25.10.11 California Diner - 'On The Move!'

Things are always moving here at Recharged Radio. Sometimes at a dizzying, breakneck pace. It’s hard to keep up with things without a program, so tonight, I’m going to attempt to do just that. Keep you abreast of a few of the changes and happenings that I’m aware of. First off--Emily Zuzik, of, um, The Emily Zuzik Band--recently made a huge move. She was based in New York, the Big Apple, the City That Never Sleeps, etc. She’s known for powerful vocals and intelligent songwriting, and over the past decade, she’s moved effortlessly through a whole variety of musical genres, ranging from Americana, electronica, and straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll. She even has a song on Moby’s most recent album! She went from being one of my favorite East Coast singers to one of my favorite West Coast singers, just like that! She made the move to Los Angeles, and therefore, falls under the jurisdiction of the California Diner! We’ll hear a smoky, rockin’ tune off of her latest album, The Wild Joys Of Living. www.emilyzuzik.com Mad Tea Party have changed their name to The Mad Tea. It’s going to be difficult to retrain my mouth to say the new name, and I’ll bet you that I even get it wrong in this week’s show! The Asheville, North Carolina-based uke-billy due of Ami Worthen and Jason Krekel have been favorites on my radio shows for years, and we at Recharged Radio even asked (nicely) if we could use their music for our radio show bumpers. So THAT’s where the juke joint/surf freakout sound comes from! Their album Found A Reason has brought smiles to the masses for the last few years, and we’ll sample a track from it on this week’s show. Let me try it one more time: The Mad Tea. Okay, I can do this! www.themadteaparty.com Rob Boffard, aka Rob One, has been my Tuesday night partner in crime for nearly two years. His 20/20 Hip Hop show has entertained and educated us in the ways of hip hop, and each week, he shows us just how vital, and even intellectual, this art form can be. Well we just can’t contain him on Tuesday nights, and as he moves on to the greener pastures of Thursday nights, we celebrate his emceeing abilities by playing a choice cut off of his African album. He’s a rapper that rockers can love. Best wishes on Thursdays, Rob! www.robboffard.com Finally--just a quick heads up. Skip Heller, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinare will be paying us a visit here in California’s capital city of Sacramento this weekend. I will be broadcasting his live show from Shine Cafe, in our funky, eclectic downtown area. Opening for him will be Larisa Bryski, a great vocalist from here in Sactown, and there is a confirmed rumor that the legendary Debora Iyall, of Romeo Void fame, might just sit in with Skip during his set. I’ll be webcasting it over twirlradio.com and on my Facebook page as well, and feel free to message me for more info. We’ll have more about Skip in about a week or so, as he joins me on the show. www.skipheller.com www.larisabryski.com www.deboraiyall.com www.shinesacramento.com www.facebook.com/mikelidskin If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. This note also appears in the News section on the home page of RechargedRadio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Emily Zuzik Band - Motels Skip Heller & Jim Cavender - I Hate You The Little Philistines - Hot Phone The Whiskey Saints - Building To Break M.A.D.I.S.O.N. - If You Want Me To The Scratch - Homely Crackle Ricky Berger - Silly Boy, Goodnight Popdudes - Desperation Time Baby Scream - The Ghost Of Valerie Maxi Dunn - The Neglected Gambit Isaac's Aircraft - My Baby Did Me Wrong Maple Mars - Transcendental Guidance Katelyn Berreth - The Reason I Am Lonely Cha Cha Cha Rob One - Flames Rob Swanson - Oh No! William Cleere and the Marvelous Fellas - Labor Day Tom Alford - Wasp Lands On Sunflower Tina Lie - Twilight Hour The Complete Short Stories - Fall Apart Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - Everybody's Got an Andy Story Mad Tea Party - Bunny Moves On Heiskell - There's A Road Karim Fanous - Thin Bits Joseph Swidenbank - Coming Up For Air Kate Burkart - Cross The Street Mad Mush - Silent Snowfall The Shindig Addicts - Not Long Now Laurie Biagini - A Far-Out Place Anton Barbeau - Please Sir I've Got A Wooden Leg Vegas With Randolph - Supergirl Little Guilt Shrine - One Two Lindy LaFontaine (PSM) - Sunday (Trip Hop remix) Bill Mumy - Can't Complain Rich McCulley - Far From My Angel

