| Tim Daisy & Frank Rosaly | Tuesday, December 18, 2007 | Drums/percussion duo from Chicago who stretch the
boundaries of improvised music. We believe the floor of our studio became one
more instrument in their seemingly unlimited percussive arsenal. Tim and Frank
play constantly here in Chicago in innumerable improvising ensembles. They make
up half of the incredible Rempis Percussion Quartet.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| backGammon | Saturday, December 15, 2007 | Electro-acoustic improvising ensemble from chicago
that'll make your left temporal lobe stage a coup d'état against the rest of
you. It'll finally realize, you've been suppressing it for far too long.
Engineers: Mike Corsa & Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| Darts & Arrows | Saturday, December 15, 2007 | Genre-busting chicago quintet that takes folk/pop
instrumentals and turns them into improvised explorations
Engineers: Trevor Ewen & Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Helen Money | Wednesday, December 12, 2007 | Founding member of chicago rock band Verbow who makes
hypnotic, distorted rock music by sending a solo cello through fx and a guitar
amp.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Haptic | Tuesday, December 11, 2007 | Laptop/electronics trio from Chicago (featuring Adam
Sonderberg, Steven Hess, and Joseph Mills) brought with them special guest
Salvatore Dellaria for an epic rumbling sonic exploration.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| D Numbers | Saturday, December 08, 2007 | Santa Fe band uses sampling and looping of their
instruments "on the fly" to create multilayered, electrifying instrumental
soundscapes in real time.
Engineer: Lucas Segall Listen: |
| Mind Vs. Target | Saturday, December 08, 2007 | Jazz trio from Asheville, NC featuring Shane Perlowin on
Guitar, Joseph Burkett on bass, and Michael Libramento on drums.
Engineer: Jenny An & Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Ernesto Diaz-Infante | Sunday, December 02, 2007 | San Francisco luminary who broke out a trance-inducing,
minimalist performance on solo acoustic guitar. He also co-founded Pax
Recordings.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| The Gentlemen of NUCO | Saturday, December 01, 2007 | Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra members perform
Radiohead's "OK Computer" on strings and concert percussion.
Engineers: Mike Corsa & Adam Clark Listen: |
| Zing! | Saturday, December 01, 2007 | Distinctive "improv-meets-rock-meets-jazz" sound produced
with all members experimenting with their natural acoustic sounds and the
employment of pedals and electronics of various kinds.
Engineeer: Matt Mahon Listen: |
| Silences Sumire | Saturday, December 01, 2007 | IDM/electronica artist from Chicago that braved the
Chicago Winter to play a performance on our studio floor.
Engineer: Matt Mahon Listen: |
| The Thing | Wednesday, November 28, 2007 | Free-jazz juggernaut featuring muscians from
Norway/Sweden: Mats Gustafsson (reeds), Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (bass), &
Paal Nilssen-Love (drums).
Engineer: Matt Mahon Listen: |
| John Kannenberg | Tuesday, November 27, 2007 | Minimalist electronic guru from Chicago. He serves as the
designer, creator, and curator of netlabel stasisfield.com
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| The Life & Times | Saturday, November 17, 2007 | On two prior occasions these Kansas City rockers have
graced our studios and we were very pleased to have them back. Featuring members
of Shiner, Ring, and Cicada, their lush, driving alternative rock is engaging
and fearless.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Mississippi Gabe Carter | Saturday, November 17, 2007 | Excellent solo performance from this local bluesman.
Gravely voice and raw-to-the-bone guitar licks. It's safe to say this was our
first guest booked based on YouTube videos alone.
Engineers: Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| Jimmy Bennington | Friday, November 16, 2007 | Second Airplay appearance for this area drummer. He was
joined by Ben Boye on piano and Dan Thatcher on bass for this adventurous
improvised set.
Engineer: Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| Mannequin Men | Wednesday, November 14, 2007 | All their gear just got stolen so everything they played
with was backup/borrowed--the squeaky kick drum pedal was particularly
quaint--but the whole thing fit very well with their set of upbeat,
unpredictable and clever garage rock nuggets. In a time when lots of bands are
being too serious and adding cellos or whatever, ManMen just want to rock out
and kick ass. We approve 100%.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| The Safes | Saturday, November 10, 2007 | Chicago garage/power-pop trio comprised of brothers
Frankie, Michael, and Patrick O'Malley. Soaked in the attitude of UK punk yet
tempered by the charm of this downhome Midwest, The Safes' setlist was brimming
with raw, bare-bones rock--songs that were upbeat, in your face, and
uncomplicated, the way rock outta be.
