101. WIM | Text Mining in Python for Social Scientists (1:46:00)

Date:
2020-10-23
Main contributors:
Helge-Johannes Marahrens
Summary:
Textual data are central to the social sciences. However, they often require several pre-processing steps before they can be utilized for statistical analyses. This workshop introduces a range of Python tools to clean, organize, and analyze textual data. It is intended for researchers who are new to working with textual data, but are familiar with Python or have completed the Introduction to Python workshop. Python is best learned hands-on. Python packages: nltk, fuzzywuzzy, re, glob, sklearn, pandas, numpy, matplotlib

102. Interview with Doris "Lady D" Fields, Beckley, West Virginia (06:16)

Date:
2020-10-22
Main contributors:
Doris "Lady D" Fields
Summary:
Doris "Lady D" Fields (Beckley, West Virginia) Doris Fields, aka “Lady D,” is a singer, bandleader, actress and visual artist based in Beckley, West Virginia. Known as West Virginia’s First Lady of Soul, Lady D has opened for the O’Jays at Charleston’s FestivALL (2007), as well as performed for The HistoryMakers: An Evening With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. in Charleston (2010). Along with her band MI$$ION, she performed her original song “Go Higher,” chosen as the best Obama Inaugural Song, at the Obama for Change Inaugural Ball in 2009. Lady D received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the All Black Schools Sports & Academic Hall of Fame (2014) and has won the DC Blues Society Blues Challenge (2017). As an actress, Lady D has toured with her one-woman show The Lady and the Empress, a musical stage play based on the life and music of Bessie Smith. She has also acted with West Virginia productions of Honey in the Rock, Hatfields, McCoys and various other shows. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/22/2020.

103. Interview with Hong Wang, Las Vegas, Nevada (06:05)

Date:
2020-10-22
Main contributors:
Hong Wang
Summary:
Hong Wang (Las Vegas, Nevada) Hong Wang is an internationally touring multi-instrumentalist. He graduated from Nanjing Normal University’s Music Department, where he mainly studied the erhu (two-string bowed instrument) and composition. He studied oboe at Nanjing Arts Academy, and after graduation, he taught songwriting and oboe at the music department for about five years. Later, he changed his career to music editor at Jiangsu Province Institute of Arts. Hong has been living in the United States since the early 1990s. He has composed several pieces for the Chinese ensembles and contemporary mixed bands, earning him a number of awards. He has recorded for several recording companies, including Sony Classical, Sega, TDK, Sound World, and Water Baby Records. He is also a zhonghu soloist for the album Monk's Moods, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. Hong has performed extensively at many international festivals and with several renowned musicians. As a leading contemporary musician, he has played several concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area, such as Thundering Across the Sky; A Musical Dialogue with Dancing Lions; New Music Concert with the Citywinds; and Three Sound, an experimental music series by composer Carl Stone, sheng master Wu Wei, matouqin master Li Bo, and bass clarinetist and composer Gene Coleman. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/22/2020.

104. Interview with Thea Hopkins, Massachusetts (05:53)

Date:
2020-10-22
Main contributors:
Thea Hopkins
Summary:
Thea Hopkins (Massachusetts) A member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, performing songwriter Thea Hopkins calls her music Red Roots Americana. Thea has recorded multiple albums, and her EP Love Come Down was nominated for a 2019 Indigenous Music Award in the folk category. He song “Jesus Is On The Wire” was recorded by Peter, Paul & Mary in 2004 and 2010. She has performed internationally in venues including the Kennedy Center, LaMama Experimental Theatre in New York, the Tomaquag Museum in Rhode Island, and the Summertyne Americana Festival in the UK. Thea was a 2019 Native Launchpad Artist at the Western Arts Alliance and was a fellowship recipient from the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. She was an artist at the Wichoie Ahiya Indigenous Singer Songwriter Intensive at the Banff Arts Centre. Thea has opened for musicians including David Bromberg, Larry Campbell, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Amy Helm and John Lodge of the Moody Blues. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/22/2020.

105. Interview with Theresa May, Cleveland, Ohio (06:03)

Date:
2020-10-22
Main contributors:
Theresa May
Summary:
Theresa May (Cleveland, Ohio) Theresa J. May is a trumpet player and educator based in Cleveland, Ohio. She received her master’s degree in trumpet performance from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and her Bachelor of Music from the University of Dayton. Theresa has taught music at Cuyahoga Community College and John Carroll University, as well as privately at Academy Music and Olmsted Falls schools. May has performed regularly with Gabriel’s Horns, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Mourning [A] BLKstar, and the Cleveland Brassworks. She has performed in the Colour of Music Festival, a festival for Black classical musicians, as well as with Kyle Kidd & Company. Other performance experience includes Cleveland Opera Theater Orchestra and DIVA Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Sherrie Maricle, in a production of Maurice Hines’ Tappin’ Thru Life at the Cleveland Playhouse. She has also been featured as a guest artist in the Alumni Recital Series at the University of Dayton. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/22/2020.

106. IU NewsNet (21:52)

Date:
2020-10-22
Main contributors:
Ryder, Anne
Summary:
IU NewsNet weekly newscasts

108. Air Check: Wolves, Apple, and derechos (21:33)

Date:
2020-10-21
Main contributors:
Miles, Emily, Shanahan, James
Summary:
In this week's Air Check, we talk about a couple of ballot propositions (Nevada energy and Colorado wolves), why Apple isn't packaging charging adapters with the iPhone 12, and the derecho that swept through Iowa.

109. Interview with Dave Robinson, Phoenix, Arizona (05:20)

Date:
2020-10-21
Main contributors:
Dave Robinson
Summary:
Dave Robinson (Phoenix, Arizona) Dave Robinson is a Phoenix-based classical musician and jazz guitarist who plays everything from classical to contemporary music. He has performed with Stevie Nicks, the Four Tops, Sam Moore, Joni Sledge, the Phoenix Symphony, and many others. He is a National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient and is in demand as a studio and performing guitarist. He has recorded with the Four Tops and appeared with Sam “Soul Man” Moore on the Motown Live TV show. He studied classical guitar and harmony at Arizona State University, as well as getting private instruction from Ted Greene, Joe Diorio, and Chuck Marohnic. He has also produced recordings for the Multimedia Library in NYC. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/21/2020.

110. Interview with Gao Hong, Northfield, Minnesota (06:08)

Date:
2020-10-21
Main contributors:
Gao Hong
Summary:
Gao Hong (Northfield, Minnesota) Gao Hong, a Chinese pipa player and composer, began her career as a professional musician at age twelve. She graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where she studied with pipa master Lin Shicheng. She has received numerous awards and honors. In 2019, Gao Hong became the only musician in any genre to win five McKnight Artist Fellowships for Performing Musicians. In 2018, she became the first Chinese musician to win a Sally Award from the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. She has performed throughout Europe, Australia, Argentina, Japan, Hong Kong, China, and the United States, and has world premiered numerous pipa concerti with important orchestras. She has been featured as both pipa player and composer in important festivals in the U.S. Her composition for solo pipa, “Flying Dragon,” won the 2012 Global Music Award of Excellence-Solo Instrumental (Gold Medal). Since her arrival in the U.S. in 1994, Gao Hong has presented hundreds of educational workshops for elementary through college-age students and has been on the faculty of Metropolitan State University and MacPhail Center for the Arts. Currently, she teaches at Carleton College in Minnesota. During the COVID pandemic, Gao Hong released two CDs, Hunting Eagles Catching Swans (Chinese Pudong pipa music featuring Gao Hong and her master, Lin Shichen) and From Our World to Yours (ARC Music in U.K.). Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/21/2020.

113. Interview with Hasu Patel, Cleveland, Ohio (05:03)

Date:
2020-10-20
Main contributors:
Hasu Patel
Summary:
Hasu Patel (Cleveland, Ohio) Hasu Patel is a composer, performer, and educator based in Cleveland, Ohio. Born in Baroda, India, Hasu plays sitar in a style known as Gayaki Ang (vocal style), and has studied with teachers including Prof. N.B. Kikani, and Ustad Anwar Khan Sahib. She has performed nationally and internationally at venues including the Beijing International Congress on Women in Music at the China Conservatory of Music. She has been honored for her achievements in music and public service with awards including the International Peace Ambassadors from the United Nations and the Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award from the Ohio Arts Council. Hasu has recorded and released multiple albums and has composed dozens of compositions in both Indian and Western Classical contexts. She served as a faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for over twenty years, teaching students who went on to play professionally across genres. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/20/2020.

114. Interview with Nat Hulskamp, Portland, Oregon (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-20
Main contributors:
Nat Hulskamp
Summary:
Nat Hulskamp (Portland, Oregon) Born in Portland, OR, Nat Hulskamp began studying guitar with guitarist/composer Paul Chasman at age seventeen. He was soon introduced to flamenco guitar by José Solano. His interest in the influence of Arabic music on flamenco led him to study oud in Morocco. After returning to the U.S., he moved to Seattle to study ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. In 2000, he co-founded the Vancouver, BC, based Arabic/flamenco group Aire. In 2004, he moved to Portland and formed the group Shabava with kamancheh/sehtar/violinist and singer Bobak Salehi. In 2010, he formed the trio Caminhos Cruzados with master jazz guitarist Dan Balmer and Ghanaian percussion virtuoso Israel Annoh. Nat has studied with the top flamenco guitarists of today, including Diego del Morao, Manuel Parrilla, Pepe del Morao, Dani de Morón, and Antonio Rey, among others. He has recorded in Spain with Diego del Morao, La Macanita, Luís de Perikín, and LaBejazz, and has performed with José Antonio Rodríguez, Santiago Lara and Antonio Rey during their US tours. He now resides in Portland, composing and performing with Shabava, Caminhos Cruzados, and Seffarine. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/20/2020.

116. Interview with Gaelynn Lea, Duluth, Minnesota (06:45)

Date:
2020-10-19
Main contributors:
Gaelynn Lea
Summary:
Gaelynn Lea (Duluth, Minnesota) Musician Gaelynn Lea won NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, and not long after she hit the road with her husband Paul. So far she has toured in forty-five states and nine countries, performing original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. Gaelynn Lea has appeared in several major festivals over the years, including SXSW, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Reykjavik Arts Festival. She has also opened for well-known bands such as Wilco, the Decemberists, LOW, the Jayhawks, and the industrial rock supergroup Pigface. In addition to performing and recording, Gaelynn also does speaking engagements about Disability Rights and accessibility in the arts. She uses her music as a platform to advocate for disabled people and to promote positive social change. In recent years, she has shared her perspective on PBS News Hour, The Moth Radio Hour, The Science of Happiness Podcast, and through two widely-viewed TEDx Talks. Gaelynn Lea is currently working on a memoir about her touring adventures and disability advocacy. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/19/2020.

117. Interview with Lezlie Webster, Concord, New Hampshire (05:53)

Date:
2020-10-19
Main contributors:
Lezlie Webster
Summary:
Lezlie Webster (Concord, New Hampshire) Lezlie Webster is a Scottish Highland piper and dancer based in Concord, New Hampshire. A native of Ontario, Canada, she began her training in Ontario and Nova Scotia, and studied piping and Scottish highland dancing in Scotland. Lezlie has won many piping competitions in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., and is a graduate and examiner of the Institute of Piping. She is also an adjudicator for the Easter U.S. Pipe Band Association. Lezlie and her husband, renowned piper Gordon Webster, were co-founders of the New Hampshire School of Scottish Arts in Manchester, NH, Lezlie and Gordon were invited to represent Scottish Highland piping and dance traditions for New Hampshire’s presentation at the 1999 Smithsonian Folklife Festival and again for the expanded recreation Celebrate New Hampshire festival held in 2000 in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Lezlie has been honored by the St. Andrew’s Society for her contributions to the Scottish Community. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/19/2020.

118. Interview with Tchin, New Jersey (05:54)

Date:
2020-10-19
Main contributors:
Tchin
Summary:
Tchin (New Jersey) Tchin (pronounced ‘chin) is a nationally known, multi-award-winning artist. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia and lived in rural Virginia and Rhode Island where he received his early schooling. He attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. He is an accomplished metalsmith, author, flutemaker, educator, lecturer, folklorist, musician, entertainer, and clothes maker. His awards for performance and cultural work include Best of Show in Schemitzun, Connecticut, and Kituwah, North Carolina; Best of Division in the Southwest Museum, California, and Red Earth, Oklahoma; and first prize in the National American Cultural Art Festival, Maryland, as well as the SWAIA Indian Market, New Mexico (6). He lives with his wife and looks forward to many visits from his four daughters and nine grandchildren. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/19/2020.

119. Interview with the McCrary Sisters, Nashville, Tennessee (10:24)

Date:
2020-10-19
Main contributors:
Alfreda McCrary
Summary:
The McCrary Sisters (Nashville, Tennessee) The McCrary Sisters sing a unique style of gospel and inspirational music. Influenced by classic soul, Americana, blues and rhythm n blues, these sisters bring their joy to singing with tight soulful harmonies. The McCrary Sisters (Ann, Deborah, Regina and Alfreda) are the daughters of the late Rev. Samuel McCrary, one of the original members of the legendary gospel quartet, the Fairfield Four. The daughters were raised singing at home and at their father’s church before embarking as solo artists who performed with a wide range of major artists, including Bob Dylan, Elvis, Isaac Hayes, Stevie Wonder and more. In 2011, the Sisters officially formed their own group, the McCrary Sisters, and have since recorded or performed with notable artists Delbert McClinton, Black Keys, Martina McBride, Eric Church, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Jonny Lang, Robert Randolph, the Winans, Donnie McClurkin, Rosanne Cash, Carrie Underwood, Hank Williams, Jr., Dr. John, Widespread Panic, Sheryl Crow, Maren Morris, Gregg Allman and many more. They have been featured on countless broadcasts, including BET’s Bobby Jones Gospel, TBN’s Jason Crabbe Show, PBS’s Rock My Soul w/ Fairfield Four, Lee Ann Womack, Buddy Miller, PBS’s Mountain Stage, CMT’s 2016 Fan Festival with Carrie Underwood, CMT’s 2015 Artists of the Year with Eric Church, ABC’s CMA Awards 2015 with Hank Williams, Jr., 2016’s Maren Morris special and more. Their annual Tennessee Christmas special is much beloved and widely watched. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/19/2020.

120. On the Ballot: wildlife ecologist Merav Ben-David (26:44)

Date:
2020-10-19
Main contributors:
Ben-David, Merav, McCabe, Janet, Miles, Emily
Summary:
Merav Ben-David is a wildlife ecologist at the University of Wyoming. Her specialty? The effects of global environmental change on animals and their ecosystems. Her next move? A run for the U.S. Senate. In this episode, host Janet McCabe talks with Dr. Ben-David about what it means for a climate scientist to run for office in a state whose economy has long relied on coal.

121. Interview with Lakota John, Pembroke, North Carolina (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-16
Main contributors:
Lakota John
Summary:
Lakota John (Pembroke, North Carolina) Lakota John is a Native American artist, songwriter, producer, and musician from Southeastern North Carolina. Lakota John has toured nationally and internationally, performing in venues including the Kennedy Center, the Institute of American Indian Arts Music Fest in Santa Fe, and the Piedmont Blues Festival. He has shared the stage with artists including Pura Fe, Taj Mahal, Keith Secola, and Dom Flemons. He has studied with blues masters John Cephas and Phil Wiggins, among others, and was an artist with the Music Maker Relief Foundation, performing locally as one of their Next Generation Artists alongside elder Bluesmen. His recorded releases include Old Bluez That’s Newz to Me (2009), Lakota John and Kin (2013), and The Winds of Time (2017). Lakota John was awarded a Carolina Music Award in the America/Bluegrass category and has won first place in the 2019 Road to Memphis PBPS Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Competition. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/16/2020.

122. Interview with Pepe Santana, Stanhope, New Jersey (05:55)

Date:
2020-10-16
Main contributors:
Pepe Santana
Summary:
Pepe Santana (Stanhope, New Jersey) Juan Pepe Santana is a musician, educator, and instrument maker based in Stanhope, New Jersey. Born in Ecuador, Pepe moved to the U.S. in the 1960s, where he has performed and taught Andean traditions. Pepe plays over twenty Native wind instruments and multiple string instruments. He founded the Festival of the Andes at Waterloo Village, and directed several Andean festivals at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and Symphony Space. Pepe has lectured nationally and internationally. He was an artist in residence at the National Museum of the American Indian: Smithsonian Institution, and has delivered workshops on instrument making in venues including the Museum of Natural History. Pepe founded the ensemble INKHAY (Quechua: “to tend the fire”), which interprets traditional music from the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. Pepe was a master folk musician in the Apprenticeship Program of the NJSCA, and was awarded the National Merit and Title of Great Gentleman by the Ecuadorian Government. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/16/2020

123. Interview with Sinclair Palmer, Durham, North Carolina (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-16
Main contributors:
Sinclair Palmer
Summary:
Sinclair Palmer (Durham, North Carolina) Sinclair Palmer is a bass player, educator, and instrument maker based in Durham, North Carolina. They perform in a wide range of genres with multiple local bands, and have toured nationally and internationally. They are a member of the musical groups the Muslims, Violet Bell, and Loamlands. Sinclair is also a music educator, teaching in various contexts from private lessons to university settings. They have taught their own community music course titled Music Queery at the Durham venue Pinhook’s People’s School series. Sinclair also plays several other string instruments, in addition to building their own. They hold a BM in Music Performance in Double Bass from the Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2017), and an MA in Music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2019). Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/16/2020.

125. On the Ballot: Zoya Teirstein and Sammy Roth (40:54)

Date:
2020-10-16
Main contributors:
Teirstein, Zoya, Roth, Sammy, Shanahan, James, Miles, Emily
Summary:
Does this U.S. election season have your head spinning? In this episode, Grist reporter Zoya Teirstein and LA Times reporter Sammy Roth take us from the national to the local on what's important in terms of the environment.

128. Center for Human Growth with Lynn Gilman and Lauren Adams, The (24:57)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Gilman, Lynn, Adams, Lauren, Monaghan, Elaine
Summary:
With the world changing by the minute, mental health support is more important than ever... but the way counseling happens is changing too. Elaine Monaghan and Violet Baron talk to the Center for Human Growth's Director Lynn Gilman and Co-Assistant Director Lauren Adams about its unique model as a counseling center fully staffed by graduate students. They also talk about how the counseling center is navigating the pandemic, and what might carry over even once we return to "normal."

129. Interview with Arnaldo Guevara, North Salt Lake, Utah (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Arnaldo Guevara
Summary:
Arnaldo Guevara (North Salt Lake, Utah) Born in Ciudad Bolívar, Guayana, Venezuela, Arnaldo Guevara sings Venezuelan Llanero music. He has performed extensively with various groups in radio programs, festivals, and cultural events since he was a child. While attending college in Mérida, he joined the choir Orfeón de la Universidad de Los Andes, the polyphonic group Tepuy 5, and the Cantoría de Mérida, with which he toured Venezuela, the Caribbean Islands, and Colombia. He has performed with important groups such as Stereo Gaita, Diamantes del Sur, and Las Cuerdas de Don Ramón Hurtado. He has participated in numerous TV and radio shows and has released three CDs, Arnaldo Guevara y su canto (2009), Arnaldo Guevara y su canto en Mavidad (2015), and Arnaldo Guevara y Su Canto... Popular y Caribeño (2017). He has shared the stage with prestigious artists and groups such as Cheo Hurtado, Jesús Hidalgo, Gualberto Ibarreto, Serenata Guayanesa, and Huascar Barradas, among others. Currently, he resides in North Salt Lake, Utah, where he is a member of the Hispanic choir Luz de las Naciones. In addition to being a musician, Arnaldo is also a social communicator and works as a professional broadcaster. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/15/2020.