18.10.11 California Diner - 'Blake Jones and the Trike Shop Interview!'

It’s finally here--the moment we’ve been waiting for. I’ve been playing the music of the Fresno, California “mad pop” band Blake Jones and the Trike Shop for about a year and a half. And this week, I finally met them in person! One day, back in 2010, I was at my radio studio in Sacramento, and I received a mysterious package from our sister city to the south, Fresno. I opened it up, and there was a disc inside called “The Underground Garden”. There was also a nice handwritten note from a guy named Blake Jones, hoping that I would like the music within. Being crafty, I quickly reasoned that this Blake Jones must be the same guy whose name is part of the band name! (I’m smart that way.) I popped the disc in the CD player, and whoa! Sure, I liked it. But I also loved it, and the wonderful palette of sounds--both the musicianship, and the raw pop harmonies. I realized that the Underground Garden of the title was the legendary Forestiere Gardens (www.undergroundgardens.com/summary.html), an elusive Fresno landmark. Go to the website for more info, but Blake tells us that the Gardens, with all their action happening underground, is an apt metaphor for the Fresno music scene. I am a huge fanatic for this kind of thing, so I was hooked. The rest of the album charms and entertains. It’s sometimes quirky, sometimes shimmery, and sometimes straight up power pop. It features jangly guitars, classic vocal harmonies, and the occasional theremin thrown in to keep you slightly unbalanced. Another standout track, “Sun Up”, makes you think of all that is good about spring and summer. Kids and adults out on the streets. Scooters. Bicycles. Ice cream. Fireworks. The sprinklers going. The band also has a Liverpool connection--they’d been invited to play the IPO festival not once but twice--a huge honor. And to help finance their most recent trip, they did a campaign and gave their donors a pretty neat little EP called “Everybody’s Unplugged Except Martin”, the bass player. It was a chance to hear the band, who are friends first, make some great music in the same room, in mostly one take. Live, immediate, D.I.Y. The way we like it. So Blake and I are conspiring to bring great music to great listeners. We’ve got big plans for you and your eardrums! They join me in studio, and we’ll get the chance to meet him, John, Martin, and Scott for some great chat and music. We’ll learn about their musical influences, aspirations, and I dared to ask them the key question: where did the band’s name come from. And I got not the answer I was expecting, but the answer I deserved! So give these guys a listen. Blake Jones and the Trike Shop will leave you smiling and singing along. www.blakejonesmusic.com If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. This note also appears in the News section on the home page of RechargedRadio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC Sparklejet - The Comeback The Handcuffs - Baby I Love You Fortune Dwellers - Al's Song Cave Country - Huffrag Chad Neaves - Something In My Soul Wim Oudijk - Spirit Blake Jones and the Trike Shop Interview Blake Jones and the Trike Shop - Forestiere Gardens Blake Jones and the Trike Shop - I Roped The Moon Out Of The Sky Blake Jones and the Trike Shop - Jingle Blake Jones and the Trike Shop - Who’s Got A Light The Taters - Required By Love Debora Iyall - Be My Last Skip Heller & Jim Cavender - I Hate You Mad Mush - Silent Snowfall Maxi Dunn - Firecracker V Mr Flash Rocket Michael Miller - Carolina Skyline Vegas With Randolph - Above The Blue Laurie Biagini - My Little SUV In Between Echoes - Breeze On By Jerzey Street Band - Pale Blue River Lindy LaFontaine - I Might Not Love You Edwardo - Another Song Vinnie Zummo - Homicidal Corner Laughers - You Two Are The Ones Dennis Holseybrook - Take Care My Friend

11.10.11 California Diner - 'Keeping Up With The Joneses!'

Yes indeed, I really went with this as a theme this week. But as corny as it may sound, we are keeping up with the Joneses. And not just any Joneses, but a couple of musicians named Jones, who both originally hail from Fresno, California, a short 3 hours away from where I sit in Sacramento. Or closer, if you drive down Highway 99 the way I and most people do. But I digress. This article wasn’t supposed to be about driving through the Central Valley of California. It’s supposed to be about Kat Jones, and Blake Jones and the Trike Shop. Two very different artists, who both sound great on the radio. Kat Jones originally came from Fresno, then moved to America’s “Music City”, Nashville, where I caught up with her a few years back and interviewed her. She convinced me she was not a country musician, and if you listen to her shimmery, sultry, and slightly spooky alternative music, you’ll see that too. Word has it that she’s moved to Portland Oregon, so let me be the first to say (at least on this website): “welcome back to the West Coast!” Kat put out a stunner of an album a few years back called La Rosa, La Calavera, and it’s been a listener favorite. She has this rich, soulful, alto voice--an instrument that most singers would kill to have--and it’s the centerpiece of her songs. Her intense songwriting gets inside you, and makes you think and feel at the same time. We’ll feature one of those incredible songs on this week’s show. http://www.myspace.com/katjones We’ve talked about Blake Jones and the Trike Shop quite a bit on these pages before. This time, it’s to give you a little heads-up about an upcoming event. This self-proclaimed “Mad Pop” band from Fresno is coming to Sacramento this Saturday! These guys are so much fun--featuring raw pop harmonies, guitar, piano, and the occasional theremin. In a stunning use of off-the-shelf, 21st Century D.I.Y. technology, I’ll be webcasting their gig live! At the appointed hour--about 7:30 p.m. Pacific time, it’ll show up on my Facebook page as well as on twirlradio.com. So this is your cue to “friend” me now on Facebook, so that you’ll be sitting in a digital front row seat. And we’ll have the guys on the show in a week or so, so expect more about them in this space soon. www.blakejonesmusic.com If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. This note also appears in the News section on the home page of RechargedRadio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC June & The Exit Wounds - Hey Hey Hey Anton Barbeau - Losing You Makes Crucifixion Easy Popdudes - Good Morning Sinners Levi Strom - One Kiss M.A.D.I.S.O.N. - If You Want Me To Kat Jones - Those Expensive Eyes Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - Sun Up Winzenried - Ohio Lannie Flowers - Circles Lindy LaFontaine - Sunday The Mike Brown Band - Pay Skip Heller - Falling For You Maple Mars - Citizen Roger The Whiskey Saints - Before My Time The Complete Short Stories - Fall Apart Karim Fanous - Perfume Maxi Dunn - Why Do I Want You? Joseph Swidenbank - Coming Up For Air Duncan Faure - In The Right Place Beth Thornley - A to Z Throwback Suburbia - Head Over Heels Baby Scream - Cold Weather Reggae Laurie Biagini - You're A Dangerous Thing Look, Stranger! - Kept It Alive The Corner Laughers - Yellow Jacket Allyson Seconds - Dig My Pig Vinnie Zummo - John Lennon Sarah Taylor - Easy To Forget Sexfresh - Dilemma Beck Lanehart - Jersey Dead Heart Bloom - Sentimental Cures

