (b. 1935), Yvonne (1936-2018), and Mavis (b. 1939). They are best-remembered for their 1970s hits “Respect Yourself”, “I’ll Take You There”, “If You’re Ready (Come Go with Me)”, and “Let’s Do It Again”. In 1999 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005 the group was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The family began appearing in Chicago-area churches in 1948, and signed their first professional contract in 1952. They signed with United Records, then Vee-Jay, Riverside, Epic and, eventually, the black-owned indie Stax Records label where they hit their most fertile commercial peak. In 1967, on Columbia subsidiary Epic, the Staple Singers first began moving into mainstream pop markets with “Why (Am I Treated So Bad)” and “For What It’s Worth” (written by Stephen Stills). In 1968, the Staple Singers signed to Stax and released two albums recorded with Steve Cropper of Booker T & the MG’s fame – Soul Folk in Action and We’ll Get Over. By 1970, Al Bell had become producer, and the family began recording at the famed Muscle Shoals studio, moving in a more funk and soul direction. The first Stax hit was “Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)”. In 1972, the group had a No. 1 hit in the United States with “I’ll Take You There.” Their 1972 recording on Stax of “Respect Yourself,” written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice, was number 2 on the R&B charts and a Top 40 pop hit as well. The song’s theme of self-empowerment had universal appeal, released in the period immediately following the intense American civil rights movement of the 1960s. During this Stax period they appeared at a 1972 summer concert at the LA Memorial Coliseum attended by 100,000 people and documented in the 1973 film and soundtrack album Wattstax. The Staple Singers then signed to Curtom, Curtis Mayfield’s imprint, and released the soundtrack to a comedy film co-starring Bill Cosby called “Let’s Do It Again”. The soundtrack was produced by Mayfield; and the title song was a huge hit in 1975. After this, however, they were not able to regain their commercial momentum, releasing occasional minor hits, and moving from label to label including Warner Brothers and 20th Century before returning to Epic in the mid 80s. Lead singer Mavis Staples began a fruitful solo career in earnest that continues to this day and involves live performing with her sister Yvonne Staples. The other daughters in the group who did not pursue solo careers were Pervis Staples, and Cleotha Staples. In 1994, the family made this final recording of a duet with Mary Stuart (reprising their Last Watz style backing on a cover of “The Weight” by The Band), somewhat re-establishing an audience. Pops Staples died in December 2000. Cleotha Staples died in Chicago on February 21, 2013. Yvonne Staples died in April 2018.]

Bobby Watson & The I Have a Dream Project–”Check Cashing Day” [feat. Glenn North]
from: Check Cashing Day / Lafiya Music / Digital – Aug. 28, 2013 / Physical – Nov. 12, 2013
[From wikipedia.org: “Bobby Watson was born in Lawrence, Kansas, August 23, 1953. he is an American post-bop jazz alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Watson now has 27 recordings as a leader. He appears on nearly 100 other recordings as either co-leader or in a supporting role. Watson has recorded more than 100 original compositions. Watson grew up in Bonner Springs and Kansas City, Kansas.]

