DJs’ Favorites for 2017
December 19, 2017 - 11:24 am
The Top Tens of 2017 are in. Find your favorite KBCS DJ’s list here.
Carol Handley – Weekday Afternoons
Gregg Allman Southern Blood Rounder
Sera Cahoone From Where I Started Sub Pop
Chris Stapleton From A Room: Vol. I Mercury
Eilen Jewel Downhearted Blues Signature Sound
Making Movies I Am Another You The Record Machine
Imelda May Life Love Flesh Blood Decca
Dan Auerbach Waiting on a Song Easy Eye Sound
Chicano Batman Freedom Is Free ATO
JD McPherson Undivided Heart and Soul New West
Mavis Staples If All I Was Was Black Anti
DJ Notes: This is always nearly impossible for those of us who love music so much, but here is a mix that was well represented in the afternoon show this past year. A couple of EP’s that I felt deserved honorable mentions here are: Maggie Rogers Now That The Light is Fading; Chastity Brown’s Silhouette of Sirens; and Whitney Monge’s Stone.
Casey Martin – Walkin The Floor; Our Saturday Tradition
Valerie June The Order Of Time Concord
Benjamin Booker Witness ATO
Lydia Ramsey Bandita Self
Ancient Cat Society Ancient Cat Society Splice
Margo Price All American Made Third Man Records
Iron & Wine Beast Epic Sub Pop
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings Soul of a Woman Daptone
Holly Macve Golden Eagle Bella Union
Zephaniah OHora with The 18 Wheelers This Highway MRI
Mavis Staples If All I Was Was Black Anti/Epitaph
Craig Huizenga – Digital Reformer
War on Drugs A Deeper Understanding Atlantic
Ibeyi Ash XL
Kurt and Courtney Lotta Sea Lice Matador
Wolf Alice Visions of a Life RCA
Polyrythmics Caldera Self Released
Jason Isbell The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records
Gord Downie Introduce Yourself Arts & Crafts
The National Sleep Well Beast 4AD
Alt-J Relaxer Atlantic
Laura Marling Semper Femina More Alarming Records
Miranda Lambert The Weight of These Wings Vanner Records
The Sweetback Sisters King of Killing Time Signature Sounds
Lucinda Williams This Sweet Old World Highway 20
Chris Stapleton From A Room Volume 1 Mercury Nashville
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records
Neil Young Hitchhiker Reprise
Whitney Rose Rule 62 Six Shooter Records
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Organic Records
Lilly Hiatt Trinity Lane New West Records
Lee Ann Womack The Loney, The Lonesome & The Gone Ato Records
DJ Niko – Away from the Numbers
LCD Soundsystem American Dream DFA
Arcade Fire Everything Now Sonovox
St. Vincent Masseduction Loma Vista
Diet Cig Swear I’m Good At This Frenchkiss
Allison Crutchfield Tourist In This Town Merge
White Mystery F*** Your Mouth Shut White Mystery
Sweet Spirit Sweet Spirit Nine Mile
The Feelies In Between Bar/None
Robyn Hitchcock Robyn Hitchcock Yep Rock
Stef Chura Messes Urinal Cake
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch
The Mae Trio Take Care Take Cover Creative Victoria
The Wailin’ Jennys Fifteen Red House
Pete’s Posse The Conversation Epact
True North Open Road, Broken Heart Self
Reischman, Nygaard, Gilchrist The Harmonic Tone Revealers Corvus
Tim O’Brien Where the River Meets the Road Howdy Skies
Marley’s Ghost The Woodstock Sessions Sage Arts
Sera Cahoone From Where I started Sub Pop
Pat Donohue Blue Yonder Self
DJ Notes: My Fave for the year is Freedom Highway which is an extraordinary and emotional recording, spanning traditional to modern styles, with a powerful band and stunning vocals
Gordon Todd – Gordon Todd, Weekday Afternoon Music
This Is The Kit Moonshine Freeze Rough Trade
Jesca Hoop Memories Are Now Sub Pop
Chastity Brown Silhouette Of Sirens Red House
Sera Cahoone From Where I Started Lady Muleskinner
Iron & Wine Beast Epic Sub Pop
Hurray For The Riff Raff The Navigator ATO
Valerie June The Order Of Time Concord
Laura Marling Semper Femina Kobalt Music
Chris Theile & Brad Mehldau S/T Nonesuch
Whitney Monge Stone Self
DJ Notes: Honorable Mention: Sallie Ford, Naomi Wachira, Rhiannon Giddens, Andrew Joslyn, Robert Plant, Jeff Tweedy, The Shins, Dan Auerbach, Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, Brian Blade, Meklit Hadero, Boubacar Traore, Aimee Mann, Maggie Rogers, Jaco Pastorius, Mavis Staples, Sharon Jones, Curtis Harding, Moses Sumney.
