WMM Playlist from May 2, 2018

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

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Spinning Records With Marion Merritt
+ Barry Lee & An Evening With the Music of The Beatles: Unplugged

10:00 – Guest Producer: Marion Merritt

Marion Merritt of Records With Merritt

We welcome back to the show, Marion Merritt as our special “Guest Producer.” For 14 years now she has been sharing her musical discoveries and information from her encyclopedic brain. Marion is the creator of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri.

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

2. Dimitri From Paris – “Prologue”
from: Sacrebleu / Atlantic / 2001

3. Cymande – “Anthracite”
from: Second Time Round/ Cherry Red / 1973 [Reissued by Mr. Bongo 2018]
[Cymande (See-man-day) was a British funk group that released several albums in the early 1970s and reunited in 2014 with a European tour and a new album released in 2015. The group was formed by Steve Scipio and Patrick Patterson in 1971 in London, England, along with musicians from Guyana, Jamaica and Saint Vincent. The name Cymande is derived from a calypso word for dove, symbolising peace and love. The group developed a subtle and complex, deep funk style influenced by calypso rhythms, jazz, African music, American soul and UK rock of the time. By the mid-1970s the band members were going their separate ways, and the group disbanded in 1974. It was not until 20 years later that they reaped any financial rewards, as their music became a popular source for samplers. Cymande’s original albums are still widely sought-after by DJs and funk aficionados. Perhaps the band’s best known recording is the soulful dancefloor filler called “Bra”, which was later sampled by the American hip-hop group De La Soul and used as a breakbeat record by Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Cymande was accidentally discovered by English producer John Schroeder in a Soho, London club where they were rehearsing. He was there to see a rock band but the gig had been cancelled, and he stumbled upon these West Indian musicians. He soon signed the band and recorded their initial single “The Message.” The single was released by Janus Records, a division of Chess Records. The track reached #20 on the US Billboard R&B chart. This set the stage for Cymande’s self-titled release in 1972. Cymande traveled to New York after the success of the first album, and began a tour of the US with Al Green. They shared bills with Latin funk ensemble Mandrill. They played The Apollo, and played a gig on Soul Train. The band released 3 LPs for Janus. However, their final album, Promised Heights, was not released in the US, where Cymande had achieved their initial success. Promised Heights included “Brothers on the Slide”, “The Recluse” and “Promised Heights”. The tracks “Brothers on the Slide” and “Bra” also were staples of the rare groove scene that developed in London and NYC nightclubs during the 1980s.

Discography
1972 – Cymande
1973 – Second Time Round
1974 – Promised Heights
1981 – Arrival
1999 – The Message (compilation)
2000 – The Soul of Rasta (compilation)
2003 – The Best of Cymande (compilation)
2003 – Nyah-Rock (compilation)
2004 – Renegades of Funk (best of anthology)
2007 – Promised Heights (reissue compilation)
2015 – A Simple Act of Faith]

4. Cymande – “Promised Heights
from: Promised Heights / Newhouse Records / 1974 [Reissued by Mr. Bongo 2018]

5. King Britt & Sister Gertrude Morgan – “Living Bread”
from: King Britt Presents: Sister Gertrude Morgan / Ropeadope / 2005
[Reissued 2018]
[King Britt is a DJ, composer & record producer from Philadelphia. He is a 1986 graduate of Central High School (Philadelphia). In 1987 he started working at Tower Records, as a buyer for the singles/import section. His extensive knowledge of dance music made him an in demand buyer in the company. He went on to make many connections in the music community, bringing in records and new labels from all over the world. King attended Temple University. He produced King Britt Presents: Sister Gertrude Morgan in 2005. A recreation of self-proclaimed bride of christ, Sister Gertrude’s original Preservation Hall album gets new life. The record goes on to be included in the Michael Mann’s 2006 film Miami Vice, on the AdBusters compilation, Live Without Dead Time and the HBO television show True Blood. Sister Gertrude Morgan (April 7, 1900 – July 8, 1980) was a self-taught African American artist, musician, poet and preacher. Born in LaFayette, Alabama, she relocated to New Orleans in 1939, where she lived and worked until her death in 1980. Sister Morgan achieved critical acclaim during her lifetime for her folk art paintings. Her work has been included in many groundbreaking exhibitions of visionary and folk art from the 1970s onwards. In 1957 Sister Morgan received another revelation from God. Dreaming, she heard a voice that told her she was the Bride of Christ. She then discarded her black missionary attire in favor of an all-white ensemble made up of a nurses’ uniform, peaked nurses’ cap and matching white shoes. Music was another tool of Sister Morgan’s ministry. In the early 1970s, Let’s Make A Record was recorded in order to capture Morgan singing and playing her tambourine. In 2004 the original album was re-released on the Preservation Hall Recordings label. In 2005, Ropeadope released King Britt presents Sister Gertrude Morgan, which took the a cappella/tambourine recordings of Let’s Make A Record and added contemporary beat programming and instrumentation. The album received rave reviews and created a new, young audience for Sister Gertrude Morgan. The album artwork featured her paintings.]

