The Edgy but Charming Sasha Mercedes

by Doug MacRostie

I would say that Sasha Mercedes was born to play music. Her style and intimate songwriting combined with her honest lyrics and passionate vocals, come across in a natural, powerful way. Sasha joins me in-studio this week on Centerstage MN to talk about her new record "Temporary Monsters", her first album backed by a full band.

Daughter of Dan "Bart" Bartik of Backroad, a legendary blues band from Grand Rapids, Sasha was born in a cabin in the middle of the Northern MN woods. Her passion for music has taken her all over the world; from going to Prague to become a rockstar, to teaching music in Macedonia, to dominating all 3 bars in Bayfield, WI.

Her songs sometimes cover serious, taboo topics and I asked Sasha about what inspires her, "I want to be able to write something that people can relate to. I’m just tired of listening to all this pop radio where they’re filling lyrical lines with ‘la la las’ or whatever, just taking all these short cuts. Songwriting is not about shortcuts. It’s about taking a story and putting it to music and people listening to it and being able to relate and enjoy it. I write 95% from personal experience."

Click here to see a video preview of her performing at the KAXE Studios.

In other news, a Bemidji hip-hop group was brought to my attention this week and we'll hear the latest track from Aurora Borialis the North Stars followed by Big Quarters, two brothers who spent some of their youth in Clearbrook, now operating out of the Twin Cities.

Plus, a preview of next week's hour long special! I went to see Two Many Banjos perform at Terrapin Station in Nevis and recorded an interview with Marc Gartman. We'll hear that conversation next week, along with highlights from their concert. And I'll start with the wonderful surprise of the evening: Colleen Myhre from Mahtowa. She is an excellent singer-songwriter with a beautiful voice. [Read more about that evening here].

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org. 

The Limns: If The Beatles and Bob Marley Had Kids

By Doug MacRostie

Tonight at 6 on a special Centerstage MN on 91.7 KAXE, we'll spend the full hour with The Limns!

When The Limns performed at the Blue Ox in Bemidji for KBXE's Spread the Love party, I sat down with them before the concert and recorded a conversation about their new album "Move Around Robots".

From Minneapolis, with strong ties to the Bemidji area (Zacc and Zeke of The Limns are younger brothers of Caleb from Bemidji's Uncle Shurley), The Limns are hard to classify..., a high energy rock band with influences of reggae, pop and funk. Or as Javon said during our conversation, "...if The Beatles and Bob Marley had kids".

With a couple EPs under their belt, their first full length album "Move Around Robots," is an excellent piece of work that not only shows a maturity and cohesiveness in the band, but also great ears for writing catchy tunes. It's a fun and insightful conversation - don't miss it!

Also, we recorded the performance! CSMN will start off with selections from The Limns scaled-down acoustic opening set, and after the interview we'll end with highlights from the full band rockin' the night away.

Each week CSMN showcases the talents of MN musicians, and there are a LOT of them. From emerging artists on the Iron Range to the biggest artists out of the Twin Cities, from something new and edgy out of Duluth to the most experimental music ever out of Bemidji, we cover the music scene in MN better than anyone.

Listener support makes it all possible. People just like you, who appreciate MN music, who appreciate local features and stories. People who take that next step from listening to becoming a member. It's quick, easy and painless - please pledge and tell 'em you LOVE Centertage MN :D

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org. 

Pledging to KAXE is Super Easy

It's the We the People fundraiser at KAXE - your chance to make independent local media possible in Northern MN.

It only takes a minute or two to pledge on the phone (unless, of course, you'd like to chat longer :D): 218-326-1234 / 800-662-5799. Pledging online is also quick and easy.

Decide what you can afford to contribute over the next year - whatever fits your budget. Maybe that's $10 a month, maybe it's $1 a day, maybe it's a one time payment of $50 - what works for you is perfect for us.

Please pledge now!

Listener support is our largest source of funding and is vital to the continued success of Northern Community Radio. It's people just like you who listen to KAXE and decide to take that next step and become a member. Don't delay, do it today!

We the People [the Poster]

It's our We the People fundraiser: we're counting on YOU to pledge your support for authentic local radio.

We the people of Northern Community Radio, in order to form a more perfect radio station, need you. From learning about raw vs pasteurized milk on the Local Food Report, to hearing a rising star in the MN music scene on Centerstage MN, to your neighbors hand-crafted art on Culturology, to hearing about the stellar performance of the Bagley Flyers on the Local Sports show, listener support is our single largest source of funding and makes all of it possible.

