May 2012
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McKinley Mitchell: This place ain’t getting no better.
Based in Chicago, McKinley Mitchell was one of the Chicago School of R&B belters I’m so fond of (these include Garland Green, Otis Clay, Johnny Sayles, and Tyrone Davis). Unfortunately, for all his vocal prowess, he was sort of slept on in his day. He recorded some seriously beautiful sides for George Leaner’s One-Derful Records…
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Listen to Streaming Archives of my Radio Show: Reclaimed Soul.
Here in Chicago, Reclaimed Soul airs Thursdays 8-10PM (CST) on Vocalo.org 89.5fm. You can stream live at http://vocalo.org/player. Now folks can listen anytime to radio featuring sound rich interviews and an all-vinyl playlist (courtesy of host Ayana Contreras). Reclaimed Soul is about taking old materials (records, buildings, ideas, et al) to push us all forward.…
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Archeologist and Architect: this Friday at the SSCAC.
This Friday, (aka DJ Ayana) am spinning at the Southside Community Art Center, an establishment originally founded with help from the WPA during the Great Depression. It is the nation’s oldest African American Art Center. Also on the bill is the David Boykin Trio (featuring Marcus Evans on drums, Alex Wing on bass, and Boykin…
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Crate Digger as Archaeologist….
Someone recently described me as an Archaeologist. At first, I didn’t really see the connection, but then I thought for a moment. One of the things I love most about record collecting is how much akin it is to an Archaeological “dig”. A person finds the physical record, occasionally has to dust it off, and…
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21st Century: Tricks are made for kids.
The 21st Century were yet another Kiddie Soul group out of the Chicago area (not unlike The Jackson 5, The Eight Minutes, Cindy & the Playmates, The Five Stairsteps, Pat & Pam, and The Brighter Side of Darkness). Many of these groups are detailed further here. The group hailed from the West Side and were…
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Waxing Poetic at Dorchester Projects.
Above, a bit of video from my Artistic Residency last year with Theaster Gates’ Dorchester Projects, in which I wax poetic about Chicago’s own Mercury Records, Jerry Butler, and the Impressions. I love sharing the stories behind the music I love with the general public; and was reminded of that as I embark on Hosting…
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