The Twin Cities of Minnesota is a treasure trove of great music, and Jeff Narlock is one of the gems in that trove. Jeff had a kind of 'musical conversion' experience when he first heard Nickel Creek, the progressive bluegrass trio, perform, and it became a clarion call to new music path. The road led Jeff to years performing as part of a trio called North Ridge, though the group's members recently went separate ways.

Co-host Peterson Toscano steps behind the microphone from his home in South Africa for an American Indigenous-themed episode exploring kinship, cultural survival, and escaping systems of extraction. In the first half, listeners hear an immersive Sound Slice from the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania's annual gathering, followed by an excerpt from the upcoming Season Five of the Climate Changed podcast.

Today we have Lincoln Rice, coordinator for the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, with us, updating us on what is happening in the world of war tax resistance, and about the November 6-8, 2026 NWTRCC meeting in Las Vegas. Lincoln can share on the trends, the methods used, the changes in the law, and the news of the growing community of conscientious objectors to paying for war. Lincoln Rice joins us from Milwaukee, WI.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Catholic, Catholic Worker

I love the music of today's guest, Roger Street Friedman, someone I just discovered a few weeks ago. I've seen descriptions of his music as being of the Roots Rock, Folk, Blues, R&B, Rock and Roll, and Country genres, but mostly I feel that hearing Roger is like being with a dear long-time friend, one who knows the words and notes that strum the chords of your heart. There's Earth and sky and waterfalls and campfires in this music, so I think you'll want to make it daily part of what feeds your soul. Though Roger started into music in his teens, life's vicissitudes led to a 25-year hiatus before he came back to that life of song. Since then, he's produced about 5 albums, plus other EPs and singles, so there's a lot of richness to be explored. Roger Street Friedman joins us from Sea Cliff on Long Island, NY.

Colleen Kattau joins us today from New York State to share Earth-rooted and activist-nurtured music. With every note perfect along a wide and soaring range, and a soul that reaches out widely in compassion and care, Colleen uses her music to motivate and strengthen world-healing work. She's produced 7 or 8 albums over the past 20-some years, some in Spanish, available on YouTube and Bandcamp and on ColleenKattau.com. Colleen Kattau joins us from a bit south of Syracuse, NY.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Catholic, Earth-centered, Non-affiliated

All featured music is written & performed by THIS ARTIST, unless otherwise noted:

When I Walk in the Woods - from Besos Kisses

Guest-host Peterson Toscano brings us 2 guests for today's show, all the way from Peterson's new home in South Africa, sharing 2 distinct stories of courage, ecology, & grassroots resilience. Both segments highlight what happens when humans move beyond despair to protect the living world and stand up for collective survival. In the first half, Kenyan entomologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Dino Martins offers a fresh, shockingly hopeful perspective on ecology, nature, and human survival amidst climate change, and he is the author of Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites.

In this edition of Spirit In Action, our guest-host is Mark Leach and he talks about the weakening of the Endangered Species Act, why we should support the International Criminal Court, why and how young people should know how to seek conscientious objector status, why this is actually a good time to prepare for a career in public service, why he’s optimistic, and an original piece of research linking corruption with income disparity. These are the links that are useful when helping young people prepare for seeking Conscientious Objector status. Friends General Conference, Church of the Brethren, and Center on Conscience and War.

I discovered Tom Pirozzoli back in the first months of the COVID shutdown, and was inspired by the heart in his music. Actually the first song of his I heard is called "This Is What Love Is Like," and that captures the truth of his music. This time, I am circling back to Tom after hearing a new song, 1942, where he combines memories from his dad with what we need so very much right now. Tom makes this world better, through his music, through his art, and through a thoughtful sit-down visit. We visit with Tom this time, not in his home in Goshen, New Hampshire, but in his northern cabin, up in Cushing, Maine.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Catholic, Gurdjieff, Sufi Muslim

Tony McQuail brings with him a wide and passionate view of what the world needs, and the commitment to make it happen. From his antiwar activism from age 16, to his move to Canada where he and his wife founded MeetingPlaceOrganicFarm.CA, to the numerous organizations he has founded and worked for to bring folks together in world-healing, Tony makes crops and people grow. He has run for national office in Canada, and is now focused on local election.

Kate Minogue's music is done under the name Rowan Sway, and she has two releases, an EP from back in 2021 called What's Begun, and she's currently releasing Conjure. Starting from classical flute and performing with orchestras, other bands, and a singer-songwriter father, she caught a passion for Celtic music (especially while living in the Boston area), honed her Irish chops, and played for a while with The Beggar Boys before moving to Switzerland almost ten years ago. Along the way, she added guitar to her skills and became a singer-songwriter, which was a major step for a person who cringed at the thought of singing in public at one point. Catherine Theresa Minogue, AKA Kate, AKA Rowan Sway, lives in Basel, Switzerland.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Catholic, Non-affiliated, Tai Chi