Pieter Pastoor's blog

Nat Lefkoff is a musician "dedicated to distilling the human condition," his website biography says. "He will disarm you with a modest demeanor as his tectonic voice shifts your consciousness alongside his skillfully crafted lyrics. His acclaimed songs 'Great White Planes' and 'Damn' show off the honesty, vulnerability and intensity of his lyrics and enchanting performance style. The warm tone of his voice sweeps from an understated whisper to an erupting volcano. His performances are a visceral experience that pull at your heart until it surrenders. Nat's music is more than a collection of chords and sincere words, it is the experience of life, masterfully articulated into song."

This is Listening Lyrics' annual year-end show, coming up on Friday, Dec. 31, at 4 p.m.

We lost a lot of musicians in 2021. Listen and appreciate the gift of sound they left us. Some are well known, others not so, but all left us a gift.

Happy New Year, all!

Pieter

Dear listeners:  KDRT has over 35 volunteer radio hosts with a variety of programs. Many of which have guests. The studio is small and microphones are shared. Due to the CoronaVirus, for the next two weeks, all Listening Lyrics new shows have been cancelled. We will asses the situation at that time.

Thank you for understanding.

Pieter & Jeanne

Donut Exchange is a folk group based in both Davis and in Berlin, Germany. Members Anya Sturm, Obin Sturm, and Emma Ware grew up playing traditional old-time, bluegrass, and Irish fiddle music. They blend the three styles on their debut album, Any Place Is Home, with 11 original tracks. The album, started from transatlantic voice memos, features a warm blend of strings, percussion, utensils, and the occasional bagpipes. Recorded in December 2019, during the only week when the bandmates were on the same continent, it captures the magic and charm of sleepless nights spent playing tunes with the people you love.

This program will also be streamed live on kdrt.org

Hey, Davis musicians, this is a must-listen for you. Joel Daniel received his grant last year, and he and the city want you to know about it. Here it is, in Joel's words:

1) With the aim of bettering the quality of music that comes from Davis, I applied for a grant that I hope will impact it over many years to come. I have called it the Davis Independent Music Initiative (“DIMI”). The main parts of the grant are:

First, over the next few months, I will host a free and public series of talks aimed at songwriting and the process of recording and marketing a work. These will take place at Repower Yolo and will be hosted by Bike City Theater Company. This will be the first Wednesday in April (executive production), the first Wednesday in May (songwriting) and the second Wednesday in June (publicity/promotion). I hope this will be an opportunity for musicians of ALL levels to network, and to start to think about how to better their work. 

Gabe Lewin started singing about the time he learned to walk. He picked up the guitar at 13, or 60 years ago, and then 15 years after that he took up the harmonica. His first professional stage appearance was in 1965 at The Troubadour in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In South Africa he learned a wide variety of musical styles, including very old, very new, and original songs. He learned old folk standards, new folk tunes, reggae tunes, bluegrass, and even a few classic rock and blues tunes.  The common thread is that all have real melodies!

Gabe says he's a “song collector.” “if a song really grabs me I go about learning to play it," he says, "so I can share the song with others.” The criteria of a good song is interesting lyrics and melody. Some songs are tender, some moving, and some are humorous. Themes vary from the plight of the poor farmer and the poor coal miner, to broken hearts and true love, and ballads, and more.

Gabe is also a familiar figure as a sound system provider and operator at many events in the area, such as Celebrate Davis, and for many years  the Yolo County Fair, as the owner/operator of Clarity Sound.

Ask Adrian what kind of music The Adrian West Band  plays and he'll say "Yes." Or if he's feeling cocky, he'll say "Good."

The longer answer: original acoustic rock that sounds like Paul Simon meets Dave Matthews meets Talking Heads. The band features vocal harmonies, guitar, electric violin, bass, drums, sometimes an alto sax, and a bit of live “looping.”

Born and raised in Montreal, Adrian is an exciting performer. A gifted vocalist, he moves effortlessly between guitar & violin, sometimes using live looping to add layers of sound and intrigue to his songs. With a knack for language that's simple yet poetic, he's not afraid to tackle difficult topics in his songwriting. "Safe Streets" tells an allegory about police violence, "Close Your Eyes" laments the beauty bias that pervades the mass media, and "Senses" entreats you to appreciate your senses while you can. But Adrian doesn't take any of this stuff too seriously; his lyrics are infused with a sense of hope and a touch of whimsy.  

Adrian started playing violin at 4, and in his teens he studied classical violin at the McGill Conservatory of Music in Montreal. He later learned drums and guitar, and developed his vocal and songwriting technique. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995, where as a sideman violinist he began supporting Bay Area bands, playing some of the area's better known venues including the Fillmore, Yoshi's SF (main stage), Slim’s, The Independent and The Sweetwater. In 2005 he formed the Adrian West Band, which has performed steadily at venues and festivals all over the Bay Area.

Check out his new album "The Human Touch"

 *************   This broadcast will be streamed live on KDRT.org  ***********

I cannot think of a better way to feature these young artists as Listening Lyrics' last show of 2019. 

Broken Glass, formed in December 2018, are 8th-graders who practice in their drummer’s garage. Performing at small gigs and school events, the band started by playing cover songs, and was soon creating originals. They play a variety of genres, but most often stay within the wider rock style. The members are Alexander (keyboard/vocals/guitar), Alden (guitarist),  Everett (bass), and Oscar (drums).

This broadcast will also be streamed live on kdrt.org

Let's all play along. This week's show will have two guests: Sue from Southern California, and David from Portland, Ore., and both will answer the questions below. We will play the songs and talk a bit with them about our favorite topic: MUSIC. Let's see what they come up with. 

“Where words leave off, music begins.”  ― Heinrich Heine

1. Has a particular song ever moved you into action?

2. Has a particular song ever moved you to tears?

3. If you could send one song into space for beings to hear in the far distant future, what song would that be?

4. What is your go-to “feel good”song?

5. What song would you like played at your celebration of life?

This broadcast will also be streamed live on www.kdrt.org

The Loose Threads blend the raw energy of American rock from years gone by with acoustic blues, country, and soul.

This show is a perfect segway into the weekend.

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

The Loose Threads photo by Julia E. Heath

Band Members

Joanne Adams - Vocals and Percussion

John Bologni - Vocals and Rhythm Guitar

Arash Ansari - Lead Guitar

Gabriel Gee - Bass