Cultural shorts
29 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago -Discussions about the artistic impulse and creative drive, these interviews and features bring a local focus on the global art community of artists, authors and musicians.
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Episodes
Old News Delivers 'Self-Acceptance Speech'
October 15, 2020 14:19 - 5 minutes - 339 BytesSelf-Acceptance Speech , the new album from Old News, arrives Oct. 15 via We're Trying Records. The band's first full-length album finds guitarist/vocalist Beau Harris, drummer Max Abood and bassist Blaine Martin subverting expectations of the math rock and emo genres across material such as "Pulling Teeth," "Heads Like Projectors" and "Sunday Suit." With basic tracks recorded at Wichita's Zeptepland, the band also worked at engineer Joey Lemon's home studio, in the Lawrence Public Library an...
David Lord Continues New Path With 'Forest Standards Vol.2'
October 09, 2020 18:49 - 5 minutes - 326 BytesOct. 9 sees the release of Forest Standards Vol.2, the new album from guitarist David Lord and his second collaboration with the BIG EGO label. As with its predecessor, Lord tracked the majority of the music in Los Angeles, then finished work at his own Air House Studios. Joining him on the sessions for the second Forest Standards collection is the core band of Jeff Parker (Tortoise, Isotope 217) on guitar, drummer Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground Duo) and bassist Billy Mohler (Dolly Parton)....
Matt Wilson Delivers Listeners A Musical Hug
September 25, 2020 10:00 - 5 minutes - 320 BytesMatt Wilson's 2018 LP Honey and Salt: Music Inspired by the Poetry of Carl Sandburg earned the veteran musician a Musician of the Year from the Jazz Journalist Association while the LP itself was named Record of the Year. Wilson, who is no stranger to accolades, has earned some new ones with his latest release, Hug! , credited to the Matt Wilson Quartet. Joined by his longtime collaborators Jeff Lederer (Brooklyn Blowhards, Swing N' Dix, Honey Ear Trio), Kirk Knuffke (Josh Roseman's Extended ...
Dustin Arbuckle & The Damnations Issue First Full-Length Album, 'My Getaway'
September 24, 2020 10:00 - 5 minutes - 320 BytesMy Getaway is the full-length debut album from Dustin Arbuckle & The Damnations. The record features songs written primarily since the group's inception in 2017 and taps into the collective's rich confluence of musical influences, including various strands of blues, rock and jazz. Joining Arbuckle on the recording are bassist Mark Foley, guitarist Brandon Hudspeth and drummer Kendall Newby. (Caleb Drummond performs bass duties on three tracks.) Arbuckle, who spent more than a decade collabora...
Storm Large: 'I Started Singing Out Of Loneliness'
February 07, 2020 11:00 - 5 minutes - 344 BytesStorm Large will perform at Salina's Stiefel Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 8. The multi-faceted Large continues to impress with her range of talents, including acting, writing and playwriting, though singing remains central to it all. Her musical performances are dynamic, dramatic and cover a wide range of material.
No Place Like Home: Roxy's Presents A More Wichita-Centric 'Wiz'
January 31, 2020 11:30 - 4 minutes - 247 BytesThe Wichita stage production of The Wiz debuts at Roxy’s Downtown next week. The show is based on the classical musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz , but with an all-black cast and an R&B and jazz score.
Beth Bombara Remains Optimistic With 'Evergreen'
January 21, 2020 11:00 - 5 minutes - 325 BytesSt. Louis-based singer-songwriter Beth Bombara will perform at Barleycorn's Tuesday, Jan. 21, on a bill with Joey Lemon and Samantha Crain. Bombara's 2019 album Evergreen earned accolades from the critical community and further established her as a recording and touring entity. She recently spoke with KMUW about the album and her ongoing friendship with Crain. At times Evergreen recalls Neil Young or Emmylou Harris albums from the '70s. Were those touchstones for you? My intention was to hark...
Singer Kelly Hunt Brings Intimate Americana Sound To Barleycorn's
January 16, 2020 11:00 - 5 minutes - 349 BytesThough she shares a name (and manager) with blues pianist and vocalist Kelley Hunt, Kansas City-based singer-songwriter Kelly Hunt has a sound distinctly her own. The Tennessee native's songwriting is steeped in the Americana tradition — her songs spare and intimate, as heard on her debut album Even The Sparrow . Released in May 2019, the record has already earned Hunt a global audience and acclaim from outlets such as Rolling Stone and PopMatters . It was selected as a finalist for the Inter...
Kyshona Asks Us All To 'Listen'
November 22, 2019 15:29 - 7 minutes - 436 BytesNashville-based singer-songwriter Kyshona will perform at the Dyck Arboretum in Hesston Sunday, Nov. 24, as part of the Prairie Window Concert Series. The show begins at 4 p.m. Kyshona will also release the album "Listen" on Feb. 28, 2020. The former full-time music therapist recently spoke with KMUW about her past work and this upcoming release.