Pledge now online, or call 218-326-1234 / 800-662-5799.

Thank you!

The Talent, Confidence, and Humility of Ben Kyle

This week on Centerstage MN, KAXE volunteer and independent producer Charlie Pulkrabek talks with Ben Kyle of Romantica:

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Ben Kyle of Romantica by Charlie Pulkrabek

Ben Kyle has a lot going on these days. His band Romantica is set to release their highly anticipated third full-length record. And an album of duets with Carrie Rodriguez called We Still Love Our Country just hit the shelves in the states this month.

Why all the fuss over the new record? Well, all Romantica’s 2007 release titled America did was land at fifty-eight in Paste Magazine’s Top 100 Records of 2007. For a band that, at that point, had gained limited national and international exposure, it is a mammoth accomplishment. Hoopla aside, that just doesn’t happen unless the music is more than exceptional.

Who gives a record a gigantic name like America anyway? Someone with the talent, confidence, and humility possessed by Minneapolis musician Ben Kyle, that’s who. Ben Kyle has a giant stance, one that crosses the Atlantic Ocean. He grew up in Belfast, Ireland, and has lived in Minneapolis since his high school days. And such a unique and broad perspective bears out in the music of Romantica and Ben Kyle.

Ben Kyle is a true poet who really knows how to style his poetry to fit into the musical realm. His precise blending of the highly personal with the universal seems to allow him to embody any perspective that he wants to in an immediately convincing fashion.

The expectations for Romantica’s upcoming release, scheduled for April, are sky high. Ben Kyle’s personal expectations seem to be even higher. How do you follow up a great record like America? For Ben Kyle, the answer seems to be simply one step at a time.


Photos by:
Tony Nelson
Aaron Schuh
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We'll also hear from The Jayhawks, who were an early influence on Ben Kyle. And Germaine Gemberling, a new voice out of the Iron Range music scene.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org. 

The Depth and Mystery of Alica Corbett

This week on Centerstage MN we'll hear an intimate conversation that KAXE volunteer producer Charlie Pulkrabek had with Alicia Corbett at her home in Minneapolis.

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Alicia Corbett by Charlie Pulkrabek
When I first saw Alicia Corbett play, it was about 1993, soon after she’d arrived in Minnesota from northern Michigan. She was the lead performer, along with Jay Basso, in Tea and Sympathy, a band that she still fronts today. The show was at The 24 Bar - 24 Hennepin Avenue - in the bowels of the now razed Berman Buckskin Building on the south end of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge next to the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. It was one of the first of what would be many, many live music events I eventually attended. I quickly began to pay attention to this band.

Through much seasoning of my sonic sensibilities, the impact of Tea and Sympathy’s songwriting and live performances have never paled. Alicia Corbett writes songs that paint partial pictures into mosaic-like stories with the depth of both detail and mystery. In listening to Tea and Sympathy, one is first taken by Alicia Corbett’s exceptional voice. Her range is stunning, from a sweetness that makes the spine tingle, to depth and power that might have made another singer by the name of Janis Joplin a little envious had she been able to bear witness.

It is my pleasure to present this interview with Alicia Corbett to KAXE listeners. It is a pleasure to introduce the music lovers amongst our listeners to a musician who would be in the top five of my list of the most underappreciated musicians in Minnesota. In terms of talent, depth, and professional presentation, there is no reason that Alicia Corbett shouldn’t be on the roster of a great music label like Red House Records. Tune in Thursday at 6 pm to Centerstage Minnesota to discover whether you find Alicia Corbett’s music as striking as I do.

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We'll also hear from Duluth's Two Many Banjos, Ian Thomas Alexy (of the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank) and Romantica.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.  

How KAXE and KBXE Will Coexist

Thank you for your interest in 90.5 KBXE! We hope this will answer some of your questions about KBXE.

KBXE is a new, noncommercial community radio station that will serve people in Bagley, Bemidji and surrounding areas.

Northern Community Radio will own and operate KBXE, using the same structure that it uses to operate 91.7 KAXE in Grand Rapids (105.3 in Bemidji). This shared structure will help KBXE operate frugally. When you make a membership pledge to Northern Community Radio, you will automatically be a member of both KAXE and KBXE.

