July 25

Here, hear one of the goodies that those generous and hardworking folks at the Transistor 66 record label sent to us at WCBN. The NXNE Film Festival screened an excellent documentary about Transistor 66 this summer.

Here also, I begin pumping myself up for the Mayer Hawthorne shows that occurred the following day. Both of the shows–Mayer Hawthorne playing with his band The County during lunch hour and his DJ set at LIVE later in the evening–were terrific, for different reasons. Can I just provide noninclusive lists that detail why both shows were great?

A. Show during lunch hour
– People of all ages showed up, including at least one dancing baby
– Synchronized dancing
– The bass player’s afro
– The band set aside time to pose for pictures
– It was a FREE SHOW
– That Sonic Lunch exists
– The historic Michigan Theater
– That Ann Arbor exists like this, for reals
– Chocolates and dancing in the balcony
– Tambourine on his head

B. DJ set at LIVE
– Mayer Hawthorne aka Andrew Cohen aka DJ Haircut
– Dancing, which almost never happens
– Creepy stairwell

One never can emphasize enough this phenomenon of kittens inspired by kittens.

(2 hours)
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Playlist
Artist = “Song title”, Album title. [Notes.]
1. Zap Mama = “M’Toto”, a ma zone
2. Grass Widow = “Milo minute”, Internal logic
3. The La’s [sic] = “Liberty ship”, The La’s
4. King Kong = “Scooba dooba diver”, Funny farm
5. The Vibrating Beds = “Six eight”. [EP]
6. Mayer Hawthorne with Snoop Dogg = “can’t stop”, how do you do
7. Project Move = “Woo (instrumental)”. [EP]
8. sacred rhythms of cuban santeria = “Chango” ritmos sagrados de la santeria cubana
9. Filastine (feat. Jessika Skeletalia Kenny) = “fitnah”, dirty bomb
10. April in the Orange = “She was not of the earth”. [EP]
11. Ditty Bops = “Walk or ride”, The Ditty Bops
12. Daryl Hall & John Oates = “Tell me what you want”, Private eyes
13. Petre Mihaescu = “Ninge pe strada mea”, Muzica usoara romaneasca
14. Gorillaz = “The speak it mountains”, The Fall
15. Russian Language Lessons = “Vol. 5”
16. Hofi Geza = [Hungarian stand-up comedy]
17. Pesnyary = “Come along streets”, Vocal and instrumental ensemble
18. Prazsky Poutovy Orchestra = “To by bylo neco”, Housle nebudou, Dalibore!
19. Sandor Lakatos = “Kesergo, verbunkos, friss”, The star of the Hungarian Pavilion at the Brussels World Fair
20. Edward MacDowell Camarata and his orchestra = “Will o’ the wisp”, Woodland sketches
21. Shad = “I heard you had a voice like an angel”, The old prince
22. MC Frontalot with Wyatt Cenac = “Problems: Mr. Cenac”, Solved
23. Konrad = “Luxury of wishful peace”, Shadow boxing
24. Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci = “Drws”, Spanish dance troupe
25. The Death Set (feat. Beau Velasco) = “Is that a French dog?”, Michel Poiccard
26. Radio Free Vestibule = “How many times has this happened to you?, Sketches songs and shoes
27. The Death Set = “Kittens inspired by kittens”, Michel Poiccard
28. Animal Collective = “Honeycomb”. [EP]
29. King Geedorah = “Monster zero”, Take me to your leader
30. Will Smith = “Freakin’ it”
31. The Born Again Floozies = “Born Again Floozies theme song”, 7 deadly sinners
32. Le Loup = “Grow”, Family
33. Axel Zwingenberger/Charlie Watts/David Green = “More sympathy for the drummer”, The A B C & D of Boogie Woogie
34. featuring Pappy Hanahan on the ricky tick = “Golden nugget”, Honky tonk in percussion
35. Head Like A Kite = “Interested in worms?”, Random portraits of the home movie

July 11

All the selections in this show come from the “experimental” section of the WCBN music library.

Cats are popular. Our DJ Michael’s opinion of the second track in the set: “I like the part with the meows.” Me, I liked the angry-sounding meows.

