KGNU Music

KGNU’s D Rider chats with Fort Collins band Colony Funk ahead of the KGNU Funkraiser at the Velvet Elk Lounge in Boulder. The group plays a few live tunes and discusses getting ready for their Friday night show, which includes a costume contest, silent auction, and DJ performance (Interview date: 10/22/2024)

Ecuadorian music duo Cruzloma discusses their musical background, creative process, and influences with KGNU’s EC. They explain how growing up near Quito shaped their sound, blending traditional mestizo and Afro-Ecuadorian rhythms with electronic music and reggae. The duo emphasizes the organic evolution of their sound, rooted in their cultural heritage (Interview date: 10/9/2024)

In an interview with KGNU’s Doug Gertner, A.J. Croce discusses his musical journey, influenced by his father Jim Croce’s legacy. He shares how losing his sight as a child and growing up with music in his home shaped his passion, with artists like Ray Charles serving as major inspirations. A.J. talks about his "Croce Plays Croce" tour where he reinterprets his father's hits while keeping the music...

The Wildwoods, a folk trio from Lincoln, Nebraska, join KGNU’s Dave McIntyre in the studio. The band shares details about their upcoming album, releasing in April 2025, and previewed several new songs, including "Footprints on the Floor" and "Sweet Niobrara," which celebrates their home state (Interview date: 10/4/2024)

Singer-songwriter and folk artist Joe Jencks joins KGNU’s Joanne Cole for a studio session. Joe reflects on his long history with KGNU, where he started performing in the late 90s. He describes his career as a folk artist, dedicated to uplifting historical and cultural narratives through music. Joe plays a few songs, including one he wrote with fifth graders inspired by social justice heroes (Inte...

In an interview with KGNU’s Indra Raj, Martha Redbone discusses her concert “Bone Hill” and its themes of family history, culture, and resilience. The concert blends music and storytelling, drawing from Redbone's family history. She explains how the performance explores the histories of Native American and African American people east of the Mississippi, particularly focusing on the strength and s...

Acclaimed soprano Karen Slack speaks with KGNU’s Sanford Baran about her career, inspirations, and upcoming recital in Denver, featuring the "African Queens" project. Slack reflects on her non-classical music upbringing and pivotal moments that led her to opera. She discusses her frustration with traditional operatic roles and the lack of representation for Black stories, which inspired her to cre...

Trumpeter Shamarr Allen of New Orleans joined KGNU’s D Rider for a studio session. Shamarr shared his musical journey, which began at age seven. He discussed his evolving sound, blending traditional New Orleans music with modern pop structures on his albums (Interview date: 9/24/2024)

SHADOWLANDS, a project by John Raymond and S. Carey, joined KGNU’s Indra Raj in the studio. S. Carey, known for his work with Bon Iver, shared how he first connected with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. John Raymond, a jazz trumpeter recognized for his innovative work, discussed how he blends various musical influences into his jazz style. The band performed live tracks and discussed their musical journ...

Ingrid Avison and Jeff Dean joined KGNU’s Meredith Carson in the studio for a live performance. Ingrid discussed her upcoming EP release dedicated to her late father. She also mentioned an upcoming KGNU Presents show on October 11th at the Chautauqua Community House, where she will open for Reed Foehl (Interview date: 9/20/2024)

Mark from Desert Atlas joined KGNU’s Indra Raj live from the Mapleton Hill Porchfest. He shared his appreciation for the event and the community and discussed his songwriting inspirations. Mark performed two songs, including one titled Lakeside, inspired by Denver's historic amusement park (Interview date: 9/22/2024)

Angel Corsi, a local musician, recently performed at PorchFest and joined Indra Raj for a live session on KGNU. Known as the "Chicano Bruce Springsteen" for his socially conscious folk music, Corsi discussed his influences, including soul, hip hop, and Americana. He emphasized the importance of storytelling in his music, drawing inspiration from artists like Ice Cube, Smokey Robinson, and Marvin G...

Reuben Kebede, first violinist of the Ivalas Quartet, speaks with KGNU’s Sanford Baran. Reuben shares insights about the group's journey, mission, and dedication to spotlighting underrepresented composers. He emphasizes the importance of engaging younger audiences to ensure the longevity of classical music. The Ivalas Quartet is performing on September 24th at Dazzle in Denver.

Local musician Kayla Marque talks with KGNU’s Indra Raj about her new album "Midheaven", released on August 29th. She also discusses her recent tour, which began in London, and her musical journey. Kayla performs several songs from Midheaven, including "Slow Burn" and "Insecurious” (Interview date: 9/18/2024)

KGNU’s Doug Gertner hosts musicians Zoë Aqua and Nani Vazana. Zoë, a Denver native and recent Fulbright scholar, shares her experiences studying Transylvanian folk music and klezmer traditions in Romania. She reflects on learning from rural musicians in Transylvania, where she found influences from Jewish, Romanian, Hungarian, and Roma cultures. Nani, based in Amsterdam with roots in Israel and Mo...

KGNU’s Neil Smart hosts musicians Tony Furtado and John Reischman, who talk about their show at Swallow Hill in Denver along with Eric Thorin. They play a few songs and discuss their musical backgrounds (Interview date: 9/14/2024)

Steve Hoffman, also known as Tales of Hoffman, joins KGNU’s Meredith Carson in the studio. Steve discusses his participation in the upcoming Mapleton Hill Porchfest in Boulder. The event, taking place on Sunday, September 22nd from noon to 4:00 p.m., is a community gathering where local musicians perform on porches around the neighborhood. Hoffman shares the history of the Porchfest, which started...

Elana Brody discusses her recent performances and her new album "The Garden" with KGNU’s Cameron Henderson. She performs several songs and reflects on her musical journey, contrasting the gritty experience of busking in New York subways with the natural inspiration of her upbringing in nature. She also touches on her spiritual connection to liturgy and the healing power of music, expressing how he...

Lindsay Lou talks with KGNU’s Dave McIntyre. She reflects on her latest album, "Queen of Time", which she’s been performing in full as a way to celebrate its one-year anniversary. Lindsay Lou, based in Nashville, shares her love for the city's bluegrass, folk, and Americana community. She highlights her collaboration with Billy Strings on the track “Nothing’s Working” and discusses the personal si...

Kim Richey discusses her music and upcoming performances with KGNU’s Dave McIntyre. They talk about her latest album, "Every New Beginning", which was released in May. Kim plays a couple songs from the album, discussing her songwriting process and the stories behind the music. She also mentions her performances in Colorado (Interview date: 9/6/2024)

5 Foot Betty, a "woman-powered sunny Americana" trio, chats with KGNU’s Dave McIntyre. The band discusses their origins and influences. With a mix of harmonies and instruments like upright bass, cajón, and ukulele, they bring a fresh take to classic songs, alongside originals. They emphasize fun and connection with their audience and mention upcoming gigs (Interview date: 8/30/2024)

Violinist Ross Snyder of the Tesla Quartet chats with KGNU’s Iris Berkeley and guest interviewer Braintree Jim of WOMR. Ross discusses the group's upcoming performance in Denver on September 12th as part of the MAS Presents series. He reflects on the Tesla Quartet's evolution and their diverse repertoire, ranging from traditional Viennese composers to modern pieces focused on climate change (Inter...

Christopher Clauss of Phoebe Nix spoke with KGNU’s Iris Berkeley. Christopher shared insights about the group’s new music and creative process. They premiered a track, “She’s So Wild,” from a new EP titled "Late Summer's Moon". Christopher also discussed their show at the Velvet Elk Lounge featuring Charlie Berry (Interview date: 8/29/2024)

Mad Dog Friedman chats with KGNU’s Joanne Cole about his upcoming show and new CD. Mad Dog will open for Joe Waters, a celebrated blues artist, at the Roots Music Project in Boulder on August 31. Mad Dog highlights Waters' unique skills on both harmonica and guitar. He discusses his new CD All The Way, and talks about his plans for an upcoming live instrumental CD. (Interview date: 8/27/2024)

Blues icon Robert Cray speaks with Braintree Jim about his long career, upcoming performance, and musical journey. Cray discusses his songwriting and how he prefers improvising guitar solos live rather than practicing them. He also describes his excitement for live performances, where the unpredictability keeps things fresh. Cray closes by talking about his new album project and his show at Chauta...