“Combining a compelling mix of music, theater, fashion and modeling into her repertoire, Cassie Taylor is an ambassador of blending the arts.  Cassie is the daughter of renowned bluesman Otis Taylor and toured in his band for seven years as bassist and backup vocalist.  She takes her passion for the blues seriously by serving on the board of directors of The Blues Foundation.  Staking a claim as a musician in her own right, her songwriting is a new kind of blues which explores the trials and tribulations of a twenty-something woman.  Using pop vocals and deeply-rooted blues bass lines, Cassie is leading the new generation of blues artists. “

Joining Cassie in the studio on percussion is Josh Moore.  Guitarist Eric Wiggs could mot make it in to the studio for the radio show but gave a stellar performance with Cassie & Josh later that evening at their Avos show.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“Turn 4‘s exciting Country sound will rattle your teeth and shake some fillings loose on one song and then touch your deepest regions on the next. Humor and sincerity ooze out of these songs like so much mud, blood and beer after a good barfight.”  – Jason D. Rogers / KRFC

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“Learning violin at age four by the Suzuki Method then nurturing a passion for piano music, Stephen Letnes learned and played contemporary and classical pieces, from David Lantz to Serge Rachmaninoff to Edvard Grieg. With hyper-sensitive hearing of tone and harmony (born legally blind) coupled with a cavernous memory, he eventually began composing. Tapping the musical disciplines gathered through lessons and performances (following in the footsteps of the masters) compositions poured forth, culminating in three CDs: “A Dim Glow Through a Stained Glass Window”-dedicated to six people who greatly impacted his life; “Incorporio” -music signifying what love is, that it goes where it wishes; and his latest CD, “Labreya”.” Stephen lives in Highlands Ranch,Colorado but grew up in Fort Collins and used to be band-mates with our own Live@Lunch volunteer, Corey (Barnes) Bairre.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Oak Creek is Daniel Watters, Jenna Cunningham Watters, Steve Rogers, Adam Wolin, Paul Morris and Seth Evans.

“While knowing each other for years from growing up in the same small town of Sedona, AZ, it wasn’t until their senior year in high school when Daniel Watters and Jenna Cunningham discovered a musical talent together. Throughout the past 4 years, Daniel and Jenna have been songwriting in long-distance fashion; Daniel attending university in Los Angeles while Jenna way fared her way around the world, performing whenever and wherever their paths crossed. It wasn’t until early 2009, after Daniel graduated college, that he decided to join Jenna in Colorado where they can finally pursue their music together, full time and face to face. Both Aquarians and avid lovers of The Beatles, Daniel and Jenna come together to create Oak Creek, a harmonic, folk-filled, energy to be reckoned with. They have been compared to the Canadian indie-pop band, Stars, as well as the folk-rock band Rilo Kiley from Los Angeles. Both pull influences from bands such as Fleet Foxes, Broken Social Scene, Phoenix, Wilco, Stevie Wonder, Simon and Garfunkel, and of course, The Beatles. Daniel has 2 self-released albums under his belt, with Jenna making an appearance on both. Currently, Oak Creek are living in and performing around Denver, CO. Joining them to create a 6 piece band are Adam Wolin on drums, Steve Rogers on bass, Seth Evans on accordion, banjo, and piano, and Pablo Morris on wurlitzer, organ, and guitar.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Seth Glier & Ryan Hommel on tour from Massachusetts appeared later that night with Cheryl Wheeler at Avogadros Number. Seth found out that morning his 2011 release, The Next Right Thing, was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

“MPress recording artist Seth Glier will grab you…if not with his powerful falsetto or his melodic prowess, then with what Performer Magazine calls his “intoxicating groove.” The 22-year-old singer, pianist and guitarist – who abandoned studies at The Berklee College of Music after one year because he “decided I should be playing for people and not for grades” – aims straight for the gut & has quickly established himself on the national scene performing over 250 shows a year.

In 2010, Glier shared stages with such diverse artists as James Taylor, Mark Knopfler, The Verve Pipe, and Edwin McCain. He has appeared as a mainstage artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (NY) and the Kerrville Folk Festival (TX). USA Today recently compared Seth to Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel and recommended his track “Lauralee” on their “Listen Up Playlist” (Feb 2011).

The only musical member of his family, Seth was raised on the music of Joni Mitchell, Martin Sexton and Randy Newman, but considers his brother to be his greatest influence. “My brother is autistic and non-verbal. I learned to communicate with words better once I realized how to communicate to someone without them.” Maybe the term ‘old soul’ has meaning after all…”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Kailin Yong’s Peace Project Trio

You may recognize Kailin Yong from his years performing with The Boulder Acoustic Society. A few years ago he started  a group called the Kailin Yong Peace Project which typically consist of anywhere between 5-12 musicians but also features some of the performers with him as a trio or quartet. They have been putting on Peace Concerts all along the front range. 

