Billy Larkin, Pianist/Composer, to Share His Music on Listening Lyrics, Friday June 3, 2022, at 4 p.m.

Mon, 05/16/2022 - 1:56pm | Pieter Pastoor

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KDRT, Billy Larkin, Listening Lyrics, Pieter Pastoor

Billy Larkin, who lives in Davis, is an award-winning pianist/composer/arranger who has been bringing his individual brand of musical artistry to audiences for over 40 years. He defies easy categorization and helps define true expression through the collaborative process.

From his website: "Following his studies in piano, music theory, and composition at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Billy worked in New York City as music director for cabarets, and wrote and performed music for the modern dance company Cheryl Wallace Dance Works. He went on to co-found Stone Street Foundation for the Arts in Cincinnati, which received numerous grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for large-scale original productions featuring dance and live music.

The Folk Brothers for May 11, 2022: On the road with Chatham Rabbits

Wed, 05/11/2022 - 11:10am | Peter Schiffman

North Carolinians Sarah and Austin McCombie -- aka Chatham Rabbits -- have a new album and a new PBS series. Produced by WUNC -- and available everywhere on PBS Passport -- the series follows the Rabbits as they take their new five-piece string band on the road throughout their home state, playing shows and hanging with some of North Carolina's many great folk and bluegrass musicians.

Fun fact: the couple met at a Mandolin Orange show at Carrborro's Cats Cradle when Sarah was on stage playing banjo with the opening band.

Also this morning, Brother Bill previews upcoming local live music with Todd Snider and Didar Singh Khalsa.

The Folk Brothers playlist for 05/11/2022

Jazz After Dark, May 10, 2022

Tue, 05/10/2022 - 5:00pm | Don Shor

Tonight on Jazz After Dark: Anita O Day with Roy Eldridge and Gene Krupa, and then with Stan Kenton. We’ll hear Joe Holiday, Peggy Lee , Nat "King" Cole and His Trio, Milt Jackson & Ray Charles, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Ella Fitzgerald & Paul Weston and His Orchestra, Charles Mingus, Buddy DeFranco Quartet, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Eddie Harris, and Shirley Horn.

The Folk Brothers for May 4, 2022: Curlew sounds in the Simmerdim

Wed, 05/04/2022 - 11:10am | Peter Schiffman

It's getting to be the time of year when the Arctic Circle experiences "Simmerdim," the Scottish term for the long twilight when the sun drops just below the horizon for only a few hours each night. Orcadian singer-songwriter Merlyn Driver's forthcoming album honors the (now endangered) Eurasian Curlew, which wades and sings on the shorelines of those northern islands, during those hours of dim light. Proceeds from his forthcoming album Simmerdim: Curlew Sounds will support efforts by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to restore Curlew habitat.

The Folk Brothers playlist for 05/04/2022

Davisville, May 2, 2022: By finding tiny crocheted Triceratops, UC Davis students are finding each other

Mon, 05/02/2022 - 5:30pm | Bill Buchanan

As the Covid pandemic dials down in Davis, people are finding different ways to reconnect. Today’s story presents a way that’s off the scale in charm and whimsy -- it involves tiny crocheted triceratops that students are making and hiding on the UC Davis campus, for other students to find. Just for the fun of doing it. A Discord server for the project has more than 3,400 members so far, and Berkeley might be next.

Today we hear from the founder and two co-leaders of the Davis Triceratops community: UC Davis undergraduates Jennine Eng, Ada Lei, and Sebastian Carpintero. This photo (from left) shows Ada, Jennine, and Sebastian with three of the hundreds of dinosaurs created so far.

Alex Jenkins discusses his music and life as a percussionist, on Listening Lyrics, April 29, 2022

Fri, 04/29/2022 - 5:10pm | Pieter Pastoor

Due to his in-depth study of the music of different cultures, Alex Jenkins' playing transcends musical traditions and boundaries. His expression of rhythm is heavily influenced by his study of tabla (a north Indian classical percussion instrument), and he is known for his creative approach to music and for his unique ability to fuse rhythmic ideas from various disciplines into one cohesive sound.

Alex has studied music, drums and percussion at California State University Sacramento, the Ali Akbar Khan School of Music in San Rafael, and Drummers Collective in New York. He spent three months in India studying north Indian music. He performs and records regularly, around California and beyond, playing a variety of music (on both drums and tabla) including jazz, Afro-Cuban, rock, blues, fusion, Indian classical, and just about everything in between.

Alex leads The Alex Jenkins Trio, which keeps a very busy performing schedule. He also teaches workshops and clinics for various schools, including Sacramento State, American River College, Cosumnes River College, California College of the Arts in Oakland, UC Merced, and many more. His extensive private teaching roster has more than 50 students per week. He will appear with the trio on:

  • 5/2  @ Luna's Cafe Sacramento, 8 p.m., all ages
  • 5/6 @ Drakes (West Sacramento), 6-9 p.m., all ages
  • 5/15 @ Jets (Sacramento, Midtown), 7:30-10 p.m., all ages
  • 5/21 @ Shady Lady (Sacramento), 8-11 p.m.
  • 7/8 @ Morgan's Mill (Woodland), 7-9 p.m., all ages

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