How About a Big Dip of Jazz in MN

by Doug MacRostie

"Sometimes it's hard to get enough bread to pass around...but I'm dedicated to the art form," said Sam Miltich of Grand Rapids about his new group The Big Dipper Jazz Band. While only a few weeks old now, Sam's impressive band of 6 musicians are already booked to headline the annual Dylan Days celebration in Hibbing and also for KAXE's Annual Membership Meeting and Dance (that's when you know you've REALLY made it BIG ;D). The Big Dipper is one more step by Sam moving further away from the Gypsy Jazz style that helped to define his sound and style during the beginning of his career. We'll talk about the Big Dipper Jazz Band and hear a recording by DMcD Productions of their performance last week at Davies Theater in Grand Rapids.

Don't let his ripe old age of 25 fool you - when you talk to Sam Miltich, you'd think he was there when the first jazz-jam-session formed and has been alive and active ever since. With all of his passion and knowledge it's like he was close personal friends with the likes of Lester Young and Djengo Reinhart, and with all the time and energy he's spent with their music, he pretty much is. Sam's talent as a guitarist, writer and arranger and his work with the Clearwater Hot Club has been recognized all over the world. A recent story in Vintage Guitar said of Sam, "Miltich is a 20-something phenom blessed with fleet fingers, unending improvisational ideas, and a knack for songwriting...Miltich is also prolific with his band the Clearwater Hot Club." Yeah, that sounds about right :) Be sure to tune for this conversation - there are few people I've met that are as instantly-friendly and genuinely excited about their music as Sam.

Also tonight I've got new music from Mark Olson (of The Jayhawks) - "Many Colored Kite" will be released on July 27th, "It’s a hopeful Olson that greets the listener on Many Colored Kite, with its earthy, neo-folk feel that encompasses classic and ‘60s British folk as well as the “desert country” he’s been associated with in the past. " And we'll hear from Lake Effect, a group of students from UMD - it's mostly a-Capella jazz with some rhythm instrumentation, very close and consuming music. And I'll be starting the show with Wookiefoot's latest CD "Be Fearless and Play" which came out last year.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on Pioneer 90.1 in Thief River Falls, Saturday nights at 11pm KFAI at 90.3 FM Minneapolis & 106.7 FM St. Paul Tuesday nights between 8 and 10pm.

Engineer's Log: Getting Our Crap Together

[Editors note: the following is a legitimate email composed by KAXE Engineer Dan Houg to inform the staff of his research/decision for a new toilet in the bathroom. After reading it, I went and asked his permission to post it as a blog. Dan reluctantly agreed, but also insisted that he would be doing a more formal and comprehensive product review in the near future. Enj0y.]

Sent: Mon 5/24/2010 11:02 AM
To: All Staff

coming soon... the Toto CST454CEFG ultra low flow Double Cyclone flush toilet that uses a measly 1.3 gallons per flush. this bad boy has a 3" flush valve, 2-1/8" fully glazed trap and is finished with the slippery Sanagloss finish to reduce skidding. it is one of the strongest flushers, devouring up to 800 grams of solids per flush which should more than accommodate the 9am symphony movement that occurs here. unlike the VERY strongest flushers on the market, this one reserves a portion of the flush water for sweeping the bowl with a strong water 'cyclone' to clean roughage off, a problem when all the water is dedicated to the trap.

i looked at the BANG! pressure flush toilets as i have one at home but some recent quality issues from China where the pressure tanks are made in addition to the extra noise guided me to select the conventional flush technology. it should be lower maintenance, quieter, and ours is made in the USA. i'll change the fixture out but i'd like someone with a truck to haul the old POS away.

Dan Houg, Station Engineer
KAXE Grand Rapids - KBXE Bemidji

Exclusive Backstage Video: Trampled by Turtles

Trampled by Turtles are an eclectic 'new-grass' group hailing from Duluth, MN. They have built a solid following not only regionally but all over the U.S. and beyond with their fiery music and intelligent lyrics building a devoted word-of-mouth army of die-hard fans.

Their new release, "Palomino", debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Charts and has been in the top 5 for 5 weeks now - currently back up to #3 (right behind the Carolina Chocolate Drops "Genuine Negro Jig"). This is their 5th album and (as usual) it's excellent. As described on their website, "While using time-honored tools of the trade - guitar, acoustic bass, banjo, mandolin and fiddle - their soul-deep differences in influences, attitude and attack make for a very different musical beast." And that's saying nothing of their unbelievably high-energy live shows...

