Author: General Manager

A number of WRTC programs had a connection to the Independence Day holiday, some albeit a day late.

The America-themed programming started with Friday Class on July 4. Here’s the archive. The theme continued that evening with Crashing The Ether. Check the archive here.

The July 5 edition of Greasy Tracks had a similar aural approach. Here’s the archive.

Following that was a special edition of The Soul Express with Dean Farrell who put together a two-part medley of all 160 singles that went to No. 1 on the Billboard soul chart between 1965-73. If you missed it, here it is!

Part 1 featured the 1960s top of the chart tracks, while Part 2 covered the early 70s.

An interview with Little Feat founding member/keyboardist Bill Payne was part of the June 28 edition of Greasy Tracks which will also featured the group’s latest release, Strike Up The Band (Hot Tomato Records).

Here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

There was also be a spotlight on The Blackberries, a powerhouse female backing vocal group active in the 1970s,

Strike Up The Band follows Sam’s Place which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2024. It’s also their first studio album of original material since Rooster Rag in 2012.

Contributing to Feat’s traditional sound of New Orleans funk colliding with blues-rock fusion are guest appearances by Larkin Poe, Molly Tuttle, Kristen Rogers, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams. Memphis horn men Art Edmaiston (sax) and Marc Franklin (trumpet) add some tasty brass to a handful of tracks.

In addition to talking about the new album, the current tour — which includes a return to Europe in July and a planned live album recording during “Feat Fest,” a three-night run at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, N.Y. — Payne shares insight on Carnival Ghosts, a memoir he’s set to to deliver next spring.

Formed in 1969 by Clydie King, Venetta Fields and Sherlie Matthews, The Blackberries trace their roots to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, Ray Charles and Motown. During their decade-plus together, they were first-choice backing vocalists in the studio and on the road for numerous artists, ranging from Humble Pie to Pink Floyd.

The music of and an interview with Suzanne Vega was part of the June 12 edition of The Land of Misfit Tunes.

If you missed it, the archive is here.

Vega, who is out supporting her new release, Flying With Angels (Cooking Vinyl) appears at The Ridgefield Playhouse on June 15 and Infinity Music Hall in Hartford on June 17.

The June 7 edition of the Soul Express was a three-hour dance party as host Dean Farrell puts the slow jams on hold!

 Here’s the archive.

Listeners can shake their booties, groove things and moneymakers to the Boogaloo, Twist, Shingaling, Cool Jerk, Twine, Breakdown, Dog, Karate, Duck, Bird, Barracuda, Uncle Willie, Tighten Up, Funky Broadway, Monkey, Popcorn, Temptation Walk, Swim, Bird, Boston Monkey, Georgia Slop, Hitch Hike, Skate and more.

The May 31 edition of Greasy Tracks featured a five-and-a-half-hour career overview on Jesse Ed Davis, including an interview with author Douglas Miller who discussed his recently published, Washita Love Child: The Rise of Indigenous Rock Star Jesse Ed Davis (Liveright).

The program caps a month-long celebration of 30 years of Greasy Tracks at WRTC. Here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

In addition to going deep into Davis’ extensive catalog, there were interviews with those who knew and worked with the gifted, yet enigmatic guitarist, including Jim Keltner, Gary Mallaber, Ben Sidran, John Simon and Jim Waggaman.

We also played a number of tracks from the recently released, Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day: The Unissued ATCO Recordings 1970-1971 (Real Gone Music) — 17 unissued recordings from the ¡Jesse Davis! and Ululu sessions. Copies of the CD will be given away during the show.

Davis was a highly influential Native American guitarist known for his exceptional versatility and soulful playing. Born in 1944 in Norman, Okla., he was of Kiowa, Comanche and Muscogee heritage.

He rose to prominence in the late 1960s and 1970s as a sought-after session musician, contributing to albums by legendary artists such as Taj Mahal, George Harrison, John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne. His guitar work was marked by expressive phrasing and a deep blues sensibility, blending rock, blues, and country with fluid ease.

Davis first gained attention as a member of Mahal’s band, contributing standout guitar solos on Mahal’s self-titled debut and The Natch’l Blues. His distinctive style, emotional depth and technical skill earned him a respected place among rock’s elite. Despite his professional success, Davis struggled with substance abuse, which ultimately affected his career.

Later in life, collaborating with John Trudell, he became involved in efforts to support Native American rights and music, helping to inspire a new generation of Indigenous musicians.

Davis died in 1988 at the age of 43, but his legacy endures through the timeless recordings he left behind and his influence on countless guitarists who followed.

