Music News & Events

Upcoming Live Performances on MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC with host JASON BENTLEY

Tuesday, November 17, Forro In The Dark is based in New York, but they tap into their Brazilian roots to create hip-swiveling grooves. Their fans include KCRW favorites like David Byrne and Bebel Gilberto-- you’ll hear why on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.

Thursday, November 19, As a young woman, Rosanne Cash told her father Johnny she wanted to play country music. He put together a list of 100 essential songs for her to listen to and, years later, she’s put together an album highlighting her favorites. Hear it live on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.

Tuesday, November 24, We first met Lissie at KCRW in 2007, when she came in to sing backup for Jesca Hoop. Now, she's opening for Ray LaMontagne and has just released a terrific debut EP. Hear her new songs live on Morning Becomes Eclectic at 11:15am.

Wednesday, November 25, Tune in for a special pre-Thanksgiving visit from UK production and remix team Simian Mobile Disco. They'll deliver fresh tracks from their sophomore release when they join Morning Becomes Eclectic live at 11:15am.

KCRW.COM PRESENTS

Tues, November 24, ROYKSOPP at WEBSTER HALL in NEW YORK.
Fri, December 11, FIERY FURNACES at THE MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG in NEW YORK CITY.

KCRW PRESENTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Thursday, November 12, ORGONE AT ZANZIBAR.
Thursday, November 12, BURAKA SOM SISTEMA AT THE MAYAN.
Fri, November 13, BOMBA ESTEREO AT THE ECHO.
Sat, November 14, JENNY LEWIS & FRIENDS AT THE ACTOR’S GANG.
Wed, November 18, SWELL SEASON AT THE WILTERN.
Wed, November 18,  ROYKSOPP AT CLUB NOKIA.
Wed, November 18, FORRO IN THE DARK at THE SOHO in Santa Barbara.
Thursday, November 19, FORRO IN THE DARK AT THE MINT.
Sat, November 21, FRIENDLY FIRES WITH THE XX AT THE MUSIC BOX AT THE HENRY FONDA.
Fri, November 20, FAT FREDDY’S DROP AT THE ROXY. Jeremy Sole will host and deejay the evening.
Sat, November 21, BEN GIBBARD & FRIENDS AT THE ACTOR’S GANG.
Sat, November 21, PETER BJORN AND JOHN with FOOL'S GOLD AND EL PERRO DEL MAR AT CLUB NOKIA.
Mon, November 23, EL PERRO DEL MAR  AT THE HOTEL CAFÉ.
Tues, November 24, LISSIE at THE BOOTLEG THEATRE.
Tues, November 24, CAFÉ TACUBA AT CLUB NOKIA.
Fri, November 27, JULIAN CASABLANCAS AT THE PALACE THEATRE.
Fri, December 4, FINK AT SPACELAND.
Sat, December 5, SARA WATKINS AND TOM BROSSEAU AT LARGO AT THE CORONET.
Fri, December 11, BAND OF SKULLS AT THE TROUBADOUR.
Sat, December 12, BRETT DENNEN AT THE WILTERN.
Sat, December 12, JOHN DOE with JILL SOBULE AT THE ACTOR’S GANG.
Wed, December 16, ZERO 7 AT THE ORPHEUM.
Fri, December 18 and Sat, December 19, OZOMATLI AT CLUB NOKIA.
Fri, January 8, SONIC YOUTH AT THE FOX THEATRE IN POMONA.
Sat, January 9, SONIC YOUTH AT THE WILTERN.
Fri, March 12, BRANDI CARLILE AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES (ANAHEIM). 

KCRW DJ Mario Cotto (Sat, 8-10p) has a way of describing bands that is unlike anyone else I’ve ever met. We recently had an email discussion about Washed Out -- a band that made a splash at CMJ, but who had been on our airwaves for sometime thanks to Mario.  Here’s his description, which of course he didn’t expect me to publish since it was just a discussion between two music geeks: “It's rad. It's all gauzy, hazy lo-fi disco. Like 10cc nightdrivin' a Ferrari to Studio 54 on ecstacy. “ (In case you don’t remember, 10cc are the UK band responsible for this hit)

Mario continues… “It seems there's this whole lo-fi psychedelic loop sound that's taking over -- bands like Washed Out, Memory Tapes, Toro y Moi, Kurt Vile, Atlas Sound. And of course, Former Ghosts...but they're doing more of a cold-wavey romantic synthpop thing.”

So there it is...a short list of bands to check out over the weekend!

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Colombia’s Bomba Estereo gave us a live lesson in Cumbia this morning as part of an explosive set of dance
music. They gave us a taste of the genre in its simplest form during the interview with Jason, but the bulk of
their live performance was a mix of Afro-Caribbean rhythms with electro, dub, hip hop and more for a sound they
call "electro-tropical."  Raul Campos came back from this year’s Latin Alternative Music Conference raving
about the band and, around the same time, they played to huge crowds at Denmark’s prestigious Roskilde
Festival.