Janelle Monáe – “Turntables”
from: Turntables (from the Amazon Original Movie “All In: The Fight for Democracy”) – Single / Badboy Records / September 4, 2020
[All In: The Fight for Democracy is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Liz Garbus and Lisa Cortés. The film revolves around voter suppression. Stacey Abrams worked with Garbus and Cortés on the film. It was released in a limited theatrical release on September 9, 2020, followed by digital streaming on Prime Video on September 18, 2020, by Amazon Studios. Originally, Abrams, a Georgia state representative, did not intend to be part of the film; eventually she agreed to include her gubernatorial race as part of the story. // Janelle Monáe Robinson was born on December 1, 1985 in Kansas City, Kansas and was raised in a working-class community of Kansas City, Quindaro. Her mother, Janet, worked as a janitor and a hotel maid. Her father, Michael Robinson Summers, was a truck driver. Monáe’s parents separated when Monáe was a toddler and her mother later married a postal worker. Monáe has a younger sister, Kimmy, from their mother’s remarriage. // Monáe was raised Baptist and learned to sing at a local church. Her family members were musicians and performers at the local AME church, the Baptist church, and the Church of God in Christ. Monáe dreamed of being a singer and a performer from a very young age, and has cited the fictional character of Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz as a musical influence. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which Monáe bought two copies of with her first check, was another source of inspiration. She performed songs from the album on Juneteenth talent shows, winning three years in a row. // As a teenager, Monáe was enrolled in the Coterie Theater’s Young Playwrights’ Round Table, which began writing musicals. One musical, completed when she was around the age of 12, was inspired by the 1979 Stevie Wonder album Journey Through “The Secret Life of Plants”. // Monáe attended F. L. Schlagle High School, and after high school, moved to New York City to study musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where she was the only black woman in her class. Monáe enjoyed the experience, but feared that she might lose her edge and “sound, or look or feel like anybody else”. In a 2010 interview Monáe explained, “I felt like that was a home but I wanted to write my own musicals. I didn’t want to have to live vicariously through a character that had been played thousands of times – in a line with everybody wanting to play the same person.” // After a year and a half, Monáe dropped out of the academy and relocated to Atlanta, enrolling in Perimeter College at Georgia State University. She began writing her own music and performing around the campus. In 2003, Monáe self-released a demo album titled The Audition, which she sold out of the trunk of a Mitsubishi Galant. During this period, Monáe became acquainted with songwriters and producers Chuck Lightning and Nate Wonder. The three would eventually form the Wondaland Arts Collective. She worked at an Office Depot but was fired for answering a fan’s e-mail using a company computer, an incident that inspired the song “Lettin’ Go”, which in turn attracted the attention of Big Boi. // Janelle Monáe Robinson (/moʊˈneɪ/; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and record producer. Monáe is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Monáe won an MTV Video Music Award and the ASCAP Vanguard Award in 2010. Monáe was also honored with the Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award in 2015 and the Trailblazer of the Year Award in 2018. In 2012, Monáe became a CoverGirl spokesperson. Boston City Council named October 16, 2013 “Janelle Monáe Day” in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, in recognition of her artistry and social leadership. // Monáe’s musical career began in 2003 upon releasing a demo album titled The Audition. In 2007, Monáe publicly debuted with a conceptual EP titled Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase). It peaked at number two on the US Top Heatseekers chart, and in 2010, through Bad Boy Records, Monáe released a first full-length studio album, The ArchAndroid, a concept album and sequel to her first EP. In 2011, Monáe was featured as a guest vocalist on fun.’s single “We Are Young”, which achieved major commercial success, topping the charts of more than ten countries and garnering Monáe a wider audience. Her second studio album, The Electric Lady, was released in 2013 and debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, serving as the fourth and fifth installments of the seven-part Metropolis concept series. // In 2016, Monáe made her theatrical film debut in two high-profile productions; Monáe starred in Hidden Figures as NASA mathematician and aerospace engineer Mary Jackson, and also starred in Moonlight. Hidden Figures was a box office success, while Moonlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 89th annual ceremony. Monáe’s third studio album, Dirty Computer, also described as a concept album, was released in 2018 to widespread critical acclaim; it was chosen as the best album of the year by several publications and earned Monáe two nominations at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and was further promoted by Monáe’s Dirty Computer Tour, which lasted from June to August 2018.]

Calvin Arsenia – “Scars & Stripes”
from: Summer in Hindsight / Calvin Arsenia & Mike Dillon / October 16, 2020
[Soundtrack by Calvin Arsenia and Mike Dillon for The West 18th Street Fashion Show’s 20th year as a feature-length film. COVID-19 changed everything in 2020. “We are moving it from the street to the screen,” Peregrine Honig told inkansascitymagazine. “Mike Dillon and Calvin Arsenia will be scoring and performing in the film.” The film premiered October 16, 2020 at The Boulevard Drive-In. Honig wrote,. “We did this during a pandemic and a cultural revolution. I am not sure where else or how else this could happen at this moment in history.” Calvin Arsenia had recently been emotionally and greatly moved by the area and national Black Lives Matter Movement. His own research into his own family revealed that Calvin’s great, great, great grandmother Alice Gilliam Scott, was a former slave who lived to observe her 100th birthday as noted by a regional newspaper Calvin had written. In the summer of 2020 Calvin wrote “Revelation” an unreleased track inspired by Black Lives Matter. Calvin premiered the song on WMM on August 12, 2020. He later shared his other new songs, “Scars and Stripes” and “The Flying Monkees are Coming!” on our October 14, 2020 edition of WMM. Both of those songs ended up on Summer in Hindsight. Calvin Arsenia was our guest on WMM on August 12 and October 14, 2020. Born in Orlando, Florida, Calvin’s creative journey really began when he moved to the KC suburb of Olathe, teaching himself the guitar, and eventually the harp. He learned his signature instrument at the age of 20 after he couldn’t find a harpist as determined as him to meld folk, rock, classical, rap and R&B into the irresistible fusion which has become his calling card in KC and beyond. 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 whose impassioned and conceptual stage shows (regularly sold-out in Kansas City, currently catching fire on the West Coast with a diverse following across Europe), are collaborative, costumed-culture-bridging spectacles which In KC Magazine has hailed as ‘equal parts opera, symphony, musical theatre, rock show, all built around its creator: a charismatic 6-foot-6-inch harpist with a natural stage command and knack for gilding gold and painting lilies.’ Calvin’s 2018 national debut, Cantaloupe, September 15, 2018 on Center Cut Records, has been acclaimed for melding diverse textures into an alluring signature sound for the adventurous artist. On June 28, 2019 Calvin released Honeydew, an EP including a remix of three songs from Cantaloupe. On Dec. 13, 2019 Calvin released his full length Christmas album “all is calm.” Congratulations to Calvin & his fantastic team of co-conspirators & creators: Khitam Jabr, John P. Beatty, Ignacio Galarza III, Ashlee Fairchild Jones, production assistants, & crew. The Toxic music video earned its sixth set of laurels as an official selection of the L.A. Music Video Awards, where they were nominated for Best Music Video, Best Cover Song & Best Male Vocalist. More info at: http://www.calvinarsenia.com]

