Karen Leyse's blog

In the Key of Folk, June 4, 2025

This is a week of new and recent releases for the most part. Join in the discoveries on In the Key of Folk at 2 p.m. today! They'll include the solo singing debut by Scottish piper Donald Lindsay, and tracks by Poor Man's Gambit, Rrinaco, The Faux Pas, Lisa Bastoni, and others. We'll also feature a track by Jaeger and Reid, who will be performing in Davis this weekend, along with another track from Kora Feder's excellent new album, Some Kind of Truth. Stay cool and find a place to tune in!

KDRT 95.7 FM | KDRT.org

In the Key of Folk, May 28, 2025

Sometimes things just need to be repeated and amplified. With that in mind, today on In the Key of Folk, I'll be playing more tracks from the recently released album by I'm With Her, along with other new releases. Included are tracks from albums by C. Daniel Boling (featuring Tom Paxton),  Dee Robinson, Lee Hunter and the Gatherers, and a new single by Lisa Bastoni. I also plan tracks by Kora Feder and Justin Farren, who will be playing in Sacramento this week, and Evie Ladin.  So join in at 2 p.m. today at KDRT 95.7 FM | KDRT.org

In the Key of Folk, May 21, 2025

There is something new and different to start off today's program, so join In the Key of Folk at 2 p.m. to check it out. During the hour, we'll feature tracks from newly released albums by Joshua Bonnetta, I'm With Her, and the True North Duo. You'll also hear tracks from Mike Beck, Dave Alvin, Rhiannon Giddens, Eric Brace and Thomm Jutz, along with several regional musicians. So dial in your radio or join us online at KDRT 95.7 FM | KDRT.org. Oh, and the progam repeats at 7 a.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

In the Key of Folk, April 23, 2025

April is Earth month and yesterday was Earth Day! Therefore, today In the Key of Folk honors mother earth with tracks that cover the good, bad, and little-known aspects of life on our planet. We'll cover tracks by Laurie Lewis, Rita Hosking, Dougie MacLean, and Alien Folklife, among others.

The second half of the hour will be devoted to a sample of favorite contra dance tunes in honor of the 39th Anniversary Contra Dance this Saturday night, put on by the Sacramento Country Dance Society. You'll hear tracks by The Free Raisins, Toss the Possum, the Syncopaths, and String Fire. Tune in at 2 this afternoon, and don't forget to put your dancing shoes on! Right here on KDRT 95.7 FM |  KDRT.org!

In the Key of Folk, April 2, 2025

This afternoon on In the Key of Folk, you'll listen to several tracks from newly released albums by Rees Shad, The Pairs, and by Alison Krauss & Union Station. Since it's April, the month in which we celebrate the Earth, you'll also hear some tracks that remind us of our one-and-only home's delights, as sung by Rita Hosking, Richard Shindell, and Nightingale. And there is even more, so tune in at 2 p.m. right here on KDRT.org or at KDRT, 95.7 FM!

In the Key of Folk, March 26, 2025

Ah, it's finally feeling like spring! Flowers are blooming, the air is warm and the breezes are gentle. And it's just about time to tune into In the Key of Folk, at 2 p.m., to enjoy music in homage to this time of year, along with what I'll call the tariff sets ... and more. You'll hear another track from Kora Feder's new album, plus tracks from Locarno, Tania Libertad, Domino, Lady Maisery, Eliza Gilkyson, and more.

At KDRT 95.7 fm | KDRT.org and repeating each week on Sunday at 10 a.m. and Thursday at 7 a.m.

In the Key of Folk, March 19, 2025

After a week with a lot of great music to be heard out and about locally, join In the Key of Folk, coming up, for an hour of musical reflections. We start off with a couple of tracks from the newly released album by Countercurrent, a duo from the Pacific Northwest. We'll also be covering new releases by hometown favorite Kora Feder, and by New Englanders Jean Rohe and Sean Kiely. We'll include tracks by Kalos, Paddy on the Binge, Mad Agnes, Evie Ladin, Tom Jutz and Eric Brace. Some of these singer-songwriters and musicians may not be that familiar to you -- give it a listen and enjoy! That's this afternoon, Wednesday, at 2 p.m. on KDRT.org!

In the Key of Folk

Celebrating both old and new music! Join us today for In the Key of Folk with Karen Leyse at 2 pm, Pacific time. Today we'll hear new music from Carolyn Kendrick; Alison Krause; Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis, and Karine Polwart; and the British folk trio, The Pairs.  We'll also include tracks by trad band Wake Up Robin, Cheryl Wheeler and John McEuen. So spend an hour with us this afternoon - see you then on KDRT 95.7 FM in Davis or online at KRDT.org!

In the Key of Folk, Jan. 22, 2025

It's time again for In the Key of Folk at 2 p.m.! Today we'll start off with a couple of tracks from the album by Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon. We'll also spend time with a project that Casey Driessen, fiddler extraordinaire, began in 2019: Otherlands. I'll play two tracks from this really cool adventure, both musical and geographical. Additional tracks today include Jez Lowe, San Miguel Fraser, and Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy. And, just to celebrate Robbie Burns, we'll hear from Scots Jim Malcolm, Emily Smith and Jamie McClennan, and Dick Gaughan. So come enjoy some musical travels this afternoon at KDRT 95.7 fm | KDRT.org!