130. Interview with Fred Mayorga, Miami, Florida (04:34)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Fred Mayorga
Summary:
Fred Mayorga (Miami, Florida) Nicaraguan musician Fred Mayorga was born in Nicaragua in 1987. He is now based in Miami, Florida, where he emigrated in June of 2000. At the age of 12, he learned how to play Marimba de Arco, Nicaragua’s iconic traditional instrument. In Miami, Fred performs widely throughout the area and is studying music production. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

131. Interview with Jessica Pacheco, Los Angeles, California (06:08)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Jessica Pacheco
Summary:
Jessica Pacheco (Los Angeles, California) Jessica was born and raised in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents Miriam and Jose Pacheco. Growing up, Jessica partook in numerous extracurricular activities, such as ballet, piano, art, music, drama, and classical Spanish dance/flamenco. Dancing highlights include performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England during the Monkees’ 2011 World Tour, performing with the Florida Grand Opera in Carmen, Turandot, and La Traviata, as well as the Los Angeles Opera in Carmen and El Gato Montés. Jessica’s dance company, Flamenco Tropical, combines classical Spanish, traditional flamenco, and modern rumba into one high energy show. Some of her theater credits include playing Celeste Finley in Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth, Adela in Federico García Lorcas’ La casa de Bernarda Alba, and María in Daimary Sánchez Morenos’ Are You Bringing Something From Mexico? Jessica has been cast in several Telemundo telenovelas. Since moving to L.A., she has appeared on the TV shows General Hospital, To Tell The Truth, and Superstore, to name a few. She is also very proud to have been part of Pixar’s animated feature, Coco. Currently, she has just finished producing, directing, and starring in a comedic web series she wrote called Cuban Tales. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/15/2020.

132. Interview with Johnny Rawls, Purvis, Mississippi (04:58)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Johnny Rawls
Summary:
Johnny Rawls (Purvis, Mississippi) With a career spanning more than 50 years, Johnny Rawls is an internationally recognized recording artist, music producer, and songwriter who tours extensively throughout North America and overseas. The Blues Music Awards, Blues Blast Awards, Living Blues Awards, and the W. C. Handy Awards have all acknowledged Johnny with multiple awards and nominations, including Soul Blues Album of the Year and Soul Blues Artist of the Year. Living Blues Magazine described him as a “soul-blues renaissance man” when he was featured on the cover in 2002.  Johnny is mentioned on two markers along the Mississippi Blues Trail: one in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, marking the Hi-Hat Club, and another in Rocklin, Maine, marking the migration of blues from Mississippi to Maine. Born in Columbia, Mississippi, in 1951, Johnny grew up in Purvis (near Hattiesburg) and Gulfport. At age fifteen, Johnny’s high school band teacher asked Rawls to join his band as a saxophone player. Well into his career, in the mid-1970s, Johnny became the band director for soul singer O.V. Wright, and toured with O.V. until his death in 1980. Wright’s band, under Johnny’s leadership, continued to perform as the Ace of Spades band for several years. Johnny then became the band director for Little Johnny Taylor and in 1985, began touring as a solo artist and made his first solo recording. Rawls has released more than fifteen albums, and to date, ten of Johnny’s albums have been nominated for Soul Blues Album of the Year, with I’m Still Around winning in 2019. Johnny tours extensively throughout the US and internationally, playing approximately 200 dates every year. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

133. Interview with Monty Lane Allen, Nashville, Tennessee (06:23)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Monty Lane Allen
Summary:
Monty Lane Allen (Nashville, Tennessee) Monty Lane Allen, a multi-talented artist from South Carolina, is based in Nashville, Tennessee and is a well-known guitarist in the modern country music scene. After the release of his debut album Great Big World in 2008, several of his music videos aired on CMT and GAC and the song “Falling Water” eventually earned him a Telly Award for Best Music Video. Apart from his solo career, Monty Lane has toured as a member of Alan Jackson's backing group, The Strayhorns, for many years. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

134. Interview with Ricky B, New Orleans, Louisiana (05:51)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Ricky B
Summary:
Ricky B (New Orleans, Louisiana) Raised in the St. Bernard projects of New Orleans, Ricky B is considered a pioneer of New Orleans bounce, an indigenous local subgenre of rap. Incorporating Mardi Gras Indian chants into his early records, Ricky is considered widely influential across multiple demographics, including rap, hip-hop, brass band, funk and more. Ricky B has multi-generational appeal, as the songs he wrote in the 1980s and 1990s are still regularly played by DJs throughout Louisiana. Ricky B is also a cultural historian and advocate for New Orleans music and culture. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

135. Interview with Roy Bosh, Salt Lake City, Utah (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Roy Bosh
Summary:
Roy Bosh (Salt Lake City, Utah) Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, percussionist Roy Bosh moved to United States when he was eleven years old. He got involved in percussion at an early age and later learned Latin percussion on his own. He grew up listening to Latin music, salsa, merengue, bachata, as well as African rhythms, some of the genres he loves to play. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he plays with a number of groups. Roy is also working on documentaries with dancers and Afro musicians in the community, and is back at college working on two master’s degrees. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/15/2020.

136. IU NewsNet (19:40)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Ryder, Anne
Summary:
IU NewsNet weekly newscasts

137. Air Check: Senate races of the Southeast (18:48)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Bruggers, James, Miles, Emily, Shanahan, James
Summary:
In this week's Air Check, special guest James Bruggers talks with us about U.S. Senate races in Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia.

139. Interview with Aline Mukiza, Burlington, Vermont (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Aline Mukiza
Summary:
Aline Mukiza (Burlington, Vermont) Aline Mukiza is a dancer, musician, and community organizer based in Burlington, Vermont. Mukiza was born in Burundi and moved to Vermont in the state’s refugee resettlement program. She is a master artist of Burundian women’s dance and traditional song in the Vermont Folklife Center’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. Mukiza is the director of Twibukanye, where she teaches Burundian music and dance to young adult women and girls in Chittenden County. She has worked with the Vermont Folklife Center to develop and expand pedagogies and materials for cultural education in her community. Additionally, Mukiza has worked as a multilingual liaison for the Burlington School District and a family service coordinator at the Vermont Family Network. She has also served as coordinator of the Heritage Learning Program, a project of the Burundian American Association of Vermont, which provides language, science, and culture classes to children. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/14/20.

140. Interview with Aurélien Barnes, New Orleans, Louisiana (05:42)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Aurélien Barnes
Summary:
Aurélien Barnes (New Orleans, Louisiana) Aurélien Barnes is a New Orleans trumpet player steeped in the tradition of the city. Born in 1995, he is part of the young generation of musicians carrying on the legacy of the trumpet and the blues in New Orleans. From an early age, he learned from some of the best musicians and teachers in the city, including the Tremé Brass Band, Leroy Jones, Gregg Stafford, Kent Jordan, and many others. He is the son of Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, a multi-instrumentalist and specialist in blues, zydeco, and Afro-Caribbean musics. Aurélien performs with several brass bands in New Orleans and around the world, including Grammy-nominated Cha Wa, Kings of Brass, the Palmetto Bug Stompers, and more. He has performed with a wide range of artists across several genres, such as Marcus King, Nicholas Payton, Solange, Dr. John, and Carlos Vives. In addition to his musical diversity, Aurélien is a French citizen and speaks French, Spanish, and Portuguese fluently. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

141. Interview with Caique Vidal, Greensboro, North Carolina (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Caique Vidal
Summary:
Caique Vidal (Greensboro, North Carolina) Caique Vidal is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Born in Salvador, Bahia, he is steeped in the Afro-Brazilian tradition. One of his first performances took place with the ensemble of the Olodum Mirin project, participating in Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” (1993). Vidal studied at the Liceu de Artes e Oficios da Bahia and toured with the Balé Folclórico da Bahia. He participated in Mikael Mutti’s project Percussivo Mundo Novo. He has performed nationally and internationally, sharing the stage with artists including Suzana Baca, Carlinhos Brown, and Gilberto Gil. In 2012, Vidal moved to North Carolina, where he has taught Afro-Brazilian music and culture to professional musicians, publics school students, and universities. He leads the band Batuque, which uses Afro-Brazilian percussion in various contexts. Batuque has performed at venues including the Art of Cool-NC, Afro-Bahia Festival-NC, and Hardee’s Festival-VA. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/14/2020.

142. Interview with David Reihs, Portland, Oregon (05:40)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
David Reihs
Summary:
David Reihs (Portland, Oregon) Playing Arabic keyboard and accordion, Middle Eastern percussion, ud, and elektro-saz, David Reihs is a multi-instrumentalist turned producer and educator who currently focuses on music of Turkish and Arabic cultures. He has been studying a wide variety of Middle Eastern genres and instruments since 2001, including four years living in Istanbul, Turkey, where he learned and spent time with many of the country’s finest musicians. Aside from his work with Ritim Egzotik, David’s company produces concerts, workshops and instructional DVDs for Middle Eastern music and dance. He is the artistic director for Ritim Egzotik, a modern Turkish and Arabic music ensemble that respectfully plays classic and popular Arabic and Turkish compositions and tosses in prog rock and psychedelic spices to add their own twist and modernize the songs they love. Added to this feast of sounds are Greek and Turkish Roman favorites. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/14/2020.