11:25 – Underwriting

The Black Creatures – “wretched (it goes)”
from: “wretched (it goes)” – Single / Center Cut Records / July 17, 2020 [remastered]
[“wretched (it goes)” was originally released on The Black Creatures 2019 album Wild Echoes. Recently released as a single in collaboration with Center Cut Records who remixed a few of the songs, and added some new vocals, and remastered the album. Although it is basically the same record, the sound quality was improved. Center Cut Records released the full remastered album on August 28, 2020. The Black Creatures are Jade Green & Xavier Martin. The band joined us on the radio on the August 26 edition of WMM. “Wild Echoes” was #2 in WMM’s 119 Favorite Releases of 2019 (Albums & EPs). Since the release of ”Wild Echoes” the band has released seven entirely new songs, nearly one per month, all posted to their bandcamp page. The Black Creatures fuse dark-pop hip-hop, soul, jazz, and electronic music with elements from science fiction to tell inter-dimensional stories of love, community, life, culture, history. Xavier & Jade have made an impression in the KC music community with their live shows in clubs, galleries, record stores, and area music festivals. The Black Creatures released their debut single “Mouth 2 Mouth” June 5, 2016. They released the album, See No Evil, December 6, 2017. The duo released the singles, “Elements” February 14, 2018; “Silver Tears” June 19. 2018; “Dare” a Gorillaz cover August 8, 2019. They released the album “Wild Echoes” September 30, 2019. The Black Creatures released the singles “Turn” October 30, 2019; “Quartz (Twilight)” November 13, 2019; “SHINE” December 11, 2019; Ghost Bustin’ Dead Prezidentz” January 8, 2020; “To Whom It May Concern” January 22, 2020; “Arcade Love” February 5, 2020; and “Run Up” Feb. 19, 2020. The Black Creatures – released their single, “Negative Zero” on April 2, 2021. All proceeds from this track go to the Tamir Rice Foundation. Info at: http://www.tamirericefoundation.org. The Black Creatures are Jade Green & Xavier Martin. This song was originally on the December 6, 2017 release, SEE NO EVIL The song was recently re-recorded. Band member Xavier Martin told us that, “Everything was done from the ground up. Remixing, rerecording, mastering, etc.” The Black Creatures wanted to released this as a single and video as a “part-two” to their earlier single and video release for “wretched (it goes)”, which was originally released on The Black Creatures 2019 album Wild Echoes. The video for “Negative Zero” picks up where the video for “Wretched (It Goes)” left off, “so there is a conceptual thread between the two,” says Patrick Sprehe of Center Cut Records. All music produced, arranged, recorded, and performed by The Black Creatures. Engineering and Mastering by J. Ashley Miller aka Jametatone. The Black Creatures released their latest single “True Friends” on September 17, 2021. The Black Creatures were last on WMM on May 26, 2021 and September 15, 2021.]