Ibibio Sound Machine Uyai Self / Bandcamp
Sweatson Klank Then I Was Me EP Friends of Friends
Yheti Far From the Tree Self / Bandcamp
Switchkraft Jandom Lobe Adapted Records
Dub Gabriel ASDR Self / Bandcamp
HummingBird Rain EP Deep
Various Stop Biting Beatmakers vol. 2 Care Package
Various Infusion vol.2 Gravitas Recordings
Various Polarity Ultima
Various Electric Island House Power Yoga Hawaii LLC
DJ Notes: Again the year comes ’round for a TOP TEN! And as usual I must emphasize,there have been so many choice creations throughout the year, this list is a mere trifle of what has been created in 2017. Please enjoy these as you explore more music into 2018. Thank you for support of community radio KBCS 91.3FM and the show Variations.
Iaan Hughes – Weekday Afternoons 12pm-3pm / Walkin’ the Floor
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives Way Out West Superlatone Records
Valerie June The Order of Time Concord
Moses Sumney Aromanticism Jagjaguwar
Sera Cahoone From Where I Started Sub Pop
Iron & Wine Beast Epic Sub Pop
Las Cafeteras Tastes Like L.A. Self
Hurray for the Riff Raff The Navigator ATO
Lydia Ramsey Bandita Self
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Fantasy
The War on Drugs A Deeper Understanding Atlantic
DJ Notes: Other Favs: Mavis Staples, Robyn Hitchcock, Rhiannon Giddens, Sallie Ford, Big Thief, Juana Molina, Amber Cross, Zephania O’Hora, Dan Auerbach, Joseph Huber, Naomi Wachira, Holly Macve, Andrew Joslyn, Dori Freeman, Margo Price, Dan Reeder, Link Wray (Reissue), Joy Mills Band
John Reischman & The Jaybirds On That Other Green Shore Borealis
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch
Ken & Brad Kolodner The Swift House Fenchurch Music
Various Artists Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie’s 26 Northwest Songs Smithsonian Folkways
Tony Furtado Cider House Sessions Self Released
Tim O’Brien Where the River Meets the Road Howdy Skies
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer Get Up And Do Right Community Music Inc.
True North Open Road, Broken Heart Self Released
Scott Cook Further Down the Line Factor
Noam Pikelny Universal Favorite Rounder
Matt Mitchell A Pouting Grimace Pi
Bonnie Whiting John Cage: Music for Speaking Percussionist Mode
Harriett Tubman Araminta Sunnyside
Alvarius B With a Beaker on the Burner and an Otter in the Oven Abduction
Arrington De Dionyso This Saxophone Kills Fascists
Marvin Pontiac The Asylum Tapes Strange & Beautiful
William Parker Quartets Meditation / Resurrection Aum Fidelity
Dead Neanderthals Craters Consouling Sounds
Alice Coltrane The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda Luka Bop
Seattle Symphony & Ludovic Morlot Oliver Messiaen: Poèmes Pour Mi Seattle Symphony Media
DJ Notes: Frank Zappa Halloween 77, Robert Black, Orthodox, Tyshawn Sorey, Roscoe Mitchell, Craig Taborn, Kendrick Lamar, Living Colour, Roger Waters, Ex Eye, John Zorn, Bob Dylan
Jonathan Lawson – Flotation Device
Tomas Fujiwara Triple Double Firehouse 12
Diamanda Galás Live at St. Thomas the Apostle, Harlem/All the Way Intravenal Sound Operations
Joëlle Léandre A Woman’s Work Not Two
Tyshawn Sorey Verisimilitude Pi
Golden Retriever Rotations Thrill Jockey
Alice Coltrane The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda Luaka Bop
Visible Cloaks Reassemblage Rvng. Intl.
