Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The life and times of Dave Brubeck on this week's edition of RadioLand. Wednesday at 6pm, Saturday at 9am 89.9 fm www.wvru.org

Songs:
Curtain music
RadioLand theme- Cadillac
Take five (with narration)
Fugue on bop themes
Blue moon and tea for two
A foggy day
Take the A train
Jeepers creepers
Blue rondo a la Turk
Take five
The real ambassadors
Kathy's waltz
Don't get around much anymore
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow



Sunday, December 9, 2012

Thoughts on Dave Brubeck . . .

We lost one of the legends this week. That word, "legend," gets tossed around a lot nowadays, but in the case of Dave Brubeck, it is not only appropriate, it may be an understatement. Dave was the first jazz artist featured on the cover of Time magazine and for a period of time, he represented the world of jazz to the general public. He fought against discrimination and helped promote African American artists. He was a goodwill ambassador to the world and performed for millions around the planet. He enlightened and entertained for decades and will live on alongside the greats in music history.


But all of this, while important, is not the signature accomplishment of Dave Brubeck's life. He was a good man. Good in every way. A wonderful husband and loving father. A caring would and a man of devout faith. He possessed a genuine quality that shown through to everyone who ever met him. I consider myself on of the fortunate ones because I had the pleasure of crossing paths with Dave on a very special night in Manhattan in 1993.

I was a fan and had always hoped to see Dave Brubeck play, but the vast majority of his modern performance time was at large outdoor festivals. Grand in scale, not optimal for the intimacy of jazz. Dave had been quite ill during the previous year and had a renewed interest in performance in smaller venues. In the fall of 1993, I read that Dave would be making his first club appearance in decades at the Blue Note in New York. I simply could not pass up this opportunity, so i drove to Washington, then took the train to NYC and spent the day at Radio City Music Hall and then went to Rockefeller center's NBC studios to see the 17th episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien being recorded.

That night I spent two sets, almost 3 hours total, sitting 2 feet away from Dave as he played with his Quartet. He played a piano with such power and force that they had to have a professional piano tuner come in and retune the piano between sets. After his first set, I went upstairs to see if I might get a minute with him and he was the most gracious man, spending about a half hour with me talking about jazz, his career and his performance. I've been fortunate to meet a number of great performers over the years who have been wonderful, but I must say Dave was one of the nicest, most genuine people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

After spending hours at the club, I had to leave when they closed at 2am and, since I didn't have enough money left for a hotel room, I stayed up all night in the city - an experience in itself - ending up at Penn Station for a 6am train back to DC and then a 4 hour car trip home. Insane but one of the single most amazing days of my life.

Thank you Dave and Godspeed!



Saturday, December 1, 2012

Holiday tunes . . .

As I shop around this Holiday season, one of my favorite elements is the ever present sound of holiday music. I wish that the diversity of styles could be heard everywhere throughout the year much like the celebration season. In one 10 minute spend you could hear Frank Sinatra, Mariah Carey, Blake Shelton and Madonna. Where else, other than RadioLand, would you find such an eclectic mix?

I also love that instrumentals thrive at the holidays. Wouldn't it be great to have a few more of these on regular radio throughout the year? Maybe tunes like Popcorn or Classical Gas popping up a little more often?

The music really helps make me feel the season and I hope that the holiday music we're presenting on RadioLand really helps enhance your celebration!

More about "Merry Christmas 007" . . .

2012 is the 50th anniversary of James Bond on the Silver Screen. Rarely does Bond address Holidays, but in both the book and movie adaptation of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Christmas and New Years Day play a major role in the story. It's interesting because up to that point in the film series, Bond had not spent any time in the cold or snow and he certainly does in OHMSS!

When trying to create a show with the holiday Bond theme, I had a couple elements from the movie soundtrack including a remix of the title with appropriate jingling bells, but not much more. I think we found some cool space age bachelor pad music and a little mad Russian music from Manheim Steamroller to round things out.

Enjoy!

Holiday specials abound on RadioLand starting this week! Up today - Merry Christmas 007! - super secret agent holiday fun. Saturday at 9am 89.9fm www.wvru.org

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Things are way too cool in RadioLand this week as we bring you the Pulp side of Radio. Wednesday 6p, Saturday 9a 89.9 fm www.wvru.org

We've got the lava lamp fired up and our black leather ready to roll on Pulp Radio.  The core of our music today is featured in the films of Quentin Tarantino.

