AccuRadio Blog

....Love, Peace and Soul!

2012-02-03T10:20:00.001-08:00

How often had we heard those famous words from Don Cornelius? Many of us knew that when we heard this, the show was over. And, we had probably just seen one of our favorite artists lip-synch a favorite, or at the least, heard some funky soul with some funky clothes, not to mention some good dancing. This is what most of us knew about Soul Train's, Don Cornelius.

Did you know that Don Cornelius was born in Chicago, graduated from DuSable High School, joined the Marine's and served in Korea. After returning to Chicago, he went to broadcasting school and had worked at many jobs, including as a Chicago Police Officer. After landing a deejay job at a popular AM radio station, WVON, Don started "Soul Train" on a Chicago local TV station in the mid-60's. He wanted to give exposure to black musicians, i.e., James Brown, The Jackson 5, Gamble and Huff artists, as well as offer dance entertainment showcasing talented local dancers.

Having been a Soul Train fan for many years, (although I must admit I did not mind missing a show in much later years) I mean, music has changed throughout the years, but Don was a force in the music industry and exposed a lot of talent. Being in broadcasting for many years, I never met him, but memories of those that did, speak fondly of him as a gentleman... "kind", and much "to himself". Reading an interview of his son, Tony, he also spoke of his father as a private person who probably kept things inside, like how he had really been feeling.

I had a lot of favorite Soul Train episodes, but by far the one I like to watch over and over on you tube is the time he went down the Soul Train Line with Mary Wilson. I like this one so much because I loved to see him smile. They really had a good time. Watch again:)

Too often after somebody famous passes, so does our memory. So, especially during African-American History Month, let us honor the memory of Don Cornelius and share our experiences and memories with somebody younger to help inspire them as he inspired us.

Don Cornelius will be missed and we can only hope that his hard work will keep on inspiring others for many years to come.

The Kills Bring New Life to Blues

2012-01-23T15:18:00.000-08:00

Chicago, IL-Void of elaborate instrumentation, the Kills excite audiences with heart-pounding, bluesy guitar riffs and edgy but soulful lyrics. They kicked off a 15-stop tour in Chicago Friday, laying the foundation for what should be wild couple of weeks on the road.

Jamie Hince, guitar/vocals, and Alison Mosshart, vocals/keyboards/back-up guitar, have the kind of stage swagger that oozes levels of cool on par with James Dean. No need to make an extravagant entrance. They walked onto the dimly lit stage nonchalantly and proceeded to crank out their signature rough blues tunes.

Throughout the 90 minute set, Mosshart aggressively whipped her red/orange-dyed hair around while she swayed to Hince's distortion-drenched riffs. Her hair seemed to change colors as the lights overhead switched from red to hot white to blue. Hince added some Elvis-like lip curling and nimble poses perched atop floor amps that evoked screams from the females front and center.

The duo employed a pair of bandanna-masked drummers banging on tom-toms with fluorescent-lit sticks and mallets. The syncopated percussion worked especially well on early tunes like "No Wow" and "U.R.A. Fever" and was an obvious addition to "Heart Like a Beating Drum."

A pair of back-up singers added more depth to the vocals. Their soulful harmonies gave way to Mosshart's ash-tinged wails on "DNA" and "Future Starts Slow."

Always an endearing act, the Kills came back for an encore that featured "The Last Goodbye," a new single off Blood Pressures (Domino, 2011). Not yet ready to go, though, they ripped through impassioned versions of "Sour Cherry" and "F*** the People." They closed the night with soulful "Monkey 23," a perfect bookend to the set.

Honoring Late Jazz Master Sam Rivers

2012-01-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

The great multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader Sam Rivers died Monday, December 26 at the age of 88. Rivers' death makes for the third important jazz figure to pass in the final months of 2011, along with drummer Paul Motian and trombonist/composer Bob Brookmeyer.

To celebrate Rivers' legacy, we are featuring him on the AccuRadio Saxophone channel. Along with the usual lineup of hundreds of jazz saxophonists of every style and era, you'll hear an extra large dose of Rivers' playing. We've included his well-loved 1960s Blue Note output as well as his adventurous big band work and albums where Rivers appears as a sideman with artists like Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson and Dave Holland.

Whether playing swinging post-bop with organist Larry Young or grand-scale avant-garde jazz with his own Studio Rivbea Orchestra, Rivers always played the saxophone (or flute, or piano, or whatever else was in his hands) with strikingly clear articulation and sonic focus. His music reflected a rigorous and uncompromisingly unique vision, whether creating stirring improvisations seemingly out of thin air or constructing intricate soundscapes for other musicians to interpret. His idiosyncratic composition style, which fused complex written material with free improvisation, influenced generations of adventurous jazz musicians including Steve Coleman and Jason Moran.

For a musician often affixed with the "avant-garde" label, Rivers was quite versatile: he played with bebop pianist/composer Tadd Dameron early in his career, played briefly in Miles Davis' renowned 1960s quintet, and even toured in Dizzy Gillespie's band. There is also a broad stylistic palette among music recorded under his own name. Consider the gorgeous melodicism of 1964's "Beatrice" (Rivers' most famous composition) and the frenetic energy of "Capricorn Rising," a 1975 album co-led by Rivers and pianist Don Pullen.

While many octogenarian jazz musicians find their skills steadily waning, Rivers was arguably still playing at his peak up until his death. He spent the last two decades of his life in Orlando, where he led a version of his famed Rivbea Orchestra. This video of a 2010 performance by that group displays not only Rivers' vital sax playing, but his continued compositional ingenuity and playful rapport with his band. Isn't it just great to see an old guy so happy doing what he does?

Enjoy our Sam Rivers feature on the Saxophone channel and look below for further reading:

-Nate Chinen's obituary in the New York Times
-Peter Hum's blog post, with some great videos
-Hank Shteamer's post, with recommended listening

Here's the list of albums featuring Sam Rivers to listen for on the Saxophone channel:

As a leader

-Fuchsia Swing Song
-Countours
-Dimensions and Extensions
-Crystals
-Culmination
-Celebration
-Violet Violets

As a sideman

-Miles Davis: Miles in Tokyo
-Larry Young: Into Somethin'
-Bobby Hutcherson: Dialogue
-Tony Williams: Spring
-Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds
-Don Pullen: Capricorn Rising

Glen Campbell Returns to Music City

2012-01-04T06:32:00.000-08:00

Last night Glen Campbell performed at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium to a packed house. Here's a review of the show from The Tennessean's Dave Paulson.

He's been getting them for over forty years, but Glen Campbell doesn't take a standing ovation for granted.

"I'm getting embarrassed now," the Country Music Hall of Famer said with a grin after walking on stage at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium Tuesday night, as a packed house of friends and fans quickly rose to their feet.

Of course, Campbell didn't stay bashful for long. Backed by a band that included three of his children, he launched into "Gentle On My Mind," which kicked off a sprightly set of his biggest hits, well-known covers and brand-new gems.

He pulled the microphone out of the stand and walked along the front of the stage, giving points and waves to familiar faces in the crowd, which included Tanya Tucker, Jeannie Seely, Ralph Emery, Ricky Skaggs, Larry Gatlin, Stephen Curtis Chapman and Mac McAnally, all there to witness what may have been Campbell's final performance in Nashville.

Campbell returned to Music City in the midst of his "Goodbye Tour," which he embarked on last year after announcing in June that he has Alzheimer's disease. Tuesday night's show - the second of two Ryman dates on the tour - was rescheduled from Dec. 5, when Campbell was forced to cancel due to laryngitis.

Little appeared to be impeding his performance Tuesday night. Teleprompters set up at the edge of the stage were glanced at for lyrical cues - almost a necessity for anyone tackling the songs of wordy popsmith Jimmy Webb - but Campbell remained in fine voice and proved to still be a staggeringly sharp and fluid guitarist, wowing the crowd early on with an explosive solo on "Gentle" and muscular melodic licks on his classic "Galveston."

The hits flew by at a similarly breezy pace throughout the show: "Galveston" giving way to other Webb-penned classics "By The Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Where's the Playground, Susie?" Campbell also seemed happy to hold court in the Ryman one last time, cracking jokes between lines in songs, breaking out an Elvis impersonation and setting up certain tunes with stories of old friends including John Wayne and Ray Charles.

"I didn't get to talk much when I was a kid," he explained. "It was 'Shut up, Glen.' I was the seventh son of eight boys and four girls. I couldn't say nothing…maybe that's why I started humming and singing."

His own kids - Ashley, Cal and Shannon Campbell - didn't have to keep quiet, opening the evening with their group, Instant People, and sharing some endearing moments as their father's accompanists, whether it was egging him on in a foot stomping rendition of dueling banjos or echoing his guitar solo on "Wichita Lineman."

They let Campbell take a quick break about two-thirds through the set, taking on "Hey Little One" from his ByThe Time I Get To Phoenix album. When Campbell returned, he and the band took on a few songs from his 2011 farewell album Ghost On the Canvas - modern tunes with nods to the smooth, sophisticated sounds of his early years - in a moving, full-circle moment.

The final stretch of Campbell's farewell to Nashville was a fitting mix of melancholy and lighthearted hits: jutting between songs like "Lineman" (no opening lyric earned a bigger roar from the audience than its unmistakable "I am a lineman for the county…") and those like the funky, fancy-free "Southern Nights" and trademark "Rhinestone Cowboy."

An encore in the tightly scripted show wasn't a sure thing, but Campbell returned to the room's delight for "In My Arms" - another affirming cut from Canvas - before taking bows with his band and giving his crowd a last - and clearly loving - wave goodbye.

Last Minute Christmas Gifts From AccuJazz

2011-12-23T13:58:00.001-08:00

I'm definitely no stranger to last-minute Christmas shopping, and apparently that also goes for Christmas channel-creating. Just in time for Christmas Eve-Eve, AccuJazz (AccuRadio's jazz-inclined little sister) is introducing two new, and very different, Christmas jazz channels: Mellow Christmas Jazz and Non-Standard Christmas Jazz.

Our Mellow Jazz channel is one of AccuJazz's most popular, so I figured our listeners would be interested in sampling a holiday flavor of it. You'll hear plenty of versions of both "The Christmas Song" and "Christmas Time Is Here" as well as newer, original songs that also set a soothing and cheerful mood.

Speaking of new and original Christmas music, that's what the Non-Standard Christmas Jazz channel is all about. This channel is for listeners who love Christmas music but are tired of hearing the same 10 or 15 songs over and over again. Highlights include Jimmy Rushing singing "Good Morning Blues" with an early incarnation of the Count Basie Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald belting out the novelty tune "Christmas Island," and Geri Allen's brand new "Journey to Bethlehem."

Of course, you can also listen to one of our four other Christmas Jazz channels: Swingin' Christmas, Christmas Instrumentals, Christmas Vocals and New Christmas Jazz. Here's wishing you and yours a very happy and jazzy holiday!

If You've Got The Money.

2011-12-19T07:57:00.000-08:00

Odds are that if you're on Taylor Swift's Christmas list, the gift you get this year could be great. Forbes magazine just released their list of the Top-Earning Women in Music 2011. Taylor finished second on the list making $45 million this year.

Who was number one? Lady Gaga, who earned $90 million in 2011.

Here's the top 10:

Lady Gaga ($90 million)
Taylor Swift ($45 million)
Katy Perry ($44 million)
Beyoncé Knowles ($35 million)
Rihanna ($29 million)
Pink ($22 million)
Carrie Underwood ($20 million)
Celine Dion ($19 million)
Adele ($18 million)
Alicia Keys and Britney Spears ($10 million)

Another Victory for Bua

2011-12-09T09:49:00.001-08:00

In the spring of their musical careers, Chicago-based trad group Bua is in full bloom. After a hectic summer festival tour schedule, it's amazing they somehow found time to spend in the studio. The result, their sophomore release Down the Green Fields is a wonderful compilation exemplifying each musician's years of dedication to their craft.

Brían Ó hAirt provides pristine vocals on songs "shrouded in mystery" like "My Parents Reared Me Tenderly." He is also a skilled sean-nós or "old style" Irish dancer and can liven up any crowd with a stomp of his foot.

Séan Gavin breaths new life into "The Happy Days of Youth," a tune popularized by flute player John McKenna back in the 20s.

Just as Gavin plays a piper's tune and shines, so too does Devin Shepherd on fiddle performing "Hughie Traver's Jig." Brian Miller, who's picking skills are in high demand (Doon Ceili Band, Two Tap Trio) executes perfect accompaniment on bouzuki to Ó hAirt's vocals for the playful minstrel-like songs "Baba 'con Raoi" and "Bó na Leath-Adhairce." Having only released two full-length studio albums, Bua's contributions to the trad scene are invaluable.

Possibly more invaluable are the liner notes listing the origin of each song and tune. It's a testament to their level of commitment to preserving and furthering traditional Irish music. In time for the holidays, this album would make any trad lover very happy. Look for them on tour in 2012.

Sounds of the Season

2011-12-02T09:28:00.001-08:00

All done up like a Christmas tree, AccuRadio shines bright with the best holiday releases from contemporary artists and music legends alike. See what's playing now on AccuHolidays' Season's New Releases:

Paul Anka: Songs of December 
Once a teen heart-throb, always a teen heart-throb. Anka delivers holiday favorites with smooth vocals that will make you feel all warm inside. 

Justin Bieber: Under the Mistletoe
Speaking of teen heart-throbs, Bieber is on every 16 year old's wish list this year. He co-wrote 9 original songs that sound much stronger than reworked renditions of classics. Featured artists include Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Boys II Men, and Usher. 

Jim Brickman: All Is Calm Standard Brickman sound on the latest holiday release from one of the most prolific musicians around.

Glee Cast: The Christmas Album Volume 2 Another solid collection of wonderfully harmonized tunes by the cast of TV's number one musical drama (the one and only).

Michael Bublé: Christmas A modern day Sinatra (without the Rat-Pack bad boy image) Bublé jumps from pop standards to straight pop on Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas" making it truly his own. Featuring duets with Shania Twain, Thalia, and The Puppini Sisters.

Chicago: O Christmas Three An album that looks as sweet as it sounds, Chicago has put together another great selection of holiday standards. Have a rockin' good time listening to "Wonderful Christmas Time" featuring Dolly Parton and slow things down with BeBe Winans providing vocals on "Merry Christmas Darling."

Brushfire Records: This Warm December Brushfire artists Jack Johnson, Matt Costa, G. Love and more return with quality original holiday songs to save DJs from playing Jingle Bells for the umpteenth time (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Carole King: A Holiday Carole Don't discount her rugged and raspy voice as "over the hill." Her version of William Bell's "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" is a standout among all the season's new releases. Produced by her daughter, Louise Goffin, who also co-wrote three original compositions.

Dave Koz: Ultimate Christmas Move over Kenny G. Another smooth jazz Santa is in town and he goes by Dave. includes traditional hymns and favorites to some more popular contemporary songs. Guests include David Benoit and Brian Culbertson (among others), and American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke lending her smooth vocals to Charles Brown's "Please Come Home for Christmas".    

Jersey Boys: Seasons Greetings, A Jersey Boys Christmas Actors from various casts of the Broadway smash hit perform Christmas songs in Four Seasons falsettos. Every song is fun and finger-snapping good!

She & Him: A Very She & Him Christmas The third outing for the indie pop-rock duo offers bright renditions from holiday classics. M. Ward's guitar picking ambles alongside Zooey Deschanel's sultry vocals on "The Christmas Waltz" and recalls Brian Setzer's swinging Christmas album on "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Scott Weiland: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year The most surprising release of the season, there's a pretty interesting flow among these songs from the Stone Temple Pilots frontman. He puts a cool and interesting spin on "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night". Who says rockers don't celebrate Christmas?!http://www.accuradio.com/finder/accuradio/share/channel/1323/

McGee's 'Mass' Appeal

2011-11-28T15:44:00.001-08:00

Chicago, IL-For the second night in a row, Umphrey's McGee took the stage Saturday at the Aragon Ballroom on Chicago's North Side. As expected, it was anything but a re-hashed version of Friday's performance, due in large part to the musical prowess of each group member.

