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KAXE Programs - Centerstage Minnesota

Thursday evening from 6 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 1
 
Centerstage Minnesota Interview Audio Archive
Centerstage Minnesota strengthens our sense of place and community by showcasing the lives and talents of Minnesota musicians and supporting the local music scene.
Frequent Hosts: Charlie Pulkrabek, Don Vidal, Nicole Hoops, Travis Ryder

Also heard on:    

This program is supported in part by the MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
 
We'd love to hear from you!
If you have tips or suggestions of musicians in Minnesota, concert calendar entries, or for any other reason, send e-mails to comments@kaxe.org
Centerstage Minnesota Interview Audio Archive:
(click to listen, right click and "save as" to download
Recent Highlights:
April 25th, 2013: Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank - Ian Thomas Alexy, and Teague Alexy migrated west from The East Coast eventually settling in Holyoke, Minnesota around 2005. They immediately began frequenting stages around Duluth as individual acts. Quickly their styles and talents began to meld into the act that they named Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank. They've logged serious miles criss-crossing the United States playing shows. Also publishing an EP, and four full-length albums, including their newest release "Number One Contender," the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank are undoubtedly a central musical entity these days in Duluth, a town that has in recent years been producing as much or more attention grabbing music as the Twin Cities. Teague and Ian showed up on a chilly Sunday morning recently to have this conversation with Charlie Pulkrabek.
Photo by Joshua Priestley.
April 18th, 2013: No Grass Limit and Morgan's Run This past winter Northern Community Radio volunteer programmer and producer Dave Lathrop showed up on a Saturday to attend and cover an event put on by the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association at the Chief Theater in Bemidji. Part of their Community Concert Series, this concert featured No Grass Limit, and Morgan's Run. Taking the information and audio he gathered that day, Dave Lathrop crafted this great piece about the event and both bluegrass bands.
April 11th, 2013: Brothers Burn Mountain - Ryan and Jesse Dermody have chosen to approach life on their own terms. The specifics of that implication involve many creative pursuits, music occupying the top of that list. It also can mean living in a cabin in the northern Minnesota woods without running water or electricity, the pursuit of sweetness, I could go on. The Brothers Burn Mountain are not so much trying to sell you a record, or put on a live show from musician to audience. The Brothers Burn Mountain, instead, seem to be pursuing the experience of making great art together. By that I mean together with each other to be shared with those that are open to it. When they play a show, it is again about their experience, and those watching and listening...experiencing the music with them could very well be on stage with them. For in many ways those sharing that experience become part of the music. These guys truly see music as a path to meaningful, peaceful lives. And that truth adds a tangible quality to their music that sets it apart in a way that eludes language, eludes description.
Produced by Amy Clark. Additional thanks to sound engineer Keenan McIntyre-Talbott.
April 4th, 2013: Tea and Sympathy - Though Alicia Corbett is an acclaimed musician and songwriter among the musicians inhabiting the Twin Cities, her music is a virtual secret to many music fans when you compare the quality of her output over the past twenty-plus years since she arrived in Minnesota from Northern Michigan with the general awareness of her work. Those that know Alicia Corbett's work with her band Tea and Sympathy, or under her own name, have probably pined for more. With "Things Like This," Tea and Sympathy's new record, old and new music fans are likely to be delighted. Old fans finally have another impressive new record to sink their teeth into, and new fans have not only "Things Like This," to discover, but three more past releases to indulge in after that. Here, Alicia Corbett joins Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
March 28th, 2013: Nikki and the Ruemates - Nikki Matteson's appearance as a teen on Prairie Home Companion was only the beginning. Down the road a ways she met Rich Rue, and the two have been partners making music together for some time now. Very notably, "Rise and Shine," the 2012 full-length release from Nikki and the Ruemates is real statement. Nikki Matteson recently joined Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
March 21st, 2013: Monroe Crossing is a Minnesota Bluegrass band named for Bill Monroe, "The Father of Bluegrass Music. 2013 represents the band's thirteenth year together. And Monroe Crossing's 2012 release "The Road Has No End" is the thirteenth full-length record, and they average 125 live shows per year. Recently Derek Johnson of Monroe Crossing recently joined Northern Community Radio volunteer programmer and producer Dave Lathrop and Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
Photo by Jamey Guy.
March 7th, 2013: Mary Bue has been making music out of the Duluth music scene since 1998. Mary Bue released her fourth full-length record, "Apple In the Ocean," was released in 2012. Recently Northern Community Radio producer Amy Clark brings us this piece on Mary Bue and her music.
Photo by Sarah Holden.
February 21st, 2013: Shannon Selberg was the downright frightening frontman, vocalist, and part-time bugle player for eleven years for the legendary Minneapolis punk/noise band The Cows. After a move to New York City in the late 90's, Selberg put together The Heroine Sheiks. A version of that band migrated back to Minneapolis, disbanding in 2009.

