Supreme Seduction and A Groove Worth Getting with Nooky Jones on Studio 5!

Maternal figures, lock up your progeny, for Nooky Jones is on the loose, bearing a notoriety for successfully crooning just about every human being in their vicinity while simultaneously sexing the place up. The group dropped into Studio 5! on Wednesday to crank out a serious spate of smooth jams that would’ve made even Gary Busey chill out and enjoy himself. With the brilliant urban syncopation from the drums and bass, the intellectual skat of the keys, the dutiful brass section, and, of course, the passionate vocal melody percolating through it all, Nooky Jones weaves a deadly cool sound that demands nothing less than absolutely all of your attention. Fluxing between milky smooth downtown grooves, hip-hop imposition, and jazz-esque instrumental constituents, the band makes you want to fall in love with the object nearest to you, simply so that you’ve got an excuse to purchase a bottle of wine and feel all tender inside. 

Nooky Jones consists of some of the best soul-spittin’ musicians the Twin Cities has to offer, including vocalist Cameron Kinghorn, keyboardist Kevin Gastonguay, bassist Andrew Foreman, trombonist Ryan Christianson, trumpeter Adam Meckler, and, last but not least, one of this writer’s former drum instructors, the massively talented Reid Kennedy on drums (Kennedy also wrote most of the tunes himself). Be sure to follow these guys on Facebook and Twitter, where they’ll be announcing upcoming shows, releases, and a hell of a lot more. They'll be performing this Saturday night at the Cabooze in Minneapolis. Doors open at 9 PM, with Nooky starting their half hour set at 10 PM. They'll be followed by Black Market Brass and More Than Lights. The show is 18+, with advanced tickets at $8 online, and $12 at the door. Don't miss it! 

Provided below are links to Nooky Jones’ video for "The Way I See You", as well as their Facebook page:

"The Way I See You" Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Knh3LNZ9U

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NookyJones

Also, be sure to support your local “Fresh Air” Radio Station, KFAI! We are a non-profit organization, so we need your help as the listener to keep this amazing radio station alive and running, so as to deliver a wide-array of music for years to come! 

If you would like to make a donation, simply call us at 612-341-3144, or donate online! 

online donation: http://bit.ly/1yKUfq4

If you missed the original broadcast you can still listen at ANY time from ANYWHERE on the planet on our FOREVER archives just by clicking here:  

https://archive.org/details/240NookyJones 

Check out the video on our You Tube page here: https://www.youtube.com/user/KFAIRocks 

You can see the Flickr pix from that show here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kfai-fm/sets/72157650124332899/

The video will soon be here: https://www.youtube.com/user/KFAIRocks

-Article by Seth Hynes-Marquette

Beasthead and Glow Mechanics Plunge Studio 5! Into Enigmatic Ambience

Kicking off a rare two shows for the price of none last Wednesday at Live Fsrom Studio 5! was Beasthead, the Minneapolis-grown electro-indie rock four-piece with a taste for spacey sounds and a firm back beat foundation that both rocks and rolls. Formerly known as Mustardbus, the oracular quartet began making music under their new name in April of 2013, and consist of guitarist and vocalist Harry Reynolds, bass guitarist Paul Novak, sampler, drum machinist, and trumpeter Doug Deitchler, guitarist and vocalist Nick Whebbe, and their beloved drummer, none other than Mitch Miller.

Since then, the group has performed live extensively and has cooked up a considerable name for themselves in the Twin Cities area. The band brings to mind Daft Punk's elegant combo of instrumental prowess and ambient, soaring vocals, while also jumping to pleasantly disenchanted Beck-esque and tongue-in-cheek angry Gorillaz-style rapping. Beasthead is currently collaborating on an EP with the Glow Mechanics, who happened to be the second group featured on this Studio 5! session.

Grabbing the mic at the show's halfway mark was hip-hop trio Glow Mechanics. Fresh off the 2014 release of their EP, Factored In, Bev, Es El, and Ghostmeat prove that they can assert lyrics fatter than an American stereotype and truer than a South Park satire. The triad throws back to the undeniably cool 90's hip-hop style, reminding the listener of a couple of age-old beloved groups like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. In short, the three combine hip-hop elements both old-school and fresh to meld a sound that's sure to get your car's hydraulics in gear and the cutest girl you know in the seat next to you as you cruise through downtown Minneapolis. Be sure you check out Glow Mechanics' release from September of last year, Factored In, as well as their upcoming collaborative EP with Beasthead, currently set to be dropped in March.

Provided below are links to Beasthead's and Glow Mechanics' Facebook and Bandcamp pages:

Beasthead Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beastheadband?ref=br_tf

Beasthead Bandcamp: http://beasthead.bandcamp.com

Glow Mechanics Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glowmechanics

Glow Mechanics Bandcamp: http://glowmechanics.bandcamp.com

Also, be sure to support your local “Fresh Air” Radio Station, KFAI! We are a non-profit organization, so we need your help as the listener to keep this amazing radio station alive and running, so as to deliver a wide-array of music for years to come! 

If you would like to make a donation, simply call us at 612-341-3144, or donate online! 

online donation: http://bit.ly/1yKUfq4

If you missed the original broadcast you can still listen at ANY time from ANYWHERE on the planet on our FOREVER archives just by clicking here:  

https://archive.org/details/239BeastheadGlowMechanics

Check out the video on our You Tube page here: Glow Mechanics
and here:  Beasthead

You can see the Flickr pix from that show here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kfai-fm/sets/72157650012892738/
and here:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/kfai-fm/sets/72157650006394209/

-Article by Seth Hynes-Marquette

Courtney Yasmineh Returns to Studio 5!

Bearing all the desired sweetness and devilish, indomitable performing power a music fan could ask for, ultra alt-rocker Courtney Yasmineh provides a service that most humans, regardless of gender, can only vaguely dream of producing. Backed with a first-class rhythm section and a fairly-mythical upbringing, Courtney has made some serious headway in bringing the notoriously collective term “alternative rock” back into everyone’s face with a serious vengeance. Yasmineh’s sound combines aspects of Hole’s crunchy disparity, No Doubt’s tongue-in-cheekiness, the choppy punk of The Clash, and the sarcastic wit of Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morissette, amongst many others. Although she may remind us of some of our throw-back righteous pleasures, her transitions between soaring, haunting melodies and abrasively rapped verses, dauntingly anxious guitar riffs, and hell-raisin’ jungle drums, Courtney Yasmineh has proven that she is easily capable of weaving her own solitary concoction of sound. 

After leaving her stomping grounds in Chicago for the more secluded serenity of Minnesota’s Great North Woods, a 17-year-old Courtney proceeded to support herself by singing in bars and waitressing while living alone in her grandfather’s hunting cabin, all the while convincing high school officials that her parents were still actually residing with her. Once The Man finally blew her cover, the Iron Hammer of Swift Justice was substituted for a suggestion to attend the Twin Cities’ Macalaster College (where her singing and songwriting would earn her a full scholarship, no less). Courtney obliged, and eventually left with a degree and the world as her precious oyster. 

Since then, Courtney and her loyal band (who now consists of John James on guitar, Kevin Gastonguay on the keys, and Rob Genadek on the drum kit) have performed across the US consistently, released four separate albums, and have even booked 9 different European tours. The band is currently promoting their fifth release thus far, Red Letter Day. 

If you want to check Courtney and her band out as soon as possible, they’ll be playing at the Wine Bar and Cafe in Excelsior, MN, on January 22nd at 8 PM, and Icehouse in Minneapolis on January at 24th, at 8 PM. After that, they’ll be on their way to New York City. Courtney’s albums are also available on iTunes for purchase, including her most recent release, Red Letter Day. 

Links to Courtney Yasmineh’s website and Reverbnation are provided below:

Website: http://www.courtneyyasmineh.com/index/

Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/courtneyyasmineh

Also, be sure to support your local “Fresh Air” Radio Station, KFAI! We are a non-profit organization, so we need your help as the listener to keep this amazing radio station alive and running, so as to deliver a wide-array of music for years to come! 

If you would like to make a donation, simply call us at 612-341-3144, or donate online! 

Online donation: http://bit.ly/1yKUfq4

If you missed the original broadcast you can still listen at ANY time from ANYWHERE on the planet on our FOREVER archives just by clicking here:  

https://archive.org/details/CourtneyYasmineh2 

Check out the video on our You Tube page here: You Tube.

You can see the Flickr pix from that show here: Flickr

-Article by Seth Hynes-Marquette

The Wrong Omar Gets It Oh So Right In Studio 5!