A virtuoso on the guitar, Jake Cinninger makes any tempo change sound flawless. Halfway through the first set, he and lead singer Brendan Bayliss worked the crowd into a brief headbanging frenzy during a truncated version of "1348" which led into the funked up "Jimmy Stewart." The first set closed with the humorous "40's Theme." No sign of the Chicago Mass Choir, the evening's special guest, meant that the show could only get better after the break.

And that it did. "Miami Virtue," signaled the start of the second set. It's the first single from the latest release Death by Stereo but "Booth Love" which came next, has a better groove and an even better music video.

Then, from God's ears to Bayliss' lips, he introduced the night's special guests, though he was barely audible over the crowd's cheers. The 30+ member choir filed onto stage left donning powder blue robes and neatly arranged on a multi-level platform.

First came the harmonic "Bullhead City." Next, a mash-up of "Amazing Grace/Glory" that shook the heavenly mosaics covering the Ballroom walls. Then they filed off in the same orderly fashion as they had entered, making way for more soulful guitar riffs, slap bass solos courtesy of Ryan Stasik and even some ivory tickling by keyboardist Joel Cummins.

The 1am hour came and went unnoticed by Umphrey's for the second night in a row. But shortly after, they closed the show with a "Much Obliged" medley (pun INtended) ending in "Bridgeless."

Despite the late hour, there was still time for an encore. Surprisingly, the Chicago Mass Choir was still around and accompanied Umphrey's on a passionate cover of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Folks got more out of Umphrey's for two straight nights than imaginable but will likely be back for their next appearance. After spending nearly three hours listening in person, it's obvious why people want more Umph.

Love and Marriage

2011-10-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

We may be a few months past the most popular "wedding" months, but we celebrate love all year round, right! Check out our new Wedding channels this week and keep the love flowing!

You can find the Wedding channels under the Easy Listening tab: Wedding Channels

Wedding Ceremony - The most popular classical pieces and smooth vocalists.

Wedding Reception - Plenty of party music here from Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Chris Brown - not to mention some of your favorite line dance music.

Honeymoon - Get down with your favorite mood-setting tunes from The Commodores, Taylor Swift, Marvin Gaye, and listen to Barry White rapping like no other!

Marry Me - If it's gotta do with being married, getting married, your husband, wife, taking those vows and saying "Yes", you'll find it here.

Honey It's Over - Find some closure with the help of some songs of heartbreak and getting over past loves. Since we all live in the "real" world, things don't always happen the way they are originally planned. But even if you can't relate, who can resist a hit anyway?

We hope you'll check out our new Wedding channels this week. Let us know what you think, or request some of your favorites in the comments section and we can add them into the mix!

Lights Out at Lincoln Hall

2011-10-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

As Chicago residents braced for severe weather conditions last night, a few 500 souls braved the elements to see one of the finest musical groups the city has ever produced. After all, it's not every day that Umphrey's McGee performs in it's hometown (more like once a month). Not even the most frequent concert-goer could have predicted what happened next, though. Lights flickered then went out completely at Lincoln Hall. Softly glowing lamps mounted on the walls came on a few moments later, but it was clear the concert was in jeopardy of being cancelled.

    Yelling through a paper cup with the bottom cut out to help project his voice, a stagehand stated the obvious: the whole block that Lincoln Hall sits on lost power and that the good people of Commonwealth Edison are working on resolving the issue.

As a lifelong resident of the Chicagoland area, I was hesitant to put any faith in ComEd's efforts. The bass amp was out along with the soundboard. The dimmed ceiling lights keeping the cozy hall aglow were running off a backup generator. It was anyone's best guess how long that would continue to run. Talk of an all-acoustic set caused some excitement and equally as much disappointment in the audience. This being a Groupon special event, though, everything was being done to try and avoid handicapping the signature Umph sound.

   Around 9:30pm the stagehand returned with his trusty cup bullhorn to divulge some good news. Miraculously, there was enough juice in the generator to power an amp for guitar god Jake Cinninger and band patriarch Brendan Bayliss (on guitar only, no mics so no vocals). They were accompanied by Andy Farag armed with a shaker and bongo drums. It wasn't until after 11pm and countless fiery solos from Cinninger that Ryan Stasik took the stage with his trusty bass. Of course, he was stationed front and center to make up for lost face time. Someone must have called 43rd Ward Alderman Vi Daley and asked her work her connections to restore the power. That extra boost allowed keyboardist Joel Cummins to sit in on a couple tunes along with drummer Kris Myers.
"Domino Theory" closed the "electric" half (literally and figuratively) of the night. Most in the crowd seemed to enjoy it's punkish vibe. The new album "Death by Stereo" is more progressive than anything Umphrey's has released before so it may take some getting used to. There are some solid tracks like "Wellwishers" and the ultra-funky groove "Booth Love." They have the potential of becoming fan favorites to the same degree as past hits like "Utopian Fir" or "Intentions Clear."

Booth Love by Umphrey's McGee     A brief encore performance included snippets of Zeppelin's "Rain Song" (a likely choice because of the precipitation falling in every direction outside), mixed with other legendary rock riffs before diving into Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years." It was a light-hearted way to end a strangely fascinating night of music. Kudos to Jake, Brendan, Andy, Joel, Ryan and Kris for making a go of it with very limited resources. You are all true improvisational masters as displayed last night.

Hideout Has Huge Heart and Soul

2011-09-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

There's no hiding Block Party's success

What started off as a cold and rainy Saturday across the street from the Hideout Inn turned into one of the premier musical events of the entire summer in Chicago. That's saying a lot since Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza both celebrated milestones this summer (5 and 20 year anniversaries, respectively).

The line-up featured some of the finest musical talent Chicago has to offer. Brother/sister duo White Mystery ignored the weather and energized the smattering of people in the parking lot with their family brand of rough blues rock.

Macie Stewart, KTD

Kids These Days provided the most first half highlights. MC Vic Mensa's rhymes flew from his mouth at a more frenetic pace than what can be heard on their EP "Hard Times." Soulful singer/keyboardist Macie Stewart stunned onlookers by bellowing out a solo Mavis Staples would have applauded, had she not been talking to Tribune reporter and KTD enthusiast Greg Kot (he's working on a book about the Staples Singers).

Vic Mensa, KTD

Damon Locks, The Eternals

The Eternals brought a lot of energy to the stage. Their blend of funk and house sound similar to TV on the Radio but with more grit and coarseness. People seemed to enjoy it so much that when frontman Damon Locks implored the crowd to pack in tighter near the front of the stage, they happily obliged. They were probably eager to get a better view of Locks cutting serious rug.

Booker T. played a similar set to his Old Town School show with a couple different covers of pop hits rearranged to highlight Jones' dexterity on his signature Hammond B3.

(From L-R): Tawny Newsome, Jon Langford, Sally Timms

Jon Langford came to the stage with what seemed like all his friends, and uncles, and neighbors, and drinking buddies. He must have cashed in all his favors for the 30+ member Burlington Welsh Male Choir to drive all the way down from Canada just for the Block Party. Nevertheless, they sang heartily as only 30 balding pleasantly plump, moderately inebriated men could. Former fellow Mekon Sally Timms joined in on a couple songs as well, donning a festive hat for the brisk day.

Andrew Bird accompanying Mavis Staples

When Langford's troupe finally cleared off the stage, the Queen of the Hideout took her throne. Literally. There was a pink throne on the stage for Ms. Mavis Staples and she jokingly sat down in it before starting the set. Her soulful and jubilant renditions of Curtis Mayfield's "This Is My Country" had the audience shaking their hips which now number somewhere in the thousands. Never one to hog all the spotlight, Queen Mavis invited Andrew Bird onstage to perform "The Weight" with her that drew deafening screams of excitement from young girls in the audience.

Bird reciprocated the invitation later on during his own set to all the performers, possibly as a symbolic nod to the Hideout's inclusiveness that fostered his own musical career. No one was more suited to close an historic anniversary such as this. What a whale of a day!

Cut Copy Lights Up Riviera

2011-09-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

Lights and music. There's no better combination of words to describe Cut Copy's live performance. On an otherwise quiet Tuesday night in Chicago, this talented group of Australians provided the soundtrack for a 3 hour non-stop dance party. They employed an arsenal of fluorescent and funky rhythms that had the crowd grooving from the start.

Few breaks were taken throughout the show, and strangely, frontman Dan Whitford used that time to politely express his dissatisfaction with the handling of Washed Out's sound check. Whatever he was alluding to did not occur during the headliners' turn at making the crowd dance, jump and sing along to uptempo productions. The band's latest release Zonoscope was mixed to give the flow of the album a cohesiveness from one track to the next that's seldom heard in the music industry now-a-days. Tuesday night's set list had a similar flow that kept the energy level high.

Although most people were there to groove to tunes like the star-gazing dance-pop anthem "Corner of the Sky" and other sample-heavy songs, I particularly enjoyed the songs that were performed in a more stripped down rock band style. As bassist Ben Browning described it, Zonoscope features more live percussion than electronically produced beats. In the live setting, songs like "Take Me Over" resemble Talking Heads more closely than electronica or house music.

And drummer Mitchell Scott's five minute solo prior to "Where I'm Going" while alone onstage evoked thoughts of John Bonham during a "Moby Dick" interlude. Not to say that everything prior to Zonoscope was over-produced pop-rock. "The Unforgettable Season" off their sophomore release In Ghost Colours is a good example of Cut Copy's indie rock roots.

Still, the electronic rock that has attracted fans around the world got the biggest applause. I thought the roof was going to blow off when "Hearts on Fire" started. Two encore performances later, Whitford and company walked quietly off the stage flooded in red lights. However, the crowd poured out into the cool night air with more energy than I've ever seen on a weeknight. If you're looking for a pick-me-up, Cut Copy is the band.

Who's Your Daddy?

2011-09-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

Toby Keith is number one according to Forbes’ list of Country’s Highest Paid stars. Toby's income, 50-million dollars a year. Here's the top ten:

Forbes’ Country’s Highest Paid List

1) Toby Keith - $50-million

2) Taylor Swift - $45-million

3) Brad Paisley - $40-million

4) Tim McGraw - $35-million

5) Rascal Flatts - $34-million

6) Kenny Chesney - $30-million

7) George Strait - $24-million

8) Alan Jackson - $22-million

9) Carrie Underwood - $20-million

10) Sugarland - $18-million

Hans Zimmer - Making of Inception Score

2011-09-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

"...I booked the craziest, biggest brass section, I think, ever..."

Irene NYC

2011-08-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

Haunting images of a shut down NYC, set to the backdrop of Debussy's "Clair de Lune."

Milwaukee Irish Fest Wrap-up

2011-08-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

Boasted as the largest Irish cultural event in the US, Milwaukee Irish Fest once again showed why it deserves that reputation. Talent new and old was on display all weekend long. Moya Brennan, a founding member of Clannad, was finally invited to Milwaukee after 40 years in the music business. Though Clannad finally called it quits in 1998, Brennan had already begun a prolific and successful solo career.

Brennan has been especially busy in the past 4 years. Besides releasing her 10^th solo album “Heart Strings,” Brennan also helped form a female all-star quartet T with the Maggies. Her 11^th solo album entitled “Voices & Harps” is now available. It features fellow harpist Cormac de Barra, with whom Brennan has collaborated over the last decade.

Equally talented but lesser known are three sisters also from County Donegal that go by The Henry Girls. Karen, Lorna and Joleen McLaughlin create beautiful harmonies many critics have likened to Clannad. As Karen told me, “A big part of the musical tradition in Donegal is singing and telling stories through song.” “There would be lots of great singers where we’re from, Inishowen, a peninsula in the north of County Donegal.” That rich tradition and willingness to share has made Donegal a hotbed for musical talent and creativity.


Kathleen Fitzgerald (far right)

The same holds true for another group of sisters, Screaming Orphans, who went one step further toward a family affair and performed as the backing band to their mother Kathleen Fitzgerald. She wowed the afternoon crowd gathered at the Celtic Roots stage with passionate yet fragile vocals behind the rock-infused playing of her four daughters.

Fidíl also performed on the Roots stage and securely implanted their selves into the audience's memory. These young lads are not related by blood, however, they are carrying on the tradition of Donegal which is firmly based in the fiddle. “The duet fiddle sound is a fairly old concept, as exemplified by Frankie Castie and John Doherty to mention a few,” founding member Aidan O’Donnell explained. Fidíl started as a duo but brought on a Damian McGeehan to replicate the studio sound in their live show. All three band-members dwarf the dainty instrument but create a rare sound unique to the tradition. They’re performing this Saturday in Chicago with the Henry Girls at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Upon returning to Ireland, they’ve told me they plan to get back in the studio and finish recording their third release. Can’t wait to hear what’s next from Fidíl.

Irish Fest isn’t just concerned with traditional Celtic music. Other groups who’ve brought Celtic music more mainstream attention include the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Scythian,

Alex, Josef & Danylo of Scythian

Steve Twigger & Pat Murphy play acoustic set

Gaelic Storm and Fiach Moriarty from Dublin. Fiach, as he’s known on stage, has drawn a lot of attention from the media both at home and abroad. His music is soulful and sarcastic, romantic and rocking. He’s got a sharp Irish wit and seems to always be in the mood for some lighthearted fun. Catch him in Chicago August 26th or New York City over Labor Day weekend.

Summer Ain't Over Yet: 3 Jazz Festivals Still to Come

2011-08-17T11:03:00.001-07:00

The summer may be inching ever closer to its inevitable and regrettable end, but some might say the best is yet to come. Three of North America's most celebrated jazz festivals are still ahead of us, and we're shining a spotlight on them at AccuJazz.com.

So far this year we've had channels dedicated to SF Jazz, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and the Montreal and Newport jazz festivals. Still to come are the Chicago, Detroit and Monterey jazz festivals.

The Monterey Jazz Festival, happening September 16-18 this year, is in a class with Newport as a long-standing fest with a much-celebrated history. In fact, Concord Music Group even created a whole separate label, Monterey Jazz Festival Records, to share some of the fest's greatest recorded moments with jazz fans everywhere. Big-name headliners this year include Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard and, ahem, these guys. Some notable acts on smaller stages include Robert Glasper, Donny McCaslin and Steve Coleman. The AccuJazz channel is playing music by most all of the musicians playing, so whether you're planning for a trip to the fest or just wish you could be there, check it out.

For the past few decades, Labor Day weekend has traditionally seen two great Midwestern cities host free, open-to-the-public jazz fests in their downtowns, and this year is no different. The Chicago and Detroit Jazz Festivals are persisting in their populist ideal of bringing world-class jazz to the people at zero cost, and we've got all the artists playing on our channels.

The Chicago Jazz Festival channel features this year's artist-in-residence Orbert Davis and his Chicago Jazz Philharmonic as well as a great lineup of local and international artists including Randy Weston, Cassandra Wilson, the Deep Blue Organ Trio, Roy Hargrove, and many more.

The Detroit Jazz Festival channel features their artist-in-residence, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, as well as Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Regina Carter, Joe Lovano and many more.

Are you planning on attending any of these festivals? Who are you most excited to see? If you're not going, who do you wish you could go to see?

Check out all of our festival channels at AccuJazz.com.

TV Battle for the CMA's.

2011-08-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a great article from nymag.com about the bidding war going on between the networks for the CMA awards show.

Blake Shelton's breakout success on NBC's The Voice and Scotty McCreery's victory on American Idol this spring underlined, country music remains a red-hot force in pop culture. So perhaps this next bit of news shouldn't be a major shocker: Vulture hears a three-way bidding war of sorts has broken out for the rights to the Country Music Association Awards, which has called ABC home for the past five years. At stake is one of the longest-running kudo franchises in TV history, as well as one of the most popular.

