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, August 28, 2013

The March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom
Abigail Henderson, + Main Street Day + Ernest James Zydeco +
Guest Producer – Simone Briand

The Kansas City Music Community is heavy hearted. On Tuesday, August 27, our friend Abigail Henderson, died, peacefully at her home, surrounded by her family & friends. Abigail was a frequent guest on this radio show and performed in “A Story In A Song” our benefit last summer at the recordBar. We’ve featured Abigail’s songs from her bands: The Gaslights, Atlantic Fadeout and Tiny Horse. After her diagnosis in 2008, Apocalypse Meow, was created as a benefit for Abby. The event became an annual fundraiser to benefit the Musicians Emergency Health Care Fund. With her husband, Christopher Meck, Abby co-founded the Midwest Music Foundation which gave birth to: The Midcoast Takeover, The Deli KC, The Midwestern Audio compilation, and more. To learn about MMF you can visit: MidwestMusicFound.org. Donations benefit the Musicians Emergency Health Care Fund.

1. Tiny Horse – “Ride”
from: Darkly Sparkly [EP] / Independent / Mar. 4, 2013
[Outside of the band, we were the first to hear the very new, debut EP release from Abigail Henderson and Christopher Lynn Meck. In our opinion, Abigail Henderson’s voice remains one of the most honest and moving voices in KC music scene, Christopher Meck’s guitar sings too. Matt Richey plays drums and Cody Wyoming on keyboards.]

50 years ago today, on Wed, Aug 28, 1963. The March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom became one of the largest political rallies for human rights in U.S. history and called for civil & economic rights for African Americans. Martin Luther King, Jr., standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

In celebration of this historic event that changed the world, we will feature musical artists that performed on that day, and we’ll feature the songs they performed. We’ll hear from Marian Anderson, Mahalia Jackson, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. We will also include music inspired by the Labor and Civil Rights Movement from: The Staple Singers, Pete Seeger, Sweet Honey in The Rock, and International Noise Conspiracy.
10:07

2. Martin Luther King Jr. – “MLK – I Have A Dream 1963 (50 second 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.]

3. Mahalia Jackson – “How I Got Over”
from: The Original Apollo Sessions / Couch & Madison Partners / May 25, 2013
[a Gospel hymn composed and 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 an American gospel singer referred to as “The Queen of Gospel”. Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was 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.”]

4. Bob Dylan – “When The Ship Comes In”
from: The Times They Are-A-Changing / Columbia Records / January 13, 1964
[Released on his 3rd album, Joan Baez states in the documentary film “No Direction Home” that the song was, inspired by a hotel clerk who refused to allow Dylan a room due to his “unwashed” appearance. His companion, Joan Baez, had to vouch for his good character.” Shortly after Dylan completed the song in 1963, he and Baez performed it together at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963.]

5. Joan Baez – “Oh Freedom”
from: How Sweet The Sound / Razor & Tie / October 13, 2009
[A post Civil War African American freedom song, notably associated with Odetta, who recorded it as part of the Spiritual Trilogy, on her “Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues”, and Joan Baez, who performed the song at the 1963 March on Washington, and has since performed the song live numerous times throughout the years, both during her concerts and at other events. The song predates these events by at least 3 decades for it was recorded in 1931 by the E. R. Nance Family with Clarence Dooley as “Sweet Freedom.” ]

6. 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.]

In honor of the National March on Washington, President Barack Obama will speak to the nation, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, from the very spot Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech, fifty years ago today.

The Music gave them the strength to believe they could not fail…

7. 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.]

8. The Staple Singers – “When Will We Be Paid”
from: We’ll Get Over / Stax / 1970 [Released as a single in 1967]
[Their 2nd album on Stax. The song itself was inspired by a passage in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have a Dream Speech, given at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which took place 50 years ago. MLK – “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence they were signing a promissory note … a promise that all men, yes black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.”]

9. Sweet Honey in The Rock – “I’m Gon’ Stand”
from: Little Leaves / Flying Fish / Jan. 1, 1988
[Founded in Washington in 1973 by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who wrote this song. She was a Baptist minister’s daughter who had been on the front lines of the civil rights movement. In the 1960s, Reagon performed at schools, prisons and political rallies with the Freedom Singers in support of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Their biggest gig? Performing “We Shall Not Be Moved” at the 1963 March on Washington. Reagon retired from the group in 2004 and was replaced by two singers in a lineup that is forever changing. (There have been more than 30 singers working in Sweet Honey over the years.) ]

10. The International Noise Conspiracy / Martin Luther King Jr. – “The First Conspiracy (Drum Solo) / Let Freedom Ring”
from: Adbusters – Live Without Dead Time / Adbusters / 2003

Transition Music…

10B. Queen – “Bicycle Race”
from: Jazz / Hollywood Records / 1978

10:30– Interview with Leandra Burnett & Idris Raoufi for Main Street Day

Capitol Federal’s Main Street Day, is Sat, Sept. 7, 11:00am to 4:00pm, with the 6th annual Main Street Mile, a run from Linwood Blvd. to St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School., and then the Cyclovia Festival begins at 12:00 Noon with a car-free, care-free environment for walkers, skaters, cyclists, that will feature live music, local food vendors, and yoga lessons. More info at http://www.mainstreetday.com

Joining us to discuss Main Street Day…

Leandra Burnett is Program Manager at MainCor the champion and leading community partner of Kansas City’s Main Street Corridor. Leandra is also a co-founder and co-director of Front/Space, at 217 W. 18th in KCMO.

Idris Raoufi is a co-founding member of the 816 Bicycle Collective a volunteer run organization working to rescue, repair and redistribute bicycles.The collective wants to increase the bike community to promote alternative transportation that is healthy, inexpensive, and with zero emissions.

