John Richards

In a rave review, Rolling Stone writer Lester Bangs described In a Silent Way as "the kind of album that gives you faith in the future of music. It is not rock and roll, but it's nothing stereotyped as jazz either. All at once, it owes almost as much to the techniques developed by rock improvisors in the last four years as to Davis' jazz background. It is part of a transcendental new music which flushes categories away and, while using musical devices from all styles and cultures, is defined mainly by its deep emotion and unaffected originality".

Irreversible Entanglements are a liberation-oriented free jazz collective formed in early 2015 by saxophonist Keir Neuringer, poet Camae Ayewa (a.k.a. Moor Mother) and bassist Luke Stewart, who came together to perform at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event organized after the slaying of Akai Gurley by the NYPD. Months later the group added trumpeter Aquiles Navarro and drummer Tcheser Holmes (a duo who also performed at the MAPB event). "Open the Gates" is their third full-length album: intlanthem.bandcamp.com

New music from Bristol based band BEAK> You can revisit their 2018 Live on KEXP performance on our YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com

"Vitamin C" is a song by the krautrock band on their 1972 album 'Ege Bamyasi'. Considering its short length and relatively standard song structure, it is one of the band's more conventional songs. bit.ly

"My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" was David Byrne's first album without the Talking Heads. Here's an in-depth look at the cultural and moral issues surrounding the album: www.getintothis.co.uk

With his new remix album, Deciphering The Message, the Chicago-based drummer, producer, and beat scientist Makaya McCraven puts a modern bounce on Blue Note classics by Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson, and Clifford Brown, among others. Today, McCraven unveils the album’s 3rd single “Sunset” (AKA “Son Set”), which remakes a deep cut by the underrecognized trumpeter and composer Kenny Dorham from his 1961 album Whistle Stop featuring Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. McCraven’s new version layers on his own drums and also features Jeff Parker on guitar, Joel Ross on vibraphone, and Junius Paul on ceramic bird. bit.ly

Following on from the announcement of his new album on Warp Records, Nightmares on Wax shares new single ‘Breathe In’ which features OSHUN: a hip-hop duo channeling ‘ancestral Magic’ from New York whose name is taken from the West African mythological deity of fresh water, pleasure, sexuality, fertility, beauty and love derived from the Yoruba religion. n-o-w.ffm.to

Vulnerable is the sixth album by English trip hop artist Tricky released in 2003 on the Epitaph record label. The main female collaborator on this album was the Italian singer Costanza Francavilla, a previous fan who approached Tricky at one of his shows and gave him a CD with songs.

Those voices belong to Roisin Murphy and J-Live. Handsome Boy Modeling School is a collaborative project between hip hop producers Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Dr. Octagon, Deltron 3030) and Prince Paul (Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Gravediggaz). “You know when you hear M.O.P.’s Ante Up and you wanna punch somebody in the face? Well, this is the song that makes you want to put on your Gucci socks.” Read about how a joke formed one of hip-hop's "coolest collabs": bit.ly

Released on this day in 1994. Watch Digable Planets in a live performance for KEXP listeners from Kex Hostel in Reykjavik, Iceland during Iceland Airwaves in 2016: www.youtube.com -- This bassline is a slowwwwed down version of Ohio Players' "Love Rollercoaster."

BADBADBADNOTGOOD is Chester Hansen, Alex Sowinski, & Leland Whitty. badbadnotgoodofficial.bandcamp.com

Their version of the Woody Guthrie song, featuring Rhiannon Giddens joining the Resistance Revival Chorus, an activist and musical group that formed out of the 2017 Women's March ; video: www.youtube.com ; www.resistancerevivalchorus.com

There's a taste here in my mouth that tastes like Monday morning.

Jarvis Cocker's cover of Christophe's 1965 Song “Aline”, which is the first single for Chansons D’Ennui, Cocker’s new album of French songs from that same period. - bit.ly www.jarviscocker.net

Conte has said many times that “Via Con Me” is his favorite of all the songs he has written, and has revisited and recorded it many times both live and in the studio. It first appeared on his 1981 album, Paris milonga the first of his LPs to draw heavily on jazz and swing and to be released outside of his native country, earning him international acclaim. Read a short history of the song here: www.jazziz.com

Brand new music from Billy Bragg! billybragg.bandcamp.com

A request for some VU this Monday morning! === When Loaded was originally released in 1970, the song's bridge was cut. The box set Peel Slowly and See and reissue Loaded: Fully Loaded Edition restored the missing section.

"Sweet Jane" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. The song was written by Lou Reed, who was often quoted as saying that the Cowboy Junkies' version was his favorite. Check out the Cowboy Junkies' official video: www.youtube.com

This song was written by lyricist Hope Sandoval and composer David Roback, who also served as producer. Roback died last year at the age of 61. Read an in-depth exploration of this hauntingly beautiful song: ourculturemag.com

Dear John! Good morning, and thank you for all that you do. I'd like to request some Nation of Language this morning, for Shannon, in honor of her completing her first half-marathon yesterday. KEXP was a critical part of Shannon's training, encouraging her and giving her energy with every stride over the past year. Shannon finished strong (her personal best times!) and I know she'd enjoy hearing some Nation of Language, the first band we heard since live music resumed. And just for my part, I love KEXP too, and send my repeated thanks for all your good work, and your attention to our shared struggles in this world. Warmest, Ben Wurgaft, Massachusetts === Singer and songwriter Ian Devaney says of “A Word & A Wave” in a statement: I was thinking a lot about simple social gestures and how randomly important they can be in key moments. How empowering it can feel when someone remembers your name; how slighted you can feel when someone you only kind-of know passes by without acknowledgment. Here's the official video for this soaring single: www.youtube.com