So, in celebration of the continuing success of Turtles, here is an exclusive video clip we have of them warming up with Rich Mattson at the 10,000 Lakes Festival (r.i.p) last year, mixed in with some of the performance on the main stage (just before Wide Spread Panic!) including both "When the Ship Comes In" and "Shenandoah":



A big thanks to Trampled by Turtles for welcoming Doug MacRostie into their dressing room shortly before taking the main stage! Check out KAXE.org for more info on MN music, and more.

Start SEEING Bicycles

by Jennifer Poenix

There are people who ride their bikes to work every day. Not me, but some people.

If you regularly listen to "A Talk on the Wild Side" on Tuesday mornings, you know that natural resources professor Harry Hutchins often rides his bike to KAXE and then on to his job at Itasca Community College.

This morning, Harry told of trying to turn left off Highway 38 at a four-way stop. I know that four-way stop. It's crazy busy every weekday morning, partially due to traffic going to the Grand Rapids High School. A driver nearly hit Harry.

Bicyclists seem to be more common than they used to be, which I see as a great thing. More power to folks who opt to use their own selves rather than gas powered vehicles to get around. However, the roads can be a dangerous place. Drivers aren't being quite as cautious as they could be.

Here are some great guidelines for sharing the road with bicyclists.

The main thing to remember, especially now that summer is here, is to be aware of bicycles on the road.

Coincidentally, the topic for this Saturday's "Between You and Me" is bicycling. Let us know where you ride, how safe you feel, and any other ideas about bicycling you have to share. Our guest hosts are Michael Goldberg and Gail Otteson. The show airs from 10am-noon this Saturday.

What's New on KAXE

Cowboy Junkies "Renmin Park: Vol. 1"
The Black Keys "Brothers"
Mark Olson "Many Colored Kite"
Smokin' Joe Kubek "Have Blues, Will Travel"
Marc Cohn "Listening Booth: 1970"
Twistable Turnable Man "Tribute to Shel Silverstein"
The Stone Coyotes "My Turn"
Bettye LaVette "The British Rock Songbook"
Read more on the Currents Playlist...

Engineer's Log: KAXE Upgrades

by Dan Houg

There have been several deep infrastructure improvements at 91.7 KAXE... a new office LAN and new audio server system. Along with the upgrades, we are working on restoring all previous services that were tied into our old system. You'll notice the on-demand retrievable audio archives are back working and the webcams are running once again. Those of you that audio stream and have been frustrated by the up and down status should find better stability as we hardened that system also.

You'll notice we no longer archive music shows. Several years ago, Congress enacted the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in response to lobbying from the big label music recording industry that thought the only way to stem the loss of revenues from selling CDs make was to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to use other digital media. I'm paraphrasing a bit here but the end result is that it is illegal for us to present music shows online in a convenient format. We CAN present original recordings and material we generate, such as all Morning Show content, RealGoodWords, Centerstage MN, Phenology, Between You and Me, Green Cheese, and more. These archives are now presented to you in one hour blocks so you should be able to find what you are looking for easier. These 1 hour MP3 blocks run about 22MB in size.

Please let us know what think or if you have any questions and thanks for your patience while we made the upgrades.

The Brass King Himself on Centerstage MN

by Doug MacRostie

The difference between seeing a band live and hearing a band on CD can be night and day. The reason for this is simple: it's hard to recreate the energy that flows between an artist and audience when working in-studio. So, bands often release live albums - sometimes good, sometimes bad. In the case of The Brass Kings new release "Live Humdinger," it's very, very good - and singer/songwriter Steve Kaul will be my guest this week on Centerstage MN to talk about it. He writes music that looks at the world from a different direction, "I try to focus on the characters and the situations that aren't in the mainstream. Things that are behind the scenes, things that are maybe looked down on or just the invisible people on the street... Everyone's got a story, and I see stories everywhere with these kinds of people - I don't find them in the normal places."

Steve Kaul is the caliber of guitarist you compare with the likes of Doc Watson, Leo Kottke and Bruce Cockburn. From Bemidji and operating out of the Twin Cities, Steve has been playing music since he was in grade school and records/performs both solo and with The Brass Kings. The BK are a trio playing authentic Americana and folk music with Steve on Acoustic and Resonator Guitars & Vocal, Mikkel Beckmen on Washboard, Refrigerator Door, Butter Dish and Djembe and Brad Ptacek on Washtub Bass. On Live Humdinger they are joined by many guests performers including Molly Maher, Nate "Sonny" Sipe, "Baby" Grant Johnson and more. The sound of the CD is warm and inviting; you can feel as much as hear the crowd grooving to the music and it captures some stellar performances.