6. Nina Simone – “I Can’t See Nobody (Daniel Y. Remix)”
from: Nina Simone Remixed & Reimagined / Legacy /2006 [Reissued-Legacy RCA 2008]
[Nina Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933. She died April 21, 2003. She was was a singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and activist in the Civil Rights Movement. Simone employed 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, Waymon aspired to be a concert pianist. With the help of a few supporters in her hometown of Tryon, North Carolina, she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Waymon then applied for a scholarship to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she was denied admission despite a well-received audition. Waymon became fully convinced this rejection had been entirely due to racial discrimination. In 2003, just days before her death, the Curtis Institute of Music bestowed on her an honorary degree. To make a living, Eunice Waymon changed her name to “Nina Simone”. The change related to her need to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play “the devil’s music” or “cocktail piano” at a nightclub in Atlantic City. She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment, and this effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist. Simone recorded more than 40 albums, mostly between 1958, when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue, and 1974. She had a hit in the United States in 1958 with “I Loves You, Porgy”. Simone’s musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music, in particular Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice.]

7. Thievery Corporation – “Music to Make You Stagger”
from: Treasures from the Temple / Eighteen St – ESL / April 20, 2018
[10th album from Thievery Corporation was formed in the summer of 1995 at Washington D.C.’s Eighteenth Street Lounge. Rob Garza and Lounge co-owner Eric Hilton were drawn together over their mutual love of club life, as well as dub, bossa nova and jazz records. They decided to see what would come of mixing all these in a recording studio, and from this, in 1996 the duo started their Eighteenth Street Lounge Music record label. The duo drew attention with their first two 12-inch offerings, “Shaolin Satellite” and “2001: a Spliff Odyssey” and with their 1996 debut LP, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi. The duo has publicly stated their fondness of the Brazilian culture in interviews and liner notes of their releases, especially of the 1960s Bossa Nova music movement. Some of their earlier recordings even had specific artwork paying homage to classic releases by bossa nova artists like João Gilberto (His self-titled 1973 album) or Tom Jobim (Stone Flower). They also released “Sounds From The Verve Hi-Fi” in 2001, a ‘best of’ compilation of 1960s–1970s material of Verve Records that includes Jazz, Bossa Nova and Latin Jazz works from artists like Cal Tjader, Wes Montgomery, Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66, Luiz Bonfá, among others. Their 1997 debut album is also dedicated to the memory of Antonio Carlos Jobim, who died three years earlier.]

8. Thievery Corporation – “Voyage Libre (feat. LouLou Ghelichkhani)”
from: Treasures from the Temple / Eighteen St – ESL / April 20, 2018

10:39 – Underwriting

9. Bettye LaVette – “Person to Person”
from: Strange Angels: In Flight with Elmore James / Sylvan Songs / Jan. 26, 2018
[Bettye LaVette was born Betty Jo Haskins, on January 29, 1946. She is an American soul singer-songwriter who made her first record at sixteen, but achieved only intermittent fame until 2005, with her album I’ve Got My Own Hell to Raise. Her eclectic musical style combines elements of soul, blues, rock and roll, funk, gospel, and country music. LaVette was born in Muskegon, Michigan, and raised in Detroit. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she did not begin singing in the church, but in her parents’ living room, singing R&B and country and western music. She was signed by Johnnie Mae Matthews, a local record producer. In 1962, aged sixteen, she recorded a single, “My Man — He’s a Lovin’ Man”, with Matthews, which became a Top Ten R&B hit after Atlantic Records bought distribution rights. This led to a tour with rhythm and blues musicians Clyde McPhatter, Ben E. King, Barbara Lynn, and then-newcomer Otis Redding. She next hit the charts with “Let Me Down Easy” on Calla Records in 1965. This led to a brief stint with The James Brown Revue. After recording several singles for local Detroit labels, LaVette signed to the Silver Fox label in 1969. She cut a handful of tracks, including two Top 40 R&B hits: “He Made A Woman Out Of Me” and “Do Your Duty”. The Memphis studio musicians on these recordings have since become known as The Dixie Flyers. In 1972, she signed once again with Atlantic/Atco. She was sent to Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama to record what was to be her first full-length album. Titled Child of the Seventies, it was produced by Brad Shapiro and featured the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, now known as The Swampers, but Atco chose not to issue the album. The mid 1970s saw a brief stint and two 45s with Epic, and in 1978 she released the disco smash on West End Records “Doin’ The Best That I Can”. In 1982, she was signed by her hometown label, Motown, and sent to Nashville to record. The resulting LP (her first album actually issued), titled Tell Me A Lie, was produced by Steve Buckingham. The first single, “Right In The Middle (Of Falling In Love)” hit the R&B Top 40. She briefly gave up recording for a six-year run in the Broadway smash Bubbling Brown Sugar, appearing alongside Honi Coles and Cab Calloway. After LaVette had played her own personal mono recordings of Child of the Seventies for Gilles Petard, a French soul music collector, he sought the master recordings at Atlantic, whose personnel had previously thought they had been lost in a fire some years back. In 1999, he finally discovered the masters and then licensed the album from Atlantic and released it in 2000 as Souvenirs on his Art and Soul label. At the same time, Let Me Down Easy — Live In Concert was issued by the Dutch Munich label. Both albums sparked a renewed interest in LaVette and in 2003, A Woman Like Me (produced by Dennis Walker) was released. The CD won the 2004 W. C. Handy Award for “Comeback Blues Album of the Year”. In an interview, LaVette identified A Woman Like Me as the first album in the second phase of her career and said her 2012 autobiography was named after the album.]