Engineer: Matt Mahon & Sam Wadsworth Listen: |
| Sars Flannery | Thursday, November 08, 2007 | Evanstonian on the rise played solo on guitar and vocals.
This set features a handful of originals plus a nice cover of Nico/Jackson
Browne's "These Days".
Engineer: Sam Wadsworth & Matt Mahon Listen: |
| Broken Things | Saturday, November 03, 2007 | Chicago quartet led by guitarist Bill MacKay combines
elements of jazz and rock music with downright hummable melodies to make songs
that sound familiar even though you're hearing them for the very first time.
MacKay's compositions are much more nuanced than your typical jamband.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Hope Littwin | Saturday, October 27, 2007 | Duo performance and interview with singer-songwriter and
guitarist Hope Littwin who brought her friend Jenny to play string bass. Hope
was on WNUR's Folk Show back in '05.
Engineers: Sam Wadsworth & Matt Mahon Listen: |
| White Hot Knife | Friday, October 26, 2007 | Chicago rock quintet grinded out a hard-hitting set of
polished, loud rock.
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| The Metapuffs | Thursday, October 25, 2007 | Garage/pop-punk band from Chicago that swaps lead singing
responsibilities between male/female vocals. Melody-driven songs that still have
a bite to them.
Engineer: Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| Mars Williams & Clifton Hyde | Wednesday, October 24, 2007 | Chicago's legendary reedsman Mars Williams teamed up for
the first time with Brooklyn guitarist Clifton Hyde for an intense set of
improvised music. The brutality of this performance made us wimper like little
girls. This set kicked off the 2nd Annual chicago Calling Festival on Eric
Rick's jazz show.
Engineer: Jack Novak Listen: |
| 2nd Annual Chicago Calling Festival (first night) | Wednesday, October 24, 2007 | The performance WNUR presented as part of the 2nd Annual
Chicago Calling Festival was a large, improvising ensemble with a dancer and
special guests reading poetry. Performers included: Asimina Chremos, Ed
Roberson, Mars Williams, Clifton Hyde, Jerome Bryerton, Jon Godston, Paul
Hartsaw, Joel Wanek, Bill MacKay, Jayve Montgomery, Dan Godston, and more!
Engineer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Costa Music | Monday, October 22, 2007 | Very cool set from the brainchild of Joseph Costa who was
a co-creator of another awesome Chicago band from the the early 00s, L'Altra.
This set is lingering, mellow, and sublime.
Engineers: Mike Corsa & Jack Novak Listen: |
| Rudresh Mahanthappa | Saturday, October 20, 2007 | Interview with this Brooklyn jazz musician and saxophone
phenom. Rudresh taught us a thing or two about number theory and cryptology and
how he's basically smarter than any musician you've ever met.
Interviewer: Mike Corsa Listen: |
| Sea Wolf | Saturday, October 20, 2007 | Los Angeles rock band's leading member Alex Church brings
rich, absorbing lyrics, subdued singing, and an old jangly guitar to his band's
uncommon assortment of acoustic folk instrumentation, multi-layered, and blended
thoughtfully.
Engineer: Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| John Statz | Friday, October 19, 2007 | Acoustic solo set from Madison, WI songsmithy John Statz
who was a sport and let us put him in our rink-a-dink interview studio to play
and sing.
Engineer: Dillon Styke |
| David Singer | Thursday, October 18, 2007 | Chicago singer-songwriter David Singer brought his band
in for a nice set of laid-back rock music.
Engineer: Matt Mahon Listen: |
| Thollem McDonas | Friday, October 05, 2007 | San Fran bay area luminary Thollem McDonas turned our old
electric keyboard into a pile of rubble. Alright, we need a piano. Nice set,
though.
Engineer: Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| Yea Big + Kid Static | Tuesday, October 02, 2007 | We asked them to "bring it" and . . . they brought it.
In-your-face performance from Chicago hip-hop duo. F the CC.