Check it out for yourself

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KCRW DJ Anthony Valadez is celebrating the release of his first full length album this week. Audio/Visual is a collection of beats layered with live instrumentation and some great vocalists, such as Stockholm's Kissey Asplund. The 18 instrumental tracks capture the heartbeat of a city asleep, but very much awake. “After DJing at KCRW and around town, I always love to take the streets home.  4 am in Los Angeles could feel lonely, but at the same time there is this pulse underneath the buildings, trees, and bus stops. That was the inspiration for this album.” “Firefly,” featuring Kissey, is Today’s Top Tune and available for the download over the next 24 hours. (after that, you can still hear it streaming on the site)

Here’s more from Anthony himself:

“Audio/Visual is a concept in my head that tied in many scenes from my past and giving it a kick, snare and melody to accompany it.  I have always been a fan of instrumental music that could take you on a journey. I can’t sing, but under each kick, snare, or high hat is a thought that I wanted to convey through sound.  As funny as that might sound, I stand by it.

I had all these amazing musicians layer their sounds over my skeleton beats and then I began looping and chopping their contributions into what became a  musical bowl of soup with many ingredients and spices.”

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Renowned street artist and graphic designer Shepard Fairey will fill in for KCRW DJ Henry Rollins this Saturday, November 14. He visited Morning Becomes Eclectic for a Guest DJ set this summer and his playlist included The Equal’s “Police on My Back” and Black Flag’s “Rise Above” -- a tribute to Rollins influence as a musician. Tune in Saturday at 6pm PST.

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Ashley Force Hood

If you haven’t heard of Ashley Force Hood, you probably don’t pay much attention to racing. Not only is she extremely successful -- in September, she became the first woman to win a National Hot Rod Assn. U.S. Nationals championship in the funny car division – she is also part of a racing dynasty, as the the daughter of four-time national champion John Force. Also, she was voted the Hottest Athlete in an AOL Sports Poll in 2007. From racing to romance, she reveals the music that has gotten her through both triumph and tough times in her Guest DJ set.

This weekend, Ashley will be in Pomona as part of the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals. She’s been writing updates for USA Today that you can read here.

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David Gray has been a regular visitor to KCRW since before his album “White Ladder” launched him to stardom. In fact, the Welsh singer loves KCRW so much, he even dropped by for a performance on his wedding day many years ago. The multi-platinum selling artist was back today to perform songs from his latest hit record, “Draw the Line” – including the title track and other favorites like “Fugitive” and “Kathleen.” He also performed a special cover of Bob Dylan’s “Meet Me in the Morning.”

Jason asked him how he could be such an easy going guy to chat with but channel such heartbreak and cutting emotion in his songs. David replied that when playing music you get to access the “reaches of your tortured soul.” And aren’t we glad he does!

Check it out here

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Orgone brought some funky grooves to our Santa Monica studios -- a full throttle live performance despite the early morning hour, with a full horn section and Fanny Franklin on vocals.  While a lot of soul/funk bands tend to sound entirely retro, Orgone seem to have created a vibe that is fresh, unique and very much influenced by Southern California. Their cover of “Funky Nassau” has been a favorite among our DJs and they managed to squeeze it in, along with a Meters’ cover, just before the end of their set.

Check it out

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KCRW put together a compilation through iTunes of songs straight from our DJ’s playlists and we are offering it FREE for our listeners. It’s 20 tracks, including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Mayer Hawthorne and Miike Snow – all who made their debuts here and have been getting a ton of buzz – as well as Moby, St. Vincent, and Iron and Wine.

Here’s the link: http://www.kcrw.com/selections

Get it while you can!

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KCRW Selections: 20-Track iTunes Playlist

ARTIST / TITLE
The Morning After Girls / Part of Your Nature
Fanfarlo / Ghosts
St. Vincent / The Strangers
Headless Heroes / Just Like Honey
Nickodemus / Calle Sol
Black Moth Super Rainbow /  Smile the Day After Today
Sonic Youth / Malibu Gas Station
A Camp / Here Are Many Wild Animals
Iron and Wine / Belated Promise Ring
Zap Mama / Do You Wanna?
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / 40 Day Dream
Miike Snow / Sans Soleil
Eels / In My Dreams
Bibio / Ambivalence Avenue
Generationals / When They Fight, They Fight
Moby / Pale Horses (Empyrean Dub remix)
Mayer Hawthorne / Maybe So, Maybe No
The Temper Trap / Sweet Disposition
Quantic and His Combo Barbaro / Un Canto a Mi Tierra
Mocky / Birds Of a Feather

KCRW’s online-only music channel Eclectic24 will stream the soundtrack to the latest film in the “Twilight” series tonight at 8pm PST on Monday, Nov 9. “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” OST will also be available streaming ON DEMAND for one week only! You can check it all out here.

The soundtrack includes fantastic new songs from Death Cab for Cutie, Band of Skulls and Bon Iver, among others. Enjoy!

Next week, we preview Norah Jones’ latest “The Fall.”

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