H.E.R. – “I Can’t Breathe”
from: “I Can’t Breathe” – Single / RCA-Sony Records / June 19, 2020
[Winner of the 2021 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Gabriella Wilson was born June 27, 1997. She is known professionally as H.E.R. (pronounced “her”, a backronym for Having Everything Revealed). She is an American singer and songwriter. Before gaining notability as H.E.R., Wilson rose to fame by participating in Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing in 2009. She later signed to RCA Records at the age of 14 and released the single “Something to Prove” under her real name in 2014. Wilson re-emerged in 2016 with the H.E.R. persona, releasing her debut EP H.E.R. Volume 1. She then released subsequent EPs H.E.R. Volume 2 (2017), The B Sides (2017), I Used to Know Her: The Prelude (2018) and I Used to Know Her: Part 2 (2018). Her first compilation album H.E.R. was released in October 2017, consisting of tracks from the singer’s first two EPs plus six additional songs. H.E.R. was nominated for five Grammy Awards at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album. // In 2020, she was nominated for five awards at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for I Used to Know Her and Song of the Year for “Hard Place”. On September 20, 2020, she sang Sinéad O’Connor’s version of Prince’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U”, for the In Memoriam segment of the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards. // Wilson was born in Vallejo, California to a Filipina mother and an African-American father. Raised in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, she was introduced to the public as an artist as a young child, covering Alicia Keys on piano on the Today Show, before competing on Radio Disney’s The Next BIG Thing when she was 12 years old. // Addressing the secrecy over her identity, she has said: “The mystery is a metaphor for who I am, or who I was at the time of creating the project… I feel like oftentimes we don’t like to be open as people about our emotions or things that we are going through. At the time [of recording], I was very closed off except for when I was writing or when I was in the studio.” // She explained further: “I am a voice for women who feel like they’re alone in these situations. This project came from emotion, and that’s what I want it to be about – not what I look like or who I’m with, but the raw emotion and support for women.” To NPR she said, “I feel like this is the era of the anti-star. I really just wanted it to be about the music, and get away from, ‘Who is she with?’ and ‘What is she wearing?'” // After being signed to RCA under Sony at the age of 14, Wilson released a single in 2014 titled “Something to Prove” under her real name. // Re-emerging in late 2016 with a new persona, Wilson released her debut EP, H.E.R. Vol. 1 on September 9, 2016, produced by songwriter David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris. She received support from Usher, Tyrese, Pusha T, and Wyclef Jean; labelmates Alicia Keys and Bryson Tiller helped get the word out through Twitter co-signs, shoutouts, and re-posts. In April 2017, Rihanna posted an Instagram clip with H.E.R.’s track “Focus” playing in the background. The clip has been viewed over 5 million times. Additional public support came from Issa Rae of HBO’s Insecure, Taraji P. Henson of Empire, Kylie Jenner, and Kendall Jenner. // NPR listed H.E.R. Vol. 1 as the first selection in its “5 Essential R&B Albums You Slept On”. Calling the music “Slow-burning R&B that zooms in on emotional highs and lows,” Rolling Stone included H.E.R. in its March 2017 “10 Artists You Need To Know” roundup. Forbes named her one of “5 Alternative R&B Artists to Look Out for in 2017”, reporting: “In the same vein as The Weeknd’s enigmatic introduction to the world, H.E.R.’s image remains a mystery. The irony, though, is that her moniker is an acronym for Having Everything Revealed.” // Wilson’s follow-up EP, H.E.R. Vol. 2 (2017) also produced by Harris, was released on June 16, 2017 and includes the single “Say It Again”. Also in 2017, she was on tour with Bryson Tiller for the Set It Off tour, and concluded her first headlining tour, the Lights On Tour, in support of her most recent effort H.E.R. Vol. 2. She released H.E.R. Vol. 2, The B Sides (2017), also produced by Swagg R’Celious on October 20, 2017 along with the single titled 2, released on October 13, 2017. The compilation album H.E.R. was released on October 20, 2017, comprising the songs from each of the three EP’s in this series. The album won Best R&B Album and received four other nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist for H.E.R. // Wilson announced on September 12, 2018, she will be embarking on the “I Used to Know H.E.R. Tour” in support of her EP series I Used to Know Her: The Prelude and I Used to Know Her: Part 2. Her second compilation album I Used to Know Her was released on August 30, 2019. ]