Even though last year's ratings fell to a record low, the CMAs still lure between 16 and 17 million viewers on average, putting them on par with the Golden Globes in terms of popularity (and higher rated than the American Music Awards and a couple of other country honors, such as the Academy of Country Music Awards). The show also does very well with younger viewers, which explains why the Alphabet has been pushing hard to keep the awards and why CBS has been making a concerted effort to get the franchise back (the CMAs aired on the Eye for 34 years before former ABC chief Steve McPherson engineered an expensive deal stealing them away in 2005). In recent weeks, however, the dealmaking has grown even more complicated as NBC has stepped into the game, offering what our spies indicate is an extraordinarily lucrative offer to land the kudos. The Peacock play makes sense: NBC is light on big awards shows (the Golden Globes is its biggest jewel), and Comcast seems to have given new NBC boss Bob Greenblatt a virtual blank check as he tries to resurrect the long-flailing network. Plus, with Shelton turning into one of NBC's biggest stars, having the premiere country music awards show could result in plenty of great cross-promotion. On the other hand, CBS could make a strong case to the folks in Nashville that its heartland audience makes it the best home for a franchise whose ratings on ABC never matched the tune-in the show got when it was on the Eye. What's more, CBS is the No. 1 network in overall viewership and owns a slew of country radio stations that could be used to reboot the awards. In any case, look for a decision soon: Vulture's sources say that, following a new round of meetings with network suits, CMA officials could announce a new long-term deal by month's end.

New Jack Swing Nite

2011-08-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

I saw Keith Sweat in concert recently, and it was a great show! Seeing his performance brought back many memories from the mid 80's when Keith released his first single.

Some people may not know this, but Keith had a full-time job when "I Want Her" was released. He went on a publicity tour promoting his cd while still holding down his "other" job. One day I called Keith at his "job" to inform him of the radio listening response to his first single. They paged him through the loudspeaker,"Keith Sweat, you have a call on line......". Seemed like someone did not want to quit their day job until they knew they had a hit song!

Performing his trademark songs, "Make it Last Forever"and "I Give All My Love to You", he did not miss performing his best. Also included in the music mix were Johnny Kemp's "Just Got Paid", Silk's "Freak Me", and the LSG (Levert/Sweat/Gil) hit, "My Body". He often mentioned his good friend "Teddy Riley" too.

So, if Mr. Sweat is coming your way, check his show out....and wear comfortable shoes!!! He has a lot of fun with his audience! Listen to AccuRadio's "NewJack Swing" for Keith, Guy, Johnny Gil, Blackstreet, and more: http://bit.ly/o2khHE

"Kids" Sound Ready to Fill Arenas

2011-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

On a Wednesday evening in Chicago when former Mayor Daley was honored at the South Side Cell (right) and President Obama celebrated 50 big ones in Uptown, another event void of grandeur and pomp took place at the Metro.

For the fifth year in a row, Columbia College student Lauren McClusky surpassed all expectations. She is the brains behind Nelarusky (formerly McFest), a benefit concert to raise money for the Special Olympics of Illinois. It is also the official Lollapalooza pre-show. Headlining the bill was Long Beach indie rock sensation Cold War Kids who play Sunday night on the lakefront.

The set opened with "Louder Than Ever," their first single off Mine Is Yours (Downtown, 2011). From then on, Nathan Willett and company had the packed house hanging on every heartfelt hook that he hollered (how's that for consonance!). Guitarist Jonnie Russell and bassist Matt Maust acted like polar opposites as the criss-crossed the stage behind Willett on "Audience." Russell bobbed up and down violently like a punk rock-star while Maust floated nonchalantly back and forth with a blank look on his face.

Their unique playing styles and personalities blend together seamlessly, though. CWK's sound was born out of that independent congruency. Some fans called it abrasive in the most endearing sense of the word. I'd consider it shockingly refreshing. Not every song takes a keen ear to appreciate, or enjoy for that matter. "Finally Begin" had people clapping along and swaying to the arena-rock melody.
Finally Begin by Cold War Kids

They made a pretty good bid for sharing a stage with Kings of Leon or Coldpay with "Bulldozer" and "Skip the Charades." Showing the crowd they hadn't cleaned up their act entirely, CWK went into a passionate rendition of their biggest hit to date "Hang Me Up to Dry." It was a rowdy finish to an exhausting night of rock. No better way to kick off Lolla weekend.

Flecktones Bring One-of-a-Kind Sound, Show to Chicago

2011-08-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

Who knew a banjo could sound as funky as a John Frusciante riff or mystical like a Jimmy Page solo? A doctor, that's who. Newly christened Dr. Béla Fleck (Fleck receives honorary doctorate) has played the five-string banjo every way imaginable, and then goes past the inconceivable to the otherworldly. On Thursday at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, Fleck put on a performance that would make the rock gods bow in adoration. All night he dueled with kindred music spirit Howard Levy who played the harmonica to replicate a three piece brass section.

Levy recently rejoined the group to record the Flecktone's latest release Rocket Science, and tour for a year in support of the new album. The Howard Stern doppelganger seemed giddy and energized to be performing with his old friends and in front of his hometown crowd. Multiple times during the show Levy had one hand fingering the keys of a grand piano and the other holding a harmonica (or two) in front of his lips. With each ovation from the audience, Stern, I mean, Levy would bow his head and hold a third hand over his heart. He appeared truly humbled by the crowd's reaction.

Future Man would not be outdone by Levy and worked the Drumitar like no one else could. That's because it's the only one of it's kind. Future built it himself.

As if a homemade drum machine wasn't enough, he employed rods to play a full drum set with his other hand tapping the quirky invention. The Drumitar allowed Future Man to move around the stage freely. During the bridge section of "Sex in a Pan" he and Victor Wooten were bobbing in sync side by side like back-up singers to the Temptations while Fleck and Levy traded solo riffs.

Wooten was clearly the designated showstopper on this night.

As he pointed out, "You're in my house. The sign says so out front." After coming back on for an encore, Wooten was left alone on stage to shine. He played the strings past the nut on the headstock, slapped out some funky scales, then spun his bass around his body and again over his shoulder. The crowd erupted which signaled the rest of the ensemble to come back on stage to finish the encore.

Despite the time away from performing with each other, the Flecktones have not lost a step. The combined musical virtuosity onstage enhanced by subtle showmanship is endearing to fans of all styles. Their live show is a must-see.

Need a Vacation?

2011-07-27T15:12:00.001-07:00

Even though every NFL fan is focused on the fall and football season starting, we are still in the middle of summer vacation season. If the combination of work, lack of work, money (or should we say lack of money) has you going nowhere this summer, we've got just the channel for you. It's our Summer Vacation Channel. Great country songs about places you’ve been, want to visit, or know through song. Best of all....it's free. Check it out here.

R.I.P. Veteran Jazz Saxophonist and Composer Frank Foster

2011-07-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

Frank Foster, a veteran saxophonist, composer, arranger and bandleader, died in his sleep Tuesday morning. He will primarily be remembered as a pillar of the Count Basie band during its celebrated "New Testament" period from 1953 to 1964, but Foster maintained a busy schedule of recording and touring as both a leader and sideman throughout his life. Besides his work with Basie, Foster worked with a who's who of jazz legends including Thelonious Monk, Elvin Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Milt Jackson and Sarah Vaughan.

Foster's great contributions to the Count Basie Orchestra in the '50s and '60s led to his taking over as the band's leader after Basie's death two decades later. Foster also led his own ensemble called the Loud Minority Big Band which was something of a labor of love throughout his career. On his motivation for starting a big band, Foster said, "I have to make a statement with a big band, or there ain't going to be no statement."

A handful Foster's compositions, notably "Shiny Stockings," "Simone," and "Blues in Hoss Flat," have become well-loved and oft-played jazz standards, especially among high school and college big bands.

News of Foster's death comes a year after some good news for the Foster family: after nearly 5 decades of missing out on collecting royalties for "Shiny Stockings," his most famous composition, he won back the rights to the song. Now, Frank Foster's family will continue to benefit from his legacy by collecting royalties after his death.

The jazz press and blogosphere has already produced a number of worthy obits and tributes to Foster. Click on the links below:

-The New York Times
-NPR's A Blog Supreme
-Some great YouTube selections from Jim Macnie
-A personal remembrance from Doug Ramsey

New adds now playing on RadioCelt

2011-07-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Attending festivals provide plenty of opportunities to discover new music. Headliners draw in the crowds and lesser known bands gain valuable exposure to the music fanatics that buzz around the festival grounds. For me, it's a way to meet the artists who's music I'm playing on RadioCelt or want to have played.

Last weekend at the IAHC Irish Fest, I was privileged enough to meet some of the finest local, national, and international musicians. Of course I introduced myself and in between my prying questions about life on the road, inner-group squabbles, girl trouble, and future recording plans, I asked for copies of their music. Being the gracious individuals they are, I walked away with a nice stack of CDs that can be heard on RadioCelt.

Makem and Spain Brothers; Up the Stairs
Now stationed in New England, the offspring of legendary balladeer Tommy Makem keep the song-writing tradition alive and well. Joining the brothers three are Mickey and Liam Spain, making this group quite the family affair. No reports of infighting have been made, only brotherly love. Conor Makem and Mickey Spain do the bulk of the writing for the group, and churn out gems like "Fare You Well" (M. Spain, BMI) and "Pat and Bridget" (C. Makem, BMI). Both are on the group's latest release.

The Mickey Finns; It's Not the Whiskey
I'm not sure what the album title is implying, but whiskey had to play some significant role in helping the band attain the level of success they are at right now. Lead singer Ray Kelly sings with a similar scruff in his voice as Shane MacGowan of the Pogues. This mix of original compositions and covers ("Ride On" by Christy Moore) will liven up your afternoon or evening at the pub.

Brian Miller; Minnesota Lumberjack Songs
As part of the Irish trad band Bua (see RadioCelt coverage), Miller defers to Brían Ó hAirt for vocals. On this well-researched, beautifully arranged solo project, though, Miller holds his own on the mic. The story-telling and musicianship are first-rate, and the CD is worth purchasing just to see the old photos of life in the North Woods. Bua is also on the cusp of releasing their third album. Check back in with RadioCelt for a full album review.

Daphne Quigley-Freund & Tom Bradfish; Aoíbhneas
World-traveling harpist Daphne Quigley-Freund has found the perfect counterpart to her soulful strumming. This album evokes plenty of joy, bliss and serenity in the listener. I think it might finally be time for a channel featuring the instrument used as the official symbol of Ireland.

Bua performs at IAHC Irish Fest

2011-07-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Sharing a stage with anyone who bares the last name Makem can a cause the average man's hands to tremble. Lucky for the crowd gathered under the Main Stage tent on Sunday, the boys of Bua had ice running through their veins. It sure helped the musicians as temperatures climbed into the 90s.

With the Makem & Spain Brothers waiting in the wings, Bua breezed through their set as if to say, "Let's see you top that!" Leading the next generation of trad musicians are Brían Ó hAirt (vocals, concertina), Sean Gavin (flute, uilleann pipes, whistle), Devin Shepherd (fiddle), and Brian Miller (guitar, bouzouki, backing vocals). Brían's tenor voice and nimble feet keep the sean-nós styles of song and dance alive and well. He has attained exceptional fluency in the Irish language which he employs on songs like "A mhisg a chuir an Nollaig oirnn." A mhisg a chuir an Nollaig oirnn by Bua

When lyrics weren't rolling off his tongue, Brían entertained the crowd with some fancy footwork. Despite the heat Sunday, Brían stepped out a half dozen jigs without breaking a sweat.

With their frontman busy clicking his heals, Brian and Sean took over narrating duties (because there's always a clever story behind each tune). Brian may be the resident expert when it comes to the origin of tunes. In 2010, he received an Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota Arts Board to help fund his recently released solo project Minnesota Lumberjack Songs (© Two Tap Records, 2011)

The trad quartet are preparing for the release of their sophomore effort in the coming weeks. Judging by the polished recordings that make up An Spealadoír, the coming release should be a superb compilation of tunes and songs.

2011-06-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

The number one country video on iTunes is "Dirt Road Anthem" by Jason Aldean. A song that many country radio stations initially refused to play because it "had rap it in".

We've been playing it since it was released. It's a great country song.

Dirt Road Anthem - Jason Aldean - Jason Aldean Videos

Classical al Fresco

2011-06-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

Now that summer is officially here, so too is the Classical music festival season, where many orchestras trade in the confines of the concert hall for the the open air of amphitheaters. And, unlike other summer music fests which last a few days at best, most Classical festivals go on for weeks, if not months!

Most are very accessible as lawn seats can be quite cheap or even free, and some orchestras also host open rehearsals, which I highly recommend if you have the chance. (Watching the Grant Park Orchestra rehearse in Millennium Park has fast become my favorite way to spend the lunch hour!)

It truly is the little things in life sometimes, and nothing quite compares to stretching out on a blanket under the stars in the warm summer air while enjoying a fantastic music performance (along with a glass of wine of course), so be sure to check out what festivals are in your area and let us know which ones you'll be attending this summer. Cheers!

Look...New Black Music Month Channels!

2011-06-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

We are past the halfway point of June and, in case you have been busy, there are a few new R&B subchannels:
Neo Soul: Featuring neo soul artists, Bilal, Kelis, Gordon Chambers, and crossover artists, Jill Scott, Ledisi, Kem, Rahsaan Patterson, and this list just keeps growing! We will keep it this way so you'll have a place to hear your favorite neo soul and the newest releases too!

New Jack Swing starts today (June 22nd), so for those of you who want more, you have to check it out, if only to get your Heavy D/Guy/Blackstreet fix. Building this channel brings back many good memories when we were young (or, younger), and the whole excitement of the music vibe in the mid-80's, then 90's. New beginnings are always exciting and the start of New Jack Swing was no exception!

It's safe to say that in the mix will be Teddy Riley produced jams over the last three decades, including some of Michael J's releases!

More music to love during Black Music Appreciation Month on AccuRadio!

A Diverse Trilogy of New Jazz Channels

2011-06-14T08:46:00.002-07:00

You know what they say about jazz radio channels: when it rains it pours. They say that, right? I've had a number of new channel ideas brewing for a while now, and finally launched three of them in the past few days: Montreal Jazz Festival 2011, World Fusion, and Spiritual Jazz.

The first of the three, Montreal Jazz Festival 2011, is the newest member of our festival channel category, and the one that probably should have been created first; MJF is the world's biggest jazz festival. It attracts millions (yup, you read that right) of fans every summer to see concerts by the biggest names in jazz as well as plenty of rock, pop and R&B acts. Our channel highlights the jazzers who will be performing at this year's fest, which runs from June 25 to July 4. You'll hear my hand-picked mix of over 50 different artists including everyone from Gen-X piano phenom Brad Mehldau to timeless crooner Tony Bennett.

The second new jazz channel, World Fusion, offers a musical trip away from the everyday. It's an eclectic mix of jazz that incorporates different sounds from around the world, including the music of Israel, India, Africa, Iraq, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Africa and pretty much everywhere else.

Last but not least is Spiritual Jazz, where you'll hear what happens when jazz musicians take their music to church. A big chunk of the channel is made up of jazz interpretations of African-American spirituals, with contributions from musicians like Charles Lloyd, Cyrus Chestnut, John Scofield and Hank Jones. But there are also some original, faith-centric, compositions by musicians like Terence Blanchard, Brian Blade and Deanna Witkowski. A few minutes with this channel and you will be convinced that jazz is most definitely not the devil's music. Rev. Ronald V. Myers even found a Bible verse that establishes a precedent for Christian jazz: Amos 6:5.

