Music Stories

KCK Native Janelle Monae Releases 'Q.U.E.E.N.' Music Video

Monica Sandreczki, Susan B. Wilson and Sylvia Maria Gross — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:07:52 +0000

Performer and KCK native, Janelle Monae, is known for her gender-bending clothing and futuristic soul-meets-funk music. Keeping in her style, Monae just released her latest music video, "Q.U.E.E.N.", featuring neo-soul singer, Erykah Badu.

KC PsychFest Showcases Experimental Music

Alex Smith — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:51:44 +0000

Any given weekend, Kansas City, Missouri’s Midtown venues host the city’s biggest music scene, but lot of music lovers get left out of the fun.

A Hip Hop Collaboration Born On Twitter: Gee Watts and Kendrick Lamar

Susan B. Wilson and Sylvia Maria Gross — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:55:59 +0000

Many young, urban men see rap music as a ticket to a better, more prosperous life. But few ever even get a start in the music industry.

Twenty-two year old Gee Watts, however, has as good a chance as any. His new mixtape Watts Up has been featured in several major music industry publications and blogs.

Richard Thompson @ The Folly

Jeffrey Harvey — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:24:23 +0000

Bill Shapiro is bringing Richard Thompson to the Folly Theater on June 6th. This week on Cyprus Avenue, we look at Thompson's storied recording career.

A New CD For The Grisly Hand

Laura Spencer — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:17:08 +0000

This weekend marks the release of Country Singles, the first full-length album for The Grisly Hand. The band played their first shows in Kansas City about four years ago and mixes country, soul, blues, folk, rock and pop.

What is Gamelan Music?

Suzanne Hogan, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Gamelan music is the orchestral music of Indonesia which is primarily from the islands of Bali and Java. Over a decade ago, Kansas City became home to a hand crafted Gamelan from Indonesia that was fine tuned and given a blessing from a Balinese Hindu high priests. On this Central Standard the director of Kansas City's Gamelan group Gamelan Genta Kasturi, Patrick Alonzo Conway – he plays in the group and even composes pieces for the group, and is an eclectic composer and member of the People’s Liberation Big Band.

Public Enemy 'Bomb Squad' Producer Studies Music At UMKC

Laura Spencer — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:18:34 +0000

The induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame took place Thursday, April 18, in Los Angeles. Some of this year’s inductees included Heart, Randy Newman, Rush and Public Enemy.

Fatherhood Inspires Experimental Musician Ashley Miller

Alex Smith — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:34:52 +0000

To a lot of local music fans, Ashley Miller’s new music might bring a shock. Not because it’s noisy or avant garde, but because it’s not.

Celebrating The Birthday Of Thad Jones

Chris Prewitt — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 20:07:33 +0000

On this week’s archive edition of 12th Street Jump we celebrate the birthday of Thad Jones with our special guest, Stan Kessler. We find out what gives Stan Kessler the blues and then Serena’s School For Scat helps clear up political jargon.

Song List:
Unchain My Heart
Three In One
A Child Is Born
Scrapple From The Apple
Whisper Not
Like Someone In Love
Jive Samba

Misogyny in Hip-Hop Culture

Susan B. Wilson, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:44:56 +0000

It seems that nowadays, anytime you hear a hip-hop song the lyrics are full of negative and insulting messages. Whether these comments are racist, misogynistic, or just downright disrespectful it's easy to associate the entire hip-hop culture with these words of hate. On this Central Standard, we look specifically at misogyny in hip-hop music.

Jazzing It Up In KC

Beth Lipoff and Steve Kraske — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Musician Joe Sample has made his life about all that jazz.

Heartland Men's Chorus Explores Love, Before And After the Holocaust

Laura Spencer — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

In the 1920's and into the early 1930's, there was a thriving gay culture in Europe, especially in Berlin. But, with the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, that all changed.

St. Patty's Hangover With 'Blarney Stoned'

Alex Smith and Monica Sandreczki — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:13:38 +0000

Six years ago, cook and guitarist Mark Vick got tired of spending St. Patrick’s Day working behind the bar instead of jamming onstage. So he and a few of his musician friends started the band, Blarney Stoned.

The Wires Debut 'Alternative Strings' Album

Sylvia Maria Gross and Monica Sandreczki — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:00:55 +0000

Cellist Sascha Groschang and violinist Laurel Morgan Parks have been good friends since they trained together as classical musicians at UMKC’s Conservatory of Music and Dance.

MidCoast Takeover

Suzanne Hogan and Matthew Long-Middleton — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:25:01 +0000

The MidCoast Takeover is a concert of local talent at Austin’s South by Southwest music festival to take place next weekend. It’s generating a lot of local excitement as the festival is quickly approaching and the local bands are preparing. The MidCoast Takover is organized with the help of The Midwest Music Foundation a local organization that support local musicians. We're in conversation with Sondra Freemans of the Midwest Music Foundation to talk the ways the MidCoast Takeover supports local musicians and hear some of the local bands she's most excited to be heard in Austin.