music

Kanye West Stands Alone

Frannie Kelley — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:06:38 +0000

What happened over the weekend? At 8:34 on Friday night, Kanye West tweeted. He said he'd be premiering a song in a half hour and we'd have to do what he said to hear it – we'd have to go to a particular address and stand outside with other people and watch a video projected onto the side of a building. Of course, the first video of the video was up within minutes, so most people didn't have to do any such thing.

The Onlies: Seattle High School Students Make Beautiful Music

Marcie Sillman — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:51:45 +0000

When it comes to musical talent, there's no shortage in Seattle. The city boasts a thriving indie rock scene, great jazz and classical musicians, and the country's most popular hip-hop act, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

But the string trio The Onlies are little outside the norm. For one thing, Sami Braman, Ryan Calcagno and Leo Shannon play fiddle-inspired old-time and traditional tunes. And for another, despite performing together for a decade, none of the three is old enough to have a driver's license.

This Week In Olympia, What Makes A Good Death, And The Onlies

Weekday — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

This Week In Olympia
The state legislature begins its special session today. Everett Herald reporter Jerry Cornfield joins us with a look at what to expect.

What Makes A Good Death?
Retired pulmonary and critical care doctor, Jim deMaine, has seen his fair share of good and bad deaths. He shares his views on making a good and peaceful exit.

The Music Of The Onlies
Samantha Braman, Riley Calcagno and Leo Shannon have been playing fiddle since they were 6, 4 and 5, respectively. Now 10 years later they’ve released their first full-length CD, "Setting Out To Sea." As freshmen at Garfield High School, The Onlies play their folk string music at concerts, festivals, weddings, dances; busking from Port Townsend to Portland, Ore. They’ve been a band for five years, creating original fiddle-driven music as well as traditional Celtic, old-time, American and Canadian inspired tunes.

M-Eaze: Producing The Beat Of Seattle Hip-Hop

Le'Jayah Washington and RadioActive Youth Media — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:12:45 +0000

Seattle is known for many things: coffee, the tech industry, and of course, rain. But hip-hop is not on that list. We asked people on the street which rap artists come from Seattle, and the only ones they could think of were Macklemore and Sir Mix-A-Lot. None had heard of a rapper who has lived here his whole life, M-Eaze.

Park Plans, Art Of Our City, And Ripley’s “Believe It Or Not!”

Weekday — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Seattle Parks Plan
Seattle officials want to hear from you about the future of the city’s parks. They're holding meetings this month to get public input on a parks plan that will guide where the city directs its resources in the years to come. We hear more from City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.

Art Of Our City
A new live music and film project explores the line between ambition and bad luck as it applied to the Donner Party. "We Are All Failing Them" is a new commission by Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum (teaser below). It’s a song cycle performed live to film. We talk with composer Robin Holcomb about the latest venture in her wide-ranging career.

Neal Thompson On Robert “Believe It Or Not!” Ripley
A 1936 newspaper poll declared Robert Ripley the most popular man in America. How did a young, awkward newspaper cartoonist become a worldwide adventurer synonymous with the strange and unusual? Official Ripley biographer Neal Thompson joins us.

Internet Sales Tax, Jan Merlin And A Music Recommendation

Weekday — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Paying Internet Sales Tax
The Senate voted on Monday on a bill that would end tax-free Internet shopping. Slate’s Matthew Yglesias joins us with a look at the Marketplace Fairness Act and who’s behind the push to collect taxes on your online purchases.

A Conversation With Early Television Actor Jan Merlin
Jan Merlin starred in early television shows like Tom Corbett, Space Cadet and The Rough Riders. He went on to be an Emmy-winning script writer. He grew to love the escape that theater and film could provide after a profound World War II experience.

New Music Recommendation
Are you stuck in a music listening rut? We are surrounded by new music and innovative artists. Music blogger Liz Riley Tollefson recommends Drai Zich by The Heligoats, Rotting On The Vine by The Purrs, Inside An Aquarium by BOAT and Buzz, Buzz, Buzz by Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers.

The Weather And Hike Of The Week
It has been hot outside. Michael Fagin suggests a hike that matches this week’s weather forecast.

The Week Ahead In Washington DC, Charles Ives, And Digital Manners

Weekday — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

The Week Ahead In Washington, D.C.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking up an immigration bill. Amendments are being added to the bill that might threaten whether or not it passes. Also, the fight is on over how the United States should intervene in Syria. CBS News' Jill Jackson looks ahead at this week in Washington, D.C.

Composer Charles Ives
Charles Ives is remembered as one of America’s most important and influential composers of the 20th century. Yet this artist’s relationship with composition, musicians and the musical establishment in America was controversial and complex. He was American to the core, but also a puzzling musical outsider. The UW School of Music hosts a Festival of Ives this week.

How To Behave In A Digital World
Do you text at the dinner table? Can you tag your friends in photos on Facebook without their permission? Should you play Angry Birds at work or in the dentist's office? While the Internet might seem like the perfect place for “anything goes” behavior, there is an etiquette to how and when we use it. Author Daniel Post Senning gives advice on the proper use of our technologies in his new book, "Manners in the Digital World."

Composer Eric Banks Takes Audiences On Intellectual Adventures

Amy Radil — Sun, 05 May 2013 07:01:00 +0000

If your concept of choral music is somewhere between the TV show “Glee” and the Kings College Choir, the music Eric Banks loves may come as a revelation.

Chick Corea: "Darn That Dream"

Marcie Sillman — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Chick Corea plays "Darn That Dream"

Pianist and composer Chick Corea has touched almost all the musical bases during a career that has spanned almost five decades. From avant garde to bebop to Latin fusion, Corea has experimented and mastered multiple jazz styles and has won a loyal following of fans and critics.

Marcie Sillman interviews Chick Corea

DUI Laws, Gluten-Free Cooking, And Chick Corea

Weekday — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

The Ramifications Of Stricter DUI Laws
According to the state patrol there are 40,000 people arrested for DUIs each year in Washington state. Many are first time offenders. Some are addicts. Lawmakers and citizens are calling for stricter DUI laws. KUOW’s Patricia Murphy explains the impact on the working poor, the cottage industries built on DUI convictions and how offenders are able to game the system.

Every Day Recipes For Living Gluten-Free
Shauna Ahern, the Gluten-Free Girl, says gluten-free cooking can be fast, delicious and healthy. She has written a new cookbook of everyday gluten-free recipes. While eating gluten-free might seem daunting at first, Shauna and her husband Daniel Ahern have put together a book full of recipes for a diverse palate.

Pianist And Composer Chick Corea
Pianist and composer Chick Corea has touched almost all the musical bases during a career that has spanned almost five decades. From avant garde to bebop to Latin fusion, Corea has experimented and mastered multiple jazz styles and has won a loyal following of fans and critics.