143. Interview with J. Michael King, Greenville, South Carolina (06:01)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
J. Michael King
Summary:
J. Michael King (Greenville, South Carolina) J. Michael King is a composer, writer, and accomplished Piedmont blues musician. He plays in the time-honored style of bluesman Reverend Gary Davis, a Laurens County native who played throughout Greenville and Spartanburg counties during the 1930s and 40s. The guitar stylings of South Carolina bluesmen like Blind Willie Walker, Josh White, and Pink Anderson are central influences. He apprenticed under Ernie Hawkins, who studied with Gary Davis in the mid-1960s. King has composed and performed music for four documentaries by filmmaker Stan Woodward, including Puddin' Pot, a short film produced in 2002 exploring the community-based foodways tradition. He was instrumental in co-producing a recording of Piedmont blues classics entitled Blues Haiku. King also produced his own albums, Carolina Bar-B-Q and Meat and Three, two collections of Piedmont blues and string band music featuring tunes about South Carolina's distinctive cuisine. King plays frequently with fellow musicians and Folk Heritage Award recipients Steve McGaha and Freddie Vanderford and has presented the South Carolina blues story to thousands of students and tourists throughout the state. He conducts educational programs about South Carolina Piedmont blues for Southside High School and the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center in Pickens, and the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia. King received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2018. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

144. Interview with Jada M. Lark, U.S. Virgin Islands (06:13)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Jada M. Lark
Summary:
Jada M. Lark (U.S. Virgin Islands) Originally from Chicago, Illinois, singer Jada M. Lark relocated to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she met her husband and performs as a singer in the reggae band Inity Reggae Xplosion. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

145. Interview with Kalyn Heffernan, Denver, Colorado (06:24)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Kalyn Heffernan
Summary:
Kalyn Heffernan (Denver, Colorado) Combining humor, playfulness, radical political perspectives, compassion, and undeniable musical chops, Wheelchair Sports Camp is Denver's biggest smallest band. Fronted by the wheelchair-using, rap-heavy, beat-making, freedom-fighting producer, educator, and foul-mouthed rebel rouser Kalyn, the band is a combination of live and electronic instruments with a more noisy, jazzy, and experimental combination for the traditional hip hop group. Raised by the DIY (Do It Yourself) spirit of experimental independence, the band has stretched itself into theatre, performance art, public television, politics, prison tours, permanent installations, and more to come. Kalyn led Denver's first disabled and queer artist campaign for the mayor’s seat in 2019. The tiny, happy mayor has long been advocating for herself and other marginalized communities through music, direct action, education, and art. Commonly known for fighting for access to human rights and calling out those in power who protect capital interests over the future, Kalyn makes herself heard with a very loud, distinct, and high-pitched sense of humor. The band unknowingly started the summer of 1997, when Kalyn moved back from California to her hometown. The band tours the States and beyond from their home in Denver. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/14/2020.

146. Interview with Kozue Matzumoto, Los Angeles, California (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Kozue Matzumoto
Summary:
Kozue Matzumoto (Los Angeles, California) Born and raised in the Tohoku (東北) area in Japan and having lived in Tokyo as well, Kozue is now based in the Los Angeles area. She has played the koto since she was three years old under Ikuta-ryu (生田流) Miyagi-kai (宮城会) and holds a semi-master title (準師範). She has also played the shamisen and the shinobue since she was very young. In North America, she has been collaborating with various musicians and movement, visual, installation, and other types of artists. Not only does she play traditional, contemporary, and experimental music, she also improvises, composes, and creates mixed media arts. She has contributed her koto sounds to 2020 Tokyo Olympics (postponed) as well as Ghost of Tsushima, a PS4 game released in 2020. She has participated in various projects and performances including at Center for World Music (San Diego, CA), SASSAS (Los Angeles, CA), Washington Street Art Center (Boston, MA), and Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble (Vancouver, Canada), to name a few. A Japanese music ensemble instructor at California Institute of the Arts, she has been invited as a guest lecturer by schools in California and also travels throughout the U.S. for lectures, master classes, and workshops. She studied improvisation, composition, and music technology, and graduated with a Performer-Composer MFA from California Institute of the Arts. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/14/2020.

147. Interview with Marlysse Simmons, Richmond, Virginia (06:01)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Marlysse Simmons
Summary:
Marlysse Simmons (Richmond, Virginia) Marlysse Rose Simmons-Argandoña is a first-generation Chilean-American pianist, composer and educator based in Richmond, Virginia. She is the band leader, arranger and pianist for the globally renowned indie-salsa band Bio Ritmo and the bolero-inspired project Miramar. With her projects she has toured North America, Europe, Russia, and Georgia. She is a recipient of the Mid-Atlantic Touring Arts grant, recorded for Brooklyn’s Daptone, Barbès, and Spain’s Vampisoul Records. She studied composition under Grammy Award-winning artist Arturo O’Farrill and has traveled the world to make independent studies of various musical traditions including Brazil, Cuba, Chile, Puerto Rico and country of Georgia. Simmons also works as a commissioned arranger, educator and lecturer. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/14/2020.

148. Interview with Oscar Chirinos, Ogden, Utah (05:18)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Oscar Chirinos
Summary:
Oscar Chirinos (Ogden, Utah) Oscar Chirinos has been playing flamenco guitar since he was a little child. Born in Lima, Peru, his family moved to United States when he was nine. He picked up his passion for flamenco from his Spanish grandfather, a guitar player himself. He now lives in Ogden, Utah, where he works for an advertisement company so that he can pursue his passion, music. In 2019, Oscar and Romina Notaro formed the flamenco fusion band AmoRoma along with Rodrigo (percussion), Jaesi (violin), and Barbara (dancer). Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/14/2020

149. Interview with Queen Quet, Georgia Sea Islands (05:52)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Queen Quet
Summary:
Queen Quet (Georgia Sea Islands) Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine is a singer/vocalist, author, computer scientist, lecturer, and cultural historian. She is the founder of the premiere advocacy organization for the continuation of Gullah/Geechee culture, the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition. Queen Quet was the first Gullah/Geechee person to speak on behalf of her people before the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland and was also one of the first of seven inductees in the Gullah/Geechee Nation Hall of Fame. In 2008, she was recorded at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, at a United Nations Conference in order to have the human rights story of the Gullah/Geechee people archived for the United Nations. She worked with US Congressman James Clyburn to ensure that the United States Congress would work to assist the Gullah/Geechees. Queen Quet then acted as the community leader to work with the United States National Park Service to conduct several meetings throughout the Gullah/Geechee Nation for the Special Resource Study of Lowcountry Gullah Culture. Due to the fact that Gullah/Geechees worked to become recognized as one people, Queen Quet wanted to ensure that the future congressional act would reflect this in its name and form. As a result in 2006 the “Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Act” was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by the president. Queen Quet has appeared in numerous documentaries and films, and in print and other media. She uses her voice and vocal performances as healing arts. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

150. Interview with Vanderford, Buffalo, South Carolina (06:39)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Freddie Vanderford
Summary:
Vanderford (Buffalo, South Carolina) Growing up in Buffalo, South Carolina, Vanderford first learned to play the mouth harp, or harmonica, from his grandfather, who played “old mountain songs” on the instrument. Initially, Vanderford blended the country style of his grandfather with the sound of the Chicago blues. However, an encounter with the Piedmont blues of Arthur “Peg Leg Sam” Jackson would forever change Vanderford’s musical style. As a knowledgeable cultural historian and traditional performer, Vanderford is highly sought after for his performing and recording talents. Vanderford received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2010. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

151. Interview with Willie Wells, West Columbia, South Carolina (06:16)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Willie Wells
Summary:
Willie Wells (West Columbia, South Carolina) Willie Wells, the son of the late Bill Wells, has always been on the music scene. Since the early ‘70s, Willie has played drums and sung lead and harmony vocals. Willie and another musician friend organized a country music group called CHOYCE that ran for more than twenty years. With early country music and bluegrass influences from his father, Willie continued to develop and expand his musical direction toward recording studio production. In the past ten to twelve years, Willie has shifted more toward continuing the bluegrass legacy of his father. Being inspired by his father to play guitar and to be at the helm of the “Blue Ridge Mtn. Grass” band (BRMG) that his father started some forty years ago, Willie is keeping his father’s wishes to preserve bluegrass music in South Carolina. Today, the band is a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass with some new arrangements of old songs as well as a mix of original songs. Willie Wells & The Blue Ridge Mtn. Grass first album title, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, continues to promote bluegrass music throughout the area. Willie is also the owner of Bill’s Music Shop & Picking’ Parlor in West Columbia, South Carolina. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

152. Interview with Kuki Tuaiasosopo, American Samoa (05:03)

Date:
2020-10-13
Main contributors:
Kuki Tuaiasosopo
Summary:
Kuki Tuaiasosopo (American Samoa) Kuki Tuaiasosopo is an ethnomusicologist, musician, vocalist, and church choir leader. He received his Masters of Music from the University of Hawaii in Manoa, where he completed a thesis on the sacred music of the Congregational Church of Jesus in Samoa. He is Chairman of the Fine Arts Department at American Samoa Community College, where he teaches Music, Drama, and Speech. He is a member of the ICTM Study Group for the Music and Dances of Oceania, ICTM Regional Liaison for American Samoa, and a Music Researcher for 20th Century Fox Movies. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/13/2020.