You'll find all three channels featured atop AccuRadio's sister site AccuJazz.com.

Booker T. Jones: Memphis' Heart and Soul

2011-06-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Chicago, Ill.- Memphis is one of America's greatest music cities though it has been under-appreciated for it's contributions to the art form. It doesn't help that much of the homegrown talent from Memphis has had few positive things to say about the city.

Booker T. Jones

     One such individual, Booker T. Jones, explained his redefined opinion after a riveting performance Saturday night at the Old Town School of Folk Music (OTS) on Chicago's North side.

     "I think Memphis has contributed an inestimable amount to music and what it is today and it should get credit for it," Jones said. "I owe a lot to just being from there. I haven't always felt that way but I do now."

Touring on the heels of his latest solo release "The Road from Memphis", Jones played songs from his illustrious career as the leader of the MGs as well as projects he produced. After two quick songs off the new album, Jones got the crowd going with his biggest hit, "Green Onions." Green Onions

    Jones is synonymous with Memphis soul. His influence can be heard on some of the most timeless songs ever recorded by soul artists. The set list sounded like a musical history of the city. It included such hits as "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "Ain't No Sunshine." The former was produced by Jones for the 1967 Albert King album of the same name. The latter he produced and accompanied for Bill Withers' 1971 debut "Just As I Am."

     Jones also performed "(Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay" and got the entire crowd to join him in the whistle solo that closes out the Otis Redding hit.

     Obviously no stranger to collaborating, Jones is constantly sought after by artists looking to work with him. In fact, he was kind enough to let me interrupt a meeting on a new collaboration effort to pose a few questions between shows at the OTS.

Jim James

When asked about the process of selecting guests to appear on the album, Jones answered simply, "They were musicians I had been interested in working with and they were in New York at the time I was recording the new album with the Roots." Luckily for music fans everywhere, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Matt Berringer (The National) Sharon Jones, and Lou Reed were available. Their contributions to the album provided such diversity from one track to the next, all unified into a cohesive album by the man found at the heart of some of the greatest hits of all time and a great music city.

After Jones walked off the stage following the conclusion of "Time Is Tight," from the 1968 film Up Tight!, audience members continued to cheer and shout hoping to coax Jones back out for more. He obliged with one final song. "This song was mailed to me by Dominic Frontiere," Jones told the crowd as he began fingering the organ keys. "It's called 'Hang 'Em High.'" Upon hearing the title, a woman threw up her hands and screamed with excitement as Jones closed the show on a high note.

New adds now playing on RadioCelt

2011-06-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

RadioCelt Program Director Pat Fitzell here to update everyone on the new music added to many of RadioCelt's channels. I had a great time meeting some phenomenal musicians at Gaelic Park's Irish Fest and was lucky enough to pick up some new music to share with RadioCelt's listeners. I added a bunch of other music in anticipation of the biggest and best festival featuring Celtic music, Milwaukee Irish Fest.

Girsa, A Sweeter Place (RiverRollick, 2011) - A superb follow-up to their debut release (RadioCelt review).

De Danann, WonderWaltz (Irish Music Licensing, 2011) - The latest release from the legendary trad group

Jeff Ward, "and she was..."(Blimey Records, 2002), Under the Covers (Blimey Records, 2004), Mair Land...Less Weight (Blimey Records, 2005), Here and Now (Blimey Records, 2005), Working Man (Blimey Records, 2006) Jeff will be performing at Milwaukee Irish Fest for the 7th consecutive year, A true testament to his talent as a songwriter and performer.

Paddy O'Brien, The Sailor's Cravat (New Folk Records, 2011)

Sonas, Gathering Stones (Sonas, 2011)

Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Red Hot Chilli Pipers (REL Records, 2005), Bagrock to the Masses (REL Records, 2007), Hundred Chilli Pipers (REL Records, 2009), Music for the Kilted Generation (REL Records, 2010) - A fan favorite at Irish Fest, the Pipers will be back in Milwaukee ready to rock their kilts off

Tartan Terrors, Dressed to Kilt (Tartan Terrors, 2004), Awakening (Tartan Terrors, 2009) - One of the most entertaining Celtic events I've ever seen. They do it all, well.

Vishtèn, Live (Vishtèn, 2008), 11:11 (Vishtèn, 2007)

This trio-turned-quartet from Canada pay beautiful tribute to the music of their Acadian ancestors with every tune they play. Sisters Pastelle and Emmanuelle LeBlanc, with Pascal Miousse and Louis-Charles Vigneau will be making their debut performance at Milwaukee Irish Fest this August. Vishtèn's passionate and polished playing will be great edition to the world-renowned festival.

Sign of the Country Music Apocalypse

2011-06-09T08:29:00.001-07:00

Justin Bieber made a record and a video with Rascal Flatts and last night he won a CMT award. Bieber and Flatts won the 'Collaborative Video Award' for the video of the song "That Should Be Me."
Who else was nominated in this category? Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson "Don't You Wanna Stay", Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow "Collide", Aaron Lewis featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels "Country Boy" and Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow "Coal Miner's Daughter."

You have George Jones and Loretta Lynn as nominees and you give the award to Justin Bieber? Really?

Black Music Month 2011

2011-06-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't tried out our new Black Music Appreciation Month/2011 Channels, take a break and give yourself a treat. Since my early radio years, we have been celebrating during the month of June, and it's always been enjoyable and fun. Just click on Black Music Month and you will see all of your options, including Black Composers, and Black American #1's.

We are releasing new channels every week, and on June 8th, "Neo-Soul" begins. Yes, I know, I know - what took so long. I won't try to answer that, but it has been great putting it together. We all know what neo-soul sounds like, but I was amazed at the perceived depth of this R&B subset.

This channel will be updated constantly to keep up with new music!
The final product we have is a great blend of neo-soul sounds embracing it's classic soul roots with the sound of today's musical flow.

We hope you listen often, and enjoy!

Have a Happy Black Music Month!

Gaelic Park Celebrates 25 years of Irish Fest

2011-06-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

On a soggy Memorial Day weekend, Gaelic Park hoisted the biggest tents they could find and opened it's gates to thousands craving that first taste of summer. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Gaelic Park Irish Fest. World-class musicians and stage performers of all types ascended the four platforms to entertain the hoards of families that congregated on the festival grounds.

Lightning flickered overhead on Saturday night as Leahy put a charge into an already electric atmosphere. Rain fell for nearly the entire day and the fireworks display scheduled to follow Leahy seemed unlikely. Luckily, Leahy provided plenty of show-stopping action on the Celtic Stage. The family troupe's spirited performances haven't lost a step, still full of percussive dancing, improvisation, and witty repartee with the audience.

Kathleen Keane stopped by the festival earlier on Saturday. She recently formed a sextet that goes by the name Tantrum and plays up-tempo trad tunes with a hint of bluegrass and folk. Her solo career has brought many successes including the latest album "Where the Wind Meets the Water" that highlights Keane's virtuosity and vocal prowess.

Chicago native Liz Carroll performed Sunday afternoon just as the rain was letting up. She coaxed long-time friends and equally gifted musicians Jimmy Keane and Pauline Conneeley to play a couple tunes with her. By all accounts at Irish Fest, the three seemed to have rehearsed the night before and were well in sync (the last time they were on-stage together was in the spring of 2010 at the Old Town School of Folk Music). Only the harshest of critics would find something to harp on.
Castle Kelly / Galway Ram by Liz Carroll

At Chicagoland area shows, Carroll always receives a large of amount of support from family members. Last weekend's performance even managed to attract a family of musicians who housed her while traveling in Ireland. Carroll displayed her appreciation by unveiling 2 marches, one of which was named after the family. I'm pretty sure that makes them honorary members of the Carroll Clan because as far as I know, Liz hasn't written a tune and named it Carroll's.

Ronan Tynan followed Liz on the schedule. Tynan is a master at a different form of Celtic music and therefore attracts fans of various classical styles to get a taste of Celtic music. With a large crowd gathering partly leftover from Liz's performance, the tenor bellowed ballads that made the elder crowd members pull each other closer. Undoubtedly, a crooner's delight.

While most entertainers like Tynan, Carroll, Gaelic Storm

(yes Twigs, Murph and the gang made an appearance), De Danann (RadioCelt review) (that's the other half led by Alec Finn), and more played 1 or 2 shows over the course of the long weekend, the girls of Girsa found the energy to perform three days in a row. Kudos to them for maintaining a sunny disposition despite rainy days and late nights attending post festival jam sessions. Their new release "A Sweeter Place" is available now. (RadioCelt's review)

If you missed a chance to see so many great musicians in one place, make sure to visit the north side Irish American Heritage Center for it's own Irish Fest in July. Plenty of the musicians that performed last weekend will be on the north side, including The Sandcarvers, Gaelic Storm, Baal Tinne, Jimmy Keane, Paddy Homan, and Joe Cullen.

Summer has officially begun and the music won't stop until the leaves from the trees have fallen. Hope to see you out there!

Girsa Releases "A Sweeter Place"

2011-05-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

Sophomores aren't known for being wise beyond their years, though they tend to carry an air of self-assured confidence. However, there is nothing sophomoric about Girsa, a trad group of young but talented and ambitious musicians, nor the group's sophomore release "A Sweeter Place."

In the months since I first heard the trad. octet from Pearl River, New York perform at the 2010 Milwaukee Irish Fest, each group member appears to have grown more comfortable in front of an audience. Composing and performing original tunes can be checked off the "To-Do" list as well. (listen to a selection of tracks below)

Group leader Maeve Flanagan has a handful of original tunes featured on the new album that even Liz Carroll would be jealous of, and she's improved her banter with the crowd (always a valuable skill to have as a musician). One original, a medley titled "75 Fingers," starts off with a minstrel's tune showcasing Deirdre Brennen's picking skills on the mandolin and diverges into a fiddle-driven tune with some interesting transitions. Deirdre's talents as a vocalist are employed on a beautiful rendition of Van Morrison's Irish Heartbeat

Multi-instrumentalist and fellow vocalist Margaret Dudasik sings with a delicateness reminiscent of Alison Krauss on the track There Is a Time The bluegrass influences are evident in more than the vocal stylings of Margaret, Deirdre, and Pamela Geraghty, the other primary singer. "I prefer bluegrass songs so I suggest a couple to the group and together we decide which ones to play," Margaret explained. Then Maeve chimed in, "And we 'Irish' [the songs] up to make them fit with the other tunes." The ability to blend bluegrass, Americana, and country music with traditional Irish and Celtic styles strengthens the argument that this group is going to thrive in the music industry for years to come.

"A Sweeter Place" is a polished compilation of songs and tunes showcasing how much each member has matured musically. At Gaelic Park Irish Fest this past weekend, Girsa showed just how far they've come and managed to stay positive and energetic despite the festival ground's soggy disposition. Check the tour schedule for a chance to see Girsa live at a festival near you.

Scotty McCreery is Number One.

2011-05-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

The number one song on iTunes is "I Love You This Big" by American Idol winner Scotty McCreery. Adele is #2 and Lady Gaga is #3. A country song is number one. Very cool.

New Channel Recognizes Jazz Music's Greatest Living Composer

2011-05-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to announce the newest artist to be honored with his very own AccuRadio "Jazz by Composer" channel, Wayne Shorter. Generally regarded as jazz music's greatest living composer, Shorter has been producing his distinctive brand of post-bop jazz for five decades. He is still making exciting, urgent new music with his excellent quartet, proving an exception to the rule that septuagenarian jazz masters have to become little more than pale imitations of their younger selves.

The channel features over 60 different artists digging in to Shorter's material, including plenty of recordings under Wayne's own name. He is also heard as a sideman with groups like Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the Miles Davis Quintet and Weather Report. Listeners will hear plenty of takes on "Footprints," Wayne's most oft-covered tune, but keep listening for lesser-played but equally-genius compositions like "Black Nile," "Night Dreamer," "Juju," and "Fall" (one that shows up surprisingly often).

In addition to Shorter, AccuRadio has composer channels devoted to Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie (one channel), Antonio Carlos Jobim, and the Beatles. While improvisation is the defining characteristic of jazz, it's important to recognize the enormous contributions of the great composers, too, and you can't do that anywhere else like you can with AccuRadio's jazz composer channels.

Listen now: Composers: Wayne Shorter

The winner is...Country Music.

2011-05-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

I read a couple of articles this week about how "Country Radio" would deal with American Idol finalists, Scotty McCreery & Lauren Alaina, when they released their singles. I was disappointed to see that many programmers and music directors said they were "dreading" the releases. “Average” and “wannabe's” were the words most used to describe Scotty and Lauren. Maybe these "experts" are right. Maybe these two don’t have as much talent as some of the new unknown acts already signed by Nashville, but anything that generates 95-million votes, is something radio should run to be involved with. That's a ton of passion for a couple of young country singers. This is the youngest match-up in American Idol’s 10-year history and it will be the first all-country final as well. Country radio should be doing everything possible to embrace these two. Scotty is 17 and Lauren is 16. Will they be stars when they hit 20? Who knows? What I do know is that millions and millions of people are interested in Scotty and Lauren right now. That should be all the reason any programmer needs to play their music. Once the American Idol is crowned next week, expect to hear their new song on AccuCountry’s New Country Channel.

Spring Season Brings New Life to Alt. Rock

2011-05-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a great spring in Alternative rock and AccuRadio's Alternative Now! has been staying up to date with all the new releases. Listed below are some of the new additions playing now on AccuRadio!

Foo Fighters, Wasting Light - "Rope"

AWOLnation, Megalithic Symphony - "Sail"

Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi, Rome - "Two Against One - feat. Jack Black" / "Black - feat. Norah Jones"
(AccuRadio review)

Boom Chick, Show Pony - "Cryin' Rooster"
(Boom Chick bio)

My Morning Jacket, Circuital - "Holding on to Black Metal" / "Circuital"
(Pitchfork coverage)

The Joy Formidable, The Big Roar - "Whirring"

Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues - "Helplessness Blues" / "Grown Ocean"
(new album release)

Incubus, If Not Now, When? - "Adolescents"

Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee, Part 2 - "Make Some Noise"
(Chicago Tribune review)

The Naked and Famous, Passive Me, Aggressive You - "Young Blood"

R.E.M., Collapse into Now - "Mine Smells Like Honey"

Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue

2011-05-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've loved this song (and video) since the day it came out. I like it more this week.

Ronnie Dunn - Bleed Red

2011-05-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ronnie Dunn's first release as a solo artist is a song called "Bleed Red". It's a great song and the video isn't bad either.

Orla Fallon Wraps Up US Tour in Chicago

2011-05-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

On the road between tour stops in Columbus and Indianapolis, I had the privilege of speaking with Celtic recording artist Orla Fallon. We discussed her years with Celtic Woman, her first solo PBS special "Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas" and her latest special titled "My Land" which she is currently promoting on tour throughout the US.

An original member of the female supergroup Celtic Woman, Orla Fallon found great success on the stage in front of thousands of adoring fans. She wasn't always so comfortable interacting with the audience early on and attributes her acquired stage presence to the first Celtic Woman director Michael Scott. "I was quite shy and timid starting as you can see on the first Celtic Woman DVD," Fallon explained. But the experience gained on the tour following the release of the DVD helped Fallon's personality shine through.
Orla's Stage presence by Pat F.

It was her hauntingly beautiful voice that originally grabbed the attention of Celtic Woman musical director David Downes. She was playing a show at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, when a friend of Downes approached Fallon and asked her to send in a demo tape. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fallon never had any aspiration to become a stage performer in the theatrical sense. It struck me as strange because Celtic Woman was comprised of trained stage performers. That obviously didn't hinder the group's success, but after four years and 2 Platinum certified albums later (two others were certified Gold) Fallon was ready to try something different.