In addition to cats, this show features taxi cab horns honking, men mimicking frogs, marimbas, drums of course, and much more.

Tune in.

(2 hours)
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Playlist
Artist = “Song title”, Album title. [Notes.]
1. So Percussion = “Work slow life”, Amid the noise. [Cantaloupe Music]
2. Ros Bobos = “We are kittens”, Uncharted universal euphoria
3. Glen Velez = “internal combustion”, internal combustion. [Schematic]
– mixed with –
4. Holly Prado = “Rilke as door”, Word rituals. [new alliance records]
– mixed with –
5. Holly Prado = “a door”, Word rituals. [new alliance records]
– mixed with –
6. Holly Prado = “Flowerage”, Word rituals. [new alliance records]
– mixed with –
7. Joel Lipman = “The day I had love”, Down your street. [new alliance records]
– mixed with –
8. Holly Prado = “He photographed the earth as if it were a woman” Word rituals. [new alliance records]
– mixed with –
9. Joel Lipman = “Amid the Vietnamese”, Down your street. [new alliance records]
– mixed with –
10. Joel Lipman = “Why I give bums money”, Down your street. [new alliance records]
11. Shalabi Effect = “Pai Nai”, Unfortunately. [alien8recordings]
12. Richard Thomas = “Acid-free Atlantis”, Soggy martyrs
13. Daniel Bernard Roumain [DBR] = “the la la song”, etudes4violin&electronix. [Thirsty Ear]
14. Rituel = “Unseen rain”, New music for a new America. [Rastascan Records]
15. Irene Papas & Vangelis Papathanassiou = “To Potami”, Odes. [Greek Video, Records & Tapes, Inc.]
17. Colin Stetson = “Tiger tiger crane”, New history warfare, Vol. 1. [Aagoo Records]
18. The Tape-beatles = “Point within a circle”, Good times. [Public Works Productions]
19. Rough Assemblage = “Construction et demolition”, Construction and demolition. [Avant]
– mixed with –
20. Baka Forest People = “#13”, Heart of the forest. [Hannibal Records]
21. So Percussion = “Evan Ziporyn: Melody competition”, So Percussion. [Cantaloupe]
22. meri von kleinsmid = “#2 (sister joyce)”, Chi-Tape. [American Archive Recordings]
23. La Drivers Union Por Por group = “Por Por horn-to-horn fireworks”, Por Por honk horn music of Ghana. [Smithsonian Folkways Recordings]
24. Evan Ziporyn = “Frogs (I wayan wija)”, Shadowbang. [Cantaloupe]
25. Trevor Dunn’s Trio Convulsant = “specter of serling”, sister phantom owl fish. [ipecac recordings]
26. Wobbly = “untitled 2 (yo yo yo)”, Wild why. [Tigerbeat6]
27. Ken Nordine = “the vidiot”, Best of word jazz
28. Patrice Sciortino = “Ciel de cimes”, Chronoradial: Musique de Patrice Sciortino. [Omni]
29. Evolution Control Committee = “Music for selling”
30. Rob Bobos = “Disclaimer”, Mandatory astra

Subbing for freedom

What I like to do after the 4th of July is to celebrate my freedom on the airwaves. Herein I do so, with freeform, while subbing for our usual afternoon DJ Freedom.