04.10.11 California Diner - 'Winters Here'

Okay, not really. But we humans of the Northern California variety are so used to clear, sunny skies, that the first rain makes us feel like our endless summer has ended and that old man winter is upon us. We’re getting early rain this year. The rainy season usually runs from around November-ish through around April or May-ish, and then no rain for months. But the gray skies, cooler temperatures, and rains start up this week. Now I know what you’re thinking--”Chef Mike, you are such a spoiled little crybaby! Everybody knows that for much of the world, winter means snow, and what you are describing is simply known as autumn!” Were you really thinking that? I know I would if I were you. We usually get six or seven months of what feels like fall to a lot of you. So for us, it’s time to bundle up (such as it were), get outside and enjoy the changing of seasons. So what else can you do during this time of year, my favorite? Well, if I were you, I’d grab a hot apple cider and snuggle up to a good indie radio show. Something like, oh, I don’t know, Recharged Radio’s California Diner! A couple of artists we’re celebrating this week: Vinnie Zummo - he’s a massively talented, New York City-based guitarist who spent many years in Joe Jackson’s band. He’s also played with the likes of Roger Daltrey, Shawn Colvin, Art Garfunkel, Paul Carrack and more. He writes music for TV. And most importantly to us, he’s got a great solo career going. His albums Swinging Guitar Sounds of Young America, Vols. 1 and 2, pay tribute to a myriad of musical styles and influences. We’ll hear one of those tracks on this week’s show. http://www.vinniezummo.com/ Jeff Merchant - we gave the East Coast some props, now let’s give it up for the West Coast. Jeff is based in Los Angeles, and is what I would call an urban storyteller. His indie-alt music stands out because of the care he takes with the lush, intricate arrangements. And to my ears, the songwriting stands out. There’s some quirky characters in L.A., and Jeff writes about many that he’s personally seen. His album Window Rolled Down referred to his observation platform of choice--you can learn a lot driving around town. And we’ll hear a track this week off of his more recent album, City Makes No Sound. Jeff Merchant’s city does indeed make sound--a wonderfully listenable collection of songs. http://www.jeffmerchantmusic.com/ If you'd like to make a request, just drop me a line at mike(at)rechargedradio.com. If you'd like to become an honorary California citizen, drop me a line at the same address. And if you'd like to hear all this great music—simply tune in to the California Diner, Tuesday night, 8:00-10:00 p.m. (GMT), 12:00-2:00 p.m. Pacific, only at Recharged Radio—www.rechargedradio.com. This note also appears in the News section on the home page of RechargedRadio.com. See you then! Chef Mike mike(at)rechargedradio.com MN2BDNC The Corner Laughers - For The Sake Of The Cat The Complete Short Stories - Fall Apart Joe Symes - Lost Along The Way Jesus H Christ & The Four Hornsmen of The Apocalypse - Liz the Hot Receptionist Chad Neaves - You Said Laurie Biagini - My Little SUV Vinnie Zummo - Homicidal Debora Iyall - Tell Me Why Crayon - Consolation Abby Holden - Wrong Tonight Joseph Swidenbank - Back Home Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - I Roped The Moon Out Of The Sky Maxi Dunn - Make It Better Luke Dick - The Healer Anton Barbeau - Doctor Don't Chop My Knee Mama, Ouch Is Another Word Jeff Merchant - Joyride Maple Mars - Beautiful Mess Clockwork Radio - So Will I Goodfinger - Sounds Of The City The Clutter Family - Artist In The Office Lindy LaFontaine - Free To Breathe Ambassadors of Morocco - Never Imagine This Tangent Sunset - Way Down Last Breath - Been Down This Road Laurie Larson - All Year Long The Whiskey Saints - Every Little Thing Skip Heller - I Used To Love California Baby Scream - Secret Place Peter Daltrey - In The Room Of Percussion Thinking For Tuesday - Falling Rich McCulley - Tell Me, I'm Listening The Dashing Suns - Sally Moore