KBXE and KAXE will broadcast together. Each studio will create outstanding programming and each station will broadcast a regional signal. KAXE and KBXE will serve most of northeastern and north central Minnesota. Sometimes the programming will originate at KBXE and sometimes at KAXE, but everyone who listens to either station will hear all of it! We are looking forward to a great influx of volunteer energy from KBXE that will be heard from Fosston in the west to the hill overlooking Duluth in the east!

KBXE will operate from studios at 305 America Ave. NW in Bemidji, in space leased from Harmony Food Co-op, adjacent to their new grocery. KBXE’s tower will be located between Bemidji and Bagley, to cover both communities with a strong signal.

The best way you can help build KBXE is to give generously to the building fund. Your capital pledge can be paid over a 3 to 5-year period. KBXE has to be ON THE AIR by MARCH 2012, or we will lose the license. Time is of the essence!

Thanks for taking the time to learn more about this project.  We always want to hear your questions and comments. 800/662-5799 or comments@kbxe.org.

Sincerely, Maggie Montgomery, General Manager, Northern Community Radio

BlackMaled by Toki Wright

by Doug MacRostie. 

Toki Wright is a hip-hop artist out of Minneapolis. Raised in a Buddhist household, and immersing himself in Black history, world culture, and community work, Toki's awareness of the diverse world we live in is translated through his content driven music. Toki is not only a well established emcee but one of the hardest working community activists in the Twin Cities area. With numerous accolades and a tour history that has taken him from New York to Uganda, he is a powerful voice prepared to educate and challenge as well as entertain. Toki Wright joins me this week on Centerstage MN.

Toki told me, "I’m driven to create music by trying to get the craziness out of my head. I think we all have these thoughts and ideas and we express ourselves in different ways... I chose to write and I feel like there’s a voice that isn’t always represented every time that you hear a hip-hop song or a rap song… But yet, we can still be eloquent in our speaking and we still can be creative… I’m driven to represent people from my era, from my neighborhood, people that think similarly and who question things we think to be true.” 

Toki also runs the first fully accredited Hip-Hop diploma studies program in the U.S. at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul. His last full-length album was 2009's "A Different Mirror." His latest release is an EP supported by the MN State Arts Board called "BlackMale" which is based on the experience of African Americans in Minnesota. It's all powerful stuff, don't miss this interview!

To set up the conversation with Toki we'll hear from fellow Rhymesayers  rappers: Brother Ali and Atmosphere, two of MN's premiere Hip-Hop artists.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

Let's Change the World

By Doug MacRostie

I'm not exactly sure what Jumo is, or why - but Northern Community Radio is there. And I have less of an idea what to do with it.

I know a little bit: Jumo was built by a co-creator of Facebook, and Jumo is to Non-Profits what Facebook is to gossiping. By that, I mean that standard social networking sites are about person to person communication, and Jumo is about connecting local Non-Profits to people. Or, how Jumo puts it, "We connect individuals and organizations working to change the world." Sounds like KAXE, KBXE, Northern Community Radio and our listeners to me :)

I'm our Online producer, and as an organization Northern Community Radio tries to be aware of new online tools and resources and  maintain the cutting edge of how technology can benefit our mission to build community in Northern MN. So, when I saw this interview with Jumo founder Chris Hughes, I created a page for Northern Community Radio. Creating an account is easy, especially if you're already on Facebook. There are all kinds of local, national and international Non-Profits listed there. Let's get social!

Here's the interview on The Colbert Report:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Chris Hughes
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog</a> Video Archive

Load Up Your MP3 Player!

Our Audio Highlight's always have a little something for everyone. From High School bullies to drafts of Eisenhower's farewell address discovered in Northern MN, these locally produced features can be downloaded to your computer for your listening pleasure, or to enjoy on your iPhone or any mp3 player. Just "Right click" the link and "save as". 

Pieta Brown and 'One and All'
Pieta Brown is a striking Poet-songwriter with a haunting voice and unmistakable style. Daughter of Midwest folk legend Greg Brown, Pieta has a deep love for music. Her latest album "One and All" is a colorful soundscape where Americana, indie-rock and raw folk come together. With artful storytelling and soul-tinged grooves, she blurs the lines between love and loneliness. Read More...

