Blogs

Randy Berka works as a scientific manager at a local biotech company in Davis by day, but pursues his passionate hobby of music after hours.  He has played guitar, bass and harmonica with a number of rock bands since the late 60s.  Randy grew up in the Midwest (a small town in Iowa) where he performed with bands such as The Lazy River Band and Shadrack. The Lazy River Band's most recent CD entitled "Now & Then" and a single called "Man of Steel" were released just a few years ago (both are available online). The Lazy River Band still meets every year or two for gigs wherever and whenever they can arrange it.  Randy co-wrote the Shadrack single "It Was Me/I Wonder Why" on the Sonic label in 1972 and played on the LP "Shadrack Chameleon" in 1973. The album was re-released on the Gear Fab label nearly a decade ago.  Since moving to the Davis area in the early 90s Randy has played with a group of co-workers calling themselves The Amplified DNA Band.  They performed at a variety of local venues including the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland when they competed in Fortune Magazine's Corporate Battle of the Bands. He also plays an assortment of local gigs with QuidZin, The Plainfield Pickers, Stones Throw, The DNA Mechanics, and The Steve Kotarek Band.

AotW this week is Roxy Music's second release, For Your Pleasure, produced by Chris Thomas and released on the Island label away back in 1973. Roxy Music took an experimental, arty approach to glam, and--like contemporary David Bowie--influencing much of the U.K. punk and new wave to come. As with the band's first (self-titled) release, the roster on For Your Pleasure is Bryan Ferry on vocals and keyboards; Brian Eno on synthesizer and backing vocals; Phil Manzanera on guitar; Andy Mackay on oboe, sax, and a wonderful Farfisa; John Porter on bass; and Paul Thompson on drums. For Your Pleasure was the last Roxy Music recording for Eno, who left to gain a tremendous amount of fame as a solo-artist, producing innovative electro-pop. Ferry also achieved hits as a solo artist, including his cover recordings of popular standards.

Some swing, some West Coast cool, some soul jazz, and more tonight!
Benny Goodman * Shorty Rogers & His Giants * Stan Getz with Gerry Mulligan * Big Miller & the Bob Florence Big Band * James Clay * Ella Fitzgerald * Oscar Peterson * Stéphane Grappelli & Stuff Smith * Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis * Clark Terry & Chico O'Farrill * Clark Terry with the Oscar Peterson Trio * Earl Hines * Rosemary Clooney & John Pizzarelli * George Benson

The KDRT crew broadcasts live from Armadillo Music for 2nd Friday ArtAbout on February 12th with Alex Roth and his wild and woolly West Nile Ramblers. This event is free, open to all. Stop on by at 6:00 pm, listen to the interview, enjoy the performance, meet the band! RSVP on Facebook. :)

Davisite Evan Daly is well known in Northern California. His own band, the Evan Daly Blues Band, creates a soul-searching experience of blues-rock and a mighty fine guitar. Evan's involvement in multiple bands, including Tha Dirt Feelin, is made possible by his absolute control of the guitar--he can play to fit most any genre. Evan's stage persona is electrifying, and he's been known to drive the dance floor into a frenzy. Let's hear what drives this young man.

Stealing a line from this Pitchfork review, "Nearly every proper song on Currents is a revelatory statement of Parker’s range and increasing expertise as a producer, arranger, songwriter, and vocalist while maintaining the essence of Tame Impala: Parker is just as irreverent working in soul and R&B as he is with psych-rock."

I'm not one to rely heavily on P4K, but when they rate an lp 9.3 out of 10, I may give it a try. Currents ended up in their Top 5 for 2015, (Top 3 Reader's Poll) and in my list of fifteen favorite discoveries for the year.

Let It Happen and The Moment drew me in to this solo project and the rest grew on me shortly afterward. I recently picked up the double-lp from Armadillo Music and am pleased to share it during my turn of AoTW. Mr. Parker will be touring (with a full band) at the Greek in Berkeley early September. One of the two nights still has tickets remaining as of this post.

60’s jazz tonight! Soul, blues, gypsy guitar, and more. Ella Fitzgerald * Phineas Newborn Jr. * Don Wilkerson * Cannonball Adderley * Billie Poole * Brother Jack McDuff * Illinois Jacquet * Gabor Szabo * Eden Atwood * Pat La Barbera & Don Thompson

Gordon is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter based out of Oakland, California. Starting with the Scottish fiddle at the age of 4, his passion for music has grown to encompass a wide variety of styles. On the violin, this has included jazz, folk, celtic, bluegrass, r&b and reggae. As a vocalist, he has done everything from shape-note singing to opera to beatboxing. Among other credits, he was introduced to choral music by the legendary Chanticleer, briefly competed in a barbershop quartet, and directed a pop acappella group at UC Davis. In college, his tastes as a dance facilitator and budding producer lead him to house music, electroswing, and glitch hop. Gordon's current projects aim to bring together these diverse influences – his sounds have been described as "gospel folk" and "post apocalyptic railroad blues." As a musician, producer and performer, Gordon hopes to unite people of all backgrounds and make them dance. You can follow him online at soundcloud.com/buskproject

All Listening Lyric shows are live on Fridays from 4:00PM to 5:00PM.(PST) on KDRT 95.7FM. For those outside the listening area, the show will stream live online at KDRT.org . It will also be available for replays in the show archives or as an podcast on iTunes under LISTENING LYRICS.    Listening lyrics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter