We're seeking new members for our 2025 Board of Directors, as well as our founding Associate Board for young professionals 35 and under. Details and application at each of the links above.
CHIRP Podcasts
First Time: First Ask - Allison Parssi
Allison Parssi is a Chicago based artist + DJ, who is continually reclaiming their art practice through music curation, collage, image making, writing, and sending art via snail mail. Parssi got their start as a DJ hosting a variety of day time and specialty programs at their college radio station in Rochester, NY. After trading one Great Lake for another and moving to Chicago in 2017, Parssi expanded their radio involvement by joining CHIRP Radio.
As a former Music Co-Director, recontextualizing music and bringing new voices to the airwaves drove their work. Parssi has collaborated with artists and educators throughout Chicago bringing art fairs, projects, classes, and workshops to fruition.
In March 2023 they started Shokoufeh, a DJ night focusing on SWANA music from across genres and decades. Over the past year, they've brought this night to Sleeping Village, The California Clipper, Cafe Mustache, and other venues across the city. You can find Allison at a show many days of the week and at the lake any time of the year.
The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.
The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Production by Andy Vasoyan and Executive Producer Bobby Evers. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.
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Artist Interviews Artie Do Good Interview
This week, Features director Marjorie Alford speaks with Chicago based experimental pop artist Chris Misch-Bloxdorf who performs under the name Artie Do Good. They discuss the history of the name Artie and the intentional ambiguity of "Do Good", the genesis of his current project Socialist Dance Party an homage to Chicago's labor roots, how the algorithm blessed Chris with information on the IWW one fateful afternoon, and the singles Bread and Roses and Three Miles Down.
“We all deserve the things that bring us comfort, and things that we need to live and exist in this world, but also we all deserve to live and enjoy the world for all it has to offer. “ Artie Do Good.
Socialist Dance Party is available Labor Day 2024.
Produced by Marjorie Alford.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Charles Leftridge Jr.
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Artist Interviews Nicole Mitchell Interview
This week, Features contributor Josset Yarbrough speaks with Nicole Mitchell about her newest collaboration, Bamako*Chicago Sound System and how it materialized as if a dream came true, the collision of musical languages that represent Chicago, and their shared love of the flute.
"We think of the flute as being pretty, flowery, sweet, [..] optimistic, joyful - which is funny because I guess my personality is kind of like that too. My range as a vocalist is pretty much the same range as the flute - I can go really high. So I started incorporating my voice with the flute. This also gave me the feeling of leaving evidence that a woman was here." - Nicole Mitchell
Nicole Mitchell is a groundbreaking improvisational jazz flutist, composer, poet, author, and educator. Her vast musical career started with Samana, which was the first all female ensemble from the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. She also founded the group's Black Earth Ensemble, Black Earth Strings, Black Earth Sway, Sonic Projections, and Ice Crystal.
Produced by DJ Ninja.
Photo Credit: Mário J. Negrão
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Artist Interviews Mandy Interview
This week, Features contributor Alyssa Edes talks with Chicago-based artist Miranda Winters AKA Mandy, about her debut solo album Lawn Girl. They discuss the genesis of Lawn Girl which took material from her past and finally laid it to rest, The song Mickey’s Dead Things about losing early life friendships, her cover of Jimmy Webb’s Now That I’m a Woman from The Last Unicorn, the importance of an all female band, and the routes we take to try to get back to our most authentic and vulnerable selves of early life.
“Obviously the best way forward is to analyze your past.” - Miranda Winters of Mandy.
Miranda Winters is a song-writer and musician best known for her role as the indomitable vocalist / guitarist of Chicago powerhouse, Melkbelly. Drawing on deep roots as a song-writer in Chicago DIY, Winters continues to evolve a signature sound by pursuing her music as a solo artist.
Catch Mandy live August 30th at Sleeping Village.
Produced by Alyssa Edes.
Photo Credit: Mandy
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Artist Interviews Hannah Frances Interview
This week, Features contributor Connor Broderick speaks with Chicago-based vocalist, guitarist, composer, and poet Hannah Frances. They discuss her new album, Keeper Of The Shepherd, and the grief that shaped the creation of the album, the different chapters of her life informing her writing process, and the push and pull of being a solitary person and learning to lean on others.
"I treated it a bit like a thesis. I was like, I know what I am actively working with in terms of processing, emotional processing." - Hannah Frances on the writing of her new album, Keep of The Shepherd.
Produced by Brian Szpak
Photo Credit: Eleanor Petry
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