Rosalind Wiseman and 'Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials"
Rosalind Wiseman is a teen bullying expert and a NYTimes bestseller who has put out her first novel for young adults, "Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials".  9^th grader Charlie has switched schools to get away from the mean girls, and she finds out it’s not just the girls who are mean….what do you remember about early high school?  Were kids mean to you?  Were you mean to others?Check out more author interviews on the RealGoodArchive.

Malcom Moos and Ike's Farewell Address
Listen to this conversation from Our History with Grant Moos. He discovered his father's drafts of Eisenhower's farewell address in their boathouse on Ten Mile Lake. Read More...

Eli Sagor and MyMinnesota Woods
Eli Sagor is an extension educator with the University of MN and manages the website www.myminnesotawoods.org, an excellent resource for anyone interested in MN forests. Woodland Webinars, healthy forests, Women's Woodland Network and more covered in this conversation. Get more nature news on the Phenology page.

Dr. Michael Fox talks about his syndicated column being dropped from the Star Tribune
Dr. Michael Fox talked with Heidi Holtan and Scott Hall about his recent dropping from the Star Tribune as a syndicated columnist. Read his article "Is Martha Stewart Living Good for Animals?" here...

Tim Byrns' Burlwood Sculptures
Northeast Minnesota artist Tim Byrns coaxes out amazing forms from hunks of burlwood and discarded lumber. KAXE's Justin Cook brings us more. Read More... Hear more arts, culture and history stories on the Culturology page.

Aaron Brown on Special Talents
Early in his life, Aaron realized he had the ability to listen to people talking about things he didn't really understand and form enough a short-hand concept to reply in a way that pleased others... Get more contributions and stories at the Between You and Me page.

Guido on The New Year
Guido is always a little reluctant to say very much about he is going to try and do differently in the new year... Get more contributions and stories at the Between You and Me page.

The Last Word on Special Talents
Sometimes people don't see their own special talents.Get more contributions and stories at the Between You and Me page.

Ricci Milan and "Rhythmic Circus"
An interview with Ricci Milan, artistic director and dancer with "Rhythmic Circus”. Rhythm Circus is an innovative group of four young dancers and seven musicians from Minneapolis. They combine tap dance routines with a variety of musical styles including Funk, Soul, Hip-Hop and Salsa. Check out more stories on the Morning Show page.

Love and Loneliness with Pieta Brown

By Doug MacRostie

Pieta Brown is a striking Poet-songwriter with a haunting voice and unmistakable style. Daughter of Midwest folk legend Greg Brown, Pieta has a deep love for music. Her latest album "One and All" is a colorful soundscape where Americana, indie-rock and raw folk come together. With artful storytelling and soul-tinged grooves, she blurs the lines between love and loneliness. Pieta Brown is young, talented, and joining me this week on Centerstage MN.

Her creative lyrics and unique music is well beyond her years. When I asked what inspires her, Pieta said, “Songwriting for me really is a response to the world. It’s a way of dealing with the universe and this life. I think if you’re not inspired by everything then maybe you’ve got to turn off the television and wake up. There’s so much going on, I feel like one lifetime is not even near enough time to begin being an artist.”

And we'll hear from Duluth's Sara Softich. Her new album is "Highway to the Sun", which was primarily written as she journeyed to/through New Mexico. She returned to Northern MN to record at Sacred Heart Studios in Duluth.

Also new to the show this week will be Atlantis, a modernized 80's piano rock band out of Grand Rapids. Their debut release of all originals is "Hiding Place."

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

What do Bellchoir, Jazz, Gay Men's Chorus & Metal Music Have In Common?

by Doug MacRostie.

All of it will be featured on a special holiday edition of Centerstage MN.

KAXE Producer Jennifer Poenix produced an excellent piece about her love of hand bells - it's a lush, intimate view of what bellchoir is all about it.

Also, our sister AMPERS station KFAI produced a piece about the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus, which has grown to be the fourth largest gay men's chorus in the country. As an organization they celebrate diversity and use music as a way to transform, educate and heal.

We'll also hear selections from a Xmas jazz concert by the Mr. Pumpkinhead Quartet, recorded live on KAXE last year featuring Sam Miltich on Guitar, Don Vidal on Sax, Pat Downing on Bass and Tim Wick on Keyboard.

And the icing on the cake? MN metalheads My My Misfire know it's better to give than receive, and are debuting/releasing a song from their forthcoming CD for download on Christmas Eve as a gift to their fans.