Listen: |
| Perry Robinson & Jimmy Bennington | Friday, September 28, 2007 | A demonstration of the purity of improvised music; two
artists, uninterrupted and unrestrained, communicating on a level and in a
manner that only the power of music can compel. Rare radio performance from
legendary free jazz clarinetist Perry Robinson with backup on drums by Chicago
drummer Jimmy Bennington.
Engineers: Trevor Ewen & Matt Mahon Listen: |
| Allos Musica | Tuesday, September 18, 2007 | Clarinetist James Falzone leads this eclectic trio which
fuses Maqam and Arabic musical forms with jazz and improvised music. On
percussion was former Vandermark 5 drummer Tim Mulvenna and rounding out the
trio was Ronnie Malley on oud.
Engineer: Trevor Ewen Listen: |
| Tomorrow Music Orchestra | Saturday, August 25, 2007 | A unique Airplay event: a performance from the Tomorrow
Music Orchestra led by bassist Matthew Golombisky. Our new digs made it possible
for all 20+ musicians to comfortably fit in (and stretch out a little?) Great
creative big band.
Listen: |
| Scott Fields | Wednesday, August 22, 2007 | Patient, full of space and constantly developing. Great
solo set from this improviser (loosely) based in Chicago. Thanks to the Jazz
Show for making this one happen.
Listen: |
| Leaves | Wednesday, August 22, 2007 | Fearless modern jazz with a foundation in deceptively
intricate compositions. The performance featured special (and former Airplay
Show) guest Jason Steele
Listen: |
| Consortium | Saturday, August 18, 2007 | Chicago folk-rock band with a laid-back, intimate sound
and story-like lyrics that pull you in
Listen: |
| The Conformists | Friday, August 17, 2007 | Killer performance from this Illinois noise-rock band
with mathy freak-outs that make you just wanna do something dangerous. Like
climb a building or, you know, eat fire.
Listen: |
| Soft Circle | Tuesday, August 14, 2007 | Brooklyn based one man band, Soft Circle, aka Hisham
Akira Bharoocha, is a former member of Black Dice and Lightning Bolt. The
percussion/electronics combination in this set leaves you helplessly entranced
and enchanted.
Listen: |
| High Places | Tuesday, August 14, 2007 | Chilled out avant-folk jams sometimes taking on a broken
groove that sounds like jangly, multi-layered blip hop. Really great set. Thanks
to Hisham for setting this up.
Listen: |
| Bruxism | Monday, August 13, 2007 | An ethereal, electro-acoustic improvised set conjured by
Carl Testa and Anne Rhodes. New Haven, CT musician Testa played bass, bass
clarinet, and electronics and Anne Rhodes was on voice.
Listen: |
| Baby Teeth | Saturday, July 28, 2007 | Abraham Levitan of chicago's Baby Teeth came by for a
solo set. Soulful, harmonized vocalizations breaking out in supercatchy rock
songs.
Listen: |
| Zelienople w/ Grouper | Saturday, July 28, 2007 | Dense drones, minimal layered soundscapes, and hypnotic
sheets of sound. This was a special first-time collabo between Chicago's
Zelienople and Portland's Grouper.
Listen: |
| Ashtray Boy | Saturday, July 14, 2007 | Ashtray Boy (from Australia and Chicago) have played on
Airplay 7 times in 13 years--perhaps the only Airplay Show band to have played
in three different WNUR studio locations. Ashtray Boy's sparse and reflective
rock songs are very unique. Randall Lee is like some powerful Aussie mystic, his
deep, haunting voice hypnotizing you immediately. This set seemed to remind
everyone of the good ol' days.
Listen: |
| Blink | Monday, July 09, 2007 | Blink is Jeff Greene (bass), Quin Kirchner (drums), Dave
Miller (guitar), and Greg Ward (alto sax). Their pieces are composed as well as
improvised and definitely take some cues from modern composition, rock, and even
electronic music.
Listen: |
| Squid Fist | Saturday, June 30, 2007 | The law of this Minneapolis noise-factory states that:
All else equal, (Your_Radio) + (Squidfist_Performance) = (Sonic_IED).
Listen: |
| The Armor Class | Saturday, June 30, 2007 | Members of this ambient-electronic group of Chicago are
IDM warriors of the meta-dance school so show'em some respect. 'Sides, they've
got a Dexterity of like 17, so don't mess with them.
Listen: |
| Jim Elkington | Thursday, June 28, 2007 | Chicago guitarist-singer for the band The Zincs stopped
by for a nice (and rare) solo/acoustic set.