10. C.W. Stoneking – “Jungle Blues”
from: Jungle Blues / King Hokum / 2008 [Reissued by King Hokum 2018]
[Christopher William “C.W.” Stoneking (born 1974) is an Australian blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and banjo player. He has released three studio albums, King Hokum (March 2005), Jungle Blues (28 August 2008) and Gon’ Boogaloo (17 October 2014), on his own King Hokum Records label.]

11. Kevin Morby – “Slow Train (feat. Cate Le Bon)”
from: Harlem River / Woodsist / November 26, 2013
[Debut full length solo release from Kevin Robert Morby born April 2, 1988. Kevin learned to play guitar when he was 10. In his teens he formed the band Creepy Aliens. 17-year-old Morby dropped out of Blue Valley Northwest High School, got his GED, and moved from his native Kansas City to Brooklyn in the mid-2000s, supporting himself by working bike delivery and café jobs. He later joined the noise-folk group Woods on bass. While living in Brooklyn, he became close friends and roommates with Cassie Ramone of the punk trio Vivian Girls, and the two formed a side project together called The Babies, who released albums in 2011 and 2012. He began a solo career in 2013 releasing his debut album Harlem River with positive reviews. His 2nd album Still Life was released in 2014. His album Singing Saw was one of our 116 Best Recordings of 2016, In 2017 Kevin Morby released his 4th album, City Music on Dead Oceans Records. It was one of WMM’s The 117 Best Recordings of 2017.]

[Kevin Morby plays recordBar, 1520 Grand, KCMO. Saturday, May 5, at 9:00 pm, with Hand Habits.]

12. Mike Donovan – “Spiral Tee Shirt”
from: How to Get Your Record Played in Shops / Drag City / April 20, 2018
[Mike Donovan was born October 6, 1971. He is a San Francisco, California based musician best known as the guitarist and singer of Sic Alps (2004-2013). He has also released music by other San Francisco musicians with his Dial Records and Folding Cassettes labels. Donovan is a veteran of several other bands. He was a member of The Ropers, The Church Steps with Chris Douglas, NAM, Big Techno Werewolves, Sounds of the Barbary Coast and Yikes. In October 2013 he released his solo debut “Wot” on Drag City. In May 2015, Donovan formed the San Francisco lo-fi supergroup The Peacers, releasing a self-titled debut on July 17, 2015. The self-titled album was co-produced and co-performed by Ty Segall. The current lineup of The Peacers is Mike Donovan, Shayde Sartin, Mike Shoun and Bo Moore. The band release their 2nd record “Introducing The Crimsmen” on Drag City on June 16, 2017]

11:00 – Station ID

13. Matador! Soul Sounds – “Get Ready”
from: Get Ready / Color Red Records / March 12, 2018
[Matador! Soul Sounds is a band loosely based on the concept of Spanish bullfighting. A common misconception in America is that bullfighting is a feat of one man versus one bull—in reality, bullfighting is largely a team effort by a matador and his cuadrilla. Born from the vision of Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds) and Alan Evans (Soulive) their fierce cuadrilla consists of keyboardist Chris Spies and bassist Kevin Scott (Jimmy Herring) as the band’s “banderilleros”. Adding a feminine energy to the band are Adryon de León and Kimberly Dawson (Pimps of Joytime) on vocals. Combining the dynamism of each band leader, the music they have created is brand new, hard hitting and drenched with their shared musical passions – jazz, funk & soul. The band made their official World Debut at Live for Live Music’s Brooklyn Comes Alive 2017 and will be touring in the spring of 2018 behind their first full length EP “Get Ready”]

14. The New Mastersounds – “Chicago Girl”
from: Renewable Energy / One Note Records / April 13, 2018
[The New Mastersounds are a British four-piece jazz fusion and funk band from Leeds, England. Over the last 16 years, they have issued ten studio albums, two live dates, two remix collections, and a compilation album.In the late 1990s, guitarist and producer Eddie Roberts was running a club night in Leeds called “The Cooker.” When The Cooker moved into a new venue with a second floor in 1999, there was space and the opportunity to put a live band together to complement the DJ sets. Simon Allen and Roberts had played together in 1997 as The Mastersounds, with a different bassist and no organ. Through friends and the intimate nature of the Leeds music scene, Pete Shand and Bob Birch were added on bass and Hammond respectively, establishing The New Mastersounds. Their first rehearsal produced the release for Blow it Hard Records on two limited-edition 7″ singles in 2000.]

15. Grouper – “Parking Lot”
from: Grid of Points / Kranky / April 27, 2018
[Grouper is the solo project of US-American musician, artist and producer Liz Harris. She has been releasing material on her own label and other independent labels since 2005. Grouper released the critically acclaimed Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill in 2008, followed by five more records, including a two-part album, A I A, and the piano-led album Ruins. Her eleventh album, Grid Of Points was released on April 27, 2018. On March 8, 2018, the song Parking Lot from the forthcoming album was released via her BandCamp. She has collaborated with a number of other artists, including Xiu Xiu, Jesy Fortino (Mirrorring), Roy Montgomery, The Bug, Lawrence English (Slow Walkers), and Jefre Cantu-Ledesma (Raum). Harris was born in Northern California and grew up around the San Francisco Bay area. She grew up in a Fourth Way commune there which was inspired by the philosophy of George Gurdjieff. The community was known as “The Group”, which would later serve as some inspiration for the moniker Grouper. According to Harris, the kids called each other and the parents ‘groupers’ sort of as a defiance. She says: “It was us making our own identities inside a pretty controlled environment, and sort of lashing back maybe… When I had to think of a name I felt annoyed at nothing sounding right. I wanted something that referenced me without referencing ‘Me.'” According to her, she “felt like the music was at its barest just a grouping of sounds, and I was just the grouper.”]