The Freedom Affair – “Rise Up”
from: Freedom is Love / Sunflower Soul Records / September 25, 2020
[Debut album from KC’s newest soul juggernaut. The album explores themes of love, heartache, empowerment, and togetherness through a varying landscape of hard-hitting funk, luscious soul, and everything in between. The Freedom Affair is a unique collective featuring 3 powerhouse female vocalists in front of a dynamic 6-piece band. On “Freedom Is Love”, each of the ladies get their time to shine individually, but the magic is on full display when all 3 come together in unison and harmony, symbolically embodying the messages that they sing about. The album was recorded and produced by Chris Hazelton, utilizing the best of vintage and new recording technologies to create an authentic experience, befitting of a soul record that would have been relevant 50 years ago as much as it will be 50 years from now. The Freedom Affair is: Misha Roberts on vocals; Paula Saunders on vocals; Seyko Groves on vocals; Cole Bales on guitar, sitar (Track 3); Branden Moser on guitar; Chris Hazelton on bass guitar, organ (Tracks 1, 2, 9, & 10), Tambourine (Track 1), Glockenspiel (Track 3), & Chimes (Track 4); Dave Brick on drums; Pete Carroll on trumpet; Brett Jackson on tenor sax, baritone sax (Tracks 1 & 5), & tambourine (Tracks 5, 6, & 8). Additional Musicians: Pat Conway on Congas (Tracks 1, 3, & 6), Alyssa Bell on viola (Tracks 3, 4, & 7), Elizabeth Codd on violin (Tracks 3 & 4), Matt Bennett on violin (Tracks 3 & 7), John Wickersham on timpani (Track 4), Pamela Baskin-Watson on piano (Track 10), Nick Howell on tambourine (Track 10), The Freedom Family Choir (Track 10): Misha Roberts, Erica Hazelton, Seyko Groves, Paula Saunders, Jordyn Saunders, Cole Bales, and Chris Hazelton. All Horn & String Arrangements by Chris Hazelton except: “Heartaches Don’t Come Easy” and “Give A Little Love” by Pete Carroll & Brett Jackson “Don’t Shoot” by Chris Hazelton & Allyssa Bell. Produced, Recorded, & Mixed by Chris Hazelton. Assistant Produced by Dave Brick. Rhythm Section on Track 10 recorded by Chad Meise. Mastered by JJ Golden. Cover Artwork by Matthew “Mo” Manley. Front cover photograph of civil rights protesters in Kansas City, MO (April 9th, 1968). The Freedom Affair and their track “Rise Up” were selected to be part of Colemine Records 3xLP box set, “Soul Slabs Vol. 2” a Record Store Day Exclusive, released April 13, 2019. Colemine writes: “The Freedom Affair is a freight train of KC soul! Dirty, funky drums, gritty horns, and the combined vocals of Misha Roberts, Seyko Groves, and Paula Saunders to put this band over the top. Politically charged soul music for the dancefloor!”]

11:43:43 – Gospel & Folk Music Carried the Message…

We are going to go out with a special set of music starting with the late Pete Seeger singing a song he adapted and made famous, followed by Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie singing a Pete Seeger song called “Dr. King” and ending with a song written by Woody Guthrie performed by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings. Call it from Folk to Funky.

Next Monday, January 20, 2025 is MLK Day our national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Remember is is a day a service. Please be inservice to others.

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

Pete Seeger – “We Shall Overcome”
from: The Essential Pete Seeger / Columbia – Legacy / 2004
[Derived from a gospel song by Reverend Charles Tindley called “We Will Overcome” written in 1901. Adapted and made famous by Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and others the song became central to the civil rights movement of the 1950 and 1960s and eventually used all around the world. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made use of “we shall overcome” in the final Sunday March 31, 1968 speech before his assassination.]

Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion – “Dr. King”
from: exploration / New West / March 8, 2005
[written by Pete Seeger][Sarah Lee Guthrie was born February 17, 1979 and Johnny Irion was born February 3, 1969. They are a musical duo. Guthrie and Irion were married on October 16, 1999 and began performing together as an acoustic duo in the fall of 2000. Their music combined Irion’s love of rock and blues with Guthrie’s roots of folk and country. Guthrie is the youngest daughter of folksinger Arlo Guthrie and the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie. As a third generation singer/songwriter Guthrie released her first self-titled album on the family owned and operated Rising Son Records in 2002. As a child she was involved in theater and dance. Her interest in music was sparked when she worked as her father’s road manager on the 1997 Further Festival tour and saw other members of the tour group having fun at late-night hootenannies. She picked up an acoustic guitar and started playing as a way to join in on the fun. “I always wrote poems, so it wasn’t that far off for me to turn that into songs.” “My dad was absolutely thrilled, of course, and would teach me stuff every day when we were on the road together. That was a really cool way to get to know my dad, because I’d never known him that way. And that’s another thing that made it easy: my dad was so supportive.” Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion performing live for Valentine’s Day 2008 at Tales From The Tavern at The Maverick Saloon in Santa Ynez, CA. Irion originates from a family of artists. His uncle is author Thomas Steinbeck, his great uncle is author John Steinbeck, and his grandmother, Rubilee Knight, is a classical violinist. His late grandfather, Fred Knight, sang tenor in numerous venues. Irion and Guthrie met through a mutual friend (Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes) while the two were working together in Los Angeles. In 1999 Guthrie and Irion joined guitarist Tao Rodríguez-Seeger, grandson of Pete Seeger, and performed as a trio under the name RIG.]

