Blogs

"It's About Modernity": A Conversation with Otura Mun

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Otura Mun (left) gracious sat down with author and host of One Foundation, B. Hold, at World Café Live in Philadelphia on July 15, 2018

Catch ÌFÉ live, Saturday, July 28, 2018, at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA

"I've heard a lot of rappers freestyle over a beat, but I've never heard a beat freestyle over a rapper," Otura Mun tells me with a slight smile, and I shake my head and make some kind of sound from my chest to recognize the innovative spirit beneath this clever quip. We're talking about improvisation, something that many of us don't expect to hear in electronic music. But ÌFÉ, Mun's electronic fusion group based in Puerto Rico, goes well beyond the expectations of genre, technology, and tradition, bringing an otherworldly dimension of play to a modern musical form that often relies heavily on programming.

Album of the Week (7/25) Courtney Barnett ~ Tell Me How You Really Feel

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courtney barnett tell me how you really feel

Sophomore albums are always intriguing to me when an artist's debut was well received. Seems like the pressure is on to do even better on (often) a shorter amount of time. 

Courtney Barnett delivered with Tell Me How You Really Feel (May 2018) especially when so many garage-rock-slack-style outfits are putting stuff out there. She's from Australia, where many other cool rock bands are from. Maybe that and her collaboration with Kurt Vile in between releases helped. 

Hope you tune in, you nameless, faceless listener, you.

 

Easan Katir and his guitar Friday July 27, 2018 at 4:00PM on Listening Lyrics

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Easan Katir visits KDRT 95.7 Davis, CA

Easan Katir visits Listening Lyrics and we can't wait. His guitar playing is superb and boy, can he tell a story through song. Easan is a Davis, CA resident and happens to be a neighbor of mine. Why you might ask did I wait so long?  No longer will his talents be hidden from us. Professionally Easan Katir owns an investment management firm and serves as a director for a Washington DC-based NGO.   Musically, he once upon a time played professionally in Las Vegas at the Aladdin. He composed songs which won awards at the Hollywood song-writing competition.

For those outside the listening area this broadcast will be streamed live on www.kdrt.org

Jazz After Dark July 17 2018

Brazil, bossa nova, and more tonight on Jazz After Dark! 8 pm at 95.7 FM in Davis CA, live-streaming at kdrt.org.

June Katz, Cal Tjader, McCoy Tyner, Stan Getz & Luiz Bonfá, Luiz Bonfá, Vince Guaraldi; Charlie Byrd, Barney Kessel & Herb Ellis.  Charlie Byrd solo, Stan Getz, Wynton Marsalis, Johnny O'Neal.

Replays Monday 11pm, Tuesday 12am, Wednesday 10-11pm

 

Marilyn Rose puts the "sound" of Musicians on Canvas, Friday July 20, 2018 at 4PM. Listening Lyrics

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Marilyn Rose visual artist

A unique concept - listen in as Marilyn Rose explains her passion to put the artist and the "sound" on canvas. 

Musicians in the greater Sacramento area, artist Marilyn Rose is shining a light on you! A well-respected portrait painter residing in Lincoln, Marilyn is in the midst of a self- styled project to showcase local musicians of all genre by painting at least thirty insightful oil paintings of them in action.

Since late April of this year, Marilyn has been connecting with as many local musicians as possible in local cities such as Roseville, Sacramento, and Davis. She gathers inspiration from their music while sketching and taking video from which she creates the 9x12” pieces. She doesn’t aim for a photographic likeness of either the musician or the instrument but she strives to express the spirit and passion that results from the interaction of the two.

To date, fifteen of these “portrait impressions” have been painted, with another fifteen to go. Two or three larger, more formal portraits will be added to the collection and all of the framed paintings will be unveiled at a reception at Watermelon Music in Davis, November 9, from 4 to 7 PM. The reception will be open to all music and art lovers, and all of the participating musicians plus their families and friends will receive a special invitation. Refreshments and a no host wine bar, provided by Fawnridge Winery in Auburn, will be offered and music for the evening will be provided by one or more of the participating musicians.

Marilyn believes strongly in the power of music and art to uplift and transform lives, so she wants to support the Sacramento Preparatory Music Academy by donating 20% of all sales from the project for either their Guitars for Vets program or for their scholarships for Sacramento youth in need.

For those outside the listening area this broadcast will be streamed live on KDRT