16. Melody’s Echo Chamber – “Breathe in, Breathe Out”
from: Bon Voyage / Fat Possum Records / June 16, 2018
[Melody’s Echo Chamber is the main project of French musician Melody Prochet. When Prochet’s previous project My Bee’s Garden supported Tame Impala on their European tour in 2010, Prochet collaborated with Kevin Parker to produce her new solo material as Melody’s Echo Chamber. The material was recorded in Parker’s makeshift studio in Perth, Australia and Prochet’s grandmother’s seaside home in the south of France. The self-titled debut album was released on Fat Possum Records in the Fall of 2012.]

17. Lou Johnson – “Rock Me Baby”
from: Sweet Southern Soul / Water Music Records / 1969
[Reissued by Run Out Groove Records 2018]
[Born 1941, in Brooklyn, NYC. He is a soul singer & pianist who was active as a recording artist in the 60s and early 70s. He started singing in gospel choirs in his teens, before studying music at Brooklyn College. He learned keyboards & percussion, forming a gospel group, the Zionettes, who recorded for Simpson Records and achieved some local success. Johnson then formed a secular group, the Coanjos, with Tresia Cleveland & Ann Gissendammer, recording “Dance the Boomerang” before Cleveland & Gissendanner left to become the Soul Sisters. In 1962, Johnson signed as a solo singer with Bigtop Records, run by the Hill & Range music publishing company in the Brill Building. There, he met the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach & Hal David, who wrote Johnson’s 1st single, “If I Never Get to Love You”. Neither that song nor his 2nd record, “You Better Let Him Go”, were hits, but his 3rd single, “Reach Out for Me”, also written by Bacharach & David and this time produced by Bacharach, reached # 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1963. However, as it rose up the charts, the record company collapsed, limiting the record’s success. Johnson signed to its successor label, Big Hill, and continued to record Bacharach & David songs. In 1964, his original version of “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me”, with backing vocals by Doris Troy, Dee Dee Warwick, and Cissy Houston, reached # 49 in the US charts. In the UK, a cover version by English singer Sandie Shaw rose to #1 on the British singles chart. Johnson also recorded the original versions of several other Bacharach & David songs that later proved to be bigger hits for other musicians. “Reach Out for Me”, “Message to Michael (Kentucky Bluebird)” (originally “A Message to Martha”), and “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” were all American hits, also produced by Bacharach & David, for Dionne Warwick. Several of his records reached the Cashbox R&B Top 20 including “Always” peaking at # 12 and “Reach Out” at #15. In the UK, Johnson’s version of “A Message to Martha” was his biggest hit, reaching #36 in late 1964, but was outsold by Adam Faith’s cover version. In 1965, working with the team of Bill Giant, Bernie Baum & Florence Kaye on the reactivated Bigtop label, Johnson recorded a vocal version of Sidney Bechet’s instrumental hit of a few years earlier, “Petite Fleur”, entitled “A Time to Love, A Time to Cry”. He appeared on the UK TV program: Ready Steady Go!, but neither it nor its follow-ups, a version of the jazz standard “Anytime” and then a version of “Walk On By” co-produced by Allen Toussaint, were successful, and the record company’s choice of songs distanced him from his earlier audience. An album, called Anytime, went unreleased as the record company again collapsed. Johnson recorded two albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The first, Sweet Southern Soul, for the Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion, was produced by R&B producer, Jerry Wexler, at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. Allen Toussaint produced the 2nd, With You in Mind, at his New Orleans studio for Stax’s Volt label, but neither proved successful. After moving to Orange County, CA, Johnson became a nightclub entertainer. He sometimes performed in a latter-day version of the Ink Spots.]

18. Sir Stanley – “I Believe”
from: Eccentric Soul: The Saru Label / Numero Group / March 23, 2018
[20th volume of our flagship Eccentric Soul series has all the boxes checked: Gun-toting, skip-tracing record producers, child stars, rip-offs, the “World’s Greatest Bail Bondsman,” swindles, soaring falsettos, and a dwindling rust-belt cityscape offering mere glimpses of hope before the record industry escaped for the coasts. Helmed by the O’Jays Bobby Massey, Saru was a creative vortex that pulled Cuyahoga County’s greatest talent in, making a strong case for Cleveland to contend with Detroit, Philly, and Memphis as America’s soul music’s capital. Deluxe compact disc includes 25 obscure and unknown sides from the Out of Sights, the Elements, Pandella Kelly, David Peoples, Sir Stanley, the Ponderosa Twins + 1, Ba-Roz, Bobby Dukes, and of course, the O’Jays.]