"In our free time on tour, I was jamming with the guys in the band...and was getting a great kick out of it," Fallon admitted. Those impromptu sessions reignited her love of the trad music style which became too strong to ignore. It could have been easy to continue with Celtic Woman, but Fallon would not let herself become complacent. "I'm a big believer in trying to squeeze as much out of life...it's a short life and (I) try to do as many things as possible," Fallon said of the difficult decision to move on.

Following the 2008 release of The Greatest Journey, Fallon left the group to pursue a solo career void of over-produced concerts, hours of choreography rehearsals and all other distractions that took the focus off the music itself. Her first album following the move titled "Distant Shore" was a far cry from the orchestrated sound of all the previous releases on which she could be heard.

Despite the style change, which in my opinion better highlights her silky smooth and perfectly pitched voice, Celtic Woman fans pledged their loyalty to her. PBS followed suit soon after and commissioned her first solo special, "Orla Fallon's Celtic Christmas" in the fall of 2010. Guest stars included former original Celtic Woman member Meav and American Idol runner-up David Archuleta. Working with the latter, Fallon said, "Was fantastic. He has the most incredible voice...and it's the one actually track on that album when I listen to, it actually makes me cry when I listen to Silent Night."

Almost immediately following the successful Christmas special, Fallon began filming another for PBS titled "My Land." It was shot on location throughout Ireland but shows the deeply rooted connection between American folk and Irish trad music. The album has a much earthier, traditional feel yet Fallon's vocal virtuosity gives it a heavenly quality. She has done a great service to the Celtic and Bluegrass genres by uniting them on this album and bringing out the similarities between the two musical styles. The medley of tunes from "O' Brother, Where Art Thou" fit right in with traditional Irish tunes "Red Is the Rose" and "I'll Tell Me Ma." Even a waltzy rendition of Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken" could be taken for a traditional Irish tune. It is through efforts like these that more listeners only familiar with the Celtic Woman or Celtic Thunder versions of what is considered "trad music" will be exposed to and learn to love the genres as a whole.
Connections between bluegrass and celtic by Pat F.

Throughout her career, Fallon has maintained her artistic integrity. She hasn't always made the sensible decision or taken the stable path but, her solo career is sure to blossom like that of a Karan Casey or Cathie Ryan. I anxiously await the release of her next solo project.

Mother's We Love to Love

2011-05-02T10:38:00.001-07:00

Mother’s We Love: Real Mother’s, and Mother’s we wish were real.

Mother Teresa: Spiritual Mother-touched millions with her missionary work aiding lepers, the blind, disenfranchised and terminally ill. Mother Teresa's selfless devotion earned her a Nobel Peace Prize and made her a spiritual Mother and example for us all.

First Lady, Michelle Obama: Brains & Beauty, and a hubby who adores her. A Mother who entrusts her Mother to care for her daughters.

Claire Huxtable: Brains & Beauty, and a hubby who adored her.

Princess Diana: One of her main goals was to raise her children to be real and caring individuals.

Erykah Badu: Homes-schools her 3 children and teaches them to genuinely care about helping others. Also, has help from her own Mother!

Holly Robinson-Peete, Phoebe Snow, Jessica Alba: Mother's who put their responsibilities as a Mother ahead of their careers.

Morticia Addams (Addams Family): In great style these days too with her Gothic dresses, and she drove Gomez wild!

Edith Bunker: While her voice was squeaking all the time, she was one of TV’s sweetest Moms.

Baby Boom Mom: Played by Diane Keaton, single mother, inherited a baby, and didn't know how to manage career and motherhood. She had enough with others getting bigger and better accounts, so she started her own business enterprise. Now, that's a happy ending!

Madea: Tough as nails, and not afraid to show it.

Mildred Pierce: Played by Joan Crawford, who worked tirelessly for her kids survival.

Bewitched: Who wouldn’t want a Mom that could snap her fingers, and “poof”, you’re riding a pony.

The Godfather Mother: Believed in family. Kept the family together.

Shirley Partridge: (Partridge Family) Mom was one of TV’s first single mothers. Mom and a Musician. Groovy!

My Mother, of course. If you met her, you'd love her too!

To all Mothers, Grandmothers, Stepmothers, Godmothers, Adopted Mothers, Play Mothers, and anyone we may have missed: Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Mom's We Love to Dislike

2011-05-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

Love to have fun with Mother's Day? Here's a short list of famous/or (at least they are in the media) Moms:

From Michelle Duggar, with her (sorry, lost count) number of kids - there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing", Kate Gosselin, Victoria Bekham (soccer Mom's love to resent), to the all too-fit Mom, sometimes we can't help but mention our dislike for them, or for their display.

Toddlers & Tiara’s Moms: The Mom living through her kids. Poor little one’s, or are they the one’s calling the shots with their demands?

Octomom: After having six children (and, thinking about $$ and college for them), how do you plan to have at least one more?

Miley Cyrus' Mom: Who is she, and where is she anyway?

Kris Kardashian: Soooo, it’s ok to let your daughters talk to you like that? (Anything for a buck.)

Lynne Spears and Lindsey Lohan’s Mom: The Enabling Mom. Just raise your daughters without any solid direction.

Joan Crawford: Mommie Dearest: On second thought, we don’t dislike this Mom. At least she knew how to tell her kids “no”, and mean it.

Joan Rivers: Mommy Know-it-all

Osama Bin Laden's Mom: Need we say more?

Thinking About Mother's

2011-05-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is less than a week away, and it's time to start thinking about it. If you're a Mother, you're probably planning what you are doing next Sunday, and if you're lucky enough to have your Mother still around, you'll probably think of something special for her. I had a best friend who would continue to buy a Mother's Day card even after she passed away. So, every Mother's Day, she would light a fire to the card, say "Happy Mother's Day, Mama", and watch the "smoke signals" float to her Mom in heaven. One day I dropped my best friend off at her Mom's house, and when she got out of the car, she ran to her Mom and hugged her like she had not seen her in 10 years. Later, I told my friend, "...you know, you should visit more often. When was the last time you saw your Mom?" She replied, "I saw her last week. We always hug like that!" Now that my best friend has passed too, I smile every time I think of this. I'll bet there are a lot of us with tender "Mother" stories.

So, as I was writing (wiping the tears running down my face), there are things to consider during holidays, i.e., where you will celebrate the day, which gift to buy, etc. I will be posting gift special links for Mother's Day through twitter, and facebook, along with an occasional "Mommy fact" this week.....

And, as we begin our week, let us start with a classic song about "Motherhood" performed by the Spinners. This one is for everybody. If we are lucky, we have all known a "Sadie".

Now that the "Wedding" is over...

2011-04-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Do you think the general public is ready to move on with their lives now that the Royal wedding is over? You might not think so if you stand in any grocery checkout lane.

One of the most popular months for weddings is June, and, no doubt, many of us will be attending a wedding in the next few months. So, in the spirit of weddings, it's time we create an AccuRadio "Wedding" channel - don't you think....it's time? I actually wish I had this channel to research prior to my wedding, but that's ok, I can still reminisce!

A large piece of the wedding is the ceremony. Everybody's taste is different (as we have witnessed by viewing youtube), and there are some nice popular classical pieces over the years made famous on a favorite soap opera, or you may have seen a movie with a great classical soundtrack. Anybody?

And, what about those familiar "wedding songs" chosen for their first wedding dance? Some couples choose a "love" ballad, so let us know if you've got a favorite, or one that you may have used. The wedding love song is about lyrics, and slow jams are perfect and sometimes say "we love you", and maybe something about a future together".

Although AccuRadio currently has a "love" channel, feel free to dig a little deeper and find a song, or a group of songs that specifically remind us of that special day, person, and that expresses all those emotions you might feel at the time whether you are the person getting married, or attending a special wedding. Any input will be great since there are many different tastes for different folks!

Awwww...do I see you smiling?

Brand New Death Cab for Cutie, Strokes, & Eddie Vedder on a Ukulele! on Adult Alt

2011-04-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Yikes! So much new music on Adult Alternative (*and* the Adult Alt "Just New Music" channel, natch). So no "blah blah blah" from me today, let's just get right to it:

-- Death Cab for Cutie's new album, set for release at the end of May, will be called Codes and Keys. The first track is called "You Are a Tourist," and we're playing it a bunch right off the bat. It somehow sounds right for spring.

-- We're playing several tracks from The Strokes new long-awaited album, Angles, which is out now.

-- Was Eddie Vedder the last to realize that what Pearl Jam has always needed was more ukulele?!? Well, he's on board now, and his solo Ukulele Songs hits at the end of May. Hear his "Longing to Belong" now on Adult Alternative.

We've added a bunch a new tracks to the "Just New Music" channel too. New stuff from the likes of Ben Harper, Booker T., Broken Bells, Bruce Hornsby, Danger Mouse, Fleet Foxes, Gomez, Madeleine Peyroux, Steve Earle, the National, Warren Haynes, and more. Check it out:

Alison Krauss & Union Station "Paper Airplane"
Angus & Julia Stone "Big Jet Plane"
Ben Harper "Rock N' Roll Is Free"
Ben Waters feat. the Rolling Stones "Watchin' the River Flow"
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band "Downtown Train"
Booker T. Jones "Representing Memphis"
Brandy Carlile w/the Seattle Symphony Orchestra "The Story"
Brian Wright "Striking Matches"
Broken Bells "Meyrin Fields"
Bruce Cockburn "Iris of the World"
Bruce Hornsby "Shadow Hand"
Damon Fowler "Devil Got His Way"
Damon Fowler "Fruit Stand Lady"
Danger Mouse & Danielle Luppi w/Norah Jones "Black"
Deerhunter "Desire Lines"
Elbow "Open Arms"
Elizabeth & the Catapult "Go Away My Lover"
Fleet Foxes "Grown Ocean"
G. Love "Just Fine"
Gomez "Options"
Greg Laswell "You, Now"
Henry Gray "Cold Chills"
Henry Gray "Lucky, Lucky Man"
INXS "Don't Change (2011)"
Joe Bonamassa "Dust Bowl"
Joseph Arthur "Over the Sun"
Kevin Hammond "Broken Down"
Lykke Li "Get Some"
Madeleine Peyroux "Martha, My Dear"
Madeleine Peyroux "The Things I've Seen Today"
Marc Broussard "Lucky"
Marcia Ball "Roadside Attractions"
Mat Kearney "Hey Mama"
Matt Nathanson "Faster"
Michael Franti & Spearhead "I'll Be Waiting"
OT3P "We Dream Like Lions"
Owl City "Alligator Sky"
Pearl Jam "Alone"
Pearl Jam "Hold On"
Popa Chubby "Back in My Baby's Arms"
Popa Chubby "Like the Buddha Do"
Ray LaMontagne "Repo Man"
R.E.M. "Uberlin"
Sam Roberts Band "The Last Crusade"
Sarah Jarosz "Come Around"
Steve Earle "Every Part of Me"
Taddy Porter "Long Slow Drag"
Tedeschi Trucks Band "Bound for Glory"
The National "Conversation 16"
The Smithereens "Sorry"
Train "Marry Me [Diamond Ring mix]"
Trews "Hope & Ruin"
Warren Haynes "Man in Motion"
Yank Rachell "Cigarette Blues"
Yank Rachell "My Baby's Gone"
Young Presidents "Wide Open"

Jazz Appreciation Month on AccuRadio.com

2011-04-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

File this under: better late than never. April is Jazz Appreciation Month and we still have nine days left to celebrate (though we are, of course, celebrating jazz 365 days a year over at AccuJazz.com). Jazz Appreciation Month, or JAM for short (perfect acronym, no?), is organized by the Smithsonian and is in its 10th year. You'll find a "Jazz Appreciation Month" sidebar on the AccuRadio homepage with six channels, selected by me, to get you started. If you're one of those people who have been wanting to check out some jazz, but haven't gotten around to it yet, now is a great time to start! And to answer your concerns: no, you don't have to have a Ph.D to appreciate it, and no, it's not just old people's music. I'm a 25-year-old, indie-rock-bred simpleton and jazz is my passion!

The focus of this year's official JAM celebrations is the often-overlooked contributions of women jazz artists. This year's JAM poster (pictured) features pianist Mary Lou Williams, generally regarded as the greatest female instrumentalist in jazz history. If you head over to the official JAM website, you'll be able to read the very interesting story behind the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, an integrated, all-female jazz band founded in 1937 at a tiny boarding school in Mississippi. The band went on to gain global attention for their top-notch big band swing.

AccuRadio is no stranger to the many women who have contributed greatly to jazz over the years. We have a channel, "Women of Jazz," that features female jazz artists exclusively. There are even a few choice tracks by the International Sweethearts of Rhythm playing, in addition to hundreds of songs by other female jazz artists including Williams, great vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, and jazz women of today such as Esperanza Spalding, Regina Carter, Allison Miller and Gretchen Parlato.

Head over to AccuRadio's Jazz Appreciation Month page and get to appreciatin'!

Welcome to Blonde Country.

2011-04-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

What do Miranda Lambert, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Tammy Wynette and Trisha Yearwood all have in common? Yes, they are all great country music artists. They’re also all women, and they are all blonde.

We have new channel at AccuCountry, it’s called Blonde Country. It features all the great women of country music that are blonde. Some of the best music in country has come from blondes. The women mentioned above have combined for over 50 number one songs, and they just scratch the surface of music you’ll hear on Blonde Country. Let us know what you think of our new channel by responding to this blog or by posting on our Facebook page.

Spiritual rejuvenation in NOLA

2011-04-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, I try to make it down to New Orleans at least once a year. I find it's good for my soul. The city and its spirit are a beautiful mix of frivolity and solemnity; joy and tragedy; and tradition and rebirth. Even the bad parts (and New Orleans has more "bad" than most cities, for lots of reasons) are part of its character (and I accept and embrace them in the way you embrace the shortcomings of the people you love).

It was my first visit to the annual French Quarter Music Festival. From the official website:

The award-winning French Quarter Festival is Louisiana's largest free music event, a four-day local music showcase scattered throughout the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. There are music performances on 18 stages. The community festival also features the "World's Largest Jazz Brunch," which are the festival food booths operated by nearly 60 local chefs and restaurants throughout the festival weekend.

People characterize it as Jazz Fest for the locals (the far larger, and later, Jazz Fest is a huge tourist draw). In fact, some residents bemoan how large the FQMF has already gotten -- they'd rather keep it a wonderful secret (and I can't blame them a bit).

Here's why this fest was wonderful:

(a) it's free! (take that, Lollapalooza!); (b) the music: real jazz, truly New Orleans. Just beautiful; (c) you'll never eat food at a festival like this (I may make this a separate blog entry, but wow!); (d) related to (a) & (c) $4 Abita beer -- nuff said!; (e) the mix of people, like the city itself, was wonderful: old & young, every race, straight-laced & eccentric alike, everyone doing and enjoying "their own thing." Like New Orleans, just beautiful!

I hope the locals don't mind if I return.

Related listening: AccuJazz: Regions: New Orleans; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2011

This is Country Music.

2011-04-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

The video is average but the song is great. Songs like "Family Man" are what country is all about, real stories about real life.

New Hit Video Release Event and Soles4Souls

2011-04-18T07:12:00.001-07:00

Chicagoland residents are invited to come into any AKIN location and recycle their "gently worn" shoes in an effort to help distribute 11 million shoes in 2011 to people in great need. Bring in the shoes and fill out a raffle card for the chance to receive a discount on selected merchandise, and qualify for $150 in free merchandise! The raffle winner will be chosen at the AKIN, 1313 S. Halsted, Chicago, location on Thursday, April 21st, from 7 to 10pm, by Level Next Music recording artist, Taylor Mallory, who's new hit single "Sunni's Outside" is currently being played on AccuRadio R&B and Smooth Jazz channels.

Donations are also being accepted between April 15th-24th at AKIN's locations, 2350 N. Clark, Chicago, and 1313 S. Halsted, Chicago.