Historical accounts of Twin Cities music history that are out there these days seem to feel like they've covered the heavy, obnoxious, anticommercial leaning bands once they've touched on The Replacements and Husker Du. The truth is many, many bands of that nature formed the foundation of the Twin Cities music scene for roughly 30 years. It was from that foundation which the thriving Minnesota music environment of today has grown. This conversation between Shannon Selberg and Charlie Pulkrabek digs into some of the Twin Cities music history that is all too overlooked.
February 14th, 2013: Breanne Marie is a relatively new country western musician who is rapidly becoming visible, along with her band The Front Porch Sinners, in Duluth's music community. Late last year she released Six Strings of Peace and Sanity, her debut full-length release. It's an album that chronicles Breanne's struggle to recover from the gut wrenching tragedy that has been all to real in her life since 2006. Northern Community Radio producer Amy Clark brings us this piece on the music of Breanne Marie. Additional thanks to sound engineer Keenan McIntyre-Talbott.
Sam Miltich Remembers One of his Mentors, Croatian-American musician and instrument maker Sheba Hecimovich of Coleraine. Sheba died late last year at the age of 90.
February 7th, 2013: Reina del Cid and the Cidizens
Reina del Cid grew up in Fargo. She attended the University of Minnesota on a scholarship awarded to her by The Jackie Robinson Foundation. Despite being tempted by serious interest from some big shots in the music industry while she was in college earning her English degree, Reina opted to complete her degree before shifting her focus to music. Music fans are lucky now, though. Degree in hand, Reina del Cid is a musician these days. Reina del Cid and the Cidizens recently released "blueprints, plans," an excellent debut full length release that has garnered well deserved attention. On their way to Duluth one Friday night, Reina del Cid and Toni Lindgren, the Cidizens guitar player, detoured through Grand Rapids to stop at the Northern Community Radio studios in Grand Rapids to talk to Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage MInnesota.
January 31st, 2013: Dave King is a highly accomplished drummer primarily working in the Jazz genre, though he is also in the Minneapolis pop band Halloween Alaska, and spent a number of years behind the kit fo rthe now nonexistent band 12 Rods. During the 1990's an avante-garde jazz trio emerged quickly out of the Twin Cities named Happy Apple, featuring Dave King, Eric Fratzke, and Michael Lewis. Around the turn of the century The Bad Plus formed. Nearly as quickly as music fans became aware of them they joined the roster of Columbia Records. The Bad Plus is Dave King, Ethan Iverson, and Reid Anderson. Together they are one of the most important bands working in contemporary Jazz during the past ten-plus years. Reid and Ethan reside in New York City, while Dave King calls the Twin Cities home.
An essay from Jon Dallas - "In the Zone" Jon Dallas, originally from Ashland, Ohio, has played trombone, piano, and bass in hundreds of ensembles over the past forty years -- from off-Broadway pit bands, to chamber groups, to jamming with Dizzy Gillespie backstage, to backup for The Temptations. He currently plays with the IvoTrio and The Big-Time Jazz Orchestra. Jon lives in Chisolm and teaches at Hibbing Community College. In this essay Jon Dallas talks about experiencing those rare moments when all the variables in a live performance come together.
January 24h, 2013: Sam and Friends: Peter Ostroushko The fifth installment of "Sam and Friends," has Sam Miltich talking with well known Ukrainian-American mandolin and fiddle player Peter Ostroushko. In this conversation, Peter tells Sam about his early musical influences growing up in the Ukrainian neighborhoods of northeast Minneapolis.
January 17th, 2013: Martin Zellar was the frontman of The Gear Daddies, a late 80's/early 90's Minneapolis based band with whose members formed bonds while living a couple hours south in Austin. In that band Billy Dankert and Martin Zellar wrote great songs that when brought to life in The Gear Daddies arrangements were irresistibly melancholic numbers that crystallize intimate yet universal aspects of small town and rural life. The quality of The Gear Daddies' first two records adds up thier worthiness of comparison with the importance of The Jayhawks within Minnesota music history. Martin's solo career has provided continued creative achievement including his impressive release from 2012 called "Rooster's Crow." He and Nick Ciola recently stopped into the Northern Community Radio's studios on their way to a show at the Reif Center.
January 10th, 2013: Bill Bulinski was born in Chicago and his family moved to Ely early in his life. At 13 he placed an ad in the paper that initiated the formation of The Electras, a band that spent time on Columbia Records, and is credited as one of the precursors to punk rock. Then came The Greaseballs, a band that feaured Bulinski's surf style guitar on their instrumental tracks. Bulinski, though, is adept at many styles of guitar. Lately he's been a Boundary Waters Boy, and has released a record called "Bare Naked Guitar," which is just what sounds like. Bill recently spoke with Charlie Pulkabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
January 3rd, 2013: The Slamming Doors Adam Herman spent years touring around the southwest United States with band called James and the Devil. More recently he moved to Minnesota's Iron Range where he put together The Slamming Doors. With a strong 2012 EP release, gigs every weekend, and plans for another record, this band is has one mode...full speed ahead.
December 20th, 2012: Arcwelder This week's feature is a conversation Charlie Pulkrabek recently had with two members of the mainstay Twin Cities punk/hard rock band Arcwelder, Scott Macdonald and Rob Graber.

