Star City Blog

Exploring Lincoln Dance

By Hanna Day-Woodruff

Dear Readers, it is my hope that you will benefit from my dancing struggles. You see, I'm on the hunt for a Ballroom/Latin/Swing dance venue that will gently coax my reluctant partner and I away from our awkward shuffling to some semblance of united, graceful movement. I've compiled a list of the primary venues in Lincoln and hope that those with the inclination will sample them generously.

Thus far, my efforts to persuade my significant other that dancing together will enhance our relationship have stumbled – and considering that he views dancing as public torture, it will take a special alchemy to change the situation. Our first and only series of Latin dance classes ended after session three, when the instructors added step-upon-step-upon-step, styling in ways neither of us could follow, leaving him steaming out the ears and me nearly in tears.

Nevertheless, once the dust had settled, my significant other was persuaded that other circumstances and other instructors might fare better with our four left feet (two eager, two shy), and promised to join me in sampling the variety of Ballroom and Latin dancing opportunities Lincoln has to offer.

Blog Talk Live: Return of King Sunny Adé, Parts 3 & 4

Tune in to Blog Talk Live on KZUM 89.3 FM and KZUM-HD this Tuesday evening, March 9th, at 6pm to hear parts 3 & 4 of the "Afropop Worldwide" show "Return of of King Sunny Adé", from PRI.  This is the second week of the KZUM 2010 Spring Pledge Drive, so I will continue to ask for your support before and after the airing of these two program segments.

Video Experiment: Ustream.tv

Starting Tuesday night I'll be streaming video of the radio show via UStream.tv. This will more interesting when I have guests live in the studio, but this first show will be a trial run.  Thanks to Sean Coetzee for introducing me to Ustream.

To watch Blog Talk Live on Ustream, click here during the show, which airs every Tuesday from 6-7pm CST.

Partial List of Pledge Premiums

• TWO BACKSTAGE PASSES TO MEET KSA ON APRIL 18: $500 pledge
  
• TWO VIP TICKETS TO KSA ON APRIL 18: $250 pledge
  
• KSA CD: $60 pledge

Dennis Kornbluh is the publisher of Star City Blog and the host of Blog Talk Live, which airs every Tuesday from 6-7pm on KZUM 89.3 FM, on the web at kzum.org, and on KZUM-HD.

Blog Talk Live: Return of King Sunny Adé (with audio)

by Dennis Kornbluh

Tonight at 6pm on Blog Talk Live I will air two segments from Georges Collinet's radio program "Afropop Worldwide" from a show called "Return of of King Sunny Adé", which PRI has generously permitted KZUM to use to generate excitement about the upcoming April 18 fundraiser in Lincoln.

Since the KZUM 2010 Spring Pledge Drive is now under way, I will be asking for your support at various points during this program.  I will offer a variety of valuable pledge premiums during the show, including:

Blog Talk Live: Interviews with Carter Van Pelt and Sean Coetzee (audio added)

by Dennis Kornbluh

In the first half of this evenings show I'll interview Reggae Archivist and former KZUM programmer Carter Van Pelt, who has been documenting Jamaican popular music as a writer, radio broadcaster, and archivist since the early 1990s. He has a master's degree in arts administration from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska. His master's thesis examined collective rights management in Jamaica.

Among his published articles, two are collected as book chapters in Reggae, Rasta, Revolution, ed. Chris Potash (Schirmer Books, Simon & Schuster, 1997) and Let The Fury Have The Hour, ed. Antonio D'Ambrosio (Nation Books, 2004). The Beat magazine has published six of his articles as cover features. In the late 1990s, he briefly published the fanzine 400 Years.

Irish Folk-Pop Band Gaelic Storm to Perform at the Lied Feb. 17

Gaelic Storm, a dynamic, lively, Irish folk-pop band, will get toes tapping at the Lied Center for Performing Arts 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17. Since their big-screen debut 10 years ago, this one-time pub band's fan base has been steadily multiplying, turning them into one of the premier touring acts in the Celtic/World genre.

More than a decade has passed since Gaelic Storm appeared in the blockbuster movie "Titanic" as the lively steerage class band, but Gaelic Storm has continued to thrive. Officially minted on St. Patrick's Day in 1996, the former main attraction at O'Brien's pub in Santa Monica, Calif., is now one of the top acts in the Celtic/World music arena.

Combining both classic originals and fresh new arrangements of Celtic music with a unique blend of world rhythms, the members of Gaelic Storm infuse the show with their own spunky Irish wit for a wildly entertaining experience. As one of their members says: "Our audiences can't help noticing how much fun we're really having. The very heart and soul of traditional Irish folk music is celebrating life."