153. Interview with Soni Moreno, New York City, New York (06:03)

Date:
2020-10-13
Main contributors:
Soni Moreno
Summary:
Soni Moreno (New York City, New York) Soni Moreno (Maya/Apache/Yaqui) is a vocalist, actress, composer, and poet, based in New York City. She began her career as a cast member in the original San Francisco production of Hair, and has appeared on Broadway plays including Hair and The Leaf People. Off Broadway, she has performed in plays including Aladdin, America Smith, and Blood Speaks. Soni is the co-founder of First Nations a cappella women’s trio Ulali, touring extensively throughout North America and beyond from 1987 to 2010. She is a member of MATOU, a group of Native American and Maori musicians and performers, performing original compositions that celebrate culture and traditions. Soni has toured with musicians including Buffy Sainte-Marie and the Indigo Girls and performed with Martha Redbone’s concert performances of her play Bone Hill. She has contributed to soundtracks in multiple films and television shows and performed at the Sundance Film Festival Native Program: Celebration of Music in Film. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/13/2020.

154. Interview with the Gypsy Cowbelle, Thermopolis, Wyoming (06:12)

Date:
2020-10-13
Main contributors:
The Gypsy Cowbelle
Summary:
The Gypsy Cowbelle (Thermopolis, Wyoming) Whether she’s building a banjo, riding the Divide, singing around a campfire, floating the Grand, or hitchhiking across America, this little gal is doing her best to seize Life’s Rich Pageant. Miss “V,” as she is also known, has balanced her back-country experiences with countless asphalt tours, seeking enlightenment through solitude as well as through her interactions with people from all walks of life. A knack for recognizing the humor in everyday life, an appreciation for history, a hunger for adventure, and a ceaseless sense of creativity collectively establish Miss V’s unique perspective and personality. Her experiences, free spirit, clever lyricism, and classic rhythms on the guitar and her homemade banjo blend together to create her signature “Genuine Cowbilly” music. This Gypsy Cowbelle and her music possess a universal and timeless allure that has charmed fans from coffee houses and campfires to festivals and honky tonks across America for nearly two decades. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/13/2020.

156. Interview with Carla Sciaky, Lakewood, Colorado (06:39)

Date:
2020-10-12
Main contributors:
Carla Sciaky
Summary:
Carla Sciaky (Lakewood, Colorado) Carla Sciaky is a multi-instrumentalist and folk singer-songwriter based in Lakewood, Colorado. As a soloist, she toured the US and Europe throughout the 1980s and 90s, recording first on her own Propinquity Records and later on Green Linnet and Alacazam Records. Her songwriting won her awards and/or recognition in such arenas as the Kerrville New Song Competition, the Louisville (Kentucky) songwriting competition, the Colorado Arts and Humanities Fellowship for Composition, the Billboard Songwriting Competition, and the Colorado, Utah, and Kansas Artist in Residence programs. As a member of the long-standing infamous Denver-area group the Mother Folkers, Carla was recently inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, and her solo Zoom series, Concept Concerts, has soothed fans worldwide during the sheltering time of COVID. In the classical/early music world, Carla performs on baroque violin with Sémplice, a Denver quartet specializing in baroque music on period/replica instruments, as well as being a member of the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado since their first season. Carla is also active in the holistic and energy healing world, helping people find greater well-being through her practice Doorway to Healing, and is working on two book projects. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/12/2020.

157. Interview with Lawrence F. Archambault, Fort Yates, North Dakota (05:38)

Date:
2020-10-12
Main contributors:
Lawrence F. Archambault
Summary:
Lawrence F. Archambault (Fort Yates, North Dakota) Lawrence (Larz) Archambault, a Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Nation of North and South Dakota, is the drummer for the recording group Stones of Red. Fans describe their music as a mix of Lenny Kravitz, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, and Delbert McClinton, which Stones of Red finds humbling as all have been their influences. Since regrouping the band in 2016, Stones of Red has progressed at an astonishingly quick rate to emerge on the music scene as a budding young, high-energy group coupled with the group’s hauntingly soulful vocals and musicianship. Stones of Red is backed by seasoned musicians, playing original music and a variety of cover music during their live shows. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/12/2020.

158. Interview with Mary Flower, Portland, Oregon (05:04)

Date:
2020-10-12
Main contributors:
Mary Flower
Summary:
Mary Flower (Portland, Oregon) An internationally known and award-winning picker, singer/songwriter, and teacher, the Midwest native relocated from Denver to the vibrant Portland, Oregon, music scene in 2004. She continues to please crowds and critics at folk festivals, teaching seminars and concert stages domestically and abroad, that include Merlefest, Kerrville, King Biscuit, Prairie Home Companion, and the Vancouver Folk Festival, among many. A finalist in 2000 and 2002 at the National Finger Picking Guitar Championship; a nominee in 2008, 2012, and 2016 for a Blues Foundation Blues Music Award; and many times a Cascade Blues Assn. Muddy Award winner, Flower embodies a luscious and lusty mix of rootsy, acoustic blues guitar and vocal styles that span a number of idioms – from Piedmont to the Mississippi Delta, with stops in ragtime, swing, folk and hot jazz. Flower’s twelve recordings, including her four for Memphis’ famed Yellow Dog Records—Bywater Dance, Instrumental Breakdown, Bridges and Misery Loves Company—show a deep command of and love for folk and blues string music. For Flower, it’s never about re-creation. Her dedication to the art form is a vital contribution to America’s music. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/12/2020.

159. On Air with IER: Episode 79 (16:24)

Date:
2020-10-12
Main contributors:
Edwards, Beth, Saenz, Enrique
Summary:
This week: The COVID-19 crisis is making more Hoosiers energy insecure, and Indiana lawmakers discuss a draft bill that could set the foundation for carbon offset trading in the state.

160. Educating (virtually) for Environmental Change (39:53)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Milks, Kirstin, Scribner, Adam, Hamburger, Michael, Speaks, LaStelshia, Boileau, Catherine, Shanahan, James, Miles, Emily
Summary:
In this bonus episode, we talk with organizers and participants from the award-winning Educating for Environmental Change program. Kirstin Milks, Adam Scribner, Michael Hamburger, LaStelshia Speaks, and Catherine Boileau explain how they've adapted their practices for the challenges we face today.

161. Emergence of Illiberalism with Michael Weinman, The (25:16)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Weinman, Michael, shanahan, James, monaghan, Elaine
Summary:
As we head into the election in a rapidly changing country, we can see the ways that liberal politics are giving way to more radical policies around the world. Dean Shanahan and Professor of Practice Elaine Monaghan speak with Michael Weinman, Professor of Philosophy at Bard College Berlin, about his new coedited volume, “The Emergence of Illiberalism: Understanding a Global Phenomenon.” The trio discuss how we can understand trends away from liberal policies and politics, and what we might expect to replace them.

162. Interview with Ben Sollee, Louisville, Kentucky (05:48)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Ben Sollee
Summary:
Ben Sollee (Louisville, Kentucky) Ben Sollee is a cellist and composer based in Louisville, Kentucky. He has performed with companies including the Charlotte Ballet and the North Carolina Dance Theater, where he wrote original music for the play Dangerous Liaisons. Ben has toured on his bicycle, riding over 4,000 miles. He has been invited to speak on sustainability at festivals including South by Southwest Music (2011) and TEDx San Diego (2012). At home, Ben has raised awareness about Mountain Top Removal Strip Mining in Central Appalachia. His album Dear Companion (Sub Pop, 2010) with artist Daniel Martin Moore and producer Jim James sheds light on the issue. Ben’s music has been featured in film and television, including Mark Steven Johnson’s Killing Season starring John Travolta and Robert De Niro, ABC’s Parenthood, and HBO’s Weeds. Working with experimental technology, Ben has used the Vanishing Point virtual reality app, and created an interactive sculptural installation called Livestream. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/09/2020.

163. Interview with Brian Coleman, Summerville, South Carolina (04:24)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Brian Coleman
Summary:
Brian Coleman (Summerville, South Carolina) First Nation drummer Brian Coleman was born in Summerville, South Carolina, where he resides with his wife Shantrice and their daughter, Alijah. Brian is a Tribal member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He serves as Chairman and Treasurer of the Board for the Tribal Council and the Edisto Indian Free Clinic. As a musician, he is a member of the Edisto River Singers Drum group, with whom he regularly performs at pow wows and other functions. He received his degree in electrical engineering from South Carolina State University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Charleston Southern University, and continues to work as an electrical engineer. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/09/2020.

164. Interview with Danielle Ponder, Rochester, New York (05:52)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Danielle Ponder
Summary:
Danielle Ponder (Rochester, New York) Danielle Ponder is a singer and bandleader based in Rochester, New York. Her group was named one of the Top Ten Bands to watch by CityPaper and was a winner of the 2015 and 2016 Roc Awards for Best Band. Danielle has performed opening shows for musicians including George Clinton, Ledisi, and the Roots, and has toured nationally and internationally. Her recorded releases include the EP Blow Out The Sun (2016) and the single “Holding Me Down” (2019). Beyond music, Danielle is a former Public Defender and TEDx speaker, and has organized around issues such as education funding, women’s rights, and criminal justice reform. She has been highlighted by the American Bar Association and has been awarded the Public Interest Law scholarship at Northeastern University, the Teen Empowerment’s PeaceMaker in Action Award, and the Jessica Bain Community Excellence Award. In 2017, she created the multimedia show For the Love of Justice, where she examines the U.S. criminal justice system. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/09/2020.

165. Interview with Oliver Thompson, Boise, Idaho (06:16)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Oliver Thompson
Summary:
Oliver Thompson (Boise, Idaho) Oliver Thompson started playing classical violin as a kid and progressed to bluegrass, blues and rock, and finally jazz when he earned a B.A. in Music from San Jose State University. While studying East Indian music in the San Francisco Bay Area, he started to develop his interests in world music styles. He has recorded with several artists including Bob Culbertson, Mondo Raga Samba, Amuma Says No, and Steve Fulton. Oliver currently plays with Serenata Orchestra and the Basque group Kalimotxo Cowboys. In addition, he performs and records with the Moody Jews of Boise, a band that favors a high-energy klezmer (Eastern European), Jewish-American jazz, and Sephardic (Middle Eastern and Spanish) and Israeli tunes. Audience favorites at events like Deli Days: Idaho’s Jewish Festival, World Village Festival, and Hyde Park Street Fair, the Moody Jews of Boise have entertained and educated listeners about the multi-faceted world of Jewish Music. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/09/2020.

