From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
The most lasting memories of SXSW 2012 for me will likely be the 3am bike rides from 6th Street back to my guest house in the foothills along the Colorado River, and all the deer I encountered along the way. Musically speaking, though, it will be the compelling conversations i recorded with Nicolas Jaar, Matt Corby and Grace Woodroofe.
We aired the session with Grace this past Saturday, and the other two will be aired in the coming weeks.
The highlights for me:
Soulful electronic musician Nicolas Jaar talked …

From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
When I first met this lovely Georgia peach she was still bartending at Hotel Cafe, the famed Hollywood haven for up-and-comer songwriter types that birthed her.
This was long past the point of her budding notoriety as a girl with solid songs and a soft-spoken Southern allure (her curious moniker comes from having Japanese ancestry on her mother’s side).
Tonight Meiko stops by School Night -my weekly clubnight showcasing up-and-comers, willing icons, and favorite DJs – to celebrate her finest work yet.
Her “I’m In Love” EP features the …

From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
The songs of Leiber and Stoller were a catalyst that helped propel the advent of Rock and Roll, and constitute an inordinate share of the most well-known and most successful songs of the era, including “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Love Potion No. 9″, and “Stand By Me”.
They were the link that fused R&B into the pop idioms of the day, and essentially – with Jerry’s radio play inspired lyrics and Mike’s 12 bar blues and jazz infused piano style – made pop music sound hip.
Jerry Leiber …

From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
As many of you know, I host a weekly club night on Mondays called Bardot which has become a godsend – I’m constantly humbled by the incredible artistry that appears on that tiny stage in Hollywood. Often they are new bands that have become favorites on my playlist early in their careers.
This week was a bell ringer for several reasons. For one, we featured the 7th public performance by Electric Guest, fronted by the diminutive and charismatic Asa Taccone.
Despite being virtually unknown, they are one of …

From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
As you might guess, I’m always on the hunt for exhilarating new artists and bands. It’s the life blood of my work here at KCRW. Often it happens in the mail, on a stage somewhere, through a trusted friend…I stumble across something that captivates.
It happened again this past Monday. Each week, I host School Night — a club night at Bardot in Hollywood that features live performances and sets from guest DJs. I had booked two LA up-and-comers Obi Best and Hands, and a brand new …

From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
Last night, while watching Paul Simon’s spellbinding performance at the Music Box with my son, I was reminded of one of my favorite radio moments in my years at KCRW.
It was in the Summer of 2006, during his tour in support of his Brian Eno-produced album “Surprise”. I spent a couple of days following Paul Simon around at that time, recording a series of interviews that resulted in a two-hour KCRW special that examined his life in music.
While I highly recommend the entire interview special (it’s …

From KCRW DJ Chris Douridas:
I must admit, The Civil Wars album Barton Hollow snuck up on me.
I saw it arrive in the mail and, after a quick listen, I set it aside. A few days later, a Nashville friend of mine asked if I’d heard the album. I told her I gave it a casual listen and it didn’t captivate me.
She gave me a grave look and said, “No. Listen again.” The look in her eye told me I’d missed something.
She was right. After listening again, I immediately put several …

Just a couple of weeks ago, a few of us from KCRW’s DJ collective were invited to create remixes of David Bowie’s 1975 gem “Golden Years”. Having the opportunity to re-approach such a classic was at once an absolute honor, and a harrowing and humbling task. How do you reconsider such an iconic piece of music?
Here’s my version of the remix of Golden Years by David Bowie.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
For me, I had the added pressure of attempting my very first remix in a very public forum. …

1. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glass Note)
2. Band of Skulls – Baby Darling Dollface Honey (Shangri La)
3. Chris Garneau – El Radio (Absolutely Kosher)
4. Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk (Shangri-la)
5. Whitetree – Cloudland (Ponderosa)
6. Other Lives – Other Lives (ATO Records / Red)
7. Sonos – Sonos Sings (Verve Forecast)
8. Joe Henry – Blood From Stars (Anti)
9. The Mummers – Tale to Tell (Big Bass Drum)
10. Sonic Youth – The Eternal (Matador Records)