Six longer sets tonight:
From Portland, Ore., to the heart of New Orleans—Ari Kohn followed his musical compass all the way south. In New Orleans, he discovered that music isn’t just heard, it’s felt. It’s in the ground beneath your feet, in the way people move, even in the rain on your skin. And yes—the food plays right along.
This week on Listening Lyrics, Ari shares that journey. A Jazz Studies graduate from Tulane, Ari—known on stage as “Ariel”—brings a bold, warm sound on sax, flute, and vocals. Ari also performs with the band Brass Lightning. He will perform with J & The Causeways Sept. 19, 2025 at the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco.
On today's show: powdery mildew, more irrigation discussions, ground cover for chickens, depth of planting for trees, potato problems, and more.
Folk festivals are surely a place for good vibes! In line with that, today In the Key of Folk will feature several additional tracks from the Vancouver Folk Festival, along with some favorite oldies from Gordon Lightfoot, and more new album releases by Watchhouse, Jez Lowe, Janet Feld, and Christine Lavin. We'll end the hour with a few contra dance tracks to invigorate you for the day! Tune in today at 2 p.m. on KDRT 95.7 FM in Davis, CA & KDRT.org online.
On tonight's show:
Vince Guaraldi’s music continues to have a wonderful afterlife, thanks to the successful recent releases of the Peanuts soundtracks that Guaraldi recorded before he died at 47 in 1976. Today we update the story with Derrick Bang, who wrote the book about the San Francisco jazz pianist and writes liner notes for the Peanuts soundtrack producers Jason and Sean Mendelson. Bang believes there’s likely more unreleased music to come even after the soundtracks series ends. Today on Davisville he also names an often-overlooked Guaraldi song that he says evokes a stroll in the rain as winningly as the composer’s Christmas song “Skating” evokes kids skating on a pond. We hear part of the song, “Rain, Rain Go Away,” which is nothing like the children’s nursery rhyme.
Bang underscores his belief in Guaraldi’s music and talent. “I want to do the best I can to make sure that his music lives into the 22nd century,” he says on today’s program. “I want him to become one of our Tchaikovskys.”
Illustration taken from the cover of The Charlie Brown Suite and Other Favorites CD (2003), which uses a drawing of Vince Guaraldi by Charles Schulz.
We're excited to welcome back a familiar and much-loved voice to the KDRT studio — singer/songwriter Alex Roth, visiting Davis all the way from his new home in Germany. Alex has long been a beloved musician in Northern California — leading such fine bands as the West Nile Ramblers — and it's a real treat to have him back on the air with us.
Adding to the excitement, Alex is bringing along a special guest from Germany: poet Claudia Kiefer. Born in Stendal, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, Claudia trained and worked as an economist and business analyst. She is an active member of the Heidelberg poets’ collective "Kamina" and has collaborated with the Literaturvilla Herrenhof (part of the Querfälltein festival) for readings and events. Many of her earlier works — both poetry and prose — were featured in anthologies, including the Friedrich Hölderlin anthology Ins Offene, published by Wunderhorn in 2020. Claudia's poetry often focuses on nature as a gateway to human emotion and inner life. She evokes the ordinary — clouds, birds, plants — but filters them through a poetic sensibility infused with a sense of subtle enchantment.
I usually say, never start a summary with an apology. But today, I’ll make an exception. I want to apologize for not properly introducing this week’s show at the beginning of the program.
That said, this week’s episode took a powerful turn. Ray Keck joined me for an hour of reflection on the tragic consequences of war—especially its toll on innocent children. The conversation was sparked by the news of Chuck Mangione’s passing. Listening to his album Children of Sanchez led us into this moving hour of reflection through music.
Here's the playlist.
It's almost time for Divine Intervention, bringing you the latest releases from the Albinos, the Darts, Frankie & the Witch Fingers, Muck & the Mires, Turtle Skull ... fantastic classics from our Goddess of the Month, Fontella Bass ... a questionable Vinyl Vesper track ... plus sweet sounds to round out the show. Join Jess Goddésse at 6 p.m. Pacific here on KDRT 95.7 fm + KDRT.org + those podcast apps!
On today’s show: managing an aging hedge, tomatilloes, oleander followup, Rudbeckia Goldsturm, and more.