19. Miles Davis & John Coltrane – “Round Midnight (Live from Olympia Theatre, Paris)”
from: The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 / Columbia-Sony Legacy / March 23, 2018
[The latest entry in the award-winning Miles Davis Bootleg Series focuses on the final chapter in the landmark collaboration between Davis and saxophonist John Coltrane: their last live performances together, in Europe in the spring of 1960. Miles and Coltrane first collaborated in 1955, when Davis recruited the tenor saxophonist alongside pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones. This “first great quintet” made their Columbia Records debut in 1957. Those early recordings showcased the stunning contrasts between Miles’ spacious, melodic lines and Trane’s cascading high-energy solos, famously described by the critic Ira Gilter in 1958 as “sheets of sound.” While the quintet disbanded shortly after the release of ‘Round About Midnight, Coltrane was back in Miles’ ensemble in early 1958. A year late, the Miles Davis Sextet (Davis, Coltrane, Chambers, saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, pianists Bill Evans or Wynton Kelly, and drummer Jimmy Cobb) recorded the historic Kind Of Blue, the best-selling jazz album of all time. And for this final tour the rhythm section of Kelly, Chambers and Cobb backed Miles and Trane. These historic performances marked Miles and Trane’s last outing together and showcased both musicians’ incredible influence on the changing sound of jazz. The beautiful music they made together is presented here officially for the very first time. The 4CD set The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series Vol. 6 includes concerts recorded in Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm.]

Marion Merritt thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley. Marion is the creator of Records With Merritt, a small, independent, minority owned business, at 1614 Westport Rd. in Kansas City, Missouri. More info at: http://www.recordswithmerritt.com

11:31 – Underwriting

11:33 – Interview with Barry Lee

Barry Lee and Marion Merritt on the May 2, 2018 edition of Wednesday MidDay Medley on KKFI 90.1 FM.

Barry Lee joins us to share information about, An Evening With the Music of The Beatles: Unplugged, Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 PM, at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, KS. Signal to Noise’s Barry Lee hosts an All-Star group of KC & Lawrence musicians in a benefit for KPR’s Audio Reader Network. The evening will highlight the quieter side of the Beatles’ music. Special guests, The Volker Brothers (David George & Eric Voeks) will open the show with a set of acoustic Beatles songs.

Barry Lee is the host & producer of Signal To Noise heard Friday nights at 9:00 PM.

We offered our sincere condolences on the loss of Barry’s friend and wife Caroline Lee who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 18th, surrounded by her family.

Caroline and Barry Lee

Caroline was an early volunteer and organizer for KKFI beginning in 1985. When the station went on the air in 1988, she hosted a show called “Watusi Rodeo,” which was one of the first alternative country radio shows in the country.

After that, she guested often on Signal To Noise, tended her garden, went to music shows and doted on her cats.

Barry plans two memorial shows for Caroline Lee on May 4th and May 11th, at 9:00 pm on KKFI. Signal To Noise, will present “Watusi Radio” a tribute to Caroline Lee on Friday, May 4, at 9:00 PM.

There will also be a concert at Knuckleheads in July in her memory. She requested donations be sent to KKFI via http://www.kkfi.org/donate in lieu of flowers or cards.

Barry has been working on a special benefit he is producing for KPR’s Audio Reader Network.

An Evening With the Music of The Beatles: Unplugged, Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 PM, at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, KS

An Evening With the Music of The Beatles: Unplugged, Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 PM, at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, KS.

10:42

20. Beatles Tribute Band – “Two Of Us”
from: Unreleased Rehearsal Recordings / April 29, 2018
[Mike Penner on guitar & vocals, Darrell Lea on guitar & vocals, Nate Holt on keyboards, Paul Lemon on percussion, Pat Tomek on drums, & Michael Paull on bass & vocals]

10:46 – More interview with Barry Lee

Barry Lee joins us to share information about, An Evening With the Music of The Beatles: Unplugged, Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 PM, at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, KS.

Signal to Noise’s Barry Lee hosts an All-Star group of KC & Lawrence musicians in a benefit for KPR’s Audio Reader Network.

The evening will highlight the quieter side of the Beatles’ music. Special guests, The Volker Brothers (David George & Erik Voeks) will open the show with a set of acoustic Beatles songs.

The Volker Brothers (David George & Erik Voeks) will open the show

All – Star band:
Mike Penner on guitar,
Darrell Lea on guitar,
Nate Holt on keyboards,
Paul Lemon on percussion,
Pat Tomek on drums, &
Michael Paull on vocals and bass

11:56

21. Beatles Tribute Band – “Fool On A Hill”
from: Unreleased Rehearsal Recording / April 29, 2018
[Mike Penner on guitar, Darrell Lea on guitar, Nate Holt on keyboards, Paul Lemon on percussion, Pat Tomek on drums, & Michael Paull on vocals and bass]

[An Evening With the Music of The Beatles: Unplugged, Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 PM, at Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St, Lawrence, KS.]

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

Next week, on May 9th David Wayne Reed joins us to share information the premiere of Eternal Harvest his new short film about the cycle of life as depicted by the growing season on a rural Kansas farm using drones, dance, farm implements, heirloom quilts, agriculture, and video installation, that will be part of the Miami County Farm Tour May 12 in Louisburg, Kansas. Also next week we’ll talk with Johnny Hamil, Theresa Scott, Chris Tady about Woodstack 2018 on Saturday, May 12 at Woodyard BBQ, 3001 Merriam Lane in Kansas City, Kansas featuring The Sleazebeats, Sopchoppy, Claire Adams, Erica Joy, Betse & Clarke, WyCo Low Riders, The Almighty Trouble Brothers and Pamper The Madman. Also next week we have an extended interview with Musician and Director Cody Critcheloe of SSION, just before the national release of the new SSION album, 0, thaty comes out May 11 on DERO ARCADE records. Also next week Shawn Saving joins us to share information about Workers Revival Fest – May 11 and 12 at recordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd, KCMO, with Downtown Boy, Red Kate, Friendship Commanders, EBONY TUSKS, Nublvckcity, Baracutanga, Rev. Sekou, Austin Lucas, Scruffy & the Janitors, and Lovergurl featuring speakers from Jobs With Justice, Greater AFL-CIO, Noisey, and more

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 #732

Wednesday MidDay Medley

WMM Playlist from Oct. 3, 2012

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, October 3, 2012

New & Local Releases
+ “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll”
+ Albert Bickley & Dave Tanner

1.Victor & Penny – “Anything You Say”
from: Antique Pop / V & P Productions / December 9, 2011
[Victor & Penny performed LIVE on our WMM last September. Chicago / KC based duo is Jeff Freling of the Chicago Blue Man Group; and Erin McGrane of the cabaret group Alacartoona.

[Victor & Penny play at the Opening reception for Prairie Logic this Friday, October 5, 2012, 5:00 at the rooftop at 12th & Main. Featuring performances by Betse Ellis and Jason Beers, Diverse with Hermon Mehari, Victor & Penny, and Cadillac Flambe! Prairie Logic, a new public art project funded by the City’s One Percent for Arts program, and created by New York artist Janet Zweig and Kansas City’s el dorado architects inc., The Art refers to Missouri history by highlighting native prairie grasses and inserting a modified boxcar in the urban landscape. The boxcar has operable doors that open up and create a proscenium stage. The public art project was funded by the City’s One Percent for Art program, which, by ordinance, sets-aside one percent of municipal building construction and renovation budgets for the inclusion of unique artwork enhancements. The One Percent for Art program is coordinated by the Municipal Art Commission.]

2. Iris DeMent – “The Night I Learned How Not To Pray”
from: Sing The Delta / Flariella / Oct. 2, 2012
[Iris Dement previewed many of her new songs when she was in concert with husband Greg Brown, last year for their 11-11-11 show at The Folly Theatre to benefit St. Mark Child and Family Development Center. Now those songs are part of her brand new release that includes a total of 12 new songs. it is her first full-length release of original songs since 1996. Iris will be our special guest on next week’s Wednesday MidDay Medley, and we’ll talk with her about this great new recording, influenced by her family, her mother and dedicated to her daughter. Iris also passed along 10 copies of her new CD, that we will give to YOU, as a “thank you” gift, if you call and donate during our show next week. Please tune in!]

3. Calexico – “Splitter”
from: Algiers / Anti, Inc. / Sept. 11, 2012
[7th studio album from Tuscon, Arizona based indie rock/Americana band .The album’s name comes from Algiers, New Orleans, which is where the album was recorded.]

10:14

4. Schwervon! – “Cyclone”
from: Courage / Olive Juice Records / September 28, 2012
(Their song “Wake and Bomb” is on the Midwestern Audio Vol. 1 compilation)
[Schwervon! is a two piece rock band. Nan plays drums and Matt plays guitar and they both sing. They lived in NYC for 15 years and have just relocated to Kansas City. Last year they opened for both The Vaselines and Belle & Sebastian. They recently recorded with Memphis-based engineer Doug Easley (Pavement, Sonic Youth, Cat Power).]

[Schwervon! play Berlin tomorrow night at Schokiladen and will be touring all over Europe returning to kansas City, to play Davies Uptown November 14, with Paleface who will also join us on the Wednesday MidDay Medley on that day.]

5. Daughn Gibson – “Reach Into The Fire”
from: Single track release/ Sub Pop / 2012
[Carlisle, Pennsylvania based singer/songwriter, was formerly the drummer for the band Pearls and Brass. His debut solo album “All Hell” was released earlier this year on White Denim records and has received critical acclaim. Sub Pop records has signed Gibson where he is working on a full-length Sub Pop debut to be released next year. Gibson has recorded a new song called “Reach Into the Fire” that samples his new labelmates Shabazz Palaces and Tiny Vipers. He’s also added more dates to his U.S. tour.]

[Daugh Gibson plays the Replay Lounge in Lawrence, KS, on November 1.]

6. The Brannock Device – “Into The Witness Chamber”
from: Into The Witness Chamber / Independent / June 24, 2012
(This song is also included on the Midwestern Audio Vol. 1 2-CD compilation)
[Originally formed in 1994, The KVC band includes: Jason Beers on Bass & Vocals, Bernie Dugan on Drums, Marco Pascolini on Guitar, and Elaine McMilian on Vocals.]

[Jason Beers plays the Opening reception for Prairie Logic, Fri, Oct 5, 5:00 rooftop at 12th & Main.]

[Jason Beers also plays Earwaxx Records, Sat, Oct. 6, at 5:30 with Be / Non, & Apropriate Grammar]

10:29 – Underwriting

10:30 – Interview with Rusty Sneary and Forrest Attaway

The Living Room Theatre’s 3rd season opened last week with Eric Bogosian’s “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll”. starring resident artist, Forrest Attaway, who plays 12 different characters, in 12 different scenes, directed by 12 different directors. The show continues performances this week, Thursdays October 4 through Sunday October 7, at The Living Room, 1818 McGee, KCMO. For more info: thelivingroomkc.com Here to tell us even more about the show is The Living Room founder and Artistic Director, Rusty Sneary and Artist and Actor Forrest Attaway.

Robert Trussell of The Kansas City Star wrote that “the rarefied universe of Eric Bogosian is full of truth-tellers. (Some of them — the homeless, the mentally ill, the guys serving time — tell the truth because they have nothing to lose. But others — fast-talking lawyers, rabid consumers — reveal the truth in spite of themselves. And some articulate the truth virtually by accident.)”

Forrest Attaway plays 12 characters, in 12 scenes, with 12 directors.

Robert Trussell’s review talked about… “the clear articulation of Bogosian’s principal theme: the human and planetary cost of mindless consumerism. (Each of these characters is obsessed to some degree with money.) ”

Trussell went on to write: “You might think that a 1990 piece filled with social commentary might be showing its age by now. (Maybe it does in small ways, but Bogosian’s themes remain remarkably — and depressingly — relevant. Yes, we really are poisoning the earth with chemicals. We really are poisoning ourselves at fast-food restaurants. We really do blind ourselves with drugs and alcohol. And increasingly we have consigned our fates to a global network of interactive computer systems.)”

“Benefit” directed by Cody Wyoming

Matt Weiss directed by “Stag”

“Rock Law,” directed by Jerry Genochio

“Dirt” directed by Tim Ahlenius

Scott Cordes directs “Stud” directed by Scott Cordes

“X-Blow” directed by Theodore “Priest” Hughes

“Live” directed by Chris Roady

“Dog Chameleon” directed by by Warren Deckert

“Bottleman” directed by Shawnna Journagan

“Grace of God” directed by Taylor St. John

“Candy” directed by Mackenzie Goodwin

“Artist” directed by Johnny Wolfe

John “Moose” Kimball designed the lighting
Megan Turek’s designed the costumes
Mandy Morris, Amy Kelly and Kenna Hall play the Sexy Stagehands
Many Morris – served as choreographer

Robert Trussell’s review adresses “the Living Room’s posture as a theater that explores the masculine psyche without apology.”

Rusty Sneary will be seen in “Death of A Salesman,” and “Christmas Carol” at the Kansas City Rep. The Rep is also mounting The Living Room Theatre’s “Carousel.”

Eric Bogosian’s “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll” starring Forrest Attaway at The Living Room, continues performances this week, Thursdays October 4 through Sunday October 7, at The Living Room, 1818 McGee, KCMO. For more info: thelivingroomkc.com or call (816) 533-5TLR.

10:45

7. Cadillac Flambe’ – “The Devil’s Heavy 12”
from: Midwestern Audio Vol. 1 / Midwest Music Foundation / September 23, 2012
[“Midwestern Audio Vol. 1″ is an amazing new compilation assembled for Midwest Music Foundation by Brenton Cook and co-sponsored by Ink Magazine featuring over 40 bands. More information at MidwestMusicFound.org]

[Cadillac Flambe’ will play at the Opening reception for Prairie Logic this Friday, October 5, 2012, 5:00 at the rooftop at 12th & Main. Featuring performances by Betse Ellis and Jason Beers, Diverse with Hermon Mehari, Victor & Penny, and Cadillac Flambe! Prairie Logic, a new public art project funded by the City’s One Percent for Arts program, and created by New York artist Janet Zweig and Kansas City’s el dorado architects inc., The Art refers to Missouri history by highlighting native prairie grasses and inserting a modified boxcar in the urban landscape. The boxcar has operable doors that open up and create a proscenium stage. The public art project was funded by the City’s One Percent for Art program, which, by ordinance, sets-aside one percent of municipal building construction and renovation budgets for the inclusion of unique artwork enhancements. The One Percent for Art program is coordinated by the Municipal Art Commission.]

8. Sons of Great Danes – “Love, Desire Failure”
from: You Can’t Lose It All, All At Once [EP] / Sharp County Records / September 4, 2012
[Brent Windler: Guitar/Vocals, Nolle Bond: Bass, Evanjohn: Guitar, and Brendan Culp: Drums. Recorded and Mixed by Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound. Mastered by Mike Nolte at West End Studios. ]

[Sons of Great Dane play The Brick with The Dead Girls, and Radkey, this Saturday night, October 6.]

9. Kristie Stremel & The 159ers – “Color of Stars”
from: Color of Stars / Stremeltone Records / August 21, 2010
[Rob VanBiber drums, Scott Cameron, guitari, James Wheeler bass Kristie Stremel lead vocals. Produced by Lou Whitney in Springfield, MO. All Songs Written By Kristie Stremel & The 159ers. Kristie Stremel & The 159ers played live on our show on October 13.]

[Kristie Stremel plays the early show at Replay Lounge in Lawrence, Fri. night, Oct. 5, w/ Tiny Horse]

[Kristie Stremel plays the early show at recordBar, this Saturday night, october 6, at 7:00 PM]

11:00

10. Dark, Dark, Dark – “Patsy Cline”
from: Who Needs You / Supply and Demand / October 2, 2012
[Minneapolis based 5-piece band includes: Nona Marie Invie, Marshall LaCount, Walter McClements, Mark Trecka, Adam Woznia.]