Listen: |
| Mike Tamburo | Wednesday, June 27, 2007 | Basically one of the hardest-working musician to cross
our path. He makes epic droney/loopy/guitar-and-dulcimer pieces.
Listen: |
| Jason Steele Ensemble | Saturday, June 23, 2007 | Satisfying an often lacking position in creative jazz
music; their performance is totally accessible, but still manages to surprise
you at every turn. Chicago based group.
Listen: |
| A Light Sleeper | Saturday, June 23, 2007 | This Chicago duo strips out all the nonsense and filler
when they create their minimal rock jams, and like a 45 on 33, they play it out
all slow-like. Second Airplay performance.
Listen: |
| The Engines | Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | Four heavyweights of jazz and improvised music, each an
irreplaceable asset to the Chicago jazz/improv community. It's no wonder that
this collaboration results in a cosmic collision of ideas.
Listen: |
| The Late Severa Wires | Monday, June 18, 2007 | Santa Fe group put together by the good folks down at
High Mayhem pummeled our airwaves mercilessly for almost an hour.
Listen: |
| Thollem McDonas | Tuesday, June 12, 2007 | San Fran bay area pianist steers his genre-mixing between
mere casual dabbling and gratuitous hodge-podgery. The result is decidedly tough
to pigeon-hole.
Listen: |
| Black Bear Combo | Friday, June 08, 2007 | 4-piece marching band that is sooo punk-rock. Funky, wild
at times and deceptively complex. Plus, they play a mean supercharged Tango.
Listen: |
| Awesome Color | Saturday, June 02, 2007 | Explosive, full-on rock music from this trio out of
Brooklyn. Second appearance on Airplay.
Engineer: Matt Mahon Listen: |
| Slink Moss | Saturday, June 02, 2007 | Filmmaker/ cartoonist/ singer-songwriter-drummer plays
genuine pop Americana.
Listen: |
| Dark Fog | Wednesday, May 23, 2007 | Chicago psych-rock prophets escorted us to other planes of consciousness. |
| The New Ghosts | Tuesday, May 15, 2007 | Chicago band makes shimmering rock songs with an epic,
orchestral quality.
Listen: |
| To Live and Shave in L.A. | Thursday, May 10, 2007 | Woah. TLASILA continues to amaze us by being some of the coolest, most cutting edge performers we've seen. Unusual, unstoppable, and totally indescribable. Last year's album, “Noon and Eternity” made top record of the year at WNUR. |
| The Wiitala Brothers | Wednesday, May 02, 2007 | Duo from Chicago played live instruments accompanied by
pre-recorded ones for a nice set of folk-rock indiepop. And unlike most band
names, this one actually describes the band. (They're brothers, get it?)
Listen: |
| Berry | Tuesday, May 01, 2007 | Greenville, IL indie-rock band plays a nice long set to
support their new Empathy EP.
Listen: |
| Ettrick | Monday, April 30, 2007 | Ettrick is made up of two drummer/saxophonists which
makes for a very cool improv dynamic. It was exciting having these guys back in
after their album "Infinite Horned Abomination" made WNUR's #4 of '06. Intense,
abrasive sax-skronk. On the abrasive scale going from Kenny G to Kaoru Abe they
rank a solid Brotzmann (it's a weighted scale...)
Listen: |
| Retardos de la Mour | Saturday, April 28, 2007 | Raw-to-the-bone gay-slanted punk rock n roll band from
Chicago graced our brand new performance studio for its first live set.
Listen: |
| Eric Carbonara | Saturday, April 07, 2007 | Eric came in with Mike Tamburo and to play live on
Airplay but our new studio wasn't finished yet so they had to play in the
interview booth. It was cool though; they were troopers. And the set turned out
well. Eric played beautiful solo acoustic guitar--classical, world-influenced,
and raga-style too. Nice.
Listen: |
| Mike Tamburo | Saturday, April 07, 2007 | Mike's nth performance at NUR which makes sense 'cause he
tours more than any artist we've ever seen. He played a (rare?) solo-dulcimer
set from our interview booth. Check out Mike's huge new 7-disc box set,
"Language of the Birds and Other Fantasies".
Listen: |
| Primordial Undermind | Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | Trio from Austin, TX returns to Airplay with long-form
psych jams infused with a strategic smattering of free jazz and eastern music.