And be sure to come out and see The Brass Kings with MN's Pelican Railroad, Keri Noble and Willie Murphy along with Eilen Jewell from Cambridge Massachusetts for the 6th Annual 91.7 KAXE Mississippi River Festival starting at Noon on Saturday, July 17th. Click here for more details.

I've also got new music from Two Many Banjos forthcoming release "POW," new music from Peter Ostroushko's "When the Last Morning Glory Blooms," and new music from Janiva Magness's "The Devil Is An Angel Too."

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on Pioneer 90.1 in Thief River Falls, Saturday nights at 11pm.

Mississippi River Festival Announced!

Mark your calendars for Saturday July 17th for the 6th annual festival on the banks of the Mississippi River at KAXE. The concert starts at noon with Bemidji's own Pelican Railroad followed by The Brass Kings, Keri Noble, Eilen Jewell and Willie Murphy. Advanced tickets are on-sale now and available until Friday July 9th. $30 for a day of entertainment - KAXE members tickets are $20. Youth ages 13-20 are $10 and children get in free. Thanks to our sponsors Hawkinson Redi Mix, UCare, Grand Rapids State Bank and Abstract Service Company. Call 218-326-1234 to reserve your tickets!!! Or you can Order Online and get more info here.

What would Willy Do?

That's the question, isn't it? What WOULD Willy do?

If you don't know Willy like we know Willy, well... you aren't quite as lucky as we are.

Willy is a KAXE member (who re-joins every fundraiser with his coins he finds at the laundromat) who speaks his mind.

He's been known to say things like

"You don't look so good today"

and

"I hate nuts. I've never liked nuts. Well, I can't eat them because I don't have teeth."

Willy is our occasional guest on the Friday Morning Show in our segment called WHAT WOULD WILLY DO? He'll answer questions from baseball to relationships to gardening. Join us about 8:10 or post your questions here.

Homemade Marshmallows.... really?

A couple of weeks ago on Between You and Me our topic was homemade/handmade. Lisa called in and said that she knew it sounded strange, but homemade marshmallows were really, really, good.

Have you ever tried them?

From Better Than Store Bought by Helen Witty and Elizabeth Schneider Colchie

Marshmallows

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup water

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla extract ( use more!!)

1. Sift cornstarch with the powdered sugar into a bowl. Grease 8x8 pan and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp cornstarch/sugar mixture, tilting to coat evenly. Leave excess in pan.

2. Sprinkle gelatin into the water in a small saucepan and let soak 5 minutes. Add granulated sugar and stir over moderately low heat until sugar and gelatin dissolve.

3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine gelatin mix, corn syrup, salt and vanilla and beat for 15 minutes on high until peaks form.

4. Spread the fluffy mixture into the pan and smooth the top. Leave to set for 2 hours.

5. With a wet knife, cut the marshmallow mixture into quarters and loosen from pan. Sprinkle remaining cornstarch/sugar mix on baking sheet and roll the marshmallows onto it. Cut each quarter into 9 pieces and roll to coat.

6. Let the dry on a cake rack overnight, then store airtight for a month, if they last that long.

For a real treat, use them for rice krispie bars. Mmmmmm.

Dylan's 69th Birthday Bash

What is your favorite Dylan cover? Over the years nearly every performer has covered a Dylan song. These efforts have ranged from “pretty cool” like Susan Tedeschi’s version of Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright… to “kind of creepy” like William Shatner doing Mr. Tambourine Man.

For a special edition of KAXE's On the River Monday, May 24th from 7 – 10PM volunteer host Grant Frashier will be focusing on the music of Dylan in honor of Bob’s 69th birthday. In addition to hearing from Bob himself, Grant will be playing some of his and your favorite Dylan covers.

Let us know what your favorite Dylan covers are so that we can share them with other listeners - just leave a comment on this blog or call our Talkback line at 218-999-9876.

And listen on Monday, May 24th from 7 until 10PM for this special Dylan’s Birthday Bash edition of On The River with Grant Frasier.

That same day it's the kick off of Dylan Days, supporting the arts and honoring Bob Dylan in his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota from the 27th-30th. Over the past several years Dylan Days has built a grassroots tradition including the singer/songwriter contest, writing contest and literary showcase, one act playwright contest, visual arts competition, Bobby Zimmerman bus tour, live music series and the Hibbing Arts Council Dylan Days Benefit Concert, along with several other annual events.

What I Learned in Iraq: MN Underground Hip-Hop

by Doug MacRostie

Something about falling in love with music while stationed in Iraq strikes me as profound... The other day a young man named Alex Aldrich came into the KAXE Studios inquiring about volunteering. It didn't take long to figure out he was very passionate and engaged with music. When I asked him about it, he said he especially likes the MN underground hip-hop scene, so I asked him to join me on Centerstage MN for a Pick 3 of MN Favs. Between his selections, and a conversation with Roma Di Luna, this week is another wild mix of MN talent. Alex is 24 years old. He joined the military when he was 17 and served in Iraq. He told me that when he was young(er), he didn't have a huge emotional connection with music. His older sister started sending him music while he was overseas, which helped to fill the long voids of staring out at the desert on duty and waiting during down time. This is when his passion and connection with music was born. I can't imagine the situation, but I can understand developing an intimate connection with music, which we'll be talking about.

The band name Roma Di Luna translates to 'Gypsies of the Moon' - the name is a mish-mash of different languages and cultures; 'Roma' references the gypsy life-style and the sound in Eastern European folk music, and 'Di Luna' meaning 'the moon' in European and American cultures. This combining of cultures and styles serves as a perfect name to represent the unique and exciting sound that is Roma Di Luna, who take influences from all over the world and combine them into a new style of folk song story telling.

I am very excited to have Channy and Alexei Moon Casselle of Roma Di Luna on Centerstage MN. Husband and wife, Alexei and Channy are the songwriting core of RDL. When I heard their debut release Find Your Way Home back in 2007 I was floored - such moving and compelling vocals with a genuine, bare-bones style of 'new old music.' For their latest release Casting the Bones they expanded to a full band which only served to enhance and elevate the sound further into new sonic territory. Channy's beautifully haunting vocals combined with Alexei's songwriting create a truly original sound that I look forward to talking with them about.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on Pioneer 90.1 in Thief River Falls, Saturday nights at 11pm.

Streaming KAXE on Android

by Chad Haadvedt, IT Connections

Do you have one of the cool Android based smart phones and want to be able to listen to KAXE on the go? If so, there is a cool, free and easy to install application in the Android market to get KAXE on your phone.

While there are several streaming applications in the Android Marketplace, I like the one called StreamFurious. It's pretty easy to install, just follow these steps....

1. Open the Android Marketplace application on your phone:

• you need a data connection of some type: (over the air, 3g or wifi)
• if you have never used the market place before, you will need to create a Google account before you can proceed
  

2. Use the "Search" on the Marketplace screen to find "StreamFurious". It may give a few results, and I recommend you try the "free" version of the program. (There are some additional nice features of the "Pro" version, but you can make that call after you have tried out the free one. )

You'll be presented with a screen showing some information about StreamFurious, along with user ratings and a button to install it.

3. Go ahead and tap the Install button to get it. When prompted, confirm that you want to proceed.

4. When the installation is complete, you can open your application list and start StreamFurious. Accept the user agreement, and when it finishes loading, it will present you with a listing of existing feeds. Tap the Menu button on your phone, and tap the "More Stations" option.

5. On the more stations screen, tap the icon that will take you to "Shoutcast.com" This will load the web browser on your phone, and take you to the Shoutcast home page. You can search for KAXE on this page, and Shoutcast will find two results: the first entry is a high quality stream and the second one is a low quality stream.

• choose the high quality stream if you want to listen via a 3G or wifi connection
• choose the low quality stream if you don't have 3G or wifi handy when you want to listen

6. Tap the button for the stream you want, and it will be loaded as the top most entry on your StreamFurious screen.

Sound Quality
I think the high bitrate feed sounds like an FM signal would on most portable devices. The low bitrate feed sounds just fine for voice content, but leaves a little to be desired for music. As long as you are in an area that has good cell service, the stream seems to keep clear and constant.

Battery Consumption
Streaming KAXE (or any audio feed) is going to suck the juice out of your battery. So, don't expect to listen to KAXE for hours on end. I can get a couple of hours on my battery, maybe a little more if I have a strong signal.

Stay In Touch
StreamFurious is the perfect way to listen to KAXE on the road when you are not in the Northland. If you have a car charger for your phone, or an AC charger in the hotel, you do not have to worry about battery life.

Streaming on the iPhone?
Do you stream KAXE on your iPhone? If so, can you give our readers some advice on a good application to use? Post your suggestions here.

Have a big day.
Chad

DJ the DJ Declares War!!!

