The Beautiful and Lonely Courtney Yasmineh

by Doug MacRostie

While dreams of being a rockstar and performing around the world are in the hearts and minds of many aspiring songwriters, the reality of the music industry can be a cold, hard place. Through hard work and dedication Courtney Yasmineh has taken her music not only all over the U.S., but around the world and her latest release, "Beautiful Lonely" has taken her revealing and emotional songwriting in more of a rock direction sonically with highlights of pop, and she'll be joining me in-studio to talk about it on Centerstage MN - plus, she'll have her guitar along for some live music.

Having started playing guitar at the age of 8, Courtney Yasmineh releases music on her own label, "Stupid Bitch Records" and she does all her own management and promotion. This hands on approach may be too time consuming and hectic for some, but Courtney embraces it and puts in her all. As she describes in on her website, "I used to be a person, and when I was a person I liked nature, reading and writing, romance and friendship. Now I'm a musician and I am consumed by my musician-ness. When I come up for air, I hope a person I will again be."

I'll be starting the show with another song of Janiva Magness's "The Devil is an Angel Too," an outstanding album of blues/R&B with enough emotion to make Oscar the Grouch weep. It's on the top of my list to contact her label to get her back on the show to talk about this new CD. We'll also hear from The Hold Steady's new CD "Heaven is Whenever." A national act out of Brooklyn, they were formed by Craig Finn and Tad Kubler, the former members of 1990s Minneapolis band Lifter Puller. This new album is a rockin' homage to the classic rock of their youth dancing on the edge of the mainstream. Plus some High Bongo from Grand Rapids and Trampled by Turtles from Duluth.

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.

A Family Tradition of Music on Centerstage MN

by Doug MacRostie

"If you want to hear the voice of Grand Rapids, you need to hear Tom Dowling," I was told a couple weeks ago. "Really?" I asked, "That's my cousin...". It's true, this week on Centerstage MN I'll be joined by my cousins Tom and Alan Dowling of GROCK for some live music and conversation. From a very musical family, they were surrounded by people making music their entire lives; from their Grandpa Ted and The Tolerable Band (including many family members) performing music from the 1910's, 20's and 30's, to their parents and the influence of "The Beatles" generation, all the way to the music of today. I'll talk with Tom about his passion for music and what it's like being a working musician in the Grand Rapids area.

And we'll hear my conversation with Mason Jennings about his latest CD "Blood of Man." I actually recorded and aired this interview last year, but I think it's definitely worth hearing again. You can read more about this interview, and what I love about the album, in this previous blog: "Blood of Mason: Inside the Mind of a Songwriter."

Plus new music from High Bongo 2 Blue and Bingham and Thorne.

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. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org and the show is rebroadcast Sunday mornings at 6.

Jeffrey Clarke + High Bongo + Brother Ali = Awesome

by Doug MacRostie

It's always good to keep an open mind - actually, it's necessary to keep an open mind - when presenting a true variety of music. No matter how much I want to listen to some loud screaming guitars or thumping beats, working at KAXE keeps my mind pried open and experiencing new things. Case and point: I normally wouldn't pick up a Country-Rock CD to jam out to in the car, and I would have missed the crafty and intelligent songwriting of Jeffrey Clarke. He'll be joining me in-studio this Thursday night at 6 on Centerstage MN to talk about his new CD "Feelin' Fine." From Chicago, with lots of time spent around Effie, Jeffrey started playing music at an early age as a drummer but switched to piano and guitar for songwriting and after years with rock and metal bands realized his songwriting and lifestyle were a better fit with country music. I should say, I'm NOT referring to dumbed down, pop-country b.s. - but actual songwriting with stories, messages and introspection that is often lacking in modern country music. Jeffrey will have his guitar along in the studio to perform some live music as we talk about his latest, and best-yet, CD.

I'm also really excited to have an exclusive debut of the new album from K.C. Johnson and Pat Downing called "High Bongo II." Furthering the sound of their debut release, it's a cross-style of folk and jazz with some elements of blues mixed in - all twisted together for a hip and exciting style of their own. The music is comfortably personal and whispers in your ear as the bass walks by, the guitar soars overhead and the sound consumes you. Pat plays upright bass and K.C. sings and plays guitar & hand drums. As with the first High Bongo CD, it's a mix of tastefully-arranged covers and beautiful written and arranged music by K.C. The album bleeds cool, sweats emotion and looks you right in the eyes. We'll be hearing a lot of it in the weeks (and years) to come on KAXE. These guys put the 'bong' in bongo...whatever that means, and are definitely the coolest cats in Grand Rapids.

While I'm not doing a "best of 2009" show, I will be announcing my pick for the best song out of MN - Brother Ali with "Tight Rope" from the album Us. This song is a masterpiece on an excellent album. The 3 verses sing about the life and strife of a Somalian refugee struggling in Minneapolis [Unwanted visitor in a different culture / Missing home and can’t go, they civil warring / Listen soldier, forget getting over / Prison sit around the corner / Homelessness even closer /], the inconsistencies and competition of a child with divorced parents [Gotta pick up the pieces and move on / Bedtime stories they read ‘em on the phone / Live in two houses and neither one is home / Wishing you were grown had the freedom to get gone /] and the pain and confusion of a young gay child in a traditional religious family [‘Cause their ain’t no flame that can blaze enough / To trump being hated for the way you love / And cry yourself to sleep and hate waking up / It’s a cold world y’all shame on us/ ]. I like music that approaches difficult topics, and not only did Brother Ali do that, but with such well crafted words the song makes my heart cry out for these kids as my eyes are opened to new/different perspectives. You can read the full lyrics, and hear the song at Hip Hop Linguistics.

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. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org and the show is rebroadcast Sunday mornings at 6.