Jan Krist and Jim Bizer make music that is fun, profound, quirky, insightful, and moving. As a duo their creative name is Jan Krist & Jim Bizer, but they also perform in a number of other groups & configurations, with Diamonds in the Rust, The Yellow Room Gang, Floyd King & The Bushwackers, and more.
Common Chords
First Air Date
Robert B. Jones, Sr works joyfully to build bridges of understanding through music in an organization & project called Common Chords. Using tools of music, story-telling, history, & inspiration, Robert brings pleasure and insight to diverse audiences. Part of his richness is that he is also pastor of Sweet Kingdom Missionary Baptist Church of inner-city Detroit, where he seeks to inspire & heal the world in other ways.
Peace of Pakistan
First Air Date
Irfan Ali Taj left the business world to follow his passion, making music full of peace, understanding, & spirit. Originally from Chitral in the north of Pakistan, living in Karachi, Taj loves passing Chitrali folk culture forward. You can catch Taj on YouTube and on Facebook.
Folk Music's Simple Faith
First Air Date
David Tamulevich's life is folk music, in various configurations. He's been performing for more than 40 years with Michael Hough as Mustard's Retreat, been writing songs and performing with a group called The Yellow Room Gang for about 12 years and, on top of that he puts in a full week plus overtime as booking agent & manager services as Tamulevich Artist Management.
Chicago Farmer
First Air Date
Cody Diekhoff is Chicago Farmer, a consummate story-teller combined with heartfelt tunes & evocative voice. Coming of age when punk/grunge rock was the alternative thing, he got hooked on an alternative to the alternative by Hank Williams, leading to a kind of alt-country/folk/Americana style all his own. Cody is from a farming family in small-town Illinois, did good time in Chicago, and has settled in between with his wife, the artist creator of Twice Upon A String who makes Upcycled Instrument String Jewelry.
Musical Alchemist & Lunchroom Royalty
First Air Date
Mindy Dillard is so many things, besides being an enchanting singer/songwriter. She's a Musical Alchemist, Body Image Activist, and sometimes she's Princess Fearless. And that's just a start. She created a one-woman folk rock opera called How to Survive a Poison Apple, combining mythological scholarship and soul-deep whimsy. She operates out of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Roaring for a Revolution
First Air Date
Erika Kulnys is out to change the world, sometimes by tackling the "big issues", but also by inspiring the listener to heal themselves and therefore get out of the way of change. Operating from Nova Scotia, and with an enchanting voice, piercing lyrics, and great instrumentation, Erika takes the heart and soul flying into a better future.
We're All In Heaven
First Air Date
Sarah Vos is a founder and lead vocalist of Dead Horses. With poise, depth, and beauty, she and the band take listeners on a sensuous and soulful glide through layers of experience and meaning. With language that is evocative and comforting, Sarah welcomes you into a piece of heaven. They appeared at the Great River Folk Festival in LaCrosse, WI, August 27, 2016.
Star by Moon
First Air Date
Idris Phillips has been making superb music with wonderful artists for close to 40 years, and finally he's released his first CD, Star By Moon, this one emphasizing his folk roots, but promising his jazz, blues, and other styles in future recordings. His guitar & keyboards are magic, and his lyrics triple-deep, in the listener's ear, in Idris' personal experience, & in the mystical truths they name.
Seattle's Busker King
First Air Date
Jim Page has been a fixture of Seattle's folk music scene since the early 1970's, including his successful campaign to legalize street performing through the city in 1974, and as one of the founder of the Pike Market Performers Guild, and their Busker Festival. In addition to strong folk roots, Jim has spent years in Ireland, and he's produced 23 records, the latest being A Hand Full of Songs.