The May 25 edition of Strictly Roots will celebrate the music of “Junior” Byles who passed away May 15 at the age of 76.

The program airs 6-8 p.m. and streams here.

Born Kenneth Thaddeus William Byles, Jr., in Kingston, the singer began his career in 1967 as a member of the Versatiles, a vocal trio he formed with Louie Davis and Dudley Earl. They released a number of singles for Nu Beat, Crab and Amalgamated Records, amongst other labels.

Byles left the group in 1969 following the release of their most popular single, “Lu-Lu Bell,” opting to focus on going solo, but also working with Lee “Scratch” Perry.

Byles and Perry would collaborate on numerous singles between 1968 and 1974, including “Curly Locks” and “Beat Down Babylon.”

Russia’s long history is rich with tsars and tsarinas, world-renowned philosophers and writers, revolutions and discoveries as well as a rich culture repleat with amazing music.

Learn all about it on the May 23 edition of Friday Class with Prof. Lay who will be joined by Dr. Carol Any, professor language and culture studies at Trinity College.

The program airs 6-9 a.m. and streams here.

Dr. Any is the author of Boris Eikhenbaum: Voices of a Russian Formalist and The Soviet Writers’ Union and Its Leaders: Identity and Authority under Stalin (Stanford University Press), which won the University of Southern California Book Prize in Literary and Cultural Studies.

Learn more about the Russia you don’t hear about in the news and enjoy the music.

An interview with the namesake of The Ed Palermo Big Band aired May 10 as part of a series of special features this month to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Greasy Tracks.

Here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

We tracked through Prog vs. Fusion: A War of the Ages, the just-released album by The Ed Palermo Big Band which focuses on the challenging subject of material by Miles Davis, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, King Crimson, Frank Zappa and others.

The band plays a record-release show at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York on May 19.

Palermo, the saxophonist and arranger, leads the New York City-based 18-piece ensemble renowned for its inventive jazz interpretations of jazz and rock classics, often leaning heavily on Zappa’s catalog, but never afraid to tackle an array of artists ranging from British Invasion bands to Todd Rundgren.

Greasy Tracks debuted on May 6, 1995, and has traditionally focused on a mix of soul — think Memphis — blues, rock, jazz and funk music.

Program content is intentionally devoid of hits and “sing-along-feel-good-music” as the host strives to challenge himself and the listeners when it comes to selections and focus. Long-form features are the norm and an average of 30-50 musicians, authors and recording industry veterans are interviewed each year..

The April 27 edition of Strictly Roots celebrated the music of roots reggae vocalist Max Romeo who passed away on April 11 at the age of 80. Here’s the archive.

Romeo’s career began in the late 1960s as part of a vocal group called The Emotions. Despite being banned from being played on the air due to its sexual lyrics, his first major solo single “Wet Dream” in 1968 was wildly popular and made the Top 10 on the UK charts.

His career flourished in the 1970s, highlighted by work with Lee “Scratch” Perry on such songs as “War Ina Babylon,” “Three Blind Mice” and “Chase the Devil.”

Also included on the program will be music not played during recent tributes for Cocoa Tea and Ken Parker.

Much of the sounds of the April 19 edition of Greasy Tracks came from Memphis with a deep dive into Family (Alligator), the brand-new release from Southern Avenue.

Here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

There’s an interview with vocalist Tierinii Jackson who discusses how the new album was put together and recorded at the legendary Royal Studios.

The band was formed in 2015 by guitarist Ori Naftaly who had begun working with Jackson and her sister, drummer Tikyra Jackson, after calling time on his previous group, The Ori Naftaly Band.

Merging the blues-influenced playing of Naftaly, the gospel background of the sisters and, by default of being based in Memphis, the inescapable soul and roots rock meets hill country music, there’s no surprise the band boasts an infectious sound.

They released two albums on Stax, their self-titled debut in 2017 and Keep On two years later. In 2021, they moved to BMG subsidiary Renew Records where they put out the Steve Berlin-produced Be The Love You Want. Featuring a bigger, horn-driven sound as Memphis veterans Art Edmaiston (sax), Marc Franklin (trumpet) and Kirk Smothers (sax) were part of the sessions. A third Jackson sister, Ava, also appeared on a track.

Fast forward through being off the road during Covid and the task of writing their new album, the band signed to Alligator. Working with producer John Burk and engineer Boo Mitchell, they cut the album at Royal Studios with Ava now a member of the band, adding vocals, violin and percussion.