11. Flying Lotus – “See Thru You (feat. Erykah Badu)”
from: Until The Quiet Comes / Warp Records / October 1, 2012
[Flying Lotus is Steven Ellison the great-nephew of the late jazz pianist Alice Coltrane, wife of saxophonist John Coltrane and cousin of musician Ravi Coltrane. Flying Lotus has released 4 studio albums and has produced much of the bumper music on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block. He also contributed remixes for fellow Plug Research artists including Mia Doi Todd.]

12. Thievery Corporation – “Safar (the Journey)”
from: Culture of Fear / Fat Possum Records / June 28, 2011

[Thievery Corporation play Midland Theatre, Wed, Oct. 10 w/Afrolicious, Pleasuremaker, Senor Oz.]

13. The Depth and The Whisper – “Be Together”
from: One Steady Breath / Independent / June 28, 2011
[Produced and recorded by John Velghe at Guttersnipe recording. This song features Albert Bickley and Dave Tanner, the principle musicians and songwriters, with Troy Van Horn on lead guitar, Go Go ray on Drums, John Velghe on keyboards and backing vocals and Elaine McMilian on backing vocals.]

[The Depth & The Whisper play recordBar Oct. 17 w/ Frontier Ruckus, and Buxton.]

11:13 – Interview with Dave Tanner & Albert Bickley

A Kansas City native, Albert Bickley has been writing, recording and performing original music for years. Dave Tanner, a Canadian who calls Parkville, MO, home, has played bass in numerous bands through the years from rock and heavy metal to folk and punk. He also currently plays in Liverpool: A Tribute to The Beatles. Together Albert Bickley and Dave Tanner formed The Depth and The Whisper in late 2010 as a vehicle to share new songs and ideas. In 2011 they released their debut EP of six songs, titled “One Steady Breath” that was created with musician, producer and recording engineer – John Velghe who captured the band’s sound at his at Guttersnipe Recording Co. during the spring of 2011. Since then, the band has performed in numerous KC venues and has collaborated with many of Kansas City’s finest musicians. The Depth and The Whisper play Record Bar, Oct. 17, with Frontier Ruckus.

Dave Tanner & Albert Bickley talked about how they met and eventually recorded with John Velghe.

Go-Go Ray (drums), Troy Van Horn (lead guitar), John Velghe (keyboard/Rhodes) and Elaine McMilian (backing vocals) round out the band’s sound in the studio and on stage.

Songs on the debut release are framed with openness and honestly that draw the listener to be part of the story. From their first collaborations and all the way through the recording process, it was clear that the songs would come together quickly and maintain an organic feel. Each track aims big and bright just like the opening track, “New York” encourages.

“We do what we feel is right for the song. Nothing more, nothing less,” Albert said during production. That has since become a mantra of sorts for the players on stage and in the studio.

The song “Be Together” will be used in a short film being produced by people at Hallmark, They have heard that Sara Swenson is also on the soundtrack.

Dave Tanner & Albert Bickley are currently laying groundwork for a new recording to follow last year’s EP “One Steady Breath” – you plan to hit the studio this fall for what could be an early 2013 release.

With a growing batch of follow-up songs being considered for the next recording, they want to keep the organic feel captured intuitively by producer John Velghe.

Dave Tanner & Albert Bickley played a song that they’re considering using on their new recording.

00. The Depth and The Whisper – “All I Had” (LIVE)

The band has an upcoming show opening for Frontier Ruckus at Record Bar, Oct. 17. Rundown about the show, what to expect, etc.

Dave Tanner & Albert Bickley are planning a New York trip in December to experience the music scene and open-mic culture.

The Depth and The Whisper play Record Bar, Oct. 17, with Frontier Ruckus.
Their music is available at thedepthandthewhisper.com, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody and more.

11:40

14. The Depth and The Whisper – “Stay”
from: One Steady Breath / Independent / June 28, 2011
[Produced and recorded by John Velghe at Guttersnipe recording. This song features Albert Bickley and Dave Tanner, the principle musicians and songwriters, with Troy Van Horn on lead guitar, Go Go ray on Drums, John Velghe on keyboards and backing vocals and Elaine McMilian on backing vocals.]

[The Depth & The Whisper play recordBar Oct. 17 w/ Frontier Ruckus, and Buxton.]

11:43 – Underwriting

11:45

15. Betse Ellis – “Bear Ceek Sally Goodin”
from: Don’t You Want To Go / Free Dirt / April 21, 2009
[Originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas, Betse Ellis is one of the founding members of Kansas City’s The Wilders, an acoustic honky-tonk band, have been together for 15 years, and have gone on haitus.]

[Betse joins us LIVE on Wednesday MidDay Medley next week October 10]

[Betse Ellis plays the Opening reception for Prairie Logic, Fri, Oct 5, 5:00 rooftop at 12th & Main.]

16. Of Montreal – “Micro University”
from: Daughter of Cloud / Polyvinyl Records / October 23, 2012
[Athens, GA, psychedelic pop group, founded by Kevin Barnes in 1996 has release 11 full length albums. The band will release a rarities collection, Daughter Of Cloud, that gathers 17 of the psych-rock group’s recordings and even includes some previously unreleased tracks. “Micro University,” comes from the 2006, 7-inch.]

17. Tom Tom Club – “Downtown Rockers”
from: Downtown Rockers / Nacional Records / Sept. 11, 2012
[6th full length studio release since the band was founded in 1981 by husband-and-wife team Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz, both also known for being members of Talking Heads. ]

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

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

Show #441