Listen: |
| Zing | Saturday, February 24, 2007 | Chicago quintet blends jazz and improv with ambient and
electro-acoustic sounds to make music that sometimes jams and sometimes scatters
freely.
Listen: |
| Rivulets | Thursday, February 22, 2007 | Nathan Amundson returns with this version of Rivulets
with guitar, vox, and minimal percussion. Deep, melancholic, and hauntingly
beautiful.
Listen: |
| Kaspar Hauser | Saturday, February 17, 2007 | Chicago rock quartet churns out a handful of solid,
upbeat rock-pop songs with nice hooks and backing vox.
Listen: |
| Xyzr_Kx | Saturday, February 10, 2007 | We were fortunate to have Chicago artist Xyzr_Kx help us
out by performing during our phoneathon fundraiser. Assuming the role of both a
singer-songwriter and an electronic music DJ, Xyzr_Kx wields both a guitar and a
laptop to bravely and beautifully bridge indie-rock with electro-pop.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Joshua Manchester & Clifton Ingram | Wednesday, February 07, 2007 | Ethereal micro-improv duets for prepared guitar and
drumset.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Algernon | Tuesday, February 06, 2007 | Chicago quintet plays jams that have a foundation
primarily in the jazz/improv, but also draw heavily from chicago post-rock.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Dragones | Sunday, February 04, 2007 | Latin rock band brought in by WNUR's El Zilencio.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Kevin Drumm & Jim Dorling | Saturday, January 27, 2007 | Two noise Gods smite our airwaves with 'test equipment'
and saxophone.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Charles & Charles | Saturday, January 27, 2007 | Chicago improvising duo of Charleses Rumback and
Gorczynski (on drums and sax respectively) who reach past acoustic
improvisations to incorporate synths and programming giving their music a
distinct, otherworldly sound.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| C. Spencer Yeh | Saturday, January 27, 2007 | Burning Star Core mastermind rips it up on violin and
voice w/ electronics to produce a dense droning improvisation.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Drakkar Sauna | Sunday, January 21, 2007 | Kansas folk-pop duo who pounded out 5-6 short and
delightfully eccentric anthems for guitar(s), synth, bass drum, and
foot-tambourine.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Information Superhighway | Saturday, January 20, 2007 | Chicago quartet plays chilled out pop songs that are
heavy on the jazzimprov.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Spires That in the Sunset Rise | Friday, January 19, 2007 | Trio now based in Chicago employing a multitude of unique
percussion and drone instruments to make beautiful, dark avant-folk music. They
lay soft, deliberate vocal lines over a textured sonic landscape to inspire
powerful jams that are mesmerizing if not downright hypnotic.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Andy McWain / Jamie Branch | Friday, January 19, 2007 | Duo performance from Boston pianist Andy McWain and
Chicago trumpeter Jamie Branch. McWain's dexterous playing style dominated and
destroyed our sorry excuse for a piano and gave us a great set in the process.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Brenmar | Friday, January 19, 2007 | Chicago's Brenmar (aka Brenmar Someday aka William Salas)
covers a broad spectrum from danceable and beat-oriented to ambient and
atmospheric all of it created by working with found sounds, digital & analog
synths, microphones, samplers, and old dusty records.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Paul Metzger | Saturday, January 13, 2007 | Awesome set from TVBC guitarist Paul Metzger who brought
his amplified plastic guitar for this session. Spastic, atonal free improv a la
Derek Bailey, spare and crunchy.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Forgotten Works | Saturday, January 13, 2007 | Erik Wivinus playing mesmeric ragas for solo acoustic
"wood" guitar.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Maradona | Friday, January 12, 2007 | Solid indie rock from this Chicago quartet. brought to us
by WNUR's rock show.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| The Curtains | Thursday, January 11, 2007 | Great simplistic pop from the Asthmatic Kitty band.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Son of Gunnar, Ton of Shel | Wednesday, January 10, 2007 | Electro-acoustic improv from Icelandic guitarist Steini
Gunnarson playing prepared guitar/processing and saxophonist (formerly of the
chicago improv scene) Aram Shelton also playing with FX.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Braintree | Friday, January 05, 2007 | Math/prog duo from Chicago plays a collection of concert
etudes. Devilishly complex and clever.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Uke of Spaces Corners County / Shep and Me | Monday, December 18, 2006 | Uke makes jangly psych-folk, vaguely political, with
lo-fi caterwauling vocals and subdued guitar work. They played on the Expansion
Experiment with Shep and Me.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| The Other Planets | Saturday, December 16, 2006 | Quirky New Orleans rock band's second appearance on the
Airplay Show. They combine funked-up rock, prog, free jazz, and a special odd
brand of humor to kick out some delightfully unpredictable jams. They're fast
and bulbous, got me?