It seems fitting at this time of year that we take a second look at what we don't use that others may benefit, especially with the recent earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and Japan.

Visit www.levelnextmusic.com for more information on recording artist, Taylor Mallory, and this charity event. We hope to see those of you who live in the area at this great event (Thursday, April 21st) where Taylor's new video "Sunni's Outside" will be released!

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Money.

2011-04-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

For the last several years the big news story has been the economy. When is it going to get better? Is it getting better? Will we ever see those “boom” days of the mid-90’s again? I’m certainly not an economist, but looking at the price of concert tickets, whoever is promoting some of these shows must think the good old days are here again.

Kenny Chesney is playing in Chicago this summer at Toyota Park, an outdoor stadium. The top ticket price for the show is $696. That’s not a typo. If you want to sit/stand in the “sandbar” section (Pit 1 or Pit 2) in front of the stage it will cost you $696 per ticket. If you want to spend less, tickets in section 211 are “just” $67 per ticket.

I really enjoy Kenny Chesney’s music and he puts on a great show, but nose bleed tickets at $67 and the best seats in the house almost $700? I hope the promoters get the $$ they are asking for, it will be proof that the economy is back on track.

Think about it this way; would you rather be in the front section to see Kenny or have that new iPad 2?

New Trin-i-tee 5:7 and More!

2011-04-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

First quarter of the year can be a slow time for new hits. Not that there isn't any good music out there. Here are a few that sound really good!

New Trin-i-tee 5:7 "Over and Over", gaining momentum already, and "Heaven Hear My Heart". Both are from their forthcoming (May release) cd, "Angel and Chanelle".

Chris Walker "I Got That Love", former member of his family gospel group, The Walker Brothers. Smooth vocals, and an overall great R&B cut!

New from singer/songwriter, Ledisi,"Pieces of Me", sharing the video here:

Music by Singersroom.com | More on Ledisi

And, new video from Anthony David, featuring Algebra (who's vocals are reminiscent of India. Arie), "4evermore", slightly too fast for the official wedding song, but a definite must play on the dance/steppers floor:

Check out"Today's R&B", where you will always hear the latest singles along with select cd cuts from newer released albums, like Eric Benet, Fantasia, and R. Kelly's latest.

As always, thank you for listening! If you don't hear something you like, feel free to send us comments to this post, on Facebook (AccuRadio R&B), or Twitter (@accuradiorandb).

White Still Makes Fans Blue (in a good way)

2011-04-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

The news that Jack and Meg White were finally disbanding their iconic duo nearly broke my heart. Being the long-winded Irishman that I am, it was scary to think that I may never have another opportunity to write a novel-length review. Their musical chemistry gave alternative rock music a much needed resuscitating shock back in the early part of the new millennium. And they helped pave the way for acts like The Black Keys to finally be recognized by a mainstream audience as talented and innovative musicians. Each Stripes album features an eclectic grouping of songs that makes it impossible to describe the band's sound in one or two words only.

Subsequent projects Jack White has been involved with (The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather) are similarly difficult to pigeon-hole. Artists he chooses to collaborate with, such as Alison Mosshart, bring many complimentary elements to his unique style of bluesy rock. (Note: Mosshart, the Dead Weather lead singer, just released a new album with Jamie Hince, the other half of The Kills, called "Blood Pressures")

That's why it should come as no surprise to hear White has been invited by reigning Grammy Award winning Producer of the Year Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton) to appear on his latest album Rome, an international collaboration with Italian composer Daniele Luppi. The music is reminiscent of movie soundtracks from the Spaghetti Western genre that Burton says had a profound impact on him during college. White provides vocals on the first single
"Two Against One" (coming soon to AccuRadio's Alternative Now!). And Norah Jones lends her sultry vocals to the other single "Black." The full-length album will be released sometime in May. Gold gramophones to be awarded in February 2012.

We're not foolin' -- New BYO on the way

2011-03-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

One of the most-loved features on AccuRadio is Build-Your-Own (BYO), the ability to mix-and-match our 500+ channels to create your own unique mix of music. You can use the current BYO feature by clicking here.

We're working on a brand new version of BYO and -- while we're way too far out right now to say when you'll be able to use it -- we wanted to offer you a sneak peek. Enjoy!

Latest additions to AccuClassical

2011-03-30T15:47:00.001-07:00

Whether it came in, or is going out like a lion where you reside, March has been ferocious (sorry!) with activity for me as there have been numerous additions to all the AccuClassical channels. Highlights include mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as she assumes the roles of both female and male characters in her recent gender-bending album "Diva Divo." Pianist Simone Dinnerstein brings intense expression to her latest release "Bach; A Strange Beauty," and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, with sextet eighth blackbird, premier celebrated American composer Jennifer Higdon's "On a Wire." Full list below. Enjoy!

Seattle Symphony - Sheherazade, Tsar Saltan Suite

Murray Perahia - Brahms: Handel Variations, Op. 24 / Rhapsodies, Op. 79 / Piano Pieces, Opp. 118 & 119

Gustavo Dudamel - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 / Francesca da Rimini

Angele Dubeau & La Pieta - John Adams: Portrait

Daniel Barenboim - Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words

Lang Lang - Gran Turismo 5: Original Game Soundtrack

The MET Orchestra - Wagner: Orchestral Music

Ray Chen - Virtuoso

Amati Quartet -Mozart/Haydn: Inspiriert

Nathan Milstein - Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin

BBC Symphony Orchestra - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1; Stravinsky: Firebird Suite

Berlin Philharmonic - Beethoven: Missa Solemnis

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No.9

Maurizio Pollini - Chopin: Préludes, Op.28

Vienna Philharmonic -Mahler: Symphony No. 6 / Kindertotenlieder

Pittsburgh Symphony - Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony/Tone Poems

Eugene Ormandy - Famous Rhapsodies

Takas Quartet - Schumann: String Quartet Op. 41, No. 3

Simon Trpceski - Chopin: Sonata No. 2; 4 Scherzos

Marc-André Hamelin - Chopin: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2 & 3

London Philharmonic - Vaughan Williams: Symphonies nos 3 & 4

New Philharmonia Orchestra - Tchaikovsky: Complete Suites for Orchestra

Matt Haimovitz - Matteo: 300 Years of an Italian Cello

Do We Know the Lyrics?

2011-03-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

While driving with two kids under 10 recently, I realized that we were in the “grown-up” car – the one with the deep house music, and a Millie Jackson cd. Asking our 10 yr. old guest her choice of music, she chose Radio Disney, but after listening to the lyrics of the first song, my husband whispered “if that’s approved for kids, then we could have just played the Millie Jackson!”

Do we really know what our children/grandchildren are listening to: Take a look at (a portion) of the following Rihanna lyrics (not heard on Radio Disney):

Feels so good being bad (Oh oh oh oh oh)
There's no way I'm turning back (Oh oh oh oh oh)
Now the pain is my pleasure cause nothing could measure (Oh oh oh oh oh)
Love is great, love is fine (Oh oh oh oh oh)
Out the box, outta line (Oh oh oh oh oh)
The affliction of the feeling leaves me wanting more (Oh oh oh oh oh)

Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it
Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But chains and whips excite me
[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/sm-lyrics-rihanna.html ]
Oh, I love the feeling you bring to me, oh, you turn me on
.....S-S-S & M-M-M

So, this is nothing new. (Remember Musique "...push push in the bush", just to name another.) Are children so easily influenced? Are suggestive lyrics enough to alter their behavior? Does it really matter?

How much does sound quality REALLY matter?

2011-03-25T13:14:00.001-07:00

Today is something called Dynamic Range Day 2011 (and you didn't even get the day off work, right?)

Seriously, it is. There's a Facebook page and everything. It was created by a group called Turn Me Up!, "a non-profit music industry organization campaigning to give artists back the choice to release more dynamic records" and calling for an end to the "Loudness Wars." What's that mean?

Over the past decade or so, pop, rock, and country records have been getting louder and louder. That is, the mastering level is being pushed higher and higher to its limit (before it actually becomes distorted), so the music seems louder (and thus, more exciting, the thinking goes) than the songs or albums around it. You may have noticed this when playing music at home or on a portable player (if you don't use ReplayGain or similar functions).

The way mastering engineers make music louder is by raising the level of everything, the soft parts and the loud parts. Of course, the soft parts can be raised more (relatively) than the loud parts (which are already loud), so they are. What you get is music where the parts that are intended to be quieter aren't really all that much quieter than the loud parts. The music loses its "dynamics," part of what makes music exciting. If everything is loud, can anything really be loud? Here's more:

I guess the bottom line is: Does this matter to you? Do you consider yourself "the average music consumer?" Do you feel you'd enjoy recorded music more if it retained the dynamic range of live music? Or do you think "hotter" recordings are indeed more exciting?

Or does all this just seem silly to worry about? ;)

The Whole Enchilada

2011-03-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows what an Enchilada is right? An enchilada (according to the dictionary) is a corn or flour tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce. Enchiladas can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including meat, cheese, beans, potatoes and vegetables. The reality is you can put anything and everything in an Enchilada.

We just launched a new country channel called The Whole Enchilada. Like all great Enchiladas it has everything in it; old country, new country, traditional country, alternative country, unsigned acts, giant hits and songs that never made it. Everything in our massive library gets played on The Whole Enchilada. Some of the “math” people in the office calculated that if you listened for 8 hours a day it would take you over six weeks to hear every song.

If you start now you can be finished before Summer.

The Saw Doctors at the Vic, March 19

2011-03-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

Irish rock legends the Saw Doctors soared into the Vic Theatre on Saturday night. Receiving a hero's welcome from a packed house before a single chord was played (their superhero alter-egos were depicted on the stage backdrop), Leo, Davy and company gave everyone in attendance a reason to make some noise all night long.

The Irish rockers from Tuam (pronounced: Chewam) took the stage dressed sharply and appeared to have a youthful swagger to their stage presence. The set opened with, fittingly, "Takin' the Train," a rocking lamentation with distorted riffs galore that happens to be the 1st track off the latest edition to the Docs' deep and rich catalog, "The Further Adventures of...the Saw Doctors."

Their music is loved the world over and by all ages because of their catchy hooks and universally appealing lyrics. Their new album brings 11 new tunes with the familiar style fans have come to know and love. Though having never gained the commercial success stateside as they have throughout the UK and their native Ireland, the Saw Doctors have a loyal following across the country and especially in Chicago. It's easy to tell what kind of fans a band has when they play a song, not necessarily the lead single, off a new album and the majority of the crowd is singing along. That happened during performances of "Indian Summer," and "Hazard."

Of course, audience participation was much higher when "The Green and Red of Mayo" came echoing out of the stacks of speakers on either side of the stage. Anyone who's been to the Ol' Sod can vividly picture the scenery described. As with most every song in the group's catalog, however, it's not necessary to have crossed the pond to understand the homesick feelings and national pride expressed. The same goes for "Clare Island" which had couples crooning throughout the theatre. As if one crooner special wasn't enough, the boys played "Share the Darkness" to a crowd seemingly swaying in unison to the suggestive, but polite lyrics.

After taking a quick break off-stage, the boys came back out for an extended encore which made everyone happy, save for the men running to the loo. The show would not have been complete without a spirited rendition of "N17" and the Saw Doctors obliged the crowd for the last song of the evening. As far as I can tell, there will be plenty more adventures for the Saw Doctors. And I look forward to the next time they come to visit Chicago. Until then, I'll wish I was back on that...

A Real Singer.....Loleatta Holloway

2011-03-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Did you know of Loleatta Holloway? After I passed news of her death yesterday, there were a few people that didn't remember her. While she was best known as a disco singer with her powerful pipes, Loleatta began her career singing gospel music with the Queen of Gospel, Albertina Walker and the Caravans. She went solo in the 70's, and later her voice was sampled by Black Box and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. A few of her songs were sampled many times.

Although those who remember her the most were big fans of "Hit & Run", "Love Sensation", and "Runaway", here are a few of her songs that show what a real singer she really was. Enjoy!
and, "Cry To Me"....

YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 Grand Finale

2011-03-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening I thankfully did not watch the premier of Dancing with the Stars, but rather the grand finale concert of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011. I had kept up with the daily highlights throughout the previous week and was excited for the finale, but wasn't about to get up at 4am on a Sunday to watch the event streamed live from the iconic Sydney Opera House when I knew it would be waiting for me on good 'ol YouTube whenever I wanted!

As mentioned, I had kept up with the goings on in the past week and to be honest, was a little bit nervous. Some of the rehearsal footage was, let's say, questionable. Would the orchestra be able to come together and pull it off in time? Turns out, yes and no.

Comprised of 101 musicians from 33 countries throughout the world - all of whom auditioned by video via YouTube of course - and led by the venerable Michael Tilson Thomas, the YTSO is a project unlike any other in it's ambition to both connect us through, and spread the joy of music. The excitement surrounding the entire week was palpable, and I'll admit, I was a little jealous. I would have loved to have been a part of this, and ten years ago when I was in my prime I would most certainly have auditioned (if YouTube existed!)

One reviewer, perhaps a bit harshly, compared the grand finale concert to "the final showcase after a week of band camp." Maybe so, but that's one helluva camp. To not only have the experience of connecting with musicians from all over the world, but to also gain insights and knowledge from principal players from some of the world's premier orchestras who mentored the participants, is something that cannot be bought. However, the same reviewer also correctly observed "that it takes more than a week to make an orchestra."

So while I watched the concert and beamed like a proud parent for all of the musicians on stage, it soon became apparent that the performance would be good, but not spectacular - there are just too many intricacies in an orchestra that take time to develop. It didn't matter though, the enthusiasm never wavered and the high spirits of the the musicians were infectious. The final three dances of Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" were simply outstanding and really gave a glimpse as to what this group could be capable of if given a bit more time together.

On a side note - one of the highlights for me had nothing to do with the music at all. In fact I was so entranced with the performance of Ukrainian sand artist Kseniya Simonova (around 2:08:00) that I nearly forgot about the orchestra all together. I experienced several what I can only describe as "Bob Ross" moments, where I thought Oh no! What have you done!?, only to marvel at the results. Amazing.

US Postal Service Unveils a Swingin' New Postage Stamp

2011-03-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Postal Service likes to adorn its postage stamps with all manner of different images, from cherished political figures to cherished religious figures to... geese. But up until now, there hasn't been a stamp designed specifically for the purpose of honoring Jazz, the art form often cited as one of America's greatest cultural exports. Individual artists like Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker have appeared on their own stamps, but there's never been a "Jazz Stamp." That changed this morning, at a ceremony in Greenville, South Carolina, where the USPS unveiled artist Paul Rogers' stunning new design, which admirably recreates the feeling of jazz through images.

Fortunately, Rogers wrote an in-depth blog post about the creative process leading up to his final product, which you can read here. He was inspired by classic jazz album covers by artists like David Stone Martin and Alex Steinweiss as well as stamp art by American painter Stuart Davis. It's fascinating to see the evolution of Rogers' design from sketch to stamp, as well as the two proposed designs that the USPS rejected.

Next time you're at the post office, pick up a pack of Jazz stamps and inject some rhythm into everything you mail.

How's that bracket looking?

2011-03-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

My NCAA bracket is a record of more poor decision-making than (hmmm, Charlie Sheen joke? BP? Britney Spears?).... you get the point.

Apparently, a good number of people who entered ESPN's tournament went 31-1 in the first round (no one was perfect). I was not one of them.

Who could've predicted Morehead St.?!? Richmond? And once again, George Mason standing tall in the NCAA! I blew those, naturally.

Anyhow, to get back to respectability, I need wins today from Kentucky, Florida, SD St., Pitt, BYU, Kansas St., UConn...

and wins tomorrow from NC, Duke, OSU, Texas, Purdue, Syracuse, Kansas, Notre Dame...

How's YOUR bracket looking?

