Written by Sam Mondros

No Hang-ups is a weekly segment where you can find recommendations for jazz music of all kinds! This weeks album:

Concierto (1975) by guitarist Jim hall featuring Paul Desmond, alto sax; Chet Baker, trumpet; Steve Gadd, drums; Ron Carter, upright bass; and Roland Hanna on piano & electric piano.

With a heavy-hitting lineup know for attracting the most casual of jazz listeners it's easy to understand why Jim Hall's, Concierto, is deserving of a recent rerelease from CTI Records with bonus tracks and alternate takes. This album delivers a cool jazz sound with Spanish influences and steady chops from each player. The album opens with You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (a Cole Porter tune). This track truly allows each player to shine in their own light and Jim hall is right in the center with his impeccable playing. His licks and display of dexterity are highlighted by Hanna's absolute dedication to playing…

Week of 11/1/2020

Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter Frankie Rose has been keeping busy during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has been recording not one, but two new albums. One is a Frankie Rose solo project, and a follow-up to 2017's "Cage Tropical." The other is an all-electronic album. On July 2, 2020, Rose (former member of Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, Vivian Girls, and Beverly) chatted with KWVA's Turbo Dogg about both of those projects, and why they won't be released anytime soon. She also told him what it's been like working and living in New York during the pandemic, as well as her experiences on the frontline of recent protests.

This interview was conducted by KWVA alumnus Turbo Dogg, who worked for us from 1994-1997. He came on board as Production Director and was responsible for making station promos and PSAs. In 1996, he was promoted to General Manager. All the while, he hosted various “mix shows,” bringing listeners the latest in college rock, and his own…

Week of 8/11/2020

Week of 7/28/2020

Written by Rob Schenk

I'm standing in my friend Jack's basement (former KWVA DJ Red Rocket.) There's chalk provided by the house to draw on the basement walls, which are covered in profanity, doodles, and messages. Friends and friends of friends are smoking, drinking, and having a good time. 

Punisher takes the stage, really just the back corner of the basement. Two guys, a piano, a mic, an amp, and a drum kit. They start playing. Eric Endsley introduces a funky drum line: kick, cowbell, lots of cymbals. The keys come in, muddy, bright, and cheerful. Daniel Bromfield starts to sing about three little pigs. 15 minutes later his shirt is off, sweat streaming down his face. The basement is now a pit, people careening off the walls, beer splashing everywhere. Friends hit friends and foes alike. Everyone is dancing, screaming, and laughing. Later that night we threw our empty bottles at the basement walls, shattering the glass and delighting in the willful…

Otakusuite Eggs (2020) Review by Leo Phillips

Eggs, the debut album from up-and-coming Italian trio Otakusuite, is a delicious stew of prog rock, psychedelia, and jazz. What more could you want in an indie band? With only 7 tracks, Eggs may appear to be an easy listen on the surface, but the full listening time totals up to a solid 48 minutes of genre-blending instrumental jams.

Chicken Caravan Deluxe opens up the album to introduce you to the band's signature sound, which can only be described as jazz fusion meets jam band. The funky riffs, extended chords, and fuzzed-out guitars on this track would not feel out of place at a Eugene house show. What follows is an epic, almost 10-minute long psychedelic experience in the form of Manannan Mac Lir, my personal favorite. Killer Monk, the shortest track at 2:24 showcases the band's prowess in the stoner rock sphere, not wasting any time to melt your face. Country Cousins Meets the…

C.H.E.W. In Due Time (2020) Review by Ben Goldstein

Following their 2018 LP Feeding Frenzy, Chicago hardcore band C.H.E.W. is back with their new EP, In Due Time, and it may be their strongest release yet.

When I first started listening to punk, I didn’t care as much about the musical skill of the musicians as I did their ability to play loud and aggressively; I wanted to feel a certain way. I still have a soft spot for the untamed, DIY sloppiness of bands like the Mentally Ill and the Germs, but I’ve learned to appreciate technical skill over the years. C.H.E.W. stands out to me in the realm of modern punk because they bring the noise with unparalleled musicianship. Their approach to hardcore sits in the threshold between conventional and unconventional. They do their own thing and also stay true to that which makes the genre great. While I hear traces of traditional hardcore acts like Negative Approach and Die Kreuzen (and…

Everyday Jo talks with Salvatore Maicki about his experience working in the music industry as an intern at NPR's Tiny Desk and now as a writer at The FADER

Byre Here in Dead Lights Byre (2018) Review by Ben Goldstein 

Byre, an indie collaboration between veterans in their respective genres, features Aaron Tanner (Off-Ox), Zach Zint (Thunder Dreamer), Ryan Grisham (Mock Orange), the prolific Rob Crow (Pinback), and Spencer Seim (Hella) — who actually plays drums on Byre’s debut EP, “Here in Dead Lights,” and in doing so demonstrates that his musical genius isn’t limited to guitar.

This review is long overdue considering “Here in Dead Lights” dropped in 2018, but having recently stumbled upon the band, I thought I’d share my thoughts. The instrumentation on this EP is mesmerizing. Crow’s vocals cascade over the sonic textures offered on Object Permanence, while synthesized melodies sweep beneath the instrumentals on Gallagher III in the most beautiful way. With a Hammer starts off simple and unfolds into an enigmatic, immersive soundscape that’s easy…