Main Street will be closed off from 34th to 40th Streets, with through-traffic stops at Armour Blvd. and 39th Street.

The day starts with the 6th annual Main Street Mile, a run from Linwood Blvd. to St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School. People register for the run at http://www.mainstreetday.com

After the race, the Cyclovia Festival begins at 12:00pm with a car-free and care-free environment for walkers, skaters, cyclists, Cyclovia first started in Bogata, Columbia.

To be a volunteer contact: http://www.mainstreetday.com/

10:43 – Underwriting

10:44

11. Ernest James Zydeco – “Pearlie Pearl”
from: 3 Steps From La La / Jam Rat Records / Fall 2012
[Hailing from KC Missouri, the band lineup has been constant since 2008: Ernest James on accordion and vocals, Barry Barnes on washboard, Jaisson Taylor on drums, Mike Stover on bass guitar, and Tony LaCroix on guitar. This album also includes 4 songs featuring KC’s own Betse Ellis (of The Wilders). Recorded and mixed in KC at Markosa Studios, with Mark Thies. The album was mastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room in Chicago. Ernest James and Jaisson Taylor co-wrote and co-produced the songs.]

11:48 – Interview with Ernest James Zydeco & Will Leathem

Ernest James Zydeco joined us last November to tak about their release “3 Steps From La La.” Ernest James Zydeco will be in concert, Friday, August 30, at 7:00pm, at Prospero’s Uptown Books, 3600 Broadway, KCMO for a KC Bayou End-O-Summer Fais do do!

Betse Ellis joined the band for 4 songs on the new CD.

The Band:
Ernest James on Accordion, Guitar and Vocals;
Jaisson Taylor on Drums and Vocals;
Barry Barnes on Washboard and Percussion;
Mike Stover on Bass; and
Tony LaCroix on Guitar and Vocals.

Ernest James and Jaisson Taylor co-wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the new CD

Ernest James Zydeco will be in concert, Friday, August 30, at 7:00pm, at Prospero’s Uptown Books, 3600 Broadway, KCMO for a KC Bayou End-O-Summer Fais do do!

“3 Steps From La La” was recorded at Markosa Studios in KC with Mark Thies.
The band laid down the basic tracks by playing LIVE in the studio.
Mastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Roon in Chicago.

Ernest James Zydeco will be in concert, Friday, August 30, at 7:00pm, at Prospero’s Uptown Books, 3600 Broadway, KCMO for a KC Bayou End-O-Summer Fais do do! More info at: ejzydeco.com

11:57

12. Ernest James Zydeco – “Snap Peas” Live Performance

11:00 – Guest DJ Simone Briand

Simone Briand has lived in New York and Miami, but grew up on the high plains of western Kansas, where she learned to love the sky, sonic booms, and Engelbert Humperdink. Her older siblings’ hippie albums set her on the path to loving music of all types. A self-described zenhobo, she currently resides in OPKS and works as a librarian.

13. Sly and the Family Stone – “Stand” [single version in Mono]
from Stand / Epic Records / May 3, 1969
[4th studio album written and produced by lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, Stand! was the band’s breakout album. It went on to sell over three million copies and become one of the most successful albums of the 1960s.]

14. Sly and the Family Stone – “Remember Who You Are”
from Back on The Right Track / Warner Bros Records / Nov 3, 1979
[9th album, an overt comeback attempt for Sly Stone. However, the album and its singles, “Remember Who You Are” and “The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)”, failed to live up to expectations. Some of the original Family Stone members, including Cynthia Robinson, Pat Rizzo, Freddie Stone, and Rose Stone, make contributions to this album. Back on the Right Track is the first Sly Stone album not to be produced by the artist; Mark Davis was in charge of the project.]

15. Morrissey – “I’m Okay by Myself”
from: Years of Refusal / Lost Highway / Feb 17, 2009

11:15

16. The Walkmen – “Blizzard of “96”
from: Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone / Vagrant Startime / March 26, 2002

17. Thee Oh Sees -“Humans be Swayed”
from: Moonsick EP / Castle Face / June 11, 2013

18. Regina Spektor – “Ode to Divorce”
from: Soviet Kitsch / Sire / Sept, 21, 2004

11:29 – Underwriting

Soft Reeds vinyl release listening party for “Blank City” at Mills Record Company. Thursday at 6:30pm at Mills Record Company in Kansas City, Missouri.

11:30 – Ticket give away!!!

The bands: Akkilles, Roo & The Howl, and La Guerre will be in concert at the recordBar, 1020 Westport Road, tomorrow, Thursday, AUGUST 29, 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM, Doors open at 9:00pm. We gave away two pairs of tickets to the first and second caller, at 816-931-5534.

19. Animal Collective – “The Purple Bottle”
from: Feels / FatCat Records / August 31, 2004

20. Thee Oh Sees – “I Won’t Hurt You”
from: Castlemania / In the Red Records / May 10, 2011

21. Panda Bear – “Ponytail”
from: Person Pitch / Paw Tracks / June 19, 2007

11:45

22. Thee Oh Sees – “Lupine Dominus”
from: Putrifiers II / In the Red Records / September 18, 2012

23. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark – “Dazzleships (Parts ll, lll & Vll) from: Dazzleships / Telegraph (Virgin) / March 4, 1983 [Remastered 2008]

24. Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark – “Romance of the Telescope”
from: Dazzleships / Telegraph (Virgin) / March 4, 1983 [Remastered 2008]

11:59:30

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

Sources for notes on tracks: artist’s websites and wikipedia.org

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

Show #488