St. Patty's Day MusiCrawl

2011-03-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

March 17, 2011 in Chicago was a splendid day from beginning to end. The sun was shining (for most of the day), temperatures reached the 60s and it seemed as though Chicago was finally thawing out from a harsh winter. On top of the good vibes flowing through the air, the city was abuzz for my favorite holy day of obligation, St. Patrick's Day.

    In the loop, packs of people walked the streets dressed in bright Kelly green from head to toe (I saw some knee high green socks on a few passersby). As I left work, the plan was to head west down Grand Ave, then ride the Blue Line north to Wilson Ave. (home of the Irish American Heritage Center) then back south along Elston. Fingers crossed, I'd only have to flag 1 taxi the entire night and still get around to some of the best Irish pubs in Chicago.

    Grand Ave. is dotted with a few Irish pubs, and each was packed to the gills. The windows were open and imbibers were leaning out to take in some fresh air. My sights were set on venues holding live music sessions. Places like Fado and Chief O'Neill's scheduled multiple Irish bands to perform late into the evening. So I put my blinders as I walked down Grand and began my St. Patty's Day MusiCrawl.

   It only took me 5 minutes to get side-tracked when I ducked inside Emmit's at one of Chicago's busiest 6 corner intersections. It had not yet filled to the brim with revelers so I decided to take the opportunity to promote RadioCelt at a grassroots level (maybe I have a political career in the future, NOT). The bartender sporting an Irish driving cap poured me a pale ale to help ease me into what I foresaw as a long night of drinking Smithwicks and Harp.

     The visit was a success in my mind despite being scolded by the only girl at the 1st table I approached. Apparently not knowing who the Frames are was a mortal sin in her mind. Rest assured, I've done my research on Glen Hansard and company. They will likely be added to a selection of RadioCelt's channels as well. Luckily I recognized a friend I had met at the IAHC a while back. I escaped the tongue-lashing to catch up with Center volunteer Meghan, then continued to work the crowd.

I stopped at one last table (my cup content was getting low) and enjoyed sharing stories of concerts and favorite Irish bands with 5 bonnie lasses. Much different from the 1st table. Before I knew it, my cup was empty. I thanked the ladies for their time and walked over to catch the Blue Line to my next planned destination.

    Walking up to the Irish American Heritage Center (IAHC), I revisited memories of the last spectacular concert I attended there. Just as I felt while watching the Clancy Brothers Tribute Night 2 weeks ago, every room (the IAHC has multiple spaces to hold performances) always appears comfortably full. The IAHC staff and legion of volunteers do a great job planning events and the St. Patrick's Day celebration can be added to that list.

     As I walked through the main entrance and past the administrative offices, a snaking queue was forming down the hall. It wasn't the ticket line, or the beer line for that matter. Kids and parents, teenagers and young couples stood waiting for their turn to fill a plate of traditional, authentic Irish fare.

    Inside the Fifth Province, the Center's busy pub on the 1st floor, were middle-aged couples sharing a laugh with neighbors and across the room kids bounced around on the dance floor in front of Irish trio The Boils. Recognizing many faces from my adolescence and the fact that the Boils' set was coming to a close, I finished the last gulp of my pint of Harp, thanked Kathy O'Neill (IAHC Director of Public Relations) for organizing a wonderful event and headed to the next venue on my radar.

      I'd been to the Abbey Pub before and remembered it having decent acoustics, although the music played last night was from an entirely different genre. The cavernous balcony that wraps around the stage room provides a unique point of view, or (as I witnessed at previous shows) a place of refuge from the normally raucous crowd dancing down below. So I was surprised to find tables set up halfway between the stage and the bar at the back of the room. I walked in as the next act was checking levels on stage. Mulligan's Stew five piece band had an average performance. Maybe it was the audience or song selection (I only stayed for 6 tunes), either way I finished the only pint of Guinness I had all night and hit bricks.

     About four blocks south of the Abbey sits Chief O'Neill's. It is arguably the best place to be on St. Patrick's Day in Chicago, possibly the world. No admission fee is very attractive to people like myself who have been to multiple bars throughout the night. I grabbed a cold Harp and had a quick chat with the bassist of closing act One of the Girls. Oh, and how could I forget to mention the cheery bartender who offered us some free Jameson shots!

In the tent erected alongside the building, I got a full plate of delicious corned beef, boiled red potatoes (loaded with butter, mmmm) and Shepherd's Pie all provided free of charge courtesy of Chief's. Once that was devoured I moved back inside to enjoy some world class trad music.

Seasoned session player Maurice Lennon commanded the crowd's attention front a seated position. Shows how talented he is. No theatrics needed. He and bar owner/All-Ireland Piping Champion Brendan McKinney had their musicianship do all the talking. The stage area was packed tightly with everyone on their feet. The virtuosos even were encouraged to play an encore after playing a lightning fast reel to close their set.

      Variety is apparently the spice of life. But I was never big on spiciness. For the 3rd straight year in a row, Chief O'Neill's has exceeded my expectations of what a night out on St. Patty's Day should be. All the other venues I visited were entertaining to visit but the overall winner was Chief's. My only regret was not getting there sooner to see the Emerald Society Pipers in all their glory.

Ferlin Husky

2011-03-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

Country Music legend Ferlin Husky, died Thursday (March 17) at age 85.

Ferlin’s biggest song was Wings of a Dove. It was number one for 10 weeks in 1960 and was also a "cross-over" pop hit.

You can hear the music of Ferlin Husky on our “Country Roots” channel.

New on Adult Alt: Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, the Cars, plus more on Just New Music channel!

2011-03-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've done a recap of the new music we've added to AccuRadio's Adult Alternative channels, so let's hop to it!!

A handful of "old favorites" are making a return with new music that you can hear on Adult Alternative. Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks, and even the Cars have new albums, and we're featuring tracks from them. By now, you've likely heard the new R.E.M., Robert Plant, and Elton John/Leon Russell project too. Also, keep your ears peeled for tracks from Sheryl Crow, David Gray, and a cool Bob Schneider tune called "Let the Light In."

And as I'm sure you're aware, we're all over the new Radiohead album, The King of Limbs. Especially on the Adult Alternative Just New Music channel, where we're playing every track!

Speaking of the Just New Music channel, we've poured a ton of new stuff in, including even more new music from some old fav's... New York Dolls, Prefab Sprout, and Steve Miller Band, plus music we've been looking forward to from the Strokes, Lenny Kravitz, and Foo Fighters

How about I just crank out a list for you?:

New Pornographers "Moves"
Sarah McLachlan "Illusions of Bliss"
Stockholm Syndrome "Town & Country"
April Smith & the Great Picture Show "Colors"
New York Dolls "Fool for You Baby"
Bruce Cockburn "Call Me Rose"
Sahara Smith "Are You Lonely"
Prefab Sprout "Falling in Love"
James McCartney "Angel"
The Strokes "Under Cover of Darkness"
Richard Ashcroft "Are You Ready?"
k.d. lang & the Siss Boom Bang "I Confess"
Gretchen Wilson "I'd Love to Be Your Last"
Paul McCartney "Helter Skelter" [live]
Los Lonely Boys "Fly Away"
Dan Mangan "Road Regrets"
Steve Miller Band "I Got Love If You Want It"
Lenny Kravitz "Come On Get It"
Florence + the Machine "You've Got the Love"
Cary Brothers "Break Off the Bough"

Band of Heathens "Polaroid"

Bell X1 "Velcro"

Sisemore "Morning After"
Foo Fighters "Rope"
The Cars "Sad Song" and "Blue Tip"

As always, I'd love to get feedback on this music, or anything we play. Hit me on Twitter at @Accuradio, or leave a comment below. Thanks, and enjoy!

2011-03-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Just saw that the "Men of Soul" tour is still being added to some cities. Maybe you've seen the tour, or it's coming to a city near you. The "Men of Soul" is comprised of: Jeffrey Osborne, Howard Hewett, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson, and at one time, Charlie Wilson.
It's the "Men of Soul" for grownup's. While looking at the 2011 tour schedule (hoping my town is included this year), it made me think: Which three or four male vocalists under 50 today would make the cut for "Men of Soul". Many R&B vocalists today are crossing over to larger audiences. Will they find this a comfort zone or as they mature, seek even more depth in their tunes or seek less commercialized ones? Any suggestions, or pick's?

In case you haven't viewed any "Men of Soul" concert footage, here is a pretty good one. They've still got their trademark vocals!

A Cubs' fan's dreams crushed, again

2011-03-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm really behind in my blogging, but I wanted to let you know that I applied to be the Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field public address announcer. You know, the "now batting for Pedro Bourbon.... Manny (Manny... Manny...) MO-TA! (Mota... Mota...)" guy.

The Cubs (my hometown nine) recently ran a promotion with CareerBuilder.com to find their new public address announcer. You had to create a short video of yourself reading their prepared script, and post it as public on YouTube. Which I did.

[Sorry I didn't tell you about this when auditions were still open. I'm just getting around to filling you in on it now because ~~I didn't want you competing with me~~ I've been sick *and* on the road, so I haven't had a chance to blog.]

If you check it out, you may recognize my voice from hearing it on AccuRadio (I read some of the short AccuRadio announcements - we call 'em 'liners,' and an occasional commercial). And I'll bet I don't look like I sound, right? I know, you expected someone taller.

Well, I didn't get it (cue muted trumpet "whah, whah" sound). Maybe I should've shaved. I read that the team invited 20 finalists to Wrigley Field on Monday to give it a go on the actual PA system. I did get an e-mail from the Cubs telling me to be on the look-out for another e-mail with "a great ticket offer to enjoy games in the Bud Light Bleachers for $10." When I started going to Cubs games, bleacher tickets were $5!

C'est la vie. But if you think your kid could use a little encouragement at the plate, I could come to his Little League game and announce him when he comes to bat (I can even blare some hip-hop music). I'm available Saturday mornings, and I still love baseball.

As good as it gets.

2011-03-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

If you watched the Beiber/Rascal Flatts video (below), you are probably in need of a real country fix. It doesn't get more real than this:

Country Bieber?

2011-03-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

It's official, Rascal Flatts has Beiber fever. The band did a duet with the teen idol called "That Should Be Me,"which can be found on Justin’s Never Say Never – The Remixes album. It's an interesting collaboration, and good (??) news, there's a video. Take a look and let us know what you think about Beiber/Flatts.

New Music on FPR

2011-03-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Lots of wonderful new music arriving over in the world of Future Perfect Radio. Check out the list of new albums below and then head on over to our New Music channel to hear them all!

Lykke Li -- Wounded Rhythms
Wye Oak -- Civilian
The Rural Alberta Advantage -- Departing
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart -- Belong
Cold War Kids -- Mine Is Yours

Cut Copy -- Zonoscope
Deerhoof -- Deerhoof vs. Evil
The Mountain Goats -- All Eternals Deck
Tapes 'N Tapes -- Outside
Destroyer -- Kaputt
Tennis -- Cape Dory
Say Hi -- Um, Uh Oh
The Veils -- Troubles of the Brain EP

New Music Playing at AccuJazz.com

2011-03-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

Over at the AccuJazz AccuBlog (creative title, I know), I've put together a massive list of the 90(!) most recently added titles to the AccuRadio jazz channels. Among this batch's highlights are new releases by vocalist Kurt Elling, drummer Steve Gadd, wunderkind saxophonist Grace Kelly (this Grace Kelly, not that one) and plenty of the way-under-the-radar stuff that I like so much.

Check out the post here, and why not listen to AccuJazz's New Releases channel while you're at it?

It's Fat Tuesday at AccuJazz.com

2011-03-08T09:50:00.001-08:00

By now, you might be wondering whether you missed the beginning of Lent altogether, but have no fear: Ash Wednesday falls on the 2nd-latest possible date this year. That means today is Fat Tuesday, the day when good Christian people everywhere revel in utter excess before the 40 days of self-denial leading up to Easter. It's also the day when the world turns its eyes and ears to the great city of New Orleans, that utterly unique cultural melting pot known for its particularly raucous Mardi Gras celebrations.

If you, like me, are in the mood for some spicy and greasy sounds from the Crescent City, just head over to AccuRadio's partner site, AccuJazz.com. Right at the top of the page, you'll find a channel called "Regions: New Orleans." Once you launch the channel, you'll hear great music by NOLA musicians old and new, from Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton to Stanton Moore and Trombone Shorty. While most of the music on the channel features the funky, swinging grooves that Mardi Gras revelers are looking for, there is also a sampling of music by New Orleans musicians that doesn't exactly sound like New Orleans. Do yourself a favor and keep listening when you hear the less-traditional sounds from folks like Jeff Albert, John Ellis and Kidd Jordan along with your Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Harry Connick, Jr. You'll find that a diverse sound palette only enhances the party.

Also at the top of the AccuJazz homepage is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival channel, playing music by jazz musicians scheduled to perform at this year's festival. While many jazz lovers (myself included) have lamented the festival's shift in focus from jazz to mainstream rock and pop (among this year's headliners are Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffett and Kid Rock), there is still a sizable jazz contingent at the fest. On AccuJazz's channel, you'll hear legends like Ahmad Jamal and Sonny Rollins as well as younger stars like Anat Cohen and NOLA native Christian Scott.

If you can't make it to the Big Easy for the Mardi Gras festivities or jazz fest, AccuJazz.com's New Orleans channels are the next best thing.

But before you go anywhere, spend a moment with the master of New Orleans piano, Professor Longhair:

Not just our “Country”

2011-03-07T09:39:00.001-08:00

Last weekend the best place to see country music wasn’t in Nashville or anywhere else in the United States. The best place to see great live country music was Australia. Australia’s Country Music Channels put on a two-day country music festival called “CMC Rocks The Hunter”. The Hunter, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales about 200 miles north of Sydney. The headliners were: Alan Jackson, Joe Nichols, Jack Ingram, Emerson Drive plus several Australian country music acts. Miranda Lambert was scheduled to play but had to pull out due to illness.

If you were at the show, post a comment and let us know how it was. Also if you’re an AccuCountry listener in Australia (or anywhere) we would love to hear your suggestions on how we could make the AccuCountry channels even better for you.

New features in the AccuRadio player

2011-03-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

We've launched a bunch of new features in the AccuRadio player today. Here's what's new:

1) Big album art and improved metadata

We've more than doubled the size of album art for currently-playing tracks. Plus, we've tweaked how song titles, artist names and other info is displayed. We hope you like the changes!

2) Easily ban artists

You've always been able to remove specific artists from your channels, but now it's easier than ever. Simply click the "Ban" button, confirm that you want to ban the currently-playing artist and you're done!

You can always go into the "Customize by Artist" tab to add artists back.

3) Share songs and channels on Facebook and Twitter

This is probably our favorite new feature. Love this song? Want to show your friends and family your excellent musical taste? Just click the "Share" button and choose what you want to share (song, or channel). A message will appear in Facebook or Twitter.

4) Rate songs

Tell others how great (or not so great) every song on AccuRadio is by rating it! Click the "Rate" button in the player and choose the rating on a 5-star scale. Make your opinions heard!

5) Access channel history and favorites

Now you can easily access your favorite and recently-heard AccuRadio channels right from the player. Just click the "My Channels" tab in the player.

This is really just the first step in a whole catalog of exciting new features we're working on rolling out. Please let us know what you think of the updates so far in the comments and stay tuned for more!

"Just Charlie"......not the other one

2011-03-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

With so much entertainment and gossip this week following the Oscars, not to mention the entertaining and humorous, yet tragic interviews of Charlie Sheen, it's likely you didn't notice some of the nice things happening. Check out these pictures of another "Charlie", not the most popular this week with the masses, but in our book, he ranks much higher: Charlie Wilson, former member of the Gap Band, still "keeping on" - this time supporting our Military in Kuwait and Iraq. Charlie is also touring in the U.S., so be sure to try and catch him. You'll appreciate his new cd cuts, along with reminiscing the old Gap Band tunes.