Author Timothy Egan's Pilgrimage In Search Of Faith
October 24, 2019 12:09 - 11 minutes - 689 BytesAuthor and Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Timothy Egan often delves into history with his writing. He did so in his personal life, too. Prompted by his Irish Catholic family's complicated history with the church, Egan decided to find answers by walking one of the oldest pilgrimage trails in the world, taking him from Canterbury to Rome and a hopeful audience with the pope. KMUW's Beth Golay spoke with Egan about his new book, "A Pilgrimage to Eternity" -- a personal journey he's been reluc...
A Conversation With Ad Astra Award-Winner Bobcat Goldthwait
October 18, 2019 11:26 - 14 minutes - 857 BytesBobcat Goldthwait has been known for 40 years for his highly unconventional approach to comedy, and more recently for writing and directing in film and television. Saturday night, the Tallgrass Film Festival will give Goldthwait their annual Ad Astra award, given to luminaries who have dedicated their careers to the cinematic arts. KMUW's Fletcher Powell reached Goldthwait at his home in Los Angeles ahead of his appearance at the festival to talk about his work and the motivation behind it.
Ken Burns' 'Country Music' Answers, Raises Questions About The Genre It Celebrates
September 13, 2019 17:17 - 8 minutes - 481 BytesKen Burns is to contemporary television what baseball is to contemporary sports: a vestige that remains relevant, no matter that there are gadgets and gizmos galore competing for our attention. Just as families once flocked to the box on Sunday nights to see Ed Sullivan introduce the most exciting entertainers of the day or others gathered around the tube to witness historic programs such as Roots , so too do we find occasion to hunker down and dig into a new Burns series every now and again ...
From Old Paint To Old Town Road: Tracing The History Of Black Cowboys In Western Music And Film
September 06, 2019 10:00 - 9 minutes - 564 BytesDuring the settlement of the West, one in four cowboys were black. But their contributions have long been overlooked by the mainstream historical record. One need only look at the backlash over 2019's biggest single, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road," to see how overlooked black cowboys have become. When Wrangler jeans teamed with the rapper, the company faced criticism over what some claimed was cultural appropriation—that the cowboy image was the province of white America. "Old Town Road" became ...
Will Country Music Ever Fully Claim Woody Guthrie?
August 30, 2019 10:00 - 8 minutes - 493 BytesFor many music lovers, Woody Guthrie is the quintessential folk artist. He is the man who scrawled "This Machine Kills Fascists" on his guitar and sang about social injustices. But Guthrie's musical legacy reaches far beyond the folk designation. For some, he is a founding father of country music.
Chuck Mead: 'The Light Is Right Where You Grew Up'
August 28, 2019 10:00 - 7 minutes - 461 BytesKansas native Chuck Mead is the subject of KMUW's upcoming music tasting on Thursday, Sept. 5, at Roxy's Downtown. Raised in Lawrence, Mead is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band BR549. He also brought the Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet to life via his understanding of the intersection between rural and urban music. As a member of Lawrence's Homestead Grays in the 1980s and '90s, he forged the future of Americana music by combining elements of country and rock ‘n...
Gov't Mule Continues To Bring On The Music
August 16, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 325 BytesEarlier in 2019, Gov't Mule released Bring On The Music: Live at the Capitol Theatre, a multi-format collection celebrating the outfit's quarter-century career. In addition to a stand-alone live album, fans can also witness the concert via a DVD/Blu-ray release, which features behind-the-scenes footage and band interviews. Directed by Danny Clinch, the film captures the veteran act's visual impact in great detail.
Scott H. Biram Finds Pleasure In Stillness
July 26, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 297 BytesTexas-based musician Scott H. Biram has been something of a touring phenomenon over the last two decades but says that these days he's pulling back a little. Are you touring more these days than in the past? No. I've actually tried to dial it back in the last few years. I was doing 200 dates a year at one point. In the last couple of years, I've tried to dial it back a little bit. I probably do 150-165 dates a year. Four or five tours a year it seems like. Talk to me about that dialing back b...
After Judo Finds Focus In Eclecticism
July 25, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 293 BytesEarlier this year, Wichita-based band After Judo released its first album, Harvard Avenue , and now the band is about to embark on its first-ever tour. Band members Joe Hagen and An Nguyen recently visited the KMUW studios to talk about the band's history. Take me back and tell me how this whole thing started. Joe Hagen: It was me and my fellow guitarist/vocalist Ryne Carballo and out trumpeter Rob [Mabrey], we all lived on the same dorm floor freshman year at WSU. I'd hear them play guitar i...