(3 hours)
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Playlist
Artist = “Song title”, Album title. [Notes.]
1. THEESatisfaction = “Bitch”, awE naturalE
2. Doctor Striker = “Be a man, go to the gym”, Doctor Striker. [local!]
3. MC Frontalot and Kristen Schaal = “Problems: Ms. Schaal”, Solved
4. Ivo Papasov and his Bulgarian wedding band = “Byala stala”, Orpheus ascending
5. Jherek Bischoff & David Byrne (vox) = “Eyes”, Composed
6. Jherek Bischoff with Caetano Veloso (vox) & Greg Saunier (percussion) = “The secret of the machines”, Composed
7. John Williams = “The conversation”, Close Encounters of the Third Kind soundtrack
8. composed by Alberto Iglesias, performed by Caetano Veloso = “Cucurrucucu” Talk To Her soundtrack
9. John Sinclair & Planet D Nonet = “Everybody loves my baby”, Viper madness
10. Superspies From Outer Space = “Are you lonesome tonight?”, Superspies From Outer Space
11. Louis Jordan = “Knock me a kiss”, Swingers soundtrack
12. Music arranged & conducted by Dick Hyman = “It don’t mean a thing (if it ain’t got that swing”, Music from the motion picture Sweet and Lowdown
13. (orchestra) = “Say one for me”, Say One For Me: An original soundtrack recording
14. Al Goodman and his Orchestra with Sandra Deel and The Guild Choristers = “I’m gonna wash that man right outa my hair”, South Pacific soundtrack
15. Miyoshi Umeki, Conrad Yama, Keye Luke, Juanita Hall, Rose Quong = “A hundred million miracles”, Flower Drum Song soundtrack
17. SWAG (featuring members of: The Mavericks, Wilco and Cheap Trick) = “different girl”, different girls EP
18. Burnside Exploration = “Boogie (instrumental)”, The Record
19. Hawthorne Headhunters = “Ghostfields”, Myriad of now
20. Dick Siegel = “Tic Toc”, Angels aweigh
21. Ramatam = “Strange place”, Ramatam
22. White Stripes = “Prickly thorn, but sweetly worn”, Icky thump
23. Olivia Tremor Control = “Marking time”, Music from the unrealized film script, Dusk At Cubist Castle
24. Ivo Papasov and his Bulgarian wedding band = “Bulchenska ratchenitsa (bride’s ratchenitsa)”, Orpheus ascending
25. Les Voix Bulgares de L’ensemble Radio Sofia = “Dora”, Balkan mysterious voices of Bulgaria
26. Melina Mercouri (?) = “Never on Sunday”, Never on Sunday soundtrack
27. Entre Rios = “ya no me sorprendes”, Onda
28. Ramatam = “Excerpt from guitar concerto #1”, In April came the dawning of the red suns
29. Dr. John = “Ice age”, Locked down
30. Squarepusher = “Unreal square”, Ufabulum
31. Me’Shell Ndegeocello = “Tie one on”, Devil’s halo
32. Jherek Bischoff, with Zac Pennington & Soko (vox) = “Young and lovely”, Composed
33. Of Montreal = “I was never young”, the sunlandic twins
34. Oh No Ono = “Helplessly young”, Eggs
35. Red Krayola = “The letter”, armor and language
36. Gomez = “Revolutionary kind”, Liquid skin
37. Eddie Campbell = “Yesterday when I was young”, The sultans of soul
38. The Supremes = “Queen of the house”, At the Copa revisited: The complete show. [from The Supremes at the Copa: Expanded edition.]
39. Ergo = “Let’s”, If not inertia
40. Henning Schmiedt = “1 Ei”, Klavierraum
41. Janel & Anthony = “Mustang song”, Where is home
42. Pixel = “Call me”, Reminder
43. Rick Estrin and the Nightcats = “Desperation perspiration”, One wrong turn
44. Fortner Anderson = “july9”, Solitary pleasures

4th of July

All-American stories and storytellers!

Robin Williams recounting the tall tale of Pecos Bill? Listen!

(2 hours)
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Playlist
Artist = “Song title”, Album title. [Notes.]
1. Beatles = “I’m so tired”, White album
2. Doors = “The crystal ship”, Doors
3. Johnny Cash = “Delia’s gone”, The sound of Johnny Cash
4. Johnny Cash = “The legend of John Jenry’s hammer”, Blood, sweat and tears
5. Robin Williams & Ry Cooder = “Pecos Bill”, (Part 1)
6. John Fahey = “John Henry (Part 2)”, Your past comes back to haunt you: The Fonotone years (1958-1965)
7. Robin Williams & Ry Cooder = “Pecos Bill”, (Part 2)
8. Arlo Guthrie = “Alice’s restaurant” Alice’s restaurant
9. Tom Brosseau = “Miss Lucy”, Posthumous success
10. Dan Hicks = “Collared blues” It happened one bite
11. Fiona Apple = “Window”, extraordinary machine
12. Summer Camp = “Losing my mind”, Welcome to Condale
13. Manhole = “Awful feeling”, High & outside
14. Psychic Feline = “Non dot”, [45]
15. What’s In The Bottle = buncha tracks, [local!]
16. Witch Gardens = “Aunt Shae/Mean Colleen”, R-I-P
17. Thingy = track 12, To the innocent
18. Zammuto = “ZEBRA BUTT”, Zammuto
19. David Greenberger & Shaking Ray Levis = “Our window”, Mayor of the Tennessee River
20. Suran Song in Stag = “Dust crush”, Pure agitator
21. Think Of One = “Hamdushi five”, Camping shaabi