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Leaves | Friday, December 15, 2006 | Leave's music is superchill. Their sound is way laid-back
and even though the most pronounced stylistic references are from jazz (the
instrumentation is bass/drums/sax with fx/guitar) there's an undeniable chicago
post-rock feel.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Tomorrow Music Orchestra | Saturday, December 09, 2006 | We're not ones to try to set records on our program,
however the number of people in the Tomorrow Music Orchestra we were able to
cram into the little box we call our studio made us debate whether to call
Guinness. The TMO played three pieces for jazz orchestra that were arrangements
of tunes by The Other Planets (who came in to play the following week). This
performance was made possible by the Ears & Eyes Festival in Chicago.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Herculaneum | Tuesday, December 05, 2006 | Killer jazz quintet from Chicago with horn lines that can
fry two eggs and rhythms that'll make you want to wiggle your toes.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Indian Jewelry | Saturday, November 25, 2006 | Texan troublemakers Indian Jewelry making dream-like
droned-out jams that border on electronica but warbling, fuzzy synthesizers give
it that rock aesthetic. Lots of layers make it sound dark and brooding without
being too chaotic.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities | Monday, November 20, 2006 | Quirky rock 4tet that's anything but your standard
bass-axe-axe-drums ensemble. There's something delightfully odd about their
songs that you can't put your finger on, upbeat, and at times downright
danceable, but not without serious creativity.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Jessica Rylan | Monday, November 20, 2006 | Intense solo performance from this Boston area noisician.
Feedback, microphones, and diy electronics blast this set off the musical map.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Mike Tamburo | Saturday, November 18, 2006 | Two epic pieces by this Airplay Show regular from New
Kensington, PA. Mike plays a variety of instruments/devices with an emphasis on
guitar and the hammered dulcimer. Check out this set for the washes of feedback
& drone loops along with finger-style guitar playing.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Shot x Shot | Saturday, November 18, 2006 | Philadelphia quartet fits squarely in the jazz/improv
camp, but draws nicely from post-rock textures and ambiance. This is a great set
from some cool up-and-coming improvisers.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Michael Young | Friday, November 17, 2006 | Solid, intricate sound from this Minneapolis guitarist.
It's fingerpickin good.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Nick Schillace | Friday, November 17, 2006 | Detroit area guitarist who is a master of American
primitive Fahey-style guitar music. His third appearance on the Airplay Show.
Nice.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Helen Money | Saturday, November 11, 2006 | Trippy psych-rock made on solo acoustic cello sent
through tubes and pedals and loopy guitar fx and released as pulsing,
hypnotizing sheets of sound.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| The Electrics | Thursday, November 09, 2006 | International improvising ensemble skillfully devour and
spit out the entire history of European free improv in the course of this one
blistering exchange of sounds and do so without even breaking a sweat.
(Actually, the second part could not be further from the truth. At the end of
this performance, it looked like they'd all just run a marathon around the
inside of the little hardwood box we call our studio . . . ) Sture Ericson
(reeds); Raymond Strid (drums); Ingebrigt Haaker-Flaten (bass).