Plus there will be some non-traditional holiday tunes from Paul Metsa and Eliza Blue. And what MN holiday special would be complete without Bob Dylan's "Must Be Santa".

Metal to Polka this week on Centerstage MN.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

Video: Wahwahtay Rapping on Centerstage MN

[Producers note: our videographer regrets cutting off Wahwaytay's shirt, it says, "Defend The Rez."]

Wahwahtay Benais: The Thunderbird Within the Northern Lights
By Doug MacRostie
The oppression, hardship and discrimination that Native Americans have lived for the last 500 years is something that is very difficult to put into words. The same pain and struggle they continue to face today while fighting to maintain who they are as a people.

Using music, Wahwahtay Benais has captured and expressed that plight in a very powerful way. From the Leech Lake Rez, living in Ball Club, his name references the Thunderbird that comes from within the Northern Lights. Wahwahtay is a hip-hop/rap artist with an intense and emotional message, and it is a true honor to have him join me in-studio this week on Centerstage MN.

I first heard him thanks to a video for his song Indigenous Holocaust (included below). It took my breath away. It brought tears to my eyes. It made me want to change the world. In a time of dumbed-down raps and wearing riches as robes, Wahwahtay is a much needed breath of fresh air working to empower youth and preserve Annishinaabe traditions and language. Do NOT miss this.

Read More: http://kaxeblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/...

Wahwahtay's Website: http://www.myspace.com/wahwahtaybenais 

Hear the full conversation with Wahwahtay at our website, http://www.kaxe.org and click on Centerstage MN.

Wahwahtay Benais: The Thunderbird Within the Northern Lights

by Doug MacRostie

The oppression, hardship and discrimination that Native Americans have lived for the last 500 years is something that is very difficult to put into words. The same pain and struggle they continue to face today while fighting to maintain who they are as a people.

Using music, Wahwahtay Benais has captured and expressed that plight in a very powerful way. From the Leech Lake Rez, living in Ball Club, his name references the Thunderbird that comes from within the Northern Lights. Wahwahtay is a hip-hop/rap artist with an intense and emotional message, and it is a true honor to have him join me in-studio this week on Centerstage MN.

I first heard him thanks to a video for his song Indigenous Holocaust (included below). It took my breath away. It brought tears to my eyes. It made me want to change the world. In a time of dumbed-down raps and wearing riches as robes, Wahwahtay is a much needed breath of fresh air working to empower youth and preserve Annishinaabe traditions and language. Do NOT miss this.

Defend the Rez

To set the mood right for the interview, we'll hear from Brother Ali - MN's premiere hip-hop artist, and More Than Lights; all of which have socially conscious lyrics and try to bring a voice to the voiceless.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursday afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

Culturology on 91.7 KAXE

Culturology with Travis Ryder and volunteer/freelance contributors Select Thursdays, 8 a.m on 91.7 KAXE. Discover and get involved with the broad and deep world of arts and culture in Northern Minnesota. Each edition features profiles of artists from a wide spectrum of creativity, from painters, potters and sculptors to fine-arts and heritage musicians, authors and poets. The program also endeavors to be an entry point into the rich cultural past and present of our region. Join in the cultural conversation by using the calendar of events, and providing stories and reviews of events you attend. A variety of arts and culture voices, textures, and topics await you select Thursday mornings in the 8 o’clock hour. Check out recent features from Culturology.

Sela Oveson: Her Music's In My Bones

by Doug MacRostie.

I have been quoted saying "Sela is one of my favorite MN musicians - she has a fire that burns within her, a voice that's powerful and songs with meaning. She sings in a unique style that can carry you away to the heart of her music." She was "a wonderful surprise when I had her in-studio" and "The music scene in Northern MN is a much better place since she embraced her creativity." And all of that was before she even released her first full-length album!

I am very excited to welcome Sela Oveson back to Centerstage MN to talk about her debut album "Rogue Lightning." It's powerful stuff. As a solo artist her music is already commanding, but she invited many of her favorite Iron Range musicians to join her on this CD. When a song starts with her delicate guitar and then a bass note slides in, a drum pounds and you hear the pull of a violin the music wraps around you, inviting your mind to sail through the great unknown. Sela has captured Rogue Lightning in a bottle.