My CD picks from "Just Charlie": "Once and Forever", "Where Would I Be", & "Never Got Enough"

Have a great weekend!

Gonna try making music (again)

2011-03-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

I took up the guitar even before I got to high school. I've loved music for as long as I can remember, but I didn't come from a particularly musical family, so it wasn't until my small parochial grammar school experimented with starting up a band program that I was first able to try and make music. I picked the saxophone (the most "rock 'n roll" of the school band axes, thought I).

It didn't take me long to realize that my heart wasn't in it. And really, show me a sixth-grader who likes to play band music. (At least I didn't play the TROMBONE, like my brother!)

Anyway, bless my parents, because even after I quit the saxophone, they subsidized my purchase of a second-hand Cortez Les Paul copy and $5/half-hour weekly lessons at a music store in the strip mall across the street from our house (I understand lessons are QUITE a bit more expensive these days!). And I loved it.

You'd be AMAZED at how little you need to know about playing guitar to impress someone who knows even less. I mean it! I barely knew how to plug my guitar into my Sears (really!) amp, and I was like rock royalty! Once I learned a few chords, whoa! Then, when I took the time and could play the guitar solo in Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" note-for-note, I achieved god-like status amongst my shaggy crowd in south-suburban Chicago.

But it stopped there. I only took lessons for a couple months. I had learned enough to be able to learn songs on my own. I could improvise solos around the blues scale. And that was enough for the "garage rockin'" I was doing. When I got to college, I'd jam with guys on my dorm floor. But then, I graduated, got busy, got a job, and more or less put the guitar down. People thought I was crazy! But, it didn't satisfy me anymore, because my skills never progressed. Now, after not playing for years, I'm rusty and even less satisfied with what I can do.

Anyway, I bought a Groupon (or some such thing) for 4 lessons at a place right near the AccuRadio office called Guitar Chicago. Tomorrow's my first lesson. Wish me luck!

The guitar in the photo is not mine (thanks to the owner of the photo, btw), but it's exactly like it. A 1983 reissue of the 1957 Fender Stratocaster, made in the Fullerton, CA plant, white (though really nicely yellowed with age now) with a maple neck. Like Jimi at Woodstock!

Trace Adkins - Brown Chicken Brown Cow

2011-03-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

Here are the ingredients needed to make a great country music video:

1. Puppets.
2. A barn full of hay.
3. A stripper pole.
4. A crow playing the guitar.
5. Trace Adkins

Check out his new video for "Brown Chicken, Brown Cow."

New Lykke Li, "I Follow Rivers"

2011-03-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

The sophomore effort from Swedish songwriter Lykke Li, Wounded Rhymes, landed at the very end of February. It's an amazing album and -- dare I say it? -- even better than her first LP Youth Novels.

You'll soon be able to hear Wounded Rhymes on Future Perfect Radio. Until then, listen to the (arguably) best track from the new album, "I Follow Rivers," below.

Celtic Thunder Trace Their Musical Roots

2011-02-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

Phil Coulter has done it again. For those unfamiliar with the man, the myth, the legend, Coulter is the composer for world sensation Celtic Thunder. He and show producer Sharon Browne have helped CT sell nearly 1 million units combined.

The group is comprised of five outstanding singers: Damian McGinty, Keith Harkin, Ryan Kelly, Paul Byrom, George Donaldson, Neil Byrne, and newest group member Emmet Cahill who was hand-picked by Coulter last year.

Coulter is a master at writing catchy pop songs. Remember little ditties such as "Shang-a-Lang" by the Bay City Rollers?
He founded the term "teenybopper" and composed the music that demographic ate up. "While teenybopper music was good for my bank balance," Coulter says, "Irish music was good for my soul."

In the mid-seventies, he took a break from compoping catchy, bubble-gum pop music and worked on Irish trad albums with bands such as Planxty (Liam O'Flynn, Christie Moore, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine), the Dubliners, and the Furey Brothers. His tasteful contributions to the albums (like the tune below) showed Coulter hadn't sold his soul to commercialism.

Eventually, though, Coulter saw a way to make his soul happy while filling his pockets full of sterling. He searched throughout Ireland for the most versatile and talented stage performers and packaged them as Celtic Thunder. Since the group's 1st PBS special aired in 2008, though, the focus of the music has been on contemporary and classic Pop standards with a small sampling of Irish ballads sprinkled into the set list.

Heritage finally shines the spotlight on Celtic music, although it is over-produced and watered down to sound less abrasive to new listeners. When Ryan Kelly sings "Black Is the Color," the strongest track on Heritage, it's like I'm hearing it for the first time. In that sense, Coulter is a genius for taking old familiar songs and making them sound fresh and new.

Some of Coulter's original compositions such as "Home from the Sea" fit the mold of traditional tunes written a hundred years before. Celtic Thunder is in a position to help Celtic music become more recognizable as well as more diverse. With Heritage Coulter brings some of the most beautiful tunes ever written to an unfathomable number of people. The show will air 1,000 times on PBS! Hopefully Heritage leads people to discover the many more talented Celtic artists out there today.

R&B Adult....for Grown-up's....for You!

2011-02-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Undoubtedly, you have heard the "phrases" before: "Music for Grown-up's", "Old School", "Mid-day Mix"etc. If you haven't already, you are invited to try "R&B Adult". Much more than what the above implies. "R&B Adult" is all of the above, and More!
"R&B Adult" plays a music mix of hits from "Today's R&B". We incorporate "Smooth Jazz", a few killer Slow Jams, and you'll even hear a "Steppers" cut here and there. R&B Adult is a vibe that is perfect for listening at the office, in your car, making dinner, getting the kids off to school , etc. because it's programmed to fit in your day, not interrupt it. Here's a sample playlist of a recent session on "R&B Adult":

*Toni Braxton "Yesterday"
*Blackbyrds "Rock Creek Park"
*Luther Vandross "Never Too Much"
*Teena Marie "De Ja Vu"
*Tevin Campbell "Can We Talk"
*Ray Obiedo, feat. Peabo Bryson "Sweet Summer Days"
*George Benson "Breezin"
*Peabo Bryson "If Ever You're in My Arms Again"
*Chrisette Michele "Baby I'm A Star"
*Kem "Share My Life"
*David Ruffin "Walk Away From Love"
*K'Jon "Good Morning"
*Paul Hardcastle "Shelbi"
*Maxwell "Sumthin' Sumthin'"

Thank You, in advance for listening! As always, we love reading our listeners comments!!!

There's an insidious threat to your mental health, dwelling within your very own family...

2011-02-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

...and it could be your parents and their e-mail account. At least that's my situation.

My parents' neighbor forwarded one of these beauties to my Mom, who dutifully "sent it to EVERYONE she knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (including me). That URL at the bottom links to the YouTube video below. It's a story from a newscast that ran on Scripps Company's "NBC Action News" KSHB Channel 41 in Kansas City.

Though it might just as well have been from The Onion News Network.

In my humble opinion, it's a breathtakingly ambitious example of "scare journalism," but it's so ridiculous, it seems like a full-on parody. It's amazingly short on any sort of facts, research, or helpful information, but down-home generous on the "edge-of-your-seat" theatrical language. If you want to give your IQ a four-minute smackdown, go ahead and watch it. If not, feel free to take my word for it.

The story concerns smartphone owners who are unknowingly including GPS information tagged to photos they post online. Which could be a concern. But the tone of the story makes it seem Kansas City is under siege by a gang of killers targeting the subjects of online photos, and using the GPS tags to find their next victim.

There are most certainly legitimate concerns regarding social media and mobile technology, especially for parents of kids who may be equipped with these tools, but not the understanding and maturity to safeguard themselves.

But news stories like this DO NOT HELP. For the love of all that makes us rational, sentient humans, let's all please stop paying attention to people whose job it is to scare you enough so you don't change the channel, and so you continue to watch the television through the next set of commercials. This is NOT journalism, it's NOT information, it's nothing more than emotional manipulation. We make these idiots' jobs quite easy if, instead of looking into and questioning those things we don't understand, we allow ourselves to reflexively become afraid of them.

If you do watch this 4-minute segment (against my advice), you'll notice they spend 3-and-a-half minutes scaring the snot out of you, then, almost as an aside, they conveniently mention at the end that there's a quick and easy fix? (A fix, btw, that anyone who's spent 5 minutes learning how to use their smartphone would already know about.) And notice the emotionally-charged language ("a new threat," "new technology can allow hackers," "track down you and your kids") and editing (scary blurred-face kid photos, mom who doesn't want to talk on camera). This isn't news, it's a horror movie!

If you decide you really want to learn more about anything at all, PLEASE ask an expert about it. (People who read tele-prompters on the local news are experts in NOTHING. Often not even reading. And local news people are NOT looking out for your best interests. They're looking out for THEIR best interests, which, as I mentioned, is scaring you just enough so you don't turn on "Wheel of Fortune" instead.) None of us are born knowing everything there is to know about, say, smartphones and social media. So find someone who does know those things, someone you trust, and ask them.

Okay, I'm not belly-aching about concerned parents and grandparents who send e-mails around because they're concerned about things of which they feel they lack understanding. I get it, and it's cool. What strikes me as wrong is "news" producers who exploit that concern and lack of understanding for nothing more than ratings.

Now you kids get offa mah lawn!

Fortune Cookies from The Builders & the Butchers

2011-02-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

In honor of their new album Dead Reckoning -- released this past Tuesday, February 22 -- I thought I'd compile some of the best Builders and Butchers' lyrics.

Think of them of gritty folk-rock fortune cookies.

"A true love will leave you on your knees in the rain."

"They'll tie you to the cross / Cause your life ain't worth a nail."

"No one here knows your name / And you won't be comin' home."

"You can't run away from the worst of your dreams / They'll string you up when you're trying to fall fast asleep."

"You'll never find a hero just a dirty souvenir."

"Paint your front door red and white / Fill your pockets with lead and silver / Now the sea will rise and boil / When we give our bodies to the red rock soil / When the sun goes down on southern Barcelona"

"You're not comin' back to a town that was built on black gold and iron ore."

"If you paint me as a liar / You can count your days and watch the steps you take."

"My branches are waiting for you like arms."

You can hear The Builders & the Butchers' music on these AccuRadio channels.

Still Taking it to the Streets.

2011-02-23T06:03:00.000-08:00

The Doobie Brothers have “gone country.’ The title track from the band’s new album, World Gone Crazy, was sent to country radio this week. One of the cuts on the album features Willie Nelson singing with the band. Whenever a pop/rock band tries to crossover to the country format it reminds of the great Alan Jackson song, (written by Bob McDill),“Gone Country.”

Well, the folk scene’s dead, but he's holding out in the village
He's been writing songs, speaking out against wealth and privilege
He says, ''I don't believe in money, but a man could make him a killin',
'Cause some of that stuff don't sound much different that Dylan.''
I hear down there it's changed you see
They're not as backward as they used to be.

He's gone country, look at his boots
He's gone country, back to his roots
He's gone country, a new kind of suit
He's gone country, here he comes.

He commutes to L.A., but he's got a house in the valley
But the bills are piling up and the pop scene just ain't on the rally
He says, ''Honey, I'm a serious composer, schooled in voice and composition
But with the crime and the smog these days, this ain't no place for children.''
Lord, it sounds so easy, this shouldn't take long
Be back in the money in no time at all.

He's gone country, look at them boots
He's gone country, back to his roots
He's gone country, a new kind of suit
He's gone country, here he comes.

He's gone country.
He's gone country.
Everybody's gone country.
Yeah, we've gone county.
The whole world's gone country

The last number one song by the Doobie Brothers was “What a Fool Believes”, in 1979.

The Meaning of Black History Month?

2011-02-22T15:21:00.000-08:00

How quickly the month goes, and this one is Black History Month. As long as you can remember listening to Radio or watching TV, you remember some form of promotion done during the month of February honoring Black individuals contributing to American History.
How many of us have known anybody (or, maybe more than one) person who has made a difference in our lives. I ask this because after hearing about African-American contributions, or seeing history pictures all month at the library, or even grocery stores, you begin to think how you can make a difference in history, or maybe even a dent in someone's life.

While I met former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown, I knew his wife, Alma-Arrington Brown much better. She was a friend, and a mentor in business, and in life. But, it wasn't until his tragic death that I knew she really cared about me, since she never complained about the pressures of being a wife in the political scene. She was bubbly most of the time, so much that you would think that maybe there wasn't much pressure.

Even if you don't make history, there is always room to help someone else get along, whether it be in their job, sharing stories to give optimism to the younger generation, giving someone the whole picture of marriage to help prepare them, being a sound board for songwriters who sincerely want to send the best message through their music, or passing along your knowledge, wisdom, and faith.

Another point that comes to mind is that some critics don't support Black History Month because they don't like that it is celebrated during a short month or feel that it is intended to be ignored during the remainder months. Well, how do those critics think Hispanics feel when their Heritage month is part of September, and part of October? They could make a case too, and if they have, it would be interesting to know their objections.Being a proud American, I respect all holidays on the calendar.

Do you celebrate Black History Month at your school, work, church or anywhere else? Is school enough to educate our children about Black History?

Classical music is for everybody

2011-02-22T11:53:00.000-08:00

Benjamin Zander - conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, teacher and speaker extraordinaire - gives a TED talk on how Classical music is for everybody, they just don't know it yet. His passion, energy and humor are so infectious he's sure to inspire every existing fan, and convert those who haven't yet discovered his joy.

If you happen to be new to Classical music you may find it intimidating and not know where to start. If so, never fear, our Classical 101 channel is here to help!

Classical music is all around us, in Film, Television, commercials and even cartoons. Give it a chance, you might just surprise yourself at how much you already know!

New Music on FPR: Radiohead, Decemberists and more...

2011-02-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

I've just added a ton of new music to AccuRadio's Future Perfect Radio channels. More is coming soon, so stay tuned!

Radiohead -- The King of Limbs
The Decemberists -- The King Is Dead
The Hundred in the Hands -- The Hundred in the Hands
Echo Lake -- Young Silence
Smith Westerns -- Dye It Blonde

Lots more after the break...

Depedro -- Nubes de Papel
Eux Autres -- Broken Bow
Games -- That We Can Play
Klaxons -- Surfing the Void
We Are Enfant Terrible -- Wild Fish
Agnes Obel -- Philharmonics
Asobi Seksu -- Fluorescence
Bassnectar -- Wildstyle
Ben + Vesper -- Honors
Big Search -- Big Search
Botany -- Feeling Today
British Sea Power -- Valhalla Dancehall
Broken Records -- Let Me Come Home
Cajun Gems -- Richard Byrd at Little America
Cake -- Showroom of Compassion
The Comforters -- Two Piece Orchestra
Nate Currin -- Goodnight California
The Dears -- Degeneration Street
Deerhoof -- Deerhoof vs. Evil
Destroyer -- Kaputt
Dolorean -- The Unfazed
Epstein -- Sealess See
Expatriate -- In the Midst of This
Holy Sons -- Survivalist Tales!
The Hush Now -- Please Mephistopheles (Leave Me Alone)
Liz Janes -- Say Goodbye
Joy Division -- Unknown Pleasures
Klaxons -- Landmarks of Lunacy
Make Out -- How To
Matt & Kim -- Sidewalks
Modern Skirts -- Gramahawk
Oberhofer -- Away Frm U
The Parting Gifts -- Strychnine Dandelions
Prussia -- Four for Attention
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers -- Teenage & Torture
Shirock -- Everything Burns
Small Black -- New Chain
Sun Airway -- Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier
Tennis -- Cape Dory
Thank You -- Golden Worry
Thorcraft Cobra -- The Thorcraft Cobra EP
The Veils -- Troubles of the Brain EP
Thom Yorke -- Spitting Feathers
jj -- Kills