Tobias Hellkvist Forest Psalms Dragon’s Eye
Bonnie Whiting John Cage: Music for Speaking Percussionist Mode
Roscoe Mitchell Bells for the South Side ECM
DJ Notes: A great year for creative music, if for precious little else. Also worth a listen: 2017 releases from Jo Ganter/Marilyn Crispell, William Parker Quartet, Mary Halvorson, Kate Carr, Syrinx Effect, Mat Maneri, the Necks, Gavin Bryars, Chuck Johnson and Saicobab.
Kevin O’Connor – Sunday’s Hornpipe
Coig Rove Self
Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas Ports of Call Self
Brandon Vance The Gentleman & Scholar Self
Cara Dillon Wanderer Self
Julie Fowlis alterum Self
Jenna Moynihan, Màiri Chaimbeul One Two Self
Hanneke Cassel Trip to Walden Pond Self
Karine Polwart, Pippa Murphy A Pocket Of Wind Resistance Self
Usher’s Island Usher’s Island Compass
Martin Hayes Quartet The Blue Room Self
DJ Notes: “Thanks KBCS listeners for supporting Sunday’s Hornpipe every week! Also to Hearth Music and Trad Connect for promoting great traditional Celtic Music. Please use artist and album title, label information might be different than what I listed. Support new music every year.”
Slainte,
Kevin
Larry Lewin – Our Saturday Tradition
Hank Cramer Make The Rafters Ring independent
Flashback Foxhounds And Fiddles Pinecastle
Chris Coole The Tumbling River Self Released
True North Open Road, Broken Heart Self Released
Zephaniah Ohora and the 18 Wheelers This Highway Last Roundup Records/MRI
The Wailin’ Jennys Fifteen Red House
Chris Hillman Bidin’ My Time Rounder
The Sommers Rosenthal Family Band Down The Road American Melody
Sweetwater String Band At Night Self Released
Tim O’brien Where the River Meets the Road Howdy Skies
DJ Notes: Honorable Mention (in no particular order): David Francey/Empty Train; John Craigie/No Rain, No Rose; Nell Robinson & Jim Nunnally Band/Baby Let’s Take the Long Road Home; Joel Mabus/Different Hymnals; The Bucking Mules/Smoke Behind the Clouds; Joe Jencks/Poets, Philosophers, Workers and Wanderers; John Reischmann and the Jaybirds/On That Other Green Shore; Molsky’s Mountain Drifters/Self; Jim Page/A Handful of Songs; Pat Donohue/Blue Yonder
Mark Bruce – KBCS Volunteer/Shift Manager
Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit The Nashville Sound Southeastern
JD McPherson Undivided Heart and Soul New West Records
Robert Plant Carry Fire Nonesuch
Lilly Hiatt Trinity Lane New West Records
Chicano Batman Freedom Is Free ATO
Dan Auerbach Waiting On A Song Easy Eye Sound
Eilen Jewel Down Hearted Blues Signature Sounds
Nikki Lane Highway Queen New West Records
Justin Townes Earle Kids In The Street New West Records
Laura Marling Semper Femina Kobalt Music
Mary Anne Moorman – Sunday Folks
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch
Molly Tuttle Rise Self Release
Keb’Mo’&Taj Mahal TajMo Concord
Mavis Staples If All I Was Was Black Anti
Fleet Foxes Crack-Up Nonesuch
Shelby Lynne&Allison Moorer Not Dark Yet Silver Cross
Sharon Jones&The Dap-Kings Soul of a Woman Daptone Recording Co
Jason Isbell The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records
Naomi Wachira Song of Lament Doreli Music
Father John Misty Pure Comedy SubPop
DJ Notes: As always, so much music that is worth more than one spin. Tip of the hat to The Walin’ Jennys, Ben Hunter&Joe Seamons with Phil Wiggins and oh my Chris Stapleton.
Mary Kelly – Sunday’s Hornpipe
John Blake, Mairead Hurley, Nathan Gourley The Truckley Howl Self
Goitse Inspired By Chance Self
Eilis Kennedy Westward Self
Bernie Phaid Siol Self
Alison Perkins and Nicholas Brown All Covered With Moss Self
John and Maggie Carty Settle Out Of Court Racket Records
Caladh Nua Free And Easy Self
Hanneke Cassel Trip To Walden Pond Self
Andrew Finn Magill Roots Self
Kern False Deceiver Self
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch
Various Roll Columbia: Woody Guthries’s 26 Northwest Songs Smithsonian Folkways
Tift Merritt Stitch Of The World Yep Roc
Gill Landry Love Rides A Dark Horse ATO
Zephaniah Ohora & the 18 Wheelers This Highway Last Roundup
Sera Cahoone From Where I Started Lady Muleskinner
David Rawlings Poor David’s Almanack Acony
Rachel Baiman Shame Free Dirt
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Nashville Sound Southeastern
Mavis Staples If All I Was Was Black Anti
DJ Notes: It’s such a pleasure to program Sunday Folks for you. Thanks for listening. Top 10 lists are ever-changing. On any other day I could have included; Leif Vollebekk ,Colter Wall, Southern Avenue, Lydia Ramsey, Kacy & Clayton, Wailin’ Jennys, Stanton Moore, Holly Macve, Tim Grimm or Chicano Batman. Go explore.
Norman Baker – KBCS Volunteer/Shift Manager
Thundercat Drunk Brainfeeder
Neil Young The Visitor Reprise
Tinariwen Elwan Anti-
Jim Lauderdale London Southern Proper Records
Ryan Adams Prisoner Blue Note
The True Loves Famous Last Words Self
Tony Allen The Source Decca Records
Karl Blau Out Her Space Bella Union
Los Colognes The Wave Thirty Tigers
Hiss Golden Messenger Hallelujah Anyhow Merge Records
Patrick Whalen – KBCS Program Director
Charlotte Gainsbourg Rest Because
Bonobo Migration Ninja Tune
Chicano Batman Freedom is Free ATO
Hurray For The Riff Raff The Navigator ATO
Ibeyi Ash XL
Moses Sumney Aromanticism Jagjaguwar
St. Vincent Masseducation Loma Vista
Thundercat Drunk Brainfeeder
Sufan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, James McAlister Planetarium 4AD
Laura Marling Semper Femina independent
Patty Fong – Musica de la Raza
Quetzal The Eternal Getdown Smithsonia Folkways
Lone Pinon Dias Felices LM Dupli-cation
Chicano Batman Freedom is Free Imports
Las Cafeteras Tastes Like LA Las Cafeteras Music
La Santa Cecilia Amar y Vivir Universal Music Latino
Diana Gameros Arrullo independent
Leti Garza Frio en el Alma independent
Guillermo Velazquez y Los Leones de la Sierra Xichu Serrano de Corazon Smithsonian Folkways
Flor de Toloache Las Caras Lindas CD Baby
Lila Downs Salon Lagrimas y Deseo Sony US Latin
Los Cenzontles Carta Jugada Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center
DJ Notes: !Viva la Raza! !Viva Mexico!
Pete Goodall – Bluegrass Ramble
Bobby Osborne Original Compass
Junior Sisk The Mountains Are Calling Me Home Mountain Fever
Larry Sparks Lonesome and Blue Rebel
The Gibson Brothers In The Ground Rounder
Deer Creek Boys Midnight & Dawn Mountain Fever
Sideline Colors and Crossroads Mountain Home
Travers Chandler Archaic Mountain Fever
John Reischman & The Jaybirds On That Other Green Shore Corvus
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Life Is A Story Mountain Home
Ragged Union Time Captain Shining Castle
DJ Notes: 2017 was another great year for bluegrass music!
Russ Beard – Vice President of Information Technology Services, Bellevue College
Ed Sheeran ÷ (divide) Asylum
Macklemore GEMINI Bendo
Iron and Wine Beast Epic Sub Pop
Pink Beautiful Trauma RCA Records
Foo Fighters Concrete and Gold Roswell Records
Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile To The Surface Loma Vista Recordings
Imagine Dragons Evolve KIDinaKORNER
Bleachers Gone Now RCA Records
Dropkick Murphys 11 SDhort Stories of Pain and Glory Boston Scully Punk
Kenny Wayne Shepard Lay it on Down KWS Music
DJ Notes: This is probably the most eclectic list I have ever considered as my top ten and the order in which this is listed can change on a daily basis, with the exception of the first two. If you think Ed and Ben are just pop you have not listened to them at all, these two young men are two of the best songwriters I have ever listened to. Some of tunes will satisfy the pop need of the labels but there are gems on both of these that get to a depth of emotion that I haven’t heard in decades. Listen carefully…
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters Amanda Anne Plattand the Honeycutters Organic Records
Joseph Huber The Suffering Stage Joseph Elliott Huber
Amber Cross Savage on the Dowenhill Two Red Doors
Zephania Ohara and the 18-Wheelers This Highway Last Roundup Records
Miranda Lambert The Weight of These Wings Vanner Records
Jason Isbell The Nashville Sound Southeastern Records
Tim Grimm A Stranger In This Time Tim Grimm
Sera Cahoone From Where I Started Lady Muleskinner Records
Rodney Crowell Close Ties New West
Gillian Welch Boots No.1 Official Revival Bootleg Acony
Antonio Adolfo Hybrido AAM
Eliane Elias Dance of Time Concord Jazz
Edu Lobo, Romero Lubambo, Mauro Senise Dos Navegantes Biscoito Fino
Sandy Cressman Entre Amigos Cressman Music
OuroBa OuroBa independent
Mauricio Zottarelli Upside Down Looking Up independent
Sambaranda Delirios, Volume 1 Tratore
Joyce Moreno Palavra e Som Biscoito Fino
Ian Faquini + Paula Santoro Metal Na Madeira Ridgeway Records
Amilton Godoy + Léa Freire A Mil Tons Maritaca
DJ Notes: Would also like to include CD by Jovino Santos Neto & André Mehmari/Guris/Adventure Music
Scott Farley – Neon Interstate
Steve Earle & The Dukes So You Wannabe An Outlaw Warner Bros.
The Isley Brothers – Santana Power Of Peace Legacy/Sony Music
The Replacements For Sale: Live At Maxwell’s 1986 Sire/Rhino
The Rolling Stones On Air Polydor
The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Super Deluxe Edition Apple/Universal
Yardbirds ’68 jimmypage.com
Curtis Knight featuring Jimi Hendrix Live At George’s Club 20 Dagger/Experience Hendrix/Sony
U-Men U-Men Sub Pop
Poncier The Legendary Cliff Poncier Demos Real Clever/A&M
Bun E. Carlos Greetings From Bunezuela! eOne/Entertainment One US
Sean Donovan – Weekday Afternoons 12Pm – 3Pm
Jeb Loy Nichols Country Hustle City Country City
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real Fantasy
Chris Stapleton From A Room: Volume 1 Mercury Records
Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men Prick Of The Litter Hot Shot Records
The Cash Box Kings Royal Mint Alligator Records
Moot Davis Hierarchy of Crows Wilburn Records
Bonsoir Catin L’Aurore Valcour Records
Trombone Shorty Parking Lot Symphony Blue Note
Ivan Lins América, Brasil DGE Entertainment ltda.
