Listening Lyrics

This week’s  Listening Lyrics  tries to do the nearly impossible: squeeze an entire busy week into one music format without needing a permit from the city of New York. First, we celebrate Independence Day, with all the red-white-and-blue spirit, and the annual reminder that someone, somewhere, is about to overcook a hot dog. Then summer festivities kick fully into gear, bringing sunshine, long eve...

Grab the closest hammock you can find and tune in for Listening Lyrics  on KDRT 95.7 FM / KDRT.org at 4 p.m. Pacific!

Rock 'n' roll and jazz have always had a complicated relationship. Rock is often built on simplicity, energy, and attitude. Jazz thrives on improvisation, reinterpretation, and surprise. But when jazz musicians get their hands on rock songs, something magical can happen. Whether you're a jazz fan curious about rock, a rock fan curious about jazz, or simply someone who enjoys hearing great musician...

When it comes to guests, Karl Rasmussen is definitely on the “A” list. He’s articulate, thoughtful, full of energy, and brings the kind of warmth and enthusiasm that leaves an impression on everyone he meets. Karl is a true multi-instrumentalist—equally at home on guitar, keyboards, trombone, percussion, and vocals. He’s a driving force in Davis/Sacramento’s own Big Sticky Mess, a band with deep l...

Listen in to Listening Lyrics   as I play the top 11 songs from February 1953 … in Toronto, Canada. Not randomly. Those songs will carry a story—my story—of immigrating with my family from the Netherlands to Toronto. We’ll move through it in 11 acts, each one introduced, summarized, and—ideally—kept on track by my friend and fellow DJ Gil Medovoy , who will connect the moment to the music. This ho...

Tonight on Listening Lyrics , we head to Sweden – a land better known for forests, Volvos, ABBA, winter nights, and great design, but also home to a remarkable jazz and blues tradition. Swedish jazz often blends cool elegance, folk melodies, and deep atmosphere, while Swedish blues brings heartfelt grit with a Scandinavian twist. From smoky clubs in Stockholm to late-night festivals across the cou...

Tonight on Listening Lyrics we salute James Brown—the Godfather of Soul, a man whose grooves, screams, rhythms, and swagger became a musical blueprint. His songs didn’t just become hits—they became assignments. Generations of artists from jazz, rock, reggae, funk, blues, and pop have all taken their turn covering him. When musicians need fire, rhythm, and attitude, they often start with James Brow...

This week on Listening Lyrics , it's the Alex Jenkins Trio! These Sacramento musicians are among the most talented in the region, truly creative, and promise music full of beautiful surprises. The trio's latest record, Black Bird, received a four-star review in All About Jazz  and is being played on radio stations across the country. Due to his in-depth study of the music of different cultures, Al...

So just who is Scott Schiller ? The man entrusted to handle one hour of Listening Lyrics ... + Community radio host on KDRT 95.7 FM, where he co-hosts That California Sound! —a program focused on music discovery and local/California artists  + Live-music advocate who believes strongly that live music “invigorates the soul” and has immersed himself in the regional music scene + Board member of the ...

Welcome to Listening Lyrics on KDRT. Today’s program is called “1926: The Sounds That Just Became Free.” Every year, music recordings reach the end of their copyright life. In 2026, recordings made in 1926—exactly 100 years ago—enter the public domain. That means the music that shaped early jazz, blues, and country can now be shared freely again. Tonight we travel back a century, to hear the sound...

In this episode we talk about the triggers of a melencholy feeling in music. Sometimes music doesn’t make us sad, it reminds us that we have lived. A melody can carry a memory, and when that memory returns, so does the feeling attached to it. That’s the quiet power of music.

This week's   Listening Lyrics is a musical journey through scandal and excess — inspired by the cultural undercurrents reflected in the Epstein files. The show is not about the documents themselves but about the atmosphere they reveal — wealth, temptation, secrecy, exploitation — and how artists have long warned us about these very forces.

Mercedes Yarbrough joined us to share her firsthand experience of the horrific events in Minneapolis. Listening to her, you immediately sense her clarity, compassion, and strength as a community leader. She’s the kind of person you connect with in moments — deeply passionate about her neighborhood, and especially committed to inspiring the next generation to believe in something better. Mizz Merce...

Recently, KDRT lost two truly wonderful and creative super-volunteers—friends who helped shape the heart and soul of this station. Diane Crumley and Bill Wagman were long-time members of the KDRT family, deeply committed to community radio and to showing up, week after week, with generosity, curiosity, and care. Today, I’m sharing an hour of upbeat, sing-along music—not to mark a loss, but to cele...

Minneapolis keeps producing artists who are technically sharp, stylistically open, and community-rooted. That mix explains why musicians from the city move easily between funk, jazz, indie, and pop—and why the music feels both local and universal. Listen in to an hour of music from the Twin Cities.