Photo by Jesse Keenan
December 13th, 2012: Snobarn This Duluth based band started as the duo of Gaelynn Lea and Ariane Norrgard. Snobarn has recently added three more members to fill out their electronic folk/alternative sound. Northern Community Radio Producer Amy Clark brings us this feature piece on this intriguing new band.
An Essay from Sasha Mercedes Sasha is a talented singer/songwriter that grew up in northern Minnesota, and currently makes her home in Minneapolis. Sasha contributed this essay about a subject that most musicians must eventually face. Find out more about Sasha Mercedes and her music here.

Photo by Rachel Schroeder
December 6th, 2012: Sam and Friends: Martha Larson In the fourth installment of "Sam and Friends," Minneapolis jazz cellist with one foot in the Chicago jazz community and one foot in the Minnesota jazz community Martha Larson talks to Sam Miltich about her craft.
Author and Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University Anton Treuer joins Michelle Martin on National Public Radio to introduce some of his favorite musicians and musical groups.
November 29th, 2012: Jazz Guitarist Darin Bergsven Jazz Guitarist Darin Bergsven has roots in Bemidji and currently calls Duluth home. His 2012 full-length release "Out of Nowhere" is quite a statement. Northern Community Radio Producer Amy Clark presents this feature piece on Darin and his music.
Luke Thompson of Mippey5 talks to Erika Kooda - When Luke Thompson says of Youtube "It's changed my life." he's not kidding. He and his act known as Mippey5 have become a Youtube sensation with their entertaining and well-crafted parodies. Erika Kooda recently talked to Luke Thompson how he got started making parodies and Mippey5's success.
November 22nd, 2012: Booka Michel Founder and owner of Loudhouse Records of Austin, Texas Booka Michel is a native of Grand Rapids. He still spends a couple months during summer at his cabin on an area lake. Last time Booka was in the area he came into Northern Community Radio's studios in Grand Rapids to talk about his musical path, and some of his recent projects. Photo by Jacob Michel.
November 15th, 2012: Sean Daley, AKA MC Slug of Atmosphere Last winter Charlie Pulkrabek had a rather long conversation with Sean Daley, AKA MC Slug of Minneapolis hip-hop standouts Atmosphere and a founder of the Rhymesayers Entertainment record label. This, the second part of that conversation, focuses on the development of hip-hop in Minnesota and the beginnings of Rhymesayers Entertainment.
An essay from Jon Dallas - "If the Spirit" Jon Dallas, originally from Ashland, Ohio, has played trombone, piano, and bass in hundreds of ensembles over the past forty years -- from off-Broadway pit bands, to chamber groups, to jamming with Dizzy Gillespie backstage, to backup for The Temptations. He currently plays with the IvoTrio and The Big-Time Jazz Orchestra. Jon lives in Chisolm and teaches at Hibbing Community College.
November 8th, 2012: The Parlour Suite are fronted by the married duo Joel and Inga Roberts. They are referred to as "Surf Pop" music, though that term seems too limited for describing their intelligent pop sensibilities. Give this feature interview with Charlie Pulkrabek a listen and see what you think of The Parlour Suite. Photo by LeoGra.
Kevin Bowe offers his thoughts on being a musician and how to deal with the various inevitable judgements of your creation, your music, in this essay.
November 1st, 2012: Brothers Burn Mountain are as interesting and exciting as any band working in Minnesota today. The band consists of Ryan and Jesse Dermody, two brothers who seem as interested in making great art as a means of good living as they do about receiving praise. The result, as evidenced on their five full-length releases, is nothing if not worthy of the highest praise. Northern Community Radio Producer Amy Clark presents this feature piece giving further insight into the entity that is the Brothers Burn Mountian. Additional thanks to sound engineer Keenan McIntyre-Talbott.
We Love To Be Free is a compilation of songs put out by Minnesotans United For All Families. It is a collaboration effort from Minnesota musicians compelled to action by the existence of the Minnesota Same-Sex Marriage Ammendment on the 2012 ballot. Recently Co-Producers Dave Alderson and Nicole Navratil talked to Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
October 25th, 2012: Sasha Mercedes is a talented singer/songwriter that grew up in northern Minnesota, and currently makes her home in Minneapolis. Her story is very interesting to say the least. You heard an essay from Sasha Mercedes last week. This week we present a feature interview recorded when she stopped into our Bemidji Northern Community Radio studio and talked with Charlie Pulkrabek. Photo by Catie Ezati
October 18th, 2012: Kevin Bowe is a veteran of the Minneapolis music scene. His success has come in a variety of roles. Kevin Bowe is a songwriter for musicians like Kenny Wayne Shepard, Jonny Lang, Etta James, Alison Scott, and more. He's producer, and a hired gun guitarist having worked with the likes of Freedy Johnston, and former Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg. This year he released a great record with his band called Kevin Bowe and the Okemah Prophets called "Natchez Trace." Charlie Pulkrabek recently got a chance to talk with Kevin Bowe, Peter Anderson, and Steve Price at Northern Community Radio's studios in Bemidji.
Sasha Mercedes is a talented singer/songwriter that grew up in northern Minnesota, and currently makes her home in Minneapolis. Her story is very interesting to say the least. Tune in to Centerstage Minnesota next week to hear a feature interview with Sasha Mercedes. This week Sasha brings us an essay on career choices and parental concern.