Stompin’, strummin’, and hummin’, one-man wonder The Wrong Omar graced the studio last Wednesday with his cheeky folk prowess, telling tales of loving and losing, coming of age and immediately being kicked out, and parents who don’t want to share their weed with their adoring progeny. Joey Shaheen, the man behind the mix, impressively kicks out the acoustic guitar, a fleet of harmonicas (complete with harp rack), and even a kick drum and tambourine, all at once. Imagine the likes of Bob Dylan, Jack White, John Popper, and a young Bruce Springsteen embodied within one organic vessel, and you’ve got an idea of what Joey is coming from and getting at. His ultra-personal, yet tongue-in-cheek, pauses mid-song simultaneously confuse the hell out of and offer a unique opportunity to the listener to truly connect to Joey’s current state of mind.

Aside from performing regularly, The Wrong Omar has conquered 3 national tours, has jammed on several radio stations (including KUMD Duluth, WDVX Knoxville, KMSU Mankato, and KDTR Missoula), is on the Snowbank Records label, and has released a multitude of original albums.

The Wrong Omar will be performing at the Gunflint Tavern in Grand Marais, MN, on January 16th and 17th, both at 9 PM, as well as Sixth Avenue Wine & Ale in Alexandria, MN, at 8 PM. 

Links to The Wrong Omar’s Facebook and Reverbnation accounts have been provided below: 

Reverbnation:  http://www.reverbnation.com/thewrongomar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWrongOmar/timeline

Also, be sure to support your local “Fresh Air” Radio Station, KFAI! We are a non-profit organization, so we need your help as the listener to keep this amazing radio station alive and running, so as to deliver a wide-array of music for years to come! 

If you would like to make a donation, simply call us at 612-341-3144, or donate online! 

online donation: http://bit.ly/1yKUfq4

If you missed the original broadcast you can still listen at ANY time from ANYWHERE on the planet on our FOREVER archives just by clicking here:  

https://archive.org/details/237TheWrongOmar

Check out the video on our You Tube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrUDE2QGaCY&list=UUMeJC71i9gFjLQ8jjM2DHWA 

You can see the Flickr pix from that show here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kfai-fm/sets/72157649779223090/

-Article by Seth Hynes-Marquette

Ryan Daniel Brings Salvation to Studio 5!

The holy man dubbed as “The Reggae Hip-Hop Sensation”, Ryan Daniel, stopped by “Live From Studio 5!” this New Year’s Eve to welcome in 2015 with his righteously-awesome island sound. Backed with an impressive instrumental ensemble and his unfaltering love for The Creator, Daniel largely combines elements of - you guessed it - reggae and hip-hop to create an undeniably powerful process for spreading the word of his Lord and savior. 

His origins bring us back to the Caribbean island of Trinidad, where he grew up in a Christian home and eventually became a large influence on the local dancehall music scene. Since then, Daniel has found tremendous success and an endless onslaught of accolades from several mediums. In 2006, three years after the release of his debut album Life In General, the compilation album Holy Hip Hop, Volume 3, of which Daniel contributed his original single “One Time”, reached #39 on the Billboard Gospel charts and was nominated for a Grammy. The same year, he was nominated for the Marlin Awards (a Caribbean Gospel music award) in three separate categories; Pop Recording of the Year, Ethnic Recording of the Year, and Music Video of the year. In 2013, Ryan placed 2nd in the Rawkzilla Battle of the Bands. The man has truly been blessed with an irrefutable talent for performance, and has his heart and mind set on bringing this musical embodiment of rock-steady salvation to every corner of God’s green Earth. 

Links to Ryan Daniel’s Website and Reverbnation pages are provided below:

Website: http://www.ryandanielonline.com

Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/rdmuzic

Also, be sure to support your local “Fresh Air” Radio Station, KFAI! We are a non-profit organization, so we need your help as the listener to keep this amazing radio station alive and running, so as to deliver a wide-array of music for years to come! 

If you would like to make a donation, simply call us at 612-341-3144, or donate online! 

online donation: http://bit.ly/1yKUfq4

If you missed the original broadcast you can still listen at ANY time from ANYWHERE on the planet on our FOREVER archives just by clicking here: https://archive.org/details/236RyanDaniel

Check out the video on our You Tube page here: You Tube

You can see the Flickr pix from that show here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kfai-fm/

-Article by Seth Hynes-Marquette