166. Interview with Stephanie BadSoldier Snow, Garwin, Iowa (06:17)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Stephanie BadSoldier Snow
Summary:
Stephanie BadSoldier Snow (Garwin, Iowa) Stephanie BadSoldier Snow was raised on the Meskwaki Settlement in central Iowa with traditional Meskwaki ways and is of the Swan Clan. She is an enrolled tribal member of the HoChunk Nation of Wisconsin. Along with Meskwaki and HoChunk heritage, Stephanie is also Lakota and Umohon. As a member of various song, storytelling, and dance troupes, she has had the honor of working with acclaimed Native American performing artists throughout her career. A tremendous lifelong goal was realized when she was blessed to be one of the first Native performers on the Nashville stage. Stephanie is an award-winning artist who holds the Meskwaki way of life dear, appearing on recordings meant to revitalize the tribal language and revive songs once thought lost to the community. Today Stephanie, also a published poet and anthropologist, works from home as a cultural consultant, continues as a virtual musical performer, acts as learning coach to her two children, and spends time sharing ideas with her intellectual husband. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/09/2020.

168. WIM | Statistical models for forecasting American elections (1:01:00)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
G. Elliott Morris
Summary:
G. Elliott Morris is a data journalist at The Economist and writes mostly about American politics and elections, usually by engaging in a close study of political science, political polling and demographic data. He is responsible for many of The Economist’s election forecasting models, including their 2020 US presidential election forecast.

169. Interview with Alonzo Demetrius, Morristown, New Jersey (05:51)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Alonzo Demetrius
Summary:
Alonzo Demetrius (Morristown, New Jersey) Alonzo Demetrius Ryan Jr. is a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader. He was classically trained in trumpet pedagogy and has studied at the historic Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz. In 2014 he obtained a B.M. from the Berklee College of Music, and in 2019 received his MM from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. He has taught masterclasses domestically and abroad at Berklee College of Music, IMEP Paris College of Music, Music Academy International, Fundación Danilo Perez, and beyond. Alonzo is the founder and bandleader of the band The Ego, which has performed throughout the New England and New York metropolitan areas since the fall of 2017. He has worked with musicians including Terence Blanchard, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson Jr., Tia Fuller, Robert Glasper, and Jason Palmer. His album Live from the Prison Nation (The Onyx Productions Music Label, 2020) is his personal form of protest against the Prison Industrial Complex. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

170. Interview with Arnetta Johnson, Camden, New Jersey (05:56)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Arnetta Johnson
Summary:
Arnetta Johnson (Camden, New Jersey) Arnetta Johnson is a trumpet player based in Camden, New Jersey. Johnson began playing trumpet at age thirteen with mentors Nasir Dickerson, Jamal Dickerson, and Hassan Sabree. She attended the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Camden, followed by Berklee College of Music. Johnson has performed with Beyoncé at the Super Bowl, as a featured trumpeter on her 2018 On the Run II Tour, and on the Carters’ Grammy-winning album Everything Is Love. She has toured internationally and performed on television shows including Black Girls Rock. Johnson has also studied with saxophonist Tia Fuller and singer-poet Jill Scott, whose Blues Babe Foundation presented Johnson with their Rising Star Award. Johnson has worked with musicians including Terri Lyne Carrington, the Roots, and Chloe x Halle, and leads her own band Arnetta Johnson and SUNNY (Sounds Uplifting Nobility through Notes and Youth). Her goal is to stand jazz on its head: disrupt, uplift, and inspire. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/8/2020

171. Interview with Miss Kam, Baltimore, Maryland (05:41)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Miss Kam
Summary:
Miss Kam (Baltimore, Maryland) Miss Kam, born Kamaria Alexis, is a West Baltimore emcee. Miss Kam’s work moves between viral appeal on social media, freestyle series, and prolific collaborative efforts in and out of her community. Miss Kam has collaborated with multiple artists in the DMV region, including Chris Cassius, Baby Kahlo, and Kam’s collective group People Like Us Global. She has gained placements on The Demo Tape’s 2018 playlist and performed with renown acts like JPEGMAFIA. Her performances include cyphers, The Boiler Room, and Red Bull Miss Kam. Beyond live shows, Miss Kam has released multiple singles, including a number produced by producer Doowy Lloh. Her debut EP Birthday Pack was released in 2020. Miss Kam’s music videos, such as “We Are The World, ft. Zadia” seek to feature strong visuals of Baltimore in order to capture the city’s essence. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

172. Interview with Pablo Batista, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Pablo Batista
Summary:
Pablo Batista (Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania) Pablo Batista is a master percussionist based in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He has performed, recorded and toured internationally since the 1980s with renowned musicians across genres, receiving the rare distinction of having performed on Grammy-winning releases in jazz, R&B and gospel. Pablo worked with Grover Washington, Jr. since 1985, and served as his touring percussionist 1991-1999. Between 2000-2012, Pablo recorded and toured with Alicia Keys, performing alongside her at such venues as the 2010 World Cup ceremonies in South Africa for an estimated audience of over one billion viewers. Pablo has received grants for research on Afro-Cuban percussion and composer commissions from organizations including the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. Pablo leads his own ten-piece Mambo Syndicate salsa conjunto. As an instructor, he has taught at the Curtis Institute of Music, as well as taught low-income students at schools and community centers in North Philadelphia. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/08/2020.

173. IU NewsNet (19:55)

Date:
2020-10-08
Main contributors:
Ryder, Anne
Summary:
IU NewsNet weekly newscasts

174. AMPPD Project Update (55:34)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Dunn, Jon, Hardesty, Juliet L., Whitaker, Maria
Summary:
Academic libraries and archives are dealing with increasing numbers of digital audio and video (AV) files, acquired through both digitization of analog collections and acquisition of born-digital AV resources. While the emergence of low-cost storage options and maturity of streaming platforms has made it easier to store and deliver AV, these collections often lack metadata needed in order to make them discoverable and usable by researchers and other users. Since late 2018, the Indiana University Libraries have been working with partners at the University of Texas at Austin, New York Public Library, and digital consultant AVP to develop an open source software platform, known as AMP (Audiovisual Metadata Platform), that leverages automated machine learning-based tools together with human expertise to build workflows to create and augment metadata for AV resources to improve discovery, rights determination, and use. We will present an update on progress of the AMP project and its successes and challenges to date, including a demonstration of the AMP system and discussion of issues in system design, workflows, and the use of open source and commercial cloud-based machine learning tools. We will also discuss results to date of testing the AMP system using collections from the Cook Music Library and University Archives at IU and from the New York Public Library. This work is generously supported by a grant to IU from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

175. Interview with Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse, Seattle, Washington (06:34)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse
Summary:
Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse (Seattle, Washington) Arnaldo started as a soloist with Seattle Men’s Chorus (SMC) and has performed with SMC in some of the major concert halls in the US, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. In 1995, he started a group called Cabaret Q, where the “drag chanteuse” persona began. In 1999, Arnaldo began his solo cabaret shows in Seattle’s Capitol Hill and has since performed his one-person cabaret in Portland, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Puerto Vallarta, New York, and Manila. Arnaldo has also collaborated with various directors, choreographers, and songwriters in the Seattle area. In 2005, he completed the Cabaret Summer Conference Workshop at Yale University. In 2006, Arnaldo started the Pacific Northwest Cabaret Association and continues to organize Seattle’s March is Cabaret Month featuring local and visiting artists. 2007 marked Arnaldo’s New York cabaret debut, and in 2008, Arnaldo was honored with a New York Backstage Bistro Award. 2014 was Arnaldo's Manila debut, where he received Most Innovative Concert Artist in Manila Gawad Musika award. In 2016, Arnaldo was presented by the Filipino Community of Seattle with a Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting culture and the arts. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/07/2020.

176. Interview with Dwynell Roland, Minneapolis, Minnesota (05:35)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Dwynell Roland
Summary:
Dwynell Roland (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Dwynell was born and raised in North Minneapolis and has been rapping since the age of 13. During that time when he first started writing, he was part of a collective called TCB (Twin City Boyz). His time with the TCB was spent largely perfecting his craft of freestyling. Dwynell’s first mixtape, Upside, showed his burgeoning songwriting talent. His album 92 and Roland showed ongoing growth as a songwriter, taking on topics of partying and reflection, as well as feel-good jams and deep lyrics. With the release of his Factors EP in 2014, Dwynell started to explore more serious subject matter, such as the track “She” about the quest for love gone awry, and that led him to new territory, such as garnering an opening spot on Prof Outdoors in 2016. Shortly after his performance, he released a project called The Popular Nobody, a project that allowed Dwynell to show why he is one of the standouts of the young new rappers hailing from Minneapolis. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/07/2020.

177. Interview with Germán Marcano, Miami, Florida (06:01)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Germán Marcano
Summary:
Germán Marcano (Miami, Florida) Venezuelan cellist Germán Marcano lives in Miami, Florida, with his wife. Marcano has had many roles over the years, including as principal cello with the Simón Bolívar Symphony. He was also a regular guest soloist and conductor with Venezuela’s main orchestras. Marcano has held teaching positions at the Simón Bolívar Conservatory (El Sistema), Emil Friedman School, the Simón Bolívar University, and the Mozarteum School in Caracas. He has given masterclasses at Grand Valley State, Andrews University, the San Diego Youth Orchestra, the University of Iowa, Louisiana State University and the Madison Cello Institute in Wisconsin, Colombia, and Ecuador. He has premiered works from renowned Latin American composers. Among his publications we can count editions of important Venezuelan cello works and three commercial recordings, two of them devoted to folk Venezuelan music. Marcano holds degrees from the University of Surrey and the Guildhall School of Music (England), and a master’s and DMA from the UW-Madison. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/07/2020.

178. Interview with Marika Hughes, New York City, New York (06:06)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Marika Hughes
Summary:
Marika Hughes (New York City, New York) Marika Hughes is a cellist based in Brooklyn, New York. Although trained in Western classical music, Marika has worked with a wide range of artists and musical genres including Whitney Houston, Lou Reed, Anthony Braxton, Adele, Henry Threadgill, D’Angelo, and Idina Menzel. She was a founding member of the Bay Area-based bands 2 Foot Yard and Red Pocket. She is a teacher and director for Young Arts, a teacher at the Heifetz Institute, and a teaching artist at Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project. Marika has released a number of albums, including The Simplest Thing (2011), Afterlife Music Radio (2011) and New York Nostalgia (2016). She has led her own bands Bottom Heavy and the New String Quartet and played as a cellist in the Tony award-winning show Hadestown on Broadway. Beyond playing music, Marika has been a guest host for All Ears on WQXR and is a featured storyteller on The Moth. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/07/2020.

179. Interview with Mercedes Mendive, Elko, Nevada (06:14)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Mercedes Mendive
Summary:
Mercedes Mendive (Elko, Nevada) Accordionist Mercedes Mendive is the daughter of Joe and Veronica Mendive. She attended schools in Elko and has lived in Reno, as well as eleven years in Miami, Florida. Her father was one of her greatest influences beginning at a very young age, when the sound of the accordion was constantly present in her world. Mercedes' musical journey has taken her to prestigious accordion festivals in Texas, Orlando, Florida, Miami, as well as festivals in California, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, and all over the state of Nevada. Mercedes was invited to perform in July 2016 for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival while accompanying the Elko Ariñak Basque Dancers (Basque Dancers of the Great Basin). One of Mercedes' latest endeavors is the Ariñak Project that she co-founded during the summer of 2016 with lifelong friend and fellow dancer/musician Janet Iribarne. Their focus is to elaborate on the Basque culture not only with traditional dances, but with new dances, new music, instruments, language, and songs. Most recently, Mercedes was a featured performing artist with her band, Melodikoa, who performed throughout the prestigious 2018 National Cowboy Gathering in late January/early February in Elko, Nevada, titled Basques and Buckaroos.  Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/07/2020.

180. Interview with Trina Basu, New York City, New York (05:58)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Trina Basu
Summary:
Trina Basu (New York City, New York) Trina Basu is a violinist, improviser, and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. Trina is trained in Western Classical music, later studying jazz and Carnatic music. Her path as a violinist is influenced by her South Asian and North American roots and her experience working with musicians across genres and disciplines. Trina co-leads raga chamber folk ensemble Karavika as well as Nakshatra, a violin duo with Arun Ramamurthy. She is co-founder of the collective Brooklyn Raga Massive and founder/curator of Out of the Woods, a NYC festival focusing on women led projects working in South Asian music. Trina has appeared in venues including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and Raga Sudha Hall, performing with artists such as Urban Bush Women, Mos Def, and Imani Uzuri. She is a trained Suzuki teacher (School for Strings in NYC), holds a BM in Music Therapy from Florida State University, and is a 2007 recipient of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute Artist Fellowship. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/07/2020.

182. Interview with Aria Arus, Raleigh, North Carolina (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Aria Arus
Summary:
Aria Arus (Raleigh, North Carolina) Aria Arus is a DJ, producer, and biochemist in Raleigh, North Carolina. Biochemist by day, by night she is Neuron Husky, her psyberpunk canine alter ego. Neuron Husky blends genres of drum and bass, psytrance, hardstyle, and future bass. She has performed in venues ranging from music festivals to burns to anime conventions. She has held several residencies at clubs throughout central North Carolina, has performed in Japan and Thailand, and has played alongside renowned artists such as Jackal & Hyde, Fixx, DJ Irene, DJ Micro, John B, Apashe, Space Jesus, and many others. Starting in 2015, Neuron Husky gained recognition as both electronic musician and installation artist, designing her own performance stages. She is backed up by the artist collaborative Source Code Studios, which specializes in constructing immersive psychedelic landscapes around the dance floor. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

183. Interview with Arturo Rodriguez, Seattle, Washington (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Arturo Rodriguez
Summary:
Arturo Rodriguez (Seattle, Washington) An accomplished musician, author, teacher, and DJ, Arturo Rodriguez has performed worldwide, sharing the stage with such music legends as Tito Puente; Dave Valentin; Paul Horn; Pete Escovedo; Brandi Carlile; Crosby, Stills and Nash, and many more. Never one to stand still for very long, Arturo is both a familiar face and a powerful force on the local Seattle music scene. While moving through the musical boundaries of salsa, rumba, jazz, pop, rock, and even Afro Cuban ritual music, Arturo has an amazing talent for bringing people together. He currently performs with the Rumba Kings and is working on a new album with his new trio, Weave Poetic, a phenomenal performance group fusing Latin and jazz music together with incredible vocal harmonies. All members in the group sing and write original music. Arturo teaches Latin percussion and drum set and helps salsa dancers with their musicality both virtually and live. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

184. Interview with Babar Harrie, Troy, Michigan (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Babar Harrie
Summary:
Babar Harrie (Troy, Michigan) Hailing from an American-Pakistani background, artist Babar Harrie combines his identity and experiences with his passion for music. Born in Lansing, Michigan, and raised in Metro Detroit, Babar first began rapping and freestyling at the age of 16. In the fall of 2010, Babar released his first mixtape, Just Let Me, which garnered him increased recognition. Following the mixtape, he released a number of music videos which gained hundreds of thousands of views through different viewing platforms. Releasing two more mixtapes over the course of two years, November and OCD: Opening Closed Doors respectively, Babar began performing at a variety of local venues. In 2013, he started working alongside Takeover Music Group (TOMG) with MTV artists like Trigg da Kidd and Fuco Bunkin. After taking time off and making a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca in 2014, Babar’s music started to further incorporate his culture and religion in order to reach audiences worldwide. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

185. Interview with DDm, Baltimore, Maryland (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
DDm
Summary:
DDm (Baltimore, Maryland) DDm (Dapper Dan Midas) is a singer, raptivist and social media personality based in Baltimore, Maryland. DDm was born and raised in Baltimore, and participated in the local rap circuit beginning in the mid-2000s before starting his hip hop duo Bond St. District. As a solo artist, DDm has recorded albums including Beautiful Gowns (2019) and The Ballad of Omar (2020), inspired by Michael K. Williams’s portrayal of Omar, an openly gay man raised in West Baltimore, in the series The Wire. DDm has released multiple music videos including “Come Thru,” “He Say She Say,” and “Pull Up.” In addition to rapping at ciphers around Baltimore, he has performed at venues such the Baltimore Soundstage and the LGBTQ mega-party Bent: Back with a Bang. He has performed alongside musicians such as Dan Deacon and collaborated with Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner on her project Dungeonesse. Beyond music, DDm regularly presents social commentary videos under the moniker Secretary of Shade. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

186. Interview with Eddie Moore, Kansas City, Missouri (05:39)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Eddie Moore
Summary:
Eddie Moore (Kansas City, Missouri) Jazz pianist and bandleader Eddie Moore was raised in Houston, Texas, and began his musical journey at Texas Southern University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and immersed himself in the Houston music scene. As a lifelong musician traversing a number of bands and styles, he then relocated to Kansas City to study under Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received his MA in Jazz Studies. After forming jazz/fusion group Eddie Moore & The Outer Circle in 2012, he released his debut album, The Freedom of Expression, which was given 3.5 stars from Downbeat jazz magazine. Moore’s third album, Kings & Queens, incorporates elements of soul, R&B, rock, and hip-hop into his take on contemporary jazz. Released with Ropeadope Records, Moore’s forward-thinking sounds are part of the rich continuum of African American music that continues to be imbued with indigenous African elements. Moore is also recipient of the 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performance Award; 2017’s Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art “Artist in Residence” in collaboration with Rashid Johnson; 2018’s work with The Outer Circle was nominated for an Indie Music Award; and his music has also been featured commercially for Sprint, Netflix’s Queer Eye and Morgan Cooper’s short film Room Tone. Moore has shared the stage and recorded with Bobby Watson, Pam, Watson, Logan Richardson, Maurice Brown, Boys II Men, Brian Blade and the Fellowship, John Baptiste, Erykah Badu, Mosdef, Bilal, Ledisi, Chantae Cann, Krystal Warren, Matt Otto, Brandon Draper, Andre Hayward, Tivon Pennicott, Various Blonde,  Dominique Sanders, 77 Jefferson, and the Marcus Lewis Big Band. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/06/2020.