Playlist -
Bustin Surfboards - the Tornados
The girl can't help it - Little Richard
Should I stay or should I go - the Clash
Slaughter - Billy Preston
Comanche - the Revels
Stuck in the middle with you - Stealers Wheels
No sleep tonight - the Faders
Out of limits - the Hurricanes
You never can tell - Chuck Berry
Baby blue - Badfinger
Pickin up the pieces - Average white band
Bang Bang  my baby shot me down - Royal pop of sound
Misirlou - Dick Dale
Just what I needed - the Cars
Bull winkle part II - the Centurians

Magnet and Steel - Walter Egan

Seven Nation Army - White Stripes







Thursday, October 25, 2012

We're going places on the next RadioLand! Join us! Wednesday at 6pm and Saturday at 9am - 89.9fm http://www.wvru.org/


  1. Playlist from show:


    Calling America - ELO
    Cleveland Rocks - PUSA
    Blue Moon of Kentucky - Tom Petty
    Back in the USSR - Beatles
    Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
    Down in Mexico - the Coasters
    The Devil went down to Georgia - The Billys
    Detroit Rock City - KISS
    ...
    I only want to be with you - Bay City Rollers
    Devil with a blue dress on - Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
    Still the one - Orleans
    Autumn in New York - Felix Slatkin
    Chili Hot Miami - Us3
    Hollywood Swingin - Kool and the Gang
    Hollywood - Puppini Sisters
    Say goodbye to Hollywood - Billy Joel

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

This week on RadioLand - a few thoughts when the world is kicking you hard. The theme is "at least I'm alive!" join us and let's try to create some good karma! Wednesday 6pm, Saturday 9am 89.9fm www.wvru.org

Playlist highlights

I'm alive
You can make it, if you try
Mr blue sky
Billy don't be a hero
I ain't gonna  cry no more
What goes around comes around
That's life
I could write a book
Look at me
Ain't that a kick in the head
Love the life you live
Rythmn of life

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

50 years of the Rolling Stones on the next RadioLand today at 6p and Saturday at 9a www.wvru.org

Playlist

Satisfaction
Get off my cloud
19th Nervous breakdown
Rollin Stone - Muddy Waters
Time is on my side
Brown Sugar
You can't always get what you want
Let's spend the night together
It's only rock n roll
Jumpin Jack Flash
Start me up
Ruby Tuesday
Honky Tonk Woman
The last time






Wednesday, September 12, 2012

We explore the meaning of happiness on the next RadioLand! Wednesday 6pm, Saturday 9am www.wvru.org 89.9fm

Songs:
Get Happy - Puppini Sisters
Happy Jack - the Who
Oh Happy Day - chorus from Lil Abner
Put on a happy face - Tony Bennett
Happy Cowboy - sons of the Pioneers
Life's a happy song - Muppets
Happy to keep his dinner warm - Cast of How to Succeed in Business
Happy now? - no Doubt
lord you made the cowboy happy - Riders in th Sky
Smile - Nat King Cole



Wednesday, August 29, 2012

We're talking the talk and walking the walk on the next RadioLand. Hot rockin tunes with a lot of attitude. Come strut to the sounds - Wed @ 6pm and Sat @ 9am 89.9fm www.wvru.org

Song list:
Eruption - Van Halen
Talk the talk - Jerry Reed
Yakity yak - The Coasters
Walkie talkie man - Steriogram
Jumpin jack flash - Rolling Stones
Every breath you take/Peter Gunn - The Police and Henry Mancini
I walk the line - LIVE
Sweet talkin woman - ELO
Tell her about it - Billy Joel
Walk of life - Dire Straights
Blue suede shoes - Johnny Hallyday
Walk the llama - Rascal Flats
Shake your tail feather - Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers
I'm walkin - Fats Domino
Tell him - the Exciters
Its just the way you walk - smash mouth
Take the money and run - Steve Miller BandRuanaway - Singing penguins
Rambling man - Allman Bros Band
Gimme three steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd




Wednesday, August 22, 2012

On the next RadioLand, a musical visit to the High Country of North Carolina. Wed 6pm, Sat 9am 89.9fm www.wvru.org


