KGNU Music

Dengue Fever co-founder and keyboardist Ethan Holtzman joined Doug Gertner for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative to talk about the band’s unique blend of Cambodian rock, psychedelia, surf, and funk ahead of their upcoming Colorado performances. Holtzman shared how a trip to Cambodia in the early 2000s inspired the group’s sound, rooted in the country’s vibrant 1960s and ’70s music scene, and discus...

The Goodies stopped by the KGNU studio ahead of their show at Oscar Blues in Lyons for an upbeat acoustic session and conversation with Dave McIntyre. The Southern California-based reggae-influenced group performed a lively medley featuring their cover of “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes, along with their original song “Goody Vibes.” The band also talked about life on the road, reconnecting with Color...

KGNU’s Rodger Hara speaks with Benny McCarthy about the 30-plus-year journey of the acclaimed Irish traditional band Danú, their deep roots in Irish session culture, and their return to Boulder’s Macky Auditorium. McCarthy discusses the band’s approach to recreating the intimate energy of an Irish pub session on concert stages around the world, the making of their recent live album, and the musici...

KGNU’s Musica Mundi host Doug Gertner welcomes Denver-area musician and educator Miki Saito for a conversation about her journey from Yokohama, Japan, to New York City and eventually Colorado. Trained as a classical pianist and opera singer, Saito shares how she discovered the traditional Japanese bamboo flute known as the shinobue during the pandemic and began studying the instrument with a maste...

Indra Raj welcomed Sparrow Smith & The Resonant Rogues for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative ahead of their February 26, 2026 performance at the Chautauqua Community House. The Asheville-based Americana group performed several live songs from Sparrow Smith’s latest album, Carolina Mountains, and talked about the band’s roots, their love of Appalachian and dance traditions, and the many musical styl...

Local musicians came together as the Tapestry Band for a special KGNU studio session celebrating the music of Carole King and her landmark 1971 album Tapestry. The group — featuring members of the Colorado music community including Maddie Lee, Essie Horn, Christopher Klaus, and Ian Aras — performed selections from the album live in the Cabaret Studio and talked with Doug Gertner about how the proj...

Pianist David Korevaar joined Chris Mohr for KGNU’s A Classic Monday to discuss his ambitious new recording project: the complete 32 Beethoven piano sonatas. In conversation with Chris Mohr, Korevaar reflected on his lifelong relationship with Beethoven’s music, the challenges of recording nearly 12 hours of repertoire in under a year, and the evolution of Beethoven’s compositional style across th...

Singer-songwriter Duncan Coker joined Wendy Mills for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative to talk about his latest album, Roadside Attractions, his upcoming house concert with Flattop Rider, and his journey through Colorado’s vibrant folk and Western music scene. Describing himself as an “unrepentant balladeer from the Colorado Piedmont,” Coker shared stories about songwriting, community, and the inf...

Boulder-based duo Trouble’s Braids joined Meredith Carson on KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative for an in-studio session featuring live performances and conversation about their music, influences, and upcoming releases. Emily Pennington and Oliver Franklin performed songs including “Strange Weather,” “Lion’s Mouth,” “Precipice,” and “Pilot Light,” showcasing material from past releases and a forthco...

Boulder-based artist Stryder Jones joined DJ Jules in the KGNU studio for a live interview and in-studio session. He discussed his new album Kitchen Window, including the personal childhood moment that inspired its title track, as well as his hands-on production style where he builds songs using keys, drums, and synths. Stryder also spoke about his early influences, including Stevie Wonder, David...

Taarka joined Ginger Perry in the KGNU studio to talk about their long-running musical partnership, which began in New York City in 2001 and has since evolved into a genre-blending sound rooted in folk, jazz, and global influences. Now based in Colorado, the duo—joined by their teenage son on upright bass—shared stories of their early days busking, their move west after 9/11, and how their collabo...

Singer-songwriter Logan Farmer joins Deana Bianco in the KGNU Boulder studio to perform songs from his latest album, Nightmare World: I See the Horizon, and discuss the intention behind the record. Farmer shares how taking time away from releasing music allowed him to write more deliberately, exploring themes of complacency, complicity, and the emotional weight of modern life. He also talks about...

High Horse joined Meredith Carson for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative in the Cabaret Studio for a live session and interview. The band features Carson McKinney (fiddle), Carl Henry (cello), Noah Harrington (bass), and G Rockwell (guitar and banjo). They performed a mix of songs, including covers of Tim O’Brien and Townes Van Zandt, along with original instrumental and vocal pieces. The group also...

Donavon Frankenreiter spoke with Indra Raj on KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative ahead of his upcoming Colorado shows, including two nights at the Velvet Elk Lounge in Boulder. He discussed his “Heading Home” performances, which focus on small, intimate acoustic sets with audience interaction and song requests. Frankenreiter also reflected on his background as a professional surfer and how traveling...

Fia joined DJ Soul Rock on KGNU’s Bloodlines ahead of his upcoming show at the Bluebird Theater in Denver on March 7. He talked about his musical roots, which began in church, and how his upbringing shaped the soulful sound heard in his music today. He also shared the meaning behind his name, explaining that “Fia” is his given name and a reflection of his identity and heritage. During the conversa...

Singer-songwriter Penelope Jane joined Meredith Carson on KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative for a live in-studio session ahead of the release of her debut album Evergreen. Joined by her sister Emilia on fiddle and harmony vocals and her father on guitar and mandolin, she performed several original songs, including “Smoke in the Mountains,” “Wish That I Could Love You,” and “Unforgettable.” Penelope...

Banjo player Kyle Tuttle joined Kooter Jones for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative for a live in-studio session with bassist Jeff Saunders. They performed original songs including “Not Quite Spring,” “I Wonder,” and “Saddle Up,” as well as a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.” Tuttle talked about his musical background, starting on guitar as a child and later becoming a banjo...

Blues guitarist and singer Ronnie Baker Brooks joins DJ Dan Willging on KGNU’s Blues Legacy ahead of his upcoming Colorado shows this February. In the interview, he talks about growing up as the son of Lonnie Brooks and being surrounded by blues legends like Koko Taylor and Buddy Guy. Brooks shares details about his current band, his approach to touring and songwriting, and how he continues to bui...

DJ Jules hosts Corgi Cartel for a live in-studio session at KGNU, where the band shares details about their upcoming Denver shows, including a performance at the Black Buzzard, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and a planned album release at Lost Lake. Formed about a year and a half ago through connections in the local music scene, the group blends influences from jazz, funk, metal, and artists like...

Indra Raj interviews local singer-songwriter Lewis Turner on KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative, where he performs live and shares his path from growing up in Masonville, Colorado, to becoming an emerging folk artist. He discusses starting music as a teen, the emotional core of his songwriting, and how listener connections shaped his direction. Turner highlights his upcoming album Second, a more raw...

Wendy Mills interviews Sage Cook and Aera Fox about their shift from a fully produced band project to a more intimate acoustic duo while touring their latest album. They recount meeting in Boulder in 2013, falling in love quickly, and moving to rural Kansas to pursue homesteading, which shaped both their lifestyle and music. Aera’s entry into music began when she learned bass in a week for a benef...

Dom Flemons, the “American Songster,” is a musician and historian who preserves and reinterprets over a century of American roots music. In this interview on KGNU, he discusses his research into overlooked artists and archives, his Black Cowboys project highlighting the hidden history of Black cowboys, and his mission to bring underrepresented stories to life through music and performance. (Air Da...

Dave McIntyre talks with John Magnie about his band The Grocery Story, which evolved from a story-driven musical into a harmony-rich group blending R&B, blues, gospel, and roots. Magnie also reflects on his Subdudes days and move from New Orleans to Colorado, emphasizing how collaboration and chance helped shape the band’s unique sound. (Air Date: 4/3/26)

At the Big Ears Music Festival, KGNU’s Monte Dube spoke with Dalava co-creators Julia Úlehla and Aram Bajakian about their deeply personal, genre-blurring project rooted in Czech and Armenian heritage, ancestral song traditions, and experimental improvisation. They also discussed their latest album Understories, shaped by pandemic-era reflection, mythology, and a shared belief in music as a living...

At the Big Ears Music Festival, KGNU’s Monte Dube interviewed composer and pianist Hania Rani about her musical upbringing in Poland, her evolution from classical training into experimental and electronic music, and her global career shaped by Berlin, Iceland, and major recording projects. She also discussed her new orchestral work Nonfiction, inspired by a rediscovered Warsaw Ghetto composer, and...