June 27: All Cappella 4

It’s that time again for another (one more!) show that’s strictly a cappella. This one contains some familiar artists, but also a good many a cappella versions of hip-hop tracks.

Have you ever heard a poet breathe–just breathe? Have you ever heard the breaths of Maya Angelou? A track by Language Removal Services shows up near the end of the show–it’s a 30- or 40-second piece that was created from a recording of the famous poet and author who knows why the caged bird sings. Our friends at WFMU can flesh it out for you.

(2 hours)
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Mr. Jimmy John himself (that’s not true–a dude in his car who was delivering Jimmy John’s subs) gave the thumbs-up on this one!

Playlist
Artist = “Song title”, Album title. [Notes.]
1. Baka Forest People = “#6”, Heart of the forest
2. Sara Tavares = “Caminhanti”, Xinti
3. Blair = “In the dark”, Burying the evidence
4. Jana Hunter = “Laughing & crying”, Blank unstaring heirs of doom
5. Ben Lee = “A month today”, Something to remember me by
6. Chugga Chugga = “Who’s the boss”, Nine time
7. Mirah = “Gone are all the days”, (A) Gone are all the days remixes
8. T-Pain featuring Yung Joc = “Buy u a drank (shawty snappin’)”
9. Dru Hill = “Tell me”
10. De La Soul = “The grind date”
11. Joya = “Gettin off on you”
12. KINO Watson = “Bring it on”
13. Glenn Lewis = “Don’t you forget it”
14. Lady Sovereign = (part of) “Love me or hate me”
15. Nell Hampton = “The airplane ride”, The Gospel Ship: Baptist hymns & white spirituals from the southern mountains
16. Carolina Chocolate Drops = “Reynadine”, Genuine Negro Jig
17. Texas Gladden = “Hicks’ Farewell”, The Gospel Ship: Baptist hymns & white spirituals from the southern mountains
18. Leadbelly = “Moaning”, Leadbelly Legacy, number one
19. Björk = “#7”, Medulla
20. Pokrovsky Ensemble = “Trumpet”, Les Noces (“The Wedding”) and Russian village wedding songs
21. Lynda Barry = “I got an accordion”, The Lynda Barry Experience
22. Mike Watt = (part of) “In the engine room”, Contemplating the engine room
23. Ralph Stanley = “O Death”, O brother, where art thou? soundtrack
24. The Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble = “Where have you been?”, The wild field
25. Ladysmith Black Mambazo = “Mangosuthu”, Induku zethu
26. The Bobs = “The ambient one”, I brow club
27. Vocal Sampling = “Congo yambumba”, Una forma mas
28. The Bobs = “Mr. Duality”, Shut up and sing
29. Stetsasonic = “So let the fun begin”
30. Almeda Riddle = “I am a poor wayfaring stranger”, The Gospel Ship: Baptist hyms & white spirituals from the southern mountains
31. Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch = “Didn’t leave nobody but the baby”, O brother, where art thou? soundtrack
32. Language Removal Services = the spaces between Maya Angelou’s words, from the series Voice of the Poet
33. Modern Barbershop Quartet = “Oh, babe, what would you say?”, Modern Barbershop Quartet
34. Petra Haden = #1, Petra Haden sings: The Who sell out
35. Björk = “#6”, Medulla
36. Rustavi Choir = “Tsmindao Chmerto”, georgian voices

Hungry for fewer instruments and more a cappella? G’ahead:
All Cappella 3
All Cappella 2
All Cappella 1