DJ the DJ is hosting music On the River on 91.7 KAXE from 7-10, "I'll be declaring war tonight, listen for Carbon Leaf and 'The War Was In Color', Drive By Truckers, 'Mama Bake A Pie (Daddy Kill A Chicken)' and Patti Smith, 'Radio Baghdad.' Also featuring music from Minnesota artist Kerri Noble and Eilen Jewel, who will be performing at Kaxe's Mississippi River Fest, July 17."

This picture is of one of DJ's comrades 'humpin' a 60' back in 'Nam. Tune in and rock out with DJ the DJ On the River, our mix of music in various styles including folk, rock, jazz, blues, world music and more.

A FREE Celebration of Local, Original Music

There is an excellent opportunity for you to show your support of local music… 91.7 KAXE has teamed up with the Iron Range Original Music Association, I.R.O.M.A., for a FREE concert of local original music, this Saturday May 15th under the Rotary Tent at KAXE’s Amphitheater from 3-8pm.

Be sure to be here at 3 to see Sela Oveson. From Orr, Sela is an intimate and emotional songwriter with a powerful voice and meaningful songs. Then we’ve got Aaron Kaercher and Mike Gemberling from Ely with a unique mix of folk-rock, followed by High Drama Blues, an intricate and original blues & rock band from Chisholm. Then we rock out the evening with The Tisdales and their blazing guitars, sing-along choruses and general “lets rock” attitude.

This is a FREE celebration of local original music THIS Saturday under the Rotary Tent at KAXE’s Amphitheater starting at 3, come out and support your local music scene!!! Bring your own coolers and chairs and be ready for an afternoon of excellent music.

I.R.O.M.A. is a non-profit organization working to help musicians and artists succeed in northern MN.

Call us for more details: 218-326-1234 or online at KAXE.org – see you Saturday!

Here are videos of Aaron Kaercher, Sela Oveson and High Drama Blues performing live at the KAXE Studios:

What's New on KAXE

Crash Test Dummies "Oooh La La"
Keane "Night Train"
Otis Taylor "Clovis People Vol. 3"
Stereophonics "Keep Calm and Carry On"
Doc Watson "Docabilly"
The Jayhawks "(aka the Bunkhouse Album)"
Terri Hendrix "Cry Til You Laugh"
Freelance Whales "Weather Vanes"
Read more on the Currents Playlist...

A User Friendly Centerstage MN

by Doug MacRostie

It isn't easy for an artist creating original music to get a start - not only in MN, but anywhere. I.R.O.M.A., the Iron Range Original Music Association, is a wonderful non-profit that supports local, original musicians. We'll hear from a few of their artists this week on Centerstage MN including The Tisdales, Sela Oveson and Aaron Kaercher, who will be joining me live in-studio.

Aaron Kaercher is a singer/songwriter from Ely who writes unique music that blends many different styles. He released his first solo CD, "User Friendly Radio" last year, and while there definitely is a thread that ties all the music together, the range of sounds and genres is impressive. From the friendly and fun "smile" to the moody and edgy "She," the album covers as many emotions and feelings as it does styles. It's going to be a lot of fun having Aaron in-studio.

Aaron will be joined by Mike Gemberling and The Tisdales, High Drama Blues and Sela Oveson for Live Original Music in Concert under the Rotary Tent at the KAXE Amphitheater on Sat. May 15th. This is a FREE celebration of local, original music. KAXE teamed up with I.R.O.M.A. for this event - the Iron Range Original Music Association, a non-profit working to help musicians succeed in northern MN. Get more info about the concert here.

Plus new music from Pieta Brown, The Brass Kings and Trampled by Turtles. TBT's new album "Palomino" debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart - right on Turtles!!!

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on Pioneer 90.1 in Thief River Falls, Saturday nights at 11pm.

"Silly" Facebook

By Jennifer Poenix

If you listen to KAXE on a regular basis, you've probably heard mention of our Facebook "fan page," which is now being called something else by the powers that be at Facebook. When I first heard about this, I said to myself, "Stupid Facebook." I admit, that's not a very nice thing for me to say. (I have a three year old boy at home. We're working on watching our language.)

However, as I heard Maggie Montgomery explain on-air this morning how you can now "like" KAXE (and KBXE as well) on Facebook instead of being a “fan” of ours, I once again muttered “Stupid Facebook.” I’ll admit, it’s a silly thing to get irritated about, but really, wasn’t the change silly anyway?

Whether you “like” us or are a “fan” of KAXE and/or KBXE, we invite you to be part of our online communities: KAXE and KBXE.

