Diane Crumley's blog

A beloved local tradition  - the"Home for the Holidays" concert - continues this year streaming online.  Concert producer Bill Fairfield has brought together many returning favorite local musicians, as well as adding some new special guests to this year's video program.  Familiar guests include Joe and Hattie Craven, the DHS Madrigals, Rita Hosking duo, Misner & Smith, Alaina Rose, Kora Feder, Boot Juice, Bill Edwards, the Fairfields, Dave Nachmanoff, and Mumbo Gumbo guitarist Brian Rivers. As usual, the event is a benefit for the Davis School Arts Foundation, and viewers are encouraged to make a donation there in lieu of the usual ticket purchase.  DMA and KDRT are thrilled to serve as partners and offer the community a variety of ways to view and listen.  The event will be simulcast Thursday December 17 at 7 PM on KDRT 95.7 FM and DCTV Channel 15, and will be available for video and audio streaming at kdrt.org ( a link will be provided there the day of the show).

As this unusual year comes to an end, we are particularly grateful to ALL our listeners, supporters, volunteers, and extended community. We have rallied together to adjust to social-distancing, and yet remain connected through our uniquely Davis local programming.  We invite you to tune in to KDRT 95.7 FM or stream via kdrt.org to enjoy some special holiday cheer that our DJs are happy to share with you Dec. 15 – 21, 2020.  As an extra special holiday treat, we are thrilled to be airing the 17th annual Home for the Holidays concert, Thursday Dec. 17 at 7PM and an encore presentation on Winter Solstice, Monday December 21, also at 7 PM. Link here for additional information.

Recently, the Owsley Stanley Foundation released the Sixth Chapter of  Bear's Sonic Journals : That Which Colors the Mind, a 2 CD-set featuring Ali Akbar Khan (known as the Bach of India). The album features a 2-hour live recording of a performance at the Family Dog at the Great Highway, in San Francisco on May 29, 1970. Recorded live from the soundboard by the legendary Grateful Dead soundman, Owsley Stanley, a.k.a "Bear", this release is thought to be one of the most evocative recordings of Ali Akbar Khan - a recipient of a MacArthur "genius grant", who has been identified as being a key influence on The Beatles, Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones and Santana. 

Starting in the late summer of 2008, Chris Mussen began airing "A Constant Grin" on KDRT every Friday afternoon 2 at for 30 minutes of hand-picked indie favorites from his substantial collection. Fast-forward 12 years, and today's show marked episode No. 500! In case you haven't  tuned in before, here's the show description, "All things modern indie, from shoegaze to psychedelic, dream pop to space rock, lo-fi to indie folk. Whatever you prefer on your indie playlists, A Constant Grin is sure to keep you smiling."  Today's episode looked back a bit at early shows, and we heard Chris' perspective on starting his program many moons ago.  Stream episode No. 500 at https://kdrt.org/audio/constant-grin-episode-500-12-years-indie-friday-a...

Free Speech Week has been celebrated in the U.S. since 2005.  To kick off this special week, we're joining with non-commercial media centers across the country for Community Media Day on October 20th, and will debut a short video highlighting our wide array of  grassroots activities and local projects. Throughout the week, we will continue to post special videos and photos on our social media pages - Davis Media FB  and KDRT FB .  We'll feature our projects in youth media, social justice, community-based public affairs, local election education, and advocacy for local nonprofits,  arts and music. 

Davis Media Access (DMA) is pleased to announce that one of its youth participants has been selected as a finalist in the national Points of Light Foundation’s Youth Summit Pitch Contest, held Aug. 19, 2020.  The Summit brought together youth aged 13-18 from across the country to reflect on the challenges and opportunities presented by the new school year and the “new normal” during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Rohan Baxi, a 9th grade student from Da Vinci Junior High in Davis, CA pitched his project idea, “Timeout Radio: Building Teen Connection in a Time of Distance,” to the Foundation, and was selected as one of 10 finalists. The recognition comes with a $1,000 award to help further his project.

On Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, community radio stations across the country will unite to commemorate the life of Breonna Taylor and the many female victims of American police brutality.  Led by WXOX-FM in Loisville KY the link to Facebook event gives additional info. This date will mark the five-month anniversary of Breonna’s passing. In the words of Breonna’s aunt Bianca Austin, “Justice for Breonna means an end to police brutality and social injustice." KDRT will join more than 50 community radio stations from 11 to 11:10 a.m. Pacific time to hear one of Breonna’s favorite songs and a message from her family dedicated to those who demand equality and stand up for justice worldwide. Tune in at 95.7 FM or stream at kdrt.org.

The Sons of the Soul Revivers- a venerable San Francisco Bay Area gospel quartet - marked its 50th anniversary on July 4, and is celebrating with the release of their new studio CD "Songs We'll Always Sing." DJ Rodriguez speaks with band member James Morgan on this week's special edition of Silver Nine Volt Heart. Stream here to listen to this episode https://kdrt.org/audio/sons-soul-revivers-featured-silver-nine-volt-hear...

“We definitely used the Pilgrim Jubilees as a blueprint for how the traditional gospel quartet sound should be,” explains James regarding their latest album. “We got a chance to see those guys (Jubilees) in 1977, and long story short, they blew us away."

Starting mid-July, we’ve been able to bring back a number of KDRT programmers into the studio. This is accomplished with widely staggered air shifts and rigorous cleaning protocol. All shows can be heard live on KDRT 95.7 FM, and also streamed live at https://kdrt.org, where you can also find a schedule, program highlights, DJ contact info, or listen or download archived programs.

Here are some highlights:

• Sara TAPS is back with “The Awesome Patrol Show” Wednesdays 1-2 pm, highlighting the best of indie label music.

• “At Night I Fly” is an eight-part series with incarcerated poet Spoon Jackson about his life and poetry. In this series, Jackson dives into the complicated nature of being locked up and yet still growing. Producer Matthew Schneeman then dives into the same themes but on the outside -- connecting the two worlds. Jackson is in Solano State Prison. Show airs Sundays at noon.