Chris K's Colorado Playlist

WORD UP!  Okay, this is some cool shit kids … we used to boogie our asses off to this track back in “the day.”  Never would of thought of this approach … some soul-FUL singin’ goin on here with that resonator….

Every Sunday, I do at least two things.  Edit my show, the Colorado Sound, for our affiliate stations, and put together the MMMM (Monday Morning Music Meeting).  And every week I am still amazed at the quality of music and recordings that cross my desk, or come in via email.  This week is pretty much no exception, with releases that cover the gamut from funk-rock, to soft-pop, americana-c0untry-folk, and nu-grass-jazz.  Lots of flavors in the basket this week…  so do enjoy — and thanks for supporting Colorado music.

Also, congratulations to all the winners at this year’s FoCoMA Peer Awards.  Another excellent year and another excellent presentation.  🙂

Bop Skizzum – Push
Format – EP CD
Genre/Style: funk, r&b, rock
Website: www.bopskizzum.com
Notes: Bop Skizzum is the band that Flobots guitarist Andy “Rok” Guerrero started before joining the Flobots.  It’s nice to have him back doing some Bop Skizzum stuff.

Andy Hackbarth – {the last love song}
Format – LP CD
Genre/Style: pop, adult contemporary
Website: www.myspace.com/andyhackbarth
Notes: Andy grew up in Colorado.  Like others before him, namely folks like Celeste Krenz and Rebecca Folsom, he went to Nashville (2006) to learn songwriting and performance skills.  He loves pop.  He’s got an excellent voice and the kind of looks that young girls swoon over (do they still swoon?).  Hackbarth emerged as one of the brightest young stars on the touring circuit in 2009, playing over 150 shows from, quite literally, coast to coast. It included stops such as the legendary Bitter End in New York, the historic Fox Theater in Colorado, the Hotel Café in California, as well as Venice Beach and Nokia Plaza as part of the Los Angeles Triathlon.  Andy has opened for Jimmy Wayne, Lonestar, Katie Armiger, Buddy Jewell, Due West, Blue County, and many others. He was named to the “Top 10 New Artists” list by Soundsugar, and is the winner of several major competitions, including that of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). Andy was also recently selected as a finalist and Honorable Mention Awardee in the International Songwriting Competition (from a pool of over 15,000 applicants).  Hackbarth’s song, “We Ain’t Done Yet”, was featured by Major League Baseball during the World Series and aired on over 40 major radio stations. He is also the co-founder of the Nashville-based non-profit, Songs for the Cure (www.SongsForTheCure.org).

Matt Campbell – How Can I Love You/Gunfighters
Format – 7″ single
Genre/Style: Americana, country-folk
Personnel:
Matt Campbell – guitars, vocals
Mike Wolf – Electric guitar
Dennis Bigelow – upright bass
Chris Kennison – pedal steel
Ben Brown – drums
Produced by Mike Wolf
Recorded by Chris Kennison at Seldom Fed Studios, Fort Collins CO
Mastered by Jim Wilson, Airshow Mastering
Notes: Matt Campbell no longer lives in Colorado.  He moved to Chicago a couple of years ago.  However, he’s still a Coloradoan and the personnel are all from Colorado – mostly NoCo… and he has a brother living in Telluride – so hopefully KOTO will pick up on this release.

Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy
Format: LP CD
Genre/Style: Neo-acoustic, bluegrass, newgrass, jazz, “dawg”
Website: www.myspace.com/grantgordy
Produced by: Grant Gordy & Jayme Stone
Personnel:
Alex Hargreaves (fiddle)
Paul Kowert (bass)
Dominick Leslie (mandolin)
Jayme Stone (banjo)
David Grisman (mandolin) – special guest
Recorded by Mario Casillio at Notably Fine Audio Denver
Mixed and Mastered at Airshow Mastering Boulder
Notes: Grant is now the David Grisman Quintet guitarist.  That pretty much says it all, doesn’t it?  World class acoustic music all the way around, impeccably produced and recorded.

There are two different playlists for this week’s episode.  KRFC’s spring fund drive show and then the one that went out for syndication… and if you don’t mind, I’m going to rant a bit here.  Two times a year, KRFC does a fund drive.  The goals are extremely modest – raise $40,000.  The Colorado Sound has a ridiculously modest goal of $200.

Now we made our goal – but I was saddened and disappointed that not a single contributor was a musician from a band in this area.  We got contributions from Vermont to Hot Sulfur Springs – but none from any musicians… how sad is that, right? 😦

Deni LaRue was my co-host yesterday.  She’s an old friend in radio, who is also on the board of directors for KRFC.  We spoke candidly about our needs and our desire to be the place where local music can be featured on a regular basis.  In fact, KRFC airs more Colorado music than any station in the state — and Fort Collins is a leading market for local music in the state … yet no calls from any local bands?  Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Better luck next time, I suppose.  If you wanted to contribute and couldn’t for some reason, that’s understandable.  It’s not too late.  Call the station at 970-221-5065 and let the operator know your contribution should be attributable to the Colorado Sound — and thanks for allowing me this space to rant and a radio station to broadcast Colorado music from.  I’m blessed that I have that much to offer.

KRFC FUND DRIVE PLAYLIST
Apples in Stereo “Dance Floor” from Travellers in Space and Time (2010)
NEW – Bop Skizzum “Prove It To You” from Push (2010)
Matt Morris “Money” from When Everything Breaks Open (2010)
The Foot. “High Design” from Primary Colors (2010)
Great American Taxi “Reckless Habits” from Reckless Habits (2010)
Todd Adelman & the Love Handles “Baby’s Gonna Be A Country Girl” from Todd Adelman & the Love Handles (2009)
Romano Paoletti “Can You Run” from Story of a Lifetime (2009)
The Jurassicasters “People Get Ready” from The Jurassicasters (2010)
Lelah Simon “Green” from Third Week of April (2009)
Chain Gang of 1974 “Devil Is a Lady” from White Guts (2010)
Tommy Metz “Dreams Will Collide” from The Blossom Frontier (2010)
NEW – Andy Hackbarth “The Last Love Song” from The Last Love Song (2010)
Kyle Hollingsworth “The Way It Goes” from Then There’s Now (2009)
NEW – Grant Gordy “Blues to Dawg” from Grant Gordy (2010)
Head for The Hills “One Foot in the Grave” from Head for the Hills (2009)
Lindsey O’Brien Band “Broke My Heart” from As Long As It Matters (2008)
The Informants “Salvation” from Crime Scene Queen (2009)
Keith Oxman “All Dudes” from Doing All Right (2009)

AFFILIATE PLAYLIST – Vol. 2, Episode 15
The Apples In Stereo – Dance Floor – Travellers In Space And Time (2010)
NEW – Bop Skizzum – Prove it to you – PUSH ep (2010)
Matt Morris – Money – When Everything Breaks Open (2010)
John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light – Love Is A Shark – Beautiful Empty (2010)
The Foot. – High Design – Primary Colors (2010)
Great American Taxi – Reckless Habits – Reckless Habits (2010)
Todd Adelman & the Love Handles – Baby’s Gonna Be a Country Girl – S/T (2009)
Romano Paoletti – Can You Run – Story of a Lifetime (2010)
Megan Burtt – Other Side of Lonely – It Ain’t Love (2010)
The Big Motif – Bad Cat (radio edit) – Big Motif (2010)
The Jurassicasters – People Get Ready – The Jurassicasters (2010)
Lelah Simon – Green – Lelah Simon’s Third Week of April (2009)
Chain Gang Of 1974 – Devil Is A Lady – White Guts (2010)
Tommy Metz – Dreams Will Collide – The Blossom Frontier (2010)
NEW – Andy Hackbarth – The Last Love Song – {the last love song} (2010)
Kyle Hollingsworth – The Way It Goes – Then There’s Now (2009)
Everything Absent Or Distorted (A Love Story) – Houses – The Great Collapse (2008)
NEW – Grant Gordy – Blues To Dawg – Grant Gordy (2010)
Head for the Hills – One Foot in the Grave – Head for the Hills (2010)
Emmitt-Nerschi Band – New Country Blues – New Country Blues (2009)
Moonspeed – Water’s Edge – Flowers Of The Moon (2009)
Reed Foehl – Wolves – Once An Ocean (2009)
Lindsey O’Brien Band – Broke My Heart – As Long As It Matters (2008)
The Informants – Salvation – Crime Scene Queen (2009)
Keith Oxman – All Dudes – Doing Alright (2009)