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The CHIRP Blog
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesIn Rotation: Kevin Andrew Prchal
Chicago singer/songwriter Kevin Andrew Prchal, backed by his band The Wheeling Birds and his wife Aly, invokes summer with music suitable for swining on the porch, hanging out with firends and enjoying life. Tracks from Prchal's new self-released album Love & Summer are available In Rotation and by request on CHIRP Radio.
Sophie Holtzmann writesOn Tape: Cap’n Jazz Live at the Wil-Mar Center, Madison, WI (1994)
Video courtesy of: Jose C. Slater / Words by Sophie Holtzmann
Usually I’m hesitant to re-watch clips of live shows, because you can’t help but feel you’re missing out on the special collective effervescence live music provides. But I make an exception, and a recommendation, for this early Cap’n Jazz performance of “Oh Messy Life”.
Cap’n Jazz, a home-grown Chicago band, is really everything we love about the Chicago music scene. There’s a certain something approachable and thrown together about the group, with music that matches. There’s no better case study in this than in this show captured from the band’s early days while playing in Madison, Wisconsin. Armored in old t-shirts and pants that look like they’ve seen a better decade, the (at the time) 5-piece band lays down one of my personally favorite renditions of “Oh Messy Life.”
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesIn Rotation: James Elkington
Deep waves of guitars and rich harmonies await you when listening to UK-born Chicago-based musician James Elkington. His new album Wintres Woma (Paradise of Bachelors) has just been released and is available for listening in rotation and by request on CHIRP Radio.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesAn Interview with Berry
Chicago indie-pop band Berry has been together since 2002. Since that time the band has separated physically but not musically. While several members have relocated to different cities, the group still makes music together. Their lagtest album Everything, Compromised was recorded in five different states and mixed in at least four different countries..!
Berry is performing tonight at Schubas Tavern (with The Icarians and Kodakrome) to finish up their first tour in seven years. To mark the occasion, Clarence Ewing spoke to Paul Goodenough about the band and what it's like to make music across three different time zones.
Clarence Ewing: Give us a history of Berry from 2007 to now.
Paul Goodenugh: The big obvious theme of the history is that in 2007 we existed as a band in the closest possible quarters--living together, recording constantly, touring intensely. Now we exist in three different time zones. There was a period from 2010-2014 when we had to take some time to focus on family, school, and life adventures. That was right after we released and toured for Blue Sky, Raging Sun (Joyful Noise). Once we settled after that transition period, we got the Berry-ball rolling again, but it took a while to gain momentum. An early collaborator of ours, Paul Klimson, basically kicked our asses and got us serious about recording and releasing music with some semblance of direction. For the last two years, we have been "practicing" weekly via conference call, and we usually spend a week together each summer to either record or tour.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writes@CHIRPRADIO (Week of August 7)
New Media
- Amelia Hruby interviews Vagabon
- Amelia Hruby interviews Lili K
- Josh Friedberg gives Randy Travis’ Storms of Life a listen
- Evacuate the Earth and Big Sadie are In Rotation
- Clarence and Kevin review the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop