So much music you’re going to need bigger pants

by Doug MacRostie

There are a lot of great MN bands out there, and more and more of their CDs keep coming into KAXE hoping to be featured on Centerstage MN (and you can’t blame them, that show rocks ;D) and I’ve got a lot planned for this week; from Duluth hip-hop to Minneapolis jazz to psychedelic acoustic rock, to instrumental Celtic tune sets, be sure to tune into Centerstage MN this Thursday night at 6 on KAXE.

This week on Centerstage MN I’ll be talking with jazz guitarist Cory Wong. From out of this world soundscapes to a jazz fusion interpretation of Radiohead’s Idioteque, Cory Wong’s debut album “Even, Uneven” is a wonderful collection of experimental jazz excursions by a young and talented group of musicians. At the age of 23, Cory has already established himself as an innovative and creative jazz musician in Minnesota and I am looking forward to having him on CSMN.

Speaking of experimental jazz, we’ll also hear from the new release “For All I Care” from The Bad Plus, which is their first album to have vocals (and yet, I’m playing an instrumental tune…) and I can’t spend this much time thinking about jazz guitar w/o playing some Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club.

We’ll also have a hip-hop set w/ Duluth’s reality rappers Kritical Kontact and hip-hop/electronica artist Prophis out of the Twin Cities. Plus, new music from St. Dominic’s Trio and The Brothers Burn Mountain.

Next week I’ll be talking with local singer/songwriter Shannon Murray – she is the mastermind of SisterSong. Now in it’s 2nd year, the SisterSong Concert is a celebration of women and their music happening Sat. March 28th at the Wild Rose Theater in Bemidji starting at 6:20pm. Shannon will tell us about the event and she’ll pick some performers to highlight next week.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6pm, streaming live at KAXE.org, or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 in Bemidji, heard again Sunday mornings at 6.