Some of the songs on the "High Country" edition of RadioLand:

Mountain Music - Alabama

Tweetsie Junction and Tweetsie Railroad Line - Riders in the Sky

Exactly like you, I can't believe you're in love with me, Blue Lou- Art of the Archtop - Ranger Doug, Andy Reiss, Bobby Durham

Banjo in the hollow - The Dillards

Morning Top - Bryan Sutton

If I take wings - Appalachian St University choir

Blowin in the wind - Bob Dylan

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Beach Boys on the next RadioLand! Wed @ 6p, Sat @ 9a 89.9 fm www.wvru.org

Beach Boys trivia:

What was the original name of the band that later became the Beach Boys?  The Pendletones, derived from the Pendleton wool shirts popular at the time. In their earliest performances, the band wore the heavy wool jacket-like shirts, which were favored by surfers in the South Bay.




The title track to the album "Pet Sounds" was originally titled "run James run" and was the Beach Boys idea of a James Bond movie title track. The more you know ...


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

New RadioLand! Come take a rockin ride with us in cool cars, boats, trains and planes! Wed 6p, Sat 9a 89.9fm www.wvru.org

Free Ride - Edgar Winter Group; . Slow Ride - Foghat; . We built this city - Starship; . Good times roll- the Cars; . Go Speed Racer - sponge; . Dirty white boy - Foreighner; . Long train runnin - Doobie Brothers; . Movin right along - Alkaline Trio; . Rock the boat - Hues corporation; . Witch dr.; . Highway star - deep purple; . Magic carpet ride- steppenwolf; . Holiday road - Lindsey Buckingham; . Drive my car - Beatles; .

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

New RadioLand today! The theme is "Jukebox Heroes: AMY WINEHOUSE EDITION The inspirations and adulations of her life."

We'll have music from Amy, but in addition we'll feature some of her favorite artists such as Frank Sinatra, James Moody and Etta James.  We'll also have a couple somgs by the Amy-Inspired artists Adele and Rumer.  Wednesday 6p, Saturday 9a http://www.wvru.org/ 89.9fm in the greater Radford metropolitan area!  Meet you there!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

New RadioLand tonight! We are featuring a Salute to SUN Records, founded in February 1952. Great music from legendary artists in a Rock-A-Billy romp! Meet you in RadioLand! Wed @ 6p, Sat @ 9a - www.wvru.org 89.9fm!

RadioLand 1/18/12 Salute to SUN records featuring Chris Isaak's "Beyond the SUN" recordings. Indicated with *

RadioLand theme - Cadillac by Combustible Edison

Ring of fire *
That's alright mama- Paul McCartney
Great balls of fire *
Everybody's in the mood *
Blue moon of Kentucky - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
It's now or never *
Who will the next fool be? - Sheryl Crow
Folsom prison blues - Johnny Cash
Sittin on top of the world - Van Morrison and Carl Perkins
Breathless - Jerry Lee Lewis
I forgot to remember to forget *
When the Saints go marching in - Elvis and the Million Dollar Quartet
My baby left me *
Don't be cruel - Bryan Ferry
Can't help falling in love *
Blue Suede Shoes - Johnny Hallyday
Live it up *
Oh Pretty Woman *

RadioLand closing theme There's a great big beautiful tomorrow by They Might Be Giants

Links:
http://www.sunrecords.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Sun-2CD-Chris-Isaak/dp/B005KMX866 - Beyond the Sun CD

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Rockin-Tonight-Legacy-Records/dp/B00005NZX7/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326981165&sr=1-7 - Good Rockin Tonight CD

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Million-Dollar-Quartet/dp/B000HEVALC/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326981208&sr=1-1 - Complete Million Dollar Quartet

http://www.covermesongs.com/


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

New RadioLand alert! We're LIVE on the air right now with a new show for the new year. Great new recordings from The Puppini Sisters, Ranger Doug, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops plus much more! 89.9fm and www.wvru.org online. We rebroadcast each Saturday at 9am. See you in RadioLand!

Some of the great stuff on this edition of RadioLand:

Hollywood by the Puppini Sisters

Art of the Archtop by Ranger Doug

Here we go again by Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis and Norah Jones

Meet the Gregory Brothers

Preservation featuring the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and many guest artists

How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying 2011 cast album featuring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroqutte Plus more!

Check it out!