Rough Fish: Do We Have Good Taste Or Are We Snobs

by Scott Hall

Armas Yuhala of Cohasset has a commercial fishing license to harvest "rough fish" in Itasca County. He takes Bullheads (upper left), Suckers, Buffalo and Dogfish (upper right) from lakes and rivers. In March he harvested over 14 thousand pounds of Dogfish from the "hotpond" on the Mississippi by MN Power's Clay-Boswell Plant. He sells to fish markets in New York and other big cities.

I couldn't help but wonder why there's no market here for the fish. My guess is it's a combination of traditions and taste. It would be interesting to find out how Dogfish are prepared by those New Yorkers. Perhaps it's more highly valued by people from certain cultures.

I called Tom Dickson, author of The Great Minnesota Fish Book. Tom's book profiles 105 species of fish native to Minnesota waters. Most of these species I've never caught or eaten, and I couldn't find a Dogfish in his book. Tom and Armas both confirmed that the fish we call the Dogfish in MN is known as the Bowfin to people who study fish. In Louisiana it's called a Shoepike, from the French "choupique", meaning cabbage pike, which refers to its big appetite and preference for vegetated ("weedy") waters.

Tom doesn't like the term rough fish very much because it has a negative connotation that makes us inclined to undervalue their place in our waters. Plus, they all have amazing stories that explain why they belong in our lakes and rivers. KAXE's Early Bird Fishing Guide, Jeff Sundin, likes to spear and smoke suckers. Bullhead feeds are popular at firehall and other social feeding frenzies. Let us know if and how you have prepared and eaten "rough fish" .

Listen to our interview with Armas Yuhala

¡Happy Cinco de Mayo!

The unlikely victory of the Mexican army over French forces on May 5th, 1862 started the tradition of celebrating Mexican heritage and pride. Joan "Tunes" Downham is ready to provide the bandas, marimbas, romantica and polka (even in Spanish, a polka is still 'polka' :p). "Most of the music I'm playing I actually picked up while in Mexico," Joan said in her shoes that were made in San Miguel de Allende. "I bought them for the box, which has a beautiful picture of the church." That's right, she basically bought a $40 box! Tune in and enjoy our Cinco De Mayo special with Joan on 91.7 KAXE.

How To Make a Willow Whistle

At the end of the KBXE Phenology Walk and Birding Expedition in Clearbrook with John Latimer, John displayed to the group how to make a willow whistle. The secret? A sharp knife and pocket full of band aids. Follow along step by step as as John shows the cuts and twists involved:



John Latimer hosts The Phenology Show, which has been on 91.7 KAXE for over 25 Years. Northern Community Radio, which has been operating KAXE for over 34 years, is building a new community radio station to serve Bagley, Bemidji, Blackduck, Birch, Buzzle, and beyond. Read more about KBXE here: http://kbxe.blogspot.com/ or http://www.kbxe.org.

The Brain On the River!!!

For his first full 3 hour shift of On the River, Brian Doty arrived with shades on and wafting that new-volunteer smell. He's got Kelly Willis, Brandi Carlile, The Groove Hogs and more. We're debating on sticking with his nickname "The Brain," which started due to a typographical error on Facebook by Doug MacRostie when Brian was on the DJ the DJ last week. We asked Brain what he thought of being The Brain, he said, "What if I'm just the opposite?" What do you think? Tune in and enjoy from 9-Noon on 91.7 KAXE - listen live here!

Vinyl Night: Spinnin' It Old School

It's the first Monday of the month, and that means the crime rate will drop by 53% and citizens can safely roam free from 7-10 tonight because DJ the DJ and the Elusive Bebo are playing all vinyl on KAXE!!! Like we do every first Monday night of the month, everything you hear will be old-school analog recordings carved into polyvinyl chloride...the ways it's meant to be!

The Head Massager Video

How do you relax at work? KAXE volunteer programmer and Board Member Susan Lick brought in a Head Massager to try and help everyone relax during our staff meetings. Here is the initial test run on General Manager Maggie Montgomery. Want a TRUE head massage? Tune into KAXE!

What's New on KAXE

Ozomatli "Fire Away"
Mary Chapin Carpenter "The Age of Miracles"
Xavier Rudd & Izintaba "Koonyum Sun"
The Hold Steady "Heaven is Whenever"
M Bird "Over the Bones"
Sarah Swanson "Dark Sunshine"
Hank Williams III "Rebel Within"
Read more on the Currents Playlist...