187. Interview with Fred Riedel, Gresham, Oregon (04:16)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Fred Riedel
Summary:
Fred Riedel (Gresham, Oregon) A retired schoolteacher, Fred Riedel is the bandleader, guitar player, and singer for the blues band—swing style—Blues Battalion. The group plays cover tunes as well as original tunes mostly written by Fred. Blues Battalion is John Johnston (keyboard), John McKenney (bass), Shelley Lenz (vocals), Cardo Bonjourno (drums), and Fred Riedel (guitar & vocals). Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

188. Interview with Jemar Phoenix, New Haven, Connecticut (05:58)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Jemar Phoenix
Summary:
Jemar Phoenix (New Haven, Connecticut) Jemar Phoenix is a musician and organizer born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut. He is a singer and acoustic guitarist specializing in genres ranging from pop, R&B, hip-hop, soul, and Latin music. Along with Cajon player Mike D, he formed the music duo The Hooch, which has performed across the Northeast Metro area. Their EP Cold Fusion (2020) features original lyrics and poetry, and fuses traditional aesthetics of guitar, percussion, and vocals with elements of contemporary American genres. Outside of music, Jemar is also an active member of Ignite the Voice, a non-profit New Haven based youth organization with a mission to equip the youth with the ability of self-expression through the arts. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

189. Interview with Layth Sidiq, Boston, Massachusetts (05:39)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Layth Sidiq
Summary:
Layth Sidiq (Boston, Massachusetts) Layth Sidiq is a violinist, composer and educator. Born in Iraq and raised in Jordan, Layth trained at the National Music Conservatory with Timur Ibrahimov, and later at the Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, U.K. He holds a BM from the Berklee College of Music as well as an MM from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute ,where he studied with artists including Danilo Perez and Terri Lyne Carrington. Layth has performed internationally with artists including Simon Shaheen, Javier Limon, and Jack Dejohnette, and has recorded on Grammy-nominated albums. He has performed as leader and sideman in venues including the Boston Symphony Hall and the Kennedy Center, and in 2018, he won second place in the Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition in Poland. Layth is the director of the Arab Music Ensemble at Tufts University and the Center for Arabic Culture’s Youth Orchestra Program and teaches at Simon Shaheen’s Arabic Music Retreat in Massachusetts. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

190. Interview with Marcella Simien, Memphis, Tennessee (05:31)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Marcella Simien
Summary:
Marcella Simien (Memphis, Tennessee) Born into one of the first Creole families to settle in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Marcella René Simien took her South Louisiana heritage to Memphis, Tennessee, where she is based. Daughter of two-time Grammy Award-winning zydeco artist Terrance Simien, Marcella grew up immersed in sound and performance. A graduate of the prestigious Memphis College of Art, Simien is now the front woman for her band, Marcella and Her Lovers. Her music is a hybrid of classic Memphis soul and New Orleans funk performed with the help of Creole accordion. As one of only 500 artists in America nominated for a prestigious USA Artists Fellowship, in 2016 Marcella and Her Lovers were also featured on the nationally syndicated radio program Beale Street Caravan. She has been a featured performer on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise alongside greats such as Marcia Ball, Allen Toussaint, and Irma Thomas. She sang lead vocals on a track off her father’s album Dockside Sessions, which won a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Album of the Year (2014). Simien’s first full-length album, Got You Found, with Marcella and Her Lovers, was engineered and co-produced at American Recording Studio by Pete Matthews and Toby Vest. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/06/2020.

191. Interview with Martha Redbone, Harlan County, Kentucky (05:54)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Martha Redbone
Summary:
Martha Redbone (Harlan County, Kentucky) Martha Redbone is a Native and African American vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator. Drawing on the tradition of her gospel-singing African American father and the spirit of her mother’s Cherokee/Shawnee/Choctaw culture, Redbone explores the boundaries of American Roots music and gives voice to issues of social justice. She draws from a number of genres, including folk, blues, and gospel. She has recorded numerous albums, including The Garden of Love: Songs of William Blake (2012), a collection of William Blake poems set to the music of Appalachia. In her work in theatre, Redbone composed original music for the 2019 revival of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, the choreopoem by Ntozake Shange. Redbone’s own musical Black Mountain Women for The Public Theater addresses the ongoing environmental destruction of her ancestral homeland in Appalachia told through the lives of four generations of women in her matriarchal Cherokee family. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

192. Interview with Mollie O'Brien, Denver, Colorado (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Mollie O'Brien
Summary:
Mollie O’Brien (Denver, Colorado) Mollie O'Brien and her husband, guitarist Rich Moore, have for nearly forty years quietly made it their mission to find, mine, and reinvent other artists' songs. They are geniuses at the craft of interpretation in the way that great singers since the beginning of popular American music have made the songs of their era their own. As songwriters, they add their own tunes to the canon of American roots music they inhabit and show us they’re completely at home with their musical selves. A Grammy winner, Mollie has long been known as a singer who doesn’t recognize a lot of musical boundaries, and audiences love her fluid ability to make herself at home in any genre while never sacrificing the essence of the song she tackles. She is a singer at the very top of her game who is not afraid to take risks both vocally and in the material she chooses. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

193. Interview with Monte Briggs, Marty, South Dakota (06:06)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Monte Briggs
Summary:
Monte Briggs (Marty, South Dakota) Guitar player Monte Briggs lives in Marty, South Dakota. His mother is from the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge, and his father is from the Standing Rock Reservation. He grew up in a musical family and learned to play music from his uncle, who also taught many musicians in the Black Hill area. Monte was passionate about playing music since he was a child. With his brother, Robert Briggs, he plays and tours extensively with their group Still River, which in 2016 regrouped as Stones of Red, a high-energy group with haunting, soulful vocals and musicianship. With the release of their album Arianna Rain, Stones of Red showcase their ability to meld various genres and create vintage sounds with a whole lot of soul. The album was released and immediately gained traction within the blues and blues rock communities. To this day, the track “Arianna Rain” plays on major radio stations across America. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

194. Interview with Nique Love Rhodes, Detroit, Michigan (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Nique Love Rhodes
Summary:
Nique Love Rhodes (Detroit, Michigan) Nique Love Rhodes is a hip-hop artist and organizer/activist from Detroit, Michigan. As a performer, Nique leads a multi-faceted ensemble of musicians known as the NLR Experience, playing interactive shows that fuse hip-hop music with jazz and rock. Nique has performed at festivals and headlined venues including the South by Southwest Music Festival (Texas), the North by Northeast Music Festival (Toronto), Dally in the Alley (Detroit), and the Nuyorican Poets Café (New York City). Nique has independently released studio albums including Against All Odds (2019) and The NLR Experience (2018). Nique is also involved in initiatives that are rooted in community and culture. She launched the nonprofit Rise Up Higher, which aims to use music as a tool for social good, and is also the co-founder of D.Cipher, a music mastermind collective dedicated to advancing the Detroit music economy through collaboration and partnerships. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

195. Interview with Rich Moore, Denver, Colorado (05:53)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Rich Moore
Summary:
Rich Moore (Denver, Colorado) Singer Mollie O’Brien and guitarist Rich Moore have steadfastly made it their mission to unlock the secrets of the diverse array of styles that comprise the canon of American roots music. Geniuses at interpretation and never sacrificing the essence of the songs they tackle, they are at home with their musical selves. They are unafraid of risk taking, authoritative in their performance, and at the very top of their game. And to top it all off, they’re fun. Rich, while known to produce some of the funniest onstage running commentary, is also a powerhouse guitar player who can keep up with O’Brien’s twists and turns from blues to traditional folk to jazz to rock and roll. He creates a band with just his guitar and, as a result, theirs is an equal partnership that showcases their talent for unlocking the secrets to a diverse array of songs in authoritative yet very fun and unusual arrangements. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

196. Interview with Sophiyah E., Detroit, Michigan (05:44)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Sophiyah E.
Summary:
Sophiyah E. (Detroit, Michigan) Sophiyah E. is a producer, singer, and songwriter based in Detroit, Michigan. Her work with piano and technology explores genres that include house, electronic music, and jazz. In the fall of 2017, she began an ongoing multi-media social awareness exhibition highlighting artists and Black culture, which gave birth to her first musical production series Alignment, an introspective narrative comprised of interviews and musical arrangements. She has performed in venues such as Detroit’s Music Hall Jazz Café, Cultivate Coffee and Tap House, and the SXSW music festival. Additionally, she does music production and film scoring. Sophiyah E. is founder of Afro Moone, a Detroit-based resource furnishing event production services, content strategy, and accessible aid for healthy living. Sophiyha E. is also the Director of Artist Relations and Chief Strategist/Curator of DCIPHER, a Detroit based organization dedicated to advancing the community and music economy. Interviewed by Tamar Sella, 10/06/2020.

197. Interview with Taide Pineda, Phoenix, Arizona (05:33)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Taide Pineda
Summary:
Taide Pineda (Phoenix, Arizona) Taide Pineda has been playing the guitar since high school and has been involved in the Phoenix local music scene with many well-known working bands for over 15 years. He’s a cutting-edge sole artist. He is one of the founding members of Highest Conspiracy, a band that mixes reggae, rock and roll, hip hop, and pop music in their original work. With a core group of musicians and the creation of Conspiracy Horns, which is a full two-piece horn section, Highest Conspiracy has created a following that has surpassed the normal media buzz. Taide released his first solo album, Big Dreams, in May 2020. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

198. Interview with Tito Matos, Santurce, Puerto Rico (06:34)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Tito Matos
Summary:
Tito Matos (Santurce, Puerto Rico) Percussionist and singer Héctor “Tito” Matos is a native of Santurce, Puerto Rico. He is considered one of the best requinto plena drum players of his generation and he is the director and lead singer of Viento de Agua, a Puerto Rican Latin dance band that combines traditional Afro-Puerto Rican rhythms, Bomba and Plena, with other Afro-Caribbean musical styles as well as Jazz. Tito has taken the Puerto Rican Bomba and Plena to four continents and to important stages such as Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall. He is also the musical director of Bomba and Plena group, La Máquina Insular. Both groups pay tribute to the great masters from whom Tito learned to play. He is very active as an educator. His non-profit organization, Taller Comunidad La Goyco, is a community project working on the development and creation of education, culture, and health programs to which Tito and his wife are very dedicated. La Goyco is devoted to the development and creation of education, culture, and health programs. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.