Photo by Rachel Schroeder
October 11th, 2012: Ben Kyle is well known for being the singer/songwriter that has fronted the Minneapolis band Romantica for 10 years and three records. His new self-titled solo release, to be released nationally in November, comes to us highly anticipated. Charlie Pulkrabek recently caught up with Ben Kyle at his studio in Minneapolis.
October 4th, 2012: In the third installment of "Sam and Friends," Sam Miltich and acclaimed accordionist Patrick Harison join Scott Hall in the Northern Community Radio studios for a conversation about Patrick's career, that storied instrument the accordion, and to perform some music.
October 3rd, 2012: Teague Alexy has been working hard this past summer in support of his latest solo record titled "This Dance." Teague and his brother Ian front the band Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank. Teague Alexy recently joined Travis Ryder on Currrents to talk about his carreer and play a few songs.
September 27th, 2012: Wookiefoot is a Minnepolis based entity that most closely resembles a band. But these guys are hoping to trancsend what that currently means. Give this feature interview with Mark Murphy a listen and see what I mean.
September 20th, 2012: Alison Scott is a singer songwriter from the Twin Cities that presents music that touches on, but is certainly not limited to Blues, Jazz, and Soul music. Her stock has been rising quickly. She recently joined Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
September 13th, 2012: Diet Folk is a young trio rising quickly through the Duluth music scene. Their new record "Cold," released in June, is making a splash for good reason. Northern Community Radio Producer Amy Clark crafted this piece on Diet Folk.
September 6th, 2012: 4OnTheFloor is a band based out of Minneapolis that humbly say they're just getting back to basics. They are doing much more than that, and quickly garnering well-deserved attention for their efforts. Gabriel Douglas of 4OnTheFloor recently talked to Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
August 30th, 2012: In the second installment of "Sam and Friends," Sam Miltich interviews mainstay Jazz Vocalist and Hibbing native Connie Evingson about her career in Minnesota's music scene. Connie Evingson's latest release is called "Sweet Happy Life."
August 23rd, 2012: Virgil Caine is band of seasoned musicians that plays what they call "Roots rock, R & B, and Butt Shakin' Blues." Mark Hawley from Virgil Caine joined Charlie Pulkrabek on Centerstage Minnesota.
August 16th, 2012: Alan Sparhawk is well known for being central to such acts as Low, Black Eyed Snakes, and Retribution Gospel Choir. His newest project is new duo called Murder of Crows featuring Sparhawk and Gaelynn Lea. Producer Amy Clark brings us an early look at this exciting new act.
August 9th, 2012: Eric Pollard has played as part of musical acts like Low, Retribution Gospel Choir, and the Dukes of Hubbard. Now this Grand Rapids native is striking out on his own as the creative force behind Actual Wolf. Travis Ryder recently spoke with Eric Pollard about his new project and some of his experiences as a touring musician.
August 2nd, 2012: In this, the debut of a new Centerstage Minnesota feature called "Sam and Friends," Sam Miltich interviews Charmin Michelle about her music, jazz music in Minnesota, and more.
July 26th, 2012: Big Walter Smith passed away on the morning of Tuesday, July 24th. Listen here for an intimate interview that Doug MacRostie recorded with bluesman Big Walter Smith in 2010 about such subjects as his first experience singing, how he got to Minnesota, what kept him here, and more.