Mauricio Zottarelli Upside Down Looking Up Self
Brookzill! Throwback to the Future Tommy Boy Entertainment
Sonziera Brasil Bam Bam Bam Talkin’ Loud/Virgin
Danilo Brito Danilo Brito Orpheu Music
Sorry Drummer Sorry Drummer & Friends Volume 2 Gueropa
Lica Cecato Copacabana Tratore
Antonio Adolfo Hybrido AAM
Yamandu Costa Recanto Bagal
André Mehmari / Jovino Santos Neto Guris Adventure Music
Spencer Lee – Classical Mechanics
Emanuele Arciuli Walk in Beauty Innova
Jennifer Higdon All Things Majestic Naxos
Brian McWhorter/Kenji Bunch The Snow Queen Innova
The Crossing Seven Responses Innova
Andrew Matthews-Owen Halo Nimbus
Seattle Symphony Charles Ives: Three Places in New England Seattle Symphony Media
The Knights Azul Warner Classics
Dudok Quartet Labyrinth: Mozart, Ligeti, and Brahms Resonus
Jane Antonia Cornish Into Silence Innova
Bêla Fleck Juno Concerto Rounder
Steve Ramsey – KBCS General Manager
Richard Thompson Acoustic Classic II Beeswing Records
Laura Marling Semper Femina More Alarming Records
Gregg Allman Southern Blood Rounder Records
Chris Stapleton From A Room, Volume 1 Mercury Nashville
Dori Freeman Letters Never Read Free Dirt Records
The Mavericks Brand New Day Mono Mundo Records
Martin Simpson Trails & Tribulations Topic Records
Amira Medunjanin Damar World Circuit
John McCutcheon Trolling for Dreams Appalsongs
The Rails Other People Psychonaut Sounds
Led Kaapana Jus’ Bes’ Self
DJ Notes: Honorable mention: Led Kaapana: ‘Jus Press, Vol. 2; Youssou n’Dour: Africa Rekk; Tinariwen: Elwan; Mulatu Astatke: Mulatu of Ethiopia
Tom Voorhees – Bluegrass Rasmble
Mac Wiseman I Sang the Song Mountain Fever
Karl Shiflett Sho Nuff Country Pautexent Music
Daily & Vincent Poets & Patriots BFD
David Parmley & Cardinal Tradition David Parmley & Cardinal Tradition DP&CD Recordings
Carolina B lue Sounds of Kentucky Grass Poor Mountain
Hammertowne Hillbilly Heroes Mountain Fever
Claire Lynch North By South Compass
Bobby Osborne Original Big Ring
Gibson Brothers In the Ground Rounder
The Grascals Before Breakfast Mountain Home
DJ Notes: These are not in any particular order and represent just a small portion of a bumper crop of bluegrass releases this past year.
Rhiannon Giddens Freedom Highway Nonesuch
Aimee Mann Mental Illness Superego
Joan Shelley Joan Shelley No Quarter
Lydia Ramsey Bandita Self
Sera Cahoone From Where I Started Lady Muleskinner
Valerie June The Order of Time Concord
Hurray for the Riff Raff The Navigator ATO
Laura Marling Semper Femina More Alarming
Les Amazones d’Afrique Republique Amazone Real World
Mavis Staples If All I Was Was Black Anti-
DJ Notes: This list is in no particular order. I also really liked releases from Eilen Jewell, Laura Cortese and the Calling Cards, Oumou Sangare, St Vincent, Emel Mathlouthi, Tori Amos, Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, Shannon McNally, Shelby Earl & Allison Moorer and Lilly Hiatt. Thanks for listening, it’s my pleasure to share music with you on KBCS.