Shawn James Delivers Revealing Album Via 'The Dark & The Light'
July 23, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 287 BytesWichita is the latest stop on a tour in support of Shawn James' latest album, The Dark & The Light . Influenced by soul, gospel, blues, rhythm and blues, and more, James provides a seamless blend of all those styles through the music on the deeply personal album.
Berwanger Contemplates Loneliness, Happiness On 'Watching A Garden Die'
June 28, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 316 BytesJosh Berwanger was a member of the highly revered Lawrence, Kansas, band The Anniversary, which issued a series of enduring albums and EPs between 1997 and 2003.
The Steel Woods Plead For Civility With 'Old News'
June 19, 2019 15:12 - 5 minutes - 328 BytesReleased in January 2019, Old News is the sophomore release from Nashville's The Steel Woods. The record encapsulates the collective's musical diversity. Neither entirely country nor entirely southern rock, the band appeals to fans of a variety of idioms, often within a single tune. "I love James Brown as much as I love bluegrass as much as I love Bill Monroe. I like good music," says co-founder Jason "Rowdy" Cope. "I guess we're a classic rock band. We're just not old enough to be classic ro...
Brit Floyd Celebrates Iconic Pink Floyd Album 'The Wall'
June 07, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 324 BytesBrit Floyd is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd's classic double album The Wall . Guitarist Damian Darlington recently spoke with KMUW about his love of Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's playing.
Motivated To Inspire: Gospel Artist Yolanda Adams To Perform At Riverfest
June 03, 2019 17:18 - 4 minutes - 282 BytesFour-time Grammy award-winning singer Yolanda Adams will headline the Gospelfest at Wichita’s Riverfest on Monday night.
Laces Loose: Creative. Naïve. Inspired.
May 10, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 308 BytesIf you lived in Lawrence between 2000 and 2002, there's a good chance you remember some of the city's key bands: The Get Up Kids. The Appleseed Cast. Mates of State. Laces Loose. Laces who? The quartet made its mark on the scene at the time with idiosyncratic compositions that defied songwriting logic and probably had more than one listener uttering, "They're an acquired taste." Over the next few weeks, the quartet — guitarist Torin Andersen (who is employed as an engineer by KMUW), bassist/v...
Steve Martin And Martin Short Celebrate Friendship, Diverse Talents
May 08, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 295 BytesSteve Martin and Martin Short will perform at Hartman Arena on Wednesday, May 8. The stop is part of the duo's "Now You See Them, Soon You Won't" tour. The pair first worked together on the 1986 film Three Amigos with Chevy Chase and appeared together in Father of the Bride (1991) and Father of the Bride II (1995). Their most recent effort is the concert film An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest Of Your Life . The pair's current tour features both comedy and song. They are joined by musici...
Jimmy Webb Celebrates Friend, Muse Glen Campbell
April 25, 2019 10:00 - 5 minutes - 319 BytesJimmy Webb will perform an evening of music that finds him focusing on his relationship with musician Glen Campbell at the McPherson Opera House on Friday, April 26. Titled Jimmy Webb: The Glen Campbell Years, the show finds the Oklahoma native performing hits such as "Galveston," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman," all of which Campbell had chart success with. In addition, Webb has assembled a series of photos as well as video and audio clips of himself and Campbell. Webb i...
John McCutcheon Celebrates Friend, Mentor Pete Seeger With ‘To Everyone In All The World’
April 12, 2019 10:32 - 5 minutes - 318 Bytes(Note: The concert has been relocated to the Burford Theater in Arkansas City.) Folk music legend Pete Seeger would have turned 100 years old on May 3. For his friend and fellow musician John McCutcheon, it was important to mark the elder performer’s legacy. The result is the album To Everyone in All the World: A Celebration of Pete Seeger.
Wayne 'The Train' Hancock Is Still Slingin' Rhythm And Taking Names
April 03, 2019 10:00 - 4 minutes - 297 BytesWayne "The Train" Hancock's songs are a confluence of jazz, country, Western swing and just about every American style that is pre-rock ‘n' roll. The Texas native and former Marine has been making albums since the 1990s, including Thunderstorms and Neon Signs , Swing Time and, most recently, Slingin' Rhythm. Hancock and his band perform Wednesday, April 3, at Wave. The guitarist and singer recently spoke with KMUW from his home in Texas. How did you first become acquainted with western swing ...
JD McPherson: From North Side To Inside
March 28, 2019 16:09 - 4 minutes - 295 BytesOver the course of three albums, Oklahoma native JD McPherson has built a reputation for his soul-filled songwriting and high-powered live shows. Bridging the distance between garage rock and soul and R&B, McPherson's songs speak to the most universal of human experience with both familiarity and originality. McPherson performs at Wave on Thursday, March 28, with Nashville-based singer-songwriter JP Harris opening. McPherson recently spoke with KMUW from his home in Nashville, Tennessee. Your...