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – “This Land is Your Land”
from: Naturally / Daptone / January 25, 2005
[written by Woody Guthrie, Sarah Lee’s Grandfather.]
[In November 2016, Sharon Jones suffered a stroke while watching the 2016 United States presidential election results and another the following day. Jones remained alert and lucid during the initial period of her hospital stay, jokingly claiming that the news of Donald Trump’s victory was responsible for her stroke. She died on November 18, 2016, in Cooperstown, New York, aged 60. Sharon Lafaye Jones was born May 4, 1956 and died this year on November 18, 2016. She was an American soul and funk singer. Although she collaborated with Lou Reed, David Byrne and others, she is best known as lead singer of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, a soul and funk band based in Brooklyn, New York. Jones experienced breakthrough success relatively late in life, releasing her first record when she was 40 years old. In 2014, Jones was nominated for her first Grammy, in the category Best R&B Album, for Give the People What They Want. Jones was born in Augusta, Georgia, the daughter of Ella Mae Price Jones and Charlie Jones, living in adjacent North Augusta, South Carolina. Jones was the youngest of six children; her siblings are Dora, Charles, Ike, Willa and Henry. Jones’s mother raised her deceased sister’s four children as well as her own. She moved the family to New York City when Sharon was a young child. As children, she and her brothers would often imitate the singing and dancing of James Brown. Her mother happened to know Brown, who was also from Augusta.Jones grew up in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. In 1975, she graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn. She attended Brooklyn College. A regular gospel singer in church, Jones often entered talent shows backed by local funk bands in the early 1970s. Session work then continued with backing vocals, often credited to Lafaye Jones, but in the absence of any recording contract as a solo singer, she spent many years working as a corrections officer at Rikers Island and as an armored car guard for Wells Fargo, until receiving a mid-life career break in 1996 after she appeared on a session backing the soul and deep funk legend Lee Fields. Sharon Jones was part of the very beginning of Daptone Records Daptone Records’ first release was a full-length album by Sharon Jones. A new band, the Dap-Kings, was formed from the former members of the Soul Providers and the Mighty Imperials. Some of the musicians went on to record for Lehman’s Soul Fire label, while some formed the Budos Band, an Afro-beat band. From the original Soul Providers, Roth (also known as Bosco Mann) on bass, guitarist and emcee Binky Griptite, percussionist Fernando Velez, trumpet player Anda Szilagyi and organist Earl Maxton were joined by original Mighty Imperials saxophonist Leon Michels and drummer Homer Steinweiss, plus Neal Sugarman from Sugarman 3, to form The Dap-Kings. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, the released the album Dap Dippin’ with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings in May of 2002, for which they received immediate attention and acclaim from enthusiasts, DJs and collectors. Next they released, Naturally (2005), 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007) and I Learned the Hard Way (2010). They are seen by many as the spearhead of a revival of soul and funk.]

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

Next Week on January 22, 2025 we’ll spin more Bowie with Michelle Bacon from The Band That Fell To Earth who will be presenting their 9th annual Tribute to Bowie with a VIP show Thursday, January 23 playing “Let’s Dance” beginning to end, and then their epic shows Friday and Saturday, January 24th and 25th at recordBar. Mike Dillon also joins us in the first hour of the show. We’ll also play new music from Fullbloods, Daniel Gum, Claire Adams, Piney Gir, Florist, Tunde Adebimpe, Art D’Ecco, Kim Deal, and three tracks from tan ambitious new project undertaken by the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot, TRAИƧA is a spiritual journey across eight chapters and 46 songs with over 100 artists contributing. The album spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. We’ll hear from Yaya Bey, Moses Sumney and ANOHNI, Mary Lattimore, MIZU, and Jamal Shakeri. We’ll also play a story about “Let’s Dance” from Nile Rodgers, and we’ll play Mike Dillon & Punkadelic, and Laurie Anderson.

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers 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 #1078

Wednesday MidDay Medley

Wednesdays, 10 – Noon, on 90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

Tag Archives: news

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