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| The Aperion Ensemble | Monday, November 06, 2006 | Trio incarnation of The Aperion Project, a Roger's Park
based "outlet for original instrumental music". The word Aperion comes from
Greek meaning "boundless" or "formless substance". Not a bad way to describe the
mostly improvised music of this group.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Alec K Redfearn's Dualistics | Friday, November 03, 2006 | Offshoot of Alec K Redfearn & The Eyesores. Ranges
everywhere from weirdo pop songs inspired by gypsy music to jangly avant-folk
freakout jams.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Hummingbiird | Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | Formerly Pedal Steel Transmission (who graced our studios
back in Feb, '02), Hummingbiird is like a band-er-fly emerged from its cocoon
and impossible to pin down. There's some rock, a little psych, that great
chi-town chamber-pop sound, and some americana, all rolled up and smoked to
perfection.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Cavallanti / Tononi / Williams | Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | A nice improvised set from chicago saxophonist Mars Williams playing with two members of the Italian Instabile Orchestra: Daniele Cavallanti on tenor and Tiziano Tononi on drums and percussion. Three free jazz heavyweights just crashing into each other. They played two pieces and the second one also features a beautiful wooden flute and hand drum duet that emerges from the cacophony. This was the first time the three had played together and you can tell there was that spark. |
| Suishou no Fune | Sunday, October 22, 2006 | Amazing, epic performance by this ambient, psych-rock
band from Tokyo. Their first time in Chicago, and as a band, their first time in
the US. Gentle, wistful guitar melodies up against walls of sound. Admittedly,
communication was a bit tough, but through the sheer power of the music (plus a
lot of hand signals and diagrams) our lowly engineers were able to get it all on
tape. Thank goodness.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Tom Brosseau | Friday, October 20, 2006 | If the artists we have on Airplay are salsas, Tom
Brosseau would be the ultra-mild. Way-laid back songsmith originally from ND
with spare and gentle guitar and vox. Spare and gentle is just a nice way of
saying dude sounds like a lady.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Binges | Monday, October 16, 2006 | Swallow-you-whole percussion and diy electronics from
these chi-town improvising noise-makers.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Ettrick | Saturday, October 14, 2006 | Brutal, oppressive free jazz skronkfest. Two
drummer-saxophonists who are sure to piss off your uptight neighbors.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| I Ching Quartet | Tuesday, October 10, 2006 | A little blues a little folk and a modern approach to an
old-timey sound. The perfect soundtrack for the approaching Chicago winter.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten / Jeb Bishop | Thursday, October 05, 2006 | Norwegian bassist transplanted to Chicago, Ingebrigt
Haaker Flaten, is joined by Chicago trombonist Jeb Bishop. I wonder if the name
"jeb bishop" is problematic for radio announcers in Norway . . .
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Arrah and the Ferns | Saturday, September 30, 2006 | Folk-rock with catchy songs and a pleasant vibe all
around.
Listen Online: (need help?) |
| Layne Garrett | Saturday, September 30, 2006 | Guitar tricked out with FX and manipulations. Solo stuff
everywhere from drones to folksy sounds.
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| Daniel Menche | Tuesday, September 26, 2006 | Portland noisician/sound artist who did like a remix of a
remix of something. Lots of clattering and tribaly beats and drones.
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| The World Without Magic | Sunday, September 24, 2006 | Solid indie rock with sweeping vocals and delightful
keyboards.
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| BIGBIGcar / David Adamson | Saturday, September 23, 2006 | David "Moose" Adamson from BIGBIGcar played us a great
set with his acoustic guitar, drums, and drum machine.
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| Jayve Montgomery & Joel Wanek | Wednesday, August 30, 2006 | Nice long set from two chicago improvisors. It covered a
wide sonic spectrum from minimal percussion plinking to more intense moments.
Check these guys out at Cafe Mestizo on Sunday nights for the avant-garde jam.
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| Bridge 61 | Friday, July 21, 2006 | The second set from this Chicago jazz/improv quartet. The
tunes they played for the set a year ago ended up on CD. Hopefully it'll happen
with this one too. Vandermark (reeds), McBride (basses), Daisy (drums), and
Stein (bass clarinet).
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| Awesome Color | Friday, July 21, 2006 | Solid performance from this Brooklyn band that's been
getting a lot of attention recently. Raw, the way it outta be.
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| Charlotte Hug & Fred Lonberg-Holm | Thursday, July 20, 2006 | Swiss violist Charlotte Hug joins Chicago cellist Fred
Lonberg-Holm for three freely improvised pieces. At times, soft and sustained,
at others, jittery and frenetic. Nice.
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| Dan Godston / Bill MacKay / Joshua Manchester | Wednesday, July 19, 2006 | Three Chicago improvisors come together for one huge
piece that has it all. Everybody plays percussion. A whole room full of it.
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| Sharks and Seals | Saturday, July 15, 2006 | Local experimental pop group with some nice meandering
and looped guitar noises.