July 19th, 2012: Sena Ehrhardt Band is making waves with their first record of a three record deal with Blind Pig Records titled Leave the Light On, combined with their captivating live performances. Travis Ryder recently produced this interview with Sena Ehrhardt for Northern Community Radio's Centertage Minnesota program.
July 12th, 2012: Maybe, like many of us at Northern Community Radio, you got hooked on this talented kid performing as part of the past two editions of the Great Northern Radio Show. He'll be on stage again this Saturday at KAXE's 8th Annual Mississippi River Festival during the Young Musician's Showcase. Listen to this interview Charlie Pulkrabek recorded recently with Sonny Johnson.
July 5th, 2012: Together Germiane Gemberling and Rich Mattson are at least partially responsible for current musical acts like Junkboat, The Tisdales, The Bitter Spills, and their own solo acts which span a variety of sounds. Rich also runs Sparta Sound, a recording studio named for the town in which it resides. Charlie Pulkrabek recently sat down with them at the studios of Northern Community Radio.
May 31st, 2012: Producer Amy Clark brings us a profile of Duluth area musician Teague Alexy and his new solo record titled "This Dance."
May 19th, 2012: Trampled By Turtles bassist and Grand Rapids native Tim Saxhaug joins Travis Ryder to talk about their music and the whirlwind of attention the group has gotten since the release of the newest Trampled By Turtles record titled Stars and Satellites.
May 12th, 2012: Renowned jazz guitarists Joan Griffith and Sam Miltich join Charlie Pulkrabek to talk about music and what it means to them.
April 26th, 2012: Producer Dave Lathrop documents the "draw band" process at the Cabin Fever Reliever Bluegrass gathering in Duluth. Dave follows one of the draw bands as they pull together a performance with very limited time for preparation.
April 19th, 2012: Northern Community Radio Producer Amy Clark presents a documentary about Duluth based musician Charlie Parr.
April 19th, 2012: Folk Singer Jaspar Lepak joins Travis Ryder to talk about her music and her nomadic life.
April 12th, 2012: The Magnolias have a new studio record out, after a long hiatus, titled "Pop the Lock." Frontman John Freeman joins Charlie Pulkrabek to talk about the historical significance of The Magnolias and what they are up to these days.
April 5th, 2012: Lance Benson and Mark Bauer join Travis Ryder in the KBXE studios for a conversation and live performamce.
 SoundClipProducer Dave Lathrop documents the "draw band" process at the Cabin Fever Reliever Bluegrass gathering in Duluth. Dave follows one of the draw bands as they pull together a performance with very limited time for preparation.
February 16th, 2012: Charlie is joined by Sean Daley, aka MC Slug of Minneapolis indie Hip-Hop giants Atmosphere.
Jan. 12, 2012 Travis Ryder talks with veteran folk musician Larry Long about his new record, "Don't Stand Still," activism, and Community Celebration, his nonprofit organization.
Dec. 15, 2011 Charlie Pulkrabek is joined in the studio by Paul Metsa to talk about his new book Blue Guitar Highway.
Nov. 3, 2011 Brian Miller, originally from Bemidji, breathes new life into the Celtic-inspired songs of our region's lumber camps.
July 28, 2011 Maddi Frick visits with Joey Ryan, bandleader of Twin Cities-based band Joey Ryan and the Inks.  They released their second LP, Dennis Lane, on July 30.
July 14th, 2011 Dave Lathrop interviews teenage guitar slinger Trent Romens, a performer at the KAXE Mississippi River Festival 2011.
May 5th, 2011 Charlie talks with Alan Sparhawk of internationally-acclaimed, Duluth-based band Low.  Their new CD is entitled C'mon.
 





 
 
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