Good morning, John, Owen and team! I gotta tell you, I saw Nation of Language in San Francisco last night. It was my first live show since the before times. I almost didn’t go — and then venue announced proof of vaccine requirement so I went for it. Oh my god. . . I’d forgotten about that experience of seeing a band live for the first time after you’re already in love with their recordings /albums, when you can’t believe it but you love them even more now. The intensity and soulfulness of their live performance went off the (bleeping) charts. It felt so good to dance and sing and cheer and scream with a room full of strangers, I truly cried tears of joy. After the show, all three members came out to just chat with fans. I talked to Aiden. I told her about how the first time I’d heard them it was on KEXP, John in the morning, and how you played Rush of Fever twice in a row. She said, “KEXP changed everything for us.” The time before you played them, they were playing to almost empty rooms. Almost over night, they had were selling out shows. It made me so proud to be an amplifier. This morning, I’m tired, and sleep deprived, and I’m so in love with our community I can hardly stand it. Thank you. Pauline in Oakland === Closing track on the debut album from Brooklyn band Nation of Language. 'Introduction, Presence' get it here: nationoflanguage.bandcamp.com

The best-selling 12" single of all time in Britain came in a die-cut sleeve that resembled a floppy disc -- a sleeve so fancy Factory Records lost money on each copy The later 1988 and 1995 versions were packaged in conventional sleeves to help balance the books... -- The lyric was written by the group's guitarist/lead singer Bernard Sumner, who copped to being (along with the rest of the band) under the influence of LSD while making the song.

Released on this day, 10-years ago. Whoa. === Great sax outro, or greatest sax outro? === The Pitchfork review (9.1!!!) of the 2011 double album 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming' says that it "serves as a framework to realize the marvelous capability of our dreams and daily lives." bit.ly Watch the video for "Midnight City" which is a tribute to the films 'Village of the Damned' and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' here: youtu.be

Dear John, Owen, and team, Thank you for your running encouragement in addition to music and community that fills our cups every day. Yesterday, I ran my first half-marathon. I was inspired by you to create my own playlist and I had shoegaze keeping my grounded through mile 6, then I went a little wild from there. I didn’t realize how much Slowdive’s “When the Sun Hits” would help me. My goal was to begin and complete the 13.1 miles uninjured, so I succeeded! I was also much faster than I expected with under a 9 minutes/mile pace. I definitely thank the music for that. Big striding thanks to all of you, ~Shannon === Slowdive reunited after a 22-year hiatus and performed music from their eponymous release in 2017 LIVE at KEXP; check it that incredible set here: bit.ly

Hi John! Happy Monday. Can we please get some Mitski up in here? My Monday is dragging already and it would be amazing to hear. Thanks, Mary === Mitski plays two sold out shows at the Moore Theater on Wednesday, March 9th & Thursday, March 10th Mitski says 'Working for the Knife' is "about going from being a kid with a dream, to a grown up with a job, and feeling that somewhere along the way you get left behind....it's being confronted with a world that doesn't seem to recognize your humanity, and seeing no way out of it." bit.ly

Christine and the Queens covered George Michael's hit "Freedom 90" on their new EP, 'Joseph'. Chris performed this at Global Citizen Live in Paris last month. 'Global Citizen Live calls for action to halt climate change and for wealthy countries to deliver on the $100B climate pledge, $6B for famine relief, and COVID-19 vaccine justice for all. On Sept. 25, 2021, over 60M COVID-19 vaccines, 157M trees, and more than US$1.1B in commitments to climate, famine, and COVID-19 response efforts were announced as part of the partner-led campaign. The Global Citizen Live campaign continues in the lead-up to the G20 Summit and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) later this year.' www.globalcitizen.org

A cover of a little band you might have heard of called Daft Punk by the UK Indie Folk band Daughter

This track is built around a sample of the 1973 song, "Sometimes I Cry" by the jazz pianist Les McCann. It's taken from a vinyl record with lots of pops and scratches that are essential to the sound. When Massive Attack performed the song live in 2019, they replayed the sample from a reel-to-reel tape recorder to preserve the analog sound. -- The vocals are performed by Elizabeth Fraser, former lead singer of Cocteau Twins, who also wrote the lyrics. "Teardrop" was originally set to feature vocals from Madonna, whom Massive Attack turned down in favor of Fraser.

Brand new music from the Manchester outfit: mandyindiana.bandcamp.com

Breeze is the project of Toronto-based producer, Josh Korody. "Come Around" features rapper Cadence Weapon, who won this year's Canadian Polaris Music Prize for album 'Parallel World.' === "Come Around” is about someone that has done something horrible and has not shown any accountability or true remorse and the fear they – or have the nerve – to be able to jump back into a community that no longer feels comfortable around them." bit.ly

Is it a happy Monday though?

Luscious Jackson's first release "In Search of Manny" was the first non-Beastie Boys release on the young Grand Royal Records. So from the very start, Luscious Jackson's primary following were Beastie Boys fans looking for something else to get into. When the word came out that Luscious Jackson's drummer Kate Schellenbach had been one of the original Beastie Boys, more interest swirled around LJ.: www.beastiemania.com