Sela will be performing with the Roxie Magistrate on Thursday, Dec. 23rd for a Christmas Special at the MN Discovery Center in Chisholm, starting at 6:30. On Friday, Jan. 15th, she'll be at the I.R.O.M.A. Masquerade Ball at the MN Discovery Center in Chisholm starting at 7pm. And Tuesday, Feb, 9th, Sela Oveson is hosting a CD release party for “Rogue Lightning” at Brewed Awakenings in Grand Rapids starting at 5pm. 

We'll also hear new music from Todd Clouser. He is a Minneapolis musician who recently moved to Baja, Mexico and mixes elements of 70's rock with modern jazz defining his own genre of instrumental music. And we'll hear another song from Mason Jennings new acoustic CD "The Flood." Also Pieta Brown and The Sunny Era.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursdays afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

VIDEO: Matt Ray with 'Georgia Buck'

Matt Ray and his banjo performing on Centerstage MN on 91.7 KAXE.

It's not too often that the debut release from a band is a double CD, but Matt Ray and Those Damn Horses aren't typical. Complete with washtub bass, harmonica, washboard, spoons, guitar, fiddle and banjo, these guys are a high energy string band from the Iron Range playing roots, Americana, and old time music with a modern twist. Matt Ray joined us talk about the new album "Then and Now". The first CD, "Then", is a collection of traditional tunes they reworked for modern times. Songs that defined their time and built the foundation of the music we hear today. The second CD, "Now", is all original tunes with that same throw-back style under contemporary currents. Read more: http://kaxeblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/...

More info:
Matt Ray and Those Damn Horses: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Ra...
KAXE: http://www.kaxe.org

MN's Blues Man Big Walter Smith

by Doug MacRostie

Big Walter Smith is the lead vocalist with the Groove Merchants and has personified the blues in MN for 40 years. Winner of multiple MN music awards, his 300 pound presence and velveteen voice have graced nearly every blues and R&B stage in the Midwest and he joins us to talk about “Royal Blue Cadillac,” his new album with the Groove Merchants this week on Centerstage MN. He came to Minneapolis back in 1970 for a two week MC gig which lasted over a year and a half. He fell in love, both with MN and his future wife, and has been here ever since.

Big Walter Smith and Groove Merchants will be performing at the “Home is Where the Heart Is” dinner and Dance on Sat. Dec. 4th at the Timberlake Lodge in Grand Rapids starting at 5, music at 8, to benefit the GRACE House Homeless Shelter.

We'll also hear from Mason Jennings brand new album "The Flood" which came out this week. It's a return to his acoustic sound. It's a collection of unreleased songs that Mason re-recorded in March. On his website he says, "It was really fun looking through all my old tapes and finding these, some I hadn’t thought about for years."

All that and more this week on Centerstage MN.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursdays afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

Video: Mary LaPlant Performing In-Studio

How perfect that Mary played "Somewhere over the Rainbow" at our studios in Grand Rapids :)

Read more about Mary's visit on Centerstage MN.

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursdays afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org. 

Mary LaPlant, Welcome Back to Centerstage MN

by Doug MacRostie

I could sit and talk with Mary LaPlant all day; she's one of those positive people that is just fun to be around. Classically trained on the violin, Mary is a 3 Time MN State Fiddle Champion with 2 albums out, Serenity & Out of Nowhere. Her style is lyrical and sure.  While Mary clearly loves music, her concern for the environment was stronger and she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Minor in Music. With the sounds of the woods and birds recorded and mixed into her albums, you can close your eyes and picture her sitting high in a tree playing music with the wilderness. Mary says, "When I'm playing violin and when I'm in the forest, time stands still and I am fully alive". She'll perform in-studio for us and we'll talk about her music this week on Centerstage MN.

And Mary will be joining The Itasca Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Keith Swanson to open the season with an overture, concerto and a symphony on Saturday, November 20, 7:30 pm at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids. Part of the program will feature soloists Kristine Arntson and Mary LaPlant.

We'll have a set of Hip-Hop style MN music too with Brother Ali, Dalia and Mayda. And a set representing Northern MN including a song from the forthcoming release from the high energy Iron Range string band Matt Ray and Those Damn Horses, called "Then & Now".

Next week I welcome back Big Walter Smith, and we'll hear another song from his new CD "Royal Blue Cadillac."

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 KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursdays afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.