Clawfoot House Hosts First Art Show

Local artists Brad Krieger and Cathy Patterson exhibit a selection of their individual works at the Clawfoot House from February 5th to March 11th. Both artists avoid the use of representational imagery, in favor of abstract and nonobjective pieces. Kreiger’s pieces vibrate with moving, energetic lines, and engaging space, while Patterson’s pieces draw the viewer in with large areas of fluid, saturated color, and meditative brushstrokes, using repeated simple forms like circles, or more organic abstract shapes.

Both artists work with oil on canvas, or watercolor, pastel, and mixed media on paper. Krieger and Patterson last shared the bill when they exhibited Collaborative Works on Paper at the Haydon Art Center in 2007.

Nebraskans for Haiti Fundraiser Today at Marz Bar

By Hanna Day-Woodruff

Today, Tuesday the 19th, will mark the one week anniversary of the earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti at 4:53 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. Lincolnites who have connected to the Haitian earthquake crisis through media alone will have an opportunity to show their support for our Haitian brothers and sisters in person, by attending a fundraiser at the Marz Bar from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the American Red Cross.  

This event brings home the fact that global is local. Organized by Ralph Loubeau, a Haitian born and raised UNL graduate, with a little help from his friend Lisa Olivares, the event will be attended by several members of Lincoln and Seward's small, but close-knit Haitian community. Attendees will hear first and second-hand accounts of the crisis and will listen to Haitian music from the local band RMV (“Results May Vary”). Two RMV band members, Danel “Junior” Jacques and Max Antoine, are cousins who hail from Haiti and will perform despite suffering their own family losses.

Blog Talk Live: Chiara Quartet to Perform on KZUM

by Dennis Kornbluh

Tune in to Blog Talk Live on KZUM 89.3 FM and KZUM-HD Tuesday, January 19th at 6pm for the privilege of hearing the accomplished Chiara Quartet perform live in the studio.  I first heard them perform in the intimate setting of Clawfoot House, a.k.a. Ember Schrag's apartment, with a small number of lucky music enthusiasts.  I was amazed by their precision and tight synchronization, as well as the incredible energy and intensity of their performance.  It was quite exciting, and I'm sure that listeners will pick up on the excitement in this broadcast.

Between songs we'll talk to the members of the quartet to learn more about who they are as individuals, and to find out about their experiences touring and performing across the country.

UPDATED: Blog Talk Live: Guests Justin Jones & Andy Frankel

by Dennis Kornbluh

Tune in to Blog Talk Live on Tuesday January 12th to meet Justin G. Jones, a drummer and percussionist who is currently performing with Executive Steel Band, The Bellflowers, Son of 76, the Royal Pawns, Dave Gonzales & the Stone River Boys, as well as Son Del Llano, who will be the opening band for King Sunny Adé when they appear in Lincoln on April 18th.

Speaking of King Sunny Adé, in the second half of the program we'll get an update from Andy Frankel, the manager of the band, about the 2010 tour.  We'll also hear a rough cut from King Sunny's new album, which is due out this year.

The audio for this program is provided below:

JustinGJones_12JAN10_Part1

JustinGJones_12JAN10_Part2

AndyFrankel_12JAN10_Part1

AndyFrankel_12JAN10_part2

Blog Talk Live airs every Tuesday from 6-7pm on KZUM 89.3 FM, on the web at kzum.org, and now on KZUM-HD.

Tickets for King Sunny Adé / KZUM Benefit Concert NOW ON SALE

Listen to KPBS piece on 2009 King Sunny Adé Show in San Diego

GROUP DISCOUNT

A 10% discount is available for groups of five or more through April 4, 2010.  This offer is good for General Admission tickets only.  The price per ticket is $22.50*. 

To purchase, send a check made out to "KZUM KSA Fundraiser" and mail to this address:

King Sunny Ade Fundraiser c/o
KZUM Community Radio
941 "O" Street, 10th Floor
Lincoln, NE 68508

Please include the following information:

• Your name, mailing address, email address, and daytime phone number
  
• The number of people in your group
• A check in the proper amount ($22.50 x number in your group)

*Note: A special rate is available for non-profits with groups of five or more.  Proof of 501(c)(3) status is required.  For more information please send email to ksa2010@starcityblog.com.

MORE INFORMATION

KZUM website
Bourbon Theatre
Read the complete article about last year's show in San Diego on KPBS.org