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| 774th Street Quartet | Tuesday, July 11, 2006 | Great Saxophone Quartet with Aram Shelton, Guillermo
Gregorio, Keefe Jackson, and Thomas Meyer. Ranges from free improv to composed
pieces.
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| Baby Teeth | Wednesday, June 07, 2006 | Great soulful music from Chicago. If you want something
to jam to, this is probably it.
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| Eleventh Dream Day | Wednesday, June 07, 2006 | One of the best rock bands from Chicago ever. And they still got it after all these years. Their first recording was on a WNUR comp, and now they've come full circle (I like to think). interview follows performance. |
| Robbie Lee | Saturday, June 03, 2006 | Owner and operator of I & Ear records Robbie Lee
plays some improvised guitar for us. Really good.
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| Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone | Saturday, June 03, 2006 | two accomplished musicians play interesting music for
viola and guitar with seamless changes from composed to improvised sections.
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| Nethers | Friday, June 02, 2006 | pleasant folk psych duo |
| Spunky Toofers | Saturday, May 27, 2006 | Local noise maker Daniel Park creates a mantra for our
distracted days by manipulating circuit bent intruments and souls.
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| Anaananaan | Friday, May 26, 2006 | the easiest band name to say 10 times fast.
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| Mike Tamburo | Monday, May 22, 2006 | Mike Tamburo comes back for the nth time and give us a
piece of guitar.
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| Charlie Schmidt | Saturday, May 20, 2006 | Former protoge of John Fahey plays some Fahey and some
originals in this true Airplay gem.
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| Tuxedo Killers | Saturday, May 20, 2006 | sweet as a leprechaun rawk, talking' fuckin' rawk. dig?
From Austin, TX.
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| Good Stuff House | Thursday, May 18, 2006 | great drone trio with members of Zelianople.
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| Tomorrow Music Orchestra | Saturday, May 13, 2006 | Local bassist Michael Golombisky plays with 9 people in
our apparently cramped space. orchestral jazz.
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| PAL | Saturday, May 13, 2006 | Local Politi-rockers rock their little hearts out and end
with a "Psycho" cover.
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| Magic Carpathians | Friday, May 05, 2006 | Amazing experimental psych duo from Poland.
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| Tanakh | Wednesday, May 03, 2006 | Band of Italians and one American transplant by the name
of Jesse Poe. They made me a drawing.
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| Stnnng | Saturday, April 29, 2006 | Stnnng apparently had some record dude listen to this
when we broadcast it. I hope it worked out for them. Heavy post-punk with a
touch of Fugazi
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| Office | Monday, April 24, 2006 | Local band is apparently about to blow up and playing a
month long residency at Schuba's. Wish them the best and send us lots of money.
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| Detholz! | Saturday, April 22, 2006 | Local geek-rockers love their guitars and gear, and play
like they love life. Try the Cars on Methanphetamines.
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| The Wilderness | Monday, April 17, 2006 | Baltimore's The Wilderness play simple, repetative, and
jangle music with pounding tribal drums and emotionally yelled vocals. Similar
to PiL and the Lungfish. Good stuff.
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| More Dogs | Wednesday, April 12, 2006 | Baltimore's mad masters of the marimba (actually
vibraphone, but mibraphone sounds stupid)More Dogs manufacture melodies
meticulously and mix in minutes of mayhem. on Monitor records.
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| Choir Boys | Tuesday, April 11, 2006 | Laptop (Max/MSP programming), clarinet, and flugelhorn
improvisations and compositions. Very creepy and interesting
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| Doppler Shift | Tuesday, April 11, 2006 | Local jazz fusion group.
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| Dirty Projectors | Sunday, April 09, 2006 | Amazing Acoustic set from Dave Longstreth and buddies
from the Dirty Projectors.
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| Scotland Yard Gospel Choir | Saturday, April 01, 2006 |
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| The National Trust | Thursday, March 30, 2006 | National Trust comes in for a third visit, this time with a new dance-floor ready sound. They DJ'd the spit out of the station later, too. |
| Girl Talk | Saturday, March 25, 2006 | Pop mash-up artist Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk shows everyone his laptop chops and tells us why what he does is nice and legal. Performance and interview |
| Town & Country | Saturday, March 11, 2006 | Local Thrill Jockey improvisers and languid
"space-jangle" musicians come in for the upteenth time and perform for only 2
microphones...and our hearts.
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