“When most performers attempt to integrate a plethora of styles into their sound, they often get in over their head, but Kailin, who came to America by way of Austria and his native Singapore, has the artistic talent and musical breadth to not merely suggest ideas of worldliness, but to actually cull the voices of other nations from his strings. This performance will be the Peace Project Trio with Kailin performing violin and vocals, James Hoskins on cello and vocals, Brett Bowen on middle eastern percussion. Kailin’s much acclaimed Peace Project was formed to promote peace, friendship and cross-cultural understanding through music. The trio will perform Kailin’s original music based on his exploration of diverse cultures. This musicial event is guarenteed to be exceptional.”
– Clark Roberts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Mickey on MC
Steph Jay on MC/Guitar
Nick on Guitar
Brian on Bass
Adam on Drums

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Nate Barnes, Daniel Sproul, Jacob Sproul & Jimmy Stofer

“Boulder-based rock and roll band Rose Hill Drive has returned to debut the addition of new member bass player Jimmy Stofer and an entire album’s worth of brand-new material. In 2003, guitarist Daniel Sproul, his vocalist brother Jacob and childhood friend drummer Nate Barnes began practicing in the basement of the house on Rose Hill Drive in Boulder, Colorado that the Sproul brothers grew up in. Since then, they’ve released two full-length albums, 2006′s self-titled debut and 2008′s “Moon Is The New Earth,” several EPs, and developed a worldwide fan base. In 2009, the trio went on hiatus. In the ensuing months, Jacob switched from bass to guitar, bassist Stofer came on board, and the newly formed quartet began writing new material, which eventually became the band’s third studio album, 2011′s “Americana.” Stofer was previously a member of such local favorites as Hello Kavita and Dualistics. Rose Hill Drive’s raw, emotive rock has earned the group high praises from both critics and fellow musicians alike.

Nate Barnes, Daniel Sproul, Jacob Sproul and Jimmy Stofer

The band toured with Stone Temple Pilots this summer and has opened for Wilco, The Black Crowes, Queens Of The Stone Age, VanHalen, Aerosmith, and The Who, among others.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Colorado musician John-Alex Mason this morning (10/19/2011) and our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and band-mates. We wanted to share a wonderful performance/interview by John-Alex in the KRFC Live@Lunch studio as a tribute to him and his great spirit.

This Saturday night(10/22/2011), John-Alex was scheduled to play at the Boulder Outlook with Gary Allegretto. Gary and Rob Wilson’s band will be performing a Memorial Concert for John-Alex. 8:00 – 10:30. There is no cover. The Outlook is also holding a Memorial Service followed by a Blues Jam this Sunday. Many of John-Alex’s friends and musical colleagues will be there to play for him.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Guitarist Alfredo Muro was born in Lima, Peru. At the age of ten, he began teaching himself to play the guitar and was soon awarded a scholarship to study with Maestro Jose Pepe Torres at his Guitar Academy. Many years and awards later, Muro continued his studies with two of Peru’s greatest guitar masters, Octavio Ticona and Carlos Hayre, gaining mastery of harmonic theory and the rich variety of Peruvian folklore. After four years of intense studies he moved to the United States to broaden his musical skills studying with great masters Manuel Lopez Ramos, Frank Costa and John Doan. Since then, Muro has established a prodigious repertoire ranging from classical music to Latin American and Spanish music, and from Baden Powell and Jobim, to Bach and Albeniz. Mr. Muro has a special love of Brazilian music. He has studied and mastered the intricate styles of Choro, Samba, Frevo, Bossa Nova and Afro-samba. Alfredo Muro has been described as a Latin virtuoso, but his musical styles and tastes are far more versatile, ranging from standard classical repertoire to jazz. His forte is South American music in its many guises: folk, jazz, Brazilian, classical. Whatever the style, it’s the emotional content of his music that carries the day. While on tour in Europe, Muro played in 1984, for the late Pope John Paul the Second at a “Special Audience” at the Vatican. He has been invited to several international guitar festivals around the world. He has performed in Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Italy, Germany, Canada, Dominican Republic and in many venues throughout the United States, including the Kennedy Center for the Millennium Concert Series, and the Smithsonian Institution. Muro has released six CD’s: “Journey Through The Strings” “The Musical Sea” “Alfredo Muro and Friends Live at St. Gertrude Monastery” “Alma Brasileira, Volume 1” “Alma Brasileira, Volume” and his latest solo guitar works  “Latin Impressions ”released on June 2009, was pre-nominated for the Latin Grammy . Another important project in progress is the publication of his arrangements of selected Brazilian solo guitar works.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download